"A&M are pumping their latest project. It’s a whopper. If the sisters get their way with local politicians (once again), the old Rand Estate will turn into a five-storey, 111-room luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel," writes Garth Turner.
"Should any future council enact an interim control bylaw, underwritten by a duly compliant study, it will be largely legally unassailable," writes Brian Marshall.
"Niagara-on-the-Lake should not be treated as an extension of a 'Vegas North' casino economy. We are not a desert entertainment strip," writes Keith McNenly.
"I have heard that during his 26 years as mayor, Henry Paffard advocated for the planting of over 1,000 trees. By any measure, that’s a lot of limbs and leaves and shade and oxygen. And with trees come squirrels," writes Ross Robinson.
"Regardless of differences of opinion over development projects, I recognize that public discourse should be conducted respectfully and without casting aspersions on others," writes Stewart Hall.
"At a juncture in history wherein climate change initiatives are generally considered by both governments and voters to be a high priority, most of the members of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s elected council apparently don’t give a damn — only if it stands in the way of development," writes Brian Marshall.
“On both sides of the border this is going to mean people losing their jobs,” says Kathy Weiss, head of the local Chamber of Commerce. “So, discretionary spending is going to drop, while Canadians are also boycotting American goods. It’s a dangerous combination.”
"All my life I have hated guns, and have found the American 'gun culture' to be absolutely horrific and insane," writes Kaspar Pold. "However, given what is happening today and what might transpire in the near future (Trump has only the next four years to do his 'thing') I am about to buy some guns."
"When I spoke to residents on the doorstep this campaign, top of mind for people was health care. We must invest more in our public health care system and protect it from the threat of American-style for-profit privatization," writes MPP-elect Wayne Gates.
"Should anyone not know the name immediately, Chris, a lifetime resident and businessman of NOTL, is probably responsible for more summer days photos of Old Town's Queen Street by our annual influx of tourists than anyone else," writes Sarah Sampson.
"If you are one of those romantics who cannot resist the beauty of a rose or their fragrance brings back a slew of memories of days gone by, then David Austin English roses are a must-add to your garden this year," writes Joanne Young.
"Reading between the lines of The Lake Report, I could feel big doses of anger, crankiness, know-it-allness, frustration and shortness," writes Ross Robinson, using his recent trip to Vietnam to reflect on what it means to be happy and kind in a world full of strife and sadness.
"Sometimes the easiest way to determine the importance of a property to the character of its area is to consider what would happen to that character if the property were to be demolished or significantly modified," writes Brian Marshall.
"Looking back at the roadmap to modern humans, the evidence suggests that we are but a way station to other species in the future and as susceptible to extinction as any other hominin before us," writes Dr. Williams Brown. "In short, if there is a God, that God lets life play out with little interference."
"Gretzky has clearly become too controversial to serve as a positive celebrity endorser of a Canadian winery’s products, at a time when we’re organizing “buy Canadian” campaigns to support our economy against the escalating trade war declared by Trump," writes Steve McGuinness.
"It’s not a happy time to be an elected person in this bucolic burg. It seems that historic protest outside town hall last summer was more a harbinger than a one-off eruption," writes Garth Turner.
"Sure, the premier and his local sycophants may point to grandiose promises of investments in Niagara’s infrastructure — most of which have not, to date, materialized — but, how does that translate to the health of your family’s pocket book?" writes Brian Marshall.
"Let our regional government evolve, Mr. Gates, and stay out the debate, unless you want to introduce a private members bill — if re-elected," writes Derek Insley.
Dear editor:
I have been following closely the issues around cutting down trees on one's own property in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The town's "prohibitions" are...
There’s a provincial election Feb. 27.
Despite that, you might not have heard much about this riding's candidates running this year — because most of...
From weigelas and hydrangeas to lilacs and sweetspires, Joanne Young shares her favourite new cultivars that'll make a welcome new addition to your garden this spring.
Dear editor:
Great editorial by Kevin MacLean, "An unnecessary provincial election," on Jan. 30.
We do not need a provincial election but we do need a...
Dear editor:
The back-to-back opinion articles in last week’s Lake Report, “Other nations beware, Canada is a test for Trump" by Keith McNenly and “Canada...
Dear editor:
Lord Mayor Gary Zalepla apparently believes that the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is listening to the concerns being expressed by its taxpayers. And in...
Dear editor:
Thank you for reporting on Lord Mayor Zalepa’s response to my question at the recent Virgil village meeting. I submitted the question on...
