Town targeting health

A foothills community that draws thousands of visitors to its stores each summer may soon be known for more than just a unique place to shop.

While Nanton is known for the Bomber Command Museum of Canada and Vulcan for its homage to Star Trek, Black Diamond’s Economic Development Committee is revising its strategic plan to create a brand of its own - health and wellness.

“We have incredible health care,” said David Petrovich, the Town’s economic development and events coordinator. “When you look at the people with the title doctor in front of them you’ve got 16 (practicing) just in our small town.”

Petrovich said he came to this realization about two years ago. When he learned Okotoks was in need of doctors he tallied Black Diamond’s and realized there were 12 in the community of 2,400 people.

According to the World Health Organization’s most recent health statistics, Canada had on average 2.1 doctors per 1,000 people in 2010. Currently, Black Diamond has five per 1,000 people.

Petrovich said it’s not just doctors that Black Diamond offers in abundance. The town also boasts a doctor of Chinese medicine, an optometrist, dentists, chiropractors, a hospital, yoga studio, outdoor fitness park, soon to be two indoor skating rinks and the potential for an expanded pathway system.

“We want to capitalize on it,” he said of the above services. “In economic development it’s great if you can have a focus for your community.”

While the Economic Development Committee is adding health and wellness as a key driving force to attract more health-related services to the community in its strategic plan, last updated in 2005 and to be presented to council in September, Petrovich said it will still maintain its focus on leveraging community events to attract people, supporting existing businesses and attracting new business.

“It will continue to inspire people with its old-fashioned charms and warm, small town feel while creating a small business base that supports the wellness of its residents,” he said.

The Town’s abundance of sports, recreation, arts and spirituality also fit into that focus, said Petrovich.

He said the Economic Development Committee presented the idea to Black Diamond Town council a year ago and received a favourable response.

If council approves the revised strategic plan this fall, Petrovich said he will begin inviting diagnostic clinics and other related services to town.

“I plan to advertise that we are a wellness location and that will hopefully get the message out to businesses in general that want to move to a place that focuses on wellness,” he said.

Petrovich said the committee surveyed merchants asking if they see themselves aligning with the health and wellness focus and said 80 per cent responded favourably while the remaining were concerned their business didn’t fit.

Veronica Kloiber, owner of Kloiber’s Meats and Economic Development Committee member, said any business can fit into the health and wellness focus.

“It could be a towing company that starts using more eco-friendly washer fluid,” she said. “It covers everything, which is why we liked the concept.”

Kloiber fits the focus well with her products coming from animals that are pasture raised, treated humanely and free of hormones and antibiotics. She started her business in Black Diamond a year ago.

“People are starting to think more locally about how their actions impact not just their family but their community and branch out from there,” she said.

Also on board with the idea is Diamond Valley Vision Care optometrist Charles Boulet.

“It think it’s a strong movement in the right direction and probably a great thing to do in terms of economic development in the area,” he said.

Boulet not only focuses on standard eye and vision care, but delves deeper by addressing how vision impairment impacts child behavior and learning.