Destination Stewardship

On January 8, 2026, the new Destination Stewardship Council hosted a gathering, Finding Our Flow, Enlivening Our Future. 

This was not a typical public meeting, with a tightly controlled agenda and a passive audience listening to panels and presentations. Instead, as the invitation promised, it was a collaborative community conversation. 

Three factors came together to prompt this invitation: 

1. Since the pandemic, we’ve seen the power and inspiration of creative, collaborative projects that meet multiple community needs. (Think Lights On Stratford, Al Fresco dining, the Boathouse public washroom expansion….) 
2. Last summer, the crisis of the lake draining helped us all realize how much the Avon River means to our community.
3. This fall, Destination Stratford gathered an ongoing Destination Stewardship Council to help the visitor economy support community wellbeing in new, perhaps even profound ways.

Now, with this January event, a thoughtfully curated group came together for a first conversation to ask: 

How could a creative, collaborative project around the river bring people together, so that residents get more involved, visitors feel more connected, and we discover even more of what is possible in Stratford? 

With close to 40 participants bringing diverse local and regional perspectives, we gathered in a wide circle of chairs within one of Tom Patterson Theatre’s lovely workshop spaces. The room’s full wall of windows followed the curve of the river. The sun cast a warm light on our work. 

Our conversation moved through four themes:

1. Arriving together well in shared context and community.
2. Exploring the river, deepening our understanding of its complexity.
3. Engaging with a specific river-based project as a practice ground for cultivating community wellbeing.
4. Hearing the insights, feelings or observations each of us left the meeting with.

A workshop harvest summary is available here or using the flipbook below: Finding Our Flow, Enlivening Our Future Gathering Harvest Summary PDF

What’s Next

The Destination Stewardship Council is planning on holding another gathering in spring 2026 with the January 8th attendees to continue the conversation(s).

On January 16 & 17, 2025, Destination Stratford (DS) hosted a dialogue-based workshop about the tourism sector’s role in shaping our community’s future.

“I’ve never been more excited about what we’re doing. It’s good we’re getting together in these groups, learning about each other. Let’s keep it going.” – January 2025 community workshop participant

The purpose was to share the vision outlined in DS’s recently released 2030 Strategy, to test the level of alignment and interest within the community, and to invite active engagement towards the creation of a Destination Stewardship Council and a broader circle of partners. The 30+ workshop participants represented local businesses, municipal government in multiple capacities, arts & culture organizations, and the regional tourism organization. DS is very encouraged by their enthusiastic interest and support. A workshop harvest summary is available here or using the flipbook below: Redefining Tourism | Reimagining Stratford Workshop Harvest Summary PDF

Where We Are Now

“I like that you’re not being complacent. We have to keep looking for new ways of thinking and acting. This is amazing.” – January 2025 community workshop participant

In 2025, DS intends to host community processes to give the Destination Stewardship Council shape and collectively determine its mandate through continued community engagement. We will determine the size and scope of the Council by:

• learning best practices from other progressive communities
• exploring the collective resources available for this initiative
• developing a mandate that makes sense for our unique community

An Invitation

“There’s so much more that connects us than divides us. There’s a sense of home in this room.” – January 2025 community workshop participant

DS needs to hear from individuals that have a passion for redefining tourism and reimagining Stratford to better align with our vision: As a vibrant, year-round cultural destination, Stratford is globally celebrated for its community-wide capacity to generate collective wellbeing. The Destination Stewardship Council will be key in shaping our destination development focus and initiatives. Please fill out this quick form to join us in the next steps forward.