News

 If there had been as many people, in 1813, able to take up arms as there were people gathered to watch a recreation of the Chrysler’s  Farm Battle in 2013, well, no Americans would have dared to invade this nation.

Upper Canada Village Saturday, July 13, and Sunday, July 14, drew some of the largest crowds ever seen at the heritage site. By any standards, the much anticipated re-enactment of the battle which saved Upper Canada 200 years ago during the War of 1812 was an unqualified success. According to Village authorities, over 7,200 people attended the battle, toured the Village, or took in both activities. 

The success of the bicentennial re-enactment was also due to the tireless efforts of the Friends of the Crysler’s Farm Battlefield, who have hosted the event for the last 13 years. The committee is made up entirely of volunteers who spent long weeks organizing events, contacting other key groups and co-ordinating the hundreds of living history re-enactors who came to South Dundas for the weekend from all over Ontario, Quebec and from the States. Working in partnership with the Village, Robin Morris, Bob Irvine and the Friends helped make the 200th anniversary one that visitors were eager to praise.

“It was a really strong event for the Village,” said Jancis Sommerville, Special Events Officer at UCV. “We may all be a little tired today on the site, but it was a wonderful weekend.”

The recreation of the pivotal battle drew over 850 re-enactors to the South Dundas area. Nearly 500 of them actually took part in three weekend battles.

These re-enactors camped in the fields below the Crysler Memorial in tents that imitated those that soldiers, officers, their families and camp followers would have shared 200 years ago. They dress, walk, ride, cook and carry the arms and colours of those who actually served in the War with the United States.

Visitors were invited to step back in time and see  blacksmithing, 1800’s military surgery, tinsmithing, rope making, itinerant medicine men hawking their wares, lively games of cricket, dress making and  military parades. 

Throughout the weekend, noted historians held talks on the local Battle and the origin and nature of the events of the War of 1812 in general.  

Also present, reminding visitors of the enormous contribution to the survival of Canada made by the First Nations warriors, were singers and dancers from Akwesasne.

“Represented here today are the Awkwesasne Spirit Singers with dancers from the North American Indian Travelling College,” said Mohawk Jerry MacDonald. “We have 12 young dancers with us who are proud to perform the ancient dances, proud of learning about their culture and heritage.”

Accepting 1812 honours on behalf of all Francophone militia from Lower Canada who fought in battles like Chateauguay, were the Voltigeurs de Quebec. South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds accepted the salute and inspected the troops at the base of the Memorial during the ceremony. The Voltigeurs are one of the oldest French Canadian regiments, having served in many major conflicts from the 1850s to modern day.

The full flavour of the War was brought to bear with the participation in the battles of the tall ships Fair Jeanne and La Revenante, as well as seven gunboats of the era. Cannons firing over the water formed a powerful backdrop to the cannonades on shore.

Definitely the high lights of weekend were the re-enactments of the actual Battle of Crysler’s Farm. As a narrator described the action, the British troops, Canadian militia and Native allies took to the field in a powerful struggle against the invading Americans. The crowds packed on to the hill, cheered loudly and long as the ‘enemy’ was finally repulsed.

All in all, 1813 was a year to remember. And Upper Canada Village and the Friends of the Crysler’s Farm Battlefield staged an historical event to remember.

[…]

Joanne Sidorchuk is WDMH’s new Vice-President of Seniors’ Services and Administrator at Dundas Manor. 

Joanne has a master’s degree and has worked in long-term care as a physiotherapist. She has been at WDMH for the past ten years and served for the past five as a clinical manager. Her many responsibilities have included managing Complex Continuing Care, which has a distinct seniors’ focus, representing WDMH in external initiatives such as the Specialized Geriatric Network of Eastern Ontario, and overseeing the Senior Friendly Hospital Plan.

“I am very exciting about this new challenge,” says Joanne Sidorchuk. “Providing special care for seniors is a passion for me and I look forward to working with two excellent teams, at both WDMH and Dundas Manor.”

This dual-role is part of the overall vision to create a Centre of Excellence for Rural Health and Education. The focus is on building partnerships to support healthy rural communities – patients in hospitals, residents in long-term care and clients in the community. 

The Centre of Excellence is a collaborative that brings specific health and community care providers, educators and researchers together in one place, for greater synergy and continuity of care.

[…]

The Chesterville & District Agricultural Society (Chesterville Fair Board) announced last Friday that gate admission would be free for everybody on Sunday, July 28th. The gate fees will be covered by sponsorships from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the fair board.

July 2nd, the fair board announced free admission for children 12 and under, which it promised to do after its Facebook page received 1,000 Likes, and the challenge to Facebook users was continued. 

If the page could get 1,500 Likes, then everybody would get free admission; however, between OPG’s sponsorship and the board’s appreciation of the community’s support – both online and offline – it was decided that everybody will have access to Sunday’s festivities at no charge.

Fair-goers taking advantage of free Sunday will get access to an exciting day, including beef and goat shows, Dr. Kaboom, the baby show, dog agility shows, a pet show and a medieval show. The free admission will not include admission to the midway.

While not free, the rest of Chesterville Fair weekend still offers excellent value to provide an affordable day out for families. 

Friday kicks off with the midway opening early afternoon, a classic car show and Landmark. 

Saturday will feature a horse show, kickboxing and SportMMA demonstrations, Switchgear and, of course, the demolition derby. 

All-inclusive bracelets will be available throughout the weekend, giving access to the fair and all rides for only $25 per day.

For more information about all upcoming events at the Chesterville Fair, visit chestervillefair.com

[…]

BMO Bank of Montreal representatives delivered $25,000 to Upper Canada Village July 11.

This is the first installment of a $75,000 three-year sponsorship renewal with the St. Lawrence Parks Commission.

The sponsorship continues the BMO’s support for the operation of the miniature train, The Moccasin, at Upper Canada Village during the regular season and for Alight at Night. 

It too will fund the construction of a Tribute Wall at the Fort Henry Discovery Centre in Kingston.

BMO Financial Group has been a sponsor of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission since 2006.

“We are pleased to support such great local attractions as Upper Canada Village and Fort Henry.  At BMO, we understand the importance of local community support,” said Katherine Scarlett, Personal Banking Area Manager, BMO Bank of Montreal. 

“Both the Village and Fort Henry are wonderful family attractions and we are pleased to be a continued partner of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission,” said Katherine Scarlett, Personal Banking Area Manager, BMO Financial Group.

“Due to the continued support of BMO Financial Group, we are able to continue to deliver quality experiences to our many visitors each year. The Moccasin train experience is a favourite activity for families visiting Upper Canada Village during our main season as well as during the Alight at Night festival. BMO has been key partner of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission since 2006 and we appreciate their continued support,” said Geoff Waycik, Manager, Upper Canada Village, St. Lawrence Parks Commission.

[…]

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is warning residents of the five Eastern counties to avoid Wild Parsnip plants when spending time outdoors this summer. 

Wild Parsnip, also known as Poison Parsnip, is a toxic plant that is rapidly spreading throughout the region.

Certain individuals may be affected by Wild Parsnip more than others as they may suffer from a heightened sensitivity to the plant’s sap. 

When the stem is broken or the plant is brushed against, exposure to the sap can cause severe rashes, blisters or burns resulting in brown scars that can last for several years. 

If a person’s eyes come into contact with the plant’s sap, it can cause temporary or permanent blindness.

The most effective way of protecting yourself and your loved ones is to avoid the plant. 

Wild Parsnip plants vary in height from 50 to 150 cm and produce yellow flowers with five petals forming a head shaped like an umbrella. 

Leaves are branched and are characterized by a saw toothed edge. 

Wild Parsnip is usually found in disturbed areas, such as roadside ditches, along railroad right of ways, through cracks in parking lot pavement, around sports fields and recreation areas, fields, pastures, fence rows and yards during July, August and September.

If you see a Wild Parsnip plant on your property, the best way to avoid an infestation is to remove it. 

When removing Wild Parsnip, you must wear goggles, rubber gloves, rubber boots and coveralls. 

And don’t forget to thoroughly wash your boots and gloves with soap, water and a scrub brush before taking them off. 

It is best to mow the plant before it flowers (late June to early July) to prevent it from spreading. Wild Parsnip can also be pulled out by hand or dug up.

For more information about Wild Parsnip plants and how to remove them, visit www.eohu.ca or call Health Line at 613-933-1375 or at 1 800 267-7120.

[…]

As of Monday, July 15, the Williamsburg branch of the SD&G Library is closed.

This closure is in response the municipality’s order to vacate the space in the Williamsburg building by August 1, 2013. 

Williamsburg will be without a library until a new location is agreed to by South Dundas council, who were expected to decide on a new location at the July 16 meeting.

It will either be portables located at J. C. Whitteker Park or 1,000 square feet of renovated space, the more likely choice, at the former Canadian Tire building in Williamsburg. Either way, Williamsburg will have no library for the next couple of months.

The showcase library that the SD&G Library Board had in mind for Morrisburg, won’t be all they had originally envisioned.

“With the consolidation of the two branches into the new Morrisburg branch, the Library had planned to re-allocate resources to longer opening hours, to double-staffing at peak times and/or during the evenings, and to new program and community engagement initiatives at the new branch,” said Erika Heesen, communications librarian for the SD&G Libary. 

The library must find a way to allocate some resources to the re-located Williamsburg branch.

That means that improved service, for now, is not in the cards for the new Morrisburg branch. 

“The library will maintain the same level of service in Morrisburg in the new branch as the current branch,” said Heesen.

Jim Locke, South Dundas deputy mayor and member of the SD&G Library board, says that the board has not yet discussed any potential changes to staffing or programming.

He says that the Morrisburg branch, with its new, renovated location will still be a showcase branch. 

“The furnishings and infrastructure will all be new,” he said. “It will be a showcase branch. By the time the new branch is open we will be in a new budget year,” said Locke. 

“It’s a showcase branch, and we’ll have to run it as one,” he said, adding that staffing will have to be something discussed by the library board at their next meeting in September.

[…]

Iroquois is on the cusp of 1,400 km of new pipeline that will be constructed to carry oil eastward.

TransCanada Pipelines is converting 3,000 km of an existing natural gas pipeline that runs across Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Eastern Ontario into an oil pipeline. 

That gas pipeline runs through South Dundas.

The proposed conversion ends at the Iroquois pumping station, and from that point on, the new construction starts.

The purpose of the project is to move oil from Alberta to Quebec and New Brunswick, including marine facilities for shipping exports to other markets.

TransCanada’s Energy East project will carry 500,000 to 850,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries in Eastern Canada.

Enbridge, which has existing oil pipelines that run through South Dundas, is also in the process of a project that will carry 300,000 barrels a day from west to east. Their project is a flow reversal rather than a conversion and is not a new build. Inspection work for the Enbridge flow reversal project is taking place locally later this summer. 

Application for approval of this TransCanada conversion and new build project will be filed late this year with the National Energy Board decision and final approval expected in 2015.

Pipelines operate with a 99.99 per cent safety record in Canada, which is significantly lower that railway and truck transportation of oil.

Presently, 75 per cent of oil refined in Eastern Canada is imported from overseas. Projects like these will bring more Canadian oil to consumers.

[…]

About a month from now South Dundas municipal staff will have access to their new home, the South Dundas municipal centre in Morrisburg.

At this point in the $4 million renovation project to convert the former Morrisburg Collegiate Institute into a new home for South Dundas administration and a new home in Morrisburg for the adjacent St. Lawrence Medical Clinic, municipal officials are well pleased.

According to South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald, the flooring is now going in on the second and third floors of the building that will be occupied by the municipality.

The millwork is starting this week, and then it’s on to final work and completion of the addition.

“From the municipal point of view, the progress on the project and the quality of the workmanship has been great,” said McDonald. 

“We have had excellent cooperation from our contractor on this project.”

He added that the renovation has progressed quicker than originally anticipated.

Throughout the project they have tried to create as few issues as possible for clinic patrons accessing the adjacent site.

“We’re pleased with this project,” said McDonald.

South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds expects that the August regular council meeting will be the last in South Dundas council chambers in Williamsburg.  

[…]

Morrisburg and Iroquois will get new welcome gardens this fall.

South Dundas council awarded the tender to Create It! Garden Design and Installation at their last regular council meeting.

The cost for the design and installation work is $5,550.

The welcome garden in Iroquois will be located on the island in front of the Iroquois Plaza near the buoys. 

The Morrisburg welcome garden will be located on the south-west side of the intersection of County Roads 2 and 31.

The design phase of the gardens is now underway. “The gardens are being designed to be visually appealing year round,” said South Dundas economic development officer Nicole Sullivan.

The actual planting is expected to take place in early September.

These welcome gardens came about as a result of directions outlined in the community strategic plan, which specifically mentioned beautification projects such as this one to enhance community gateways. 

[…]