By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The North Hatley town council held its monthly meeting Sept. 11; its focus was a unanimous vote for the temporary establishment of an early childhood centre in its town hall building. The Record attended the proceedings, with nearly 30 other people (including children), to get the specifics.
The meeting began around 7 p.m. Mayor Marcella Davis-Gerrish opened by thanking everyone involved in the town’s recent 125th anniversary celebration, some by name, such as Jean Vanaise and Jane Meagher. She said the town’s intention was for everything to go well, which it did, so “mission accomplished”. It was noted the town’s “big garbage pickup” and leaf pickup were on the horizon.
A brief question period was held confined to the topic of the agenda for the meeting. One citizen criticized item 15 (a proposal to financially aid the North Hatley curling club), stating the giving of public money to a private institution was problematic, but was assured it would be justified later.
Childhood Centre
Next on the docket was a vote on whether to institute a temporary early childhood centre in North Hatley’s community centre. The proposal was read out in its entirety in both French and English.
The proposal states that the organization that will run the temporary centre in North Hatley, les Petits-Hêtres, is currently building their own permanent centre in Ste-Catherine de Hatley, which will open within the next two years. Many families in the region need daycare for their children aged 0-5 years. This initiative is supported and financed by the Ministère de la Famille.
