Melancthon celebrates 165th with free event for the community

June 21, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By MARNI WALSH

Melancthon Councillor and Chair of the Horning’s Mills Community Park Board, James Webster says there is a lot of excitement surrounding the upcoming 165th Birthday Celebrations for Melancthon Township on June 23rd.

“The Park Board decided to hold the event a week before Canada Day to avoid competing with other events in the area, while celebrating Melancthon Township’s Birthday and enjoying historic Horning’s Mills Community Park,” says the Councillor.

Incorporated in 1853, the agricultural Township of Melancthon is best known for its potatoes, 167 wind turbines… and spunk. Local farmers and residents banned together and defeated the “Mega Mine” proposal by the multi-billion dollar American Hedge fund Baupost in 2012, in what was widely seen as a David and Goliath standoff.

Inspired by the concerns of area farmers, residents from Melancthon and surrounding townships came together and founded the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Task Force (NDACT.) Together they began the fight for the valuable food and source water lands to protect the province and future generations.

Advised that the mega mine was “a done deal,” residents refused to give up, fighting with hearts that would not be denied, even in the face of sparse political support. NDACT and the Food & Water First movement gained international recognition and still continues to lead with passion to protect the Province’s ever shrinking agricultural land.

Mayor of Melancthon Darren White is proud of his township and says, “I welcome and encourage everyone to come out to the Horning’s Mills Park on the 23rd for good food, great friends and a fun family event. This year we celebrate the 165th birthday of an amazing Township with fun for the kids, Country 105, Shelburne and District Fire Department, and food all topped off by fireworks at dusk.”

As Chair of the Horning’s Mills Community Park Board and Melancthon Township Councillor, Mr. Webster says, “This free event brings Township residents, family, friends and neighbours together for a fun evening to enjoy this special place we call home,” says the Councillor. “It’s a totally volunteer-run event by the Park Board, and a lot of work, but worth every effort for the good times it brings.”

This will be the third year of “Fireworks in the Park”, and Councillor Webster says, “We see that each year is more popular than the last, and much anticipated by folks in the local and surrounding areas.”

Councillor Webster is also preparing a treat for the community with plans to serve his “top-secret” BBQ Rib recipe, served with a Melancthon baked potatoes and Janet Burke’s famous coleslaw. Residents are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket, some cash for the BBQ and pay-what-you-wish donations towards next year’s celebrations.

Councillor Webster says, “The 165th Anniversary celebration in Melancthon is a free volunteer-run event to celebrate our luck of living in such a beautiful place and awesome community.” Fireworks begin at dusk.