THE RURBAN FRINGE

2011 GRT Conference Learnings

It’s all about the people, people!
After having the opportunity to attend and present at this year’s Growing Rural Tourism conference in Camrose, Alberta, I was humbled to meet lots of good people who are doing great things in rural Alberta … and beyond. 
For me, the theme of the conference was definitely about relationships … from John [...]

Free Land Used to Entice New Residents

In the US, some small towns are giving away land in hopes of attracting new residents. 
“As with the homesteaders of the 1800s, the new pioneers must not be the faint of heart – they can’t be the type to shy away from the trials of building a home from the ground up, or the lack [...]

New Online Atlas of Rural America

Today, the US Department of Agriculture  announced the release of an online mapping tool that captures a broad range of demographic, economic and agricultural data on rural areas across the United States.
The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America provides county-level mapping of over 60 statistical indicators depicting trends and conditions across different types of rural [...]

Return 2 Rural

Continuing with our series of rural development guest posts, I’d like you to meet Christie Dick, team leader of an innovative rural youth attraction and retention project called Return to Rural.  Read on to find out how they are pioneering a new approach to address youth out-migration through the blending of technology and community.
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At a time when many communities [...]

Tips ‘o the Economic Development Trade

Dennis Twomey, City of Camrose Economic Development Officer, has probably forgotten more about economic development than I’ll ever know … and he generously shared some of his ‘tricks of the trade’ with local business owners during a regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon I was able to attend this past week.
Most importantly, he stressed, was growth. 
“While [...]

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