The chickens — or rathé, some would Say, vultures.— are really coming home to roost in the local forest industry. In view of the controversy over current cut _ Jevels and valuation of what forest is left around here, — the timing and thrust of the city’s 10-year tourism and economic ‘development Strategy provides some welcome direction in a-very confused situation. 7 Despite the assertions of the major industrial players in the woods and the section of the government charged with looking ‘after the resource, it is becoming increasingly: obvious that. forestry will not provide a ~ -. stable future for this’ community. In a search for other economic vessels to carry us ‘into the next century, the tourism and economic development strategy has clearly identified our strengths. One of our biggest unexploited - resources is .a setting and location virtually unequalled -in western Canada for conventions, festivals and events of the sort that would simultaneously draw well- mannered tourists with money to spend and make’ a positive contribution to the quality of life: for people who live here; ° Standing in downtown Terrace and scanning the horizon, it takes very little effort to imagine another - Banff here, with year-round music and arts festivals, cultural events and business and social conventions. One thing the tourism and economic development strategy fails to address in a meaningful way is the _ leadership role needed from the city government in this plan. There are numerous examples of events that began with ideas from interested volunteers and have grown over the years to magnitudes almost beyond the Capacity of volunteers to cope with. What is needed at this point is a commitment from the city to support these efforts -- we’re not in the business of mincing words here, support means money. If Terrace is going to be gradually weaned off its dependency on giants of the forest industry and a glaring vulnerability to corporate decisions made in distant centers, the city will have to pursue every source of financing available (and there are many) to provide money for paid organizing and marketing people, many of whom could be the same people who are now doing it for nothing and probably wondering why. Music, art, drama and sports create wealth while consuming nothing, leaving our lives enriched and the landscape intact. Attracting a larger industrial tax base sounds like a sensible goal, but would another Westar or Columbia Cellulose really create a solid foundation for the future? Think of where we are now. Second-class mail registration. No. 6896. 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ELECTION By| SANS NRE HOURS OF BANAL | hh DANS dF PDLSTKAL ABAD Wednesday by Bob Jackman Terrace, the Hidden Gem of ~ British Columbia...or so it would appear to anyone attending last weck’s public meeting on the new Tourism and Economic Development Strategy. I-had read the 25-page report a few days before the meeting, and was very impressed with the document. Goals established at the Terrace 2000 Workshop in October 1988 had been used to guide Council and their staff in assessing Terrace’s strengths and weaknesses, then in weeding out a long list of potential projects and programs to come up with a workable strategy. I didn’t expect any surprises to come out of the meeting... Neither, apparently, did Council. But after a few presentations one alderman said to me on his way to the coffee urn, "we forgot the *&*%#@ Greenies!" To Council’s credit, the report does identify retention of the existing quality of life as an _important goal, and recognizes that senior citizens should be encouraged to stay here rather than to head south with their first OAP cheque. So it was a . bit of a surprise that health care and medical services were virtually ignored. Council is still hoping for some heavy industry to lighten ‘the residential tax load but few if any in the audience saw a "steel mill being compatible with — ' quality of life. And Council still seems insistent thatthe new correctional center. be in town, on soon-to-be-prime residential subdivision property. Why? To understand the opposition to heavy industry and.in-towa jails we have to go back again to "retaining the exiting pay ol of life”. | Perspectives "Except for the Kootenays and the Far Far North, Terrace is perhaps ¢ the last Pollution Free Zone in the dé RENEE? Like I said, the Strategy Report is a good one. Nobody argued against airport upgrading, retail sector improvement, or tourism development. But almost every speaker emphasized Terrace’s relatively pristine environment, and urged Council to help keep it that way. Now either. the crowd was not representative of Terrace as a ‘whole, or Council’s Strategy Plan is lagging behind current thinking. As Mayor Talstra stated, "Council has always gone — where they have been asked to go" — a remark that might suggest they’re following public . opinion rather than trail-blazing, but also suggests that they’re not going to do anything too _ dramatic to upset the populace _ ' maybe in itself not a bad thing. . Let’s have a look at our assets, and a possible strategy based on what we’ve. got that a lot of cities don’t. Clean Air —° - compare us with Prince George, Quesnel or Williams Lake, Clean Water? Sure, it’s going to take the Skeena another 10,000: or so . years to clear up, but many of its tributaries are crystal clear — beautiful fishing, canoeing, -— tree-hugging or just | philosophizing. And the Skeena’s brown because of natural dirt, not industrial. sludge. Climate? Despite the last few weeks, -you’ve. still got to admit. we’re -pretty mild compared to even Smithers and a Jot better than the Cariboo, Transportation? - Yeah, it’s tough to get out, but it’s also tough to get in — - liability or. asset? Cheap land and affordable housing - we’ve got it! Except for the Kootenays and the Far Far North, Terrace is perhaps the last. Pollution Free Zone in the province. And wouldn’t that make a heckuva marketing strategy? Here we've got a town with sawmills but no smoke, air you can breathe, rivers you can drink from, and almost all the amenities you can get in Vancouver ~ who wouldn’t want to live here? So we capitalize on our status as a Pollution Free Zone and we encourage development of clean, lifestyle-friendly industries. We forget about lightening our tax burden by bringing in more heavy industry and we. concentrate on bringing in more. - people, the type who will be attracted by a pristine environment and not, deterred by tough anti-pollution bylaws. We make the community more attractive to seniors by beefing up our health sector. We look at - innovative housing proposals. We flaunt our scenery. and our destination tourism facilities. We get our fair share of any. Northern University programs ~- forestry for sure, computer. . - training, nursing... More and more, seniors and. small businesses are finding. themselves forced out of Vancouver by escalating property taxes, and first time home-buyers — can’t find anything affordable within commuting distance of | downtown. We have a lot to offer ~ we just have to get the - word out! (More next week.)