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Curling arena concerns: Open letter to Pincher Creek council

Written by Shannon Peace on February 27, 2023. Posted in Columns/Opinions, Community, Town of Pincher Creek. Leave a Comment

Open letter to the Town of Pincher Creek Council:

I am writing this letter to express my concerns with the decision to move forward with the proposed curling arena.

I have serious concerns with the bylaw that is being given first reading on Feb. 27, 2023, which will give the Town of Pincher Creek the ability to borrow $4 million for this project.

As I understand, the project has no dollar amount attached to it, if this is available it’s your obligation to inform the community of the price tag.

Who will be the partners in this? The MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 has not announced if they have any intention of supporting this project.

When the council agreed to support this project “in principle,” the Pincher Creek Curling Club was to be a partner in this, however there is no disclosure as to this amount. A traditional P3 partnership would suggest they are responsible for 1/3 of the cost, is this the case?

I understand there is a grant that the Town is looking to apply for to cover some of the cost. This requires that this bylaw needs to be approved prior to the grant deadline of Feb. 28 (please correct me if this date is wrong). This means the bylaw needs to receive three readings and be passed at this one meeting, with no public consultations.

Planning for grant funding either provincially or federally is an unknown, as monies received from grants rarely achieve the full amount asked for.

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The location

While I understand the reasoning of attaching it to an existing recreation facility, attaching it to one that is going to need upgrades in the future is questionable.

Moving it out of the downtown is irresponsible and damaging to the businesses on Main Street that are already struggling due to the rising costs of operating a small business.

By removing the building from Main Street, it will leave another significant empty lot in the downtown.

I believe a parking lot is to be built on this spot to address the parking issue on Main Street. Other than in the winter and during peak times for the arena and the Multi-Purpose Facility (pool), a proposed parking lot will not be a useful place for anyone as it is a significant distance from most of the businesses.

Couple dressed in toques and scarves on a winter background promoting winter walking in Pincher Creek

The finances

Is the town purchasing the land from the curling club?

If it is, where will the funds come from?

If so, who is responsible for the demolition of the current building?

Will the town also be responsible? If so, how will we pay for this?

Will the proceeds go to the curling club or towards the new facility?

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The priorities

The Pincher Creek Regional Recreation Master Plan shows the curling club tied for third.

First for priorities is trail system expansion and enhancement.

This “will encourage people to get outside and live a healthy, active lifestyle as well promote active transportation,” page 10. Not only would it be beneficial to all ages and abilities it is an activity that is free for everyone at a minimal investment to the community.

Second was the Memorial Community Centre Arena upgrades. This facility can and is used at any age and is part of a sustainable and growing sport.

Is curling? If so, please provide how many members the curling club has, and the demographics. What is the overall growth in this sport? Not just the sturling club.

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Housing

My last point, and one that affects every individual in Canada, Alberta and Pincher Creek, is housing.

The town has completed housing studies over the last 15 to 20 years. Continually these studies have shown that housing is a critical part of the community.

The Town of Pincher Creek has done nothing in supporting this crisis.

I task every member of council to try and find a safe, affordable home in this town, as a family or even a single person. Housing is skyrocketing. Many families spend half their income on rent and utilities, often feeding the family is becoming a challenge.

What are you going to tell these families? Sorry, we needed a curing club that serves one to three per cent of the population?

How about taking the money and addressing this issue? There have been many discussions over building affordable homes for people in need. The Town of Pincher Creek can take any of the land they own and develop it for this use, not sell land to developers who build executive condos for a few.

Group of people gathered around table with town of Pincher Creek logos on the backs of their chairs. Blue conversation bubbles are above text providing meeting dates.

Conclusion

When you took your oath of office it was to serve the citizens of Pincher Creek, not for personal agendas.

Although not in the strictest definition of conflict of interest, I believe that members of this council have forgotten why they are there and who they serve.

It’s time to look at why you are sitting in the position of responsibility and service, and decide if you are there for yourself or there to make a difference for the future of this beautiful community.

Tammy Carmichael

Pincher Creek

Shootin’ the Breeze welcomes submissions about local issues and activities. Personal views expressed in Mailbox articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect views of Shootin’ the Breeze management and staff.

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Community priorities: Open letter to Pincher Creek council

Written by Shannon Peace on February 27, 2023. Posted in Columns/Opinions, Community, Town of Pincher Creek. Leave a Comment

Dear Mayor Anderberg and Council Members,

Thank you for all the time and care you give the community of Pincher Creek and for taking the time to consider my concerns.

Coming from 35 years in Calgary to this community 33 years ago, initially part time and then full time, I have come to appreciate the immense value of living in a small town. Yes, sometimes it’s a little bit intimidating that pretty much everyone knows your business and you may know your doctor and your lawyer in various contexts.

That said, this is more importantly a community in which we care for each other, look out for each other, keep each other and our children safe because we know each other and we sense when something isn’t right. Yes, I will call your parents. If I don’t know them in person, I can surely find someone who does.

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I wish to speak out about what I believe to be a potential disordering of our community priorities if we proceed with the $4-million investment in a new curling rink under consideration.

I can appreciate the social and physical benefits of curling; the richness of the camaraderie and subsequent enrichment of our community that would come with this initiative. I applaud those who care deeply about this and appreciate their efforts, and I hope that the day will come when this can happen.

It is my understanding that Pincher Creek has engaged in four publicly paid-for social needs assessments over the last 15 years or so. As a past Family and Community Services co-ordinator with the town, I was part of the assessment that followed the initial one spearheaded by the Associate Clinic. All of them pinpointed affordable housing as the greatest unaddressed need in our community. The Pincher Creek Foundation has done and is doing their best to provide this housing as they can. It is not enough. Their waiting list is long.

Two women in red coats and a man in a blue coat smiling and cross-country skiing

We see it again and again; a chronic shortage of affordable housing that means an inadequate supplement of front-line workers in:

—Day care

—Health care

—Seniors’ facilities

—Pincher Creek Women’s Shelter

—Restaurants

—Stores

—Potential new businesses that might be attracted to Pincher Creek if this were not such an issue.

As president of the Pincher Creek Women’s Shelter board of directors, I am acutely aware that women and children fleeing violence have nowhere to go other than back to their abusive situations after they leave the women’s shelter. Many of these women return to the shelter several times.

Restaurants have frequently reduced their hours for lack of staff.

Extended families are crowded in their homes.

People are living in mobile homes that are in very substandard conditions.

For all of the above reasons, we must address this urgent issue. We all care about the social and economic health of this community!

Let us not be adversaries. Let’s work together to ensure that the greatest needs of our community are met in the order of urgency. Let’s work together to have the best recreational opportunities we can afford once our primary, most urgent needs are met.

Elizabeth Dolman
Pincher Creek

Tag: community priorities

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