The Columbia Valley Advisory Committee, which was created after the former Columbia Valley Directed FundCommittee wound down and comprised of former directed funds committee members, has also dissolved.
The advisory committee made a motion to disband at its committee meeting earlier this month, on Tuesday,November 8th.
“The committee has decided to no longer continue to meet. The Columbia Valley Advisory Committee took the lead on a number of projects that have now been passed onto the industry leaders. Various members of theColumbia Valley Advisory Committee Group will continue to be part of these other initiatives, such as valley-wide visitor services and the branding and marketing initiatives,” committee chair and RDEK Area F directorWendy Booth told The Echo.
Although the committee may be ending, it was certainly a worthwhile initiative, in the eyes of Booth.
“This group of both elected officials and community members has had numerous successes over the past few years, in bringing the valley together on a regional basis. This is something that I’m proud to have been the chair of,” she said.
During its last meeting on November 8th, the committee received project updates on Columbia Valley marketing and branding; on the downtown Invermere survey; on recreational access management planning; on valley-wide visitor services; on the valley resident attraction and retention plan; on the new multi-use centre; on an Radium environment centre study; on backcountry recreation; on Imagine Kootenay; on the Columbia Basin YouthNetwork; on the Columbia Wetland Stewardship Society; and on the Columbia Valley tourism marketing committees work done to date.
Columbia Basin Trust director of delivery of benefits Wayne Lundeberg was on hand to take part in a discussion about the future of the advisory committee, which preceded the committee’s motion to disband.
Committee members were thanked for their hard work during the past year.