Outdoor recreation takes centre in municipal cultural plan
M. McKinnon
Four major opportunities and four “big ideas” form the heart of Atikokan’s first municipal cultural plan.
The plan is the fruit of the work of the Spirit of Atikokan committee, consultant Gord Hume, Museum curator Catherine Reilly, and through a broad consultation process (over 400 Atikokanites contributed in one form or another), the community at large.
The result is a long-term strategy for making Atikokan a more attractive place to live, primarily by building on what Atikokanites already love about the place. And outdoor recreation – everything from hunting and fishing to canoeing and snowmobiling – takes centre stage.
“The definition of culture for Atikokan is a unique one… it is predominantly that of outdoor recreation,” Gord Hume told Council Monday. “That relationship with the land goes back generations. To be blunt, if you don’t enjoy a vigorous outdoor recreation lifestyle, you probably won’t like living in Atikokan.”
“Culture and the wilderness are linked inextricably, and the recreation opportunities and lifestyles that have emerged from the proximity to the physical environment have become the local definition of culture.”
The plan calls on the community to build on that passion for outdoor recreation and gradually develop broader support for the “various forms of the arts, creative activities, more children’s cultural opportunities, and so on.”
“It is not one or the other,” said Hume, referring to the mix of outdoor recreation and more traditional cultural pursuits in the plan. “Both outdoor recreation and arts programs will help to make the town more attractive to potential new residents and families.”
Opportunities
The plan sees the +potential rebirth of mining here as an opportunity for the community to focus on attracting new residents, rather than allowing Atikokan to become one of those “bedroom communities for young people to fly into and out of [for work].”
Making the community more attractive, physically, culturally and socially, are the aim of the ‘big ideas’ as well as all 33 recommendations (see page 6) with the report.
A mining start would also be a good chance to broaden the economic base here. The plan advocates stronger support for the tourism sector, and suggests recruiting a college or university partnership (mining or outdoor recreation would be naturals).
The plan does not ignore the physical challenges. It calls on the town to repeat the successful redevelopment of the Charleson Recreation Area in other places, especially the town gateways and downtown. It suggests “reconnecting” with the Atikokan River (public dock, clean-up, etc.), committing to developing (and caring for) more public art, and developing the new recreation and wellness centre (more on the latter in the big ideas).
Finally, the report urges the community to put “a greater focus on supporting the arts, heritage, social and cultural opportunities that will make the town more appealing to new residents and the more diverse population that will inevitably arrive.”
“This will take some years to accomplish, but it is important that the town both recognize and move to support these directions,” said Hume. “The report offers a number of recommendations to assist in your strategic and budget planning.”
Big ideas
In addition to the specific recommendations, the report offers what it calls four big ideas.
The first of these concerns the plans for a new arena and redevelopment of the pool, which aims to eventually become a full fitness facility. The plan recommends including the library as part of the complex, as a number of communities (Middlesex, Terrace Bay, Dryden, Kenora) have done to great effect. The proposal is a little broader than just moving the library, however; it envisions making the new facility as much a cultural centre that supports local arts, heritage and native culture programs, as a physical activity centre.
Doing that will allow the Civic Centre area (Museum, Historical Park, Library, Pioneer Centre) to be turned into a heritage and outdoor centre. The Town could work on attracting the Quetico Provincial Park office, develop a canoeing and/or outdoor recreation interpretive centre, build a town dock, and establish other public park amenities in the area.
“This would result in two strong new civic anchors at each end of the downtown, which would encourage people to walk down Main Street, which provides added value to the merchants and store owners.”
Big idea number three concerns more strongly linking Atikokan with Quetico and Turtle River provincial parks.
Make “Atikokan more truly the ‘Gateway to Quetico’ through a new road by the tourist booth, and create a new master plan for the lands around that area and for the main Highway 11 access into Atikokan,” said Hume.
Finally, Atikokan should commit to becoming a ‘world-class recreation destination’.
“This will take time, will mean new partnerships with tourism and community leaders on both sides of the border, and will mean investments in significantly improving the tourism infrastructure locally. Right now it is very weak,” said Hume.
“That will also mean public and private sector partners, it will mean a more sharply focused advertising campaign, and it will mean regional thinking and development. But if you are going to defend your ‘Canoeing Capital of Canada’ designation, and grow the town in interesting new cultural and recreational ways, Atikokan must become more aggressive in its tourism focus and marketing efforts.”
What next
Hume emphasized that the plan was a living document that should change and grow as the community develops.
“Any good cultural plan is fluid, expanding – a starting point, not an end point. Beginning to look at municipal decisions through a cultural lens will mean some new thinking,” he said. “At the end of the day, this is about changing Atikokan and having the community want to advance and develop its cultural, economic and social opportunities.”
Council accepted the plan, as well as Hume’s suggestions for following up on its implementation. Town managers will use it as a guide in their activities and budget planning, and work with Council on achieving the ends it sets out. The Spirit of Atikokan committee, which started the whole municipal cultural planning process about two years ago, will stay involved as an advisory body, meeting occasionally with Town managers and Council.
And although Council has accepted the plan, it has not specifically endorsed any of the big ideas or recommendations it contains. Each of them will have to be fit into ongoing Town – and community – efforts as the future unfolds.
Summary of recommendations and suggested time lines (from appendix 3 of the final report, A Cultural Plan for Atikokan):
#1: Work with tourism and recreational experts to develop a stronger web presence and information base to promote Atikokan as a year-round home and destination of world-class outdoor recreation. (2012-13)
#2: Develop a comprehensive plan to reconnect the town with the Atikokan River. (2013-15)
#3 Establish a joint working task force to report on business and tourism opportunities for Atikokan and regional provincial parks, to report back by October, 2012. (2012)
#4 Support and implement the Heart of the Continent initiatives. (2012-15)
#5 Establish partnering relationships with Ely, Minnesota and other gateway communities. (2012-15)
#6 Explore green technology and energy opportunities with parks and outdoor living. (2013-14)
#7 Request that the consultants for the Official Plan review consider the lands around the Tourist Booth be developed, including for a trail system, with a future view of the province developing a road/gateway into QPP. (2012)
#8 Encourage and promote Atikokan/Quetico/Boundary Waters Canoe Area as a world-class outdoor recreation destination. (2015…)
#9 Atikokan and the AEDC pursue a formal opportunity for a satellite facility of some kind with NORCAT in Sudbury to become the regional partner for training and certifying mining workers. (2012-14)
#10 Atikokan and partners seek to expand the outdoor recreation education experience into a stronger, more defined college/university program, based in the area. (2013-16)
#11 Support and foster a more entrepreneurial spirit in the community, particularly with young people and start-up businesses. (2013…)
# 12: Work with the regional health unit to develop a sustainable food strategy for Atikokan and develop regional food thinking. (2013-14)
#13 Ask the Spirit of Atikokan committee to research and recommend a Public Art policy for Atikokan. (2013)
#14 Town Council establishes a new Public Art Reserve Fund, with contributions coming from a new 1% allocation from major, above-ground public projects, donations and private sector bonusing commitments. (2013)
#15 Town Council to develop a plan to repair/repaint, replace or let the murals go. (2012-13)
#16 The Spirit of Atikokan group be asked to spearhead a summit with Linda Albright, director of the Children for the Arts national program, to include school and community representatives, to develop a strategic plan for more and better opportunities and support for children’s arts and creative opportunities. (2012-13)
#17 The Museum Curator, Chief Librarian and Town Clerk be asked to develop a web hub for the cultural community of Atikokan housed on the town’s website. (2012-13)
#18 The Town of Atikokan lead discussions with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture for an expanded project of northern Ontario communities being visited by an enhanced annual circuit of children’s performers, guest speakers, artists, performers and entertainers through the ministry’s Cultural Strategic Investment Fund. (2014)
#19: The Town Council consider committing to develop this multi-purpose facility to include recreation, arts and culture, and wellness/health facilities as a priority;
A Mayor’s Task Force be appointed, to report back to Town Council by June 30/12, to:
(i) consult with the community on design elements for the proposed facility
(ii) consider funding options, sources and alternatives and with the Town CAO develop a financial plan for the capital and operating funding. (2012-15)
#20 Council direct that public consultations take place and a new master plan be developed for the Historical Park and Civic Centre area, including the Museum, Library and new community facilities. (2012-16)
#21: Consider designing a new Town Square into the planning for the proposed Recreation, Culture and Wellness centre. (2013-15)
#22 Direct the consultants for the Official Plan review to take into consideration the gateways and entrances to Atikokan, and opportunities to develop them. (2012)
#23 Invite the Chamber of Commerce and the AEDC to form a task force to review and recommend ways to work with local businesses to improve the gateways and entrances to Atikokan, and report back to Council by November, 2012. (2012-15)
#24 Develop a consistent theme to the town’s promotion, public art and community celebrations centred on the “Outdoor Living” theme. (2013-16)
#25 Direct the Museum Curator to begin a roster of heritage properties and spaces, and identify Atikokan heritage assets. (2012-13)
#26 Town Council allocates at least $2,500/year, in additional spending, beginning with the 2012 budget, to support public events, activities and beautification in the downtown core. (2013-16)
#27 Town Council develop a Housing Strategy for the next 5 years to encourage new residential, support younger families getting into the housing market, and providing appropriate facilities and care for the seniors population. (2012-13)
#28 The Town of Atikokan should have a representative elected/appointed to the RTO13 board of directors. (2012)
#29 In the 2013 budget process, Council considers the hiring of a new Marketing Manager for Atikokan. (2013)
#30 The AEDC be asked to develop a strategy for new tourism infrastructure investment and development in Atikokan, and to seek grant and investment partners to encourage local entrepreneurs to upgrade and enlarge their facilities. (2013)
#31 Develop a comprehensive, contemporary web presence and guides to vacationing in the Atikokan region, emphasizing the world-class outdoor recreation destination opportunities and experiences, jointly with QPP and government tourism organizations. (2013-14)
#32 Town Council, the Atikokan Youth Initiatives and the AEDC design an ‘emerging leaders’ group to recognize young community leaders, get them involved in com-munity events and provide business mentoring for them. (2012-13)
#33 Town Council confirm the Spirit of Atikokan as a standing committee with responsibility to oversee the implementation of the Council-approved recommendations in this Cultural Plan, to encourage further community input and ideas, and report back to Council at least annually on the progress. (2012)
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