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The pumpkin displays have been put away and Upper Canada Village is preparing to light up for Alight at Night on Friday, December 6.  

The Alight at Night Festival at Upper Canada Village is one of Ontario’s premiere winter events where over a million lights transform this 60 acre heritage site into a magical winter wonderland that you can explore by foot, horse-drawn wagon or by romantic carriage ride.  

“Alight at Night is Eastern Ontario’s largest outdoor winter light festival,” said Darren Dalgleish, General Manager/CEO, St. Lawrence Parks Commission. “This year we certainly seem to have Mother Nature on our side with a fresh blanket of snow.”

 “We try to add to the visitor experience and with new technology on the market each year we are able to enhance our lighting displays to bring out the best of the beautiful backdrops and vistas that the Village and surrounding grounds provide.  We are making some exciting lighting enhancements to the Toy Train experience this year and I think families will love it”

The Festival is open on select nights from Friday, December 6 through Saturday, January 4, 2014, from 5-9 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Upper Canada Village continues to impress visitors by introducing state-of-the art, innovative lighting during its Alight at Night Festival.  

Over a decade ago, the Village switched over all of its incandescent stringed lights to energy-saving LED Christmas lights, now over a million in total. 

 In 2010, new Wallwasher technology provided a rainbow of alternating colours that illuminate the facades of the Village’s historic architecture and paint a dramatic effect on many of the site’s majestic trees.  

The Sound & Light Show, featuring seasonal music accompanied by dancing lights, will be offered with shows playing every half hour on the grounds around Crysler Hall.  A video clip of the show has seen over 100,000 views on YouTube. 

And this year, visitors will delight in the addition of laser beam technology, where over 100 new projectors will shower tiny laser beams that will create a starry, firefly effect … watch for the dazzling results of this new technology along the Toy Train ride!  Toy Train rides are included with admission.

The Festival brings together many family favourite holiday traditions.  Carolling takes place in Christ Church at select times led by a keyboard player and vocalist.  

Christmas carol song books are provided in the church and visitors are encouraged to sing along or just soak up the holiday ambience.

Strolling through the site is a great way to see the lights at your own pace, or you can relax and take a horse-drawn wagon ride.  

For a more intimate and exclusive experience, romantic carriage rides for two are available in the Village’s Pommier Carriages.  It’s an ideal way to make engagements, anniversaries, or your visit extra-special!  Advance reservation is required. 

The Pommier Carriage ride is $80(tax extra) which includes admission for two, half hour romantic tour of the lights, gourmet departing gift and a 20 percent off discount for Pommier Jewellers in Cornwall.  

Carriage rides are very popular and book up quickly.  

Call 1-800-437-2233 or locally 613-543-4328 to make a reservation.

Follow the tantalizing smell of fresh bread and cinnamon rolls baking in the wood-fired oven at the Bakery.   You can find the fresh baked cinnamon buns and bread for purchase at the Village Store and the buns for purchase in Cook’s Tavern or at the Snack Shack next to the Bakery.

Visitors can also relax over a heartier meal, full service dining at Willard’s Hotel or cafeteria style service at the Harvest Barn.  

Alight at Night has been named one of Ontario’s Top 100 Events three times by Festivals & Events Ontario.  

Advance ticket purchase, particularly during the holidays, is strongly recommended to speed entry into the Festival and reduce time waiting in line.  

Streamlined pricing provides one price for all activities including entry to the Festival, horse-drawn wagon rides and a ride on the Toy Train – Adults (13 to 64 years of age) $13; Seniors (65+ years of age) and Youth (6 to 12 years of age) $10; Children 5 years of age under are FREE.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.AlightatNight.ca.

 

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Santa, Mrs. Claus and all their helpers are ready to ring in the festive season this Saturday, December 7, with the annual Morrisburg Santa Parade. 

This is the 20th year that Santa’s local right hand man, George Davies, has organized the parade, which year after year delights all who attend.

Davies expects to see about four dozen floats, six bands and 40 walkers participate in this year’s event. 

“That’s a little bigger than last year,” said Davies. 

This year the participating bands are coming from Brockville, Ottawa, Montreal West, Kemptville and two from Cornwall.

He also mentioned that Morrisburg Public School will have students travelling the parade route with shopping carts collecting food donations for the Dundas County Food Bank. 

He urges everyone to support their efforts by bringing a food item for the collection. (The Morrisburg location of the food bank is especially in need of cold cereal, crackers and vegetables.)

The floats will gather in the Canadian Tire and Upper Canada Playhouse parking lots around 10:30 a.m. The parade sets off along the route promptly at 11 a.m.

The route winds through town along St. Lawrence, to Fifth, to Augusta, to First, to Ottawa, to Maud, to Sir James Morris to Fifth and then along Dairy to Main Street, where it travels the length of the Morrisburg Village Plaza and then on to the Morrisburg Fire Station, where it ends up. There kids can have a snack and greet Santa after the parade.

“I’m hoping to get a really good crowd of spectators out this year,” said Davies. 

“More support allows us to increase the calibre of the parade next year,” said Davies who is working to get a special entry from the Toronto area to join next year’s event.    

While George and his wife look after organizing the event themselves, on the big day George has many “elves” who come out to help him ensure that everything runs smoothly. He is very appreciative of the efforts of the elves who include both family and friends.

This year, Davies has been a little more worried about the parade logistics than other years, because he has lost one of the parking lots always used as a staging area to construction. On top of that,  First Street has been under construction, but Davies said Monday, that the road patch work is supposed to be finished this week, allowing the parade to stick to its traditional route.

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Members of the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees Women’s Volleyball team were at Seaway District High School on Sunday, where they worked with local players (grades 8-12) who are participating in the second annual Spikes Volleyball program organized by Andy Lee. 

The Spikes program, this year, has attracted 26 local volleyball players intent on improving their skills.

Sunday’s number for the Gee-Gees clinic, presented by GeeGees Myriam English, Stephanie Theiler, Kira Tome and Katherine Weihrer, grew to 31 girls from South and North Dundas, Brockville and Cornwall. 

“The Gee-Gees were able to send us out the best of the best in university volleyball,” said Lee. “The girls did a marvelous job instructing both our kids and the numerous coaches who attended. I hope the girls realized the skilled company they were in.”

 Stephanie Theiler is the Gee-Gees co-captain with Myriam English. She is currently ninth in Ontario for digs while English is the highest point getter in Canada University ball. Kira Tome is the Gee-Gees starting setter, currently fifth in Ontario in assists, and Katherine Weihrer was last year’s captain and starting middle player.  

The Gee-Gees are currently in first place in the OUA East with nine wins and one loss. They are ranked eighth in Canada.

The eight week Spikes Volleyball program, developed by the Ontario Volleyball Association, began at Seaway in early November and runs every Thursday night. 

“We will continue to build our core skills,” said Lee following Sunday’s clinic. “Clinics like these go a long way to achieving that.”

“Our Spikes group took in a game at Ottawa U a few weeks ago, and it was nice to be on the courts with these same players today. They were excellent ambassadors for both their school and their sport. We hope to build on this relationship in the years to come.”

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It was a dream of a lifetime for young hockey fans Brody Froats and Tysen Lefebvre, who, together dropped the opening puck(s) for the Ottawa Senators versus Vancouver Canucks NHL game at the Canadian Tire Centre, last Thursday night, November 28.

In front of 17,931 cheering fans, Brody and Tysen made their way to centre ice, not only to drop the puck(s), but to introduce the teams’ Heritage Classic jerseys which will be officially worn March 2, at BC Place, for the NHL’s third Heritage Classic.

The boys were thrilled to be part of last Thursday night’s festivities and it was all made possible through Make–A–Wish® Eastern Ontario and the cooperation of the Ottawa Senators. 

“No Disney vacation for this boy,” said Brody’s mom Lisa with a laugh. “It was all Sens and dinner out, and that was all he would ever want…and of course the new captain Spezza jersey which he received. It was such a wonderful day as a family.”

The family was notified of Brody’s centre-ice appearance through a phone call. “On the Wednesday, before the Thursday night game, we received a phone call from Make–A–Wish telling us that the Senators had requested Brody and Tysen,  to be guests along with our families to drop the puck for the unveiling of the new Heritage Jerseys. Well, you can imagine our excitement, and Brody was uncontainable to say the least.”

Related Story: A Big Year of Recovery for Brody Froats

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CBC is looking for the next great hockey song, and a band made up of local musicians think they might just have the ‘right musical stuff’.

Furious Gord, created in 2010 by singer/songwriter/musicians Dan Barkley, above left, Scott Veinotte, right, Mario Beriault and Derek Jones has written an exciting, upbeat, driving number called ‘The Best Game in Town’, which they have entered into the Hockey Night in Canada SongQuest. 

The voting on line has already begun to find the top 50 songs which will move on to round two in the selection process. The band is hoping that the South Dundas community (and beyond) will rally to support their entry into the Canada-wide contest.

‘The Best Game in Town’ grew out of a different song the band had already written for their new CD, Concession. “We knew we had a really good song,” said Scott Veinotte. “The timing couldn’t have been better. When we learned about the CBC contest for a new song to play during the pre-game highlights reel, we knew our piece could be re-jigged to fit the hockey theme. Dan adapted the lyrics, and the new song took shape. It literally drives to the net.”

With its dynamic lyrics and a blood-racing beat, the song could go all the way to the finals in SongQuest.  “You’ve got to be here when the place goes crazy/’Cause we know it’s the best game in town.”

Voting on line began November 23 and runs until December 11, for round one. If the song makes the first cut, in round two it will be judged by music industry and hockey panels, CBC radio and, again, the public. The ultimate winner, out of the final 10 songs surviving round two, will be chosen just by the public. The judges take into consideration more than just the votes, but also the likes and the listening for a song, in making decisions.

Supporters can vote once a day on each electronic device or machine  from computers to Ipads. The direct link to the voting site is http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/Furious-Gord 

Help Furious Gord bring home ‘musical’ hockey gold.

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“Bah! Humbug! Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart!”

These snarling words of Ebenezer Scrooge set the stage, literally, for one of the most loved tales of Christmas, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. 

Beginning on Thursday, November 28 and running until December 15, a large and wonderfully talented cast will bring the timeless story to life as Upper Canada Playhouse stages the seasonal classic for the young and the young at heart.

This visually stunning production, set on a revolving stage, and highlighted with spirited music, lively sound effects and costumes and wigs from the very streets of Victorian London will thrill playgoers. 

“It is the kind of holiday show families look for at this time of year,” said Playhouse artistic director, Donnie Bowes. “The audience will follow Scrooge on his sometimes scary, sometime joyous, but always fascinating journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.”

At a recent press conference, Bowes commented on why the tale continues to hold such a powerful charm for audiences, nearly 200 years after it appeared. 

“When Dickens first wrote his novel in 1843, it was really a comment on the social issues of the time. In some ways, A Christmas Carol was not taken seriously. But over the decades it has gained weight. Now people look forward to it, to this traditional show that celebrates the season. We get a lot of families booking this one, and a lot of schools.”

The Playhouse adaptation features unique innovations including much music and singing and dancing. Because, as Bowes said, “it’s a ghost story at heart, this also allows special effects and original interpretations.”

To bring the some 35 separate characters in the play to life, Bowes has brought a multi-talented and energetic cast of 12 to the theatre. 

Richard Bauer will play the lead role, a part he says is a “lovely experience. I love playing Scrooge.”

Doug Tangney creates the Ghost of Christmas Past, while Bruce Tubbe portrays the Ghost of Christmas Present and Playhouse newcomer, Warren Bain, is the Ghost of Christmas Future.

Sending shivers through the audience will be Jamie Williams as the spectral Jacob Marley. Williams will also take on the role of Bob Cratchit, while Meredith Zwicker (who is also the play’s musical director) is Mrs. Cratchit.

Tubbe is also cast as the jovial Mr. Fezziwig, with Bain as nephew Fred and Young Scrooge and Ryan Jacobs as Peter Cratchit, among a variety of other roles. (“Ryan has the longest ‘track’ – most characters – in the play,” the other performers laughed.)

Jody Osmond as Belle and Jess Vandenberg, who also designed the lively choreography, fill out the cast. Joining the seasoned performers will be local actors Conor Veinotte, 12, who is appearing in every show as a fiddler, while his two younger brothers, Gavin and Liam, will alternate in the part of the beloved Tiny Tim.

This adaptation features much music and dance. 

“In this show, there are a number of songs,” said Jess Vandenberg. “Donnie made several suggestions, and then Meredith and I found other pieces  which suit the era and the mood.”

“There is only one time that Jess and I have disagreements,” Zwicker laughed. “The cast is all so talented that we fight over who plays, who sings, who dances in any given scene. We end up bartering. Donnie really gives us a lot of free rein. Oh, by the way, Jamie and Richard are keen dancers,” she added, to the amusement of the cast.

With a hard-working crew backstage (over 30 costumes and hair pieces, and a revolving set that allows for continuous action) and technical director Sean Free lighting the show, Upper Canada Playhouse’s production of A Christmas Carol will delight audiences of all ages. 

For information and tickets, contact Upper Canada Playhouse at 613-543-3713/1-877-550-3650 or uppercanadaplayhouse.com. Discounted tickets for the Nov. 29 preview available.

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More than 160 children and their parents and grandparents came out to enjoy all the fun at the Iroquois Legion on Thursday, November 21. The star of the  party was undoubtedly the Jolly Old Elf, Santa Claus himself, who popped in from the North Pole. 

The Christmas party was sponsored by the Iroquois & District Business Group.

With goodie bags donated by the Iroquois-Matilda Lions and Doug Byers,  and wrapped by Elf Jim Mustard, and a hot dogs/chili dinner organized by Iroquois Public School Parents Council, no one went home hungry.  Ontario Early Years crafts tables and OPP escorted hay wagon rides from Donald Barkley just added to the fun. 

“Nice to see the community getting into the spirit of Christmas,” said Tracey Stewart, secretary of the Business Association.

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B. McNairn-Leader Staff

MORRISBURG–Business partners Bill Dennis and Cindy Lamothe have dropped anchor in Morrisburg and will be opening their new business, Bite me, Bait and Tackle in the Pinkus Shopping Plaza this coming Sunday, December 1.

Bite Me, Bait and Tackle is an extension of Bill’s manufacturing business, Jiggernaut Tackle which he and his wife Claudette have owned and operated in their Cornwall home for 34 years. In an effort to separate their home-based manufacturing business from their home life, the couple purchased a home and have lived in Morrisburg for the past year.

Soon after they arrived in Morrisburg, it became obvious to Bill and Claudette that there was one retail store that was missing….that being something for the local fishermen. And that’s where business partner Cindy Lamothe and her husband Dan entered the picture.

The Lamothes know Bill and Claudette as Dan works for Jiggernaut Tackle as an assembler. As sometimes happens they learned of each other’s interest in opening a retail store and that is how Bite Me, Bait and Tackle got its first bite.

Bill and Claudette first got involved in the fishing accessories/ tackle industry when, “I got tired of buying stuff that was made in China, that just kept falling apart,” says Bill. “So I started making my own stuff.”

Jiggernaut started slowly with the couple making their products and selling them out of their home. “Then we started going out and marketing ourselves,” says Claudette. “And now we sell to Walmart, Canadian Tire and Bass Pro Shops etc. We started out as a simple little business, and every year we grew and grew.”

Jiggernaut manufactures everything from worm harnesses to floating harnesses, Cornwall spinners to bottom huggers.

It’s been a busy 34 years, growing and expanding the business, and now comes the next big step…setting up a retail location.

“Dan and I have wanted to open a bait and tackle shop for years,” says Cindy. “So when we learned that Bill and Claudette were considering something in Morrisburg, we were on board.”

The Lamothes live in Ingleside and Cindy works in Cornwall, so while Bite Me, Bait and Tackle gets going the four plan to divide their time at the store. “We’ll all be sharing the time, our weekends are going to be busy for sure,” says Cindy.

Bite Me, Bait and Tackle is of course stocked with Jiggernaut Tackle products along with other well-known product lines. They will be retailing rods and reels, live bait, ice fishing gear and clothing.

The plan is to slowly grow the business by adding new products with the long-term goal to offer hunting supplies and clothing.

“We hope to sell licences as well,” says Bill. “Hopefully by spring.”.

“We are in a very popular fishing area,” says Bill. “There are plenty of activities and more tournaments all the time. We’ll be able to help people, show them how to fish and what products they should be buying along with how to use them.”

With several weeks of setting shop now behind them, Bite Me Bait and Tackle is excited to be opening in time for the Christmas gift season. With their knowledge of their products, they will be able to help all gift buyers ….even those who don’t fish, but are shopping for the fish enthusiast in the family.

Claudette points out, “we ordered 1,000 display hooks and ran out fairly quickly, so people should be able to find what they want with us. We will have a big assortment at a variety of prices. We will definitely be affordable for everyone.”

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Sadie-Five-year-old gorgeous Black Lab mix, not spayed. Happy gal. Indoor/outdoor dog. Really friendly. Adores people and can't wiggle her bum enough when greeting someone. Ready to make someone a loving companion. Sadie is this dog's forever name.

 

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Grants aimed at helping municipalities safeguard its drinking water sources were announced November 1 by the Ontario government.

South Dundas is among the 189 municipalities eligible for grants ranging from $18,000 to $100,000. 

These funds relate to source protection plans.

Drinking water source protection planning was a recommendation of the O’Connor inquiry into the Walkerton tragedy. 

Seven people died and more than 2,000 became sick after consuming contaminated drinking water in the Town of Walkerton, in 2000.

“Guarding against threats to our drinking water supplies is the purpose of source protection. With the help of our many partners on local Source Protection Committees, we are completing source-to-tap drinking water protection,” said Jim Bradley Minister of Environment.

The funding notice was unexpected. 

South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald notified council of the fundng announcement at the November 19 meeting.

“We’ve been offered $63,000 and we’re going to take it,” said McDonald. That amount includes a $15,000 incentive which is available to municipalities that work together to implement source protection plans. 

McDonald plans to meet with South Dundas’ source protection people for recommendations on how the money should be spent.

Funds can only be used to offset costs the municipality will incur in order to fulfil its duty to ensure drinking water threats are managed as specified in source protection plans.

Eligible costs include risk management, expenses municipalities incur in order to change land-use planning policies to prohibit or reduce activities that pose a significant drinking water threat, community education and outreach, and other activities that align with the collection of data under the Clean Water Act.

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds pointed out that South Dundas is in a fortunate position of having few significant threats to its drinking water source, however, welcomed the funding.

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