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Question of community in Golden

Everyone wants a better, stronger community, but what does that look like, and how does it get accomplished?
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The facilitators at the Golden Community Night stand around a mural made by the students at Nicholson Elementary.

Everyone wants a better, stronger community for themselves and their families, but what does that look like, and how does it get accomplished?

More than 35 people went to the Golden Civic Centre on June 18 to examine those questions at a community open house.

The participants split up into small groups, and discussed what they loved about their community, what they wish their community had, and what they want their community to be.

By the end of the evening it was apparent that many people in Golden share a common vision and hope for their community.

It is no surprise that a healthy business environment and a strong economy were near the top of most of the participants’ wish list. Yet there was a great deal of comments about a more collaborative, unified, positive and vibrant community as well.

Needs like more medical services, more childcare, lower property taxes, and wants like an indoor pool, aesthetic improvements of the buildings, and more multicultural celebrations were also identified.

The purpose of the evening was to bring people together to find out what their common hopes are, and start the dialogue about how to make those hopes come true.

At the end of the night, organizers asked participants to take away one word from the event — collaboration. They believe working together is the only way to accomplish these goals.

“This is a very important piece of community visioning you have just participated in tonight,” Karen Cathcart, one of the organizers, told the crowd. “Now we have to reach out.”

Everyone left that evening with a challenge — to ask someone what they love about Golden, and start up a positive dialogue.