LOCAL HEADLINES

An astonishing 88.8 per cent. That’s the share of the mayoral vote that Brogan Aylward captured Monday night, delivering a landslide victory for the 27-year-old who will become the next mayor of St. Marys – and the youngest mayor in St. Marys’ history.

After 12 years at the helm of St. Marys council, outgoing Mayor Al Strathdee says he is leaving office grateful for the opportunity to serve his community, proud of what council and staff have accomplished together and hopeful for the town’s future.

An ambitious goal nearly six years in the making has finally been reached, ensuring young children in St. Marys will continue receiving free books through the St. Marys Imagination Library for generations to come.

Creativity was on full display in downtown St. Marys last week as artists and aspiring creators gathered for the inaugural St. Marys Creative Retreat, a three-day event designed to inspire artistic expression, foster connections and showcase the town as a destination for cultural experiences.

With roughly $200,000 already raised toward its $1-million fundraising goal, the committee tasked with supporting the transformation of 14 Church St. N. into an intergenerational community and cultural hub, the Community Commons, is calling on St. Marys residents to help make the long-term vision a reality.

The St. Marys Lincolns extended their winning streak to 12 consecutive games with wins over the Sarnia Legionnaires and St. Thomas Stars.

“It’s difficult playing teams like that because we don’t want to punish our guys for another team not playing well,” said Bradley.

On Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m., the Town of St. Marys is hosting the third annual Sports Wall of Fame induction ceremony.

On Oct. 14, past and present Downie Optimist members, local dignitaries and Optimist members from other nearby chapters met in St. Pauls to commemorate the past 50 years of belonging to Optimist International, which currently has close to 500 active clubs across Canada.

After two years of bringing young athletes to St. Marys for swimming, cycling and running, the Stonetown Triathlon is now giving something back to the community that has helped it grow.

St. Marys will withdraw from the PC Connect regional bus service at the end of 2026, with council deciding the money being spent on the service could be better directed toward transportation options tailored to local residents.

Finding a convenient parking spot in downtown St. Marys can be difficult enough without spaces intended for customers being occupied by business owners, employees, patios and bicycle parking.

The St. Marys Lincolns remain the hottest team in the Western Conference after wins over LaSalle and Elmira pushed the team’s unbeaten stretch to seven straight games.

Eighty years after six Blanshard Township men who never returned home from the Second World War were formally added to the Rannoch Cenotaph, the community will gather once again to remember not only their names, but the people behind them.

As voters prepare to cast their ballots in the Oct. 26 municipal election, four candidates are seeking to represent St. Marys and surrounding communities at two local school-board tables.

By Galen Simmons For passengers relying on VIA Rail to travel between Stratford, St. Marys and Toronto this summer, arriving late wasn’t the exception. It was essentially the rule. Perth-Wellington MP John Nater is calling on VIA Rail Canada to address what he describes as an “unacceptable” level of service on the Toronto-Sarnia route after data showed trains serving Stratford and St. Marys were consistently delayed throughout the summer. In a Sept. 10 letter to VIA Rail inte

Anyone who loves books and shopping should look no further than the St. Marys Legion on Saturday, Sept. 19, where local vendors and writers will be available to chat at the Local Author Book Fair & Vendor Market.

Sometimes the most important thing an artist can have is another artist sitting across the room.

The St. Marys Lincolns picked up right where they left off last season with a 5-3 victory over the Stratford Warriors in a fiery home opener between the Perth County rivals.

There was lots of joy from farmers market patrons and their furry friends alike.