Review-Mirror

Rideau Lakes Council has agreed to roll back a fee increase for docking at the Newboro and Port- land harbours, which increased seasonal costs for smaller boats by over 50 per cent. In January a staff pro- posal to standardize the fees to $48 per foot for seasonal mooring got pushed even higher at the council table when it was agreed to raise fees to $60 per foot. On Monday council rolled fees back to the original $48 per foot pro- posal. Dock users will be receiving a refund for the change in those and other fees which were changed at the facility. The fee increase was intended to standardize seasonal dockage to a per foot cost for all boats. Previous fees had set an amount per size which increased incrementally but left owners of smaller and larger craft paying less per foot with a range of $41.12 for a 24-foot boat to $46.83 for a 12- footer. Island residents who use the dock have paid their fees but have regis- tered their displeasure with staff and councilors noting prices are higher than private facilities. "Local island residents all now feel as though we are being treated as a cash cow for the local municipality. It is diffi- cult to feel otherwise when we are paying big taxes for properties that get no service and we are paying above fair market rate for boat parking," wrote Pine Island sum- mer resident Nick Ander- son. •Continued from page 1 when cuts were made to Parks Canada funding. All that was left in the building was the forge and a stove. MacKay has been a familiar part of the lock station after serving as the site's blacksmith for 17 years and is happy to be back in his old role where he provides a memorable experience for children and adults. "People come in and get involved. A tradition is we try to give every child a nail they've helped to make." said MacKay who uses the extra hands to work the forge's bellows. He started out on the canal as a student and after degrees in music and history landed back on the canal and eventu- ally to the blacksmith shop where he learned by doing after taking some limited training. He learned by doing research in books and talking to other black- smiths. "I love working with my hands, building things and taking things apart. It was a natural. I get to make stuff," he said of his interpretation role. The shop was a work- ing shop servicing the canal, a place to make repairs, eliminating the need and difficulty of shipping. It was closed for good in 1933. The design of the shop reflects its unique role in sometimes repairing very large items. The forge sits in the middle of the shop. An opening in the chimney, combined with the ability to move things in and out of the shop through a window offered addition- al capabilities. Parks Canada opened the building for interpre- tation in 1975 and MacKay's17-year tenure followed a number of interpreters including Kevin Fox and John Bruce. MacKay has learned how to capture an audi- ence, whether it's out at a festival with Parks Cana- da's portable forge or back at Jones Falls. "It's an experience. It's about people. Black- smithing is a tool to talk about Canada. Black- smithing is a part of it," he said. MacKay's tenure on the canal is beginning to approach the proportions of the station's first lock- master Sweeney who served 40 years. "I've been with the Rideau Canal for 34 years. There is still stuff I am learning," he said. Some Kind of Choir gathered for a concert at Elgin United Church last Saturday. The latest version of the choir performs their second and final concert thso Saturday, April 29 at 7 p.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church. A freewill offering at the door goes to the Rideau District High School band to help them get their instruments repaired. 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