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Matt Okum, a summer guide at Delta's Old Stone Mill returned to the village on Sat- urday where he practiced his blacksmithing skills at an outdoor forge beside beside the mill's drive shed. •Continued from page 1 stream of visitors for a tour of the mill as well as demonstrations of black- smithing outside the drive shed and the last public milling of wheat in the afternoon. "The flour was just sell- ing as fast as they could bag it. It was flying out the door," said Greenhorn who was pleased to see many new faces touring the mills. "There were repeat vis- itors but there were many many people who hadn't been there before. There are more and more new people coming along," said Greenhorn. Over at St. Paul's Church volunteers who are working to repurpose the building into a com- munity space and perfor- mance and wedding venue were also happy to wel- come new visitors to see their project for the 200- year-old church. "We had the best day ever," said volunteer Claire Cowley whose group had a yard sale, a lunch menu and welcomed the Bastard Fruit Farm and the Bastard Baking Com- pany to their space. Greenhorn was part of the Delta Mill's long time Thanksgiving festival and is pleased with the new community wide effort. "I was quite pleased with it. I'm glad the other people were satisfied too. That's how you grow a vil- lage," she said. Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands councilors were united in their approval of staff bringing forward new rules governing property standards, yard standards and idling bylaws for the November Committee of the Whole meeting. A proposal to increase the bylaw enforcement officer to full time for a more proactive approach to enforcement will be part of the 2018 budget delib- erations. Currently the bylaw officer responds to com- plaints, not those initiated by staff observing infrac- tions. Complaints are also not anonymous. A staff report started the discussion on the issue by council at Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting when the public also had their opportunity to make their views known. Councillors and resi- dents have been frustrated that some properties have continued to flout property standards and yard stan- dards over a period of years without conse- quence, even though there have been complaints brought against the prop- erty owners. "At some point in the past, council directed that we act on a complaint basis," said Director of Planning Elaine Mallory under whose department the bylaw enforcement portfolio has been dropped. The township hired a .83 bylaw enforcement officer after it was deter- mined in 2015 that in- house staff could be a more effective. Property owners can be censured for other condi- tions including fire haz- ards and buildings whose condition is unsafe, rules enforced by the fire chief and chief building inspec- tor. Councillor Liz Huff painted a picture of some homes in the community which clearly didn't meet community standards. "I'd like to understand why we are here, in 2017, with no fines and no tools that work. I don't under- stand. I'd kind of like to hear what the cons were, what the debates were his- torically that left us with such a weak package," said Huff who had a list of comments about the report. "What I am bothered by is people living in terrible situations where there is probably no toilet in some of the buildings - for peo- ple there as well as people who are their neighbors - for people who have junk in the yard to the point that you can't see any part of the yard anymore. "It is not grey in my mind it is not like too sub- jective. It is completely unacceptable that houses are so deteriorated to the point that they are proba- bly fire hazards or such an eyesore that they are clear- ly working against any positive first impression," said Huff who also out- lined noise and smell as other offences. Huff said some peo- ple's undertaking of quasi- business like or industrial type of activities in their yards was noisy. "Other people's habits of disposing of garbage and dog feces and human waste is so offensive that it actually stinks to live near them. There is no doubt that their property values are seriously eroded. That's the situation that I most want to see that we can deal with," she said. Mayor Joe Baptista felt the fines for offenders had no sting. "People aren't taking it seriously because of the time it might actually take to get to a fine," said the mayor, who would like to see fines tied to provincial offences where non-pay- ment has the potential for someone to not be able to renew licenses. "I'd like to see that if it isn't rectified there is a fine, a set fine. That's the tool we are hoping to give," he said. Councillors were also concerned about the ques- tion of staff being proac- tive or having cases direct- ed by complaints. "I know there are peo- ple who have not been complaining about messy yards etc. for fear of reprisal," said Councillor Geri Last. Councillor John Paul Jackson expressed his hope staff would take some initiative. "Being proactive means not going out and witch hunting but at least taking the initiative where they see a problem," said Jack- son. Former staff members of Rideau Vista Public School are looking for- ward to meeting students and colleagues next Friday October 13 to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary. Visitors can relax in the gym where there will be two hours of live music in a coffee house format or discover more about the school's past on the school's bulletin boards. Volunteers have been collecting photographs for the event which will also bring back memories of performances by former students. A recording of the dif- ferent concerts and musi- cals over the years will be playing at one end of the school's hallway. Rideau Vista 50th anniversary of receiving students goes back to the winter of 1968 when a delay in the completion of construction forced stu- dents to remain at the pub- lic school until the facility was ready. Organizers are hoping that the 50th anniversary can be remembered in a meaningful way by alum- ni. "We are in discussions about something which we can leave as a commemo- rative legacy for our reunion. We will be taking donations that night," said Diane Graham Lynn, who with fellow teacher Mari- lyn Ambler is in the run- ning to be one of Rideau Vista's longest serving staff members. Other members of the committee include current staff representative Shau- na Strottman Scanlon who has been at the school since 2003, former school secretary Bonnie Prevost, teacher Jackalyn Brady, Principal Sue Todd and current teacher Nicole Scott who is managing the Facebook page. "That's is how you grow a village" The Review-Mirror October 5, 2017 – 3 Rideau Vista ready for reunion next Friday TLTI Council, residents frustrated with lack of action on property complaints Beginner Watercolour Classes at PHEASANT RIDGE STUDIO 6 Weeks startingMonday , Oct. 16 From 1 to 4 p.m. Learn the basics of watercolours in a relaxed country setting! Small Classes (Maximum 6); individual attention. $120.00 class fee + $30.00 supply fee. For more information, contact Barbara Lavoie at 613-273-8177, email belavoie@rideau.net or private message on Facebook. Upper Rideau Branch 542 10099 Cty. Rd. 10, Westport 613-273-3615 1952 2017 UPPER RIDEAU #542 Follow us on Facebook for the latest on Legion 542 events BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND Ambush, a country music group formed in 1993 in Ottawa and now based in Kingston, is at the Legion Fri., Oct. 6, from 9pm-1am Proceeds to the Legion Generator Saturday, October 21 Resort to Murder a murder mys- tery dinner set in the 1930's. For one night you will spend an evening at White Pine Island (better known as Branch #542). A night of mystery, laughter and a fabulous meal. Tickets are now on sale at $30. pp. Proceeds to our Legion generator and Buck Lake Boatilla. Please come and support this worthwhile cause. We also welcome silent auction items. Contact Trish Irwin at 613-273-7017. Sunday Fun Darts 12:45 p.m. to set up teams. 1 p.m. starts. Open to everyone - beginners welcome! Cribbage every Wednesday, 10 am Open to everyone - not just Legion members. Call 613-273-8890 for information. Memberships are now due for the 2017-18 season. Lounge hours Tues. 4-7•Wed 4-7•Thurs 4-7•Fri 3-7•Sat 2-6 We are already booking for the Christmas season. Call Juanita for a tour at 613-273-8455. Monday Turkey Bingo 7 p.m. • Toonie Pot approx. $800 Bonanza $550 • Jackpot $1050 • All 55#s or less MARKHALES 613-273-9173 •Excavating •Bulldozing •Road Construction •Landscaping •Road Grading & Mowing •Haulage •Aggregates, sand, fill, etc. •Floating halesexcavation-trucking@live.com LTD.