St. Albert Minute: Emergency Zones, Algae Advisory, and School Begins Again

St. Albert Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of St. Albert politics

This Week In St. Albert:

• Thousands of students in the St. Albert and Sturgeon County area are preparing to return to school, with staggered start dates from August 27th to 30th. This school year brings several changes, including a new ban on smartphone use in class, effective September 1st, and the elimination of early dismissals for St. Albert Public K-9 students, replaced by full days off for staff meetings. St. Gabriel Education Centre students will now attend classes at their new permanent location within Holy Family Catholic School, while Bellerose Composite students will return to a school undergoing significant modernization, set to finish by fall 2026.
  
  
• While there are no immediate water restrictions in St. Albert, the City is reminding residents that the water conservation bylaw is always in effect. Year-round sprinklers in St. Albert are only permitted from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. However, you can water any time if you're using a watering can, a hose with a nozzle, or a drip irrigation system. Landscaping and new sod may be watered anytime there is a risk that the vegetation will perish.
  
  
• The Salisbury Rink off-leash park will be closed, starting today, for approximately two weeks. During this period, the City will be installing puck protection fencing and relocating the maintenance gate.

Last Week In St. Albert:

• There was a blue-green algae advisory issued at Lacombe Lake Park. The advisory, prompted by a cyanobacteria bloom, warns visitors and their pets to avoid the water, with the dog beach gates closed as a precaution. Cyanobacteria can produce toxins that pose health risks, including rashes and stomach issues if ingested. Alberta Health Services advises treating all such blooms as potentially harmful.
  
  
• Construction kicked off on new Habitat for Humanity homes. The project, supported by St. Albert City Council, Averton, and federal and provincial governments, will feature four three-storey, three-bedroom townhouses. These homes are specifically for Black families, funded by the federal Black Families Funding Initiative to address low homeownership rates within the Black community. Families selected for these homes will pay for half of the cost through a mortgage, while also contributing 500 hours of volunteer work in St. Albert. The homes are expected to be ready for occupancy by early 2025.
  
  
• The City reminded residents of its evacuation/shelter-in-place map that divides the city into smaller pre-planned zones for emergencies. Residents are encouraged to "Know Your Zone" by looking up their specific area on an interactive map, in case of an emergency.

-----

Donate:

Common Sense St. Albert doesn't accept any government funding and never will. We think you should be free to choose, for yourself, which organizations to support. If you're in a position to contribute financially, you can make a donation here.

-----

Share:

If you're not in a position to donate, we understand, but if you appreciate our work, you can help by spreading our message. Please email this post to your friends, share it on Facebook or Twitter, and help make sure every resident knows what's really going on at City Hall.