Back to HomeFeature Article - July 16, 2009 Bedford Mining Alert (BMA) public meeting scheduled for Saturday July 25

The BMA, is a group of concerned citizens in Bedford District, South Frontenac Township, who have been working for 10 years to bring about changes to the Ontario Mining Act.  The goal of BMA is to allow property owners and local communities greater input into land use decisions and environmental protection issues, so that the full economic and societal potential of the land is protected and realized.BMA is holding a public meeting on Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. at the Bedford Community Hall, 1381 Westport Road in the Township of South Frontenac.This year's format will feature a presentation by MPP Michael Brown, Parliamentary Assistant to Minister Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry. Roy Denomme, Senior Manager, Mining Lands Section of MNDM&F will answer questions relating to the Mining Amendment Act. Invited guests will include MP Scott Reid, MPP Randy Hillier, and North, South and Central Frontenac Township Mayors and members of council.The Mining Act has undergone a review and proposed changes were introduced in the legislature on April 30, 2009. The Bill has gone through second reading in the House and has been assigned to Committee which will be receiving input through hearings in August and written submission until Sept. 4.Sandy Cameron, the Chair of BMA says, "It promises to be an interesting and informative meeting. It will provide an opportunity to learn about the proposed changes to the Mining Act, as well as the changes BMA believe are needed. It is important to have a good representation from the community and elected officials in order to show the extent of our concerns."BMA's efforts are supported by many groups, including the Township of South Frontenac, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, Land O'Lakes Tourist Association, Greater Bobs and Crow Lake Association, Friends of the Tay Watershed; Buck Lake Association, Sunset Shores Peninsula Association; Knowlton Lakes Cottagers Association, Fourteen Island and Mink Lake Association, Wolfe Lake Association, Kennebec Lake Association, Kashawakamak Lake Cottage Association, Sharbot Lake Property Owners Association, Garter Lake Association, Desert Lake Property Owners Association, Knowlton Lake Cottagers Association and Algonquin to Adirondack Conservation AssociationFor more information visit www.bedfordminingalert.ca

Back to HomeFeature Article - June 4, 2009 Popular Piccadilly Jam Changes venueby Julie Druker

Priscilla Smith of Battersea step danced while her husband Ken fiddled along with other regulars at the first Bedford jam held at the Bedford Hall

In an effort to accommodate the growing popularity of the Piccadilly Hall Jam Session, organizers moved the bi-weekly event from the Piccadilly Hall in Godfrey to the Bedford Township Hall located on the Westport Road just east of Godfrey.

The event, which costs only one dollar to attend, has been taking place in Godfrey since 2007 and has grown steadily in popularity to the point where the hall could no longer safely contain the audience and the constantly growing number of participating musicians.

Joan Shepherd, one of the founding members of the jam session, informed me that the decision to move was made by organizers on May 1. Last Sunday was the first time that the event took place at the new Bedford Hall location.

Joan explained the benefits that the new hall has to offer: more washroom facilities, a roomier kitchen and a legal capacity almost twice the size of the Piccadilly Hall. There is also ample parking, which was becoming an issue at the former location.

Judy Albertson who often co-hosts the jams, manages the sound system and participates as a guitar player and singer, admitted that the move was a difficult decision to make.

The Piccadilly Hall has been the home of the jam for most of its existence and for many musicians and audience members the hall is a nostalgic location closely tied to their lives.

But judging by the turnout on Sunday in Bedford, jam goers seemed more than willing to make the move to the new locale. By 2:00 pm every single seat in the Bedford Hall was filled and for late comers there was standing room only. It was estimated that there were close to 160 people in attendance, which proved that the move was indeed justified.

Gerry Webster hosted Sunday’s jam and as usual a slew of local musicians sat on the sidelines playing softly along to the music coming from the stage while waiting their turn in the spot light.

Brother Brian of CFRC radio at Queen’s University attended the event and raffled off two tickets to Tommi Fest, which were won by Delbert Gibson of Bedford.

The jams are renowned for the variety of music played by the performers: country, bluegrass, folk, gospel music, and yodeling. The usual instruments are banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, and spoons and it is not uncommon for step dancers to take a turn tapping out a tune on the slatted wood floor.

Musicians are asked to sign up on a sheet and then are called to play. Everyone is welcome.

According to Joan “The Piccadilly (now Bedford) jam is a place that takes people back to simpler times when folks got together and played just for the sheer pleasure of the music.”

She added, “The jam sessions seem to have taken on a life of their own and truly they carried on not only by the performers, but by the audience as well. Where will it end, only time will tell, but with the quality of performers we are seeing, it’s no wonder the sessions are being called Nashville North!”

The Bedford Jam Sessions take place every other Sunday from 1:30-4:30pm at the Bedford Hall. The next one will take place on June 14.

For more information on the Bedford Jam and their upcoming old time music competition please visit www.frontenacoldtimemusic.com

Back to HomeEditorial - March 12, 2009 Bedford District: from poor cousin to cash cowEditorial by Jeff Green

Back in the mid-1990s, when amalgamation was forced on Ontario municipalities by the Ontario government, there was a real question in Frontenac County about where Bedford Township should go.

A good chunk of its population work, shop, and send their kids to school in Westport, but Westport is in Leeds Grenville County so that was off. Bedford borders both Hinchinbrooke and Oso, which joined Central Frontenac, and in some ways it resembled the townships that became Central Frontenac. It is dominated by lakes, including the massive “dammed lakes” (Bobs and Crow) and its population is mixed between farming and seasonal waterfront dwellers. But, If Bedford had joined Central Frontenac, it would have made for a huge township with five large under-populated districts, extending from the edge of Division Street north of Kingston almost all the way to Highway 41, 60 kilometres north of Napanee.

The third option, and the one that was ultimately chosen, was to join South Frontenac. This made sense because Bedford borders both Loughborough and Portland.

But the politicians that negotiated amalgamation in South Frontenac did not want to take on the liabilities of their soon-to-be amalgamation partners, and they were particularly wary of Bedford. While the three other townships that became South Frontenac, Storrington, Portland, and Loughborough, all bordered Kingston and contained suburban-style subdivisions and medium-sized villages with schools and businesses, along with their farming and seasonal populations, Bedford is mostly made up of seasonal residents with some farmers. It has few paved roads, and no garbage pickup. Politicians from the other districts did not want their residents to pay for bringing Bedford’s services up to their standards, which is what full amalgamation would have entailed.

This was one of the factors that led to the area rating system in South Frontenac. While policing, central administration and other costs were paid out of South Frontenac taxes, each district paid for their own roads, waste management, recreation, and fire services.

But, over time things have been changing in South Frontenac. Fire services were fully amalgamated several years ago. While budgeting for services has remained area-rated, the services are mostly run centrally.

At the same time, Bedford has become the source of a lot of revenue for the South Frontenac. The new property assessment regime taxes waterfront properties heavily, and there has been a building boom in Bedford over the last 10 years as seasonal properties have been converted to year-round homes. Bobs Lake in particular has become a highly prized location and nowadays, more money flows from Bedford to the township office in Sydenham than flows the other way.

The poor cousin has become a cash cow.

Bedford District’s riches are also tied in with plans to build a new library in Sydenham. The township would like to revamp its existing offices in Sydenham, and take over the space currently occupied by the library. This would allow all departments to be based in one building. The plan to do this is tied to a plan to build a brand-new, larger library on the same site.

All of this costs money. Bedford District has been accumulating money for years through the sale of road allowances. This is an offshoot of all the building that has been going on. By provincial regulation, this money can only be spend on “Parks and Recreation”, which Bedford has little of, and there is little demand from the Bedford population for new facilities. Putting the money towards building a new library would be an acceptable use, but as long as recreation is area-rated, Bedford money cannot go to a library in Loughborough District where Sydenham is located. However, under amalgamation the money could be used anywhere in South Frontenac.

Bedford District councilors are supportive of a five-year roads improvement plan that was brought forward by the public works manager. Among other things, it would see a major paving program in Bedford and an increase in taxation for Bedford residents, all with a view towards amalgamating the roads budgets in the township as a whole by 2010. With Bedford recreation money helping to pay for Sydenham library and a new township office, the other districts are less likely to object to some of their ratepayers’ money helping to pave roads in Bedford.

Last month, CAO Gord Burns presented Council with a draft proposal to amalgamate recreation and roads. The proposal was defeated, but at the end of the meeting one of the councilors who voted against it, Ron Vandewal from Loughborough said, “I would support amalgamation if it was proposed, but nothing else”.

Two weeks later, amalgamation was brought forward at a Committee of the Whole meeting, and Vandewal said he supported it. He is, in effect, the deciding voter, because Mayor Davison and Councilors Hahn and Stowe from Bedford, as well as the other Loughborough councilor, Alan McPhail, are all onside.

At this point, it looks like it might be done against the will of the councilors from Storrington and Portland districts, which presents a real problem since they represent 50% of the residents in the township

The objections from councilors in both Portland and Storrington are partly philosophical, but they are also focused on waste management, with Portland councilors in particular wanting to protect one of their major assets, the Portland dump.

There are a series of other complications as well, particularly in relation to reserve funds that the districts currently control, but if there is not yet a green light, there is at least a yellow, proceed with caution, light glowing for amalgamation in South Frontenac. It was the subject of a debate this week at a Committee of the Whole meeting on March 10. (see Wilma Kenny’s article)

With 18 months to go before the next municipal election and the current mayor having made a commitment to doing this during the previous election, and with CAO Burns slated to retire in a few months, there is a bit of a legacy question for both of them.

If the political decision to amalgamate services in South Frontenac is not made within the next four months, it will be put off for at least four years. 

15-year-old singer Jessie Treneer of Kingston took home the Championship award at the FOTMC

Now in its third year, the Frontenac Old Time Country Music Championships is attracting more competitors, guest artists, music enthusiasts and local sponsors than ever before.

Founded and organized by Joan and Roy Shepherd, who also founded the bi-weekly Bedford jam sessions, the FOTMC are in Joan's words “the best way we can think of to keep old time music alive in the younger generations.”

This year competitive classes were again offered Saturday and Sunday to various age groups in singing, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar classes and a total of 31 musicians and singers competed, with this year seeing a dramatic rise in the number of young singers who turned out to compete. Cash awards are given to the top three winners of each class.

In an effort to give competitors a fair chance, each successive year a new panel of judges is chosen. This year’s panel was comprised of Laura Shurrock, fiddle/mandolin judge, an experienced player trained in the Suzuki method who currently teaches at the Renaissance Music Studio in Kingston; musician and teacher Tom Thomson who plays currently in the Jon Kot Band and Redneck Blvd., judging guitar/mandolin; and lastly Ralph McInnes judging vocals.

In an effort to accommodate the increased crowds, which totaled 225 over the weekend, the event was moved from the Piccadilly hall in Godfrey to the Bedford hall on Westport Road, which offers a raised stage, more seating, workshop space and more parking.

Also new this year were the Saturday fiddle workshops held in the basement of the hall with Mary Kennedy of the band “Irish Roots” instructing beginners; Nova Scotian-born fiddle and guitar player Ian Tracy teaching intermediate level players; and singer/song writer and multi-instrumentalist Brian Flynn, best known for his CBC sports theme song “Free”, teaching the advanced players. For a fee of $35 workshop participants spent an entire day learning various new tunes along with many well-known special tricks of the trade.

Throughout the weekend an impressive roster of guest artists performed in between the competitive classes. Dallas Daisy Arney, Derek Matson, June Nixon, Mark and Sharon Alton and Anna Marie Robidoux of “Jericho” and Barry and Sheila Calthorpe and Ken Roloson of “Cold Country” demonstrated their prowess.

Highlights on the weekend included 15-year-old singing/guitar player Jessica Treneer of Kingston who performed and won her singing division and also the adult division. Back by popular demand on Sunday, Jessie performed the sweetest sounding version of Patsy Cline's “Crazy” that I have ever heard. She took home the overall Championship award offered for the first time this year by Dave and Kathy Daw, owners of Summit Sound Inc. of Westport. The prize includes two hours of free recording time, hard disc space plus 3 recorded CD's.

Joan Shepherd informed me that the prize will be offered every year since the Daws recently agreed to an ongoing partnership with the FOTMC.

Other weekend highlights: Margery Smith of Inverary was presented with the Special Old Time Country Music Award given to an individual who strives to preserve the tradition of Old Time Country Music. She hosts the Sunbury Jam, which is held every Friday from 7-10pm.

Congratulations also to Marilyn Pierce of Ompah, winner of the Samick OM7 acoustic guitar that was raffled off.

Proceeds from the event will go towards local music in the schools programs and this year Joan is hoping that $500 will be donated to the Hinchinbrooke Public School's School of Rock program.

Joan sees the championships continuing “forever” and to prove it she already has the hall booked for the next decade. For Joan the FOTMC brings forth an important message to youth. “It's important for them to realize that life is a competition no matter what they are striving to achieve. The main thing at this event is that they are given an opportunity to get up and play and to try their best. And what is very special year after year is that the audience here provides that perfect kind of safe and secure environment that enables and encourages them to do so.”

To see a list of this year's winners visit the FOTMC site at www.frontenacoldtimemusic.com

The next Bedford jam will be held at the Bedford hall on August 15. Admission is free for players and $1 for listeners. For more information about the Bedford Jam contact Joan Shepherd at 613-374-5477. 

Sydenham subdivision unpopular with neighbours

By Jeff Green

A proposal to build 20 new houses on one-acre lots, and an eight-unit seniors’ residence on the south side of Rutledge Road at the corner of Stage Coach Road within the village of Sydenham has been wending its way through the planning process in South Frontenac and Frontenac County, and this week it was the subject of a public meeting in Sydenham.

South Frontenac planner Lindsay Mills started the meeting by explaining that the township’s Official Plan calls for development to be centred in built-up areas, which favours the project, and the fact that is can be serviced by municipal water is another factor in its favour.

“Because we have the servicing issues worked out in Sydenham, I believe we can support one-acre lots,” Mills said.

He also outlined how the KFL&A Health Unit and the Cataraqui Conservation Authority, as well as the public works and chief building officers are all on side.

“The conservation authority has some issues, but no objections,” Mills said.

The members of the public who attended the public meeting took a different view, however.

Most of the people who commented would have their backyard view of the park-like 32-acre lot altered into a view of a subdivision, which they said would have a detrimental effect on their property values.

Lorna Knight, who lives on Stage Coach Road, said that although Lindsay Mills said that an environmental assessment by Reg Genge found the proposal to be acceptable, “If you compare the proposed plan with Genge’s sketch, you will find that the proposal does not meet with Genge’s recommendations.” Knight suggested that 10 of the 20 proposed lots are located within an area that has the potential of flooding (there is a wetland on the western portion of the property).

One member of the public asked if Council would reject the proposal if there were a sustained public outcry against it.

“We are obliged to follow the procedures that are laid out in our planning and approval process,” said Councilor Alan McPhail. “What you need to do is bring objections forward in detail, and council can decide whether they are reasonable or not.”

“If all the commenting agencies are in favour, and we reject it, the Ontario Municipal Board would likely overturn our decision,” added Councilor David Hahn.

Lorna Knight then reiterated that in her view the proposal “encroaches a wetland”.

Speaking for the developer, Doug Prince from AECOM Engineering said, “The lines that we have incorporated into our proposal do not encroach on the wetland. The development will have no impact on the wetland.”

After hearing all the submissions, the public meeting was closed. All of the information submitted orally or in writing will be forwarded to Frontenac County, which has the responsibility for subdivision approval.

Then proposal will also require a rezoning process before it can go ahead.

The developer is planning to build houses in the 1,500 to 2,000 square foot range on the lots.

Garbage pickup issue erupts again in South Frontenac

A proposal by Storrington councilor John Fillion to extend door-to-door garbage pickup to O’Neil Lane in Storrington District was rejected by the majority of South Frontenac Council on Tuesday night, September 7.

Although the laneway is located near the village of Inverary next to a meat shop, the more remote laneways in Bedford District were on Mayor Gary Davisons mind as he argued against the proposal.

“I was there at the meeting about garbage pickup in Bedford Hall when someone stuck their finger in my face and said, ‘If you go down one lane to pick up garbage you’d better be going down my lane’, and he had 64 members in his lane association. So this is about more than O’Neil Lane,” said Mayor Davison.

The debate at Council took place just two weeks before door-to-door garbage pickup is scheduled to be extended to Bedford District to bring its services into line with the other three districts in South Frontenac.

The service will not be extended to private laneways, however, and Bedford residents who live on private lanes will have to arrange for a central garbage pickup point where their lanes meet township roads.

A decision was made back in March to limit garbage pickup on private lanes to those lanes that have historically received the service. According to a township newsletter on garbage and recycling pickup that was published in August, these ‘grandfathered’ lanes total about 21 lanes, or 4% of the 575 private lanes in the township.

O’Neil Lane was not one of those 21. Storrington Councillor John Fillion, who is a member of the sustainability committee that worked out the details of the garbage pickup policy, claimed on Tuesday night that he never saw a list of the lanes that would receive pickup.

“Had I seen the document O’Neil Lane would have been added with no muss or fuss,” Fillion said.

According to Larry York, the other Storrington Councilor, a resident on O’Neil Lane approached him earlier this summer asking for door-to-door pickup, which had not been the practice.

“Let me refresh your memory,” York told Council. “Garbage was being dropped of on a major road; animals were getting into it. It was a dangerous spot. So I approached John and we worked something out with the contractor.”

Fillion and York took matters into their own hands in early July. They approached the contractor who picks up garbage in Inverary and asked him to extend the pickup to houses on O’Neil Lane, which he did.

When the township got wind of what was going on, the contractor was told not to do the pickup.

This does not sit well with Larry York. “We’re here to look after people. We are not here for the benefit of management. We are not here to have a big fight over going down a laneway,” said York.

“I don’t think you understand how the township works,” said Councilor David Hahn, “Council makes decisions, not individual members of Council. If you have a concern you bring it here, you don’t go ahead and make arrangements with a contractor. There are implications to this all through South Frontenac.”

The vote on John Fillion’s motion to extend garbage and recycling pickup to O’Neil Lane was defeated in a 5-4 vote. Mayor Davison cast the deciding vote.

 

South Frontenac Council

By Wilma Kenny

Deadly Intersections South of Sydenham

On the recommendation of Public Works Manager Segsworth, Council approved as an interim measure the installation of ‘signage advising of an intersection ahead’ on the approaches to the intersections of Stagecoach and both Railton and Forest Roads, and Murvale Road and Forest/Murton. Traffic volumes and speeds will be measured during September to establish appropriate (permanent) signage for these intersections, where there have been two fatal accidents this year.

Fire Chief’s vehicle to be unmarked

At the Central Fire Committee meeting in September 2009, all four committee members had supported the fire chief’s request to have his vehicle unmarked when it was replaced. As the vehicle is now in the process of being replaced, Councilor David Hahn brought a notice of motion to have the vehicle in question marked as township property. The motion was defeated.

Well-fed Coyotes

Council approved provincial payments totalling $4,332 to reimburse 13 livestock kills during the last month. Deputy Mayor Ron Vandewal noted that although this was a provincial program, the township was expected to pay for the valuator and his expenses. CAO Orr said the provincial government was looking into making changes to the administration of the program.

Parkland assessment levy stands

Council denied a request to waive the parkland levy on a severance in Storrington District. The request had been based on the fact that both the severed lot and the retained one already held residences, so there would be no new development on either property.

Emergency demolition ordered

CAO Orr reported that following recent inspection by township staff, the two former change buildings at the Portland Recreation Facility in Verona are to be demolished as soon as possible. They are in serious disrepair.

 

Waste Disposal Site Changes Proposed

Council accepted in principle the Public Services Committee’s recommendations regarding changes to waste site operations, with the amendment that “one site be open for four hours on Sundays during the summer, June to September, with no total increase in hours.”

The recommendations include a substantial interim increase in tipping fees, with no option for pro-rating partial loads, which will be replaced by a weight-based charge once weigh scales are installed; four days of pick-up (Monday to Thursday;) and a proposal to reduce waste site hours by next March. These recommendations will be brought back to the public in January, in order to develop a final set of recommendations for Council’s approval early in the new year.

Hazardous Waste Site Hours Extended:

Public use of the Keeley Road Household Hazardous Waste site has continued to increase to the point that the Public Works Department recommends keeping the facility, originally expected to operate spring to fall, open throughout the winter. Council agreed to have Brendar Environmental continue to provide services for the winter: hours will be from 3 - 7pm, the second and fourth Thursday of each month. The Hazardous Waste Site also accepts bale wrap, shrink wrap and e-waste.

A tender will be issued in early 2013 for the operation of the facility for the period April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2015.

Bedford Patrol Yard Improvements:

Council approved the submission of Asterisk Engineering for engineering services for Bedford patrol yard improvements and associated yard works, for a total of $71,896. This was the lowest of six bids received.

No More Cash Advances to councilors:

Over the years, councilors have requested and been issued advances on both their per diem for conferences and against their semi-annual honorarium payments. Council adopted the Corporate Services Committee’s recommendation that these cash advances no longer be permitted.

Township Assumes Loughborough District Road

Council accepted Planner Mills’ recommendation that they assume the road in Silverbrook estates subdivision (located off Campbell Road) now that all requirements have been met.

Budget Day Saturday: Nothing to do for entertainment on a cold rainy Saturday? Come listen to council deliberate the 2013 township budget. After all, it’s your roads, your parks...your money. The fun starts at 9 am this Saturday and lasts all day if it has to.

 

Harrowsmith crosswalk debate could lead to traffic light

By Jeff Green

Harrowsmith residents were surprised to find that the markings for a crosswalk across Road 38, which used to serve the former Harrowsmith school, had been removed by township crews in early September.

According to Harrowsmith resident Laura Ritchie, when asked about it a member of the township roads crew said that since the school is no longer in use there is no longer a need for the crosswalk.

This led Ritchie and some other Harrowsmith residents to draft a petition asking for a new crosswalk to be established in Harrowsmith. Ritchie also sent a letter to Mayor Davison on October 4 outlining why a crosswalk is necessary.

The letter and the petition were received by Council on Tuesday night.

In the letter, Ritchie points out that both the 'new' Harrowsmith Public School (the old school closed about 20 years ago) and St. Patrick's Catholic School are located to the east of Harrowsmith and students living to the west of Road 38 still have to cross over the road to get to school each morning.

As well, Ritchie talks about the needs of other members of the community in the letter.

“The children of the community are not the only ones who must be considered. Harrowsmith has a diverse demographic and the crosswalk was used daily by many – people crossing to make their way up to the park, to frequent local businesses or the post office, or just out for a walk,” she wrote.

Ritchie added that the crosswalk, which was located near to the junction of several roads at the foot of the village, “was perhaps not in the best location” but said a suitable location should be found.

“I am requesting the crosswalk be reconsidered, reinstated, and more reinforced. This can be provided by locating the safest location for a crosswalk, ‘crosswalk signs/signals’ clearly indicating the presence of the crosswalk, crosswalk lines restored, and a public notice stating the crosswalk has been re-established, which will enhance the safety of all,” she wrote.

The News contacted South Frontenac Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth earlier in October. He said that his concern about the crosswalk came down to a legal issue. The way Road 38 is classed it is not legal to have a crosswalk located on it.

A similar issue arose in Northbrook, which is located on a provincial road (Hwy. 41) several years ago, and in that case a request for a new crosswalk ended up leading to a traffic light being constructed in Northbrook.

Even though Road 38 is a municipal road, Segsworth said the same rules apply.

The South Frontenac Public Works department has expressed concerns about driver safety at the location where the crosswalk used to be, which is where Road 38 meets Colebrooke, Ottawa, Wilton and Harrowsmith Roads.

In 2009 year a staff request for a $36,000 study into that very intersection was rejected by Council.

At the time, Mark Segsworth told Council he “had an open mind” about whether the study would recommend that a stop light being constructed at that location. He said, “The reality is that 38 is our most heavily travelled road, and this is the most dangerous spot on the road.”

Those Rubber chickens are Bouncing Back!

by Wilma Kenney

Further to Councillor McDougall’s September 6 notice of motion to reconsider the Backyard Hen decision, coun-cil agreed unanimously to defeat the original motion (which permitted up to ten hens to be kept on a lot between two and three acres in size), thus restoring the zoning bylaw to its pre-hen-debate state. McDougall’s one-page proposal has been referred to staff so they can develop an appropriate by-law and bring it back to Council for a vote. Planner Mills noted that, like any zoning bylaw amendment, this will require a public meeting.

Community Living Hopes to Relocate

Council authorized Ashley Belanger, the Recreation Coordinator,to begin negotiations with Community Living to lease space recently vacated by Kingston Literacy in the Princess Anne Building in Hartington. The non-profit organization has been in operation since 1981 in the old stone school in Hartington, providing used clothing and household goods for sale, and using the proceeds to assist families in need, as well as donating to various community organiza-tions, such as Southern Frontenac Community Services and KGH. Belanger mentioned there had been some discussion of turning the old school into a Township museum.

Change of Policy for funding of Play structures

Council agreed with Belanger’s request that they rescind their policy requiring the community to raise 50% of the cost of playground structures in municipal parks. She said that the South Frontenac Recreation Committee felt that members of the community “have been maxed out in terms of their ability to fundraise for items such as play structures.” This year’s safety inspection found two structures that had to be removed, two more needing extensive repair, and ten sites requiring protective surfacing. From now on, the Township will pay for 100% of the purchase and enhancement of all play structures which will be funded from both the operating and capital budgets.

Glendower/Bedford Hall to be fully Assessed

Belanger presented Council a letter from the Bedford Energy Efficiency Project Committee, which asked Council’s cooperation in making the hall a more environmentally safe place. This is an independent group of community members and musicians who have raised $2,000 to go toward hall im-provement. Deputy Mayor Tinlin distributed a report under lining his concerns about the deterioration of the hall, which is the only active community hall in Bedford district. Not only is there an obvious mould problem, but he also listed: leaking roof, poor quality drinking water, uneven floor, loose windows, inadequate lighting and a well inside the basement. Council agreed to defer any decisions about Bedford Hall until it has been “properly assessed, with regard to the letter of November 1.”

 

Photo: Joan and Roy Shepherd (front right) hand over the FOTMC banner to its newly appointed organizers Mary and Cliff Rines (front left) and are flanked by supporters

Long-time community supporters of the Frontenac Old Time Music Championships gathered outside the Bedford hall on Oct. 23 to officially pass on the banner to the event’s new organizers Cliff and Mary Rines. Joan and Roy Shepherd, who started the event four years ago to help financially support music programs in local schools, officially signed off at this weekend’s jam.

Community members who supported the event over the years were also invited to pose in the photo that included both the founding/outgoing and new organizers. Joan spoke of the ongoing fundraising efforts of jam attendees, who have formed a committee called the Bedford Efficient Energy Project and who over the last year have raised $2000 to upgrade the Bedford hall, which is fast deteriorating due to mold and other structural issues. The committee intends to purchase an air conditioning/heating unit to address the mold problem. The committee has the support of the Bedford District Recreation Committee who in a letter said they had “already made the decision to request that all of our budgeted funds will go towards the mold, safety and structural upgrades needed at the (Bedford) hall.”

Both Deputy Mayor Mark Tinlin and Donna Brown, chair of the Bedford District Recreation Committee, offered letters of support regarding the much-needed upgrades. Deputy Mayor Tinlin stated in a letter that he would “continue to speak out in favour of addressing the Bedford hall structural problems and will urge my fellow councilors to address this issue in planning for the 2012 township budget.”

 

 

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: Joan Shepherd, Dan Bell present Brother Brian Powley with the special FOTMC award

It was with regret that co-founder and organizer of the Frontenac Old Time Music Championships, Joan Shepherd, announced that this year’s championships, which were held at the Bedford hall on July 23 and 24, would likely be the last. Shepherd said she and her husband Roy will be stepping down as hosts and organizers due to Joan’s current health issues. “It's sad for sure since it has been a true labour of love for myself and Roy but the fact is that it is a lot of work that unfortunately I just don't have the energy for it anymore” she said.

The announcement comes as sad news for singers and instrumentalists of all ages looking to gain confidence by competing and performing in a friendly inspiring atmosphere, which Joan and her husband Roy have been fostering for years and which has been the backbone of the community event.

The championships were begun to both celebrate and encourage the tradition of old time country music in the Frontenacs, but the fact that that may be their last year did not dampen the day’s proceedings at the hall on Sunday July 24, when I attended, which attracted close to 150 avid players and listeners.

Emceed by Joan, Jan Fox and Brother Brian Powley of CFRC Radio, who this year received the Special Old Time Music Championship award for his ongoing support since the event began, the event included classes for all ages and levels in singing, guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. Again this year’s competition offered fiddle and guitar workshops by a number of talented players including Mary Kennedy, Victor Maltby and Mel McDougall.

This year’s panel of judges were Anne Banks, Bruce Wilson, Joe Saunders and Joe Barnden.

As usual, interspersed between the classes were stellar performances by a number of well-known old time music groups including the young and talented Chem Chiks and the Chicklets of the Sydenham area, Ralph and Carol McInnes, and the Bangs Family of Ottawa. When I arrived, the Bangs Family were performing and they played no less than three encores for a very enthusiastic crowd.

A Walden D550 guitar complete with a hard shell case and accessories was up for grabs and as always, all of the proceeds raised from the event go towards supporting music programs at local area schools. This year’s proceeds will go to the music program at Storrington Public School. The event has helped launch the careers of many youngsters in the community, including that of Mitchell Barker, originally of Parham, who now resides in Kingston and performs regularly at local venues there.

Other local competitors who graced the stage on Sunday were 18-year-old Tony Leduc of Maberly, back for his second year, who won second place in his singing class, and Kim Sproule of Enterprise, who took first place in the J3 banjo class.

As the final notes of the competitors reverberated through the Bedford Hall, it was indeed a sad moment for players and aficionados of old time music and though Joan gets emotional speaking of it, she said she would definitely like to pass on the baton to someone who would be willing to step up to the plate to keep the tradition going strong in the Frontenacs. She adds that in hindsight, she hopes that if the event continues on, it would take place in the spring or the fall rather than in the summer, because of the uncomfortable summer heat and also the fact that many youngsters are not able to participate in the summer months. Anyone interested in keeping the tradition alive can contact Joan Shepherd at 613-374-5477.

** PLEASE NOTE: the regular Bedford Jams that take place every other Sunday at the hall will continue on as usual. Joan’s assistant Wilhelmine Card will take the reins with the help of Judy Albertson-Murphy, who will continue assisting in the winter months.