Neepawa Council Debrief: Fall Recreation at the Forefront

This is your Neepawa Town Council Debrief for the September the 19th, 2023, meeting. The debrief will highlight the key issues being discussed by Council and provide additional information where we can.

This week in Council reports we see the introduction of the new General Volunteer Application Form from the Environmental Health and Volunteerism Committee. This is intended to establish a database of volunteers, skills, and areas of interest for future town events and initiatives. The form is available online and also in person at the town office.

Councillor Sisley highlights several upcoming projects in the recreation arena, including youth bike races at the Back 40 bike park and a fall scavenger hunt, and as well reports on the summer’s swimming lessons and day camps that saw hundreds of students and campers over the eight weeks of summer. There will also be a 'come and go' event on October 11 with information about the upcoming LPN program.

Manager of Operations Denis Saquet takes us into the fall season with a reminder that yard waste pickup is every Monday in compostable bags only. Additionally, our garbage and recycling contractor can decline to pick up contaminated recycling bins, and will be firmer about the guidelines going forward as the town is now being charged for contaminated loads.

As for ongoing projects, the Park Lake reconstruction is slightly behind schedule due to some issues with materials, but crews are working diligently on the project as there are portions, such as ground compaction, which must be completed before the annual freeze-up.

Council approves the closure of portions of Mountain, Davidson, Brown, and Hamilton Avenues for the Parade of Lights on November 25. This is a return to the old parade route now that repair of Davidson Avenue is complete, allowing residents of Kinsmen Kourts and Yellowhead Manor to view the parade from their homes once again.

Finally, a couple more construction and infrastructure projects are on the horizon. Council received a bid for Phase II of the multi-use trail park, which is receiving funding of over $500K from the federal government, and is hoping to be able to proceed without too many delays as in some areas there is up to a two-year waiting list for trail design and construction and there are few companies doing that kind of work. As well, the town has an agreement with the province about the new water line for the hospital, which needs to cross both provincial Highway 5 near Hillcrest and provincial Highway 16 near Breaker 16.

Also covered was the regular financial report.