Latest / North Shore News / March 09th, 2025

Transcript

March 09th, 2025 · North Shore News

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  Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on Amherst Island Radio.
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  Each week we keep you updated on newsworthy events, happenings, and conversations that
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  we've had with people in the local community and beyond.
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  The March of the Museums taking place from March 10th to 14th from 10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.
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  daily in Kingston and the surrounding area.
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  And there are many participating sites to visit and here to talk about it is Annette
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  Gillis who is the curator, military communications and electronics museum.
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  Thank you so much for having me today.
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  The March of the Museums program is actually a program that stems from the Kingston and
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  Area Association of Museums Art Galleries and Historic Sites.
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  It's a really exciting concept that provides drop-in activities for the duration of March
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  break.
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  And one of the big motivating factors behind the March of Museums was being able to have
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  a free and fun family event for the locals and those in the surrounding area to come
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  and visit.
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  Actually a colleague of mine, David McCary, was one of the original founders who came
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  up with the concept through CAM and it's so nice to finally be back at full force again
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  post COVID.
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  Gillis goes on to talk about the many different sites that are taking part in the March of
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  the Museums.
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  This year there are a large number of different sites participating in the Kingston region.
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  In fact, there's even sites in Bath and Brockville and Smith Falls this year.
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  For instance, Kingston is a really historic area and there's over 20 museums within this
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  region and some of the sites that are participating this year include the Thousand Islands History
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  Museum in Gannon-Aquay, the Bath Museum, Bellevue House National Historic Site, Brockville
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  Museum, Fort Henry National Historic Site, who's normally closed this time year so it's
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  really great that they're going to be open next week, Frottenac County Schools Museum,
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  the Great Lakes Museum, obviously our site which houses not only the Military Communications
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  and Electronics Museum, but also the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
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  Museum, the Miller Museum of Geology, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, the Modern
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  Fuel Arts Run Center, the Museum of Healthcare at Kingston, Neptune and Salatia Diving with
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  Preserve Our Wrecks, as well as the Pump Hosts Museum so it's quite a few sites.
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  This explains why the event is called March of the Museums and goes on to tell us what
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  attendees can expect at this year's March.
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  The reason our event is actually called March of the Museums is because it gives everyone
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  a chance to get out and actually march to all these different museums and there's going
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  to be a scavenger hunt for ducks so the more sites you get to there's a chance to win prizes
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  and there's also activity books as well as the museums all being open which is not normal
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  during this time of year because a lot of the local sites are closed for the winter.
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  We're also going to have what they call added value performances and at our site we're going
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  to have a special performance every single day, Monday to Friday next week.
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  The March of the Museums is a passion project for Annette Gillis whose involvement in this
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  event dates back to the beginning.
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  It started around 2016-2017.
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  Obviously there was a bit of a break due to COVID and then it restarted up again last
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  year in full force.
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  Rory Corey, manager of the Military Communications and Electronics Museum is eagerly looking
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  forward to his first March of the Museums event.
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  Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing all the activity and the fun that's going to be happening.
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  Annette and Dave have been working on it for quite some time.
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  We were hoping that it would run last year in 2024 but we had to postpone so a lot of
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  the work that was done back then I know is like even the supplies that we purchased
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  back in 2024 are going to be used now so it's great to see things moving ahead.
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  March of the Museums happening March 10th to March 14th and Gillis tells us where we
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  can learn more about this fantastic local event.
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  Currently at the Kingston Association and Museums webpage they have a March of the Museum
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  page dedicated along with an activity book and a download on all the different sites
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  and what's happening when throughout the week including all those added performances.
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  We're pretty excited.
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  We're going to have magicians, jugglers, balloon artists, face painters.
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  We're even going to have some princesses on Monday, indigenous froming and language
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  workshops.
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  So it's going to be a really great, fun-filled family week.
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  For more information and to plan your visit head on over to kinkstownmuseums.ca and click
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  on March of the Museums to learn more about this fantastic free event taking place over
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  March break from 10am to 3.30pm daily beginning Monday, March 10th through to Friday, March
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  14th.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative I'm Colin Sunday Night and this
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  is your North Shore News.
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  Eight initiatives in Lenox and Addington County will be funded under the 2025 Naturally
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  L&A Activation Program.
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  The fund set up for new and existing events and products in the area has an all new set
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  of guidelines this year.
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  The selection committee for the fund made their recommendations to council after discussing
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  13 submitted applications.
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  Under the new guidelines successful projects can receive up to $4,000 now including an
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  additional 20% for marketing support.
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  Bath Art Fest and a music event on Amherst Island run by the Amherst Island Agricultural
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  Society each received $2,500.
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  While in Addington Highlands the Land of Lakes Speakers Forum also received $2,500.
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  The other initiatives being funded are the Sunday Market in Bath for $1,250, guitars and
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  cars in Greater Napa Ne for $1,875 and the Stone's Throw Spring Open 2025 Disc Golf Tournament
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  in Stone Mills for $625.
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  Director of Community and Development Services Stephen Paul explains how the funding is broken
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  down.
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  We have $40,000 is divided evenly amongst the four municipalities.
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  We have an open application period this time so whenever we have a good number of applications
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  we bring our group together to do an evaluation and we have eight projects I guess events
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  that we can call them three in Greater Napa Ne, three in Loyalist, one in Addton Highlands
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  and one in Stone Mills Township.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative I'm Ted Evans.
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  This is North Shore News.
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  Greater Napa Ne Council has named Sean Armstrong the new fire chief of the Greater Napa Ne
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  Fire Department.
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  Armstrong had been serving as the acting fire chief since April 2024.
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  Armstrong provided council with his mandate letter at the meeting highlighting the need
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  to create predictable organizational behavior through standards, policies and systems.
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  He presented a set of fire protection service standards for all department programs and
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  services which council unanimously decided to receive and adopt.
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  Armstrong has previously served as the fire chief for the City of Guelph and most recently
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  for the City of Kingston.
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  Armstrong spoke about the importance of fire service levels.
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  Fire service levels assist the fire department by ensuring that we're all focused and reaching
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  towards the same goals.
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  It's also important to understand what the training requirements are and having the right
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  resources, staffing and equipment to carry out those training requirements and also giving
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  the firefighters clarity in their role and allowing them to stay in their lane, which
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  I've heard since my time here, and provide the services they need to provide in their
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  positions they are serving in.
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  And all of that helps in giving that empowerment to the firefighters to use their skills in
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  the most professional way that they always use them in.
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  Armstrong talks about the work of the Greater Napa Ne Fire Department.
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  We do rescue and emergency services.
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  We'll do entrapments from cars.
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  We'll do technical rope rescue.
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  We'll do other technical rescues.
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  We do fire prevention.
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  We do mandatory inspections.
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  We do inspections upon complaint.
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  We'll do real estate transfers.
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  We'll do immediate threats to life.
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  We're down ensuring that the community is safe in our public spaces and serving as that,
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  we also do public education and fire safety education.
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  That includes our visits to the schools, ensuring that we have a small concealed alarm program.
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  That is a legislative requirement when providing fire protection services through a fire department.
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  And ensuring that people are aware of the need to have functioning smoke alarm, smoke
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  detector and CO detector on each floor they're dwelling and especially outside of the sleeping
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  areas.
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  Armstrong noted the work the department is doing for the unhoused community in Greater
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  Napa Ne.
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  We have been working with bylaw and firefighters to provide information and materials to our
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  people that are unhoused in our community and making sure they're as safe as they can
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  be.
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  We've noticed last year and we anticipated happening again that we'll be responding to
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  fires in the public spaces.
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  We've worked with the clerk's office and all of the senior leadership team to address this
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  in a way that's incrementally helpful.
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  And we'll continue to keep our eye on and monitor that.
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  It is a service change that really wasn't part of our regular bag of tricks lack of
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  a better term and it's increasing demand on the services.
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  Armstrong highlighted the work and dedication of full-time and volunteer firefighters in
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  the department.
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  The real bright stars in all of this in our service provision is our composite fire department,
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  our firefighters.
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  Full-time and volunteer work tirelessly to ensure the mandate is achieved and ensure
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  the fire protection services are done in the most efficient way.
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  We are working with them since I started in here last April and really I've learned that
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  their top values are teamwork, accountability and respect.
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  And I believe accountability is equally as important to them so they won't get it.
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  We have a great department.
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  They're passionate.
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  They're empowered.
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  And the full-time volunteers are working together in a way that's very positive and
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  exciting for the future.
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  Councillor Bill Martin showed his support for Armstrong in the new role.
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  I think the town of Napa News in great hands with the team we have here with both the chief
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  and the deputy chief, Heaney, as well.
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  And I think we're extremely lucky to have a man of such an impeccable character as our
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  fire chief.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 11:23
  This is North Shore News.
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  Staff at Greater Napa-Knee will be meeting with Waste Management to discuss service disruptions
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  and breakdowns.
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  Councillor Mike Schenke made note of the breakdowns.
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  I can understand accidents happen once in a while.
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  You know, if things break down, I totally understand that.
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  But how many breakdowns have they had since January?
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  It's just darn near almost every other week.
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  Schenke noted the frequency of wildlife getting into trash bags.
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  Living in a rural area and you leave garbage on the side of the road.
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  And then, of course, on a warm night like this, you're going to have every critter in
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  the countryside is going to have all that garbage stoned from one end to the other.
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  So what is waste management going to do with it?
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  Well, they're having another email, having another excuse that something broke down and
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  sorry we can't do it and we'll pick it up tomorrow.
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  The AO Matthew Grant confirmed that staff will be addressing the concern while speaking
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  with the company.
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  Staff have a scheduled meeting upcoming with Waste Management to discuss this matter at
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  hand.
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  I can't crystal ball what Waste Management will commit to, but we will certainly bring
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  up that concern directly as it relates to breakdowns, especially during these warmer
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  times when the animals are coming out and poking around.
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  So we will make them aware of the concern.
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  According to the report, staff will be more consistent in sharing curbside collection
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  disruption information with residents.
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  The report also provided an update on the construction of Waste Management's recycling
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  preconditioning facility on County Road 41.
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  The facility is anticipated to be completed in the later part of 2025.
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  Hydra 1 will be making infrastructure upgrades along County Road 41 to accommodate the facility.
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  Currently, the structure of the building is nearly complete with interior works underway.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 13:18
  This is North Shore News.
• 13:28
  Softball Napanee will be hosting the 2025 U-17 Men's Canadian Fast Pitch Championship at
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  the Napanee Fair Grounds.
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  The tournament will take place from August 6th until the 10th.
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  Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture, Chris Brown, informed Council of the news.
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  We had some exciting news come in.
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  So Softball Napanee was awarded the U-17 Boys National Championships to be hosted in Napanee
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  here at the Fair Grounds.
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  The tournament dates from August 6th to 10th.
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  So it will be a week-long national tournament here in Napanee and we're excited to host
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  that.
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  Mayor Terry Richardson noted his support for hosting the event in the area.
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  Absolutely wonderful news, it's always good to showcase our municipality to the country.
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  According to Softball Canada, the full list of participating teams will be released after
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  all provincial and territorial qualifiers have been completed.
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  The Napanee Express last won the U-17 Men's Championship in 2019 when it was hosted in
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  Saskatoon.
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  The last time the championship was held in Ontario was 2018 in Inner Kip.
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  The men's and master men's tournaments take place in Kitchener, Ontario from August 27th
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  to 31st.
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  The women's tournament takes place from July 30th to August 3rd in Saskatoon.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 14:44
  This is North Shore News.
• 14:54
  Playlist Township Council discussed 8 new housing initiatives for 2025.
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  The project's amount to nearly $1.4 million of the total $3.58 million the Township is
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  to receive from the Housing Accelerator Fund.
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  Under the program, the Township has committed to permitting 615 housing units over the next
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  three years.
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  Staff noted that funding more initiatives would ensure they fully spent the funding
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  by the end of 2027.
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  Council approved funding staff time spent on Housing Accelerator Fund initiatives in
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  2025 to a maximum of $200,000.
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  They also approved $171,000 in expenses for the Loyalist Link Transit Service.
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  In addition to discussion with Council, staff plans to undertake public consultation, further
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  discussion with the County of Lenox and Addington, and will seek developer feedback as to how
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  the funding can be used to support the Township's housing goals.
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  A letter was sent to active developers in the area on February 14th inviting them to
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  meet with staff to discuss opportunities for partnership to support the success of the
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  Housing Accelerator Fund program.
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  Meetings between developers and staff are being scheduled into March with a developers
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  forum scheduled for May 1st.
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  Councillor Paul Proderick spoke about possibilities going forward and showed his support for funding
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  the Loyalist Link Transit Service.
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  It's an exciting opportunity and I know that the development community is excited probably,
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  I can't speak for them but they're interested in working with us and I know that the Loyalist
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  Link is showing tremendous possibility and I think it's a great way to continue especially
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  that Loyalist Link Transit Service.
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  The eight initiatives in the Township's Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan include an affordable
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  housing grant and land donation to Lenox and Addington County, the implementation of an
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  affordable and purpose-built rental house community improvement plan, and the declaration
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  and sale of surplus land for housing or housing supportive uses.
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  The rest of the initiatives are mostly about by-law and policy updates.
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  Staff noted other initiatives that could be funded including additional grants to incentivize
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  development, studies and plans for lands to support housing or housing related initiatives,
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  or capital spending on housing related infrastructure.
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  Funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund will come through four annual advances of
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  just over $895,000.
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  The first three advances are dispersed based on the Township's ability to achieve progress
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  on the Action Plan initiatives, while the final advance is dispersed based on Action
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  Plan progress and the number of housing projects started.
• 17:18
  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 17:24
  This is North Shore News.
• 17:34
  The Bath Garden Club and Horticultural Society are planning to expand the Bath Sunday Market
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  thanks to a community grant they've received.
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  Live Music Sundays also received a grant to be able to pay artists more.
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  Lori Minorgan with the Bath Garden Club and Horticultural Society noted the benefit of
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  having and growing a market in the area.
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  The market provides a great opportunity to promote the Bath Museum, the Fairfield Good
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  Site House, other historical sites and loyalists, and to promote culture days.
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  And plan to reach out to surrounding communities and municipalities to promote the market.
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  We believe we can make the market bigger and better and draw thousands of tourists to Bath.
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  It's a win-win.
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  Minorgan mentioned other members of their group and the work they've been doing.
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  Our market coordinator, Linda Cohen, she is a member and a volunteer, and she has worked
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  with local farmers, artisans, and food vendors to expand the market and to offer high-quality
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  goods to the public.
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  Already, our market manager, Tara Williamson, has created a new website.
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  An Instagram page added significantly to our Facebook page and designed some eye-catching
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  promotional material.
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  Tara has successfully managed the fronten out farmers market for the past two years
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  and has grown it from six to over 50 vendors.
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  As of today, we have six farmers and 22 artisans and food producers registered for this year's
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  market.
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  By opening day, we expect to have over 30 vendors.
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  Minorgan spoke about their plans going forward.
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  Our plans for 2025 include introducing more children's activities throughout the market
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  season, more musical entertainment, and special events.
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  The member Diane Pierce showed her support for funding the market.
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  I think that this is a great project and anything we can do to support it is a good move, I
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  think.
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  Organizer of Live Music Sundays, Bon Evans, noted the importance of activities and events
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  in the area.
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  I would like to say I was very supportive of the Bath Market, putting that together as
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  well.
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  It's a wonderful thing.
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  It's just right around the corner from my house.
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  And it does bring a lot of people to the Bath area, same as Live Music Sundays.
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  So it's great to see the support to our little area out here, drawing people out.
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  Amherst Island Agricultural Society was approved for a grant of up to $100,000 for their fairgrounds
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  event hosting infrastructure and equipment project.
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  The amount is dependent on future third-party contracts.
• 20:09
  The Gibson Family Health Care Charitable Foundation was denied for a $60,000 grant for
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  a wheelchair-accessible bus to transport residents.
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  Out of the remaining 12 community grant applications, the committee approved 11, totaling nearly
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  $88,000.
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  A group named Green Schools Green Future was denied a request for $10,000 for educational
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  programs for students of Loyalist's Township.
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  The committee denied the application because they were unfamiliar with the Toronto-based
• 20:35
  organization.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 20:42
  This is North Shore News.
• 20:44
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• 20:47
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