Media Release for Immediate Distribution

[For immediate release – December 3, 2019, Annapolis Royal, NS] The Annapolis Board of Trade (ABoT) is getting ready to trigger a multi-year local partnership project designed to help improve year-round economic development, tourism and increase awareness of the cultural and historic significance our area. In the recent planning session, it was recognized that ABoT, as the primary business organization in the area, could benefit local business and our local community and the surrounding area, if it partnered with other organizations and businesses to access funding for a large-scale multi-year project.

ABoT was inspired, in part, by the work of the Annapolis Royal Development Commission (ARDC) close to 40 years ago. It saw the creation of our boardwalk, market square, historic preservation of significant buildings such as the Kings Theatre, the Sinclair Inn Museum and much, much more. ABoT President, Charles Stewart said: “There is a need to create a big project like that once again to bring the community together in a common vision. We need more, year-round business opportunities and jobs to attract and keep young families. We need to improve our tourism offerings, attractions and signage. And we want to inspire all Canadians and the rest of world around the significant role Annapolis Royal and the surrounding area played in the very beginnings of Canada.”

The ABoT Executive and elected Council met for two full days with a strategic planning facilitator on October 8th and 15th, 2019. The resulting updated 2019-2022 Strategic Plan and 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan will be used as “living documents” to guide ABoT’s work for the coming year, allowing for changes and improvements as new input, information and learning is acquired. It is hoped that more non-elected members of ABoT will participate in project work teams in their area of interest or expertise.

The planning work resulted in a list of goals in 4 main areas:

1. To trigger a large-scale partnership project and acquire multi-year funding to improve local economic development, tourism and historic awareness and preservation.
2. To continue ABoT’s existing initiatives, such as operating the local Visitor Information Centre, supporting community events and ABoT’s own Business Expo and Business Awards programs.
3.To invest in improving ABoT’s ability to foster 2-way communication with its members and the community though improving our website and holding more networking and business education events of interest to our members.
4. To continue to develop ABoT’s capacity to operate as an effective Board, through By-Law updates, and on- going process improvements to make it easier for our members to participate in ABoT.

To start things off, the Board of Trade would like to hear from our membership, local organizations and the broader community who may be interested in participating in the development of the big partnership project or working on other smaller ABoT projects. To read a Summary of the ABoT Strategic Plan 2019-2022, the full ABoT Strategic Plan 2019-2022 or the ABoT Annual Action Plan 2019-2020, go to www.tradeannapolis.com.

 

For more information Contact:

Charles Stewart, President, Annapolis Board of Trade (902) 532-2424
Sharon Hall, ABoT Communications (902) 286-2063
For more information about the Annapolis Board of Trade, go to www.tradeannapolis.com