1. People need to move here. Wow, and you thought these would be intellectual insights and instead you get the obvious "duuuhhhh" answer. Sometimes the obvious has to be stated.
2. Why do people choose to move? If we can figure out people's motives, we can try to meet them.
- Job opportunities.
- Entrepreneurial opportunities.
- Lifestyle/Ideals.
- Be close to family
- Get away from an unpleasant place
- Facilities: athletes go where they can train, families go where their kids can be kept busy etc.
- Educational Institutions.
- Health. Special clinics or to escape pollutants, allergens.
- Affordability.
- Cool factor.
3. For almost all people, they simply can't just move somewhere - they need to be able to make a living.
4. Business has to be created to bring outside dollars into the region. Tourism brings in outside dollars but has to attract the customer to the area. For true economic benefit, businesses that sell products or services to far reaching and varied regions are most desirable.
5. Crowsnest Pass should work at attracting educational institutions to the area. Say a branch of SAIT or UofL. I'm sure there are niches with education - what are they? What unique features of the Pass would be of interest educationally?
6. Bring education and you lay the foundations for future families and short term prosperity. We all know students are poor yet they throw around money like crazy - great for the area. We also know students need jobs - allowing local industry an endless resource of skilled and unskilled labour.
7. Chase a dream or two. Find a couple things that Crowsnest Pass could be world famous for - besides wind and mountains that fall over. I personally think Crowsnest Pass could be a mountain bike mecca - seems like a tiny thing but research the economic impact of mountain biking on places like Moab, UT, Fruita, CO, Downieville, CA, Kamloops, BC or Whistler, BC. With the proximity to Calgary, Crowsnest Pass could be the most easilly reached affordable cycling mecca in North America. Adventure racing: We already have Full Moon in June, Sinister 7, Trans Rockies etc. Extreme Sports; build facilities for the crazy youth to learn their skills.
8. Now I'm tired: brainstorming done.
This is a comment on point 7 - and specifically the development of mountain biking as a sustainable, recreational activity that can bring money into the area.
ReplyDeleteThis is a big challenge as CNP is competing against Canmore, Kananaskis, Fernie, Golden, Banff, etc. These towns have established ski areas with lifts, larger trail systems with quality signage and greater populations to draw from. So what's the answer?
For the short term CNP needs to rely on the dedication of small pockets of locals that are willing to put the time and effort in to build and maintain a trail system. Grass roots stuff and word of mouth will continue to put the area on the map.
Good signage for the trails would go a long way to attracting more bikers to the area - I think this is really key. People need to know how to find the trailheads and the trails need to be well marked otherwise they won't get used. Navigating an area full of quad trails looking for a trailhead based on complicated directions from Stone's Throw will turn a lot of people off.
For the longer term it would be great in the area could be known for one really great must do trail or the clustering of numerous trailheads in one general area. This eliminates a lot of the logistics and makes the whole experience a lot more fun.
Whistler has a great purpose built XC area that has something for everyone. All trails are well signed and have green, blue or black trail ratings. The signage also includes elevation profiles and distances. All in 4X4 inch plexi-glass covered squares. The signage in Jasper is also first class.
This is a comment on point 7 - and specifically the development of mountain biking as a sustainable, recreational activity that can bring money into the area.
ReplyDeleteThis is a big challenge as CNP is competing against Canmore, Kananaskis, Fernie, Golden, Banff, etc. These towns have established ski areas with lifts, larger trail systems with quality signage and greater populations to draw from. So what's the answer?
For the short term CNP needs to rely on the dedication of small pockets of locals that are willing to put the time and effort in to build and maintain a trail system. Grass roots stuff and word of mouth will continue to put the area on the map.
Good signage for the trails would go a long way to attracting more bikers to the area - I think this is really key. People need to know how to find the trailheads and the trails need to be well marked otherwise they won't get used. Navigating an area full of quad trails looking for a trailhead based on complicated directions from Stone's Throw will turn a lot of people off.
For the longer term it would be great in the area could be known for one really great must do trail or the clustering of numerous trailheads in one general area. This eliminates a lot of the logistics and makes the whole experience a lot more fun.
Whistler has a great purpose built XC area that has something for everyone. All trails are well signed and have green, blue or black trail ratings. The signage also includes elevation profiles and distances. All in 4X4 inch plexi-glass covered squares. The signage in Jasper is also first class.