Well Athabasca, it’s happening.
Town and county councils have approved the new pool project, complete with fitness centre, water slide and lazy river.
We’re glad to see the region collaborating to build such a high-class facility. It will be expensive, and the real leg work is really just beginning, but it will be a draw.
Although we do not think there are that many people who would actually move to a town because of its pool, it is certainly a nice thing to have. Despite arguments to the contrary, we see it as a draw for visitors and other local people, contributing positively to the overall lifestyle of the region.
That said, we thought we’d pose the question: what really brings people to a community?
As we see it, jobs, housing, education and lifestyle.
The independent third-party report on Athabsaca University dedicates an entire section to AU’s presence in Athabasca, noting among other things that the institution should collaborate with regional stakeholders to address regional education needs.
On a deeper look, there’s a very interesting quote attributed to one staff member:
“While the town wants the university to stay there, I’m not sure how much time and effort it puts into supporting the university. I for one, was someone who moved from Ontario to Athabasca to assume a position with our faculty. At no time did the town offer any assistance with housing, introduce me to services, etc. While I am capable of doing this on my own, I was surprised at the lack of support from the community.”
We can have all the nice things we want, but no one will come unless they know what’s here.
So let’s work on those reception skills, Athabasca. We should better promote the things we have and those we soon will have.
We need to market ourselves and make our amenities accessible to both newcomers and long-time residents. Otherwise, we may as well keep our doors closed, money in our pockets and pools in our dreams.
