Month: May 2012

 

This year, four South Dundas concrete bridges will receive hot pressure washes and a coat of “penetrating” sealer from Guardian Coatings. 

The South Dundas council approved the decision during the May 1st council meeting following manager of public works Hugh Garlough’s recommendation.

According to Garlough, three companies were invited to bid: Guardian Coating, Cruickshank Construction, and Cornwall Gravel.

Cornwall Gravel declined to bid due to the unavailability of necessary equipment, said Garlough.

Of the remaining two companies, Guardian Coating had the lower bid by almost $2,000.

The cost to have the bridges washed and sealed is $4,773.56, including HST and HST rebate.

“They’ve done this for the township since amalgamation,” said Garlough. “They used to do it for Williamsburg.”

[…]

 

On may 4th, SD&G OPP officers responded to a report of a mischief on Hulbert Road, South Dundas Township.

The investigation revealed that a 15 year old male youth had attended a residence and damaged a parked vehicle.

He was arrested and faces charges of: Mischief – Interfere with lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property; Mischief Endangering Life; and, Theft Under $5,000 from a Motor Vehicle.

He is scheduled to appear in Cornwall court on June 14, 2012.

[…]

 

The Williamsburg United Church will take its final breath as a church this Sunday, May 13th when congregants join for one last service in the historical building.

In January 2012, the church was listed for sale. Not quite three months later, in March, the congregation voted to accept a conditional offer of purchase. The condition required the property to be rezoned to permit residential.

A zoning bylaw was passed on April 17th. Following the standard wait period, the sale should become final and the new owners will be able to turn the church into a home (or homes, as it was rezoned to include the possibility of a duplex or semi). 

While it is impossible to know exactly what the church will look like when its eventual transformation is finished, it seems like now might be a good time to take a look back at its history.

A brief history of the Williamsburg United Church was printed in the January 23, 1980 edition of The Leader as part of the Churches of the Area series.

To be clear, the history of Williamsburg United Church is lengthy, detailed, and includes the coming together of many different congregations from many different faiths and churches.

Right now, however, it is the church building itself that is being disbanded and so it is a history of this very old, very unique building that will be the focus here today.

In the early 1800’s, the tiny village of North Williamsburg was comprised of mainly two denominations, the Lutherans and the Presbyterians. These two religious families chose to unite as one in 1827.

In 1866, after more than 40 years of worship, this group constructed a stone church which they christened St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. This stone church would eventually become what is now the front portion of the church building.

Then, in 1877, 50 years after the Lutherans and Presbyterians united to form a new group of Presbyterians, disagreements divided the congregation in two. 

Members who chose to leave the church, calling themselves the Free Presbyterians, eventually built their own church in 1882. The ‘White Church’, as it was known then, became what is now the back portion of the church.

In the early 1890s, the Free Presbyterians rejoined their former church family at St. Andrew’s. Following this physical reunion, the former ‘Free Presbyterians’ sold the ‘White Church’ to the local Methodists in 1893. 

Together again, the large congregation found it necessary, at the end of the nineteenth century, to build a Sunday School for their children and youth. The Sunday School was built at the South end of the stone church. 

In 1915, electric lighting was installed in the church. 

In June of 1925, the Methodists of Williamsburg joined the Presbyterians. It was then, in 1925, that the Williamsburg United Church was born. The stone church let go of its former identity, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and embraced its new one, the Williamsburg United Church.

These Methodists were comprised of congregations from Williamsburg, Hoasic, Grantly, Winchester Springs and Elma.

In 1926, the side doors in the vestibule were changed and a double door was made in the entry, opening onto the centre aisle of the church. These side doors and double door entry are, for the moment, still intact today.

Finally, in 1928, the ‘White Church’ took its final resting place in what is now the back half or the hall portion of the Williamsburg United Church.

The ‘White Church’, moved across fields to join the stone church, replaced the former Sunday School hall. For the move, the church was raised on rollers, then slowly drawn by one horse on a ‘sweep.’ 

Once installed at its new location, it was redecorated and a kitchen was added in 1930. 

By December 1968, sufficient funds had been raised to begin construction of a new kitchen as well as a vestry. Both remain part of the Williamsburg United Church today.

In 1975, the United Church of Canada celebrated its 50th anniversary. On May 20th, members of the Williamsburg United Church marked the occasion by planting a blue spruce ‘memorial tree’ in the church yard.

By 1980, United Church congregations from Elma and Calquhoune had joined the congregation in Williamsburg.

This church has endured over one hundred years of changes. The front portion,  known as the ‘stone church’, is 146 years old. The back portion, known as the ‘white church’, is 130 years old.

Today, in 2012, the Williamsburg United Church is about to undergo one final change: it will retire from worship and settle down to family life.

On May 3rd, at 5:30 p.m., much of the Williamsburg United Church’s contents were auctioned off, including pews, piano, organ, dishes, Bibles, and so forth.

During the building’s final service on May 13th, guests and members will gather in the empty sanctuary to say goodbye and close the door on that chapter of their history. 

While the building itself is signing off from official church duty, the Williamsburg United Church will go on in spirit through its congregation. For now, they will gather at the former Elma Public School, Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Retired Reverend Ralph Taylor, who joined the Williamsburg United Church earlier this year, told them: “we’re like the people with Moses; we’ve gone out in the wilderness.”

[…]

 

Dating is tough.Being set up by friends is tough. But the toughest test of finding true love has got to be the dreaded blind date.

At least that’s the premise of Check, Please! by Jonathan Rand, an hilarious look at the perils and pitfalls of modern dating being presented on Friday, May 11, 6 p.m., at Seaway District High School in Iroquois. 

Under the direction of teachers Emma Mayer and Kim Lalonde, 21 senior drama students will perform the timely and funny production as part of the 7th annual dinner theatre night at the high school. 

“The actors have been working extremely hard,” said Lalonde. “It’s going to be a great show. There were a lot of funny moments just in rehearsals, especially as the kids began to identify their characters with the costumes and make-up. And,” Lalonde added, laughing, “the day we put the boys into make up for the first time, is now known as David Bowie Day. It was hilarious. However, they’re getting used to the whole stage thing now.”

I had the opportunity to speak to four members of the cast about the play, and about their roles. 

Rebecca Helmer, who plays “the Girl” describes her character as a bit desperate, trying to find “the one.” “She can be sarcastic (she’s faced some bad situations), but she’s also a lot of fun to play. Does she find love? Well there is a twist at the end of the play that will let the audience know that.”

Jared Gibson, “the Guy,” is coming from a world of bad dates including one with a rabid Chicago Bears fan, another with a woman who talks only in internet abbreviations. “Everybody has had them, the bad dates, the embarrassment of bad dates. My character is getting a little desperate. He would just like to find a nice, normal, average girl next door.”

Judging from the characters played by Haley VanAllen and Nicole Hallam,  that girl next door is going to be pretty hard to find.

“My Cleo is a pyschic,” Haley explained. “The problem is she reads feet. Yup, she’s pretty insane, definitely ditzy. Her version of seeing the future is to say ‘I saw I was going to fail the math exam, and guess what? I did!’”

Does she find love?

“I think we might have to wait for the Cleo spin off,” Jared said straight-faced.

Nicole Hallam’s Mary is the kind of girl who shows up on a blind date carrying a Brides magazine under her arm.

“She has her entire wedding planned, from church and reception to the honeymoon. The only catch: no groom,” Nicole explained. “What she’s really looking for is a guy who will fit into the tuxedo. Thirty seconds into the date, she’s asking the guy if he’d like to help her pick out the wedding dress. She’s hilarious.”

“The script for Check, Please! is very funny, and very well written,” Haley said.  “Everyone can relate to these characters, and not feel so bad about their own dating experiences.”

“Everything that can go wrong, does, in this play,” added Nicole.

“Think of worst case scenarios and then think how funny they can be,” Jared said.

“It’s really a laugh out loud play,” Rebecca said. “We all still laugh even in our rehearsals.” 

The dinner theatre is being sponsored by the SDHS parents council. The funds raised, including those coming from the silent auction, will go towards new technology for the school. Tickets are $10 per person for the delicious lasagna dinner and the show, and are available in advance by calling 613-652-4878.

Come out on Friday, May 11, to share the laughter and memories of first dates.

[…]

 

It’s finally spring in South Dundas, and that means people can look forward to one of the special joys of the season: a new concert by the Seaway Singers.

The Seaway Singers, 33 members strong, will be presenting a performance entitled ‘Gavottes to Gershwin,’ at the Williamsburg Christian Reformed Church on Friday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m.

Under the able direction of conductor Robert Jones, with Margaret Whisselle as accompanist, the Singers will present a wide variety of music. The audience can look forward to hearing beautiful seasonal pieces (“Hail the Welcome Signs of Spring”) as well as a medley of the upbeat, infectious songs of George Gershwin from his Broadway hit, Crazy for You.

Conductor Jones has designed a program which will appeal to all musical tastes.

Choral arrangements of two gavottes by Bach, a Welsh Air and a selection of Five Nursery Rhymes will be part of the concert. So too will John Denver’s beautiful “Annie’s Song.’ 

The Seaway Singers tend to be a very versatile musical group.As well as their very evident vocal talents, two choir members, Daniel Edwards and Randy Lacey, usually found in the bass section, will perform on the violin and guitar during the concert. 

The Seaway Singers present two concerts a year, one near Christmas and another to welcome the spring. 

Friday, May 11, 7:30 p.m., is a chance to see and hear why the Singers are highly regarded by audiences throughout the area.

Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased in advance at Seaway Pharmacies or at the door of the Williamsburg Christian Reformed Church Friday evening.

[…]

 

With spring well underway, the grass is growing and South Dundas is ready with a brand new mower.

South Dundas council approved the purchase of a new roadside mower for the public works department during the May 1st council meeting in Williamsburg.

Hugh Garlough, manager of public works for the township, recommended council accept a quote, the lowest, from B&G Loughlin Tractors Inc. at a cost of $8,640 plus HST. The amount is less than the allotted budget of $15,000.

As for the actual mower being purchased, council had several questions surrounding its quality and durability.

According to Garlough, the Berti, model number TA/S200, is a “flail mower with outside gear box with hammer flails.”

He told council that he “talked to one of the local Matilda farmers who has it and he’s happy with it.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds pointed out that the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry use that same mower.

“They’ve had good luck,” he said.

In addition to B&G Loughlin Tractors Inc., quotes were also received from Green Tech Ag & Turf Inc, Reis Equipment, Dan R Equipment, and Weagant Farm Supplies Limited.

[…]

 

During the May 1st South Dundas council meeting, it was brought to the attention of council that the Iroquois and District Business Group would like to plant and maintain the ‘islands’ in the Iroquois Plaza.

Clerk Brenda Brunt explained that the group would like to plant some hostas, a perennial plant, and the time to do so was “now.”

It was suggested that the business group was considering the possibility of having local businesses ‘adopt’ an island, making it a competition to see who has the nicest ‘island’.

Council agreed to the request and mayor Steven Byvelds offered the following: “They’re beautifying their little part of South Dundas and fostering community spirit in that area.”

[…]

 

Love South Dundas will once again hold their annual Children’s Fair at the Earl Baker Park in Morrisburg on Sunday, June 24th. 

On May 1st, during the general consent portion of the South Dundas council meeting, council agreed to allow the Love South Dundas Organizing Committee to use the park as well as whatever chairs they might need for the June 24th activities.

In a letter to council from the two Love South Dundas cochairs, Pastor Clarence Witten of Community Christian Reformed Church and Pastor Duncan Perry of the Morrisburg Pentecostal Church pointed out that the day’s events would include an inter-church service as well as the Children’s Fair.

The event will include such festivities as entertainer and juggler Bob Cates, inflatable play structures, face painting, clowns and a free barbecue.

Witten and Perry reminded council that “Love South Dundas is a collaborative effort of all the churches in South Dundas to serve our community with a variety of service projects and random acts of kindness.” 

“It’s part of a larger movement that happens all across Canada usually during the two week period beginning with the day of Pentecost.”

“This year, our fourth year, this event will be from June 10th to June 24th. Like in other years, we’ll be busy helping seniors, distributing baked goods to service organizations, holding special events, washing cars and so on.”

[…]

 

Fire broke out in the upstairs half of an Iroquois home last Thursday morning, May 3rd.

According to South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services chief Chris McDonough, “after speaking with the owner it was determined, although not confirmed, that the cause was a clothes dryer on the second floor.”

The owner of the Ridge Road home, according to McDonough, “was at work in Ottawa” at the time the fire broke out.

McDonough reported that all three South Dundas fire stations responded to the call, which came in around 9:15 a.m.

“Upon arrival, there was heavy smoke coming from the soffits and eaves.”

“On the initial attack, it was determined that the second floor and attic area were fully involved and no access could be gained from the interior stairs.”

“Fire fighters had a difficult time ventilating due to the steel roofing and the angle of the roof,” he continued.

“We had two fire fighters suffer minor injuries. One was transported to the hospital for treatment and was released.”

As for the house, McDonough reported that it could not be saved.

He estimated the damage to be in the vicinity of $180,000.

[…]

 

In April, the shopping plaza on Dickinson Drive in Ingleside welcomed the addition of Carol Delorme and her new store, Farran Footwear. 

On April 26th, Delorme, who lives just north of Ingleside, took a moment to talk about her new venture selling shoes and accessories and how she hopes to provide area shoppers with “quality” and “comfort”.

With 30 years experience in the shoe business, Delorme is well qualified to help her customers to find the perfect fit with a selection of dress shoes, comfort shoes, sandals, professional shoes and more from top quality lines. 

Her former employer, Clark’s Shoe Store in Cornwall, is in its final year of business and Delorme felt that this was the perfect time to take the leap.

“I’ve always wanted to go on my own and I like the independence,” she said.

“This is a great little plaza,” Delorme said of her current location at 15 Dickinson Drive in Ingleside. “It’s a quaint little town. I like the small town atmosphere. People can come in and visit.”

Farran Footwear carries several lines of “quality comfortable shoes” for men and women, including the following: Alegria, Bandolino, Birkenstock, Hush Puppies, Rieker, Taos, and Volks Walkers. 

“People who have tired, sore feet… I try to cater to them,” said Delorme. “I want to carry quality shoes that are worth the money.”

“I plan to expand the lines.” SAS (San Antonio Shoes) is just one of the shoe lines Delorme is pursuing. “It’s an American brand,” she said. “They have shoes and sandals for men and ladies… casual walking shoes.” 

She pointed out that SAS has a great selection in terms of “widths and full and half sizes” with sizes 4 to 12 for women and up to size 15 for men. “They have a lot of shoes and they’re just a phone call away.”

She pointed out that both Birkenstock and SAS “cater to the special sizes.”

Delorme is quite excited of her Taos line, which is a line of “comfortable walking sandals.” 

In addition, she also carries the Alegria and Volks Walkers line of “sandals and shoes with removable footbeds for those who have custom-made orthotics.” Alegria also includes professional shoes which are both stain resistant and slip resistant.

“I buy quality. I want happy customers. I want them to feel they’ve got a good pair of shoes,” she said.

In addition to selling quality shoes, Delorme also carries a line of fashionable quality leather wallets and purses. At present her stock consists of products from La Diva, which are so popular that she’s had to reorder twice already.

So far, Delorme has spread the word about Farran Footwear through advertisements in local newspapers and, more importantly, “through word of mouth.”

“I’ve had a lot of positive feedback so far. I’ve sold a lot of shoes,” she said.

“I would like to get to know what my customers are interested in and the sizes they want.”

In the event that someone is looking for a shoe or size not in stock, Delorme can place special orders.

On the afternoon of May 11th, Farran Footwear will celebrate its grand opening with special guest visitors, various give-aways, cake, tea and a draw for a free pair of shoes. 

According to Delorme, she has invited MP for Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry, Guy Lauzon and his wife Frances  as well as members of the South Stormont council, including mayor Brian McGillis.

She’s hoping that people will join them for the grand opening so “people can find out where I am, who I am and what it’s all about.”

“My goal,” she emphasized, “is to have what people want in this area. I want to keep with the quality standards.”

Delorme’s 30 years in the shoe business has left her with an overwhelming amount of customer service experience which she intends to put to good use with her customers.

Farran Footwear is located at unit 6 in the 15 Dickinson Drive plaza in Ingleside. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Wednesday and again on Saturday. On Thursday and Friday, the store is open an extra hour from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

[…]