OUTLOOK — Following two brain-session meetings that were held in October of last year and this past January, which brought together a dozen or so individuals representing almost all aspects of the riverside community, the town of Outlook now has a draft document that focuses on the present and the future of the community.
The 2024-2030 Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, prepared by Triple C Consulting, was created after the two brainstorming sessions that were held at the Outlook Civic Centre, which brought people together to think about where the community is going, as well as try to answer the questions of what services or amenities might Outlook need, how does the town establish new ventures, and what can be done to ensure that community growth is at the forefront of the conversation?
The town agreed to participate in a pilot planning process to develop a plan, which were designed to take local context, available data, and emerging needs into consideration. Throughout the planning process in October and January, community members took a deep look at what makes Outlook safe, how the community feels when safety is managed, and how the community needs to work collaboratively to create a sense of well-being.
The draft plan outlines the process and how the group arrived with their thoughts on four core priorities: Health, Housing, Economic Growth, and Transportation.
Taking a look at the data and the numbers, Outlook's approximately 2,340 residents break down as such:
0-14 Years - 435
15-64 Years - 1240
65 Years and Over - 665
85 Years and Over - 145
The fastest growing age group in Outlook is shown to be the 0-14 group, and more young people are calling the town home, as there are 945 residents under the age of 35, representing 40% of the population. The plan states that a focus on programs and services aimed at attracting and keeping young residents and their families is a key strategy, while considering the services and supports that older residents will need in time.
From a policing and crime severity perspective, Outlook currently measures as one of the safer communities in Saskatchewan. When compared with all other communities with a police force present, there are only two other communities with a lower crime severity index: Warman and Martensville. Such information was excerpted from 2022 data.
From a health perspective, it's said that Outlook has some interesting system data points that should be used to from the community safety and well-being plan. Utilizing 2021-2022 information, it's said that the cost of a hospital stay in Outlook is higher than other small hospitals and the provincial average, and getting access to the provided services is considerably harder in this community than in other centres in the same zone, but faster than the provincial average.
The Outlook Community Safety and Well-Being Committee, headed by the town's director of community development, Megan Anthony, as well as administrative assistant Whittney Greig, is also looking for four other representatives to officially form the group, focusing on the sectors of health, education, housing, and business.
While the document highlights key areas that Outlook as a town should be proud of, it also stresses that there are looming pressures on the community. The purpose of establishing a community safety and well-being plan was to create an opportunity to get ahead of such pressures and build a proactive response that decreases the likelihood for crisis interventions and mitigates risks.
It's said that over the next six years, the committee and the community together will be working diligently to ensure that the four core areas are prioritized, and that Outlook works to situate itself to be a leader in the province.
Those who may be interested in working with the committee or wish to read the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan can contact Megan Anthony at directorcd.outlook@sasktel.net to learn more.
