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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-09-02, Page 4Page 2 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, September 2, 2009 Town, county well-prepared for new provincial economy •Fizz' [ - yrs GO )RICH 524-7811 THE MOST ENTERTA.NING MOVIE OF THE YEAR TARANTINO }LAS OUTDONE HIMSELF . PITT I ;.. Sept. 04-10 A 8:00 Nightly • v u 5C.*,0 ANG VERSOMA' COMION Crude Cow,. t..nq„we v www.movielinks.ca -800-265-3438 Gerard Crerdni signal -star staff `Changing times' was the theme of the 2009 annual general meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and Goderich May- or Deb Shewfelt said the town and the county are well on their way. Representatives from nearly all the province's 445 municipalities exchanged ideas and strategies with their Queen's Park counterparts at the four-day conference in Ottawa Aug. 16-19. Topping the bill of discussion was infrastructure, as the provincial and federal governments have been pouring dollars into shovel -ready municipal projects. However, beyond the construc- tion signs, Shewfelt said a large part of infrastructure lies in changing the physical economy of the county as manufacturing continues to decline. "From a county standpoint we need to reinvent ourselves without relying totally on manufacturing," he said. "Just take a different viewpoint WHEN YOUR DOG GOES ON T HE LAWN AND/OR SI DEV\'A LK REMEMBER IT DOESN'T JUST GO ON THE GROUND l�.ttit w.t.,I1( (1()k1 tn)op and Its: bacteria Iritn ;t()rrll clr�Iirl`, I 1()111 (1()(S on Icl liOIlirtC c)trr wi11('r wily`; w1l,It: to do') Simple Hag it ,1(1(J I)rl( it 111 the trilt,il ( 0 )I )1 14i( 11 of the whole community and try to foster prosperity" TD Canada Trust chief economist delivered the presentation on rein- venting economies, and Shewfelt said Huron County and Goderich have a good start with their buy local campaign. "The 100 -mile diet has an effect in giving local producers better kick at the economy," he said. "I think we're ahead of the curve on that bringing economic development back to the county level." He said if Huron's businesses con- tinued to search out niche markets, it would enable not only business to grow, but jobs to develop from that. From economy to health, Shew- felt said the municipalities were able to give cabinet ministers their input concerning the fate of local health integration networks (LHIN). With the fate of the networks un- certain, the municipalities expressed their support of LHINs and Shewfelt said the ministers took the message. "There would be no chance of Photo submitted A hun y visitor Ken and De bie Selkirk landed the biggest, blackest Finch they've ever seen at their back- yard feeder on Aug. 23. Shortly before 9 p.m., the couple spotted what they describe as a baby Black Bear filling up on bird seed at their Mid -Huron Beach home, north of Port Albert. • �• • Stratford •; 551 �Itlt'iTias.. Huron St. 273-6780 4 - 10 • Show Schedule for September IJulie & Julia Nightly at 6:45 & 9:15, Sat/Sun matinee at 2pm IGamer Nightly at 7:00 & 9:15, Sat/Sun matinee at 2pm , The Time Traveler's Wife Nightly at 7:00 & 9:15, Sat/Sun matinee at 2pm CA Shorts Nightly at 7:00, Sat/Sun matinee at 2pm I Cli The Final Destination. Nighty at 7:00 & 9:15, SatBun matinee al 2pm • -S S6 00 Tuesdays www.strattordcinernas.com those being dissolved," he said. 'Their purpose is to consult locally and they're there to stay as far as (former health minister George Smi- therman) is concerned" Smitherman, now the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, also spoke to the release of provincial dollars for the commencement of municipal projects. Shewfelt said while Lions Harbour Park and a 5,000 foot run- way. for Sky Harbour Airport have been approved, the meeting also gave a chance to highlight one un- der -funded Goderich initiative. "It was an opportunity to do some lobbying for the harbour," he said. "We haven't given up on that" While the town was passed up for Junding on the project through Com- munities in Transition and Build Canada funds, Shewfelt said the feel- ing was a refined application with clear timelines could bolster support for the project. "The message is there probably needs to be amendments and some staging (of the project)," he said. "I felt the results were positive but did we get a cheque? "No" He said the harbour will continue to be a work in progress, well worth pursuing. The Minister of Education, mean- while, addressed both rural and ur- ban concerns with the amalgamating of schools going on across the prov- ince. Shewfelt said while Goderich has already undergone a three-year ac- commodation review resulting in the creation of Goderich Public School, it was eye-opening to hear that urban centres are also leery of school clo- sures and are looking to the School Alliance for support. He said Burlington Mayor and former MPP Cam Jackson wanted to be included in the otherwise rural initiative. City schools often serve as com- munity centres and in some cases, the only available parkland. Once old school buildings are solder the com- munity loses a valuable resource, he said. "Cities are really affected," Shew- felt said. "Neighbourhoods are built around schools, parks." However, he said he is confident Goderich's new public school will meet the needs of the students, par- ents and the community. Huron -Perth Oldreds Aid Society Help Children from Your Community FOSTER FAMILIES NEEDED FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN! For Information Call the Huron -Perth Children's Aid Society Huron County: Deanie Jardine at 519-524-7356 or 1-800-265-5198 Perth County: Vy Waller at 519-271-5290 or 1800-668-5094 1