Dear editor:

I must commend the NOTL Christmas committee on the beautification of Old Town.

It truly does give a feeling of a winter wonderland to our lovely little town.

It’s so nice seeing the lovely Christmas trees, decorations and lighting displays throughout town.

That being said I must admit I’m more than a little confused as to how town officials and the Chamber of Commerce can ramp up their promotion of NOTL as a winter getaway while the municipality does not even maintain snow and ice removal of the town-owned sidewalks along Simcoe Park and the old NOTL Hospital – both of which are direct paths from the bus parking lot at Fort George to Old Town.

Further to this is the Christmas committee’s nice display of lights and the enticing Christmas entrance to Simcoe Park.

When you enter, you will immediately encounter a town-installed sign stating “Caution No Winter Maintenance Use at Your Own Risk.” 

This is quite an appropriate warning for anybody who might want to enjoy a walk through Simcoe Park during the winter as no maintenance or snow removal is done on the path through the park.

Maybe it’s just time for the town officials to step up to their moral responsibilities of providing a safe winter walking environment for the residents and tourists that have been lured to town expecting a winter wonderland they can walk safely through.

If this won’t be done then maybe it’s time for new Welcome to Niagara-on-the-Lake signs stating “Caution No Winter Maintenance Use at Your Own Risk” before the Town is cited for false advertising.

Regards,

Laurie Stratton

NOTL