Mapping Truro’s future
Residents share their vision of what the town can become
Dave Ritcey’s vision for Truro is simple: he sees a town where people like him can raise their children while still honouring the community’s storied history.
Ritcey was one of about 30 local residents who gave input on a revised Community Plan for Truro in one of two public workshops run by the town at the re hall Tuesday.
“My vision is that I want to be able to raise my young family here. I always came back, I only moved twice for jobs,” said Ritcey. “ e rec centre, the hospitals, the schools, they’re all new and fresh. We should just keep refreshing that component and I think the next step is drawing and keeping the youth here.”
He also wants to see Truro’s downtown core continue to develop with easier access for visitors, as well as considering amalgamation with neighbouring communities like Bible Hill to maximize growth potential.
Ritcey wanted Truro to “continue to grow areas to be more inviting for people wishing to move to the area and open a business. Also, it is important to recognize current operators and how we, as citizens, can support them.”
Tracy Vallis wants to see a town-wide bus system, as well as a commuting service to Halifax that did not involve carpooling.
In town, Vallis feels tourism could be boosted by building a walking/biking trail along the Salmon River, allowing visitors to watch the Bay of Fundy’s tides come in.
For Inglis street, she called for the throughfare to be “pedestrianized,” with no vehicular tra c.
“I’ve always wanted it to be pedestrianized,” she said. “I thought it was a big mistake that they took all of the cobblestones o and paved it. Yes, I know a lot of businesses rely on people who are able to drive there but it’s not a long street. If it was pedestrianized people could have little stores pop up outside.”
at said, Vallis noted Truro was already doing a good job attracting new restaurants to town. She wants the town to entice more entrepreneurs to set up shop here.
ose who do set up shop in Truro will nd an increasingly diverse and growing local customer base, including international stu- dents studying at Dalhousie Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill and NSCC’S Truro campus.
One such student is Junyi Zhu from China of Dal AC, who said she has seen “a lot of improvements,” during her first few months in Truro.
“We have developed the bus from the campus to the mall and it’s quite convenient for us,” said Zhu, one of several international students who attended the workshop.