The City of Port Alberni’s new council finally revealed its 2019-2023 strategic plan on Monday, Aug. 12.
The strategic plan is a leadership document that guides and aligns municipal work and spending. For this plan, council is choosing to focus on five key areas:
- Responding to demographic change and improving quality of life.
- Enabling the new economy.
- Providing and maintaining quality services.
- Championing environmental leadership.
- Fostering a complete community which we see as being safe, healthy and inclusive.
The strategic plan’s overall mission is to enhance the quality of life for residents and taxpayers by creating a vibrant waterfront community.
“This is an incredibly exciting point in time for the city of Port Alberni,” said Mayor Sharie Minions on Monday. “We believe that the next few years will be a transformational phase in our story.”
The full strategic plan outlines several strategies for accomplishing these five priorities:
- Revitalizing streets, attracting new investments and encouraging redevelopment and improvements, with initial priorities focusing on Third Avenue (between Argyle and Mar) and Argyle Street (between Third and Harbour Quay).
- Initiating a proactive tree planting program.
- Investigating the potential for a Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) program, or something similar.
- Developing a truck route.
- Growing the economy with an emphasis on small business.
- Working with the ACRD on organics diversion and the collection of separated organic solid waste.
- Exploring non-policing strategies to reduce crime and crime rate statistics, including the development of a Public Safety Building in the Uptown area where bylaw services and community policing services are located.
- Connecting the Quays with a multi-modal path between Kitsuksis Dyke and Harbour Quay.
- Developing wayfinding signs for city streets, parks and trails.
- Continuing progress on the Reconciliation Committee’s 27 recommendations.
The full strategic plan can be read on the city’s website.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
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