The Page was shopping last week when approached by a merchant. He was a bit peeved. His rant went something like this:
“Why do people park in the handicapped parking stalls when they aren’t supposed to? Where are the Town’s peace officers and RCMP? How come they aren’t handing out tickets left and right?”
He added the able-bodied drivers who use the parking stalls should be thankful they are not in a position they don’t need the stalls.
“Think about if it’s an elderly person or your mother who can’t park because you’ve taken the spot,” he says. “There is a good reason those stalls exist.”
The Page agrees 100 per cent and has written to that effect in previous issues.
The call goes out again to not use the handicapped parking stalls if you are able-bodied. Please have courtesy for those who need them.
Too late for his week’s issue but a reminder! There is a Summer Kick Off Family Photo Session in support of Big Lakes Child Care Society June 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Christie’s Garden and Greenhouse east of High Prairie.
Cost is by donation but a $40 minimum is requested. There is a limit of six people per session.
Photos to be taken by Angelique Tisserand Photography.
Big Lakes Child Care Society’s goal is to open a non-profit daycare in High Prairie and expand child care options for all parents.
Did you see June 7 that the Northern Lakes Convocation was at Slave Lake?
Again! What a surprise!
Years ago, the ceremony rotated between Slave Lake and High Prairie, and even Peace River. Seems like High Prairie has been intentionally left out of the loop now for few years.
Looks like Slave Lake is pulling another fast one on High Prairie. You know how it works. Move the president’s office to where he/she lives. Then, all of sudden, the convocation is moved away from High Prairie also. This is the same sordid story when the regional tourism group was based in High Prairie years ago, then moved to Slave Lake. Jobs lost and focus was Slave Lake, Slave Lake, and more Slave Lake. The tourism group became so arrogant they even used the Golden Walleye Classic held at Shaw’s Point Resort near High Prairie as a Salve Lake event.
Perhaps High Prairie town council could write the NLC president, whose office just happens to be in Slave Lake, and ask why High Prairie is being snubbed?
The Page read this tidbit late last month. It has been wandering round in The Page’s brain trying to make sense of it.
At the High Prairie town council meeting May 27, CAO David Joy wrote the following in regard to financial health of the town:
“While the actual municipal tax is well below the threshold, it does appear that property owners have reached the limit of what they can afford to bear especially when we include the provincial requisitions for seniors housing and education.”
The Page repeats, “. . .appear that property owners have reached the limit of what they can afford to bear . . .”
But just a few weeks previous, council raised taxes. The raise was a modest $3.42 per $100,000 assessment per month for residential property owners and $5.48 for industrial properties.
And despite the fact town council tells taxpayers they kept the mill rate the same, they took advantage of increased assessment to do so and in fact increased their spending by $150,952.
Now, in today’s world, increasing spending by just over $150,000 is pretty darn good.
However, it does beg the question prompted by Joy’s comment: “If the $3.42 increase to homeowners is small – and it certainly is – didn’t taxpayers “reached the limit of what they can afford to bear” at least two years ago?
The tax increase, as small as it is, is still an increase, and will further burden homeowners past the limit of “what they can afford to bear.”
The Page was told by two people in the healthcare field last week how unhappy they were with Big Lakes County council giving over $846,940 to the Muskwa Centre in Grande Prairie the next three years.
In short, both argue it is difficult for High Prairie doctors to secure beds in Grande Prairie and that as soon as more space becomes available, beds will be snapped up by Grande Prairie physicians and/or healthcare providers referring patients to the facility.
There is no question the beds are badly needed and will be a blessing to the families who use them. Will they benefit Big Lakes County residents, however? Only time will tell.
The healthcare workers believe the money would have been better spent on improving services at the High Prairie Health Complex.
The Page realizes this tidbit is American but still very interesting.
The Social Security Administration tracks names of babies born in Yankeeland. It released its findings last week.
The top five names of girls which dropped the most are Zhuri, Layne, Alitzel, Kamari, and Kya. For boys it was Khari, Karsyn, Kye, Kole and Khai, and for gender neutral names it was Shay, Legacy, Kyree, Scout and Shai.
Wow! The Page knows on one hand all the people with those names!
Two major trends noticed were that boy’s names ending in “an” and “en” and “on” took a huge hit, such as Aden, Brendan, Braylon. Girl’s names related to royalty such as Princess, Royal and Royalty also took a big hit.
It is the end of the school year and the children are lining up to give their teacher a present.
The florist’s son hands the teacher a gift.
“I bet I know what’s in here,” she says. “Some flowers!”
“How did you know?’ the boy asks.
“Just a wild guess,” she says.
A little girl is next. Her parents own a candy shop.
“I bet I know what’s in here,” she says. “Some candy!”
“How did you know?’ the girl asks.
“Just a wild guess,” she giggles.
The next boy hands over a gift. Her parents own a liquor store. But the package is leaking.
“Is this wine?” she askes the boy.
“No!” he says. “Guess again.”
“Champagne?” asks the teacher.
“No,” the boy says.
Curious, the teacher touches a drop of the leakage with her finger and tastes it.
“I give up,” she says. “What’s in here!”
“The boy exclaims excitedly, “A puppy!”
Have a great week!