More Broadband in Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Lake of Bays, Georgian Bay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HIGH SPEED INTERNET ARRIVES IN FOUR ADDITIONAL REMOTE AREAS OF GRAVENHURST, HUNTSVILLE, LAKE OF BAYS AND GEORGIAN BAY

MUSKOKA, Ontario ─ April 23rd, 2009 ─ Muskoka Community Network (MCN) is pleased to announce that high speed internet has arrived for the first time ever in the remote areas of:

· Baxter, Township of Georgian Bay
· Port Stanton, Gravenhurst
· Lake Waseosa, Huntsville
· Hillside, Township of Lake of Bays

“I had the new service installed earlier this month and it is wonderful to be off dial up internet. It’s reliable and it’s fast.” said Joe McRobb, beneficiary of the newly established broadband tower in Port Stanton, Gravenhurst.

Additional service is being expanded in the Townships of Lake of Bays and Georgian Bay, as well as the Towns of Huntsville, Gravenhurst and Bracebridge. Please check http://www.mcnet.ca/projects/broadsched/ for more information.

To date, Muskoka Community Network has successfully coordinated the arrival of high speed internet in 25 previously unserviced locations, including the first nation community of Moose Deer Point.

Within Bracebridge:
Clear Lake
Portions of Falkenburg Station
Portions of Springdale Park
Stephenson Road 1 near Highway 11
Outlying areas of Taylor Road

Within the Township of Georgian Bay:
Baxter
South of the town of Mactier
West of the town of Mactier

Within Gravenhurst:
Barkaway
West Gravenhurst
Housey Rapids
Port Stanton
Ryde

Within Huntsville
Clearwater Lake Road (Port Sydney)
Deer Lake Road (North)
Lake Waseosa
Lancelot
Madill Church – just south of Huntsville

Within Lake of Bays:
Bella Lake
Blue Lake
Parts of Camp Lake
Hillside
Tasso Lake
Toad Lake

Within First Nations Communities:
Moose Deer Point


This newly established wireless broadband coverage is expected to reach 80 per cent of the unserved population within these areas. Coverage will continue to improve as more towers come on-line. For those unable to access high speed wireless service, satellite high speed may be available.

IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT in these communities, or areas, and would like to determine if you are eligible for high speed wireless on this network, contact a Core Broadband reseller. To find a Core Broadband reseller visit http://www.corebroadband.ca/ and click on ISP’S (internet service providers).

You can also find a complete list of ISP’s IN MUSKOKA by visiting http://www.mcnet.ca/servicedirectory/ISP/


About FedNor

FedNor is a federal regional development organization in Ontario that works with a variety of partners, as both a facilitator and catalyst, to help create an environment in which communities can thrive, businesses can grow and people can prosper.

To date, Muskoka Community Network has secured 2.5 million dollars in public funding from FedNor. 1.7 million dollars was secured for broadband alone. Additional funding has been allocated towards improving online communications for our communities, and providing training on how best to leverage online opportunities.

About Muskoka Community Network

Muskoka Community Network (MCN) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the implementation of telecommunications solutions for the regions of Muskoka and Almaguin, by working with and forming partnerships with both the public and private sectors.


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For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Rob McPhee
Muskoka Community Network
705-646-9044
rob.mcphee@mcnet.ca

or

Alison Withey
Blue Whale Communications Inc.
705-788-0080
alison@bluewhalecommunications.com

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For more information on broadband and technology in Muskoka, visit the Muskoka Community Network website at
www.mcnet.ca

Creative Muskoka - Vision to Reality

VISION TO REALITY

May 1, 2009 - 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Nipissing University Bracebridge Campus, 125 Wellington St., Bracebridge, ON
$10 per person - lunch provided
Facilitator: Kathy Simpson,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Organized by: the Creative Muskoka Working Committee

YOU ARE INVITED to a meeting of Creative Muskoka, an open, flexible and informal working group facilitating collaboration within the Muskoka area. Our vision is to make Muskoka the cultural centre of Ontario with a vibrant and internationally recognized creative economy based on our rich natural heritage, the arts and our culture. This will be the day on which we make some big decisions and start moving forward significantly, so be sure to have either yourself or a representative of your organization there to have your input heard!

Who Should Attend
Representatives from: the arts, culture and heritage in Muskoka; municipalities;
culture and tourism businesses; natural heritage/environmental groups; festival/event organizers; educational institutions; and other champions of the arts.

Outcomes:

• Raise awareness, understanding and appreciation of Muskoka’s cultural resources
• Share the Creative Muskoka vision
• Identify opportunities for collaboration/coordination that move Muskoka’s cultural
  agenda forward
• Develop project action plans that support Muskoka as a Designated Arts Community

For more information, to register (by April 17, please) or to reserve a display table, contact Muskoka Tourism 1-800-267-9700 or info@muskokatourism.ca, or register online at
http://www.mcnet.ca/creativemuskoka/

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For more information on broadband and technology in Muskoka, visit the Muskoka Community Network website at
www.mcnet.ca

DGRB-009-09: Extension to Comment Period for PCS/Cellular Consultation / DGRB-009-09: Prolongation de période de réception des commentaires pour consu

To assist in information distribution, Muskoka Community Network has posted this article which is supplied by Industry Canada on April 16th, 2009.
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The following document is now available on Industry Canada's Spectrum Management and Telecommunications Web site at: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf02092.html: Gazette Notice DGRB-009-09 – Extension to the Comment Period: Consultation on the Renewal of Cellular and Personal Communications Services (PCS) Spectrum Licences
The Gazette Notice will be published in the Canada Gazette April 25, 2009.
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Le document suivant est maintenant disponible sur le site Web de la Gestion du spectre et télécommunications d'Industrie Canada http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/fra/h_sf02092.html: Avis de la Gazette DGRB-009-09 – Prolongation de la période de réception des commentaires : Consultation sur le renouvellement de licences de spectre pour systèmes cellulaires et services de communications personnelles (SCP)
L'avis de la Gazette sera publié dans la Gazette du Canada le 25 avril 2009.

Heather HallManager, Emerging Networks Gestionnaire, Réseaux émergentSpectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications Sector Secteur du Spectre, des technologies de l'information et des télécommunicationsIndustry Canada Industrie Canada300 Slater Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0C8 300, rue Slater, Ottawa ON K1A 0C8Note new email Heather.Hall@ic.gc.caTelephone Téléphone 613-990-4411Facsimile Télécopieur 613-991-3514Government of Canada Gouvernement du Canada

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For more information on broadband and technology in Muskoka, visit the Muskoka Community Network website at
www.mcnet.ca