| The
Prescott Journal is published weekly by St. Lawrence Printing Co. Ltd., 231 King Street West, Prescott, Ontario, K0E 1T0, (613) 925-4265 - fax (613) 925-3472, e-mail journal@stlawrenceprinting.on.ca |
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - A decision not to approve the disbandment of the Prescott Police Service may be heading to court.
The Ontario Provincial Police announced Monday it would be applying for a judicial review of a recent decision made by the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (OCCOPS).
The commission indicated in a Dec. 5 decision it could not approve abolition of the existing municipal police service based on what it considered to be unresolved issues. However, OCCOPS would be prepared to reconsider its decision if certain conditions were met. Those conditions were to be addressed by Monday, Jan. 14, the commission noted in its written decision.
The town, its police services board and the OPP are proposing an agreement that would see the Grenville County detachment of the OPP provide service in the municipality.
One of the conditions noted by OCCOPS would require the OPP and Prescott Police Constable Darren Davis a former OPP officer to agree to binding arbitration. The OPP indicated at the OCCOPS hearing held Sept. 20 in Prescott it was not prepared to offer employment to Davis; employment was offered to other constables working for the municipal department.
Staff Sergeant Brent Hill, Grenville County OPP detachment commander, told The Journal Monday the OPP was not in a position to comment on any specific response to the OCCOPS decision and on what grounds provincial police would be challenging it. Those responses are being formulated primarily by OPP staff based at headquarters in Orillia, he noted.
Hill said there are unusual circumstances surrounding the Prescott case, and patience is required as the OPP is feeling its way through the process.
The OPP reportedly asked OCCOPS to reconsider its position but declined to do so.
Other conditions listed in the OCCOPS decision called on the OPP to make unconditional offers of employment to Prescott officers, and to make clear the process that will be used to hire one of the civilian workers at the municipal department. Disbandment of the Prescott Police Service will result in the loss of several town-based positions, most of which involve police and fire dispatch service.
Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said Monday he was not surprised the OPP decided to seek a judicial review. The mayor expects the town will establish some form of supportive relationship with the OPP when it makes its case in court. Although town officials had not decided to pursue a judicial review, they had not ruled out the possibility.
Hill said the OPP is "very much interested" in serving the Town of Prescott, and appreciates the support being offered by the municipality.
Lawn added he was disappointed the OPP and Davis could not resolve their differences.
In terms of a timeframe, Lawn said it is unknown how long it will take to have the OPP's judicial review application processed.
Town council voted last January to pursue an OPP contract. Most of the groundwork that went into the decision was completed during the term of the previous council.
The Prescott Police Service continues to provide 24-hour service to the town.
Staff Sergeant Brent Hill
SPENCERVILLE - Some bone-chilling cold and plenty of snow will help warm hearts and hands this coming weekend at the Spencerville and District Winter Festival.
"We're keeping are fingers crossed we get cold weather," said Deb McKinstry, one of 15 volunteer organizers of the annual winter celebration. Claude Blanchette is chair of the committee.
"We planned as much as we could without knowing what the weather was going to do," McKinstry said. "It's the river we're worried about."
Mainly at risk if the mill pond and river do not freeze solid is the ice drags, in which two snowmobiles at a time compete in various classes on the river. The event is hosted by the Nation River Snowmobile Club, and is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 20 at 11 am. Registration for the event is at the mill from 9 am to 11 am.
Indoor and outdoor fun and excitement for all ages has been planned for the three days of the festival. Weekend-long activities include sleighrides near the Drummond Building, skating and a food booth set up by the Lions Club. "It's a nice community event to meet up with eachother, even just to sit and have a coffee with your neighbours," McKinstry said.
Friday
The old-fashioned bonfire and skating party scheduled to take place at the mill Friday, Jan. 18 beginning at 6 pm will be moved to the ice pad at the ball field if the river is not safe for skating. The party includes hot dogs, hot chocolate and entertainment, and last year attracted a huge crowd.
A teen video dance for students in grades 6 to 8 will take place at the Drummond Building Friday from 6 to 7:45 pm, and a dance for students in Grade 9 and up will run from 8 pm to midnight. The Ontario Provincial Police will face off against the fire department in a hockey game set for the arena at 6 pm.
Saturday
The pancakes will be hot off the griddle Saturday, Jan. 19 from 9 to 11:30 am at the Drummond Building. This event is a Girl Guide fundraiser. An Open Mike Talent Show will be at the same location from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Mid-distance dog sled races start on the race track at 10 am Saturday, and from 10:30 to 11:30 am at the Drummond Building arena will be Shake-a-Paw dog training. From 11 am to 4 pm will be a 4V4 hockey tournament at the outdoor arena.
A scavenger hunt starts at the Drummond Building at 11 am Saturday, and a taffy pull begins at noon in front of the building.
Everyone is welcome at a card tournament at the Legion beginning at 1 pm, and the Edwardsburgh Figure Skating Show at the arena takes place from 1 to 3 pm. The strongman/strongwoman lumberjack competition is set for 1 pm in front of the grandstand, kids' snowshoe races start near the grandstand at 1 pm.
Sunday
The atom-level hockey tournament is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 20 from 9 am to 4 pm at the arena. Shrine Clowns will join in the fun at the brunch to be served at the Drummond Building from 9 am to 1 pm. The Grenville Fish and Game Club is bringing the fishing games to the Drummond Building from 10 am to 1 pm, and a fashion show will be at the same location from 11 am to noon, when a dance demonstration begins.
Bring the family pet (over 35 pounds) to the mutt races near the grandstand Sunday at 10 am. A kids tug-of-war begins at noon in front of the grandstand, and the snow angel contest follows at 1 pm. Snowshoe races and 2X4 races will be near the grandstand from 1 to 2 pm.
For more information, call 658-2220.
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - Grenville Community Development Centre (GCDC) will relocate its offices from Prescott to North Grenville, GCDC's board of directors has decided.
The board made the decision at its Jan. 10 meeting. GCDC is planning to purchase suitable office accommodations, according to a news release issued Jan. 14. A property in Kemptville is reportedly being considered as the centre's new home.
GCDC is a federally-funded agency that develops and implements community-based economic development initiatives. In addition to promoting the region, GCDC offers support to business and companies through a number of services.
Sheila Pratt, chairperson of the GCDC board, indicated in the release "...this move is in the interests of positioning the GCDC for the future." The move requires the approval of Industry Canada, the government department that funds community futures development corporations like GCDC.
Pratt told The Journal Monday GCDC has been researching sites in both markets Prescott and Kemptville. She acknowledged the lease at GCDC's offices in the Moran-Hooker Trade Centre on Water Street is coming up for renewal.
Pratt went on to state she could not release additional details until Industry Canada has approved GCDC's proposal. The centre will submit a business case; the process could take a few weeks or a few months to complete, she noted.
News of the GCDC move came as a surprise to Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn, who first heard of the decision when contacted by The Journal Saturday. The mayor said Monday he is "keenly disappointed" by the decision and the manner in which it was made; the town was not made aware of the board's plans, he added.
In noting GCDC had its start in Prescott in 1990 as a local economic development agency that expanded its mandate to include northern Grenville County, Lawn pointed out the perceived need for support in the southern end of the county may be even greater today given the state of the local economy. North Grenville appears to be faring better, he added.
Lawn said he intends to approach the board, although town council had yet to discuss the situation as of Monday. GCDC's board of directors includes residents of several communities in the county who represent the private sector, municipalities and not-for-profit economic development stakeholders.
There has been no indication the proposed move will affect GCDC's mandate to provide support for economic development initiatives throughout the county, including the Prescott area.
PRESCOTT - The Grenville County Historical Society will hold its annual general meeting today, Wednesday, Jan. 16, beginning at 7 pm.
Reports outlining the previous year's achievements will be presented, and the executive will be elected to guide activities for 2002.
The historical society is a volunteer organization dedicated to the research and preservation of Grenville County history.
The meeting will take place at the society headquarters at Crane House, 439 Edward St. Everyone is welcome to attend, and refreshments will be served.
JOHNSTOWN The annual general meeting of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce will take place this Thursday, Jan. 17 at noon at the Bridgeview Restaurant on County Road 2.
The meeting will include the presentation of reports and the election of officers for 2002. All members and prospective members of the chamber are welcome to attend.
The annual awards banquet will be held in March.
CRYSTAL ROCK A local artist will be featured this weekend on a popular Ottawa-based television program.
A profile of Thelma Cameron is scheduled to appear on Regional Contact this Saturday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 pm on CJOH-TV. Cameron has captured most of Prescott's historical buildings on canvas.
ROEBUCK The volunteer board of directors of the Roebuck Education and Recreation Association is looking to the community for help in planning the future direction its community centre.
Residents of the Roebuck area are encouraged to attend a public meeting to be held Monday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 pm at the centre. The board is looking for input and suggestions to generate more revenue.
Hall rentals - the association's main source of revenue - have dropped, causing financial constraints. The centre offers meeting facilities, a baseball diamond, playground equipment and outdoor canteen and washroom facilities.
PRESCOTT A roast beef dinner will be held Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Friendship Hall, 454 Henry St. W.
Dinner will be served at 4:30 and 6 pm. Take-out orders will be available.
Call 925-4784, 925-4957 or 925-2076 for tickets. The dinner is presented by the Friendship Hall Association.
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
MAYNARD Two Augusta municipal employees were criticized by a township resident at Monday night's council meeting.
Gail Stephenson questionned the actions of Roads Superintendent Keith Couture and CAO Nigel White to an extent that caused Reeve George Vail to bang his gavel several times to obtain order.
"You had better sit down and organize this man," Stephenson said, referring to Couture, who she claimed could not adequately manage the roads department. Stephenson had been complaining about poorly maintained roads within the township this winter, and in particular Charleville Road.
She also accused Couture of lying and improperly plowing roads at inappropriate times. Stephenson said both she and the roads superintendent had received complaints on the condition of the roads from a bus driver and a busing company - something she said was denied by Couture when she confronted him.
Stephenson claimed Couture and White were the ones running the township, and not the council.
Deputy Reeve Doug Barton said he appreciates the people who come to council meetings to voice their concerns; however, he noted he also likes to hear suggestions to problems which may help the council make good decisions.
"If you want to change a negative to a positive, you should get rid of these two men," Stephenson said, referring to Couture and White. "They are causing the problem. Have them stop spending unnecessary taxpayers' money. We should take up a petition to get you guys out. Plain and simple.
"As far as I'm concerned, you are a disgrace to the township, all of you," Stephenson said.
Vail responded by saying the two employees are doing the job they were hired to do. He noted a larger percentage of the Augusta population than the few who complain at meetings believe the council and its employees are doing proper jobs.
The roads superintendent was not present at the meeting; Vail said Couture was ill and not able to attend.
Barton said the township has 155 miles of roads to maintain with four trucks, and he likes the roads kept as clear as possible. "Everyone's road can't always be first," he said. "We are doing the best we can with what we have available," said Barton.
Stephenson raised a number of other issues, including her difficulty in being able to contact Couture with road complaints.
MAYNARD - Augusta Township Reeve George Vail reviewed council's goals and concerns for 2002 in his opening remarks at the first meeting of the year Monday.
Council will be looking at new residential and light commercial properties to increase its tax base. The residential tax base has increased in importance in the township, Vail said. Even though the township has the privilege of having some large industries within its borders, those taxes cannot be increased, he explained.
Hydro One as of May 31 will no longer be maintaining street lights, and the township needs to look for other service providers, which could be time-consuming for the township, Vail said.
Talks will continue between Augusta and Prescott with regards to a town sewage treatment plant that could at some time service parts of the township. Vail explained the catchment area of Augusta that could possibly benefit from sewage and water services in the future are bordered on the west of Prescott at Riverview Heights; north to County Road 26; east to the border of Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal; and then south back to Prescott.
"Because you may have to use this service some day, you might as well be in on the talks from the start," Vail said.
Other items coming up for council include interviews for hiring a planner/building official, and next Monday's meeting regarding the future of the Roebuck community hall. "I'm concerned as a resident; I'm concerned as a person who uses this and I'm also concerned as a council person, because as you all know this building and property does belong to the township, so the status of what's going on there becomes very important," Vail said.
The reeve said the municipality will also be looking at an alternative to the use of road salt should Environment Canada declare its use a toxic substance.
By Jon Kuiperij - Journal Staff Writer
SOUTH GRENVILLE Last week's announcement that criminal background checks for all school board employees in Ontario will begin this year has been met with frustration and concern from local educators.
"We still have not seen any policy that indicates how the information will be used, or how the checks will be carried out," says Carson Kilpatrick, a careers and mathematics teacher at South Grenville District High School. "Many teachers feel left in the dark."
Ontario Education Minister Janet Ecker announced Jan. 7 that school boards must collect a Canadian Police Information Centre computer check from all their employees and from service providers which come into direct contact with students on a regular basis.
"It is important that we take all steps to create safer learning environments for our students," Ecker said in a release. "The vast majority of teachers and other school employees have earned the respect and trust of students and parents; still, we must ensure that no student is at risk of harm. Mandatory criminal background checks will help us to better protect our young people."
The new regulation requires boards to collect a criminal record background check on their current employees by the end of July 2003 and from all new employees hired after March 31 of this year before they can start their employment.
"I am very supportive of this new regulation," says Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman. "It's a good initiative, to enhance the safety of students, and that's what we're all interested in."
However, Greg McGillis, District 26 President of the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers' Federation, says the checks will be a waste of valuable police time.
"We offered an alternative that was less cost and less demanding to teachers, but the government was not willing to listen," McGillis says. "We would have given a list of teachers in each board to be cross-referenced with a police list of sex offenders."
"(This is) nothing more than an expensive fishing trip for police that will divert valuable resources from real crime prevention."
Teachers will have to pay for the record checks, McGillis adds.
"I don't think teachers are afraid of it, it's just another thing (we have to deal with)," Kilpatrick says.
Teachers were also upset by a recent suggestion by Ontario Finance Minister and PC leadership candidate Jim Flaherty that education become an essential service, removing their right to strike.
"We can no longer allow the future of our children to be jeopardized by disruptions in their education due to strikes," Flaherty said. "Parents want certainty. They want to know that their children are getting the best education possible, and they want to know that their children will have the benefit of a full school year."
Teachers argue removing their right to strike would hinder their ability to communicate education issues to the public.
"What would replace our ability to convey problems that exist in education to parents and students?" Kilpatrick asks. "By removing a form of protest, how do we get the information out?"
McGillis says the proposal would only worsen the relationship between teachers and the government, "if that's possible."
"Our (concerns) have not always been about money," he says. "We're concerned with educational quality. Take the ability to strike away and you take a level of accountability out of the system, a way to inform the public about fundamental issues."
Runciman also admits he is not in full support of the proposal.
"I think it's a burr under the (teachers') saddle that doesn't have to be put there right now," he says. "From the government side, we can't dictate. We need to take a more moderate tone, to give all these recent changes we've made the opportunity to work in a less confrontational environment."
Carson Kilpatrick
PRESCOTT - The Prescott Police Service investigated 53 incidents and three motor vehicle accidents between Jan. 7 and Jan. 13.
A cash box containing a substantial amount of money was stolen from a residence in the Victor Road area. Town police began their investigation Jan. 7.
Town police also investigated an incident that occurred Jan. 7 at a gas station on Edward Street. A motorist obtained gasoline and drove away without paying for it.
A dark blue 1994 Chrysler Dynasty was stolen from the area near St. Mark's Church Jan. 12. The vehicle was located that evening at the Leo Boivin Community Centre. The car, which was not damaged, was held for forensic examination.
Town police charged a 22-year-old Prescott man with driving a motor vehicle without a licence and failing to report an accident. On Jan. 11, Prescott police received a report of property damage to a residence in the James Street area. A vehicle had left the roadway and struck a wooden gate and fence; the driver left the scene without stopping, according to police. Damage to the property is estimated at $2,000.
Anyone with information about these or any other criminal activity in Prescott is asked to contact municipal police at 925-4252 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
MAITLAND Grenville Christian College's production of Oklahoma! will take to the stage at the Brockville Arts Centre (BAC) Friday, Jan. 25 and Saturday, Jan. 26.
This Rodgers and Hammerstein classic musical will mark the teamwork of GCC students and adults. Leading the cast will be Seanna Kennedy, Vaughn Chauvin, Patrick Twaddle, Allison Hess and Laura-Lynne Conley.
Curtain time both nights is 7:30. The arts centre is located at 235 King St. W.
For more information, call the BAC box office at 342-7122 or 1-877-342-7122.
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - Town council is now considering a fourth option in its attempt to resolve the ongoing saga of the municipal building and library.
Council has given the green light to look into the possibility of using the federal building on Centre Street as a location for Prescott's public library, and building a new facility at a different location to house municipal offices.
Council discussed a report prepared by Town CAO/Clerk Andrew Brown, who said he has been approached in recent weeks by members of the public and some councillors who have indicated an interest in having the federal building considered.
The federal building, which is home to the post office and Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), is up for sale at an asking price of $390,000. Brown told council at a committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday there is enough space on the second floor of the building to accommodate the library.
Revenues from leases with Canada Post and HRDC total more than $84,000 per year. Public Works Canada has negotiated a five-year lease with Canada Post and has a tentative lease with HRDC, Brown noted in a written report. He indicated the rent could cover the capital cost of purchasing the building within five years.
With the library taken care of, a new but smaller municipal building could be built on town-owned land in the downtown area. Eastern Engineering estimated the cost of a new 6,000-square-foot building would be approximately $800,000. A list of town-owned sites includes the marina area, parking lot, hotel lands and the Centennial Park area.
Brown said the figures in his report are preliminary. However, some members of council were responsive to the premise outlined in the report.
Councillor Garry Dewar said he would like to consider the federal building option. He believes council rejected the idea last year without having enough information with which to work. "It fulfils the library's needs and lets us build a really nice town hall," Dewar said.
As for the three options already being considered by the town, the councillor indicated he would not be comfortable with proceeding with renovations to the municipal building at 360 Dibble St. W. He went on to state he is not entirely comfortable with the proposal to move town offices and the library to a renovated grocery and hardware store. Dewar said he believes the Daniels' Hotel property is not big enough to allow for a suitable town hall, prompting an argument with Councillor Seeley Pillar who insists the property can accommodate municipal offices and the library.
Councillor Terry McConnell concurred with Dewar, who said he would rather spend the time now to consider the federal building as an option than make a decision with the three options already on the table. McConnell, who reiterated his belief the hardware store option offers a good location at the right price, said the federal building appears at a glance to be comparable in terms of total cost.
The councillor went on to state "we all have to move a little bit," suggesting members of council who are not willing to consider options other than the one they support are holding up the process.
Mayor Robert Lawn rejected McConnell's assertion. The mayor pointed out council had reduced the list of options to three and appeared to be close to making a decision. He said his frustration is based on council continuously moving backwards on the town hall issue.
Lawn indicated there are other factors to consider with respect to locating the library in the federal building. In noting the need for a breakdown of library users, including how many children use the facility, the mayor said the building is near a busy intersection. Parking is also an issue, according to Lawn.
With no clear consensus emerging from council, the mayor directed Brown to proceed with researching the federal building option.
Councillor Jim French, owner of the hardware store, declared a conflict of interest at the beginning of Monday's debate. French left his seat at the council table and sat in the audience for the duration of the debate.
KINGSTON Several sectors reported employment decreases in December, according to figures released by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
The unemployment rate for the region that includes South Grenville stood at 6.3 per cent last month. The jobless rate in November was six per cent.
Among the sectors to report a decrease in employment were professional, technical and scientific services, information, culture and recreation, and public administration. Employment rose in management and administration, HRDC reported in a news release.
The regional unemployment rate in Dec. 2000 was 4.6 per cent.
All HRDC offices in the Kingston-Pembroke management area recorded increases last month in the number of people receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The Prescott office reported 1,047 EI claimants at the end of December, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the November figure of 975. Prescott's increase was the smallest of 10 centres in the management area; the average increase was just under 19 per cent.
HRDC notes unemployment rates are not determined by EI claimant data.
PRESCOTT The possibility of re-establishing a food bank in Prescott will be discussed at a meeting to take place Thursday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 pm at St. John's Anglican Church.
The meeting is being hosted by the Prescott Ministerial Association. The focus of the meeting will be to assess the needs of the community and to form a committee to get a food bank off the ground. In the absence of a food bank, the association has been operating a food voucher program. However, the program is running out of money.
For more information about the meeting, call Reverend Blair Paterson at 925-2795.
PRESCOTT The Frost Festival has acquired 100 Christmas trees for a giant bonfire to take place Sunday, Feb. 17 at 7 pm on the final night of the town's annual celebration of winter.
This will be a family affair; everyone is invited to the waterfront to watch the fire and sing songs. Hot chocolate will be provided. The leftover trees have been provided by Dominique Pressault, owner of the Canadian Tire store in Prescott.
MPP Bob Runciman, on a proposal to make education an essential service
HERE WE GO AGAIN: To no one's surprise, the uncertainty over the future of police service in Prescott is likely to continue for some time to come. The decision not to approve disbandment of the town's police department is being challenged by the Ontario Provincial Police. If the challenge is successful, the proposal to have the OPP patrol Prescott has new life. If the courts reject the challenge, the OPP may have to reconsider its position on certain unresolved issues which led the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services to decide it could not approve abolition of the municipal police service unless certain conditions were met.
In a nutshell, the OPP does not want to be told it has to offer a job to an officer it for whatever reason has no interest in hiring. Based on statements made at the public hearing held in Prescott, it appears the OPP does not believe the commission has the jurisdiction to tell a prospective employer who it can or cannot hire; the commission's mandate covers severance arrangements, not job offers.
On the other hand, the OPP has been accused of not following proper protocol by refusing to offer employment to this individual and making it a component of the Prescott proposal. In the end, the commission called for the OPP and officer in question to agree to binding arbitration. The fact the OPP has opted to seek a judicial review would suggest the provincial police service remains unwilling to compromise, although no public acknowledgement to that effect has been made.
As the ongoing saga enters a new phase, we once again note there are police officers, civilian workers and their families who are caught in the middle of all this. Town officials did not expect things to drag out this way, and there have been some expressions of sympathy for the workers whose employment status and future remain up in the air.
Switching to the OPP if it ever happens may prove to be a prudent move on the part of Prescott. Unfortunately, municipal leaders may have undervalued the cost of putting groups of workers through a prolonged and painful process in which they have little or no say.
AN IMPORTANT MEETING: The success of the annual Spirit of Giving campaign and the community dinner held two days before Christmas are good examples of volunteer spirit and the value of having a food bank that is accessible to residents of the Prescott area.
The possibility of setting up a food bank will be discussed at a public meeting to take place next Thursday evening (Jan. 24) at St. John's Anglican Church. Establishing and maintaining an operation of that nature is a daunting task, one which requires a lot of commitment on the part of organizers. Any group or individual prepared to make such a commitment is encouraged to attend.
Tim Ruhnke
Monica Whitney
There appears to be what I would call trouble in the children's book-reading world. I have a daughter who loves to read, or mostly, loves to be read to. So we seem to make our way through junior chapter books at great speed. Most of the stories revolve around littler girls about her age, dealing with everyday events of family, friends and school life. I've unearthed a troubling pattern in all these books.
None of the families is the so-called old-fashioned normal family. In each situation, parents are divorced and families are split apart. But the main characters, for the most part, make their way through the trials of life in complete happiness and ignorance there is any other sort of lifestyle.
Usually, the kids (and it's never more than two) live with Mom, and Dad is either non-existent or lives too far away with his new family and new job to make it to the school play. But their lives seemingly move along without this being a problem.
In one case, the kids are happy and well-adjusted despite both parents having a new spouse and new children; each has a big house close to the other, and the kids trade off parents at regular intervals. The kids love it because they have two of everything - bikes, toys, bedrooms, computers, moms and dads.
All of a sudden my daughter thinks it's pretty cool to have two families, because in the stories everything goes along smoothly. The issues in the books aren't about split families - that's accepted matter-of-factly as if it's what everybody is doing.
The heroine of one story actually lives with both parents, but she's an only child who is able to boast to her school chums she has lived all over the world because of her father's career. Thus, she's the most popular girl in class.
Now, my daughter wonders if perhaps our family isn't normal, and wouldn't it be great not to have to share with three brothers and have two of everything else.
There's no defining normal; it's what makes you happy and what works for you. Wouldn't it make a great story to have a large family with both parents who live at home? Perhaps such an effort has been made by authors to let children of split families feel accepted and not different, that kids of families together have been forgotten in the stampede for normalcy.
In a quest to find a book family together, I turned to the Little House on the Prairie series. The story took place in 1894, but at least Mom and Dad were together. I sound a bit like I'm advocating a Leave it to Beaver lifestyle, but the old-fashioned family isn't out of date yet.
John A.H. Morris
Today street hockey has progressed to such a level of professionalism that its legal existence is being questioned in the courts in Ottawa and Toronto as homeowners protest against this Canadian of all Canadian games being played on the street in front of their homes.
We don't blame them for protesting, however, because today's street hockey game has gone way beyond the ones that sparked boyhood dreams of NHL stardom like they did back in the 1940s when we idolized Frank Boucher and Bun Cook of the New York Rangers.
The street hockey players of today are not poor, deprived ragamuffins. They have real hockey nets, real pads, street-proof hockey sticks, designer NHL team sweaters, an endless supply of tennis balls and many gravitate to their favourite street game with designer water bottles in their equipment bags. Next will be Nike specially designed street hockey runners at $149 a pair.
Our first recollections of street hockey go back to Chesterville in the early 1940s just when WWII was getting underway. These games, however, were limited to Saturday and Sunday afternoons with one game being played on College Street in front of the old public school (for the south side kids) and the other on Queen Street organized by the Crozier boys in front of the Hornerite Church (for the north side kids).
After-school games were out of the question as every kid from the age of six to 12 had chores to do after school, and by the time kindling was chopped, hardwood laid in for the kitchen stove, two or three pails of water hauled from the community well, and the honey bucket and slop pail dumped in the compost hole, it was dark and time for the Lone Ranger, Tom Mix and Green Hornet on the old tube radio.
In the Saturday and Sunday afternoon games we might have been bothered once or twice a game by automobiles travelling the hard-packed, snow-covered streets. Horses and sleighs and cutters were much more frequent.
No one wore pads, simply because nobody owned any, and in this era prior to laminated hockey sticks we all had one-piece jobbies sawn and then hand-carved out of a hardwood plank. They lasted forever and usually had to be discarded only when the blade was so worn it resembled a pick and was considered dangerous. Slapshots were unheard of.
Our goals were two chunks of snow or ice, easily replaced if they fell victim to a sleigh runner, and our pucks came from two sources. The first were frozen road apples deposited by yesterday's horses and frozen solid, but really not too dependable as they tended to shatter when caught between two sticks. Much more dependable and readily available were those cut from the trunk of a discarded Christmas tree. These were about the same radius as a puck but when cut about two inches thick were easy to shoot and to raise. Almost every serious street hockey urchin had a good supply of these.
When it came to hockey sweaters, these were treasures NOT to be worn in street hockey games, but on dress-up occasions. Back in these 1940s Chesterville era there were only three team sweaters available through the Eaton's catalogue, or at least three which kids would dare to wear. First, there was the Maple Leaf sweater, the most popular one in town; next was the red, white and blue of the Montreal Canadiens and if you wore one of these it was likely that the MacIntosh twins had threatened you with bodily harm if they caught you out of sight of your mother in a blue and white Leaf sweater.
The prize of any male youngster in Chesterville in the 1940s was a hard-to-get New York Rangers sweater.
New York Rangers, you ask?
Yes, yes and triple yes! Here's why.
The most popular daily newspaper in Chesterville at that time was the Ottawa Morning Journal that reached Chesterville on the 6 o'clock train every evening. As far as The Journal was concerned the only hockey team and players in existence in the '20s, '30s and '40s were the Ottawa Senators, and the hockey family that dominated the Senators' lineup were the Boucher brothers: Frank, Bill, George and Bob.
All were stars with Frank graduating to the New York Rangers as a player in the 1920s and '30s and as coach in the 1940s. He teamed up with the Cook brothers of Kingston Bill "Bun", and Fred to form the Rangers' famous high-scoring A-Line, the first NHL line to have a nickname.
Brother Bill left the Senators to star with the Montreal Canadiens for several years and was the player who scored the very first goal in the newly constructed Montreal Forum in 1924.
Frank, who won four Lady Byng trophies while with the Rangers, retired to Kemptville where he farmed for several years and along with his brothers was popular throughout the area at sports functions. This information was provided to us by Liam Maguire of Osgoode, Canada's hockey trivia champion. Liam's website can be accessed at www.liam.ca.
When we moved to Prescott in 1947 our precious Ranger sweater came with us, as did stories of our heroes Frank Boucher and Bun Cook. It never saw a street hockey game or a minor hockey scrimmage, but instead was saved for special dress up occasions, particularly in Miss Joynt and Mr. Merkley's classes.
The Editor;
Further to Mr. Morris's remarks in the Jan. 3 edition of The Journal, I strongly disagree with his comments regarding the Daniels' lot. As in his words "the lot is too small to accommodate our municipal headquarters and its seven or eight employees as well as a council chamber. I also bring to your attention, I have not lobbied for the past two years for this location because Dec. 2001 was the culmination of my first year in office.
Further, this main street lot is 13,000-plus square feet. According to the specs, the library requires 5,000 square feet and municipal offices at 5,000 square feet; even at 5,500 square feet each, leaving a parking lot of 2,000-plus square feet for parking and if this building was storied, then we would have a parking lot of 8,000 to 7,000 square feet, ample for further expansion when our town grows, and I am a firm believer it will grow.
In future, before you make comments, have your facts straight.
Councillor Seeley Pillar
Prescott
The Editor;
Congratulations to Councillor McConnell for offering a reasonable solution to Prescott's town hall debacle. He has done his homework and offered cost estimates, a professional drawing of the exterior, and a convincing pitch for the downtown location. It is time for all other proposals to be measured against McConnell's and for a fiscally sound decision to be made.
Take, for instance, the latest numbers offered by the town's CEO Andrew Brown, the cost to renovate the Dibble street location is pegged at $1.3 million while the cost to build on the Daniel's site is estimated at $1.7 million. Now consider the estimated cost of $740,000 to purchase, renovate, and fashion a new façade to the King Street West location and it becomes clear that McConnell's proposal is going to be hard to dismiss. Assuming that the funds will likely have to be borrowed to finance any of the above three options, the yearly interest savings alone would go a long way to buy needed books for our library and to spruce up the deteriorating equipment in our town's parks. After all, the town hall is not the only asset that is deserving of some care and attention. Let's get on with it.
Colin Murdock
Prescott
The Editor;
On Sunday, Jan. 6, I was one of 21,000 participants in the 2002 Walt Disney World Marathon in Orlando, Fla. I entered the event as a member of the Joints In Motion Training Team, a fundraising group for the Arthritis Society. Each member of the team made a commitment to the Arthritis Society to raise money for research and to run a marathon on behalf of a person fighting the crippling disease.
This letter is a thank you for all the support, both financial and motivational, that I received from Prescott residents over the past six months.
Because of the kindness and generosity of family, friends and co-workers, I came close to doubling my initial fundraising commitment.
In Orlando I was one of 290 Canadians participating in the Joints In Motion program. As a group, we raised close to $1.1 million for arthritis research. Again, thank you for making a difference in the fight to find a cure for arthritis.
Jeff DeDekker
Regina, Saskatchewan
Ryan Murdock
One afternoon we visited a primary school in Pyongyang. Sitting around a large table the principal told us about the North Korean school system and how her school is run, and she answered banal antiseptic questions.
In North Korean primary schools, the morning classes are Communist Morality, Revolutionary History, Korean Language and Arts featuring revolutionary themes, and the study of the lives of the Great Leader and the Dear Leader.
I think the leftover time is allotted to math and science. Afternoons are apparently free leisure time. Students can go home and do their own thing, or they can "voluntarily" study such things as traditional music or dance.
After the brief talk we were given a tour of the school. Unfortunately, it was summer vacation and all of the students were away. We'd seen kids all over the city wearing school uniforms, but apparently they were partaking in "voluntary extra curricular activities." I wonder if the kids are always on vacation when groups of foreigners come to visit?
When we toured the classrooms we discovered that some children had been brought in for our benefit. The girls were dressed in frilly white dresses and traditional Korean gowns. Hardly the kind of thing you'd wear to school. The whole set-up had the corrupt odour of a Potemkin village, an elaborate facade constructed for our benefit. We were shown several model classrooms.
In one classroom I saw a picture of Kim Jong-Il as a child, sitting on his father's knee. I asked the guide how old the Dear Leader would have been in this picture. He said about 10 years old. I then asked him the date. It corresponded exactly to the date when the military museum guide had told us Kim Jong-Il was leading battles and planning military strategy during the Korean War. The official propaganda is full of such contradictions, but everyone ignores it. It's exactly like the concept of "doublethink" in Orwell's 1984.
In the art room the kids were just finishing perfect sketches of a bird as we walked in. Tacked up on a bulletin board were other samples of their work. All of them were violent and graphic depictions of war. One showed a ship being torpedoed, USA written clearly on its side. Another showed an American soldier being stabbed in the throat by a schoolgirl with a giant pencil as great gouts of blood spurted from the wound. I became cold all over and my knees felt a little weak. What could inspire such hate? Where was the innocence of childhood?
We also visited the music classroom. The students were waiting for us and they struck up a well-rehearsed concert when we walked in. They played for about 20 minutes, accordion, guitar, traditional songs and dances. They were really good. One little boy who played the traditional double-sided Korean drum was quite amazing. His hands were a blur.
Throughout the entire performance they had fake smiles frozen on their faces and they swayed back and forth in the same zombie-like fashion. When a small mistake was made they cast fearful glances at the stern-faced teacher.
At the end of the concert they put their instruments down and rushed towards us in a group to grab and shake our hands. I was momentarily taken aback. All I could think of was that drawing of the American soldier being stabbed in the throat, and I almost covered my neck and recoiled in horror.
The entire school visit was totally rehearsed and staged for our benefit.
***
Editor's Note: This is the seventh in a series of columns written by Prescott native Ryan Murdock, who now resides in Tokyo. His travels include a three-month solo journey through all seven Central American countries. He is writing about his experiences in Japan, China and North Korea.
Jane Fullarton
The winter session of meditation classes started in the Maitland Public School library Tuesday, Jan. 15 from 6:45 to 8:30 pm. This is a weekly class taught by instructor Dianne Brown of Maitland. Brown has been practising meditation for 12 years and has been teaching a class in Maitland for the last five years.
Brown says she teaches what she has learned. The meditation group is called ISUL which stands for the Institute for the Study of Universal Life force. The type of meditation is called Kundalini, a word for energy, which comes out of East Indian tradition and has been practised for 5,000 years. Brown says her classes are a non-secular study and practice aimed at putting participants in touch with the seven energy centres in their bodies and how to use them to function effectively in their everyday lives. Brown describes her classes as interactive, with a free flow of questions and answers.
The form of meditation practised and taught by Brown is less structured and rigid than some other forms. It does not require any particular pose; no lotus position seated on the floor and no chanting. Participants are encouraged to be comfortable, and most choose to sit on a chair. Brown teaches the tools to still the mind, allowing the participant to become quiet and peaceful internally, and thus able to meditate.
Brown says the ultimate goal of meditation is self awareness, and that self awareness is the first step to making changes in our lives, and achieving personal growth. Brown says one of the benefits of meditation is how restful it is to the body. "It feels like you've had a nap. It is both calming and energizing."
Brown says for her, meditation is a way of life. "In 12 years I've never gotten bored. I can't imagine not doing it." As well as teaching her weekly class, she attends a class in Kingston every second week and attends four, two-day workshops annually to learn more. Brown tries to meditate every day for an hour and says for her it is as vital as exercise.
Brown stresses meditation is not for everyone. "We all must choose our own path, but many people will be enriched by meditating."
For more information about her class call Dianne Brown at 348-3165.
KINGSTON Children's wellness workshops scheduled for Brockville and three other communities in the region have been postponed, the Southeastern Ontario District Health Council has announced.
The workshops were to have taken place this month; however, they have been postponed until sometime after the end of March.
The health council has completed community consultations for the Children's Wellness and Sustainable Communities initiatives.
Results of those consultations are expected to be available in March on the health council's Web site (www.seo-dhc.org). For more information, call 1-888-595-4532.
CENTENNIAL '67/NORTH EDWARDSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS This is Celebrate Literacy Week in our schools. Students in all grades will participate in a wide range of reading, writing and oral presentation activities using the theme of inclusion.
Junior students will be skating at the local arena during gym classes. The second of our Early Literacy sessions for parents will be held at NEPS Thursday, Jan. 17 at 6:15 pm.
CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL Students in grades 6, 7 and 8 will go curling Friday afternoon. The primary classes will go skating Friday from 1:30-2:30 pm.
Hot lunch this week is burgers.
ST. MARK CATHOLIC SCHOOL Our Star Strategy "Look at the Marks" will finish this week, and next week will be "Sliders." Don't forget our photo board that features students with their display of stars!
Skating will begin next Friday, Jan. 25.
Hot lunch this week is hamburgers; next week is pizza.
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
CARDINAL - Branch 105 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Cardinal is the recipient of an $18,000 windfall from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The grant money will be used to install wheelchair accessible washrooms at the branch, something that will make the Legion more community-friendly, said Legion President Ken Sorrenti. "This is a joyous occasion for the Legion."
"This is a success story not just for the branch, but for the community as a whole," said Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman in presenting the cheque to Legion members Monday morning. He also noted the good news for Cardinal was a worthwhile investment on the part of the Trillium board, since the Legion provides an important benefit to the community.
One of the washrooms will be installed where the ladies washroom is now located, and the second wheelchair-accessible facility will be constructed in the current office. The office will move to an area in the south east corner of the main hall.
The Legion will lose about 12 seats in the 180-capacity hall with the new office location, but the area was "dead space" where people did not usually want to sit, Sorrenti explained.
The local branch is "basically a focal point in the community" because of the size of the hall, Sorrenti said, and the renovations will make it even more accessible and attractive for groups to rent the hall.
The Legion currently allows use of the hall free of charge to various community groups, such as the sea cadets, children's and seniors' clubs, girl guides and dart clubs. Rental fees apply to private individuals wishing to rent the hall for such occasions as weddings or birthdays.
"With the population aging, we noticed more people who come down (to the Legion) in wheelchairs," Sorrenti said. "This just opens it up for them. The Legion is moving on and changing with the times of the aging population."
Revenues from bingos are also an important key to the success of the Legion, he noted. The Cardinal branch has abut 310 members.
Along with Sorrenti, First Vice-President Harry Cook and Sgt.-at-Arms and property and housing chairman Ben Allard started preparing a detailed application last May to qualify for the Trillium grant. The grant process also included a site visit and an interview.
The renovations are expected to take between two and three months.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and receives annually $100 million of government funding generated through Ontario's charity casino initiative. It provides grants to eligible charitable and non-profit organizations in the arts, culture, environment, sports, recreation, and social service sectors.
There are 16 catchment areas for funding in the province, and this district, which falls under Quinte, Kingston, Rideau, has a base allocation of $3.2 million annually. The local grant review board is managed by 25 volunteer board members who review applications from its six counties four times per year.
Peggy Taylor
Council was addressed by Sharon Mathieu at the Jan. 7 meeting. Mathieu gave an excellent presentation of her views on the issue of waste disposal within the township. Residents should be aware of the presentations made at the Jan. 4 meeting of the Public Liaison Committee.
Members were advised by representatives of the companies tendering the waste disposal contract there is a difference in the services offered. One will accept only grades 1-2 plastics for recycling as they do their own recycling. The other accepts all grades. However, grades other than 1-2 may not necessarily be recycled but may end up in landfill.
Their tenders differed in that one used the Consumer Price Index to establish future price increases over the five to ten-year span and it was unclear as to whether the CPI was to apply to the entire tender or just to a portion of it.
The other tender allowed for future price increases in the area of "disposal fees." The goal of the committee was to achieve a set price and neither tender allowed for that. One provided the price may change if coloured glass is accepted.
Basically, the tenders were not comparable and as a result the committee recommended council re-tender the contract. This recommendation was accepted at the council meeting.
The committee also recommended the use of clear bags for garbage disposal. The clear bags will be of commercial strength so residents will not have to worry about the bottoms falling out of the bags. There were a number of concerns of residents brought forward at that meeting ranging from privacy issues to bag strength and road side garbage disposal. All topics were respectfully heard and there remains room for changes to the bylaw as it has yet to receive third and final reading.
On the issue of clear bags, Mayor Dobbie advised it is not expected residents stop using smaller plastic bags for garbage collection before tossing garbage in the clear bag.
Other issues discussed at council include the re-election of deputy mayor. At the meeting last year we elected Marie Thomson for a period of only one year. At this past meeting she was re-elected for a second year.
The owners of the burnt out building in Cardinal were issued an Order to Remedy an Unsafe Building by Dec. 22, 2001. The owners were to "demolish this building and clean the site to a safe condition." The next step involved in this process is to tender the work to be done as the terms of the order have not been met.
As a result of the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy, insurance companies are increasing premiums. Our insurance for the municipality, which includes the Ports operation, has increased for this year from around $150,000 to $296,619.
Council approved the Temporary Borrowing ByLaw for 2002. This allows council to borrow money if the need arises up to the sum of $750,000. Mayor Dobbie advised Edwardsburgh has never had to borrow in the years it has enacted this bylaw and he believes Cardinal never did either.
Our second bylaw for 2002 authorizes the acceptance of deeds for road purposes. When council approves severances it does so with the understanding land will be deeded to the township to provide for a 66-road width.
Capital and operating budgets for the Ports were approved by council for 2002.
On the social side in Ward One, Ron Patterson advised the morning skating session at the arena in Cardinal is a popular item with more than 30 people attending throughout the week. The drama club is up and running in preparation for its spring performance. The figure skating club is making headway on its February Ice Show. The Edwardsburgh Co-operative Playgroup is almost full to capacity with two spaces left in Cardinal and seven in Spencerville.
Peggy Taylor is a councillor for Ward One and may be reached at peggytaylor@ripnet.com.
CARDINAL - All churches in Cardinal will be celebrating a week of prayer for Christian unity, beginning this Sunday, Jan. 20.
The Cardinal Ministerial Association is encouraging people to start the new year by worshipping in the church of their choice. Jan. 20 is known as Homecoming Sunday, and this will be an opportunity for those who have not worshipped in a while to come back and join in joy-filled worship, explained Rev. Arlyce Schiebout of St. John's United Church.
All denominations in Cardinal will be participating in noon-time prayer services from Monday, Jan. 21 to Friday, Jan. 25. The services take place at St. John's, and begin at 12:05 pm. The services will be followed by a light lunch.
A different church presides each day. Monday's service will be offered by the Philadelphia Pentecostal Tabernacle; Tuesday is offered by Sacred Heart Roman Catholic; Wednesday will be presented by St. John's United and by Cardinal Free Methodist; St. Paul's Anglican will host Thursday; and St. Andrew's and St. James Presbyterian will offer the service Friday.
Any collections during the week will be forwarded to Christian outreach.
William Earl "Bill" Armstrong, RR 3 Prescott, died peacefully at Winchester Hospital surrounded by his family Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002. He was 84.
He was born Sept. 25, 1917 in Edwardsburgh Township. He was the son of Stanley Armstrong and Annabelle Seeley, who predeceased him. He was married to Madalene Armstrong.
Mr. Armstrong had been a truck driver on the milk run for Husband's Transport of Brouseville, and lived his lifetime in and around the Cardinal area.
Mr. Armstrong is survived by his wife Madalene and daughters Martha (Terry) Mizuik of Port Colborne and Marianne (David) MacDonald of Cardinal. He is lovingly remembered as papa to Stacey Sulaiman (Steve), Katie, Michael, Jordie and Kailee and great grandchildren Sadie, Samuel and Sachairi. He will be sadly missed by Harley and Itty Bits.
He was predeceased by brothers Acil, Donald and Ross and by sisters Mary Brown and Betty York.
Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Cardinal, was entrusted with the arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Leeds and Grenville SPCA of Ontario.
Alice Baynham, Water St., Prescott, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2001 at Brockville General Hospital. She was 68.
Mrs. Baynham was born Oct. 14, 1933 at Brockville, the daughter of Gilford Towe and Margaret Perrin. She married John Baynham July 19, 1952 at Trinity Church, Brockville.
She is survived by her husband John; sons Milton (wife Vicky) and Michael (wife Hala); daughters Mildred Shire, Melody (Ken Jacques), Michelle and Muriel (Garry Fawcett); grandchildren Diane and Paul Shire, Sandra, Christopher and Issa Baynham, Melissa Foubert, Christopher and Curtis Jacques and Mike Fawcett; great grandchildren; Brandon, Ben, Hayden and Karin also several nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law. She was predeceased by her parents.
Mrs. Baynham's interests included her family, cooking and playing cards, and she worked as a housewife at home.
Visitation was at the Chris Slater Funeral Home Wednesday, Jan. 2 from 2 to 4 pm and from 7 to 9 pm. The funeral service took place in the chapel of the funeral home Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 at 2 pm, with Rev. Gerry Ring officiating. A committal service and burial followed at Maynard Cemetery.
The pall bearers were Hugh, Lee, Ray and Paul Baynham, Wayne Towe and Michael Garrett.
Memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society as expressions of sympathy.
Max Meyer, 1603 Bradley Cres., RR 1 Prescott, died suddenly Friday, Jan. 4, 2002 at Kingston General Hospital. He was 87.
He is the beloved husband of Edith Richter and the late Anna Marie Baier; dear father of Esther (Ken) Duvall of Mariatown, Erwin (Marianne) of Stouffeville and Jane (Marcel) Turpin of Orleans; grandfather to Monica, Brenda, Brigitte and Hollie Duvall, Mark, Brent and Andrea Meyer, Sally and Andre Sickman; great grandfather to Jordyn, Allie and Sam Bruce; and step-father to Wolfgang, Bernd and Wilfrid Richter.
Mr. Meyer was predeceased by his parents; daughter-in-law Ilona Meyer; great grandson Joshua William Bruce; sisters Martha and Emily; and brother Ernest.
He was born April 22, 1914 in Switzerland to Ernst Meyer and Emma Studer. Mr. Meyer immigrated to Canada in 1949, and was a carpenter by trade and he also farmed. He was quite independent and strong, both in a physical sense and in his will. He was a doer, not a talker, and a proud and proper man. Mr. Meyer was optimistic and positive, always looking for the good in others and regarded the best side of people.
Mr. Meyer married Anna Marie Baier March 25, 1943. They eventually arrived in Williamsburg, where he bought and began working the old Merkley farm. Besides working the dairy farm, he also worked for Black Lumber and for Stewart and David Byers of Chesterville.
After losing Mrs. Meyer to cancer in 1980, he sold the farm and moved to Morrisburg. He married Edith June 18, 1983 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Morrisburg and they have resided in Prescott. Mr. Meyer enjoyed downhill skiing, played the clarinet and loved to dance. He enjoyed motorcycling as well as gardening.
Friends were received at the Parker Funeral Home, Morrisburg. The funeral service was held in the chapel of the funeral home Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002 at 3 pm, with Pastor Joachim Barkley-Probst officiating. Cremation was followed by inurnment at New Union Cemetery, Williamsburg.
Memorial donations made to the charity of your choice will be gratefully acknowledged.
Evelyn Bell, 86, a resident of Wellington House, Prescott, died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002.
She was born July 16, 1915, the daughter of John Stephenson and Susan Dale Warren.
Mrs. Bell was predeceased by her first husband, Cleveland Perrin, and her second husband Leaon Bell. She had been employed as a postmistress.
She is survived by one sister, Sadie Jean Myers; nieces Marie Stephenson, Anna Jean Myers, Marlene Myers and Donna Norman; and nephews Donald Stephenson, Peter Myers, Davis Myers and Freddy Stephenson.
She was also predeceased by her brothers Arthur and Norman Stephenson, and sister Lillian McCully; niece Helen Prins; and nephews John McCully, Garry Stephenson and Donald Myers.
The funeral service took place in the chapel of the Chris Slater Funeral Home, Prescott, Friday, Jan. 4, 2002 at 2 pm. The pallbearers were Peter Jeffrey Myers and Taylor John Myers. Interment was at Maynard Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
By Jon Kuiperij - Journal Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE - This year's combined insurance premiums for the municipality of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and the Port of Prescott are more than double the rates of 2001.
The municipality will pay $143,000 this year for coverage with MuniPro, compared to $45,000 a year ago. The Port of Prescott's insurance went up from approximately $100,000 in 2001 to $155,000 this year.
"All liability insurance rates raised substantially this year," says Edwardsburgh/Cardinal clerk/treasurer Russell Trivett, who attributes much of the increases to last year's events of Sept. 11.
Trivett notes an undetermined portion of the municipal insurance is coverage on the Port of Prescott, which will be paid for by the port.
Unlike last year, the municipality and the port are covered by the same insurance company.t year.
"(Marsh Canada Limited) wasn't able to guarantee coverage in time for the renewable date of Dec. 31 (2001)," Trivett says, "because of uncertainty in the re-insurance market. That market is in quite a bit of turmoil."
Trivett expects to know how much coverage of the port is included in the municipal rate by the end of the week. However, he says even without the port's coverage, the municipal insurance increased substantially this year.
"It could affect the 2002 tax rate, but so many factors go into calculating that tax rate," he says. "At this time I can't really tell what impact there will be."
The increase in insurance for the Port of Prescott will not affect taxpayers in the municipality, he adds.
"The Port of Prescott is a self-sufficient, separate, self-contained unit," Trivett says. "There will be no direct impact on taxation in the municipality (from increased port expenses)."
CARDINAL The Junior Stamp Club will meet at the Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Public Library, Cardinal Branch, this evening, Wednesday, Jan 16 at 7 pm. New members are welcome to join to learn more about trading and collecting postage stamps.
BROCKVILLE The Ontario March of Dimes (OMOD) is seeking volunteers for its befriending program.
The program is designed to enhance the quality of life for adults with physical disabilities by matching them with volunteers who have similar interests. Visits are scheduled and the process of becoming acquainted and developing new friendships begins.
Volunteers are being sought in the OMOD's east region which includes Leeds and Grenville. For more information on the befriending program, contact the OMOD at (613) 342-1935, extension 28, or 1-888-252-9008. The Web site address for the March of Dimes is www.dimes.on.ca
MAYNARD The Spencerville Fair Board will receive its annual grant of $600 from the Township of Augusta.
Council approved the request from fair board member Tim Hemsley at its Monday night meeting. "A lot of the fairs are going down, but ours is still one of the best fairs in Ontario, and last year we had very good crowds," Hemsley said at the meeting. "So I think we're doing very well, and we're looking forward to another successful year."
Reeve George Vail noted the event is a very worthwhile fair.
The 147th annual Spencerville Fair will be held again this year in September. Augusta contributed the same amount last year.
By Jon Kuiperij - Journal Staff Writer
MAYNARD - There's more than one Gibson in the area hoping to reach the National Hockey League someday.
However, Matt Gibson is looking to take an alternate route than his 17-year-old brother Adam, who is a defenceman with the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League.
Matt, an OAC student at South Grenville District High School, hopes to make the big-time wearing the black and white stripes of a linesman.
"To get there, I think you need to know the right people," Gibson says. "Politics play a major role. If Adam makes it to the NHL, that might help, but I'm not counting on him to get me there."
Gibson is taking one major step in that direction next month when he will travel to Newfoundland as part of the Finland/Newfoundland Officials Exchange Program.
"I'll officiate some higher midget hockey in St. John's and then a variety of minor hockey at the Newfoundland/Labrador Winter Games," Gibson says.
Four officials were selected from the Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association (ODMHA) to take part in the program, two going to Finland and two to Newfoundland, Feb. 22 to 27.
Gibson also hopes to head out east this fall, this time for post-secondary education. He says Acadia University is his first choice, with its sports management program and close proximity to Halifax.
"It would be prime for college officiating," he says. "I might do some games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as well."
The 19-year-old Maynard resident quit playing hockey this year to concentrate more on officiating.
Last season he captained the South Grenville midget "B" Rangers to an ODMHA championship and a spot in the Tournament of Champions.
"I'd go back (to playing) right now if I could," he says.
However, with a schedule that involves officiating "every night basically," Gibson would be hard pressed to find time to play. He referees many local minor hockey games and is a linesman for junior action. He expects to be calling offsides and icings exclusively as he looks to move up through the ranks.
"I like being a linesman, and I know I'll never referee junior or higher. Who wants to see a six-foot-two, 220-pound idiot fly down the ice with armbands?" he laughs. "They want bigger guys doing lines."
Gibson estimates he will work 50 junior "B" games this season; he recently began officiating junior "A" hockey as well.
Some might have trouble dealing with the verbal abuse players, coaches and fans can rain down on the officials, but Gibson says he almost enjoys it.
"That's when you earn your money," he says. "But if you make a close call against the home team - watch out, here comes a soft drink."
The outgoing Gibson also enjoys conversing with players throughout the game.
"As a linesman I get to talk to them much more," he says. "It's not as much pressure."
He credits Charlie McCurdy and Dave VanStralen, the former and current referees-in-chief of the South Grenville Minor Hockey Association, for supporting him in his officiating career thus far.
"I like to have fun out there," Gibson says. "Every game I'm sweating and I'm enjoying it."
SPENCERVILLE - Three South Grenville novice house league teams participated in their own tournament Saturday in Spencerville.
South Grenville #3 made it to the "B" final where it bowed out 4-0 to Brockville #4. Earlier in the day, the team beat Athens 3-0 and lost to Morrisburg, 1-0 in a shoot-out.
Players on the team include Marc Brunet, Ryan St. John, Dillon DeJeet, Zack Flemming, Candace Burns, Michael Morrel, Coleman Colpitts, Austin Murphy, Hunter McCarroll, Nicholas Thorpe, Shane Riddel, Johnathan Farmer, Dustin Miller, Beau Jodoin, Garret Richards and Devon Randall. Jeff Farmer and Steve West coach the team.
South Grenville #1 won its first game, 3-2 in a shoot-out over Brockville #4. The team tied the game with a minute left for its first win over Brockville this year.
In their second match, against Kemptville Gold, they dropped a 3-1 decision.
Coaches Pat Lawless and Mike Garswood were proud of the players' hard work. Players on the team include Mitchell Grant, Jacob Scott, Taylor Garswood, Dillon Stoddard, Gilbert Pankhurst, Evan Rainey, Robbie Deeks, Zach Bernier, Steven Campbell, O.J. Knoll, Josh Jones, Josh Bailey, Ian King, Sydney Wehmeyer and Michael Lawless.
South Grenville #2 lost to Kemptville Gold, 7-0 and to Brockville #4, 5-3. Lucas Chretien, Sam Cleary, Skyler Fraser, Logan Grant, Lucas Henderson, Dustin Kester, Rhys Larry, Cody Leizert, Ryan Maggio, Reilly Penner, Jarret Pitt, Ashley Reynolds, Quinton Selleck, Corie Todd, Michael Tracy and Ryan VanKoppen are players on the team; Tim Maggio, Ritchie Pitt and Ray Grant coach the squad.
PRESCOTT - Strong second and fourth quarters were the key for the South Grenville District High School senior boys' basketball team Thursday afternoon at the school.
The Giants scored 26 points in both frames en route to a 77-66 victory over the previously undefeated Grenville Christian College (GCC) Lions.
South Grenville held the Lions to 14 points in the final quarter to overcome 52-51 deficit with 12 minutes to play.
"We played good hard defence," said Giants coach Norie Spence.
"I was really pleased we didn't give it away."
Alex Last led all scorers with 28 points, providing a strong inside presence and rebounding well.
Jamie Clarke shot well from the perimeter, finishing with 16 points.
Spence noted Clarke drew several GCC double teams, creating more open looks for his teammates.
Luke Meppelder knocked down 14 for South Grenville.
Jacky Chan notched 22 points for the Lions with Eric Phelant and Ko Myiamato scoring eight each.
The Giants had trouble with GCC's transition game, allowing several layups after missing shots at the offensive end of the floor. Conversely, South Grenville had to work harder for their scores in the half court offence.
"We always keep a safety back, but today we gambled and they were beating us over the top," Spence said about the Lions' long outlet passes. "Different (teams) have different styles, and that's their style."
Earlier in the afternoon, the Giants junior squad went down to GCC 52-24. South Grenville trailed 33-6 at halftime.
"They (GCC) have a lot of speed and a fair amount of rebounding," Giants coach Bob Hoy said after the game. "We also showed an inability to handle the full court pressure defence."
GCC improved to 4-1 to extend its lead in the Leeds-Grenville Secondary Schools Athletic Association junior "A" division.
South Grenville fell to 0-3 and sits at the bottom of the "AA" standings.
Despite the loss, Hoy was happy with the effort from the junior squad, noting Curtis Bucking, Ryan Davy, Matt Alkerton, Craig Irvine and Troy Dukelow had strong performances.
"In junior hopefully you pick up the skills that take you onto senior, and that's what junior varsity is all about," Hoy said. "Hopefully, you show continuous improvement and I have seen a reasonable amount (throughout the season)."
The junior and senior teams were in action yesterday as Athens came to South Grenville.
Both Giant squads are on their home court again this afternoon, making up games with Rideau that were postponed Dec. 20.
CARDINAL The South Grenville 730 Truck Stop bantam "C" Rangers picked up another couple of victories in recent action.
The Rangers hosted Smiths Falls Monday night in Cardinal and handed the Bears a 4-3 loss. Smiths Falls actually held 2-0 and 3-1 leads in the game but South Grenville rallied and won on Wesley McFarlane's goal with 6:41 left in regulation. Kurtis Summers, Vince Francica and David Code scored the other Ranger goals.
The day before, South Grenville visited Athens and blanked the Aeros 6-0. The Rangers scored three goals in the second period and three more in the third for the victory, outshooting Athens 31 to 11. Luke Beckstead earned the shutout; Jonathan Baldwin tallied twice. Matthew Hayes, Nathan Smail, David Wallace and McFarlane also scored for South Grenville.
CARDINAL The past weekend was not kind to the South Grenville Junior "B" Rangers and their post-season aspirations.
The Rangers dropped both their games while Athens went 1-1 to pull five points ahead of South Grenville for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Rideau Division.
Eight games remain in the season for South Grenville; the Aeros hold a game in hand. One bright spot for the Rangers is they play Athens two more times this campaign, including a home date on the second-last day of the season.
The two teams meet in Athens Sunday night, a game South Grenville coach Anthony Gilmer says is a must-win affair.
"Every game we play from now on is a must-win," he says. "From this point on, it's do-or-die. We have to play some desperate hockey."
The season-long third period struggles for the Rangers continued in their 5-4 loss to Alexandria Saturday night in Cardinal. South Grenville took a 4-2 lead early in the final frame but surrendered three unanswered goals, including the winner with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.
Peter Veltkamp scored and had two assists for the Rangers; Ashton Spencer, Ryan Lawless and Derek June tallied the other South Grenville goals.
The Rangers travelled to Winchester the following afternoon and lost another tight game, this time by a 7-5 score. The Hawks, second in the St. Lawrence Division, broke a 4-4 third period deadlock with two goals a minute-and-a-half apart.
Tyler Shanks narrowed the gap to one goal with 15 minutes remaining, but South Grenville could not get the equalizer.
Jason Denio, who recently returned to the team after leaving more than a month ago, scored a pair and added an assist. Andrew Hare and Spencer also scored for the Rangers.
"The guys were happy to see Jason come back; he's a wonderful goal scorer," Gilmer says.
Denio had requested a trade to Morrisburg but the Rangers and Lions couldn't agree on a deal.
Rideau - St. Lawrence Junior "B" Hockey League Standings
RIDEAU DIVISION GP W L T PTS
Brockville 35 27 8 0 55
Westport 35 21 12 2 46
Gananoque 35 12 21 2 27
Athens 35 10 24 1 23
South Grenville 36 8 27 1 18
* Teams losing in overtime receive one point
PRESCOTT - The 13th annual Prescott Invitational Free Skate will hit the ice this weekend at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.
Nearly 300 skaters representing 40 clubs will compete in the two-day event, including 20 from the Prescott Figure Skating Club.
Cindy McGuinn, chairperson of the invitational, says there is a wide variety of competition scheduled.
"There will be free skate, similar pair, dance and artistic skill competitions, so there's a little bit of everything," she says.
The invitational will run Saturday from 7 am to 9:30 pm and Sunday from 7 am to 6:30 pm.
There are 523 entries for the 84 events.
McGuinn says there are nearly 80 more skaters this year than at last year's event.
"It's one of the biggest we've had," she says.
The invitational is the prime fundraiser for the Prescott club.
Two major trophies are on the line - the Ray Throop Memorial Trophy, awarded to the club with the most points at the event, and the Barry Lundvill Memorial Trophy, presented to the local club skater with the most points.
Arnprior won the team competition last year while Krista Stephenson skated off with local individual honours.
Primary sponsors for the invitational include Dupont Canada Inc. (Maitland), The Kinsmen's Club, Iroquois Water, Giant Tiger and The Prescott Journal.
PRESCOTT - For the second straight year, a Rideau club team walked away from the Prescott Curling Club with prime rib roasts and t-bone steaks.
The squad, skipped by Bill Blad, edged Neil Coulter's Prescott rink in a tie-breaker to win the 18th annual Mixed Invitational Beef Bonspiel last weekend.
Blad and Coulter both finished with 59 points, but Blad was awarded the title with 26 rocks for, one more than Coulter.
Coulter's team included vice Carolyn Lodge, second Ed Douefnard and lead Darlean Coulter.
Bob Lockett, Candy Alexander, John Hartry and Sharon Robertson of Prescott placed fourth with 46 points.
Mike Morris, Becky Bender, Mike Dufour and Colleen Fox notched 40 points to finish eighth in the two-day event.
Eighteen teams, some from as far as Kingston, Ottawa and Beaconsfield, Quebec, took part in the bonspiel.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - Both the South Grenville District High School junior and senior girls' volleyball teams have begun their seasons on the right foot.
Each Giant squad posted a 4-2 record at a tournament Thursday at TISS.
"We're very pleased with the start," says Kevin Devaney, who coaches the senior team with Ann Drummond. "It was a positive showing."
The seniors split a pair of close games with TISS before taking both matches against BCI.
They finished the day with a split against North Grenville.
Devaney says setters Diana Simpson and Emily Favor played strong games, as did power hitters Amanda Watt and Cristal Beattie.
Devaney and Drummond tried to mix everyone into the game in the first Leeds-Grenville Secondary Schools Athletic Association (LGSSAA) action of the year.
The juniors also split with TISS and North Grenville and won both games with BCI.
"They did fairly well; I was quite impressed with their first outing," coach Jon Fee says. "Everyone played, and they played quite well."
Fee says he was especially happy with the team's performance considering it was playing a new system.
The 6-2 system, put in place by Fee and fellow coach Sheena Spicer, involves a setter coming out of the back row, which can be confusing.
"The setters Sam Joudoin and Alex Ward played it well," he says.
"If they didn't run the system right, we would have been in trouble."
Both teams travel to BCI tomorrow for more tournament action.
CARDINAL - The South Grenville atom "C" Rangers continued their recent strong play with two wins in league action last week.
The Rangers blanked the Akwesasne Attack 5-0 in Cardinal Jan. 9. The line of Chris Sherman, Torin Marcynuk and Danny Powers combined for six points, with Sherman potting a hat trick. Marcynuk recorded two assists and Powers added one. Ryan Joudoin picked up a goal and an assist; Michael Thomas notched a helper as well.
The next night South Grenville travelled to Maxville and claimed a 5-2 victory over the North Glengarry Stars. The teams were tied 2-2 after two periods but the Rangers rode the strong goaltending of Jocelyn Paschak and three unanswered third period goals to the win. Marcynuk scored twice with Jeffrey Moulton, Curtis Biccum and Todd Kirkey tallying the other Ranger markers. Chris Sherman had two assists with Joudoin and Kirkey adding helpers.
SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau St. Lawrence minor peewee Kings posted a 2-1 record in recent league action.
Rideau St. Lawrence visited the Ottawa Valley Titans in Pakenham Jan. 8 and came away with a 4-2 victory. Noah Van Moorsel, Matt Lajoie, Andrew Warren and Tyler Drew scored for the Kings with Sam Coyne drawing three assists. Clarke Saunders earned the victory in goal.
The Kings were in Kingston Jan. 6 and dropped a 3-1 decision to the first-place Predators. Warren scored the Rideau St. Lawrence marker on a setup by Nathan Slack.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Kings roared back to beat Bonnie Castle 5-3 in Spencerville Jan. 5. Coyne scored twice with Joel Haystead Smythe, Jason Crooke and Warren adding one each. Graham Peters and Saunders shared the win in net.
The Kings were in Kingston last weekend to play in the Predators' Tournament.