Founded in 1897
Year 118 No.30 - DRYDEN, ONTARIO - WEDNESDAY, julY 29, 2015
InSIdE
Solomon & Sons Grand Re-Opening See pg. 6
A&E What a Blast! Kaedyn Mackenzie tests his firefighting skills with Captain Keith Matsuo at the Dryden Days of Summer on a hot Thursday afternoon. See more about the day, including a special birthday party, on page 3. Photo by Michael Christianson
City to receive drinking water infrastructure upgrades Moody Jamboree dazzles for another year See pg. 7
SPORTS
The announcement was made Monday inside the Dryden Water Treatment Plant. Photo by Michael Christianson By dryden observer Staff
Special Olympics come to Dryden See pg. 9
Minister Greg Rickford was in Dryden on Monday to announce jointly with the province and the city
By Michael Christianson
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Wilde Street. Once completed, these upgrades will increase water services efficiency and reliability, helping to ensure healthy and safe drinking water supply for their community. The Government of Canada will provide up to $650,000 through the Small Communities Fund for this project. The province of Ontario will also contribute up to $650,000 for the project. The City of Dryden will be responsible for the remaining costs. Minister Rickford said the project is expected to cost about $1.9 million. Mayor Craig Nuttall says the project is years in the making and it was nice to see Minister Rickford and Minister Gravelle
working together on a project that is important to the city. “The investment in water infrastructure will ensure sustainability and provide the opportunity for future expansion in the City of Dryden,” said Nuttall. “It shows Dryden’s commitment to the safety of our drinking water and firefighting requirements. The twinned water line will allow the city to perform service and emergency repairs without affecting the water supply to end users.” Minister Michael Gravelle was not in attendance but Minister Rickford was adamant that they worked closely together on this project to ensure it was signed off by all levels of government.
Kokom’s Bannock Shack to be featured on Food Network Series
HOLIDAY NOTICE
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that residents of Dryden will benefit from upgrades to drinking water services thanks to joint funding through the Small Com-
munities Fund. “We are pleased to invest in projects such as the water intake pipe twinning that will benefit our community by improving much needed local infrastructure,” says Rickford. “Our Government’s commitment to municipalities, big and small, has never been stronger. Through the New Building Canada Plan Small Communities Fun we are investing in priority infrastructure projects that have a strong impact on the quality of life of Ontario’s residents while helping job creation and economic growth.” The project will involve twinning of the raw water intake pipe running from the Low Lift Station on Dickerson Road to the Water Treatment Plant on
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Soon all of Canada will know what Dryden does: You gotta eat at Kokom’s Bannock Shack. The Dryden restaurant will be featured on the popular television series You Gotta Eat Here and Kokom’s owner Josee Racicot has been holding onto this secret for a little while now. “A couple months ago we got a call and it was lunch time,” recalls Racicot “I remember answering the phone and she said she was Julia from You Gotta Eat Here I didn’t even believe her I was like ‘yeah whatever’ she said ‘no no no, dont hang up on me I am serious it’s Julia from You Gotta Eat Here’ I went into shock and I didn’t even say anything I was quiet on the other end and then she said
‘we want to put in your restaurant as the first pick for season five.’ So that is what happened we were the first pick so that is why we had to wait this long to tell everybody.” Notoriety like this doesn’t come over night and it’s the repeat customers of Kokom’s that have made it into an institution. Camille Cox works next to Kokom’s in Golden Mile Plaza at Lotto One. She has been going to Kokom’s since it opened in Dryden and she says the restaurant brings in extra business to the mall. Cox was also one of the fans who let You Gotta Eat Here know about Kokom’s. “I sent a few emails to the You Gotta Eat Here trying to get them on the show and explaining how great they are, how they have all fresh food, very little of their food
is frozen, they prepare it fresh,” said Cox. “My experience with them has always been great and if there’s ever been a problem Josee’s always stepped up and rectified it. I love them I think they’re the best restaurant in Dryden.” Cox has been eating at Kokom’s since they opened in Dryden but for Kate Hutton and her husband Doug they have been customers since the first little bus in Vermilion Bay. Hutton says the service and the meals are what made her and her husband loyal customers and she couldn’t be happier for Racicot’s success. “That is an accolade that is well deserved,” said Hutton. “She has worked very hard. She has done all of the right things she has made very wise decisions in not trying to get too big too Continued on pg. 2
To be successful you need more than great food you need a great staff. Photo by Michael Christianson