News and Updates

The Town of Coalhurst would like to announce the release of it’s new App!

The Town has worked with a local Mobile App provider, SMBapps, to create a customized Mobile App for residents and businesses. The new Town of Coalhurst Mobile App enables app users to direct call departments, submit applications and forms (such as permits or sign submissions), and receive push notifications and emergency alerts directly from The Town of Coalhurst Administration.

With The Town of Coalhurst Mobile App, users can also stay up-to-date with announcements and events, as well as access Agenda Meeting Minutes and more. The Push Notification System enables app users to receive real-time updates from the Town regarding alerts, closures, planned maintenance, events and more. The Mobile App is built on a scalable platform that will enable future updates and additional features to be added as they become available. The purpose of the App is to simplify and increase efficiency of communications between The Town of Coalhurst and the people who live or work within its jurisdiction, while reducing administrative costs and increasing time savings.

The Town of Coalhurst Mobile App is free to download on both Apple and Android devices and is available for direct download in the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Store.

Further information about The Town of Coalhurst Mobile App: 

http://coalhurst.communityapps.ca/

The Town of Coalhurst Mobile App in iTunes App Store

https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/town-of-coalhurst-mobile-app/id1477221940

The Town of Coalhurst Mobile App in Google Play Store

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app_coalhurst.layout

 

About SMBApps, a division of Jedwin Media Inc.

SMBApps, a division of Jedwin Media Inc., is a local Mobile App Provider that specializes in creating mobile apps for Towns, Counties and Municipalities. SMBApps has created and launched Mobile Apps for other local communities including the Town of Magrath, the County of Ponoka, Lethbridge County and Brazeau County. Further information can be found online at smbapps.ca.

KAIROS Blanket Exercise Initiative: Enhancing Relations between Municipal Governments and Indigenous Communities

You are invited to participate in the KAIROS Blanket Exercise taking place in Coalhurst, on September 10^th, at the Community Center (527 50^th Avenue). The Exercise begins at 6:30pm and will run for approximately two and a half hours. There is NO registration cost to attend; However, an RSVP is required to confirm your participation. Refreshments and a light snack will be provided.

What is a KAIROS Blanket Exercise?

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise is an interactive session where participants step onto blankets representing the land, and into the role of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. The facilitators read a script and assume the role of European settlers, and later as representatives of the Crown. The Exercise builds awareness and understanding of our shared history as Indigenous and Non-Indigenous peoples in Canada by having participants literally walk through situations that include pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance. Participants are drawn into the Exercise by reading scrolls and carrying cards, which ultimately determine each participants outcome. Following the Blanket Exercise, participants will engage in a group session, where they will have the opportunity to reflect on what they learned and ask questions.

What should participants bring?

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise requires participants to remove their shoes before stepping onto the blankets. As such, participants that may be uncomfortable in bare feet should consider wearing socks or other foot covering.

If you wish to attend the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, to be held on September 10, 2019 at 6:30pm, in the Coalhurst Community Center (527 50^th avenue), please RSVP by September 9^th,  to Deb Florence, Recreation Coordinator for the Town of Coalhurst, by emailing rec@coalhurst.ca or calling 403-394-5150.

See the video below for an overview of the exercise.

Sprinklers in the Park will run as scheduled on August 21st at Imperial Meadows Park from 11:00am – 1:00pm. Please note that that there will be NO STAFF SUPERVISION during this particular event, so parents must supervise their children who attend.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Around-Town Photo Scavenger Hunt that was scheduled for August 14th has been cancelled. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Thanks to all the residents who participated in the 2019 Buds and Blossoms Garden Contest. It’s great seeing all of the beautiful yards and gardens this time of year. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

1st Place: 4610 Miners Road

2nd Place: 5212 2nd Street

3rd Place: 4617 7th Street

Do you have a concern with the conduct of an on duty RCMP Member?  Read the following information provided:   RCMP – Public Complaints

Alberta Health Services has issued information on the West Nile virus. Please read this important news.
West Nile Virus

The following link provides summer camps available for 2019:  Lethbridge College 2019 Summer Camps

The YWCA Neighborhood Play Program will start up again at the Coalhurst Miners Memorial Park July 2, 2019 and run through August 15, 2019.

Click Neighbourhood Play Program for details.

Here is some information on how to help deter crows from being pests on your property.

How to Deter Crows from your Property

1. Store trash securely where it cannot be accessed by crows. Crows can easily rip into a plastic trash bag to start rummaging through your trash. Make sure your container is not overfilled as crows can get into the trash if a small part of the bag is showing. Look to get a container that has a locked lid. Once a crow finds a source of food, it will be back daily to forage, so it is important to always keep trash completely secure.

• • Cover and lock all trashcans.
  • Secure the handles to stakes stuck in the ground to prevent bins from being knocked over.

2. Cover and contain all compost. Crows are omnivores and will eat any food scraps they happen upon. It is important to make sure all food scraps are securely contained. Composting is a great sustainable way to get rid of leftover food, however open compost is very inviting to a crow. To compost food without attracting crows, make sure you cover your compost or keep it contained in a bin. You can compost yard waste without attracting crows.

3. Protect your garden. Although crows can be beneficial to gardens because they eat insects and grubs, sometimes they will help themselves to your crops as well. Place a flexible bird net over your crops purchased from your local garden or hardware store. A four inch net will keep the crows out but still give smaller birds access to the insects in your garden. Before your fruit starts to ripen, drape the net on the crops or suspend it above the crops with a frame built around the garden. Make sure the net is secure to ensure it will keep the crows out. You can also put this netting over fruit trees and bushes.

4. Use bird feeders that exclude large birds. Invest in a bird feeder that automatically closes when birds of larger weights try to feed. You might also try using a feeder with a wire mesh that excludes crows but lets smaller birds in. Clean up any spillage each day to prevent crows from foraging around the feeder.

5. Install crow-proof nest boxes. Crows will sometimes eat the hatchlings of other, smaller birds. If a crow finds a nest box that it can get a hatchling out of, it will return every year to do the same.

• • Make sure all of your nest boxes are over 6 inches (15.2　cm) deep from the hole to the bottom of the box.
  • Remove the perch or ledge under the hole of a nest box so that the crow doesn’t have a place to stand and wait for a hatchling to poke its head out.

6. Trim dead branches from trees. Crows gather in groups and will look for open spaces to roost. Removing dead branches prevents large numbers of crows from converging on the leafless branch.

7. Use transparent bird gel on branches and other roosting areas. You can purchase bird gels from a local hardware store or online. Bird gel is a non-toxic sticky substance that does not disrupt the natural look of windows or trees like bird spikes. The sticky gel makes the surface uncomfortable to crows and will prevent them from establishing your yard as a nesting site.

8. Reduce outdoor lighting. Crows tend to congregate in well lit areas at night. Reducing your outdoor lighting will help make your space less attractive to crows.

9. Address the arriving crows early in the winter. Crows are migratory birds and typically choose roosting grounds in early winter. Disrupt their habits by addressing the birds as soon as they arrive so they don’t take up residence with you all winter.

10. Disrupt the crows right before dusk. Scaring crows away in the evening helps prevent them from spending the night in your yard. A crow will look for a safe place to spend the evening, and by scaring them right before it gets dark, they are likely to look elsewhere.

11. Use fake animals to deter crows. String fake crows from a Halloween store upside down with their wings out. Crows will avoid the fake dead crows. You can try using fake horned owls or snakes, but these will only deter the crows for a short while. Crows will even learn the patterns of animatronic animals and recognize that they aren’t real eventually.

12. Scare crows away with reflective objects around your property.^[12] Crows can be frightened by moving shiny objects. You can find bird tape that is designed as a visual deterrent to crows. Hang shiny streamers on poles throughout your yard, or make a fence around your property by twisting the tape together and stringing it between poles along the perimeter. Move the location of your streamers periodically to keep the crows from overcoming them as a threat. Other reflective ideas to try:

• • Reflective tape
  • Old CDs hung vertically on a string.
  • Aluminum pie pans. Adding anything shiny to your yard will help to deter the crows.

12. Use loud noises to frighten crows away. Crows do not like loud sounds such as explosions, loud banging, and alarms; these options, however effective, may be impractical for people in urban settings. Each time you see the crows, make the noise to train them to stay away. Playing a recorded audio of crow predators or crow distress calls can also help keep them away. You can find audio of crow sound deterrents available online at bird control companies. Try these noisemakers to keep the crows away:^[13]

• • Recordings of crow distress calls
  • Recordings of crow predators such as owls and hawks
  • Air horns

 

DO Good.  Feel Good.
A partnership between FCSS and the Boys and Girls Club. For youth in grades 10-12.  Check it out.
The Youth Do Crew

 

The Provincial Election will be held on Tuesday April 16, 2019. Follow the link below for up-to-date information regarding Advance Poll Dates, voting locations (as they come available), and will allow you to speed up the voting process by making sure you’re registered to vote beforehand. It will also provide links to news, party/candidate information, and will answer other questions you may have regarding the election.

https://www.elections.ab.ca/current-election-information/

 

 

Check this link for details and information on what is happening at the Coalhurst Youth Centre.
Coalhurst Youth Center March April

The Town of Coalhurst held a Public Hearing in the Council Chambers on February 5, 2019 for proposed Bylaw No. 404-19, Amendment to Municipal Development Plan. The purpose of the proposed Bylaw No. 404-19 is to provide clarity as to when the preparation and adoption, by bylaw, of an area structure plan is required, pursuant to section 633 of the Municipal Government Act, Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000, Chapter M-26, as amended.

The Council of the Town of Coalhurst had given first reading of the proposed Bylaw on January 15, 2019 at their Fifth Regular meeting and second and third reading was given at the Sixth Regular meeting on February 5, 2019. Bylaw 404-19 was signed and sealed.

The Town of Coalhurst also held a Public Participation in the Council Chambers on February 5, 2019 for proposed Bylaw No. 405-19, a Bylaw to specify the number of Councillors sitting on the Municipal Council from 5 to 7.

The Council of the Town of Coalhurst had given first reading of the proposed Bylaw on January 15, 2019 at their Fifth Regular meeting and second and third reading was given at the Sixth Regular meeting on February 5, 2019. Bylaw No. 405-19 was signed and sealed.

Soccer registration will be held 2 nights only.  Check link for dates, times and more information:
cksa-soccer registration-2019

Eight youth from the Lethbridge riding will be selected to meet with Rachael Harder, Lethbridge MP, once a month on a Saturday morning.  The Youth Advisory Board will run from April 2019 to March 2020, with a break over the summer.

Take a look at Rachael Harder Youth Advisery Board for all the important details on how to apply for this amazing opportunity.

FCSS and the Coalhurst Youth Centre will now accommodate a Friday Drop In for Grades 4-6 at the Coalhurst Youth Centre every other Friday from 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  Check link for details:
FCSS & Youth Center.

The Coalhurst Youth Centre will still remain open every Friday for youths Grades 7+ from 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

The Town of Coalhurst Administration Office will close on December 24, 2018 for the Christmas holidays and re-open on January 2, 2019 .

Payments can be made on line or cheques can be dropped off in the drop off box located at the entrance of the Town Office.

Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

Special Guest of the CDS
Remembrance Week, 2018

Submitted by Department
of National Defence

Every year for a week leading up to Remembrance Day, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer (CAFCWO) select a member of the Canadian Armed Forces to be a guest of honour to accompany them during the Remembrance Day ceremonies located at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.  This year the CDS, General Jonathan Vance and the CAFCWO, Chief Warrant Officer Alain Guimond chose Sergeant (Sgt.) Jeremy Joseph James Leblanc from Coalhurst, Alberta to be their guest.

Created in 1998, the Remembrance Day Sentry Program recognizes outstanding Regular and Reserve Force sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen of the CAF, and a member of the RCMP, for their dedication, professionalism and performance. Participation in this program is a unique experience for those selected.

Typically, the member who is chosen by the CDS and the CAFCWO is a soldier who has displayed exemplary conduct on and off duty and has been wounded in the course of action on a tour overseas.

Sergeant (Sgt.) Leblanc currently serves in the first battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR). He grew up in Coalhurst, attending Coalhurst Highschool.  Jeremy played a lot of soccer and hockey.  It was travel and a sense of adventure that drew him to join the Canadian Armed Forces in 2000.

After completing his Basic Infantry Qualification, he was posted to 1 RCR where he deployed to Bosnia, Afghanistan and, most recently, to Ukraine. It was in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in Oct of 2006 that he was injured.  During a coordinated direct enemy attack on their strong point along route Summit, Sgt. Leblanc was hit by shrapnel from an enemy rocket-propelled grenade.

An avid fisherman, he lives in Petawawa with his wife, Melissa, and their sons Cooper and Parker.

Below:  Sergeant Leblanc and sons