14th Antiquefest is scheduled for July

 

The South Dundas-owned Williamsburg forest, commonly referred to as ‘The 400’, has formally been turned over to the South Nation Conservation Authority. 

Council passed a resolution approving the land transfer of the 400 acre parcel at the February 19 meeting.

South Dundas set out a list of conditions for the transfer that SNC willingly met, therefore council had no qualms about approving the agreement.

Under the agreement with South Dundas, SNC will manage current recreational uses, including hunting, and will meet with local residents to determine interest in establishing a local citizen’s committee to help guide the management and use of the forest.

SNC will cover all costs associated with the land transfer and prepare a forest management plan.

If the land ever becomes surplus to SNC’s needs, it will be returned to South Dundas.

South Dundas staff did explore the possibility of the municipality retaining the land and participating in the establishment of  a ‘friends of the 400’ organization. 

Liability was a concern if South Dundas retained the land.

“The township insurance premium will not increase if the land is used. However, under the Joint & Several Liability Law, the township only has to be one per cent negligent to pay 100 per cent of the loss,” said South Dundas clerk Brenda Brunt in a report to council.

Council unanimously agreed that the transferring the land to SNC was the better of the two options.

Although council has approved the transfer, South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds reminded everyone that it will still be some time before the entire process in finalized. “This won’t happen overnight,” he said.

[…]

 

The St. Lawrence Seaway closed for the season on December 30, 2011, with the westbound vessel Algoma Spirit reaching Lake Ontario at 7:54 a.m. after having transited the locks on the St. Lawrence River.  

The Seaway’s 53rd navigation season commenced on March 22nd, and the system remained open for a record 284 days, exceeding by one day the previous record set in 2006.

The tug / barge combination John Spence / Niagara Spirit was the last vessel to transit the Welland Canal, clearing Port Colborne December 30th at 8:26 p.m. on its way to Lake Erie.

The St. Lawrence Seaway’s positive momentum remained intact in 2011, with tonnage volumes rising by 2.5 per cent to reach an estimated 37.5 million tonnes.  

Trade patterns exhibited a number of changes, most notably with iron ore and coal becoming export commodities due to strong overseas demand. 

Grain volumes decreased overall by some 6.4 per cent due to a decrease in the amount of U.S. grain moving via the Seaway.  

Strong increases in the volume of bulk liquids, salt and scrap metal contributed to an overall cargo increase of 930,000 tonnes for the system’s 2011 season.

Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, noted that the year brought about some significant progress on a number of fronts.  

“We recognize that while some of our core markets remain under pressure, work is progressing in terms of diversifying our market base, containing our costs, and increasing the system’s productivity,” said Bowles.  “Over the last four years, our market development efforts have generated $12.5 million in new business revenue.”

“In addition to advances in cargo volumes, we achieved a good deal of progress in 2011 on a number of other fronts. In October of 2011, a new three-year labour agreement was ratified, extending to March 31, 2014. We reached a fair settlement that controls our costs and ensures that our customers can continue to experience reliable service.”

“This is the second consecutive year of increases in Seaway traffic and tonnage, reflecting the resilience of the North American economy” said Collister Johnson, Jr., Administrator of the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

A recently published economic impact study, commissioned by Marine Delivers, demonstrates the significant role that the Great Lakes / Seaway system plays in supporting the Canadian and U.S. economies.  

Some 227,000 jobs and $34 billion in economic activity are supported by the movement of goods within the Great Lakes / Seaway waterway. 

Since its inception in 1959, over 2.5 billion tonnes valued in excess of $375 billion has been transported via the Seaway. 

[…]

 

The Reverend James Tripp, who received his call to serve at the Morrisburg Pentecostal Tabernacle in March of this year, is already starting to feel at home with his new congregation and in his new community. 

“It’s wonderful that this is not just a church in the community, but really a church that is very much a part of this community,” Rev. Tripp said. “We could feel that this was a church deeply involved with its community, with a strong tradition of service, and that really attracted me.”

Pastor Tripp, and his wife, Sarah, an elementary teacher, both in their 30’s, have moved to South Dundas and are currently living in Iroquois. They are expecting their first child in October so they are particularly pleased to be safely settled into their new home.

Tripp preached his first sermons as pastor at the Morrisburg Pentecostal Tabernacle in May.  He assumed the full time position following the retirement of long-serving pastor, Duncan Perry, who retired late last year. The Reverend Lorna Casselman has been the interim pastor while the Morrisburg Pastoral Search Committee looked for a full time candidate. 

“I believe the Pastoral Committee got my resumé from our District Office,” Rev. Tripp explained. “They seemed to feel I might be a good fit with this congregation. We did an initial telephone interview, followed by a face-to-face. Then I was presented to the congregation to ‘preach for the call’. The entire membership of the church makes the final decision, on the recommendation of the Committee.”

Pastor Tripp brings a wealth of experience to his new charge.

An only child, he grew up in Mount Bridges, Ontario, attending high school in Strathroy. “I knew that I would be a pastor at a very young age,” he said. “I truly felt it was my calling, my purpose. I was about seven or eight. My parents were definitely alright with this decision as church was a strong part of our family experience.”

He completed his theological education at Eastern Pentecostal Bible College, now known as Master’s College and Seminary in Peterborough. He served five years at Bethel Church in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, in the Kawartha cottage country. Before that, he was an assistant pastor at a church in New Hamburg, in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. He did 10 years of student ministry at different churches before he went to Bobcaygeon.

Pastor Tripp has also been involved in missions and cross cultural work.

He spoke at a conference in Trinidad and worked in Poland, Cuba and the Czech Republic. “These were short term experiences. We were partnered with local churches, “church planting” or starting up churches in communities without them.” 

He hopes that somewhere down the road, the possibility of going overseas again will continue to be an option. “Perhaps one day I will be able to take teams from Morrisburg,” he said. 

He praises the outstanding staff he has at the Tabernacle. He also has a new assistant pastor, Sharon Bretz, who just started work a week ago. 

“I think that this church is very welcoming to families. We encourage people to come to us ‘just as they are.’ I think, too, that it is our mission to serve this community, and I am definitely looking forward to all the challenges ahead,” said pastor James Tripp.

“Our church doors are open, and we would love to meet people. Please feel free to drop in.”

[…]