CAV ride raises $8,000 for Operation Leave the Streets Behind.

During the fall election campaign, the idea of an open question and answer session becoming part of the regular South Dundas council meeting agenda was a recurring topic of discussion.

The idea of adding such a ‘Q&A session’ to regular council agendas has not yet been brought to the table at a regular council meeting for discussion, but it looks like it may already be scrapped.

During a recent priority setting exercise for South Dundas council and staff, which took place February 6, at council chambers in the South Dundas Municipal Centre, in Morrisburg, the topic was briefly discussed.

Members of South Dundas council had earlier last week attended a two day council training session in Cornwall, where the topic was discussed.

According to South Dundas mayor Evonne Delegarde, all of those with expertise providing advice to the council members advised against open question and answer sessions at council meetings.

It was explained to council, that council meetings are meetings for council business, and even though they are open to the public, because they are council’s meetings, it should be up to council to bring issues into the council fold, not the public.

The public already has the ability to bring an issue to their council, by way of contacting an elected official whose phone numbers and email addresses are readily available, by writing a letter to council or by following the process to make a deputation to council.

Delegarde, added that she still thinks an annual town hall meeting for public input and feedback is an important exercise that she expects to continue in this term of council. Her hope was to hold one ‘as soon as possible’ but last week conceded the first town hall meeting of this council is not likely to happen until fall 2015.

[…]

“Marriage is too much trouble. Next time I’ll just find a woman I hate and buy her a house.”

Journalist John Cummings is a little bit bitter about his recent divorce and his subsequent move to a small flat in the Aurora Terrace Apartments, under a nearby airport’s flight path.

In fact, he has soured on the whole idea of romance, love, commitment, determined not to get involved in any serious way with any woman again. “It’s silly to think two people can stay together forever,” he says firmly.

Then he meets three rather remarkable women and gradually John Cummings begins to realize that in the battle of the sexes, both sides have unique strategies and  unexpected weapons.

Upper Canada Playhouse’s new production of Norm Foster’s witty, fast moving comedy, Here on the Flight Path,  (running until July 29) is a show for grown-ups.

 You have to have lived a little, loved a little, to appreciate just how clever Foster’s dialogue and characters are. In the course of Flight Path people are able  to catch a revealing glimpse of themselves in the on stage characters Foster has created: but because this is Norm Foster, there is no sting accompanying that look.

“With a Norm Foster play, people find themselves laughing hysterically, because he is just so funny,” Playhouse artistic director Donnie Bowes said during an earlier interview. “Ideas come to him and he channels them.”

“Foster is a gem,” added Walter Learning, who directed the show for the Playhouse. “Norm Foster is a funny, funny man, and people enjoy experiencing his view of relationships in this play.”

And the Playhouse has come up with a stellar cast for Here on the Flight Path.

The sometimes curmudgeonly John is played by veteran actor Jamie Williams (“There are two things a man wants in a relationship. And the second is that the woman not make a scene when the relationship is over.”). 

You just can’t help liking Williams’ character.  

His John changes during the play, opens up, and eventually learns a lot about himself. Williams portrays a man forced to take a fresh look at life and love, and invites the audience along. His Cummings is not quite the same man at the end of the play as he was in the beginning. 

Melanie Janzen is Fay, Angel and Gwen: three remarkable women,  all played by the same remarkable actress. 

In an earlier interview Janzen discussed the challenge of playing these radically different women in the same play. “You have to find three different motivations for each of these women to make her feel complete.”

Janzen does. 

Yes, she changes wigs and clothes (at incredible speed, kudos to her and the stage crew), but it is more than this. 

Each woman moves, speaks, projects differently: Fay, the amused cynic, Angel the wide-eyed ingenue, Gwen, older,  hurt, but learning to stand on her own. They are all Janzen, and all women we (and John) want to come to know.

The audience roared with laughter throughout the show I attended. 

Whether it was call girl Fay’s wry description of her  job (“I’m a consultant.” “Who do you consult with?” “Pretty well anyone who has the money.”) or Alberta Angel’s ingenuous comments (“I’m reading Withering Heights.” “Um, that’s Wuthering Heights. It’s a ‘u’.” “Oh, I thought that was a spelling mistake.”), the laughs are genuine and real. 

I heard more than one person leave the theatre the night I was there with the amused observation that  “there was a lot of truth in that play. A lot of truth.”

Sit back and savor the moment when John steps on to his balcony, at the Aurora Apartments, and says, “I’m going to tell you a story. Three stories really…”   It’s the start of an evening of witty and wonderful entertainment.

Norm Foster’s Here on the Flight Path runs at Upper Canada Playhouse until July 29. For information and tickets contact 613-543-3713.

[…]

“It was a wonderful day. It certainly was perfect for walking and biking,” said Dough Grenkie, in reference to the Children’s Treatment Centre Bike-a-thon Plus held on May 26th in South Dundas.

This is the second year that Dough Grenkie and Lyle Van Allen volunteered to organize and run the South Dundas portion of the  Bike-a-thon Plus. The event is held concurrently with the treatment centre’s Cornwall event. Next year, according to Grenkie, they hope to expand to include North Dundas.

The Bike-a-thon Plus trail in South Dundas ran between the Docksyde in Morrisburg and Iroquois Point with two checkpoints in between where volunteers were on hand to provide bottled water and fresh fruit.

“I feel as though participation was low,” admitted Van Allen, however, “I’m happy with what we did accomplish. You always wish for better. Maybe another year will be better yet.”

Van Allen’s granddaughter, Cassandra Thompson, participated in the charity event, biking on her own  from Morrisburg to Iroquois.

“We’re making people aware that this agency is there to help children and there is no financial aid from government,” said Van Allen, pointing out that the treatment centre is run solely on donations. 

According to Grenkie, the South Dundas portion of the event raised “well over $5,000.” Donations are still trickling in and, therefore, exact numbers are not yet available.

“Anybody can give money any time of the year and it will be gratefully accepted.”

“The support of the Bank of Montreal managers and staff was phenomenal from all branches,” said Grenkie. Iroquois, Morrisburg, Finch, Winchester and Ingleside branches were all involved. “It will be a record donation for Dundas County.”

Cathy Osborne and her daughter Samantha, part of the Iroquois BMO group, made it all the way to the first checkpoint from the Docksyde. According to Cathy, her BMO group raised over $1,400.

In addition to the Osborne mother-daughter team,  a couple of energetic Morrisburg and District Lions Club Leos also made it to the first checkpoint and beyond. Chase Dunkley and Dean Mark biked the entire circuit from Morrisburg to Iroquois and back again. The Morrisburg Lions Club raised $840 for the Bike-a-thon.

“It really helps to have the Lions Clubs and the Leos,” said Grenkie. Both Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club and the Morrisburg and District Lions Club were active volunteers and participants for the May 26th event.

“There were a lot more walkers than bikers,” continued Grenkie. “I was a little disappointed that the participation was down.” Grenkie biked from the Docksyde in Morrisburg to Iroquois Point.

Next year, with a hopeful expansion to include North Dundas, Grenkie said he hopes to “get the whole community involved” as the Children’s Treatment Centre services all of Dundas County. 

The Children’s Treatment Centre, stationed in Cornwall, services the United Counties and Akwesasne. There are psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors on staff ready to treat children aged 5 through 17 affected by physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

The centre doesn’t require professional referrals and there aren’t any lengthy waiting periods.

“The publicity from the Bank of Montreal and The Leader was phenomenal,” said Grenkie. “More people have learned about this facility that has been here for about 15 years.”

Van Allen agreed, saying that “more people know about the Children’s Treatment Centre today than three years ago, so that’s a good thing.” 

For more information on the Children’s Treatment Centre,  phone 613-933-4400 or go to their website at www.ctc-sdg.com.

[…]