A public hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 23 at the Mountain View County office regarding a proposed facility for the promotion of Aboriginal culture and heritage.
The $2-million Fallentimber Rediscovery Centre would be located on 157 acres in the Elkton/Rugby area approximately 10 kilometres northwest of Cremona.
During the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, Mountain View County councillors gave first reading to the bylaw redesignating the lands for the project from agriculture district to direct control district.
The bylaw read: "The purpose of this district is for the development of the Fallentimber Rediscovery Centre, to support the delivery of educational and training programs which focuses on Indigenous culture and natural heritage.
"The Fallentimber Rediscovery Centre shall be operated for the exclusive use of clients of the Ghost River Rediscovery Society (GRRS) and shall not be made commercially available to the general public.î
The facility may include a number of traditional cultural education buildings, including a West Coast Big House, Kekuli or Earth Lodge, Eastern Iroquois Longhouse, Nordic cabins, prairie tipi, and a Sweat Lodge. "Cultural education buildings shall be used for educational or ceremonial purposes and shall not be used for any form of habitation or overnight accommodation,î the bylaw states.
The GRRS is a Calgary-based charitable foundation with two leased recreation camps already in operation in the Ghost-Waiprous area outside Cochrane. Programs offered by the society include wilderness outdoor activities, leadership training and education initiatives focused on cultural awareness, according to a concept plan presented to Mountain View County.
The MVC municipal development plan bylaw requires the preparation of concept plans to support large or unique development applications, such as the proposed Fallentimber facility.
Such plans must include a community consultation component. Organizers held an introductory public open hose on April 10.
Based on the development concept presented to council, the maximum occupancy of the facility would be 60 persons, in addition to about 15 staff members.
Letters of support for the project from Chinook's Edge School Division and Rocky View School Division were presented to council.
