Roadside weed spraying commences May 20th

While a grand opening celebration of the South Dundas Municipal Centre is not expected to take place until the entire project is complete, the mayor did have some comments as South Dundas staff moved into the new municipal headquarters this week.

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds is impressed with the completed second and third floors of the building. “It’s great,” said Byvelds. “There is lots of space and the new council chambers will provide enough space, even for the meetings with challenging issues.”

“The staff floor is laid out well and I am sure they will be happy with their new surroundings.”

“I believe the best thing about this project will be the collaboration of the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic and the SDG Library all in one location,” said Byvelds.

Byvelds also noted the importance of using this historic building that will serve the community well for generations to come.

He admires how in Europe heritage buildings are looked after, and even after WWII were rebuilt into places that are functional, to keep the past in mind. This is something that Byvelds believes this project has accomplished.

The mayor is pleased with the contractors on the project, RJ Bourgon, through Chris Markell. 

“They have done a great job of staying within budget, with the exception of a few minor changes we asked for, and they have kept the schedule tight,” said Byvelds. 

“In the end, I believe we will have restored an old building to its former glory and made use of space that is needed in our community,” he concluded.

The second and third floors of the South Dundas Municipal Centre opened for municipal business Wednesday morning.

The elevator is not yet in service, so those attending the building are asked to use the south entrance until further notice. For those unable to access the second floor without the elevator, service will be provided on the first floor, according to the CAO. 

[…]

About 10 minutes into Memories of the Summer of Love, I suddenly found myself growing very nostalgic.

Where, I wondered, are my love beads, my fringed vest and flower headband, my button reading “Make Love Not War”, my white GoGo boots, my psychedelic tie-dyed India shirt, the iron with which I used to press my hair? Where did the 60s go? 

Well, the answer is that the sounds and sights of that turbulent, game-changing decade are on stage at Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg and playing until May 4. Judging by the constant applause at a recent performance of Memories of the Summer of Love, the Chris McHarge and Colin Stewart celebration of the music and the times is a hit.

The stage show takes audiences from the 60s roots in early Haight-Ashbury to the star-studded 1967 Monterey Folk Festival. Along the way Memories showcases music ranging from the Beach Boys (“They practically invented California Rock”) to the British Invasion starting in 1964. (“The British succeeded in recapturing their former colonies.” )

The production hi-lights duos like Sonny and Cher and celebrates the merger of rock and folk, the “good time music” characterized by the Lovin’ Spoonful.

The show is an exceptionally well rounded look, complete with computer screens, at all aspects of 60s culture. 

The songs of Bob Dylan, the “guru for the growing counter culture” herald the days of protest against the once popular Vietnam War. The Association’s “Along Came Mary” secretly praises the properties of marijuana, as the 60s explored drugs and invited young people to “turn on, tune in, drop out.”

Memories of the Summer of Love builds to its crescendo with its salute to “heavy metal”. According to author Chris McHarge, no group epitomized the spirit of social and political change, with its fusion of rock and blues, better than the Jefferson Airplane. The audience clearly agreed as they joined in on the singers’ explosive Don’t You Want Somebody to Love?

This exciting, non-stop musical journey on stage at the Playhouse rests squarely on the shoulders of three versatile and uber-talented singers, Derek Marshall, Natalie Howard and Paul Wilson, and their four man live band that, I am quite certain, can literally play anything.

Switching vocal styles (and wonderful, outlandish, but very 60s’ costumes) with deceptive ease and speed, the three singers light up the stage. This is a show that demands stylistic flexibility and stamina from its performers.  

From Natalie Howard’s  powerful rendition of Janis Joplin’s serio-comic “Mercedes Benz”, to Paul Wilson and Derek Marshall’s extraordinary harmonies on heart-felt Simon & Garfunkel classics, this is a show that delivers.

My hair is short, the GoGo boots long since fell apart, my tie-dyed India shirt was bundled into a scrap bag years ago, but the music of that extraordinary decade, the 1960s, is alive and well, and just as fantastic as it ever was.

 Don’t miss your chance to take in Memories of the Summer of Love. The production runs at Upper Canada Playhouse until May 4. For tickets, contact 613-543-3713 or 1-877-550-3650.

Peace and love, brothers and sisters.

[…]

The Municipality of South Dundas and the Township of South Stormont have gone live…with the launch of the new UpperCanadaRegion.ca website. 

All local businesses are invited to attend a Business Breakfast being held on May 8th, 2014 at the Upper Canada Golf Course Restaurant for the official launch of the website as well as to hear about how businesses can benefit from the branding campaign.

The Upper Canada Region brand was originally proposed in 2008 as an identity for South Dundas and South Stormont. The brand highlights the historical roots and provides a sense of location which is further refined by its connection with the area’s renowned tourist attractions, including Upper Canada Village and the Upper Canada Playhouse.

“The Upper Canada Region brand will allow us to market our unique and desirable characteristics to the world. Not only can the municipalities use this identifier to their benefit, but businesses can too. I’m happy that we’re moving forward with building the identity”, said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds.

The integration of the brand into the hamlet signs for South Dundas was the first of many initiatives planned to re-introduce the Upper Canada Region. South Stormont will complete their new signage program this spring.

Mayor Brian McGillis of South Stormont said, “Featuring the Upper Canada Region logo on our hamlet signs, and now the launch of our new website, will help create recognition of the brand and start building the association between the identity and positive experiences that people have while visiting, living and, working in our two communities”.

Building this collaborative brand is an important step towards differentiating this area and increasing its ability to attract residents, visitors and businesses.

[…]