Family Literacy Week, Transit, Kids Arena renovations, Resource Municipalities Coalition and more from FSJ City Council
Family Literacy Week – Jan 21-28:
Since 1990, the Fort St. John Literacy Society has been dedicated to providing programing that promotes family literacy throughout the region.
“We’re dedicated to delivering community programing that promotes literacy and provides learning opportunities in a supportive setting. Helping folks out with their self-identified learning objectives,” Jessica Kalman, the Literacy Society’s Executive Director told council on Monday. “They come to us and tell us what they want to learn.”
Every January, the Society celebrates Family Literacy Day, which falls on January 27. Surrounding that is Family Literacy Week, a week full of community events and activities around literacy, with a focus on bonding, social skills, learning through play, memories, cultural connection, and positive associations.
The theme this year is Let’s Have a Family Party, in celebration of 25 years of Family Literacy Week being observed.
“We’re super excited to have a title sponsor this year for this year’s event – the North Peace Savings and Credit Union Unplug and Play Family Literacy Week is what we’re going to be calling it,” said Kalman.
Incorporating fun and learning into the same activities encourages more learning, says Kalman, because they’re having more fun while doing it.
Events for the week include an online photo contest, run by Dakota Literacy Solutions which is the literacy umbrella for the province; a book scavenger hunt; a Storywalk at Fish Creek run by the city’s recreation department; a buddy read and some stretch breath workshops at local schools; and an escape room at the Fort St. John Library.
More information on the events and the photo contest during Literacy Week can be found at the FSJ Literacy Society’s website.
In recognition of the non-profit group’s dedication, city council proclaimed January 21-28 to be Family Literacy Week in Fort St. John.
City considers modifying transit service hours for NLC students:
Students living on campus at Northern Lights College are struggling to live and successfully connect with the community as access to public transportation ends at 7 p.m. each day, according to a December letter from NLC’s director of ancillary services, Linda Mueller.
“As the liaison to Northern Lights College, I met with Jessie Drew, as well as Linda Mueller, and they spoke to me about some concerns that they have regarding our public transit,” said Councillor Sarah MacDougall.
Many of the students work in the service industry, MacDougall said, and fill a lot of vacancies that are in the community.
“The service industry tends to go a lot later than our bus service does, so they had a request for us to consider extending bus service out to Northern Lights College to later times at night,” she said. “They didn’t give a specific time, but nine or ten o’clock would be the kind of ballpark that they’re looking in.”
“We want to ensure that these folks who are supporting our community by being out there working in it, as well as furthering their education, are supported to be safe, as well as getting back and forth in an efficient and reliable manner.”
MacDougall then moved that Staff work with BC Transit to look at options to support our college and students. The motion carried unanimously – Staff will report back to council when they have finished their investigation into the options.
RMC discusses impacts of CleanBC on resource communities:
In one of its final acts before disbanding at the end of December, the Resource Municipalities Coalition had a meeting with deputy Environment and Climate Change Minister Kevin Jardine. Members took the opportunity to discuss the impacts of the province’s CleanBC policy on communities, according to a report from Mayor Lilia Hansen.
“We discussed concerns that CleanBC program will hit us disproportionately in northern BC when when coming into force in April,” Hansen said. “It’s important to make this program work across all industrial sectors.”
RMC members also noted concerns that the anticipated economic loss will come directly from our pockets without proper planning.
“We understand CleanBC’s goal needs to happen, but how fast it happens will have a disproportionate effect in our area,” she said. “Many jobs in the petroleum industry are not transferrable, and people will require re-training.”
Members asked the minister and his staff whether the emissions cap was really a production cap, as Minister George Heyman and Minister Josie Osborn had both previously announced that there would indeed be a production cap.
“Those on the call were told that CleanBC is intended to have an emission cap, not be a production cap.”
Concerns expressed by Coalition mayors about the recently announced Federal emissions caps were dismissed, as the province says it is not interested in duplication of regulations, but that discussions between the Feds and the province are underway and will continue.
“If a provincial production cap does proceed, we were told that they will work with industry,” Hansen said. “However, production caps are contrary to what the BC government wants to do, and they are working to ensure continued viability.”
Electrification of in the Montney Basin was another issue brought up by coalition members, particularly what steps the government is going to take to help industry reach that goal.
Apparently, BC Hydro has been in discussion with industry to identify potential corridors for electrification, and there may be financing available for two lines.
Phase 3 of Kids Arena Field House upgrades tender pre-approved:
In order to take advantage of pricing and full utilization of staff and contractor capacity early in the year, Community Services Director Curtis Redpath recommended in his report that Council pre-approve the Kids Arena Field House Phase 3 Tender before the 2024 Capital Budget approval.
Phase 3 of the construction will consist of new washrooms, change rooms, new bleachers, office space and storage. Four bids were received, with WL Construction of Fort St. John putting in the winning bid of $518,900.
To date, in the previous two phases the lobby and upstairs of the building have been renovated, demolition of the old change rooms, washrooms and bleachers have been completed.
However, the bid submitted by WL Construction does not include the metal bleachers, similar to those in the Pomeroy Sports Centre. That is an extra cost, said Redpath, therefore the actual request for funds from the 2024 Capital Budget for Phase 3 is $700,000.
“That will include new bleachers,” he said. “As well, I’d like to replace the boards on the south side of the pitch, so we get rid of the wood boards and continue the glass right down to the floor, so people can see right to the ground.”
The Kids Arena Field House will remain open during the renovations, with some disruptions, depending on the scope of construction on a given day, said Redpath.
Mayor suggests holding council-to-council meetings with local First Nations:
Mayor Lilia Hansen asked city staff to look into the possibility of arranging council to council meetings with local First Nations communities.
Hansen would like to have individual meetings with Blueberry River, Halfway River, Saulteau, Prophet, Doig River, West Moberly First Nations councils and the Metis Nation, in 2024.
She feels “it’s important to sit down and have conversations to find out what issues are most important in each community, and what we can work together on. There are quite a few who are now landowners within the City of Fort St. John.”
Councillor Gordon Klassen suggested adding Fort Nelson First Nation to the list also, even though they are not in the Fort St. John service area.
“It would be issues of health, education et cetera, and that would involve the MLA, because we are so far removed from their service centre,” said Councillor Trevor Bolin.
“We can look into that,” said the city’s Chief Administrative Officer Milo MacDonald. “We’ve already arranged one meeting in anticipation of this notice of motion.”