The Paris Independent
25
December 30, 2023
YEAR IN REVIEW - 2023 **Athletes from cities and communities across Ontario descended on Brant County and Brantford to compete in the 2023 Ontario 55+ Summer Games. A wide range of athletic prowess was on display in 19 different sports events featuring more than 1400 participants from a few dozen zone districts across the province. One highlight of the tournament the competitive Slo-Pitch Team from District 31 (Woodstock/Oxford) won the gold medal (pictured right). There are several local players on this team. **Brave Waves Swim School announces it will open Paris’ first indoor swimming pool in April 2024. The state-of-the-art aquatics facility will be one of the largest private indoor swim school pools in Canada at 10M x 20M. **The 5K Foam Fest (pictured right) brought back its family-friendly course to the Paris Fairgrounds again this summer attracted over 4,000 participants and raising money for Make-A-Wish Canada **After a nearly two-month delayed start, Grand River Street North construction is off to a rocky start. A lack of initial signage, or any laid out detour signage, led to mass confusion and lots of irate drivers.
Photo by Michelle Malvaso
**Upsy Daisy Floral Studio brings the romance back to downtown, with its grand opening!
**Paris Drinks Fest (below) returns to Lion’s Park and attracts hundreds of enthusiastic concert goers, looking to *Paris man Jason Kloss attempts to swim 51 listen to some great music and sample some of the finest km across Lake Ontario to fundraise for brews from local vendors. mental health. He almost completed the swim, Photo by Michelle Malvaso just 13 km from his shoreline destination, but after 18 hours in the water it was not safe for him to continue. He raised $54,000 for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Kloss is no stranger to long swims. In 2011, he crossed Lake Huron – 65 km – and raised $22,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Continued on page 26
