Another year is behind us and once again, Cornwall Seaway News was honoured to tell the stories of Cornwall and the surrounding community.
Here is a selection of some of the top stories of 2018.
The highest traffic story of 2018 was the announcement that then owners of the Cornwall Square, Partners REIT, intended to tear down the old Sears location in the mall. With new owners, these plans are now in question.
Canadian Forces conduct night training exercise in Cornwall
Cornwall residents were kept up late one April night this year with the sound of helicopters flying up and down the St. Lawrence River. After a little investigation, Seaway News confirmed that the Canadian Forces were conducting exercises around the dam and Lamoureux Park, something that the general public was not informed of in advance.
Teen arrested for towing friends on sofa down Second St.
Seaway News shares many stories about the work the Cornwall Community Police Service does to keep our community safe. This story from a February police blotter stood out to us as being particularly memorable. It was also one of the most viewed stories of the year.
Cornwall region honours Humboldt on Jersey Day
Last April Canada mourned with Humboldt, Sask. after many young men from their community were killed in a tragic bus crash, and the City of Cornwall joined the nation and stood with Humboldt in solidarity.
Renovations to old BMO could cost $4-6 million
The City of Cornwall purchased the old Bank of Montreal building in the downtown to serve as the new arts centre. The building will require some renovations, but will ultimately cost roughly half of what the originally planned art centre would cost.
City worker strike begins in Cornwall
In May, a three week strike began in Cornwall. Indoor workers, outdoor workers, librarians and paramedics went on strike. These employees had been working without a contract for at least two years, and tensions resulting from Council decisions ultimately made a strike inevitable.
What’s next for Poirier Furniture
Late July saw what was called the worst fire Cornwall had seen in 30 years. The fire destroyed three buildings including Poirier Furniture’s site on Montreal Rd. The heat was so strong that siding on buildings on the other side of the street melted. Thankfully for Poirier’s, with some strong community support, Poirier’s had their grand re-opening in December.
Hazardous waste found in St. Lawrence River
Another top viewed story of 2018 was the news that hazardous waste was found in the St. Lawrence River. The waste was contained in old buoy batteries, but luckily it does not seem that the waste posed any threat to the community.
Leclerc Group production plant coming to Cornwall
It was a good year for the Cornwall economy and as evidence for this, the Leclerc Group chose Cornwall as the new home of their new production facility.
This municipal election was a historic one for the City of Cornwall and the province of Ontario. In a landslide, Bernadette Clement was elected as the first black female Mayor in the history of Cornwall and in the history of the province.
