The MD of Willow Creek will assist Mary-Ann Toone with placing bat boxes and signage in parks and will buy some bat boxes for use.
The decision came at council’s May 24 meeting.
The local high school student has received recognition and funding for a project to protect the local watershed, and sought the council’s support.
Mary-Ann appeared as a delegation at council’s May 24 meeting to talk about her bat boxes project.
Mary-Ann is a Grade 9 student at Willow Creek Composite high school and seven months submitted a proposal to Caring for the Watersheds Alberta contest.
Mary-Ann placed eighth out of 200, receiving funding to implement her proposal.
Mary-Ann’s proposal is creating bat boxes and installing them in the community to help care for the watershed by increasing the bat population.
Mary-Ann was seeking support for Phase 2 of the project and a memorandum of understanding to support the program.
Mary-Ann said the benefits of bat boxes include helping increase the population of bats which help spread seeds and control insects such as mosquitoes.
Phase 1 was two bat boxes placed at the Frog Creek wetlands.
Mary-Ann would set up signs warning people to stay away so as not to damage or harm the bat boxes, and highlight the benefits of the bats.
The funding Mary-Ann received covers the cost of building the boxes and the signs.
The Town of Claresholm has approved installing the boxes and signage.
Now, Mary-Ann is approaching the MD of Willow Creek about supporting additional phases.
In Phase 2, bat boxes would be placed at Pine Coulee, Clear Lake and Willow Creek parks, with at least one to two at each park.
Phase 3 would see putting the bat boxes in the municipal district. Possible locations could be the town lagoons, and at the end of the Frog Creek ponds.
A few more boxes could possibly be put in parks around Claresholm too.
Phase 4 would make bat boxes available for people to hang up on their private property in the Claresholm area.
After each phase, Toone plans to consult with her mentor, who is a bat box expert, as well as staff and administration with the Town of Claresholm and MD of Willow Creek, to make adjustments for future phases.
Coun. Glen Alm asked if bats roost in the bat boxes.
Mary-Ann responded each bat box has four chambers and can hold a few hundred bats.
“Any type of bat can live in there,” Mary-Ann added.
Alm asked if birds can nest in the bat boxes.
Mary-Ann said they have no floor since the bats hang in them, and birds like to nest on a floor of some kind.
“I really like your idea,” Coun. John Kroetsch said.
Kroetsch recalled having bats on his farm under some cedar shingles. When the shingles were removed not many bats were left.
“This is a great idea and I support it,” Kroetsch said.
“If you get rid of mosquitoes, all the better for me,” Coun. John Van Driesten added.
Sandberg asked Mary-Ann where she got her idea.
Mary-Ann said from research.
“I really admire you for this,” Sandberg said.
Sandberg clarified that Mary-Ann was looking for permission to put these bat boxes in the parks.
MD of Willow Creek chief administrative officer Derrick Krizsan said staff would install them and asked how many are needed.
Mary-Ann said at least one in each park, with a goal of 50 spread out across the municipality..
“As many places as possible is best,” Mary-Ann added.
Sandberg asked where Mary-Ann is getting the money for the project.
Mary-Ann replied it costs about $30 to make a bat box, and she has a $1,000 to use from the project.
MD of Willow Creek development officer Brenda Stockton asked Mary-Ann if she builds the bat boxes.
Mary-Ann said she has started a builders’ club and has plans she can provide. A friend cut the wood and Mary-Ann assembled them.
Stockton said that on behalf of Fort Macleod Fish and Game of which she is involved, she will take two bat boxes for their park.
Sandberg said she will use $30 of her discretionary funds for a bat box for John Zoeteman Park near Fort Macleod.
Van Driesten asked Mary-Ann if she sees this going further than the MD of Willow Creek.
Mary-Ann responded that after the 50 bat boxes, she’d like to extend the project as far as possible.
“I’ll try to keep this going as long as I can,” Mary-Ann said.
Sandberg cautioned Mary-Ann she will have to overcome some fear around bats as a carrier of rabies, and that having bats is advantageous.
“I think you are to be commended,” Sandberg added, for placing so high in the contest at eighth place out of 200.
“Thank you for your initiative and great work,” Coun. Evan Berger said.
“I’m totally in favour,” said Coun. Earl Hemmaway who was participating by video conference, adding he knows some places in Claresholm with bats.
Council agreed to install the bat boxes in parks and to take $30 each from the discretionary funds of Sandberg, for a bat box for John Zoeteman Park, and from Alm and Van Driesten.
