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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 9, 2010 · 8 Year-old economic strategy experiences high and lows By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF It has been one year since Town Council approved the implementation of a Town-wide Economic Development Strategy and so far both victories and defeats have been suffered in bringing it to fruition. An update regarding the progress of the Economic Development Strategy, which seeks to attract knowledge-based industries, respond to the needs of the business community and explore international business opportunities, was discussed, Monday night, during a meeting of the Town's Planning and Development Council. In a presentation to council Dorothy St. George, the Town's Director of Economic Development, talked about progress that has been made in a number of areas including efforts to turn the employment lands of Winston Park West, located west of Hwy. 403, between Dundas Street and the QEW, into a business park. St. George said the primary reason Winston Park West has yet to be developed is because of its fragmented ownership and lack of servicing. In an effort to get the Halton Region to service the area, St. George said, a business case is being prepared that will demonstrate to the Region that development at Winston Park West will proceed in a timely fashion and provide a rapid return for the Region's investment. She said Town and Region staff have formed a working group to coordinate the design and technical issues associated with the Winston Park West project. The Town and Region also hosted a Winston Park West landowners meeting on June 15, which will be followed up with a survey to obtain feedback on the proposed business park initiative. Majority of beaches good for swimming The forecasters are calling for a glorious weekend and unlike the previous few weeks, Oakville residents will have a local beach they can swim at. The Halton Region Health Department determined that five regional beaches are safe for swimming with acceptable levels of bacteria, including two in Oakville. The safe beaches are Coronation Park East and West in Oakville, Beachway Park North and South in Burlington and the Kelso Conservation Area in Milton. Only the Bronte Park Beach in Oakville and Prospect Park Old Beach in Halton Hills have high levels of bacteria and are unsafe for swimming. The health department does weekly tests at recreational waters in the region to determine if they are safe for swimming or other water sports. For more information or updates for beach safety visit www.halton.ca/beaches. St. George also discussed the efforts that are underway to create a Life Sciences and Technology Park on the employment lands surrounding the future Oakville hospital site at the corner of Third Line and Dundas Street. It is hoped the park would create a cluster of life science and technology businesses through the attraction, expansion and growth of higher wage and next generation technology, biotechnology and life sciences companies. To date, St. George said, Town staff have secured a $50,000 federal grant from the Invest Canada-Community Initiatives Program to develop the concept, strategic investment and marketing plans for the proposed park. The Ontario Realty Corporation has committed another $45,000 in funding for consultants to undertake a technical analysis of the proposed park lands. St. George said an advisory committee will be formed to provide feedback on the park project. This should be completed by the first quarter of 2011. The news was not so good for the plan to create a Digital Media & Animation Hub around Sheridan College. St. George said, an application made by the Town and Sheridan to the Southern Ontario Development Program for federal funding to assist with the project was rejected. In June 2010 the Town's Economic Development staff submitted an application for additional federal funding for this project under the Invest Canada-Community Initiatives Program. Successful applicants will be notified this month. Other initiatives put forward by the Town to get more businesses to come to Oakville included the creation of an Oakville Business Profile, which contains information such as Oakville's largest employers, demographics, development charge rates, taxes, transportation, quality of life and future development. A Corporate Calling Program has also been established as a mechanism for a municipality to engage with its business community. When the existing vacant position in the department is filled, staff will be in a position to fully implement the delivery of this program. St. George said that in the last year a number of companies have come to and left Oakville. In 2009, the GlaxoSmithKline building in Winston Park was put on the market when the company made the decision to consolidate its operations in Mississauga. In 2010, Omron Dualtec Automotive Electronics also announced that it would consolidate its operations in Chicago. Omron's engineering and advanced purchasing divisions will remain in Oakville, but its local workforce will be reduced from 400 to 60. Companies moving into the Winston Park employment area in the last year have included Newell Industries Canada Inc., ThyssenKrupp Industrial Services Canada Inc., Promation Engineering Ltd., Mindware Technologies and Bard Canada. Restaurant & Patio SukoThai nominated as one of the best Thai restaurants in Missisauga SukoThai SukoTha 3115 W i n s to n C h u rc h i l l B l vd . (North of Dundas by Longo's) Enjoy our Cuisine & Experience the difference Best Thai Restaurant 2009 Gold Award Best Thai Restaurant Dine - in · Ta ke - out We have been providing exceptional, full-day, early education programs for decades. Come experience our child-fr dly, udent-centre Come experience our child-friendly, tudent-centred environment. Come experience our child-friendly, student-centred e om erie ri child-friendly, hild rien hild-fr d-f dent-centr dent cent 905-369-0486 www.sukothai.ca CO-ED MONTESSORI, JUNIOR, MIDDLE, SENIOR www.hsc.on.ca www.hsc.on.ca | 905-389-1367 | 299 Fennell Ave. West, Hami ww hsc.on.ca w.hsc.on.ca sc.on.ca c.on.ca .on.ca on.ca n.ca .ca ca a 05-389-1367 5-389-1367 -389-1367 389-1367 89-1367 9-1367 -1367 1367 367 Fennel Av West, Hamil Fenne A Fenn Ave Wes Ham Fen Fe F We H est Ha Hamilto Hamilt Hamilton Vision ­ To be the most livable town in Canada Public workshops for facilities reporting under section 4 of Health Protection Air Quality By-law 2010-035 Thursday, July 15, 2010 from 2­4 p.m. and 6­8 p.m. Town Hall, 225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville Room Two workshops will be conducted to explain the requirements for reporting under section 4 of the Health Protection Air Quality By-law 2010-035. The workshops will provide an overview of a guidance document developed to assist Oakville facilities that emit fine particulate matter with reporting their emissions, followed by a question and answer period. The reporting compliance period begins on August 1, 2010 and extends to February 1, 2011. For more information on the Health Protection Air Quality By-law 2010-035 visit oakville.ca/healthairqualitybylaw.htm.