County to financially assist with the Schuler hall demolition

Posted on June 25, 2019 by 40 Mile Commentator

Cypress County council approved to chip-in $33,000 to help with the demolition of the aging Schuler Community Hall and moving the building to a nearby hole where the structure will be buried at its June 18 meeting.
The cost of the removal and repurposing came in at just over $45,000 with the Schuler Community Association (SCA) pitching in $12,270 of their own money.
The association’s inputs to date include an engineers report ($1,701), a privacy fence ($1,967.60), asbestos report for $1,363.50, while the plan is for the SCA to donate an additional $5,000 to the project. Shingle removal and grass seed will be coming out of SCA’s pocket too.
“The main cost in all this is for the asbestos removal and site demolition of the hall,” said Geoff Roth, director on the SCA.
“We have found an appropriate site to put the old building into. It’s on a neighbour’s land and he’s willing to bury it. He just doesn’t want the shingles on the property.”
Roth says the SCA feels this is the appropriate measures taken in the community.
“The hall had deteriorated more since the first engineers report,” he said.
“The roof has sagged more on the trestles going down. It’s visibly apparent that more have broken and saged, the side wall has pushed out to the point where you can push on the wall. The foundation is crumbling underneath.”
County Deputy Reeve Richard Oster commended Roth and other SCA members on the thorough report.
“Geoff we want to just compliment you and your committee on a report well done,” said Oster.
“We can see where you spent time on this and appreciate the fact you’ve looked at all the options. It was very informative.”
Roth hopes the demolition could be done before fall.
Once the hall removal is done, the SCA is hoping to utlilize the property with school being close to enhance their learning opportunities as well as a low maintenance landscape area, community gardens, cenotaph, a picnic area and benches.
Council also voted to direct administration to assist the SCA with grant application preparations.

Intermunicipal Trail
Oster moved for council to officially name the portion of the intermunicipal trail that is going to run along the north side of S. Boundary Road and into Desert Blume as the Rotary Centennial Trail.

Cemetery registration

Council approved Coun. Shane Hok’s motion to direct administration to provide the required information to the director of cemeteries for a notification of burial sites so the county owned cemetery can be added to the official records with the Province of Alberta.
The issue had to be addressed because of some one wanting to be buried in a county owned cemetery, but the grave yard was not registered under the province.

Additional cemeteries registration

Council also moved to direct administration to contact the owners of cemeteries that are not on the province’s Director of Cemeteries’ official list and to inform that the county will be assisting the province to add their location to the official list. Upon review the county has cemeteries that the director did not know about and the director had a list the county did not know about.
The County has 37 sites in their records and with the additions from the director’s list, the number is up to 43. Three of the sites are county owned.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Council approved to donate $175,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta for the kitchen main floor recognition level with funds coming from the Stabilization fund.

Seed drill rental
Coun. Dustin Vossler’s motion was approved by council to direct administration to rent the operable Sunflower Seed drill for seeding grains only and for staff to research the manufacturer responsibilities and bring back to a future meeting.

Seed drills purchase

Hok’s motion was approved by council for administration to purchase a new seed drill with funds coming from the 2019 budget and bring back the purchase of an additional seed drill to the 2020 budget discussions.