Council may seek professional help
Mediator considered as way to resolve town hall issue
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT - Some members of town council have admitted they
need help in resolving the impasse over what to do about Prescott's
municipal offices and public library.
At the end of an hour-long debate on the subject at a committee
meeting Monday night, Councillor Jo-Anne Beckstead suggested
it is time for council to consider bringing in a mediator to
help come to a decision on an issue that has been discussed at
length on numerous occasions. Mayor Robert Lawn and councillors
Terry McConnell and Seeley Pillar accepted Beckstead's suggestion.
This was not the first time the councillor had made such a
suggestion, but it was the first time others appeared willing
to consider the option.
The debate began with a review of plans to construct a new
town hall and library on the site of the municipal parking lot
beside the clock tower. Those plans were drafted in 2000 during
the previous council's term of office. At that time council favoured
the parking lot site but did not proceed with the plans. The
new council voted early last year to renovate the Dibble Street
municipal building, a decision that has not been implemented.
Council then proceeded to review Mayor Robert Lawn's analysis
of the remaining options: renovate the municipal building at
360 Dibble St. W., build a new town hall and library on the parking
lot site, renovate the hardware store on King Street just west
of the parking lot or build a town hall and library on the former
Daniels' Hotel site one block to the east.
Lawn concluded the least expensive option is the scaled-down
renovation plan for the Dibble Street building. The more thorough
renovation plan for 360 Dibble placed second in terms of cost,
followed by the hardware store, parking lot and former hotel
property.
Lawn, who noted he based his election campaign in part on
his support for renovating the municipal building, said council
is not doing a good enough job trying to resolve the problem.
The mayor said council's inability to make a decision is hurting
the community.
As much as he believes the Dibble Street building is the way
to go, Lawn said he would go along with whatever council decided
to do. However, the mayor also said he believes the majority
of town residents still favours renovating the municipal building
and he is not backing down from attempts to have the option removed
from further consideration.
"I'm going to resist that as long and as hard as I can,"
Lawn said.
Each of the four members of council who took part in the debate
favours a different option. Councillor Terry McConnell said he
would hate to see the old building torn down, but he does not
want to see the town continue to own the building. McConnell,
who reiterated his support for renovating the hardware store,
added he believes renovating the Dibble Street building would
be too expensive; previous councils did not maintain the building
and future ones may do the same, according to McConnell.
Councillor Seeley Pillar also reiterated his support for constructing
a new building at the former hotel site. Pillar said town hall
should be located on the main street, and council should make
a decision and get on with it.
In noting the original plan for the parking lot can be modified
in an effort to reduce the size of the building and its cost,
Beckstead said money has not been the issue to her. Beckstead,
the only councillor to serve on the previous council, believes
properly renovating the municipal building would cost about as
much as constructing a new building (in the range of $1.5 million).
It appeared council was willing to vote on the fate of some
of the options Monday night, but no voting took place. In response
to Beckstead's suggestion to call in a mediator, McConnell said
the move probably should have been made months ago.
The mayor said he would be happy to have a qualified individual
come in and try to assist council. However, the mayor also offered
a cautionary note. "Mediators can only mediate where there's
a will," he said.
Although support for the idea was offered, there was no indication
when and if a mediator would be contacted and when council would
meet with him or her.
Councillor Jim French, who owns the hardware store being considered
as an option, declared a conflict of interest Monday night and
sat in the audience during the debate. Councillors Garry Dewar
and Nancy McFarland did not attend the meeting.
Augusta Township added to list of those opposed
to GCDC move
Proposal subject of general membership vote Thursday
PRESCOTT - The general membership of Grenville Community
Development Centre will have its say on a proposal to move GCDC's
offices from Prescott to North Grenville.
The general membership meeting will take place this Thursday
at 10 am at the municipal council chamber in Spencerville. Members
will be asked to vote on a proposal to amend the federally-funded
corporation's constitution to enable GCDC offices to be moved
from Prescott to North Grenville.
GCDC's board of directors voted Jan. 10 to pursue the purchase
of suitable office space in North Grenville. Although the address
was not stated in the resolution approved by the board, the preferred
choice is reported to be a unit of a commercial building located
on Van Buren Street.
GCDC chairperson Sheila Pratt indicated in an earlier news
release an additional $14,000 per year could be directed to GCDC's
client services three years after the purchase of a property.
The purchase would be financed largely from the corporation's
earnings fund and a small self-mortgage.
As of Nov. 28 GCDC had 25 members, 11 of whom also serve on
the board of directors.
Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn, a GCDC member, had been planning
to be in Toronto on business Thursday. However, Lawn indicated
Monday he has changed his schedule so he can attend the GCDC
meeting. Proxy voting is not permitted, according to the mayor.
Business groups and municipal councils based in the Prescott
area have passed motions opposing the decision to move GCDC to
Kemptville. Augusta council voted Monday to support an Edwarsburgh/Cardinal
council resolution urging the GCDC board to reconsider its decision.
Reeve George Vail said he told Pratt he sees no reason to
move the office. "If they get up there into the hustle and
bustle in Kemptville then they might kind of forget about the
south end," the reeve added.
Deputy Reeve Doug Barton also spoke in favour of supporting
the Edwardsburgh/Cardinal resolution. "I think that North
Grenville is getting more spin-offs from the City of Ottawa as
it moves out, and is in a better economic position than South
Grenville," Barton said. "Anything we can do to try
to encourage them to stay in South Grenville will certainly be
an asset for the community."
The board's proposal will require the approval of Industry
Canada.
Cost to clean up old dump likely to exceed $200,000
PRESCOTT - The cost of excavating an old municipal dump located
under the FAI development will be at least $200,000, according
to Town Engineer Clyde Solomon.
More than 15,000 cubic metres of material was removed from
the site during the project that was completed Jan. 18. Organic
material from the dump that was closed more than 40 years ago
was transported to a nearby site just south of Highway 401 and
used to create a berm designed to reduce traffic noise for area
residents.
Prescott council agreed in September to have organic material
from the former dump removed at the municipality's expense. There
were concerns the land under a portion of the commercial development
site would be unstable and could eventually give way. Excavation
began in early December; however, the project was put on hold
during the holiday season.
Solomon told The Journal the excavation project could
total $215,000 once all the bills have been received.
The FAI development known as Prescott Centre will be home
to a new grocery store and Canadian Tire outlet, both of which
will replace existing stores located on Edward Street at Churchill
Road.
The developer is responsible for installing sewer and water
lines. The town committed to providing other infrastructure to
the property line, according to Solomon.
Frost Festival will heat things up in the
Fort Town
PRESCOTT - The countdown is on for this weekend's Fort Town
Frost Festival, with the lumberjack competition and the bonfire
grand finale emerging as premiere events in the activity lineup.
The lumberjack, chainsaw and obstacle course events will be
held this year at Beach Home Hardware. Organizer Lewis Beach
said he's looking forward to the event.
Participants register Saturday, Feb. 16 at 9 am for the competitions
that begin about 9:30. There will be two chainsaw events with
timed cuts in which competitors can bring their own saw or use
one belonging to the store. Beach will supply the helmet and
chaps.
A one-person Swede saw event, a two-person cross saw competition
and a nail-driving event in which participants drive four-inch
common nails in a row, are open to both men and women. The obstacle
course will feature about eight or 10 stations, including log
rolling, chopping and cutting.
Prizes for the lumberjack event are being offered by Stihl
and Beach Hardware.
And there are no worries the event will be cancelled at the
last minute, as was the case at the Spencerville winter festival
two weeks ago. That competition, always a popular activity in
Spencerville as well, was scrapped when the event insurer was
unable to provide coverage. Beach noted the Prescott competition
will be covered as a rider on the town's insurance policy.
The Frost Festival Finale is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 17
at 7 pm. More than 100 Christmas trees will blaze at the town's
waterfront area east of the marina; hot chocolate will be served.
Throughout the weekend, there will be free public skating,
special dinners and a breakfast, a showing of two of the canine
stars of Walt Disney's hit movie Snow Dogs, a sno-pitch
tournament and dog sled runs.
See inside this week's Prescott Journal for a more
complete listing of dates and times of the various Frost Festival
activities.
THIS WEEK
Health unit confirms cases of Influenza A
LEEDS AND GRENVILLE A cluster of confirmed Influenza
A cases in the Kemptville area has prompted the Leeds, Grenville
and Lanark District Health Unit to remind the public it is not
too late to get a flu shot.
Influenza, also known as "the flu," is a contagious
respiratory disease caused by a virus; symptoms include fever,
chills, headache, dry mouth and muscle aches. The flu may last
five to ten days, but fatigueassociated with the virus can persist
for many weeks.
This season's vaccine covers Influenza A and is between 70
and 90 per cent effective in preventing the flu virus from striking
healthy adults and children.
Family doctors can provide flu shots, and the health unit
conducts immunization clinics. For more information or to make
an appointment, contact the health unit in Brockville at 345-5685
or the toll-free Health Action Line at 1-800-660-5853.
Kiwanis Club supports palliative care
PRESCOTT The local Kiwanis Club helped raise $840 during
the St. Vincent de Paul Hospital palliative care telethon last
weekend.
Gerry Carey, speaking on behalf on the club, said the fish
bowl set up at the Prescott valu-mart is an annual project of
Kiwanis members. Several of the fish bowl collection centres
were set up at outlets in the region, but the Prescott centre
raised the most amount of money by far, he said.
"When you think a small town can come up with $840 in
a fish bowl, to me that's a fantastic story," Carey said.
The telethon raised about $62,000 for the palliative care
program.
Another meeting set for food bank group
PRESCOTT The next public information meeting to discuss
plans to establish a food bank in South Grenville will take place
Thursday, Feb. 21 at the Prescott Health Centre, 555 King St.
W.
Doors open at 7 pm; the meeting will start at 7:30 pm.
A steering committee was formed last month at the first information
meeting. About 50 people attended that meeting; it was agreed
there is a need for a food bank that would serve Prescott, Augusta
and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal.
Augusta interim tax bills due March 28
MAYNARD Augusta Township property owners can expect
to receive interim tax bills in the mail shortly. Council voted
Monday to approve a bylaw to provide for an interim tax levy
for 2002.
Property tax bills are based on 50 per cent of last year's
taxes, and are due and payable by March 28. Bills can be paid
at the municipal office in Maynard or at the Royal Bank in Prescott.
New town hall/library
proposal features river heritage
PRESCOTT - Marc Cardinal wants Prescott to have a new town
hall that is ship-shape.
The owner of Frametastic Gallery presented his vision for
the municipal building and library to members of Prescott council
at a committee meeting Monday night.
Cardinal is proposing a three-storey facility to be built
on the Daniels' Hotel property on King Street and two adjacent
properties to the west on which a building and parking area are
situated. In citing a passage from a book written by local author
and artist Thelma Cameron, Cardinal said the building would have
some of the design characteristics of a ship and take advantage
of the town's past and connection to the St. Lawrence River.
Each floor would be named after one of three ships: the Rapids
Prince, Rapids Queen and Rapids King.
The library would be located on the ground floor, according
to Cardinal. The second floor would include municipal offices
and an open patio. The third floor would be a small conference
centre which could be made available at no charge to community
groups.
"I believe people would flock to Prescott," Cardinal
said of the unique design being proposed.
The proposal would help revitalize downtown, remove an eyesore
from main street and serve as a tourist attraction, according
to Cardinal. He suggested the cost of purchasing the land could
range from $300,000 to $500,000; Cardinal did not estimate the
cost of building the facility. Volunteers could assist with landscaping,
he noted.
Councillor Terry McConnell said Cardinal's idea "sounds
really nice," but the councillor added he does not think
it will work. McConnell also voiced concerns about the town running
a hall at a time when community groups in Prescott are having
difficulty running existing halls.
Cardinal suggested the municipal building on Dibble Street
West could be made into a residence for seniors.
Cardinal's proposal was not discussed as part of the town
hall debate council members took part in later that night, although
some town officials acknowledged privately after the meeting
the proposal is creative and interesting.
Sewage proposal includes neighbouring townships
Portions of Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal and Augusta
could receive service
PRESCOTT - Town officials say they are awaiting responses
from Augusta and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal on a proposal to share
the cost of the study, design and construction of new sewage
treatment facilities.
Prescott has undertaken an environmental assessment of the
existing sewage treatment plant and the future needs of the community.
Representatives from the neighbouring townships have been invited
to take part in the process.
Ainley Group, a consulting firm hired by the town to assist
with the study, has estimated the population of each municipality
that should be taken into account when designing a new facility
or upgrades to the existing one. The estimates include 5,650
for Prescott, 2,370 for Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and 2,000 for Augusta.
Based on those figures, the town is proposing it pays 56 per
cent of project costs. Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal would pay 24 per
cent, with Augusta covering the remaining 20 per cent of municipal
costs.
Few if any homes or businesses in either township are now
hooked up to the town's sewer infrastructure.
Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said Monday the extent of any inter-municipal
partnership might be known by the end of the month. The mayor
said a new facility would be larger than the one now in place
to allow for future growth in Prescott, even if the other townships
opted not to come on board.
However, Lawn added the process and the interaction with the
other municipalities has been going very well to date.
A formal resolution dealing with the proposed cost-sharing
arrangement is to be presented to Prescott council at its Feb.
18 meeting.
Design and construction of a new plant or upgraded facility
has been estimated to be in the range of $15 million. The town
is seeking government funding to cover about one-third of project
costs.
Regional jobless rate increases
KINGSTON - The regional unemployment rate rose sharply in
January, according to figures released Monday by the Kingston
office of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
The jobless rate for the region that includes Leeds and Grenville
was 7.3 per cent last month. The rate stood at 6.3 per cent in
December.
The goods-producing sector reported a decrease in employment
in January, an HRDC news release stated. There were also seasonal
decreases in agriculture and manufacturing. Employment in the
services sector remained constant; finance, insurance and real
estate experienced increases, but there were drops in transportation
and warehousing.
The regional unemployment rate in Jan. 2001 was 6.5 per cent.
HRDC also reported increases last month in the number of Employment
Insurance (EI) claimants. The Prescott office experienced a 14.4-per-cent
increase in claimants; there were 1,198 at the end of January.
On average, EI claimants rose by 12.4 per cent in HRDC's Kingston-Pembroke
management area. The Brockville office reported an increase of
8.3 per cent. Gananoque was the only office to report a decrease
in EI claimants in January.
OPP NEWS
Stolen video camera taken to Brockville pawn shop
AUGUSTA A Brockville man was charged following a break-in
that occurred Feb. 7 at an Algonquin Road residence. Grenville
County OPP responded at about 5:30 pm; the break-in had occurred
sometime during the day. Jewellery and electronics were among
the missing items. The owner contacted a pawn shop in Brockville
in connection with the break-in. A man then attempted to sell
the stolen video camera at the pawn shop, according to an OPP
news release. Robert Trickey, 24, was charged with possession
of stolen property and breach of probation. He is scheduled to
appear Feb. 22 in Brockville court. Constable Doran is the investigating
officer.
Erratic driving leads to arrest
AUGUSTA An Augusta Township man faces a charge of impaired
driving following an incident that occurred Feb. 10. Detective
Constable Duke was on patrol at about 2:25 am when he observed
a vehicle being driven erratically. The driver was arrested when
the vehicle stopped at a residence on County Road 26. Leonard
Wildemann, 32, is scheduled to make his first court appearance
March 8.
Local officers investigate 74 occurrences during week
SOUTH GRENVILLE Officers with the Grenville County detachment
of the Ontario Provincial Police investigated 74 occurrences
between Feb. 4 and Feb. 10 in South Grenville. Of the 48 incidents
reported in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, 24 were vehicle-related. Eight
of the 26 incidents reported in the Township of Augusta were
vehicle-related, according to the OPP.
Physician recruitment
program makes funding pitch to Augusta council
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
MAYNARD - Augusta Township has been asked for its financial
support of the Leeds and Grenville Physician Recruitment Task
Force.
Physician Recruiter Carlene MacDonald told council at its
Monday night meeting the program is in needs of funds to continue
its work of attracting doctors to the area. The people of Augusta
and area need to be ensured of accessibility to primary health
care - an essential component to the economic success of communities,
MacDonald said.
The task force was developed about 18 months ago to lure 22
physicians to the area, which has been designated as underserviced
by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. To date, seven
physicians - both specialists and family doctors - have relocated
to either Brockville or Prescott.
With 500 doctors needed throughout Ontario, MacDonald said
"we do need to put our best face forward. Competition is
quite stiff; there's a lot of people out there doing what we're
doing."
"We have a huge shortage of doctors out there,"
said task force Co-chair Bill Pakeman. "We have 112 other
communities that are engaged in a foot race to grab these doctors."
Pakeman noted Australia and the United States are among the countries
trying to pick up Canada's doctors. Please consider this when
you're filling in your budgets," Pakeman told the councillors.
"It will be a good return on your dollar."
The program has been successful, but it needs the continued
flow of money to continue its efforts, Pakeman said. Last week,
the task force visited Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal council to ask
for its support. Prescott contributed $4,000 last year, and has
agreed to review the amount for 2002.
The program requires between $150,000 and $180,000 annually
to operate, she said. Brockville hospitals have contributed about
$70,000 of the $110,000 raised so far.
The money is used for staffing costs, general operating expenses,
marketing and promotion and physician attraction incentives.
It is estimated it will take five years to solve the shortage
of physicians within the region. MacDonald noted governments
have being doing their part in the process by making more seats
available in medical schools. But this does not help in the short
term, she said.
The task force is asking municipalities to demonstrate its
support by committing $5,000 per year to the program.
Augusta council did not discuss the proposal or offer any
comments at the meeting.
Beautifying downtown among priorities
PRESCOTT - Business leaders in Prescott's downtown area are
hoping for bigger and better things in 2002, and making the area
more attractive is among the options being pursued.
Prescott's Business Improvement Area (BIA) held its annual
general meeting held Feb. 5 at the Legion Hall on Henry Street.
Ken Durand, who was re-elected BIA chairman, said there are
three main areas the BIA should focus on this year: the farmers
market, an advertising and promotion strategy, and downtown beautification.
Frametastic owner Marc Cardinal presented a revamped proposal
to divide the BIA into sections; each section would have a team
captains who oversees clean-up activities. Cardinal said he is
willing to co-ordinate the program which he believes will help
the downtown area realize its potential.
"It's time for action and not talking," Cardinal
added.
BIA Vice-Chair Jane Burton agrees with that sentiment. Burton
said merchants and the town do not necessarily have to spend
a lot of money to make downtown more attractive. It was noted
the BIA did some painting around town last year, including benches
and hydrants.
There was also a discussion at the meeting about plans for
murals; one proposal involves more than 100 second-storey windows
in the King Street corridor. Durand and other BIA members expressed
interest in the mural concept.
"We need something to make the town a little different,"
Durand said.
Burton also noted the importance of drawing local residents
downtown and not just out-of-towners. One idea being pursued
by the BIA is a coupon package to be distributed this spring
to households in the Prescott area.
In terms of 2001, Durand noted the BIA was successful in having
parking meters replaced by free two-hour parking. Although some
concerns about enforcement of the new regulations and signage
were expressed at the meeting, the chairman noted Prescott council
was helpful in agreeing to the move on a one-year trial basis.
Durand went on to remind business owners and their workers not
to take up those free parking spaces.
Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn indicated it may be a shortcoming;
he agreed to forward those concerns to other municipal officials.
Also serving on the BIA board of directors in 2002 are Treasurer
Christina Finnison and directors Garry Dewar, Tom Doyle, Jim
French, John Morris, Wilf Peters, Robin Shire, Lisa Taylor, Peter
Topps and Ray Young.
Pair fined for ruffling feathers of hunters
BROCKVILLE - Two Montreal residents have been fined for harassing
duck hunters on the opening day of the season last September
east of Johnstown.
Caroline Ashton, 42, and Fabio Zenobio, 26, were convicted
of interfering with lawful hunting, an offence under the Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Act. Each was fined $30 plus a
victim surcharge of $10. The case was heard Jan. 31 in the Ontario
Court of Justice in Brockville.
The charges stemmed from an incident in which the accused
shouted obscenities at hunters who were legally hunting from
blinds located on Grassy and Drummond islands between North Channel
and the main shipping lane of the St. Lawrence River, according
to a Ministry of Natural Resources news release.
The accused, who had paddled a boat to an area near where
the hunters were situated, waved their arms, shouted and hit
the water with their paddles when waterfowl approached. Those
actions prompted the hunters to discontinue the hunt and leave
the area.
The public is being encouraged to report natural resource
violations to the ministry's Kemptville office at (613) 258-8204
or to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Wing night returns to Legion
PRESCOTT - A Labatt Blue wing night will be held Friday, Feb.
15 at 5:30 pm at the Legion Hall on Henry Street.
DJ Special K will feature '50s and '60s music from 7 pm to
11 pm. There is a cover charge. Prizes will be awarded.
St. Joseph participates
in MS reading program
By Jon Kuiperij - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT - St. Joseph Catholic School students were reading
for more than just the fun of it the last couple of weeks.
The school once again participated in the MS Read-A-Thon,
a literary awareness and fundraising program co-ordinated by
the MS Society of Canada. Students collected pledges from the
community for every book they read.
"Our school has participated for many years," says
Monique Bongard, Grade 5 teacher and organizer of St. Joseph's
participation. "It's a worthy and worthwhile cause, and
it is great incentive for the kids to be reading."
Grade 6 student Kayla McNally, who had read 15 books for the
program as of Friday, says she enjoys reading for several reasons.
"It can take away your problems," says the 11-year-old.
"Books take you to far away places."
Thomas Polite, 10, says he had "six or seven sponsors"
for the ten books he had read by Friday.
"I like reading about hockey, because I like hockey a
lot," the Grade 5 student says. "I was reading the
Screech Owl series."
A bookworm comprised of the names of books read by students
stretched down nearly the entire hall at the school.
"The kids check the worm several times a day," Bongard
says. "It's been a friendly competition between classes.
The kids have been very enthusiastic."
Many prizes were available for children who reached certain
dollar amounts in pledges, including a Panasonic CD Stereo with
remote for any student that raised $1,500.
The MS Read-A-Thon has raised more than $35 million since
its inception 25 years ago. Money raised through the program
will fund research into finding a cure for multiple sclerosis
as well as providing services to those currently living with
the unpredictable and often disabling disease.
Multiple sclerosis is the most common disease of the central
nervous system among young adults in Canada, affecting over 50,000
Canadians.
For more information on the disease, the MS Read-A-Thon and
opportunities to support the MS Society of Canada, call 1-800-268-7582
or visit www.mssociety.ca.
Bridge lessons begin tomorrow afternoon
WALKER HOUSE NEWS
By Marnie Lippiatt
We hope to have a few more people join our "Learn to
Play Bridge" classes. The first class will now be held tomorrow
(Thursday, Feb. 14) at 1 o'clock. This class is free to our members.
A membership enables you to participate in the many activities
here at Walker House.
We are still setting the table for the men's breakfast this
Friday, Feb. 15. Come and meet the other men at Walker House.
If you know someone who would like to join us, invite him. Please
call 925-5300 so we know ho much to prepare.
We are having a pot luck March 1 at lunchtime. Joyce Brown,
a personal property appraiser, will speak to us in the afternoon.
She will speak on the advantages of having antiques, collectibles
and residential contents appraised. Please mark your calendars
and join us.
Card game winners last week: Monday bridge 1st, Joyce
Nesbitt; 2nd and door prize, Andy Britnell. Tuesday night cribbage
high hand, Alice Crowder and Louie Bocsy; high score, Eleanor
Gilligan; 2nd, Jean McCrady; third, Alice Crowder. Thursday bridge
1st, Isabel Locke; 2nd, Charlie Steiner. Thursday night
euchre 1st, Alice Crowder; 2nd, Jeannine Marion; 3rd, Bernice
Arcand; door prize, Jean Annable.
Trio to play in Prescott
PRESCOTT - Violin, cello and piano will come together in the
next performance of the Fort Town Concert Association's 2001-2002
season.
A concert by Joe Trio will take place Thursday, Feb. 21 at
8 pm at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Prescott.
The trio consists of three musicians from Vancouver: violinist
Cameron Wilson, cellist Laura McPheeters and pianist Allen Stiles.
Founded in 1989, Joe Trio offers a balanced mix of humour and
spontaneity that breaks down the frontiers between musical genres
classical to popular, with some added touches of the blues,
folk and jazz. From Beethoven and Haydn to Jerome Kern and the
Rolling Stones, the trio pools its talents as composers, arrangers,
orchestral musicians, soloists and teachers.
In addition to performing throughout Canada and the United
States, Joe Trio recorded its first CD (A Cup of Joe) in 1997.
This concert is sponsored by Dr. Gauri Shankar, Prescott Chiropractic
Centre. For ticket information, call 925-5050 or 925-3200.
The Fort Town Concert Association works in conjunction with
Jeunesses Musicales of Canada, an organization that helps bring
Canadian fine arts to communities big and small.
Meeting deals with child-care businesses
PRESCOTT - Information on starting a child-care business at
home will be the focus of a presentation to take place Wednesday,
Feb. 20 from 7 to 9 pm at the Prescott Health Centre, 555 King
St. W.
The meeting is being organized by child-care resources of
Leeds and Grenville.
Pre-registration is required; the deadline is Feb. 15. For
more information or to register, call 345-0350 or 1-888-412-9900.
Auditions open for musical
By Laura Parrott - For SGDHS Giants
School life is finally returning to normal after exams. Students
are now in their second week of semester two classes. Grade 10
literacy testing will take place on the 14th and 15th.
Auditions are now taking place for two school events. First,
there are auditions for the school's musical which will be presented
this spring. All students are welcome to audition, especially
those with good singing abilities. If singing and dancing isn't
your thing, auditions are also taking place for the school's
talent show which will be presented in early March. Auditions
are open to students from all grades.
SCHOOL SCENE
BOUNDARY STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL As part of Prescott's
Frost Festival, students in grades 1 to 8 will skate this Thursday,
Feb. 14 from 1 to 3 pm at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.
On Friday, Feb. 15, the hot lunch is KFC.
The public health nurse will be at the school Monday, Feb.
18 to talk to students in grades 7 and 8. The Grade 8s will walk
to South Grenville District High School Wednesday, Feb. 20 at
1 pm to tour the school and talk to staff.
CENTENNIAL '67/NORTH EDWARDSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Students
at NEPS will be snowshoeing this week. This is Spirit Week at
Centennial '67, with a number of special events organized by
student council crazy hair day, Hawaiian beach day, red/white/pink
day.
Junior students will participate in outdoor winter activities
Thursday, and Grade 7/8 will have a dance in the afternoon.
Basketball tryouts continue at Centennial.
CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL Winter carnival activities are
happening this week. There are indoor/outdoor team activities
Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Thursday is Red Day.
The primary classes go skating Friday, and the juniors and
seniors have a dance.
The hot lunch this week is burgers.
ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL: "The Chicken Olympics"
is the theme of the school's winter carnival being held this
week. Students are divided into six teams and will compete in
a series of events. Wednesday is "Inside out/Backwards Day,"
followed on Thursday by "PJ and Bad Hair Day" and on
Friday by "Hat Day" and the closing ceremony. Events
include chicken tug of war, chicken target throw and chicken
relay.
The special education department will sell hot dogs at lunch
Thursday.
Augusta council
receives suggestions from township residents at meeting
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
MAYNARD - Several Augusta taxpayers presented council at its
Monday night meeting with their concerns for the past year's
operation of the municipality, and offered suggestions about
its improvement before budget deliberations begin.
"In order to find out where we're going, I'd like to
take us to where we've been," said Darlene Banning, who
attends council meetings regularly. Banning drew council's attention
to what she said has been over budgeting in the roads department,
excessive legal costs and ongoing personnel issues in the township.
These things are not acceptable to taxpayers, she said, and have
come about because of poor judgement calls.
Council has been headed down a negative path of destruction,
Banning said. "With so many changes in staffing, we were
sure sent out the wrong message as to how the township was doing
business and the lack of respect for employees."
With ongoing union negotiations, Banning said the taxpayers
will have a hefty burden to bear. Bad decisions, poor judgement
and unwillingness to admit to mistakes on the part of council
were cited by Banning as being main concerns.
"It's long overdue for council to start taking responsibility,"
Banning said. "I'm a taxpayer and I'm sick of the unnecessary
waste. This waste has to stop hear and now. If we ran our households
the way money is wasted here, we would soon be bankrupt."
Banning also felt council spends too much time debating issues
in closed meetings and not in public. "Always strive for
more openness. Much of last year's turmoil could have been avoided,"
she said, adding many of the old issues are still around to haunt
the township.
Duaine McKinley reiterated many of Banning comments. "I
can only assume we're going to blow the budget. Many past issues
and needless expense could have been solved or avoided if employees
felt they had a little security and respect, McKinley said. "Every
time... it relays back to dollars being spent. There's dollars
going out the door and that's not acceptable."
As a method of assisting with communication within the township,
McKinley suggested Augusta develop a municipal Web site. This
system already adopted by other municipalities could provide
instant access to such information as dump hours or road conditions,
thereby eliminating aggravation or phone calls to the township
office, he said.
McKinley also suggested people be allowed to make their presentations
at the more informal and relaxed committee meetings, where issues
could be handled with less confrontation.
Gill Cyr recommended a stop to the fighting between council
and residents. He felt a qualified member of the community should
sit on committees of council to help in decision making and avoid
future problems. A resident sitting in on finance, heavy equipment
and road building meetings would have been a good investment
for council during the past year, Cyr said. "It's very important
to bring new blood into this council on standing committees."
Cyr said he would be pleased to advise council on the qualified
people who could assist council at the committee level.
He noted much of the turmoil of the past year has been caused
by private, in-camera meetings. "Get off of this thing that
it's personnel (related)," Cyr said. "We're all big
people; we can take it." He suggested council is secretive
and often keeps people in the dark on issues.
Council members did not offer any response to the delegations.
Counterfeit bills passed in Prescott
PRESCOTT - Town police are advising merchants to use caution
after three counterfeit $100 bills were passed earlier this month
at local businesses.
Merchants are reminded to check bills carefully or, when in
doubt, contact police or ask for photo identification from the
person tendering the currency. The investigation is continuing.
The ignitions of two vehicles parked at a residence in the
St. Lawrence St. area were tampered with and damaged. Town police
investigated the matter Feb. 6 and concluded an attempt had been
made to steal the vehicles.
A case involving wilful damage to a 1993 Hyundai parked behind
a King Street apartment building was investigated Feb. 7. Damage
to the vehicle was estimated at $400.
A black leather coat valued at $400 was reported stolen from
South Grenville District High School. Police began their investigation
Feb. 8; the investigation continues.
Anyone with information on these or any other occurrences
in Prescott is asked to contact town police at 925-4252 or Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Outdoor rinks highlight winter activities
in community
MAITLAND NEWS
Jane Fullarton
Maitland is fortunate to have two outdoor rinks operating
again this year. One rink is located on Cedar Street in Maitland
Park Estates and the second is located at MERC Hall.
Ray Avery has spearheaded the Cedar Street rink committee
for many years, and has the operation finely tuned. Avery calls
residents in the fall to see who is interested in helping with
the regular flooding and scraping of the rink, then he makes
a schedule and assigns two people to scrape and clear the rink
every night, sometime after 9 pm.
This year Avery has 19 members on his committee, including
Michael Avery, Don Smart, Jim Grimes, Ray Lumsden, Rick MacIntosh,
Bob Gillett, Barry Halladay, Reg Dunlop, Kevin Beattie, Kerry
Wilson, Sean Sarry, Neil Sarry, Kevin Taylor, Jeff Cummings,
Brian Kenney, Steve Kenney, Kent Wilson and Henry Balder.
In November the boards are put up and as soon as there is
three to four inches of frost in the ground the flooding begins.
Avery augments the flooding from the well at the rink with 10
400- and 50-gallon tanks of water from the river during the initial
flooding to establish a good base for the rink.
Because of the mild weather this season the first skating
was Dec. 29. This was one of the latest starts in Avery's memory.
The frequent thaws have not been too much of a problem for rink
workers because with the significant base the rink has and nightly
flooding; any rough patches get repaired quickly. It has been
a bonus there has been very little clearing of snow needed at
the rink. Avery commends his team as very willing and dedicated.
The rink sees constant use and it is not uncommon to see 20 skaters
and hockey players enjoying the rink at any given time.
The MERC rink has a committee of Brad Somers, Lorne Smith,
Lloyd Chisolm, Dan Darling, Dave Sheridan, Terry Kirkey, Bill
Mitchell, Ryan Brown, Wayne Brohman, Ray Avery, Dean Young and
Pat Larry. This rink is fed by a creek and in the fall the entire
area is covered in about eight inches of water. The ice was solid
enough for skating Dec. 31 this year. Once the ice is set the
volunteers flood the rink about three times a week. They drill
a hole into the edge of the ice and use a gasoline powered pump
and 200 feet of fire hose to flood the rink to keep the surface
smooth.
Somers says the work that was completed this summer, filling
and leveling the surface of the rink site, has improved the quality
of the ice surface immensely and made it easier to manage. Last
year, because the rink was a deeper pond, the water level varied
causing the ice to rise and fall, often leaving a dip in the
middle of the rink and making flooding more difficult.
This year's surface is more level, but Somers says it has
been a battle against the frequent thaws and the slush that takes
over the rink. The highlight at the MERC Rink so far this season
was last Monday night's Brownie and Guide skating party that
saw 50 to 60 girls enjoying this lovely rink in the woods.
New owners restore
historic Prescott home to original glory
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT - One of Prescott's premier historic homes is being
restored with care and attention to detail.
The large two-storey stone home with four fireplaces, a basement
bake oven and original interior well at Dibble and Edward streets
which was recently purchased by Prescott residents Rob Kelso
and Heather MacKay-Kelso has been turned back in time to show
the grandness of a bygone era.
Commonly referred to as the Sir Richard Scott House or the
Raney House, both names which reflect previous owners, it will
now be called Heritage Suites, said MacKay-Kelso. Most recently,
the home was owned by the Slater family and was occupied by Prescott
House of Flowers.
The Kelsos, who own H & R Contracting, have restored the
upper floor into a two-bedroom, 1,200-square-foot executive suite
with three-piece bath. The rental unit will include the main
front foyer, the grand staircase and landing and attic storage.
Several layers of wall paper and paint were stripped, fireplaces
were opened up, floors were returned to their natural 1830's
appearance, and the original woodwork, archways, baseboards and
trim have been restored. Original hallways and archways have
been reconstructed. "It's wonderful compared to what is
used to be," MacKay-Kelso said.
New fixtures and the decor were carefully chosen to reflect
the buildings age and grandeur, she added.
"We love doing the old houses," said MacKay-Kelso,
who along with her husband owns the Benjamin French home on Dibble
Street West. Their company is currently restoring the former
St. John's Rectory on the same street. "Somebody shaped
this and built this," MacKay-Kelso said in referring to
the original woodwork in doorways and windows. "The value
of it is enormous. It's a matter of respect for the workmanship.
"I've always loved this house," said MacKay-Kelso,
who noted she has pleasant memories of playing in the home as
a child.
The downstairs of Heritage Suites will incorporate two bachelor
apartments with open-concept living and separate entrances, and
should be complete by June.
The executive suite will be open for public viewing this Friday,
Feb. 15 from noon to 2 pm.
Dr. William James Scott bought the property on which the home
stands from Colonel Edward Jessup in 1824, and it is thought
the home was built about 1835. Sir Richard Scott, known as the
father of the Canada Temperance Act of 1878 and who was
the mayor of Ottawa in 1852, grew up in the home.
Information on T4 filing is available
OTTAWA - The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) will
make its Business Enquiries telephone service available on two
Saturdays this month.
The service, which operates Monday to Friday from 8:15 am
to 8 pm, will also be open Saturday, Feb. 16 and Saturday, Feb.
23 from 9 am to 4 pm. The extension is aimed at helping employers
comply with their T4 filing obligations, according to a CCRA
news release.
The toll-free Business Enquiries service is available at 1-800-959-5525.
All businesses in Canada must prepare their T4 slips and file
their T4 information return on or before the last day of February.
Client account information is made available only to individuals
who have provided written authorization for them to access the
account.
Local businesses
asked to support theme park
By Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer
BROCKVILLE - Local business leaders and municipal representatives
are being asked to push hard for a scheme that could pump money,
jobs and economic benefits into South Grenville.
About 300 people from throughout Leeds and Grenville and Northern
New York attended a session in Brockville last Friday designed
to generate interest in 1000 Islands Fantasia, the $230-million
entertainment complex planned by Anton Stephens of Toronto for
a parcel of land in the west end of Brockville.
Pat Dewar, president of the Prescott and District Chamber
of Commerce who attended the event, said there is no question
Fantasia will have dramatic spin-off benefits. "Prescott
stands to gain a lot," she said. "I definitely see
it as a shot in the arm to the whole area; even our neighbours
across the river are getting excited."
Leeds-Grenville MP Joe Jordan noted at the rally Stephens
is delivering some much-needed medicine to Eastern Ontario. "Clearly
from a political perspective, the jobs that this project can
provide are badly needed." Jordan predicted 20 million people
would be drawn to the area annually with Fantasia as a drawing
card.
"That's going to involve a tremendous amount of money
that's going to end up at Fort Wellington in Prescott,"
and other areas. Jordan said. "We're going to get a much-needed
injection of new dollars and augment - not be in competition
to - the businesses that are existing in Eastern Ontario.
Jordan stressed Fantasia is not a fly-by-night scheme, and
would involve well-paying, skilled jobs.
However, the money, the jobs and prosperity could be lost
if the Ontario government doesn't soon approve racing and gaming
licences critical to the project's success, Stephens said at
the gathering. Also, he noted his funding sources will dry up
if the licensing process is not fast-tracked.
"Just give us the approvals and we will dig now,"
Stephens said. "There are enormous business opportunities
for you people." He strongly urged business people to come
forward and support the project. Those attending the gathering
were given a form letter of support to be sent to the ministries
of tourism, culture and recreation and consumer and business
services.
The federal government has granted Stephens a pari-mutuel
betting licence, although it is useless without the provincial
approvals to operate a standardbred racetrack and slot machines.
"We don't want to sit back... so write to your politicians
and make sure they understand it. Get their backs going,"
said Stephens, who in 1983 founded H-Net, a computer software
supplier designed specifically for vision care professionals.
He has more than 6,500 retail sites in the world, and owns and
operates several other companies in the health care sector in
Canada and the United States.
"They (the racing commission) are holding back the situation
which I believe will not only bring you the benefits, but all
of Eastern Ontario," Stephens said. "Who sets these
rules? We make the rules, so we can break the rules to get something."
Stephens assured the crowd once approvals are granted, construction
would start within six months, with the facility operational
within 24 months.
The construction phase will generate 1,700 jobs right away,
he said, with indirect employment resulting in 900 jobs. More
than 2,100 people will be hired to operate the complex, Stephens
said. "Fantasia will general significant demand for a wide
variety of goods either to directly or indirectly operate the
theme park and to support the off-site business demands of the
visitors."
Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman said the approval process
is going well. "I am increasingly optimistic this is going
to happen and that all the pieces are in place to ensure that
it does."
Jim Whelan, Ontario Harness Racing Association president,
also offered the support of his organization at the luncheon
meeting. "You build it, and we will show up."
|
