Midland council will deliberate approving a prominent golf historian and a dedicated community volunteer and fundraiser as nominees for this year's heritage awards.
John Gordon's and Rita Coté's names appear in a staff report part of council's agenda for this Wednesday.
The two have been nominated in one of the two heritage awards categories for which the Midland Heritage Committee is responsible.
Coté is an intrinsic part of the Catholic heritage of Midland, says the report.
She has spent her life contributing to both the local churches and the community as a whole. Coté has dedicated over 40 years of service to canvassing for the Heart & Stroke Foundation, Cancer Society, and the Salvation Army. In addition, she has dedicated 16 years as a volunteer at the Mental Health Centre, The Soup Kitchen, visiting and shopping for the boys at the Ridge, and serving on the Women's Auxiliary.
Gordon, one of Canada’s pre-eminent golf historians and author of eight books and numerous articles, has been nominated for the Heritage Appreciation Award, says the report.
Gordon researched the history of the club, its grounds, its members, for the centennial anniversary of the Midland Golf and Country Club and authored the 2019 book, The Gem of Southern Georgian Bay, Midland Golf and Country Club, Our First 100 Years. The 67-page book includes pictures showcasing the club’s history and is currently available in electronic format through its website.
The Midland Golf and Country Club is nominated in the second category, the Heritage Merit Award.
The clubhouse was constructed between 1917 and 1919, when the land was purchased by James Playfair, says the report. The golf course officially opened on May 31, 1919. The original building remains largely intact, including the interior lounge that remains very similar to how it was back in the day. The original building also included three upstairs bedrooms and a dining room. In 1974, the clubhouse was expanded to enlarge the verandah, dining room and kitchen. Throughout its ownership, the Midland Golf and Country Club has continued to preserve the architectural and historical aspects of the clubhouse.
Council will also look at a wastewater servicing master plan report, which says that all pumping stations have adequate capacity to pump flows to the wastewater plant, under current conditions within the required level of service but the model did identify areas of concern for the future.
With growth and development, the Bayport sewage pumping station capacity will be pushed to its limits, and the main station will approach service level limits related to hydraulic capacity. A new station and forcemain will be required for the Highway 12 and County Rd 93 development area.
The report says the timing of anticipated upgrades has been identified within the 2021-2041 and beyond timeframe.
The upgrades will be contingent on the rate of development in each of the contributing areas. The total cost projected in the wastewater servicing plan anticipates approximately $24 million at the plant and $18.7 million in pumping and conveyance upgrades. To implement many of the projects, the town may have to debt finance the growth-related expenditures, as the works typically have to be completed prior to the receipt of development charges. Alternatively, the town could require the development community to front end costs as a condition of future site plan and subdivision approvals.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be aired on Rogers TV as well as live streamed online.
