Airdrie Minute: Borrowing Bylaws, Pool Closure, and a Simplified Booking Process

Airdrie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Airdrie politics

This Week In Airdrie:

• The Standing Committee on Community Safety and Social Services will meet on Tuesday at 9:00 am. The Committee will receive a presentation from the Southern Alberta Regional Victim Serving Society as well as receive the RCMP Q2 update.
  
  
• Also on Tuesday, at 1:00 pm, the Standing Committee on Community Infrastructure and Strategic Growth will meet. The Committee will receive an update regarding a safety audit of the City’s intersections and discuss amending the supportive housing regulations within the Land Use Bylaw.
  
  
• The City is simplifying the process for booking the Town and Country Centre by creating a central webpage with all necessary rental information, including fees, amenities, and floor plans. A virtual tour and an online availability checker have been added to enhance user experience. To address safety concerns, architect-designed floor plans now ensure compliance with Fire Code occupancy limits. Efforts are underway to test online payment features for easier bookings, with simple room rentals expected to benefit first. Users can still receive assistance from City staff for complex bookings or last-minute requests. An update on these improvements will be shared in early 2025.

Last Week In Airdrie:

• Council approved borrowing bylaws totaling nearly $100 million to fund major capital projects discussed during the 2025 budget deliberations. Most of the funding, approximately $90 million, is allocated to Phase 1 of the Southwest Recreation Centre, which will include aquatics, a fitness center, an indoor playground, and common areas. Over $6.8 million is earmarked for upgrades to sanitary infrastructure, including lift station improvements. Additionally, $548,648 will support the acquisition of fire vehicles and equipment, such as a training utility truck and an incident response vehicle. This borrowing is pending final bylaw approvals in January after the public notification and petition period.
  
  
• Alberta Health Services ordered the closure of the leisure pool at Airdrie's Genesis Place Recreation Centre due to non-compliance with water quality and maintenance standards. Violations included elevated heterotrophic plate count levels, improper alkalinity levels, and debris in the skimmer bucket, all deemed non-critical but requiring resolution. This closure follows a history of 14 violations noted throughout 2024, many citing recurring issues. Public swims and lessons were canceled.
  
  
• Airdrie City Council has endorsed Cochrane’s application for a grant to fund a feasibility study for a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) facility. This initiative, led by Cochrane, aims to evaluate the potential of converting waste into energy, reducing landfill use, and creating renewable energy, with Airdrie collaborating as a grant partner. The study will explore the technical, economic, and environmental viability of WtE solutions while fostering inter-municipal cooperation for long-term benefits. Additionally, Airdrie applied for provincial funding to improve infrastructure by constructing a left-hand turn at Gateway and Veterans Boulevard NE. If approved, the Local Growth and Sustainability Grant could cover half of the project’s costs.