I’m pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate and welcome the staff and ownership group of the North Dundas Times to our community. We in North Dundas, for many years, have appreciated having two community newspapers that kept us abreast of events that are of a local concern. Local news is so vitally important to all of us, and the recent loss of one of our newspapers has been a source of concern for many. North Dundas is a large community with varied interests. I look forward to having two newspapers offering different perspectives being delivered to our mailboxes and to having them ready to be read on our kitchen tables. We will be well-served and aware of the many events, successes, efforts, and items of interest in and around our community. I appreciate being invited to submit articles of municipal interest to the North Dundas Times, as it is another excellent opportunity for me and my fellow Councillors to provide information to the public.
Despite the restrictions that have been placed upon us because of the pandemic, there have been some projects that have been completed, or are approaching completion. The Chesterville and District Arena dressing rooms and canteen have had few changes in a long time. We are very pleased with the recent dressing room expansions and the upgrades of the canteen.
The canteen has served us well for many years. I fondly remember enjoying chuckwagons and ‘swamp water’ served by Jean Servage, and I’m sure there are others that remember being served by Nelson Laprade. That’s going way back! The upgrades were needed; new counters, new cupboards and cabinets and new fixtures. A lot of the materials were sourced locally at North Dundas Building Supply and installed by two of our talented Recreation staff members, Mike Sharkey and Todd Elliot. I’m looking forward to the time when we can enjoy watching a game at the arena and enjoying a hot dog between periods.
Sports teams will welcome the news of the expansion of the dressing rooms at the Chesterville arena. This project had been in the works for a couple of years, and the timing was finally right this spring. This project is another example of our community coming together to meet a challenge. Deputy Mayor Armstrong, with his experience from being the Council lead on the Morewood RA Centre renovation, volunteered to take on that role again. He was fortunate to work with North Dundas Junior C executive members, and Recreation staff. The expansion looks fantastic, and I am sure that the increased space will be appreciated by all of our users.
We have tennis courts in two of our Villages and both sets of courts needed repairs. The courts in South Mountain were resurfaced this summer. The park in South Mountain also needed some other upgrades. The skate changing building was beyond repair and needed to be removed. It was decided that a more suitable building was needed to accommodate people wanting to enjoy the park year round. The cement pad is already in place, and a pavilion will be constructed on the site when building materials become available. This project will be completed because of help from a community volunteer from the South Mountain area. The tennis courts in Chesterville need repairs, and the hopes are that we are able to get that project included in the 2021 budget.
And, while I have your attention, inclusive communities bring together different perspectives, experiences, and identities. We are part of a broader world, and in no way immune from these issues and challenges. I encourage everyone in our community to contribute to these efforts, and to endeavour to model the world we want to live in by being respectful and inclusive in all of our interactions, especially on social media.
Be good, be kind and take care.
