EVENTS THAT BRING THE TOWN TO LIFE Few communities of Scugog’s size can match its year-round calendar of events. Its Canada Day celebration alone attracts as many as 20,000 people to Palmer Park and the lakefront, filling the streets with parades, music, and fireworks.“It’s probably the number-one Canada Day event in southern Ontario,” Bowers says proudly. “From our Veterans Parade to the fireworks show, it’s a full day of celebration that brings everyone together.” Summer brings weekly concerts in the park, car shows that shut down Queen and Water Streets, and live theatre at the Scugog Shores Museum Village. Autumn ushers in Culture Days, a regional arts celebration, and winter is highlighted by an elaborate Santa Claus Parade.“Even our challenges are good ones,” Mayor Wotten says with a smile.“Our biggest complaint in the summer is that our park is too full.” INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL: ROADS, CULVERTS, AND CONNECTIVITY Like many rural municipalities, Scugog’s infrastructure demands are constant. The township has made roads and bridges a top priority, aiming to raise its overall road condition rating to 60 percent—an ambitious but achievable goal.“Roads are the issue we hear about most often from residents,” the mayor acknowledges.“We’ve committed dedicated tax levy funds and a long-term plan to keep making progress.” That progress includes innovation. A recent culvert replacement on Line 4 was completed using prefabricated bridge technology—an approach that finished the work ahead of schedule and under budget. “It’s a great example of how we can lead on cost-effective infrastructure delivery,” says Mar. “Other municipalities are coming to see how we did it.” Beyond roads, Scugog continues to advocate for regional investment in water and sewer services— critical to unlocking its employment lands along Reach Street. The Region of Durham has committed to expanding servicing there within the next few years, a development that will give Scugog a stronger economic base. 146 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
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