A proposal to market Summerland in Alberta deserves some serious consideration.
The Summerland Economic Improvement Group and the Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Association are asking the municipality for $30,000 to fund the promotional initiative.
While the price tag is significant, it may prove to be money well spent if it were to result in even a few businesses relocating to Summerland.
Such growth would create new jobs and enhance existing businesses and facilities. This would be a positive change.
A community needs a solid economic base if it is to thrive.
At present, although we have some successful businesses, our employment base remains weak.
In recent years, we have lost a number of established jobs as the fruit packing house, a tree nursery and a dried fruit processing facility have all left Summerland.
So far, the jobs have not been replaced.
In addition, several large projects, which would have brought jobs to the community, have not worked out.
Summerland has not just been in a stagnant holding pattern; the community has received some devastating hits.
Something must be done to reverse this trend.
In the past, the role of promoting Summerland would have fallen under the mandate of an economic development officer, but that position was eliminated more than a year ago.
Without an economic development officer, Summerland needs to take other measures to promote itself.
Funding the Summerland Economic Improvement Group’s proposal has the potential to bring back far more than the cost of the $30,000 request.