City Council's Strategic Plan for 2001
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Go to Council's Strategic Plan for 2002/2003
Preface
This page describes the Strategic Plan of the Grande Prairie City Council as of June 2000. It contains a Mission Statement, Operating Philosophy, a Vision Statement, Focus Areas, Goals and Objectives, and includes greetings from the Mayor of the City.
From our mini photo gallery in the Economic Development section: a picture of members of Council 1999-2001, the College Buildings with Footbridge. (30 Kb). Or see an Overview of the Photo Gallery (90 Kb), or its Summary of Thumbnail Indexes.
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MISSION Statement
Helping to make Grande Prairie 'THE GREATEST PLACE TO BE'
by providing, supporting or facilitating municipal services that meet community needs and enhance quality of life for all:
- guiding planning and development initiatives to achieve an aesthetically pleasing city that is safe, practical and economically viable
- providing safe, convenient and efficient transportation and public transit services
- supporting the development of parks, recreation and cultural facilities and opportunities - in partnership with community organizations
- coordinating environmental health initiatives and services - environmental stewardship
- supporting the provision of social services to better the physical, mental, social and emotional lives of our people
- striving for fairness and equity in the delivery of our services
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Operating PHILOSOPHY
Our efforts are guided by a commitment to:
- fiscal responsibility - using our assets to the highest and best use and responsible debt management
- community development - working with and through our community partners wherever possible to encourage self-reliance and empowerment
- guiding beliefs - by being a customer responsive organization that strives to be the best it can through continuously improving. We value CO-OPERATION, INTEGRITY, FLEXIBILITY, provision of quality service by CARING employees in a FUN atmosphere.
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A VISION of Grande Prairie's Future
Our quality of life will be envied throughout Western Canada - a magnet to continued growth and prosperity. Grande Prairie is the regional service centre and hub for North Western Alberta and the North - for trade, transportation, health, emergency services, education, recreation, culture, social services and government services. Our Council is proactive. Together, we are creating a model leading northern city - colourful, clean and beautiful in all seasons, and competitive within our Region, Province and Nation. Community initiative and mature partnerships among preventive and emergency services are earning us our reputation as a safe city. CyberCity is positioning Grande Prairie firmly on the information highway.
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Focus Area 1 - LEADING NORTHWESTERN CENTRE:
Description:
The City of Grande Prairie is the Leading Northwestern Centre for Northwestern Alberta and the North. An estimated trading population of 175,000 plus is beginning to realize its full potential. The strong, diverse economy is bolstered by a variety of sectors including the forest industry, agriculture, oil and gas, manufacturing, housing and the commercial and entertainment industries. Grande Prairie is able to capitalize on the Alberta Advantage of lower tax rates and no provincial sales tax.
The Grande Prairie Regional Airport, our Regional College, the Regional Health Authority with its impressive Queen Elizabeth II hospital, Social Service facilities and agencies that have a strong regional focus such as the Northern Addictions Centre, all add to the Northern Regional Centre concept.
City Council intends to enhance and reinforce our Northern Regional Centre by facilitating and stimulating discussions around such diverse topics as: improved transportation links (both land and air based), tourism, economic development activities, partnership opportunities with other municipalities, and activities designed to enhance further growth to our trading and entertainment area.
The Provincial and Federal Governments play a significant role in our community, and Council intends to push for stronger senior governmental ties.
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Goals relating to Focus Area 1 - Leading Northwestern Center:
GOAL: To facilitate the improvement of transportation links which focus on Grande Prairie as the hub for airport, bus scheduling, distribution, highway and rail access.
- Objectives:
- To work with our Airport Commission to market the airport as a regional hub, resulting in lower air fares, and passenger and cargo links with other forms of transportation (rail, buses, trucks).
- To work with our Airport Commission to promote synergy of air and bus transportation systems in Grande Prairie.
- To encourage development of a transportation park in the airport area in concert with the Airport authority.
- To work on our transportation links to ensure they enhance our City as a tourist destination.
- To review the airport operating structure, funding and terminal appearance.
GOAL: To support initiatives to maintain and improve Grande Prairie as a trading, service, recreational, entertainment, health care and education centre.
- Objectives:
- To facilitate initiatives to create a distinctive community where people can shop, do business, access a variety of services and professionals, and participate in recreational and entertainment activities.
- To stimulate opportunities to market and profile our community.
- To work with the community to attract sports and entertainment, cultural and trading activities.
- To encourage initiatives that enhance the regional role of health care and educational activities in our community.
- To enhance local/regional collaboration and improve the inter-regional competitive advantage.
- To establish a solid process for development of a new City Hall.
GOAL: To enhance the regional nature of the City by promoting a strong Federal and Provincial Government presence in Grande Prairie and to raise the visibility of Grande Prairie within other levels of government.
- Objectives:
- To raise awareness of appropriate representatives of other levels of government as to the viability of Grande Prairie as a Regional Centre for other senior government agencies and services.
GOAL: To develop innovative partnerships with other regional organizations, working cooperatively to enhance regional initiatives.
- Objectives:
- To create synergy and alignment on regional initiatives City Council will host a meeting annually with a variety of groups such as Grande Prairie Regional College, School Districts, Mistahia Regional Health Authority, and Neighboring Municipal Councils.
GOAL: To continue to promote Grande Prairie as a tourism destination stop.
- Objective:
- To partner in the operation of a tourist centre with the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce and the private sector.
- To work with the local hospitality and tourism industries to promote Grande Prairie as a tourism destination.
GOAL: To support a continuous learning community through an increasing emphasis on training in the City's corporate budget and shared opportunities with educational institutions.
- Objective:
- To progressively increase the training budget of the City of Grande Prairie.
- To develop the Knowledge Campus in partnership with local school boards.
- To support professional development for Council through training and educational opportunities.
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Focus Area 2 - FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY:
Description:
The City of Grande Prairie intends to maintain its role as being fiscally responsible. We have pursued an aggressive course of debt reduction and sound financial management for the past dozen years. Capital projects have been funded on a pay-as-you-go basis while the City has become very efficient in its operations to obtain this level of fiscal responsibility. Having said this, the realities of becoming a Northern Regional Centre have placed tremendous pressure upon the infrastructure and facilities to the point where serious examinations must be undertaken to balance need with ability to pay. In other words, assessment growth is not matching the needs of our growing regional centre.
Part of the realities of being fiscally responsible is that various needs are fulfilled on a delayed or at best, on a "just in time" basis. This approach creates problems as the tendency to defer maintenance items exists. Our population growth, changing demographics and the realities of the regional draw are also putting pressure upon our safety and security services and subsequent financial requirements. While the City's debt management policy has been successful and the City's ultimate goal of being debt free one day is very admirable, the current realities suggest we must review our current debt policies. These realities are further reinforced by insufficient provincial grants, which are not likely to improve in the near future.
What remains is for a serious look at our ability to fiscally support our growth. We must balance our desire to keep taxes fair and meet the demands being created by today's reality. An equitable approach to assessment and revenue sharing is our aim.
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Goals relating to Focus Area 2 - Fiscal Responsibility:
GOAL: To develop a variety of financial indicators to measure outcomes (results).
- Objectives:
- To complete a demographic profile (both historical and forecasting) on the City for use in our planning process.
- To seek out and establish award-winning best practices in local government.
- To establish a process to deal with shifting priorities resulting in budget adjustments.
- To ensure financial information and updates are provided to Council in a timely manner.
GOAL: To lobby the Province to ensure appropriate financial roles and responsibilities of the Province versus municipalities are maintained, and equitable funding is established in the areas of education, health, social services, recreation, culture, transportation, tax revenues and debt management.
- Objectives:
- To lobby the Province to allow a tax collection fee to be included in the school mill rates established for payment of the education requisitions.
- To work with the Province to reduce education funding from the municipal tax levy and allow transportation infrastructure requirements to become a responsibility of municipalities.
- To lobby the Province to restructure the Alberta Municipal Financing Corporation to allow for control and management of AMFC to be assumed by the municipalities.
GOAL: To review the costs of providing services on a regional basis and move to cost sharing or revenue sharing agreements to ensure equity within the Grande Prairie region.
- Objectives:
- To carry out a comprehensive joint review with the County of services provided and accompanying costs in the City of Grande Prairie and neighboring municipalities within a specified radius from the City to rationalize the costs of regional services.
- To develop joint projects with neighboring municipalities.
- To review our fees, charges and grant policies with respect to regional services.
- To review operating costs of City arenas.
- To form a new utility corporation.
GOAL: To reduce or eliminate red tape and non-value added processes.
- Objectives:
- To continue to review policies and by-laws when and where appropriate.
- To review processes and procedures where appropriate.
- To rewrite policies and by-laws in plain language.
- To review the tendering practices to ensure an efficient process.
GOAL: To partner with the Grande Prairie Museum on initiatives in the area of archives.
- Objectives:
- To support a City archives program.
- To support a regional archives.
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Focus Area 3 - INTERNATIONALLY CONNECTED COMMUNITY:
Description:
The City of Grande Prairie is endeavoring to become a smart City with modern and technologically advanced infrastructure to meet the burgeoning demands of the information age in which we now find ourselves. The CyberCity concept and the joint venture project between the other public agencies and TELUS Corporation are designed to propel the community into the information age. This initiative creates tremendous economic development opportunities and growth.
Computer technology and broad-band information transfer requirements are escalating. The demands are immediate. Citizens have instant on-line demands which are growing. Our business community is pushing the on-line concept, and citizen demands and interest in public information areas are emerging. On-line forums, instant democracy, on going, instantaneous communication links with taxpayers and expanded entertainment demands will occupy our agenda. The question for us is "will we be ready for it?" Our answer is "Yes!"
Our current presence on the world wide web has increased so that not only our taxpayers can access us but the world. Our involvement in constructing the fibre optic ring in our community will ensure that we not only succeed in the future but also WIN.
From a corporate perspective, the City has upgraded our local area networks and has tied all major City facilities into a fiber optic network.
Grande Prairie has positioned itself with the foundation that will support our success. Smart People, Smart Agencies, Smart Business and Smart Infrastructure.
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Goals relating to Focus Area 3 - Internationally Connected Community:
GOAL: To pursue an Internationally Connected Initiative.
- Objectives:
- To market the Internationally Connected Community initiative (previously the CyberCity Initiative) to increase public awareness in Grande Prairie.
- To enhance the City's presence on the Internet with improvements to the City's home page on the World Wide Web, including increased use of images and links to other websites in Grande Prairie.
- To work on joint projects within our Community to pursue technology initiatives and funding opportunities (i.e. Alberta Science and Research Council).
GOAL: To develop and maintain an integrated geographic-based information system database to enhance all geographical-based applications in the City and in the region.
- Objectives:
- To develop an integrated GIS system for City use.
- To develop GIS applications to enhance the use of GIS - in fire (regional), police, ambulance, assessment, permits, public works, utilities, etc.
- To develop GIS applications for marketing to other sectors.
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Focus Area 4 - SAFE COMMUNITY
Description:
Grande Prairie takes pride in knowing our families can walk on our streets, play in our parks and shop in our malls and stores in safety. The RCMP and a well equipped and modern Fire Department provide us with added protection and peace of mind. Our Advanced Life Support Regional Ambulance service together with the multifaceted Queen Elizabeth II hospital provide for our emergency medical needs. Our well developed utilities system ensures a safe supply of drinking water and an efficient sewage system. Our transportation system is well maintained and adds to our feeling of safety and security. Our safety codes services have expanded, adding gas and electrical inspections to complement building and plumbing inspections provided to ensure a safe built environment.
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Goals relating to Focus Area 4 - Safe Community:
GOAL: To continue to support the RCMP "Community Policing" initiatives and provide visible assurance of safety to the citizens of Grande Prairie.
- Objectives:
- To ensure the police presence in Grande Prairie is enhanced by encouraging bike and foot patrols by the RCMP.
- To expand cooperation between the RCMP and Bylaw Enforcement to provide wider community coverage for safety.
- To review the parking lots of all City facilities to ensure adequate lighting is in place to provide security.
- To review street lighting, pedestrian trail and parks to ensure adequate lighting is in place to provide security.
GOAL: To maintain emergency response time of the City's emergency services (fire, police ambulance) at agreed standards.
- Objectives:
- To continue initiatives that enhance fire protection.
- To work with other municipalities, the AUMA and the FCM to seek funding from the Federal and Provincial Governments for emergency services.
- To review emergency response time standards.
- To evaluate the emergency co-response system.
- To continue to make Grande Prairie safe (fire, police, by-law, utilities, roads and sidewalks).
GOAL: To encourage partnerships and fully coordinated preventive and emergency services (RCMP, Fire, Ambulance, By-Law and Dispatch).
- Objective:
- To facilitate disaster services training and disaster committee communication sessions at least annually.
GOAL: To develop and maintain infrastructure which provides for safe utilities, facilities, and transportation systems, ensuring timely preventive maintenance.
- Objectives:
- To provide adequate resources through financial planning and capital project prioritization to ensure adequate development, maintenance and replacement of infrastructure at the right time.
- To develop and implement operating and maintenance management systems, linked to GIS, that provide for cost-effective operations, timely preventive maintenance and life-cycle replacement.
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Focus Area 5 - CARING AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY
Description:
Quality of life is important to our residents and visitors. We want to ensure there are opportunities and facilities for the pursuit of leisure and cultural activities providing balance in the busy lives of our community. We provide opportunities for our youth to build the winning character attributes that are essential in their growth to become business and community leaders.
Our leisure needs encompass all four seasons in Grande Prairie and our challenge is to provide affordable opportunities in each. The park and trail system is the most visible and popular of our leisure resources and we are committed to it as an integral component in our service model. We are proud to manage the Crystal Centre and Leisure Centre as examples of providing major facilities for our community. We will support and encourage local groups to be self reliant success stories like: the Grande Prairie Minor Hockey Association, the Prairie Art Gallery, the Grande Prairie Little Theatre, the Centre for Creative Arts and the Swim Clubs, to name a few.
As in every society, there are disadvantaged people in our community. We believe future generations will evaluate us by our contribution to the quality of life of all citizens. Recognizing there are social responsibilities of both the Federal and Provincial governments beyond that of the City, we will be a strong voice to assure the residents of our community receive fair and equitable treatment. Through Community groups and the Grande Spirit Foundation, we are addressing housing for elements of our population. Through FCSS and funding support for programs, we are working with numerous social agencies and groups to meet identified social needs of our community. We recognize our social responsibilities.
Goals relating to Focus Area 5 - Caring And Active Community
GOAL: To advocate to other levels of government on behalf of our citizens' social needs.
- Objectives:
- To work with our community organization to create self-reliant and empowered organizations and citizens.
- To work with social service organizations and other funders to maximize appropriate assistance in providing to citizens in need.
- To investigate the development of palliative care services.
GOAL: To maintain a process for evaluating the level of City support for Community Groups.
- Objectives:
- To review the recommendations of any City social needs report.
GOAL: To identify and promote positive actions regarding housing, homelessness and substance abuse situations.
- Objectives:
- To work with governments and organizations to address housing, homelessness and substance abuse.
- To partner with the Grande Spirit Foundation and other relevant organizations.
GOAL: To work with community organizations to support adequate opportunities and facilities for leisure and cultural activities.
- Objectives:
- To review and implement, where appropriate, the Major Recreation Facilities Plan.
- To facilitate, review and implement a cultural opportunities and facilities plan.
- To encourage and facilitate the development of a RecFit model for social and cultural community groups.
- To review the operating structure for the Crystal Centre.
- To investigate the expansion of the Canada Games Arena seating (minimum 5,000 seats).
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Focus Area 6 - PRIDE IN A BEAUTIFUL NORTHERN CITY
Description:
Situated in beautiful northern Alberta, Grande Prairie is ideally located (see maps) to take full advantage of all that all the seasons have to offer. Our proximity to natural beauty and scenery promotes involvement in many outdoor activities.
In summer, the lakes and rivers in and around Grande Prairie provide many water sports: boating, canoeing, sailing, kayaking, water skiing and swimming. Local lakes offer great fishing and are close to campgrounds and picnic sites. Outdoor sporting venues like the many golf courses in the area, passive and active park systems, water facilities and campground facilities all add to our quality of life. Muskoseepi Park is the jewel of the park system featuring miles of nature trails, a fishing pond, amphitheater, museum, baseball, tennis, basketball, an outdoor pool, picnic areas, playgrounds, landscaped grounds and other facilities. Crystal Lake offers walking trails and provides for bird watching.
In winter outdoor adventures are plentiful: downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, sledding, skating and ice fishing. The Crystal Centre, our premier entertainment and recreation venue features one of our community's many hockey rinks and a second ice surface for pleasure and figure skating activities. Curling and indoor swimming complement the wide array of winter opportunities.
There is an abundance of game in the area, and hunting is popular in the fall of the year.
The Grande Prairie Regional College, a significant architectural feature, is nestled adjacent to a recreational lake in Muskoseepi Park and boasts the only performing arts auditorium in Northern Alberta. The Prairie Art Gallery, our class A art gallery, adds to our cultural enjoyment. Just minutes from the City, Evergreen Park provides exciting sports entertainment such as rodeos, chuckwagon racing, pari-mutuel racing, agricultural shows and much more.
A selection of
mini indexes of pictures is available
relating to the beauty of the City from the Photo Gallery.
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Goals relating to Focus Area 6 - Pride in a Beautiful Northern City:
GOAL: To promote year round colour in Grande Prairie.
- Objective:
- To support partnerships and implement beautification theme that promotes the use of flower plantings, pageantry, lighting and coordinated colour schemes.
- To enter the Communities in Bloom contest.
GOAL: To promote beautification schemes in downtown Grande Prairie.
- Objectives:
- To continue the beautification, landscaping and pedestrian trail system plan.
- To continue, in conjunction with the Downtown Association, the Downtown Beautification Program.
- To continue a festive lighting plan for the City.
GOAL: To continue to remove overhead power lines throughout the City to improve the physical attractiveness of the City.
- Objective:
- To continue the strategy for the removal of overhead power lines over several years, with recovery of the costs of removal and underground replacement.
- To incorporate into development requirements, developer relocation of overhead power lines to underground services.
GOAL: To improve the provision of snow management services in winter in Grande Prairie.
- Objectives:
- To review the processes and procedures for snow removal in the downtown area.
- To purchase convenient, cost-effective and aesthetically appealing snow storage sites.
- To change design standards of subdivisions to recognize the reality of level of service for snow removal and storage.
- To develop permanent snow disposal sites.
GOAL: To improve the provision of street sweeping services.
- Objectives:
- To review the street sweeping program with a view to enhancing the level of service.
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