Administration
Message from the CAO
Chief Administrative Officer, Darren Ottaway
There is no doubt that with the onset of the 21st century our world, country, and community are, and will continue to, undergo fundamental changes. The days of cheap oil are over as can be witnessed by the price at the pumps. Our environment is undergoing a period of incredible change and we continue to experience geo-political unrest. Change is no longer slow and progressive in nature; rather, it happens at the speed of light. We all struggle to understand these changing times and no longer have the luxury of being complacent in our efforts to comprehend the future and to prepare for it.
One of the main functions of our municipality is to invest the public wealth in our infrastructure so that we can build a community that is sustainable and prepared for the future. In order to invest this wealth the Town has begun to focus on the human needs of our community, shifting away from the post World War II planning that has dominated North America and is starting to prove disastrous.
To set the course, the Town of Grande Cache developed their 20/20 Strategic Sustainability Plan in 2006 and has made considerable efforts to position the community in a proactive stance, embracing new urbanist principals and concepts that are quickly moving from theory to reality.
We must begin to work toward building a sustainable community by embracing and applying the following basic concepts:
- Walkability: Pedestrian friendly streets that welcome people and help release us from our dependency on the automobile.
- Connectivity: A community that is planned to disperse traffic and eases walking. Building high quality pedestrian network and a public realm that makes walking pleasurable.
- Mixed Use and Diversity: A mix of shopping, apartments and homes mixed together within neighbourhoods. Celebrating a diversity of people of all ages, income levels, cultures and races.
- Mixed Housing: A broad range of types, sizes, and prices making housing obtainable for all residents.
- Quality Urban Design: Emphasis on beauty, human comfort, and creating a sense of place. Human scale architecture and beautiful surroundings that nourish the human spirit.
- Increased Densities: More building, residences, shops and services closer together for ease of walking and enable more efficient use of resources, and to create a more enjoyable place to live.
- Smart Transportation:Pedestrian friendly design that encourages greater use of bicycles, rollerblades, scooter and walking as daily transportation.
- Sustainability: Minimal environmental impact of development and its operations. Energy efficiency and reduced dependency on diminishing fossil fuels.
- Superior Quality of Life: Taken together these equate to a high quality of life worth living and create a community that has places that enrich, uplift, and inspire the human spirit.
As we move forward to achieve a successful and sustainable future, we know that the journey will not be easy. It will require that we set a bold course today, working collaboratively and creatively with all community stakeholders and partners. We are ready for the challenge and embrace the opportunity to create the destiny and legacy we desire.
Please join us in Grande Cache’s journey!