Councillor McCann Meeting Report (January 17, 2023)

Note of Appreciation and Gratitude for Health Care Services
When it comes to our health it can be very easy to take for granted the health care services we are privileged to have in our area, but sometimes it takes an extraordinary event to really appreciate the valuable services in the West Parry Sound District. In the early hours of Christmas Eve day my wife and I came down with food poisoning. Although she suffered with all the usual symptoms we felt I would need hospital care and so around 1:00 am we called for an ambulance. There could not have been a worse night for paramedics to be out. The area was in the midst of a significant snow blizzard event. Having arrived here at our apartment building the paramedics had to dig through three feet of snow to get the stretcher indoors and had to dig out more when returning to the vehicle. The paramedics were kind, professional and greatly appreciated. All staff at the West Parry Sound Health Centre Emergency were terrific. They were very carrying, helpful and accommodating in every way. I slept for most of the twelve hours I was in care. After returning home late afternoon on the 24th I thought over and over about what could have been. What if the roads were not passable? What if we had no emerge or full health care facility? We need to be thankful for such a facility, staff and paramedics. A big thank you goes out to all who were so caring and helpful during this time!


Gratitude for the Services of Public Works During the Christmas Blizzard
I would add my note of appreciation and gratitude to our Public Works Department for working above and beyond duty during the major snow event prior to and on Christmas Day. While we dream of a 'White Christmas' I would say we got more 'white' than we bargained for. Thank you to staff for their great service in clearing the roads and sidewalks enabling people to eventually get out of their driveways and return to some normal routine. When a town or city receives such an abundance of snow, people and machinery can be overwhelmed. Blocked roads, sidewalks and passageways play havoc with emergency services and collectively we feel vulnerable being immobilized. Thank you once again to our staff and contractors for their service!


Mayor's Levee
On Sunday afternoon, January 8, 2023, my wife and I attended the Mayor's Levee at the Bobby Orr Community Centre. It was wonderful to attend after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. We reflected on the difficulties of the pandemic and also on the accomplishments of 2022. We also heard how 2023 is shaping up to be a very promising, busy and progressive year. Coming into 2023 we have already seen growth in industry, commercial business, residential development and in our population. Congratulations to Ellen Koennecke on receiving the Order of Parry Sound for 2022. Born and raised in Kitchener, she obtained a degree in physical occupational therapy from the University of Toronto before moving to Parry Sound with her husband in 1995. In Mayor Jamie McGarvey's words, "In the 20 years since Ellen first established yoga in Parry Sound, her classes have been instrumental to transforming the lives of hundreds of people of all ages, all cultures and all walks of life."


Condolences to Beagan Family
I would like to take this opportunity to extend sincere condolences to the family of Cliff Beagan.  Cliff passed away in his 91st year on Saturday, January 7, 2023. Cliff, considered to be one of our Parry Sound Town Fathers served on Council for a period of 9 years. With his extraordinary memory and sense of recall, he is also considered to be one of the Town's historians.  He was a brakeman for Canadian Pacific Railway, a foreman at General Motors, and became self-employed when he purchased The Creamery in 1969. He was involved in hockey and baseball, the Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Curling Club, Hospital and Victory School. I had the fortune of getting to better know Cliff during my work on the Parry Sound Victory School Commemorative Committee and the production of a memorial book and DVD set. We are fortunate to have recorded interviews with Cliff as he talked about his fond years at Victory School.  Thoughts and prayers for the family.  Cliff made a very positive impact on the area. He knew everyone and he will be greatly missed.


Parry Sound Public Library Board Meeting
On Wednesday morning, January 11, 2023, I attended the Parry Sound Public Library Board Meeting in person at the Public Library. We welcomed two new board members, Karen Walker and Alhan Rahimi. Each board member has been provided with an updated "Board Member Information Binder". Board Elections were held. Tom Lundy will continue to sit as Chair and Susan Murphy will continue as Vice Chair. We adopted our 2023 Meeting Schedule, reviewed and accepted our 2021-2022 Annual Report. We also received and approved the Treasurer's Report. The CEO Report and 2022 Fourth Quarter Statistics were also presented.
The Parry Sound Public Library is hosting a Trillium Grant Recognition Event on Friday, January 27, 2023 at 11:00 am. The library is proudly launching two new "mute" boxes for public use. MPP Graydon Smith and local dignitaries and public are invited. Thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the "Resilient Communities Fund", the library has installed these soundproof portable rooms that allow patrons to work, study, hold private Zoom meetings and conference calls using the library's Wi-Fi and their own devices.


Happy New Year
Finally, I would like to wish our Mayor, fellow Councillors, Town staff and the people of Parry Sound a very Happy New Year.  Best wishes for health, happiness and prosperity in your lives, and may we pray for peace in the world.