Posted By Carmel on June 16, 2011

Over the next several months, the Guysborough County Regional Development Authority (GCRDA) will be asking for input into the plan that will guide the economic development activities in Guysborough County for the next 5 years. The GCRDA is developing a new 5 year plan for the period 2012-2017.

 “The GCRDA is taking a phased approach in developing the plan, “says GCRDA Executive Director, Dan Gillis. “The first step is to gather input from the public. We are looking for your thoughts, opinions and ideas on how you see the future of Guysborough County.” A survey has been prepared with the assistance of Consultant Ryan MacNeil and can be found on the GCRDA website at www.ConnectWithOurEnergy.com clicking on link on the right of the page. Paper copies can also be picked up at the Guysborough or Sherbrooke offices of the GCRDA or mailed directly to you by contacting our office at 533-3731 or 522-2432.

The next step of the process will be to seek input from the business community and leaders who also have a stake in the economy of Guysborough County. These surveys will be distributed via email and mail. The information gathered through these 3 surveys, as well as meetings held with municipal councils, will be reviewed by the GCRDA staff, board of directors and the external Consultant.

The third phase will be a Leadership Forum which will be held in September. The data collected through the survey process will be reviewed and used to develop priorities and actions for the plan. The final document is scheduled for completion later this fiscal year.

For further information, you can contact Dan Gillis at 533-3731 or dangillis@gcrda.ns.ca .

Posted By awilliams on May 4, 2011

The Guysborough County Regional Development Authority is pleased to announce its newest project: Get out in Guysborough County Too. This will be the second component of the Get out in Guysborough County Series and will detail all new hiking/biking trails and water routes.

Derek Hendsbee is the most recent addition to the GCRDA team. He is undertaking this project which gives him perhaps the best job in Guysborough County. For the next year he will be a professional hiker and blogger. “The opportunity to photograph, write about and learn about the County is something I’m highly motivated to take on,” said Derek, when asked about his new role. “Blogging is completely new to me and adds to the challenge of documenting my experiences. Eventually I hope the blog becomes a resource and a form of promotion for the entire County.”

Derek’s challenge is to discover twenty new and exciting trails/waterways in Guysborough County. He will be mapping, photographing and rating his favorite trails for difficulty, distance and time to complete. However, to find these trails he must first explore the expansive 4370 sq. km of Guysborough County.  Derek will be taking photos and video clips of his search and detailing his progress on the Get out in Guysborough County Blog.

 “We want to showcase the fantastic trails and waterways Guysborough County has to offer,” said Dan Gillis, executive director of the GCRDA. “The first edition of ‘Get out in Guysborough County’ was published in 2004 and was very popular. We want to update this and showcase new trails which can be utilized in all four seasons.  We also want to make this information easily accessible so it will be available online through the GCRDA’s website and at the Get out in Guysborough County Blog. The blog will allow people to follow Derek’s progress on a daily basis. He plans to include recent photos, short write-ups and information about geocaching.”

Geocaching is a high tech game of ‘hide and seek’ where you seek hidden treasures using a GPS and GPS co-ordinates. The hidden ‘treasure’ is usually a worthless trinket while the real reward is in getting outside, being activate and often being led to locations you wouldn’t otherwise know about with the great outdoors as your playground.

Join Derek on his adventures as he explores the back roads, hidden waterways, and beautiful country side of Guysborough County.  www.connectwithourenergy.com (Click on the Get Out in Guysborough County blog icon on the left side of page)

Get Out in Guysborough Too is funded through the Canada-Nova Scotia Labour Market Development Agreement under the direction of Employment Nova Scotia.

Posted By kmcnulty on April 4, 2011

The recently released Port Master Plan for the Strait of Canso is available for the public at www. straitsuperport.com/SCSC-ExecutiveSummary.pdf

Posted By Simply Ducky on September 8, 2010

Guysborough, Nova Scotia - Do you have a bicycle? Do you use it to get to work or school?  Why or why not? These are the questions the Guysborough County Regional Development Authority (GCRDA) recently asked in a survey about biking in the county. The GCRDA has partnered with the Municipalities of the Districts of Guysborough and  St. Mary’s, the Towns of Mulgrave and Canso, Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection, Historic Sherbrooke Village, and the Ecology Action Center to get a better understanding of the use of active transportation with a particular emphasis on biking. There is a slowly expanding group of residents who bike between May and October. The GCRDA wanted to get a better understanding as to why people choose or not choose to bike and what residents think are the benefits and barriers to growing this mode of transportation.

The survey found that 46% of people asked in the on-line survey circulated in August 2010 own bicycles but only 29% use them. The majority of residents (86%) say they are not comfortable with the road safety surface conditions and too much traffic/driver behavior as barriers to cycling in the county. 71% said distance is the main reason they don’t bike  to work or school.

In an effort to change this pattern, the GCRDA and their partners are working to encourage biking as an alternative to motorized transportation. The GCRDA Bikeways  Committee was formed in 2009 to look at the various benefits of cycling for health, recreation, economic and/or to reduce the impact on the environment. To encourage usage, safety and enjoyment, the GCRDA will be installing bike racks at various locations throughout the county and “Share the Road” signs to bring awareness to motorists to use  caution when cyclist are sharing the road. This project should be complete by the end of  2010.

For further information on the Guysborough County Bikeways Project, contact the GCRDA at (902) 533-3731.