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39 Renfrew Ave.W., W., Unit Raglan St. S.1, 39 342 Renfrew Ave. Unit 1, Box 100, Renfrew K7V 4A2 Renfrew K7V 1R5 P.O.P.O. Box 100, Renfrew K7V 4A2 Pager Pager 1-888-717-9181 Pager1-888-717-9181 1-888-717-9181
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Inside Year 142, Issue 23
Thursday, December 13, 2012 • 40 pages
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School’s out, for a day New Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon is excited about the job ahead. – Page 3 –
Elementary schools close Thursday as teachers protest Bill 115 John Carter john.carter@metroland.com
Hugh Edwards, who died last week, was a mover and a shaker in his adopted community. – Page 35 –
Many parents had to scramble to find temporary child care today (Thursday) as Renfrew Countyʼs public school elementary teachers conducted a one-day walkout. As promised, the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) gave 72 hours notice, announcing Monday the series of rotating one-day walkouts to protest the provincial governmentʼs Bill 115 would come to Renfrew County Dec. 13. It was the second day off this week for most local students, as school buses were cancelled throughout the
district Monday because of freezing rain. The rotating teacher walkouts began Monday in three districts and continued all week. In response to the walkout notice, the Renfrew County District School Board immediately announced all its elementary schools would be closed to students Thursday and there would be no elementary school bus service. “Parents should make alternate child care arrangements for the day as elementary students will not be able to attend school,” said a board statement. However, high schools will be open Thursday and secondary students are expected to attend, added the board. While teachers at RCI Intermediate School (Grades 7-8) were to be off the job, Grade 9 to 12 classes “will proceed as usual,” said the board. There had been rumours that high school students, upset over their teachersʼ refusal to participate in extracurricular activities, were also plan-
ning to walk out on the same day as the elementary teachers. The secondary teachersʼ withdrawal from extracurricular activities began Monday in public schools and brought the Valley basketball and volleyball seasons to an abrupt halt, and cancelling Christmas band concerts. The Upper Ottawa Valley High School Athletics Association website announced the suspension of all games “until the present situation is resolved.” While all boys basketball and girls volleyball games this week and next are listed as postponed, the schedule after the Christmas break is still listed in case an agreement between the teachers and provincial government is reached by yearʼs end. Meanwhile, it was education as usual this week at the provinceʼs Catholic elementary and secondary schools, as their teachers have agreed to tentative deals with the province. See WALKOUT, Page 2
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Pedal power Renfrew Victoria Hospital president and CEO Randy Penney and chief of staff Dr. Steve Radke generate enough pedal power to light the RVH tree at Low Square Friday.
Residents hear the hard facts about proposed facility Steve Newman steve.newman@metroland.com
Carla Brash is the athletic therapist with Canada’s national rugby team. – Page 13 –
Tuesday nightʼs two-hour public meeting wasnʼt time for Renfrew residents to voice their opinions, but to hear what the capital costs and likely operating costs will be for a proposed second ice pad and swimming pool. As echoed in the Nov. 28 workshop in which recreation management consultant John Frittenberg also outlined the capital costs and anticipated operational costs, Mayor Bill Ringrose said the Town of
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Renfrew will be challenged to pay for its portion of the operating costs. That would amount to about $4 million, if $2 million can be raised by the aquatic committee and second ice pad group. However, it was also made clear that if the facility is pursued, construction will happen only if the provincial and federal governments each kick in $6 million for the $18.3 million facility. About 90 people attended the public meeting. Now Ringrose says itʼs time for local residents to voice
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their opinion, preferably in letters, before council decides at the Jan. 14, 2013 council meeting whether it will pursue the facility. Dropping it now, say close followers of the issue, means the facility probably will become a dead issue for many years. The public meeting wasnʼt intended to be a forum for public opinion, but feedback sheets were available for visitors to drop into a box with their comments in favour or against the facility. Several ballots were submitted before
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Tuesdayʼs night presentation even began. It appears the town will be hard-pressed to generate enough dollars, through taxes and other activities related to the facility, such as name-association donations and rinkboard advertising. Resident Ez Valliquette said the average tax rate increase, to accommodate much of the expected more than $400,000 in annual operating expenses, represents the cost of two tanks of gas. Leo Hall and Scott Buffam, respective chairmen for the
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aquatic committee and second ice surface, noted in a joint statement that results of the mayor and councilʼs evaluation of operating and capital costs show “there is work to do in getting the annual operating expense aligned with what ratepayers can afford.” However, since they say the facility represents immense social and recreational benefits for the community, they conclude: “It remains our view that the benefits of this project are real, and that meeting the financial challenges remains a top priority for our town.”
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