 Photo by Montse Alvarado, 2019
Writer's Blox Susan Pomfret |
 Shannon Lawrence returned to Hastings when her son was nearing school age. Having grown up near the Village, she could not envision her child as a grade point average in a school of 1,500 pupils. She wanted him to experience the intimate, attentive class settings that she had known as a student.  Hastings, The Ultimate Fishing Town Canada She attended Fleming College during her Peterborough years, majoring in Retail Marketing Management with business degree. Her specialty is social media management, and she has put that talent to good use in Trent Hills. Shannon manages the website, facebook presence and Instagram for The Village of Hastings. Sponsored by the Hastings Revitalization Association, the website offers a thorough summary of happenings, community groups and local businesses within the Village and surrounding areas. Although she has recently stepped down as Vice Chairman and Secretary on completion of a four-year term, she continues to work with The Hastings Revitalization Association. She has been dedicated to volunteering since 2011, when Hastings entered (and later won) the yearly race for the title of Ultimate Fishing Town Canada. Shannon founded the Hastings Hub news platform and produced monthly issues for over two years until October 2018. Archives are still accessible on The Village of Hastings website.  Hastings Field House She is dedicated to the small-town way of life and believes that communication and commitment within the community are crucial keys to growth and betterment. The Hastings Field House, she says, is a great asset to the area. The demise of Hastings’ defunct arena put the town at the top of the list for recreational project funding from The Municipality of Trent Hills. The facility provides year-round team training and game opportunity for soccer, golf and racquet sports. Programs are also offered there for other segments of the market including indoor walking, an active Pickleball roster and fitness classes. Hastings’ most recent loss, in the opinion of some residents, is the former ball field or, at least, the fence surrounding it. The property has tentatively been sold and will be developed with residential units if approved by the Ontario Municipal Board. Although it hasn’t been used as a ball diamond in recent years, the fenced-in area provided a leash-free dog park for canine owners. Shannon says there is some unused land behind the Hastings Field House which could possibly be fenced in to fulfil this need in the town.  Shannon enjoys a supportive, equal partnership with her husband Jason. The couple is looking forward to their 7th celebration of love this year. Her son is now in his twenties and spent a month last summer touring Europe. Her parents live near Hastings, happily still ensconced in her childhood home. Recalling summers that were golden and shoeless until Labour Day, Shannon just can’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else. Links
Village of Hastings, www.hastingsvillage.ca Archives of The Hub Hastings Revitalization Association group, on facebook Hastings Field House, Municipality of Trent Hills website Volunteerism Celebrated in Hastings, Trent Hills Now, April 2018 Comments are closed.
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