What should Wetaskiwin look like in 10 years? 20 years?
That’s the question residents will be asked this spring as the City embarks on updating its Municipal Development Plan (MDP).
The current Plan was approved by Council in 2011, meaning it’s time to hear from residents about what the next two decades should look like.
“The MDP should be based on input from all the residents of the community as it’s the vision of what they think the city should be for the next 20 years,” explains Andrew Chell, Manager of Planning and Development for the City of Wetaskiwin.
Developed in accordance with Alberta’s Municipal Government Act, a plan must be updated and renewed to ensure it meets the Act’s requirements, and so it continues to reflect the attitudes and perspectives of the community, and responds to changing trends.
Taking direction from last year’s 50-Year Community Vision, Wetaskiwin’s updated Municipal Development Plan will provide direction on future land use, development, urban design, transportation and other service areas.
For example, the City heard through the 50-year vision that it’s very important to people that Wetaskiwin maintain its small-town feel, Chell says.
“We want to know what aspects of the built environment contribute to this cosy community feeling, so we can ensure those aspects are included in new development, and it will help us prioritize the redevelopment of our existing built areas.”
As a statutory plan, once approved by Wetaskiwin City Council, the Municipal Development Plan will be adopted by bylaw.
What’s been shared so far:
During public engagement for the 50-Year Community Vision, residents said Wetaskiwin should be a community where people feel welcomed, engaged, safe and enjoy a sense of belonging. As a blueprint for how a community will develop over time, the MDP can help facilitate these social outcomes, while also supporting economic growth and the overarching goal of a thriving community.
Are the City’s parks and recreation spaces distributed appropriately, for example, or are there gaps? Does the transportation network adequately involve pedestrians, public transit and vehicles, or are some elements under-served?
Help make Wetaskiwin thrive!
The four-phase community engagement will start this spring with information sessions about the MDP and workshop sessions on the vision, values and policy goals.
Phase 2, continuing through June, will include a variety of public engagement opportunities. Recognizing that not everyone wants to contribute in the same way, the City has created a wide variety of options for residents to share their thoughts, from in-person events to virtual sessions, Chell notes.
“If there’s anything you’ve experienced over the last five years, where you’ve thought, ‘The community should do this better,’ come tell us about it,” he says.
To learn more and contribute to the discussion about Wetaskiwin’s future, visit whatifwetaskiwin.ca/the-city-we-shape