One of the key strategic priorities of Council focuses on leadership and organizational excellence, as found in the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. A goal within this strategic priority is to engage deeply and effectively within our community. Like the public engagement and public survey that was conducted in Cranbrook ahead of the City budget discussions for 2025, Council is again reaching out for important public feedback on few important new initiatives. We hope you will take a few moments to review this information and share your opinions with us.

Introduction

The City of Cranbrook is seeking public input on two important initiatives: providing feedback on our curbside garbage and recycling collection programs focusing on collection frequency, container sizes and exploring the addition of curbside organics collection and your preferences on available spaces for a new gymnastics’ facility with the potential co-location with child care services.

The two-part survey is open from Monday, March 31, 2025 and closes on Friday, April 25, 2025. The survey will take approximately 10 – 15 minutes to complete.

The City is conducting two types of surveys at the same time; a statistically valid survey and a public opinion survey. The statistically valid survey has been mailed out to sample 1600 City residents in a way that will provide a scientifically reliable snapshot of what residents collectively think. The public opinion survey is designed to gather ideas and comments from everyone that chooses to participate, the City is requesting that residents that live within Cranbrook City limits complete a survey. Both surveys will be presented to Mayor and Council later this spring.

Final decisions on any plans considered in this survey will be decided by Mayor and Council, taking into account these survey results.

While the statistically valid survey provides a solid foundation for understanding general sentiments, the public opinion survey adds depth by highlighting individual opinions and suggestions.

The public opinion survey is available online @ https://telus.questionpro.com/CRANBROOKpublic   with paper copies available at City Hall.

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. The survey responses you provide will be combined with the responses of other survey participants and individual responses will not be identified. No personal information will be collected as part of this survey.


Background

In a recent letter to Council, the Gymnastics Club requested space on City land to construct a new facility while also requesting the desire to co-locate with child care, as there are synergies that they would like to take advantage of. 

In early 2024, the Government of BC offered grants to build child care buildings covering costs for design and construction provided that the municipality provides the land, which the City applied for with Council offering space in Gyro Park as part of the application. This request from the Gymnastics Club creates a new option to the discussion on revisiting the current approved location for a new child care facility in Gyro Park.  

In discussions with the Province on the grant funding recently, there have been no decisions made as of yet. If the City wished to request a location change, the Province would consider it if the new location were similar to Gyro, however, a significantly different site would not be allowed.

“The City simply cannot afford to build large new recreational facilities, as the gymnastics club is proposing. The increasing costs to maintain the existing buildings we have present a significant challenge while trying to keep tax rates as low as possible. Like the soccer dome proposal from a few years ago, this is another interesting idea," says Mayor Wayne Price. "The City is open to proposals where other groups are willing to cover the costs of building and maintaining a large recreational facility, with no burden on taxpayers, to enhance the quality of life for Cranbrook residents. However, the reality is that new recreational facilities would not be feasible if it were solely up to the City. This Council is committed to greater community engagement, so the next step in the process will be public consultation to gather input from residents.”

Results from the recent Budget 2025 Citizen Survey undertaken last fall, indicated public support (87% of respondents) to lease, sell or rent underutilized city owned land, reducing maintained grass areas to reduce costs, however, reducing greenspace is often opposed.

After staff review, several options have been identified as potential locations: 

Gymnastics Club Building Potential Locations

Option 1: Old Library Site Next To Western Financial Place
This site was a former library building site, so there would be no conflict with underground services. The senior's fitness equipment, which is failing, and replacement parts are difficult to source, is planned to be removed likely this summer. The children's playground is on its last legs due to the abuse and vandalism, and the gazebo currently is nothing but a weather shelter as the picnic tables were damaged. Building on location will help change the negative use current trends that we see at Western Financial Place in unmanaged spaces. This location, with the donated work and equipment, has been a valuable asset to the community for many years. If this site is chosen, the City would carefully removing the playground equipment and re-use it in other locations as much as possible. The City will be able to carefully remove and relocate the memorial trees and benches in consultation with the individuals or families who purchased these, whenever possible.

Option 2: Moir North
This site would cost taxpayers approximately $2.77million to develop a serviced lot with a new road for access, but it would create the ability to have other available large, serviced recreational facility lots with that same road access going forward. 

This site is a bit outside of the current City recreation center but could develop a new site for future growth and build on the existing amenities at Moir Park.

Child Care Building Potential Locations

Option1: Balment Park
This option reduces the maintained area of a greenspace and would reduce annual maintenance costs. Similar to Gyro Park, this potential option will likely also experience public opposition due to loss of greenspace. The building location on the map is draft only. The actual location at this site will be determined if chosen. This site is located near all major recreation such as swimming, skating, soccer, and possibly gymnastics, as examples. It would be a premium location for a desirable childcare with recreation amenities nearby.

Site would require approval by the Province, as the Gyro Park location is approved as part of the provincial grant application, which has not yet been confirmed. Province MUST agree to move the location in the existing grant application).
This site map shows if this option is childcare only and no gymnastics club building, or if the gymnastics club is able to locate next to Western Financial Place in the old library site across the parking lot.

Option 2: Gyro Park
Gyro Park Child Care location is a quiet park location, in an area of Cranbrook that needs child care, and would reduce the maintained grass area of park that has comparatively less use and would also reduce annual park lawn maintenance costs.
This site has had some negative feedback due to loss of greenspace in this area of the City.