News | DrumhellerMail - Page #3316
10092024Wed
Last updateSun, 06 Oct 2024 1pm

Parking Task Force miffed with iTrans’ comments

taks-force.jpg   
    The Downtown Parking Task Force was surprised by comments iTrans made on the recommendations the Task Force had put forward to Council.
    In a letter sent to the Task Force, Jay Magus, from iTrans, the company consulted during the Task Force downtown parking review process, commented on some of the recommendations.
     “Several points in this letter seem to be a complete reversal of what was discussed during the consultation meetings,” said Task Force member, John Shoff to The Mail.
    The iTrans letter came following last week’s council meeting when Ray Romanetz, town CAO, told Council that iTrans’ Jay Magus had advised him that some of the information the Task Force had supplied was incomplete and/or incorrect.
    In particular, there was an inaccuracy in the measurements relating to the width increase gained by creating a more acute angle in the parking stalls.
    In his response to iTrans, John Shoff, addressed several points iTrans had reviewed.
    In particular, iTrans letter said “split phasing of the lights [located at the 3rd Avenue, Highway 9 junction] or having only westbound moves permitted while holding all other movement, is not recommended as it provides a poor Level-of-Service and increases queue lengths.”
    In response, John Shoff explained the only increase in queueing time would be for eastbound traffic and the task force had agreed this was an acceptable loss.
    In their letter, iTrans also  appears to recommend changing the phasing of the North and South-bound traffic lights, something the Task Force was keen to avoid so as to comply with Alberta Transportation’s requirement that the Highway 9 traffic should not be affected by any changes made to the lights.
    Regarding the inaccuracy iTrans highlighted of the increased road width gained by changing the angle of the parking stalls, Shoff asked iTrans why their comments did not mention the increased visibility and safety this would provide.
    Another point iTrans made in their letter was that, in their opinion, a gap study at the 2nd Avenue/Highway 9 intersection would show there was sufficient gaps for traffic to enter or cross the highway from the westbound traffic.
    This statement had Shoff puzzled.
    “This is a complete reversal of the discussions had during the task force meetings.
    Both yourself, and Tony Chelick from AB Transportation cited the closure was primarily due to the lack of a gap in traffic and that a gap study would show this to be not enough timing to safely enter the highway.
    Now you write that the gap is sufficient, and I am very confused as to why you have reversed your opinion on this issue? I would appreciate an explanation,” wrote Shoff in response.
    iTrans is arranging a meeting with the Task Force to clarify its position.
    A motion is on the floor at Council to delay the implementation of parallel parking for one year.
    During Council meeting on Monday, April 26, it was decided to defer the motion until such time as the Parking Task Force reviews the comments from iTrans and presents their findings back to Council.
    Despite leaving several messages, The Mail was unable to speak to Jay Magus of iTrans for his comments.

Drumheller reminded of its Naval history

navy.jpg
    As part of their centennial celebrations, The Royal Canadian Navy visited Drumheller on Monday, April 26 and presented the Town of Drumheller with a plaque depicting the history of HMCS Drumheller at Town Council. 
    During his presentation, Commander Ron Pumphrey, Commanding Officer at HMCS Calgary, based at Esquimalt, British Columbia, explained they were touring to pay tribute to the towns and to talk and pay respect to veterans.
    Cmdr. Pumphrey said the corvette HMCS Drumheller played an important role in the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
    “When people think of Drumheller, they think the museum, the dinosaurs, at least my son does! But I think more towards the Navy, and I am quite proud about what you have done and the support given, I don’t know if you realize but the town actually used to send care packages and parcels to people from this ship during World War II as well so it is an interesting history that is here.”
    In September 1943, the  ship, under the command of Tony Storrs, was deployed to protect convoys at a critical stage of the Battle of the Atlantic and was subjected to repeated U-boat attacks.
    For this service Storrs was awarded the Legion d’Honneur and the Croix de Guerre avec palmes.
    Cmdr. Pumphrey talked about the significant role the Royal Canadian Navy plays in providing security for the sea trade, as Canada is surrounded by three oceans, Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic, explaining the prices of goods in grocery stores would be much higher without the Canadian Navy.
    “I have been to quite a few places around the world, and I will tell you Canada is the best part of the world to be, and I can say that without question,” he concluded, adding “I’d like to give my own personal guarantee from all the sailors, right from our highest Admiral down, that we will continue to do what we can to protect those sea lines, to protect your interests that are out there.”
    During his presentation to council, Cmdr. Pumphrey was joined by Cmdr. Sylvain Belby, Executive Officer, HMCS Calgary, Lt. Cmdr. (ret’d) Doug Bourne, from HMCS Tecumesh, Calgary, Ltn. Cory Titsing, Area Cadet Officer, Lt. John Ibbotson, Commanding Officer of the RCSCC Furious, and members of the Drumheller Sea Cadets.

Currie to be invested into Order of Alberta

 

philip-currie.jpg
    Dr. Phillip Currie, who was instrumental in the creation of the Royal Tyrrell Museum  will be one of eight  to be invested into  the Alberta Order of Excellence.
    Dr. Currie’s involvement in the valley predates the Tyrrell Museum. He was involved in the conceptual plans put forward to the Government of Alberta in 1981 for the Tyrrell Museum. When it opened in 1985, he became the Curator of Dinosaurs, a position that he held until 2005 when he departed to work as a professor of biological sciences at the University of Alberta. He is also currently a research associate at the Tyrrell.
    “I still want to be a resource to the museum as much as I can be,” he told The Drumheller Mail in 2005. “It’s a great institution and the collection…we have all made contributions to it, and it is a world class collection. We’ll continue, all of us, no matter where we go, to always have roots there, and certainly all want to be resources for them.”
    In addition to the reams of research he has completed in the badlands, he has led, or been a part of expeditions all over the globe including the Gobi Desert, China, Argentina and Antarctica.
    His research interests focus on dinosaur palaeontology, with a particular interest for theropods.
    Dr. Currie is being inducted along with many other notable Alberta personalities including former Premier Ralph Klein, artist Alex Janvier and Robert Steadward, founder of Landmark Homes.
    The objective of the Order of Alberta  as written in the legislation is to “accord recognition to those persons who have rendered service of the greatest distinction and of singular excellence for or on behalf of the residents of Alberta.”
    It is the highest honour the province can bestow on a resident.
    “One of the things I’ve always valued about the Alberta spirit is our ability to pioneer fresh approaches and different ways of thinking,” said the Honourable Norman Kwong, Lieutenant Governor and Chancellor of the Order.  “These eight remarkable Albertans have all made very positive contributions to our province, and they have done so while forging a unique path and encouraging others to follow their lead.”
    The new members will be invested in a ceremony on October 20, 2010


Subcategories

The Drumheller Mail encourages commenting on our stories but due to our harassment policy we must remove any comments that are offensive, or don’t meet the guidelines of our commenting policy.