The Creemore
Echo
Friday, June 28, 2013 Vol. 13 No. 26
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
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COUNCIL LOOKS TO ELECTORAL REFORM
by Brad Holden In the 20 years since amalgamation, Clearview Township’s electoral model has remained the same – a Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected by the entire municipality, and the populations of seven wards, roughly centred on Nottawa, Duntroon, Dunedin, Creemore, New Lowell, Sunnidale Corners and Stayner, each elect a Councillor to join them. On Monday night, Council indicated the time might have come for a change, directing staff to bring a report back to the table setting out a process for a comprehensive review of Council’s structure, which would consider possible changes to ward boundaries, the size of Council, the election method (either by ward or at large), Councillor remuneration and the job descriptions of the Township’s elected representatives. Councillor Brent Preston brought the motion to the table after indicating his plans to do so at the last meeting, and there was unanimous support for the idea on Monday night. Preston said he was primarily motivated by the growing population inequality between the Township’s wards – in the last election, Ward 3 (Dunedin) had the least electors with 1,259, while Ward 6 (New Lowell) had the most with 2,199. Current development patterns will only exacerbate these differences, said Preston, threatening a fundamental tenet of democracy, that each vote should carry more or less equal weight. (See “Council” on page 10)
A weekend of fun A Bridge Turns 100
The Collingwood Street Bridge is a century old this year and the committee that’s devoted to saving it is inviting the community to celebrate on Saturday, June 29. From 11:45 am until 4 pm, a portion of Collingwood Street between Edward and Elizabeth Streets will be closed for a good, old-fashioned street party, with free hot dogs and hamburgers, entertainment by the “Rusty Nuts,” and face painting by darci-que. Piper Tim Armour will be on hand to lead a procession over the old bridge at high noon, and a historical display will outline the reasons the committee thinks the bridge should be given heritage designation.
May the Best Duck Win Ray’s Place, Creemore’s youth resource centre, is partnering with the Creemore Legion to hold a duck race on the Mad River on Monday, July 1. Proceeds will be split between Ray’s Place and the Legion’s Canada Day festivities. The race ends at Mad River Park at 10:30 am. Ducks, at $5, are available at Ray’s Place and Cardboard Castles.
POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE
The class of 2013 graduated from Nottawasaga and Creemore Public School Wednesday night, and as is tradition, the year’s departing Grade 8 students arrived in style. From horse to tractor to Laura Rawn’s dune buggy (above), all manners of transportation made an appearance. For more pictures of the grads and their big night, see pages 6 and 7 or visit thecreemoreecho.com.
Celebrate Canada
See page 16 for a schedule of Canada Day festivities in Creemore.
Taking care of buyers and sellers in Mulmur and the Creemore hills for 36 years
RCR Realty. Brokerage
Ginny MacEachern
(705)
444-1414 10230 Highway 26 East, Collingwood E-mail info@collingwood.toyota.ca
B.A., Broker
The Town & Country Agent with the City Connections 1-800-360-5821• 705-466-2607 • maceachern.ginny@gmail.com www.ginnymaceachern.com