Trent Hills Economic Development Committee celebrated for excellence

Guelph, Ontario - October 22, 2004 - The vision of a rural-based municipality to revitalize its flagging economy while respecting the differences among its five communities has earned the group a prestigious award.

The Municipality of Trent Hills Economic Development Committee is the winner of the Excellence in Economic Development award. It is one of seven groups that received recognition for its work at the 6th Annual Awards of Rural Excellence on Oct. 18, 2004.

The awards, hosted by the Foundation for Rural Living (FRL), recognize and honour rural communities, organizations and groups who, through programs, projects and initiatives act on their vision of a better rural Ontario.

Municipal government amalgamation during the 90s provided a unique opportunity for the rural communities of Warkworth, Seymour, Percy, Hastings and Campbellford.

"The committee was formed (in 1999) to ensure there would be a forum for discussion regarding economic development for the whole municipality and to provide a coordinated approach to projects and activities regarding economic development," explained Brenda Otto, Economic Development Officer for the Municipality of Trent Hills.

The completion of the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge in Campbellford; the construction of the Hastings Village Marina and the main street revitalization in the village Warworth are among the committee's many projects and achievements designed to invigorate the region's tourism traffic.

Today the municipality has been described by media as one of the best and most affordable tourists spots in Ontario.

For more information:
Brenda Otto, Community Development Officer, the Municipality of Trent Hills Economic Development Committee
Tel: 705 653 1900 Email: brenda.otto@trenthills.ca
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The winners in the remaining six categories are:

• Winner of the Outstanding Partnership with Business Award: Frontier College's Labourer Teacher Program, Toronto
  
• Winner Outstanding Rural Youth Achievement: Community Futures of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin's Business Builders Program, Bancroft
  
• Winner Excellence in Formal Co-operative Models: The Progressive Pork Producers Co-operative Limited, Breslau
  
• Winner Excellence in Community Leadership: The R.E.S.P.E.C.T (Resources, Empowerment, Safety, Prevention, Education, Community building and Training), North Bay
  
• Winner Excellence in Economic Development: Trent Hills Economic Development Committee, Municipality of Trent Hills
  
• Winner Outstanding Philanthropic Action: The Bruce Grey Public Education Foundation, Oliphant.
  

Proud sponsors of the 2004 Awards of Rural Excellence program are Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont Company and founding sponsor, The Co-operators, the Province of Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Union Gas and The Ontario Rural Council.

The awards were held at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in London, Ontario on Oct. 18, 2004.

For more information please contact
Joanne Peach, communications specialist
Foundation for Rural Living
Tel: 519 826 3815
Email: frl_communications@on.aibn.com

Background: The Awards of Rural Excellence
The Foundation for Rural Living's (FRL) Awards of Rural Excellence program began in 1999 to recognize the excellence emerging from rural Ontario and to promote those initiatives to other organizations throughout the province. Contribution to community and a view toward enhancing and sustaining the future are the cornerstones of the awards criteria. Enterprises being recognized with each award must take place in rural Ontario. "Rural" includes communities with a population under 50,000. Amalgamated municipalities of small towns where the population may exceed 50,000 are also eligible. Proud sponsors of the 2004 Awards of Rural Excellence program are Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont Company and founding sponsor, The Co-operators, the Province of Ontario - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Union Gas and The Ontario Rural Council.

The Foundation for Rural Living
FRL was founded in 1979 as a non-profit, registered charity. Our mission is to build sustainable rural capacity and enhance the quality of life for rural citizens through the growth and development of community investment in the form of philanthropy, citizenship and collaboration. Various programs and partnership endeavours aim to advance the role and interests of the charitable sector for the benefit of rural communities.

The foundation has initiated and partnered in key programs including The Ontario Rural Council and the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program. During the ice storm of 1998 we established the Ontario Rural Relief Fund, which raised over $500,000 for rural communities affected by this disaster.

Disclaimer: The Foundation for Rural Living does not endorse or maintain the information contained within the above article, with the exception of news releases from the foundation itself. In all other instances, any questions reagarding the information contained therein should be referred to the author of the news article listed as the source.