city council group pictureA light night at council tonight.

They will discuss road work that needs to be done around town, including the reconstruction of Sandy Falls Road and Strachan Avenue.

Also on the agenda is a sale of land on Riverpark Road, and will prayers be officially nixed from council chambers?

Follow our live blog starting at 6:00pm.

(Keep refreshing the page as the night goes along for updates!)

Marks is back, but Grzela is not present.

There are no presentations on the night, so council starts with reports.

The first is to support the Heels for Hope event on May 30th.  They will close Third Avenue, from Spruce to Cedar from 8am to 3pm.

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Next is Ontario Forest Products Sector Plans for Generations.  Council passes without any questions.

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Now to the 2nd Annual Touch a Truck Event.  They will close Second Avenue from Spruce to Brunette on Saturday, September 12th from 10am to 1pm.  It is passed.

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Council follows that up by approving a noise by-law for the Relay for Life event.  That is in effect on June 12th from 6pm to 1:30am.

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Next is the quarterly financial report.  It is also passed after Campbell asked for some clarification on a couple points.

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To the East End Community Pride Association.  This will allow access to all sides of 78 Legion Drive for the association to do excavation work and do repairs.

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Steps for Life is asking for police assistance.  This will take place Saturday, May 9th at 11am where people will walk from the McIntyre Arena to the area around Gillies Lake and back to the Mac.

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Now to reconstruction of Strachan Avenue.  It will come back under the by-law section.

Same with Sandy Falls Road.  Luc Duval says this will reconstruct the road from Government Road to Jaguar Avenue.

Rout and seal is next up.

Duval says this covers predominantly Airport Road and will be up in the by-laws.

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Now to a sale of land, which is the former tennis court on River Park Road.

This will legally transfer ownership to new owners Greg and Carola Watson.  It’s believed a new apartment building will be built on the land in the next two years.

Again, this will be up in by-laws.

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Now to prayers during council meetings.

Steph Palmateer explains what was talked about in Saguenay, Quebec, where a Supreme Court of Canada decision forbids their council from saying a prayer before meetings.

“Times are a changing I guess,” said Bamford.

He says our Criminal Code and many other things in society are based on Judeo Christian values.

Bamford says it’s ironic that those without faith are using those same things to do this.

“Governments are religiously neutral,” he said.

Bamford says personally, he’d like to see a moment of silence, and takes a humourous jab at the Toronto Maple Leafs (OUCH!).

There are four options: the moment of silence, find a non-denominational prayer, remove prayer altogether or stay status quo.

Campbell says it’s a sad day we can’t say a prayer before a meeting.

“It asks for guidance…provision and protection to do our jobs,” he said, adding it removes the very foundation of what we’re about.

Doody says in the 32 years he’s been at the table, he hasn’t received one complaint about having a prayer at the meeting.

“Where are we going?” he said, mentioning how riots are going on across the world over things like a cartoon contest featuring the prophet Muhammad.

Wawrzaszek says as a Christian, it’s a sad day we lose our right and that one person in Quebec with a strong lawyer can have that power to change this.

“How much more is going to be taken away from us?” he asked.

Marks agrees with Wawrzaszek and Campbell that they have a prayer.

He mentions how Calgary’s council came up with the most vague opening as possible, so they can continue to evolve with the times.

Dubeau says he’d support the moment of silence, as it would satisfy everyone.

Bamford says any “prayer” is a reference to a god, and with more and more atheists and agnostics around the world, it’s tough to deal with.

Rinaldo says in the prayer, they ask for guidance and would support the moment of silence.  She adds she hopes in the future they can find a way to have a saying at the beginning of council in the future that nobody takes offense to.

Campbell says it’s offensive that this is being challenged, as he respects the person who started the court ruling in Quebec for that person’s religious beliefs.

Black says he’ll support a moment of silence, as it’s the direction they have to go and if they stay the way they are, he’d have to seek legal advice as it was a Supreme Court ruling.

It is voted unanimous that there will be a moment of silence instead.

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By-law time!

First is the sale of land on 658 River Park Road for $100,000.   It is passed.

Next is an agreement with CDW Canada for purchase of Microsoft Enterprise for desktop and server software licensing.  It is passed.

Next is agreement with EBC for reconstruction of Strachan Avenue.  It is passed.

To the reconstruction of Sandy Falls Road.  It is passed.

Agreement with Interpaving for a rout and seal of various roads around town.  It is passed.

and council is adjourned!