Editorial

One of my faults, a fault that has frequently brought me frustration, is that I have a knack for stripping away the fun in life in favour of focusing on the serious. I can't count the number of times I have been in a conversation about a fun, feel-good news story that I have quickly deflated by saying something along...

If you have been on local social media pages in recent months, you are no doubt aware of the spike in property crimes that has been experienced in the Municipality of Meaford, particularly since the summer weather arrived. Among the most reported items stolen from residential properties in recent months have been bicycles, along with tools, sports equipment, and even...

Summer is in full swing. The air is warm, the sun has been shining, and everywhere I look I see folks enjoying the summer weather. From hikers I meet on the Georgian Trail, to the sail boats out on the bay, to the blissful aroma of a neighbour's backyard barbeque, many are taking full advantage of all that summertime...

As they do each year, Meaford's council will take the month of August as their summer break. The summer break is a time for council to get some down time to recharge and refresh, and for staff, many of whom take vacation time in the summer months anyway, to have a few weeks free from preparing reports for council meetings,...

As someone who has been a municipal governance nerd for 35 years, I am accustomed to empty council chamber galleries, even for important meetings like budget presentations. I get it, municipal governance isn't for everyone: it isn't sexy, it often isn't exciting, but it certainly is important, and can impact us all. Every now and then, typically due to a...

A friend of mine who lives in one of Ontario's larger cities asked me over the weekend about small town living: what I like, what I don't like, and what I would change if I could. He also asked if I ever miss living in a larger city. My friend has been toying with the idea of escaping big city...

Another Canada Day long weekend is upon us, and for me, aside from a fabulous excuse for some summer celebration fun, this holiday is also a time to reflect upon the good fortune I have received in life simply by being able to call Canada home. I could just as easily have been born and raised elsewhere, in a less...

Summer has officially arrived, and as if on cue, hot, steamy air moved in to our area this week, as a reminder. The summer solstice, which this year falls on Thursday, June 20, is the longest day of the year, from a sunlight perspective at least. And for those of us who reside in the northern hemisphere of this planet,...

It will be expensive, and even if funding can be secured from upper levels of government, it will still require a significant amount of new debt to be taken on by this municipality. But in the near future, the Municipality of Meaford must address the need for the expansion of the municipal wastewater treatment plant. The facility, located on Grant...

Farmers' market season begins in Meaford tomorrow, Friday, June 7, and perhaps it's fitting that close on the heels of the opening of the farmers' market season, this municipality will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the former Town of Meaford, as this community has been an agricultural centre at its core since its inception. It is also fitting that...