To the editor,
I want to answer your question, “How to engage the disengaged?” (Oct. 26 issue, Wingham Advance Times)
The people of Wingham have been very engaged BUT council doesn’t listen.
Example: Council formed a volunteer committee to study the Howson Dam. People gave of their time for months and months. Even a committee was formed to fundraise.
What happened? Council rejected the report and forbid fundraising by volunteers.
Here’s another example: Council again formed a committee of volunteers to study moving the North Huron Museum to the former train station. Another committee was formed to fundraise, and for over a year were forbidden to even meet, let alone fundraise.
What happened? We no longer have a museum, a place to retain our history.
I have never met anyone that thought a new, expensive, rented council chamber was suggested to council. That was a staff request. Tell me, how will it pay for itself? Will the new council chamber increase tourism? No.
No George Reid, no Alice Munro, no museum, no river… just a mudhole.
The people of Wingham keep trying to be engaged, but you reach a point and ask, “why bother?”
Verna Steffler
Wingham
