Callers ‘love’ 211 helpline

As reported in an earlier edition of The Leader, the Iroquois Waterfront committee is working on a questionnaire to determine what residents opinions are on future changes to be made to the Iroquois waterfront.

A follow-up email from the committee was presented at South Dundas council’s April 17th meeting in which the committee requested “that financial support from council be approved to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing of this questionnaire with covering letter to all households in the Iroquois Ward.”

The committee suggested that “collection be achieved by having respondents drop off their completed questionnaires at the Iroquois Public Library or at Iroquois Sears Travel.”

It was also pointed out that the questionnaire had been “reworked” by committee member Keith Poore and subsequently accepted by the committee as a whole. 

Poore, it was revealed, had also created a “web-based version for use by those so inclined” at http://app.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/poorek/iroquois-waterfront/.

In addition to updates and requests concerning the questionnaire, the committee also offered council an “interim report” with suggestions for both the waterfront trail and the public beach.

“General clean up of brush along the shoreline and the installation of more benches with adjoining shade trees” was recommended for the waterfront trail.

The Iroquois beach recommendations included: “clean up of adjoining ditches including removal of hazardous timber bridge; refreshment of sand on the western portion of the beach; drain opening in parking area and addition of parking dividers to restrain joyriding; install flower boxes recycled from the shopping mall; and initiate a water-weed removal program in the enclosed swimming area.”

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Eleven Lions club representatives from around the Winchester District Memorial Hospital’s catchment area gathered together in the hospital’s ophthalmology clinic last week to celebrate a grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation of $74,696.63.

Helen Porteous, Secretary of the Metcalfe Lions Club welcomed everyone, and shared how much the regional Lions clubs have contributed to the newly renovated Winchester District Memorial Hospital.

“Clubs from all across Lions District A-4 have pledged and raised over $124,000 for the Ophthalmology department at WDMH, and now the Lions Clubs International Foundation is showing their encouragement for all of our hard work by making a grant of $74,696.63,” said Porteous. “Through this support, as well as the support of the generous doctors at WDMH, like Dr. Gerry Heymans, we have been able to raise over $200,000 directed towards quality eye care, close to home.”

Although not present for the cheque presentation, Metcalfe and District Lions Club member Ann Velthuis has had cataract surgery on both of her eyes at WDMH, has recovered well and so appreciates the quality of care she received. 

“Our eye doctor from Ottawa began working at WDMH and our experience has improved so much.  Now we don’t have to pay so much for parking or gas to drive into the city and my eyesight has improved so much that I can read the bottom line on the eye chart.”

Troy Cross, Executive Director of the WDMH Foundation and Lynn Hall, Senior Vice-President, Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Executive at WDMH were there to accept the cheque on behalf of the WDMH Foundation. 

Both he and Hall thanked all those present for all of their hard work in organizing events and raising money for this hospital, helping to keep quality care, close to home.  

Cross commented how impressed he is with these community efforts. “Whenever a Lions club gets together, problems get smaller. And communities get better. This is a quote from the Lions website and it couldn’t be more true for WDMH. Their commitment to vision health will save the sight for hundreds of patients from our communities. Vision care close to home will benefit our families for years to come. The Lions are true community leaders.”

Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) supports Lions’ compassionate works by providing grant funding for their local and global humanitarian efforts. 

LCIF is a leader in providing support for preventing blindness and restoring sight for people around the world.  Our sight programs range from developing and improving eye care systems to providing sight-restoring surgeries and treatments to distributing medications to those most-at-risk for eye diseases. 

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It’s been about eight years since the Municipality of South Dundas has increased its building permit fees, and now it’s catch-up time. South Dundas director of planning Don Lewis recommended that residential building permit fees […]