Don’t attract businesses; ignore youths and seniors; don’t cooperate; grow complacent.
These are just some of the ways to destroy a community, according to Doug Griffiths, author and former Member of Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2002 to 2015.
Mayors, councillors, municipal staff and residents from all over the county attended a joint economic development meeting in Harriston on May 17 where Griffiths discussed his book 13 Ways to Kill Your Community.
Griffiths, a “community therapist,” was inspired to write his book after talking with communities during years of research for a rural community development strategy.
“It’s so easy to trade away what we want most for what we want now,” he said.
“I realized communities are doing the same thing.”
Griffiths presented his 13 ways in a playful exercise, often sharing real-world examples of the many communities he has visited over his career.
He said there will always be people who will express that change is impossible, but he stressed attitude is the key to progress and success.
Some of Griffiths’ 13 ways to kill a community included the following.
Don’t attract business
Griffiths said attracting business, especially those that will increase competition, will benefit the community.
He shared a story of a community grocery store that was doing well in one town because it had competition, while a grocer in another town with no competition could barely make ends meet.
“Competition gives us … better price, better quality, better selection and better service,” he said.
Griffiths added one business can compound growth in communities through employment.
Ignore youths
Griffiths said he finds many places asking him how to keep young people in the community.
He said youths need to leave, explore and learn.
“The key to your success to not to keep them, it’s to let them do that,” he said. “The key to your success is to give them a reason to come home after they’re done exploring.”
He said many people he visited complained about the future of the town they live in, but also wondered why youths leave.
“We have to stop talking like that,” he said.
Griffiths suggested municipalities be places that want and appreciate youths rather than ignore them. He said the future of the community lies with the youths.
Deceive yourself
“Across western Canada, so far I have found, and it didn’t take very much work, 54 communities whose slogan is ‘the best place to work, live and raise a family,’” said Griffiths.
He said this doesn’t sell a community to potential newcomers.
“This basically means ‘have no sense of who you really are,’” he said, adding that communities should think outside the box and really dive into their competitive edge.
He said a fresh perspective from newcomers can offer insight into how communities are unique, whereas longtime residents can lose sight of what makes their community stand out.
Don’t cooperate
Griffiths told a story of a small community that needed a new community hall. Three volunteer groups each tried to build the hall on their own, instead of working together.
“For 10 years they competed and didn’t get anything done.
But once they decided to work together, it took only one year until they opened the doors on the new community hall.
Griffiths added communities can work against each other for irrational reasons.
After the meeting, when asked how municipalities could help solve community rivalries within their borders, he said it is tough to start bridging the gap.
“Communities have personalities just like people do, so you have to figure out what their motivations are and what is holding them back,” he said.
Don’t take responsibility
Griffiths said it is easy to blame municipal, provincial and federal governments for community problems.
“If you really want your community to be successful, in the end, it all comes down to you,” he said.
He said there will be cynics who will try to stop change.
“When they say it’s impossible, it can’t be done, just look at them, smile and say, ‘Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those of us who are doing it,’” he said.
Mayors thankful
Minto Mayor George Bridge, Wellington North Mayor Andy Lennox and Mapleton Mayor Neil Driscoll expressed their gratitude for the eye-opening presentation.
Bridge said it was an “amazing” talk.
“When you go out and network with communities, we’ve all got the same problems and we can all use the same solutions in a lot of cases,” he said.
“I think those stories resonate for all of us in [their] own way,” added Lennox.
Driscoll said he hadn’t wanted to attend the meeting.
“I didn’t even want to come tonight. Thank you CAO Brad (McRoberts) for talking me into this,” he said.
“I recognized all the things I’ve done wrong because I’ve lived here all my life.”
To find out more about Griffiths and 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, visit 13ways.ca. Bridge said it was an amazing” talk.
