Culture, Economy, Community: A Cultural Plan for Chatham-Kent Jointly funded by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Community Futures Development Corporation of Chatham-Kent Federal Department of Cultural Arts and Heritage To view the complete document visit chatham-kent.ca

Municipality of Chatham-Kent Amalgamated in 1998 23 incorporated towns, villages and townships into one 256 elected officials to 18 Second largest municipal land mass – 2,494 sq. kilometres, 105 kms x 72 kms One hour from Windsor, Sarnia and London 56 internal business units, not including PUC and C-K Energy Inventory of 825 bridges

Amalgamated in 1998

23 incorporated towns, villages and townships into one

256 elected officials to 18

Second largest municipal land mass – 2,494 sq. kilometres, 105 kms x 72 kms

One hour from Windsor, Sarnia and London

56 internal business units, not including PUC and C-K Energy

Inventory of 825 bridges

Our mission: We work in partnership with business, all levels of government and the community at the large, to actively promote, encourage and facilitate community economic development in Chatham-Kent Federally funded by Industry Canada, Fed Nor Serving rural communities of less than 40,000 population 61 CFDC’s in Ontario (5 are Native)

Our mission: We work in partnership with business, all levels of government and the community at the large, to actively promote, encourage and facilitate community economic development in Chatham-Kent

Federally funded by Industry Canada, Fed Nor

Serving rural communities of less than 40,000 population

61 CFDC’s in Ontario (5 are Native)

C F D C’s Small business loans of up to $150,000 Community economic planning and development with some grant funding NOTE: CFDCCK financed the first business plan for the Capital Theatre project. The Board championed the pursuit of doing the Cultural Masterplan and contributed $20,000.00 to the project Goal is to create job opportunities Incorporated not for profit, volunteer Board of Directors

Small business loans of up to $150,000

Community economic planning and development with some grant funding NOTE: CFDCCK financed the first business plan for the Capital Theatre project. The Board championed the pursuit of doing the Cultural Masterplan and contributed $20,000.00 to the project

Goal is to create job opportunities

Incorporated not for profit, volunteer Board of Directors

Decision to Embark Strategic Planning – CFDC’s mandated by Industry Canada to do strategic planning. Initial consultation with Board identified Culture/Tourism and Agriculture as a projected focus of activities The Discovery - Municipal Cultural Forums The Promotion - Selling the idea to pursue a formal process of cultural mapping Grant opportunity – ‘go for it!’ – NOTE: Council would not have pursued the Cultural Mapping process without partnership funding

Strategic Planning –

CFDC’s mandated by Industry Canada to do strategic planning. Initial consultation with Board identified Culture/Tourism and Agriculture as a projected focus of activities

The Discovery - Municipal Cultural Forums

The Promotion - Selling the idea to pursue a formal process of cultural mapping

Grant opportunity – ‘go for it!’ – NOTE: Council would not have pursued the Cultural Mapping process without partnership funding

Why Now in C-K After 10 years with great progress in meeting infrastructure needs i.e. roads, water, sewer, energy, bridges we have no identity 2 logos, no branding Need to come together for a common goal Loss of local community identity and pride Economic Development issues (Smokestacks!)

After 10 years with great progress in meeting infrastructure needs i.e. roads, water, sewer, energy, bridges we have no identity

2 logos, no branding

Need to come together for a common goal

Loss of local community identity and pride

Economic Development issues (Smokestacks!)

The Reality Grant approval came before Council’s strategic planning sessions Buy in from the bottom up Budget concerns override strategic priorities Many ‘don’t get it!’ – not only cultural planning but strategic planning Breaking down the silos difficult, internal and community wide

Grant approval came before Council’s strategic planning sessions

Buy in from the bottom up

Budget concerns override strategic priorities

Many ‘don’t get it!’ – not only cultural planning but strategic planning

Breaking down the silos difficult, internal and community wide

The Difference of our Cultural Mapping Project Had to be concrete, focus on ‘economy’ Second consultant, Steven Thorne, assessed C-K for cultural tourism opportunities “Culture-nomics”

Had to be concrete, focus on ‘economy’

Second consultant, Steven Thorne, assessed C-K for cultural tourism opportunities

“Culture-nomics”

Challenges of the Process More staff time required than anticipated IT/GIS department not included in RFP Summertime Volunteer vs. staff, who is going to be responsible in the long term to implement Buy in from senior management and Ec Dev Working in silo’s internally and externally, volunteer and public sector, will require leadership Concept not truly understood by majority

More staff time required than anticipated

IT/GIS department not included in RFP

Summertime

Volunteer vs. staff, who is going to be responsible in the long term to implement

Buy in from senior management and Ec Dev

Working in silo’s internally and externally, volunteer and public sector, will require leadership

Concept not truly understood by majority

Desired Outcomes Identity, branding, signage – a process has begun to address signage issues Tourism strategy, Steven Thorne, implement ideas for market development of tourist opportunities – Council has funded a product development person to begin to implement suggestions contained in the report Develop a culture of thinking strategically and implement accordingly, proactive vs. reactive – new CAO in place as of Nov. 1, changes are in the works Establish a non-political mechanism for Communities to work together while maintaining their individuality – Project Coordinator in the process of forming Create CK and CAT’s Council buy-in with $$$$ - asked for 150,00 in ’08 received half Create solid partnerships between business, the not-for-profit sector and funding partners to build a community movement to implement Cultural Plan – slowly forming

Identity, branding, signage – a process has begun to address signage issues

Tourism strategy, Steven Thorne, implement ideas for market development of tourist opportunities – Council has funded a product development person to begin to implement suggestions contained in the report

Develop a culture of thinking strategically and implement accordingly, proactive vs. reactive – new CAO in place as of Nov. 1, changes are in the works

Establish a non-political mechanism for Communities to work together while maintaining their individuality – Project Coordinator in the process of forming Create CK and CAT’s

Council buy-in with $$$$ - asked for 150,00 in ’08 received half

Create solid partnerships between business, the not-for-profit sector and funding partners to build a community movement to implement Cultural Plan – slowly forming

Create C-K 3 Part Program Create C-K Consortium 5 Regional Action Teams – CATs Create C-K Strategic Summit

3 Part Program

Create C-K Consortium

5 Regional Action Teams – CATs

Create C-K Strategic Summit

Cultural Action Teams - CATS The following regional titles were generated to mitigate the stigma of a forced amalgamation. The areas boundaries would be fluid and based on historical development of the region and their culture Syndenham Thames-St. Clair Land Between the Lakes Erie Ridge Upper Thames (Fairfield

The following regional titles were generated to mitigate the stigma of a forced amalgamation. The areas boundaries would be fluid and based on historical development of the region and their culture

Syndenham

Thames-St. Clair

Land Between the Lakes

Erie Ridge

Upper Thames (Fairfield

Ongoing Challenges Keeping momentum - Leadership Beaurocracy – governments move too slowly for the volunteer sector Politics – keeping focussed on the big picture Resources – continued financial support for staff (based on a political budget process) Perception of Culture – ‘elitism’ vs. ‘culture-nomics’

Keeping momentum - Leadership

Beaurocracy – governments move too slowly for the volunteer sector

Politics – keeping focussed on the big picture

Resources – continued financial support for staff (based on a political budget process)

Perception of Culture – ‘elitism’ vs. ‘culture-nomics’

“Low Hanging Fruit’ ‘ ArtSpace’ - new artist co-op in downtown Chatham, joint partnership of Thames Art Gallery, CFDC, a local entrepreneur and artist’s ‘ Tecumseh Parkway’ – a 1812 legacy project ‘ Promised Land’ – a 5 year, 5 million dollar research project on Black History Heritage Tax relief bylaw; Church inventory Ridgetown rejuvenation committee based on cultural assets ‘ White Paper’ Cultural Symposium – Feb.

‘ ArtSpace’ - new artist co-op in downtown Chatham, joint partnership of Thames Art Gallery, CFDC, a local entrepreneur and artist’s

‘ Tecumseh Parkway’ – a 1812 legacy project

‘ Promised Land’ – a 5 year, 5 million dollar research project on Black History

Heritage Tax relief bylaw; Church inventory

Ridgetown rejuvenation committee based on cultural assets

‘ White Paper’ Cultural Symposium – Feb.

If I had to do it all over again…. Formed a strong cross departmental team ie. Oakville Worked harder on educating Council Appointed members to interim committee prior to the end of the project ie. Oxford Found corporate partners in the beginning Had a communication person (volunteer or staff) educating and promoting the concept Had Ec-Dev firmly on side before going forward

Formed a strong cross departmental team ie. Oakville

Worked harder on educating Council

Appointed members to interim committee prior to the end of the project ie. Oxford

Found corporate partners in the beginning

Had a communication person (volunteer or staff) educating and promoting the concept

Had Ec-Dev firmly on side before going forward

Recession = Opportunity Acting strategically, using a Cultural Masterplan, municipalities have an opportunity to ‘re-tool’ their economic base “Quality of life is good economics, focus on the real fundamentals that make your community attractive to corporations.” Dr. Mark Partridge, Swank Professor in Rural-Urban Policy, Ohio State University

Acting strategically, using a Cultural Masterplan, municipalities have an opportunity to ‘re-tool’ their economic base

“Quality of life is good economics, focus on the real fundamentals that make your community attractive to corporations.” Dr. Mark Partridge, Swank Professor in Rural-Urban Policy, Ohio State University

Thank you. Anne Gilbert [email_address] Chair, Community Futures Development Corporation of Chatham-Kent Councillor, Ward 6, Chatham Municipality of Chatham-Kent 519-676-4333