Featured Project: Crossfield Sustainability Plan

Overview

On December 15, 2009, the Town of Crossfield Council approved the Crossfield Sustainability Plan. That council meeting served as a milestone for the citizens of Crossfield, particularly the members of the Vision Committee and Action Groups who had worked on the Crossfield Sustainability Plan since March 2009. To those dedicated community members, that December council meeting represented more than the approval of a plan; it marked the beginning of Crossfield’s transition to a sustainable community.

Community Engagement

CITYTREND used a decentralized model of consultation to effectively engage the community of Crossfield. The successful, diverse engagement methods included:

• Ongoing work with the Vision Committee and Action Groups
  
• Direct engagement of students in the schools
• Collection of visioning forms
• Attendance at established community events (e.g., Rodeo Breakfast and Farmers Market)
• Print and radio media coverage
• The ilovecrossfield.com web site

The decentralized consultation was extremely effective in engaging the people of Crossfield. On a per capita basis, a higher percentage of Crossfield’s population participated in the Crossfield Sustainability Plan than any other sustainability plan in the Calgary region.

Tangible and achievable benefits to the Town of Crossfield include a strong foundation of community engagement and established policy development. In addition, it provided direction for planning projects such as the Municipal Development Plan and the Downtown and Entrance Area Redevelopment Plan.

During the visioning stage, more than 250 community members contributed their ideas to the long-term vision for Crossfield. Even conservative estimates of time donated by the community rack up an impressive 800 volunteer hours.

The Crossfield Sustainability Plan provides a strong basis for future community engagement and Crossfield’s sustainable future. It’s success was rewarded by receiving the AUMA's 2010 Municipal Sustainability - Visionary Communities Award.