Cypress County plans renovations in Dunmore

ANDREA KLASSEN Medicine Hat News

Starting in fall 2010, Cypress County residents who need to conduct business at the Dunmore Administration Building should find their task a little easier.

The building is getting its first major update in 25 years, and project manager Dennis Mann says the renovation and expansion will bring the building “into the new era.”

Once the renovation is complete, related departments will be housed together, making it easier for the public to find the right person to talk to in the public works or planning divisions.

"They won't have to be going all over the building to locate different people that they need to talk to," says Mann.

"Right now these guys are scattered all over the place."

The $4 million expansion, funded by the provincial government’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative Program, will also bring green technology to the county office.

Enivronmentally friendly furnaces, boilers and lights are all part of the new design, as well as energy-efficient windows.

A new council chamber will also be housed in the expanded building, while the current chamber will be renovated into office space. More parking, updated washrooms, and an elevator to provide handicapped access to the second floor are also in the works.

Mann says changes and improvements in services over the last quarter-century have required the county to hire more staff than the current Administration Building can comfortably fit.

“We just, quite frankly, ran out of room,” he says. “Most of the office space that we have now is shared office space. It was getting quite cramped."

Mann estimates construction on the new building is half finished, with most of the exterior work completed. Renovations to the existing building, including the installation of the new elevator, began in March.

NEWS PHOTO EMMA BENNETT Construction at the Cypress County Dunmore Administration Building began in April 2009 and should be complete in the fall of 2010. The updates include a new council chambers, new administration office and new front entrance.

NEWS PHOTO EMMA BENNETT Wayne May works in the future location of the new council chambers at the Cypress County Dunmore Administration Building. Construction started in April 2009 and should be complete in the fall of 2010.

86 — REPORT ON SOUTHEAST ALBERTA 2010 ■ Celebrating our Community

Wind projects to benefit economy and environment

amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com

Once recognized as the national leader in the development of wind power in the country, Alberta has since fallen behind Ontario and Quebec in advancing the alternative energy source.

However, the first two of what promises to be many wind farms in southeastern Alberta may cut into the eastern provinces’ lead.

Wild Rose 1 and 2 wind power projects have been simmering on the backburner for the last six years, being transferred through business acquisitions and jumping through regulatory hoops as the pieces of the puzzle have been put together.

But if things go as planned in the next two years, the landscape outside of Medicine Hat will likely see a transformation from open prairie to a forest of turbines.

Wild Rose 1 and 2 will be located approximately 25 kilometres south of Irvine and Dunmore respectively and include more than 250 turbines producing nearly 380 megawatts of electricity.

In an interview with the News during an open house for Wild Rose 2 at the Cypress County administrative building, Greg Copeland from NaturEner said the company is forging ahead with its project.

“It’s a lengthy process . . . we are looking at construction starting in 2011 and then completion sometime late in summer or fall 2012," said Copeland, NaturEner's director of wind energy development. “Our next big hurdle is to get the application submitted to the (Alberta Utilities Commission).”

Getting to that point has had its challenges. Wildlife, noise, sightlines, residential homes, and oil and gas developments all have to have a sufficient buffer zone before placement of the turbines in wind efficient areas are even considered. Add to that the needed agreement from the landowners and the county municipality and the task becomes Herculean.

And even with those concerns taken care of one major issue still remains — transmission lines.

The East Palliser Transmission line, which will see significant upgrades to the electrical infrastructure of southern Alberta, still needs approval.

“You have to have the ability to plug in the wind power,” stated Copeland, “and the East Palliser line is how that power is going to be injected.”

Cypress County municipal planner Jeffrey Dowling said the project has benefits to the municipality and the province.

“Alberta needs energy and these projects provide an alternative energy source that is environmentally friendly,” he said.

Some opposition was expressed during initial talks regarding Wild Rose 1 which has seen the area re-zoned to allow for the turbines.

But, said Dowling, “NaturEner has addressed most of those concerns and as a result the public is at least comfortable with the project.”

Landowner Ben Fus said as long as the proper controls are in place and the turbines are a safe distance from homes, he’s OK with the project near his property.

Fus said he and others have had discussions with NaturEner about the project, with each side communicating their concerns and plans.

“If NaturEner listens to farmers, then it’s okay, but we have to work together on this and it has to be a co-op between them and landowners.”

According to NaturEner, economic spin-offs include the creation of 200 temporary jobs and 15 permanent ones, as well as $400 million spent in construction — of which 20 per cent would be flowing to regional businesses.

An estimated $1 million in taxes would be generated for the county with another million going to landowners in royalties.

The projects also have the potential to provide power to 50,000 homes annually.

Graphic Submitted By NaturEner A computer generated graphic shows what the Wild Rose Windfarm will look like — if regulatory approval is granted and an improved transmission line is installed. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120