Puslinch holiday display will continue, council implements new safety measures
Puslinch holiday display will continue, council implements new safety measures
A Puslinch man will be allowed to continue running his holiday light show despite pushback from neighbours.
On Wednesday, Puslinch council held a special meeting and handed down a decision to allow the show to continue from December 19 to 25 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The homeowner, Shawn Gusz, was at the centre of the debate after residents on Fox Run Drive wrote to council to complain about the influx of traffic the show brings into their neighbourhood.
“Particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, it can get fairly busy, but we always try and manage it safely. We keep the road open on one side and we have signage around the area,” said Gusz.
The show has historically brought in cars from all over southern Ontario.
Gusz has lived on Fox Run Drive since 2015 and lived in Puslinch for 15 years.
In March, the town's council passed a bylaw regulating public displays. If any complaints are received about a display, the owner must apply for a permit.
Gusz was approved in October to have his display, but a few neighbours appealed the permit.
“The only people that are at risk of getting hit is if they’re walking in the streets at six or nine at night, completely not looking, while at the same time the people in the cars are completely not looking,” said Gusz.
Neighbours say they are concerned with the safety of the neighbourhood and show-goers as cars line up to see the display.
“Our street does not have sidewalks,” said John Holford, who lives near the display. “Our residents are forced to walk on the road,”
Council said they have heard from residents who say they are not happy with the display.
“A nurse actually had to park on the side of the road and walk up considerably to get to their house,” said John Sepulis, councillor for the Town of Puslinch.
Nearby resident John Holford said the proposal was not about the removal of the Christmas lights or the celebration of Christmas.
Council decided Gusz will be required to hire one off-duty police officer for traffic flow Monday to Thursday and two officers from Friday to Sunday
“[To] stop any concerns that people stopping on the sides of the road and blocking lanes of traffic for any emergency vehicles that may come through,” said Sepulis.
Adding: “I think it’s a good Christmas thing. Nobody wants to be Scrooge at this time of year,”
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
After years of reports and allegations detailing a 'toxic' workplace, Canada's RCMP says it is trying to evolve, focusing on diversity in its organization and repairing relationships with communities as it marks its 150th anniversary.
The federal government has set aside billions of dollars to quickly build affordable housing across the country, but delays in construction suggest many of the projects approved for funding are missing their deadlines.
The Memphis police chief on Saturday disbanded the unit whose officers beat to death Tyre Nichols as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with video showing police pummelling the Black motorist.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos insists the federal government is going to 'work flexibly' with the provinces on the terms of a possible health-care funding deal and avoid 'micromanaging' how they deliver health care to Canadians.
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
When the cold and snow have people hunkering down, these outdoor enthusiasts find motivation in braving the Canadian winter through community and sport.
According to a new study, showing university students the health risks of vaping through experts and personal testimonies can help deter them from using e-cigarettes.
Health Canada says it will continue to recommend COVID-19 prevention drug, Evulsheld, despite U.S. FDA pulling back its emergency use authorization due to concerns around its efficacy against Omicron subvariant 'Kraken.'
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
The supporters outnumbered the protesters more than 20-to-one. As drag queen Amanda Villa prepared to sing and read to children in Sarnia, a small group of protesters marched outside, while more than 100 supporters of the rally “All You Need is Love” spent time chasing them around the parking lot, and having peaceful discussions about acceptance and hate.
Only a few days after a large winter weather system rolled through southern Ontario, Environment Canada has once again issued a special weather statement for the London region, warning of a snow-rain mix expected to begin Saturday night.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
It's been more than three months since a Windsor-based fitness instructor and former hockey player took his own life — but his legacy is living on through a new fundraiser which organizers hope will spark new conversations about mental health for years to come
Northern supporters of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ mark the anniversary of last winter's demonstrations across Canada by holding a gathering of their own this weekend in North Bay.
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
More than 50 people came out on Saturday for a walk, organized by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury through the Laurentian University 'green space.' The 200 hectare piece of land has been a concern for many, given the questions around the university's financial stability and debts.
Ottawa police and Bylaw Services officers issued 81 parking tickets and 20 Provincial Offences Notices on Saturday, as hundreds of people marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.
Ottawa police are warning the public of the dangers of texting explicit images to people on social media platforms, after seeing a spike in sextortion cases this winter.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
Late Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is being remembered for the many ways she contributed to not only to the city she led for 36 years, but also the province.
Anti-poverty activists are praising the Quebec basic income program as a good step toward helping people meet their basic needs — but say strict eligibility criteria exclude many of the province’s lowest-income residents.
Some Indigenous communities in Quebec that are patrolled by provincial police say the established system does not fully meet security needs and needs improvement.
A ceremony will be held this evening to mark the sixth anniversary of Quebec City's deadly mosque shooting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, several senior federal cabinet ministers and Quebec Premier Francois Legault are among those expected to attend.
Some faculty members at Cape Breton University have walked off the job. Their strike started Friday, with the faculty's union saying the administration has disrespected it at every turn, leading to a large number of labour grievances.
As extreme cold weather brings wind chill values nearing -40°C, it's impacting everything from winter recreation to the city's most vulnerable population.
An organization helping Ukrainian newcomers settle into their new lives in Edmonton is hosting a furniture donation blitz to help restock their warehouse.
Canadian police chiefs condemned on Friday the death of a Black man who was savagely beaten by police during a traffic stop in the United States, saying the officers involved must be held accountable.
BC Emergency Health Services saw a slight decline in 911 calls for overdose and drug toxicity last year, but some areas saw a dramatic increase, and the death rate doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Advocates are predicting this year's Metro Vancouver Homeless Count will be higher than previous years' due to lingering impacts from the pandemic, job losses and inflation.
