In last week's issue, the Journal announced that the City of Humboldt is teaming up with the Canadian Urban Institute to do a cultural analysis of the city.
Culture.
What does it mean?
Well, for one thing, we know that it doesn't just boil down to rusty artifacts behind glass cases or a local symphony playing Good King Wenceslas at Christmas time; it's more than galleries and museums and choruses and plays (but yes, it's that too).
Really, the City of Humboldt is undertaking a community-designed and owned planning process, with a focus on the overall culture and identity of the city.
The Creative City Network of Canada (CCNC) says that culture-based businesses and organizations are "instrumental in facilitating social cohesion."
Well, Humboldt has a lot of those; local groups or individuals who strive every day to help the city and its residents be the best they can be, to help build community identity and pride.
In fact, Jennifer Hoesgen, curator of the Humboldt & District Museum & Gallery, was recently appointed to the CCNC's board of directors.
A prestigious gig, Hoesgen has said she hopes to bring what she has learned to Humboldt's cultural initiatives.
Hoesgen has already undertaken a few cultural objectives, such as the Merchants Bank's transformation into a city art gallery.
A recent municipal way of thinking is that the arts help make people visible who have been traditionally invisible in society; the gallery will display local artwork, a common outlet for expression and a means to highlight one's personal pride.
But how about civic pride? Humboldt surely has lots of that.
It's evident in the crowds that turn out for Broncos games or to good luck send-offs for Olympians Brianne Theisen Eaton or Lyndon Rush.
It's evident in the preservation of historical sites and monuments and the local committees of volunteers who tirelessly work to keep these initiatives afloat.
It's evident in the way the City of Humboldt and the Communities in Bloom committee prepared for the national judging at the beginning of August.
And even evident in the numerous murals presented across the city's brick walls and store fronts. The CCNC even acknowledged that when a community invests its time and money into public murals, the chances of it being vandalized are slim. So not only is Humboldt efficient at preserving the arts, but of pristine beauty too.
Difficult social issues like homelessness and the treatment of special populations such as persons with disabilities can be addressed through arts and culture.
Local resident James Folster helped found the soup kitchen which runs out of the Humboldt senior centre every Thursday; the Westminster United Church has one on Christmas as well. And the local food bank, the Food Connection For All, Humboldt Community Garden, Partners Family Services, the Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre and numerous other local groups or individuals help to alleviate, in some way, the burdens others may go through in their daily life.
In fact, right now, Partners is running their "Truck load of support" out of the Humboldt mall. A school supply drive, individuals are asked to place donations in a truck parked in the mall to go to families in need.
So Humboldt is certainly charitable.
And Humboldt is generally keen on historical preservation.
We also seem to have civic pride in numerous individuals or endeavours, but do we have one cultural identity?
Arts and culture can brand a community and set it apart from others; has Humboldt successfully done that?
Are we the city of murals? Or the city of the railway? If we're the city of the railway, then shouldn't we fight to preserve the CN station?
Or maybe we don't yet have a concrete identity. If that's the case, what urban planning initiatives can take place to carve out a niche for Humboldt among other Canadian cities?
Everyone will have their chance to speak out at the community forum Sept. 12.
