A TransCanada Pipelines reservoir-mapping project was given the go-ahead by Crossfield council in a 3-2 vote, Feb. 5.
The project will make a three-dimensional map of gas reservoirs more than two kilometres under the town.
Thompson and Associates Exploration Services Inc. will be taking charge of the project, which will see a number of small, wireless receivers put up throughout the town, and a truck will send sound waves into the ground around Crossfield.
Thompson and Associate representative Stewart Kerr said the company is still in the planning stages for the 10-to 20-day project.
The truck will not be within 100 metres of any concrete building in town. The company offered the Town approximately $4,500 in donations to the community in return for the access within the town.
Mayor Nathan Anderson felt Thompson and Associates should give the Town more money, and made the motion to accept their request with a $10,000 donation.Councillor Jason Harvey and Deputy Mayor Jo Tennant voted against the motion.
“I don’t think that in this stage it makes sense for us to be holding our hand out and asking for more of a donation,” said Harvey. “The amount they were offering was a fair amount.”
During the meeting Anderson stated the Town will likely get calls concerning the work being done, but said it is a win-win for the town and the private sector making the larger donation.
“I feel that the (donation) is light considering… the access you are given,” said Anderson.
“There is not a lot we can do with $4,500.
We have some significant things going on, and we would like to try and work with our partners on those.”
Anderson and council said they will put whatever funding is received towards a recreational project like the pathway project, or a beautification project like the Highway 2A berm beautification project.
Kerr said he hopes the project can get underway as soon as possible.
“We are planning on getting it going immediately, but weather may cause us to postpone it until next fall,” said Kerr. “We don’t want to cause problems in people’s fields.”
