An Okotoks community association is offering up to $35,000 to upgrade a pathway through a north-end park so it can qualify for snow removal in the winter.
The Suntree Community Association is offering the Town up to $25,000 to widen the pathway through Suntree Park to bring it up to primary status. They will also pay an additional $10,000 to rebuild the bridges in the park to accommodate wider equipment. They are also willing to provide volunteers to help with the work.
“What we’ve asked the Town to do is match our funding, to split the cost 50/50,” said Suntree-area resident Mark Rowed. “We’re looking to pave the parts of the pathway that are needed to bring it up to primary pathway standard.”
The Town clears snow from routes deemed as primary pathways and the Suntree paths are classified as a secondary path, therefore, they are not cleared by Town staff.
The association made the offer to town council on Dec. 13 after two previous attempts to convince council to approve snow removal in the park were denied.
Rowed asked council on Nov. 29 to change the Town’s designation of a pathway through Suntree Park to qualify for snow removal. The request covered more than 500 metres of paths from Suntree Lane, near Milligan Drive, to Sunset Crescent near Banister Drive.
Council turned down a similar request from residents earlier this year.
At the time, the Town was asked to remove snow from the pathways through the park. The request was turned down because it is deemed a secondary pathway and the Town only removes snow from primary pathways.
The association first built the pathway and pond in the park more than a decade ago and has spent as much as $300,000 on the park. Rowed said it cost the association about $16,000 to rebuild the pathway 11 years ago.
Rowed said the path also fills a missing link in the Town’s pathway network in the northwest corner and is a key pedestrian corridor for area residents.
“There’s the school there and school children pass through the park to get to school,” said Rowed.
While there are sidewalks in the area homeowners are required to keep clear, he said they don’t provide access to the park.
“More important to the request is we want to have year-round access to the park, which we don’t currently have,” he said.
Okotoks administration will review the group’s request and report back to council at its second meeting in January.
Christa Michailuck, Okotoks’ open spaces team leader, said the Town will consider the group’s offer.
She acknowledged the contribution the association has made over the years, however, she said the Town has to provide equal service levels to all parts of Okotoks.
The Town has a number of concerns with the request.
A key one is it would set a precedent and if the Suntree request is approved, other neighbourhoods could follow suit.
Michailuck said the Town receives requests from residents across the community to clear snow from secondary pathways.
“We get numerous requests through the winter, every winter, about why certain areas aren’t cleared and our response is that council determines the pathway corridors and the primary pathways get cleared,” she said.
There are 18km of secondary pathways in town that do not have snow cleared.
It would cost the Town $108,000 to clear snow from these pathways as well as $23,000 to buy necessary equipment.
Michailuck said pathways within the parks don’t meet the Town’s current construction standards for primary pathways, which is 3m wide. All existing primary pathways are at a minimum 2.4m wide. The pathways in Suntree park are 1.8m wide.
As well, Michailuck said the Town’s snow removal equipment is wider than the existing pathway meaning they would damage the grass alongside it and would not fit through the bridges in the park.
“We would definitely need a more narrow piece of equipment,” she said.
To start clearing the snow in the park, the Town would have to rent equipment at a cost of between $3,500 and $5,800.
With the exception of a few spots where tree roots may have affected the path, Michailuck said it’s in good shape.
“For the most part, I think the pathway is in good condition,” she said.
Coun. Florence Christophers initially supported the group’s proposal, however, she is now undecided on the issue but thinks the group’s proposal is worth further study.
“It’s going back to administration; we’re going to look at what it looks like to partner with them on this,” he said. “I’m open-minded. I’m curious to see what administration will say with the big picture expense of it all.”
