Field Recreation Advisory Association (FRAA) Virtual Board Meeting Wednesday, June 23, 2021
In Attendance: Sally Watson, Paulina O’Brien, Sonya Leenders, Kathryn Cameron
Excused: Heather Galligan, Greg Dowman
1. Field Summer Music Festival – July 9, 2022
Flint, John and Courtney have been working hard to confirm the line-up for 2022, book accommodation for performers, secure vendors, etc., and are ready to start promoting Field Summer Music Festival 2022.
The FRAA supports FSMF by providing the venue for the event, including use of the kitchen and main floor for “green room” service to performers. The Board recommends that FSMF secure third-party insurance for the event, a stipulation of hall use/rental agreements.
2. Canada Day 2021
The FRAA will not host events this year. Public Health Guidelines may change with announcements potentially given on July 1, 2021. Our focus continues to be the health and safety of the community.
This is a year to think about Canada – its history, values and identity, and legacy with Indigenous peoples. To learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Calls to Action, please visit http://trc.ca/assets/pdf/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
A child-oriented version is also available at https://fncaringsociety.com/sites/default/files/child_friendly_calls_to_action_web.pdf
3. CSRD Grant In Aid to Assist Community Organizations Impacted by Covid-19
The FRAA application for $5000 to cover operating costs and projects of community organizations that were impacted by pandemic public health guidelines has been approved! Generally the FRAA received around $5000 in revenue from hall rentals each year. In the 14 months of the pandemic, we received $500 in hall rentals, and no revenue at all from hosting events. The Grant In Aid will be used to cover fixed costs of utilities, and fund the change room repairs to replace broken windows and the change room outdoor exit door. Good work Sonya and Sally!
Sonya will order the doors and windows as soon as we receive the grant money so the materials are here when the contractor can do the work this summer.
4. Programs and Public Health Guidelines
Morning Flow with Julie presents Yoga every second Saturday, at 10 am at Field Community Hall, and started June 12, 2021 with the second session scheduled for this coming Saturday, June 26, 2021. Admission by donation. All levels welcome. Sessions will be announced the week they occur rather than scheduled for the whole summer at one time. Public Health physical distance guidelines currently allow a maximum of 10 people indoors at the Community Hall. Please wear a mask and sanitize your hands as you enter the hall. You can remove your mask once you are on your mat, and must wear a mask to exit the session.
Self-lead High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) will start again in the next couple of weeks, at the Community Hall, either outdoors on the rink area or indoors, weather calling the shots. Posters will be circulated once details are nailed down. HIIT with Laura Penner continues online via Lake Louise Sport and Recreation Society; please visit their Facebook page for details. Laura will not offer in-person HIIT classes in Field until allowed by Provincial Public Health guidelines on non-essential travel are lifted. The FRAA has asked for a written Covid-19 Safety Plan from the HIIT group, to include cleaning after use of the Community Hall.
Parks Canada renovations at the school are nearing completion. The FRAA and Parks Canada are working on a License of Occupation for community use of the gym. Once the agreement has been signed HIIT programs will move to the gym, possibly by the end of July.
5. BC Hydro Power Back-up
Message received from Sally MacDonald, BC Hydro Community Relations Manager for East Kootenay, after the FRAA expressed concern that the proposed temporary back-up generator may not be in place until December:
“I’ve reached out to the project team responsible for the temporary diesel generator, and confirmed that there’s been no change to the project timing. While it’s taking longer than we anticipated to get in place, we’re targeting the end of summer to have the generator in place and able to provide backup power during extended outages.
Please share this with others in the community, and let me know if there are any other questions. I’ll be back in touch as soon as I have more information.”
Are you concerned about managing an emergency situation? There is information about how to prepare for power outages, potential evacuations due to wild fires or floods and a lot more at https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-en.aspx
6. In-Person Town Hall Meeting
For several months Parks Canada LLYK Field Unit Superintendent Rick Kubian has wanted to address the community at an in-person venue to share updates on Parks Canada operation in Field and Yoho. Generally the FRAA does not meet in July and August because the summers are pretty hectic here. The next Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 20, 2021 following the next Scheduled FRAA Board Meeting on August 31, 2021 and a Field utility Board Meeting on September 8, 2021.
The FRAA Board of Directors recommends that Parks Canada rents the Community Hall to host an in-person Parks Canada meeting dedicated to Parks Canada issues to address the community, separate from a regularly scheduled Town Hall Meeting hosted by the FRAA.
7. Window Cleaning June 19, 2021
Annual exterior window cleaning has been done, and the invoice for $84.00 received and paid.
8. Landscape Contract
In December 2020, Parks Canada informed the FRAA that the long-standing landscape contract would not go ahead this year, as Parks Canada had decided to hire a team of four groundskeepers to cover Parks Canada grounds keeping responsibilities in Field, Lake Louise and Radium, year-round. Summer positions were staffed June 21, 2021.
The landscape contract generally started in early May each year, with mowing public areas a major first step to keep dandelions under control. Dandelions are a high-value early season food for bears and have certainly been an attractant in Field this spring, with a bear warning for the community currently in place and numerous sightings and encounters in the village, everywhere, not only the perimeter of Field, over the past two weeks.
The landscape contract outlines what work is to be done and when it needs to be done. The guidelines exists because through experience and communication, patterns of what works, when and why were incorporated. Almost two months into a normal operating season for the landscape contract public areas are finally getting mowed. Public gardens and the plaza are not yet graced by the normal care and attention that make Field attractive. Yes, we’re still in a pandemic situation with restrictions in place, but the transition to a new way of operation has not served residents or wildlife this year.
Parks Canada, you are not getting a passing grade on this initiative.
9. Community Approach Vaccination Clinic at Emerald Lake Lodge on July 12, 2021
The Provincial Booking System may not have the clinic at Emerald Lake identified as a location option yet. Keep checking to see if it is available once you receive your invitation to book a second shot or to book a first shot. Once it’s a selection option, go for it!
New information for mRNA vaccinations in British Columbia is attached as a separate file with the minutes.
10. St. Joseph Project
We’re moving along on the project.
We submitted an application for a Development Permit to Parks Canada on May 25, 2021 and received a permit number to use in all correspondence on the subject in the future. We identified spring 2022 as the construction start date.
This week we sent project plans to four contractors, two in Calgary and two in Golden, requesting bids.
Our next step is to start applying for more grants. Once we have three contractor bids we are eligible to apply for the gas tax funding through the CSRD. We also plan to re-apply for Gaming Grant funds now that we are further along in the renovation/restoration process. We want to do FRAA fund raising projects as well once we are closer to the end of the pandemic when people can have safe interaction with people as well as computers! Any ideas, please share!
Barred owls nested in the church belfry again this spring. We have discussed how to manage the owl’s desire to nest there (this was the fourth year running) with Parks Canada’s Human/Wildlife Specialist and were advised to wrap the belfry in wire this fall so there’s no conflict in May when we want to start construction. It’s been cool to see the owls, but in our hearts we want them to nest in the forest.
We sent an update to Columbia Basin Trust, a granting body that has committed $150,000 to the project with another $150,000 from them committed once we receive funding from other funding sources.
The designer asked if we want to include a potential back-up generator and plug-in connection to ensure power to the facility. Given the importance of power to the lift operation, we have advised them to include this option.
Great big shout out to Bryan Keefer for mowing the lawn at the church! We really appreciate what you do. No dandelions there!
11. Honorarium
There are two years of honorarium payments from Parks Canada to disburse. We have a spreadsheet template from 2018 that we’ll use for the past two years as well. Should be laid out by the end of the month.
12. Round Table
- Residents experiencing long-term effects of major water issues below 2nd Avenue met on June 17, 2021 to discuss how to communicate and work with Parks Canada to resolve the problems that are damaging their properties. Sally attended the conversation as a representative of the FRAA. Affected residents to factually outline how they have been affected and compiled into one document that can be submitted to Parks Canada as a starting point. One leaseholder has had geotechnical tests on their lease completed. Parks Canada has also contracted geotechnical work on the area. One piece of information shared is that Parks Canada will address the water issues as one entity, and there may be an announcement soon.
- Sonya has flowers in the four planter boxes on the deck and three hanging baskets complete at the Community Hall, with two hanging planters yet to finish. They look beautiful Sonya!
- St. Joseph Project fundraising suggestion to discuss with Parks Canada: When all functions have moved from the current Admin Building to the school, would it be possible to auction off the perennials in the flower beds to support the church project?
- What should we do as a community when Health Restrictions are lifted and we can get together again? Send us your suggestions. First one tossed around is a Garden Party. Another idea is a Bocce Tournament. Since we haven’t had a Spring Fling again this year, what about an End of Season party? Let us know how you want to celebrate!
