by Colin Smith
Restoring the attractiveness of the heart of Morinville is the aim of two motions adopted by council at its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 25.
Councillor Maurice St. Denis moved that council direct administration to enter into discussions with community groups on opportunities for the revitalization of St. Jean Baptiste Park, balancing the community’s desires, the park’s needs and the town’s interests.
St. Denis said the upcoming blessing and dedication ceremony at the church site provided an opportunity to explore revitalizing and harmonizing the park and the churchyard with the St. John Baptiste Rebuild Committee.
The committee has expressed interest in being part of such an effort, he said, adding that Alexander First Nation should also have a voice.
The aim is to see the park once again recover some of its past glory and again become a gathering place for residents and guests.
“In many ways, the park is a microcosm of the community,” St. Denis said. “Steeped in history and with a ton of potential, and it will require all of us to come together and reimagine what this place can become.”
Centennial Fountain
The Centennial Fountain was the subject of a motion by Councillor Stephen Dafoe.
The motion is that council direct administration to return with a report on the current state of the Centennial Fountain and plans to adequately maintain the fountain, including updating the plaques of the town’s mayors, with the costs of returning it to be the “the showcase it was meant to be.”
Dafoe noted that, “as the name of the fountain would imply,” the fountain was erected in Morinville’s centennial year 2011, and decorated with plaques of all the town’s mayors.
Subsequent bouts of vandalism in which soap was put in the fountain resulted in the fountain being turned off. Over the years its appearance has deteriorated.
Dafoe stated that if the town does not want to run it as a fountain it could be filled with soil and be used as a planter.
“I’d like to see that come back,” he said. “A lot of time went into developing this to be part of our pride in our past administrators and councillors who went on to become mayor.”
Loose Dogs and Cats
Dafoe believes another way to improve Morinville would be to get a handle on loose dogs and cats.
He also moved that council seek a report from the administration on loose dogs and cats and what Enforcement Services is doing about them, along with the number of fines and warnings issued in 2023.
“We have a lot of loose dogs in town,” said Dafoe. “More than I’ve seen in the time I’ve been here.”
He noted that while dogs are sometimes loose on the street, the bigger problem is in the parks that are being treated as off-leash areas when they are not.
“While dogs are not generally a problem, they could be,” he said. “So I’d like to take a look and that see what our strategy is and what the experience of our staff has been.”
Councillor Ray White spoke in favour of the motion.
“I walk my dog every day and I see a lot of loose dogs and cats,” he said. “It’s problematic.
All of the motions passed unanimously.
Lots of dog poop when we go for our daily walks “take pride in our town and pick up the poop!!!!