Issue 18 2022 May 11 NG Times by The North Grenville & North Dundas Times

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6th Annual Charlee’s Run a success in Kemptville

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An eager crowd gathered at the Ferguson Forest Centre on Saturday to participate in the 6th annual Charlee’s Run fundraiser. The event – which consists of a 1km or 5km run or walk – aims to raise funds and spread awareness about the mental health aspects of prenatal loss and loss of infant children. This year, there will be an event in Orillia as well as an event in Kemptville, and these events will be the ﬁrst to be held in-person since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds raised at the Kemptville event will be donated to the Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) to help pay for a “Cuddle Cot” in its Family Birthing Unit. Even prior to the event, an estimated $20,000 was raised online.

The ﬁnal fundraising total is not yet known as donations accepted at the event had not yet been counted by the time of writing, and donations will continue to be accepted for the remainder of this week. Kemptville area residents Mallory and Dave Holmes started Charlee’s Run in 2017 in memory of their baby daughter, Charlee Clare Holmes who was born on April 29, 2011 and tragically passed away on the same day. The couple was living in Orillia at the time, which is where the ﬁrst annual run took place. After their daughter’s passing, Mallory and Dave felt very alone, and they felt that those around them were very quiet, almost like the topic was “taboo”. However, given that 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in a loss, they felt that it should not be a

topic that silences a room, and instead decided to start talking openly about it as a way to help deal with their grief. “We began talking more openly with family and friends, and learned that people in our own families had suffered losses that they always felt uncomfortable talking about until we started a conversation about it,” the couple wrote in correspondence. “We found it very comforting and the response from others is that they felt that saying their child’s name or talking about their miscarriage was healing in a way.” The annual run now continues as a way to help break the silence on prenatal and infant loss. C h a r l e e ’s R u n h a s grown significantly since the ﬁrst event, even though the in-person events have

often been affected by bad weather. The virtual events have even drawn attention from parents and supporters internationally. Speaking of why they chose to fundraise for the WDMH this year, the couple said “Many of the people we spoke with had amazing things to say about the staff who work at Winchester District Memorial Hospital and the care they received from them. We have always advocated for support and resources in-hospital for families who unfortunately experience the loss of a child, and wanted to help in any way we could.” The WDMH has also just had funding approved for bereavement resources for parents who lose a child there. The Charlee’s Run event has drawn much support and has even inspired another event. Nick Charman of CrossFit Kemptville organized a pre-fundraiser memorial workout on May 1 to commemorate Charlee’s life. Nick runs a CrossFit HERO Workout once per month to honour a fallen first responder or military member, but decided to dedicate the May workout to Charlee. Mallory is part of the CrossFit team and created the workout herself. With a goal of $1,000, this pre-fundraiser collected $2,425.19. More information about Charlee’s Run can be found at www.charleesrun.com.

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The Kemptville Street Piano Painting Contest has a winner!

submitted by Lisa Poushinsky After a week of casting online ballots, the contest is closed and the results are in! Announcing Oxford Mills resident and local community artist Susanne Larner as the winner. Her charming woodland scene received 124 votes out of 247, making her design the crowd favourite. A big thank you to the artists who submitted their fun and thoughtful proposals, to the North Grenville Times for hosting the contest, to Jill

Straby for generously donating the piano, and to the residents of North Grenville who participated by voting and making their voices heard. Susanne will receive $250 and have the cost of her materials (paint and brushes) covered. The street piano will be revealed in all its painted glory on Sunday May 29th when the street piano goes live and the concert series begins. Concerts will take place on Sundays at 2pm in downtown Kemptville, with the street piano s ﬁnal loca-

tion yet to be determined. Want to know more about the street piano and accompanying concert series? Like the Kemptville Street Piano Facebook page and you ll be kept in the loop as announcements about the concerts, the street piano s location, and all things street piano occur. You can also ﬁnd information about the concerts on the North Grenville municipal website s event calendar. Looking forward to seeing you in downtown Kemptville at the free concert series starting May 29th. https://www.facebook. com/KemptvilleStreetPiano What is a Street Piano? It s a piano placed in a public area that encourages passersby to stop and play. Why a Street Piano? Who is it for? Street Pianos draw pedestrians, turning any location into a concert venue / cultural hub. By giving residents an instrument to play together, this project encourages locals to share their

knowledge, initiate their own play , and create relationships, setting a precedent for positive experiences in Kemptville s public spaces and inviting foot traﬃc to downtown businesses. Learn more about street pianos at http://www. streetpianos.com/. When and where are the concerts taking place? The concert series, featuring professional piano players from many genres, will take place on Sunday afternoons from the end of May to mid-September, with the ﬁnal location of the piano yet to be determined. Check the municipal calendar and the Street Piano Facebook page for updates. The Kemptville Street Piano is presented by Lisa Poushinsky, founder of Voyageur Art & Music School. Contact Lisa for information at kemptville.street.piano@ gmail.com or lisa.poushinsky@gmail.com . Image credit "Street Piano Proposal by Susanne Larner", 2022

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H E L P WA N T E D

Ontario Approves Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan and Assessment Report amendments for additional well to existing Municipal Well System in Kemptville tection Areas in the Source Protection Plan and Assessment Report, the Merrickville Wellhead Protection Area in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the existing Kemptville Wellhead Protection Area. An amendment to the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan (including the Rideau Valley Assessment Report) is necessary to meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act. “These amendments ensure municipal drinking water systems continue to be protected through the drinking water source protection program,” said Laura Cummings, Project Manager for the Mississippi-Rideau

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Drinking Water System protected for the Town of Kemptville in North Grenville On April 20, 2022 the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) approved an amendment to the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan and the Rideau Valley Assessment Report. The approved amendment took effect on April 28, 2022. This amendment reflects a new well to an existing municipal well system in the community of Kemptville which is owned and operated by the Municipality of North Grenville. The Kemptville well system serves approximately 5,000 people residing in the community. The well system affects two existing Wellhead Pro-

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sources from contamination. These tools include education, risk management planning, prohibition and land use planning. Policies in the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan first came into eﬀect on January 1, 2015. Visit the Region’s local website at www.mrsourcewater.ca to ﬁnd out more.

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North Grenville Arts Guild brings Spring into Art to Life

North Grenville recognizes Community Living Month munity and we are very proud of the strong relationship that Community Living has with so many of our residents here,” added Mayor Peckford. “As a widely respected and large employer in our community, Community Living North Grenville continues to be a leader in creating and supporting a more inclusive community, said Councillor Debbie Wilson. North Grenville’s Municipal Council has declared the month of May Community Living Month, and a ﬂag will be flown at the Municipal

For more than 20 years, Community Living Month has been recognized annually across Ontario in May - including in the Municipality of North Grenville. “North Grenville’s Municipal Council would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness about the invaluable role that Community Living plays in North Grenville,” highlighted Mayor Nancy Peckford. “The inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is fundamental to a healthy com-

Centre. Community Living held a ﬂag raising ceremony after its Pancake Breakfast fundraiser – held for the ﬁrst time in two years. “Community Living month has been celebrated across the Province for more than twenty years, not only to showcase people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, but to raise awareness and promote the true inclusion of all people, to live, work, and play in their own community,” emphasized Sandra McNamara, Executive Director, Community Living

North Grenville. “We are excited to be back celebrating CL month with the people and community of North Grenville.” In support of Community Living Month, Jonsson’s Your Independent Grocer is accepting donations at the cash on behalf of the organization.

May is Speech and Hearing Month After a long and fraught winter, the NGAG is pleased to announce that it will once again be holding a live exhibition of local, original works of art for sale and viewing pleasure. This year, the NGAG Spring Show will be held outside in conjunction with the Kemptville Buskerfest on May 21st. We will once more partner with Salamander’s Restaurant to brin forth both visual and tasty delights. Longtime supporter Paul Cormier of Salamander’s is sure to be whipping up some special dishes for the palate to accompany a feast of colour and imagination to welcome spring. Imagine, after the past two years, spending the day in Downtown Kemptville enjoying the experience of local artists, musicians, performance artists, vendors, makers, and culinary treats. It promises to be a day the likes of which have not been

seen in recent memory and a chance for all to come out to mix and mingle. The NGAG is happy and excited to be a part of the fun. This year, the Guild will be exhibiting a special addition to the regular works of local art on display. There will be a showing and sale of the Ukraine Collection, a fundraising effort by the NGAG to support the ongoing struggles and needs of the Ukrainian people new to our area. This Collection will be comprised of donated, original artworks for sale in support of the effort. Look for the sunflower label, 100% of the proceeds go to this cause. NGAG is looking forward to seeing old friends as well as new supporters and art lovers. Come welcome spring with them on the banks of the beautiful Kemptville Creek adjacent to Salamander’s Restaurant, on Saturday, May 21st from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

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submitted by Susan Healey Communications Co-ordinator, Health Unit Early identification and referral for speech, language, and hearing concerns are more important than ever right now, as we see increasing evidence that the pandemic has put many very young children at higher risk for delayed or disordered communication development. At the Language Express Preschool Speech and Language Program, we encourage you to take the time this May to check that the babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in your life are on track for communication success. Complete the online Language Express Communication Checkup on our website at www.languageexpress.ca. The Communication Checkup screens for speech, language, and global development every 6 months from 6 months to 4 years of age. Parents can make a referral to Language Express online after completing the Checkup, or can call our ofﬁce to make a referral or ask questions at 1-888-503-8885. Two out of 1,000 babies have permanent hearing loss at birth and two more develop hearing loss by the age of ﬁve, so it’s essential to watch for

warning signs and talk to your doctor about hearing testing even if your child passed the newborn hearing screening. Children with hearing loss may hear some sounds but miss others, making it harder to learn speech and language. The current edition of the Language Express newsletter includes a list of signs of hearing loss. Language Express provides speech and language assessment and therapy services for young children in Lanark, Leeds, and Grenville counties. Services are free and are available from birth until the end of Junior Kindergarten. The deadline for referrals is November 30th of the child’s Junior Kindergarten year. This means that children born in 2018 must be referred by November 30, 2022. Earlier referrals lead to better outcomes. Studies show that intervention provided in the toddler and preschool years has more impact on a child’s future well-being and success in school than the same amount of intervention provided when the child is older. 3

Bishop’s Mills Community Day – May 21st Mark your calendar for the Annual Bishop’s Mills Community Day which will take place on Saturday, May 21st. Discover treasures at various community-wide yard sales. Treat yourself to some delicious baked goods from the Bishop’s Mills WI bake sale in the Community Hall. Participate in a silent auction or browse through the extensive Tweedsmuir History collection. Pick up some of the many quality “Made in Bishop’s Mills” crafts and used items in the St. Andrew’s Church Hall. A diorama of the historic mills will be on display and local author Tom Graham will be on hand to discuss his book Tales from the General Store – The Untold History of Bishop’s Mills. Signed copies will be available. At 11:00 am, Mayor Peckford will oﬃcially unveil a historical plaque commemorating the Village’s early cheesemakers and the three lives lost when an explosion destroyed the cheese factory in 1924. Maps for the yard sales will be available at the Community Hall at 8:00 am. The bake sale, silent auction, displays, etc. start at 9 am. This community day event is hosted by the Bishop’s Mills Community Association, the Bishop’s Mills Women Involved, and the St. Andrew’s United Church Women. Come out and experience the friendly hospitality of our hamlet! For more information, please contact Victor Desroches at 613-258-2115.

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Time to Shine

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It's been a long time since our community has been able to enjoy a major festival or live event. The pandemic has halted plans and thwarted efforts countless times including plans for the Kemptville Buskerfest. Needless to say, the community and people across eastern Ontario are chomping at the bit to get out and connect with each other, be entertained, escape the past two years and feel normal even if just for a day. It's been even longer since that festival was hosted in Downtown Kemptville. The last major event hosted in the downtown would have been the Dandelion Festival in the spring of 2017. Thousands of visitors enjoyed a variety of activities, live music and other delights for children of all ages. Taking a nod from it's "weedy" roots, the Kemptville Buskerfest is ready to take the stage now and show visitors that downtown can once again be a festive, thrilling and magical place. But this isn't just about Buskerfest. This is also about a community coming together to show visitors everything that it has to offer. The generous people, the unique businesses, the charming built history, the natural beauty and the welcoming hospitality that has made Kemptville a daytrip destination for people from across eastern Ontario for decades. It's time for our local businesses to step forward and get a much-needed boost by opening their doors, hearts and minds to visitors who are ready to experience them. People will be craving an experience and it's time for us to give them one. Remember, if visitors have a memorable experience and we leave them with a vivid impression, they'll come back again and again and again. Join all of us at the Kemptville Buskerfest and the Old Town Kemptville BIA in sharing all of the news and information about the great things that are happening on Saturday May 21st! Tell them everything about what your business has in store for visitors, give them a reason to run straight to your front door because if they don't, they may have missed something extraordinary! As a community, we've been VERY patient and done everything and more than has been asked of us over the past two years. It's time to take the gloves off and show everyone what they've been missing out on. North Grenville, it's our time to shine!

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Kemptville District Hospital celebrates nursing week

Local Youth Film Festival oﬀers over $2000 in prizes!

Submitted by Susan Healey MyView Youth Film Festival is back for its 8th year! Kemptville’s own McGahey Insurance and Grenville Mutual Insurance have again teamed up to provide the $1000 Grand Prize for 2022. This creative film-making contest is open to all youth ages 10-24 who live, work or play in Eastern Ontario (see www.myviewﬁlmfest.ca for list of eligible counties). Young people are encouraged to pick up their phones or cameras and make a short video that celebrates something in their life or community, shows a solution to a problem or showcases their opinion! Exit Realty has joined MyView this year to oﬀer a new “My Community” prize category. Thanks to McGahey Insurance, Grenville Mutual Insurance, Exit Realty and YourTV for donating great prizes to the winners in the following categories:

Judging criteria heavily favours the content of the videos over the production elements, in hopes of encouraging all eligible youth, regardless of their level of experience in film making and production, to participate and share their stories. John Barclay, MyView founder and Producer with Triune Productions, shared his excitement for this year’s festival: “I’m looking forward again to seeing the creativity and imagiNurses-Inpatient Units nation of young film-makers as they communicate what’s by Brandon Mayer important to them,” he said. “This year I’m especially North Grenville is celeager to see entrants from ebrating National Nursing more Eastern Ontario com- Week this week from May 9 – munities.” 15. The theme this year is “We For more information on Answer the Call”. Several contest rules or judging crite- nurses from the Kemptville ria, or to see past year’s sub- District Hospital (KDH) were missions and winners, visit able to answer the question us on facebook @myview- of why they became a nurse, filmfest, check out www. with life experiences seeming myviewfilmfest.ca or email to be an important motivator info@myviewfilmfest.ca. for all of them. For Registered Nurse Fallon Gluck, who is also the Manager of Nursing Services for KDH, the journey to becoming a nurse started when she broke her arm at only six years old. “The extraordinary care I received from an emergency room nurse that evening stayed with me throughout my childhood and NORTH GRENVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY teenage years,” Fallon said. ”I knew I wanted to touch Saturday, May 28, 2022 people's lives in the same way my nurse had.” 2:00 to 4:00 PM Fallon has had no regrets about her career choice, and In honour of the late Dr. Patrick Babin, a panel of is proud to work with the team of nurses at KDH. “It is local artists will share their stories and exhibit their humbling, and a privilege, to work. Invest in an original and support local artists! walk among them,” she said. Things were different for You can also purchase previously enjoyed Registered Nurse Sarah Linney, who despite experiencing art/architecture books, in support of the health and other challenges Friends of the North Grenville Public early in life, did not know she wanted to be a nurse until later Library. (Book donations for the sale are in life. “I noticed that I was being accepted at the Kemptville Branch.) spending a lot of time caring for others and helping them through my experiences when they encountered difficulties Preregister at friends@ngpl.ca / 613-258-4711 in their health and lives,” she said. “I realized that nursing was my calling and kept rolling from there.” •Best Overall Video - $1000 •I Love My Community $750 •Age Category Prizes (1013; 14-17; 18-24) The deadline for video submission is shifted to October 1st for this year to accommodate a later than usual start due to the pandemic. Local youth are encouraged to get out into their communities to look for inspiration. There is no shortage of interesting topics to explore. Past winners have addressed a variety of topics from mental well-being and body image to the cost of post-secondary education and everything in between. “This generation of young people have all kinds of new issues to tackle; like climate change, pandemics and social media. Youth are extremely well informed and I look forward to seeing what they have to say!” says Rebecca Shams, Health Promoter and MyView Committee member.

BABIN INSPIRATIONAL ART EVENT

May 11, 2022

The Voice of North Grenville

Registered Practical Nurse Linda Morton has had a varied working life. She ﬁrst joined the military, then became a real estate broker, and ﬁnally settled on nursing. She has always enjoyed working with people, but in her 40s, decided she wanted to do so on a more personal level and went back to school for nursing. “Nursing is so rewarding and has a lot of job satisfaction,” said Linda. “When people are ill, they are so vulnerable, frightened of the unknown, the loss of control to strangers who are poking and prodding, and in unfamiliar surroundings.” Comforting patients in these difficult circumstances is

where Linda shines, and she likes to incorporate humour and physical contact in the healing process. “My motto is always to treat the patient the way I (or a family member) would like to be treated,” she said. “I have not only had the privilege of touching many people’s lives – and they mine – but I also ﬁnd the nursing profession very humbling.” Registered Nurse Amanda Quig had other hospital work experience before becoming a nurse, and it was seeing the intelligence, compassion, strength, and teamwork of the nurses that ultimately inspired her to become one. “Nurses have many ups and downs in our careers, and it’s hard work physically and mentally,” Amanda said. “But I have never looked back and said I regret becoming a nurse. There are so many amazing people that we work with. I would not be happy doing something other than healthcare.” KDH is grateful for all of their highly skilled, professional, and compassionate nurses during Nursing Week, and every other day of the year!

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Senior Times

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Photos in the Park - Supporting Seniors’ Community Services with a day of smiles

Retired Public Service Workers and Retired Teachers Dental plan is covered with assignment of benefits

shot, or marking a special occasion like an engagement, anniversary of graduation? There are so many reasons for special photos. You will receive 8 professionally edited photographs and you will have supported a vital service for those who need it in your community. The event fee is $75 with 100% of all funds raised going directly to the Transportation service. For more information or to book a spot, please email jill.woodley@seniorscs.ca or call 613-258-3203. We look forward to another fantastic event capturing so many wonderful moments. See you at the park!

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The 2nd Annual Photos in the Park fundraiser is back to Curry Park on June 5th, and we are already 50% sold out! Last year, we reimagined our events, and were fortunate to have the community embrace our creativity and help us raise critical funds during a time that did not align with gatherings and large fundraising events. Photos in the Park was a sell-out and the community feedback encouraged SCS to make it an annual event! This fundraiser is your opportunity to have professional photographs taken in beautiful Curry Park in support of the SCS Transportation Service. “Photos in the Park is a wonderful fundraising event meant to celebrate and capture those memorable moments while supporting our cause”, said Dawn Rodger, Executive Director. Seniors’ Community Services Transportation Service offers access to drives to medical appointments, grocery pick-up, banking, social events and independence! It is a service provided by trained volunteer drivers in their own vehicles who pick you up at your door, deliver you to your destination, and wait until the appointment is completed. In 2021, over 73,000 kms were covered by

volunteer drivers who helped create peace of mind for each client. With an increase of 65% over the last year, this service is demonstrating its importance in a community that faces the rural limitations of access to public transportation. It also oﬀers reassurance to the families who know that their loved one will not miss an appointment, a trip to the store or time with friends at the Centre. “Perhaps the greatest gift one can receive is found in the spirit of help. Discovering the transportation services at Seniors' Community Services in Kemptville was life-changing when we needed the assistance to attend medical appointments outside the community. Welcoming, courteous, and highly dependable; three words that come to mind as I think of the Seniors Community Services team members”, said one SCS Client What can you expect from your session at Photos in the Park? The sessions are 15-minutes (ﬁve-person max.) with Jill Woodley Photography that will be full of smiles and laughter and memories captured for a lifetime. Dogs are more than welcome too! Perhaps you are looking for a refreshed head-

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Busy Council agenda last week by Brandon Mayer The Municipality of North Grenville Council had a busy agenda last week during the regularly scheduled Council meeting on May 3. The first significant item on the agenda was one that has been up for consideration for a number of years. The Mayor and Council heard a presentation from Robert Day, Carolyn Likely, and Jeanne Lambert regarding a membership for the Municipality for “Mayors for Peace”, an organization which aims to promote world peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons globally. Robert and his wife visited the Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki several years ago, and he told Council that the experience was very moving. He spoke of what a significant gesture it would be for North Grenville to join over 8,000 other municipalities worldwide as a member of Mayors for Peace, which involves formal registration and the paying of a yearly symbolic membership fee of 2,000 Yen or about $20. Jeanne Lambert of the Bishop’s Mills Women’s Institute informed Council that the Institute not only endorses

the idea of North Grenville joining Mayors for Peace, but would also be willing to cover the associated fee. Next, Sommer CasgrainRobertson of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority provided an update on some statistics and other pertinent information such as watershed monitoring and flood forecasting. Mayor Peckford used the presentation as an opportunity to ask if Sommer had any insights regarding the sustainability of area aquifers, given that many local residents – particularly rural residents – have been raising concerns about their well water supply in the face of many new developments recently. Sommer informed Council that there are two main aquifers in the local area, with municipal wells generally tapping into a deeper and more abundant one, while private wells draw from a more shallow one. She confirmed that the shallow aquifer likely does not have the same volume of water as the deeper one, but that developers are required to study water sustainability before building. Other Council members took the opportunity to ask questions after the pre-

sentation as well. Following the Conservation Authority discussion, a discussion of the shortage of doctors and other primary care professionals in North Grenville took centre stage. The doctor shortage issue has been discussed at length in previous months, and the Municipality will now be taking next steps by developing a primary care strategy with local stakeholders. In the meantime, Director of Corporate Strategy Hillary Geneau told Council that residents who are without a family doctor should register on the Province’s Health Care Connect system at Ontario.ca/ healthcareconnect. Particular doctor recruitment strategies were discussed by members of Council. An issue which created much debate at the meeting was a new proposed truck route by-law. Operations Superintendent Ryan Brault provided a presentation on the bill, which would ban large trucks on municipal roads unless they are making a local delivery. Conﬂicting opinions were presenting by Superintendent Brault, Council members and local truckers. One construction

company owner, Corey Lockwood, raised a concern that Smith Road is used for truck access for an ongoing development and that the proposed by-law would add signiﬁcant cost and time to the project. Corey argued that this would have a negative impact on another important issue – the aﬀordable housing crisis. He also disagreed about safety concerns, and pointed to a survey that suggested that 57% of respondents did not feel trucks were a problem. A local resident disagreed and expressed concerns about safety stemming from the volume of trucks on her road. Mayor Peckford also mentioned that approximately 50 residents of Smith Road had brought safety concerns to her. Ultimately, due to the debate, the motion on the bylaw motion was deferred so that further consultation could take place. The Council meeting concluded on a more positive note as Council moved to name the Municipality’s 1914 vintage firetruck “Howard Wilson” in honour of the late lifelong resident and business owner of the same name.

submitted by Jenny Reid, Communications/Patient Relations Oﬃcer Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is delighted to announce that its Communications team is mounting a 'mini' historical display celebrating National Nursing Week, May 9-15, 2022 in downtown Kemptville! The display will be in the front window of the brand new 'History Hub' at 148B Prescott Street (next to Bubba and Bugs Coﬀee Bar). The History Hub is an initiative of the North Grenville Historical Society; KDH is proud of this new collaboration. The display will feature a small assortment of artifacts from the KDH collection, the majority of which has been lovingly preserved by the volunteers of the KDH Auxiliary over the years. This mini display is also a 'teaser' for the permanent historical display (put on pause by COVID) that will be installed at KDH in the corridor between the Emergency Department and Diagnostic Imaging by the end of the year, time permitting. The public is invited to stop by and see the display during Nursing Week. The History Hub is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am

the north grenville

MELISSA OTTENHOF Marketing Consultant

Phone:613 329 0209 Email: melissa@ngtimes.ca www.ngtimes.ca

May 11, 2022

MUNICIPAL OFFICE HOURS

The Municipal oﬃce is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please note: Renovations at the North Grenville Municipal Centre reception area are underway. Access to the facility will continue to be through the main entrance doors located on the North side of the building. Customer service will be moved upstairs for the duration of the renovation project. Access to the 2nd ﬂoor stairs and elevator will be available during this time. Sign-up to Mayor Peckford’s e-newsletter at: northgrenville.ca/connect.

2022 MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

The nomination period is now open for the 2022 Municipal and School Board Election. Please visit NGvotes.ca for nomination information, announcements, and updates. Notices setting out the positions and details concerning school board elections can be found at: NGvotes.ca/ election-news.

UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL MEETINGS Council will continue to meet virtually during the Municipal Centre renovation project. Please pre-register with the Clerk at clerk@northgrenville.on.ca. If you require accommodation, please advise the Clerk when pre-registering so that we may best assist you. To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please provide your comments no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting to clerk@northgrenville.on.ca Council meetings will be live streamed on YouTube at: youtube.com/user/NorthGrenville/featured and on the Municipality’s website at: northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-and-minutes.

• • •

3D Design Interlock Natural Stone

613-316-7710

Lighting Planting Water Features

www.ardron.ca 7

• Council Meeting (Open) – Virtual – May 17, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. • Council Meeting (Open) – TBD – June 7, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Committees may be meeting in-person or virtually. Please see the Committee agenda for details on how to attend. • HWFAC ParticipACTION Working Group – May 12, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. • Accessibility Advisory Committee – May 16, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. • Tourism Advisory Subcommittee – May 16, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. • Environmental Action Advisory Committee – May 30, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. • Arts and Culture Advisory Committee – May 31, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. • Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee – June 1, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

VOLUNTEER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Municipality and the Kemptville Campus are seeking to ﬁll a variety of positions. Please visit northgrenville.ca/careers for more information. • Records and Legislative Coordinator • Municipal Client Services Representative • Deputy Director/Manager of Planning Services • Kemptville Campus Board Members (Volunteer Position) • Project Manager, Training and Local Food – Kemptville Campus

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca www.NorthGrenville.ca Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441

Services • • •

UPDATE

Council agendas are available at: northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-and-minutes.

KDH Historical Display at The History Hub in downtown Kemptville will mark Nursing Week

TIMES

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Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: email: bylawinquiries@northgrenville.on.ca 613-258-9569 x211 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

www.ngtimes.ca

Guest Editorial

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

The haves and the have nots by Brandon Mayer

When was the last time you heard a municipal council brag about stiﬂing growth? Probably never. That’s because all municipalities selfpromote to facilitate growth and development. They usually even have slogans on welcome signs just for that purpose. There is, of course, no shame in growing a community, but what it actually looks like to grow a community has changed over the last few decades. A century ago, growing a community meant adding some residences, adding a general store or two, maybe a pub, a blacksmith, a bakery, a drug store, a bank, and other local businesses. It meant adding amenities that allowed people to live and work within their small communities. Communities would grow, but the growth was sustainable. Towns had

just what they needed. Today, anyone living outside of the larger towns in the local area (Kemptville, Winchester, Chesterville, Merrickville) but still within a village should look up the history of their community. While it’s easy to assume that communities do nothing but grow and gain amenities, nothing can be further from the truth when it comes to the “smaller” of the small towns. Towns the size of South Mountain and Mountain, Oxford Mills, Spencerville, and Morewood have histories that would shock many. Even in Avonmore, where I grew up, which currently boasts a population of just over 300 people, there were easily a dozen booming local businesses a century ago, likely more. A recent population ledger posted online showed that South Mountain had a population of about 400 people around the same time, and even with the new

subdivision, the town might just have the same number of people all these decades later, perhaps even less now. Where have all the people gone? Some have moved to the city, no doubt, but there seems to be a growing popularity of moving into towns that are large enough to still have amenities (the kinds of shops and services that all towns large and small would have had historically), while still giving the feel of “small town living.” While towns like Kemptville and Winchester continually gain stores, restaurants, and services year after year, our region’s smaller towns are often struggling to keep just one store open. Some – like Avonmore – have even had to ﬁght to keep an unmanned post oﬃce just to avoid having to drive to the next town over for mail. Banks, restaurants, and other basic fundamental businesses are leaving these tiny towns to move to towns where the pop-

ulation and customer base are higher. Can we blame them? Of course not! In tough economic times, small business owners in Ontario’s tiniest towns shouldn’t have to lose money keeping their doors open. What it means, though, is that once-tiny towns are growing into larger towns, and residents in towns like Kemptville may soon realize that they are getting bigger than they bargained for. A very kind lady got in touch with me recently, lamenting a lack of veterinary services in Kemptville. There are, of course, several veterinary clinics in Kemptville, but none would make a house call for this lady’s large, ailing dog. Should we add larger, better staﬀed, increasingly mobile vet clinics to Kemptville? Many residents would likely be thrilled. Having services closer by is, after all, convenient and adds the satisfaction of spending money locally. But what

of 23 political parties to choose from. That’s insane! Rudolf Steiner, an anthroposophist, and founding father of biodynamics in agriculture said in his series of agriculture lectures that he gave in Poland in 1924: “It would be crass to say that what is present in the human brain is simply a more highly developed manure pile, where it becomes the basis for the development of the ego”. My 17-year old house cat ‘Super Dave’ makes more sense than politicians today. I watched the Ontario Legislation in session. It’s like watching a dog ﬁght. I just ﬁnished a book: Kemptville College, “A Historical picture 1916-2016”. This book, which will be out in June, describes how politicians had a vision back in 1916 and how they produced a plan together for the next 100 years under the motto: “Pro bono Agricola”. Politicians, like William Atcheson Stewart (PC), Ontario Minister of Agriculture, were extremely interested in the well-being of Ontario Farmers. Long-term plans were made in consultation with constituents. This was “Grass-root Planning”. By the mid-90s, politicians began to screw-up and made debilitating decisions that led to the closing of 5 agricultural colleges in the Province. This history book describes in detail how the Town of Kemptville lost its own Agricultural College in 2015.

I tried to make some common sense out of our current politicians. They don’t make any sense. They are excellent in doling out money like we are a bunch of dogs looking for a bone. They have no plan for the future. When I look back in time through the Kemptville College History book, I read that the Town of Kemptville had at one time two train stations and a railway system that connected this town to any town in Eastern Ontario: Ottawa, Prescott, Smith Falls, Winchester and Brockville. During the 50s, you could drop a letter to aunt Nellie, who lived in Winchester, in the mail box in Kemptville in the afternoon. Aunt Nellie would receive the letter the following morning. That railway system is gone today because politicians lacked the vision that someday we may need public transportation in order to cut back on carbon emissions. Wouldn’t it be nice to hop on a train and you are in downtown Ottawa 30 minutes later. Less stress and more conversation time with your fellow passengers. “Oh the good ol’ 50s!” I am struggling with the same question as Brandon Mayer: “Which politician sucks less, because I can’t ﬁnd a good one. That’s debilitating. William J. Langenberg, Merrickville

Dear Editor, Why does no one in a responsible position seem to care about the speed of the traffic on Prescott Street between Concession Road and Van Burin Street? They are definitely not all going the speed limit, 40 kms, quite the opposite. Very young children walk to the schools at the college and also on Concession Road, I presume. This morning, I stopped while heading downtown to let two students cross. Many young women walk along this street with their strollers and or small children alongside. In today's Times, in speaking of the '43 expansion, they mention the unfortunate accident of the municipal employee who was killed while crossing. Maybe this traffic should be slowed somehow so we do not have another fatality. There also seems to have been an unusual number of dump trucks in the past year rumbling through, very heavily loaded. I guess this is not considered a residential street but rather a 'highway'? Big thanks to Lawrence Betzac for his recent letter. He could not have said it better, at least for me. Also, I guess I'll be voting 'Green', as in "gGrenn oppose the proposed prison for Kemptville". Sincerely, Kath Piché

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, Regarding CAAP the "Evidence And The Facts" May 4/22 I don't understand why Merrickville Water and Waste Water Facility is named as an example of a "Prison Town” in the "Evidence and the Facts". Fact! Merrickville was never a Prison Town or even a Jail Town. The one and only Merrickville Jail Cell is now part of the Bar in our Legion Hall, Formally the Town Hall. Fact! Our Wastewater Facility was a P3 Project funded by three levels of Government, federal/provincial and municipal. FACT! Our water supply and wastewater servicing and maintenance is not paid by taxpayers, it is funded by the approximately. .440 USERS, I am one of those users. Kemptville Water/Wastewater Facility is also funded by the users, give them a call. Thank You Dell Bower Merrickville Dear Editor, Brandon Mayer “Hit the Nail on the Head” in his article about the value and sincerity of Political Party candidates, NG Times, May 4th. I am disillusioned about the quality of candidates, because in my sense they are all a bunch of horses with blinders on. Look at our Province: I have a list

The North Grenville Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc.

Marketing/Sales

Melissa Ottenhof melissa@ngtimes.ca

613 329 0209 May 11, 2022

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43 is set to commence is probably the most obvious sign of Kemptville’s massive growth in recent years. It’s a necessary project – especially for us poor folks who have to turn left onto County Road 43 from the Fergusson Forest Centre after leaving the dog park. But it deﬁnitely shows that Kemptville is not as quiet as it once was. I am not against progress, development, or growth. One business, one development, or one project will never break the camel’s back. I am merely lamenting trends, and the simple fact that those of us who live in the smallest of villages are increasingly having to drive to larger neighboring small towns for the most basic of necessities. I guess nostalgia for a period before one was born is possible after all.

Dear Editor,

my friends moved on, as I did every 2-4 years, but what an education meeting friends from all over Canada. Now that my husband and I are retired, we travel Canada to the West, up the Dempster Highway right up to the Arctic Ocean to Tucktoyactuk. We’ve travelled throughout Labrador, Newfoundland, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec. We’re planning to venture to Northern Ontario very soon. We usually camp and meet many locals who love to tell you about the history of the area. Canada is very large and driving for days throughout various different geographic areas certainly conﬁrms this. I only wish we could have given our children the lifestyle I had in my ﬁrst 18 years. Sorry I got carried away, but your article hit home. Louise Arsenault

Re: "The long and winding road"

This is a great article which reflects how I feel. My Dad was in the Airforce and we were posted to places where we travelled a lot. I lived in England for 4 months when I was 8 and went to school there. This was in 1953, post war. We stayed with a relative of my Dad’s whom we had never met before. The next morning after we arrived, we went to pick up my Mom’s ration card, etc. Different routines, such as Tea Time at 4 pm, my Mom ate supper at 9 and I was wondering in bed. School was different and very strict. Then we moved to Metz, France for 2 years, went to French a one room school house for 6 months, until the Canadian School started based on the Ontario System. We were posted to Sweibrucken, Germany for 2 years. Over those 4 years, we visited London, England and every country throughout Europe that was allowed. I have vivid memories of it all, meeting other kids from different places when camping or staying at beach resorts. I was exposed to each country’s language, food, living accommodations and attractions. We also lived in Comox, BC for 4 years and every summer travelled in Alberta and down the West Coast of the USA, more great geography. I know

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TIMES Editor David Shanahan editor@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735

about when someone is upset that they can’t see a movie in Kemptville? Should we build a movie theatre? Sounds fun, right? What happens when a parent with young kids is upset that there is no trampoline park, or aquatic centre, or space museum in town? These things would really put Kemptville on the map, wouldn’t they? Then we would need to get to all of these new establishments – oh the outrage that there is no light rail system in place! I exaggerate, of course, but my point is simple. Small towns are increasingly being divided into the “haves” and the “have nots”. As larger small towns grow exponentially by adding city-reminiscent services bit by bit, smaller small towns shrink, and those who live in the once-tiny small towns like Kemptville are going to realize that life in town is feeling increasingly “city-like”. The recent news that the widening of County Road

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Staﬀ Reporter Brandon Mayer brandon@ndtimes.ca

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May 11, 2022

This event is for the entire family to take part in - and enjoy! When you find yourself in between acts, be sure to grab a bite from one of our own delicious local restaurants or food trucks, and wander through the diverse vendor showcase of local goods and artisans.

There is an incredible line up of outrageous, fun, funny and fabulous street performers, including jugglers, clowns, stilt-walkers, aerial-flyers, musical performers and so much more!

There is so much to see and do at this free, family-fun street festival right in the heart of Downtown Kemptville!

On behalf of Council, we welcome you to North Grenville’s first ever Buskerfest!

Mayor's Message

Mayor Nancy Peckford North Grenville

See you on the street! Sierra Jones-Martel Chair Kemptville Buskerfest Organizing Committee

www.ngtimes.ca

1303 Kingdom Rd., Kemptville

613-258-6607

Class A Licensed Mechanics: Taking care of cars and the people who drive them

Mark and Ginette Streit

Buskerfest!

Have a great time at

Whether you came from around the corner or further afar, we want to warmly welcome you to North Grenville, and hope you have a fantastic time at this festive event in our beautiful and historic downtown in the heart of Kemptville.

I want to thank all of North Grenville’s enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, sponsors, the organizing committee as well as the Old Town Kemptville BIA for creating a fun and vibrant event that will no doubt have you smiling all the way home.

We have a wonderfully caring and giving community – one of which I am so proud.

To close, this day is all about you. This is your day. Sit back and enjoy the sublime talents of performers who have been perfecting what they do for years. Let them distract you from the mundane rhythm of your daily pandemic life. Enjoy some of the best food and drinks available in eastern Ontario. Let our local shops and vendors provide a unique shopping experience that will leave you wishing you brought a larger vehicle. And don’t forget the concert tonight where you can get lost in the musical stories told by exceptional musicians who’ll keep you grooving and your toe tapping until well past dark.

We’re extremely grateful for the investments made by the Municipality of North Grenville and our generous sponsors. Without their commitment and confidence in our band of merry volunteers, I wouldn’t be sharing this message with you now. We are humbled by their almost blind faith in our vision. Another group of people who made today possible are all of our event volunteers who are running around trying their absolute best to make this experience both refreshing and memorable for each and every one of you.

I’m so proud of everyone who has contributed to making this day possible. When you take a bunch of people who have never done anything of this magnitude before and throw them together, it usually doesn’t turn out like this. From day one our committee had the vision, the level of commitment and the passion to create something special for our community when we needed it most. We knew that people desperately needed something to look forward to and it motivated us to keep moving forward.

On behalf of the Kemptville Buskerfest Organizing Committee, we warmly welcome you to the 2022 Kemptville Buskerfest! We’re thrilled and grateful to have you with us today. It’s been a very long and winding road to get here. After a couple of starts and stops thanks to the pandemic, our two-year odyssey has finally reached its ultimate conclusion. And it’ll be a hoot!

Buskerfest Committee Chair’s Message

Presented by

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Dawn of Dreams

Magician Kevin Smith

Aerial Antics

10:30am-3:30pm

11:00am

Cowguy Jon

Dawn of Dreams

Aerial Antics

Spring Action Trampoline

Rockabilly Joe

Cowguy Jon

Dawn of Dreams

Spring Action Trampoline

Rockabilly Joe

Cowguy Jon Aerial Antics Lions Club fundraiser – BBQ & snacks After Hours Concert featuring 2022 Juno Award Nominee Miss Emily & Maple Blues award Nominee Jenie Thai get tickets at KemptvilleBuskerfest.ca

12:00pm

12:30pm

1:00pm

1:30pm

2:00pm

2:30pm

3:00pm

3:30pm

4:00pm 4:30pm 6:30pm-10pm NG Curling Club

CSE Consulting Old NG High School NG Curling Club

Old NG High School

NG Library

Old NG High School

CSE Consulting

NG Library

Old NG High School

CSE Consulting

Old NG High School

CSE Consulting

Old NG High School

Royal LePage

NG Library

NG Curling Club Prescott Street Royal LePage Prescott St at Reuben Home & Beyond

Location

Also enjoy LOCAL entertainers & KEMPTVILLE’S GOT TALENT winners throughout the day. Check with welcome centre & info booths for entertainers’ performance times and locations Also enjoy LOCAL musical entertainment at Clothier Street restaurants Salamanders, O’Heaphys Irish Pub & Hyde Smokehouse

7:00pm-10pm

Rockabillly Joe

11:30am

Spring Action Trampoline

10:30am

10:30 am

Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser Stilt Walker, Balloon Entertainer & Caricature Artist Opening Ceremonies Face Painting Kidzone Circus school presented by Kemptville Infinity

Feature

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY: 8:00 A.M. UNTIL 5:00 P.M.

REKMANS AUTOMOTIVE INC. SERVICE AND SALES 624 HART'S WAY Call us at 613-258-9888

730am-1030am Throughout the day 9am 9am-5pm 9am-5pm

Time

May 11, 2022

2 4

Map#

Take a pic at the Buskerfest Photo Booth located beside the Info Centre at Prescott St. & Reuben Cr. North

Photo Booth

Courtesy of Jansen Law & the Municipality of North Grenville

Drop off completed forms to Info Booth #1 for a special Buskerfest souvenir and to enter our draw for a Junior Busker Basket & NG Green Cards

Welcome Centre info Booth #1 at Prescott St. & Reuben St. N. Info Booth #2 at Prescott St. & Reuben St. S.

Have fun with our Scavenger Hunt! Pick up your checklist at the following locations

Stop by the Welcome Centre at Prescott Street & Clothier Street to get your Buskerfest Souvenir Bag courtesy of Hygiene Now (while supplies last)

Buskerfest Souvenir Bag

311 RYAN’S WELL DRIVE

A Canadian Company celebrating 100 years of serving families like yours!

We like to keep you and your car safe

Buskerfest!

Gerry and Lorraine Rekmans wish you loads of fun at

The North Grenville Times The Voice of North Grenville

www.ngtimes.ca

eet Str s r de San

E reet d St r o f Ox

Brewing Oasis

reet W ier St Cloth

Parking at NGMC with shuttle service

W Street Oxford

2794 County Rd 43, Kemptville

Performance Areas

Riverside Park

Kemp tville C reek

Info Booth reet y St Mar

t tree th S e b a Eliz

et Stre Asa

Street Water

Kid Zone

Rest Area

Info Booth

Welcome Centre

et E Stre r e i h Clot

cent Cres n e Reub

After Hours Concert NGCC

cent Cres n e b Reu

Food Vendors

et Stre t t o sc Pre

Creek tville p m e K

Shuttle Stop from NGMC

Rest Area

Saturday, May 21, 2022

North Grenville Municipal Centre (with free shuttle to site) Riverside Park Also 8 person golf cart shuttle making rounds throughout the day on site and Riverside Park

Parking

Front row L-R: Herb Cloutier, Mary-Anne Leang, Ashley Sloan; Melissa Boudreau - Urbandale, Dwayne Hartle - Urbandale, Sierra Jones-Martel; Amanda Leang, Meagan Cumming. Back row L-R: Tammy Hurlbert, Mayor Nancy Peckford,Councillor Debbie Wilson, Deron Johnston (hiding), Megan McDonald (missing)

BUSKERFEST ORGANZING COMMITTEE

Kemptville Buskerfest GOOD WINE IN GOOD TIME

May 11, 2022

Rideau Street

Optometrist

F: 613.258.4391

Call to order ahead so you don’t miss out

The Voice of North Grenville

Heritage wood-fired brick oven operating since 1885 115 Clotheir St., E. • 258.2317 • www.grahamesbakery.com

Buskerfest!

All the best at

2 - 4 Industrial Rd, Kemptville, South Gower Business Park

T: 613.258.3282

Robert Walker, CPA, CA,LPA Bradley Mehlman CPA Dinah Boal Clare Deans Crystal Lang

212 Van Buren St.

613.258.7438

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT

www.drcleamon.com

Have fun at Buskerfest!

Dr. C.L. Eamon

Leslie and Sandy Campbell, Owners 201 Prescott Street, Kemptville 613 258 WINE (9463) BREWINGOASIS@GMAIL.COM LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

The NorthRd Grenville 2794 County 43, Times Kemptville

et Stre t t sco Pre

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MEET OUR BUSKERS

2794 County 43, Times Kemptville The NorthRd Grenville

The Voice of North Grenville

Aerial Antics

Aerial Antics provides refined and inspiring performances, mixing the elegance of aerial dance with the excitement of dynamic twists and falls. They call themselves “Aerial Antics” to reﬂect their playful approach to choreography that incorporates elements of other performance arts using their portable aerial rig.

Magician Kevin Smith

Professional Magician, Kevin Smith has been performing at events for almost a decade. Kevin performs a magic/ illusion show that includes a fantastic mixture of mindblowing tricks, mentalism, audience participation, music, family appropriate comedy and mesmerizing illusions that are perfect for any event. He has performed his fast, funny magic on streets all over the world. At Kemptville Buskerfest Kevin will perform a series of ongoing table shows.

Brad the Balloon Guy

Brad the Balloon Guy will make amazing balloon creations, by request for the crowd. Brad makes all sorts of animals, and crazy multi-balloon creations.

Dawn of Dreams

Dawn is a fantastic contact juggler and street clown. Her show titled “The Top 10 Viral Countdown, a Dawn Dreams Circus Remix” is super engaging and full of audience interaction and participation. Her work with crystal balls will blow the audience away.

Rockabilly Joe

Jon the Cowguy

With over 15 years experience in front of audiences, Jon The Cowguy knows how to deliver hilarious family oriented shows. The audience is treated to amazing circus stunts, ﬁre-juggling, mini-bicycle riding and plenty of audience participation blended with hilarious improvised and rehearsed banter.

Joey Albert is a professional circus and street performer who won the People’s Choice Award at the Ottawa International Buskerfest. His performances are full of comedy, juggling and acrobatics with a rockabilly vibe. With his experience on the street, Joey’s performances are enjoyed by all ages. Highly skilled in acrobatics and juggling, Joey brings a unique twist when he mixes both together.

Spring Action Trampoline Founded by Olympians Heather and Sean McManus, the Spring Action trampoline show is a family, fun ﬁlled show full of high-ﬂying acrobatics, hilarious physical comedy backed by upbeat music. Heather and Sean have been delivering bounce to festivals across Canada for over 20 years, and they are thrilled to be bringing the fun to Kemptville Buskerfest in 2022.

Festival Sponsors

2794 County Rd 43, Kemptville May 11, 2022

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Le CECCE et les bibliothèques publiques des régions fluviales proposent des activités en français pour toute la famille Le Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) est fier d’offrir aux bibliothèques publiques de Brockville, Kingston, Pembroke, Kemptville, Merrickville et Smiths Falls près de 2500 livres en français. Ce partenariat permet d’offrir à la fois l'occasion de lire en français chez soi, mais aussi de faire l’utilisation des ressources lors d’activités pédagogiques dans les bibliothèques. D’ailleurs, des heures du conte seront offertes pour les familles dans les bibliothèques recevant ces livres. Cette initiative permettra aux élèves de faire connaissance avec une auteure ou un auteur une fois par mois à travers la présentation de l’une de ses œuvres. Les livres offerts à ces bibliothèques étant des récits

rédigés en français par des auteures et auteurs francoontariens et canadiens mettent à l’avant-plan la construction identitaire, la catholicité, l’inclusion, la diversité et les communautés des Premières Nations, des Métis et des Inuit (PNMI). Ces livres sont non seulement utilisés à des ﬁns pédagogiques, mais aussi pour venir aider l’enfant à se forger une identité propre à elle ou lui. « Il peut être un défi pour les familles francophones des régions ﬂuviales de trouver des ressources dans leur langue. Bien que le numérique et la technologie prennent de plus en plus de place dans nos vies, il n’y a rien comme une visite à la bibliothèque avec son enfant pour voir ses yeux s'illuminer devant de nouvelles histoires qu’il aura l’occasion de lire.

Provincial - ALL CANDIDATES DEBATE NG Municipal Centre Theatre Wednesday May 25, 2022

Pouvoir répéter l’expérience aussi souvent que nous le voulons, comme l’emprunt de livre est gratuit, est aussi un atout positif des bibliothèques publiques », indique Johanne Lacombe, présidente du CECCE. Marc Bertrand, directeur de l’éducation, ajoute : « Au-delà de l’école, les bibliothèques sont des endroits vers lesquels les familles peuvent se tourner pour trouver des ressources afin que les enfants développent le goût de la lecture, mais aussi pour contribuer à l’éveil de celles et ceux-ci sur une foule de sujets, dont la diversité culturelle et l’inclusivité. Je suis fier de ce don qui signifie qu’encore plus de familles auront accès à des livres en français dans leur communauté. »

Hosted by Leeds and Grenville Labour Council

Steve Clark

Progressive Conservative

May 11, 2022

with by playing a game. Stay active – Taking the time to engage in physical activities can have lifelong benefits for your physical, emotional and mental health. Even short, 10 minutes bursts of stretching or walking can enhance our mood, alertness and energy. Research shows that regular exercise can have signiﬁcant positive impacts on anxiety, depression and negative mood. Get outside – Spending time in nature is an easy way to reduce stress and stay physically healthy. North Grenville has continuously improved its trail system over the last decade. There are well maintained trails at Kemptville Campus, Ferguson Forest and Limerick, as well as more urban trails including the Rail Trail, and the Settlers Trail in the heart of North Grenville. Visit www.NGTrails.ca for the list of local trails. Develop Healthy Habits – We all know eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep does a body good! Make time for yourself –

To have your question(s) considered for use in the debate, please email them in advance to leedsandgrenvillelabourcouncil@gmail.com”

Josh Bennett Liberal

Fiona Jager Green Party

Chris Wilson New Democrat

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PUBLIC NOTICE - PESTICIDE USE

North Grenville marks Mental Health Week May 2 to 8, 2022 marks Mental Health Week, and the Municipality of North Grenville is reminding residents that mental health resources are available to anyone who is struggling. “Communities across the country have been through a lot during the past two years – and the longer-term eﬀects of isolation from family, social and faith networks are just being felt now. Transitioning to the new normal may come with its own challenges – and seeking mental health resources is a totally ok thing to do,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford. “Mental Health Week provides an opportunity to increase awareness of what we can do every day to manage and improve our mental health and support others,” added Councillor Doreen O’Sullivan and Parks, Recreation and Culture Liaison. “Investing in our mental wellbeing is as crucial as investing in our physical health.” Below are a few tips on how you can incorporate mental health practices dayto-day: Connect with others – Evidence shows that positive social interactions improve our physical well-being! Call or visit a friend or set up a video chat with a distant family member. Make time to connect with those you live

Doors Open at 6:30 pm Debate begins at 7 pm This event is open to the public

Pesticide Use The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville intends to utilize Wagar and Corput Weed Control Inc. to control weeds along the following rural roadsides:

Building self-care into your daily or weekly routine can greatly improve resilience and prevent burnout. Set aside time during the day to do something you enjoy like reading a book, gardening or spending time with your family. Community Resources: Children’s Mental Health of Leeds & Grenville: www. cmhlg.ca | 613-498-4844 Lanark, Leeds & Grenville Mental Health and Addictions: www.llgamh.ca | 24/7 Crisis Line 1-866-281-2911 Kids Help Phone: www. kidshelpphone.ca |1-800668-6868 TEXT 686868 Family & Children’s Services of Lanark, Leeds, & Grenville: 1-855-667-2726 | www.fcsllg.ca Parent’s Lifeline of Eastern Ontario (PLEO): www.pleo. on.ca/ Ontario Mental Health Portal: www.mindbeacon.com/ Government of Canada’s Wellness Together portal: www.wellnesstogether.ca/ en-CA Canadian Mental Health Association: www.cmha.ca/ the north grenville

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• Select sections on County Roads 2, 6, 15, 16, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 41 and 44.

• Selected Township Roads in the municipalities of Augusta, Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal, Elizabethtown-Kitley, Front of Yonge, Leeds and Thousand Islands, Merrickville-Wolford and North Grenville. • All County guide rails, except for those in Rideau Lakes.

For roadside and guide rail weed control, the contractor will be using the following pesticide products registered under the Pest Control Products Act (Canada). Clearview Herbicide Reg. #29752, containing the active ingredients Metsulfuron-Methyl and Aminopyralid, present as potassium salt, Navius Flex Reg. #30922 containing the active ingredients Metasulfuron-Methyl and Aminocyclopyrachlor along with Gateway Adjuvant Reg. #31470, containing the active ingredients Paraffinic oil and Alkoxylated alcohol non-ionic surfactants. Commencing: May 24, 2022 (weather permitting) to June 24, 2022. This pesticide use falls under Public Works Exception of the Cosmetics Pesticide Ban for the promotion of public health and safety. For further information contact:

Wagar & Corput Weed Control Inc. (613) 938-2117 (call collect) United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (800) 770-2170 / (613) 342-3840 x 2413 Please contact the Counties if you require more detailed information regarding our program, including additional information on how to post “No Spray” signage in front of your property. This information along with maps of the roads to be sprayed is available on our website at www.leedsgrenville.com under Government, Divisions, Public Works, Weed Control.

OPP oﬃcer charged with impaired driving An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) oﬃcer has been arrested and charged for impaired driving. On May 1, 2022 just after 7:00 p.m., members of the Grenville County Detachment responded to a single vehicle collision on Rock Road at McGovern Road, North Grenville. An Approved Screening Device (ASD) was utilized at roadside. The driver was

arrested and brought back to the detachment for further testing. A one-year member of the OPP, currently serving in the Lanark County Detachment was charged under the Criminal Code with: · Operation while impaired by alcohol or drugs - sec. 320.14(1)(a) · Operation while impaired blood alcohol concentration

(80 plus) - sec. 320.14(1)(b) The accused was released from custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville on May 13, 2022 to answer to the charges. The member has been suspended with pay, as required under the Ontario Police Services Act.

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Classiﬁeds eds Classiﬁ FOR SALE

No. 6/4 wire cabtire 18 meters; No, 6/4 wire liquidtight 15 meters; $175.00 each or both for $300.00. Bill 613-850-1584 4 Tires on rims, 225/60R15. Like new. $380. Call Pat 613-258-4671 Two brand new wedding dresses, tags still attached, bought online LULUS (XL) $300 each Walker with seat; electric active cycle, manual exercise cycle. Call 613-5678533 Hearing aid with charger, hardly used. Call 613-5678533 Wheelchair, Fuse 5.0 with accessories; Shower chair with coasters & commode. $375 each. Call 613-5678533. Triplex, waterfront, downtown Kemptville. Email redmondjg52@gmail.com for details. Old used POS system along with two cash drawers, two receipts printers AS IS. $500 OBO. Contact dqkemptville@gmail.com

for delivery. Call Jon 613227-3650 Hay and straw for sale 4x4 round bales, stored inside. Call Jon 613-227-3650 Cedar posts and rails for sale, various sizes available. Call Jon 613-227-3650

WANTED Looking to rent farmland for cash crops. Call or text Mitch @ 613-262-1204 I will buy 500 seedlings of boxwood bush, sempervirens, for planting this spring. 1-613-277-7098

The Eric Gutknecht Memorial Bursary Charity is seeking 250ml jars (new or used) for 2022 jam/ jelly sales. Drop oﬀ at 529 George St. E or call Billy at 613-796-0941 GARAGE SALE STREET GARAGE SALE Saturday, May 14, Brookberry Cres, Kemptville, 8am to 1pm

Firewood for sale $110 a cord delivered, min 2 cord

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HISTORIC HALL AVAILABLE FOR RENTALS in Beautiful Burritts Rapids! Gather your loved ones for a celebration of life or a life well lived. Start an art, musical, travel, or book club in a hamlet near walking trails and parkettes. Our hall is well equipped for any gathering or celebration, and we offer very competitive rates. http://burrittsrapids.com/

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SERVICES SERVICES RETIRED CARPENTER Renovations, kitchens, bathrooms, additions, decks, home repair. Call George at 613 462 7637

ACROSS 1. Unsuccessful person 6. Fraud 10. Does something 14. Saying 15. Blueﬁn 16. Challenge 17. Smidgens 18. By mouth 19. Component of urine 20. Praiseworthy 22. Young girl 23. Point 24. Non-glossy photos 26. Annoy continually 30. Avoid 32. France's longest river 33. An article of opinion 37. River of Spain 38. Filth 39. Away from the wind 40. Conﬁdence

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DOWN 1. Nonclerical 2. Smell 3. Satisfy 4. Quaint outburst 5. Ash 6. Brown ermine 7. Curtail 8. Rectal 9. Alaskan sled dog 10. Mixed with impurities 11. Unit of weight for gems 12. Amount of hair 13. Oceans 21. Foot digit 25. Stir 26. Urgent request 27. Tosses 28. Haughtiness 29. Unwarranted 30. Decree 31. Citrus fruit 33. Sea eagle 34. Holly 35. Relating to aircraft 36. Lascivious look 38. A moon of Jupiter 41. 16 1/2 feet 42. Lithesome 44. To and ___ 45. Subarctic coniferous forests 46. Course around a star or planet 47. Pig sounds 48. Always 50. Egg-shaped 51. School session 52. Hubs 53. Prima donna problems 54. A lustrous fabric 55. Views

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

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St. Paul's Presbyterian Church Spring Yard Sale and BBQ

May 7, 8 am to 2 pm, back-up date May 14 Huge selection, something for everyone Subject to current

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May 11, 2022

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Municipality and Hospice to receive money from Resilient Communities Fund

The Voice of North Grenville

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by Brandon Mayer On May 2, local MPP Steve Clark announced that several organizations and two municipalities in the riding will be receiving provincial funding to help them bounce back in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding – provided through the Resilient Communities Fund – will be distributed between ﬁve organizations, one of which is Beth Donovan Hospice, and two municipalities, one of which is the Municipality of North Grenville. The funds being provided are earmarked for specific purposes. The Municipality will receive a grant of $100,000 over a period of 12 months which will be used to renovate the Riverside Park multi-use pathway to a 1-kilometre accessible loop, the purpose of which is to help encourage active living for everyone in the community. North Grenville was already crowned Canada’s Most Active Community in 2021, but this project would help to ensure that active living is accessible to all. “As Canada’s most active community, North Grenville continues to seek opportunities to expand our outdoor recreational amenities,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford. “With support from the Province, we are able to build a multi-use pathway around the periphery of Riverside Park for individuals of all ages and abilities to enjoy.” Director of Parks, Recreation & Culture Mark Guy also weighed in, saying “Riverside Park is the crown jewel of the Municipality of North Grenville’s park system. The Municipality is undertaking a revitalization project at the park that will see a new acMay 11, 2022

cessible changeroom facility, a refrigerated outdoor rink, and a splash pad. The addition of a 3 metre wide paved multi-use pathway around the park will further enhance the experience of residents and visitors, especially our senior population, providing a safe and accessible way to exercise while enjoying all the surrounding activities within the park.” Beth Donovan Hospice will receive a grant of $39,900 over the 12-month period, which will be “invested” in the hiring of an individual to implement its fundraising plan and build community partnerships to raise needed funds to continue its programs. “We are very pleased to have received this grant,” said the Hospice’s Executive Director, Susan Walker. “It will enable us to continue our outreach to the more rural areas of our catchment area, and to implement our fundraising plan to help oﬀset some of the losses in fundraising revenue

as a result of COVID. As an agency that is only partially funded by the Ministry of Health, it is necessary for us to raise funds each year to continue to offer our services free of charge to all residents and this grant will enable us to continue to do this.” In total, the Ontario government is providing $95.8 million this year through the Resilient Communities Fund to help 1,146 non-profit organizations across the Province to recover and rebuild. The Resilient Communities Fund provides grants of up to $150,000 to eligible nonprofit organizations to cover a broad range of needs. The Ontario Trillium Foundation will continue to offer the Resilient Communities Fund in 202223 to help more eligible nonprofit organizations that have been impacted by COVID-19. Application information can be found at https://www. otf.ca/our-grants/resilientcommunities-fund.

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The Voice of Merrickville-Wolford

Local ﬁreﬁghters get appreciation day

by Brandon Mayer On Wednesday, May 4, people around the world celebrated International Firefighter Appreciation Day. An event hosted by Kemptville Retirement Living helped to make sure that firefighters from local departments received their share of the gratitude. In attendance were Chief Okum of the North Grenville Fire Department, Chief Moore from the Edwardsburgh Cardinal Fire Department, and Chief Cole from the Merrickville-Wolford Fire Department. Residents of the retirement community dedicated all of their art time to making art for the firefighters during the week leading up to the appreciation event. The art expressed gratitude for the first responders’ service. The residents also had a fun-filled

day, as many relieved childhood fantasies by trying on firefighter gear, climbing into the cab of a firetruck to pull the horn, and socializing with the firefighters both inside and outside. For many residents, this occasion marked the first time since the onset of the pandemic that they have been able to have this type of social interaction. To mark the occasion, two cakes were donated by local dentist Dr. Sohal. The Recreation Coordinator for Kemptville Retirement Living told the Times that the firefighters who came to the event enjoyed themselves just as much as the residents, since it provided the opportunity for them to have a “different type of connection” with members of the community. There was even a personal connection made in some cases, as some of the residents had parents who were firefighters. “It was

History 2-4

The cost of living in Wolford in 1818 a wonderful day,” the Recreation Coordinator said. The selfless work of first responders has been a focus lately, with not only International Firefighter Appreciation Day, but also the province-wide First Responder’s Day celebrated locally on May 1. First responders include police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, who all respond to potentially traumatic and disturbing emergency situations on a regular basis. First responders experience a statistically much higher rate of mental illness than the general public, which is tied to the stress and trauma of their work. As an example, one study estimates that approximately one third of all firefighters are experiencing some form of mental illness at any given time, which is about three times the rate of mental illness in the general population. A problem in the first responder field is that the stigma of mental illness can often keep these professionals from speaking up when they are struggling. There are now many online resources dedicated to eliminating the stigma and encouraging first responders to seek help when needed, though of course there is more progress to be made. Awareness, understanding, support, and of course, appreciation are a great place to start.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church Anniversary Celebration submitted by Doug MacDonald

May 11, 2022

The year 2022 marks the 185th anniversary of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Merrickville. In 1837, after a decade without a church in Merrickville, Rev. Henry Patton, with the faithful Loyalist pioneer families of the Church of England, built Trinity. This small church was razed in 1908 and a larger church was constructed on the site. The opening service of the new Trinity (now Holy Trinity) was held on April 14, 1909. On Sunday June 19, 2022, a special service will celebrate the 185-year story of the Anglican Church in Merrickville. Linking present to past, Bishop Michael Oulton of the Diocese of Ontario,, Rev. Andrew Wilson and the congregation of Holy Trinity will welcome former members and descendants of the pioneer families of the 19th and 20th centuries to Holy Trinity. We hope you will join us at 10:30am on Sunday June 19th for this special celebration, followed by a pot-luck lunch.

by David Shanahan Life in the Wolford area in 1818 was not as primitive as one might think. There were three mills for grinding grain, four mills for sawing timber, and one for carding wool. The price for grinding grain was one-twelfth of the grain; for sawing timber, 2S. 6d. per 100 feet, or half the timber; and for carding wool, 5d. per lb. A horse sold for £15, a cow for £5, an ox, £8, and a sheep, 7s. 6d., if bought after shearing; if not, the price varied. Robert Gourlay, in his final report, ““Statistical Account of Upper Canada”, gave some average prices for the basic needs of life as he found them across the province. “A good frame farm house costs from £125 to £50; a good frame barn, £125. A log house, £25.” Using the services of a blacksmith working iron was at the rate of 7½d. per lb. “common work”, whereas making chains cost just 1 shilling. An axe cost 12s. 6d.; a hoe, 5s.; shoeing a horse cost 10s. Other trades and professions charged varying amounts for their talents. Carding wool was charged at the rate of 7½d. per lb., while a tailor charged, for making a coat, from 20s. to 27s. 6d.; and I0s. for pantaloons. Shoemakers charged 3s. 9d. for making a pair of shoes; and a weaver, for weaving a yard of common flannel, earned between one shilling and 1s 6d. There was a strong ambition within these communities to see growth and an improvement in living conditions. Robert Gourlay was possibly the first outsider to actually seek the input of local settlers in the townships of Upper Canada in his survey. Most refused to cooperate with him, largely because of the opposition Gourlay faced from the governing elite and Bishop Strachan. Wolford was one of the few to respond to his invitation, and, in fact, they sent him a later submission which they said they 16

had decided upon “After a more serious consideration of query, number 30th.” It had asked about the: “state of public roads, and if capable of much improvement at a moderate expence; also, if any water conveyance; or, if this could be obtained, extended, or improved, by means of canals, locks, etc., etc.”. On January 26, 1818, three of the Burritts, Stephen, Daniel, and Henry, along with William Merrick, wrote to Gourlay to give their views on the subject. What they had to say presaged the direction the Imperial Government in London would take in the following decades, the building of the Rideau Canal. “The water communication of the river Rideau is capable of great improvement by canalling, which may be done at small expence, for boats of three tons, as most of the materials may be obtained on the spot.” To this answer to Question 30, they added some thoughts on Question 31, which was a rather daring thing to do for these local settlers. Question 31 was considered the most controversial of all, and was considered by the ruling elite to be the most dangerous, even revolutionary, of them all. At ﬁrst sight, it may seem innocuous: “What, in your opinion, retards the improvement of your Township in particular, or the province in general; and what would most contribute to the same?” Inevitably, this was seen as a direct criticism of the way the province had been governed, and invited the settlers to comment and have a say in their future as a community. This, it was alleged, was mob democracy, and a threat to the ruling order of things. However, the answer that the Burritts and Merrick gave was quite reasonable and held no particularly political overtones. They merely pointed out that the land granting system needed revising in the light of government decisions following the War of 1812, when the immigration of new settlers from the United States had been, in theory at

least, prohibited. Before that, it seemed that American land speculators had been busy in the area, buying up land and then selling it for a high price, one beyond the reach of many potential settlers. They further repeated the potential of the area once the Rideau could be made navigable. “On the first settlement of this province, or shortly after the disturbance in Europe commenced, and no emigration took place from that country, the government of this province made proclamation for settlers from the United States: a number applied and obtained such titles as the government were at that time giving, and sold them, and returned to the states; and the purchasers have obtained titles of the same, and hold their lands at so high a price that the poor are not able to purchase. This is the reason that we have to offer, and what impedes the settlement of this province, or this place. From the mouth of the river Rideau to Perth, on the Tay, is a distance of about 70 miles, and a small part a good settlement, and the other part land good for settling, and the river affords a number of excellent mill seats.” Robert Gourlay did not spend a long time in Upper Canada, but his effect on the country, both then and since, has been marked. Thanks to his efforts, we have this detailed picture of the Wolford area in 1818, just twenty years after the township had been surveyed. Bishop Strachan may not have approved of Gourlay, but those of us who came later can be grateful that he dropped by.

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OFA sees protection of farmland Ontario providing more funding as key to long-term food security for hospital care and new beds in agricultural land to urban Another concern we are Leeds-Grenville by Drew Spoelstra, Vice development from 2000 to facing is the unprecedented President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

For decades, farmers have been losing prime farmland to urban sprawl. I have seen several productive farms turned into housing developments, soccer fields, shopping malls, movie theatres and highway extensions. Our Home Grown campaign paints a very concerning picture using a time-lapse to illustrate the far-reaching impacts urban development has had on specific regions across the Province. As we continue the trend of losing acreage every day, I think it's time we ask ourselves, “How do we plan on producing safe, sustainable food for a growing population if our farmers are losing the finite resources needed to grow and produce these commodities?” On March 30, 2022, the Ontario government introduced legislation that will help support plans to increase the Province’s housing supply. The government committed to completing a housing supply action plan every year for the next four years, beginning in 2022-23. These legislative changes came shortly after the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force released its recommendations report. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) supports the goal of building more homes to accommodate a growing population. We recognize the challenges Ontarians face with soaring housing costs, so we believe the answer for farmers and non-farmers alike lies with smart land-use planning policy. For Ontario to continue to grow and prosper, we must have a long-term plan to preserve productive land for the purpose of food production. With the global population projected to rise to 9.8 billion by 2050, an increase in affordable housing supply will need to be accommodated, but so too will the demand for food production. To put this into perspective, less than 5% of Ontario's land base can support agricultural production for human consumption. In fact, we’ve lost 1.5 million acres of farmland to development between 1996 and 2016 alone – which is the equivalent of 175 acres per day. New research also shows that southwestern Ontario lost more than 72,000 acres of prime May 11, 2022

2017. Ontario cannot sustain these continuing losses while still maintaining our ability to produce food, fibre and fuel from a limited and declining agricultural land base. OFA has been addressing the issue of farmland preservation and local food production in recent meetings with provincial election candidates. As farmers, we’re happy to meet the demand for more local food, but that means that our province needs to make preserving farmland and containing urban sprawl a priority. Long-term land-use planning must balance responsible urban growth with protecting agricultural land to ensure that future generations have the resources necessary to continue to grow food for Ontarians and Canadians right here at home. Within my community, I have seen constant urbanization of farmland. I have known many farmers who have been forced to relocate due to urban sprawl, and only a few decades later, they are finding themselves in the same situation. Several factors outside of a farmer's control, such as rapidly changing housing markets, planning processes, and political decisions, force them to work without the security and stability necessary to maintain a modern farm business and land base. Many farmers are also seeing development in close proximity to their land, which also puts our operation at risk. Farming near urban development creates heavy traffic pressures when moving equipment around or trespass issues when our fields become mistaken for walking trails or dirt bike paths, endangering our livestock or crops. Normal farm practices, like noise, dust, odour, or flies, can also become an issue for nearby residents when urban and rural communities intersect. Privacy also becomes a concern when urban development begins to encroach into agricultural areas resulting in farmers having to work next to residential developments. Although our day-today work on the farm may seem normal to us, spraying against someone's fence or working in the late hours of the day may become an uncomfortable task when being observed.

use of Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) in municipalities that have robust landuse planning systems. MZOs have been used to quickly advance sprawl-induced housing developments, leading to further loss of farmland in Ontario. Since 2019, 2,000 acres of farmland have been lost to MZOs. Once land has been developed and paved over, it is lost forever. OFA believes that fixed, permanent urban boundaries will help limit the loss of agricultural land. By redeveloping vacant or underused space, utilizing areas with poor soils or drainage, reinventing existing infrastructure, or building higher density development, we would be able to preserve Ontario's productive land for food production. Urban intensification can also be utilized to protect agricultural land, by boosting economic growth, creating new jobs, providing affordable housing options, supporting municipal infrastructure systems, ensuring food security, and contributing to environmental stewardship. We will continue to advocate for the protection of productive farmland and keep this message at the forefront of political party platforms.

New investments will ensure local families have access to high-quality health care Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, announced that the following local hospitals will receive additional operating funding this fiscal year: -Brockville General Hospital will receive an additional $3.6 million starting in 2022/23, which represents an increase of 4.8% percent to funding last fiscal year -Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital will receive an additional $1.3 million starting in 2022/23, which represents an increase of 2.8 percent to funding last fiscal year -Kemptville District Hospital will receive an additional $300,000 starting in 2022/23, which represents an increase of 2% to funding last fiscal year This is part of the Ontario government’s $827 million additional investment to hospitals across the Province, representing a four per cent increase over last year. This will ensure that all publicly funded hospitals receive a minimum two per cent increase to their operating budgets to help them better meet patient needs, while

building a stronger, more resilient health care system. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our local hospitals have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional care to patients and families in Leeds-Grenville,” said MPP Clark. “This new investment is just one way Ontario is supporting highquality and timely access to health care to ensure we have the capacity to stay open.” Over the last four years, the Ontario government has made significant investments in Ontario’s hospitals as part of its plan to build a stronger, more resilient health care system that is better able to respond to crisis. This includes overall sector increases four years in a row, representing a total provincial investment of $2.5 billion since 2019. “Ontario’s hospitals have been unwavering in their commitment to protect the health and wellbeing of Ontarians, and our government is committed to ensuring that they have the resources needed to recover from the pandemic and meet the ongoing needs of the communities they

serve,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By increasing investments in hospitals provincewide, our government is helping to ensure that patients have access to the high-quality care they need, when and where they need it.” In addition, as part of its plan to stay open, the government is supporting the creation of 10 new patient beds and one new ICU bed at Brockville General Hospital, and is supporting the creation of 8 new patient beds at Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital. These new beds are part of a capital plan expansion with more than 50 major projects that will add 3,000 new beds over 10 years and support the continuation of over 3,100 acute and post-acute beds in hospitals and alternate health care facilities, and hundreds of new adult, paediatric and neonatal critical care beds. Since the outset of the pandemic, the government has added 777 more intensivecare unit hospital beds with the capacity to now handle 2,448 critical care patients.

Littering a major issue along roadways by Brandon Mayer One of the most awful and ironic things to see so close to Earth Day is the garbage lining our streets, roads, and highways. Littering along roadways is nothing new, but that doesn’t make it any less reprehensible. One concerned area resident reached out to the Times to express her frustrations that littering continues to be such a major problem. She asked to remain anonymous because she is only one of many people with the same opinion, and does not want to steal the spotlight. The woman, who lives in Hallville near the border between the Leeds & Grenville and SD&G counties, has recently been in contact with SD&G Counties officials, trying to persuade them to post anti-littering signs along roadways which could also warn about potential fines 17

if caught. “It’s ludicrous to not have something there,” she said. “At least it reminds people.” Of course, cracking down on littering can be next to impossible. Litterers either have to be caught in the act – which is unlikely on sparsely populated roads, or at night, or when the offender is discreet – or their discarded trash has to include something that identifies them, such as an addressed letter. Since most discarded trash along roadways consists of fast food containers and other “travel” garbage, identifying offenders after the fact is just as unlikely as catching them in the act. The woman who spoke with the Times had a unique perspective, however, saying that it should be more about training the new generation to simply care more about the planet and not litter, rather than punishing offenders. A new issue created dur-

ing pandemic life has been the littering of used disposable face masks. Billions of masks have been produced during the pandemic, and one study estimates that 1.6 billion of these masks ended up in the world’s oceans in the year 2020 alone. This is significant, and while days like Earth Day are designed to make people think about issues of littering and pollution, thought does not always translate into action. School children often do activities on Earth Day such as filling garbage bags with litter from their schoolyard or local streets, but one day per year may not be enough. One beneficial program that exists throughout North America is the so-called “Adopt a Road” program, which allows individuals and organizations to “adopt” speciﬁc stretches of roadways which they agree to clean

twice per year. The county or municipality provides garbage bags, gloves, and other needed supplies, and the road’s “adopter” simply leaves the ﬁlled bags of litter on the side of the road for collection. Those who participate are recognized with roadside signage that identiﬁes their contribution to keeping the roadway clean. While the SD&G United Counties has an advertised Adopt a Road program, no mention of a similar program for the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville could be found online. It is unclear if Leeds & Grenville has such a program. Much change still needs to happen in terms of many people’s views on littering, and changed mindsets may very well be the key.

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Mr. Stephen Goes to Queens Park by Victor LaChance The docudrama story told in Mr. Stephen Goes to Queens Park is presently playing in the new Public Interest theatre in the community of North Grenville, home to the small town of Kemptville, Ontario. This gripping docudrama opens with a retrospective look at Mr. Stephen’s political career. When the residents of a region with a very long name needed to choose an amiable, trustworthy and hard-working politician to represent them in a legislative body (referred to as Queen’s Park in the story), they choose Mr. Clark Stephen. As the story unfolds, we see how Mr. Stephen’s political trajectory began at the tender age of 22, fresh out of university, the youngest mayor in the country at the time. By all accounts, he was perfectly suitable to rise to the region’s prestigious position of PPM (Permanent Political Master). The audience follows along as he is mentored by the character of Mr. Ford Douglas, the affable Supreme Political Master who eventually gives him some significant institutional political power, known as a ministry. Then it happens. Spoiler alert: I shan’t reveal how it happened, or the room where it happened, because this is part of the mystery. Suffice it to say that the plot seriously thickens when Mr. Stephen falls in love with the seductive temptress known as Ministerial Zoning Orders and a version of George Orwell’s Ministry of Truth. We witness the Supreme Political Master’s eccentric approach to econom-

ics, his repeated backtracking on poorly thought-out plans and the befriending of corporate allies. In this toxic (or intoxicating) mix of decisionmaking, Mr. Stephen suddenly faces a moral dilemma: should he ﬁght to preserve the vision of a small town in the region he represents, or should he destroy it with a terrible plan cooked up by the Supreme Political Master and a triumvirate known as A.O. Thompson, I.O. Surma and SolGen Jones – the antagonists of the story. It’s a classic morality tale, with a wonderful cast of supporting actors collectively known as “the Council” who are forced to face their own moral choices. Viewers will be enthralled by the drama. On the one hand, the triumvirate repeatedly insists that it is translucent, but all the audience can see is a stone wall. Meanwhile, Mr. Stephen repeatedly says that he’s there to protect what matters most, but does he mean what matters most to him, to the Supreme Political Master and the triumvirate, or does he mean the people – the protagonists - who democratically elevated him the position of PPM? The antagonists repeatedly claim that their less than democratic plan is a done deal, but the audience is shown the many times and ways that the Supreme Political Master has backtracked on other bad plans. Throw in the Council’s tricks to mislead the audience, and the plot twists and turns in secretive ways. But of course, the facts come out, revealing that the Council’s support for the antagonists’ plan is wrong-headed, and the suspense builds from there as the region’s citizens

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work together to be spared the destruction of their town’s vison, the loss of their heritage farmland and the financial costs they will bear because of the PPM’s plan. The story unfolds over a period of several months, where the powerful antagonists get the upper hand early on through undemocratic measures, including Mr. Stephen’s brazen attempt to silence citizens of his region. But the town’s residents struggle on, slowly exposing the hollowness of the Supreme Political Master’s plan, which generates an ever-increasing opposition from many sources. The docudrama swings back and forth between the antagonists’ Goliath-like attempts to fool the citizenry and the protagonists’ David-like efforts to expose the truth. We reach the climax of the story when Mr. Stephen must choose between his political masters or the citizens who still hold onto the image of the amiable and trustworthy PPM, and hope that he will choose to defend democracy. The audience may ﬁnd the docudrama’s ending rather disappointing, since the nefarious plan is still threatening the small town in question. This is because as Mr. Stephen Goes to Queens Park ends, there is still plenty of time for the Supreme Political Master, the PPM and the triumvirate to put its plan on hold, and restore democracy in the region. But whether the town is saved or not, there is no doubt that the audience will have seen what happens to Mr. Stephen when he goes to Queen’s Park.

Moving Forward – Together

LLGAMH is recruiting New Board Members submitted by Jane Adams Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health’s (LLGAMH) ‘One Door – One Number – One Click’ philosophy supports clients living with addictions and mental health challenges. Now LLGAMH is ready to elevate that care even further – and we are looking for a few new Board members to help lead the way. As a governance Board, these committed volunteers will be responsible for key areas such as strategic planning, quality, CEO oversight and ﬁnancial stewardship. We want to ensure that May 11, 2022

the Board is representative of all of the communities across Lanark, Leeds and Grenville and their unique health care needs. “Board members bring a variety of skills to the table, including lived and living experience,” says Board Chair Roger Haley. “More importantly, they bring a passion for improving the quality of mental health and addictions care in our region. We are looking for people who want to make a real diﬀerence in their community and want to help shape mental health and addictions care.” LLGAMH supports clients throughout Lanark,

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Leeds and Grenville – from Brockville to Almonte to Delta to Lombardy to Seeley’s Bay. Its programs and services range from counselling services, to group programs, to treatment homes. Central Intake provides a single point of access and clients may selfrefer for most services. Support is also provided to family members and caregivers. For more details about the LLGAMH Board of Directors, please visit llgamh.ca/ board-of-directors.php. Applications are being accepted online until May 20, 2022.

by David Shanahan The twentieth century was hard on the human race. The previous century had been, in general, one which built us up and provided us with an outlook that seemed to promise great things. Evolution was a concept applied to more than biology, it ruled every aspect of life. Mankind, as we were known, was going somewhere: progress was the ruling principle of all society. The spread of democracy, the Industrial Revolution, the expansion of education and literacy, the abolition of slavery and child labour, the rise of the Nation state; all of these things, happening through the century, and capped oﬀ by Darwin’s theory that we were on an upward journey - the Ascent of Man - made people believe that things were becoming more civilized, more advanced. The negative aspects of this progress were seen as inevitable and temporary transitions on the way to Utopia. Long before Hippies and love-ins, communes and communal living were attempted in the 1800's. Poets like Walt Whitman and William Blake preﬁgured the Beats and the troubadours of the Folk scene, like Dylan and Phil Ochs. Society believed that progress was inevitable, a sign of evolutionary inevitability, of its own personal and national, even ethnic, superiority over the past. Philosophers and academics began to believe that God was dead, because Man no longer needed him, no longer was tied to superstitious belief in the transcendental. Some believed, in fact, that Mankind was the true transcendental element in the Universe. Most believed that Mankind itself was on the way to divinity. But the world of the Utopians collapsed about a hundred years ago, most effectively between 1914 and 1918. The reason the Titanic disaster in 1912 was, and is, such a traumatic event, is that it had seemed an impossibility. Science and technology was supposed to have got beyond that kind of thing in the progressive West. But the statesmen of Europe were in tears as they declared war on each other in 1914, because their technology and schedules were forcing them into devastation. Or else they rejoiced that their technology was going to be used in a triumphant proof of their nation’s superiority.

The Twentieth Century brought us world wars, depressions, holocausts, genocide. And it seemed that, for every incredible advance in science, there was a dreadful price to pay in unanticipated side effects. Possibly the bloodiest century in human history revealed that we were not, perhaps, as civilized as we thought. Religion could not be blamed, after all, for every war and injustice. Progress was beginning to poison our atmosphere and choke our rivers, lakes and oceans. We were forgetting how to grow our own food. Food itself was less real and more damaging to our systems which were developing allergies and illnesses to blight our longer lives. The Sixties seem, in retrospect, to have been a time when younger people reacted, looked for something more than the material Utopia of the post-war world. Peace and love and freedom seemed like fresh, new ideas, no matter how many times they had been “discovered” in previous generations. It was not naivety, or mindless idealism: it was hope. But two Kennedys and a King later, after Vietnam, Watergate, IranContra, and so many other disillusions, came the Great Distractions: video games,

the Internet, Apple and Microsoft, to insulate us, isolate us, allowed us to retreat into a personal universe where we no longer knew the names of our neighbours, no longer allowed our children to play outside, no longer believed that schools were actually educating, or that governments were really interested in our concerns. The prevailing philosophy of our society, and one with which we were indoctrinated, was that all that mattered and was real was whatever we could see, touch, smell and hear. Everything was relative now, no more absolutes to fail us, no more truth applicable to all. God was whatever you decided he/ she/it should be. In fact, everyone could have their own god, lots of gods, or no god. It didn’t matter, because none of it was ultimately real. As a result, we live in a society that is falling apart because, if everything is relative, if truth and values are what you want them to be, then nothing has real value. If everything is equally true, then nothing is truly true. Words lose their meaning. But what if this is all wrong? What if there is a point, a purpose, a design even, that we seem to fail to grasp? We can look at that next time.

Local Gem

Oxford-on-Rideau Public School recently collaborated with the Brigadoon restaurant in Oxford Mills to provide homemade Mac n’ Cheese to the students every Thursday as part of the school’s hot lunch program. Mayor Nancy Peckford was on hand for this inaugural event, serving up portions to all participating students. Oxford-on-Rideau Public School’s Parent Advisory Committee is working alongside The Mayor and School Board Trustees in an eﬀort to have the school removed from the closure list it was placed on over ﬁve years ago. The school has seen growth in its population since then, and we encourage you to enrol your children in this incredible local gem. www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

Menu #112 Wed May 11- Fri May 13

Watch out for warm summer nights

Please Preorder the day before for next day pick up 1:30-4:30pm Order & Pay online www.cateredaﬀairs.ca 613-324-3136 $39.99 Complete Meal for 2 + HST $74.99 Complete Meal for 4 + HST Meals come cold with gentle heating instructions Dessert of the week $2.50 each - S'mores Cupcakes Red Thai Chicken Coconut Curry or Tofu Thai Curry Chunks of Chicken Breast braised in a Coconut Curry Sauce | Cilantro Rice | Asian Noodle Salad | CrispySpring Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce | Vegetables | Salad Meatball Stroganoﬀ Beef Meatballs in Creamy Mushroom sauce | Herbed Butter Potatoes | Buttered Egg Noodles | Veggies | Salad Fish & Chips Beer Battered Cod | Hand Cut English Style Fries | Tartar Sauce | Slaw | Veggies | Salad

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The Food Corner by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville Salad makings and seafood are always a great mix. This Fruity Crab Salad is a great example of how a salad can become a full meal. It contains all kinds of good, tasty and healthy ingredients. Like many salads, a nice fresh bread such as you will always ﬁnd at Grahame’s is a great accompaniment, as is a cold white wine. For this salad, I think a Pinot Grigio would do the trick.

Fruity Crab Salad

Ingredients for the Basic Salad 2 large oranges, peeled and quartered (remove the seeds also) 1 cup of crab meat or “mock” May 11, 2022

crab (comes in a frozen package, so use the whole package, thawed) 2 green onions, sliced thinly 2 “heads” of Romaine lettuce (my favourite), or 1 head of iceberg lettuce (your choice) Dressing 1 cup of unﬂavoured yoghurt ¼ cup of tomato juice 3 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic 2 tablespoons of dried parsley 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 to 2 teaspoons of white wine or dry white vermouth 1 tablespoon of brown sugar A couple of drops of Tabasco sauce Preparation

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1. Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate 2. Break up the lettuce in a largish bowl 3. Cover with the crab, oranges and onion 4. Drizzle the dressing over the dry ingredients and sprinkle a bit more parsley on top for colour 5. Toss when at the table (not before) and serve For additional protein, you can grate some sharp cheddar cheese (a ½ cup) on top of the salad. Havarti with jalapeño bits also works ﬁne. You can also dust with Parmesan. Please stay in touch at pcormier@ranaprocess.com. 19

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Contact Melissa Marketing Consultant Email: Melissa@ ndtimes.ca

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sang about romance in “Summer Nights”, the opening song in the hit movie, Grease. But now, at 68, he, more so than she, may want to watch out for a different kind of summer heat. New research shows that warm summer nights increase the risk of heart-related death among men in their 60s. The study involved analysis of 39,912 deaths due to cardiovascular disease in England and Wales between 2001 and 2015. After controlling for other factors, a rise of 1° Celsius (1.8° Fahrenheit) in summer nighttime temperature was associated with a 3.1% increase in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease among men aged 60 to 64 years. Replicating research results helps validate findings, and so a similar analysis was undertaken in a county within Washington State in the U.S. Here too, an increase of one degree in nighttime temperature resulted in a 4.8% increase in risk of heart-related death among men ages 60 to 64 years, although not older men above 65 years. The research findings are concerning because they show an increase over recent years in the incidence of cardiovascularrelated death occurring at nighttime rather than during daytime summer temperatures. The details behind the study tell an interesting story. Why even think to study nighttime heat in mid-latitude settings? Is it not the soaring daytime heat shocks in places known for scorching sun that deserve attention? Haris Majeed, a PhD student with the Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine,at the University of Toronto, is the study’s lead researcher. His motivation was both academic and personal. As an early-career academic, he was poring through his textbook readings when he noted that although heart attacks occur at any time of day, most take place in the early morning hours while people are still in bed. Over the course of the year, the warmest months of June and July contain the highest rates of death from cardiovascular disease. Majeed looked at places like Wales and Washington State because these places have strong seasonality. In effect, people in these places need to cope both with cold winters and hot summers. In these regions, too, many residents may not have air conditioning. Why would men face a higher risk of heart attack with an increase in nighttime temperatures, and not women? Majeed speculates it might be due to men being more exposed to daytime heat, sweating more, and becoming dehydrated. This can lead to lower blood volume and increase the risk of blood clotting. On the personal side, Majeed’s father recently underwent bypass surgery and remains at high risk for health trouble when air temperatures go up. Contributing to the body of science that will help his father is a motivator like little else. Majeed will need to do more work to test his theories. In the meantime, as the northern hemisphere heads into the summer season, it would be prudent for people with cardiovascular concerns to take simple precautions. Keep well hydrated. Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Cool down with a quick cold shower before bed. And use a fan during the night when the heat is oppressive. Going to sleep on a hot summer’s night should not be the most dangerous thing one does. But this research is highlighting two firm facts. One, cardiovascular disease is continuing to hold its place as a major killer. And two, air temperatures matter to human health. Bottom line: keep cool when things heat up, especially at night.

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The North Grenville Times

CO2 Down to Earth 14

Pocket Gardens and Trout Lilies

Trout lily, Erythronium americanum. Photo by Rachel Everett-Fry by Philip Fry It is diﬃcult for most of us to know what to do about the loss of biodiversity taking place right under our noses – except to vote wisely in upcoming elections. But there are indeed small solutions that we can adopt to help in a modest way to alleviate the problem locally. One of them is to create a small pocketsized native plant garden. To begin, select an ap-

propriate place in your yard, then examine its potential with regard to the current state of the soil and the site's exposure to sunlight. These will suggest what the next steps to take.For now, I will concentrate the soil. You can get a good idea of what your soil is like even without specialized equipment. When your site is moist, dig a soil sample using

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Baldwin's Birds

a straight-edged spade. Make a thin rectangular shape with vertical cuts. Lift out the cube of soil carefully, trying not to let it break up. Ease it onto a flat surface. This shows the soil profile, the stratified layers of organic and geological materials called “soil horizons.” If the soil has not been disturbed for a long time, the horizons from the top down are: “O” for the layer of organic humus at the surface; “A” for mixed organic/mineral materials; “B,” usually in the middle of the sequence, into which some organic materials have penetrated into the mineral materials by leaching, insects, and animal activity; and “C” the layer of parent geological materials. Learning about the history of local soil formation, for example the wash-out of sand, silt, and clay from glaciers at the end of the ice age, helps to interpret what you will find when examining your sample. In our townships, the soil profile developed over the last 10,000 years has been has been seriously disturbed by settlement activity – mainly deforestation, cultivation, and human habitat building. Here is what you want to look for in your soil sample. First, the presence of humus (decayed organic materials) which is vital to the health of the soil. Soils that have been disturbed over a long period have lost much of their humus layer. Sometimes there is a layer of organic litter above the A horizon which we often remove in “clean up” activity. We shouldn't, because the contact zone this litter creates with the A layer is where a lot of soil building activity takes place. It is where the initial decomposition and recycling of organic material begins with the help of billions of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa) and insects. It also conserves moisture, moderates soil temperature, and helps ward off erosion. Next, you might want to examine the main non-organic components in the B and/ or C horizons or the mixture

of these horizons produced by disturbance. Texture (rub a bit of soil between your fingers) gives a clue to the presence of sand, silt, or clay, each of which has different properties - mainly the presence of chemical/mineral nutrients and their effect on water retention and drainage. The visible difference between these granular components is their size and shape - sand being the largest, and clay the smallest. Grains of sand are "chunkier" in shape than clay and their chemical nutrients are less available; water moves easily between the grains' irregularly piled edges. Clay particles are flatter, and overlap, creating a tightly packed volume that is difficult for water to penetrate. Once you know the soil you are dealing with, dig the whole site at least eight inches down to begin soil amendment if necessary. What you want to do is accelerate the natural layering of the soil by mixing in compost material and humus to create a rich “A” layer. Once you have amended the soil and filled the hole back up to level, you will never need to turn it over again. Instead, you will want to build up the surface with the use of mulches. The reason for no longer turning the A to B layers is that it disturbs the natural processes taking place. Take, for example, the Trout lily. When a seed falls into the litter and eventually contacts the A layer, it germinates and makes a small bulb which pulls itself down in the soil. The next year, it produces about four more bulbs that pull themselves deeper. Then, during the following years, each bulb produces four more. By the seventh year, a community of bulbs has been created, some eight inches or more below the surface, and then – a single flower appears! Next time, I will discuss mulches. If you wish, contact me at wildflowerguy@gmail. com.

More Birds Return

We are getting some glimpses of warmer weather, as the birds slowly return to keep us company for a short while. There have also been glimpses of some newcomers, besides those already mentioned in previous writings. Yesterday, my wife spotted a Wren, or at least heard it chattering at her in the back garden and today, I was able to conﬁrm it with a view from our back window. It was a House Wren and she was sitting on the top of one of my nesting boxes and making exploratory visits inside it, so "ﬁngers crossed"! The Bluebirds which appear sporadically from somewhere in the neighbourhood were here and I got some good views of the male preening himself in a tree. She, as all females do, was already looking her best, so didn't bother! They certainly don't seem to be intent on making a nest in the nesting box they were depositing material in a few days ago! However, our miscreant Robin seems to have stopped attacking its own image in our house and car windows and may be the owner of the nest that has suddenly appeared on my small nesting shelf above my garage door. Let's hope this is the case and we get some more "normal" Robin-like behaviour from it! A bird enthusiast friend and NGT reader had a wonderful and rare sighting the other day of a female Eastern Towhee which is a member of the Sparrow family although it isn't quite as dull colored as many of the Sparrow family are. I have never seen one myself, so it was pleasing to hear that someone else had got the privilege to do so. Perhaps you too have seen one or other such birds but even if you haven't, please don't forget to enjoy the ones you see every day and tend to take for granted. Stay safe and well, Cheers, John Baldwin.

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