Sustainability - Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

in the community> Wood Buffaloskates away withprestigious awardMayor Melissa Blake proudly accepted theOutstanding Achievement Award for the FortChipewyan ice initiative at the 2011 Minister of MunicipalAffairs’ Awards of Excellence at the Alberta UrbanMunicipalities Association (AUMA) convention held inCalgary Sept. 28-30.Fort Chipewyan’s Archie Simpson Arena’s syntheticice was cited as a leading practice by the AUMA. Apractical, economical and environmentally friendly alternative,synthetic ice was installed at the Archie SimpsonArena to provide increased, year-round recreationalopportunities for the residents.“Our Municipality prides itself on innovation and tobe recognized by the Province… is an honour,” MayorBlake said on accepting the award. “I am especiallyproud of our Municipal employees who thought outsidethe box to respond to the needs of our residents.”When the NHL-sized rink opened in 2010, it attractedconsiderable media attention and the Municipality hasbeen approached by other Canadian communities to offerinsight into its experience with synthetic ice.Four of approximately 40 participants at the Cultural Crossroads workshop collaborated to define ‘CulturalCompetency’. From left to right are: Linda Ryan, Wood Buffalo Police Services, Mary Thomas, KeyanoCollege Corporate Training, Marguerite Bloem, Wood Buffalo Planning and Carole Bouchard, Wood BuffaloCommunity Services.> Connecting with CultureWood Buffalo is noted for its cultural diversity,which was the focus of a Cultural CrossroadsWorkshop at the Merit Hotel on Oct. 6.Hosted by the Regional Municipality of WoodBuffalo and facilitated by the Centre of Race andCulture (CRC) the workshop explored culturalcompetency, diversity and inclusion practices inAlberta today.Ricardo Carlos and Ian Mathieson, CRCassociate directors, engaged with the audience of42 participants on how to maximize the advantagesand minimize the challenges of working with a diverseworkforce.Canada is often viewed internationally as abenchmark of cultural diversity.“The world is looking at Canada as the experimenton multiculturalism,” Ricardo Carlos said. “It hasn’tworked well in other countries because it hasn’t reallybeen thought about and talked about.”Carlos, a light-skinned man, said that when heopens his mouth and others hear his accent, peopleare taken aback. And then, when he says he’s fromMexico, people are even more perplexed. “They say Idon’t look like a Mexican,” says Carlos, “but what doesa Mexican look like?”Touchy topics such as racism were also discussed.Racism was defined as any action or practice consciousor subconscious, backed by a systematic or institutionalpower that subordinates people predominantly based ontheir colour or other physical attributes.Photo by Myra Ross> Future Forward PlaceThe newly renovated Municipal storefront at 9717 FranklinAve., with its open space design as the new work centre forComprehensive Planning (long-term planning), officially openedits doors to the public in September with a traditional ribboncuttingceremony. Shown left to right are: Rick Stuckenberg,Acting Manager of Community Development, Planning andDevelopment; Glen Laubenstein, Chief Administrative Officer;Mayor Melissa Blake; Dr. Samuel Alatorre, Director, Planningand Development; and Francisco Bermejo, Acting Manager ofComprehensive Planning, Planning and Development.Issue 5 | www.bigspirit.ca | Bigspirit 5