Impressive recreation facilities, attractive residential areas, a solid industrial base and availability of healthcare and professional services are among the positive attributes visitors from the First Impressions Community Program found during a visit to Palmerston last fall.
However visitors also pointed to empty storefronts and a limited mix of retail business as drawbacks.
The visitors from Huron-Kinloss (Lucknow/Ripley area) were in town Oct. 5, as part of an information exchange between the communities.
Their report was presented to the community Jan. 10, with about 20 local residents in attendance.
While visitors found “nothing outstanding with respect to business,” in the community’s downtown, they suggested the “amazing heritage park and train museum,” could be utilized as a building block for revitalization.
Visitors reported feeling welcome in the community, noting they received “excellent” receptions at the municipal office and local medical clinic and a “generally welcoming feeling from store clerks.”
However, they noted they found that information specific to Palmerston was difficult to find on the town’s website or through other internet sources.
Gateway signage, while attractive, was ‘hidden,’ the visitors noted. They also pointed out residential infrastructure in Palmerston was considered generally impressive.
The report from the visitors to Palmerston completes the First Impressions Community Program exchange for Minto.
A report by community visitors from the Tottenham/Beeton area to Harriston and Clifford last September was presented in those communities in January.
The program, which is guided by the Ontario Ministry of Food Agriculture and Rural Affairs, also involved Minto residents and reporting on their first impressions of Tottenham, Beeton, Ripley and Lucknow.
Belinda Wick-Graham, business and economic manager for the Town of Minto said the exercise confirmed that Minto is on the right track in many areas of development.
“I don’t think there were any surprises for us, it just reinforced a lot of things – that we do have a lot of assets in our communities that make us a great place to live.”
While noting that empty storefronts were a common theme in visitor comments from all three communities, Wick-Graham said the town is aware of the issue and is taking action to improve the situation.
She said a business recruitment program aimed at “selling the gaps that we have,” is in the works, including an upcoming open house to showcase available commercial properties.
She said the town is promoting available locations in Minto to businesses in other communities, which might be looking at opportunities for expansion, or second location.
A streetscape improvement program, which is underway in Palmerston and largely completed in Harriston and Clifford.
