Neepawa Council Debrief: Cats, Christmas, and Project Completion

This week’s Council meeting covers library and recreation updates, accessibility plan, civil project completion, a presentation from Cats TNR and Rescue, and proclamation of Restorative Justice Week.

Beginning again with Council Reports, there were meetings of several committees including Whitemud Watershed, the local and regional library boards, Handivan, and Beautiful Plains Community Clinic. Highlights include some statistics about local library usage and new programs that are being offered, including an upcoming talk from historian and radio personality Gordon Goldsborough sponsored by the Margaret Laurence home and also a 7-day radon detector lending program. Residents are cautioned that the 7-day test does lack the accuracy of the 90-day test that is currently available from the Town of Neepawa.

A delegation from Cats TNR and Rescue came before Council to request a temporary emergency zoning variance to help them relocate their current shelters. In addition to their network of foster homes, the organisation currently has 2 shelters that can house upwards of 20 animals, but both are rented space in buildings that have recently been sold and they will be losing the shelter space at the end of the year.

The zoning variance would allow them to shelter animals in a residential rather than a light industrial area until they are able to secure a more permanent space. As the cats are kept indoors only and the shelters are regularly maintained and cleaned, they do not believe this will cause any issues with neighbours in residential areas. They have also requested an end date of December 2024 for the variance in order to give them enough time to secure a building but also give assurances that this is a temporary measure only.

Manager of Operations Denis Saquet comes bearing only good news to the meeting. The new Assiniboine Community College training facility is now complete and awaiting installation of equipment. As well, the Park Lake Restoration project is finally complete pending a final inspection tour. Residents will have noticed that the town operations staff have installed the Christmas lights for the season, and the department is now busy looking at what the new year will bring.

Council took the opportunity to join the Province in proclaiming Nov. 19 to 25 as Restorative Justice Week. Restorative Justice Programs, including one in the Neepawa area, rehabilitate offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. Restorative justice cases are handled in the community outside of the traditional court process with a focus on the needs of the victims and the offenders as well as the involved community.

Three policies that were discussed at the previous Council meeting - the Tree Protection Policy, the Commemorative Benches and Trees Policy, and the Accessible Communications and Information Policy - have all come back to Council this month and were passed without any further amendment, alongside an update to the town’s Accessibility Plan to reflect the new policy and a related Tree Protection Bylaw.