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UNFORGETABLE MOMENTS
VOLUME 78
NUMBER 06
20 PAGES
Thursday, Th rsda February Febr ar 7, 7 2013
www.sylvanlakenews.com
FREE
Exchange - Momoe Hamada, a Japanese exchange student of HJ Cody School, stands outside Steffie Woima Elementary School, where she spent the morning of Jan. 30 talking to students. Hamada said snow is one of the things she likes most about Canada. See story on page 11.
STUART FULLARTON
Results of study reveal more public awareness needed by Treena Mielke Black Press
More public awareness may help bridge the gap between a perceived lack of services in the community and the reality of what is already out there. The results of a $35,000 community needs assessment study completed by HarGroup Management Consultants show that just under half of the respondents don’t know what programs and services are offered. While respondents said they wanted more drop-in sports and arts activities,
report findings indicated the respondents weren’t aware of what was already available. Newspapers, program services brochures and the town’s website were most commonly used to access information. Several participants who said they had visited the Sylvan Lake Community Centre to access information noted they were pleased with the quality and quantity of the information available. However, in many cases, residents who hold these concerns have not accessed community and social programs and services, the report findings state. Community and social development director, Marlene Curtis said increasing awareness will be a priority
for her department. “We will be using the report to identify these areas (where awareness is needed) and look at ways to increase the profile,” she said. “We really want people to be aware of what’s out there and we want to fill in the gaps for the services that are missing. That was the whole purpose of the survey.” The study showed that, overall, residents have a strong sense of community and more than half the respondents indicated someone in their household volunteered. Despite a perceived lack of child care spaces, a concern about a shortage of senior housing and no acute care centre, the results of the study show residents, overall, are
happy living in Sylvan Lake and a strong sense of community exists. The report states Sylvan Lake’s small/ rural atmosphere, scenic beauty and recreational opportunities make it an appealing place to live. Challenges identified by residents who completed the survey appeared to be universal in nature and included being physically inactive and gaining or losing too much weight. Too much stress, not being able to save for retirement, lack of sleep, too much debt and not having access to healthy food were other challenges identified. Continued on page 9.