After being in Sundre for just two weeks Jennifer MacKinnon is already amazed by what the town offers.
And that is not an easy thing to do.
MacKinnon, 56, is no stranger to being in places that are different. Earlier this year she was in Africa for four months. MacKinnon was a volunteer librarian in Zambia. She also comes to Sundre after nearly two decades of east coast living.
Her recent arrival to Sundre marks the first time she has ever been in the town. Sundre may present itself as a bit of a culture shock, but so far she likes what she sees of her new home and there is a firm commitment to stay for quite some time. MacKinnon is the new library manager at the Sundre Municipal Library. She replaces Michael Baird who stepped down earlier this year.
“I've never lived in a small town before. People here are very friendly and nice,” said MacKinnon. “I've been amazed at the number of horses I have seen here. I've already seen my first wild horses.”
MacKinnon comes to Sundre with impressive credentials. She earned her master's degree in 1992 at the University of Alberta. For 19 years she worked in the Halifax Regional School Board system. She has also served as a library assistant at the University of Alberta and the Edmonton Public Library.
And now the time is right for her to settle down to small-town living. She is already impressed with what she has seen at the local library. For MacKinnon it is a bright atmosphere and she likes the reading collection the library offers.
She is aiming to keep the library as busy as ever. MacKinnon wants to reach out into the community to find out what citizens are looking for in the long term. She wants to understand the needs of groups who use the facility. MacKinnon, after asking many questions and meeting citizens, may even start new clubs. She will also take a long hard look to see if any changes are needed with existing programs.
“I want to see how the library can have greater access to the community,” said MacKinnon, who is also getting herself up to speed on how the Sundre library operates from the inside. “There is a lot to do, financial and figuring out the systems that are in place.”
In the meantime, she is getting around to all areas of town and beyond. There is much to learn about the community and its people, as well of course, the things that make Sundre so unique.
“I went out with a horse this morning,” said MacKinnon last week. “It was just in a corral in town but it was nice.”
