Thursday, July 3, 2025

Editorial

A Small Stretch of Highway 26 Could Benefit From Lower Speed Limit

Stephen Vance, Editor I doubt that there are many of us who would enjoy sitting in our front yard while cars whizzed by at 90 kilometres per hour, but for some residents that is their reality. From talking to some homeowners on Highway 26 west of the urban area of Meaford on that stretch of the highway, from the outer...

Council (Still) Foolish to Have Rejected Third Party Administration of Community Grant Fund

Stephen Vance, Editor On Monday Meaford's council proved once again that handing off the administration of the annual municipal community grants program to a third party just might not be such a bad idea. In the past, council has had difficulty sticking to the eligibility requirements, and not wanting to say no to otherwise worthy causes they have approved grant requests...

Upper Levels of Government Need to Bolster (And Fast-track) Infrastructure Funding For Municipalities

Stephen Vance, Editor Week after week, it seems as if we hear our upper levels of government boasting about the billions upon billions of dollars that they will be spending on infrastructure, supposedly in the very near future. Being the 'infrastructure-nerd' that I am, I sure hope it's true, but even more, I hope that many of those billions of...

Labour Day Weekend is Always a Mix of Emotions For Both Parents and Students

Stephen Vance, Editor The scramble is on. The calendar has flipped to a new month that kicks off with one final long weekend of the summer before students return to school, and daily life regains a sense of order and normalcy.While it may be a long weekend - a time for some beach fun or beverages on the deck for...

Former Mayor Gord Crapper Will be Missed

Stephen Vance, Editor Former Meaford Mayor Gordon Crapper passed away on Saturday, August 20, just a few weeks after he reached his 90th birthday. Gordon Crapper served this community as mayor for 12 years from 1979 to 1991 – well before I moved to Meaford. I didn't know Gord well, and if not for this newspaper, I quite possibly would never...

Meaford Taking a Smart Approach to Vehicle Idling

Stephen Vance, Editor With their initial approval of a vehicle idling bylaw, Meaford's council has adopted a smart approach to the issue. Rather than beating residents over the head with an all-encompassing (and difficult to enforce) bylaw that would prevent the idling of vehicles everywhere, including private driveways and fast-food drive-thrus, council has instead taken a softer approach that will see...

Future Councils Could Have Very Different Parking Issues to Deal With

Stephen Vance, Editor Meaford's council had a lengthy and lively debate this week about whether to implement a pay for overnight parking system for the relatively few downtown apartment dwellers who own cars, but don't have a parking spot included with their apartments. All members of council offered their opinions, and asked excellent questions, and there were some valid points raised...

Meaford’s Blossoming Music Scene Could Help Spur Some Economic Development

Stephen Vance, Editor Meaford has a long history in agriculture, so growing things comes as second nature to many in these parts. That growing spirit is clearly contagious as has been seen with recent efforts by members of our community to grow a local music scene and by extension establish some nightlife in this previously quiet little town. One of the...

Best of Luck to Canada’s Olympic Team – But I Won’t be Watching

Stephen Vance, Editor The latest round of the Summer Olympic Games will soon be upon us, and whenever the Olympics roll around I am reminded how fortunate I am to not have cable television. I axed cable from my life about 20 years ago and I have never regretted it – though I occasionally find myself out of the loop, or...

Skateboard Bylaw Should be Repealed

Stephen Vance, Editor Many in this community might not be aware that the use of skateboards on Meaford roads is prohibited. Surprised? So was I when I first became aware of a 30 year old bylaw that says just that. Bylaw 24-87, which was approved by the Town of Meaford council in June of 1987, is one of those legacy bylaws...