What if, instead of making plans for the community for the next five and 10 years, we started to think of how our towns and cities could look 20, 30 or even 50 years in the future? What if we could create a cohesive vision for where we live that would redefine how we do things and provide a structure for sustainability for our children and our children’s children?

That’s the hope of Cranbrook Connected, a City of Cranbrook initiative that is in the process of creating an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) by bringing together various stakeholders to collaborate on a vision of what the city could be.

The plan must address the four pillars of sustainability—environmental, cultural, social and economic—in order to meet commitments to the federal government for infrastructure funding on projects that promote clean water and air.

Laurie Cordell is a sustainability facilitator who provides guidance for groups like Cranbrook Connected that are involved in sustainability planning. Cordell is excited by the possibilities.

“It’s an opportunity for the people of Cranbrook to have a conversation that is needed in the community,” she said. “It’s a chance for us to come together and share a vision of where we’re going and connect our actions together and work together to reach that vision.”

Chris Ayling, the group’s chair, agreed.

“It’s a chance to develop my vision—our vision—of Cranbrook as a leader in the region.”