<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Shirley Keaveney]]></title><description><![CDATA[Shirley Keaveney: Leadership for Our Future]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/news</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:04:49 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Campaign Pillar 2: The Future of Our Recreation Facilities]]></title><description><![CDATA[The second point under my Well-Being pillar is one I feel strongly about: we need a real plan for the future of Meaford's recreation facilities. The Blue Dolphin Pool dates back to 1966. The Meaford and St. Vincent Community Centre and arena to 1972. These are beloved facilities but they are showing their age, rising maintenance costs, poor energy efficiency and accessibility gaps compared to modern builds. At some point the cost of continuously patching aging infrastructure exceeds the cost...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/campaign-pillar-2-the-future-of-our-recreation-facilities</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa1452321c5141f85153f31</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 22:48:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_94c5209bb73d48b3a05ea5d9dfe65b34~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Campaign Pillar 2: Well-Being, Starting with Agriculture]]></title><description><![CDATA[The second pillar of my campaign is Well-Being, and I want to start with something close to my heart: agriculture. Meaford's land area stretches across nearly 590 square kilometres and the overwhelming majority of that land is rural and agricultural, encompassing hamlets like Bognor, Annan and Leith and the surrounding countryside, each with its own farming families and priorities. Our unique microclimate, warmed by Georgian Bay and sheltered by the Niagara Escarpment, makes this one of...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/campaign-pillar-2-well-being-starting-with-agriculture</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6aa142fcdf2d85bc96e80867</guid><pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:37:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_27ba3a72778b4df3805f5af635ca17d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Vote in the 2026 Meaford Election]]></title><description><![CDATA[The October 26th municipal election is coming. This year Meaford is using internet and telephone voting, there will be no paper ballots. The voting window runs from 10 AM on Friday October 16 all the way until 8 PM on Monday October 26, giving you a full ten days to vote from home or anywhere you have internet or phone access, 24 hours a day. If you want to learn how the online and telephone voting process works before voting opens, free information sessions are being held at the Bognor...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/how-to-vote-in-the-2026-meaford-election</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a916a2cd49c3011e2f4316d</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:14:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b04329_b9e52d6236564e8dad11e8c512832923~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Listening to Parents: What Young Families Need]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last week I had the privilege of sitting down with a group of parents for an insightful conversation. Meaford has strong sports programming: soccer, baseball, hockey, figure skating, and that is something to be proud of. But there are real gaps. Shift workers like nurses and police officers are navigating a childcare system built around a standard 9-5 that simply does not match their reality. True extended hour childcare would let those essential workers stay in the workforce without...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/listening-to-parents-what-young-families-need</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a90dc9a3467d57c2cee2984</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 01:03:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_dc7668bf1889484685eb007dc24a8ba4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bikes and E-Scooters in Meaford]]></title><description><![CDATA[I have had many requests to address e-bikes and e-scooters. Both are regulated under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act. A legal e-bike must have working pedals, a motor no stronger than 500 watts and power assist that cuts out at 32 km/h. Riders must be at least 16 and wear an approved helmet regardless of age. No licence, insurance or plates required, e-bikes simply follow the same rules of the road as cyclists. E-scooters are treated differently under a provincial pilot program running until...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/bikes-and-e-scooters-in-meaford</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8ac64630d700055aaf535c</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 10:15:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_10e59aa1940b4170b4850d7d60e74e0c~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Infrastructure: Roads, Bridges, Drainage and Facilities]]></title><description><![CDATA[You have heard me say it before and I will keep saying it - roads are a priority. Meaford maintains over 400 kilometres of roads and roughly 80 bridges. That is a vast network for a municipality our size and it demands sustainable, predictable investment rather than reactive fixes. Along with roads I am also hearing consistently from residents about the safety issues surrounding scooters and e-bikes on our streets. The OPP have already conducted education sessions in our school and they are...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/infrastructure-roads-bridges-drainage-and-facilities</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a88a5800df120a48ef8eb7a</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:36:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b04329_d175f3513b2d42efa3eae79ab8f0d3b6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_612,h_416,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Asset Management Plan]]></title><description><![CDATA[Today I want to talk about something that does not always make headlines but matters enormously to every single resident - Meaford's Asset Management Plan. Every Ontario municipality is required to maintain one and ours is essentially a long-term inventory and financial roadmap for all the infrastructure we rely on: roads, bridges, culverts, water and wastewater systems, and municipal buildings and facilities. It tracks the current condition and age of each asset, its remaining useful life...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/asset-management-plan</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a88a1edd586cd2fd661f98b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:16:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_69845c4daff84d2fbaf378897c6fd144~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Vision: Why Does Meaford Need One?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I have been talking about a community visioning exercise for Meaford and I want to explain why I believe it matters so much. A municipal vision is not a slogan. It is a compass that guides every decision council makes, from zoning to budgets to infrastructure priorities. For a place like Meaford, that vision must reflect two identities at once: a vibrant, historic waterfront town on Georgian Bay and a surrounding rural landscape of farms and hamlets with their own distinct character and...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/shirley-keaveney-s-vision-for-our-community</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a085693ea733de5ffb63e45</guid><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:35:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b04329_c1813d1c95264fbe80f2469410feffba~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_626,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Campaign Theme: On the Cusp of Change]]></title><description><![CDATA[Meaford is at a turning point. Our demographics are shifting as new residents and young families arrive alongside a growing retiree population. Our local economy is evolving beyond its traditional base. Our climate is bringing less predictable weather that affects everything from our farms to our infrastructure. This is not a moment to drift. It is a moment of real opportunity, a chance to shape a municipality that is better for those of us here now and for the generations who will call...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/join-shirley-keaveney-s-campaign-for-positive-change</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a08568f90efca42974f8eb9</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:35:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b04329_334e15c4a4574483864f76e9df39f069~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Campaign Pillar 1: Smart Growth]]></title><description><![CDATA[My 2026 Campaign Brochure is now live on my Facebook page and I want to walk you through the four pillars I will focus on if elected Mayor of Meaford. Today let's talk about the first one: Prosperity through appropriate, sustainable smart growth. Smart growth means directing new housing, industry and commerce to the places and in the ways that actually make sense for our community's infrastructure, character and long term costs. Not growth for its own sake. For a municipality like Meaford...]]></description><link>https://www.shirleyformayor.ca/post/updates-on-shirley-keaveney-s-mayoral-campaign-progress</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a08568b90efca42974f8eae</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:35:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b04329_c64106b32a7a47e1a8eca03f1037e347~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_750,h_562,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Shirley Keaveney</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>