WHAT'S UP YORKTON!!!!!!

What a great time in history to be a part of this fantastic community! How often have you heard people from other parts of the province ask "What's up Yorkton?" They know that the city is experiencing some very good times. Here's how I answer their question:

In the banking industry, we are accustomed to using the 3 "C's" of credit as guiding principals to make credit decisions. I believe, in Yorkton, 6 "P's" answer "What's Up"!!! By the 6 "P's", I mean: Population, Popularity, Potash, Planning, Position and Pride.

We are a growing community at long last. For far too long our population in this community was shrinking or remaining stagnant. Not any more! According to the Saskatchewan Health survey released in December 2010, we are now just about 20,000 strong, compared to about 17,600 just one year ago.

And by popularity, I mean, "we are on the map!" From our 2 canola crushing plants, to the opportunities being researched by other business ventures as they look to make Yorkton a place to do business, to expansion of the mines, the Painted Handed Casino, Gallagher Centre, and other thriving businesses in Yorkton, this community, has become very popular and will continue to be so into the future.

Potash is here. We have been blessed with this natural resource that will bring commerce and trade for years to come. As BHP Billiton continues its feasibility studies and makes plans for another potash mine in the Melville/Willowbrook area, Yorkton and district will benefit from all the demand for housing and job creation.

Planning for growth and prosperity is happening. The City of Yorkton has struck up an Economic Development Committee to assist in looking at the overall needs of future expansion plans, infrastructure requirements, logistics and potential for the city. The Chamber of Commerce will work with this committee, as well as with other community leaders, to set out a course for this great community of ours. We know there will be growing pains, there always is. But with planning and a positive attitude, such as our community leaders have today, we will overcome the barriers and road blocks.

We are positioned to be home of a much needed College expansion, for training to expand our skilled labour force. We are positioned for a mine and future oil and gas and other natural resource exploration. We are positioned to attract back to this community, our youth that saw opportunities in Alberta, and now are looking back and wondering why they left. We are positioned for progress. And we are filled with a sense of pride, as we look
back at all that has been done, and the plans that are being made for all that is yet to do. We are proud of the accomplishments. We are proud of this great community. I know I am! I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it and a part of the Chamber of Commerce!

That's "What's Up, YORKTON!!!

 

Doloris Harris

President