Feature Story
Wildfire
Legacy
Slave Lake community investment bears fruit with vibrant new legacy centre
In May 2011, wildfires roared through the town of Slave Lake and surrounding municipal district of Lesser Slave River #124. The devastation to homes and buildings was immense in dollar value and daunting in scale and severity. More than 400 residences were destroyed or damaged and some residents are still living in interim accommodation while rebuilding. In the aftermath of the fires, leaders from twelve oil and gas companies joined together and provided a combined $6.4 million donation. The monies were given to provide start-up capital for a proposed new community centre. “It was a special moment and somewhat unique,” notes Tricia Donnelly, the CAPP manager responsible for the Slave Lake file. “Companies typically act very independently when it comes to making community investments. It was heartening to see companies collaborating with each other on something of this scale.” CAPP, uniquely positioned by virtue of its role as an industry association connected to all the contributors, acted as secretariat — coordinating communication and administrative tasks associated with the donation. “The wildfires had a terrible impact on the Slave Lake region with great loss of homes, businesses and public infrastructure,” said Bill Clapperton, Vice President of Regulatory, Stakeholder and Environmental Affairs at Canadian Natural. “Our company is very committed to investing in the communities where we work, and the Town of Slave Lake and surrounding communities are key centres for our operations in North-Central Alberta.” “Slave Lake is an important operational region for Penn West but, more important, it is home to many of our employees, contractors and stakeholders. 18
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Our contribution was not just another community investment but a personal one,” said Keith Luft, Senior Vice President Corporate Services and General Counsel at Penn West. “Investing in the communities we live and work in is a cornerstone of our corporate values.”
Since that initial funding announcement, the project has evolved, thanks to ongoing community feedback and fundraising. Architectural firm Manasc Isaac was brought in. They consulted with residents via a series of workshops and information sessions. Recently,
The centre will be both a symbol of resiliency and a very practical space to be used over and over again by area residents. “Like everyone else, we were shocked by the devastating impact of the wildfires,” said Leanne Courchesne, Cenovus Group Lead, Community Investment, “Cenovus believes that making a meaningful commitment to the region to help it recover from this traumatic event was simply the right thing to do.” Receiving the donation on behalf of residents was the Tri-Council, a collaborative entity formed to deal with the aftermath of the fires. The council consists of a partnership among the Town of Slave Lake, the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River #124, and the Sawridge First Nation. In response to the generous donation made in November 2012, the Tri-Council came up with the vision for a community centre that would support the region’s ongoing recovery.
the architects and representatives of the Tri‑Council unveiled designs for an impressive new building to be built on the site of the old Elks Lodge. The building, to be named the Wildfire Legacy Centre, will be a multi-purpose, family-oriented space that includes a daycare and playground, a theatre/ arts space, and a FireSmart information centre. Bisecting the middle of the building, along an east-west axis, will be a spacious atrium acting as a main hall and community gathering area. At the north end, a multipurpose performing arts hall large enough for 500 guests will be constructed. The hall will have the ability to host a larger range of functions, inclusive of those traditionally held by the Elks Lodge, including the Mother’s Day lobster banquet, cultural nights and concerts. With its larger capacity and capp.ca/context