HERITAGE FESTIVAL PAGE
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PAGE PEARSON REFLECTS ON YEAR Thursday, July 18, 2024
St. Marys Independent
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St. Marys Independent 36 Water St. S., St. Marys ON | 519.284.0041 | info@stmarysindependent.com | www.stmarysindy.com
Issue #1220
Thursday, July 18, 2024
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Federal environment minister announces $2.2 million for St. Marys Cement’s carbonFriday 9 & Dine reduction efforts Lasagna Dinner
Reduction in hours “not ideal” but no other choice, says library board chair
Live music with Steph Martin
By Emily Stewart The St. Marys Public Library board chair acknowledged it’s not ideal to operate under reduced hours, but it was what had to be done amid funding cuts.
Every Thursday
The library began operating on the following hours as of July 13:
after 3pm. Swings (9 holes and a cart) & Wings! $45 tax in, and/or 2lbs of wings & a pitcher $40 tax in! Call us for inquiries at
• Monday to Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. • Thursday to Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Saturday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library reduced their hours after losing funding from the Municipality of Perth South that granted access to Perth South residents. The end of the contract also resulted in a nearly $50,000 cut for the library’s operating budget.
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London West MP Arielle Kayabaga and federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault inspect some of the unrecyclable plastic and wood material used as an alternative fuel source that will help St. Marys Cement Inc. reduce its carbon emissions by 39,900 tonnes by 2030. Photo by Galen Simmons By Galen Simmons Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault was in St. Marys Monday afternoon to announce $2.2 million in support of St. Marys Cement Inc.’s innovative approach to reducing its carbon footprint. Joined by London West MP Arielle Kayabaga, Guilbeault partook in a
short tour of the St. Marys cement plant – part of the Votorantim Cimentos group – led by plant manager Alejandro Aviles and site environmental manager Kara Pelissero before making the funding announcement.
"Reducing hours is never what you want, particularly in a service where you're really dependent on having good staff,” said Cole Atlin, library board chair. “I think the St. Marys Public Library has the best staff, so cutting time and hours for them was something the board really had to think hard about, but we didn't really have an alternative option to make the reduction that we needed to make."
“When it comes to climate change, we all have to do our part; everyone whether you’re citizens, whether
Atlin added that Sarah Andrews, CEO of the St. Marys Public Library, analyzed in great detail how to reduce the hours with the least impact on the services. There is less programming and patron attendance on Saturdays, particularly in the summer, even though Saturdays are ideal for families and working parents. The Friends of the St. Marys Library will have to move their weekly Thursday night meetings to a different day.
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