Grande Prairie Minute: Merry Christmas, Cost Sharing, and an Integrated Emergency Centre

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

This Week In Grande Prairie:

• It’s Christmas on Wednesday. Thank you to every single one of our readers and supporters who reached out, donated, volunteered, or shared our content this year. We appreciate every single one of you and hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with friends and family. Merry Christmas!
  
  
• We don’t often use these weekly emails to explicitly ask for support, but we’re in the middle of our year-end fundraiser, and we’ve set a goal to raise $5,000 by December 31st. This is a critical time for non-profits, and reaching our goal will ensure we can continue the important work we do. If you value what we bring to the table and want to see us keep going, please consider making a donation today. Every bit helps, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. You can contribute by clicking here. Thank you!
  
  
• There are no Council or Committee meetings this week. Regularly scheduled meetings will resume in the new year.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• The City and County of Grande Prairie have signed a new Recreation and Culture Cost Sharing Agreement, which will see the County contribute $2.76 million annually, plus an additional $4.6 million over four years. The agreement also commits both parties to maintain funding for the library and art gallery at 2024 levels. Mayor Jackie Clayton said that the numbers were based on extensive data and collaboration between the City and County's administrative teams. Reeve Bob Marshall highlighted the partnership's goal of providing accessible, high-quality services to residents. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the deal, describing it as a successful collaboration for the region's future.
  
  
• The Grande Prairie Pickleball Club has received provincial funding to resurface its courts and address other necessary repairs. The funds will also be used to resolve drainage issues, repair fencing, and install wind screens around the courts. The resurfacing is expected to be completed by August, though the drainage issue will be addressed separately with no set timeline. The funding comes from the Active Communities Initiative, which is providing $4.2 million to support sport organizations' facility upgrades.
  
  
• City Council has approved the location for a new Integrated Emergency Contact Centre in the City on 99 building, which will handle 911, police, fire, Municipal Enforcement Services, and Mobile Outreach calls. The new centre is expected to streamline services, improving efficiency, especially with the upcoming Grande Prairie Police Service. A budget of $1.2 million has been allocated for the project, with hopes of receiving additional provincial funding through the Local Growth and Sustainability Grant program. The new facility will replace the current dispatch centre at the fire hall.