Cross border collaboration - VIA 97

At this weeks conference I had the pleasure to hear Chris Branch, Community Development Director for the City of Oroville, WA speak about Via 97. 

I will borrow from their website to describe this unique international alliance:
"The VIA 97 International Alliance consists of partners from both sides of the border from our northernmost community, Salmon Arm, British Columbia to our southernmost, Leavenworth, Washington. The Alliance has the full and active support of elected officials from three counties and their cities in Washington State (Okanogan, Chelan, and Douglas), the elected officials from the three Regional Districts and their communities in British Columbia (RDOS, CORD, NORD), the Colville confederated Tribes and the Okanagan Nations Alliance.
Historically, the Highway 97 corridor was known as the Okanogan Caribou Trail and had great economic significance to early residents. Maps from this early time show this as a vital trade route with very little emphasis on the line of demarcation created by the US/Canada border. The VIA 97 International Alliance recognizes the significance of this highway, which has served such an important role in the economic health of our interior region and offers opportunities for those communities lying along Highway 97."


Chris went into the origin and maintenance of this alliance in great detail. I listened intently as one of the most frequent questions I get when I advocate working together regionally, is how exactly that should happen. So many well intended alliances or partnerships start out but fail after they are out the gate.  Competition, mistrust, egos, personality issues or lack of communication seem to be most often at fault.  As Chris talked I could see one of the elements keeping this alliance alive was consistent leadership or involvement by some key people, and likely, a track record of some significant accomplishments that are in line with their mission.  What I also thought was interesting was that there was a focus, at least on the WA side, of maintaining relationships and communication over chasing projects.  He said they often felt pressure to be "doing something" like creating a project, yet, the essence of their work was intact. He said that on the WA side, economic development folks meet on the same day each month for face time in the same place. Over time, others have joined in to have their meetings happen at the same time. What a simple and novel idea! Imagine the productivity that happens and the efficiency of timing a bunch of meetings with the folks that all need to talk on a regular basis in a central location!  He pointed out the names and titles of about 20 people on one of his slides, evidencing that he has got to know these people and their work - and no doubt, the strength of those relationships transfer over to a number of other initiatives outside of the VIA 97 work.


I have long felt that when groups can build social capital on one initiative like tourism, the benefits transfer over into other engagements. Chris's talk validated that thinking and perhaps provides one more reason to focus on the right things in regional collaboration - what we have in common, and the building of trusting and enduring relationships. I have a graduate student, Marc Sorrie, working with April Moi on the Northern Alaska Highway and he is exploring cross jurisdiction engagement there - I am curious to know what he will find out and suggest that he, or others interested in making visitor experiences that cross jurisdictional boundaries easier - connect with Chris for some perspective from the VIA 97 collaboration.