HCIA Trails/CHATT (Citizens of Headwaters for Active Transportation Team) will again be partnering with the Ontario Trails Council (OTC) to host a Trails Summit.  The OTC has a wonderful track record of hosting and managing Trailhead events.  This event to be supported by our partners at the County of Dufferin, The Town of Mono, and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health. The Summit will be an opportunity for stakeholders, interested groups and residents to come together and discuss all things Trail.

What has happened since the first summit in 2009? Given our growing population and identification of Well-Being issues in our latest Well-Being Report, what are the Trail priorities now?

Our date is firmly set, though the agenda is in development, with the following suggested topics:

• Rail Trail Development
• Dufferin County Trails Masterplan – discussion by DC
• Regional Trail Committee Discussion – development and implementation of a Dufferin Regional Trail Committee
• Economic Impact of Trail Development
• Developing Interpretive Signage
• Headwaters Trails Connectivity – opportunities

Headwaters Trails Summit
Date: Wednesday May 10, 2017, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Registration 8:30am with light breakfast and coffee provided
Lunch provided with a walk on the local Trails weather permitting.
Location: Monora Park Pavilion, 500 Monora Park Drive, Mono, ON L9W 0E1
Cost to attend this full day event (lunch included with all tickets):
$75.00 ~ Organization representatives (Trails, Municipal, Recreation, etc). This ticket also allows you to attend all sessions and profile your organization with literature handouts and/or a table display. A table will be provided and your organization promoted where possible.
$50.00 ~ Ontario Trails Council members. Attendance for all sessions.
$25.00 ~ General Admission: Public and non-OTC Members: Attendance for all sessions.

We've been busy summarizing the results from both the stakeholder and public consultations. In total, we had 86 stakeholders attend in-person meetings and 261 community members complete feedback surveys. We're very close to launch of the food charter and action plan.

Here’s what we’re working on now:

• Putting the final touches on a visual representation of the food charter and action plan (based on mock-ups from a graphic designer)
• Planning presentations for municipal council endorsement
• Planning a large-scale public promotion of the charter through social media and local food map distribution  

The local food map initiative is being managed in partnership with In The Hills. Stay tuned for our next update!

In April 2010, the Government of Ontario launched the Partnership Project – a province-wide initiative to seek ideas and advice on ways to renew, streamline and modernize the relationship between the government and the Ontario not-for-profit sector. The Partnership Grant Program was designed to address one of the key recommendations - to build sector capacity by investing in projects that support intra-sector cooperation, communication and networks. The 2016-18 Partnership Grant Program will continue to support building capacity of the not-for-profit sector focusing on three priority areas:  

A very engaged group of 42 people attended this Forum, where information was presented by Caledon/Dufferin Victim Services and Hospice Dufferin regarding the services and supports that they provide within the community. 

Additionally, a very thorough presentation on the Community Priorities in Headwaters 2016 - Increasing Community Well-Being and Resilience report was conducted by Headwaters Communities in Action (HCIA). Information was presented to the group which detailed the five pillars of community well-being (Healthy People, Dynamic Economy, Sustainable Environment, Engaged Citizens and Community Assets), as well as how HCIA plans on addressing issues and gaps within the community. These opportunities to share information with participating agencies is a vital piece of DC MOVES, as this allows for agencies to provide updates to the group and communicate current programming options which DC MOVES members can share with their clients and other stakeholders. 

An introduction to the three pillars of DC MOVES (Community Well-Being, Poverty Reduction and Resource Sharing) led to a breakaway session where preliminary discussions took place surrounding the involvement that DC MOVES will have in addressing these areas throughout Dufferin County.  Each pillar discussion was facilitated by a member of the DC MOVES Leadership Table, and the information collected during this session will be compiled and utilized as a foundation for work to be completed moving forward.  If you or your agency are interested in participating with the work being done within one or more of the pillars, please email Angela Pollard.

HatsOnDufferin is a non-profit organization whose goal is to ensure that every child, person, and family within Dufferin County has a hat to keep warm this winter. The local group plans to donate 150 hand crocheted and knitted hats to every school in Dufferin County in recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Their first campaign, The Hat-Trail colouring contest partnered with Snapd Dufferin, will select 20-25 winning hat designs by local children and pair them with a crochet artist to bring the design to fruition. These hats will be displayed in storefronts across the County to raise awareness of the initiative. Crocheters and hat donations are always welcome!

For more information please contact:
Stephany St.Louis – Chief Hat Maker 905.587.0178
hatsondufferin.ca | www.facebook.com/hatsondufferin/

Thank you to our many partners, stakeholders and volunteers who make up HCIA and its project groups. Our primary funders are the Ontario Trillium Foundation and United Way of Guelph Wellington Dufferin.
Making life better together!