Residents of Clifford and Harriston will have a chance to see their communities through the eyes of first-time visitors as part of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs First Impressions Community Exchange.
On Sept. 18, a group of community representatives from Beeton and Tottenham paid an unannounced visit to Clifford and Harriston to offer an outsider’s perspective of the communities. Minto sent a similar delegation to Beeton and Tottenham on Sept. 8.
Minto Business and Economic Manager Belinda Wick-Graham, explained the exchange helps communities to see themselves the way tourists, prospective businesses owners, relocating families, and non-local shoppers might see them.
“Their first impressions of a community have a strong influence on their decisions to relocate to, or shop in the community.”
Wick-Graham said, “After you’ve lived in one place for a while, you sometimes take for granted the things that attract people to your community. Or you may be unaware of aspects of your community that may be unappealing in the eyes of outsiders.”
She said, “The exchange gives a community an objective assessment of its strengths and weaknesses and gives participants a chance to gather ideas from other areas dealing with similar community development issues.” Results of the exchange will be presented at a public meeting scheduled for Nov. 30 at 6pm at the Harriston-Minto community complex. For further information, contact Wick-Graham at 519-338-2511 extension. 41.
