"Signs matter in this process. They convey a message about the candidate. They remind you who’s running and show who supports them," writes Garth Turner. "Well, what do some of the current signs tell us?"
"In short, we have two candidates who, should they become lord mayor, will support and perpetuate the current system and one candidate who is willing to take what we’ve got and work toward something different," writes Brian Marshall.
"Who were these famous and groundbreaking Jewish women? What did they have to overcome to succeed? What drove them forward? Ambition, drive, resilience for certain," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"Rick Hansen had been paralyzed in a car crash when he was only 15 years old. The years have gone by, and if he had been bilingual English/French, he just might have been the Governor General of Canada. What a life to reflect upon."
"We have to be clear with every level of government — arts and culture are important and they need government support to thrive. Arts, culture and heritage bring people to Niagara-on-the-Lake, but that doesn’t happen by accident," writes Wayne Gates.
"Residents living on our once quiet town streets, in homes neighbouring unhosted short-term rental sites, complain about irresponsible renting to unruly groups," writes Steve McGuinness.
"Telescope design, whether for space or land-based, manufacture, launch and maintenance, to say nothing of the scientists and engineers involved, are all very expensive," writes Dr. William Brown.
"Grasses can be used as focal points in the garden. Many of the tall or dramatically coloured grasses can be used to draw the eye and anchor garden beds," writes Joanne Young.
In a statement from the Niagara Foundation issued this week, it writes, "We recognize and value the Shaw Festival as a core cultural element and encourage it to be equally respectful of the heritage elements of this town, ensuring the Royal George 'fits' within our heritage district."
"Despite the absurdity of life and perhaps unreached dreams, our aspirations remain, and we can still find magic in the power of language and theatre," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
In response to editor-in-chief Richard Harley's July 31 editorial, The Lake Report, writes Garth Turner, "embraces the size, the massing, the demolitions, the height, the truck bays, the big-box architecture, the gobbling-up of a residential street and the three or more years of construction chaos involved."
"In the event this report has not been completed — which would be odd given that we’re eight months into 2025 — the question then becomes why would staff be proceeding with this application in the absence of any form of validation of the applicant’s claims?" writes Brian Marshall.
"Clearly, council shouldn’t have approved such a colossal commercial development on a property surrounded on four sides by single-family houses on quiet, narrow laneways," writes Wayne Murray.
"The lord mayor appears to be refusing to provide the information and has instructed the new CAO to merely prepare a summary of the historical correspondence and to 'close the loop,'" writes Gienek Ksiazkiewicz.
"Robin is a respected festival director and tireless advocate whose efforts have made a meaningful cultural impact. Her support for the Shaw proposal stems from a sincere desire to see our town thrive," writes Kate Morris.
"The town asked for input on the revised official plan and as a respondent, the Chautauqua Residents Association (in my opinion) gets unfairly criticized," writes Brian Crow.
The old Royal George may need to tumble and be rebuilt, but Old Towner and Tiktoker Sally Basmajian says, “there are right ways of doing things and just egregiously wrong ways of doing things.”
"A major institution is doing things the right way — listening, adjusting, communicating and making real efforts to include the public in the process. That’s not lip service. That’s leadership," writes editor-in-chief Richard Harley.
in many jurisdictions, the sheer volume of important heritage assets which potentially stood to be lost was such that only a small fraction could be protected via Part IV designation.
"Harvesting tomatoes at the right time and in the right way ensures the best flavour and extends the productivity of your plants," writes Joanne Young.
"The next round of renderings will offer a fuller picture — complete with streetscapes, gardens, and trees — so you can better visualize the theatre as part of the community fabric," write Tim Jennings and Tim Carroll.
"I sincerely hope this Ross’s Ramblings will help the StopGap ramp initiative gain traction. It would simply be the right move — and would feel so good," writes Ross Robinson.
"When you contribute to an RRSP in your peak earning years and then withdraw in retirement (when your income will be lower), there will be a reduction in taxes paid, by moving into a lower tax bracket," writes Steve McGuinness.
"Robert Hamilton Sr.'s estate (land holdings) wasn't distributed to the four sons, three stepsons and daughter until 1823, when John was 21," writes Elizabeth Oliver-Malone.
