NEWS

Local news in and around Aylmer and Elgin County

Tornado Fun Run returns to OPC

October 6, 2016 | 0 Comments

Hundreds of runners, walkers, cyclists, rollerbladers and even some scooter riders participated in the 37th annual Tornado Fun Run at the Ontario Police College northeast of Aylmer on Wednesday evening, Oct. 5. This year the event, which returned after a one-year hiatus, raised money for the Aylmer-Malahide Museum and Archives and paid tribute to its…

Motorcyclist killed in crash with pickup

October 4, 2016 | 0 Comments

David Berg, 29, of Aylmer was pronounced dead in hospital after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Talbot Line (Highway 3) and Quaker Road west of New Sarum on Monday, Oct. 3 at about 8 p.m. Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police Constable Adam Crewdson said officers, Central…

Mothers vow fight to keep Springfield PS open

October 3, 2016 | 1 Comment

An ad hoc committee founded by five mothers held its first public meeting, attended by about 50, Monday night, Oct. 3, to enlist support to keep Springfield Public School open. The committee is less than a week old, and was formed after word that Thames Valley District School Board was considering closing Springfield, South Dorchester…

Eagle Olympics welcomes Grade 9s

October 3, 2016 | 0 Comments

Kimberly Froese, left, Abby King and Ryan Wilson of the “Golden Dragons” team were among over 250 East Elgin Secondary School students who participated in the annual Eagle Olympics at Optimist Park in Aylmer on Monday afternoon, Oct. 3. After a barbecue lunch, Grade 9 students were encouraged to get wet and muddy by playing…

New Sarum walks for cancer research

October 2, 2016 | 0 Comments

Jaiden Loucks, left, Grade 7, Tanner Smith, Grade 7, Grant Bolt, Grade 3, Abby Fedorowski, Grade 7, and Rebecca Lockyer, Grade 7, joined other pupils walking around New Sarum Public School on a Terry Fox Run (or walk) on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 29. Rain stopped just in time for the event, which raised $2,000 for…

Meeting to save Springfield school Monday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.

October 2, 2016 | 0 Comments

A group of parents will hold a public meeting at St. John’s United Church in Springfield starting at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, intent on preserving the village’s public elementary school. Jessica Goodwill has two children now at Springfield Public School, and three more she hopes will be able to attend there. “I don’t think…

Polka King packs the Saxonia Hall

October 2, 2016 | 0 Comments

Canadian Polka King Walter Ostanek and his band played to a full house at the Aylmer German Canadian Club’s Saxonia Hall on Saturday evening, Oct. 1 during the Oktoberfest celebration. The event included traditional German Oktoberfest food, Ontario craft beer and performances from Kitchener-Waterloo’s Schuhplattler Folk Dancers and the local Saxonia Dancers.

Hundreds of items up for sale at huge farm auction

October 1, 2016 | 0 Comments

Hundreds of items were  up for sale at the annual Farm Equipment Consignment Auction at Shackelton Auctions located northeast of Springfield near the corner of Lyons Line and Putnam Road on Saturday, Oct. 1. The day-long auction sold off several partial lines, estates, dealer inventory reductions and over 200 local farmers consignments of farm equipment and machinery…

Dead man identified in Port Bruce trailer fire

September 29, 2016 | 0 Comments

Eight days after the discovery, Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 28 identified the 50-year-old man who was found dead next to a burning mobile home in Port Bruce as Timothy James of Malahide Township. A Malahide Fire Department spokesman said volunteer firefighters were called to a fire at a trailer within…

Port Stanley Arena snack bar resurrected

September 27, 2016 | 0 Comments

Central Elgin councillors, in a sharp turnabout, conceded Monday night, Sept. 26, to pleas from Port Stanley Arena groups and will re-open the snack bar there. In fact, councillors were in such a rush they ordered officials to award a contract to operate the canteen to any “reasonable proposal” received in the next few days.…

Duff’s annual show attracts 60 classic cars

September 22, 2016 | 0 Comments

The ninth annual Duff’s Garage Car Show and Open House held at the Talbot Street East business in Aylmer on Wednesday late afternoon and evening Sept. 21 attracted 60 classic cars. The event, which included a charity barbecue and live music from the band Uncertain People and Studio Arts Music Academy and Rock School performers,…

School closings proposed for study

September 21, 2016 | 0 Comments

Thames Valley District School Board administrators are preparing to undertake a five-month study that could drastically change the landscape of public elementary schools in East Elgin and Central Elgin, including the potential closings of Springfield, South Dorchester and New Sarum, and the building of a large new elementary school in Belmont. In an interview Tuesday…