Residents of St. Albert who have something to say about anything can probably find an open house this month to share their thoughts or concerns.
There are eight different open houses planned for November, scattered throughout the month across the city. Topics range from the proposed 2013 budget to a new dog park, the expansion of Servus Credit Union Place and the bike skills park.
There’s also a transit open house at the beginning of December.
The budget open houses all take place next week – on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. All will follow a format different from past city town halls. Following a 20-minute presentation from city manager Patrick Draper, the public will be split into groups of 10 to talk with a councillor. Every 15 minutes, the councillors will move to a different table.
“There’s no agenda in terms of specific questions we’re asking,” said Maya Pungur-Buick, director of corporate communications and marketing. “It’s a forum for residents to speak on whatever’s near and dear to their hearts.”
All three budget town halls run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. but at different locations and will be sponsored by different groups. The community services advisory board is hosting Monday’s at Sir George Simpson Junior High. The Kinsmen, Youth Community Centre, Visual Arts Studio Association, Community Information and Volunteer Centre and library will co-host Tuesday’s at St. Albert Catholic High. The chamber of commerce, NABI, housing society and Taxpayers Association host Thursday’s at the Youth Community Centre.
The recreation department will hold three open houses on two different topics. On Nov. 13, there will be an open house in the main lobby of Servus Credit Union Place on a proposed dog park located in a dry stormwater pond just north of the rec centre. It runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Two more open houses will be held Nov. 20 and 22 on the proposed bike skills park, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the main lobby of St. Albert Place.
Servus Place will host its own open house on its proposed expansion on Nov. 21, in the Morinville Room, from 7 to 9 p.m. Director Diane Enger said the open house will follow a traditional format, with no presentation but with staff answering questions as well as conducting tours of the facility.
“We’ll focus on the space optimization and repurposing, as well as the expansions,” Enger said.
Staff have received 109 online comments to date and another 28 through e-mail.
“It’s been good but we would like to have more,” Enger said.
While not technically an open house, there will be a consultation on the social master plan Nov. 9, four days after council receives it as information. The workshop format will include 30 people and members from the committees overseeing the plan’s development.
And next month, St. Albert Transit will host an open house on its long-term department plan from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 in the main lobby of St. Albert Place. The plan is meant to determine the shape of transit over the next 15 years and will go before council in February.
