During the last couple of weeks, there have been two separate public hearings held in Banff and Canmore, the first regarding the regulation of chain, or formula-based, stores/restaurants within Banff and the other concerning a development in the troubled Three Sisters area of Canmore.
On both occasions, the public was requested to voice their input, be it in person during the hearings or through a written submission that would be delivered to the respective council for consideration.
Despite the fact these two hearings had almost nothing in common with regards to the subject matter, it’s refreshing to see so many members of the public take the time to give their opinions on certain matters they feel strongly about.
The large crowd that gathered in Banff for the chain stores hearing (page 9), whether they agree with the implications of the proposed bylaw or not, is a testament to the type of people that reside in the Bow Valley and their support for all levels of community input.
The recent protest regarding the decision to close the maternity ward at Banff’s Mineral Springs Hospital is another example of the commitment residents in the valley have for speaking out against something they don’t believe is right.
Whether or not the decision to close obstetrics is best for Banff residents is not for us to judge, but it is fair to say being organized like Hatch, Patch and Dispatch is a necessary requirement for any movement to truly be effective.
Having bright-coloured orange T-shirts isn’t a bad idea either, though green may have been a better choice.
However, there is also a contingent of people who live in this area and choose not to attend these public hearings, meetings or other forums and instead resort to expressing their displeasure in coffee shops or through social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
While social media is by far the simplest way to state an opinion and share it with others, some residents have become accustomed to merely using it and doing little else and hoping that, as though by some magic wand, a tweet or status update will convince council to change something.
It has become apparent that a steady following on one of these sites is viewed as equivalent to a packed council chambers objecting or approving a municipal decision like regulating change stores.
But it’s not. This is your Thursday wakeup call.
It’s easy to state an opinion on Facebook and wait for something to happen. It’s challenging work organizing a movement that’s opposed to a decision that has been or is yet to be made. It is those on-the-ground measures that really create results.
We live in an area that is people-driven, so why are we so afraid to step outside of our comfort zone, mainly a computer or coffee shop and speak directly with those decision-makers?
All councillors on both sides of the gates encourage public input and tend to voice resident opinions within the meetings themselves.
Those councillors are there for everyone’s benefit and if you don’t agree with something, actually doing something about it is much more beneficial for getting the word out than lamenting via the Internet.
T-shirts are always an option as well.
