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2 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, May 22,1998 - - Manager plans to market more aggressively By IRENE GENTLE Special to the Champion Jf you haven't heard about the Halton Region Conlservationi Authorîty (IIRC X) r ccntIy you're going to soon. That's the mandate of the HRCA s new general manager Theresa Magutre-Garber "TMe politicaI and business climate bas changed and we need to 1ook at emphasizing advertising. and marketing," said Ms Maguire-Garber. 'Some of our conservation areas are like weIl- kept secrets." e Ne The HRCA is a community-based environmrental agency with a mandate to protect the natural environment of its watershed. The HRCA currently oversees 8,900 acres of conservation land. After graduating from McMaster University in Hamilton Ms Maguire-Garber started her career as a chartered accountant. She worked for the Region of Hamilton-Wentwortb but soon found herself drawn towards non-profit organizations. After stints at the Hamilton Teachers Credit Union and St. Joseph's Villa, a home for thse aged, she was bired as secretary- treasurer of the HRCA. Former treasurer She served eigbt years in that position before ber May 11 appointment as lieneraI manager of the authority. She was there during the lean years when thse provincial gov- emnment pulled the plug on thse majority of its funding for the Photo by GRAH-AM PAINE atoiy Teresa Maguire-Garber, the Halton Region Conservation Authority's new gênerai manager, is hoplng to attract more to tIe , 1998 infigur ofudn $320,000 26 ilio i 19 visitors to local coneration areas this summer through expanded programa and more aggresaIve promotion. To p, th9fiue aot wet32rug0,mssve00t0c.rn process, trimming 10 per cent of HRCA staff and scrambling for ways to recoup the costs. User fées were one way. Today, 56 per cent of the HRCA's $7.9 million budget is financed tbrough user fees. In hier position as general manager, Ms Maguire-Garber wants ï to see that percentage tise even bigher. She bas a plan to see that More programs "We don't want to just soak people with increasing user fees," said Ms Maguire-Garber. "We want to provide more programs and attract people on our slower days." "We're going to be looking at some rainy day activities 50, we're not 50 dependent on good weather," said Ms Maguire- Garber. "It's not going to be a place just to be outside at. so, wben it rains you don't bave to go to a mail." Tbe HRCA's new direction will also focus on welcoming tbe not-so-fleet of foot to conservation areas. That could mean anytbing from letting people know about thse li à ail-terrain wbeelcbairs available at some conservation areas, to adding programs tbat seniors and anyone else wbo wouidn't drearo of biking or off-road biking could enjoy. -.. Thse idea is to attract more people to conservation areas rather Il G odstban increase existing user fees. [rafs, heees, eat PoutrySelf sufficiency Fish FLo ersRnd"We'rc looking to make our conservation areas eitber self-suf- ficient or revenue neutral," said Ms Maguire-Garber. Other rev- enue ideas include looking at potential partnersbips in the com- munity and offering conservation areas up as corporate retreats. "Tbe new wave in business is wellness programs, like getting exercise and getting back to nature," said Ms Maguire-Garber. "We're boping to be able to offer to corporations a kind of well- esea CHANGES on page 5 ginger- WQnted Do you like to sing? Are you betlweendie ages of 8and 16 years? If you answered yes to these twvo quesions,s MILTON CHILDREN9"S CHORUS wants youl ANNUAL AUDIIONS ARE BEING 71 HEID JUNE 1~ For more Information about an - audition or the c"or, please con- tact Sandra Kenze at 8l&4732