New township CAO
MAYNARD The Township of Augusta has appointed a new
chief administrative officer and clerk-treasurer for the township,
to take over for Ray Gilmour, who is retiring in April after
30 years on the job.
Nigel White, a resident of Maitland for the past 22 years,
will start the new position on Monday. The overlap time allows
for a smooth transition period.
White will be leaving his job as the secretary-treasurer of
Brockville Utilities Inc. (formerly Brockville PUC). He had previously
been the chief accountant and tax collector for the City of Brockville.
He is a certified management accountant, and holds accredited
municipal clerk-treasurer designation.
Fishing for big pike
JOHNSTOWN The Grenville Fish and Game Club's fourth
annual Pike Ice Fishing Derby will take place Saturday, Feb.
17 at Elevator Bay near the Bridgeview Marina.
The live release competition is scheduled to run from 6 a.m.
to 4 p.m. A prize of $100 will be awarded in each two-hour period
for the biggest pike; a prize will also be awarded for the biggest
pike caught that day.
Tickets are available at Baysview Convenience, the Bridgeview
Restaurant and the Cardinal Legion. For more information call
Mac Peterson at 925-4545.
Town might reduce number of tax bills
PRESCOTT Town officials are considering changes to the
way property tax bills are distributed.
Prescott's finance and corporate services committee discussed
Monday night the possibility of issuing two tax bills per year
instead of the current practice of sending three bills to property
owners. Councillor Garry Dewar said people will be able to handle
getting two bills as long as they are six months apart.
Although the concept received a positive response at Monday's
committee meeting, Councillor and committee chairperson Jo-Anne
Beckstead said any such change would not be implemented until
next year.
As for 2001, the first interim tax bills are expected to be
issued in early March and will likely be due March 31. Town officials
suggested the second and third installments may be due in late
June and sometime in late fall.
Library open house
SPENCERVILLE After a great deal of planning and fundraising,
the new Spencerville branch of the Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Public
Library has become a reality.
An open house will be held at the Henderson St. (formerly
Victoria St.) facility this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Refreshments
will be served.
The open house is being presented by the council of the Township
of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council and the township's public library
board.
Further spending by
casino backers put on hold
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT The Friends of the Casino Committee has
put off spending any additional money on Prescott's bid to obtain
a charity casino.
This latest position was formed last week after the committee
received input from a consulting firm hired to assist the town's
attempt to land the casino, according to committee chairperson
Sharon Spychi.
The committee, which was spearheaded by the Prescott and District
Chamber of Commerce and includes the involvement of the Prescott
Business Improvement Area (BIA), had determined last month to
proceed with plans to spend money it had raised on the charity
casino project.
"At this point in time we have everything on hold,"
Spychi said Tuesday.
The committee chairperson declined to go into detail as to
what advice the consultant had provided.
Casino project contributions from the chamber, the BIA and
its members total somewhere in the neighbourhood of $10,000,
Spychi said. The money is not being refunded at this time, she
added; no final decision on how to proceed has been made. Spychi
said some money has been spent to date on the local bid, although
an exact amount is not available.
Prescott council voted last week to provide matching funds
of up to $10,000 for the hiring of a consultant.
Prescott and the three other communities vying for a casino
Leeds and Thousand Islands, Gananoque and Brockville
were advised last month by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
not to spend money on their own business case proposals. KPMG
was hired by the corporation to prepare cases for each candidate
community.
The consulting firm ranked Leeds and Thousand Islands (then
known as Front of Leeds and Lansdowne) as the first choice for
a charity casino nearly a year ago in its initial assessment
of the four communities.
Although the corporation has indicated a final decision has
not been made, it has maintained Leeds remains the leading candidate.
Washroom facilities planned for dive site
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
MAYNARD A proposal by a local group to erect washroom
and changeroom facilities through volunteer effort at a scuba
diving site west of Prescott received an enthusiastic response
from Augusta Township council at its meeting Monday night.
Led by Augusta resident Graham Cudlipp and supported by other
residents and business owners, the group presented a plan to
council that called for the erection of portable washroom facilities
at the popular dive site at the foot of Merwin Lane, south of
County Road 2.
The location is one of Eastern Ontario's most famous wreck
sites, the Rothesay, Cudlipp told council.
A small park and picnic area currently exists, and a staircase
to the river's edge leads to a shore entry to follow the rope
system to the site.
"We believe that the divers are beneficial to the many
existing attractions in the Prescott area and they help the tourism
business," said Cudlipp, who along with his wife Vivienne,
own the nearby Blue Heron Inn Bread and Breakfast. "The
current arrangements where divers urinate in the river are unhygienic,
unsightly and unacceptable to the concerned residents."
Cudlipp explained he would personally ensure the facilities
are locked at sunset and reopened at sunrise, and Prescott Sea
'N Sky scuba shop owner Kevin Benish would take care of lawn
mowing and facility maintenance.
The plan has also received support from the Prescott Kinsmen
and Rotary clubs, Cudlipp said, and Tourism Prescott members
have also shown interest in the scheme. Several members from
these groups and neighbourhood residents were present at the
council meeting.
Cudlipp said he visualizes an attractive wooden structure
in a park-like setting that could include picnic tables and barbecue
pits for public use.
The project would cost about $5,000, Cudlipp predicted, and
would be built and paid for through volunteer efforts. The small
piece of property is owned by the township, with land immediately
to the west owned by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
"We're not negative against this by any means,"
said Reeve George Vail. "But be aware we have to check it
out." The reeve cautioned the township would need to investigate
liability issues. He also questioned if parking would become
a problem at the site, and if visitors would require hand-washing
facilities.
Benish said the facilities would be kept simple. All the divers
require, he said, is a place "to change in seclusion without
showing everybody their business," and where they don't
have to offend residents.
Councillor Jane Fullarton said it was an excellent idea with
a lot of merit, that is currently not available in the township.
However, she noted it was difficult to offer support without
knowing costs and issues of liability and health regulations.
She suggested the township's recreation department and the
chief building official become involved in a partnership to come
up with a recommendation for action. Grants may be available
for the project, she said.
Councillor Doug Barton noted this would be a property for
divers, not families and children. "We should try not to
go overboard and accommodate all the public."
Barton wondered if it would be more feasible if the group
worked with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville to use
adjoining land as a parking area.
"It's something that should be developed, but $5,000
doesn't even get you off the side of the road. Everybody jumps
and says 'okay, the township has lots of money'... But there
is a limit to what we can do. There may be a way that we could
lease it and work with the Counties to put proper parking privately
operated in agreement with the township."
Cold weather warms hearts at Frost Fest
By Jeff Lee - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT Cold weather put the frost in this year's Fort
Town Frost Festival.
Rain and warmer temperatures Friday made way for cold weather
Saturday and Sunday. Organizer Mike Boyles was pleased with the
turnout at all the events despite the cold weather on days two
and three of the festival.
"I think it went pretty well," Boyles said.
The Odd Fellows supper was sold out, as were the Grenville
Fish and Game Club and the Legion Valentine's dances. Boyles
said the annual Randy Kroone Memorial Sno-Pitch Tournament had
to turn teams away, and the Legion breakfast, which was supposed
to run until 11 a.m., was out of food by 9 a.m. The dog sled
races had a good crowd too, he said.
However, the downtown "Sweetheart of a Sale" wasn't
as successful as hoped Boyles said.
"It wasn't busy downtown," Boyles said. "We
had rain all day Friday. It was cold all weekend long. Everything
else was busy but the retail was slow." He added that some
businesses did have a successful weekend though.
The lumber jack competion Saturday at Giant Tiger less competitors
than past years, Boyles said. Several competitors from Kemptville
were called to clear roads blocked by trees.
One event that has continued to be popular is the dog sled
races held Sunday at the Prescott Golf Club.
Sixty dogs comprising 14 teams competed in the SD and G Association
Sled and Charting Club race. There were Siberian huskies, Alaskan
malamutes, samoyeds, and Alaskan huskies, a cross between Siberian
huskies and greyhounds, at the race.
Race organizer Ann McGregor said the large amount of snow
this winter made for slightly higher than normal numbers participants.
Also, McGregor said Prescott does a good job advertising the
annual race, which draws the mushers and their dogs.
With the rain the day before the race and then the deep freeze,
the 3.5 kilometre track was a fast granular surface. Times ranged
from seven to 10 minutes for the 3.5 kilometres. The mushers
did two loops of the track in different directions.
Local groomers had to go over the track twice, Boyles said,
because of the rain just prior to the start of the festival.
While the track was fast, it wasn't conducive to allowing
children to hitch a ride on sleds. McGregor said one musher gave
a couple of rides, but the track was deemed too icy and dangerous
to continue the free rides for the children.
In spite of having to scale back the rides, McGregor said
the event went well.
"It's a fun event," she said. "We had a ball.
And it's great because the kids get to pet the dogs."
The association is open to any dog that will pull, regardless
of breed. The dog doesn't have to be a sled dog. In keeping with
the non-competitive aspect, McGregor said while times are kept,
there aren't any prizes given out to the race winner.
Boyles said while the frost festival has just ended, the work
continues getting ready for such events as the Musical Mounted
Police Ride and the Highland Fling later this year.
Consultants recommend structural changes as part of operational
review
PRESCOTT Municipal officials continue to assess a preliminary
review of town operations.
Four consultants attended a finance and corporate services
committee meeting Monday to outline some of the major points
of the operational review which had been initiated last year
by the previous council. The review focused on three main areas:
administration, public works and information technology; however,
the discussion Monday centered on the first two areas.
In noting difficulties faced by existing administrative staff,
the consultants propose a reconfiguration of the department that
would see seven full-time positions and the creation of a deputy
clerk/recreation co-ordinator position. There are currently five
administrative staff based at town hall, plus an additional position
from the former public utilities commission (PUC). Perth, Carleton
Place and Gananoque have nine or 10 administrative staff, the
report notes.
On the public works side, the consultants recommend a new
structure which would include 10 full-time positions and one
part-time position. There are now 12 full-time employees, including
four from the PUC. In addition to a director of public works,
it is proposed in the operational review that the positions of
construction technician, maintenance manager and chief building
official/bylaw enforcement officer be created, the latter of
which could be part-time. There would a lead hand for two sections
of the department: roads, sewer and water distribution, and water
plant. The water plant would have two operators, and the other
section would have three driver/labourers.
Howard Allan of Allan & Partners Inc., one of three consulting
firms involved in preparing the review, said they tried to take
a practical approach to municipal operations. The clerk-administrator
has to do too much, and adjustments must be made to the existing
structure because "we have things slipping through the cracks,"
Allan added.
"In talking to staff... Our sense was in the administration
area we're not functioning smoothly as a team," he said.
The consultants are also urging council to conduct a pay equity
grid and establish a revised salary grid. Allan said the town
may be "absolutely fine" when it comes to pay equity,
but it is time for the municipality to assess its position.
It is also recommended in the review that the town evaluate
the cost of in-house water and sewer plant operation, meter reading
and billing services compared to contracting out those services.
Allan said the consultants' recommendations are not fixed
in stone. "But if you don't look at it... Taxpayers are
going to pay big time in the long run."
A working committee consisting of Mayor Robert Lawn, Councillor
and finance committee chairperson Jo-Anne Beckstead and Clerk-Administrator
Andrew Brown has been formed to assess the operational review.
Library board will
not have seat on renovation committee
PRESCOTT It appears the Prescott Public Library Board
will not be given a seat on the special committee being formed
to deal with the proposed renovation of town hall.
The subject was discussed Monday night at a meeting of the
town's finance and corporate services committee. Most committee
members indicated they would welcome input from Librarian Jane
McGuire, especially in the early stages of the committee's work.
However, those same committee members did not indicate there
was a need to have a library board member serve on the committee.
There was also no consensus as to whether the library would be
made a full member of the committee which now includes Mayor
Robert Lawn and Councillor Garry Dewar.
The board requested representation on the committee last week
prior to council's 4-3 vote to proceed with renovating the Dibble
St. building which houses municipal offices and library.
Councillor and finance committee chairperson Jo-Anne Beckstead
asked that terms of reference be drafted for the renovation committee
which is expected to meet on a regular basis in the coming weeks.
Town officials have indicated the preferred option seems to
be one which will see administrative offices and council chambers
remain on the second floor. Plans for a renovated library will
be drawn at the same time as those for the main renovation project,
although council has not committed itself to major library work
to coincide with the main project.
The town has applied to a provincial infrastructure program
for library renovation funding.
Dog owner does not
think pet should be labelled agressive
MAYNARD A Maitland woman plans to pursue her fight to
have her dog's designation as an aggressive animal removed.
Stella Smith-Johnston, who lives on West McLean Blvd., made
a presentation to Augusta council Monday night. She maintains
her dog is not aggressive, as it has been labelled by bylaw enforcement
officer Greg Trizisky.
However, Trizisky said there have been recent incidents in
which the dog has bitten other animals, including killing a cat,
when the dog was not on its owner's property. He said the bylaw
states any dog that bites another animal or person without provocation
is deemed aggressive. "You have to be in control of your
animal," he said. "I looked for cases of provocation
and I didn't see any."
"That's nature," Smith-Johnston said, referring
to Trizisky's comment regarding biting animals.
The designation means the owner must pay a yearly licence
fee of $100. Trizisky said there are now three dogs within the
township designated as aggressive.
"I've put out a lot of money just because of two incidents
for my dog being an aggressive animal," Smith-Johnston said,
who noted she has spent $1,400 for a fence around her property.
She presented council with several photographs of her dog, some
with it playing calmly with her grandchildren.
She said she and her dog had been harassed by other people,
some threatening to kill them both.
"Why has my dog being named an aggressive animal? He's
not," she said. Other dogs and cats in the neighbourhood
run lose and mess her yard, she noted.
"You expect me to pay $100 every year for the rest of
his life because you labelled him aggressive?" the owner
questioned council. "I'm not dropping this. I'm sorry. The
bylaw should be changed."
Reeve George Vail said council would take Smith-Johnston's
comments into consideration, but "it could very well be
a child next time" who is bitten by the dog. Trizisky was
doing his job properly, he added.
Habitat for Humanity hopes Prescott will be
home to project
PRESCOTT Habitat for Humanity has once again asked Prescott
council for its assistance in providing a lot on which the nonprofit
Christian housing ministry can build.
Valerie Kines and Bob Jordan of the Brockville unit of the
organization made a brief presentation to council at its Feb.
5 meeting. Kines said the group has built a home in Brockville,
is expecting to build one in Gananoque this spring and would
like to do the same in Prescott.
"People in Prescott are anxious to have a Habitat for
Humanity home here," she said. A church sponsor has already
been lined up in Prescott, according to Kines.
Mayor Robert Lawn said he supports strongly the group's efforts,
but noted the problem right now is being able to provide a serviced
lot. The mayor said he is sure council will support the initiative
once that problem can be solved.
Once the house is built, the homeowner will make monthly no-interest
mortgage payments. The homeowner is also expected to invest 500
hours of their own "sweat equity" into the construction
of their Habitat house and the house of others.
Kines described the process as a "hand up" rather
than a "hand-out."
Health ministry acknowledges shortage of general practitioners
in area
BROCKVILLE The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
has designated the Brockville area including most of South
Grenville as an underserviced area in terms of physicians.
The approval was announced Feb. 7 by Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob
Runciman.
The ministry has identified a shortage of 11 general physicians
and family practitioners in the Brockville area which includes
Augusta, Prescott and a portion of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal.
"The health minister's decision is clear recognition
of the critical situation in our area," Runciman stated
in the release. "It's important people have access to quality
health care."
Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said in an interview municipalities
have a role to play in the process. Lawn, a former member of
Brockville General Hospital's board of governors, said he expects
a delegation from the hospital will soon be asking Prescott council
for financial help in the local recruiting effort.
In Brockville's case, a recruiter has been hired in the ongoing
effort to attract doctors to the city. Brockville and other underserviced
communities can apply for incentive grants for physicians moving
to the community if after one year active recruitment has not
filled physician vacancies.
Lawn said he plans to discuss the matter with the hospital
board and local physicians. The mayor added he is unsure of the
extent to which Prescott is feeling the effects of an area-wide
shortage of general practitioners.
Brockville Mayor Ben TeKamp indicated in the release he is
impressed by the support shown by the health minister and Runciman.
"This is a timely announcement given the serious concerns
we have about the doctor situation," TeKamp stated.
Approval of Brockville's application was granted by Elizabeth
Witmer, the provincial health minister at the time. Witmer has
since become environment minister as part of a cabinet shuffle.
Former municipal affairs minister Tony Clement is the new health
minister.
The designation was made under the ministry's Underserviced
Area Program.
Undetected head lice can be a nuisance: health nurse
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
It's itchy and annoying, but head lice has become a fact of
life that is best dealt with in the early stages to lessen discomfort.
Public Health Nurse Gael Bullard, who works at the Leeds,
Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, said head lice treatment
options have improved over the last few years to give families
more non-chemical choices.
While the Ministry of Health says head lice is not a health
problem, it does cause emotional upset and mental anguish, Bullard
said.
The health unit has a head lice task force and information
available to deal with the annoyance in area schools. Boundary
Street Public School was able to take advantage of its services
recently when an estimated 20 to 30 children were found to have
lice, said Principal Laurie McElheran. The health unit does a
"remarkable job" in the schools with training and counselling,
she noted.
McElheran said the problem seems to become more apparent after
students have been away from school, such as after Christmas
break. To deal with the recent outbreak, the school called on
its team of parent volunteers specially trained to check for
head lice. She said they were a compassionate and sensitive group,
and even went to some students' homes to do checks.
Students at Boundary were asked to take all extra clothing
home, and all lost and found items were sealed in plastic bags
for the required time period. They were asked not to bring in
show and tell items, and each was asked to bring in a plastic
bag to contain their hats and mitts. Desks and carpets were thoroughly
cleaned by the custodian.
The school provided treatment shampoos for those in need,
and even "a shoulder to cry on," McElheran said. Respecting
the privacy of children affected was of utmost importance, she
noted. As well, volunteers handled the situation delicately,
so attention would not be drawn to a child who has lice.
Bullard stressed the importance of checking heads at home
daily, since it is less time consuming and less expensive if
two or three eggs are found, than if the problem is left to blossom,
when 200 to 300 eggs could be found. Head lice can lay up to
150 eggs before dying. "It's easier to manage if you keep
on top of it," Bullard said. "If everybody checked
daily, we could control this." If left undetected, a head
lice situation in a family could take hours to eradicate.
The eggs, or nits as they are also called, are tiny, oval
and look like dandruff. They are glued to hair close to the head,
and are difficult to remove. Vinegar before a treatment may help
to loosen the nits and make them easier to remove.
Anyone can get head lice, Bullard cautioned, and lice is easily
spread from person to person. Combs and hats should not be shared,
and girls with long, swinging hair should be particularly careful.
This is an invitation for head lice to move in, and she advises
hair be kept up in pony tails, braids or in a bun.
While live bugs cannot jump or fly, they do move quickly.
The lice need human heat and blood to thrive and can not live
off the human head for longer than 48 hours. The life span of
a louse is about 20 days.
It is important to note, Bullard said, that "head lice
does not discriminate. It has nothing to do with clean, dirty,
affluent or poor."
Commercial products to treat head lice are expensive and there
may be some risks involved in their use in terms of allergic
reactions, Bullard said. Treatments are not preventative measures,
and should only be used on those who actually have head lice.
There are natural, non-toxic alternatives that are quite effective
and not as expensive, Bullard added.
Tea tree oil is available as pure oil at many health food
and drug stores. Equal parts of vinegar and mineral oil mixed
together, applied generously to the head and then allowed to
sit covered with a plastic shower cap for one hour before washing
off is also effective at killing the insect.
Some product manufacturers claim their product will kill eggs
effectively, Bullard said, "but I wouldn't count on it."
Nit picking must be completed after a treatment to remove all
eggs, since it only takes a couple of live eggs hatching on the
head to start the cycle all over again.
On the same day the treatment is done, all bedding, hats,
coats, clothing and towels should be washed in hot water. Hair
brushes, combs and hair accessories should be soaked in boiling
water for 10 minutes. Pillows can be put in a hot dryer for 30
minutes, and carpets, play areas, upholstered furniture and car
seats should be vacuumed.
Options for items that cannot be washed include dry cleaning,
sealing in a plastic bag for one to two weeks, or double-bagging
and put into a deep freezer for 24 hours.
Hair conditioners, hair sprays, mousse and styling gels all
coat hair and make it difficult for head lice treatments to work,
Bullard said. These products should not be used when trying to
get rid of head lice.
Bullard added lice is species specific, and cannot be transferred
to or from a family pet.
Anyone with concerns or questions about head lice can contact
the health unit's Health Action Line at 345-5685, or 1-800-660-5853.
Regional unemployment rate, EI recipients
increase
KINGSTON The regional unemployment rate and the number
of persons collecting Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in the
Prescott-Brockville area rose sharply in January, according to
the Kingston office of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
The unemployment rate for the region that includes Leeds and
Grenville was 6.5 per cent last month. The rate in Dec. 2000
was 4.6 per cent.
It was noted in an HRDC news release there were fewer people
working in transportation and trade occupations, and there was
a slight increase in the number working in educational services.
This reflects normal seasonal trends, according to HRDC.
Although there were more EI claims last month, there was also
an increase in the size of the labour force in the region.
The unemployment rate in Jan. 2000 was also 6.5 per cent.
In terms of EI claims, the Prescott HRDC office reported an
increase of 22.7 per cent in January. There were 1,091 active
claims at the end of the month compared to 889 at the end of
December.
The office in Brockville reported an increase of just under
21 per cent. Active claims at the end of January totalled 1,000
compared to 827 at the end of December.
On average, HRDC offices in the Kingston-Pembroke area reported
EI claim increases of 20.5 per cent.
WALKER HOUSE NEWS
By Willy Sieling Heuvel
The Walker House Board of management for the year 2001 consists
of Valerie Schulz, chairperson; Harry Nesbitt, vice chairperson;
Jean Chaters, treasurer; and Ann Steiner, secretary. Members
at large are Doug Fraser, Roland Barrigar, Ruth Wenger, Betty
Pillar, Hughena Holland, Gord and June Joy and Charles Steiner.
The annual meeting was well-attended as was the pot luck supper
preceding it. Thank you to all who attended and participated.
The new board is there to serve all members of Walker House,
so if you have any concerns do not hesitate to contact any of
the above mentioned people.
A fundraising dinner is being held this coming Saturday, Feb.
17 at 5:30 p.m. Please have your reservations in by Thursday,
Feb. 15 so proper plans can be made.
Card game winners last week were: Monday bridge 1st,
Joyce Nesbitt; 2nd, Valerie Schulz; Betty Pillar won the door
prize. Wednesday bridge 1st, Sam Covey; 2nd, Valerie Schulz;
Audrey Kingston won the door prize. Thursday evening euchre
1st, Pat McPhee; 2nd, Jessie Shaver; 3rd, Jeannine Marion; Bea
Hemsley won the door prize.
Piano duo to perform at concert
PRESCOTT The third performance of the Fort Town Concert
Association's 2000-2001 season is scheduled to take place Thursday,
Feb. 22 in Prescott.
The piano duo of Claire Ouellet and Sandra Murray will perform
at 8 p.m. at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, which is located
at the corner of Centre and Dibble streets.
The Duo Ouellet-Murray made its debut performance in 1994
and has earned a reputation throughout Canada and abroad for
the excellence of their performances of the piano duet repertoire.
The artists have made a recording of Stravinsky's Rite of
Spring and Bartók's The Miraculous Mandarin for SRC/CBC
Records; it has been greeted enthusiastically by the international
press.
The duo's program will feature pieces originally written for
piano duo or transcribed from the orchestra repertoire.
In addition to bringing world-class musicians, the concert
association arranges for the artists to have "Meet the Musicians"
sessions or mini-concerts at local elementary schools on concert
days. Ouellet and Murray are scheduled to visit Central Public
School on the afternoon of their upcoming concert.
As concert audiences grow, so does the association's ability
to offer this type of enrichment to young people in the area.
Call 925-3200 or 925-5050 for more information on the Feb.
22 concert.
The concert series is being offered in conjunction with Jeunesses
Musicales of Canada, an organization which helps bring musicians
to communities across the country.
Battle re-enactment this weekend in 'Burg
OGDENSBURG Military re-enactors from across eastern
North America will converge on Ogdensburg this weekend for the
188th anniversary observance of the Feb. 22, 1813 capture of
the city by the garrison of Prescott.
The re-enactment of the battle will take place Sunday at 1
p.m. on Lighthouse Point in the west end of the city. The battle
saw a combined Anglo-Canadian force under the command of Lieut.-Col.
"Red" George Macdonell cross the frozen St. Lawrence
and route the U.S. Garrison under the command of Major Benjamin
Forsyth. The daring early-morning attack on Ogdensburg was carried
out by Macdonell in direct contravention of orders issued by
the then-military governor of Canada, Sir George Prevost, and
was in retaliation for raids conducted by Forsyth and his men
on Brockville and Gananoque.
Re-enactors will be at the site Saturday afternoon for a rehearsal
and drill in this, the kickoff of the 2001 re-enacting "campaign"
for most War of 1812 re-enactors.
The 20-acre Lighthouse Point site will resound to the boom
of artillery and rattle of musketry as re-enactors, depicting
such storied regiments as the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles,
Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, Canadian Fencibles and
49th and 89th Regiments of Foot engage their modern-day counterparts
depicting Forsyth's Rifles (First U.S. Rifle Regiment), First
U.S. Light Artillery and various militia units.
Lighthouse Point is located just west of the bridge that spans
the Oswegatchie River. There is ample parking on the south side
of the street.
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