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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 |
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PRESCOTT Taxi companies operating on King Street will each receive one on-street parking space as part of proposed changes to downtown parking regulations.
The municipality is planning to remove parking meters for a six-month trial period. Two-hour parking would go into effect in areas in which meters are now in place.
As a result of the proposed changes and input from Prescott's Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA), town officials asked cab companies for their input. The various parties got together last Wednesday to discuss the matter.
Under the proposed bylaw, drivers would not be permitted to park for two hours and then move to another space down the street. Town officials noted this could affect taxi companies that use King Street to park their vehicles.
Ray and Linda Sipes, who own Prescott and Fort Town Taxi, indicated cabs do not usually stay parked for long periods of time. Ed and Laura Morris of A.J.'s Taxi also noted cabs come and go and could use designated spaces on a rotating basis.
One option being considered by the town was to move taxi parking from King Street to Centre Street. BIA Chairman Ken Durand said the BIA would prefer taxi stands to be on Centre to provide as much parking as possible on King Street.
But Ray Sipes said people go to the company's office expecting to get a cab there. Relocating parked cabs would force people to walk around the corner; some elderly customers would find that difficult especially in winter, it was argued.
Prescott Police Sergeant Gary Sluytman said he does not see a problem with allowing two parking spaces for each cab company. Taxis provide an important service such as taking people to and from bars.
Councillor Garry Dewar said he does not think providing two spaces is an option. Neighbouring businesses could be adversely affected because there are not enough parking spaces on main street, he noted.
When asked if they could accept having one reserved parking space on King Street for each company, cab owners indicated they could live with such an arrangement. The reserved spaces would be in place 24 hours a day; signs to that effect would be erected.
Proposed changes to downtown parking regulations are expected to be put to a final vote next Monday at a special council meeting.
Cab companies were also asked about lubricants leaking from taxis parked on King Street, a concern noted by the BIA. Sipes said his vehicles have been equipped with new oil pans and there is no leakage problem.
The sergeant also noted he had done a parking survey years ago and found BIA members were "the worst offenders" when it came to on-street parking. He added the BIA should police itself when the new parking measures take effect.
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT The rededication of Prescott's war memorial was marked Saturday by a solemn and touching ceremony, honouring those who gave their lives in the name of freedom, and those who worked relentlessly to bring about the cenotaph's new home.
The memorial service marked a year-long project to move the cenotaph from its 40-year-home at the Dibble Street municipal building to the more prominent Fort Wellington National Historic Site.
Saturday afternoon's activities coincided with the 42nd get-together of the Canadian and American Veterans Reunion Association (CAVRA), presented jointly this year by branches of the Prescott and Spencerville Royal Canadian Legion.
The fort service was preceded by a parade from Centennial Park, involving American and Canadian veteran associations, pipe and drum bands, Legion colour parties, the Prescott air cadets and Cardinal sea cadets.
Ed Greene, whom it was noted worked relentlessly and tirelessly on the relocation project and without whom it could not have come to fruition, said "We realize veterans made a significant contribution so you and I can stand freely here today on both sides of the border."
Greene also commented the ceremony concludes the first phase of the project. The second phase - a pathway and landscaping - will be finished for November 11 Remembrance Day ceremonies.
"We are rededicating here today in a beautiful, serene environment, a symbol of community pride and respect for those who served their country," noted Parks Canada representative Pam Buell.
Parks Canada, the owner of the fort property, assisted in the relocation project and the creation of the Veterans' Memorial Garden along with a committee of Prescott Legion members and other local partners. The service was the realization of a dream to create a fitting, permanent and highly visible location for the symbolic monument, Buell said.
She commented the Fort Wellington site is more than a local treasure, but one of almost 900 national historic sites in Canada which together commemorate the richness of Canadian heritage. "Constructed hastily for the War of 1812, a time when relationships with our American neighbours to the south were less than amicable, and reinforced again a generation later in the 1830s when the threat of rebellion again caused the young colony to fortify and prepare for invasion, the fort now stands as a testament to those early days of Canadian nationhood," Buell said.
As an example of the friendship between the United States and Canada, the memorial service included a flag exchange and flag raising between representatives of the two countries and the singing of both national anthems.
Dignitaries at the service included MP Joe Jordan, who noted Canada has a proud military history, but a short memory. "Freedom isn't free. It comes at a tremendous cost," he said. It is therefore fitting environments for remembrance such as the Prescott Veterans' Memorial Garden are created, Jordan said. He also noted the naming of Highway 416 the Veterans' Memorial Highway and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa are also significant remembrances.
Among the other dignitaries present were Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn, Father John Appelman of St. Mark's RC Church, Rev. Gerry Ring of St. John's Anglican Church, Augusta Reeve George Vail and Deputy Zone Commander and Kemptville Legion representative Sandra Murray.
Leeds-Grenville Alliance President Brian DesRochers represented the province of Ontario and MPP Bob Runciman in his absence.
PRESCOTT Canada Day started with a bang at 12:01 Sunday morning in Prescott.
More than 300 people gathered at the southern end of the field at Fort Wellington to take in a fireworks display presented by the town and the CAVRA reunion of Canadian and American veterans. Spectators were treated to a brief but lively display to mark the beginning of Canada's 134th birthday.
The town will receive Heritage Canada funding to offset the cost of the fireworks.
PRESCOTT The Forwarders' Museum is open for another season.
The museum, which is located downtown at the corner of Water and Centre streets, also serves as the town's tourist information centre.
The museum is open weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free.
The museum will be open daily until early September.
PRESCOTT Town council is expected to deal with a longstanding oversight this month.
Following last year's demise of the South Grenville Economic Development Commission, some commission members have continued to conduct meetings as part of a Prescott-based committee. However, committee members were left off a list of municipal appointees council approved several months ago shortly after it took office.
Concerns about the oversight were expressed to town officials this spring at chamber of commerce directors' meetings. Town officials maintain the omission was an oversight.
Councillor Garry Dewar told the committee last Wednesday council would address the matter at its regular meeting July 16. The appointments might be made at a special council meeting July 9, at which time council is expected to approve the town's 2001 budget and vote to have parking meters removed from downtown.
Council will also be appointing members to a property standards committee and minor variance committee.
PRESCOTT The Riverside Singers are scheduled to perform this Sunday, July 8 on the waterfront at the Kinsmen outdoor theatre.
The concert begins at 7 pm. In the event of rain, the concert will take place at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.
This is the second in a series of Sunday concerts being staged at the amphitheatre in July and August. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.
PRESCOTT The Queen of the North Atlantic spent the night in Prescott last week, much to the delight of hundreds of people who caught a glimpse of the special visitor.
Bluenose II, a replica of the famed Canadian schooner, docked in the fort town last Tuesday as it made its way to the tall ships festival which took place during the Canada Day long weekend in Kingston. Although the schooner has visited Prescott on several occasions in the past, long-time members of the crew looked forward to the greeting they knew they would receive here.
"People are genuinely happy to see us and are always interested," said Captain Philip Watson. "They go out of their way to make us feel welcome."
Launched in 1963, Bluenose II is owned by the Province of Nova Scotia and operated by a preservation trust. The Lunenburg-based schooner was built from the same plans as the Bluenose, Canada's most famous sailing vessel which in the 1920s and 1930s won many races against American fishing schooners.
Watson said people continue to be intrigued by the style of the Bluenose. It is something rarely seen in this day and age, he added.
The crew of the schooner consists of five officers, a chief cook and 12 deckhands. Young Nova Scotians are selected for six-month stints as deckhands. Watson said serving on Bluenose II instills a sense of pride and responsibility, as well as the traditional skills of seamanship. Crew members represent their province in smaller communities like Prescott and larger centres like New York.
Prescott remains a highlight on any voyage through the Great Lakes system, according to Watson. The sincere welcome received during each visit is something Bluenose II crew members do not always receive in big cities, the captain said.
"I don't know how to put that into words," the captain said.
Crew members were treated to a reception involving Tourism Prescott and municipal officials. Mayor Robert Lawn said he was impressed by the visiting schooner and its crew.
Following its appearance in Kingston, Bluenose II sailed for other Great Lakes destinations. The schooner will be back in Prescott later this season on its return trip to the Maritimes.
The Prescott stop enables the crew to raise or lower its mast depending on the direction in which the schooner is heading.
BROCKVILLE Elementary school teachers will get a 2.5 per pent pay raise after a deal was signed with the Upper Canada District School Board.
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario and the public board stated in a joint press release the two sides had ratified a renewal collective agreement, which will apply for the period from Sept. 1, 2001 to August 31, 2002.
Caroll Carkner, president of the local district union, stated "the agreement responds to the needs of my membership to see a salary improvement. This places us in a comparable position relative to other elementary panel settlements with our neighbouring boards and boards throughout Ontario."
The agreement affects 1,300 teachers across a board that covers 12,000 square kilometres and includes the counties of Lanark, Leeds, Grenville, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott and Russell.
Board chairperson Joan Hodge stated "the balance of the new agreement reflects the status quo under the prior agreement. It also provides a measure of relief from the uncertainty related to the recently enacted provincial legislation which would have required agreements entered into after June 30 to be three years in duration without identifying specifically how such agreements would be funded."
Effective Sept. 1, teachers will get a salary grid increase of 1.5 per cent, with another one per cent kicking in May 31.
By the end of the increases, a beginner teacher who possesses a master's degree in addition to basic teacher qualifications will receive an annual salary of $40,824.
Meanwhile, a similarly qualified teacher with 12 or more years of experience will earn an annual salary of $70,125.
AUGUSTA Police are continuing their investigation of a fatal accident involving a pedestrian and a train at the Merwin Lane crossing.
A Prescott-area man was struck and killed by an eastbound freight train shortly before 3 pm June 26.
A positive identification of the victim was made last week, Senior Constable Cindy MacDonald of Grenville County OPP reported. However, police are not releasing additional information at the request of the victim's family.
The railway crossing was closed for more than five hours after the incident. Accident reconstruction specialists were brought in to assist local police and CN officials with the investigation.
Trauma support personnel also attended the scene a short time after the incident occurred, MacDonald noted. Augusta firefighters provided traffic control and other services, she added.
PRESCOTT The Grenville County Historical Society has added a number of new publications to its resource library.
Located at 439 Edward St., Prescott, archives provides genealogical and historical information for a nominal fee. It is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. The society can be reached at 925-0489.
The centre's new books are:
* The New Loyalist Index, by Paul J. Bunnell
* Loyalist Lists 1775-1783, by E. Keith Fitzgerald
* Name and Age Listing from the 1871 Census of Wolford Township, by Chester Hare
* Births, Deaths and Marriages listed in the Kemptville Advance 1900, 1899, 1895 and 1893, by Osgoode Township Historical Society
* The Marriage Registers of Upper Canada/Canada West Johnstown District Part 1 1799-1851 and Part 1 1847-1863, by Dan Walker and Fawne Stratford-Devai
PRESCOTT Fort Wellington is offering a special Heritage Summer Day Camp. Children enlist to travel back in time to 1846 when the fort was occupied by the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment members and their families.
The children will learn about the history of Canada and the Prescott area, while participating in period games and activities. Crafts, cooking and period sports are all part of the experience.
Each session runs for five days from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Session dates are July 24 to 28, and from August 7 to 11. Children age seven to 13 are eligible. Each child is responsible for providing his or her own period costume; patterns are available at the fort office. For more information, contact 925-2896.
PRESCOTT The story of an American invasion of Canada near Prescott is the subject of a new book now on sale.
Guns Across the River: The Battle of the Windmill, 1838, was written by Donald E. Graves of Almonte and published by the Friends of Windmill Point in collaboration with Robin Brass Studio Inc. of Toronto.
A public book launch will be held this Friday at 7 pm at Fort Wellington.
Rene Schoemaker, one of seven members of the non-profit friends group that has operated the Windmill site in conjunction with Parks Canada since 1996, noted the arrival of the book marks the end of an 18-month process.
"The whole group worked very hard," he said in an interview. "We are thoroughly delighted" with the result, Schoemaker added.
The 264-page book chronicles the November 1838 invasion of the stone windmill east of Prescott by 250 Americans belonging to the Patriot Hunters group. Five days of fighting concluded when British troops and Canadian militia regained control of the site and captured the invaders.
More than 2,100 copies of the book have been printed. Schoemaker noted 250 were pre-sold to historical and military societies in England. An additional 500 copies have been sold to parties in the United States.
More than 150 copies were sold locally the first two days they were available, he added. Schoemaker is hoping descendants of those who fought in the battle will appear at the book launch.
Anyone who makes a donation of $50 or more to the friends group will have a book donated to the person or group of his or her choice, Schoemaker noted.
Guns Across the River is available at the fort, the Windmill Point site, Gift Lane and the Grenville County Historical Society, or from Schoemaker at 925-4826.
BROCKVILLE A Cardinal man has received a 13-month jail sentence after being found guilty of assaulting a parking meter attendant.
Cecil Herbert Millar, 68, was convicted of aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer. Justice Charles Anderson sentenced Millar June 25 in Brockville court.
Millar was charged following the May 1999 assault of 74-year-old Owen Brown. The victim was in the process of writing a parking ticket on King Street in Prescott when he was confronted by Millar, who went on to push him to the ground and strike him twice in the head with a sewing machine.
Millar was also ordered to pay compensation to the victim and obtain anger management counselling. A two-year probation order was also issued by Anderson.
Bluenose II Captain Philip Watson, commenting on visits to Prescott
WHO SHOULD PAY FOR PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT: Whether you believe the provincial government is cutting or boosting health care spending, the fact remains most communities in Ontario are in need of more doctors and other professionals in the field. Municipalities in South Grenville and the Brockville area are being asked to contribute to a campaign aimed at bringing more physicians to the region.
Backers of the campaign note it is in the best interests of the public and private sectors to support such a project because of the positive effects a successful campaign would have on the quality of life and the area's ability to sell itself to companies and potential residents. Other communities have already established war chests and are actively pursuing young doctors; it is argued Leeds and Grenville must make a concerted effort to stand up for itself and make a strong pitch to physicians, something that cannot be done without the financial support of municipalities, companies and individuals.
On the other hand, municipal councils which are having trouble maintaining basic services without jacking up residential property tax rates are being asked to dip a little deeper into taxpayers' pockets to fund a program that has no guarantee of being successful. Some local politicians insist health care funding is a provincial and federal matter; municipalities are already being dumped on by the province, and contributing to a physician recruitment program is yet another example of provincial downloading at a time when municipalities can least afford it.
But can they afford not to at least make some degree of effort to deal with a problem they acknowledge exists? Council members know how hard it is for some residents to obtain the services of a family doctor or specialist. Mind you, they also know the phone will ring if someone's street is left to rot even further at a time when property taxes are not getting any lower.
Everyone seems to support the premise of a physician recruitment drive, but it is up to members of the community to tell their elected officials whether spending municipal tax dollars on such a project is the way to go.
BIRTHDAY WISHES EXTEND ACROSS THE RIVER: With Canada's annual celebration of its birth in the books for another year, it is time to extend birthday greetings to our neighbour to the south. There have been times over the centuries when 'us' versus 'them' seemed to describe the relationship between Canada and the United States. As much as some Canadians look down on Americans because of their alleged arrogance and their patriotism, many Canucks quietly wish they could be more like Americans when it comes to showing pride in one's country. It is not as if Americans need any help from Canadians when it comes to celebrating independence, but what kind of neighbours would we be if we did not take a moment to at least offer best wishes and be thankful our disagreements no longer lead to the violence that has consumed other nations.
Tim Ruhnke
The Prescott Royal Canadian Legion can be commended for its fine performance Saturday in staging the rededication ceremonies of our cenotaph.
This patriotic event coincided well with the annual Canadian American Veterans Reunion and was an excellent salute to Canada Day celebrations held Sunday.
With the parade along King Street combining Canadian and American organizations, a flag exchange, the singing of both national anthems, a wreath laying ceremony and a joint flag raising, this was truly a significant event in Prescott's history.
Our town's war memorial now commands an awesome and majestic view of the St. Lawrence River, and stands proud as a reminder of those who fought for us.
As my nine-year-old commented on Saturday, the cenotaph now looks bigger. And it does look stronger, taller and more important. Thankfully, he knows what it symbolizes, since his school studies its significance and makes the annual trek to the cenotaph for Remembrance Day ceremonies. With this new, more central location to other schools, perhaps more students will be able to participate each year on November 11.
The prominent location will certainly draw the eye of motorists on King Street, and I'm sure can be seen by our American neighbours across the river who helped us mark the occasion.
I have no personal knowledge of wartime, only the stories of my family who knew others who fought for freedom, or of their own home existence during the war years. I know my mother knit socks for her brothers who were in the Canadian Air Force, and polished their suit buttons when they came home on leave, and my father had to walk along the railway tracks to collect coal to keep the home fires burning. But I can say on Saturday I felt proud to be Canadian, grateful for American allies, and honoured to be a resident of a town that remembers and cares.
Fort Wellington Branch 97 of the Royal Canadian Legion plays note-worthy roles in our community. It sponsors youth organizations such as the air cadets and sports and literature events. It provides a meeting place for other groups for social gatherings or business. It helps us remember and celebrate occasions such as Mother's Day, Canada Day or Easter by offering delicious meals and gifts by dedicated volunteers.
I hope I never know wartime, and I hope my own children, grandchildren and many future generations never know what it is like to live through war. Our veterans do know. The Royal Canadian Legion exists to help ensure our freedom is protected.
John A.H. Morris
Former Prescott resident, Capt. John. C. Smith, the sea farin' man chiefly responsible for bringing the tall ships Bluenose II and the Matthew to Prescott over the past five years, is working on the visit of another tall ship, representative of those sailing vessels which had a definite Prescott connection, over 150 years ago.
Back in the 1830s and 40s Lower Canada (Quebec) had a thriving industry whereby sturdy and speedy sail boats were built there and then set sail for Britain, Scotland and Ireland loaded with top quality lumber hewn from the abundant forests of Upper and Lower Canada.
On their return trips to North America their cargoes were mostly immigrants from the British Isles whom they jammed into their holds with little more than their few, poor possessions and plenty of hope for a new life in Canada which often meant free land.
These return trips with their pitiful human cargoes of the sick and impoverished reached a critical point in the late 1840s when the infamous potato famines struck Ireland, killing thousands of Irish farm workers and sharecroppers and their families.
Fleeing starvation and disease in Ireland, and to a lesser extent Scotland, these peasants crammed the holds of the Canadian built tall ships bound for the shores of both Upper and Lower Canada. So many died in these lengthy Atlantic Ocean crossings that the ships were called "Coffin Ships".
It is estimated that at one time there were about 150 of these coffin ships plying the Atlantic between Canada and the U.K. A replica of one of the ships, the Jeanie Johnston, built in 1847, is being completed and tested at Fenit Harbor near Tralee in County Kerry in Southern Ireland. The harbor is a few miles from the City of Cork where most of the Irish immigrants embarked for their fateful trips to the new world.
The owners have informed Capt. Smith that the Jeanie Johnston will probably winter in Quebec and then embark on an extensive tour of Canadian and U.S. Great Lakes ports in 2002.
The ship's sponsors will be looking to make some money on this tour to help cover building and operating costs, and as captains of other tall ships who have visited the friendly Fort Town will concur, their reception in Prescott is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of their tour.
The historic connection of Prescott with these coffin ships is significant in that this town was one of the few ports along the St. Lawrence chosen as a quarantine centre by the colonial government.
According to a chapter on emigrants in the forthcoming Morrises' History of Prescott 1800-2000 which will be for sale this August (plug! plug!), the Police Board of Prescott was informed by letter from the Governor General at its June 7, 1847 board meeting that it could expect ..."a large immigration during the present season" and that it would be necessary to make ..."provision for the temporary relief of the sick and destitute among them".
The police board, with Read Burritt as the president, was informed by His Excellency that the government would pay for the costs of provisions and medical aid and authorized the board to contract for a supply of bread and meat and to appoint a physician to attend the sick.
The town board, however, had to supply at its own expense sheds and a hospital and ..."appoint a Board of Health of its own members, who shall draw up sanitary regulations to be observed by the Emigrants".
Dr. William James Scott, father of Sir Richard Scott, and the person who built the fine stone home on the south-west corner of Edward and Dibble streets, was appointed attending physician and S. Bencroft of town was engaged ..."to bury the dead to coffin, take them to the burying ground, bury them in such a manner as may be directed, at five shillings a body".
At that time there were four large sheds located on or near the waterfront between Edward and VanKoughnet streets, owned at the time by Mr. A. McMillan. Three of these were rented from him for a total of 40 shillings a month, with one of them being used as a hospital. Later these buildings were purchased by local merchant and forwarder Alfred Hooker, with one of the buildings, according to an 1850s map of Prescott, designated as a "Gymnasium".
Over the next couple of years hundreds of immigrants landed on Prescott's shores, and many of those who survived the ravages of hunger, cholera and other epidemics, were rewarded with government land grants, mostly in the scrub lands of the back concessions of Leeds and Grenville.
Perhaps more history can be added to this story by the time the Jeanie Johnston arrives in Prescott next summer. One of the best things Prescott has going for itself these days is its history. Let's make the most of it!
The Editor;
In last week's "Fort Town Diary", Publisher John Morris charged: "Our health system across Canada is broke and our federal and provincial governments do not have the knowledge nor the inclination to fix it."
I agree with Mr. Morris that health care in Canada is facing a major crisis, as it is in the United States and in other parts of the world. But I can't in good conscience support the rest of his argument.
It is disappointing that a journalist with the experience of Mr. Morris chooses to perpetuate the myth that the Ontario government has reduced health care spending since taking office in 1995. It's this rush to assign blame that has curtailed meaningful discussion on the problems facing health in Ontario and consideration of realistic solutions.
I would suggest, Mr. Morris, that a study of the audited financial statements of the Ontario government over the past few years might be helpful to you and your readers. In the final year of the NDP government, health care spending in the province was $17.6 billion. In the 2001-2002 budget passed last week, the Harris government approved spending of $23.5 billion plus an additional $190 million in one-time costs. That represents an increase in annual health care spending of 28.5 per cent hardly a reduction by anyone's accounting.
Despite the rhetoric, it may surprise you to learn that the Mike Harris government has never reduced overall spending in its budgets. In the last five years, total spending by the government has increased approximately 17 per cent rising from $53.6 billion to a projected $61.35 billion in the current fiscal year.
Through tax cuts the Ontario government was able to spur economic growth that increased revenues. It's these increased revenues that allowed this government to reduce taxes and put more money back into the pockets of individual citizens.
As Ontario's population ages, and new expensive health procedures and drugs are developed, there is an ever-increasing demand for increased health care spending. Five years ago, about 36 cents of every tax dollar collected in Ontario was spent on health care; in the new budget that has increased to about 45 cents.
While the Ontario government was increasing spending on health care, the federal government pulled billions of dollars of transfer payments away from the province in order to reduce its deficit. The reduction in Canada health and social transfer payments to Ontario between 1994-95 and 1998-99 was $6.2 billion annually. Only now is the federal government starting to return some of this money to the provinces.
The doctor shortage that we are experiencing is not unique to Ontario, or to Canada. The United States has a shortage of doctors and has turned to Canada and other countries to meet its needs. The private care system there has the ability to adjust to whatever costs are needed to lure away doctors from a public system such as ours.
Do you believe that doubling the salaries of doctors in Ontario will prevent the United States that desperately needs their services from upping the ante? The solution is not unlike professional sports in this regard.
The same solution, in many respects, applies to nurses.
The health care issue is front and centre with our government and is discussed constantly at all levels. We have increased the number of spaces in universities to train doctors; we have brought in changes that will allow more foreign-trained doctors to establish their credentials to practise in Ontario; we have designated rural areas (such as the Brockville region) as underserviced, thereby providing extra funding to attract doctors.
In the past two years, we have increased long-term beds by 20,000. Home care spending in the last five years has increased 72 per cent. And we are spending $22.4 million towards the cost of the Brockville General Hospital expansion.
Our government is carrying out studies on the doctor shortage and home care situations and expects to make more announcements in the future. We fully support the federal government's study on health care being carried out by Roy Romanow.
The question is can we afford our current health system and its insatiable demands for more funding? Or should we seek out alternatives to guarantee that every citizen of Ontario has access to the health care they deserve?
The Ontario government is constantly consulting with everyone involved in health care as we attempt to find solutions to the problems we are facing.
I welcome you, Mr. Morris, and anyone else, to contribute to the discussion on the future of health care. But please base your discussion on the facts rather than the myths. The future of health care is too important to us all and solutions will only come from consultation, study, and a determination to make the tough decisions required allowing us to meet the challenges we face.
Bob Runciman MPP, Leeds-Grenville
The Editor;
Has anybody done a study to find out how much space is really needed at Town Hall I mean space that will be used, not cosmetic space. For instance, public meetings could be held at the Fire Hall or Legion or even St. Mark's.
There is plenty of space available in Prescott for storage. Have you noticed the number of empty stores, etc.?
It seems to me the building they are in now would do fine (temporary quarters). Or how about the Post Office building? You know, the library does not have to be part of the complex; it is often a separate building away from town hall. If these suggestions are not acceptable, then pull the old place down and build a single-storey building in its place.
I may point out that I have built and run two wire mills and a warehouse in Canada, so I do speak with some wide experience.
Has anybody considered the maintenance costs of a refurbished old building as opposed to a modern building like the former PUC now uses? With coloured siding and plastic window frames the new buildings are maintenance free for years. I know because we owned two.
The more I look at the old Town Hall the more I am convinced it should come down; it's not an efficient unit.
Heating costs should also be considered.
John S. Grant Prescott
By Willy Sieling Heuvel
The winner of the quilt drawn last Friday, June 29 was Leslie Dixon from Brockville. Our appreciation goes out to all who bought tickets and supported Walker House.
Reservations for the BBQ being held July 14 must be in by Wednesday, July 11 so all preparations can be made.
Don't forget your reservations for the Morrisburg dinner and show Aug. 2, a Thursday. If you would like more information, give me a call at 925-5300. I have 15 tickets and some have been spoken for already.
Card game winners last week were:
Monday bridge 1st, Eleanor Gilligan; 2nd, Findlay Hill; Geneva O'Dell won the door prize. Tuesday cribbage high hand, Cindy Burnside; high score, Lou Baldwin; 2nd, Alice Crowder; 3rd, Hugh Evely. Wednesday evening bridge 1st, Andy Britnell; 2nd, Audrey Kingston; Margaret Nesbitt won the door prize. Thursday euchre 1st, Alice Crowder; 2nd, Jessie Shaver and Bea Hemsley; 3rd, Pete Lowry; Myrtle Shahan won the door prize.
PRESCOTT Children will have a chance to try out some detective work, or just enjoy some summer reading, at the Prescott Public Library during the holidays.
This year's summer reading program is Summer Sleuth, and library staff are hoping older children will read mystery stories.
The program involves reading 10 books throughout the summer, and then telling staff a little about each story. Readers then receive a sticker for each book read. Children will also receive a poster, activity booklet, sticker and colouring page for a colouring contest.
On Thursday afternoons beginning August 9, Sue Torrance will be doing craft activities. The programs run from 2:30 to 4 pm for children age four to 12. Pre-register at the library, or by phoning 925-4340.
PRESCOTT A children's environmental camp to explore and experience the outdoors will be held in South Grenville this summer for the first time.
Children age six to 11 will be able to attend a day camp at the South Grenville Environmental Centre on Barton Road from July 9 to 13. The Prescott camp will help children discover their connection with living things and promote environmental awareness. Activities involve crafts, hiking, orienteering, singing, drama, field trips, native games, a barbecue and a take-home project. The environmental centre was built in partnership between the Grenville Land Stewardship Council and South Grenville District High School.
For information or to register, contact Jack Henry at 342-8528, or Andrea Howard at 258-3415.
PRESCOTT To give parents greater flexibility in choosing when to register their child for swimming lessons, two weekend sessions have been added to the Prescott pool's schedule.
Pool supervisor Becky Hubbard says parents now have the option of bringing their child to the pool on the weekend, rather than through the weeks.
Instead of being two weeks long like the weekday session, the weekend ones run about a month.
The first weekend session started Tuesday, July 3 and runs until Thursday, July 26. Session two begins Sunday, July 29 and ends Tuesday, August 21.
Meanwhile, the first of four two-week long sessions started Tuesday, and runs until Tuesday, July 17. Session two runs Wednesday, July 18 to Wednesday, August 1, followed by session three, which starts Thursday, August 2 and ends Thursday, August 16. The last session runs from Friday, August 17 and ends Friday, August 31.
There are 75 swimmers registered for the first session, and 25 registered for the evening one. Registration is being done on an ongoing basis throughout the season. The pool offers the Red Cross AquaQuest program, which begins with AquaTots for children up to 3 years of age. Levels 1 through 12 of the AquaQuest program are also offered as are the bronze-level and AquaLeader programs. There are also adult classes available.
In addition to swimming lessons, AguaFit classes are held throughout the week. These are aerobic exercise classes performed in the water.
"You don't have to be a really good swimmer," says Hubbard. "A lot of the class is done in the shallow end of the pool."
The pool will have five lifeguard/instructors this year, down one from last year, when part-time workers were used. Hubbard says with everyone a certified lifeguard/instructor, there are enough staff to handle the workload.
In addition to lifeguarding and instructing, the staff will also be involved in coaching the pool's swim team, the Prescott Piranhas.
The team has about 30 members so far, with new members still welcome, Hubbard says. The swim team numbers are a little down this season. Instead of a junior and senior team, there is only a junior one. Last season, the senior team had about eight swimmers on it for those 15 and over.
While the team is only about 10 swimmers smaller this year, Hubbard says she expects the team to gain a few swimmers with the official start to the season. She says those interested can call the pool to sign up. Another option for interested swimmers who don't want to make the leapt to committing fully to the team can try out a practice.
Members who are also signed up for a session receive a reduction in membership dues.
There are several divisions to accommodate a wide range of age groups, from swimmers six and under right up to those 15 and over.
Helping out the staff with coaching duties will be Aimee Dauphinee, swam on Swim Nova Scotia, a provincial team for 10 years, and had coached the Windsor Bluefins for two years. is from Nova Scotia.
Swimmers work on more than just getting their times down. Hubbard says that while swimming laps is a function of competing, they also work on honing their techniques through "stroke work."
The hour-long workouts, Monday through Friday, also include relay and individual races.
The team will be competing in seven meets, including its own meet August 11 here.
Although, the official start to the season was last weekend, the pool has been open since June 18 on a reduced schedule.
"We have been really busy," Hubbard says. "We did two weeks of public swimming where we only charged $1 (the regular rate is $1.50) because of the reduced hours."
The pool was open 3 to 5 pm. Hubbard says there were at least 30 children a day since opening two weeks ago, adding on Wednesday, June 27, there were about 80 children taken advantage to the early start to the season.
The regular public swimming hours for the season are 1:30 to 4:30 pm, Monday to Sunday, and evening public swimming 6:30 to 7:30 pm Monday to Thursday.
For more information, call the pool at 925-0762.
Despite launching a last-inning, six-run rally, Prescott wasn't able to squeeze out the win over Morrisburg.
In the June 18 game, Prescott was edged 10-8. Nick Beatty, Cory Wilson, Jared McGeough, Tyson Wilson and Nathan Denneboom all had singles. Jarret Pitt hit a double, and McGeough smacked a triple. Tyson Wilson and Mason Williams pitched well.
On June 22, against Osnabruck, Prescott remained winless, losing 10-4. Prescott runs were scored by Jarrett Pitt, Josh Denneboom, Ryan Todd, and Jared McGeough.
Tyson Wilson hit for a double but was left stranded on base. Mason Williams, McGeough, Wilson, and Josh Pitt pitched. It was Pitt's first time pitching, and he handled the pitching duties well.
After a long winless drought, Prescott emerged with a 13-8 win against Willamsburg June 25. Jarrett Pitt, Tyson Wilson, Nick Beatty, Jared McGeough had singles. Wilson had an extra-base hit as well.
Other Prescott runs were scored by Nathan Denneboom, Jamie Fleming, Cory Wilson and Zack Fleming.
Tyson Wilson and Mason Williams pitched well. Prescott will be looking for extra fan support during the final tournament to be held in Williamsburg July 7 and 8.
The team has been steadily improving and reports have them expected to peak for the tournament.
SPENCERVILLE Men's teams will be going head to head this weekend at ball hockey tournament.
Teams will be comprised of five players, plus a goalie.
The tournament, which runs Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7, will be held in the Edwardsburgh Community Centre in Spencerville.
Teams are guaranteed three games. Organizers are hoping for a 16-team tournament.
Individual and team prizes will be awarded.
The mens Gunners and the under-21 mens baseball team are organizing the fundraising tournament. An entry fee is being charged.
For more information, call Dan Powers at 658-5410.
Matt Seary can also be called for more information at 658-3383.