CDES Asks for Public's Help with Suspicious Structure Fire
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A11 THE SUNNY SOUTH NEWS, Coaldale, Alberta, Tuesday, June 15, 2021 - 1 Bert’s Lagoon Dragline Services Ltd. • Zero Till Injecting • Can pump up to 3.5 miles Jason Bremer • Floating agitator Operations Manager • GPS Mapping 403-315-0853 Edwin Vandenberg 403 635 4911 • Jamie Vandenberg 403 635 0598 Sales & Booking Inquiries competitive rates • timely service • on-site setup for large jobs • no concrete waste John 403-892-5513 • Bert 403-308-4644 Email: [email protected] www.sunnysouthnews.com Price 70 cents Canada Post - Contract #0040069240 - Contract Canada Post 21063dg0 21063dg1 CDES asks for public’s help with suspicious Memories structure fire GONE, BUT NOT TO BE FOR- By Stan Ashbee property. The damage GOTTEN: The Dilo’s Pizza and Sunny South News has been estimated to be Spaghetti building in Coaldale $100,000. The cause of the was demolished last week to oaldale and Dis- fire is under investiga- make way for future develop- trict Emergency tion and is being consid- ment. The local establishment Services (CDES) ered suspicious. found a home in Coaldale for responded to CDES is reaching out over 41 years. aC structure fire at 1511 SUNNY SOUTH NEWS PHOTOS BY to the public — who may JACK VAN RIJN AND KAROL MILLER 21 Avenue June 5 at 2:59 have been in the area p.m. — according to a before the fire between recent media release. 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. When the fire depart- that may have witnessed ment arrived, the house’s anyone fleeing the area. rear deck was fully involved and the Also, investigators are looking for fire was extending into the home and residents that may have pictures, roof. The fire was also spreading to video, or security camera footage from nearby bushes threatening the home the area. next door. Firefighters were able to Witnesses can contact CDES by knock the fire down quickly on the phone at 403-345-1331 or e-mail deck and protect the adjacent house. [email protected]. In total, 14 firefighters attended the CDES would like to encourage scene and worked to extinguish the parents to discuss the dangers of play- fire completely. The fire-damaged ing with fire with their children and home has been a known problem teenagers and the hazards of visiting house for years in the neighbourhood. abandoned structures. Coaldale Municipal Enforcement CDES has responded to two con- and the RCMP had worked recently to firmed youth-set structure fires in the evict illegal residents and secure the last 18 months. Update on Coaldale suspicious deaths According to a recent media release, of the 90-year-old female was undeter- the Office of the Chief Medical Exam- mined. iner conducted autopsies June 7. There are no suspects being sought by The preliminary findings indicate the police and no risk to the public. manner of death of the 63-year-old male No further updates will be provided. is non-criminal. The manner of death EXTRA BIG SAVINGS While supplies last. PICTURE BUTTE 403-732-4621 GATE PEAT TABER HERBICIDES 403-223-1122 KITS MOSS COALDALE 403-345-5695 NANTON 403-646-2032 2 2 - THE SUNNY SOUTH NEWS, Coaldale, Alberta, Tuesday, June 15, 2021 PBEMS proposal approved for keeping utility truck By Nikki Jamieson not be subject to capital replacement. Picture Butte Firefighters’ Association, equipment, be used by the on-duty officer “The intent would be to maintain the and the association has agreed to fund as an additional command unit when Sunny South News utility truck through the replacement any unforeseen mechanical breakdowns Command 3 is unavailable, be used as an Picture Butte Emergency Services will of the command truck, so it’s always a and ongoing maintenance that may occur additional wildland unit during the fire be retaining a utility truck for their fleet. second or third-hand piece of equipment,” during the use of the utility truck, as to season and provide backfill command or During their regular May 25 meeting, said West. not impact the operating budget. wildland unit if provincial deployment is Picture Butte town council discussed The intent would be to utilize existing “The real goal is to have this with no requested. a proposal for the Emergency Services trucks when the command truck is re- significant finance impact. I can’t say When asked if the department would use department’s fleet to re-designate the placed through the existing fleet schedule. there’s never a financial impact, because the truck, West said it was a new thing for 1991 GMC 3500 previously in use, as the As well, the Picture Butte Firefight- we have to, as a municipality, pay for the the department to try, and all their listed command unit with a waiver from the ers’ Association has agreed to fund any insurance and the fuel, and the cost of potential uses are hypothetical. requirements of the Fleet Replacement unforeseen mechanical breakdowns and keeping it on the road. But I project those Additionally, the new unit had only Policy. ongoing maintenance that may occur dur- being fairly minimal, and for that mini- just come into service, so the department With the completion of the 2021 Com- ing the use of the utility truck, as to not mal additional cost, we see there’s still a hasn’t had the opportunity to use the util- mand Truck Capital Project, the existing impact the operating budget. bit of value and potential in the truck,” ity truck in any capacity yet. unit was scheduled for surplus. However, It is estimated the operational costs said West. West said the proposal could come with Director of Emergency Services Frank of adding the utility truck to the fleet is “I’m sure everybody knows the value of a caveat of revisiting it at a later date, to West said internally, the recommendation approximately $1,500 a year - for insur- keeping a pick-up truck around the house. determine the use and demand for it. is the truck’s existing value as a utility ance, fuel and regular maintenance for oil It’s the same thing for us.” Coun. Joe Watson suggested the depart- truck support unit outweighs its potential changes and wiper blade replacements. The truck could be possibly used for ment run it through the summer, and if resale value, and requested council ap- It would be a billable resource when things such as the transport of two ad- the department finds they are not using it, proves the department keeping the truck deployed outside of the town at the rate ditional firefighters to the scene of any they can put it up for sale then, noting it and adding it to their fleet. of $185 per hour, according to the 2020 emergency, provide clean-up of used fire will “go easy.” The costs would not come with any ad- Alberta Transportation rate, and the total hose and equipment from fire scenes, Council passed a motion to approve the ditional budget requests and will be man- annual operating cost could be covered by provide firefighter crew relief on ex- Utility Truck Emergency Services Fleet aged within the approved operating bud- eight hours of billable time each year. tended duration emergency calls, help Proposal as presented, and that the budget get. The truck would not be included in West said fundraising was utilized to out with logistics functions of the depart- for the town to maintain the vehicle to not the Fleet Replacement Policy and would obtain the truck and purchased by the ment such as transporting supplies and pass $1,500. Coaldale resident ‘fed up’ with plans for 16 Avenue By Laura Balanko-Dickson existing sanitary line between 23 Street and the road that area of focus with any upgrades planned and executed in Sunny South News serves the Garden Grove Manufactured Home Park is being the area,” says Hastings. replaced and upsized, as part of the 16 Avenue roadway “As development occurs in the town quarter, and capacity Clive Schaupmeyer, a 74-year-old resident of Coaldale, extension project, as well.” thresholds are reached for sanitary sewer, further upgrades claims the Town of Coaldale did not “do their due dili- “Storm water infiltration and in-flow issues are also an will take place along the line that is in place at 16 Avenue.” gence” in consulting the residents of 16 Avenue, the street he lives on. Moreover, he is “fed up” with a general lack of communi- cation from town council, potential traffic increase, as well We specialize in agriculture, commercial and as the potential risk of sewage back-up. industrial excavating services as well as trucking However, Spencer Croil, deputy CAO and director of Planning and Community Development, as well as Kalen services throughout Alberta. Hastings, chief administrative officer (CAO) for the town of Coaldale think otherwise. Let us at Dennis’ Dirtworx “The town has a participation policy and they absolutely, utterly ignored it,” says Schaupmeyer, adding the town help you get your project started today. “didn’t ask one person for their opinion.” “This is the biggest complex in a 100-year history,” says What We Do: Schaupmeyer, “it was always intended to be a park.” Schaupmeyer exclaims, “there has been zero communica- • Site Development • Pipelines tion to anyone on 16 Avenue from the town.” Croil made a presentation to town council May 10. In his • Demolition • Heavy Equipment presentation, he outlines that notice was mailed to sur- • Earth Moving Hauling rounding property owners, as well as two advertisements in the Sunny South News. There were no requests to speak • Water & Sewer Installation • Gravel/Dirt Hauling at the hearing.