WINGHAM – It appears North Huron council has changed its tune towards how the proposed 2024 Wingham Homecoming event should be organized.
A special council meeting was held on Friday afternoon – in closed session – to discuss the 2024 Wingham Homecoming event, among other things.
Just after 5 p.m., the Advance Times received a press release stating North Huron council “affirms its support for the 2024 Wingham Homecoming event and opens the door for the interested community organizers to work collaboratively with the township through the North Huron Special Events Approvals process.”
The aforementioned process is a 34-page document that provides guidance to community groups interested in hosting events, and the process on receiving approvals for things such as road closures and signage.
During the Feb. 17 special council meeting, a resolution was passed by council to dissolve the formal 2024 Wingham Homecoming Committee of Council “in order to allow for the process to continue to move forward more efficiently with a community-based approach.”
According to the press release, council also expressed its support for any community-based organizers to approach council through the Special Events Approvals process, “to request access to township resources for the event, including seed money, if required.”
Reeve Paul Heffer is quoted in the release, saying, “Homecoming celebrations are great community events, and we want to do everything we can, as a municipality, to support the community in putting on a safe and enjoyable 2024 Wingham Homecoming.”
Council was originally approached by the 2024 Wingham Homecoming committee last fall, prior to the municipal election, and were granted committee of council status in January with Coun. Mitch Wright appointed to the committee as council representative.
However, earlier this week, several members of the committee resigned, citing difficulties in working under the township’s committee of council terms of reference. One of the main sticking points was the township wanting meetings to take place during regular business hours – something difficult to abide by for volunteers who may still be working during the day.
“I am aware of other local municipalities where the Homecoming Committee has been a Committee of Council, but has acted entirely independently of the municipality, and the municipality has provided access to seed money and municipal insurance for the events. This is not an approach that the Township is willing or able to entertain for the 2024 event, for several reasons,” stated an email from township officials to the Homecoming Committee.
In the Feb. 17 press release from the township, Heffer said after today’s council meeting it is clear that a “less formal approach” would be better suited for organizing this event.
“We were originally approached by community members looking to form a committee of council, but after today’s meeting council determined that the community would be better served by a more efficient and less formal approach through the township’s Special Event Approvals process,” said Heffer.
The reeve added that township staff will provide support to community members “to help make this a successful event.”
