Article content

Edmonton claimed the global title this year for organization of the year, best in public engagement.

It didn’t deserve it.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Stolte: 'Miserably fails the test,' Eastglen pool fiasco highlights Edmonton blind spot on public consultation Back to video

Individual staff do a fantastic job. But if Edmonton, at the leadership level, really has a commitment to making decisions that affect residents, with those residents, how on Earth did it create this fiasco around the Eastglen Leisure Centre?

After two years of public engagement around the pool and countless hours of staff and volunteer time, committee members were blindsided to learn that a separate, secret internal city committee had flagged the centre for closure.

Talk about breaking trust.

Now, as they scramble to rally at budget hearings, residents can’t even find out who made the decision, what factors were considered and if the data assembled was relevant.

Those reports won’t be released until after council votes.

It’s baffling.

Edmonton won the organization of the year award from the International Association for Public Participation this fall for its new engagement program. But informing the public should be the most basic step. If the city can’t release information when it is relevant, it’s not even at the starting line on public engagement.