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Small backyard projects can make a big difference.

Refresh your outdoor space this summer with five practical project ideas, from creating a clean garden border and building a simple path to extending your patio, refreshing paver joints, or adding a cozy outdoor fireplace area.

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Shop online and use our convenient pickup or delivery options to get the materials you need for your next project.

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Shop in-store or visit us online at www.vanbeeks.com
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Exciting news… We're looking to hire a local writer for the Oakville Digest!

We are looking for someone from Oakville who can spot the stories worth reading and tell them in their own voice. Someone who knows the town and can make the week's news and local happenings fun and easy to read.

You don't need to be a professional or have a journalism degree. If you love writing and you know Oakville, you'd be a great fit. The role will be part-time, work from home, and have flexible hours.

If this sounds interesting to you, or someone you know, please fill out our short application below, which includes some questions so we can get to know you, and a short writing submission.

Please submit your applications before Sunday, July 26.

Going outside this week has felt like stepping straight into a video game, as an orange-yellow haze settled over Oakville from wildfires in northwestern Ontario.

Air quality warnings have been urging people to stay indoors, or to wear a mask rather than inhaling the smoky air. Earlier reports predicted everything to clear up by this morning, but they are now saying the bad air quality will continue into Saturday and possibly beyond.

The smoke comes on top of a heat warning already in effect, with temperatures hitting 31°C but feeling closer to 35°C with humidity. Not the greatest conditions for enjoying the outdoors, unfortunately.

Take some time to check in on the older adults, young children, pregnant people, and anyone with chronic health conditions in your life to make sure they are doing ok.

A company that illegally demolished a century-old Oakville heritage home has been ordered to pay more than $800,000 in penalties, a ruling the town says could strengthen heritage protections across Ontario.

On July 9, the Ontario Court of Justice heard a guilty plea from 1475 Lakeshore Road East Inc., which tore down the designated property at 1475 Lakeshore Road East without required approvals last summer. The penalties break down to $700,000 for violating the Ontario Heritage Act, $50,000 for demolishing without a permit, and $72,000 for reforestation after removing a mature tree.

The home, built around 1830, was known as the Halfway House and served as an inn and stagecoach stop between Toronto and Hamilton. Town officials say the case sends a clear message that heritage designation carries real consequences, potentially setting a benchmark for other municipalities.

🏊 Big Splash Safety Night at Lions Pool

⛔️ New Towing Rules for Oakville

🚒 Fire at Oakville GO Burns Several Cars

Five Oakville women who raised $75,000 for monarch butterfly conservation during last year's solar eclipse are taking their project overseas. Taylor Denton, Ellen Lentine, Emilie Leclercq, Paige Denton, and Maggie Lentine sold nearly 500,000 recyclable eclipse glasses in 2024, routing the proceeds to local groups like OakvilleGreen Conservation Association.

Now they're partnering with ORCA, a UK-based ocean conservation charity, to support North Atlantic fin whales ahead of the August 12 total solar eclipse.

The eclipse path lines up with the whales' migration route, and the Oakville Trafalgar High School alums are selling glasses at events across Wales, France, and Spain, with 15 per cent of proceeds going to ORCA's work.

Twenty-four Oakville high school graduates just got some serious help with tuition. The town's two Rotary clubs handed out $5,000 bursaries each, a jump from the usual $2,000, bringing the total to $120,000 this year.

Students from all nine local high schools received awards based on academics, financial need, and community service. Three got special recognition: Jailin Gong of Abbey Park won the Bill Barnes Music Bursary, Ayca Yesildag of Garth Webb took the Barry and Mary-Jane Howie Medical Bursary, and Sachith Jeyachandran of Oakville Trafalgar received the Donna Messer Service Above Self Award.

Funds come from the Family Ribfest, the Golf to Give Tournament, and the Rotary Online Auction.

Friday, July 17
☀️ Sunny with some clouds
High: 27°C | Low: 18°C

Saturday, July 18
🌦️ Cloudy with showers
High: 27°C | Low: 17°C

Sunday, July 19
🌤️ Hazy sun
High: 25°C | Low: 12°C

Oakville Digest is 100% free to read, independently owned, and locally operated (written by me).

Your contributions go directly towards keeping this newsletter going so we can have more fun and build more community.

Thank you for your support!
~ Nick