All around our great grey, green and blue valley backyard, brainstorms are brewing as Whistler's citizens sound off on what they think is important in our Official Community Plan (OCP) update.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is embarking on a year-long journey, informed by you, Whistler's citizens, to update our OCP. From today to Aug. 31, citizens are invited to connect with their community and the OCP through hosting a Whistler Backyard Brainstorm - a citizen-led meeting with a difference.
Now is the time to talk to your friends and neighbours about issues and opportunities facing this resort community. Now's the time to be heard. Now is the time to activate and make the future the present! The OCP is a community plan and for it to be as effective as possible the community needs to work together to develop it.
Let us brainstorm ways to preserve, maintain and enhance what we love about Whistler. Whistler is a special place and behind this special place are special people. The passion and progression of Whisterites has shaped Whistler into the resort community it is today. From Myrtle Philip to Sara Jennings our efforts must continue to build upon the solid foundation laid by pioneers and activists alike.
Small town debate often ends up with fingers pointing and exclamations of "Not in My Backyard!" Through these Whistler Backyard Brainstorms, we will create a progressive public conversation, in our backyards, based on shared community accountability and commitment. By hosting these conversations we shift the context within which we plan. Let's move from problems to possibilities, enabling our ideas to create actions that make a difference.
We need you and the people who matter most to you to provide input into the OCP update. We need your imagination, creativity, ideas, collaboration, and most of all we need your passion - because this is the foundation of our community.
Hosting a Whistler Backyard Brainstorm is simple:
Think - Who are 10-12 people you would like to brainstorm with to make Whistler a better place? Invite each of them by getting them a copy of the Backyard Brainstorm Workbook with a date for your brainstorm written on the front. You can download the workbooks at www.whistler2010.com and print them out or e-mail ocp@whistler2010.com to pick up printed copies from Muni Hall, 4325 Blackcomb Way.
Meet and Discuss - Gather your group together in your "backyard" meeting place to discuss and define your group's input to the OCP update. As a host of this discussion, your role is to ensure that everyone has a say, that the discussion stays on topic, and that the group summarizes their shared ideas in a workbook that is submitted to Muni Hall.
Submit - Provide this completed workbook to the Whistler Municipal Hall by Aug. 31, 2010. If you have any questions or require a hard copy go to www.whistler2010.com or email ocp@whistler2010.com.
