Olds News

Olds town council gave first reading last week to a new Highlands Area Structure Plan amendment bylaw. Before second reading can take place, a public hearing on the bylaw must be held. That hearing is set for March 27 at 7 p.m. at council chambers.

A decision on whether fire Chief Lorne Thompson will come back from his current leave or whether town of Olds chief operating officer Scott Chant will continue as acting fire chief is expected to be made in the coming days.

Wildrose leader Brian Jean says while he supports the idea of solar and wind power, he thinks the NDP government's newly-announced solar power rebate program is the wrong way to go.

With the help of "a third party," town administrative staff are analyzing a proposal by Olds Institute (OI) to stretch out the repayment period for two loans totalling $14 million it received from the province via the Town of Olds.

The debate over merging the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties into one entity dominated Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Nathan Cooper's Town Hall Community Consultation Feb. 21.

The Olds United Church is hosting the annual World Day of Prayer in this community this year. It takes place this Friday, March 3 at 2 p.m. and is expected to last an hour, with refreshments to follow.

The 30th annual Bowl For Kids is set to strike big this weekend.

The town of Olds has passed bylaws making changes to its Cornerstone Area Structure Plan. The plan incorporates residential business and recreational developments north of Highway 27 and east of 70th Avenue.

Olds Institute (OI) wants to market the community, but wants to do it in an efficient, consistent way. And it wants community input on how best to do that. So OI has adopted a strategy to achieve that goal.

Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean, the leader of the official Opposition in the Alberta legislature, is coming to Olds. He will be at the Legion Monday at 7 p.m.