The town that time remembered

David Raven talks about capitalizing on opportunity—but knows some things, like diversity and safety, are priceless

David Raven stands at the entrance to Grizzly Plaza —

Glynis Fediuk photo

I traveled to Revelstoke recently to speak to those immersed in the historic city’s business community. I soon noticed a number of common denominators, though I was interviewing people in a variety of industries. Words kept being repeated—lifestyle, opportunity and community among them. Underlying themes—the safety of the town, the importance of community involvement—were brought up several times. Many of the people I spoke to had either moved to Revelstoke from large centres or returned after a time away. It was clear that these are people who live in Revelstoke because they want to, not solely because they work there.

David Raven, the mayor of Revelstoke, is apt to agree.

I was surprised when, on a Monday morning, Raven was able to see me. I expected he would have beginning-of-the-week meetings to attend. But, I soon found out that he has reserved Monday mornings for open office hours, in response to public concerns that local politicians were inaccessible. It seems appropriate, given his overall goal to improve the city's political scene. 

“I’ve always had a strong commitment to community giving," said Raven. "I've been pretty active in all sorts of service organizations. The role in municipal government came about as much as a general interest but also because (I heard) a lot of complaints on how it could be better. I thought, 'If I try, maybe I can do it better.'"

Raven has been mayor for nearly three years. He's relocated to Revelstoke twice—once in 1978, and then again in 1988—drawn to a safe place with strong family values where he could raise three children. He hasn't left since, and living in Revelstoke over the long term has given him insight into the changing business climate and demographics of the community.

Revelstoke faces a number of the same difficulties that many small resort communities face—for example, finding ways to encourage residents to buy from local shops, or having it an affordable place for young people to live. The opening of Revelstoke Mountain Resort in 2007 has brought many changes to town, such as a influx of seasonal workers and vacationers every winter. Finding ways to capitalize on the resort—be it through growth at the resort itself or in secondary industries—is both a challenge and a strength for the Revelstoke business community. However, Raven said that he's not discouraged by the gradual pace of resort expansion. 

"I get excited with the more development that goes on at the ski hill, as it grows and matures," he said. "I’m not upset that it’s going slowly, because it’s evolution rather than devolution."

As development at the resort picks up, other projects are coming to an exciting close—such as the construction of two new schools in town. Revelstoke's new high school will be opening this fall, while its new elementary school will be completed in 2012. The schools have neighbourhoods of learning attached to them—programs that augment existing facilities with other amenities that benefit the community. The elementary school will have an early childhood learning centre and a specialized portion of its gym for the gymnastics club. The high school will have a state-of-the-art theatre with seating for 250. All of these will be a boon to the young families moving to Revelstoke and to the community as a whole.

Raven is encouraged by the diversity of the business community. Revelstoke residents work in many fields—the provincial and federal government, the Canadian Pacific Railway, forestry, mining, construction, retail and tourism sectors all have a presence in Revelstoke. With the diversity in the employment sector comes diversity in the residents—another thing Raven enjoys about Revelstoke. The atmosphere is Revelstoke reflects this diversity; it may be small, but it is vibrant. The vibrance is reflected in features like the music in Grizzly Plaza, the tidy streets or the flowers adorning Mackenzie Avenue.

When asked about a high point during his mayorship, it's clear that the tangible works—the revitalization of Grizzly Plaza or the visit from Lord Revelstoke, for example—add to the intangible character of Revelstoke that attracts new people and builds a feeling of community pride.   

"Overall, the fact that the community is growing, and evolving with young families in a healthy environment into very clean and safe place to raise children," said Raven. "If I’ve contributed to that, then it's a highlight."