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2024 Year in Review Pt. 2

January 2, 2025   ·   0 Comments

Attention Readers!

For the first edition of the Orangeville Citizen in 2025, we’re taking you through all of the highs and lows over the final six months of the year.

The first half of our 2024 Year in Review was published on Dec. 26 and shared some of the most significant stories impacting our readers from Jan. 4 to June 27.

This week, we’re publishing 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!

July 4

• Orangeville’s integrity commissioner has ruled the municipal code of conduct was not violated by social media comments made by a councillor about a transgendered swimmer.

Charles Harnick, a mediator and arbitrator with ADR Chambers in Toronto and Orangeville’s integrity commissioner, ruled in May that an unnamed town councillor did nothing outside the municipal code of conduct through comments on the Facebook page “Orangeville Bitch and Complain.”

The council member remains anonymous because Harnick’s investigation didn’t find anything that contravened the municipal code of conduct.

The allegation was regarding comments made in January that the complainant was racist and hateful and the complainant was told not to use Orangeville public facilities.

In his report, Harnick, a former Attorney General of Ontario, said the comment didn’t amount to harassment or bullying.

• The Town of Orangeville and the Lord Dufferin Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) have partnered to install a new tree sculpture honouring the group’s work in the Orangeville area.

“The Nurse” recognizes the remarkable history of the IODE’s ongoing contributions to the community and its longstanding commitment to supporting Headwaters Hospital. It is located at 32 First St. in front of the Lord Dufferin Centre.

• About 10 per cent of Orangeville’s treated potable water is lost through leaks.

Ryan Ondusko, manager of infrastructure services at the town’s Department of Public Works, said the municipality has limited water supply capacity to service future developments “beyond what is currently approved or in progress towards approval.”

That’s important to note, given that officials at town hall have previously maintained that housing development isn’t a concern for the water supply. It’s the peak use that’s the worry: A high number of people using water at the same time so that the supply can’t keep up.

Like, say, many residents running lawn sprinklers at the same time.

Ondusko said existing wells have been in service for about 34 years and several wells have since experienced declines in efficiency and supply capacity.

July 11

• Orangeville native Logan Sawyer is going to start the next phase of his hockey career after being selected 78th overall by the Montreal Canadiens.

Logan played the 2023-24 season with the Brooks Bandits. Based in Brooks Alberta, the Bandits played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League before joining the British Columbia Hockey League in February 2024.

• It’s illegal to fly souped-up kites outfitted with sharp edges for battles in the sky over Mono.

Town council gave the final reading on June 25 of a bylaw against kite fighting in Mono. And of public comments received after the bylaw’s first reading, residents seemed overwhelmingly in favour of the ban.

Fines for a person contravening the bylaw are $5,000 for a first offence and $10,000 for any subsequence offence. These increase to $50,000 for a first offence if committed by a corporation and $100,000 for subsequent offences.

• Robert Roper of Orangeville claimed the second prize in the June 5 LOTTO 6/49 draw, worth $53,261. Roper, who’s a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, purchased the winning ticket at Circle K on Dixie Road in Mississauga. He’s played the lottery for about 20 years and is now celebrating his first big win. Roper said his win will be put towards his retirement. 
• A crucial piece of equipment’s failure at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre has led Orangeville to consider the pool’s future.

A report from the town’s Department of Community Services said that, despite numerous attempts to fix the unit over the past year, the equipment is unrepairable. With the onset of increased warm air and high humidity, mold has started to grow on the acoustic panels and is noticeable on equipment.

Council weighed during its July 8 meeting the option to either spend $1.1 million or temporarily shutter the pool to allow staff to conduct an assessment.

Council decided to undertake a full assessment of the pool at the sports centre following the demise of the pool’s dehumidification unit in June. The assessment will identify the full extent of remediation required for the pool and consider other usage opportunities for the facility.

July 18

• Dufferin County Council has approved a request to move funds from the social housing reserve to continue helping residents seeking municipal housing support.

During Dufferin County Council’s meeting on July 11, Councillor Lisa Post, chair of the health and human services committee, shared with council that there isn’t sufficient funding to continue supporting those experiencing homelessness.  

“Due to some funding uncertainties at both the provincial and federal levels, staff have recognized that there’s a gap and in the short term they’re looking to draw $100,000 from the reserves that’s specifically allocated for social housing and that will allow staff to continue to move clients from homelessness to housing,” said Post.

• Orangeville’s local hospital has brand-new X-ray technology. 

On July 17, the Headwaters Health Care Centre unveiled its new X-ray machine at an event attended by dignitaries, hospital staff, and representatives from the Headwaters Health Care Foundation.

Smart Headwaters is a $18-million fundraising campaign run by the Headwaters Health Care Foundation that is ongoing. It’s the reason the new X-ray machine was able to be installed, and the end goal of the campaign is to bring an MRI machine to the Headwaters Health Care Centre. The campaign has also helped bring a CT scanner and more to the hospital. 

• Ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and large beer pack sizes are now available in Ontario’s grocery stores.

The addition of these products to grocery stores came into effect today (July 18), two weeks ahead of the originally scheduled date of Aug. 1.

The Ontario government accelerated the first phase of its plan to expand alcohol sales into grocery, convenience and big-box stores by allowing the 450 grocery stores that are currently licensed to sell beer, cider or wine to sell them once they arrive in store.

July 25

• The 15th Annual Rotary Club of Orangeville Ribfest brought more than 22,000 to the Alder Recreation Centre playing fields last weekend.

Residents of Orangeville and the surrounding area enjoyed all things BBQ from July 19 to 21, with six ribbers set up over those three days, in addition to a wide selection of food vendors.

Around $75,000 was raised for the Orangeville Rotary Club through the event. This money stays in the community and is used to support local not-for-profits and community projects, like the redevelopment of Rotary Park or the Rotary Splashpad at Fendley Park.

Aug. 1

• A retired officer from the Canadian Armed Forces who served on the Orangeville Legion Branch 233 executive recently passed away.

John Stephen Harris, a devoted father, grandfather, and friend to many, lived a life of service, with unwavering love and a generous spirit. He died at the age of 77 on July 18.

Harris served as the Orangeville Legion’s Public Relations Officer, since 2019, bringing much-needed updates to the organization’s website to boost activity, sharing press releases, and working hard to keep the community informed.

• A local business focused on providing services to people with disabilities recently received an internationally recognized accreditation.

Branching Out Support Services (BOSS), a grassroots social enterprise providing services for people across the age span with neurodiversities, recently announced its achievement of Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) Accreditation. 

While BOSS isn’t a not-for-profit organization, receiving the accreditation means that it is a mission-driven company that aims to balance purpose and profit.

• National Lacrosse League (NLL) Goalie of the Year, Nick Rose, has re-signed with the Toronto Rock for a one-year deal.

The announcement was made by Rock GM Jamie Dawick on July 30.

Rose, who’s a 36-year-old Orangeville native, was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent, with his current agreement set to expire on July 31. The signing is pending league approval.

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

Dufferin County and Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) announced in a press release on July 24 that Darin Tjeerdsma had been named the newest Deputy Chief of the local paramedic service.

Aug. 8

• Bernard Kent of Orangeville took home $78,261.10 in the July 6, 2024 LOTTO 6/49 Draw when he claimed the second prize. Kent’s winning ticket was purchased at Liuson Convenience Store on Brenda Boulevard in Orangeville.

Aug. 15

• An Orangeville family has completed a goal that was nine years in the making. It took them across some pretty rough terrain in southern Ontario.

Jake Smith and his sons Jadon and Noah, began a quest to walk the entire Bruce Trail from Queenstown to Tobermory – that’s 890 km, (550 miles) in 2015. Jadon was just three years old when they started the adventure and is now one of the youngest hikers to complete the entire trail.

• A new quick-service restaurant in Orangeville is adding an Indian twist to tacos, burgers, wraps, burritos, bowls and more.

Twisted Indian, located at 520 Alder St., Unit 4, had a soft opening in July and celebrated its grand opening last Friday, Aug. 9.

To mark the occasion, the restaurant offered 100 free burritos to its first 100 customers, and all of the burritos were gone in under an hour.

• Filmmakers, writers, and movie buffs flocked to the Opera House in Orangeville on Aug. 9 and Aug. 10 to celebrate the inaugural Dufferin Film Festival (DFF).

Created by Kelly McDowell and Nick Rose, the Dufferin Film Festival looks to “create a platform where Canadian filmmakers and audiences can connect, inspire, and engage in meaningful conversations.”

The two-day film festival featured 16 original films that ranged in genres including comedy, dramas and documentaries.

Aug. 22

• There will now be one point of access for hospice palliative care, grief and bereavement, and community care services in Dufferin and Caledon.

On Aug. 14, Bethell Hospice and Hospice Dufferin announced Hospice Dufferin’s services will be hosted under the Bethell Hospice banner as of Oct. 1. 

• Two Orangeville basketball players have returned home with gold medals after competing in the Canadian Basketball Championships in St. John’s, Newfoundland Aug. 5-10.

Emma Firth competed with U15 Team Ontario and Ayla Corrigale competed with the U17 Team Ontario squad.

Both girls went through a try-out and qualifying rounds and were chosen for their provincial teams.

The Championships are represented by the best basketball players from nine provinces that compete for the title.

Emma’s team went undefeated through the tournament and won the gold with a score of 80-39 over Team Quebec in the final game.

The U17 Ontario team also went undefeated in the tournament. They won the championship with a 55-45 win over Quebec in the final game.

• Dufferin Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers seized $500,000 worth of stolen property and $500,000 worth of illegal drugs when they executed two search warrants at an address in Orangeville on Aug. 15.

Kuldeep Singh Otal of Brampton faced several charges related to the search and seizure. He has been charged with eight counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, one count of possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking – Methamphetamine and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine.

Dufferin OPP seized 15 bricks of cocaine totalling 16,500 grams and 560 grams of methamphetamine.

• Headwaters Health Care Centre is one step closer to purchasing its first MRI machine.

The 3^rd Annual Hockey Night in Dufferin–Caledon event at Teen Ranch on Aug. 14 raised $150,000 for the hospital’s fundraising campaign for an MRI.

Headwaters is anticipating it will have the diagnostic technology by spring of next year and once operational, it will be able to conduct up to 4,000 scans per year.

Hockey Night in Dufferin–Caledon saw up-and-coming NHL players compete with veterans, making for some high-level hockey action for fans to enjoy.

Teen Ranch’s hockey arena was packed for a sold-out game between Team Dufferin and Team Caledon. Team Caledon won the game 13-10.

The game featured NHL players, such as Doug Gilmour, Darcy Tucker, Mike Krushelnyski, Aaron Downey, Brett Ritchie, draft pick Logan Sawyer, and the Frasca brothers.

Aug. 29

• After a successful season that saw them win the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) championship and earn the right to compete at the national level for the 2024 Minto Cup, the Orangeville Junior A Northmen will call it a year after taking a loss to the Coquitlam Adanacs in the final Minto Cup series.

The final game took place at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex in Coquitlam B.C. on Friday, Aug. 23.

• April 14 started like any other day for Grand Valley resident Sherry Lambercy.

However, late in the afternoon, she experienced discomfort that turned out to be a lot more serious than her symptoms indicated.

Earlier in the week, Sherry had experienced what she thought, was heartburn or indigestion. The pain worsened that afternoon after returning from watching her grandson play in an all-star hockey game.

Her husband Dan realized the situation might be more serious than originally thought, and he called 911.

That call saved Sherry’s life.

One minute-and-a-half later, Dufferin County Paramedics were at her door having been dispatched from the Grand Valley Paramedic Station just up the street from where Sherry lives.

Paramedics Evan Daemke and Georgia Reidl arrived along with firefighters from Grand Valley.

When they arrived, Sherry’s condition went from bad to worse.

“We hooked her up to the monitor, which monitors heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and other things like CO2,” Georgia explained.

Looking at the monitor, Georgia could see it indicated a heart attack.

Sherry was taken to Southlake Regional Health Care in Newmarket, which is the main cardiac centre for the region, but that was after the paramedics had to stabilize her.

The ride to the hospital was harrowing, to say the least.

“Sherry was having a heart attack and on our way to Southlake, probably five or 10 minutes out, she went into cardiac arrest,” Evan explained. “She was defibrillated seven times. The first time Sherry went into cardiac arrest, we had her back immediately, but each subsequent time was longer and longer.”

They were approaching the hospital and the team knew if they kept up the lifesaving effort, they had a chance to get Sherry to the hospital and save her life.

Sherry was treated at Southlake and a stent was used to open an artery. She recovered and was released three days later.

On Monday, Aug. 26, Sherry was at the Dufferin County Paramedic Station in Grand Valley to personally thank them for saving her life.

• Dufferin–Caledon MPP and Ontario’s Minister of Health Sylvia Jones recently announced that Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) will be receiving $3.6 million in support of essential infrastructure upgrades and repairs.

The funding comes from the provincial government’s Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF) Program. This program aims to enhance the infrastructure of hospitals and health facilities in communities across Ontario.

• Family Transition Place will not hold Heidi’s Walk for Hope this year.

The fundraiser started as the Ferguson Memorial Walk in 2012, created by Gus and Penny Bogner to honour their daughter Heidi Lee Ferguson (née Bogner). She was tragically killed on Sept. 12, 2009, in a domestic dispute with her estranged husband.

The Bogner family raised over $120,000 in support of Family Transition Place’s largely unfunded youth education programs from 2012 to 2019.

Family Transition Place took over the walk and carried forward Heidi’s legacy from 2020-2023, raising an additional $75,000, bringing the total amount fundraised up to nearly $200,000.

Oct. 3

• The Autism Speaks Canada (ASC) Walk in Orangeville on Sunday, Sept. 29, brought roughly 200 people to Fendley Park for a 3-kilometre walk in support of a good cause.

Over $18,000 was raised for ASC through the walk, which will be used to fund advocacy, services, supports, research and innovation, with a focus on advances in care for autistic individuals and their families.

Orangeville resident Solomon Vahey, 11, who has autism, was this year’s ASC walk ambassador and led the event alongside his service dog Major.

• Parts of downtown Orangeville have been made up of artificial snow and ice throughout September as film crews flip the community into the backdrop for an upcoming holiday movie.

But, this holiday season the Town of Orangeville won’t be the only one making an appearance on the silver screen.

Seven local youth – Logan Coombes, Alex Feret, Westin Amaya, Greysin Amaya, Sophie Lauria, Arianna Salonga and Noah Bayne – will all find themselves on screen as background characters in the Hallmark Christmas movie “Trading Up Christmas.”

The young actors hit the set located on Mill Street in Orangeville on Friday (Sept. 27) evening for the last scheduled day of filming. For the budding young actors, it was the first time they’d experienced stepping onto a movie set.

• Hope remains in Heidi Ferguson’s absence. It’s the hope that comes from the youth education initiatives that benefitted from funding raised by the annual Heidi’s Walk for Hope run by Orangeville’s Family Transition Place (FTP) and, before that, the Ferguson Memorial Walk held by Penny and Gus Bogner, Heidi’s parents.

The FTP announced earlier this year that the memorial walk in honour of Heidi Lee Ferguson had reached its last mile. But, to keep her memory alive, a bronze plaque in her honour has been installed on granite outside FTP’s building at 20 Bredin Pkwy.

• Purchasing sports equipment for children and youth can be financially draining, especially when they’re growing out of the equipment year after year. It can also be a big risk for parents to purchase gear for a sport that their child has never tried and may not want to pursue.

But, an Orangeville man is donating his time and resources to fix this problem.

Brian Hooper, who owns and runs Hooper’s Skate Sharpening, takes in donations of used equipment, repairs or refurbishes it if needed, and gives it to children looking to play sports.

He’s been redistributing equipment since he started his skate-sharpening business decades ago. However, in the last six years, the charitable effort has taken off, with a steady flow of donations coming in and flowing back out into the community.

He now provides several hundred pieces of equipment to kids per year. In 2024, he’s already donated 300 skates.

While he primarily takes in hockey equipment, he also receives gear for lacrosse, baseball, soccer, golf, and snow sports.

Since starting the initiative, he’s outfitted thousands of kids who otherwise might not have had the chance to play minor sports – all at no cost.

• Ontarians with minimum wage jobs will see a few more dollars go into their bank account when they are paid next.

The Government of Ontario increased minimum wage from $16.55 to $17.20 on Tuesday, Oct. 1, impacting nearly one million minimum wage workers in the province.

Oct. 10

• The Orangeville Food Bank has been struggling to keep its shelves stocked due to a rapid rise in demand over the past couple of years.

In response, several food drives have been held locally to help meet the need.

But one food drive in particular has resulted in a massive influx of donations.

Organized by Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post, the Rooted In Community Food Drive generated over 20,000 lbs of food and $8,559 for the Orangeville Food Bank on Saturday, Oct. 5.

• An East Garafraxa man recently won $100,000 in a recent Triple Millions main draw.

Robert McGregor of East Garfraxa won $100,000 in a recent Triple Millions main draw in the Aug. 29 main draw. The winning ticket was purchased at 7-Eleven on Broadway in Orangeville.

• Eligible women in Ontario aged 40 to 49 can now be screened for breast cancer without a physician referral.

Before the province’s change in age criteria for screening, announced on Tuesday, Oct. 8, only people aged 50-74 could access a screening without a referral.

The change is part of a new expansion to the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) and comes during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place in October each year.

• Patients receiving hemodialysis treatments at Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) will now have more comfort with the recent completion of a newly renovated hemodialysis unit. 

The local hospital unveiled the renovated hemodialysis unit, located in the Ambulatory Care Centre wing of Headwaters, on Friday (Oct. 4).

Oct. 17

• An Amaranth man who was shot in the head while working a shift at a gas station on County Rd. 109 recently passed away.

Mehakdeep Singh, 25, was shot at the Esso Gas Station in Amaranth on Oct. 7, before being airlifted to a Toronto area trauma centre. He passed away due to his injuries on Oct. 10.

Dufferin Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers elevated their armed robbery investigation into a homicide investigation.

Rupanjot Kaur, one of Singh’s cousins, created a GoFundMe page to support his mother and sister, who are facing financial burdens due to unforeseen costs caused by Singh’s sudden passing. The page, created on Oct. 12, raised $35,622 as of Oct. 16.

• When his name was announced during the National Lacrosse League draft on Sept. 14, Junior A Northmen defenceman, Owen Rahn said it was a goal he had been working towards his entire life.

Owen was the first pick in the second round by the Colorado Mammoth.

The soon-to-be 20-year-old, spent his entire life in the Northmen organization beginning as a four-year-old paperweight.

He has played the last four seasons with the Junior A Northmen, competing in 96 regular season games, starting as a rookie during the COVID season, and then playing regularly over the last three seasons.

• A building in Orangeville that was devastated by a fire in the summer of 2022 has risen from the ashes.

The Old Mill Hub (28 Mill St.), formerly known as the Mill Street Mall, is in the process of converting its north hall into the Phoenix Gallery, featuring work from local artists.

“The reason we’re doing the Phoenix Gallery is because after the big fire and the devastation that we had, what I really want to do is bring the arts back, and rise from the ashes,” said Marshal Bobechko, chief property manager of the Old Mill Hub.

“We had five people lose their homes, we had 19 businesses displaced, and at the end of the day, I decided to not allow a tragedy to define us. But instead, build upon that destruction and create something more beautiful than it ever was before. That’s the goal.”

By the end of the year, he said he’s hoping to complete the Phoenix Gallery with chocolate brown walls, vines, plants, and an earthy feel to surround the art hung there.

• A recent charity hike was a massive success. 

On Oct. 15, the Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCF) announced that its inaugural Hike to Fight Breast Cancer, held on Oct. 10 at Monora Park in Mono, raised $68,000 for breast cancer care equipment.

Over 175 people participated in the hike, choosing between one, three and five-kilometre routes. After the hike, there was a barbeque dinner and games. 

Oct. 24

• Halloween came early to downtown Orangeville.

The annual Boo! On Broadway event brought out thousands of children dressed up in costumes to Orangeville’s downtown, with Broadway open to foot traffic.

• There were a variety of events taking place concurrently, including the Spooktacular Farmers’ Market, Tiny Tots Trick or Treat, Dojo Maze, Jack-O-Lantern Carve-Off, Witches Walk Scavenger Hunt, and Halloween activities in Alexandra Park.
  The Dufferin Board of Trade was delighted to participate in the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Hampton Inn & Suites in Mono on Oct. 11.

The Dhaliwal Family, proud owners of the new hotel, hosted the celebration, welcoming special guests, including Dufferin–Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones, Orangeville Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor, Directors of the Dufferin Board of Trade, as well as their family and friends.

This exciting new addition to Dufferin County is located at 201 Monora Park Drive, just north of Orangeville off Highway 10. 

• There’s a new place for bubble tea and healthy food in Orangeville. 

On Oct. 18, Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post and Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones attended the grand opening of My Tea Bar’s Orangeville location (520 Alder Street).

The local business also has locations in Bolton and Brampton, with the Bolton location also having had a grand opening recently. 

• Orangeville has no speeding issues on Elizabeth Street and Zina Street.

That’s the conclusion in a report to town council, tabled at its Oct. 21 meeting.

“To say I was flabbergasted when I saw this report is an understatement,” Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor said. “It’s unbelievable that no one is speeding in that area. I’ve got a ton of complaints.”

Staff prepared an update to council earlier this year about vehicle volumes and speeds at the westerly limits on both Elizabeth Street and Zina Street.

Vehicle speeds and volumes revealed that at the time the data was collected, there were no significant speeding issues in the area.

• Solomon’s Howl-o-Ween Dog Parade came to Lions Sports Park in Orangeville on Sunday, Oct. 20, raising funds for Autism Dog Services and spreading community spirit ahead of Halloween.  

While it was a windy day, the sun shined brightly on the roughly 60 people who attended the dog parade. Attendees and their dogs were dressed up in various costumes for the event, creating a fun atmosphere.

Over $500 has been raised through Solomon’s Howl-o-Ween Dog Parade so far and donations continue to come in, according to the event’s organizer Vivian Petho.

Solomon Petho, 11, who has autism, led the dog parade with his service dog Major.

• WonderTree Child, Adolescent and Family Practice celebrated the grand opening of its clinic in Orangeville on Friday, Oct. 18, with a ribbon cutting and open house.

The clinic, located at 685 Riddell Rd., Unit 105, offers clinical psychology services for families, with a focus on children and adolescents with autism, genetic disorders, ADHD and neurological diagnoses.

• Patients at Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) and residents living in the area may have noticed an increase in police presence at the hospital on Sunday morning, but have no reason to worry.

Headwaters Hospital and the Dufferin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were conducting a scheduled mock scenario at the local hospital on Sunday (Oct. 20) from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

“Mock emergency drills are very effective with emergency preparedness because it puts policy into practice,” reads a statement from the Headwaters Health Care Centre Emergency Preparedness Committee and Dufferin OPP. “As a learning exercise, mock drills provide realistic stimuli, which sharpens our team’s actual response according to hospital code policies. They also show us areas of improvement so that the hospital can continue to provide an environment of safety and high-quality care.”

• The Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) is recognizing the outstanding care provided by family physicians across the province.

The Ontario College of Family Physicians announced in a press release on Oct. 17 that nine family doctors in the Dufferin-Caledon area had been recognized by their patients for the outstanding care they’ve provided.

Oct. 31

• There’s a new Provincial Liberal candidate for Dufferin and Caledon.

On Oct. 20, Tess Prendergast was officially nominated as the Provincial Liberal candidate for Dufferin-Caledon at a Dufferin-Caledon Provincial Liberal Association meeting in Caledon Village. 

Prendergast currently serves as a Councillor for the Town of Orangeville and is a French teacher and librarian.

• A sea of blue and white jerseys descended on one of Orangeville’s local arenas as Toronto Maple Leaf fans and hockey fans alike gathered for a moment to meet NHL legend – Mats Sundin.

Local book store, Booklore, hosted a special book signing event with Sundin on Oct. 23 at the Alder Arena as part of a tour celebrating the launch of his newly released autobiography, “Home And Away.”

Booklore sold 300 copies of Sundin’s book ahead of the book signing, with a portion of the profits going to the Orangeville Wolves.

• A Town of Orangeville-run facility focused on providing visitors with information about what makes the community great will be ending its operations at the end of the year.

The Visitor Information Centre, located at 200 Lakeview Court, first opened in 2013 and will be closing its doors permanently by Dec. 20.

• A 16-year-old Dufferin County resident will compete at an unprecedented level during the 102nd Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.

While it takes a high level of talent and dedication to show livestock in just one competition at the Royal, Ava Campbell of Mono will be vying for ribbons in several.

She will be a contender in two horse shows, a cattle show, and a poultry show, with her chickens and ducks.

“We’re very proud of this accomplishment, and in our recent memory of the fair, this is the first time that we have seen something like this,” said the Royal Winter Fair’s CEO Cyrus Cooper about the number of competitions Campbell’s competing in. “It’s quite a feat.”

The Royal Winter Fair takes place from Nov. 1 to 10 at Exhibition Place, where the best competitors across Canada compete at a national level.

• In response to the federal carbon tax and high interest rates, the Government of Ontario is proposing a $200 rebate for all eligible taxpayers in the province.  

The rebate proposal is part of the 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, and a statement from the province says families with children will receive an additional $200 for each eligible child.

Nov. 7

• The Poppy Campaign is well underway in Orangeville, with roughly 160 businesses taking part, raising funds for local Veterans and spreading the message of remembrance through the poppy.

The campaign takes place every year from the last Friday of October to Nov. 11, with donations collected locally through tabletop boxes and volunteer canvassers. These donations support the Poppy Trust Fund at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 233 in Orangeville.

Over $50,000 was collected last year, and hopefully, a similar amount will be received this year to assist Veterans and their families.

• Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) is taking action against respiratory viruses this flu season by re-introducing masking requirements. The local hospital announced in a press release on Wednesday (Nov. 6) that it’s now requiring masking in all clinical patient-facing areas, including the Emergency Department, nursing stations, waiting rooms, and patient rooms.
• Dufferin County residents are putting the grief they’ve felt from the loss of a loved one on display through a month-long art installation at Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC).

The local hospital, along with Bethell Hospice and the Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Ontario Health Team (HOHC OHT) celebrated the unveiling of the 2024 Butterfly Bereavement Project, located in the hospital’s Ambulatory Care Wing, on Tuesday (Nov. 5).

• A new business that offers training and rehab services, Total Athletics, recently opened at 25 Centennial Road (Unit 14) in Orangeville.

The business’s owners Shawn Pontone and Caitlin Jerome celebrated with a grand opening and open house on Nov. 2, which welcomed over 100 people throughout the day.

As a CrossFit affiliate, Total Athletics provides group CrossFit classes as well as personal training sessions, and youth sports team training.

Nov. 14

• The Town of Orangeville will look into providing rebates to help local senior citizen homeowners weather the snow this winter.

Councillor Andy Macintosh, in his notice of motion, said access to safe and clear pathways in winter is essential for all Orangeville residents, especially seniors and persons with disabilities. Snow and ice can pose challenges to accessibility and safe passage, particularly for individuals with mobility issues.

Alleviating those concerns fits in line with concerns the municipality’s Age Friendly Advisory Committee strives to address.

The group consults with residents about issues affecting seniors, aims to provide a forum for seniors to exchange information about current issues and emerging concerns and works to improve awareness of services available to Orangeville’s seniors.

The Snow Angels Canada program provides a tool to connect neighbours within their communities either looking for snow removal services or becoming a volunteer. Several municipalities offer programs similar to the Snow Angels Canada program that allow neighbours to assist with snow removal, Macintosh said.

A rebate program can provide financial assistance to residents who hire third-party services for snow and ice removal from their driveways and sidewalks during the winter.

As part of his motion, Macintosh suggested staff be directed to develop and implement a Snow Removal Rebate Program as a pilot project for the coming winter.

• The Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS) senior boys cross-country team succeeded in bringing home the first OFSAA medal in cross country for ODSS in over 25 years when they competed at the provincial meet in Ottawa on Monday, Nov. 4.

ODSS also sent their senior girls’ cross-country team to OFSAA. The senior girls qualified at CWOSSA to earn the right to compete at the provincial OFSAA competition.

One individual runner, junior Liam Willcott, qualified at CWOSSA and ran his own race at OFSAA.

Teams were ranked on their times over a 6-kilometre course with points totalled to create each team’s score.

This year’s competition was held in pouring rain which turned much of the course into mud and made running difficult over much of the terrain. An added feature this year was a 300-yard stretch along a beach meaning runners had to run over sand. A couple of places on the course also had hay bales on the trail so runners had to leap over them to keep going.

The runners only found out about the sand and the hay when they walked the course prior to the competition.

Logan Willcott was the first ODSS runner to cross the finish line in the senior competition with a time of 20:21.08. Teammates, Craig Stevenson and Thomas Beukeoboom, finished just two seconds apart with times of 21:08 and 21:10.

“The start wasn’t too fast, it was a big line and I was trying to get out ahead of everyone else,” said Logan Willcott about his race. “The sand slowed you down, and you don’t get much traction so you lose your speed, but after that you hit grass and you pick it up again.”

Cross-country races typically have a string of leaders, spread out, followed by packs of slower runners in groups.

Nov. 21

• Being in business for 20 years is quite an accomplishment.

Staying in business for 30 years is rare and means someone has put a lot of hard work into keeping a business viable.

Bryan’s Fuel in Orangeville is celebrating an anniversary that places them in a very exclusive club. The company is celebrating 100 years in the community this year.

As a business, Bryan’s Fuel has always stayed on top of the trends when it comes to the needs of consumers. This forward-looking approach to business has kept them at the top of their game as they adapt to change in the industry.

Today, the company has 70 employees – many long-term, including several who have had careers at Bryan’s Fuel of over 30 years. In addition to delivering fuel, they offer all things home comfort, including furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioning, boilers, water heaters, geothermal, and indoor air quality products.

• Honouring the spirit and determination of the area’s first pioneers, the Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church have been officially recognized as heritage buildings.

In a dedication ceremony held on Sunday, Nov. 17, the Town of Mono celebrated the official designation of the Hockley Historic Community Hall and Church.

• Properly repairing the pool at the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre is too costly an investment, according to Orangeville council.

The facility’s pool was closed earlier this year because of a major mechanical failure. The town assessed the short- and long-term needs of both community centres rather than invest money to fix the issue prior to any future significant investments.

Given the overall funding pressure on the current capital program as outlined in the recent Non-Core Asset Management Plan, town staff propose to defer the Facility Needs Assessment Study (FNAS) to 2026 and bring options for consideration during the 2027 budget process.

• Local boxer Josh Wagner is in France getting ready for the biggest fight of his career.

The 12-round bout is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 22, at the Zenith metropole, in Nantes.

Josh, a welterweight who is 18-0, will be up against Frenchman David Papot, who will be arriving with a 29-0-1 record.

• The Canada Post strike has reached Orangeville, with nearly 30 employees from CUPW Local 577 picketing in front of the Broadway office on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Protests organized by CUPW Local 577, which represents over 100 workers in Dufferin County, are also taking place in front of Canada Post offices in Shelburne.

Union members are striking for higher wages, better benefits, improved working conditions, pension protection, the option to offer weekend service, and improved job security, among other demands.

CUPW 577 is striking alongside 55,000 unionized Canada Post workers across Canada, who all began the strike on Friday, Nov. 15.

Nov. 28

• The Homeless Winter Survival Drive at the Old Mill Hub has concluded after a month and a half of collecting donations for individuals in need.

The drive ran from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, collecting jackets, hats, mittens, gloves, socks, boots, snow pants, and sleeping bags, which have been set aside for the Lighthouse community meal program, run by the Uptown Church on Broadway.

Individuals who access free lunches from the Lighthouse will be offered winter clothing to help them stay warm through the season. Some of the items will also go into the Lighthouse’s annual Christmas Gift Bags. Jackets from the drive are being donated to the Dufferin Men’s Shelter on Townline as well.

• Local plowmen are supporting efforts to bring an MRI machine to our local hospital. 

On Nov. 27, the Peel Dufferin Plowmen’s Association donated $10,000 to the Headwaters Health Care Centre for its Smart Headwaters fundraising campaign. 

The $18-million campaign has a final goal of bringing a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to the hospital.

Having an MRI machine at the Headwaters Health Care Centre would save more than 4,000 patients per year from having to leave our area for care. It would allow for more accurate and timely diagnosis, improved treatment planning, and enhanced patient outcomes.

The local Peel Dufferin Plowing match is the last one-day agricultural event hosted by a farm organization in Peel, and it’s an important one in the agricultural community’s calendar. Next year’s match will be the 100th, an important milestone.

Dec. 5

• Local Special Olympics athlete Ryan MacBean was nominated for the 2024 Special Olympics Athlete of the Year at the International Law Enforcement Torch Run conference held in San Antonio, Texas last month.

Ryan was nominated out of a group of over 6 million athletes worldwide.

With swimming as his chosen sport, Ryan has been involved in the Special Olympics for around 15 years. He started playing soccer, then got into swimming in Georgetown as there wasn’t a local chapter for the sport at the time.

He recently won gold and silver medals during the spring games in Kitchener-Waterloo. The 30-year-old athlete also has a black belt in karate.

• The Orangeville Wolves hockey club has created a legacy of inclusion that will continue for many years.

Mayor Lisa Post said during council’s Dec. 2 meeting that the Orangeville Wolves is an organization that embodies the community’s standards of inclusion and empowerment.

“For 25 years, the Wolves have been more than a sports team,” she said. “They have been a family. A family that fosters connection, builds confidence, and demonstrates the power of teamwork.”

She said the hockey team has provided an avenue for so many people with intellectual disabilities to participate and to shine in a team environment.

It isn’t only the on-ice passion that makes the team so special. It’s the relationships that are built off the rink, she said.

“The friendships that they’ve forged, the sense of belonging that’s being fostered, and the unwavering support of families, coaches, and volunteers who pour their hearts into this program,” Post said.

• Cheryl Belanger of Mono anted up and went ‘ALL IN’ to win the POKER LOTTO ALL IN jackpot worth $60,241 on Nov. 4. She won $5,000 on the instant portion of her POKER LOTTO play, as well as $25 in the nightly draw, bringing her total winnings to $65,266.

The winning ticket was purchased at Alfie’s Variety on Cundles Road East in Barrie.  

• The Alzheimer’s Society of Dufferin County is receiving additional help this holiday season with funding from the provincial government.

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones visited the local Alzheimer’s Society, located at 25 Centennial Rd., on Friday (Nov. 29), to announce the provincial government is providing it with $190,800 for dementia resources. Jones also announced an additional $129,000 in funding for the local Alzheimer’s Society’s First Link Navigation program.

• Former Orangeville Mayor Sandy Brown will soon be confirmed as the Ontario Green Party’s candidate for the next provincial election.

The Dufferin–Caledon Greens issued a press release on Dec. 4 stating that Brown will be confirmed during a nomination meeting at Mill Creek Pub in Orangeville on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

• A member of Dufferin County Council has been recognized for her contributions to the community.

Janet Horner, Mayor of Mulmur and a Dufferin County Councillor, was one of 17 individuals awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal at a special ceremony in Ottawa, Ont. on Nov. 22. Horner was appointed for the award by Senator Robert Black.

Dec. 12

• The Town of Orangeville’s 2025 municipal operating and capital budget was approved and included a 4.9 per cent tax levy increase.
• From a young age, many of us are taught that when you’re in danger or experiencing an emergency, the first step is to pick up the phone and call 911.

For Orangeville resident Theo Meadows, in his moment of crisis, he found his calls for help put on hold.

Shortly before 5 a.m. on Nov. 3, Meadows was lying awake in bed when a rustling sound at his front door prompted him to get up and head downstairs. It wasn’t until he made it down the flight of stairs that he realized the sound he had heard was breaking glass.

“My brain couldn’t figure out what was going on. I walked down stairs to see what was going on and I look at the front door and I see this guy breaking through the glass. He stuck the gun up at me through the window,” recalled Meadows.

He said he ran back upstairs to the second floor of his home, first closing the doors to the bedrooms his five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son were sleeping in, and then grabbing his phone to call for help.

“I was able to let off one 911 call and it got put on hold. I tried to hang up, because my idea was, hang up and call right back and that’ll go through,” said Meadows. “By the time I hung up, all of them were inside my room.”

Meadow described how in the next moments he was grabbed, pinned to his bed and held at gunpoint while the intruders demanded money and valuables.

It was at this moment that Meadow’s five-year-old daughter opened her bedroom door and the gunman turned from him to point the gun at her.

“I was physically being confined to my bed while someone held a gun against my daughter and I was watching; me and her had our eyes locked on each other,” said Meadows. “I’ve fought myself since then thinking how could I have let this happen.”

Meadows said he told the armed group there was a safe in his closet and while the armed intruder went downstairs to retrieve the keys for the safe, he was able to make a second and third call to 911.

“I called 911 again and was put on hold again. I tried to call them back but I didn’t have time because he was upstairs again,” said Meadows.

From there, Meadows told the armed group that he didn’t have any other valuables, which led them to flee the house. With the group gone, Meadows made a call to 911 for a fourth time and finally connected with an operator, but they couldn’t hear him properly.

“At this point I’m thinking why am I even trying to call anyways, they’re not going to do anything,” said Meadows. “It was a very scary thing that happened.”  

No injuries were reported from the Nov. 3 incident, but the entire experience has left Meadows questioning his safety.

“I was held at gunpoint with my two very small children, absolutely defenseless in my house and 911 wouldn’t respond,” said Meadows.

• Orangeville’s reputation for having some of the best burgers in the region is growing.

Two local restaurants recently crushed the competition in the People’s Choice category of a regional burger contest that saw 14 eateries across Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin competing for a good cause. Out of the 14 competitors, only two resided in Orangeville and both did well in the contest.

Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen (34 Mill St.) won first place with its Dirty Deedsy Burger and Déjà vu Diner (318 Broadway) won second place with its Grilled Cheese Cowboy Burger in the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin’s first annual NovemBurger contest.

In the end, 2,765 burgers were sold in support of NovemBurger, and when counting sponsorships and donations, the contest raised $20,000. The funds are being used by the local United Way to support food programs in the communities it serves. Locally, funds were directed towards the Orangeville Food Bank.

• Family Transition Place (FTP) honoured the women and individuals who have lost their lives to gender-based violence as they marked the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre.

Staff members, community leaders and local residents gathered at FTP in Orangeville (20 Bredin Parkway) on Friday (Dec. 6) for a candlelight vigil. At the base of each candle were the names of women and children from the 2024 femicide list, the women killed during the Montreal massacre, and local women who have died at the hands of gender-based violence.

The École Polytechnique, also known as the Montreal Massacre, took place on Dec. 6, 1989, when a lone gunman separated the men from the women students inside the engineering school before opening fire; killing 14 women and injuring others. 

• Headwaters Health Care Foundation (HHCF) purchased two new pieces of medical equipment for the local hospital after receiving a donation from the region’s Lions Clubs.

The fundraising organization for Headwaters Health Care Centre announced in a press release on Tuesday (Dec. 10) that they had been gifted a donation of over $67,000 from the Lions Clubs of Orangeville, Grand Valley, Shelburne as well as Lions Clubs International Foundation and the Lions Club of District A-9.

The money from the donation was used to purchase a Bookwalter Retractor Set and Prostatectomy Instrumentation.

Dec. 19

• Mulmur Mayor Janet Horner has been elected as the 148th Warden of Dufferin County.

Horner was elected to the position, which she will hold for the 2025 term, during a Dufferin County Council meeting on Thursday (Dec. 12) at the Edelbrock Centre in Orangeville. She will be taking over the role of Warden from Melancthon Mayor Darren White, who held the position during 2024 as well as from 2019 to 2021.

• Orangeville Fire Services has a fresh face leading the organization

The Town of Orangeville announced on Dec. 16 that is welcoming John Snider as the new fire chief, following the retirement of Ronald Morden, who formerly held the role.

Snider will don the Orangeville Fire Service’s uniform beginning Jan. 7 of next year.

• Riders who use the weekday transit system to travel between Shelburne and Orangeville will continue to have access to the service as the County of Dufferin pushes the agreement end date with Grey County to finish plans for transportation solutions.

During their meeting on Thursday (Dec. 12), Dufferin County Council approved a motion to continue supporting Route 2 of the Grey Transit Route (GRT) until March 31.

Dec. 26

• A local artist Ann Randeraad is looking to spread hope and awareness of gender-based violence with the unveiling of her newest sculpture displayed at Family Transition Place.

Family Transition Place (FTP) unveiled the clay sculpture, titled “Infinitude” outside of their facility on Dec. 6 during a ceremony commemorating the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre.

The sculpture of “Infinitude” depicts three infinity flames, each of which varies in size and style. The infinity flames look to represent the past, present and future of gender-based violence as well as Family Transition Place’s mission of providing safety, support and hope.

• Orangeville is known across the province as a lacrosse town and a new partnership involving a local business is strengthening that reputation.

Rock Solid Lager, the official craft beer of the Toronto Rock Lacrosse Club is being produced by Focal Brewing Co., which recently partnered with Brews & Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Orangeville’s Taphouse Craft Beer + Kitchen.

Brews & Entertainment Inc. is now Focal Brewing’s executive sales and distribution partner for the Dufferin and Caledon area.

Rock Solid Lager is available at Toronto Rock home games for the 2024/2025 season and playoffs in the Paramount Fine Food Centre in Mississauga. It’s also available at restaurants in the Dufferin and Caledon area, such as Taphouse.

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