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.

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.