THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017
THE PICTON
Gazette
8
Volume 187, Week 7
Canada’s oldest non-daily newspaper
22
Special Olympian a Dukes capture back-to-back fit with OPP IMPACT wins over Trenton, Lindsay INSPIRING positive
Young anglers hooked at derby on Picton Bay
County secures $133,200 in federal funding for public washrooms, tennis courts, accessible path
Merland Park attracts more families to annual charity competition
Benson Park to benefit from Canada 150 grant
ADAM BRAMBURGER STAFF WRITER
Caleb Jouwstra and his sister Samantha took turns lying down on the cold, hard ice of Picton Bay and sticking their heads into cut holes barely bigger around than pop cans. After lying still for a few moments, Caleb craned his neck and gave a report on what he has surveyed from the icy depths below. Sure enough, the first-time ice fisher spotted what everyone was waiting for. “I just saw a fish under here,” he said proudly. “I’ve just gotta get a fish. I really need a fish.” Samantha gives a similar report of schools swimming below, but thus far, the bites aren’t coming. The Jouwstra family travelled to Merland Park from Brighton Saturday for a bit of fun and adventure as part of the park’s eighth annual derby. A few feet further from shore in the next row, Brian Sword had a smiler idea. He knelt down next to his young daughter Maddy Cassels-Sword and helped string a line as she sat and waited for a bite. They talked and enjoyed their time, although the elusive fish didn’t seem to be biting. “It’s her first time ice fishing,” Sword said. “This was our first opportunity to get out on the ice.” Having moved from Vancouver, Sword said he was
FINDING FISH Caleb Jouwstra, of Brighton, shares news of the fish he saw underneath the ice at Merland Park’s eighth annual fishing derby Saturday.. Jouwstra was determined to catch one. (Adam Bramburger/Gazette staff)
hopeful his family would begin to embrace the world-famous walleye fishing right in their
Proudly serving Prince Edward County since 1830
new backyard. Saturday was a starting point. Park owner Kevin Lavers
said stories like those were the norm this year as ideal weather conditions and prior advertising helped bring a larger segment of the public out for an afternoon that featured the park’s well-known shirts-off fish-off as well as a series of recreational games on the icy surface. “It looks like we’ve got at least 60 people from the public that came out today — and kids galore Last year, there was only about 20 from the public here. “What this is really all about is getting kids interested in fishing. If they catch a tiny, little fish, they can go pick out a big monster truck or something like that from the prize table and they’ll always remember it. They’ll want to come back out again.” Despite the frustrations of some of the younger anglers, the fish were biting. Andrew Fitches quickly caught one to put an end to the shirts-off competition and shortly thereafter there were several hauls. David Ramirez, of Hamilton, has been coming to the derby for the past four years with a group of friends to have a weekend away from the city. This year, he said, the fishing was much better. “I’ve probably caught 20 myself,” he said Saturday. “Last year, I only caught five or six all weekend.” Ramirez easily braved the cold as he bared his upper body for the contest and stated it was worth it to have some fun and support a great cause.
See MEETINGS, page 12
CHAD IBBOTSON STAFF WRITER
Council approved agreements for a pair of grants this week. Reports presented to council at Tuesday evening's meeting indicate the municipality was successful in its applications for funding, receiving $133,200 toward the rehabilitation of Benson Park and $25,000 toward renovations at Ameliasburgh Heritage Village. The agreements with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and the Minister of Employment and Social Development must be signed by the mayor and the clerk and returned for the payments to be received and the projects to proceed.
The municipality applied to the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program in June last year for funding toward the Benson Park project. The application was for 33 per cent of the estimated $400,000 cost of the project. The project has also been endorsed by several community groups with financial commitments and fundraising of $80,000. The $186,800 municipal share was approved in the 2017 capital budget. The plan includes new public washrooms and would link the new parking lot on King Street through the revitalized park via an accessible, rehabilitated pathway to Main Street near the Sir John A. Macdonald sculpture.
See GRANTS, page 30
COMMUNITY HUB Benson Park will receive $400,000 in upgrades as the as the County’s Canada 150 infrastructure grant to revitalize the downtown recreational area was approved. (Adam Bramburger/Gazette staff)
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