Latest / North Shore News / February 28th, 2025

Transcript

February 28th, 2025 · North Shore News

• 0:00
  Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on Amherst Island Radio.
• 0:12
  Each week we keep you updated on newsworthy events, happenings, and conversations that
• 0:18
  we've had with people in the local community and beyond.
• 0:25
  Greater Napa-nee Council has named Sean Armstrong the new fire chief of the Greater Napa-nee
• 0:29
  Fire Department.
• 0:31
  Armstrong had been serving as the acting fire chief since April 2024.
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  Armstrong provided counsel with his mandate letter at the meeting, highlighting the need
• 0:39
  to create predictable organizational behavior through standards, policies, and systems.
• 0:44
  He presented a set of fire protection service standards for all department programs and
• 0:48
  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.
• 1:01
  Fire service levels assist the fire department by ensuring that we're all focused and reaching
• 1:07
  towards the same goals.
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  It's also important to understand what the training requirements are and having the right
• 1:13
  resources, staffing, and equipment to carry out those training requirements.
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  And also giving the firefighters clarity in their role and allowing them to stay in their
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  lane, which I've heard since my time here, and provide the services they need to provide
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  in their 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
• 1:37
  the most professional way that they always use them in.
• 1:40
  Armstrong talks about the work of the Greater Napa-nee Fire Department.
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  We do rescue and emergency services, we'll do entrapments from cars, we'll do technical
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  rope rescue, we'll do other technical rescues.
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  We do fire prevention, we do mandatory inspections, we do inspections upon complaint, we'll do
• 1:57
  real estate transfers, we'll do immediate threats to life.
• 2:02
  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 smoke and CO alarm program,
• 2:17
  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 a 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.
• 2:34
  Armstrong noted the work the department is doing for the unhoused community in Greater
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  Napa-nee.
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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 that happening again that we'll be responding
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  to 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
• 3:04
  this 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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  That 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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  Time and volunteer work tirelessly to ensure the mandate is achieved and ensure the fire
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  protection services are done in the most efficient way.
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  We are working with them since I started here last April.
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  And really I've learned that their top values are teamwork, accountability, and respect.
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  And I believe accountability is equally as important to them.
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  So we have a great department, they're passionate, they're empowered, and the full-time volunteers
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  are working together in a way that's very positive and 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.
• 4:28
  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 4:33
  This is North Shore News.
• 4:44
  Staff at Greater Napa New will be meeting with Waste Management to discuss service disruptions
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  and breakdowns.
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  Councillor Mike Shank made note of the breakdowns.
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  I can understand accidents happen once in a while, you know, if things break down, I
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  totally understand that, 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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  Shank 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, and then of course
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  on a warm night like this, you're going to have every critter in the countryside is going
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  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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  CAO Matthew Grant confirmed that staff will be addressing the concern while speaking with
• 5:31
  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'll 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.
• 6:28
  This is North Shore News.
• 6:38
  Softball NapaNee will be hosting the 2025 U17 Men's Canadian Fast Pitch Championship
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  at 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 U17 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.
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  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 U17 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.
• 7:54
  This is North Shore News.
• 8:04
  The Boy List Township Council discussed eight 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 spend 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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  to a maximum of $200,000.
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  They also approved $171,000 in expenses
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  for the Loyalist Link Transit Service.
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  In addition to discussion with council,
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  staff plans to undertake public consultation,
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  further discussion with the County of Lenox and Addington,
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  and will seek developer feedback
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  as to how the funding can be used
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  to support the township's housing goals.
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  A letter was sent to active developers
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  in the area on February 14th,
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  inviting them to meet with staff
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  to discuss opportunities for partnership
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  to support the success of the Housing Accelerator Fund program.
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  Meetings between developers and staff
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  are being scheduled into March
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  with the developers forum scheduled for May 1st.
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  Councillor Paul Prateric spoke about possibilities
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  going forward and showed his support
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  for funding the Loyalist Link Transit Service.
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  It's an exciting opportunity,
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  and I know that the development community is excited.
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  Probably, I can't speak for them,
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  but they're interested in working with us.
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  And I know that the Loyalist Link
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  is showing tremendous possibility.
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  And I think it's a great way to continue,
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  especially that Loyalist Link Transit Service.
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  The eight initiatives in the township's
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  Housing Accelerator Fund action plan
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  include an affordable housing grant
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  and land donation to Lenox and Addington County,
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  the implementation of an affordable
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  and purpose-built rental house community improvement plan,
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  and the declaration and sale of surplus land
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  for housing or housing supportive uses.
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  The rest of the initiatives are mostly about
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  bylaw and policy updates.
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  Staff noted other initiatives that could be funded,
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  including additional grants to incentivize development,
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  studies and plans for lands to support
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  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
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  will come through four annual advances
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  of just over $895,000.
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  The first three advances are dispersed
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  based on the township's ability to achieve progress
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  on the action plan initiatives,
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  while the final advance is dispersed
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  based on action plan progress
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  and the number of housing projects started.
• 10:26
  The Bath Gardening Club and Horticultural Society
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  For Amherst Island Radio
• 10:30
  and the Local Journalism Initiative,
• 10:32
  I'm Ted Evans.
• 10:33
  This is North Shore News.
• 10:43
  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
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  to be able to pay artists more.
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  One of the most important initiatives
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  with the Bath Gardening Club in Horticultural Society
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  thousands of tourists to bath.
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  It's a win-win.
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  Menorgan mentioned other members of their group
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  and the work they've been doing.
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  Our market coordinator, Linda Cohen,
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  she is a member and a volunteer
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  and she has worked with local farmers,
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  artisans and food vendors to expand the market
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  and to offer high quality goods to the public.
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  Already our market manager, Tara Williamson,
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  has created a new website, an Instagram page
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  added significantly to our Facebook page
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  and designed some eye-catching promotional material.
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  Tara has successfully managed the fronten out farmers market
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  for the past two years and has grown it
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  from six to over 50 vendors.
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  As of today, we have six farmers,
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  22 artisans and food producers registered
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  for this year's market.
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  By opening day, we expect to have over 30 vendors.
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  Menorgan spoke about their plans going forward.
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  Our plans for 2025 include introducing more children's
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  activities throughout the market season,
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  more musical entertainment and special events.
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  Committee member Diane Pierce
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  showed her support for funding the market.
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  I think that this is a great project
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  and anything we can do to support it is a good move, I think.
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  Organizer of Live Music Sunday's Bon Evans
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  noted the importance of activities and events in the area.
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  I would like to say I was very supportive of the bath market,
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  putting that together as well.
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  It's a wonderful thing, it's just right around the corner
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  from my house and it does bring a lot of people
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  to the bath area same as Live Music Sunday.
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  So it's great to see the support to our little area
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  here drawing people out.
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  Amherst Island Agricultural Society was approved
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  for a grant of up to $100,000
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  for their fairgrounds event hosting infrastructure
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  and equipment project.
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  The amount is dependent on future third-party contracts.
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  The Gibson Family Health Care Charitable Foundation
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  was denied for a $60,000 grant
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  for a wheelchair-accessible bus to transport residents.
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  Out of the remaining 12 community grant applications,
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  the committee approved 11, totaling nearly $88,000.
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  A group named Green Schools Green Future
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  was denied a request for $10,000
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  for educational programs for students of Loyalist's township.
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  The committee denied the application
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  because they were unfamiliar
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  with the Toronto-based organization.
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  For Amherst Island Radio
• 13:48
  and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
• 13:51
  This is North Shore News.
• 14:02
  Artistic Director for the Waterside Summer Series,
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  Beverly Harris, was presented with the King's Coronation Medal
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  in recognition of her service
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  and outstanding contributions to her community,
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  Ontario and Canada for the arts.
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  The award was presented by Canadian Senator Peter Harder
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  at a ceremony on February 9th
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  at St. Paul's Church on Amherst Island.
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  Harris has been the Artistic Director
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  with the Waterside Summer Series for 20 years.
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  The series has become well-known in the area
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  for bringing A-list performers to Amherst Island.
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  Harris spoke with us this week
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  and described her experience in receiving the award
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  as well as noting the hard work of board members.
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  It was a surprise, for sure.
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  It was quite thrilling and humbling,
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  I would have to say,
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  and certainly credit goes to a lot of our board members
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  past and present who, of course, work very hard as well.
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  It's not just one person, of course,
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  that pulls something off like this.
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  I certainly share the recognition
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  with all of the people that have worked hard with me
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  over the last 20 years to make Waterside what it is.
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  And our patrons and sponsors
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  are very, very faithful.
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  I guess the pressure on me is that they expect to hear
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  nothing but the best.
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  The board handles promotion work and events postings
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  as well as publishing a brochure
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  for the Waterside Summer Series.
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  Harris describes Senator Harder's connection to the series.
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  Peter Harder happens to be a good friend
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  of a couple on the island.
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  So when she first told me that I was receiving this,
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  I said, did you have something to do with this?
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  And she said, absolutely not.
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  But because he is a good friend of theirs,
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  he actually has attended Waterside concerts,
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  unknown to me,
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  and recently has become a sponsor as well.
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  Harris explains the unique experience for attendees
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  of the Waterside Summer Series.
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  A sold-out concert is only 150 people.
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  So it's a very up-close, intimate personal experience.
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  And the patrons get to schmooze with the performers
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  after the concert as well, which doesn't always happen
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  when you go to a concert in a large hall
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  that seats hundreds of people.
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  Harris describes how they create a unique experience
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  for performers as well.
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  One thing that we do for our performers
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  is that we cover the costs of their accommodation
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  for two nights on the island
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  and we provide all of their food and refreshments
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  while they're here.
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  After every concert, we have a buffet supper reception,
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  which the performers absolutely love
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  because it's like a party.
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  And the people that are invited to that
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  are the people that are our sponsors.
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  Harris notes the different sponsorship levels
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  and how they relate to the island.
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  Depending on the level of their donation,
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  they're categorized as certain kind of owls
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  because, of course, the island is known
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  for its different owls that brings many birders to the island.
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  That seems to appeal to people as well,
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  being categorized as a certain kind of owl.
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  Harris describes the joy of artists
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  coming back to play again and why they decide to do so.
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  I find the longer I'm doing it,
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  the easier it seems to become to line up wonderful artists.
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  For one thing, they like to come back.
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  And I think it's because we treat them so well.
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  And they realize that our audience,
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  a few of them have said to me over the years,
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  they can sense how the audience is paying such close attention
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  and is really giving back to the performers.
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  Harris talks about the food they offer
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  and a feature returning artist.
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  Often the performers say, we never get treated like this.
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  So often they get handed their check and thank you very much
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  and goodbye.
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  And they pick up a hamburger somewhere on the way home
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  or whatever, I guess.
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  But with us, it's a real groaning board
• 18:11
  and lots of wine and beer, whatever they fancy flowing
• 18:15
  as well.
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  In fact, one of the outstanding trios
• 18:19
  that we have coming this year, the Griffin trio,
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  they are Canadian, but they're considered one of the finest
• 18:24
  trios in the world today.
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  And they're coming back to us for their seventh appearance
• 18:30
  on Waterside.
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  So they're on the front cover of our brochure this year.
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  Harris highlights the first children's performance
• 18:37
  they had at the Waterside Summer Series
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  and notes another one upcoming in the future.
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  The majority of our audience tends to be senior citizens.
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  Although last year, we had a children's concert,
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  a free children's concert, where one of our performers
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  that was going to be doing a full concert later in the day
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  did a one hour show for our children.
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  And of course, they came along with their parents
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  or grandparents or whoever was bringing them.
• 19:06
  That was a big success.
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  And we managed to get a grant to cover the cost of that.
• 19:12
  And we're doing it again this year with a trio
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  that we have coming.
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  The free one hour children's concert
• 19:19
  will take place on August 19th at 11.15 AM.
• 19:22
  The pool, Ankh Trio will then put on a full concert
• 19:24
  at 3.15 in the afternoon.
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  More information and the full schedule of performances
• 19:29
  can be found on the Waterside Summer Series website
• 19:32
  for Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative.
• 19:35
  I'm Ted Evans.
• 19:36
  This is North Shore News.
• 19:47
  Loyalist Township counselor Paul Proderick
• 19:49
  was elected the new 2025 board chair
• 19:51
  for Cataraqui Conservation.
• 19:53
  Proderick has held the role of vice chair
• 19:55
  with the Conservation Authority for the previous two years.
• 19:58
  After his confirmation in the new role,
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  Proderick spoke about the work they have ahead of them
• 20:02
  on the board.
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  There's much work ahead for the board and its members.
• 20:06
  And I look forward to the challenges ahead
• 20:09
  and working with staff who are the foundation
• 20:12
  of the Cataraqui Conservation Authority.
• 20:15
  Proderick highlighted locations the Conservation Authority
• 20:17
  looks after within Loyalist Township.
• 20:20
  From a Loyalist Township point of view,
• 20:22
  the authority has Parrots Bay, which is a beautiful trail
• 20:26
  to go at any time of the year.
• 20:30
  Nature, wildlife, and for those that may be canoe or kayak,
• 20:35
  it's a great, calm area to go.
• 20:37
  And the other thing that many people don't realize
• 20:39
  that the Conservation Authority also
• 20:41
  manages the Wilton Dam for the township.
• 20:43
  Proderick explained his interest in the Cataraqui
• 20:46
  Conservation Authority.
• 20:47
  My interest in the authority goes back
• 20:49
  to the days when I was teaching,
• 20:51
  and it was a good way to incorporate
• 20:54
  environmental studies and environmental awareness
• 20:57
  to kids who maybe don't get a chance to go out to such areas
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  and enjoy it, whether it be the water or the nature trails
• 21:03
  or the different programming offered by the authority.
• 21:06
  Proderick spoke about the conservation's upcoming events
• 21:08
  programming, including maple madness.
• 21:11
  Programming is at the heart of the authority,
• 21:13
  and I look forward to try and get out
• 21:15
  and see as many different parts of the authority as possible.
• 21:19
  Things like maple madness is coming up in March,
• 21:21
  which is one of the, I would say,
• 21:23
  foundational programs in the community,
• 21:26
  always well attended, and you can register for it online
• 21:29
  right now, and that's one that, no matter what your age,
• 21:33
  it's a great chance to get out and enjoy some of the programming
• 21:36
  from the authority.
• 21:37
  Outgoing Chair Gary Oosterhof was elected
• 21:39
  to be the new vice chair.
• 21:41
  Oosterhof is a member of Kingston City Council,
• 21:43
  representing the countryside district.
• 21:45
  Oosterhof has been on the Cataraqui Conservation Board
• 21:48
  since 2017.
• 21:50
  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative,
• 21:53
  I'm Ted Evans.
• 21:54
  This is North Shore News.
• 22:05
  Lennox and Addington Council voted down an enhancement
• 22:08
  that would help make up a 4.7% increase
• 22:10
  to the county's tax levy.
• 22:12
  This increase would raise property taxes for residents
• 22:15
  even more than was expected,
• 22:17
  but council wouldn't stand for it.
• 22:18
  The value of all proposed enhancements
• 22:20
  to the preliminary budget would have been just under $370,000,
• 22:25
  but council decided against an increase from 2.5% to 3%
• 22:29
  for the roads and bridges capital levy.
• 22:31
  Director of Financial Services Mark Day explained
• 22:34
  the proposed increase to the levy
• 22:36
  and how it would affect property taxes.
• 22:39
  If all those items were included at those values,
• 22:41
  it would be a total increase of 369,468,
• 22:45
  or another 1.03%.
• 22:48
  And the levy change would go up 4.7%,
• 22:51
  which represents an increase
• 22:54
  on the average residential property of $86.11
• 22:57
  from what's in the budget now of $70.71.
• 23:01
  Councilor's voiced their concerns
• 23:03
  about looming tariffs from the United States.
• 23:05
  Councilor Henry Hogg spoke about the impact
• 23:08
  to local residents.
• 23:10
  I have concerns considering what's happening
• 23:12
  at the southern border of our country,
• 23:15
  about any increase right now.
• 23:18
  I just think we really take a good hard look
• 23:21
  at every cent we spend
• 23:23
  because there are people that are going to suffer
• 23:26
  because of these actions.
• 23:29
  Councilor John Wise, however, said the impact
• 23:31
  might not be so bad.
• 23:33
  We still don't know what's going to happen there.
• 23:35
  In any case, if we do have some relatively short-term
• 23:39
  economic turmoil, I think all the governments
• 23:43
  in the country, federal, provincial, territorial
• 23:46
  will treat that as the same sort of crisis
• 23:49
  we went through with COVID.
• 23:51
  There's going to be borrowing,
• 23:52
  there's going to be wage subsidies,
• 23:54
  there's going to be support for businesses.
• 23:56
  Yeah, we'll go into some long-term debt,
• 23:58
  but that's basically what the financial system is for.
• 24:01
  I don't think the weight of that is going to fall
• 24:05
  extremely heavily on residents,
• 24:07
  at least in the short to medium term.
• 24:11
  By the end of discussion,
• 24:12
  all councilors agreed to deny the roads and bridges increase.
• 24:16
  For Amherst Island Radio
• 24:17
  and the Local Journalism Initiative,
• 24:19
  I'm Tat Evans.
• 24:21
  This is North Shore News.
• 24:24
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• 24:27
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• 24:29
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• 24:32
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• 24:36
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