Calgary, AB,
09
November
2015
|
13:00
America/Denver

Calgarians asked to help develop the Cultural Plan for Calgary

The City of Calgary is developing a Cultural Plan for Calgary that will look at our cultural resources as they currently stand, identify gaps, and plan for future needs and opportunities. In order to ensure the resulting plan reflects the voice of citizens, Calgarians are invited to engage in the cultural planning process, tell their stories and share comments and ideas.

Throughout November, citizens may participate in person at one of six community sounding sessions across the city, contribute to an online discussion forum through The City’s engage! portal, or answer a telephone survey conducted by Forum Research.

The important input gathered from Calgarians will help The City to identify perceptions of culture and its value to making a great city, as well as to collect ideas and aspirations for Calgary’s cultural future.

“Calgary’s culture is as diverse as our population,” says Sarah Iley, manager of Culture. “There are over 120 languages spoken in Calgary and culture finds its expression through art, fashion, dance, film, parks, festivals, cultural celebrations, heritage buildings, literary programs, architecture, walking and cycling events, community theatre, powwows and even pancake breakfasts.”

The Cultural Plan is a first for Calgary, but has been an important planning tool in many other Canadian municipalities such as St. John’s, Montreal, Toronto, Saskatoon and Vancouver. As Calgary and its culture continue to grow, evolve and diversify, the Cultural Plan will help provide a collective vision for growing our city’s future cultural resources.

“As our city and its culture continues to grow and evolve, the development of a Cultural Plan gives us an opportunity to define what makes Calgary special and how we can improve the quality of life for our rapidly growing and diverse population which includes First Nations people as well as newcomers,” says Iley.

A key issue being addressed by the Cultural Plan is how Calgary can build capacity to “plan culturally.” This refers to how both The City and key partner agencies might better integrate cultural priorities, goals and opportunities across a wide range of planning activities enabling and encouraging considerations of culture to be at the centre of planning initiatives moving forward.

The Cultural Plan for Calgary will support long-term planning, but will also provide specific recommendations and actions to be implemented over the next 10 years.

More information on the Cultural Plan for Calgary and engagement opportunities is available at calgary.ca/culturalplan.