The Commercial Space Saga Continues...Effective Clear Communication Wins

I felt it was crucial to write another blog post to clarify any misunderstandings and share the final conclusion with everyone. As I always aim for peaceful resolutions and positive outcomes, I believed it was important to end the story on an positive note. Yes my last blog post might have been a little fiery but that is me....

I can see within how everything is tied, our current lessons feed into past lessons. The universe is untimely helping us grow but in baby steps. My past experiences within commercial spaces lead me to my ability to effectively communicate in a clear way.

Again this is why I am writing a follow up blog post as I don't want anyone 100% fully blamed in this situation. The best part of this story is each person and or entity has taken a fraction of accountability and came to a resolution. Does it suck I don't have a store....yes but I have a level of acceptance that some people lack and also believe I am being redirected for reasons I may not understand fully yet.

Yesterday, I met with a group of city officials to discuss the current situation. In short, over the years, there has been significant miscommunication and a failure to manage and regulate the city properly. I'm not blaming anyone specifically, but it's clear that everyone has contributed to the issue.

The first surprising aspect to me is that the city functions in a manner that doesn't necessitate communication between the commercial tenant and the landlord when building work is needed to be issued a business license. In recent years, they have issued business licenses to businesses, allowing them 60 days to complete necessary work within the building. Do you see the problem here? A) No communication is required between the tenant and the building owner B) The city lacks follow-through. As a result, tenants have rented commercial spaces for years, remaining silent and ignoring issues due to the city's lack of follow-through. Ding Ding this is why we now have a ghost town of empty desolate buildings....

This is also why, when I received a business license for my downtown location, no questions were posed, nor was I informed of any existing issues. This absence of communication led to my landlord harassing me to force me out. By implementing a straightforward rule requiring tenant and building owner collaboration in business licensing, the entire situation could have been avoided.

I think my previous experiences have helped develop my clear communication skills in this situation. I entered this current environment with the intention of having a positive relationship with the landlord. By being clear and communicating effectively, I was able to inform my landlord about the issues in the space. It surprises me that for years, tenants rented these spaces, were expected to do this work, and remained silent.

So, who is to blame? I would suggest that everyone shares some responsibility. What lesson can we draw from this? If there's one key point, it's the value of communication, asking questions, and working together. I'm convinced that many major problems could be solved with effective and clear communication. And yes, the city must still be held accountable for their lack of follow-through. I suppose I arrived at a time when things are shifting and changes are occurring. I welcome these changes and I embrace situations that are just and fair.

Moving forward, if sharing my experiences helps other small businesses enter this with greater awareness, then I am truly fulfilling my role of being of service.

From this, I gathered insights on ways to enhance certain aspects of this city. I agree with adhering to regulations and ensuring buildings are safe for the public. Nonetheless, I think this is primarily a liability issue, with the city of Castlegar shouldering most of it. The city council establishes laws and regulations, and I sense they have an their own agenda. Their priorities should evolve to better support the town and its small businesses.

What changes would you like to see in Castlegar? I think these changes could lead to a more positive outcome in the upcoming elections next fall, introducing fresh perspectives and tackling the current stagnation in the community. I concluded this less-than-positive commercial space experience by addressing the core issues, and ultimately, it resulted in positive discussions. Who knows, maybe I'll consider running for city council next year....

—stranger things have happened...

Divine Fayerie