A recent initiative of our City Council is to establish a working group for promoting Urban Growth and Economic Development. This idea is subsequent to a conversation with the Mayor of Langford during a visit we had earlier this year.
The concept is to have some key individuals meet several times a year to discuss methods of opening our City up to  developers, businesses, innovators, and also to promote appropriate urban development, enlarge our residential tax base, create and enhance alternative transit systems, establish pedestrian friendly streets, zone for diversity --- with a vision stretching over the coming century.
Some proposed participants will be representatives from our City Council and staff, from the Chamber of Commerce, commercial real estate brokers, local business leaders, the Young Professionals of Alberni Valley, local educators, and from past participants of the Vision 20/20 process which was held here in our community.  The first meeting is scheduled for the middle of June, and from this we hope to establish a core working group to help bring in new ideas and move our community forward.
This is one more step in taking control of our future, instead of simply waiting for the next big industrial benefactor to come rolling into town. Port Alberni is in an ideal position to begin planning for the next generations, laying down a foundation for growth in the way we want it.  As someone said to me recently, “doubt has caused the collapse of more dreams than actual failure”, so let’s be positive and move forward, learn from any mistakes which we will make, and profit from the inevitable successes which we are going to achieve!
Thank you,
Mayor John Douglas