The last 12 months filled with triumphs and challenges.
That is what mayor Gerry St. Pierre told the Barrhead Leader when we sat down to discuss not only what he believed to be some of the highlights of 2016 and what needed to be improved on for the coming year.
“Definitely the highlight of the year is the start of construction on the swimming pool. It is something the community has been waiting a long time for and to be able to see it finally going up is something that is really exciting,” he said, adding the opening date could be sooner than anticipated. “According to the construction company (Clarke Builders) substantial completion could be as soon as April.”
Although, St. Pierre noted after the building is completed, it will still be a while before the aquatic centre is ready for the public, but still expects the grand opening will happen sometime in the spring.
Currently he said the town is looking for an aquatic centre manager.
“I understand from talking to our CAO (Martin Taylor) that administration and the recreation director (Shallon Touet) have already conducted two or three interviews and a decision will have to be made in the near future,” he said.
As for some of the other highlights, St. Pierre pointed to community events such as the Blue Heron Fair Days and the Wildrose Rodeo Finals, which are hosted by the Barrhead and District Agrena Society.
“Fair Days were very successful and the ag society made a significant profit,” he said, adding as a result the society was able to make a significant donation to the pool. “The ag society was also successful in their bid to keep the finals in Barrhead, which just shows you what a great job the society and the community has done over the years with the rodeo.”
St. Pierre also noted the success of other community driven initiatives such as the Community Garden and Communities in Bloom, which scored four out of five blooms in the provincial competition.
Despite the successes, like all communities, he said, the town had its challenges, noting the downturn in the provincial economy and the two years of challenging agricultural conditions had an impact on the number of residential construction permits.
However, he said probably the biggest disappointment this year was the town and County of Barrhead’s inability to come an agreement over the services which both its residents share, most notably recreation.
St. Pierre said council was especially disappointed when Municipal Affairs minister Danielle Larivee, in April, decided against amalgamation.
Instead she set a six-month deadline for the two parties to sign a recreation agreement, — the issue that both the town and county agree to the largest area of contention. Larivee also stated that if such an agreement, Municipal Affairs could impose one.
“We weren’t able to come close to reaching a recreation agreement,” St. Pierre said. “There was virtually no change in the county’s position and yet it is very obvious that significant change has to take place.”
Larivee has not indicated when, or if, her ministry will step in.
“I speak for council and what I believe is the vast majority of residents of our community, both county and town that amalgamation is the direction that we have to go — and it will be achieved some day,” he said. “I know there is concern out there that we will lose autonomy or that it will cost one side more and one side less, but it isn’t about that, it is about the entire community being better served.”
As for what some of the things the town is working towards in 2017, St. Pierre said the town and county are working towards a new fire services agreement and he expects that will be completed early in the year. It is also expected that work on a $1.5 million upgrade project for the wastewater lagoon to be started sometime in 2017 with the majority of funding hoped to come through various federal and provincial government grants. The new year also marks Barrhead’s 90th anniversary and town staff are working at coinciding events with Canada 150 celebrations.
“I am very positive about what the new year has in store for Barrhead. The town is in a strong financial situation. Except for the aquatic centre we are debt free and we are managing to get all the work done that we need to do, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”
