As we come close to the end of 2022, I would like to thank people who have shown appreciation for this news blog. I see it as not only a news service but as a forum for the community to express their opinions about the issues of the day. Many people tell me they read the blog to see what people are saying. Others tell me they avoid the comments because of all the negative opinions. I know that many Councillors and Town staff look at the site although they rarely comment – the Town does of course have their own “engage Cobourg” site which collects opinions on a limited number of issues.
The big issue of 2022 was the Municipal election with the shooting murder next and affordable housing getting a lot of attention. I have listed below the 8 most popular posts as measured by hits and by the number of comments. Although it’s not a professional survey, it gives some indication of what people are interested in.
Statistics of Most Popular 2022 Posts
Posts with Most Hits in 2022
| Hits | Published | Comments | |
| Cobourg Election Shakeup | 6689 | 2022/10/24 | 132 |
| Shooting in Cobourg | 4402 | 2022/06/27 | 40 |
| GO Bus Coming to Cobourg | 4015 | 2022/04/19 | 11 |
| Some Surprises in Council Nominations | 3478 | 2022/08/20 | 26 |
| Third 401 Interchange Planned | 3440 | 2022/03/31 | 46 |
| New Plaza at 1025 Elgin | 3191 | 2022/01/16 | 23 |
| What’s Happening at the Mall | 3040 | 2022/11/13 | 25 |
| One New and One Not So New Candidate | 2974 | 2022/08/29 | 59 |
Posts with most comments in 2022
| Hits | Published | Comments | |
| Cobourg Election Shakeup | 6689 | 2022/10/24 | 132 |
| John Henderson Announces re-election Campaign | 2335 | 2022/05/09 | 115 |
| County Debates Affordable Housing | 2481 | 2022/07/22 | 105 |
| Does Cobourg Use Too Many Consultants? | 1812 | 2022/08/16 | 96 |
| HKPR DHU Provides Video Explaining Covid Statistics | 2198 | 2022/02/03 | 82 |
| Covid-19 Update – January 2022 | 2155 | 2022/01/27 | 79 |
| Affordable Housing Promises by Candidates for Mayor | 2544 | 2022/09/29 | 76 |
| New Development – Albert and Division | 2282 | 2022/05/30 | 73 |
Some general comments
- Statistics above are as of 3 December 2022. The list in the right column labelled “Most Viewed Posts” is for the period starting 24 September 2017.
- Most posts are made at 1:00 pm then the next morning an email goes to the mailing list at 8:00 am.
- I have been using twitter to notify my followers of a new post although I am of two minds on whether to continue given Elon Musk’s opening Twitter up to extremists. I don’t follow extremists and neither does anyone I follow so it does not really affect me.
- Letters to the editor are managed separately – notification emails go at 8:00 pm the day of posting.
- I didn’t do a video of the 2022 Santa Parade – instead I elected to watch the Cogeco coverage. I’d rate it as one of the better parades we’ve seen in Cobourg. You can see coverage of previous parades here (and other photos & Videos of Cobourg events).
Print Article:
I appreciate all the hard work that goes into this blog John. I do also admit, I enjoy the banter and bickering between the popular characters that post here.
John,
Thanks you very much for your work.
Timely, balanced, informed reporting.
Well managed comment section with good additional information and lively pro/con discussion
A “must read” for Cobourg residents.
Morning coffee and Draper, a great way to start the day.
Thank you John for being you and all you do for us. Wish you and your family a very Merry Chistmas and happy, prosperous New Year.
A very good service John. Informative of events in our town. Also a place to read what other residents think about issues and a chance to add your opinions and thoughts. Merry Christmas to you and family.
When the Cobourg paper closed down, John, you picked up the ball and ran with it. You have kept the town residents well informed. Thank you for the great service you have provided. Merry Christmas to you and your family, and a safe and healthy 2023 as well.
Although I rarely comment on issues I certainly appreciate the effort that John puts into this blog, keeping us all informed. Thank You John.
As with many, my day starts out catching up with John and the goings on around town. Alwas informative, accurate and to the point. I frequently refer this blog to others who want to be properly informed. Keep up the good work, John – you are very much appreciated.
All the best to you and yours this 2022 holiday season.
Cya in 2023.
John, keep up the good work. It’s great to have an independent voice to tell us what’s going on around town and beyond. Thank you. Have a great Holiday Season.
Cobourg Blog is an “honest” blog where the host – John Draper – lets everyone give their own opinion on a local topic. Engage Cobourg surveys in my view, are sometimes designed by Council members to provide a slanted result which supports their pet project. Not a transparent process. I still think Cobourg Blog should receive an annual retainer from the Town’s budget as it is the only reliable source of local goings on. All the best to you and your family in 2023 John.
With new construction taking place every day, I would like to propose that a street named after John.be considered.
Old Sailor,
Council is frequently blamed for this and often with justification. This is not one of them. Staff controls Engage Cobourg and is responsible for the design and content of the surveys.
You are correct that the Engage Cobourg surveys often have a bias for the project being surveyed.
I feared, as I started to read this blog, that John was going to say this was his last…
Like the other commentators, I rely on John’s blog for local news and others’ opinions – many of which I do not share (and wonder why these negative folks with so much time on their hands don’t get out and devote all their spare time to volunteering) but which do give one an idea of the “other side” .
Thankfully, John is not “retiring” but has once again produced a great resource of information for us.
Thank you again John and best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe holiday season and all the best for 2023 to you and Alma.
I absolutely love “The Draper Report”! I read it every time and although I rarely comment, many friends and I routinely talk about it. It’s one of the first things I do every morning…yea and The Draper Report. This is such a service to the community. Thank you so much for all of your hard work…it is so appreciated ❤️ Merry Christmas to you and the fam!!!
No wonder the East pier hasn’t been fixed
Maybe the new Mayor will sort things out?
Thanks so much for your time and effort to keep residents in the area informed. I look forward to your post daily and hope to continue seeing you here. Other than Pete , we tend to not know what’s going on. I for one like the comments, and I comment from time to time myself. I wish you and your wife , along with the residents a very happy holiday. Let’s hope 2023 is better than the last few years for everyone
A big thank you toJohn Draper for keeping us up to date on the news in Cobourg. We are very fortunate to have him in this community, I enjoy reading his blog every day.
It’a one of my favorite things to do each morning : read the Draper file! Thanks for following so much for us and doing the informing. Don’t retire!