Councillor McCann Meeting Report (August 12, 2025)
Waterfront Advisory Committee Meeting
On Wednesday evening, 6:00, July 16, 2025, I attended the Waterfront Advisory Committee Meeting. Discussion centred on the final Waterfront Master Plan Open House at the Charles W. Stockey Centre on June 25, 2025. The committee formally endorsed the second draft of the final Waterfront Master Plan.
West Parry Sound District Museum
On Thursday, July 17, 2025, 6:00 pm, I attended the West Parry Sound District Museum Monthly Board Meeting in person. Financial Reports were received for May and June of 2025. There was discussion about establishing a Membership Committee and ways and means of growing the Museum's membership. The Board is still very much concerned about the condition of George Street and discussion centred on a plan to reach out to Parry Sound Town Council for remediation and paving of George Street from Forest to the Museum location. The Board passed a motion to hire the firm Hambly Woolley with the mandate of working with the Museum on a rebranding project. The Board's Gerald Porter with a focus group completed an exhaustive list of candidates beginning with 40 firms in Canada. A shortlist was established and from that the board made a selection.
Cherry Street Park
On Friday morning, July 18, 2025 at 10:00, I attended the official reopening of Cherry Street Park. Like the other new installations this one was designed for safety, fun and imaginative play. Many thanks again to April McNamara, Manager of Parks and Recreation, her staff and the installers. The next park that was to be transformed was Booth Street Park and then Mission Park.
Summer in the Sound
On Saturday, July 19, 2025 I took a stroll through Summer in the Sound, downtown Parry Sound. There was a great number of vendors and something for everyone. Attendance was great and steady and the weather was favourable as the rain held off to the late afternoon! A shout-out to April Denman and the Downtown Business Association (DBA) and Town Staff for orchestrating another great summer event.
Art in the Park
On Sunday afternoon, July 20, 2025, my wife and I took in Art in the Park. This annual event continues to grow and garner more and more popularity and residents, cottagers and visitors, take in the three-day event at Market Square Park. The event is also attracting a growing number and variety of vendors providing goods, arts, crafts, food, beverages, clothing, preserves, pottery, jewellery, soaps and more. Next year's event promises to be a huge endeavour as Art in the Park celebrates its 50th anniversary. It all got started in 1976.
Official Opening of Booth Street Park
On Friday morning, July 25, 2025, I attended the official opening of the Booth Street Playground. This now makes Waubuno Park Beach Playground, William Street Playground, Cherry Street Playground and now Booth Street location. Again, another job and installation well done and most welcome, and like the others, Booth Street Playground was also designed for fun, imagination and active play. Next is Mission Park Playground and I understand the infrastructure there will be designed for slightly older kids provisioning for more challenging play. All of the parks have been upgraded thanks to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) for its continued support.
Mission Park Official Opening
On Wednesday morning, August 6, 2025, I attended the Mission Park Official Opening. The equipment installation at this park is designed for older children. The park provides more opportunities for climbing, manoeuvring, challenges and managed risk.
Condolences to the Family of Stephannie Johnson MacDonald
I would like to at this time offer condolences to the Family of Stephannie Johnson MacDonald. Her family, colleagues and the community were shocked at the news of her sudden passing on July 18, 2025 at the young age of 46. She had suffered a short illness, leaving behind her husband Tony and two teenage sons, Noah and Sebastian, also a large extended family. I attended the Celebration of Life held in her honour on Saturday, August 9, 2025 at the Legion Branch 117. The hall was packed. Speaking at the gathering were Stephannie's husband, Tony MacDonald, mother, Glenda Johnson, Stephannie's uncle Jeff Johnson, read a column written by Jack Tynan, "Five million words: Remembering Stephannie MacDonald, a voice for West Parry Sound" published on line at ParrySound.com on July 27, 2025. Long time friend Keli Taylor and former co-worker Sarah Bissonette also spoke. She has been credited with writing five million words in her 18 years and has been referred to as a voice for West Parry Sound. A conservative estimate puts the number of articles she authored at 6,000. Every story was about a person, group, event or an issue in our West District. Stephannie was born in Parry Sound, in fact her family has deep roots in the community. As a young woman she left the area but came back as a graduate of Journalism at Canadore College and worked as a reporter for the Parry Sound North Star for 18 years before venturing into her own business. As a journalist she was highly respected, and deeply committed and motivated to reporting local news and supporting local groups and their endeavours. She accumulated many journalism awards from the Ontario Community Newspaper Awards and the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. Stephannie wasn't even a year old when I came to Parry Sound in April of 1980 to take a position with what was then CFBQ AM Radio. Stephannie's mother Glenda had just started her own position at the station having taken over for another lady who had just brought a baby boy into the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.
