Categories: Articles
      Date: Dec 20, 2008
     Title: Anatomy of a Successful Project: Burns Lake Spirit Square

In January 2007, the Burns Lake Spirit Square was just a vision. As Recreation Director for the Village of Burns Lake, Diana Roberts approached NKDF for funding assistance for the planning stage for a town square at Radley Beach. The vision was "to create a place that would provide residents and visitors a place to gather to celebrate events and milestones."

Diana says, "When I first started at the Village in 2004, Councillor Schienbein told me that she would love to see a band shell similar to what Merritt has. I realized then that we could have something really nice at Nourse Park-Radley Beach."

The NKDF Board of Directors approved funding assistance for the planning phase, and a few months later the project started to pick up speed when the Province of British Columbia approved $247,600 toward the construction phase.

Radley Beach was transformed as the Burns Lake Spirit Square project came to life. Today the performance shelter nestles comfortably against a backdrop of Burns Lake and the entire facility signals a welcoming invitation to locals and visitors alike.

Many individuals and organizations contributed to creating the Burns Lake Spirit Square. The project is a genuine example of what is possible when volunteers, businesses and governments all paddle in the same direction. The following list is evidence of the dedication and leadership that went into making the project successful.
 

Country Homes, Village Works Crew, Starlight Electric, DBW Plumbing, Wayne Thompson, Graywood Energy, VanderZalm & Associates Inc., Burns Lake Rotary, Sonfest Committee, Spirit Square Committee, Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund Society, Northern Development Initiative Trust, Burns Lake Community Forest, CN Community Celebration Fund, Province of British Columbia - BC Spirit Squares, Union of BC Municipalities, BC Hydro – Trees Canada, Burns Lake Auto, Overwaitea Foods, Bulkley Valley Credit Union, The Peak, Sullivan Motors, Cheslatta Forest Products Ltd., Cheslatta Carrier Nation, and Active Communities.
 

What are the magic ingredients that bring a project like this to fruition?
 

1. The project had a champion. Projects, particularly large complex projects, don't just happen by accident; they come about because energetic community members take action. In this case, Diana Roberts had a vision and put her shoulder to the wheel. Her enthusiasm compelled many others to get on-board.
2. The project was supported by the community. The Burns Lake Spirit Square began with ideas and energy of a couple people, and eventually attracted many hours of volunteer effort, cash contributions and materials. The project enjoyed the support of Mayor Magee and the Village Council.
3. The project was arranged into manageable steps. The first application that came to NKDF was for the planning phase only. It can be difficult to get people to "buy-in" to larger projects in the early stages. A big project can be easier to understand and manage once broken into smaller pieces.
4. The project team proactively sourced funding and other contributions. Large projects are typically funded by more than one agency. This may seem like a lot of fuss – fortunately the original proposal can usually be reworked and reused to apply to different funding agencies. In addition to the funding, the project team obviously went the extra mile to garner non-financial contributions and support.
5. The project brings sustainable economic benefits to the community. The Burns Lake Spirit Square is a facility that enhances Burns Lake as a place to live or visit. More importantly, the Square can be a factor in attracting people to the Lakes District and incenting tourists to stay and enjoy the community a bit longer than they might have otherwise. Perhaps local musicians will be inspired to use the band stand as a springboard to successful futures.
    

Diana Roberts and all of those who assisted can feel good about the Burns Lake Spirit Square for a long, long time. She says, "I feel very lucky to have been a part of the whole process. It was truly an exhilarating experience which I wouldn't trade for anything! It went very well and we had some wonderful people working with us on the project.  I just hope everyone knows how important they were to making the project successful!"