Midland restoring iconic murals with investment from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture RED Grant
By Town of Midland
(March 26, 2025 – Midland, ON) The Town of Midland is pleased to announce further restoration of its historic downtown murals, thanks to a $19,260 investment from the Ontario government through the Rural Economic Development program.
Additionally, Council approved $25,000 toward the mural restoration project as part of the 2024 budget and the Town hosted its inaugural Midland Mural Festival in September 2024 where the public helped create two brand new murals to be installed in the downtown.
The Town of Midland has been known as a mural community since the 1990s and at one time boasted more than 30 murals. Over time some of those murals have either deteriorated, faded or no longer exist due to changes to buildings. A few of the murals were previously restored and with this combined funding, at least 12 existing murals will be rejuvenated under this restoration project. This investment renews the Town’s ability to promote these iconic murals as a tourism attraction with the goal to benefit the downtown businesses and restaurants from increased visitation.
To date, the following mural restoration has been completed – the Girl Guides, James Playfair Shipyard, Midland Post Office, the Playfair Preston Company Interior and Exterior and the Brébeuf Lighthouse. Additional murals are planned to be restored this spring and summer.
For more information about the must-see murals in Midland, visit midland.ca/art.
Integrity report notes 3 complaints resolved in Midland over 21 months
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, Apr 01, 2025
A relatively clean report card was given to the town of Midland during a recent report from its integrity commissioner, noting that just three complaints were received and resolved between June 2023 and February 2025.
The verbal presentation was provided by integrity commissioner Jeffrey Abrams, co-principal of Principles Integrity, during the recent committee of the whole meeting. As each term of council received instruction of ethical policy, Abrams said that Midland council had participated in a refresher training session in early March but noted: “there wasn’t any need for policy development education”.
“We’ve provided seven pieces of advice upon request to members, which was helpful,” said Abrams, “and in fact, on three occasions we received complaints but none of them were concerning and none of them resulted in any report to council.
“That’s, generally speaking, a healthy amount of engagement. It’s appropriate that we be engaged from time to time, and we’re quite pleased with the level over the term in question,” Abrams added.
During an overview on the role of the integrity commissioner for a municipality, Abrams stated that the most important function would be to provide advice for members on any questions they may have regarding their own ethical responsibilities.
Upon receiving a complaint, the integrity commission would participate in education, training, attempts for course correction, and occasionally a formal investigation if needed.
“There was not the need for us to do that in this last term,” Abrams praised. “We do all of that because it helps to increase the level of trust, respect, and engagement that councils received from their constituents.”
With the Midland-focused items concluded, Abrams addressed larger issues which had been seen around the province. Frequent disclosures of confidential information; issues of disparagement within councils and extending to municipal staff and members the public; staying within one’s lane and not managing staff; and recognition of conflicts of interest were noted.
Mayor Bill Gordon spoke kindly of Principles Integrity and their services over three terms of council, acknowledging that he had been a focus of their attention in his early political years but calling them “very fair, very measured, and very reasonable” in their duties.
“It’s also good to see that there’s a member of the community that have availed themself of the process,” Gordon noted.
“Even if it’s unfounded in your investigation,” Gordon added, “if there’s a belief by any member of the community or groups that we’re not meeting our obligations for either the code of conduct or the municipal conflict of interest act, then this… the system works and they can approach you, file all the pertinent facts. You do a robust investigation, and if it’s found to be with merit then there’s a next step – which we haven’t seen this term, which is lovely.
“If it turns out to not be meritful or it can be resolved through informal matters, that’s done too,” said Gordon.
MidlandToday asked the town office for details on the three complaints, but was told the information couldn’t be disclosed.
Wrote town clerk Sherri Edgar: “Any inquiries to the Integrity Commissioner are strictly confidential and are not reported to the public. If a complaint is received and the IC had made the decision that the Code of Conduct has been breached, the IC will prepare a recommendation report which is placed on the council agenda to be presented to council. It is only at that time that the complaint would be discussed, and it would be in the public realm.”
Information on how residents can contact the integrity commissioner or access the town’s code of conduct are available on the Midland website.
The integrity commissioner periodic report is available in the council agenda on the town of Midland website.
Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53 when available, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.
Camp Quest: A Summer of Creativity, Imagination, and Fun for Kids Ages 5–12
Submitted by Quest Art, April 6, 2025
If you’re looking for a creative, inspiring, and hands-on summer experience to keep your child engaged while school is out, look no further than Camp Quest: Summer 2025 at Quest Art School + Gallery! Designed for children ages 5 to 12, this exciting camp series offers a vibrant mix of single-day and week-long programs that spark imagination, nurture artistic growth, and encourage new friendships—all in a welcoming and professional art studio setting in the heart of Midland.
With a thoughtfully crafted lineup of themes and projects, Camp Quest is more than just summer childcare—it’s an immersive creative journey that builds confidence and brings art to life. And with spaces already filling quickly, now’s the time to secure your spot!
One-Day Play Dates: Short, Sweet & Super Fun
Camp Quest kicks off with three Play Date drop-in day camps on July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, perfect for families easing into summer or looking for a quick, creative burst. Running from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, these high-energy art days are only $45 per day and promise an exciting blend of hands-on projects and playful exploration.
Week-Long Camps: A New Adventure Every Week
From July 7th through August 29th, Quest offers eight different week-long camps, each packed with original themes and engaging projects. Whether your child is a budding sculptor, a future puppeteer, or an art-loving adventurer, there’s a camp for every interest and personality.
Campers can dive into mixed media and 3D art during Art Adventure Week (July 7th–11th), explore the mysteries of water during Water Week (July 14th–18th), or take center stage with original puppets and performances during On With The Show! (July 21st–25th) and its follow-up, The Return (August 11th–15th).
Other weeks include Creative Sparks (July 28th–August 1st), where kids can let their imaginations soar through painting, drawing, and sculpture; Art Explorers: World Travelers (August 4th–8th), which brings global cultures to life through creative projects; and Nature Week (August 18th–22nd), encouraging kids to connect with their surroundings and express the beauty of the natural world. The summer wraps up with Quest Is The GOAT! (August 25th–29th), where campers will push their creative limits and celebrate their artistic greatness.
Each week runs Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and includes a Friday gallery showcase or performance so friends and family can see the magic in action. Pricing is $191.25 for Quest members and $225.00 for non-members.
Spaces Are Limited—Register Today!
Each camp—both daily and weekly—is capped at just 25 participants, ensuring personalized instruction and lots of individual attention. These spots are filling up quickly, so early registration is strongly encouraged to avoid disappointment.
Visit https://www.petitepicassos.ca/camp-quest to explore all of the options available and make it the BEST summer ever!
NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT
Restored power, lower gas prices give locals reasons to smile
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, Apr 01, 2025
Despite a colder day outside, smiles could be had in Midland as residents lined up for cheaper gas and as hydro crews steadily restored power to the area.
The town of Midland released a statement on Tuesday declaring the end to the current significant weather event issued Friday regarding ice storms that plunged roughly 400,000 Ontarians without power, including north Simcoe where power was still being restored as of the time of publication.
Hydro crews had been working diligently on getting electricity to remaining areas, including one crew found in the concession roads near Midland. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said the ground member of the two-man crew, as the partner in the work bucket overhead nodded. They had apparently been working 16-hour shifts. “This road will take another two hours, maybe three.”
When asked if there was a way that residents could assist the efforts, the bucket worker yelled down: “No, it’s just a matter of plugging away.” Power slowly restored in Midland with traffic lights coming on in several areas, and power restored to the downtown core on Tuesday morning.
Several outlying businesses were operating, some in excess. At midnight on Tuesday, the federal government lifted the consumer carbon charge, resulting in large lineups at the pumps due to a nearly 20-cent drop per litre in prices.
At the William Street Esso gas station, fuel prices were 128.9 for self-serve and 166.9 for diesel. One customer said he had only waited ten minutes in the lineup; it was a traffic jam backup that snarled both lanes on either side with vehicles waiting.
A pedestrian attempting to weave through the bumpers and cross the street offhandedly said: “What a ****-show.”
MidlandToday chatted with Midland resident Ricky, who declined to give his last name, at the pump and asked what the importance was in queueing for the fill. “My wife made me come and get it; she puts it in,” Ricky said with a laugh. “I was out this morning for the banks, and the banks were all closed. She said, ‘Why don’t you go get gas then?’”
The town of Midland issued an additional statement on Tuesday to remind residents about charging stations and warming and relief centres in town. Town hall at 575 Dominion Avenue remained open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre at 527 Len Self Blvd was open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Coun. Bill Meridis chatted with several residents at the sports facility who were clustered around wall plugs. “The community has been very excellent in coming together; I can’t be more proud of this community,” said Meridis. “We had a full house yesterday, with some of the Sikh community coming in and providing food which is very generous. A lot of businesses have stepped up, grocery stores and so forth, to help out the community.”
While speaking with MidlandToday, smartphones would occasionally ring to inform residents that power in their homes had been restored.
Meridis added thanks to the town’s emergency responses, and to electricity crews from Hydro One and NT Power for their efforts. “I want to especially thank Mayor Bill Gordon for doing a great job on communicating to our residents with updates throughout the outage.”
A special weather alert was issued by Environment Canada for Wednesday morning through early Thursday morning that could see freezing rain with ice accretion of 2 to 5 mm on some surfaces, and potential heavy rains which could amount to 40 mm.