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At its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon in Flinton, Addington Highlands Council passed a resolution to respond to Lennox & Addington County’s request regarding the upper tier’s involvement in physician recruitment in time for the County’s budget deliberations.

“Henry (Reeve Hogg) and I met with our Family Health Team for feedback,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “The main points were that they do currently have an attractive vacancy for another doctor.

“It would be very easy for a physician to slide into as it doesn’t require any approvals and the Team has all the administrative support functions like HR and scheduling.

“Plus, we have an initiative with North Frontenac that would make it financially attractive.”

But, he said, there is the “rural factor” in that some doctors don’t want to practise in the country, especially when there’s talk of a “satellite” operation in the sparsely populated north of the township.

“And when I was on County Council and this came up, housing was brought up as an issue,” said Coun. Helen Yanch.

“Often potential employment for a spouse is a factor too,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

Newsletter

Council approved the content of its newsletter to be included in the tax bills, adding information about the Denbigh Community Food Bank and the Land O’Lakes Community Services Food Bank.

Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington

Bob Childs, executive director of the Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington addressed Council to give them an idea of what his organization does in Addington Highlands.

“We’ve just produced a booklet called Vital Signs that is a report on the quality of life to share information with the public,” he said.

Childs said that they are a registered charity that this year will provide $125,000 in the area — half in bursaries and scholarships and half in community grants and endowments.

For example, their two biggest recipients last year were the Cloyne and District Historical Society and the Mazinaw Fund.

He said two of their most generous contributors are in Addington Highlands.

Seedlings

Council approved the purchase of 100 seedlings from the Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council to be planted on Township-owned lands.

“I think it’s a good idea, but you need somebody to get it done,” said Coun. Helen Yanch.

“Well, it’s not like we’d be ordering 5,000 trees,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “We can probably get community groups to plant them.”

Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie suggested that at least half the trees planted should be hardwoods to be planted at ball fields and parks for shade.

“Pines aren’t very good for shade,” he said.

Council decided on 50 evergreens at $0.85 each and 50 deciduous shade trees at $1.50 each.

Not, not quiet for roads crew

“I don’t want to say it’s not quiet but it has not not been quiet,” Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie told Council. “The guys have been going full bore.”

Reavie also told Council he’s completed a draft of the roads needs study.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS

Presumably, having the Duke of Sussex speak at one of their meetings after he moves his family to Canada was just Carolyn McCulloch joking around, but don’t put it past the Cloyne and District Historical Society.

“We’ll tell him to bring Meghan and Archie,” she said at the Society’s first meeting of 2020 last Monday in Cloyne.

The Society has been well known for inviting interesting and engaging guest speakers to its meetings and it looks like that’s a tradition it intends to continue as this meeting’s focus was what it plans to do in the coming year.

As an organization, it’s in good shape financially as Treasurer Ian Brumell reported a bank account with $4,900 in it, reserves of $4,800 and $95,000 in an ‘endowment fund.’

“We should have enough interest for one summer student,” he said.

But even so, they’ve applied to Young Canada Works for three summer students.

While the summer students are primarily employed at the Cloyne Pioneer Museum, they also help out with a variety of events and duties.

And speaking of the Museum, the Society is actively engaged in finding a replacement for volunteer Curator Margaret Axford, who retired last summer after 20 years in the position.

Just exactly what 2020 will look like for the organization has yet to be determined but that should firm up after the Feb. 17 meeting that they’re calling a strategic planning meeting with a Queens’ University professor coming to act as facilitator.

“It will be about where we want to go in the future, what people’s talents are and what would you be prepared to do,” said President Shirley Sedore. “And summer’s coming up so we’re looking for someone to look after the flower boxes.”

In all likelihood, there will be more bus trips like the one last November to the South Frontenac Museum in Hartington, a calendar, guest speakers and a return of “bring a thing and tell a tale.” There could also be courses on archiving and how to operate a metal detector.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS

Addington Highlands Council reserved approval for fee waivers and grant requests until the budget is discussed later in the year at its regular meeting Tuesday in Flinton. And that’s likely to be the procedure for all such requests in the future.

The first request was for a waiver of rental fees was from Rob Heyman to hold a wild game dinner at the Flinton Hall to help pay expenses for his youth group to go to a youth convention.

The second request was from the Cloyne and District Historical Society for $500 to help preserve their archives.

While it’s likely both requests will be approved, (“we’ve waived these kinds of things before,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch) CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said she’d like to put all these requests along with departmental budgets together just before the actual budget process in something of a departure of how they’ve done things in the past.

“Traditionally, we’ve brought every little bit to Council piece by piece,” Reed said. “So, we’re proposing staff put all the requests together and present them all at one time so we can see the impact of all the requests.

“I’ll add it all together first.”

She said that a big part of their budget is the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department so its budget will have a big impact on the Township budget.

“There are no big ticket items on this year’s budget like the new truck last year,” said newly appointed Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department Board chair Coun. Kirby Thompson.

Reed said the Township budget needs to be passed by the first meeting in May according to the Township’s procedural bylaw.

 

• • •

Under new business brought forth by Coun. Helen Yanch, Council increased the fee paid to trappers for trapping nuisance beavers to $75 from $50, effective Jan. 1.

 

• • •

They’re be one more draft of the Township newsletter before it goes out in the tax bills.

“We’ve never had the information on dog tags before,” said CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed. “And there’s still a little bit of space left.”

Reeve Henry Hogg suggested putting in office hours for the CBO/Facilities Manager.

“He does have a pamphlet of his own with that on it,” said Reed. “And the office is open whether he’s there or not.

“He’s in the office more than most we’ve had but he does take the job of facilities manager quite seriously so if there’s something needs doing, he’s often out doing it.

“But we can put the office hours in there if you wish.”

 

• • •

Reed also apologized for the state of the rink in Flinton but offered this by way of explanation: “It’s a struggle maintaining ice on an outdoor facility without a compressor when the temperature goes above freezing.

“The fact that we had ice for the Christmas holidays is remarkable to me and we’re hoping for colder weather so we can make up the ground we’ve lost.”

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
Wednesday, 04 December 2019 10:15

Cloyne Pioneer Museum Seeks New Curator

Established in 1983, the Cloyne Pioneer Museum is seeking a new Curator. The Museum is operated by the not-for-profit Cloyne and District Historical Society. The Society's catchment area is the Highway 41 corridor from Kaladar in the south to Denbigh and Griffith in the north, as well as Flinton to the west and Harlowe to the east. Museum collections, both in artifacts and documents, reflect the history of this area beginning from settlement times in the 1850s, with emphasis on such themes as settlement and pioneer life, mining, logging, tourism and the building of the Addington Road. 

The Museum is open mid-June until Labour Day and receives over 1,000 visitors during the summer. Students are employed throughout the summer to ensure the Museum is well staffed to receive visitors. 

Margaret Axford has been serving as volunteer Curator for the past 20 years and is retiring from the position. The Curator liaises between the volunteer Board of Directors, students, membership and visitors.  Exhibit maintenance, receiving photos, documents and articles for display as well as archiving are part of the Curator's duties.

 

If you wish to be a vital part of preserving our local history please apply to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613-336-2203 for more information.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS

Last Monday marked a milestone of sorts for the South Frontenac Museum in Hartington. It was the first time the museum hosted a visiting historical society for a talk on two of the museum’s most prominent collections and displays — the 146th “Overseas” Battalion and First World War Nurses.

The visitors on this day were the Cloyne and District Historical Society and about a dozen of them made the trek south to hear what former Canadian Army Sgt. Doug Lovegrove and his wife Debbie had to say.

“We like to support other historical societies,” said Red Skipper of the Cloyne group. “We go to a lot of museums.”

“We’ve even been to the NORAD mountain,” said Gordon McCulloch. “It covers two football fields.”

The visitors weren’t disappointed as the Lovegroves laid out the history of WWI soldiers in Frontenac County.

“One thousand and two men joined the 146th,” Doug said. “Of that 561 men went overseas and 127 were killed in action.

“There were 39 officers of which 26 went overseas and two were killed in action.”

He said that of the 55 battles Canadians were involved in, the 146th was in 41 of them.

He then went on to detail the recruiting process in the area.

“The recruiters came up from Kingston to Harrowsmith and took the stage to Sydenham,” he said. “They recruited five men there.

“They did a lot better in Verona where they recruited 53.”

He said a lot of the recruits were farmers, who made about 50 cents a day. Since the army paid $1 a day plus 10 cents in overseas allowance and provided $20 a month for families, it was a fairly easy sell.

“A recruit had to be taller than 5 feet, 3 inches tall and be between 18 and 38, (although he could not be sent overseas until age 19),” he said. “In August of 1918, the Military Service Act changed enlistment ages to between the ages of 20 and 45.”

Lovegrove said that in his researching the 146th, he came across some rather interesting information about Canadian nurses in WWI but since there was so much to be researched with the 146th, he couldn’t do it justice. So, he turned the nurses section over to his wife Debbie, herself a M/Cpl CD1 (ret).

“There were 2,845 nurses enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps,” she said. “A nurse was commissioned as a lieutenant and a matron as a captain.

“And they received the same pay as their male counterparts.”

She said 1,886 of those served overseas and 62 were killed in action.

She said the work in field hospitals and convalescent homes was traumatic, with lice and rats everywhere.

“But it also gave the nurses who went overseas a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment at a time when women’s roles were firmly planted in the domestic sphere,” she said. “They made significant and very public contributions to the war effort.”

One of the most interesting statistics she presented was the stature of some of these nurses.

“The smallest was 4 feet tall, 120 pounds,” she said. “The lightest was 5’4”, 89 pounds; the tallest was 5’11’’ and 130 pounds and the heaviest was 5’5 ½ ” and 220 pounds.”

Published in SOUTH FRONTENAC

Based on preliminary cost estimates, anticipated revenues and assumed contributions, a five-unit seniors apartment building (four one-bedroom, one two-bedroom plus amenity space) would be viable, Ken Foulds of Re-Fact Consulting told North Frontenac Council at its regular meeting last Friday in Plevna.

Under the suggested model, the total costs would be around $1.4 million, of which about $330,000 would come from Frontenac County, about $300,000 from the Province’s Affordable Housing Program and about $450,000 from the township, some of which presumably could be in the form of development fees.

“We looked at six municipally owned sites, three in Cloyne and three in Plevna and got it down to one in Cloyne and one in Plevna,” he said. “There’s certainly a viable business case.

He said rent on a one-bedroom would be around $660 per month, which he said was 80 per cent of the going market rate, based on landlord surveys.

“My biggest concern is fining seniors to fill them,” said Coun. John Inglis. “I know Central (Frontenac Township) has had some problems.

“Is there a case for say two units?”

“There would be less borrowing costs but there would still be upfront costs,” Foulds said. “You’re looking at $200/square foot construction costs.”

“When the survey was done, the highest number of respondents came from Cloyne,” said Coun. Vernon Hermer. “How would the rest of Wards 2 and 3 feel about living in Cloyne?”

“I find this quite doable but the big question is still going to be 5, 4, 3 units,” said Inglis.

Mayor Ron Higgins suggested Council digest the information before bringing it back for discussion.

“Do as much as you can when you can,” said Foulds. “It takes a lot to get a project built and if you build three and want to add on, you’ll have to go through the process again.”

“Another survey?” said Hermer.

“The survey suggested people wanted in-home services,” said Inglis. “The County said ‘no’ so it’s time to give up that fight and time to get the $300,000.”

Council also heard a presentation from JP Melville Non-profit Business & Project Management on the Abbeyfield Canada Seniors Housing Model.

 

 

Storage unit

Council approved a request from the Cloyne and District Historical Society to build storage shed at the Pioneer Museum.

“I can’t see any reason not to, we own the land,” said Coun. John Inglis. “Thanks for asking.”

 

Efficiency study

Council approved an “efficiency study” at the request of Mayor Ron Higgins.

“I don’t see that we’re going to see a lot of savings,” said Coun. John Inglis. “I don’t object to spending $5,000 on it but I don’t have very high expectations.”

“It’s something we’re going to have to document for the Province at some point,” said Higgins.

 

Planned outage

A planned power outage happened at the meeting right on schedule at 11:30 a.m..

Council continued on, something that wasn’t surprising given the extensive amount of experience they’ve had working in the dark.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
Wednesday, 07 March 2018 11:55

The end of the line for the Kaladar Hotel

It has been years since the Kaladar Hotel closed down, and for quite a long time before it closed, it was a struggle to remain open in a changing tourist region. It has also been a few years since the Ministry of Transportation purchased the property with the intention of tearing down the hotel and using the adjacent land as part of a planned redesign of the Hwy7/Hwy. 41 junction. The highway work is still pending, but this week the building was demolished.

The storied history of the Kaladar Hotel will be the subject of a meeting of the Cloyne and District Historical Society on May 19 at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne, starting at 1pm.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
Wednesday, 10 May 2017 11:27

Old stuff, collector's items and laughter

The third Monday of April just happened to coincide with Easter Monday this spring. Not being certain of how many members or guests might attend our monthly meeting,  we planned a program of general interest. "Bring an Item and Tell a Tale" was a hit.  Some of the more interesting items included the following:

A tiny safety razor in its own leather case that would have been issued to military. It was made small to fit into a soldier's breast pocket.

A Victory Bell said to be made from the metal of a downed WWII German fighter plane and embossed with the faces of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.

A five year diary from the early 1940's with writing ever so small and written in real ink! Each page was full to the edges with births, deaths, events and activities.

A wooden coffee grinder that was once used exclusively as a pepper mill.

A radiator cap from an old Buick, complete with it's own built in thermometer, dating to a time before automobiles were built with a heat gauge.

An original copy of "Mary Melville, Psychic" , a story about her sister, written by Flora MacDonald with a notation, in Flora's own hand.

Pioneer hair curlers(strips of rags). Women once used these to create curls or ringlets in their hair for special occasions.

A collector's issue of "Susannah, A Little Girl with the Mounties", written by Muriel Denison. We have a full collection of the Susannah books in the Pioneer Museum.

Another interesting book about the road building in this area and the homesteading it created, called "Footpaths to Freeways."

A fascinating pair of handmade snowshoe miniatures made exactly to scale from thread and preserved with layers of varnish, the only pair in existence.

A geologist's rock hammer, used locally in early mining sites to chip out rock samples. In today's terms, its weight and pointed end make it quite the weapon!

The most giggles of the presentations were generated by a complex unit of electrodes, from 1925, complete with instruction manual and professing to cure headaches, toothaches, intestinal issues, sore feet and every ailment you might imagine. Just change the attachment, plug it in and apply to affected area, with supposedly guaranteed results!

Our next meeting will be on Monday May 15 at 1:00p.m. at the Cloyne Hall. More information on our website www.cloynepioneermuseum.ca. Be sure to come and learn details of our annual gigantic yard sale. The Museum and Archives will be open for business for another season on June 24. That's also the date for a Sesquicentennial celebration at the park in Cloyne, right beside the museum. This is a special day, designed to celebrate Canada's birthday but also the revitalization of the park, complete with entertainment and food! There will be more information on posters and ads coming to you very soon!

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
Thursday, 15 September 2016 00:19

Cloyne Pioneer Museum and Archives

Have You Ever …

Cut up a log into firewood with a hand saw?

Then split it up with an axe?

Harvested a field of grain with a scythe and pitchfork

Carried it wrapped in jute bags sewn to create a large blanket?

Chopped fodder for cattle with a hand-held curved blade

Fed and watered livestock from hand-carved wooden troughs?

Scrubbed clothes on a metal or glass washboard

Pressed them with irons heated on a wood stove top?

This was the life of early settlers. It's hard to imagine that a house could be built of logs, roofed with hand made wooden shingles, boards hand cut and hand planed. Furniture and most necessities started with a tree and were created with function foremost. The Pioneer Museum has an extensive display of various tools and equipment to help visitors relive the early days. Many of them are made of wood. One display item that constantly amazes everyone is a homemade, portable forge that was donated by the family of Cecil and Helen Snider in memory of Cecil's father, Zara James Snider. In the early 1900s Zara Snider was a blacksmith in the Glenfield-Vennachar area. When the road to Denbigh was being built in the 1930s he diligently built a forge to fit into his wagon, hitched up a team of horses and followed the road building crew. He moved with them, repairing and making metal tools, blades and brackets for their equipment as items wore out and broke down. This might possibly be the first mobile forge.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
Friday, 02 September 2016 14:23

The Cloyne Pioneer Museum and Archives

Inspired by Carol Morrow, the historical society has produced a window into local history in the form of a calendar each year since 2004. This one features contributions by men of the area. An example is the story of George Salmond, born in 1884 on the property that became Salmond's Resort on Mississagogon Lake. You'll read about moving his house from the Big Dipper Mine and marvel at this accomplishment using primitive technology. Back issues of calendars are archived in the museum and we are sometimes asked for a photocopy of a picture, or story. Much research has been done on historical businesses, people, places, schools and roads; just one more source of information for future generations.

Published in ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS
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With the participation of the Government of Canada