Antigonish Regional Development Authority, where ideas take root

Local leaders and business owners testify to ARDA’s achievements

ARDA’s had a busy and productive year. We have new faces and ideas, a new brand and website, and new projects and initiatives.

“We’ve had some great accomplishments in the last year,” says ARDA’s Executive Director Gerry Grant. “We’ve also developed and strengthened our relationships with numerous community partners.”

Local leaders and business owners have testified to the great work that ARDA does to ensure Antigonish is a thriving place to do business, a great place to live, and a community of growth.

Business Retention & Expansion (BRE)
In April 2009, ARDA hired Alana Paon as the BRE account executive to unroll this new initiative. The BRE program is an internationally recognized program that helps existing Nova Scotia business stay and grow in the province. ARDA staff work one-on-one with businesses to identify barriers of growth, develop strategies to overcome those barriers, and seize opportunities for expansion.

Since the unveiling of the program, the BRE initiative has become an integral role in ARDA’s business development and has been making a real impact in the Antigonish business community.

Strategic Planning
Many of Antigonish’s community groups and organizations do not have strategic plans and therefore no map of their priorities. In 2009, ARDA set out to facilitate the development of three strategic plans. To date, significant work has been done on strategic plans for the Town of Antigonish council and senior management, the Beautification Committee of the Town of Antigonish, and the Antigonish Highland Society. By facilitating this process, ARDA is helping build capacity within the community. Strategic plans prioritize projects and initiatives for a more focuses approach over the next five years.

Communications
One of ARDA’s new services has been to provide communications support for community groups, projects, and events. Between the two municipal units and numerous community partners, Communications Officer Shannon Long is essentially the only one with a background in public relations. This gives ARDA the chance to provide another unique service in community development. Not only does ARDA have the opportunity to assist groups with a communications strategy but we also get to enable them by leaving them with a strategy they can use and manipulate in the future.

Economic Impact Studies on Festivals and Events
In 2009 ARDA set out to perform economic impact studies on festivals and events that occur in Antigonish. These studies determine the amount of money spent on hotels, restaurants, etc. during events like the Antigonish Highland Games, races at Riverside International Speedway, tournaments at the Antigonish Golf and Country Club, and the Allie MacDonald Specialized Skills Summer Hockey School.

Local Food Guide
In June 2009, ARDA, in collaboration with VOICES Antigonish, the Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority, the Department of Agriculture, and the Antigonish Farmers Market published and distributed a local food guide. The guide lists over 20 local food suppliers in the Antigonish area and has been a great method of gaining awareness around community food security.

Highway/Gateway Planning
The new highway has been tagged as a major priority for the town and county of Antigonish. ARDA has been focusing on the community planning process and the steps that are being taken to move forward with the new highway so it has a positive impact on the local area.