Back to HomeFeature Article - May 7, 2009 BL Outdoor Centre celebrates 10th AnniversaryBy Jeff Green

Allison, Bob, Helen and Don Yearwood.

When Bishop Lake Outdoor Centre celebrates its 10th anniversary this weekend, the Yearwood family, Don and Helen, and their son Bob and his wife Allison, will also be marking family history at Bishop's Lake that goes back over 100 years.

The BL outdoor store is one of several related businesses that are run by the Yearwoods on the family property, a 96-acre parcel of land that entirely surrounds Bishop Lake.

Bishop Lake is spring fed and flows into Story Lake through Bishop Creek. The lake is one of a very few deeded lakes in all of Canada. The Yearwoods own all of the land surrounding it; there are no township right of ways to the lake, and the Yearwoods own the land underneath the lake as well. Only the water is a Crown asset, and Don Yearwood jokingly offers to forego charging the province for water storage if they are willing to forego his property tax bill.

When the Yearwoods purchased the property, which had originally been run as a farm, from “Uncle Clarence” Bishop in 1986, they didn't really know what they were going to do with it but they knew they wanted to live in the country.

Bob Yearwood had been living on the property before it was purchased. He had been helping to take care of his great uncle, who was quite elderly by that time. In 1987, Bob's father Don took early retirement from his job as a police inspector in Belleville, and Don and his wife Helen moved up to Bishop's Lake, where they had spent summer vacations for years.

They opened a trailer park on the lake soon after, and even though it was not yet a requirement at the time they invested in a communal septic system for the entire 75-unit trailer park in order to protect Bishop's Lake.

Supplying propane and laundry facilities to the public flowed from owning the trailer park, but by the late 1990's it was time to find a new business so that Bob, who by then was married to Allison, would be able to make a year-round living on the property.

Since everyone in the family enjoys hunting and fishing, opening the BL Outdoor store was a natural.

“The business has been good right from the start,” said Bob Yearwood in an interview last week, “and it has just gone up and up and up”.

Part of the reason for BL Outdoor Centre’s success is the year-round nature of the business. Spring sales were helped out by the spring bear hunt for the first couple of years before it was ended, but in the last year or two the spring turkey hunt has kick-started the business in early May. It is followed by summer fishing and fall hunting seasons, and the new black powder muzzle loader season has been an added bonus.

“We are pretty busy now from the 1st of May right up until Christmas,” said Bob Yearwood.

The support of local sportsmen, which BL Outdoor has enjoyed from the start, has been the bedrock of their business, and the box store phenomena in major centres has been more of a benefit than a hindrance for them.

While the house-wares sections of new Canadian Tire stores have grown, hunting equipment, rifles, even ammunition are less and less available.

The expertise offered at BL is something that is not easy to find elsewhere, and this brings customers in from as far away as Toronto and Pembroke.

Location helps as well.

“Being just south of Road 506 is good for us, because people come from the lakes on 506 as well as from Mazinaw and the other lakes on Hwy. 41. Hwy. 41 is a busy road, and it has been good for all of the businesses on it,” says Bob.

It wasn't always like that. When George and Hester Bishop bought their property in 1907 it was pretty much a backwoods farm. Their son Clarence and his wife Ruby used to sit on the front porch facing Hwy. 41 on Sunday afternoons.

“Clarence and Ruby used to count cars on summer Sunday afternoons,” recalls Helen Yearwood, who had no idea when she was a girl that she would end up living on Bishop's Lake. “You'd go crazy counting cars on a Sunday these days; they never stop”.

The Yearwoods actually have little chance to count cars any day of the week, except perhaps in February. In addition to the store, there is a laundromat to run; the trailer park is at capacity and has a waiting list, and a four-unit motel was opened a few years ago.

There will be events to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the store on Saturday May 9, including $10 propane refills and special pricing on many items.

Back to HomeFeature Article - May 7, 2009 Addington Highlands CouncilBy Jeff Green

AH flat lines budget, hopes to avoid borrowing if grants come through

Thanks to an increase in provincial transfers through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF), Addington Highlands Township will be levying the same amount of money, about $1.7 million, from its ratepayers as it did last year.

The tax burden will be shared out differently, however, as the result of property reassessment that was done last year.

The tax rate is down by about 5%, but most ratepayers saw at least some increase in their assessment, which is being phased in over four years.

In general, waterfront ratepayers saw greater increases, and the inexorable shift of the tax burden in that direction will continue over the next four years.

The township has enough money set aside to cover most of its share of costs should it receive any or all of the infrastructure grants that council applied for on May 1, all of which require the township to pay 1/3 of the cost of construction

The township has applied for a $1.5 million upgrade to the Matawatchan Road, and has money available to cover the township’s estimated 2009 portion of that project’s costs.

Money has also been set aside for the township garage upgrade in Denbigh and a new fire hall in Northbrook, which were also included in grant applications. Since all of the projects would not have to be completed until March 2011 if the grants come through, money could be raised for them in the 2010 budget if required.

Treasurer Jack Pauhl said, “The fire hall could require some borrowing, at some point, but not in 2009”.

The 2009 budget includes money for a new grader for the roads department, which will be purchased once the budget receives final approval on May 18. Two companies, Volvo and John Deere, have provided the roads department with demonstrator models that are being tested this week.

One final addition to the budget was approved at Monday’s council meeting (May 4), a one-time $5,000 contribution to the library reserve fund. The library also received a $5,000 increase in operating funds this year, to around $25,000.

Recycling meeting – A number of councilors will be traveling to Renfrew next week for a meeting about a contemplated purchase of a recycling facility there. A number of townships, including North Frontenac, are looking at a joint venture, which could solve some of their collective recycling woes.

Business Breakfast – On May 20, the AHEAD committee will be holding their spring business breakfast at Addison's restaurant on Hwy. 41 south of Northbrook. Guest speakers from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) will speak on the subject of “How business can survive in tough economic times”.

The event runs from 8:00 until 9:30 at a cost of $6. Interested parties, including business people from the Frontenac side of the Hwy. 41 corridor, should call Larry Pealow for more details or to reserve a spot - 336-2522. The breakfast is limited to 40 participants. 

Back to HomeFeature Article - April 23, 2009 A new business is blooming in Harrowsmithby Julie Druker

Robin and Shawn Closs at their temporary greenhouse in Harrowsmith

Shawn Closs returned to Harrowsmith, his home town, after 30 years away and brought along his wife of 19 years, Robin. The couple also brought with them their love of growing and selling plants, flowers and vegetables.

Together they purchased a 3.7 acre parcel of land on the west side of Road 38 just south of Nellie’s Gas Bar, the OLCO station in Harrowsmith, and, according to Robin, as of April 21, it will be a done deal.

They plan to have their new undertaking, “Blooms and Blossoms”, open for business no later than the May 24 long weekend. The business will eventually have a retail store, greenhouses, and a garden depot. Products for sale will include organically grown plants, herbs and vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and various garden tools and accessories. Various types of garden fill such as sand, gravel, soil, mulch and compost will be available for purchase.

They have grown many of their products themselves; 90% are grown from seed and 10% from cuttings.

Robin also plans to have a "Do It Yourself" area on site where customers can get creative and assemble plants they’ve purchased either into own pots or purchased pots.

At the site construction work has already begun. Vehicles are leveling the driveway. Sod has been removed on a large tract of land to make room for the greenhouses. There will be five greenhouses in total that together will cover roughly 11,000 square feet.

The land was purchased form Larry and Kevin Redden of Larkin Farms. A well has been dug and the Closses are hoping to begin erecting the greenhouses soon after April 21. They had a similar type of business in Stettler, Alberta, for eight years prior to their move back to Harrowsmith and according to them it began originally as a hobby.

Shawn explained, “We had no desire at all to sell flowers. We bought a greenhouse for ourselves. The first year we sold 1500 flowers when we had no desire to sell one. Seven years later we were up to 100,000 flowers and 1000 hanging baskets. That's how quick our hobby took off.”

Robin added, “We started with a little 12’x 24’ hobby greenhouse and by our 8th year we had four”.

The couple is living now in Harrowsmith with Shawn’s mother, Bea Closs. They have set up a temporary greenhouse at her home while construction continues at the new business site.

Robin explained, “We also came home to help look after Bea, who is 87. We’d been gone a long time so we decided to sell our home and business and move out here and start the business out here.”

Robin and Shawn have their work cut out for them; Robin says that by next week 100,000 flowers have to be transplanted into pots, urns, hanging baskets and individual 4-packs.

The two are working alone right now and getting help from their family but plan to hire a local staff. They also plan to be open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and will remain open through the winter months.

Both are confident that business will be good for them and they have made a considerable investment. Robin says, “We know that roughly 13,000 vehicles pass by our business each day and estimate that approximately 200 will stop in”.

Asked if they feel they will pose competition to other greenhouse growers and sellers in the area Robin believes there is plenty of business to go around. “We don’t really consider ourselves competition…Out west there were about 10 greenhouse businesses that served roughly 6500-10,000 people and everyone managed to have a nice business.”

The couple is excited about the longer growing season here, which they believe to be at least one month longer than it was in Alberta. Robin stated that five out of eight Mother’s Days in Alberta were snow laden and it was not unheard of for there to be snow late into May.

Robin brought to my attention the recent delivery of “proven winners“ that were just dropped off and are stacked in Bea’s front yard: a selection of petunias, begonias, zinnias and ipomeas.

Robin and Shawn seem unfazed by the amount of work that lies ahead. Robin says, “We love to grow. There’s nothing better than taking a seed and growing and planting it and watching it grow and giving it to someone to take home”.

Back to HomeFeature Article - April 30, 2009 Passionate paddlers cross the 25 year markby Julie Druker

Owners of Frontenac Outfitters Larry and Chrisitine Showler and staff Matt Lemke

Frontenac Outfitters is celebrating its 25th year in business and owners Larry and Christine Showler are as passionate today about paddling as they were when they took over the business.

Their business, located kitty corner to Frontenac Provincial Park on Bedford Road just north of Sydenham, is housed in their home, a 100-year-old tenant building which over the years they have not only transformed into a beautiful home but also into one of the country’s busiest on-water canoe and kayak centres.

Karl Montgomery, who ran Frontenac Provincial Park originally, set up the business in 1984 at the site where it is still located today as a service for park visitors. Larry took over the business from him in 1993. In 1996 Larry met one of his customers, also an experienced paddler, in the canoe they were paddling together on a trip he was leading in Frontenac Park. A short time later that same customer became Larry’s wife and business partner. The couple have been paddling their boats and the business together ever since.

Larry and Christine have paddled extensively in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belize and the Virgin Islands.

One apt motto they’ve chosen to associate with their business is “Created by paddlers for paddlers.” While a passion for paddling was instrumental in the business’s success, not everyone who loves to paddle can also run a successful business. Larry’s experience in business management, which he garnered from his years working in Alberta back in the 1980s was also a great help.

While their roles in the business are pretty much interchangeable, each providing product information, demonstrations, and conducting sales, Christine, a certified instructor, runs most of the courses which take place on Pearkes Lake, adjacent to their home.

Larry, along with their full-time employee of many years Matt Lemke (whom Larry boasts is an invaluable asset to the business), provides similar customer services and also leads guided tours of the Rideau Canal and the 100 Islands.

Besides the home office, the business boasts a storage shed and a showroom which together stock over 200 varieties of the finest canoes, kayaks and gear available worldwide.

Knowledge of their products is something that the Showlers take very seriously. Their input has made them an integral part of the manufacturing process for a number of different companies.

Their wilderness location, originally thought of as a challenge to be overcome, has proven in fact to be beneficial by providing both water and wilderness access to customers. Instead of buying a boat “off the wall”, customers can take their time testing boats and making a purchase based on comfort and fit. Larry explains, “It’s like buying a pair of pants or shoes; customers definitely want a chance to try them on before making a purchase.”

Another location advantage is Frontenac Provincial Park located right next door, which offers customers 15,000 acres of wilderness, 160 kms of hiking trials and 22 lakes to paddle.

On a sunny Friday, the day of our interview, Larry and Matt are busy setting up the showroom while Christine is wrapping up a class at the lake. The business is already in full swing for the season; their first customers appeared at 8:30 that morning and Matt and Larry have not sat down since.

And Larry assures me that business is only getting better. Recently, their booth was the busiest at the Kingston Boat show, many buyers perhaps looking for an environmentally friendly, healthy boating alternative.

Larry points out that women are becoming frequent boat buyers, choosing kayaks since they are easy to transport and maneuver.

Christine dispels the myth that paddling only strengthens the upper body. Rather, paddling involves all of the core muscles groups and looking at Christine one needs no more assurance.

Canoes are also making a comeback as families are choosing a less expensive way to holiday closer to home.

The entire staff thrive on the relationships they form with their customers. For their upcoming 25th anniversary sale on May 1, 2 and 3, many former staff and customers and friends will be offering their assistance to customers.

Anyone interested in paddling no doubt will come away more knowledgeable and perhaps more passionate about paddling, having spent some time with the staff at Frontenac Outfitters.

For more information please visit their website at www.frontenac-outfitters.com

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 19, 2009 North Frontenac Council – Mar 12/09by Jeff Green

Remember when summer ended on Labour Day?

The possibility that the Limestone District School Board will call students back to class before Labour Day this year has tourist operators nervous.

Steve Smart, of Smart's Marina on Mazinaw Lake north of Cloyne, brought his concerns forward to a meeting of North Frontenac Council last week, after hearing that one eastern Ontario school board has decided to start their school year before Labour Day this coming fall.

“We have summer students who work for us every year, and we depend on them working at least part way through labour day weekend. That won't happen if school starts the week before. It will also change peoples' vacation plans. As a community, we stand to lose one of the top weekends of the year,” Smart said. “It is something that as a business community we need to address.”

The Trillium Lakeland School Board in Haliburton and Muskoka has decided to begin classes on September 1st (the Tuesday before Labour Day) and give students a 4 day Labour day weekend by closing on Friday and Monday.

While none of the Boards in our region have decided, the Prince Edward-Hastings District School Board will be considering a staff recommendation to use the same model as Trillium Lakeland at their next meeting, which is scheduled for March 23rd.

If Prince Edwards Hastings' Board accepts the recommendation, it could have implications for the Limestone and Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic Boards because the three share a bussing service, Tri-Board transportation and have always started school on the same day, the Tuesday after Labour Day, since Tri-Board Transportation was set up a number of years ago.

The motivation to break with tradition and start school before Labour Day comes because Labour Day falls on September 7 this year, making it a stretch for Boards to fit in the requisite 194 day schedule, excluding professional days and holidays, before the end of June 2010.

While starting school before Labour Day is not unusual in other provinces, it has never been done in Ontario.

Business meetings – Deputy Mayor Jim Beam reported to Council that three meetings have taken place, in different locations throughout the township, with members of the business community. The intention behind the informal meetings has been to work towards a business group, or chamber of commerce, which can work on economic development in the township and vicinity.

“We are still getting our feet wet,” said Jim Beam, “still trying to get people involved.”

Councillor Fred Perry, who has been working with Jim Beam on economic development, said “new people have been coming to every meeting, although some have dropped out, but we are building awareness I think.

The concern was raised, by Steve Smart that, “some businesses said they do not want to get too heavily involved because it is so much associated with Council. We want it to be a business group that works closely with Council. People may not want to come out and share their opinion with Council at present.”

Jim Beam said that although Fred Perry and himself have chaired the meetings this far it is only with a view to getting the group started.

“We wanted to make it perfectly clear that this is not a Council driven thing; we want to be a partner, but we do not want to be seen as driving this forward.”

Mayor Maguire said he is very encouraged that the lead of this fledgling business group is changing hands.

After the meeting Jim Beam said he did not see this as an exclusively North Frontenac based venture.

“Business does not draw lines on Highway 41, or 7, or 509. I see this as a more regional thing.”

The next meeting is scheduled for April 14 at 9am (see Ompah column for more details)

Fan to be replaced at Clar/Mil Hall - Ed Schlievert appeared before Council on behalf of the Clarendon and Miller Volunteers to talk about a problem with the fan in the kitchen at the Clar/Mil Hall.

“The fan that is there was meant for a bathroom. It vents into the attic and it is clogged. So, when there is a dinner at the hall the kitchen gets filled with smoke.”

While it would cost thousands for a proper kitchen fan and venting system, the volunteers felt that simply by fitting the kitchen with a vent that allows air to flow outside the problem will be alleviated. They made a request for $700 plus tax for a vent, and Shlievert said there were volunteers that were willing to put the vent in.

“You probably know that Council is considering what to do with the Hall,” Mayor Maguire said.

“Drop a match,” Shlievert suggested in jest. “We took a wild guess and figured it would be 5 or more years before a new hall is built.”

“I think $700 for this is not out of line,” said Councillor Wayne Good.

“We said we wouldn't do anything to the hall until we made long term decisions, except for health and safety issues,” said Councillor Fred Perry.

“At the pancake breakfast a couple of weeks ago you couldn't breathe in there,” said Shlievert.

“So, it's a health and safety issue. I have no problem with that,” said Perry.

The $700 expenditure was approved.

Budget meeting delayed, set for next week – Council has met several times to discuss the 2009 budget, and a session, to make some final decisions that had been set for March 11th was put off, due to illness, until next week. The budget will likely come to Council for approval in early April.

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 19, 2009 Local meat shop/abattoir destined for auction blockby Julie Druker

Martyn Jenkyn, owner and operator of M & C Meats with loyal customer Mary Ritter

Local butcher Martyn Jenkyn of M & C at Meats near Sharbot Lake has been in business for 6 years. His popular business, run and built from scratch by himself with the help of his son Chris is slated to go up for auction, lock, stock and barrel, in mid April.

Begun first as cottage maintenance and landscaping business, they soon branched into storage, and meat processing serving local hunters. The business ultimately became a retail meat and BBQ centre offering a wide variety of frozen local meat products, gas and propane BBQ’s and Thomasburg cedar log furniture to local clientele.

Martyn admitted that it took a bit of time to establish the business. “Once we got into the custom cutting which is the backbone to the business where we slaughter and custom to farmers’ specifications, it gave us the foundation to go forward.”

Martyn and his wife Gloria, originally from England also own and operate the Rockhill Bed and Breakfast in Sharbot Lake which Martyn recalls, “was the reason that we ended up here in Sharbot Lake; my wife fell in love with that house.“

Martyn then acquired the property where the shop is located at 12821 Hwy 38 in 2002 and developed the land which now boasts 4 quonsets.

Venturing into the meat business was a natural development considering that Martyn’s family had been in the meat and farming business in Essex county England for four generations since 1806. The family business there was called Webster’s Butcher’s and included three traditional butcher shops in three small villages in Essex county.

“In the ’60s I was one of the Saturday boys delivering meat to people’s houses. All the family was involved delivering meat on bicycles or by van. That’s how we earned our pocket money. When I left England in 2000 the business was dissolved through family shares because the senior people had died and the whole business got split up”.

Martyn graduated from Smithfield College, located in the largest meat market of London, where he studied all aspects of the meat industry in depth for 3 years.

According to Martyn the reason for the sale of M & C Meats stems directly from a change in his son’s career plans as well as his own personal desire to enter retirement. “We’ll put it up for auction to see if there are any buyers who would like to carry on the business as it is and then I will retire and make life a little more easy for myself.”

Asked if he is disappointed that the family business will not continue on Martyn replied, “No not really because you’ve got to be dedicated to the job.”

Son Chris, who recently married, has chosen to pursue a career in policing. Martyn admitted that this trend is more common than not. He explained, “Forty years ago there used to 30,000 independent butchers in England and today there are less than 5,000. And the average age of butchers there is 57 because no one is going into the industry.”

In Sharbot Lake his business is booming and at our interview just before closing time on Saturday 6 customers came in and each bought a large quantity of their favorite frozen meats products. The shop specializes in a high quality meat sausages, that come in a 15 different types, the recipes of which are Martyn’s own and he intends to pass them along to the new owners.

Other favorites are meat pies, burgers and a wide variety of BBQ and marinated cuts of pork, chicken and beef which come is small packages and value packs as well.

Mary Ritter, a customer for 6 years, stocked up on her favorites, burgers, sausages and meat pies and bought extra for her family in Ottawa. She told me later, “Martyn always been gracious, generous and very welcoming and he’ll be missed.”

Wayne Moase of Sharbot Lake dropped in and purchased his favorites, an assortment of meat pies, bacon and a wide assortment of sausages.

Both plan to stay on as customers since Martyn plans to pass on his own recipes and know how to the new buyers.

Thankfully Martyn admits he is extremely open to the idea of assisting the new owner until they are ready to take over the reigns.

The auction will take place April 20 at 6:00pm. Interested buyers can call Martyn or Chris for a viewing at the shop at 613-279-2204 or at home at 613- 279-3006 and can visit www.meatandbbqcentre.ca

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 5, 2009 Two new names for Rural VisionsBy Jeff Green

Central Frontenac Community Services, which serves the population of South Frontenac out of the Rural Visions Centre in Sydenham, will officially have a new name after their Annual General Meeting in June: Southern Frontenac Community Services.

This long awaited change will shed a name that is a hangover from pre-municipal amalgamation days.

Another change, one that took place a couple of weeks ago, should help the agency fit into a new era in delivering social services.

Deborah Andrews, an Ottawa based public administrator and consultant has taken on the role of Executive Director, a position that was left vacant when the founding Executive Director of the agency, Beth Freeland, resigned early last summer.

In an interview with the News this week, Deborah Andrews said she is extremely pleased that Kate Lett, who has served as interim director, will be able to return to her role as Manager, Business Operations and Human Resources with the agency.

Lett’s “corporate memory” will be particularly useful for Deborah Andrews, who will be working from home two days a week for at least the next few months.

Home, for Deborah Andrews, at least until the end of this school year, continues to be Nepean, in suburban Ottawa.

The move to a rural location is not accidental for her; it is the culmination of a decision-making process her family entered into when she saw the posting for the job on the Charity Village website late last summer.

“We were just back in Ottawa after a camping trip, and I said to my family, ‘What if we move to the country?’ They encouraged me to apply,” Andrews said. Her husband is an artist and musician so he can work almost anywhere, and they have three daughters, one of whom is still in school, so Deborah will be commuting from Nepean to Sydenham until the end of June.

Southern Frontenac Community Services provides some specific challenges, which Deborah Andrews is in a good position to address. She has over 20 years experience working in the not-for profit sector, and is familiar with not - for profit boards, both as a board member and as an Executive Director.

She has worked with youth and seniors, and earlier in her career she even worked in Children’s Aid, both in policy development and as a front line worker.

She also has a strong working knowledge of Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN), the two year old provincially mandated bodies that now oversee health care in the province. For the past two years, Deborah has been the project manager for a seniors’ initiative at the Champlain LHIN.

This experience could be very useful in managing the Southern Frontenac Community Services relationship with the South East Ontario LHIN, which is the largest funding source for the agency she now heads.

Community Support Services, which most people know as services for seniors; including diners’ clubs, adult day services, etc. “form a healthy majority of our funding,” Andrews said, “and we have just signed our agreement with the South East LHIN. We would have preferred more autonomy in terms of securing outside funding than is in the new agreement, but the LHIN people did prove to be flexible in terms of process. We can work with them.”

Deborah Andrews has several short and long term goals for the agency.

“The first order of business is to evaluate what exists now,” she said, “seeking efficiencies and ways for us to deliver services better. Additionally, I would like to see formalized case management.

“We would like to move forward in areas where there are identifiable gaps. For example, working with cognitively impaired adults. We have been approached by a local community agency that aims to serve this population, and we are exploring ways we can work together. Transportation is another area we need to focus on. I will be expending energy in that direction.

“As well, we would like to expand our licensed day care service, which is at capacity, by securing additional licensed homes in the community. I have a personal commitment to establishing youth services in Southern Frontenac.”

While Deborah Andrews has ambitious goals for Southern Frontenac Community Services she also realises that in spite of her years’ of experience and her knowledge of funding possibilities, she is the new kid on the block.

“In all this visioning you move like the proverbial tortoise, making sure that you engage the community, and that doesn’t happen overnight. You don’t come in and shake things up. I came here to observe, take note, and evaluate.”

She also is committed to fostering teamwork, both among her staff and the community as a whole.

In a statement of philosophy that she includes with her CV, she talks about her abiding commitment to community development, and says “I aim to deliver services through effective teamwork, with a focus on leadership, accountability, mutual respect and compassion.” 

Back to HomeFeature Article - February 26, 2009 North Frontenac Council - By Jeff Green

Gunsinger for Order of Ontario

North Frontenac Councillor Elaine Gunsinger was feeling a bit sheepish about putting a particular individual forward to answer a call from Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor David Onley for nominations to the Order of Ontario. But other members of North Frontenac staff and council assured her she was not contravening any conflict of interest guidelines by proposing that the township nominate Bernice Gunsinger, Elaine’s mother-in-law.

In fact, according to Clerk-Planning co-ordinator Brenda DeFosse, Bernice had been nominated in a previous year, but had not been named to the order at that time.

“There is nothing stopping us from nominating her again,” said Mayor Maguire, “she is certainly a top candidate.”

In the call for nominations, David Onley asked a question, “Do you know someone who deserves recognition for extraordinary achievements, whose superlative contributions have had an impact on their local community, the province, our country or beyond?

Bernice Gunsinger's “impact on the local community” can be measured in many ways after about 70 years of community volunteer efforts. Council is now holding their meetings in a modern, spacious room overlooking a gleaming fire hall, for which over $100,000 was raised by the Ladies Fire Auxiliary, or the “Fire Ladies” as they were known.

Bernice Gunsinger was the first fire lady. She called the first meeting, and got the ball rolling. Just as a building is built one brick at a time, the Fire Ladies raised $100,000 one square at a time, or one cup of coffee at a time. They raised $50 here, $100 there, at community breakfasts and teas over years, banking money slowly over time.

“She started a long, long time before the fire ladies,” Elaine said, “she's been doing the same thing with other groups for decades.”

Township staff will look into preparing the nomination papers, which are due on March 16.

Becoming Elektra ...fied - Frank Roy, from Elektra Observatories, made his first appearance before North Frontenac council. The non-profit organization hopes to build a state-of-the-art astronomical observatory at Mallory Hill, which is located at the western edge of the township on the border with Addington Highlands on the Buckshot Lake Road.

As Roy has stated in presentations to Frontenac County, Lennox and Addington County and to local MPP Randy Hiller and MP Scott Reid, the location was chosen because it has the darkest skies in southern Ontario.

The observatory, which is named the “One Metre Initiative” because of the characteristics of the electronic telescope the group intends to build, would be remotely controlled.

“In order to preserve the darkness of the night sky, which is of critical importance in the observatory, Elektra seeks to have new bylaws enacted,” Frank Roy said. “This will also help in establishing the area as an International Dark Sky Preserve as defined by the International Dark Sky Association.”

So, while Roy is pitching the project as a tourism promotion opportunity for North Frontenac, he is also asking that none of this tourist infrastructure be located in the immediate vicinity of Mallory Hill itself.

There is a precedent for this, according to Roy. At Mont Megantic, in Quebec, a provincial park has been established near an observatory, and $10 million in tourism dollars is generated at that site each year.

There is a potential connection to Bon Echo Park. If 20% per cent of Bon Echo's 200,000 annual visitors came and spent $25 each it would generate $1 million” Roy said. He envisions that a visitors’ centre could be located somewhere on Highway 41.

Steve Smart, owner of Smart's Marina on Mazinaw Lake, was at the meeting and said “I have trouble getting my head around how the visitors’ centre could be that far away from the observatory itself.”

Frank Roy suggested that his focus would be on the observatory but that he would be open to ideas from the townships, the county, the local business communities and even the provincial government to capitalize on the promotional opportunities offered by the project.

“The key in Quebec was the buy-in from the provincial government,” said North Frontenac Deputy Mayor Jim Beam.

Frank Roy will be making a presentation at Addington Highlands Council next week, and is hoping to meet soon with Leona Dombrowsky, the Ontario Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

He suggested that a steering committee be formed to consider the economic potential of the project from a regional angle, and proposed that a first meeting be held in the coming months, perhaps in Sharbot Lake.

Deputy Mayor Beam volunteered to represent the township to the committee. He has been involved in establishing a township business group in recent months.

“This is like something that has just fallen from the sky; in other words it’s an initiative we couldn't plan any better,” said Mayor Ron Maguire, promising the township’s co-operation in enacting necessary bylaws and working with Roy to develop the project.

The Elektra Observatory now has $26,000 in seed money funding, $14,000 from the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, and $12,000 from the members of its board of directors. It has partnerships with three universities, but must raise $2 million from the philanthropic sector in order to come to fruition.

“We will be operational three years from receiving funding,” Frank Roy said.

Concerns over telephone service – Council received a letter from Catherine Tysick of Northern Frontenac Community Services. The letter expressed a concern that came to Tysick from the agency’s Seniors’ Advisory Committee about interruptions to phone service in the Ompah-Snow Road corridor.

“As you can imagine this is of great concern to seniors who may need to access emergency services but cannot. The frail elderly are particularly at risk,” the letter said.

The township is planning to put in an emergency phone at the ambulance station at Lavant Road, which would be operational when other phones are not, and will consider putting another one in at another location.

“I think we should communicate with Bell,” said Mayor Maguire

Hall rentals for not for profits - Land O'Lakes Community Services has requested that the township waive rental fees for a fundraising supper, and a seniors’ group made a similar request for their Tai Chi classes. Council did not agree to the requests, but the cost to non-profit groups for community halls is only $15 for four hours, and this information will be forwarded to the two organisations. 

Back to HomeFeature Article - February 12, 2009 New manager takes the reins of Plevna’s one-stop-shopBy Julie Druker

In the kitchen at Plevna's North of 7 cooks Ruth Barr (left) and Kathy Rosenblath

Back in October last year, long-time Plevna resident Donna Lemke put forth an offer to Don Raycroft, owner of the Plevna Freshmart, gas bar and North of 7 Restaurant, to act as manager of his 6-year-old operation.

Don, whose wife recently passed away and who spends his winters in Florida, had been looking to slow down and enter retirement but was also hoping to grow his business. Donna felt with her years of experience as a franchise owner and operator in Perth, she would be a viable candidate for the job.

Donna admitted that there is "a lot to learn" as the job includes working with the close to 20 staff who offer a number of other related services in the multi-faceted business operation. These include a post office franchise, a bottle return, movie rental, ice cream bar, mini-putt golf course, and internet services.

The job might make other less experienced persons a little nervous but Lemke is looking forward to the challenge and has begun to make some changes, starting with the menu in the restaurant. She explained, “ The senior staff and I are still tweaking the new menu and we’re aiming for a fresh look and will be offering more choices.”

Some of the menu changes will include a platter option for most of the sandwich and burger meals, smaller and less expensive senior-sized main entrees, and activity placemats/children’s menus to offer to the kids and keep them occupied. The restaurant will also be offering a new smorgasbord-style brunch on Sundays from 10am -2pm. The first brunch will happen Sunday February 15.

Also new is a meeting/events room that was renovated last fall, which can be booked for various functions. It is adjacent to but separate from the main restaurant, and food is also available there.

Donna understands the first rule of growing a business. “I know that the presence of someone in charge can make all of the difference.” So she has been on site regularly interacting both with staff and patrons. She added, “Coming into an already existing business is always a challenge but the staff here have all been very receptive and helpful.”

Donna’s husband Ron Lemke, though not officially involved in the operations, adds an unofficial helping hand and was installing a bulletin board on the day of my interview. Ron was enthusiastic about the facility and grateful to have it here. “We’re very lucky Don decided to retire here and we’re very fortunate as a community to have all of these services here on account of him.”

Ron is not the only appreciative one. On my way out I met Ted and Janet Kewley from Mountain Chute near Calabogie, who had just dismounted their snow machine after completing the 62 km one way trip from Calabogie for their third time this year. They were heading into the restaurant for a bite to eat and both spoke effusively about the services available here. Located on major sledding routes, the business is a popular destination for sled drivers since it offers parking, gas and a place to eat. Seasoned sled driver Ted explained, “It’s not unusual on a sunny weekend day to see 50 or 60 machines parked outside here, with almost all of their riders gassing up and having a meal inside.” The summer can be easily as busy with summer vacationers and cottagers frequenting the amenities offered here. Donna Lemke definitely has her work cut out for her as the new manager of Plevna’s one-stop-shop in North Frontenac, but it is a challenge that she has happily chosen to undertake with confidence and know how. 

Back to HomeFeature Article - February 5, 2009 A new move for Verona computer storeBy Julie Druker

Colin Bowe, owner of LINCAN'S Verona Computer Store

Long time computer solutions businessman Colin Bowe of Sandhurst, near Bath, has relocated his computer store a few doors down from its original location on Highway 38 in Verona.

Though the move was not far, it is a big and exciting step forward for Bowe, who has been involved in the computer hardware and software business for close to a decade and a half.

Bowe was originally a silent partner in the business, but purchased Verona Computer and Satellite over a year and half ago with the help of his existing company LINCAN Inc. He also purchased the residential property which is the store’s new home. Bowe opened for business in his new location on Monday Feb. the 3rd after two especially busy weeks during which prepared the interior space and moved in all of his inventory. Technically a division of LINCAN Inc., an already existing business which Bowe opened in Kingston in 2001, the new LINCAN’s Verona Computer Store will continue to offer all of the computer products and services it has been previously offering to the local community.

These include new and used computers and laptops, on and off site repairs, upgrades, web hosting, networking and wiring. Long time employee Chad Newell will continue to work alongside Bowe in the store's new location.

Bowe has been offering open source solutions for small businesses, specifically the LINUX operating system and other open source software. He is a firm believer in the benefits of open source software and the LINUX operating system in particular and insists, “It’s more secure, more stable and it’s free.” He explained, “Because there are so many people looking at it (LINUX) and using it, it’s very stable and secure. It’s not like Windows. More eyes looking at it find more problems.”

Bowe is also a believer in keeping the world green and will run his business accordingly. “Most people don’t need half of the computer that they buy. With the economy the way it is now I’m going to be offering a lot of used computers. There’s a lot of used hardware with a lot of life still in it at economical prices.”

Repairs are a big part of the service that Bowe will continue to offer at the new Verona location, saving many frustrated computer owners the long trip into Kingston. He explained, “I find that a lot of people consider their computer broken when it slows down but it’s really just Windows getting cluttered up. They pick up viruses. Often there’s not much wrong with the computer, its just running really slow.”

As of Monday there are still some things that need tending to, and like most small business owners Bowe is doing everything that he can possibly do himself. Exhausted but excited, he heads off fueled by a few cups of coffee and the determination it takes to make a small business succeed.

It is great to know there is still a local shop nearby that can meet all of our computor needs..

LINCAN'S Verona Computer Store is located at 6772 Hwy 38 across from Mom's restaurant. They are open Monday -Friday from 10am-6 pm and the number is 613-372-3253.