Field Recreation Advisory Association Town Hall Meeting January 22, 2018

Field Recreation and Advisory Association
Town Hall Meeting – Monday, January 22, 2018

In attendance: Sally Watson, Kathryn Cameron, Flint Palmer, Sonya Leenders, Greg Dowman, Paulina Silva, Marthe Boissonnault, Mike Vanderveen, Doug Mostert, Pauline Boisier, Mike Furfaro, Dave Selkirk, Brenda Selkirk, Patrick Cais, Ryan Cameron, Andrew Bullock, Bonnie Brandt, Craig Chapman, Katya, Jen Coffman

Excused: Karen Schmidt, Mike LeGrice

1. Special Presentation: Community Paramedicine “Life Kit Program” – Craig Chapman

Volunteer run program developed in Golden for this area. Life Kits will be delivered in Field to all mailboxes and hand delivered to General Delivery recipients. Guides people to:
• record pertinent medical history and medications used;
• think about what to do for their pets in the event of an emergency;
• prepare for 72 hours self-sustainability in event of an emergency; and,
• store completed kit in refrigerator with indicator stickers on home entrance door and outside of fridge.
Marthe Boissonnault to pass information about the program to Nichola Wynn who has taken on the responsibility for writing the Field Community Emergency Plan.

Craig also reported that Station 409, Field Station, has 5 core members, which does not give 24/7 coverage. Currently recruiting; please contact Craig for information. If accommodation or quarters were offered for EMS contract workers from Alberta there would be round the clock coverage. British Columbia Ambulance Service now known as British Columbia Health Services. Improved pay means that it is possible to earn a living as a paramedic in British Columbia now.

2. FRAA Report – Kathryn Cameron

Thank you to all the people who have worked on rink maintenance this winter. Great job!

Christmas celebrations were a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone who participated. Everything has been put away until next year. Combining the potluck supper and concert worked well; we’ll probably do that next year too.

The FRAA now has two assets: Field Community Hall and the former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Only one set of signatures required to complete the Parks Canada lease assignment for the church property.

Grant applications have been submitted to Canadian Heritage for Canada Day funding ($425.00), the British Columbia Rural Dividend Program ($10,000.00) to start plans for the church renovation and a Grant in Aid from Columbia Shuswap Regional District ($10,000.00) is in process. Our organization is too small to qualify for a technology grant from Columbia Basin Trust to purchase a computer; we must have an annual budget of $100,000.00. We plan to buy a computer in the near future to hold all our files in one FRAA owned place.
The Board is working on Constitution Update, Societies Act Registration, and a Memorandum of Understanding with Parks Canada.

Winter Programming and Hall Rentals:
• Pond Hockey – January 19 and 20, 2018, organized by Kurt Devlin – great event Kurt! All proceeds from food and liquor sales donated to FRAA. Thank you.
• Just Breathe Yoga starts January 31 to February 28, Wednesday evenings, 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm, $12 drop in fee or preregister for all five sessions $50. Contact Hayley Markel at misshjm137@gmail.com.
• Laura Penner from Lake Louise will offer Tabata classes (High Intensity Interval Training) Sunday evenings 6:30 pm with the first class on February 11, 2018. Details to be circulated and posted on the bulletin board.
• Carly Bowers offers Sunday Start-Up Yoga in the Community Hall, starting January 13, by donation to cover utility costs. Sundays from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Bring a mat and blanket. No class on January 21 or February 4, but there will be a Monday class Feb. 5.
• March 9th: wedding rehearsal dinner, party from Canmore.
• March 10th: Vagina Monologues to celebrate V-Day, 8:00 pm at Field Community Hall.
• Two external yoga sessions booked for April.

Yoho Blow is scheduled for February 2, 3 and 4. The Community Hall is the hub of activity and get-togethers. See you there! Here’s the schedule so far:

Friday, February 2
3:00 pm – Set up Friday afternoon: outdoor fencing, merchandise, stock the bar, food prep
7:00 pm – Bar Open; Karaoke and games at the hall, including some Minute to Win It Skill Tests, Crib and/or Euchre Tournament
8:00 pm – Moonlight Ski with Kicking Horse Ski Club, meet at parking area at the bottom of the Yoho Valley Road
8:00 pm – Pick-up Hockey Game at the rink

Saturday, February 3
9:00 am to 11:00 am – BOB (Breakfast on a Bun)
9:00 am to 1:00 – Bocce Tournament
11:00 am to 4:00 pm – Burgers and Hot Dogs
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – Heritage Relay
3:00 pm to 6:00 pm – Bocce tournament
Mike and Jeremy to organize Bocce draw, with as many teams as feasible. Need to have strict timekeeping this year. And better weather than last year!
Craig to organize Heritage Relay.
9:00 pm to 1:00 am – Dance to “The Pickups Featuring Marty and Eli Beingessner” with “DJ Flintaroo” covering the breaks Admission Fee to Dance: $10

Sunday, February 4
10:30 am to noon – Breakfast on a Bun (BOB)
11:00 am to 3:00 pm – Bocce tournament
12:00 Noon – Kids Games and Relays
4:00 pm – Anything Goes Downhill Race from Cemetery to 1st Avenue on Stephen Creek Road
6:00 pm – Potluck Supper

Information will be posted on the bulletin Board this week. Watch the Facebook Page Yoho Blow Daze for updates and announcements. Get your Bocce and Relay Teams ready, and your Anything for the Downhill Race.

3. Treasurer’s Report – Sally Watson

Motion by Flint to accept the report as amended. Seconded by Sonya.
Financial Report attached to distribution email.

4. Parks Canada Reports

Townsite Manager – Marthe Boissonnault, also presenting information for Resource Conservation and Visitor Experience

Elaine Lemieux is still on leave. Kaitlyn Doyle (responsible for Realty) and Katie MacDonald (responsible for all Admin duties including invoicing for Field Fire and Rescue Department0 are backfilling Elaine’s position until she returns.

Emergency Preparedness: The Lake Louise Community Emergency plan has been finalized and work on the Field Community Emergency Plan starting.

2nd Quarter Billing (July, August, September 2017) for Water and Sewer only have been sent. No bill for Solid Waste at this time. Marthe is working to clarify billing for Solid Waste. Once the process has been finalized there will be a special meeting to explain how Solid Waste billing is calculated, and will also include an educational presentation on proper use of the bins.
Note: There is no free store at the bins. Electronics, old mattresses and spent household furniture will not be picked up by the garbage trucks that empty the bins. Please take this to the dump. The Cais and Schmidt families are fundraising by collecting refundable bottles and cans; if you want to get rid of these items, contact them rather than dumping them in the garbage bins or the glass recycling bin. Tin and plastic can go into the same bin.

Resource Conservation leading the Yoho Collaring Project to monitor mountain goat adaptation to the TransCanada Highway Twinning project through Kicking Horse Pass around the Mt. Bosworth mineral lick area just east of Wapta Lake. Ten GPS collars have been put on goats to monitor movement in relation to fences and wildlife crossing structures (over and under the highway) installed during the construction.

Visitor Experience has closed the Field Visitor Centre as of December 31, 2017. The Friends of Yoho will open in February for three days per week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There is no call forward for people who phone Field Visitor Centre, but there is a voice message that advises people to contact the Lake Louise Visitor Centre for permits and information. Where can people get resident passes? Marthe to find out if they are available at Field Admin, otherwise, they are available at Lake Louise Visitor Centre. Residents of Field continue to support opening Field Visitor Centre year round.

Craig: The rock wall by the school along Stephen Avenue has had a section of the rockwork shaved off by a snow plough and the street sign at the corner of 1st Street East and Kicking Horse Avenue needs repair; the Kicking Horse part of the sign was demolished by heavy equipment. Mike Vanderveen said Highways will repair the rock wall in the spring. Marthe will look into having a new rustic sign made to replace the broken section.

Craig: Has a base rate for solid waste been considered? Marthe said when she stepped into the position a recalculation had been done that was very hard on some people. She is now looking at regulations, garbage factors, i.e. residence, staff accommodation, guesthouse, to develop fairness and accuracy throughout the process.

Highway Service Centre – Mike Vanderveen

We’re halfway through the winter now. Winter Plough Map Review and clarification on 300 block Stephen Avenue windrows: The windrow goes to the north side of the street, in front of the Community Hall, until the loader comes through to remove snow from the streets.
Sally: Has 2nd Avenue been cleared after the last cycle of snow. Mike: Yes, it was cleared with the grader last week.

Andrew: The new highway sign on the Yoho Valley Road could cause confusion for drivers who are travelling east on the TransCanada Highway (TCH) when they’re travelling in the dark. The sign reflects headlights and may divert attention to turn to the left instead of following the TCH as it turns right at the bottom of the hill. Mike to investigate.

5. Friends of Yoho Report – No Report

6. Field Fire and Rescue Department (FFRD) Report – Mike Furfaro, FFRD Chief

Currently 21 members: 17 with pagers and 4 recruits, which means good response for call-outs. Anticipates that 2 probationary members will receive their pagers at the next meeting. Ordering new radios and pagers. There is also cell phone option now for members to receive calls until new pagers arrive.
There were four calls in December, all between the 20th and 28th. There have been 5 calls in January so far.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) spring training schedule will be out soon. FFRD participates in their training programs. Anticipates that the focus this year will be on Wild Land/Urban Interface Program. Mike Furfaro is the only member of FFRD who has taken this training.
The turnout gear is approaching the end of its 10-year legislated lifecycle and must be replaced. The project involves research and a bidding process as well as finding out the best way to deal with the old gear. Could take up to a year to complete.
FFRD is cleaning out the hall, disposing of old appliances.
There is a new addition to the Standard Operating Guidelines: all responders are required to wear avalanche beacons under their turnout gear, and have probes and shovels on board during avalanche season. FFRD currently has 10 beacons; ordering 4 more beacons plus additional probes and shovels. There are several avalanche zones on the TransCanada Highway and the Emerald Lake Road.
Started the process to register under the new Societies Act.
Current Leadership: Mike Furfaro – Chief, Patrick Cais – Deputy Chief, Dave Allen, Doug Mostert and Chris Allen – Captains, Miles Dickenson – Engineer.
Gentle Reminder: Clearance around fire hydrants is 5 – 7 meters. No parking in front of hydrants.
The siren is still used to summon responders if necessary. Confirm and add code to Field Community Emergency Plan: 3 for an MVC and 5 for a fire.

7. Round Table: The microphone stands have been found at the Community Hall.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm