It was an evening not for decision-making but for sharing information.
A public information meeting to update the community on the current state of the Elgin County Railway Museum building and an exciting look at what the future could hold.
A well-attended session on Thursday at the CASO station to present an overview of the current condition of the building, with a discussion of the challenges and opportunities for the structure.
The takeaway was quite stark. The museum will be closed to the public for an extended period of time to allow the roof to be removed, along with the walls, to determine the structural integrity and undertake remedial action.
And then put all the pieces back together again.
Friday morning, we spoke with Scott Sleightholm, President of Railworks Coalition, to compare notes on what transpired the previous evening.
Tag Archives: Jeff Kohler
‘While Bill C-14 falls short in some areas, it is an important response to the growing problem of revolving door bail and catch-and-release justice’ – MP Andrew Lawton
Bill C-14 proposes reforms to Canada’s bail and sentencing laws, including changes to reverse-onus provisions, bail conditions, sentencing factors, and restrictions on house arrest, to increase public safety.
Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP Andrew Lawton, who sits on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, has put forth an amendment that will strengthen our criminal justice system by ensuring that criminals cannot vouch for people who have been criminally charged to be released on bail.
Lawton’s amendment was adopted this past week by the committee and bars anyone convicted of an indictable offence in the last 10 years from acting as a surety for another accused.
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Joy Dawdy’s swimming lessons earn a reprieve; however, some conditions will apply
The days of treading water for the owner of 21 Philip Street are over, at least for the time being.At Monday’s meeting of city council (Dec. 8), members unanimously agreed to direct staff to design a temporary bylaw, allowing Dawdy to continue offering swimming lessons in her backyard pool, likely for a period of three years.
Something she has done for more than three decades.
Staff were not recommending Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments in a report to council from Michelle Knieriem, Manager of Planning Services.
She concluded, “Staff understand and appreciate that the swimming lessons provided by the applicant are valued by many members of the community. While this value is noted, staff recommend refusal of the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications due to issues of compatibility.
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The St. Thomas Terry Fox Run gets a shot of adrenalin for this year and beyond
For 45 years, it has been a fall tradition.
And tomorrow (Sept 14), St. Thomas will join more than 650 communities across Canada in hosting a Terry Fox Run, a fundraiser in support of cancer research.
This year’s event will take place in 1Password Park, notes one of the organizers, Bre Betts.
A St. Thomas native, Betts and her husband have moved back to the city in the past month, and participating in the annual run has been an important family tradition.
And she stresses, “The thing with Terry Fox, like any charitable work, it’s very much reliant on volunteers, so there’s been a very dedicated group here of a few people who have used their might, and who have really chugged it together each year to get something going, so I’m really grateful for that.”
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The Central Elgin Life Jacket Lending Program: transforming grief into action
The central lifeguard tower at Main Beach in Port Stanley was the backdrop Thursday afternoon for the launch of the Central Elgin Lifejacket Lending Program. The initiative is a result of collaboration, determination, and a shared belief that drowning is preventable.The Elgin County Drowning Prevention Coalition is the driving force behind the program, led by Briar McCaw.
However, the true inspiration has been provided by Linda King (pictured below centre, with Briar McCaw, left, and Nathan MacIntyre), whose 26-year-old son Ryan Davies drowned on Labour Day last year when a canoe he was in with two friends tipped over in Lake Margaret.
This spring, the Ryan Davies Project was unveiled in St. Thomas, which encouraged the City of St. Thomas to develop a Personal Flotation Device bylaw and install ring buoys around Lake Margaret.
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A ‘very pleasant surprise’ in the form of a second Catholic high school for St. Thomas
A $1.3 billion investment by the province for new schools is welcome news for St. Thomas.
Included in Monday’s (Jan. 27) announcement was word that the city would get a second London District Catholic School Board high school, thanks to $41 million in funding.
The Ontario government is investing the funds to build 30 new schools and 15 school expansions across the province, creating more than 25,000 new student spaces and more than 1,600 new, licensed childcare spaces.
The Ministry of Education’s Capital Priorities program provides school boards across the province with an opportunity to identify their most urgent and pressing pupil accommodation needs.
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Can the Elgin County Railway Museum and residential development co-exist? ‘Yes,’ asserts the developer. ‘No,’ responds the neighbour.
It’s coming up on three months since city council unanimously agreed to declare certain parcels of land that partially comprise Jonas Park to be declared surplus to the city and those parcels will be sold to Doug Tarry Limited for future residential development west of the Elgin Country Railway Museum (ECRM).
And it’s been almost three years since Tarry declared proposed residential development on land currently owned by the museum is an opportunity to revitalize that portion of downtown St. Thomas.
In the summer of 2021, Tarry sought to purchase eight acres of railway land immediately west of the museum at $300,000 per acre for a low-rise residential development that would front onto a new street to be created off Ross Street and north of Jonas Street.
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A unanimous decision by the Southwestern Public Health Board of Directors takes the wind out of city council’s sails
How quickly the table can turn when you come face to face with an individual or group you have taken issue with.
Such was the case at the March 11 meeting of city council.
To set the scene, at the Feb. 2 meeting, Dan Sheridan, the city’s Director of Finance advised Southwestern Public Health had presented its 2024 levy to the city and it came at a 37 per cent increase over last year’s levy.
For this year, the city is obliged to pay just over $1.5 million, up from $1.1 million in 2023.
That revelation generated blowback from several council members.
Coun. Steve Peters wondered if there was an appeal process.
Coun. Gary Clarke took it a step further, “let’s vote no and see where it goes. This is an outrageous budget request.”
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Bicentennial celebrations are planned this year for Old St. Thomas Church which is ‘very much a part of southwestern Ontario history’
Construction began on Old St. Thomas Church in 1822 and was completed two years later, and so this year marks its 200th anniversary.
We spoke with Steve Peters, who sits on the church restoration committee, on the founding of what was originally known as St. Thomas Anglican Church, located on Walnut Street.
“Daniel Rapelje, the first settler of St. Thomas, had two sons pass away in 1819 and he had buried them on this land and then in 1821, he donated land for the church and cemetery.
“Construction began on the church in 1822 and was completed in 1824 and opened when the first minister was appointed.”
It is considered an example of Early English Gothic Revival architecture.
The first incumbent, the Rev. Alexander Mackintosh, served from 1824 to 1829 and was also the village’s schoolmaster.
