Although the Sylvan Lake Municipal Library remains temporarily closed to the public, their programming and willingness to connect to the community haven’t skipped a beat. 

Programmer for the Library Corrie Brown was excited to announce their newest idea to stay connected while respecting current public health measures and recommended orders for distancing: the Sylvan Lake Photo Walk. 

The Sylvan Lake Photo Walk is an online photography challenge, open to any and all community members, that will wrap up with a physical photo exhibit at the library when they are able to resume regular operations. 

“The photos don’t have to be award-winning quality, we just want people to be excited about sharing what they’re doing, sharing the world around them,” Brown said. 

“We want to remind them that even though people have to be mindful of social and physical distancing, it doesn’t mean they can’t go outside and be active and get some fresh air,” Brown said. 

Using the hashtag #SylvanLakePhotoWalk, people are invited to share any photos they may take during community walks, while of course maintaining proper social and physical distancing measures. 

So far, Brown said she’s received a handful of email submissions and is pleased to see the hashtag being used on social media platforms like Instagram. 

“We want people who are able to go outside - people who are healthy and paying attention to that social and physical distancing - to take the opportunity to photograph the world around them and share that with others who are homebound or having to self-isolate.”

Photos can be submitted by email to corrie.brown@prl.ab.ca (weekly, by Friday at 3:30pm) to be entered in the “Best of Sylvan Lake Photo Walk” contest. Selected photos may be included in the library’s physical exhibit upon re-opening and/or featured on the library’s website and social media platforms.

For more information, people can contact library staff at sylvan.library@prl.ab.ca.