Grande Prairie Minute: Water Review, Afternoon Tea, and Census Deadline Extended

Grande Prairie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Grande Prairie politics

This Week In Grande Prairie:

• Tuesday is Standing Committee Day! At 9:00 am, there will be a meeting of the Financial and Administrative Services Committee. A delegation from the Bear Creek Folk Music Festival will be in attendance to discuss potential infrastructure upgrades at Borstad Hill and/or Ernie Radbourne Pavilion. Meetings of the Invest GP Committee and the Public Protective Services Committee, both also scheduled for 9:00 am, have been cancelled. The Operational Services Committee will meet at 9:30 am. The agenda includes an update on the latest Bear River Corridor Assessment. At 10:00 am, the Strategy and Communication Services Committee will meet to discuss an Indigenous Relations Framework Progress Report.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 1:30 pm, the Council Committee of the Whole will meet. The Committee will discuss a letter received from the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen, requesting Grande Prairie’s participation in review of municipal water infrastructure vulnerabilities, in light of the recent feeder main rupture in Calgary. The Committee will also hear updates on advocacy priorities, roads and sidewalks, and red tape and building codes. The meeting will end with an in-camera session.
  
  
• Road work at the 116 Avenue and 102 Street intersection is ongoing. Crews will first install a new concrete storm vault on the north side, then connect pipes and install an overflow pipe on the south side. Left turns from 116 Ave onto 102 St will be prohibited, the intersection will be closed to through traffic on 102 St, and Route 8 bus stops will be relocated. The project is expected to last two to three weeks, weather permitting.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• The City has extended the deadline for the 2024 Census, with the goal of achieving a 90% completion rate. To meet this target, 2,500 more households need to complete the census. City workers will be canvassing neighbourhoods until the goal is reached. The census is optional, but the completion rate affects the amount of provincial grant money the City receives, with the risk of losing funds if the target isn't met. Residents can complete the census online or by calling 311.
  
  
• International Paper's Grande Prairie mill has awarded $91,000 in grants to 11 local groups. Since starting its Giving Fund in 2018, the company has provided over $700,000 in grant funding. This year’s recipients include organizations focused on education, health and wellness, and community needs, such as the Sexsmith 4-H Multi Club, Special Olympics Alberta, and the Grande Spirit Foundation. Grants are awarded annually, prioritizing programs that align with International Paper’s key causes - education, hunger, health and wellness, disaster relief and initiatives that improve the planet.
  
  
• The Reverend Forbes Homestead and Pioneer Hospital in Grande Prairie has opened registration for Afternoon Tea, which runs every Wednesday and Thursday at 2:00 PM throughout July and August for $5 per person. Guests can enjoy scones and beverages while touring the homestead. New this year are amenities like children's tea time on Thursdays and special activities, including a quilt show on July 24th and a history display on August 21st. This tradition harks back to early settlement days when Agnes Forbes hosted community tea parties. To reserve a tea time, contact the Grande Prairie Museum at 780-830-7090.