By Thomas Smith

Article published in the Dec. 9 issue of the Minden Times.

Last Wednesday, the roads were slick from snow throughout the day. With the Minden Business Working Group’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Dominion Hotel, the sun had already set. 

Darkness and slippery roads; a nasty combo that causes fear of no one showing up.

I could have never been so wrong. 

After struggling to find parking and getting to the Dominion Hotel, opening the door released an eruption of chatter. 

Business owners from across the Township filled the dining room. Counting heads, there were around 80 people filling the seats, standing around the bar, and standing along the wall. More filled into the room as Dennis Pennie and Dave Woodcroft took to the podium to speak. 

All gathered for one purpose: to come together as business owners, establish a communication network, and discuss a plan to make Minden a beautiful destination town. 

A unification of community and commerce. 

A breath of reinvigorating life to Minden. 

“We have invited you all here for an information session on what direction we as business owners want to take to increase business in the township,” opened Pennie, of Minden Auto Care. “Getting this town back up to where it should be.” 

Looking around, attendees of the Minden Business Working Group brought business owners of all business sizes and categories from throughout Minden. Whether they were new business owners or longtime established business owners, everyone had one thing in common: Minden Hills.

“At the end of the night, we would hope that people have enough information to begin to form some kind of working group moving forward,” continued Pennie.

The first to speak was Mathew Renda, owner of Boshkung Brewing.

“There have been a lot of people discussing what we want for Minden, what we want as a community, and what we want as a business organization,” said Renda. “The key for this is to keep an open mind. There are going to be a lot of opinions and a lot of direction. We are all going to want different things and I think the importance of this is to think of Minden as a whole.”

“If we work together, we all do well.”

Renda explained that the ultimate goal of the working group is to allow Minden to thrive, to get more people to come to Minden year-round, increase tourism, to not have businesses prematurely shut down, and to prevent Minden from becoming a ghost town.

“It will take a lot of thought and collaboration,” said Renda. “If we all work together, I think we will come up with something strong in the end.”

With an energy-packed room, Renda explained that the plan to reinvigorate Minden may change as the group forms and discusses their plans. That is all part of growth for as long as Minden’s businesses work together.

“Jim Ecclestone (owner of the downtown Rockcliffe) has put a lot of effort into a plan to fix up the town,” said Pennie. “I know that we do not have all of Minden’s businesses here tonight. It has been tough.”

Pennie encouraged everyone in the room to contact other businesses of all sizes in Minden to share the mindenbusinesswg@gmail.com email, spread the word of the working group, and to connect with them and share your thoughts.

Before Ecclestone spoke, Woodcroft explained that one option is to build up Minden’s downtown core and then branch out. 

Afterwards, Ecclestone took charge in presenting to the room. He says that his plans include two key things.

The first is to revitalize Minden by making it more beautiful and welcoming to visitors. The first business to receive his treatment was Pennie’s Minden Auto Care. Ecclestone personally came to paint his business and set up a moose statue in front.

A first step to exemplify his beautification vision, Ecclestone presented images of the downtown core of Minden repainted and repairs completed.

Ready for action, the business owner shared his plan to get volunteers together in April. Together, they will repaint the downtown core. If his plan goes well, he says Minden can get a facelift over two days. 

Later in the meeting, Ecclestone requested around 50 volunteers to assist with his repainting plans. Many shot up their hands to volunteer.

“If we can get the business to sign off, I can pay for the paint,” said Ecclestone. “We can get this done.”

The second key part of Ecclestone’s plan is a theme for the town. He explained that every town has a good theme to draw people in. Bala has its cranberries, Minden needs its own theme to focus on, especially one that is appealing to kids and families. 

The theme he presented was Minden Moose Country. With his family’s business – Calstone Inc. – specializing in metal manufacturing, he says that he has the resources to provide moose statues to businesses around town and plaques that represent business’ “houses” for children to adventure around to and keep track of. In addition to a unifying theme, Ecclestone encouraged thoughts to attract visitors into the downtown core, similar to the fantastic window displays of Toronto.

Minden Moose Country could be marketed easily through social media, through a campaign like #MindenMooseCountry, he said.

Perhaps something like a beautiful aquarium or a train set in the window would attract families, noted Ecclestone. 

The Minden Moose Country theme will include merchandise like t-shirts, and an offering of maps of Minden for visitors to explore. The merchandise could have a home at Up River Trading Company.

“Hopefully they will become as popular as the Rockliffe t-shirts used to be,” said Ecclestone.

“Calstone will be behind everything.”

“All artwork that would be displayed could be made at no charge through Calstone Inc.

Alongside Ecclestone’s envisioning of Minden’s downtown core, Pennie reminded attendees that Minden does not end at the bridge. To ensure success, all businesses beyond the bridge and throughout the township will need to be involved with the group’s discussions for Minden’s future.

After Ecclestone presented his vision for Minden’s future, Heather Reid, Community Economic Development Consultant from the Haliburton County Development Corporation and Amanda Conn, executive director for the Haliburton County Chamber of Commerce presented their thoughts on how either HCDC or the Chamber of Commerce could assist with organizing.

Conn said that the Chamber of Commerce is excited about the engagement seen at the meeting.

“We want to help in any way we can,” said Conn. “This is what we need, this is what makes a difference. It is all of us getting together, talking, and sharing ideas.”

Impressed by the turnout, Conn said that connecting to the Chamber of Commerce would allow easier communication methods to everyone interested in the working group, and allow the group to begin operating quickly.

With the sheer amount of energy in the room, Conn said that with the assistance of the chamber, it would reduce the chance of stagnation by reducing the amount of paperwork necessary to form something like a BA or BIA. 

For some ideas, it will involve working with entities like the County, Minden Hills Township, or other Ontario ministries.

Conn said that a group will need to form soon to establish the greatest priorities and any paperwork before action can start. This can be achieved as a committee through the Chamber of Commerce.

“One of the things that can make a committee successful is you get out what you put into it,” said Conn. “What I see tonight is a lot of people willing to put something in.” 

A committee can be created really quickly, assured Conn. Progress can be made sooner, rather than later, reducing the time needed for external approval. 

Reid said that through HCDC, she could be available to help with grant writing and other background services while connecting the group provincially and if needed, federally.

HCDC would also help alongside the Chamber of Commerce when needed.

After their presentation, Pennie said that there are realistically two scenarios for Minden business owners to proceed with. The first is getting action started right away through a connection with the Chamber of Commerce. The second scenario could involve working with HCDC to create their own Minden Business Association.

The goal of the meeting was clear. With every attendee receiving a feedback form, a steering group will be created as identified through forms from the meeting.

Brandon Nimigon was the first to begin the discussion session. Nimigon, a local realtor with three rental units in Minden’s downtown core, expressed his concerns with the group trying to cover too wide of an area. With the township stretching from Gelert to Carnarvon, Nimigon questioned the equitability of benefits that businesses across the township would receive from improving Minden’s downtown core.

“I liked Jim’s ideas, I think they are all great,” said Nimigon.

He then noted that nearby successful towns like Huntsville and Bracebridge have cute, centralized, and focused experiences for those wanting to escape the cottage and get all their shopping done in one area. 

Nimigon says that in order for Minden to be successful, the efforts should be focused towards improving the downtown core.

Daniel Cook, owner of SureFire Financials, whose business is located a short jaunt across the bridge, encouraged the plan to revitalize Minden’s downtown core. With an increase in visitors to the town, it would likely increase the amount of people that decide to stay. The more people that stay and support local businesses, the more money that is injected into the local, cyclical economy.

“I expect to see a benefit,” said Cook. “Other businesses would be making more money and putting it back into the community. It does make sense to have that core focus be a starting point for all of this.”

Other thoughts discussed during this period included improving Minden’s public washrooms, creating a splash pad, and creating a passport program for people visiting businesses throughout the township.

Andy Rickard, owner of Minden’s CarQuest, supported the idea to partner with the Chamber of Commerce. 

Rickard said that allowing the Chamber of Commerce to support the goal would allow for them to take action sooner.

“It’s volunteer hours that don’t go towards the end goal,” said Rickard.

The push to be township wide

In an exclusive interview with Pennie and Woodcroft after Wednesday’s meeting, the duo shared that 13 people had already expressed interest in volunteering with the new working group. 

The day after the meeting, Pennie says that residents have visited his Minden Auto Care regularly to voice their support towards the working group.

“We have very talented, very business oriented people wanting to help,” he said.

“Of all the years that we have been trying to get something together, last night was the biggest turnout and biggest event. It really shook the town up and opened the eyes of a lot of business people.” 

Pennie, who has spearheaded the initiative, says that the core motivation for forming the group is to have clear communication, strength in numbers, and to get to know the other businesses within the township.

“As a small community, the town council cannot do it on their own. The budget is not there. The time is not there,” said Pennie. “That is where we step in.”

With his front-facing nature of Minden Auto Care, he says that he is privileged to hear what concerns both residents of Minden Hills and township staff.

His dream is to be able to have a group that meets with Minden Hills staff regularly to voice the concerns of business owners and residents.

Pennie and Woodcroft both clarified that if they are going to form a working group, they need to include everyone in the township. While the group will internally have projects that will be beneficial to the downtown core, Woodcroft says that it is integral to keep a clear line of communication with all businesses within the township.

“The entire township is who we stand for,” said Woodcroft. “It has to support everybody and support growth across the entire area.”

Woodcroft says that they may not have immediate plans for improving smaller areas like Lochlin, but the reciprocal nature of volunteering will benefit everyone in the township.

“We know that just starting with the downtown tends to alienate people,” said Woodcroft. “Someone needs to be there and say let’s involve everybody.” 

As the saying goes, there is power in numbers. It is valuable to have both new and experienced business owners in communication with each other. From restaurants, to skilled tradespeople, every one has their own unique experience and values they can contribute to the group.

As council represents everyone across the township, there is power in approaching council as a diverse group.

“It is not about strengthening our downtown, it is about strengthening Minden Hills,” said Pennie.

Pennie says that the group’s progress would not be possible without the support of Ecclestone and his drive to fix up buildings, increase marketability of Minden Hills, and beautify the township we have.

Both Pennie and Woodcroft say that no decisions will be made in haste. Input from all group members will be considered before any decisions are made for the future of Minden Hills.

The next general meeting for the Minden Business Working Group will be taking place on Jan. 28.

Woodcroft and Pennie express their appreciation for everyone that is interested. They ask those that are interested to get in contact with them by emailing Mindenbusinesswg@gmail.com.