Cultural plan moves forward

Yorkton Council has unanimously approved the Implementation Strategy - Moving Yorkton's Municipal Cultural Plan Forward.

Lisa Washington, Community Development Manager with the City explained the Plan has been in the works for some time.

"In 2010, Yorkton City Council adopted the Municipal Cultural Plan and directed administration to examine the findings and bring forward recommendations for an implementation strategy. Since Council approval, a number of issues caused delays in developing an implementation strategy. These include the 2010 flood, staff turnover and changes in related community organizations," she said.

"Through a Municipal Cultural Engagement and Planning Grant obtained from Sask Culture, Common Ground Consulting worked with the community in 2012 and developed an Implementation Strategy for the Municipal Cultural Plan. The Implementation Strategy has given structure to a document that had a significant amount of information making it difficult to find a starting point. The process helped refocus the community with respect to the municipality's Cultural Plan, the result being an Implementation Strategy that provides a framework for moving forward."

The Plan has no additional immediate costs for the City.

"There is no immediate cost impact to the City by approving this document aside from the current staff resources allocated to this initiative. One of the future priorities of the Implementation Strategy is to develop a resources plan which includes people, money and infrastructure. Although there are references to resources and funding, that should not be taken to mean that funding requests will automatically be requested from Council. However there may be a need for Council support prior to making grant applications, which may be other forms of support rather than funding. All options would be explored and any funding requests will be brought forward for Council consideration at the time the funding is required."

The Community Development, Parks and Recreation Committee reviewed the implementation strategy at its February 12, 2013 meeting and is recommending it for Council approval.