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Last updateThu, 14 Nov 2024 9pm

Aquaplex sees record high summer admissions

Copy of Copy of aquaplex exterior mar 2014

Drumheller may be well known for some of its tourist attractions such as Tyra the World’s Largest Dinosaur, but the popular attractions were not the only places in the Drumheller Valley which saw an increase in visitors over the summer months.
Between June and August 2022, a total of 19,099 visitors took time to visit the Drumheller Aquaplex, with over half of these being drop-in admissions.
“We are up significantly over the last couple of years through COVID,” aquatic supervisor Andrea Leavitt tells the Mail.
Ms. Leavitt adds the Aquaplex welcomed some 18,000 visitors during the same three-month period in 2018, the next comparative year.
Single, drop-in admissions made up 52 per cent of total admissions during this time, while membership use was 21 per cent; the remainder of admissions are a mix of swimming lessons and group reservations.
As the only other municipality in the immediate area with a pool, the Mail also reached out to the Village of Carbon. However, the Village declined to provide comment “due to other pressing tasks that require our immediate attention.”


Delia steps back to medieval times

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The Delia Drop-in Centre took a step back in time to medieval times hosting a themed lunch.
On September 26, the group hosted 14 at the Unicorner Store in Delia.
This featured a feast of cabbage soup in a bun bowl, and chicken with all the trimmings of fall vegetables. It was topped off with a dessert of stewed rhubarb.
The feast was served up using wooden plates and utensils.
Entertainment for the group from Morrin and Delia was provided by a Lord and Lady, three wenches and a court jester.
Delia Drop-in Centre activity coordinator Terry Trefz explains they have been actively trying to get people more involved with their activities.
“We are just trying to get more interaction within our community and let people know we are there, we‘re not just a coffee shop,” said Trefz. “Get involved in our community, that’s our inspiration.”
She said the idea of medieval lunch was just to do something different.
“I am always trying to come up with different ideas to get people to do things,” she said. “Instead of just having coffee, coffee, coffee, or having a day trip, let’s have someone come into our community and be a part of our community.”
She says they want to work more with residents outside the community and surrounding areas.
They have had people from Hanna and Morrin join in their activities.
“These small communities are dying, and if we all work together and I do one thing once a month, and they do something one month, we’re not going to die, we are going to keep it going around,” she said.

$4,592,500 spent on flood mitigation land purchases

Copy of Copy of Drumheller council building

Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office (DRFMO) provided Town council with an update on ongoing land buyout process during the Monday, September 12 Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting, and received approval from council to proceed with expropriation of two properties in Newcastle at the following Monday, September 19 regular council meeting.
A total of 27 properties throughout the Drumheller Valley were identified and targeted for buyout through the Floodway Buyout program as they are unable to be protected by proposed flood mitigation.
DRFMO project director Deighen Blakely explained during the September 12 Committee meeting a total of $4,592,500 has been spent to date to purchase 16 properties. Five properties were sold for removal, and it is estimated $1,771,000 has been spent for reclamation costs of these properties.
It is estimated an additional $2,135,500 will be spent to complete remaining land purchases.
However, there have been some challenges with some land acquisitions.
At the September 19 regular council meeting, Ms. Blakely presented council with a request to begin expropriation proceedings for portions of two properties in Newcastle.
She explained DRFMO has been in ongoing negotiations with the affected landowners but, to date, all offers have been rejected.
Increased costs on the Downtown Dike project in June prompted design changes to the berms which reduced the top width from six metres down to four. These design changes resulted in two, rather than three, landowners being affected in this area, and the portion of the two parcels required to facilitate berm construction was also reduced.
Ms. Blakely noted the partial acquisition of these parcels can be purchased based on the current year assessment value, for the land value only, at a square foot basis. She added, if a resolution can be agreed upon in a timely manner between the Town and land owner’s respective legal counsel, there may be upwards of a three month delay.
Funding through the Alberta government will cover the costs of land purchases and associated legal fees; however, this is only eligible for land acquisition at or below the assessed value, similar to other flood mitigation projects across the province.
Council unanimously approved moving forward with expropriation processes.


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