Last year then Frontenac County Warden Frances Smith met with representatives from Via Rail who were working on developing a business case for the Shining Waters Railway line, a fast rail that if built, will bring passenger rail from Toronto to Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. They met with Smith because Sharbot Lake was one of the proposed locations for a station along the line.

Smith did not publicize the meeting at the time, thinking the whole thing was a bit speculative and there would be plenty of time to talk about it if it turned out the be a serious possibility. But when the story came out in the community that contractors working for VIA were walking along the abandoned rail line turned trans Canada Trail between Arden and Sharbot Lake evaluating whether the terrain was suitable for a new rail line to be built, things change. Smith brought a short report to Central Frontenac Council about the idea, which was picked up on by The Frontenac News and other media sources at the time.

The idea of a new passenger train traversing Central Frontenac and a station in Sharbot Lake seemed pretty far fetched at the time. After all it has now been generations since Passenger rail in Sharbot Lake. There is Heritage Railway Park, and barely a year earlier the bridge that had enabled trains to pass under Highway 38 had been removed, courtesy of the Province of Ontario. Surely someone at Via or the Federal government would have contacted Ontario before that happened to tell them they were thinking about bring the train back. Also, even if high speed trains were coming to Eastern Ontario (and this has been talked about for 30 years with no action) surely it would end up going through Kingston along the existing rail corridor.

Flash forward to June 29th of this year. Two senior Via Rail officials met over lunch in Kingston with Frontenac County Chief Administrative Officer Kelly Pender and the current Warden, Ron Vandewal.

They had a map with them, which provided some new information. One major piece of information was that the proposed Shining Waters line (which follows Hwy. 7) seems to now be the preferred option for express passenger train service between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. The second important piece of information is that the stations are slated for Tweed, Sharbot Lake, and Smiths Falls.

In his account of the meeting, Kelly Pender told Frontenac County Council last week that Via was concerned that the existing route (which follows the 401), uses rail lines that are owned by CN rail, and because of the freight business on those lines it is difficult or impossible for Via to be able to offer the kind of speedy service they need to offer urban travellers between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. They want to construct a “dedicated line” for passenger and theyn like the Shining Waters Route, partly because it is the most direct connection between Toronto and Ottawa, about 400 km.

Indeed, while Via has not said much about their plans, and apparently they are not that happy that the map of the proposed line has been released to the public, they have been clear that they feel they need to create “dedicated line” for passenger rail.

In a statement on their website, which features a picture of Via Rail President Yves Desjardin Sicilliano, Via said, “The proposed dedicated track, using a new, more efficient train car fleet, is expected to: relieve congestion, particularly in and out of major urban centres; boost economic development and benefits along the railway corridor; Deliver a safer rail infrastructure and a more sustainable rail transportation system; maximize ridership and revenue potential of passenger routes wheere market demand warrants; reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants that contribute to climate change and smog; create a self-funding project that will significantly reduce government subsidies within the corridor. The dedicated tracks project would also allow the re-design of the current frequencies operating on the shared environment to better meet regional needs for increased service.”

As the map shows, there are four stations planned between Toronto and Ottawa, Peterborough, Tweed, Sharbot Lake and Smiths Falls.

There are a lot of issues of concern to residents and business in and around Sharbot Lake if this turned out to be a serious proposal, in particular the location of the trail, which passes a few steps from a number of properties on Brewer Road, the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team, the public beach, Maples Restaurant and a number of houses before crossing Road 38 under a bridge that no longer exists.

The upshot that this brings many risks and opportunities to the local community, and there will be winners and losers if it of something like it goes through.
Unlike proposed commercial projects put forward by private developers, Via is a rail company. The funding for the project would come from them and the federal government. They may be inclined to inform the local community of their plans, but they do not need local approval to proceed. They answer only to federal regulations. The Central Frontenac Official Plan Zoning Bylaw may prevent a cottage from being built too close Sharbot or Big Clear Lakes, but a railroad would just roll tight over it.

If it goes ahead it will certainly be a boon to Smiths Falls, as it will be the location of a line to Brockville, joining the two lines, and passengers going back and forth from Ottawa and communities from Oshawa all the way to Cornwall will have to change trains there.

The big questions for Sharbot Lake concern squeezing the train in between two sides of the lake at the causeway and the beach and what that would mean for residents. As well, there is the question of frequency.

In his report to Frontenac County Council, Kelly Pender said there is talk of up to 15 trains a day, but that only a portion would likely stop in Sharbot Lake.
For residents in Sharbot Lake, that could mean a lot of trains speeding by, perhaps whistling as they go, and a few trains stopping. Unofficially, I have heard that Via may consider an alternate route that does not pass over the causeway at the foot of Sharbot Lake, but there are likely to be winners and losers in that case, and they will need to cross Road 38 at some point and no one wants a level crossing.

But the situation is this. If Via chooses Shining Waters they will need to either pass though or near Sharbot Lake one way or another. If this happens, having a station in or very near Sharbot Lake would represent the most significant opportunity for economic development since, well since the train left.
Via Rail seems to want to do this, and they want to do it over the next five years, or even less.

The whole thing is still pretty hard to believe, but the idea that Kingston is being passed over for high speed rail in favour of Frontenac County does have a nice ring to it.

On July 1 of this year, Sharbot Lake Lions Bill and Linda Zwier travelled to Chicago, Ill. But this wasn’t any regular Lions convention.

You see, this year’s gathering of Lions featured a ceremony wherein Bill would be inducted as the Governor of District A3, a large geographic area stretching from Courtice to Storrington, Denbigh to Cherry Valley. It’s an area that contains 50 Lions clubs, seven Lioness clubs, three Leo Clubs and some 1,300 members.

Needless to say, it’s a time commitment but so far, so good for the new Governor.

“I get a lot more emails and phone calls,” he said. “There’s a lot of paperwork and a lot of visiting other clubs for activities and fundraisers.”

But he’s fine with that.

After all, it takes seven years to become Governor, starting out with being club president, then moving up to zone chair, region chair, 2nd vice-Governor, 1st vice-Governor and then Governor.

“Then, after a one-year term as Governor, you become immediate past Governor and then you’re on an honorary committee that finds solutions,” he said.

This is the second time the Sharbot Lake club has provided a District Governor. Dave Hansen filled the post in 1976-1977.

As Governor, Zwier will be able to set priorities aided by his advisory council as Lions International enters its second century.

“I’d like to see us doing more service, as opposed to fundraisers,” he said.

He cites several Lions programs in that, such as vision and hearing screening, environmental programs, youth programs and two new programs — diabetes and pediatric cancer.

“We managed to raise enough to send 11 athletes to the Special Olympics last weekend,” he said.

He’s also big on the vision and hearing screening programs in schools, citing examples of children who were doing poorly in school before screening programs identified a need for glasses or hearing aides.

“And we do a lot of disaster assistance,” he said. “For example, during the Ice Storm, we had $10,000 here in 10 days.”

And while all the Lions programs are important to him, there is one that seems to have a special place in his heart, judging by the way he talks about it — the Lions Foundation Guide Dog program that provides service dogs free of charge to those with vision or hearing impairments, epilepsy, seizures, diabetes or autism.

He tells a story about collecting bottles at the Beer Store one day when two people from B.C. came up and thanked him personally. Their son has autism and they got a dog and training for free.

“That’s what I get out of this,” he said. “It’s not money, it’s things like those two people from B.C.”

Zwier retired five years ago from Home Hardware in Perth. He didn’t have any aspirations of becoming a District Governor at the time (“I joined to serve”) but there is some pride there when he shows off his new blazer with the governor’s patch (as well as the Helen Keller pin and Founder Melvin Jones pin).

But, Linda puts it all into perspective.

“He’s not a put on fancy clothes kind of guy,” she said. “He’s a blue jeans, T-shirt, scramble the eggs kind of guy.”

Bill nods in agreement.

It’s been a rather topsy-turvy year for The Spud Box owner Jerry Sommut.

After finding out just before Christmas that MTO had bought the property he had been operating on at the corner of Hwy. 7 and 41 in Kaladar and a chip truck wasn’t in their plans, he thought he’d found a new home at the corner of 7 and Road 38. But it turned out that Central Frontenac didn’t really have a bylaw governing chip trucks per se and when opposition arose to him being there, the Township decided it needed one.

So, despite the fact that he’d already paid the Township $1,000 as well as rent, he decided to remove his chip trailer without having ever opened or selling a single burger.

“People were calling the bylaw officer and I wasn’t even open yet,” he said. “I was just getting ready.”

He did, however, manage to work out a deal with MTO for this year and is selling chips and burgers a few metres from where his operation had been for seven years. But it’s temporary.

And he still plans to be in Sharbot Lake once everything gets worked out.

“I’m not mad, just upset at the process,” he said. “But I understand.

“I have all the necessary certifications and I’m ready when they are.

“I will open up there.”

Sommut comes from a long line of cooks starting with his grandmother who was the head chef on a Great Lakes freighter. His introduction to the business of food was helping her.

“They ‘snuck’ me onto the ship and I helped my grandmother,” he said. “It was her kitchen and she ran it that way.”

As he grew up, his family owned several restaurants and he even had one himself in Tamworth that specialized in perch and pickerel.

“I’d still like to do that again,” he said.

But Sharbot Lake appeals to him the most, not the least of which because he owns property on St. Georges Lake. And, he believes the area has great potential.

“I know I’m going to bring business to Sharbot Lake,” he said. “If I’m serving 1,000 to 1,500 burgers a day, at least one of those customers is going to make the trip through town down to the lake.

“And I don’t sell pizza or wings so if people want those, I’ll tell them exactly where they can get them in town.”

He seems to genuinely enjoy his customers, chatting up everyone and extolling the virtues of his “custom-made, six-ounce burger” while three others are busily moving about the trailer grilling, cleaning and deep-frying.

“You know, we’ve been getting a lot of Arden people coming in for burgers,” he said. “We’re actually closer for them than Sharbot Lake and they’re all saying ‘we’re glad you’re back.’”

He regrets any hard feelings from the spring meeting in Sharbot Lake about a proposed bylaw and said he’s prepared to do whatever he can to set things straight.

“Let’s have that meeting again,” he said.

Don Bates drove the Official Pace Car of Canada Day at Centennial Park in Harrowsmith.

Franny & Beebs, hosts of the popular YouTube/Facebook phenomenon In the Breezeway, showed up all the way from Cobourg to be in the parade and headline the show at Oso Beach.

Patriotic Flag Wavers signing O Canada, on top of the lookout between Palmerston and Canonto Lakes in North Frontenac!

Preparing the cookie decorating table (Sunbury)

Although rain put the damper on half of Maberly’s Pie in the Sky event, Anne Thomlison, Mary Lou Pospisil, Sue Munro and Marlene Ambler presided over the sale featuring “at least 100” (Photos - Craig Bakay and Wilma Kenny)

Canada Day visitors to Sharbot Lake probably noticed the vandalism that has occurred along the Thomson’s Rock Cut section of the soon-to-be K & P Trail.

The Rock Cut is the connecting link between Railway Heritage Park (The Caboose) and Oso Beach.

It’s been a project of two community groups, the Multi-Use Facility Committee of Central Frontenac Council and the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society to both preserve our railway heritage and “look towards the future,” said Gary Giller, a member of both groups.

Giller said the extent of the vandalism was the removal of about half of the ‘delineators’ — posts that are outfitted with reflective tape to mark the extent of walking trail to keep hikers and motorized users of the trail separate.

Giller said there was an initial incident on June 19 when several delineators were uprooted and left at the sides of the trail. A second incident occurred over the the weekend of June 23.

“It’s disconcerting,” he said. “A lot of volunteer hours from two groups have gone into this project as well as a lot of grant money.

“We were hoping to have everything looking good for Canada Day but . . .”

The delineators aren’t cheap. There are 30 of them in total and at $90 apiece the price tag is $2,700 just for the posts. Installation has been extra.

Few, if any, of the delineators have been damaged beyond repair but there are the issues of re-installation as well as the possibility of recurring events.

And the June incidents haven’t been the only ones.

“We knew the delineators weren’t permanent,” Giller said. “But because there is a walking side to the trail and a wider side for motorized traffic, we wanted to get something in place before the snowmobilers took to the trail last fall for both safety and aesthetic reasons.”

But it didn’t take long for vandals to have an impact and several delineators were uprooted.

This spring, after the Township stepped up putting down rock dust and limestone chips on both the walkway and motorized trail, Giller said they hired Charles Bedore to bury the delineators deeper and things were looking good.

“Charles did a great job,” he said. “It was really looking good.”

Giller said the incidents have been reported to the police but there are no suspects in the case.

“We’re not pointing any fingers,” he said. “We’ve heard some names but you can’t accuse anybody because there are no eyewitnesses.”

Where the Heritage Society goes from here is anybody’s guess, mostly because of lack of funding. They have applied for grants and will apply for whatever comes along, especially with an eye towards permanent pillars of some sort.

“It’s disappointing when this sort of thing happens,” Giller said. “A lot of people worked really hard to do something positive for the community.”

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in Sharbot Lake when a crowd gathered at Oso Beach for the first ever Ecumenical Service.

For those unfamiliar with the term, ecumenical refers to the efforts by Christians of different church traditions do develop closer relationships and better undertandings.

The area churches cancelled services in their own facilities for the event.

“It’s an opportunity to put aside our different doctrines and come together,” said Rev. Mark Hudson of the Sharbot Lake Pentecostal Church. “It’s encouraging for me to see all of the ministers come together and in the case where the minister couldn’t make it, seeing lay people step up.”

In fact, Hudson said, it was a couple of lay people who more or less planted the seeds for this to happen.

“I’d like to take credit,” he said with a grin. “But I believe it was actually Richard and Lois Webster who came up with the original idea.”

Hudson called the event a “Unity Service” and although it’s not the first time area churches have held joint events, they’ve never done anything on this grand a scale before.

“We’ve done some things at Christmas (and Easter),” he said. “But on such a scale as this.

“And what a great turnout.”

It was indeed a good turnout, rivalling the crowd at the previous day’s Canada Day. It was a Canada 150 event as well.

Hudson said it was also a way to “pool resources” with ministers and lay people from six churches sharing ministerial duties.

For example, Hudson gave the welcome and opening prayer/scripture reading. Father Johnathon Askwith did the offering (which went to the food bank) and Prayers of the People. Pastor Debbie Hudson did a solo. Pastor Ken Walton gave a message.

There were also significant contributions from several lay people.

Pam Giroux read the children’s story of Noah’s Ark. Ina Turner and Roseanna Redmond sang Great is Thy Faithfulness. Sharon MacDonald read Ephesians 4:1-6, 13. Angelo Dicintio read John 17:20-26. Gilbert Whan did the closing prayer and Turner sang Blessing.

The morning concluded with The Apostles Creed.

“It would be nice to have this again,” Hudson said. “I know a lot of people like it.”

On the recommendation of planners Megan Reuckwald and Joe Gallivan, Central Frontenac Council voted at its regular meeting Tuesday night in Sharbot Lake to enter into a site plan agreement with 2533652 Ontario Inc. to renovate the former Junction Restaurant and turn it into a gas bar (Ultramar).

Gallivan said the former restaurant will require extensive work and there are several conditions to be met and a performance bond to be agreed upon but “we’ve been working with the owners for almost two years now and they’ve been very professional.

“For example, they’re putting in one of the best septic systems you can have for commercial.”

In her report, Reuckwald said that since the development is on Hwy 7 (beside the LCBO), the Ministry of Transportation has stated in June of this year that they are not prepared to issue permits until all conditions are met for the detail design and a legal agreement is signed.

She said a left turn lane is to be designed to the satisfaction of the ministry including a legal agreement between MTO and the proponent; and an environmental screening report, geotechnical report, design sections and other reports/documentation that is part of the the design for the highway road works to facilitate the development.

Bordenood Cemetery
Council agreed to assume care and control for the Bordenwood Cemetery for which an application has been made under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act to be declared abandoned.
Clerk-Administrator Cathy MacMunn acknowledged that there will be some expenses accrue under the decision but added that “municipalities do not have a choice under the Act.”
When asked if there more cemeteries that might be abandoned in the future, MacMunn said “I can think of four or five but as churches close and the population ages, there isn’t anybody else to look after them.”
“And somebody has to,” said Coun. Tom Dewey.

RVCA and caterpillers
When Rideau Valley Conservation Authority general manager Sommer Casgrain-Robertson finished giving Council her report on the state of the conservation authority, Coun. Bill MacDonald wanted to know if they’d had many calls about tent caterpillers and their effect on the forest canopy.
“We haven’t had too many inquires ourselves, some on our western borders,” she said. “I know the maple syrup producers are concerned.

Vendors, food and otherwise
After planner Joe Gallivan gave his report on the Saturday Open House on Food Vehicles, Coun. Tom Dewey wanted to know if they would be including “venders hawking their wares” ie, non-food vendors in the proposed draft bylaw.
“We were focused on food but we certainly can,” Gallivan said.
Gallivan said it would likely be the end of the summer before a licencing bylaw and corresponding changes to the Zoning Bylaw will be presented to Council.
“I think there will be great interest to see what the wording of those bylaws will be,” said Mayor Frances Smith.

“June is Seniors Month and Volunteers Month,” Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith said at a special ceremony Tuesday afternoon at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake. “We take this opportunity to appreciated them.

“Most volunteers do it quietly, they’re not the kind to go out and hang signs.”

And so they gathered, representatives from each of the districts nominated their choices and the certificates were printed.

First to be so honoured was Kennebec’s Ronda Noble.

Noble came to Arden to retire in 2010 after being an office manager for a prominent law firm in Toronto that included Toronto’s current mayor.

“She’s very involved in the community, as secretary of the Legion, a member of the Heritage Festival committee, and the Friends of Arden steering committee,” said Coun. Tom Dewey. “She drives people to appointments in Perth, Napanee and Kingston.

“And she hates to lose at euchre.”

Mayor Smith presented Olden’s recipient, former Coun. John Purdon.

“John retired to his wife Maxine’s family home in 2001 after a successful career in the civil service,” Smith said. “He’s chair of the United Church fundraising committee, president of the Mountain Grove 51+ Club and is still on the Library Board.

“He plays euchre in Arden and is on the Arden Seniors Slow-pitch club where he has his own cheer.”

She said that since Purdon left Council, she’s had to read the agendas more carefully because Purdon was the one who caught typos, spelling mistakes and errors in arithmetic.

“Why I’m here today basically is because I volunteer,” Purdon said. “And why do I volunteer?

“My late wife knew a lot of people here and I knew nobody.

“She liked to volunteer and so I volunteered with her to get out and meet people.”

Coun. Bill MacDonald presented Oso’s joint honorees, Alvin and Diane Lake.

“Al’s lived in Sharbot Lake all his life and Diane’s been here for 44 years,” MacDonald said. “They are both Sharbot Lake High School grads.”

MacDonald said he remembers Alvin as a great coach of many teams as well as a driver for the Cancer Society and meals-on-wheels. Diane was a Girl Guides leader and active in the United Church.

“What I remember most is the Ice Storm,” he said. “I remember them feeding up to 200 people daily in the gym and making door-to-door checks.

“If there’s such a thing as a fabric of a community, these folks would be a big part of this one.”

“It’s all the community,” said Diane.

Coun. Phillip Smith and Dep. Mayor Brent Cameron jointly presented Hinchinbrooke’s honoree, musician Gord Struthers.

“Gord was born and raised in the Piccadilly area and is a unique individual,” said Cameron. “He was one of the originals at the Piccadilly Jam and never turned down a request to play whatever the cause or occasion.

“His gift is his music and he is putting together a historical and cultural record of songs on Facebook and YouTube.”

Cameron explained that Struthers couldn’t be in attendance for the ceremony because of being diagnosed in April with ALS — Lou Gehrig’s Disease. His daughter Sherry was there to accept the award on behalf of her father.

“Dad took a fall and it is heartbreaking for him to not be able to attend because he has such a gift for gab,” she said. “He spent countless hours picking, singing and yodelling and if people asked, he answered.

“This really means more to him than I could ever convey.”

Central Frontenac has always been a great place to live, but those with a taste for international flavours in their food have always had to travel just to procure ingredients, and there are no ethnic restaurants to speak of.

While an Indian Takeaway is still not in the cards, the next best thing has arrived. Amrit Kaillon grew up in Sharbot Lake, went to the University of Toronto and has since lived in far flung corners of the world working as a human rights lawyer and entrepreneur. She returned to Sharbot Lake last year to prepare for the birth of her daughter Arya.  Her husband Sundeep Takhar, who works in investment banking, joined her here before Arya was born and they have been living with her parents, Jass and Suki Kaillon (of Sharbot Lake Home Hardware)

This time spent with their young daughter has been precious to them, and it has also afforded Amrit the opportunity to fulfill one of her dreams, to open an Indian Food business in her home town. She has been encouraged by her friends at Fieldhouse in Perth to start up a business, and five weeks ago, with the opening of the Perth Farmer’s Market for the season, Amrit’s Rasoi (Rasoi refers to Kitchen) started up in the market. A number of snack foods and starters, such as Samosas, are available at the market, and Amrit Rasoi’s main product is prepared full meals, for one or two people to take home and heat up for their dinner. From the start she has asked people to go to her website amritsrasoi.ca to order from the weekly menu. Full dinners (Thali) include a meat and a vegetable dish, rice and an appetizer and dessert. Dinners are $15 for one and $30 for two. There is also a vegetarian meal available. Samosas and desserts can also be ordered online.

More and more Perthites have been ordering online for pickup at the market.

And now Frontenac County residents have the same opportunity. The pickup location in Sharbot Lake is at Seed to Sausage on Friday afternoons from 3-6 or on Saturday from 11-6, and there will be some meals and sides available for those who have not ordered in advance. In the future, Amrit may start preparing frozen meals that will be available whenever the store is open (7 days a week this summer, from 11-6 each day)

For now, however, the best option is to order online for a guaranteed delivery.

This week, for example, the menu is Chicken Tikka Masala. Shahi Paneer, served with rice and samosas. The dessert is Rasmali - Ricotta style dumpling soaked in a cardamom infused milk sauce garnished with pistachios.

Amrit is putting a lot of energy into her business and said she has been helped out immensely by her husband, parents and sister to turn this dream into a reality. It is a dream that has its roots in Amrit’s childhood, when she would watch her grandmother prepare food in the kitchen.

"As a child my Punjabi was limited and the way I connected and communicated with my grandmother, Pritam Guron, was through preparing and cooking food." she said, in an interview last weekend in Sharbot Lake.

She does not have a long range plan for the business because she does not know where life will take her, Sundeep and Arya in the future, but that does not deter her.

"The timing to start Amrit's Rasoi felt right. If I never tried now then I would always wonder whether I should have. I would much rather look back at my life and say I can't believe I did that! Instead of I wish I did that." she said.

It is that attitude that has led her to do a number of things in her life, including writing a book, starting a marketing company and a baking company. She has also found time to pursue her passion for humanitarian and philanthropic causes, organizing charity events as well offering her time to provide legal advice and represent people suffering from human rights abuses.

So far the food businesses has been a lot of work but has been rewarding with success and increases in orders each week. The cuisine is based on recipes from the Punjab region of India, a wealthy agricultural region known for rich, flavourful food that is not as hot as the cuisine from the south of the country. Amrit started off with more well known dishes for the Perth Market, such as butter chicken, which remains her most popular item, but in the short time the business has been running she has been able to expand the cuisine to include a broader range of offerings.

“People are happy to try new things,” she saId, “and it keeps me busy preparing different dishes each week.”

In addition to selling the items listed on her site through Seed to Sausage, Amrit’s Rasoi will be at Canada Day in Sharbot Lake with Samosas and Mango Lhassi.

(PS – the food has been tested in our Frontenac News test dining room and we can attest to the flavour and freshness. We had Goat Curry, Khadhi Pakora, Jeera Rice, Samosas and Besan Barfi for dessert – all highly reccommended)

Remember when you were a kid, before school started, at recess, lunch hour, whenever you weren’t in class but were still required to be on the school grounds. Chances are, if there was no snow on the ground, every diamond on the property would be in use. In many Southern Ontario school grounds, the game was called ‘scrub.’

Call it what you will, softball, lob-ball, slo-pitch, whatever, the image of a ball glove slung over a bicycle’s handlebars was common.

When school let out for the summer, the game continued, often on open fields, with bases defined by dragging your heel in the dirt to delineate a less-than-perfect square. Often, rules were set by stomping home plate, as in ‘no lead-offs’ and/or ‘call your field’ if there weren’t enough players to cover all the positions. Players rotated through the positions and everybody got their turns at bat.

That generation has become seniors now, but the memories still linger.

So is it any wonder that seniors seem to be returning to the game, albeit with a slower-paced approach?

This summer, there are no less than three, and probably four teams (using the term ‘team’ loosely) operating in the northern areas of Frontenac and L & A Counties, whereas it wasn’t that long ago there were none.

Cloyne, Arden and Sharbot Lake all have seniors softball programs operating this summer, with Sharbot Lake being the new kids on the block.

By all accounts, things got started about five years ago when the late Don Patry and Lauder Smith put an ad in The Frontenac News asking if anybody wanted to get together once a week in Cloyne to play a little ball.

As it turns out, enough people did. Some of them were from the Arden area.

“My wife Karen and I along with the Pratts drove up there and enjoyed it so much we thought we’d try to get something similar going in Arden,” said Gord Brown, the de facto ‘commissioner’ of Arden seniors baseball.

That was three years ago and from an inaugural season of about 10-12 players, the Arden contingent grew to around 20.

One of those was Sharbot Lake’s Mike Procter, who this year started testing the waters to see if there was enough interest for a team there.

“I’ve had all sorts of inquiries,” Procter said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we could fill two teams.”

That doesn’t surprise Brown or Rick Guthrie, who is one of the main organizers in Cloyne.

“I was lucky enough to play rec league until 2013,” Guthrie said. “But in many ways, this (seniors ball) is better.

“It’s all of the fun, with none of the stress.

“When you go back and catch that fly ball, it’s just as much fun as it always was.”

“I always come home with a few aches and pains, but yes, it is fun,” said Brown. “You know we have quite a few players in their 70s and a couple are over 75.”

Another aspect of seniors ball is that while pick-up games in the ’60s tended to be more of a guys thing (although there always seemed to be a couple of girls in the game), seniors ball tends to be co-ed, with more females than males on many nights.

There’s no real ‘league’ of sorts but there is talk of games between the communities including a potential Canada 150 ‘tournament.’

At any rate, if you’re 50-something-plus, you may want to check it out this summer.

In Cloyne, games are Friday mornings at the field behind the tennis courts. Contact is Rick Guthrie 613-336-3460.

In Arden, games are Wednesday and Sunday evenings at the Arden ball field. Contact is Gord Brown, 613-335-4843.

In Sharbot Lake, games are Wednesday and Sunday evenings at the ball field. Contact is Mike Procter, 613-279-2572.

All you need is a glove and it’s all about just having fun.