Review-Mirror

By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror At Chaffey's Lock on Monday Parks Canada personnel got a taste of local people's concerns for the Rideau Canal at an open house for the site's new management plan. The event was attended by around 35 people, an improvement on numbers at Ottawa and Smiths Falls last week where atten- dance both nights was less than a dozen participants. While the event was an opportunity for Parks to hear about the public's concerns the event also offered insights into Parks priorities for the manage- ment of the Rideau Canal. The public will get to see a draft management plan later this year. The last management plan for the waterway was in 2005, before a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation had been obtained. Immediate concerns for heritage assets have been somewhat alleviated with the commitment in a Parks Canada report on Plans and Priorities (2016-17) commitment to improving the condition of heritage assets in poor or very poor condition to fair or good by March 2020. Land based visitation on the Rideau Canal has increased by 15 per cent over the past five years, to over one million visitors in 2015 but only 58,000 boaters used the canal, a 23 per cent decline over the same period. Handling a new influx of boaters next year when there will be free lockage was a familiar theme for Parks personnel at the open houses where hours of operation were a theme. "People are hearing about 2017, see there is going to be an influx of boats and they are con- cerned about how we are going to accommodate them," said Rideau Canal External Relations Man- ager Dale McEachern. Participants were also expressing concern about the management of local Parks Canada sites, including parking, site development and heritage interpretation. "The input has been quite varied – everything from dealing with parking here to getting boat num- bers up to hours of opera- tion. These are things we've heard before," he said. Parking has been an issue at Chaffey's where cars regularly line the road leading to the lock station and Newboro, where Parks is placing a priority on developing a new site plan. Parks recently pur- chased the home at the top of Blockhouse Lane but have not developed plans for the property or the blockhouse. "There is a lot of histo- ry on that one little corner. We want to develop an overall plan," said Busi- ness Development unit manager Dave Martin. Information at the open house identified 'sustain- able visitor experience enhancements at Ottawa, Long Island, Merrickville, Smiths Falls, Jones Falls, and Kingston Mills. Parks has also identi- fied the need to focus on activities and events out- side of Ottawa. The decline in the number of land-based visitors in Smiths Falls, Jones Falls and Kingston Mills con- trasts with the overall increase in visitation across the Canal. Interpretation on the Canal was identified as a priority by Leeds Grenville MP Gord Brown who in a press release this week suggested a new interpretation program for visitors, involving tech- nology, as a legacy project for the canal. Rideau Lakes resident and boater Bob Weir was pleased with his experi- ence at the open house where he had plenty of observations to share with staff. "I thought it was great. It was the first time I'd seen Parks Canada people being positive and upbeat. Canals seem to be back as part of Parks culture," he said. Township of Rideau of Rideau Lakes council has agreed to hire a local ombudsman to investigate circumstances surround- ing the accumulation of the township's $1.18 mil- lion deficit. The hiring of a local ombudsman is contingent upon the decision of the Ontario Ombudsman's office to investigate the matter. Councilors voted in May to ask the provincial ombudsman to investigate the matter. The township has not formally been notified of the provincial office's decision regarding the file. The discussion was part of a municipal services committee meeting Mon- day which will have its decision ratified at a coun- cil meeting on July 4. The motion brought forward by Councilor Jeff Banks was supported by all of council and the mayor with some amend- ments. Mayor Ron Holman noted a local complaints process was not in place to handle complaints. A local investigation won't be without cost to the local taxpayer, said Mayor Ron Holman who estimates costs in the neighborhood of $200 to $300 an hour. "We should have appointed an integrity commissioner," said Councilor Claire Gun- newiek, a councilor elect- ed in 2014, before much of the $1.18 million was accumulated. "Our failure not to address it in a timely fash- ion makes it seem worse," she said. A review in 2015 by the township's new auditor found the township failed to carry over losses year to year. Mirror The Review Thursday, June 30, 2016 Serving North Leeds and area since 1893 Vol. 125, No. 26 $1 incl. tax Canada Post Contract No. 40021501 Council may hire investigator if ombudsman turns them down Parks planning for a busy 2017 canal season "In the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." Albert Camus Overlooking Lake, Locks & Falls at Jones Falls, Elgin Exceptional Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner 613-359-5500 Reservations Recommended. HOTEL KENNEY Since 1877 Rideau champions attended the Parks Canada Rideau Canal Management Plan open house on Monday in Chaffey's Lock (r-l) Liz Huff, Sue Warren, Anne Marie Forcie, Ontario Waterways Associate Director John Festarini 24 Family Lane, Smiths Falls Hwy. 15 S. & Bay Rd. 613-205-1212 streetmotorsales@cogeco.net streetmotorsales.com Charlie Franklin Sales Representative 2003 Trail Lite 5th Wheel – 25 ft., slideout area, A/C, awning, heat, well kept $5,995 Call 359-5660 53 Main St., Elgin duncan s TV & APPLIANCES Range •Self Clean •Hidden Bake Element •Express-Select® Controls Regular 1099.00 Model #CGEF3030PW $ 899 00 Refrigerator •Smooth White Doors •2 Spillsafe® Glass Shelves •Freezer Shelf Model #CGTR1825SP $ 899 95 Take Both Pieces for $ 1698 00 Continuing a 30 year tradition serving North Leeds - Delivery & Set Up Available See back page for Canada Day events in your community Review-Mirror closed Friday The Review-Mirror will be closed Friday for Canada Day. We will re- open Monday at 9 a.m.

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