The Our Humboldt community forum is happening tomorrow night and is the perfect way for residents to have their say in creating a new plan for Humboldt.
"Everyone is encouraged to attend," it was stated in a recent media release.
Even children are welcome, as the local Big Brothers Big Sisters program will be providing free activities for the kids to do while their parents attend the event.
I've got to throw my "reporter impartiality" to the wind here and say I'm pretty excited about this forum. Maybe it's because I'm from a big city, where it's very easy to feel detached from municipal politics and like your voice is falling on deaf ears but ever since arriving in Humboldt, one thing has become pretty apparent to me:
The residents really do have a say.
It's one thing Mayor Malcolm Eaton stressed to me in an interview about a month ago; that while Humboldt is expanding population and infrastructure-wise, he's determined to make sure the close-knit feel of a smaller community remains.
And that means the more effective your voice is.
Whether you're concerned over your child's education or want to see more multicultural events in town; whether you want to vent about the giant question mark that is the old CN station, or express ideas about revamping the downtown core.
Seriously, whatever direction you want to see Humboldt head towards, let the advisory committee know.
I'm not saying that the relationship between the City of Humboldt and its residents is always kittens and Skittles and rainbows and this is the purest form of democracy. Of course, it's impossible to please everyone and no matter what the City does, or what ideas are thrown out tomorrow night, as the cultural plan unfolds in the next few years, some will be left disappointed, others will be happy as clams.
But hey, the fact that a forum like this is even happening shows that they obviously care what you think, and are determined to please the majority.
The City of Humboldt hired the Canadian Urban Institute a couple of months ago to lead this cultural analysis of the city, and because of their insight into Humboldt, they'll also be facilitating the session tomorrow night.
The plan that is developed after the forum's discussions will be "a future road map on areas ranging from housing and land use to recreation, culture, transportation, public spaces and more," the media release stated.
So, if you were watching the US Open this past weekend and had an itching to pull off your best Rafael Nadal and hit the clay but realized Humboldt doesn't have any tennis courts, here's your chance to speak up, especially since Humboldt made a bid to host the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
Obviously, all the talk recently has been over the Jansen mine's anticipated opening in 2016 and if and in what way the communities are prepared for it. Well we're not going to be prepared for it if there's a giant schism through the city because some (metaphorical) holes weren't pointed out.
So let's do the talking and let the City get out their plaster. If we work in tandem and get the ball rolling, the vision you have of Humboldt's future won't be a dream anymore.
You'll be living it.
The community forum is tomorrow night, Sept. 12, at the Humboldt Uniplex, Jubilee Hall. The session kicks off at 6:30 p.m.
