The building may still be under construction downtown, but Innovate Cochrane is already inviting people to come to the table, so to speak, online.
Innovate Cochrane has launched its Facebook page, the first step in starting discussions within the community to identify unmet needs, said Nathan Klassen, one of the centre's founders.
"A key first topic, as we head into the holiday season is loneliness," he said. "Loneliness is accentuated around this time of year and for many people, Christmas isn't a happy time."
Klassen said a series of questions will be posted on the Innovate Cochrane Facebook page to help identify what work is already being done locally to tackle the social issue and where those gaps in service are.
"That way, it's not about replacing what's already being done but it's about complimenting that by drawing awareness to it. People may not be aware that an organization is doing this," he said. "The value that Innovate Cochrane brings to the community is connecting through awareness."
This starting point will also help connect organizations to resources they may not have known about or had access to, while opening a space for conversations.
"Where there is a gap in the community on serving a need, let's talk about how, as a community, we can meet those needs," he said.
Loneliness, too, was the topic of concern in the Innovate Cochrane's Smart Cities Challenge, a 2018 federal government grant program. A problem around the world only exacerbated by COVID-19, Klassen said.
Klassen said a half dozen or so from all walks of life in the community came together in an incubator for a few months and asked what are the greatest needs in the community and what can technology do to help.
"Right out of the gates, this deeply resonated with my own wiring," he said.
"It is often the notion an innovation centre is tech incubator where these skilled people come together and make some coding that earns them millions of dollars," he said. "There is that thread, but to me, innovation is a much broader conversation as a community that's digging into what does it take to build and what's innovation look like and what does it already look like in Cochrane."
This Innovate Cochrane Facebook page, and website in the near future, are the platforms for those conversations to occur and everyone is welcome to join.
"The journey from here, today, to when we cut ribbon on our organization (at The Station downtown), this next chapter is about dialogue within the community, it's about telling stories of what people are doing; how the last two years has been for you and your organization; what you've learned and how you've had to adapt," he said.
Klassen said this new location for the centre, albeit still under construction, is the second or third iteration of plans for an innovation centre in Cochrane.
"We've been talking about this for four years and for whatever reason it hasn't materialized," he said. "It's happening now because now is the right time.
"For me, the community, the organization, it feels like the right time to be bringing more intentionality to the conversation," he said. "More than ever."
Those interested in joining the conversation can follow Innovate Cochrane on Facebook.
