Jim Ginn proposes municipal winter event schedule to lift spirits

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn wants to brighten up the winter for Huron County residents and he’d like to see all nine of the county’s municipalities do their part to help make that happen.

At the Jan. 6 meeting of Huron County Council, Ginn said the next few months would likely constitute the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic – getting through the short winter days with the vaccine delivery on the horizon for many in late spring or early summer. So, he’d like for lower-tier councils to step in and try and make the next few months a little easier to get through for Huron County residents.

Ginn suggested creating an event schedule with each lower-tier municipality staking claim to a week and holding an event that can be carried out safely with people remaining in their cars to enjoy it.

If every municipality holds an event on one weekend, it should take people to the early spring, providing something to look forward to every weekend until then.

He said whether it’s a fireworks display, a winter wonderland display or something else that can be created, events like those may go a long way into beating back a potentially depressing time for many as the pandemic persists and worsens across the province.

While the county could recommend the events, Ginn said, it would be up to each individual council to make the decision whether to participate, so he suggested the county circulating a letter to lower-tier municipal councils and going from there.

Several councillors lauded the idea, saying they felt that it was a great concept at the right time.

Warden Glen McNeil has since penned a letter to be circulated to the lower-tier councils for consideration.