WESTLOCK – Westlock County councillors have denied a $2,000 spend for “minor improvements” at Rottier’s Beach with the deputy reeve saying they needed to “leave it on the shelf.”
At their May 24 meeting, councillors voted 4-3 to rescind Resolution Number 199-2021: That council direct administration to complete minor improvements to create better access to Rottier’s Beach for the public up to a maximum of $2,000. Reeve Christine Wiese and councillors Jared Stitsen and Sherri Provencal were against rescinding the motion.
Councillors have debated the merits of the project across a pair of meetings in 2022, then physically visited not only Rottier’s, which is located west of Pibroch on the shores of the Pembina River, but Antonson's Beach on May 10. In the fall of 2019, the county spent $8,087 at Antonson’s on a land survey, 100 metres of brushed trail, barb-wire fencing with a gate, a refuse station with recycle bin at the mouth of the trail and various signage for parking, trespassing and trail rules — community services coordinator Adrienne Finnegan said they’re still in the process of placing garbage bins at the site.
Deputy reeve Ray Marquette has been adamant against the spend and asked for the motion to be rescinded. He said previously, “The only reason any of this started was because of the new owners of the piece of property … if they want access to their property, it’s in the county bylaws to make a road allowance and to build it to county spec.”
“We should let this go by and let the summer go on how it is,” said Marquette May 23.
Coun. Jared Stitsen has supported the project throughout and said the $2,000 to fix the road was “minimal” and even would have liked to see garbage cans installed. Stitsen said previously that while the initial request for work did come from the landowner, after the previous council visited the site and realized the volume of the public using it, they felt it was a worthwhile project and called it a “great opportunity.”
“I’m of the position now that we either don’t do anything or go in there and place garbage cans and fix the road. I think right now I’m going to say that we’re not in the position to put money there right now,” said Coun. Isaac Skuban, who had initially supported the project.
“Upon strategic planning and seeing next year’s budget if we have any extra money we can look at stuff like this. We can put it on the backburner for now.”
For Rottier’s Beach, administration did outline a potential $20,000 budget, including $15,000 to upgrade 800 metres of road allowance with gravel and ditch work, $2,000 for a land survey, $2,500 for garbage/recycle bins (discounted via grants) and $500 for signage. Ultimately administration recommended a second option, which would see the county spend $2,000 to fill holes in the road and “create better access.”
