Proudly servIng PrInCe edward County sInCe 1830
The Picton Gazette THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012
VOLUME 1 8 2 , N O . 2 8
Turbine noise County Abrams pegs chance to host 2014 championship at 50/50 under scrutiny farmers Dukes on short list for Dudley Feds plan anxious to to study see rain
InsIde
tHiS week
Jason Parks
Staff writer
Prolonged dry conditions may damage crops
STITCHED
Could the 2014 Central Canadian Junior A hockey championship be contested on the ice at Essroc Arena? The Gazette learned this week the Wellington Dukes have been shortlisted as one
Staff writer
Quilt show finds favourable response to new home Page 3
CYCLED
Hundreds of riders hit county roads for MS Bike tour Page 15
See DROUGHT, page 21
SWUNG
contested between the OJHL, Superior Junior Hockey League and Northern Ontario Hockey League champions and the hosts. Abrams expects a decision to be announced some time in early fall.
See HOSTS, page 21
WEAVING HER WAND
Jason Parks
Prince Edward County farmers will continue to turn their eyes to the skies this coming week, hoping that much needed rains are on the way. Dry conditions are plaguing production locally and drought stricken crops might only have a matter of days left before irreversible damage is done to crops currently withering in the field. At Mill Creek Farms at Woodrous Corners between Picton and Cherry Valley, Gavin Vader is surveying a pea crop that is struggling through a dry spell. Pea season actually started out alright as the Vader family was able to dispense their product around the province thanks to some timely rains in early June. “The season started out all right but we are really starting to see the effects of lack of rain. We are in a tough spot right now,” Vader said.”With peas you are relying on getting some consistent rain. Earlier in the year we got some good rains and that held us over until this point, but moisture is pretty crucial for peas. They are a wet, cooler temperature crop.”
of two Ontario Junior Hockey Leagues clubs still in the running to host the 2014 Dudley Hewitt Cup . Wellington Dukes coach and general Marty Abrams confirmed Monday that the franchise has a 50/50 chance of hosting the four-team round-robin tournament
Chad Ibbotson
Staff writer
Joyce Lee, of Richmond Hill, concentrates on weaving a lavender wand to take home from the Prince Edward County Lavender Farm’s inaugural lavender festival Sunday. Hundreds of people visited the Hillier farm during the two-day event.. (Adam Bramburger/Gazette staff)
Symphony for the senses takes root in Milford
Milford business opened new sporting destination last weekend Page 20
Crews at Black Walnut Gardens create destination for the visually-challenged adam bramburger
seCtIons
Staff writer
Looking back.......6 Weather.............6 Editorials.............7 Letters....................8 Puzzles.................12 Sports....................20 Classifieds............22
dIfferent vIsIon Caroline Lecker is designing a fragrant and tactile garden to allow visually -challenged people to enjoy being outdoors through the use of their other senses. (Adam Bramburger/Gazette staff)
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Imagine a lush, thick garden, meticulously kept featuring landscaped paths that wind through varied flowers of every colour of the rainbow, under shady vines, and near running water. Now, imagine being rendered unable to see the beauty by blindness or severe vision problems. For most, that idea was a letdown. For Caroline Lecker, the owner and curator of Black Walnut Gardens in Milford, it was an
E S TAT E
exciting challenge. Since moving to her County Rd. 17 property 18 years ago, Lecker has focused on building an educational garden where she could host programming for at-risk people, including seniors and youth. Over that time, she had planted more than 27 perennial beds featuring a range of domestic and imported vegetation, the majority of which she has grown from seed.
See GARDEN, page 27
S E C T I O N
health effects
Health Canada announced on Tuesday it will make an effort to gather more information about the possible health effects of industrial wind turbines — an issue that is very divisive in Prince Edward County. The department will work with Statistics Canada and other external agencies including those with expertise in noise, health assessment, clinical medicine and epidemiology (the study of the distribution and patterns of health-events) to explore any connection between wind turbine noise output and ill health impacts including the extent to which they occur. The study will be peer-reviewed by the World Health Organization (WHO). “This study is in response to questions from residents living near wind farms about possible health effects of low frequency noise generated by wind turbines,” health minister Leona Aglukkaq said in a Health Canada release. “As always, our government is putting the health and safety of Canadians first and this study will do just that by painting a more complete picture of the potential health impacts of wind turbine noise.” The release says the organization is aware of the prevalence of complaints about health effects from those living close to wind turbine installations. As such, the study will focus on a pointed initial sample of 2,000 homes that will be selected from 8–12 turbine facilities from across the country. Physical measurements, such as blood pressure, will be taken from the participants as well as faceto-face interviews and noise measurements inside and outside of homes. The research design for the study is now subject to public input and has been posted for a 30-day comment period that will take place until Aug. 8.
See STUDY, page 29
I N S I D E !
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