Photo: JP Cormier on Banjo, one of four instruments he has mastered.

Frank and Sandra White, the owners of the Sharbot Lake Country Inn, are just putting the finishing touches on a complete remake of the bottom floor of the hotel. In a few weeks it will be the combination dining and entertainment room of the hotel, as the current restaurant area becomes a new retail store.

The renovations to the ground floor, the former Katie’s Pub, have been completed and it is only the new kitchen that is still being finalized. The dining room converts into an intimate performance space, ideal for solo musicians or 3 or four piece acoustic bands.

On Friday night, Sept. 9, JP Cormier, a multi-instrumentalist from Cape Breton who plays a number of styles of music on just about every stringed instrument going, made the room come alive.

Accompanied by his long-time musical collaborators, the Elliott Brothers, on guitar and bass, Cormier ripped through a number of Cape Breton Celtic tunes on guitar and fiddle to start the evening off, then switched to mandolin to play an effortless medley of bluegrass founding father Bill Munroe's lightning-fast songs.

The astonishing range of JP Cormier's musicality and dedication to all the instruments he plays flawlessly is shown on his website. While most musicians have a list of albums, Cormier's has a section called JP's Musical Rooms. Under five different headings: banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and songwriter, there are lists of recordings featuring each of the instruments in turn.

He performed a number of his own songs in Sharbot Lake, taken from the three albums of original music he has produced over the years. His singing is featured more on his own songs, which tend more towards ballads than the faster-paced instrumental pieces of the rest of the show. Cormier played a number of love ballads, but perhaps the most affective of his own songs was the one about a town of 60 people in Newfoundland that was literally closed down by the government. Although rural Ontario is a long way from Newfoundland, the song struck home with the audience in a region that also faces threats to the viability of many of its small towns.

The two-set concert ended with a rousing encore taken straight from JP Cormier's Cape Breton roots, to the delight of the crowd.

After the concert, Sandra White said that the Country Inn plans to bring performers in on a monthly basis for at least three seasons of the year. Next month, blues singer and guitarist Suzie Vinnick will perform, and Peterborough-based guitarist Rick Fines will be coming after that.

Photo: New SLHS vice principal, Mr. David Russell

Students and staff at Sharbot Lake High School need no introduction to their newly appointed vice principal, Mr. David Russell. A long-time teacher at the school, Mr. Russell has taught many subjects during his seven-year stint there, including law, phys. ed., technology, social studies and media arts.

As a result of his experience, he brings to his new post an intimate knowledge of not only the school curriculum but also of the students and staff, which he says is a huge benefit. “I have a great rapport with both students and staff and have also over the years worked with numerous teachers who had a long history at the school, so I feel I have a real understanding of the school’s history and culture.”

Russell, who lives in Tamworth with his three children and his wife Wendy, who also teaches at SLHS, grew up in Scarborough and prior to beginning a second career as a teacher, worked as a technician and in management at Bell Canada for 12 years. In 1991 he graduated from McMaster University with a history degree and did his practical teacher training at Durham University in Durham, England.

Before joining the Limestone District School Board, Russell taught for eight years at Dunbarton High School in Pickering, a large school with close to 2000 students - 10 times the size of the student body at SLHS. “The nice thing about a smaller school like Sharbot Lake is that everyone knows everyone and every individual feels like an integral part of the bigger picture,” he said.

In the role of vice principal, Russell said he is looking forward to the challenge that comes with dealing with “something different everyday” as well as the opportunities that come with having a wider impact on a greater number of students and on the school as a whole. He mentioned a few goals he would like to achieve as vice principal: first, to provide a fun and positive atmosphere for both students and staff at the school; second, to ensure that all students pass their literacy tests; and third, to help students reach their highest academic potential.

Asked about possible drawbacks to coming to his post as an insider, he replied, “Managing the change in relationships might be an issue in that I am now in more of a disciplinary role with the students and in more of a critical role with the staff. But, that being said, so far that has not been a problem at all.” Instead Russell sees his history at the school as an overall advantage. He looks forward to working with Principal Heather Highet, with whom he says he shares a similar overall approach. “We see eye to eye on a number of things and tend to approach things with a similar outlook, which makes for a great working relationship.”

Russell looks comfortable in his new post and no doubt it must be equally comforting for students returning after the summer to recognize a well-known staff member who will now be assisting at the helm.

Photo: CF Railway Heritage Society chair Sally Angle with Sheesham and Lotus

Town Crier, Paddy O'Connor, gave the official “All Aboard!” cry at the grand opening of Sharbot Lake caboose at the Railway Heritage Park on August 28.

It was a long day coming; in fact it was over one decade ago that the Central Frontenac Heritage Railway Society, whose mandate was to preserve the railway heritage of Sharbot Lake, was formed.

After many fundraisers and countless donations from the community, there now sits on a line of track at the park the newly refurbished Sharbot Lake caboose, which arrived in Sharbot Lake from VanKleek Hill in May 2010. Now freshly painted and boasting a brand new set of steps leading up to her steel deck, the caboose can now invite the public to peruse the multiple railway artifacts, photos and written histories that it now houses on permanent display.

Mayor Janet Gutowski congratulated all of the members of the society, past and present on behalf of the community and her colleagues for their fine work and then introduced C.F. Railway Heritage Society Chair, Sally Angle, who introduced members of the society. Angle thanked all of the generous donors from the community and also acknowledged two grants, one from the County's Economic Development Fund, and the second from the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, which both helped with the project.

Official Sharbot Lake Station Master, Gary Cooke, whose personal railway memorabilia collection was the original impetus for creating a museum to preserve the area’s railway heritage, cut the ribbon, along with Mayor Janet Gutowski, to much fanfare and applause.

Gary had worked on the railroad for 30 years as a section man, and his collection is now permanently housed in the caboose.

Guest musicians Sheesham and Lotus struck up the band with a fabulous set of their train-inspired banjo, fiddle and harmonica tunes, which struck the perfect railway heritage chord.

Sally Angle was thrilled with the turnout and said the response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive.

What's next for the society? “Right now we are just going to consolidate what we have here now; there are a few more renovations that need doing so we will continue to fund raise to complete them. We are also hoping to get a grant to enable us to hire a student so that we can keep the caboose open to the public in the summer months,” Angle said. Station Master Gary Cooke has his sights a wee bit further down the track, and he hopes that a coach and old steamer will one day join the Sharbot Lake caboose.

Gary Giller, vice president of the society ,said the community support for the project has been overwhelming and he looks forward to continuing to pursue the society's ongoing goal of constructing a cultural centre at the site.

The caboose will be open by appointment this fall, but not in the winter, as it will be too cold. Until then, anyone who would like to tour the caboose can call Sally Angle at 613-279-2777.

 By Jeff Green & Julie Druker

Photo: Parham Idol winner, Bram Hazelton

Debra Smith of the Parham Fair Board had an idea, and with the help of her friends from Ambush and five talented local singers, that idea was brought to life last week on the opening night of this year’s Parham Fair.

The sun was just setting after a summer day; the horse pull was well underway, and teenagers were milling about at the midway, when Debra Smith introduced Maria Aiello, the first Parham Idol finalist.

Aiello started up a recorded background band and sung a country heartbreak song to much applause.

She was followed by young Bram Hazelton, who sang the Tom Cochrane hit, “Life is a Highway”, with Ambush’s Mark McDonnell backing him up on guitar.

Third up was Violet Skuce, who sang the same song that Maria Aiello had performed, except she did a spirited a cappella version. Shane Arney was next. He brought some comic relief, telling jokes and performing a novelty number about bears (or was it bares?).

Finally, Brianna Sargeant took the stage to present a Taylor Swift song.

The appreciative audience responded to all the performers. After a tense 10 minutes the Parham Idol finalists were brought back up to the stage and the winner was announced – Bram Hazelton.

Each of the finalists received a recording of their performance and Bram Hazelton performed “Life is a Highway” with Ambush as part of their show.

Photo: Anne Archer wearing a Murry dress at her studio/home.

Geoffrey Murray designs and makes women’s clothing when he is not drawing portraits, designing commercial spaces, or teaching “Anything Fabric”, a course that he created at Sharbot Lake High School.

This weekend he will be joined by his daughter Willa, who is a co-founder of the Toronto-based design company Mari Claro. She will have some of the handbags that she designs and makes using material salvaged from Mercedes Benz automobiles and other sources.

The two artists will be showing their work on the Tryon Road, south of Sharbot Lake, as part of the 19th Inroads Studio Tour. They will be at their home, which Geoffrey built a couple of years ago for himself and his wife, flautist and educator Anne Archer.

Murray has been “messing with fabric” as he puts it, since his art school days in the ’70s and early ’80s in Toronto and Halifax.

He did think at one time that he would have a career as a clothing designer in Toronto.

“When I thought I was winning there was stuff at Queen’s Quay and other Toronto stores and all that,” but as time moved on and other opportunities have presented themselves, clothing design has been simply one of Murray’s professional pre-occupations.

While the cut of his clothing has had a certain consistency over the years, he said that the kind of materials and designs that he works on reflect what he perceives will be suitable for the women who might be interested in his work.

A lot of that perception comes from the students he teaches fashion to at the Anything Fabric Program, which has an enrolment of 20 this year, in a school with just over 200 students.

“I look at what designs and materials 13 to 15-year-olds pick, and what they laugh at. It gives me an idea of what people are looking for,” he said.

The other way is to talk to people and get a sense of their overall style.

“After I design a house for clients I know what the clients want to wear as well,” he said.

Murray has also designed clothes for North Frontenac Little Theatre Productions, including making all the costumes for the production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” a couple of years ago. He has also made clothes for a number of clients in the local area and in Kingston in recent years.

This summer, as a prelude to the Inroads Tour, he has been showing his work at the Sharbot Lake Farmers Market, where sales have been good.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the response at the market. It gives me the feedback I need to carry on working,” he said.

Geoffrey and Willa Murray are joined on the Inroads Tour by neighbour Bob Miller, an instrument maker who will be showing at his studio across the road. Just back down the hill and a few hundred metres down the road is Inroads Tour co-founder, printmaker Martina Field, making the Tryon road hub a major attraction at this year’s tour.

The Inroads Tour runs from 10-5, Friday to Monday, September 2-5. For information and a downloadable map and brochure, go to www.inroadstour.ca or call 613-335-2073

Megan Hughes toils quietly most of the time in her office at the Child Centre in Sharbot Lake.

She spends her working days digging into statistical information, and produces reports on the social well-being of children and families in Frontenac, Lennox and Addington and Hastings Counties. The reports are used by community planners, social service agencies and government officials.

Hughes’ job title is Data Analysis Co-ordinator (DAC) for the Ontario Early Years Centre for the former provincial riding of Hastings Frontenac Lennox and Addington. Earlier this year, along with fellow DACs from Kingston and other Eastern Ontario regions, she produced a pair of reports. One is about the social risks faced by youth in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Counties. It provides information about specific regions, such as Portland and Bedford Districts, and Central and North Frontenac.

The other report is a more general report about health indicators, ranging from birth weight, body mass index, diet, etc. in South eastern Ontario as compared to the province as a whole.

In mid-August Hughes presented her reports to Frontenac County, partly so they know how their communities are doing, and partly to let county council members know that she is a resource that is available to them.

The community profiles made use of 2006 census data, and they present some interesting information about the number of children who, based on socio-economic indicators, face a higher than average risk of running into difficulties in school or in the community. It also looks at the number of children in each community who had a high score on a scale called a multiple challenges index. The index looks at 16 different indicators in categories such as physical health and well-being, social knowledge and competence, emotional health, language and cognitive development, and communications skills. Any child who scores poorly in 9 of the 16 categories is deemed to be facing multiple challenges.

To take one community as an example, Portland and Bedford Districts of South Frontenac, the social risk indicator defines the community as facing a “somewhat low risk” based on the fact that the unemployment rate is lower than the regional and provincial average (3.3% as compared to 4.2% in the southeast region and 4.9% in the province) the incidence of low income is well below the provincial average and the number of tenant households spending more than 30% of their income on housing is lower than the regional and provincial average.

However, when looking at children facing multiple challenges, Portland and Bedford have the highest percentage of vulnerable children in the Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington region. Not surprisingly then, the standardised testing results for grade 3 and 6 students from Portland and Bedford are well below the provincial average.

A look at Central Frontenac reveals a moderate risk on the social risk index, and again a high number of children facing multiple risks.

The picture in North Frontenac is similar to Central, but North Frontenac does face a higher unemployment rate (6.3%) than the provincial average (4.9%) and a very high percentage of renters who pay over 30% of their income for rent, 55% as compared to the provincial average of 44.3%.

“It is important to look at both sides of the data, the positive and the negative. Good planning requires evidence,” said Megan Hughes.

County Councilor John McDougall (from South Frontenac) said, “We see this information, but what about the response?”

“There are a number of planning tables, including the Early Years Advisory Committee, Success by Six and others, and the County Deputy Clerk Susan Beckel sits on all of them. They devise programs to help children in all these regions. Northern Frontenac Community Services, as the Early Years Centre, provides programs for children and families throughout the region,” said Hughes.

“One of the challenges we face as a county in dealing with this kind of information relates to the political structure. Children and youth services are the purview of the City of Kingston. There are communications challenges which make some of us at the county feel disconnected from what is going on in these areas,” said Central Frontenac Mayor Janet Gutowski. “We should do something about that.”

“As I said before, I am available to members of county council who are looking for information about the health and well being of children and youth in Frontenac County,” said Megan Hughes.

Photo: Pony rides were a favorite activity this year, l-r, Valerie, Nathan, Jacob, Mema and Kailey

Northern Frontenac Community Services treated hundreds in the community to an afternoon of fun at Oso beach on August 18. It was their second annual Fun Day and attendees enjoyed a wide range of activities, live musical entertainment and a free BBQ lunch. All of the staff at NFCS were on hand volunteering their services.

Executive director NFCS Don Amos took a break from flipping burgers and told me that the event is an opportunity to thank all of the community who both support the organization and also use their services. “This year is our 36th year as a social services agency and we would not exist without those in the community who use our services - so this is our thank you to them.”

Photo: Kate Osborn, Annika Putnam, Tierra Richardson, Jackson Emmons, Mikeal Teal, Holly Dickinson (instructor), Samantha Taylor, Natasha Daszkiewicz, Isabelle Honegger, Kirsten Hawley (instructor), Ally Teal, Taylor Gould, Elle Larocque and Presleigh Skwiercz

Since the 1980s, youth in the Central Frontenac area have been learning to swim with the help of an organized swim program. Back then, however, the swim program was comprised of four townships; Oso, Olden, Kennebec, and Hinchinbrooke. Today, the Central Frontenac swim program thrives on its own, boasting over 140 local and out of area children enrolled in the 2011 summer sessions.

This July, the first session began with Long Lake and Clear Lake. With the school year coming to a close, children arrived on the beach excited to begin their summer holidays in the water, learning new skills and expanding their water safety knowledge. The amazing weather made the three-week session fly by, and in no time the second session had begun at Sharbot Lake and Eagle Lake. For those who are unfamiliar with the CF Swim Program, there are two sessions a summer, each lasting three weeks. Half-hour lessons are held daily from Monday to Friday, which allows for repetition, but ensures that no child will be overcome by boredom!

In efforts to keep the enrollment costs as low as possible, an annual fundraising event is held. For the last two years, a “Swim Quest” has taken place during the last week of each session, which encourages swimmers to collect as many donations as possible. All four beaches were able to raise an astonishing $2350, whereas in the past we were lucky to get just over $1000. We are extremely grateful for the continuous support from the families and friends of our swimmers. Furthermore, we would like to thank such establishments as the Treasure Trunk for their generous contribution and many other donations received from local organizations.

It is efforts by members of the community that have allowed for the program’s individual success since 1998. Once again, the Central Frontenac Swim Program has proved to be a fun and healthy summer pastime for children in the area, which continues to grow not only in numbers, but in community support.

The Parham Fair is back for the 119th time and it will be a memorable one for at least one aspiring singer.

On Friday night at 7:30, while the horse pull is going on in front of the grandstand, five nervous young singers will perform on the musical stage at the entrance to the fair grounds. In addition to a few hundred of their closest friends and neighbours, there will be two people in particular that they will be trying to impress.

Mark McDonnell and Riq Turner, two members of the country rock trio Ambush, will be listening intently as Shane Arney, Bram Hazelton, Brianna Sargeant, Violet Skuce, and Maria Ayello each perform.

Once they are done, Mark and Riq will put their heads together and crown the winner of the first ever Parham Idol contest.

Ambush has been part of the Parham Idol program from the start, since Mark and Riq joined Debra Smith from the fair board at the auditions for Parham Idol, which were held back in late July to determine the five finalists.

The winner will be joining Ambush on stage when their show, which has become a Parham Fair tradition in recent years, kicks off at 8 p.m.

Saturday is family and agricultural day at the fair, with cattle, horse, and poultry shows taking place in the main and back rings, games for youth and volleyball tournament on tap, as well as reptile shows and the Piccadilly Jam on the music stage throughout the afternoon. Lawn mower races return for another year at 3:00 in the main ring, followed by the Greased Pigs and the 4 wheeler pull, which starts up at 7:30.

The 4-wheeler pull is one event that anyone can enter, and it is not necessary to register in advance. Anyone with an ATV can bring it along and check in before 7:30 and try their luck.

On Saturday night, Dan Stoness will be the one Elvis impersonator in Eastern Ontario who will not be in Tweed, as he will be performing the music stage at 7 p.m. His show will lead into the return of Bauder Road to the Parham Festival stage.

Sunday, the final day of the fair, will start with a pet show followed by the Tug of War and Karate demonstrations. Finally at 2:00, the annual Demolition Derby gets underway, bringing a smashing end to the 119th annual Parham Fair.

As always, throughout the fair there will be Palace displays and exhibits, food available and the Homeniuk midway rides.

As a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is about to start up in Verona, Frontenac County Council heard last week that Sharbot Lake is next in line for a bit of a boost to its economic viability.

Community Improvement Plans allow for shared investments between residential and commercial property owners and municipal councils. They have been used to give facelifts to main streets in Kingston and Brockville, and a pilot project for Frontenac County in Verona is at the point of being implemented by South Frontenac Township.

At a meeting of Frontenac County Council last week (August 17) a staff report by community planner Peter Young recommended supporting a plan for Sharbot Lake, subject to the support of Central Frontenac Council.

South Frontenac Council has allocated $10,000 this year for the Verona CIP, and Frontenac County Council has also allocated $70,000, creating a pool of money to be tapped into.

Among the incentives that have been approved for Verona are a facade improvement plan for commercial and residential properties along Main Street within the hamlet area, grants for accessibility improvements, and a separate fund for general commercial improvements. All grants are based on a 50% commitment from the applicant and are capped at $2,500.

Interest-free loans of up to $7,500 are also available for eligible projects, and in some cases municipal fees to a value of $2,000 can be waived.

The Verona plan also includes some initiative by the township in the way of road work and sidewalk initiatives and a number of potential community initiatives may also arise out of the public meetings that took place as the plan was being developed.

But before any decisions are made about what kinds of incentives will be put in place for Sharbot Lake, a number of steps need to be taken.

“Before we do anything further, we will be talking to Central Frontenac Council to see if they are interested,” said County Manager for Economic Development, Anne Marie Young, “We learned our lesson the last time around.”

Earlier this year, the county was chastised by South Frontenac Council for scheduling public meetings in Verona before the township were approached.

In addition to a financial commitment, Central Frontenac will need to amend their Official Plan to permit Community Improvement Plans in the township.

Once the Official Plan amendment is initiated, assuming Central Frontenac Council agrees, public meetings will be held to determine not only the scope of the plan, but geographic boundaries where it will be implemented.

The fact that Sharbot Lake has at least two separate pockets of commercial activity that are separated by residential areas, a function of the hamlet being located in a narrow band between the two basins of Sharbot Lake, was identified as a challenge by Fo-Tenn Consulting, a consulting company that evaluated all of the hamlets in Frontenac County in terms of their potential as CIP host communities.

However, noting that Sharbot Lake offers the best ratio of commercial properties to residential anywhere in the county, and is the third most populated hamlet in the county (behind Verona and Sydenham) Fo-Tenn identified Sharbot Lake as a community that would derive benefits from the program.

Marysville, on Wolfe Island, was also identified by Fo-Tenn as a likely site, and Frontenac Islands Mayor Dennis Doyle asked why Marysville had not been considered for the second project by the County.

“I thought we were going to consider Marysville and Sharbot Lake,” he said.

County Chief Administrative Officer Liz Savill replied that Marysville is slated to be the next in line after Sharbot Lake.

“On behalf of Central Frontenac I would say, yes, you definitely need to be speaking to our council about this as soon as possible,” said county councilor and mayor of Central Frontenac, Janet Gutowski. “The timing for Sharbot Lake may be very good with the redevelopment of the school coming up, the potential that comes with the existing public school site being vacated, the interest in the railway multi-use centre, and the engineering around the redevelopment of Elizabeth Street. There are things within the community that are about to change so the timing for a CIP may be right.”

Once Central Frontenac Council signs on to the project county staff will be setting up community meetings, probably later this fall. The cost of developing the Sharbot Lake plan will be lower than it was for Verona, because instead if using outside consultants to run meetings and write up the plan, those jobs will done by county staff.