A newcomer to Terrace recently remarked that locals here seem much more engaged with the goings on in this city compared to this person’s hometown.
Whether that’s coffee shop and grocery store lineup discussions about the alfalfa export process, of which there have undoubtedly been many since the city announced it has sold a large portion of the industrial park to a company which wishes to erect an alfalfa extraction plant; presentations at council on ‘readiness’, affordable housing, the need for sewer systems; or online commentators eager to give context to life in Terrace now compared to years past, it’s clear many people want to talk about where this area is headed.
And for good reason. As one of the final spacious frontiers in the province, Terrace is in a unique position to learn from what worked – and what didn’t – as other areas experienced similar growth.
How much green space should be preserved inside the city limits and out? How ‘affordable’ does affordable housing need to be? What types of industry would we like to see move in – and what long-term benefits can the area gain from companies proposing to set up shop?
Officials and residents are asking – and beginning to answer – questions like these. In order to ensure that whatever growth Terrace experiences happens on local terms, it’s important that engagement stays steady and focussed.