Waiting on the boom times

We at the Podunk enjoy our web surfing, tonight we stumbled across an interesting presentation about the future of Podunk, tied in as it is with the future development of the Port of Prince Rupert.

UNBC held a course last year at the North Pacific Fishing Village Historical site, part of their political science program. The findings of that symposium on Northern Communities in Transition has been posted on the UNBC website and it makes for a pretty good read and view.

Included is a video of approximately 26 minutes which outlines the goals and eventual findings of the group’s weekend.

The website offers up some interesting tidbits for all Podunkians to ponder as we await the great boom to come. Census figures used from 2001 seem almost utopian now, as they list our population at over 16,000 souls. Anyone who has remained behind as the economy has faltered over the last five years would suggest that our base is significantly lower than that mark now, dangling dangerously closer to the 10,000 mark than 16,000.

Viewing the video answers a few questions for Podunkians, such pressing issues as hey what kind of view does Don Krusel’s office have? And what progress Jim Rushton is making at Economic Development! (Well, ok we were hoping anyways).

We also get a history lesson from Herb Pond on our long time ties to transportation and how container shipping works. The mayor is in top verbosity (definitely a guy that likes the media spotlight) as he does his best imitation of Charles Hays himself, making a presentation in which he proclaimed that we are on our way to a population of over 100,000. Not quite sure what he is basing that figure on (and even that was questioned during the course of the video presentation), but it would surely be a welcome thing at city hall’s tax department, a place which could use a few more names on their rolls, folks that might be able to pay some property taxes. As Herb pointed out in his presentation, we're still broke and apparently will be for a while yet. Lets hope that isn't going to be our community slogan for 2006! Though it would make a catchy little thing on that old Welcome to Prince Rupert sign by the Industrial park!

We are treated to a vignette from the Museum of Northern B. C. which recaps our history and we learn more about the boom and bust cycle of development in Prince Rupert. Video footage from the course participants leads us to the discovery that they’re flying a Chinese flag out at the pulp mill now, though that’s about all that’s flying there at the moment, as it’s still not a working bit of industrial might.

The website reprises that CN promotional video that got Podunk’s heart pumping last year when it first came out, as we ponder the days that soon may be.

Guest appearances from Erika Rolston and Sheila Dobie ask the questions that need to be asked about environmental and societal impact and give the viewer some interesting viewpoints about growth in our community.

Be sure to check out the Photo Gallery where snapshots of the symposium are provided complete with commentary.

From snapshots of the grain elevator, to sunsets, mountains, the mayor and the participants gathered around the table, the photo gallery gives you an idea as to what the course was all about.

We also gather that the group must have had complimentary drinks and appys at the Crest considering the free plug they gave the Hotel and it’s much vaunted view from the deck!

Fishing boats and fishing lodges both were prominent in the photo gallery, highlighting the state of the fishery in the Northwest as the commercial sector continues to rationalize itself and the sport industry continues to grow in the tourism field.

Another interesting part of the website home page is the commentary provided by the course participants who provided their perspective on not only the course but on the future of the city as well. Some of them had some pretty impressive perspectives on how growth could impact us and the fabric of life on the northwest.

It’s a pretty comprehensive if short look at the positives and negatives of potential growth on our community; you can begin your journey to the future of Podunk right here.

Credit to the hackingthemainframe site and the blog menino.com where we at the Podunk discovered this little known view of our little corner of the world and where it may be going.