Georgetown Conference 2.0 targets solutions for rural issues

The mayor of Georgetown says he's excited to host a second conference aimed at addressing the challenges facing rural communities.

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The Georgetown Conference drew nearly 300 delegates from around Atlantic Canada in 2013, andMayor Lewis Lavandier says he was quick to agree to host round two this summer because of the success of the first forum.

"At the time I was a little apprehensive when we started out. I was scared to be labelled as a town that was dying," said Lavandier.

He says that firstconference turned out different than anticipated.

"We were shown as a community that wanted to be proactive and do something to control our own destiny.I think it's such a fantastic idea that we're going to do it all over again," he said.

This year's forum has been dubbed The Georgetown Conference 2.0: Solutions.It will run June 24 at the King's Playhouse and feature five new cochairs from around the region. About250 delegates are already registered.