Okatoks, Alberta~A Town With a Vision
There is a town in Alberta, Okatoks, that seems to have faced the same cross-roads as Summerland and has chosen the road less travelled. The decision makers in Okatoks have decided to reach for the goal of a truly sustainable community, and do the work it takes to get there.
Please visit the Town of Okatoks. The plan for sustainability is not a pipe dream. It's not re-inventing the wheel. It's been done before and there is help out there to actually accomplish it. As a community, we just need to want it.
In 1998, Okotoks was at an intersection. To the right was the conventional
approach to community planning - assume the inevitability of growth, which meant
annexing and planning for infrastructure expansion.We would eventually need
costly regional utilities (like water and sewage treatment). With growth, we
would also struggle to maintain or improve the community qualities Okotokians
hold close to their hearts.To the left was a road little travelled....
Please visit the Town of Okatoks. The plan for sustainability is not a pipe dream. It's not re-inventing the wheel. It's been done before and there is help out there to actually accomplish it. As a community, we just need to want it.
posted by Amie |
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3 Comments:
Fascinating stuff. Again, I love the proactive feel of this. They're not saying "leave this town the way it is now forever." They're setting realistic levels of growth based on their water supply and waste threshold, then asking the question: "how can we maximize the quality of life for everyone here; long-time and new residents, businesses and visitors?"
Why should this be so difficult in Summerland? Looking at the maps in the OCP drafts makes it look like we've been trying to answer the question: "where could we put a lot of suburban sprawl in our region?" There seems to be a lack of vision for a better future.
By
Jeremy, at 8:45 a.m.
That's Okotoks. Not Okatoks. Do your homework.
By
Anonymous, at 1:27 p.m.
Hey Anonymous, no need to be snarky - you just loose credibility. I have no problem with you not posting your name, as it is the comments that are important, not the name, but there really is no need to be nasty because of a typo. The whole idea of this blog is to generate conversation on a few important issues, it's not to belittle.
By
Anonymous, at 3:22 p.m.
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