Fibre strategy
Fiber does a body good.
The town is looking to fibre to bring a whole lot of good to Cochrane’s connectivity to the world.
With a goal to attract new industry, new businesses and offer high-speed internet to existing businesses - council voted unanimously in favour of endorsing the town’s Fibre Strategy on Monday night.
“I believe the internet is the railroad of the 21st Century,” said Coun. Morgan Nagel. “We need new industry to get us off our oil and gas reliance.”
Council will be awaiting further details from the volunteer Cochrane Fibre Liaison Group at the May spring budget deliberations, where $500,000 will be the ask to get the ball rolling on options and scope to implement a fibre strategy in Cochrane.
The town currently has a “small system of dark fibre that could be activated for businesses ... 5.7 km of fibre optic cables that provide connectivity between most town facilities”. To activate broadband services the town pays monthly fees to connect to internet service provider Axia, with services provided by Explornet.
Last year Tremar Computers, owned by Mark Paffrath in 1995, paid for their own fibre to be brought into their building - where they host servers for numerous businesses.
“It will definitely be a plus for the community,” said Paffrath, who said he is dubious over whether or not the town acting as a utility provider would be in the best interests of businesses.
Mike Korman, manager of economic development for the town, said it is “too early” to speculate on whether or not the strategy would point to the town operating as a utility provider or whether this would be private industry.
The biggest cost with the implementation of fibre is construction.
Next steps according to Laurie Drukier, senior communications advisor for the town, would include retaining an expert for framework for the new service; secure a network-to-network interface with Calgary; and hire a contractor to operate the new service, initially.
The team will have more info for council May 23.
Food trucks
Food truck vendors were disappointed that a public hearing held at Monday night’s council was only to do with operation base for where mobile food vendors can park - and not anything to do with the town’s proposed food truck bylaw.
Brian Gebbie, Cochrane owner of Awko Taco food truck, said he was under the impression he would be able to voice his concerns regarding the bylaw and is concerned that a public hearing is not in the works, ahead of second and third reading of the mobile food vendor bylaw.
Kemi Apanisile, town planner, has since clarified that the hearing was only on the operation base, as this is to do with land-use and therefore is a required component.
“It’s up to council to establish a non land-use statutory public hearing,” he explained. Apanisile said he has advised both Gebbie and Darcy Scott, owner of food truck Grilled, that he would incorporate their concerns with the bylaw into his report. He will deliver his report on May 8, at second reading for the bylaw.
Gebbie and Scott share similar concerns: that the draft bylaw does not address food trucks parking on private property; the absence of alternating 1-2 hour designated parking times for food trucks (especially in the downtown core); and whether or not out-of town/Calgary trucks will be subject to the same fees as Cochrane trucks.
At present, it looks like Scott will be the only full-time truck for the summer season.
Gebbie said the food truck business in Cochrane is about “passion over profit” and will only be seen at spot events this season.
Both vendors have expressed significant frustration over the delay in establishing a bylaw.
Public engagement indicated overwhelming support for food trucks in town.
Town surplus
A 2016 quarter four report revealed a budget operating surplus of $548,702, mostly due to higher than anticipated growth revenues and development permits. There was a shortfall in police revenues of $180,000 and fire services over time amounting to $178,000 due to high call volumes.
