Social & Recreation Plans

August 21, 2024

Recreation Needs Assessment Draft Report Completed

The draft Recreation Needs Assessment, prepared by RC Strategies Inc, is now complete.

This report builds upon and validates past strategic and tactical recreation planning work and will provide valuable information for future City plans.  It provides guidance service levels for recreation amenities and where investment is needed the most.

This “reset” is an opportunity to build on the strengths in the community and further entrench and develop valuable public recreation services into the quality of life in Chestermere.

Please contact Kathy Russell, Project Manager, at krussell@chestermere.ca for more information.

The City of Chestermere is “Resetting Recreation.”

With the goal of determining the best path forward in the provision of recreation services, the City of Chestermere is undertaking a study that will build on recreation feedback collected from the community in recent years.

Please click here to view “Evolution of Recreation Planning” since 2014.

As part of an updated needs assessment, the city will refresh previous information and compile a depository of recent recreation reports for residents and stakeholders to access.

Any gaps in this research will be completed or scheduled for the future. This update will be made available outlining the community profile and the external pressures our community and region face in the provision of recreation services; as well as exciting opportunities that can be explored.

“Having updated information is an important step for the City to take as it begins to reset our provision of recreation services,” said Interim CAO Pat Vincent. “We want to ensure the city is focusing its efforts and resources most effectively to best meet the community’s needs for recreation services.”

Many Chestermere-based agencies, and organizations have raised concerns about either the lack of space and or land, the lack of amenities, and aging infrastructure that will need to be replaced.

In response to the multitude of needs, the consultants will formulate a list of desired facilities and amenities and developed a prioritized list. This prioritization will consider potential shared usages, partnerships, or innovative approaches.

“Community recreation and facilities are expensive to build and cost money to operate, so the exploration of cost sharing options, co-location, local and/or regional partnerships and the evaluation of various business models will need to be considered as part of this process,” said, City Project Manager, Kathy Russell.

This important work will result in an outline of several approaches for our newly elected Council to consider and will provide a planning framework for much needed recreation amenities. Ultimately the City will redefine its commitment to the provision of recreation services in the Chestermere area.

The city is committed to being open and responsive as we navigate through this process. Finding long-term solutions for recreation services will ultimately improve our community health indicators, economic prosperity, and overall sustainability.