In addition to my duties here at the Chamber of Commerce I am also a member of The Parksville Historical Society and based on some recent conversations with a variety of concerned citizens it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick look at some Parksville history.

1917 - The Island Hall was opened by Winifred Philpott and Joan Foster on March 31st, Good Friday. The population of Parksville was 1,000.

1923 - The community park property was purchased by a group of interested local residents who formed the Parksville District Community Society.

1947 - Mary Sutherland and Eileen Allwood bought the Island Hall Hotel, (Current site of the Beach Club and Parksville Beach Resort) and would run it for the next 16 years.

In 1971 the population of Parksville was 2100.

In 1982 the population of Parksville was just over 5,000.

In 2000 it was just over 10,000 and today it is just shy of 12,000.

History is important to ensure that current decisions are made in the appropriate context and also to ensure credibility when putting forth concepts and ideas.

Statements about unmanageable growth as you can see by the population change in the past ten years measured against growth in the previous 10 years are untrue. Parksville experienced enormous growth in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, however in the current decade it has been a measly 2%.

Tourism has been present since the early 1900’s but the mainstay of the economy until recently was logging, fishing and farming.

In my short tenure in Parksville, 1982 to present, I have seen many changes; the Island Hall is gone, as is the movie theatre, pool hall and businesses on 19A above the Parksville Beach Resort.

Do you own a business or are you self-employed? If the business depends on the talent of the business owner to be there and perform the work, then the person is just self-employed. As an entrepreneur, the mindset and therefore the daily tasks are slightly different. As an entrepreneur, your daily routine is working on designing the systems to keep the business running, and then putting those systems into action. In both cases the self-employed or entrepreneur might work 50-80 hour weeks. The self-employed person works to make money, while the entrepreneur works at making money work for him.

Another way to look at this is what is your business worth without you. Will your business continue to run if you are not performing the work?

I dislike using the “S” word as it has been overused to a point of irrelevance; however I have found a new respect and understanding of SUSTAINABILITY – especially as it relates to business.

Since becoming the Host for the LiveSmart BC Business Energy Advisor Program I have been impressed with the value proposition related to businesses decreasing their energy footprint. At the Parksville Visitor Centre we have changed out our halogen lights and display lighting for LEDs, put motion sensors in all areas where lights are typically left on when not needed (public washrooms) and replaced outdated energy hogging fluorescents with brighter, energy efficient fluorescents. I did not take on this work to save the planet; I took it on to save money and to set an example for other businesses. Will our actions contribute to saving the planet – sure they will – and if others follow suit which they are the impact will be that much greater.

The other by-product of my dangerously minimal education in energy efficiency is an interest in “Sustainable Business Practices”. At the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce September General Meeting , our speaker, Marten Martins spoke on that topic. The emphasis was on the adoption of John Elkington’s “Triple Bottom Line” philosophy. His assertion is that when a business is aware of their Social and Environmental impact then their financial bottom line will reflect that awareness.

I’ve been feeling a little GREEN lately. I am not known for my environmental views; but our recent success in assisting businesses to lower their energy footprint and our determination over the summer to use less water has set me on a path. The incentive was bottom line, how can we as an organization lead the way for our member businesses to improve the bottom line by decreasing our energy and water consumption.

I have heard a lot of positive comments from non-business members of our community for our positive approach to environmental stewardship. We have been challenged to become the most sustainable business community on Vancouver Island, where sustainability means a business built on positive environmental and social values to create economic success.

I would like to take things to another level and challenge Parksville to participate in our new found GREEN initiatives and find a way to get out of your car.

The City of Parksville has included the following statement as a “vision” for the City. This statement certainly addresses the three pillars of sustainability but I think we can all recognize that we still have a ways to go to arrive at this particular “vision”:

The desired Parksville is a compact and orderly city contained by greenbelts and natural features. Its form respects, above all, the outstanding natural setting and maximizes recreational opportunities for its population.

The waterfront is particularly emphasized and made accessible to all. The city's residents enjoy a high quality of life built upon a dynamic local economy that includes substantial service, light industrial, governmental, and information-based sectors. A balanced demographic profile and a comprehensive system of community services ensure social stability. An array of land uses and housing types centered on the downtown core meets the diverse needs of the population in the most environmentally efficient and aesthetically pleasing manner. Pedestrian and bicycle transportation is emphasized in a circulation system that includes a public transit service and a network of walkways and bikeways in linear parks. A bypass expressway efficiently moves non-local traffic around the city and improves regional connections. A peaceful and secure atmosphere is ensured by the pedestrian scale of development and the spirit that comes with pride in one's community.