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PAGE SWIMMER’S PERSONAL BESTS Thursday, July 3, 2025
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 #1269
Thursday, July 3, 2025
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Connie Douglas awarded the 2025 Senior of the Year Award for St. Marys
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ST. MARYS CELEBRATES CANADA DAY!
(WENDY LAMOND PHOTO)
The Canada Day Parade started at 11 a.m. leaving from the PRC parking lot down James St. South up to Queen Street, down to Wellington and up Park Street and finishing at Cadzow. There was a variety of entries in this year’s parade with local dignitaries, tractors, local businesses, bands, church groups and service clubs. The town had lots of events planned to follow at Cadzow Park with hands on activities, barbecues, face painting, and children’s inflatables. The ceremony started at 12 p.m. and was followed by performances from Bradley Kerr and York Street Thought Process. Happy Canada Day!
519.225.2329 Anonymous donation results in council approval for Grand Trunk Trail lighting project WWW.RIVERVALLEYGOLFANDTUBE.COM
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A well-used section of St. Marys’ Grand Trunk Trail from Ingersoll Street to the Sarnia Bridge will soon be better lit thanks to an anonymous donation of $60,000. At the June 24 St. Marys council meeting, council approved a new capital project to be completed later this year that will see the installation of 13 new LED streetlights and poles along that section of trail west of the Thames River. In 2023, a number of large donations were similarly made to support new lighting and asphalt along 700 metres of trail. According to the staff report on this project, one of those donors committed to
donating funds for this year’s trail-improvement project. “When we were approached earlier this year by a resident who made a large-sum donation to the trail network, we reviewed some of the priorities for the trail and some of the issues we’ve heard from trail users in the past, and the highest-priority item within the available funds of the donation was a lighting project from Ingersoll Street to the Sarnia Bridge,” said infrastructure services manager Jeff Wolfe. According to the staff report, the Grand Trunk Trail west of the Thames River has steep embankments along the sides of the trail and is very dark at night with CONTINUED TO PAGE 7
Congratulations to Connie Douglas for being recognized with the provincial 2025 Senior of the Year award. The award gives each municipality in Ontario the chance to honour one outstanding community member who plays a vital role in shaping our town by volunteering countless hours of their time and by making our community better for all. I am beyond honoured to write this story about my mother as I know she is so deserving of this award. It was presented to her at the regular council meeting on June 24 by deputy mayor Brogan Aylward and town council members. Douglas, along with her husband, Harold, started the Town and Country Cheese Shoppe in 1990. Since the sale of their business 10 years ago, she has spent many days volunteering at the Friendship Centre. Through the centre, she has helped prep meals, delivered groceries and participated in the outreach program by visiting with those in the community who want company. Besides the Friendship Centre, Douglas has also volunteered her time with the Salvation Army manning the kettle in December, helping at the food bank throughout the year and assisting with anything else they need help with. She has helped set up for induction day for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and she has helped with many events put on by her church, the East Nissouri Union Church. She has met many people through this time and has loved being able to give back to our CONTINUED TO PAGE 2