Adapting and moving forward

The City of Rossland believes controlled growth will be key

Mayor Gordon Smith is anticipating an exciting time for Rossland residents and hopes they will become more actively involved —Photo by Jody Jacob

by Jody Jacob

For years, Rossland was a quiet alpine city known for its close-knit community and the leisurely lifestyle it offered residents. And although these traits still very much define the community, the city of Rossland is in the midst of some exciting changes that will bring a number of new opportunities to the region. According to Gordon Smith, mayor of Rossland, the world has discovered the quaint Kootenay city and, as a result, it is about to enter a new era. h3. A development boom Over the past couple of years, Rossland has experienced a boom in development, particularly when you look at the construction at Red Mountain Resort and the new Redstone Alpine Golf Resort. “The residents of Rossland have long anticipated the level of resort-style development that is currently unfolding,” said Smith. “We have a tremendous opportunity to diversify our economy and create a more vibrant and sustainable community.” Although the City is excited about the recent changes that have been occurring in Rossland, officials are anticipating a few challenges that will need to be addressed, one of which will be fulfilling the needs of existing residents while at the same time optimizing development opportunities. “The best way council can achieve this balance is to enter into a planned growth framework in which residents are full participants,” said Smith. “Despite a dramatic rise in residential assessment, Rossland is still a very affordable place to live and work. Council recognizes that it needs to create conditions that are inclusive for a broad spectrum of residents, and a new OCP will reflect that requirement; we have made a clear commitment to our residents that we would take a leadership role in building the capacity for community adaptation and sustainability.” In order to achieve these goals, council has created a citizen-based advisory committee and endorsed a multi-phased strategic planning framework; key to this initiative are the Official Community Plan (soon to be developed) and a Community Sustainability Plan, which will include scenario planning, a community vision statement and a collaborative exercise in strategic planning. h3. Targeting tourism The city of Rossland is one of 14 communities in B.C. to be selected for the creation of a customized destination development program that is sponsored by Tourism BC. According to Smith, Tourism Rossland is a project that includes participants from city council, the chamber of commerce, Red Mountain Resort, the Kootenay-Columbia Trail Society and local accommodators and businesses. The objective of the project is to create a destination marketing organization that will utilize a practical roadmap to facilitate the growth of Rossland’s year-round tourism economy.

Key Rossland contacts

Richmond, BC

PHONE: 1-800-663-2872

Pacific Coastal Airlines Ltd

www.pacificcoastal.com
Rossland, BC

The Flying Steamshovel Inn

www.flyingsteamshovel.com

Rossland

Vital statistics

Population :: 3,200
Number of businesses :: 155
Supporting industries :: Mining (smelting and refining), Forestry, Tourism, Health Care, Service & Supply