Three years ago today, OrilliaMatters made its debut.
In the aftermath of the sudden and unexpected closure of The Packet & Times, we were welcomed with open arms.
And, over the past three years, the community — readers and advertisers alike — has embraced us in ways that continue to make us proud to serve Orillia and its environs.
Each day, thousands of people read articles on our site, which provides the city’s most up-to-date, accurate and hyper-local news and information.
Since the pandemic has gripped our world, more and more people have turned to OrilliaMatters to find out what is going on in the community, what is open and what is closed, what the latest news is when it comes to the dreaded coronavirus and its far-reaching impact on Orillia and beyond.
In November of 2020, alone, the 30-day average for page views for OrilliaMatters surpassed 2.7 million — that means articles on our site were viewed at least 2.7 million times during those 30 days.
But the numbers don’t tell the tale and they’re not what drive us. Since Day 1, our goal has been to become Orillia’s go-to source for accurate, unbiased local news.
The numbers simply indicate we’re doing just that. Two awards from the Orillia & District Chamber of Commerce also validate the work we've begun.
And, as always, our content is free. There is, and never will be, a paywall. You don’t have to sign in to read the news that matters to you, your neighbours and friends.
All you have to do is go to our site or join the more than 15,000 people who have signed up to receive a daily newsletter — sent directly to your email — that provides a recap of the stories published over the past 24 hours.
There are lots of stories to read thanks to the dedicated news team that works tirelessly to chronicle life in Orillia.
In addition to editors and reporters, we have a diverse group of columnists who share their expertise in various fields. We also provide an audience to myriad community groups and causes, spreading the word far and wide about their events, campaigns and efforts.
But our DNA is local news. Whenever something of consequence happens — whether it’s at the city council table, the hockey rink, the school board or countless other places — we are there to tell the story, to hold our politicians accountable and to provide a forum for the community to weigh in on the issues that matter to them and their neighbours.
Such is our reputation that Google sent a five-person crew from New York City to spend more than a week in the Sunshine City to shine the spotlight on a real-life success story. Click here to view the video they created.
Our success has also been a catalyst for further expansion across the region. I am honoured to oversee the editorial operations not only in Orillia, but Barrie, Bradford, Innisfil, Collingwood and Midland.
The head office for the region is also in Orillia, at 17 Colborne St. E., just a stone’s throw from The Packet’s longtime downtown office.
Be assured we will not stand on our laurels. While most media companies are contracting, we at Village Media are expanding.
We have added reporters in Orillia and Barrie and plan to continue to grow the professional ranks of journalists in our employ.
It’s been an incredible journey these past three years and we couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal readers.
Thank you for your support. We look forward to many more years as the trusted source for local news in Orillia.
Dave Dawson is community editor at OrilliaMatters and regional editor for Village Media's Simcoe County sites.
