Wednesday, February 12th, 2025

The Creemore Echo posed the following three questions to candidates running for council in Mulmur Township.

(Mayor Paul Mills and Deputy Mayor Heather Hayes are acclaimed.)

1. In keeping with council’s vision, how do you propose to promote Mulmur Township as a destination for historic, athletic, artistic and gastronomic recreation?

2. What changes could be made to ensure fair representation for Mulmur residents at county council?

3. What can be done to attract industrial and commercial business to Mulmur Township?

Earl Hawkins

1. Mulmur is well known for its beautiful rolling hills, streams, agriculture and views. It has a long standing history of residents supporting the Bruce Trail to encourage outdoor activities. In addition, the Mansfield Ski Club and Mansfield Outdoor Centre are thriving businesses promoting recreation. Our local Honeywood Arena has produced NHL calibre hockey players. Our heritage committee has produced a list of historic buildings in order to preserve our legacy. The artist studio tour is well known and well attended throughout Mulmur Township. In addition, our local restaurant Terra Nova Pub House has been very successful since its opening. We are lucky to have a restaurant of its calibre in Mulmur. All of this brings tourists to our area and word of mouth will continue to be the most valuable promotion.

2. The biggest problem with fair representation on the county council is the loaded vote that Shelburne and Orangeville currently employ. If I was able to I would like to see each member of county council represent one vote.

3. Industry will be attracted to Mulmur once we get the Primrose Industrial Park up and running. This will bring added industrial and commercial space to the municipality.

Lynn Hilchey

1. Over the last four years I have had the privilege of working with the Mulmur Heritage Committee. Through their in-depth research and encouragement to council, the township has created a registry of properties with historical and cultural significance. The property owners have registered their homes to reflect their desire to share the expansive history of the great and hard-working families who have nurtured this township. The Heritage Committee has also restored many of the older and leaning gravestones at our cemeteries. I hope to continue this good work.

 We are all very grateful to have Mulmur residents who work tirelessly to maintain the wondrous Bruce Trail and its many Mulmur off-shoots. I have promoted the installation of community notice boards (we have two coming soon) to promote the beautiful hiking trails in Mulmur. 

Over seven years ago I began and will not stop advocating for the right of citizens to hike unmaintained road allowances, they are not for sale, as carried by motion through council. It is magnificent to see the inspiration that our Mulmur hills continuously gives our local artists. They truly inspire us all and I will continue to encourage council to be more proactive in advertising so many wonderful events.

2. Council must continue to promote a more fair vote at the county level by maintaining an informed strong voice on so many decisions that keep being pushed our way. As an example, Mulmur council has repeatedly advised the county that we do not want this arrangement for waste management, we do not want motorized vehicles in the Dufferin Forest and we do not want gravel trucks on Airport Road. We need to get louder.

3. Mulmur has spent a great deal of money preparing the Primrose Business Park for commercial ventures. We have set our development charges at a very competitive rate to attract potential businesses. In the meantime, our Official Plan encourages the development of small businesses and innovative farming practices in our community. I support this slow growth initiative.  

Janet Horner

1. Mulmur needs to be small-business-friendly so that we encourage and enable those destinations whether they be eating places, retail operations or tourist attractions. We live, work and play in one of the most beautiful parts of the province and we should be thinking of ways that we can share our Mulmur in ways that do not diminish the qualities of Mulmur that we value. We must be open to businesses that provide value to our visitors and permanent residents. We also need to be promoting our community events through many different channels.

2. This is a difficult one but I believe that our current system is badly flawed. Orangeville should not be able to defeat motions that are supported by the more rural areas that are less densely populated. Perhaps we need to move towards a ward system but it will be very difficult to balance this vote without Orangeville feeling that they have lost power. Whatever system we do move towards, there needs to be a recognition that the needs of the rural areas are very different than the more urbanized centres of Shelburne, Orangeville and Grand Valley.

3. I drive by the industrial park at Primrose almost daily. The site needs to be signed so that awareness of the site would be increased. If it is not already done, an information package of what services would be available in this park should be developed. It is not yet serviced, what comes first – the services or the new business? We talk about attracting businesses to this site but I’m not aware that we have a plan to do so.

Keith Lowry

1. When I stepped up to chair Mulmur’s Strategic Plan, I committed to make its goals my goals. The process to develop the “destination” plan captured the values and aspirations of the residents of the entire township. I owe it to our community to capitalize and collaborate with work already underway, for example the work of the Heritage Committee of Mulmur council and the Township-wide Master Recreation Plan. The artists and artisans of Mulmur already feature prominently in the local arts tours, and I would move to introduce an artist of the month at council meetings to grow local awareness. I strongly support the work of the Headwaters Communities in Action, and their project, the Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance. The Strategic Plan grew from the community, and I will work with my fellow members of council to make that vision a reality.

2. Mulmur’s voice at county council is expressed through the mayor and deputy mayor. Their unity is critical, but the broad-based support of the residents of the township provides the power for their words. Many of us commute for work, for shopping, or for recreation. I believe we should also commute for township interests. Mulmur residents present in the gallery at county council meetings can play a role of visible support for our interests. As long as the legislation giving a weighted vote to Orangeville and Shelburne is in place, we must depend on logical persuasion and public pressure to protect our interests.

3. As a member of council I will move to create a Smart Development Working Group to promote the Primrose Business Park to the commercial real estate community, to research trade publications for potential companies appropriate to Mulmur, and to seek out Mulmur residents for ideas and contacts. I would also engage closely with DuffBiz and the Greater Dufferin Area Chamber of Commerce to bring their expertise, experience and resources to Mulmur. We need local small and medium businesses for employment opportunities for our young people, local markets for our agricultural products, and much- needed assessment for our township budget. We are in competition with neighbouring municipalities so we need to be agile, but we also need to be selective in order to maintain our rural character.

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