The City of Guelph, and it’s various partners and agencies, put out a lot of information on a weekly basis, and while it all ends up on the City’s website somewhere, wouldn’t it be easier to just scroll through it all on one easy-to-read article on Guelph Politico here…?

City of Guelph Holds on to AAA Rating

Standards and Poors Global Ratings has affirmed the City of Guelph’s financial credit rating as AAA with a stable outlook, which is their highest possible ranking. According to S&P, Guelph has a strong local economy due in part to a broad manufacturing sector and a large public sector, including schools, hospitals, the University of Guelph and municipal administration. Plus, they also cited strong financial management practices, well-defined financial policies and an exceptional liquidity position as the reason why Guelph is holding at AAA.

“Earning and maintaining the highest possible credit rating is evidence of the City’s sound financial strategies and decision-making,” said CAO Scott Stewart in a statement. “Our policies, multi-year budgets aligned with Council’s approved strategic plans, and carefully considered fiscal planning have positioned us well. Our strong standing leaves us prepared for the challenges we know lie ahead, including inflation and balancing the renewal of our existing infrastructure while planning and building new infrastructure to support our housing pledge.”

Backyard Theatre Takes You to Vimy This Summer

For season nine of Backyard Theatre at McCrae House, you can check out a performance of a one-man play called Ridge. Written and performed by Brendan McLeod, Ridge examines misconceptions and varying perspectives around the battle of Vimy Ridge, while drawing parallels to other formative events in our nation’s past. The play is directed by Julia Course, with music by Brendan McLeod and Julia Glynn.

“I was in Guelph to cheer on my mom, who was participating in the master’s national curling championships. In between matches, we visited John McCrae’s house, and had a reflective time thinking about the First World War and ‘In Flanders Fields’,” McLeod said in a statement. “I got to thinking about the very different lives each generation lives. The conditions of the First World War were unfathomable to me. That 20,000 Canadian teenagers fought in the war was even more unfathomable. I wanted to push closer to their experience. To try—impossible as it might be—to understand the world they lived.

“Ridge is my best attempt at that. To perform the piece where it began is incredibly meaningful to me,” he added.

Ridge runs from August 17 to 26, with shows at 7 pm Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and 2 pm matinees on Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Eventbrite.

City Continues Fight Against Emerald Ash Borer

The City of Guelph will be continuing with its Emerald Ash Borer plan in the next couple of weeks with the retreatment of identified trees with TreeAzin, a natural pest control product registered under the Pest Control Products Act that prolongs the life of trees that are home to the borer. To be effective, TreeAzin must be injected at least every one to two years, depending on intensity of EAB infestation. Ash trees treated in 2021 are the best candidates for retreatment in 2023, and any City-owned and and shared ash trees that are not being treated will be monitored and removed once they are dead, in serious decline, or are a hazard to the public.

Theatre and Food Combined in Audio Performance

Future Food Visions, a series of nine audio experiences, was launched last weekend. These nine experiences were developed, written, and recorded by University of Guelph theatre students, and they tell stories about Guelph’s food history and of food insecurity in the Guelph-Wellington community. The stories highlight the excellent work of local food organizations, community groups, and cultural communities helping residents respond to challenges of food access and equity.

“We’re always looking for ways to connect artistic work at the university to the broader Guelph community,” said Kimberley McLeod, associate professor in the School of English and Theatre Studies in a statement. “For this project it was great to collaborate with Our Food Future and have members of the local food community come into class, tell their stories, and help students create this series of audio experiences. The results are extremely creative. I hope these experiences will help community members get a different perspective on the local food system we all share.”

The project is a combined effort between Our Food Future, 10C, CFRU, the Guelph Community Health Centre, The Arrell Food Institute, the Food System Resiliency Table, and the University of Guelph’s School of English and Theatre Studies. You can download the nine files or stream them on Driftscape or at reimaginefood.ca/visions.

One More Chance to See Garbage Future

The City of Guelph will be holding one more pop-up event to show off the three different design concepts for the implementation of a new waste collection system for properties in downtown Guelph. City staff will be at St. George’s Square from 11 am to 3 pm on Tuesday August 22 to answer questions and receive feedback, but it is weather permitting. You can also provide feedback about the proposed systems on the City’s Have Your Say site.

Additional Notes

Welcoming Streets has introduced a single, permanent phone number to make calling for support easier. The number is 519-838-6731.

The City of Guelph’s Hot Summer Nights continues this coming Thursday August 24 at Riverside Park from 6:30 to 7:45 pm.

The 47th annual Antique and Classic Car Show will take place at Wellington County Museum and Archives on Sunday August 27 from 1 to 4 pm.

Hope in the Street has been given a noise approval for their event on September 15.

The annual Welcome to Guelph event will be held on Saturday September 16 from 10 am to 1 pm.

Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington will be holding their annual general meeting on Thursday September 28 at 5 pm.

Registration is now open for the Guelph Humane Society’s Happy Tails Gala, their biggest annual fundraiser, which will take place on November 4 at the Delta Hotels Guelph Conference Centre.

The Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for the Water and Wastewater Servicing Master Plan (W/WW MP) and the Stormwater Management (SWM) Master Plan are now complete.

Metrolinx has announced an e-scooter pilot program where passengers can rent a SCOOTY scooter at the Mount Pleasant, Brampton and Bramalea GO Stations.

Current “Have Your Say” Opportunities:

Culture Plan, Downtown Waste Project, Guelph’s Bicentennial, Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Race to Zero, and Silvercreek Parkway North Reconstruction.

Transit Detours

Nothing to report this week.

New and Upcoming Construction

Work on the installation of a new traffic signal at Scottsdale and Ironwood is scheduled to continue for the next week.

There will be lane reductions on Caledonia Street for four weeks starting on Monday August 21 for the removing and repaving of concrete curbs and other road work.

There will be lane reductions on Victoria Road and Goldenview for 20 days starting on Monday August 28 for the installation of a new pedestrian signal.