Review-Mirror

The Review-Mirror January 25, 2018 – 16 A project to rehabilitate Elgin's Main Street could begin in May for a project- ed 16 weeks of work to replace storm sewer drainage and resurface the street. Work by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG) includes resurfacing the roadbed from Charland Road to Hwy. 15 as well as the replacement and repair of storm sewers. The township will be responsible for replacing the sidewalks, an opportu- nity to give the village's Main Atreet a facelift. A delay of the work's start to mid-July, after Elgin Days, would push the project to 19 weeks and could add to the costs of the project. "Early start to construc- tion reduces the risk of significant impacts from weather. "Fall typically is wetter and less chance for condi- tions to dry," said UCLG public works director Arup Mukherjee in an e- mail outlining the benefits of a spring start to con- struction. The township will also be taking advantage of competitive pricing for the enlargement of parking adjacent to the municipal complex on an adjoining lot the township purchased several years ago. The existing parking lot adjacent to the post office has been plagued with drainage issues and has some safety issues. The deployment of road construction equipment and crew is also an oppor- tunity to have the munici- pal parking lot at the base of Main Street resurfaced with recycled asphalt. The Counties project will be similar to the rebuilding of the main streets in Seeley's Bay and Lyndhurst where the township replaced their own infrastructure while the sidewalks, at the same time were replaced by the municipality. By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Westport and area resi- dents will have a new fit- ness facility available to them seven days a week, 24 hours a day beginning in February. BJ Ward is counting on the model of his 247 gym in Athens to become a suc- cess in Westport. A surplus of the fitness equipment he sells and services landed him in Athens where storage turned into the idea of a fitness facility. The Athens' Main Street site has become an unexpected hit and now has almost 200 members from the community and beyond. "I wasn't designing it as a business. It was cheap storage. The town has embraced it. It took off," said Ward, who has had a core group supporting it since it opened in October 2015. He's quick to point out it is a business model which wouldn't have worked if he'd had to start from scratch in making an investment in fitness equipment. Ward has made a career in the fitness industry and studied exercise science after growing up in Athens. After college he man- aged corporate fitness cen- tres in Toronto. A move to Ottawa brought him into the service and mainte- nance of fitness equipment for several years before a move to Kingston where he opened and operates his first 247 gym. The advent of big fran- chises with 24-hour gyms like Snap and Anytime Fitness has made his new businesses possible. "I remember trying to do this 10 years ago. There was no such thing as insur- ing a 24-hour-gym," said Ward who's also seen key- less systems improve over the years. The facility is moni- tored with security cam- eras and members flash their key fobs going in. "It is programmed in your name. It knows you are there. It's more secure when there are cameras," he said. Ward was hoping to have started operating sooner but has experi- enced a series of delays in the renovation of the premises located beside County Roads on Bedford Street in the Clermont building. A final delay has been the arrival of the door security system. Memberships will be available online at www.247fitness.ca and at the facility's grand open- ing which he and his son Ty will be holding in Feb- ruary. Elgin Main Street project could begin in May 4 Our 1 th Edit e of Skate The Lak ion t , 2018 50K Relay t Sa urd 100K Open 4 Our 1 th Edit ay d 7, b 1 Fe 2 T al on i at Invit all to n skat of Skate ion t 8 201 ur To ers Su K e e The Lak 8 b 1 ay Fe nd , 5 & 25 , 10K K, & 5K Kids 1K R KIDS C TRE G CURLIN T EA EATS TO RIDES H IG SLE WORK FIRE BLIC S PU S KS E STO IC SKATE OCK k th c w.skat he te for i webs he STL port elake teth s: l tai r de om d.c lan Athens' gym owner bringing 24-hour model to Westport The Foley Mountain Conservation Area is host- ing a Winter Adventures Day Camp Wed., Jan. 31. The camp is part of the school P.A. day programs geared for kids aged six to 12 and are hosted by RVCA interpreters. Learn how to snow- shoe, put up a shelter, build campfires and cook outdoors. The fun will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $40 per child and $35 for addition- al children in the same family. Each session can accommodate up to 25 children. Pre-Registration is required by calling Leah Roberts at 613-273-3255 or by email at leah.roberts@rvca.ca. Go to www.rvca.ca/out- d o o r - e d u c a t i o n / f o l e y - mountain-ca/day-camps for more. Adventure Day Camp at Foley Mountain Jan. 31 BJ Ward, with his son Ty is opening a new 24 hour fitness studio in Westport. The Athens resident also has facilities in Athens and Kingston where he sells and main- tains fitness equipment.

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