New town council was given a better glimpse into the service needs and gaps of the community they now represent.
Kim Krawec, manager of Cochrane Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), was on deck at Tuesday night council to deliver a summary of the 2016 Cochrane Cares: Regional Well-Being Review – a comprehensive survey commissioned by FCSS in early 2017.
The survey included 1,267 respondents from a broad age and socio-economic spectrum.
Coun. Tara McFadden, who is serving her fourth term on town council, requested the presentation with the express desire that the findings of the report provide perspective to her fellow councillors.
“I think sometimes the FCSS role and what they bring to Cochrane is not always clearly understood by council,” said McFadden, adding that the needs identified through the survey were given more credence through the election process – as the themes were consistent.
The seven key issues identified through the survey included traffic; accelerated growth; public transportation; affordable housing, including seniors housing; affordable programs; urban sprawl and need for better community connectivity; and improved health services including 24-hour urgent care, senior, hospice and pre-natal care.
“We just can’t put that GreenTRIP funding off any longer,” said McFadden, who is anxious for the extensive public engagement piece regarding transit – a topical election item that the new council is yet to debate, but will be a hot topic this weekend during budget deliberations.
McFadden noted that four out of seven of the key issues experienced by the Cochrane Cares respondents would be addressed by getting buses on the roads.
Coun. Susan Flowers is in agreement.
The newly-elected councillor hung up her hat as FCSS manager this summer after 22 years.
Remarking on how different it feels to sit on the other side of the presentation, Flowers said she was pleased to see council to “see that social side and what the needs are” coming out of the gate.
Flowers feels strongly that now is the time to implement some form of public transit and is anxious to set those wheels into motion.
Cochrane FCSS is requesting $364,054 from the 2018 town budget, which includes what is perceived as a small increase of $8,372.
The funding partnership for FCSS operations is 80 per cent provincial and 20 per cent municipal. On average, FCSS brings in around $1.5 million in grant funding to offer social programs.
Unique to Alberta, FCSS organizations offer preventative social programs, volunteer support programs and various community and outreach initiatives through their Resource Centre and Parent Link Centre.
