Meaford is looking at bringing together a group of local representatives to discuss the town’s 150th anniversary.
A report was received by council at its May 29 committee of the whole meeting from Director of Community Services and Clerk Matt Smith. It recommends having council direct the Mayor and CAO to convene a group of local event organizers to talk about celebrating the milestone.
The report says as the former town was founded in 1874, 2024 would bring the town to its sesquicentennial anniversary.
Staff are recommending bringing together representatives such as from the Apple Harvest Craft Show, Scarecrow Invasion, Christmas on the Bay, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commence, and others, with the mayor discussing the importance of this milestone, and encourage groups to do their 2024 events around this theme.
Staff are recommending meetings happen once a quarter to check on progress, giving groups the chance to make requests to the municipality if needed on participating in sesquicentennial events.
Coun. Harley Greenfield says he does not want the celebration to be just for the Town of Meaford.
“I am hoping we can reach out to the entire municipality to certainly send their best wishes but come and be involved and come and partake with us,” says Greenfield.
Smith adds while Canada Day will be one of the events celebrating 150 years, the hope from organizing this is to expand the number of businesses and events celebrating the same theme.
“By bringing together people, not necessarily people who are on the group organizing Canada Day, but the people who are organizing other events in the community throughout the year, then they might theme their events around sesquicentennial as well. We may have a Scarecrow Invasion with the theme Meaford Through The Ages, for instance,” says Smith.