Creston town council plans to act on an idea that has been discussed in the past, but never carried out. On April 8, Mayor Ron Toyota, council members and others will take to the streets to talk to local business operators.
With the support of Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce and help from Diana Brooks, a regional manager with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, teams will visit businesses and gather answers to several questions.
“Creston Business Walks 2015 is designed to create action, improve the well-being of community, give the opportunity to engage with business and help retain and expand business,” Brooks said at the Feb. 10 regular council meeting.
Teams will ask three simple questions, she said: “How is business? What do you like about doing business here? How can business be improved?”
Small teams will visit as many as 50 businesses and another team will take the answers they collect and identify “actionable items” that can be referred to appropriate agencies like the provincial government, town hall and the chamber of commerce.
“This issue is a carry over from a council direction last summer,” town manager Lou Varela said.
Council at that time chose to refer the business walks plan to after the election to avoid any perception that it was a campaign ploy.
While a tentative date in March had been selected, it was changed to April to accommodate Toyota, who will be out of town. He along with all councillors present (Coun. Jim Elford was on vacation), expressed a desire to participate as team members.
Council Briefs
•Council approved a request for a letter of support for the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History in its application for funding so it can curate a large collection of images depicting the Crestbrook/Tembec lumbering operations, which trace back to the start of the lumber industry in the Kootenays.
•A request for support to add a second “street piano” was approved. The Creston Rotary Club has an offer of a second piano and proposes to decorate and install it at a site to be determined later.
•An invitation to apply for Creston to host a future 55-plus BC Games event was received for information.
•A letter of response will be sent to a Creston resident who wants council to hold a referendum about the continued use of chlorination of water. In the discussion, it was pointed out that Creston does not operate the Arrow Creek water plant, that chlorine is added downstream to keep pipes free of dangerous bacteria and that a variety of treatment methods are used to keep chlorine use to a minimum.
Full details about the water system can be found on the town website.
•A request from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers for support to protect and enhance the post office and mail service was received for information.
•The donation of auction items was approved for the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club’s upcoming wild game dinner and Creston Rotary Club’s annual Internet and radio auction.
