Field Recreation Advisory Association Annual General Meeting and Town Hall Meeting November 16, 2020
In Attendance: Craig Chapman, Ryan Cameron, Jen Coffman, Patrick Cais, Paulina O’Brien, Kathryn Cameron, Sally Watson, Carla Evans, Phoebe Jackson, Tracey LeBlanc, Bonnie Brandt, Andrew Bullock, Pierre Lemire, Wendy Edge
All participants were asked if they are comfortable with recording the meeting. Everyone agreed they were comfortable and said to go ahead.
1. FRAA Report
Kathryn Cameron, President FRAA
Two separate reports presented
FRAA Report November 16, 2020: The files the FRAA have worked on since our last Town Hall Meeting on September 28, 2020:
1. Constitution Update: Final Revised Certificate of Incorporation has been circulated to the community. We need a motion and a vote to adopt the document. Originally the Board planned to do that item of business tonight but we may need to figure out a different way to conduct this item of business. Perhaps a mail-in ballot system will work. Please read the document in the meantime so you are familiar with the definitions and structure of the organization.
2. Field Fire and Rescue Department: The FRAA has sent a letter of advice to Parks Canada recommending that a full-time Fire Chief be hired immediately to provide local, on-site leadership for emergency response in Yoho National Park, and to retain that position after the regional approach chosen by Parks Canada is clearly mapped out and implemented. In a conference call with Parks Canada this past week, Parks Canada held firm in their position to not hire a Fire Chief, and stated that they are confident their chosen path forward is the best decision. Parks Canada says the Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Golden has said Golden Fire and Rescue will respond if necessary to road rescue in Yoho National Park.
3. Programs for the winter that give residents opportunities for fitness and health with guidelines that keep us safe and healthy through the lens of covid-19:
Tabata High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Wednesday evenings with Laura Penner at Field School Gym, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, maximum eight participants, $12 admission fee; Sunday evenings, group lead, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, maximum eight participants, no admission fee. If you want to be on the text communication list, please send your information to fieldraa@gmail.com. It will be passed on to the moderators.
Yoga Flow With Julie: Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Field Community Hall, fall session until December 17, maximum 15 participants, admission by donation.
- Breaking Note: At this point, HIIT and Yoga Flow with Julie have been suspended until December 7, 2020 in accordance with BC Public Health Office restrictions put in place on November 19, 2020.
Kicking Horse Ski Club: Tracks are set on the Yoho Valley Road from Monarch Campground to the switchbacks. Simply beautiful! Kicking Horse Trail is track set to the junction of the short trail to the bridge over the Otterhead River (the ruined and very unsafe bridge over the Otterhead River, don’t go on it). Memberships are coming in. Bridges have been put in place. As the snow level grows, more trails will be groomed. For updates and membership information: www.khsc.ca A big shout out to ski club people for their dedication and hard work.
Ice Rink: Another big shout out to the usual suspects! The core group is working to get the ice surface in place and monitor guidelines regarding distance, mask wearing, hand washing/sanitizing. Rink use guidelines will be posted on-site and circulated via the community email list.
Gym in the Gym: Equipment has been purchased for pick-up at the end of November. Three ping pong tables also purchased and will be delivered when all the pieces are in place. License of Occupation with Parks Canada is in process. Great work Craig.
4. Events: Generally, this time of year, we’re ramping up for some Christmas fun Field style, preparing for the concert, pot luck supper and Skate With Santa. In 2020 we may go ahead with Skate With Santa but the concert and pot luck are tabled for now. Let’s see how the next year unfolds.
5. St. Joseph Project: New conceptual plans received late last week. Next step is community consultation. Plans will be sent out via email to residents for review and comment. The FRAA wants to hold a one-day open house event (to be scheduled, stay tuned) for people to provide in-person feedback if they chose to use this option. We are getting quotes for engineered drawings (structural, electrical, mechanical) and architectural review. Then we present everything to the Parks Canada Development Office to start the Building Permit process, and apply for more grants.
6. New Traffic Lights at Field Intersection TCH: The lights are operational yet no communication from Parks Canada. Residents are concerned that the 70-kph zone is no longer indicated on the approaches to the intersection. Having the reduced speed zone provides a safer approach. The Prepare To Stop signals are very, very close to the intersection, apparently based on having a 70-kph zone in pace on both approaches.
7. Milestones/Passages: A great big warm welcome Elizabeth Frankie to 306 Stephen Avenue, a baby girl who has joined Janna, Frank and Josephine on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Congratulations! She likes to be called Frankie!
FRAA Annual Report August 6, 2019 to August 5, 2020: What a year. We’re working together to be safe, stay active and connected, follow direction from the Provincial Health Officer and think about others. Good work everyone. Good work volunteers. Don’t let your guard down.
For the historical overview, visit our website The Village of Field at www.fieldbc.ca and click on Journal. Minutes of FRAA Board Meetings and Town Hall Meetings are posted there. The website is up to date!
This is what we did.
Events
- August 28, 2019: Perennial Plant Exchange and Garden Party
- December 19, 2019: MCGA – Make the Christmas Concert Great Again
- December 22, 2019: Skate With Santa and Christmas Pot Luck Supper
- January 10, 2020: Pond Hockey Tournament hosted by Kurt Devlin
- January 31 to February 2, 2020: Yoho Blow Days winter festival
- February 14, 202: Groove Is In The Heart with Elk Run and Riot from Canmore
- February 15, 2020: Yoho Nordic Challenge
- April 22, 2020: Earth Day spring litter pick
Cancelled Events: Early Earth Day, Easter Bunny Hop and Pot Luck Brunch (April 13), Spring Fling (June 7), Canada Day (July 1), Field Summer Music Festival (July 11),
Meetings
| FRAA Board Meetings – 10 Mondays, 7 pmField Community Hall | Field Utility Board Meetings – 4 Wednesdays, 10:30 am Field Admin Boardroom | Town Hall Meetings – 6 Mondays, 7 pm Field Community Hall |
| September 9, 2019 | September 18, 2019 | September 30, 2019 |
| October 22, 2019 | November 6, 2019 | November 4, 2019 |
| November 25, 2019 | February 27, 2020 | January 20, 2020 |
| January 6, 2020 | June 16, 2020 | March 9, 2020 |
| February 17, 2020 | May 11, 2020 (paper report) | |
| April 6, 2020 | June 22, 2020 (paper report) | |
| May 5, 2020 | ||
| May 11, 2020 | ||
| June 1, 2020 | ||
| July 20, 2020 |
Programs
- Shake It Up With Paulina: August and September 2019
- Tabata High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): August 2019 through to March 13, 2020, resumed June 2020, outdoors through August 2020
- Yoga with Mardi Elliott: November 7 2019 through to April 2, 2020
- Yoga Flow With Julie: June 11 to July 2, 2020, summer hiatus
Keeping it Going
October/November/December 2019: CP Rail installs a third track at the crossing with controlled crossing mechanisms: arms, lights, bells. It takes until summer 2020 to finish roadwork at the crossing. Ongoing equipment malfunctions, and engineer errors parking trains too close to the sensors meant that more people chose to exit Field by the back road. People also experience long delays at the crossing when entering Field, or simply drive around the crossing arms. Not that safe.
October 7, 2019: FFRD initiates talks with Parks Canada on sustainability of the department, and request a full-time paid Fire Chief position to give stability and long-term viability to emergency response in Yoho National Park. Field Unit Superintendent says Field Fire and Rescue will continue to operate as a volunteer Fire Department with all positions as Paid On Call (POC), no paid full-time Fire Chief.
October/ November 2019: The hot water tank at the Community Hall fails, flooding the storage room, causing major mould infection in the storage room. Miles replaces the hot water tank, Next Gen Cleaners from Golden mitigates for mould, Flint paints KILZ on all surfaces in the storage room to kill any remaining spoors; major clean-out of stuff contaminated by mould. Register and license trailer and skidoo in name of FRAA.
November 2019: Renew Community Hall Lease with CP for five year term, effective November 1, 2019.
November 4, 2019: AGM. Six Board members. We have quorum (three).
January 2020: Insurance renewal with Johnston Meier, Golden BC. Information updated. First meeting held with Helen Irwin to discuss the Basic Impact Assessment of St. Joseph Project for Development Permit. First discussions surface about new virus spreading in China.
February 2020: Meet with Parks Canada to discuss: role of volunteers in Yoho National Park; support for strong and viable Field Fire and Rescue; emergency plan update for Field and Yoho NP; visitor support by opening Field VRC in winter; community access with better snow removal in townsite; Parks Canada’s vision for Field and Yoho NP over next 10 years.
March 2020: On Deck public consultation by Columbia Shuswap Regional District on Aquatic Centre for Golden. Provincial lockdown initiated to break and compress the spread of Covid-19. Programs and events hosted by FRAA suspended until it’s safe.
April 2020: Basic Impact Assessment of St. Joseph Project complete and sent to russell and russell design in Canmore for Development Permit file. Contribution agreement signed with Parks Canada on April 6, 2020 to set out conditions for Honorarium. Observations by residents and visitors that there is a substantial increase in litter throughout the community and Yoho NP, attributed to the pandemic; people seem unmotivated to open bins to dispose of their garbage.
June 2020: Consultant audit of Field Fire and Rescue starts early June with report expected by end of September. St. Joseph Project team meets with residents to discuss impacts of conceptual design for the church renovation. FRAA goes back to the drawing board for a smaller project. Programs start again under guidelines specified by Provincial Health Officer. Businesses, accommodations, Parks Canada facilities open again under modified operations, all guided by the Provincial Health Officer with emphasis on personal and community safety. CP does not renew lease for Fireweed Hostel; hostel closes June 29, 2020.
July 2020: Starts out cool and wet then summer descends with a heat wave! The pond is busy and wonderful. We all miss Canada Day celebrations. New wording from Government of Canada on Contribution Agreements means revisiting the agreement signed in April to meet new guidelines. Received new agreement late July, signed and returned August 13, 2020.
To wrap up this annual report: Field has followed health guidelines to avoid Covid-19 infections. We live in a community where people have been able to be outside, enjoy small and distanced visits with friends and neighbours, work and live. Thanks to everyone for the monumental contributions to safety, health and well-being in our community. Keep up the conscious efforts, on every front.
2. Treasurer’s Report
Sally Watson, Treasurer FRAA
November statements and the Annual Financial Report were presented and will be attached to the minutes when sent out by e-mail.
Motion by Paulina, seconded by Kathryn to accept the November statements as presented. Carried.
Motion by Kathryn, seconded by Paulina to accept the Annual Financial Report as presented.
3. Parks Canada Reports
Tracey LeBlanc, Townsite Manager
Reporting for Parks Canada Departments that submitted information.
Currently in isolation and working from home due to potential covid-19 exposure. Infections in Lake Louise and Banff have led to increased restrictions. Critical services for water, wastewater, highway and road maintenance will continue. Some washroom facilities in low use areas may be closed. Townsite Office at Yoho Admin will be staffed on Tuesdays; Townsite Office in Lake Louise will be staffed on Mondays. Parks Canada has communicated to residents of Lake Louise and will send the same information on to residents of Field, as requested by FRAA, recognizing that many Field residents work in Lake Louise.
Travis Wert, Assets Manager: Parks Canada has contracted Associated Engineering to assess what needs to be done to mitigate water saturation above 2nd Avenue. Part of the dewatering project on Mount Dennis. It seems that the issues on 2nd Avenue are the result of decommissioning the reservoir that served as a collection point for water for CP’s water tower. There are three plus old water lines that were simply cut off above the reservoir, so don’t deliver water to the reservoir but still direct water into the ground above the reservoir. Question raised about responsibility of CP if it was their reservoir and water pipes that were abandoned, Tracey to find answer.
Question posed to Tracey about role of Development Office in CP planned accommodation facility to replace two historic log buildings and one residence adjacent to CP’s Field Resthouse. Tracey said it is unclear if Parks Canada has authority over CP land, and in the past in Banff, CP has not been required to go through the Development Office. It’s a larger question with national implications being examined by Parks Canada. Tracey suggested that a meeting with CP Vice President Mike Lovecchio may give answers. FRAA is in contact with him and will schedule a meeting as soon as possible. He has indicated the demolition of the structures to be replaced will happen in December.
Deb Jonnason has taken over Townsite Office duties from Helena Waddock, who is now working in the Realty Office.
Concerns expressed about the 70 kph zone approach to the traffic lights at Field intersection will be discussed with Mike Vanderveen. Question asked: How will the traffic lights be powered if there’s an outage in Field? Is there a back-up system in place? Tracey to ask Mike Vanderveen to talk to the engineers and provide answers. Also noted that Parks Canad needs to inform BC Transportation that the webcam on Field VRC stopped transmitting images in early November. Camera images are an important component in providing current conditions on the TransCanada Highway through Yoho National Park.
Parks Canada and the FRAA will start to work in the near future on a formal agreement that defines out relationship.
4. Field Fire and Rescue Report
Patrick Caïs, Acting Chief, Field Fire and Rescue Department
- Call Outs –
None in October and November
- Members – Sitting at 15 members. No new members.
- New and Planned Purchases
- New purchases
New hydraulic pump for the hydraulic tools. Ordered in September and received in October.
- Planned purchases
New Helmets, new rescue 2
- Completed Training
No CSRD training this fall.
- Upcoming Training
In house training for the winter.
- Apparatus
- Engine 1 (all good)
- Rescue 1 (all good)
- Rescue 2 (major repaired for a week in October)
- AGM
Happened in October 27th. Patrick Cais considered resigning from his position and then took a week to reconsider his decision.
Pauline has been reconducted as president of our association.
Sophie has been reconducted as secretary.
Patrick has been reconducted as board member.
Still no Fire chief.
- Full time Fire Chief
- FFRD decided to renew its actual contract with PCA at its AGM. The contract is valid until March 31st 2021 and covers fire services in Yoho National Park (vehicle fire is excluded).
- FFRD declined to respond on the highway because it considered that it did not have the operational support from PCA.
- No new information from PCA.
5. Election of Officers by Acclamation
Sally Watson, Paulina O’Brien, Greg Dowman and Kathryn Cameron have all said they will continue as Board members of the Field Recreation Advisory Association (FRAA), Sonya Leenders is still considering her position. Heather Galligan has said she will join the Board. All paperwork will be completed this week.
Although we have a smaller Board of Directors there are many people who volunteer to support the programs, projects and facilities the FRAA. Thank you to everyone who contributes. In a community of around 130 people, volunteers with Field Fire and Rescue, Kicking Horse Ski Club, Friends of Yoho and Field Recreation Advisory Association (FRAA) do so much to make our lives meaningful. The FRAA feels very fortunate to receive the support and help people give.
Question from the floor: Does the old Board have to concede for the new Board to take office?
Great way to end the session.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm.
