the development will include 340 housing units, a hotel, office buildings, and a medical center.“This is going to fill many of the needs we have downtown,” she says. However, Thompson’s geographic limitations compound the challenge. “We have basically a very small footprint,” she says, explaining that the city is surrounded by Crown land and local government districts, as well as land owned by mining companies. This means any significant expansion requires coordination with both the provincial government and private entities.“We have to work together just to get any extra land,” she points out, emphasizing the complexity of planning for long-term growth. BUILDING SUCCESS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND PERSISTENCE Strong partnerships, thoughtful planning, and key collaborations have driven Thompson’s growth and development over the past few years. From securing funding for critical infrastructure projects to overcoming the complexities of working with multiple levels of government, the city has made it clear that its success is no accident. Mayor Smook describes the importance of persistence in these efforts, particularly regarding securing government support. One of the most significant examples of this is the new airport, a project that had been in the works for two decades.“People were working on the airport strategy for 20 years,” she says, detailing how the project finally got moving after city officials took visiting ministers on a tour beneath 285 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 11 THOMPSON, MB
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