New Years is a time of making resolutions and wishes, so in that spirit here’s a list of things that we’d like to see in 2020.
As a bit of an aside, it still feels odd to write the year 2020, as though it’s some distant year in a sci-fi film and not the current date.
The first wish is a more definitive answer as to whether or not Greater Napanee will be getting an aquatics facility.
Granted, it is a huge financial commitment and the decision to push forward with it shouldn’t be taken lightly-if that’s the way it ultimately ends up going. On the other hand, this was a major debate issue during the municipal election-of 2014. And even before that. Yet here we are in 2020 with still no definitive answer as to whether or not the town will be pushing forward with an indoor pool within the next five years.
The second wish is to see less division at all three levels of politics-municipal, provincial and federal. With no major elections scheduled in Ontario for the year ahead, perhaps we can move on from the friction caused in the last couple of campaigns. At the national level it’d be nice to put aside the theatrics that goes along with politics and for parties to strive to work together instead of assigning blame. More locally, less of an emphasis on the arbitrary ‘rural’ and ‘urban’ borders would be a great first step towards getting more done. At the end of the day, the wants and desires of those living in town compared to those living a 15 minute drive away really aren’t so different.
Lastly, here’s to more success on the diamond, rugby pitch, ice surface, track and everything in between for our local athletes.
Last year was unquestionably one of the most successful sports years in the history of this town, from long-distance runner Carter Free’s U20 Pan Am silver medal in Costa Rica, Maddi Wheeler scoring the game winner in the IIHF Championships for Team Canada in Japan, to Scott Chadwick helping his curling team win the Ontario Tankard, Connor Brooks contributing with both the bat and his arm to lead Canada to gold at the Pan Am Softball Championships in Guatemala, Britt Benn helping Canada’s sevens rugby team qualify for the 2020 Olympic games, a Schmalz Cup championship for the Napanee Raiders at the Junior C hockey level and countless other success for the Express, Stars and Crunch. The list was seemingly endless. Asking for a repeat might be a bit much-but with a supportive community behind them, our athletes time and time again defy even our most loftiest of expectations.
Even when they fall just short, the sense of pride they bring this community is always overflowing.
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2020 for all.
-Adam Prudhomme