Town Celebrating 25th Anniversary

The Town has marked a major milestone by gathering community leaders from its past and present.  Today, the municipality held a special Council meeting and reception to commemorate the inaugural Council meeting of the Town of Saugeen Shores held on January 5, 1999.  Several past Town of Saugeen Shores mayors, councillors, CAOs and others attended the event.  

The meeting included a blessing from Saugeen First Nation Elder Shirley John and remarks from dignitaries including OMAFRA Minister and Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, a representative from Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, former Saugeen Shores Mayor Mark Kramer, and former CAO David Smith.  

“Saugeen Shores is a perfect union: a combination of communities that intertwine, balance, and enhance one another”, says Mayor Luke Charbonneau. “The act of bringing together Southampton, Port Elgin and Saugeen Township has created a municipality that is much more than the sum of its parts.” 

While all of 2024 is officially the “25^th Anniversary Year”, the Town has chosen August 9^th to 11^th for the official anniversary celebratory weekend. The events will include a dinner and dance, pancake breakfast, family activities, local bands, a signature act (TBA), fireworks, and more. 

The Town has also announced a 25^th Anniversary time capsule project. The Mayor and his family have generously donated a time capsule chest to capture local memories, photographs, and items commemorating the last 25 years.  

The municipality is inviting community members to submit their digital contributions online at www.SaugeenShores.ca/TimeCapsule between January 8 and July 15, 2024. As well, residents can bring physical items to the Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce (559 Goderich Street in Port Elgin) for donation, or for assistance with photographing/scanning. 

The Municipal Heritage Committee is inviting the public to learn more about our community by introducing two new driving tours that honour the 25^th Anniversary.  

“We’ve created these tours to honour both the rich history of the former municipalities of Port Elgin, Southampton and Saugeen Township, as well as what we have achieved since amalgamation,” says Councillor Cheryl Grace, Committee Chair. “We’ve used interactive maps to create something really special for residents and visitors to enjoy while learning more about the area.” 

The Borders Tour takes participants on a 70km drive that follows the borders of Saugeen Shores.  Along the way, participants visit points of interest that illustrate the Town’s vast cultural and environmental beauty.  The Better Together Tour is a 22 km drive that celebrates the Town’s achievements by taking participants to sites created since amalgamation in 1999. 

For more information on the history of Saugeen Shores and amalgamation, visit www.SaugeenShores.ca/History.  

For more information on the 25^th Anniversary of Saugeen Shores as well as anniversary projects, events, and sponsorships, please visit www.SaugeenShores.ca/25th.