WESTLOCK – On March 26, during their regular meeting, Westlock County council approved its Recreation Needs Assessment and Facility Master Plan, which was drafted by RC Strategies.
The county held community engagement sessions, research and facility assessments to create the plan. It is expected to be a road map for making capital plans and identifying areas for potential infrastructure updates or maintenance requirements, Adrienne Finnegan, community services coordinator, told council in her report.
“I love the end results,” said Reeve Christine Wiese. “I think it [plan] will be really well used.”
The plan prioritized improvements to Rainbow Park, Long Island Lake Municipal Campground, and Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill.
In February and March the public was given a chance to review the findings of the survey and draft plan. One final survey was created to get feedback and administration received about seven responses. There were comments that the county wasn’t doing enough for pickleball but Reeve Wiese said the county is providing that, adding, “so it’s hard to hear that we are not doing enough for pickleball.”
Coun. Stuart Fox-Robinson asked Mike Roma from RC Strategies who attended the council meeting, if during the survey process that those responding were in fact from Westlock County and if there were checks and balances in place so that people could only vote once.
Roma said they were able to see the IP address location of those responding and there were no multiple submissions.
Fox-Robinson wanted the plan amended to take out page 2 of the plan that states, “Territorial Acknowledgement, Westlock County is located on Treaty 6 Territory, the traditional land of the Metis, the Cree, and the Woodland Cree peoples.”
Fox-Robinson said that the county hasn’t taken a position on the Territorial Acknowledgement so that shouldn’t be in the master plan.
Coun. Isaac Skuban said having the acknowledgement in the recreation master plan isn’t an issue with the public and said leave it in.
“It’s one time on a piece of a paper,” said Skuban.
Deputy Reeve Ray Marquette said he understands what Fox-Robinson meant, adding that the county hasn’t had any discussions about the territorial acknowledgement.
“We are conflicting ourselves,” said Marquette.
Reeve Wiese said the draft document has been presented to the public at open houses and no one has given any feedback on the territorial acknowledgement.
Fox-Robinson asked for a recorded vote on his proposed amendment to have the territorial acknowledgement removed. The motion was defeated 4-3. Coun. Fox-Robinson, Deputy Reeve Ray Marquette, and Coun. Sherri Provencal voted in favour of the amendment to remove the territorial acknowledgement. Reeve Christine Wiese and Councillors Isaac Skuban, Francis Cloutier, and Jared Stitsen voted against the amendment.
