“People have had an expectation that things will be planned and done, and planned and done, and planned and done.”
Victor Cumming, an economic consultant for more than 30 years, said this to the 40 or so people gathered for the final meeting focussing on one question, “What’s next?”
“But it’s not that way,” Cumming finished.
The final economic meeting, put on by organizers Laurie Page, Bob Toews and chamber president Kim Reich came to a close on Tuesday, Feb. 1, but not without the start of something new.
With the blessing from those who attended, Page and Toews were given the go ahead to start up a new board to begin putting together all the pieces that were gathered from the individual industry meetings, ranging from tourism to agriculture, into tangible, realistic goals.
At the meeting, Cumming said the best way to start after all of this is to begin working on an organization with real power to make decisions that can help build up the Nakusp community.
In summary, Cumming said the community needs simple and clear information on what the community goals are. He recommended a two-page summary of where Nakusp is headed in terms of population, its key industries and what the community as a whole wants.
This can be done by taking the official community plan and summarizing it simply and clearly.
But he also warned that the community has to have the energy to push ahead in the coming years if they want to become a success story.
“This is all in the hard category,” Cumming said. “You need a synthesis of all the ideas and you need people behind them weighing the importance. Because if not, people push out individual project ideas all the time that aren’t the best.”
“You need a process, because you don’t have unlimited resources,” he added.
At the meeting, Cumming had attendees split into groups and come back with the expectations they hope to achieve from this meeting.
People came back with:
-Making measurable goals and objectives.
-Guidance and a summary of where we’ve been.
-To see if they can make a living in 10 years.
-To stay informed.
-To create a future.
-To motivate people.
-Pin-point village strengths and weaknesses.
-To create a working business plan.
-To identify champions.
-To learn how to work as one community.
Once that was over, Cumming had people come up with ideas for the village. People came back with:
-A year-round local market.
-Growing the snowmobile community.
-Better signage and advertising of Nakusp.
-To build a cogeneration plant.
-Have more farmers produce ostriches.
-Create an off-season tourism market to hoist up the shoulder periods.
“This all comes down to community vision,” Cumming said. “You need to group and organize these ideas, all of this and establish a focus.”
Cumming warned Nakusp not to take its time because he’s seen many communities in his years reach a similar point and then the energy fades. That’s why there’s a need for a group with direct authority.
“If you don’t have the authority to act, then it just fumbles,” he said.
Nakusp mayor Karen Hamling got up to address the group at one point and voiced council’s support for a new organization to form from this to help guide the community.
Coun. Joseph Hughes and Ulli Mueller also said they will help support in whatever way they can.
The final portion of the meeting was a question and answer period with Cumming and the organizers.
In the end, Page and Toews were supported by the people present to continue working like they have been with these economic meetings.
Page and Toews were excited to have the communities blessing and have already begun plans for building a board.
Please read the story below for a list gathered by the organizers, Laurie Page, Bob Toews and Kim Reich.
It details 15 items the everyday residents can do to start helping the community right now.
Also, be sure to stay tuned to the Arrow Lakes News as we will be in contact with the organizers to keep you, the community informed on ongoing developments arising from the economic development meeting series.