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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-01-29, Page 88 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, January 29, 2014 Vanastra Revitalization Project off Whitney South Huron Expositor When folks think of the village of Vanastra, it may not always be in the most positive light. But with the help of five students from the University of Guelph and a team of dedicated business owners and area residents, Vanastra is well on its way to reliving its former glory. Located on a former top-secret Royal Canadian Air Force station, Vanastra's roots stem from a time when the area was used to train and supply over 7,000 radar technicians and support staff for American, British and Canadian forces dur- ing World War II. Renamed Canadian Forces Base Clinton in 1966, the area experienced remarkable growth and development as a peacetime training facility for wireless telegraphy. During this time, the base expanded to include recreational facilities, clubs and local sports teams, but following its closure in 1971, the property was sold to a developer and was soon divided, piece by piece, and sold to private homeowners and businesses. In recent years, Vanastra has had some trouble making a name for itself, and has mostly been seen as a suburb of the more populated town of Clinton. But for many, Vanastra brings with it a deep sense of pride from the community and businesses that call it home. With the help of a project initiated by Jan Hawley, eco- nomic development officer for Huron East, residents are being given a glimpse at what their village has the chance to become. In an effort to help develop a strategic plan, Hawley a1M 41.1' ta� rv+o C. C 44NnFla chneidesis TOIE WAY I.T. GM43ULD UQ I CCI P!]F SCRI EN Rlr IIR M 65 O Laria 51.9,$0.0042 meati rlpxhne4 rr5.com Cr..Lf,DaY lirlal! 4CR[CH'KRJ1R & MOCKING INGG . I& 1JrER 74,115 4 RER'IRF I+eiui iir'ERRET • Til IapuF PHf rM F4 TGN#R submitted a proposal to the University of Guelph, which was chosen by a group of future municipal planners and archi- tects. The students took a long look at the challenges facing Vanastra and pre- sented a report of recommendations aimed at creating a better future for its residents, as well as its business owners. "The opportunity to work with the students was a timely one that I couldn't pass up," said Hawley. "Especially since the municipality had just finalized its business, retention and expansion report, which had outlined a number of recommendations to be implemented" She went on to explain that undertak- ing a study of the same caliber by a pri- vate consulting firm would have cost tens of thousands of dollars, which just wasn't in the municipal budget. "In the end, it was just as much about learning something from us, as it was us learning something from them." For the team of Wilrik Banda, Scott Brown, Ben Kissner, Mike Salisbury and Shelby White, masters students in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph, Vanastra was a project worth pursuing. "The project itself was a little intimi- dating," said Brown. "Getting involved at the community level is fun but its also new and challenging. My group found the best way to handle ourselves was to learn as much as we could and simply trust the process" Brown is currently enrolled in the Capacity and International Develop- ment Studies collaborative program, and was the only student from that pro- gram in the Vanasta group. "I saw this as an opportunity to learn from and work with the rural planning students as well as bring my own ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows: ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Friday @ 2:00 pm Nuron Expositor 8 Main St., Seaforth P H : 519-527-0240 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm CLOSED TUESDAYS Contributed photo Derelect buildings were another challenge for the group of students, who managed to come up with several suggestions of what to do with the unused space.