Stakeholders needed for workshop

By Greg Price
Taber Times
gprice@tabertimes.com

Time is ticking down for those who want a chance to help shape recreation in Taber in a long-term vision.

The Town of Taber is undertaking a Recreation Master Plan in 2015 and will be hosting a workshop on Jan. 28 in the auditorium of the Taber Community Centre from 6-9 p.m. to allow recreation stakeholders to give feedback.

Call outs to various recreation groups were made back in mid-December with continued inquiries since then with 15 people confirmed from 10 different recreation groups combined as of late Friday.

“I think a lot of groups and individuals have been calling for a recreation master plan in the community for quite some time and this is their opportunity to get involved and let their feelings be heard. We would like to see as many people possible involved,” said Aline Holmen, recreation manager for the Town of Taber.

Discussions at earlier recreation board meetings were made to keep it at two people per recreational pursuit for the Recreation Master Plan workshop so that input and conversation was not dominated by one special interest group, so that as many different recreational pursuits could have their voices heard for input into the drafting of a recreational master plan. Holmen stressed, the Jan. 28 meeting is a workshop, not an open house in which people must register for.

There are some major sports organizations who have not registered for the workshop yet, according to Holmen, but she stresses the workshop is open to all individuals who have an interest in any type of recreation, be it walkers on trails, cyclists, kite flyers, lawn bowlers, horseshoes, or whichever pursuit that may not fit into a registered recreation group in Taber.

“Once we get this process rolling, it will be very difficult to get in midstream. There will be a survey going around town that individuals can get their feedback in, but if any of the groups want to be heard, it’s important that they come to this workshop,” said Holmen. “We want to hear what people have to say for the future of recreation in the community. We will go over what facilities we have and what’s working well, maybe what areas are not working well and where we want to go in the future. That’s very difficult to do without public input.”

The last Recreation Master Plan the Town of Taber did was back in 1985. Town council had provided direction to administration to complete the plan in house utilizing existing resources.

The workshop will include supper and refreshments for participants. To register for the Recreation Master Plan Workshop, you can call Aline at 403-223-5544 or e-mail aline.holmen@taber.ca. Deadline to register for the Recreation Master Plan Workshop is Jan. 26.