Connection

cathyaylard
8 hours ago
2 min read

Hello,

If you've been following my campaign updates, have you noticed a pattern?

Yes, they all start with the letter C. That's not a Coincidence.

And the format is always the same:

My Position – what it means

My Proof – what I did in my first term to deliver on it

My Plan – what's next

This week's focus is Connection – the human kind (I'll focus on the infrastructure kind of connection in the coming weeks).

My Position

Connection is when strangers become neighbours and neighbours become community. Community events build this connection, strengthening our town's social fabric by creating trust, familiarity and goodwill. Community events strengthen the economic fabric by driving foot traffic and spending at local businesses.

The volunteers, community groups, and service organizations behind these events rely on municipal support to host and promote them effectively.

My Proof

In my first term as your Councillor, I kept putting forward low-cost, high-impact solutions. Here's one example.

The Town of Erin currently has no consistently updated, centralized hub for community event information. My motion, passed unanimously on February 12, 2026, directed staff to create a Community Events Information Hub - a one-stop shop for residents and visitors to discover local events. It will be integrated with the new website and delivered within the existing budget.

https://pub-erin.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=19216

I saw the need firsthand. I launched a section on my website featuring a directory of community events, service organizations, clubs and community groups. It gets consistent traffic. See the directories below.

My Plan

With your continued trust, I'll keep advocating for the Community Events calendar to be implemented and consistently updated, so it becomes the trusted "What's On" source for the Town of Erin.

I'll also push for more support for our volunteer organizations, starting with the Community Grants budget. It rose from $25,000 to $30,000 in 2025, yet in 2026 the committee received 28 applications totalling $63,183. The need is clear. Even an extra $10,000 in the 2027 budget would make a real difference. This is another low-cost, high-impact solution.

https://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/erin-to-provide-30-000-in-grants-to-21-local-groups-organizations/

Community Grant Allocation

Community Grant Policy

https://www.cathyaylard.ca/helpful-links

https://www.cathyaylard.ca/events

Thank you to the Hillsburgh Community Committee (HCC) for hosting such an amazing Hillsburgh Family Fun Day & Car Show on Saturday. What a great turnout! The event truly embodied the spirit of community connection and collaboration. Photos courtesy of HCC.