2016 Spring Newsletter - The Township of Bonnechere Valley

Eganville is celebrating 125 years since incorporation and the festivities are underway!
As you’ve likely heard by now, the goal is to have at least 125 events taking place this year.
Does that sound crazy and impossible? Well, some of these celebrations are annual events
we’ve come to know and love over the years -- while others will be new and unique to this
special anniversary. When you stop and think about all the things that happen in and around
Eganville throughout the year – our vibrant community already is home to so many happenings! We want your event to count as part of this celebration and would love for you to brand
your event with the 125 logo created by Shanon Edwards. Contact Dana Jennings at the
township office for assistance.
Events that have already taken place include Robbie Burns Night fundraiser for the museum,
Award Season Party fundraiser for the Library, Youth Dance, Snowman Challenge, and Torch
Light Parade, Bonnechere Cup snowmobile races.
What’s to come? Besides some special events such as a Scavenger Hunt, live viewing party for
Still Standing and the Olympics, a musical history of Eganville, a swimming and watercraft
Regatta & Beach Party, Street Dance, Fishing Derby and Homemade Boat races on the Bonnechere River - this year we are going to have bigger and better Canada Day long weekend
and we are branding the August Long weekend (July 29-August 1) as Homecoming Weekend.
Homecoming Weekend will welcome home former Eganville area residents to join in the celebration. There will be a meeting hub at the Eganville Legion and the Museum has great plans
underway. We need your help inviting your friend and family to make their holidays back
home in Eganville this Summer. The Rotary Club is helping to contact people too. If you have
room in your home to host out of town guests please call the township office
The organizing committee for Eganville 125 continues to meet and we would love to have you
join the committee! If you want to get involved or if you have an event that you want included, please call Dana at the township office.
Save Our Arenas
Since last year Bonnechere Valley sought out partners to determine if other municipalities are in the same situation with aging
Arenas that are not funded appropriately in our multi-municipality
user system. The initial meeting consisted of 19 municipalities
from rural Ontario. A small committee was formed to write an
executive summary to send to several Provincial Ministries. Further, a survey was put out to all municipalities in Ontario. There
were 71 responses to the survey and at a meeting at the conference, another 50 people attended with
their concerns. These responses were
presented to Michael Coteau, Minister
of Tourism, Culture and Sport, to Jeff
Leal, Minister of Rural Affairs and to Bob
Chiarelli, Minister of Energy. We were
very pleased with the positive nature of
all of these meetings and are committed to continuing this initiative.
Township of Bonnechere Valley
613.628.3101
Making Headway with the Province
Rural Ontario Municipal Association and Ontario Good
Roads Association annual conference in Toronto was held
February 21-24. This year Mayor Jennifer Murphy, Councillor Meredith Jamieson, Councillor Bob Peltzer and Public Works Supervisor Bill Kennedy attended the conference and we are happy to report that it was well worth
the price of admission and travel with the headway that
was made at the meeting.
There were two main issues
that we were there to raise
awareness and seek financial
assistance: Arena Funding and
Unsustainable Water System.
These two issues are now on
the provincial government’s
radar.
www.bonnecherevalleytwp.com
Trending At Council
Waste Update
Council meets twice a
month on the first and third
Tuesdays. We start with a
committee meeting at 1:30
pm and this is where most
of our discussions take place. All meetings are open and the public is encouraged to attend. This section is designed
to let your know some of the topics
that we are or will be discussing. Even
if you can not attend a meeting we
would love to hear your thoughts. Letters and emails are always circulated to
all council members and read. We can
do a better job with your help!
For the last few months we have been hinting at changes to our waste management
system in Bonnechere Valley. Council has looked a number of possible changes to make
our system more efficient while keeping the level of service that our citizens expect. A
number of ideas have been considered and many ruled out due to cost, scheduling conflicts, and other problems that would make the system inefficient. However, there are
some changes that we are considering and we would like to hear your thoughts before
making them. Here is what we are talking about:
Our
2016
budget meeting
is set for March
14th at 10:00
am in council
chambers.
Budget meeting,
like all of our meetings are open to the
public and you are invited to stop by
and watch us agonize over how we are
spending your money.
Option 3: The facility is open once a week on Saturdays year round.
An agreement
has been signed
with the Fire
Marshal’s Public
Safety Council to
participate in an
initiative called
Project H.O.M.E (Helping Ontario Municipalities Educate). This is a $1.5 million fund in which Bonnechere Valley
will receive $2500.00 towards public
education materials in 2016. This will
help with our fire prevention budget
and give us some good tools to help
you keep your home and property safe
from fires.
A household hazardous waste depot at the Sand Road transfer station.
This facility would collect items that are not allowed in household garbage such as
paint, oil, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks and other hazardous materials
in non-commercial amounts.
Option 1: The facility is open year round, every day the Sand Road station is open
Option 2: The facility is open every day Sand Road is open during Summer hours but
only once a week on Saturdays during Winter hours.
A drop off collection station for organic garbage at each transfer station.
Kitchen waste such as food scraps, napkins, paper plates would be collected in a odour
containing bin. Users would bring their organic waste directly to the transfer station of
their choice whenever it is open.
Option 1: The township provides each household with an under the cabinet collection
container for their waste.
Option 2: The township provides the above container plus a larger container with a
latching lid for transportation when you take it to the site.
Option 3: Users provide their own containers.
Eganville residents only: Organic waste is picked up curbside at a cost of 1/3rd more
than you currently pay. This cost is applied to your tax bill in the same way that you
currently pay for curbside pickup of bagged garbage and recycling.
PROPOSED changes to waste transfer station days and hours:
Snodrifters (Construction and demolition materials only)
Saturdays 9:00 am to 3:00 pm all year round
Sand Road
Summer: Sat. 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm Mon. 3 ~ 6 pm Wed.. 3 ~ 6 pm
Winter: Sat. 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm Mon. 2 ~ 4 pm
Lake Clear
Summer: Sunday 1:00 pm ~ 6:00 pm Thurs. 3 ~ 6 pm
Winter: Sunday 12:00 noon ~ 4:00 pm
Bonnechere Valley Fire
McGrath Road
Year Round: Sunday 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm
Department Reminds You
To…….
Highway 41
Summer: Saturday 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm Tues. 3 ~ 6 pm
Winter:
Saturday 9:00 am ~ 2:00 pm
Ruby Road
Summer: Sunday 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm Wed. 3 ~ 6 pm
Winter:
Daylight Savings Time Begins - March 13th
Road construction is
coming soon to a roadway near you. We
apologize for the inconvenience but not for the
improvements!
Sunday 9:00 am ~ 4:00 pm
Eganville Curbside
Year Round: Tuesday ~ Recycling Thursday ~ Garbage
We hope to make any changes from our current waste management system
before the change over to summer hours on May 21st. Please send any comments or suggestions about these changes to the township office before March
31st. You can drop them off at the office, mail them in or send them by email to:
[email protected]
Sustainable Water System Funding
The question was “The memory of Walkerton and the current situation in
Flint, Michigan reinforces the need for regulations for safe drinking water.
Sadly, the financial burden of these regulations are making our water systems
unsustainable in small municipalities. As an example, in our Township we
have 500 homes, with a median annual income of
$36,000, on a water and sewer system that costs
approximately $1,000,000 per year. Do you foresee bringing back sustainable funding for our safe
water supplies, or will the announcement by the
Premier earlier today about the expansion of the
OCIF (Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund)
program be the tool for us to alleviate the burden
of the cost of these systems to our water users?”
Minister Murray’s answer was that he is committed to continuing the conversation on this topic.
After the Minister answered, several people approached us to advise that their municipalities
were experiencing the same problem.
The following day, we were able to meet with a
staff member from Minister Murray’s office and on Monday, February 29, we
had a conference call with another member of his staff. Both staff members
were extremely interested and assured us that they would be in contact.
Council will continue to lobby for a solution to this problem.
Community Champion - Candace Woolley
Those who know Candace Woolley know they can expect to see her helping
out any community event that requires volunteers. She is first to offer help
and she supports a surprising number of organizations. Here is a snapshot of
what she is involved in.
Candace is a very involved Board member for Bonnechere Union Public Library and actively participates in their fundraising efforts and any other
events where they have a presence. Even before
joining the Board, she helped the Friends the Friends
of the Library with their activities as a “friend of the
Friends” and still does. She can be found working in
the kitchen and organizing the buffet table for their
spring costume dinners and also helps with other
types of fundraising for them.
Eganville has become famous for its annual Bonnechere Authors Festival which benefits The Training
& Learning Centre and the Library. Candace can be
found there too every year, bustling around the ensure the details are looked
after, for all four evening events. She squeezes in the evenings that Stone
Fence Theatre performs in Eganville and helps them too, and at a variety of
Festival Hall events in Pembroke. She is a member of a valley music group
that puts on fundraising concerts - when would she have time to practice?
There is also a women’s shelter in Pembroke where she has volunteered for
may years. She sometime accompanies women to court, and also collects
toiletries and other necessities for the women who come and go at this shelter.
The Tourist Information Centre in Eganville benefits from her help early in the
season and then again in the fall to cover the periods before and after a student is available. Her friendly, helpful nature is a perfect fit for helping visitors find their way.
Candace is also a volunteer with the Pipeline Awareness Renfrew County
group. This is a group of citizens who are concerned locally with the impacts
of the Energy East pipeline and globally with reducing climate change, with a
mandate to educate the public.
This is a person with diverse interests and a generosity of spirit who is a great
asset to this community. Hats off to Candace for her contribution as a volunteer extraordinaire!
News Briefs
NEWS BRIEFS...NEWS BRIEFS...NEWS BRIEFS...NEWS BRIEFS...NEWS BRIEFS...NEWS
During the public meeting of Water and Sewer held in late January, council
pledged that they would lobby the Provincial government with regard to the
unsustainability and rising costs of our system in the Village of Eganville. At
the conference, we were able to ask a question of the Ministry of the Environment, Glen Murray, at the Ministers’ Forum.
Good news for our Water Department and
users of the water system! A water line
that runs under the bridge is in desperate
need of replacement and was estimated
to cost approximately $621,000. In December 2015, an application for a grant
under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (Intake 2) was submitted. In
late February 2016, we were awarded a
grant of ninety (90%) per cent of this project in the amount of $559,230.
Chickens will now be
allowed In the Village
of Eganville with a
permit and only with
certain restrictions.
First, we are talking
chickens and capons,
not roosters. Second,
you are allowed a
maximum of 4 and only for personal use.
You also need to keep them in a coop and
kept the area clean and odor free. There
are a few other rules to be followed and
you can learn about them and the permit
process by visiting our website.
www.eganville.com
No plans for March Break?
Do we have a place for
you! The Bonnechere
Union Public Library has a
full slate of great March
Break activities for folks
of all ages. Visit their
website for all the times and details:
www.bonnechereupl.com
Fun Facts with BV Council
Bonnechere Valley Council members are well
informed when it comes to policies and procedures, but did you know they also are fonts of
useless information? Here are just a few examples.
Did you know that “shot glass” or a “shot” of
whiskey came about in the Wild West when a
bullet was worth 12 cents and so was a glass
of whiskey. Some cowboys would trade a bullet for a drink and so the name of the glass
became a “shot glass”.
Did you know that the term “jet black” comes
from Jet jewelry made in Whitby, England and
made famous by Queen Victoria. Jet jewelry is
made from compressed wood and is black in
colour, hence the phrase “jet black”.
Did you know that the 10th digit of a vehicle
identification number (VIN)
denotes the year
of the vehicle and the 1st digit denotes the
country in which the vehicle was made?
If you have your own fun fact that you would
like to share with Council, please forward it to
[email protected]
CHECK THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE FOR
UPDATES AND ADDITIONS!
Free Public Skating at the
Eganville Arena
March 6th, 6-6:50 pm.
Sponsored by Eganville Rotary Club.
March 13th, 3-4:15 pm.
Sponsored by Country Style.
March 14th, 3:30-4:45 pm.
Sponsored by BMO.
March 15th, 3:30-4:45 pm.
Sponsored by Conway’s Pharmacy
March 16th, 3:30-4:45 pm.
Sponsored by Eganville Legion.
March 17th, 3:30-4:45 pm.
Sponsored by SS Auto.
March 18th, 3:30-4:45 pm.
Sponsored by Canadian Woodworking.
Dessert Auction: March 18,
2016. Viewing & Registration
from 6 pm - 7 pm. Auction begins at 7 pm at the Eganville
Legion. This is a fundraiser for
the Training & Learning Centre. Guest Auctioneer is Preston Cull.
Trivia Night: March 18, 2016, 7 :30 pm at
the Eganville Curling Club. For info. contact Gerald Priestley at 613.628.1836.
Growing Hemp and the Story of Its Many
Uses: March 21, 7 pm at the Eganville Legion. Join the Eganville and Area Horticultural Society as Reuben Stone of Stone
Farms, Cobden presents on the topic.
Recreational Adult Badminton: *NEW Program* Starts March 21, 7 pm to
9 pm at Eganville District Public
School Gym. Runs for 9 weeks
(excluding Easter Monday). No
fee to participate. Racquets
provided. However, bring own
goggles. Contact Township office for more info.
March 20th, 3-4:15 pm.
Sponsored by Rapid Reinforcing.
March 28th, 3-4:15 pm.
Sponsored by the Eganville Leader.
Old Eagles Hockey Celebration: March 5,
2016. Hockey games at 5 pm and 6 pm
at the Arena. Celebration continues Rio
Tap & Grill with the band NEWFOUNDOUT and special guests.
St.Patricks’ Soup & Sandwich: March 11,
2016, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm at the Senior
Centre. Music by Guy
Jamieson.
St. Patrick’s Day Dance:
March 12, 2016, 8 pm at
the Eganville Legion.
Fundraising event for
Ketcha Star Daycare. Tickets are $10 and available
at the door.
Ways & Means St. Patrick’s Day Party:
March 13, 2016 from 2 pm - 6 pm at the
Eganville Legion. Music by the Nelson
Towns Band. Donations of sandwiches
and squares gratefully accepted.
Eganville March Break Hockey School:
March 14th, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm,
March 15th, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm,
March 16th, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm,
March 17th, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm,
$25/day. Text 613.602.6067 or email
[email protected]
Eastern Star Dance: April 3, 2016 from 2
pm - 6 pm in the Eganville Legion Main
Hall. Music by Nelson Towns Band.
Coff-Art Adult Workshops: Painting for
Dummies; April 7, 2016, 2 & 6 pm. Learn
how to create a night scene with cherry
blossoms! $5 to cover costs. Registration
required.
Coffee House!: April 9, 2016, 7 pm. A PWYC
after hour music night! Stop in for drinks,
snacks and entertainment at your local
library!
Poetry Slam!: April 13, 2016, 6 pm at the
Library. Bring your words and share them
with like-minded poets in celebration of
Poetry Month. Open to all.
Youth Dance: April 15, 2016
from 7 pm to 9:30 pm at the
Eganville Legion. Dance is for
Grades 5-8. $5 and music is by
DJ Shanon.
Legion Dance: April 17, 2016 from 2 pm - 6
pm at the Eganville Legion. Music by Peter
White & Mixed Country.
Blood Donor Clinic: April 18, 2016 from 5
pm - 8 pm at the Eganville Legion.
Adult Craft with Mira Davis: April 20, 2016
at 1 pm at the Library. Making beautiful
bird houses! No cost, registration appreciated.
Movie Night in Canada Eganville Screening (Double
Feature): April 20, 2016 at
the Library. Citizen Duane at 6 pm
and C.R.A.Z.Y at 8 pm (18A). FREE!
Out of This World (Spring Dinner &
Entertainment): April 23, 2016, 5 pm
at the Eganville Legion. Hosted by the
Friends of the Library and the Astro
AllStars! Tickets at the Library.
Trivia Night: April 28, 2016 at 7 pm at
the Eganville Legion. Hosted by the
Eganville & Area Horticultural Society.
Baxter Topham-Pitt will be the MC.
Heart & Stroke Big Bike: April 30, 2016
at 11 am. Looking for 28 riders for
the Big Bike. All monies
raised support the Heart
& Stroke Foundation.
Contact Dana Jennings at
613.628.3101 ext 226 for
more info.
Coff-Art Adult Workshops: May 3,
2016, Library. Learn how to use a
sewing machine and make a drawstring bag to take home. $5.
Bonnechere Babes Ladies Night: May
6, 2016 from 5 pm to 9 pm at the
Eganville Legion.
Special Mother’s Day Drop-In Craft:
May 7, 2016, 10 am the Library.
Youth Dance: May 13, 2016 from 7
pm to 9:30 pm at the Legion. Dance
is for Grades 5-8. $5 and music is by
DJ Shanon.
Plant Sale & Spring Bazaar: May 14,
2016, from 9 am to 11 am at
the Eganville Legion. Hosted
by the Eganville Horticultural
Society. Sale includes plants,
bake table, books etc.
Ways & Means Dance: May 15, 2016
from 2 pm - 6 pm at the Eganville
Legion. Music by Ian Hamilton &
Friends.
Work Smarter, not Harder with these
New and Nifty Tools Workshop: May 16, 2016 at 7 pm
at the Eganville Legion. Join
the Eganville and Area Horticultural Society as Lee Valley
Tools, Ottawa presents on the topic.
Celebrating Rotary’s 70 years in Eganville: May 29, 2016 at the Eganville
Legion.
Let us know about your events in June, July & August