Thurs Aug 21 – Local News & Weekend Events
Updates involving Safe n Sound, Grey County, Bruce County, SweetWater Music Festival, Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular, and more
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Owen Sound’s downtown safety meeting may have been only one night, but the conversations it stirred are still unfolding. Across our community, people are speaking with urgency and intensity about safety, housing, addiction, and poverty.
The diversity of those voices and the passion behind them shouldn’t be dismissed as unnecessary conflict. They are real experiences, differing perspectives, and, at the core, reflections of a community that cares deeply.
People may not agree on solutions, but disagreement is itself a sign of engagement. It shows that residents want to be heard, want to shape the path forward, and want leaders to listen.
In today’s edition, you’ll find a letter to the editor from the board chair of Safe n Sound, responding to criticism and reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability, and service. Rachel Paterson emphasizes that their work is not about creating division, but about filling urgent gaps and collaborating with others to support those who are falling through the cracks.
The question remains: are decision-makers willing to hear and value this range of perspectives — even when they challenge the status quo?
Letter: Clarifying Facts and Reaffirming Our Commitment to Community - Safe n Sound
The reality is that poverty, housing instability, and substance use are not created by community drop-ins or shelters, nor are these programs to blame. These challenges stem from larger systemic issues—unaffordable housing, underfunded healthcare, lack of safe transportation, and the deep impacts of colonialism and inequity. Our role has not caused these crises, but to meet people where they are and help reduce harm when other systems have left them behind.
Read on for news updates on Grey Bruce Health Unit, Owen Sound Attack, Salmon Spectacular, Grey Bruce Health Coalition, Grey County Housing, a new cultural symposium in Bruce County, and more.
~ Miranda Miller, Editor
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Fire Risk Lowered to Moderate in Meaford - Municipality of Meaford
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