City of Grande Prairie Community & Protective Services sous-fonds. — 1940-1989. — 114 cm of textual records. — 28 photographs.
Agency History
With the inauguration of the Village of Grande Prairie, community and protective services became an immediate issue. On July 6, 1914, at the second council meeting, the three member council authorized the Reeve to swear in a policeman, and by the end of the summer, a pound keeper had been appointed to enforce the first two by-laws which regulated the running at large of dogs and large animals.
The most pressing protective service need in a community built of tinder-dry logs and heated with wood-burning stoves, was for fire fighting equipment. This was purchased in 1915.
Health services were also considered to be under town jurisdiction. After town status was achieved, contagious diseases had to be reported at the Town Office, not at the drug store as previously, and a Public Health Nurse was hired. In 1923, the municipality took over the Katherine Prittie Hospital from the Presbyterian Church.
Among the other “community services” which the town provided were a baseball diamond, a covered skating rink (one of the largest in the province when it was built in 1919), a public market (farmers’ market) to benefit farmers and townspeople, and support for the Northern Aviation Co. Ltd. when it set up an airfield in 1920.
Custodial History
The series of 29 recreation photographs were brought to SPRA by the City of Grande Prairie in June 2011. They had previously been stored in the basement of City Hall, presumably after being displayed at one time. One was not retained by the Archives due to it being severely water damaged and the presence of another print in the GPPL Isabel Campbell photograph collection.
Scope and Content
The sous-fonds consists of Community Services Board minutes, minutes of sub committees, documents relating to the planning and construction of the Bowes Family Crystal Gardens, and photographs of recreation activities in the City of Grande Prairie ca. 1958-63. There is also a Journal of Receipts and Disbursements for the Grande Prairie Athletics Association, the self-supporting forerunner of the Parks and Recreation Board, and a copy of the 1971 City of Grande Prairie Recreation Master Plan.
Notes
Title based on the contents of the sous-fonds.
Community Services includes the former Parks and Recreation Board that was responsible for all parks and recreation facilities in the city.
Minutes regarding health and protective services are also included in the City Council fonds.
Table of Contents
| Series 458.01 | Executive Records |
| Series 458.02 | Capital Projects |
| Series 458.03 | Associated organizations |
| Series 458.04 | Photographs |
| Series 458.01 | Executive Records. — 1965-1989. — 64 cm of textual records.The series consists of the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board and the Community Services Board; by-laws, policies and capital budget for Community Services; minutes of and executive memos to sub-committees: Recreation/Culture Committee, Parks Committee, Parks & Facilities Committee, Public Relations Coordinating Committee, and Family & Community Support Services. There is also a a copy of the 1971 City of Grande Prairie Recreation Master Plan. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Series 458.02 | Capital Projects. — 1977-1983. — 48 cm of textual records.The series consists of subject files regarding the planning and building of the Dave Barr Arena. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Series 458.03 | Associated organizations. — 1940-1958. — 2 cm of textual records.The series consists of a Journal of Receipts and Disbursements from the Grande Prairie Athletics Association, a self-funding forerunner to the Parks & Recreation Department. The Association served as the financial coordinating body for sports groups and sports facilities in Grande Prairie. They managed the expenses for minor and senior hockey, minor and senior baseball, skating, tennis, softball, badminton, and gym sports. They also ran the Model T races in the 1950s. Their major fundraiser was the July 1 Sports Day. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Series 458.04 | Photographs. — [ca. 1958-1963]. — 28 photographs.The series consists of 28 photographs of recreational activities in the City from ca. 1958-1963 taken by Art Craft studios and the Herald Tribune. The photographs were arranged in topical and chronological order by the Archivist. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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