Happy New Year from the Village of Radium Hot Springs. We are catching our breath after a busy Christmas season, which included the Fire Department Children’s party, the annual Village birthday party, and the amazing New Year’s fireworks. Many thanks to our staff, fire department and other volunteers who make these events such a success! The snow and cooler weather came right on schedule to show off our winter wonderland.
The new Village council met in December and determined committees and roles for the coming term: Councilor Larsen is the Library liaison and alternate for the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Local Government Treaty Advisory Committee; Councilor Logan is the Columbia Valley Recreation Society and Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce liaison, Fire Department liaison and Backcountry Coalition; Councilor McCauley is the Radium Chamber of Commerce liaison and the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Local Government Treaty Advisory Committee alternate; Councilor Verboom is Deputy Mayor, Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) alternate, Fire Department liaison, and Backcountry Coalition. I am pleased to be the RDEK director from Radium, and a member of the Design Committee for the Multi-Use Arts and Recreation Facility in Invermere, the Columbia Valley Community Directed Funds committee and the Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Committee. All members of council have expressed their desire to be involved in other opportunities as they arise.
In May 2013, the previous council engaged in a Strategic Planning workshop and produced a Strategic Priorities Report. Although there are a few items from the list still outstanding (including the future of our Community Hall and upgrading our recreation facilities), council is getting right to work on January 6th to revisit, review and renew the Strategic Plan to reflect changes within council, the economy and updates from staff regarding operational challenges. This work along with the Official Community Plan (updated in 2014) and the Recreational Study conducted in 2014 will set the priorities for the next four years.
On a final note, Radium took advantage of a Public Access to Defibrillation program in 2014 and has an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in our Community Hall. In order for this to be effective, we need to train as many of our residents as possible in how it works, and when and how to use it. So we are hosting a free mass CPR/AED training event at the hall on Saturday, January 24th. Please call the Village office to register for this event.
Clara Reinhardt is the mayor of the Village of Radium Hot Springs and a Regional District of East Kootenay director for the Columbia Valley.