Monitoring air quality

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

Wheatland County has recently seen the need for monitoring air quality in dealing with compost facilities and particulates coming from other sites.
The county asked for help from the Calgary Region Airshed Zone (CRAZ) to indicate if there were harmful particulate levels in the air. However, the current monitoring could not formally and conclusively ascertain the exact particulate origin with current monitoring equipment and financing.
Jill Bloor, CRAZ executive director, appeared before Wheatland County council on May 6 to emphasize the need to monitor air environments and to deliver an update on what the organization is doing. She said CRAZ is grassroots formed with a volunteer board, embracing 40 municipalities and an air zone that affects 1.4 million people.
“If people don’t know what it means (air quality index) … we don’t change anything,” said Bloor.
According to Bloor, combustions and industrial manufacturing contribute to particulate concentrations and can have major health repercussions, such as respiratory illnesses. CRAZ has developed a good working relationship with some of the major industries in the zone concerning industrial outputs, and they have also worked with Alberta Health Services regarding last year’s wildfires, developing the Simplified Wildfire Smoke Guide.
Bloor said the organization reviews and gives input to the government on air quality issues in the region, and provides educational programs for groups and schools. She said education is the biggest factor in changing attitudes and behaviours, and they have teaching plans available for teachers with interesting experiments like the dirty sock challenge.
Bloor said CRAZ is looking for board members and suggested Wheatland County consider having a member on the board to increase their input to the organization.
In the meantime, CRAZ is placing a portable monitor in the eastern corridor, which will give some better data for this area. Council members have indicated they would like to see better monitoring and more useful and relevant data to address some of the air quality issues in the county.

Dark fibre opportunity rises again
An opportunity for Wheatland County to join a partnership to tap into Zayo dark fibre communication cables was presented to council on Mar. 6.
The discussion was held in-camera and representatives said it was because the discussions and legal negotiations were still not finalized.
Previously, the consortium was given the opportunity under the Calgary Regional Partnership; however, that has been dissolved in favour of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB). Instead of starting again, they retained the same consultant and some of the data to maintain continuity.
The connections were hoped to encourage economic growth in rural areas, so businesses could access a secure high-speed network. Cost is dependent on distance away from connection and the more partners involved will make it more economical.
According to Walter Valentini, executive director of the Palliser Economic Partnership, that group’s board will continue with the project.
“We have put some money in the budget to carry forward and we are determined to go the last mile to include several of the Calgary regional communities in the initiative,” said Valentini.
Wheatland County council indicated they would be interested in involvement with no financial consideration at this time.

Eastern bridge repair needed
Some residents near Hussar might be impacted by a closure of Bridge 11 that connects the eastern population of Wheatland County along Hwy 9 and 10 to Drumheller. Many of those residents go to Drumheller for shopping and medical appointments.
Communication from the Town of Drumheller indicates the bridge assessment listed significant repairs that are needed to keep it safe. They had applied to the province for funding in 2017 and it was denied.
“My concern is if they shut the bridge temporarily, it will be shut permanently,” said Wheatland County Councillor Ben Armstrong, councillor for that district.
Council directed administration to work with the Town of Drumheller to develop a plan concerning the issue.

Carseland infrastructure study
Wheatland County council approved $50,000 to study what roads, curbs and infrastructure items should be upgraded in Carseland.
“This study will prove out where our priorities need to be,” said Mike Ziehr, Wheatland County’s manager of transportation and utilities.
He said this was the first formal infrastructure study for the county.