North Bay’s push to develop an economic strategy is underway with the release of a survey to gain your input in the city's future.
Invest North Bay Development Corporation has partnered with Baylor University in Texas to undergo research and develop an economic strategic plan.
Wednesday afternoon Project Lead Kevin Hutchison told the media at city hall that the survey is now live on the internet.
Hutchison explained that the four MBA students involved-- Sarah, Jared, Joe, and Kevin-- recently spent a day and a half in the city interacting with 200 community leaders. Hutchison says the students, along with the city’s board, developed the survey to identify patterns and themes.
During the media conference, directors of Invest North Bay Development Corporation were shown a one minute video of the students on the Baylor campus (complete with live bears) in Texas. In the production, student Sarah Hill says “We hope to learn about the opinions of North Bay residents.”
This is phase one of the project says director and North Bay City Councillor Derek Shogren. He says there will be a quick turnaround of a month to release the results to the board and the public on December 11th.
“Baylor is the top research university in North America. These are the top people who will analyze our data. We are looking for 10,000 responses. I don’t think that has ever been done before. There are questions such as ‘What do you like or dislike about North Bay.‘ I’m ready to hear the good and where we can improve in the future.”
A grade nine student from Alqonquin Secondary School was at the announcement. Brooke Shogren shadowed her father at city hall Wednesday as part of the “Take Our Kids to Work Day.”
The younger Shogren thinks that business students helping North Bay is a great idea. “It’s cool that they are working to make our city better.”
Asked if she would take the survey, Shogren said her father and her were going straight to his office to both take it.
Next year, phase two takes place with 25 students analyzing the results and researching other strategic opportunities in North Bay
Mayor Al McDonald says the survey is the result of the Invest North Bay Development Corporation’s commitment to understand how people feel about the community. McDonald wants business, organizational and citizen input in the survey. McDonald is also asking that the survey’s link be shared on social media to gain the maximum data.
“Get involved. This is a wonderful opportunity for members of our community to have their say about why they believe this is one of the best places to live work and raise a family and to tell us about any challenges. To open the city’s doors to new industry and business in our city, we need a long-term strategy that we can be comfortable about."
The survey link is accessed at bearsfornorthbay.com.
