Photo: Betty Walker, first president of the Denbigh Area Volunteer Ambulance Service, Beverly Snider, secretary, original mebers Bill Snider and Ruby Malcolm receiving a plaque from Blake Forsythe athe 30th anniversary celebration.

Many of the founders of the Denbigh Ambulance Service in 1982 gathered at the Denbigh Park last Sunday, July 8 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the service.

Among the speakers who graced the stage during the formal part of the celebration were a number of the local volunteers who had served on the initial local board that was responsible for the service, as well as officials and training officers who were working out of Renfrew and Ottawa at the time.

One of them was Blake Forsythe, who is now late in his career with the Ministry of Health, where he is a senior field manager for ambulance programs.

“Back in 1982 I had the pleasure of working with Frank Payette, who was based in Renfrew at the time, and with the volunteers who had been working for two years to complete course work in First Response and a number of other areas so they would be qualified paramedics. Denbigh was the first volunteer service in Eastern Ontario, so the group here were real pioneers. I can truly say that I never met a more dedicated group,” said Blake Forsythe.

Before the Denbigh service started up, the closest ambulance base to the region was 50 minutes away in Renfrew, and after that Napanee, Bancroft, or Parham.

When the service first started up, three volunteers went to each call, (that was soon cut to two) and the ambulance was parked at the home of whichever volunteer was on call at the time. In the winter, the car was housed in the Denbigh township garage.

Bev and Bill Snider of Ashby Lake were early volunteers.

“At first the professional paramedics ignored us when we went to the Renfrew hospital, but after a few months I think they realised we were trained to do the job, just like they were, and they began to respect us. We even started being sent out in Renfrew and other places if we were dropping off a patient and a call came in,” recalled Bill Snider.

The first year’s budget for the Denbigh Ambulance was $12,000.

The volunteers received no wages and no mileage, just the occasional lunch after a call or a training session. Eventually a wage structure was developed for the volunteer service, in the interest of maintaining the service over the long term.

The Denbigh service spawned others in time, including Northbrook, Deep River, and even Wolfe Island, and Blake Forsyth talked about a number of meetings that took place in the late 1980s among volunteer ambulance services throughout the region, including a large conference at the Congress Centre in Ottawa. Some of the volunteers from Denbigh were also hired to work in dispatch centres in Renfrew and Napanee, and over the years a number of professional paramedics got their start as Denbigh volunteers.

Ambulance service in Ontario has changed greatly over time, with one of the pivotal events being the downloading of the service to municipal management, which took place about 10 years ago.

In Lennox and Addington, the volunteer model that had held sway in both Denbigh and Northbrook is being phased out, and as reported in the News earlier this year, the Denbigh service is being curtailed from 24 hours to 12 hours in the coming weeks.

This was not ignored on Sunday.

Art White, the retired manager of the Renfrew ambulance and dispatch centre, was also one of the people who was involved 30 years ago.

“I am retired, so I can say what I want,” Art White said. “The Denbigh service was identified as a necessary service 30 years ago and nothing has changed. I have read about the problem with money and all the numbers that are behind the decision to gut the service, and all I can say is that the only numbers that count are the distances. And it is the distances that led to Denbigh being set up. Any decision that is made can be reversed and I encourage all those who are fighting to keep the service in Denbigh to keep up the fight.”

Ruby Malcolm, one of the original members of the Denbigh Ambulance Service, was also the MC of the celebration. She pointed out that while two MPPs, John Yakabuski from Renfrew, and Randy Hillier from Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, were on hand, representatives from the L&A County Ambulance Service had sent their regrets.

Addington Highlands Reeve Henry Hogg was at the celebration, and Ruby Malcolm said that as warden and a member of county council, Hogg has been an ardent supporter of the service.

She also said that the Denbigh community is not about to give up on their 24-hour service.

“We are not finished with this,” she said, “we are just re-tooling.”

After the speeches were over, it was time for music. John Yakabuski joined a group of local musicians for a few numbers, but not before Joe Grant performed a song about the Denbigh ambulance that he had written for the occasion.

Nor surprisingly Joe's song paid tribute to the community effort that created and maintained the service over 30 years, and included a few jabs at the municipal politicians who are planning on curtailing it.

Dawn Dietrich is a doctoral student at Guelph University who has spent the last six months in Addington Highlands working on a social and environmental history of the region. She has been looking in depth at the history and current state of logging on Crown land, and much of her work has centred on logging. She has done some extensive interviews with local loggers who hold Crown land logging licenses. She also has an interest in the role of women in local communities.

“Women’s voices are largely missing from both historical literature and present day rural studies,” she said, and that is one of the reasons she will be hosting a Rural Women's Gathering at the Blue Bench Bakery & Café in Denbigh on Wednesday, March 27 from 10am - 1pm.

“I am interested in the roles that women played in the past as well as the present, in women's thoughts/perspectives on community well-being, and in the stories that women have to tell” Dietrich said.

All women are welcome to this free event. Plenty of homemade food and delicious treats will be served. The café is located in the new Addington Highlands Community Centre (Denbigh). Space is limited, so please call Dawn Dietrich at (519) 496-4688 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Monday, March 25.

“Even if some women can only make it for a short time, it would be great to see them, and to hear what they have to say.”

Conflict of Interest - At the beginning of the meeting, Councilor Adam Snider said that he should have declared a pecuniary interest on an invoice in the accounts at the previous council meeting.

Donation Request - Council agreed to a request from Land o’Lakes Community Services for a donation of $1 per household.

Back Up Generator - Lakelands Family Health Team sent a letter to council requesting that the township pay for an automatic standby generator at the Addington Highlands Community Centre (AHCC) – Denbigh. The letter said that power outages at the centre continue to have a negative impact on the clinic’s operations there, not only because the clinic has to close, but also because of the loss of expensive medications that must be maintained at specific temperatures.

Councilor Tony Fritsch said it is his understanding that presently when the power goes out, someone retrieves the medications from the centre and takes them to another fridge. A year and a half ago the township looked into getting a standby generator and the cost would be around $15 - $20,000.

Reeve Henry Hogg said that the family health team should do its own fundraising for a generator as the township isn’t responsible for its tenants’ back up systems.

However, as the centre is eventually going to be an emergency centre and the township is applying for a Trillium grant to put in kitchen facilities there, council discussed whether a generator could be worked into the application, but concluded it could not.

Councilor Fritsch said that since the main concern right now for the family health team is the refrigeration of medications, there are other ways of ensuring that the fridge will stay on during a power outage, such as a battery backup.

Community Centre Repairs - Councilor Tony Fritsch reported that there have been a succession of water problems at the AHCC, which have cost around $2000 to $2500 to fix.

Memorial Plaque - The township is proceeding to acquire a plaque to recognise the retired volunteer firefighters of the pre-amalgamation Denbigh Fire Dept.

Purchasing Policy - In regard to the township's Purchasing Policy Review, council decided that they need to have a list of pre-qualified contractors who have all the certifications for WSIB, training, etc.

Pine Meadow Building Permits - Pine Meadow Nursing Home requires a building permit to have work done on the fans above its stoves, and Councilor Bill Cox brought forward a request for the township to waive the fee, which council agreed to do.

Lawsuit - CAO Jack Pauhl told council that a court case against the township would not be going ahead because the complainant has not produced the necessary paperwork. “It’s sort of a good news, bad news scenario,” he said, because the township will not be able to recoup any of the money it has already spent on the case.

Caring For Your Land: Denbigh Landowners’ Workshop

Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust Conservancy (MMLTC) invites local landowners and all nature lovers to a Landowners’ Workshop taking place in Denbigh on Tuesday evening, January 22. The catalyst for the workshop was the recent acquisition of the nearby Rose Hill Nature Reserve, a property that has been certified as ecologically significant by Environment Canada.

The workshop will offer the opportunity to learn about the rich natural features of the area, including species at risk, and the role individual landowners can play to be good stewards of their own bit of paradise.

Two descendants of the Fritsch family of Denbigh recently donated the family’s 100-acre wilderness on Rose Hill to the MMLTC to protect its natural state in perpetuity. MMLTC is delighted with this acquisition with its mix of small lakes, streams, wetlands and upland woodlands with all its ecological diversity. MMLTC will protect the diverse natural habitats with special attention to species at risk. Landowners interested in long-term protection of their land will be able to learn more about what the Land Trust can offer.

This workshop will increase awareness of species at risk, their habitat, provide opportunities to learn how to protect species that already exist in the landscape. Tips and expert advice will be available for proactive action for creating a natural habitat that will encourage further biodiversity. A Ministry of Natural Resources official will be able to answer questions related to implications for landowners of species at risk. Sighting reports will also be encouraged to advance understanding of the current range and habitat use of at-risk species and other plants and wildlife of particular interest.

MMLTC currently owns two properties in the Mississippi Madawaska catchment area, Rose Hill and the High Lonesome Nature Reserve in the Pakenham Hills, and holds a Conservation Easement on Cliffland, 1250 acres of wilderness that includes Blueberry Mountain, the highest point in Lanark County.

It is in discussion with three property owners in regarding Conservation Easements on those properties to ensure they will be protected in perpetuity. Additional information on MMLTC can be found on its website at www.mmltc.ca.

The event will take place 7 – 9 p.m. at the Denbigh Community Hall located at 122 Highway 28. For further information, please call 613-278-2939 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

At their first meeting of 2013, Addington Highlands Council consider at least two items that could have a significant impact on this year's budget.

Fire Chief Casey Cuddy presented the preliminary architectural plans for a new fire hall in Northbrook. The plans could form the basis of a design/build contract for the fire hall, but the all-important question of cost has not been formally addressed at this point.

Councillors looked at the plans and made suggestions, which Cuddy said will be incorporated into a final set of plans that he will present at the next meeting.

“I think these will work, but we will need a site plan to determine how this building will fit onto the property that we have for it.” said Cuddy.

Property Manager for Township Community Centres

The Addington Highlands Community Centre in Denbigh has become a legacy project for the current Council. It is already the satellite office for the Lakelands Family Health Team, the home of the Denbigh Library, and will soon be housing a cafe, and will have a number of other community uses.

Until now, it has been members of Council who have been overseeing the operation of the building, and when the job description for a caretaker for the building was being developed by Councillor Tony Fritsch, he quickly realised that the building will require someone familiar with building maintenance as well as a number of provincial regulations that pertain to multi-purpose public buildings.

“It really is a building manager that is needed. I think we might consider a one year term contract, so if the person is not suitable or we want to re-think the job we will have that option,” said Fritsch about a proposal he was putting forward to establish the new township staff position to look after all the community halls.

“It's most likely going to cost about $50,000 per year,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

Council approved a motion to accept the position in principle and will consider the matter during budget deliberations.

Extended health benefits – Reeve Hogg asked Council if they would like him to get a quote on extended health insurance for township employees who have worked for the township for over 20 years. The insurance would cover the employees while they are between the ages of 60 and 75, after they have retired from their job with the township.

“I can have a look at this if Council wants me to,” said Hogg.

There are only two employees in position to receive the benefit, if Council goes for it, clerk Jack Pauhl, and roads superintendent Royce Rosenblath.

“What about members of Council who have sat for over 20 years,” asked Councillor Adam Snider, looking over at Reeve Hogg.

“I'm getting so close to 75 that it really doesn't matter,” said Hogg.

Council supported pursuing the idea and Hogg will seek some pricing.

$20,000 contract to Jewel Engineering – The township has received a provincial grant for just over $20,000 to complete an asset management plan.

“There is no point putting this to tender since everyone knows how much money we have available for it,” said Henry Hogg.

Hogg then said that Jewell engineering of Belleville has prepared reports on the state of the townships’ roads and bridges in recent years, so they probably already have most of the necessary information available to them.

“Are you suggesting we just have Jewell do it,” asked Councillor Helen Yanch.

“They have the history, they know the roads,” said Hogg.

A motion to go directly to Jewell to prepare the asset management plan was approved in a recorded vote. There were no nay votes.

Navigo to track township equipment

Royce Rosenblath reported that a Lennox and Addington County initiative to install GPS tracking software on all roads equipment will be in place soon. The software will enable each vehicle to be located at all times, to track the amount of material being spread on roads and much more.

“We keep good logs but this will give detailed and accurate data that would stand up in court, if anything ever came to that,” said Rosenblath.

Cloyne and District Historical Society members and guests were treated to an uncommon slice of history at this month’s regular meeting. Musical history, that is.

Joe Grant of Denbigh, who has dedicated much of his musical talents to both the preservation and creation of historical music, performed a number of traditional and original pieces that harkened back to the lumber camp days in the area. Grant, a former French teacher, gained notoriety in the group Tanglefoot, which he formed with two other teachers in the 1970s as a means of “turning Canadian history and folklore into musical entertainment”.

He explained that the name Tanglefoot came from a song about the Don Jail in Toronto, which includes the line “If you want to get into that palace so neat, drink Tanglefoot whiskey and get drunk on the street.”

Grant has long had a passion for the historical music of Canada and was influenced by his parents, who were both musicians, and also by his grandfather, who worked in lumber camps. It was due to an injury on the job that Grant’s grandfather ended up in the cook tent at a camp, where the French cook taught him to play the fiddle.

Joe Grant not only sings but also plays harmonica, guitar and fiddle and he began his presentation with an a capella song, an Iroquois lullaby. He said that though it is not a physical artifact that one can hold in their hands, it still qualifies as a musical artifact since it was made by man. Next he strapped on a fléchée, a woven waist sash commonly worn by French Voyageurs and sang a typical Voyageur song, which he explained was sung “as a way for the paddlers to keep time with each other”. He sang a number of lumber camp songs that described the very difficult work days and conditions there. One song in particular contained a chorus with one of Grant’s favorite lines: “Give the shanty boy whiskey, there's nothing goes wrong.”

Next he played a Hohner harmonica, a common instrument used after the 1850s, and he spoke of a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the Hohner company saying that one of his (Abe's) greatest pleasures was sitting on his front porch playing his harmonica and smoking sweet hemp.

Joe Grant's grandfather told him how the harmonica would be used to play dance tunes at the camp and Grant demonstrated playing a double reed harmonica, which he learned to play from old timers in the Denbigh area who themselves either played in the lumber camps or learned from their relatives who worked and played them there. Grant played and sang a few of the more racy and comical songs from that time, one called “The Booty Boo”, which tells of a woman making the moves on a lumber jack and another called “Oh No, John No”, which tells of a wife whose husband banishes her to hell. But by the end of the song she comes back to him since she proves more of a hellion that even the inhabitants of that particular place could tolerate.

One member of the audience, Graydon MacCrimmon of Northbrook, joined Grant onstage playing both the harmonica and a very old concertina that had been in his wife's family for years. The two played three songs together, and another member of the audience was so moved that she got up on the floor to perform a step dance. Grant said following his performance that it is the authenticity, the spontaneity of the music that continues to inspire him. “I have always been interested in how things were done in the past. As society continues to evolve and change there is a lot that has been gained but I have always been more intrigued by what exactly it is that we have lost. One thing I think that we have lost is this huge knowledge of world history both in song and poetry.”

Though the group Tanglefoot has officially disbanded, Joe Grant continues to bring his own unique historical music to listeners in three other bands that he is currently playing with: The Pickled Chicken String Band, Highway 41 and Gopher Barocque.