WELCOME TO PAGE TWO 
DECEMBER 5, 2006 ISSUE

 
Greater Sudbury Education Services Centre to Operate Out of Valley East Today Office At The Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre
Robert Kirwan, owner and publisher of the Valley East Today Community Web Site and Online News Magazine, is excited about a new venture his company is about to launch in the New Year.

"One of the things I was most disappointed with during my 28 years as a professional elementary school teacher is that there were so many things going on in the schools but so little awareness among the community in general about the accomplishments and achievements of the students and teachers," Kirwan explained. "Each school functions as its own little community. Every week teachers and parent volunteers are involved in a wide variety of exciting and creative activities. However, even the members of the school community often are unaware of what is going on in their own school."

"Now that Valley East Today has become firmly established as an online publication, I have decided to devote more and more space to the coverage of events and activities that take place within the elementary and secondary schools in the community. With no less than fifteen public schools in Valley East alone, just imagine the stories that will be filling the internet as we give proper recognition to the great work that is going on in our schools."

Valley East Today will still carry the wide variety of stories and special interest articles that take place elsewhere in the community. All of those stories will remain linked from their appropriate sections on the Community Web Site as Valley East Today grows into an online  "Living History of Valley East". The school-based stories will be something that people can look back upon many years from now as they reflect upon their childhood memories.

In conjunction with this new focus on the schools, Kirwan will also be making some minor renovations to the office at the mall as he turns the front section into the "GREATER SUDBURY EDUCATION SERVICES CENTRE". More details will be forthcoming on this initiative in the coming weeks. Basically, the Greater Sudbury Education Services Centre will be devoted to providing parents and students of all ages with information about the Education Services available in the City of Greater Sudbury. This not only includes the formal education institutions, but also all of the businesses which provide goods and services that are in some way designed to enhance one's education program or personal growth. A special web site is being designed at this time that will contain all of the necessary information about the Greater Sudbury Education Services Centre and how it can be of help to parents and students.

Anyone who is interested in discussing the Greater Sudbury Education Services Centre is invited to stop by and talk to Robert Kirwan or email him at robert@kirwan.ca You can also phone him at 524-7006 and leave a message.

Parents of children currently in secondary school may find the web site link below to be of particular interest. Your Career Planner has been designed by Robert Kirwan as an online resource for people who are in need of direction and focus with respect to education and career planning. Kirwan also offers special presentations in-class to students and in the evenings to parents to help them in the development of personal career plans which will result in a better chance of career satisfaction once one's formal education is completed. Follow the link below to visit the web site at www.careerplanner.ca

The Valley East "Power Centre" Is Drawing Thousands of New Shoppers To The Area

First it was the Hart Department Store on March 31, 2005. 

Then came Canadian Tire and Mark's Work Wearhouse on October 26, 2006.

A new Subway Restaurant opened its doors in November, 2006.

Early in the new year, another major retailer, Shoppers' Drug Mart, will be opening its doors on the northwest corner of Deschesne and Hwy 69N right across from the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. 

And next summer we expect to see work begin on the construction of an international motel chain on the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre property, the "core retail facility" of this part of the community.

Just down the road at the end of Elmview we have the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre, the Citizen Service Centre/Library and one of the largest soccer complexes in the City of Greater Sudbury.

With all of this activity certainly it easy to understand why this part of Hwy 69N is being dubbed "The Power Centre" of Valley East. In fact, when you consider the tremendous increase in housing starts in the community on top of the commercial growth, it is no wonder that Valley East is becoming the municipality of choice for both new and current residents of the Greater Sudbury region. A new leader is emerging in the Greater Sudbury Area, and it is none other Valley East - not the Downtown Core; not the South End; not New Sudbury!

The "Power Centre" is expected to emerge as the "Downtown Core" of Valley East and catapult the municipality to new heights with respect to economic development and residential expansion. Situated in the middle of a market of 30,000 people from Valley East and Capreol, and already drawing hundreds of people from neighbouring Rayside-Balfour and Garson, the area is on the brink of a major economic boom in the year to come.

As some residents are already beginning to say, "Except for going to work, we won't need to travel to Sudbury for anything."

The strength and continued growth of Hanmer & Val Therese will also make City Councillors sit up and take a long look at the Barrydowne Extension Highway. As Valley East becomes more and more attractive as a residential setting, the demand will increase for an easier access route to the busy employment and commercial sector in Sudbury proper. People will still have to work in core of the City, but they will want to live in an outlying area that contains all of the amenities available in Valley East.

It will be an interesting few years, especially if City Council decides to begin promoting development in Valley East. Right now, all of the growth is simply happening on its own, driven by consumer demand and the speculation of the private sector.

Robert Kirwan, a long-time resident of Valley East, and publisher of the Valley East Today Community Web Site is hoping that local Councillors, Andre Rivest and Ron Dupuis put up a good fight for the infrastructure that will be needed to accommodate the escalating demands for services in this area.

Kirwan, during an interview held at his home-based office in Val Therese, provided us with insight into why he feels so strongly about the potential of Valley East.

"The population of Valley East is going to explode during the next five to ten years. Hanmer & Val Therese is right in the middle of a population base of over 30,000 people when you include the catchment areas of Val Caron, Blezard Valley, Capreol, the Radar Base and Skead. There are new mining developments occurring just north of Capreol that will ultimately create an even greater demand for housing in this area. The next municipal council is going to be 'forced' to begin in January 2007 to 'decentralize' its services, placing more and more dependence upon the Citizen Service Centre (former Library) which is located at the end of Elmview Drive. The Valley East Industrial Park is primed for expansion, which lends itself well for people building houses close to their place of employment. And, as the baby boomers of southern Ontario seek to sell their million dollar homes around Toronto, they will begin to look north to Sudbury where they can establish a beautiful retirement existence and still be close enough to visit their sons and daughters in the south. It has been said that demographics explain two thirds of everything. And if you known anything about demographics, you know that Valley East is exactly what the baby boomers are looking for as they approach and enter into their retirement years."

"When you look at the whole region, Valley East is the one municipality that offers people just about everything they could want from a community. It is central to the Greater Sudbury Region; close to the large box stores, yet far enough away to avoid the traffic and congestion; close to all employment areas; and contains all of the retail and recreational choices that one might ever need to enjoy the fantastic quality of life we are so desperately looking for as individuals. 

All we need to do now is make sure that the community is prepared for this growth," Kirwan continued. "We absolutely need to rezone the area north of Hwy 69N and along Deschesnes Road for residential construction so that development can surround and be close to the 'Power Centre' of this part of the region. If people can build a home within walking distance of the 'Power Centre' and the 'Town Centre' they will come in droves. We absolutely need to provide encouragement and incentives for the private sector to build senior apartments in Valley East. We absolutely need to expand our day-care facilities. We absolutely need to expand the transit services to the subdivisions, creating a central bus depot at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. If that means using smaller buses for the subdivision routes, or allowing residents to "hail buses" from in front of their properties as the buses are running their route through the subdivisions, then these are ideas we must look at. We must upgrade our sewer and water pipes in the Hanmer area in order to allow for the development of subdivisions in this part of town. We absolutely must improve our neighbourhood playgrounds in order to improve the image of our community. We must promote the Valley East Industrial Park. We must support the work being done by our senior-friendly organizations, such as the Club Age d'Or, the Knights of Columbus, the Lions' Club and the Kin Club of Valley East. We must enhance or develop a network of walking and nature trails that will be used by young families and seniors. We must ensure that the municipal taxes paid by residents of Valley East do not include special levies such as the one we are currently paying for full-time firefighters. And, finally, we must begin to plan for the much-needed Barrydowne Extension Highway linking Valley East to New Sudbury."

"There is a lot of groundwork that has to be done in order for all of the above to be in place during the next five to ten years," Kirwan concluded. "It is going to require the efforts of people who have a 'vision of the future' and the kind of "predictive intelligence" that will allow us to focus on the right groundwork in order to make things happen that will facilitate that vision coming true."

Friday December 8 2006, come and celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception presided by Father A. Tremblay at St Mathieu Parish 1608 Pioneer Road, organized by the Grotto committee. Rosary at 6:30 pm followed by Mass at 7pm..

Information:  David 522-7878

 

Tuesday December 12 2006, come and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe presided by C. Allaire s.j., organized by the Colombiettes #12047 at La Toussaint Parish 1519 Bellevue Avenue. Rosary at 6:30p.m. followed by Mass at 7:00p.m. Information: Thérèse 566-0707

The Grotto and Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine committee would like to offer this celebration to thank the many volunteers that come out throughout the year to help us with the events, the gardening and the redevelopment project. Thank you for your generous time and support! 

Euchre Tournament Takes Place Every Monday Afternoon At LE CENTRE CLUB AGE d'OR DE LA VALLEE - All Are Welcome!
Every Monday afternoon beginning at 12:25 p.m. anywhere from 24 to 32 people gather for an afternoon of friendly competition in the form of euchre. Sue Carr, on the left above, is the Coordinator of the Euchre Tournaments. She is seated with Gerry Lee and Paul Legault. The entry fee is $4 per person, which includes a chance to win lunch the following Monday. You can also enter a 50/50 draw for only $2.00.

The group plays a "Progressive Style Tournament" where everybody is on their own and points are accumulated during the afternoon. It is a great pastime which ends at approximately 3 p.m.

The play is open to the general public, so if you are interested in playing euchre on Monday afternoons, just drop in and see Sue next Monday.

The Valley East Lions Club Is Once Again Selling Tickets On The Ultimate Dream Home
Roger Larivierre, on the left, and Gerry Pope, are Co-Chairs of the Valley East Lions Club Distribution Committee for the selling of the Ultimate Dream Home tickets in Valley East. Helping them out during the "kick-off" was Vickie Pope who supervised the ticket table while her husband, Gerry visited other sites to make sure that they all had their supply of tickets for the day.
Lion Debbra Christianson, was on hand to look after the Saturday morning shift. The $20 tickets always sell extremely well in Valley East. Many people look forward to the contest every year and often purchase tickets to be given out as Christmas gifts or "stocking stuffers".

Besides buying your tickets at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre or Loeb's IGA in Val Caron whenever the Lions are manning their tables, you can also find them available at any time at Neil's Independent Grocers in the Kiost; Mr. Gas in Val Caron; both Caisse Populaire's, and; the McCrea Heights Confectionary.

 

Published by
INFOCOM CANADA BUSINESS CONSULTANTS INC.
Robert Kirwan, President & C.E.O.
4456 Noel Crescent, Val Therese ON P3P 1S8
Phone: (705) 969-7215    
EMAIL   rkirwan@infocomcanada.com