Left - Irvine's Woodward Memorial Park has long been a gathering place for the community. Once a lumber yard, the park features several trees planted by area residents roughly 100 years ago, and once featured a wading pool.
Right - The $1.5 million grant-funded centre will house the Irvine Community Library and several public meeting spaces. - SUBMITTED IMAGE/NEWS PHOTO
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Irvine and area residents opposing placement of a new community resource centre are seeking additional opportunities to engage with and voice concerns to Cypress County ahead of construction. But the County says residents already had opportunities to share their feedback, and any remaining concerns relating to construction are being addressed with primary stakeholders.
Approved for construction by Cypress County council in November, the $1.5 million grant-funded centre is set to be located on the current site of Irvine’s historic Woodward Memorial Park and playground.
“There is extensive research done into where (the centre’s) location was going to be,” Cypress County Reeve Dan Hamilton told the News. “It’s been two to three years of just looking at locations. It was a decision that wasn’t made lightly. But it was a decision that was unanimous by council.”
Hamilton says a variety of factors were considered when evaluating prospective sites, including renovation potential of existing buildings, accessibility, potential for flooding, as well as resident feedback.
“Every year from 2017, once a year we had consultation with Irvine.” Hamilton said. “There was an open house done … There was surveys. So, this has been extensively done.”
But while Hamilton asserts the community was made aware of developments in the resource centre project, several community members say not enough information was shared prior to construction approval.
“There was a meeting at the (existing) library in April last year,” Irvine resident Marina Cole said. “And that was the only meeting that the county had based in the community.
“There were two councillors at the meeting and the CAO. And what was frustrating was that they were not listening to what we were saying and basically saying ‘It’s (going to be placed) here or nowhere.'”
Following the open house, Cole and several other members started a petition, which read: “With this petition we are not disputing the need or wanting of the library. We are disputing projected placement of the library.”
Containing approximately 75 names with phone numbers, a virtual copy of the petition was forwarded to a county council member on June 2, 2022, with the implication by the council member and understanding of organizers that it would be brought forward during the next scheduled meeting.
But, having not been submitted in accordance with Alberta’s Municipal Government Act guidelines, the petition never made its way to the table.
Following the open house, a letter of concern over loss of the memorial park was also sent (in accordance with MGA guidelines) to the county from the Irvine and District Lion’s Club, which oversees the park’s playground.
The county says it has been recently collaborating with the Lion’s Club to address concerns outlined, as well as select a location for a new park, to which the county says the club is in agreement. However the club, as a whole, disputes that claim.
“Our stance always has been that it needs to be a left as our park,” club president Dennis Bollinger said. “We don’t dispute that a library or a centre is needed in the community, but there should be other locations to put it that would be more appropriate without taking the park.”
With so much division still surrounding the project, Cole is calling on the county to meet with residents once more to share information, answer questions and record feedback.
“I think a community meeting would be good, because then you can get all sides of the story,” she said. “Have a sit down with everyone and have all the information brought out and answers questions from the community, so that everything can be clarified.”
