A change to the riverside landscape next to the Okotoks Public Library is expected to begin April 13.
If weather permits, the Town of Okotoks will begin removing some trees along Riverside Drive in Ethel Tucker Park to prepare the area for construction of the Arts and Learning Campus. It will take several days to complete the work and the park will be closed to the public while tree removal is taking place.
The existing trees have been inspected by biologists to see whether there are nests and ensure no birds will be displaced during the project.
Playground equipment, picnic tables and benches will also be removed from the park at the same time.
Jamie Dugdale, corporate strategist for the Town of Okotoks, said the site is being prepared for future construction pending approval of the development permit, which will come before council at a public hearing at 7 p.m. on April 27. The public is welcome to make submissions regarding the permit to [email protected] in advance, and those statements will be read out during the hearing.
“The site plan is mostly the same as was presented at the open house,” said Dugdale. “There’s been some refinement to the building appearance and some landscaping as a result of both the development permit review internally and some of the feedback we got at the information session.”
Should the development permit be approved, he expects construction will continue later in 2020, though the precise timeline is unknown due to COVID-19.
The Town is cognizant of its partners – Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, Bow Valley College, Foothills School Division, Community Futures and the Okotoks Public Library – and is working to complete the Arts and Learning Campus building by 2021, but he said that could change depending on any developments.
“The situation is evolving daily and weekly in terms of what the Province is directing us to do, but so far they’ve indicated they want municipalities to try to go ahead with shovel-ready projects as much as is possible,” said Dugdale.
For more information about the Okotoks Arts and Learning Campus project, visit www.okotoks.ca/campus2020.
Krista Conrad, OkotoksToday.ca
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