U of G Students Move In This Weekend, and Safe Semester Begins!

You know fall is close when the students return to the University of Guelph. This weekend, it might be best for you to avoid this particular stretch of Gordon Street because over 5,000 students will be moving in to their dorms, and the U of G admin has some notes for them and the greater Guelph community. Meanwhile, the City of Guelph is looking to next weekend, and the start of the annual Safe Semester program. Continue reading “U of G Students Move In This Weekend, and Safe Semester Begins!”

New Seth Mural Revealed as Enhancement of Trans Canada Trail

Seth has left his mark all around Guelph. The award-winning artist and graphic novelist has his art displayed outside the Bookshelf, in the sculpture garden at the Art Gallery of Guelph, and now on the wall along the Trans Canada Trail behind the Matrix Building next to the river. Members of the Guelph Hiking Trail Club, the Matrix’s board, and the artist himself officially unveiled the new piece on Monday. Continue reading “New Seth Mural Revealed as Enhancement of Trans Canada Trail”

GUELPH POLITICAST #334 – Moving the Needle Downtown

When you think about helping Guelph’s most vulnerable downtown, you think of Chalmers. They’ve been doing it for decades, and they’ve continued to do it though good economic times and bad. While the politicians look for policy and funding remedies, the good people at Chalmers are on the frontlines of the issue every day, so how do they see issues of poverty, homelessness, and mental health as they currently stand downtown? Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #334 – Moving the Needle Downtown”

RECAP: County Committee Supports Council Direction on Homelessness

Responding to a motion from Guelph City Council to hold an emergency meeting on homelessness in Downtown Guelph, the Wellington County’s social services committee gathered to address those concerns. The long meeting (by committee standards) saw members agree with Guelph’s leaders that more needs to done, and backed up council’s calls for action. How did we get here? Let’s recap the meeting… Continue reading “RECAP: County Committee Supports Council Direction on Homelessness”

County’s Social Services Committee to Hold Special Meeting on Thursday

Just a couple of days after Guelph City Council ratified a slate of motions meant to direct action on homelessness, mental health and addiction issues in Downtown Guelph, the City’s social services provider will gather the committee that oversees them for a special meeting. On Thursday, Wellington County’s social services committee, which includes Mayor Cam Guthrie as a member, will answer some of Guelph council’s questions. Continue reading “County’s Social Services Committee to Hold Special Meeting on Thursday”

Two Assaults Among the St. Patty’s Charges from Guelph Police

Congratulations, you made it through another St. Patrick’s Day. For the first time in two years, people were invited to take part in holiday festivities in-person, but the question of the day was if the proverbial luck of the Irish would be with Guelph Police and Bylaw. In their post-St. Patty’s analysis, it looks like not all was quiet this past March 17 in town, but it was maybe not as bad as it could have been. Continue reading “Two Assaults Among the St. Patty’s Charges from Guelph Police”

St. Patrick Day’s Precautions Return Downtown on Thursday

The COVID-19 pandemic through the world into lockdown almost literally hours before St. Patrick’s Day 2020. Now, two years later, with hopes high that the pandemic is nearly over, this year’s St. Patrick’s Day might more closely resemble March 17 festivities of years’ past. Here in Guelph, both the City and the Police Service are ready for just such an eventuality. Continue reading “St. Patrick Day’s Precautions Return Downtown on Thursday”

GUELPH POLITICAST #307 – New Year, New Market

As of January 1, 10C Shared Space took over the management of the Guelph Farmers’ Market. The goal is simple: turn an underperforming asset that’s only open five hours a week into a new economic hub and accelerator that ties together food security, sustainability, local markets, and opportunity development. Getting there is an ideal challenge for Guelph’s community changemaker. Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #307 – New Year, New Market”

This Month at Council: Race to Zero, Hotel Redo, and Downtown Drama

The year at city council ended with what actually might be some of their most intense debates. In December, there was a pretty fiery discussion about accelerating the City’s response to climate change, a new debate about whether a governance review is needed for the downtown business improvement area, and there was even some time for a public meeting on a rezoning and a brand new heritage designation. Let’s recap this last month of 2021 at council. Continue reading “This Month at Council: Race to Zero, Hotel Redo, and Downtown Drama”

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for December 20, 2021

It’s the surprisingly busy last meeting of the year five days before Christmas. You can click here for the amended agendas from City Hall, and you can click here for the Politico preview. For the complete blow-by-blow of today’s council meeting, you can follow along on Twitter, or follow the tweets below. You can also watch the City’s own live-stream of the meeting here. Continue reading “LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for December 20, 2021”