Summer Results & Fall Engagement

Did you attend the Uniquely Stony Plain Community Parties? Now is the perfect time to follow up! Join us October 15 between 3 PM and 8 PM at Town Hall for refreshments, lights snacks and to discover how your input is being transformed into a long-range community plan!

What to Expect:

Attendees at the open house will have the opportunity to engage directly with the Uniquely Stony Plain project team and provide their thoughts on the emerging directions and community vision that were developed with the results of the summer engagement.

Snacks and refreshments will be available. 

Conversation and Summer Engagement Details:

Uniquely Stony Plain is the Town of Stony Plain's initiative to create a renewed Municipal Development Plan (MDP) that reflects the community's values, priorities, and aspirations for the future. As the first stage of the project, the Introduction and Foundational Engagement focused on understanding what residents value most about Stony Plain and what they hope to see as the community continues to grow. The findings from this engagement will help shape a long-term vision and guide future planning decisions.

Throughout the engagement stage, the project team analyzed 3,346 comments about what people love about Stony Plain, and what their hopes and dreams are for Stony Plain. This was sourced from in person community party events with an estimated attendance of 1,300, pop-up engagement booths at other Town led events, and online and post card formats for people to submit their responses. 

The following word clouds were developed to summarize the results of the Stage 1 engagement: 

What do you love about Stony Plain?

What are your hopes and dreams for Stony Plain?

The results were analyzed and used to create a set of emerging directions and a community vision which are now ready to be shared with the public for feedback. The open house will allow participants to share their thoughts on if the directions and community vision reflect their idea of the future of Stony Plain. The directions and community vision will continue to be refined with the feedback collected at the open house and through the online survey.

Emerging Directions:

Balance growth while maintaining the small-town feeling – Stony Plain residents have a clear connection to the small-town feeling that the town possesses. Among communities within the greater Edmonton region, it stands out as unique and makes it more than a bedroom community. This is met, however, with an acknowledgement from residents that it is a growing town with increasing need for economic, recreation, and housing development that supports day to day life within the community.

Expand recreation – While there are many recreation opportunities for Stony Plain residents, engagement uncovered a growing desire to expand these services within the town. Recreational amenities such as an indoor pool, more outdoor and indoor hockey rinks in local neighbourhoods, and splash parks were identified by the community as areas where gaps exist. 

Preserve and promote local businesses among big box growth – Local businesses are a key contributor to what gives Stony Plain its strong community and small-town feeling. With big box retail becoming an increasingly prevalent and convenient option in Stony Plain and the surrounding area, local businesses should be supported and promoted so Stony Plain retains its entrepreneurial spirit.

Expand and improve the path and trail network – The path and trail network is uniquely cherished within Stony Plain by its residents and visitors to the town. However, engagement revealed that there are gaps in the connections between neighbourhoods, and variable quality in some areas. Addressing this will create a more connected Stony Plain for all members of the community. 

Ensure core municipal services keep pace with growth – Residents and visitors to the town expressed decreasing satisfaction with some core municipal services, such as waste collection and road maintenance. With increasing town growth, these services must be made a high priority to ensure resources are not overstretched throughout the town. 

Support and create opportunities for community gathering – Community events and opportunities to connect with fellow residents were identified as a key priority for participants. The Town should maintain an environment that promotes and supports both Town and community led opportunities to connect and enjoy Stony Plain together. 

Preserve Stony Plain’s heritage – Stony Plain residents are looking forward to a bright future, but do not want to forget the past. Old Town and main street are pillars of the community that create opportunities to support local businesses and connects residents with arts, culture, heritage, and each other. This must be actively preserved, with foundational aspects such as the promotion of walkability, the arts, local business opportunity, and unique architectural character used as a reference for how we grow. 

Draft Community Vision:

Stony Plain is a prosperous destination where families want to live, businesses want to set up shop, and visitors seek to explore. It has not lost its small-town feeling as it continues to expand. Stony Plain has maintained its charm, with quaint and safe neighbourhood streets, strong local business environment, and opportunities to gather and connect. Stony Plain is not just another bedroom community. It is a beacon of small-town character within a growing metropolitan region. 

The quality of municipal servicing is important in Stony Plain. Roadways are safe and promote efficient traffic movement, waste management is high quality and ensures clean neighbourhoods, and weather conditions such as snow and rapid rainfall do not impede daily life. 

Residents of Stony Plain enjoy recreation opportunities in their own backyard that are diverse, affordable, and accessible to all. This supports it as a healthy community where families can have fun together outside the house, kids are able to connect with friends while being active, and seniors are able to maintain their health in a supportive environment that fits their unique needs. 

The local business community has prospered alongside increased big box amenities within and surrounding Stony Plain. Old Town remains the heart of the community with diverse retail, food, and service offerings driven by local entrepreneurship. This strong local business environment has extended further throughout the community to allow residents to meet their daily needs close to home. 

Pathways and connections between neighbourhoods have expanded into a complete, high-quality network that allow residents and visitors to be mobile in the community with ease. This supports a connected community environment that is accessible to all and promotes freedom of movement within Stony Plain. 

Community events are frequent, high quality, and affordable for residents to attend. They promote community gathering, cultural celebrations, entertainment for all ages, and support the small-town connected atmosphere that Stony Plain holds dearly. Events allow neighbours to get to know each other, encourage non-residents and businesses to get involved, and promote Stony Plain as a destination. 

Stony Plain is a forward-thinking community that understands the importance of the past. Our heritage is seen as a pillar of community growth that is continually supported in mature neighbourhoods and lifted into new development areas to ensure that what has made us unique and liveable is not lost as Stony Plain moves into the future.