Bowen is peaceful, beautiful, relaxing and oh so close to Vancouver... Bowen Islanders know these things, but 58 of them were reminded of it on Friday while watching an hour-long presentation by Edward Watchman and Sheree Johnson on the Visitor Exit Survey at the Bowen Island Pub.
“I think the whole island should hear about the positive image that Bowen has for the people who come here,” says Economic Development Committee (EDC) member Jacqueline Massey. “Because it is our everyday, I think people tend to forget. But being reminded, I think that the people in the room really started to consider how we can support the values expressed in this survey.”
Members of council who were present at the gathering echoed this sentiment.
“The responses to the survey are definitely in line with the island’s core values,” says Councillor Melanie Mason. “There has been talk about promoting Bowen as a place of wellness, and with the results of this survey in mind, that makes sense. If you look at the new families on Bowen, with acupuncturists, yoga teachers, and therapists... they seem to echo that view of what Bowen is all about. I think by developing this sector, we can build Bowen as a year-round destination.”
Councillor Gary Ander says the content of the presentation didn’t include anything that he wasn’t already aware of, but it was nice to be reminded.
“This kind of information can help us stay focused on where we want to go,” says Ander. “All the business sectors on Bowen are trying to market our island as a place of harmony and solace, but I think council has to back that up by continuing to fund the EDC, and finding money for the branding initiative.”
EDC chair Gordon Ganong says now that the awareness of this work is out, the next steps include surveys of both businesses and residents coupled with “business walks” to glean more about what needs to be done to support island enterprises.
“The end goal, of course, is a resilient economy,” says Ganong.
