Columbia Basin-Boundary residents are invited to attend an interactive workshop on how to use a new, powerful regional information tool developed by researchers at Selkirk College. “The Digital Basin,” an online data portal, includes more than 100 community-specific datasets relating to economic, cultural, social, and environmental topics.
“Information on conditions and trends in our region is now literally at the fingertips of residents,” says Dr. Terri MacDonald, the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute’s (RDI) Regional Innovation Chair at Selkirk College.
Developed in partnership with the Selkirk Geospatial Research Centre, the Digital Basin allows users to explore information through maps, tables, charts and reports. Sources of data include national and provincial government agencies, municipalities and regional districts, local non-profit organizations, and researchers located within and outside the region.
Workshop participants will learn how to access and use this data, and leave with an understanding of assets and indicators related to income, housing, parks and recreation, crime rates, education, climate change, and more. Participants will also learn about findings and a related site selection tool generated from the Employment Lands Inventory project.
The RDI is hosting six free workshops throughout the region, offering community members and representatives of local organizations the opportunity to attend the workshop that is most convenient for them. Workshops are scheduled for 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Castlegar – Tuesday May 13, Selkirk College Campus, Staff Lounge (301 Frank Beinder Way) … as well as the following locations and dates:
• Sparwood – Tuesday May 6, Council Chambers (136 Spruce Avenue)
• Radium Hot Springs – Wednesday May 7, Prestige Inn (7493 Main Street West)
• Cranbrook – Thursday May 8, College of the Rockies (2700 College Way)
• Nakusp – Monday May 12, Selkirk College Nakusp Centre (311 Broadway Street)
• Grand Forks – Wednesday May 14, Selkirk College Grand Forks Campus (486 72nd Avenue)
To register for any of these workshops, email sstoddart@selkirk.ca. Visit www.cbrdi.ca for more information.
The Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute, at Selkirk College, is a regional research centre with a mandate to support informed decision-making by Columbia Basin-Boundary communities through the provision of information, applied research and related outreach and extension support.