Going to Council tomorrow.
Background
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_governme...-strategy.aspx
http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/c...2042449752.PDF
WinterCity Strategy -
For the Love of Winter: Strategy
for Transforming Edmonton into a
World-Leading Winter City
Recommendation:
That Community Services Committee
recommend to City Council:
1. That Attachment 1 the October 23,
2012, Community Services report
2012CSS015, outlining the WinterCity
Strategy, be received for information.
2. That Administration work
collaboratively with key partners and
stakeholders on a detailed
implementation plan for the
WinterCity Strategy.
Report Summary
This report provides an overview of
the WinterCity Strategy which is a
community-led initiative that has
been developed by the WinterCity
Think Tank. The strategy sets
direction to transform Edmonton into
a world leading winter city and to
encourage citizens to embrace and
engage in winter.
Report
Background
• The WinterCity Strategy is the result
of a nearly year-long consultative
process that was creative, diverse
and broad in its reach. It is built from
the ground up, reflecting local assets
and issues, and telling Edmonton’s
unique winter story.
• In November 2011, a WinterCity
Think Tank made up of community
leaders (volunteers) was formed to
lead the development of this
strategy.
• Embracing winter offers new
opportunities: economically, socially
and culturally. By adopting the
WinterCity Strategy, Edmonton’s
liveability and capacity to grow and
advance the local economy are
improved. While all ten strategy
goals speak directly to winter, their
implementation will positively impact
the quality of life in the city year-
round.
• The strategy touches on many areas
and it is also as much about shifting
Edmonton’s culture as it is about
changing the way we plan, program,
develop and redevelop the city.
Strategy Goals:
• The strategy identifies ten goals,
each with a number of associated
action items to be implemented
(Attachment 1). The ten goals are
divided into four themes or pillars as
follows:
Pillar A: Winter Life
Goal 1 – Make it Easier to “Go Play
Outside”: Provide More
Opportunities for Outdoor Activity
Goal 2 – Improve Winter
Transportation for Pedestrians,
Cyclists and Public Transit Users
Pillar B: Winter Design
Goal 3 – Design Our Communities
for Winter Safety and Comfort
Goal 4 – Incorporate Urban Design
Elements for Winter Fun, Activity,
Beauty and Interest
Pillar C: Winter Economy
Goal 5 – Increase the Capacity and
Sustainability of Edmonton’s Winter
Festivals
4
Goal 6 – Develop a Four-Seasons
Patio Culture
Goal 7 – Become a World Leader in
Innovative Winter Related
Business/Industry
Pillar D: Our Winter Story
Goal 8 – Celebrate the Season and
Embrace Daily Living in a Cold
Climate
Goal 9 – Promote Edmonton’s Great
Northern Story, Locally, Nationally
and Internationally
Goal 10 – Kick Start and Lead
Implementation of Edmonton’s
Northern City Strategy: Apply a
Winter Lens to our City
Current City Actions:
• From the City’s standpoint, much
work is already underway
contributing to the goals of creating a
world-leading winter city. These
include, but are not limited to:
1. Providing many opportunities for
winter recreation in the city.
2. Supporting several successful
winter festivals with the
Edmonton Arts Council.
3. Making significant improvements
to snow removal practices.
4. Examining and considering
changes to the regulations for
outdoor patios.
Next Steps:
• The strategy offers a bold vision and
has built momentum in the
community. Edmonton is poised to
become a truly great northern city,
but will require sustained effort to
realize its full potential as a world-
leading winter city.
• Pending support of City Council, the
next step is to begin work on a
detailed implementation plan.
• To achieve the culture change
envisioned, implementation needs to
involve key partners including the
Edmonton Economic Development
Corporation, the Edmonton
Federation of Community Leagues,
the winter festival producers, local
businesses, the media, thought
leaders, not-for-profit and community
groups, and individual citizens.
• For many of the actions contained in
the strategy, the recommended
leads are either a WinterCity
Advisory Council and/or a WinterCity
Coordinator. The coordinator would
take the lead in developing the
detailed implementation plan, would
liaise with others regarding the
community projects that are quick
wins, and generally focus on overall
delivery of implementation plans.
Policy
• The WinterCity Strategy is directly
referenced in The Way We Live.
Strategic Policy Direction (5.2.5)
which states that the City of
Edmonton “promotes and celebrates
winter and Edmonton’s status as a
winter city”.
• The WinterCity Strategy aligns with
all of the six goals of The Way We
Live that envision Edmonton as a
vibrant, connected, engaged and
welcoming community, as well as a
safe and attractive city. These are all
directly connected to the goals of the
WinterCity Strategy.
Corporate Outcomes
• Transforming Edmonton’s Urban
Form
dmonton into a World-Leading Winter City
• Improving Edmonton’s Livability
• Shifting Edmonton’s Transportation
Mode
• Ensuring Edmonton’s Financial
Sustainability
• Diversifying Edmonton’s Economy
• Preserving and Sustaining
Edmonton’s Environment
Public Consultation
• Through the work of a WinterCity
Think Tank, a comprehensive public
consultation process reached out to
over 700 people in various creative
ways, and has informed the Think
Tank’s deliberations in developing
the ten goals.
• The multi-faceted consultation
helped to lay the groundwork for
implementation. The discussions that
occurred were an important part of
beginning to shift the city’s winter
culture, and have generated energy
and momentum.
Budget/Financial Implications
• Implementation of many of the action
items in the strategy requires
operating and/or capital budget
dollars. These specific amounts will
be identified and prioritized as a part
of the work on the detailed
implementation plan and in
conjunction with the budget process.
• Administration has submitted an
unfunded service package for 2013
($362,000) to deliver on specific
foundational components of the
WinterCity Strategy including:
1. the creation of a WinterCity
Advisory Council to champion,
lead and oversee implementation
of the strategy
2. a WinterCity Coordinator to
support the work of the Advisory
Council
3. a variety of WinterCity community
projects including City Hall free
skate, neighbourhood and
community league creative
projects/events/workshops, public
education initiatives to inform and
educate people about winter life
in the city (social media, winter
mentor program, website, host
"lunch and learns")
• Support for this service package
would help to protect the investment
to-date and ensure the successful
implementation of the strategy.
Justification of Recommendation
1. The report demonstrates City
Council’s commitment to transforming
Edmonton into a world-leading winter
city.
2. Approval of the recommendation will
enable Administration to determine
the timelines and resources to
achieve the goals and work
collaboratively with other key partners
and stakeholders on the
implementation of the WinterCity
strategy.
Attachments
1. For the Love Of Winter: Strategy for
Transforming Edmonton into a
World-Leading Winter City – The
Report of the WinterCity Think Tank
2. Edmonton WinterCity Strategy
Consultation Summary
Others Reviewing this Report
• D. H. Edey, General Manager,
Corporate Services
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