Happy New Year! Er, it's about time...

Here it is...more than a month since my last post and the eve of the Alberta Winter Games, 2014. Visit the website for event schedule. The Opening Ceremonies with the Athletes Parade takes place in Banff on February 6th. There are free shuttle buses to and from Banff and Canmore. There will be some surprises and much joy. Do join us! I am honoured to be a volunteer escorting athletes down from the Banff Centre to marshal for their grand entrance, then to help them get back afterwards. Banff Town Councillor Corrie Di Manno will accompany me on this duty; I'm pleased to be paired up with her - she'll make sure I do it right.
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A young Canmore athlete at a prior AWG

It's an exciting time for these young athletes as they compete with their peers from all across Alberta. My son Beamer competed in the 1998 AWG in the sport of freestyle wrestling. He was all of 15 years old...he won a silver medal. Look at that face. He went on to wrestle at the varsity level for the University of Calgary. For many of these students this event is a stepping stone on a journey to great achievements in later life. I am thrilled to host these youth, families, and coaches in the Bow Valley. Let's all extend the hand of welcome.


There is so much ongoing business with the Town of Canmore and its boards, committees and partners, it is hard to know where to begin. The next Council Meeting is tomorrow. Canmore Town Council meeting agendas and minutes may be found on the website. You may also watch the proceedings live streaming video - but not this week as the meeting is not at the Civic Centre Council Chambers but at the Canmore Recreation Centre, upstairs in the Community Hall at 7 p.m. The change of locale is due to the damage caused by a pipe break at the Civic Centre on Friday, January 31st. Friday was a slow news day, apparently: the story was covered extensively, as far away as Montréal! Please visit the Town of Canmore website for the latest info.

NEW BUSINESS Council Regular Business Meeting: Tuesday, February 4th, 2014
1. Canmore Business and Tourism Funding for Mountain Market Operations
Recommendation: That council approve the withdrawal of $14,000 from the
Economic Development Reserve to help fund the cost of Canmore Business
and Tourism running the 2014 Canmore Mountain Market.
2. Mountain Creek Hazard Mitigation Project – Stone Creek Short-Term
Mitigation
Recommendation: That council approve a budget increase of $370,000 to a
total of $720,000 for Stone Creek Short-Term Mitigation to be funded by the
Flood Recovery Erosion Control Program (FRECP).
3. Torrent Early Warning System
Recommendation: That council revise the scope of CAP#1345 – Cougar
Creek Short-Term Mitigation to include the development of an early warning
system; and subject to approval by the Province to expand the scope using
DRP or FREC funds assigned to the project.

Hope to see you there.