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Cranbrook Connected to hire sustainability coordinator
After a summer hiatus and extensive planning throughout the fall, the members of the Cranbrook Connected committee are excited to begin rolling out the implementation phase of ‘Connecting to our Future,’ a long term community sustainability plan for Cranbrook.
According to Cranbrook Connected chair Chris Ayling, the plan is an integrated roadmap for Cranbrook to adapt to change. The plan was written by the citizen volunteers of Cranbrook Connected following over four months of public consultations. City council accepted and adopted unanimously all recommendations within the plan in June.
As a first important step in the implementation of the plan, the City of Cranbrook is advertising the position of Community Sustainability Coordinator this week. This will be a part time contractor position for one year with the option of a one year extension. The coordinator will be hired by the city but will report to and follow direction from the Cranbrook Connected committee. The position will also come with a flexible hours of work schedule to accommodate the potential to meet with community groups and individuals on evenings and weekends.
“With a sustainability coordinator in place, we can lift these community priorities off the page and put them into action,” said Ayling. “We have already identified some specific deliverables for the coordinator position, but we also want that person to help facilitate connections between what community and service groups are already doing in town, as well as helping those who want to join with us in tackling other goals in the plan.
“We’re all looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting down to work,” he said.
“Connecting to our Future” is organized under eight “Big Ideas” with specific sustainability goals and priorities listed under each. For example, one “big idea” called “Restore the Core” targets goals and priorities for investments in the downtown. Another big idea called “Water Forever” looks at ways to enhance protection of drinking water sources, as well as the three streams that run through Cranbrook.
Ayling advises that the plan is unique in that it was designed and written, not by outside consultants or planning experts, but by the volunteer members of Cranbrook Connected to be read and understood by fellow citizens.
“From the very beginning this process was built upon citizens talking to citizens so that we would get an accurate idea of what our community values now and wants our town to become in the future,” said Ayling. “That’s been the foundation of developing the Plan, and that will be the foundation of implementing the plan.”
He points out that this citizen volunteer approach also resulted in a major cost savings for the city.
“We completed the plan significantly under budget because all of our committee members took on work that other communities usually assign to outside planning consultants,” explained Ayling. “That’s given us the ability to use the remaining funds to hire a sustainability coordinator, someone who will dedicate their time to helping our community achieve the fifty goals and priorities listed in the plan.”
The Community Sustainability Coordinator job description and application form will be posted on the City of Cranbrook website at cranbrook.ca.
The current members of Cranbrook Connected are:
Chris Ayling – Economic Development Committee
Dave Butler – Advisory Planning Commission
Michael Pearson – Cranbrook in Motion Committee
Jeanette Sissons – Environment and Utilities Committee
Gord Johnston – Family and Community Services Committee
Garry Anderson – Wellness and Heritage Committee
Iain MacLeod – Downtown Business Association
Denise Pallesen – City Council Representative
“Connecting to our Future” can be viewed at cranbrookconnected.ca.
