DRAYTON – Grade 4 and 5 students in Mount Forest are celebrating this week as the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) has chosen the name they suggested for a new elementary school in Drayton. 

Saint Martin of Tours was the name proposed by a Grade 3/4 class at St. Mary Catholic School in Mount Forest last school year. 

It is also the name of the Roman Catholic Church in Drayton. 

Trustees voted unanimously for the name during an Oct. 6 board meeting. 

The school is expected to open in 2026, with space for 222 students and 64 day care children from Mapleton and Minto. 

• Catholic board gets closer to naming Drayton school
• Mapleton approves zoning bylaw changes for Drayton school, severed farm
• Catholic board applies for zoning change for new school
• Council approves $450,000 road for new school
• Province approves $17 million in funding for new Drayton school, child care centre
• Catholic school board requests expansion in Drayton, Fergus, Rockwood

According to a proposal from the students, “St. Martin was a kind, wise and humble man. 

“He is most famous for cutting his cloak in half and giving half to a beggar,” the students stated in a report about the school’s name. 

“He dedicated his life to helping the poor and standing for what is right … He showed great love for others, even strangers.” 

The board has been working on determining a name for the new school since April, when a naming committee had its first meeting. 

The committee included a trustee, a parish priest, two senior administrators, principals from nearby schools, student senators, a parent and a community member. 

In May, the committee met to review 26 names suggested by the community and used a scoring matrix to narrow it down to the top-four options.

These four options were Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint Phillip Neri, Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint Martin of Tours. 

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was proposed by a WCDSB employee who said “given the continued journey of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples here in Canada, I feel naming the school after the first Native American Saint would be a fitting and important gesture.” 

Saint Phillip Neri was proposed by a parent whose children will attend the Drayton school, who said Neri was the patron saint of joy and laughter, and Drayton is known for Drayton Entertainment, which brings “a lot of joy to the community.” 

Saint Teresa of Calcutta was proposed by a WCDSB employee because Saint Teresa “dedicated her life to help the sick, the hungry, the homeless and those that were unloved and uncared for.”  

In September, director of education Mike Glazier met with Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton Douglas Crosby, who “thought that all the names were excellent,” as did the board’s executive council, the report states. 

Superintendent Betty Farrell said all four names “would be a great inspiration to students and future staff there.

“We had a lot of discussion and it really was a difficult choice.” 

She said the biggest factor in selecting Saint Martin for the school’s name was student input.

Farrell also noted historical significance of the name, calling it a “nod to the past people of the Drayton area because they are the ones that named their church. 

“We thought that if they had the money at the time to build a school, likely they would have named it Saint Martin of Tours.”

Prior to the decision, Glazier said a group of St. Mary students approached him during a cross country meet to ask if the board would pick their selection for the name. 

When he told them their proposal had made the top four, Glazier said “they were over the moon.

“They told me stories about all the work they had put into it and what they learned about Saint Martin of Tours,” including him giving his cloak to someone in need.

Trustee Vikki Dupuis said, “Saint Martin is credited as the first conscientious objector in all of history,” in addition to being the patron saint of the poor, soldiers, tailers and wine makers.  

“So that pretty much covers it,” she said with a laugh from the other trustees. 

The post New Drayton school named Saint Martin of Tours appeared first on Wellington Advertiser.

ELORA – Centre Wellington Mayor Shawn Watters held a town hall meeting in Elora on Oct. 6 so residents could voice their concerns – and boy, did he get an earful.

About 300 people filled the hall at the Jefferson Elora Community Centre, which is likely the biggest number to attend any of the 15 town halls the mayor has held since taking office.

Tourism was the hot topic but it spilled into other related topics such as parking, short-term rental policies, affordable housing and taxes.

Watters had back-up from CAO Dan Wilson, who weighed in at Watters’ request.

“It’s not an easy time here,” Watters said at the opening of the meeting, noting the province has mandated that Centre Wellington double in size.

“We’re also dealing with tourism – we get 750,000 people a year, just in Elora. There is a lot going on in this community. It’s hard to balance these things.”

Watters walked through the crowd with a microphone to take questions, which jumped from topic to topic through the two-hour session. 

To questions on housing, Watters said despite approving numerous housing proposals in the township, “no building is going on.”

That’s on the developers, he said, who are cautious to build in this uncertain economy.

He said in his mind, affordable housing means homes in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, and that might be for a 700-square-foot house. Wilson clarified that according to the province, affordable housing is $430,000.

Watters said the township’s strategy is to contain urban sprawl and preserve farmland.

“We’re pushing for intensification. But more supply means more opportunity,” he said.

The township is working on a bylaw to regulate short-term accommodations, which is expected to come to council in January or February, Wilson said. 

Many residents noted that long-term rentals are drying up in favour of Airbnbs, leaving the “working poor” with no place to live.

Watters said staff and council worked for a year and a half to determine the new urban boundary and where all the growth will be, but the province hasn’t yet approved the plan.

In the meantime, some developers want the boundary to stretch to include their land and are heading to the Ontario Land Tribunal to make their case.

One woman, noting the new provincial policy statement on housing has been released, asked, “When will we see a cap on growth in Centre Wellington?”

“The provincial policy statement doesn’t cap growth,” Wilson replied. “It encourages it.”

He noted the new township boundary also establishes employment lands, which are also critical for growth.

Some residents wanted to complain about what they called “the elephant in the room” – Kat Florence Canada, the company that has bought up several historic buildings in downtown Elora and restored them as hotels or venues to accommodate tourists. 

The company has also run promotional campaigns to attract more tourists to town.

Watters shut down that line of questioning, saying it’s “not cool” to discuss particular people in the setting.

“If we can’t talk about the elephant in the room, there’s no point being in this room,” one man said.

Fergus resident John Mifsud talked about “the appearance of favouritism” when it comes to Kat Florence, adding, “It doesn’t help that the narrative gets policed.”

Mike Nagy retorted, “the real threat to the community is Doug Ford, Bill 5 and MZOs (ministerial zoning orders). But the biggest threat is Bill 5.”

Nagy said Ford thinks the solution to the housing crisis is single family homes.

“He’s killing all attainable housing. Ask our mayor and council to push harder,” Nagy said.

Residents seemed happier to hear the township is working on two initiatives that would see tourism pay for tourism: paid parking and a municipal accommodation tax (MAT).

Residents who register their licence plate numbers with the township will be able to park for free and the MAT tax will be paid by tourists who stay in local hotels or Airbnbs.

Those funds will be used to benefit the community, Watters said.

To a question about public transit, Wilson said the township received a grant from the province and has commenced a feasibility study to determine how to go about it.

The thinking is that a local transit service would connect with the county’s RideWell program and with services in Guelph and Waterloo.

The scope of questions and comments was wide-ranging. Some complained their driveways were blocked by tourists. Some asked for a senior’s centre in Elora.

Many also spoke about the qualities that make Elora so special – the people, the causes the community rallies behind, the natural beauty.

“There’s something very special about Elora. Hearts matter more than appearances,” one woman said.

“I moved here because it’s pretty and I love it,” said another woman.

“We have to solve the problems. We can’t just argue anymore.”

The post Elora residents speak out against tourism, parking, lack of housing at town hall appeared first on Wellington Advertiser.

Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak accused Premier Doug Ford of “throwing the baby out with the bath water” over the province’s plan to ban all speed cameras.

He said the proposed legislation could prove a costly mistake as he joined other municipal leaders in calling for the province to at least make school zones an exception to the prohibition.

“I think it’s less than a year since we’ve had them deployed, and you have to wonder whether some adjustments could have been made,” Nowak told The Observer.

Since Canada Post workers went on strike last month, local municipalities have resorted to hand-delivered mail.

Thousands of postal workers walked off the job on September 25, following the federal government’s announcement of significant changes at Canada Post.

As a result, letter mail and packages are not being processed or delivered, which has affected the Township of Wellesley’s ability to mail out any statutory notices, with the final 2025 tax bills due on October 31.

Wallenstein’s Kassie Ciaschini claimed the title at the finals of the Wellesley Idol competition, held in conjunction with the Apple Butter and Cheese Festival.

Linwood’s Eleanor Maggs was second, with Baden’s Kristine King in third place.

Musician Allister Bradley, one of the judges, said the talent on display made it difficult to pick a winner.

Kitchener Conestoga MP Tim Louis said boosting Canadian labour mobility is his top priority in helping the country to weather U.S. economic attacks as he spoke of his new government role amid Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Washington this week.

Louis, who has held a trade ministry job since June, believes eliminating job barriers, such as different provincial occupational certifications, would benefit his own constituents as much as people in other parts of the nation.

It would also boost economic growth, he told The Observer.

The Region of Waterloo is wasting facilities that it could be making money from, with some buildings sitting almost empty while staff work from home, its newest councillor says.

Joe Gowing told The Observer that he is now pushing the municipality to carry out a strategic plan to assess property usage – and possibly consider selling some – because he is determined to avoid further inflation-busting property tax increases.

“What sparked it is that I went on a tour of 99 Regina Street, and it’s practically empty,” said the investment expert who was selected as a Kitchener representative following the April death of Coun. Kari Williams from cancer.

The clock strikes egg with a new contest to help promote egg farmers across the province in line with World Egg Day.

Egg Farmers of Ontario (EFO) is putting on its third annual It’s Egg O’clock Somewhere contest, which ends for entries tomorrow (Friday).

October 10 is World Egg Day, and that is a chance to promote egg farms around the country, said EFO’s Donna Large.

“We are thrilled to once again bring back the Egg O’Clock contest,” said Large. “Not only does it help us celebrate World Egg Day, it also serves as a reminder that eggs are a fresh, local and healthy option at any time of day.”

Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO) is getting a $41-million boost, the province announced this week.

That includes $10.5 million for the new Ontario Poultry Research Centre at the Elora Research Station, where Agriculture Minister Trevor Jones announced the new funding Tuesday morning.

“We are grateful to the Ontario government for its increased investment in the Ontario Poultry Research and Innovation Centre,” said Murray Opsteen, board chair of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario.

A new partnership aims to connect agronomic advisors across the province, enhancing their effectiveness and supporting the various programs in the field.

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) and the Ontario Crop Advisor Association (CCA) have entered into a partnership with the aim of making those with the designation more effective.

A survey conducted by the CCA found that 85 percent agreed or strongly agreed that agronomists with a CCA designation are a trusted source of guidance regarding agronomic issues on the farm.

The Wellesley Applejacks increased its lead in the standings after stretching its winning run to seven games following two victories over the weekend.

With a 5-4 decision on home ice on Saturday, the team beat a strong Norwich Merchants side that was seeking payback after a shock loss to the Jacks in last season’s playoffs.

The following night, Wellesley travelled to Paris for a tango with the Titans that ended with a comfortable 5-1 victory for the visitors.

The Elmira Sugar Kings came back from an early two-goal deficit Friday night in Port Colborne to defeat the Sailors 6-5, continuing their goal-scoring ways in Sunday’s 10-2 pasting of Ayr to post a four-point weekend.

With the wins, the Kings improved to 6-2, putting them fourth in the GOJHL’s Western Conference.

“We had a pretty good night last night,” head coach Cory McRae said the day after Sunday’s win. “For the first two periods, I thought every shift from every line, we were dominant and we were moving pretty good.

The head coach of the Woolwich Sun Rays special-needs hockey team praised his players and other volunteers at a party to celebrate the club’s tenth anniversary.

Noting the performances, Rick Moser said, “The improvement over the last few years has been incredible,” during a heart-warming speech that also garnered many laughs.

“It takes a great bunch of dedicated volunteers to get this team on the ice week after week,” he told the audience at Elmira’s Royal Canadian Legion hall on Saturday night.

In a workshop located on a horse farm, Brydon Clark works leather into the shape of an English saddle. 

His saddlery and repair shop between St. Clements and Heidelberg is one of the few left in Ontario.

Falling into the profession was a complete accident, Clark said. 

Suddenly went to be with Jesus on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at the age of 10 years old. Beloved son of Devon and Dianne (Gingrich) Weaver. Cherished little brother of Brayden, Tyrell, and Rhiana. Lovingly remembered by maternal grandparents Russel and Miriam Gingrich, paternal grandparents Melvin and Jeanette Weaver, aunts and uncles Darrel Gingrich, Duane (Estefania) Gingrich, Darvin Gingrich, Angela (Dean) Sensenig, Louise (Linford) Martin, Audrey (Brian) Martin, and Lynell (Darin) Miller. Daxon will be missed by many cousins, and friends. Daxon had many best friends. He was quiet yet warm, with a heart full of compassion and a spirit that always put others first. He was known for running, and channelled that energy into playing soccer, biking with family and friends, and playing baseball. Daxon’s easygoing nature, gentle smile, and unselfish soul made him deeply loved by all who knew him. Though his time with us was far too brief, the love he gave and the joy he shared will be remembered by all. Visitation will take place on Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Woodlawn Mennonite Fellowship, 6449 Wellington County Rd 11, Moorefield. A funeral service will be held at Woodlawn Mennonite Fellowship at 1 p.m. on Friday, October 10, 2025 with burial in Hillside  Cemetery. A meal will follow at Countryside Christian Fellowship. The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed on Daxon’s tribute page of the Dreisinger Funeral Home website. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Countryside Christian School would be appreciated and may be made through the funeral home.

www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Stephen King’s spine-chilling thriller, Misery, is now on stage this week in a Drayton Entertainment production at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.  

It tells the story of a successful romance novelist, Paul Sheldon (portrayed by Randy Hughson), who is rescued from a car crash by his number-one fan, Annie Wilkes (Tracey Ferencz), who at first glance appears to be a kind nurse. 

Then, it takes a turn for the worse when Wilkes reads his latest book, discovering he killed off her favourite character. 

I won’t bore you with technical details. Let’s just say on the weekend I was refamiliarizing myself with my climbing tree stand for an upcoming bow hunt.

A climbing tree stand does not utilize a ladder. Instead, you attach a top rail and a bottom platform around a tree to inchworm your way up. Every time you put weight on either part, they grip the tree.

Anyhow, I was doing this in my back yard, when the bottom, which I somehow had forgot to attach to the top rail at the back, fell out from under me.

Are you brave enough to enter one of the scariest haunted houses this spooky season?

There happens to be one nearby this month: The Fergus House of Horrors, located between Alma and Fergus. 

It will be operating from tomorrow night (Friday) through to Halloween night on October 31. 

Apple fritters are one of my all-time favourite fall treats. I love the crackly glaze, those irresistible crispy edges, and chunks of apple packed into tender dough. And while I’m usually quick to make my favourite bakery treats at home (looking at you, yellow birthday cake ), apple fritters are not one of them because I hate the hassle of frying. Instead, I make a loaf of apple fritter bread.