“The Waterbucket is helping the Comox Valley team capture their key messages about the 2011 Series in a conversational way. This provides a tangible way to record history as it is being created by those who are convening for action in British Columbia,” states Mike Tanner.
“The Comox Valley team comprises talented people who would do more if they could. They are developing the talent to go on a journey to jointly use their capability to manage the community more effectively than in the past. The regional team approach will help them get there. Their willingness to work together is impressive,” stated Tim Pringle.
“Commencing in 2007, the four governments in the Comox Valley have been collaborating under the umbrella of Convening for Action on Vancouver Island, known by the acronym CAVI. Through a program of continuing education, we are aligning efforts, building leadership capacity, and striving for consistency at our front counters,” reports Glenn Westendorp.
“Working with local government from the beginning of the development concept will ensure the big picture is kept in mind and will give perspective for the smaller, individual initiatives. Long-term operations and maintenance liabilities associated with infrastructure can then be reduced or minimized,” states Nancy Hofer.
The unfunded ‘infrastructure liability’ is a driver for local governments to consider longevity, focus on what happens after developers hand-off municipal infrastructure, get it right at the front-end, and prepare for the future. “The unifying theme for the 2011 Comox Valley Learning Lunch Seminar Series is this: Water sustainability is more likely to be achieved when land use planning and climate change adaptation are integrated with infrastructure asset management,” states Judy Walker
“In the past we have thought of the Infrastructure Deficit as a funding problem…Once we look at it as a Challenge to Seek out Infrastructure Alternatives then we can see that there are a number of disciplines that we have previously not done much to include in our deliberations,” wrote Australia’s Dr. Penny Burns.
“If local governments and the develop community do things right at the front-end, the end result will be a lot better, and everyone will wind up saving time and money. The end product that the community has will be an added-value product,” stated Derek Richmond.
“t is necessary to wait and see how the Regional Growth Strategy plays out. Once the strategy is approved by the Regional Board and three Municipal Councils, the learning lunch forums can then serve as an implementation mechanism,” annpunced Kim Stephens.
“When we move into the action phase, it will not be one organization doing it. This involves everybody. Job functions will be modified so that everyone has a role in implementation. If we all work together, we will be that much more effective.” states Kevin Lorette.
“We are trying to change a way of thinking, building, developing that has been taking place for over 100 years – we won’t turn it completely around in only a few years. But we are starting to make a difference. Water-centric thinking is beginning to take hold and it will grow more quickly with time, eventually becoming the norm,” states John Finnie.
