The proposal unveiled at the recent city council meeting by the Arts and Heritage Foundation (AHF) has many down sides.
I represent 533 Squadron, St. Albert Air Cadets and this plan would have a devastating impact on the cadet program that has operated from the community hall for 55 years. The squadron is a permanent tenant in the building with offices and storage space for the program at reasonable rates. Registration in the cadet program is free to youth 12 to 18 years of age and the operation would be severely jeopardized by any change in the function of the community hall.
Over the years, many thousands of St. Albert and area youth have benefitted from personal development and leadership opportunities available through the cadet program. The community hall is our home and to have the AHF make future plans to expand its operations at the expense and detriment of the cadets and other non-profit groups using the hall is a real tragedy. I am also a board member of the St. Albert Community League and there have been no agreements or discussions with the AHF concerning the use of the community hall in their design.
As a very active volunteer in the St. Albert community, I am disappointed with the City of St. Albert for supporting this plan as the needs of the many community groups that use the hall seem to be secondary to the grand design. The St. Albert Community League has a long and proud history of supporting community groups like the Air Cadets. It would be a shame to adversely affect the future training opportunities for the youth of St. Albert.
Claude Carignan, St. Albert
