June 2024

Vol. 2, Edition 4

The Monthly Update

Welcome to The Monthly Update.

The monthly e-newsletter is a great way to stay informed about council decisions, programs, services, and other types of information relevant to the Town of Gravenhurst.

Click the button below and sign up to receive future editions in your e-mail inbox.

Message from the Mayor

On behalf of council and staff, I want to wish everyone a happy Canada Day.

I hope you can join us on July 1 at Gull Lake Rotary Park. There will be a barbecue, cake, games, and much more. See below for full details.

As your mayor, one of the privileges I have on a regular basis is interacting with residents who give back to our community. This month was no exception.

At the 40th annual Mayor's Tea on June 5, it was my honour to present local resident Barb McCabe with an Ontario Senior of the Year Award.

Barb's peers nominated her for the award.

Barb has given tirelessly to the Rotary Club and the Probus Club. It was so nice to see her recognized.

Again, congratulations Barb on receiving such a deserving award.

I was also honoured to join Judy Humphries in Huntsville on June 13 when she received an Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

As mayor, I nominated Judy for the recognition because of her significant involvement with the Gravenhurst Archives and the Gravenhurst Municipal Heritage Committee.

It was terrific to see Judy receive provincial acknowledgement for her contributions to Gravenhurst.

You can read more about Barb and Judy in our latest e-newsletter.

As always, the newsletter contains a variety of information we hope you find helpful.

Please take some time to read the item about the Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review we are doing.

The purpose of the review is to ensure residents have equitable access to local elected representatives.

As part of the review, a series of information sessions will take place in early July. Hopefully, you can attend one of them.

Your participation in the ward boundary review matters.

Based on what the review determines, council could make changes to its structure.

I also hope you'll read the item about our new Community Connect platform. The Gravenhurst Fire Department launched the platform on July 20.

The Community Connect platform allows residents to share information about their household, helping emergency services personnel respond more effectively.

The platform is a great new tool and we are excited to have it in place.

We had an extremely full agenda at our June council meeting so be sure to review the Council Highlights to learn more about what took place.

In closing, I hope you enjoy the upcoming long weekend with friends and family.

I look forward to updating you again next month.

Until then, please take care.

Heidi Lorenz,

Mayor. 

St. John Ambulance Week

On June 24, we hoisted the flag for St. John Ambulance Week. St. John Ambulance Barrie Simcoe Muskoka representatives joined members of council for the flag-raising at town hall. St. John Ambulance has been active in communities since 1883. Core services revolve around first aid training, however, the organization is involved in a number of other projects, too. Learn more at https://sja.ca/en.

Portraits in the Park

Mayor Heidi Lorenz and District Councillor Erin Strength were at Gull Lake Rotary Park to celebrate the opening of Portraits in the Park on Sunday, June 9. Congratulations to operator Greg Poole on his new venture. Poole will be at the park (in the snack bar building) and available to take photos on Thursdays and Sundays, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., until Sept. 22. For more information on the new photography service, e-mail: gregpoole400@gmail.com or call 647-393-5943.

Open-air burning concerns? Know who to call?

Do you have concerns about open-air burning activity in our community?

If you do have concerns, do you know whether to call 911 or our bylaw office?

Watch our video and learn.

Gravenhurst Council Highlights - June 18, 2024

Learn what happened at the latest meeting.

Planning Council - June 25, 2024

Planning Council met June 25.

Click the above image to watch the meeting and learn what happened.

See a problem? Let us know

If you see playground equipment or other forms of town infrastructure needing repair, please let us know so we can take the proper steps to address the issue.

Join our team!

We are hiring for a variety of positions.

Visit our website to learn more about these opportunities.

Fun for the whole family

Enjoy quality family time with fun activities like cornhole, lawn bowling, bocce ball, and croquet. At least one adult family member is encouraged to participate. Rotate through games, learn new skills, and bond with loved ones and new friends in a friendly, outdoor environment.

Ages 5+

Mondays 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. (July 8 to Aug. 26)

Gull Lake Rotary Park

Free drop-in

Animal Services

The Town of Gravenhurst is a pet-friendly community.

Our Animal Services team works to ensure the safety of people and pets in Gravenhurst.

For information about dog licensing, animal control services, and more see our website.

Visit our website to learn more.

Community Calendar

Looking for something to do in Gravenhurst?

Make our website your first stop for information.

Visit our calendar for great ideas.

Recreation

We have a variety of recreation options available in Gravenhurst.

In some instances, these opportunities are offered through the town and in other cases they are provided by various organizations.

Visit our website to learn more.

Opera House

Stay in touch with the Gravenhurst Opera House.

Built in 1901, the opera house is a focal point for great entertainment.

Check out the opera house website to learn more about upcoming performances.

Visit the opera house website.

Gravenhurst Public Library

The Gravenhurst Public Library is a great spot to access reading material, movies, programs, entertainment, and so much more.

Located at 180 Sharpe St. W., the library is open Monday to Saturday.

For hours and more information, visit the library website.

Planning and building

Looking for planning and building information?

We are here to help.

Visit our website to learn about the town's official plan, zoning bylaw, building permits, and much more.

Visit our website.

Gravenhurst Fire Department

The Gravenhurst Fire Department provides fire protection services for the community.

Please call 9-1-1 if the department's assistance is required in an emergency.

Read a message from the chief.

Visit our website to learn more about the department.

Council contact

Members of council are your representatives.

They are elected to a four-year council term.

Visit our website to learn more about council members and how you can reach them.

Meeting agenda information

Find meeting agendas at Gravenhurst.ca.

Visit our website to learn more.

You can also subscribe to receive notice when new agendas are available for review.

Subscribe to agendas.

Watch our meetings online

Did you know our council meetings are available on our YouTube channel?

By watching the meetings, you can hear council and staff discussion on a variety of topics and stay better informed about municipal business.

Visit our YouTube channel.

District of Muskoka

The District of Muskoka provides important services to our community.

Governing the district is a 23-member council.

To learn more about the district and what it does visit the district website. 

Ontario Provincial Police

Policing in Gravenhurst is provided by the Ontario Provincial Police.

If you require police assistance for an emergency, please dial 9-1-1.

For non-emergency matters, call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Minor non-emergency matters can also be reported through the OPP website.

211 Ontario

211 Ontario is a free service that connects people to a variety of resources.

To reach 211 Ontario, simply dial 2-1-1 on your phone. 211 is also available by text and e-mail.

Learn more by visiting the 211 website.