Nuance of recently drafted wind resolution gains council support

South Dundas council added their voice to the list of those concerned with the Industry Canada proposal. The proposal will force Internet providers like Xplornet Communications to give up their 3500 MHz spectrum, which is being used to bring high speed internet services to about 11,000 residents and businesses across Eastern Ontario.

According to a briefing note provided to Eastern Ontario Municipalities by the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association, this spectrum will be transfered  to wireless cell companies to support services for urban customers.

Those affected are only those licenced and served by the 3500 MHz spectrum which is a more reliable higher speed service, generally used in rural commercial applications.

“In our view, this short sighted proposal appears only to benefit the major telecommunication companies and is contrary to the Federal government’s priority of providing high speed internet service to rural communities throughout Canada,” said Ron Eddy, chair of the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association.

South Dundas council agreed that it strongly supports the views expressed by the chairs of the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus and the Eastern Ontario Regional Network.

“Should you proceed along this path we know that more than 11,000 customers across a large part of eastern Ontario face the spectre of losing their connections to high-speed services. This cannot be allowed to happen,” reads the letter signed by Steven Byvelds on behalf of South Dundas council. 

“The Government along with its partners in EORN have just connected these homes and businesses at a considerable cost the public and to its private sector partner. Millions of dollars would be wasted and the good work of the EORN damaged. This must be avoided.”

The Government of Canada contributed $55 million to the EORN project, as did the Government of Ontario. The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus Inc., and private sector partners contributed the remaining funding of the $170 million project.

“It’s ludicrous after the millions that have been spent on rural broadband in this part of the province,” said South Dundas councillor Jim Graham, who brought the issued to the South Dundas council table at the October 7 council meeting.

“It defies logic,” agreed South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds.

South Dundas council sent off a letter expressing their displeasure, and passed a resolution requesting that Industry Canada modify its policy proposals to permit current 3500MHz licence holders who are party to the Eastern Ontario Regional Network and delivering high speed fixed wireless internet services by exempt from any requirement to depart this spectrum.

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WILLIAMSBURG – A funding request from the Morrisburg Business Improvement Area has been turned down by South Dundas council.

The BIA requested just over $11,000 to help fund the installation of an electronic sign on the north face of the clock tower, in the Morrisburg Plaza.

The sign would be used to promote area businesses and community events.

The funding request was made through the Dollar for Dollar matching funds program. However, staff and council agreed that this application did not fit the criteria of this program which is intended to match community fund raising efforts for capital recreation projects on township-owned lands.

South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald characterized this as a “quasi-commercial” endeavour.

“This is definitely not in the true spirit or intent of the program,” said South Dundas councillor Archie Mellan.

“The project does have merit, but the businesses are the best funders of this project,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds.

South Dundas councillor Jim Graham, who is the council appointed member to the BIA, asked on behalf of the organization if council would instead consider short term financing of the project, for which the BIA has already set aside some of the funds.

Council will explore the idea of instead providing a loan to the project once a formal request is made to council. 

In the past, council has provided loans for capital projects to other committees of council, such as the marina committee.

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When  16 year old Taylor Webster of Williamsburg received a last minute phone call to participate in the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay in Kingston, she knew it was something she had to do.

Taylor has been living with chronic pain for the past year and seven months. Although now on the mend following surgery to her hip to repair a labral tear, the young athlete, who loves to run, spent recovery time in a wheel chair, before progressing to crutches and finally the return to walking on her own.

“I wanted to be part of the relay because of my leg,” says Taylor. “We looked it up and my mom put in the application.”

With some 8,000 Ontarians applying for 2,000 spots, the fact they didn’t hear from their application wasn’t surprising.

But then came the exciting phone call on Thursday, October 27, asking if Taylor would be able to participate in Kingston on Monday, October 31st.

It took a brief family discussion on the organization of it all, to confirm that indeed Taylor would be off to Kingston with her twin sister Jamie, cousin Ryan, her Aunt Nicki and her Grandpa Bill (Devaul).

“We left at five in the morning, and we were the first ones there,” says Taylor. “We met at a high school where we all gathered around in a circle and told the group why we were doing it.”

Following the introductions, the group was the focus of a school assembly.

“We did warm-up exercises and then were taken by bus to our area. I was runner number 15. I carried the medal and passed it to a lady from the Kingston area.” 

The Rick Hansen Difference Maker Medal arrived in Kingston during the afternoon of October 30th.  Its day ended at about 5 p.m. at a ceremony attended by Rick Hansen.

Monday morning, October 31, it was relayed to various Kingston locations until it left the city at noon for Belleville,

Taylor says that her hip problem has made her appreciative of the needs of people with spinal cord injuries.

Her Mom, Shelley Whitteker expresses her pride in Taylor’s battle and her desire to participate in the run. “It takes a lot of courage to do something like that on your own and stand out in a crowd.”

Taylor, who first experienced a “throbbing pain” in her hip in the spring of 2010, is a distance runner. She plays basketball, soccer and baseball and runs cross-country.

The pain intensified, coming and going, until it reached the point, “it didn’t go away.”

A first battery of tests at CHEO did not determine a cause, and Taylor was left to deal with the pain as best she could. When it became so intense, she was bed ridden, another battery of tests at CHEO located the labral tear.

Taylor is now recovering from surgery which required a tendon to be cut to repair the tear, and, says her mom, “she is finally on the road to recovery. Although she is still in pain, she is happy because there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

“She attends physio twice a week, and is finally getting back the physical part of her life. She started riding her bike last week, and hopes to be running cross- country again, very soon.”

Taylor sent out her application for the Rick Hansen Relay to help support and show others that there is hope. 

She wants people to know that “whether you are in a wheel chair, crutches or in pain, you should never give up.” 

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