We can’t believe it’s already been one year. Where does the time go?
When The Lake Report put out its first issue last May, “whirlwind” is one of the words we used to describe the feeling we had. And it still fits.
In just one (very!) short year, The Lake Report has established itself as the first independent and independently owned newspaper dedicated to producing hyper-local news about the wonderful community of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
By bringing you news, views and stories about the people of NOTL, we have become a voice for you – and an outlet for you to publish your letters and opinions. We’re proud that you, our readers, continually tell us that we provide a way for you to feel more connected to your neighbours than ever before.
It’s been our honour to serve the community, and receive support and encouragement on a daily basis.
This community is unique in so many ways. We all know how welcoming we can be. We all know how friendly we can be. But beyond that, the sense of small town is truly overwhelming — beyond a fleeting, “Hello, how are you.”
We’ve received help and support, contributions to our paper, established lasting relationships with some of the town’s most respected and established businesses and the people who keep them running.
We have seen first-hand the contributions to our local charities and are proud to be able to help those charities spread their messages to the community.
We could go on and on about how proud we are of what we’ve done, but the most important piece of it all, is you. None of this could happen without our readers and advertisers.
You are the people who read our paper every week, send us story ideas, photos and feedback. You are the ones who attended our launch party, who help support our local journalists, and who whole-heartedly encouraged us to go further than we ever expected to take things in our first year.
Ever since our first issue — just 5,000 copies, planned to be monthly — we were asked for more. When we went bi-weekly, you still wanted more.
It’s been a ride — one we don’t intend to stop soon.
Time really does fly when you’re having fun.
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Here are some of the highlights from our first year:
May 2018 - First issue of The Lake Report is released.
July 2018 - Expanded to bi-weekly editions, increased to 10,000 circulation.
September 2018 - Lake Report hosts official launch party at Mori Gardens and more than 400 people attend.
October 2018 - Lake Report staff moves into first office space.
September 2018 - Lake Report releases Special Election Edition covering municipal election with first-ever hyper-local coverage.
December 2019 - Lake Report staff marched in our first Christmas Parade.
January 2019 - Official opening of newly renovated office space.
January 2019 - Increased to weekly production.
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Along the way we’ve done a number of cool things:
Given a scholarship to one of our photographers Eunice Tang;
Supported local events and businesses, such as the first-annual Make Change for Children Spring Photoshoot in 2018;
Supported new businesses with stories and promotion;
Published hundreds of NOTL news stories;
Put dozens of NOTL people and their stories into the paper;
Hosted interns from Niagara College;
Hired new staff members;
Formed community partnerships with numerous local businesses;
Joined organizations like CFIB.
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The Lake Report is proud to have received two certificates from the Province of Ontario and the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake for its launch party and office opening. Thank you to our member of provincial parliament Wayne Gates and our lord mayor Betty Disero for the kind acknowledgements.