10 | M.D. of Foothills No. 31
of Turner Valley and Black Diamond, along
with the Village of Longview, established
a partnership with MD of Foothills to im-
plement the Quad Regional Water Project
(QRWP). The QRWP developed a strategy
to create a sustainable regional water supply
for the region which involves connecting the
wells in Black Diamond to a water treatment
plant in Turner Valley. In turn, the Turner
Valley water treatment plant will be upgrad-
ed to include a pumping system and pipeline
which will bring the treated water to Black
Diamond. QRWP has been successful in ap-
plying for provincial funding through the
Regional Collaboration Program and the
Alberta Water/Wastewater Partnership Pro-
gram.This funding is contributing 79%of the
infrastructure costs for stage one. Benefits of
the regional systemwill be reflected not only
through reduced operating costs and energy
usage, but also through the providing of a
safe, secure and affordable water supply. The
partnership will also serve to develop plans
for addressing issues such as watershed stew-
ardship, drought management, water con-
servation and water demand management.
Pettigrew says that with the creation of such
collaborative partnerships, the future looks
promising. Whether in terms of addressing
needs relating to roads and bridges, or needs
involving water supply, he says, “We are very
fluid in moving forward.”
MORE TO COME
Area roads will soon lead to new venues that
are prompting particular excitement for area
residents, especially hockey fans (that means
almost everyone in Canada). The MD re-
cently partnered with the town of Okotoks
to develop the Regional Indoor Field House.
Budgeted at $20 million, the facility is be-
ing paid through provincial grant funding
from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative.
MD Foothills Director of Community Ser-
vices Ryan Payne says the field house will ac-
commodate everything from indoor soccer,
lacrosse, racquet sports, basket ball and vol-
ley ball, to the staging of community events.
The site will include four playfields, multi-
surfaced spaces allowing for tennis, volley-
ball and badminton, as well as a number of
multi-purpose rooms for classes, workshops
or general meeting space. Payne says resi-
dents would typically have to travel to Cal-
gary to find a similar caliber building, and he
expects the field house to become an impor-
tant hub of community activity.
An arena will also open later this year in
