Tourism, culture and recreation: Timmins wants to renew its strategy

The city with a heart of gold will hold virtual consultations over the coming weeks to update its guiding strategy to improve these sectors.

Several citizens have already identified their priorities. We do not take advantage of the fact that we are one of the best destinations in Canada for lovers of snowmobilingsays Reilley Heffernan, owner of the Source for Sports store in Timmins.

His fellow citizen Danys Racicot believes that the municipality should focus instead on the French-speaking culture found in Timmins. We need to develop a plan to showcase French-speaking artists and make room for theater in French.

Just over half of Timmins residents speak French, either as a first or second language.

Same story with the Francophone Alliance of Timmins. The director of the group, Sylvin Lacroix, believes that the municipal councilors should take advantage of the wealth of the Francophonie to develop the plan.

Timmins recently chose a Francophone, Michelle Boileau, to lead the City. (File photo)

Photo: Radio-Canada / Jimmy Chabot

For his part, the director of the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, Joshua Wood, would like to have more spaces for the arts within the City. I would like to have a discussion about creating a performance space, a concert hall, a venue for the arts.he says.

There are already art spaces in Timminsacknowledges Mr. Woods. But it’s never enough.

Update an existing policy

The City of Timmins created its first Culture, Tourism and Recreation Master Plan in 2014, hoping to attract more residents to the community.

Then, more than 2,000 residents shared their ideas as part of a public consultation.

Since then some objectives have been achieved, but others remain pending, such as the construction of a multipurpose sports center.

There are several elements of the original plan that we failed to implement.admits the City’s director of community services, Steph Palmateer. But that plan has expired and the time has come to update it.

For example, we want the residents to continue to be interested in projects such as a multipurpose sports center, or if they have other prioritiessays Palmateer.

The Timmins City Council has allocated a budget of $100,000 for the strategic consulting firm Saw Planning and Management survey the population and prepare recommendations.

Following the consultations, City officials will draft a report that will be presented to the City Council in April.

With welcome information feel