Radium woman on a rescue mission
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The 17th annual Bull Riding in the Rockies drew record crowds to the temporary rodeo arena set up in downtown Invermere on July 17th. PHOTO BY BREANNE MASSEY
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Canal Flats completes major water upgrades KEVIN NIMMOCK kevin@invermerevalleyecho.com Residents in Canal Flats, Eagle’s Nest and Painted Ridge have less than a month to wait before they can start tasting the benefits of a major water system upgrade project. The upgrades will be completed on August 16th, after a full disinfection procedure is done on each home. Brian Woodward, the Village of Canal Flats’ chief financial officer, said the project is the biggest the village has taken on since being incorporated in 2004. The project cost a total of $2.7 million. “We (received) $400,000 from the province through their Towns for Tomorrow program,” Woodward said. “The rest is $2.3 million, which the village borrowed. (Residents) will pay it off over the next 30 years.” The merged water system will bring
potable water to Eagle’s Nest and for the system, the village’s engineers Painted Ridge for the first time, ef- took on the job, which saved $40,000. fectively meeting the provincial stanIn addition, while connecting power dards set out in the Drinking Water from the old pump house to the new Protection Act of 2006. one, BC Hydro elected to go over the In the village proper, the biggest road, rather than under, which saved change for resianother $30,000. We are just in the dents will be the “Those savings increased water will be utilized last final stages of pressure and for an upgrade of completing everything. The the adequate rethe pump house,” serves for fighting system will be fully operational, Woodward said. fires in the area. functional and commissioned “There is always “There was a on August 16th. something else major construcBRIAN WOODWARD to do, so we will CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER use up the whole tion of a new resVILLAGE OF CANAL FLATS ervoir as well,” $2.7 million.” Woodward said. In the long run, the system merger According to Woodward, the project will save the village an estimated total is under budget due to a few changes of $335,000. to the original plans. Still, the project will cost Canal Instead of the independent contrac- Flats residents a flat rate of $275 per tor providing emergency backup units year over 30 years to cover the $2.3
million loan. Had council not been able to pass two bylaws to propel the project forward during the summer of 2013, the province could have fined the village up to $100,000 per day. According to Woodward, the province would have forced compliance anyway, which would have come at a far larger fee for residents, who would have been stuck with a higher parcel tax to cover the upgrade’s costs and the penalty fees. Woodward said he is happy with how the project has progressed, noting the relatively tight timeline the village had to work with to get the water up to provincial standards by the end of this summer. “We are just in the last final stages of completing everything,” Woodward said. “The system will be fully operational, functional and commissioned on August 16th.”
Edgewater’s outdoor, family-friendly musical celebration
STEAMBOAT MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL
Featuring: The Beagle Boys John Wort Hannam Black Snake Moan Los Morenos Steamboat Mountain
MUSIC FESTIVAL
With Master of Ceremonies:
Bill Cropper
The Pickups Dandelions The Ramblers In Pursuit Niki Trigger Smarty Pants Dos Equis
Bob Benvenuti Young Dog & the New Tricks SheberDean & the Postmistress Steamboat Mountain Fender 2 Fender MUSIC FESTIVAL McToogles Trio Chisel Peak Blues Band Beard’s Creek www.steamboatmtnmusicfest.ca