New: Facebook has blocked all Canadian news. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop.

New: Facebook has blocked all Canadian news. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop.

A total of 13 locations opened their doors to curious history buffs at the special Doors Open event, which took place on June 13 to celebrate 150 years in Frontenac County.

At the Railway Heritage Park in Sharbot Lake, members of the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society greeted visitors to the caboose, which offers visual and written information about the area’s unique railway history. They served guests lunch and refreshments and want to get the word out that they are looking for new members and volunteers to assist them with their many ongoing projects. For information please call 613-279-2777

At the Bradshaw Schoolhouse near Tichborne, guests had a chance to meet former teachers and their relatives at the quaint and lovingly preserved one-room schoolhouse where Richard Webster greeted guests. Visitors included Marilyn Meeks, who supply taught at the school for one year in the late 1960s, filling in for a teacher taking maternity leave. She remembers the school with fondness and recalled how the older students assisted the teachers by minding the younger students while the teacher did her best to cover school curriculum for all ages. Also visiting was Daniel Hayes, whose grandmother Daisy (Margaret) Hayes taught at the school between 1916 and 1919, prior to marrying Edward Hayes, who at the time was a telegraph operator at the CP Station in Tichborne. Daisy trained as a teacher at Sharbot Lake's Normal School (teachers’ college) prior to taking the post at Bradshaw.

Other locations included in the Doors Open event included sites in and around North, Central, and South Frontenac and the Islands.

Published in FRONTENAC COUNTY
Wednesday, 08 April 2015 17:31

Kids Easter party in Arden

Close to 30 youngsters attended the annual Easter Party on April 4 at the Kennebec hall in Arden. The event was organized by members of the Kennebec Recreation Committee, who had their Easter ears on especially for the event. The children, who were accompanied by their parents, enjoyed a free lunch and home made cookies and chocolate cupcakes and took part in a number of games including bean bag toss, Crokinole and more. Numerous Easter themed craft activities that included beading, bracelet making, and a special party bag craft were enjoyed by the youngsters. Wanda Harrison, chair of the Kennebec Recreation Committee, said that the annual event encourages members of the community to “come out on the holiday weekend, meet and socialize with one another while giving us a chance to do meet them as well.” Ten volunteers helped put on the event that continues to be a highlight of the holiday weekend for young and old alike.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC

Empty Bowls, the quarter-century-old fundraiser that started up in Michigan as a grass roots organization, was founded with the goal of fighting hunger through the sale of hand-made pottery bowls. It has been uniting potters in communities all over the world since 1990.

Begun by Michigan teacher John Hartom and his wife Lisa Blackburn as a way to support a local food drive, the group made pottery bowls and served a soup and bread lunch in them. Following the meal, diners were invited to keep the bowl for a donation.

Since its inception the Empty Bowls event continues to take place today all across Canada and the US as well as in 12 other countries around the world. To date it has raised millions of dollars for various hunger fighting organizations.

In 2002 Perth area potter Jackie Seaton brought Empty Bowls to eastern Ontario. He is remembered here with the words he used to describe what Empty Bowls meant to him. “Food scarcity means not just a scarcity of calories but a scarcity of the life-affirming joys that good food provides. Empty Bowls reminds us all never to take food for granted but to celebrate and share what we have.”

Local potters will be carrying on the Empty Bowls tradition at this year’s Frontenac Heritage Festival at two separate locations. In Arden, potters Joanne Pickett, Aileen Merriam, Diane Nicholson and myself (Julie Druker), will have a wide variety of handmade bowls available for a $15 donation. Soup and chili will be provided by volunteers from the local community. The Arden event will take place at the Kennebec hall on Sat. Feb. 14 from 10:30am –4pm.

In Sharbot Lake, potter Johanna Jansen will be heading up the Empty Bowls event there and will be offering up bowls created by herself and Long Lake potters Tracy Bamford and Sharon Matthews of Water's Edge Pottery, and Dawn Burnham of Maberly. The Sharbot Lake Empty Bowls fundraiser will be included as part of the Frontenac Heritage Festival craft show, which takes place at St. James Major Catholic hall on Sat. Feb. 14 from 10am - 4pm and on Sunday, February 15 from noon until 4pm. All of the proceeds from both events will be donated to the North Frontenac Food Bank located in Sharbot Lake.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC

A number of the professional staff members of the up and coming website Fisherman.ca spent three days braving some cold weather on local lakes last week. They were fishing and filming on Kennebec, Big Gull and Sharbot Lake, among others, with a camera crew in tow, preparing a series of videos that will debut on their site and on the Youtube channel FisherManCanada starting in early February.

“This is a hugely attractive part of the country for fishing, said Fisherman.ca founder Brian Ineson after spending time on the lakes, “and the fishing, as you will see in the videos, is particularly good around here. Of course it helps that we have some experts along for the ride.”

Ineson was referring to the fact that he brought along some of the site's pro staff contributors with him, and they were hosted by the local member of the Fisherman.ca team, Cezar Spirala of Springwood Cottages on Kennebec Lake (located within 500 metres of the junction of Hwy. 7 and Henderson Road near Arden).

Springwood is one of the few lodges in the region that remain open year round, and Spirala's enthusiasm for fishing not only on Kennebec Lake but on all the lakes nearby became a catalyst for the rest of the Fisherman.ca crew to come to the Land O'Lakes.

The appeal of fishing for a new generation and for women is part of the theme of the videos that were being made in the Land O'Lakes, and Cezar Spirala's wife, Jola Nowakowska as well as a teenager from Arden, Christina Blackburn, who are avid fishing enthusiasts (are they fishermen? are they fishers? - we leave it to readers to settle the fishing gender question), were more concerned about catching fish than worrying about the cold.

The videos being filmed, which will be released as 10 - 20 minute episodes in the coming weeks, are designed to bring a higher profile to both the website and the Land O'Lakes region.

“It is all about creating a higher profile for the region as a destination for tourists, showing all that the Land O'Lakes has to offer, both in winter and in summer; that's what this is all about. When more people know about the fishing and everything else there is, the trails and the accommodations that are available, more people will come and enjoy it,” said Brian Ineson.

“There is really great fishing on these lakes, and you will see that in the videos” said Cezar Spirala,

Aside from showing the surrounding area and the ice huts and equipment that was supplied by the supplier Rapala for promotional considerations, the filming also included underwater video of fish by virtue of some fancy tracking equipment that fisherman.ca has acquired.

“Land of Lakes was a great adventure and we plan on coming back soon,” said Brian Ineson. He added that a spring visit to film future episodes is a distinct possibility.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC
Thursday, 20 November 2014 09:30

Thieves rifle through unlocked vehicles

It might be difficult to find an unlocked car in Central Frontenac this week, certainly on major roads.

Sometime overnight on Saturday night, Nov. 15, thieves rifled through cars parked on the road and in driveways all through Tichborne, opening unlocked doors, unlocking trunks from inside and rifling through to grab whatever of value they could find - cash, credit cards, cameras, etc.

Reports suggest that the same thing happened in other communities, including Mountain Grove, Arden, and Tamworth. The Ontario Provincial Police have been investigating, but because of some sensitive items that have been reported stolen, they have not yet put out a media release confirming the number of victims and their locations.

One resident of Tichborne said, “We keep - that is, kept - our car door unlocked, leaving the key inside. I guess that's because we trust our neighbours,” adding that they only lost some loose change and an empty computer case from their car. “But it does make you feel uneasy to think someone would go through your car right at your house while you are asleep just inside the walls.”

More information will be released as it comes in.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 22 October 2014 21:30

Saddling up to send kids to camp

The three-year-old tradition of raising funds to send local kids to camp continued at Arden's Circle Square Ranch on October 19. Over 20 riders saddled up to participate in the ranch's third annual Ride-a-thon, an event whose goal is to raise funds to subsidize children who might not otherwise have a chance to attend summer camp.

The fundraiser was started by Dwayne and Cindy Matson, former directors at the ranch for the past five years, who this September were forced to step down due to Dwayne's health issues. The couple have since passed the reins over to Anne and Andrew Douglas, the ranch’s new co-executive directors, who took the helm in September. The Douglases decided to continue the tradition of the Ride-a-thon and it was their first fundraiser in their new positions.

The Circle Square Ranch runs in the summer months as a Christian faith-based sleepover camp for children ages 6-18 and in the other months it runs as a retreat centre for any groups and organizations looking for a peaceful place to gather. The ranch, which is spread over 300 scenic acres, offers horseback riding, a high ropes course, a waterfront beach area, plus all of the usual camp activities. The summer camp offers a unique wilderness camping experience to children from all kind of socio-economic and non-faith or faith-based backgrounds. Proceeds from the Ride-a-thon fundraiser help to subsidize children from higher risk backgrounds, who would not be able to afford to attend the camp, by offering them camper scholarships.

“Children who might not otherwise get a chance to experience nature, swim in a lake or ride horses are able to get a week-long camping experience here, which for many can be a very transformative experience”, said Anne Douglas. Andy Douglas spoke of one camper who attended the camp through a scholarship in the past, a youngster who had serious health issues and had been in and out of the hospital for over nine years. However, she wanted to experience camp for the first time. “She really thrived when she was here; it was an incredibly positive experience for her and was amazing to see,” Andrew said.

Anne spoke highly of the ranch’s summer camp staff. “We have a phenomenal staff here, kids who teach the campers a number of skills and who also mentor them. Leadership building is also a main focus and we have a Leaders In Training program for older campers as well.”

At the Ride-a-thon fundraiser the Douglases invited Dwayne Matson to lead the longer of the two trail rides that were offered to participants. Beginner riders were offered a shorter one-hour trial ride on the ranch property. Participants collected pledges prior to the event and the end goal was to raise $2,000 or more in pledges, which would fund four individual camper scholarships. Riders who collected the most pledges won a number of impressive prizes donated from local businesses and individuals. The day ended with a festive chili dinner in the ranch’s main dinning hall. For more information about Circle Square Ranch visit their website at www.csranch.ca/arden, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613-335-5403.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC

On October 2 a small group of tree lovers gathered at the Recreation Park in Arden for a special tree planting event in conjunction with the fourth annual National Tree Day. National Tree Day, which this year was on Sept. 24, aims to celebrate the benefits that trees provide for Canadians, namely clean air, wildlife habitats, reducing energy demands and connecting Canadians with nature.

At the recreation park, members of the Friends of the Salmon River and The Friends of Arden groups joined representatives from Home Hardware in Napanee and Tree Canada to plant four large 15 foot trees. The planting is one of many projects that the Friends of Arden have carried out in their efforts over the last few years to rejuvenate the hamlet of Arden. The event came about when Susan Moore, a member of the Friends of the Salmon River, approached the Arden group, making them aware that every year Napanee Home Hardware through a partnership with Tree Canada donates some of their end of the season tree stock to help celebrate Tree Day. Four trees - two red oaks and two sugar maples - were donated to the Arden group and six more were donated to the Friends of the Salmon River and planted in Tamworth.

Terry Kennedy, a member of the Friends of Arden, said his group was eager to be part of the event and was grateful for the support both of the township who gave permission to plant the trees on township property and to the Matson family of Arden who donated their backhoe to dig the holes for the trees.

Also present at the planting were Aaron and Marsha Beebe, owners of the Napanee Home Hardware (located on the 401 at Napanee) who in partnership with Tree Canada are able to apply each year for trees to donate to area groups. Marsha said she was thrilled to be approached this year by Susan Moore, who requested the trees. “It's so nice to have people who really cherish and appreciate the trees and who will take good care of them”, she said.

Also present was Dan Baker, a representative of Tree Canada, an organization that for over 20 years has “engaged Canadian communities, governments, corporations, and individuals in the pursuit of a greener and healthier living environment by providing education, technical expertise, and resources to plant and care for urban and rural trees.” To date Tree Canada has planted close to 80 million trees in more than 550 school yards across the country. The total value of the Arden trees is estimated at between $1600-$2000.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC
Wednesday, 30 July 2014 14:21

Arden Seniors “Happy Gang” summer sale

Laughter and smiles were shared at the Arden Seniors Happy Gang fundraiser, which took place at the Kennebec hall in Arden on July 26. The annual event is the group’s biggest fundraiser of the year and it included a community garage sale, craft and art market, an outdoor barbeque and a silent auction with a wide variety of items donated by members of the seniors group.

Jack Patterson has been the president of the group for the last 11 years and this year the group boasts 75 members. The fundraiser, which on average raises close to $3,000 a year, allows the group to continue to support numerous groups and organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Alzheimer's Society, and Leukemia research, as well as Land O'Lakes Public School in Mountain Grove and the Central Frontenac fire station in Kennebec.

The group also supports Northern Frontenac Community Services, the local snowsuit and hamper funds, the local swim program and the local food bank. Any remaining funds are used to put on a special Christmas dinner for the group.

Close to 300 people attended this year’s summer sale, making for another successful year. Patterson said the goal of the group is not only to provide a social venue for the seniors in the area but is also a way for seniors in the community to keep on eye on local happenings and issues that are of concern to them. “We often make special requests to our local council for things that concern us and, as one example, we have been able to acquire air conditioning for the hall here.”

The group meets regularly on the first Tuesday of the month at the Kennebec hall in Arden at 11 a.m. and Patterson encourages anyone over 50 who is interested to come out to sample a meeting. “We have an hour-long business meeting and then we enjoy a nice potluck lunch. It's a lot of fun and you can bet to hear a number of pretty good jokes.” The meetings are a great way for seniors in the community to get together, share a meal and offer support to numerous worthy causes in and around the community.

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC
Thursday, 03 July 2014 10:33

A trio of artists' studios in Arde

Those who may have missed the 7th annual Garden Party and Open Studio event in Arden on June 28, have no fear. A talented trio of Arden artisans are open for business all summer long (and throughout the year with certain exceptions) and they all love to welcome visitors to their picturesque showrooms and studio spaces.

The trio of Arden artists are painter Judith Versavel of Gallery on the Bay, potter Joanne Pickett of Arden Pottery and Sarah Hale of Arden Batik. The artists enjoy receiving visitors into their creative spaces, educating them about the work they do and showing them around the studios where they create their unique work.

Sarah Hale has been making art using the wax-resist technique, batik, for over 40 years and opened her studio decades ago. Hale's colorful artworks focus primarily on local natural landscape and wildlife and her recent new works include subjects inspired by a trip to Columbia where she attended the annual Carnival festival. She also creates themed pieces for special events. In her studio she stocks other unique Ontario crafts as well a number of fair trade gift items from around the globe.

Judith Versavel is a multi-media artist who offers up a wide variety of creative works in various mediums at her lakefront home studio. Painting is Judith's primary focus and her subject matter includes landscapes, local buildings, still lifes and portraits. Judith stocks a wide selection of her own cards as well as her own line of jewelry and also stocks a variety of art and craft items made by other local artists, including woodturned objects, photography and posters.

Potter Joanne Pickett has been making wheel-thrown functional stoneware and decorative pottery for decades and her beautiful home front showroom is a testament to her prowess as a master potter. She offers up a wide array of highly functional home and kitchen items including mugs, bowls, vases, serving dishes and much more. Her forms are precise, pleasing and decorative, lovely to hold and use and come in a wide of variety of high-fired glaze finishes. Joanne does not limit her talents to the wheel; she also enjoys venturing into the sculptural realm of her medium and creates intriguing pieces to decorate the garden and other outdoor spaces.

Art lovers seeking that perfect, unique, hand-crafted gift should look no further than Arden.

Arden Batik is located at 1029 Elm Tree Road (phone 613-335-2073), Arden Pottery, 1040 Big Clear Lane (613-335-2763) and Gallery on the Bay, 1010 Willett Lane (613-335-2032). The studios are open regular business hours throughout the summer, and all year long with other specified hours but to be sure, call in advance.

 

Published in CENTRAL FRONTENAC

The candidates were not surprised that the most popular line of questioning at the first all-candidates’ meeting in Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington in the current election campaign had to do with power generation and electricity rates. The meeting was held on May 26 at the Kennebec Community Centre in Arden.

“I've seen that at the door throughout the campaign. People want to talk about hydro rates, and where we are going with hydro generation in this province,” said NDP candidate Dave Parkhill after the meeting, an observation that was shared by Liberal Party candidate Bill MacDonald.

The four candidates, MPP Randy Hillier from the Progressive Conservatives and Green Party candidate Cam Mather along with Parkhill and MacDonald, were all happy to advocate for their party’s position on the issues that were brought forward. And the parties certainly have disparate views.

Dave Parkhill said that what is needed is to bring back the past. “The Conservatives made a mess of Hydro by splitting it into three entities; the Liberals made it worse, and here we are. What the NDP will do, and it won't be easy, is bring it back into one company. That way we can all decide what we all need to do in the future, we can build out our own capacity, and we can get the electricity that we need at a price that we can afford,” he said.

Randy Hillier said there were two main causes of problems at Hydro: decisions that the Liberal party made to move two generating plants “at a cost of over $1 billion, and a Green Energy Act that pays way over market value for solar and wind power, making good money for some people by pushing rates up for everyone else.”

Cam Mather said the other parties are all avoiding the most “pressing issue facing all of us, climate change ... the only way to deal with this is to put a tax on carbon. I know no one wants to talk about it but that's what needs to happen; we cannot afford to pretend there is no economic cost to producing carbon.”

Bill MacDonald supported the Green Energy Act, and moving one of the proposed gas plants into the LFL&A riding from Mississauga.

“By the end of this year, there will be no more coal-fired plants in Ontario. That's a promise we made when we were elected in 2003 and we are delivering, and the Green Energy Act has created good jobs in rural Ontario. Why would we apologize for that? As far as the gas plants are concerned, they will be creating construction jobs in this riding over the next two years and 30 to 40 permanent jobs after that.”

The candidates took time during their opening remarks to point to some of their own, and their parties’ key issues.

Dave Parkhill addressed the question of the NDP being targeted for causing the election to come about.

“When the people of Ontario sent a minority government to Queen's Park, they were telling all the parties to work together. The Conservatives said no from the start, and the Liberals responded by saying they could govern as if they had a majority. It is only the NDP who listened. We said we would only support the first budget with changes, and the second as well. But this last time Kathleen Wynne said, this is it, take it or leave it,” he said.

Randy Hillier said, “I have represented this riding for seven years, and in my first campaign I made a few promises. One was that I would represent this riding to Queen's Park and that my allegiance was to the constituents, not the party. I have held to that, and it has caused some problems, but I can say that everyone at Queen's Park respects me for it.”

Bill MacDonald addressed the local audience. “When you wonder why it is there is no long-term care facility in Frontenac County, and why there are other infrastructure deficits here, you might consider that the last time there was an MPP at Queen's Park from Frontenac County was Jack Simonett in 1963. I'm not saying MPs only serve their home county, because I would work for all three, but it might be time to send someone from Frontenac County to Queen's Park.”

Cam Mather stressed climate change from the start.

“All of the issues the other candidates are discussing will come to nothing in the face of climate change. Putting a price on carbon means that energy is going to be more expensive under the Green Party, but we have lots ways to deal with it, especially for those who can't afford it.”

Published in FRONTENAC COUNTY
Page 7 of 16
With the participation of the Government of Canada