Last year was a difficult and trying year for many people in South Dundas and in the broader community. Now that the calendar has shed its last month of 2021, The Leader thought it a good time to take stock of the good things that happened, and offer our best wishes for the new year.
South Dundas is a caring community and that was evident again in 2021. Even in a pandemic, with families and businesses struggling, generosity was abundant, from businesses donating to worthy causes to individuals supporting organizations like the South Dundas Christmas Exchange. Even in difficult times we’ve shown our community spirit and willingness to help others. We hope that continues in the coming year.
Concerted efforts shopping at home and supporting local businesses – when possible – have been made over the past 12 months. As the coming months are fraught with uncertainty, one of our wishes for this year is that people continuing that local support.
Sports and recreation programs/groups pivoted in 2021 and were able to successfully offer something for everyone – all while navigating an ever changing landscape of new rules and restrictions. We hope their work continues in the new year. The same can be said for those individuals and groups who organized new community activities and events, and helped return some old favourites as well.
We’d like to see those who have done their best to help our communities be appreciated for those efforts in 2022. That includes South Dundas municipal council and staff who have navigated a proactive infrastructure and economic development agenda while there has been a global pandemic wreaking havoc on nearly every facet of life.
We hope that thinking small is a thing of the past in 2022. If a 30-year old recreation plan in North Dundas can receive millions in upper level government support, so too can South Dundas. We need to think bigger and that doesn’t just mean critical infrastructure like roads and sewers.
In 2021 steps were made on the path of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. South Dundas commemorated the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a ceremony at the municipal centre, and an inaccurate and inappropriate Indigenous symbol was removed from a community landmark. A step forward on the path that we hope continues in 2022.
Lastly we wish to see this pandemic over. That the infections and losses that have happened in 2020 and 2021 not be repeated for 2022, so we can all have a safe, and happy new year.