Zoning By-law Updated

In a brief public meeting, Planner Lindsay Mills presented four proposed ‘housekeeping’ updates to the Township’s Zoning By-law: 1) requirement for a three-metre minimum separation between all buildings on a property, primarily for fire separation: 2) inclusion of shipping containers as accessory buildings, so they cannot be placed in the front yard and could not constitute a principal building on a vacant lot: 3) Add “shipping containers’ and their other common names to the definition section, and 4) eliminate the Special Limited Service Residential-Waterfront zoning on Big Clear Lake in Bedford district, as this is more appropriately Official Plan wording and the lake is neither narrow nor highly sensitive. (Deputy Mayor McDougall pointed out that it is moderately sensitive.) There were no comments from the public, and the by-law was passed later in the meeting.

Fee for FIT (Feed-in Tariff) Program

Councillor Sutherland brought a notice of motion that the Township charge a $300. fee for each FIT (solar power farm) application they process. Council agreed.

Stop the Sale of Hydro One

Following Linda Hunter’s proposal to last week’s Committee of the Whole, Council agreed to send a letter recommending Hydro One be kept as a wholly owned public asset. McDougall noted that this may be too late, for he has heard the provincial government’s voting on the matter tomorrow.

Harrowsmith Zoning Amendment

Planner Mills recommended that Council proceed with rezoning a narrow-frontage residential lot on the Larcon property in Harrowsmith. The second part of the application which involves a lot addition to an already industrially zoned property is still unresolved, due to concerns expressed by neighbouring property owners.

If the road allowance isn’t there, can it be closed?

A proposal to close and sell (for $50,000) a portion of Township road allowance in Storrington district between lots 6&7, concession XII, was postponed until the planner can get more information. The prospective buyer’s lawyer, Peter Radley, gave a brief history of property surveys which have not shown a road allowance: “Mr Mills’ map is the only one that does show the existence of a road allowance,” said Radley. Also, before proceeding, members of Council want to view the property.

Draft Official Plan Update

Lindsay Mills presented Council the current updated version of the draft Official Plan for consideration and review. Although the Province’s stand on forbidding development in rural areas has softened, he noted three remaining areas of concern in the Province’s comments: that all private lanes must become condominium common elements; development on waterfronts must have a 120 metre setback, and any development near a waterbody would require a marine archeological study. Also, until now all land use designations have fitted on one township map, or schedule. Now, so much information is required that five schedules have been created: Land use, Environmental protection, Roads, Aggregates and Natural heritage systems.

Next steps in the official plan’s progress will be: July 13, open house presentation to the public; Aug 18, statutory public meeting; Sept 1, revised version presented to Council for adoption; September 11, submission to the Ministry for final approval.

Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program

CAO Orr asked Council for an immediate decision on a project to submit for a federal grant program which was announced May 15, with the closing deadline of June 9th. “The funding is to renovate, expand or rehabilitate community and cultural infrastructure, should be shovel-ready, but not currently in our budget. The application needs to be detailed in regard to the proposed project and its budget, and tell how it is linked to Canada’s 150th anniversary. If granted, government funding will likely cover 33.3% of the cost.” Orr managed an air of objectivity throughout this statement.

After discussion, Council agreed to propose the renovation of Storrington Centre, for an estimated total cost of $200,000.

This year’s SHS Drama Department production was “You Can’t Take It With You” by Hart and Kauffman. Set in the late 1930’s, the play features a happy, loving but highly eccentric family whose daughter becomes engaged to the son of a very proper and well-to-do local businessman. Complications peak when the future son-in-law’s parents arrive a day early to meet his fiancee’s family. Of course everything comes out well in the end, with a strong endorsement of the importance of quality of life, and the courage to follow one’s dreams.

It’s a good choice for a school play: large cast, room for some great over-the-top cameos, fast-paced and funny.

But this production came about in a highly unusual manner.

Typically, an annual high school play is chosen, cast and directed by the drama teacher. Other staff members pitch in with stage design, costumes, makeup and advertising.

Not this time. According to the program notes, drama teacher Rutherford had “a very ambitious grade 11 and 12 split drama class that wanted to have a challenge that would bring them together as a community.” So he suggested they produce the annual play all by themselves. He would be available for consultation.

It sounds as though consensus didn’t come easily, but finally the class chose “You Can’t Take it With You”. Three people wanted to direct and against all likelihood, three directors, Adam Brown, Melissa Pugh and Jadon Chow are listed on the final program. Auditions were held, a cast was chosen, and “the rest of the students that didn’t get a part, they became stage designers, wardrobe, hair and make-up or backstage and technical.”

To this member of the audience, it seems the drama class completely achieved their goal: the sixteen-member cast with the support of the backstage folks worked together smoothly and confidently as an ensemble, supporting and complimenting their fellow actors. Amy Walton as Alice inhabited her character with great consistency and Max Karan’s Russian accent and middle European manner were thoroughly convincing. It’s not easy for young people to play older roles: full credit to the makeup department for not falling prey to drawing a lot of unconvincing lines on their faces, leaving it instead to the actors to show their maturity through their movements and mannerisms.

Mr Rutherford deserves full credit for one of the most difficult but best forms of teaching: enabling his class to discover for themselves their ability to come together as a cohesive whole through what must have been some rocky situations, to the reward of a well-earned standing ovation.

A pity it was so modestly advertised, and ran for only three days last week!

Parking Restrictions Proposed for Sydenham

Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth unveiled a map showing proposed parking restrictions for the village of Sydenham. He said that the current village parking by-law needs to be brought up to date. It presently does not address some of the current conflicts such as; parking on both sides of streets so narrow that traffic is reduced to one-lane, overnight on street parking in the winter and cars parking with two wheels on the sidewalk in front of the bank, post office and High School. Segsworth recommended the next step be a public open house for village residents to view and comment on the proposals. Councillor Schjerning asked whether parking restrictions could be suspended for specific events such as Canada Day and the Bubba Bowl. Segsworth said that although that was a possibility, the first step for events would be to maximize the village potential for off-road parking. There was general agreement that although there were parking concerns in other areas of the Township, it would be best to concentrate on one area at a time.

Waste Diversion Rates

Defining waste diversion as “the process of diverting waste from landfills”, Segsworth listed a number of ways this could be accomplished: blue box recycling, household composting, use of hazardous waste disposal site, bottle deposit returns, e-waste and bale wrap. Waste Diversion Ontario calculates a percentage diversion rate by comparing the weight of diverted matter to the total weight of waste, both garbage and recycling. Presently the Township has only estimates of landfill garbage, so our estimated diversion rates have varied widely from year to year. Segsworth hopes this can be much more accurately calculated once the new weigh scales at Portland waste site come into use. In Storrington district, where all waste weights are available, the diversion rate comes out at 23%. Segsworth added that there is certainly room for improvement in in the Township’s diversion rate.

Multi Year Roads Plan

Segsworth presented a draft five-year roads plan, subdivided into arterial roads, bridges, villages, local roads and local upgrades. He said it was by necessity a ‘living document’, open to change depending on current needs and funding. However, it gives an overall plan to inform councillors faced with questions from residents about specific road issues, and a roads budget plan.

Reduced Road Speeds

A number of requests for road speed reductions have been reviewed using the Council endorsed TAC automatic Speed Limit Guidelines analysis tool. Final speed limit recommendations have been modified in some cases to conform with current speed limits, for roads within villages and to maintain uniformity of road segments. If approved by Council, this will reduce speeds on twenty road segments. Details of recommendations are in the agenda notes for this meeting, on the Township website.

Hartington Brownfields

Segsworth reported that work is progressing well at this task: only the northwest corner of the property still needs more investigation.

Delegation

Lindsay Hunter proposed Council consider a resolution to stop the sale of any part of Hydro One to private interests. Her presentation was unusually clear, focussed and succinct.  

Hot on the heels of their convincing results at the KASSAA meet two weeks ago, a number of SHS athletes were multiple top finishers at the EOSSAA meeting in Brockville last Thursday and Friday (May 21 and 22).

Once again, the hurdlers led the way, but there was disappointment in the Junior Hurdles Relay. With two multiple medalists in Merik Wilcock (hurdles) and Thomas Lambert (sprints), SHS seemed to be a sure bet to finish at or near the top of the 4 x 400 metre event and qualify the team for the Eastern Regional meet this week (the final qualifier for the provincial championships in Toronto – OFSAA) but a dropped baton on the first exchange left them in 10th place at the end of the race. The men's and women's 4 x 400 metre running teams fared better, however, and both will race again this week.

Here are the SHS medalists from EOSSAA:

Women's 80 Metre Hurdles midget - Brianna Burgess 1st – 13.5543 (photo finish)

Men's 100 Metre Hurdles midget - Liam Sands 1st in 15.35 qualified in 15.62

Women 300 metre hurdles midget - Brianna Burgess 2nd 52.64

Men's Pole Vault midget - Liam Sands 3rd 2.70 metres

Men's Triple Jump Midget – Zach Lollar 3rd 11.13 metres

Men's 100 Metre Sprint Junior - Thomas Lambert 3rd 11.75

Men's 200 Metre Sprint Junior - Thomas Lambert 2nd 23.70

Men's 400 Metre Run Junior - Thomas Lambert 2nd 52.00 ( Note - Nick Bauerschmit of Valour High School set meet record in a time of 51.62. The old record was 51.84.)

Men 100 Metre Hurdles - Merik Wilcock 1st 14.55

Men's 300 Metre Hurdles Junior -Merik Wilcock1st 42.45 (Wilcock's time was 1.57 seconds ahead of the 2nd place finisher.)

Men's Long Jump Junior - Daret Mckay 3rd 5.92 metres

Men's 800 metre senior Brady Roberston 3rd 1.59:60 (Robertson finished just 0.5 seconds ahead of Curtis Adams of SHS, who finished 4th, while Nick Adams finished 7th in a time of 2:03.41.)

Men's 100 Metre Hurdles, senior - Brodie Latimer 2nd 15.49 seconds.

Women's 100 metre ambulatory – Shirley Hughes Ryan 1st 17.29

Women's 800 Metre run Ambulatory - Shirley Hughes Ryan – 1st 3:32.59

Women's 100 Metre run Intellectual Disabilities - Dominique Hannah 2nd 16.05, Brianna Clow - 3rd 17.44

Relays –

Women's 4 x 400 Metre relay – Open Division, 3rd 4:25.13

Men's 4 x 400 Metre relay - Open division, Sydenham 2nd 3:33.42

David Cox keeps jumping for GREC - Now in his senior year, David Cox continues to be the standard bearer for Track athletes from Granite Ridge Education Centre. In the High Jump event at EOSSAA, he took second place with a jump of 1.85 metres, and will move on to the next meet this week.

Q: When Could a Tagged Bag of Garbage Cost $20 ?

A: When you bring it to the Loughborough or Portland waste sites: there you will be charged the minimum dumping rate, even if it’s just one bag.

May 5th, councillors Sleeth and Robinson brought a notice of motion that tagged bags of garbage should be accepted at all Township waste sites. “Why should we pay twice, once in our taxes, and again at the dump?” asked Sleeth.

Public Works Manager Segsworth didn’t mince words. “It’s critical that Council knows staff’s view: we feel very strongly that it’s taking a step backward, to accept tagged bags at Loughborough and Portland. We can’t afford to extend alternatives for the convenience of a few. We’re not sitting on the fence in this one.” Residents can dispose of tagged bags for no extra fee at Green Bay, Bradshaw and Salem waste disposal sites: Green Bay is open Sunday afternoons for the convenience of weekend cottagers. Segsworth said that the three Bedford area sites no longer accept any other types of waste.

Deputy Mayor McDougall agreed with Segsworth, saying that while increased efficiencies at the waste sites were originally a contentious issue, there seems to now be a lot more acceptance of the current system which provides weekly curbside pickup for all Township households on public roads and helps provide end-of-lane bins and bear-proof containers.

Councillor Sutherland said he appreciated the vast improvements in the waste disposal system, but asked whether the Township could offer a year’s trial at permitting tagged bags at all sites.

Mayor Vandewal said that many of the residents who opposed curbside pickup now seemed to appreciate it; “It could create more problems if we went back now. I don’t think we should ignore our staff.”

The motion to change the system was strongly defeated.

Trailers, Licensed and Otherwise

The (twice extended) time period to comply with the Township’s 2004 prohibition of the use of trailers on private residential lots expires Dec 2015. Following a lengthy discussion at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting, Council still could not provide a clear resolution to this long-running saga.

Issues raised included: lack of ongoing public health enforcement, replacement of old trailers with new ones, new trailers still appearing on new lots without licences or enforcement, the cost of enforcement, the need to deal decisively with the trailer issue, and the social implications of removing trailers where people live in them as a year-round residence.

Based on Council’s discussions and the reduction of the numbers of licensed trailers over the past few years, CAO Orr drew up a compromise recommendation with the following points: extend the compliance date for the prohibition of licensed trailers on private residential property to December 31, 2019; ask the Health Unit to reinspect the current 81 licensed trailers to ensure waste disposal systems are in compliance with environmental regulations, before their licences can be renewed; direct bylaw enforcement services to proactively enforce the prohibition of unlicensed trailers, and advise in writing all current trailer license holders of this change.

A motion to accept this recommendation passed without discussion.

New Leaf Link Support

Council agreed with Corporate Services Committee’s recommendation of a one-time transitional grant of $3,980 to New Leaf Link to assist their relocation to a more accessible site. Councillors Sutherland and Schjerning said that although they agreed with the grant, they both saw this as a Provincial responsibility. Deputy Mayor McDougall agreed, but also suggested that it was possible that Frontenac County might be able to offer some transportation help for the group.

Applewood Resort

Council passed a bylaw permitting a revision to the Applewood site plan agreement that will permit the developer to build four rental units on the property (presently zoned Recreational Resort Commercial), where he is proposing a condominium development.  

With a total of 81 athletes, the Sydenham High School track team was not only the largest at the Kingston Area Secondary Schools Athletic Association (KASSAA) meet last week; it was also the most consistently competitive.

SHS athletes won 22 events, ahead of KCVI (19), Frontenac (16), and Holy Cross (14). While SHS was competitive in all events, as you can see below, they were the dominant team in just about all the hurdles events, for both men and women in all age categories.

SHS was the winning overall team for both men and women.

Here is the list of top three finishers

Among top finishers were Kayla Battler, 3rd in the 100 metre dash (midget girls) in 13.80 seconds; Brianna Burgess, 3rd in the 200 metre dash (midget girls) in 29.50 seconds and 1st in both the 80 metre hurdles in 13.70 seconds and the 300 metre hurdles in 50.50 seconds.

Jocelyn Miles finished in 3rd in the women's javelin (midget) at 22.71 metres. Brianna McComish finished third in women's high jump (junior) at 1.40 metres, second in the Long Jump at 4.24 metres, and third in the triple jump at 9.46 metres. Madison MacPherson was tied for 1st in the pole vault (junior) at 1.90 metres. Morgan Hamilton finished 2nd in the women's shot put (junior) at 8.94 metres, and 3rd in the discus event at 19.58 metres, an event where Mackenzie Ryan finished 2nd at 22.20 metres.

Sian Lloyd was 1st in the javelin throw (junior) at 23.37 metres, and Mackenzie Ryan placed 3rd at 22.14 metres.

Brittany Campbell finished 2nd in the 100 metre dash (senior) at 13.40 seconds, and 3rd in the 200 metre dash at 27.80 seconds. If Danielle Gossage was disappointed with her off the podium 4th place finish in the 400 metre dash (senior) she made up for it with a 1st place run in the 800 metres in 2.38.20 minutes, and 2nd in the 1500 metres in 5.20.60 minutes.

As a team, SHS was 1st in the 4x100 metre relay (senior) in 53.90 seconds, and 1st as well in the 4x400 metre relay in 4:30.90 minutes. High jumper Shawna Vanluven was 2nd (senior) at 1.50 metres. In the shot put (senior) Danielle Miles finished 3rd at 9.55 metres, and Katherine Newton was 1st in the javelin at 27.55 metres while Cassidy Trueman was 3rd in the same event at 23.36 metres.

Shirley Hughes-Ryan finished 1st in two events, the women's 100 metre dash (ambulatory) in 16.40 seconds – breaking her own KASSAA record, and the 800 metre run (ambulatory) in 4:13.90. Dominique Hannah also broke her own KASSAA record, finishing 1st in the 100 metre dash (intellectually impaired) in 15.70 seconds, and Brianna Clow finished 2nd at 16.90 seconds.

Among the male athletes, Liam Sands was 1st in the 100 metre hurdles (midget) in 17 seconds flat, while Lucas Pereira finished 2nd in 18.70 seconds. Pereira also finished second in the 300 metre hurdles in 50.70 seconds.

Matt Caird finished 2nd in the men's high jump (midget) with a clearance of 1.60 metres, and Liam Sands finished second in the pole vault, clearing 1.80 metres. Zach Lollar was 2nd in the men's long jump at 5.20 metres, and third in the triple jump at 10.88 metres.

Jared Amos was 2nd in both shot put, 11.24 metres, and the discus events, 29.54 metres. Thomas Lambert was 2nd in the 100 metre dash at 12.20 seconds. He finished 1st in the 200 metre dash at 24.40 seconds, and capped it off with a meet record tying time of 52.70 seconds in winning the 400 metre dash (junior)

Continuing the SHS dominance in hurdles, Merik Wilcox set a meet record, 14.40 seconds, finishing 1st in the 100 metre event (junior) and also won the 300 metre event in 42.90 seconds. Sydenham also took the 4x100 metre hurdles in 48.40 seconds.

Daret McKay finished 2nd in the pole vault (junior) at 2.40 metres, and took 3rd in the triple jump at 1.55 metres. Wil Sanderson finished 2nd in both the discus (38.66 metres) and the javelin throw (36.14 metres)

Among senior men, SHS's Chad McInnes finished 3rd in the 200 metre dash in 25.20 seconds and 3rd as well in the 400 metre dash in 53.50 seconds. In the 800 metre run, Brady Robertson finished 2nd in 2:02.60 and Chris Adams finished 3rd in 2:03.20.

SHS swept the senior men's 100 metre hurdles event. Brodie Latimer ran it in 15.60 to win, Eric Lusk was 2nd in 17.00, and Tyler Cancian was third in 17.10. The 400 metre hurdles event also yielded a sweep: Chad McInnes won it in 1:01.80, Ryan Gibson was 2nd in 1:03.00 and Ben Amos was 3rd in 1:07.10.

SHS finished 3rd in the 4x100 metre relay in a time of 50.80.

Brady Robertson finished second in the men's javelin throw with a 42.17 metre effort, and finally, the 4x400 metre relay team took first place with a 3:40.30 time.

You are invited to attend a FREE community public information session about Advance Care Planning.

“…it’s about making choices now, while you are capable, about how you wish to be cared for in the future if you become incapable of making decisions. It is also about giving someone you trust the information and authority to act on those wishes for you…” (Ontario Government’s “The Advance Care Planning Guide).

Have you made these plans? Does your family know what these plans are? Do you have an up-to-date Power of Attorney for your Personal Care should you not be capable of expressing your plans before you die? Is your will up-to-date? Do you want to have extreme medical procedures done to prolong your life if you are in a coma or situation with no hope for a full recovery? Have you made funeral arrangements?

Although these are difficult questions to face, unfortunately each of us will eventually die, and more and more people are looking into these question to make sure their plans are carried out. Such pre-planning also spares family and friend the difficult task of making such decisions, saving them much time and extra stress. It also means peace of mind for us as we don’t have to worry or think about it again. The information sessions will provide the opportunity to have these and other questions answered as the presenters include a physician, lawyer, family member who experienced this, a representative from the Alzheimer Society, and a funeral home staff person.

This event takes place on two occasions: Wed. June 10, 2-4pm, at Sydenham Grace Centre, 4295 Stagecoach Road, and Wed. June 17, 2-4 pm, at Verona Lions Centre, 5404 Verona Sand Road. It is sponsored by the Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation, in cooperation with the Verona Medical Clinic. Coffee and refreshments will be served.

It is suggested that you pre-register as seating is limited. To pre-register for either session, contact Southern Frontenac Community Services office at 613-376-6477 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This year's Inside Ride event, which took place at Sydenham High School on May 8, seemed bigger, brighter and more spirited than in years past.

That was likely due to the fact that one of SHS's own, grade 12 student Sam Eastman, has been battling Non-Hogkins lymphoma since his diagnosis earlier this year. Soon after getting the news, friends at the school initiated the #Samstrong campaign and its force could be seen, heard and felt at the Inside Ride.

The event, now in its fifth year at the school, is run by the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation, a registered Canadian charity that raises money for children's cancer programs across the country. The charity is unique in that it follows a 100% donation model of fundraising, in which all funds raised go directly to the programs. Funds from the Sydenham event will be donated to the Children's Cancer Care Fund, a fundraising campaign run out of Kingston General Hospital and aimed at easing the financial burden on families facing a cancer diagnosis by funding the various related costs that come with a cancer diagnosis that are not covered by OHIP.

The Sydenham Inside Ride attracted 26 six-member teams, with each team having raised a minimum of $300. During the one-hour event, each rider from each team took a 10-minute turn at the wheel of their bike as their team members danced to the throbbing tunes expertly spun by emcee Marshall Jeske.

Altogether, an incredible $14,000 was raised!

School spirit was running extraordinarily high, with teams boasting awesome costumes under team names like The New Groove, The Magic School Bus, and The Beach Babes, who sprayed loaded water guns and bounced beach balls throughout. Event coordinator Jen Davies called the Inside Ride “a one-hour party with a purpose” and she said, "These students really seem to get the idea that cancer is not just something that happens to somebody else, which is very motivating for them.” Prizes were awarded for best team spirit, best costumes, top distance cycled by a team as well as top male, top female, top volunteer and top team fundraisers.

Other prizes included donated gifts from Goodlife as well as prizes collected through the school's parent council. Sam's family of course was out in full force as the #Samstrong team and Sam's mother, Libby Hearn, fittingly and bravely spoke at the start of the event, updating the students and staff on Sam's battle as he enters his fourth round of chemotherapy.

“He is fighting really hard and he is doing it because he has the tremendous support of this school and this community. You are all making such a huge difference in his battle. We, his family, just wanted to say thank you and Sam wanted me to send his thanks to you all as well.” Sam had been planning to attend the event but an infection prevented him from making the trip to the school. For those who missed the event, donations can still be made until the end of November 2015 by visiting sydenham.theinsideride.com.

When the Sydenham high school addition was completed last year, part of the structure included an imposing stepped concrete retaining wall on the west side, looming over Mill Street. The three-foot deep terraces were filled with earth and planted.

Landscaping is the last step in a construction project, when time and money are usually running short. In my experience this often leads to compromises in quality and execution, regardless of what the original plan may have been.

By the end of last summer some of the plants had flourished, especially the grasses. But it was immediately apparent that the earth they were set in had not been the good quality sterilized potting soil and compost that an investment in a new planting deserves. Instead the fill appeared to have come straight from a field or roadside, rich with its own assortment of seeds.

This spring the steps are rampant with hardy perennials: dandelions, Manitoba maples, chicory and burdock. Many other plants are outlaws with their profiles on the province's noxious weed list: bull thistles, wild vetch so deep-rooted and fragile-stemmed that it’s almost impossible to eradicate by pulling, Queen Anne’s lace, quack grass, and worse. Much worse. Tall clumps of ragweed towered last fall above the rest of the growth, and will have reseeded. (Allergic to ragweed? Then you know why this plant’s on the list.)

Most alarming of all is the wild parsnip thriving everywhere along the steps, preparing to bloom and reseed this summer. Wild parsnip is closely related to giant hogweed. Its sap causes the skin to react to sunlight, resulting in intensely painful slow-healing sores, and is also possibly carcinogenic. Now even if someone tries to sort out this horticultural disaster, it will be a dangerous as well as difficult job.

Questions come to mind: why was poor quality weed-riddled fill used for these plantings? Why no mulch, which would have helped prevent at least some unwanted seeds from germinating? Why was there no provision to have someone with good plant recognition skills weed the steps thoroughly during the first summer? Did any thought go into the choice of plants used? A more careful selection and interplanting of dwarf evergreens, vines, various coloured day lilies and grasses would have filled the steps fully and attractively in a year or two, minimizing ongoing maintenance.

Instead the school now presents a noxious weed-ridden eyesore to anyone approaching from the west or heading down the main street into the village, an annoyance and hazard to both students and community.

Assuming the Limestone Board is responsible for the final product of their building project, what do they intend to do this summer to address this mess?

by Helen Parfitt

Sydenham Lake Canoe Club will be offering an exciting variety of paddling programs this summer. SLCC, now in its 18th year at its Sydenham location, has its roots in the Cataraqui Canoe Club, a sprint racing canoe club established in 1886 in Kingston. The season will begin in mid-May with the After School Learn-to-Train Program. This program will allow youth who intend to register in the sprint paddling program to get a head start on the season. The Master’s program starts the same day. This program is for those 18 and over who want to paddle either recreationally or competitively. Paddling is a fun way to work out as it works the upper body, abdominal core, and back muscles. In July, the club will also be offering the Canoe Kids Day Camp and morning Kayaking Lessons.

The Canoe Kids Day Camp and kayaking lessons program are similar to the Red Cross swimming program in that there are attainable skill levels that paddlers can achieve. The week-long program involves paddling, and playing on-the-water games that indirectly lead to skill development. At the end of the week, paddlers will receive a bronze, silver or gold ribbon and certificate to recognize their level of achievement. “They can complete all three levels of the program in less than a month if they choose, or they can take one or two skill levels per summer,” says Parfitt.

The club will continue its tradition of offering its Competitive Sprint Paddling program, an intensive competitive paddling program for paddlers who enjoy the fun of serious competition. Sprint paddlers train daily to compete on weekends in divisional and provincial canoe and kayak CKC-sanctioned regatta events held throughout Ontario. These regattas are also open to any youth or adult paddler registered in our week long programs.

It will be a particularly exciting summer in Sydenham this year, as SLCC will be hosting the Eastern Ontario Divisional Regatta on August 8 and 9 at Sydenham Point. Sprint paddling athletes, age 15 and under, from all over Ontario will descend on Sydenham for two days of racing to determine who goes on to the Provincial Championships in Ottawa. “You never know where this sport will take you,” says Parfitt. “Genevieve L’Abbe, age 17, from SLCC, whose first competition took place right here at the Point at the age of 9, is now a member of the Ontario and National Junior Team in kayaking. She will be competing this June in Montreal in the hopes of going to the World Junior Cup in Portugal in July.” For more information on our programs go to www.sydenhamlakecanoeclub.com.