Grande Prairie Minute: Cenotaph Restoration, Block Party, and a Food Insecurity Report

Grande Prairie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Grande Prairie politics

This Week In Grande Prairie:

• This afternoon, at 2:30 pm, there will be an in-camera meeting of City Council. The agenda gives very little clue as to what will be discussed in the meeting. Immediately following, at 3:00 pm there will be a public meeting of City Council. The agenda includes the Bear Creek Dam Engagement Plan, the potential leasing of a City-owned parking lot, and the sale of the former York Hotel and Germain Park sites.
  
  
• The Grande Prairie Legion is seeking volunteers to help restore the cenotaph in Jubilee Park. While it has undergone various repairs since it was installed in 1959 over the years, the monument now requires a complete restoration. Those interested in joining the restoration committee can find more information by joining a Facebook group dedicated to the endeavour. Additionally, the Veteran’s Association Foodbank of Grande Prairie is hosting a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. The event will feature activities like face painting, prizes, cake, and a barbecue to celebrate 16 months of service in the community. While the event is free, attendees are encouraged to pre-register to ensure proper planning for catering and capacity.
  
  
• The third annual Experience Grande Prairie Block Party will take place on 101 Avenue on Friday. This year’s event will feature a performance by Kim Mitchell, alongside beer gardens, community booths, and various activities from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Entry to the event is free.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• City Administration presented a report to the City’s Public and Protective Services Committee regarding some potential solutions to the growing issue of food insecurity in Grande Prairie. The report identified food insecurity as a "critical issue," with 19% of households struggling to afford food regularly and nearly half facing occasional difficulties. To address this, officials proposed the creation of a centralized organization to coordinate efforts and provide more dynamic, client-centered support. The report also noted that the current approach is fragmented, with insufficient resources and missed funding opportunities. Following the presentation, the Committee recommended engaging with stakeholders to explore the potential for establishing this new community-based organization.
  
  
• Grande Prairie Enforcement Services (GPES) announced that they will relocate their front counter from Cedar Point to the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment on September 23rd. This move will consolidate services like vehicle for hire and animal licensing at the RCMP detachment, located at 10202 99th Street. The relocation also extends GPES front counter hours by 30 minutes, with operating hours from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays. Two additional staff members will join the front counter team, while online and phone services remain unaffected by the change.
  
  
• The Grande Prairie Reception Centre has amalgamated into the Edmonton Reception Centre, and Jasper evacuees are meant to relocate to Edmonton if further accommodations are necessary. The Grande Prairie Centre registered 365 Jasper evacuees while it was open.