The Terwillegar Riverbend Advisory Council (TRAC) was formed in June of 2002 to act as a unified voice representing the interests of the residents of the Greater Riverbend/Terwillegar Area. Its mission is:
“To enhance the quality of life through neighbourhood representation with a unified voice speaking to the common interests of home, school, recreation and assembly by creating a towne within a city”. Building a multi purpose recreational facility is one of the ways that TRAC hopes to enhance the quality of life in the Terwillegar/Riverbend area. We have been working in cooperation with the City to accomplish this goal, and a milestone has already been reached. A multi-purpose facility in our area was identified by the City as one of five short term priorities in its Facilities Master Plan. This status means that the City plans to build a facility in the Terwillegar Riverbend area by 2010. TRAC, however, is committed to seeing a multi-purpose facility built in the community within two to three years.
The June 1st TRAC meeting was attended by three candidates for City Council and two City representatives. Monique St. Louis, from Community Services at the City of Edmonton, spoke about the upcoming Priorities Assessment which is slated to be undertaken this fall. This Assessment will gather input from stakeholders to determine the current and future recreational needs of the southwest area. The City will request proposals from private companies to perform the Assessment. An adjudication committee, which will include one member from TRAC, will review the proposals and select the successful one. Because the proposed facility may incorporate recreational facilities that will draw users from across the city, the Assessment will include participants from outside the Terwillegar Riverbend area. Stakeholders will include sports and recreation groups, residents, community leagues, and information will be gathered through telephone surveys, mail outs and focus groups.
This Priorities Assessment will be the first to incorporate both the outdoor facilities AND the indoor ones. The array of elements and the relative size of the indoor and outdoor components will need to be balanced in the facility design. Access to the facility by bicycle paths and walking trails, as well as by car, will also be included.
TRAC has made significant progress in a relatively short time. But there is much more work to be done. We need the support of more Terwillegar Riverbend residents.
Join the TRAC team! Become a member of TRAC and learn more about the initiatives to better our community. Email tracvip@telus.net to have your name added to the TRAC mailing list. The TRAC website is currently in progress with plans to be up and running soon.
For more information on TRAC or the recreational complex, please contact your neighbourhood TRAC ambassador.