Watson Lake is open for opportunities.

And with the completion of its strategic plan for economic revitalization, it will soon be actively pursuing a few of those opportunities.

"This is exciting, pioneering economic development work for the community,” the community's mayor, Richard Durocher, said in a statement last week.

The project is the work of the Watson Lake Economic Revitalization Commission which was brought together under the previous council (though Durocher was mayor then too).

The former council recognized that to move forward, the town needed to explore all opportunities available, Durocher said in an interview.

The commission is made up of a number of representatives from within Watson Lake, representing various entities in the community, including a youth representative.

Leading the work was commission chair Larry Bagnell, the territory's former Liberal MP who was hired on a one-year contract to do the report.

As well, he was an official with the Association of Yukon Communities before beginning his 10-year run as an MP in 2000.

Over nine pages, the report outlines short- and long-term actions that can be taken.

They range from work the commission already started on creating a brochure detailing the benefits of living in Watson Lake in order to attract nearby mining employees to the region, to work on bringing conferences and meetings to town.

The ideas came from local residents, with a questionnaire sent out to local homes when the commission started its work on the plan.

A draft plan was also released prior to this one to make sure nothing was missed.

The plans also include a list of initiatives that are underway or have been looked at in the past.

"Council's role now, will be to review the plan, and they have asked the commission to recommend three to five priorities to move forward quickly on in 2013,” Durocher said.

He's anxious to learn what priorities will be recommended so council can begin focusing on them.

Among the possible projects outlined in the report, it was noted:

• air service has been explored, but airlines haven't been convinced there's sufficient business to warrant scheduled service to the community;

• potential feasibility studies may arise looking at hydro or wind energy projects, and a hydro project on the Liard River is being looked at that could bring clean energy and revenue to Watson Lake;

• a Watson Lake business directory is in development;

• a vegetable green-house proposal has been submitted to various funding agencies;

• information on territorial and federal funding programs is distributed throughout Watson Lake;

• information is available to Watson Lake businesses on protection for being paid on accounts, and a request has been made that mines have a special faster payment time on accounts;

• a summer concert series idea has been passed on to the town's recreation advisory committee to explore;

• expanding trails could help keep tourists in town longer;

• the bird banding station could be improved to help keep tourists in the area;

• a survey could be done to look at what products neighbouring mines need so local businesses could have them in stock;

• an expert could be hired to look at housing incentives in other areas and which of those would be best suited for Watson Lake;

• a housing forum could be held to help improve housing in the community; and

• a housing strategy could be developed.

Over the long term, a number of other projects were also identified as possibilities, including:

• looking at forest resources initiatives;

• developing a museum;

• upgrading the Northern Lights Centre;

• doing a downtown revitalization and beautification project;

• hosting recreational events and fishing derbies;

• developing a 24-hour trucking centre;

• hosting a mine vendor trade show;

• exploring eco-tourism possibilities;

• studying natural gas distribution;

• reviewing bylaws and making changes to promote economic development; and

• assisting innovation and research.

"A number of initiatives have already been taken to remove barriers to economic revitalization,” it's noted.

"With the strength and resilience of Watson Lake people enthusiastically working together in a concerted effort to make some of the creative potential projects in this road map a reality, exciting days lay ahead for Watson Lake.”