“In Niagara-on-the-Lake, old ghosts walk beneath a tree that grew before Columbus, through streets armies fought for in 1812. But they’re being routed by modern subdivisions — and we’re losing a precious shrine.”

It was August 1956 when Maclean’s magazine wrote those words in a feature on “The town that wants to stay old-fashioned.” In the story, Lord Mayor William Greaves said, “We need a miracle. Or we’ll just become a suburb of St. Catharines.”

Seventy years later, we’re still standing. Still old. Still under pressure. Still proudly not-St-Catharines. And maybe seeking the biggest miracle yet.

It’s no secret the province would like NOTL to be a part of its Las Vegas North regional strategy. You know, like Niagara Falls but with our clothes still on. Wine, theatre, shopping, wine, gelato plus cute heritage. And did I mention the wine?

To that end, the Doug Ford administration is poised to shred local democracy in a way that makes this year’s election a corker.

“I know people tell you every time that this is a pivotal election,” says Stuart McCormack, “but this time it really is. I don’t think many have any real idea of what’s about to happen.”

Here’s the scoop.

It’s called Bill 100. It will soon become law. When that happens, NOTL will lose its rep on the regional council, which will be chopped in half and comprised of just area mayors. So, less democracy.

Worse, that council will be headed and controlled by an appointed chair that nobody elects. Yes, less democracy. Worse, the chair has super powers, and so local laws can be altered, delayed or trashed. No democracy.

“We’re concerned about the state of democracy in Ontario,” says Ron Simkus, who with McCormack helped found the renegade NOTL Residents Association.

“With these changes, are people going to say it just doesn’t matter how they vote anymore, because they end up with basically no voice? This is an environment that is completely new for most people. They have no idea how much they’re going to be impacted by one appointed person at the region.”

“The appointed chair can actually overturn a municipal bylaw. You think you live in a heritage district, and all of a sudden, you don’t. Well, how did that happen, right? One guy can decide there should be duplexes in the Old Town and suddenly it happens.”

Or a casino in the Parliament Oak hotel, for that matter. Yikes.

All this makes choosing the next lord mayor a high-stakes gamble. That person must not only rule a disparate, complex town — from the condo towers of Glendale to the horse droppings on Queen Street — but be the sole voice at the senior level where big tax, policy and service decisions are made.

It’s not for the faint of heart, the meek, or a part-timer (like our current czar).

“So this becomes a very key figure doesn’t it?” says McCormack. “Also, it means whoever is going to do this job cannot do it on a part-time basis. If you’re spending a considerable amount of time working on local issues and at the same time trying to address things at the regional level, I don’t know how you can do it half-time. You’ve got to be somebody willing to put in a considerable amount of effort and treat it like it’s a full-time job, which it is.”

Indeed. And it would be even better to have a boss free of conflicts of interest. The incumbent, Gary Zalepa, is a career real estate broker and executive, which critics see as one reason the burg is turning into a giant construction site.

So far, two candidates have stepped up.

Last week I told you about Vaughn Goettler. On deck is Andrea Kaiser.

Meanwhile, the citizens are trying to figure out where that miracle is.

“We are not the opposition,” says Simkus. “We are the alternative. We’re trying as best we possibly can. We’re trying to mobilize people, to get them taking action. Do you not think we feel the pressure already?”

Garth Turner is a NOTL resident, journalist, author, wealth manager and former federal MP and minister. garth@garth.ca