Ryley Council meets with Beaver County – expansion needs and possible development plans sore points for Ryley

Members of Ryley Council met with Beaver County Council to discuss several items of concern to the village on March 22. They included potential development being limited as the village is “hemmed in on all sides” by the county, Clean Harbors and the highway.

Ryley Mayor Terry Magneson brought up storm water failing to drain properly into the county’s Equity Industrial Park located on the east side of Highway 854. Instead of running east the water comes back to the village, he said, asking for an inquiry into the drainage issue.

Deputy Reeve Gene Hrabec (Division 3) said that improvements had been made to the entrance of the industrial park with the approval of Alberta Environment.

Division 4 Councillor Barry Bruce suggested beaver could be changing water flow or causing a blockage with their dams. That kind of change could cause damage five miles away, he said, and suggested checking to ensure water is not running up against the industrial park, which has wetlands on the southern half of that area.

“The water we’re concerned with runs south down 854,” said Magneson. County CAO Bob Beck told the group that the county did change the culvert under the 854 highway and were required to make it a bigger culvert. But nothing else has been done over the years. . . . contd.