As a result of the low turn-out at the Balzac Safety Meeting, June 26, area Councillor Lois Habberfield said she believes the enforcement needs of the people in Balzac are being met.
“Things that had been previously brought to my attention turned out to be not as large of an issue as I thought,” said Habberfield.
The meeting was hosted by Rocky View County at the Balzac Community Hall from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and attended by about 10 area residents and business owners.
Manager of Enforcement Service Lorraine Wesley-Riley was on hand to educate people about the breakdown of enforcement responsibilities between the province and the County. The Airdrie RCMP have seven rural officers funded by the province that respond to calls in the Balzac area.
Wesley-Riley said Enforcement Services receive county-wide complaints, with speeding being a reoccurring concern. She said other problems noted are cyclists not obeying road rules in the Springbank area, off-site pumping issues on the west side of the County, and overweight vehicles not obeying traffic rules in the Conrich area.
Habberfield said she hears concerns about petty-theft crimes such as break-and-enters and theft of fuel in the Balzac area.
“These are typical problems you get in rural areas and business parks. These are crimes of opportunity … if you don’t have feet on the ground and eyes in the area, then people take advantage,” she said, adding that petty crime has decreased in the area recently as some perpetrators have been caught. But she said construction sites need to take precautionary measures to prevent theft of equipment left on-site overnight.
Traffic violations are another area of concern being addressed. One resident said the intersection of Range Road 11 and Highway 566 is “dangerous” as many people don’t obey the stop sign while turning onto 566.
Habberfield said enforcement of traffic signs and speed limits can be addressed “immediately” through presence of peace officers.
Director and President of the Balzac Business Association (BBA) and General Manager of CrossIron Mills mall James Moller said he attended the meeting to find out what Rocky View County’s plans are regarding policing and safety in the area for the next five to seven years.
“My concerns are not for the immediate time-frame, there are no major crime issues. But with the future growth in the area and with so much development activity in Balzac, I’m interested in the long-term plan because it generally takes time to get these programs and positions in place,” said Moller.
He added on behalf of the BBA, crime is not a current concern but he looks forward to seeing the County’s plan for the future.
