ADEDA News

Hello Kathleen,

We’ve written a lot lately about the natural wonders of the Bay of Fundy which defines the coastline of Annapolis Digby, and with whale watchers, rock hounds, beachcombers and sea kayakers among the many visitors who are visiting our shores at this time, the Bay’s commercial potential is also getting plenty of recognition.

A columnist in one local newspaper quoted a local entrepreneur as describing the area as a budding “Fundy Riviera”, and while that may raise some sceptical eyebrows there’s no doubt there’s a lot to of potential for new and non traditional business interests here.

Renewed Enthusiasm on the Wharf
Digby is undeniably Nova Scotia’s preeminent marine portal to the Bay of Fundy. As global awareness of the Bay and its potential increases, the Port of Digby is presented with myriad opportunities to take advantage. That’s why it was wonderful to see the improvements in both infrastructure and operating policies that the Digby Harbour Port Association has made over a short time to the town’s main wharf. And it’s something that will be studied as well as celebrated next week on June 28 during the inaugural Digby Port Day seminar.

Two If By Sea
One of the most recent manifestations of the emerging potential of our port facilities and adjacent regional attractions was the visit last year of the cruise ship Balmoral, the first of what is hoped to be regular cruise stopovers here. The one day call in and local tours delivered 1200 visitors and an estimated $100,000 injection into the local economy. But we should remember that there’s a regular daily opportunity to cruise the Bay on the ferry “Princess of Acadia” travelling between Digby and Saint John. That fact was highlighted in a promotion by Destination South West Nova Scotia and Bay Ferries when they hosted two groups of travel agents and media personnel last week to showcase the local cruise opportunities.

Dusting Off the Welcome Mat
Sensing the optimism as well as the opportunity that could rest just over the horizon, local business groups met in Digby and Annapolis Royal last week to review and discuss a recent consultant’s report that suggested ways we could make our facilities more welcoming and visitors more inclined to stay and shop.

Peeking Outside the Box
Seeklng to support those new opportunities that we in Annapolis Digby sense are coming our way, Team Southwest, a task force of federal, provincial and local government officials, along with regional business leaders, was hosted at our ADEDA facilities recently. The Team has been formed to deal with existing challenges as well as identify new economic development opportunities and build a supporting work plan.

Environmental Innovation
And if we needed to be shown that there were already new ideas aplenty in our area, there was no better illustration than the news last week that Sissaboo Farm Supplies was honoured at the 12th Annual Mobius Environmental Awards as a winner in the best Small Business of the Year category by the province’s Resource Recovery Fund Board. RRFB Nova Scotia singled out the Weymouth firm for the introduction of its innovative “Easy Sorter” system. Ideas for environmental innovation will be entertained further this week as ADEDA, in partnership with the Government of Nova Scotia, hosts a community Renewable Energy Planning seminar this week, on June 25, at 10AM in Cornwallis Park.

Busy Week Ahead
If you’re proud of our rich heritage, and who isn’t around here, then be there as our history comes to life at Port-Royal National Historic Site on Thursday, June 24, with a re-enactment of the baptism of Grand Chief Henri Membertou. More than a dozen local actors will step back to 1610 and portray the characters of Membertou, his family and the early French settlers the Mi'kmaq befriended and protected. The re-enactment will begin around noon following a celebratory mass presided over by Archbishop Martin Currie, with Apostolic Nuncio, Pedro Quintana, Bishop Brian Dunn of the diocese of Antigonish, and other Catholic bishops. Mi'kmaw artisans will demonstrate traditional crafts from four Wigwams and a light lunch, featuring Mi'kmaw recipes, will be served. For more information on the Grand Chief Membertou 400 celebrations visit www.Membertou400.com. For information about Port-Royal National Historic Site of Canada, visit www.parkscanada.gc.ca/portroyal.

Taking place later on the 24th will be our Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency (ADEDA) Annual General Meeting at the Digby Pines from 5 – 7 PM.

Since I’m a bit of a brass band buff, (and since the daily dose of World Cup games should be over by that time), I may try and take in the Chester Brass Band concert at St. Luke’s Anglican Church at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 26 as part of Annapolis Royal’s 300th Anniversary Music Series. The concert program promises classical works, marches, spirituals, popular melodies, and original works arranged specifically for brass bands; tickets are $10 and are available in advance from Town Hall or Westside Studio and at the church door at the time of the concert.

Ending this week on a laudatory note, and as someone who strongly believes we have some of the finest health care professionals in Canada in our community, well deserved congratulations are due to Middleton’s Doctor Jane Brooks who was recently installed as President of Doctors Nova Scotia.

And to all my health care providers I assure you I was moderate in all things on Father’s Day…seriously…I promise…no, really…

Till next week;

Peter

Peter MacLellan
Annapolis Digby EDA
86 Atlantic Avenue
PO Box 271
Cornwallis, Nova Scotia
Canada B0S 1H0

Tel: (902) 638-3490
Fax: (902) 638-8106