The City of Cranbrook established an Age-Friendly Committee in December 2017, comprised of volunteers from service groups, citizens, organizations, City Council and City support staff. The City, working with the Committee, was successful in 2017 and 2019, securing provincial funding towards activities such as a community assessment, action plan, and communication plan.

Through public meetings and outreach, the Committee completed an Age-Friendly Community Assessment, which received 798 completed surveys. This survey feedback was developed into the Committee’s Action Plan, which guided the group’s activities over the next two years.

In 2019, the Committee focused efforts on communication and information. Activities coming out of this focus included development of a re-designed website, implementing and sponsoring the Chamber of Commerce Age-Friendly Business Award, publishing a monthly Senior’s Page/Calendar in a local newspaper, and hosting a community celebration during the Santa Clause parade.

The website has been very successful at providing older people’s news, resources and activities all in one location.

The Committee also played an important role as a representative to several City initiatives, including the development of a housing needs report, along with a number of recreation initiatives.

The Committee implemented the Seniors Centre Without Walls program, which uses teleconferencing as a way of safely connecting seniors during the Covid-19 pandemic. The program continues to this day.

In 2020, the City developed its Strategic Plan 2020-2024. In the plan, Recreational Services’ goal was to provide recreational services that align to community needs. One of the three key strategies toward this goal was that the City committed to “embracing an ‘age-friendly’ lens for all recreational services”.