LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!!
In strict development terms location is one of the most important factors to be considered in identifying, planning and/or pursuing development initiatives.
For purposes of this discussion, I have chosen Shelburne County as our development location. Remember this choice, as it will help us define development options, strategic opportunities we can create and tactical liaisons we can usefully cultivate in our quest to optimize the socio-economc transformation of our communities.
I could have chosen the Town of Shelburne, Eastern Shelburne County, South Western Nova Scotia, or the South Shore of Nova Scotia. It is not my intent to justify my choice at this time. However, I hope the many reasons for my choice will become self-evident as we develop this development forum..... the reasons for my location selection are entirely driven by what I see as the most compelling set of development opportunities for folks in this area. I invite you to join me in this quest by sharing your views through your comments to this forum. It should be an interesting journey.
SOME BASICS
Within Shelburne County, specific locations produce distinct opportunities that may or may not exist in adjacent areas within Shelburne County. For example, Clarks Harbour's opportunities may be different from those found in the Town of Shelburne, Lockeport or Barrington. Opportunities within the Municipality of Shelburne may be unique to that community within Shelburne County.
The strength to be found in a development approach that includes the entire county, stems from the ability to encourage the complementary development of opportunities in each of our communities. the synergy so produced makes development cooperation more than a zero sum game and the resulting benefits are truly more than the sum of one plus one! Moreover, opportunities developed in Clarks Harbour often can be optimized or enhanced by efforts in partner communities within Shelburne County.
Additionally, the smallness of our communities often limits our ability to seize or capitalize on opportunities we may identify. Banding together to forge development strategies and complementary investments makes us stronger, while proximity of our communities to each other generates a whole new level of opportunity to forge development initiatives, reduce costs, brand products and services and capture expanded markets.
Finally, cohesive approaches with common strategies may result in re-defined political sway in the provincial and federal halls of of power.
And so..... we begin the promised development journey.....
