The City of Revelstoke is pleased to announce the hiring of Alan Mason, Director of Community Economic Development. Alan has been a resident of Revelstoke since 1995 and been involved with many aspects of community development in his previous position as Manager of the Revelstoke Community Skills Centre.

Community Economic Development Priorities Set for Coming Year

One of the new projects involves developing and implementing a marketing strategy to attract new investment and new businesses to the community. Revelstoke has many positive attractions which can encourage small and medium-sized businesses to move to the community, and marketing our business and lifestyle advantages to targeted groups will be an important component of this initiative.

Developing a helpful and dynamic information package for those wishing to move or set up business in the community will also be one of the projects to be completed* Revelstoke has already created some very high quality promotional materials, both on-line and in hard copy. This information will be packaged in a more concise, user-friendly format to make local business and community information easy to access.

Other new initiatives include assisting with the development of additional tourism opportunities in the shoulder seasons; investigating options for utilizing waste or low grade wood to create additional local employment opportunities; the completion of a local land inventory which identifies sites which have potential for industrial and commercial use; and the development of a community environmental strategy to be integrated into the current community strategic plan 

The Director of Community Economic Development will also be expected to work closely and cooperatively with employers and business owners who are currently operating in the community. It is critical that existing business owners receive support and have an opportunity to provide valuable input and information to help sustain and strengthen the local economy. Work will continue on developing the potential of the local ski hill; on promoting and moving forward the community enhancement process; on developing the initiative to bring high speed communication access to the community as quickly and as inexpensively as possible; and to complete the snowmobile development strategy. These projects will be developed in close cooperation and collaboration with the business community and with other local development agencies.

For further information call Alan Mason at 837-5345 or e-mail redc@revelstoke.net.

Future of Economic Development Commission

City Council is also interested in determining if there is sufficient interest in the community to re-establish the Economic Development Commission. The role of the Commission would be act as an advisory body to the Economic Committee of Council, and to provide input and ideas related to local economic development. If you have an interest in sitting as a member of the Economic Development Commission, please submit a letter detailing your experience and background to Teresa LaRose, Deputy Director of Corporate Administration, City of Revelstoke, P.O. Box 170, Revelstoke, B.C. VOE 2SO. 

Alan Mason
 

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