Local News Briefs
- Thorold Approves Budget – Thorold City Council has passed its annual city budget, which will have a tax levy reduction of 0.19 per cent thanks in part to public transit costs being shifted to the region. This year’s budget includes money set aside for a farmers market, upgrades to facilities used by Thorold Minor Baseball and a new crosswalk on Ormond St. (Thorold Today)
- Packed House For Healthcare Townhall – MPP Wayne Gates held his healthcare townhall meeting last night in front of a packed house with citizens, Niagara Health, paramedics and a doctor from Toronto all in attendance. Gates said one of the hot topics of the meeting was the Ontario government’s capping of health care worker’s wages and attracting more doctors and nurses to the Ontario healthcare system. (105 The River)
- Thorold Buys Walking Time – Thorold has set aside $17,000 in the city budget to purchase time on the running track of the Canada Games Park from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday so residents of Niagara can use to track to walk. Many people have expressed frustration that the track was only open to the public until 4 p.m. weekdays as the track is restricted to permit users in the evenings for running. (Thorold News)
- Donations Being Accepted For Earthquake Victims – Gizem Afsar, a St. Catharines chef who moved to Canada from Turkey five years ago, is collecting items such as tents, sleeping bags, blankets, coats, boots, and sweaters to send to Turkey to help those impacted by the earthquake. Donations will be accepted until 10 p.m. tonight at the Dispatch Restaurant at 386 St. Paul Street. (CKTB)
- Waterfront Welcome Centre Price Doubles – Port Colborne’s plan to build a cruise ship welcome centre as part if its cruise ship dock initiative may not be moving forward after the initial price tag has doubled from $2.5 million to $5 million. City staff is recommending that the welcome centre not be included in the initial construction phase as high inflation and higher interest rates have increased the construction cost of the proposed building. (Niagara this Week)
