Feature Article - March 30, 2006

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Feature Article - March 30, 2006

CF Township dives into Web with InternetTechnology

byJeffGreen

According to Mayor Bill MacDonald, changes earlier this week to Central Frontenac Township ’s web site are about something more than just spring cleaning: “We’ve made some enormous advances, they’re all about supporting our community. We really focused on what our area needs online, and recognized the time was right to play a larger role. We don’t believe in being a one-dimensional township.”

As of Monday, the web site had a new look and many new features; local weather information, maps, news feeds, and something called a “webcam”. These features create ‘online infrastructure’ that has some exciting benefits, as the township’s I.T. Manager Chris Matheson explained, “For example, a snowmobile or ATV enthusiast from Kingston can quickly check our weather forecast, see a live snapshot of the trail taken by the webcam, and decide that although their local conditions are lousy, it is a perfect day to come to Central Frontenac. We really want to encourage the community to take advantage of the site.” The additional cost of these features? “Very minimal. We are able to stretch more out of technology we already have, for example the same North Frontenac Telephone DSL Connection used at our business office runs the new site.”

After so many changes, is the township ready to rest on its laurels? It can’t afford to, according to Clerk-Administrator Heather Fox. “We’ve recognized benefits of the Internet long before this redesign. In almost all of the business calls, and most of the private calls we receive, the person has the Internet available to them. Our area is so large physically, we’ve realized enormous time and cost savings by putting our information online.” The township is already looking at the next improvements to the website, possibly community hall availability, or maps of the township that can be loaded into recreational GPS units. The new site is available now at www.CentralFrontenac.com.

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Feature Article - March 9, 2006

Feature Article

March 9, 2006

FromParham toNewYork City and back again

by Jeff Green

Life on the farm can become a bit of a grind by the time mid-February rolls around, and even though a conveyer belt takes care of most of his daily barn cleaning job, Lynn Cronk was getting a bit tired of feeding the 30 or so head of cattle and 24 horses he maintains on his family farm near Parham.

So when his wife Leslie saw a Canadian Press article about a call for genuine cowboys to audition for a publicity campaign in New York City , they decided it was worth a try. And a mistake in the e-mail address in the article may have given Lynn a bit of a leg up on the competition.

“The email address didn’t work, so I phoned the office of the Whig Standard, where the article appeared, to see if they could find the right address.”

The next thing you know, Lynn ’s picture was on he cover of the Kingston daily, and the resulting publicity helped secure him a place in the campaign.

A week later, Lynn, Leslie, and their youngest daughter, Savannah , were off to New York City for three days of media events featuring a few cowboys, and a few models dressed up like cowboys. Even though the event was sponsored by the Alberta Tourist Board, there were participants from Texas , some hired models dressed up like cowboys, and Lynn Cronk from Ontario among the mix.

The publicity campaign was set up rather quickly. The Alberta Tourist Board wanted the people of New York City to know that the popular movie, Brokeback Mountain , was filmed in Southern Alberta . So they hired some cowboys and some actors and challenged New Yorkers to tell them apart.

For the Cronks it was an opportunity to live the high life in New York for a couple of days. They were greeted at the New York airport by a limousine, which whisked them to their hotel. Three days of events followed, at places like the Rockefeller Centre, Times Square , and other landmarks, attended by television, radio and newspaper reporters.

“After all that, it was nice to get back to Parham,” Leslie said.

The publicity surrounding the trip has been good for business at Eastern Cowboy Horseback Adventures, a four-year-old trail riding business that Lynn and Leslie run on their sprawling 2,500 acre farm.

They started the business after Lynn took early retirement from Corrections Canada, and the bottom fell out of the beef market. Two factors were in their favour. First, the Cronk farm had a long history with horses, being one of the last farms to keep running on horse power when Lynn was young. Second, Lynn ’s father Norm kept buying up the land surrounding his farm as neighbours grew old and left the farm.

With 24 horses, the capacity to board horses that people bring with them, and a series of lakefront cabins with corral facilities, Eastern Cowboy Horseback Adventures is attractive to a large range of trail enthusiasts, from people looking for a one hour ride, to families and horse clubs who want to ride the trails for a week.

At first the business was small, but the last two years have been very busy,” Lynn said. This year is looking to be busier than ever. “We are getting bookings for mid-April through to October,” said Leslie.

Farm families are used to struggling for markets, but tying their business to leisure activity is beginning to pay off for the Cronks. “This business is so perfect for us it’s scary,” said Leslie Cronk.

With the publicity that came from the trip to New York City , Eastern Ontario Horseback Adventures is receiving enquiries from people in the United States and beyond.

Feature Article - April 6, 2006

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Feature Article - April 6, 2006

Addington Highlands Council report

Official Plan approved Word has come down from the Province that Addington Highlands’ Official Plan has been approved. The consultant that worked on the plan is now ready to work on the Comprehensive Zoning bylaw that will give the plan some regulatory teeth. The price for consulting work on the zoning bylaw has gone up, however, from $27,000 as quoted last year to $35,000 now. Council passed a motion to ask for a reduction in price.

Time and day change for Big Bike The Lions Club of he Land O’Lakes will be hosting a Big Bike for Stroke this year on Friday Evening , May 12 at 5:30 pm. The Big bike has been a Sunday event in the past.

Business Breakfast The next business breakfast will be held at the Kaladar Community Centre on Thursday April 27, starting at 7:30 am. Cam Mather will be the guest speaker, and he will give a presentation about alternative energy.

Roads department looking for grant Last year, the roads department received a grant to help employ two students for roadside cleanup, and they are applying again in 2006.

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Feature Article - April 6, 2006

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Feature Article - April 6, 2006

Harrowsmith landmark groomed for revival

byGillianSadinsky

Anyone heading past the old Frosty Muggins building in Harrowsmith can’t help but notice the activity. Workers are swarming all over the place. A new business is obviously about to locate in the run-down but lovely old stagecoach inn.

Built in 1860 as the Albion Hotel, the 5,400 square-foot historically-listed building has had a succession of owners. In recent years, it was a bar, the most infamous being Frosty Muggins, which attracted many a reveller from miles around. It was Wycott’s for the past five years, and now the indomitable old dowager is getting out of the food and drink business entirely.

When the renovations are complete in May, the building will reopen as an equestrian store. The owner is a former financial analyst who has left the high tech world of Kanata for Harrowsmith and a change of careers.

“This building was crying for someone to love it and restore its architectural dignity,” says Heather Spencer. “I’ve had century-homes before and renovated them. I just think they are built better and have more character and charm. This place is wonderful.”

Called Harrowsmith Horse Country, the store will offer a wide variety of products, including tack, riding apparel, horse care and home furnishings for the equestrian community and those who enjoy the country lifestyle. Opening date is Saturday, May 6.

The Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation through the Eastern Ontario Development Fund provided some services to help the project along.

For more information about Harrowsmith Horse Country, contact Heather Spencer at 372-5085 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information about the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, contact Lance Gibson at 372 1414, extension 202 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation: The Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to stimulate community and economic development throughout the Frontenacs. Run by a volunteer board of directors and funded by Industry Canada , the Frontenac CFDC offers free business advice, workshops and commercial financing to entrepreneurs and those looking to start a business in the Frontenacs. The Frontenac CFDC also provides support to initiatives that are designed to stimulate economic development in the County of Frontenac , and business planning assistance to community organizations.

About the Eastern Ontario Development Fund: The Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) is a Government of Canada initiative that seeks to promote socio-economic development in rural Eastern Ontario, encourage a competitive and diversified regional economy, and contribute to the successful development of business and job opportunities and sustainable, self-reliant communities. The fund responds to a commitment made by the Government of Canada in Budget 2005 to assist economic renewal in Eastern Ontario by investing in the local economy.

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Feature Article - May 7, 2006

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Feature Article - May 7, 2006

CamMather brings energy smart message to business breakfast

by Jeff Green

Cam Mather, who is a publisher with Aztext Press of Tamworth , brought a different kind of message about economic development to the latest Addington Highlands Business Breakfast meeting.

Rather than talking about how to improve the business bottom line by increasing traffic, he talked about how to improve the bottom line by controlling energy costs.

Although groups often expect to hear about solar and wind power generation from alternative energy speakers like Cam Mather and Steve Lapp, who made a similar presentation to a group on Sydenham this past winter, the first thing Cam Mather wanted to talk about was light bulbs.

Mather presented a chart which outlined the basic economics of energy conservation. At the beginning of the chart were the items which will pay back their initial investment in the shortest amount of time and bring energy savings after that time. Although compact fluorescent bulbs are more expensive to purchase than incandescent bulbs, their energy use is much lower, so they produce savings in short order, savings that are maintained and increased over time.

The chart Mather used is out of date however, since it is based on energy costs of a few years ago. With electricity prices recently being increased, a new chart would show savings from energy efficient appliances, lighting, etc. in increasingly short amounts of time.

“A tourism business, such as a lodge or hotel that might contain hundreds of light fixtures, would be looking at tremendous savings just by switching light bulbs,” Mather said.

Cam Mather also talked about unplugging electronic appliances when they are not in use.

“All appliances should be connected to power bars, which should be shut off when the appliance is not in use. Televisions, for example, use 80% as much energy when they are shut off as when they are on, so it’s as if the TV is on 20 hours a day even if it is never turned on,” he said.

More expensive purchases, such as energy efficient large appliances, are paying off sooner and sooner, and Mather encouraged businesses to work energy costs into their business calculations when they are making business decisions about purchasing.

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Feature Article - June 8, 2006

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Feature Article - June 8, 2006

Student business plan winners

by John Inglis

The Frontenac CFDC has just chosen winners in its business plan competition. Two parallel competitions were open to all high school students, one for Sharbot Lake and North Addington , the other for Sydenham. Entries were judged by Lance Gibson, CFDC staff person, and John Inglis, board member.

The winner for the two northern schools was Marc Tooley of North Addington with a plan for "Marketing Logs and Lumber". Second place went to a team from Sharbot Lake of Kara Irwin, Duncan McGregor, Jon Stencell and Kelly Weatherby with their plan for a food concession "The Dog House”.

At Sydenham High School , first place went to Cydney Taylor for her baking school plan, "The Cookie Rookie". We had a difficult time choosing among the 11 remaining entries for a clear second place, but eventually decided on Brooke Bowes' "Cottage Clean-Out".

First place winners get a Dell notebook computer, while second place receives an iPod Nano. The Board and staff at the Frontenac CFDC are very pleased with the number of entries received from the three schools this year; a total of 19, compared to just 2 last year, which was our first year.

The business plan competition is just one segment of Frontenac CFDC's Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative. One of our organizations central mandates is to try to retain young people in the rural and village areas. We've chosen to address this issue by encouraging students to consider starting their own businesses, while at the same time getting all the training and education possible. Overall, the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative consists of:

(a) a local business-person guest speaker brought to each school

(b) an in-school business planning seminar (with pizza on us)

(c) the business plan competition

(d) a mentoring plan for any student who starts a business and wants some help

We'd like to thank all students who submitted entries. There was a lot of imagination in the business ideas. Many of the plans which didn't get a prize will likely lead to future work for their authors.

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Feature Article - June 8, 2006

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Feature Article - June 8, 2006

Just Plain Bill is anything but

Book review by JeffGreen

The portrait that emerges from Just Plain Bill, the highly readable autobiography of Bill Robertson, a 78-year-old resident of 13 Island Lake, is of an ambitious, hard working man, prone to schemes and a bit of mischief; a man who has led anything but an ordinary life. The book also illustrates the remarkable changes that have taken place in the past 75 years in this part of the world.

In describing life during the depression, which was the decade of Bill Robertson’s youth, he paints a picture of the impoverished environment in rural Ontario at that time. For example, schoolchildren did not customarily wear shoes in those days, until the weather became too cold to go without.

“I remember one day going to school,” Robertson writes, “there was a light frost on the pasture. We were still barefoot, as were all the other kids in the school. We walked on the warmer gravel but still got cold feet. There were pastures along the way and most had cattle grazing along the road just over the fence. Someone got the bright idea that if we wanted to warm our feet, we should just watch where the cattle are, and, when we saw a fresh cow flop with the steam coming off it, we should take advantage of the heat. After that, whenever we saw a fresh cow flop, we would race to see who could get into it first. Believe me it sure did warm the feet for a little while. By the time we got to school, all the mess was gone from our feet from walking in the wet grass.”

Bill Robertson started working in the telegraph office in Lindsay when he was 13, and this led him to a career as a railroad dispatcher. Although he was too young to fight in World War II, it nonetheless had an impact on his family. Bill’s older brother Frank spent five years overseas, and returned a changed man. (Frank Robertson eventually died of cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 48).

Bill was transferred by the railroad throughout Eastern Ontario during the 1950’s, and brought his wife Marion and a growing family with him from station to station. He spent time at Glen Tay, and formed a country band there, that put on dances at the Maberly Hall and elsewhere.

In 1958 he was moved to the station at Sharbot Lake . While in Sharbot Lake , Bill purchased the local shoe store from Herb Duffy. As became a pattern, his wife Marion was sceptical of the venture. “What do we know about selling shoes?” she asked him.”

“We could learn,” he told her. Marion ended up managing the shoe store for seven years. Always in search of another venture, Bill began raising rabbits for meat in a shed that had been abandoned by the CP, although the rabbit business did not work out for him.

Eventually, the Robertsons moved to Kingston , where Bill worked out of the train office on Ontario Street , now a tourist information booth. For a short while he actually operated a still in the attic of the building.

In Kingston , there were many business opportunities available, which Bill pursued while continuing with his railroad employment. Bill was quite successful at some of them, including the trucking business (he founded CDS trucking), and the car wash business in Kingston . He was unsuccessful at others, including the car wash business in Gananoque, but his most spectacular failure came in the seashell crafts business, which was called the “Shell Shack”.

It was traumatic for Bill at the time, but it makes interesting reading now. Bill’s recounts how a commission salesman talked him into buying a van sight unseen and filling it to the brim with shell products. The man drove off with the full van, and never returned. A few years later, Bill and his family visited a large flea market in Ajax , and found the same man running a booth selling the seashell products.

“Just Plain Bill” doesn’t talk only about business ventures: he includes anecdotes about near disasters and accounts of the trials and tribulations of family life.

A picture of Bill Robertson as a colourful man on the make, in a period of change, emerges. Although Bill is not a professional writer, the book he has written is compelling, keeping the reader turning the pages to find out what kind of mischief Bill Robertson will get up to next.

“Just Plain Bill” will have its launch at Topper’s Convenience Store in Verona between 1 and 4 pm on Saturday, June 10th. It will be available for sale at the following locations: Sydenham Pharmacy; Toppers Convenience Store, Verona ; McGowan’s Shell, Godfrey; Sharbot Lake Pharmacy; Fall River Country Store, Maberly; Valley Book Shop, Perth ; Smiths Falls Railway Museum ; and The Village Green, Westport .

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Feature Article - June 1, 2006

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Feature Article - June 1, 2006

Entrepreneurs of theYear

by JeffGreen

Three newer businesses in Addington Highlands will be honoured by the Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Community Futures Development Corporation (PELA CFDC) at a luncheon in Napanee on June 6.

Rob and Vennessa Lemke (Lemke Electric) won the Entrepreneur of the Year award for Prince Edward and Lennox and Addington, with Grace Edwards (Lausha Lady), and Tara Shiner (Cheques and Balances) being two of three runners-up.

Rob Lemke worked as an apprentice at Ronfeld Electric in Northbrook , eventually getting his electrician’s certificate. He was working at the Darlington Nuclear plant in 2004 when the idea of setting up his own business started developing.

Rob took advantage of the Self-Employment Benefits Program and took a six-week self-employment course, which were both delivered by the PELA-CFDC, and in November of 2004, Lemke Electric opened for business.

Since then Rob and Vennessa Lemke have been busy servicing residential and commercial clients in Addington Highlands, North Frontenac and further a-field, doing jobs in Tweed and Sharbot Lake as well. Business has been so good that Rob has been working 15-hour days on occasion. Vennessa has been juggling the care of their two young children with running the business office, and helping Rob on jobs.

Once they see how this summer goes, Rob might be looking at hiring an extra hand.

The success of Lemke Electric bodes well for the local region, demonstrating that the real estate and building booms have made it is possible for people to work hard and build a family business in the Land o’ Lakes.

Grace Edwards The Lauscha Lady. Grace Edwards became enthralled with beads several years ago and started up Beads by Chance, selling her work at craft shows and bead shows and over the internet.

She was nominated for entrepreneur of the year for an offshoot of her original business, the importing of high- quality Lauscha glass beads. Through her website, lauschalady.com, Grace is able to provide a range of coloured glass beads to customers across the country, building on the solid base of her Beads by Chance business.

Tara Shiner Cheques and Balances: For the small business community, keeping up with bookkeeping needs is a constant hassle, and Tara Shiner has made a business out of taking this task out of the hands of business people, while assuring that they maintain a handle on where their business is headed. As an experienced practitioner of many types of accounting, Tara Shiner has been able to adapt her services to the needs of her clientele, and in her first year of business has already established a reputation for service, exceeding her own projected profitability margins.

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Feature Article - July 13, 2006

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Feature Article - July 13, 2006

Ball Outdoor Sales reborn as LD Powersports

by Jeff Green

Lloyd Lee and Doug Brown have had a long five months.

In February the two men found that they were second in the line up of creditors when Ball Outdoor Sales, the company they ran together for 12 years before selling it in 2004, was going bankrupt. There were barely enough assets to pay off the number one creditor, the Bank of Montreal. Lloyd and Doug came to a short term agreement with the bank to act as trustees in order to try and salvage what they could and maintain a Powersport dealership and service business in Godfrey.

After five months of hard work, it seems they have done just that. A little over a week ago, L.D. Powerports became a registered company (it will take a while for a new sign to go up in front of the store). Lloyd and Doug have negotiated agreements with all of their historic suppliers, such as Lund Boats and Husquvarna and Stihl chainsaws. An agreement with Arctic Cat is almost completed, and by the end of July when the 2007 Arctic Cat line is formally introduced, there will be new Arctic Cats available at L. and D. Powersports.

Lloyd and Doug were looking a little tired at the store when interviewed by the News this week. They have worked hard to restart the business that they built over 12 years.

“The money that we were owed is lost,” Doug said with a resigned smile, “but we have cleared a lot of bureaucratic hurdles and are moving forward.”

“We couldn’t have made it this far,” said Lloyd Lee, “without the support of the community. From the start, people kept calling and saying how they wanted us to carry on, how important this business is for the area.”

Although several employees had to be laid off, the remaining staff were rock solid in staying with the business, according to Lloyd Lee.

“We guaranteed them their wages,” said Lee, “but we couldn’t guarantee them their jobs because we didn’t know what was going to happen. But they stuck with us, and without them we couldn’t have continued.”

The business never closed, although hours have been scaled back somewhat. It is open from 8-5 Monday to Friday, and 8-12 on Saturday.

Other local retailers have also been very helpful.

“When we couldn’t buy product from wholesalers because we no longer had agreements in place, Canadian Small Engines, Ward’s Marine, Loughborough Lake Marina , all came through for us, and Nowell Motors supplied us with Arctic Cat parts.” said Doug Brown.

The two men opened up an outdoor wood furnace business last year, The Furnace Broker, which has been run out of Verona . Now that they are both back working in Godfrey, The Furnace Broker has been moved to the L. and D. Powersports location as well.

For anyone in the market for a boat, a snowmobile, an ATV or a chainsaw, or for small engine repairs, L. and D. Powersports promises to provide a variety of service for many years to come.

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Feature Article - October 5, 2006

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Feature Article - October 5, 2006

Frontenac CRDCAGM

About 50 people attended the 4th AGM of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation (FCFDC) at the Verona Lions Hall early on the morning of September 19. Over a sumptuous breakfast, they conducted the formal business of an AGM, and learned about the corporation’s activities in the previous year. The three staff members are Anne Prichard, executive director, Lance Gibson, business development officer, and Sue Theriault, administrative assistant. Since its inception four years ago, the FCFDC has made more than a million dollars worth of loans to local businesses, $460,000 in the past year alone. It has also distributed many grants and sponsored various events and programs to assist business and economic growth in its target area (all of Frontenac County except for the city of Kingston ).

Guest speakers at the meeting were Terry Shea from the Land o’ Lakes Tourist Association, and Heather Spencer of Harrowsmith. Heather has been a recipient of a FCFDC loan, and described how it has assisted her in the development of her unique business. Two new directors were elected to the board, and a special thanks was given to Ryan Seeds, who is stepping down from the board this year. Ryan was very instrumental in the development of the FCFDC, and up until now has served as the board chair.

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