This year's grade: A
Last year's grade: B+
With a sharp eye on the importance of its past, Scugog is set to charge head first into the future.
Veteran leadership and experience around the council table, as well as an admirable willingness to swing for the fences when it comes to improving the community, once again has Scugog well-positioned for the years to come.
The past year will be memorable for both the economic slowdown which handcuffed the municipality and its residents and the way the Township took advantage of the stimulus grants handed out by upper-tier governments to keep the country moving.
Most notable was Scugog's ability to seize $7 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments to carry out ambitious and much-needed work to improve Port Perry's waterfront. These future improvements, which will include a new library, parking garage and waterfront trails and the purchase of the 'Old Mill' on the shores of Lake Scugog, will tie in nicely with the attraction that Port Perry's historical downtown has become.
That windfall of cash, however, didn't simply fall into Scugog's lap. Thoughts turned to revamping the waterfront long ago, draft plans were drawn up and, with Scugog's leaders frugally squirrelling away the municipality's millions in reserve, everything was in place when the feds and Ontario started throwing cash around.
Prudent planning, and not just luck, netted Scugog that cash -- a testament to our forward-thinking councillors.
And while Scugog is looking to a new and exciting future, it also appears keen on preserving and promoting its past. The Township continues to work on implementing a heritage conservation district aimed at ensuring Port Perry's beautiful Victorian-era downtown remains for generations to come.
Scugog should also be applauded for its determination to preserve and showcase the community's historical treasures with the opening of the new Scugog Cultural Centre, slated to open at the Reach Street community centre in September.
And leading Scugog into this bright future is a core group of veteran politicians, most of whom have been keeping their council seats warm for more than a half-decade. It's this experience, and the wisdom that comes with it, that has paid off well for local residents.
Working as a dedicated and cohesive group, our councillors continue to move the community forward in a sensible, fiscally-responsible and welcome direction.
Individually, the bulk of Scugog's representatives continue to serve their constituents extremely well. And, while there are a few weak links, Scugog's political leaders certainly deserve their grade of an 'A' for this year -- a slight bump from the 'B+' assigned to the group last year.
With another year of experience under their collective belts, better performances by most councillors and their success in securing millions for Port Perry's waterfront, we believe that mark is well warranted.
Port Perry Star
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