COUNTY OF HALIBURTON

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

UPDATING THE COUNTY’S STRATEGIC PLAN

LLOYD WATSON MEMORIAL CENTRE – WILBERFORCE

2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m., August 14th, 2003

On August 14th, there will be a second series of public consultations on updating the County of Haliburton’s Strategic Plan. These will be organised as a series of 5 simultaneous workshops designed to produce the ingredients for action plans, involving both different stakeholders in the County and the citizens at large. The workshops will be held at the Lloyd Watson Memorial Centre in Wilberforce, and they will be followed by a BBQ.

The workshops are organized around five main themes that have been identified from the first public consultation event on August 1st as well as from discussions with representatives from various organizations and businesses in the community. Participants will be asked to identify the principal priorities in each of the five themes, realistic objectives that could be established for the priority areas or issues, a set of actions in each priority area, and the types of stakeholders and resources that could be mobilized, as well as the role of the County’s citizens. Issues of managing the implementation process will be discussed in each of the five theme areas. The themes are broad and contain a range of potential topics that will be addressed; examples of specific issues are given below:

1. Economic Development and Diversification

Examples of issues: Marketing for Economic Development and Diversification; Tourism Development; Arts and Heritage; Downtown Development; Environmentally Friendly Businesses; Basic Infrastructure for Economic Development Promotion – Information, Expertise; Appropriate Processes for ‘Managing Business Location (e.g. Permits) and One-Stop Shopping for Business Development; Youth Employment; Mobilizing the Retirees of the County – their Ideas, Resources and Potential; Year Round Business Activity and Potential Opportunities.

2. Communications

Examples of issues: Basic Infrastructure for Communications (Internet Access, Web Based Infrastructure, Newspapers, Radio, Community Newsletters); Communications with Different Segments of the Population – e.g. the Youth, Cottage Associations, Seniors; Information Bases, their Management and Accessibility, and Utility in Benchmarking; Developing a Communications Strategy; Managing Communications.

3. Services for People and the Social Fabric

Examples of issues: Health: Education; EMS; 911; Transportation; Isolation; Community Infrastructure to Support the Social Fabric; Reducing Exclusion; Needs and Challenges Faced by Different Population Groups – e.g. Youth, Seniors; Housing Issues;

4. Environment

Examples of issues: Criteria for Environmentally Friendly Businesses or Clean Industry; Waste Management; Septic Systems; Lake Capacity and Management of Cottage Development; Management of Development to Maintain Healthy Forests; Managing People’s Expectations and Behaviour in Relation to Natural Resources.

5. Recreation

Examples of issues: Recreational Needs of Various Groups of Permanent and Seasonal Residents; An Inventory of Facilities and Programs; Development of Year Round Recreational Activities; Centralized and Accessible Promotion of Recreational Activities and Facilities; Potential Links between Recreation Centres and Community Centres; Potential Links between Recreational Facilities and Certain Segments of the Housing Market.

While you can simply turn up at the door on the 14th, we would appreciate it if you would call Tamara Williams at 705-286-1333 or email twilbee@county.haliburton.on.ca at the County to reserve a place by identifying the workshop that you would like to participate in and whether you will stay for a BBQ. This will help us in arranging seating and making the necessary arrangements for refreshments and food.

Come along and help set directions for the County of Haliburton – a place to be proud of to call your home!