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ARNPRIOR
Chronicle Guide Proudly serving Arnprior and surrounding area since 1879
132nd Year, Issue 20
May 17, 2012 | 52 Pages
www.yourottawaregion.com
No deal
McNab-Braeside at impasse over recreation, library agreements JOHN CARTER john.carter@metroland.com
Can you imagine a Reid driving a Ford? It happened in Arnprior Saturday. For a good cause, mind you. – Page 11
Arnprior’s 150th anniversary celebration is drawing closer. The latest developments include the arrival of the much-anticipated Arnprioropoly game. – Page 3
EMC news - McNab-Braeside council decided Tuesday to end recreation and library service deals with Arnprior by year’s end and replace them with a subsidized user pay system. However, the town remains adamant that it won’t enter into an agreement based on user pay fees, said Arnprior Mayor David Reid in response to McNab-Braeside council’s decision. The impasse is expected to split not only Arnprior and McNab-Braeside but township residents who differ dramatically on how their council should respond to the Arnprior offer. It also adds uncertainty to how the Nick Smith Centre and Arnprior Public Library will be funded in the future and raises the spectre of increased levies for users of both facilities. Part of the problem revolves around Arnprior’s reluctance to track and charge township users of town facilities and programs. Reid gave several reasons for opposing that process, saying the last time it was tried it resulted in rising administrative costs and falling revenues for the town. Implementing a program that allows the township a user pay system based on the Renfrew model would
be “unreasonable and unfair� to Arnprior taxpayers, he said On the other hand, McNab-Braeside council maintains the tracking is necessary for it to know whether its expenditure is justifiable, particularly as the increases proposed by Arnprior will mean a significant rise in taxes. “We need to know what we’re buying,� said Deputy Mayor Christine Blimkie. “You don’t go into a store and write a cheque without knowing what you’re getting.� After a lengthy discussion at a special budget meeting Tuesday morning, council passed a motion offering to pay Arnprior about $114,000 for its residents to use the Nick Smith Centre in 2012. That’s the amount in the deal that is expiring (Arnprior is asking for $142,584). That will give it time to determine how many how many township users sign up for town programs this summer, fall and winter, council agreed. The motion goes on to say that beginning Jan. 1, 2013, based on the assumption the town will charge McNab-Braeside users a non-resident recreation fee of $155, the township will reimburse its residents $112 of that on submission of a receipt. See SWITCHING Page 2
MEMORIES TAKE FLIGHT AT McNAB Photo by Sherry Haaima
McNab Public School student Calli McLachlan gets ready to release a butterfly at n gathering last week to pay tribute to the memory of student Allison Hapgood, who passed away last year. For more, see Page 18.
Dog park petition garners 300 signatures Derek Dunn derek.dunn@metroland.com
Students at A.J. Charbonneau Public School have plenty to dance about. – Page 30
EMC news – The petition to establish a dog park in Arnprior garnered 311 signatures over a one-month span. Spearheaded by Megan Noel, the petitions were at town pet stores and elsewhere, then presented to council at the May 14 meeting. Noel lives downtown and finds it a challenge to navigate sidewalks with her new baby and two big huskies. Huskies are
strong animals and less aware of boundaries than other dogs. She said it is a challenge to leave the house for fresh air and exercise with the crew; as the dogs are tough to keep in tow while caring for a newborn. It proves a bit of a danger on the sidewalks for all involved. But she would prefer not having to drive into Bruce Pit dog park in Bells Corners. See DOG PARK Page 6
ADHS track team dominates county meet EMC sports – Arnprior District High School athletes added another chapter to what has been an incredibly successful year with an overwhelming victory in the Renfrew County track meet Wednesday. Competing on their home track, ADHS students piled up 881 points to more than double second-place General Panet, which had 414. Perennial powerhouse RCI was third at 388.
It marks the second straight Valley title for the Arnprior track team, ending a decadelong dominance by RCI. It’s the latest in a string of successes for the Arnprior high school in football, rugby, basketball and most recently soccer (see Page 13). Many track team members will compete in the Eastern Ontario championships May 22 and 23 in Belleville.
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