What's in store for Rural Ontario's future?

The FUTURE continues to shine brightly for the Village of Brussels for 2018.

Municipality of Huron East, Huron County

Huron East's Economic Development Officer and Community Futures Huron volunteer, Jan Hawley is smiling a lot these days for many reasons. Following three successful "Win This Space" competitions and the Municipality of Huron East's immensely positive presence at the recent International Plowing Match, the Village of Brussels continues on an upswing with another new business arriving in town with the promise of more to come.

"This federally-funded program has had a presence in Huron East for nearly a quarter of a century through the Community Futures offices of the Huron Business Development Corporation in Downtown Seaforth", Hawley reports. "However, when the board made a decision to move its offices last year, it triggered an extensive search throughout Huron County for the newly branded Community Futures Huron" with the location landing in Downtown Brussels." says Hawley, "And I couldn't be happier."



Momentum is building in the village, she goes on, with several additions to its business district the opening of new ventures Fresh Petals, JD & Company, the Federal Development Community Futures operation, as well as the opening of the unique multi-faceted site,Brussels Four Winds Wedding & Event Barn later this spring. Additional people living and working in a community are always good for business, and with new enterprise comes renovated and upgraded storefronts.

Community Futures Huron Staff

(L to R) Natasha Mahon, Heather Little, Paul Nichol, Brenda McGregor, Lisa Houthuyzen

Tina Heathers

Community Futures Huron General Manager Paul Nichol is also looking forward to moving the office and staff to Brussels and to providing the usual excellent assistance entrepreneurs have come to expect. In addition to business growth and community revitalization, states Nichol, we'll be focusing on management advice and mentoring to owners, provision of commercial loans, and support to local economic development projects. We have a new name and a new location, but we'll continue to offer the same valuable service we have for 25 years.



Community Futures Huron is particularly excited about a new undertaking the restoration of two historic mills, he goes on, one at Gorrie and the other being Logan's Mill in Brussels."



"We're working with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority on these projects, which will involve renovation and re-purposing of the mill sites, two of only four remaining of the 68 mills once located along the Maitland River.



The Management Board of Brussels Medical-Dental Centre is particularly happy about soon having the remaining half of the centre's upper floor occupied and to be welcoming new people to the village's workforce. Board Chair Mary Stretton foresees positive spin-offs for the village from the Community Futures relocation, which she is pleased to announce completely fills the centre.



And as of January 2018, Barb Terpstra, proprietor of Fresh Petals, will be offering original and traditional floral bouquets and arrangements, not only for weddings booked at the Four Winds Wedding & Event Barn,but also for locals, who wish to brighten someone's day.





Jackie deWit, winner of the 3rd annual Huron East Win This Space competition and her JD & Company has already settled into her newly renovated storefront and is now offering village and area residents with exceptional non-toxic household products and commodities by bringing her green business to main street Brussels.

Brussels is booming saga continues!

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Written by Carolyn Parks Mintz for the Municipality of Huron East

 

Contact: Jan HawleyEconomic Development Officer
Municipality of Huron East Seaforth, Ontario
Officer: 519.527.0160 Cell: 519.525.7677
jhawley@huroneast.com