"It’s telling that MacKay-Lyons, whose main body of work is unabashedly contemporary, adheres strictly to this sense of place as derived from understanding its existing (or historic) vernacular materials, building culture and forms," writes Brian Marshall.
"The NOTL rebels’ plan is to have candidates identified and in place well before the race. There may be a slate. There will certainly be public engagements — forums, Q&As, debates. There will be money, as well as passion," writes Garth Turner.
"Do we plan for the few, or do we plan for everyone — families, seniors, artists, educators, and the millions who come here to experience Niagara’s beauty and culture?" writes Syreeta Larkan.
"The Nobel Prizes in the sciences began in 1901, and despite the emergence of a host of other worthy prizes in mathematics, engineering and recently the computer sciences, it remains the gold standard," writes Dr. William Brown.
"It appeared that town council was in a rush to quietly pass as many approvals for developments by amending the official plan, rezoning, completely ignoring the parking and traffic challenges and the availability of services," writes Luba Fraser.
"It is cheaper and easier for a developer to do the cookie-cutter thing, creating a series of isolated dwellings ... that do not embrace community but are inwardly focused on the individual occupying family," writes Brian Marshall.
"In a world where misinformation travels faster than truth, newspapers and their websites keep Canadians informed, connected and engaged in communities from coast to coast," writes Paul Deegan.
"Nobody wants to wake up to their home and possessions being destroyed," writes Richard Harley. "Even if canoeing in your lawn does sound like a good time, we need to start fixing what's broken."
"One fear is Trump will ultimately tank our dollar, stall the economy and add almost 2 per cent to mortgage rates. But there’s no guarantee, of course, he’d govern with the same machismo as he campaigns. Let’s hope so," writes Garth Turner.
"The good people of the NOTL Legion work so diligently and enthusiastically to organize social events and fundraising projects. I quickly learned that the activities and social events are almost never-ending," writes Ross Robinson, the newest member of Legion Branch 124.
Gene editing once held "the promise of fixing mutant genes responsible for the mutant proteins that cause hundreds of other protein-related diseases," writes Dr. Brown. "Unfortunately, transforming theory into practice is difficult."
"For more than 50 years, from the 1830s to the 1880s, the Gothic Revival style of architecture dominated the Ontario marketplace and continued its popularity in the province into the early 20th century," writes Brian Marshall.
"How does the town expect us bus drivers to do our job of transporting tourists from hotels to wineries when we aren’t even allowed to park close to the hotel to pick up these tourists?" writes Barry Wilding.
"It is obvious that bylaw enforcement really is flawed and in trouble and Patrick Devine's comprehensive reporting on heritage is a real eyeopener," writes Christopher Allen.
"What worries me is not that Premier Ford threw this cockamamie idea out to the press and the people," writes Ross Robinson about the proposed tunnel for under Highway 401. "I find it frightening that his most trusted and wise advisers would come up with such garbage."
"With some exceptions, progress in science is usually incremental and biology, especially biochemistry," writes Dr. Brown, analyzing how our understanding of the science behind DNA has evolved — while some central questions remain.
"Fall is a great time to be dividing some of your clumps of perennials in the garden, especially during the month of October," writes Joanne Young, sharing tips on how to know which ones can be divided at this time and the best way to get it done.
"The public mood is sour. Houses are crazy. High rates didn’t bring lower prices. There are still 8,000 people in NOTL without a family doctor. And now there’s employment anxiety," writes Garth Turner.
"If democracy is defeated in the United States by election of an authoritarian as president, the free democratic world could re-enter a pre-Magna Carta era, a time of unprecedented presidential power not constrained by rule of law," writes Keith McNenly.
"All efforts should be made to follow the process under the Ontario Heritage Act to adopt a new, comprehensive heritage conservation district plan for the Old Town," writes Patrick Devine.
"The future of this glorious piece of Canadian history and heritage is placed in question," writes Brian Marshall of the Glencairn estate. "Having survived the highs and lows of nearly 200 years, what will happen to it next year?"
"This is a cohesive, entertaining, visually and technically superb production directed by Craig Hall, having its world premiere at the Shaw Festival," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson about this year's production of "Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Human Heart."
Ross Robinson shares some observations of the goings on of Niagara-on-the-Lake's busy downtown street — from the cenotaph repairs, crosswalking concerns, ostentatious bikers and public vaping (why does anyone do it?).
"Everyone in the decision-making process had prior knowledge that the infrastructure was inadequate to handle any new developments that increased water drainage, so would they be personally liable?" writes Gienek Ksiazkiewicz.
"The scenic cornrows of grapes, the river’s majesty, the horses and storybook gardens of the Old Town hide a troubling anti-establishment buzz. Animosity is growing," writes Garth Turner.
It's a trick question: by pruning your shrubs in the early fall, before its leaves have dropped, you will cut off food the plant stored throughout the year, which will result in a weaker plant, writes Joanne Young.
"Prior to the advent of machine-made modern brick late in 19th century, bricks were handmade by workers who mixed native clay with water to make the slurry that was then hand-packed into rectangular forms, then laid out to dry," writes Brian Marshall.
