| 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 - The list of town hall options has been reduced from four to two.
Council members voted at a committee meeting Monday night to remove the True Value/Stedman's store and Daniels' Hotel property from further consideration as possible locations for municipal offices and Prescott's public library. The two options still being considered by town council are to renovate the Dibble Street municipal building or build a new facility. Council did not specify the new building had to be on the parking lot site at King and Centre streets, although some members indicated they do not support the idea of the town purchasing additional land for a new town hall and library.
Mayor Robert Lawn and councillors Jo-Anne Beckstead, Nancy McFarland and Seeley Pillar voted to drop from the list the hardware store owned by Councillor Jim French; Councillor Terry McConnell voted in favour of keeping the store on the list of options.
Councillor Seeley Pillar voted to keep the hotel property on the list; the other four council members voted against.
French sat in the audience and did not take part in the discussion; the councillor continues to declare a conflict of interest. French told The Journal he will continue to declare a conflict and refrain from participating in any council debate relating to the town hall location issue until a final decision is made.
Councillor Garry Dewar did not attend the meeting.
Although the results must be ratified at a council meeting, no one indicated Monday he or she would challenge the outcome of the voting.
"We got it down to two," Beckstead proclaimed.
She and other town officials have expressed their frustration over council's inability to make a decision on what to do about town hall.
Beckstead, who supports building a new facility on the parking lot site, said the option to renovate the Dibble Street building should stay on the table. "It deserves a shot," she said.
Mayor Lawn, who supports the latter option, said he is prepared to keep the other option in the running. However, Lawn added he would "fight like hell" to prevent the town from purchasing additional land for a municipal building and library.
Pillar and McConnell voted to have the Dibble Street property removed from further consideration. McConnell said he would like to see the building saved, but not by the municipality.
McFarland said the town has two viable options on the table renovate 360 Dibble or build on the parking lot site.
Town staff were asked to pull together all the studies done on the two remaining options. The final solution may come during upcoming budget discussions, it was noted Monday.
Lawn said the temporary municipal office location the former bank building on Edward Street at Churchill Road is a fine building that is insufficient to meet the town's needs. In stating his belief the town is understaffed for its current workload, the mayor said the municipality will continue to suffer until a decision on a long-term solution to the town hall and library issue is made.
"We can't procrastinate much longer," Lawn said.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - A long-awaited taste of gold is sweet indeed.
Whether it was at home, a friend's place or the neighbourhood watering hole, Canadians in South Grenville and throughout the country gathered to watch their men's hockey team defeat the Americans 5-2 and bring home the Olympic gold medal for the first time in 50 years.
Boomer's in downtown Prescott was among the many restaurants and bars where people gathered to take part in what became a national celebration. Dozens of fans cheered repeatedly during the final minutes of the game and erupted when the game ended.
Several patrons with the Canadian flag in hand took to King Street after the game in a display of national pride. The occasional flag and honking of car horns could be noted throughout the evening hours in the downtown area.
Prescott resident and Hockey Hall of Famer Leo Boivin said he felt Sunday's gold medal clash was a "great game."
"The guys played with a lot of heart and it was a good North American game," he said. "There wasn't a lot of passing back; everything kept moving ahead. Both teams played really well."
Boivin credited Team Canada Executive Director Wayne Gretzky for doing "a super job. He handled himself really well and picked a real good team."
Twelve-year-old Kristian Knapp wore his Team Canada jersey to the South Grenville bantam "C" Rangers' playoff game Monday in Cardinal.
"I was happy because they played under all the pressures and with no one liking them," said the Algonquin resident, a right wing for the atom "B" Rangers. "They skated harder than the Americans. I thought they were going to win all along and I knew they were going to win when they made it 4-2."
Knapp's teammate, 10-year-old Kenny Polite of Roebuck, added, "The Canadians played really strong and the Americans didn't play well. Brodeur played a solid game."
Although parking areas near stores open late Sunday afternoon appeared to be more empty than usual, some activities went ahead as scheduled. However, thoughts of the big game were not far away. For example, updated scores were reported during the appreciation day for retired Augusta fire chief Fred Boisvert being held at the Roebuck Community Hall.
Many in the crowd, including Boisvert, cheered or applauded when the score was 2-1 in favour of Canada. The response was sombre when it was reported the U.S. had made the score 2-2. The man of honour thanked the audience for giving up part of the hockey game to attend the gathering.
Canada's women's hockey team also defeated its American rival to win the gold medal. Canada won a total of 17 medals at the Salt Lake City games, the country's highest medal count for a winter Olympics.
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - Organizers of a South Grenville food bank say they are encouraged by public response to their efforts.
Approximately 40 people attended a second information session held last Thursday night at the health centre in Prescott. An update was presented by a steering committee formed last month at the first public meeting.
"We have been more than pleased and impressed by the support we've seen coming forward," said Reverend John Reynolds, steering committee chairperson.
However, he also noted verbal encouragement from government agencies and people in the community has not produced much in the way of financial commitments at this time.
Food For All is the name of the proposed food bank which would serve residents of Augusta, Prescott and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal.
The committee is conducting a survey aimed at assessing the need for food bank services and recruiting volunteers; survey forms can be found at numerous stores and other locations throughout South Grenville. In addition to looking at possible locations for the food depot, the committee has drafted the structure of the new organization.
Much of last Thursday's public meeting was spent dealing with a series of committee recommendations, proposals and motions. Those who attended the meeting were asked to vote on those recommendations; all of the committee's submissions were approved.
The goal is to create an incorporated charitable organization to be headed by a board of directors representing the communities served by the food bank. The steering committee will remain in place until the board is in a position to begin operating the food bank.
The board of directors will include six members at large (two from each municipality) and three members who are clients taking an active role at the depot. Reynolds said the organization will be much more sensitive to the needs of clients if some of them have input at the board level.
The committee will prepare a draft constitution; nominations for a provisional board of directors are now being accepted, with a vote planned for the next general meeting.
The food bank will have a co-ordinator of volunteers and food donations and a food depot manager and screener.
Volunteers will be required to submit to a police record check and sign an agreement of confidentiality.
Committee member Blair Paterson acknowledged it may seem the committee is being nit-picky and placing emphasis on structure and process at an early stage of the process. "We don't want this to fail," Reverend Paterson remarked.
Reynolds noted some committee members have visited food banks in the region to get a better understanding of what organizers in South Grenville need to do. Interaction with existing food banks in Brockville, Mountain, Morrisburg and other communities in the region will also help local organizers avoid duplication of services and cut down on abuse of the system. However, Reynolds noted the purpose is not to exclude people who are in genuine need of assistance.
"If you come forward with a need, you will be helped," Reynolds said.
The next public information meeting has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, April 11 in Spencerville. Although there is optimism the food bank will become a reality, Reynolds indicated the September start date may not be met.
PRESCOTT - A few tickets are still available for the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce Awards Night and Banquet set for this Monday, March 4 at St. Mark's Parish Centre.
In addition to dinner, ticket holders can take part in a silent auction and watch the presentation of annual awards for business, community service and youth. The guest speaker will be Canadian Richard Pound of the International Olympic Committee.
A reception begins at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm, followed by the guest speaker and award presentations.
Tickets may still be available Wednesday at the three banks in Prescott or by calling Debbie Lawless at 925-2171.
CORNWALL - There is less than a month to go before the St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open its 2002 navigation season.
The Canadian and American seaway management corporations announced last Wednesday the season will begin March 26. Navigation may be restricted to daylights hours at the start of the season until lighted navigation aids have been installed.
The seaway's 2001 season ended Christmas Eve.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - Farmers and rural families in South Grenville have somewhere to turn to during difficult times.
The Farm Line, a Brockville-based call desk staffed on a rotation basis, employs four counsellors and is available weekdays from 8:30 am to 8 pm. Manager Alice Koekkoek stated in a news release the line has handled about 1,000 calls since being launched 14 months ago by the Ontario Farm Women's Network. Calls have dealt with everything from illness and isolation to divorce and the threat of foreclosure.
"The calls are referred on to professionals in the field... unless the callers are simply looking for a sympathetic voice on the other end of the line," Koekkoek said.
The toll-free number to call the Farm Line is 1-888-451-2903.
The non-profit service recently announced it has been given $30,000 from Bell Canada's community development fund.
BROCKVILLE - Six new patients will be able to receive dialysis services in Leeds and Grenville beginning next month, MPP Bob Runciman has announced.
Bayshore Centre Ltd. in Brockville will be serving additional patients as of March 9. Scheduling arrangements will allow for 24 regular patients.
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - The list of town hall options has been reduced from four to two.
Council members voted at a committee meeting Monday night to remove the True Value/Stedman's store and Daniels' Hotel property from further consideration as possible locations for municipal offices and Prescott's public library. The two options still being considered by town council are to renovate the Dibble Street municipal building or build a new facility. Council did not specify the new building had to be on the parking lot site at King and Centre streets, although some members indicated they do not support the idea of the town purchasing additional land for a new town hall and library.
Mayor Robert Lawn and councillors Jo-Anne Beckstead, Nancy McFarland and Seeley Pillar voted to drop from the list the hardware store owned by Councillor Jim French; Councillor Terry McConnell voted in favour of keeping the store on the list of options.
Councillor Seeley Pillar voted to keep the hotel property on the list; the other four council members voted against.
French sat in the audience and did not take part in the discussion; the councillor continues to declare a conflict of interest. French told The Journal he will continue to declare a conflict and refrain from participating in any council debate relating to the town hall location issue until a final decision is made.
Councillor Garry Dewar did not attend the meeting.
Although the results must be ratified at a council meeting, no one indicated Monday he or she would challenge the outcome of the voting.
"We got it down to two," Beckstead proclaimed.
She and other town officials have expressed their frustration over council's inability to make a decision on what to do about town hall.
Beckstead, who supports building a new facility on the parking lot site, said the option to renovate the Dibble Street building should stay on the table. "It deserves a shot," she said.
Mayor Lawn, who supports the latter option, said he is prepared to keep the other option in the running. However, Lawn added he would "fight like hell" to prevent the town from purchasing additional land for a municipal building and library.
Pillar and McConnell voted to have the Dibble Street property removed from further consideration. McConnell said he would like to see the building saved, but not by the municipality.
McFarland said the town has two viable options on the table renovate 360 Dibble or build on the parking lot site.
Town staff were asked to pull together all the studies done on the two remaining options. The final solution may come during upcoming budget discussions, it was noted Monday.
Lawn said the temporary municipal office location the former bank building on Edward Street at Churchill Road is a fine building that is insufficient to meet the town's needs. In stating his belief the town is understaffed for its current workload, the mayor said the municipality will continue to suffer until a decision on a long-term solution to the town hall and library issue is made.
"We can't procrastinate much longer," Lawn said.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - A long-awaited taste of gold is sweet indeed.
Whether it was at home, a friend's place or the neighbourhood watering hole, Canadians in South Grenville and throughout the country gathered to watch their men's hockey team defeat the Americans 5-2 and bring home the Olympic gold medal for the first time in 50 years.
Boomer's in downtown Prescott was among the many restaurants and bars where people gathered to take part in what became a national celebration. Dozens of fans cheered repeatedly during the final minutes of the game and erupted when the game ended.
Several patrons with the Canadian flag in hand took to King Street after the game in a display of national pride. The occasional flag and honking of car horns could be noted throughout the evening hours in the downtown area.
Prescott resident and Hockey Hall of Famer Leo Boivin said he felt Sunday's gold medal clash was a "great game."
"The guys played with a lot of heart and it was a good North American game," he said. "There wasn't a lot of passing back; everything kept moving ahead. Both teams played really well."
Boivin credited Team Canada Executive Director Wayne Gretzky for doing "a super job. He handled himself really well and picked a real good team."
Twelve-year-old Kristian Knapp wore his Team Canada jersey to the South Grenville bantam "C" Rangers' playoff game Monday in Cardinal.
"I was happy because they played under all the pressures and with no one liking them," said the Algonquin resident, a right wing for the atom "B" Rangers. "They skated harder than the Americans. I thought they were going to win all along and I knew they were going to win when they made it 4-2."
Knapp's teammate, 10-year-old Kenny Polite of Roebuck, added, "The Canadians played really strong and the Americans didn't play well. Brodeur played a solid game."
Although parking areas near stores open late Sunday afternoon appeared to be more empty than usual, some activities went ahead as scheduled. However, thoughts of the big game were not far away. For example, updated scores were reported during the appreciation day for retired Augusta fire chief Fred Boisvert being held at the Roebuck Community Hall.
Many in the crowd, including Boisvert, cheered or applauded when the score was 2-1 in favour of Canada. The response was sombre when it was reported the U.S. had made the score 2-2. The man of honour thanked the audience for giving up part of the hockey game to attend the gathering.
Canada's women's hockey team also defeated its American rival to win the gold medal. Canada won a total of 17 medals at the Salt Lake City games, the country's highest medal count for a winter Olympics.
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - Organizers of a South Grenville food bank say they are encouraged by public response to their efforts.
Approximately 40 people attended a second information session held last Thursday night at the health centre in Prescott. An update was presented by a steering committee formed last month at the first public meeting.
"We have been more than pleased and impressed by the support we've seen coming forward," said Reverend John Reynolds, steering committee chairperson.
However, he also noted verbal encouragement from government agencies and people in the community has not produced much in the way of financial commitments at this time.
Food For All is the name of the proposed food bank which would serve residents of Augusta, Prescott and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal.
The committee is conducting a survey aimed at assessing the need for food bank services and recruiting volunteers; survey forms can be found at numerous stores and other locations throughout South Grenville. In addition to looking at possible locations for the food depot, the committee has drafted the structure of the new organization.
Much of last Thursday's public meeting was spent dealing with a series of committee recommendations, proposals and motions. Those who attended the meeting were asked to vote on those recommendations; all of the committee's submissions were approved.
The goal is to create an incorporated charitable organization to be headed by a board of directors representing the communities served by the food bank. The steering committee will remain in place until the board is in a position to begin operating the food bank.
The board of directors will include six members at large (two from each municipality) and three members who are clients taking an active role at the depot. Reynolds said the organization will be much more sensitive to the needs of clients if some of them have input at the board level.
The committee will prepare a draft constitution; nominations for a provisional board of directors are now being accepted, with a vote planned for the next general meeting.
The food bank will have a co-ordinator of volunteers and food donations and a food depot manager and screener.
Volunteers will be required to submit to a police record check and sign an agreement of confidentiality.
Committee member Blair Paterson acknowledged it may seem the committee is being nit-picky and placing emphasis on structure and process at an early stage of the process. "We don't want this to fail," Reverend Paterson remarked.
Reynolds noted some committee members have visited food banks in the region to get a better understanding of what organizers in South Grenville need to do. Interaction with existing food banks in Brockville, Mountain, Morrisburg and other communities in the region will also help local organizers avoid duplication of services and cut down on abuse of the system. However, Reynolds noted the purpose is not to exclude people who are in genuine need of assistance.
"If you come forward with a need, you will be helped," Reynolds said.
The next public information meeting has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, April 11 in Spencerville. Although there is optimism the food bank will become a reality, Reynolds indicated the September start date may not be met.
PRESCOTT - A few tickets are still available for the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce Awards Night and Banquet set for this Monday, March 4 at St. Mark's Parish Centre.
In addition to dinner, ticket holders can take part in a silent auction and watch the presentation of annual awards for business, community service and youth. The guest speaker will be Canadian Richard Pound of the International Olympic Committee.
A reception begins at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm, followed by the guest speaker and award presentations.
Tickets may still be available Wednesday at the three banks in Prescott or by calling Debbie Lawless at 925-2171.
CORNWALL - There is less than a month to go before the St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open its 2002 navigation season.
The Canadian and American seaway management corporations announced last Wednesday the season will begin March 26. Navigation may be restricted to daylights hours at the start of the season until lighted navigation aids have been installed.
The seaway's 2001 season ended Christmas Eve.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - Farmers and rural families in South Grenville have somewhere to turn to during difficult times.
The Farm Line, a Brockville-based call desk staffed on a rotation basis, employs four counsellors and is available weekdays from 8:30 am to 8 pm. Manager Alice Koekkoek stated in a news release the line has handled about 1,000 calls since being launched 14 months ago by the Ontario Farm Women's Network. Calls have dealt with everything from illness and isolation to divorce and the threat of foreclosure.
"The calls are referred on to professionals in the field... unless the callers are simply looking for a sympathetic voice on the other end of the line," Koekkoek said.
The toll-free number to call the Farm Line is 1-888-451-2903.
The non-profit service recently announced it has been given $30,000 from Bell Canada's community development fund.
BROCKVILLE - Six new patients will be able to receive dialysis services in Leeds and Grenville beginning next month, MPP Bob Runciman has announced.
Bayshore Centre Ltd. in Brockville will be serving additional patients as of March 9. Scheduling arrangements will allow for 24 regular patients.
PRESCOTT - Officers with the Prescott Police Service investigated 38 general incidents and one motor vehicle accident between Feb. 17 and Feb. 23, according to a news release.
A 38-year-old Prescott man was charged following a Feb. 23 incident downtown. Town police received a complaint at about 2:30 am; a man with a knife had reportedly threatened persons behind a business in the King Street area. Sometime later, a man was arrested at his apartment without incident. The man, whose name was not included in the release, was charged with threatening death and possession of a weapon.
An arrest was made in connection with a case of theft reported earlier this month. Prescott police investigated the theft of a leather coat at South Grenville District High School. A 16-year-old female was charged with theft, possession of stolen property and breach of probation. She is scheduled to appear in court March 2.
Town police also investigated two cases of fraud that occurred Feb. 13 and Feb. 15 at a business on King Street. An unnamed 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of fraud. He is to appear today in Brockville court.
Anyone with information on these cases or any criminal activity in town is asked to contact the Prescott Police Service at 925-4252 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
By Jane Fullarton
Roebuck Community Hall was the setting Sunday, Feb. 24 for a celebration for retired Fire Chief Fred Boisvert and his wife Mona Boisvert. Hosted by the Augusta Fire Department and the Township of Augusta, this special afternoon for two special people celebrated the Boisverts' 42 years of dedicated service to Augusta Township.
The afternoon was an opportunity for family, residents, friends and colleagues to congratulate the Boisverts on their accomplishments and to thank them for all of their hard work.
Boisvert started with the Augusta department in 1960, one year after he moved to Maitland from Brockville. He became fire chief in 1978, a position he held for 23 years.
The Augusta Township Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1957 and was headquartered in Maitland on Church Street. In 1971 a second contingent formed in North Augusta to service the north part of the township. In his years with the department, Boisvert has seen many changes. The department has continued to improve its fleet and most recently has added the Jaws of Life to its equipment list.
Since the fire department is now a first responder, calls have continued to increase for vehicle fires and accidents as well as first response calls, but residential and structural fires are down. Boisvert is quick to share the credit for his success in the department with his excellent fire fighters and with Mona, his wife of 51 years.
The Boisverts were presented with gifts, plaques and scrolls in appreciation of their long service, including certificates from the federal and provincial governments, gifts from Mutual Aid, the Eastern Ontario Firefighters' Association, Prescott Fire Department, Leeds and Grenville Fire Chiefs' Association, Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and the Augusta Fire Department.
The Township of Augusta passed a bylaw proclaiming Frederick Joseph Boisvert Fire Chief Emeritus, and Mona Boisvert, Fire Chief Companion Emeritus. These are honourary lifetime appointments that serve to recognize with gratitude the contributions the Boisverts have made to the Augusta Fire Department and to life in Augusta Township.
PRESCOTT - It may be early in Prescott's 2002 budget process, but early indications point to the possibility of a property tax hike.
Councillor and finance committee chair Jim French said salary increases already approved by council will add about $45,000 to expenditures this year.
The new position of community services director is another addition to the expense side of the ledger.
"We have to make that up somehow," French said of the higher staffing costs.
Council members expected a full session of budget deliberations Monday night.
However, French noted some senior staff had yet to submit their budgets.
The councillor asked for a memo to be sent to senior staff indicating their input would not be included in council's deliberations if department budgets are not submitted by the end of next week.
Prescott council is scheduled to hold another budget session March 11.
Reassessment will mean the town can expect a reduction in tax revenue compared to last year. Municipal officials are reviewing user fees and other charges as part of the effort to generate additional revenue.
PRESCOTT - Well-known Prescott real estate agent Jan Iacurci, 55, died of a heart attack Saturday while driving near Mallorytown.
Leeds County OPP reported the accident occurred Saturday afternoon on Highway 401 eastbound at the Mallorytown exit.
A police report states the vehicle Iacurci was driving ran off the highway and continued approximately 150 metres south, where it struck a tree. Iacurci was alone in the vehicle; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy conducted Sunday at Brockville General Hospital confirmed the cause of death. Const. Sandra Barr said no witnesses to the accident had come forward as of Monday afternoon.
Iacurci was married to Pauline of Prescott, and was the father of Shawn of Spencerville and Angela of Prescott. He was the son of Celeste and the late Peter Iacurci.
Visitation will take place at the Chris Slater Funeral Home, Dibble Street West, Prescott, today (Wednesday) from 2 to 4 pm and from 7 to 9 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mark's Church, Prescott, Thursday, Feb. 28 at 11 am.
PRESCOTT - Members of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce have been more supportive of the Leeds-Grenville Physician Recruitment Task Force than their counterparts in Brockville, according to task force co-chair Bill Pakeman.
Chambers of commerce based in Brockville and Prescott sent a joint letter to members of each group asking for donations to the recruitment program. Pakeman, who is also past-president of the Prescott chamber, said last week "not one dollar" had been donated by Brockville members as of the most recent task force meeting. Between $1,700 and $1,800 had been donated by members of the smaller chamber in Prescott.
"We are outstripping the Brockville chamber in a big way," Pakeman said.
The task force has been seeking donations from municipal governments, business and service groups as part of its recruitment effort.
The Prescott chamber has now been asked by the task force to make a funding commitment of $1,000 per year for four years. The request has been referred to the chamber's finance committee.
BROCKVILLE - The Leeds and Grenville branch of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) will receive provincial funding to expand long-term care community support services, according to a news release issued Monday by MPP Bob Runciman.
The funding increase of nearly $34,000 applies to the 2001-2002 fiscal year and will be included in a new 2002-2003 service agreement between the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the VON, the release stated.
Community support services provided by the VON include diners' clubs, meals on wheels, foot-care clinics and friendly visits. The VON also provides wellness clinics, flu clinics for emergency services and businesses, veteran affairs assessments and paternity testing.
The local branch of the VON was recently awarded a three-year accreditation by the Canadian Council on Health Services.
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - The Prescott Public Library could always use a few more friends.
With a membership of nearly 3,000, the library is the largest club in Prescott. However, staff and volunteers are being called on to maintain the library at a time when government funding is limited and uncertainty over the future of the Dibble Street facility continues to mount.
The library has an annual budget of approximately $68,000; most of its funding comes from the town and province, although there are some donations by individuals and organizations. The Friends of the Prescott Public Library group was formed to seek additional support for the facility.
In a letter addressed to community partners, Friends group chairperson Evelyn Dales states the library needs financial support to continue to provide the current level of services and up-to-date reading materials.
"We recognize that there are many competing interests asking for your contributions but we ask that you consider the valuable services the library provides all residents of Prescott and area when making donations this year," she writes.
Dales, a former town councillor, told The Journal in a recent interview this is not the first time the library has appealed for community funding. "This year, we thought we needed to do that," she said.
The municipality was advised last month its application for SuperBuild funding for library renovations had not been approved; although the province advised the town it could use an extension to submit additional material to strengthen its original application, council opted not to pursue the matter.
Dales said she was disappointed but not surprised the funding application was denied. The decision could have been expected given the uncertainty caused by council's inability to decide on an option for town hall and the library, according to Dales.
"We're not a priority in the minds of some of the council members," she said.
The Friends group collaborates with the library board appointed by town council. Dales, who is also a board member, noted staff do "a darn good job" with the limited resources they have; however, Dales believes the Prescott library is not equipped to meet the 21st-century expectations of the public. Limited space and resource materials will not further the cause of trying to attract new residents to Prescott, she noted.
Library supporters have no choice but to seek the community's help if governments are unable to meet those expectations, Dales added.
Although the Friends group is hoping an existing community group will come forward and seek a partnership of some kind with the library, there is also a need for individuals willing to lend a helping hand. Whether it is suggesting ideas or working on fundraising activities, Dales indicated the Friends group welcomes all the support it can get.
"You don't have to give out a lot of time," she said.
Donations to the Friends of the Prescott Public Library are tax-deductible; receipts will be issued for donations of more than $10.
For more information, call the library at 925-4340.
Chairperson Evelyn Dales
SOUTH GRENVILLE - World Day of Prayer services will take place this Friday, March 1 at 2 pm in Prescott and Spencerville.
The Prescott service will take place at St. Paul's United Church, corner of Dibble and George streets. St. Andrew's-Knox Presbyterian Church is the site of the Spencerville service.
The World Day of Prayer is an annual ecumenical service held on the first Friday in March. Founded in 1920 by women in Canada and the United States, the worldwide service focuses on a different country each year.
Participants in this year's World Day of Prayer will learn about Romania and its unique culture and heritage as they gather to pray and take action in solidarity with the people of this Eastern European nation.
The Women's Inter-Church Council of Canada co-ordinates the World Day of Prayer in this country; the council's Web site address is www.wicc.org.
By Colin Boag
PRESCOTT - When the Joe Trio came on stage at St. Andrew's Church in Prescott Thursday evening, they appeared like your conventional classical music trio. The pianist, Allen Stiles, cellist Laura McPheeters and violinist Cameron Wilson were dressed in classical dark attire. The illusion was shattered when they opened with a tongue-in-cheek arrangement of O Canada, during which they requested the audience to remain seated. As subsequently explained by violinist and arranger Wilson, the piece was properly entitled "Joe Canada." More was to come.
The occasion was the third concert in the 2001/2002 season of the Fort Town Concert Association, with the evening being sponsored by local chiropractor, Dr Gauri Shankar.
The trio's day started earlier when, dressed somewhat more informally, they gave a concert at St. Joseph School in Prescott in front of, or more correctly surrounded by, grades 4, 7 and 8. It was evident the trio was very much at home in this millieu and their own enjoyment in performing was soon transmitted to the audience. Their rendition of Joe Canada immediately caught the imagination of the students.
Over the next hour the young audience listened intently, laughed and applauded as the trio led them through 200 years of serious and not so serious music using a combination of story telling, expressive body language and skillful playing. An enjoyable and not coincidentally an educational experience.
Unlike the students, the evening audience didn't know quite what to make of Joe Canada as evidenced by their polite applause. Part of the reason could be attributed to the presentation which came across as somewhat strained and mechanical. It was followed by an original composition written for the trio by Doug Smith. This work allowed each member of the Trio to demonstrate their own individual skills which they did admirably. But the work itself was difficult to enjoy.
The mood of the concert changed after the intermission with an emotionally powerful rendition of Anton Dvoraks "Dumky Trio." This was serious music, played skillfully, straight from the heart and justifiably was very well received. From this point on, audience and musicians came together and enjoyed the mostly light-hearted, clever and well-executed arrangements by violinist Wilson closing with the work "Orange Blossom Zorbet," a mixture of the theme from Zorba the Greek and The Orange Blossom Special. Following a standing ovation the audience went home humming the haunting melody of Jay Unger's "Ashokan Farewell."
In summary, a slow start to an entertaining evening by three gifted musicians.
The final concert in the 2001/2 season, on Tuesday, April 2, will see a performance of Mozart's opera, Cosi Fan Tutte with the singers of the Atelier Lyrique de L'Opera de Montreal.
By Judith MacLean
The cadets of 661 Lt. W.F. Sharpe Squadron, the staff and sponsoring committee want to give a big well done to our range team that came in sixth out of 13 at the regional range competition held in Kingston last month. This is the first time this team has competed together. Congratulations to Sgt. C. MacLean, Sgt. R. Harding, Cpl. S. Laird, Cpl. J. Giroux and Lac. M. Bailey.
March will again be a busy month with many activities scheduled. March 5 and 26 will be regular training nights; March 19 is the CO's parade. There will be no regular cadet meeting March 12 due to March Break, but a special sporting activity is being planned and will be announced to the cadets; this will not be at SGDHS due to the break.
Exertion practices will continue on March 2 and 16, with the exertion competition taking place March 22-24 in Kingston.
The senior cadets will compete for the annual range trophy March 3.
The sponsoring committee will be holding its next meeting March 7. Any parents or other adults interested in assisting the squadron are invited to contact our chairman, J. Ring, at 925-2748 for more details.
The cadets will be out and about March 30 doing their tag day.
The squadron band is interested in obtaining additional musical instruments. Anyone with musical instruments in good condition and that could be donated or purchased at a reasonable price is encouraged to contact the squadron.
Please remember Air Cadets is open to all youth ages 12-18. We meet weekly on Tuesday evenings in Gym C at SGDHS. We can be contacted at 925-0246 or by e-mail at 661_air@cadets.net.
RIVERVIEW HEIGHTS - Michele Charland hopes visitors to the Big River Road House will feel right at home.
The bar manager of the new business located on County Road 2 at Merwin Lane is pleased with the initial response to the venture which features live blues performers, something she notes has been missing from the area.
"We want to bring the blues to people who don't get it," she said.
The road house is owned by Jay Larocque, Charland's father. He had been looking for a location for some time before choosing the Prescott area, she said. The interior of the building that has in the past housed a golf centre, market and bar has been renovated; Charland added more improvements are in the works. The business is starting with a staff of about nine full- and part-time workers.
The main dining area seats 100; in addition to the bar, stage area and dance floor, there is a smaller room with two pool tables and dart boards. The road house also has a third pool table and a number of TVs for sporting events. The menu includes a variety of finger foods and entrées from the new kitchen, as well as daily specials. Larocque said staff are always open to suggestions.
With a variety of blues performers from Canada and the United States each Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Charland hopes the road house will attract customers from throughout Eastern Ontario and Northern New York.
The road house was sold out on its Valentine's Day opening.
"We're just getting to know our clientele. We've had a lot of good comments," Charland said.
"We just want people to feel at home," she said.
For now, the road house is open Wednesday to Saturday from 4 pm to 2 am. The hours of operation will change with seasons, Charland expects.
Plans are in the works to build a deck and make full use of the view of the St. Lawrence.
The road house is now offering line dancing Wednesday nights.
BOUNDARY STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL - Staff are busy working on report cards for the second term. Report cards go home Tuesday, March 5.
On Friday, March 1, the hot lunch will be subs.
Our fundraiser kick-off will take place Monday, March 4 at the school.
CENTENNIAL '67/NORTH EDWARDSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS Good luck to our intermediate boys' and girls' basketball teams competing in the regionals at St. Michael's and NGDHS.
On Tuesday, the students participated in their own version of the Winter Olympics. Cross-graded groups representing different countries enjoyed a variety of outdoor challenges.
CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL Congratulations to both the boys' and girls' basketball teams that won their divisions in the tournament Saturday. The boys went on to win the gold medal.
The hot lunch this week is nuggets. Thursday is jersey day.
ST. MARK CATHOLIC SCHOOL Parents who are members of our three local parishes (St. Mark, Prescott; St. Laurence O'Toole, Spencerville; Sacred Heart, Cardinal) are reminded to call the school to register for junior kindergarten in September (youngsters who will be four years old by Dec. 31, 2002).
A school council meeting will take place this Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 pm in the gym; all parents are welcome.
Our last skating opportunity of the year is Friday, March 1 at the regular times.
Hot lunch this week is hamburgers; next week is pizza.
Star Strategy this week is "Word Play With Beginning and Ending Sounds."
PRESCOTT - Fort Wellington is once again offering a March Break program for children between the ages of eight and 13.
The national historic site has four afternoon sessions planned in the historic setting of the fort's original blockhouse.
The first of these will take place Monday, March 11 when youngsters can enlist in the "New Recruits" program to become a soldier in the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment.
The recruits will get some first-hand experience by helping a soldier prepare for battle, shine a soldier's boots, make their own soldier's hat and much more.
"Fort Pleasures and Pastimes" is the theme of the Tuesday session which will be filled with traditional crafts and games of a bygone era.
"Afternoon Archeologists" will be offered Wednesday and Thursday to close out the March Break program.
Children will be able to dig up the dirt on Fort Wellington's past and become detectives when they explore history through hands-on activities with original artifacts.
The fort can accommodate 25 participants per session; given the overwhelming response to previous programs offered at Fort Wellington, the public is urged to sign up early.
Snacks will be provided. A small fee will be charged at each session.
For more information or to register for the March Break program, contact Elizabeth LeBlanc at 925-4746, extension 104.
BROCKVILLE - The Leeds-Grenville Green Parties of Canada and Ontario have nominated veteran party member Peter Bevan-Baker as their candidate in the next provincial election.
Bevan-Baker was chosen at a joint annual general meeting Feb. 19 at St. Lawrence College in Brockville.
The veteran party member was acclaimed.
"The platforms of the established parties are riddled with incoherence - with ideas that conflict and policies that work against each other," Bevan-Baker said during his acceptance speech.
"In short, (they have) no integrated vision of where we are or where we might be going."
He concluded by saying he is not just running to educate people, but is running to win.
In a news release, constituency association President Jerry Heath noted 2001 was a successful year for the organization with a significant growth in membership and fundraising.
A series of public meetings will be held throughout the constituency over the next year along with a fundraising jazz concert in June, according to the release.
EDWARDSBURGH - Grenville County OPP are seeking the public's assistance in connection with vandalism at the North Channel Cemetery east of Johnstown. On Feb. 24, OPP received a report two tombstones had been overturned. A wreath was also removed from a tombstone and placed in a tree. It is unknown when the damage occurred, according to police; recent warm weather meant no footprints or other evidence was left at the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact Constable Foley at the detachment in Prescott (925-4221) or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
AUGUSTA - A Smiths Falls man was charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident following an incident that occurred Feb. 11 at the intersection of county roads 15 and 21. Constable Tavares of the Grenville County OPP detachment responded to a collision report; a vehicle travelling westbound on County Road 21 failed to stop at the intersection and struck a tree. Two male occupants of the vehicle reportedly fled the scene in a red pick-up truck. Two males were later picked up by an ambulance in Jasper and transported to hospital in Smiths Falls where they were located and interviewed by the constable. Terry Harper, 34, was charged and is scheduled to appear in court March 5.
EDWARDSBURGH - A wood splitter was stolen from a shed on County Road 22. Police believe the theft took place during the week prior to Feb. 21. The 5-hp unit with the American brand name is valued at $2,000. No evidence was collectable at the scene due to recent warm weather, according to a news release.
PRESCOTT - A call from a tow truck operator led Ontario Provincial Police to what they believe is an illegal shuttle bus operation. The call was received Feb. 14 by Constable Boutilier; the truck operator had just assisted a van full of people and the vehicle had been towed to the Canadian Tire outlet in Prescott. A police investigation concluded the van was being operated as a shuttle from Toronto to Montreal. Chadhary S. Hussain, 45, of Montreal was charged under the Public Vehicles Act with operating a public vehicle for fare without an operating licence. The Ministry of Transportation is involved in the ongoing investigation.
PRESCOTT - The organizing committee of next month's midget "AA" tournament in Prescott says it needs help running the competition.
Tracy Swan, director of publicity for the midget tournament, says volunteers are needed to help with the hospitality room, oversee the door and handle security, among other things. Billets for out-of-town players, girls to help with the "three stars" presentations and children to carry team flags in the opening ceremonies are also needed. The tournament will be held the weekend of March 22-24 at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.
To volunteer or for more information, call Swan at 925-3686.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit urges South Grenville residents to understand the role nutrients play in overall health and how to get adequate amounts of nutrients by choosing a variety of healthy foods.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual program created to communicate messages about healthy eating.
This year's theme is the "ABCs of Healthy Eating" and will focus on providing information to Canadians about certain key nutrients, such as vitamins and calcium.
"Healthy eating not only improves overall health and energy levels, it also helps us look good, feel great, and perform at our best," a release from the Health Unit states.
"The relationship between nutrition and health is fascinating - but can also be very confusing. Often we read about certain buzz words... without fully understanding what they are, and why they are important to our health."
National Nutrition Month also promotes registered dietitians as a trusted source of credible information on nutrition and healthy eating.
For more information on nutrition and healthy eating, Nutrition Month, or local community events, call the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit's Health Action Line at 345-5685 or toll-free at 1-800-660-5853 and ask to speak to a registered dietitian.
Nutrition information is also available at the health unit's Web site: www.healthunit.org.
Rev. John Reynolds, commenting on the proposed South Grenville food bank
A WASTE OF ENERGY: Door-to-door salespeople used to be known for peddling vacuum cleaners and chocolate-covered almonds, but electricity is the newest product being sold in neighbourhoods throughout Ontario. The energy market may officially be open to competition as of May 1, but sales pitches are being made at the doorstep and over the phone in what is shaping up to be a confusing free-for-all that has police services fielding calls from concerned citizens.
More often than not, the sound reasoning behind deregulation gets lost in the bitter after-taste resulting from theory being overwhelmed by reality. Many people and almost all businesses would prefer to see less government interference in their lives.
Deregulation of the airline industry did not make things better for passengers. In many cases, the public has been left with fewer if any choices when it comes to less-travelled routes. The events of Sept. 11 may indeed have been a crushing blow to the industry, but things were already getting out of hand.
Having more options from which to choose sounds pretty good, but the true costs of opening the marketplace are never realized until after change has been implemented. Yes, Ontario Hydro had accumulated a debt of about $30 billion before the province chopped the utility into smaller pieces. Most of us would rather not return to a time when we had to wait until 11 pm or weekends to make long-distance telephone calls and be able to afford them. However, California's rolling blackouts and energy anxiety burnout provided North Americans with a classic example of how some sectors should not be permitted to oversee themselves unless the government can ensure customers will not be hurt by the change. Ontario may have already set the wheels in motion for deregulation, but a growing number of people are worried a shaky economy could be derailed once the marketplace dictates the flow and cost of energy.
THE BENEFITS OF WORKING TOGETHER: South Grenville prides itself on its volunteer spirit. A local example is the Rotary Club of Prescott, which has developed a partnership with Forwarders' Museum. The Rotarians have offered to do what they can to support the municipally-owned museum.
Although preliminary plans call for the South Grenville food bank to be a separate entity not directly affiliated with any particular service club or local agency, several groups have come forward to offer their support in establishing and running a food bank.
For those who have time to offer but are not sure where to turn, the Volunteer Bureau of Leeds and Grenville can point them in the right direction. The bureau is a United Way agency that recruits volunteers and refers them to opportunities that suit their interests.
For more information, contact the bureau at 342-7040.
Tim Ruhnke
Jon Kuiperij
So Canada is atop the hockey world. Our men's Olympic hockey team's 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon over the United States ended a half-century gold medal drought. And, as if that wasn't enough, our women's team knocked off the U.S.A. last Thursday to win its first Olympic gold.
It won't get much sweeter than this, beating our neighbours to the South, twice, to recapture the coveted monicker as the world's top hockey power.
Of course, the popular joke is that our ladies deserved two gold medals, one for beating the Americans and the other for overcoming the horrendous officiating. And perhaps U.S. men's head coach Herb Brooks is thinking twice about calling the Canadian dump-and-chase style "stupid." As Homer Simpson would say, "stupid like a fox."
Then again, many of us were questioning the Canadian style, even the Canadian talent, after Sweden hammered the Canucks in the opening game of the men's Olympic tournament. But, after struggling to beat Germany and needing a late goal to tie the Czech Republic, our boys went on to steamroll their way to gold, allowing four goals in its final three games while scoring 14.
Now perhaps there will be no outcry across the country for reassessment of how we play or coach our game. Perhaps everything is once again right with the Canadian style.
Or maybe there never was anything wrong with it after all.
Despite 50 years without Olympic gold, we have been leaders of the hockey world since inventing the game over a century ago. More than 500,000 Canadians are playing minor hockey this year, while research has shown hockey is the activity of choice for more than two million Canadians.
According to the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA), four-and-a-half million Canadians are involved in hockey as coaches, players, officials, administrators or direct volunteers. The CHA also says there are more than one-and-a half million games played and two million practices every year, and there are more than 3,000 arenas in Canada.
Although the numbers have decreased over the years, Canadians still comprise more than 52 per cent of the players in the National Hockey League. Conversely, approximately 15 per cent of NHL players are American; even two of the players on the U.S. men's hockey team were Canadian-born Brett Hull and Adam Deadmarsh.
If you were to assemble three hockey teams from each of the six major hockey powers in the world, there is no doubt Canada's third squad would dominate the third team any other country could put together.
Not only do we have quality, but we also have quantity. That's what has always made us hockey's leader.
Too bad it takes Olympic gold for us to remember that.
John A.H. Morris
The news that both junior and senior football will return to South Grenville DHS this fall brings back a flood of old high school football memories both at old PHS and at South Grenville during the 60s and 70s which, we believe, produced the school's best teams.
Our playing days date back to the early 50s at old PHS. Our practices were held on the lot behind the school (present municipal building) after 4 pm every day, rain or shine. Games were played at the fort field on Friday afternoons with both home and visiting players dressing at the school and then making their way on foot six blocks along Dibble Street to the fort field.
Most of the school body (about 100 students once the 20 football players and 30 members of the girls marching band were subtracted from the full enrolment figure) attended the games. We may not have had such hot football teams but we were the only school in Eastern Ontario that had its own marching band in attendance for a half time show and to lead us in a parade up the main street after the games... But only if we won. When we lost we snuck back to the school along Dibble Street, hoping the visiting team had finished using the one communal shower and had vanished by the time we got there.
Those teams back in the 1950s were as close to being a "gang of little rascals" as one could find, varying in size from Peter Morris, then at about 5',2" and 110 lbs., to big Alvin "Monk" Hanna at 6', 250 lbs., and every size imaginable in between. We had coaches back then, but in name only. In our five years of high school football we never had a coach who knew anything about the fundamentals of the game. What instruction there was came from the senior players, who had learned from the previous senior players, who had learned...
Our equipment was a joke!
Although we sometimes had 20 players on a team we only ever had about 10 matching helmets. The rest were made of leather or of pressed cardboard. Less than half the team had spiked football boots. The rest played in running shoes which were useless once you reached the baseball diamond on the south-east corner of the field, or tried to run uphill on the Sydenham school field.
The biggest mystery that still bothers us to this day is who provided the fresh oranges, quartered and served each player at half time, which were as much a tradition as the stick of Spearmint gum each player received just before the opening kick-off and again at the end of the half time break.
There must have been a fund of some sorts that provided such luxuries. We mention this because fun we had lots of, but funds we didn't. Each fall the school board -- Dr. Perry Walker, Gerry Freeman, Ted Black, Bob Armstrong, Louis Fischl, Harry Clark and Harry Ranson -- used to authorize the purchase of one new game ball for the football team and new game balls each for the girls and boys basketball teams.
Looking back on this, guarding the game balls must have been the coach's main responsibility. Football team coach-math teacher Sid Katz used to allot us two or three soft and out-of-shape, previous years' "game balls" for each practice, so the only time we got to handle a hard, properly-shaped football was during the Friday afternoon games, leaving the PHS ball handlers at a definite disadvantage.
Maybe it was these frugal times in PHS history that dictated the play selection of the 1950 football team. This team went through the entire season with primarily just two plays, one on the ground and one in the air. The ground game, an ugly yard-gainer, was a quarterback sneak with quarterback Jim "Runt" Tobin carrying the ball behind snapper Allan "Grog" McLean with linemen Roy Landon, Ray Crowder, Ron Gill and Jack Morris and halfbacks Jack Render and Pat "Bones" Gilson pushing them. This sneak was good for five to seven yards each carry. The one-play aerial attack featured a short jump pass over the centre from QB Tobin to flying wing Don "Daffy" Caloren. Another ground play was a hand-off to fullback Bob "Rastus" Whitley, which seldom went further than the line of scrimmage. The team had another play, used primarily to scare opponents when the tertiary got too close to the line of scrimmage. This was a pass from Tobin to end Don "Stoney" Brooks. Trouble with this was that "Stoney" was exceptionally fast and "Runt" had a short arm which resulted in the pass always falling short of its mark.
The fastest player on that team was Rastus Whitley and three of the best tacklers were Dick Quinn, Grog McLean and Ray Severson.
Here are some interesting rules of this game played 50 years ago. There was no blocking downfield beyond a yard from the line of scrimmage, except for the flying wing, as long as he lined up a yard behind the line of scrimmage and outside the end. Blocking was not allowed on kick-offs and punt returns.
Touchdowns were worth five points and to score the ball carrier had to cross the goal line and touch the ball on the ground. If he was tackled in the end zone and the ball came loose before he touched it down, it was ruled a fumble. A convert was worth only one point whether kicked, run or passed into the end zone. A team had to have seven players on the line of scrimmage on both offence and defence. The ball carrier was ruled down not where his forward motion was stopped, but when he was actually downed, so it was possible to push or drag a player back 10 or 12 yards before he was ruled "tackled", or downed.
Rules governing high school football today cover the safety features of equipment and outline the equipment each player must have. With the football program on the shelf the past couple of years at South Grenville coaches estimate it could take about $35,000 to get the program up and running again, all of which will have to come from fundraising programs. The Journal will keep you football alumni informed on how you can help about 80 or 90 young guys have as much fun playing the game as you had.
The Editor;
I'm with Mayor Robert Lawn, sort of. From the lyrics of Jody Mitchell's song Big Yellow Taxi, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone."
True, the lament is from one of the many, who like your sons and daughters, took the direct path of further education straight through one of Fort Town's exits.
That doesn't mean that we took all of our hearts with us. Not many of us realized just how strong and treasured our memories would be. So yes, it's a millennium later, there are realities, and we don't live there any more - but you did keep the clock.
Could I suggest that those keepers of our past at least keep the façade of the Prescott High School (complete with Girls' and Boys' entrances) and last Armouries for the IV Princess Louise Dragoon Guards (C Squadron).
Remember, a lot of us first fell in love with someone in that building. Others of us hit our first "home run" on the ball field on the north side of the property. If it's to be totally obliterated, let it be in the next millennium.
Carl R. Young, Corner Brook, NF
The Editor;
Interesting to note a "Prescott" connection to the movie "Snow Dogs." Prescott is my home town, and my son, Christopher Rothfelder, (grandson of Eileen and the late Grover Fisher) worked on the filming of this movie in Canmore, Alberta.
Chris, 25, is an assistant camera operator working out of Vancouver, B.C. He worked on this movie as part of the second crew, which was responsible for the filming of all the stunt shots and all of the mountain and panoramic shots. The stunts were shot from Canmore in the winter of 2001.
Currently, Chris is working with the same crew, filming the movie "Dreamcatchers" (from the Stephen King book) starring Morgan Freeman. Small world...
Stephanie Sutherland (Fisher)
Fort McMurray, Alberta
The Editor;
It was reported a few weeks ago that "business was as usual at Hathaway Shirts." For many of us all was not "business as usual" whether we were called back to work or not. Now we would like to set the record straight.
For 11 months we knew that Hathaway Canada was up for sale and we worked under the stress of knowing what was going to happen. During this period, all employees participated in work sharing, and when this ended in November we still did not know what was going to happen.
The situation worsened at Christmas. Thanks to management in place at this time, our pay cheques were current and included any holidays owing to us. Personal items were removed from our offices. The New Year started with a three-day unpaid layoff. If we did not get a phone call, we were to return to work Jan. 7. Everyone returned to work.
This was when it was reported in the newspapers all was well. It was not!
We again got paid up until Jan. 18 and between 4 and 4:30 pm that day we were advised not to return to work unless we got a phone call. At this point we knew that Hathaway Canada Ltd. was going into receivership with another company waiting in the wings to purchase.
On Jan. 22, the new owners started recalling certain employees with job offers. These job offers eliminated most senior employees. Those accepting positions returned to two weeks holiday, different and or increased work responsibilities with less pay in most cases. Senior staff was left in limbo no notice, no job offer, no termination pay and no severance pay. Absolutely nothing! These employees had put in 20-35 years of loyal, dedicated service.
Hathaway Canada Ltd. was owned by Hathaway Holdings and headed up by former Governor John McKernan of Portland, Maine. We are happy the company is still operational and that the Hathaway name continues to be prominent.
We do feel very disillusioned that our receivership/bankruptcy laws allow manipulation of a situation to completely and cold-heartedly ignore long-term employees. We believe that these laws were not made to ignore the workers. We demand sound corporate conduct and accountability.
On behalf of all staff, Pat Lemaire, Susan Daigle, Jackie Wood
Ryan Murdock
I am often asked about Japanese religion. Here's a brief summary in 600 words or less.
Shinto is Japan's indigenous religion. The characters in the name translate to "Way of the Gods." It arose as a form of ancestor worship in Japan's distant past, and at times seems more like a collection of superstitions than a religion. It has no founder, no written doctrine, and no real rules.
The focal point is the innumerable pantheon of gods, called "kami." They are usually natural features like waterfalls, mountains, or trees, but they can also be the deified spirits of important people. Shrines are erected in places considered especially sacred. Placating the kami ensures good fortune. With such an abundance of gods it's no exaggeration to say that in Japan there are shrines everywhere.
Shrine architecture is uniform. The entrance is set off by a tall gateway called a "torii." Walking beneath the torii and into the shrine precinct purifies the worshipper. One building is the main sanctuary, the seat of the kami, and there are usually several other ancillary buildings. Visitors pray by walking up to the main building and tossing a coin in the collection box.
They pull a rope to ring the bell, summoning the attention of the kami; they bow two times, clap their hands, and bow once more.
There are no regular masses or services of worship, though the shrine is the focal point of important yearly festivals. Worshippers can also buy various good luck talismans at the shrine, or can have their fortune told by drawing numbered sticks from a box.
The history of Japan is intertwined with Shinto. The few written Shinto texts consist of myths of the origins of Japan and the Japanese people. The Emperor was considered a kami, and elaborate rituals involving the Imperial Family have been handed down and practised for centuries. It wasn't until 1945, at the insistence of the American occupation forces, that the Emperor publicly renounced his godhood and explained to the nation that he was human and not divine.
The other main religion in Japan is Buddhism. Originating in India, it was brought to Japan from China and Korea in the middle of the sixth century. Until the twelfth century it was mainly the ruling classes that practised Buddhism; after that time it spread to the general population. Numerous teachings were imported at different periods and the religion split into several sects.
Zen is probably the most important sect for understanding Japan. It involves the use of meditation to transcend all physical and emotional desires, thus attaining enlightenment. Zen seemed especially suited to the Japanese character, and over the centuries it had an important influence on the arts - notably tea ceremony, flower arranging, martial arts, calligraphy, and garden design.
Today Japanese people attend Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples for different occasions, seeing no contradiction in the beliefs. People visit shrines on New Year's Day, when babies are born, for weddings and for festivals. Buddhist ceremonies are held for funerals and for ancestral rites. It's mainly empty ritual; the vast majority of Japanese will tell you that they have no religion.
Finally, Christianity has a very small presence in Japan. It was first brought here by Portuguese and Spanish missionaries in the 16th Century. They had some initial success in making conversions, but when Japan closed its doors to the outside world in 1638 Christianity was banned. Missionaries and converts were tortured and killed. Today 0.7 per cent of the population is Christian, from various denominations and sects.
***
Editor's Note: This is 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.
By Marnie Lippiatt
Join us for a pot luck lunch this Friday, March 1 at noon. Everyone is welcome. Please bring something for the lunch table. Joyce Brown from Lansdowne will be speaking in the afternoon on the reasons for having your personal effects appraised. She will also be appraising a few antique pieces of glass and claywear.
Our second basket weaving class will be held Monday, March 4 at 6:30 pm. The participants will have the choice of baskets or plan their own shape of basket. As members of Walker House the class will be free with a small charge for materials. Please call 925-5300 for information and to register.
Card game winners: Monday bridge 1st, Eleanor Hatch; 2nd, Mary Singleton; door prize, Eleanor Hatch. Tuesday night cribbage high hand, Jeannine Marion and Eleanor Gilligan; high score, Pete Lowry; 2nd, Jeannine Marion; 3rd, Eleanor Gilligan. Thursday night euchre 1st, Jean McCrady; 2nd, Jessie Shaver; 3rd, Jean Annable and Hilda Hutton; door prize, Eleanor Gilligan.
LEEDS AND GRENVILLE - A program for family members dealing with a relative's brain disorder will be offered this spring.
The 12-week course will begin in April; classes will be held one night each week in a neutral setting in Brockville. Trained family members will teach the course which balances education and skills training with self-care and emotional support, according to the Leeds and Grenville branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
The family-to-family education program originates from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, an organization that has helped more than 30,000 people become better informed of the illnesses affecting their relatives. These illnesses include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Course materials and reading handouts will be provided at no cost to family members. Class size is limited; call (613) 345-0950 to register.
CARDINAL A World Day of Prayer service will be held Friday afternoon at St. John's United Church in Cardinal.
The co-ordinating group in Cardinal has representation from Sacred Heart Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal, Free Methodist, Presbyterian and United churches. The service will begin at 2 pm; similar services will be held in Spencerville and Prescott at that time.
With the Eastern European nation of Romania being the focus of this year's service, Jill Patrick of Cardinal will be the guest speaker. Patrick spent time in Romania last year doing missionary work.
The World Day of Prayer is an annual ecumenical service and has been held the first Friday in March since 1920. Participants of the service will learn about Romania, its unique culture and heritage as well as join Christians in 200 countries in praying for the country's people.
For more information, call Beryl Riddell at 657-3113 or Rev. Arlyce Schiebout at 657-4702.
Peggy Taylor
At the council meeting of Feb. 18, council discussed the cost-sharing formula for the Prescott waste water treatment plant project.
I am assuming that those attending the project meetings include the clerk-treasurer, mayor and deputy mayor. What council was presented with Feb. 18 was the cost summary and the engineer's report on population estimates.
The cost sharing is based on the acceptance of the population estimates. The engineer's estimate of actual population in 2016 has Prescott at 56 per cent (5,650 persons), Augusta at 20 per cent (2,000 persons) and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal at 24 per cent (2,370 persons).
My concern for Ward One is that the cost for this project should be shared within the area that will benefit from the project. The Village of Cardinal paid for the waste water treatment plant in the village and only those residents making use of it shared the cost. It's not fair to ask them to pay for this project too.
My concerns for the whole of the township is that we should also be aware of the fact ratepayers need to know what will be expected from them in the future. The projections of growth do not reflect the population now and that is the population which will have to cost share.
I'm in agreement with paying 24 per cent of the cost of the engineer's study ($12,864), but when it comes to paying 24 per cent of the project (estimated at $799,200) using an estimated population to determine costs, that's a bit different.
If operating costs of the plant will be apportioned based on actual flow, then there may be a way for the members who are working on the project to have the municipalities agree to alter the contract so that the construction costs for the final project could be pro-rated on actual use. If there is, I'd like someone to find it. If there isn't, then we bite the bullet and accept the contract.
It would be shameful to pay 24 per cent of the costs of building it and be apportioned usage fees of three per cent.
There are variables other than population at work in determining actual usage. If Prescott is like Cardinal, they would have storm water being treated by the waste water treatment plant and that could increase their percentage use. If New Wexford and Johnstown install new lines to reach the plant, these lines would hopefully be designed so that only sewage is being piped in for treatment.
This raises another concern for the area sharing the costs and that is that the $799,200 only covers the costs of building the facility. There are added costs of putting in the lines to take the waste to the treatment plant.
This brings me to a third concern: I am aware of the fact the waste water treatment plant in Cardinal treats storm water as well as waste and we are working on making changes to that with each new street that is worked on. I can only assume
Prescott may have a similar problem. If this is the case then they may use more than 56 per cent.
My final concern is that the public be informed their taxes may increase by $400 per year (Mayor Dobbie suggested that this may be the amount). It should not simply happen to them. They should not open their tax bills and say, "Wow there goes $400." They should know how much and where it's going to before they open their tax bill.
Peggy Taylor is a councillor for Ward One and may be reached at 657-1728 or e-mail: peggytaylor@ripnet.com.
By Jon Kuiperij - Journal Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE - It's hard to argue with results, and Brian Lawless' students certainly get them.
Three years ago, Annie Laurie-MacPherson, Andrew Killick and Amanda Bush began bagpipe lessons with Lawless for the Spencerville Legion Pipe Band. The three, known as Brian's "A" Team, have enjoyed tremendous success this winter season, each winning once at Ottawa District Branch of Piping and Pipe Band Society of Ontario knock-out contests.
Seventeen-year-old Cardinal-area resident Laurie-MacPherson, 11-year-old Killick of RR#3 Spencerville, and Bush, 16, of Prescott will compete in the final knock-out event of the season this weekend in Ottawa. Along with Scott Irving, 15, of RR#4 Spencerville, they also won a Quartet B competition in Kingston earlier this month.
"It is very gratifying to play a positive role in a young person's development," Lawless says. "To see them set goals and accomplish them, it's quite a feeling of pride."
Lawless and his wife, Karen Mahon, teach a dozen students at different levels of piping with lessons in Spencerville and Brockville.
"He picks our mistakes out, explains them to us and plays with us," Laurie-MacPherson says. "He takes a lot of the stress and pressure out of it."
Lawless says his teaching philosophy is to let his students assess themselves and work towards goals.
"We say amateur but not amateurish. There's no whip-cracking and the motivation is natural," he says. "A good student will pay attention, practice and show up. Those three factors tell you pretty quickly how (a student) is going to do."
CARDINAL - Organizers of Proclamation, the third annual reading aloud of the entire Bible, need volunteer readers for the reading next month in Cardinal.
The public reading will run from March 11 to March 21 at St. Paul's Anglican Church. Readings will be held daily from 7 am to 9 pm, except for March 17, when reading will be from 1 pm to 9 pm, and March 21, when reading will end at 4 pm.
The readings will alternate between St. Paul's Anglican Church and Philadelphia Pentecostal Church. This event is sponsored by the Cardinal Ministerial Association and the Canadian Bible Society.
Readers of all ages are welcome to participate. To volunteer or for more information, call Carolyn Hayman at 925-5865.
CARDINAL - St. John's United Church in Cardinal will be offering a special quiet time during this Lenten season for private meditation or prayers.
The sanctuary will be open Monday to Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. An attendant will be present for safety and security.
Ida Fischer died in the presence of her family Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002 at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, Brockville. She was in her 90th year. Her health had deteriorated suddenly in recent weeks.
She was born in Kreibitz-Neudorfel, Bezirk Warnsdorf, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia Sept. 28, 1912 to Heinrich and Maria Wenzel (nee Heinrich). After working in the small family bakery during her school years, she moved to the town of Barringen near Karlsbad to work as a domestic. It was here she met and married her beloved Anton and together they endeavoured to establish a small glove manufacturing business and to raise a family.
However, with the advent of Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland, and the ominous threat of war, Mr. and Mrs. Fischer and their two small boys, Henry and Kurt, fled first to England and then to Canada. Mr. Fischer's political and ideological beliefs placed them all in grave danger if they had remained in Czechoslovakia.
Within months of arriving in Prescott in 1939 the couple bought a farm near Crystal Rock, which remains the family homestead. It was here in 1943 that a third son, Garry, was born. Mrs. Fischer had become an accomplished glove sewer, and in her spare time, sewed gloves at home for the newly-established Louis Fischl Glove Co. in Prescott. She also was called in on numerous occasions to train local girls in both hand and machine sewing. Her skills in hand sewing of deer skin and fine kid gloves were without equal.
After the war, her farm home became a temporary haven for many newly-arrived friends and relatives seeking a new life in Canada away from war-torn Europe. Her life centred around home, family and friends, but travel and social gatherings were also favourites. Her enduring patience and warm compassionate ways endeared her to all who knew her.
Mrs. Fisher is survived by her three sons, Kurt (Una) of Nova Scotia, Henry (Gladys) of Crystal Rock, and Garry (Lorraine) of Ottawa. She was the cherished grandmother of Tara, Christopher, Karen (Jim), Connie, Stephen and Danny (Judy); great grandmother of Tawnya, Ryan, Leslie, Sherry, Wendy, Chris and Sheena. She is also survived by brother-in-law Joe Fischer (Lucille) of Montreal and sister-in-law Elisabeth Hofmann (Walter) of Prescott; Francisca Schraut, Marie Seehars and Emilie Fischer in Germany, as well as a number of nieces and nephews in Germany, Switzerland and the United States.
Mrs. Fischer was predeceased by her husband Anton; sisters Frieda Lowe, Anna Kuttig, and by brothers Heinz and Hans Wenzel.
At her request, there was no visitation or service at this time. Interment and a graveside memorial service will take place in the spring. Arrangements were entrusted to the Chris Slater Funeral Home, Prescott.
Donations to the palliative care unit of St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, Brockville, will be gratefully acknowledged by the family.
SOUTH GRENVILLE - Gift certificates for VON home support services are now available.
The VON is offering the certificates for birthdays, anniversaries or any occasion. They can be purchased for VON services, such as Diners Club, foot care clinics, the frozen meals on wheels program or for transportation.
For more information or to purchase a gift certificate, contact the VON at 342-3693.
BROCKVILLE - The City of Brockville is gearing up to host the prestigious fourth annual Global Traders Awards ceremony April 4.
The Eastern Region Ontario Global Traders Awards and Ontario Trade Day Forum will take place at the Royal Brock Hotel from 12:30 pm to 5 pm, with the award ceremony being held at the Brockville Art Centre from 7 to 10 pm.
The award recognizes the achievements of companies involved in world markets. Eight of the 48 company nominations in the eastern region are from Leeds and Grenville. The eastern region territory extends from the Peterborough and Port Hope area east to Renfrew County and the Quebec border.
The awards are being presented by the City of Brockville economic development office, Ontario Exports Inc. - the government of Ontario's lead trade agency - and RBC Financial Group.
Exports of goods and services generate more than $229 billion each year in Ontario, representing more than 51 per cent of Ontario's economy.
Similar regional award ceremonies will be held in Guelph March 21, Niagara Falls March 28, and North Bay April 11. Top exporters from each region will compete for top honours and a chance at the provincial awards to be announced May 15 in Toronto.
Awards are given in five categories: leadership, innovation, market expansion, partnership and student achievement. Eligible enterprises must be Ontario-based, export to one or more countries and have export sales that are at least 15 per cent of total sales. The companies must have annual sales of up to $50 million and have a maximum of 200 employees.
To register for the Ontario Trade Days Forum for a chance to network with other small and medium-sized exporters and entrepreneurs and review key export topics, call 342-8772, extension 445. For more information, visit www.ontario-canada.com/export.
By Jon Kuiperij - Journal Staff Writer
NORTH BAY - After initially being disappointed, Adam Gibson now sees some positives in the recent sale of the North Bay Centennials.
"It's a pretty good opportunity to start fresh next year," says the 17-year-old Centennials defenseman and Maynard native. "It's bittersweet for us. We're all going to miss North Bay."
The sale of the team to Saginaw, Michigan businessman Richard Garber was finalized by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) earlier this month. With the Centennials fighting to make the playoffs, Gibson says the players have not been filled in on all the details.
"All the guys are sad to be leaving," he says. "It will affect me... it will distance me (more) from my friends and family. I spent two years of my life growing up here. It was disappointing having to move at first and I thought about asking for a trade, but I wouldn't want a trade now."
Gibson says his team has struggled for the past two years and hopes the move will re-energize the franchise.
As of Monday, North Bay stood fourth in the OHL Central Division, one point ahead of the Kingston Frontenacs for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The five-foot-ten, 193-lb. Gibson was injured in a 4-1 victory over the Oshawa Generals Feb. 17 and will likely be out of action for a couple more weeks.
"It's really frustrating," he says about being sidelined at a crucial point of the season. "I feel kind of helpless."
However, Gibson is fairly happy with his play this season, especially since the new year. He is the second-highest scoring blueliner on North Bay with seven goals and 22 assists in 56 games this year. Nine of those points, including three goals, came in a recent 11-game stretch.
"I haven't done as much as I would like, but I've been feeling and playing better since Christmas," he says.
Gibson will enter this summer's National Hockey League entry draft in Toronto and is optimistic about his chances.
"I feel good about the draft," he says.
"If I do get drafted, it will probably be in the later rounds due to my size. If I don't get drafted, I'll just have to work harder."
Adam Gibson
PRESCOTT - Local firefighters are guaranteeing victory at tonight's Battle of the Badges hockey game, even if the scoreboard doesn't agree.
"We've got some really talented people, so is there any question?" asks Lorne Watling, a member of the Prescott Fire Department and a co-chair of the game. "We're going to win whether we win or not, through a fun game and funding for charity."
Prescott Fire Chief Bill Lawrence adds, "One way or another, we're going to win."
The game, pitting local firefighters against members of the Prescott Police, OPP Leeds-Grenville detachment and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is scheduled for 7 pm at the Leo Boivin Community Centre in Prescott.
Former NHLers Eddie Shack and Tiger Williams will participate in the game, Shack as a referee and Williams as a player for both teams.
Proceeds from the contest will go to Prevention Awareness for Life and the Police & Firefighters Fund in New York.
The firefighters' squad will feature three skaters from Cardinal and three more from Augusta, although Lawrence says it is not an effort to stack the team.
"It's a benefit game and it should all be in fun. We hope it will be close," he says. "Mr. Shack says he'd rather help the poor firemen than the guys with guns."
Prescott Police Constable Mike Lapensée guaranteed a police victory last week.
"The numbers at the end of the game should tell who has the better team," Watling laughs. "That'll be the fire department, because volunteers always do a better job."
PRESCOTT - Five-time Canadian bronze medalists Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe will be the guest skaters at the Prescott Figure Skating Club's Ice Show next month.
The competitive dance team is the reigning bronze medalist at the 2002 Canadian Nationals and also earned a bronze medal at this year's International Skating Union Four Continents in Jeonju City, Korea.
Wing and Lowe have skated together for more than 15 years and have been on the Canadian national team for six years.
The Ice Show will be held March 9 and 10 at the Leo Boivin Community Centre in Prescott.
PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Minor Hockey Association (SGMHA) is holding registration this week, due to upcoming changes in age divisions by the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA).
"We can't wait until September to book ice time; it's gone by then," SGMHA president Tracy Swan says. "A lot of other associations are doing the same thing."
Next year the midget level will consist of players age 15 to 17, instead of 16 to 18. Bantams will be 13 and 14, peewees will be 11 and 12, and atoms will be nine and 10 years old. It has yet to be determined whether novice will be open to seven- and eight-year-olds or just eight-year-olds.
Initiation will be for children ages five to seven.
The CHA is making the changes so players have to play a year of midget before going to the junior level.
Swan says the changes could cause the SGMHA to have three midget squads next year - minor, major and house - instead of two.
"We have to try to find ice for the possible extra time," he says. "There might be an extra midget team."
The first registration session was held last night (Tuesday) in Prescott. The last opportunity for players to sign up without being charged a late fee is Saturday from 9 am to noon at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.
SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville novice "C" Rangers won their opening game before dropping the semi-final at their tournament Sunday in Spencerville.
The Rangers knocked off Smiths Falls in their first game by a score of 2-1. Kyle McNamara and Cameron Symington scored the South Grenville markers.
In the afternoon, the Rangers fell 3-2 to Brockville and were eliminated from the competition.
Once again McNamara and Symington were the South Grenville snipers.
Brockville ended up winning the "A" final with a 3-2 victory over Muskrat; Akwesasne blanked Smiths Falls 5-0 in the "B" championship game. Teams from Morrisburg, South Stormont and North Dundas also participated.
Several Rangers did well at the tournament's skills competition held at noon.
Mitchell Taylor won best goalie honours, Scott Stephenson was the top shooter and Jeff Gaw and Trent Corney placed second in two-player relay.
SOUTH AUGUSTA - Ali Murray says she enjoyed her experience playing in the recent Ottawa District Women's Hockey Association (ODWHA) bantam "BB" all-star game.
"I kept up with them," she laughs. "I didn't score but I got a penalty, so I got my name on the game sheet. It was good to see what I might be up against (in higher levels.)"
Murray was on the winning side as her rural team downed the city all-stars 6-2.
The 15-year-old South Augusta resident, along with local teammates Ashley Charlebois, Emily Knapp, Katie Chant and cousin Stephanie Murray, plays for the Smiths Falls Cubs in the seven-team ODWHA loop. Murray says she has been asked to play "A" hockey, a higher level, but enjoys playing with her friends.
"I'd love to go as far as I could," she says, adding a university hockey scholarship is one of her goals. "I'd love to go to New Hampshire or Brown; those schools seem very supportive of women's hockey."
Murray plays right defense with the first-place Cubs, coached by her father Charlie Murray, but says she "can play pretty much anywhere." The South Grenville District High School Grade 10 student has played hockey for the past five years, including one "with the boys" as part of the South Grenville atom Rangers.
CARDINAL - The South Grenville atom "B" Rangers lived to fight another day.
The Rangers extended their first-round playoff series with Char-Lan on a game-tying goal by Zach Stitt with 11 seconds left Saturday in Cardinal.
It was the second goal of the game for Stitt; Hank Heykoop and Jamie McFarlane had assists in the tie.
The Rangers trail the total points series 3-1 after Char-Lan won the first game, 2-1, last Wednesday in Williamsburg. Nick Francica scored for South Grenville with help from Sebastian Last and McFarlane.
The two teams meet again tonight in Williamsburg. A win or tie by Char-Lan will eliminate the Rangers as the first team to four points will win the series.
CARDINAL - The South Grenville 730 Truck Stop bantam "C" Rangers opened their first-round playoff series with a 4-1 victory over North Leeds Monday in Cardinal.
After a scoreless first period, the Rangers struck with three quick goals by Ryan Fischer, David Code and Nathan Smail.
After the Stars narrowed the margin to 3-1 in the third period, Matthew Hayes tallied to put the game away. Luke Beckstead recorded the victory in goal.
The win gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the four-point series. The teams wrap up the series tonight in Westport.
BROCKVILLE - Both South Grenville Giants girls' volleyball teams were eliminated by the TISS Pirates at the Leeds-Grenville playoffs Thursday afternoon in Brockville.
The South Grenville juniors dropped a pair of close games to TISS in the final, 26-24 and 25-20. Giants coach Jon Fee says his squad played well and had an opportunity to pull off the upset.
"I thought we outplayed them, but that's the way team sports go sometimes," Fee says. "TISS is a very good defensive team (but) we definitely could've won."
The Giants played a tough North Grenville team in the semi-final, losing their first game 26-24 before coming back to win 25-17 and 25-23.
South Grenville players will now have to watch the Eastern Ontario championships held at the school tomorrow.
"The girls were disappointed about that," Fee says. "They would have rather been playing than helping (with the playoffs)."
The seniors took TISS to a third and deciding set before falling 25-18.
The Pirates took the first game, 25-20, and the Giants won the second, 25-12.
In the semi-final, South Grenville disposed of North Grenville by scores of 25-20 and 25-14.
BROCKVILLE - The South Grenville Giants senior boys' basketball team saw its season come to an end Friday with a 65-40 loss at BCI in the Leeds-Grenville "AA" final.
The Giants could not overcome the physicality and experience of the Red Rams, South Grenville coach Norie Spence says.
"They were playing physically, which is what I expected all year," Spence says.
"But no one played us that way until the final, and it threw off everyone."
South Grenville hung with BCI in the first half, trailing 27-21 at halftime. However, a 19-7 third quarter surge by the Red Rams put the game out of reach.
"At the half, we were still in it and I was quite pleased," Spence says. "I thought if we loosened up, we could do it. But we tightened up and it turned into a 20-point (deficit) pretty quickly."
According to the coach, Luke Meppelder and Ben Henderson came up with strong efforts. Jamie Clarke led Giant scorers with 15; Alex Last had 10 points.
"We had a great season," Spence says.
"It was a growing experience for our team, and we were thrilled to be there."
South Grenville's junior squad was bounced out of the Leeds-Grenville playoffs last Tuesday with an opening-round 65-26 loss to TISS.