My name is Dave McGrath and I have always loved being outside.  I spent most of my teenage summers being dragged behind the family boat, guiding folks from around the world through the mountains around Banff or just exploring.  Winters were simple; search for snow.

Hired as a food and beverage manager I moved to Invermere from Lethbridge in 2002 in search of the perfect place to live, play and raise my family.  Living and playing here is very easy, but we are losing our ability to effectively provide for our families as jobs and opportunities become scarce.  I put my name forward for town council for two reasons – I want to stay here and I know that I can support initiatives that will effect positive change so we all can.

Here’s How: Economic Stimulus

Recognize and stimulate our economic driver; Visitor traffic.

This will create jobs and opportunities in the short term.

Attract new, less seasonal industry for the future.

Maintain and improve our existing infrastructure and find new innovative technologies for cleaner, more sensitive infrastructure in the future.

The Integrated Community Sustainability Plan is adopted by our present council and guides all matters to ensure that sustainability will always be a part of any conversations pertaining to economic growth.

Connection with our lake, back country and regional partners.

Connect our lake and backcountry to our town by recognizing that they are economic drivers and balance recreation with conservation.

Tear down the silos – Connect all the members of our community and openly share ideas for the very best, balanced solutions.

Connect with our regional partners and resort communities to develop one large, strong destination region rather than many individual small, less effective destinations.

Cultural Investment

Promote and support growth of the CV Arts.

Actively put the wheels in motion to build a regional multi-use recreational centre.

Actively support youth athletics, recreational/training facilities and increase/legitimize  our world class biking/hiking trails.

As your councillor I will view barriers to accomplishing these goals as indictors to start working – not stop planning!

One of the ways that we can tie all of these ideas together in a real way is to employ a regional Economic Development Officer.  An EDO guided by clearly defined terms of reference, under the direction of the region’s elected officials, will be employed to do one thing and one thing only – guide the economic future of our valley.  The EDO will promote our valley to would be investors (locally and outside the region), attract the right industries for us to more effectively diversify our economy and connect seamlessly with our existing businesses.   They will also be fully committed to searching out grant money and other sources of capital to make projects such as a cultural centre a reality, thereby growing our economy and our culture without raising taxes.

All communities are living entities and will constantly stay in motion.  If we are not persistent in always moving them forward in a balanced and meaningful way they will move backwards.  I intend to move our community forward – because I want to stay here and I want my children to want to raise their families here too!   For the complete story please read my blog: www.electdmc.blogspot.com or contact me anytime at 250-341-1967 or [email protected].

By Dave McGrath – for e-KNOW

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