The Greenwood Council meeting on April 22, 2013 began with a presentation by Bill Billups, technical advisor with the Canadian Wood Council / Wood Works! Project.
Billups came with a slideshow giving an overview of wood-based band shell/stage projects undertaken by various communities recently around the province. Billups had been invited in light of the fact that council last month voted to remove the band shell, gazebo and the ice rink boards.
He had several suggestions for council:
Put all the amenities (washrooms, concession, stage, etc.) into one building to save costs.
Consider timber frame construction and invite the Timber Framing Guild in to supervise and teach the residents as the structure is built. It would be a community effort/experience.
Councils’ next step should be creating a word picture that would allow a consultant to provide cost estimates based on historical data.
Following that design and architectural work can be done based on a budget that fits the communities purse.
Billups offer the help of Wood Works! in locating design consultants, etc.
Of the five projects Billups outlined, the lowest cost came in at $360,000 (Squamish O’Siyam Pavilion).
Councilor Cudworth suggested including the new facility in the ballpark upgrade project.
Councillor Noll suggested that planning for the project should proceed so that a shovel-ready plan is sitting on a shelf ready for grant opportunities.
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Council passed a resolution to send a letter supporting the school district’s attempt to get Telus to move up their planned 2015 date for upgrading bandwidth.
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A budget meeting scheduled for Monday, May 6 at 3:30 p.m. in council chambers will determine tax rates.
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Acting on a documented request from the public and a recommendation of the administrator council voted to install a stop sign at the corner of Church Avenue and Wood Street.
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On recommendation from the administrator Council voted to initiate a review of the grant in aid policy and to consider development of a new policy with implementation guidelines to be submitted for discussion at the May 27th meeting.
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Council voted to defer a request that chickens be allowed in the city to the May 13 meeting.
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Mayor Nipper Kettle reported that someone continues to dump domestic garbage at the recycle bins. He expressed concern that the regional district will remove them.
Councillor Barry Noll said he has noted an increase in backwoods dumping too.