Civil Municipal - May 2024

and trails, and is home to Komoka Provincial Park. Within an hour’s drive, residents can explore the Great Lakes with both Lake Huron and Lake Erie nearby. Recreational facilities in the municipality offer physical and cultural programming for all ages, as well as places to gather for social events. The municipality has active 55+ sporting groups, with pickleball being a community favorite. Adult and youth sports in the community include hockey, figure skating, baseball and soccer, among others. Last year, the municipality held its inaugural Middlesex Centre Day which celebrated its 25th anniversary and kicked off a well-attended series of community movie nights that they plan to continue going forward. The municipality partners with the YMCA, the library and local community organizations to host the long-running and popular Holiday Hoopla. Held at the Komoka Wellness Centre, this event features skating, games, crafts, and of course, a visit from Santa. They also have a number of active community groups that host annual events. One neighborhood, Poplar Hill, has a beloved annual community picnic that’s now in its 134th year. Another long-running event is the Ilderton Fall Fair, which has been celebrating farming and the agricultural community with residents and out-of-town guests for over 150 years. As a predominantly rural area, Middlesex Centre boasts fabulous farmland that allows for agricultural tourism. The municipality’s two farmers markets and numerous farm stores serve the best in local produce, foods and crafts to residents and people from surrounding areas. Events and activities like these and many others are made possible by dedicated community groups and volunteers. There’s a very holistic approach here that combines the efforts of several groups who work together to make the magic happen. As Mayor DeViet puts it, “There are a lot of people who invest their time in community life in large and small ways, and Middlesex Centre is a better place for them.” Collaboration is key to the growth of the community