A6 | The Mountaineer | Rocky Mountain House, AB NEWS Tuesday, June 3, 2014

www.rock-e.ca
403-845-2861
www.rockycreditunion.com
70
years
1944 - 2014
More Bank For Your Buck
Shred It Day
Doing some spring cleaning? Keep your
personal information oontdential by shredding
and reoyoling old bills, oredit oard statements
and other doouments with us on 1une 11.
Paper Cuts Ltd will be shredding doouments
on site, helping you know that your personal
information will be kept safe.
All donations for 3hred lt Lay will go to the
Clearwater Boys & 0irls Club.
3ome doouments need to be kept for CRA purposes.
Rocky Credit Union
Shred It Day
wednesday, 1une 11
Rooky Credit union parking lot
lrom 10:00 AM to noon
Monday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
403-845-4594 Hwy. 11, Rocky Mtn. House
Jason
Alderson
Manager
Gateway Crossing Liquor Store
Rodeo
Inquire today
Deposit for keg and pump
are mandatory.
BEER KEGS AND PUMPS
AVAILABLE
with one week notice.
Place your order by Monday in order
to receive keg by the weekend.
Rodeo
SSS
BY BRITTANY FONG
SUMMER REPORTER
Its been just over a
month since the Main Street
reconstruction project began.
Main Street business owners
are gathering together to make
Rocky residents aware that
they are still here and open for
business.
Since construction, Main
Street business owners have
seen effects on their sales.
The construction stops
trafc in the middle portion
of the street, says Michelle
Andrishak, small business
advisor with the Rural Alberta
Business Centre (RABC).
Businesses are feeling the
impact because customers are
avoiding Main Street.
That Game Store owner
Dustin Wright said so far he
has done half the business that
he did last year. Ive spoken to
a few people who are seeing in
sales what they used to do in
a week in a course of a month
now, says Wright.
RABC is working together
with Main Street business
owners in an effort to
promote Main Street through
a Facebook campaign. In
addition, business owners
have created a Facebook
group to discuss ideas with
one another on how to get
residents shopping on Main
Street. Youll probably see
more sales and see business
owners excited to see you when
you walk in the door, says
Andrishak.
Wright says that working
together to bring residents
in gives him a strong sense of
community and neighbourhood
pride. There are some
really passionate people on
this strip who would do just
about anything to keep their
customers happy. Its not that
theyre necessarily coming up
short on that, its that theyre
not getting the opportunity if
no one is even visiting their
stores, says Wright.
Andrishak says that keeping
the local economy going is
important for the town of
Rocky. Spending a dollar at
a local business means that
business owner has a dollar
to hire someone locally, says
Andrishak. If the business
community doesnt stay well
and alive, it stops people from
wanting to move here because
we lose our amenities and the
hub of the community.
On May 22, the RABC brought
in guest speaker David Layden
to speak to Main Street business
owners about surviving road
construction. Layden is a
business owner from Innisfail
who experienced the same
issues during their main street
construction project.
Theres a lot of people in
Rocky who put out a very public
cry that theres nothing here,
the town doesnt do anything
to bring in these services or
amenities, says Wright. A lot
of people want a big box store,
but ultimately everything you
do need is available locally if
you know where to look. Its
just that without the support
of the community not only do
these services not have a chance
to grow into something bigger,
but a few of them, especially
the ones in the start-up phase,
could disappear in a blink of an
eye if people completely stop
paying attention.
The $14 million construction
project will be upgrading water
and sewer infrastructure as
well as giving the street a
cosmetic facelift that will be
done in sections over the next
three years. This summer,
construction work is being done
on the lower two blocks of the
street between 48 Avenue and 50
Avenue.
A construction update from
the town on May 30 said that
concrete removal has been
completed and concrete work
will begin in the next few
weeks. The update also reminds
residents that the pedestrian
accessibility will be maintained
at all points during construc-
tion, so please come support
your local business community
during construction.
BY SARAH ANN COLLINS
STAFF REPORTER
A few additional items were discussed
at the Town of Rocky Mountain Houses
regular meeting on May 20.
PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS RE-ISSUED
The omission of the names of some
property owners on tax notices has led to
re-mailing amended notices on May 21.
Some of the property owners names
were omitted on the rst notices that
went out, said Sue Wood, Director
of Corporate Services, during a
presentation to Council at a regular
meeting on May 20.
Because of the error, the deadline to
le a complaint on an assessment has
been extended to July 21.
Assessed and levy amounts will
remain the same.
HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL LOTS CO-LISTING
Council voted unanimously to enter
into an agreement with Century 21
Westcountry Realty, Tamarack Trail
Realty Royal Lepage and Coldwell
That Game Store owner Dustin Wright holds an open sign in an effort to ask Rocky residents to shop local especially during the Main Street construction project. BRITTANY FONG | THE MOUNTAINEER
Were still open
Businesses on Main Street are asking residents to come visit them during construction
Ive spoken to a few
people who are seeing in
sales what they used to do
in a week in a course of a
month now.
Dustin Wright
That Game Store Owner
Banker R Family Realty to co-list two
commercial properties for sale by the
Town.
Both lots are located east of Hwy 11 on
52 Ave.
Council voted to exclude one
interested party from the commission
contract who had expressed prior
interest in one lot. All new interested
parties would be subject to the
commission, explained Dean Schweder,
Tourism and Economic Development
Coordinator for the Town.
The contract allows for a four per cent
commission per property to the realty
companies. Two per cent will be split
among the three companies for the sale
and the other two per cent will go to the
company that brings forward a buyer.
The lots will be posted on the Multiple
Listing Service website, and each real
estate company will work to sell them.
The estimated price for each 1.43 acre
lot is $386,000.
A third lot at the same location has a
sale pending and was excluded from the
contract.
INTERIM FINANCING POSTPONED ON
MAIN STREET PROJECT
Council will delay the decision on
what nancial institution would provide
the interim nancing for the Main Street
Reconstruction Project until the June 3
regular meeting.
A decision is not needed until later
this year, said Sue Wood, Director of
Corporate Services for the Town.
Currently, council is awaiting nal
offers from one of the two potential
nancial institutions.
FCSS BOARD APPOINTMENT
Council appointed Keely Brower to
the Clearwater Regional Family and
Community Support Services Board
on May 20. Brower is to replace Mary
Kennedy, who served on the board
for over ten years and who recently
resigned.
TOWN COUNCIL NOTES
|
C10 | The Mountaineer | Rocky Mountain House, AB ENVIRONMENT WEEK: JUNE 17 Tuesday, June 3, 2014
www.rock-e.ca
Bay 4, 117 Centre Street South, Sundre
P|ore: 103-38-5025 To|| Free: 1-855-38-5025
Era||: r|roey.roc|yrourla|r|ouse.surdreassero|y.ao.ca
JOE ANGLIN, M.L.A.
Environment
Week
June 1 - 7,
2014
R|roey, Roc|y Vourla|r louse, 3urdre Corsl|luercy 0ll|ce
0ll|ce lours: Vorday - Fr|day 8:30 a.r. - 3:30 p.r.
Rocky Mountain House
We Care
MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
Hwy. 11, Rocky Mtn. House Shane Buss, General Manager www.rockycoop.com 403-845-2841

We have been making continuous energy

efficiency improvements to this facility
based on our long-standing commitment to
environmental stewardship. The most
recent renovation included significant
changes to make our facility and equipment
more efficient.
Advanced T8 electronic lighting is used to
provide energy efficiency and excellent
quality of light.
The refrigeration system uses state-of-the-
art technology to optimize energy perfor-
mance while maintaining correct tempera-
tures for product quality and food safety.
Energy is recovered from the refrigeration
system to heat the warehouse area.
Automatic controls are used to reduce
operating time and anti-sweat heaters in
glass door freezers by approximately 70%,
saving the equivalent amount of electricity
used by seven households.
Our refrigeration and air conditioning
equipment use non CFC refrigerants to
benefit the ozone layer.
An automated leak detection system is
used to provide an alarm in the event of a
refrigerant leak.
The heating and air conditioning system is
designed to be energy efficient without
sacrificing comfort for customers and staff.
Ventilation equipment is shut off during
unoccupied time to minimize heating costs.
Exterior lighting is controlled automatically
to minimize energy usage, yet ensure
adequate lighting at night for safety and
security.
Recycling efforts include collection and
recycling of checkstand bags for
customers and material generated
on site such as shrink wrap and
corrugated cardboard.
Reusable shopping bags are promoted.
Our actions have significantly reduced the impact we make on the environment.
In the last 25 years, we have reduced the C02 output from CO-OP stores in Western Canada
by more than 41,000 metric tonnes. Our efforts provide ongoing benefits to our members,
our communities and future generations.
CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
ENVIRONMENT
The work we do is designed
to minimize the environmental
impact associated with
developmenL acuvlues, whlle
maximizing the value of the
resources extracted from
the earth.
Willesden Green LF
403-845-2336
Email: info@tervita.com
www.ter vi ta. com
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
1ervlLa ls commlued Lo provldlng safe, envlronmenLally
responslble soluuons Lo our cusLomers and our
nelghbours. roLecung Lhe envlronmenL by mlugaung
and mlnlmlzlng poLenual lmpacLs ls aL Lhe core of our
buslness. 1ervlLa ls commlued Lo polluuon prevenuon
and conunually lmprovlng our envlronmenLal
performance.
Constituency Office:
Bay 6A, 4612 - 50 Street
Ponoka, AB T4J 1S7
1-800-665-0865
Ph. 403-783-5530
www.blainecalkinsmp.ca
Blaine Calkins
Member of Parliament
Wetaskiwin
1he nauonal
Conservauon lan's
purpose ls Lo
proLecL Canada's
naLural herlLage by:
Conservlng Canada's lands and
waLers, resLorlng Canada's
ecosysLems and connecung
Canadlans Lo naLure.
Learn more aL: canada.ca/conservauon plan.
BY BRITTANY FONG
SUMMER REPORTER
The most famous representation
of bats is seen through Draculas
many characters. Bats have been
more feared than valued in our
culture because of their odd and
rodent-like appearance; however
evolution studies show that bats
are more closely related to hu-
mans than they are to mice.
In addition, bats play an es-
sential role in our environment.
According to senior wildlife biolo-
gist with ESRD, Dr. Anne Hubbs,
bats are environmentally friendly
sources of pest control. They
are benecial because they eat in-
sects, and often ones that we dont
want around, says Hubbs.
Bats can eat up to half of their
weight in insects such as mosqui-
toes, moths and wasps. One little
brown bat, which is the smallest bat
in Alberta, can catch up to as many
as 600 bugs an hour, says Hubbs.
Another key environmental role
that they play is as gardeners.
In other parts of the world they
are very important in terms of
pollinating and also distributing
seeds for a lot of the fruits that
are imported here, says Hubbs.
In Alberta, there are several dif-
ferent kinds of bats, all of which
have feces that can be used as
natural fertilizer, so that helps in
terms of agriculture, says Hubbs.
There are many misconceptions
about bats that Hubbs would like
to dispel. Bats are not blind, are
not attracted to hair and rarely
carry diseases. They are noctur-
nal and have a vast vocabulary
of sounds that most of the time
cannot be heard by humans.
The most common types of bats
are the Big Brown Bat and Little
Brown Bat. The Little Brown Bat
can live over 30 years, making it
one of the longest-living mam-
mals in the world, says Hubbs.
Hubbs says that if there is
someone who is interested in
protecting bats, doing something
as simple as building a bat house
could benet bats, the environ-
ment and the individual by
deterring bats from making roosts
within buildings.
Websites such as Bat Conserva-
tion International or the Govern-
ment of Alberta are great sites
to nd more information on bats,
how to build bat houses and how
to safely remove them if they do
get caught in a building.
Clear Water Landcare is hosting
Bats: Friends or Foes? Thurs-
day, June 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Hubbs will be speaking about the
biology, benets, backyard habitat
and future of bats. There is no
charge to attend but Clear Water
Landcare asks that attendees
reserve seats.
Bats are benecial for our environment
Bats act as natural
pest control
HOARY BAT
BY SARAH MAETCHE
STAFF REPORTER
If you see a new face
around the Clearwater
County Ag Services
building, its most likely
landcare assistant Chel-
sea Kehler.
Kehler, a graduate of
the agroecology program
from the University of
Manitoba, will be lling
the role of landcare as-
sistant and working rst-
hand in the management
and conservation of our
natural and agricultural
resources.
Through the Bachelor
of Science program,
Kehler learned about the
biological and physical
components of ecosys-
tems, and how to achieve
economically sustainable
agricultural produc-
tion while conserving
resources and maintain-
ing the integrity of our
ecosystems.
Agroecologists help
develop environmentally-
friendly weed, insect and
disease controls and also
help farmers conserve
their land and protect
Canadas wildlife and wa-
ter supply.
Kehler said the envi-
ronmental side of the
program was what at-
tracted her to it.
It was very ecology-
based, she said It was
broad but gave me a good
knowledge base.
With her education
in tow, Kehler brings a
fresh perspective.
She will be working on
several projects during
the next few months
including hosting weed
workshops and creating
content for The Ripple,
a landcare publication
with many interesting
articles and information
for landowners.
Kehlers favourite
part of the position so
far is administering and
providing support to
the Caring for My Land
Program.
I really enjoy meet-
ing farmers and talking
about their ideas for
their land, she said.
Caring For My Land is
a good source for fund-
ing for landowners who
do not qualify for the
federal program Grow-
ing Forward 2, which is
more farm-focused and
requires an Environmen-
tal Farm Plan.
Many projects that
qualify for rural land-
owners include well pit
conversion or decommis-
sioning, development of
off-site water systems
for livestock to protect
riparian areas, fencing
environmentally sensi-
tive areas and tree plant-
ing, said Kehler.
She noted she is really
excited to speak with
landowners and help
them gure out long-
term farming practices
and sustainability.
For more information
about programs of-
fered through landcare,
contact Gary Lewis,
Landcare Supervisor, or
Kehler at 403-845-4444
or by email at glewis@
clearwatercounty.ca or
ckehler@clearwater-
county.ca.
Clearwater County welcomes
the newest addition to their
landcare team, Landcare
Assistant Chelsea Kehler.
SARAH MAETCHE
THE MOUNTAINEER
Passion for the
planet
County welcomes new landcare assistant
BY BRITTANY FONG
SUMMER REPORTER
Grade 6 Pioneer Middle School
students visited the Des Crossley
Demonstration Forest May 27
for their forest eld trip study
program to learn about forest and
vegetation. The program run by
Inside Education gives students
a chance to explore a working
forest.
The program caters to students
from Gr. 4 through high school
to educate them about Albertas
forests. Pioneer students learned
about the interactions between
different users and how they work
together to maintain a healthy
and balanced forest, says forest
educator Sarah Bozman. Students
also learned about the signi-
cance of the different industries
that use forest resources, like the
energy, environmental and agri-
cultural industries.
In addition, students got to taste
Labrador tealeaves, a plant used
in tea, and learned how they can
extract sunscreen from an aspen
poplar tree.
The demonstration forest is lo-
cated 25 kilometres west of Rocky
and has 2.5 kilometres of forest
for students to explore and learn
about Albertas resources.
Pioneer Students learn about forests
Gr. 6 students Abby Kayduk (left) and
Halley Fletcher identify different leaves at
the Des Crossley Demonstration Forest on
May 27. BRITTANY FONG | THE MOUNTAINEER
w
w
w
.
r
o
c
k
-
e
.
c
a
R
o
c
k
S
h
o
p
s
Your S
ource for
Lo
cal O
nline
A
d
vertising
!
4814 - 49 Street
Rocky Mountain House
Phone 403-845-3334