- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

The Owen Sound Hub has a three-part mission – to build community, to help find solutions to problems we have in common, and to amplify the voices of those who are not often even given the microphone.

When it began in 2014, its founders wanted to see the Hub eventually become a community-owned digital newspaper, and I shared that goal when I became Publisher/Editor in 2015.

What would that look like? How would that work? There are a limited number of ownership models allowed in Canada for any organization that takes in revenue and pays expenses. It could be a corporation – for-profit or not-for-profit, or it could be a co-operative.

There are a lot of questions. How would it pay for itself? Who would make the decisions? Who would hire the Editor and the staff?

You may have noticed that the Owen Sound Hub was down for a while earlier today. It was another warning sign that our technological base is on borrowed time. How much time we have to change our platform or shore it up is unknown, but the choice of format and amount of investment we make should be based on who will be using it in future.

Some friends of the Hub have offered generous and thoughtful ideas to start the discussion about its future.

We are having a series of open opportunities for community members to come and have this conversation. Look at the ideas that have been presented. Ask your questions. Offer your ideas about what is valuable to you and what you would like to see in the Hub that is not there now.

I'll be in the office, the Community Incubator at 279 10th Street East on:

Tuesday, November 29 at 7 p.m
Wednesday, November 30 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, December 1 at 10 a.m

You can also send your thoughts to [email protected].

We'll post your ideas in future articles, and continue the conversation online and off through the new year.

Thank you for your ongoing support and contributions. You are the reason we're here.