Test runs on a few changes at Festival Park, include no cooking zone

Some changes, which included new picnic tables, have been made to the grounds at Festival Park.
Whitecourt Town Council voted to make the changes and update Policy 72-004 Rental of Festival Park at
their 4 pm May 23 Regular Meeting held at the Forest Interpretive Centre. The changes and policy
updates were first discussed in January at Council’s Strategic Planning Session and, most recently, at the
Policies and Priorities Committee meeting on May 15. Policy updates included the name change from
Rotary Park to Festival Park.
Chelsea Grande, Director of Community Services, explained that the Community Services Advisory Board
(CSAB) looked into placing a no-cooking zone at Festival Park to alleviate some of the concerns that
Council had identified at their Strategic Planning Session. At their May 15 Policies and Priorities
Committee (P&P) meeting, Council recommended increasing the size of the no-cooking zone even
further.
When looking at the aerial view of Festival Park (as shown from the agenda package), the no-cooking
zone encompasses the entire lower portion of grass from the pathway beside the splash park to the
bottom end of the river slides. Council’s recommendation increased the area to include the grass space
closest to the main bathroom building, directly behind the splash park and up to the edge of the lower
river slide.
Visitors who wish to cook while spending time at Festival Park can use other areas, including the pavilion
and playground shelter. The no-cooking zone is a trial implementation and aims to remove cooking from
the areas with the heaviest traffic. Temporary signs are already up to let visitors know where not to set
up if they plan to cook.
“We are looking at this as temporary. We are going to be looking at the no cooking zone over the
summer and seeing where people migrate to cook and then (will) bring it back to Council possibly for
more placement of picnic tables and pads to support cooking in other areas,” explained Grande. “The
other items that we reviewed were the parking lot garbage cans, portable structures, and public
placement of sun shelters,” said Grande, adding that the CSAB members had recently visited Festival
Park for a closer look. The CSAB didn’t have any recommendations concerning changes to parking or
sunshades at this time.
Grande explained that the flaps on the garbage cans in the parking lot had been removed. “You’ll see
that people are utilizing them, and there isn’t as much garbage around them, so hopefully, that
continues throughout this summer.” Last summer, more garbage cans were added to the park to help
with busy days and higher user traffic. The garbage cans in the parking lot area had round hole covers
that had to be pushed to access the bin. However, they were harder to push, and the hole was small,
resulting in park visitors leaving garbage at the bin’s base rather than inside it. Grande said the change in
mechanics, removing the lids, was being done as a trial and that they would continue promoting the
idea of visitors taking home their cardboard, from inflatables or food, for proper recycling.
Another addition to Festival Park is more picnic tables. During the review of Festival Park, CSAB
members noted that there wasn’t anywhere to sit close to the parking lot or along the pathway. As per

the meeting package, the CSAB wanted picnic tables closer to access points for those who didn’t
necessarily want to use the other amenities at the park but would like to have a picnic.
The board listed adding picnic tables as its number one priority for 2024. Before adding permanent
structures, Administration recommended trialling the ideas this year by adding temporary picnic tables
to see how it goes. “The portable picnic tables are there in areas by the parking lot, and people were
using them,” said Grande, speaking to the early success of the trial.
After the season ends, data compiled about the different trials on the go will help guide the CSAB and
Town of Whitecourt Administration in recommending any necessary changes such as permanent
signage, extra picnic tables with cement pads, or any other changes they feel Council should know about
for potential implementation in 2024.
Facts about the no-cooking zone will be shared publicly to help create awareness. The meeting package
said that park staff would be responsible for enforcement of the zone in partnership with the fire
department, bylaw officers and RCMP.