By Marcia Love
An update on the functional planning of Maple Creek’s new integrated healthcare facility was provided to council July 27.
Councillor John Andreas said the process was slowed down due to the flood, but the functional plan for the new facility was presented to the functional planning committee on July 14. Stantec Consulting Ltd. of Saskatoon managed this phase of the project.
“The committee was very happy with (the functional plan),” said Andreas. “There were a few minor changes and clarifications on a few items, but for the most part we were pretty happy with it.”
The next step for the committee is to have the final draft of the functional plan presented to the Ministry of Health, after which the building committee will step in.
“The building committee had a meeting on July 16, where we looked at some project models,” Andreas said.
Two project managers have spoken with the committee about building plans.
Council agreed to place signage on Lonsdale Street restricting traffic loads to one ton, as the substructure of the street is deteriorating. The street was load tested after the use of heavy trucks caused damage to it.
“The asphalt is fine, but the substructure is bad and would be quite expensive to rebuild,”explained Mark Caswell, town administrator.
Mayor Barry Rudd said vehicles carrying heavy loads should use the back alleys to avoid wear on the street.
Council discussed repairing sewer valves in the streets around town.
“We get so much paving done and then our shut-off valves... create holes (in the pavement),” noted Rudd. “We’ve got to start working on that, because now they’re getting dangerous.”
Repairs to the valves would involve adding stem piping to reduce the gaps in road surfaces.
Councillor Ellaine Hawrylak said fence posts in the Land of Living Skies Park are loose and requiring attention.
“We’re going to have to get a crew to try re-tamping the poles so the fence is upright,” she said.     
Council continues to consider options for restoration of the fence.
A bylaw was passed allowing the town to enter into an agreement with Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park for firefighting purposes.
The agreement will permit the Maple Creek Fire Department to respond to structural fires in the park.
“The park has a fire truck, but they don’t have a fire department in the park,” explained Caswell. “They are asking the Town of Maple Creek’s fire department to help them in the event that they need to fight structural fires.”
The Maple Creek Border Country Rodeo Committee was granted permission to hold a beer garden at the rodeo grounds on Aug. 21.