Sherwood Park Minute: Merry Christmas, Kitchen Program, and the Transit Master Plan

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

This Week In Sherwood Park:

• It’s Christmas on Wednesday. Thank you to every single one of our readers and supporters who reached out, donated, volunteered, or shared our content this year. We appreciate every single one of you and hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with friends and family. Merry Christmas!
  
  
• We don’t often use these weekly emails to explicitly ask for support, but we’re in the middle of our year-end fundraiser, and we’ve set a goal to raise $5,000 by December 31st. This is a critical time for non-profits, and reaching our goal will ensure we can continue the important work we do. If you value what we bring to the table and want to see us keep going, please consider making a donation today. Every bit helps, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. You can contribute by clicking here. Thank you!
  
  
• There are no Council or Committee meetings this week. Regularly scheduled meetings will resume in January.

Last Week In Sherwood Park:

• Strathcona County's Transit Master Plan (TMP) was approved by Council, setting a course for the area's transportation services over the next two decades. The plan includes expanding service to areas like Ardrossan, Cambrian Crossing, Hillshire, and Bremner, while also transitioning to zero-emission buses and enhancing mobility bus services. Public feedback highlighted a need for more reliable services, extended evening and weekend hours, and better coordination with Edmonton's transit system. The TMP also recommends infrastructure upgrades, including new terminals, and outlines the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles to support the fleet. Mayor Rod Frank emphasized the importance of ongoing public consultation to ensure the plan meets evolving community needs.
  
  
• Bar OA Farms in Strathcona County received the Culinary Tourism Experience award at the Canadian Tourism Awards. The farm, owned by Bryanna Kumpula-Yung, has quickly become a local gem, offering unique culinary experiences like moon dinners, garden parties, and picnics featuring edible flowers from the farm. Starting in 2017 as a flower-growing project for a wedding, Bar OA Farms has grown into a full-fledged agricultural tourism destination.
  
  
• Strathcona Christian Academy’s new community kitchen program has allowed students to support underserved populations through meal preparation and distribution. Partnering with Sherwood Park Alliance Church’s We Care program, students create hundreds of meals weekly, including bagged lunches, soups, and reheatable dinners for youth drop-in centers and families in need. Participants have expressed how the experience has reshaped their perspectives and deepened their compassion for those facing challenges.