Ashcroft residents are being urged to conserve water after consumption rose 14 per cent last year, costing the village $108,000 more than anticipated in hydro and pumping costs. Yogi Bhalla, the village’s chief financial officer, said the increase was likely due to multiple reasons, such as the fact more people were staying home during COVID-19 and gardening during a hot summer. A total of 962,607 cubic metres was consumed last year, up from 845,967 cubic metres in 2019. “We really need to focus on managing consumption, and we are going to have to think about what we can do to educate [people],” Bhalla told council in a budget presentation. “I’m hoping that we can get back into better operations and conservation this coming year and not have that bigger increase.” says Bhalla.

Ashcroft council will consider a public art policy for the village, following a request by a Spences Bridge woman to hang “street art in the circle” outside the Elizabeth Fry Society office at the village office building at 601 Bancroft Street. Kathleen Kinasewich, of Soul Circle Mandalas, asked council at their Feb. 8 meeting for permission to hang three or four pieces of high-quality art on the fence behind the society office on Bancroft Street. The idea is to build community through art, she said in a video presentation. Kinasewich requires village approval before applying for grant funding for the project, which would likely start in June or July 2020, with paintings ready for hanging later in the fall. Council agreed to support the request, but questioned who would be responsible for long-term maintenance of the art; something previously discussed at council. Mayor Barbara Roden said while the artwork outside the Ashcroft HUB was done 10 years ago and has proved to be durable, requests for street art does necessitate “a public art policy to guide this kind of installation” going forward.