Oak Bay’s Official Community Plan review process is gaining momentum. The Project Charter (terms of agreement with the consultant) is now approved in principle by Council and planning for public consultation sessions is well underway, with start dates at the end of May. Please watch this blog and the OB website for details.
The process to reach this stage of what is the most significant project undertaken by Oak Bay in many, many years has been painstaking but taking the time to get it right will pay off in the end. The advisory committee, a group of skilled and dedicated Oak Bay residents who have met faithfully every two weeks since last August, are focused on the need to keep public consultation and involvement at the top of the list throughout the process (I could not agree more). With this in mind, we purposely hired a consultant who has over 30 years’ experience in developing community and strategic plans through extensive public engagement methods—it is the consultant’s commitment to public participation that clinched the decision to hire her.
But all the great committees and good consultants in the world cannot substitute for your involvement and participation in this process. There will be a variety of opportunities to get involved through meetings, forums, surveys and workshops. They will be well advertised and committee members, Municipal staff and Council will be working together to reach as many Oak Bay residents as possible between now and the end of this year. So please take some time to participate in shaping our future. I look forward to seeing you and please do not hesitate to contact me at any time with questions or comments.
Note: I am taking a “blog break” until the end of April and will be back reporting out Council and community activities at the beginning of May. Wishing you well until then.