Editor's note: The Athabasca Advocate reached out to municipal leaders from the town, county, village and school division to submit their perspectives on some of the highlights and issues in 2020 that didn't necessarily involve COVID-19. This is what Athabasca County reeve Larry Armfelt had to say.
ATHABASCA – Despite a very challenging year due to extreme weather and the declaration of the global pandemic, Athabasca County continued to provide a range of services to its residents while moving forward with some significant initiatives.
Extreme rainfall in the spring created a construction season filled with repair work for the Infrastructure Services Department with the help of local contractors. Culverts and bridges were damaged, washouts occurred, and water erosion caused road banks to slide in many areas of the County.
The council recognized the severity of the damage and on July 21, 2020, approved a combined increase of $535,000 to the annual gravel and road maintenance budgets to help fund needed repairs. Working with MLA Laila Goodridge, MLA Glenn van Dijken and the Government of Alberta, Athabasca County was able to successfully apply for $935,381 in Municipal Stimulus funding that will help tackle other road infrastructure upgrades in 2021.
The County worked with the Town of Athabasca and the Aspen Regional Water Services Commission to apply for Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program grant funding to upgrade the raw water intake and pump house which feeds the Athabasca Water Treatment Plant. The existing intake is at the end of its operational life and has seen many repairs in recent years. Funding in the amount of $1,043,000 was received from the Federal Government, $1,518,300 from the province, and $168,700 from a previous grant.
Athabasca County Council turned over ownership of the Athabasca Brick School and lands surrounding it to the Town of Athabasca. This decision gives the Town full autonomy to apply for grants, plan the redevelopment and designation of this historic facility, and move forward with future uses.
The Athabasca County Tourism and Economic Development Committee continued to partner with municipalities in northeast Alberta to promote tourism. One major initiative was the #TakeItToTheLake multi-media marketing campaign. The campaign not only attracted new interest in the region but earned two awards at the November 2020 Economic Development of Alberta conference: Best Medium Community-sized Economic Development Campaign, and the #EDA2020 People’s Choice Award. We are very proud to be part of this successful marketing campaign!
Some of the most rewarding work we can do is to help recognize the work of people and organizations within our community. One such event that we note from 2020 was the 50th Anniversary of Athabasca University (AU). The occasion offered us a chance to reflect on the contributions of AU to our community, province and all those around the world who receive their education from this world-renowned institution. This year more than ever we understand how forward-looking online learning was when AU first started offering it.
“When you look at each one of these successes from 2020, it is when we work together with neighbouring municipalities, various government departments, organizations and individuals, that we achieve such positive outcomes,” said Reeve Larry Armfelt.
“Athabasca County Council is thankful for everyone who collaborated with us in the last year. We remain optimistic for all the new year will bring.”
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