What the future has in store for the Meadow Lake Civic Centre, city hall and the vacant land behind the new Co-op Centre may not be decided by city council, but by the people of Meadow Lake themselves. With the city relocating its offices to the Co-op Centre later this month, it remains unknown what will become of the current city hall. The same can be said for the Meadow Lake Civic Centre, as the Co-op Centre will include its own, state-of-the-arts events centre in the form of Legacy Hall. Meanwhile, the land behind the new facility remains empty and ready to be developed. In an effort to address these unknowns, the city has launched an online community spaces survey. The goal is to gather public feedback on how the residents of Meadow Lake believe these spaces should be utilized going forward.
“The community spaces survey is our first step in providing city council with critical feedback from the community on how they envision the future of key areas – the Civic Centre, the current city hall, and the yet-to-be-developed land behind the new Co-op Centre,” reiterated Gabriella Marsh, executive assistant for the City of Meadow Lake. “We want to ensure these spaces are vibrant, functional and reflective of Meadow Lake’s unique character.”
The survey asks residents to provide specific feedback. For instance, when it comes to the Civic Centre and the current city hall, residents are asked to identify and prioritize potential future roles for these buildings by selecting from a list of options such as community gathering spaces, a library, arts and culture hubs, residential or commercial uses or continued/specific city functions. Participants are then asked to detail why their top choice is important.
“Crucially, the survey gathers opinions on whether the city should retain and refurbish these buildings or consider selling them, outlining the potential implications of each path,” Marsh added. “For city hall specifically, it’s important to note – while this survey is live – the city also anticipates posting a request for proposals (RFP) to garner interest from potential purchasers or developers. The public’s survey feedback on their vision for city hall will be a crucial component for council in evaluating any proposals and in determining the future direction for the building, including if and to whom it might be sold.”
As for the undeveloped land behind the Co-op Centre, the survey invites residents to select their preferred types of developments or amenities from a list that includes options like parks and green spaces, walking/biking trails, playgrounds, community gardens, public art or various types of commercial and residential development. “There’s also a dedicated section prompting creative and detailed ideas for this new area, considering specific features, design elements or types of activities the space could accommodate,” Marsh noted. “We also provide an opportunity for residents to share any initial questions or concerns they have about the development of this land. Overall, beyond these specific questions, residents can provide additional open-ended comments about all three locations in order to share their full perspective.”
Residents can participate in the survey by visiting YourMeadowLake.ca/CommunitySpaces or, for those without access to a computer, they can also contact city hall for alternative ways to provide their feedback. The survey is open until July 4. “Gaining this diverse feedback is incredibly important,” Marsh said. “The perspectives and priorities of our residents are crucial for ensuring any development is community-driven and these spaces truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the people who live in Meadow Lake.” This was echoed by mayor Merlin Seymour. “The City of Meadow Lake is in the process of opening our new recreation facility, including the Moeller Hometown Arena, the InnovationPlex Fieldhouse, Legacy Hall, along with a new city hall,” Seymour said. “I know this new facility will attract not only the citizens of Meadow Lake, but our neighbours in the RM of Meadow Lake, Flying Dust First Nation as well as all of the surrounding communities. With the opening of this new facility, there leaves a question as to what will happen to the existing city hall and the Civic Centre. There have been many discussions at the council table with regard to this, and we felt it would only be appropriate to include the ideas of our community members. The survey can be found on our city website. Please take the time to complete the survey of not only these two facilities, but the area to the east, north and northeast of the new recreation centre. All of the survey results will be reviewed, and we will make a decision moving forward.”