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Council Strategic Plan 2021-2025

Cardston's Community Vision

Cardston: a safe, inclusive, family-oriented community seeking vibrant, healthy, and sustainable opportunities for current and future generations.

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Strategic Goals to 2025

Strategic goals are higher order objectives that must be accomplished for success of the vision; goals emphasize specific areas of focus over four years. Strategic goals are not comprehensive of all that we do, but highlight where focus is required.

Outcomes are a description of the end result of what will occur when a goal is reached. Strategic initiatives are higher-level actions that move us toward the achievement of a goal.

Council has set goals in the following areas:

  • Safety
  • Recreation
  • Utility Infrastructure
  • Community Development
  • Inter-government Relations

Safety

Goal

Improve both the perception and reality of safety concerns for the residents, businesses and visitors throughout all areas of the community.

Outcome

Support the work of the RCMP in the community by facilitating initiatives that increase public safety in all areas of the community. Continually work with community stakeholders to strengthen and maintain programs such as Citizens on Patrol and Block Parent. Work with the downtown businesses and with Town policy to implement “crime reduction by environmental design” strategies. Work with RCMP, CPO and volunteers to enhance visibility of enforcement in the downtown core and parks system to improve safety and perceived safety.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Facilitate greater understanding with Council and the general public on the roots of the vagrancy issue, and the challenges associated with improving the vagrancy situation.
  • Host meetings with relevant stakeholders regarding the vagrancy issue. This includes RCMP, AHS, Blood Tribe Council, Municipal department coordinators, enforcement, etc.
  • Develop a Main Street redevelopment plan with a focus on the following areas:
    • Safety via environmental design;
    • Pedestrian safety via improved pedestrian corridors, lighting and controls;
    • Traffic safety via improved lighting and traffic control devices;
    • Fire hydrant and fire flows improvement;
    • Other utility / infrastructure related items as discussed in that respective section.
  • Review bylaws and policy (and amend where required) related to unsightly premises and graffiti.
  • Work with RCMP and CPO to increase foot traffic and visibility on Main Street during business hours.
  • Look at the implementation and/or enhanced support of community safety initiatives such as COP and Block Parent.
  • Review the design of pathways and park / playground areas to consider safety by environmental design. Seek improvements where needed.

Recreation

Goal

Maintain existing infrastructure while enhancing recreation facilities, opportunities and programming.

Outcome

Continue to improve and update the recreation master plan including golf course assets. Establish effective and ongoing ways to receive valuable input from the community regarding recreation needs. Establish better processes / protocols for the engagement of community champions, committee ideas and other inputs.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Improve the communication interface between the community, parks & recreation committee, Administration and Council to better facilitate community champions and new recreation ideas. Work toward new policy or protocol as a deliverable.
  • Do a high level plan of all current redevelopment ideas for the creek valley including dog park, disc golf, bike park, and walking / biking trails, Lions Park. Engage with stakeholders including Westwind School Division.
  • Work toward getting new golf course clubhouse operational by 2023 season.
  • Do an analysis of all existing programming and facility capacity to ensure high utilization.

Utility Infrastructure

Goal

Well-planned and maintained municipal infrastructure.

Outcome

Enhance and protect the community by continuing to pursue asset management best practice including the update of the infrastructure master plan. Plans will be in place for infrastructure improvements in the downtown core including water, storm and fire suppression. Using utility rates, grants and taxes, work to maintain healthy reserve accounts for future infrastructure replacement.

Strategic Initiatives 

  • Update to the Infrastructure Master Plan in 2022.
  • In addition to the items of the main street redevelopment plan (mentioned in the “safety” category), also analyze improvements to overland drainage, fire suppression, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, walkways and paving.
  • Continue to develop asset management program with the initial focus on water, wastewater, and roads.
  • Investigate options for partnerships with new residential and commercial developers.

Community Development

Goal

Enhance Cardston’s position as a great place to visit, live, work and invest.

Outcome

Review the Town’s involvement in development of land for housing or business. Look at Town investment from a “return on investment” perspective including both financial and social benefit. Determine appropriate partnerships for projects such as fiber to the home and industrial & residential development.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Investigate and consider bylaws and strategies from other municipalities regarding development cost sharing, community development corporations, and tax incentive programs.
  • Formalize the west industrial area sale and development plan.
  • Investigate logistics and costs of historical signage on main street (downtown core) buildings.
  • Perform an analysis of the activities, facilities or events that are driving economic activity. This can be used to guide future support and investment.
  • Develop a new community tourism marketing initiative to attract travelers, particularly as travel begins to open back up post covid-19.
  • Review the role and health of local and regional industry stakeholders including the  Tourism & Economic Development Advisory Committee, Chamber of Commerce, REDAS. Look to help and increase support where appropriate.
  • Formalize design, costs and plan for deployment of fibre optic capability to all areas of the Town. Seek funding and partners.
  • Explore the future position of the Town on the matter of prohibition.

Inter-governmental Relationships

Goal

Foster a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with the Blood Tribe, Cardston County, and Province.

Outcome

Maintain constructive dialogue with the County on the ICF and other matters of mutual interest. Develop through committee, or other means, a method of establishing communication with Blood Tribe Chief and Council in order to effectively work on matters of mutual interest. Develop a method for consistent and relevant input and collaboration with First Nation residents, and Blood Tribe neighbours. Maintain a respectful working relationship with the Province of Alberta including departments such as Municipal Affairs and all grant-issuing departments.

Strategic Initiatives

  • County:
    • Finalize water agreement;
    • Commence joint donation committee in 2022;
    • Meet as ICF committee annually.
  • Blood Tribe:
    • Develop Memorandum of Understanding similar to Lethbridge;
    • Work toward development of Truth and Reconciliation Committee;
    • Council to review all recommendations from T&R commission to determine what applies to Town of Cardston;
    • Maintain and enhance culturally appropriate learning opportunities for Council, Staff and residents.
  • Province:
    • Seek opportunities to send the position of council on important matters to provincial ministries.