"Although this level of government has the greatest impact on citizens’ daily lives, it is weak, ineffectual, rudderless and dominated by special interests," writes Garth Turner.
Over the last five centuries, says Frank Lloyd Wright, what humanity has called architecture has been "phony": "It was not innate, it wasn’t organic and it didn’t have the character of nature.”
More than 40 years after the debut of this British farce on the Shaw Festival stage, "One for the Pot" returns with excellent performances that contain the elements needed to make this for-the-masses comedy a laugh riot, writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"As a pretentious British boss of mine said many years ago ... 'I have found that around the world, one can get on with two languages: English, and loud English,'" writes Ross Robinson.
"I provided you with an opportunity to do the right thing, which you have obviously declined to do. Please be advised that I intend to pursue this in the appropriate forum(s)," writes Derek Collins.
"Far too often a ghost facade prioritizes a superficial appearance over functional reality," writes Brian Marshall of the new proposal for the Royal George Theatre.
"There is always something special about sitting out in the garden in the evening watching the glittering lights on the surface of the water," writes Joanne Young.
"The story of human evolution is important too because without modern humans, there would be no science and no one to understand what was happening in the universe — the universe would unfold without a witness," writes Dr. William Brown.
On the rebuilding and reopening of the new Royal George Theatre, Ross Robinson writes, "Please don’t say 2029 and then take a year or two or three longer ... The pain to local businesses and residents will be unbearable. To everyone involved."
"What is almost as annoying as the application itself is the fact that staff and council have even allowed this application to be registered at all," writes John McCallum.
"A hole 23 feet deep is no backyard swimming pool. It will consume a good chunk of the Parliament Oak site, rising toward King Street as it transitions from parking garage to hotel foundation and car ramp," writes Garth Turner.
"Our town staff, mayor and council sometimes face criticism from the community, but in this instance, they showed responsiveness and support," write Catherine Cornell & Don Dinnin.
"Their shared dreams rise and fall, worn down by circumstances caused by a multitude of factors. These include the onset of the Great Depression, economic uncertainty, job losses and racism," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
From turtleheads and asters to Joe Pye weeds and toad lilies, these fall-blooming flowers can be added to your garden to keep the beauty and interest going even as the summer season comes to an end.
"The driving presumption is that more frequent in-person interaction between team members will lead to better coordination and cohesion. But it could just as easily lead to more downtime spent socializing with distracted co-workers around the water cooler," writes Steve McGuinness.
"Sometimes the negative 'press of events' can lead us to believe that there are no 'wins’ to celebrate. But, au contraire, there are," writes Brian Marshall.
"Improv is hard work. If the goal of Murder-on-the-Lake is to take very good care of its audience, this production succeeds admirably," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"I was part of a wonderful tableau of Canadiana, with people of all ages, ethnicities, clothing styles and spoken languages. No rhyme or reason to it, it was just happening," writes Ross Robinson.
"Why stop at 70 kilometres an hour limits? What are the statistics that made council do this? How many died in NOTL auto accidents?" writes Lorne White.
"Property taxes are a housing expense directly controlled by municipalities. The town portion of our residential tax bills has increased at multiples of inflation (a 24 per cent compound rate) during this council term," writes Steve McGuinness.
"It is so rewarding to be able to grow your own food. I grew up on a farm — every year, we planted a large garden that would feed my family of eight for the entire winter," writes Joanne Young.
"I encourage residents to remain engaged and vocal in local decision-making. That civic energy is one of the greatest strengths of our town," writes Adriana Vizzari.
"Tourism will always be a vital part of our local economy, but unchecked special events risk undermining the very character of our town," writes Ed Werner.
"How many other developments in Niagara-on-the-Lake have been approved without the full adequacy of the supporting infrastructure?" writes Gienek Ksiazkiewicz.
"In the 1950s, the federal government recognized that aviation could be an important part of the development of the Niagara Peninsula," writes Kenn Moody.
"Are flights on a major air carrier more of a vital commodity than mail delivery in 2025? When does a public service cross over the line from necessary to essential?" writes Steve McGuinness.
