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By Tom Mark
Schools & Forest Fire Mitigation On Agen

Schools & Forest Fire Mitigation On Agenda At UBCM For Lake Country

Sep 10, 2018 | 8:53 AM

Funding for new elementary school is on Lake Country’s agenda in meetings with provincial government ministers at this week’s UBCM convention.

Mayor James Baker says he wants to remind the government of its promise to fund a new middle school adjacent to George Elliot Secondary school.

An elementary school is also going to be needed in the south-west area of the community as the population grows.

“That’s our growth area. I mean that’s where we have it in our OCP. People are looking there  to develop more so we have to start our ask now to get a school five years from now sort of.”

As many as four thousand homes are planned for Lakestone area.

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Another matter Baker is looking to get support on is dealing with forest fuels to prevent another fire last year’s in the Nighthawk Road area that destroyed some homes.

He’s hoping for funds for a program for interface mitigation.

” We want to make sure that we can go in to crown land to take out some of the fire material, either downed or dead trees , and a lot of buildup.”

Baker says Lake Country thinks the government could simplify the grants process and come up with a better plan to help private property owners with fire mitigation.

by Tom Mark

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