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Record crowd attends mayors’ breakfast
By Pat Bailey Just a few short years ago, Leamington was facing a rather bleak future with the departure of the H.J. Heinz Company, but the future is more than bright now – it is brilliant, according to Leamington mayor John Paterson. Paterson offered his predictions for 2018 at the Thursday morning, January 18th Mayors’ Breakfast at Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens. He was joined by Kingsville mayor Nelson Santos. The event was hosted by the Leamington and District Chamber of Commerce. Known as the Greenhouse Capital of Canada, the Monarch Butterfly Capital of Canada, the mecca for birders, the most southern tip of mainland Canada, and more recently the Cannabis Capital of Canada – the mayor said he prefers the title of ‘My Home Town’ above all the others. Paterson told the record crowd of about 150 guests that the municipality has planned well for the future, taxed appropriately, and is “In my 15 years on now in a very healthy town council, this group position to take adof council members has vantage of its allotment of government been the most caring, funding under its new open-minded, forward grant structure fundthinking group of people ing to help improve and upgrade its infraI have had the pleasure structure. of working with.” “Looking forward,” said the may- Leamington Mayor or, “it is possible that John Paterson Leamington could receive grants totaling $4-million per year, each year, for the next 10 years.” He said the upside to this — it allows the various municipal departments to do some long-term planning for roads, sewers, sidewalks and other infrastructure needs. That said, Paterson said it also means the future councils and administration must also budget 25 per cent of that, or $1 million per year, from property tax revenue so they can make use of the funding allotted. “And from continued investments in infrastructure which these new and guaranteed funds will provide,” said the mayor, “comes economic growth — jobs.” Which translates to commercial and industrial property tax revenue, he added, and a healthy and vibrant community. Paterson said in the past four years, new investments have risen from $37 million in 2013 to a record amount of nearly $160 million in 2017. He said the new investment didn’t just happen — it was a result of hard work by administration and staff, municipal financing to attract the maximum amount of grant funding and improvements to the infrastructure which had a direct impact on new growth in Leamington. Paterson pointed to the sewer line project on Bevel Line and Point Pelee Drive, the largest single sewer line project ever undertaken by the municipality. Despite the $12 million dollar cost, Paterson said it will mean the elimination of raw sewage being dumped into Lake Erie for about 200
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Leamington mayor John Paterson addresses the crowd at the Leamington and District Chamber of Commerce’s 11th annual Mayors’ Breakfast held Thursday morning, January 18 morning at Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens. (SUN Photo)
properties along the waterfront. “Not only will it improve the health of our greatest natural resource, Lake Erie,” said Paterson, “but it will open up the possibility for business and employment growth, some of which, I can tell you is working its way through our planning and building departments right now.” He did admit, however, the cost for the project far exceeded its original estimate, causing frustration for both the staff and the residents affected by the price increase. “But the project has met its schedule so far,” he said, “and there is but one more section to be completed before the big 100th birthday celebration takes place at Point Pelee National Park.” “In the end, Leamington residents can know that we have done all that we can to keep our waters clean and safe for now and into the future,” he added. Paterson said they have also invested a significant amount of money for improvements at the Kinsmen Recreation Complex — in the pool area and throughout the complex to make the facility more cost efficient and more enjoyable for its users. The waterfront revitalization, he said, is a prime focus of council and administration and includes the addition of the new amphitheatre on the beach at Seacliff Park, the professional level beach volleyball courts, the new boardwalk, and the offer of paddleboard and kayak rentals on site for the coming season. He told the group that the municipality will invest $30 million in capital spending in 2018, including the start of some new projects and the completion of others. “Some of the things you will see include continued investment in our waterfront,” he said, “a new pedestrian pier, enhancements to Seacliff Park, a new skateboard park at the Kinsmen Ball Diamonds and the never-ending sewer separation and expansion projects, currently taking place in several locations around town as we speak.” Paterson said the municipality has finally come to an agreement with the county and will construct bike lanes along Seacliff Drive from Sherk Street to the town line and along Fraser Road. (Continued on Page 12) 1 pc Fish & Chips w/Coleslaw
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