What's Happening in Chatham-Kent Today — Sunday, October 25

Morning, CK. It's a mainly sunny Sunday with a high of 19° once the early fog clears. Chatham-Kent's largest pickleball facility is open, the Thames Street encampment site won't be reopened, and tomorrow is Election Day. Here's your Sunday rundown.

⛽ Gas Prices

Regular: Chatham stations run from 166.3¢/L at the Shell on Junction Ave to 167.7¢ at most stations, with the Pioneer and Esso on St Clair St at 168.2¢ and 168.9¢ and the Mobil on Grand Ave E higher at 179.5¢. Charing Cross is 165.7¢ to 166.5¢, Blenheim is 166.7¢ to 168.9¢, Thamesville is 169.9¢, Ridgetown is 175.9¢, and Dresden ranges from 167.5¢ to 178.9¢. Lowest around is Moraviantown First Nation at 139.9¢ to 145.9¢.

Diesel: Chatham is 259.3¢ to 259.9¢ at most stations, with the Petro-Canada on Grand Ave W at 269.9¢ and the Mobil on Grand Ave E at 287.3¢. Blenheim, Charing Cross and Thamesville are 259.9¢, Ridgetown is 262.9¢ and Dresden is 261.9¢ to 264.8¢. Moraviantown is lowest at 226.9¢ to 234.9¢.

GasBuddy Chatham · cknow.ca/gas-prices

☀️ Weather

A mainly sunny Sunday, with fog patches dissipating in the morning. It's 9° at 8 AM, 14° at 10 AM, 18° at noon and a high of 19° around 2 PM. The UV index is 4, which is moderate. There's a small 10% chance of precipitation through the day, rising to 20% in the evening. It cools to 15° at 6 PM and 12° by 8 PM, and tonight brings a few clouds with fog patches developing overnight and a low of 9°.

cknow.ca/weather

🏓 Major Story — Chatham-Kent's Largest Pickleball Facility Opens

Chatham-Kent's largest pickleball facility is now open to the public at Chatham Community Park on Bear Line Road, according to CK News Today. A grand opening on Friday brought out municipal officials, St. Clair College representatives and players. The park has 10 pickleball courts, which the article says are five times larger than any other outdoor court in Chatham-Kent. Phase two also includes basketball courts, walking paths, two washroom buildings and a playground.

St. Clair College donated the land, and Hydro One funding covered much of the equipment cost. Ann Balkwill of the CK Pickleball Club says the 10 courts can host tournaments and large events and she expects the park to become the top place to play in the municipality. CAO Michael Duben says it's the kind of project the municipality would like to see in other communities. A third phase, with a soccer and rugby field, a cricket pitch and more pathways, is expected to open sometime in 2027. Read more at CK News Today →

⛺ Major Story — Former Thames Street Encampment Won't Return

People who were living in tents on Thames Street, between the Third and Fifth Street Bridges, were moved in July 2025 so the municipality could begin its Thames River Slope Stabilization project, according to CK News Today. That work has now finished after more than a year, and the municipality says the site is no longer suitable for tents under a new bylaw that limits where they can be set up. Most of the people moved to the Public Utilities Commission property on Grand Avenue East, which is still the largest encampment in Chatham-Kent.

The new bylaw requires tents to be at least 25 metres from any home or business. Council had considered 100 metres, but that would have left no viable spots in Chatham, and few locations qualify even under the 25-metre rule. Tents are allowed on public land only if there isn't enough overnight shelter, and Chatham still meets that condition because it replaced its overnight shelter with 50 transition cabins. Renee Geniole, executive director of Reach Out Chatham-Kent, says there have been no talks about moving people back to Thames Street. Read more at CK News Today →

👴 Major Story — Two Chatham-Kent Seniors Centres Get More Provincial Funding

The Thamesville Happy Club is getting an additional $8,750 and the Wallaceburg Adult Activity Centre an additional $13,750, a combined $22,500 from the Government of Ontario's Seniors Active Living Centres program, according to CK News Today. It's the third-quarter installment, supporting in-person and virtual programs for adults 55 and older. The two centres received nearly $95,000 in the second quarter.

MPP Steve Pinsonneault says the investment shows ongoing support for seniors in his riding and calls the centres essential for keeping seniors active and connected locally. Seniors Minister Raymond Cho says the province has expanded its funding this year to give seniors more access to programs and reduce social isolation. Ontario says there are now 416 centres province-wide, up from 299 a little over a year earlier. Read more at CK News Today →

📰 Today's Quick Stories

🚗 Local MPP gets a transportation role. Steve Pinsonneault, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, has been named Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation. He remains Deputy Government Whip, and says his background running a mechanic shop, managing trucking maintenance and driving transport trucks prepared him for the post. CK News Today

🚔 Police blotter. Police allege a 39-year-old Chatham man raised a kitchen knife at a security guard after being asked to leave a Grand Avenue West property around 9:35 PM Thursday. He's charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and breach of probation. The allegations have not been proven in court. CK News Today

📊 Police by the numbers. Chatham-Kent Police reported 283 calls for service, 53 reportable calls and 9 arrests on Thursday, Oct. 22. CK Police

🦌 Hunting fines. Two Chatham-Kent hunters and one from Grey County pleaded guilty to unlawful hunting practices across multiple seasons and were fined. CK News Today

🎸 Live music at Glasstown today. Warren Hargraves is back at Glasstown Brewing Co. in Wallaceburg this Sunday from 4 to 7 PM, with a pretzel and a pint for $10 and a new menu. Sydenham Current

🎙️ Meet the municipal clerk. Episode 18 of Chatham-Kent Beyond the Headlines features host Jaryn Vecchio in conversation with Municipal Clerk Judy Shantz about her role and local governance. CK News Today

📷 Sombra's undertaker. The Sombra Museum shares a c. 1900 photo of J.W. Callaghan Livery and Undertaking at Water and Smith Streets. The smaller building on the left of the photo still stands today. Sydenham Current

🗳️ The CKNow Election Tracker. Find your ward, your candidates, and your voting location all in one place, with local coverage on each candidate. No AI involved: every detail comes word-for-word from local news and the candidates themselves. Check it out at cknow.ca/vote

We will have a live results page at cknow.ca/vote once results start coming in tomorrow night. Go out and make sure you vote!

Want us to email you when results start coming in? Let us know:

📌 Community Bulletin

Post yours free at cknow.ca/bulletin

🙋 Volunteers Wanted — Chatham-Kent Boards & Committees. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is accepting applications from residents interested in serving on local boards and committees. Applications are open through October 30 at 2 PM. Learn more →

🐴 TJ Stables Trick or Treat Trail and Story Time — Chatham. Join TJ Stables on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 1 to 4 PM at 837 Gregory Dr. E. for a Halloween afternoon for younger families. Wear your costume, explore the whimsical woods, collect candy, visit the gingerbread house and meet unicorns, fairies, witches and friendly farm animals. There's a story time station, candy in a haystack, a unicorn meet and greet, pony rides and a scavenger hunt. Bring your own trick-or-treat bag. $30 per child; adults enter free.

💼 Local Jobs

Recent Chatham-Kent postings on Job Bank:

Personal support worker (nursing care), Maple City Retirement Residence. $25 an hour. Details →

Construction site supervisor, 3D Gutter Services Inc. $25 to $35 an hour, to be negotiated; various locations. Details →

Food service supervisors. Tim Hortons on Third Street, $18.20 an hour (details). Mr. Sub, $21 an hour (details). Subway, $18.50 to $20 an hour (details). Taco Bell, $18 to $21 an hour (details).

Shift manager, KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut. $18.20 an hour. Details →

General farm labourer, Sarah's Farm Markets. $17.95 an hour. Details →

🎉 Coming Up

Today, Sun., Oct. 25 — Capes & Crowns CK, 11 AM, Everest Convention Centre, Chatham. Live music with Warren Hargraves, 4 to 7 PM, Glasstown Brewing Co., Wallaceburg. A Taste of Ireland, 6 PM, Capitol Theatre ($64.16-$109.21).

Every night — Wallaceburg Hometown Bingo, 1416 Dufferin Ave. Doors open at 5 PM, bingo starts at 7 PM.

Mon., Oct. 26 — Election Day. Polls are open 10 AM to 8 PM, in person only, at your assigned location (see your Voter Information Notice or ckelection.ca). You can still be added to the voters' list at any municipal centre until 4:30 PM.

Wed., Oct. 28 — Master Forger Paint Night: Doris McCarthy, 6 PM, Thames Art Gallery ($40). Free Movie Night: Minions and Monsters, 7 PM, Capitol Theatre (free).

Thu., Oct. 29 — Lancers Scare Hunger food drive, 5 to 8 PM, Chatham. Halloween Bingo, 6 PM, Legion Branch 642, Chatham ($10). Barn Laughs, 7:30 PM, Red Barn Brewing, Blenheim ($25). Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 — Wallaceburg Halloween Town Fair, Glen Mickle Park. Fri., Oct. 30 — Escape the Milner House: Shadows After Sunset, 5 PM, Milner Heritage House ($75). Sat., Oct. 31 — Escape the Milner House, 10 AM ($75). The Garage Gallery, 10 AM, Blenheim (free). TJ Stables Trick or Treat Trail and Story Time, 1 to 4 PM, 837 Gregory Dr. E., Chatham ($30 per child, adults free). Golden Pumpkin Event, 4 PM (free).

See the full lineup at cknow.ca/events →

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