Councils of the future will be required to proclaim Founders’ Day every year in perpetuity on or about Jan. 14 according to a new policy.
St. Albert city councillors voted unanimously Monday night to ask the city manager to prepare a policy prior to Founders’ Day 2013 to establish a “long-standing and repetitive tradition” compelling the mayor to proclaim Founders’ Day.
Jan. 14 is generally accepted as the date that the St. Albert Mission was founded in 1861.
Mayor Nolan Crouse, who brought forward Monday’s motion, said he had been discussing Founders’ Day with St. Albert Historical Society chair Ray Pinco to share ideas how the date could best be honoured annually. Though the society has traditionally put on small celebrations either at St. Albert Place or the Arden Theatre, the group has since backed away from hosting those and didn’t want Founders’ Day to disappear without some kind of recognition.
“[Pinco’s] point is let’s not lose it. His fear is if the historical society loses track of it, it might get lost,” Crouse said. “This is about putting it in a policy as opposed to just having it ad hoc.”
The city started hosting Founders’ Day celebrations shortly after its 125th anniversary, which the society later took over.
“We felt that after 25 years it was time for us to back away from that and concentrate our efforts in other areas because it does take a fair amount of energy,” Pinco said.
After discussing a few different ideas, such as a fireworks display, which was deemed too expensive, Pinco and the mayor agreed on an annual proclamation.
“The date is rather awkward because it’s right after Christmas, in the depths of the cold, so one of the things we can do is acknowledge the date,” Pinco said.
“We just don’t want to ignore the fact that Jan. 14 is generally accepted as the day the mission was founded.”
The mayor made this year’s proclamation prior to debate on the motion, even though Founders’ Day technically was Saturday. Monday was the first council meeting of 2012.
“That’s why [the motion] states “on or about Jan. 14,” Crouse said. “We just want to make sure it’s recognized it’s on Jan. 14.”
