Ladies and Gentlemen
July is upon us and it is time for a summer break. News from the Town will also be taking a
break over the next two months, returning after Labour Day. I have changed my format for this blog to make
it easier for you to locate the many the good things happening in Midland this
summer. And if something important crops up over the summer I will be sure to
send you a special notice.
The Town office may slow down a bit but as you will see
in the section “Council issues Update” there will still be a lot going on. Both the regular Planning meeting and the General
Committee meeting will only be held at the call of the Chair. The Council
meetings should take place at their normal times. To make sure a meeting is
taking place, please check http://www.midland.ca/Pages/meetingagenda.aspx before
attending.
On a more summery note you can look forward to:
-
Dockside
Tuesday - Local live music at the Midland Town Dock every Tuesday night
in July and August from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm “rain or shine”
- Midland
Movie Night in Downtown Midland
every second Wednesday starting May 31st. All movies start at dusk
(approximately 9:00 pm). Bring your own lawn chair
- Music in the Park every Sunday at the Rotary stage in Little
Lake Park
Starting at 6:00 pm
o
July 2 Georgian Bay Brass
o
July 9 Barrie Concert Band
o
July 16 to be determined
o
July 23 Jim MacMillan and Scott Cooper
o
July 30 Rock'n the House
Starting at 7:00 pm
o
August 6 to be announced
o
August 13 Penny Love Band
o
August 20 Winnie Brave
o
August 27 Sandra Goode Band
o
Sept 3 Passport /Souled Out /Huronia Hot Strings
The
Month Ahead – July
July 3 – A very
important Canada 150 blood donor clinic. The clinic will be held at the NSSRC from 2:00
pm to 7:00 pm. I will be there at 4:00 pm. Your help is urgently needed.
July 7 – Georgian
Bay Blast Around the Bay displays the fastest boats on the Bay at our Town dock
starting at 4:00 pm. Then on Saturday the week-end fun run starts will all
proceeds going to our hospital.
July 7 to 9 – Midland
Rib Fest. If you like mouth-watering BBQ ribs come down to David Onley Park
(next to the Town dock) this week-end and meet some the best rib chefs in the country.
https://northernheatribseries.ca/midland/
July 8 - Airport
Fly-In at the Huronia airport from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Come out for a great
display of vintage airplanes, antique cars and take a guided tour of the airport.
July 8 –
Georgian Bay Garden tour all day. Supporting the GB Cancer Support Centre. More
information at http://gbcancersupportcentre.ca/fundraising-events/georgian-bay-garden-tour
July 12 to14 - Ontario
Maple Syrup Producers Association host their Sweet Ontario Summer Tour and AGM
at the Quality Inn & Conference Centre. More information at https://www.omspa.ca/events/
July 13 to 16 – One of
our great area events, Festival du Loup, takes place in Lafontaine. http://festivalduloup.on.ca/en/
July 14 - A free
Phragmites workshop is being held by Georgian Bay Forever and the Severn Sound
Environmental Association at the NSSRC from 5:45 pm to 8:00 pm. Please register
at https://phragmitesworkshopmidland.eventbrite.ca
July 21 - More
than 30 people, comprised of Indigenous, Jesuit, English and French Canadian
paddlers will embark on a month-long, 850-kilometre canoe trip starting at Ste.
Marie Among the Hurons. In response to
the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Canadian
Canoe Pilgrimage will begin at Midland, travel up Georgian Bay, across the
French River, Lake Nipissing, the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers, and end near
Montreal. Please check https://canoepilgrimage.com/#about for
times.
July 21 – At 7:00
pm board the Miss Midland for a Brookside fundraiser and cruise featuring
Jessica Lalonde, Leslie Dawn Knowles on violin and the Huronia Hot Strings.
There is no better music on gorgeous Georgian Bay.
July 21 to 23 - Ontario 150/Feast Fest! Gather
up your family and friends to explore and enjoy The World’s Largest Rubber Duck (and duck-themed games), Rhythm
of the Nation Dancers, the Lumberjack shows, thrilling midway rides and of
course Feast Fest - over 200
vendors, craft beer tent, amazing live entertainment and fireworks. The legendary
Canadian rockers Honeymoon Suite
will be performing a FREE concert to cap off an already amazing line-up of 150
fun!
July 22 – Township
of Tiny's Canada 150 Celebration and annual Community BBQ take place from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
in Perkinsfield Park.
July 22 - Join us
for the Downtown Midland Road Basketball Game at the Midland Town Dock from 2:00
pm to 3:00 pm. Free pizza provided by Poppas Pizza.
July 22
– The Live Art music event takes place at 509 Bay Street from 2:00
pm to 11:00 pm. The best in local music,
food and of course “live art”.
The
Month Ahead – August
August 5 – The third
annual Floatie Fest will take to the Rotary stage in Little Lake Park from 10:00
am to midnight. This free and barrier free
event will have live entertainment all day, vendors and a waterfront movie at
dusk - “Jaws 2”.
August 12 – The 4th
Annual Georgian Bay Pops takes place in Tiny. All funds raised go to the purchase
of a much
needed CT scanner for our Georgian Bay General Hospital. Tickets are available through the MCC - http://midlandculturalcentre.ticketfly.com/event/1437083-georgian-bay-pops-2017-tiny-township/
August 18 to 20 - Farm
Fresh Food Fest is taking place in the Township of Tiny. Your chance to
experience all the foods grown and prepared locally. More information at https://www.farmfreshfoodfest.ca/
August 19
- The Second Annual Zucchini Mania in beautiful Little Lake Park. It’s a
family-friendly festival with activities designed to engage kids of all ages!
You will experience the shaded market, live entertainment on Rotary Stage,
horse-drawn wagons transporting you into the Park, zucchini tastings, a bigger
BBQ, Chef’s demonstrations, additional buskers, amazing flying dogs show,
gigantic bubbles, Zucchini Contests and more. Admission is free but Askennonia
Senior Centre will happily take a donation at the entrance! https://www.zucchinimania.com/
August 25 to 26 – The
magic of Tugfest is back. Come down to
the Town dock to see the parade of tugboats on Friday evening. Then on Saturday
the boats participate in contests of strength and agility that only tugboats
can do. More information at: http://www.tugfestgeorgianbay.com/Intro2.html
August 26 – Artwalk. Throughout our downtown you will see a colorful
display of the works of our many local artists.
August 26 - Cycle
Camelot 2017 comes to Rotary Park in Penetanguishene. This annual cycling event
supports the Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre. www.cyclecamelot.com
Council
Issues Update
Service Delivery Review
Over the summer the Service Delivery Review Steering and Advisory
Committees will be meeting to review all of the Town’s operations to determine
how to improve our level of service to Midland residents. The committees should
have a report to Council in the fall.
OPP
The consultant’s police service costing report is due the
first week of July. These results should be made public shortly thereafter and I
expect a public input meeting will follow.
Council will then take your comments plus the costing information and
make a decision on our future policing service by September the 8th.
Midland Bay Landing
Last month Council directed staff to complete the four
main environmental studies for the site.
This work will take place over the next few months. This fall the search for a new development
partner should pick up.
MPUC
With the sale complete, the matter now proceeds to OEB
for their review. Expectations from both sides are that we will have the OEB’s
approval before year’s end. At that point we will be joined with our neighbours
in Tay-Newmarket in providing power to the citizens of Midland.
Downtown Health Clinic
The project is still experiencing delays within the
Ministry of Health despite consistent support from local municipalities,
healthcare partners and our NSMLHIN. That said, work on the site is expected to
start this fall.
GBGH
Lots
happening at GBGH. The GBGH Board has just announced the new hospital CEO, Gail
Hunt. Last year GBGH received additional base funding from the province. As a
result our hospital is now starting to achieve annual operating surpluses. Work
continues on the emergency room expansion with completion expected next year. The
hospital’s next major project is to move 20 acute care mental health beds from
Waypoint to GBGH. GBGH’s Penetanguishene
site, earmarked for a healthcare hub, still has not received provincial funding
despite a positive business case for the hub being developed.
Budget
The
public portion of the 2018 budget process will start in September. While this year’s tax rate came in at 1%, challenges
in funding infrastructure – roads, buildings, equipment, etc – will make it difficult
to keep future increases at or below the rate of inflation.
Official
Plan Review
The
public input portion of the Official Plan is about to start. Expect the
consultation schedule to be published after the July Council meeting. Your
input is critical as the Town plans out what Midland will look like over the next
decade,
Microbrewery
– Barnstormer
The
site environmental review has been completed. Council will receive a report at
the July Council meeting detailing the future of this project.
*****
A safe and happy summer to you and your family.
Gord McKay
The
Year for Getting It Done - 2017
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