Council for a day winners announced

Barrington is going to see a new warden and councillors but it’s not because of an election.

While Municipal Awareness Week this past November, the Municipality of Barrington launched a Council for a Day contest.

The contest was open to all Grade 5 students enrolled in a school in the municipality and would see five winners chosen based on their ideas for making Barrington an even better place to live.

Twenty-eight entries were submitted and were judged based on creativity, originality and overall appeal. A number of innovative ideas were submitted, including using solar panels on municipal buildings, developing a composting program and tackling climate change.

Some fun ideas such as hosting a donut fair, constructing a Walmart and opening a petting zoo were also suggested.

At the Regular Council meeting on Jan. 27, the winners were announced. They students and their ideas are:

1. Miles Beaulieu (Forest Ridge Academy) – farmers market and hotel

2. Patrick Brannen (Forest Ridge Academy) – homeless shelter and mental health centre

3. Katie-Anne McComiskey (Evelyn Richardson Memorial Elementary School) – public well and composting program

4. Chayney Newell (Oceanview Academy) – skate park, dog park and playground

5. Cooper Sears (Evelyn Richardson Memorial Elementary School) – climate change mitigation and solar panels

These students will be named warden and councillors of Barrington for a day, the date of which is still being determined.

They will also tour the Municipal Administrative Centre, enjoy supper with council, participate in a mock council meeting, have a television interview with Eastlink and get free passes to the arena/ swimming pool.