October 18, 2024 Committee of the Whole Highlights

October 18, 2024

Television Installation Project Progressing at Grande Prairie Regional Hospital — The Committee received a progress update from the Hospital Foundation regarding installation of television services at the hospital. Council approved a ten-year $1 million commitment for a bedside engagement system to begin in 2020. To advance the project forward in November 2023, Council redirected those funds toward television services and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Foundation. To date, the County has provided $570,465, including $70,000 in 2024. The project, which is expected to be completed in March 2025, will see widescreen TVs installed in patient rooms and common areas, including individual TVs at each treatment chair in the Cancer Centre.

Accessible Transportation Funding Agreement — The Committee recommended to Council to direct Administration to renew the Accessible Transportation Funding Agreement with the City of Grande Prairie at a cost of $160,000 per year for 2025, 2026, and 2027. The current agreement is set to expire on December 31, 2024. The program provides accessible transit to residents with a disability who cannot use regular transit services and live within five kilometres of the City of Grande Prairie, within the Hamlet of Clairmont and the Lakeview Seniors Housing Complex.

D Coy Community Hub Project Update — The Committee received an update on the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie’s D Coy Armouries project to turn the location into a larger community hub. The expansion includes space for a classroom, meeting rooms, kitchen, and more storage areas and washroom facilities. In addition to youth programs like the Cadets, other community associations and not-for-profit groups will also be able to utilize the restored space. In November 2023, Council awarded $200,000 in capital grant funding, with $100,000 provided in 2023. The remaining 2024 grant funding of $100,000 has not been released as the group is still raising funds to begin the project.

Compassion House Foundation Funding Request — The Committee directed Administration to bring Compassion House Foundation’s $100,000 funding request to be distributed as $20,000 annually from 2025-2029, to the 2025 Interim Budget Deliberations in December. Compassion House provides a temporary home for women facing cancer, who are from rural and remote areas throughout Alberta and who must travel to Edmonton for treatment.

County’s First Alberta Day Event a Success — The Committee recommended to Council that the Alberta Day event become an annual County event, and that Administration bring back a proposal to a future Committee of the Whole meeting for the 2025 Alberta Day event in the first quarter of 2025. The event was well received by attendees who appreciated the variety of affordable family activities.

Township Road 750 Upgrade Costs Update — Administration provided an update to the Committee on the costs to upgrade Township Road 750 from Range Road 110 to Range Road 83 to accommodate a proposed speed limit increase from 80 km/h to 100 km/h. There will be no changes to speed limits on Township Road 750. Administration will provide a report to Council in early 2025 that will look at existing speed limits on all County paved roads.

Strategic Plan Clarification — The Committee provided clarity to the County’s Recreation and Culture department regarding the definition of non-traditional (low cost/no cost) programming to help inform the department’s planning for 2025.