Town renews Culture and Wellbeing Taskforce
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Town of Strathmore council passed a motion during the April 2 regular meeting to adopt Culture and Wellbeing Tast Force Terms of Reference, and allocate $30,000 from the financial stabilization reserve to the taskforce.
The purpose of the allocation being to support culture and wellbeing events and initiatives throughout the local community.
As part of the town’s successful application for the Settlement, Integration, and Language Project (SILP) grant, the Culture and Wellbeing Task Force was approved to ensure ongoing community consultation and engagement as a part of the grant program.
Originally, the term of the task force was set to expire at the end of May 2025. Coun. Melissa Langmaid motioned for the term to be extended until Sept. 10. This motion was passed in a vote of 5-2 in favour.
Coun. Jason Montgomery inquired as to whether one of the primary functions of the Task Force was intended to put on cultural events as part of its mandate which includes wellness and cultural activities, public art projects, and to help review town facilities infrastructure programs.
“The new (mandate) speaks to coordinating and identifying opportunities for stakeholder and community engagement that speaks to provide community input on matters related to provision of culture and wellness initiatives in Strathmore,” said Mark Pretzlaff, director of community and protective services. “Some of the elements are listed as in the mandate that includes wellness and cultural activities as well as public art projects, as well as to help review town facilities, infrastructure programs, and physical services where that can be identified as barriers to individuals with disabilities.”
Coun. Wiley expressed opposition to migrating $30,000 from the financial stabilization reserve, stating those funds should be utilized for stabilizing the town’s finances, not cultural activities.
He added previous events hosted by the Task Force have been “incredibly unpopular” based on low attendance numbers.
Montgomery echoed Wiley’s concerns and questioned local government’s role in cultural activities.
“It is not the place of the government to be putting on those types of events or using tax dollars to put on those events, and even if the intent is to be inclusive, the problem with events like this in the name of inclusivity is actually that they become quite exclusive,” he said. “The task force would be picking and choosing … the cultures or the groups that they want to highlight or focus on and that would obviously be at the expense or at the risk of excluding other groups or other individuals or cultures who are not being focused on or highlighted by this group.”
Langmaid said it was the Task Force which developed a local newcomer resource hub, as well as that it is premature to judge future activities of the Task Force under the new terms of reference.
Coun. Denise Peterson added due to work completed by the Task Force, members of Siksika Nation who had previously felt unwelcome in the community had expressed to her a change of heart being among the impacts of the Task Force.
Calling for a recorded vote, the motion to adopt Culture and Wellbeing Tast Force Terms of Reference, as well as to transfer the $30,000 from the financial stabilization reserve was passed 5-2 in favour. Montgomery and Wiley were the two councilors opposed.