HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-09-10, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009.
Buy Local might be a good
idea, but Huron County
warden Ken Oke thinks it
might be wiser to find another
way of saying it.
Speaking to Huron County
councillors following a
presentation on the Buy Local
initiative at the Sept. 2
meeting, Oke said by saying
“buy Canadian, buy local we
might be looking for trouble.”
Oke feels the slogan is no
different than the American
protectionism and could hurt
Canadian exports. “If we’re
going to promote that we
don’t buy anything unless it’s
Canadian, then all we’re
doing is sending a signal that
says ‘don’t buy ours, because
we won’t buy yours’.”
Oke suggested that
changing one word would
make a difference.
“I think we could get
around it by saying buy fresh.
I think we need to change our
strategy.”
Helping struggling rural
municipalities cope with
economic decline is the goal
of a new project headed by a
University of Guelph
professor and backed by the
federal government.
Life-long Huron County
resident, Prof. Wayne
Caldwell, School of
Environmental Design and
Rural Development, has
received an $83,000 grant
from Industry Canada’s
Community Adjustment Fund
(Ontario).
He plans to develop a “how
to” manual aimed at guiding
rural communities through
difficult economic times. It
will identify and explain best
practices for ailing
municipalities, highlight
success stories of other rural
areas and provide approaches
to improve local conditions.
“The goal is to assist these
communities in planning and
delivering responses to the
problems they are facing as a
result of the economic
downturn,” said Caldwell,
who specializes in change in
rural and agricultural
communities.
“Many rural communities
are worried about their future.
They’re dealing with loss of
population, tax assessment
and employment and other
changes. They also often
suffer from lack of resources
and are challenged with
trying to decide what to do in
response to economic
problems.”
Rural communities
recognized as leaders in
economic development will
be selected as “case studies”
for the project. Caldwell,
along with recent PhD
graduates Jennifer Ball and
Bronwynne Wilton and
master’s students Katie
Temple and Arthur
Churchyard, will determine
the partnerships, programs
and other activities that led to
positive outcomes in these
municipalities.
“These success stories
become valuable because
they can help ‘show the way’
for other communities that are
struggling,” Caldwell said.
Best practices will be
identified from the case
studies. Practices likely to be
highlighted include tourism
development, co-ordinating
local manufacturing,
economic development
planning, local business
retention and expansion, and
community engagement.
Before publishing the
manual, Caldwell and the
research team will review and
refine the practices and
approaches to determine the
applicability for other rural
communities. “We’ll share
the information with the
municipalities to help
determine long-term utility,”
he said. “Ideally, we’d like to
see a more engaged and
successful municipal sector
across the province.”
This is just the latest in a
series of “how to” manual
Caldwell has published. In
2006, he wrote The Urbanite's
Guide to the Countryside as a
primer for people visiting or
travelling through farm
country and rural
communities in southern
Ontario. Along with Professor
Karen Landman, he wrote the
Rural Landowner
Stewardship Guide in 2007.
He has also developed
materials to deal with conflict
resolution in rural
communities.
A U of G professor since
2000, Caldwell studies
farmland preservation, rural
conflict resolution, local
governance and community-
based approaches to
economic and environmental
issues. He’s also President of
the Ontario Professional
Planners Institute.
Professor gets grant to help rural comunities
Dog show new feature
Good eats at Reunion
Continued from page 1
to enjoy the rides and try
their luck at winning a stuffed
animal or two.
New this year on Tuesday
night is a dog show open to
anyone who wants to show
off their pooch.
Commercial displays and
non-profit groups will also be
on hand with promotional
information set up in the
arena. Pre-registration is
required by calling 519-887-
6687.
Wednesday, Sept. 16
begins with the parade, which
leaves Victoria Park at 11:30
a.m. sharp. The route travels
north, taking the curve down
to Turnberry Street before
turning south. It travels
through downtown to
Thomas Street where it turns
left and heads to the arena.
The theme for this year’s
fair is Apples - Bushels of
Fun, and a prize is offered for
the best themed float and
costume. A number of other
prizes are offered as well.
For children there are
games and contests, face
painting, sandbox activities,
clowns and magic at 12:30
p.m. and horse rides.
The kids’ tractor pull is
underway at 2 p.m.
Besides the indoor
agricultural exhibits, the 4-H
Belgrave Brussels Beef Club
show will begin at noon,
followed by the Little Folks
Calf Show. This is for beef or
dairy and is not open to 4-H
or pre-4-H. Class one is for
toddlers to five years while
the second class is for
children six to nine.
Competitors may be
accompanied by an older
child or adult.
The midway is open
throughout the day.
Continued from page 1
ice cream throughout the
Reunion.
Grandpa’s Homemade Ice
Cream will be available all
three days, while the Blyth
Legion Ladies Auxiliary will
be hosting lunch and dinner
on Friday and Saturday above
the arena. On Friday there
will be soup, sandwiches,
lasagna and beef at noon,
while on Saturday there will
be soup, sandwiches, beef
and sausages for lunch. For
dinner on Friday there will be
beef and turkey, starting at
4:30 p.m. and then on
Saturday, there will be beef
and ham, beginning at 4 p.m.
One of the weekend’s
biggest culinary attractions,
the bean pot, will be back
again this year and the Blyth
firefighters will be hosting a
pancake breakfast starting at
7:30 a.m. on Saturday and
Sunday.
Here they come
A long line of campers waiting to enter the Blyth campgrounds greeted the
village on Tuesday morning. These early birds have reached the village two
days before events even begin. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
The Municipality
of Huron East
FREE
E-Waste Drop Off Day
Brussels Public Works Yard
240 Turnberry Street
Brussels
Saturday, September 12, 2009
9 am to 12 Noon
The Municipality of Huron East is pleased to support a FREE
drop off depot for used electronic equipment (e-waste).
E-waste is commonly referred to as “old computer
equipment” but many other types of household electronics
are also recyclable. A complete listing of acceptable materials
is available at the Municipal Office or check the Huron East
website.
Watch for the “Flyer” in your mail for more details.
If you have any questions, please contact the Huron East
Municipal Office at 519-527-0160.
Space provided through a partnership between industry and
Ontario municipalities to support waste diversion programs.
Oke suggests strategic change
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen