Initiative

The best strategy stares into the face of a problem…and solves it. The best municipal plan is the ONE plan that people understand as the strategic direction of the community. The Town of Turner Valley achieved both in its Economic Development Plan. Perhaps no other community in Alberta faces an industrial legacy and associated fiscal situation like Turner Valley. The pipeline vestige of the historical oil and gas industry has in essence frozen 18% of Turner Valley’s land area in the heart of the community for development and creates ongoing monitoring operating expenses. Compounding this dilemma was two factors: 1) Limited commercial assessment – which starves ability to pay for services/amenities that enhance quality of life and quality of place needed to attract investment; and 2) in terms of economic role, an immediately adjacent community (Black Diamond) and an emergent major sub-regional service centre (Okotoks) that have cut-off a more traditional commercial services economic development path, requiring re-positioning to establish a niche role within the Region.

The Town also faced another common municipal governance problem: so many plans there was little common understanding of a singular direction for the community to rally behind.

A bolder development vision (‘Green to the Core’) in tandem with a six pillar development framework forms the nucleus of the Economic Development Plan. This framework articulates a more integrated, singular, and compelling story of Turner Valley’s forward looking horizon line.
At its heart, a major milestone of the Plan is the measurement of residential/non-residential assessment ratio, establishment of a target assessment ratio, and calculation of commercial/industrial land supply needed to reach a target assessment ratio. This work quantifiably establishes Turner Valley’s need for more commercial/industrial land than has been accommodated in its planning framework. This conclusion shapes a fundamental reconsideration of vision, land development, and sub-regional community collaboration.

The Plan features a number of techniques that help overcome “dust-collector” syndrome: a one page visualization of community development direction, identification of tangible actions, and creation of quantifiable performance metrics to monitor progress.

The Economic Development Plan was extended by the creation of a Brand Strategy and new visual identity that capitalizes on two competitive strengths: 1) an increasingly westward leaning brand experience that leverages proximity to Kananaskis Country; and 2) a small but expressive creative and cultural nucleus. These symbiotic experiences appeal to those who want to ‘Get Back to Nature’ with re-connection to the mystique of the Rockies in a community that is pursuing a greener vision, and nurture Turner Valley’s effort to be a ‘Re-Create’ community focused on outdoor recreation and enabling of imaginations that re-create in visual, musical, idea generation, and other creative form.