Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to get you started on this Monday morning.
City moves in to clear Memorial Park encampment
Friday in Memorial Park began with cold weather and steel fences as the City of Greater Sudbury staff teams moved in to remove the last few people from the Memorial Park encampment. As stated in the Greater Sudbury Encampment Response Guide prepared by Iain De Jong, a posted warning sign and flyers were given to those living in the park on March 15 to inform them that the park would be closed to them on April 1; that after 12 p.m. on that day, any belongings left in the park would be disposed of and that beyond that, the city’s municipal law enforcement officers will enforce the removal of those who plan to set up a tent or structure in the park. The announcement also included the closure of the encampment on the grounds of 199 Larch St, near the warming centre. Though the city has housed many people living in the park, there were some remaining, and the city’s director of children and social services, Tyler Campbell, told Sudbury.com that there were approximately 14 people still living in encampments.
Junction East meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed
The Special Meeting of Council regarding the Junction East Project, planned for Tuesday April 5, has been cancelled and will be rescheduled in the next several weeks. “City staff and project partners require a little more time to ensure that all details are as up to date as possible and that Council and the public are provided a very comprehensive presentation,” a city spokesperson confirmed in emailed correspondence. “An alternative date for this meeting is expected to be available in the next several days.” Junction East is a proposed 62,000-square-foot municipal building to be located on Shaughnessy Street in downtown Sudbury and is expected to include a new central library, the Art Gallery of Sudbury and potential future partners including the Sudbury Theatre Centre and Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association.
Continued solidarity with Ukraine meaningful to local advocates
Looking over a crowd of more than 100 people who came out in a show of solidarity with Ukraine earlier today, Peter Bodnar described it as a neighbourly display. “When we hear people honking and people calling saying, ‘We stand with you,’ that is support,” the St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church pastor said. “That is encouragement, and it’s very hard to go through life without good neighbours, and these people are good neighbours and that’s what community’s all about.” This was the fourth such display in downtown Sudbury in recent weeks, and organizer Halia Buba said it’s indicative of strong local links between Ukraine and the Northern Ontario city. “It’s very important in our Sudbury community for people to see and show their support for Ukraine, and it’s most important for our Ukrainians who back home get our messages of support as they fight this horrific war.”
Walmart shooting suspect remains at large
The suspect involved in Thursday night’s shooting at the Walmart on Lasalle Boulevard remains at large, according to a Greater Sudbury Police spokesperson. This, despite police believing they had tracked him down to a home on Melvin Street on Friday afternoon. Sudbury.com witnessed a strong police presence at the time, which dispersed after a few hours. On Saturday, Sudbury Police Service tweeted that they are still actively investigating the Walmart shooting and that the Melvin Street address was no longer contained as of Friday afternoon. A 20-year-old man was reportedly shot in the Walmart incident during an altercation in the building’s lobby at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. He was taken to hospital by ambulance with non life-threatening injuries. Police determined at the time that the incident was targeted and isolated, as the two men knew each other, and that there was no immediate threat to public safety.
Provincial legislation reduces number of voting members on Laurentian’s board of governors
The number of voting members on Laurentian University’s board of governors is being reduced in size from 25 to 16. These changes are in response to the Ontario legislature passing Bill 84 (Fewer Fees, Better Services Act) on March 3. The legislation includes a Schedule 7, with amendments to the Laurentian University of Sudbury Act, which repeals and replaces various sections of the act, impacting the composition of the LU board of governors. Information on the amendments included on an Ontario government website said that currently, the act says Laurentian’s board is to consist of 25 members, nine of which are elected from nominations submitted from its former federates (i.e., University of Sudbury, Huntington University and Thorneloe University). Now that these universities are no longer federated with Laurentian, the new board size would be indicative of this reduced representation.
Mainly sunny with increasing cloudiness near noon
It'll be a family sunny day today to start off your week, with an increasing cloudiness near noon. Fog patches are expected to dissipate in the morning. The wind is expected to be up to 15 km/h and there will be a high of 6 C, according to Environment Canada's forecast. The UV index will be 4, or moderate.
