Community Meetings Keep Infrastructure Projects Moving Forward
Communicating with the public decreases risk as skilled and experienced team members help to proactively address questions and concerns, solve issues before they cause project delays
Listen to the story here:
Wade Wilson in action, listening, wheels turning, considering his response, at a recent LRT construction community meeting in Edmonton.
Twenty centuries or so ago, the first known mechanical pressure relief valve was introduced to the world.
Community meetings haven’t been quite the same since.
The device was invented by Heron of Alexandria. The Greek engineer had built a primitive engine that used steam pressure to generate rotary motion. To avoid dangerous pressure build-up, he concocted a pressure release valve to discharge excess steam safely.
Wade Wilson has faced his share of steam. Wilson is the Director of Stakeholder Relations at reVerb Communications. On infrastructure projects big, really big or small, he is one of the knowledgeable team who, along with company experts, show up at community meetings to listen and explain how and why life as people know it will be altered by a project.
And, sometimes, to hear people vent.
“The way people gain information today compared to 20 years ago has changed dramatically, and it’s not all based on fact.
Sometimes a narrative will be created on why traffic is or isn’t flowing in this or that direction and why the construction company doesn’t know what they’re doing, and so on. But when people of the community come face to face with people on the project, and the real story comes out, you can actually feel a lot of the pressure in the room release itself.”
Wilson with reVerb Stakeholder and Community Relations colleagues Meghan Capicio, centre and Carolyn Williamson.
reVerb shares the big picture
From a decade of experience meeting people where they are, reVerb Communications has become an expert in engagement and stakeholder and community relations.
“Make sure you say one person at a time,” said Wilson.
Okay:
From a decade of experience meeting people where they are, reVerb Communications has become an expert in engagement and stakeholder and community relations — one person at a time.
Wilson recalled a recent LRT construction community meeting where a resident said it made no sense at all to not have a set of traffic lights to allow a left turn into the neighbourhood.
“We were able to say that, yes, the idea was looked at by the construction company and the City and this is why it’s not a safe idea and this is what would happen to traffic going in the other direction if that was implemented,” said Wilson
The explanation didn’t lead to a standing ovation, but it got nods of approval. It worked.
reVerb Director of Stakeholder Relations, Wade Wilson.
Arrive prepared
Wilson and team arrive prepared. They know the room and the questions and concerns that animate it before they arrive.
Questionnaires are used. News is monitored. Concerns and conversations are logged.
“Showing up for a community meeting unprepared and not informed is not an option,” said Wilson. “It’s wrong for the project and it’s wrong for the community.”
reVerb helps find solutions
Wilson is quick to bust up a stereotype of the craft.
“These meetings aren’t, like, we’re the big City and we’re the big construction company and you need to sit down and be quiet and we’ll explain things to you,” Wilson said. “It’s not like that.”
What it is is a word that Wilson takes a few seconds to find.
“It’s based on, on … it’s based on … humanity,” he said. “People faced with construction in their neighbourhood will say,’But I have to walk my children here,’ or ‘I go to the grocery store there,’ or ‘My customers need to get to me and why can’t you do it this way, instead?’”
“This way instead” isn’t always practical. Or good planning. Or a strategic use of resources. “This way instead” might conflict with timelines around utility work or overlap with another aspect of the complex project. But if it’s a good idea, it will be looked at, Wilson said.
The reVerb approach works
Community meetings aren’t just social events with an urn of coffee and baked goodies.
People need to appear in front of others, Wilson said. To share their concerns. Or their frustration. To be listened to. To ask for and get an explanation. To have a question heard or an idea accepted. To vent steam.
“It’s like communication in a family. All of sudden something happens in a family and people are mad and the answer is, we’ve got to get everybody together and iron this out, get things on the table.
The reVerb approach to community meetings works.”
“I do not remember one where people left hostile,” he said. “I’ve had other engagement experiences earlier in my career where you’re scared to walk to your car. Here, there’s a lot of handshaking, a lot of ‘Thanks a lot for coming, I get it now.’”
reVerb CEO Nicholson.
Risk
reVerb CEO Quinn Nicholson says the company’s take on proactive community engagement is rooted in a rational assessment of where risk lies.
“We’re able to provide confidence to our clients from a risk management standpoint,” said Nicholson.
“By our talking to the public, we’re not going to add risk by making people more worried. We’re going to be able to alleviate a lot of the fears and concerns and communicate with the public in a way that supports the project instead of just supporting messages or language principles.
reVerb keeps projects moving
The existing model of Heron of Alexandria’s aeolipile and steam boiler is based on Renaissance-era manuscript sketches. It can be seen at the Science Museum in London, England.
Closer to home, there are other hallowed halls where a working understanding of pressure release is put in action.
There are the school gyms, auditoriums, community hall, parks, outdoor events and online spaces where Wilson and his colleagues at reVerb Communications do their stuff to keep projects moving ahead.
Get in touch, give us a call, send us a note to talk more about the reVerb way of proactive communication.
