All it needed was Jeff Probst snuffing a tiki torch and saying "The tribe has spoken."
At the Our Humboldt community forum Sept. 12, over 140 residents showed up to give input into the future of Humboldt.
As Jeff Evenson of the Canadian Urban Institute lead the planning process, groups of around ten people per table clustered around the maps that the institute and the City of Humboldt put together.
"We're thinking very broadly about culture here," Evenson told the crowd, reiterating that no idea was too silly to be broadcast.
The maps were of Humboldt, with 85 cultural sites laid out. The sites, tangible or intangible, were deemed significant to the heritage and identity of Humboldt.
They were borrowed from a heritage study the city conducted in 2010, where it asked residents to identity culturally significant places in town. But because the study was done three years ago, there are some spots that exist today that were not listed on the map, such as the Elgar Petersen Arena, home of the Broncos.
Each table was given a pack of green, yellow and red stickers. They were asked to put green on the sites they felt were important right now, yellow on ones that didn't need any attention for the time to come, and red on ones that don't matter whatsoever.
For sites that weren't listed on the map but should be taken into consideration, post-it notes sufficed; individuals were asked to scribble down any ideas not mentioned.
"You're part of something very important tonight," Mayor Malcolm Eaton said to the crowd of onlookers. "You're really helping our city council and our administration."
When Evenson finished his opening remarks and instructed the forum to begin, it was like race horses sprinting out of the gates.
Immediately, people were getting up out of their chairs and leaning over the maps, stickers clutched in hand. Friendly chatter was taking place, healthy debates, nods of agreement, heads shaking of disagreement. Green stickers were being placed beside red stickers, and yellow stickers squeezed in next to greens. Post-it after post-it were being smacked onto the maps, all with important ideas that the map didn't mention.
Each map also had a list of intangible ideas that participants could place stickers on; while one table had placed a clump of green stickers on the belief saying faith is important to Humboldt, the table next to it plunked down a bunch of reds.
Shuffling from table to table, a few ideas, care of post-its, popped out more than others, such as public transportation.
Every single table had a memo with the need for public transportation jotted down in permanent marker and framed by an array of green stickers, just to drive the point home.
Most tables also had a post-it addressing the need for another theatre, and a detour for trucks. And many groups recognized St. Mary's Villa as being integral to the community.
But while there were many of the same ideas, there were some unique ones.
Public washrooms for downtown.
And a grocery store too.
Larger exhibition grounds.
More clothing stores.
Expansion of the Uniplex.
Additional low income housing for seniors.
And some tables disagreed over the exact same site. One table had green dots all over the CN station, emphasizing its importance to the community. Another table had reds all over it.
"It's sad, because it could have been a really nice place. But I think it's just too far-gone now," said Humboldt resident Owen Hopfner, who participated at the forum.
Hopfner, the speaker for his table, shared many insightful ideas at the panel, suggesting an overpass or underpass for the train tracks that glide right through the middle of town.
"What happens if there's a fire in the south end but the train is held up on the tracks? The fire truck and responders won't be able to get through," Hopfner explained.
He also mentioned another idea, with a little glint in his eye, during refreshments after the forum.
"Well, it sounds silly but it'd be nice to have a destination restaurant. A nice, fancy place. Somewhere I can take my wife for dinner on our anniversary. More upscale," Hopfner explained.
During round-table discussions, even more ideas were shared by a representative from each table, members of the Canadian Urban Institute and the city listening intently.
"We need an anesthesiologist in town," said one speaker.
"More youth programs," said another.
Other ideas mentioned included completing all the trails in town, promote the seniors hall more, constructing a second ice surface, establishing a farmers market, have a community billboard downtown and making both entrances to the city "aesthetically pleasing."
"A sit-down restaurant that is open after 9 p.m. would be nice," said Janine Hart of the Humboldt Regional Newcomer Centre.
"We should also have the courtesy of knowing ahead of time if the city will be clearing roads, so we can get our vehicles out of the way so they can do it properly," said another group member.
"Rejuvenate the CN station!" said one group.
"An unleashed dog park!" said another. In fact, the dog park was a surprising idea that nearly every table shared.
"A hallway overpass for the school!"
"Maintain the green spaces. Expand the camp ground!"
Yes, it was two hours of democratic idea swapping, opinions being shared, voices being heard.
It's a crucial time in the planning initiative for Humboldt; with BHP Billiton's Jansen mine set to go by 2016, Eaton has said that Humboldt's population will double in the next ten years.
"Humboldt, you're on a pioneering trend," Evenson said. "You've really got something going on here," he said, referring to the unique expansion the city will be undergoing in the next few years.
Evenson also made it clear to participants that despite Humboldt's anticipated growth, this is still their community and should feel that way, explaining the importance of the forum.
"In 20 years, how will you recognize the Humboldt you love?" he asked.
Adam Duke, the reigning Junior Citizen of the Year for Humboldt and one of the younger participants at the forum, shared his table's ideas with the moderators, touching on city transit specific to seniors and students and a truck route to redirect heavy machinery around town.
"We also really need to continue these forums so we can always have our say," Duke added.
He will get his wish.
A follow-up community forum is scheduled for Nov. 13.
