New Head Of Initiatives Prince George, A Surprise

Wednesday, April 09, 2008 03:45 AM

I had lunch with the new head of Initiatives Prince George the other day. I have pounded on that organization for a number of years because I have always felt we were trying to hit a home run instead of growing this community one base at a time.

I have this attitude that you crawl, you walk and then you run. I quite frankly expected to be lunching with a city boy from the 604, he is folks, anything but.

I think IPG made a great choice in picking Tim McEwan. As I sat and listened to him it became quickly apparent that he was looking for our help, all 77,000 odd to help with some ideas as to how to grow this community and how we might be able to move away from being forest dependent, not that we really want to but the facts are there for everyone to see, in the immediate future we will need to look elsewhere to grow this region and to sustain our population.

He asked "Why aren’t we pushing for a twin road between here and Edmonton? There are 2 million of them and even if we lose some of our shopping to Edmonton , the rewards coming the other way will more than overcome that."

Hey man, I thought, I have been pushing for a twin highway number 97 between here and Vancouver and let’s face it, open up that area east of Prince George to some of that Alberta money and we stand a really good chance of cashing in. Highway 16 is twinned to almost the BC border. We only need 243 Miles, 390 kilometers of divided highway and the time to get from Edmonton to Prince George could be shortened to about 6, top 7 hours.

What about twinning 97? "For sure" he said , "it would create an opportunity to get the lower mainland to recreate up here , and with the land being cheap , it becomes a good buy with easy access to spend your recreation time in this region."

He didn’t try to hit a home run, I get the feeling that he is looking for a lot of little fixes to get the job done , and more over he is looking for ideas from the general population of the city. If you've got a good idea that could add some new commerce to this area, give him a call. I’m sure you’ll like the guy, he is more suited to the 250 than the 604 and that was very obvious during lunch.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2008 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: owl on April 9 2008 4:48 AM

Twinning the shorter distance between here and the 4 lanes in Alberta might seem like an obvious thing to do at first glance.

There are, however many more people affected by twinning 97 south since there is a much larger population base along the string of road so that it will help everyone along the way on a daily basis. There is a community of a reasonable size just about each 100 km right through to Kamloops.

By doing that, it will also help those communities strung along that road to survive nad even grow. There is already a good start of small community infrastructure there. Twinning 16 east will have little effect on them. In fact. I would twin 16 west before 16 east for the same reasons, especially considering possible long term developments in mining and oil and gas as well as support of the continuing level of forestry dependence we will likely have.

The two routes have completely different dynamics and purposes for improving the highway.

At this time, the primary traffic route from Edmonton is to Kamloops and beyond, not Prince George. However, the tourism potential along 16 is much greater than 97, I believe, due to the proximity of the mountains along much of the way starting with Jasper Park.

Two different roads, two different dynamics. If we have to make a choice, my money would push for 97 for the better return on the money.

So, thinking outside of the box, maybe. But when it comes time to flush out the brainstorming session, I cannot see that there is much there at the moment.

Posted by: jus cuz i can on April 9 2008 6:03 AM

New Blood New Ideas!
That's what is needed here, we have been stagnating for too long with the "same old same old" ideas.
Welcome to the 250 Tim McEwan!

Posted by: red2b on April 9 2008 6:49 AM

Wise old Owl??
Great idea. The highway to the Alberta border should get twinned. Better to go to Alberta than Vancouver. Alberta will come here but very few from the lower mainland would venture 'beyond hope'

Posted by: northman on April 9 2008 7:48 AM

Also do something with HWY 97 north with a better linke to link F.S.John so they would purchase more goods and services from pg rather then grand prarie. Also it would link better serices between Fort st John grand parie and PG. Just a thought..

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on April 9 2008 8:05 AM

How about finishing up the logging in the McGregor and building a dam for hydro?

See - we don't really want to do things like the previous generation did that we have lived off of so fat and happy until now.

The "me" generation economy will progress and build the same way our health is going to go - grey and shrivel up like a prune. We are finished consuming now, and want no more dust and smoke. Just a nice quiet warm place on the porch to watch the sun go down while putting the brakes on every opportunity the younger people may want that we had.

IPG can't really overcome the "me" people, no matter now sick and feeble they may be, until they are gone.

Posted by: Foo738 on April 9 2008 10:07 AM

I wonder about mamking Prince George an attractive place for tourists when we get our twin roads? Flower baskets won't cut it but we have two rivers that could be a real attraction.

As this contributor to Opinion 250 has said "Posted by: NMG on April 7 2008 9:47 AM
Only in Prince George would we consider sticking a biomass plant in the immediate vicinity of what could be one of the most scenic and beautiful parkland spaces in the entire northern half of the Province. What vision."
Echoing what NMG has said, I think our rivers could be one of the most scenic and beautiful parkland spaces in the entire northern half of the Province.
Tourism is important to our City's economic growth.

Posted by: Foo738 on April 9 2008 10:09 AM

Sorry that should have read "making" (band aid on my finger does its' own typint).

Posted by: owl on April 9 2008 11:06 AM

"I think our rivers could be one of the most scenic and beautiful parkland spaces in the entire northern half of the Province."

To me there are two spots along the river which should be promoted and developed much more than they are.

1. the south side of the Nechako west of Cottonwood park. The area behind the Winton Global offices is particularly picturesque to me, the way they had improved that bank with sheet piling, which was already starting to erode and the landscaping and trees. The sunlight on the cutbanks make it especially so early mornings in the fall and late late winter.

2. the west bank of the Fraser at Paddlewheel Park and south of there just short of the Fraser River Bridge. Again, the proximity of the cutbanks and the sunset on the banks which bring out the warm colours. Also the fall colours of the trees in that location are particularly picturesque.

Then, of course, we are really not taking advantage of the park on the crest of the airport plateau as it moves along the east side of the Fraser. As eagleone so often has said, that border area should be developed for park and associated low impact spot tourist sites. It is not too late for that to happen even in conjunction with a "green" high end aesthetic light industrial park servicing the airport. It is the top of the bank which is the scenic part. Also, it is further from the airport and the noise it generates as it developes more into the future.

Cottonwood Island Park is scenic for its trees. The river's edge view quickly reminds me of where I am, mill town. Which is fine and interesting to some, but not the place I want to go to get away to some scenic beauty.

Posted by: astro on April 9 2008 6:08 PM

It was said, "I think our rivers could be one of the most scenic and beautiful parkland spaces in the entire northern half of the Province."
I would extend that area along the West side of the Fraser. You can walk (or at least you could ) from around the river bank near the sewage treatment center or Cowert all the way to Partridge Creek. You can cross Partridge Creek and continue south if it hasn't been destroyed by ATV's. This is a great area to view and I hope it won't be destroyed by "development."