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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-06-29, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017. `Rural Talks' series starts, looks at healthy communities By Keith Roulston The Citizen Blyth's Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity held the first of a planned series of "Rural Talks" discussions Friday to consider what makes rural communities healthy. Co-sponsored by Seaforth's Gateway Centre for Excellence in Rural Health the event brought together a number of students, industry leaders and two University of Guelph professors: Ryan Gibson, Libro Professor of Regional Economic Development and Al Lauzon of the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development. During a morning session and then over lunch at Eddington's of Exeter, the group considered issues and opportunities facing rural communities, based on questions Lauzon, through the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, had sent all the candidates for the leadership of the federal Conservative and New Democratic parties (only two of whom bothered to answer). Gibson started the luncheon discussion saying he sees lots of challenges and lots of opportunities. One of the greatest challenges is convincing urban Canada that rural Canada is important. "Many [urban] people have never been outside the city," he said. They may have a romantic view of rural areas. "We need better communications with urban people. We need them to understand why they need us." Not only do rural people feed urbanites but many well-paid urban jobs on Bay St., for instance, involve buying, selling and processing the products of rural areas, from mines, forests and farms. A second challenge for rural areas is creative destruction and globalization. We have to recognize that we are competing with countries around the world and we have to figure out how to be more creative — how we can make better products the world needs. Gibson's third issue facing rural communities is the attitudes of rural people. Communities often compete with each other instead of co- operating. We need better infrastructures for sharing information. As for his three top opportunities for rural communities Gibson began with the need to re -envision how we use our community's assets — how to view them in different ways. He gave an example of an unused machinery shed in an Irish village that was converted to a "men's shed" bringing together older men who often lived on their own. The shed includes woodworking equipment and when the men come in to use it, it becomes a social event. But the shed also is a centre where a nutritionist can offer advice and a public health nurse can periodically check on members' health. In addition, if someone doesn't show up when expected, someone can go and check to see if he is alright. Gibson's second opportunity is for communities to find new ways to keep money that's made in the community to help build a better future. He pointed to his own family where his parents' estate, Tough loss The Goderich U11 Boys team were on the road on Monday night to take on the Blyth U11 team. Blyth had trouble finding the back of the net and ended up on the wrong side of a 6-1 loss. (Shawn Loughlin photo) Arthur Street project approved By Denny Scott The Citizen Morris-Turnberry Council has planned to go ahead, alongside North Huron Township, on the Arthur Street Reconstruction that is part of the Wingham and Area Industrial Land Strategy. The project will be split between the municipalities. Morris-Turnberry Director of Public Works Mike Alcock presented a report on the project to council during its June 20 meeting explaining that it should go ahead. "Both North Huron and Morris- Turnberry have set aside funds for it," he said. "Through e-mail, I have confirmed that North Huron has it in their budget. They have asked for a couple of conditions to be met before tender, including a detailed... cost breakdown of the tender and the work that's needed for the project" Alcock said the requests were reasonable and were part of the information necessary for grant funding, so Morris-Turnberry likely would have compiled the information anyway. Alcock said the project was to be split evenly between the municipalities and informed council there was one more form to be filled out before the project can go to tender. The project is the first in a four- phase process suggested as part of the land strategy. Council received and approved proceeding. Alcock's report the project Recard/0a At Community Living Wingham & District's AGM June 19th in Lucknow, 2 departing Board members were recognized for their commitment to the Board. Pictured from left: Jack McPherson Treasurer and Board Member for 11 years and Graeme Craig Past President and Board Member for 8 years accumulated within their home community, one day will be distributed to children who now live elsewhere. If that money could be kept in the community it could held finance rural revitalization, he said. The third opportunity is an answer to an issue. Canada does not have a very clear, comprehensive strategy for rural communities, he said. Rather than wait for government to develop a strategy, rural communities should get together and build a strategy that meets their needs and take it to governments. "Be unapologetic leaders," he said in summation. Rural communities need to tackle the idea of business incubation: how to help people with business ideas get started on the ladder toward success. "How do we move beyond the notion that if young people come back to rural areas it seems like a failure?" he asked. In choosing his first challenge, Lauzon focussed on the loss of jobs through automation. A recent study suggested automotive manufacturing will see a 50 per cent reduction in jobs. In his home community of Ingersoll that would mean 3,000 jobs lost, Lauzon said. Add in nearby Woodstock and Tillsonburg, and that climbs to 15,000 jobs lost. "One of our challenges is what are the jobs going to be?" Lauzon said. A second challenge will be adapting to climate change, he said. This will affect people economically through its effect on jobs but also psychologically. The third biggest challenge is rural health. From greater obesity rates to higher levels of suicides to poorer heart health, in general rural people have worse health than urbanites. On top of that, the rural population is getting older and we're not planning to deal with the issues that involves. But then, Lauzon noted, we're not planning for the health issues of young people either. As for opportunities, Lauzon said the artisanal economy offers a chance to build small-scale diversification. He mentioned a young metal -working artist who has opened a gallery in Port Dover. He had taken welding in school and began experimenting with metal sculpture. He is successful enough that a metal flag he had made was presented to the Prime Minister. His gallery also shows the work of other artists. "How do we create the conditions to help artisans?" Lauzon challenged the audience. Providing food for the special needs of a growing international population is a huge opportunity for farm areas, Lauzon said. Canada imports $800 million worth of vegetables to meet this demand and the ethnic population is growing rapidly. As well, he said, growing those specialized vegetables might attract immigrants to take up farming. Finally, Lauzon spotlighted the cultural economy as an opportunity for rural communities. He pointed out that more money is spent on tickets for professional theatres than on movies and professional sports. Some people complain that theatre- goers are older, he said, but older people also spend more money. In summing up, Lauzon said rural communities need to work together rather than compete with each other. Rural communities also need to open up their creativity and learn from their failures. "We need to be masters of our own destiny," he concluded. eal, # 06€ s ' i ( -. t a — t At Community Living Wingham & District's AGM June 19th in Lucknow, 3 community leaders/businesses were recognized for making a difference. Pictured from left: Pastor Henry Steenbergen (Maitland River Community Church), Victoria Cahill (Store Manager Lucknow Co-op), Doug Kuyvenhoven, Chris Coulthard (Board President) and Debbie Hopper (Executive Director) AIM At Community Living Wingham & District's AGM June 19th in Lucknow, staff were recognized for 20 years of employment. Pictured from left: Liz Huigenbos, Community Support Worker, Lou Anne Louther, Program Manager, Sandra Scarrow, Community Support Worker.