Tammy Watson and her wife Mary, a personal support worker, moved in to their new home just south of Fernleigh in North Frontenac Township in July. One of the ‘features’ of their new property was an old metal drop which contained several licence plates.

“The first one I picked up said ‘March, ’70,’” she said. “That’s when I was born so I knew I was home.”

Watson had been a civil servant in Durham Region, in law enforcement, for 28 years. But before that, she said she’d been torn between two worlds.

“My family is from Deseronto but I went to high school in North York,” she said. “So I grew up between the two worlds of Jane and Finch and Deseronto.

“I like the country better.”

So, after vacationing in Bon Echo Park (their dog is even named Echo), they started looking around for a place in the area.

But, still needing a way to make ends meet, Watson looked back to her days in North York and a love of shop class.

“I was the first girl in North York to win the Industrial Arts Award,” she said.

And so Trillium and Maple Woods Handywoman Services was born.

“I’m by no means a licensed tradesperson,” she said. “But I have lots of tools and I know how to use them.

“And I’m pretty good with a paint brush.”

She started off in the area doing work for Fernleigh Lodge and has some gigs with other lodges as well as private homeowners, she said.

“If you don’t need a general contractor but don’t have the time, tools, or expertise, I’m the one to do it,” she said. “I’ve had a couple of callbacks, so . . .”

The back of her business card reads: “furniture assembly, minor repairs, painting, shelving installation, general maintenance, organization, seasonal property checks, yard and garden care.”

“All of the jobs I’ve ever had have been helping people fix their problems,” she said.

She said that so far, all of the local businesses have been “very supportive, it’s a great environment here.”

To contact Watson, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613-479-0425 or 905-404-5056.

By the way, she’s also a certified crochet instructor who runs workshops.

Back in the day, John Fradenburgh was part of the Toronto music scene. These days, he runs a coffee house/music store in Northbrook.

The musician in him remains strong as does his desire to play with other musicians. That’s probably why he invites a bunch of them over on the third Friday of each month (from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for a bit of a jam. Essentially everyone’s invited, whether you play or not.

“I go back a million years, playing in rock’n’roll bands in the ’60s and ’70s (such as Donnie and the Corvairs),” he said. “I was known as a drop-in drummer — anything, any style.

“I was even in a polka band.”

These days, he’s pretty much settled in on bass, but he can play most instruments.

“I got tired of lugging drums around,” he said. “And on drums, you don’t get your name in lights.

“And, you’re in the back and if you get flashed, you have to be paying attention.

“I’ve been flashed about 20 times and each time I wasn’t paying attention.”

He did spend many years in the garage business (“I’m still a licenced mechanic”), from 1976 to 1990 in Brampton and Mississauga. But he and his wife at the time bought a cottage on 41 just north of Bon Echo.

“My wife always wanted a Yarn Store so we opened up Log Cabin Yarns,” he said. “I said ‘let’s start a music store’ so we were music and yarn.

“In 2012, my wife left and I didn’t want yarn so we just started selling coffee.”

Fradenburgh is hardly a newcomer to the local music scene however. He and a group of friends started up The Old Farts and were known to play regularly in places like the old Northbrook Hotel. They also hosted an open mike there.

But, as bands do, that one sort of dissolved of natural causes and this past spring, he decided to start up monthly jams again with Spill the Beanz becoming magnetic north for such things.

“We started off with country but I’m a rocker, Johnny B. Goode,” he said. “But I’ve learned a few country tunes.”

The format at Spill the Beanz tends to be an ‘anything goes.’ There’s no house band per se, essentially just Fradenburgh on bass and whoever shows up.

“Whatever you want to play, we’ll play,” he said. “It just can’t be too loud.”

And some people drive quite a ways to sit in with Fradenburg.

Dale O’Hara came from the other side of Belleville to jam.

“At most open mikes, you get two or three songs and then you sit down,” he said. “Here, I can do 10 if I want to.

“It’s a fairly long drive but it’s worth it.”

On June 25, 2019 at 3:31 p.m. the Lennox and Addington County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of an assault at Bon Echo Park off County Rd 41 in Cloyne. 

Investigation revealed that a person was acting in an erratic manner by screaming and yelling. The person approached two other park users and threatened to hit one of them with a stick. The person followed through on the threat and was subsequently restrained by the victim's friend as well as an off-duty park warden until police arrived.  The victim received minor injuries

Police arrested 23 year old Armand Joshua GUANLAO of Scarborough for assault with a weapon contrary to the criminal code of Canada. GUANLAO will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee on July 30, 2019

As President of the Friends of Frontenac Park, Simon Smith has had occasion to attend gatherings with other park officials from the larger region and the province as a whole. He learns about other parks at those meetings.

“I think Bon Echo Park draws 5 or 6 times as many people as Frontenac Park”, he said when interviewed this week, “and I remember someone telling me that Sandbanks draws as many people on a summer weekend as we draw all year.”

Unlike the other parks, all of the campsites in Frontenac Park are hike or boat in sites, and the park draws more of a nature loving and hiking crowd than some other provincial parks.

Unlike the other parks, however, Frontenac Park is open year round, and thanks to the Friends of Frontenac, the office is staffed on weekends throughout the winter.

The Friends of Frontenac held their AGM last weekend in Kingston, and are entering their 27th year. Not only do the Friends help in the park office, members help with trail maintenance as well, and that is a pretty big job since there are well over 100 km. of trails in the park to go over periodically. The Friends also help with boardwalk improvement, and other extras in the park. The Friends also raise money for information signs and kiosks.

“We had a Vision session a few years ago and came up with a number of initiatives to raise the profile of the park and we have been working through them since then. One of the ideas was to support a Christmas Bird Count in the Park, which has happened and has been growing each of the three years it has been held. We have been working on signs, and a multi-language brochure, and each year we move forward a bit,” he said.

The Friends also organise educational events in the park throughout the spring, summer and fall, such as “Introduction to Back Country Camping”, “Wilderness Navigation”, and “National Canoe Day”.

Frontenac Park is known for its rock outcroppings, lakes and spectacular vistas because of its location within the Frontenac Axis of the Canadian Shield. One of its more key features is that most of it was at one time settled land. There are 15 historic homesteads, the Tett mine and others mines which were all located within the park’s boundaries. Chris Barber spent ten years researching that past and produced a comprehensive book, The Enduring Spirit, which is for sale at the park office. The historical past of the park is kept alive through signage along the trails, and through other means.

More recently the park is beginning to play a bigger role as a centre for citizen science. The Christmas Bird Count is a good example of this, as are other programs. Because of the park’s location on the edge of the Canadian Shield, the mix of species is very rich, and since the land enjoys a number of protections against both development and major disturbance, it is a good place to conduct science.

The Friends of Frontenac Park have also developed working relationships with other groups in the region and beyond, promoting conservation, the enjoyment of the outdoors and developing an understanding of the value of nature. Later this spring they will be hosting a meeting of the Ontario Nature Federation at the Park Centre.

And they are integrally involved in two challenges that have made Frontenac Park a destination even in the so-called shoulder seasons, when tourism drops way off. The Frontenac Challenge is to hike all of the trails in the park between Labour Day and the end of October, and the winter camping challenge is just that.

“The amazing thing is that people come from far away to participate in these challenges. They somehow hear about them, and they come,” said Simon Smith.

For more information about the Friends of Frontenac Park, go to the website Frontenacpark.ca

Diver/U of Ottawa anthropology grad student Kevin Brown didn’t pick the Mazinaw for his through-the-ice dive two weekends ago specifically because as the second deepest lake in Ontario excepting the Great Lakes (Lake Timiskaming is the deepest) the chance to set a record for the deepest under the ice dive ever was a possibility.

The biggest reason was to begin a series of dives (related to his Master’s thesis) looking for indigenous artifacts in the area.

But, since he was down there . . .

The previous world record was 72 metres (236 feet). Brown doubled that with a dive of 132 metres (434 feet).

“We decided to dive there because there was a lot of traffic in the area back in the pre-colonization days,” he said. “We didn’t find any artifacts but we decided to start at the deepest spot and we’ll move a bit to the right with subsequent dives.”

By “a bit to the right,” Brown means closer to Bon Echo Rock, where 260 pictographs attributed to First Nations artists from centuries ago can be found. The location of this dive, was a bit north and west of the rock itself.

“We don’t seek record-breaking, we seek exploration,” he said. “We weren’t really expecting to find anything but then at that depth, you can only spend about eight minutes exploring the bottom.”

What he did find was about an inch to an inch and a half of “fine, volatile silt,” he said. “It was a virgin destination that looked like landing on the moon.”

The dive itself took eight minutes for the descent and two hours for the ascent. Brown had six “emergency divers” helping but the deepest any of them got was 55 metres (180 feet).

Brown used a dual rebreather system for his dive, which he estimates cost around $30,000 US and that doesn’t include the gear for his safety divers.

“I’d like to emphasize that this was very much a team effort,” he said. “It’s like the Tour de France.

“You have a lot of team members contributing to that one guy who crosses the finish line first.

“The guys did all the work.

“I was just the guy who went down there.

“And, I’d like to mention my wife, Ayesha. She was very supportive and you need a lot of moral support for something like this.”

And speaking of going to the bottom, it’s cold down there, it’s dark and given the pressure of all that water above you, it doesn’t make for the greatest of working conditions. You don’t have the greatest manual dexterity and you move slowly.

“The pressure makes it hard to breathe and my face was swollen because of the cold water and decompression,” he said.

But fear didn’t enter into it.

“Frankly, I’m more afraid of answering reporters’ questions,” he said. “But any feelings of anxiety or anything like that was pretty much gone the night before the dive.

“You can’t let emotion enter into it - you have to focus.”

He was acutely aware that he was diving under ice however, and that’s why they drop down a line. You want to make sure you know where the hole in the ice is when you get back up. But there is one distinct advantage to an ice dive. It takes some serious gear to get down that deep and being able to load it all into the back of a few pickup trucks and driving out to the dive spot meant they didn’t need a boat big enough to haul it all as well as being able to stay in the same spot for hours.

Brown acknowledges that like the first people to climb Everest, curiosity was a big driver in this project.

“You don’t need to have a mission,” he said. “But there are still a lot of questions to be answered.”

And he plans to answer as many of them as he can. He does have some First Nations blood in him (“my great grandmother was Innu,” he said) and he very much wants to find some artifacts that might answer questions as to what life was like in the area 1,500 years ago.

To that end, he’d very much like to talk to anyone that might have some tips for him as to where to look and he’d like to make contact with First Nations groups to ensure that anything he does find is “displayed properly” with respect. Anyone who might be able to help can contact Brown through his Facebook page.

In all of its 22 years, the Bon Echo Art Exhibition has “never had bad weather,” said Betty Pearce, coordinator of the Exhibition for the Friends of Bon Echo.
Pearce said that at 40 exhibitors, this was one of the smaller shows of recent years but within their optimum range.

“We usually try for 45 but we’re generally in the 40-50 range,” she said. “We’ve found 50 or more to be a bit too crowed.”
The juried show features Canadian wildlife and/or countryside and it’s all ‘fine art,’ ie no crafts per se.

“The show itself isn’t really a fundraiser for the Friends of Bon Echo,” she said. “But the food and barbecue sales generally are.”
“It’s a cultural event,” said Katie Ohlke, who had her own work on display as well as that of some of her art students at North Addington Education Centre. “And it’s good real life experience for the students, especially if they can make a little money for materials.

“It’s one thing to make art; it’s quite another to show it to an audience.”
And, she said, it’s a good way to meet people with similar interests.

Carla Meidema has been meeting people this way for 22 years at the Exhibition. One of the original instigators, she’s only recently (five months ago) moved to Kingston but lived in Cloyne for many years. She has a BFA from Queen’s and has been an artist “all my life.”

She recalled that the Park wasn’t that keen on the original idea but when the Friends of Bon Echo got involved, it really took off.
“The exhibition has matured quite a bit from that first one,” she said. “The first year we had 23 artists and hung ropes in the trees to hang the art from.”

OPP - Impaired at Bon Echo Park
(Addington Highlands Township, ON) - In the early morning hours of July 24th (00:46am) a Warden at Bon Echo Park stopped a vehicle to check for their permit. The male driver was argumentative with the Warden and failed to identify himself. The Warden attempted to place the male under arrest for impaired operation of a motor vehicle, the male assaulted the Warden and Kaladar OPP were called to the park to assist.
The male continued to be argumentative and uncooperative with police. A female party arrived on scene and provided the identity of the driver who was found to be suspended. The male was transported to the Napanee Detachment to provide breath samples.
Travis VANESS a 37 year old male from Belleville was charged with;
• Assaulting a Peace Officer
• Resisting Arrest
• Obstructing a Peace Officer
• Impaired Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Driving while Suspended

Vaness was released on a Promise to Appear with his first appearance scheduled at the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee on August 15th, 2017.
-30-
From; Juliane Porritt Media Relations Officer Napanee OPP
Contact; 613-354-3369 ext. 6755 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you haven’t witnessed majestic Mazinaw Rock with your own eyes then you’ve missed out on one of the natural wonders of eastern Ontario.

Just 20 minutes north of Northbrook within the bounds of Bon Echo Provincial Park, the gorgeous granite cliff rises 100-metres straight out of the depths of one of the province’s deepest lakes. It’s truly an awe-inspiring sight, and one immortalized by generations of artists.

The Rock is itself an enduring canvas; at water level there are more than 260 pictographs painted in red ochre by the area’s indigenous people. These paintings, some of them believed to be more than 1,000 years old, are images of a rich cultural tradition. Park visitors can see them up close as part of the fully interpreted Wanderer tour boat ride.

But the appeal of Bon Echo extends well beyond the splendour of the Rock. With numerous trails and activities to enjoy, the park has something to offer adventurers of all ages.

For anglers, Bon Echo boasts excellent fishing opportunities, for which it earned a nod from Outdoor Canada magazine. Those new to fishing are invited to join in on the Learn To Fish program being offered by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on the weekend of Aug 5 and 6. No experience necessary and equipment is provided.

For art lovers, there’s the annual Art Exhibition and Sale, taking place this year from Fri, Jul 28 to Sun, Jul 30. With the theme “Canadian nature, wildlife and countryside,” the event will showcase original works from 40 artists and include activities for the whole family. Plus there’s the Colin Edwards Memorial Art Gallery, inside of Greystones store, that showcases local artists all season long.

For those looking for some lakeside lounging, there are three natural sandy beaches from which to enjoy a refreshing swim or just soak up the gentle sounds of the waves on the shore. Canoes and paddleboats are available for rent in the Lagoon.

Nature lovers can be on the lookout for the wide variety of wildlife that inhabits the park, including the peregrine falcons that circle Mazinaw Rock, the Blanding’s turtles and the elusive five-lined skink. The skink, Ontario’s only lizard, is being celebrated all-season long with a kids’ colouring contest (entries available at the Visitor Centre) and special events on Sun, Jul 30 and Sat, Aug 26.

Visitors who choose to stay overnight in the park can choose from a wide range of amenities, including cozy lakeside cabins, spacious yurts, RV and car-camping facilities as well as hike-in and paddle-in camp sites for those who want to explore the backcountry.

The season includes a variety of special events, including those presented by the Park’s Natural Heritage Educators and those presented by the volunteer organization the Friends of Bon Echo Park. For more information check out Ontarioparks.com/park/bonecho and Bonechofriends.ca.

Julia Garro lives just south of Tweed and is a board member of the Friends of Bon Echo Park.

Two students from North Addington Eduation Centre, Emma Fuller and Cassidy Wilson are taking an online course in environmental resource management this semester. Part of their course work includes setting up and executing an event or program. One of them, Emma Fuller, is an avid birder and came up with the idea of organizing a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) in the local area to tie in to the Audobon Societies 117th annual Christmas Bird Count.

Last year 471 bird counts were done in Canada, and over 1,900 in the United States and another 132 in Latin America. The counts are done in circles with a diameter of 24 kilometres.

The NAEC sponsored count will be centered in Bon Echo Park and will take place next Monday (December 19th) . Fuller and Wilson as well as their sponsoring teacher Beth Hasler will be aided by a Biology class, whose students will spend the day in the park identifying bird species with the help of Bird Guides that they will be carrying. Residents from the region and beyond who are interested in surveying any area within the circle, which extends to Skootamatta and Mazinaw lakes and all points within a 12 kilometre distance from the Centre of Bon Echo Park, are encouraged to call NAEC at 613-336-8991 to coordinate with the student run count. All information that is gathered will be entered into the online reporting tool that the Audobon Society has developed.

For Emma Fuller, who comes from Denbigh, the CBC fits with her growing interest in bird watching, a hobby she shares with her father, and which has brought them to far flung locations over the past year, including a trip to Presqu’ile Park, a migration hot spot on Lake Ontario near Brighton. They have also taken several trips to Wolfe Island and Amherst Island, where they have seen 36 snowy owls, bald eagles, and 5 species of hawk as well.

“The goal of the count is not only to identify birds and help build the Audobon database, but also to  broaden people’s knowledge about things you can do in outdoors,” said Fuller, who intends to apply to the biology department at Trent University this winter, hoping to eventually specialize in ornithology.

The 21st Annual Art Exhibition & Sale, which took place July 22-24, generated over $30,000 in art sales. The Friends of Bon Echo Park receive 15% to assist with the funding of programs operated in the Park. Over the three day event, 2,251 people viewed the work of 44 artists.

Every year a group of about 10 people, who are Friends of Bon Echo Park, start in September to plan and prepare for the show. During the show there are about 90 volunteers helping over the three days, many doing double shifts. This includes long-time members, who often have to sit, and now grandkids who can run, who all come to help out.