Mississippi_bridge
Home | Local Weather | Editorial Policy
Feature Article
August 18, 2005. | Navigate | .
ArchiveImage GalleryAlgonquin Land Claims
Gray MerriamLegaleseGeneral information and opinion on legal topics by Rural Legal ServicesNature Reflectionsby Jean GriffinNight Skiesby Leo Enright
Selling the Mississippi Bridge expansion to COMRIF
by Jeff Green
The township of North Frontenac will submit the same project for approval in round 2 of the Canada Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF) that was rejected in round 1.
But they are struggling to figure out how to make the project more palatable to bureaucrats administering the funds. “The problem is that we have kept the bridge in good condition,” worries Councillor Dave Smith.
Smith might be right. When the COMRIF people looked at bridges, they came up with a grading system to determine which bridges needed to be repaired. Bridges that came in with a score of 60 and under were considered for funding. The Mississippi bridge scored an 84.
“We need to promote the health and safety aspect of the bridge,” said Mayor Ron Maguire when the issue was discussed last week with Guy Laporte of Tottenham Sims Hubicki, who prepared the application for the township in round 1 and will be resubmitting for round 2 in a month or so. “The issue for us is that it is unsafe for there to be a one lane bridge on one of our major arterial roads.
“When that bridge was last repaired rebuilt by the Ministry of Transportation in 1983, going to two lanes was considered, but it was rejected, and a rebuild of the one lane bridge was done,” Laporte said to Council.
“There has been a big change in the kinds of vehicles using the bridge in the past 22 years. There is more traffic now, and transport trucks are common,” Councillor Betty Hunter said.
Public Works Manager John Ibey said that he could do a traffic count on the bridge, and could include the number of double axle vehicles in the count, to go along with the application. It was also suggested that a letter be sought from the OPP in the area, stating that the bridge poses a potential danger to public safety.
Kp_railway
Back toHome
Feature Article - March 29, 2007K&PRailway:A Clarendon Miller historical nightby Katie Ohlke
Colonial
St. Pierre spoke to an audience of 25 last Tuesday night in a very
entertaining and educational lecture on the Kingston & Pembroke
Railway - lovingly referred to locally as the Kick & Push. The
idea of building the railroad was discussed in the 1860's. A railway
enthusiast, Sir John A. MacDonald was in on it, and approved of the
idea. The building of the line commenced in 1871 and was charted as
having 103 track miles as well as nine spare miles of track for mines,
located in Calabogie, Godfrey and Mississippi.
Ardoch, Plevna and Ompah supplied the lumber to build the track and
stations. The timber was milled at Wilber, whose output was 30,000 to
40,000 feet of lumber a day. From this mill there was also shipped 700
pieces of fine lumber to the US, 46 feet long each, for stations.
The tracks reached the river at Mississippi in 1878 and ended there for a while, but a town grew there as a result and was called Olmstead's Station. The village supported three hotels, a casket factory, a furniture factory and two stores. A man named Dave Scott owned one of the hotels - he was known to burn full logs in his stove, sliding the log ahead further into the stove as it burned up. He also had a few bottles of moonshine on hand for the thirsty.
Later a roundhouse was built and in 1878, Boyd Cabot's engine #9 crossed the new bridge and reached Snow Road. In 1888 Renfrew was reached and a plan to extend the line into Playfair, Elphin and up to Lanark, but there was a lack of money. The tracks never reached its namesake of Pembroke.
In 1913 the Canadian Pacific Railway leased the K&P for 999 years, helping the railroad out of financial difficulty. The trains were a major transportation route for this area, and also a major shipping route.
Some of the freight included the mail, timber, the Clarendon Station had a cattle pen, the Mississippi Station shipped out foxes, wild horses rode the rails, cream and milk were sent out to the creameries and loads of minerals from the mines. Trains usually measured ten cars in length - if they were lucky, and the passenger car was on the end.
Men from Ardoch, Plevna and Coxvale would haul logs to Clarenden Station by horse and cutter. Each man had his own boxcar for his load of timber to go in. In the 1940's, Jim and Harold Derue drew the mail for the Plevna area. One time a casket came in from Kingston; Harold had a few drinks in him and he step-danced on the lid! When asked why he was doing that, he replied that the occupant wouldn't mind.
Colonial St. Pierre's first association with the railway was in 1940, when his family moved to Crotch Lake. His mother was the Station Agent and his father worked on the train at Clarendon. In the 1940's a trip to Sharbot Lake cost 25 cents - children would collect empty bottles and return them for a penny each to raise money for a ride on the green velvet seats of the passenger car. There were five trains that went each way, every day.
The speed of the K&P was not its main selling point. As the engines used steam, it took longer to go uphill. It also depended on the weather and if the engine boiler was low on water. The trip between Snow Road and Wilbur took longer as it was entirely uphill. Sometimes the train would need to stop and chase livestock off the rails, pick up passengers who flagged the train down, or back up and pick up the forgotten on the station platform. The train also made unscheduled stops to pick up blueberries and rabbit pelts for market in the city from local people living along the line. A few of the ladies present in the audience remembered running down in the 1930's and 40's to greet every train, especially the troop trains to wave at the boys off to war. There were a few train wrecks along the line: an engine left the bridge for the river at Mississippi in the 1930s and pieces of an engine are still rumoured to be below the causeway in the river at Calabogie.
In 1951, Colonial St. Pierre made 80 cents an hour working for the K&P, nine hours a day. That was very good money in those days, double what he made working on Hwy 509. It put the bread and butter on many local tables, he noted. He also stated that the K&P was an institution all its own, [it was] one of those things that had to be done.
Sadly, with the advent of better roads and newer trucks, the steam engine train became an outmoded method of travel. The K&P had only 80 lbs steel in its rails, too small for modern diesel engines. So in 1962 the last train ran, and gradually the tracks were lifted and a golden era ended. But the whistle still sounds in the memories of our older generation, and perhaps still echoes across the lonely local fields.
Other Stories this Week View RSS feedPurdon
Back toHome
Feature Article - 31, 2007Purdon, not just for Orchids
When you think of Purdon Conservation Area your first thought is well, orchids. While there is no denying the awesome beauty of the thousands of Showy Lady-slipper Orchids that inhabit the Lanark Highland Fen, there is a lot more to the site.
Mississippi Valley Conservation and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Foundation recently officially opened the Ted Mosquin Highland Trail, a stunning new trail that meanders through the fen, marsh, swamp and into the highland deciduous forest beyond.
The trail is the culmination of several years of work, and was named in recognition of Ted Mosquin’s tireless efforts, and devotion to the orchids at the Purdon Conservation Area and his role in its ongoing development.
A large variety of bird species call the site home. In fact some 37 different species were recently spotted on site. A dozen species of warblers visit during their spring migration. The Mississippi Valley Conservation Foundation installed birdhouses this past winter for over ten species of cavity nesting birds in locations well off the trail, in an effort to recreate nesting habitat similar to that which was present in the old growth forests before much of Lanark County was developed for farming. The boxes are being monitored to determine nesting success.
The flora and fauna on the trail include a wide variety of wildflowers, trees and shrubs. Plans for the trail to be a self-guided route are progressing and interpretive signage has been installed along the trail to point out species of interest. Some of the more common species include Hepatica, White and Red Trillium, Bellwort, Mitreworts, Blue Cohosh, Clubmoss, violets, sedges, Helleborne Orchid and many more.
The trail is roughly a 45-minute walk at a leisurely pace. To truly appreciate all the trail has to offer, allow yourself a couple of hours and pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at the gazebo overlooking Purdon Lake, located off the short trail at the upper parking lot entrance.
For more information on the site please visit the Purdon page of the Mississippi Valley Conservation website at www.mvc.on.ca. Or call 613-259-2421.
Other Stories this Week View RSS feedMvc
Back toHome
Feature Article - August 2, 2007MVCto test wells in vicinity of uranium exploration properties
by Jeff Green
In a reaction to concerns sparked by uranium exploration in North and Central Frontenac and Lanark Highlands, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVC) will be undertaking a program of testing private wells within a 1 to 5km radius of the properties that have been staked by uranium exploration companies.
“As part of our source water testing work, we are looking to fill some voids in our database with this program,” said Doug Nuttall, a Water Resource Engineer with MVC.
The MVC will be asking people to volunteer their private wells for testing. The tests are similar to tests that have been conducted throughout the watershed, and will cover 20 chemical and mineral parameters. In this case an extra parameter has been added: uranium concentration.
“We currently have data from one well in Ompah, one in Plevna, and one in Oso, which is an insufficient sample,” Nuttall said, in explaining which areas MVC would like to focus on. By contrast, the agency has a lot of data from communities such as Elphin and McDonalds Corners in Lanark Highlands.
Greg Luster, a geologist from Frontenac Ventures Corporation, the main uranium exploration company in the region, thinks the testing is a good idea.
“People worry about what might happen as the result of uranium exploration and, possibly mining, but the reality of what is here and has been here for a very long time is a more likely problem, in my view. I would test my water if I lived in North Frontenac,” he said.
The study will be done by MVC, who will conduct a physical survey of the subject well, and will take a water sample. Testing costs $104. MVC will cover 50% of the cost and the property owner the other 50%. Specific results will be released only to the individual property owners, but the data will be used in mapping and other applications.
Property owners concerned about current uranium levels, or levels of other heavy metals, or those concerned about potential deterioration of their water due to changes that may take place, might well consider contacting Mississippi Valley about this project, which is setting out to do 40 tests over the next two months.
Details about this project and how to sign up will be available at MVC.ON.CA in the coming days, and in the Frontenac News next week.
Two_solitudes
Back toHome
Feature Article - September 27, 2007Two Solitudes: a Kingston Courtroom & the Mississippi Riverby Jeff Green
Harold Perry and Randy Cota paddling with the unity flag.
The ongoing occupation of the Robertsville mine site, access point to a 30,000 acre mining claim, by members of the Shabot Obaadjiwaan and Ardoch Algonquin First Nations, is being played out this week on a five-day paddle along the Mississippi and Ottawa rivers, and in Courtroom A of the Frontenac County Court House.
On Saturday, a couple of dozen canoes and other boats departed from the bridge over Mud Lake at Ardoch to accompany a small party of canoeists, made up of Algonquin and non-Algonquin anti-uranium activists who were embarking on a 6-day paddle to Victoria Island on the Ottawa River near Parliament Hill. They hope to arrive on Thursday night, and will proceed to Parliament Hill for a rally scheduled for 10 AM on Friday morning on Parliament Hill.
The canoeists are carrying two jars full of water that were filled by Ardoch Algonquin Honourary Chief Harold Perry. They will be delivered to Chief William Commanda in Ottawa.
The paddle was undertaken to illustrate the flow of water from the site of the embattled uranium exploration project near Crotch Lake and the Mississippi River in North Frontenac. The anti-uranium activists assert that a uranium mine in the area would pose a serious risk to the water flowing down the river to the nation’s capital. (For further information about the rally at Parliament Hill, see www.ccamu.ca)
The call of the loons on the river contrasts with the wrangling of the lawyers in the Kingston Court. On Monday morning, lawyers for the company, the two First Nations, the OPP, the Province of Ontario, and the Algonquin Nation Representatives to the ongoing Algonquin Land Claims process, gathered before Ontario Superior Associate Chief Justice J.D. Cunningham.
The occasion was the first day of a hearing on a motion for an interlocutory injunction that Frontenac Ventures Corporation is seeking in an attempt to force the Algonquin and non-Algonquin protesters to leave the Robertsville site and allow the company to continue its exploration program, which was halted on June 28 when the occupation began.
The two First Nations communities had already informed Justice Thomson, who was hearing the ongoing case until this week, that they would not participate in the injunction hearing, citing Justice Lindon of the Ipperwash enquiry, who said Aboriginal land disputes should be dealt with by politicians and not courts.
Before commencing the hearing, the parties had a piece of legal housekeeping to deal with. The company has filed contempt charges against eight individuals, including the leaders of the two communities, for breach of an interim injunction levied by Justice Thomson concerning the same occupation, and lawyers from all sides discussed a tentative date for the commencement of that case. Justice Cunningham will be available next week, but he said he was unsure whether it would be appropriate for him to hear the case since he is charged with ruling on a longer term injunction on the same matter.
Neil Smitheman, the lawyer for Frontenac Ventures Corporation, then spent most of the day outlining the company’s case for an interlocutory injunction. Smitheman outlined his client’s activities, and described the occupation of the Robertsville mine as an “illegal, quasi-criminal occupation” which is doing “irreparable harm” to his client’s legal business interests. He said all that is required of Justice Cunningham is that he orders that the occupiers leave the site.
The Attorney General of Ontario and the Algonquins of Ontario are two parties that have intervener status in the case and their lawyers were to address the court once Smitheman wrapped up his case late Monday afternoon. It was anticipated that the case would have wrapped up by Wednesday at the latest. The judge’s decision will come some time later.In the first hearing of this case, which ended on August 2, Justice Thomson took 13 days to render his decision..
Hillier_complains
Back toHome
Feature Article - November 29, 2007Hillier Compains About Water Source Appointeesby Jeff Green
In a media release MPP Randy Hiller said he is “shocked” that the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) has snubbed two “democratically elected candidates” to the Mississippi Source Water Protection Committee.“The actions of the RVCA completely disregard the province’s and this country’s democratic process,” Hillier charged.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and the Ontario Farm Environment Coalition (OFEC) held their own election last August and chose two people, Merle Bowes and Terry Hale, both members of the Ontario Landowners Association.
However, according to Mark Burnham, the Chair of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, the election of members by an outside group, such as the OFA, is not, and has never been part of the selection process for the Source Water Protection Committee.
“Groups were invited to nominate people, and people were also invited to come forward themselves. We then went through a process to select the members of the committee. This was clear from the start,” Burnham told the News.
The selection process and the selection criteria are posted on the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region website. Under the heading “How to apply to be a member”, applicants are asked to send in a resume, a covering letter, and to fill out a downloadable application form.
Two spots on the 15-member board were reserved for the agricultural sector, and only one of the two men chosen in the OFA’s election sent in the application form, according to Mark Burnham.
“Of five applicants for the two agriculture positions, three people were interviewed, including Terry Hale. In the end, the other two were chosen,” said Burnham
The agricultural representatives on the Source Water Protection Committee are Peter McLaren and Richard Fraser.
Nf_council_08-03
Back toHome
Feature Article - January 24, 2008 North Frontenac Council - Jan.17/08 by Jeff GreenSeptic reinspection comes of age in North Frontenac.
Last year was the third year in which the Township of North Frontenac contracted with Mississippi Valley Conservation to undertake inspections on older septic systems at waterfront properties within the township.
And it was third time lucky as inspectors were able to do thorough inspections on almost all of the properties whose owners they approached. This was a positive change from 2006, when a number of properties that were earmarked for inspection received only a cursory viewing. In 2007, by contrast, 99 out of 100 properties that were targeted received “complete tank inspections” according to a report by Jamie Saunders that was received by North Frontenac Council at a meeting in Snow Road last Thursday.
Forty of the septic systems that were inspected had no deficiencies, and the other systems had problems that are “not necessarily of immediate threat to the environment or public health” the report said, “although failure to address them can result in premature failure of existing septic systems.” These deficiencies include 20 systems that require a pump out; nine whose baffles require maintenance because of root damage; and seven that either have too much or too little fill over the septic bed or tank. Of the 100 systems, only four are in such bad shape that they pose an immediate health risk, and this information has been passed on to the Kingston Frontenac Public Health Unit.
The reinspection program depends on the co-operation of property owners in order to function, and acording to Jamie Saunders, “The real benefit of this program is as a public relations and educational exercise. If implemented properly the re-inspection program can be a valuable tool for real changes to shoreline development and freshwater protection.”
Most of the 2007 inspections were done on five lakes: Kashwakamak, Big Gull, Shabomeka, Marble, and Mazinaw.
In 2008, it is proposed that lake association functions be used for education seminars as opposed to stand alone meetings, because two information sessions that were scheduled last summer were poorly attended.
Municipal Infrastructure - Council did not come to any immediate decision concerning what construction project is most likely to receive funding under a new $300 million provincially funded infrastructure program.
Mayor Ron Maguire said, “Upgrading the Ardoch road is a good project. It's an arterial road, but it wasn't built to that standard. Maybe we could improve a part of it with this grant, and do the rest another time.”
The township has applied on two occasions for funding support to turn the one-lane Mississippi bridge on Road 509 near Snow Road into a two lane bridge, to no avail.
Whatever project is chosen, Councilor Bob Olmstead said he “wants any project that receives funding to be brought to tender. I am certaily not pleased with our in-house work.”
“If you have comments about in-house work, they should be brought up in a closed meeting,”said Mayor Maguire. “It is not fair to bring them up in public when the staff involved are not here to answer to your charges.”
Water problems - Last summer, North Frontenac purchased an ultraviolet water purification system for the Barrie Hall in Cloyne. Noting that “this has proven very effective for the Barrie Hall and has successfully provided primary bacteriological eradication while providing lower overall costs,” Corey Klatt (township recreation co-ordinator) has obtained quotes for the purchase of three UV systems for the Snow Road, Harlowe and Clar-Mill halls. The Ompah Hall already has a system in place.
Corey Klatt told council that the water at the township office cannot be treated by this kind of system because the water at that location “has an extremely high count of total dissolved solids. The count is much higher than what the UV systems are rated for.”
Water problems at the township office/fire hall/public works garage complex are not new.
“We have been bringing in bottled water,” said township CAO Cheryl Robson.
The three systems will cost $10,000 in total.
Nedow_jessica_09-36
Back to HomeFeature Article - September 10, 2009
Barrel racing way down southBy Julie Druker
Jessica Nedow and her horse Sunny Daze at the NBHA
races in Jacksonville, Mississippi
Jessica Nedow, a 15-year-old barrel racer from Parham whose parents Denise and Charles own Heads or Trails Boarding Stables, returned from Jackson, Mississippi in the United States last month after having competed in the National Barrel Horse Association’s qualified runs there.
Jessica and her family made the 50-hour drive after Jessica had secured a first place spot in the 3 Division against north and south Quebec and Eastern and Western Ontario in 2008.
Once down south she and her horse were faced with temperatures upwards of 44 degrees Celsius and it took a lot of effort for Jessica just to keep herself and her horse cool. Racing against 1004 other competitors, Jessica and her 7-year-old gelding Sunny Daze, which she trained herself, put on a great show and ran a first run at 15.5 seconds and a second run at 15.3 second. It was an impressive finish and though she came home with no awards she was thrilled to not have knocked down any barrels.
The races were by far the largest event that Jessica has ever participated in and it was also Jessica’s first visit to the United States. She spoke to me from her home in Parham on Monday and said, “It was an amazing experience. I got to see the mountains of West Virginia and we also stopped in Nashville, Tennessee.”
She was impressed by the size of the event and added, “It was so big that most people drive around the grounds in golf carts. I had to walk about 1 km to the barn where my horse was and I have never seen so many trailers before.”
Jessica says her goal this year is to keep getting faster. She conceded that although her horse Sunny Daze has many barrels to run before even coming close to retiring, still, she is looking to increase her speed and has just purchased a 1½-year-old registered paint stallion named Tuxedos Luckie Lito. She also plans to train Luckie herself and will be offering him to breeders for stud services.
Balancing barrel racing and school is another challenge for this 15-year-old. Her horses require regular conditioning, which can take up to 15 hours a week of her time, and it knows can be a bit of a juggling act.
Still, Jessica is determined to keep racing and hopes to qualify again this year for the NBHA races in the USA. She will be attending three separate races this fall in Ontario, which will determine if she qualifies for this upcoming year.
The experience was a very rewarding one for Jessica and her family. The family wishes to thank all of their relatives who shared in the excitement and all of their supporters, Donna and Rick Beasely, Aimee Watson, Kickin Quarters Ranch, Eastern Cowboy Adventures, Donna and Charlie Clow, Rodco Steel, Annette Howes, Babcock Masonry, Art and Carmel Cowdy and Hope Stinchcombe.
River_fest_09-34
Back to HomeFeature Article - August 27, 2009
Historic plaque unveiling at
Mississippi River Heritage FestivalBy Julie Druker
Guided
eco-tours of the Mississippi River were a popular enent on August 23 at
the Mississippi River Heritage Festival in McDonald's Corners. Visitors
enjoyed a number of entertaining and educational events inluding: a
rivierside service, historic walks, displays and demonstrations, food
& music.
On August 20 at the McDonalds Corners Agricultural Hall, representatives from the Ontario Heritage Trust and the McDonalds Corners-Elphin Recreation and Arts (MERA) welcomed visitors to the official unveiling of a provincial plaque commemorating the Rivers and Stream Act of 1884. The unveiling launched the Mississippi River Heritage Festival which was held last weekend in and around McDonalds Corners and celebrated the end of a feud between two families of early Lanark logging settlers, the Caldwells and McLarens, and the historical government legislation that resulted from that feud, and which enforced the freedom of navigation on Canadian waterways.
Members of both the McClaren and Caldwell families were present for the presentation.
Beth Anne Mendes, plaque program coordinator for Ontario Heritage Trust, began the presentation with a historical overview of the events, which boiled down to a question of the rights of Boyd Caldwell to pass his timbers through the chutes that Peter McLaren had constructed on his land adjacent to High Falls on the Mississippi river. The feud quickly moved into the political realm.
The Rivers and Streams Act of 1884, which was passed by the British Privy Council, finally resolved the dispute and is the reason that today all Canadians have free access to all of our great waterways.
Before the plaque was unveiled, MPP Randy Hiller expressed his thoughts about its importance. He stated, “ The plaque gives testament to the fact that the navigable Rivers and Streams Act of 1884 helped define our country, little Lanark county and the people of Lanark county and the constitutional process. Each of these factors helped our country grow to prosperity through hard work and efforts and tenacious attitudes.”
Jean Dunning of MERA thanked all of the local community groups and individuals who came together to make the event happen.
MERA members Marilyn Barnett and Mary Vandenhoff were also thanked for their involvement and initiating the impetus for the plaque project and the Heritage Festival.
Mary Vandenhoff later explained to me the evolution of the plaque idea. “Back in August of last year when we were talking about doing the festival I called up the Heritage Trust and asked about the details to initiate the making of a plaque. The timing worked out really well.”
The historic feud has long since been resolved and has given way to friendly camaraderie between relatives of the two feuding families. Peter McLaren, whose great grandfather was a cousin of the original lumber baron, also named Peter McLaren, was present at the unveiling and said, “The families were reconciled very quickly afterwards and had a drink together.”
John Fowler, the great grandson of Boyd Caldwell was also present at the unveiling and was pleased to be involved with the event. He explained, “I think that history is one of the prime reasons why members of the community should get together and talk about things, and having grown up in Perth in a family that has been there for six generations, I grew up surrounded by family stories and information and felt it natural to be a part of this event and the festival.”
Asked if his ancestors realized the huge impact of the act that was passed as a result of the feud, John responded, “I don’t know. I suspect Boyd was thrilled with the Privy Council's decision but I know my grandmother who was at the time at school in Toronto had a holiday that day.”
What began as a feud has brought together members of a small community, all of whom have benefited from its final outcome.
The plaque will be installed at Centennial beach on Dalhousie Lake off of the Lavant Mill Road.
River_festival_09-32
Back to HomeFeature Article - August 13, 2009
Cruising down the river on a Sunday afternoonby Marilyn Barnett
…or in the morning! On Sunday, August 23, you are invited to join local field naturalists on a guided eco tour of an ecologically interesting stretch of the Mississippi River. There will be several optional modes of travel: you can purchase a ticket for the Voyageur Canoes to see the river as the first settlers may have done; join Tom Stephenson on his pointer boat to experience how the log drivers maneuvered down the river (but without the need to herd any logs!); by pontoon boat to relax comfortably or join in with your own canoe or kayak.
These eco river tours, part of the Mississippi River Heritage Festival in McDonalds Corners on August 22 and 23, focus on the rich natural heritage of the river.
The Province of Ontario has given the Mississippi River a high heritage ranking for good reason - its rich abundance and wide variety of plant and animal life. According to plant specialist David White, one section that stands out from a diversity perspective is the swamp and marsh-lined portions of the river downstream from Dalhousie Lake. The Algonquin understood the many values of the plant and animal life and some of this traditional knowledge will be shared as you explore the natural wonders of the river’s shorelines. Observe the bugs, birds and butterflies. Learn about the ferns, fish and fireflies. Wonder at the beaver houses, bulrushes and bitterns, and the eagles soaring overhead. Gain an appreciation of the marshes, weeds and the “ribbon of life”. Better understand the interrelationships of the whole ecosystem as you pass by.
There will be three scheduled tours, at 8:30AM, 10:30AM and 1PM, departing from Sylvania Lodge dock at the base of Dalhousie Lake for the 90-minute return trip down the Mississippi towards Sheridan Rapids. The Community Stewardship Council of Lanark County, sponsor of this event, will also be providing informative brochures to enhance this wonderful experience.
Limited advance tickets for the Voyageur Canoes are available at the Nature Lover's Bookshop in Lanark Village. There will be no charge for the pontoon and pointer boat tours, and people are welcome to take their own canoe or kayak down the river. Visit www.mississippireiverheritagefestival.ca for further information regarding these outings and the Mississippi River Heritage Festival, or call 613-259-5654.
