The town of Creighton has officially released its strategic plan, outlining the community’s priorities until 2022.
The plan, which involved consultations with business owners, residents and local students, includes eight strategic directions, each with a number of priorities described in the plan as “key performance indicators”.
“There’s eight goals to it. Number one priority is economic development and it breaks down from there. There’s asset mapping. There’s a couple of regional things we’re hoping to work on,” said Mayor Bruce Fidler. “It shows the direction and what we’re going to be focusing on.”
According to the plan, the town’s priorities include growing the local economy, expanding outreach with surrounding communities, formalizing procedures with town business and promoting more services and recreation in the community, including the development of a feasibility study for the Creighton Sportex as well as a potential look at Phantom Lake refurbishment.
Regional economic development advisor Eve O’Leary took on a major role in the plan’s construction.
“With this community plan, it is actually a community plan. A lot of the strategic directions derive from our community and our stakeholders. Council has spent a long time, over the past couple of months, really emphasizing where they need the community to focus,” she said.
“None of the strategies of the plan are in any particular order. They’re all equally important. We have a very high focus on economic development.”
The points in the plan were reached after a community consultation that included input from 329 people; more than a fifth of Creighton’s population.
“I think it shows that Creighton people are very interested in the future and the direction they want to see the community go,” said Fidler.
“We just organized it all together. What’s in there is the directions they put forward to us. We’re very proud of it and we want to thank everybody who participated in it. We’re happy with the results and we look forward to moving in those directions.”
Here are the eight strategic directions mentioned in the Creighton strategic plan:
1. Economic development
Industry attractions and investment readiness
Development of a business retention and expansion program
Develop a regional economic development transitioning strategy
Maintain the partnership with the regional economic development commission
2. Asset management
Development of an asset management plan
3. Recreational facilities and programming
Complete a feasibility study for the Creighton Sportex
Maintain, forecast, identify and assess the recreation facilities for future needs of the residents
A proactive approach to a comprehensive recreational program assessment
4. Tourism
The revitalization of Phantom Lake
Feasibility study for underground experience
Complete a feasibility study and assessment of the current tourism facilities and programming
Regional collaboration on a regional tourism strategy
Increase the usage and visibility of the tourism information centre
Cultural activities and education awareness
5. Governance and operations
The development of a five-year capital plan
Continue fiscal accountability and responsibility
Personnel training, professional development and continued engagement
Policy and bylaw development
6. Communication
Development of a communications strategy
Development of a marketing strategy
7. Partnership and relationship
Continue and increase partnerships and collaboration with surrounding municipalities
Continue to increase partnerships and collaboration with the Indigenous communities
Maintain and continue relationships with the provincial and federal governments
Maintain continuous engagement with the community
8. Health and wellness
Identify the needs to provide a medical transportation service
Identify and assess the need to enhance mental health addiction services
Continue to lobby the provincial and federal governments to improve and enhance health care services
Review the feasibility of an independent medical centre in Creighton
