Celebrations

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE!

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Zoe Belisle

Graduating senior from Sequoyah High School. Congratulations on your graduation and achievements. We are very proud!

Octavia

Age 1 on May 3 Happy birthday to our beautiful baby!

Bodhi

Happy fifth birthday, Bodhi! We love you so very much. You are such an amazing and fun little human. Mommy, Daddy and Rylee

Luke

Age 11 on May 4 Happy 11th birthday, Luke! Love, Mommy, Daddy, Kaya, Scout and Peanut

Taylor Rhines

Graduating with honors from Sequoyah High School, she plans to major in psychology and specialize in pediatric occupational therapy at GCSU. We are so proud of you Tay Tay and love you so very much! Mom and Dad

Happy third birthday, Talya!

Age 3 on May 15 We love you so much! Have an amazing day and continue to shine, sweet girl! Daddy and Mommy

A deeper look at the city’s Roadmap for Success

Around Canton is dedicated to living up to our slogan: Your Community. Your Magazine. Our staff constantly is looking for ways to support our local businesses and our city officials. You might have noticed the downtown Canton business district map in our April issue. If you missed it, don’t worry! We’re including it toward the back of each issue through the rest of the year, and we’ll update it as new businesses open.

This month, we wanted to take a deeper look at the city’s Roadmap for Success, developed by Mayor Bill Grant; City Council members William Carlan, Sandy McGrew, JoEllen Wilson, Shawn Tolan, Brooke Schmidt and Dwayne Waterman; City Manager Billy Peppers and others integral to the growth and development of the Coolest Small Town in America.

Read over this carefully, and look for future issues of Around Canton, which will dive deeper into the specifics of what’s new and what’s coming in Canton. We’ve asked city officials to share, in depth, what you should expect in your community. We look forward to learning more about the exciting developments to come.

Here is an excerpt from Mayor Bill Grant’s introduction to the Roadmap for Success. Read it in its entirety at www.cantonga.gov.

"I am excited to have the opportunity to introduce you to the primary components of the city of Canton’s Roadmap for Success. Our road map is a plan, but also a call to action that organizes the steps of local leaders, private and nonprofit organizations, residents and businesses toward a shared vision for how our city operates through 2035. First and foremost, it is a community plan — one informed and guided by public input, to empower our citizens to be co-creators for their city, strengthen local connections, and generate support and enthusiasm for how we will work together to build the Coolest Small Town in America. ”

Celebrating the diversity of our community.

The diverse cultures and communities within Canton are vibrant and engaging. Economic, cultural and social diversity is encouraged throughout the city.

Leading with excellence.

City Council, staff and citizen boards will foster civic participation and serve ethically, transparently, responsibly and efficiently.

Sustaining our natural environment.

Canton residents appreciate our natural beauty, proximity to the mountains, ample green spaces and the Etowah River. Projects in the city will promote interaction with nature through sustainability, stewardship of resources and innovative design.

Enhancing historic downtown Canton.

Preservation, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, and community-centric activities are cornerstones of economic development within downtown Canton. Benefiting the entire city, downtown redevelopment creates jobs, attracts investment, increases property values and generates tourism. Improving infrastructure for future demands.

Citizens, businesses and visitors need access to the Canton infrastructural network to succeed in their goals. Transportation, power supply, gas availability, water and sewer, and digital connectivity are part of building a great network for success.

Connecting citizens to parks and recreation.

A healthy community provides access to nature. Residents should be connected with local parks through trails, sidewalks and additional transportation options. Recreational opportunities should be available to and inclusive of all. Creating great neighborhoods.

Safe, attractive, connected and inviting neighborhoods are the foundation of Canton’s hometown appeal. All residents deserve quality housing that reflects our community character through thoughtful design and responsible development practices.

Advancing regional economic success.

Utilizing existing business strengths in industry, health care and an entrepreneurial spirit, Canton seeks to expand its economic footprint. Diverse and innovative business growth will support jobs, attract investment and create tourism opportunities.