The CAMROSE BOOSTER, October 1, 2013 – Page 4
Central Agencies celebrates 50th anniversary Central Agencies marked fifty years of business in Camrose Sept. 27 by hosting a noon lunch. "It is a way of showing our appreciation to a supportive public, our clients and the community in general," said Central Agencies owner Norm Mayer. "We are very grateful for the support we have received over the years." The official date of the 50th anniversary is today (Oct. 1). Norm and Betty Mayer came to Camrose as newlyweds in 1958 when Norm accepted a job at a local insurance agency. A year later they moved on to Calgary, where sons Bruce and James were born before the family of four returned to Camrose in 1963. Six months later, Central Agencies was born. The new insurance business began in the dining room of the Mayers' home with the agency phone on the kitchen counter. Norm was the sole agent and Betty managed the "office", creating files and keeping things organized while also supervising the two toddlers. Eventually, Central Agencies found a home of its own on 49 Street and, after a couple of moves, settled
Valerie, James, Betty and Norm Mayer at the luncheon in the Central Agencies parking lot Sept. 27.
into a brand new three-storey brick building in 1976. The Mayers have always been very active in the community. Norm was a member of the Lions Club, the Chamber of Commerce and helped with the Cubs/Boy Scouts. Betty, said Norm, made it her priority to ensure things ran smoothly behind the scenes so he could continue that community role. She worked in the business and oversaw their household, which for 16
years included Norm's father, Matyes, in addition to the couple's two sons. But she was usually at Norm's side for public events, and fully encouraged his public role. Norm played an instrumental role in the formation of The Battle River Community Foundation. "I could really see the value of having a vehicle for ensuring there was continuity in funding for some of
the community's important organizations," he said. Norm and Betty are strong financial contributors to many causes, including the performing arts centre, to which they made a generous contribution. As a way to commemorate 50 years in business the Mayer families made a sizeable donation to Camrose Special Olympics. "It's like that old saying," Norm explains. "We can't cure all the problems of the
world but we can help someone. So we do." The busy day of celebration concluded Friday evening with a dinner for employees past and present. Many former employees travelled significant distances to attend. Among the guests was Ron Larson, Norm's very first insurance associate, who now lives in Vernon, B.C. Ron was with Central Agencies for 26 years.
Council directs administration to look at traffic calming By Dan Jensen
City council has directed administration to look at traffic calming initiatives and their associated costs for 43 Avenue west of Kin Park and 47 Avenue in front of the Gardner Kids' Campus day care centre. "We clearly have people in those areas who have identified a need, so lets look at what those options are and any associated that you (administration) bring forward for consideration in the 2014 budget," said Camrose mayor Marshall Chalmers at council's Sept. 16 regular meeting. "I think there is a viable solution." Speed reduction
City assistant municipal engineer, infrastructure and planning, Jeremy Enarson, submitted a report to council stating that administration would not recommend making changes to the City's updated policy for the installation of pedestrian safety devices (PED-1 policy). "Specifically administration would advise council to not consider changes to the policy which would treat these specific locations (43 Avenue or 47 Avenue) as special cases," said Enarson. "Administration believes that there are other options that council could consider to address some of the specific concerns that were raised by both groups of concerned parties without creating a special cases or one-off situa-
tions which would likely lead to further requests to council by other concerned groups to create similar special cases for their specific play areas or schools of concern." Enarson said the physical geography of 43 Avenue and the lack of residents on the east side of the road are contributing factors toward some of the safety concerns that residents in that area have raised. "The roadway cross-section for 43 Avenue is slightly wider than what is typically seen for a local roadway. For this reason, 43 Avenue by its design and function acts more like a minor collector roadway than a local roadway. As well, due to the lack of residential properties on the east side of the roadway, where Kin Park is located, parking along the roadway is generally much lower than what is seen on a typical local roadway. For these reasons, a driver will tend to naturally travel at a slightly higher speed, even as they stay under the posted speed limit. On the other hand, for many local roadways within the City which have a tighter geometry and which typically see parked vehicles on both sides of the roadway, drivers tend to travel at lower speeds." Enarson said while addition of chicanes or bulb extensions at intersections or main pedestrian crossing locations would help calm 43 Avenue traffic, they often can be expensive and difficult to implement.
"Before administration would recommend any capital improvements be undertaken for this area, administration would recommend a more detailed review of the location to determine the most appropriate upgrades that might be recommended to council so that the costs and benefits can be more fully understood. "Additionally, traffic calming measures will likely result in additional operational or maintenance issues for City crews; these would also need to be taken into consideration before any decisions are made by council regarding the installation of traffic calming measures." Enarson said a reduction of the normal speed limit along 47 Avenue near the Gardner Kids' Campus while leaving the speed limits for adjacent roadways unchanged would not be recommended by administration as it may lead to driver confusion as well as a false sense of security to facility users. Enarson noted the developer of the Kids' Campus property was to secure at least 15 off-street parking stalls within a distance of 150 metres of the proposed development, as well as prepare a parking plan indicating how parking would be accommodated on all affected properties. "Upon review of the City's files, administration was unable to determine whether a parking plan was submit-
ted to the City, or if caveats were registered on the appropriate titles. Administration does anticipate that many of the safety concerns associated with the loading and unloading of facility users would be addressed if the facility users would make use of the designated offstreet parking stalls." Easy road access
Councillor Gerry Galenza noted that one of the problems in the 43 Avenue area are pathways or trails that spill directly onto the road. "What they have done is they have put concrete (for the handicapped) right out to the road, so it is encouraging people with their bikes and everything else to just go barrelling down and across. That is a concern, particularly at the two west sections." Galenza also expressed concern about the lack of signage on 43 Avenue. "There is no signage as far as speed limits and there is no signage as far as a crosswalk." Galenza suggested one solution for 47 Avenue may be to remove the treed boulevard in front of the day care and make a designated drop off zone. "I went by today, there was a dad and three little kids getting out on 47 Avenue. Of course they don't get out on the inside, they get out on the outside, and there is traffic through. At that point it is fairly narrow. I don't know,
maybe they themselves have to contribute to some local improvement of having a drop off zone if they can't provide the off street parking." Councillor John Howard suggested that if the City puts up chicanes or cattle gates at the entrance to Kin Park it could be creating a problem for the mobility impaired. "That is why you have concrete out to the road, because some council passed that we have to be more mobility accessible. We solved that problem and created another one." Howard said council may have to have a conversation with Kids' Campus if it is not providing the 17 off street parking stalls that are required. "Maybe we give up a piece of the boulevard and ask them to help with the local improvement to make a drop off possible. I drive past there almost every day and I am scared to death every time I do because for one thing it is not 11 metres wide. It is narrow, and when there are cars parked on both sides, cars can't get through there. One can but if both cars have opened their doors I can't get my car through that opening. It looks to me as if it is a case where maybe the City hasn't done everything we can do but then neither has the day care centre seemingly conformed with their development permit." Continued on page 15