Resourceful spirit, Growing Opportunity

City MattersYour City ~ Your News

Special Edition- Fall 2012

www.cityofgp.com

Grade 6 students from École St. Gerard took part in a tour of City Hall on Oct. 1Photo by Prairie Ranger Photography

Welcome to this special edition of City Matters! This time, the focus is on the launch of our Citizen Engagement Program — ActivateGP!

Over the years, residents have made it clear to Council they want to be active in shaping the future of our community. This desire has been reinforced in the feedback from our Citizen Involvement Survey and through the response to the For the Love of Cities workshop early this year.

Council recognized that desire and made the development of a Citizen Engagement Framework a priority in its 2012-2014 Strategic Business Plan. You’ll see the results with the launch of ActivateGP! on Nov. 5. Check out the invitation on the back page.

With this kick-off, the City is making a commitment to residents on what they should expect from us and we’re equipping our staff with the tools to live up to that promise.

We’ll also be arming citizens with the resources they need to become actively engaged in building the community they desire.

See article on Page 3 for more details.

Throughout this issue you’ll see profiles on residents who are already helping build our city. Other articles focus on how citizen input has been used in the development of City programs and facilities. You’ll also find the upcoming opportunities for you to get active in building the community you want.

Enjoy reading.

All the best,

Bill Given

Message from the Mayor

Take our Citizen Involvement Survey!

Grade 4 students from a local school grew Grande Prairie beans last year

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Upcoming Events

October 26, 2012 Ghostly Haunt: Youth Party/Dance. Ages 11-15 Eastlink Centre East Fieldhouse 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

October 27, 2012 Grande Prairie DownTown Association Hallowe'en Walking Parade Crystal Centre 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

October 27, 2012 Muskoseepi Park Haunted House and Halloween Spooktacular For Children aged 2-10. Cookie decorating, games, Halloween tattoos, prizes and a haunted house at the Muskoseepi Park Pavilion! 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

October 29, 2012 Council Meeting at City Hall 6:30 PM

November 9, 2012 Youth Vital Signs Report Launch

November 11, 2012 Rememberance Day Celebration - Crystal Centre Doors open at 9:45 AM

November 13, 2012 Council Meeting at City Hall 6:30 PM

November 15, 2012 North West Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Symposium Holiday Inn & Suites 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Opportunities for Participation

October 24, 2012 WalkABle Community Meeting Coca-Cola Centre, Stanford Rooms A&B 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

October 26, 2012 WalkABle Alberta Session - Community Feedback North Conference Room, City Hall 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM November 5, 2012 Public Launch - Activate GP! Join us in launching our citizen engagement project! Centre 2000 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

November 9, 2012 Random Act of Kindness Day This is a day for everyone to carry out an act of kindness towards someone else without the expectation of a reward.

November 15, 2012 Rachel's Challenge - an anti-bullying, enpowerment programming session for Service Providers, Volunteers, Educators, and the General Public who work with and/or have an interest in the health and well-being of our children and youth. Safe Communities, 10318-92 Street 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

November 25, 2012 Swanavon Neighbourhood Skating and Potluck Party The Swanavon Neighbourhood Safety Team will be hosting this event to get to know their neighbours, make new friends and enjoy some wonderful food!

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Investing in the Community

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

As a young Grande Prairie resident, I’m excited about our community’s future.That’s why I enjoy investing my time in making this an even better place to live.I invite you to join me at the public launch of the City of Grande Prairie’s Citizen Engagement Program, ActivateGP!

This is a project to help residents get more involved in the community.

Terri Head, Chair of the 100th Anniversary History Book Committee and President of the Nitehawk Ski Area Photo by Popik Photography

ActivateGP! encourages residents to be more connected with the municipality to help shape their community.

The goal of this citizen engagement initiative is to give residents resources to participate, provide feedback and seek new opportunities for involvement.

ActivateGP! brings individuals and groups together, creating a stronger and more cohesive community. It begins with City Council committing to what residents can expect from municipal leaders. To make that happen, staff will receive training on how to better engage citizens and maximize input they receive.

The initiative recognizes that a City program to encourage resident involvement will include significant citizen involvement in its creation. This has occurred in several ways already – with more to come. The underpinnings of our efforts include the global research conducted over the past year augmented recently by an online citizen involvement survey.

Preliminary results from close to 300 responses are featured on the next two pages.

Nearly as many hard copy surveys from numerous focus groups and attendees at recent events are being tabulated.

Survey respondents and focus group members have helped greatly in

Get Involved. Inspire Change. ActivateGP! ensuring ActivateGP! is informed by the specific opportunities, issues and challenges our community faces.

We’ve collected information on what encourages people to get involved or if they don’t participate, what barriers prevent them from being active in the community. Respondents were asked to speak individually and comment on how others in their demographic might respond to the issues.

The focus groups were an excellent forum for sharing outlooks on important topics, passions and excitement about projects participants were already involved in, motivating peer involvement, bringing forward new ideas and solutions and building new social networks within the community.

The program includes:

• A published document outlining a current inventory of activities and tools that residents can use to interact with the municipality at a number of levels.

• A public forum on Nov. 5 to share an inventory of activities that highlights the many opportunities residents already have to participate in the community.

• Production of a document that compiles public feedback from the session and survey and focus group

results, accompanied by recommendations.

• A Citizen Engagement Policy informed by residents.

• An internal best practices document and training program for staff.

• An internal procedure directing citizen engagement.

• Partnerships with the education sector and other agencies.

The launch of ActivateGP! is just the beginning of the journey the City of Grande Prairie is about to embark upon with residents in discovering and creating greater ways to build the community together. Stay tuned for your opportunity to join in!

Mayor Bill Given, left, gave a presentation on local government at the Grande Prairie Public Library on Sept. 23. Here, he discusses the relationship between Council and Administration with Stephanie and Jason Zelling.

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of sessions with organizations including the Canadian Paraplegic Association, the Centre for Newcomers, the Golden Age Centre, the Youth Council and GPRC students, a 25-35 age group and the Council for Lifelong learning. Others are planned.

The following are the results from our online participants to date. During this process, staff have received many comments and suggestions, which are being reviewed. We will publish a comprehensive package of our findings later this fall.

Since August, the City of Grande Prairie has been asking the public to fill out a short survey regarding their level of involvement in the community.

Responses from close to 300 online participants so far and hundreds more being filled by paper copy are being tabulated.

This feedback is invaluable to the research conducted by staff. It will ensure the program has a ‘made in Grande Prairie’ feel to it, assist in meeting the specific desires of Grande Prairie residents.

The survey results are complemented by the input gathered from community focus groups. Staff have hosted an array

Citizen Involvement Survey Results

What age group do you fit into?

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Making A Difference

“Governments have a responsibility to provide and improve facilities, programs and services, but as residents we also have to look in our own backyards to see what a difference we can make,” says Travis McNally, a Director and former President of the Grande Prairie Residential Society.

“When I moved to this community, I appreciated what people before me had done to improve accessibility. I felt I had to do my part, so I got involved in housing and a grassroots movement led to the formation of our society. To get changes, people have to be involved with ideas and others have to give those ideas a voice.”

Travis, right, is shown with Dale Williams, Acting Chair of the Canadian Paraplegic Association (Alberta), receiving the 2011 Honourable Lois Hole Community Development Award, given annually to an Albertan who has made a significant contribution to the lives of people with disabilities.

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Public Input Important for Identifying Downtown Transit Terminal Location

In May, the City of Grande Prairie’s Planning Department started a citizen engagement process as part of its efforts to determine the location of a future Downtown transit terminal.

The current facility located at the corner of 99 Street and 99 Avenue is at capacity. The site does not have any potential to accommodate an increase in transit services or user amenities (shelters, washrooms, ticket sales, maps, etc.)

The target for a new terminal is 2014.

During the process, the Planning Department engaged residents and key stakeholders in several ways.

1. A booth was set up at the May 30 Municipal Government Day, an event that attracts up to 5,000 residents. A display was incorporated to raise awareness of the terminal deliberations and the public involvement process. Hard copy surveys were completed by residents visiting the booth and handouts were available for them to mail back.

2. An online survey was conducted and social media

sites, Facebook and Twitter, were used to spread the word to residents about the project.

3. A spotlight was featured on the City of Grande Prairie’s website and traditional media, such as newspaper and radio ads, were used to inform the public about the survey.

4. Planning and Transit staff took the survey a step further by riding buses for an afternoon and asking riders to complete the survey. Responses were also sought at the main terminal. Bus tickets were provided to in-person survey participants as a thank you.

The survey consisted of a map showing the Downtown area and spaces for residents to indicate where they believe a terminal should be located and why.

In total, nearly 300 responses were collected. The information was presented to the Public Works Committee in July, recognizing about 30 potential sites that survey respondents identified.

Other considerations from stakeholders such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown

City Planner, Joe Johnson, connects with residents about transit terminal plans at Municipal Government Day .

Business Association will be taken into consideration before the final recommendation is made by Council this fall.

Public participation may be used again later in the process to further determine potential sites. Keep an eye out for opportunities advertised on the City of Grande Prairie website, on our social media pages and local media outlets.

Volunteering Helps Immigrants Integrate

“When I came to Canada three years ago, I saw that volunteering is part of the culture in Canada,” says Rachel Nyransengimana. “I learned to be involved in the community to meet other people, make friends and not be isolated.”

Rachel came to Canada from Rwanda. She now encourages others to be active as a way to make connections, find job opportunities and socialize.

“If you stay at home, you don’t learn the language, the new culture and you cannot get integrated into the community. I see being involved as way to help build my community. I am able to express my ideas and let people know who I am.”

Since arriving in Grande Prairie, Rachel has volunteered with the French-Canadian Association of Alberta (ACFA) and the Council for Lifelong Learning.

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The City of Grande Prairie recently constructed a plaza-style skateboard park, located adjacent to the Eastlink Centre, marking the completion with an Aug. 15 celebration.

Stakeholder participation played a key role in informing its development, from the planning stages, though the design and construction, and in the launch festivities. Participants continue to be engaged to ensure the long-term success of the venue.

The idea for the $190,000 Skatepark Plaza began in 2010 when its location was determined at a public meeting, attended by a variety of stakeholders. Participation by community members and service providers has contributed greatly to the successful completion of the venue.

The City of Grande Prairie has taken many steps to involve the community and local skateboarders in the project.

Before the initiative began, Newline Skateparks and the City of Grande Prairie determined it would be vital to engage the community throughout the design journey and bring a professional, organized, yet fun attitude to the process.

“We wanted youth and affected community members to truly feel that they were part of the project and to build lasting ownership in the final product.” -Kylee Haining

“The facility is a hit and people are excited to have continued involvement,” says Kylee Haining, Recreation and Sport Manager.

An open house was held in April to allow all stakeholders, including

local residents, businesses and future park users to become part of this process. It was led by the Vice President of Newline who is an experienced skateboarding facilitator and the session attracted about 50 participants.

In the interests of respecting the surrounding community, invitations were hand-delivered by Crime Prevention to all property owners whose homes back onto the facility.

During this session, participants learned more about the development of the skatepark, identified issues they had with the concept design, and were updated on trends in skateboarding.

Concept drawings were refined following the open house using the suggestions of the group, which included adding railings, lighting, a trail, customizing certain sections and designing a viewing area at one end of the plaza.

To follow up on concerns from neighbouring residents about potential noise, the design team also added a berm to reduce noise.

Public participation continued throughout the process.

During the final days of construction, a local skateboard shop representative gathered a crew of volunteer youth to move dirt into the tree bed to make the park safe for use.

Eastlink Centre representatives hand delivered invitations to residents backing onto the plaza, guaranteeing that they were well informed of the upcoming celebration.

At the Grand Opening, New Line Skatepark Inc, Dark Flavour, S3 and Forword supplied food and prizes to make the event a success. The Eastlink Centre, Crime Prevention and Ernies were also present to showcase their products and services.

Featured demonstrations and competitions were held, encouraging participation from the community at large. Free FM provided music for the skateboarders and other attendees.

In addition, various City employees and council members attended to show their support for the project and answer question about how the project evolved and to address any further concerns.

City personnel continue to work with participants and stakeholders to ensure they remain engaged in the ongoing success of the venue.

Skateboarders Unite!

Mayor Bill Given and Councillors Lorne Radbourne, Justin Munroe, Kevin McLean and Dan Wong celebrate with skatepark users at the grand opening, August 15.

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City Participates in WalkABle Communities Initiative

Connecting With the Community

“I’ve always been interested in knowing more about how the City operates and ways to get involved, but was unsure on where to start looking. Then, I was invited to a focus group for people in my age group and got really excited about getting connected. I can’t wait for the next event.”

Kali BonogofskiPhoto by Prairie Ranger Photography

www.albertahealthservices.ca/7282.asp

Do you want to help improve the walkability of our community?

The City of Grande Prairie is partnering with WalkABle Alberta, an Alberta Health Services program, in a pilot project geared to improving walkability and encouraging residents to choose to get around on foot.

A WalkABle Community meeting was held Oct. 24 to get Grande Prairie residents on board.

“It’s important that people participate in the discussion so planning occurs with their needs and ideas in mind,” says Mayor Given

Community members were asked to provide input on specific walkability issues and opportunities at the session and discuss suggestions for improving the walkability of Grande Prairie.

Attendees learned what measures are already occurring to improve walkability and why Grande Prairie is encouraged to participate in WalkABle Alberta.

Discussion at the meeting explored issues such as:

• What are the challenges to walking in your community?

• What motivates you to walk?

• What do you like most about walking?

• Do you have any great ideas for improving the walkability of your community?

By joining in a provincial initiative, the City of Grande Prairie can show its unique approach to addressing walkability. The input from the community and stakeholder WalkABle Communities sessions is integral to framing this strategy.

Following the workshop, Alberta Health Services representatives will formulate a Walkability Action Plan that will help the City develop a strategy and take action in making our city more walkable, including improved linkages with public transit, commuter catchments and enhanced signage.

“Ultimately, we want to create a community where walking is the first choice because it’s the easy choice as part of a healthy, physically active lifestyle,” -Mayor Bill Given.

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The final work bee was held in the Community Garden on Sept. 20.

Volunteers removed all of the plant material, turned the compost pile, and did some maintenance on the site.

Community Garden Celebrates Successful Second YearThis summer saw some new successes at the garden. The Rotaract group helped at the start of the year with construction and filling beds with soil, and later, a group of City of Grande Prairie employees volunteered to construct a bed and filled it with soil.

The construction of the memorial bed was funded by donations in memory of Wayne Sawchuck, who passed away last year.

All the produce harvested was donated to various groups within the community, with the exception of the cabbage which, unfortunately, was

eaten by worms, making it unable to harvest!

Residents can look forward to some exciting changes in 2013.

Email environment@cityofgp.com for more information.

Economic Assessment for Crystal Centre Planned A Request for Proposal was recently issued to conduct an economic assessment on proposed expansion of the Crystal Centre.

The downtown sports, entertainment and conference complex was built for the 1995 Canada Winter Games when the City’s population was about half of what it is today.

City Council approved the assessment in August to ensure any expansion or renovation would be targeted to the areas with the best economic return. As part of the process, open houses are being planned for late fall to early 2013, to gather resident input.

The ability to attract trade shows, concerts and conference business is affected as the Bowes Family Crystal Gardens does not have the appropriate break out space to accommodate many organizers’ needs.

“These issues negatively impact economic development in Grande Prairie,” says Jane Cada-Sharp, Crystal Centre Manager.

The project will affect a variety of sectors in the community.

“The Request for Proposal will require the successful proponent to outline in great detail how the process will be collaborative and inclusive,” says Cada-Sharp.

“Gathering input from all stakeholder groups will assist in informing how the expansion of the Crystal Centre will move forward and continue adding vitality to the downtown.”

- Jane Cada-SharpCollaboration with the hospitality industry, the Chamber of Commerce, the Grande Prairie Tourism Association, the Downtown Association, the Grande Prairie Storm, the Crystal Centre Advisory Committee and the public will bring as many perspectives to the project as possible.

Additional consultation with concert promoters, agents, production managers, trade show, gala and conference organizers will ensure their opinions of the expansion be heard, and allow them to provide feedback on what they believe is required from the venue to make events more successful.

The review will help quantify how the Crystal Centre is impacted by competitive neighbouring venues and assist in determining the appropriate seating and square footage capacity.

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Lifetime Commitment to Community

“I get personal satisfaction from doing something worthwhile to benefit the community as well as the people involved in it,” says Jim Smith, President of the Golden Age Centre Board of Directors. “I enjoy doing things for others.”

Jim is a 55-year member of the Elks Club, where he’s been Lodge president, district director and provincial president.

“When I joined the Elks in 1958, involvement just became natural,” he says.

Jim’s participation in the community has included serving on the City of Grande Prairie’s Assessment Review Board and the Development Appeal Board. As well, he was Chair of the Grande Prairie Public Library Board’s Building Committee. “The Library is my pride and joy.”

Jim is also a former member of the DownTown Association Board of Directors and a previous president of Camp Tamarack.

Jim believes Volunteers are important for an event to be successful. He was a driver for the 1995 Canada Winter Games, and a Host in the V.I.P. Lounge for the 2010 Artic Winter Games. Jim is shown here with Lisa McGhee-Peters, Manager of the Golden Age Centre.

Are you aged 14-21 and want to help shape the future of the community?

The City of Grande Prairie Youth Council continues to work on ensuring young people have a voice. It hosted a full-day planning retreat on Oct. 5 to reflect on its accomplishments and to create a vision for the future.

As a result of the event, held at the City on 99 building, Youth Council members will focus on teambuilding and exploring their leadership potential over the coming year. Several key projects have also started to surface.

“The Youth Council is a great way for teens and young adults to create change in their community.” -Dale Tiedemann “With our young population, it’s important we plan for how these up-and-coming leaders will play a role.”

Mayor Bill Given spoke about the importance of youth engagement and

the significance of the Youth Council. A discussion was held about aligning the Youth Council more closely with City Council. Councillors Dan Wong and Lorne Radbourne joined the group for lunch.

In addition to great conversation, Youth Council participants took part in high-energy teambuilding activities like Group Juggling & Lava Walk!

City Council recognizes that the population of children and youth in the community is significant. Grande Prairie has the highest youth population in Alberta. There are more kids under the age 4 than there are people over age 65! That means in the next 10 years, those children will be teens!

“The Youth Council will continue to enhance the lives of youth and young adults living in Grande Prairie by giving them with the opportunity to provide input on community and City lead initiatives which impact youth,” says Tiedemann.

Youth Council Hosts Planning SessionYouth Council meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each month at City Hall from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

These meetings are free for youth to attend and access is always open. Snacks are provided and complimentary GP Transit passes are available!

Contact Dale to check out a meeting.

Text: 780-296-2495Email: youth@cityofgp.comFacebook: City of Grande Prairie Youth Council

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Neighbourhood Safety Teams allow local people to identify community safety concerns for their areas and work with representatives from the City Council, police, Crime Prevention, and other agencies to find local solutions. They do not deliver a quick fix to problems but do provide an opportunity for local representatives to work together to help improve quality of life for residents.

Neighbourhood Safety Teams have tackled issues such as graffiti, misuse of drugs, vehicle crime and providing activities for young people. Residents

work together with an employee from the City of Grande Prairie’s Crime Prevention Department to identify and target issues that affect the quality of life for residents of the neighbourhood.Other successes these groups have had since launching include meet and greet events, neighbourhood-wide garage sales, neighbourhood safety audits, establishing Neighbourhood Safety Plans, regular meetings, spring clean-ups, barbeques, and a Christmas Light-up event.

Neighbourhood Safety Teams need local people to identify the problems that affect them day-to-day and to work together to find solutions. The strength of a Neighbourhood Safety Team relies on the contribution and support it receives from local people.

Neighbourhood Safety Teams in Action

If you are interested in forming a Neighbourhood Safety Team in your area, please contact the Crime Prevention Department.

Phone: 780.882.7813 or crimeprevention@cityofgp.com

Upcoming Safety Team Activity: November 25, 2012 – Swanavon Neighbourhood Skating and Potluck Party

Departmental Reviews: Enhancing City Services

The reviews will be taking place over the next three years. Review teams will be created with department staff and external members. There are several factors that the review teams will be considering are:

• Cost of programs• Revenues from users• Demand from citizens• Customer satisfaction• Alignment with Council’s

vision• Operational efficiency

• How other organizations deliver similar services

• How our service levels compare with similar cities

An important part of this process includes finding out what residents have to say about some of our current service levels. The Finance department recently wrapped-up a survey on the services it provides. It will be used as a tool to help the department improve service delivery.

“The department is typically seen as a gatekeeper role to safeguard assets, but there is a very important customer service aspect to our business,” says Dawn Sauvé, Senior Financial Analyst. “We are going through an in-depth review of processes this fall focusing on those suggestions received from the survey.”

The City’s Transit Department is scheduled to undergo the next review. The public input from the 2008 Ridership Survey will be used to conduct this review. The concerns and suggestions from the public will be used to suggest ideas for enhancing

the transit system in Grande Prairie. Once organizational changes have been implemented, another survey will be used to gauge how successful the changes are.

Each review will conclude with recommendations being made to the respective department.

At the end of the entire process, the City will have a detailed inventory of programs and an evaluation of how well they are serving the public. The reviews will help the City in the short-term with solutions to improve our services while informing Council’s longer-term planning.

In addition to the department reviews underway, residents can expect to see the 2013 Citizen Satisfaction survey out early next spring.

The biannual survey is used to measure the City’s performance and develop an understanding of citizen expectations, and satisfaction level with City services, programs and the value for their tax dollar.

The City is conducting service reviews across its departments to ensure residents are receiving the best value for their tax dollars. This initiative was identified as a priority in Council’s Strategic Plan. Many services the City provides will be examined to make sure they are being delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible at current resource levels.

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Renowned Facilitator Leads Public Launch

www.michaelwalters.ca

We are excited announce Michael Walters, a highly effective Community Organizer, to facilitate the official launch

of our Citizen Engagement Program on Monday, November 5, 2012.

Michael stresses the power of relationships. He believes in the value of building a strong voice for community members, leaders and entrepreneurs who are driven by passion, imagination and a desire to create prosperous, creative and sustainable communities.

The following elements form the basis of Michael’s work, and the public launch agenda:

• Building New Relationships - Good community building and engagement is based on reaching out to interesting people to listen to them and discover their gifts.

• Telling our Stories - Good leaders are curious about their own stories and the stories of others in their communities. An emphasis on stories allows us to lead with listening and understanding. This builds foundations of empathy and strength for action.

• Agitating Imagination - You can only organize and build what you can imagine. Michael will agitate and facilitate new imagination and ideas that can solve simple and complex problems and create new opportunities.

• Demanding Passion - Passion drives our hopes into action. Our organizations, businesses, and community must be built on passion and the contributions we can make toward the betterment of Grande Prairie.