Clinton News Record, 2016-05-18, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, May 18, 2016
"Win This Space" contest is back Bayfield communit band together for
to assist local entrepreneurs sake of community centre
Justine Alkema
Clinton News Record
The "Win This Space" con-
test is back again for 2016.
Put on by the municipality
of Huron East, this contest
provides an amazing opportu-
nity for a young entrepreneur
to kick-start their business.
The winning prize includes
funding for a 12 month lease
in Vanastra and a prize pack-
age including a year of busi-
ness mentorship. The total
value for this prize is currently
estimated at around $15,000.
The program was initiated
by Huron East's Economic
Development Officer Jan
Hawley. Hawley first about
the idea at a conference she
was at. The contest had been
run in other communities,
and it was a prize winning
initiative.
"Starting a business can be
scary, said Hawley. "This pro-
vides a safety net for the first
yea.,
Last year's winning busi-
ness was the Cotton Harvest
Quilt Shop which won a space
in Seaforth.
While last year's competi-
tion was for service and retail
businesses, this year's will be
for light industry and manu-
facturing, which Hawley
noted is quite broad.
To enter the competition,
each applicant must submit
250 words about their idea by
June 17. The judges will then
make sure it fits zoning
requirements.
After that, each applicant
will receive three evening
training sessions, free of cost.
This will focus on marketing,
business plans and under-
standing financials.
The individual conducting
the training is business con-
sultant Allison Lobb. Lobb
works for the Huron Small
Business Enterprise Centre,
and as Hawley put it, was
"born to teach"
After that, each applicant
may submit a business plan.
That is then narrowed to the
top five, and on one evening
in August, each of these five
individuals will present their
idea to a board of eight judges,
all of whom are business peo-
ple from the community. The
winner will be chosen on that
night.
"Last year we got 28 appli-
cations" said Hawley. "24 took
the training, and at the end we
had 12 business plans. When
we had to narrow to 5, it was
tough. A lot of them have gone
on to open businesses
though:'
This contest is open to any-
one who lives in Ontario and
are aged 19 and up. 250 word
summaries are due on June 17
at 4:00 p.m. They can be sent
to Jan Hawley at PO Box 610,
72 Main Street, Seaforth,
Ontario NOK 1WO, or to jhaw-
ley@huroneast.com
(519.527.0160).
nwmo
NUCLEAR WASTE SOCIETE DE GESTION
MANAGEMENT DES DECHETS
ORGANIZATION NUCLEAIRES
NWMO Learn More Centre
The Municipality of Central Huron is one of nine communities
involved in a process of learning about Adaptive Phased
Management (APM), Canada's plan for the safe, long-term
management of used nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Waste
Management Organization is working collaboratively with the
community to advance preliminary assessment studies.
Learn about APM, meet NWMO staff, ask questions and
offer your thoughts. Drop in to the NWMO community office
and Learn More Centre in Clinton.
Everyone is welcome.
NWMO Learn More Centre
(Central Huron)
38 Albert Street, Clinton ON
519.386.6711
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As municipality makes decisions about
how to support recreation, local residents
prepare plans for new community centre
Justine Alkema
Clinton News Record
Dedicated community
members are coming together
from many facets of Bayfield to
prepare for building a new
community centre if need be.
The team that has formed is
calling themselves the Bayfield
Facility Initiative Team (BFIT).
Like many municipalities,
Bluewater does not consider
recreation to be a core service,
and the current community
centre is starting to need quite a
bit of work done on the build-
ing. However the municipality
does not have many reserves
for such work This could result
in the loss of current recrea-
tional assets, though at this
point they are still reviewing
their options.
The community members of
Bayfield are jumping the gun
and even though no decisions
have been made, they are
alreadymeeting to discuss their
options. The group is well
attended and consists of many
individuals from groups such as
the Croquet Club, Chamber of
Commerce, Trails Association,
RatePayers Association, Arena
Community Partners Associa-
tion, Town Hall, Optimists Club,
farmer's market and Lions
Club.
"We're just trying to be pro-
active," said Jentje Steenbeek
from the Stonefield Garden
Centre and Market Ltd. "If they
don't cut anything we would try
to workwith them to renovate'
According to Steenbeek and
others in the group, the
recreation centre is a very
important aspect of the town.
"We think it's important for
the health and walkability of the
community, and it keeps peo-
ple in the town. It's for the kids
too; it's good for every age
group. We don't want to take it
out of Bayfield because then
everyone has to start driving
because there's no incentive for
people to be in Bayfield
anymore"
The group has thrown
around a lot of ideas for what
the new facility would be like.
They've discussed things like
meeting rooms, space for con-
ventions and an ice rink How-
ever that is all in the very early
stages of planning, and the
community needs to be
engaged for their input
If construction goes forward,
the funds for the centre will
have to be completely fund -
raised. Steenbeek noted that
there are many grants for these
kinds of infrastructure projects
as well.
Upon completion, itis antici-
pated that a local public board
will oversee the facility and
workwith a private manager to
ensure the long-term success of
the centre. The project will be
achieved through the imple-
mentation of a strong business
plan focused on usage and
profitability.
The first public meeting will
be held on Saturday, May 28 at
10:30 a.m. at the Bayfield Com-
munity Centre. Anyone is wel-
come to attend to hear more
information, ask questions and
express comments or concerns.
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Due to the Victoria Day Holiday Monday May 23
Our deadline fgrthe is e will be
ThiWslIavMav 19th aYjpm
1 �ws Record
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