Mayors look back on 2020, ahead to 2021

By Mark Ribble

The 15th Annual Mayors’ Breakfast, put on by the Leamington District Chamber of Commerce, was held last Friday, but in a different way than the previous 14 events.

There was no gathering of friends, colleagues and business associates around tables in a packed room. There was no smell of the famous Colasanti’s donuts wafting through the air. The event was sponsored by WFCU Credit Union.

However, Wendy Parsons, Jen Dawson and their team managed to pull it all off via Zoom and the messages given by Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos were well received.

“The Chamber has been very busy advocating for our business community,” said Parsons, as she welcomed everyone to the virtual breakfast. “We’ve been advocating safety and promoting economic development during these COVID-19 days.”

Chamber President Jen Dawson kicked off the morning’s introductions.

“It’s hard to believe that at this time last year, COVID was just starting,” she said. “But where there is passion, progress finds a way.”

Santos was first to speak and he was quick to bring some humour to the situation by telling a few ‘dad’ jokes.

On a more serious note, he outlined what a challenge this past year has been for municipal councils and businesses, as well as the community itself.

“I see a business community that is the best of the best, “ he said. “And they bring out the best.”

Santos outlined Kingsville’s planning and building and said numbers are up despite the pandemic.

Kingsville had 162 new dwellings at the cost of $80 million, which is a 53 per cent increase over the previous year. He outlined the larger projects that include a new community park in Ruthven, residential developments in Cottam, new greenhouse builds and the realignment of Jasperson Lane to accommodate the new K-12 Public School.

Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos addresses attendees at the 14th Annual Mayors’ Breakfast, one year ago, in January 2020.

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They are working on a splash pad for Lakeside Park, pickleball and bocce courts and Lions Park improvements for future developments.

Santos vowed to keep fighting for businesses in his community.

“Southshore Strong has been our battle cry,” he said.

MacDonald’s turn at the podium echoed many of the things that Santos had said about the challenges of municipal business during a global pandemic.

“As a municipality, we needed to pivot and find new directions,” she said. “We have a workforce that was ready, willing and able to adapt.”

MacDonald said that, although many of the regular tourism-based events have been put on hold, the municipality was able to continue with the reinvention of their uptown core, with work on John Street and Queens Avenue, a piazza near the library, as well as work on the Shotton Parkette and a new park on the old Village Inn property.

Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald addresses attendees at the 14th Annual Mayors’ Breakfast, one year ago, in January 2020.

Sun photo

“We will continue to invest in infrastructure and continue to lobby upper levels of government for funding for all of these things,” she said. “We must continue to plan and prepare for our recovery from this.”

Among 2020 achievements, MacDonald was proud of her team and how they responded under such terrible circumstances. She was also proud of the zero per cent tax increase they passed for 2021.

As noted, plans are on hold for Mill Street Market and concerts at the amphitheatre. MacDonald is also looking forward to working with Caldwell First Nation as they make plans to activate their recently approved Reserve status.

The waterfront master plan will be rolled out later this year, as well.

MacDonald also took the time to announce that the municipality had recently purchased the old LDSS building on Talbot Street and Mill Street Centennial Public School, with plans to turn those two properties into affordable housing for residents.