It has been a while since my last post. As many of you know, it has been a tough fall on a personal level, leaving little time or mental space for posting:) These recent months have reminded me of some important facts.
I was reminded how fortunate we are in this province, and in our community for the incredibly generous, hard-working, and empathetic healthcare providers who look after us. I was reminded how privileged I am to live in this community and be surrounded by people and loved ones so willing to support, reach out and offer help! I have learnt how to ask for and accept help. I was reminded how fragile life is and how incredibly grateful I am for my family and friends.
New Council is hard at work, and we have spent the last couple of months team building and setting strategic priorities. Four strong themes emerged from that work to help guide the next four years: environmental stewardship, smart growth, emergency preparedness and organizational health.
We have kicked off the budget process and this will be a big part of the focus in the weeks to come. The budget process is informed by the strategic priorities and by other recent work such as an asset management plan. This asset plan will help plan for the growth we see happening and for replacing ageing infrastructure. We are looking for input from the community so see the link below, have a look at the budget and provide your input if you have the time.
Other exciting news is the full launch of the Official Community Plan review. Community engagement is in full swing and there are several great ways that folks can get involved. See the 'have your say' link below. This is such an important process where the greater community establish a collective vision for Pemberton 5, 10, 50 years from now. It is a way to set a direction for the Village that captures the values of all residents, and sets a NorthStar for where we want to go as a valley.
Staff is also busy working on ongoing projects like the development of the Transit Park and Ride, the daycare expansion, the amenities building on the recreation fields, improvements to the friendship trail, and much more.
There’s lots of exciting work ahead, and I look forward to hearing from, seeing and chatting with all of you.
