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PRESCOTT The Marketing Prescott community breakfast, which is open to everyone, will be held next Wednesday, June 28, at the Prescott Legion Hall starting at 7:30 a.m.
Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce president Robert Lawn said the Marketing Prescott committee will update the public on various initiatives, including the hotel study, five-year strategic plan, the development of a community questionnaire, downtown beautification project, marketing plan, common web site, economic development and progress on a community profile document.
The breakfast is open to anyone who wants to attend and hear about the group's progress. Participants will also have an opportunity to sign up for various committees.
The Marketing Prescott committees originated out of a brainstorming session earlier this year organized by the chamber. Five committees have been holding meetings during the past two months to come up with strategies to build a stronger economic future for the town. For more information or to reserve, call Robert Lawn by Friday at 925-3480.
PRESCOTT The annual Kiwanis Soapbox Derby will be held this Saturday, June 24. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., and racing will start at 10 a.m. on St. Lawrence Street. Prizes will be awarded for hobby class and kit car class. For more information, call the Prescott Kiwanis Club's Chris Slater at 925-3404.
PRESCOTT The town's millennium project has not yet been accepted to receive federal funding, says committee member Mike Baril.
In his report to the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce Thursday, Baril reported that the project did not receive a grant from the federal government's millennium fund. "They don't feel we've raised enough money yet for the project," Baril said.
The committee had hoped to create a waterfront pathway on land east of the marina and to purchase park benches and new signs for the town.
Committee members created a computer slide show and made presentations to businesses and corporations requesting funding. Other fundraisers have included the sale of prints of a painting of Prescott's harbour by artist Ben Babelowsky.
PRESCOTT The annual Shakespeare in the Park performance this year will be held on Friday, July 7 starting at 8:30 p.m. at Fort Wellington. This year, Montreal's Repercussion Theatre will perform Comedy of Errors.
By JEFF LEE - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT More than 1,500 people were treated Saturday to the town's first Highland Band Tattoo.
Beginning at 1:30 p.m., the parade of the six bands, lead by Pipe Major J.T. Mackenzie of Maxville, marched from Centennial Park past spectators who watched from along King Street and up the Fort Wellington field.
For three hours, an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 spectators, lined up several rows deep, soaked up the sun, sights and the sounds of the 120-member tattoo. The six highland bands including the host Spencerville Pipe Band each performed separately before coming together for the final tattoo.
"Everything was just amazing," said Mike Boyles of Tourism Prescott. "[The bands] certainly made an impression on me, I don't know about anyone else."
Prescott Mayor Doug Hayes welcomed the crowd to the tattoo, then emcee Peter Bevan-Baker took over, turning up the Scottish accent as he brought Col. Red George Macdonell back to life.
Dressed in a crimson jacket and tartan kilt, Bevan-Baker was Col. Red George, who had commanded 35 trained men of the Lancaster Highlanders at the Fort in the 19th century. He launched into a short history that included the colonel's crossing of the frozen St. Lawrence River and the capture of the fort in Ogdensburg in the early hours of Feb. 22, 1813. Red George's 500 troops burned down the Ogdensburg fort, which was never rebuilt.
The attack, made against the orders of the commander-in-chief, was in retaliation for an earlier raid on Brockville.
Following his speech, the Ottawa-Carleton Police Pipe Band and Highland Dancers took to the lawn, starting with the Scottish tune Bank of Loch Lommand.
The crowd was treated to four Highland dancers, two of whom were world champions. Boyles said he hopes to get the entire eight-member troupe to perform next year.
Rain in the morning threatened to put a damper on the day, but Boyles said they had been checking the weather reports since 7 a.m., and it looked like the rain was not going to be a factor.
"When the bands called, we told them to come on down," he said.
The other five bands that performed were the Brockville Legion Pipe Band, the Kemptville Legion Pipe Band, the Almonte Legion Pipe Band, the Arnprior McNabb Band and the Spencerville Pipe Band. Picton's band pulled out of the event due to a shortage of pipers.
Boyles said that the town will be seeing more of Red George in the future.
"We are going to build on this idea," Boyles says. "It was actually John [Morris's] idea.
Already, Boyles says, there have been bookings for next year's tattoo, which is planned to be combined with the Naval Gun Run, an event held at the fort that involves hauling a 900-kilogram cannon in pieces and then reassembling it and firing it. This year it was held on Saturday, June 3. The combined event is planned for Father's Day 2001.
Saturday's parade and tattoo were combined with a sidewalk sale along King Street in Prescott.
"They [the businesses] all said they had a good day," Boyles said. "There were a lots of people in the streets."
During the event, spectators donated $1,500 to help offset the costs, said David Cromb, chairman of Tourism Prescott.
Boyles said Tourism Prescott should be commended as well as the sponsors, without whom it would have been impossible to hold such an event. He also paid tribute to Libby Pilon, superintendent of Fort Wellington and a Tourism Prescott board member, for allowing the use of the fort as the parade grounds.
After the event, the performers were treated to a dinner at the Prescott Legion.
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
TORONTO Prescott is ranked third on the short list of four municipalities being considered for a charity casino.
The provincial government announced Monday that one charity casino will be established in Eastern Ontario, as recommended by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
"The area under consideration includes the communities of Front of Leeds and Lansdowne, Gananoque, Prescott and Brockville," Ron Barbaro, chairman of the OLGC, said through a provincial news release.
At the gaming corporation's request, the firm KPMG conducted a comparative analysis of the four municipalities and found that the market potential for the municipalities was highest for Front of Leeds and Lansdowne, with Gananoque second, Prescott third and Brockville fourth, the government reported.
The corporation will develop a charity casino in one of the four communities where there is council support, public support indicated through a municipal referendum, and a strong business case showing continued economic viability for a casino, the news release said.
On Monday night, Mayor Doug Hayes said he had not yet had time to read the details of the decision, but he was clearly pleased.
In 1998, Prescott council had held a public meeting on the issue and was in the process of negotiating a deal with a company called Star of Fortune to establish a casino in town when the province cancelled all future casinos.
"We had the rug pulled out from underneath us," Hayes told The Journal Monday. "Now they're willing to give the public the opportunity to vote."
Hayes said he continues to be "very much in favour" of having a casino in Prescott.
With charity casinos and other legal gambling institutions throughout Ontario, the communities which host them can have control over gambling and benefit from it, he said. "Why shouldn't we be part of that process? It's legal ... We could get the rewards."
He said that charities and the community at large would benefit from gambling revenues, and a casino would create many jobs and attract more American visitors to town.
In Windsor, he noted, the casino revitalized one of the worst parts of the city.
"We were waiting for the government to come back to us to discuss gaming," Hayes said. "Now we'll get prepared to get the referendum on the ballot.... It would be selfish of us not to allow it to be on the ballot."
The question, which begins with a preamble and ends "Do you approve of a charity casino in our municipality? Choose Yes or No," is expected to be on the ballot in the Nov. 13 municipal election.
Clerk-administrator Andrew Brown said under provincial law, at least 50 per cent of eligible voters must cast ballots in the referendum, and at least 50 per cent plus one must be in favour of a casino.
Brown said although voter turnout is often as low as 30 per cent in some towns in the province, in Prescott about 60 per cent of voters usually turn out, more if there is a mayoral race.
An Ontario government fact sheet notes that the commercial casinos, Casino Windsor, Casino Rama and Casino Niagara, as well as the charity casinos in Sault Ste. Marie, Brantford, Point Edward and Great Blue Heron all have created hundreds of jobs with multimillion-dollar payrolls. In Sault Ste. Marie, for example, the charity casino has 31 gaming tables and 450 slot machines. The government reports that 470 jobs were created and the payroll is $13 million per year.
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT Organizers are hoping hundreds if not thousands of people show up for the town meeting to be held this Thursday evening at the Prescott outdoor amphitheatre.
Starting at 7 p.m., the meeting will feature several speakers who will discuss various options for a town hall.
Also discussed will be financial information on the various town hall options, such as the town's current debentures and mortgaging schedules, said organizing committee chairman Dan Throop. "We're not going to draw conclusions on that information, we're just going to present it."
Throop, fellow committee member Craig Bowers and Mayor Doug Hayes are among those scheduled to speak.
Throop will speak about creating a plan and choosing the option that meets the economic future needs of Prescott, his preferred option, while Bowers will speak about renovating the present building on Dibble Street.
Mayor Hayes will discuss council's choice of building a new town hall on the parking lot by the Rotary Clock Tower. Council has already ordered a survey of the lot and hired an Ottawa-based architect, Ralph Vandenberg, to draw plans.
Vandenberg has estimated that a new town hall would cost $900,000 to $1.7 million, not including costs such as demolishing the present building on Dibble Street.
Throop, chairman of the meeting organizing committee, was searching for two other speakers who could discuss the options of building a new town hall on the present site or building one in the Daniels site.
After the brief speeches, people will be invited to speak about other options, Throop said. Everyone will also be asked to fill out a survey stating his or her preferred option. The survey data will be compiled and presented to council.
"The idea is to have a lot of input on the various options and to try to get a feeling on the views of the town," said Throop. "I hope we're able to garner some new blood, some new leadership in the community. I think we're going to have a good meeting. There's a great interest in what's going on."
Organizers are launching a promotional campaign this week. A truck equipped with a PA system will tour the town, "just like old times," on Wednesday and Thursday, Throop said.
Also, volunteers are distributing flyers advertising the meeting, and others will call as many residents as possible to invite them to attend. Throop said about 30 volunteers are helping with the campaign.
In the past few weeks, notices have been distributed to town residents through the PUC bills, a move that upset chamber director Wilf Peters. Peters said sending flyers with the utility bills was a poor decision because of the past conflicts between the town council and PUC. "It rubs salt in old wounds," he said during a chamber meeting last Thursday. "I thought the chamber would have better taste than to do something like that."
However, Throop, who grew up in Prescott and returned to live in the town with his family two years ago, replied that the committee did not intend to cause any harm by using the PUC as its distribution system. "I was not aware of these issues. If we offended anyone, I apologize."
Chamber director Ken Durand stressed that the meeting is merely an information session. "We are not going to get into a debate."
"We're trying to make this an event that will be light-hearted, with serious undertones," explained Throop. "I tried to make sure that the mayor understood we were all working together."
The meeting will be held at the Kinsmen Outdoor Amphitheatre at Sandra S. Lawn Harbour unless it rains, in which case it would be moved to St. Mark's Parish Centre on Edward Street.
On April 18, council held a public meeting about the town hall issue at the Prescott Legion Hall which attracted about 150 people.
WHEN: Thursday 7 p.m.
WHERE: Kinsmen Outdoor
Amphitheatre, Sandra S.
Lawn Harbour
RAIN LOCATION: St. Mark's
Parish Hall
SPONSOR: Prescott and
District Chamber of Commerce
By JEFF LEE - Journal Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE Edwardsburgh homeowners can expect a 1.9-per-cent increase in their taxes for the year 2000.
On a property of $100,000, for example, the increase would be a $22.70 for a total residential tax of $1,231.11. The residential tax breaks down with $472.88 going to the township, with the remaining $758.23 for county and educational purposes.
The municipal budget includes more than $900,000 in capital projects. Council has budgeted funds that have been put in reserves over the years to help keep the tax rate low.
"Overall, it's a good budget for the residents of the Township of Edwardsburgh," Reeve Dave Dobbie said Monday night.
Dobbie said in comparison with other municipalities, Edwards-burgh's tax increase is small, that residents have been given a break.
Dobbie said even with transition funds from the township of $535,000 of the $750,000 needed in place for the amalgamation with Cardinal, there was money still in reserve. He said using some of the funds remaining was a good way to finish up the township of Edwardsburgh.
Capital projects spending includes work to be done on a number of roads in the township as well as for new equipment and a fire hall. The reeve noted that there has been an acceleration in road work, saying that "the township is just trying to keep on top" of things in this area. Council, he said, believes people like to have good roads, and that there comes a time when it's cheaper to repave roads than to keep patching them.
The biggest-ticket item is the fire hall to be built just south of Spencerville, for which $300,000 is earmarked from the reserves.
Dobbie said council realizes that the amount won't cover the entire cost of the new building but should go a long way toward getting it in place, including the structure itself and the truck bay. He said the firefighters' association is continuing its fundraising activities.
Meanwhile, a new fire engine is expected to arrive by the end of August at a cost of $260,000.
Other improvements include work on several roads including rehabilitation and repaving of a two-kilometre stretch of Cedar Grove Road near Angelo's as well as a new rotary mower, which has already been purchased.
The township's total budgeted expenditures for 2000 are $3,586,419.
Owners of commercial property appraised at $100,000 will see a 1.1-per-cent increase, for a total tax amount of $3,288.54, while industrial taxes fall 1.8 per cent. An industrial taxpayer with a $100,000 assessment will pay $108.02 less this year, for a total of $5,878.33.
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT Wellington Woods residents crowded Prescott council's chambers Monday night to speak out against a proposed rezoning of land bordering their subdivision.
About 40 homeowners attended a public meeting to discuss the rezoning of a 32-acre parcel of land south of Highway 401, east of the OPP station and north of Kingston Crescent.
Landowner Don Gibson, president of Interwin Developments, has applied to council to change the zoning from residential to general commercial. He said developers had made inquiries about the land, but he would not specify what types of businesses they were considering opening if council approves the rezoning. He said he would prefer to have the entire parcel rezoned but if necessary, a buffer zone could be created.
Resident Peter Schulz said all 59 residents of Kingston Crescent had signed the petition indicating they were opposed to the rezoning, which would allow a wide range of uses of the land for such things as banks, taverns, dry cleaning operations and other commercial operations. The residents believe that the land will be used for a new, larger Canadian Tire store as well as for other stores and restaurants accessible from Highway 401.
"This is not what we bought," said Dave Street of Kingston Crescent. "We bought residential property surrounded by residential property."
Seeley Pillar noted that there is very little residential land left within the town but there is plenty of industrial and commercial property available. Town engineer Clyde Solomon acknowledged Prescott has 90 acres of serviced industrial land and 25 acres of unserviced industrial land available.
"If we ever get industry here, where is the housing going to go?" Pillar asked.
Pete Singleton said he purchased a home in Wellington Woods "because it's one of the nicest areas of Prescott."
A commercial development such as "a tavern or a house of personal services" would disrupt the quiet, residential neighbourhood, he said.
"I don't want to see a gas station on my corner," added Dot Primeau.
Shirley Johnson said she and her late husband moved from an Athens-area farm to Wellington Woods because with the many trees, it reminded them of their former rural home.
"If you're going to put a stinky industrial park in behind, I'll be gone. I'll go to Brockville, and you'll be like Cardinal, with a big subdivision no one wants to move into."
Sharon Roberts said a new commercial development in the north end would be another blow to the downtown merchants. "If you have a strip mall, what's that going to do to our downtown?"
"The town is dying, it's strangling to death," said Dave Street, who noted that the population has dwindled from 5,200 to 3,800. "This would be the death knell."
He said Highway 416 would bring prosperity to Prescott if it has residential land to offer.
Other residents, including Celia Aristotle, Kim Maggio and Mark Moulton, said with commercial development, the street would no longer be safe for children. They said they do not want traffic lights and sidewalks; they want the subdivision to remain quiet.
Maggio said having a commercial development will also depreciate their homes.
Moulton said commercial neighbours would lead to garbage blowing around the neighbourhood and diesel trucks roaring through the streets. "I've got kids that play in the street. I'm sure none of you would want to see them get hit," Moulton said.
Lewis Beach of Beach Home Hardware also urged council to keep the land residential because there is plenty of commercial space available but few residential lots left.
"I hope council takes everyone's concerns here very seriously," added Rob Temple.
Mayor Doug Hayes said council can only make a decision on the application and cannot tell developers what to do. "Unfortunately we can't dictate where they should build.... They tell us and we try to accommodate people."
Estelle Guertin-Street said council can in fact make the decision. "Maybe women know how to say no better than guys. Maybe you need to say no."
Hayes said the issue would again be discussed during a planning and development committee meeting, and council will make a decision on the matter during the next few months.
"Council needs to look at the good of Prescott as a whole," the mayor commented.
"If interested parties are only looking to develop certain parts... then a buffer zone could be incorporated."
PRESCOTT The 2000 Sunday Summer Concerts at the Prescott Kinsmen Amphitheatre will include a wide variety of music this year.
On Sunday, July 2, the concert season in Prescott will begin with two performances on the same day.
At 2 p.m., the Brigadoons, a Scottish-music band from the Maxville area, will perform again in Prescott. The band and its dancers were popular with crowds here last year.
At 7 p.m., a Prescott-area country and western band called Old Friends will make their début in the summer concert series.
The season schedule also includes the Riverside Singers of Brockville on July 9, the Brockville Concert Band on July 16, the Carm Aubé Band of Cornwall on July 23 and the local area's Daeladen Dixie Consort on July 30. All these concerts will begin at 7 p.m.
In August, as the days become shorter and the nights cooler, the Sunday concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m. Keyboard and accordion player Henry Schmuck of Maitland will perform Aug. 6, the Fabulous BelAirs on Aug. 13, Brockville's Tom Wilson and Border Bluegrass on Aug. 20 and the Codes-Running Kind on Aug. 27. Organizer Norm Fortier noted that Henry Schmuck, Tom Wilson and the Codes have large local followings, and the BelAirs are a new addition to the lineup this year.
All of the concerts are free to spectators, which is possible due to the donations of supporting organizations as well as private donors, Fortier said.
Anyone who wishes to contribute can mail a donation to Amphitheatre Summer Concerts, P.O. Box 160, Prescott, K0E 1T0, call Andrew Brown at town hall 925-2812, or talk to Norm Fortier during the concerts at the bandshell, which is located at the harbourfront.
By MONICA WHITNEY - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT Boundary Public School's French immersion program is nearing the completion of a successful first year in this area.
The language program, where students spend half their school day immersed in French and the other half in English, was launched last September at Boundary.
The 16 Grade 5 students all joined the program from the various feeder schools that would normally go on to South Grenville District High School: Algonquin, Centennial '67, South Edwardsburgh, Central, Maynard, Maitland, Benson and Boundary itself. Other French Immersion centres within the Upper Canada school board district are in Brockville, Kemptville and Sweets Corners, and one will open in September in Gananoque.
French immersion teacher Jillian Wainwright said the students are ambitious, positive and bright, "but the key is that they're motivated. They look at it as an asset. They're very enthusiastic, and they're here because they want to be. They see it as an advantage being able to speak French," said Wainwright. She said the students foresee a future of better employment prospects because they will be "perfectly bilingual."
It is a misconception that students need strong French skills to join the program, she said. Each student comes from a Grade 4 core French program. "We start at that level and work upwards. They're nervous because they think they need a lot of French, but that's just not the case. They're here to learn.
"If they want to learn and if they're very enthusiastic, I don't think there's any reason why they couldn't try it," said Wainwright. "If they're meeting the expectations in Grade 4, they would do fine in French immersion. You don't have to be brilliant or bilingual."
Students struggling in the program do have the option of returning to their home school. It is suggested they complete the first term to settle in and adjust before making the decision to return, however.
Marks should stay at about the same level as in a regular English program as well, Wainwright noted. Most students in the first year at Boundary maintained or improved their marks from Grade 4, she said.
"I don't see any reason why the marks should drop. French is obviously more intensive [in immersion]. It's faster and there's more detail, but we have more time to do it in. We take into consideration they're adapting to a new environment."
The French class is not segregated in any way from the rest of Boundary school, Wainwright noted. It is treated like any other class and integrated into the school routines of recess, lunches, assemblies, field trips and sporting events. "They've really settled in and become a part of the school."
The French immersion students are also very supportive of each other, she said. "They encourage each other and they're sensitive towards other people. They include everybody and their feelings, and they're so accepting of people's differences and temperaments. If someone is feeling discouraged or down, there's always more than one to explain things and give them a hand."
Subjects taught in French include the language itself, social studies, physical education, art, some health topics, dance, drama and computers. The half-day English portion includes math, science, music, health, English and computers. The same curriculum is covered in French as in a regular program.
Already, Boundary has 36 Grade 4 students enrolled for the program beginning in September. The original 16 who will move on to Grade 6 "have really succeeded well this year and everybody is really proud of them. They're a wonderful group."
A major field trip for the class this year was a three-day winter camp 40 kilometres north of Montebello in the Laurentians. The January trip was intended to totally immerse the students in French language.
Volunteer Rocky Allen, a French-Canadian truck driver with Kriska Transportation, visits the students weekly. The fun visits describing his trucking runs to Québec help reinforce language skills and French experiences.
The immersion students also give the program top marks. Shawn Wallace, who came from Centennial school in Spencerville, said he really likes the class. "My Mom speaks French and I sort of wanted to speak different languages because I thought I could get a better education. You get better jobs with the government and stuff like that," he said. "When I grow up I'll need it [French] more, but it's better to learn it now."
"School's just great," said Nathan Jansen, whose home school is Algonquin. "All the kids are nice, and they let us fit in to the school."
"I enjoy it when we seem to learn something new that we're going to actually use when we get older," said student Campbell Hennessy, from Maynard. "Surprisingly enough, we're doing Grade 8 and 9 core French, and that makes you feel really good. We practically had a heart attack when we saw our reader, but when you get into it it's not that hard anymore."
"A lot of jobs, especially up near Québec, you really do need to know French and English," he added.
Tawnya Fischer, whose home school is South Edwardsburgh in Johnstown, initially had some reservations about the program. "I was the only person from my school and I didn't know anybody here except my cousin," she said. "I was really nervous at first, but it got a lot easier because now I have friends. The principal [Laurie McElheran] was really awesome."
"I was really afraid because I didn't know if people would like me, but I made lots and lots of friends," added student Brittany Alguire, from Algonquin.
"They made me feel right at home and the staff are really nice too. It's fun but it's not really hard. She (the teacher) lets you go step by step in French."
There's an interesting aspect of the town hall fiasco, one probably not ever considered by Prescott council. Recently, a family was just about to purchase a house in the town of Prescott. When they heard of the money to be spent on a new town hall, they promptly changed their minds and purchased a property in Augusta township.
You see, they know that the eventual cost of a new town hall will almost certainly be about double any estimates. They also know the province is in no mood to help out. When the town borrows money, on which they will have to pay interest and eventually pay off, there is only one source of town income: the taxpayers. Hence, they made the decision not to live in Prescott, where, inevitably, the taxes will increase out of proportion to average values. End of case.
John Stuart Grant
Riverview Heights
By MONICA WHITNEY - Journal Staff Writer
Homewood Museum is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the building of the Georgian stone mansion and a past steeped in history.
Owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage foundation, Homewood will open for the tourism season Saturday, July 8 and Sunday, July 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free on opening weekend, and visitors can enjoy complimentary snacks and refreshments. Guided tours are about 30 minutes in duration, or visitors can take a self-guided tour for a more relaxed pace.
The National Historic Site is one of the oldest houses in Ontario. It was built by Dr. Solomon Jones, a United Empire Loyalist who came to Augusta Township with his family about 1784 at the end of the American War of Independence. He had received medical training in Albany, N.Y. and in Montreal.
The Jones family was granted 300 acres of land on the shores of the St. Lawrence and a log cabin served the family for about the first 15 years. Solomon Jones was once the area's first physicians, attending to the settlers by horseback and in his own home. He was the second member from Leeds County to elected to the Parliament of Upper Canada (1796-1800), and between 1800 and 1821 he was district court judge.
Homewood honours the seven generations of the Jones family who resided here until 1972, with various rooms interpreting the different time frames since 1800.
The museum contains much of the furniture and household items owned by members of the family. Rooms on the tour include the surgery, dining room, kitchen with authentic hearth, sitting room, front hall and bedroom.
The Ontario Heritage Foundation has owned the property since 1974.
As an added feature this season, the picturesque Homewood grounds and barn will be made available to non-profit groups at no charge for public functions.
Visitor program administrator Chris Hum suggested art and cultural groups, musicians or theatre groups could use the charming Homewood venue as a setting for gatherings from Monday to Friday.
"We'd love to get the community involved to get full use of the facilities," he said.
Staff are currently categorizing new displays and artifacts including the Jones family's original formal china place settings, which will be in public view in the dining room. The china is thought to be from the middle Victorian era.
Name That Thinga-Ma-Jig
An intriguing contest has also been designed this year, Hum said. A game involving artifacts called Name That Thinga-Ma-Jig asks visitors to correctly guess the purpose of several household articles, medical instruments and farm equipment. Winners correctly identifying all items receive a free season's pass to Homewood.
Hum is actively recruiting volunteers to work at Homewood this summer, and has contacted all area high schools for students who may be interested in a placement.
An intensive three-week archeological dig is planned for October as a continuation of an encouraging field school held on the grounds last year.
A special celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the home's construction will also be held in October.
Homewood will be open for public tours Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., and for groups on Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays by appointment.
Museum staff can be reached by calling Fulford Place in Brockville at 498-3003, and after July 8 at Homewood at 348-1246.
Visitors can feel free to bring a lunch and a blanket for a picnic at their leisure on the 11-acre property.
JOHNSTOWN - A Family Fun Day will be held on Saturday, July 15 at the Johnstown Community Centre in support of the Edwardsburgh Public Library Renovation Fund. The event is being organized by the Spencerville and District Winter Carnival committee.
The Forwarders' Museum staff, board and volunteers extend a big thank you for all of the support we received during the Prescott Highland Band Tattoo on Saturday.
Canvassing around town for change and painting faces for donations, the museum raised $103.65. This money will be used in our "Setting Sail for 2000" capital campaign which will allow us to renovate the museum building.
Don't forget the deadline for our photography contest is approaching quickly. Photographs need to be submitted by June 28. The grand prize winner will have their photograph professionally framed courtesy of Frametastic in Prescott.
This Sunday marked the grand opening of the Jack Morris Salon, and a display on print journalism in Prescott. The display includes reprints of Prescott newspapers, journalism artifacts and a printing press. Everyone is invited to stop by and see this new display on the top floor of the museum.
As always, admission is free of charge, but donations are accepted.
Keep watching this column for information on summer events, including Friday afternoon teas, a heritage craft fair and Canada Day celebrations.
PRESCOTT The Prescott Police Services Board appointed Darren Davis as the newest member of the town police force at its regular meeting July 19. Davis, 34, is married with three children and brings with him 13 years of policing experience from the Ontario Provincial Police. He was sworn in June 20 in Brockville and will begin duties this week.
"We're hoping this will help alleviate the overtime," Prescott Coun. Frank Whiten commented during a council meeting Monday evening. Due to the staff shortage in recent months, Prescott Police have had to work overtime and hire OPP officers at a higher hourly rate.
JOHNSTOWN A 32-year-old driver from South Stormont has been charged with impaired driving and with having more than the legal blood alcohol limit while driving. The driver was travelling southbound on Highway 416 just north of Highway 401 June 18 at a high rate of speed, Grenville OPP reported. The vehicle left the road, then struck a vertical lane marker. The vehicle continued south, hitting a cable guide rail, knocking out 19 wooden posts and a speed limit sign. The driver did not suffer any injuries in the 2 a.m. accident. Angela Marie Hill was charged as a result of breathalyzer tests, and she is scheduled to appear in Brockville court June 22.
MAITLAND Police received two reports of stolen boat motors June 18. The first incident occurred overnight at a residence on Church Street, Maitland. The outboard motor was stolen from a boat parked behind the residence. The second incident occurred at a residence on Blakeys Point Road, Augusta Township, where a Bauer-Johnson motor was stolen from a boat. The investigations are ongoing.
PRESCOTT An officer with the Grenville OPP, Prescott, stopped a vehicle on Highway 401 driving in excess of the posted speed limit. Sorin Sicoe, 29, of Toronto, was charged with speeding 155 km-h in a 100-km-h zone and is to appear in Kemptville court July 4. Less than half an hour later, the same officer stopped another vehicle travelling in excess of the speed limit. Denis Cornelleir, 29, of Boucherville, Que. was charged with speeding 163 km-h in a 100-km-h zone. He is to appear in Kemptville court July 4.
By Kristy Tait
PRESCOTT Fort Wellington National Historic Site is seeking responsible and enthusiastic young people, ages 7 to 14, for its Heritage Day Camp. Children play the role of living at the fort in the 1840s.
Over the course of each session, the children will learn about the history of Canada and the area and participate in period games and activities.
Participants will have fun pretending to be children from the 1840s.
Each child is responsible for furnishing his or her own period costume. (Patterns are available.)
The three sessions will run July 4 to 14, July 31 to Aug. 4, and Aug. 8 to 12. The first session will be half-days from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. each day. The second and third sessions will each be five full days, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All parents or guardians and children interested in the program can call Christine Brooks at 925-2896 between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
By Willy Sieling Heuvel
Next week, on Wednesday, June 28, our steak barbecue will begin at 5 p.m. Reservations should be made by Monday, June 26 at 4 p.m. The barbecue will be held rain or shine!
We must be doing something right with our weight wisdom group. We are still losing weight as a group. The total last week was 26 pounds. We meet on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. We have also started exercising on Friday mornings at 8:30 a.m. Anyone is welcome to join; just a membership in Walker House is needed.
Winners at the card tables last week were:
Monday bridge: Sam Covey 5420 and Harry Nesbitt 5220. Howard Ferguson won the door prize.
Tuesday cribbage: High hand Alice Crowder, high score Eleanor Gilligan and Bea Hemsley, second Hugh Evely, third Sam Covey.
Wednesday bridge: Harry Nesbitt 4890, second Margaret Nesbitt. Bea Hemsley won the door prize.
Thursday euchre: first Alice Crowder, second Marie Shahan, third Hilda Hutton. Eleanor Gilligan won the door prize.
Jane Fullarton
The Maitland Recreation and Education Committee has a bursary program for graduating high school students. The bursaries are for Maitland residents who are graduating from high school and are going on to post-secondary education. All applicants must have completed 20 hours of community service, at least 10 of which are in the Maitland community. MERC awards a $100 prize to all graduating students who are Ontario Scholars and have applied for a bursary. Additional bursaries are awarded in an amount determined annually.
Application forms for bursaries can be picked up from the office of your local high school. Students who are graduates and have taken one year off from school and are planning to attend a post-secondary institution this fall are also eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is June 30. The applications may be submitted directly to the MERC selection committee by mailing them to MERC at Box 272 Maitland KOE 1P0.
Mite softball team
The Maitland mite softball team will play in a tournament hosted by Spencerville on June 24. The coaches for the mite team are Cathy and Dave Bunt.
Swim program
The Maitland swim program is ready to run, with 78 swimmers registered. Katie Price and Brandi Allingham assisted by Mallory Dixon and Sarah Gibson are the instructors. The programs run from July 3 to 14, and Aug. 7 to 18.
MERC board meeting
The MERC Board will meet June 26 at 7 p.m. in MERC hall. One of the topics for discussion will be where to spend the $1,600 in capital funds from Augusta township.
ALGONQUIN PUBLIC SCHOOL: On Wednesday, June 21, the Grade 5 students will have their graduation luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. On Tuesday, June 27, there will be a parent volunteer tea at 9 a.m. The Jump Rope for Heart awards will also be given out that day. On Thursday, June 29, there will be student awards, and Thursday is also the last day of the school year!
BOUNDARY STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL: On Wednesday, June 21, Boundary students will perform in a talent show at 10:45 a.m., and in the afternoon there will be a Fun Day outside.
Boundary has many year-end trips planned for the students. Thursday, June 22, the Grade 7/8 class will go to Canada's Wonderland. On Friday, June 23, the Group A and B Kindergarten will go to Prehistoric World in Morrisburg.
The Grade 5 Immersion class will walk to Fort Wellington and the Grade 3/4 class will visit the Forwarders' Museum in the afternoon.
On Monday, June 26, the Grade 3 to 6 classes will travel to Upper Canada Village for the day. On Tuesday, June 27, Boundary will honour parent volunteers with a luncheon at 12 p.m. The Grade 1 and 2 classes will go to the Mac Johnson Conservation Centre for the morning. Also, the school will have its final spirit assembly at 1 p.m.
BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL: Play Day for Grades 1 to 8 will be Friday, June 23.
CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL: Grade 4 to 8 students will present Music Through the Ages Wednesday, June 21 at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
Central's skipping team will perform Tuesday, June 20. On Friday, June 23, the Grade 7 and 8 students will travel to Montreal for their year-end trip. Our annual primary picnic will be held at Centennial Park Tuesday, June 27. Graduation ceremonies will be held Wednesday, June 28 at the school beginning at 7 p.m.
ST. MARK CATHOLIC SCHOOL: A lovely tea was held last Wednesday to thank the many folks who helped us out at St. Mark school on a regular basis. Forty-five guests were in attendance. To the many who could not attend and those others who provided us with a support in so many ways, we extend a huge "thank you." The theme of our celebration was the rainbow: Volunteers help to brighten our day, lighten the load, and are as precious as the legendary gold at the end of the rainbow!
Many activities are happening over the coming week to celebrate the last week of school and the end of a great week. Play Day will take place for kindergarten classes on different days this week. Students in Grades 1 to 3 will have a Fun Day Friday, June 23, weather permitting (Monday, June 26 is the rain date.) Regardless of the weather, a barbecue hot dog lunch will be provided to the A kindergarten class and Grades 1 to 3 on Friday, June 23.
Our final mass and farewell celebration will take place on Wednesday, June 28 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mark Church. Report cards will go home as well on this, the last day of school.
MAYNARD PUBLIC SCHOOL: The Grade 3 students are at Upper Canada Village today, June 21. Intermediate students will be going to Montreal on Friday, June 23 for a class trip. Staff is busily working on report cards. The graduation ceremony will be held Wednesday, June 28 at 7 p.m. at the school
SOUTH EDWARDSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL: The school will be having a Fun in the Sun Day today, June 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. Grade 6 students will get their Hep B shots on Thursday, June 22. The Grade 8 graduation is Wednesday, June 28. The social is from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30. The dancing starts at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 29 is the last day of school!
Chamber member Dan Throop, on the town meeting to be held Thursday
We hear that our MPPs are considering giving themselves a 32.6 per cent pay raise, and if the public outroar about Bill 74 isn't enough to stop that bill to further destroy Ontario's education system, we imagine that this proposal will easily sail through the legislature this summer unless everyone picks up the telephone right now and puts a stop to it.
An independent panel of experts has recommended that MPPs' pay be hiked to $103,458 from $78,007. Even some of the MPPs themselves acknowledge that a 32.6 per cent pay increase is way out of line. Liberal MPP Dominic Agostino is on the record as saying the increase represents a "gross, gross amount of money," and we couldn't agree more. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation predicts taxpayers (that's you and I) just won't go for it. When was the last time you had a 33 per cent raise?
Politicians will swear that health care and education are important in this province, yet, when it comes to money, they continue to chop budgets for those services Ontarians value most while they consider padding their own wallets with extra cash.
This week, the Ontario government is expected to give its third reading to Bill 74, which will reduce the number of teachers at every high school in the province including our own South Grenville District High School, where a half-dozen young, keen teachers received layoff notices last week. The remaining teachers will instruct 6.67 courses instead of six courses, which means they'll have another 20 students to educate. Next year, students will have fewer teachers to call on for help, and trustees will become mere puppets of the government as the province takes control of the education system. Local control will be lost.
At the same time, hospitals are struggling for funding to provide the quality care Ontario citizens expect and municipalities are trying to prevent large tax increases while funding the new responsibilities such as ambulance services that the province has 'downloaded' to them.
Pay raises should be based on merit. We think the $78,007 for MPPs, $111,000 for cabinet ministers and $139,000 for the Mike Harris is enough. Christine Endicott
Christine Endicott
Anyone who wandered through the downtown core or to Fort Wellington Saturday afternoon was greeted by the crowd of people who gathered to watch Tourism Prescott's first annual Highland Band Tattoo. And what a crowd it was 1,500 to 2,000 people.
My husband and I managed to attend Saturday and enjoy much of the performance with our two children and two dogs in tow. On Monday morning, Tourism Prescott chairman David Cromb called me to reiterate his amazement and ask me to thank, on his behalf, everyone who helped make the tattoo such as success: the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, the Prescott Legion, St. Mark's Parish, BIA, Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce, Fort Wellington staff, police, the Town of Prescott including the arena staff, Walker House, Forwarders' Museum staff, the many other volunteers who helped, and all the local people who managed to attend and enjoy the first annual festival.
"They were so unbelievable," he said. "We've never felt so proud, to be part of a group of people who just embraced this thing. Talk about Prescott Pride!"
Cromb mentioned that some businesspeople even called to say they had their cell phones, that he could call them at any point to request help. He was also grateful for all the support from The Journal, radio stations and other media.
The Tourism Prescott committee, led by Cromb and Mike Boyles, showed they have what it takes to rally community support for a project. As Cromb pointed out, Boyles personally logged hundreds of hours to make the tattoo a success.
The community's support was evident not just by the large crowds but also by the sizeable donations from spectators. Cromb said people dropped $2, $5, even $20 bills in the collectors' pails and said they looked forward to coming to the event again next year.
With about $1,500 in new donations, the committee certainly has a head start. In future years, the tattoo may be combined with the Naval Gun Run, highland games and more highland dancing for a whole weekend of fun.
Take a bow, Tourism Prescott volunteers and all others who helped make the town a better place to live by pitching in for this new event.
John A.H. Morris
Last summer we remarked in one of our Diary entries about a conversation we had had with G. Stewart McVey, CD, of Elevator Bay, about the dismantling of an old ship wreck in the bay by work crews assigned last year to remove stone that had been dumped along the breakwater, covering a muskie spawning ground.
According to Mr. McVey, neither the workmen nor the government agencies assigned to the work had any idea of the historic significance of the abandoned ship. With the research assistance of Chuck Lemare of the Coast Guard, Mr. McVey passes along this information.
The wreck was the steamer Toltec owned by John J. O'Hagan and built in the David Lester Shipyard in Michigan in 1889. It was 204' by 32'6" by 15' and was first launched as a schooner-barge. It was converted to an powered bulk freighter in drydock in Detroit in 1890.
This oak-hulled vessel had a capacity of 700,000 board feet of lumber. On Sept. 4, 1919, an engine room fire began aboard and quickly spread to the crew's quarters. The Toltec was beached three miles east of Prescott in Elevator Bay (10 years before work started on the elevator) and was burned to the waterline. The ship was travelling light on this trip, returning to Buffalo from Montreal.
Following the fire the remaining hulk was abandoned with its boiler, stack and iron work intact until just prior to the World War II when the scrap was bought by Japanese interests.
During the winter of 1937-38, Mr. McVey recalled, someone drove out on the ice with a team and set of bobsleighs and removed most of the iron. The timber hull remained as a favourite swimming spot in the bay for several years.
Chuck Lemare's research reveals that the namesake of the carrier was the Toltec Indian Nation, which had political control of Mexico from 900 A.D. to 1200 A.D., and before the advent of the Aztecs. In the Lake Superior District a copper mine located on an island offshore of the Keweean Peninsula was named for this ancient nation.
Looks like the Toltec was one that got away from our scuba divers.
We played a bit of telephone tag with some ladies from Hydro One at the end of last week, and when they finally gave us a telephone number with a real person on the other end, we solved the problem of the mysterious Hydro hot water tank, pronto ... or so we think.... We had deducted the $21.19 charge for the mysterious hot water tank and mailed our cheque to Hydro before they told us we had been issued a credit toward our next bill.
Getting a credit from Hydro and a debit from ourselves could blow Hydro One's accounting system apart.
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A month or so ago, we published a photo of a group at the old DLD, holding a party at the end of World War II, asking someone to identify them and in so doing get a free, one year subscription to the Journal, Prescott's most popular newspaper.
Many thanks to Marion Lindsay, of King Street West, who identified all but two of these '45 party animals. Unidentified is the person on the far left in row three, and the person fourth from the right in row four. For scoring first-class honours in this test, Marion Lindsay wins the free subscription.
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Our extra-curricular activity load was reduced by one on Sunday with the opening of the Jack Morris Salon at the Forwarders' Museum. On a rainy afternoon this summer, plan to spend a couple of hours going through some of the copies of the weeklies that served Prescott in the 1800s that are displayed there. This is probably one of the better displays of 19th century community newspapers you'll see anywhere in Canada.
What we found a bit unnerving on Saturday as the final touches were being added to the display of antique printing equipment was the fact that we had used them all during our 50-year career as a printer's devil-cum-devil's advocate. One thing remains constant, however, and that is the fact that printer's ink is just as hard to remove in the year 2000 as it was back in 1950.
We couldn't suppress the urge to say "Happy Father's Day, Jack" at the conclusion of Sunday's ceremony. This weekend was also our Dad's birthday. And for our own Father's Day gift ... it was a pledge by the always-correct Mrs. Morris that I could be right for the whole day! The day ended early before a middlin-late Sunday night dinner when it was suggested that one pre-dinner martooni was enough.
CARDINAL - CASCO celebrated a major accomplishment last week one million man hours worked without a lost-time accident.
That translates to 838 days, or two and a half years of work without any injuries for its 220 employees.
"That's quite an accomplishment," said Dan Adams, co-chair of the Joint Health and Safety Committee. "It's pretty amazing for a plant this size."
It's a feat unequalled in the CASCO group of companies for a plant of its size and number of various departments, said committee member Andy DeJong. There are three Canadian and five U.S. plants in the Corn Products organization, said Adams.
The record was achieved May 3, and an employee recognition celebration was held June 14 to coincide with the plant's safety week. The company sponsored a steak barbecue, and employees could take part in a health and wellness exhibit. Winners in a safety contest were awarded gift certificates from Mad Macs, VanCamp Freshmart, Rona Hardware, Shanly Hardware, GT Auto, Schrader Auto and Rick's Gas Bar.
CASCO is a 24-hour corn wet milling operation that buys local and Canadian corn and processes it into an extensive range of products in several categories, including sweeteners, starches, corn oil and cattle feed products.
"This achievement for us outranks all other records," said Mark Madsen, local plant manager for the past three years. "It means that everyone of our employees has been able to go home to their families every night. To me that's the most important thing."
The operation is very mechanically intensive," Madsen said, noting that the opportunity for on-the-job injuries does exist.
The company's previous record for injury-free work days was 615, and when combined with the new record, amounts to almost 1,500 days with only one lost-time accident.
"That's as impressive as one million hours," said Madsen. Diligence on the part of the Joint Health and Safety Committee gets the credit for the new record, as well as increased attention and awareness to safety, Madsen explained. "My belief is that safety is an attitude. It's a habit, something that grows in you through awareness.
"Once you become aware and you're paying attention you don't have to think about it," he said. "It becomes ingrained in the way you do things."
The Joint Health and Safety Committee is composed of members from staff, management and union.
By MONICA WHITNEY - Journal Staff Writer
The tall ship the Fair Jeanne has pulled out of the Cardinal marina after what its caretakers say was "a positive experience", but left bad memories in its wake for some village parents and youths.
Cardinal parents David Murphy and Karen Jensen are fighting mad because they say their daughters Krista and Kayla Murphy were promised an adventurous voyage on the ship along with other members of the local Sea Cadets at no cost. They have been told that a free trip was never in the cards, and the situation was misunderstood.
The 110-foot brigantine was moored at the marina for about seven months until early June while it underwent a major retrofit to prepare it for an extensive 6,000-mile voyage this summer. The ship is owned by Bytown Brigantine Inc. of Ottawa, a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to providing young people with sailing adventures and character-building experiences on training voyages in Lake Ontario, the Thousand Islands and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
About 12 members of the R.C.S.C.C. Defiant Cardinal Sea Cadets volunteered their time on the ship this past winter, doing such jobs as breaking away ice from around the hull, shining brass instruments and sanding bunks and learning about sailing.
The parents say the Sea Cadets were offered a chance to sail on the vessel in exchange for their work. A January 2000 article in the Cardinal News explained some Sea Cadets could become a part of the crew and get first-hand experience sailing in a nautical adventure of a lifetime. The invitation to sail for one or two weeks in exchange for getting the vessel shipshape was extended by Fair Jeanne engineer Frank Montpetit.
The Executive Director of Bytown Brigantine, Gene Carson, wrote a letter to the cadets commanding officer Charmaine Barton in April, saying the situation was "an unfortunate misunderstanding" that the foundation was seeking to clarify. The letter continued, "Bytown Brigantine is particularly appreciative of the enthusiastic and supportive assistance that the entire community has offered and we seek to maintain our solid relationship."
Participating in a leg of the planned voyage at no cost "is an advantage even our longest standing and greatest youth volunteer contributors cannot be offered," the letter stated. Competition for the 109 berths available in the summer sailing program for youths from across Canada is "intense."
The $450,000 cost of the summer adventure works out to approximately $4,500 per youth participant and Bytown has committed to raising all but $840 of the per trainee cost. The Millennium Bureau of Canada contributed $153,000 toward the cost. The ship is participating in Tall Ship 2000, a millennium event which includes visits to many of the major cities of the east coast of Canada and the U.S. followed by an exploration of Canada's Great Lakes.
The Fair Jeanne is one of only five square-rig ships in Canada, and passage on the vessel is "a prized opportunity," Carson said in a telephone interview.
Bytown promised to keep five places available for Cardinal cadets wishing to join the program, and suggested youths unable to afford the $840 cost contact local sponsors. The foundation also considers applications to subsidize youth with demonstrated need, and offers bursaries.
This solution on the part of the foundation isn't satisfactory, however, say parents Murphy and Jensen.
"The kids went out in the freezing cold and did their part, and there's no return to them," said Jensen. "They were bundled up and they came home filthy dirty with big smiles on their faces ready for the next time they could go and work on it (the Fair Jeanne). The kids came home all excited, saying they had a chance of lifetime. What it boils down to is the kids are the losers."
Jensen said she contacted Carson with her concerns, and was told the free voyage was misrepresented and that the cadets should have realized this type of "exotic trip" would not be possible.
"These are kids. How would they have known?" said Murphy. "There's not one kid who's going to give it a second thought. The kids have a bad taste in their mouths from the whole thing."
"It's not up to the kids to gauge whether it's accurate or not," added Jensen. "The man was in charge of the boat and that's what he told them. The kids weren't looking for something they didn't deserve. It's not the point of getting something for free. It was offered to them.
"I resent him (Carson) implying that somebody was looking for something they didn't deserve."
Jensen said the sailing program cost options were explained to her, but "this is for rich kids with more substantial means to be able to come up with that kind of money," she said. "None of us pressed this or went looking for a freebie for the kids. We're not the only ones who would not be able to afford this. Parents can't come up with that kind of money."
The ship is now known as the "Unfair Jeanne", she said, adding that the situation was a "very negative experience."
Jensen said she and her husband contacted the newspaper because they felt it was important "to get some sort of resolution for the kids," and to let their daughters know "it's important to stand up for yourself."
The Sea Cadets are a "positive, motivated group", she said, but "it's the Sea Cadets who lose. They acted in good faith. They were loving it. The kids would be happy to get a ride down the St. Lawrence. They don't want to cruise the world in it or anything."
Carson said it was a "positive experience being in the community for the winter. "I can't really say enough about the community of Cardinal. We want to sincerely maintain the relationship."
He added he feels badly about the misunderstanding, and that Bytown would do "whatever it takes to restore the relationship" and resolve the problem. "It would be easy to accommodate a boat ride," once the ship returns to the area after October 12, Carson said. "I don't want any hard feelings in Cardinal. They were just wonderful."
Carol Coughler, President of the Navy League which sponsors the Sea Cadets along with the Department of National Defence, said the situation is "not fair", because the cadets were told they would have a chance to sail for free. "The kids did put a lot of time in," she said, noting some volunteered over 20 hours.
Coughler said she knows of one Cardinal cadet who is able to participate in the sailing program, but "they should be able to go without cost. It's not right. There has been a lot of upset over it."
Nancy Toupin, secretary and public relations representative of the Navy League, said "some parents are totally up-in-arms." She said she is disappointed by the outcome, but that she is handling it in "a lot less volatile manner" than some others because of her nature.
Toupin, who has a son, Daniel, in the Cadets, personally doesn't hold anything against the owners, she explained, but that the engineer of the ship was "totally unauthorized" to tell the Sea Cadets they would have a free trip. "The free part was extra cool," she noted, because of the quality and high cost of the program.
The Fair Jeanne was constructed in Ottawa by the late Captain Thomas George Fuller, one of the most decorated naval war heroes in Canada. The Fuller family founded Bytown Brigantine Inc., and underwrites all its activities, explained Carson.
CARDINAL - The village Bloom Committee has set down deep roots in Cardinal, as it continues to generate excitement and interest in this year's beautification project.
There are now over 70 homes registered in the bloom contest, which will be judged on a local and national level. Cardinal's four-bloom rating in last year's Community in Bloom competition enabled it to represent all of Ontario against other villages for its population size across Canada in the National Communities in Bloom contest.
The deadline for registering a home is June 30. There is no cost to register, and entry forms can be filled out at the municipal office, General Dollar, the Islander Hotel and Rona Hardware.
Bloom Committee member Lori Pennell said "it would be great" to have 100 homes registered for the August 14 judging, when judges will be in the village from Saskatchewan. The bloom rating will be awarded September 24.
Homeowners, businesses and tenants are all encouraged to participate. Registrants are judged on use of space, colour, health of plants, neatness and creativity.
In the flowered homes category (front yard) the first prize is a $600 patio set. Second prize is a set of wooden Muskoka chairs, and the third place winner takes home an arbour. There are 10 honourable mentions.
A garden bench will be awarded for a new category this year, Best Use of Red and White (front yard). Businesses, service organizations and churches will receive plaques for first, second and third place.
A pizza party will be awarded to the winner and four friends in the Largest Sunflower Face competition for elementary school children, to be judged in early September. No registration is required for this category.
Sithe Energies donated the patio set and garden bench for the competition. Pennell said the local power company was the driving force behind the project three years ago, and continues to be a main supporter and organizer.
Cardinal in Bloom banners and flower barrels are now in place in Cardinal. These have been provided through the committee's sales of T-shirts and plants and from its raffles, barbecue and donations.
CARDINAL - The Cardinal Fish and Game Club small mouth bass fishing derby will be held June 24 and 25. Participants will be able to hook in to five cash prizes of $100, $75, $50, $30 and $20. Tickets can be picked up at Rona Pro Hardware, The Blind Man, Mustard's Variety in Iroquois and at the Johnstown gas bar, where live bait is also available. Weigh-ins will be held both derby days from 11 a.m. to noon and from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Cardinal Legion boat dock.
MORRISBURG - The musical revue Oh Coward! opens at the Upper Canada Playhouse here June 24. The rollicking performance was devised by Roderick Cook and based on the words and music by Noel Coward. Oh Coward! is a nostalgic intermingling of vintage Coward, memorable melodies and his sharp insight into the humorous side of existence. Performances are nightly Tuesday through Saturday with matinees on Sundays and selected Wednesdays until July 16.Tickets may be booked by calling the Upper Canada Playhouse box office at (613) 543-3713. This is the 17th season for the Playhouse.
All former students and friends of Benson Public School teacher Ken Lynch are invited to attend a retirement party in his honour Thursday, June 22 at the school. Lynch has been teaching at Benson for 34 years. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Cancer Society event June 23 and 24
The Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life for Lanark, Leeds and Grenville counties will be held June 23 and 24 in Lombardy. Cancer survivors, families, businesses, friends and the community will come together at the fair grounds to raise money for cancer research, to celebrate those who have survived cancer and remember those who have died from the disease.
Teams in this challenging fundraiser will run, walk, stroll or wheel relay style throughout the night. Mary Macintyre, society president for the Cardinal, Augusta, Prescott and Edwardsburgh area says sponsors, donations of prizes and teams are all needed to help make the event a success. Luminaries in memory of or in honour of a loved one will be placed around the track for a special ceremony, and can be purchased for $5 each. For more information, contact Macintyre at 657-3302, or John Christofolakos at 925-4627.
MORRISBURG - The musical revue Oh Coward! opens at the Upper Canada Playhouse here June 24. The rollicking performance was devised by Roderick Cook and based on the words and music by Noel Coward. Oh Coward! is a nostalgic intermingling of vintage Coward, memorable melodies and his sharp insight into the humorous side of existence. The revue is a musical tribute to Coward's unique contribution to the theatre community. The Dora Award winning Victor A. Young returns to the Playhouse to direct the show. Performances are nightly Tuesday through Saturday with matinees on Sundays and selected Wednesdays until July 16.
Tickets for this nostalgic musical may be booked by calling the Upper Canada Playhouse box office at (613) 543-3713. The is the seventeenth season for the Playhouse.
Alice Marie Davy, a resident of Wellington House Nursing Home for the past five years, died at the home Tuesday June 6, 2000 after a lengthy illness. She was 67.
She was born August 8, 1932 in Cardinal to Paul Reid and Bessie Peebles, who predeceased her. She had been employed as a payroll clerk at CASCO and was a homemaker. Mrs. Davy had formerly resided at RR 1 Cardinal on the Froom Road, and was a member of the United Church, Cardinal, where she sang in the choir.
Mrs. Davy is survived by her husband Leonard Davy. They were married Oct. 24, 1959 in Cardinal. She is also survived by her daughters, Patricia Lynn Lindsay and her husband Jim; grandchildren Jaimie and Jason, all of RR 4 Spencerville; and by her brother, Ronald Reid of Kingston. Mrs. Davy was also predeceased by a brother, Lindy Reid.
Before starting her family, Mrs. Davy was an avid bowler. She was a devoted mother and wife, and a loving grandmother. She loved children, and always had a yard full of happy faces. Her favourite hobby was knitting, with socks being her specialty. She also enjoyed making baby blankets and outfits for her family and friends. Mrs. Davy loved to travel, seeing most of Ontario and as far east as P.E.I. Her favourite season was fall.
Mrs. Davy was always a very loving, giving and compassionate person, and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
The funeral was held at the Marsden McLaughlin Funeral Home Thursday June 8 with Rev. Doug Warren officiating. Interment was at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Maitland. The pallbearers were Floyd LaTullippe, Gary Cooper, Bill Veltkamp, Don Davy, Paul Davy and Les Wood.
Donations to the Alzheimer Association would be appreciated.
Robert (Bob) William Kuske of RR 1 Iroquois died Monday, June 5, 2000 at Winchester Hospital after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 62.
Mr. Kuske was born Sept. 26, 1937 in Ottawa to Victor and Lily Kuske, who predeceased him. He had been employed as a lead hand with the Township of South Dundas.
A resident of Iroquois for the past 14 years, Mr. Kuske had also lived in Kemptville and Brockville. He was a member of the United Church, and belonged to the Federation of Anglers and Hunters.
Mr. Kuske is survived by his wife Janet, whom he married Jan. 31, 1963 in Kingston. He is also survived by his daughters, Stephanie and her husband Brent Harper of North Augusta, and Jeannine and her husband Gord Burns of Lyn; his grandchildren, Gregg, Olivia, Grace and Chrissy and Jessica and Alicia; and his sisters, Anne Baxter and brother-in-law Jim of Ottawa and Joan Bradley and brother-in-law Bob of Mallorytown.
He was predeceased by a sister, Mary Dobson, and by a niece, Karen Daub, February 2000.
Mr. Kuske was a road builder for more than 40 years with the Ministry of Transportation Ontario, Mulligan Construction, Matilda Township and South Dundas.
He loved the outdoors and spent his leisure time fishing and hunting in the Colabogie area. In recent years he enjoyed moose hunting with the Findley Creek Hunt Club. He was a talented wood worker, built and furnished a log cabin at Black Donald and made many gifts for his grandchildren.
Mr. Kuske had a quiet nature, a great sense of humour, and he will be missed by his many friends.
A touching eulogy was given by Bill Horner at the funeral service, held at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home Wednesday, June 7.
Doug Carnegie officiated at the service. Interment will be held at a later date at Oakland Cemetery, Brockville.
In memoriam donations may be made to the Winchester Hospital or the Cancer Society.
Russell George Pinkney, 82, of 334 County Road 2, Cardinal, died peacefully Friday, June 9, 2000 at home.
Mr. Pinkney was born Aug. 13, 1917 in Montreal, Que. to Walter Pinkney and Bessie George, who predeceased him. He had been employed by the military.
He is survived by his wife, Rose Dubuchon, whom he married Sept. 16, 1937 in Montreal. Mr. Pinkney is also survived by his son Roy and his wife Claudette of Laval, Que., Richard and his wife Monique of East Africa, and Robert of Montreal; a sister, Gladys Tinmouth of Cornwall; a grandson, Jason, and by several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by three brothers and one sister.
The Marsden McLaughlin Funeral Home, Cardinal, arranged for cremation with interment at Montreal Memorial Park Cemetery.
Donations to the Cancer Society would be appreciated.
By Scott Kuipers
If you can get your hands on some ladybugs, or if you had the foresight to order them earlier, now is the time to release them into the wild.
Spread them around, five to seven metres apart at the base of shrubs and trees. As long as you have bug larvae and some containers of water (or a natural source) they will stay around. These lovely critters will decimate populations of small larvae.
Check your cabbage plants for bugs. If you see any holes or signs of nibbling around the edges of the leaves, mix up two teaspoons of salt to four cups of flour and dust the plants with it.
This year, being so wet, will probably be bad for mildew and slugs, two pests we all must face sooner or later.
I've heard some rumours that you can catch slugs by placing a saucer of beer in the area affected with the rim of the vessel flush with the ground.
It sounded like a waste of beer to me, so I did some investigating. It seems, after all, that the slimy things are attracted to the smell of the yeast, and once they get into the sauce they can't get out, and they drown.
Here's the ticket: Get some water, dissolve some sugar in it, add a teaspoon of bread yeast, set your saucer in a slug-ridden area and check it each morning.
Neon light and jukebox optional.
MORRISBURG One of Canada's most recognized icons, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride, will be performing on the south side of the Battle of Crysler's Farm Memorial Mound at Upper Canada Village Heritage Park at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, June 22.
The prestigious and world-renowned RCMP Musical Ride represents a colourful Canadian tradition. The troop of 32 horses and riders will perform a variety of cavalry drills choreographed to music. Working through a unique medium, they support the RCMP community policing efforts throughout Canada.
The Musical Ride was developed in 1876 by early members of the North West Mounted Police to display their riding ability and entertain the local community.
It has evolved over the decades into a uniquely Canadian performance enjoyed by tens of thousands of spectators every year.
The Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life for Lanark, Leeds and Grenville counties will be held June 23 and 24 in Lombardy. Cancer survivors, families, businesses and friends will come together at the fair grounds to raise money for cancer research, to celebrate those who have survived cancer and remember those who have died from the disease. Teams in this challenging fundraiser will run, walk, stroll or wheel relay-style throughout the night. For more information, contact Mary Macintyre at 657-3302 or John Christofolakos at 925-4627.
By JEFF LEE - Journal Staff
MAYNARD It was really nerve racking, sitting in the Hershey Centre in Mississauga just waiting, during the the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft.
Draft day started at 10 a.m. And for 105 long minutes Adam Gibson, 16, sat and waited.
Then the North Bay Centennials used their second pick on him, a defenceman who skated with both the Rideau-St. Lawrence Major Bantam Kings and the Brockville Braves Tier II Jr. 'A' as an affiliate player (AP).
Gibson's dad, Don, jumped up and congratulated his son, and Gibson says "my mom's [Grace-Ann] eyes started to water."
Gibson went in the second round, 25th overall.
"It was really great," he said. "I never expected to go that high [in the draft]. It was something of a surprise."
The reality of being drafted by an OHL team didn't sink in until a TV camera was stuck in his face, he says.
"I was still in shock. It started to hit me when the TV station from North Bay was interviewing me," Gibson said. "It was the first time dealing with that. They said I looked like a deer caught in the headlights."
But with North Bay drafting the South Grenville District High School student, Gibson has some decisions to make in the next few months: Does he go with North Bay and play in the OHL and lose his NCAA eligibility, because the OHL is considered semi-pro or does he stay with the Braves and shoot for a hockey scholarship.
His mom says she is going to need more information before any decisions are made, something Gibson concurs with.
And there is the possibility that after training camp later in the summer, North Bay won't want him for this year. He is however protected by them and he is by the Braves. More factors to consider.
Gibson will get a better read on things after the Centennials training camp at the end of August.
He has a 48 hour window during the camp weekend when he can skate with the team before losing his NCAA eligibility and the scholarship route.
Gibson says that after the camp, he'll sit down with the North Bay GM Mike Kelly to see how he fits into the Centennials' equation for next season.
"The team has a lot of big defencemen, 6'1", 6'2", 200 pounds," says Gibson, who is 5'10" and 190 pounds. "They want someone to skate with the puck. They also want me to help on the power play. They consider me a scoring defenceman and that's what they want me to bring to the club."
Being drafted 25th overall, he says, means they are looking to play me next year. Also, in picking Gibson, the organization had to make a commitment because OHL rules dictate that teams are limited to two players with 1984 birth dates.
"If I didn't make it or decide not to play for them," Gibson says, "I'll come back to play with the Braves."
In the CJHL, the Braves have protected Gibson, who had eight points with them this season as an AP in 23 regular season games and all three playoff rounds.
Getting as much ice time as possible with the Braves was one goal Gibson set for himself. The other was to get drafted by the OHL, and the third was to break the Kings organization's major bantam points record held by Robbie Brown, who had 77 points.
It was down to the wire, but Gibson pulled it off, getting 78 points before the King's season ended.
His plans for the summer include getting stronger for training camp, which involves working out with ex-boxer Barry Brennan several times a week at the Ottawa Athletic Centre. He'll be with Brennan, whose clients include players drafted into the National Hockey League, five days a week during the summer. But before heading to training camp, Gibson has already gone to North Bay for a fitness test, which is not only another piece of information for the Centennials but also for him to help in his decision that he has to make later this summer.
By JEFF LEE - Journal Staff
A change in coaching and management in the South Grenville Jr. 'B' Ranger organization is part of an overall goal of trying to raise the team's profile in the area and bring together the community to support their local team in the CJHL.
Tom Hare, life-long area resident, steps into the role of GM for the 2000/2001 season, while George Willard, a Prescott native, takes over the coaching reigns.
"In terms of direction, what we have talked about is we would like to try to raise the profile of the team in the community," says Willard, "and I think over the last few seasons, [that while] the team has been successful, one thing when it went to the South Grenville [Jr. 'B' Rangers], it seemed to lose its identity, because you had your Prescott, Cardinal and Spencerville. Those little communities could identify with a team....Tom's plan is to try and bring back all these people together again. "
At one time, there were three local teams-one out of Cardinal, Spencerville and Prescott. Willard, who has coached part of the 94/95 season of with the Juniors 'B' Rangers and has played defence in the initial year of the Brockville Braves in 63/64, says now he doesn't' think that they draw well outside of Cardinal.
"Why we are sort of hedging," Hare added, "I'm sure you can appreciate this, I don't put anything that might be perceived as a negative or a knock against one of the communities, because what happened years ago is that I think organization, South Grenville, probably has tried almost everything. It has tried playing out of Prescott, it has tried rotating to each of the three rinks. And I think for some seasons it worked and others it didn't. And the last couple of years before it went to Cardinal it played out of Prescott."
Willard added: "It never really got its identity."
So another competent of the rebuilding is an Ad Hoc committee made up people from the communities have to help promote the team. The committee includes Pat Lawless from the Spencerville area, who played with the Spencerville Jr. 'B'; Ron Gilmer, who has been involved in Cardinal Minor Hockey, including president, been involved with the Dundas Flyers; Glen Libby, a Prescott native, who's been involved in Jr. 'B', including as assistant coach and has coached in the AA Rideau St. Lawrence Kings organization and Doug Casselman, who played with the Morrisburg Combines for years.
"These are the right people to have stepped forward," Willard says.
There are three shareholders-Andy Lawrence who lives in the Spencerville area, Irwin Kelso former businessman in the Domville area and the third one Jim Bennett.
"The money [is] there. [The shareholders] are low profile and all they expect is to have a place for the kids to play hockey," Willard said. The shareholders have always been there but, Hare believes, that there has never been a committee to connect with the community to get its feedback, comments and input.
"It's a group of people who are there just to provide some input and work with the team in terms of some fundraising things." said Hare, whose hockey background includes a partial season as centre in Central-Jr league when Morrisburg had a franchise, coaching in minor hockey in Prescott Minor Hockey and South Grenville Minor Hockey, from Atom to Midget.
Hare said, for example, that Libby could use his expertise in an unofficially capacity to give input on players. (Hare has also been involved with the executive for four years and was president of SGMH 1998 to 1999. Played a couple years in Cornwall with the St. Lawrence College Roadrunners in '69 and '70 season.)
"What the intent is to try and draw the three communities together," Hare says.
"By drawing people from Cardinal to help," Willard added, "and Pat Lawless in Spencerville and Tom and I in Prescott, we are just hoping things get rolling a bit."
But ultimately the goal is to field a competitive team.
Willard said that if you are winning and you have a good competitive team, then its a bigger draw. He said that the Rangers are going to try and put a competitive team on the ice using local players, but maybe it will take more than the players in the area necessary to make this team competitive. Going outside local boundaries is true for all the teams when building a team.
"You try and get as much local talent as you can," Willard said, "And you have to top it off a little bit."
"Initially, I think they'll come out," Hare says. "'Lets just see what's going on there. ' There is a new coach, new people involved and that'll drum up a little bit of interest. And I think if the product is there, they'll continue to support it."
Connect with fundraising
Plans to connect with the community include a golf tournament, scheduled for Saturday August 12 at the Prescott golf Club. It may be a scramble tournament, with a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
There are also plans to have the 50/50 draw not only on hockey night but also over the week by the members involved, Hare said.
Through fundraising and having these people available it is hoped that the team's profile will be raised, Willard added.
Another idea being discussed is an opening ceremony. Also we would like to recognize individuals who have kept minor hockey Jr. 'B' going over the years, dipping as far back into history as 30 or 40 years.
Also each community has a championship in years' past-Spencerville in the '70s. Prescott in the late '60s and around '87. Hare says the idea of getting champions of the past together to honour them has been suggested.
Another push, though not new, is to try and promote season tickets. Last year only two seasons passes sold for the 1999/2000 season.
Season tickets are roughly 40 per cent cheaper, taking in consideration only the regular season.
In terms of numbers that they hope to see in attendance, it is difficult to predict, says Hare. It might 20, 30, 40 per cent, but if we can get a competitive team, I think we can get the support,
There are also plans to start the official training camp in early Sept., depending upon the availability of ice time. Last year, the team couldn't initially hold their training camp on local ice because the Cardinal rink doesn't come in until mid-Sept.
"We would really like to have a local training camp in Prescott or Spencerville," Hare says.
Exhibitions should be in the early part of season and first game will be probably around the end of Sept.
Coaching style
Willard said will focus on teaching the skills of the game. Also, he will be looking for kids to make the committee and to have the team have a bit of class too. He expects the team to be a medley of different playing styles.
Hare said he is hoping that parents will take notice of who is involved and encourage their kids to get involved. Also, he hopes that maybe the changes will draw some kids back to the organization that have left..
"Get the team recognized as part of our community again. You go to places like Westport, Kemptville, even Athens, which ended up with only about 10 points and didn't make the playoffs. The community really supports their teams. The community identifies with those teams." But Hare says it's not that he is saying we are going to go out and win a championship, but he wants to have a competitive team that will get noticed and then build from there.
WINCHESTER There are still tickets left for A Night to Remember, but with over 300 already sold, they are going fast.
The life and times of former Inkerman Rocket Denzil "You Bet!" Crowder will be reviewed and the nifty stick handler will be roasted and toasted at the Winchester Arena on Wednesday, June 28.
The Winchester Junior 'B' Hawks hockey club is hosting the evening and club president Peter Guy says he is very pleased with the response to the fundraising project.
"I'm very encouraged by the response. I think people realize that it will be a great evening out at a reasonable price. There will be a good meal - roast beef or chicken marseille - and there should be lots of laughs."
Guy says the sale of tickets will by cut off on June 23, but organizers feel they will be able to accommodate some last-minute requests.
ROASTERS READY
The roster of roasters and toasters has been finalized and will include ex-Inkerman Rocket Brian McFarlane (author and former broadcaster), Liam McGuire (radio personality), Brian Lynch (St. Pat's Club) as well as local celebrities Stephen Ault, Gerry Boyce, Bob Porteous and Denzil's brother Gord Crowder. Several presentations will also be made.
In 1946 Denzil Crowder was a stick boy with the Inkerman Junior 'B' Rockets. That season he was part of a Junior Citizen Shield championship, a COVL Hockey championship (Seeley Trophy) and watched from the bench as the team finished the year as ODHA finalists.
The next season he joined the Rockets as 16-year-old forward. For the next three seasons, he and the Rockets made amateur hockey history.
During these years, he skated with former NHLer Leo Boivin and hockey broadcaster and author Brian McFarlane.
In 1951 Crowder, who was born and raised in Inkerman, joined the New York-Ontario Senior League. In 1952, he was in Scotland skating with the Murrayfield team out of Edinburgh. By 1955, he was settled into family life here in Winchester, where he was employed by Ault Foods. Cocktails will get the evening started at 6 pm.
The dinner , which will be catered by AJs, will be served at 7:30 pm and fellowship and fun will follow.
Tickets are available by calling the CountryBoy Shop at 774-3341.
PRESCOTT The Windmill Web Spiders beat Prescott IDA 7-1 in Under-8 soccer Monday, June 12.
Sean Perrin scored two for the Spiders. Singles went to Kurtis Lavery, Hayden Servagle, Deanna Molson, Dylan Render and Cody Patenaud. Austin Murphy scored for IDA.
Playit Star beat DBL Computing 5-2. Scott Stephenson was on fire, scoring all five goals for Playit.
Although Ryan Van Stralen's team lost, he had a big night scoring both of his team's goals.
Grenville Pharmacy beat the Colour Pallette 2-0.
Sarah Hendriks and Rick Champagne scored for Grenville.
Freer Electric seemed to have pulled the SLP Printing, beating them 6-0.
Mitchell Grant scored three goals, while Jamie Sturgeon scored two and Keith Ditchburn scored a single.
Under 10
Prophet's Trophies' Curtis Biccum scored both goals to get the 2-1 win over Prescott Kiwanis Monday.
In the battle of the banks, Royal came out on top, beating the Bank of Montreal, 8-2.
Royal's' Hank Heykoop scored four goals. Singles went to Jamie Graham, Justin Sutherland, Jason Deeks and Sebastian Last.
Beckers beat TD Bank, 5-2.
Sam Brown had four of five Beckers' goals. Andrew Bernard picked up a single.
TD's Collin Grant had two goals.
Mac's beat Splash Well Drilling 2-1.
Mason Amell scored both of Mac's goals. Rachel Reindorf scored for Splash Well Drilling.
Beach Home Hardware beat Prescott Kinsmen 4-2.
Christian Knapp scored three for Home Hardware and Allan Waddel picked up one.
Torin Marcynuk scored both for the Kinsmen.
Kriska Transport rolled over the Hansen Cavity Kicker, winning 7-0. Danielle Norton scored three, with singles to Chris Noonan and James King.
PERTH A fastball tournament will be held in Perth at the Conlon Farm Park, July 21 to 23.
It is a family oriented event that promises some of the best fastball in North America.
Teams from the American Midwest will be entered in the tournament.
Action starts at 4 p.m Friday, with 29 games scheduled.
For more information, call 613-267-2049, evenings.
MORRISBURG Water will boil here on July 1 and 2.
The South Dundas Chamber of Commerce will be presenting the Canadian Jet Ski Racing Association's World qualifier.
The McIntosh Country Inn is proud to be the official headquarters for the race.
Here you will be able to meet and get to know your favourite racer and talk to them about their strategy for the races and how to be more involved in this family sport.
This event will be in conjunction with the South Dundas Village Picnic organized by the Morrisburg Lions Club.
A full day of activities has been planned, along with a great outdoor concert featuring the talented Jaohnny Reid. A special feature will be Seaplane Riders.
For further information, call (613) 543-3788 or 1-888-229-2850.