Education and the arts may flow through the Okotoks downtown in the future.
Town council passed a motion to explore building a downtown arts and campus along the southside of Riverside Drive — close to the old creamery (the former Bullpen Pub) — at its Jan. 7 meeting.
The initial proposal has Bow Valley College, the Okotoks Public Library and a performing arts centre sharing an area and possibly all under one roof. A preliminary conceptual plan will be presented for council’s Feb. 25 meeting.
Okotoks CAO Elaine Vincent told council that Bow Valley College had expressed to the Town a need to expand from its current campus on Elizabeth Street.
“All of the options were taking them out of your Okotoks downtown,” Vincent said. “When we looked at those options we dreamed a little bit. And dreamed about the opportunity of being able to create a downtown learning and art campus.”
She said the proposal fits into council’s strategic plan.
“Your strategic plan really
highlighted the need for the Town to engage, promote and assist in seeking alternate infrastructure funding to meet the needs of arts, culture, recreation or non-for-profit groups,” Vincent told council.
The proposal definitely fits into the library’s strategy.
The library had a delegation supporting the motion at the Jan. 7 meeting. In October the library board announced its need to expand the present 14,531 square foot facility near Laurie Boyd Bridge.
“According to the Public Library Services branch for a community of our size we need quite a bit more space than we have now,” said Lara Grunow, interim library director in an interview on Jan. 14. “We are cramped for space…
“Our board did a survey and the majority of the residents responded they did not want the library to move from the downtown core.
“We are exceptionally happy that the Town is looking at making the downtown core the arts and learning campus. We fit in there really well.”
She said more than 20,000 square feet is recommended for a community the size of Okotoks.
Grunow added the library and its volunteers will continue to fundraise to contribute to any expansion.
Nicola Payton, president of Dewdney Players Group Theatre, said it would welcome a new facility.
It presently puts on its productions at the 130-seat Rotary Performing Arts Centre on Elma St.
“The facilities we have at the moment aren’t suitable for the kind of shows that Dewdney puts on,” Payton said. “We have the RPAC but we need better areas for putting on shows.”
She said the small stage at RPAC limits choirs from performing there.
As far as sharing facilities, there would need to be some issues to be ironed out.
“The problem some of our members have raised about using shared facilities with other groups is the availability,” Payton said. “Sharing in theory is a good idea, but it has to be worked out.”
Samantha Schellenberg of Bow Valley College was pleased to hear the announcement — more space is needed for the post-secondary institution.
"Bow Valley College is growing and the Okotoks Arts and Learning Campus provides an opportunity for us to continue serving the Foothills region,” she said in a prepared statement. “The college has reached capacity in its current location and is very supportive of the efforts of the Town of Okotoks to explore ideal leasing opportunities so we can expand our high-quality post-secondary programming.”
Okotoks councillor Tanya Thorn said she was “199 per cent in support,” of the motion, comparing the potential of the facility to help revitalize the downtown core, similar to what has happened with the new library in Calgary’s East Village.
Mayor Bill Robertson agreed that the facility would add to the downtown.
“A shared arts and learning campus would promote economic development, provide access to quality infrastructure that would foster a balanced community, and enhance the downtown core,” said Robertson in a prepared statement. “A shared space would also provide opportunities for the Town to seek alternate infrastructure funding to meet the needs of arts, culture, recreation, sports, and non-profit groups.”
Vincent said the strategy would not to take away any greenspace in the area. As well moving the facility closer to the old creamery, rather than at the present library, makes more sense in regards to flood protection.
The motion to explore the options for a learning facility-performing arts centre was unanimous among the six councillors and the mayor on Jan. 7.
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2018 Bow Valley College - Foothills Region Highlights
- Received national attention for becoming an Approved Education Provider with Transport Canada through a regional stewardship/continuing learning collaboration to make unmanned aircraft systems pilot Certification accessible to the public through the first of its kind industry partnership.
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Series and Small Business Advising offered with our Foothills community partners and The Business Link, Momentum, Thrive and BDC has been attended by over 100 small business owners and entrepreneurs based in the Foothills region over 2017-2018.
- The Foothills Children’s Wellness Network (FCWN) and Bow Valley College Foothills partnered together this past year to discuss ways to remove barriers to completing post-secondary education for rural learners working in early learning and child care education. The result was a regional redesign and pilot of Bow Valley College’s Early Learning and Child Care Certificate – Foothills, which was based at the Okotoks Campus starting fall 2018. The Certificate was delivered over 3 semesters, offered both traditional and online classes with added academic and technical supports for learners tackling online modules. The ELCC pilot allowed learners who were already working full time in the local community to study during the evenings and weekends while keeping their existing job. Rural practicum placements were permitted at licensed, accredited early child education centers throughout Okotoks, High River, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, and MD of the Foothills.
- This first time 2018 pilot received 44 applications and resulted in a full intake of 19 regional learners. Multiple learners were successfully sponsored by their employers to complete the program by using the Canada Alberta Job Grant tuition-sponsorship program. The result was a record-breaking success for a first time intake for Bow Valley College’s Regional Stewardship Department. This fall, the Foothills-based pilot will be expanding to other Regional Campuses across the department due to this success.
