Kent – The Kent Council wrap from the meeting of March 9, 2020 .
Knotweed Removal
Council supported the Fraser Valley Invasive Species Society (FVISS) removing 18 knotweed sites in the District in the amount of $6,962.45.
In 2019 at the District’s request, the FVISS prepared an invasive plant species report that identified thirty-six knotweed sites; eight on private property, nine on Crown land and nineteen on District roadsides and right of ways. The FVISS is only able to treat eighteen of the locations due to one site’s proximity to water.
For questions or concerns about invasive species in your area can be directed to FVISS at 778-548-3847 or email info@fviss.ca.
125th Anniversary Apparel and Memorabilia
Council approved a variety of retail sale and giveaway items featuring the two 125th anniversary logos to be used throughout the 2020 celebration year.
The memorabilia, including golf shirts, baseball caps coffee mugs and heritage calendars are available for purchase at the Community Recreation and Cultural Centre and Agassiz Harrison Visitor Information Centre (May to October), as well as on site at special events.
Give away items featuring the logos will be items like lanyards, pins, keychains, medallions, tattoos and stickers.
Due to the District’s limited ability to resell a large volume of projects, Council endorsed staff working in coordination with local businesses and non-profits to use the logos on their own retail items in order to commemorate the community event. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Community Services Department at 604-796-2235 or info@kentbc.ca to discuss the agreement for logo use.
Schep Park Phase 2 Upgrades
Enhancement plans for Schep Park up to a total of $30,000 as supported by the Parks, Recreation and Trails Committee for pathway lighting in the park and refurbishing the 20’x20’ gazebo were approved by Council. These upgrades were identified by the community as desired amenities after a survey was conducted in 2017.
At the time of the survey, the community also requested outdoor fitness equipment be installed at this location, however as recommended by the Parks, Recreation and Trails Committee and supported by Council, the purchase and installation of the outdoor fitness equipment will be delayed until staff have had the opportunity to evaluate the use of outdoor fitness equipment in Centennial Park.
Staff have also applied for funding through the Kal-Tire Replay and Tire Stewardship Programs for installation of a rubberized surface at the Schep Park playground. If both funding request are successful, the majority of the surface and installation costs would be covered. Staff is anticipating notification of the grant applications by the end of April this year.
Additional amenities planned for the park through the 2020 Capital Budget (separate from the phase 2 funding) will include a bike rack, two multi-stream receptables (waste, recycling, compost sorters) and a dog bag station.
Seabird Island Annual First Nations Festival
Council unanimously supported the 51st annual Seabird Island First Nations Festival in the amount of $1,000 to be held May 29-31, 2020. The event is open to everyone and will feature opening and closing ceremonies, war canoe races, salmon barbeque, cultural performances, sports tournaments and food and craft vendors.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Charlene Point, Events Coordinator at Seabird Island Band by phone at 604-796-2177 ext. 5050 or by email at events@seabirdisland.ca
Liberation of Holland Event
Mayor Pranger will be attending the Liberation of Holland Celebration hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 32 on May 2, 2020 at 7:00 pm.
The evening will include guest speakers followed by a candlelight ceremony at the Cenotaph.
Canada liberated Holland during World War 2. Every year since the end of the war, Holland sends Canada thousands of tulips for the appreciation of service.
Get Ready to Sort It Out
The Fraser Valley Regional District’s new waste sorting bylaw comes into effect on April 1, 2020.
This bylaw applies to anyone who owns, rents, leases or occupies residential, commercial, industrial and institutional properties within Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Kent, Hope, Harrison Hot Springs and FVRD Electoral Areas (A-H).
To comply with the bylaw, recyclable and compostable material must be sorted out of the garbage. This means you will need different bins for recycling, compost and garbage.
Private haulers operating within the District are aware of the bylaw and sorting requirements. Please contact your hauler directly to arrange for bin drop offs.
For more resources on how to comply, visit www.bewastewise.com or contact the Recycling Council of BC at 1-800-732-9253 or hotline@rcbc.ca.
Municipal Hall Generator Project
Council approved the two-phase project for electrical system upgrades to Municipal Hall for the installation of a back up generator to be included in the 2021 financial plan, providing grants are secured.
The increased frequency of events requiring activation of the District’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is most recently evident by the overland flooding and landslide incident at Rockwell Drive. During this event the EOC relocated to Municipal Hall as it is better suited to handling multiple government agencies with appropriately sized meeting spaces, required engineering services and mapping.
Adding a generator to Municipal Hall will greatly increase the capacity of the District to handle large scale emergencies involving multiple agencies, ensure essential services can be maintained during prolonged power outages and support business continuity.
The project is separated into two phases. Phase one includes parts and labour necessary to upgrade the electrical system in Municipal Hall in order to accommodate a generator. Currently Municipal Hall and Council Chambers operate on different electrical systems and will need to be combined. Once the appropriate electrical systems are in place, a generator may be purchased and installed in a fenced enclosure outside of the building.
Council supported the staff recommendations to apply to the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund and the Farm Credit Canada Agrispirit Fund grants, both in the amount up to $25,000 each, to help offset the costs associated with the project. Actual costs for the electrical upgrades and generator purchase will be brought forward at a future Council meeting.
Agassiz Harrison Museum Winter Speaker Series
Come out to the Museum on Wednesday, March 16 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm and learn about the history of logging the forests in the Agassiz-Harrison Valley.
This event is part of the Kent 125 celebrations and will have an open mic session for those interested in sharing their stories after the speaker series.
Admission is $5 per person. Contact the Agassiz Harrison Museum for more information at agassizharrisonmuseum@shawbiz.ca or call 604-796-3545.
