Hastings Highlands celebrated its silver anniversary yesterday, marking 25 years since it was incorporated.
The municipality was created through the amalgamation of five former township governments: the United Townships of Bangor, Wicklow and McClure, the Township of Herschel and the Township of Monteagle.
Mayor Tony Fitzgerald said the decision was made to look at more efficient ways to run the three municipalities but added the work isn’t done.
“It has been a long process over 25 years. I would say, in fact, it is still underway as we consolidate our fire departments and look at our waste sites and things like that, but we are well on the way. We have laid a very solid foundation moving forward to get that done.”
Fitzgerald added Hastings Highlands has quickly become a powerhouse in Hastings County.
“We are the largest municipality in Hastings County. We have the most roads. We have the third lowest residential tax rate. We have the largest assessment, and our staff is second to none.”
The amalgamated municipality now encompasses about 967 square kilometres, stretching from the Bancroft area west toward Algonquin Park.
Former mayors of the amalgamated townships attended the event, including Brent Dalgleish, who served as the final reeve of Bangor, Wicklow and McClure and became the first mayor of Hastings Highlands when the municipality was created in 2001.
Children from Maynooth Public School were also present and sang the national anthem.
