HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-11-03, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016.
Future of tourism laid out for Huron County Council
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
After the Huron Tourism
Association's controversial decision
to dissolve in the face of what it
called declining financial and staff
support, Huron County councillors
were updated on the direction of
tourism in the county.
Economic Development Manager
Natasha Fritzley presented her report
to Huron County Council at its Oct.
19 committee of the whole meeting.
The report came after a handful of
councillors had requested an update
on the situation upon hearing the
news of the association's decision.
Fritzley's report began by stating
that council essentially endorsed the
county's new economic develop-
ment plan in December, 2015. The
plan will span from 2016 to 2020.
The plan's three guiding principles
are: developing targeted industries,
aligning with municipal government
efforts and engaging a broader group
of stakeholders.
It aimed to address five
challenges: the tightening
workforce, the importance of
strategic economic infrastructure,
the need for new entrepreneurship,
engagement of the private sector and
other stakeholders and the need to
focus on specific opportunities.
The plan also aims to pursue
opportunities in key growth sectors
such as: agriculture and agri-food;
tourism, arts and culture; education;
manufacturing; health care and
health sciences; information
technology and retail and local
services.
Fritzley, in her report, said that a
transition from the old structure to
the new plan was necessary in order
to chart the plan's success in the
coming years.
"The financial and human
resources formerly allocated to
support the Huron Manufacturing
Association and the Huron Tourism
Association are necessary to
implement the strategic plan
objectives. One of the primary
reasons for this decision is the
principle that strong industry
associations need to be industry -led
and supported by partners and
Pulling pints
The committee for the Blyth 140th homecoming in 2017 held its official kickoff on Saturday
with a special event at the municipal parking lot in front of Scrimgeour's Food Market in Blyth.
The event featured music, games and beer from Blyth Cowbell Brewery. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Obituaries
various levels of government," she
stated in the report.
As part of the transition, Fritzley
said the county supplied some
funding to help the associations.
"To assist in the transition, the
Department of Economic
Development offered to work with
and support the associations to
become more strategic and self-
sufficient. The department offered to
provide facilitated planning sessions
with OMAFRA leading to a strategic
action plan for each association," the
reported stated. "A three-year
commitment of $10,000 was offered
to assist with the plan's
implementation. As well, the county
offered to be a partner in assisting
with the costs of collateral
development and ongoing support to
distribute tourism messaging around
events"
Fritzley said that the transition did
not move ahead as anticipated with
the association and eventually legal
counsel was brought in.
"Following the aforementioned
meeting, economic development
staff anticipated the continuation of
the Huron Tourism Association's
strategic planning process. On Sept.
13, 2016, county staff was advised
by the strategic planning facilitator
that Huron Tourism Association had
not pursued the previously planned
strategic planning session," the
report stated.
The report further stated that on
Sept. 16 legal counsel for the
association sent a letter to Huron
County indicating that they "did not
have access to membership contact
information and were requesting it"
and then on Sept. 29, Huron County
solicitor Greg Stewart responded
with a letter stating, "I am advised
by my clients that your clients are in
possession of the Huron Tourism
Association membership list. It was
apparently provided to them in a
laptop that was delivered some time
In her report, Fritzley provided
five steps to moving forward given
the association's decision to
dissolve.
• The establishment of a Tourism,
Arts and Culture Enabling
Committee comprised of industry
representation, Huron County
Economic Development Board
JASON "FARMER" PRESCOTT
It is with great sadness that we
announce the sudden passing of
Jason Robert Cyril Prescott on
Sunday, Oct. 22, 2016. He was in his
42nd year.
We take much comfort in knowing
that Jason spent his last day
extremely happy, marrying his long-
time love Brenda Doig and
surrounded by the people that he
loved the most.
Jason was the loving husband of
Brenda of Milverton, step -dad of
Jordan and son of Jean (Cardiff),
Grey Township and the late Cyril
Prescott, and son-in-law of Gerald
and Elaine Doig, Elma Township.
Jason was the little brother of
Sandra and Tony Waytowich,
Calgary, Alberta; Dan and Kendra
Prescott, Wingham; Julie and Grant
Storey, Milverton; Audra Prescott,
Stratford and Liz and Brian Smith,
Golden, B.C. and brother-in-law of
Debbie and A.J. Jacklin and Sandra
and Gordon Schill, all of Listowel.
Jason will also be greatly missed
and fondly remembered by his many
nieces and nephews, close friends,
and his four -legged friend Riley,
otherwise known as Bonehead.
Jason worked at Cook
Millwrighting in Milverton. He
loved camping, campfires, four -
wheeling and simply tinkering at
jobs to help out many people. He
had an infectious sense of humour
that touched so many.
Visitation was held at the Eaton
Funeral Home, Listowel, on Friday.
The funeral service was held at
Knox Presbyterian Church,
Listowel, on Saturday, Oct. 29. Rev.
Ralph Dwarika officiated. A
reception and a continued
celebration of Jason's life followed
in the church hall.
Memorial donations to the
Prescott Family Trust (cheques
made payable to Jean Prescott)
would be appreciated. Interment was
in Brussels Cemetery.
Online condolences may be left at
www.eatonfuneralhome.ca
ROBERT WARREN SMITH
Robert Warren Smith of Blyth,
formerly of Kitchener, Alberta and
Seaforth, passed away suddenly at
his home on Thursday, Oct. 27,
2016. Born in Elmira, Ontario on
Sept. 8, 1940, Robert was in his 77th
year.
Robert was the beloved husband
of Beverly (nee Pulsifer) Smith for
43 years, Robert is survived by his
children Tama Smith, Stratford;
Tadd Smith, Goderich; Tina Smith,
Hamilton; Tori Brenner (Chris),
New Dundee and Tara Hamacher,
Kitchener. He is also survived
by his 12 grandchildren
and brothers Murray and
Kenneth Smith.
Robert was predeceased by his
parents William M. Smith and Alyce
(nee Clarke).
Visitation was held prior to the
funeral service on Monday, Oct. 31
at McGlynn Family Funeral Home,
Seaforth. Cremation followed.
Memorial donations to the
Seaforth Community Hospital
Foundation are appreciated and can
be made through the funeral home.
Online condolences and donations
can be made by visiting
Warren's memorial at
www.mcglynnfamilyfuneralhome.co
members and staff of the
Department of Economic
Development. The mandate of the
committee will be to work in
partnership with the local
communities which have identified
tourism, arts and culture as a key
sector in their local economic
development strategies.
• The 2017 Ontario's West Coast
Guide will be created in a format
that utilizes best practices in terms of
design, information and online
accessibility.
• The Ontario's West Coast brand
will remain for 2017. It is [the
department's] intention to review the
brand, assessing its effectiveness in
the near future.
• The county will continue to
promote tourism through the
Ontario's West Coast online assets.
• The county will hold round
tables working with industry, other
stakeholders and other levels of
government to support tourism, arts
and culture in Huron County.
Goderich Mayor Kevin Morrison,
after Fritzley's presentation, said he
was disheartened to see the
association take a negative approach
to change. He said that the Huron
Manufacturing Association has
chosen to work with the county
through the period of transition and
has done a good job in making
itself sufficient, whereas the
Tourism Association simply decided
to fold.
Council took no action after
presentation of the report, which was
for information purposes only.
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