The Frontenac Addington Trappers' Council are counting on good weather, and a good turnout, for their annual fund-raising fishing derby on Big Gull Lake on Saturday, March 1.

Not only do they want the event to be as enjoyable as possible for the families that attend, and for the fishing to be good, but the council also needs money to carry on the work they do. They also want to continue to be able to support the outdoor education centre at North Addington Education Centre, the Pine Meadow Nursing Home, the Conservationists of Frontenac/Addington deer contest, anglers and hunters programs, student
bursaries, walleye spawning beds, as well as public education programs and workshops throughout the region.

Wilf Deline of Dead Creek Outfitters is the council president, and he said that there have been challenges for the council and for trappers in general in recent years due to low prices for pelts, and other factors.

“We like to point out how much work trappers have done over the years in the area of conservation. There are more fur-bearing animals in Ontario now than ever before, and because trappers are on the ground we are in the best position to track the numbers of different species. When there are threats to any of the populations we are the ones who let the MNR and others know,” he said.

The council was formed in 1981. It has a number of goals, including: fostering conservation; encouraging the wise use of land and resources; maintaining and enhancing the habitats and populations of fur-bearing animals and fish; and maintaining relationships with auction houses, buyers, suppliers and bodies such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and others.

The council is currently involved in a number of projects, including setting up duck nesting boxes and establishing walleye spawning beds on selected lakes. In addition to donating money to outdoor education and other causes, they run a youth trapper education program.

“There seems to be a bit of a renewed interest in trapping in the area,” said Wilf Deline. “Our youth program has been well subscribed, and there have been a number of baby boomers coming back into it as well.”

One incentive has been improved pricing for pelts in the last couple of years.

“The prices have been better for fisher, muskrat, coyote, mink, raccoon, all the species we tend to trap around here,” he said, “and also for beaver, which is sort of the base of the industry. There is also an over-abundance of fur bearers in this region, so there is plenty of room for more trappers to get into it.”

Prices for beaver pelts, which had dropped to $12 - $15, have rebounded, in large part because of the Asian market, to three to four times those prices.

The trappers' council members also work for landowners and local townships to help deal with beavers that cause damage to roads and property as they expand their territory and cause flooding.

“We are not going back to the time when you could make a full living from trapping. I get out about 2 days a week, there's only enough money in it for that; but if I could I would be on the trapline all the time. We like to say it's the oldest land-based industry in Canada. It is part of our heritage as a country, and we work hard at the council to keep it viable,” he said.

Tickets for the Big Gull Lake Fishing Derby are available at Kaladar Auto Parts, Bishop Lake Outdoors Centre and Hook's Rona, or call 336-8359 or 335-2695. Please reserve tickets by February 28.

Feature Article Feb 3 2005

Feature article February 3, 2005

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Barrie residents to form their own Hall committee

by Jeff Green

It seems that the future of the township halls in North Frontenac is a touchy subject.

North Frontenac Councillor Bud Clayton has taken on the job of establishing a task force to consider the future of the five township halls in the township. In his attempt to find representatives for the task force from each community, latent fears about the townships intentions has led dozens of people to show up for unadvertised meetings.

In Cloyne, 42 people showed up for a meeting, primarily because, according to Jane Muston of Cloyne Home Hardware, word of mouth had spread that the township is looking at closing the halls.

Where this rumour started is unclear, although Mayor Maguire had speculated last spring about how dearly it will cost the township to bring the halls up to standard and in compliance with new Provincial water regulations.

Nothing was stated at the meeting in Cloyne about the intentions of Council. Bud Clayton, who was the only Councillor in attendance, does not have a mandate from Council to consider whether halls should be closed. Nonetheless the local community has mobilized to make sure that at least the Barrie Hall is protected from any talk of closure.

A letter to the township has been prepared and is available for signing at Cloyne Home Hardware, Cloyne Village Foods, and Sniders Service Centre. In the past week, dozens of people have signed it.

Saying it is concerned about the possible closing of the Barrie Hall, the letter goes on to describe the hall as an integral part of our rural community, outlining its use as a gathering place and the locale of a highly utilised branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library.

Please consider the negative impact on the community the closure of the Barrie Hall would create before any decisions are made, the letter concluded.

A citizens committee has been established in the Cloyne area, and this group is looking for information from the township and the province.

We would like to know about the costs of running the hall, said Jane Muston, What is the phone bill? What is the Hydro bill? What are the heating costs? We are asking these questions of the township. We also want to know from the province what is going to happen with their water regulations. What will they cost the Barrie Hall?

Water Regulation 170/03, as it applies to township halls, churches and businesses, is currently under review by the Ministry of the Environment. A revised regulation has been promised by Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky.

Until the beginning of this year, the Barrie Hall was managed by the Cloyne Recreation Association, who completed a major kitchen upgrade last year. $10,000 for the upgrade came from the Barrie Recreation Reserve fund. The Association raised about $2,500 and did much of the renovation work in the kitchen themselves.

This past fall, the executive of the Cloyne Recreation Association announced that they intended to resign and sought new members in order to maintain the Association. No one came forward and the Cloyne Recreation Association disbanded, leaving management of the Barrie Hall in the hands of the township of North Frontenac as of January 1/ 2005.

Concerns about the future of the Barrie Hall have reached Barrie Councillors Cybulski and Hook. At the most recent North Frontenac Council meeting, Cybulski made the following statement: Ive received far too many phone calls in the past couple of days. I want everyone to know there are no plans to close township halls.

Close to 50 seniors showed up for the special Heart 2 Heart event put on by the occupational therapists who are running the very popular seniors' fitness program at the Medical Centre in Sharbot Lake. After a hiatus the program was reinstated a few months ago thanks to staff at the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team.

The Heart 2 Heart event wrapped up one recently completed session of the fitness classes and it was organized by the two occupational therapists, Charlene Feakins and Stephanie Lackey. The event included a number of outdoor winter activities including skating, cross-country skiing, and pole walking. A number of seniors who attended also had the opportunity to snowshoe for their very first time. A bonfire was lit near the beach and following the activities participants dined on an exceptional potluck lunch inside the common room at the medical centre. Charlene said that the response to the program has been overwhelming and she was pleased with the turn out.

Also in attendance at the event were ten occupational therapy students from Queens University, some of whom gave demonstrations on how to shovel snow and chip ice safely, without causing unnecessary stress and strain to the body. Charlene wants to remind all seniors that a new series of seniors' fitness classes will begin on February 25 and will run for eight weeks, until April 15 at the Medical Centre in Sharbot Lake.

The classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9am, 11am and 1:15pm. Judging by the excitement and camaraderie of the group and its leaders, seniors fitness in Sharbot Lake is alive and well. To register for the upcoming classes call the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team office at 613-279-2100.

Building out the K&P trail between the border with Kingston to meet the Trans-Canada Trail in Sharbot Lake has been a goal of several generations of Frontenac County politicians.

Thanks to some provincial grant money as well as an allocation of Frontenac County's share of gas tax rebate money, the trail is now complete as far as Craig Road on the north side of Verona and a work plan has been approved to extend it to White Lake Road in Central Frontenac by the end of 2014

From that point on the project has some hurdles to overcome.

The terrain will become more challenging, and a number of pieces of the former K&P rail line that is being used as the base of the trail have been sold off to private landowners. Although some of the landowners may be willing to grant easements for the trail to pass through their land, there are others who are opposed to the trail passing anywhere near their property.

Added to this impediment, South Frontenac Mayor Gary Davison said at a meeting of Frontenac County Council last week that gas tax funding from the county may be a fleeting source of funds for the K&P Trail.

“I really think that as far as the trail goes, the gas tax needs to be eased up on. There are a lot of needs in the townships besides dumping money on the trail. I think we need somehow to find another funding model,” Davison said.

The county has about $900,000 in gas tax rebate money in a fund, but that money is from accumulated gas tax funds that were transferred to the county by the federal government between 2007 and 2011. Since then the county has been transferring all gas tax revenue directly to the townships and county council is committed to continuing that practice in the future.

Still, the idea of cutting off funding to the trail brought out a seldom-seen combative streak in John Purdon, who represents Central Frontenac on the council.

“Now that the trail is about to reach Central Frontenac, South Frontenac says we can't put more money in. I find that interesting,” Purdon said.

Purdon added that the one major purpose of spending on the trail has been to link up trails that pass through Kingston with the Trans-Canada Trail, which passes through Sharbot Lake.

“It makes no sense to stop now,” he said.

Provincial funding may be available to step into the breach should the county pull away from K&P Trail funding.

Last fall Premier Kathleen Wynne announced a major trail funding initiative aimed at completing the Trans-Canada Trail, which a completed K&P Trail would be part of, as a legacy project attached to the Pan Am Games coming to Toronto next year.

Feature Article - February 9, 2006

Feature Article

February 9, 2006

South Frontenac Council

by Wilma Kenny

Former Pits & Quarries Rezoned: Council agreed to amend the Official Plan & Zoning By-law to redesignate four parcels of land (two in Portland , one in each of Bedford and Loughborough) from ‘Mineral Aggregate’ to ‘Rural” on the basis that these properties were no longer being used for aggregate extraction. This would remove the prohibition of residential land uses on or within 300 metres of the properties in question.

Township Recreation Guide

The publisher of the South Frontenac Recreation Guide received $1,000 from the township ($250 from each district’s recreation committee) toward advertising in the 2006 version of the Guide. The Township’s recreational resources are featured in the guide, as well as other township sponsored programs and services. Although the guide was originally intended to provide information about recreational programs only, feedback from the previous two issues have shown that it has also served to publicize the services of local social agencies. Councillor Robinson questioned the value of the Guide, commenting that newcomers usually went to their neighbours and post offices for information about local resources.

Environmental Assessment, Mitchell Creek : Council agreed to hire Ecological Services Inc .to carry out an environmental assessment of Mitchell Creek , for the price of $5,130.

Garbage Bag Tags: The Township’s Sustainability Committee recommended that 100 bag tags be provided to each township household for the 12 months beginning Sept. 1, 2006. The new tags will be less costly; just under 80 cents per hundred, and compact enough to be mailed out with the tax bill. Councillor Roos pointed out that bag tags help prevent unauthorized use of garbage pick-up and landfill sites. Also, they encourage diversion of recycling materials by limiting a household’s allowable amount of garbage. Councillor Smith agreed that the tags were a cheap way to help extend the life of landfill sites.The motion to support the bag tags passed, with Mayor Lake and Councillor Barr opposed.

Sydenham Water Donations: Council endorsed a letter to be sent out with the interim tax levy, making it possible for township residents who wish to donate to the Sydenham water system to receive a tax receipt as long as their immediate family members will not benefit from the donation. Any monies received will be used to offset the financial contributions of the property owners in the village who qualify for assistance based on income (confidentially) verified by an independent social service agency.

Bedford Plans for Canada Day: Bedford Recreation Committee received council approval for their application to Festival Canada for a grant toward their July 1st fireworks display.

Feb 21 Meeting Cancelled: There will be no Council meeting Feb 21, as most of the members of council will be attending the Good Roads conference that week.

Bubbles...?! Councillor Vandewal noted the police report for the week of January 20-26 included a recipe for a bubble solution, and tips on how to blow bigger and better bubbles. (The police report usually includes tips about safe driving and crime prevention, etc.) Perhaps they were celebrating a low crime rate (8 calls over the past 3 weeks) by offering council some tips for enjoying February??

Feature Article - May 25, 2006

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Feature Article - May 25, 2006

Seniors of theYear and other matters:CentralFrontenac Council

by Jeff Green

At their meeting this week, councilors from each of the four districts of Central Frontenac announced the names of the people that will be honoured as Seniors of the Year at a ceremony in June. The honourees will be: Rosemary and Peter Wadham ( Kennebec ); Mauveen (Moe) Bush (Hinchinbrooke), posthumously; Velma Price (Olden); and John Lee (Oso).

OPP boats do get cleaned Sergeant Jeff McCann of the Sharbot Lake OPP detachment appeared before council to dispel rumours that the patrol boat the OPP uses to patrol local lakes does not get cleaned when it is moved from lake to lake.

Concern had been expressed that the boat is simply transported between lakes, in which case it would run a great risk of transporting zebra mussels from lake to lake.

“We clean all of our boats,” said McCann,” but that is not to say that our boats are zebra mussel free. In order to ensure that we should have to take out the intake valve, and take the boat apart each time, which we don’t do. But we do scrub the boats down each day.”

The marine patrol officer generally works on a single lake each day, and then brings the boat back to the station for cleaning. “If he is called to another lake for an emergency or some other request in the middle of a day, then the boat is not cleaned in between. But that rarely happens,” McCann said.

Sergeant McCann also responded to an unrelated question from Mayor Bill MacDonald concerning the reported refusal of the OPP to attend at a car fire on Hwy. 7 when their presence was requested by the Olden Fire department.

“I know of that incident,” McCann said, “and it shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know if it was a mistake at the Comm [communications] Centre or what, but if the fire department requires the police to stop traffic or provide support order for them to do their job, the police should be there. If it ever happens again, I encourage the fire department to call me the next day, and I will find out what happened immediately.”

Meeting with cottage associations Councilor Gutowski wanted to know if council would like the Economic Development Committee to set up a meeting with cottage association representatives as was done last year. After some debate, council decided to ask the committee to set up a meeting.

Recreation survey Councilor Gutowski also proposed that a meeting be set up between the four recreation committees in the township and individuals and user groups that use recreational facilities to see if any changes or improvements are required. A long debate ensued concerning the role of recreational committees; the failure of the Central Recreation Committee; the advent of soccer as a more popular summer sport than baseball; and other issues.

In the end it was decided that council would invite submissions on recreational facilities from the general public through the township’s website.

Engineering for Road 38 reconstruction Three tenders were received for the engineering that is required for the $6 million road construction project on Road 38. The lowest bid was from Genivar Consulting of Brockville , $50,000. G.D.Jewel submitted a bid of $83,560 and McIntosh Perry submitted an $87,000 bid. Public works Manager Bill Nicol recommended choosing Genivar in his written report, but he also told council that he met last Friday with Steve Archibald, the former Public Works Manager from South Frontenac who is now working for McIntosh Perry, and that Archibald was in attendance and wished to address Council before the tender was granted.

Deputy Mayor Frances Smith said that it might be a problem if council allows a representative from one company to speak without inviting the other companies.

When asked if it was feasible to delay awarding the tender until the next council meeting in order to invite the other companies to address council, Bill Nicol said that would delay the construction project until October, which he did not recommend. Nicol also said he was confident Genivar could do the job.

The tender was awarded to Genivar Construction, and Steve Archibald left the meeting without addressing council.

Brush burning banned at Mountain Grove Waste Disposal site A report by the Public Works Manager outlined difficulties with burning brush at the Mountain Grove dump. At one point last summer, a fire got into the waste at the dump and burned for 3 days. An alternate burning site at the dump is not suitable because it is on too steep a grade. The report recommended that brush burning only be permitted at the Elbow Lake site south of Parham.

Councilor Nicolson said this would be too far for people from Kennebec and Olden to travel with their brush, but the proposal was accepted nonetheless.

Burn Barrels in villages Fire Chief Mark MacDonald will be invited to the next meeting of council to discuss concerns that have been expressed by residents to Councilor Murray over the impact on neighbours of burn barrels being used in built up areas of the township.

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Feature Article - May 11, 2006

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Feature Article - May 11, 2006

RecCommittee seeks public support for fireworks

by JeffGreen

The annual Canada Day fireworks display at the beach in Sharbot Lake will be more expensive than ever this year, thanks to new government regulations.

The fireworks will have to be transported in a special container truck, and will cost $7,000, as compared to $4,500 last year. The Township Recreation Committee has also been faced with diminishing support for Canada Day from the federal government in recent years. Federal Canada Day funding has brought in as much as much as $2,000 in the past, but the amount has decreased over the years, and last year only $800 was received. Exactly how much will be received this year is not yet known, but the committee is bracing for another decrease.

To make up the shortfall, Canada Day collection containers have been put out throughout the township to encourage donations.

“We need everyone’s help to keep the Canada Day tradition going,” says Recreation Committee Chair Michele Greenstreet.

Canada Day festivities in Sharbot Lake have taken place every year since they were originally organised by Glenn Fossey in 1983. New fireworks rules this year will also affect where people can position themselves to watch the display. Boats will have to remain further out on the lake, and part of the beach will be cordoned off.

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Feature Article - February 15, 2007

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Feature Article - February 15, 2007

Northern RuralYouth Partnernshipby Jeff Green

Last October, an innocuous little item in the Frontenac News asking for interested parties to attend a meeting about services for youth in Central and North Frontenac led to a tremendous response. Thirty people, including representatives from Sharbot Lake High School, social service agencies, community groups and the general public showed up to talk about how the lack of activities for youth in the two townships can be addressed.

Four months later, the Northern Rural Youth Partnership, as it has been named, made their first presentation to Central Frontenac Council. Lori Hamilton, who has been hired with the help of a grant from the Eastern Ontario Development Program, told council of the initiatives that are underway. With help from Cindy Scott from Sharbot Lake High School , a youth committee, dubbed NACFAC (North and Central Frontenac Activity Committee for Youth) has been established; a recreation and activity guide for the two townships is being prepared; and a two year grant from the province is being sought. The grant will be used to increase access for youth to activities that already exist, purchase portable recreation equipment, and co-ordinate the project and develop recreational leaders.

Lori Hamilton and Sue Leslie, from Northern Frontenac Community Services (the lead agency for the project), asked that council agree to post the activity guide on their website; to provide a limited amount of staff time to the project as needed; and to take on the responsibility for looking after equipment if some is received.

The presentation was well received by council, which agreed to support the project.

NACFAC is organising some events for the coming month, including a movie night and a ski trip. For further information, contact Lori Hamilton at 279-2244. Anyone or any group that provides recreational activities is asked to submit their information to the activity guide, which is being called the Rural Recreation Guide please see the ad on page 8.

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Feature Article - March 8, 2007

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Feature Article - March 8, 2007

SouthFrontenac CouncilbyWilma Kenny

Canadian National Championship Powerboat Races at Sydenham Lake ?

Doug Overbury of the Canadian Boating Federation attended a February meeting of the Loughborough District Parks and Recreation Committee with his association’s proposal to resume their use of Sydenham Lake for national powerboat races this summer. He said they would run their races between 10 and 4 on two days, and requested the use of areas around the boat ramp for camping and parking.

The recreation Committee felt it would be necessary to have a public meeting to gauge community support. No date has been set yet, but late April has been suggested.

Sydenham Water Works By-law

South Frontenac Council passed a lengthy by-law to formalize the policies they have developed in relation to the Sydenham water system. CAO Burns observed that this by-law would not pose any additional burden on staff or the properties in the Hamlet of Sydenham.

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Feature Article - October 18, 2007 Feature Article - October 18, 2007

Proposed Boat Launch Sparks Lively Debateby Wilma Kenny

An apparently simple proposal to construct a public boat launch on Bob’s Lake adjacent to Buck Creek bridge revealed strong differences of opinion. Councillor Hahn opened the discussion by saying that this project was supported by the Bedford Recreation Committee, which had set aside funding for it two years ago.

The township already owned an access point to the lake which would not be as steep as the private launch site presently in use. The primary purpose of the proposal was to give cottagers on the lakes safe access, and save each cottage having to build its own launch site. Hahn questioned whether a council vote was anything other than a courtesy, as the recreation committees are not amalgamated, and each has its own budget.

Deputy Mayor Stowe then said he had been approached by some lake residents who had concerns about a public boat launch, and asked that a decision be postponed until all sides of the issue could be heard. Councillors Robinson and York agreed, adding that this was a poor time of year to get feed-back, as most of the summer cottagers had left .

Taro Alps, speaking on behalf of the Bob’s and Crow Lake Association, listed a number of concerns, many around the likelihood of increased public use of the lake if access were improved: parking, over fishing, the need for monitoring and maintenance of the site, fear of an escalation of cottage break-ins, etc. He concluded by saying the lake association was opposed to the launch site, and was disappointed that they had not been included in the recreation committee’s planning.

Resident Randy McCullough who lives beside the proposed site, and who presently has a boat launch site on his property, gave an impassioned plea for development. He had measured out space for 18 trucks and trailers, and disputed the Lake Association’s claim that the area was prone to accidents. He detailed several years of planning that had gone into the project, and added that the fees for using private launch sites on the lake make the use of the lakes very expensive for local residents who do not own cottages.

Former Councillor Jack Barr attacked the two Bedford council representatives for "trying to push this through" by using Bedford’s recreation surplus "windfall," before the township’s recreation committees become amalgamated.

Council voted to defer a decision until next spring, when the summer residents will be back. Meanwhile, signs will be posted on the site of the proposed boat launch, to inform the public of its location.

Fire Department Realizes Benefits of AmalgamationIn an apparently win-win situation, the township has decided to enter into an agreement with Leavitt Safety Supply equipment to purchase a hydrostatic testing machine for $27,000 using township reserve funds. Leavitt uses this machine to test air cylinders and fire extinguishers. (Presently this essential service is costing the township $60. per bottle and down time, as the bottles have to be shipped away for servicing.) Under the new arrangement, Leavitt will sign a three-year contract to rent space in the Storrington firehall for $800 per month, agree to service all township equipment at no cost, and pay the township 35% of all business generated. In addition, Leavitt will hire two part-time firefighters. The rental fees will pay for the machine in three years, and the machine is expected to be a source of ongoing revenue for the township.

Blue Box RebateThe township received its second 2007 quarterly payment from Waste Diversion Ontario of $23,265. These payments are industry’s share of the net costs of the residential Blue Box program, and reflect the degree to which residents recycle household waste.

Outdoor Wood Burning FurnacesCouncil plans to discuss some of the concerns and complaints about the effects of these furnaces on air quality at a committee of the whole meeting.

Garbage TagsCAO Burns reported that local real estate lawyers had been informed that garbage bag tags should be considered part of a real estate transaction, just as fuel tank contents are.

Should Sydenham Sell Water?Councillor Vandewal asked whether it might be feasible to try to recover some operating costs by selling water from the Sydenham water treatment system: CAO gord Burns agreed to get information for further discussion, noting that a meter for water sales would cost at least $8,000.

Trailers Out by 2010Vandewal noted that it is important to remind residents that all trailers will have to be removed from the township by 2010. Information will be included in the township newsletter.

Mitchell Creek FootbridgeMitchell Creek area residents have expressed disappointment that they were not informed ahead of time that there would not be a temporary footbridge across the creek during bridge construction. (Regulations demanded a footbridge that would have cost $30,000-$40,000, putting it out of reach of the project.)

Public MeetingA public meeting has been called for Wednesday October 24, 7-9pm at the township hall, Sydenham, regarding the proposed Household Hazardous Waste site at the Keeley Road yard.