More than 100 people gathered at Matilda Hall in Dixons Corners to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Iroquois Fire Department Saturday (Sept. 24) night.
Deputy chief Philip Thompson welcomed firefighters, along with their friends and families and local dignitaries to the evening event, where they were treated to dinner, speeches, and several displays of the unit’s history, including a video tribute, photographs, and newspaper articles. The station’s vintage fire truck and some examples of firefighter gear were also on exhibit.
Thompson gave a brief history of the Iroquois Fire Department from the initial organizing meeting in January 1941 to its current status as one of three South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services stations.
“The fire hall back then, located on the lower level of the town hall, was across from the high school on College Street,” Thompson said. “The police department was located on the lower level, as well. At that time, the only piece of equipment the fire department had was a hose reel with lengths of two-and-a-half-inch hose. This reel had to be pushed by hand or pulled by car to the scene of the fire. In 1943, the fire department bought a used 1938 Chebrolet Maple Leaf truck. The members built a hose rack in the back of it and purchased a pump from the war assets, which they mounted on the front of the truck.”
Thompson went on to outline the changes in equipment throughout the years, from the purchase of a $13,000 fire truck in 1963 to a GMC pumper/tanker with a 625 GPM pump and water-carrying capacity of 1,500 gallons in 1985 at a cost of $60,000, to the station’s newest vehicle in 2013, a Spartan Metro Star pumper/rescue equipped with a 1,500 GPM Hale pump and foam system. While the cost, efficiency, and safety of the fire station’s equipment improved over the years, it wasn’t the only thing that changed, Thomspons said. The services, the duties and responsibilities of the fire station and its firefighters also changed, going from a sole focus on fighting fires to one that now includes auto extrication, medical, and activated alarm calls.
“Now, I would like to speak about the members of Iroquois Station 1-4 of South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services,” Thompson said. “This group of individuals is very dedicated to fire prevention, firefighting, training, sports, and taking part in community events, whether it be on behalf of South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services or the Iroquois Volunteer Firefighters Association. The firefighters give of their time endlessly whenever asked to do so, with barely a complaint, sacrificing time that could be spent with family.”
The Iroquois stations’ current complement of firefighters includes: Stephane Aube, Blair Belanger, Gareth Cochrane, Rick Cogdale, John Cooke (captain), Les Crawford, Eric Foster, Bryan Holmes, Brent Howick, Ray Hunter (assistant deputy chief), Andy Major, Shawn Markell, Chris McDermid, Chris Paulino, Andres Piquette, Trevor Riopelle, Ryan Swank, Brad Thompson (captain), Philip Thompson (deputy chief), Todd Tysick, Scott Verhey, Jeff Watt, as well as director of fire and emergency services Cameron Morehouse and public educator Christa St. Pierre.
In attendance for the September 24 celebration was South Dundas mayor Evonne Delegarde, councillors Bill Ewing and Archie Mellan, along with Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell and SD&G MP Guy Lauzon.
Delegarde thanked not only the firefighters, past and present, for their dedication and service, but also their families who supported and continue to support them on the homefront. Thompson voiced that same sentiment during his final speech.
“When I talk about all of the dedication, I can’t forget the wives and companions of the firefighters who are usually inthe background helping in many ways, while the men are away at a call,” Thompson said. “In 1980, the women formed the Ladies Auxiliary of the Iroquois Fire Department and over the years raised money, which they used to make donations to the fire department, as well as to other charities. Later on, the Ladies Auxiliary membership started to decline as a result of the changing lifestyles and although there is no formal Ladies Auxiliary (now), the support of the women is still with us today whenever needed.”
This support and dedication, from the firefighters, their families, and the community is what McDonell focused when it was his term to take the lectern. He shared a personal story about his parents who lost their barn, grainery, hen house, and home in Lancaster Township to a fire in 1949. There wasn’t an active fire department at the time. A train going through the area stopped and for 15 minutes blew its horn to alert McDonell’s neighbours. The whistle, alerting the community of the need for help, bought the family more time to remove many of their belongings before losing the house.
“So you can guess how people feel about not having (this service),” he said. “In one afternoon, you lose everything,”
McDonell applauded firefighters, especially volunteer firefighters who make the commitment of time and energy for the safety and wellbeing of those around them.
“I have so much respect for firefighters,” Lauzon said, pointing out that firefighters are there for people when they are facing one of the worst possible life experiences. Firefighters are there to help and more notably, as in the case of Iroquois’ members, he added, they are there on a volunteer basis to help their neighbours. That, he said, is the “essence” of what it means to be Canadian.
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Resolution to dissolve Iroquois Golf Club Board coming soon
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.
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Upper Canada Village now open for 2015
Spring has finally arrived and Upper Canada Village has opened its gates to welcome visitors to an exciting, new season.
May will be a busy month and the Village will be alive with tradition over the Victoria Day weekend. Visitors can join in the Queen Victoria Birthday celebrations on Sunday, May 17 with patriotic speeches, grand military manoeuvres, a hand-pumped fire engine demonstration and enjoy a piece of birthday cake.
Without a doubt, one of the joys of Spring is watching the fields and gardens come back to life after a long winter. The Spring Planting weekend (May 30, 31) at Upper Canada Village is a great time to visit and see nature’s renewal.
The 2015 season will mark the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the Canadian Horse in Canada.
All season long visitors will be able to see the Canadian horses at work.
They are an integral part of daily life at Upper Canada Village performing tasks such as drawing the Tow Scow along the canal, pulling Carry-alls through the Village for tours and other farm related chores.
This season, Horse Lovers’ weekend will be a not-to-be-missed event on Labour Day weekend September 5-7.
Upper Canada Village offers a number of summer youth camps. Some spaces are still available.
“We have a great season of events, programs and summer camps at Upper Canada Village. Our summer youth camps are a great opportunity for young people to make new friends and have a completely unique experience. This season we have a full line-up of events planned with many returning favourites such as Medieval Festival, Food Lovers’ Field Days and the War of 1812 Military Re-enactment weekend. In July and August we will be bringing back the Haunted Walks and Murder Mystery Dinners that were very popular last year,” said Geoff Waycik, Manager of Historic Sites, St. Lawrence Parks Commission.
New this year is the ‘Breaking Down the Barriers to History’ weekend on June 20 and 21. While Upper Canada Village offers an excellent multisensory experience every day, this event will be further enhanced for those with sight loss, hearing loss and mobility challenges.
Other events coming up in June include Sheep Shearing Days – June 2-5 and Medieval Festival June 6-7.
Special education days include Monday, May 25, War of 1812 and Monday, June 8 for Medieval Festival. Students can also visit the Aultsville Train Station for the British Home Child Exhibit and Educational Program offered June 2 and 3.
Upper Canada Village will be open daily from May 6 to Labour Day and then Wednesdays to Sundays from September 9 to 20, 2015.
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No smoking… please
“It is the policy of the Township of South Dundas that no person shall smoke, chew or engage in any other use of tobacco industry products, on or in any public playing field, playground equipment zone or other public recreation place.”
This is the opening statement in South Dundas recreation program coordinator Ben Macpherson’s draft policy document for smoke-free outdoor spaces, presented at council on May 15th.
Council accepted the draft, but as Macpherson pointed out, “the policy hasn’t officially been approved” as of yet.
“I will be coming back with a couple of things added to the policy including a preamble to indicate that the policy is in effect when youth are present or are engaged in recreation or sport,” he said.
Suggestions for changes to the policy resulted from a discussion focused on the rights of smokers versus the rights of non-smokers.
Getting the discussion underway, councillor Evonne Delegarde was first to inquire about the adult events and whether this policy would impact those smoking adults that participate in those events, like blooper ball for example.
“It’s any event where children are part of the event,” clarified Macpherson. “It’s where there’s influence on children.”
“The more I thought about this,” said councillor Archie Mellan, “the more it bothered me. It is a legal activity.”
“What about the docks,” he asked.
“Yes, there would be kids playing, but it’s a policy,” Macpherson responded, emphasizing the difference between a policy, which is not policed, and a by-law, which is policed.
“A smoker doesn’t have the right to impose second-hand smoke on non-smokers,” conceded Mellan, “but a smoker has the right to have a cigarette. What about smoking areas?”
“If we’re going to promote the rights of the non-smokers, then we’re going to protect the rights of the smokers,” added Mellan.
“The largest concern is freedom of choice,” said Macpherson, pointing out that because it’s a policy it isn’t necessarily mandatory in the way a by-law would be mandatory. It’s more of a strong suggestion.
“I will support it,” said Mellan, “but I think we should have smoking areas if we’re going to have non-smoking areas.”
Mayor Steven Byvelds suggested there should be a preamble pointing out that “our concern is with children.”
“I don’t want to go down councillor Mellan’s road of having segregated smoking areas. They shouldn’t be doing it when young children are around,” he continued, predicting “the worst place will be in front of the arena.”
Mellan said that he understood the point of the policy was education and influence on young children, but added, “I hope we don’t take this to the next step.”
Byvelds reminded council that “the intention isn’t to ban.”
“It will probably come down from the province eventually,” offered Macpherson.
Councillor Jim Graham suggested that the policy would police itself: “whether it’s adult areas or not, if there are non-smokers there they’ll make it known.”
According to the draft policy document, “public playing fields and recreation spaces means fields and/or lands of natural and/or man-made composition that are used for athletic purposes to conduct organized or unorganized sporting activities.”
“This shall include a 15 meter fringe area around the perimeter of the established playing boundary or recreation facility to include but not limited to baseball diamonds, soccer fields, lawn bowling, tennis/badminton courts, football fields, athletic tracks, and associated outdoor fields, ice rinks, pools, and other public recreation facilities including halls, centers, gazebos, pavilions, and shelters.”
“Smoke includes carrying a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other lighted smoking equipment.”
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