In response to Mayor John Fenik’s request for clarification, the Ministry of Environment recently stated that the authority to oversee parking configurations for Main Street rests in the hands of Perth officials.

Mayor Fenik wanted to clarify the ministry’s ruling that stipulated they can only reconstruct the town’s Main Street if it conformed to the to the environmental assessment’s instructions. Failure to do so would result in stiff penalties.

The mayor’s question came as a result of the ongoing balancing act he’s had to deal with in designing the town’s main street, which includes removing all on-street parking. Residents who are presently operating businesses along Wilson Street say that removing parking will practically put their establishments out of business.

His decision to take out parking is final, Fenik said, and he will no longer entertain any back and forth debates. He will however, continue to communicate and work with the public as the project goes along.

Councilor Ed McPherson invited residents in town to attend a public meeting on the 10^th of February where final designs and configurations of the street will be unveiled; these include streetscaping, as well as a glimpse of  businesses slated to open in the future.

Whatever the case, we’re just happy Main Street is up for some rejuvenation. It’s a move sure to breathe new life into the town.

For a seasoned Perth potter, one minute is all it takes to turn a dull lump of clay to an elegant and perfect bowl.

Take that one minute, multiply it by 5 potters, two days, and you’ve got the 2010 Empty Bowls campaign off to a good start.

Potters recently came together at event organizer Jay Seaton’s studio to craft a good number of bowls that will be sold to help provide funds to initiatives aimed at securing food.

The goal? To produce a total of 500 bowls in two days.

The hand-made bowls will be fired and glazed to be sold at local studio tours and shops, as well as the upcoming Festival of the Maples.

The Empty Bowls campaign, an idea that started in the U.S., is a project where rather than selling bowls, potters are made to donate them, with proceeds going to food related charities like soup kitchens and the like.

Last year, Empty Bowls raised a total of $17,000, undeniably exceeding the annual goal of $10,000. Seaton hopes to build upon last year’s success by making more bowls to add funds to what they’ve currently collected.

Among those who volunteered were a number of students from Perth colleges and universities majoring in Fine Arts. According to them, the opportunity to help and hone their skills is something they just couldn’t turn down.

This article was posted about the County of Perth in Stratford Ontario not the Village of Perth Ontario. If you are interested in further reading concerning this issue please visit: www.perthcounty.ca/page/news&iArticle

In spite of the New Year’s chill and blowing snow, hundreds of Canadians still gathered around large holes in the ice, to see the brave and the bold jump into the frigid water – all for laughs and a dose of clean fun.

Each year, organizers put together these “uniquely Canadian” events by cutting a square hole through the thick ice, and inviting brave plungers who think they’ve got what it takes to handle the ice cold water. Dozens upon dozens of men and women in their swimsuits and—believe it or not—costumes jump into the water and come right out – laughing, and of course, shivering.

Two of these events were held in the town of Perth, where participants joined in on the fun to cure their hangover from all the holiday celebrations, as well as to raise money for Perth’s own Food Bank. Funds raised from the event were also given to the President’s Choice Children’s Charity.

It goes without saying that these events are dangerous, and organizers have medical personnel on standby as well as scuba divers to supervise the plungers.

Indeed, it’s a very entertaining activity to watch that speaks multitudes of Canada’s unique culture and pride in defending national identity.