“I came to Truro in 1979, which would be 37 years ago this Boxing Day,” Bill explained. “When I first came to town, Council was beginning to discuss a regional water treatment plan. Since then, that water treatment plan has become a reality and it serves not only the town of Truro, but also Millbrook First Nation, and the village of Bible Hill. Colchester County also has, thanks to the amazing collaborative work of so many town leaders over the last thirty or even forty years, its own wastewa- ter treatment facility. It’s one of about 19 shared-proj- ects. Regional cooperation is not something we just talk about in Central Nova Scotia.” “Well I guess it’s about location, location, location.” “Event attraction is always a priority. I’m a member of the Atlantic Mayors’ Congress and not that long ago we had a presentation from Grant MacDonald of Event Atlantic out of Moncton, New Brunswick. This organiza- tion specializes in sports tourism and the event industry in Atlantic Canada and the presentation was all about new ways to attract new visitors and build on our town brands all while benefiting the cultural, social, and envi- ronmental makeup of the host region. Sport tourism for example is a $5.2 billion annual industry in Canada, so what Event Atlantic does is set us up with a strategy that But it’s not all work and no play in Truro.
has us working together as towns rather than competing against one another. It’s all about finding what’s a good fit for who and when. It’s important, for example, not to have two major events in neighbouring towns at the same time. So, now each town has submitted a database so that people know what we have to offer in terms of venues and dates. It gives every town involved the opportunity to host a reputable event in a venue of their choosing. It’s really incentive for everyone to invest wisely in infrastruc- ture and train their staff in the networking skills neces- sary to attract big ticket events. Events conferences held across North America have been invaluable tools for us because it’s a relatively new growth area for Truro. This is better than the old throw something at the wall and see if it sticks approach. Our sports and music communities are incredible. They bring a lot to the community, so we’re willing to do what we have to do in this area to get it right. In sports, the Town of Truro has in its long list of accom- plishments four provincial titles, two world titles, and two national titles. The people of Truro and Colchester County are incredibly competitive in sports – not to mention aca- demics and business. That’s why when we host events, everyone wants to get involved. And a strong volunteer base helps us attract major events, like the upcoming World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships in 2018 to be held at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre. We’re going to have some exciting news about a hockey event to be held there in 2017. There’s always something big on the go in Truro.”
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker