Elliot Lake Mayor Dan Marchisella held his 2022 Mayor's Levee at his City Hall office this year.
Normally it takes place in a larger venue with plenty of public seating and an opportunity to present various civic awards to recipients.
This year, due to COVID-19, the mayor delivered his speech to a video camera, and it was streamed on the city's You Tube account and is available via the city's website.
As he looked forward to 2022, the mayor shared his wishes and achievements he would like to see accomplished in the new year.
Unlike other levees in other years, the format denied the opportunity for residents to take part in the traditional question and answer period that normally follows the mayor's annual address.
In his list of plans was a new turning lane on Highway 108 adjacent to the Esso station.
The mayor explained it will help alleviate traffic congestion at the gas bar and provide better safety as well for turning vehicles at the nearby intersection of Hillside Drive South.
With the 2022 municipal election on Oct. 24, other plans include accessibility parking at Spruce Beach, accessible trail upgrades from Spruce Beach to Westview Park, floral beautification in various city locations, expansion approvals for the city dump, designed to extend its life by 45 years, and severance of city-owned land at 151 Ontario to allow for downtown development.
Also on his list are infrastructure improvements on Hillside Drive North from city hall up to the plaza. They will remedy damaged storm drains and replace the existing street surface and amenities.
The mayor also looks forward to upgrades on Spine Road to accommodate new residential development planned for the area, including the Elliot Lake Retirement Living's six-storey plan for an affordable housing seniors apartment building.
Mayor Marchisella is enthusiastic about planned major upgrades to the former movie theatre downtown, now owned by the city, to provide space for various arts usages.
Still on his wish list, the long planned Recreational and Arts Hubs. Due to lack of funding from other levels of government, both projects remain on the drawing boards.
Mayor Marchisella would like to see more airport upgrades with the potential for increased industrial land development at the airport.
He's also looking forward to installation of charging stations for mobility scooters coming to the core, possible scooter and bike lanes downtown and another granite wall added to the Miners' Memorial.
The present Miners' site on Highway 108 at Horne Lake is now exhausted with no room for more names.
There are scores of names engraved on site to honour those who died following careers toiling in the now defunct uranium mines in Elliot Lake.
Each year new honorees are announced and their names are chiselled onto the monument.
Mayor Marchisella said he approaches 2022 with "hope and positivity."
He noted that 2021 saw a number of infrastructure improvements in Elliot Lake. "I'm quite proud of our staff and our crews for getting all this stuff done.
"We're continuing to pull up roads and replace the water and waste water, because it's not all about pretty roads. It's more about the safety of our community and having clean drinking water," he said.
His staff announcements included Steve Antunes, who was promoted from special projects manager to head of economic development, and Amanda Laurence, previously Amanda Roy, who does much of city's accessibility work.
He said they're looking at future development opportunities in the city. "We have seen a ridiculously high amount of inquiries about lands, both residential and commercial and industrial land here in Elliot Lake."
Mayor Marchisella also commended an army of volunteers who have staffed numerous vaccination clinics in 2021 at the Collins Hall.
He thanked Dr. Cathy Groh of the Elliot Lake Family Health Team for her work in organizing and promoting the COVID-19 vaccination clinics and updating the community with information on the progress of the pandemic.
He commended those who have checked on their neighbours and helped residents with mobility and other issues, since the pandemic began.
"I know many have struggled with the ups and downs of COVID-19, including this new variant which has taken the country by storm... but help is out there, you're not alone.
"I'll say it again and again, til this fight's over, stay safe, stay vigilant and never give up."