THE RURBAN FRINGE

A Recipe for CED

While getting groceries the other day, I patiently waited while other shoppers lined up their purchases by the till.  More often than not, it seemed to be a mish-mash of items (hot dog buns, cottage cheese, pepper, and toothpaste, as one example) which led me to think … this is what communities do.
That is, many communities like to [...]

‘Rurban Round Up: ROI’s, Intermunicipal Resources, Creative Economies, Civic Engagement, and More

With so much going on this month, please read on to discover …

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) is looking for organizations who have done a return-on-investment (ROI) or social-return-on-investment calculation (SROI) on their programs and services … examples and calculations will be compiled and shared to assist other agencies with demonstrating the value of community [...]

Do Highway Bypasses Bring Benefits?

My community has gone through several agonizing months of presentations, consultations and the like in order to determine the best possible scenario for a proposed major highway realignment.  I won’t lie, it’s been heated at times, with residents arguing for - and against – the proposals.
But do highway bypasses really create unimaginable damage to communities?  Or are there [...]

3 Words to Live By: 2012

2012 is here … have you made any New Year’s resolutions?
Admittedly, I’ve started this year with the vague aspiration to help my family eat healthier and remain active … but I still hate resolutions.  Instead, as my regular readers may know, I try to choose three words to act as themes to help guide my personal and professional [...]

‘Rurban Round Up: Rural Policy Summer School, Rockin’ the Farm, Rural Small Business Trends, De Niro’s Emails, and More

While I enjoyed a slightly extended Christmas break this year, a slew of interesting items came through my inbox … read on to find out more about:

Governing for Sustainable Rural Futures:  The International Comparative Rural Policy Studies Summer School (June 21 – July 6, 2012), Quebec – Bringing together international graduate students, researchers, and practitioners to discuss relevant [...]