Issue 15 2021 April 21 NG Times

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Vol. 9 No. 15

The Voice of North Grenville

April 21 , 2021

Stay at home!

Stay in Your

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by Lorraine Rekmans The Ontario government, under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, has extended the provincial declaration of emergency and the Stay-AtHome order (O.Reg 265/21).

Effective Saturday, April 17, police officers and other provincial offences officers will have the authority to require any individual to provide their home address and purpose for not being at their residence. In addition, police officers, special constables and First Nation Constables will have the authority to stop vehicles to inquire about an individual's reasons for leaving

their home. This additional enforcement tool will be in effect during the Stay-atHome order and exclusively to enforce the Stay-at-Home order.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement following consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and other health experts, who recommended strengthening enforcement of the province's Stay-at-Home order. New travel restrictions are being imposed along with further strengthening of public health measures. The order currently in effect requires everyone to remain at home except for specified purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services (including get-

ting vaccinated), for outdoor exercise, or for work that cannot be done remotely.

As a result of the rapid increase in transmission rates of COVID-19 and its variants, Ontario has declared this third provincial order.

The Municipality of North Grenville has announced that all outdoor recreational amenities will be closed effective April 17. This includes all play structures, sports fields, tennis courts and the skate park.

"My Council colleagues and I understand this is a challenging and uncertain time, and additional restrictions are not always welcome news, but they are necessary shortterm measures to further slow the spread of COVID-19,"

said Mayor Nancy Peckford.

The Municipal Trails remain open at this time, but residents must maintain social distancing and congregate only with members of their own household.

As part of Phase Two of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, people living in regions with the highest rates of transmission will be prioritized to receive a vaccine, starting with the most at-risk in the Peel and Toronto public health regions. This initiative will be expanded to additional “hot spot” regions, based on established patterns of transmission, severe illness, and mortality. The vaccine distribution plan will cont'd on page 2

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The North Grenville Times cont'd from front page dedicate 25 per cent of future vaccine allocations to the 13 public health regions with historic and ongoing high rates of death, hospitalization and COVID-19 transmission.

As of April 17, the following measures will be in effect: • Prohibit all outdoor social gatherings and organized public events, except for with members of the same household, or one other person from outside that household who lives alone, or a caregiver for any member of the household; • Close all non-essential workplaces in the construction sector; • Reduce capacity limits to 25 per cent in all retail

Your turn is coming soon.

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The Voice of North Grenville and workplace safety settings where in-store measures for non-essenshopping is permitted. tial retail (i.e., curbside This includes supermarpick-up and delivery kets, grocery stores, cononly), will continue to venience stores, indoor apply. farmers' markets, other "As we see the trends stores that primarily sell food and pharmacies; in key health indicators deteriorate to levels far exand, Close all outdoor recre- ceeding anything we have ational amenities, such as seen before, it is necessary golf courses, basketball to follow public health and courts, soccer fields, and workplace safety measures playgrounds with limited given this continued and rapid case growth," said Dr. David exceptions; Limit the capacity of Williams, Chief Medical Ofweddings, funerals, and ficer of Health. "By staying religious services, rites at home and limiting travel or ceremonies to 10 peo- for essential purposes only, ple indoors or outdoors. such as getting groceries or Social gatherings associ- going to a medical appointated with these services, ment or to get vaccinated, we such as receptions, are can reduce mobility and help prohibited. Drive-in ser- interrupt transmission of this vices will be permitted. virus."

All other public health

Auxiliary presents annual donation to the Kemptville District Hospital

Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine plan is helping to stop the spread and save lives.

Thousands of people across the province are getting vaccinated every day.

Auxiliary President, Linda Carnegie, presents a cheque for $40,000 to the Kemptville District Hospital CEO, Frank Vassallo

As vaccinations continue, we need to stay the course to protect those we love. Wear a mask.

Wash your hands. Keep your distance.

Find out when, where and how to get vaccinated at ontario.ca/covidvaccineplan or call 1-888-999-6488 for assistance in more than 300 languages.

Paid for by the Government of Ontario

April 21, 2021

2

The Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Auxiliary has donated $40,000 to the hospital in the lead-up to National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, 2021. This year's annual donation will be used to support the installation of a Negative Pressure Isolation Room in the Inpatient Medical Unit.

This gift to the hospital represents an amazing accomplishment for the KDH Auxiliary in a year of COVID-19 challenges that saw their Coffee Bar and Gift Shop shuttered, and their major annual fundraiser, Hey Day, cancelled.

The hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Frank J. Vassallo, gratefully acknowledged this donation, which brings the KDH Auxiliary's total contribution since its founding in 1959 to $1.83 Million.

"I am delighted as always to receive this annual donation from our wonderful volunteer organization; however, I am even more thankful - not to mention impressed - this year, as the KDH Auxiliary has been able

to raise this money despite the fact that our entire volunteer program was put on hold in March 2020 for the safety of the volunteers."

"Thank you from all KDH staff and physicians to each and every one of our volunteers for your unflagging support!" he added.

The donations came from a number of sources, explained KDH Auxiliary President Linda Carnegie. "A big one was the campaign at B&H Your Community Grocer, where customers donated a Toonie at the checkout," she said. "We certainly did not anticipate getting 3,250 individual donations of $2 each.

This shows great support from the community toward our hospital, as well as great spirit from the cashiers who enjoyed competing with each other to see who could get the majority of donations."

Other sources were 'In Memoriam' gifts to the KDH Auxiliary's Tribute Fund, donations received in exchange for masks made by the sewing group, a sidewalk sale at the hospital, and the sale of Gift Shop merchandise at

32 Cawthra, Toronto, ON M6N 5B3 416-203-3470

'My Kemptville Market'. As well, many individuals and some businesses provided donations to the Auxiliary, either in lieu of Hey Day or as an annual contribution from some loyal donors. One of these donations was from Grenville Mutual Insurance, who provided a cheque for $1,000 following a suggestion from one of their staff.

"So when it is all added up," concluded Carnegie, "we were able to provide KDH with all these monies, wishing we could do more."

The Auxiliary chose to support the to-be-constructed Negative Pressure Isolation Room with this year's donation, due to the urgency of COVID-19. Such a room is intended for patients with communicable diseases, especially airborne ones, to ensure the safety of other patients, staff and visitors. To recognize its volunteers during National Volunteer Week, KDH will hold a Virtual Volunteer Appreciation event on April 22, 2021 at 2 pm.

The Kemptville District Hospital Auxiliary (KDHA) plays a crucial role at Kemptville District Hospital (KDH), both providing volunteers for every area of the hospital, and raising funds for the direct benefit of KDH patients. Founded in 1959, the KDHA's mission is to provide volunteer service to hospital patients, promote good public relations, and assist the hospital in providing quality community healthcare. Annually, the 200-plus members of the KDHA - men and women gave a total of approximately 11,500 volunteer hours to their community hospital. www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

Gary Arcand retires after 50 years at Kemptville Building Centre

KBC President Eric Norenberg presents Gary Arcand with a certificate recognizing his 50 years with the business Photo provided by Bev and Gary Arcand

by Hilary Thomson A long-time employee of one of Kemptville's staple businesses is retiring at the end of April.

Gary Arcand started working for Karl Norenberg, the founder of Kemptville Building Centre (KBC), in 1971. He met Karl when they both worked at Eastern Breeders and when he went

out on his own to start a construction company, Gary followed. In 1975, Karl decided to open Kemptville Building Supplies (now KBC) on County Road 43, and Gary started driving their truck, delivering building supplies to people all over Kemptville and the surrounding area.

Gary continued driving the truck for KBC until he hurt his shoulder and had to move to the floor five years ago. He says he loved doing deliveries because he was always on the move, and although he didn't love the idea of giving that up, he also really enjoyed being able to meet people coming into the store. "I got to know a lot of people over the years, and it

wasn't so bad then," he says.

Gary has been on leave for the past several months due to COVID-19; but his official retirement date is April 30. It will mark 50 years working for the Norenbergs and KBC. KBC President Eric Norenberg says Gary is one of many employees who have been extremely loyal to the business. In fact, Gary's brother, Donald Arcand, started working for his father in the same year as Gary and only retired a few years ago after 45 years with the business. "It's more of a family really," Eric says about his dedicated employees. "I know that I can rely on them, and I help them out and they help me out, so it's more of a friendship, family, team environment."

Although Gary is looking forward to retirement when he will be enjoying some travelling and hobbies like hunting and fishing, he says he really enjoyed his time at KBC. "It was a good group of people to work with and I met a lot of nice customers," he says.

"I made a lot of friends out there."

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Editorial

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Happy Earth Day Earthlings!

by Lorraine Rekmans Please forgive me. It wasn't my intention to write another editorial about sustainability, but tomorrow is Earth Day, and I just couldn't help myself.

Here we are again, in the 51st year of celebrating Earth Day. Many of us are from a generation that got to see that little blue planet, in colour, third from the Sun, on television, from images taken from the Apollo 8 in 1968. It was the first time that humans captured this image on film.

At that moment, we were mesmerized by this blue ball that we all live on.

We saw it there surrounded by dark space and finally recognized, this is it - the place we call home. This is everything we have.

I was a child when this image appeared in the media, yet it is forever burned in my memory. Whenever I think of Earth Day, I see the image of our planet, the blueness of the water, then I think of the 'nothingness' that surrounds us, out there. I know there are other planets out there, but the image is so striking that it highlights the fact that we are orbiting on our own. We are the ones who live here, making the journey around the Sun together every day.

We hear the talk of making other planets habitable, in case we mess this one up too badly. We hear about missions to Mars. It has been said, that if we have the technology to make another planet habitable, shouldn't we use that technology here, to keep our planet livable?

In just one generation,

The Voice of North Grenville

we have moved from a species who have been able to see their home from afar, to a species who dream of living on another planet, and doing it with an understanding that we have wreaked ecological havoc on this one.

Dr. Glen Barry, wrote: "Humanity is hell-bent upon destroying their habitat and the natural capital which makes possible and enriches their existence. As the collapse of global ecosystems intensify, together we face a brief period of unimaginably grim social strife that threatens decades of conflict and pain; before humanity, all life, and the biosphere die."

It is pretty safe to think not all of us will be in a position to afford that golden ticket to buy our way out of here. So, once we recognize

that truth, we have to take action. We must then enter a new age, an age of ecological restoration so that we can avoid the collapse of societies, and ultimately, the biosphere.

As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many people retreated to the sanctity of their homes, first to panic, and then to rethink how we are all living. We hear, quips, such as: "We cannot return to normal, because normal wasn't all that great." Yet now people are baking their own bread, planting gardens, growing vegetables. The crowds working from home actually contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions. We started to think a little more seriously, and deeply, about how we live here, on this little 'blue ball'.

When I worked with the

Forest Stewardship Council of Canada, we were challenged to develop a forest management system to protect the Caribou habitat.

While I am no expert, I became earnestly engaged in the effort as I had seen a front page story in the Globe and Mail warning that Caribou herds are on the decline and on the list of endangered species because of the decline in their habitat quality.

That front page news shook me up, and alerted me to the need for every single one of us to take action.

If you think about the threads that connect us all, and how intricately our ecological systems are interconnected and inter-reliant, what would it mean to other species once the Caribou were gone? It's a pretty big thread to rip, and could result in an unraveling of a lot

if I were in that position, I would probably have done something silly also. Let's be a little tolerant and not be out for revenge - it does not help.

Tolerance is about understanding everyone's viewpoint and not just of the groups that we like, or that are currently in the news. As a side note, I am not sure it is appropriate for the liquor board to be used as a disciplinary tool in such a case. If laws were broken, go ahead and pursue, but I am not sure how liquor comes into this, unless it was being served at the event?

Justin Macklem

told that the Correctional Complex will be closer to the 416. I also understand that nature is wonderful for mental health. If these people who are “institutionalized” are to be rehabilitated, how does this work, listening to non-stop, never ending traffic flow? It’s pretty much the same by my front door, but less great at night (yet)! Do I wish for more traffic? Would anyone?

I could not agree more with these professionals who say that building another jail is not the answer. How could this possibly be good for mental health, and these people in institutions obviously already have this problem. As they say, “Prisons are the opposite of therapeutic.”

Also, of note to our councillors, I find the four way stop on Prescott Street, by the Campus grounds, very dangerous to cross on foot.

Don’t many of the school children cross there?

Thanks again Hilary, for your excellent article.

Kathy Piché

Can we talk?

of ecological fabric.

On Earth Day, let's take a moment to acknowledge other species who are orbiting with us on this planet we call home. Let's do something meaningful as an act of ecological restoration.

Let us help wherever, and however, we can. Happy Earth Day Earthlings! It is a pleasure to be making this orbit in your company.

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ngtimes.ca

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, Baldwin's Birds has become my very favourite feature in your newspaper, and this week is no exception! What an absolutely charming photograph of a Swallow. Please thank Mr. Baldwin for getting such great photos of birds that, sometimes, one can only see from a distance. It is most enjoyed!

Janice Atkey Dear Editor, I am surprised to see the editor being so pushy on the idea of universal basic income. This came up in three different places in the newspaper. I am all for freedom of expression and personal liberty, but the editor may want to consider a balanced approach in order to remain engaged with readers. I would suggest a discussion of the economics and long term effects also.

There are studies that show both pros and cons that could be discussed.

On the topic of the Bistro anti-mask demonstration, I certainly do not agree with what happened and would not take part in it. BUT, we should acknowledge the difficult position of this business and others like it. Many businesses may have weathered through Covid if governments had not forced lockdowns (rightly or wrongly, not debating that here).

There are many of us that can work from home, are retired, or others that have been inconvenienced, but many small business owners have lost their livelihoods as a direct result of government interventions which most of us see as needed. Imagine being a small business owner operating on razor thin margins competing with the big box stores. It would be incredibly frustrating and

The North Grenville Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc. Marketing Gord J. Logan gord@ngtimes.ca 613-258-6402 April 21, 2021

Dear Editor; In reference to Hilary Thompson’s recent article, “Concerns about proposed prison voiced at public meeting,” now that it is warmer again and I’m outside more, I can hear the regular hum of the traffic out on 416, nonstop, constant hum. I was

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OFFICE 613-215-0735 Accounting Pat Jessop cfo@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671

Editor Lorraine Rekmans editor@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735

4

Nothing burns my biscuits like fear mongering, and rumours. This column is about the goings on around town, the whisperings in local circles, small circles, the kind of talk that doesn’t really make the cut as news, but still has an impact on the local community.

In the past week, a rumour began circulating around town, about a local business that was planning to host an anti-lockdown event at its establishment, following a similar event that was held the week previous. Rumours, as rumours will do, spread like wildfire, and with the help of social media, acquire some sort of legitimacy as fact or the truth.

This local owner, who has been a large supporter of the local community, was appalled to find out he was the target of this vicious gossip, and worried that his clients would abandon him.

The fact is, the Kemptville Family Restaurant follows all the health and safety protocols that are in place to keep its staff and clients safe.

They are not hosting any kind of political event or action, not even remotely. To whoever started these rumours, please check yourself, and consider what impact your words have on local people. Everyone is struggling to make a living in these times. Don’t put someone’s livelihood in jeopardy by flappin yer yap, about false things.

Auntie Anabel

Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Staff Reporter Hilary Thomson hilary@ngtimes.ca

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The Voice of North Grenville

Mayor Peckford to host Community Mental Health Forum

Mayor Nancy Peckford and members of Council are inviting residents to an online Community Mental Health Forum for parents and caregivers of school-aged children.

The Forum is intended to respond to the growing concern about children's mental health as a result of the pandemic and ongoing disruptions to regular routines.

The event is free, and will be held via ZOOM on Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 -

8:30 pm.

"With the recent announcement that schools will be shut down and reverting to virtual learning (only), and given the severity of the third wave in Ontario, we are hearing from many parents and care-givers who are quite concerned about the mental health of their kids, and families generally," said Mayor Nancy Peckford.

"This Community Mental Health Forum will feature seasoned mental health professionals and advocates from well-respected organizations who will share their expertise working with school-aged kids in these pandemic times.

We also hope it can help address the anxiety that countless parents and care-givers are currently feeling," added Mayor Peckford.

Speakers include, Lisa Livingston and Cheryl Gaumont, Counselling Therapists with the Children's

UPDATE

Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville, and Diane Oxborough, Program Manager of Parent's Lifeline of Eastern Ontario (PLEO).

To participate in the event, please email with your name to mayor@northgrenville. on.ca to obtain the ZOOM link. The event will also be streamed. Questions can also be submitted anonymously ahead of time.

Community Mental Health Supports: Children's Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville: 613498-4844 | www.cmhlg.ca Parent's Lifeline of Eastern Ontario (PLEO): www.pleo. on.ca/ Family & Children's Services of Lanark, Leeds, & Grenville: 1-855-667-2726 | www. fcsllg.ca Children's Mental Health Crisis Line (24 Hours): 1-866281-2911 Kids Help Phone (24 Hours): 1-800-668-6868 | TEXT

For updates related to COVID-19 and the North Grenville Municipal Centre visit: www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus In light of the province-wide stay-at-home order, please be advised that the Municipal Centre is currently closed to the public. The Municipality remains operational to provide essential services and assistance to residents and businesses by virtual appointment only.

UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL MEETINGS

Council meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Council meetings will be live streamed on YouTube commencing at 6:30 pm. To view the live stream visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/ NorthGrenville/featured For any members of the public wanting to attend the meeting virtually, pre-registration is required by e-mailing clerk@northgrenville.on.ca. To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please pre-register with the Clerk's Office at the same e-mail address. Please provide your comments no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting.

Council agendas (including for closed sessions) may be found here: https://www.northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-and-minutes • Council Meeting – May 4, 2021

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH FORUM

Mayor Nancy Peckford and members of Council are inviting residents to an online Community Mental Health Forum via Zoom for parents and caregivers of school-aged children.

To participate in the event, please e-mail mayor@northgrenville.on.ca to obtain a Zoom link. Questions can be submitted anonymously ahead of time. The event will also be live streamed on YouTube.

To view the live stream visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/NorthGrenville/featured • Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 pm

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Committee meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom. For any members of the public wanting to attend the meeting virtually, pre-registration is required by e-mailing Jessica Workman at jworkman@northgrenville.on.ca

Pitch-In for Your Community

by Councillor Kristin Strackerjan Pitch-in and start to do something as part of a group, especially something helpful.

This week, many members of our community will roll up their sleeves and help clean-up the many ditches, parks, forests and fields in North Grenville.

COVID restrictions will limit the size of the groups participating in the 2021 PITCH-IN event, but not the number of participants.

Households will come out to tidy-up a local favorite spot. Last year, 94 individuals, families and groups registered for PITCH-IN 2020 - Social Distancing Edition 1.0. The Municipality handed out more than 450 bags. This trend has been consistent over the past several years.

Although we all wish this was not necessary, thank you to everyone who is doing their part to help clean up our community during this event, and April 21, 2021

throughout the year! You are keeping our community beautiful by maintaining and restoring a healthy environment. The birds, bees, frogs and people are all grateful!

This week, we will also recognize Earth Day on April 22. This year's campaign is simple: let's take care of our planet (earthday.ca)! Pitch-in is one simple and effective way for us to take care of our small corner of the Earth.

What else can we do at home and in our community? Have you thought about how you can influence local decisions for the future of North Grenville?

How can your voice be heard, and how can you be part of the solution for a better, more sustainable and cleaner community?

The Sustainability Fair was a fantastic way for us to highlight many of the local, environmentally focused initiatives, producers and groups in our area, including the largest electric vehicle show in Eastern Ontario. While COVID restrictions have put a pause on this amazing event, it will come back better, and as soon as possible.

The Municipal Council and Staff are currently supporting many different resident-led Advisory Committees (AC). If you are passionate about this

Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee – Monday, May 3 at 3:00 pm Heritage Advisory Committee – Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 4:30 pm

community, your attendance and participation is welcome at any meeting.

The Environmental Action Advisory Committee focuses on making recommendations to Council on the protection of our local lands, becoming a more energy efficient municipality, and creating opportunities for engagement with residents about what changes they would like to see. To learn more, check out the information on Committees at northgrenville.ca under the Govern tab.

Of course, one popular way to voice one's opinion is via social media. Used constructively, the various platforms can be a great way to express thoughts and concerns, ask questions, and drum up support for worthy causes.

Recently, the Kemptville Environmental Group was created on Facebook to discuss all topics related to the local environment.

Let's use this as one of the means of communication to encourage and inspire each other to take action, no matter how small.

We are fortunate to have many different options for participation in North Grenville - find one that works for you! This Council encourages each of you to pitch-in, yearround.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Visit www.northgrenville.ca/careers for more details Executive Director – Kemptville Campus: Resumes must be received no later than 4:00 pm on May 7, 2021

VACCINATION CLINIC

The vaccination clinic is located at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville: 285 County Road 44. The entrance is on the Southside of the building. If you are eligible, you can book your COVID-19 vaccine online at www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine or call the Provincial Vaccine Information Line at 1-888-999-6488.

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 Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441 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

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Marketing Consultant Phone 613 258 6402 Email: gord@ngtimes.ca

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Transportation to Vaccination Clinics - United Way Leeds & Grenville

The Voice of North Grenville Sustainable North Grenville: Part II – Where Are We Now?

A Community Report Card

Sustainable North Grenville was created by a group of concerned citizens over 10 years ago to help raise awareness about sustainability issues in North Grenville. Looking back from where we are now, it might be said, “Wow! Look at how far the community has come.” SNG is proud to have played a small role in helping some of these come to life.

United Way Leeds & Grenville (UWLG), in coordination with Lanark Leeds & Grenville Health Unit, will be offering a program that will assist residents of Leeds & Grenville (without available transportation) to get to the Vaccination Centres to receive their COVID-19 Vaccination.

UWLG will act as coordinator of the program so that residents of Leeds & Grenville have one number to call. UWLG will connect the resident requiring transportation to the agency that would be available to provide the drive. The agency will coordinate the pick-up and drop off directly with the resident. Participating agencies will take responsibility for the transportation and ensuring that all Health Unit protocols for our area are in place. Passengers will be required to wear a mask that covers the nose, mouth and chin. Only one person in the car, with the driver, or two if they reside in the same household. Most agencies will require 48-72 hours notice so that they can make arrangements for volunteer drivers. Pick-ups and drop-offs must be within the Leeds & Grenville area.

"The United Way is pleased to lead the charge on this important need in our community," said Trish Buote, Executive Director United Way Leeds & Grenville. "We want to remove any barriers for residents to ensure that they can receive their COVID Vaccination. We are extremely appreciative to all the amazing agencies who stepped up at this time to agree to provide rides to our community. We are very proud to partner with them".

There is a cost to the service depending on the pick-up and drop-off locations as well as the available agency. United Way Leeds & Grenville is pleased to provide funding for the ride for those who cannot afford the fee. Please contact Christine Radford at 613-342-8889 and she will help coordinate your ride. Take care and be safe.

About United Way Leeds & Grenville: United Way Leeds & Grenville (UWLG) is a non-profit agency that supports over 20 local partner agencies in the community. Its mission is to improve lives and build community by engaging individuals and mobilizing collective action. UWLG is dedicated to bringing people together to build vibrant and caring communities.

For more information, please contact: Trish Buote, Executive Director United Way Leeds & Grenville Office: 613-342-8889 Mobile: 613-246-1927 Email: trish.buote@uwlg.org Website: uwlg.org

The following is a high level overview of how North Grenville is doing – a list of events, programs and achievements within the framework of the values of sustainability. While progress has been made in many areas, there’s still room for improvement. It’s a snapshot of some (not all) progress measures that demonstrates how far the community’s come – and where there’s still work to be done by all of us.

1. Community (Culture/Social)

Excellent!

Good Needs Work

• Sustainability Fair & Market, including largest Electric Vehicle show in eastern Ontario • Kemptville Live Music Festival • Kemptville Campus acquired from the Province in a joint partnership. Master Plan completed. New board being created.

• Active transportation: improved walkability in urban area, more sidewalks and safer pedestrian crossings • Citizen engagement via Advisory Committees, including, Accessibility, Active Transportation, Ag & Rural Affairs, Arts & Culture, Community and Economic Development, Environmental Action, Health, Wellness and Fitness, plus Heritage.

• Expanding Trails system: NG Trails, including Rail Trail, Ferguson Forest, Kemptville Campus & more • Thriving Hamlets (Municipal support for Community Associations) • Affordable housing initiative underway.

• Tourism strategy underway • New Community Strategic Plan to come in 2021 • Better land use policies • Public transportation options

2. The Environment Excellent!

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Good Needs Work

• No tar sands pipeline flowing through North Grenville!

• NG Recycles waste reduction program, including recent launch of Green bin program diverting 3 tonnes daily.

• Ferguson Forest Centre saved from closure - now thriving • Giving Garden and Kemptville Campus Greenhouses as community spaces run by volunteers • Agroforesty Centre – Sugar bush being restored and Maple Syrup production underway • Environmental Action Advisory Committee – work plan being developed and implemented • Pitch in Week clean up program throughout Municipality • LED lighting in Municipal buildings • EV chargers in 3 locations in Kemptville • Arboretum in development at Ferguson • • • • •

Climate action / mitigation and sustainability strategy Blue Community / Water Protection initiatives Green space protection; No more clearing wetlands Solar energy projects on Municipal buildings where feasible Bike lanes on major thoroughfares, including CR 43

3. The Economy

CURBSIDE PICK UP Tuesday to Saturday 12 - 4 pm

Excellent!

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Good

1. Shop our new inventory from our online store. Click "shop now" from our website www.tbcconsign.com 2. Join us on Facebook for videos of our consignment clothing and footwear 3. Call us at 613-258-0166 and we will help you find what you need

Needs Work

• • • • •

Support for local food (B&H, Catered Affairs, others) Thriving Farmers’ Market ‘Love NG’ Municipal business support / Shop local campaign Municipal support to businesses affected by COVID-19 Trades training programs at Kemptville Campus

• Active Downtown BIA and Chamber of Commerce • Municipality created a Downtown Kemptville Community Action Plan (DKCAP) to address present and future opportunities • Residential and commercial development needs to be properly managed • Investment attraction strategy to include diversity of small/medium sized businesses • Continue to support existing business • Many planning and development initiatives are underway which could be shared with the public

These changes didn’t happen by themselves – it takes people speaking up and being involved. And there are more things unfolding regularly. Whether you’re new to the area or have lived in North Grenville forever, there’s a lot going on and a lot to find out.

If you’ve got an idea, or see something that will lead to a more sustainable community, reach out. Call a member of Council, talk to someone on one of the Advisory Committees.

Contact SNG via info.sustainablenorthgrenville@gmail.com Or check us out on Facebook.

Stay tuned next week as we look at ‘Where to Next?’

...mapping next steps to ensure a more sustainable future for North Grenville.

ACT LOCAL. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. CREATE COMMUNITY.

www.SustainableNorthGrenville.ca ACT LOCAL. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. CREATE COMMUNITY.

www.SustainableNorthGrenville.ca

April 21, 2021

6

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

New mobile café serving up your morning cup

No Go Coffee Co. owner Karin Rabuka with her son Noah Rabuka and barista's assistant Samantha Cannon

by Hilary Thomson Locals now have a new spot in Kemptville to grab their morning cup of joe.

Owner/operator of No Go Coffee Co., Karin Rabuka, has officially opened her new mobile café across from the fire station on County Road 44.

Karin has always wanted to own her own coffee shop. With that in mind, she started learning more about

coffee in 2010 and decided to try roasting to really get in touch with what makes a quality cup of coffee. To her surprise, the coffee roasting took off and No Go (short for North Gower) Coffee Co. was born. Karin has now been roasting coffee for more than10 years, supplying it to local offices and cafés, and selling it in area grocery stores like B&H Grocer and Jonsson's Your Independent Grocer.

Although she tried

the mobile café, I wanted to use it," she says.

She thought about going back to North Gower, but she really wanted a spot that would have some good car and foot traffic. When she found the location on County Road 44, which was for sale/lease, she called the owner who agreed to let her use the space three days a week until October.

She officially opened the mobile café on April 1, and says the reception so far has been amazing. "I didn't really have any expectations.

I wasn't sure how it would go, but so many people have come out to support me so far, and I'm really grateful for that”, she says.

While many of her customers have been in cars, she also seen people coming by foot from Equinelle and Settlers Grant to check out her café. She currently sells all types of espresso drinks, teas and fresh butter tarts from Loughlin's Bakery in Hallville, and other baked goods from Grahame's Bakery in Kemptville. Her plan is to also offer freshly squeezed lemonade during the sum-

opening a café in Kars, running a coffee shop never fit her lifestyle. With three young kids, coffee roasting worked well because she was able to work out of her garage at home. Six years ago, her family moved from North Gower to a larger property in Kemptville with a big barn so she could have even more room for her coffee roasting operation.

About a year ago, Karin had the idea of starting up a mobile café that she could run part time, while still keeping up with the roasting side of No Go Coffee.

A cautious entrepreneur, Karin thought she could start slow, and focus on attending local fairs, festivals, and weddings. She bought an old 1998 GMC Grumman Olson truck, and she and her husband took the better part of a year fixing it up and renovating it to become a mobile café.

When it was finished, it was clear to Karin that festivals and weddings were not going to be an option due to the pandemic, so she started looking around for a place to park it for the season. "I spent all that time making

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Karin says her favourite part, so far, about running the mobile café, is interacting with customers and having a new venue to introduce them to her coffee. All her coffee is fresh, fair trade and organic, and she makes an effort to be as environmentally friendly as possible, both in her roasting process and packaging.

"I'm just super proud of the

coffee and what I've been able to do with that, and now I'm so happy I can serve it to people."

The No Go Coffee Co. mobile café is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7 am-1 pm. For more information about No Go Coffee Co., visit their website www.nogocoffee.com.

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

The Voice of Merrickville/Wolford

Council amends procedural bylaw to allow for virtual meetings

by Hilary Thomson Merrickville-Wolford council passed a resolution at their last regular council meeting to allow municipal committees to meet virtually during the pandemic.

Council had already made the decision to reinstate the suspended committees at a previous meeting, but they were waiting for staff to amend the procedural bylaw to officially allow them to meet virtually. This was finally brought to council last week and passed. The procedural bylaw amendment will also allow council to meet virtually.

Deputy Mayor Michael Cameron noted that he thinks they should be considering returning to 7 pm virtual meetings to give the public more access to council. "I think that is something we should be considering, considering that we had originally suspended the 7 pm meetings because of

the inability to host people in the chambers," he said at the meeting. "Now that we're moving to an electronic form, it would be nice if we could move back to the 7 pm meetings so that we could be more inclusive."

Chair of the Recreation, Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, Katie Dickie, says she has put her team on standby while they wait for further direction from the municipality.

As of last Wednesday, she hadn't heard anything from staff about when and how they would like them to meet electronically. "We are eager to get going, as we have been for over a year," she wrote in an email to the Times.

Katie, who has been part of a group of residents calling for more transparency from staff and council, says it is a shame that council has not been able to fully embrace virtual meetings as many other surrounding councils have done. "[The] live streaming they are advertising is

Income Tax Service in Merrickville

Merrickville Garage Sale cancelled

by Hilary Thomson

simply live audio that we are able to listen to…if you don't work a 9-5 job," she wrote. "They have literally shut residents out of any participation."

Mayor Doug Struthers said that they will discuss moving back to evening meetings at the next council meeting. "We should bring that to the council table for council to have a discussion on that, and look at whether we go from the 2 pm meetings to the 7 pm meetings," he said.

The Merrickville and District Chamber of Commerce has decided to cancel this year's Merrickville Garage Sale due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The garage sale, which typically involves many Merrickville churches, residents and businesses, draws thousands of people to the community every year. It is typically held on the first weekend in May. Although they are not recommending that people visit the village during the current lockdown and stayat-home order, the Chamber is focused on making sure Merrickville-Wolford stays top of mind for tourists.

They are still working on producing a map of all the member businesses in the village for the 2021 tourism season, which should be out during the first or second week of May. The municipality has also offered the use of the street side of the notice board near the post office for the Chamber to use for a map, information about businesses, and to direct visitors further south down St. Lawrence Street.

"Anybody who's looked at

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ngtimes.ca the north grenville

TIMES Gord Logan

Marketing Consultant Phone 613 258 6402 Email: gord@ngtimes.ca

John G.Harris, CMC

Certified Management Consultant

Our camera club has a weekly photo challenge and recently the subject was "Abstract". Not sure how I came up with the idea but I photographed this pump at the start of the Ferguson Forest Trails thinking to distort it in some way in Photoshop to make it an unrecognizable pattern. It is a little difficult to explain in layman terms. In Photoshop I took the digital pixels of the image and converted them into very coarse dots, then blurred the image and using a zoom feature stretched or elongated the image repeatedly into a cone shape before finally digitally twirling this blurred zoomed cone shaped image both right and then left.

Request for Volunteers The Village of Merrickville-Wolford values the meaningful impact that volunteers have in the community. The Village is looking to fill vacancies on the following committees: Planning Advisory Committee; Committee of Adjustment; Community Development Advisory Committee; and Property Standards Committee.

If you are interested in community service, your assistance would be greatly appreciated. To learn more about these committees, please visit our website to view the Terms of Reference.

If you are interested in applying to be a member of one of the above committees, please fill out the Member Application Form which can be found on our website at http://www.merrickville-wolford.ca/office-and-council/volunteer-for-boardsand-committees or contact Christina Conklin, Deputy Clerk at deputyclerk@ merrickville-wolford.ca or 613-269-4791 ext. 257. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2021 at 4:30 p.m.

April 21, 2021

any funding that they might be able to apply for that would help them support their members, while also advertising grants that individual businesses can apply for themselves to help them through the pandemic. This includes a grant from Regional Tourism Association (RTO) 9, called the COVID-19 Tourism Adaptation Fund, which is available for tourism-related businesses.

"There are a number of member businesses within our Chamber that actually could be able to apply for some of these grants," board member Nick Previsich said at the meeting.

In terms of events in the village, like the garage sale, the Chamber is hoping to be able to move forward with something later in the year. Board member Yves Grandmaitre suggested they partner with other events slated for later this summer, like the Merrickville Agricultural Fair. "I think that would be a good way to support Wolford businesses, and continue to enhance maybe working together that way," he said. "But I would suggest we have this discussion when we have a better idea what COVID is going to look like."

The North Grenville Photography Club

jgharris@sympatico.ca (Cell) 613-269-4421 613-297-7553

• • • •

that thing realizes the Village isn't utilizing it very well," Councillor Bob Foster noted at the Chamber meeting last week. "So, we may as well have the Chamber of Commerce utilize the street side of the board to the best of their abilities."

In terms of helping local business through the lockdown and pandemic overall, the Chamber is spearheading a social media blitz to let people know which businesses are open for curbside pick up. New Chamber member and owner of LaVerne's Fantastic Finds, LaVerne Murphy, suggested that the Chamber help remind consumers that a lot of the non-essential items that aren't available for sale at big box stores are available in small local businesses like the ones in Merrickville. "We have a lot of places in Merrickville that offer those non-essential items," she said. "They're going to get curbside anyway, so instead of somebody from Merrickville even going into Kemptville to go to Walmart to get those items, we should really be trying to encourage them to grab them from a local person."

The Chamber is also very focused on finding

8

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Baldwin's Birds

initial enthusiasm at the first sightings of the Blue birds and Tree Swallows, has been slightly dampened by the fact that they all seem to have been just passing by! They also took with them the last members of our winter flock of Redpolls. However, all is not lost, since we still have our resident flock of Rock

Pigeons showing off their colorful Spring plumage, as are all the other birds too, such as the Red and White-breasted Nuthatches, (Slate Grey) Dark Eyed Juncos, Cowbirds, Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows and our familiar Robins and Cardinals. The latter two are also filling the air with their

the north grenville

TIMES Gord Logan

Marketing Consultant Phone 613 258 6402 Email: gord@ngtimes.ca

t - me - n o e g r o F Herbs & Flowers

t

Good morning everyone, I hope this finds you all fit and well, and managing to keep a smile on your faces. Our returning birds are certainly managing to do just that, in our household, despite the change from beautiful sunshine to the cooler rainy days that we are now experiencing. My

prolonged loud singing too, as they perch very high up in the tallest trees and regale us, to brighten our days, but mainly, - of course, to attract a female! It’s amazing that a bird so brightly colored can only be seen with great difficulty, when high in a tree. Look very carefully and you will see one too. I got a couple of pictures of a male Cowbird, at a feeder, along with a striated female and red epauletted male Red-winged Blackbird. The Cowbirds, being either very clever, or just plain lazy, lay their eggs in another birds nest, having first removed the owner's egg(s), and leaves the upbringing of its offspring to an unwitting surrogate mother! Stay safe and well and keep on smiling, Cheers, John Baldwin

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This mixed medium direction has always been a part of my art. While experimenting with some of the alcohol inks on silver paper, I found the colours were the level of intensity I wanted for a botanical series. The paintings, viewed from three or four positions, reveal different light sources and varied colour refractions. Each viewing position changes the painting (interaction between art and viewer).

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The Voice of North Grenville

Kemptville and District Sports Hall of Fame seeking nominations for induction

The National Volunteer Week theme for 2021, The Value of One, The Power of Many, reflects on the awe-inspiring acts of kindness by millions of individuals AND the magic that happens when we work together towards a common purpose.

This past year, we have seen people

supporting family, friends, neighbours, and strangers, people standing up to systemic racism, and people sharing insights on how to create a more just and equitable society.

We recognize the value of the caring and compassion that each one has shown another, and we rec-

and assisted dying.

The theme is a nod to our past, a reflection of our present, and a wink to our future. The Value of One, the Power of Many was the theme for National Volunteer Week in 2001, The International Year of Volunteers. It beautifully reflects the individual and collective efforts we have seen during the pandemic, and it sets the tone for re-imagining the next 20 years as the value of one act and the power of many enables us to thrive together.

ognize the power of people, organizations, and sectors working together.

The power of people working together can bring about monumental changes. We have seen people work together on legislative changes related to impaired driving, same sex marriage,

Thank you to our remarkable volunteers!

WE'D LOVE TO HELP! SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO REACH A NEW GOAL!

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registration fees to funds for high level competition for an individual or team. These opportunities are limited and distributed on a quarterly basis.

Nomination forms and bursary applications are available online at www.kemptvillesportshalloffame.ca.

The Kemptville & District Sports Hall of Fame was established in 2010 to recognize and honour local athletes and teams who have achieved outstanding success, and those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of competitive sport.

The organization is dedicated to fostering a sense of pride in sport accomplishments, supporting current athletes in working toward their goals, and preserving local sport heritage.

Volunteer committee members are needed to continue highlighting the importance of sport legacy in the community. Interested persons are asked to contact Kemptville & District Sports Hall of Fame Committee at kemptvilleshof@gmail.com.

WHETHER YOU HAVE AN INJURY OR COULD JUST USE

The fabric of our community is sewn together by the threads of your generous hearts.

www.seniorscs.ca

The selection committee for the Kemptville and District Sports Hall of Fame is eager to hear from the community as to who should be considered for this prestigious recognition. Nominations must be submitted no later than May 15, 2021.

“The Sports Hall of Fame Committee recognizes and appreciates the support of the local business community in years past, and we are working within our existing resources to avoid further strain on sponsors during the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Committee Chair Heather Burns. “We will ensure this year’s inductees are honoured at the same caliber of event, through a virtual ceremony in September, and will continue to offer our important bursary program to young athletes.”

The bursary program exists to help continue the tradition of quality sport in our community. Deserving young athletes, their teams and their organizations can apply for a range of assistance, from individual

C: 613.295.0300 10

Photo Credit: Earth Day Canada This year, April 22 will mark the 51st anniversary of the history of Earth Day. It was first celebrated in 1970 and has grown to a campaign that mobilized more than 1 billion people worldwide to take action and raise awareness about the state of our planet. As part of the 2021 Earth Day campaign, under the theme of Take Care of the Planet, Earth Day Canada hopes to raise awareness among Canadians about the

urgency of taking action for the environment and to encourage them to take concrete action to take care of the planet on a daily basis. These can be simple things like cooking an extra vegetarian meal every week and picking up trash, or doing larger projects like shoreline cleanups with your community. This year’s national campaign is featuring the irony of animals cleaning up after us. www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

Local facility provides mental health support

Ryan Theriault with one of his equine staff Photo provided by Ryan Theriault

by Hilary Thomson A facility just outside Kemptville is celebrating 10 years in business partnering with horses to help people with all types of mental health struggles.

Founder Ryan Theriault started Tranquil Acres in 2011, after quitting his job as an account manager for RBC. He found the farm in Kars and moved out to the country that September to start his equine assisted mental health facility.

Ryan was drawn to the field of equine assisted mental health because of his love of horses and his personal experience with anxiety.

Although he grew up in a family that couldn't afford horses, he was able to spend more time around them later in life and noticed what an impact they had on his mental health. "I saw how important they were and what they were able to do for me," he says. "I noticed that when I was with the horses, I was a lot more calm."

Tranquil Acres offers equine assisted psychotherapy to clients with all types of mental health struggles.

Ryan says they work with a lot of first responders and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as people with anxiety, stress, depression, eating disorders and victims/survivors of sexual assault or human trafficking.

Sessions are conducted with both an equine specialist practitioner and a licensed mental health professional like a psychotherapist, social worker or occupational April 21, 2021

therapist. Both equine specialist practitioner and the mental health professional work together to help the client and partner with the horses to create metaphors and find solutions to their issues through experiential learning. "We provide the space and the time for the client to come up with their own solutions to whatever they're working through," Ryan says.

According to Ryan, partnering with horses is a great way to help clients tap into their emotions and patterns in their life because of how sensitive they are to their surroundings. "The horses mimic scenarios in life and the reason why the horses do that is because they feed off our energy," he says. "They feed off the intent that we're sensing. Horses are super good at recognizing people's intent, because in the wild they have to always remain vigilant about their environment."

Ryan says equine assisted psychotherapy is a great alternative for people who find that traditional talk therapy doesn't work for them. Tranquil Acres sees clients from all over Eastern Ontario for individual sessions, and they often have clients flying in from as far away as Newfoundland to access their retreat programs. No session is ever the same, and Ryan loves watching how clients interact with the horses, partnering with them to find the courage and strength they need to live their lives despite their mental health challenges. "Working in this field, you get to see people

The Voice of North Grenville

Stay young

Be Active

that struggle, like you and I, every single day, and it's allowing these people to normalize that they're not weird, they're not strange, they're not broken. They just need a safe place to be able to process life. To be able to put the pieces back together in a safe place, and that's kind of what we've created."

COVID-19 has placed a huge strain on Tranquil Acres as they have been periodically shut down during the provincial lockdowns over the past year. Right now, Ryan says they are operating at about 30-40% capacity and only seeing clients in person that desperately need the support.

"Mental health is definitely something that we need to continue during these times," he says. "It's more than ever needed." Tranquil Acres has seen an upswing in calls over the past year from people looking for mental health support. Ryan says they do their best to meet their needs by offering virtual sessions, in-person if necessary, or directing them towards other community resources.

Ryan is very grateful to the community who have been helping them feed the horses throughout the pandemic. They have also been able to tap into a few government grants, but are relying heavily on their savings and lines of credit to keep the lights on. As a fee-for-service facility, Ryan says it is hard to balance being a business owner and the needs of clients who may have lost their jobs. He recently had a conversation with a client about how people are either overworked or out of work, neither of which is good for mental health. "I think that's the big problem. Either you have too much time to think, or you don't have enough time to think and process things, so that's where we're seeing a lot of our clients."

Ryan is hoping that with more and more people becoming vaccinated, they will be able to return to normal business over the coming months. It is clear that he is passionate about what he does and would love to see his four employees and eight horses (and a donkey) back at work supporting the mental health needs of the community on a more regular basis.

For more information about Tranquil Acres visit www.tranquilacres.ca.

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Firewood for sale - mixed hardwood, 3 cord minimum for delivery, $110 per cord, call Jon 613-227-3650 Cedar posts and rails for sale - various sizes, call Jon for pricing 613-227-3650 MEN'S 26" BICYCLE PARTS. EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FRAME INCLUDING THE TWO WHEELS WITH NEW TIRES/ T U B E S. C A L L D O U G 613 258-4573

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Looking to harvest cedar trees for hedges off acreages from landowners. Please call 613-799-0958 Room to Rent. Low Price, Close to Kemptville. Amazing roommate. Call 613258-3537 Anytime for Details.

HANDYMAN RETIRED CARPENTER Renovations, kitchens, SERVICES bathrooms, additions, Painting, Demolition, decks, home repair.

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TIMES Gord Logan

Wanted! Goalie for Summer Hockey, Kemptville Area. Thursday mornings 9 am to 10.20 am. Contact: admin@3point5.ca

Marketing Consultant Phone 613 258 6402 Email: gord@ngtimes.ca

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Call Andrew 613-2778068

History:

The founding of a town

by David Shanahan There is a long historic truth of land occupation that pre-dates written historical records of the area.

Archaeological information indicates that Algonquin people have lived in the Ottawa Valley for at least 8,000 years before the Europeans arrived in North America. There has to be a respectful acknowledgment of this fact before we begin telling our own stories of settlement.

For many years, there was a story going round that the site of the Town of Kemptville was bought from its original owner for a yoke of oxen and a fusil (which was a type of gun).

It was a colourful tale, and, as far as I can find out, it came from an account of the history of Kemptville written around 1880. However, colourful tales are not necessarily history, so it is interesting to see what the real facts might be.

Kemptville was first located on lot 27 in the Third Concession of the Township of Oxford-on-Rideau. It was granted to Captain Peter Drummond on December 2, 1802, as part of his allocation of land due to him as a veteran of the American War of Independence.

He had been an officer in April 21, 2021

the Loyal Rangers, Jessup's Corps, and afterwards commanded a company in the second battalion of the Royal Canadian Volunteers.

Drummond's story is itself quite an exciting and adventurous one, but, in this instance, it is enough to record that he sold lot 27 to John Byce (also spelled Boyce), on September 15, 1819 for the sum of £50.

The lot straddled the South Branch and contained 200 acres.

Byce immediately flipped the property, selling the south half to Thomas McCargar for £37.10/- on December 4, 1819, and the north half to Asa Clothier for £75 on the same day.

John Byce made a handsome profit of more than £60 on the transactions; a far finer sum than a yoke of oxen and a fusil.

The sales agreements recording these property transfers make interesting reading. John Byce agreed to sell to Asa Clothier the half of the lot from its northern boundary to "the centre of the South Branch of the Rideau River, more or less, then upstream along said Branch to Lot 26".

The agreement was witnessed by Trueman Hurd, but not actually drawn up and signed until March

The Voice of North Grenville

and bring their ashes to the store, where they would be bartered for goods. Church would turn the ashes into potash for export.

Thomas McCargar was one of the first settlers in South Gower, and at one time owned substantial property there and in Oxford. His homestead farm became part of the Kemptville Agricultural School in 1917 and still stands in a much modified form on the grounds of the Campus. The McCargars were an important family in what is now North Grenville, and it was a member of that family, Cyrus Hugh McCargar, who first mentioned the yoke of oxen and fusil, along with a few other errors in his account of Kemptville's early history. More of him another time.

The main witness to both sales in 1819 was Trueman Hurd, another important figure in the early years of Kemptville's story. According to reliable sources, Hurd, McCargar, Clothier, and David Beech were the first settlers in Kemptville.

Trueman Hurd provided land for the Roman Catholic Church in 1834 and his house still stands on the north-east corner of Clothier and Hurd.

26, 1824. It is likely that Clothier already lived on the lot, where he built the mill around which the village grew, as he is identified in the sale as being "of the Township of Oxford", whereas Byce is "of South Gower".

On September 25, 1826, Thomas McCargar sold his half of the lot to Lyman Clothier for £150, making a sizeable profit on the transaction. The Clothier family gradually sold off small sections of the lot over the succeeding decades as the new village grew in population and influence.

The documents recording those first land transactions in what would become Kemptville are also fascinating for the signatures of the parties and witnesses involved. The Clothiers, of course, were at the centre of settlement, not only of Kemptville, but of Oxford Mills also.

The sales agreements were sworn before Levius Church, Deputy Registrar of the County of Grenville.

Church also opened the first store in Kemptville, where O'Heaphy's pub is today, as well as a pot ashery across the street on the banks of the river. Local farmers would burn out the roots of trees they cleared on their land, 12

Home thoughts

by David Shanahan Isn’t it surprising how much we miss hugs and handshakes? Parents and grandparents miss hugging their children and grandchildren.

Friends miss handshakes and hugs, the normal signs of affection and friendship that we never thought about very much, until we couldn’t share them any more. Those forms of physical contact go deep in our cultures and history, and seem to satisfy a genuine psychological function, a way to make contact with others.

Business people break the ice by shaking hands, a sign of welcome, an invitation to trust and collegiality.

Shaking hands goes back along way. It is said that it was used between enemies to show a willingness to trust and be trusted. The right hand was used to wield a weapon, a sword or dagger.

By stretching out the right hand, it showed that there was no weapon, no threat. Instead, an open hand was being offered as a sign of friendship.

We don’t need that kind of gesture today, perhaps, but offering your hand to another makes the same point: we can be at ease with each other.

Giving someone a hug goes even further, it is an act of affection, of openness to the other. It says: “Look, I am hiding nothing from you, and I am being vulnerable, trusting you not to take advantage”. Is that reading too much into things? I don’t think so.

But we have been denied these gestures for more than a year now, even when we have been able to be in physical proximity to family, friends, or colleagues. It has sometimes been hard not to reach out a hand, or open your arms for a hug; but we have learned (most of us, anyway) to care for others by not reaching out.

We are protective of them by keeping our distance, as the newly-learned phrase has it, we are together apart.

I watch football (soccer to some) a lot, and teams were told to give each other an el-

bow bump, instead of a handshake before and after games.

You could see how awkward it made them feel, and very often they forgot and shook hands anyway. It is so hard to break the habits and traditions of a lifetime, of generations.

But we have become deeply conscious of those gestures, and how dangerous they can be in a pandemic.

Many people have related how uncomfortable they have felt watching a movie where there is a crowd scene. There is a sudden alarm: they’re not keeping their distance! Why aren’t they staying safe? The new realities have seeped deeply into our thinking.

I wonder what will happen after we are once more free to shake hands or hug each other on a more general level? Will we literally embrace the freedom? Will we want to hug everyone we meet, no matter who they are? Or will there be a lingering reluctance, perhaps an unconscious distance that we will keep with those around us. I hope that’s not going to be the case. It may take a little time to get over the past year and feel that freedom again, a freedom we were never really aware of before.

I hope we come to really appreciate that freedom once it’s restored to us. I hope we can be aware every time we shake hands, or give and get a hug, just how precious and wonderful it is to be able to show that sign of friendship and affection. May that day some quickly.

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Sustainability: Planting Trees

by Joselyn Morely Trees play a huge role in the struggle for sustainability. They produce oxygen, prevent soil erosion, help in sequestering carbon, reduce water runoff, help cool our houses, produce food and materials, and reduce our carbon footprint. Forests sequester carbon as they take carbon dioxide from the environment, and through photosynthesis, transform it into biomass. There are programs to encourage people to plant trees, and to support them with financial help and knowledge.

North Dundas is in the South Nation Watershed, and thus under the protection of the South Nation Conservation Authority (SNC).

Kemptville is in the Rideau Watershed, and as such, under the protection of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA). Each of these Conservation Authorities have a huge amount of information on their websites.

I highly encourage you to check them out. Rideau Valley Conservation Authority: rvca.ca. South Nation Conservation Authority: nation. on.ca.

Both SNC and RVCA have programs that help people plant trees, whether you want a couple of trees, or thousands. SNC has helped

landowners plant 3 million trees in the last 30 years. This only slows down deforestation a bit. If you have a bit of land and you would like to plant trees, get in touch with the SNC or RVCA. You can plant on as little as a few acres. The program is heavily supported financially, so you can plant trees on your land for very little cost. They help plan and carry out the planting. If you already have trees, they provide a Woodlot Advisory Service. There are tax incentives for managed woodlots, and support both financially and practically for achieving status as a managed woodlot.

The Forests Ontario 50 Million Tree Program was cut by the Ontario government shortly after the 2018 provincial election. The federal government ended up saving the 50 Million Tree Program with $15 million over 4 years. Currently the program is supported by the Federal government, corporate sponsors, and donors.

The goal is to make tree planting easier and more affordable for Ontario landowners and municipalities. The 50 Million Tree Program helps plant trees, and in turn helps a landowner increase the value of their land, improve their soil quality, increase wildlife habitat, enhance recreational

opportunities, improve the overall health of the local environment, while at the same time leaving a legacy.

As of 2020, Forests Ontario has planted over 30 million trees through the program, producing over 16,500 hectares of new forest. check out forestsontario.ca The Ferguson Forest Centre participates in the Forests Ontario Over the Counter Program for Spring every year. They are sold out for this year, but keep it in mind when you're planning your planting for next year. The program offers a small discount on some of the bareroot seedlings such as White Spruce, Eastern White Cedar, European Larch, Jack Pine, Red Pine, and Norway Spruce.

There is a "Kemptville Environmental Group" on Facebook. It's a new group.

I am always so excited when another forum for sharing ideas pops up! Even if you're not in Kemptville, join and share ideas.

“Wise is a person who plants a tree, knowing they will never enjoy its shade.”

This sentiment has been attributed to everyone from Socrates to Buddha, to a Roman Poet called Caecillius Statius; a sound sentiment, regardless of who said it first!

ACROSS 1. Tiny balls strung together 6. Incline 10. Sandwich shop 14. Group of 8 15. Dogfish 16. Send forth 17. Gleamed 18. Insulation 19. Skin disease 20. A person who writes advertising copy 22. Abound 23. On the left or right 24. Not these or those 26. Wise men 30. African antelope 31. Not high 32. Age 33. Sister of Zeus 35. "Yippee!"

39. Excesses of revenues

41. Small hardy range horse 43. Submarine detector 44. Render unconscious 46. Hint 47. Not bottom 49. Belief 50. A flexible pipe 51. Bring into harmony 54. Fastened 56. Carbamide 57. Estate 63. Hue 64. Twinge 65. Condominium 66. Double-reed woodwind 67. Anagram of "Live" 68. Prevent legally 69. Transmit 70. Risqué 71. Beach

DOWN 1. Pear variety 2. Reflected sound 3. At the peak of 4. Declare untrue 5. Seethes 6. Unrestrained enthusiasm 7. Neophyte 8. Small amount 9. Guard 10. Wake 11. Master of ceremonies 12. A protective covering 13. List components 21. Correct 25. Drags 26. Geographic illustrations 27. Relating to aircraft 28. Thug 29. Enamored 34. In an entertaining manner 36. Angel's headwear 37. Burden 38. Curved molding 40. Weightlifters pump this 42. Not fulfilled 45. Historic ship 48. Usually accompanies salt 51. Cars 52. Clan 53. Mortise and _____ 55. Small freshwater fishes 58. Magma 59. Nonsense (British) 60. Moving within 61. Smell 62. No

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

Easy

Medium

Hard

Solution to last week’s Crossword

$10M for school enhancements and upgrades The Upper Canada District School Board is happy to announce that our school board will be receiving $10.2 million from the federal and provincial governments, as part of the COVID-19 Resilience stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

With this funding, 73 schools plus three additional T.R. Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education sites will see enhancements made within their buildings. Some of the enhancements and upgrades that our schools can expect from this funding are: upgrades to HVAC and controls at three sites; 2 new replacement portables at one site; window replacements at two sites; 302 bottle filling stations; and 445 power doors with touchless sensors.

Additionally, some child care facilities within our buildings will see some major renovations, as well as upgrades to outdoor fencing, air conditioning, new washrooms or fixtures, video intercoms and improved Wi-Fi. "We fully appreciate the funding being provided by the federal and provincial governments, as any enhancements we do in our schools and buildings have a direct and positive impact on our students and staff," says Director of Education, Stephen Sliwa.

Projects will begin immediately in our schools, with the plan to have them completed by late fall of 2021. The funding received was based on an application process, which outlined the type of projects that would qualify for this funding and timelines that the projects needed to be completed by.

UCDSB Chair of the Board John McAllister adds, "Any day we receive funding news of this nature is a good day for Upper Canada. We want to truly thank our provincial and federal partners for their investments in our schools."

April 21, 2021

13

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STORE HOURS

May 9

Mother’s Day Dinner Special

Creamy asparagus velouté Beef tenderloin wild mushroom and truffle sauce Croquettes potatoes, vegetable medley Strawberry and chocolate parfait $40.00 plus HST and delivery Tuesday April 27 1- Apple cranberry stuffed pork loin, rosemary sauce, mash yellow potatoes, glazed carrots.

2- Asparagus and mushroom barley risotto, romaine lettuce lemon vinaigrette.

Wednesday April 28

1- Grilled tuna over roasted pepper and tomato sauce, basmati rice.

2- grilled eggplant over roasted peppers and tomato sauce, basmati rice.

Monday to Friday 8:00am to 7:00pm Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm Sunday 9:00am to 6:00pm

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Thursday April 29

1- Braised chicken thighs with spicy sausages and fingerlings potatoes.

2- Braised Chipotle tofu sofritas, spicy rice.

Friday April 30

1-Beef, onion and cheese phyllo pastry pie, triple A salad (artichoke, asparagus & avocado).

2- Lentils & cheese phyllo pastry pie, triple A salad (artichoke, asparagus & avocado).

Tuesday to Friday meals are $23.50 plus HST. $5.00 per delivery Stress free entertaining since 1992

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville We are not quite into balmy weather yet. Even as we enjoy nice days of 18 degrees Celsius, we are also getting cooler ones at 8 and 9 degrees. So, it's probably a good idea to keep our internal heat up with a nice hearty beef stew. Today's recipe takes advantage of this year's Maple Syrup, so guess what? It's called Hearty Maple Stew (clever, eh?) You might serve this with a dollop of sour cream on top, with some buttermilk biscuits and accompany it with a full-flavoured beer.

Hearty Maple Stew

Ingredients A couple of pounds of stewing beef ¼ cup of flour in a plastic bag ½ teaspoon of crushed ginger 1 teaspoon crushed garlic 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup of sliced celery 1 large tin of stewed tomatoes 2 medium sized onions, sliced 1 cup of water ½ cup of red wine (just drink the other half cup…)

April 21, 2021

½ cup of maple syrup 2 cups of potatoes cut into chunks 2 cups of carrots cut into chunks Salt and pepper to taste Preparation 1. Place the flour in the plastic bag, add the beef and shake to coat.

2. In a large pot (a Dutch oven), brown the coated meat in the vegetable oil.

3. Add tomatoes, onions, water, garlic, wine, crushed ginger and maple syrup.

4. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer at low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the meat is tender.

5. Add the potatoes, celery and carrots and simmer some more till they are tender.

6. If you wish to thicken the mixture prior to serving, use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup of water and mix it into the stew slowly.

If you are feeling particularly lazy, just use a Crockpot, remembering that your potatoes, carrots and celery only go in three quarters of the way through the cooking cycle.

Stay well as you get set to garden your heart out! Please be in touch at: pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

14

Tuesday April 27th - Friday April 30th Order & Pay online www.cateredaffairs.ca 613-324-3136 $37.50 Complete Meal for 2 + HST $70.00 Complete Meal for 4 + HST All Meals include; Chef's choice of Appropriate Side Dishes & a Light Dessert

Pork Schnitzel Crispy Breaded Pork Loin with a Lemon-Caper Butter.

Served with Handmade Spaetzle, Warm German Potato Salad, Braised Red Cabbage, Vegetables & Salad Creamy Tuscan Chicken Breast Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Roasted Garlic, Grape Tomatoes, Baby Spinach, Italian Herbs and Spices.Served with Parmesan Crusted Mashed Potatoes, Crusty Baguette, Vegetables & Salad Memphis Chicken & Ribs Low & Slow cooked Chicken and Ribs. Smothered in our House Made BBQ Sauce. Served with Creamy Coleslaw, Loaded Potato Puffs, Roasted Red Pepper Sweet Corn off the Cob Medley & Salad Hawaiian Teriyaki Meatballs All Beef Meatballs in a Citrus Teriyaki Sauce. Served with Bacon & Egg Fried Rice, Pineapple Slaw, Spring Rolls w/ Sweet Chili Sauce Vegetables, & Salad Lemongrass Coconut Pork Loin or Tofu (G/F Vegan) Tender Pork simmered in a Lemon Grass & Green Curry scented Coconut Broth. Served with Cilantro Rice, Summer Rolls with Carrot & Ginger Dipping Sauce, Vegetables & Salad North African Harissa Braised Beef Stew Slow Braised Beef with Aromatic African Spices, Served with Couscous, Flatbread, Lemon Yoghurt, Vegetables, & Salad

Pre order your Mothers Day Meals

for 2 or 4- Friday May 7th 1:30-4:30pm or Saturday May 8th 11am-2pm) Meals come cold with gentle heating instructions in oven ready pans Take-out Dinner 3 Course dinner for 4 $120.00 or dinner for 2 $65 -1st Course -Strawberry, Red onion, Pepittas, Goats cheese & Greenhouse Green salad with strawberry cracked pepper balsamic vinaigrette -Main Course - all accompanied with Roasted Baby potatoes and Vegetables Steak Diane (G/F & D/F) Beef medallions in a mushroom, Mrs Mcgarrigle's Dijon & brandy sauce, Baby Roasted potatoes & Chicken Kiev Crisp breaded Chicken breast Stuffed with Herbed butter Seafood Gratin Large Shrimp, Baby bay scallops & White fish in rich white wine cheese sauce Vegetarian Gratin (Vegetarian available as single portion) Medley of Vegetables in rich white wine cheese sauce -Dessert Lavender Creme brulee Or N.Y. Cheesecake with Chocolate & Raspberry Sauce Mothers Day Brunch Kit Available for pick up Saturday

May 8th

$75 for family of 4 Ready for you to prepare for Mom early morning on Mother’s Day Eggs Benedict Kit (Very Strict instructions!)

Poached Eggs, House made Hollandaise, Potato rosti, Baby Spinach, Local Peameal Sweet Crépes (2 Per Person) Fresh prepared fruits & Berries, Caramelized Apples, Vanilla Sugar whipped cream, On The Bend Maple Syrup, Chocolate syrup, Candied Almonds & Coconut Charcuterie Grazing Box for 2 $25 A Selection of Cured Meats, Chicken Liver pate & Preserves, Local Cheeses, Croustades & Crisps, Crudite & Fruit Tropical Mimosa Kit $35.00 750 ml bottle $15 for 250ml Fresh Orange & Mango juice with tropical fruit garnish & Sparkling rose

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Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole announces climate change plan

by Lorraine Rekmans At the recent virtual Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) convention, delegates voted down a policy motion that stated climate change was real, and that the CPC had to take action to address it. Now, here in the weeks following that party decision, the Honourable Erin O'Toole, Leader of Canada's Conservatives and the Official Opposition, unveiled the Conservative climate change plan. He told delegates in a recent speech that the debate on the reality of climate change must end, because climate change is real.

A CPC press release announced that Canada has an

important role in combating climate change. It stated that this plan will achieve the same emission reductions by 2030 as the Liberal government's current plan, while creating jobs and growing the economy.

"Our plan takes swift action on climate change," said the Honourable O'Toole. "Our plan trusts Canadian families to be part of the climate change plan. When compared to the Trudeau Carbon Tax, our plan is just as effective in emission reduction, but vastly superior in preserving jobs and growing the Canadian economy."

The issue of Canada’s targets in relation to the Paris Accord has been an issue of some contention in the

Local author achieves international success

Facing the Anthropocene published in English, French, German, Italian and Turkish Photo provided by Ian Angus

by Hilary Thomson A local author is finding international success with his book about climate change.

Ian Angus published "Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and a Crisis of the Earth System" back in 2016. It took him about two years to write and it focuses on the earth's transition from the Holocene era to the Anthropocene era, where human activities are changing the world more than natural processes. "We are actually not just causing local pollution but actually changing the climate, the way the rivers run, changing the chemical composition of the oceans, and so on," he says.

Ian states that this transition began sometime around the end of World War II, and has now reached the point where human activity is affecting all of earth's systems.

"We have now, through our activities, shifted the condiApril 21, 2021

tion of the earth out of its natural course," he says.

Ian was inspired to write the book because of all the misinformation he was seeing in the media about the Anthropocene and how this new era was affecting the planet.

"It's not a simple topic, but what I was trying to do, was take the science and make it accessible to lay readers," he says.

The book was published

by Monthly Review Press in New York and garnered a great response with English speaking readers across the globe. It has been adopted as reading material in many universities and colleges, and Ian even travelled all the way to Australia to promote the book in 2016.

Over the past few years, Ian has been approached by many people wanting to translate the book into different languages. It began with a publisher in Quebec who wanted to translate it into French, and it has now also been published in German,

House of Commons since the targets were set. A current analysis of the climate reduction efforts by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) found that the current climate-related policies that are in effect would only take us 63 per cent of the way to the 2030 target, which already falls short of what is recommended by science. This target was the same target that was set by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and later adopted by the Liberal Government of Canada.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, Canada committed to reducing its Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030, which means a reduction from the 730 megatonnes

of carbon dioxide released in 2005 to 511 megatonnes of carbon dioxide in 2030.

The criticism about the target is that it falls short of what is recommended, and that is to cut emissions roughly in half by 2030 in order to keep the window open of holding to 1.5° Celsius global temperature increase.

In February, the United Nations released a UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) report analyzing the updated climate action plans submitted by 75 nations. At that time, the United Nations SecretaryGeneral, António Guterres, expressed concerns that the report was a red alert for our planet, and demonstrated that governments are nowhere

close to the level of ambition needed to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees temperature increase and actually meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The Conservative Party plan includes scrapping the federal carbon tax, but maintains a price on carbon. They plan to work with the provinces to implement an innovative, national Personal Low Carbon Savings Account. It includes several other measures, including: requiring automakers to sell more zero emission vehicles; lowering industrial emissions; increasing use of natural gas; and implementing a low carbon fuel standard.

The Personal Low Carbon Savings Accounts will work

like the loyalty rewards plans offered by retailers, financial institutions, and airlines. Each time a hydrocarbon-based fuel is purchased, the consumer will be putting money into a tax-free savings account simply by using their personal account card - as you do with loyalty plans at the gas pump or in the store, states the CPC press release.

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Kemptville Youth Centre receives $17,200 Italian and Turkish. Ian says The Kemptville Youth there is a professor in China Centre is receiving $17,200 who is working on a transla- from the Ontario government tion, as well as a publishing to help this non-profit orgahouse in Korea who wants to nization deliver vital services translate it into Korean. to the local community. The The English version funding will be delivered has now gone through five through the Ontario Trillium printings, which Ian says Foundation (OTF), which is a is unheard of for this kind provincial agency. Last year, of science-based book. His OTF awarded $94.3 million goal was always to reach the to 1,238 projects in Ontario. masses, and he even took a Steve Clark, MPP for cut in royalties to keep it at Leeds-Grenville-Thousand an accessible price. "It's really Islands and Rideau Lakes gratifying when your work is and Minister of Municipal accepted by the people you Affairs and Housing, anwanted to read it," he says. nounced on behalf of the "I wanted this book to reach Ontario government that nine the people who were environ- non-profit organizations will mentalists, people who were receive funding to rebuild concerned about the state of and recover from the impacts the world and wanted to un- of the COVID-19 pandemic. derstand why it was like this." These grants are from the Ian never imagined the OTF’s $83-million Resilient book to reach as far as it has, Communities Fund. and he is thrilled with the idea “Non-profit organizations that more people will be able are a crucial and valued part to read it through translation. of any community, especially Over the past year, he has here in our area, and these orbeen invited to speak through ganizations represent diverse Zoom in Turkey and Ireland, activities and interests,” said and has another virtual talk MPP Clark. coming up in Switzerland The Resilient Communinext a terrific •ties Brakes Fund provides grants of • month.

Vehicle "It's repairs feeling to have your work up to $150,000 to eligible • Class “A” Mechanic • Suspension appreciated," he says. non-profi t organizations to • Sale of Quality Pre- • Tire Sales HeOwned is currently working •cover broad and flexible AiraConditioning Vehicles on• another book focusing range of needs, such as, Flat Bed Tow Truck • Alignments on the underlying drivers mental and physical health 613-989-3839 that cause human society to and well-being supports for conflict with C onature u n t y and R dcreate 1 , M ostaff u n t aori nvolunteers, O n t a r i oincorporifts in the metabolic cycles rating new health and safety of the planet. For more from processes, or purchasing new Ian, visit his website at www. technology and personal proclimateandcapitalism.com. tective equipment.

You can also purchase "FacOTF will continue to ofing the Anthropocene" online fer the Resilient Communithrough Indigo or Amazon. ties Fund in 2021-22 to help non-profit organizations that have been impacted by COVID-19.

15

FUNDING BY AREA NON-PROFIT Royal Canadian Legion Branch 475 Toledo - $72,000 Brockville Rowing Club $132,000 North Crosby Tennis Club $100,000 Beth Donovan Hospice $37,900 Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network - $98,300 Kemptville Youth Centre (KYC) - $17,200 Prescott Curling Centre Inc. - $22,600 Thousand Islands Playhouse - $105,300 Thousand Islands Boat Museum - $150,000 TOTAL for Area Non-Profit Organizations $735,300

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UCDSB calls for Royal Commission to look at future of education in Ontario

by Hilary Thomson

$27.6 Million to upgrade infrastructure for local School Boards Joint investments by Canada and Ontario will upgrade infrastructure in schools to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and keep students and staff safe. The federal and provincial governments are providing $27.6 Million to Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes area school boards to upgrade infrastructure at local schools to protect against COVID-19. The funding is being provided through the COVID-19 Reliance Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

The funding for these school boards will support building retrofits, updates and upgrades to their schools and co-located childcare facilities. Projects can include HVAC renovations to improve air quality, installing water bottle refilling stations to improve access to safe drinking water, and space re-configurations such as new walls and doors to enhance physical distancing.

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce said, “Ontario’s government is focused on protecting the lives of students, staff, and their families. We put a plan into action that leads the nation — delivering air ventilation improvements to over 95% of schools, 7,000 additional staff, and improved cleaning, testing, and stronger screening.

Minister Lecce, also addressed the issue of vaccines and said, “We also recognize that in addition to these school-based infrastructure investments, Ontario’s plan to defeat this pandemic inApril 21, 2021

cludes vaccines for school staff. We have prioritized education staff in high priority communities and all special education staff across the province, and will expand to all staff as supply becomes available.”

Supported by provincial funding, 95% of Ontario schools have reported upgrades or enhancements to their air filtration systems, with over 40,000 HEPA filters and other ventilation devices in classrooms.

“Schools are inherently a congregate setting, and as a society, the protection of our young people is paramount, said Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The Government of Canada is investing up to $525.2

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million towards these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing $131.3 million to the projects.

Ontario is conducting voluntary targeted testing for asymptomatic students and school staff as an added layer of protection against the transmission of COVID-19.

The funding allocated by School Board is as follows; Upper Canada District School Board - $10,280,215 Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario $4,361,820 Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario - $4,035,000 Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Centre-Est de l'Ontario - $8,924,000

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The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) board of trustees passed a motion at their April 7 meeting calling on the Ontario government to establish a Royal Commission on the future of education.

The motion was put forward by board Chair and Trustee for Ward 4, John McAllister, in response to news from the province that they were looking into legislation that would make online learning a permanent fixture in the Ontario school system. "I'm very much against remote learning as a permanent option," he says. "I understand it's necessary now because we are in a pandemic emergency crisis. However, to make that as a concrete feature of our schools in the future is not good."

Trustee for North Grenville, Lisa Swan, agrees that adding e-learning as a permanent option for students is not the way to go. She says that, overall, parents and students in her ward have been really struggling with online learning throughout the pandemic.

Lack of access to appropriate broadband has been a huge issue for students, especially in North Grenville, and many students also don't have access to the proper devices to be able to engage in online learning effectively. Lisa says the UCDSB does try to provide the technology needed for students to learn at home, as well as free highspeed internet in their school parking lots to help those with connectivity issues.

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While some students do really well in an online format, Lisa still worries about lack of socialization when kids are learning in isolation.

"They're not getting feedback, they're not building relationships with their teachers, because it's really hard for staff to build a relationship over a computer with a classroom full of kids," she says.

John says that remote learning doesn't support Ontario's most vulnerable students. "Some of them may just disappear from our learning spectrum because they'll fall into the cracks and out of our radar reach. That's a real concern."

According to an article published by the Globe and Mail in March, a ministry document suggested that in the new online learning model, high school students would have the option of enrolling in a teacher-supported online course, or an independent learning course offered through a centre operated by TVO in English, and TFO in French. The document says school boards would be required to transfer a fee to either broadcasting company for operating the program.

Lisa agrees with many of the critics of this plan that this is a move towards privatizing education in Ontario. "They want to have their own elearning platform that they are going to privatize," she says.

"I don't think that this is beneficial to our local youth or students because what do they know of local rural Eastern Ontario? Everything's always Toronto centric."

According to Lisa, this possible move to permanent online learning will also have a huge impact on rural schools, many of which have already been forced to close since she became a trustee.

"Rural learning is very important to me, being in schools is very important, because if they keep pushing this online learning, we're going to be closing more rural schools."

According to John, the Royal Commission on the future of education in Ontario will be an important step towards creating a school system that benefits students as we move into the postCOVID period. "I believe it's time for an objective view, with recommendations based on evidence from experts and stakeholders," he says.

John believes the Royal Commission would be able to provide the government with a roadmap to direct the future of education in Ontario which would be relevant, purposeful and meaningful. "I don't know if we're ever going to get back to the old normal, but whatever the new normal is, let's plan for it and let's do it right," he says.

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