Month: April 2015

South Dundas is being targeted by EDP Renewables for significantly more wind generation.

The 30 megawatt South Branch Wind Farm, which is owned and operated by EDP Renewables consists of 10 wind turbines. 

Last week, South Branch project manager Ken Little and Tom LoTurco of EDPR, met with South Dundas council to talk about future plans within South Dundas.

Since the South Branch project, which was part of the Ontario government’s feed in tariff program, to bring wind power generation on line by signing 20 year, 13.5 cent per kilowatt hour, contracts with developers, things have changed.

A competitive procurement process is now in place, and Little says the new dynamic will be beneficial for both the industry and for consumers.

According to Little, wind generation is being pursued by the government because, with the refurbishment of the Bruce and Darlington nuclear plants and the planned shutdown of Pickering, “Ontario’s energy surplus will soon end.”

“Wind generation is cheap and low risk,” said Little. “Even with a growth scenario, there will still be an energy gap.”

EDP qualified to participate in the bid process and is eyeing an area east of the existing South Branch wind farm, towards Winchester Springs for a new project. EDP is assuming that about 50 to100 mW of capacity is available in the lines adjacent to South Branch. 

A project of that capacity would likely mean 20-30 new turbines, but could mean up to 40 turbines, depending on the size of the turbines used. 

If EDP pursues this project it will be registered and declared in August, and would be built about four years from the contract date.

According to Little, reliable wind, high electricity demand, available transmission capacity and significant landowner interest make this an attractive project for the company. 

Through the new procurement process, municipal support will be key, a point that Little and LoTurco stressed with municipal council. 

They also mentioned that with future wind projects, like South Branch, there will be a fund established, which generally pays about $1,000 per megawatt for the size of the project, back to the host community. They also said that they are willing to discuss road use agreements. The road use agreement for South Branch was $2.7 million. Like South Branch, this project would be fully funded by EDPR.

Little told council that they are already planning many opportunities for public open houses.

[…]

Local talent is taking centre stage at St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Cornwall.

Several area cast members are among the 40 featured in the production the two hour musical, Little Shop of Horrors. 

William Wallace, a grade 12 student at St. Joe’s, plays Mr. Mushnik, the miserable owner of a failing downtown New York flower shop.

“Opening night was great,” said Wallace. “The cast is really energetic.”

Opening night took place in the school auditorium, located along Cumberland Street in Cornwall April 17, at 8 p.m. and another public performance  took place April 18.

With two shows in the books, these student actors are looking forward to the final two public shows which will take place April 24 and 25 at the Cornwall school. She show is about two hours long.

“This is such a funny show. We have a really great cast,” said Wallace, who is from Morrisburg. “We have really pulled together and become great friends.” The group met with The Leader Monday after school to talk about the musical and to encourage the local community to come to one of the two remaining shows.

Maiko Button, of Long Sault, who plays Audrey, is a grade 12 students at St. Joe’s.  Audrey is one of Mr. Mushnik’s two shop assistants, along with Seymour Krelborn.

“This show is maybe not as well known, but it’s a really great show, It is fast-paced and witty,” said Button. It is directed by Mr. Gilles Levac, who all of the actors agree, does a fantasic job.

Seymour is played by Brett Weegar of Morrisburg, a grade 12 student at St. Joe’s. “This character was made for me,” said Weegar. “Ya, awkward around women, and kind of dorky,” the ladies of the cast chime in quickly.

“This is a really great show,” says Weegar. “We have a really good teacher. The amount of effort he puts into this is astounding. Actually, we put a lot of work into it too.”

Kamryn Frank, another grade 12 student at St. Joe’s is the voice of Audrey II, the villanous carnivorous plant. Frank, who is quite a vocal talent according to those who attended Friday’s show, says that she “loves that she actually gets to use her rock voice.”

She said that St. Joe’s puts on an awesome, full production musical. “We work on it from October until now. For only $10 a ticket it’s a great night out,” says Frank. The puppeteer for the Audrey II plant is Alexandra Lauzon, of the Long Sault area. Her fellow cast members agreee that she does a great job.

Three St. Joe’s grade nines from Morrisburg are part of the ensemble that sings and dances throughout the show.

“We make the show lively,” says Mallory Trizisky. 

“It’s a really fun show. I love the music,” says Abby Trizisky.

“Mainly, people don’t know how much work everyone puts into this,” says Jaxon Weegar. “For a school show, this show is really awesome.” Tickets are available at the St. Joseph’s school office or at the door.   

[…]

Over the last few years, local businessperson Kim Hutt has been on a journey that has led her to turn a longtime hobby and a passion for knowledge into a home based business. 

Her aim is for every person who comes through the door of her home to feel better when they leave.

Relocated just north of Iroquois, along County Road 40 (Stampville Road), through Souly Reconnected, Hutt offers a wide variety of self care and energy awareness techniques that she now shares with over 100 clients.

Kim is a certified relaxation therapist, natural health care consultant and self created health facilitator. The main floor of her farmhouse has been transformed into a holistic health therapy room, complete with an associated lending library and a fitness studio.

One of the latest programs being offered by Hutt is BellyFit , an ‘aerobics’ class which incorporates a holistic approach that calms the mind, inspires the spirit and gives participants a phenomenal full body workout.

“The saying no pain, no gain, doesn’t apply here,” said Hutt. “What you get here is a really good workout in a safe environment, and we have so much fun.” 

Hutt is proud to be the only place offering these BellyFit classes around the whole region. This workout offers a creative combination of cardio inspired by belly dance, Bollywood and African dance infused with aspects of yoga and pilates conditioning all major muscle groups.

She is offering special rates to anyone who wants to try one of these classes if they mention this article.

BellyFit is only one of many therapies offered by Hutt. 

Although she offers many therapies, the focus of all of them is to help people find balance in between their mental, physical and spiritual elements.

For Hutt, these therapies have helped her decrease her stress levels, reduce the need for some medications and feel more positive about life, even through some very stressful times.

She recommends that anyone interested in any of the therapies she offers sit down with her for a one-on-one assessment so she can recommend what best suits the client’s needs.

“I am not a healer, I help guide people through self-healing,” she says.

Through energy therapy including Reiki, where she is a Master in Usui Reiki and Quantum Touch Therapy, she is able to share hands on healing and comfort techniques with clients and people wanting to connect to their own healing abilities through love.

Hutt offers movement and sound therapy through classes such as Qi Gong and Bellyfit  and use of tuning forks – chanting and toning.   She also offers transformation meditation and breathwork classes through the WDMH oncology department to patients.       

Hutt offers art therapy through spirit painting which she shares with students and faculty of Carleton University each semester in workshops. 

She will be offering some of these  spirit painting workshops at her home location in the near future, and encourages anyone interested to contact her directly (soulyreconnected@gmail.com), as space is limited. She is offering special rates with mention of this article. 

Spirit painting involves calling on spiritual energy to guide a client through a creative process and then working with Hutt to analyze the resulting painting.

Hutt has been practicing many of these offerings personally for about 15 years, and loves that she is now able to share them with so many people through her business. “I get to see miracles everyday,” she says.

[…]

 

With all the exhibition spaces sold out in advance, and hundreds coming out to visit the annual show, the organizers of this year’s Home & Trade Show, held at the Morrisburg Arena April 17-18, count it a real success. 

There were 80 booths set up in the arena, the largest number of business and community entrants ever. The show was organized by the Chamber of Commerce. Tracey Veinotte chaired the 2015 Trade show committee made up of Chantal Burke, Canadian Tire, Grace McDonough, BIA  co-ordinator, Geraldine Fitzsimmons, general manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Clark Perry, Season Plus. Donnie Bowes of Upper Canada Playhouse, a member of the Chamber, chaired the Friday night opening ceremonies.

“There were a lot of new people at this year’s show,” said Geraldine Fitzsimmons. “I think the free admission, and the fact that exhibitors give out great gifts and prizes really have an effect on attendance. The feed back from the exhibitors was all positive. And I think that numbers of visitors were up from last year.”

“This is a great event,” said Tracey Veinotte, “and a new record of 80 booths set up: there was even a waiting list. Everyone involved worked very hard.”

Carl McIntryre, South Dundas Chamber of Commerce president, thanked the township, the council and all the exhibitors for their support of the Trade Show.  

Evonne Delegarde, mayor of South Dundas and all the members of the South Dundas Council joined the crowds in visiting the wide variety of services and businesses available in this area.

MPP Jim McDonell described the show as a “great job by the organizers,” while Eric Duncan, aide to MP Guy Lauzon said that “every year the Morrisburg Home & Trade Show just gets better and better.”

Singers from Timothy Christian School, led by principal Gary Postma, sang the national anthem to officially open the Trade Show. Visitors could also find a wide variety of food and beverages to sample throughout the event.

[…]

 

The Thousands Islanders, a vibrant a cappella chorus, centred in Brockville, held two days of dynamic vocal workshops in facilities arranged at the McIntosh Inn and Conference Centre in Morrisburg, April 17-18. Flown in as guest instructor was Steve Scott. Scott, a noted American voice and musical coach, is a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kansas, and currently working on his Phd. in vocal pedagogy. The Islanders choir, led by director Stuart McMartin, front row left, includes two South Dundas residents, Wendy Gibb, second row, right end, and Karen Koivumaki, second row, third from the right. The choir is currently in final rehearsals for the 2015 Area Contest and Convention held in Alliston on May 23. At this event, choirs from all over Ontario will compete for musical gold. Instructor Scott, who worked extensively over two days with the choir, quartettes and individual singers, feels that “people are natural born musicians: to be human is to be a musician. I have the opportunity to coach and encourage that unique inner singer.”

[…]