Oliver Glaser came to Monday’s Greenwood council meeting to answer questions about the Boundary Bash Rugby tournament he is organizing for August in Greenwood.
Council has finalized plans for the use of grant funds to upgrade the ballpark. At a special public meeting held on Friday, March 20, council voted to approve progress on the multi-use ball field.
The grant dollars must be committed by the end of this month or they will have to be returned to the government.
Mayor Ed Smith said an application has been made for extension, but to date has not been received. Faced with that deadline, council voted to allocate the remaining funds as follows:
• dugouts: not to spend over $13,000
• two bocce pits: approval to spend $12,500 on each
• plaque: $1,000
• concession fixtures and installation: $17,000
• lights: $10,000
• fire pit area: $5,000
• picnic tables: $8,000
• with the balance remaining going to bike racks, garbage cans and benches.
Council also decided at the March 20 special meeting to demolish the old concession building, leaving the cement, to prepare the area for the community fire pit.
Berkeley Springs note
CAO Robin Dalziel reported at the March 23 regular meeting that although Greenwood Gold water didn’t finish in the medals at the 2015 Berkeley Springs Water Tasting competition, it did make it into the final round.
Boundary Bash Rugby returning
Permission was given to Oliver Glaser to use city property for the Boundary Bash Rugby Tournament to be held on Aug. 8 to 10. He requested use of the rugby pitch, the old concession facilities, camping in Barbara Diane Colin Memorial Park, the park across the street and in Lions Park from Aug. 7 to 10. He also asked for a noise bylaw exemption.
Councillor Darla Ashton voiced her concern about possible damage to the turf by allowing camping on the ball diamond.
“We just need someone around there,” Glaser said, adding it was a “loophole” that he needs in order to have camping there. “It’s not a big deal. Just what we did last year, we just basically had a few tents.”
He added the area could also be used for over- flow from the main campground and for families who don’t want to camp in the main campground for Saturday.
When Glaser was told that council had decided to demolish the concession and it may not be standing in August, he urged the city to keep the building. He said the rugby tournament would use it for equipment storage and MC setup.
“It is too old,’ Mayor Ed Smith told Glaser. “It gets wet every year in the spring of the year. It is below ground by eight inches. It does not comply with our code that we have as a city for the space that we need from the edge of the road to that building.”
Council granted Glaser’s request but with no guarantee the old concession would still be standing in August.
Public works report
The Superintendent of Public Works reported that numerous trees deemed a risk to the new fence at the cemetery were removed; as was a large tree straddling Boundary Creek at Province Street and numerous trees that were assessed as posing a risk to homes in the Mill Street area.
“We will try to assess the rest of the city in the near future and deal with any trees deemed immediately hazardous,” Superintendent Randy Smith wrote in his report.
Smith also reported that Emcon Services has been contacted and will be sweeping the city streets when the sweeper arrives in this area. This should occur in the next couple of weeks.
Water main flushing will commence on April 7. Residents are advised to check the City of Greenwood website for more information.
Upcoming meetings
There will be a budget planning meeting on Monday, March 30 in council chambers. The next regular meeting of council will be on Monday, April 13.
