“It was a very positive, exceptionally positive day. So I was quite pleased.”
Mayor Joe Preston’s reaction to last Saturday’s Mayor’s Winter Levee at the Horton Farmer’s Market, an opportunity to have a one-on-one dialogue with the mayor, members of council and city administrators.
It was an ideal time to reflect back on 2025 and look ahead down the road at St. Thomas in the new year.
And the timing of the levee couldn’t have been better, following on the heels of PowerCo announcing steel fabrication work was underway at its massive EV gigafactory in the Yarmouth Yards industrial park.
Preston continued, “I talked to a number of people who I’ve suggested thought this was never going to happen. And here we are now, concrete in the ground and steel going up.”
A popular topic of discussion was what feels like the never-ending road rehabilitation projects across the city.
Is there thought to reviving the levee as an annual event heading into the new year?
MP Andrew Lawton and MPP Rob Flack were also in attendance, observed Preston.
“As close as I am to the other levels of government, I don’t get to spend that kind of casual time very often, having a quick talk or any of the citizens can come up and talk to the MPP and the mayor at the same time, it was really quite unique.
Preston concluded, “I find more people who are fairly new to our community, who now say, ‘I’m glad I met you. Here’s what I used to do. Do you have a spot around where I could volunteer?’
“They wouldn’t think of asking it in an email or on a phone call, but when you meet them face to face, they go, well, I’d like to, I’d like to help in some other way.
“And boy, we’ve paired a pile of people up with The INN or with what Indwell’s working on or some of our service clubs that are always looking for great help, so it’s just nice to also get the fresh face of those new to St. Thomas.”
Written by Ian McCallun
Photo courtesy Establish Media
