Catégorie : Reflet-News (Russell-Embrun-Casselman)

The Russell Township Council held a special meeting on August 31 to discuss which version of the facilities were to be included in the final layout of the Russell Recreation Complex. Each version of the facilities was detailed in the three-hour meeting, and then Council voted on a combination that made the most sense to them. Please note, all financial figures in this article are approximate projections. 

The first facility considered was the hockey arena. Council had to decide whether to include one, two, or three hockey rinks, each with 200 seats and a walking track around one of them.  

For three rinks, the initial investment would be around $39,500,000, for two it would be just under $28,000,000, and for one it would be just over $16,200,000. Annual operating costs were projected at just under $4,500,000 for the three-rink facility, $2,400,000 for the two-rink facility, and $1,350,000 for the single-rink facility. Revenue was projected to be almost $2,300,000 for the three-rink facility, $1,250,000 for the two-rink facility, and just under $900,000 for the one-rink facility. 

The next facility considered was the pool. Council had to decide between an 8-lane pool with kiddie pool and sauna, a 6-lane pool with kiddie pool, or a 4-lane pool with kiddie pool. 

For eight lanes, the initial investment would be around $10,300,000, for six it would be just under $7,000,000, and for four it would be just over $7,500,000 million. Annual operating costs were projected at just under $600,000 for the 8-lane pool, just under $640,000 for the 6-lane pool, and $670,000 for the 4-lane pool. Revenue was projected to be $320,000 for the 8-lane pool, $340,000 for the 6-lane pool, and just under $440,000 for the 4-lane pool. 

Please note, these are the correct figures. During the meeting, Mayor Pierre Leroux explained that the size of the facility is not the only thing that affects cost, operating fees, and revenue. 

The third facility considered was a multipurpose space. Councillors had to decide between a performing arts theatre, a gymnasium with a stage, a gymnasium without a stage, or scrapping it in favor of a larger pool area. 

For the theatre, the initial investment would be $4.1 million, for the gym and stage it would be $5.9 million, and for gym only it would be $4.8 million. Annual operating costs were projected at just under $300k for the theatre, just over $400k for the gym and stage, and $345k for the gym. Revenue was projected to be $160k for the theatre, $215k for the gym and stage, and $225k for the gym. 

The last facility considered was the library. Council had to decide whether it was going to be a large 15,000 sq ft space, a medium 7,500 sq ft space, or a small 5,000 sq ft space. 

For the large library, the initial investment would be $7.6 million, for the medium library it would be $5.2 million, and for the small library it would be $4 million. Annual operating costs were projected at $395k for the large library, $334k for the medium library, and $257k for the small library. Revenue was projected to be $215k for the large library, $177k for the small library, and $167k for the small library. 

After a prolonged discussion, the Council decided on the 3-rink hockey arena, the 6-lane pool, and the 5,000 sq ft library, with the theatre/gymnasium being excluded from the plan. Their decision was passed to the Library Board, and a decision will be made on their end by October. 

At an August 30 board meeting, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) discussed the School Re-Entry Plan for the 2021-2022 school year. It’s been updated to include the latest guidance from the Ministry of Education, and three Personal Development (PD) days were scheduled in September to provide staff with training and support. The plan will be updated throughout the school year as new developments and health measures make themselves known. 

“The preparation of staff to ensure safety, re-engagement and mental health support for all students is a priority for the CDSBEO,” stated Associate Director Bonnie Norton. “The alignment of appropriate training around this plan through professional development days taking place on September 1, 2, and 3, will ensure a smooth and successful transition back to school for all learners.”  

The plan assumes most students will attend in-person classes, and secondary students will have a full five hours of instruction in school with no synchronous learning from home. However, the board acknowledges that certain situations may require alternative arrangements. Virtual learning will be provided at the elementary and secondary level for the first half of the school year at least, and new developments will be considered when planning for next semester. 

The plan also considers public health measures. Masks are required in all indoor settings for staff, students (excluding Kindergarten), and essential visitors. Visitors are required to self-screen and confirm with school staff before entering, and are also subject to prove of vaccination. Rigorous cleaning regiments are in place for all schools. Large gatherings such as assemblies are not allowed at this time, but school clubs and field trips will resume after a brief acclimation period. 

“Daily self-screening is still in place,” statedd Norton. “One of the latest changes is that mandatory confirmation of self-screening for all staff and students must be done for the first two weeks of school.” 

The CDSBEO School Re-Entry Plan is available on the board website at https://www.cdsbeo.on.ca/students-parents/novel-coronavirus/cdsbeo-re-entry-plan/ 

«Ils ne se rendent pas souvent compte de l’impact de leur vote», a déclaré M. Lapierre lors d’une entrevue téléphonique le 1er septembre. 

Lors de sa campagne de porte-à-porte, M. Lapierre a remarqué que plusieurs personnes lui ont dit qu’elles n’avaient pas voté lors de la dernière élection ou qu’elles n’avaient pas l’intention de le faire. «Certains résidents, a-t-il ajouté, ne semblaient pas réaliser à quel point leur vote pourrait s’avérer important lorsque les bulletins de vote seront comptés pour choisir le représentant de Glengarry-Prescott-Russell au Parlement, le 20 septembre.» 

M. Lapierre, qui réside à L’Orignal depuis 1997, est titulaire d’un diplôme en physique de l’Université d’Ottawa. Il est entraîneur de soccer, de baseball et de hockey pour les jeunes et ancien président de son association mineure locale. Il a décidé de devenir le candidat du parti Vert pour la circonscription parce qu’il croit que la politique du gouvernement fédéral doit mettre davantage l’accent sur la mise en œuvre immédiate de solutions scientifiques pour faire face au changement climatique et à d’autres problèmes environnementaux. 

«C’est important», a-t-il dit, citant la controverse actuelle au sujet d’un projet de cimenterie près de L’Orignal comme exemple d’une question environnementale qui a un impact sur la communauté. 

M. Lapierre s’est également dit préoccupé par le besoin de politiques gouvernementales qui aideront à répondre aux besoins sociaux, comme le logement subventionné, et qui soutiendront également le développement économique afin de réduire l’impact local potentiel de la pauvreté. 

«Ces problèmes créent des impacts émotionnels et psychologiques, a-t-il dit, qui se répercutent sur d’autres secteurs de la communauté.» 

Les Comtés unis de Prescott et Russell (CUPR) et VIA Rail ont convenu d’une autre prolongation de l’entente d’utilisation du sentier récréatif de Prescott-Russell. La nouvelle prolongation se termine à la fin du mois de janvier 2022. 

Le conseil des CUPR a ratifié la prolongation à la fin de sa session du 25 août, après un examen à huis clos de la proposition. L’administrateur en chef Stéphane Parisien a confirmé, lors d’un entretien téléphonique ultérieur, que les négociations se poursuivent entre les CUPR et VIA Rail au sujet de l’avenir du tracé du sentier récréatif. 

« Les choses se passent bien », a-t-il déclaré. 

Le sentier récréatif de 72 kilomètres suit le tracé d’une ancienne voie ferrée du CPR qui appartient maintenant à VIA Rail. Les rails ont été retirés en 1986 et le sentier PR a été créé en 2006. Les accords d’utilisation passés entre les CUPR et VIA Rail étaient des accords de location. Les discussions entre les deux parties portent maintenant sur le transfert de la propriété de l’ancien tracé ferroviaire et de ses droits de passage aux CUPR.