Michael's Musings

Cranbrook plunges on best place to live list but community conversation brings hope for future

By Michael J Morris

How appropriate it was that an interactive community conversation was taking place in Cranbrook just as MoneySense magazine revealed its 2014 list of Best Places to Live in Canada.

The conversation, or community engagement project sponsored by Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments with funding from Columbia Basin Trust brought about 65 interested citizens together to discuss challenges facing the city. It was open to all citizens.

Leslie Taylor, a former councillor and mayor of Banff, facilitated the evening, and I extend kudos to her on  a job well done. Cranbrook can be a tough place to bring folks from all over the political and economic spectrum together in common cause but it worked out real well.

It showed that well intentioned people, can focus on things bringing them together rather than those dividing them, for the betterment of the community.

Given the MoneySense results showing that Cranbrook plunged from being the 53rd best place to live in 2013 to 141st out of 201 surveyed for 2014, the biggest drop of any city in Canada, the time has really arrived for those of us who live, work and play here to look at what ails us and address the issues openly and honestly to ensure a better place for all.

No need to spin the stats as I have already seen being done by some. If Cranbrook could make it to 53rd best place to live it can return. No need to weep and wail at all.

In fact, the community conversation provides a starting point once the report on the discussions is completed for a plan incorporating a vision and implementation plan to make Cranbrook the best place in Canada to live. 

This is also a municipal election year in Cranbrook, and according to Mayor Wayne Stetski, voter turnout was only 33% in the last one in 2011.

Here is background on the survey from a MoneySense news release:

"MoneySense's Best Places to Live in Canada" is a comprehensive data-driven snapshot of Canadian cities. The magazine looks at dozens of factors that contribute to the quality of life in 201 communities across the country, including unemployment rates, taxes, income and home prices. Beyond financial measures, the magazine also considers other key factors that contribute to community's livability, such as the weather, access to health care and crime. In total, MoneySense's Best Places to Live ranks every Canadian community with a population of 10,000 or more in 34 different categories. For full methodology visit: moneysense.ca/bestplaces.

As I was "Googling" for best places to live, Edmonton popped up which is working on a plan "The Way We Live" all of which was an interesting read, but I share one with you that I liked. It is called For the Love of Winter, and compared to Cranbrook its winters are brutal. Here is the blurb:

• Edmontonians were invited to contribute ideas to help embrace winter for the WinterCity Strategy, endorsed by City Council. With hundreds of ideas submitted from river valley warming huts, free skate and ski rentals, to outdoor patios with fire pits and heaters, For the Love of Winter was developed by Edmontonians for Edmontonians. An implementation plan is now being developed to make our City more livable, inviting and more fun during the winter months.

By the way, St. Albert, just outside of Edmonton was named the Best Place to Live in Canada. Edmonton is ranked number eight and Calgary second, being displaced by St. Albert.  Here is the ranking list  http://www.moneysense.ca/canadas-best-places-to-live-2014-full-ranking

Thanks for the invite to the discussion.. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Full disclosure: I am not now and never have been a member of the Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society; however, I did conduct a workshop for its members for which I was paid.