COMMUNITY NEWS

Working with staff to learn about and determine critical strategic directives for our community has been an important accomplishment.

2. What was the council's biggest challenge in 2024?

Council saw a number of challenges in 2024 and the one that weighs heaviest on my mind, currently, is our relationship with the City of Brantford. We have many successful partnerships with the City, with staff from both Municipalities working well together on common goals. The County of Brant has all the necessary elements for a successful future, working in partnership with all of our neighbours there is absolutely no need for amalgamation with the City of Brantford.

3. 2024 was a tough fiscal year. How do you think the county will balance the financial responsibilities in the year ahead, while keeping tax increases to a minimum, yet satisfying the growing needs of the community?

It is going to be a challenging Budget discussion again this year….we have a lot of growth, and with that come funds via Development Charges, however we have seen firsthand that the DC funds that come with growth do not cover all the expenses of growth. At the same time, while we have “New” sections of our Municipality, we also have infrastructure that dates back many decades and we are reaching the life cycle point that carries a lot of infrastructure costs Council is very conscious of the pressures on individual taxpayers, and we need to keep finding sensible solutions to mitigate the tax increase wherever possible

4. What special project would you like to see approved, implemented or move forward in 2025?

I have been fairly vocal in my support of the new Main Branch Library at the Bawcutt Centre. It is still the best solution I have seen for utilizing this Municipally owned Heritage building While it is a large investment, I remain firm in my belief that a community that is doubling in size can and should find a method to support Arts, Culture and Heritage and the services that our Library delivers to thousands of County residents.

5. What do you predict will be the council's biggest hurdle this year and why?

There are several challenges facing our Municipality in the coming year, but one that is always top of my mind is ensuring the success of our Downtown Paris businesses (and the management of local traffic) during the Downtown Dig This is a huge project and from some of the meetings we have had, I am very impressed with the steps being taken by County staff to mitigate this challenging time. We all need to pull together to help make this particular hurdle as painless as possible for those impacted the most. Speaking more broadly, we also have to always remember that our residents depend on reliable hospital services and a new hospital to serve this area always needs to be on our mind.

One of Councillor Steve Howes’ favourite events last year was the inaugural Chili Cook Off held fundraiser at the Paris Legion. Councillor Howes and Oakley were runner ups (despite their delicious meatlovers chili recipe), losing the title to Mayor David Bailey and Jim Triemstra The 2nd Annual Chili Cook Off takes place Saturday, February 22; what future editions for more details!

6. We are officially halfway mark through this term of council. Have you accomplished some of your own personal goals and what do you still hope to accomplish before the end of this term?

One of my personal goals for this term was to see our vision for additional Affordable Housing units constructed in Ward 2 on Trillium It has been great watching this project advance and I’m happy that families will move into these units in the next few months. At the same time, I recognize that we need ten more building just like this one. While its not possible for the Municipality to fund that volume of construction, we need to find ways to incentivize the private sector to build more modest housing solutions. This remains on my list of goals for the remainder of this term and on into the future

7. Finally, please share your favourite event you attended this year and why?

I have three favourites: the open house at Lions Park with Parks staff and local residents, to discuss the North of the Nith project; trying my hand at making Smile Cookies for the local Tim Hortons Fundraiser (it’s harder than it looks!); and Lukas and I teamed up for the Legion Chili Cook Off last February and despite our delicious recipe, we lost out to the team of the Mayor and Jim Triemstra

Pinevest Homes Donates to the Wilkin Family Community Centre

County of Brant, ON - The County of Brant is pleased to share that a generous donation of $20,000 has been made by Pinevest Homes in support of the Wilkin Family Community Centre bringing the County just $15,000 away from reaching its $400,000 fundraising goal for the project “Pinevest Homes has been a wonderful supporter of many County of Brant projects,” said Mayor David Bailey. “This donation reflects their ongoing commitment to giving back to the community, and for that, we are incredibly grateful.”

Pinevest Homes has been building homes in the County of Brant and surrounding area for over 15 years. Giving back has been a cornerstone of the company’s values, as seen in their contributions to various County initiatives, including the Cowan Community Health Hub, the Paris

Community Pool, the lights at Penmans Dam and most recently, the installation of a Verdin Clock in downtown St. George.

“We are incredibly thankful for the support we’ve received from the community over the past 15 years,” said Henry Stolp, Founder of Pinevest Homes “The County of Brant is truly a special place, and we’ve made it a priority to give back and show residents how much we appreciate them.”

Set to open in 2025, the Wilkin Family Community Centre, located at 169 Grand River Street North in Paris, will feature approximately 2,055 square feet of indoor space As Brant's first netzero building, it will offer indoor and outdoor recreation, with spaces for social activities, family gatherings, and cultural events. The new facility will also house the Paris Lawn Bowling Club and Paris Seniors Club 99

With a construction cost of $1.6 million, the fundraising campaign is nearing its $400,000 goal which will reduce the financial impact on the municipality. Since spring 2024, donations have been actively sought, with naming opportunities available for various features Donors will be recognized on the Donor Wall in the Centre's Great Room. For more information on how to donate or to learn about naming opportunities, please contact Lesley Jackson, Director of Community Partnerships, at 519.44BRANT (442.7268) or 1.855.44BRANT ext. 3218 or email lesleyjackson@brant ca To learn more about the Wilkin Family Community Centre and how you can get involved, visit www.brant.ca/WilkinFamilyCom munityCentre