FEO recognizes town with four awards

By Ron Giofu

Amherstburg won four awards at last week’s Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) conference, including one of three Municipality of the Year awards.

The town took home Municipality of the Year in a town with a population of less than 50,000. The Town of Newmarket won in the category of population between 50,000-100,000 while the City of Richmond Hill won in the category of population of 150,000 or more.

The conference was held in Niagara Falls, with the awards presented last Wednesday night.

The FEO states they are “pleased to recognize those municipalities, towns or cities and markets who have worked, though concentrated efforts, to provide an atmosphere beneficial to successful festivals and events. Submissions from FEO members were received for consideration in the fall of 2022 and were judged by an independent panel of judges. Ontario municipalities and festivals and events within their regions were represented in the submissions.”

The town was also honoured with an Achievement Award for the River Lights Winter Festival, with the FEO stating via press release the awards “showcase various elements of festivals or events that those submitting believe stood out in the previous festival year.” Amherstburg was given the award in part due to River Lights being sponsored by Enbridge with the town winning in the $100,000 or less category.

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By Ron Giofu

Open Air Weekends will be returning this year, with it retaining a three-day per week format.

Town council approved reducing Open Air from 20 weeks to 14 weeks but retaining the same hours – from Friday at 3 p.m. to end of the day Sunday – and also keeping the same footprint. A number of local business owners were in the crowd with them leaving disappointed if not outraged by the decision, but council members in favour of the motion stated they heard from others in the community that were supportive of Open Air Weekends.

Voting in favour of going to a 14-week program were Mayor Michael Prue, Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb, Councillor Linden Crain and Councillor Don McArthur. Voting against were Councillor Diane Pouget, Councillor Peter Courtney and Councillor Molly Allaire.

Linda Saxon noted several concerns from an accessibility standpoint. She told council there were numerous barriers regarding Open Air, including access to businesses and banks, sidewalks being obstructed, attitudes surrounding disabilities among others. She said she and others have complained about it in the past. “My right to equal access is not a want, it’s a right,” said Saxon. “If you approve Open Air, you are also approving barriers that exclude people with disabilities.”

Caroline O’Brien, owner of The Barber Shop, said her businesses is more than just about dollars to her. Festivals have always been successful in Amherstburg, she added, and asked why businesses like hers are “forced to lose money for four months due to Open Air.”

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