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  • Essex County Council adopts Indemnification Policy

    By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press

    The County of Essex has never had a formal Indemnification Policy before. It now has one on the shelf, as County Council approved its first such policy during its May 7 meeting.

    David Sundin, Director of Legislative and Legal Services, explained it appears the County has only had to rarely, on an ad hoc basis, identify employees of the County. It is, however, becoming increasingly common to see individual members of Council and municipal employees named personally in claims against municipalities across the province.

    With that in mind, County Administration recommended providing members of County Council and staff with peace of mind by having a formal Indemnification Policy in place.

    In his report to County Council, Sundin noted that the Municipal Act and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act allow municipalities to indemnify its employees and members of Council in certain situations.

    “Currently, if an employee or member of Council was personally named in a legal proceeding, they would have to seek Council approval on a case-by-case basis in order to have the County indemnify them,” Sundin outlines in his report on the matter.

    “By adopting a formal Indemnification Policy, Council will remove any uncertainty and… employees and members of Council can perform the tasks required by them on behalf of the County, with certainty that they will be protected as long as they are appropriately exercising their respective duties.”

    County Council gave approval to the policy without any members asking any questions.

  • Essex County amends Procurement Policy for a Canada First Strategy

    By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press

    Back in February, Essex County Council directed Administration to explore a buy Canadian Procurement Strategy. As a result, at the May 7 meeting, County Council unanimously received and approved a “Canadian First Strategy” report, and further directed Administration to make the required amendments to the County’s Procurement Policy.

    Those amendments will reflect on the approved wording as outlined in the report regarding the implementation of a Canada First Procurement Strategy and a tariff escalation clause.

    Later in the meeting, a By-law 2025-22, to Amend By-law 2024-08 to adopt a Procurement Policy for the Corporation of the County of Essex (to Include Provisions for a Buy Canadian Strategy), was passed.

    LaSalle Mayor Mike Akpata originally brought forward this idea, wanting the County of Essex to ensure it buys Canadian so the organization puts its money back into the folks that give them the privilege of sitting around the County Council table, and to ensure it is done in a proper manner.

    It was presented in reaction to the US tariff matter.

    Melissa Ryan, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer, pointed out key administrative recommendations to County Council.

    The first proposed amendment introduced a Canada First Procurement Strategy, modelled after the Province’s recently adopted Procurement Restriction Policy.

    This strategy would prioritize Canadian vendors for County purchases that fall below the key trade agreement thresholds, which is $353,300 for goods and services and $8.8M for construction, Ryan explained. It still allows for exceptions when needed. That would include when no Canadian options are available.

    “The intent is to strengthen support for Canadian businesses, especially those right here in our community, while staying within the boundaries of legislation and aligning with Ontario’s broader public sector response to international trade dynamics,” Ryan said.

    The second recommendation was to introduce a tariff-related escalation clause to the County’s Procurement Policy. Ryan explained that it would provide a clear, transparent process for vendors to request price adjustments if new tariffs are imposed during the course of the contract.

    The process would require justification and documentation of mitigation efforts from vendors, she added.

    Some optional strategies Ryan outlined County Council may want to explore in the future include buy Canadian awareness campaigns, and short-term tax deferrals for local businesses impacted by economic pressures that are a direct result of newly imposed tariffs.

    “Given the evolving nature of international trade policies, we will continue to monitor the landscape and remain open to adjusting or removing any provisions if circumstances change,” she said.

    Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue was fully supportive of this. He did want to make sure decisions would be brought to Council still. Ryan noted any contracts would follow typical procurement policies, which details that anything over $500,000 needs to go to Council. Anything below would go through Administration for proper sign-offs that way.

    He wanted to ensure Administration follows County Council’s intentions, which Ryan assured would happen.

    Essex Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley wanted to ensure American companies would not be excluded from bidding. He understands the spirit of what the County wants to do, but wants to ensure American companies are not excluded at the detriment of taxpayers at the end of the day. He spoke of instances that could potentially result in substantial savings for taxpayers.

    In her report to County Council Ryan adds that adopting a Canada First Procurement Strategy may result in increased costs in certain cases, particularly when Canadian or non-U.S. suppliers are unable to offer competitive pricing compared to U.S. companies. Those added costs may be offset by the broader economic benefits of supporting domestic suppliers—including job creation, local economic investment, and enhanced regional economic resilience.

    Ryan noted this would exclude US bidders under those thresholds outlined. She noted the County does not typically find that US bidders are bidding on County construction projects. They do business with them on IT software and hardware and some pieces of ambulances. Those are situations where there are no other Canadian options available.

    Her report adds that those contracts will continue to be monitored closely to assess risk and availability.

    Lakeshore Deputy Mayor Kirk Walstedt echoed Shepley’s concerns. He did not want to take this to an extent that it would significantly affect the tax base. From what he heard, that is a low risk.

    Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers was interested in further exploring the short-term tax deferrals for local businesses impacted by economic pressures that are a direct result of newly imposed tariffs as Ryan outlined.

    CAO Sandra Zwiers noted the procurement changes presented during the meeting were key ways the County could support local businesses. When it comes to a tax deferral program, it would have a more cumbersome administration, requiring applications from businesses. The County can explore how to build the framework to make that happen.

    She added the Windsor-Essex Economic Trade Task Force is promoting awareness of help that already exists at the provincial and federal levels for businesses.

    “At the municipal-level, we have a role to play, but wanting to make sure – before we get into a tax deferral program that would then impact the tax flow of municipalities that also help to contribute to the local economy – that we really promote those provincial and federal avenues, as well,” Zwiers said.

    If it is County Council’s desire to look at a tax deferral program, it can be raised at the Regional Treasurers’ Group, comprised of Treasurers from the County and the seven local municipalities, to be explored, and solutions can be found to propose to Council to move forward.

    Rogers further moved that in terms of the short-term tax deferrals that the Regional Treasurers’ Group discuss target municipal property tax relief in order to suggest how to provide relief to businesses impacted by recently imposed tariffs, and report back to County Council.

    Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara also supported the tax deferral piece in terms of conformity across the local municipalities. He pointed out it is a deferral.

    “We need to send a message to our friends in Washington that we’re serious about taking care of business,” McNamara said.

  • Hydro One outlines preferred route for proposed Longwood to Lakeshore Transmission Line

    By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press

    Ontario’s need for electricity is growing, Sonny Karunakaran, Hydro One’s Vice President of Strategic Projects and Partnerships, stated when sharing the utility’s preferred route for the proposed Longwood to Lakeshore Transmission Line project.

    The announcement took place virtually last Wednesday afternoon.

    While the Independent System Electricity Operator anticipates the province’s electricity demand will grow around 75% in the next 25-years, demand is expected to quadruple in Southwestern Ontario, Karunakaran, explained.

    That growth is expected to come from a number of factors, Karunakaran said, including industrial automation plants, greenhouses, residential developments, and various economic development opportunities that continue to come into the region.

    A number of projects have been identified for southwestern Ontario to address that demand, including the Chatham-Lakeshore project that was energized in 2024, which was completed one-year ahead of schedule and around $30M under budget, and the Longwood to Lakeshore Transmission Line.

    This network of projects is expected to improve resiliency and reliability, economic growth and investment, and support for local industry and the ag sector.

    The preferred Longwood to Lakeshore Transmission Line includes two new single-circuit, around 118km, 500-kilovolt transmission lines connecting the Longwood Transformer Station in Strathroy-Caradoc to the Municipality of Lakeshore.

    Hydro One has identified the preferred route for the project as “3B,” which scored the highest based on a series of categories. This route will minimize vegetation removal, will be the least impactful to surface water resources and aquatic habitats, and lowers potential effects to species at risk and species and habitats of concern.

    It also had the least impact on residential and commercial properties, and would cross fewer features of archeological and cultural heritage potential, including the avoidance of the North Buxton National Historic Site. In terms of Indigenous culture and land use, the preferred route also had the least impact on native and rare species and their habitats.

    Benefits of the route include maximizing use of existing transmission corridors, the shortest line-length which would result in lower material cost, and minimizing impact on residential properties.

    Hydro One continues to engage with conservation authorities, municipalities, and other infrastructure companies, and the public on the project.

    Engagement and development activities will continue throughout the lifecycle of this project.

    Construction is expected to commence in 2027. Once the line is in service, which is expected to be by 2030, it is anticipated to bring around 550 megawatts of electricity to the region, “which is enough to power the city the size of London, Ontario,” Karunakaran said.

    An interactive map on the project website www.hydroone.com/about/corporate-information/major-projects/longwood-to-lakeshore allows users to zoom in and view the preferred route.

    Background on the project includes conducting a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) in 2024, meant to help determine how a new piece of critical infrastructure will impact Indigenous communities, residents, and community spaces, Karunakaran added.

    It included consultation and engagement with Indigenous communities, government officials and agencies, and interested persons or organizations. It also allows for the evaluation of alternative routes and an assessment of the existing environment and ways to mitigate potential effects.

    Since, Hydro One has continued to collect important environmental and technical information, Karunakaran explained.

    Once this portion of the project is completed, Karunakaran noted Hydro One will submit an Environmental Study Report to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks. Before the project is built, permits to construct will be applied through the Ontario Energy Board.

    The Independent Electricity System Operator will determine the in-service date for the second line through its regional planning process, Karunakaran explained.

    Hydro One continues to advance development for both lines and streamline engagement with landowners to minimize the project’s footprint and identify opportunities to reduce overall project costs.

    Karunakaran added Hydro One will work closely with directly impacted property owners, residents, and communities along the route.

    Residents and members of the community are invited to learn more about the preferred route and engage with the project team at upcoming community open houses, including a virtual open house on the project website on Thursday, May 15, from 7 to 8pm. There will also be four in-person open houses, including one on Thursday, June 5, from 4 to 7pm at the Tilbury Community Centre.

    Those who need to connect outside the open houses, can do so by emailing Hydro One through the project website.

    In a statement Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey prepared in regards the announcement, she noted Council understands that any major critical infrastructure project, like the Longwood to Lakeshore Transmission Line, will have some impact on communities, residents, and specific property owners.

    “To balance the impact on our community members, Council supported entering into a Community Support Agreement (CSA) with Hydro One in August of 2023. As part of that agreement, Lakeshore will benefit from receiving $8M towards new local investments, including $5.8M to directly support culture and recreation projects in the communities affected by the project.

    Over the past two-years, Mayor Bailey continued, the community of Comber has already noticed these investments take shape, including improvements to the war memorial in the heart of Comber, the purchase of a plot of land at 6311 Main Street for the future home of a gathering and event space, and new sidewalks to improve walkability within Comber.

    As part of the CSA, Lakeshore has also committed to working with Hydro One to identify concerns and routing solutions throughout the Environmental Assessment process. As part of that work, Lakeshore Administration has participated in Technical Advisory Committee Workshops related to these critical infrastructure projects.

    Lakeshore residents are encouraged to participate in either the Virtual Open House on May 15 and/or attend one of the in-person events.

    “These events are an opportunity to ask questions and understand Hydro One’s route evaluation process,” Bailey added.

  • IWE details Q1 highlights to Essex County Council during ‘extraordinary times’

    By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press

    “We are facing extraordinary times right now in this county and the country,” Keith Andrews, COO & Strategic Advisor to the Board of Directors for Invest WindsorEssex (IWE) – the region’s economic development organization, told members of Essex County Council at the May 7 meeting.

    “We have never really seen a situation like we are facing right now when it comes to trade and the uncertainty of what we will be facing in the economy.”

    Every day, however, “we continue to work hard, and I am pleased to say [for] uncertain times, we are seeing success,” Andrews continued. “We drive investment, we drive expansion, and the team continues to put their dedication to fostering economic growth and supporting our companies and our communities.”

    The IWE reps appeared in front of County Council as last year, the organization made a commitment to provide Essex County Council with regular, in-person updates on its activities, its work, and what it does on behalf of the region.

    That promise was made after County Council decided to reduce IWE’s County contribution 15%, from $1,122,060 to $953,750 during 2025 Budget Deliberations. Originally, IWE asked for $1.23M, around a 9% increase from 2024, then pulled it back to match its previous funding ask.

    IWE is funded by the County and the City of Windsor. With that funding, it also obtains provincial dollars.

    The original cut in funding stemmed from a survey Essex County Council received back in July that detailed the results received from a discretionary regional shared services survey sent out to the seven local municipalities.

    In terms of satisfaction, 53% of respondents report being either satisfied or very satisfied with Invest WindsorEssex products/services. From a reputation standpoint, 52% of respondents rated their impression of Invest WindsorEssex as good to excellent. 43% believed their municipality is receiving good value for money from Invest WindsorEssex.

    At the regular meeting on February 18, however, a majority of County Council moved Tecumseh Deputy Mayor/Deputy Warden, Joe Bachetti’s, motion to rescind that resolution and reinstate the original funding amount.

    Detailing IWE’s work in the first quarter of 2025, Joe Goncalves, Vice President Investment Attraction & Strategic Initiatives, noted IWE’s Investment Attraction Department and Business Retention and Expansion Department and Small Business Centre landed around $421M worth of new investment.

    In addition, there were five expansions, 1260 direct jobs, and 14 business startups. 31 business support sessions were also held, which were provided to 576 attendees. 291 business consultations took place, stemming from businesses that connected with IWE looking for support.

    “I don’t need to tell anybody around this room how important this is to the economic vitality of our region in how it is going to contribute to new home building, to commercial plazas going up, and really to the GDP output of Windsor-Essex,” Goncalves said.

    In building off Andrew’s previous statement, Goncalves noted “we live in very complicated times. Even in those complicated times, we managed to land investments in the Windsor-Essex region, which will benefit us all.”

    He spoke of the $120M over eight-years investment from Neo, and the $300M Minth investment that also has plans for further expansion.

    In looking at the Minth investment, for instance, Goncalves highlighted that will equate to an economic output of nearly $357M, create an additional indirect 1564 regional jobs, with regional wages totalling $151,708, 247 introduced to the Windsor-Essex area.

    There are four expansion projects to be announced in Essex County in the near future, which will total $43M and 220 jobs, Goncalves said.

    “We do this because we want to build great things for the community that we serve, and we want to improve the quality of life of every resident across Windsor-Essex,” Goncalves said, noting the projects he highlighted will contribute to that.

    In terms of dealing with the US tariff situation, Wendy Stark, Director of Business Retention & Expansion, noted IWE has partnered with the Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce to launch and cochair the Windsor-Essex Economic Trade Task Force.

    The group has been meeting weekly, but will likely move to biweekly moving forward, and has hosted a couple of events, as well.

    “I personally met with many companies across the region since all of this started, trying to connect them with programs that are available, provide them with all the information we have,” Stark said.

    The Task Force has tried to help businesses implement strategies to help mitigate tariffs and examine other markets for their products.

    Stark also spoke of the New Start Ventures program, launched March 1 by IWE’s Small Business & Entrepreneurial Centre, aimed to help newcomers to Canada with essential skills, knowledge, mentorship, and resources to start and grow their own businesses.

    In speaking to the IWE’s Strategic Plan, a document many County Councillors previously voiced they wanted to see complete, Andrews noted the strategic planning process began in January, and IWE is on schedule.

    The overall goal is to develop a five-year roadmap for the organization, and will identify priority areas of focus, and will determine how IWE should be organized to deliver on the plan, Andrews said.

    Work will continue this month, with additional input gathered. The target is to have the Strategic Plan presented to the Board of Directors by mid-June.

    Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers appreciated the update from IWE. He asked if the Strategic Plan will be shared with County Council.

    Andrews noted IWE will look to its Board of Directors first to vet the draft plan, which would then determine what the next steps would be.

    Something that keeps Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara up at night is looking at Canada as a G7 Nation and that it is at the bottom for productivity. He said productivity has to be brought up.

    He believes that has to be a top-down funded opportunity from the federal and provincial jurisdiction to aid companies.

    McNamara asked IWE what the County can do at the ground-level to convince the government to make big investments, so Canada will be a successful nation moving forward.

    Andrews agreed with McNamara, noting productivity is an important issue, and is a silent issue in some respects. To Goncalves, tariffs are a threat, but Canada’s productivity gap is a bigger threat.

    He spoke of how many small companies know AI needs to be implemented, but very few know how to do that.

    Goncalves spoke of how IWE set up a proposal with the federal government to do a SWOT analysis of around 300 companies across the region in the automotive, logistics, service, and pharmaceutical industries to look at what they need to do, and when, in terms of implementing AI. Phase two shows the return on investment.

    Amherstburg Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb said it is important for County Council to hear of IWE’s successes with small business owners.

    “A truly resilient economy is one where small business owners can create their own jobs,” Gibb said.

  • To the Ends of the Earth: Local Radio Host Mitch Snaden Returns from a Global Adventure

    To the Ends of the Earth: Local Radio Host Mitch Snaden Returns from a Global Adventure

    By Devan Mighton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter

    Stoney Point resident Mitch Snaden has been on a journey. A former radio host in Essex and Kent counties with CHUM Group and Blackburn Media, he was last heard on the airwaves with Kara Ro on Windsor’s Country.

    Thirty-five years ago, he started to get serious about sail boating, and when a friend of his purchased at 24-ft. C&C, they shared sailing times together for years.

    This January, Snaden made the journey of a lifetime, sailing from Thailand to Sri Lanka for two months as a part of a crew.

    “There were major changes happening in my life when I came across a post on Facebook from the people, Shawn Dear and Ally Cochrane, I ended up sailing with,” explains Snaden. “Their story intrigued me as they are circumnavigating and were, and still are, looking for crew to experience this trip with them. Every month is a leg and up to six people can join them each month to be part of the adventure. I chose to meet them in Phuket, Thailand and stay for two months, January and February. I departed from the ship in Galle, Sri Lanka.”

    As he recalls his odyssey across Indochina, Snaden described his trip as one of soul-searching, of self-discovery. He says that the ship was biggest highlight of the trip to him, riding upon a 42-ft. Catamaran in the open ocean.

    “We had a crew of six on the first leg from Phuket to the Andaman Islands,” he describes. “Shawn and Ally, of course, owners of the boat, myself, a young lady from New Zealand and a married couple who were from Holland and Russia – but call Bulgaria home.”

    He says that each leg lasted 25 days, and at the end of each leg, the crew departs while the owners prep for the next go. After five layover days, a new crew boards for the first of the month.

    It was a magical adventure. Snaden saw pilot whales and their ship was often frequented by dolphins. They island hopped while in Thailand and the Andaman Islands, dropping anchor to snorkel and see the copious coral life. He says that there were numerous secluded white sand beaches and the beautiful blue waters reached as far as the eyes could see.

    “Sunsets and sunrises, as well moon rises and sets, were spectacular and when there was no moon, the stars filled the skies,” he recalls. “Being on the helm at 2 a.m. on a two-hour night watch is a humbling experience, as you realize just how insignificant you are in this universe.”

    He met many fascinating people on his voyage.

    “On the second leg of my trip, from the Andaman Islands to Sri Lanka, our crew saw the arrival of a couple from South Africa and Italy who met in their 20’s when they were in France on ski holidays, dated for awhile, and then separated for 30 years. Then, because life is filled with circumstances, they reunited and now are together again.”

    Before leaving, they spent a day familiarizing themselves with the boat and learning the ground rules for surviving 25 days together in close quarters.

    “Our open-water trips lasted for three days and four nights from Thailand to the Andaman Islands,” he recalls. “We landed in their major town called Port Blair, which had both Allied and Japanese occupation during World War 2. There are remnants of those occupations through the archipelago of islands around Port Blair. The port is a major naval base for the Indian Navy, so there is a lot of official boat traffic. We were boarded numerous times by various authorities in the short time we were anchored in Port Blair. Certainly not a highlight of the trip.”

    He says that the trip from Port Blair to Sri Lanka took almost eight nights.

    “We dropped anchor just as the sun was setting on the eighth evening,” says Snaden. “[There were] full days where all you could see was water. No other boats on the seas until the last day, as we approached Sri Lanka. It’s an amazing feeling to look out and see no other humans.”

    As every country has different rules and customs, the crew were not allowed to roam around the Sri Lankan coast looking for secluded spots, so they had to tie up to the jetty at the main harbour in Galle.

    He says that the journey brought him peace and a greater appreciation for all the people in his life, as well as a realization of how lucky he has been.

    Snaden hopes to rejoin Shawn and Ally on their boat, SY Imagination, when they arrive back in the Caribbean in 2026. However, he doesn’t plan to rest on his laurels, as he is on the lookout on social media for other people looking for crew members that he can help out and join in their adventures as well.

  • Donna Spickett retires after a remarkable 52-year career with Essex County Library

    Donna Spickett retires after a remarkable 52-year career with Essex County Library

    By Matt Weinagrden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

    For Donna Spickett, one chapter closes – as another one opens. The long-time employee has retired after spending 52 years with the Essex County Library.

     

    “I started as a desk clerk at the LaSalle branch of the Essex County Library (ECL) in 1973. I never imagined that my career in the library would have lasted beyond my high school years!” said Spickett.

    “When I finished high school I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to go to further my education, so I continued to work at the LaSalle library until 1980 when an opening came up in Essex for a branch assistant.”

     

    She worked at ECL part time for 10 years, was married in 1981 and had three children. She worked part time until 1999 – which gave Donna and her husband Matt time to raise their family.

    “Our children loved their mom working at the library! I was always borrowing a variety of books for them to read,” she laughed. “My family supported me through my career because they knew I loved it!”

     

     

    In 1990, when her mother (Jean Forbes) retired from the LaSalle Branch, she came back to LaSalle as the branch supervisor.

     

    Over the years, Spickett shares she has seen many technical changes at the ECL.

    “When I started there was a small binder to find the general location of books with the Dewey Decimal system,” she laughed. “We had a very small card catalogue with recipe cards in a file box which we also used. We checked out books with a stamp attached to a pencil and patrons had a card number which we wrote down on the cards that we removed from the books when they took them out.”

     

    She says the stamp was changed nightly, so patrons could keep books out for three weeks. They would file the cards alphabetically and numerically at the end of the day and count them for circulation statistics.

    “When computers came into the ECL system in the 90’s things started to move quickly with technology. There are now databases available for free to access newspapers and magazines from around the world, Libby to download e-books and audiobooks, storybooks in different languages (Lote), transparent language and many more,” she added

    During the Covid shut down the library attached an RFID tag into each book, which meant that they could place a number of books onto a tablet to check them out instead of scanning each individual book.

    RFID stands for “Short Frequency Identification” and these smart barcodes are attached to items in order to easily identify them by using radio frequency technology.

    In more simple terms, radio waves transmit data from the tag to the reader that then transmits the information to a RFID computer program.

    Spickett also acknowledges she has seen many major changes to library programming over time.

     

    “Our programming consisted mainly of children’s programs to bring families into the library. We started out with story times and craft programs, which continued to grow with great attendance,” she shared.

    Currently programming has expanded to all ages including adult crafts, cooking programs, book clubs, outreach and community partners.” she said.

     

    Overtime she recalls many fond and favourite memories.

     

    “My greatest memories are the families that come in today – that came in when they were children! They talk of the programs that went to when they were very young and they are now carrying on the library tradition with their families,” Spickett shares.

    “The cards and kind words I have received over the last month show me that I have touched many people and they certainly have touched my life! The LaSalle Branch has moved six times since I started in the 70’s. With each move it was so nice to see more and more families coming into a newer location.”

     

    Spickett says that working for the ECL has been a wonderfully fulfilling career.

    “It is overwhelming when I think back to the beginning of my career!

    Some of the patrons that I have met over the years have become great friends and I looked forward to seeing them in the library,” she said. “The staff that I have worked with will never be forgotten.

    We have shared family stories and enjoyed each other’s company for many years!

    I will miss seeing them on a daily basis.”

     

    As one chapter closes another chapter begins.

    “My husband and I hope to do some travelling in the fall and winter,” Spickett says.

    “We moved last year, and I am looking forward to the nicer weather to work in the yard and garden.

    I will have more time to spend with family and our six grandchildren…they are also looking forward to that.” she added.

     

    “I was honoured to be a part of ECL and the LaSalle Community for over half a century!”

     

  • New Season, New Staff, New Clippers

    New Season, New Staff, New Clippers

    By Devan Mighton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

    For the first time since 2014, the Windsor Clippers Junior B lacrosse team will start their season with a new bench boss.

    Trevor Learn, the team’s fourth head coach since its inception in 2003, is also the first alumnus to take over at the helm.

    “At this point, we’re very young, so we’re going to have to rely on working hard,” explains Learn, who played with the team from 2009 until 2014, amassing 93 goals and 248 points in 91 regular season games. “Our game plan is to work hard and be the most in-shape team. We’re going to start there. We’ve got the building blocks to match the pace of the Junior B game. [For our rookies,] the jump is a bit of a step ahead of our minor program – the U17 jump is quite significant – but they are putting in the work.”

    Taking over from longtime coach and Windsor Warlocks minor lacrosse president Jerry Kavanaugh, the team Learn has inherited is a young, but hard-working group. Despite their best efforts, last year’s Clippers finished outside of the playoffs for the second time in franchise history, only two seasons removed from winning the Marlene Soulliere Trophy as OJBLL Western Conference champions and playing for the All-Ontario title. Finishing with a 7-13-0 record, the 2024 Clippers never gave up, fighting until the end, missing the final playoff seed one spot behind longtime rivals, the Wallaceburg Red Devils.

    “This year’s group is all bought in,” states Learn. “Starting in training camp, and moving into our first few practices, everybody’s on the same page and working hard, showing up on time at dryland, smiling, even at the end of dryland – you know you’ve got a good group when that happens!”

    Learn wants to see growth in his first year behind the Clippers’ bench. “I’d like to make playoffs this year,” he says. “I think that’s a good goal for us. I think it’s something we can definitely take care of.”

    Fourth year player and 19-year-old LaSalle resident Kane Murphy is excited about the challenges of the upcoming season.

    “I think it’ll be a good change up,” states the St. Clair College paramedics student. “It’s a young squad, and I’m looking forward to that, seeing what we can do, how we can improve, and hopefully we can make the playoffs this year – and, we’ll see what happens.”

    Murphy put up 16 points in 20 games during the 2024 campaign. “We’ve gotta start and feel it out. Whenever we’re out there, we’ve got to give it 110 per cent,” he says. “We can’t be afraid to get hit, we’ve got to bare down and pick up those tough loose balls. If we do the small things right, I think we’ll have a good chance and we’ll come out well.”

    Third year veteran and recent Sandwich Secondary School graduate Owen Coffey is chomping at the bit to get the season going.

    “I can’t wait,” states Coffey, an 18-year-old University of Montevallo commit who earned five points in 19 games last year. “I felt we needed some change after how last season went. We came up just short of making the playoffs, and that was something we didn’t want – of course. With the change, we see a lot of younger faces, it’s a very young team, and I’m excited to see what we can do. I think we can make a run for it this year.”

    When he looks around the dressing room this year, he sees a team full of players excited to get rolling. “There’s a lot of new guys that have maybe never played junior lacrosse before, but I can see that they’re excited and are ready to work hard and play. That’s all you really need for a team, people who are ready to put in the work and be there – that’s what we want to see around the room. I’ve been waiting all year for this. I’ve been playing in the States and it’s nothing like playing junior with my friends – and the atmosphere here – I just love playing here in The Shipyard. Playing with my friends, it’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else playing lacrosse.”

    This season will be Hudson Dalpe’s rookie season with the Clippers. In 2024, pulling double duty with the Warlocks U17’s, Dalpe tallied 15 points in 10 games as an AP with the Clippers.

    “I played a little bit last year and it was really fun, I got to play with my brother (Vance),” says the Lakeshore resident, who attends St. Anne’s Catholic High School. “I’m going into my rookie season, so I’m excited to get a full season with the Clips – not just have a limited amount of games to play – and see what we can really do.”

    Last summer was a banner season for the rookie, who also earned silver with Team Ontario at the Canadian National Lacrosse Championships in Regina, SK, and was drafted in the second round, 20th overall, by the St. Catharines Athletics in the 2025 OJLL Entry Draft.

    “We’ve got a good squad this year,” opines Dalpe. “We’ve got some new guys, we’ve got some American guys, and some returning players. Everybody already knows each other already, we’ve done some team bonding experiences, and I think we look pretty good – we look like we’ve got good chemistry already.”

    Joining Learn on the bench will be David Hodgins and Zane Dalpe as offensive co-ordinators, Brayden Bell as defensive co-ordinator and Ken Gough, as equipment manager and trainer.

    “The roster is shaping up pretty good,” reports Learn. “We do have a few older guys and they’re going to be part of our leadership team. The core group is very young … and we do have a learning curve there, but I have faith in this group. They have a lot of passion and we’re all working together as hard as we possibly can and, I think that at this point, that is a great standpoint to move forward with.”

    In net, the Clippers enter the season with three tenders: veteran MJ Schwager, Mason Jacobs, who played with the Six Nations Rebels last season, and rookie Dan Deters, who was named 2024 Warlocks Goalie of the Year in U17. In addition to Murphy, Coffey, and Dalpe, the Clippers floor will be graced with the likes of Ty Myers, Logan Gough, Connor Scott, Adam Lyder, Keegan McIntyre, Ashton Maluske, Michael Diponio, Gage Soulliere, Vance Dalpe, Keegan Bernier, Keagan Drexler, Luke Morin, Ngwiisus Whiteye, Ajinn Vantassel, and Americans Jacob Hunsinger and Kyle Spondike.

    Meanwhile, Owen Arthur, Cahan Lessard-Williams, Jacob Levesque, Gabe Arnett, Sebastian Rail, Nathan Anger, Caleb Whitson, and Liam O’Neill, have all been assigned to the Warlocks U22 squad where they can AP for the Clippers while staying busy.

    The Clippers’ season opened on Thursday, Apr 24 against the London Blue Devils. However, their home opener will take place on Saturday, May 3 at 7 p.m. at Forest Glade Arena against the Owen Sound North Stars.

  • Sabres Spring Into Action!

    Sabres Spring Into Action!

    By Angelo Lucier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

    A new season is upon us with the Sabres getting off to a fantastic start, especially with their OFSAA winning track team, and dominant baseball team, along with the undefeated Ultimate Frisbee team, and the resilient soccer teams.

     

    Track & Field – The Track & Field season started off strong with a triumphant All-Comers meet by the Sabres. Hosted at Sandwich, the four events showcased were the 100m, 1500m, long jump, and shot put, with medal-winners in all four! In the first track event, the 100m, Junior Girls runner Charlotte Townsend won 1st place, Novice Boy Will Lester got 2nd, and in the senior girls Jaela Bailey and Ella Steel-Douglas came home with gold and silver. In 1500, meanwhile, Senior Girl Leah Shannon placed 1st, Senior Boy Grayson Pitcher received 2nd, Novice Girl Julia Carswell placed 2nd, and in a great junior girl race Alexandra Pardalis and Kallie Zajacz received gold and bronze, respectively. In field events, Adekanye Adedolapo placed 2nd for novice girls long jump, Charlotte Townsend placed 2nd in junior girls, Lucas Tuckey placed 2nd in novice boys shot put, and Ajax Smith placed 2nd in junior boys. After the first meet of the season, the Post asked grade ten athlete Pardalis on the toughness of the season; “Racing and training is often difficult but to persevere and overcome adversity defines who we are as runners.” The OFSAA winning team is looking forward to their future meets, with 2 more All-Comers meets before the WECSSAA Finals!

     

    Boys Baseball – The baseball team has come out the gates dominant, with a combined 18-0 score against their first two opponents – Holy Names and Massey. Both sides of the ball have been extremely successful, led by the pitching prowess of Chase Patterson, Carter Chase, and Jack Brnardic. The boys’ quest for WECSSAA gold continues, as they travel to Leamington to take on Belle River and Riverside this week.

     

    Ultimate Frisbee – The “Sandy Frizz” team’s season started off with a bang, defeating the rival Villanova team with an excellent score of 6-2, and beating Marantha 8-2. The Sabres made plenty of great plays, throwing the frisbee to perfection, and forcing drops of the frisbee from the other team. Their 14 combined scores in two games were impressive, as in their past games, they continued to march into the “end zone” without fail. As they are undefeated, this places the team 1st overall in WECSSAA, as they prepare for more games to come this upcoming week.

     

    Boys Soccer – The senior boys’ soccer, meanwhile, have had a rough season, running into tough teams, including Massey, Villanova, and Holy Names, the latter of which the Sabres

    played strong throughout the game, coming up just short with a score of 1-0 in a nailbiter of a game. It is only halfway through the season, and it is still anyone’s game, with the boys being only one win away from being in position to host a playoff game.

     

    Girls Soccer – The Sandwich senior girls soccer team has gotten off to an unfortunate start, dropping their first two games to Holy Names and St Anne. There were multiple bright spots throughout the matches, with stellar defense, particularly from Aidee Roberts-Maurizio and Vivianna Merlino, the latter of which scoring the Sabres first goal of the season in a free kick against the Saints. The team is looking forward to continuing the season, with only one more game to go until the halfway point.

  • Local Runners Shine at Boston Marathon

    Local Runners Shine at Boston Marathon

    By Matt Weinagrden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

    A dozen local runners tool part in the 129th running of the Boston Marathon on April 21st 2025.

    “The weather was 50 degrees and sunny with no wind,” said Mike Aubin, a Belle River runner.

    “The crowds were incredible.”

    Richard Ditty, from Woodslee, ran his 13th straight Boston and this was Aubin’s 8th Boston.

    Both men requalified for 2026 Boston Marathon.

    The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world’s best-known road racing events.

     

    Back row from left; Shawn MacFarlane, Janet Morrice, Deanna Galbraith, Jason Petruniak, Mike Aubin, and Theresa Lukas

    Front row from left; Derek Mulhall, Ashley Meloche, Julie Adoranti, Rich Ditty andGeorge Drew.

  • Meet the Classroom Champions

    Meet the Classroom Champions

    By Matt Weingarden , Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

    A unique pilot program that started in 2023 in Lakeshore has proven to be a popular choice for local students.

    Classroom Champions empowers children to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Through the mentorship and mindset of participating world-class athletes, the program is designed to improve student engagement, build growth mindsets, and inspire positive classroom culture.

    “We talk about a lot of topics like goal setting, a sense of community and responsibilities, a healthy lifestyle and emotions,” said teacher Jenn Woodrich, who runs the Lakeshore program.

    Each adult athlete, generally from Ontario, is paired with a class and sends the group a monthly video on a pre-determined topic. The class watches the video and enters into discussion about the topic and the sends its own video feedback to the athlete through the year.

    “An athlete, either an Olympic or Paralympic, has a different mindset which tends to be more developed when it comes to goal setting, handling success and failures,” said Woodrich. “While this is sports related, we’re not training to compete so to speak. These are life building skills we’re learning.

    Typically delivered through school boards and local classrooms, the Lakeshore pilot project was the organization’s first step into community-based programming.

    Woodrich noted that many students in her classroom learn to face their own big issues with resilience, thanks to the tools provided by Classroom Champions lessons and stories shared by their Athlete Mentors. Whether it was learning to manage emotions or tackling academic hurdles, these Athlete Mentors give Jenn’s students the strength to push through their struggles.

    When a world class athlete stands on the podium, the world sees victory – but the real story lies in the confidence connection and resilience that got them there. This championship mindset isn’t just for athletes it’s a powerful blueprint for success in school and beyond. Imagine students learning from the best, gaining life experience/skills like perseverance, discipline, and confidence from inspiring role models who have lived it!

    The program starts in September through March and open to students aged eight to 12. Over 10 weeks, students will participate in weekly classes at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre. There is a $10 registration fee.

    “This is an important program for today’s youth, especially given the number of challenges out there today,”

    said Woodrich. “I’ve received comment from parents who say that they see a difference in their child’s attitudes. Teachers at school have noticed a difference as well, noting a change in applying problem solving skills.

    To learn more and register for the program, please contact 519-728-2700 ext. 0, email RecInfo@Lakeshore.ca, or visit Lakeshore.ca/ClassroomChamps.