South Saskatchewan Regional Plan Phase Two Consultation

[RJHenry]

I have the same agenda as Cberg77 - public session in airdrie, stakeholder session in Cochrane.

See you there!
RJ

[Spinalguy]

Can someone add me to the stakeholder session in Cochrane? Thank you.

[Spinalguy]

Another excellent finding last night is that there is a second, possibly more influential, venue to communicate our message: Stakeholder Sessions!

On each day before the listed public session, there is a Stakeholder Session at the same venue from 10am - 2pm in which there is detailed review, discussion (and debate!) of the content of the RAC Advice. Comments from the Stakeholders are captured and collected on little coloured cards then displayed on the wall during the Public Session later that afternoon and tabulated in the consultation report.

Two pieces of good news:
- someone at the Calgary Stakeholder session made a strongly negative content about section 6.4.4.10 which Jamie references above
- it is not too late to sign up for the stakeholder sessions. Their primary constraint is, oddly enough, catering!

I had a good conversation with a Dave Borutski, Senior Policy Manager from the Land Use Secretariat (Provincial Government) and upon his advice will be sending him a formal request to get added to the stakeholder list. I intend to attend the Cochrane Stakeholder Session, and believe we could influence the direction of this process if we are able to get folks to some of the other sessions:
Airdrie - Tuesday November 20
Canmore - Wednesday November 21
Cochrane - Thursday November 22
Okotoks - Wednesday, November 28
Strathmore - Thursday, November 29

If you are able to attend one of the stakeholder sessions, please let me know the date/city that works and I will connect you to Mr. Borutski.

Do you have an email address for Dave?

[dirtyboy]

Can someone add me to the stakeholder session in Cochrane? Thank you.

I invite members of your organization to attend one or more of our 10:00 am - 2:00 pm stakeholder engagement sessions. While an RSVP is not required it will assist us in ensuring we have appropriate food and beverage arranged if you could please RSVP to SSRP@stantec.com, or toll free 1-855-777-8037.

Please RSVP using the above information

[AJRJ]

I will try to attend the stakeholder session in Strathmore as well.

Will it be necessary to plan for the full 4 hrs?

[Spinalguy]

Can someone add me to the stakeholder session in Cochrane? Thank you.

I invite members of your organization to attend one or more of our 10:00 am - 2:00 pm stakeholder engagement sessions. While an RSVP is not required it will assist us in ensuring we have appropriate food and beverage arranged if you could please RSVP to SSRP@stantec.com, or toll free 1-855-777-8037.

Please RSVP using the above information

Thank you!

[RJHenry]

AJRJ:


Great to hear you are able to go to Strathmore. Yes, I would suggest that you plan for the whole four hours. The Public sessions were more informal, but the stakeholder sessions are quite structured.

Hendrix13 and I are working on talking points - will finish and post by this evening.
RJ

[trailguy]

I can't make the Okotoks Stalkholder session but I will be there in the evening.

[dirtyboy]

Hendrix13 and I are working on talking points - will finish and post by this evening.
RJ

Excellent, they are to be used tomorrow

[Spinalguy]

db, is there any advantage to having 3 guys vs 20 guys show up to a stakeholder meeting?
Maybe you can address that after you do the Airdrie one on Tuesday.
Thank you

[RJHenry]

For those attending an SSRP stakeholder or public session, here is a little primer. Our objectives with regard to the SSRP process include:
- communicate our strong desire to collaborate and share multi-use lands in a managed access process
- demonstrate willingness to understand the access and usage needs of other stakeholders
- dispel the negative perception that surrounds “unmanaged” motorized access (specifically stated with obvious bias in 6.4.4.10)
- gain future influence to contribute to and expand designated trail systems

Here is a little "Elevator Pitch" that we have crafted to summarize our mandate, approach to land advocacy, and position on the SSRP process:

Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders is a member run organization established to promote responsible trail use of Off Road Motorcycles (ORM) in legal and designated areas, maintain trails and be a land access advocacy focal point. This responsible use includes organizing off-road race events, recreation and entertainment opportunities for members and their families.

Our success to date has come from strong relationships and collaboration with regulatory bodies and other recreational users in managing multi-use access to public lands. We strongly support the strategic principle of Accommodating Multiple Users:
“The focus for planning should not be primarily on “if” but on “how” and under “what” conditions an activity can be allowed on the land base.”

To achieve our mandate and the SSRP strategic principle of Multiple Users, we believe strongly that:
- Managed Access is not an impediment
* Management Plans should provide clear guidelines for trail development in sensitive environmental areas and not restrict access.
* Almost all environmental and watershed concern can be mitigated with proper planning and appropriate infrastructure.
- Designated Trails systems are the best way to manage trail use
* Designated trails encourage compliant use and sustainable development over random, highly variable independent trail development.
* Management plans should focus on preserving and expanding the existing ORM trail network in Alberta.
* Designated trail systems must be of meaningful quality to the target user group and of sufficient scale to support the population that recreates there.
- Organized competition is a critical component of ORM recreation
* ORM events and provide opportunities to educate users on responsible riding methods and techniques and model sound behaviours for younger riders.
* ORM race course preparation establishes well planned, environmentally sound trail networks to expand responsible access opportunities.
- Greater access and land area available for recreation advantages all users.
* ORM trails have the least impact on the environment when they are long and dispersed. This also happens to be desired by ORM riders.
* Small, congested recreation areas result in heavier use and stress on the land.
* Non-ORM stakeholders are less impacted by lower usage density and are better able to co-exist when accessing multi-use lands.

Feel free to use the "pitch" above in a whatever way works for you, including:
* Copy appropriate chunks to complete comment sections of the online workbook.
* Reflect upon it and write in your own words in the online workbook.
* Refer to discussion points when attending Public or Stakeholder sessions

[RJHenry]

Whether you are planning to attend the SSRP meetings or not, fill out the online questionnaire.
Fill it out more than once if you can. I can almost guarantee those who want limit motorized recreation are doing the same…

https://landuse.alberta.ca/Newsroom/Pag ... tions.aspx

click the link to "online workbook". Takes ~20 minutes to fill out, be sure to add some commentary about ORM/OHV access in the relevant comment boxes.

One other useful piece of advice we received at the Calgary session - the workbook can be completed in whole OR IN PART. This means you can open a workbook, use the navigation links on the left to flip to the Recreation section, complete just that including your comments on the benefits of ORM recreation and dissatisfaction with the statements in 6.4.4.10, then submit the whole thing. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE SURVEY EVERY TIME!

Vote early, vote often!
RJ

[timbruce]

Thank you Jamie and Robert for putting this together. It is very valuable and will most definitely help us present our case.

[giantjoe]

Nice work fellas!

[WRocks]

Just making sure we have representation at these sessions...

I know MtnBlue lives in Banff, has any checked if he will take in the Canmore session on the 21st?
Garry Salekin will also be attending that one.

I assume we are well represented for the Cochrane session on Nov 22nd? We have lots of members living there or that live in NW Calgary.

I live in the SE, so will go to the session in Okotoks on Nov 28th.
I can't make the stakeholder session, but will make it for the evening. Can anyone make that stakeholder session?
Trailguy, do you want to share a ride? I'll come pick you up...