Quinte Conservation and the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority have both declared a level 3 water conditions.

The Quinte declaration includes the Salmon River, which runs from south of Cloyne, through Arden to the Depot Lakes and Stone Mills Township, and eventually into Lake Ontario.

“This is the most severe low water level that Quinte declares. We have received approximately 35% of average rainfall across the watershed in July. This means that some lake and river levels are visibly lower than they would normally be for this time of year. Flows in the Moira, Napa and nee and Salmon Rivers continue to be extremely low and we need a significant amount of rain to change that,” said Quinte Conservation Water Resources Manager, Christine McClure.

A level 3 condition indicates a failure of the water supply to meet demands. It can result in restrictions on water use in municipalities that supply water to their residents, and residents on private wells are asked to voluntarily curtail their water usage in order to keep more water in the system and to keep wells from running dry.

Quinte reports that water levels have become “dangerously low” on the Skootamatta, Black, Salmon, and Napanee rivers. For that reason, Quinte has released water from a number of upstream dams.

“We are attempting to maintain a minimal flow in the rivers to support local ecosystems. These dams have been identified as low flow augmentation structures and are being operated according to their individual operation plans. Residents above the dams we are operating will notice a decline in their water levels,” said McClure.

The dams that have been activated include the Deer Rock Lake Dam, the Upper Arden Dam, the Second and Third Depot Lake Dams, and the 13 Island Lake Dam. Water has not yet been released through the Skootamatta Lake Dam but Quinte says it might do so if “conditions warrant”.

Residents and businesses located along the Salmon River watershed that experience dry wells or other water-related issues are asked to call Quinte at 613-968-3434 or 613-354-3312, ext. 129. Tips for conserving water are available at Quinteconservation.ca

On Wednesday morning (August 10) The Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) followed Quinte's lead and made a level 3 declaration. CRCA covers lakes ans streams in the eastern and Central part of South Frontenac, including Dog, Collins, Loughborough and Sydenham Lakes as well as the Cataraqui River.

Teh CRCA explained the circumstnces which led to the declaration in a release on Wednesday, which poined ominously towards low water levels through the summer and fall seasons.

"The last four months (April through July) were some of the driest ever recorded in the Kingston area. Only 10 mm of rain fell, on average, across the CRCA in the last 30 days (average is ~70 mm) and there has been essentially no rain yet in August, 1/3 of the way through the month. Stream flows are now exceptionally low, close to the lowest ever recorded, with some streams having dried up entirely. Lake levels across the CRCA, and eastern Ontario, have been falling due to evaporation (as much as 2.5 cm each day), and are as much as 20 cm below normal for this time of year. These low levels will be potentially exposing hazards that are normally irrelevant. Recreational users (swimmers, boaters, etc.) should exercise caution. These low levels are expected to persist into winter conditions."

Conservation is the only means that residents can employ to stretch the dwindling water resource. the CRCA published a chart outlining how household water use breaks down to help South Frontenac residenst controltheir usage. Toilet flushing accounts for 24% of water use, showers and faucets both account for about 20%, clothes washers 17%,  leaks 12%, baths 4% and dishwashers 1%. So, plugging leaks, using low water flushing techniques, and following the old hippy adage (if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down) might be the best advice going in the coming months.

Full fire bans are in place in South, Central and North Frontenac, Addington Highlands and the City of Kingston. Small campfires are still permitted in Lanark County, and there are fire restrictions at provincial campgrounds. Check with the campgrounds for details.

When the name Camp Kennebec is mentioned, some think of family camping and others think of a kids’ camp. Well, both are correct.

From the late ‘60s to the mid ‘90s, the camp was geared to family camping, so much so that many of the families that were first introduced to the Arden area through their camping experience later bought property here for their retirement years.

Camp Kennebec is located just off Cox Road in the hamlet, and the original owner, Steve Hammond, later decided that his camp should focus on the youth. He wanted to let them experience camping traditions, as many of them lived in the big cities, so in and around 1995 it became a camp for kids.

Since Hammond’s passing a few years ago, those now in charge have expanded his vision into a camp for those youth with special needs. The camp is now into their third year of the K I T program, and the focus is for the kids to master the art of living independently. These young people share cabins that are fully equipped with all the appliances necessary to make meals for themselves, so they can practice performing tasks that are second nature to the majority of us.

The camp began on July 3 this year and will run through to August 20. Regular camping fare such as archery, hiking, and horseback riding are offered, along with the special program.

As part of their interaction with “regular” people, the older campers, 18 +, prepared various items, such as wooden spoons, fire starters and candles and offered them for sale at the Arden Happy Gang’s summer sale on July 30.

Interaction, money management and work skills are just part of the program’s goals, and after speaking to the youngsters at the sale, it was very evident that they were just like regular kids, happy to be at camp and loving to craft their stuff to sell that day.

Speaking of selling their crafts, they were sold out of wooden spoons by about 10:30, so they took orders from those who missed out on buying a spoon, and are even going to make special spoons with longer handles for others. They worked in shifts of an hour each, with about 12 youngsters participating. The group was so elated with their success at the sale that they celebrated by taking a road trip to Kaladar’s Spud Box.

As one of the partners at the camp, Rob Daman explained to me, the kids come from as far away as Waterloo, Warkworth, Ajax and Curtis, and as near as Kingston and the surrounding areas.

Daman and the other partners will be meeting in September to summarize the year’s success and also to make their plans for the following years to come.

I am sure this camp would welcome some community support. Like so many others in the area, I had no idea of the camp’s far-reaching mandate. Let’s make sure that if they plan a fundraising event, or a tour of the camp, or need help painting or redecorating, we support their efforts with our time and energy.

Last Friday, July 8, Arden was hot and humid, and rockin'! Those that made their way to see Shred Kelly at Kennebec Hall were in for an awesome night.

It all started about a year ago when Scott Bulbrook and Peter Riehm of Ottawa went to see the band perform at Raw Sugar in Ottawa. Already huge fans, they took the band out for a meal after and jokingly asked what it would take to have the band play at Scott's cottage.

To their surprise, the band agreed and “Lake Up! Arden” was born. Bulbrook quickly realized his small cottage on Kennebec Lake was not going to be big enough, so he rented Kennebec Hall. With financial support from 14 friends, the planning began.

Scott Bulbrook's hope was not only to have a great night, but to hopefully have a positive impact on the community. He had been very disappointed in “The Lost Highway”, a documentary that was made about the local community and released in 2014. “I found that documentary a bit depressing and downright offensive,” he said - a sentiment shared by many members of the community.

“When we first started cottaging in the area, the thriving local art scene and the few stores in Arden were something we thought of as just another nice feature of our cottage. As everyone knows, over the last few years there's been a bit of a decline,” he said.

The members of Shred Kelly are also from small towns and fully understand that even a tiny concert can have a positive impact on a community. They were excited to be in Arden.

Shred Kelly is a band based in Fernie, BC, and have been re-defining the term “folk-rock”. Members Tim Newton, Sage McBride, Jordan Vlasschaert, Ian Page-Shiner and Ty West come from all over the country and bring unique backgrounds and talents to the group. This allows for a depth of sound and musicianship that leaves listeners wanting more. By pushing the boundaries of traditional folk with a wide range of influences, they have created a unique sound called “Stoke Folk”.

The stop in Arden was part of an extensive tour promoting themselves and their third album titled “Sing To The Night”, which was released in January of 2015. They continue to sell out shows to crowds of a thousand people or more and perform at some of Canada's premier festivals. With their high-energy and crowd-engaging live show, they are receiving a growing list of awards and recognition for their unquestionable talent.

There were four opening acts Friday night, including the Burban Guerillas, Amnesty Load, Ash Perry and the Shiners, and Arden locals, Sympathy Ghost. Around 90 tickets were sold and approximately 20 volunteers helped the evening run smoothly.

As the sun set, Shred Kelly took to the stage and they did not let the heat hinder what they are known for. With beautiful vocal harmonies, ambient keyboard sounds, amazing banjo riffs, dynamic guitar, bass and drums and an intense “There is absolutely no way you cannot dance” live show, there were very few people left sitting in the hall. Kennebec Hall seemed to swell with the sounds - an old hall, with great acoustics, thrilled at the music that was being played there again.

“It's like a giant house or kitchen party” Peter Riehm said, “Fun for the band, fun for the crowd, fun for the town! Shred Kelly are sincerely nice people, so it is a thrill to have them and to introduce some new fans to their brand of Stoke Folk.”

As the show was coming to an end, guitar player Ty West crowd-surfed on an inflatable surfboard and lightning erupted outside, bringing the show to a final peaking highlight. Guests left the show sweaty from dancing so hard and in a daze of smiles, laughter and thankfulness that they did not miss such an incredible night. Most are now officially deemed Shred Heads.

Rumour has it Bulbrook is already making plans for next year. Will Shred Kelly return?

If they do, you'd better not miss it.

Ken Gilpin, the owner of Frontenac Municipal Bylaw Enforcement, appeared before Central Frontenac Council this week to speak to changes that have been proposed to the safe properties and noise bylaws that the township already has in place.

“All these bylaws are simply means of dealing with issues that come up. The changes that are proposed are just updates and short form wording as well to make them more effective,” he said.

Gilpin explained that the inspections are only triggered by complaints, and that after investigations, non-compliance with the bylaws results in the issuance of an order with 30 days to comply.

“At the end of 30 days we bring in a company to clean the property up and bill from there,” he said.

Gilpin said that his company, which provides bylaw enforcement services for a number of municipalities including North, Central and South Frontenac, always uses the same company to clean up properties.

“They have the necessary equipment and licenses to deal with scrap metal, hazardous waste, anything that is necessary to clean up properties that are derelict,” he said.

Councilor Tom Dewey said that Gilpin should put out an RFP for the services he contracts out in order to comply with township procurement policies, leading to a discussion about whether the policy applies to contractors.

The tenor of the discussion changed, however, when Mayor Smith invited Ross Halliday, a new resident of the township, to present his objections to the bylaw, which were included in a detailed written submission. Halliday said that the bylaw includes too much vague language and therefore hay fields, dandelions, cars that are unlicensed but still being repaired, and grass that may only be a few inches long, can be seen as non-compliant with the bylaw.

“I moved here with my wife Mandy a year ago with the intention of farming, and this bylaw can be used to stop us from doing most of what we are planning to do. I took a tour of my neighborhood and just about every property can be seen to be non-compliant with this new bylaw, which is much more open ended and vague than the current bylaw,” he said.

Council received letters supporting the changes from Gord Brown and Terry Kennedy, and one that opposes it from Sarah Hale, but the submission by Ross Halliday seemed to have the greatest effect.

Councilors Jamie Riddell and Brent Cameron said that passage of the bylaw should be deferred and the matter referred to special committee of council. Even Councilor Tom Dewey, who has been supportive of the changes, agreed, and by a unanimous vote the new safe properties and noise bylaws were referred to a committee that was subsequently struck to look at them and report back later in the year.

A packed house greeted Central Frontenac Council at the Kennebec Hall for their annual meeting in Arden. The agenda was full because Council only meets once a month in the summer, and it wasn't until after the supper break, prepared by the Friends of Arden and the Kennebec fire crew, that issues of particular concern to the Arden area were raised.

Terry Kennedy, president of the Friends of Arden, made a presentation to Council on behalf of his group and 12 others in the community.

He started by expressing the community's gratitude to the township for recent work, mentioning the hard-topping of Henderson Road; the replacment of the entrance sign to the park; and the providing of fill for the memorial garden that is being planned for the hamlet.

He then talked about a number of initiatives that are underway or are being planned for the community, ranging from work on the trail known as the Matson Mile and improvements to the Cenotaph, to updating the local business brochure and improving the landscaping in public spaces.

Ongoing needs, some of which will involve support from the township, include cleaning up the Mill pond at the center of Arden, which has become choked with algae. The state of the Arden Road has been an ongoing concern for many years, and Kennedy said it has an “impact on some of the other things we are trying to do, such as finding ways to begin to fill what is largely a retail vacuum.”

Both the Big Clear and Kennebec Lake associations have been involved in an ongoing discussion at the township level about a mandatory septic re-inspection program, and Kennedy said they are planning to “keep working with the township to bring it forward to implementation”.

Kennedy concluded by saying that there has been a “willingness for Council to provide assistance, which has enabled the community to undertake and complete many initiatives that would otherwise not be possible.”

He said he hopes Council will continue to “extend its support where feasible and reasonable.”

Building starts leap ahead in June

When Chief Building Official Jeremy Neven came to Council in mid-June with disappointing news about a lack of building permits being taken out in May, which resulted in a cumulative $2 million drop in construction activity compared to last year, he said that he anticipated bringing more positive news in the coming months. That prediction came true, as there were permits issued for almost $2.5 million in construction in June alone, bringing the year-to-date total to $3.7 million. Suddenly the township is $450,000 over the pace that was set last year, and a whopping $1.4 million more than in 2014.

Permits for six new residential units and two new seasonal units were the highlights of the 24 permits issued in June.

OPP not coming back to Hinch school

Following up on concerns expressed at the previous meeting of Council over township staff allowing the OPP to use Hinchinbrooke school for training purposes without charging a fee, Jeremy Neven reported that he had contacted the OPP to find out if they were interested in coming back. They said they were and he told them they would have to make a formal request and there might be a fee attached.

Then after media reports from that meeting, Neven said that he heard back from the OPP Emergency Response Unit, which had used the building, and was informed they were no longer going to be holding training events in Central Frontenac.

Strat Plan moving forward

Penny Sharman, who held senior roles in North Frontenac and Stone Mills townships before spending six years with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has now turned to consulting.

She met with council in June to kick-start a strategic planning process. In her preliminary report she made note of 37 initiatives that were discussed and talked briefly about how she has narrowed them down. She said she is prepared to bring forward a draft plan to the August meeting of Council unless there were concerns over the direction she was taking. When none came forward, Mayor Frances Smith said Sharman could go ahead and prepare the draft plan.

The plan will go to council and the public before being considered for adoption in the early fall.

Official Plan review and private roads

Joe Gallivan appeared as the township's planning consultant to put forward a schedule for the completion of both an Official Plan review and a Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw review for the township by the end of the current term of Council in 2½ years. The review had been delayed until Frontenac County completed its own Official Plan earlier this year, which will make it the approving body for the Central Frontenac plan when it is completed.

As the staff planner for the County, Gallivan has spent several years bringing its plan to completion.

In his role as county planner, Gallivan also reported on the recently completed private roads study for Frontenac County, highlighting some of the detail as it pertains to Central Frontenac.

The study shows that of the 166 private lanes in Central Frontenac, 121 are not candidates for further development, and of the other 45, only 13 can accommodate five or more new lots.

Still, Gallivan said that there are 111 vacant lots on private lanes in the township, and the potential for another 74 new lots to be created on the existing private lane network, so 185 of the 580 lots the township is projected to need by 2036 to accommodate demand can come from private lanes.

The requirements for development on these lanes is more stringent than it was in the past, but thanks to the County's lobbying efforts and the private lanes study, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs has reversed its long-standing position and is permitting this further activity on private lanes.

Seniors' housing

Joe Gallivan and Janette Amini, the clerk of Frontenac County, briefed Council on its role in developing a seniors' housing project in the township. One of the strategic goals of Frontenac County is building a small seniors' housing project in each of the four townships. Frontenac Islands is furthest along in the process. It has a piece of land picked out and is shopping for a developer.

South Frontenac is at the pre-development stage, and Central Frontenac is just now ready to start working on it. In order to start, a task force needs to be established. Under County rules, that task force is to include the mayor, two county council appointees (Councilors Tom Dewey from Central Frontenac and John McDougall from South Frontenac) and an appointee from Central Frontenac Council.

Councilor Bill MacDonald said he was willing to sit on the task force, and he was duly appointed by Council.

The task force will be ratified by the county at their meeting next week, and will start its work after that. Its first job is determining what the housing needs are for seniors in Central Frontenac. Both Frontenac Islands and South Frontenac have determined that units designed for market rent are appropriate, but Central Frontenac may be looking at a subsidized rental units.

“If you go the route of subsidized housing, there is grant money available,” said Amini.

Grass cutting and gravel contract

Supervisors Rick Commodore and Steve Gould, who together are handling the role of public works manager on an interim basis, reported that there have been some delays in the grass-cutting efforts on the sides of township roads this summer because of vehicle breakdowns and difficulty accessing parts. However, they said crews are working on the back roads in Olden District, and an outside contractor, Matson Construction, has stepped forward to do the work in Kennebec.

“We expect to catch up soon,” said Gould.

They also brought tenders for the supply of gravel to the township garages in Olden and Hinchinbrooke districts. The lowest bidder for both contracts was Gemmill Sand and Gravel, at $77,000 for Olden and $86,000 for Hinchinbrooke. This was lower than the bids from Crains' Consruction ($98,000 and $107,000 respectively) and Robinson Excavation ($106,000 and $119,000).

Councilor Dewey thanked Commodore and Gould for all the effort they have made to keep the department moving after its manager, John Badgley, parted company with the township last month (see Whatever happened to ... John Badgely)

Crow Lake to get seasonal speed bumps, signage

Karen Leahy, owner of the Oaks Resort in Crow Lake, said the residents of Crow Lake appreciate how the township has handled their request that the township do something about cars that speed through the narrow hamlet on a daily basis.

Township staff proposed, and council accepted, that removable speed bumps be installed at either end of the hamlet, with appropriate signage.

As Steve Gould from the Public Works department explained, the design of the recycled rubber product they plan to purchase from BMR Signs is such that larger heavy vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, and transports will not be affected because the speed bumps are narrow, but the cars and motorcycles that often speed through the hamlet will have to slow down.

The total cost of the speed bumps and signs is $1,433 and they will be removed before snowfall so they will not interfere with snow removal efforts.

Council authorized the purchase.

Bill Bowick, chair of the Central Frontenac Canada 150th Anniversary committee, said that it was no coincidence that the committee held its public meeting at the Kennebec Hall in Arden on Monday night, July 10.

He said that thus far the committee that has been established by Central Frontenac Council is over-represented by members from the Sharbot Lake area, at least partly because Sharbot Lake has been the focus of Canada Day festivities in the township over the years. However, the group is working to change that.

“Our goal is to help all of the communities that make up Central Frontenac share in the Canada 150 celebrations. The projects we support will respect the heritage of our communities, establish a legacy, and bring the peoples of Central Frontenac together as a single community.”

The committee is encouraging events and ongoing projects that take place throughout the sesquicentennial year, rather than only on the Canada Day weekend.

“As a group, we are here to facilitate and publicise events, and maybe help with grants, but we are looking for individuals and groups with ideas and the ability to take the projects on as well,” said committee member Linda West.

West, who is the current chair of Villages Beautiful, which has membership from seven of the hamlets in the township, said the group is looking at replacing some of the deteriorating wooden benches they put in 10 years ago with new red steel benches bearing the Canada 150 logo as a small legacy project.

“We are looking for grant money for that now,” she said.

Other ideas that are already being worked on include a heritage-themed geo-caching project that is being organised by Doug Steele, and the Fitness 150 project, an app to help residents track their physical activity towards the Fitness Canada-designated goal of 150 minutes a week.

A project that will be seeking stories and anecdotes for a kind of human history of the township is being worked on by Linda West. It will lead to a series of articles that will be published in the Frontenac News in 2017.

Two new groups indicated they are going to come on board. One is the Kennebec and District Historical Society. Its current president, Sarah Hale, said that the society has chosen the Memorial Park that is being created across the road from the Mill Pond in Arden as its focus for a sesquicentennial project. The project, which is a joint venture with the Friends of Arden, may include historical plaques marking local events or anecdotes and perhaps the red bench for Arden will be located there as well. Hale also said it might be viable to hold an anniversary event in Arden in the fall of 2017.

Brian Robertson, who represented North Frontenac Little Theatre, said the company is considering presenting programming with heritage and local themes next year.

Marcel Giroux also brought an update about Frontenac County’s signature project for the 150th anniversary, the planned completion of the K&P Trail between Kingston and Sharbot Lake, where it can join with the Trans-Canada Rrail.

The completion of an 8 kilometre section of the trail between Tichborne and Sharbot Lake, where the trail runs through 22 different private properties, requires that a deal be struck between Frontenac County and each of the landowners.

Giroux reported that all but one of the landowners have been contacted, and that while only two final deals have been struck, most are in process.

“There are only two landowners who have said no, and even in those cases we feel there may be an opening that we can explore, because the trail is very close the road allowance for Road 38 in both locations,” Giroux said.

He indicated that while he is confident that it will all be done, having the entire trail open by Canada Day 2017, which is the goal, might be difficult to accomplish.

“Things happen pretty slowly in the public sector,” he said.

One of the things that the Canada 150 committee will be taking on is publicity in the run up to 2017 and throughout the year. A Calendar of Events is being planned, and an events page for Canada 150 in Central Frontenac has been set up on Facebook.

Committee meetings are all public. The next one is set for Monday July 25 at 7 pm, and will be held in the board room of the Central Frontenac Housing Corporation at 1096 Clement Road (the building is at the end of the lane and the board room is at the far left). Bill Bowick can be reached at 613-279-3341.

Letter from the Publisher

The summer season is a crucial part of the year for all the businesses that are the lifeblood of our communities. This week, I've been calling many of the business owners that we deal with on a regular basis to ask them for help.

There is a good possibility that this will be the last Frontenac News that readers will receive in their mailboxes for a while, as Canada Post and two of the bargaining units with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers are at an impasse in negotiating a contract.

As of this coming Saturday, July 2, the union will be in a legal strike position. What will result is anyone's guess. It could be a contract; the union may launch a strike; or Canada Post might lock them out.

We distribute 9214 copies of the Frontenac News through Canada Post each week, to the far corners of Frontenac County, Addington Highlands and western Lanark County. On some weeks, we distribute an extra 2920 papers to the Inverary and Perth Road regions. While this is an expensive way to distribute newspapers, in our experience it is the only way to reach all the hamlets and back roads properties in the region. For us to set up our own distribution system would be [prohibitively?] expensive and would also be difficult to monitor effectively.

So, as we face a shut down at Canada Post, we’ve been on the phone to ask for help.

Thankfully, all the businesses we approached have been understanding, and below is a list of locations that have been lined up as of early this week. We will expand our distribution further as we contact more businesses but you can count on the ones listed here to have the Frontenac News available for free every Thursday until Canada Post is back up and running.

DISTRIBUTION POINTS:

• KINGSTON FRONTENAC PUBLIC LIBRARY branches during open hours – Sydenham, Hartington, Sharbot Lake, Parham, Arden, Mountain Grove, Plevna, and Cloyne.

• TOWNSHIP OFFICES for Addington Highlands (Flinton Recreation Centre – basement), North Frontenac (Road 506 between Ardoch and Plevna), Central Frontenac (Sharbot Lake), and South Frontenac (Sydenham)

• RETAIL OUTLETS -

• Denbigh – Glaeser's General Store

• Cloyne/Northbrook – Nowell Motors, Grand's Store, Bishop Lake Outdoor Centre, Hook's, Yourway, Northbrook Gas and Variety, Northbrook Foodland, Addison's Restaurant

• Kaladar – Kaladar Shell

• Plevna – North of 7

• Ompah – Palmerston Lake Marina

• Arden – Arden Batik?

• Sharbot Lake – Petrocan, Ram's Esso, Mike Dean's Superstore, Pharmasave, St. Lawrence College Employment Centre, Cardinal Cafe, Maples?, Sharbot Lake Country Inn, and our own office at 1095 Garrett St., rear building.

• Parham – Parham General Store

• Godfrey – Godfrey General Store

• Verona – Asselstine Hardware, Verona Hardware, Food Less Traveled, Nicole's Gifts, Verona Foodland

• Hartington - Leonard Fuels

• Harrowsmith – Gilmour's on 38, The Pizza Place

• Sydenham – Sydenham One Stop, Trousdale's Foodland ?

We are also constructing some special temporary boxes, which will be located at roadside postal locations, such as the Snow Road Community Centre, the Mountain Grove Library (outside), the Arden Post Office, etc.

Also, readers can always read the articles online at frontenacnews.ca and at that site can also access a flash version of our paper that is a .pdf copy of the newsprint version that comes to your door each week under normal circumstances.

If there is a strike, this distribution system will remain in place for at least the July 7 and 14 editions. If there is a stoppage that extends beyond mid-July, we will take stock of the success of our system and may consider changes.

We thank our readers in advance for their patience, and hope that those who enjoy the Frontenac News each week will be able to continue to do so next week.

The Kennebec Hall in Arden was the fashion center of Frontenac County last Saturday night, June 25, as a sell- out crowd came out to see local children, teens and adults strut their stuff on the runway.

The hall was decorated in formal black and white with a red carpet running down the middle of the hall.

Theresa Hooiveld of Horseshoe Lake was the chair of the show, and she sourced fashions from the Bay in Kingston, and Sand and Sea in Napanee.

The clothing ranged from casual, school wear, cruise wear, active wear, wedding, BBQ, lounge wear, graduation, western wear, children's birthday party and travel wear. Mary Kay cosmetics donated their time and products and The Bay provided perfume and men's cologne samples. Both clothing suppliers provided discount coupons for all members of the audience.

Although all the models carried themselves with the elegance befitting such an event, four-year-old Noah and seven-year-old Angie stole the show when they walked down the carpet to “Happy Birthday”. Guests all had a wonderful time, with many taking home door prizes or some of the table decorations.

The entire extravaganza was sponsored by the Kennebec Recreation Committee and raised money for sports equipment for local kids.

Models at Fashion in the Frontenacs included: Cindy Kelsey, Sandra and David Neil, Brenda McKinstry, Sheila Duthie, Noah Hertendy, Angie Woods, Peggy Breithaupt, Cayleigh and Cash Matson, Gloria and Peter Smiley, and Barb Kirkland.

On the Canadian music scene, Shred Kelly has been re-defining what folk-rock means. Pushing the boundaries of the genre, they have incorporated a wide range of influences to create a sound that they have uniquely called ‘Stoke Folk.’ The band is best known for their dynamic, high-energy and engaging live show and they’re bringing their unique brand of fun to Arden, playing the Kennebec Hall on Friday July 8.

The band, including Tim Newton, Sage McBride, Jordan Vlasschaert, Ian Page-Shiner, and Ty West, is based in Fernie, BC, but four of the members have deep roots in Ontario. Both Sage & Jorden come from small Ontario towns.

The band is also excited to be playing Kennebec Hall, one of the classic community halls that still anchor many Ontario towns. “These old halls have such a rich history that needs to be celebrated. Each one is unique to its own town, with awesome acoustics and such a warm vibe. We love to play these venues, it gives us a feeling of being in touch with the community,” says Jordan Vlasschaert.

Shred Kelly has received a growing list of awards and recognition. They recently won ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Best Live Act’ at 2015 Kootenay Music Awards and won a 2015 Western Canadian Music Award for ‘Best Music Video’ for their latest single ‘Sing to the Night.’ Their 3rd album – ‘Sing To The Night’ – once again demonstrates their signature claw-hammer banjo riffs, layered ambient synth, powerhouse rock, and sweet vocal harmonies. Tickets are $16 online www.shredkelly.zooglelabs.com or $20 at the door. Doors open at 6; the show starts with an open jam at 7, featuring local acts: Burban Guerillas, Ash Perry and the Shiners, Sympathy Ghost, Amnesty Load. Visit www.shredkelly.com

by Peter Riehm with files from Shred Kelly  

Close to 30 youngsters enjoyed a festive Easter celebration at Arden's Kennebec hall thanks to the Kennebec Rec committee, who put on their 16th annual Easter party for kids on March 26. There were crafts and games, an Easter egg hunt, a hot lunch, home-made cookies and more. Numerous committee members, volunteers and parents assisted in helping the community's youngsters at the party and every child also received a take home goodie bag.

Wanda Harrison, chair of the Kennebec Rec. Committee, was pleased with the turn out and would like to thank all the volunteers, parents and local businesses who assisted in making the Easter party another very enjoyable and memorable day for so many youngsters in the Arden and district community.