Olds College will be the site of a national conference next month that will focus on rural community development.
Creating Rural Connections will run Oct. 11 to 13 at the college, with a trade show and presentations from a number of high-profile speakers.
These include Peter Kenyon, who has worked with more than 1,000 communities in Australia and beyond; Rob Greenwood, executive director of the office of engagement for Memorial University of Newfoundland; Cornelia Flora, a professor of sociology and agriculture and life sciences at Iowa State University; June Holley, who coaches organizations in creating healthier networks; and Dave Ivan, state specialist for the community and economic development program at Michigan State University.
The Alberta Rural Development Network, which is a partnership of Alberta’s 21 public colleges, universities and technical institutes — including Red Deer College and Olds College — is hosting the conference in partnership with Olds College and the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation.
The network’s mandate is to support rural development in Alberta and help rural communities grow through learning.
The cost for registrations after today is $325, or $175 for one day only.
For more information, or to register, go online to the Alberta Rural Development Network website at www.ardn.ca and click on Creating Rural Connections 2012 under News & Events.