SHIFT makes push for civic pride, encourages city council to maintain funding

March 3rd, 2016, Thunder Bay, ON- SHIFT, Thunder Bay’s Young Professionals Network, is continuing to voice the need for more efforts concentrating on civic pride.

On Thursday the organization hosted a SHIFTtalks event with a focus on defining civic pride in the community and what it means to individuals, businesses, and attracting new comers and tourists to Thunder Bay.

Over the past year, SHIFT has brought forward the need to highlight civic pride as a top priority in the community.

After voicing concerns following the release of the City’s Corporate Strategic Plan in 2015, the final draft had changes including more of a focus on civic pride and an addition to action items of a civic pride plan.

“SHIFT applauds the City of Thunder Bay for acknowledging young professionals and the need to address civic pride, but follow through is now required and must be supported by funding allocated in the City budget. Currently $12,000 is listed for civic pride in the 2016 municipal budget;” says SHIFT President, Peter Marchl.

“People in the community need to understand the value of civic pride and how it can benefit the entire city. Encouraging civic pride in our community is essential for achieving the quality of life desired by residents and results in individual responsibility, community improvement and self-sufficiency. SHIFT also believes it is crucial in retaining young professionals in Thunder Bay.”

Today’s SHIFTtalks event features two civic pride enthusiasts.

Tourism Thunder Bay Manager, Paul Pepe, and Bay-Algoma Business Association Manager and Owner of Bean Fiend Café, Brian Hamilton.

To sell Thunder Bay to the world, we must first sell it to ourselves, explains Pepe.

“Everyone in Thunder Bay can and will interact with a visitor either professionally or personally.  Being knowledgeable and proud about our community makes visitors feel welcome and that’s something in today’s digital world that they are likely to share and want to return to.

Equally, negative and disinterested citizens, racism, lack of compassion for one another and litter also make a viral impression that makes promoting our tourism industry all the more challenging. 

Civic pride of place goes a long way to elevating our reputation as a desirable destination and sharing our good stories, while still progressively addressing our challenges are what should ultimately define us as the community we want to be.”

"To me civic pride is about creating an environment of optimism and respect through proactive and productive endeavors, however small;” says Hamilton. “Demands for a greener, cleaner and more cooperative future have never been louder.”

SHIFTtalks creates strong connections for the under 40 crowd with relevant leaders, innovators and executives. SHIFT supports young professionals in Thunder Bay to realize their personal, professional and community goals, and SHIFTtalks provides inspiring messages through stories and insights.

Today’s SHIFTtalks attendees defined what civic pride means to them on an individual level and were encouraged to share it with their networks.

“This was a chance to also really remind ourselves about why we love Thunder Bay, and the things about our city that makes us proud. For many, civic pride is a personal investment where one lives and what they see every day;” continues Marchl.

“It’s about the small and ordinary things that shape us, which requires appreciating the existing community and a need for wanting it to improve.

As a community there is a real opportunity to embrace civic pride. Cities with a strong sense of civic pride have happier, more engaged and more involved residents. SHIFTers take pride in Thunder Bay and recognize that we all have a part to play in taking care of the community.”