Sunday, January 25, 2015

Sunday January 25, 2015

Ladies and Gentlemen

Lots of good things happening in our Town. Last Thursday our area launched its new tourism brand – Heart of Georgian Bay. Also the new Georgian Bay signature song, curtesy of Noni, is simply inspiring. (I will see if I can get an approved link for you to hear it for next week).

Many of you are now enjoying our first downtown outdoor skating rink. Well it gets better.  We now have a second outdoor rink at Little Lake Park.  Midland - yes, we can.

And with Winterfest shaping up for this weekend, we still need your help to name our official winter mascot. If you have a favorite name for a cuddly five foot penguin, who is a bit on the quiet side, please send that to Nicole at nhutton@midland.ca before February 1.

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On Monday January 26th Council gets back to work with some serious meetings. A closed session of Council begins at 5:00 pm to address a number of matters including personal issues, labour relations, legal and committee appointments.  At 7:00 pm at Town Hall is the regular January Council meeting. An interesting agenda including:
-       Four deputations:
o    Update on our 2015 Butter Tart festival
o    The SSEA report on our sustainability plan
o    A request by our hospital for funding
o    Announcement of our new healthcare facility being built close to our downtown waterfront. While this project is exciting in and of itself, it also represents the foundation for the new “healthcare hub” taking shape in Midland.
-       Launch of the new Downtown Safety Committee
-       By-law to require smokers to stay 10 meters from sports fields and playgrounds
-       Proposed heritage designation for St. Margaret’s

Tuesday the 27th will start at the County at 9:00 am. The main item on the agenda is the approval of the County’s 2015 budget. At 3:00 pm that afternoon, I host the North Simcoe Housing Working Group at Town Hall. This volunteer group, while supporting the County’s housing strategy, is looking to launch its own local housing project. If our area’s housing challenges are of interest to you, please attend.

The County will come to visit us on Wednesday the 28th at 10:00 am as they host a Cycle Simcoe Open House at the NSSRC. We will have a chance to understand the County’s plan for encouraging cycling across the County and allow us to give them some feedback. You are welcome to attend.

Thursday January 29th will give you a number of options. The Town’s Downtown Master Plan project kicks back into gear with a number of focused meetings throughout the day. The main public meeting takes place at 6:30 pm at the NSSRC. This is an excellent opportunity for all citizens to get involved in helping us design our downtown for the next 30 years.

And if planning is not your strong suit, you may wish to join Council as it continues to finalize its 2015 budget.  That’s at 5:00 pm in the Council chambers.

Friday January 30th is just plain busy. The first meeting is our Waterfront Steering committee meeting at 11:00 am in Town Hall.  

At 1:00 pm there is a public meeting at the Oakwood Community Center in Tay to continue the public discussion of our area’s healthcare. This meeting follow’s up on the earlier public sessions in Midland in 2014. Its purpose is to organize meaningful two-way engagement by the public in defining what we need for our healthcare. While we are still in the very early days, there have already been a number of successes:
-       Written commitment to the long-term sustainability of GBGH
-       Active participation by the four mayors, our LHIN and GBGH
-       The start of a “healthcare charter” for all area citizens

At 2:00 pm the Downtown Master Plan Steering committee meets in the Council chambers. Then at 4:00 pm it’s time to get active as the annual BIA road hockey game takes place on King Street downtown. Bring your stick and sweater and join the fun.

And with that we step right into Midland’s Winterfest Weekend. Lots of things to do all weekend, (see attached). I draw your attention to a special Winterfest event at our museum.  Called “Dinner in your Hands” they will be providing a very traditional repast of moose stew or three sisters’ soup and bannock. Check it out at our museum from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Weekend

Saturday
-       Winterfest continues at Little Lake Park
-       Farmers market at NSSRC at 9:00 am

Sunday
-       Farmers market at Mountainview mall at noon
-       Winterfest continues.  Drop by the Spelling Bee at NSSRC starting at 10 am

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Two closing items. The Midland Y’s Men’s Club is helping youth in North Simcoe get active with a $5,000 donation to the YMCA.  This donation will provide local youth with a free Friday “Youth Nights” at the Midland YMCA for one year.  Youth Nights at the YMCA provide a fun place for young people to hang out, in a safe environment, and enjoy swimming and sports.  If you know of a young person who may be interested, let him/her know.

Many of you have been navigating the new four-way stop at King and Yonge. This should have been repaired last week except for the difficulty in replacing the traffic light controller that was damaged in the accident. Public Works expects the lights to be back in action this week.



Gord McKay


Be part of Midland’s Year of Bold Action - 2015
                                                                                              





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