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by Margaret Knott
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Annual Archives
Margaret Knott's What's New on Frontenac Islands articles appear with the kind permission of the The Kingston Heritage Newspaper.

September 21, 2014
Howe Island's Terry Fox Run

Howe Islanders have participated in their own “ Howe Island” Terry Fox Run for the last nine years And in that time they have raised more than $62,000 for cancer research. Quite a feat for a small community.

“This year despite cold, windy weather we had a large gathering of participants of all ages,” Terry Fox Run organizer Natalie Nossal said. “They walked, ran, rode bikes or road horses on the 5.5 km route around the Spithead Road on Howe Island.
And at the opening ceremony prior to the event 15 year old Howe Islander Ashley Wood-Quinn had her long, beautiful hair cut as a donation to the ‘Angel Hair for Kids.’ Before the run our Chief Mike Quinn delivered safety instructions to all the participants. And of course , Natalie added, “the safety of all participants was ensured as well by the presence of the Howe Island Fire and Rescue personnel.”
Co-chairs of the Howe Island Terry Fox Run are Shelagh McDonald and Frontenac Islands Councillor Natalie Nossal.
Ashley-Wood-Quinn-at-TFR.gif
Aileen Wilson was the hair cutter.
Ashley-with-Short-Hair!-xx.gif
Ashley with short hair.

(Angel Hair for Kids is a program of A Child’s Voice Foundation™ that provides wigs to financially disadvantaged children in Canada using hair donated to the program.)

Coming Events:**Calling All WI residents Learn about Invasive European Water Chestnut on the Island at Wed. Sept. 24th 7 pm at the WI Community Hall behind the Town Hall Find out what to do from DU. *Fall Harvest Day Sun., Oct.5th, at 11:00am WI Community Garden, Centre St. Marysville *Annual WI Applefest Fundraiser Sat. Oct. 4 at 12:00pm, 2041 Hwy 96, Peggy and Bruce Horne's Orchard.; Lunch Bunch Travel begins Wed. Oct. 1st, 11:30 am WI United Church Hall with South America. Pack a sandwich. & enjoy.

Posted by M Knott at 12:07 PM
September 20, 2014
Wolfe Island’s Plowing Match Windy and Wet

The Wolfe Island Plowing match was an event that caught my fancy following our arrival on Wolfe Island years 25 years ago. And over the years there are few matches I have missed(although this last was one). It is a select event These plough(ers) women, men and youth train for it in the same way other competitors train through hard work. It may be part of many competitors life’s work and is something they do because they love horses, ploughs, competition,camaraderie and the land, all part of a ploughing match. Weather wise one never knows what to expect,fog, rain,snow,sleet or perhaps a beautiful fall day filled with light winds, blue sky, sunshine and just right ploughing conditions.
This year according to WI’s Ploughing Match coordinator Wilma Sjonger’s, “there was a strong wind blowing from the east in the morning and by 3pm it had turned, and a wild wind was blowing from the west. It rained all day,” she said. But that did not deter the 30 people who had come to plough, nor the judges Barry & Greg Timbers .
The Early Years group was there as were members of the WI Historical Society offering food and information. But the weather was so bad no other vendors came. Most competitors and friends stayed to the end although they were anxious to get home,to get warm and dry after a day of slogging in the mud,” Wilma added
Plowing Special Trophies were awarded for: Best Effort Under 18- (Morningsight Farm) Hunter Chown; Best Plough Team (WIPP) Dave Gamble; Best Dressed Horse (George McAllister) Dave Gamble; Oldest Plough Person (Fargo’s) John Posthumus; Youngest (Harvey Hawkey Award) Leon Eberhard; Safest Plough Person (Farm Safety Assoc.) Terry Phillips; Queen of Furrow (Grant Family) Morgan Roy; Best Finish –Horse (Hulton Construction) David Reid; Best Finsh Tractor (Woodman Machine Products) Ken Carkner; Best Crown (Gateview Farm Equip.) Dave Gamble; Champion Land (Lorne Hulton Trophy) Robert Tinney. Queen of the Furrow Morgan Roy was to compete at the IPM in
The Plowing match offered Scene of the Crime executive membersBetty Doyle, Chris Carr and Ken Keyes the opportunity to present a promised $1500 cheque (remaining Scene of Crime funds) to WI Early Years Program’s Tara Broeders and Shauna Johnson to continue their good work. IMG_20140913_090233204scene.gif

Posted by M Knott at 10:52 AM
September 17, 2014
Frontenac County Warden Bud Clayton Remembered by Frontenac Islands

A touching moment of silence to remember “Bud” Clayton” the Mayor of North Frontenac and Warden of Frontenac County took place at the outset of the September meeting of Frontenac Islands Council. Mayor Denis Doyle
described Warden Clayton who recently died, as a gentle man and a tireless worker. “He will be greatly missed.”

Council deferred a number of agenda items including regulations related to privately owned out door swimming pool fences and gates; regulations for buildings (construction, demolition, change of use, etc.) to post election. Reviewing minutes, Councillor Springgay reiterated her opposition to the concept and costs of water rescue by the Howe Fire & Rescue simply because of boat donation. Councillor Nossal reminded council it was presented was information only.
1.Frontenac County Planning Consultant Peter Young outlined Frontenac Islands Zoning Bylaw amendments being considered (mapping, technical corrections, setbacks from water, wetlands, spelling, typos, etc). Young noted that this was the first stage of the bylaw update “No major issues have been identified, MNR mapping will be reviewed and setbacks changed from 15 to 30 metres,” he said. FYI: If no speaks to amendment or submits a comment before bylaw adoption there is no right of appeal to OMB. WI citizen Barry Gilbert questioned variance when shoreline is established. HI citizen Heather Lippert seeks shoreline review only, not across fields. A concern that word changes could change original meaning was raised. The township will receive written comments until October 1st . . .

2.Ferguson Point Park: Doug Franks presented information about unopened parkland he said is township owned and has been encroached upon through a dock enlargement. “Wolfe Island has 100 miles of shoreline but no place to enter the water unless you own the property. Either this one should be opened up as a park or sold,” he said. “Maybe the township should expropriate or buy land at the winter dock and open up little Sandy Bay.” “Good ideas”, Mayor Doyle said noting water access at the 14th,18th,Victoria Street and Big Sandy Bay. Councillor Springgay, referring to the Ferguson property, said it is on a private road and that work is underway to determine Ferguson Lane ownership and obligations, if any, the township may have. “But there has never been any discussion about selling the parkland.”

3.Howe Island Speed Limit: The 3rd and Final reading of a bylaw to lower the speed limit from 790 Howe Island Drive to Lower Side Road has been deferred to Tuesday, October 14th meeting.

4.Actions Pending report was received. *Councillor Springgay reaffirmed her request that the first two WI ferry line up spaces at the Main Street be ‘no parking’ spaces to improve line of sight for cars coming off ferry particularly turning left.. Also that signs indicate brush is accepted same days as landfill site is open. *Deputy Mayor Jones questioned the December time frame for structuring the Howe Island Foot Ferry Improvement Project. “It is a priority and should be reintroduced as such,” he said.

5.In order to develop a consistent policy since the issue of ‘Private Lane’ maintenance comes up often, the township is looking to County Planner Joe Gallivan to provide a report outlining how similar municipalities deal with Private Road maintenance, following receipt of request from Kevin MacDonald President of the Holiday Point Road.

6. No financial Ice Storm assistance has resulted in staff looking for ways to defer certain 2014 planned budget expenses to 2015 and will transfer funds from reserves (to be repaid over 5 years) to cover the cost overruns.

7. WI Arena: The quote of ($66,720.29) by George Whitmarsh Electric for the installation of LED lights at the WI Arena has been accepted based on the arena budget.

8.Horne’s Ferry Owner/Operator George Horne requested priority boarding for Canadian Customs Officers only on 8:30 or 9:30 pm Sunday or Holiday Monday WI ferry. Council is not considering the request at this time.

9.Administrative Assistant Theresa Quist has been given additional responsibilities adding Health and Safety Coordinator to her position .

In other Business: 1.Councillor Grant questioned why popular Wolfe Island Wellness Clinic program has shutdown and money not renewed. 2. Deputy Mayor Jones wants his concerns re quality of Howe Island line painting revisited. 3.Councillor Nossal has concerns re winter servicing of Leeds and Thousand Islands road to the Howe Island foot ferry. Creating awareness of, and caution near seasonal agricultural vehicles is another of her concerns.

4.Council received comments the public. **Kenny Godin ( L. De Bruin Farm) is anxious to place 64 gal. bio digester tanks at the WI waste site. He will provide proposal to council, following consultation with AECOM’s Guy Laporte and CAO Plumley. The report will also be available to waste site management for comment. ** If township does consider opening road allowance access to the water, how about nature trails B. Gilbert asks. **H. Lippert has questions about un assured road liability. ** W. Knott said caution is required when considering lane take overs as there are many island lanes.
Due to Thanksgiving Council meets next: Tues. Oct. 13th 6:30 pm. Howe Island.

A bright new ‘Yellow’ Township Truck has arrived.. Look for It!

Coming events: DU Unlimited Invasive Species Information Evening, Sept. 24th Wolfe Island Community Hall 6:30 pm.* WI Applefest Sat. Oct 4th, 12 pm Hwy 96, Peggy Smith and Bruce Horne's Orchard

Posted by M Knott at 12:59 PM
September 11, 2014
Wolfe Historical Society Guest Don Cherry Needed No Introduction

It was billed as the Scottish Settlement with Don Cherry. But the hockey icon, in his customary high collared shirt and tie and rather subdued jacket , indicated that would not be the case when he arrived and was welcomed Society president
Hendry Connell

Don-Cherry-004.gif
Don at the Wolfe Island United Church Hall with Hank

” You all know more than I do,” Cherry said. Instead Don spoke of the first time his mother brought him to Wolfe Island to pick strawberries and his eventual establishment of a home on the island. He recalled how amazed islander Duggin Collins was when he bought land at Oak Point from Jack Campbell. He remembered the tour boat waking him the first night he and (his late wife) Rose stayed on the island,. “ I swear I heard Led Zepplin, ”and later another boat landing at his dock “ looked like the Titanic ,” saving a dog from a fly infested garbage ditch, and the threat of a bridge where? “You guessed it, at Oak Point,” he said.
Hockey stories were next “I was with the Boston Bruins, and Jerry Cheevers, a Hall of Famer was my goal tender. He never bothered about the score as long as you won,” Don said. “We lost a game. Cheever’s response Roses are red violets are blue, they got 7 we got 2. Another time we won 18 in a row and I said to Cheevers, when you win 18 in a row, no one ever listens to you. His reply, “ What.” How about Wayne Cashman in jail. He got one call. Instead of calling me, there was a delivery of Chinese food for Cashman.”
There was a story about his much loved dog Blue, more about the teams he played, the trouble he managed to get into on the ice , with the press etc. “I had a pretty tough team and I got a lot of fines,” he said “One time a reporter from the Boston Courier came along following an incident of one player biting another and saying to me , what do you think of that behavior and I said. ‘That’s what I like - hungry hockey players’. I was fined another $2000. I was fired by Boston , by Colorado. I was going for a hat trick.” Along with the hiring’s and firing’s he was named Coach of the Year in 1972 . He reiterated that a good coach has to be honest. “ Players on their own since age 16 know.”
Next came CBC Hockey Night in Canada in 1980, Coaches Corner stories and now Sports Net stories. “Apparently you will be able to see every Montreal Canadians games with Sports Net. “You like the Montreal Canadians ?” he asked.
Cherry managed 30 years on the CBC Coaches Corner, delivered in his own unique style, “then I did colour and I got in trouble, threatened with firing a number of times. But I’m still there!” he said.
He noted that the great hockey players are Sydney Crosby and Jonathon Taves. “But there is nobody like Bobby Orr …46 goals, 89 assists plus 123 Bobby at 28 went to Team Canada, He was a shooting star, done in as a result of a shady deal he knew nothing about.” Don had nothing good to say about Eagelston.
Don expressed a strong opinion about concussions and blames much of it on the hard plastic padding players use , as compared to the softer padding , of years ago. “The worst I’ve seen was Eric Lindros and we will see more. It has a lot to do with the rules and a lot to do with the weapon like equipment. It’s sad but it’s the way it is. “
The worst rule put in was the instigator rule, according to Cherry “If you start a fight you’re thrown out of the game for misconduct. Not this regime, but the owners that got together didn’t want big guys picking on stars. Makes sense right, but the result was the exact opposite. The stars were protected by those guys. Gretsky all the time he was in Edmonton, he never got hit. There was a rule never hit him or you were dead,” he said. “The only time he got hurt was with team Canada when he got hit, and was never the same after. Nobody could protect him. It’s the same with Crosby. There is nobody to protect him. Now no one protects the stars but will they get rid of the instigator rule? People who don’t understand the game, just don’t get it.”
A final question put to Cherry was ‘when do you think the Maple Leafs might make the finals and win’. “See that little kid there (pointing out in the back)… when he is 90, maybe,” he responded to much laughter. Speaking of the Maple Leafs Don, owns Harold Ballard’s Lincoln.
It was time to end a fun evening. Don was tired having travelled from Mississauga to get to the island and was facing an immediate return trip with his daughter Cindy. “I just want to say Wolfe Island has a way of life I just love, when I go to Danny and Theresa’s and see the guys there, and at Fargo’s, and in the village. No one tells anyone where I live. A different life. When I see you folks and we get to talk, it is so good. I always look forward to coming.”

Around Town:* Marysville resident Denis Chercuitte has submitted his name for election as councillor. Nomination day is Sept. 12th. Coming Events;* Euchre , Thurs. 7 pm St. Margaret’s Hall ** WI Plowing Match Sept. 13th All day at Pyke’s Farm. Free vendor space available.

Posted by M Knott at 12:54 PM