There were no crystal balls, but clearly Puslinch residents are ready to stake a claim in looking forward into the community’s future.
On Jan. 14 just under three dozen residents, staff and politicians gathered at the Puslinch Community Centre to look 10 years ahead to project what direction the township should be headed.
Mayor Dennis Lever stated there had been really good sessions in the past.
“Tonight’s a little thinner, but we are competing with a soccer annual general meeting across the hall … maybe when they’re finished there will be a few more people here,” said Lever.
Facilitator Dr. John Whitesell has worked with the township in generating the community-based strategic plan since June. He anticipates work to conclude in February.
“We’re looking at a shared vision for 2025 … what is it you want to be and where do you want to be … 10 years from now? The clock is already ticking,” Whitesell said, noting, “community is the heart of the Puslinch strategy.”
He said similar thoughts were repeated over and over during his interviews with members of the community.
Whitesell noted the township’s strategic priorities, which were set during three meetings with council and staff, include: government regulation, finance, housing affordability, water, service levels, traffic volume, growth and economic development, high speed internet, public recreation areas, Morriston bypass plus the spectre of annexation and amalgamation.
However, Whitesell said the local priorities were weighted and reviewed in regard to the existing fire master plan, community improvement plan and recreation master plan.
While all the priorities are important, what is being looked at now is the degree of importance, he said.
He stated that in reviewing the community’s history, “It was really fascinating to see what your forefathers have been through over the years since the early 1830s.”
Yet today, there are pressures on all of the municipality’s boundaries, he said.
Residents need to ask whether the area will continue to be the township of Puslinch … or does it want to be?
“The answer I hear is ‘yes’, but how are you going to do that?” he asked those in the audience.
He said the provincial Places to Grow document suggests the township’s population will increase 50 per cent in the next 15 years.
He asked “What will Puslinch be in the future?”
Whitesell said a vision without a timeline or very specific details “isn’t a vision at all … it’s just perpetual dreaming.”
Without a framework of a vision, Whitesell said it is difficult for staff to make decisions on a day-to-day basis … or everything has to go up through council.
“That is not an efficient or effective way to run a municipality,” said Whitesell.
“But the big decisions are 10 years out – where is it that you ultimately want to be and how does the community achieve that future?”
He agreed that circumstances are bound to change.
“You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails. As long as you are tracking in the right direction, everything will turn out alright in the end,” he said.
Following Whitesell’s presentation, participants gathered into working groups to discuss their views of the future (a portion of their thoughts is included in the visual above).
