Showing kindness with free car wash

Friday, December 21, the SD&G County Library officially announced that Morrisburg will be getting a new library branch, and along with that announcement came news of the pending closure of the Williamsburg branch.

“The new library branch in Morrisburg will consolidate two library branches; the old Morrisburg branch, currently under the Morrisburg Arena, and the Williamsburg branch, currently in the Township of South Dundas Municipal Building in Williamsburg,” reads the release.

According to Erika Heesen, Communications and Marketing Librarian with the SD&G County Library, “The decision was mostly made because the township is planning to sell the building.” 

With the coming changes, library patrons will have access to improved services. 

“This consolidation will allow us to increase our open hours without increasing the cost to the taxpayers,” said Heesen.

The new branch, which will be the last part of the reconstruction of the former Morrisburg Collegiate Institute project, will be located in the space being vacated by the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic.

“We’re very excited to be able to enhance our services for South Dundas residents,” said Karen Franklin, Manager of Library Services. “The new Morrisburg branch will be a high quality facility that is a true community space for everyone.”

The new Morrisburg branch has been designed to the latest library standards by Heather C. Kembel, of Colbourne & Kembel, Architects Inc., who also recently designed the Yarker Branch Library in the County of Lennox and Addington. 

The new branch will be open longer hours, and have enhanced programming and services for library users. 

It will also include access to the Internet and public computers, as well as space for residents to browse, read, meet and engage with other members of the community. 

The SD&G County Library will be applying for a Trillium grant to assist in covering the costs of new furnishings for the branch, and welcomes any community donations. 

“This is a key part of our Strategic Plan”, said Bill McGimpsey, Library Board Chair. “We want to provide better facilities that will accommodate both current and future generations of library users.”

The library portion of the ongoing renovation project, will be the final part of the renovation, so the Williamsburg branch is expected to remain open until the new Morrisburg library is opened in about a year’s time. 

[…]

South Dundas council was not prepared to declare the Municipality of South Dundas as ‘not a willing host’ to industrial wind turbines, when a local wind opposition group pressured them to pass such a motion less than three months ago, but on October 1, South Dundas did take a stand regarding wind power.

Council agreed to support a resolution drafted and tabled by South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke, which declares that the Municipality of South Dundas will not support any future proposals for wind power generating until the supply and demand for electricity generation demonstrates a need.

Council, with the exception of South Dundas councillor Archie Mellan, who did not vote on the resolution due to a declared conflict of interest, unanimously supported the resolution presented by Locke.

“I will support anything that might slow things down and make them (the province) take a look at the energy situation in this province,” said South Dundas councilor Jim Graham.

“I support this. I am, not a willing host, at this time,” said councillor Evonne Delegarde.

“This is not, a not a willing host designation, this is somewhat different,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds. “I can stand behind this,” he said, suggesting that the council supported resolution be forwarded to the Premier and Minister of Energy. 

“We need to tell the Province to take a look at the energy mix, and make it work better,” said Byvleds. 

While Byvelds says this is not a ‘not a willing host’ designation, the coalition of unwilling host municipalities is now counting South Dundas as one of 71 communities who are unwilling hosts, according to an October 6 press statement.

[…]

The Upper Canada District School Board is opening four new TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education campuses next week in Williamsburg, Casselman, Hawkesbury, and Rockland.

“This is good training news for area residents,” says Diane Coombs, TR Leger manager of literacy and language services. 

“The campuses offer a doorway into a full range of training and services from grade 12, employment preparation, goal-setting workshops, and settlement services for newcomers to Canada.”

Coombs says staff members are frequently heard to say that the TR Leger system helps adults rediscover the learner inside. This is certainly true in the Adult Literacy and Employment Prep Program (ALEPP) which offers adults a chance to brush up on reading and writing skills, get hands-on with computers, and set realistic goals.

Besides goal-setting and entry to digital technology, this program offers preparation towards more than 16 jobs such as landscaping, clerical, service station attendant, daycare worker, and many more.

“For those with the Ontario Secondary School Diploma as a goal, the friendly environment allows for self-paced study with a supporting cast of adult educators – an expert team to help achieve the goal,” says Coombs.

Newcomers to Canada can make appointments with experienced Settlement Outreach Workers who will meet with clients on-site and help them with their settlement plans. 

In addition, Canadian Language Benchmark Certified English language assessors can help make language learning plans.

TR Leger Principal Geoff Trasuk says TR Leger graduates about 400 grade 12 students every year, sometimes with two or three generations of a family crossing the stage together.

“The TR Leger ALEPP, second language programs and settlement services assist well over a thousand additional adult clients each year,” Trasuk says.

To contact the TR Leger for registration and information, please call 1-877-875-3437. 

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