Standoff Community Committee Hosts Successful Community Engagement Session for Proposed Recreation Infrastructure

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the Standoff Community Committee hosted a community engagement session at White Calf Hall in Standoff, AB., for the recreation infrastructure planned for the Standoff and Townsite areas. This event was hosted in partnership with Land Management, Public Works, Housing, Recreation and Parks, and Talbera.

Approximately 75 Blood Tribe members showed up to receive updates on the status of these projects from Councillors Patrick Black Plume, Clarence Black Water, and Maria Russell, as well as Directors Joe Healy and Cody Wells. The proposed projects include two baseball/softball diamonds, a soccer field with running track, a spray park, and a skatepark.

After presentations by Talbera and landscape architects from The Tula Project, attendees were invited to provide more in-depth feedback, including suggested locations and concepts for their design and layout. Community members were also asked for ideas on how to incorporate Niitsitapi culturally specific features such as storytelling and language into these facilities.

Door prizes and refreshments were generously supplied by the Standoff Community Committee and Talbera.

More community engagement sessions will be scheduled in the future. This is our opportunity to have our voices heard and help shape recreation facilities in our communities. Stay tuned to the Blood Tribe website, app, and social media accounts in the coming weeks for details on these sessions.

We would like to thank the Standoff Community Committee for organizing the event, Chief and Council representatives and department Directors in attendance for their leadership, project partners from Talbera and The Tula Project, and all community members who came out to participate. Your feedback is important, and we hope to see you at future engagement sessions.