On behalf of the Town Council and our municipal staff, I would like to welcome you to The Greatest Town on Earth.  Whether resident or visitor, Petrolia is ready to share with you the spirit that has made the town’s fiercely independent nature the foundation for an extraordinary quality of life.

As we look ahead, it is clear that our future is bright and mirrors the kind of imagination and perseverance that defined those who came before us.  Countless volunteers continue to work tirelessly to bring the community together through sports, culture, fitness, shared interests, picnics and parades.

Plans made in the 2009 budget continue to come to fruition throughout Town -- replacement of obsolete equipment in the works department; park benches for town parks; a sound system and new lighting for Victoria Park; a revamping of Englehart Park to accommodate skateboard facilities; completion of the roofing project at Victoria Hall; final topcoat for Fourth Avenue; a fire sprinkler system at the Nicol Library; and additional light standards on Petrolia Line.  The reconstruction of Oozloffsky-Edward Street  is now complete, the reconstruction of Garfield Street is in the final stages and repairs to the Discovery Bridge deck are almost finished.  The resurfacing of Walnut Street  will soon begin and the extensive upgrade to Greenwood Recreation Centre is in the early stages and eagerly anticipated.

And here’s some more good news: Our staff is aggressively pursuing provincial and federal grants and has met with great success -- almost $2 million of Federal and Provincial funding through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund for the reconstruction of Queen/Nelson Streets and the reconstruction of West Street, almost $390,000.00 of funding for the upgrades to Greenwood Recreation Centre through the RInC Grant and, very recently, over $819,000.00 for the construction of a permanent Farmers' Market in the downtown core. 

Maclean’s magazine named us as one of the five safest communities in Canada (for the second year in a row). The Red Cross noted that our blood donor collection is twice that of the national average. Even in these difficult economic times, the Nicol Scholarship has helped several high school students advance to post secondary education.  VPP continues to bring quality, professional summer theatre to this area, and hosts its Concert Series and special events year round.  Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital continues to deliver emergency services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  The Centre continues to thrive with membership numbers surpassing expectations. 

There is always something great happening in Petrolia, The Greatest Town on Earth.  Have fun and please be kind to yourselves and your neighbours.