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| NEWS | |
Event opens door to local heritageDoors Open draws visitors to sites in Prescott areaBy Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer SOUTH GRENVILLE - A province-wide celebration of heritage and culture that included Prescott and South Grenville was a huge success, according to the local organizer. Graham Cudlipp of Prescott, who is a member of the Brockville-Thousand Islands Doors Open Ontario program, said many people were drawn to the area on the weekend in a discovery of community heritage that will eventually help the area become better known as a tourist destination. The inaugural year of Doors Open allowed people to tour at no cost private homes, commercial buildings, courthouses, churches, gardens, natural heritage and other sites of historic and architectural merit not normally open to the public. Twelve heritage sites in Prescott and area opened their doors on the weekend; in all, 45 sites were open within Leeds and Grenville. The numbers of people who toured the local sites certainly picked up on Sunday - the second day of the event - as word spread of the event. The Battle of the Windmill site east of Prescott experienced three times as many visitors as normal for a weekend; 200 people toured Wiser Hall and 150 people saw the Canada Coast Guard operations, which are rarely open to the public. The Blue Church west of Prescott also reported high numbers of visitors, with more than 100 people seeing the inside of the 157-year-old church on Sunday alone, Cudlipp said. Other sites in this area open were the Forwarders' Museum, Fort Wellington, Colonel's Inn, Blue Heron Inn, Homewood Museum and St. Andrew's, St. John's and St. Mark's churches. Many of the sites were staffed by volunteers in period costume. The weekend proved to be "fabulous" for a first-time event and it was great to be part of a successful movement, he added. The City of Brockville had the foresight to be involved in the concept, Cudlipp said, and other Leeds and Grenville communities were fortunate to be able to join in. Cudlipp noted he would love to the see numerous historic sites in this area promoted on a larger scale, since the region has the potential to become a tourist destination, rather than a stop over between Toronto and Montreal and Ottawa. There is a great variety of historically-significant sites within an easy drive of Prescott, he said. The Doors Open weekend was certainly worthwhile, Bob and Marlene Hutchcroft of Iroquois said Saturday during a tour of the Prescott Coast Guard Base. They planned to visit as many sites as possible that day in Prescott and Brockville. The couple also noted the tours were informative and the guides helpful, and it was great to have a chance to see and understand more about the history of the area. A highlight of the Coast Guard tour was the boat house built about 1908 and still featuring the original stained-glass windows and decorative metal siding. Rick Pankhurst and Elaine Adams, who live near the Blue Church, had never had an opportunity to see inside the church before, and they were pleased with the amount of history they were able to uncover. They also planned to spend the day touring sites. Cudlipp hopes Doors Open will become an annual event.
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| EDITORIALS | |
QUOTE OF THE WEEK"(Volunteering) is just something I do, and has been since I got here."Ruth Bass, who received the Spencerville Optimist Volunteer of the Year award Editor's NotebookWINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY: The inaugural edition of Doors Open proved to be a fairly positive experience in the Prescott area. The program invites the public to take a closer look at historic buildings and attractions, many of which are not normally open to the public. Although the dozen local participating sites reported varying degrees of response this past Saturday and Sunday, the bottom line is many people who live here or elsewhere took the time to visit some of the more unique places which add to the charm and appeal of the Prescott area. The one thing organizers of Doors Open should keep in mind is there can be too much of a good thing. The Prescott area has an abundance of historic buildings and interesting properties and sites, but the public may grow tired of too many visits to the same attractions in any given year. Doors Open comes on the heels of a great tradition the Grenville County Historical Society started years ago. There are also garden tours being offered this Saturday in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal as part of a fundraiser for the public library in Spencerville. As long as the various groups and programs work together instead of as separate units, the heritage value of Prescott will not be threatened by overexposure. Whether Doors Open becomes an annual or occasional part of the local scene remains to be seen. Early returns suggest the concept has succeeded in promoting our heritage to tourists and local residents. Doors Open could become an important addition to the tourism season, and South Grenville would be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity that plays right into this area's strength: its history. LET THEM GO AT IT: Whether former finance minister Paul Martin was fired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien or the two came to a mutual agreement does not really matter in the grand scheme of things. The real issue of interest to many Canadians is what appears to be the leadership race that may finally emerge from behind closed Liberal caucus doors. The national media has been playing up this split and the seemingly inevitable leadership showdown for a long time, and recent events have given the pundits more fodder with which to speculate on the political future of Mr. Chrétien and others in the federal cabinet (and one or two who are no longer there). Chrétien won three consecutive elections and formed three majority governments. Mr. Martin is a well-respected leader whose work in the finance portfolio has been solid and relatively hassle-free - unlike some of his colleagues. A showdown between these two men could make for great viewing, just like the western finals in both the NHL and NBA this season. Too bad the winners of those showdowns will probably go on to face uncompetitive rivals when it really counts. Tim Ruhnke The Leafs may have fallen, but the Oilers came up dryTHE NEW GUY - Tim RuhnkeNow that Jon the Leaf fanatic has headed for what hopefully will be greener pastures, the role of office hockey fanatic is now being played by Dave the Oiler guy. As much as there was the occasional double-teaming last week when Dave and yours truly took aim at Jon's fondness for the blue and white, I would like to note for the record the Oilers didn't even make it to the playoffs this season. Leaf supporters should be put in their place, but at least Toronto qualified for the post season and won two series. The Oilers scratched and clawed their way into the playoffs five straight years, but 92 points could not cut it this season in a very competitive western conference. It would have been okay to give the Oilers a couple of extra home dates before bowing out in the first round of the playoffs, but there's always next year! Back in the days when I despised the Oilers, the main reason was Wayne Gretzky. As I may have mentioned in a previous column, my Grade 13 high school yearbook stated my goal in life was to never hear the name Gretzky. That was nearly 20 years ago, and my respect for the Great One has eaten away at some (but not all) of the hostility. Dave the Oiler fan tells me he was never that big on Gretzky, which goes to show you fanatics have their lucid moments. Mind you, Jon the Leaf fanatic is not that big on Curtis Joesph... but Jon never let me forget the time I suggested Darcy Tucker is the definition of mediocre. (Even with the goon-like garbage, I must admit Tucker had a fairly good year.) I can still remember the night Darryl Sittler scored 10 points in one game, and when the Leafs were up 3-2 against Los Angeles in the conference finals before Toronto and the media got Gretzky mad enough to almost single-handedly come back and snatch a Stanley Cup berth away from the Leafs. I cheered for TO in those days and, for the most part, I would be happy to see Toronto do well in the future. I'm just not prepared to elevate the Maple Leafs to the status of God's team. In welcoming Dave to the fold, I take some comfort knowing my new colleague is a supporter of yet another half-decent Canadian-based NHL team that, like the Leafs, doesn't have what it takes to make a truly serious run at the cup. The more things change, the more they stay the same. PM unwittingly gives Martin carte blanche to campaign against himFORT TOWN DIARYJohn A.H. Morris Couldn't let this week's Diary go by without commenting on the confusion that reigns presently in the Liberal government in Ottawa and amongst party supporters throughout Canada, all brought on by Prime Minister Jean Chretien's firing of finance minister and pretender to his throne, Paul Martin. At first blush it seems that Martin, because he has been stripped of the most powerful ministry in the nation and relegated to the back benches of parliament, is the big loser in the Chretien-Martin conflict. We think, instead, that he is the big winner and that by forcing Chretien to fire him from cabinet has made this increasingly odious prime minister cut off his nose to spite his face. By cutting Martin the slack that wasn't openly available to him as a cabinet minister, Chretien has given him the freedom as a back bencher to campaign more openly than ever for a Liberal party leadership review and for a subsequent leadership convention. Chretien has just bestowed his party's crown and jewels upon Paul Martin and his followers. He will be thoroughly thumped should he contest the party leadership once again, and anyone he anoints as his successor will be an instant loser. Just how thin the ranks of the Chretien camp are at present was made clear on the weekend when the prime minister had to pull John Manley's name out of the hat once again to succeed Martin as finance minister. Manley has been Chretien's "go to" guy recently using him to bring stability to the Department of Industry, Foreign Affairs, and most recently as Deputy Prime Minister, a post he will retain along with finance. Leadership hopefuls Sheila Copps and Allan Rock had better keep their ambitions subdued or else Manley will be called upon to add their portfolios to his collection of ministries. ***** One of the minor dramas playing on the same bill as this main parliamentary feature is "The Lost Conservatives" featuring Joe Clark. With the Liberals in such disarray and with Chretien's popularity at its lowest ebb in history, it is going to be interesting to see how Clark uses these weapons tossed his way to build up the fortunes of the Progressive Conservatives. With his propensity to re-act rather than to act, Clark is likely to procrastinate until next year's proposed Liberal leadership review before he realizes there is a severe split in the Liberal ranks which offers him a chance to stage a Tory party renewal. Clark, of course, thinks of a split in the Tory party loyalty as six for and six against. If Clark can't use this serious rift in Liberal fortunes to restore the Progressive Conservative Party to respectable numbers, then he should step down and recommend the Tories join forces with the Alliance. ***** As it seems at present the only way Jean Chretien can keep Paul Martin from becoming the next Liberal Party leader and prime minister will be for him to cancel next year's leadership review and call an election instead. We would not be surprised to see him try to do this because like most egomaniacs he has little idea how big an embarrassment he has become in Canada as well as internationally. ***** Congratulations to the staff at Fort Wellington and thanks for the honour they have bestowed on Prescott in earning the title as "Ontario's Most Outstanding Tourist Attraction". Our town council, chamber of commerce and downtown business improvement area as well as every citizen of Prescott should do everything they can to promote Fort Wellington and Prescott as a good place to live and a great place to visit. We have earned the bragging rights for our main tourist attraction, so now we have to start doing the bragging. The best way to start this bragging is to visit Fort Wellington. Probably fewer than 20 per cent of our population has toured the Fort in recent years which speaks volumes about the doldrums and apathy that seem to have been plaguing our town in recent years. ***** Small pieces of our historical puzzle seem to appear every couple of weeks. One of the latest is the name of the 1830-40s era tavern and inn that forms the Water Street portion of the Journal-St. Lawrence Printing property. Known as the Glasgow-Smyth building, it was called The Dolphin when it was a tavern prior to its being divided into four separate residences at the turn of the 20th century. That's 1900 for those who only know the metric system of counting centuries. LETTERS TO THE EDITORMailboxes should be placed where stamps are soldThe Editor; I would like to tell you about an experience I've had with the post office. On May 29, I stopped at Giant Tiger when I noticed a mailbox out in front. Silly me, I though they would sell stamps. No, they just have the mailbox, but if I wanted stamps I could go up the street one block to Beckers and purchase stamps. I did this thinking they would have a mailbox seeing as how they sell stamps. No, they told me that I had to go back to Giant Tiger to mail them. I took my concern to the post office in Prescott and told them my problem, and I was told the mailbox was just there because it was easier for the people on Churchill Road to mail letters from there. I wanted to use my husband's favourite saying and tell the guy to give his head a shake because as far as I'm concerned this situation just does not make any sense. What I think they should do is instead of paying whoever it is that thinks up where to place them, we just do a poll and ask people if they want them in front of a store that sells postal products. Kathleen Robinson
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| CARDINAL NEWS | |
Sea Cadets impress officers at reviewBy Monica Whitney - Journal Staff Writer CARDINAL - The Cardinal Navy League and officers, staff and cadets of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 338 Defiant celebrated the past year's achievements during its third annual review Sunday afternoon at the community centre. The event included the cadets' dynamic and static displays, speeches, awards presentations, corps reforms and advance in review order. The Stormont sea cadet band provided the music for the review. Reviewing Officer Commander William Lundy congratulated the corps on its successes, noting he witnessed a high calibre of work, preparation and dedication. Lundy added he was impressed with the cadet's displays and the obvious high level of community and parental support to the corps. Lundy is a curriculum services computer and science resource teacher with the Hastings-Prince Edward District School Board in Belleville. He joined HMCS Ontario in 1982 as first aid instructor and public affairs officer, and has also served in other administrative and training positions. He has performed a number of special projects for the cadet movement, including writing the general training course training plan and standards for tall ships training. Awards presented at the review included: Best Dressed Cadet - A. Mustard; Kiwanis Leadership - N. Stewart; Best on Exercise - D. Lewis; Captains Prize - C. Engelhart; Military Merit at Leadership Abilities - S. Mustard; Best First Year Cadet - J. Jodoin; Best Second Year Cadet - B. Toupin; Best Third Year Cadet - C. Riddell; Best Senior Hand - N. Stewart; Proficiency in Knots - R. Coughler; Cadet Spirit Award - B. Jodoin; Most Athletic Cadet - J. Jodoin; Sailing Proficiency - R. Coughler; Top Marksman - D. Toupin; Outstanding Leadership in Community Service - R. Coughler; Best Dressed at Annual - J. Jodoin. Best Overall Attendance awards were presented to R. Coughler, M. Fawcett, B. Jodoin, A. Mustard, C. Riddell, N. Stewart, D. Toupin and B. Toupin. Training events for the cadets this year included range competition, change of command, flotilla competition weekend, first aid training weekend, provincial swim competition, car wash and tag day fundraisers, promotions night, Caring for Canada through Cardinal in Bloom, sail training weekend, a five-day sail and Remembrance Day activities.
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| SPORTS | |
SGDHS runner receives scholarship to Southeastern LouisianaPRESCOTT - After receiving offers from schools up and down the American east coast, South Grenville District High School runner Mandy Wallace has made one school very happy in deciding to accept a full scholarship from the University of Southeastern Louisiana. Wallace, who's been one of the regions premier athletes in track and field, was relieved to get the decision out of the way to focus on enjoying her last months as a local. "It's been pretty stressful," explained Wallace. But I am very excited about the experience, everyone's been great in letting me make my own choice and Southeastern Louisiana had what I was looking for as a school: good academics, warm weather, good coaches and a new culture to experience as well." The Grade 12 student has been recruited pretty heavily for her expertise in 800-metre, 1500-metre, 3000-metre races as well as cross-country running, receiving regular calls from schools offering scholarships. "The NCAA allows each school to call a recruit once a week so I was getting calls every week," shrugged Wallace. "I took official visits to the University of Buffalo, University of South Carolina, University of Connecticut, University of Tennessee, and Southeastern Louisiana, and was sure until the last visit (to Southeastern Louisiana) that Buffalo was my choice." "It was the hardest thing I've ever done to tell the other schools my decision. I was crying, I thought I had led them on for such a long time, but they let me know I understood." Wallace hopes to be a key piece in the rebuilding of Southeastern Louisiana's program which boasts new new coaches with solid reputations, according to Mandy's coach, Robert Tucker. "It was a very good decision for Mandy," explained Tucker. "What I wanted for Mandy was to get the education she wants at a program where there was a recognized coach, with a stable program that would allow for her to progress as a student and an athlete." "They're rebuilding, and bringing in people from around the world," summed up Wallace. "When I was on my visit there I met some girls from Kenya, and other places, so that'll be a neat cultural experience next year, but there are others I know from track in this area who are in school nearby so I won't be alone." With the decision out of the way, Wallace is left to concentrate on the remainder of the track season and before leaving for Louisiana in July or August to get adjusted before classes start in the fall. "Right now I can finish the track year, and spend time with my family, friends and other aspects of the area I know I take for granted, before the culture shock," states Wallace. "But I'm just not sure I'll miss the snow." "It's been pretty stressful", Mandy Wallace
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The Prescott Journal is published weekly by St. Lawrence Printing Co. Ltd., 231 King Street West, Prescott, Ontario, K0E 1T0, (613) 925-4265 - Fax (613) 925-3472 e-mail journal@stlawrenceprinting.on.ca |