Catégorie : Tribune-Express (Hawkesbury)

One of the last decisions for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) council before the Christmas break was to approve a request from the Eastern Ontario Snowmobile Club (EOSC) for approval of a new crossing point on the north side of the County Road 17 right of way near the East Hawkesbury Airport site close to county road boundary between Hawkesbury and East Hawkesbury Township.

EOSC’s Trail 20 on the south side of the county road has been a regular snowmobiler’s route for three decades. A culvert replacement project by the UCPR last year forced the EOSC to look at relocating the trail to the north side of the road. The EOSC decided this was a safer option rather than have snowmobilers detour around the culvert by going onto the shoulder of the county road and creating possible traffic accident risks.

The new route would pass over an unnamed creek. The EOSC wants to build a standard steel heavy-duty snowmobile crossing over the creek. The crossing bridge would be good for at least three decades.

The EOSC wants to build the permanent crossing bridge later in 2023 after the snow is gone. For now, it asked the UCPR for permission to set up a temporary crossing in December for the 2022-2023 snowmobiling season. The temporary crossing involved using a six-foot culvert placed in the ditch and covered with snow to allow snowmobilers to cross over the creek without affecting the flow of water.

The temporary crossing will help maintain the link between the snowmobile trails in the Prescott-Russell region with those in Québec. This will ensure the cross-border travel for snowmobiling at that point, which is an important part of the local snowmobiling tourism sector.

The EOSC will own both the temporary and the later permanent crossing and be responsible for liability insurance coverage and also for any signage related to the new route and the creek crossing.

UCPR council approved the request.

“I just want to write something for children and adults to enjoy,” he said, explaining why he enjoys writing his own fairy tales. “It’s what comes out of my mind.”

The 37-year-old resident of L’Orignal has several self-published books of his fairy tales, in both softcover and electronic versions, available through online dealers like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Indigo platform. He has read all of the traditional fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and also the classic original tales penned by Hans Christian Andersen.

While he was born in Delhi, India, Herk’s cultural background and influence is mostly North American. His family moved to Canada in 2009 and settled in Calgary, Alberta first, then moved to Brampton, Ontario the following year. Herk himself moved away from his family and made his home in L’Orignal last October.

Herk has always done some writing during his life, but he focused more attention to his literary creations a few years ago after he went on disability. His latest collection of stories includes more than 150 tales, including some that he calls “anime-style” as they borrow from the Japanese animation speculative fiction literary style that has become popular in North America and Europe.

“It’s lighthearted,” Herk said, describing his anime-style of fairy tale, “with a bit of science fiction.”

The writing process for him varies, depending on both opportunity and how he feels when he settles down to crafting a new fairy tale.

“Sometimes I try to write it down on paper,” he said. “Sometimes I type it out on my computer. And then sometimes I write part of it down and dictate the rest onto my phone and write those portions down later.”

On average a new fairy tale takes him between two and three hours to compose, from start to finish, including revisions. A few may take longer with the revision work spread out over a week.

When not creating new fairy tales, Herk explores the poetic side of his literary endeavours, with most of the results being inspirational poems.

What he knows is that he needs to write, and writing fairy tales is his favourite creative pastime.

“I thought this last book would be it,” he said, smiling. “The final complete collection. But I’ve already started writing more stories.”

“If no changes are requested, then they will be able to approve it,” said Luc Lalonde, township chief administrator, during a phone interview following the December 12 council session.

Lalonde presented the new draft of the proposed 2023 budget based on suggestions from council during last month’s original presentation. The proposed budget calls for $5,183,162 in operations and capital works expenses.

Almost half of the township’s expenses for next year will be covered through senior government grants and other funding sources. That leaves a municipal levy of $2,481,333 that the township must raise through property taxes. This year’s budget includes a 3.5-per-cent tax increase to deal with the municipal levy.

The current draft of the budget will come back to council in January for final review and approval if there are no further changes.

« We need to find some concrete solution, » said Jean Saint-Pierre, Boisés Est spokesman, during a November 30 presentation to the United Counties of Prescott-Russell council (UCPR).

The windstorm, also known as a derecho because of the severity and intensity of its high winds, blew through both Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec over the May long weekend this year, leaving a swathe of destruction in its wake with downed and broken power lines, trees toppled onto roads, and damaging farm buildings and houses in many rural areas of the two provinces.

In some parts of Ontario and Quebec the storm cleanup continues as private landowners determine how to remove fallen trees and, in the case of many woodlot owners, look at replanting their lands to try and raise a new generation of trees for their forestry operations.

The Ford provincial government promised disaster aid funding in the aftermath of the storm. But Saint-Pierre told UCPR            council that efforts by Boisés Est to confirm funding help for its members in cleaning up and replanting the trees on their properties has resulted in a lack of response from Queen’s Park. Boisés Est also contacted newly-elected Progressive Conservative MPP Stéphane Sarrazin. He told Saint-Pierre and other representatives of the group that he had made inquiries and indicated that the local woodlot owners may not qualify for aid under the provincial government’s disaster relief program.

« We gave them (province) an ultimatum, » said Saint-Pierre during a previous interview on the situation, adding that both the provincial and federal government should state in clear terms whether or not they will provide aid to both Boisés Est members and other private landowners who suffered serious property damage to their holdings.

In his presentation Saint-Pierre also noted that some local beekeepers suffered damage from the derecho. The storm damaged hives and in some cases ruined flowered areas where bees would go to collect nectar for honey.

Saint-Pierre asked UCPR council to consider providing $75,000 in support funding to help begin a cleanup and replantation program for woodlots that suffered damaged from the windstorm.

Several mayors on UCPR council expressed sympathy for the problem that Boisés Est members and other private landowners face. But other mayors expressed concern that if the UCPR public tax money was used to assist private landowners it could create a precedent and potential problems for present and future UCPR councils. Other private sector outfits within the Prescott-Russell region might argue that they should be able to get the counties to provide them with financial aid.

Following further discussion council voted to approve a resolution asking  Boisés Est to file a formal application for its financial aid request. UCPR council can then have administration review the request and determine the legal implications for a detailed report to UCPR council in the new year.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is warning residents of the severity of flu infection in young children amid rising hospital admission numbers. The EOHU reminds residents about the importance of receiving the flu shot

The flu is a seasonal illness that can cause severe symptoms and complications in some people, and this year’s flu strain is putting more people in the hospital than ever. Local hospitals are currently seeing more cases of the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) than COVID-19, in both children and adults. Children under the age of five are more at risk of severe complications due to their developing immune systems and small airways, and pediatric hospitals in the area are seeing surges in critical admissions of the flu and RSV.

The flu shot is the best protection against the flu and is recommended for those who are at high risk of complications, especially children ages six months to five years old. Families with babies under six months are recommended to all receive the flu shot, as babies under six months cannot get the shot themselves and are at an even higher risk of complications. The flu shot is available free of charge to anyone six months and older who lives, works, or attends school in Ontario.

« Children have generally been spared the worst effects of COVID-19, but the flu is different,” said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, EOHU chief medical health officer. “Sadly, the flu can be very dangerous for children, and this year it has been particularly severe and arrived earlier than usual. Booking an appointment to get the flu shot for you and your child is one of the best things you can do to help keep them healthy and out of hospital.”

Aside from the flu shot, measures for protecting against the flu are similar to protecting against COVID-19. Wearing a mask in indoor spaces, washing the hands with soap and water, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, sneezing and coughing into the elbow or sleeve, and staying home if a person feels sick are all ways to protect against both COVID-19 and the flu.

If a child has severe symptoms and illness from the flu, do not hesitate to seek medical attention, including going to the emergency room. The flu shot is available through pharmacies and health care providers, and the EOHU also offers the flu shot at its offices to children under five and their household members by appointment. The EOHU is also scheduling a series of flu immunization clinics.

For more information on the flu and the flu shot, please visit http://www.EOHU.ca.

“What we want is a small community within a community.” said Mayor Normand Riopel. “We could help young families and elderly people. It’s big enough for a young couple who want to start owning and might not be able to afford 400 to 500 thousand dollars for a house.”

Mayor Riopel noted that tiny houses are also advantageous for seniors, who otherwise may have trouble taking care of a two-story family home. Tiny homes, unlike trailer parks, are fixed houses with foundations. They are also built with higher quality material and are made to be spacious and compact.

Champlain Township is at the start of the planning phase of this project. The township has not yet found a contractor to invest in the township and build a subdivision of tiny homes. The township would also require bylaw changes to allow smaller buildings, under 425 square feet, to be built in the township.