Current News & Updates
Get ready to vote High River for Kraft Hockeyville Mar. 30 & 31; Submit your feedback on the upcoming cannabis regulations in High River; Check out the upcoming rural coworking takeover week; Learn about snow melt safety tips; Pick up the spring & summer program guide...and more!
High River Event Calendar
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Visit our online events calendar to stay  up-to-date on everything that's going on  around town!

Submit your community events to communications@highriver.ca

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Jobs available in High River
Careers in High River

The Town of High River is a people-first community on the Highwood River and a great place to live, work and play. We strive to meet our values of being respectful, ethical, transparent and always acting in the best interest of the community.

As a member of our team you will have the opportunity to work on important projects that are helping to shape the future of the town - a vibrant and thriving community that offers an inclusive social environment and many locally-owned and dynamic businesses.

Current Opportunities:
Click here for full details
 
High River is in the finals for Kraft Hockeyville


On March 17, a group of dedicated High River residents and volunteers gathered at the local Boston Pizza to watch Hockey Night in Canada and were delighted to learn that High River has been selected as one of the top four communities in the 2018 Kraft Hockeyville contest.

"We are extremely excited to be named as a finalist in the Kraft Hockeyville contest," says Melissa Pryor, chair of the High River Kraft Hockeyville Committee. "Now the real fun begins as we enter into the final phase of the contest and rally everyone we know to vote High River for Kraft Hockeyville on March 30 and 31."

The Kraft Hockeyville 2018 grand prize is $250,000 in arena upgrades and the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game and the 2nd, 3rd & 4th place winners will each receive $25,000 in arena upgrades.

Now, the committee is once again asking the community to stand behind High River to rally for the grand prize. The top four communities will compete in a final vote-off on March 30 and 31 and community members can participate by voting as many times as they can over the two days.

"We will have a dedicated Hockeyville Hub set up at the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex and volunteers will be on site to assist people who would like to vote and we plan to have waves of voters utilizing our resources, throughout the two days of voting.  Our goal is to keep every resource we have, continually voting," says Pryor.

Votes will be accepted for High River via the official 2018 Kraft Hockeyville website www.krafthockeyville.ca

"We ask that you share the link with your friends and ask them to share it with their friends, we have an amazing committee and a great community full of really dedicated people who can help make this happen," adds Pryor.

The grand prize winner will be announced at 9 p.m. on Sat., March 31. Pryor and the committee will be in the lobby of the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex for the results.  Voters are also encouraged to share, retweet and tag posts on Facebook:  highriverkrafthockeyville2018 and Twitter  @HRKH2018 using the hashtags  #KraftHockeyville,  #Contest and  #HRKH2018. For more information and updates on how and where to vote, visit the website created by committee members at  www.highriverkrafthockeyville.ca

Canada's first rural coworking takeover week comes to High River


Rural on Purpose connects the High River business community with entrepreneurs, contractors and remote workers

Rural on Purpose has chosen High River to launch Canada's first Coworking Takeover Week-a pilot project that will run from April 23 to April 27, 2018-highlighting the growing global trend of shared workspaces. 
 
Coworking Takeover Week, initiated by High River Economic Development, will connect the High River business community with entrepreneurs, contractors and remote workers in and around the town. According to the 2018 Global Coworking Forecast, coworking spaces are projected to grow to just over 30,000 by 2022, and the Alberta economy is seeing evidence of this growth in both urban and rural communities. 

High River businesses with unused space in their facilities will create temporary workspaces for use during Coworking Takeover Week, providing opportunities for home-based workers to meet, collaborate and work alongside one another while connecting with the High River business community. 
 
Coworking Takeover Week is part of High River's innovative strategy to grow entrepreneurship, and comes on the heels of the announcement that the town will be bringing high speed internet to the community to better serve businesses and residents. 

"High River is home to a dynamic, diverse and growing business community, and the town is continuously seeking new ways to support entrepreneurs, whether it's offering a business tax rate of zero per cent or offering free business licenses to entrepreneurs under age 25" says Angela Groeneveld, business development specialist for the Town of High River. "This is a wonderful chance for local business owners to interact with one another, and for professionals in nearby communities to experience everything High River has to offer."

"With this pilot, existing businesses have an opportunity to explore coworking 'add-ons' that can potentially increase their bottom line, while at the same time build a support system around freelance workers that will make the town very attractive to independent professionals looking for a place to live," says Mary Doyle, Program Developer for Rural on Purpose. 

Learn more by visiting coworkhighriver.com or searching for @ruralonpurpose or #cwtakeover on social media.

Planning and development services division seeks  feedback on upcoming cannabis regulations

The Town of High River Planning and Development Services Division has launched an  online survey to collect feedback from the public and industry leaders on the upcoming cannabis regulations for High River.

"Currently, the sale or production of cannabis for recreational use is not legal in Canada," says Sarah Peck, Planner I for the Town. "The Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta are working closely to establish the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks to guide the production and the retail sales of recreational cannabis, as well as several other related considerations, including control of public consumption, private (home) cultivation, and legal enforcement mechanisms to ensure public safety and compliance."

In anticipation of both the federal and provincial levels of government moving toward final adoption of their requirements this summer, the Town of High River has initiated the review and preparation of draft amendments to the Land Use Bylaw to regulate cannabis-related businesses, including retail stores, production/processing facilities and cannabis counselling clinics at the municipal level. The Land Use Bylaw amendments will align with all associated federal and provincial legislation.

"The Town's Planning and Development Services Division has begun developing a report for Council that will provide their recommendations on the regulation of cannabis-related businesses in High River. The report will be finalized and delivered to Council in the spring of 2018," adds Peck.


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Snow melt safety tips from Town operations

There has been large amounts of snowfall in the High River area this season, and now that the weather may be warming up, the Town's Operations Division has some tips for handling potential snow melt that might occur around Town.

First, it is important to clear downspouts, drainage systems and eaves troughs to allow drainage to flow correctly and prevent back up and water overflow. Downspouts should also be pointed away from the property.

Residents who live in areas with high groundwater may wish to consider a sump pump that is designed to send water away from the house. Pumps should also be checked periodically to be sure they are working properly.

High River residents and property owners can also prevent melting snow from affecting their property by ensuring that window wells are clear of snow and ice buildup. Furnace and exhaust vents should be cleared of ice and snow to ensure they are venting properly. This includes fireplace and dryer vents as well.

The Town's Operations crews will be monitoring area drains and clearing them as needed. Residents and property owners contact the Town's Operations Department at (403) 403-652-4657 or operations@highriver.ca if they have a storm drain that needs to be cleared. For after-hours emergencies, Operations water and sewer crews can be reached at 403-652-6353.

To plan for a safe day, residents are advised to check the weather forecast.
Spring and summer parks, recreation and community programs guide now available

The Town of High River spring and summer program guide is now available online at www.highriver.ca. Program registration began on March 17 at the registration round up event.

The guide is filled with fitness and recreation programs for all ages, as well as other community resources and special events.

Programs in the guide are divided into age groups of adult, youth, child and pre-school. Categories include fitness and wellness, aquatics, arts and crafts, daycamps and more.

New this year is a seniors program called Keep It Moving with three different levels to choose from.

Parents seeking childcare over spring break, on school P.D. days or in the summer are encouraged to check out the Town's daycamp programs for children aged 3 to 12.

There's a variety of half-day and full-day options and fun activities ranging from swimming, crafts, sports, group games and more.

View the complete guide online or pick up a printed copy at most Town facilities.


Town seeking nominations for volunteer 'stars' of the year

National Volunteer Week runs from April 15 to 21 and this year's theme is 'the Stars of High River.' The Town of High River is encouraging all residents to submit their nominations for Volunteers of the Year.
 
Nominations will be accepted until April 3 and the Volunteer of the Year in each category will be announced at an appreciation night on April 17. All community volunteers, as well as nominees are invited to attend.
 
Nomination forms, as well as more information on all National Volunteer Week activities can be found on the Town of High River website at www.highriver.ca  Nomination forms can also be picked up in-person at the Town Office (309B Macleod Trail S.W.) and FCSS (303 9 Avenue S.W.).


January and February utility bills mailed in early March

The Town of High River mailed utility bills for water, sewer, garbage and recycling services for Jan. and Feb. in early March. Payment is due by March 31, 2018.

If you have not received your utility bills please call 403-652-2110. 

Utility bills can also be viewed online through the Citizen Self Service. To create your account visit www.highriver.ca/citizen-self-service 
Spring and summer hours at the Recycling Centre begin April 1 

The Recycling Centre located at 640 7 Street N.W. will begin its spring/summer hours on Sunday, April 1.

The facility's spring/summer hours will be:
* Sunday - 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
* Monday - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
* Tuesday - Saturday - 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

The late opening on Mondays is required to facilitate the safe emptying of the leaves and branches recycling bins with heavy equipment. 

Please note that the Recycling Centre is closed on all statutory holidays. 

For more information about the Town of High River Recycling Centre, please visit www.highriver.ca/recycling 

Changes to garbage pick up on Good Friday

There will be no waste collection services on Friday, March 30 due to the Good Friday statutory holiday.

Residents who receive regular waste collection services on Friday (Sunshine Meadows and Hampton Hills areas) will temporarily have collection services moved to Monday, April 2. Regular services will resume the following week.

For more information about waste collection services visit
www.highriver.ca and select ' Garbage pick-up' from the Town Services menu.


Temporary staff trailer in place at Fire Hall 

The Town recently completed a facility assessment on the Fire Hall and an issue with mold was identified. 
 
After the initial assessment, the Town completed follow up air testing and the preliminary results showed higher than allowable mold concentration in portions of the building, specifically in the offices on the main floor on the north side and the south wash bay. 
 
The Town is implementing changes in order to eliminate exposure to the impacted areas including providing a trailer to be used for office space and public reception. 

Members of the public should expect to see a temporary trailer on site and are welcome to access to the trailer, should they need to speak with staff. 

The Town would like to emphasize that this is a contained issue and all other areas of the fire hall are safe to access. 

Service levels to the public will remain unaffected and all emergency responses will continue as normal.

High River Town Crier |  403.652.2110 | communications@highriver.ca | www.highriver.ca
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