Majority favour exploring possibility of replacing Tofield Community Hall in county/town survey

Survey draw winner Amber Carson with Mayor Harold Conquest and Reeve Kevin Smook.

Some 75 per cent of respondents said they support a Tofield and Beaver County effort in considering options for replacing the existing Tofield Community Hall, after results from an August survey were tallied from 388 responses.
The survey established results after 96 responses from Tofield citizens and 253 from Beaver County residents.
Of those surveyed over 80 per cent had visited

the present community hall at least once in the past three years, and 83 per cent of those used the facility more than three times and almost one-third reported to have been to the facility over 10 times.
A commercial kitchen was deemed the most important element to a new community hall, followed by the stage area.
Over half wanted to see a multi-use capability with room for athletic activities and meeting rooms, yet most thought 250-500 was a large enough seating capacity.
Those results were backed up by “Increased recreation opportunities/meeting space” collecting by far the most support (81%) as the greatest benefit for having a new community centre.
The study also showed that people were convinced the proposed new facility would attract new residents (64%) and retain existing people (54%) with a great possibility of economic spin-offs (45%). Only six per cent thought there would be no benefits at all.
Over 80 per cent of respondents strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that both the Town of Tofield and Beaver County should partner up in this proposed development. Less than 10 per cent disagreed.
A couple of concepts have been presented to the public at this point in the exploration of a new community centre. Amber Carson’s name was drawn as the winner of a $100 grocery certificate at IGA from all the returned surveys.
The questionnaires are currently being analyzed and a report will be completed in the upcoming weeks.
A public review opportunity of the report will be provided as well. See the town and county websites on the public review www.tofieldalberta.ca or www.beaver.ab.ca or further updates.
For more information about the potential new community centre or the report contact Jeff Edwards (Town of Tofield) at 780-662-3269 or Bob Beck (Beaver County) at 780-663-3730.