Mail bag: 08/20/26

‘Catastrophe’

Dear Editor:

When one person feels they have the right to take over someone’s home place or to utterly change that home place’s nature so only the rich and entitled have access, it is indeed a catastrophe. It is, in fact, a wound ready to erupt. 

When the previous mayor and split council of Centre Wellington opened that door to a condo development that took over, overwhelmed and changed the whole scale and landscape of Elora, it was an issue loaded with centuries of ancestral history. The Tooth of Time is obscured, the whole southern bank, all under treaty and sacred to Six Nations, is now taken over. 

Changing whole relational infrastructure, without any benefits to the local community, was more than an error. It should never have happened. I suggested at the planning stage that the development could have been geothermally powered, have ground floor small market-price rental units for seniors, a community clinic, a permanent farmers’ market, community gallery, chain grocery store and yoga/quiqong studio, even its own waste recycling centre and community wading pool! 

Instead, it is a huge private enclosure for the rich that dominates the village, the Grand River and, let’s face it, all of Elora’s long-term continuous residents. 

Then there’s the SLAPP lawsuit against vocal residents.

Please have a full town hall meeting to talk about this, not in factions, not waving money and the media influence that increases that money flow, but as all those sharing a home place and waters in a time of severe climate change and income disparity. 

We are an artful, funny, creative lot, we residents of the Elora-Fergus area. We listen. We admire conservation of heritage, not its further exploitation.

Eimear O’Neill,
Fergus

‘The principle’

Dear Editor:

I think the world of my postman, but I have to say the Raddar flyer piece goes straight in the blue bin when delivered by post. 

Perhaps it’s the principle of the thing, but inserts and flyers belong in the Wellington Advertiser if anywhere. 

It would be a shame to lose the Advertiser due to lack of support from local businesses. I trust those businesses are taking note.

Lynn Johnston,
Fergus 

‘Show respect’

Dear Editor:

I recently went for an evening walk in the Rockwood area and was shocked by the amount of dog waste left along the sidewalks and walking paths. 

Instead of enjoying our walk, we had to constantly watch where we stepped. I simply do not understand why some people take their dogs for a walk without bringing a bag to clean up after them. Owning a dog comes with responsibilities and picking up after your pet is one of the most basic ones.

Dog waste is not only unpleasant; it is also unsanitary and shows a lack of consideration for neighbours, children, seniors and everyone who uses our community spaces. Our sidewalks and trails belong to all of us, and everyone deserves to enjoy them without having to avoid piles of dog waste.

Rockwood is a beautiful community. Let’s keep it that way. Please carry a bag, clean up after your dog and dispose of the waste properly. It only takes a moment to show respect for your neighbours and your community.

Margherita Tabone,
Rockwood

‘A better place’

Dear Editor:

To all the people who are trying to make the world and all around us a better place for now and in the future, thank you.

We really need to take a stand for what matters. Our soil, our air, our water and all of nature is suffering greatly. It is vital to our well being and happiness. For those of us who are taking the time and effort with all the other things we have to worry about now, bless your souls. 

Let’s keep fighting. You are appreciated and loved for what you do.

Bonnie Simpson,
Puslinch

‘Vibrant program’

Dear Editor:

While writing my gratitude lists in the morning, I was struck by how often my gratitude lands on the Older Adults Centre in Rockwood. 

For our relatively small community we are so fortunate to have such a vibrant program supporting the seniors in our community. Every quarter when the newsletter comes out it is packed full of opportunities for exercise, learning, creativity and many other special events that enhance the physical, social, emotional and intellectual capacities of our older adults. 

We owe a huge thank you to Mary Meads and Melissa Biffis, who plan, organize and carry out all the fantastic programming. 

Thank you for the funding from the Seniors Active Learning Centres (SALC) Government of Ontario and the Township of Guelph/Eramosa, without whose support the centre would not be available. 

In addition, the Chartwell Retirement Residences sponsors events at the centre throughout the year. I feel so fortunate to have met so many wonderful people and enjoy the programs right in my own community. 

Karen Richardson,
Guelph/Eramosa

‘Community project’

Dear Editor:

I am writing to thank all those that assisted with my community project to remember Alma and George Thomas of Fergus Welding by gifting a sugar maple tree that was recently planted on the grounds of the Wellington County Museum and Archives.

For many years, the Fergus Santa Parade assembled outside Fergus Welding and Alma and George always invited everyone in for “coffee.” Until quite recently, George always recalled how the building used to fill up with pipers, drummers and Legion colour party members. 

Although George was exempted from military service, he was very patriotic and amazingly Alma served in Canada’s Navy.

Thanks goes to Provincial Commander Lynn McClellan and the Elora Legion for their support and Athur Legion’s Seargent at Arms Jim Dingman for providing flags. Also worthy of mention is Legion president Robert Stubbings who helped push things along. 

The result was a well-coordinated  completion of this event.

Malcolm McCulloch,
Legion outreach volunteer, Fergus

‘A burning planet’

Dear Editor:

While communities battle floods, heat waves and wildfire smoke this summer, oil and gas companies are posting record profits. That is not a coincidence. It is the business model.

Rather than taxing this windfall or holding polluters accountable, the federal government is handing the industry billions in public support for new pipeline projects that the industry would not fund or build themselves. That is money that could fund health care, wildfire response or a genuine transition to renewable energy.

On top of this, communities (primarily Indigenous) are left to fend for themselves because of delayed or non-existent evacuation orders. All while the warnings of experts are ignored in the provincial and federal governments about how changes to the wildfire response plan are going to cause widespread disaster. But now they pat themselves on the back, calling it a job well done.

Canadians should not be asked to subsidize the same industry that is driving the disasters we are living through. We need leaders willing to make polluters pay, not underwrite their expansion.

The time for half-measures is over. We need real action. No pipelines on a burning planet. 

Real solutions to climate change. Which we have. Renewable energies can replace a huge amount of the demand provided now by oil and gas-based energy.

Darcy Tyrrell,
Hillsburgh