News

While South Dundas council was interested in expanding the area leased from the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, which owns the parkland at Iroquois Point – the landowners were not.

Earlier this month, when council was looking at some minor changes to a land lease they hold with the SLMC, the idea of leasing all of the parkland was suggested.

The thinking, for council was to eliminate a level of bureaucracy for those wanting to use the parkland for events. 

The SLMC was not interested in the proposal.

Instead the only changes will be to identify the Municipality of South Dundas, rather than the former Matilda Township, as the leaseholder. South Dundas will hold the lease only on the picnic shelter, band shell and monument areas of the Iroquois point parkland.

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No major county roads projects are slated for South Dundas in 2014.

South Dundas’ counties council representatives South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds and South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke, reported that to South Dundas council at the November 19 regular meeting of council.

Counties council will deliberate the counties budget in February 2014, but this month were presented with the preliminary roads budget.

While the almost $12 million budget includes the counties regular 50 km of resurfacing done annually, little of that resurfacing will take place on counties roads within South Dundas.

According to Byvelds, 1.9 km of County Road 18 between Williamsburg and Boucks Hill will be resurfaced, but the major projects will take place on County Road 19 and on County Road 31, from Winchester to the City of Ottawa boundary.

The counties roads budget includes $250,000 of counties money for the storm sewer reconstruction project in Morrisburg scheduled for spring 2014.

Deputy mayor Locke said he continues to lobby for something to be done to improve the state of the County Road 16 railway crossing.

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Not only is current deputy warden Eric Duncan the youngest deputy warden in SDG history, he will be the last.

An ad hoc committee of counties council was formed to review and make procedural recommendations. Those were recently reported to counties council.

“Council will eliminate the position of deputy warden,” reported South Dundas deputy mayor and county councillor Jim Locke at the November 19 South Dundas council meeting.

Traditionally, the person selected as deputy warden, moved into the warden’s seat after one year in the role.

Once these changes are ratified by counties council, the warden will be elected at the October meeting and sworn in to the seat at the head of the council table in December.

Duncan will be the last Deputy Warden to automatically move to the warden’s seat. His inauguration as warden is set for December 6.

Once the new rules come into effect, the sitting warden will also be given the opportunity to serve in the role for one year, or to serve, with council’s approval, for two years.

South Dundas mayor, counties councillor, and former SDG warden Steven Byvelds was on the committee that made these recommendations. 

He recognizes that some wardens are eager for the one year term to end, while others would like to have the opportunity to stay on a little longer to further advance their efforts on committees like the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus.

The deputy mayor often stands in for the warden during ceremonial events. 

In future, this will be handled by an acting warden. Council members will take turns at being acting warden, thus getting more of them involved with community events across SDG. This will be done on a monthly rotation.

Traditionally, though not an official rule, the warden has been rotated between the six municipalities. This change, may or may not impact that traditional rotation. That will be at the discretion of council, as they elect each warden.

The committee has also recommended that counties council adopt the use of a consent agenda. This is the type of agenda already being used here in South Dundas.

[…]

Public washrooms for the Morrisburg plaza, are one step closer to becoming a reality.

At the November 19 South Dundas council meeting, the generous offer of the donation of 99 Main Street Morrisburg, made by Doug Grenkie in 2012 was accepted by council.

They passed a resolution agreeing that the municipality accept the conveyance of the property as a gift in kind and issue a charitable donation receipt of nearly $35,000.

With that acceptance, South Dundas municipal staff were directed to draft a long term lease agreement with the Morrisburg Business Improvement Area confirming that the property will be used for public washrooms and that the BIA will be responsible for all improvements and operational costs of the property.

That lease agreement will come back to council for approval once it is drafted.

“This has been five or six years coming. I’m glad to see it,” said South Dundas councillor Jim Graham. “This has been a long time coming,” said mayor Steven Byvelds. “I am glad that the BIA has taken this on as a project.”

“This is a great partnership with the BIA,” said councillor Evonne Delegarde. “We are needing washroom facilities in our malls. What a great opportunity to offer this to patrons.”

While offering public washrooms plaza patrons, the site will also provide the BIA with much needed office space. 

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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. 

[…]

 

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.

[…]

 

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.

[…]

The upheaval on Morrisburg streets is about to come to an end.

Much construction related to a few different sewer projects in the works has kept those travelling in Morrisburg guessing about which routes were open to travel on a daily basis, but most of those projects are coming to an end this week.

Tuesday, Chris Bazinet, South Dundas manager of public works told The Leader that this week grade crews will be at the Lakeshore Drive project to put down a lift of asphalt on the eastern part of the project, which is from Augusta Street to Canada Way. The western part of the Lakeshore project, which is west of Augusta Street will remain gravel over the winter, because crews will be back in the spring to complete the redesigned storm sewer component of the project. Spring is when property rehabilitation will take place.

All of the planned work on the water and sewer infrastructure is being completed now.

The cost of the Lakeshore sewer work was covered by government funding as long as it was completed before March 2014. “So we are ahead of time for the funding,” said Bazinet.

The project also stayed within budget. He reported that they did discover some old infrastructure that they hadn’t planned on, but they were able to address it with the funds available to the project.

The Lakeshore Drive area will soon be open to two lane traffic. 

By the end of December the other  nearby sewer work project which has been taking place in the First, Second, High and St. Lawrence Street areas will also be finishing. Any leftover cleanup work from these projects will wait until spring.

Throughout the projects, Bazinet says that the municipality received minimal complaints and that residents were very respectful of the work taking place. During the project there was a pipe failure that led to a sewer back up that affected four homes.

Another sewer-related project, the sewer re-lining work that has been taking place over the summer also wrapped up, having been completed last week. 

“We did do a lot of work that focused on a major portion of infrastructure, all during the same season,” said Bazinet.

Construction on the new waste water treatment plant in Iroquois has been ongoing. Completion of that project and its commissioning is expected in February, 2014.

Going forward, Bazinet says the next major step to addressing sewer issues is to get a sewer use bylaw in place to reduce the load on the waste water treatment plants in both Iroquois and Morrisburg. 

Flow and smoke testing data will soon be reported to the department, allowing them to determine where problem areas for inflow and infiltration into the sanitary sewers exist. 

Having seen some improper connections into the system during the recent sewer projects, it is clear that these connections exist, but the municipality will have to find a way to deal with these issues, over time, that are overtaxing the sewer system.

Bazinet explained that storm water needs to go into the storm water system, not the sanitary sewer. The problem with these improper connections are especially evident during a heavy rainfall event.

Bazinet explained that the Morrisburg waste water treatment plant regularly handles about 3,500 cubic meters a day. During a heavy rainfall event this summer the plant saw 15,000 cubic meters, which is very close to the plant’s limit of 16,000 cubic meters.

“Clearly, we need to find a way to reduce the volume to the plant,” he said.

A draft sewer use bylaw is being reviewed by council. Once they approve the draft, it will move to the public consultation phase.

[…]

Cruickshank, a construction company founded, and still located in Morrisburg,  has been named as one of Canada’s Safest Employers by Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine, winning gold in the Building and Construction category. 

The national award, which is based on health and safety statistics and innovative practices, was presented to the company at a gala on October 30th in Toronto, Ontario.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to best practices,” says Cruickshank CEO Steve Cruickshank. 

“Employee safety is number one at Cruickshank – and a core component of our success.” The company has developed a number of initiatives, including safety representatives at each job site, daily safety meetings, annual Safety Days, ongoing training and a Joint Health and Safety Committee.

Launched in 2011, Canada’s Safest Employers awards recognize Canadian companies with outstanding accomplishments in promoting the health and safety of their workers. 

This year, 24 employers were recognized in 11 categories. “Canada’s Safest Employers awards recognize companies from across Canada that are raising the bar in occupational health and safety,” said Amanda Silliker, editor of Canadian Occupational Safety magazine. “These awards allow us to shine a light on the companies that are leading the way in safety excellence, and hopefully inspire others to follow their example.”

Since 1956, Cruickshank has lived by the company motto “we do our level best” – driving ingenuity in road, bridge and infrastructure construction services with an engaged team and leading edge tools to get the job right – every time.

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