Thursday, December 13, 2007

You Decide

  • If you were the Mayor with a magic wand, what would you like Huntsville to be like in 20-30 years time? Please provide examples of other Towns.
  • What would you like the priorities to be for the Town over the next 3-5 years?

Comparison to Other Municipalities

  • Do you know of other municipalities that are doing some really interesting things that we should consider doing?
  • What are you most proud of about Huntsville and how can we take it to the next level?

Residents' Needs

  • As the needs of residents change - what do you see as the needs we will need most to meet in the next 5 years?
  • Are there visitors to Huntsville for reasons we don't normally think of that could open our eyes to new ideas?

Attracting Visitors to Huntsville

  • What do ou think is the one thing we could change that would bring more visitors to Huntsville?

Historical and Cultural Development

  • The next phase for the Huntsville CN train station
  • Muskoka Heritage Place (Muskoka Pioneer Village) celebrates 50 years in Huntsville in 2008
  • Library. Add your ideas to the 2008 Review of the Huntsville Public LibraryStrategic Agenda 2005-2009 http://www.huntsvillelibrary.net/strategic_agenda.shtml
  • Community Archives

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Community and Environmental Improvement

Medical Recruitments

  • Encourage more doctors to relocate to the area
  • Expand the local medical school
  • Encourage development of bio-farming and other leading edge medical research and development;
  • Encourage “for profit medicine” (like cosmetic surgery) to develop in the area

Attracting High Tech

  • Develop incubator sites
  • Expand broadband coverage by establishing wi-fi hot spots at all Community Centres

District Wide Initiatives

  • Lobby for provincial Northern Ontario status
  • Develop a regional public transport system (to move students to campus plus transport the public who work or need medical treatment in other centres)
  • District wide tourism initiatives and economic development

Post Secondary Education Facility

  • Support the development of a university/college satellite campus
  • Establish a culinary school; generate more outdoor sports opportunities like skate parks and water parks; promote snowmobiling and other winter activities
  • Attract and retain youth

Business Support

  • Advance studies to Business Retention and Expansion
  • Encourage business programs at local colleges and universities, work with a college/university to track retail sales and vehicle traffic as a predictor of business performance

New Industries

  • Attract new entertainment industries like NASCAR, paint ball fun centres
  • Attract casino, sports businesses like dirt bike riding or dog racing as well as traditional manufacturers for specialty needs

Government

  • Encourage the location of federal or provincial government offices that allow for well paid year round jobs
  • Become an outsourcing centre for certain government services

International Events

  • Leverage the world class facilities in Muskoka to host – not only the Half Iron Man Competition and the Pond Hockey competition – but also other events like lacrosse, speed skating and cross country skiing.