The Rock the Waves (pool/curling centre) campaign unveiled its naming sponsor for the planned curling centre during council Dec. 8.
PBA Land Development, in conjunction with Philco Farms, presented a cheque for $1.35M to the campaign. The facility will be named the ‘Phillips Curling Centre’.
“This sponsorship is truly a testament to our mission statement,” said Patricia Phillips, CEO of PBA Land Development. “We have been an active part of the Cochrane community since we purchased this 545-acre parcel of land over 40 years ago.”
The developer seeks to ‘build a legacy’ in the community of Southbow Landing.
A donation of $500,000 from the Totem Charitable Foundation (Jim Thorogood and family) was also announced.
The family, who prefers to stay out of the limelight, requested that Mayor Ivan Brooker present the cheque in their stead.
“We’ll see what January brings…I have some more surprises,” said an enthused Brooker.
Miles Chester, chair of the Cochrane Environmental Committee (CEC), presented the group’s 2015 work plan to council.
Coun. Morgan Nagel was the only vote against approval of the work plan, which includes researching the environmental impact of residential garburators and possibly restrictions in the future.
Nagel felt with the future addition of organic waste bins this would be too much pressure on Cochranites.
Chester asserted that the intention is to research the impact of garburators to inform recommendations to council; other members of council agreed that more conversations were needed.
Part of the CEC work plan includes working in conjunction with other environmental committees such as Sustainable Partners Uniting Resources; Cochrane Environmental Action Committee; the Calgary Region Airshed Zone; and the Bow River Basin Council to promote education and environmental initiatives — including a ‘Did You Know’ ad series with support of town communications staff.
Council adopted the 2015 Capital and Operating Budget, presented during budget deliberations Nov. 28.
See the Dec. 4 edition of the Eagle for highlights from the deliberations.
Coun. Nagel was the only councillor who voted in opposition to the salary increase for mayor and councillors.
While recognizing the pay hike for councillors was minimal — Cochrane's six councillors will go from a base salary of $18,707, not including allowances, which bumped that amount up to around $25,000 to $27,967 — Nagel voted against the increase based on principal, as he promised his voters during his campaign that he would not vote in favour of giving himself a raise.
