Place Making. Place Making is an approach to the design, management, and enhancement of destinations for both residents and travellers. It involves working collaboratively with governments, industry partners, residents, and brand experts to turn a destination’s vision into reality, by strategically deliberate in the creation of experiences, products and services that elevate and deliver on the place brand’s unique selling proposition. Integrated place branding and place making has the power to dramatically increase interest in and travel to destinations and enhance the in-destination experience for residents and visitors, fueling sustainable growth for British Columbia’s tourism industry. Objectives (long term) • World famous travel routes and destinations that drive increased revenue and benefits for all parts of British Columbia, in all seasons, creating a year-round robust tourism sector in BC; • Traveler and resident expectations are exceeded – experiences deliver on the brand promise, creating positive word of mouth fueling future visitation; • Strong industry support and alignment – tourism organizations, businesses, operators, and workers are proud to market themselves as part of an Iconic and see direct business benefits from doing so; • Compelling public and private tourism development opportunities and funding/financing mechanisms for investment; and • Creating a better province for all British Columbians – enhanced job opportunities, livability, and enjoyment of all parts of BC for its residents. Year by year objectives will be evolve as the program matures and will be determined through the annual Integrated Planning Process.
Place Making. EDC staff will assist and advise City staff and officials, where and when appropriate, on place-making and public works projects such as those involving the City Park and Quarry Pool.
Place Making. All subsequent objectives emanate from and are related to this strategic objective. By place, in the first instance, we mean Ormskirk, West Lancashire; but wish to extend this notion of place to become an interconnected cultural network3. This network would embrace the rural vs (post) industrial dichotomy that exists throughout much of West Lancashire, extending outwards from Ormskirk – acting as a hub - to the surrounding constellation of large (post-industrial) towns such as Wigan, St. Helen’s, Preston, Blackburn, Chorley, Warrington etc. through to the Merseyside conurbation and upwards to the many coastal locations to Blackpool and beyond. Where the parties could work imaginatively together in the service of cultural practice and experience; adding significantly to the region’s contribution to the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ idea in a post-Brexit Britain. In short our notion of place encompasses the broader picture of West Lancashire and that of the North West Region as a whole which EHU believes can act as a key protagonist for change in a number of ways. Initially these are imagined to be achieved through collaborative partnership with and development of cultural organisations and interventions throughout the region. The output of Edge Hill University’s Festival of Ideas being manifested in additional locations could be an early first initiative here. The considerable technological expertise extant at Edge Hill University across the creative disciplines and computer science, with special interests in immersive and virtual reality experiences, could be a significant aid to novel methods of accessibility and consumption of cultural experience as well as acting as a significant network enabler throughout the region – significantly altering the paradigm of ‘Making In [or Across] Lancashire’ through networked digital technologies. The operationalisation of such a network initiative, can be imagined already through EHU’s diverse and impactful Arts Centre programming4 and with the Department of Performing Arts extensive association of partnerships coordinated through its Employability Advisory Panel (EAP).5 Two immediate objectives in this respect would be:
