Whistler Backyard Brainstorms

The OCP is a community plan, and for it to be as effective as possible, the community needs to work together to develop it.  From July to the end of September, citizens were invited to connect with their community and the OCP through Whistler Backyard Brainstorm sessions– a citizen-led meeting with a difference. 23 Brainstorms were completed, engaging nearly 300 community members in the OPC update process.  Yet the success of this initiative was really in the quality of the input gathered and the meaningful conversations that transpired between neighbours and friends:

“We believe the fact that discussions like tonight where there was a diverse group contributing terrific insights speaks to both the power of this process and the potential of our community.“

“Sharing ideas and visions and realizing how we are all aligned with major issues [was most enjoyed], as was the positive atmosphere for sharing information.”

Inclusive Engagement is our foundation for success. Based on feedback from the community brainstorm sessions, the most preferred ways to be engaged in the OCP update process were: facilitated group discussions, open house/public meetings, advisory group participation, and community brainstorm discussions. From these recommendations, we have designed the next phases/opportunities for community engagement.

We have two open house/public meetings occurring in November, one on the 10th in North Vancouver, and one on the 24th in Whistler; titled Our Community. Our Plan, both events will have a workbook component to them. At these meetings there will also be an opportunity for community members to sign up for small, facilitated working group sessions on specific topic areas. In addition, our OCP Community Advisory Group and Youth Advisory Group have meetings this fall to discuss general directions for our community. 

Please check back here to read the Community Directions that came out of these Backyard Brainstorm sessions and other community engagement to date in Mountain Voices. From these Community Directions, Proposed General Directions have been crafted, and you will have a chance to comment on these directions at the Our Community. Our Plan events. At these events, both sets of directions will be shared with the community, highlighting the links between. 

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