News

 

The huge success and popularity of the South Dundas Dog Park in Morrisburg has not come without a few glitches, says Park Pals committee co-chairs Tracey Veinotte and Janeen Wagemans.

Even during the coldest days of the past winter, Wagemans estimates a minimum of 20 dogs and their owners visited the park each day and on summer evenings last year it was common to see upwards of 20 dogs, at one time, enjoying the park. 

“It is good that we have the traffic,” says Veinotte. “But it’s chewing the land up, so our agenda right now is ‘how do we keep it nice?”.

Earlier this spring volunteers roped off the heavy traffic entry area in the park for large dogs, planted grass seed and added fertilizer to assist the grassed area to recover.

Although the original park design called for more bricking in the entry area, there was not enough money available.

“Wendy (Montreal landscape architect Wendy Graham who designed the park) also pointed out that in the first year or two we would see what needed to be done, so that is what we are now seeing,” said Wagemans.

The current plan to alleviate the ‘wear’ problem is to dig down and add crushed stone in a semi-circular pattern out from the gate entry and around the landscaping rocks where the dogs and their owners tend to gather. An additional set of three rocks will be added farther away from the entry in a effort to move some of the congestion from the affected area.

The Park Pals committee has also identified the need for drainage, a watering system and lighting. 

To put these needs in place they have launched a Mother’s Day Draw which they expect will be their final ‘major’ fund raiser.

“Our donation box had been broken into twice so we are hoping the light will deter that,” says Veinotte, with Wagemans pointing out, “The money is  removed from the box every day, and although we are generally only talking a couple of dollars here and there, it is a nice contribution.”

In addition, park users who work have expressed the need for lighting in the fall and early winter, when darkness falls early before they are able to get home from work and get their pooches to the park.

Veinotte and Wagemans and several of the original Park Pals committee members (Willie Harper, Barb O’Neill and Sandra Van Allen) are delighted with the use the park is getting from local dog owners and especially people from Iroquois, Williamsburg, Winchester, Ingleside and Long Sault on a regular basis. In addition, there is the travelling public that searches out the park.

“I didn’t really believe a dog park would draw people in, even though all the literature said it would,” said Wagemans. “I thought, oh yeah right, but there are actually quite a lot of people coming in.”

The Park Pals committee is once again looking for the support of the community, especially dog lovers and dog owners, for their upcoming Mother’s Day raffle.

Tickets are $5 each and there are six prizes up for grabs. The top three prizes include a new IPAD 3, a $200 Canadian Tire Gift Certificate and a $100 Riley’s Valu-mart Gift Card. The draw will be made Sunday, May 13 at the South Dundas Dog Park and the Park Pals will have the tickets for sale this coming weekend at Valu-Mart and on the Mother’s Day weekend at Canadian Tire.

Any park users who could help with ticket sales over the next couple of weeks, or ticket sales or projects (maintenance) in the future are invited to contact either Veinotte or Wagemans.

The Park Pals are estimating that they need approximately $7,000 to complete their work plan which includes about $1,900 for irrigation, $1,800 for gravel and $3,300 for electrical. They are hoping to raise $2,000 towards the final project from the draw.

“If we can get it set up correctly, our goal is to have it a maintenance free park,” said Wagemans.

Once maintenance free, the Park Pals committee will continue to hold their annual Duck Draw to raise money for minor expenses, such as the cost of the waste collection bags and water.

“If we don’t do all the crazy things we do to keep the dog park the way it is, then I’m afraid it is not going be as nice in the future,” says Veinotte. “We absolutely appreciate that the area is very special to a lot of people and we want to keep it looking the way people are proud of it.”

[…]

 

Gay Rust, Worthy Matron of the Moonlight Chapter #224 of the Eastern Star in Iroquois, completed this year’s ‘special project’ last Thursday night when she made a total of $1,500 in donations.

This year’s project, which she worked on with Worthy Patron Jack Tousaw of the Friendly Brothers Iroquois Mason Lodge #143, was to “help women with cancer.” 

“Our goal was to raise money for the local community, and we also wanted to honour the memory of Friendly Brother Gary Richards.”

Three donations of $500 each were presented to the Dundas County Hospice represented by the organization’s secretary Marilyn Boissonneault, the Winchester Hospital Heelers represented by Heelers captain Carole Hall and to Mason’s Worshipful Master Ron Cowalchuk in memory of the late Gary Richards who was a  Master Mason and a member of the Eastern Star.

Gary’s widow, Kay Richards, joined Master Cowalchuk to receive the memorial.

“We try very hard to integrate with the community and be part of the community,” said Cowalchuk. “We try to stand as an example for the young people. Brother Gary was a very important part of our community. He was a strong person with good ideals. We are constantly remembering and missing Gary, and I am touched to receive this on behalf of the Lodge. We appreciate everything the Moonlight Chapter has done, and we will find a way to put a memory together to remind us of Gary as we go forward.”

On behalf of the Dundas County Hospice, Boissonneault thanked the Moonlight Chapter.

“Even though it is our 20th anniversary this year there are still people in the community who do not know that we exist or what we do,” said Boissonneault of the Hospice that provides a range of services in the home of a person/family facing a terminal illness.

Boissonneault outlined that the Dundas County Hospice has trained volunteers who go into the homes, bereavement counselling programs and an equipment loans cupboard.

“We have a whole lot of stuff for people who need it, and all of our services are free to residents of Dundas County who are facing a life-threatening illness. At any one time, we can have as many as 65 clients.”

Boissonneault also pointed out that because the Hospice receives, only about one third provincial funding, it relies heavily on the financial help of the community.

“This donation is going to go a long way in helping someone have an easier time in a very difficult time in their lives.”

Carole Hall too thanked the group and explained that the Winchester Hospital Heelers are a group of individuals, many of whom are cancer survivors, who are dedicated to making a difference to the lives of cancer patients and their families.”

To date the Heelers have raised more than $525,000 through their participation in the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation’s  60 km Walk Weekends to End Breast/Women’s Cancers which began in 2006 and ended in 2011.

While 25 per cent of the funds they raised went to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, 75 per cent of over $392,000 was returned to benefit the Winchester District Memorial Hospital cancer program.

“This money is financing the purchase of a new digital mammography machine that offers the newest technology in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer,” said Hall.

She explained that with the end of the Ottawa walk last year, the Heelers committed to continue their efforts. “Our current goal is to raise another $125,000 by September 8, to pay the outstanding balance on the digital mammography machine.” 

To do so, the Heelers have received the blessing of the Winchester District Memorial Hospital Foundation which will organize an event/walk this fall, “Heel ‘n Wheel for Local Cancer Care”.

The Heel ‘n Wheel walk/bike event, officially launched this past Friday, will take place September 8, 2012, with starting points in seven of the Heelers’ hometown communities including Morrisburg and South Mountain. (See related story in this week’s issue).

The entire Winchester Hospital community is being invited to participate and support the September “Heel ‘n Wheel”.

“We are good people here in the Eastern Star, and we will go farther and faster into the future now, knowing we have touched people,” said Rust following the presentations.

[…]

 

“Heart disease kills one in three people,” said Lynne Groulx, program coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. “More women die of heart disease than all of the cancers put together.” 

Groulx passed along these statistics to riders as they prepared for their ‘Big Bike’ ride on April 30th. The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s ‘Big Bike’ fundraiser came to Morrisburg for the day on Monday, complete with  the massive 30-seat bike.

Stationed at Canadian Tire in Morrisburg for the second year in a row, the ‘Big Bike’ went out five times on Monday. The first ride, organized by Community Living Dundas, raised $814.51. The second, organized by Beavers Dental, raised $2,230. Canadian Tire family and friends took the fourth ride of the day bringing in $677 toward the cause.

The third and fifth rides of the day were both organized by Barbara Scott on behalf of the South Dundas Chamber of Commerce. According to Scott, finding people willing to join the fundraiser was a simple matter of asking: “I hit Facebook, email, phone, doors… it’s just knocking on doors and saying we need help.” 

The first Chamber ride included RBC, the Upper Canada Playhouse, W.C. Robinson Plumbing and Electrical, the Hartford Retirement Centre, and Tim Cassell – Independent Insurance Provider, as well as Chamber members. The group raised $3,417.

The second Chamber ride included Scotiabank, the Basket Café and Gift Shop, South Dundas councillor Evonne Delegarde, and other Chamber members. They raised $3,630.05 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s research.

With the five rides combined, the Morrisburg event brought in $10,768.56, approximately $3,000 more than last year’s total.

According to Groulx, the Morrisburg total brings the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s ‘Big Bike’ fundraiser much closer to their $55,000 goal. As of April 30th, Groulx estimated that they are sitting at approximately $37,000 in total so far.

According to Groulx, the ‘Big Bike’ visited Akwesasne on April 27th, Cornwall on April 28th and 29th, and then Morrisburg on the 30th. The ‘Big Bike’ then traveled to Embrun on May 1st. The final destinations include Rockland on the 3rd, Cornwall high schools (La Citadelle High School and St. Joseph’s Catholic Seconday School) on the 4th, and finally, Vankleek Hill and Alexandria on the 5th.

[…]

 

“SBWOG is still determined to fight this project,” said Leslie Disheau, representative for the South Branch Wind Opposition Group (SBWOG), on April 11th.

The opposition group is hard at work trying to raise awareness and support for their effort to stall and, ultimately, stop Prowind Canada’s wind turbine development project, the South Branch Wind Farm.

As reported in an earlier edition of The Leader, on April 10th, two local MPPs, Jim McDonell for Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry as well as Steve Clark for Leeds and Grenville, hosted a public meeting in Dixon’s Corners. 

The meeting was held in response to requests from the opposition group for a balanced public information session.

“I was pleased with the public turnout at the meeting,” said Bruce Albers, president of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group.

“There were some excellent comments and questions. I applaud Jim McDonell and Steve Clark for recognizing the concerns of their constituents and addressing them, something both municipal councils refused to do.”

“I thought it was very telling that those bodies whose responsibility it is to protect our community refused to attend the meeting.” 

“The MOE (Ministry of the Environment), MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources), and Eastern Ontario Health Unit should be ashamed of themselves,” he continued. “The only public body to live up to its responsibilities and attend the meeting was the South Nation Conservation Authority.”

In addition to attending local meetings and asking local politicians for assistance, the opposition group has come up with additional tools for spreading awareness, sharing information and garnering support for their fight against the influx of wind turbines.

One such tool is their new website: www.stopbigwind.ca.

The website defines the group’s membership and mission: “We are a collection of citizens living in Brinston, Shanly, and South Mountain, Ontario. Our mandate is to provide information about the South Branch industrial wind project, as well as the potential negative impacts of industrial wind turbines.”

Still in its infancy,  the website lists information on the project itself and it provides links to various relevant news articles, quotes, and related information. 

In addition to the website, the group has started a series of newsletters called “Breaking Wind.” So far the newsletter has had two installments. The second, out in April, was four pages long and offered updates, information, definitions of wind terminology, myth debunking and more.

One of the highlighted myths: “Europe has been using windmills for the last twenty years and they don’t have any problems.” According to the opposition group’s counter fact: “There are more than 520 organizations in over 20 countries who oppose the continued proliferation of industrial wind turbines.”

Through their website, newsletters, and various activities in the community, the opposition group is working to keep this issue front and center.

In response to recent changes made to the Green Energy Act, Disheau stated: “Our group has made it known that we openly oppose wind developers and their projects, so with the ‘new’ rules of giving ‘points’ to areas supporting wind developers this may change what happens here in South Dundas for future prospects.”

“Families here still remember fifty-four years ago when the St. Lawrence Seaway project was undertaken to give us power generation for the next hundred years and an international commercial trade route for economic prosperity,” continued Disheau.

“Those provincial promises made back then are very similar to those being made today… not worth the ink.”

“We all know that this region is not getting the full benefit of the hydro electricity being produced in Cornwall nor did the economic prosperity ever transpire for the villages along the St. Lawrence river. ‘We must go, but watch us grow’… I’m still waiting to see the ‘grow’ happen and I’ve lived here for 43 years.”

“I really can’t see how subsidized industrial wind turbines will save us from global warming. ‘Green is good’ only for those profiting,” she said.

As for Prowind Canada, they have submitted their final report to the Ministry of Environment and are awaiting the next step.

According to Albers, with Prowind’s submission, “the MOE will first ensure that all components necessary for the application have been included, such as archaeological surveys, flora and fauna studies, community consultation documentation, etc.”

“Once this step has been completed, the application may or may not move to the technical evaluation stage,” he said. “It may simply be posted to the EBR (Environmental Registry) website for public consultation. Here the application must be posted for a minimum of 30 days.”

“In the past, projects have been posted for 60 days but more recently the government has gone back to their 30 day rule. Once the public consultation period has concluded, the MOE is supposed to take into account the comments then determine whether or not to provide the Notice To Proceed.  The reality is,” continued Albers, “no wind project has ever been halted due to comments from the public.”

Albers also pointed out that “projects where endangered species or species at risk were to be affected had to have special permission to ‘kill, harm, and harass’ from the MOE.  The South Branch project has a number of such species including the snapping turtle, the bobolink, the barn swallow, and the eastern meadowlark.”

“With the help of the provincial NDPs, the new budget has passed and along with it some 60 amendments affecting the Endangered Species Act where the government can now exempt from prosecution proponents and private landowners from having to protect these vulnerable species.”  

In their fight to protect their families, homes, and communities, the South Branch Wind Opposition group is not stopping at websites and newsletters. They have attained the services of lawyer Erik K. Gillespie. 

Gillespie, is also legal representative for the North American Platform Against Wind Power (NAPAW), which represents people in Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and the United States.

On behalf of  NAPAW, Gillespie recently sent a letter to governmental representatives throughout Canada stating: “The purpose of this letter is to advise that in our client’s view the implementation of industrial wind energy facilities in close proximity to residences appears to violate a number of Articles of the UN Declaration of Human Rights; United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

Members of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group intend to meet with Gillespie sometime in mid-May to discuss their options. He will be discussing “possible legal avenues that include an ERT (Environmental Review Tribunal), Judicial Review, and other avenues,” said Albers.

“Our objective is to explore whatever legal avenues will stop the project, an ERT seems like the sensible avenue,” he continued, “however, we are not limiting ourselves to one single approach.”

“We have committed to pursue the Environmental Review Tribunal,” agreed Disheau, “and this is costly so we need financial commitment from people who don’t want these turbines to be built.”

“I am still hearing people say they don’t want the turbines but will not support us because they believe this project is a done deal,” she added.

“Some have even commented that they are going to wait until the turbines are built to see if the turbines will affect them, then fight against the wind developer if there are ill effects.”

In reaction to those views, Disheau said that “now is the time to fight because once the turbines are built they will never be turned off and any ill effects will never be dealt with.” 

Albers reported that “our organization is preparing for an Environmental Review Tribunal which requires legal representation at the cost of $40,000.”

“This project will not go away unless it is opposed. People need to understand that this is the nature of the GEA (Green Energy Act), it facilitates these projects.”

“Councils for South Dundas and for Edwardsburg and Cardinal refuse to address the known negative issues surrounding industrial wind turbines.”

“Those bodies such as the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, MNR, and MOE have refused to meet with the citizens of South Dundas and Shanly to address their concerns.”

“The provincial Liberals, authors of the GEA claim that industrial wind turbines sited within populated areas are safe despite the fact people have had to abandon their homes.”

“There is no one looking after our community interests,” said Albers, “the only people we have to rely on in protecting our community from industrial wind turbines are ourselves.”

“People need to be proactive. They need to do their own research. There are approximately 1,000 industrial wind turbines in South Western Ontario where there are many people suffering negative health affects.”

“Whatever resistance we provide is better than the alternative.”

“The South Branch project could be the first of many turbines in the area. There are a number of citizens in the area who have signed on to host turbines, so we now know our area will have more than 14 turbines, as we suspected.  There are other projects slated for North Gower, Winchester, and Chesterville, these projects are awaiting a FIT contract with the government.”

For more information about the South Branch Wind Opposition Group and industrial wind turbines, contact Bruce Albers at 613-658-1236 or  at sbwindoppgrp@gmail.com.

[…]

 

The Hartford Retirement Centre in Morrisburg hosted their first Spring Fling on April 29th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and, according to lifestyles and programs manager Marilyn Arsenault, “it was very successful. We’re so pleased.”

“The residents are glad to host,” she continued. “They really do enjoy having people in the home.”

The event, just in time for Mother’s Day shopping, offered plenty of vendors selling anything from traditional craft items and baked goods to such things as books, home decor items, candles and women’s toiletries. 

In addition to traditional shopping opportunities, there was also a silent auction consisting of various donated items, including a few gems from Hartford Resident John Lee.

Arsenault reported that the Hartford was able to raise $450 from the silent auction and “100 per cent of that money is going into the gardening club. It’s 100 per cent for the residents.”

“The whole purpose of the gardening club,” she explained, “is to get them outside and also to give them a chance to grow their own vegetables like they did whey they were at home.”

The money raised will “go toward materials to build a raised gardening bed.” The idea is to make the garden accessible to residents; eliminating the need to bending and kneel.

In addition to the vegetable garden initiative, Arsenault is hoping to have a potting party whereby residents create their own hanging plants for the outdoor sitting areas. 

Part of the gardening club’s ‘agenda’ will involve watering and caring for all plants, including those in the vegetable garden.

As for the Spring Fling, Arsenault applauded the overwhelming support received from the community in the form of vendors, shoppers, and volunteers. 

Luckily for those shoppers who worked up an appetite, shopping was not the only thing on the menu. The Morrisburg and District Lions Club was on hand with their barbecue, drinks and treats. 

And, if a barbecue wasn’t enough, the Basket Case Café and Gift Shop was offering freshly made waffles with a choice of orange or maple syrup. The cost was simple: a donation pledge to the April 30th Big Bike Fundraiser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

The Hartford also provided door prizes to six lucky winners.

[…]

 

“This, guys and dolls, is the Private Eye,” says private detective Harry Monday at the end of Monday Always Leads to Murder. 

Then, with a flourish, he holds up the Egyptian jewel that has been the source of two hours of murder and mayhem in Pat Cook’s comic whodunit set in New York, 1939. 

The 15th Iroquois-Matilda Lions’ play, Monday Always Leads to Murder, which ran at Upper Canada Playhouse April 26-28, scored another major hit for the cast and for the Lions’ Club. 

For the cast of 12, who has been in rehearsals for the production since January, the three day run was the culmination of a lot of hours of hard work and dedication.

Judging from the audience laughter and cheers at all four performances, it was definitely worth it.

The cast brought to life a collection of colourful characters,  all of whom appeared to have their own reasons for landing in Harry’s seedy office on a spring day in 1939.

Pop (Bill Rumble) was definitely more than just a “know nothin’” custodian.

The enigmatic Pearl Van Beesley (Joan Mann) was clearly interested in a lot more than just a play about Harry’s life.

Miller Bannister (Brian Speer), fearful client, and Desmond Sloan (Jim Mustard), ham actor, had a lot more up their respective sleeves than undershirts. So did Veronica Reynolds (Ruth Robertson), the weepy actress, who may or may not have been as confused as she claimed. 

Professor Hamadan (Donna Swank) experienced a major, very final surprize in Harry’s office.

Two comic burglars (Pat Goetz and Sam Decker, who also played Horace Barnstable) came to steal a priceless jewel but left with Harry’s wooden desk chair.

The very sultry Courtney Delecroix (Margaret Swerdfeger), was definitely after more than just Harry’s…heart.

Lt. Brogan (Glenn Swerdfeger), one of New York’s finest, couldn’t figure out which murder suspect he should nab.

Sol Johar (Barry Fawcett, using one of his very unique accents) arrived to collect a poker debt, and ended up knee deep in corpses.

And detective Harry Monday (Rick MacKenzie) had to survive bootleg hooch, gunshots through his window, burglars in his office, dead bodies on his desk, the enmity of the police and Sol Johar’s prophetic statement, “I’d like to report a murder. Somebody shot my car.”

Albert Dejong, prompting for the first time ever, did not lose his mind or his cool.

The office set for the play, designed by John Thompson, featured an impressive New York skyline. Sean Free, technical director at Upper Canada Playhouse, handled sound and lighting effects. Donnie Bowes, artistic director of UCP, and his entire staff, remained supportive and endlessly helpful throughout the run.

Club members (under Jim Locke) built and later struck the set: others handled publicity, programs and tickets, posters, photographs and video taping, as well as ushering duties.

 Stage manager Diane Fawcett kept props and actors under control during the production, while some truly outstanding volunteers handled make-up and wigs and catered great food for the final reception.

Wendy Gibb directed the show.

Although the final tallies are not all in, Monday Always Leads to Murder, should net the Lions nearly $15,000. 

Combined with past shows, the Iroquois-Matilda Club has raised nearly $200,000 through their theatre productions. 

Funds from this show, as has always been the case in the past, will be channeled back into local Lion charities and into the Club’s many community works.

[…]

 

 Is there anyone out there who doesn’t have at least one story involving the ultimate bad first date?

The senior drama students of Seaway District High School in Iroquois hope to revive those memories, and still leave everyone laughing, when they present their dinner theatre production of Check, Please! at the high school on Friday, May 11, at 6 p.m.

The 7th annual play and lasagna dinner event is being organized by the Seaway District High School Parents’ Council, chaired by Leslie Disheau.

“Check, Please is absolutely a comedy,” said Seaway drama teacher/director Emma Mayer. “It concerns the challenges faced by some very different people who are all venturing into the dating scene. The comic situations and lines still leave me laughing even after all the rehearsals.”

The play, by Jonathan Rand, revolves around a series of vignettes. The characters meet each other for the first time at a restaurant and must then cope with first impressions and false impressions, among other things.

“One of the characters walks in to her blind date only to discover he is a mime and is waiting for her ‘in character,’” Mayer explained.  “Another is faced with someone dressed in nothing but a burlap sack when she arrives to meet him at the restaurant. This is a play full of comic lines and great characters.”

With so many people ‘meeting’ for the first time on the internet, it is probably only to be expected that Rand includes a character who talks to her blind date almost exclusively in on-line lingo.

“The characters are all individuals, of different ages, coping with ‘love’ in their own way,” Mayer said.

The tradition of presenting dinner theatre at Seaway as both a fund raiser, and a venue for senior drama students to showcase their talents in a major culminating project, is well established. In previous years, audiences have enjoyed You Can’t Take It With You, George Washington Slept Here, Murder Takes the Stage and Macbeth-ish among others.

Check, Please will be carrying on this performance tradition.

Another tradition of the spring production is the delicious dinner ticket holders get to enjoy before the play begins. 

There will be a full lasagna dinner served beginning at 6 p.m. on May 11, followed at 7 p.m. by the play and later by music and dancing.

Parents’ council has also organized a silent auction as part of the gala evening. 

There are 21 students in the cast all of whom are in grade 11-12 senior theatre arts at Seaway. They also handle the back stage. 

With the additional assistance of teacher Kim Lalonde, who got preparations for the 2012 production going earlier in the semester, and who has been helping with rehearsals and staging issues, the class has been in rehearsals since April 1. The rehearsals are held during regular class time and also during the daily MSIP period. 

“My students are wonderful,” Mayer said. “They’ve been working hard at lines and at creating props and costumes. There was a real team effort involved in the painting of our sets for the show.” 

Tickets for the May 11 gala dinner theatre production of Check, Please! are only $10 each. Because a full dinner is included in the event, tickets must be purchased in advance. 

Tickets are available at Seaway District High School (613-652-4878), Mustard’s Variety, Candy’s Hair Salon/Sears, all in Iroquois, Whitteker’s in Williamsburg and the Seaway Valley Pharmacy in Morrisburg.

All funds raised by the show will be directed into new technology for the high school.

[…]

 

There’s a lot to look forward to at Upper Canada Playhouse this summer. Besides a great season of terrific plays, the Playhouse is again offering local young people the opportunity to enrol in one of the two sessions of the Youth Theatre Program being offered in July.

The Youth Theatre School has proven to be enormously popular.

The Playhouse is currently accepting students for both of the July sessions.

The theatre offers a Senior Session (grades seven and up) from July 3-14 and a Junior Session (grades one to six), from July 16-20.

This exciting, educational and creative experience has become one of the highlights of the season, with more students enrolling every year. Give your child the opportunity to develop fun theatrical projects and communication skills under the direction of experienced and talented dramatic arts professionals Mary Ellen Viau (senior school) and Kathleen Egan Veinotte (junior school).

Each session concludes with a showcase of the students’ work held at the Playhouse on the last day. These shows are open to the public. 

The two week senior session is $175 and the one week junior session is $100.

Contact Upper Canada Playhouse at 613-543-3713 for enrollment information.

[…]

 

In what circumstances does freedom of information trump the right to privacy?

On April 4th, a decision was made by adjudicator Laurel Cropley, Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, ordering the Township of South Dundas to release relevant information in a local case involving a cat and a dog.

According to the details laid out in the order, “the appellant is seeking legal redress for the loss of (and any expenses pertaining to injuries sustained by) the cat as a result of an altercation with a dog.”

“The appellant believes that the affected parties own the dog in question and seeks confirmation of that fact in order to proceed with her claim.”

“The facts and liability relating to this matter are for the court to determine; however, in the circumstances, I find that the information the appellant seeks is relevant to a fair determination of her rights, and that this factor is sufficient to outweigh any privacy interests the affected parties have in the information at issue.”

Cropley pointed out that “the information contained in the records simply records the licensing information pertaining to dogs in the care of the affected parties.”

“There is no evidence before me that this information was provided in confidence, nor is it highly sensitive.”

“I am not persuaded that disclosure of the records would expose the affected parties to any ‘harm’ or ‘damage to their reputation’. In the event that the appellant takes legal action against them, any resultant ‘harm’ or ‘damage’ would not be unfair in the circumstances.”

The order by Cropley states: “I order the township to disclose the records at issue to the appellant, by providing her with a severed copy (containing only the information she seeks) by May 11, 2012 but not before May 7, 2012.”

Information about the order can be found on the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario’s website at www.ipc.on.ca under “decisions and resolutions.”

[…]

 

Every year, the Seaway Valley Model Railroad club comes together to showcase some of their model railroad scenes for the community and to collect donations for the local food bank. 

On April 28th, at Upper Canada Motors in Morrisburg, the group once again “opened their doors” to the public. From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., members of the club were on hand to share their passion for building model railroads. 

According to club president, Steve Skerry, each eight foot section of the display is owned and maintained by a different club member. They maintain their section and transport it to events such as this one.

In addition to the section they maintain for the group’s showcase events, these members also have their own model stations and villages at home.

The group, which has close to 30 members both male and female, meets the first Thursday of the month from September to June at the McIntosh Country Inn and Conference Centre in Morrisburg.

The group was initially formed by Steve Skerry and Sheldon Oglestone, both residents of Morrisburg.

In a recent story for the Leader, Oglestone announced the opening of his model town and railroad to the public as the “Ontario Northland Museum.”

For those interested in the hobby, Skerry revealed that “we’re always open to having more members. We would like to see the club get more younger members.”

Skerry explained that the monthly meeting is an opportunity for members to share and learn different techniques and ideas.

With no entrance fee to Saturday’s model railroad exhibit, visitors were simply invited to contribute to the club’s collection of food and money to be donated to the Dundas County Food Bank.

Several members of the food bank’s board were on hand to appreciated the exhibit and to thank those in attendance for their generosity. On hand were, board chair Alvin Runnals, vice-chair Terry Triskle, as well as board members Sue McCullough and Brian Cox.

 In light of the day’s event, Upper Canada Motors also decided to donate $100 to the food bank. On hand to present the cheque was Christopher Goupil, grandson to owner Paul Goupil.

[…]