Submitted to Totten Sims Hubicki Associates (TSH) and the Ministry of Transportation for the response period ending Sept. 30th, 2008.
Introduction
Unfortunately, agriculture and impacts to it are often left out of many equations. The agricultural business community of the three townships decided this was not right or fair.
The townships of Wilmot, South Easthope and Downie are all key areas impacted by the Highway 7 and 8 Corridor Study. During the Public Information phase (# 2) very few area residents took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Centres and see what may be happening for themselves. A variety of reasons were the root causes of such seeming disinterest. The meeting times set for these information meetings were NOT appropriate for the rural community and farmers in particular. As well many in the community felt for the past number of years that something had to be done about the old highway and assumed it would be confined to the area already reserved for highway widening, since the Ministry of Transportation purchased land and moved homes many years ago for this purpose.
Some residents managed to attend the PIC’s and discovered the scope of the apparent plan. They took action, called a meeting of residents in the middle of the busy summer season and had 155 people show up to hear about what might be happening. The group met and formalized into the Agricultural Business Community of Perth East, the Agricultural Business Community of Perth South and the Agricultural Business Community of Wilmot West.
Each group decided on their focus, chose representative names, found volunteers in the community and began its work. Since that point, more and more residents in all three townships have joined their respective chapters. The ability to get information to members quickly was established via email. Other community meetings were organized and over 300 area residents and businesses are now part of these growing community organizations.
Introduction
Unfortunately, agriculture and impacts to it are often left out of many equations. The agricultural business community of the three townships decided this was not right or fair.
The townships of Wilmot, South Easthope and Downie are all key areas impacted by the Highway 7 and 8 Corridor Study. During the Public Information phase (# 2) very few area residents took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Centres and see what may be happening for themselves. A variety of reasons were the root causes of such seeming disinterest. The meeting times set for these information meetings were NOT appropriate for the rural community and farmers in particular. As well many in the community felt for the past number of years that something had to be done about the old highway and assumed it would be confined to the area already reserved for highway widening, since the Ministry of Transportation purchased land and moved homes many years ago for this purpose.
Some residents managed to attend the PIC’s and discovered the scope of the apparent plan. They took action, called a meeting of residents in the middle of the busy summer season and had 155 people show up to hear about what might be happening. The group met and formalized into the Agricultural Business Community of Perth East, the Agricultural Business Community of Perth South and the Agricultural Business Community of Wilmot West.
Each group decided on their focus, chose representative names, found volunteers in the community and began its work. Since that point, more and more residents in all three townships have joined their respective chapters. The ability to get information to members quickly was established via email. Other community meetings were organized and over 300 area residents and businesses are now part of these growing community organizations.
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