Grande Prairie Minute: Winter Fest, Cancelled Meetings, and the Youth Transit Pass

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

This Week In Grande Prairie:

• On Tuesday, at 9:00 am, there will be a Council Committee of the Whole meeting. The Committee will receive a verbal update on advocacy priorities before heading in-camera to discuss an undisclosed item. This meeting was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but has been moved.
  
  
• Several Committee meetings originally scheduled for Tuesday are cancelled. These include meetings of the Financial and Administrative Services Committee, the Investment and Strategy Committee, the Public and Protective Services Committee, and the Operational Services Committee.
  
  
• The Grande North Winter Fest is returning from January 10th to 12th, with Mayor Jackie Clayton encouraging everyone to embrace the cold and participate in family-friendly activities. The festival will take place across three hubs: Muskoseepi Park, Montrose Cultural Centre, and Bonnett’s Energy Centre. One of the highlights of the event will be ice carving at Bonnett’s, along with free outdoor activities such as horse and wagon rides, a snow maze, an ice slide, and skating. While most activities are free, some amenities at Bonnett’s Energy Centre require ticket purchase through their online box office.

Last Week In Grande Prairie:

• The City encouraged local youth to sign up for the Youth SUPERPASS, which provides free transit for residents under 18. Cards have already been distributed through schools, but it's not too late for eligible individuals to sign up either online or in person at City Hall with a valid ID. The program includes students from public, Catholic, private, and homeschool backgrounds, as well as non-enrolled youth.
  
  
• Freson Bros announced that it will be closing its Grande Prairie location after over 50 years in the city. The company, which has been a part of the community since 1971, has made the decision to sell the store. Chairman Mike Lovsin expressed pride in the company's long-standing involvement with the area and its commitment to future opportunities in Grande Prairie. Buy-Low Foods will take over the location in the spring.
  
  
• Chris Warkentin, MP for Grande Prairie - Mackenzie, reflected on 2024 as a year of both challenges and optimism, highlighting potential economic growth in Peace Country. He said he is particularly excited about opportunities like the proposed AI Data Centre in the Greenview Industrial Gateway project. Despite federal challenges, Warkentin is encouraged by the provincial government's focus on local economic growth and said he looks forward to working with municipal and provincial leaders in 2025. Looking ahead, Warkentin is eager for the 2025 federal election.