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The Citizen, 1998-02-18, Page 6Avon DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD Maitland Learning for a Lifetime KINDERGARTEN AND JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION Children born in 1993 and 1994 are eligible to enrol in KINDERGARTEN and JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN respectively for September, 1998. Contact your local Huron Public School Principal as soon as possible to confirm your intent to register. Your call will allow your school to provide you with registration details and will assist the Board in planning for staff. Proof of age and confirmation of property assessment information will be required. P. Carroll Abby Armstrong Director of Education Chair NOW IS A GREAT TIME fOR A BORN PARTY! We Guarantee You'll gave c Great Time ' The pins glow. The bulls glow • You'll glow ' ' Saturdays Sundays Get your friends or the gang from work together for a party during the week! • Bingo Bowl?! • Lucky Strike Games?! • Glow-In-the-Dark & Tunes?! • Food & Prizes?! You customize your party G. Smoke-Free Wed. 6 - 10:30 p.m. • • • • • • • • Glow-In-the-Dark • Fridays 7:45 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. • Saturdays 8 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. • Sundays 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. a Smoke-Free • Special Times for large groups Only $3.10/game incl. taxes • • • • • • • • Saturday Public Times Open Noon - 12:30 a.m. • 5 - 8 p.m. - Play 3 get the 4th Free • 8 - 10 p.m. - Glow-In-The-Dark • 10 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. - Moonlight is aglow All you can bowl $9.75 incl. taxes • • • • • • • • Super Family Sundays • Every Sunday 1 - 7 p.m. Smoke-Free $2.85/adults $2.60/under 12 incl. taxes • Glow-In-The-Dark 4 - 7 p.m. $3.10/adults $2.85 under 12 incl. taxes • • • • • • • • Birthday Party Specials 0 1 game, hot dog, fries, drink, ice cream, helium balloons and birthday shirt for the birthday boy or girl Bumper Bowling always available Ptrit rke, Ntl 2 games, hot dog, fries & drink vu 0 Or make it a Glow-In-The-Dark Party! 111:1 204 Huron Road Goderich 524-BOWL PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1998. Seaforth begins business retention program By Janice Becker Citizen staff Times are changing, government initiatives force municipalities and their support services to restructure and small rural communities to consider the viability of their future. When the question of re-aligning hospitals in rural Ontario forced residents to look at the economy of their area, one local town took steps to ensure feasibility for con- tinued development. "We put together a group of resi- dents to consider how we could do something for the community to retain and expand out business base," said Joe Steffler, chair of the Seaforth Business Retention and Expansion Visitation program. Beginning in December 1996, the group began to look at what Seaforth was doing right and what they were doing wrong. The 1997 summer Ontario trade show offered the town the opportu- nity to gather such information at their booth, said Steffler. Letters to the editor Continued from page 4 volunteers and individuals involved in raising and allocating the funds are to be congratulated — a special thank you to those same people from your community who believe in reaching out to help others. Congratulations and Continued Success! John Hartman, Vice President United Way of Canada - Centraide Canada THE EDITOR, It was 150 years ago that two men made their way up Lake Huron, landing at the mouth of the Penetangort.s. River, settling in what would become the first settlement in Bruce County - Kincardine. Kincardine, which was actually called 'Penetangore' when it was first settled, celebrating its sesquicentennial this year and is kicking off the 150th anniversary of its founding with a huge, family birthday party on Friday evening, March 6, at the Davidson Centre, Kincardine. The arena will be transformed from an ice surface to a dance floor/variety show. Organizers are expecting upwards of 1,700 people for the variety show to celebrate the 'Landing in Kincardine'. Over 1,100 people can be accommodated for the dance, which follows the variety show. Area schools are involved in the founding of Kincardine. The town's sesquicentennial committee is working with students and will be in the schools on Thursday, March 5. Today, Kincardine is known for its Scottish heritage, excellent salmon fishing, unique lighthouse and world renowned sunsets. Kincardine has a population of 6,800 and is located 90 km. south of Owen Sound. The momentum for the 150th celebration is definitely building ir_ the town and surrounding area. We anticipate a huge turnout at the Landing in Kincardine celebration. The reunion is the Civic Holiday Weekend - July 30 to August 3. Brad Kirkconnell, (519) 396-8028 Reunion chair. With the support of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Seaforth was chosen as one of seven pilot communities for the business retention program. "The objective of the program is to demonstrate how the community appreciates the contributions by business," said Jane Muegge of OMAFRA. "We want to help solve any problems and assist businesses use the program to be more com- petitive and to build community capacity for business." "It makes sense to work with existing business because they cre- ate 40 to 80 per cent of new jobs," she added. As one of the partners in the business retention program, OMAFRA used information from U.S. pilot projects on economic development, then sought commu- nities who were interested in partic- ipating. With Seaforth already studying the issue, acceptance was soon granted. The basis of the program is an interview/survey process which more than 80 business owners will answer. Project consultant Brock Vodden of Blyth is assisting Seaforth in the development of the questionnaire, which he hopes will be ready to go within the next few weeks, with completion scheduled for mid to late spring. The seven communities involved in the pilot project will have a set of universal questions as well as some added specific to each situa- tion. The interview/surveys will touch every sector of the business com- munity in and around Seaforth, including everything from agricul- tural endeavours to industrial, man- ufacturing, retail and service. The boundaries were set at the Seaforth fire area, said Sterner as the committee felt those were the people who most frequently shopped in Seaforth. Business owners will be asked about the product or service they provide, any barriers they see for expansion, their plans for growth what the community at large can to do ensure a thriving future, said Vodden. The interviews, which will take an hour to an hour and a half, will focus on the specifics for each busi- ness and their view of the commu- nity and economic environment. Owners will be asked what they think the municipality can do to improve the business atmosphere, the quality of life and factors which could entice people to re-locate to the area. Approximately 35 volunteers will be trained to administer the labour- intensive surveys. Two interview- ers will be present on each occasion. The selection of the interviewers will also be a serious undertaking as the committee is looking for people known in the community and with whom businesspeople will be comfortable answering ques- tions, said Vodden. Answers will not be discussed except in the con- text of the survey. Information obtained through the survey will be strictly confidential as it pertains to private business, said Steffler, though Muegge added that general results will be utilized by sectors such as Industry Canada and Stats Canada. The results can then be used by agencies to provide training for staff and employees as well as determine what technologies are there and which are needed, said Steffler. Survey information will be given back to the community so that some ideas can be implemented quickly and others worked on over the coming years, she said. "The province will use the statis- tics to look at general trends." Seaforth participants are very excited, with keenness and enthusi- asm, said Muegge. The creation of a five-year eco- nomic development plan will be "for the betterment of the commu- nity at-large, both urban and rural," Steffler concluded. Anyone interested in the process may contact Kathy Garrick at Seaforth municipal office or com- mittee Chair Joe Steffler. Living history Senior students from Blyth Public School had an opportunity to view artifacts reminiscent of a bygone era when Bob Potter of Londesboro brought his Titanic collection to Blyth Library. The display of items, stories and newspaper clippings will be on display throughout February.