During my term on Council, one of the things I spent a lot of time thinking about was how to improve our town's future. I worked with my last Council to hire an Economic Development Officer and set up an Economic Development Committee. This was a good first step to help put our community on a better path for the future. I continue to ponder solutions to some of the challenges we face. An American website called "Save Your Town" caught my eye while I was browsing the Internet today. Towns in the United States and Canada share many of the same challenges. The website's content is definitely worth a look, and I took advantage of the opportunity to sign up for their newsletter.

The video below, "Welcome to an Idea Friendly Town: A Creed for Small Towns," caught my attention on the website. As you watch the video, consider the obstacles that could be overcome by any community that embraced this creed. The concept of utilising the people and assets available in your community to take immediate action makes sense, even if it is a small action. Working with a small group of people who have ideas and resources to make a positive difference in the community may be more efficient in the short term while larger ideas are worked on over time. Part of the video refers to not needing another plan, committee, or meeting, which is partially correct. Not everything needs a plan if our community already has people with ideas and resources.

"Welcome to the Idea Friendly Town" seems to complement the mural on the curling rink, which reads "Building Communities Together." No doubt the founders of the town, Conrad and Price, most likely followed a similar creed. Likewise, the town residents who followed them would do the same. Perhaps it is time to embrace the "Welcome to the Idea Friendly Town" concept.

Blake Campbell

Gull Lake Events