Priorities for the Community Services Advisory Board released; include merging two popular events

Each year, the community volunteers and Town administrators that comprise the Community
Services Advisory Board meet to discuss how recreation and programming are going in the
municipality. Along with reviewing service levels and fees for using town buildings, like the Allan
& Jean Millar Centre or JDA Place, the group also comes up with topics to focus their efforts on.
“We get together and look at what was talked about last year, where it stood, what happened
and what we would like to see moving forward. We talk about services, as well as facilities.
Throughout the year, we also get presentations from community organizations that come to us,
such as the Mountain Bike Park, Eastlink Park, the golf course, curling club, daycares, and
various organizations to keep us apprised of what their plans are and where they are going,”
explained Board Chair Brigette Moore, during a recent presentation to Town Council.
Moore explained that their yearly planning session also includes feedback from the general
public, which members collect through various public engagements. “We do a pre-exercise
where everybody fills out a paper, with the idea being that we go back to the community and ask
for their input as well to get an idea of what the community wants to see in their town,” said
Moore.
One example is through social media posts. Moore herself has posted each year, asking friends
to provide input. “To give you an idea of if that works, last year I had a friend who wrote to me
that they wanted to see a Youth Week. So, I brought that before the board and look what we just
had,” explained Moore, pointing to the recent, first-ever Youth Week. “That was great to see that
process work and that community members know they have a way to reach out and have some
input,” she added. Moore explained to the Town Council that once the group meets, they
compile the ideas received and vote on each idea they think should be a priority. “Then we step
back and look them over,” she said.
From their session in early May, the top vote-getting idea was a combo event for Party in the
Park and Canada Day, garnering a vote from ten members. “You have Party in the Park, which
is awesome, and then you have Canada Day not long after. Volunteer groups are often tired and
might be hard to get. Then there is the cost. I know the administration is looking into the specific
grants for Canada Day and what that impact would be. We are still exploring whether that would
be beneficial and if there would be any cost savings associated there,” explained Moore.
Another idea brought up was holding Welcome to Whitecourt/Newcomer events. “We seem to
have an influx of new people coming to town and sometimes it’s hard to know you’re reaching
everybody,” said Moore. The idea would be to hold events for newcomers to meet and receive
information such as the Spectrum and Tourism Guide. “It’s kind of like a Welcome Wagon but a
little more group orientated so they can meet other newcomers,” said Moore, adding that the
idea is pending more budget information.
The third idea on the list of priorities was exploring adding more cooking classes to the Town’s
Arts & Culture programming schedule. Moore said cooking-related events book up and have
waiting lists. “It seems to be something that people really want to get into. Maybe it’s the price of
groceries, and they want to cook more instead of eating out.” She spoke about her son

attending one at the Senior’s Circle where youth cooked with the seniors. She said he loved it
and everyone who attended did too, adding that it was a great way to connect.
Priorities that received four votes and made up the list of six priorities for the year, include
adding activities/programming on trails near the spurs, increasing advertising for all
programming, and adding street signage for the Off-Leash Dog Park and the parking area.
Items on the list not deemed priorities included things like adding a rock-climbing wall to a Town
facility, putting a new rink at Ecole St. Joseph School, accessible playground equipment on
municipal playgrounds, a pump track at Festival Park, holding a multicultural event/fair,
increasing adult recreation programming, and adding a suggestion box at Festival Park.
One item left outstanding from the 2024 list was a review of the Whitecourt Children’s Festival.
Moore explained that once the board receives the data on attendance and cost from this year’s
event, they will see if it should continue.
One item in the non-priority list questioned by Council was moving the air compressor at
Festival Park from the concession building where it currently resides, to the old bathroom
building closer to the slides. The question was whether it was feasible, as it could be a win-win
for families not having to walk as far to inflate inflatables.
“We have looked at it before,” explained Chelsea Grande, Director of Community Services.
“There are a few things that go with that because they use that area (the space in the back of
the old bathroom building) for their staff and their timesheets, and they have an office area set
up in there and (the air compressor) is quite loud. It would be difficult to have that running and
still be able to take phone calls and be in there.” She said they would continue to look at it.
In total, the board brought forward thirty items to vote on for their 2025 priorities. Four will be
reviewed in next year’s budget deliberations which begin this fall. Grande added that any of the
non-priority items could be snapped up and fulfilled by admin. “There are some on here that we
will pick up as quick wins if we can if there are not a lot of costs and they are feasible. We have
done that before.”