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Mayors deem CKDI a huge success
City of Cranbrook Mayor Lee Pratt and City of Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick are pleased to report that the Cranbrook-Kimberley Development Initiative (CKDI) has been a successful venture.
Established as a marketing initiative, CKDI’s goals included creating a single identity for the Cranbrook-Kimberley corridor and to communicate to the outside world that the two communities are closely aligned and working together as a region.
The initiative resonated with residents and business, a CKDI press release states.
With approximately 4,000 cars moving between the two cities daily, a new commuter transit services in place, and more than 100 mobile business licenses in place for businesses that operate in both locations, the initiative has made an impact, the release noted.
Mayors Pratt and McCormick also point to record investment in both communities in 2018 and 2019.
The value of combined building permits for 2019 is expected to be $70 million; $30M in Kimberley and $45M in Cranbrook. This includes new light industrial development not seen in this area for some time.
Economic Development Managers are also in place in both communities and the Mayors are now discussing what the next phase of their regional development strategy will look like.
The CKDI Board of Directors will continue to provide transition funds for the next year to keep the CKDI on-line presence current.
CKDI was implemented with the support of roughly 45 businesses that invested $5,000 each to support the program.
“It was a bold move for those entrepreneurs that has paid dividends,” the media release said.
Support was also provided by Columbia Basin Trust, City of Cranbrook, City of Kimberley and the Regional District of East Kootenay.
Unused funds will be returned to investors on a pro-rata basis.
“CKDI Board of Directors thanks all those who participated in this very worthwhile initiative. They also thank Mayor McCormick and Mayor Pratt for their commitment and dedication to making this marketing initiative a huge success.”
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