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w at er lo oc hr on ic le .c a W at er lo o C hr on ic le | T hu rs da y, N ov em be r 25 ,2 02 1 | 8 Packing the car for a fam-ily trip to Niagara Falls,Ontario, our kids askedwhat to expect. And we told them what we knew. You're going to see natural wonders and beautiful views. But none of us knew what to expect. That this town was much more than just a waterfall. Niagara Falls is a world leader in every part of a family vacation, and on a scale you wouldn't expect. Fallsview Casino Resort shared the finest views of the falls as well as high quality restaurants such as Ponte Vecchio, and the soon to be opened Golden Lotus. The kids need something to do? Take a quick walk, or taxi, to Clif- ton Hill and the heart of the enter- tainment district. Start with the Sky- Wheel and see the city from above. Once you have your bearings, evade the Tyrannosaurus Rex at Dinosaur Adventure Golf, and take a selfie with a favourite celebrity at one of five wax museums. A Fun House pass will give you entrance into your choice of a number of attractions, including an indoor circus style set of mazes that will have your family searching their way out of mirror and ribbon mysteries. And when you're legs and back need a break, relax in the hot tub while your kids enjoy any of 16 extreme slides, as well as a massive play area at the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. And history beckons at the Ni- agara Falls History Museum, The Niagara Power Plant (where things really get electric) and Drummond Hill Cemetery, kitty corner to Lun- dy's Lane and a foundational mo- ment in Canada's history. Whatever vacation you want to find, awaits at the foot of Niagara Falls. REDISCOVER NIAGARA FALLS This content was funded and approved by the advertiser. This town is not just a waterfall anymore Book Your Next Niagara Adventure Now. Scan for all of the Best Deals on Hotels and Attractions SPONSORED NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM CONTRIBUTED NOTICE: PROPOSED FEE CHANGES, CITY UTILITIES On December 6, 2021, at a time to be determined, the Council of the Corporation of the City of Waterloo will consider proposed fee changes to the 2022 City Utilities rates. The public may participate by submitting written comments in advance of the public meeting and/or arranging to make a presentation, and is invited to watch and/or listen to the electronic meeting on www.youtube.com/citywaterloo/live If you would like to submit written comments or make a presentation to Council on December 6, 2021 regarding this matter, please contact Legislative Services at 519-747-8549 or clerkinfo@waterloo.ca no later than 10:00 am,Monday December 6, 2021, so that necessary arrangements can be made with respect to the agenda. For more information about the meeting, please contact 519-747-8549 or email clerkinfo@waterloo.ca Further information regarding proposed City Utilities rates is available by contacting Michael Pugliese at 519-886-2310 x30264 ormichael.pugliese@waterloo.ca P. 519-886-1550 TTY. 1-866-786-3941waterloo.ca It's a planning instru- ment that is unique to Wa- terloo Region, so celebrat- ed among some of its resi- dents that it even has a fes- tival in its honour. The region's country- side line was put in place in 2009 as a way to control de- velopment and costly ur- ban sprawl. The line is meant to con- tain future growth within the region's urban areas, protect farmland and sen- sitive natural areas from development. Supporters say it is a key instrument to preserve the region's qual- ity of life. In some places, such as along Wilmot Line, the im- pact of the countryside line is immediately obvious: farm fields stretch out into the township on the west side, close-packed subdivi- sions of paved streets and homes cluster in Waterloo on the east. The countryside line en- circles the cities of Kitche- ner, Waterloo and Cam- bridge, and five larger township communities: El- mira, St. Jacobs, New Ham- burg, Wellesley and Ayr. Any land within the countryside line is poten- tially developable. Any- thing beyond the line is considered countryside. But the countryside line doesn't afford permanent, ironclad protection to all rural areas beyond the countryside line -- some areas are more protected than others. "We believe our coun- tryside line and its policies are a lot stronger than what have been provided in the Greenbelt (area around the Golden Horseshoe)," said Brenna MacKinnon, manager of development planning at the Region of Waterloo. "We're the only munici- pality that has a protected countryside designation and a regional recharge designation," she noted, adding that both of those designations are set in the Official Plan after the prov- ince approved the plan in 2015. But other parts of the countryside -- in Wool- wich Township in the east and in the most westerly part of the region -- are more vulnerable. Prime agricultural land isn't au- tomatically protected. "There are areas where the line is permanent, and there are areas where it is not," MacKinnon said. Whenever the Official Plan is up for review, as it is now, the boundary could be changed. "The stakes are high," MacKinnon said. "We have a number of requests in to expand the urban area boundary be- yond the countryside line," she said. The region is booming -- its population is project- ed to grow from about 625,000 residents today to 923,000 in 2051. Planning officials esti- mate the region will need another 800 hectares of in- dustrial land, and at least 230 hectares of residential land, to accommodate all the growth expected in the next 30 years. The region must submit its updated plan, with its forecasts for how much land will be needed, to the province by July 1. Unlike past updates, though, the decision rests entirely with the provin- cial minister of municipal affairs and housing. Neither the region nor developers will be able to appeal. "How do we accommo- date significant population growth, how do we find a balance, while protecting what we need to protect?" MacKinnon said. CAN COUNTRYSIDE LINE CONTAIN PRESSURES OF DEVELOPMENT? CATHERINE THOMPSON NEWS