September 27, 2013
A project which involved moving a huge decommissioned military submarine from Halifax to Elgin County has been recognized for its contributions to the local economy. The Elgin Business Resource Centre recently won the Award of Excellence for Community Economic Development, recognizing its involvement with the Elgin Military Museum in bringing the Ojibwa submarine to Port Burwell.
Project Ojibwa was selected for the prestigious award out of nominations from across the province and received the acknowledgement at the annual Conference of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations, held recently in Sarnia. Accepting the award on behalf of the Elgin Business Resource Centre (EBRC) was Helen Haddow, Chair of the Board of Directors. Also on hand for presentation, were Ian Raven and Tim Barrett of the Elgin Military Museum, which is responsible for Project Ojibwa.
The Elgin Business Resource Centre is one of 61 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) across Ontario. Nearly 250 delegates from CFDCs met in Sarnia recently to share their successes in the awards ceremony. Project Ojibwa took one of four awards presented at the conference.
“This project was quite ambitious. The thought of our little military museum bringing a submarine to Elgin County was quite attractive to us as a CFDC,” says Marilyn Crewe, Community Economic Development Officer at the EBRC. Ms. Crewe, along with John Regan, General Manager of the EBRC, assisted the Military Museum and its partners in the development of a business plan, and provided funding towards moving the submarine. “This was a project that inspired the imagination,” Ms. Crewe adds. “We could see it as an opportunity to really have a focal point for naval history here in Ontario.”
Moving the submarine was a huge project. It was carried on a barge from Halifax to Hamilton, through the St. Lawrence Seaway, then remounted for transfer from Hamilton to Port Burwell on Lake Erie. “Many aspects of it had to be uniquely engineered,” says Ian Raven of the Elgin Military Museum. Getting the submarine lifted onto land at its new home was also a feat, but it is now safely ensconced in Port Burwell and welcoming tourists.
“From a CED prospective Project Ojibwa is vital to Port Burwell’s economy, with 18,000 visitors coming to tour the sub just this summer,” Ms. Crewe explains. “Restaurants are reporting that they are four times busier, and the local marine museum has had more visitors,” Mr. Raven adds.
“We are pleased to honour Elgin Business Resource Centre and their partners for their work on Project Ojibwa. It shows how bringing this attraction to a rural community can be a benefit to local economy,” says Diana Jedig, Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.
Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) offer free business counselling, loans for start-up and expansion of small business, strategic planning on local projects, and community economic development in rural areas. Each CFDC is locally managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, funded with the support of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan through FedNor and FedDev Ontario. To learn more about Community Futures Program in Ontario or the OACFDC, go to www.oacfdc.com
Photo: Bringing a de-commissioned military submarine to Port Burwell won an award for community economic development. All partners in the project were on hand for the presentation: John Regan, EBRC; Carmen DeMarco, FedNor; Ian Raven, Elgin Military Museum; Helen Haddow, EBRC; Tim Barrett, Elgin Military Museum; Mark Wilson, FedDev Ontario; Awards Sponsor Sharon Wilson, Benefits Consultant; Marilyn Crewe, EBRC.
For more information about the Elgin Business Resource Centre, contact:
John Regan, General Manager
Elgin Business Resource Centre
300 South Edgeware Road
St. Thomas, ON
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 519-633-7597
For more information about Project Ojibwa, contact:
Ian Raven
Elgin Military Museum
3 Pitt Street
Port Burwell, ON N0J 1T0
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 519-633-7641
