The Mural
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Remembrance Day Tribute See Pages 8 - 11
Parents gather to show support for Pineview School BY SALLY SMID SOS Pineview Council sponsored a public rally on Thursday, Oct. 27th at Pineview School to explore ways that the possible closure of Pineview School might be prevented. MPP Steve Clark, Upper Canada District School Board Trustee John McAllister, Mayor Herb Scott and Council member Rhonda Ferguson were present to address an assembly of 60 parents, concerned community members and some teachers as well. Lively children in attendance added to the family focussed atmosphere. SOS Pineview Council members Allison Easton and Michelle Taylor, who is also an Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) member, were prepared to take comments and questions from those in attendance.
Michelle took part in the Accommodation Review Committee orientation evening and will be representing Pineview during the public engagement process. It was explained that key points to consider are that feedback from communities is critical in making recommendations in the upcoming final report for February. It is possible to send an e-mail, fill out the UCDSB survey on the ARC website or speak to someone in person. “Feedback ideally should contain alternative money-saving suggestions to the recommendation of Pineview’s closure,” explained Michelle. Ideas to increase revenue, number of students, and uses for the school building should be considered. Petitions are being circulated in the community. All upcoming public
engagement meetings will be live streamed and details will be made available. ARC working meetings will be open to the public as well their dates and locations and will be made available on the SOS facebook site where all addresses and further information will also be made available. The first meeting will take place on Nov. 15th at South Grenville High School in Prescott. Others will follow including the meeting at BCI on Jan. 24th, March 2nd and the final vote on March 23rd. MPP Steve Clark indicated that he was approaching the Minister of Education and the Premier and the council is hopeful that the decision to move forward in considering Pineview’s closure might be reconsidered. Trustee John McAllister was thanked
(L-R): ARC member Michelle Taylor, Councillor Rhonda Ferguson, Upper Canada District School Board Trustee John McAllister, Mayor Herb Scott, MPP Steve Clark, Allison Easton, and parent council member Lindsay Alguire appear together at the recent meeting at Pineview concerning possible school closure. Photo: Sally Smid
several times for attending this difficult meeting and he did comment at one point that he did not feel that all 29 schools would close. The UCDSB report cites several reasons for plans to merge schools, but a large surplus of class-
room space along with declining enrolment are two motivating factors. Mayor Herb Scott explained the importance of Pineview remaining in Athens as 40 students walk to school and the rink and much more is available. Councillor
Ferguson echoed his concern citing that Pineview has an impact on the entire community. Many commented on the value of rural community schools and how important Pineview Public School is to the entire Athens area.
Watch for celebratory tulips this spring BY SALLY SMID
Gail Boynton (L) and Freda Schaafsma (R) of Athens Garden Club are busy planting 40 Canada 150 tulip bulbs in the beds in front of the Athens Public Library. Photo: Sally Smid
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In honour of Canada’s 150th birthday special red and white tulips are being planted across the country. The Canada 150 tulips have graceful white blooms with red flames and bear a remarkable resemblance to our maple leaf flag. The National Capital Commission partnered with the Netherlands, Home Hardware, and Communities in Bloom for the selection and distribution of these special tulips and over 300,000 of these tulips will be in the NCC’s flower beds in the spring. These tulips have been sold out due to popular demand. Athens Garden Club
has purchased 700 ‘Canada 150’ tulips, which are being planted by teams of volunteers in spaces so that they will be enjoyed by everyone in the communities of Athens and Charleston. “Next Spring, massed tulips will bloom under the Canadian flag at the War Memorial. Other locations featuring tulip plantings will include the Memory Garden beside the Municipal Buildings, which is maintained by Athens Garden Club, Athens & District Public Library, Athens District Health Centre, the Canada Post building, Maple View Lodge, Valley View Court, local churches and the flower beds at community gate-
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way signs,” reported Jean Brassington, Garden Club member and a driving force for this project. “The members of the Club hope that area residents will enjoy this special display to welcome spring in Canada’s sesquicentennial year!” The staff and students of Meadowview Public School are planting 150 tulips in flower beds on the school ground as well. It is interesting to note especially in this Remembrance month that the first tulip beds in the Capital were planted in 1945, when the Netherlands sent 100,000 tulip bulbs as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian sol-
diers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands and Athens was also a recipient of similar bulbs. Furthermore, when the Germans invaded the Netherlands, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard were forced to flee to Ottawa. Juliana later gave birth to her daughter Margriet at the Ottawa Civic Hospital in 1943 where Canada declared the maternity ward extraterritorial so that the birth could still technically take place in The Netherlands. No doubt this will be recalled this spring in Canada’s150th year when these red and white tulips bloom.
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