“For a community that’s only three years incorporated I’m really impressed. I’ve seen the bad and the good, and Clearwater is definitely in the good.”
That’s the word from Don Manson, a researcher from University of Northern British Columbia’s Community Development Institute who is helping put together a community economic development plan for the area.
The plan will involve both District of Clearwater and Wells Gray Country (Area A), he said. The process began last fall and should be completed by mid-April.
“I can’t give too many details about what we’ve been finding without risking contaminating my results,” he said, “but a few themes have been emerging.
“The economy and jobs seem to be people’s top concerns. What’s been impressive has been people aren’t thinking about just getting one big employer, but how they can keep the reasons they want to live here - the quality of life, the quality of the community, the quality of the environment.”
Clearwater and area have a lot of resources, natural and otherwise, to work with, Manson pointed out.
These include assets such as Wells Gray Park and Dutch Lake, as well as the services available through such organizations as Yellowhead Community Services and the Community Resource Center.
The process began with a community questionnaire last fall.
Although not as many were turned in as they had hoped, the questionnaires that they did get showed people had put a lot of effort into their answers, Manson said.
One form in particular was filled with writing, he reported.
“My colleague Greg Halseth said that they really poured their guts out,” Manson said.
Manson was in town last week and this week doing interviews with people with a broad spectrum of views - from businesses, service organizations, seniors groups and so on. The UNBC organizer noted there are two members of Junior Council on the plan’s advisory committee.
A draft version of the report will be ready by mid-March and will be presented to Clearwater council, Wells Gray Country services committee and the general public for comment.
“It won’t be a document written in stone,” he said. “We want people to make it better. We want people to use this document and feel its theirs.”
Mid-April will see the presentation of the final report.
“It will be on time, guaranteed,” said Manson.
The plan will not be an attempt to micro-manage the local economy, he said. Instead, it will attempt to identify some opportunities and things that could be done better - in the short, medium and long term.
The document also will include a socio-economic profile of the community. This was difficult to put together because Clearwater did not have its own census data before incorporation.
Also included will be a bibliography of all the relevant plans and research done about the area previously.
“If an investor makes an inquiry, there will be good information available at your fingertips,” said Manson.
The UNBC researcher said there is still time for interested residents to be interviewed. Anyone who wants to give input into the community economic development plan should call Leslie Groulx at District of Clearwater, 250-674-2257.