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Regional: A future with no plan is . . .
Commentary by Jeff Burgar
for South Peace News
One can argue all day and all night as to what is the ‘backbone’ of our regional economy.
In the past, it was easy. Agriculture was the first big economic driver. Along the way, the support services needed to look after the community were added and grew. Stores. Equipment dealerships. Schools. Medical services. Recreation.
Also along the way, a big lump of spending that comes under the umbrella of government services steadily grew. Along came forestry. And of course, everything needed to look after those who wanted to grow old in our community.
The really, really big future of High Prairie and district, at least as far as some of our local politicians were concerned, was identified over 30 years ago — a government service centre.
Forestry, energy and tourism, all important aspects of the Alberta economy today, and even considered important in years past, didn’t impact the radar as much as government. Perhaps back then, our local movers and shakers, with limited resources and people power, thought government business was the most easily influenced. Here is where we would get the biggest bang for our dollar. Here was the most needed and most obvious opportunities. How could one argue against schools, hospitals and last but not least, the bureaucrats needed to look after the biggest growth industry of all, government?
It’s true these days many of us like to find fault with the old community leaders. The people who didn’t want an oil industry, or those blamed for keeping the community small, get their share of roasting these days. Hindsight is perfect. One can fairly ask, if your ideas are so good, get out there in public with them. Share them. Promote them. Support politicians who have the same ideas. Better yet, become one of those leaders yourself.
Or, just take a good look at our community, see where it is today, and where it can be 10, 20 and 30 years from now.
The Town of High Prairie, with the help of local citizens, is presently doing that exercise. Hopefully, it won’t end up as a nice binder on that shelf where so many other worthwhile ideas now rest for eternity.
So what’s going to be the community ‘backbone’ down the road? This is an excellent question. Some aspects of running with our strengths as was done in the past obviously missed the mark. This approach, while probably still best, meant we didn’t see an energy industry, we didn’t see problems with our hospital and we didn’t see government services moved or reduced in our plans. Not to mention, tourism, education, and outlying ideas like a prison or fire training centre.
It’s worth noting, our provincial government is telling all Alberta communities to come up with sustainability plans, to look at the future. Like High Prairie and district, most communities and their leaders are lurching from day to day, up to their eyeballs in regular business.
For some, it doesn’t matter. For others, it’s a long term recipe for disappointment.
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