THE RURBAN FRINGE

Be an Influencer

People don’t like being told what to do.  I know I don’t.
But what people do like, is believing they have decided to do something for themselves.  And do you know what the biggest influencer is on people’s behaviours?  Other people. 
People do what they see people doing.
If you want community members, co-workers, neighbours, friends, family and [...]

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 [...]

‘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 [...]

keep looking »