The last six months of 2024 in Niagara-on-the-Lake were marked by extreme weather upheaval and a volatile political climate. Kevin MacLean breaks down what made the headlines in the second half of the year.
With loud public protests, numerous anti-development screeds on social media and many more development decisions facing councillors in the second half their four-year term, vigorous debates will continue in 2025.
NOTL produces a huge amount of news, week in and week out — and we have chosen to highlight some of the top stories and newsmakers of 2024.
“There is no compelling need we can see that merits spending $10 million — or more — of taxpayers’ money to fix a problem that does not exist,” writes editor emeritus Kevin MacLean.
“In NOTL, Nov. 11 is a lot more than two minutes of silence, political platitudes and the laying of wreaths,” writes Kevin MacLean.
“Humanity feels absent from the equation except for the brief few minutes of direct interaction with a nurse or doctor that occur along the way. There are just too many sick or hurting people for The System to cope,” writes Kevin Maclean.
Margot Devlin completed the New York City Marathon on Sunday for the 12th time, while John Bobrel ran the Berlin Marathon on Sept. 29, the fifth race in his quest to conquer to world’s top six marathons.
Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Kaleb Dietsch made his debut as a full-time member of the Ottawa 67’s last Thursday night in St. Catharines before a crowd that included a large contingent of family and friends all there to cheer him on.
The season is winding down at the NOTLe Golf Club and some of the leagues have been handing out awards to commemorate stellar performances on the links this year.
The annual tourney features some of the Niagara district’s top golfers going head-to-head in a one-day competition.
David Puglisi, 28, is the latest golfer to accomplish the feat this year, thanks to a perfect shot with his trusty 6-iron.
“If the Town of NOTL is going to continue to hold a 9/11 ceremony — and we think it should — it needs to do a better job of getting the word out,” writes Kevin MacLean.
For the second time in barely two weeks, a golfer has notched a hole-in-one on the seventh hole at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club.
For almost six years, Kevin MacLean has been The Lake Report’s managing editor — now, he is stepping down from overseeing the paper’s day-to-day operations, though he will remain as a co-owner and regular contributor.
Call it a fluke, miraculous or destiny, but a young Niagara-on-the-Lake golfer made a shot last week that almost no one else apparently has managed.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club will be looking for a new head pro after the sudden departure this week of first-year pro Max Murphy.
“Perhaps the anger vocalized by those who protested this week can now be channelled into something positive in working with the town and council toward a better future. Or perhaps the breach between the two solitudes is just too wide,” writes Kevin MacLean.
Two young friends from St. Davids, classmates and elite junior golfers, travel separately to Montreal to compete in a national tournament and dominate the field to finish first and second.
The Ontario Land Tribunal has dismissed the town’s appeal of a tribunal decision that allowed construction of a three-storey, 17-unit apartment building on King Street. The project proposed by developer Butler’s Gardens Development
Perhaps the best advice is just: Enjoy the view but stay out of the water at Queen’s Royal Beach in Niagara-on-the-Lake this summer. After being closed due to high levels of E. coli
“Our seniors appreciate their current independent way of life. They’re committed to NOTL. They want to stay here as they age. But the existing housing stock may not be sufficiently diverse to accommodate their age-related needs. And this tension will only increase in the coming years,” writes Kevin MacLean.
It was the crowning touch, a perfect shot in the middle of an almost perfect nine holes of golf. A gap wedge, sailing 125 yards, over a yawning front bunker, off the flag stick — and directly into the hole.
Part of us hopes a lot of Canadian kids have been watching the Copa America and Euro Cup soccer tournaments to witness how the so-called beautiful game can be played.
We naively thought, hoped, wished that last summer’s collective civic embarrassment when the new rainbow crosswalk was repeatedly vandalized might have inspired greater tolerance in some pockets of Canada’s “prettiest little town.”
The Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club was pretty in pink Tuesday as dozens of women descended on the course for the bi-annual NOTL Women’s Invitational Tournament.
© All Rights Reserved, Niagara Now.
