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February 13, 2014 | 28 pages
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Doug Thompson to retire Councillor stepping down after 31 years Laura Mueller laura.mueller@metroland.com
Osgoode musician uses hockey to raise awareness about teen suicide. – Page 4
News
New day program launched for seniors in North Gower. – Page 5
COMMUNITY
Snow flies at the annual North Gower Winter Carnival. – Page10
News - For the first time in 31 years, no “Re-elect Doug Thompson� signs will spring up in Osgoode Ward. The longtime city councillor and former township mayor said he planned to announce publically on Feb. 10 that he will not run in the Oct. 27 election. Despite intense pressure from residents to keep vying for his job, Thompson said he felt it was time to move on. “I believe it’s time to reinvent myself,� he said. The opportunity to spend more time with his wife, Mary Lynne, his six children and seven grandchildren weighed heavily on his mind, Thompson said, but the satisfaction of a job well done was what allowed the 67-year-old to decide to step away from his council seat. “I certainly will miss it,� he said. “I’m very happy with what I’ve accomplished. “At the end of the day, it’s just one of those decisions that you have to make,� Thompson said. Stepping down “opens the floodgates� for new candidates to campaign in the ward. There are already four people registered, with at least another four or five waiting in the wings that Thompson knows of. But the councillor doesn’t have any plans to come out in public support of any of them, as much as they might want that, he said. “All the candidates would like to have my support,� he said. “I think they should make their own pathway to election.� Thompson’s stronghold over
the ward has never wavered – he was acclaimed as councillor in 2003 when no one opposed him and he received 85 per cent of the vote in 2006 and 67 per cent of the vote in the last election in 2010. He considered retiring from politics before the last election in 2010 but changed his mind. The only time his grip on Osgoode slipped was in 1985, when he recalls around 15 votes stood between him and elected office. “It taught me a lesson: work hard,� Thompson said. “And I’ve done that ever since.� Thompson, an elementary school teacher at the time, was first elected to Osgoode township council on Dec. 1, 1980. He served on that council for 14 years before becoming mayor for three years. 31 YEARS IN POLITICS
It’s difficult to quantify the scope and number of issues that cross a municipal politician’s desk over the course of more than 30 years. Within five weeks on the job as Osgoode township mayor, the 1998 ice storm hit. “It was just bizarre ‌ nobody had ever experienced something like that,â€? he said. Aside from crises like that, the job consumes more than 60 hours a week, Thompson said. “From the outside, it might look easy,â€? he said. “You need someone who has all the qualities of Superman, I think. I attend 400 meetings and events a year. It’s very time consuming.â€? See RIDEAU, page 2
JENNIFER MCINTOSH/METROLAND
Gail Ramsden, the costume designer for the Greely Players production of Once Upon a Mattress, fits Kristy Hagerman for her dress. Hagerman will play Lady Harkin. The show will hit the stage on March 26.
Players celebrate silver anniversary
Jennifer McIntosh jennifer.mcintosh@metroland.com
News - Once Upon a Mattress, a musical and comedic take on the classic fairytale The Princess and the Pea is set to hit the stage at the Greely Community Centre on March 26. The show will coincide with the Greely Players 25th anniversary and will feature a third-generation player on stage. Holly Villeneuve will play the lead role
– Princess Winnifred. Villeneuve is the granddaughter of Elaine Stanley who was on the first board of directors for the players and appeared on stage with her husband and three children during the group’s first production – Fiddler on the Roof. “There are a lot of families who have joined the players over the years,� said Anne Peterson, the group’s president. See THREE. page 2
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