The Community Development Coordination Services officer for the Municipality of Bluewater has big plans for the revitalization of the downtown area of Hensall.
Karen Rickers has applied for funding from the Libro Credit Union for some facade improvements that would start next year. She has also borrowed an idea from Huron East Economic Development Officer Jan Hawley and plans to conduct a "Win This Space" contest in Hensall.
The contest has been extremely successful in Seaforth and Vanastra and has tended to encourage even some of the contestants who didn't win to go ahead with their plans for a new business. She hopes that can happen in Hensall as well.
"We are trying to do kind of a two-pronged approach there," says Rickers. "We would be looking at improving the commercial facades on a number buildings. It is a beautiful historic town but it certainly could use a bit of revitalization in the downtown area."