Sparwood council has authorised an application for $400,000 in Community Resiliency Investment funding to support the community’s 2026 to 2027 FireSmart program.

Sparwood council accepted the district’s 2026 to 2030 draft financial plan on March 3 and approved the capital plan for spending, keeping in place a proposed 9.75 per cent municipal tax increase excluding the mine tax pool.

Sparwood council has approved a six-month lease allowing Elk Valley Resources to use part of 2600 Middletown Place for temporary parking as staff continue settling into the company’s new building.

A former member of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Agricultural Service Board urged council Feb. 24 to reinstate a full time, year-round agricultural fieldman position and pursue provincial grant funding they said could bring $160,000 annually into the municipality.

Crowsnest Pass council passed a land use bylaw amendment Feb. 24 allowing secondary suites in duplex or semi-detached dwellings and in multi-unit residential buildings.

Crowsnest Pass council voted Feb. 24 to defer a $2.5 million borrowing bylaw tied to municipal office upgrades after councillors raised concerns about costs, process and the level of detail available before committing to long term financing.

Crowsnest Pass council did not proceed with a planned discussion about developing a municipal media policy at its Feb. 24 meeting, despite a written request that laid out what such a policy could include and why it was being considered.

Sparwood council advanced a zoning amendment Tuesday night that would legalize limited agriculture along Michel Creek Road, following a short public hearing and a staff presentation outlining the proposed changes.

Sparwood’s Recreation Facility Advisory Committee heard updated cost estimates for three double gym concepts on Feb. 19, then agreed the next step should include renewed public engagement before the committee recommends a direction to council.

Grade 12 students from Sparwood Secondary School presented capstone projects to Sparwood council Tuesday night, calling for stronger youth representation in local decision making, better support for coaches and improved access to training spaces.

Sparwood residents were invited to spend Feb. 16 outdoors at Centennial Plaza for Winterfest, with daytime games and snacks followed by a free glow skate and fireworks after dusk.

KPSquared officially opened The Nest in Crowsnest Pass on Feb. 12 with a Blackfoot blessing by Aileen Bastien of Piikani Nation. The centre offers extended hours and a booking model leaders said is designed for shift work and non-traditional schedules.

Castle Mountain Resort’s first high speed chairlift officially opened to the public this week with the Stagecoach Express launching after a Feb. 10 soft opening and a Feb. 11 ceremony. The new high speed quad adds 22 trails and opens terrain that was previously reserved for the resort’s cat skiing operation.

Crowsnest Pass council approved two land use by law amendments Feb. 10 after hearings on a Blairmore rezoning tied to a cemetery boundary and tourism accommodation plus a housing focused rezoning in East Coleman. The meeting also saw council reject a proposed change to the Chinook Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board panel size.

KPSquared will host a Feb. 12 grand opening for its Blairmore childcare centre. CEO Kyla Penner says extended hours, seven day operations and flexible booking are designed for shift work and rural families, with an inclusive unit to support children needing extra care.

The Ukrainian bandura is more than an instrument. For generations, travelling kobzari carried history in song. Russian imperial restrictions and Soviet repression sought to silence them. Today, the bandura’s revival has become another note in Ukraine’s resilience. 

From a cozy home in the Crowsnest Pass, Iryna reflects on Ukraine’s winter of blackouts and bitter cold as strikes hit the energy system. Through Kyiv and Odesa, she shares survival, humour and the stubborn will to keep living.

On Friday, Jan. 30, musicians and community members gathered for the opening of a special exhibit on the second floor of the Crowsnest Museum celebrating the 100 year history of the Crowsnest Community Orchestra. The evening featured selections by a five string ensemble and charcuterie provided by Country Encounters.

A longtime fundraiser is set to return to the Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery on Feb. 7, with organizers encouraging people to arrive early before the chili and pottery bowls run out. Curator Ryanna Kizan said the Chili Bowl Festival has run for more than 20 years, offering volunteer made chili and take-home bowls donated by the Pass Pottery Club, with proceeds supporting the gallery’s children and adult programming.

The Crowsnest Conservation Society asked Crowsnest Pass council on Jan. 27 to consider reviving a former Agricultural Services Board, exploring participation in the Waterton Biosphere region and looking at options for a new municipal park along the Crowsnest River. The group highlighted membership growth and said it brought $50,000 in grants into the community between 2021 and 2025, alongside interpretive signage, school projects and planned stream monitoring this year.