MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR Mayor Bobbie Drew, Township of Scugog

Winter weather has arrived in Scugog with cold temperatures and snow. Winter maintenance of our roads and sidewalks are now in operation. Crews will be out during winter events to clear over 400 kilometres of roads as well as key sidewalks along busy routes. Please have patience this winter and give crews plenty of space when plowing. Remember, no overnight parking to allow plows room to work. If you have a sidewalk in front of your home or business, please do your part to clear the snow.

Council and staff are undertaking many projects and initiatives this fall that are focused on gaining your feedback and input. There are many opportunities to get involved. We encourage residents to follow us on social media and subscribe to scugog.ca/news to stay informed of opportunities.

Recently, a public consultation was conducted to gather input on the development of the Scugog IT Strategy. The strategy will provide a five-year roadmap to guide the use of technology to make the Township more productive, enhance services and improve customer and staff experiences. Thank you to the 183 people who filled out the survey and the individuals who attended the focus group on November 17th. Congratulations to Judy Anderson for winning the iPad in our participant contest. The final report will be presented to Council on Monday, December 20th at 6:30 p.m. Visit my.scugog.ca/IT for details.

Thank you to those who participated in the Draft Capital Budget consultation, from filling in the survey to asking questions online for the virtual Public Open House. If you missed the virtual open house, please visit my.scugog.ca/budget to view the presentation. Questions may be submitted to staff through My Scugog.

Construction is underway in many wards to accommodate approved growth in Scugog, including townhouses, single detached dwellings and commercial space. Some work is also being undertaken by the Region of Durham on water and wastewater servicing projects. It is a busy time, and disruptions are sometimes inconvenient. Township staff work closely with developers and contractors to ensure work is undertaken as per approved permits and agreements with respect to tree preservation, environmental evaluations, tree removals, dust controls, removal of excess soils, controlling truck traffic and other actions to mitigate disruption. We look forward to current sites looking more completed with landscaping and planting in the spring. For information on developments and to connect with staff should you have a question, please visit scugog.ca/development.

I am so happy to see holiday events are taking place in Scugog this season. Thank you to the staff for the beautiful lights in Palmer Park and at the municipal office. The Business Improvement Association (BIA) will be offering holiday horse-drawn carriage rides again this year.

Remember to support local for all your holiday needs. Watch for opportunities to donate food or gift cards in support of Operations Scugog through the Port Perry fire station and other local holiday drives. Be sure to enjoy the Scugog Chamber Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, December 4th, at 5 p.m. The Chamber is also hosting its second annual Christmas Lights Contest. Visit the Scugog Chamber website for details.

Reserve your visit for the Children’s Old-Fashioned Christmas at the Scugog Shores Museum Village on December 5th between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The village will be traditionally decorated for the holidays with evergreen boughs, bright ribbons, and berries. Enjoy heritage demonstrations, visit Santa, and take home a holiday activity package. Visit events at scugogtourism.ca for details.

I wish you all a very safe and happy holiday season. Be sure to respect COVID-19 health and safety measures in place when visiting shops and restaurants, including wearing a mask, keeping your distance and for special events, vaccination passports. Remaining diligent allows us the chance to be together in person this holiday season.

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