The MD of Bonnyville is mapping out the future of recreation, and they want your input.
As part of the municipality’s recreational needs assessment, the MD will be hosting two open houses.
“It’s really an opportunity for those who maybe didn’t get a chance to be a part of the group conversations or want to discuss something further about the recreational needs assessment, this gives them that opportunity,” explained Chris McCord, director of parks and recreation for the MD.
The open houses are the third portion of the MD’s recreation needs assessment.
McCord explained, “The first part was a survey. The second and third parts are group conversations followed by the open houses.”
During the events on Sept. 11 at the Cold Lake Energy Centre and Sept. 12 at the C2, the MD will discuss the results of the survey that was issued to residents throughout the municipality.
According to McCord, over 500 residents took the time to fill out the survey.
The day of the open houses, the MD will meet with stakeholders, volunteers, and local recreation groups, among others, for a group discussion.
“What we’ve done is contacted as many user groups, whether their sports, recreation, arts and culture, stakeholders, teachers, and decision makers in the community, but if there is anyone out there who hasn’t been contacted and they want to be a part of these discussions, they can contact me,” noted McCord.
The open houses will run later in the day, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at their respective locations.
The come-and-go platform will “have some very high level concept plans for recreational growth” available.
McCord said the event will act as an opportunity for residents to pass on information, ask questions, or share their concerns.
“What we’re looking to get is feedback from a wide-variety of people, users, stakeholders, essentially anyone who might have an interest in recreation,” she detailed. “We want to know where we’re falling short, where we’re meeting the needs of residents, hopefully it will give us a basis for future planning, that’s really what we’re looking for.”
Their hope is to get responses from a “overall cross-section” of user groups.
“So often in recreation you target your bigger user groups such as minor ball, minor soccer, hockey, those kinds of things. We really want to make sure that we’re catching all of the groups and getting their feedback,” McCord said.
For more information about the open houses, or to take part in the survey before Sept. 15, visit md.bonnyville.ab.ca.
