Review-Mirror

The Westport har- bour's staff and facilities are ready to welcome boaters but haven't see the boon anticipated from the Rideau Canal's season of free lockage so far. "The system is slow but it's slow all over," said new Harbourmaster Kevin Kardash who, with his team of student assis- tants Samantha Martin and Tristan Hatcher, has the island looking its best. Dock boards have been replaced, the picnic tables and office have been painted, new safety equipment has been installed, and the docks have been kept clean of bird droppings. The harbour's WIFI has also been upgraded to provide more reliable service and a stronger signal. Kardash thinks high water conditions else- where may have discour- aged many boaters trav- elling through the water- way. Some boaters may have been discouraged because of debris dis- lodged by the high water earlier this spring. "Our hope is that we are just looking at a pro- longed season. Our hope is that we are going to see the boat traffic a little bit later," said Harbour Committee Chair Mark Parliament who esti- mates the season is three weeks behind. Besides the slow start, the harbour is without the income from seasonal boaters this year that pro- vided $70 a foot for the season. A decision was made to allow more space for transients. On Monday morning the harbour was home to a couple of rental house- boats, a craft Kardash hopes can be part of the facility's bread and butter during a week when the harbour isn't that busy. "The houseboats have stayed away from the harbour. I've spoken to people that rent them, encouraging them to come," said Kardash. He is also encouraging his staff to welcome visi- tors by land who go over the bridge to the island to enjoy the harbour. "Everybody is wel- come," he said. Westport's harbour staff welcoming visitors this summer includes, from left, Saman- tha Martin, Harbormaster Kevin Kardash and Tristan Hatcher. Westport Harbour ready to go but high water elsewhere may be discouraging boaters The Rideau Lakes Stu- dio and Garden Tour takes place Saturday and Sun- day July 1 and 2. A number of studios are also opening their doors July 3. More than 20 artists will be exhibiting at 11 stops, bringing a variety of lakeside, historic and country locations. The route includes studios from Davis Lock to Port- land and west to Newboro. Artist and gardener Jim Rowat's tour stop on Clear Lake has continued to evolve over the 18 years since he first came on the tour. His garden on Clear Lake has grown along with his artwork. "I have over 100 kinds of hostas and over 200 plants. It's been a great hobby," said Rowat, a retired florist who also is an avid painter. He credits the tour's longevity to its mixture of old and new destinations along the way and an evolving selection of artists. "I think it changes a lit- tle each year and that's good. People also look forward to seeing the same gang," he said. A new stop along the way is at Raven's Eye stu- dio where wildlife illustra- tor and sculptor Joanne Nimmo Bulsara creates her art. She and her husband operate a business design- ing and installing hard- scaping, including natural rocks. The couple had an artistic blacksmith busi- ness in the Cobourg for 16 years before they moved to the site of a former gas station north of Portland on Hwy. 15 four years ago. Nimmo Bulsara has students in her studio Fri- days and Saturdays and draws inspiration from her childhood art teacher, her mother artist Joan G.H. Nimmo Johns. "Creating things makes me feel so good. I want other people to feel that. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of tal- ent," she said. "They really enjoy working with their hands and to be able to carry a feeling and their imagina- tion and produce a prod- uct," said Nimmo Bulsara. Creating stone sculp- ture is a new passion for her, and something she sometimes can create onsite for her clients with existing rocks on their property. "My forte is going to people's properties and carving," she said. A course seven years ago put her onto stone as a medium. Soapstone, alabaster, marble and granite are in her palette which she sometimes combines in one work with the use of inlay. "The stone will only lend itself to what it wants me to do," she said. Bulsara will be at her studio for three days on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. More informa- tion about her studio is available on her website at www.ravenseystudio.ca Studios with extended openings are indicated on the tour brochure at w w w. r i d e a u l a k e s s t u d i o andgarden tour.ca and at businesses and informa- tion centres. Westport will be one of 10 communities participat- ing in a province-wide ini- tiative to encourage chil- dren to play outside with a free family event Friday June 30 at Fetch Murphy Way. The entrance to the har- bor at the foot of Spring Street will be covered in sod donated by Manderly Turf Products. Visitors can enjoy unstructured play as well as participate in fun activi- ties and games which will run throughout the day. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A free barbecue lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or while quantities last. The event is part of the Green Street Challenge. The Green Street Chal- lenge, operated by Land- scape Ontario, creates the opportunity to celebrate the importance of outdoor, unstructured play by lay- ing down sod and creating temporary parks. In 2016, the program was piloted in three Ontario communities in partnership with Land- scape Ontario and its members. In 2017, they expanded the program to 10 commu- nities in Ontario and 10 communities in the United States. The Review-Mirror June 22, 2017 – 3 Fetch Murphy Way goes to sod as part of Green Street Challenge June 30 Upper Rideau Branch 542 10099 Cty. Rd. 10, Westport 613-273-3615 1952 2017 UPPER RIDEAU #542 6-hand Euchre Thursdays, 7:30 pm Everyone welcome. Come join the fun. Canada Day Festivities, Sat., July 1 Join us for the parade at 1 p.m. from St. Edward School and drop by for the barbeque at Rideau Vista School. A great day to celebrate Canada 150. Lounge hours Tues. 4-7•Wed 4-7•Thurs 4-7•Fri 3-7•Sat 2-6 Booking for the 2017/ 2018 season Please do not delay, make sure you get your date... We will make every effort to help you make your special occasion just what you dreamed it would be...catering can be arranged. Call Juanita for a tour at 613-273-8455. Monday We are the Guardians of REMEMBRANCE Follow us on Facebook for the latest on Legion 542 events St. Paul's Anglican Church Annual Strawberry Social , Wed., June 28 5-7 p.m. Advance tickets only. Legion's monthly birthday potluck returns next month Hamburger Fridays, 12-2pm weekly Sausage, Hot Dogs & Fries every week. Take-out available. Call 613-273-3615. Toonie Pot $500 • Bonanza $550 • Jackpot $250 All 55#s or less • Doors open @ 5:30 pm • Play starts @ 7 pm Upper Rideau Lake Association ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Saturday, July 8th, 2017 NORTH CROSBY COMMUNITY HALL Shillington Park, County Road 10 Coffee, 9.30, MEETING 10am. BBQ to follow Guest Speakers – Rep. from the Mississippi Rideau Septic System Office – Mayors Robin Jones and Ron Holman Everyone is welcome. Come and join us. John H. Kennedy Ltd. Ontario Land Surveyors Kemptville 136 prescott St., p.o. Box 1340 Kemptville, ont. K0G 1J0 ph: 613-258-1717 Fax: 613-258-4475 Consulting Office portland 295 Sheldon rd. portland, ontario K0G 1V0 ph. 613-272-3603 Toll Free Line 1-800-355-9892 Rideau Medical Centre 2 John St., Newboro Dr. Ian Shiozaki Now Accepting New Patients (No controlled medications) 613-272-2500 Studio & Garden Tour July 1-2 Joanne Nimmo Bulsara took up stone carving after tak- ing a course seven years ago. Her studio near Portland is part of the Rideau Lakes Studio Tour next weekend.

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