Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office (DRFMO) held its first “trade show” style open house on Thursday, November 17 to allow residents the opportunity to speak with those involved in various aspects of the project, including geotechnical and design engineers, and learn more about four upcoming planned projects.
While construction is still underway on the Midland, Newcastle, North Drumheller Grove Plaza, and Willow Estates berms, residents got their first look at the scope of work for the East Coulee, Michichi Creek, Hospital extension, and Downtown berm projects.
“The intent of tonight’s (November 17) open house is to tell the community about the work we’re planning to start construction on in 2023,” explains project director Deighen Blakely. “This will be citizens’ first look at berm layout and designs, and an opportunity for the design teams to get feedback on things, too.”
A total of 59 people pre-registered for the event, and Ms. Blakely adds DRFMO received some phone calls ahead of the event-mostly from those directly impacted by the project-looking to learn more.
There was a steady stream of people throughout the two-hour open house.
Ms. Blakely noted the format for this event is much different than the “lecture style” community engagements the flood mitigation office has previously held. By moving to more of a trade-show style format, attendees were able to move freely between various stations to learn more about the project and ask questions from those involved, including the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), and geotechnical and design engineers.
She notes, similar to the current projects underway, it is anticipated tender packages for the East Coulee, Michichi Creek East and West, Hospital extension, and Downtown berms will be staggered between spring and summer, with construction to follow in the summer and fall-depending on regulatory approvals.
A number of other Town of Drumheller departments were also in attendance at the open house, including Public Works, Protective Services, and the Town’s development office.
“We all live in one community. (Someone) might have come here to look at a road closure, or the downtown berm design, but the fact you can actually see someone to talk to about the (proposed) traffic bylaw, or talk to public works about snow plows and stuff like that-we just think it’s a greater opportunity for people to engage and be heard by administration and council,” said Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Darryl Drohomerski.
A comprehensive report of feedback and questions received during the event will be posted to the flood readiness website at https://floodreadiness.drumheller.ca/community-input in the coming days.

The Village of Carbon will be going ahead with much-needed infrastructure repairs after a plebiscite where the voters championed the upgrades.
Earlier this year Carbon council brought forward a borrowing bylaw to take out a loan of $700,000 to undertake major infrastructure repairs However, a group of residents circulated a petition, which was deemed successful.
This led to a plebiscite on Tuesday, November 15. Residents were asked to vote either in favour or opposed to 2022-865 Borrowing Bylaw which read, “Plans and specifications have been prepared and the total cost of the Captial Replacement Program (CRP-Infrastructure repairs and replacement) is estimated to be $700,000 over 10 years with an interest rate of no greater than 6.5%.”
The result of the plebiscite showed 102 in favour, with 75 opposed to the bylaw. One ballot was left blank.
“Democracy has won, the people have spoken, they want their council to maintain or repair our infrastructure,” said Mayor Bryan Peever, noting the results show a clear direction from the residents.
The first reading of the bylaw was in June.
Peever says the council now has to pass second and third readings of the bylaw.
The delay may cost the municipality more in interest.
“When we initiated the bylaw we had an interest rate of around about 4.6 per cent. That is no longer the case as they have gone up. We are going to have to modify the bylaw in the second reading to reflect the new interest rate, and depending on where we can get the best interest rate,” said Peever.
“This petition that was put forward by this group will inevitably cost us about $100,000 in interest rates.”
He says, after they pass the bylaw, they will continue through their procurement policy and hope to get to work in the spring.
He notes he has heard from appreciative residents.
“I was talking to a few residents, and they said if we had lost this vote, they were leaving. A village that doesn’t maintain its infrastructure, they don't want to live there,” said Peever.