News | DrumhellerMail - Page #466
11182024Mon
Last updateThu, 14 Nov 2024 9pm

Old hospital, consortium assessments underway

Copy of DSC 0434

The Town is preparing to bring down the former hospital and consortium sites, and reviews and assessments are underway.
Director of Infrastructure Services Dave Brett provided an update on the project to council during the Monday, April 11 Committee of the Whole meeting, indicating an estimated time frame ahead of beginning demolition.
“These are two buildings the Town has been wanting to eliminate, as they have been derelict for quite some time. Bringing them down will improve the visual appeal of the town,” Mr. Brett told the Mail.
Mr. Brett shares the town has retained a project management company and is working with them to determine the scope of work and establish a budget to complete the demolition.
The old hospital site at 625 Riverside Drive has been empty since 2002 and reviews of the asbestos abatement records are currently underway.
Environmental and hazardous materials assessments for the old consortium building at 601 5 Street East are also underway.
Once these reviews are completed demolition is expected to move forward.
“The goal is to complete both sites at the same time, but this may be split up to encourage local vendors to carry out the work,” he says.

Avian influenza detected in Kneehill County poultry flock

chickens

On Friday, April 8, Avian Influenza (H5N1) was confirmed in a poultry flock in Kneehill County.
The information was posted on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website on April 10 and, according to this information, an investigation has begun, and quarantine and movement control protocols in the affected area are in place.
H5N1 is highly pathogenic and presents a significant national concern as wild birds migrate to Canada because of its spread in wild bird populations globally.
Drumheller-Stettler MLA and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Nate Horner issued a statement on the avian flu discovery in Alberta flocks.
“Albertans can be assured there is no risk to food safety and the risk to human health is extremely low,” he said. “The quick discovery of these cases is a testament to the effectiveness of our disease surveillance and response system and the commitment of our poultry producers.”
For poultry producers and owners with backyard flocks or pet birds, the CFIA website contains resources on avian biosecurity measures under the Response to detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in Canada 2021-2022.
Kneehill County will continue providing updates for informational purposes as they become available and is not otherwise directly involved in the process. Any questions should be directed to the CFIA and their appointed spokespeople as the situation evolves.
“This case is an important reminder of the importance of strict biosecurity measures and early detection. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a reportable disease, so if you suspect or confirm a case in your flock, you are required to report it to the CFIA or the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian,” said Horner. “This is an incredibly difficult time for the affected producers. We appreciate the steady support of all stakeholders as we continue working together to resolve this issue.”

On the hunt for Easter

1IMG 4434

The Easter bunny was busy on Saturday, April 16, and with the help of the Grace Lutheran Church hid Easter Eggs in Centennial park behind the Badlands Community Facility (BCF). Scores of youngsters went on a chocolate egg fueled frenzy finding them all.

More Articles ...

  1. Airport runway repaving goes ahead this spring
  2. Honouring Drumheller's trees with Indigenous blessing
  3. Drumheller Rotary presents Taylor Reid as March Student of the Month
  4. Fate of Drumheller Curling Club on brighter course

Subcategories

The Drumheller Mail encourages commenting on our stories but due to our harassment policy we must remove any comments that are offensive, or don’t meet the guidelines of our commenting policy.