Mayor Meloche noted that Deputy Mayor Akpata will be absent from the meeting due to personal reasons and Councillor Desjarlais joined the meeting via Zoom.
Mayor Meloche reported that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Town's second fire hall occurred on October 30th at 2160 Front Rd. Additionally, she stated that on November 8th, there was a groundbreaking ceremony for the new entrance garden at the Event Centre, acknowledging the support of various organizations, including the Windsor-Essex Community Foundation, LaSalle Community Fund, and the LaSalle Ambassador Horticultural Society. She also noted that the Town was successful in receiving a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for a portion of this project.
Mayor Meloche highlighted November as Woman Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario and stated that she attended the Shine the Light tree lighting ceremony on November 2nd at Charles Clark Square to raise awareness for woman abuse. She encouraged participation in Wear Purple Day on November 15th in support of victims and survivors of woman abuse.
Mayor Meloche expressed gratitude for the impactful Remembrance Day Ceremony held on November 11. She thanked retired Commander Father Stan Fraser for Emceeing, the Remembrance Day Ceremony planning committee, Town staff and participants in the wreath-laying. A special thank you was extended to the Vincent Massey band, made up of approximately 40 students, who contributed significantly to the event. Mayor Meloche and Deputy Mayor Akpata also visited local retirement homes before the ceremony to honour local veterans for their service.
Appreciation was expressed for the hard work of staff in executing the Truck or Treat event, with $2,000 of proceeds donated to the LaSalle food bank.
The Mayor announced the upcoming LaSalle Holiday Lights Heritage Nights starting on November 24 at the LaSalle Civic Centre, including a tree-lighting ceremony and live carolling performance. The first Holiday Night Market is on Sunday from 5-8 p.m. at the Event Centre at LaSalle Landing.
Mayor Meloche emphasized that various holiday activities are scheduled to take place until December 17, with full details available on the Town's website and social media pages. The lights will be on display daily from 5-10 p.m. until the first week of January.
Lastly, Mayor Meloche reminded residents of the upcoming Breakfast with Santa and the Mayor on December 2, with ticket sales starting November 15, 2023.