Archive

2024 Year in Review Pt. 1

January 2, 2025   ·   0 Comments

Attention Readers!

For the final edition of the Orangeville Citizen in 2024, we’re taking you through all of the highs and lows over the first six months of the year.

The first half of our 2024 Year in Review will share some of the most significant stories impacting our readers from Jan. 4 to June 27.

Next week we will publish the second half of our Year in Review with all of the highlights from July 4 to Dec. 26.

Now, without any further ado, here’s a look at the year that was!

Jan. 4

• It was a frustrating start to the season for many ski hill operators in the province.

Mild temperatures at the end of December have stopped many resorts from trying to make snow and melted the snow they did have, leaving ski hills bare and green.

The ski hills at the Hockley Valley Resort have no snow – just the remnants of their efforts at the bottom of a couple of hills.

The resort had planned to open the hills in mid-December and were successfully making snow. However, the temperatures rose sharply, and the snow melted away.

• Headwaters Health Care Centre celebrated its first baby of 2024 on Jan. 1 at 8:56 p.m. weight 6 pounds and 13 ounces.

In 2023, there were 861 babies delivered at Headwaters.

Jan. 11

• An effort to bring joy to a local family turned into a big success when around 85 carollers arrived at their Orangeville home on Dec. 23 to sing Christmas carols. The family has been having a difficult season, making several trips to SickKids Hospital in Toronto for one of the children.

The Christmas Nite-Lights Patrol organized the carol singers at the family’s home to make their holiday season a little brighter.

Six-year-old Jessie asked for carollers to come to his home to sing to his sister, who is ill, and the Nite-Lights Patrol went into action.

Jessie’s mom, Laurie, made hot apple cider and hot chocolate for all the carollers when they gathered in front of her home.

• Orangeville resident Bruce Irvine, 67, won over $95,000 from a POKER LOTTO ticket on Dec. 13, 202. He purchased at the Circle K in Orangeville.
• Local resident Hannah Sawyer passed away on Dec. 31, 2023, and her loss will be mourned not only by her immediate family, but the Orangeville sports community as well. 

A statement from the Junior A Northmen says, “Her contributions to our organization will never be forgotten.”

• Over 50 brave souls took the plunge into the freezing Grand River to ring in the new year on Jan. 1.

And those participants ensured that the 33^rd Annual Grand Valley Lions Polar Dip saw a record amount of money raised, with $5,709 and counting going to the Grand Valley Food Bank.

• After having a delay to the start of the season, Hockley Valley Resort has now opened its ski and snowboard hills. The resort was supposed to start ski operations in December, but that was put on hold when mild temperatures melted all the snow.

The resort started skiing operations on Jan. 10, with a limited run, then returned to regular hours today (Jan. 11).

• A local family-owned business, e. Hofmann Plastics Inc., pledged $500,000 in support of Headwaters Health Care Foundation’s Smart Headwaters campaign.

With this gift, the Foundation said it’s proud to announce it has raised $14 million to date and is well on its way to achieving our $18 million goal for Smart Headwaters.  

These funds were used to purchase a new MRI machine and other vital medical technology to enhance diagnostic capabilities, while elevating patient care.

Jan. 18

• The Orangeville Legion was a victim of illegal dumping on Jan. 6. It released video footage showing an unidentified man dumping an unwanted mattress in the waste bin of its parking lot at 7 John St.

The waste bin is on-site to deal with kitchen waste and other garbage the Legion produces.

Despite catching the act on camera, the license plate was too blurry to read, and the Ontario Provincial Police’s investigation into the matter was unsuccessful in identifying the plate.

• Mono council approved its 2024 budget with a six per cent tax increase for residents.
• The Orangeville Food Bank joined forces with the Grand Valley Food Bank to create the “Dufferin Food Share.”

The Orangeville Food Bank announced on Jan. 12 that it was partnering to better address food insecurity within Dufferin County, as the Grand Valley Food Bank has seen a 47 per cent increase in need over 2022. This is even larger than the 37 per cent increase seen at the Orangeville Food Bank over 2022.

The merger between the two food banks in Orangeville and Grand Valley extends their long-standing relationship, sharing resources and helping with administrative tasks.

Jan. 25

• It was cold and snowy, but that didn’t stop pet lovers and their dogs from participating in the Snowy Paws Canicross event on the trails at the Island Lake Conservation Area on Saturday, Jan. 13.

Dogs of all sizes and their owners went through courses of different lengths and enjoyed a good run that benefited everyone involved with some physical activity.

Canicross is the sport of cross-country running with dogs. Runners use hands-free running equipment with a belt and harness to allow the dog to run in front and pull their owner along behind them.

It was a very competitive atmosphere, with first and second place in the 10k run separated by only four seconds.

• Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) announced on Jan. 19 that it had been awarded Accreditation of Exemplary Standing.

Accreditation is an internationally recognized evaluation and quality improvement process that helps organizations identify what they are doing well and where they need to focus their improvement efforts. 

Being accredited means Headwaters has been assessed by an independent third-party organization, Accreditation Canada, and has proven it meets or exceeds current health care standards.

• Ian Casey of Mulmur, 57, won $100,000 with the MERRY MILLIONS prize in the Jan. 9 LOTTO 6/49 draw. The winning ticket was purchased at Pioneer on Airport Road in Mulmur.

Feb. 1

• The Orangeville Food Bank is gearing up to host the 7th Annual “Coldest Night of the Year” (CNOY) walk on Feb. 24 where it aims to raise $180,000.

The food bank saw a 40 per cent increase in the demand over the past year, making the funds important for keeping its shelves stocked.

CNOY is a national event that benefits charities in the communities where it occurs. Tens of thousands of Canadians step outside the warmth and comfort of their homes to gather to support those in need. It is a family-friendly walk that raises money for charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness.

• Patients receiving hemodialysis treatments at Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) will be able to experience them in comfort with the construction of a newly renovated hemodialysis unit. 

The local hospital announced on Monday (Jan. 22) that construction for the modernly renovated hemodialysis unit had begun. 

Hemodialysis is a treatment that filters the blood of a person whose kidneys are not working normally. Hemodialysis treatments are life-sustaining for patients with end-stage kidney disease.

Feb. 8

• Orangeville council granted an extension to the next phase of the Edgewood Valley subdivision.

The two-year draft approval extension was granted during council’s meeting on Feb. 5, despite Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor’s comments that the municipality has gotten “the shaft” throughout the course of the development.

On Feb. 17, 2021, council granted draft approval to a plan of subdivision known as the Edgewood Valley Phase 2B Plan. The lands subject to this subdivision development are generally located southwest of the Blind Line and Hansen Boulevard intersection, immediately to the west of the Meyer Drive and Mason Street residential area.

The 2B Plan will permit the lands to be subdivided to accommodate 51 single detached dwelling lots, 17 on-street townhouses, and a low-density residential block of about 50 condominium townhouses.

• Two Dufferin County residents have teamed up to introduce a new not-for-profit organization aimed at joining the local Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities together. 

Sharon Rigby and Julie Elsdon-Height have launched The Brave Canoe, a community-based not-for-profit organization that looks to bring the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of Dufferin County together to learn, grow and heal. 

“Our mission is to bridge communities, enrich lives, and promote wellbeing within Dufferin County by revitalizing and understanding Indigenous history, culture and traditions,” said co-founder Rigby. 

• A patient at Headwaters Hospital has donated $1 million to the hospital’s charity organization, Headwaters Health Care Foundation, in appreciation of the care they received. 

In a Feb. 5 press release, the local hospital reported that the patient, who has chosen to remain anonymous, pledged one million to the hospital after receiving “excellent care,” specifically in the emergency department. 

The million-dollar gift was directed to Smart Headwaters, an $18 million campaign aimed at acquiring an MRI machine and other vital medical technology to enhance the diagnostic services at the local hospital. 

Feb. 15

• The Orangeville Public Library celebrated the grand reopening of the Mill St. Branch on Feb. 10. The branch officially reopened in November 2023, following several renovations, which included an upgrade of the internal elevator system.  
• The Dufferin Film Festival has announced the winners of their inaugural Screenwriting Competition. 

“We are thrilled to recognize the exceptional talent of Danielle Hawkins, James Gerus and Liam Gillespie, who creativity and passion for storytelling impressed us,” said Kelly McDowell, director of the festival. “Their winning screenplay exemplify the spirit of our festival, which aims to celebrate Canadian cinema and support emerging filmmakers.” 

The Dufferin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition is a program designed to celebrate local talent and foster creativity in the Headwaters area. Writers from all ages and backgrounds were invited to showcase their storytelling abilities by crafting and submitting their scripts. Submissions were collected from October to December 2023 and judged by a panel for their originality, creativity, character development, and dialogue. 

• Efforts to recruit new physicians in Dufferin and Caledon are underway as the Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team (HOHC OHT) announces funding from partners. 

The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team announced in a Feb. 8 press release that the County of Dufferin, Town of Caledon and Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) have committed a combined $150,000 to support local physician recruitment efforts for one year. 

According to the HOHC OHT, there are over 15,000 residents from Dufferin County and Caledon without a family physician, as of March 2022. With the population of the two communities projected to grow by 37 per cent by 2031, Dufferin and Caledon would require 43 additional family physicians to care for the population growth – 14 for Dufferin County and 29 for Caledon. 

Feb. 22

• Orangeville resident, Andrew Blunden has $100,000 more in his bank account thanks to a lottery win. He matched the last six of seven ENCORE numbers in their exact order in the Jan. 9 LOTTO MAX draw to win 100 grand. The winning ticket was purchased online at OLG.ca.
• Dufferin County Council has approved an increase in the number of vacation days for county staff as they look to fill high-level job positions. 

During their meeting on Feb. 8, Dufferin County Council received a report regarding the compensation of non-union county staff members, including the number of yearly vacation days.

The report to Council proposed having entry-level staff begin with 20 days of vacation, and increasing the number of vacation days by 5 for more years of service. Staff with three to seven years of experience were recommended to have 25 days of vacation, those with 8 to 13 years would receive 30 days and staff with 14 years and over of time with the County of Dufferin would get 35 days of vacation.

Council settled on reducing the number of vacation days allotted to each length of service level by five days, meaning entry-level positions will receive 15 days of holiday while senior staff with 25 years or over experience will have 35 days. 

The report and motion were approved by a majority vote, with nine councillors voting in favour of amending the proposed number of vacation days and four voting against. 

• A local group of volunteers is working hard to spread awareness about human trafficking.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is Feb. 22, and CRY NOT is bolstered its message on the important day. 

CRY NOT is a volunteer organization that was created by the Rotary Club of Orangeville and Compass Community Church, organizations that were moved to action when they were made aware of the threat of human trafficking and sex trafficking in Dufferin and Caledon.

CRY NOT stands for Compass Rotary Youth — No Trafficking and its goal is to bring awareness to the threat, tactics, symptoms, and resulting devastating personal effects of human trafficking to the Dufferin and Caledon communities.

• After serving as the executive director of Family Transition Place for over 15 years, long-time advocate for victims of domestic violence, Norah Kennedy, is retiring.

FTP’s Board of Directors announced in a press release on Feb. 20 that Kennedy is resigning from her role, but will continue to lead FTP until the end of 2024.

Feb. 29

• The Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser returned to Orangeville on Saturday (Feb. 24) with a record number of walkers, teams and dollars raised.

Nearly 530 walkers split between 82 teams raised $156,389 for the food bank, which will go a long way in supporting its operations, particularly at a time when donations slow down. 

• The Optimist Club is celebrating 100 years in Canada as a service organization.

In Canada, the Club was founded as the Toronto Optimist Club on Jan. 22, 1924, making it an international organization. The Club first started in Buffalo, New York in 1911.

The Club was founded on a vision of “community betterment,” aiming to “help delinquent boys and to spread the doctrine of optimism.”

The Orangeville Optimist Club has been operating for over 50 years. The local club was founded in September of 1971.

• Orangeville’s sale of former rail spur land will be final late next month. The section to be sold is an elbow of the former Orangeville-Brampton Railway that begins where it crossed Centennial Road and ends at Robb Boulevard.

Quality Cheese Inc., which is part of numbered company 2391110 Ontario Inc., signed back an agreement of purchase and sale (APS) with the municipality to acquire the closed rail spur lands behind the properties 40 to 50 Centennial Road.

The sale of the land as is to 2391110 Ontario Inc. will close on March 21.

The town obtained a June 15, 2023, appraisal of the lands from Blake, Matlock, and Marshall Ltd. that valued the parcel at $1.045 million.

• While an increase in transit ridership is welcomed by Orangeville council, there’s concern about the state of the town’s buses.

Council received the passenger tally for the last half of 2023 during its regular meeting on Feb. 26.

For comparison purposes, staff used 2019 ridership figures as the baseline for the analysis because some of the data in 2020, 2021 and 2022 may have been skewed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other restrictions imposed on transit systems by the provincial government.

As such, staff deemed it prudent to compare the current numbers in the third and fourth quarters of 2023 to a time when there were no restrictions in place. This approach was used for reporting in previous reports.

In Quarter 2, staff reported that Orangeville Transit’s total ridership increased nearly 102 per cent, or from 27,598 passengers to 55,649, more than doubling over the same period in 2019.

Total ridership increased about 170 per cent in Quarter 3 and 140 per cent in Quarter 4 over the same period in 2019.

Staff also compiled and compared operating costs against the number of riders in each period. For 2023, the gross operating expenditure for Orangeville Transit was about $1.043-million compared to $406,831 in 2019.

• The 2024 Autism Speaks Canada (ASC) Walk Ambassador for Orangeville has been named, and efforts are already underway to fundraise and raise awareness for a cause that impacts him personally. 

Solomon Vahey, 11, will be the local face and voice of autism for ASC from now until Sept. 29, when the 8th Annual Orangeville and Area ASC Walk comes to Fendley Park. The announcement was made in early February. 

Solomon, who was diagnosed with autism at age five, told the Citizen he’s excited to take on the role of ambassador and lead the walk. 

March 7

• An Orangeville resident is among a group of six individuals splitting $100,000 after matching the last six of seven ENOCRE numbers in the Dec. 26, 2023 LOTTO MAX draw.

The group members are Nancy Coughler of Orangeville, Massimo Barone of Alliston, Chadwick Robson of Alliston, Darrell Gauley of Alliston, Gerald Grootendorst of Flesherton and Grant Enman of Glencairn.

The group of six coworkers who work in the automotive industry together have been playing the lottery together for about four years.

The winning ticket was purchased at Zehrs on King Street in Alliston.

• Brian Mulroney, who served as Canada’s 18th Prime Minister for nine years under the Conservative Party of Canada, passed away late last month.

In recognition of his passing, the Town of Orangeville’s flags have been flying at half-mast, since Thursday, Feb. 29, when he died at the age of 84.

From 1984 to 1993, Mulroney served as Prime Minister of Canada. He resigned as the Conservative Party leader ahead of the 1993 federal election.

March 14

• The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival is again among the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario for 2024.

The provincial organization, Festivals and Events Ontario, released this year’s list late last month, determined by an independent panel of judges.

Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival has made the top 100 list for the past 11 years, excluding the years it didn’t run due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Festival founder and artistic director Larry Kurtz said with roughly 2,500 festivals held annually in Ontario, it feels great to be recognized year after year.

• Dufferin County residents had the opportunity to discuss the intricacies of the war in Ukraine with a local international affairs columnist. 

Gwynne Dyer, a columnist with the Shelburne Free Press and Orangeville Citizen, was a featured guest at an event co-hosted by CanHist and Mills & Company, at Grace Tipling Hall on March 19.

• Orangeville’s local hospital is leading the way in health care, becoming one of the first hospitals in Canada to implement new automation technology that will better help physicians administer drugs in the operating room.

Headwaters Health Care Centre has marked one year since implementing a BD Pyxis Anesthesia Station (PAS) and Condonics Safe Label System (SLS) in each of their operating rooms.

The BD Pyxis Anesthesia Station (PAS) gives anesthesia providers quick and secure access to a controlled substance for a patient while the Condonics Safe Label System (SLS) uses barcode technology to read information from a drug container and electronically verifies it against the hospital’s pharmacy-approved database during the operation.

• Students and families enrolled at Primrose Elementary School no longer need to worry about relocating to a different school for the 2024-2025 school year.

The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) trustees voted last month to approve an enrollment cap for Primrose Elementary School starting the 2024-2025 school year to help alleviate enrolment pressure.

March 21

• Local boxer Josh Wagner will be back in the ring for an IBF International Welterweight title fight in Toronto on April 27.

Wagner’s last fight took place on October 21, 2023, at the Pickering Casino Resort, and resulted in TKO win over Abraham Juarez Ramirez, fighting out of Mexico City, Mexico. That fight ended in the eighth round with a standing TKO.

The win brings Wagner’s professional record to 17-0, with nine of those fights ending in TKO.

The upcoming fight will be 10 rounds at the Great Canadian Casino Resort in Toronto. Wagner’s opponent is Geronimo Manuel Vazquez, fighting out of Quemu Quemu, La Pampa, Argentina, with a 17-1 record.

• Two local residents travelled to Sweden in early March to participate in the 100th edition of the Vasaloppet cross-country ski race.

John and Rebecca Macdonald took the challenge of competing in the Vasaloppet on March 3 and did very well in the competition.

The race covers a course of 95 km or 56 miles, from the Village of Berga to the Town of Mora.

It is the oldest running cross-country ski race in the world and has the highest number of participants. 

Of the 15,800 skiers who started, over 2,300 competitors failed to complete the gruelling race, but both John and Rebecca made it all the way to the end of the 95 km.

At 54 years of age, John and Rebecca were in the ‘masters’ division and finished with some impressive times. 

It took them over 11 hours to complete, averaging just over ten mph for the entire race.

• Restaurateurs Rick and Michelle Arsenault want to help make Orangeville a “stay and play” tourist destination.

The owners of Bluebird Café and Grill have spread their wings to expand their business model to now include accommodations above their successful dining establishment.

It comes as no surprise that they’ve aptly named their newly opened space – The Nest Suites.

The couple and their boutique suites team, including interior design specialist Alexis Crilly, have woven a subtle and upscale colour palette of contemporary blues and golds throughout the entire 2,500 square-foot upper-level space at 100 Broadway. 

• Two local emergency services recently laced up their skates and squared off in a good-spirited game of hockey.

The Dufferin OPP faced the Orangeville Fire Department on the ice at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports in Orangeville on Saturday, March 16. The event didn’t only provide a spectacle to the roughly 800 attendees who filled out the arena, it also raised $7,500 and counting for the Orangeville Food Bank and Dufferin Child and Family Services (DCAFS). The funds were split evenly between the two organizations.

At the final buzzer, the score was 6-2 for the Orangeville Fire Department.

• Tom Reid, Chief of Dufferin County Paramedic Services (DCPS), has officially announced his retirement. The County of Dufferin and Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) issued a joint press release on Monday (March 18) announcing that Reid would be retiring as Chief of Dufferin County Paramedic Services (DCPS) after more than two decades in the role. 

March 28

• Toronto Rock goalie and former Junior A Northmen player, Nick Rose, has notched an impressive milestone in his professional career after the Rock won 9-8 in overtime over the Halifax Thunderbirds at the First Ontario Centre in Hamilton on Sunday, March 24.

The game marked Rose’s 106th win as a professional goalie in the National Lacrosse League and moved him into third place for all-time goalie wins in the League.

• Dufferin OPP, along with Orangeville Fire Department and Dufferin County EMS, responded to a residential fire at a dwelling on Birch Street in Orangeville on March 26. The Dufferin Major Crime Unit is continuing their investigation with assistance from the Office of the Fire Marshal. 
• The Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival is pulling out all the stops for its 20th edition this year, bringing a stacked lineup of local and international talent to the downtown core over three days.

Countless JUNO Award-winning acts make up the more than 75 artists who will take over downtown Orangeville from May 31 to June 2 with their eclectic live performances.

The festival will feature Canadian artists from coast to coast – Vancouver Island to Halifax – and everywhere in between.

April 4

• The community is coming together to support a woman who lost her three children and both parents in a house fire earlier in the year.

A fundraising BBQ is coming to the shopping plaza at 47 Broadway on Saturday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to help Kristyne (Woodcock) Klassen deal with costs related to the tragedy. She grew up in East Garafraxa and lived in Orangeville for several years. 

The fire took place on Feb. 18, while Kristyne and her husband were away and her parents Pauline and Michael Woodcock were babysitting her three kids, Andrew, William and George.

• Mono and the Ontario Provincial Police have started a new five-year policing agreement. The new five-year agreement came into effect on April 1 and maintains the municipality’s service level that has been over and above normal OPP agreements. It will end on Dec. 31, 2029.
• A central location for local businesses that had been closed since late summer of 2022 due to a devastating fire recently reopened its doors to the community.

Formerly known as the Mill Street Mall, the Old Mill Hub, located at 28 Mill St. reopened at the start of 2024, featuring a denture clinic, jewelry boutique, cellphone repair shop and environmentally friendly refillery store.

The hub is still recovering from the fallout of the August 2022 fire that resulted in its nearly 20 tenants losing their place of business, and all of their inventory, overnight. The fire started at 22 Mill St., abutting the Old Mill Hub, where nine people renting apartments lost all their belongings in the blaze, but fortunately, no one was hurt.

• A business in Orangeville’s downtown area has become the latest victim of vandalism.  

The business, located by the intersection of First St. and Broadway, had its window smashed with a rock on Easter Sunday.

The person who threw the rock remains at large but attempted to conceal their identity with a garbage bag before vandalizing the business. 

“The individual is described as a white male wearing a black garbage bag costume over his navy-blue puffer jacket,” said the Dufferin OPP in a media release. “The bag was used to partially cover his blue, grey and white winter hat.”

April 11

• The Orangeville Food Bank is running out of food. As of Tuesday, April 9, the food bank had bare shelves for juice, cereal, apple sauce, dog food, condiments and diapers.

The shortage of donations comes as a result of skyrocketing demand, as it sees a 41 per cent increase in client usage over 2023. To address the food shortage and rising demand at the Orangeville Food Bank, it’s hosting its first-ever spring food drive on April 20.

The food bank needs to collect 200,000 lbs of donations between now and June to keep up with the amount of food going out its doors.

• It was another successful weekend for the Orangeville Lions Club’s 25th Annual Home and Garden Show. The Lions reached their fundraising goal of $40,000 and saw just over 5,000 people from April 5 to 7 at the Orangeville Fairgrounds. Those funds will be used for future projects in the community. Past projects the Lions have completed include the Lions Sports Pad on Diane Dr. and the BMX Park on the Alder Parklands.
• A supportive housing development with 27 units is officially opening in Orangeville. Services and Housing In the Province (SHIP), a non-profit providing supportive housing and mental health services, announced the completion of the affordable housing development at 236 First Street.

April 18

• Grand Valley resident Alan Mackie is being recognized for his heroic actions that helped save the life of a neighbour last March. He was presented with the prestigious Carnegie Hero Medal on Sunday (April 14) during a special ceremony at the Grand Valley Fire Department for rescuing his elderly neighbour from a house fire.
• Dignitaries, community leaders and members of the public gathered at Orangeville’s new 27-unit supportive housing development at 236 First St. on April 12 to celebrate its completion with a ribbon cutting and open house.

The 14,000 sq. ft. supportive housing development, built and managed by Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP), will offer rent support and integrated services on-site for mental health and addictions.

• Friends and family gathered at the Orangeville Fairgrounds on April 17 to honour Mel Karpenko – this year’s Ontario Queen of the Furrow during the 2023 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, held in Bowling Green, near Grand Valley in September.

Mel was crowned Ontario Queen of the Furrow in a celebratory evening finale as part of the Plowing Match on Sept. 23, 2023, where the top plowmen from the five-day event were also named. She was named Miss Friendship by her fellow competitors and placed in the plowing competition as well.

Since being crowned, Mel has been travelling across the province as an ambassador for the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA) and Ontario Agriculture.

April 25

• Dufferin–Caledon is getting an $800,000 boost in funding from the provincial government’s 2023-24 Gas Tax program.

Municipalities can use the funding to expand service hours, increase routes, purchase new vehicles and improve accessibility to increase transit ridership.

Orangeville is receiving $294,473 while Caledon is receiving $568,726.

• From a small town beginning to being voted the #1 Lacrosse Town in the World, Orangeville is known worldwide thanks to lacrosse and the Orangeville Northmen have gained a legendary reputation in the sporting world.

With a thriving minor program and three Junior level teams, the Northmen organization has produced players who went on to have successful collegiate and professional careers in lacrosse as players and coaches around North America.

A film now in the works is documenting the Northmen story. Titled, The Northmen Way, the film takes an inside look at the Northmen organization. This documentary is three years in the making and will celebrate the sport and the history of the Northmen.

May 2

• While it can be difficult to find a sports program that accommodates individuals with special needs, the Orangeville Wolves ensures they have that opportunity.

Since 1999, the Orangeville Wolves has provided hockey programming to people with disabilities, helping them to build confidence, develop skills out on the ice, and feel a sense of belonging.

The Orangeville Wolves are a part of Special Hockey International (SHI), a league with teams across North America. The SHI Annual Tournament was held from April 25 to 27 in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Orangeville squad travelled there by bus to take part. 

While the team played well on the ice and had lots of fun, there was a hiccup when travelling.

On the way home from the tournament on April 28, there was a collision between the Orangeville Wolves bus and a pickup truck on the QEW in Lincoln, Ont.

The driver of the pickup truck was sent to the hospital with minor injuries. 

“[There were] no serious injuries to anyone on the bus, however, it did delay us by 4 hours,” said Orangeville Wolves head coach Martin Porteous.

• Family Transition Place (FTP) has named a new executive director. 

Family Transition Place’s board of directors announced in a press release on April 26, that Lynette Pole-Langdon has been named as the incoming executive director. Pole-Langdon will be replacing the current executive director, Norah Kennedy, who announced her retirement in February. 

May 9

• Dufferin County residents who enjoy a challenging game of mini putt can now do so close to home. 

The 10 and 10 Driving Range in Mono opened a state-of-the-art 18-hole outdoor mini putt course last month and has plans to open an additional 18 holes in the coming weeks. 

Planning for the course began four years ago, and a professional golf course designer developed the layout for the 36 holes. It’s been under construction for the past two years.

• Municipal and provincial dignitaries served up the new tennis courts at Lynn Gibson Park in Mono late last week.

Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma and Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones joined Mono Mayor John Creelman and Mike Dunmore, the town’s CAO, to officially open the new courts on Friday, May 3.

The two fully accessible courts have fencing, LED lighting, and a viewing platform for spectators. 

• Orangeville’s first wind phone was established, perhaps fittingly, at Headwaters Health Care Centre.

The wind phone, inspired by a Japanese concept, is a tool for people to communicate with loved ones who have passed away. The wind phones will offer a unique space for individuals to find solace and connect with lost loved ones.

The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team’s (HOHC OHT) bereavement group, in partnership with Headwaters Health Care Centre, unveiled the first of many HOHC OHT wind phones across Dufferin County and Caledon on May 7.

May 16

• After three years and several delays due to unexpected challenges during construction, the Alder Recreation Centre pools opened to the public. A full slate of free swim programming was scheduled at Alder, starting on May 21
• Orangeville council decided not to pursue heritage status for York Street area properties.

Mayor Lisa Post said council makes its decisions by way of a combination of factors: The expert advice of staff complemented by community participation in the decision-making process. In a report to council, the town’s planning staff recommended that the effort to have York Street area properties designated as a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) be suspended.

Instead, staff urged council to task the Heritage Orangeville committee with the job of reviewing and updating non-designated properties on the Municipal Heritage Register. There are more than 450 non-designated properties currently on the register. Staff suggested an outside consultant be hired, even though consultants had been hired in the past to look into the same issue.

A number of York Street area residents wrote council in support of the HCD designation.

Due to the number of York Street residents voicing support for the HCD designation, council approved a motion to hold an open house meeting with resident and hire a heritage planning student to review the municipal non-designated properties and determine which ones should be prioritized for heritage status.

• Pamela Anne Claridge, who led a life dedicated to her passion for music and enhancing the community, passed away at Headwaters Health Care Centre at the age of 80 on May 9.

She is survived by her four grandchildren, three children and husband Tom Claridge.

As a trained vocalist and soloist, she performed with countless choirs throughout her life and did many solo performances in her early years.

Over the years, Pam has played for countless funerals with Dods and McNair. She was an organist and choirmaster at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Shelburne and later at St. Mark’s Church in Orangeville. For over 40 years she organized music programs in senior homes. 

Pam was also involved with a local school breakfast program for a number of years.

When it comes to community newspapers in the region, the Claridge name is well-known. Tom and Pam Claridge founded the Orangeville Citizen and took ownership of the then Shelburne Free Press and Economist in the early 70s. They also owned the Grand Valley Star-Vidette and Caledon Citizen. 

May 23

• Robert Breese of Amaranth has $100,000 more dollars in his bank after purchasing a winning ticket for a recent LOTTO MAX draw. The winning ticket was purchased at Shopper’s Drug Mart on First Street in Orangeville.
• Wightman, a Canadian telecommunications company that’s operated for 115 years, has recently expanded its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) technology to Shelburne.

Shelburne is the 13th community where Wightman has built a large-scale fibre optics project, with construction underway and most of the work set for completion by the end of 2024. 

May 30

• The National Lacrosse League (NLL) has announced that Toronto Rock goaltender, and former Orangeville Northmen, Nick Rose, is the winner of the 2024 NLL Goaltender of the Year Award.

Rose’s spectacular season saw him lead the NLL in wins, with 15, a goals-against average of 9.18, and a save percentage of .812. This is considered the goalie version of the Triple Crown.

• The Grand River by Hereward Park turned yellow on Saturday (May 25) afternoon with 4,000 rubber duckies.

Over 1,500 people gathered at the park for the 27th Annual Grand Valley Lions Duck Day, where over $30,000 in prizes was distributed.

• The Town of Mono unveiled six new pickleball courts on May 24.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones, Mono Mayor John Creelman, Mono CAO Mike Dunmore, and a host of avid pickleball players, at Mono College Park.

The courts are complete with nets, posts, fencing, windbreak, and LED lighting.

A $150,000 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) was committed specifically toward the construction of the new pickleball courts.

June 6

• The Crane Gathering Space at Island Lake Conservation Area is complete.

The Crane Gathering Space is the first Indigenous placemaking site along the Credit Valley Trail (CVT). The site is at the northern trailhead of the CVT at Island Lake Conservation Area in Orangeville.

• The 20th Annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, which ran from May 31 to June 2, marked another record-breaking year for attendance and ticket sales.

The festival, held along Broadway and Alexandra Park, featured world-class talent from the jazz and blues genres. Some of the headlining acts included Jack De Keyzer, the Legendary Downchild Blues Band, Dawn Tyler Watson, Nick Moss Band, Heather Bambrick, Ghost Town Blues Band and Laila Biali.

While the numbers are still being tallied, Kurtz said this year has surpassed the attendance of nearly 40,000 people over three days in 2023

• Orangeville is in danger of drying up. Council discussed on June 3 new restrictions in its summer Lawn Watering Bylaw that could aid in the conservation of the municipal water supply.

Tim Kocialek, the town’s general manager of infrastructure services, said nobody wants to restrict water consumption. But the capacity of aged municipal drinking water is reducing.

There have been instances when residents’ daily water demands exceeded what could be pumped from the wells. It was pure luck, Kocialek said, that it didn’t occur over consecutive days and that the water towers had enough stored water to compensate.\

June 13

• A group of York Street residents say a proposed housing development for Orangeville is needed, but it isn’t suitable for their neighbourhood.

Town council is weighing a proposal to build 12 three-storey townhouse units on a private road off 11A York St. John Woolner is part of a group of York St. residents lobbying against the town changing its zoning bylaw and Official Plan to allow the development.

Orangeville council will vote on the amendments at a meeting on June 17.

Concerned citizens plan to picket the meeting and there is a petition against the development available to be signed at businesses.

On Change.org, a petition titled “STOP 11A YORK STREET” has received 320 signatures since launching on June 3.

• A new Chief has been appointed to the Dufferin County Paramedic Service (DCPS).

Dufferin County and Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) announced in a June 5 press release that veteran paramedic, Gary Staples, had been named as the newest Chief of the Dufferin County Paramedic Service.

June 20

• One of the architects who designed the proposed housing development for York Street says the new structures will not affect the streetscape.

That was an assertion made during a meeting at Orangeville Town Hall as part of the public consultation process on June 17.

The proponents, who are the property’s owners, are asking council to amend the town’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw for the property at 11A York Street. It is situated on the south side of York Street, west of John Street and north of Kay Cee Gardens.

As part of the proposal, an existing single-storey dwelling on the property would be removed to make way for the private driveway providing access to the townhouse units.

The Official Plan amendment seeks to re-designate the property from low-density residential to low-density multiple.

Some York Street residents have lobbied against the proposal and are in favour of designating the neighbourhood a Housing Conservation District.

Mayor Lisa Post said the meeting was merely “an exercise in information gathering” and council never intended to vote for or against the zoning changes as many people believed would happen.

• Dufferin County residents teed up and took the swing to help raise needed funds for a local organization helping to support youth in the community.

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Dufferin and District hosted their 30th annual golf tournament last Thursday (June 13) at the Shelburne Golf and Country Club.

The event saw 45 golfers take to the fairways and greens, raising $14,000 for BBBS.

June 27

• Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre is no longer offering programming in its pool.

All of Tony Rose’s aquatics programs offered have been moved to Alder Street Recreation Centre, while the Town of Orangeville addresses challenges with the mechanical features of the Tony Rose pool.

The change has been made to accommodate those impacted by the temporary pool closure, which took effect on June 24.

• Wayne Townsend has another feather in his cap.

The local historian and author added to his list of accolades during Orangeville council’s June 24 meeting when he was named Ontario’s Senior of the Year. The award is earned by an individual who has enriched the social, cultural, and civic life in the community.

• The 11th Annual Compass Run For Food took place earlier this month in Orangeville and raised $65,000 to combat food insecurity throughout Dufferin County.
• The Township of Melancthon held a special event to celebrate its 171st birthday on Saturday, June 22, with events taking place at the Community Centre in Horning’s Mills. While the town’s founding does not have a specific date, the day is celebrated every year on the third Saturday in June.

Readers Comments (0)