A former Red Deer city councillor has been appointed for three years to a provincial council addressing seniors’ needs.
Gail Parks was appointed by the provincial government to the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta.
Parks, a senior, is excited about the opportunity to meet with Alberta seniors during road trips the council will take a couple of times a year.
“It will be a golden opportunity to address seniors’ needs and what’s going on with seniors in their homes, where they live and what kinds of things the province of Alberta could do for them,” Parks said on Thursday.
Parks said one of the issues the council will look at is transportation.
The council reports through Mary Anne Jablonski, Red Deer North MLA and minister of Seniors and Community Supports.
The suggestions and feedback gathered through consultations between the council and the public are used to develop advice on legislation, policies, funding and co-ordination of programs and services for seniors. The council also co-ordinates the annual, provincewide Seniors’ Week celebration, participates in research projects and supports community-based workshops for seniors and frontline workers.
Parks said the council will be an exciting endeavour.
“It’s a working group with various subcommittees that bring back information to the government,” she said.
Parks served on city council from 2007 to 2010 before being defeated in last October’s municipal election.