Town of Barrhead approves trio of temporary road closures

BARRHEAD - Town of Barrhead councillors rectified an issue with the municipality's Road Closure Policy during a special July 24 council meeting.

In three separate motions, councillors amended Policy 32-10, allowing for the temporary road closure of a portion of 57th Avenue, also known as Rodeo Drive, from 48th Street to 46th Street for three different events hosted by the Barrhead Agricultural Society annually.

The first temporary road closure accommodates the demolition derby, the second for Blue Heron Fair Days on the second weekend in August, and the third for the Wildrose Rodeo Challenge, better known as the September Wildrose Rodeo Finals.

Chief administrative officer Edward LeBlanc called the amendments a technicality.

He said when Ag Society representatives applied to close the road for the July 27 demolition derby, administration staff could not find the associated council resolution.

According to the policy of the Town of Barrhead council,  new road closure requests need council approval.

"It is a technicality," he said. "In terms of liability, there was a request, and there should be a resolution to close the road."

However, LeBlanc said if council wanted to eliminate the need to approve temporary road closures for already approved events, they would need to add a clause stating that the approval would be self-renewing.

Coun. Rod Klumph asked if that would be possible for the demolition derby, as it did not have a specific date attached to it.

LeBlanc said yes, suggesting that the amendment for the demolition derby include a wide date range, stating that the temporary closure be granted anytime in July or August.

LeBlanc added that a resident asked municipal office staff why the road closure for the demolition derby and the Blue Heron Fair Days is necessary, as all the activities are on the Ag Society grounds.

"The answer is parking," he said. " It is a safety issue. There are so many people; they park [in the Agrena parking lot], and to ensure that everyone is safe, we close the road so there is an easy flow back and forth."

LeBlanc added that the Ag Society estimates that upwards of 3,000 people attend the demolition derby annually.

Mayor Dave McKenzie asked if a marked corridor was going from the Agrena parking lot to the Ag Society grounds between the outdoor rink and the Agrena past the ball diamonds.

LeBlanc did not believe so, but administration would see if they could devise a solution for the demolition derby.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com