John Thompson and Hilary Richardson from the Cochrane Tourism Association (CTA) presented an overview of the destination marketing organization and its 2014 highlights.
The CTA applies for an annual operating grant from the town and will present their 2015 request at the budget deliberations this fall.
An independent, not-for-profit organization with one part-time paid staff member (executive director Richardson), the CTA is a virtual visitor information centre that seeks to promote tourism within the town of Cochrane year-round.
Highlights included a 14 per cent growth in membership; an expansion in provincial and national advertising; the development of a website; accelerated use of social media mediums (Twitter and Facebook); and the expanded advertising of the CTA’s ‘Hungry for Adventure’ campaign — which showcases a variety of tourist package options centered around adventure.
Out of its $170K annual budget, 29 per cent goes toward operating costs.
Council accepted the presentation as information.
Learn more at cochrane-tourism.ca.
The Cochrane Family Community and Support Services (FCSS) team made a series of presentations during the strategic planning segment at council Oct. 14.
Three presentations were made, beginning with one made by FCSS manager Susan Flowers highlighting the scope of community development and preventative programming that the community centre seeks to accomplish and expand upon each year.
FCSS staff work to connect Cochranites with basic needs — from childcare and family counselling to affordable housing and employment and beyond; the centre seeks to be a single access point for Cochrane and area residents and works on a referral system with other agencies and services.
Flowers highlighted that they are running at maximum capacity and that the local FCSS (as well as all Alberta FCSS centres) has not received a base funding increase since 2006.
“Our office is extremely maxed out,” said Flowers, adding that she hopes the expansion of social infrastructure would be included in future town planning.
Annemarie Tocher, coordinator at the Rocky View Family and Community Resource Centre, made the second presentation.
Tocher highlighted the in-home support program; the community support program; the scope of the community resource centre (696 new clients in the last year); partnerships with the Cochrane Activettes and Treasures For Your Home Society (Home Treasures); CAR (subsidized transportation program); the Backpack Program and Jacket Racket; and community development projects (‘Let’s Touch The Skies).
Kim Krawec with the Western Rocky View Parent Link Centre made the third presentation.
Krawec highlighted the explosive growth in users of the centre, which offers a variety of parenting, counselling and childhood development programs as well as a play centre free to the public.
A provincial advocacy campaign is currently underway by FCSS programs across the province to increase base funding.
All FCSS centres are partnerships between the province and their municipality.
