QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"It's up to you to create the music and magic in your
life
with the instrument you've been given. "
Motivational speaker and retired fighter pilot Deanna Brasseur
Editor's Notebook
TORIES DROP THE OTHER SNEAKER: There is one thing constant
about Prescott. We started the twenty-first century with practically
nothing and we have most of it left. Compounding this empty feeling
was the announcement last week by the Ontario Tories and the
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission that the charity casino
they have been planning for Eastern Ontario had been awarded
to the combined entry of Gananoque and the Township of Leeds
and the Thousand Islands.
We congratulate the winning municipalities, but at the same
time have to express our disgust regarding the hoops that MPP
Bob Runciman, the rest of the Tory cabinet, and the OLGC put
Prescott through in this heavy-handed piece of patronage. The
Gananoque-Leeds site was selected and the joint submission planned
long before the Ontario government ordered the casino referendums
in Gananoque, Leeds and the Thousand Islands, Brockville and
Prescott in connection with last fall's municipal elections.
The first rumours of a joint application by Gananoque and
Leeds along with the exact, shared location, first surfaced last
fall prior to the referendums, and became fairly widespread between
Bellevile and Prescott before ranks were closed at Queen's Park
and the leaks plugged.
If the OLGC was considering joint submissions, they should
have suggested this to the competing municipalities because a
joint Brockville-Prescott submission would have produced a better
financial picture than the Gananoque-Leeds business survey.
The announcement that Gananoque-Leeds would be getting the
Eastern Ontario charity casino is added proof to what we mentioned
earlier this year. Prescott cannot expect any patronage goodies
from the Ontario Tories until such time as it becomes an active
and influential lobbying arm of the provincial party. The last
person to effectively represent Prescott at Queen's Park was
the Hon. Don Irvine. That was a long time ago!
LOOKING FOR MISS EVANSON: We now have Joan Hodge, trustee
for Grenville County and Chair of the Upper Canada District School
Board, joining in the search for the portrait and plaque that
have gone missing from the Ruth Evanson Library at South Grenville
DHS. They both went missing when the school and the library underwent
major renovations in the mid 1990s. As well as being recognized
as one of the best high school English teachers in Ontario, Miss
Evanson was the only teacher in Prescott history to have taught
in three of the four high schools: PHS No. 1, 1925-1930; PHS
No. 2, 1930-1956; SGDHS, 1957-1962. She was also the only teacher
in Prescott's history to have a scholarship fund named in her
honour, and it still provides substantial scholarships almost
40 years later. Her memory should be preserved by today's students
and staff as well as by those whom she taught.
John A.H. Morris, - Managing Editor
Big book stores offer more than just the pleasure
of reading
FROM THE SIDELINES - Jeff Lee
It is rather interesting in this age of Friends of the Library
groups to take a walk into a large book store at 10:30 pm on
any given evening and see the number of people just browsing
while sipping their double latté.
One would think, what with the talk of the Internet as the
next new tool for people of all ages, and with libraries seemly
left scrambling not only to get on line but to get books on their
shelves, the age of books was dead.
But a strolling down the rows of neatly packed oak shelves,
stepping carefully over a person curled up on the floor with
a shiny new book, the impression is reading is not dead; it is
alive and well, or at least reading the first chapter of the
latest trade paperback while sipping a specialty coffee is.
This is not to say people are not using libraries to. Often
even with their limited hours, there are people checking out
books for free or surfing the Web for the latest song to listen
to on the computer.
But these stores have taken on a life of their own, a life
so beastly, what with their soft music and subtle lighting and
cozy fireplace, how is a library, with its metal shelving and
circa 1970 furniture, to compete.
These stores even have things - beyond the coffee and cakes
and the Internet - to divert the book lover's attention when
the caffeine and sugar rush make it too difficult to concentrate.
Last Saturday, at one of these places, a man with his guitar
sang and reminisced about, like the time he drove home after
having too much to drink. About 15 people gathered around the
sing/song writer/pizza deliver guy as he worked his way through
the song about a girl and a night of binge drinking.
It went something like this: I'm driving down Bloor Street
(in Toronto)/I had way, way too much to drink/I drove over the
overpass of life/And my girlfriend was going the other way/Way/Way.
Now, if that doesn't have you reaching for the nearest copy
of Tolstoy's War and Peace, then I don't know what will.
So as I stand behind the woman who has just whipped out her
platinum credit card, ready to order my third double latté
with sprinkles, I think of the plastic - once paper - library
card stuck somewhere in my wallet and the days when even a loud
conversation about quantum mechanics, OK, would get a harsh "Shhh!"
from the librarian.
Prescott's sewage disposal system has changed
little since 1810
FORT TOWN DIARY
John A.H. Morris
Prescott residences and establishments have been serviced
by water and sewer since approximately 1900, but this does not
mean we've been a non-polluting municipality for over 100 years.
In fact, even though Fort Towners have been serviced by a sewage
treatment plant since about 1970, we have just moved the entry
of our collective effluent into the St. Lawrence from within
Prescott's boundaries five kilometres east to the "Mike
Harris Yours to Discover Sweet Water Works".
In the first 50 years of sewer service in Prescott all we
did was collect human waste and wash water and direct them into
three outlets that discharged directly into the river in front
of the town.
Apparently one of these outlets was at the foot of Sophia
Street, just a short distance from shore near the power house,
and about 300 feet short of the water intake pipe for the town's
drinking water supply. The current at the power house was (and
is) so strong that any solids discharged here were swept away
immediately and the water remained clear and unpolluted.
There was another sewage discharge pipe near the DLD property
and another at the foot of East Street. About 1950 another outlet
was hooked up along Boundary Street to handle the new Fairways
and McAuley Gardens subdivisions.
This must be the reason most town kids preferred to swim at
such western locations as Kelly's Bay and Herb Caldwell's dock
between 1900 and 1967 when the town's first swimming pool was
opened in Centennial Park.
If you swam from Caldwell's down to Kelly's in the '40s or
'50s you could see the bottom of the river all the way, even
when it was 15 or 20 feet deep. During the same period when we
used to dive for nickels, dimes and quarters, thrown to us off
the SS Kingston and the Rapids Prince and Princess by (mostly
American) tourists, the water was considerably cloudier.
Nobody thought to remind us we were just a hundred feet or
so downstream from Prescott's major sewage discharge pipe. There
were no department of health signs; no circles containing a swimmer
with a forbidden stroke through him; nothing to tell us to always
swim with our mouths closed.
As we mentioned, household wastes are now piped down to the
pseudo sewage treatment plant near the elevator where they are
stirred around a bit and then piped back into the St. Lawrence
at an entry point just a few hundred yards west of the elevators.
Is there a delicate way of saying "no thanks" if
you are ever offered a platter of fresh, pan fried, Elevator
Bay perch?
Before the installation of sewer lines in Prescott in 1900
local residents had outdoor privies and some of the more genteel
inhabitants enjoyed the luxury of indoor "honey buckets"
masked in many ways to look like the more modern crappeurs of
England and the U.K. These were either dumped daily into an in-ground
compost hole or were collected in a special wagon and taken elsewhere
to be dumped.
In the April 5, 1894 edition of The Prescott Journal,
Mr. James Halliday ran a notice that he was prepared to remove
night soil with his odourless excavator on reasonable terms,
and that orders could be left at his residence, one door west
of the Queen's Hotel on King Street.
This was in response to an earlier announcement by town council
that heavy fines would be levied against anyone dumping "night
soil" into the river at night, or unloading it on the ice
in the winter.
No mention was ever made as to where Mr. Halliday emptied
his "honey wagon", but we have to wonder if maybe the
town's sewer pipes just changed the method of effluent disposal.
We really haven't come too far up the ladder of civilization
in the past 100 years.
Prior to the installation of water and sewer services in downtown
Prescott in the mid-1900s, the following hotels were located
on either Water or King streets: Daniels Hotel, Queen's Hotel,
St. Lawrence Hotel, Brunning Hotel, North American Hotel, International
Hotel, Prince of Wales Hotel, Revere House, Windsor House, Prescott
House.
For years there have been rumours of tunnels running from
these establishments down to the river and tales of smuggling
and daring-do. We think we now know what those tunnels were used
for!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Mill volunteers get a lot done with limited resources
The Editor;
Thank you, Mr. Morris, for your interest in our fine old Spencerville
Mill. However, while a few of your ideas are sound, there are
some facts you need to have brought to your attention.
Firstly, that "mish-mash of agricultural and household
antique utensils" were all generously donated to the Mill
by an older gentleman of the area that used to work at the Mill,
and wished to show visitors a cross-section of life as it was
when the Mill was at its thriving peak. Many of the utensils
displayed were used at or sold to customers of the Mill, much
as you find today in any area feed store animal husbandry
items, tools, and some things for the home.
While it would be nice to have a separate museum for these
items (as at Upper Canada Village, et al) there simply isn't
one. Incidentally, you might be surprised to see the interest
shown by those visitors who come expecting only to see an empty
building, and find a selection of common items that give them
the feel of life back then.
As you say, the activities of milking, churning butter, plowing,
and maple syrup production are fascinating but they certainly
weren't performed at the Spencerville Mill! Admittedly, grain
used to be milled into flour there, but the law now prevents
the Mill from being restored to active use. According to the
South Nation River Conservation Authority, the Ministry of Fisheries
and Oceans, and various other governmental departments (both
federal and provincial), using the Mill with its turbine to mill
grain, or even to operate for demonstration purposes, would adversely
affect the local fish habitat, and water quality.
Over the years, the Mill pond has filled with sediment, making
it impossible to amass enough water there to properly run the
turbine. South Nation River Conservation Authority refuses permission
to dredge, again because of the possible disruption to the fish
habitat.
This handsome old building has never received any monies from
the Township or the Village of Spencerville for its refurbishing.
All repairs and rebuilding have been accomplished by means of
private donations and the fundraising efforts of the volunteers
at the Mill. You are correct the Spencerville Mill is part
of our local heritage, and it should be, and is being, preserved
for future generations. If those who find it easy to complain
would put their money where their mouths are, perhaps more could
be done.
I was privileged to have worked at the Mill this past summer,
and we accomplished a great deal on very little money. If the
community had freely supported the Mill without having to be
nagged into it at every step, we would have been able to do even
more. There is now a park on the Mill grounds, with picnic tables,
shade trees, and beautiful landscaping open to the public
without charge, I may add. When funds are raised, they hope to
be able to put in swings and slides for the children, making
the park that much more pleasant for families.
Again, thank you for your interest, but please get your facts
straight and if you are not sure, feel free to call the
Spencerville Mill at 658-5885. I am sure that whoever answers
the phone will be glad to supply any information you need. Better
yet, visit the Mill and see for yourself what has been accomplished.
Larry Sargent - Cardinal
Reader disappointed by coverage of hockey
tournaments
Dear Editor;
I am writing this letter to express my extreme disappointment
with the coverage that your newspaper awarded the recent Midget
and Bantam AA/AAA hockey tournaments. The newspaper was woefully
insufficient in many ways. First, any moron could go and take
pictures at an event and write brief summaries to explain the
photographs.
It takes a professional writer, which I assume your sports
writer is, to go a little more in depth than that. There was
very little coverage given to the numerous awards that are presented
at this tournament to acknowledge not only the athletes' accomplishments
but also the many volunteers that are involved in the SGMHA organization.
Secondly, a very generous gift was awarded the SGMHA by the
St. Louis Blues team. Although your paper did mention the special
jerseys they wore to try and win the critic's choice award sponsored
by "The Row," it failed to mention that those jerseys
were auctioned off by the Blues' organization and the profits
from the auction, to the tune of over $1,500, was then graciously
donated back to South Grenville's minor hockey association.
In a small area such as this, that money will go a long way.
Apparently, your journalist spent neither the time nor effort
to find this out. This gesture by the Blues' team goes to show
you how important they feel this tournament is to them.
Thirdly, the local midget team did extremely well. Not only
did they post two victories against AA/AAA teams, the games they
did lose were by two or less goals. This seems to have only been
of small consequence to your sports writer. On a similar line,
you essentially had no coverage of the bantam tournament held
in Cardinal.
In closing, in a day and age when youth is constantly being
criticized for their manners, clothing, etc., our town was treated
to a group of young men, including our own Rangers, that carried
themselves very well and very respectfully and this was not mentioned
in your less than satisfactory coverage.
I am not trying to demean any of the other events that were
going on at the same time as these tournaments, but I feel very
strongly that your newspaper could allow more room than two pages
(most of which were pictures) to a very prestigious event in
the hockey community. These two tournaments bring in a substantial
amount of revenue to an area that desperately needs it. I feel
that your newspaper could spend a little more time, and a lot
more effort in covering this event in the future.
Next year will be the 30th year of the Midget AA/AAA tournament,
and perhaps a little more professionalism could be shown by your
publication. The phrase on the bottom of your first page, "South
Grenville's No. 1 Source for Local News," is a gross overstatement.
I would certainly expect better coverage for a longstanding tradition
in this community.
A very disappointed reader, Mia Harrison
Note: See Sports for more tournament coverage
Augusta roads need work
The Editor;
Being a resident of Augusta Township for the past 15 years,
I have never seen such a mess. When I voted for a reeve, deputy
reeve and three council members, in my opinion I made good choices,
and I thought these people would be the backbone of our township
as we have had in the past.
But I come to find I was badly mistaken in my choices, and
I hope they enjoy their two-and-one-half years of council they
have left as my vote will not put them in again.
The reason I am concerned about this council and the roads
superintendent is because they seem to think its normal to drive
through winter storms for hours and days at a time without plowing
them. Does that make sense? No, I don't think so.
In January I had the opportunity to discuss a complaint and
concern with the reeve and deputy reeve of our township concerning
ambulance service to my home. I wanted to be sure that if there
were storms, the roads would be kept plowed and sanded so when
it came time to take my mother to hospital, we could get her
there. My response from the reeve was the roads were fine and
there had been no complaints.
Then I called the deputy reeve and told him my complaints
and concerns and he also said there had been no complaints about
the roads, so I told him that if the roads were unfit for the
ambulance to get to my home I was going to the papers about this.
I was told then not to do that. In the past 14 years never once
have I had a complaint or concern about the way the roads were
kept in the winter time.
Our council and roads superintendent need to be aware it is
not right to have to worry about getting an ambulance, fire or
police to our homes. We never before had to worry. Our new roads
superintendent has this attitude that it's his way or no way
at all. What does this say for our council?
I am one person who is tired of the way this township is going
and I hope others will write letters with concerns and complaints
on how this township is being handled.
Gail Stephenson, RR 4 Prescott
Roads were a mess this winter
The Editor;
As a resident of Augusta Township I am not satisfied with
the way our roads were maintained this winter. In the past years
the roads were always plowed after a snowfall. This winter the
roads were a mess. On Boxing Day the roads were not plowed, making
driving very difficult at best.
After talking to the roads superintendent, Mr. Couture, I
was not satisfied. He told me that he did not know the roads
and he was going to do things his way. The reasons the plows
were not out on Boxing Day was he thought that the men needed
a day off. I asked him why he didn't ask the men about which
roads were usually bad in the winter, and he replied that he
couldn't believe half of what they said. He also complained about
the old truck that they gave him to drive.
With people like that taking care of the roads, I wonder how
the potholes are going to be this spring.
Carolyn King, RR 4 Prescott
Youth should have a place in renovated town
hall
Mayor Lawn and Councillors;
Please, please keep a place in the future Town Hall for Prescott
youth. Some of us over the years have done everything in our
power to keep youth interested and to become leaders in our community.
You support the skating arena for youth. Not all youth are
skaters and not all youth can afford the equipment and the insurance
for hockey or figure skating.
Surely, the youth who remain are valuable young people, too!
Thank you.
Winnifred Wells
Volunteer awards highligh of Optimist dinner
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE Two people described as having boundless
community spirit were honoured last Thursday with the Spencerville
and District Optimist Club's volunteer appreciation awards.
Patsy Gillis of Johnstown and Joshua Couture of Spencerville
were recognized during the club's annual dinner at the Drummond
Building, attended by 250 guests. The awards night coincided
with the club's 10th anniversary, and is the third year community
volunteers have been acknowledged by the Optimists.
Patsy Gillis
Optimist member Elizabeth Roddick said Patsy Gillis's community
service encompasses church, school, hospital, family, township
and neighbourhood.
"Sometimes we all need to be reminded to look for the
diamonds and not the rocks in our lives and our communities,"
Roddick told the gathering. "I would say Patsy is definitely
our diamond.
"Patsy's love and guidance, her humour and most of all
her faith and courage are an inspiration to all who know her
and have the privilege of working with her," Roddick said.
Besides being a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother, Roddick
explained Gillis has served many roles in the community, including
serving as president of St. Mark's Catholic Women's League for
three terms, and acting as social convenor for parish centre
banquets.
She has been a eucharistic minister and lector for St. Mark's
Church, and has helped children with learning difficulties. Gillis
is a past president of the St. Vincent de Paul Hospital Auxiliary,
during which time she served as a voting member of the board
of governors for the hospital. She continues as a purchaser for
the hospital gift shop.
Gillis served as the chairperson of the fund raising committee
for the Edwardsburgh Restoration Group which was instrumental
in restoring and saving the historic township hall in Spencerville,
and chairperson of the ways and means committee for the South
Edwardsburgh Recreation Association.
Roddick explained Gillis was a visionary in the need for recreation
and was instrumental in fund raising for the swimming pool and
ball diamonds in Johnstown. She has been a canvasser for the
Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Roddick said Gillis suffered a stroke in July 1999, "but
her courage and determination along with a strong faith would
not let her give up." That September, while undergoing therapy
at St. Mary's Hospital in Kingston, she checked out for the day
to chair a meeting for Region 8 of the Hospital Auxiliary Association
of Ontario.
Gillis continues to serve on the hospital pastoral care and
tag day committees representing Prescott and Cardinal, and remains
active on the fundraising committee of the auxiliary.
In accepting the award, Gillis encouraged all people to give
back to their communities through volunteer work. "I'm happiest
when I'm volunteering," she said. Gillis explained volunteering
is an opportunity to meet new friends, with the only requirements
being a bit of time, the ability to be discreet and a sense of
humour. "Laugh at yourself; it relieves the tension,"
she said.
Joshua Couture
Optimist member Richard Woodland said Youth Volunteer of the
Year Joshua Couture, 17, has already notched a long list of service
activities through church, school and community. "Despite
his young age, Josh's contributions to the community are numerous,"
Woodland said.
The Grade 11 South Grenville District High School student
attended North Edwardsburgh and Centennial '67 public schools,
and was valedictorian at his Grade 8 graduation.
Woodland said Joshua's volunteer contributions include membership
in the Spencerville United Church worship team, in which he is
the youngest member. He helps in the church by reading scripture,
being the worship leader and by serving and cleaning up at banquets.
He joined the local air cadet squadron when he was 12 and now
holds the rank of flight sergeant.
Couture was instrumental in launching the Spencerville Stars
Youth Optimist Club last fall, of which he is the charter president.
The group is dedicated to sponsoring youth activities, leadership
and community service. He is a member of the high school band,
and has volunteered with the winterfest committee to organize
events. Couture also volunteered at the Midget AA/AAA hockey
tournament as a referee monitor, and works part-time as a level
1 official with the ODMHA.
In addition to volunteer service, Couture runs two businesses:
K & J Sound, a DJ service, and Josh's Sausage, a mobile food
service and catering business.
Motivational speaker encourages optimism
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE A "can do" attitude will bolt
you to the top of the success ladder, one of the world's first
women jet fighter pilots told a crowd of 250 people Thursday
at the Optimist Appreciation Night in Spencerville.
Retired Major Deanna Brasseur was the guest speaker at the
event and at South Grenville District High School in the afternoon.
Describing herself as a "rough and tumble individual"
who wasn't handicapped by the traditional thinking boys and girls
can only do certain jobs, Brasseur encouraged people to look
at obstacles as opportunities. "See where you're going and
turn obstacles into an exciting challenge," said Brasseur,
who was trained and qualified to fly the CF-18 Hornet, Canada's
supersonic jet fighter aircraft.
These challenges could be racial, social or financial, she
explained.
"Attitude will determine the altitude and height of your
success," Brasseur stressed. "Think positively about
what you want and the negative disappears out of our environment.
If you can hold it in your mind's eye, you can hold it in your
hand.
"I had a can-do attitude. Don't tell me I can't because
I'll show you," said Brasseur, who worked 18 hours a day
for 365 days to qualify as a fighter pilot. She explained it
was like completing a four-year university course in one year.
"Do whatever it takes to become successful. Where there's
no will there's no way. When you want to do something you'll
get it done."
The motivational speaker also encouraged people to take detours
in life and seek change. "Go on a detour and see things
you have never seen before," said Brasseur, who has been
a professional speaker since retiring in 1994. "Take hindsight
and turn it into foresight before it happens; then we're really
informed people. Become a change expert and you'll bolt to the
top."
Brasseur also stressed the importance of working together.
"Teamwork is the most important thing you could have to
get ahead and survive. You have twice the ideas and strength
to become twice as bright and twice as good."
She acknowledged everyone has limitations in life, but once
"we accept them, things become unlimited within those limitations.
"It's up to you to create the music and magic in your
life with the instrument you've been given."
However, "success is not magic. It's something we create.
Believe in you, believe in your dream. Take a dream and turn
it into reality. Have fun doing it."
Throughout her 21-year Canadian military career, Brasseur
rose in the ranks from private to major, accumulating 2,500 hours
of flying time. She has been an aircraft accident investigator,
and was responsible for overseeing the formation, funding, training
and participation of the 1996 Canadian National Precision Flight
Team entry in the world competition. She is listed in the 1999
edition of Who's Who in Canada, and received the Order of Canada
in 1999.
MAITLAND NEWS
Jane Fullarton
Applications have been sent
The applications for the SuperBuild Fund have been completed
and submitted. Six area recreation groups have been working on
the application looking to build washroom facilities at each
of Augusta township's recreation sites.
The Maitland application is to build a 20-by-20-foot addition
to the northwest corner of the MERC Hall. The addition would
house a ladies and a men's washroom that would be on the ground
level with the main auditorium eliminating to need to go upstairs.
The washrooms would also be accessible from outside for use by
people using the Maitland Trails, soccer field, ball diamond
or skating rink. The cost estimate for the Maitland portion of
the project is $50,000.
Moira Taylor, who completed the 46-page detailed application
says there are countless hours of work involved. The deadline
for the applications had been extended to April 12, but the area
recreation associations decided to stay with the old March 31
deadline and get the applications submitted.
There will be registration at the MERC Hall Saturday, April
7 from 9 am to 2 pm for swimming, soccer and parks program. A
convenor for softball is needed before the program can proceed.
The April Senior's Luncheon will be held Wednesday, April
11 at noon at the MERC Hall in Maitland. The menu will be ham
and scalloped potatoes, broccoli and carrots and lemon meringue
pie for dessert. Pastor Joe Veltman will present a slide show
for all those who are tired of winter weather. Call VON Home
Support at 342-3693 to confirm your attendance.
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