Wetaskiwin Tomorrow

First off – there is nothing “un”friendly or “un”welcoming about city hall. Whenever I need some direction I simply ask.
There is one thing that could be a little more obvious: who should I ask first? There doesn’t seem to be a main receptionist. It really doesn’t make much difference to me but it may be helpful for those who don’t enjoy public spaces.
It has always been a friendly atmosphere for me.

– Ted Hill from Draft Plan Comments

Unfortunately, this city is developing a reputation to the external world as being a location for frequent crime, substance abuse and addictions, and – in general – a city in decline with very few positive attributes. This is, in part, due to the high proportion of ‘bad news’ stories that make their way into the local papers and other news media. This isn’t the fault of the local media; they’re just doing their job. However, I think it would be exceptionally wise of the city to capitalize on a media liaison role and to have that person feed as many positive, newsworthy stories to the media as possible in a concerted effort to tip the balance of stories in a more positive direction.

On a beautiful winter Saturday afternoon (February 20, 2010) the Wetaskiwin Public Library opened up their doors to some of the city’s wide range of cultures and languages. The event, the Language Coffee House, was well attended and featured a number of language stations including Japanese, Spanish, French and Norsk.

In talking with people, one of the most common complaints about Wetaskiwin is that “there isn’t anything to do.” While this is definitely a concern, in some cases, the issue might just be about not knowing about what’s going on in the City and surrounding area.

So, the idea is simple — tell us what you like to do in Wetaskiwin.

It can be something easy (eg. ‘Go for a walk in Peace Hills Park’ ), seasonal (eg. ‘The Raw Hide Rodeo’), generational (something for teenagers, families, seniors), funny, boring, really it doesn’t matter — as long as its something to do.

Congratulations to Janice Chau who, in an extremely close vote and final decision, was named winner of the “What does your Wetaskiwin look like?” photo contest.

In winning the grand prize, Ms. Chau will receive $500 and any of the fame and glory that come from winning the photo contest.