Times Advocate, 1999-11-17, Page 19Wednesday, November 17. 1999
Exot r TinIe VocI..
19
Business
Chamber of:Comrnerce:linking
businesses in South Huron
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER -- After nearly
a year in existence, the
South Huron Chamber of
Commerce is happy at
how its grown.
President Hugh
McMaster said there are
54 chamber members
now, with membership
growing every month. He
said the chamber expects
200 members within the
next couple of years.
Originally called the
Exeter and District
Chamber of Commerce,
its name was changed to
better reflect the area the
chamber wanted to rep-
resent.
As McMaster and cham-
ber treasurer Bill Dinney
explained to the T -A last
week, the chamber is
working at linking cus-
tomers to chamber busi-
nesses. McMaster said he
receives three or four
phone calls every week
frotn, people asking for
some service or' product
m the area. The chamber
also receives requests
from tourists asking what
theY can visit: in the,,area.
McMaster also receives
letters from residents
expressing concerns and
praise for the town. One
concern the chamber
dealt with was the lack of
wheelchair accessibility at
the Exeter Rodeo.
From its first organiza-
tion meetings last fall, the
chamber has talked of the
need to promote the
South Huron area.
One way to do this is to
promote the white squir-
rel, according to
McMaster and Dinney.
The chamber will eventu-
ally post "White Squirrel
Crossing" signs around
Exeter, warning motorists
of the squirrels. Dinney
said he's also trying to get
• the white squirrel placed
on the endangered
species list, although he
says he's been unsuccess-
ful so far. He said he'd
also like to see a white
squirrel postage stamp
created. Dinney pointed
to Wiarton Willie as an
example 'Exeter can look
to in creating a popular
town mascot.
In another bid to pro-
mote tourism in Exeter
and the area, industrial
committee chairman
. Tony de Boer said the
chamber wants to see a
tourist information booth.
set up in Exeter by next
summer.
McMaster adds the
chamber needs to get
more information out to
the public about the com-
munity. The Chamber
wants to get. . Exeter
known to the many U.S.
tourists who travel to
Grand Bend. •
Not only is the chamber
interested in improving
business and tourism in
the area, it has political
concerns. McMaster said
the chamber's two chief
political concerns now are
amalgamation and the
availability and growth of
industry.
Regarding amalgama-
tion, McMaster is in
favour of Exeter amalga-.
mating with Stephen and
Usborne townships, but
he said the group should
be even larger, including
Hay Township and the vil-
lages of Hensall and
Zurich. He explains that
Hay, Hensall and Zurich
are all part of South
Huron and have common
goals with Exeter,
Stephen and Usborne.
That group "would work
together very, very nice-
ly," said McMaster.
McMaster conceded
there are political issues
involved with getting the
communities together but
said issues between Hay
and ,Exeter should be
resolved and the two
should come together.
Hay, Hensall and
Zurich, though, have
already received approval
from county council to
amalgamate with the
Village of Bayfield and
Stanley Township.
Regarding industry,
McMaster said' Exeter
should be developing
more land for industry.
He said the problem with
trying to get industry to
Exeter is that the town's
boundaries are restricted.
Since the chamber is
interested in political
issues, de Boer said it will
tell the local councils
what problems they feel
need attention and act as
a voice for businesses.
The chamber consists of
12 directors, including
four executive directors.
The executives are:
McMaster, president;
Frank Zawalsky, vice
president; Dinney, trea-
surer; and Thomas
Burke, secretary. The
directors meet once a
month and the length of
their term in office varies
between one and two
years. In addition to its
monthly directors meet-
ings, the chamber holds
monthly social meetings
at a different chamber
member's business.
McMaster said it offers a
chance to see what the
different businesses in
South Huron do.
The chamber is split
into five committees:
membership, tourism,
communications, political
and industrial. McMaster
stresses that all commit-
tees are voluntary as are
all the positions.
South Huron Chamber of Commerce treasurer Bill
Dinney, left, and president Hugh McMaster are con-
cerned about increasing tourism in the South Huron
area and say the white squirrel can help db that.
Why join the South'
Huron Chamber of
Commerce? McMaster
said the chamber offers
businesses a voice for the
community and promotes
businesses to other busi-
nesses. He said often a
chamber is "the first line
of contact" when people
are trying to find informa-
tion about a community.
When the chamber
began last year, de Boer
admitted there was some
confusion with the public
that the chamber would
conflict with the Exeter
Business Association.
McMaster said there is no
longer any confusion and
said there are clear dif-
ferences between the
chamber and the EBA.
The chamber for example
isn't concerned with the
beautification of down-
town and said it is con-
cerned with helping its
members and the whole
South Huron area.
de Boer adds that the
chamber is concerned
with communication and
linking people and busi-
nesses. .
McMaster said the
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To visit the chamber's
Web site, visit
www.town. exeter. on. ca.
For more information on
the chamber call
McMaster at 235-3141.
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