Sherwood Park Minute: Bilateral Cooperation, Fieldhouse Funding, and a Tax Increase Approved

Sherwood Park Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Sherwood Park politics

This Week In Sherwood Park:

• There will be a Council Meeting on Tuesday at 9:00 am. The meeting will begin with a closed (secret) session, as Council has an initial meeting with a CAO Recruitment Consultant. An Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Board Update, a land matter, and seniors advocacy follow-up will also be discussed in the closed session. When the meeting opens up to the public, Council will discuss a borrowing bylaw to approve taking on debt for the design and construction of the Indoor Fieldhouse. There will also be a debrief on the 2025 budget process and a discussion about what Council would like to continue or change in upcoming years.
  
  
• Strathcona County is offering a variety of festive activities this season, according to Councillor Aaron Nelson. On December 7th, Christmas in the Country will take place across local communities, offering fun family activities, markets, and a visit from Santa. The CPKC Holiday Train will make its stop in Josephburg on December 12th, bringing musical performances. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Strathcona Wilderness Centre is offering snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and year-round camping, while local rinks have opportunities for skating. The County will close out the year with a family-friendly New Year’s Eve festival at Broadmoor Park on December 31st.
  
  
• The County is reminding residents to mark their calendars for winter and spring break recreation and culture program registration. Swimming registration opens on December 10th at 7:00 am while all other programs can be registered for starting December 12th at 7:00 am. You can view the available programs in advance online.

Last Week In Sherwood Park:

• Strathcona County's Budget 2025 has been approved with a 3.9% tax increase, slightly higher than initially planned due to additional funding for the local museum. The budget includes spending on the new agricultural facility, recreation levy for a fieldhouse, and enhanced cybersecurity. Despite inflation and reduced provincial funding, the County said they have worked to limit service cuts.
  
  
• A new memorandum of understanding was signed between Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association and South Korea’s Ulsan Free Economic Zone Authority. The memorandum aims to boost economic cooperation between the two industrial powerhouses. The agreement focuses on joint research, knowledge sharing, and collaboration in hydrogen development, clean chemicals, and sustainable industries. With both regions excelling in energy and petrochemicals, the partnership is expected to foster innovation and attract investment, particularly in clean energy. Strathcona County officials expressed optimism that this will lead to increased economic growth, new job opportunities, and expanded investment in the region.
  
  
• Edmonton and Strathcona County partnered up for the 30th annual Stuff-A-Bus campaign, collecting donations for local food banks, including the Strathcona Food Bank. The campaign saw buses from Edmonton Transit Service and Strathcona County Transit parked outside grocery stores to collect non-perishable food items. Since 1995, Stuff-A-Bus has gathered over 600,000 kg of food and more than $500,000 in donations. As food bank demand grows, Strathcona Food Bank helped over 1,600 people in September alone, highlighting the increasing need.