2017 Snow Event- Press Release 2317 hrs (11:17pm) - Highway 3 is open

PRESS RELEASE - FEBRUARY 6, 2017 11:17 PM

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass stood up the Emergency Coordination Centre at 1306 hrs due to the winter storm, accumulation of snow, and the closure of Highway 3 west of Crowsnest Pass to the BC border.

We have just been advised that highway 3 is now open.

Although the highway is open, road conditions are still not ideal, extreme caution is recommended, especially as conditions can change quickly.

The Emergency Command Centre has been stood down effective 12:39 am.

2017 Snow Event- Press Release- 1900 Hrs

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass stood up the Emergency Command Centre at 1306 hrs due to the winter storm, accumulation of snow, and the closure of Highway 3 west of Crowsnest Pass to the BC border.

At this hour residents are advised:

• Highway 3 west of Crowsnest Pass to the BC border remains closed. There is no estimated time of re-opening at this time. 
• Please respect the highway barricade signage and personnel, trying to go around barricades is extremely dangerous for both the person involved as well as for emergency personnel.
• All forms of travel are not recommended – including locally. Weather and road conditions remain poor.
• Warming Centre has been opened at the Elks Hall located at 2025 – 129 Street, Blairmore and will remain open until the Highway re-opens.
• There is no vehicular access west of Coleman; no vehicles will be given access to Tecumseh Road.
• Municipal Snow clearing crews are off shift for the night, snow clearing crews will not be responding overnight except in urgent situations if required to assist emergency personnel. Snow plowing efforts will resume tomorrow at 5am.
• If you have vehicles parked on the street, please mark them clearly, either by clearing them of snow or flagging them, so crews can visually identify their location.
• Avalanche Canada reports that our area is in “Extreme Extreme” avalanche conditions. Please avoid back-country areas while avalanche risk is this high; this has the potential to put yourselves and our EMS responders at risk. For up-to-date avalanche information, please visit https://www.avalanche.ca/map.

The Emergency Command Centre will remain open throughout the night monitoring the situation and planning the next steps.  The Municipal Office is closed at this time, but the After-hours emergency line is active at (403) 562-2021.

Press Relase - Hwy 3 Closure - 2017-02-06 - 1530 hrs

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass stood up the Emergency Command Centre at 1306 hrs due to the winter storm, accumulation of snow, and the closure of Highway 3 west of Crowsnest Pass to the BC border.  

At this hour residents are advised:

• Highway 3 west of Crowsnest Pass to the BC border remains closed, there is no estimated time of re-opening at this time.
• All forms of travel are not recommended – including locally. Weather and road conditions remain poor.
• A Warming Centre has been opened at the Elks Hall located at 2025 – 129 Street, Blairmore and will remain open until the Highway re-opens.
• There is no vehicular access west of Coleman; no vehicles are being given access to Tecumseh Road.
• Snow clearing crews will begin to be shifting off in the next hour or two, and all snow clearing operations are expected to be suspended for the evening by dinner time. Snow clearing after this time will be for emergency access only.  Snow clearing will resume at 5:00am tomorrow, beginning again with arterial routes.  If you have vehicles parked on the street, please mark them clearly so crews can visually identify their location.
• Press Releases will continue to be posted at the Municipal Office for the information of residents, as well as on the Municipal Website, Facebook, and radio.
• Avalanche Canada reports that our area is in “Extreme Extreme” avalanche conditions. Please avoid back-country areas while avalanche risk is this high; this has the potential to put yourselves and our EMS responders at risk.  For up-to-date avalanche information, please visit https://www.avalanche.ca/map.

The next Press Release is scheduled for 1900 hrs today.  For more information or if you have any concerns please contact the Municipal Office at (403) 562-8833 which is open from 8:30am until 4:30pm or phone the after-hours emergency line at (403) 562-2021.

Press Release - Highway 3 Closed - February 5, 2017

FEBRUARY 5, 2017 9:00AM

Residents and travellers are advised that, effective 06:00, Highway 3 is CLOSED west of Crowsnest Pass to the BC border for an indeterminate amount of time due to heavy snowfall and poor road conditions.   A winter storm warning remains in place for the Crowsnest Pass this morning.

Crowsnest Pass Fire Rescue has personnel staged in Coleman and Frank directing traffic.  Please cooperate with all personnel and signage.

Large truck parking is being staged at the roadside pull out in Frank, the parking lot has been cleared to accommodate commercial vehicles that are stranded.

We ask that everyone limit non-essential travel until the roadways have been cleared.  Please drive with extreme caution especially near snow clearing equipment.

Highway 3 east of Crowsnest Pass remains open but travel conditions remain poor and travel is not recommended.  For up to date road conditions visit Alberta 511 Road Reports   

Press Release – MLA Pat Stier to Present Municipality with Grant Funding

November 2, 2016 - For Immediate Release – The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is very pleased to announce that Livingston-Macleod MLA Pat Stier will be visiting the Municipality on November 14^th to present us with two grants for upcoming community services projects. Please join us on November 14, 2016 at 11:00am in Council Chambers at the Municipal Office where we will be gratefully receiving these grants.

The Community Pool rebuild project will be receiving a Community Facility Enhancement Grant in the amount of $100,000.  The original Crowsnest Community Pool was 44 years old and nearing the end of its useful life.  Municipal Council approved the rebuilding of our pool, allowing new and upgraded features to be incorporated into the pool design.  The Community Facility Enhancement Grant will aid us in developing these exciting new features.

The Pass Powderkeg Ski Hill trail expansion project will be receiving a Community Initiatives Program Grant in the amount of $32,154.  The funds from the Community Initiative Program will assist with the clean-up of the newly logged runs, assist with trail mapping and development, and help purchase new trail signs.  The runs were logged in 2015 courtesy of Mr. Dale Linderman, who committed the logging proceeds back to the Society/Municipality for investment in the trails.

Press Release - Wildfire Protection Initiative

December 18, 2015 - For Immediate Release – The 2015 Wildfire season in Alberta hit very close to home, bringing back memories of the 2003 Lost Creek Fire that jeopardized the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.  Crowsnest Pass residents know how quickly a normal day in the mountains can turn into a dangerous situation for citizens and emergency responders. 

With Crowsnest Pass sitting in the heart of the mountains and surrounded by forest, the threat of another wildfire is real.  On December 2nd, members of Council met with Alberta Agriculture & Forestry officials, Town of Slave Lake representatives, and Municipal administration to discuss a new initiative that would mirror the program implemented in Slave Lake after the devastating 2011 fires.

This plan will focus on the 7 disciplines of FireSmart:

• FireSmart planning (Wildfire Preparedness Guide and Wildfire Mitigation Strategy development)

• Vegetation management (including vegetation removal, reduction, and species conversion)
• Public education
• Inter-agency cooperation and Cross-training
• Legislation and planning
• Development
• Emergency Planning

This initiative will implement a four-person crew that will work on FireSmart initiatives in the Municipality and will be a response ready team able to action wildfires in cooperation with Alberta Agriculture & Forestry during the Wildfire Season. This project is budgeted to be cost neutral, and has a very high potential to enhance our service delivery here in the Crowsnest Pass. 

At the December 15^th Council meeting, Council confirmed their direction to administration to proceed with the initiative for the 2016 fiscal year. With the 2016 fire season forecasted to be even more intense than 2015, the Municipality will raise the bar on protecting citizens of the Crowsnest Pass, with this program being only the second of its kind in Alberta.

Press Release - Recreation Facility and Services Feasibility Study

February 9, 2015 - For Immediate Release - In 2013 the Municipality undertook a Recreation Facility and Services Feasibility Study.  The resulting report, titled the Needs Analysis and Action Plan (for the MCNP), was released today. The purpose of the study, completed by RC Strategies, was to assess the current recreation services and facilities, gather relevant community input and feedback, and provide recommendations and commentary regarding community recreation infrastructure priorities, programming priorities, and governance improvements. 

In order to complete the Needs Analysis and Action Plan, an extensive community consultation process was completed, including 578 returned household surveys, 23 community group surveys, and 36 stakeholder interviews.  The comprehensive findings of the community consultation are included in a separate report titled the State of Recreation.  This document covers all the research and inputs that were considered and included in developing the overall Plan.

There is a wealth of valuable information in the reports produced, and the Municipality has already implemented a number of the recommendations pertaining to policy development, process modernization, marketing, and emergent facility repairs to the Albert Stella Memorial Arena and Pass Community Pool.  This Plan will continue to be a resource that assists Council and their various Committees with decisions affecting our recreation facilities and services.

For more information please contact Lyle Hannan, Director of Community Services at 403-562-8833 or by email at lyle.hannan@crowsnestpass.com.

Needs Analysis and Action Plan (for the MCNP)

State of Recreation