News

It was a celebration of biking and bikers at Gillard’s Chip Wagon & Dairy Bar on Thursday, August 16, when the Gillard family held a special night for bikers of all ages. “This night was a chance for us to give back to bikers for supporting our regular Thursday Bike Nights for the last three years,” said Sheila Gillard, eldest daughter of owners Patty and Dennis Gillard. “On a normal Thursday evening, we get between 60-120 bikers dropping in during the good weather,” said Patty Gillard. “but tonight we expect well over 200 to arrive and join us for free coffee, donuts, finger foods and beverages. These are great people, and we count them as friends for life. Word of mouth has brought bikers from Cornwall, Brockville, local areas and the United States to our stop. This Appreciation Night is our thank you.” Above are just some of the early arrivals at Gillard’s. In the inset, proving a love of biking runs in the family, are (l-r) Sheila Gillard, Kayla Gillard and grandfather John Beehler, who rides a 2009 Harley-Davidson Tri-Glide.

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Seen one of these  lately?

Dare to Flash a ‘Stache will raise vital funds and awareness locally for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer.

Participants are invited to grow, groom, trim, wax or “fashion a fake” to make their way into the annals of fine moustachery from November 1st to Nov 30th.  

Before they get growing or styling, participants will have to register at www.flashastache.ca to start gathering pledges for themselves or their teams.  

At the SD&G Mutual Aid Fire Association Awards Banquet on August 20, dozens of local firefighters gathered to celebrate the recipients of four regional awards: attendance; fire prevention; fire training; and an all-around points award.  

Much to everyone’s surprise, a few regional leaders in the Mutual Aid donned moustaches to announce their support and to encourage participation among the rest of the attendees present and their fellow firefighters.

Asked about why firefighters might want to participate and support this event, Al Armstrong, Councilor, and Fire Commissioner for North Dundas  said, “Firefighters are without a doubt some of the most community-minded individuals.  There are thousands of dedicated volunteers working with service groups and other organizations, but firefighters are the only ones putting their lives on the line for their neighbours.” 

Armstrong added that, “it makes sense that prostate cancer would be a precious cause for firefighters, as the bulk of firefighters are male, and those who are female, likely have a spouse, brother, father, or friend that could benefit from increased awareness or fund raising efforts.”

It is important to know that funds raised will stay in this region.  A portion of the funds will support the WDMH Foundation Cancer Fund.  

The other half of the proceeds will be directed to critical research in connection with the Ottawa Hospital’s da Vinci robotics program (http://ohfoundation.ca/current-projects/patient-care/da-vinci-surgical-system). The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation is the organization that is raising these funds. 

The committee hopes to have 500 participants for this exciting new event, For more information or to get a team registered today, go to www.flashastache.ca

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The Pumpkin Inferno, coming to Upper Canada Village this October, will be totally original, and totally spell-binding. There is already a feeling that it will rival Alight at Night in its appeal to the public. 

“It’s magnificent,” said Susan Le Clair,  manager of customer service & corporate communications for the St. Lawrence Parks Commission. “We are investing a lot of resources into our Pumpkin Inferno.”

On Friday, October 5, the Commission will unveil its newest attraction, the Pumpkin Inferno.  The Inferno will be an event unlike anything Upper Canada Village has ever staged before. 

For the entire month of October, (leading up to an as yet top secret finale on October 31), the Village will be the site of an extraordinary display of over 25 fascinating exhibits, all created using 4,000 pumpkins. (Five transports were needed to deliver the pumpkins to the work site.)

Visitors to the Village will be dazzled by pumpkin creations, two and three dimensional, tied to themes as diverse as Under the Sea and the Old West. 

“We hope to enhance and augment this experience for our visitors, with the wonderful Village as the backdrop,” Le Clair explained. “There will be lights and music, and the exhibits will be in the trees, in the water, and on the ground, making full use of the Village site.” 

Events officer Jancis Sommerville brought the idea of the Pumpkin Inferno to the commission, and developed the business plan. “Management was immediately excited by her idea,” said Le Clair. “They are backing her vision 100 per cent. We hope to see as many as 25,000 visitors to the Village in this our first year. We want to keep Upper Canada Village alive and vital even after the regular season ends. We want to drive tourism through this region.”

The artistic force behind this incredible new event at Upper Canada Village?

It’s a group of extraordinarily talented young people, many drawn from right here in South Dundas.

The Leader had the opportunity to meet Liam Mills and Dave Hurtubise (later joined by Nikki Ault), who head the project. They are young graphic designers whose vision for the Pumpkin Inferno has “fired-up” the Village. 

Mills and Hurtubise lead a team of 13 students, some in high school, some in college, some in university. From a variety of backgrounds (art history, animation, industrial design and art classes), what they all share in common are strong creative and artistic skills. 

Liam, Dave and Susan Le Clair led a tour of the Pumpkin site (built in a large work shop behind the Upper Canada air strip) on Thursday, August 16. It was a beehive of activity, as the students bring the exhibits to life.

Hurtubise and Mills’ original graphic concepts are designed, first on paper, and then in computer simulations, at the start of what the team jokingly calls “the assembly line.”

“We have 25 major themes for this exhibit,” Liam Mills said. “They are very diverse: traditional Hallowe’en to underwater creations, Chinese themes, gardens, even the Old West. Just one of our themes required 27 pumpkins to make a figure life sized. I think people will be very surprised by what they see.”

“The pumpkins are all styrofoam, and come in several sizes,” Dave Hurtubise explained, “from really small hand sized ones to others almost three feet tall.  The pumpkins are attached to plywood and the students trace outlines in the dark room cannister. We disassemble the pieces, later reassembling them to make the exhibits. I think that when our finished works are lit up at night, the exhibits will be really striking.”

There were no blue prints for this project. The whole concept was completely unique. “The team often had to invent the process as they went along,” Le Clair said. 

“We collectively work on one theme at a time,” Liam explained, “although two or three exhibits may be on the go. Work is constantly in progress on the line.”

“We are very team driven,” Dave said. “Everyone is involved in every step of the process. There’s a lot of satisfaction for people to see where everything is going. I think the most creative work takes place in mid process.”

Each worker has his/her station and tools. Carpenters take into consideration the lighting and settings as the exhibits near completion and are stored in labelled trailers. The exhibits have been created to use the buildings, the lights, the trees and the full size and scale of the Village to create an impact.

It is obvious, from the level of energy and enthusiasm on the work site that the young artists are excited about and dedicated to this project. “We have been very, very busy,” Dave and Liam laughed at the end of the tour, “and maybe our heads bounce around a lot.” 

It looks like this is going to be an event at the Village no one should miss.

The Pumpkin Inferno is scheduled to open October 5, soon after the end of the regular Village season.

“Willard’s will be open during the event,” Susan Le Clair said, “and there will be some delicious pumpkin themed treats throughout the Village. This walking tour is really a family friendly experience. And if people want to come to the Pumpkin Inferno in costumes, they should go right ahead.”

Tickets for the grand Pumpkin Inferno at Upper Canada Village are already on sale. Check the Village website for dates and prices.

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The uncertainty created by the unrest between doctors and government hit home Monday when South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds announced that a planned expansion of local health care facilities has ended before it even got started.

In a media release, Mayor Byvelds announced that the Township of South Dundas will not pursue the purchase of the former St Cecilia’s School in Iroquois. 

The Township had been in discussions with St. Mary’s/St. Cecilia’s Parish to purchase the school to provide a new location for the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic in Iroquois.

The Township had been approached by the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic to partner with them to provide modern, accessible space on a long-term lease basis, similar to the arrangement with the Clinic in Morrisburg.

The Township had completed its due diligence on the school property and had submitted a conditional offer for the consideration of the Parish. 

However, recently the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic advised that due to an uncertain future with respect to Provincial support of rural medicine they cannot expand further at present.

Acknowledging the position of the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic, Mayor Byvelds said, “I fully realize that with the Province imposing cutbacks that it does impact your business. Rest assured that the Township of South Dundas is willing to work with the SLMC to provide for the health care needs of our residents.”

South Dundas chief administrative officer Stephen McDonald told The Leader that the SLMC and Township are still moving ahead with the agreement they have in place for the Morrisburg clinic that will see it move into a renovated space in the former Morrisburg Collegiate building.

A detailed report on that project is expected at this week’s council meeting.

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A Kirker Road house was destroyed by fire August 8.

North Dundas firefighters were the first on scene and found the house fire fully involved upon arrival, according to Chris McDonough, Fire Chief of South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services. Firefighters from the Iroquois and Williamsburg stations also responded to the call and the blaze was under control in about 20 minutes.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

McDonough says the home was a complete loss, with damages estimated at about $140,000.

No one was home at the time of the fire. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.

Under an automatic aid agreement with North Dundas, fire calls from a portion of South Dundas, including the Kirker Road area, North Dundas firefighters are the first responders.

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Although there hasn’t been enough rain to significantly impact area water levels,  municipal officials have decided that there has been enough rain to lift South Dundas’ fire ban.

“This area has received a significant amount of precipitation this past weekend,” said Chris McDonough, Fire Chief with South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services. “The temperature is now cooler and the grass has turned green again which makes the conditions now acceptable to resume the issuance of burn permits.”

As always, there is no open burning in the villages and hamlet areas of South Dundas. In all other areas, a burn permit is required. There is no charge for a burn permit and they may be obtained at the South Dundas municipal office in Williamsburg.

The ban on all open air burning that was lifted Monday, August 13 has been in place since July 3.

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South Dundas’ Community Strategic Plan, in its final draft form,  will be available to the public for comment by late September. 

Earlier this month, South Dundas council held a special meeting to review the draft and discuss any of their questions and concerns with staff.

“It was a council working session to review the draft and the implementation strategy of the plan,” said Nicole Sullivan, South Dundas economic development officer.

The general discussion concerning the actions and time line of the plan went very well, according to Sullivan. “Council has been involved through the whole process, so there were no major changes,” she said. 

From that meeting the final draft will be prepared and presented to council in September. After the September  meeting, the draft will be made available to the public for comment.

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Despite the rains, the story on the drought situation remains much the same.

“We’ve had rain, but not enough to lift the level two drought,” says Jason Symington, environmental technician with the South Nation Conservation Authority. 

He was in the field examining levels early this week and says, “We still have a ways to go. The rain we got was fairly quick and not as long lasting as we needed it to be to change the level two situation.”

Earlier this month, the water response team which includes representatives from several stakeholder groups, including the agricultural community, met to talk about their observations and actions regarding the low water levels. According to Symington, they basically reported that things are dry but the demand is still being supplied so they recommended maintaining the level two designation.

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If you like gardening and food, this is the weekend for you,” according to Dave Dobbie, Manager of Upper Canada Village.  With colourful heirloom plants in full bloom and vegetables growing in abundance, Upper Canada Village is in peak form for an exploration of two closely related subjects:  gardens and food.  

This special weekend from Saturday, August 18 to Sunday, August 19 includes garden tours, special presentations, taste testing and sampling of locally produced foods. 

Modern and 1860s cooking demonstrations will be featured and there will be a number of food vendors on site throughout the weekend as well. By promoting food and gardening traditions, visitors will experience the deep connections between plants and people.

Tour the Gardens

Gardening enthusiasts can accompany the knowledgeable Village horticultural staff on a variety of leisurely tours within the Village’s beautiful grounds. Ornamental and vegetable gardens are on the agenda at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on both days. 

If you love tomatoes, you will have the opportunity to explore Heirloom Tomato Culture, also at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on both days. 

Those visitors wishing to tempt their taste buds will have an opportunity to sample the produce straight out of the garden during the taste-testing of Heirloom Vegetables on the program at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

From 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., visitors are invited to gather behind at Loucks Garden and find out more about horseradish, one of the most widely used condiments in the 19th century.

Sampling and Cooking 

Demonstrations

Visitors will also be interested to see how the herbs, fruits and vegetables produced in Village gardens enjoy a second life in Village kitchens. 

Culinary history interpreters at Loucks Farm, Cook’s Tavern and Tenant Farm will cook period dishes, using heirloom plant varieties and share traditional recipes and preservation techniques to awaken the senses to new understandings of the past. On the menu are jams and jellies, boiled puddings and summer drinks.  

At the Physician’s House, Linden tea will be served. The tea is made from a plant that has been used in folk medicine and in various remedies for centuries.

Throughout the weekend, Shaun Funk, local chef and owner of Redhead Pantry Premium Condiments, will present a workshop on preserving methods old and new at the Upper Canada Village Discovery Centre. He will talk about curing, drying, smoking, vinegar making and more. 

Temple’s Sugar Bush will have taffy on snow for sale as well as other maple products and will feature a display of old-fashioned sugar making equipment.

Local Vendors

Several local vendors will be setting up in the Village fairgrounds, including Connaught Farms, Trudy’s Fresh Home-Style Bakery and Glengarry Fine Cheese (on Saturday). 

Leslie Johnson from the Dundas County Milk Committee will be on site on Sunday with a large variety of locally produced cheeses and recipes. 

Barley Days Brewery from Prince Edward County will have samples of their micro-brewed beer at Cook’s Tavern. 

Village interpreter Wayne Prunner will demonstrate meat and cheese smoking and provide delicious samples.

The mouth-watering experience continues at the Village Store throughout the festival with a sampling of Village-made cheese and fudge.

Ticket prices are Adult (13 to -64 years of age) $17, Senior (65+ years of age) $14 and Youth (6 to 12 years of age) $14.  Children 5 years of age and under are free.  

“Upper Canada Village boasts an impressive collection and collective knowledge of heirloom plants and the Village Store carries a large variety of locally-made specialty food products.  This is your chance to come and enjoy both experiences and have a relaxing outing on the beautiful grounds of the Village,” says Dobbie.

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There is still lots of summer fun yet to be enjoyed. And this weekend amid the enchanted forests of Woodlands Beach, families can enjoy a brand new Children’s Festival featuring:

· The Barnyard Petting Zoo,

· Bouncy Castle and Sports Inflatables;

· Free Face Painting by A Little Bit of Bling; and

· Princess Belle from the Fairytale Beauty and the Beast.

Also enjoy crafts, games a new forest themed play structure and roaming characters. Refreshments will be available at the Candy and Slushie stand or at the chip wagon. 

The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 and 19.  Story reading with Princess Belle will take place at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. each day.

The event is supported through generous sponsorships by United Way Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Ontario Power Generation, Cornwall Honda, The Great Waterway and Kraft.

*   Admission is $4.87 per person ($14.16 maximum vehicle charge) and children 12 years of age and younger are free.

Woodlands Beach is located on the Long Sault Parkway west of Cornwall, Ontario, on County Road 2 between the villages of Ingleside and Long Sault.  From Highway 401 take exit 770 or exit 778.

“We have made numerous improvements throughout Parks of the St. Lawrence campgrounds and beach areas this year.  Beach improvements, campsite upgrades and the recent addition of new playground equipment at our beach areas is a definite bonus for families looking to beat the heat this summer.  The Children’s Festival is a new event we have added to give families an affordable way to come out and enjoy our parks,” said Lou Seiler, Manager of Parks & Recreation, St. Lawrence Parks Commission.

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