This past spring I spent some time travelling with a friend through the plains of America’s mid-west. The long endless straightaways of the monotonous interstate gaveus plenty of time to talk. And we did, a lot. We solved problems. We came up with crazy ideas. Some ideas started as nothing and then with a bit of tweaking turned intogenius (or at least we thought so). It’s what happens when, instead of writing off concepts or ideas, you open your mind to the opportunity in front of you. That is tosimply ask yourself, “What if?” to help you create new options and expand your imagination on what could be.
Quashing an idea because of a belief that it may be financially impossible or that it might be politically, logistically or emotionally difficult is cheap and easy. All thoseand many other hurdles can be overcome by working through the problems and being creative. What is stopping us? Nothing, save for a lack of imagination.
It troubles me when people fall into a trap of worrying more about why we can’t do something rather than on how we get it done. “Why” focuses on the problems, bringsabout emotions and exposes people’s fear of change while the “how” gives you the opportunity to find innovative solutions and gets you to the result you want toachieve.
The city has recently asked the community for feedback on the conceptual plans for the redevelopment of Columbia Ave. that include infrastructure upgrades,implementation of the street tree master plan and a new bike lane system. The intent of the bike lane system is to give members of the community a safer, healthier andmore efficient way of commuting to work, to shop or to play.
Some people show a remarkable ability to quickly identify everything that is wrong with an idea and why not to proceed, rather than contributing constructive thought onhow to make it happen. If they chose, they could just as easily focus their energy on building on the idea and offering ways to make it better. No idea is perfect and noimplementation is without compromise. This project is no different. We could hang our decision on how snow gets plowed, the number of driveways and people’s unsafedriving tendencies, but I won’t. Those logistical concerns aren’t anywhere near insurmountable or concerning. We can solve them if we choose to.
Some suggest maintenance of the status quo. But I believe that council should be bold and visionary. We sit at yet another juncture where a decision can move usforward and we can make meaningful progress. We can help shape the way this community moves and connects with each other for decades to come.
The Millennium Park & Ponds, the new garbage and recycling program, the Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan, the storm water management plan and Sculpturewalk, toname just a few, are confirmation that council is proactive, progressive and imaginative when ideas are presented. What’s next? How about building a pedestrian bridgeacross the river to Selkirk College? Now before you write it or me off as crazy, ask yourself “What if and what’s stopping us?” Can you see it now? Absolutely you can.
To discuss this or any other council matter, feel free to contact me at fvassilakakis@castlegar.ca or call my cell at 250-809-0108.
P.S. — I would like to thank Pat Field for joining and inspiring me on a 4300 km, 6 day journey that included a life-changing pit stop at Wall Drug in South Dakota.
