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Within the next six months, the municipality of South Dundas should have the ability to hand out parking tickets, and collect fines from parking infractions.

South Dundas council and staff are in the midst of reviewing a bylaw that will regulate parking on all of South Dundas’ municipal roads and municipally owned property including the parking lots at the Iroquois and Morrisburg shopping plazas and waterfront areas, as well as parks across the municipality.

South Dundas council and staff members, including Donald Lewis, manager of planning and enforcement, Dan Tessier, building inspector and bylaw enforcement officer and new department hire Brent Mattice, went through the bylaw, line by line, with council at a special meeting held January 20, at the South Dundas Municipal Centre in Morrisburg.

With this bylaw, will come a major sign purchase to properly mark nearly 40 areas where parking will be prohibited or restricted.

The bylaw also sets out designated fire access routes. 

These routes include areas around South Dundas’ three fire stations, fire reservoirs, and most notably, areas of the Morrisburg and Iroquois Plazas. 

The area near the Morrisburg clock tower of the mall, has long been an area where vehicles stopping has long been an issue as they impede proper traffic flow at a busy intersection. 

Stopping will be prohibited there and along the roadway in front of the Mac’s store in the Iroquois Plaza.

This bylaw will finally give the municipality the power to ticket, and possibly even tow those stopping there illegally.

Generally, the bylaw states that motorists parking at the plazas, must park between the lines in a designated parking space.

This bylaw will give South Dundas the authority to ticket those illegally making use of designated wheelchair accessible spaces. 

While most of the 35 parking fines outlined in the first draft of the bylaw are $25 or $35, the fine for illegally parking in an accessible space is $300.

The bylaw outlaws any heavy truck, trailer or bus to be parked on any municipal road within the municipality of South Dundas. Those doing so could face a $50 fine, once this bylaw comes into effect.

Other standard parking rules such as not blocking driveways, intersections or fire hydrants, or parking that interferes with snow removal, will become ticketed offences, once the bylaw is enacted. 

The process to enact this bylaw is longer than others because it must receive provincial approval, which can take up to six months. It becomes law after the third reading, which takes place after provincial approval has been granted. The bylaw has not yet had first reading at the South Dundas council table. Some changes that arose from discussions at the January 20 meeting are being implemented before the document is made available to business organizations and the public.

“What we are going to need is a common sense application of what we are doing here,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds. “There’s a reasonable explanation to every rule here that we want to put in place.”

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August 24, 1957, Constable Ronald Pitt, then 34, of the Morrisburg Police Force, was shot by two gunmen as he approached a stolen vehicle in Morrisburg. He died from his injuries and no one has […]

What better way to honour the 200th anniversary of the McIntosh apple than to hold a major festival?

The Iroquois & District Celebration Festival Committee, chaired by Candace Menges, has organized a fun-filled, exciting all day Apple Festival in Iroquois in honour of the famous McIntosh apple on Saturday, September 17. Working in conjunction with Sandra Beckstead of Smyth’s  Apple Orchard, organizers have seen to it that there are events, crafts, contests, entertainment, vendors, food, tours and historical displays that will tie into the heritage of the McIntosh apple.

“The Dundela McIntosh apple is the parent to all McIntosh apple varieties throughout the entire world, and also to many other apple varieties like the Cortland, which has the McIntosh as one of its parents,” said Sandra Beckstead of Smyth’s Apple Orchard. “We are very excited that there is going to be a big celebration of the McIntosh this weekend.”

This 200th anniversary of the McIntosh has been recognized nationally.

“The Apple Commission held a celebration in honour of the McIntosh at the Harbour Castle in Toronto,” Beckstead said. “We have also received congratulations from Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty and prime minister Stephen Harper.”

Sadly, the last known first-generation tree grown from a graft of the original McIntosh apple tree died this summer and had to be cut down.

However, twigs were cut from the tree and have been grafted to root stock at Upper Canada Village. Three seedlings have survived. Sandra Beckstead remains very hopeful the original strain can be preserved.

The Iroquois Apple Festival  September 17 promises to be a great day for everyone.

“We are trying to revive summer festivals here in Iroquois,” said Candace Menges. “We wanted to bring our community back together for a new celebration.

Our committee of volunteers came up with the idea of celebrating the 200th anniversary of the McIntosh.”

Events run all day long with the farmers’ market opening at 8 a.m. on Saturday. There will be numerous vendors and sidewalk sales as well as plenty of food, entertainment and activities.

Most major events will be free.

“We have a visitors’ centre set up in the former Little Rikki’s restaurant in the plaza,” Menges said. “Smyth’s has set up an historic display there about the McIntosh with trivia sheets. People can also catch a shuttle there to the orchard for a tour. We will be registering pies and desserts, the baby contest and offering kids games and crafts at the centre.”

Petting zoos, pony rides, Tribeck Inflatables, face painting and plenty of contests will be the order of the day.

“We have the Howard sisters singing during our opening ceremonies, and the local band Landmark performing starting at 11 a.m.

We do ask people to come with their own lawn chairs.”

Iroquois Lawn Bowling is sponsoring the lunch barbecue. Apple bingo will be held at the Iroquois Legion, followed by a steak barbecue (tickets available at the Legion) with DJ Dave Farcey providing evening entertainment.

“We hope everyone will join us at the Apple Festival in Iroquois and revive community spirit,” Menges said. “We are excited to be part of the celebration of the famous McIntosh apple.”

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