Nanaimo residents have a final opportunity to participate in the city’s strategic plan scheduled to be adopted by council July 9.
Several planning workshops have been held – the final one was June 6 – as have two online surveys. The final survey is available to residents at www.nanaimo.ca from June 15-25. Comments and suggestions are also welcome through e-mail at YourVoiceOurNanaimo@nanaimo.ca.
The strategic plan is a vision document to guide the city’s social, environmental, cultural and economic direction for the next five years and beyond.
Ideas from the public to council as top priorities for the near future include waterfront enhancement, transportation and mobility, water, asset management and building community partnerships.
Coun. Jim Kipp, who is spearheading the strategic plan, said community participation has been enthusiastic.
“We did get some really good focus from the people who were truly engaged,” said Kipp. “And council has had some tremendous debate and discussions.”
Input from the June 6 meeting will be processed by council in preparation for the final draft’s adoption.
“The community input received at the forum will be considered and many of these ideas will be incorporated in the next draft,” said Mayor John Ruttan.
The strategic plan is being developed at a cost of about $120,000 in partnership with Rethink (West) Inc.