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From May 1996: Mildmay Tennis Club President Deb Roth (centre back) officially welcomes three new members to the club (Front, from left: Linda Kueneman and daughters, Katle and Erin. The new courts were just recently completed and have been busy the majority of the time. Floodlights have also been installed and soon we’ll be seeing more night-time tennis being played. (Town Crier file photo)

A look through past issues of the Town Crier for May 21, 2026

May 2016

– Bluewater District School Board is progressing with its plans to build a new grade 7 – 12 school in Hanover to replace John Diefenbaker Senior School.

-The Teeswater and District Kinsmen held their Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday, May 7th.  This was the 28th year for the event which takes place at the Teeswater Concrete ponds.

May 2006

-A new Neonatal Warmer arrived at the Family Birthing Unit of the Walkerton site of South Bruce Grey Health Centre, with funding from the Walkerton Hospital Foundation from donations received from the Radiothon in October 2005.

-Sacred Heart School Mildmay welcomed Olympic Curling Gold Medallist Mark Nichols from Labrador City, Newfoundland, who encouraged students to follow their dreams and let everyone hold his medal.

-The Teeswater Kinsmen sponsored another fantastic Kid’s Derby with 372 registrants and 51 fish caught.  The largest fish overall was caught by Sr Adam Bester of Walkerton (20”)  The following were 1st place winner Sr. Eric Bowman, Milverton (19 1/2”), Jr Charissa Fischer, Teeswater (19”) and Tyke Phoenix Cronin, Teeswater (18”)

May 1996

-The Kinsmen Club of Teeswater and District staged their 4th Annual Children’s Fish Derby, with a total of 390 registrants catching 139 fish.  “Largest Fish” and 1st place in Senior was Tim Schill (19 3/4”) and the “Girls Special Prize”, a bicycle from Liesemer’s Home Hardware, and first place in Tyke went to three year old Holly Rogers from Durham (16 1/8”). First place in Junior went to Billy Wyatt for his 16 1/4” catch.

-Members of the Mildmay Carrick Complex Management Board decided to keep the bar hours at 1:00 a.m. until more investigation into whether the time change to the new 2:00 a.m. openings became popular.  “No Loitering” signs had been erected in front of the bar area.

May 1986

-Workers were busy pouring concrete curbs and gutters on Mildmay’s Amon, Ignatz and Simpson Streets.  These areas were being redeveloped through the government’s Ontario Neighbourhood Improvement Program Plan.

-The Clifford Co – op Nursery received a grant through the Community and Social Service which covered 80% of the cost of the equipment and supplies needed in order to start up.

-The Weekend Special at “Ye Olde Lamplighter” Restaurant was Breaded Veal Cutlet, soup or juice, roll, coleslaw, choice of potato, vegetable, tea or coffee for only $6.75!

May 1976

-Clifford Pharmacist, Mr Clarence Gallaugher announced his retirement after serving the community for many years.  To continue a pharmacy service to Clifford, Stewart Pharmacy of Mildmay offered full service by deliverery to the homes of Clifford.  Stewart Pharmacy had also recently opened a branch store in Palmerston and welcomed Carol Baynton as a pharmacist to their Mildmay store.

-The newly formed Ayton Normanby Lions Club held their “Charter Night” with 140 members and guests gathering for the evening’s festivities.  Twenty nine persons made up the club with Gord Fischer named as the first President.

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The Formosa Children’s Choir grouped together in the Formosa Church after recording their submission to the provincial level competition. (Emily Bowen photo)

Emily Bowen

ebowen@midwesternnewspapers.com

FORMOSA – A children’s choir from Formosa is gaining recognition after a strong performance at the Walkerton Rotary Music Festival, and are advancing to the provincial level.

The Formosa Children’s Choir, made up of about 30 singers aged three to 16, recently took part in the long-running local festival, performing two classical sacred pieces. Founded four years ago by Noelle Schnurr and Elaine Coffin, this was the group’s second time entering the music festival, and they managed to thoroughly impress the judges with their performance. 

“We prepared both pieces well in advance: an Easter round, Surrexit Dominus Vere by J. Berthier and Panis Angelicus by C. Franck,” said Schnurr. “We focused on tuning, timing, vowels and dynamics for each piece and when the time came to perform at the festival, all our choristers were well prepared and delivered an amazing performance, with perfect harmonies and a beautiful sound.”

The group recorded the same two selections on May 10 at their church for submission to the provincial competition and is awaiting adjudication.

The choir rehearses weekly for an hour and sings at Mass twice a month, focusing on sacred music drawn from well-known composers such as Mozart, Bach, Palestrina, Schubert and Handel. Schnurr described the festival experience as positive for the young singers, noting the supportive environment and feedback from adjudicators.

“The adjudicator was great at pointing out what we did well and where we could improve while establishing an amazing rapport with all the children,” said Schnurr. “We have worked with children of various musical backgrounds and continually find it amazing how they grow and develop from tentative singers to confident soloists.”

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Town Crier file photo From April 2016: Ethel Whitehead (centre) and Audrey Dickert (right) were grateful to Kristine Wanless (left) for speaking about the Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre at the Merry Makers meeting held Thursday, March 3 at Jamesway Manor in Clifford.

Town Crier file photo From April 2016: Ethel Whitehead (centre) and Audrey Dickert (right) were grateful to Kristine Wanless (left) for speaking about the Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre at the Merry Makers meeting held Thursday, March 3 at Jamesway Manor in Clifford.

A look through past issues of the Town Crier

April 2016

– Did you know that there is a CanTRA approved therapeutic riding centre in our own back yard?  Coyote Ridge (Therapeutic) Riding Centre is located just off Bruce Road 28 in Carrick Township.  Owner, Patricia Kell is a certified CTRII (Intermediate Level Instructor) with the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association.

-The 49th annual Belmore Maple Syrup Festival will take place on Thursday April 7th and Saturday April 9th.  The Festival will feature all the usual highlights: hot and delicious, made from scratched Belmore pancakes with locally made maple syrup and sausage, served with country hospitality and a smile, local musical entertainment, and many vendors selling unique and handmade items.

April 2006

-Congratulations were extended to Jessica Burgess, Patrick Oberle and Tammy Fischer who were chosen as 4 – H Ambassadors for 2006.  Senior 4 H  members were given the opportunity by 4 – H Ontario to travel around the province for the year promoting 4-H by “Trying to Put a Face to 4-H”  Only five were chosen for this prestigious title, which involved filling out an extensive application and interviews.

-The Mildmay Carrick Recreation Committee created their first “March Break Playground Program” with crafts, games, skating, outdoor sports, indoor activities, birdhouse making, cooking and many other supervised activities for children ages five to eleven.

April 1996

-Students at Mildmay Carrick Public School held their 1996 School Science Fair.  First place winners in each category were as followed, Junior Displays – Chris Orr, “Forces in the Earth” and Teddy Rumsey, “Telephones”, Junior Investigations – Anita Kavelman, “Removing Stains”, Intermediate – Chemical – Michael Lobsinger, “Amino Acids – Building Blocks of Protein”, Biological Science – Caileigh Bastian “Staying Alive” and Jessica Yennsen “Drink Your Milk or Not?” Tech – Jeff Weber, “Crunch”, Physical – Chris Banks, “The Art of Fingerprinting” and Jessie Swanton “Feeling Pressured”, Environmental – Tannis Luedke, “Bleach it out.”

-The Township of Carrick experienced a $71, 533.00 surplus for 1995 and also had surplus funds from previous years of $53, 088.00 for a total surplus of $124, 621.00

April 1986

-Approximately $2,000 and over 900 man hours of volunteer time was put into acoustics improvements at the Formosa Community Centre.  The arena board sponsored a dance to mark the occasion.

-The County Library Board stated that the Mildmay Carrick Branch would have their open hours cut from 10 hours to 7 hours a week, due to a financial cutback in the system.

April 1976

-The Board of Governors of the County of Bruce General Hospitals stated that they would not impose a voluntary reduction of 20 beds or a cut of $250,000 in a three way deal to save the Durham Memorial Hospital.  The hospital had conducted a similar review several months before to determine whether a voluntary restraint could be used to save Chesley.

-Women in Ontario now had equal credit opportunity.  The guidelines stated that any woman, married or not, should be granted credit in her own name if her qualifications were the same as a man.  Major credit granters agree that equality of access to credit was a right, even through credit itself was a privilege.

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Emily Bowen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
ebowen@midwesternnewspapers.com

TEESWATER – The Municipality of South Bruce is considering a request to support expanding its settlement boundary in Mildmay, as council reviews a report tied to Bruce County’s new long-term planning document.

Economic Development Officer Rhonda Niesen presented her report during the March 24 council meeting. The document focused on adding two properties, identified as #31 and #32 in Mildmay’s southeast, into the settlement boundary. If approved, the change would allow for future commercial and light industrial development on the lands. 

The proposed expansion comes as Bruce County prepares an updated Official Plan, which sets out how communities will grow through to 2046. The plan defines settlement boundaries and provides a framework for local municipalities.

If the Mildmay properties are not added to the settlement boundary, the report warns it could “limit future commercial and industrial growth opportunities.”

According to Niesen, the county has been working through public consultations, including open houses, where residents, municipalities and planning staff submitted requests for boundary changes. In total, about 33 requests were received across the county. Each request has been reviewed using several criteria, including the county’s land needs analysis, policies in the draft Official Plan and the Provincial Planning Statement 2024.

An analysis completed as part of the “Plan the Bruce” initiative by Watson and Associates found there is enough residential land across the county to meet future demand. However, it also noted that some communities may face shortages in land for jobs and business use. Despite that, the Mildmay properties were not included in the county’s current draft plan.

Since that time, the two properties have come under a single owner, who 

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Emily Bowen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
ebowen@midwesternnewspapers.com

TEESWATER – A major expansion of South Bruce Flooring’s parent operation has received the green light from municipal council, moving forward with what was described by council as a “long process.”

At its March 24 meeting, the Municipality of South Bruce council approved a zoning bylaw amendment that will allow Bernie McGlynn Lumber, which houses the South Bruce Flooring retail outlet, to proceed with a proposed 30,000-square-foot expansion. The project includes a new sawmill, planning operations and expanded storage, as well as site development on adjacent farmland.

The decision followed a detailed planning review and public consultation process to determine whether the expansion follows provincial, county and local land-use policies. The amendment was needed because the proposed development goes beyond the current zoning permissions for the property and into designated agricultural land. The change will reclassify the property to permit industrial operations tied to the lumber business.

According to planning documents presented to council, the expansion would take place on a 2.7-hectare portion of land that will be used for outdoor storage and construction of the new facility. The application was reviewed by Bruce County planner Benito Russo, who recommended approval as the proposal was consistent with broader planning goals.

Russo told council the project would not negatively affect sensitive environmental features and noted its distance from nearby residences, with the closest property being around 140 metres from the development area.

“The proposal is consistent with provincial, county and municipal planning policy,” Russo stated. “It will keep the rural character intact.”

According to the applicant’s planning representative Jen Chantler of Nethery Planning, who spoke on behalf of Bernie McGlynn Lumber, the expansion is intended to address space constraints at the existing lumber operation.

Chantler told council the expansion would allow the business to better organize its industrial activities, including sawmilling and wood processing functions that are currently limited by available site space.

Despite the planning staff recommendation for approval, the application drew concerns from neighbouring residents who raised questions about land-use compatibility, traffic, safety, environmental impact and fire risk.

Members of the public and nearby property owners had the opportunity to submit comments during the consultation period. An email submitted by Trish Graham, a nearby resident, included specific requests intended to prevent potential impacts on quality of life.

“Upon further discussion with my husband, we would like some input into how this is going to make a positive difference on our end,” the email stated.

Graham proposed several conditions, including a triple row of mature pine or cedar trees around the expanded zone, restricted construction hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays only, and a prohibition on weekend construction.

She also suggested limiting manufacturing operations to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with no heavy equipment operating before 7 a.m., except for snow removal in winter, which could begin at 6:30 a.m.

Additional concerns included lighting and noise. Graham requested that no lights shine toward neighbouring properties and that sawmill doors remain closed except when lumber is being moved in or out.

“We feel these are reasonable expectations given the infringement of the quality of our life,” the email stated. All requests proposed by Graham were agreed to and were included in the amendment, and no further comments were made by the public during the council meeting.

Under the provincial D-6 guidelines, setbacks vary depending on surrounding land uses. In this case the proposal has been classified as a Class 2 development, requiring a minimum setback of 70 metres and an area of influence of 300 metres. Any sensitive or protected uses, including residential properties within that area, must be given special consideration. If the project had been deemed a Class 3 development, it would instead need a significantly larger setback of 300 metres.

Council was assured that the site’s environmental impact is expected to be limited. Planning staff noted there are no significant natural heritage features on or near the property that would be affected by the development. The review also found no major constraints related to drainage or environmental sensitivity that would prevent the expansion from proceeding.

Planning documents, including both a Planning Report (Z-12 McGlynn) and a Planning Justification Report, were used to support the council’s decision. The reports assessed the proposal against the Provincial Planning Statement, Bruce County’s Official Plan, and the Municipality of South Bruce’s Official Plan. 

Following discussion, council voted to approve the zoning amendment, allowing the project to move forward to the next stage of development approvals and permitting.

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Since June of 2024, the Mildmay Town and Country Crier has been published under the Midwestern Newspapers’ logo, along with other venerable titles such as the Walkerton Herald-Times, Wingham Advance Times, Listowel Banner, Kincardine Independent and the Independent Plus.

It was an important day for the company when Crier became a part of our publishing family and continue to proudly carry on the traditions of local coverage adhered to by the newspaper’s previous stewards. Today’s Crier includes many of the same columns and community contributions featured under former owner Susan Bross and her father, the newspaper’s founder John Hafermehl, along with a diverse selection of local news and photographs compiled by our team of reporters.

The local office on Elora Street in Mildmay has also been maintained to provide local residents with a physical link to the newspaper. However, in an increasingly digital world, the foot traffic to our downtown doorstep has decreased, as emailed correspondence takes the place of hand-delivered submissions and customers take advantage of quicker means of subscribing or bill payment via telephone or online.

As of March 27 the Town Crier’s Mildmay office will be closed and readers and customers will be served through our Walkerton Herald-Times office at 10 Victoria Street North (519-881-1600) in that nearby community. Local residents can also continue to contact us through existing email addresses: thecrier@wightman.ca; editor@midwesternnewspapers.com and jkelly@midwesternnewspapers.com.

Your weekly issue of the Crier will continue to be delivered to your mailbox or available in our usual outlets and our staff will continue to be available to serve you from our Walkerton location. 

We look forward to continuing to serve Mildmay, South Bruce and the surrounding area through publication of your community newspaper.

– Midwestern Newspapers

Located at the Gateway to Beautiful Bruce County
Contact us: thecrier@wightman.ca

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