The Town of Grand Falls-Windsor is reviewing and updating our current Municipal Plan with a new Municipal Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP). Town staff have been working with Tract Consulting Inc. who have been retained to prepare the Plan. Council have been apprised on the process and have approved the integrated sustainability approach that the plan embraces. This means that Grand Falls-Windsor can look forward to actively participating in the planning and development of a new Municipal ICSP; a plan that must re-define our goals, vision, and strategic direction for the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor in the future.
Sustainability for Grand Falls-Windsor will mean something different for everyone, but only by having everyone’s input will we truly create an ICSP that reflects the future interests of the Town as a whole.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is living within the Earth’s means (eliminating pollution, protecting natural systems and conserving resources for future generations) while meeting basic human needs (physical, mental, social, economic, spiritual), including protection from harm and planning for current and future generations.
Sustainability really is a new approach to community planning. At the center of the process is the community. Residents will be invited and have ample opportunity to be actively involved in the planning process.
The Municipal ICSP will:
identify both our challenges and our opportunities; help improve the effectiveness of our operations; identify, protect, and sustain what we as a community value; and, help us plan for the future by anticipating our challenges and leveraging our opportunities.
In other words, carefully plan now because everything you do will have an impact on tomorrow. For Grand Falls-Windsor this means evaluating the way we do things now, identifying what is good, what could be better, what needs to change, and then articulating an action plan to ensure that the outcomes of our decisions become realities.
What is an ICSP?
It is a sustainability framework for community planning. In practice, the ICSP will be the framework for our new Municipal Plan. It will provide a vision for our community and define our strategic direction by outlining specific guidelines to ensure goals can be attained and community priorities successfully realized. Creating it will require the involvement of the entire community, including amongst others those groups responsible for administrating the functioning of the Town, like the various departments at the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor; local interest groups; and you the citizens of Grand Falls-Windsor.
Why now?
We are taking this approach now because we want to create a sustainable vision for our community. Also, all provinces and territories have now signed agreements with the Government of Canada to share federal gas tax funds with municipalities, and developing an ICSP makes these funds accessible for improvements to such things as infrastructure.
What’s next?
Council, staff and Tract Consulting staff have recently begun the consultation process with the entire community. There will be various opportunities for involvement in what looks to be an interesting time for Grand Falls-Windsor.
What is currently happening?
A public workshop has been scheduled for November 9th , and on the10th (if needed), at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 6:00pm-9:00pm. The workshop is an open invitation for residents, social groups, cultural groups, businesses, organizations, and individuals to take part in structuring a vibrant future for Grand Falls-Windsor. To register, contact: Pam Martin at 1-877-738-2501 (toll-free); or via email at info@tract.nf.net. Registration must be received on or before November 5th, 2009.
The public is also invited to respond to this e-survey. The survey is an important first step in the ICSP process, to capture thoughts from residents on their level of satisfaction with the Town and its future. The deadline to fill out the e-survey is 11:59pm, November 9th, 2009.
What should you do?
Return to this page for more information and regular updates on the progress of the ICSP. This is a community-based bottom up approach to planning and will only be successful if residents are engaged in the process. Please add your voice to the growing list of those who want to be involved in this new and innovative process. Together we can do much to improve an already great quality of life enjoyed by the residents of Grand Falls-Windsor.
ICSP E-SURVEY: The public is invited to take the ICSP E-Survey as an important first step in the process. The deadline to fill out the e-survey is November 16th, 2009, 11:59pm (local time).