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2023 Year in Review (2/2)

January 4, 2024   ·   1 Comments

Attention Readers!

We hope you enjoyed the first half of our 2023 Year in Review in last week’s Orangeville Citizen. This week, we’re taking you through all of the highs and lows of the last six months of 2023. The second half of our 2023 Year in Review will share some of the most significant stories impacting our readers from July 6 to Dec. 21. Now, without any further ado, here’s a look at the year that was!

July 6

  • The Orangeville Public Library, Grand Valley Public Library and Caledon Public Library released a joint statement on June 29 indicating their support for drag storytime events.

The statement said, “We, the CEOs, and Boards of Caledon, Grand Valley and Orangeville support drag storytime as a vital and cherished program within our libraries. We stand united in our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the principles of intellectual freedom. Together, we can create an environment where all community members, regardless, of gender identity or expression, feel welcomed, respected, and celebrated.”

  • A former teacher at Orangeville District High School who is battling Stage 4 lung cancer is receiving a lot of support from the community after a GoFundMe campaign was started to help with the cost of medications he needs.

Michael Colautti, 59, spends $9,000 per month on medication, with other medications costing $5,000.

After suffering symptoms during the pandemic lockdown, Mr. Colautti had to attend the emergency room after having difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with a collapsed left lung that was filled with fluid.

Testing revealed Stage 4 lung cancer. He had to leave teaching as a result.

Further testing revealed the cancer was a ROS1-EZR gene fusion. This form of lung cancer has a targeted therapy available called Entrectinib. Within a few months, symptoms eased, and Mr. Colautti was able to resume some of his normal activities.

In February 2023, the cancer returned one year after treatment was started. He returned to teaching in November 2022 in order to pay for the cancer therapy but was again forced to leave.

Mr. Colautti’s niece, Carleigh Montello, started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help offset some of the financial challenges related to his illness.

Carleigh’s goal is to raise $40,000 to not only assist Mr. Colautti but also help with his daughter’s future expenses in post-secondary education. As of July 5, the fund had raised $22,780 so far.

  • The Village Refillery has expanded to offer Orangeville’s first vintage clothing store.

The business, which moved to 5 Mill St. after a fire at the Old Mill Hub (28 Mill St.) in late August of last year, is collaborating with the Vintage Hussy, dedicating a section of the bulk refill store to vintage clothing.

The expansion with the Vintage Hussy is in line with the Village Refillery’s environmentally friendly vision of reducing the amount of waste going into landfills. The store helps customers to lower the amount of garbage they produce by bringing in reusable containers to fill up food, beverages, household cleaners, cosmetics, beauty products, raw materials and oils. This cuts out the packaging that comes with these items at a grocery store.

  • Dufferin OPP officers seized a significant quantity of drugs and charged five individuals following a lengthy multi-jurisdictional drug investigation. 

Officers located and seized nearly three kilograms of cocaine, 280 grams of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), over 500 oxycodone tablets, over 200 tablets of clonazepam, quantities of hydrocodone, a high-capacity magazine, and currency after three search warrants were executed on June 21 in Orangeville, Bolton and Oakville. 

  • Two 12-year-old students from Mulmur have been honoured for their efforts in helping rescue their peers after the bus they were travelling on slid into a ditch this past spring.

Isabelle Wallace and Chase Rodgers, students from Primrose Elementary School, received the 2022-2023 CAA School Safety Patroller of the Year award in recognition of their quick response when the school bus they were travelling on slid into a ditch in March.

The bus was travelling along 4th Line in the Township of Mulmur, just south of 10 Sideroad, on March 2 when the incident occurred. As a result, four children were sent to hospital with minor injuries.

Ashley Hopkins, the vice principal of Primrose Elementary School, nominated the pair for the award.

Hopkins said the two students used the skills they learned through the CAA School Safety Patrol program to help the bus driver evacuate the bus and escort their fellow classmates to safety while they waited for help to arrive.

“They jumped right into action, making sure all students were okay and reassuring them that they were safe,” said Hopkins.

July 13

  • The Compass Run for Food held their 10th annual race on June 10 at the Compass Community Church in Orangeville. The family-friendly 5 km and 10.5 km run saw 676 participants travel through the scenic trails of Island Lake Conservation Area.

“Thanks to numerous corporate business sponsors, each participant, gracious donors and supporters – as well as an excellent team of volunteers – the race will be donating a record breaking $77,000 to three food banks and five elementary school breakfast programs in Dufferin County,” said Compass Run for Food on July 11 in a press release.

Over the past decade 5,600 people have participated and the Compass Run for Food has donated a smashing $467,000 to local food initiatives that help feed kids, families and seniors in the community.

  • The longer the wait to break ground on Orangeville’s new fire hall, the higher its base price grows.

That truth hung like dread in a troubled mind as town council debated at a July 10 meeting about whether the proposed fire hall should be built with net-zero environmental specifications or non-net-zero standards.

Heather Savage, the town’s community services manager, said capital project base costs have typically been increasing by an average of one per cent to three per cent.

Council decided to direct staff to pursue the design and construction of the new fire hall with non-net zero environmental standards. Efficiencies will be built into the construction plans, such as higher R-value insulation in the walls and at the foundation, as well as upgraded windows.

Mayor Lisa Post said she’d love to be able to have a net zero fire hall. But, given the town’s financial resources, they’re left with a non-net zero project with the caveat to work in as many green efficiencies as they can.

July 20

And Mackie was presented on June 27 with a Citation of Heroism award from the Town of Grand Valley, “in recognition of outstanding bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of imminent danger.”

When he saw his elderly neighbour’s house was on fire, he called 911. 

The dispatcher told him not to enter the building, but Mackie could not sit back and watch the house burn with his neighbour inside. 

So he kicked in the front door and ran through the smoke, dodging flames, to reach the senior in his bedroom. 

Mackie escorted his neighbour safely outside, by which time paramedics had arrived. 

The fire took place in Grand Valley and paramedics, firefighters, and police from Grand Valley and Dufferin attended the scene. 

A Dufferin OPP press release states the senior was taken to hospital with serious injuries, and was lucky to survive the fire, thanks to “the heroic actions of a neighbour.”  

  • The RAM Rodeo Tour is hosting its first event in Erin this coming weekend and will bring the full line-up of thrilling rodeo action to the Erin Fairgrounds.

Touring across Ontario, the RAM Rodeo hosts events around the province beginning in May and going all the way through to November, with the final performance at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.

This is the first time the Rodeo will be taking place in Erin, and it is bringing all the excitement of a rodeo, along with other fun things like a kid’s rodeo and spectacular trick horseback riding demonstrations.

  • The second annual Kala’s Wings Co-ed Softball Tournament got underway at Rotary Park in Orangeville on Saturday, July 15, to bring attention to suicide awareness.

Over 100 players and ten teams took part in the tournament, which featured a full day of action on the diamonds, with each team playing a minimum of four games.

The top teams went into a playoff round and a championship game.

Organizers Jon Castellano, Don Menard, and Chris Widdop were happy with the turnout and enthusiasm of all the players.

The tournament is a fundraiser for a local family that has been affected by suicide.

Kala’s Wings was first held five years ago, but the pandemic put things on hold until this year.

July 27

  • Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) has received funding from the provincial government to make repairs and upgrades at the facility. 

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones announced in a press release last Thursday (July 20) the provincial government would be allocating $2.7 million in funding to support essential upgrades and repairs at the local hospital. 

  • A teen from Dufferin County will represent Canada on the international stage as he heads to Europe to participate in a multisport competition. 

Thirteen-year-old Shelburne resident Gabriel McHughan is gearing up to make his second appearance at the World Dwarf Games in Cologne, Germany, later this month. 

“I’m feeling good and I’m happy because I get to compete with my friends and hopefully win medals,” said McHughan in a phone interview with the Orangeville Citizen.

McHughan is among 46 Canadian athletes between the ages of 7 and 62 with dwarfism who will be representing Canada at the multisport event at the end of the month. He is set to compete in 8 of the ten events, including badminton, basketball, boccia, soccer, swimming, track and field, table tennis, and volleyball. 

  • Community Living Dufferin (CLD) will continue to operate the concession stands at Orangeville’s two arenas.

Town council approved a new agreement on July 10 that will allow CLD clients to provide concession services at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre and the Alder Street arena from Aug. 1, 2023, until Dec. 31, 2026. There’s also an option for two more years at the end of that term.

  • Local boxer, Josh Wagner, is garnering international attention after winning his July 8 fight against Argentinian Williams Andres Herrera at the Sadlon Arena in Barrie. Josh won the fight by a unanimous decision.

The win brings Josh’s pro record to 16-0 and moves him up to the top 30 boxers worldwide.

The bout was also a title fight, and Josh now has the IBO Americas Welterweight belt, in addition to the International Boxing Association (IBA) Intercontinental Championship belt he earned last September.

  • Plans are underway for an Orangeville motel to be repurposed for affordable housing.

Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP) is a non-profit that’s been providing housing and health services for 30 years in the Region of Peel, Dufferin County, west Toronto, and the Region of Waterloo.

The group recently bought the former motel at 236 First Street in Orangeville. It’s to be converted into housing units ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments for people and families of low to moderate income.

  • The 14th Annual Orangeville Rotary Ribfest, held July 14 to 16, saw over 22,000 attendees take part in the three-day event at the Alder Street Recreation Centre grounds.

Over 160 volunteers made the event possible to bring various delicious food to the community and fundraise for charitable initiatives.

The volunteers kept everything running smoothly, doing everything from greeting patrons, serving beer, pop and water, and, with help from the Orangeville Headwaters Minor Baseball Association and Dufferin Waste Services, cleaning tables and managing the waste & recycling stations.  

Aug. 3

  • The first week of a labour dispute at Metro grocery stores has almost passed, and there’s been no indication of negotiations.

The workers are represented by Unifor Local 414. The union has a little less than 4,000 grocery store employees.

Frontline grocery store workers at 27 Metro stores in the Greater Toronto Area walked off the job at midnight on July 29. Pickets were at stores hours later, such as the First Street location in Orangeville and stores in Toronto, Brantford, Milton, Oakville, Brampton, North York, Islington, Willowdale, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Newmarket and Scarborough.

Those on the picket line are full- and part-time workers in all grocery departments as well as cashiers and managers.

The Montreal-based company shuttered all stores soon after the labour action was taken by the unionized workers. Privately-hired security has been posted at the Orangeville location.

In a press release, the company said it is “extremely disappointed” workers decided to walk off the job. A tentative agreement had been reached after weeks of negotiations, the statement said, but workers rejected it “even though the union bargaining committee unanimously recommended the agreement to its members.”

  • Orangeville swimmer Matthew Blackwell recently competed at the Ontario Swimming Championships at the Pan Am Pool in Scarborough and brought home a gold medal. 

He received first place in the 14-year-old boys 100 metre butterfly event with a time of 59.14 seconds – the fastest time ever posted by a member of the Orangeville Otters.

A member of the Orangeville Otters for seven years, Matthew began competitive swimming after taking swimming lessons and progressing faster than the other kids. Someone recommended he join a swim club.

  • When Orangeville resident Doris Watson was born, the First World War was just winding down.

Over a century later, Doris is doing fine. She’s charming and witty, has a good sense of humour, and easily recalls events from her life that happened decades ago.

She celebrated her 105th birthday with family and friends at the Bethsaida Retirement Home in Orangeville on July 26, where she has been living for just over a year.

  • Mono councillors feel they were duped about a South Asian festival involving flying kites and the number of people that were expected to take part.

Basant Mela is the spring festival of kites to many people in northern India and in Pakistan’s Punjab province. It traditionally welcomes the spring season. But, as the Mono council discussed during its July 18 meeting, it’s a little more than watching a few kites take flight in the sky above the Orangeville Agricultural Society’s Fairgrounds.

“We were sandbagged over the kite-flying, combative kite-flying,” said Mayor John Creelman.

He said town staff continue to deal with the fallout from the Basant Mela event in early July.

“This has been a really, really difficult and time-consuming issue for staff, and for myself, and maybe my colleagues as well in terms of dealing with all the incoming emails and various opinions both for an against this event,” he said. “I think one of us said it well to the effect that they felt blindsided … duped by the fact that kite-flying was I don’t think ever referred to at least in the initial submission to us.”

  • A local vendor market handed out sweet treats while generating donations to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse. 

The Hometown Market held its ice cream and dessert-themed event on July 22 at the Orangeville Fairgrounds, raising money for Family Transition Place (FTP), a local not-for-profit that supports women fleeing domestic violence. 

The Hometown Market’s goal of raising $1,000 was substantially exceeded as they collected $4,199 through the fundraiser.

  • Organizers of the 2023 International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo are busy making final preparations as the agricultural event’s arrival in Dufferin County this September quickly approaches. 

“This is the very first time in the over 100-year history of the IPM that it is being held here in Dufferin County, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome all the visitors to our beautiful part of the province,” said Dawn Van Kampen, co-chair of the local IPM organizing committee.

The IPM was created by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OTA) in 1913 to showcase farmers’ passion for the soil, agriculture and rural living. The IPM is the largest event of its kind in Canada and has historically seen attendance numbers exceeding 70,000 people over the five-day event. 

Plowing – whether by the old-fashioned horse-drawn plow or tractors – remains a key feature of the five-day event, but over its 100-year history, the overall experience has evolved into a massive rural expo, with a continued focus on agricultural education. 

In 2022, it was announced that Dufferin County would be the host location for the 104th edition of the International Plowing Match. While the agricultural event has been held in counties surrounding Dufferin County in the past, the 2023 IPM will mark the first time the event has been hosted locally. 

  • The Jamie Ferris Memorial Golf Tournament saw great success over the weekend, generating over $6,000 between the golf, dinner and silent auction at the event.

The fundraiser was held at the Lynbrook Family Golf Centre in Amaranth on Saturday (July 29) afternoon in memory of Jamie Ferris, who passed away suddenly in a motorcycle collision along Highway 9 on May 11. The $6,290 raised from the event is being split between Ferris’s three children, Tayah, Brilee, and Noah, as well as his granddaughter Ava.

While it rained all morning leading up to the event, the clouds parted, and the sun shone for the golf tournament’s start at 4 p.m.

Aug. 10

  • Another step in the Alder pool reconstruction has been completed as the project continues to progress.

Welding is complete on the sides of both the lap and leisure pool. Remediation work continues along the southeast wall, and once done, concrete will be poured along the steps and ramp in the leisure pool and along the access ramp in the lap pool. 

“Once the deck is poured, we can move forward with next steps, such as completing the welding of the lap pool floor and installing the leisure pool liner at the base,” said Heather Savage, general manager of community services for the Town of Orangeville. “This has been a long process and we have encountered numerous challenges, but when complete, Orangeville will have an exciting, safe, state-of-the-art pool to enjoy.”

The project started in 2021 when the Town attempted to replace the pool liner, which had reached its lifespan. The Town also tried to adjust the lap pool size from six lanes to eight to accommodate swim competitions and provide more space. 

However, when the project began, numerous unanticipated issues arose, including the discovery of no structural steel rebars or mesh under the pool deck, a significant collapse of the base soils, and delamination.

These deficiencies presented severe safety concerns. To remediate and bring the pool up to the Building Code, the entire area needed to be gutted and rebuilt.

This has led to significant cost increases for a project that was originally budgeted for $4.33 million. The current cost is up to $9.28 million.

  • Internet sensation, Jessii Vee, greeted fans at her store, Peculiar Place in Orangeville, on Saturday, Aug. 5, and asked that fans bring a food item to the event as a donation for the Orangeville Food Bank.

Jessii Vee hosts a Youtube show and has a presence on other social media with a following of over 8 million faithful viewers. When she does a meet and greet with fans, they are thrilled and turn out in droves to meet her, take a photo, and get an autograph.

The store has become wildly popular and ships all over the world.

  • Residents in the rural areas of Dufferin County will now have the opportunity to choose how much they pay for their weekly fruits and vegetables with the launch of a new community market.

The Orangeville Food Bank has officially launched its ‘Neighbours Community Market,’ a sliding-scale weekly produce market in Shelburne and Grand Valley.

The Neighbours Community Market is a pilot project for the Orangeville Food Bank, which will see produce products placed on a sliding scale for price. The food bank will purchase a variety of produce depending on the season and demands and will give customers the opportunity to pay either retail value, 50 per cent of retail value and as low as 30 per cent of retail price. 

  • The Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCC) recently saw a boost in funding thanks to a community event organized by a local politician. 

The 2nd Annual Hockey Night in Dufferin–Caledon, which saw local NHL players Brett Ritchie and Andrew Mangiapane compete with other elite players, raised $115,000 for HHCC on Aug. 2.

The event was organized by Dufferin–Caledon MP Kyle Seeback, who says he’s “blown away by the outpouring of our community’s support for Hockey Night in Dufferin-Caledon.”

He added, “For an event that’s only in its second year, we saw incredible growth and phenomenal enthusiasm, which translated into $115,000 raised for Headwaters Health Care Foundation.”

  • A Shelburne teen is now a multi-medal holder after representing Canada on the international stage at a multisport competition in Europe.

Thirteen-year-old Gabriel McHughan returned home earlier this week from his appearance at the 2023 World Dwarf Games and brought with him four medals – three bronze and a silver.

“I feel like it was pretty fun, I got to see some of my friends and make new ones on Team Canada. I learned that I could do more than I thought I could in sports,” McHughan told the Free Press.

McHughan was among 46 Canadian athletes ages 7 to 62 with dwarfism who represented Canada at the multisport event in Cologne, Germany. He competed in 8 of the 10 events, including badminton, basketball, boccia, soccer, swimming, track and field, table tennis, and volleyball.

He received his bronze medals in boccia, basketball and soccer and his silver medal in volleyball.

Aug. 17

  • After dealing with the fallout of a South Asian Festival featuring kite fighting in July that filled Island Lake with abandoned kites and strings, Orangeville council is looking to prohibit the activity.

Councillor Tess Prendergast presented a notice of motion at a council meeting on Aug. 14, directing town staff to report back on banning kite fighting within Orangeville to prevent further willful destruction to municipal and private property. The motion received unanimous support.

The Basant Mela, a north Indian festival of kites, took place at the Orangeville Agricultural Society Fairgrounds on July 9, where kites were flown hundreds of feet in the air, and the people flying them attempted to cut each other’s lines, creating litter.

These kite lines are often made up of metal, piano wire, fishing line or nylon that can be chemically treated and coated in crushed glass.

The kite fighting resulted in numerous kites and lines getting caught in trees and the lake at the conservation area.

  • Dufferin County has teamed up with four municipalities to launch a new podcast that looks to change the way early years education is talked about.

The podcast, titled Merrily, is hosted by Stephen Hurley and Michelle Schurter. It looks to dive deep into the theory, practice and policy of early years education and highlights the importance of nurturing children’s development during their formative years.

The podcast was created in partnership with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, the County of Lambton, the County of Simcoe and Oxford County.

Aug. 24

  • It was a very peaceful setting for the Elysian Festival at the Alder Recreation Centre soccer fields in Orangeville on Saturday, Aug. 12, and Sunday, Aug. 13.

“‘Elysian’ means a paradise state of mind,” explained festival organizer Leanne De Palma. “This what we were trying to achieve with the festival.”

This was the first year the two-day festival took place, and around 70 participants arrived from all across the province. The festival included a lot of information and presentations on various topics.

Leanne said she was inspired to create the festival while she was meditating in 2022.

  • Orangeville’s only homeless shelter for men could close soon due to a lack of funding.

Erin Goodyear, executive director of the Dufferin Men’s Shelter, told Orangeville council on Aug. 14 that the shelter will shut down next month unless it gets an immediate boost in funding. 

The Dufferin Men’s Shelter opened in March, and the annual cost to run it is $509,100, but the County of Dufferin only provides $163,000. This leaves a $346,000 yearly shortfall or $28,842 monthly.

“The shelter will no longer be financially viable by September 2023, so we are continuing to seek donations and grants. We need to find some stability, and we also need to have some sustainable operations for long term goals. Because now that we’ve opened this organization, of course, we don’t want to close it,” Goodyear told Orangeville council.

“The risk to the community is significant as men who are experiencing homelessness will no longer receive direct supports in this area, if our shelter does close.”

Goodyear requested ongoing funding and advocacy support from the council for the Dufferin Men’s Shelter.

Councillor Andy Macintosh said the funding request should go to the county, as the $346,000 requested by the Dufferin Men’s Shelter equates to an approximately one per cent property tax increase in Orangeville.

Council decided to not make a formal decision on the matter until Choices presented its case to the County of Dufferin council.

  • Orangeville’s Mill St. became a hub for craft beverages and local eats for the Taste of Orangeville and In Good Spirits events over the weekend. 

For the first time, In Good Spirits was held on Friday, Aug. 18, featuring a fantastic selection of beer, wine, cocktails, spirits, mead and non-alcoholic versions of everyone’s favourite drinks to sample. Roughly 300 people came out to enjoy a craft beverage despite an evening of cold weather.

The 8th Annual Taste of Orangeville took place the following day and saw approximately 2,100 people come to Mill St. to sample a wide variety of dishes from restaurants across the region. 

  • Officers from the Caledon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are currently investigating a drowning incident at a private residence about 10 km east of Orangeville. Caledon OPP and emergency crews responded to a report of a drowning in a private residence’s pool on Briarwood Drive, in Caledon on Sunday (Aug. 20), shortly after 6:30 p.m. A four-year-old child was transported to hospital and later pronounced deceased.

Aug. 31

  • Ground has been broken on construction at an existing long-term care facility in Orangeville, with plans for an expansion and renovations.

The project will see 23 new and 137 upgraded beds added to Avalon Care Centre in private and basic rooms.

The redevelopment of the long-term care facility is expected to be completed in the spring of 2026.

  • The number of people utilizing Orangeville’s transit system has roughly doubled since fare-free rides were instated at the start of the year.

The number of riders in the second quarter of 2019 was 27,598; this year, that figure has more than doubled to 55,649. During the first three months of this year, ridership was up 71 per cent, and Town of Orangeville staff say that data indicates this trend will continue.

Pre-pandemic ridership numbers were used since some of the data for 2020-2022 may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

The estimated loss in revenue from offering fare-free transit in Orangeville is $530,000 over the duration of the two-year pilot.

  • Michael Dunmore has been appointed Mono’s new chief administrative officer.

The move was made during town council’s Aug. 24 public meeting. His time in the position began on Aug. 26.

Dunmore replaced Mark Early, who retired after more than three decades on the job. Early indicated his view toward retirement in May.

Sep. 7

  • An explosion at a scrap yard by the intersection of Mill St and South Wellington St. resulted in a fire on Friday, Aug. 31

Orangeville Fire responded to the fire and explosion with three trucks, while the Grand Valley and District Fire Service assisted with one truck to contain the fire.

The fire call came in at 9:42 a.m. on Aug. 31 in response to the explosion.

The local Fire Prevention and Investigation Division is investigating the cause of the incident.

  • An effort by local organizations has resulted in a monetary gift for a family from Ukraine who fled the war-torn country and settled in Orangeville.

A quilt was made by the Grand Valley Agricultural Society to be auctioned off to help a local family. The family left Orangeville before the quilt was completed, so they searched for someone else who could benefit.

The quilt was designed and made with a blue and yellow sunflower pattern.

Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services in Orangeville got involved and recommended a local young family of a mother and two young children. The children’s father had to remain in Ukraine as he was of the age required to stay and protect the country.

  • There is currently a crisis across the country of people overdosing on drugs, with some regions being especially hard hit.

The Dufferin Caledon Drug Strategy Committee hosted an International Overdose Awareness Day event on Thursday, Aug. 31, at the Dufferin County Paramedic Service building on Blind Line in Orangeville.

The event featured speakers sharing their own stories, along with displays and information from several healthcare, community service, and support groups.

It was the sixth year the event has been held in Orangeville.

Sept. 14

  • Many films and television productions have used Orangeville and Dufferin County locales as a backdrop location.

Local talent has even been able to get involved. And Kelly McDowell, an experienced event manager, believes it’s fitting that the region have its own film festival.

McDowell brought her idea for a Dufferin Film Festival to Orangeville council during its regular meeting on Sept. 11.

Her vision for the annual event is to have it hosted by Orangeville in the first year with a view to eventually spread out through the whole county in subsequent editions.

Initial planning has the festival taking place Aug. 9-10, 2024.

  • A new interior design company recently opened in Orangeville.

Inside Styles held a grand opening for the public at 685 Riddell Rd., Unit 104, on Aug. 13 to celebrate the new business, 

  • The 80s and 90s are coming to the Orangeville Fairgrounds for Halloween.

A retro party night featuring DJ Stevie P from z103.5 and the SoundQwest DJ Crew is taking over the Orangeville Agricultural Society (OAS) Event Centre at 247090 Side Rd 5, Mono, on Saturday, Oct. 28.

The entire building has been secured for the event, titled Jamie’s Jam, in memory of late Orangeville resident, community builder, and founder of the Qwest Riders Motorcycle Club, Jamie Ferris. He passed away on May 11. 

Funds raised through the event will be split between the Orangeville Food Bank, Toys for Terry and a fund for Ferris’s three children and baby granddaughter.

“We’re trying to cement Jamie’s legacy based on what we knew Jamie always wanted, which was to hold this party,” said Dana MacGregor, who’s MCing the event and helping to organize it. “We just wish he was here for it, obviously,”

Sept. 21

  • A local man who trains in Jiu Jitsu has returned from Las Vegas with a silver medal after competing in the IBJJF World Championships.

Maurice Gear, who trains at Orangeville’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo Academy, was at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where the competition was held from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3.

This event happens once a year and is considered the most prestigious Jui Jitsu tournament in the world.

Maurice competed in the brown belt division in a field of 60 men. Starting off with a strong performance, Maurice won five of those matches by either submission or on points.

He lost his final match when the judge decided the other competitor had won, and Maurice received the silver medal after battling his way through the very tough competition.

  • The 24th Annual Headwaters Foundation Gala was a resounding success, raising a historic $825,000 (NET) in one evening for Smart Headwaters, the campaign to bring MRI and other needed equipment to the local hospital.

The fundraising evening, which took place on Friday, Sept 8, kicked off with the announcement that George and Bonnie Ledson are donating $100,000 to Headwaters Health Care Foundation’s (HHCF) campaign.

  • The annual Terry Fox run was held on Sunday, September 17, at locations across the country and around the world to raise money for cancer research.

Locally, the Orangeville run took place at the Island Lake Conservation area with an early morning start and the run taking place in the scenic park. With 5 km and 10 km routes, participants could choose which distance they wanted to complete. No one actually had to run, they could walk the entire distance.

The important thing is to take part and help raise funds for this important and worthy cause.

As of Monday morning, the Orangeville walk had raised $21,129.29, making it the third highest amount the local walk has raised, and they are counting on more donations to still come in.

There was around 96 participants in this year’s event.

Over the years, the Orangeville run has raised a total of $513,524.92.

  • The final print version of the Orangeville Banner hit Dufferin County’s doorsteps on Sept. 15.

The Banner and 70 other Metroland Media community newspapers are moving to a digital-only model as the parent company seeks protection and attempts a restructuring under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

Roughly 60 per cent of Metroland’s total workforce, or 605 employees, have been laid off.

Metroland says it does not have sufficient funds to provide severance to employees impacted by the staffing cuts, but those affected will have the opportunity to file a claim during the restructuring process for the amounts they were owed.

Sept. 28

  • In a celebratory evening that saw the top competitive plowmen awards handed out, it was also the night when the new Ontario Queen of the Furrow was crowned—and it was local representative Melissa (Mel) Karpenko who was named to the unique honour.
  • After four days of focused-concentration and attention to detail in the fiercely-competitive plowing competition, the judges’ scores were tallied and the winners announced at last evening’s Celebration of Excellence, held at the Orangeville Fairgrounds.

Scott Thomas of Elmwood with 493 (also the winner of the Lloyd Vandusen Award) and Terry Linton of Roseneath with 468 points were named the Champion and Reserve Champion International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM) Champion Horse Plow Person.

  • Somebody flying a fighting kite in Mono isn’t necessarily a problem.

Deputy Mayor Fred Nix said during town council’s Sept. 26 meeting that the real problem occurs when the people participating in kite fighting allow the debris to fall on neighbouring properties.

And council tasked Fred Simpson, the town clerk, to craft proposed legislation prohibiting “airborne litter.”

Combative kite flying became an issue for Mono council in July when councillors said they felt duped by organizers of a South Asian festival at the Orangeville Agricultural Society’s Fairgrounds.

Hundreds of kites and kite strings were pulled from the waterway at Island Lake Conservation Area, as well as surrounding trees and lands.

Basant Mela is the spring festival of kites to many people in northern India and Pakistan’s Punjab province. It traditionally welcomes the spring season.

The town got many noise complaints that arose from the event, which drew as many as 7,000 people.

The complaints prompted council to consider a municipal bylaw banning the flying of kites. But such a move would have dampened the joy of local children who fly kites in their backyards or farmers’ fields.

Mayor John Creelman said flying a single fighting kite is not the issue. He said the whole objective of kite-fighting is to bring down the defeated kite.

“Personally, I’d stay pretty close to a definition of a fighting kite that is somehow enabled to bring other kites out of the air,” he said. “I think it’s as simple as that. But I don’t want to ban kite-flying per se.

“But there is a particular kind of kite that is equipped with razor blades and a special kind of wire and various other things … that does create litter and potential harm to wildlife.”

  • Menstrual products are now available for free at public access washrooms throughout Orangeville. Dispensers have been installed in an effort to reduce “period poverty” within the town. The initiative is similar to what other municipalities have implemented in recent years, such as Brampton, Toronto, London, St. Catharines, Guelph, Kitchener, and Caledon.
  • Dufferin County Council has declared the Dufferin Men’s Shelter a ‘project in difficulty’ after receiving a request for emergency funding to keep their doors open for the remainder of the year. 

During their meeting on Sept. 14, Dufferin County Council was presented with a business plan from Keith Ward, a Dufferin Men’s Shelter board member, asking to obtain $215,000 in urgent funding. Ward said the funding would allow the shelter to remain open through the winter and into Dufferin County municipalities’ budget cycles. 

“When we started, we could only guestimate what the cost would be. No one else is doing this locally, it’s not as if we have another comparator we could run out to and say ‘please give us your numbers’, we had to start from scratch,” explained Ward. “We have numbers from shelters elsewhere in the GTA, but they’re much higher and we knew it would take some real-world experience to come up with some better numbers.” 

The Dufferin Men’s Shelter, located at 59 Townline in Orangeville, was opened by the Choice’s Youth Shelter organization in March 2023. The shelter provides local men aged 25 years and up experiencing homelessness an alternative to living on the street while connecting them with resources to transition to stable housing and gain independence. The shelter initially opened with 6 available beds but increased due to demand and now has a capacity of 20 beds.

According to Ward, the shelter, on average, sees between 10 to 13 men each night but has also seen as many as 15. 

The County of Dufferin previously provided the shelter with $163,000 in funding when it opened earlier this year. 

In a Health and Human Services Committee meeting held by County Council on Aug. 28, Dufferin Men’s Shelter director Erin Goodyear said the funding had been used to pay staff members’ salaries and that it has no other forms of revenue. She added that the shelter only had enough funding to support continued operation to the end of September. 

The shelter has fundraised to gather additional financial support, but Ward said with the shelter’s uncertain future, it’s been “impossible” to fundraise because there is no guarantee the service will continue. 

A number of councillors raised concerns about the cost of the operations, which requires a base funding of $370,000 annually, and the possibility of additional funding requests from the group in the following months.

County Council approved a motion to provide funding up to $116,000 to the Dufferin Men’s Shelter based on the ‘project in difficulty’ model. The motion stipulates the funding would be given in monthly installments to reflect the monthly costs of operating the shelter. The motion also says a report must be given to County Council in a month to re-evaluate the funding. 

  • Headwaters Health Care Foundation recently received $100,000 towards its Smart Headwaters Campaign.

Todd and Devon McKay of Royal Chevrolet in Orangeville made the sizeable donation.

The donation came on Aug. 17 to support the $18 million Smart Headwaters fundraising campaign, geared towards acquiring a cutting-edge MRI machine and other vital medical technology to enhance diagnostic capabilities and elevate patient care for our community at Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC).

Oct. 5

  • After cutting her teeth in a number of roles in the film industry, one Orangeville resident has taken to cutting film as a director.

And Christine Hann has collected a number of independent film festival kudos for her short film, Food for Thought.

The film, which was directed and written by Hann, picked up the award for best Canadian short at the Nollywood Film Festival in September. It also got nods as an official featured selection at the Toronto Independent Film Festival.

It will also be a featured official selection at the Indigo Moon Festival in the United States this month.

Hann is also one of the film’s producers, along with Lori Zozzolotto, Anju Malhotra, and Maria Belenkova-Buford.

Food for Thought is Hann’s directorial debut after a 20-year marketing, event, and project management career. She’s also worked as a producer, production manager, and a production assistant in the past.

The kernel of inspiration for the short film, which is based on the theme of food insecurity, came from her time volunteering at the Orangeville Food Bank with her children during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the film, a retired accountant volunteers at a local food bank in an attempt to replicate his previous career but struggles to understand that clients aren’t numbers and learns that food is a source of sustenance anddignity.

“The goal of the film is to help diminish negative stereotypes of food bank clients,” Hann said in press materials. “The finished work can be used by food banks across Canada as part of their marketing strategy.”

  • Students at Georgian College in Orangeville took back the night on Sept. 27.

The annual Take Back the Night event was held on Georgian College campuses throughout Ontario. The Social Service Work program has been offered in Orangeville for the past four years and its students participated in the event.

This year was the second outing for students to reclaim the night and stand against gender-based violence, said Johanna Magee, an instructor at the Orangeville campus who organized the local event.

  • A fundraising event hosted by the Orangeville Outlaws Football Club became a memorial event following the sudden passing of a much-admired coach with the organization the evening before the club-sponsored fundraiser was scheduled to take place.

Rashied Walfall was an enthusiastic, dedicated, and supportive coach with the Outlaws’ flag football program. Known for his dedication, he never missed a practice or a game. Even when he became ill, Mr. Walfall continued to support the league and attend games. He was at the Club’s annual awards ceremony the week before his passing.

In addition to his volunteer time with the Outlaws, Mr. Walfall was an officer with the Peel Regional Police.

Mr. Walfall was diagnosed with cancer in July 2022 but continued to attend games and take part in Outlaws events.

The Outlaws decided to host a fundraising event at Westside Secondary School in Orangeville to help Mr. Walfall and his family with any extra expenses that have been incurred due to his illness.

The event was planned for Friday, Sept. 29, on the school fields, with several flag football games taking place.

Unfortunately, Mr. Walfall’s health declined suddenly, and he passed away on Thursday, Sept. 28, the evening before the fundraiser.

News of his passing was a heavy blow to the Outlaws family, and many people arrived at the fundraiser only to be informed he had died.

  • The Town of Orangeville’s new Transit Hub, located behind 30 Centre Street, officially opened on Monday, Oct. 2. Route changes were made to utilize the Transit Hub on the opening day date, which will create safer, more efficient rider experiences, according to the Town of Orangeville.

The former 4th Street location will no longer be used for route changes; however, Orangeville Transit’s ‘Orange Route’ will continue to service the 4th Street stop.

  • Orangeville’s most travelled motorcycle mutt is back in the saddle again—with another children’s book.

Six-year-old “Auston Bowers” is the furry companion of Dufferin County musician, scooter enthusiast, and author Wayne Sumbler. He’s also the main character in Sumbler’s soon-to-be-released book, Auston the Sidecar Dog Saves a Whale — the second installment in a series of children’s books Sumbler has written about Auston since adopting his beloved doggo in 2017.

“My first children’s book, Auston the Sidecar Dog Saves Christmas, came out last year and the response to that book has been amazing,” said Sumbler. “It was Nancy Frater the owner of BookLore in town who encouraged me to write about Auston after he had become so ‘pupular’ as my Sidecar companion on my scooter.”

  • The County of Dufferin and its local municipalities are preparing to support people facing crises with the County’s first-ever emergency support service trailers. 

“Dufferin County continues to experience increasingly wilder weather events, like the 2022 winter storm over Christmas that led to the closing of all County roads,” said Dufferin County Warden Wade Mills. “These emergency support service trailers will help ensure the well-being and safety of our residents and visitors in any crisis. I encourage residents to contact the County to take part – when neighbours join us in helping neighbours, we can all keep our community safe.” 

Dufferin County, together with Amaranth, East Garafraxa, Grand Valley, Melancthon, Mono, Mulmur, Orangeville and Shelburne, has purchased and stocked eight municipal emergency support (ESS) trailers to provide support in local crisis situations. 

The County said the trailers are the first of their kind in Ontario at a regional level and will help ensure the safety and well-being of the community in emergency situations.

  • The Smart Headwaters Campaign is getting a significant boost in funding.

The Headwaters Health Care Auxiliary (HHCA) has pledged $1,000,000 over the next 4 years to Smart Headwaters, as part of the group’s ongoing commitment to ensuring Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) can provide the highest quality of care.

The HHCA group has supported the Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCF) raised money since 1986.

This most recent pledge to Smart Headwaters brings their cumulative giving to over $5.9 Million.

  • Non-profit groups across Canada have been struggling post-pandemic, and that dip in monetary support has extended to some charitable efforts in Orangeville.

The Family Transition Place held its annual Heidi’s Walk for Hope on Sept. 24. It’s a fundraiser to support FTP’s emergency shelter program, counselling, and educational initiatives.

This year’s event generated more than $28,000 from participants who participated in a five-kilometre walk through Island Lake Conservation Area’s trail network. It’s in memory of Dufferin County resident Heidi Ferguson. She was killed in September 2009 by her estranged husband soon after she filed for divorce to end the marriage.

The memorial walk began in 2012, started by Heidi’s parents, Gus and Penny Bogner, as a way to honour their daughter’s legacy.

FTP hosts the walk each year as a means to raise awareness and money towards ending violence against women.

  • The province has raised the minimum wage to $16.55 as of Oct. 1, 2023.

David Puccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills, issued a statement, saying “Starting Sunday, Oct. 1, Ontario’s minimum wage will increase from $15.50 to $16.55 per hour, helping more than 900,000 hard-working men and women across our province earn more take-home pay for themselves and their families.”

The 6.8 per cent raise means up to $2,200 more annually for someone working full-time, bringing Ontario’s minimum wage to one of the highest in the country.

Oct. 12

  • Two local businesses have joined forces to offer a uniquely crafted small batch of cold brew coffee to support a good cause.

Headwaters Beverage Company has launched the “Lovers and Other Strangers” series, where it partners with local businesses to raise money for not-for-profit organizations. 

To kick off the series, Volume 1 is a blended bourbon barrel cold brew coffee called “Hurry Up and Wait,” made in collaboration with Mochaberry. The non-alcoholic beverage costs $5, with 50 cents from every can going to the Alzheimer Society of Dufferin County.

With 960 cans or 40 cases brewed for this limited-edition collaboration, about $500 will be donated to the Alzheimer Society once the drink sells out.

  • Orangeville and surrounding municipalities will have its own place in celebrating independent filmmakers next fall.

The lights will go up on the Dufferin Film Festival (DFF) on Aug. 9-10, 2024.

Kelly McDowell, the festival’s director, said the event will celebrate Canadian independent filmmakers through a curated selection of films, educational opportunities, industry forums, and networking events.

The festival will foster filmmakers, film enthusiasts, and audiences while raising the profile of Canadian talent. Filmmakers can enter their films through FilmFreeway.

“DFF will be showcasing the best of Canadian films of all genres,” McDowell said.

  • Members of the Dufferin County Paramedic Service (DCPS) have been recognized for their contribution and commitment to the field of paramedicine by receiving prestigious awards from the Province and Canada. 

“We are incredibly proud to have the Dufferin County Paramedic Service as part of our team at Headwaters Health Care Centre,” said Kim Delahunt, president and CEO of Headwaters Hospital. “Their dedication and unwavering commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services truly makes a difference in the lives of people in our communities.” 

Eight members of the DCPS were granted the Governor General of Canada’s Exemplary Service Medal for Emergency Services for their dedication and service to the community.

  • The Dufferin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is receiving funding from the provincial government to provide specialized support to people experiencing a mental health crisis. 

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones announced in a press release issued on Monday (Oct. 10) that the local detachment would be granted a total of $207,850 in funding. The funding is being delivered through the Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement Grant program and looks to enable police to utilize trained crisis workers when responding to calls involving mental health. 

Oct. 19

  • Hispanic Heritage Month is being celebrated in Orangeville and began with a gathering and proclamation at Town Hall on Friday, Oct. 13.

Instead of a flag raising, participants brought flags from different countries, all with the same common bond of being Spanish-speaking countries. In total, there were 20 different countries represented from South America and Europe.

Organizers Cindy Aristizabal and Jasmine Meza want to encourage people to celebrate their Hispanic heritage.

“This is the proclamation ceremony and celebration of Hispanic Latin American Heritage Month,” Cindy explained. “This is our fifth year the Town of Orangeville has proclaimed this. We started in 2019. It’s fairly new, and we lost a couple of years with COVID. We still had a proclamation but not a ceremony. We are parents and mothers, and we are hoping to organize a non-profit group, but we are learning as we go.”

  • A growing number of Halloween enthusiasts in Orangeville are going all out with decorating their homes.

And the Orangeville Halloween Haunt Patrol (OHHP) is taking note as it complies a list of all the spookiest homes in town for its fourth consecutive year.

As of Oct. 18, the OHHP list featured 50 houses, which will be narrowed down to the top 10 on Friday, Oct. 27. A panel of community judges will evaluate the top 10 houses on Saturday, Oct. 28, and OHHP’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be announced on Sunday, Oct. 29.

Most competing homeowners dress up in costume during the judging to add a “live-action” element to their Halloween display.

  • Two local health care workers were recently recognized by the Town of Orangeville for their dedication to the community.

On Monday, Oct. 16, during its regular meeting, Orangeville council presented Robin Berger and Nina Little each with a Certificate of Recognition in celebration of their outstanding contributions.

The two recipients worked together for many years, with a large focus on supporting families with babies and young children.

  • Theatre Orangeville will open the doors and close the box office to the local schools that take in shows each season.

David Nairn, the non-profit professional theatre company’s artistic director, told town council Oct. 16 that as many as 5,000 local elementary school students visit the Opera House each year to take in a show.

And, to mark the company’s 30th anniversary, those shows will be free to students. In addition to covering the ticket costs, each school will be provided a bursary for bussing costs.

As many as 275 students from Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 take in Theatre Orangeville shows. In a straw poll, it isn’t unusual that about 250 students will put their hands up when asked who has been to the theatre before.

Nairn said last year, only about 25 of the students indicated they’d been to the theatre before.

“And we realized that between the work stoppage in 2019 in the educational system and three and half years of COVID, these are COVID kids and they had never been in a theatre before in their lives,” Nairn said. “And some of them were up to 10 years of age.”

He offered a tongue-in-cheek apology to municipal staff for the “kid vibe” that will fill the Town Hall Opera House during weekday matinees at about 10 a.m.

“Again this year, we have a great play bill of exceptional Canadian stories that is always reflecting the ever-changing, dynamic cultural mosaic that is our community,” he said.

  • The Dufferin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is pleased to formally announce that Inspector Michael Di Pasquale has been appointed as the Detachment Commander. Inspector Di Pasquale began his career with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in 2002. He has worked at various locations, including the Nottawasaga, Port Credit, Aurora and Toronto OPP detachments. He also served on the Highway Enforcement Team.
  • It was a first-time competitor’s energetic auctioneer chant that caught the judges’ attention at the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo held in Amaranth in September.

At the end of the competition, John Dunn of Alliston came out on top.

Held on Friday, Sept. 22, of this year’s event in the Holmes Agro Agricultural Showcase Tent, Dunn caught the judges attention when it was his turn to take the stage.

Competition judges looked for clearness of speech, rhythm, how well the participants caught the bidder’s eyes, dress code, and how correctly information about the winning bid was relayed to the clerk.

Oct. 26

  • Members of the public asked Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post to apologize for a social media video they believe maligned what they claimed was an effort to protect children.

Participants in the 1 Million March 4 Children rally held locally on Sept. 20 spoke during council’s Oct. 16 regular meeting about their protest against how they believe schools teach sexual orientation and gender identity.

In a September social media video, Post said Orangeville is a “community that values diversity, inclusion, and respect for all of its members. Our commitment to these principals in unwavering and it is my duty as your mayor to uphold them and ensure you feel safe.”

She affirmed her support for a person’s right to protest and to voice opposition.

“I must also make it very clear that I denounce any form of hateful rhetoric or discrimination that may be associated with this particular event, the organizers, or any event in Orangeville,” Post said in her video. “Founders of this organization have been quoted espousing anti-LGBTQ ideologies and harmful misinformation.”

She praised respectful discourse and called for productive conversations about the issue between supporters of the march and various community groups.

Mayor Post said, “I urge the organizers of this protest and those who have joined them to reconsider their position, and to instead engage in constructive dialogue that promotes understanding and empathy.”

  • The 1 Million Person March 4 Children movement held a second rally through the streets of Orangeville on Saturday, Oct. 21, to protest the sex education curriculum in Ontario.

The group’s first march was held on Sept. 20, in conjunction with marches across Canada.

Over 60 people gathered at Alexandra Park on Saturday afternoon before marching through downtown Orangeville. Organizers said they hope the march becomes a monthly event.

Similar marches were held in various cities across the country on Oct. 21.

“At our last march, we had quite a few LGBT out protesting against us – out fight isn’t with them,” said event organizer Jeremy Glass. “We sent Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post an e-mail addressing our concerns with the town, we sent Sylvia Jones (Simcoe-Grey MPP) an e-mail, as well as e-mails to Kyle Seeback (Simcoe-Grey MP) and to the Upper Grand School Board saying we were doing this march. Our concerns are with them, not the LGBT community.”

Marchers began walking down Broadway, then completed a loop going through the Walmart plaza, then back to Alexandra Park.

“What we are protesting against is the curriculum in our schools,” Mr. Glass said. “We want our kids to go to school for an education, not an indoctrination. If you want to teach your kids your beliefs at home, that’s fine. We’re sending them to school for an education.”

He added, “I’m hoping this becomes a monthly thing here – that’s the plan. We just hope more mothers and fathers step up.”

Mr. Glass encouraged marchers to be peaceful and not interact with anyone protesting against the march.

“We’d like to see a silent march after the picture they painted of us last time,” he said to the crowd of protesters before marching. “We were on great behaviour last time, and I’m sure we’ll be on great behaviour this time. We can’t help the picture they paint of us – we just know what we’re here for and what we stand for, and we know we’re doing the right thing.”

A small group of five or six counter-protesters gathered across the street from Alexandra Park, carrying signs. However, the marchers didn’t respond to taunts.

Dufferin OPP Sgt. Terri-Ann said the protest took place without incident.

  • The Orangeville Fairgrounds is the place to this weekend. An 80s/90s retro Halloween party featuring the Soundqwest Crew and DJ Stevie P from the Way Back Playback Drive at 5 Show on z103.5 is taking the venue over in support of local charities on Oct. 28 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The inaugural event, Jamie’s Jam Halloween Bash 2023, is in memory of Jamie Ferris, a former Orangeville resident who founded Qwest Riders Motorcycle Club, Soundqwest DJ Services, and was very active in the community, often spearheading charitable initiatives.

He passed away on May 11, 2023.

The Halloween party is raising funds for the Orangeville Food Bank and the charitable Christmas initiative Toys for Terry, which Ferris used to support through fundraisers with Qwest Riders.

  • Orangeville will use means other than unique crosswalks to recognize community groups.

Council decided at its Oct. 16 regular meeting to celebrate various community groups and efforts without pavement markings. Stylized crosswalks are located at the intersections of Broadway and Mill Street, Broadway and Wellington, and First Street and Broadway. The markings celebrate the LGBTQ and the Indigenous communities.

Council will pay up to $5,000 to remove the deteriorating crosswalks, and future requests for special crosswalks will be denied.

In June, council was told that traffic and winter maintenance operations have taken a considerable toll on the markings since they were installed in 2021. It was determined that the markings could not be repaired to their original condition and that replacing them was the only effective way to continue with the display.

But, the cost to replace the crosswalks would run as high as $30,000, resulting in a service level change to Public Works’ 2024 operating budget.

  • Special things happen because of Valentine’s Day dances.

Jonathan Neville runs Dance Orangeville with his wife, the writer Michelle Grierson. He was putting posters up at Windrush Estate Winery to advertise a Valentine’s dance put on by his academy.

“I had no dream of what lay ahead,” he said.

Conversation led to an invitation for his step-son, Orangeville District Secondary School student Taras Petryk, to perform in the estate’s concert hall.

“And that lead to him recording an album there,” Neville said. “All original compositions.”

Petryk had an album release concert at the winery on Oct. 22. The album’s called “My Mother is an Ocean” and was recorded with the help of his father, Bohdan, and his uncle, who is also named Taras.

The 15-year-old Taras Petryk has already performed a number of shows.

And it all came from such simple beginnings.

Neville said he’d shown his step-son some of the basics of the ivory. He taught him two little tunes and introduced Taras to a blues scale.

The lad blossomed from that point.

“I play piano, including Lizst, Rachmaninoff, Debussy,” Neville said. “But his piano artistry is far beyond mine, and the speed at which he has grown is astonishing.

“I only taught him two tiny tunes and the blues scale. The next day he showed me what you can do with the blues scale. Then, over a couple years, he showed me what can be done with piano by following inspiration, truly playing with heart.”

Marilyn Field, who conducted a choir at the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize when she sang with former Beatle Paul McCartney, lauded Taras as a musical “genius” and a “prodigy.”

“I agree,” said Neville.

  • The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) is exploring the plausibility of moving students from high-capacity elementary schools to ones with more enrolment space. 

In a press release issued on Monday (Oct. 23), the school board said it would be conducting a boundary review in order to address the accommodation pressures at Primrose Elementary School in Mulmur. 

The rural school, which is serviced by a private well and septic system, has an operating capacity of 377 pupil spaces. In recent years, Primrose Elementary has experienced an increase in enrolment, and the current number of students enrolled in the school is approximately 580. 

During a regular meeting in July, Shelburne Town Council received a report from the school board regarding their draft plan for long-term accommodation at schools. 

According to the report, the proposed school to accommodate the boundary review, Centennial Hylands Elementary School, has an enrolment of 413 students with the capacity to accommodate a total of 541 students. 

While looking at the capacity of the elementary schools, Shelburne councillors at the July meeting also urged the school board to investigate a boundary review of Centre Dufferin District High School, particularly regarding students from Grand Valley. 

“It’s an awfully long way to be bussing students from Grand Valley to Shelburne, and I know traditionally it’s been the case because there are limited options for secondary schools, but in my humble opinion that’s one area where I think the school board should be looking at a boundary adjustment,” said Shelburne Mayor Wade Mills.

Centre Dufferin District High School has a capacity of 798 students, and the school currently has 853 students enrolled. The enrolment at the high school is projected to grow to 895 by 2025 and 1,140 by 2030. 

A boundary review is a staff process that allows the school board to review a variety of options for resolving issues with overcapacity and underutilized schools or when determining a new school boundary. 

Nov. 2

  • Last week, the family of Don Voisey informed the community that he died earlier this month.

So many people have said of Don Voisey, “Don was very involved with the community…with Theatre Orangeville… with Family Transition Place… There wasn’t much in Orangeville that he wasn’t involved in. He was busy on the plans for the Rotary Park. Rotary was important to Don.”

A close friend, Richard Delongte’s comments followed the theme, “Don did a lot of work [with many projects], but he kept in the background. We were great friends, and we worked together on a lot of projects.”

Mr. Voisey was “instrumental with Ribfest for so many years. We couldn’t have done it without him. I hope they will use the plans he laid out. This is Rotary’s biggest fundraiser.”

Said Mr. Delongte, “Don genuinely enjoyed being involved, enjoyed helping people – it was really for the right reasons not as self-promotion.”

  • It’s time municipalities across Ontario declare intimate partner violence an epidemic.

That’s the message Norah Kennedy, the executive director at Orangeville’s emergency shelter for domestic violence, Family Transition Place, brought to council when it met on Oct. 30. And it had a particular gravity given the murders that had happened in Sault Ste. Marie in late October.

In what police have called a case of intimate partner violence, a 44-year-old man in Sault Ste. Marie, in October, murdered four people, including three children, before he killed himself. Another woman was injured.

“A family and lives were destroyed because of an act of violence by a man with a history of intimate partner violence,” she said.

Those deaths brought the list of femicides so far this year to 50.

  • An Orangeville-based charitable women’s group, the Lord Dufferin IODE, is bringing back a popular event that was paused due to COVID-19.

Next Saturday, Nov. 9, at Trattoria Semplice Restaurant (20 Dawson Rd., Unit 1, Orangeville), there will be a Dinner and Fashion Show starting at 6 p.m. The event is being held by the Lord Dufferin IODE, in partnership with Classie Casual Boutique, to fundraise for a new wooden nurse statue at the Lord Dufferin Centre after the one that was originally built in 2007 was vandalized last summer.

The damage and internal rot within the statue have made it unrepairable, requiring the purchase of a new one, which is expected to cost over $8,000 once the project is commissioned.

The Lord Dufferin IODE is hopeful the Town of Orangeville and some private donors will help cover the cost, in addition to what’s raised through the Nov. 9 event.

  • Westside Secondary School contributes immensely to breast cancer awareness with its 20th annual Pink Day. On Oct. 27, over 900 students participated in a day of fun and generosity, raising over $16,500 for breast cancer research. 

An assembly was held, along with several fundraising activities leading up to Pink Day, resulting in Westside far surpassing its fundraising goal of $10,000. 

  • A leaking basement at the Orangeville Seniors’ Centre is drawing concern for patrons and staff.

The Orangeville Senior’s Centre on Bythia Street provides social, recreational, and educational opportunities for people 55 and older. Currently, there are 560 members.

Brenda Watson, the administrator at the centre, told town council on Oct. 30 that there’s been water in the building’s basement since before she started working there.

The water leaks into the basement near the shuffleboard court in the spring when snow and ice melt. Staff have minimized water leaks by arranging for heavy snow to be blown away from the exterior wall of the building. That’s in addition to snow removal by the municipality, which is done at cost to the seniors’ centre.

Water runs down a wall in the utility room, across the floor, and under drywall into an adjacent bathroom.

Water also runs into a covered stairwell, which is a downstairs outside entrance and emergency exit.

Efforts began in late 2021 and early 2022 to find ways to rectify leaks in the building envelope.

The senior centre secured an Ontario Trillium Foundation Capital Improvements grant of $106,000 to be used to excavate the creek side of the building down to weeping tiles. Work will be done to ensure weepers are clear and attach a waterproofing material and membrane to the exterior foundation walls to prevent more water from leaking into the basement.

  • Dufferin OPP has charged a 51-year-old man with several offences, including attempted murder, following an investigation into a ‘serious assault’ incident in Shelburne last week.

Officers from the Dufferin detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a 9-1-1 call at an address on Simon Street in Shelburne around 2:25 a.m. last Thursday (Oct. 26). Officers discovered a person inside the residence suffering from serious injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital.

As a result of the investigation, police charged a 51-year-old man with attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, break and enter dwelling house – commit indictable offence, disguise with intent, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, mischief under $5,000, and possession of a schedule I substance – opioid.

  • Firefighters from three local departments battled a fire that broke out at a home in Shelburne last Friday.

Crews from Shelburne, Orangeville and Mulmur-Melancthon fire departments responded to a call for a structure fire at a home on Pineview Gardens shortly before 10 a.m. on Oct. 27.

Shelburne & District Fire Chief Ralph Snyder said the fire broke out in a garage that had been converted into a living space and was discovered by the home’s residents. The cause of the fire is unknown.

The estimated value of damage to the home is $250,000.

Dufferin OPP reported there were no injuries, but fire crews remained on the scene.

Speaking with the Citizen, Chief Snyder said the fire had been deemed ‘non-suspicious,’ but his biggest concern was that the fire department was unable to find any working fire alarms within the home.

  • Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) is one step closer to purchasing its first-ever Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine thanks to a $500,000 pledge to the Smart Headwaters Campaign from Caledon residents Steve & Sandra Hartman. 

Gifts and pledges to Smart Headwaters, including this recent commitment from the Hartmans, bring the total raised thus far to $12 million.

Nov. 9

  • The Orangeville District Secondary School Scarlet Bears cross country team had a stellar performance at the Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association (CWOSSA) championship meet and finished as the overall winning team.

It was the second year in a row that ODSS finished first at CWOSSA.

The meet was held at Greens at Renton Golf Course in Simcoe, Ont., on Thursday, Oct. 26.

  • The hockey program at Orangeville District Secondary School benefited from the help student volunteers provided at the International Plowing Match held in Amaranth in September when the Dufferin Milk Producers paid them back with a $2,500 donation to the school’s hockey program.

Centre Dufferin District High School students from Shelburne also volunteered, and the school received funds to help with its sports programs as well.

The International Plowing Match was held in September and was a huge undertaking, with up to 90,000 visitors arriving for the five-day event.

  • The Dufferin Men’s Shelter is making progress in finding sustainable funding to remain open after being declared a ‘project in difficulty’ by the County of Dufferin.

During the Health and Human Services Committee meeting on Oct. 26, Dufferin County director of community services, Anna McGregor, provided councillors with the first monthly update on the men’s shelter’s finances.

“We have had a lot of communication with the new chair, we have County staff in attendance at their board meetings and for the month of September we actually provided $1,774.17 for that month’s shortfall; that’s a lot less than they had anticipated,” said McGregor. 

At their Sept. 14 meeting, Dufferin County Council was presented with a business plan from Keith Ward, board chair of the Dufferin Men’s Shelter, asking to obtain $215,000 in urgent funding to allow the shelter to remain open through the winter. 

County Council approved a motion to provide funding up to $116,000 to the Dufferin Men’s Shelter based on the “project in difficulty” model. The motion stipulated the funding would be given in monthly installments to reflect the monthly costs of operating the shelter. 

Under the designation as a “project in difficulty,” the shelter is required to share its monthly financial statements to allow the county to provide governance and support its financial shortfalls. 

“I can say they are making progress and things are not as dire as they thought they were,” said McGregor. “We are continuing to support in the background and we will continue to comeback and give you reports.” 

According to McGregor, the men’s shelter has secured additional funding through donors, which is why they didn’t use the full monthly allocation from the county in September. The leftover money from the first month of council funding was carried over to help with future months when the shelter may experience bigger financial shortfalls.

“They might need a little bit of help in the new year, but it’s not as dire as it was,” said McGregor. “Each month we are actually looking at the money in and the money out, what they’ve got in donations and we’re assessing as we go so that we don’t suddenly have any surprises at the end of the year.” 

The County of Dufferin previously provided the shelter with $163,000 in funding when it opened earlier this year. 

The Dufferin Men’s Shelter will continue to provide monthly reports to Dufferin County to evaluate the funding and sustainability of the shelter. 

Nov. 16

  • A 40-year-old long term care facility in Orangeville is about to receive some significant upgrades. The Ontario government announced a full redevelopment of the Avalon Care Centre on Aug. 28.

The project will bring 23 new and 137 upgraded beds to the community, as well as air conditioning throughout the building, larger common areas for residents, and home-like living spaces. The site will also provide diagnostic services and connections for home care.

  • The Mill Street location of the Orangeville Public Library is set to reopen on Nov. 21 after a 13-month closure during renovations.

“The past 13 months have been quite a journey, and while it’s been a longer road than any of us anticipated, we are finally nearing the finish line,” said Darla Fraser, Chief Executive Officer, Orangeville Library.

The Mill Street Library renovations targeted enhanced accessibility, including a new elevator that can transport patrons to all three facility floors.

“We’ve also revamped the public washrooms, added a glass atrium to create a bright and inviting atmosphere, and introduced a customized living wall in the lobby for a touch of nature,” noted Fraser.

  • It may sound less than intended, but the Town of Mono will continue to operate under its “weak mayor system.”

During its regular meeting Nov. 14, town council made known its stand against efforts by Ontario’s government to entrench “strong mayor” powers in some of the province’s urban centres. It’s seen by many as transferring political responsibility for the current housing crisis from Queen’s Park to individual municipalities.

Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, and Bill 39, the Better Municipal Governance Act, were adopted in 2022. The former gives special powers to heads of council, and the latter affords mayors the power to pass municipal legislation with only one-third support of council.

Both are seen as affronts to traditional Western democracy. And both are viewed as a means for the Doug Ford government to shirk responsibility for attempts to alleviate the province’s affordable housing crunch crash and burn.

According to the motion broached by Mono Councillor Elaine Capes against strong mayor powers: “Under the guise of empowering mayors, the provincial government is deliberately blurring accountability for the housing agenda to avoid paying the political cost for disrupting established neighbourhoods. To avoid such a backlash, the Ontario government appears to be transferring political responsibility for the housing crisis to big-city mayors. If affordable housing does not materialize in strong-mayor cities, the province can blame the mayors.”

Coun. Melinda Davie said she can’t believe such legislation is something that needs to be discussed in the county and in the world in which we live.

  • A 51-year-old man charged with attempted murder following a “serious assault” incident in Shelburne last month, is now out of jail after his father pledged his $100,000 bail.

Paul McNevan has been held in a Milton jail since the incident occurred the early morning hours of Oct. 26.

Officers from the Dufferin detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a 9-1-1 call at an address on Simon Street in Shelburne around 2:25 a.m. on Oct. 26. Officers discovered a person inside the residence suffering from serious injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital.

As a result of the investigation, police charged McNevan with attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, break and enter dwelling house – commit indictable offence, disguise with intent, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, mischief under $5,000, and possession of a schedule I substance – opioid.

  • A Grand Valley man has a few extra dollars to put towards his dreams after winning a Lotto Max second prize.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) announced in a press release last Thursday (Nov.9) that James Secord of Grand Valley had won over $75,000 in the Oct. 24 Lotto Max draw.

Nov. 23

  • It has become an annual tradition for many residents in the community, and the Orangeville Optimist Club will once again be turning Kay Cee Gardens into a festive Christmas wonderland of lights during its Christmas in the Park event.

From Dec. 1 to Dec. 31, Kay Cee Gardens on Bythia Street, across from the Senior’s Centre, will be illuminated with millions of lights draped over trees, structures, and displays in the park. This month-long event typically draws more than 24,000 visitors over the course of the display.

  • The Orangeville Food Bank is excited to announce the commencement of its 2023 Holiday Food Drive, setting an ambitious target to address the unprecedented surge in demand for food assistance this year.

In response to the dramatic rise in food bank utilization, the not-for-profit is looking to collect 100,000 pounds of food to meet the community’s growing needs.

“We, like food banks across Ontario and Canada, are seeing a dramatic increase in the need for our services as people from every walk of life struggle to cope with increasing food prices; inflation and the effects of higher interest rates. Our goal is a third of the food we will need this year to ensure we can feed our neighbours, friends and family. We so appreciate the support of the community; without you, we couldn’t do what we do,” said Orangeville Food Bank executive Heather Hayes.

  • The Orangeville Otters Swim Club performed well at a recent swim meet in Owen Sound.

Led by head coach Richard Pady, the team placed first overall in both men’s and women’s competitions at the annual Owen Sound Aquatic Club Swim Meet in November.

Around 300 swimmers competed across several different age groups.

The Otters have had considerable success in competition over the past few years. They are currently looking for new members who are competitive and would like to try swimming as a competitive sport.

  • Members of the Dufferin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) along with Dufferin County EMS, and Fire Services attended a serious three-vehicle collision in Shelburne. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 21, at approximately 7:05 p.m., officers attended County Road 124 in Shelburne for the report of a serious three-vehicle collision. The collision involved a transport truck, and two pickup trucks. 

As a result of the collision, a 23-year-old, male from New Lowell and lone occupant was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

There were no other injuries reported at the time.

  • Dufferin OPP, in cooperation with the Lions Club of Orangeville and Caledon Meals on Wheels (CMOW), has officially launched Project Lifesaver.

An open house marking the program’s launch, with live demonstrations, was held at the Dufferin OPP Detachment in Orangeville on Sunday, Nov. 19.

The project is a system by which the OPP can quickly locate a lost person who has wandered off from their home or caregiver.

It consists of a radio bracelet worn on the wrist or the ankle and emits a signal that the police can track. Using up to three receivers, the OPP can quickly pinpoint someone’s location.

  • Residents living close to the Strada Aggregate gravel pit in Melancthon had the opportunity to bring forward their questions and concerns on a wellness program created to protect their water quality and quantity.

Strada Aggregate hosted the public information session on Nov. 9 at the Horning’s Mills Community Hall in Melancthon. The meeting was intended to advise property owners with wells and natural features within a three-kilometre radius of the gravel pit about the logistics of the WELLness Check Program.

“The turnout was great. The more people and the more questions, the better we can understand the concerns of the community and the better we can address those concerns,” said Kevin Powers, community liaison for Strada Aggregate. “Meetings like this one are very important to us before we make our application, so that we can make our application better and ensure that it meets the needs of the people.”

Nov. 30

  • Little population growth against inflation in Orangeville is expected to have a hand in a 4.5 per cent tax increase next year.

Town council heard during its Nov. 27 meeting that, if the budget were to be accepted as it is, average property owners would see a hit of $145 added to their 2024 tax bills annually.

The Town of Orangeville also collects the taxes on behalf of Dufferin County and the Upper Grand District School Board. The combination of all three levies makes the total levy collected from property owners.

  • Orangeville will soon begin to realize significant savings in policing costs.

Town council and the public got the first look at the municipal 2024 capital and operating budget on Nov. 27. Next year will be the first year following a three-year transition period after the former Orangeville Police Service was replaced with the Ontario Provincial Police in town.

Contributors to the cost of transitioning to the OPP included severances to OPS staff and upgrades to the police station on C Line. The OPP costing requested by the council of the day included a three-year transition period.

That period ends this year and marks the start of a new police billing model.

The new contract pricing model with the OPP will generate annual savings of as much as $4 million. These anticipated savings have allowed the Town of Orangeville to recalibrate existing funding and cost structures within the budget. 

  • In June, the Orangeville Food Bank partnered with the Town of Orangeville and Orangeville Public Library to launch a community vending machine. The machine was housed in Town Hall temporarily until construction was completed at the Mill St. branch of the Orangeville Public Library. 

The healthy food vending machine has now moved to its permanent home at the Mill Street Library, which re-opened on Nov. 21. The branch was selected based on its location as a central downtown point, as the Food Bank itself is located in the west end of Orangeville.

  • A local not-for-profit women’s group is one step closer to replacing a work of art in Orangeville that was vandalized last year.

“The Nurse” statute, commissioned by the Lord Dufferin IODE to mark its 100th anniversary in 2007, sat in front of the Lord Dufferin Centre Retirement Residence for nearly 15 years. In the summer of 2022, the statue was vandalized beyond repair, and roughly $8,000 is now required to replace it.

With the Lord Dufferin Centre operating as Orangeville’s first hospital, the IODE felt it was important to have the nurse sculpture in that location and is now fundraising to replace it. The IODE played a significant role in establishing Orangeville’s first hospital in 1912, and volunteers from the group were trained to work as nurses, making it a fitting location for the statute.

The Lord Dufferin IODE has already fundraised $2,500 to replace the statue through its Dinner and Fashion Show event at Trattoria Semplice Restaurant (20 Dawson Rd.) on Nov. 9. The sold-out event featured eight models showing off a variety of clothing from Classie Causal Boutique.

  • Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post was recently included in a rarified field.

Post, a Humber College Bachelor of Community Development graduate, was nominated for a 2023 Premier’s Awards in the recent graduate category. The Premier’s Awards celebrate the achievements and contributions of Ontario college graduates here in the province and around the world.

Post was elected in 2022 as the town’s second female mayor after serving a four-year term as a councillor. She is an active volunteer serving on several non-profit boards and working alongside local organizations focused on culture, youth, empowerment, and safety.

  • Orange thREADs, the Orangeville Public Library’s stitchery group, made their annual donation of knitted, crocheted, and quilted items to Family Transition Place (FTP) on Nov. 21. The group has made spreading warmth throughout the community – and beyond – a focal point each year. 

The group meets on the third Tuesday of every month and is made up of members from around the community who are passionate about knitting, crocheting, or quilting. It’s an opportunity for fabric artists to come together and share in their passion. 

  • Dufferin County councillors are back at the table, crunching numbers as they begin deliberations over the 2024 budget. 

Dufferin County Council met for a special meeting last Thursday (Nov. 23) to review the 2024 draft budget, give each councillor a look at the financial blueprint for the upcoming year, and determine the tax levy increase. 

Aimee Raves, manager of corporate finance and treasurer of Dufferin County, presented an overview of the 2024 draft budget to councillors, which included a recommended tax levy increase of 7.45 per cent or $49,018,000 in tax dollars. 

The tax levy is the amount of money required to be raised from property taxes to fund the business of Dufferin County.

At the end of the meeting, County Council was able to indicate five specific revisions to the budget that would reduce the budget by about 1.5 million and lead to a tax levy increase of 4 per cent. 

Dec. 7

  • The Orangeville Twisters Gymnastics & Trampoline Club had a special guest at their qualifier and invitational gymnastics meet on Saturday, Dec. 2.

Two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion pole vaulter Alysha Newman attended the meet and presented the medals when the competition was completed. Ranked 8th in the world, Alysha is preparing for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Having an athlete of Alysha’s calibre at the event made it a special day for the young gymnasts.

  • The Town of Orangeville has added a new tree sculpture to its collection of public art.  

The Farmer stands at 64 Broadway, at the corner of Wellington Street in downtown Orangeville. He is dressed in overalls, a shop hat, and sturdy boots. The Farmer contemplates his day of hard work as he leans against a wooden fence post. In front of him are the finished fruits of his labour, a sack of flour labelled Anchor Mill.  

  • Student artists from the Ricky Schaede Art Studio in Orangeville had the opportunity to present their work during a show with the theme “Fairytale & Fantasy” at Theatre Orangeville.

Opening night took place on Friday, Dec. 1, in the upstairs Orangeville Theatre lobby at 87 Broadway.

Ricky Schaede is a local artist who recently opened a studio on First Street in downtown Orangeville and offers art classes to both children and adults. Student artists range in age from six to 14. Many of the works for the art show were created during Ricky Schaede’s art classes at his new studio at 5 First St., which had its grand opening on Nov. 10. Other student artists created the art on their own time.

  • A piece of land in Amaranth will be protected for future generations to benefit from after being purchased for restoration and conservation purposes. 

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), a private nonprofit organization that works to conserve and restore wetlands, has acquired 96 acres of habitat consisting of grasslands, wetlands and forests in Amaranth. 

  • A generous donation was recently made by two Caledon residents. 

On December 1, the Headwaters Health Care Foundation announced that Alan McFadyen and Patricia Tufman had donated $500,000 to the Smart Headwaters campaign. 

The campaign aims to raise $18 million to bring an MRI machine and more to the Headwaters Health Care Centre — the MRI machine would be a first in Dufferin-Caledon. 

McFadyen and Tufman’s gift brings the amount raised through the Smart Headwaters campaign so far to over $12 million. 

Dec. 14

  • Orangeville property owners will soon be adding an extra $145 to the cheque to cover their 2024 municipal tax bill.

Orangeville council adopted a spending plan for next year earlier this month. The 2024 operational and capital budget includes a 4.5 per cent net levy increase, which is about $145 for the average property owner.

That increase is without levies for education and for Dufferin County.

According to a press release, town staff faced a number of challenges toward a reasonable levy adjustment. They had to pit municipal needs against inflation, growing demands for services, and low assessment growth.

The assessment growth for the next year is anticipated to be 0.5 per cent, generating just $119,510 in additional funding for the fiscal year.

  • Despite initial hopes for something sooner, Orangeville’s clock tower on Broadway should be repaired in February.

Council approved $50,000 in June to be drawn from the municipal general reserve fund to cover the clock repairs.

The Verdin Company of Woodstock will repair the clock tower located within the Broadway median between First and Second Streets.

It was shared during Orangeville council’s June meeting that the repairs would be completed before the snow falls this year.

So Orangeville resident Matthew Smith asked for an updated timeline when council met on Dec. 11.

Tim Kocialek, the town’s general manager of infrastructure services, said the parts for the clock tower have been ordered, and the work is expected to be done in February.

  • GlowJam will be hosting its first-ever toy drive youth dance fundraiser at Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS) on Friday, Dec. 15. 

After starting the youth dance fundraisers 10 months ago, GlowJam is back with their ninth dance of the year. 

GlowJam is spreading holiday joy by hosting a festive, fun-filled event featuring games, activities, and prize-giving competitions for children aged seven to 13, all while raising funds for the Orangeville Food Bank. 

  • Headwaters Health Care Centre unveiled its new replacement computed tomography (CT) machine on Friday, Dec. 8.

The machine replaced an older unit that had completed its limited lifetime service and needed to be replaced.

Headwaters images 20 CT outpatients per day, on average. This new machine will enable the hospital to provide greater appointment availability and improved patient experience.

  • The Ontario government is providing the Orangeville Legion with $150,000 capital funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Capital grant stream.

The funding will be used to install a fully functional commercial kitchen at the Orangeville Legion.

  • The Ontario Provincial Police broke down its forecasted bill to Orangeville for next year’s services.

Town council heard during its regular meeting on Dec. 11 that the municipality will be billed $4.38 million for policing services in 2024. That’s a monthly cost of about $364,879.

Provincewide, the OPP costs $428 million. Of that sum, the Base Service costs are $204 million, the Calls for Service cost is $183 million, and the remaining $42 million is for other costs.

  • An abandoned historic house in Orangeville is now level to the ground following a fire early Tuesday morning.

Firefighters from Orangeville Fire and officers from Dufferin OPP responded to a call for a structure fire on Tuesday (Dec. 12) at approximately 2:15 a.m. at an abandoned house on C Line in Orangeville.

Police said the structure was completely engulfed in flames when emergency services arrived, and it was unknown at the time if anyone was inside.

A fire previously broke out in a barn on the property in October 2021, which resulted in the last standing barn within town limits being taken to the ground.

Both the home and the barn on the C-Line property were built in the 1860s and housed the former Dufferin Garden Centre from its inception in the 1970s to its closing in October of 2021.

  • A gathering of men and women came together in front of Family Transition Place in Orangeville to hold the annual vigil for the 14 women who were murdered at L’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal in 1989.

The gathering, which took place on Dec. 6, took a stand for all the women who have been the victims of violence against women across Canada, but especially in Ontario, since the massacre.

Officially, Dec. 6 marked the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and presented an opportunity to reflect on society’s progress and that there’s still a long way to go.

There are 62 women on the list of domestic violence victims’ fatalities across Ontario, far more than ever before.

Dec. 21

  • A local business is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Celtic Fair Jewelry, owned and operated by Constance Scrafield, was founded in 2003. The jewelry business has evolved over the years but it continues to offer the simple promise of high-quality pieces at affordable prices.
  • The Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands donated $20,000 to the Dufferin Men’s Shelter in Orangeville from funds raised at the Club’s annual Taste of Autumn event. The event was held on Oct. 21.
  • The Tire Discounter Group successfully concluded its fourth annual Wheels for Meals and More Campaign in partnership with The Salvation Army, New Hope Community Church, tire manufacturers and tire dealers.

The initiative wrapped up on Dec. 11 and raised $148,788.00.

The campaign, which has become a cornerstone of the holiday season’s spirit of giving in Ontario, for the Tire Discounter Group, ran from Nov. 27 to Dec. 8. The Tire Discounter Group pledged a donation to the Salvation Army for every old tire across their seven Ontario distribution centres.

  • Many people in Ontario will be saying – “it’s about time.”

The Ontario government has announced that beginning no later than Jan. 1, 2026, consumers will be able to buy beer, wine, cider, coolers, seltzers, and other low-alcohol ready-to-drink beverages at all participating convenience, grocery and big box stores across the province.

This new open marketplace will allow up to 8,500 locations where these products can be purchased.

This will be the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition – almost 100 years ago.

Spirits like vodka, gin, and whisky will continue to be sold at the LCBO only.

  • Dufferin County Council have wrapped up their duties for the year after approving the budget for 2024. 

During their meeting last Thursday (Dec. 14), Dufferin County Council approved the 2024 budget with a tax levy increase of 4 per cent, or $15.36 per $100,000 of assessment based on MPAC’S property assessment, on the County’s portion of resident’s tax bill. 

  • Dufferin County Council will be guided by knowing hands for the upcoming year with former Warden Darren White elected to lead council for 2024. 

White was elected to the position, which he will hold for the 2024 term, during a County Council meeting last Thursday (Dec. 15). He is taking over the role from Shelburne Mayor Wade Mills, who chose to step back from the role after holding the position for the last two years. 

Prior to the election for the 2024 Warden, Mills provided a reflection on his time as Warden of Dufferin County. 


Readers Comments (1)

  1. Jeep Diva says:

    Insightful look at the past year in Orangeville! I found the article to be particularly interesting, highlighting the town’s growth and development. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this vibrant community.

     Reply




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