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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Reasons RDKB Area C is leaving the Boundary Economic Development Committee

The following is only meant to offer clarification as to why Christina Lake is no longer part of the BEDC.

Throw a group of economists into a room and see if they agree. It will never happen.

The question is “what is the definition of economic development for your community?”

I understand that a discussion on the makeup of the Boundary Economic Development Committee (BEDC) took place at a Grand Forks city council meeting and a comment was passed that Christina Lake is the only area that is no longer a partner in the Boundary economic development service.

The following is only meant to offer clarification as to why Christina Lake is no longer part of the BEDC.

For the past seven years I have talked the regional talk, walked the regional walk and truly believed we could make it better through a regional approach.

Although I still believe there are issues we can partner on, for the most part it hasn’t worked for Christina Lake.

The Lake has different issues and challenges; let’s look at what those are, what it needs and what it pays to play.

Christina Lake is a community of 1,400 year-round residents; summer population is an additional 6,000 to 8,000  more.  What’s the attraction?

We know that 6,000 to 8,000 come to Christina Lake each summer. My sense is we can also assume that those tourists also visit the Boundary area.

Do we think that those people come because the streets of Grand Forks are inviting or the shopping is really good? Do they come because Greenwood is cute and has good water? Do they come to Midway because it is closer to Kelowna?

Is RDKB Area D fighting the same issues as Area C? Is Area C the same agriculture centre that Area D is? Does Area E with Big White, and especially Big White as a seasonal community, have similar problems to overcome? I believe they do.

Do the tourists to Christina Lake come every summer because of Christina Lake and its warm water and the Christina Lake Golf Club, which is known as one of the most beautiful courses around with affordable green fees?

The similarities I see here are mostly with Big White; however, we have been unable to connect so far.

Now throw in the fact that the volunteers at Christina Lake are tired, the community has no industry to offset taxation and milfoil is a huge threat to the only economic driver we have, which is tourism.

Who regionally helps pay for a $300,000 milfoil service to protect the health of the lake that entices those extra tourists to our area every year? No one, just Christina Lake.

Regional partnerships anyone? Then if we look at how shared services work and the dollars that make up those services, that are based on assessments, this is the picture for the BEDC regional service in 2011, when we were all partners: Grand Forks $28,246; Midway $4,938 Greenwood $3,345; Area D $21,277; Area E $53,721 and Area C Christina Lake $33,346.

Although it’s warm and fuzzy to talk about playing “regionally elected officials are answerable to those who elect them,” communities need to see and feel the reward of that partnership.

The reason that Christina Lake is no longer a partner in the BEDC service is one of dollars best spent.

We need to help our volunteers, find ways to offset taxation, encourage families to move to Christina Lake, continue to protect our lake and capitalize on the very things we have that the other areas don’t have, namely a beautiful community hall, a welcome centre that takes a backseat to none, a solar aquatic system and of course the lake and golf course.

This is the path we have chosen to follow; we have hired our own community co-ordinator to work on all of the above identified issues.

Can we find some projects to work on regionally? I am convinced we can and we will.

Having said all that, although I still believe in regional thinking I need to be able to justify the dollars spent.

– Grace McGregor is Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Area C director