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County approves private gate for cemetery neighbours

Not everyone is completely pleased with the opening of a Sharphead Indian cemetery, located on the west bank of the Battle River valley

Not everyone is completely pleased with the opening of a Sharphead Indian cemetery, located on the west bank of the Battle River valley west of the Town of Ponoka.

A couple who lives next to the 16-acre burial ground site is concerned with traffic and people traipsing through their yard, and they are looking to Ponoka County for a fence or gate to create a buffer for their driveway.

CAO Charlie Cutforth encouraged the couple, Archibalds, to price out a gate and when they discovered it would cost between $25,000 and $35,000, they were reluctant to give the Cutforth the number.

“I don’t want this to be any reflection on them,” said Cutforth, referring to the proposal for the gate.

The project would be a large undertaking for the county, as the driveway has an unusually wide access.

“I think we should cover the cost in the interim and then strongly advocate the province to compensate,” said Reeve Paul McLauchlin.

However, with the cemetery now open, council does not believe the province will abide. “They got what they wanted, I don’t think they’ll have any appetite to pay up anything,” said Coun. Mark Matejka.

Several hundred people attended the cemetery’s opening day on Saturday, Oct 18. However, council believes traffic to the site will now stay at a minimum.