CORNWALL, Ontario – Roughly 300 people came out to see Team Cornwall’s 21st annual Year in Review on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 and they were greeted with good news and a special guest.
“This morning we will hear about the investment and development activities that have occurred over the past 12 months,” said Mayor Bernadette Clement. “As council starts its new term, we will look at delivering a strategic direction.”
“It has been a fantastic year for growth in all sectors,” said Bob Peters, Cornwall’s Manager for Economic Development. “Building permits have increased by eight percent, which is a good sign for growth.”
Some local successes that Peters highlighted included the new lighting system installed at Aultsville Theatre, the opening of the new BMX track in Guindon Park, Cornwall hosting the Senior Provincial baseball tournament in Legion Ball Park and successful events at the Nav Centre like the Wonderful World of Whiskey and Beer Bourbon BBQ and Blues.
Over the past year, local institutions have grown and started up, including the Ontario Emerging Jobs Institute which was started by the Cornwall Innovation Centre and will be starting classes in post-secondary level education in January.
Some businesses have celebrated important milestones, like Cristill Rock and Future Office Products, both of which turned 25-years-old this year, and Welch LLP, which is 100.
Businesses have also been growing, like Olymel which has added 150 jobs in the past year and is still looking to grow, and Cornwall’s biggest employer, Walmart Logistics has grown to 1,600 jobs and held five job fairs in 2018.
The achievements of residents of Cornwall were also highlighted at the Year in Review, including Donovan Pilon who is the best in the country in his age group at darts, Paul Deslauriers, who was named Blues Entertainer of the Year and Andrew Feustel, who spent seven months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) this year.
“Drew has touched the Hubble Space telescope, commanded the ISS and earlier this year, fell to Earth and a high velocity and survived,” said Peters.
Feustel was invited to the Year in Review, along with his wife Indira. Indira Bhatnagar was born and raised in Cornwall and met Feustel in 1988 when they were both studying at Queen’s University.
Born in America, Feustel is a Canadian citizen. He has been on three missions to space and has spent more than 60 hours actually walking in space, the third most of anyone in history.
Feustel’s first mission into space was in 2009 to repair the Hubble Space telescope. He returned to space in 2011 on the last flight of the space shuttle Endeavor. On that mission, he helped to complete the ISS.
“Nothing gets you ready for a ride on a space shuttle, but an actual ride on a space shuttle,” Feustel said. “My first flight was facing the fear of the unknown, my second was the fear of the known.”
In March of this year, Feustel returned to the ISS and spent nearly seven months, 197 days, on the station before returning in October.
On his latest mission, Feustel brought a Canadian flag, a Cornwall pin, and a ring, made by Cornwall’s own Pommier Jewellers and given to his wife Indira on his return. Feustel also took pictures of Cornwall as he passed over the city in the ISS and shared one of those pictures at the Year in Review.
Feustel explained that physically, he is still recovering from his latest trip into space.
“I don’t think I’ve fully recovered yet,” he said. “I feel 95 percent right now, but I think there are still lingering effects, like lower stamina. The rule of thumb is that for every day in space, you need a day on Earth to recover.”
Feustel was born and raised in Lake Orion, Michigan. He attended Oakland Community College in Michigan, Purdue University and obtained his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, specializing in Seismology from Queen’s University.
