LCCDT’s new website promotes work and lifestyle choices in the region
By Arlen MacLaine
A new website showcasing the region’s lifestyle and work opportunities has been ‘softly’ launched by the Lower Columbia Community Development Team Society (LCCDTS). Though still in the final stages of completion, the site is up and running and can be viewed here. The goal of the site is to be a consolidated resource for people looking to come live and work in the West Kootenay area and for employers in the region to ‘showcase the diversity of the jobs available in the region’.
The theme is ‘Work hard, live easy, find your balance’. Through doing research with recent graduates of post-secondary education and other potential workers, it was discovered that few knew anything about the area and what it can offer in terms of lifestyle and employment. This project was designed to deal with these issues and to reach out to schools and professional organizations, especially in the fields related to the local industries like health, mining, and other trades.
“I think it’s a win for any business in the West Kootenay region,” said Terry Van Horn, Economic Development Coordinator for the Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC). “Right now we just targeted key employers, but this is for any business in the area to highlight the workforce.
Visitors to the site can either click on ‘work hard’ or ‘live easy’. The ‘work hard’ section has links and information on a number of different major employers in the region like Teck, Interior Health, RED Mountain Resort, Columbia Power, and others. It also provides information and resources about investment opportunities for entrepreneurs, as well industry in the region. The ‘live easy’ section has a wealth of information about the lifestyles, education, and housing options available to people in the region.
“This is not just strictly a recruitment site, it also showcases the diversity of the workforce in the region,” said Van Horn.
One of the most interesting features on the site is the ability to upload photos, via instagram, directly onto the site. Any time a photo is uploaded to instagram with the hashtag (#) ‘West Kootenay’, it goes directly onto the site. The website was created by KIMBO design, and is a very attractive and interactive package.
The Lower Columbia Community Development Team (LCCDT) initially put in a total of 5 thousand dollars towards the project. With that, the LCCDTS went out and leveraged 53 thousand dollars worth of further grant funding, pointing to the potential strength of the product.
“Collaboration is a key driving factor,” said Van Horn. “What is good for one community is good for all the communities. We see this project as just starting, and moving toward growing and marketing the region as a collaborative effort.”
