Supervised garbage

It’s going to be harder for those who want to part with their couches, TVs, hot-water tanks and construction materials to abandon them at the Invermere Transfer Station in July and August, thanks to a pilot project where two employees will be on hand to maintain the site.

Chris Prosser, the chief administrative officer for the District of Invermere (DOI), said the pilot project is to control illegal dumping, get an idea on where users reside and make sure garbage bins are full before they’re emptied.

“We do feel that there’s a potential for some cost savings,” he said.

The transfer station will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the week.

After the pilot project, council will have the opportunity to decide whether to keep staff on site, to revert to the unsupervised status quo, or to close the transfer station and direct residents to the Windermere landfill.

Parks bylaw

The DOI is “closer to being less ridiculous” about dogs at the beach said Councillor Gerry Taft about an updated parks bylaw which will allow dogs on leashes on the sand at Kinsmen Beach from September 16th to March 31st.

Dogs can’t be on the sand while bathers are present due to health and safety concerns, said Mr. Prosser.

Also of note in the parks bylaw: no one is allowed to go into the water “without being properly clothed in a bathing suit.” Skinny dippers and shorts wearers beware.

Icy treats iced

Sweet Mountain Shave Ice requested permission to offer icy treats from a parking stall beside Cenotaph Plaza.

“I won’t support this as it stands,” said Councillor Greg Anderson. “But I’d like to hear from the (neighbouring) businesses. Maybe they’re madly in love with it.”

Staff will talk with those businesses to see if they would enjoy having a street vendor nearby.

Crowded birthday

Councillor Taft said there was a proliferation of events scheduled to be in town on Saturday, June 15th, which happens to be his birthday, and that it “would be nice to spread some of those events out over the year.”

Councillor Kayja Becker reminded council that the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce is working on an events calendar to do just that.

There was no word on whether Councillor Taft is rescheduling his birthday.

To bag or not to bag

Invermere council is looking at developing a committee to talk about plastic bags and decide how to proceed with reducing or eliminating their use.