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When he heard the proposed title of this article, Kevin Eamon laughed. “Well, no question, I’m still gonna be me! Rock My House Music Centre is going to revolve around music, and music is still my deep passion.”

Eamon is the proud new owner of Rock My House Music Centre in Kemptville.

Eamon, a former Morrisburg resident, graduate of Morrisburg elementary school and Seaway District High School in Iroquois, has embarked on this challenging, and very exciting new business linked to his love of music. 

Rock My House allows him to combine years of live performance with rock bands and strongly honed skills as a percussionist, with his deep love of all types of music and of musical instruments. He also holds an audio engineering diploma from Recording Arts Canada and possesses a firm understanding of the technical side of music.

Following its grand opening on September 7, the Centre can fully address the supply needs of both professional and amateur musicians. The business also offers the opportunity, to those of any age who want to experience the thrill of playing an instrument or of studying voice, to learn from outstanding  teachers. There are both group and individual lessons available at Rock My House. The Centre is only a half hour away from the South Dundas area.

“I’ve been stressed and busy putting this music centre together,” Eamon laughed, “but it’s been a great kind of stress. I saw the potential in opening my own business, and I thought, ‘I’ve got ideas. Let’s give this a go.’”

In 2009, Kevin Eamon was the drummer with Rehab Dolls, a band founded by Rick Thomas in 2008. The group gathered some strong musical reviews and created a special song, This Means War, for a huge High Voltage Mixed Martial Arts Championship at the Robert Guertain Arena in Hull. He toured with this band, but also cut his musical and composition teeth with fleShpaiNt and Chopped Suicide. He is experienced in the challenges and the demands of  the live music industry.

“I can share music with my students, and discuss the realities of the recording industry, of touring, of getting a start as a musician, and of getting real work. I can speak from honest experience,” Eamon explained.

He eventually left Toronto, moving back to Morrisburg, where he worked construction. However, he began to see that his training and experience might be an asset in a business.

“I applied for a S.E.B.P. program (Self Employment Business Program) offered out of South Grenville. I was one of those accepted into this government program from among many applicants and had as my mentor Cathy Gilmer of Iroquois.”

Eamon praises the program.

“I had ideas, but S.E.B.P. really helped me develop business skills. I took a business course at school, but I needed the hands on support offered by S.E.B.P. And they will continue to monitor me for the next year as I get my Music Centre off the ground.”

As he did his ground work, and studied the market for a business like his, Eamon learned that there appears to be a huge demand for musical training.

“Originally I had planned to limit my musical offerings to drums and percussion, but I learned very quickly that the demand for other instruments, and just for learning basic music was too great to ignore.”

The death of most organized music programs in elementary schools, and the cut backs to many arts programs, including music, at the secondary school level, has left a real void. Parents are actively seeking places where their children can experience the joys and the educational values of music.

Currently Kevin is approaching area schools hoping there will be interest in group workshops in music possibly to fill some of these musical gaps. 

He is also deeply interested in the benefits of offering musical therapy both at his Music Centre and in local schools. “Music can be an avenue of expression for troubled or autistic children, for kids with disabilities or social needs. My hope is to start up a unique program as soon as possible.”

Rock My House in Kemptville offers supplies, instruments and sheet music as well as private lessons and studio space. 

“Music is a language we all have in common,” said Kevin Eamon. “You have to love music, to want to do it. I definitely still do. My business, I think, is really a new way to express that love, and to share it.”   

[…]

The second annual Golden Gears Car Club car show featuring Eddy and the Stingrays, held Sunday, September 15 at the Iroquois Locks, was so successful, the club decided on site, that they will do it all again next year.

This September show, which generally caps off the car show season, attracted 260 cars for the show and hundreds of spectators to the concert.

“We have just decided to invite Eddy and the Stingrays back for next year,” said Golden Gears Car Club president Henry Swank.

“This is so popular, it’s a good tradition to maintain as long as we can,” said Swank, adding that the Golden Gears have had a phenomenal year.

Jim Millard, club spokesperson, said the date for next year’s car show, featuring Eddy and the Stingrays will be September 14. 

“Everyone loves the music and the cars, it’s a winning combination.”

“The turnout at all of our events, like all outdoor events, is highly dependant on the weather,” said Millard. “The weather makes us, or breaks us.” 

Although rain did put a damper on some of the smaller show and shine events held throughout the summer, the club was happy to host a very successful Canada Day show at the Iroquois Locks and was happy the weather cooperated for Sunday’s season finale.

“This show wraps up the car show season,” said Millard. “After this people are generally tuck their cars away for the winter.”

The Golden Gears Car Club is 80 members strong, and the majority of those members are active members. One highlight of the season for the Golden Gears was taking home the award at a Cornwall Car Show for the Club with the most vehicles entered in the show.

While enjoying the fun and camaraderie throughout the local car show season, the Golden Gears have made a point to be active the community and Saturday “Filled the Fargo” with food items for the Dundas County Food Bank. Those food items were delivered to the food bank today.

[…]

Lightning is believed to have sparked a fire that caused extensive damage to a County Road 18 home.

September 11, around 7 p.m. South Dundas fire crews from the Williamsburg station were called to a house fire at 1158 County Road 18.

Upon arrival, heavy smoke was visible from the soffits and attic area of the home. 

Crews from the Iroquois station were called to assist.

“In order to extinguish the fire, the ceiling had to be taken down and a vent was removed from outside the house to gain access to the burning trusses,” said South Dundas fire chief Chris McDonough. 

“Once this was done, crews were able to extinguish the flames.”

The attic area was extensively damaged by fire. Approximately $80,000 is the damage estimate.

Thirty minutes into the call to the County Road 18 house fire, South Dundas fire crews were dispatched to a possible structure fire on Maud Street in Morrisburg.

That call also resulted from a lightening strike. 

Lightening had struck a tree during the height of an intense thunderstorm and travelled through the clothesline. 

Fortunately, damage from this strike was minimal, according to the fire chief.

[…]

TransCanada Pipeline officials hosted on open house in Morrisburg to discuss their Energy East project.

Energy East is a $12 billion, 4,400 km pipeline project that will carry 1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta and Saskatchewan refineries to refineries in Eastern Canada (Quebec City and St. John, Nova Scotia).

Of the 4,400 project, 70 per cent involves the conversion of an existing natural gas pipeline into an oil pipeline, and a portion involves building new pipeline.

The new build portion of the project starts in South Dundas, at the existing Iroquois compressor station. 

Just over 100 km of new pipeline will cross the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry and within SDG two new pumping stations will be built. One at Iroquois, in the vicinity of the existing compressor station, and another near Alexandria. 

Nationally, the Energy East project will include the construction of 68 new pumping stations. 

The pumping stations are an integral part of the project. 

Part of the conversion of the existing natural gas pipeline involves the construction additional pumping stations because it takes more pumping stations to pump oil than natural gas. 

More valves are also part of the conversion. For public and environmental protection, valves will be located every 30 km. 

TransCanada Pipeline officials explained that the system is monitored such that in the case of a problem sections of the pipeline can be shut down within minutes.

Pipeline inspections, testing and integrity digs are already underway for this project. It is schedule for completion in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Energy East will transport a variety of crude types including conventional crude oil, diluted bitumen and synthetic crude.

[…]

There is nothing that prepares us for how quickly the summer will pass. This year was no exception. Where did it go?

All I know is what a wonderful season the Canadian Club had last year – and the local speakers rated very high on the chart.  The largest crowd  in  recent years, came to hear Dr. Wayne Domanko speak on his involvement in our medical system over the last 40 or so years.

It is, once again, the pleasure of the Canadian Club membership committee to inform the public of the upcoming season.

Membership costs remain the same as last year at $95 per person, and that includes six meetings (dinner and speaker).  

The executive invites member to come early and enjoy the pre-dinner  reception – cheese,  crackers, and juice – beginning  around 6:30 p.m.

Our first speaker of the season – after a roast beef dinner – on September 18, will be Pamela MacDonald, who has been with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency since 2001. Pamela will provide a presentation on Canadian Food Safety.

On October 16, (roast pork dinner), Chris MacDonald, will speak on “Unions and Their Role in Canada”.

The final speaker of the fall season will be Tony Glen scheduled for just after Remembrance Day. 

Tony, the Director of Collection at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, will provide insight into ‘Ensuring a Future for the Past: the Challenges of Museums.”

After the winter break, the Canadian Club will meet on March 19, when roast pork will be on the menu and the speaker will be Rev. Daniel Hayward –Pastor of the United Churches of South Stormont. Rev Hayward will provide a light-hearted look at life. 

Roast turkey is on the menu for April, when Ron Bonnet, a local farmer, will speak about  the “Canadian Agriculture’s Contribution to our Economy and the World”.

The final meeting will be on May 21, 2014, at which time the speaker will be the “Area Crime Prevention” officer from Long Sault, who will speak on what is happening in the real world and how people can protect ourselves.

The Canadian Club membership committee hopes everyone will them – either by way of membership – or as a visitor.

Tickets are available from Clara at 613-774-2407, or Doug at 613-543-2922. (Please give us a week’s notice.)

[…]

“We were quite the threesome.”

Ida, Lucille and Doris are quite the threesome,  and audiences will be forgiven for instantly entering into a love affair with them all. The Cemetery Club, now  running at Upper Canada Playhouse until September 29, is a show that makes you very glad you chose to spend two hours sharing the lives of these marvellous women.

The title of Ivan Menchell’s play is deceptive. Far from being gloomy and dark, this production embraces life. Life is precious. Time is precious. Friends are precious. Ida, Lucille and Doris make that very clear.

Actors Linda Goranson, AnnaMarie Lea and Patti Kazmer are wonderful as colourful, outspoken widows, whose decades old friendship is now rounded by monthly visits to the grave sides of their late husbands. Each woman has her own particular reasons for the cemetery ritual, reasons the audience begins to understand in the course of the evening.

Not that these women are long-suffering, mournful saints. Not by any means. 

One of the great pleasures of Menchell’s script is how incredibly funny it is. 

From the moment Lucille bursts into Ida’s comfortable living room,  draped in her latest outfit, a mink, the laughter never stops.  “Do you really need a mink coat?” Ida asks. “A mink you buy because you want it. Support hose you buy because you need them!” Lucille retorts. 

AnnaMarie’s Lucille might be described, in the kindest way, as a bit outré. Clothes and make up and attention matter to her. “Can I help it if men find me attractive?” “Lucille, you never stay with one man long enough for me to meet him,” Ida sighs. 

Opinionated, outgoing, ready to say exactly what is on her mind, however outrageous, Lucille grabs at life with both hands…and generally gives it a good shake.

Linda Goranson, as Ida, is gentler, more introspective. She adored her late husband, Murray, but sometimes “it worries me that the memories are still so strong…sometimes it seems like (Murray’s) still right there.” Tentatively, however, she has begun to consider the idea that it may be time to get on with this life. “I need to be with someone…to give to someone…I’m not going to spend the rest of my life feeling guilty.”

The sudden, unexpected possibility of a new love leaves Ida almost giddy, and the audience rooting for her. 

Doris, the third widow,  memorably portrayed by Patti Kazmer, can be sharp even cantankerous. Her whole life revolved around her ‘Abe’, her one, her only, her forever love. Visits to talk to him at his grave are deeply and emotionally necessary. Indeed, these trips to the cemetery are “the high point of Doris’ month,” as Lucille puts it. “She prepares for them for two weeks ahead and thinks about them for two weeks after.” 

To Doris, true love can happen once, and only once.

Then Sam, the widowed butcher, arrives, and stirs up this established threesome. Sparks fly in all directions. Doug Tangney brings warmth and humour, and a vulnerability to Sam that is deeply appealing. “Instead of looking at what a woman was like, I kept looking at how she wasn’t like Myrna,” he admits.

A strong cameo appearance by Brenda Quesnel creates a pivotal, and critical moment in the play. 

Yet the laughter in The Cemetery Club is contagious. 

This is a play of boisterous one liners, and of outrageously hilarious comments that only those who truly love each other can make. It is a play that shares with us wickedly funny situations (like the latest wedding of the much married Selma, where the threesome have all been summoned to be bridesmaids…again), or a post wine, spontaneous cha-cha by the women that brought Friday’s house down. 

This is also a play that can deeply, very deeply, touch your heart. Trust me.

Staged on a versatile set by Sean Free, with lighting that seems to effortlessly take the action from  the indoors to the outdoors, director Donnie Bowes’ production of The Cemetery Club is a wonderful end to the Playhouse’s summer season. 

Ida, Lucille and Doris: quite the threesome indeed. And isn’t that lucky for audiences!

The Cemetery Club runs until September 29 at Upper Canada Playhouse.

Contact the box office  at 613-543-3713 or on line at www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com.  

[…]

Yet another, obstacle is impacting South Dundas’ project to open up access to municipally-owned commercial property in the Morrisburg Industrial Park.

Unlike any potential planning obstacles, this roadblock  is much more tangible.

Eight butternut trees will need to be cut down for the project, which is now at a standstill, to continue.

These eight trees are in the direct path of the new roadway.

Butternut trees are endangered, so work has been stopped while South Dundas officials follow the necessary Ministry of Natural Resources guidelines in place for the protection of the trees.

South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald told council at their September 3 meeting that they are in the process of applying for a permit to remove the trees.

He explained that removal of the trees requires a compensation plan to plant other butternut trees in a new location and that they be monitored.

According to information on the MNR website, it generally takes about three months, from the time an application is submitted, for a decision to be rendered.

“Obviously, we are hopeful this process will be expedited,” added McDonald.

With fall coming, any delay to the project is worrisome, confirmed South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds. 

“It is an unfortunate delay and hopefully we can resume construction shortly,” he said.

According to McDonald, the financial implications of the delay, at this point, are minimal.

“The contractor has completed all the work they can,” he said, adding that South Nation Conservation is assisting South Dundas officials with the application process.

[…]

South Dundas had a $623,515 surplus in 2012, and at the September 3, council meeting the treasurer recommended that the surplus be used to offset some of the cost of the ongoing South Dundas Municipal Centre project.

Immediately upon hearing the potential savings associated supporting the treasurer’s recommendation, council unanimously agreed to the allocation.

“Three hundred and four thousand dollars worth of interest would be saved over 20 years by using the surplus,” South Dundas treasurer Shannon Geraghty told council at the September 3 meeting.

“Well then, that’s the best place to use it,” said South Dundas councillor Archie Mellan. “Especially when you have a long-term investment in the South Dundas Municipal Centre.”

By using the surplus to offset SDMC costs, it would mean that South Dundas would only have to borrow $3.6 million, rather than the $4.4 million that they had originally planned. 

“It really makes a significant difference,” added South Dundas councillor Evonne Delegarde.

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds acknowledged that this surplus resulted from prudent budgeting, and that it would also be prudent to use these funds as an opportunity to save some dollars. 

[…]

If the Morrisburg Terry Fox Run raises $5,000 this year, this site will surpass the $100,000 fund rasing mark.

Although organizers of the Morrisburg Terry Fox Run, which has been taking place from the Morrisburg Legion site since 1980, are aware of this number, really the amount of money raised is not what they are thinking about as they prepare for the 2013 Run. 

The run, walk, bike, event is set to take place Sunday, September 15. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and goes until noon at the Morrisburg Legion.

“Really, we just want people to come out and participate,” said key organizer Scott Robinson. “If you are heading out on a Sunday walk, why not come out and join us?” he said. “You don’t have to go and get pledges or fund raise, just drop by anytime during registration, and make a personal donation. Then go for a walk.”

He adds, “I’m happy if anyone comes by and donates a dollar and goes for a walk, and during that walk they think about those lost to cancer, those who have cancer and those who are going to get cancer. That’s what this is all about.”

Five kilometer and 10 kilometer routes are marked for the event. 

But, organizers too say that the distance is unimportant, it’s the participation that truly matters. 

[…]