Nakina is winding down it's Winter Carnival weekend and this morning presented as an opportunity to address the breakfast group. To follow are some of those remarks.......
So where do we go? I have been pushing and pulling for the past 6 years to develop a clear Strategic Plan supported with a Long Term Capital Plan. I clearly recall a discussion with a another councilor who told me it would never happen and my answer to him was…if it is the will of Council, then it will happen. I am happy to say that this Council is getting much closer and dates for public meetings will be announced.
The table is being set for public ward meetings to begin the dialogue with you, the rate payers of Greenstone whether you want to talk about taxes, water / sewer, the short term goals being proposed by Council or the hot button, a new Municipal building.
Please don't disappoint yourself and those who have been working to get us to this point. Many of you signed a petition presented to Council on March 23rd that supports community and strategic planning sessions. It is not enough to have signed the petition. Now that Council has committed to these meetings (which are in the early planning stages), it is absolutely imperative that you show up at these meetings and be a part of the community planning. This is your opportunity for meaningful input and it may not come around again for a long time. Watch for more information that will be included in the Nakina Ward newsletter, internet blog (Greenstone Matters) which will be my contribution to make sure you know what's going on.
I get to do a lot of thinking on Hwy 584 going and especially coming home usually between 10 and 11 following Council meetings. While the answers continue to be debated, applauded and criticized in terms of what will bring the world out of this recession, one thing is clear. Our community has expanded to include all of us.... a global community. The loss of jobs for many of you invites those of us not directly affected, certainly to feel fortunate. Though make no mistake, all of us are feeling the pinch in varying degrees. And this is my point. If ever there was a time to demonstrate and behave as a community, it is now. We can each define ourselves by asking what is our contribution to that community and certainly in the past almost 6 years, community has meant a better understanding what are the issues facing all us in Greenstone.
And they are most similar now as every ward is hurting, and almost assuredly Longlac residents and businesses are being hardest hit. That doesn’t diminish the impact here in Nakina as people pack up and leave, but Longlac has never experienced what Nakina has gone through before and it remains to be seen if that community has the will and resilience to come back.
It’s my pleasure to acknowledge and thank all of the volunteer workers and planners of your Winter Carnival… another community tradition that has stood the test of time and weathered some stormy conditions before now. But the spirit in this little town (Nakina) is amazing.
That spirit was evident throughout the weekend watching parents and children enjoy the activities especially the mini-pops, and in the participation of the ice fishing tournament yesterday, the carnival meals and the curling to-day. Congratulations on pulling this together. I applaud your sense of community. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
