Mayor Responds To Riel Dust Complaints
27/10/2008 05:24
SINC SAYS:
Yesterday in this space, local resident Elke Blodgett sent an open letter to Mayor Crouse regarding the large volumes of dust created by construction in south Riel and the football fields. She spoke on behalf of several residents in West Heritage Lakes citing health concerns and wanted to know why water has not been used to quell the dust. Today, with the permission of Mayor Crouse, here is a copy of his response to Elke:
Elke,
Thanks for the email about dust.
Certainly it was dusty on Saturday with gusts of up to 102 km per hour, which were highest ever recorded for an October.
I am pleased that this project is coming to its current phase of completion. The capping of the old lagoons and landfill site have been a long-awaited plan and to see that area turned into a Rotary Park, a Kinsmen Park, a Multipurpose sport area makes be pleased. The social benefit of that area will be tremendous for generations to come.
The wind blowing in some ways is a God-send to keep construction going this fall. The completion of this area, South Riel Park construction, Campbell Park construction are all going to benefit by such great weather. This weather will allow for construction on all sites to continue into November and ultimately the sooner the underground servicing is done, the sooner we get economic development and the sooner we get non-residential tax revenue. The underground electrical is being completed at the Kinsmen area is key to having the RV park ready in the spring. That is 90+ stalls; getting ready for use for the Rainmaker.
As far as asking for spending tens of thousands of dollars yesterday in watering down various construction sites during those winds would be unwise. Those are tax-payer dollars, not to add to the fact that we would be burning fuel driving around making it happen during a day when it (spreading water) would not have made a difference. Farmers fields were blowing dust as well as every construction site in the area. It would be like spending money to clear snow on a fluke June blizzard. A waste of money when it would melt the next day. Similarly, yesterday it would been a waste of money and wrong for the environment to stop construction so we could spread water; delaying the environmental capping completion, delaying the drainage construction, delaying the RV park construction and adding cost and delaying the important social benefits of that park area.
That site is going to be a great site in the spring; a completed environmental remediation project, a modernized RV park, a great parking area for hundreds of visitors; new grounds for the Rainmaker Rodeo; a multipurpose recreation field; better access road down Rodeo drive and the wonderful beginnings of the new Rotary Park.
Regards,
Mayor Nolan Crouse
City of St. Albert
