ComfortCountry Visit ComfortCountry ComfortCountry provides recreation enthusiasts and their families a paradise of year round adventure. Catch an act at the Stirling Festival Theatre, get your photo taken in front of one of North America's smallest Jailhouses in Tweed, bring your kids to Madoc's famous new Skate Park and take a breathtaking view of the Marmora Mine. There really is something to do all year round. While your in Stirling take a tour through the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage, visit the newly renoved heritage Train Station and take a stroll along our revitalized main streets to visit some of our unique shops. Explore the four~ComfortCountry! Invest in ComfortCountry Situated exactly halfway between the Greater Toronto Area and Canada's National Capital, ComfortCountry offers the ideal setting for the growth and development of your business. Invest in ComfortCountry today!

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROGRAM

Mission Statement

To identify the issues within our community by focusing on design, promotion of the downtown, economic development and a continued partnership with the municipalities of Comfort Country. This process will involve commitment and work that result in a prosperous and dynamic downtown.

• Message from Andrew Redden, Economic Development Manager of Hastings County:
  “We have reached an exciting milestone in the revitalization of downtown Stirling. With new streetlights, signage, flower baskets and our Identity Wall, we are offering the opportunity for people to demonstrate their support for this process and have their name on display for all to see”.

Objective

• Establishing a vision for future development.
• Enhancing local pride and instil a sense of belonging.
• Stimulating the local and regional economy.
• Empowering and involve the local citizenry.
• Developing the social and cultural life of the area.

 
Priorities/ Projects

• Enhancing all entrances by landscaping around the Stirling-Rawdon welcome signs.
• Maintaining flower baskets on street lights and around the downtown.
• Adding a contribution plaque to the Identity Wall to recognize people in the community who donated money towards the project.
• Assisting with improvements on all sides to Jim’s Pizza & Restaurant located at the main intersection.
• Improvements to parking area behind Jim’s Pizza.
• Improvements/enhancements to the small wall near James/Mill St intersection next to Cameo Flower shop.
• Improvement plan for area along Rawdon Creek behind the buildings on Mill Street.
• Improvement plans for alley ways or drive ways in downtown core in between buildings.
• Continue partnership with the Township of Stirling-Rawdon with the availability of applications for Façade Improvements.
  

Past Accomplishments

Since February, 2005 the CIA committee has worked together to identify the issues confronting the town and to learn as much as possible about the local economic and social situation.  Now armed with this knowledge, Stirling is entering the action stage where they have released a strategic plan and begin to act on their findings and recommendations.  The success of this initiative hinges on the collaboration and participation of all members of the community.  It is development of the community, by the community. 

The Township of Stirling-Rawdon in partnership with the Stirling Community In Action (CIA) main street revitalization committee has had the opportunity to work together and take action to strengthen the downtown through several projects. One of the major additions to the downtown since this partnership has been the Stirling Identity Wall. This was constructed at the main intersection and gives members of the community the opportunity to contribute and support the achievements and further growth of the village.

Reinvestment Figures/ Gains in Business Opportunities The primary objective for this project was to create a brand for the collective Main Street Revitalization Initiative which was intended to build recognition for the overall program. These individual towns have build recognition based on a unique property, such as the Stirling Festival theatre creating its “Stirling Charm”. Through this branding strategy our goal has continued to be the revitalization of each of the downtown areas. Stirling is committed when it comes to satisfying their permanent resident’s needs by encouraging members of the community to shop locally, encourage long time cottage owners/ visitors to think about converting to becoming a permanent resident, and encourage visitors to stop and enjoy the community instead of flowing through on to an alternate destination.  ComfortCountry and Main Street have seen a majority of improvements take place since this project began. We have seen many physical improvements in partnership with Economic Development such as new street lights, street signs, the construction of the “Stirling Identity Wall” and much landscaping and additions that have truly beautified the downtown area. By creating a partnership with the other three municipalities involved with ComfortCountry we have also had the opportunity to organize workshops and events for business owners so that improvements can be made and they can have the opportunity to learn and potential increase the success of their business.  Since the Township of Stirling-Rawdon has created the Façade and Signage Improvement Area Commercial Property Improvement Grant/Loan Program we have seen substantial improvements to many business locations in the downtown area. This has noticeably increased traffic within the downtown and attracted new customers to these unique venues. Within the past two years the municipality has approved 14 Grant/Loan applications and we are very excited that business owners are taking advantage of this opportunity. This program has been very successful and has continued to create interest with investors when it comes to opening a new business in Stirling. The Municipality looks forward to continuing this program and improving the look of the downtown area.

Background of Downtown Revitalization Process

The Main Street Revitalization Initiative has been an exciting new program taking place in ComfortCountry, the central region of Hastings County.  The Initiative involves a partnership between Stirling-Rawdon and the additional municipalities of Comfort Country including Tweed, Marmora and Lake and Centre Hastings.

With the support of the Rural Development Division of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, the Initiative is based on a proven and internationally recognized four point approach focusing on:

• Streetscape Design
• Marketing/ Promotion
• Economic Development
• Organization/ Collaboration
  

The Initiative is operated by a volunteer management committee in each community consisting of residents, elected representatives, business people and community agencies who have all been key players in this process.

Through this initiative committees have worked together to identify the issues confronting their towns and to learn as much as possible about the local economic and social situation.  Now that each community has gained this knowledge, they are entering the action stage where they have released a strategic plan and begin to act on their findings and recommendations.  The success of this initiative is based on the collaboration and participation of all members of the community. 

Downtown revitalization may cause some to envision new stores and buildings rising from decaying downtowns. In reality, downtown revitalization is a people process. Through it, people make decisions and work on implementing these decisions into their community to strengthen and promote what already exists. It involves commitment and work that finally results in a dynamic downtown.