The best defense of those things we love about small communities is a good offense…destiny-driven strategic direction and action, where the community is in the driver’s seat. Where strategic direction, communications, and creative marketing work together to serve as the ONE plan that connects the dots in a compelling story of a community’s future. Where focused and linked economic and community development actions build strong community connectivity and pride. Where business growth and new investment appreciates a community that is working to enhance its affordability value proposition that was determined by answering the question: who is Calmar and why does it matter? Answering the hard questions and seeking honest truths in strategy-making gives communities their ambitious wings…moving well beyond community standard fare of cycling sideways in the generality of “Discover Us”.

Key breakthroughs included:

• An action focused, measurable Vision Statement to guide actions: Home is where the heart is in Calmar – as the Edmonton region’s most affordable community. Connected to the earth in what we sow and grow. Connected to the neighbours you know. Pursuing an energized downtown, imaginative new housing options, and new types of spaces and places for entrepreneurs to grow their craft.
• Focused Community Strategic Direction with 6 pillars that can be prioritized for resourcing to accelerate positive results: fast tracking downtown enhancement, creating more housing choice and affordability, nurturing niche shopping experiences that quintessential small town, expansion of industrial land supply and focus on agriculture services/production and regional industrial services, more physical space and programming options to enable entrepreneurs, and gigabit broadband service enhancement.
• A “cut through clutter” Communications Strategy with carefully selected “right time, right place, right tactic” communications actions that align (surveyed) with what residents feel will best connect with them. A further breakthrough lies in proactively addressing the “elephants in the room” that have as much to say about communications success as the typical check boxes of tactics: corporate culture embrace of the value of communications including internal processes and systems enhancement, incorporation of refreshing Style considerations that break through today’s limited attention spans, and being so bold as to articulate a two-way street of corporate-citizenship responsibility to participate in communications with higher purpose legacy-building in mind. The Strategy also embraces deeper benefit from effective communications: engaged, interested, and prideful residents and community salesforce that will translate appreciation to community beating hearts – from volunteerism to business investment.
• A new storytelling focused Brand – including a new visual identity and website (calmar.ca) as first brand foundation elements – that will enhance community image and the sense of “salesmanship” needed to better connect with residents and potential newcomers. The Brand is deeply grounded in the land, in people, and in the idea of a quintessential small-town that embraces simpler and more meaningful pleasures to be had in a safe, friendly, and deeply connected community with affordable lifestyle living. The Brand actively represents community and economic development opportunity spaces presented in the Strategic Direction.

Documentation:

• Grow Calmar: Community Strategic Direction – https://calmar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Strategic-Direction.pdf
• Communications Strategy – https://calmar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Communications-Strategy.pdf
• Brand Strategy – https://calmar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Brand-Strategy.pdf