November 2013 – Morrisburg Leader

Perspectives by Rev. Janet Evans

November 27, 2013 Editor

Time to Prepare

When we first moved to Morrisburg at the end of July, nothing could have prepared us for the major construction project in progress on Lakeshore Drive.

“Lots of dust, pipes running across the lawn and some noise which I didn’t even hear after a while: these are what I face every day.

I also totalled my car one morning which resulted in a few injuries. Now I own a new vehicle which I am afraid to drive, so my husband takes it to work each day.

Sometimes it is difficult to prepare ourselves for various things that advent into our lives. We were on vacation recently and swam with dolphins. Nothing could have prepared us for such an amazing experience.

Nothing prepares us for sudden death by accident or suicide, being diagnosed with a chronic illness or having another person stab us in the back whom we trusted.

We can prepare for some events, however.

In a few days we will begin the Advent season in the Church year. Advent is a time to ready ourselves for the coming of the baby Jesus into our hearts and lives. We prepare ourselves for His humble birth, and we prepare ourselves to spread Christ’s message of hope, peace, joy and love with our brothers and sisters everywhere.

In Advent, we await the miracle of God’s Son. He comes to earth and teaches us the value of life, the wonder and beauty of life, the joy of caring for each other. This is the true gift of Christmas, and has nothing to do with purchases or wrappings. It belongs to all of us.

Advent is a time for preparing ourselves for the greatest story ever told, the story of the Jesus who would one day offer light, guidance, inspiration and eternal life to all people.

Jesus is friend, teacher and Saviour. He cherishes us, and we will never fall out of His compassion. Let us give thanks that we are His people. Let us remember how very blessed we are.

Rev. Janet Evans,

Williamsburg United Church,

Lakeshore Drive United Church, Morrisburg

[…]

Lions lose close one to Athens Aeros

November 27, 2013 Editor

MORRISBURG–The visiting Athens Aeros collected a goal from J.P. Augustine at 9:56 of the third period that broke a 3-3 tie and turned out to be the decider as the Lions lost to the Aeros, 5-3, on home ice Saturday night.

The Aeros managed their fifth and final goal of the game in the last minute of play in the empty Lions net, as Lions head coach Mark Evans, elected to go with the extra attacker in a effort to tie the match and force overtime.

The Lions were first on the scoreboard in Saturday night’s game, as they went up 1-0 at 6:15 of the first period on a Christian Leger goal assisted by Andrew Jarvis and Eric Evans.

It would be the first of four power-play goals, two by each team, to be scored in the game that saw 49 minutes in penalties assessed in 15 offenses.

The visiting Aeros were assessed just four minor penalties, while the Lions sat out eight minors, a five minute head contact major and two game misconducts.

The Aeros came charging back in the second period.

At 3:38, Liam Widdowfield beat Lions goaltender John Gilmer to tie the game and at 12:53 Drew Powell (power play) gave them a 3-2 lead.

Before the period ended however, Leger again would be heard from, on the Lions power play, this time assisted by Dallas Blacksmith and Taylor Eamon.

A flurry of goals got started in the third period, three counted in just over two minutes.

At 7:34 of the third period, the Aeros gained the advantage with a Damian Levesque goal, but again the Lions charged back, this time with Liam Morrow counting at 8:48 with help from Peter Ketcheson and Blacksmith.

Then at 9:56, Augustine connected for what would turn out to be the winner.

Liam Widdowfield put the puck in the empty Lions net at 19:39 to ice the cake.

In other league action, it was a strange one for the St. Lawrence Division’s first place Casselman Vikings who hold the spot with 38 points, eight up on the Winchester Hawks.

The Vikings got it rolling on home ice on Thursday, Nov. 21 with a big 9-1 win over the Hawks, but then lost their first game of the season on Friday night, Nov. 22 to Gananoque. Then on Sunday they were nabbed for a 7-6 overtime win by the Akwesasne Wolves.

The Char-Lan Rebels are in the division’s third spot with 27 points, while Akwesasne holds fourth place with 21 and the Alexandrian Glens are right on their heels with 19.

The Lions have just five points.

Coming up this week, the Lions are on the road to play Prescott on Saturday night, November 30. Then on Sunday, December 1, they host Alexandria. Game time is 2:30 p.m.

[…]

Bonspiel Action

November 27, 2013 Editor

Sue McIntosh’s first two-person bonspiel went off well last Sunday. The ‘C’ champions were Mahlon Locke and Bud Perry. The ‘B’ champs (one loss) were Andy Patenaude and Paul St. Pierre, and the ‘A’ champs, who won every game, were Jim and Wendy Casselman. Thanks again to Sue, the organizer, to those who arranged for lunch, and to all who helped in any way to make the day a success.

Our curlers were involved in a mixed bonspiel, the Gamble, last Saturday. Wendy and Jim Casselman and Sam and Claire Locke played well, but were not able to win the A or B title. Greta McGann and Paul St. Pierre had to pick up two Russell curlers to flesh out their team, and in spite of good play, could not bring home the A or B trophy either. As usual, the curlers had a good meeting after the dinner and the finals. Better luck next year, folks!

Two teams of senior men entered a Winchester bonspiel. Jack Barkley, Wally Baker, Doug Jarvis and Bud Perry split their games, while Sid Morrell, Andy Patenaude, Neil Williams and Don O’Brien won both of theirs and finished second in their draw.

Last Wednesday our daytime senior mixed curlers hosted Russell in a friendly bonspiel. Sue McIntosh, Len Bellamy, Arnold Barkley and Keith Robinson defeated their Russell counterparts, as did Alice Thompson, Fred Langlotz, Denis Thibault and Lise Steinberg. Andy Patenaude was a friendlier host, letting his guest foursome win. He was abetted by Ted Herriman, Cheryl Thompson and Bob Youmelle.

Four of our senior men played last week in Navan’s over-70 bonspiel. Keith Robinson, Fred Langlotz, Arnold Barkley and Glenn Cougler did battle with Carleton Heights in the morning and Buckingham in the afternoon. The fellows played hard, but dropped both matches. There are some top curlers in this group, with at least one team former Provincial finalists. Keep trying, folks!

The first of the season’s Parnells, the competition for Morrisburg, Prescott, Cornwall and Lancaster men’s teams, was played on Friday. Dave King, Jack Barkley, Doug Jarvis and Sam Locke were our representatives. They defeated Gary Cook’s Prescott team, the eventual Parnell winners, but lost to George Delaney of Lancaster. The food and fellowship were great, but they hope to enjoy things even more in the next Parnell competition.

Last Tuesday, the senior men finished league play in their two-man competition. Winners were Neil Williams and Bob Bechard. Well done, fellows.

We witnessed a great charity bonspiel for the Alzheimer society last Saturday. A tidy sum of money was raised, and while everyone had a good time and received some sort of a prize, there were noteworthy awards for the victors.

In the early draw, Jack Barkley, Ray Benoit and Donna and Jeff Trumble took top honours. It was good to see people out from various leagues, and many curlers from outside the club as well. We’ll have the remaining stats next week.

Our local champs at the Ontario Senior Games curling division the Zone 8 Playdowns are being held at our club. Our two teams include Andy Patenaude, Sue McIntosh, Neil Williams and Betty Locke, and Raymond Benoit, Cheryl Thompson, Pete Zeran and Ruth Kelly. Good curling to all!

[…]

Trina lands gold to complete hat trick

November 27, 2013 Editor

B. McNairn-Leader Staff

MORRISBURG – Good, Better, Best….that was the combination Morrisburg and District Figure Skater Trina Dykstra-MacPherson was aiming for when she started skating at the Junior Bronze Level last winter. And that is the combination she completed with a gold medal skate performance at the 2013 Asticou Skating Club competition in Aylmer, Quebec, on Sunday, November 17.

Trina had the Good performance at her first competition at the Junior Bronze Level in Morrisburg last January for a third place finish. Then in April, she accomplished the Better to land a silver medal performance at a competition in Gloucester.

She finished it off in Aylmer with the Best skate for her gold medal trip to the podium.

For the two minute and nine second program in Aylmer, Trina says, “I had a clean skate. Even the whole day, I didn’t fall at all. My technical marks were my strongest. My jumps and spins are both good.”

Included in Trina’s gold medal program are a Double Toe Jump, a Double Salchow and two Axel Jumps, one with a Loop. She also includes a Flip Loop and a Lutz.

“It was her first time trying her double toe in competition which she landed successfully,” says Trina’s coach Louise Dimmick. “Trina had a strong performance that really built on her training and previous competitions. She works hard at the rink and is very focused. It was nice to see her have this success.”

Twelve-year old Trina, is a grade 7 student at St. George Roman Catholic School in Long Sault. She has been skating since she was six years old and she says it is her “absolutely most favourite thing to do. My friends say to me ‘Trina, it is always skating…skating, skating, skating all the time’.”

Her love of the sport and her talent shows in her quick movement through the various skating programs. A member of the Morrisburg and District Figure Skating Club and a guest skater with the Nepean Figure Skating Club, Trina skated one year in the CanSkate program, one year in Junior, two years in Intermediate and is now a senior skater.

Trina says of her gold medal performance in Aylmer, that it “felt good” and she knew she had “skated really well,” when she left the ice.

In addition to winning gold with her solo skate as a Morrisburg club skater, Trina teamed with Nepean skaters Chloe Sills and Kiara Hartnell to claim a second gold medal at the Aylmer competition in Team Elements on behalf of the Nepean Skating Club.

For her part of the team event, Trina complete an Axel as her first element and a spiral sequence, which included a Biellman spiral and a Y spiral, as her second element.

Along with Trina’s Axel, “Chloe did an Axle Toe Loop and she landed it and Kierra did a Lutz and it was good.”

With the Aylmer skate behind her, Trina now turns her attention towards her season goal. “I want to get through all three stages of EOSIC and make it to Trillium.”

This year’s EOSIC (Eastern Ontario STARskate Invitational Championship) is being hosted by the Cornwall Figure Skating Club at the Benson Centre, February 14-16, 2014.

Trina skates six days per week, four in Morrisburg and travels to Nepean two nights per week, all the while working hard to keep up with her schoolwork. She is also a Canskate PA with the little ones in Morrisburg on Saturday mornings.

She skates year-round and in the summer she adds ballet classes to her schedule which is an extension of her skate program in Nepean.

In Nepean she works with three coaches including her Morrisburg coach Louise Dimmick. “Dan [Gordon, Nepean coach], says I have a good presentation and a good style of skating.”

[…]

Resolution to dissolve Iroquois Golf Club Board coming soon

November 27, 2013 Editor

The Iroquois Golf Course Board is going to be eliminated.

Formed when the municipality was operating the Iroquois Golf Course, the board consists of the members of South Dundas council.

South Dundas and Seaway Golf have a lease agreement, but that lease is with South Dundas, represented by the council, and not the board.

“The bills are being paid, and it the golf course is not costing the municipality any money,” said South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald. “The board has served its purpose. There is no longer a need for the board.”

“I don’t think we’re going back in to the golfing business,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds.

“Eliminating the board will just eliminate a layer of bureaucracy,” he added.

Staff was directed by council to bring a resolution to dissolve the board to council at their next meeting.

Following the elimination of that board, any issues regarding the lease agreement will go directly to council.

[…]

Council accepts donation of Morrisburg storefront

November 27, 2013 Editor

Public washrooms for the Morrisburg plaza, are one step closer to becoming a reality.

At the November 19 South Dundas council meeting, the generous offer of the donation of 99 Main Street Morrisburg, made by Doug Grenkie in 2012 was accepted by council.

They passed a resolution agreeing that the municipality accept the conveyance of the property as a gift in kind and issue a charitable donation receipt of nearly $35,000.

With that acceptance, South Dundas municipal staff were directed to draft a long term lease agreement with the Morrisburg Business Improvement Area confirming that the property will be used for public washrooms and that the BIA will be responsible for all improvements and operational costs of the property.

That lease agreement will come back to council for approval once it is drafted.

“This has been five or six years coming. I’m glad to see it,” said South Dundas councillor Jim Graham. “This has been a long time coming,” said mayor Steven Byvelds. “I am glad that the BIA has taken this on as a project.”

“This is a great partnership with the BIA,” said councillor Evonne Delegarde. “We are needing washroom facilities in our malls. What a great opportunity to offer this to patrons.”

While offering public washrooms plaza patrons, the site will also provide the BIA with much needed office space.

[…]

Procedural changes recommended for SDG Counties council

November 27, 2013 Editor

Not only is current deputy warden Eric Duncan the youngest deputy warden in SDG history, he will be the last.

An ad hoc committee of counties council was formed to review and make procedural recommendations. Those were recently reported to counties council.

“Council will eliminate the position of deputy warden,” reported South Dundas deputy mayor and county councillor Jim Locke at the November 19 South Dundas council meeting.

Traditionally, the person selected as deputy warden, moved into the warden’s seat after one year in the role.

Once these changes are ratified by counties council, the warden will be elected at the October meeting and sworn in to the seat at the head of the council table in December.

Duncan will be the last Deputy Warden to automatically move to the warden’s seat. His inauguration as warden is set for December 6.

Once the new rules come into effect, the sitting warden will also be given the opportunity to serve in the role for one year, or to serve, with council’s approval, for two years.

South Dundas mayor, counties councillor, and former SDG warden Steven Byvelds was on the committee that made these recommendations.

He recognizes that some wardens are eager for the one year term to end, while others would like to have the opportunity to stay on a little longer to further advance their efforts on committees like the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus.

The deputy mayor often stands in for the warden during ceremonial events.

In future, this will be handled by an acting warden. Council members will take turns at being acting warden, thus getting more of them involved with community events across SDG. This will be done on a monthly rotation.

Traditionally, though not an official rule, the warden has been rotated between the six municipalities. This change, may or may not impact that traditional rotation. That will be at the discretion of council, as they elect each warden.

The committee has also recommended that counties council adopt the use of a consent agenda. This is the type of agenda already being used here in South Dundas.

[…]

A first glimpse at 2014 SDG roads budget

November 27, 2013 Editor

No major county roads projects are slated for South Dundas in 2014.

South Dundas’ counties council representatives South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds and South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke, reported that to South Dundas council at the November 19 regular meeting of council.

Counties council will deliberate the counties budget in February 2014, but this month were presented with the preliminary roads budget.

While the almost $12 million budget includes the counties regular 50 km of resurfacing done annually, little of that resurfacing will take place on counties roads within South Dundas.

According to Byvelds, 1.9 km of County Road 18 between Williamsburg and Boucks Hill will be resurfaced, but the major projects will take place on County Road 19 and on County Road 31, from Winchester to the City of Ottawa boundary.

The counties roads budget includes $250,000 of counties money for the storm sewer reconstruction project in Morrisburg scheduled for spring 2014.

Deputy mayor Locke said he continues to lobby for something to be done to improve the state of the County Road 16 railway crossing.

[…]

Minor update to park lease at Iroquois Point

November 27, 2013 Editor

While South Dundas council was interested in expanding the area leased from the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, which owns the parkland at Iroquois Point – the landowners were not.

Earlier this month, when council was looking at some minor changes to a land lease they hold with the SLMC, the idea of leasing all of the parkland was suggested.

The thinking, for council was to eliminate a level of bureaucracy for those wanting to use the parkland for events.

The SLMC was not interested in the proposal.

Instead the only changes will be to identify the Municipality of South Dundas, rather than the former Matilda Township, as the leaseholder. South Dundas will hold the lease only on the picnic shelter, band shell and monument areas of the Iroquois point parkland.

[…]

Union Gas grant is directed to ongoing alarm program

November 27, 2013 Editor

South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services is proactive when it comes to ensuring its residents are protected with a proper working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

SDFES runs a program, whereby its members go door-to-door visiting homes in South Dundas to test smoke detectors, to help homeowners/tenants ensure that they are properly located within the home, to provide new batteries, and if needed to provide homeowners, one time, with a free smoke alarm.

They too inspect carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are installed properly in an optimum location, and are in working condition. These have been mandatory in South Dundas since 2011, in any home with a fuel fired appliance or an attached garage.

Fire chief Chris McDonough explained that this ongoing program has never been about fining people for non-compliance. It is about ensuing that they are properly alarmed, which is an essential, life-saving, first line of defence in an emergency.

So far this year, South Dundas firefighters have visited 170 homes.

“It is a very successful program,” said McDonough, adding that the homeowners are very receptive to it and that the firefighters love helping out their friends and neighbours with important advice.

“This is a hugely important program,” said McDonough, adding that the winter and the holiday season is the highest risk time for fires, especially in single family dwellings.

Since the inception of the alarm program, the number of residential fires in South Dundas has decreased.

Each year, Union Gas searches out worthy community programs and provides them with grants in support of their efforts.

They selected the SDFES Alarm Program as one of those worthy community initiatives, providing it with a $2,000 grant.

“As a company, our focus on safety doesn’t end with the work day. We believe in investing in programs that will help make our communities safter 24/7,” said Jake Lapierre of Union Gas.

“South Dundas Fire and Emergency Servicdes continues to actively promote fire safety throughout the community with the door-to-door campaign. We are very pleased to receive this generous donation from Union Gas,” said Chief McDonough.

[…]