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Street art and patios, Orillia-style

We took a road trip, Saturday, to Minden, and stopped off in Orillia on the way. Orillia was having a big downtown street festival - about six blocks of the main street closed off, with some side streets closed as well. Full of people, merchants, buskers, visitors. And here's what we...



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Get Over It

[color="#000000"][color="#000000"][size="2" ]Get over it. That's what Councillor Labelle wrote to me in an email when I recently suggested council might allow patios to open beside the buildings for the Elvis Festival, to let the restaurants capitalize on the crush of visitors this...



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Desperation or genuine concern for the downtown?

I had to wonder whether some of council's sudden outpouring of concern for the extra costs borne by retaillers and restaurateurs over the new licence fees was really a genuine turn-around show of empathy for them, or just electioneering in face of growing public dissatisfaction over this...



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Patio liquor licences - 30-day wait - not for Elvis?

I was more than a little surprised on Monday to hear Councillor Jeffrey comment that, if restaurant owners put their application in right away, they were very likely to get liquor licences from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) in time for the Elvis Festival, next weekend. Assuming, that is, they wanted to move, or could afford the curbside...



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A little civil disobedience

Scoop and I enjoyed a little act of civil disobedience, Saturday morning, as we drank a hot beverage at a table on the main street sidewalk that was clearly not within either the strictly approved and restricted sidewalk patio or sidewalk café zones.
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Hasta...



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The empty downtown

I was accused of taking my last pictures of an empty downtown on a weekday, when, of course, it would be quiet. So here are two photos taken Saturday, July 10, a few mintues after noon (just as the farmers' market was starting to wind down). Note the lack of patios and the lack of pedestrians - which means the lack of customers. The...



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A pointed message for the election

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Sean, of Duncan's Cafe in Cllingwood, sent me this ad he plans to run in the local newspapers. He gave me permission to post it here.

I don't think I need to comment - the ad says it all.

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What's wrong with these pictures?

Test your skill! Look at the three pictures below and tell me what's wrong in each one:
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Let's see. People enjoying themselves. Lots of room for...



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Licensing bylaw passes, patios to move curbside

Efforts to amend and defer the licensing bylaw failed, last night. Councillors Jeffrey, McNabb, Labelle, Foley and Sandberg voted to make sure patios must move to the curbside. The letters, the e-mails, the petition, the presentations all opposing the move were for naught.

Three attempts were made to defer it during our six-hour marathon meeting...



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No pancake breakfast on Canada Day

I just learned that the traditional pancake breakfast will not be taking place downtown on Canada Day this year. Council wasn't informed of this change, nor was council even asked whether or not we wanted to participate. It was just cancelled.

I only found out because an email meant for Helena Guergis' office was misrouted to my inbox....




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