Connected to Your Community
Total EMC Distribution 474,000
Great Spring Deals on Fishing Boats & Pontoons
Serving Prescott, Brockville, Gananoque and surrounding areas
613 925-5560 St. Lawrence
March 14, 2013 | 48 pages
www.EMCStLawrence.ca
Inside
Forum leaders aim to form local Arts Council
LIFESTYLE
Federal retirees learn about early heart treatment. – Page 10
NEWS
Photo by CONAN de VRIES
Figure skating champion Alaine Chartrand was presented the Connie Dickey Memorial Youth Award by St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival artistic director Ian Farthing (left) and outgoing Chamber president Dan Roddick (right) during last week’s South Grenville Chamber of Commerce annual awards banquet. Screening for colorectal cancer saves lives. – Pages 12 & 14
RELAY FOR LIFE
% " " $
! ! " $
Liz McLean Brockville Agency 11 Windsor Drive 613-498-2526 ext. 5014 lmclean@allstate.ca
Beside the bridge at Johnstown
MARINA
"& # ! ! ! %
R0011966890_0314
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!
South Grenville Chamber honours its finest during awards evening By CONAN de VRIES
EMC News - The South Grenville Chamber of Commerce handed out its annual awards last week to some of the community’s standout citizens and businesspeople. Held Thursday, March 7, at Roebuck Hall just north of Prescott, the evening began with a presentation from Marlaine Koehler, executive director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, the same organization that brought the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure cycling tour through Prescott last summer.
That tour will run once again this summer, and Koehler talked at length about the value of having a bicycle trail that runs from Windsor to Quebec, passing through many communities, large and small, as it goes. She was particularly keen on the improvements Prescott is planning to make to its waterfront, which will in turn make its portion of the bicycle trail all the more inviting. “This is exactly the type of thing we were hoping for,� she said, adding that jurisdictions that have made such improvements to their waterfront – cit-
MYERS
SAVE UP TO
30%
ing Coburg as one example – have reaped the rewards. “Any community that invests in its waterfront is investing in a larger vision,� she said. The first award handed out of the evening was the Mike Boyles Memorial Corporate Service Award. It was sponsored by the Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation and presented by GCFDC executive director Heather Lawless. The winner was O’Reilly’s Your Independent Grocer, and See CHAMBER page 2
EMC Entertainment - Arts and culture in Brockville is perched on the threshold of a significant moment – the creation of an Arts Council. On Saturday, April 6 at 2 p.m. the doors of the Memorial Centre Meeting Hall will open to all players in the public who care about the economic future and life of the arts in this community. In December of 2012 Brockville city council approved five recommendations put forth by the Arts Task Force including: “That Council support the creation of an at-arms-length, notfor-profit Arts Council which will have the capacity to access and distribute grant money currently unavailable to the city and its cultural institutions.� Among other things the Arts Council will act as an information hub for the multitude of events occurring in the region, notes a press release. In addition to fostering communication, awards and grants will be established, and workshops held. “This is about capitalizing on the Creative Economy. There is money out there for artists and the Brockville Arts Council will be able to tap into these resources,� says Howard Alexander, Task Force member. “By infusing money into the arts we are going to see a multiplying effect on the whole economy here. When the arts and culture are the fourth leading industry in our country there is much that we can be doing to be a part of that figure.� At the meeting a founding board of directors will be elected to get the Arts Council off the ground. “We want the board to take into consideration the interests of a diverse range of disciplines, groups, and organizations,� says Deborah Dunleavy, Acting Chair of the Task Force. “In Brockville we have dancers, theatre artists, film makers, musicians, photographers, ce-
ANGELA FALLOW LAW Practice Areas:
ON ALL PARTS & ACCESORIES
720 Stewart Blvd. 613-345-3300
OPEN SAT. 8-12
www.trailgo.ca
613. 342.5244 1240 Stewart Blvd, Brockville myers.ca
• Wills, Estates, Trusts • Real Estate • Family
613.382.7171
afallow@fallowlaw.com | 173 Garden Street, Gananoque
ramic artists, wood carvers and more. We want all people who care about the arts to come out. Professionals, community artists, craft people, individuals and groups are all welcome. We also want the business community to show their support. Music stores, print shops, accountants all benefit from artists making a living here.� “This is the perfect opportunity for everyone to play a part,� says Heather Savage, member of the Task Force. “We want as many people as possible to become members. It’s only $10 and that will go a long way to helping the Arts Council get started. This is for everyone in our community.� Applications for anyone interested in sitting on the founding board of directors are ready for pick up at the Brockville Public Library, Brockville Museum, Brockville Arts Centre, and online from the city website at www.brockville.com. All those interested in sitting on the founding board, must have their application in by March 27. A mailing address will be provided on the application, or completed applications may also be dropped back off at the facilities listed above. Those applying and who wish to sit on the board, must attend the April 6 event. All candidates will be provided two minutes to speak to the membership about why they wish to sit on the board. Paid members will then vote their founding board members in. This is a one year term. “You are the Heart of the Arts� Forum takes place on Saturday, April 6, at 2 p.m. at the Brockville Memorial Centre. For more information, contact ddunleavy@cogeco.ca or 613342-3463. The Facebook site “Artsbrockville� is currently being set up. Please see next week’s issue of St. Lawrence News EMC for a feature on the upcoming Arts Forum and what this will mean for Brockville and area.
CHECK IT OUT! Great Selection of Quality USED CARS and SUV’s
Beattie Dodge Chrysler Jeep 8 Chase Street, Downtown Brockville
613-342-4404