As reported this week in the Bulletin, the Kimberley Outdoor Alliance is in the beginning stages of a plan to attract segments of the massive outdoor industry to locate here.
Headed up by outdoor blogger Matt Mosteller and like-minded outdoor industry advocates in Kimberley, including Kieran Hickey, P.J. Hunter, Kevin Pennock and Pat Bates, Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick will also sit on the board as a founding board member.
“I believe that Kimberley is the ideal location for companies in the outdoor industry to be located,” Hickey said. “Our excellent amenities, access to international airport and limitless outdoor opportunities provide a quality of life and lifestyle that would attract and keep valuable outdoor oriented employees”.
While just getting underway, the initial goal of the Kimberley Outdoor Alliance (KOA) is to reach out to potential economic development stakeholders and secure funding resources to launch Phase One of the Kimberley Outdoor Alliance with the objective to:
• Develop start up priorities and immediate goals and objectives
• Create a directory of the existing outdoor industry community already living and operating in Kimberley and to initiate collaboration within this community to kick start the Kimberley Outdoor Alliance.
• Initiate Stakeholder presentations and meetings to secure start up funding and resources
Create a 3-year Kimberley Outdoor Alliance (KOA) Action Plan and Blueprint
It doesn’t end there, however. The ultimate goal is an alliance that would provide sustainable jobs, a stewardship mindset, and predictable tax revenues. Brands, retailers and outfitters will benefit by taking advantage of programs and close-to-home access support for employees and those in close-by communities.
Kimberley Outdoor Alliance initiatives would include:
Kimberley Outdoor Alliance Base Camp: a collaborative workspace and outdoor industry hub
Kimberley Outdoor Alliance Propulsion Lab: an incubator and accelerator program to mentor new outdoor industry start ups
Kimberley Outdoor Alliance Gear-Park: a gear builders centre developed in the Kimberley Light Industrial Park
Trade Missions: the creation of outdoor industry trade events such as; Outdoor Retailer, Snow Industries Association (SIA), Interbike, and Mountain Ventures Summit.
Industry Symposiums and Outdoor Industry Press Camps
FAM trips to Kimberley for targeted relocation or start up companies
Kimberley Outdoor Alliance Facebook Live #KimberleyApproved gear reviews and #WeWorkHere podcast
There are examples of this type of alliance working in the United States.
Ogden, Utah, is the poster child of successful redevelopment. Through the work of Mayor Godfrey (2010 era) and other key politicians, Ogden changed from a mining ghost town into a modern outdoor mecca. The entire Amer Group, Scott USA, QBP, and Osprey Packs are some of over a dozen outdoor brands that have established significant business hubs in the area.
Bend, Oregon has the Bend Outdoor Worx, the first and only outdoor industry incubator and accelerator in the United States. Bend is home to over 100+ outdoor industry companies, and also hosts an annual angel investor conference, Bend Breakout.
The US Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the outdoor industry at 2% Gross Domestic Product (GDP), ranking higher than agriculture, farming, forestry and fishing (all 1%) and oil and gas and mining (all 1.4%). In 2016, President Obama initiated the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act, where it is now government law that US needs to formally capture statistics on the economic impact of the outdoor industry.