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(Tickets for the gala will be on sale at the door. It is $30 for the dinner and dance and $20 for just the dance. Come on out - Door open at 6 - dance starts at 9)

There's going to be a big bash to kick off the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Frontenac Community Arena on Saturday August 6.

Doors open at 6pm, and the cash bar will be open, followed by a sit-down dinner catered by Linda Bates. There will be some informal speeches and presentations after the dinner, and a commemorative book about the history of the arena will be launched.

In the meantime, the silent auction will be going on, featuring, among other items, gift certificates and gift baskets, a signed hockey stick courtesy of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the featured item, an autographed Mike Smith jersey that was donated by the Smith family. As well, more items are coming in every day in the run up to the event.

At 9 p.m. or so, Tamworth's own Texas Tuxedo will take the stage, performing highly danceable country rock until around 1 a.m. There will be shuttle buses heading north and south at the end of the evening.

Tickets are $30 for the dinner and show. They are available at Gray's Grocery, the Central Frontenac Township Office, Asselstine Hardware, Leonard Fuels, Sydenham One Stop, Verona Hardware, Godfrey General Store and at the Arena.

For further information, call 613-374-3177 or visit Frontenacarena.com

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

Reflections on 40 years of the NFCA

Jim Stinson's first involvement in the North Frontenac Community Arena (he has trouble using the new Frontenac Community Arena moniker) was as a fund-raising volunteer in 1974 or 1975.

“I was assigned Desert Lake Road because that is where I live. I went door to door asking for money,” he said when interviewed at the arena this week.

He recalls that the idea of building an arena in Frontenac County had been kicked around since the mid 1960s but there were always obstacles in the way.

There was talk in the early '70s between Hinchinbrooke, Oso, Olden and Bedford townships.

According to Dave Hansen, who was serving on Hinchinbrooke Council at the time, the townships went together to Frontenac County for funding support.

“We were told that if we agreed on a site and invested $100, they would put up the rest of the money. They were convinced we would never agree on a site, but we did agree on the Parham fair grounds as a site. When we went back, they said it turned out it was illegal for them to make the funding promise, so they backed out,” said Hansen, when contacted at his home on Tuesday.

According to Jim Stinson and Dave Hansen, there was also talk between Loughborough and Portland Townships about building an arena but they couldn't agree about locating it in Harrowsmith or Sydenham.

The logjam was broken when Portland came to the northern group after Grant Piercy offered them a piece of land on the border between Portland and Hinchinbrooke. Portland also committed to funding 41% of the operating costs, and that was that.

Frontenac County offered up $100,000 ($20,000 for each township involved) and $25,000 came from the Lions Club. Wintario was offering up $2 for each dollar raised through fund raising. That, in addition to the already strong support for the project, kicked off a highly successful fund-raising drive. Between door-to-door canvassing, dinners, draws and corporate donations, $80,000 was raised, of which over $1,600 came from school children. In the end, only $14,000 of the $492,000 budget came from local taxation

Although the arena is not located within the boundaries of any existing hamlet, it has the advantage of being located within a reasonably short drive from Arden, Sharbot Lake, Parham, Verona, Harrowsmith and Sydenham.

Once the arena was built, it needed a manager. At that time Jim Stinson, like so many others from the region, commuted each day to a job at Alcan in Kingston. One day while sharing a ride to work, someone said he should consider applying for the job as arena manager. Since he had refrigeration and electrical training, he was a prime candidate for the arena manager's job, which at the beginning was only about maintaining the building, making the ice, keeping all the equipment running, etc.

“I knew how to turn on the compressors, but what I didn't know was how to make ice, and an arena needs ice,” he recalls.

The ice-maker at the Cataraqui arena came up and showed him how to make ice by flooding the rink in stages and slowly building up the surface, and in the fall of 1976, the North Frontenac Arena opened with a fresh sheet of ice.

North Frontenac Minor Hockey started up right away, with Dick Steel as the driving force, with both girls and boys playing. Over 300 kids played hockey in that first year. At the same time Faye Steel started up a Figure Skating club, which lasted over 20 years.

In the 1980s, there was a curling club at the arena for several years. The Frontenac Flyers, a Junior C team that competed in the Empire B League with teams from Amherstview, Napanee, Picton, Madoc and Campbelford, ran for almost 20 years before folding about ten years ago

But it has been recreational hockey that has been the mainstay of the arena's success, and it remains busy seven days a week during the season with a men's league, an Over 30 league and boys' and girls' hockey leagues. Last year over 350 kids were enrolled in hockey at what is now known as the Frontenac Community Arena.

Ten years ago, the arena was upgraded thanks to a fund-raising campaign known as Project End Zone, and more improvements are planned, including the current campaign to pay for heaters for the stands. The campaign has a $20,000 goal and now sits at $13,000.

The arena will be marking its 40th anniversary this season, starting with a gala dinner and dance on August 6 (see the ad on page 12) and continuing into the coming season.

We will have more details about the dance in next week's edition of the Frontenac News. For more information, go to Frontenacarena.com

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 20 July 2016 19:27

8th Annual Swim of Hope

On Saturday, July 23, Theresa, Katie and Becki Procter will once again swim across Sharbot Lake to raise money for cancer research and to support those suffering from the disease. Over the past 7 years the three girls have raised more than $12,000, all of which stays in our area. The girls will enter the water near Sharbot Lake provincial park at 10 am and swim 3 km. to the Sharbot Lake beach, arriving at the Farmer’s Market around 11 o’clock. Donations can be dropped off at Sharbot Lake Pharmacy, Northern Frontenac Community Services or at the beach on the 23rd. Or you can donate online at http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/hopeswim2016.

 

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC

The Blue Skies Music Festival has been around for 43 years, but for many people it is a phantom event. Day passes have been available at locations in Perth, Kingston and Ottawa, but they can be sold out by mid-July. A schedule of performers is never published until a few days before the festival, and although people who make the trip up to Clarendon always report that the performances are memorable and the vibe is more than friendly, many people feel that the festival is not accessible.

That is all changing, as Blue Skies finally joins the 1990s (it may even make it to the new millennium in a few years).

Not only is the schedule of performers available online at blueskiesmusicfestival.ca, tickets are also available at the same location. Camping passes are still hard to come by, as many of them are reserved for committed volunteers and the rest are allocated by lottery in May of each year, but Friday night, Saturday and Sunday tickets are now readily available. In addition to being available online, they can be purchased at the front gate to the festival, on Clarendon Road off Road 509, on the Saturday and Sunday morning of the festival, which takes place on July 30 and 31 this year.

The festival has a new artistic director this year, Danny Sullivan, who may be familiar to some readers because he has programmed several music series at MERA in McDonalds Corners. Sullivan, who lives with his family off the Bennett Lake Road north of Maberly, served as the artistic director at Blue Skies once before, he recalled when interviewed earlier this week, in the mid-1980s.

At that time the music director at the festival had less authority than they do now. The bands they wanted to hire were vetted by a committee.

“I left the job after one year, even though it is usually a three-year term,” Sullivan said, “because it was hard to program the way I wanted to while pleasing a group like that.”

Since taking on the job after last year's festival, Sullivan has attended different kinds of music conferences and showcases in Montreal, Toronto, and elsewhere.

“I made sure to see a live performance by every band that I booked this year. You can't tell how a band performs in front of an audience by their recordings and videos,” he said, “and I not only had the job of booking the bands, I also have to put together programs that fit together well.”

He also decided that, for his first year, he would not book any acts that have already played at Blue Skies in the past.

“One of the performers I am most looking forward to seeing, Corin Raymond, was at Blue Skies with the band, the Undesirables, several years ago but he is coming back as a solo act. He always brings something different to the stage,” Sullivan said.

Another act that he mentioned was Akawui, who will be closing the festival on the Sunday night.

“Akawui is a former mixed martial arts fighter of Chilean heritage, who has indigenous roots through his Mapuch grandmother. He performs in a Latino-urban-electro style with a hint of the Chilean star-band Inti Illimani. At the end of his show he is joined by dancers from Akwasasne in full mask. It should be a spectacle that will get people moving.”

The final act dovetails with the opening of the festival on Friday night.

“Blue Skies is one of the only festivals that owns the land where it takes place, and this is the 10th anniversary of the year when the land was purchased. In order to celebrate that, and the 40 years before that when the land was owned by Oskar Graf, as well as the Algonquin stewardship of the land for thousands of years before that, we will be holding a drumming ceremony to start the festival with members of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation.”

Danny Sullivan said he already has plans for next year's festival, but for now he is looking forward to seeing how all the pieces he has assembled will come together in 2016.

And for the first time ever, everything anyone needs to know about attending the festival can be found at their website.

Published in NORTH FRONTENAC

Organizers from Somersault Events did not know what to expect as they set up under stormy skies on Saturday evening (July 9) for this year's Sydenham Triathlon.

Fortunately, the rain, heat and humidity blew over, leading to cool, slightly overcast weather on race day Sunday.

“The unsettled weather and the forecast had an impact on our race day registration, but even the participation was good. In its 7th year, Sydenham remains a solid event for us. The Point Park is really a great location. The roads for cycling are not too busy; the trail is right there for the run; and the lake is great,” said Christine McKinty of Somersault. The company runs a number of triathlons in Ottawa, where it is based, as well as the Brockville, Smiths Falls and Sydenham Triathlons.

The Sydenham Triathlon includes an Olympic distance triathlon as well as a shorter sprint triathlon, a duathlon, a short Tri-a-Tri event for beginners, as well as a 5km and 10 km run.

“We have events for every level of athlete, and for all ages,” said McKinty.

The Sydenham Triathlon is popular with athletes from Kingston and Frontenac County, and would be more popular with athletes from Ottawa and west Quebec, according to McKinty, but for a lack of accommodations.

“It is very hard to get a room in Kingston on the weekend of the triathlon because there is so much going on there,” she said.

Most participants who travel from a distance stay with friends or family that have cottages in the region because there is not a lot available nearby. Even camping opportunities are limited.

“We have thought about extending to a Saturday event, because it is such an ideal location and the people from Ottawa really enjoy visiting here and always say how beautiful it is. But the accommodation issue has held us back,” she said.

The results from the triathlon show how popular it is with athletes from the local area, as three of the top 10 men in the Olympic Triathlon, including the winner, Jeff McCue (2:18:23), are from Kingston.

In the women's Olympic event, which was won by Jutta Merilainen of Batawa, the top 10 all came from different Ontario locations, including Gananoque, Stirling, Smith Falls and Perth.

Local athletes who shone in other events include 15-year-old Rayden Shelter from Syenham (3rd in the male 5 km run) and 12-year-old Avery Nelder (7th in the female 5 km run).

Clive Morgan from Yarker finished 3rd in the male Sprint Triathlon event; Nick Vanderschoor from Perth Road Village finished 5th; and Patrick Gilmour from Inverary finished in 8th place.

Also, Sandy Roberston from Sharbot Lake was the fastest woman in the 55-59 age group in the Sprint event. Patri Kelly from Harrowsmith was the fastest in the Swim-Cycle event. In the male Super Sprint event, Jason Nelder from Sydenham finished first; Jacob Beckwith, also of Sydenham, finished in 4th place; and Therol Peterson from Glenburnie was 9th. Among the women, Nora Bond from Battersea finished 1st and Erin Peterson from Glenburnie finished 9th.

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 13 July 2016 23:11

Sail Mazinaw sails on

The 2nd annual Sail Mazinaw was challenged by thunderstorms and torrential rain on Saturday, July 9. Even just getting to Mazinaw Lakeside Resort for breakfast without getting wet was nearly impossible. However, despite the inclement weather, a few hardy (or foolish) sailors were still able to get a couple of hours on the water while thunder rumbled in the background. The fleet was back out in beautiful conditions on Sunday with a couple of additional boats making a showing. The recipients of the 2016 Mazinaw Cup are Danielle Richard (Bridgenorth) and Michelle Simpkin (Scarborough), cottagers on Washing Machine Point. The duo exhibited enthusiasm and skill while sailing the smallest boat of the fleet in threatening conditions. Michelle is a rookie sailor and Danielle is currently making the transition to sailboarding. Additional photos and commentary are available at Facebook/SailMazinaw.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
Wednesday, 13 July 2016 22:59

Tai Chi regional intensive in Sharbot Lake

Over 100 Tai Chi practitioners from as far afield as Ottawa and Belleville traveled to Sharbot Lake on Monday, July 11 to participate in a three-hour intensive session, which featured instructors from the Ottawa and Kingston regions.

The event, which was the first of its kind in a rural location, was put on in order to provide practitioners with a chance to work for a longer time on their positions, and to access different teachers than they are used to at their home centers.

“Even though everyone learns the same moves and sequences, sometimes hearing the same information in a new way can make a difference,” said Jim Gazzard, the Ottawa-based regional vice president of the Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi organization, which is affiliated with the International Taoist Tai Chi Society, the largest non-profit Tai Chi organization in the world.

Gazzard said that since the Sharbot Lake chapter, which is affiliated with the Kingston branch of the organisation, has been very strong in recent years, the decision was taken to try to bring people together in the summer for a large event.

“Judging from what we see here, it has been quite a success,” said Gazzard.

After working with instructors in small groups, the assembled group, which made full use of the entire gym at Granite Ridge Education Centre, completed the full set of 108 moves that are shared by all members of the Taoist Tai Chi Society.

Then it was time for a tea break, followed by more work in small groups. The entire event ended with a potluck lunch and a chance to share experiences.

“It's not that surprising that Tai Chi is so strong in Sharbot Lake. Rural communities are often successful in building up a strong group. Also, for a community with an active senior population, Tai Chi is a very good way to help seniors continue to be strong and healthy at any age. Our top instructor in Ottawa is 72 and he is as fit or fitter than any 40-year-old,” said Gazzard, who has been practicing Tai Chi for 38 years and is an instructor as well.

After the potluck was over, there was an instructor session in the afternoon.

There are ongoing Tai Chi classes in Sharbot Lake, Sydenham, Westport and in Kingston. For further information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 13 July 2016 22:53

St. Paul's Sydenham Animal Encounter

The 40 children, aged 6 to 12, who attended the Vocational Bible Study (VBS) at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church in Sydenham for the five days during the first week of July, got more than Bible stories. The theme for the week was Animal Encounters. The organizer, Michelle Laing, had arranged for a different animal to be there each day. The animal owners showed a true passion for the care of their animals and allowed them to interact with the children.

Each day was a mix of energetic praise songs to a demanding arm-waving, foot-stomping beat, followed by water slides, crafts, gardening, and the animal of the day.

Bee keepers came in their space suits, with stories of how a hive works and a show & tell of moth and bear attacks, and finally a sample of pure honey. The children were shouting out questions in excitement.

Silky Chickens, with their soft feathers were happy to be handled by excited children. The apparently delicate, but actually very robust chickens, broke down barriers with even the most reserved child.

Service Dog handler, Brittani Lawson, brought her service dog Anchor, a six-month-old Labrador. Brittani sat on a chair with Anchor lying at her feet. With 20 children at a time sitting round them, Brittani leaned forward and in her whispering voice told children what Anchor had done for her. It was as quiet as only a church can be. The children listened to secrets of what they must and must not do when they meet somebody with a service dog.

  • Only talk to the person not the dog.

  • Do not touch or stroke the dog.

  • Never distract a working dog by talking to it; the handler’s life may depend on the dog.

The children learned that a service dog is working when he/she has the backpack on. When Britany removed Anchor’s blue backpack he was off duty and was a dog like any other, who then played with and got hugs from the children. Brittani would like to help set up a non-profit foundation to help other people in need get and train Service Dogs. She said, “In just six months Anchor has helped me lead a normal life and now I want to help other people do the same.”

The pot-belly pig, who lived in a house and slept in a bed with a dog, was a hit with the children as he ate cereal from their hands, and would come when they called his name.

Pony rides provided the animal encounter on the last day. Every child got to stroke or ride a pony having first heard the sad and exciting story of hand feeding Charcoal the pony. Hand-reared from the time he was 11 days old on goat’s milk, Charcoal, now 11 years old, was there with Lightning to give rides.

Then it was a final excited group photo and a barbeque to round out a great week.

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

Despite the ominous start to the day last Saturday, July 9, which began with thunderstorms, four new novice paddlers headed out to compete on the Gananoque River to win ribbons in War Canoe, K1 and K2 events, carrying on a 110-year-old tradition of friendly competition at the Gananoque Canoe Club that began in 1906. Sydenham Lake Canoe Club, now in its 19th year at its Sydenham Lake location, has its roots in the Kingston Yacht Club in the early 1900s, so, Sydenham and Kingston paddlers have in effect been paddling against Gananoque for well over a century.

As the first U15 event of the season, the 100, or so, young paddlers were bursting with enthusiasm, determined to achieve their personal best without tipping their boats in a series of 200 meter single and team events at the Gananoque Canoe Club.

Parker and Peyton Friendship, Jack MacInnis, Kiera Wilson and her cheerleading sister, Charlotte were all in attendance. Though Sydenham won’t be hosting an event this year, there are four more regattas that the SLCC paddlers can look forward to participating in. The next U15 regattas will be held in North Bay, Carleton Place, and at Rideau Canoe Club in Ottawa.

Coach Rhiannon Murphy, an eight-year veteran at SLCC, says, “Parents often can’t believe that they are sending their children out alone to compete in a tippy sprint boat, but are often surprised by their own children’s confidence, determination and success. They are also amazed by the supportive audience of parents and fellow paddlers who enthusiastically cheer on the last paddlers over the finish, just as if they were the first. It is really all about having fun as a family and being active outdoors. If you don’t over focus on the results, the children enjoy themselves and just concentrate on achieving their personal bests that they have worked all week to master”. The Sydenham Lake Canoe Club offers day camps and lessons to children and adults who wish to improve their paddling skills, or just get out on the water for fun and fitness. For more information visit www.sydenhamlakecanoeclub.com

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 13 July 2016 22:31

Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum workshops

The Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum is holding a series of workshops this summer and below is the schedule.

July 23: Discover birch bark and spruce roots. Make a small container, knife holster, or beads.

July 30: Continue birch bark.

Aug 6 & 13: Museum closed

Aug 20: Come gather rushes and cattails at the lake.

Aug 28: Rush or cattail chair seating or make a small container.

Sept 3: Continue with rushes and cattails.

Further workshops will be announced later.

Workshops are held from 1 -3 pm on Saturdays and the cost is usually $15. If you plan to come, please call Ankaret Dean at 613-278-1203 and she will give you a list of tools etc. to bring. The museum is located at 5596 McDonald's Corners Rd. and is open 11am – 3pm on Saturdays from May to October or by appointment. Admission to the museum is free; donations are welcome. Visit ankaretdean.ca  

Published in Lanark County
Page 8 of 26
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