state-of-the-art building includes office space and a new Council Chambers that houses audio video technology that allows meetings to be live streamed to the public. This energy efficient building is also a net zero building with power being supplied by solar panels resulting in significant operational savings. McAuley states “I have heard many comments both from our staff and public about what a beautiful building we have to work and do business in” Other critical projects include a significant upgrade to the water booster station in Thedford, which is undergoing a $1 million refurbishment. “We’re rebuilding the booster station and doing some work on the water reservoir,” McAuley reports, with expected completion by the end of the year. In Arkona, efforts are focused on recoating the standpipe, with tenders currently out for this project. Lambton Shores also benefits from a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant commissioned in 2016, a $16 million investment that provides advanced tertiary treatment and efficiently meets the municipality’s needs. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Ashley Farr, the Director of Community Services, highlights the initiatives supporting commercial growth and community improvement in Lambton Shores. “Forest has a Business Improvement Area (BIA), and Grand Bend has a Chamber of Commerce and Tourism,” Farr explains. These organizations play crucial roles in promoting tourism and supporting local businesses. “Council has recently implemented a community improvement plan to support existing businesses and encourage new ones,” Farr says. This plan, stemming from a business retention and expansion study, is backed by council-approved funding. Although applications for the plan are just beginning, the initiative marks a proactive step toward fostering commercial vitality. Lambton Shores has also excelled in the Communities in Bloom program, achieving provincial, national, 243 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07 LAMBTON SHORES, ON
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