Latest / North Shore News / June 19th, 2025

Transcript

June 19th, 2025 · North Shore News

0:07
Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on
0:10
Amherst Island Radio. Each week we keep you updated
0:14
on newsworthy events, happenings and conversations
0:17
that we've had with people in the local community
0:20
and beyond. A new transportation subsidy program
0:28
could be coming to Lenox and Addington County.
0:30
County Council voted in favor of supporting a
0:33
local not -for -profit corporation as they apply
0:35
for grants to assist low -income individuals
0:38
and families with greater access to transportation.
0:41
The corporation's founder Ronald Yeomans approached
0:43
the county looking for a letter of support to
0:46
accompany grant proposals for a transportation
0:48
subsidy program. The program would subsidize
0:51
cab fares with a subsidy of $6 per ride. According
0:54
to staff's report, the advantage of using a cab
0:57
is the door -to -door service, which benefits
0:59
people with disabilities and parents of young
1:01
children. It would also provide the ability to
1:03
pre -book rides. The service would be available
1:06
from 5 a .m. to midnight on weekdays and 5 a
1:09
.m. to 1 a .m. on weekends. Director of Social
1:11
Services with Lennox and Addington County, Lynn
1:13
Chenier, spoke about the need for better transportation
1:16
options in the area. Transportation in small
1:19
rural municipalities is always a challenge. We're
1:22
quite a large geographic area with a smaller
1:26
population so public transportation is always
1:28
a challenge in terms of ridership and affordability.
1:31
So a non -profit corporation is requesting a
1:34
letter of support from the county. They've previously
1:37
been to Tepelas and it was supported as well.
1:40
Chenier noted the program would start in Greater
1:42
Napanee with hopes of growing. Initially, they're
1:45
looking at Greater Napanee just because they're
1:49
not sure how successful they're going to be with
1:51
grants. They're starting small and hopefully
1:53
they hope to be able to expand in the future
1:56
to be the whole county. But at this time, what
1:59
they're looking at is Napanee. They want to look
2:00
at what the ridership is, the true cost once
2:04
it's implemented and those kinds of things. On
2:06
January 9th, 2024, the Desorano Transit Service
2:09
implemented transit routes serving the Belleville
2:12
to Greater Napanee corridor with enough of stops
2:14
within Greater N for this service expired o this
2:19
year. At that time, Gr decided there would be
2:22
no to the Dezerano Transit a at that time as
2:27
well to e options, giving considerat population
2:31
and geography radio and the local journa Loyalist
2:47
Township Council decided to go ahead with a new
2:50
skate park and pump track at Loyalist Park in
2:53
Amherst View. Thanks to a confidential donor,
2:56
the project will not impact the Township's 2025
2:58
budget. It will be developed at no cost to the
3:01
Township other than staff time to oversee it.
3:04
The project will be designed in two phases with
3:06
the first to be a standalone amenity with an
3:09
estimated cost of $500 ,000. It's estimated that
3:13
construction will begin this fall with completion
3:16
in late spring 2026. Council heard a presentation
3:19
from New Line Skate Parks, an engineering firm
3:22
with expertise in skate park and pump track construction.
3:25
Now with approval, the company will begin a public
3:27
consultation process that includes youth in the
3:30
community as well as the general public. Any
3:32
future operating and maintenance costs associated
3:35
with the facility will be incorporated into subsequent
3:38
municipal budgets as part of the standard budget
3:41
planning process. Phase 2, including completion
3:44
of the final features in the skate park, would
3:46
be subject to consideration during future budget
3:48
talks and would be constructed at a later date.
3:51
The Township's Draft Parks and Recreation Master
3:53
Plan is currently available for public review.
3:56
Although community members are able to comment
3:58
on the project, staff noted that to date no feedback
4:01
has been received. Vice President and Director
4:03
of Business Development with New Line Skateparks
4:06
Trevor Morgan spoke about the benefits of the
4:08
skateparks and pump tracks they build and the
4:10
one they're looking to build in Loyalist Township.
4:13
Very integrated green space, connections to pathways,
4:18
colour, texture, art installations that can be
4:21
very exciting to put a signature, I guess, of
4:24
the community within the architecture of the
4:26
park, even through different lighting schemes,
4:28
if that's something that's desired, and then
4:30
accessibility. You're likely to have folks from
4:33
the adaptive community who would like to ride
4:35
this park. So yeah, every park has its story
4:37
and we hope there's a story to be told here with
4:40
the Township. Morgan noted the potential boost
4:43
in tourism the facility could bring. A network
4:45
of these parks are being created in communities
4:48
across Canada and across Ontario and There's
4:51
a large population that will want to experience
4:54
each different unique park and communities and
4:56
they'll purposely travel around, stop in these
4:59
communities, visit, spend money at local businesses,
5:02
maybe even spend a night. I know when I was 12
5:04
years old on a family trip and I was avid skateboarder,
5:08
I could be very influential to spend an extra
5:10
night in the community if they had that one skate
5:12
park. Morgan spoke about the potential of events
5:14
at the facility as well. You're likely to have
5:17
user groups and community groups that will say,
5:19
hey, we would love to have some some level of
5:23
organized events there that could be lessons
5:24
nights some community -based contests and so
5:29
forth and so we really try to design a modern
5:33
park with that in mind. Councillor Paul Prodrick
5:35
spoke about neighboring communities and their
5:37
skate parks as well as what a new one in Amherstview
5:40
could do for the community. I think the closest
5:42
one to us is Napanee and then you go to Picton's
5:45
got a great site but again it's it's probably
5:48
20 years old now. I think it becomes a hub. for
5:51
gathering and it fits into the master recreation
5:55
plan also an opportunity to add something to
5:58
the community and I think we haven't had a recreational
6:02
facility addition in well over I'm going to say
6:05
40 years and again it's just through the the
6:09
leadership of a community member who wishes to
6:11
help out in times where we don't have a lot of
6:14
money to do a lot of things that we'd like to
6:16
do. Councillor Jake Ennis spoke about the donation
6:18
and choice of the donor. It's a very generous
6:21
donation. They're very appreciative for the donation
6:26
and I think the donor is chosen well. It's an
6:30
amenity that focuses on youth and one that I
6:34
think will be very well used. Deputy Mayor Nathan
6:37
Townand showed his appreciation towards the donor
6:39
as well as what the project will do for youth
6:41
in the area. It's incredibly generous and provides
6:45
an amazing opportunity for us and to appreciate
6:49
the particular kinds of youth that something
6:52
like this can engage, based on the whole lifestyle
6:55
and culture that goes with it. Not one I claim
6:58
to understand. I think it's not just youth engagement
7:03
writ large in some sort of big, broad context.
7:06
This is something quite specific that I think
7:08
will cater to members in our community that otherwise
7:11
don't have a facility like this. Councillor Carol
7:15
Parks noted the activity at Napanee's skate park.
7:18
I do go by the one in Napanee quite regularly
7:20
and it is a gathering place. You see all sorts
7:24
of demographics and ages and different usage
7:27
of it so I fully support this. Mayor Jim Hagedorn
7:30
spoke about the progress in access to skateboarding
7:32
facilities and shared a story from his youth.
7:35
I was in my teens on probably a $10 skateboard
7:39
trying to go down the largest hill where I lived
7:41
at the time, called Big Hill, and with blind
7:44
corners. It's come a long way when I was young.
7:48
I've actually seen some of the, like, Madoc.
7:50
They have a nice one there. I remember when they
7:54
were building the first phase, and I was kind
7:57
of like, what is going on in there? And now,
7:59
to see it now, it's... been developed into the
8:03
whole park is basically devoted to this now and
8:06
it's packed all the time. It is something that
8:09
is what I believe will be well used. And this
8:12
is a great opportunity, I think, for Lilas Township
8:15
to be able to provide another amenity new to
8:18
the community that will be used, very well used,
8:21
I believe, for an extended period of time. For
8:24
Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism
8:27
Initiative, I'm Ted Evans. This is North Shore
8:30
News. The East Lennox and Addington OPP Detachment
8:42
Board is leading the way in Ontario through their
8:44
first official year. Among all boards being set
8:47
up in Ontario, the local detachment is the furthest
8:50
ahead in procedure. Loyalist and Greater Napanee
8:53
community appointee Jessica Jones brought the
8:55
board's first annual report to Loyalist Township
8:58
Council. The report detailed the work they've
9:00
done in establishing the board's bylaws and policies.
9:03
The local board covers Addington Highlands Township,
9:06
Greater Napanee, Loyalist Township and Stone
9:08
Mills Township. Mayor Jim Hagedorn, Loyalist
9:11
Township Council's representative on the board,
9:14
spoke about the work they've done and being leaders
9:16
in Ontario. There's already bylaws passed and
9:19
we're advancing quite quickly making sure the
9:21
governance is all well established and it's nice
9:26
to hear that we were at the leader of the pack
9:29
at the provincial level as well, which I'm not
9:32
shocked considering the ones that we're working
9:36
with. Jones noted some of the work they've done
9:38
in a short period of time. Our board kind of
9:41
came into fruition fully in June of 2024, which,
9:47
you know, automatically kind of eliminates half
9:49
the year, but we are... quite ahead of other
9:53
boards in that we've moved quite quickly through
9:57
the things that we need to do to get up to speed.
10:00
Jones explains the intent behind implementing
10:02
OPP detachment boards. These boards have been
10:05
put in place essentially to concentrate on transparency,
10:09
accountability and communication between the
10:12
municipalities and the provincial police force
10:15
that services our areas. Jones gives a timeline
10:18
of the board's creation, current work, and what
10:20
they're looking ahead to. On April 1st, 2024,
10:24
the Police Services Act was replaced by the new
10:28
Community Safety and Policing Act. In the midst
10:31
of a few hundred new sections spearheaded by
10:35
the Inspectorate of Policing, there was the implementation
10:39
of the OPP detachment boards. We did hold our
10:42
inaugural meeting on November 14th 2024, a following
10:47
one January 29th 2025, April 24 2025, you know
10:52
every every three months essentially unless another
10:55
meeting is called. At our meeting held on November
10:57
14th 2024 the board did approve the 2025 budget.
11:02
At this time we are developing a procedural bylaw.
11:05
It's a bylaw just essentially to govern the conduct,
11:09
the duties and responsibilities of our members
11:12
and the calling of meetings. Jones explains how
11:15
community members can contact the board. As of
11:18
right now via the Inspectorate of Policing any
11:21
actual complaint or issue that would be above
11:26
the board's ability to handle should of course
11:30
go through the proper change Inspectorate of
11:33
Policing in regards to reaching out to us as
11:35
something that they think that we could assist
11:38
with in representing them when we meet with the
11:43
detachment commander, Inspector Tovel. I would
11:46
say the best bet would be probably to reach out
11:48
to our clerk to filter that down through us.
11:51
Hagedorn spoke about the security and privacy
11:53
concerns they've noted while establishing procedure.
11:56
At this point, I think everybody's still kind
11:59
of getting our feet wet on the committee as well.
12:02
And I think everything goes through the clerk.
12:04
That would be the best. She shares information
12:06
regularly with us due to the confidentiality.
12:09
And since Loyalist is our clerk is the administrative
12:14
staff for it or the clerk's office, then we are
12:18
looking at providing Loyalist email accounts
12:21
to all members, even if they have other municipal
12:24
accounts, simply so that all the policing information
12:28
can all be used within the controlled setting
12:32
of the loyalist email system, along with all
12:35
the securities as well. Jones spoke about being
12:38
an open line of communication to her community.
12:41
I've resided in and been fortunate enough and
12:44
proud to call Bath home since 2012 and excited
12:48
to be a part of this board as that representative
12:51
for myself in my area. Always happy to hear.
12:55
what anyone has to say and any feedback they
12:58
have, I think the whole purpose of that board
13:01
is to create that open line of communication.
13:16
as well as two community appointees, each covering
13:18
two of the four municipalities. Jones speaks
13:21
about the process of finalizing the board's members.
13:24
There will also be one member that's appointed
13:27
by the minister through the public appointment
13:29
secretariat. We don't know when that's to come
13:33
about. I'm sure it's in the works, but we haven't
13:35
been availed to a timeline on that. But we can
13:37
expect an additional member to our board in the
13:41
near future. Jones notes the training members
13:43
had to go through before being accepted to the
13:45
board. The training modules were developed by
13:48
the Ministry of the Solicitor General for the
13:51
purpose of meeting section 35 sub 2 of the Community
13:56
Safety and Policing Act. The areas in which we
13:59
were trained in were police governance, policing
14:02
in Ontario, roles and responsibilities of OPP
14:06
detachment boards, board member appointments,
14:10
training requirements, code of conduct and conflict
14:13
of interest. So they were modules that we all
14:15
had to complete before our appointment could
14:18
be secured and we had to illustrate how we met
14:21
those requirements to ensure we were capable
14:23
and prepared to serve on that board. Hagedorn
14:27
recognized the positive impact of the training.
14:30
to do all the training. It's also been very educational.
14:34
I will say the inspector, Inspector Tovel has
14:36
been excellent to work with, very, very knowledgeable.
14:40
He's helped us mold into a good committee, I
14:43
believe. For Amherst Island Radio and the Local
14:45
Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans. This is
14:49
North Shore News. According to their 2024 annual
15:01
report, Loyalist Township Emergency Services
15:03
responded to a total of 542 calls for service
15:06
in 2024. This included a total of 65 fires, resulting
15:11
in just over $2 million of loss. Fire Chief Kent
15:14
Reedman noted an approximate percentage of accident
15:17
calls that come from the 401. When I look at
15:20
the stats from last year, it's about around 100
15:25
calls. where car accidents or motor vehicle collisions,
15:30
exactly 100 out of our calls. So that accounts
15:33
for about 18 and a half percent of our calls
15:35
are car accidents. Out of that, I don't have
15:38
the specifics on the 401, which I can get and
15:41
it's probably a good number to actually keep
15:43
track of, but I would. Just a rough guess, we're
15:47
going to look at probably at least 75 % give
15:50
or take of our calls of our motor vehicle collisions
15:53
would be on the 401. So a significant amount.
15:55
So you're probably looking at last year, give
15:58
or take 75 calls on the 401. Councillor Paul
16:01
Prodrick spoke about the time spent on the 401.
16:04
The chief and I talked last night and I was really
16:06
intrigued by how much time is spent on 401 calls
16:09
because I think people need to realize how much
16:11
of our time is spent on the major highway. Reedman
16:16
provided counsel with statistics and general
16:18
information on a variety of operational and division
16:21
-specific aspects of their team in 2024. They
16:24
welcomed Reedman as their new Fire Chief last
16:26
year, along with two Deputy Fire Chiefs. Just
16:29
under 6500 hours of training were delivered to
16:32
staff in 2024. They counted a total of 29 more
16:35
service calls in 2024 than in 2023, representing
16:39
a 5 .35 % increase. The Amherst View station
16:42
responded to the most calls in 2024, being the
16:45
primary response area for 225 calls. Reedman
16:49
spoke about the breakdown of their annual report.
16:52
It's based on just the average of the municipality.
16:55
We could separate the more urban areas out. It
16:59
does create some significant differences within
17:03
that reporting structure. It definitely can be
17:05
done. It was just done as an average over the
17:09
entire township. For Amherst Island Radio and
17:12
the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
17:16
This is North Shore News. A petition with nearly
17:27
500 signatures helped Loyalist Township Council
17:29
with their latest decision about the reconstruction
17:31
of Main Street in Odessa. Ultimately, council
17:34
voted on the option that aligns best with the
17:36
petition to reinstate the existing cross -section.
17:39
The report noted this option maintains the status
17:41
quo for on -street parking, which was identified
17:43
as an important factor by business owners and
17:46
residents through project consultation. The report
17:48
noted consideration will also be given to making
17:50
adjustments to the existing layout around intersections
17:53
in particular. Amy Dornekamp, owner of Mill Creek
17:56
Vet Clinic on Main Street, spoke about the need
17:58
for parking in the area referencing surveys and
18:00
public input. While I support active living,
18:03
Main Street is not the right location for a multi
18:06
-use path. The 2021 Township survey showed that
18:09
while 75 % supported an investment in active
18:13
transportation, over 65 % of those respondents
18:17
commute more than 10 kilometers to work, making
18:20
it impractical. A county survey completed in
18:23
the last couple of months found that 81 % of
18:26
the respondents said a multi -use path would
18:28
not benefit them more than parking. The community
18:31
has spoken. and their priorities are clear. Parking
18:34
remains a greater need than a multi -use path
18:37
in this location. David Savage, owner of Odessa
18:40
Home Hardware, mentioned the petition and the
18:42
customers he spoke with, noting the history of
18:44
the store and importance of parking. We garnered
18:47
about 500 names and all our customers that we
18:51
spoke to thought it was not a wise decision.
18:55
And, you know, we've been in the business, we've
18:56
been in the village now since 1938 in the same
18:59
location. To remove the parking on that side
19:02
of the street or anywhere on Main Street would
19:04
be devastating to any small current business
19:07
or prospective businesses. Dorna Camp speaks
19:10
about the existing shared parking and the potential
19:13
of losing business. There are only five spots
19:16
on the opposite side of Main Street between Factory
19:19
Street and Centre Street. And those are already
19:22
shared by the church, home hardware, my clinic,
19:25
the bank, and the residents in that area. This
19:29
is not enough parking. If clients struggle to
19:31
park, they'll go elsewhere. And with eight other
19:35
vet clinics within a 15 -minute drive, I'm deeply
19:38
concerned we'll lose both current and prospective
19:40
clients. Engineering and Environment Manager
19:43
Luke McDonald detailed the other options and
19:45
why none of them were perfect. There's no sort
19:47
of slam dunk alternative to this. Each option
19:50
has their trade -offs that are associated with
19:52
it. The force main crossing, there's no existing
19:56
crossing there now. So that would require work
19:59
in water, that would require a number of permits
20:01
from MNRF, CRCA, so on. So the cost would be
20:06
considerably higher as well as just establishing
20:08
a new structural cul... crossing. The other option,
20:12
while it may be less costly overall. There are
20:19
significant concerns with the environmental condition
20:23
of the property that the Babcock Mill rear yard
20:28
is onto. Just some of the historic uses could
20:32
lend itself potentially to contamination or things
20:34
like that. Councillor Paul Proderick addressed
20:36
public concerns and noted the history of Odessa.
20:39
I appreciate Ms. Dornkamp's comment about the
20:42
number of veterinary clinics being within a 15
20:45
minute drive. of that but it is and again it's
20:48
the same for the hardware store there's so many
20:50
places with an easy access point and I think
20:53
when I go back we've got an 1880s village that
20:56
my grandparents came to on horse and buggy with
20:59
2025 traffic problems and I don't think we can
21:03
reconcile the multi -use pathways I think we
21:06
have to protect the businesses protect the the
21:09
parking for that area. Proderick also mentioned
21:12
the concerns of cyclists in the area. With the
21:14
multi -use pathway and I'm thinking of the cycling
21:17
side of it and I talked to a few who I would
21:20
call hardcore cyclists who have told me things
21:23
like they don't use that road they go back Millhaven
21:25
Road back roads and a couple of residents and
21:28
I was asking them about you know you have kids
21:30
that age you said no we don't we don't want them
21:32
on highway they call highway two and I also on
21:36
one visit I stood just across from the veterinary
21:41
clinic in the home hardware, and it was probably
21:46
35 cars that went by in less than five minutes.
21:49
It's not the right location. I go back to the
21:51
glory days of the Ernestown Eagles in the late
21:54
70s, and it's changed so much, Odessa. We can't
21:57
cut off business growth. Odessa, I think, is
22:00
in a bit of a renaissance, and the veterinary
22:03
clinic, different things are coming back into
22:05
the village. without the parking, it's a choke
22:10
for them, I think. This isn't about resisting
22:16
progress. It's about being smart, practical,
22:19
and responsive to the needs of our township to
22:22
keep Main Street functional, accessible, and
22:24
true to the spirit of Odessa. Township staff
22:27
will now begin to explore alternative connectivity
22:29
routes surrounding the Babcock Mill, Factory
22:31
Street, and Shane Street. The report notes that
22:33
unless directed by council, staff would not consider
22:35
these projects a priority. For Amherst Island
22:38
Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm
22:41
Ted Evans. This is North Shore News. Loyalist
22:53
Township is proclaiming June as Stroke Endophagia
22:55
Awareness Month. The Greater Kingston Victorian
22:58
Order of Nurses approached Township Council with
23:00
a proclamation request. The organization offers
23:03
community support programs for seniors and persons
23:06
with disabilities. Their stroke services programs
23:09
offer free non -medical support to individuals
23:11
and families affected by stroke endophagia. There
23:14
are monthly groups held in Sydenham, Kingston,
23:16
and Napanee. Social worker and coordinator of
23:19
stroke services with the Greater Kingston Victorian
23:21
Order of Nurses, Amelia Leslie, notes the importance
23:24
of awareness, highlighting statistics in Canada.
23:27
We have over 108 ,000 new strokes in Canada annually,
23:32
with over 800 ,000 Canadians living with the
23:36
effects of stroke, and stroke does happen every
23:38
five minutes in Canada. The organization encourages
23:41
community members to recognize the warning signs
23:43
of a stroke and to immediately call 911. They're
23:46
also encouraging people to learn about aphasia
23:48
and how to promote accessible communication.
23:51
Lesley explains the medical conditions. Stroke
23:54
being a neurological condition affecting the
23:56
disruption of blood flow in the brain. And because
23:59
the brains are control center of everything,
24:02
anything can be affected. When we talk about
24:05
aphasia, it's a language, a communication disorder
24:08
affecting our ability to read or write or produce
24:12
speech or understand speech, but not affecting
24:15
our intelligence. Leslie mentions the need for
24:18
communication accessibility and the awareness
24:20
of it as well. We're often teaching the community
24:24
about what's called accessible communication
24:27
strategies. We think about accessibility as far
24:30
as physical space, maybe having a ramp or an
24:33
automatic door button, but we are also teaching
24:36
folks about the communication accessibility.
24:39
Leslie notes the importance of Stroke and Aphasia
24:41
Awareness Month in all communities. We work all
24:44
year to raise awareness about these neurological
24:47
conditions, and June is Stroke and Aphasia Awareness
24:51
Month in Canada. So we're especially inviting
24:55
our communities to learn what stroke and aphasia
24:58
are and how to help. For Amherst Island Radio
25:01
and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted
25:04
Evans. This is North Shore News. This has been
25:09
North Shore News and Interviews. If you have
25:12
an idea for a story or want to create stories
25:15
for the show, consider joining our 100 % volunteer
25:19
team. Contact Amherst Island Radio for more details.