“The District of Guysborough has some of the best wind resource available in the Province”, states Warden Lloyd Hines, “As such, it makes perfect sense that we invest in the resource and with this project, the Municipality will reap a very reasonable return on its’ investment.”

MODG has entered into a contract with Seaforth Energy Ltd. for the supply and installation of the wind turbines.  MODG will be purchasing the turbines out of its own financial reserves and as such, there will be no debt financing associated with the project. 

The Guysborough County Regional Development Authority (GCRDA) Investment and Trade Office were instrumental in developing this project. Investment and Trade Manager, Gordon MacDonald worked to develop the RFP and submit the project for consideration. 

The Municipality recently amended its’ Municipal Planning Strategy and Development Regulations to allow the installation of wind turbines in most all areas of the Municipality.

“We now have some of the friendliest wind regulations in the Country’’, continues Hines, “We’re open for business when it comes to wind development and we want prospective investors to know that coupled with a good wind regime, there is an open-minded welcoming Municipality to back it up.”

MODG will be installing the four wind turbines during the summer months, and it is expected that they will be on line by this fall. 

The Woodland Conference is a full day conference session where professionals and woodland owners discuss issues and resources that help manage their woodlands sustainably and keep them healthy. The conference covers a wide range of topics of interest to the industry such as wildlife and insects, succession planning and sustainable forestry practices. 

Contact Ashley at the GCRDA for more details.

The final workshop will be held on April 10, 2012 at 7:00pm-8:30pm at the Canso Library

We would like to invite you to a Luncheon on March 15th to provide you with information about this Initiative. Please see the attached postcard below for details.

Newcomer Luncheon

Utilizing print and social media the campaign aims at growing community pride and travel to the area by engaging friends of Guysborough County to share all that they love about their part of paradise. In doing so, the GCRDA hopes to increase the awareness of the County and the unique people and places. More awareness will have a positive economic impact on the business community.

For 7 weeks beginning March 12, 2012, the GCRDA is looking for your nominations for the following categories:

1. March 12-18 – Architecture - i.e houses, business, buildings, barns, churches, bridges, courthouses, post offices, wharves etc.
2. March 19-25 – The Arts - artists at work, murals, sculptures, grassroots art, public art, performing spaces, music, theatre, fine art, dance etc.
3. March 26-April 1 – Events - community suppers,  musical events, sporting events, parades, children events
4. April 2-8 – Cuisine – Restaurants, community suppers, breakfast, farmers market et
5. April 9-15 – History – Unique stories, folklore, buildings, landmarks
6. April 16-22 – Geography - barrens, trails, natural landmarks, seacoast, waterfalls, rivers, gardens, dirt-roads etc.
7. April 23-29 – People - musician, politician, businessperson, scientist, veteran, an athlete, etc.

Development Officer, Carmel Avery-MacDonald says she is excited about this campaign. “All you need to do is send us your nominations. Be sure to include a caption describing your photo and the category your nomination best fits. A Steering Committee will narrow the top 3 finalist in each category and the public will have an opportunity to vote.” The 7 Winning Wonders will receive a plaque of recognition to be displayed on the site.

There are a few ways to nominate your favorite wonder. You can:

• Upload a picture to our Facebook Fan Page @ Guysborough County Regional Development Authority
• Email us a picture to info@gcrda.ns.ca;
• Mail your nomination to 7 Wonders Campaign c/o GCRDA Box 49 Guysborough, N.S. B0H 1N0

For more information on the 7 Wonders of Guysborough County Campaign including nomination criteria and to cast your final vote, check out the Contest Criteria .  The top 3 entries in each category will be available for the public to vote from May 14, 2012 to May 31, 2012. The winners will be unveiled on June 5, 2012.

The plan was built upon broad consultation with Guysborough County’s residents, business people, and community leaders. The GCRDA Board provided overall leadership for the strategic planning effort. Consultant Ryan MacNeil, Principal of Ryan MacNeil & Co. Decision Support assisted the GCRDA staff and board throughout the process which involved a community survey (400+ respondents), a situation analysis discussion paper, a community leaders’ forum, consultation with municipalities and planning sessions with the board and staff.

Two recurring themes dominated the planning discussions: a lament for the people who have left the region, and a cry for the jobs needed to bring them home. The latter was often attached to a sense that significant employment opportunities are close-at-hand – and that the RDA is doing great work.

There are six strategic directions, set out in the document: Attracting Investment; Retaining and Expanding Existing Businesses, Developing Community Infrastructure, Examining Development issues, Engaging Youth and Welcoming People. GCRDA executive Director Dan Gillis says he is pleased with the plan. “We are very proud of the amount of input from the community and we’ve heard your concerns loud and clear. This document will provide the framework for our annual business plans over the next five years”.

Chairperson Rennie Beaver adds, “Jobs!” are a clear and pressing priority for Guysborough County. Over the coming 5 years, as new employment opportunities are created in the County, the title of this strategy will take on new meaning. It will shift from urgency to excitement, becoming an exclamation of the “jobs!” that were realized.”

The GCRDA is funded by the two participating municipalities in Guysborough County, Guysborough and St. Mary’s and the Nova Scotia Department of Economic and Rural Development & Tourism and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The GCRDA has been working on this strategy since summer 2011. The GCRDA took a phased approach in developing the plan. Input was gathered from the public over the summer and analyzed and shared at a leadership forum in October. Consultant Ryan MacNeil facilitated the session and developed the draft plan after the forum. Further input was gathered by the GCRDA board of directors. The final draft was prepared and presented to the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s. Copies of the plan were sent to the Municipality of the District of Guysborough, the Town of Canso and the Town of Mulgrave for review.

The GCRDA 5 Year Strategic Plan will be available on our web site after March 31, 2012.

Power Up Your Business! Invest Innovate Grow

Thursday, October 20, 2011, Country Harbour Gun Club 6:00pm-9:00pm

Guest Speakers: 4 Local Business Success Stories!

Cost is $10. Bring a Guest!

Please contact 533-2770 or chantelle.penney@cbdc.ca  to RSVP by Friday, Oct. 14, 2011.

Let us know if you have an item to donate to the Silent Auction!

 “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 .

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.