Saugeen Shores Looking at Interest Sister Cities with Belgium Municipality

Saugeen Shores council is showing some interest in becoming sister cities with a municipality in Belgium.

Some support has already been voiced including the Royal Canadian Legion of Southampton, The Legion Dominion Command, MPP Lisa Thompson and Historian Bill Streeter.

John Willets came to council on Monday on the request of the idea to be city twinning with Zonnebeke, Belgium among the sites where the Battle of Passchendaele took in 1917.

Willets says there is a strong connection between the municipality and Bruce County dating back to the war.

“Bruce County during World War I was about 40,000 people, the number I was given by Mr. Streeter was there was 384 volunteers, that’s one in ten, that’s an incredible number for the number of people in this small community at the outbreak of the war. 478 of Saugeen Shores and Saugeen First Nation, 58 never returned. 7 are in Flanders Fields.” said Willets.

With some interest by council, Willets intends to visit Belgium for Remembrance Day where he will pass on a letter of support from the town.