Forty years later, communications are as important as ever

Jeff Green | Feb 24, 2011

Editorial by Jeff Green

In 1971 there was no Facebook, no Twitter, no Internet at all, and no cell phones. Most telephones in this part of the world were on party lines. It was a long distance call between Sharbot Lake and Arden, or Harrowsmith and Sydenham for that matter.

At that time, the institution that had been the life blood of rural communities, the K&P railroad, was long gone. All the local mines had closed. Agriculture, a victim of the rocky ground and changing times, was in the midst of a long decline, and the heyday for local foresters was also in the past.

Tourism, which had long been a major factor in the local economy, was becoming the economic base, and there was a recognition on the part of many that the local communities that dotted the landscape were in a state of decline.

A group of people began meeting to talk about how people in the small communities north and south of Highway 7 could work together to develop social and economic ties on a more regional basis.

This Communications Group, as it came to be called, decided to put out a monthly newsletter, and in March of 1971, the first edition of the North Frontenac News was spit out of an old Gestetner machine and delivered to local stores and restaurants.

The North Frontenac News eventually evolved into a weekly newspaper over the years, and survived as a publicly owned not-for-profit enterprise, under North Frontenac Community Services until it went into private hands in 2001.

Since then the paper has continued to publish community reports each week, as well as other news, and continues to strive to accomplish the original goals that the communications group created it for – namely, to inform people in the small communities, now through most of Frontenac County, Addington Highlands and western Lanark County.

We now also use the world-wide web to do this, through Frontenacnews.ca, which has an archive of stories going back ten years

Next month, we will be publishing a special 40th Anniversary issue, and in looking back at what has happened during that time, we invite readers and volunteers from the past to send in their memories of the News, flattering or unflattering as they may be, as we share our anniversary with the readers and businesses that have kept us alive and independent for all these years.

We can be reached through the mail at Box 229 Sharbot Lake, K0H 2P0, by phone at 613-279-3159 or 1-888-779-3150; by fax at 613-279-3172, or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, March 8, and the special edition is scheduled for publication on March 17.

Enquiries about advertising in the 40th anniversary edition can be sent to the above coordinates as well.