At the final meetup of Niagara-on-the-Lake's mayoral candidates before the polls open on election day, Oct. 26, Erwin Wiens, Andrea Kaiser and Vaughn Goettler were divided on a variety of issues, including how a municipality is supposed to be run.
Early voting gave some Niagara-on-the-Lake residents peace of mind, while others saw it as an opportunity to make their voices heard ahead of election day.
The Lake Report asked more nominees for trustees what their top three priorities are, why they decided to run and what they would like to change or fix at the school board level.
The gloves came off on stage Thursday night when one Niagara-on-the-Lake council candidate accused two fellow candidates, both incumbents, of betraying residents over the Parliament Oak development.
At barely 14, NOTL's Kaige Zhu and Eli Perng already competed in tournaments far more intense and demanding than most recreational golfers will ever experience. But they're just getting started.
"Performance in any sport depends on physical and neural fitness, acquired skills and stamina," writes Dr. William Brown. "There’s also the factor of the cumulative effects of injuries affecting muscles and joints."
"The choir took the expression sartorial splendour to another level," writes Ross Robinson. "Every one of them were 'into it,' providing the vibe. Pure, unfiltered voices, and such an unbelievable value."
NOTL's planners and heritage committee voice concerns with Rand Estate hotel plans. The sweetness of summer continues with the annual Cherry Festival (peaches next, in August). And, advocacy group launches petition after hit-and-run death of farmworker.
"Why neanderthals went extinct isn’t clear, writes Dr. William Brown. "Were their numbers simply too small to survive bad seasons for plants and animals to hunt?"
"We’ve seen too many hit-and-run crashes around NOTL. We’ve seen too many instances where, day or night, drivers in a rush, or without thought, push the limits, sometimes with life-altering consequences," writes Kevin MacLean.
"If Congress fails to act when danger is plain, then the constitutional balance the founders designed is reduced to words on paper," writes Keith McNenly.
"His first cousin is a developer living in the biggest house in town. He leans right. He’s blunt. He was Grape King. Now he wants to be lord mayor," writes Garth Turner.
"The finished structure will not only become the dominant building within the Queen-Picton heritage conservation district, but abruptly clash with and diminish the built-heritage assets," writes Brian Marshall of the new Royal George Theatre.
"Sure, there are plenty of 'things' and 'events' to do, but they don’t fill the void of those linchpin people in our lives as we age, especially in the later decades," writes Dr. William Brown.
"After about 15 minutes, we were in the swirling mist. Those of us who chose to stay outside suddenly experienced the full force of nature. Water, water everywhere," writes Ross Robinson.
Niagara-on-the-Lake's annual Canada Day cake parade rolled into Simcoe Park on Wednesday behind an electric-converted Model T, drawing hundreds of residents, clad in red and white, for a slice of the town's signature cake.
At Fort George National Historic Site, the holiday was not just red-and-white flags: it was an immersive showcase of Canada's history and a first-time experience for many who've never been to NOTL before.
Supporters gathered Saturday afternoon at the Line 6 hobby farm of mayoral candidate Vaughn Goettler and his wife, Lauren, to celebrate and support his candidacy for lord mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Incumbent O'Connor's campaign this year will build on the same themes she says guided her this term: trust in council, open decision-making, balanced growth and more.
A 22-year-old man was released on bail Monday after a migrant farmworker from Mexico was killed in a hit-and-run while cycling in rural Niagara-on-the-Lake late last Friday night.
Those who knew Sínhue Garcia are grieving the loss of someone they say was a generous and caring person — and whose death has deepened fears about the rural roads farmworkers cycle every day.
"When Stephen Eustáquio fired the ball into the back of the net last Sunday in the dying moments versus South Africa, the adulation unleashed at outdoor watch parties, in pubs and in TV rooms across the country was heartfelt and possibly life-changing for some future football stars," writes Kevin MacLean.
"Survival dictates new directions. 'Beyond the Stage' is expanding our experiences of theatre by allowing us to witness and explore exciting new paths," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"His colleagues at town hall, says Gary Burroughs, are too easily manipulated into big decisions. Like approving a massive hotel in the middle of a residential 'hood. Or (soon, he reckons) greenlighting a Ritz-Carlton hotel, spa and residences on the former Rand Estate. Together with the Terminal 4 Clayfield edifice in Garrison Village, these developments put NOTL into tourism overdrive," writes Garth Turner.
"Bit by bit, the legal underpinning by which a municipality can defensibly justify decisions to preserve its community in the face of a developer’s application are eroded," writes Brian Marshall.
"Due to its geography and a rather low population count, we don’t tend to think of New Brunswick too often. For many Canadians, it's a necessary part of the road trip between Ontario and Quebec and the other three Atlantic provinces," writes Ross Robinson.
"ChatGPT came out in late 2022 and look what’s happened since. Plot the curve for human intelligence and AI’s intelligence and the differences are obvious," writes Dr. William Brown.
For McGuinness, who is running for NOTL council, and his husband, Gary Guthrie, belonging has looked like nights at the Shaw, wine country dinners and bringing his grandchildren to the Virgil Stampede.
After 15 years at the helm of award-winning winemaking and innovation at Château des Charmes, Amélie Boury is packing up cherished memories and moving on.
