"Development, growth and progress will always be part of this community's story. The question has always been whether we do it in a way that honours what makes Niagara-on the-Lake worth protecting," writes Nicholas Colaneri.
"Why would council put $200,000 into this when the Burton Foundation has been knocking on the door, yelling from the roof top for over four years just for the opportunity to participate in a request for proposal?" writes Heather Campagnola.
"Niagara-on-the-Lake is a growing and dynamic community, with more families choosing to call it home. Ensuring that children have access to meaningful, local education is vital to sustaining that growth," writes Krista Hill.
"Though I am not paid by the tax-payers to confront these urgent issues, I wondered if the Fort George parking lot could be better utilized to deal with the twin big dilemmas of where tourists could park and pee," writes Rick Monette.
"I think it's time that city hall considers the residents who actually live here and pay taxes, to have something that would benefit them for a change," writes Kenneth C. O'Malley.
"To call the executive director of the Shaw Festival 'the dude in charge' is extremely rude, and the fact that the editor or publisher allowed this to be printed says much about the paper itself," writes Peter Barwell.
"It seemed that the Beer Store could always negotiate their way into continuing their monopoly and thus their existence. Things have changed," writes Jackie Bonic.
"I have no doubt that our hard-working councillors are concerned about raising revenues. But really — a parking lot at a historic gateway site, where caring and community have always been at the heart?" writes Robin Cardozo.
"Will NOTL’s council ever be ready to consider other options for this public property? Based on what we’ve seen so far, you don’t what you’ve got till it’s gone," writes David Israelson.
"Is this still an artistic enterprise worthy of oodles of tax money, the sympathy of donors and exemption from all heritage rules? Or, has it become a non-tax-paying corporation heavy into real estate development?" writes Garth Turner.
"If you go for a walk in your neighbourhood, look at the houses — what you’ll see on the streetscapes will begin to communicate its architectural language," writes Brian Marshall.
"These days, the nature of consciousness is hotly debated by several competing groups, with no consensus or clarity emerging in the debates between them," writes Dr. William Brown.
"A subtle aspect of planning a trivia night is selecting questions that are challenging, but not too challenging. We paying participants don’t need to be reminded how dumb we are," writes Ross Robinson.
"Mr. Turner is right. The viability of non-profit organizations 'hangs off the largesse of donors and governments.' It always has. This is what makes working and volunteering in the non-profit organization sector so challenging," writes Carolyn Bodnar-Evans.
"Niagara-on-the-Lake’s strength comes from its business community. Adding cost and complexity at the municipal level risks discouraging investment and weakening that foundation," writes Scott Gauld.
"Where is the evidence-based-outcome driven benefit of reducing council to six from eight? How is springing a change like this on the citizens of Niagara-on-the-Lake with no opportunity for discussion or study 'good governance'?" writes Bob Bader.
"I'm sure that no one thinks that it should be the taxpayers' responsibility to build a parking garage for anyone, including the Shaw theatre, especially when other more acceptable uses were being privately funded," writes Wayne Murray.
"We talk a lot in NOTL about attracting young families to the area, and yet we have no public school, no hospital and few spaces for families to gather, outside the community centre," writes Brendan McLeod.
"Do you think that people in Niagara should have less ability to find out what the government is doing on these files behind closed doors? I certainly don’t," writes Wayne Gates.
"Given the level of public support, it would be good to know more about how this web of interests is being run. Is it sustainable? What happens in an economic downturn, with a half-built theatre complex?" writes Garth Turner.
"If you plan to do any work on your contributing property, that undertaking should be informed by the building’s architectural style to ensure that any alterations are compatible and in-keeping with its contributing attributes," writes Brian Marshall.
"Driving everything in my quest for understanding nature have been recuring themes for me," writes Dr. William Brown, citing the universe, human evolution, the rise of AI and more.
"The irony is that Gale’s resignation leaves Niagara Region better off, but not for the reasons he resigned. These reasons relate to his job, not his peccadillos," writes David Israelson.
"Is this bureaucratic overreach? Abject stupidity? Or a clumsy attempt to tamp down the grassroots rebellion? Let’s see where that vote lands," writes Garth Turner.
"Intrinsic to the plan’s policies and guidelines is the understanding that a property that contributes to the overall integrity of the cultural heritage value of the conservation district," writes Brian Marshall.
"Colonizing Europeans often encountered what they considered primitive peoples," writes Dr. William Brown. "Yet, within a few generations, those so-called 'primitives' mastered European languages, cultures and technologies."
"Henry Paffard accomplished so much, and helped to create our town fire department. This was a busy citizen, and remember, all without modern means of communication," writes Ross Robinson.
"If we begin demanding that individuals resign from public life based solely on the title of books they have read or purchased, we are venturing down a very slippery slope," writes Rob Brenmer.
