Serving the communities of Rimbey, Bentley, Bluffton, Winfield, Alder Flats and Buck Lake
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Volume 15 Number 4
www.rimbeyreview.com
Town hall sold to library for $1 By Treena Mielke A decision by council to sell the town hall to the library board for $1 opens the door for expansion and relocates the town offices to the Provincial Building. The sale is conditional on the town having first right of refusal to buy back the building for $1 should the library decide to vacate or terminate its operations. Council, at its regular meeting Jan. 14, unanimously agreed to accept an offer from the Rimbey Library Board to purchase the town hall, a decision they have wrestled with for several months. “I am in support of it,” said Mayor Sheldon Ibbotson. “I think the library provides a really great service.” Coun. Jack Webb agreed. “I was never opposed to the library expanding, but I liked having the town’s offices centrally located.” Library manager Jean Keetch is excited council accepted the offer. “It is wonderful. I am just thrilled.” Keetch said the expansion is sorely needed, noting in 2011 more than 35,000 patrons used the library. She noted due to limited space used books have had to be discarded to make way for new elections. “We don’t have room for collection when we buy new ones and we don’t have room for the staff or all the people who use the library. This will be an incredible benefit to the community,” she added. According to the Alberta Public Library Standards formula, the Rimbey Municipal Library should be 6,500 square feet to support the town population and half the county’s population. The library is currently between 2,300 and 2,800 square feet. Keetch said fundraising for renovations to be included as part of the expansion needs to begin as soon as possible. “We will need about half a million dollars for renovations,” she said. Rimbey CAO Tony Goode said the town needs to finalize negotiations with Alberta Infrastructure regarding a 10-year lease on the upper floor of the Provincial building. He said the town is looking at leasing the building for $33,000 a year including utilities, though that figure hasn’t been finalized. This cost is about $12,000 more than the town pays now in utility and janitorial costs. Goode anticipates the move to be completed by early summer. “We’d like to have it all completed and moved in no later than July 1.”
NEW YEAR
SERVICE S SPECIAL
Fun Fair: Kecia Wheale works on her stairs co-ordination at one the Rimbey Family Fun Fair’s early childhood development stations, Jan 10. For more on the Rimbey Family Fun Fair see page 11. Photo by Amelia Naismith
Council makes way for BRIX Construction to develop land By Treena Mielke Town council has taken the first step to paving the way for a businessman to go ahead with a planned development in Rimbey. At its regular meeting Jan. 14, council gave first reading to the BRIX Area Structure Plan that includes approximately 61 acres of land in the southwest corner of Rimbey. A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers Developer Steffen Olsen, who owns BRIX Construction, has plans to develop the land in three phases and hopes to go ahead with the residential phase this
OIL CHANGE & O ROTATION $ 54.99
BRAKE INSPECTION $ 45.99
includes FREE multipoint inspection
+ Ensure your brakes are safe for the winter conditions +
*Provide coupon @ time of service
*Provide coupon @ time of service
- Expires Feb. 15, 2013 - On cars & light trucks only - Plus shop supplies and taxes
- Expires Feb. 15, 2013 - Plus shop supplies and taxes
year. Olsen is looking at developing six lots suitable for single-family dwellings. The other two phases of the development would include space for commercial and industrial growth. The developer, who is well known in Rimbey, is pleased and excited to move ahead with the project. “Rimbey has the potential for growth,” he said, noting it is in the centre of a thriving mixed farming and oil and gas region. He also noted it is the gateway to recreational opportunities and is close to Sylvan Lake, Gull Lake and Pigeon Lake. Olsen noted that several years ago a
sizable parcel of land was annexed from Ponoka County. He said annexing the land showed foresight and helped pave the way for developers such as himself to allow the town to expand. “From what I understand we are the only community (in the area) that has this much land available.” The structure plan identifies key issues such as land use, servicing, aesthetic design, transportation network and municipal reserve issues. Rimbey CAO Tony Goode said several meetings have been held with the developer. “They have gone very smoothly and he (Olsen) has been most co-operative.”
DIESEL WORK 15% OFF Parts & Labour on Diesel Repairs
Jennifer Anderson Lindsay Stewart Stephanie Tofsrud Je Service Advisor
Service Manager
*Provide coupon @ time of service
Parts Manager
4710-51ST, RIMBEY
- Expires Feb. 15, 2013 - Plus shop supplies and taxes
YOUR BEST WEST CONNECTION
TOLL FREE: 1-800-353-3481
843-2622