Town council has given its blessings to resurrecting a local welcoming committee.
Members of council were told of the initiative of creating an Innisfail Welcoming Communities Committee by Tammy Oliver-McCurdie, the manager of the local Family and Community Support Services office, at its regular meeting on Jan. 13.
ìThe committee will meet and look at what needs to be addressed first, and we will probably have some more information on some of the working projects that we will be doing out of the committee,î said Oliver-McCurdie, who was seeking council's support to appoint a member to the committee.
ìPeople would get more connected,î added Oliver-McCurdie. ìA welcoming and inclusive community promotes participation and connection with the residents. It helps social, economic and cultural aspects of our community and adds value.î
She said the idea for a welcoming committee for the community, which was active in town until a ìgood few yearsî ago, was discussed and brought forward from the Jan. 10 Innisfail Community Partners meeting.
ìIt is great to start an initiative but I think initiatives like this need a continual focus with partners and individuals in the community to ensure we are still continuing to be a welcoming committee, and inclusive to those who move to our neighbourhood,î said Oliver-McCurdie.
She said several community partners, including the Innisfail library and Innisfail Family Centre, have expressed interest and commitment to the committee.
Oliver-McCurdie said the Central Alberta Economic Development Partnership (CAEP) has sent a welcoming communities tool to use, a newcomers guide, which can be reviewed and evaluated by the committee.
ìWe will see what work needs to be done. I think we need to evaluate what areas we are being welcoming and inclusive, and what areas we need enhancement in,î she added. ìAnd once we know what areas we need to enhance then we would be able to get the scope of what kind of support we need to go further on.î
Council member Doug Boss volunteered to sit on the committee, which was immediately endorsed by the rest of council.
ìI think it is very valuable for someone on council to sit on there and help support the initiative, contribute and go through some of the work in progress and evaluate what is working and what is not,î said Oliver-McCurdie. ìThey will probably be able to provide some leadership and direction to the committee with the knowledge they obviously have.î
She said a date has not yet been set for the first meeting of the committee but added it will probably be held at the end of February.
