Contracted to complete South part of Parlow Road

By the narrowest of margins, the SDG County Library Board passed motion, at the June 20 meeting that will keep a library in Williamsburg.

In a 4-3 recorded vote, the motion states that library staff will work with South Dundas to find a suitable location in Williamsburg for a branch of the SDG Library system. 

“It is now up to South Dundas to move forward on sourcing a suitable location for the Branch,” said South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke, who is a member of the library board. Locke voted in favour of keeping a branch of the library in Williamsburg.

“We are pleased with the result of the library board meeting,” said Kharla Ward, one of the library users who fought to keep a library in Williamsburg. 

“As time is of the essence, we look forward to working with the library board and the South Dundas council to settle into a new location before the August 1, 2013 deadline.” 

The library has been asked to vacate the space by August 1, in order for South Dundas’ new building tenants, the TR Leger School of Adult and Alternative Education to move in. 

According to Ward, committee members, along with Mayor Steven Byvelds and Deputy Mayor Jim Locke, have looked at a house, a commercial building (the former Canadian Tire) and have also discussed the possibility of a new building for the Williamsburg branch of the library at J.C. Whitteker Park. She also mentioned that perhaps T.R. Leger could still consider finding them a space.

While Byvelds and Locke did participate in one meeting, with the Friends group to discuss potential locations, it will be up to South Dundas staff, library staff and the Friends organization to choose a location and then bring their proposal to South Dundas council for funding approval.

[…]

The second half of the 2012-13 St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage season will kick off next week; an outstanding roster of musicians is coming to South Dundas. 

“We have such a varied and exciting line-up coming to town starting this month,” said Sandra Whitworth, on the board of the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage.

The extraordinary Natalia Zuckerman will open the spring series on February 16, with  Juno award winner, Amelia Curran, appearing on March 2. April 6, the incredible alt country band, New Country Rehab, takes to the stage. Grammy award winning fingerstyle guitarist, Laurence Juber, best known to many as lead guitarist in Paul McCartney’s Wings, will perform on April 27. 

The stellar St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage season will close out with a showcase for up and coming artists, Intimate Acoustics, on May 25.

Sandra Whitworth is also delighted to welcome some new additions to the St. Lawrence Stage “family” this spring. 

Now joining long time Stage supporter, Coffey’s Coffee, in sponsoring the spring musical series, are these local businesses: the law firm of Horner and Pietersma, Riley’s Valumart, Thom Realty Ltd., Seaway Valley Pharmacy, Morrisburg Home Hardware and the Bank of Montreal, Morrisburg branch.

“It’s been very heartening to have local businesses come on board and support us. It does feel like an acknowledgement from the Morrisburg community of the work we are doing,” Whitworth said. 

This spring, the Stage is also offering a number of workshops to the community.

First up, New Yorker Natalia Zuckerman (she is the daughter of the NAC Orchestra conductor, Pinchas Zuckerman) will hold two workshops. The first will take place on Saturday, February 16, at the Morrisburg Meeting Centre from 2-4 p.m., before Zuckerman’s evening concert.

Zuckerman is a virtuoso slide and blues guitarist, as well as a visual artist. In her local workshop, she will help students try out different slide guitar techniques and alternate tuning. She’ll get students using various materials such as glass, metal and lap style. Participants should have some familiarity with the guitar, but it is not necessary to have prior experience playing slide guitar.

Zuckerman is also presenting a  second workshop on Sunday, February 17, again from 2-4 p.m., in Cornwall, in partnership with the Art Gallery Cornwall (168 Pitt Street).  “Song Writing with a Painter’s Eye,” is for both musicians and artists. No prior visual or musical background is required, just interest. Natalia will be showing students how to create image-based songs, and song-based images. Each two hour workshop is $25 (funds for all workshops go directly to the artists). 

A minimum enrollment of eight participants is required for the Morrisburg workshop to run. Register for it by February 13, at the latest, at info@st-lawrencestag.com.  

On April 27, Laurence Juber will direct a workshop in Morrisburg entitled “Beatles, Wings and Six Strings,” before his evening concert. 

He will work with students on techniques for arranging songs such as building moving parts from basic harmony, voicing and articulating the melody and adding bass and groove to create a satisfying performance.

The cost of this workshop is also $25. A minimum of eight participants is needed for the workshop to run.

The St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage is an exceptional venue for the performing arts in South Dundas. 

“We are trying to build a ‘community’ as much as just an audience,” Whitworth said. “Community, as we see it, means a shared openness to music, the willingness to be a bit surprized perhaps by a performer or style. We offer an intimate setting for audiences to enjoy the talents of extraordinary musicians, often at half the price these same performers might command in say, Ottawa.” 

Reach the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage at http://www.st-lawrencestage.com/shows.html.

[…]

“Being in a small community, this is what it’s all about. This is the way it should be,” said Tony Hall, of the Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club, and part of the committee that has been working to organize and host a benefit dance and auction for the Jessica (Beckstead) Blok, her husband Dustin and young daughter Autumn.

“The Lions Club and the community just can’t wait to help these young folks,” said Hall, in the days leading up to the event, which will take place January 10, at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners. Doors open at 7 p.m. The dance starts at 8 p.m.

Community support for the young family has materialized in the wake of 19 year old Jessica’s diagnosis with stage four Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer.

Popular entertainers Eddy and the Stingrays have volunteered to provide the entertainment for the dance. 

Emcee duties for the evening will be handled by Joel Lamoureaux of Country 101 radio, with the help of Erica Scott, a local comedian who is now a member of the Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club.

A call out to the community to donate items for a silent and live auction, which will take place in the earlier part of the evening, resulted in over 50 donated items that will be up for grabs, ranging from food baskets to tutus to event tickets (Upper Canada Playhouse, Neil Diamond, Bryan Adams, Ottawa Senators Hockey).

Hall reminds those attending to bring cash or cheques to purchase items. (ATM, debit or credit will NOT be available on site).

“This week ticket sales have been brisk,” said Hall. 

As of press time 300 of the 375 event tickets were sold.

“We have been completely overwhelmed, in a good way,” said Hall.

It is unlikely that Jessica will be able to attend the event having undergone a chemotherapy treatment this week, but Hall hopes to have a recorded message from Jessica to share the night of the dance.

A trust fund has been set up for Jessica and her family at the Bank of Montreal (BMO transit #0358 A/C #8989-553). Donations can be made at any BMO.

[…]