Fort Saskatchewan residents gathered at the Dow Centennial Centre to participate in the first of three focus groups held by the City. Photo by Jennifer Hamilton
On Feb. 5 a group of Fort Saskatchewan residents gathered at the Dow Centennial Centre to participate in one of the City’s three focus groups.
The focus groups are aiding the city’s MDP, or municipal development plan, a long-term strategic document.
“We are hosting focus groups so our community can provide a comprehensive understanding of how well proposed policies fit with the Community Direction Statement and Pillars, as well as how well they will fulfil their objective. These sessions will allow for a dialogue to help shape policy into the best fit for our community,” the City of Fort Saskatchewan website explains.
The community direction statement says: “With 50,000 residents, our community of Fort Saskatchewan provides a great quality of life within our neighbourhoods where everyone can grow, age, and stay; builds on its heritage, connects people, and fosters innovation; creates great places for residents and visitors to enjoy; and supports a resilient economy for everyone to achieve and thrive.”
Over 800 residents participated in an online survey, from which the values of the community were determined. The survey, in tandem with the focus groups, will inform the city’s decisions going forward.
“The focuses we’ve been working on is drafting policy based on the feedback we’ve heard from people and the direction that has been set so far,” explained Fort Saskatchewan Manager of Current and Long Range Planning, Shree Shinde.
“We want to discuss those with the residents who signed up for this session and see if we missed anything, that we’re in alignment with what people told us in the various engagements,” Shinde added.
Fort Saskatchewan resident Brandon Biche has attended two previous focus groups in the city. “We’re excited about giving our feedback into future developments of the Fort, we see a lot of potential in this city,” he said.
“There’s room to improve in our eyes and we’re glad that we get a say in those future developments,” Biche continued.
Biche noted a revitalization of the downtown, the cohesiveness of the town, and maintaining the small-town feel as the city grows, are the issues of highest concern for him.
One participant noted the need to build bike and walking paths on existing roads.
The focus group discussed the City’s draft policies and objectives related to how people get around the community, the approach to the natural environment, and the use of natural systems to support infrastructure needs.
The group also discussed policies outlining the approach to areas that need further study to provide thoughtful direction for the future.
Transportation and natural areas including parks and the river valley were also focuses of the meeting.
The second focus group will discuss neighbourhood policy areas and will be held on March 4. The third will focus on infrastructure and economic development and will be held on March 31.
Residents interested in joining the focus groups can do so at forms.fortsask.ca/MDP-Focus-Group.
