Responsibilities and Burdens of a Publisher

Re: Hard Times (Editorial, May 20). I would like to speak to the conflict-of-interest piece concerning Councillor Engelsdorfer. 

As someone who used to work in the magazine industry, I see both sides of this issue. 

Any responsible Publisher, who respects their Editor, should stay at arm’s length and not interfere with what is actually published. That being said, as the Publisher, it is Mr. Engelsdorfer’s right to demand anything printed in his paper be fact-checked and edited to ensure truth and integrity are a cornerstone of his business. 

So, in my mind, it is Councillor Engelsdorfer’s right to hold his Editor accountable for Councillor St-Jean’s and the Mayor’s concerns. The Editor is putting Councillor Engelsdorfer’s business at risk of being sued for slander. 

Could this have been done privately? Perhaps. It sounds like that approach has already been tried. Maybe this is a shot across the bow, “a warning” that legal steps may be in the offing.

The only thing I think Councillor Engelsdorfer is guilty of is indulging his clearly rumour-mongering Editor!

I hope this can be resolved tastefully and expeditiously as rumours and falsehoods have no place in a public forum for education and discussion.

Barb Mason, Picton

Delhi Best Place for Pickleball

Re: Delhi Pickleball Courts Spark Debate (News, May 13). The recent discussion about the proposed pickleball courts at Delhi Park highlights something important: County residents care deeply about community space. Prince Edward Pickleball (PEP) shares that passion.

Delhi Park is a multi-use urban space, a community park intended to serve a broad range of residents. It includes a playground, community gardens, trails, open green space, and a dog park. 

The proposed courts would occupy the footprint of an unused baseball diamond and would account for less than one acre within the park’s 31-acre footprint. This is not a proposal to pave over untouched wilderness. It is an effort to revitalize underused space for a recreational activity that continues to grow rapidly across all age groups.

Pickleball is unique in its accessibility. It is affordable, social, welcoming to beginners, adaptable to varying physical abilities, and increasingly popular among youth, adults, and seniors alike. Beyond physical health benefits, the sport fosters connection, inclusion, and community — something especially valuable when loneliness and social isolation affect many people.

The demand is here. What a decade ago was 30 players in Picton is now multiple active groups involving hundreds of residents across the County.

This project has also undergone several years of public process. The courts are part of the Delhi Park Community Connections Plan, developed through public consultation and collaboration with County staff and landscape professionals. PEP has spent years fundraising, volunteering, and working through project delays outside of its control. It has navigated environmental approvals by the Ministry of the Environment and Quinte Conservation, and decommissioning the former landfill in an effort to create something positive and lasting.       

We are fortunate to have significant protected natural assets, including two Provincial Parks and three Conservation Areas. At the same time, the County’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan recognizes the growing need for accessible recreational infrastructure. After lengthy review, Delhi Park was deemed the only site that meets the full set of requirements, including space, accessibility, and the infrastructure needed for dedicated courts.

The best future for Delhi Park is not one defined by exclusion or competing visions, but by coexistence. There is room for natural beauty, trails, gardens, recreation, accessibility, and community gathering spaces to exist together.

We remain hopeful that residents and community groups can work collaboratively toward a version of Delhi Park that reflects the needs of the broader community — today and into the future.

Steph Roth, Chair, Prince Edward Pickleball 

MP Malette Needs to Answer his Mail 

Re: A Seat at the Table (Features, May 20). I hope you realise your good fortune in having that conversation with our MP Chris Malette.

 Five times between December 2025 and March 2026 I attempted to contact Mr Malette, by various means. The last time, I drove to Belleville and hand delivered a letter to his office. He has not yet even acknowledged my existence.

And he thinks he is doing his best?

Philip Mann, Prince Edward County

Rick Conroy for Mayor

Re: Hard Times (Editorial, May 20).About two years ago I stopped picking up The Wellington Times, due to its completely negative editorials. Nothing, it seems, is ever on the correct path in our small nook of the planet. Rick Conroy knows exactly what’s wrong with our water issues, our sewer issues, infrastructure issues, housing, etc., etc.  

Well now he has his chance!  The mayor’s seat is open in this coming fall election! He can surely talk the talk. Now, can he walk the walk?

Steve Andrews, Cherry Valley