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Town of Castor not proceeding with external topographic survey of 51st Ave. property

‘It doesn’t look like it’s our issue to start with.’
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By Kevin J. Sabo

For the Advance

The Town of Castor council has opted to not move ahead with a water drainage survey for a property on 51st Ave. near the school.

Recently, the owner of the property had presented to council, informing them that due to insufficient drainage, his property floods in the spring every year.

Town crews have surveyed the property, and concluded that the drainage in place is proper, and that the Town is following the stormwater management and watershed agreement according to Alberta Environment standards.

“The ditch (at the edge of the property) does flow properly, we’ve done work on it,” said Chief Administrative Officer Christopher Robblee.

“We can reasonably prove that the water does flow. It’s up to council if we do more.”

Town of Castor crews and County of Paintearth crews did work on the drainage from the property all the way to where it enters the Castor Creek in 2019, ensuring appropriate water flow from the property.

Because the property owner is still complaining of flooding, the next step would be to get a third-party topographic survey done, as Alberta Environment does not recognize internal surveys.

However, after consultation with Alberta Environment, and with the work that the Town and County have both done, Robblee believes that the Town of Castor is compliant, and the issue lies with cross lot drainage, particularly runoff from the school running track onto his property.

“It’s an issue he needs to take up with the school board,” said Robblee.

“It doesn’t look like it’s our issue to start with.”

Council agreed with Robblee’s sentiment, accepting the survey quote for the property as information.

“If we’re compliant now, why would we play with it,” said Coun. Lonny Nelner.

Town of Castor council has decided to move the meetings to the community hall for the month of December to allow for public in-person participation.

The meeting dates are the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7 p.m.