Review-Mirror

By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Organizers of Skate the Lake will be welcoming skaters and some special visitors to Portland this weekend for races, skating and other activities on and around Big Rideau Lake. On Saturday the com- munity and Skate the Lake organizers will be wel- coming 60 Dutch skaters who will be taking part in a 100K tour. It is their first stop on three 100K marathons in Canada which will include another in the Montreal area and another in Quebec City. The event's Family Day weekend format includes the regular line-up of activities taking place on Sunday with races, other activities on the ice and fireworks at dusk. Community skating begins after the marathon on Saturday. The day ends with a community supper at the community hall with tickets available from the hall board. The regular line-up of activities is on Sunday, Feb. 18 includes races for all skaters (and skates) welcome. Volunteers have been clearing the oval over the last two weeks after set- ting the pool noodles three weeks ago. The noodles disappeared in the thaw. "The ice has been of good depth and quality. It's very hard ice," said Skate the Lake president John Bongers who has measured 16" to 18" through the area. On Saturday Bongers noted that the surface was rough and was going to take a lot of shaving. Much depends on the weather for a winter event when warm weather can interrupt the best of plans. Solid ice followed by warm weather looks like it could again be a winning combination for this week- end's ice conditions. This is the 14th edition of the event which started 15 years ago but took one year off in 2010. "It's grown in the direc- tion volunteers have taken it. Every new team brings its own flavor. It's change into more of a community event. It started out as a very competitive speed skate racing event," said Bongers. "The whole community has bought into it far and wide. People know of us and are quite willing to help us out," he said. The change to the fami- ly day weekend from the regular late January date was made to accommodate the schedule of the Dutch visitors who regularly attend a huge international skating event in Austria that weekend. Hosting the Dutch con- tingent of marathon skaters has already been a win for organizers when this year's January date was a thaw. "That weekend we couldn't have held any of our races," said Bongers. More about the event including schedules and registration information is available at www.skateth- elakeportland.com. Thursday, February 15, 2018 Serving North Leeds and area since 1893 Vol. 127, No. 6 $1incl. tax 75 units from 6'x6' to 12'x36' Easy year round access right in Westport 75 units from 6'x6' to 12'x36' Easy year round access right in Westport 75 units from 6'x6' to 12'x36' Easy year round access right in Westport 75 units from 6'x6' to 12'x36' Easy year round access right in Westport Soho's Self Storage Soho's Self Storage Soho's Self Storage Soho's Self Storage Soho's Self Storage 75 units from 6'x6' to 12'x36' Easy year round access right in Westport 43 Bedford St., Westport 613-273-8848 soho@rideau.net Mirror The Review Skate the Lake ready for Dutch invasion Township looking at 2.7 per cent budget increase Canada Post Contract No. 40021501 Volunteers (l-r) Bob Tutt, Tom Gifford and Norm Burns were a team on Saturday assembling Skate the Lake's Snert hut. The Dutch pea soup has become a Skate the Lake tradition over the years. Clearance on all 2017 Vehicles Call Kerry Ryan at 613-464-1460 Town & Country Duncan ' s APPLIANCE SALES & SERVICE Call 359-5660 53 Main St., Elgin COOKING WITH Continuing a 30 year tradition serving North Leeds Cash & Carry - Delivery & Set Up Available 30" Gas Range •Quick Bake Convection •Steam Cleaning •Continuous Grates •Low Simmer Burner Reg. $1299.00 Model #FGGF3036TW $ 1049 95 30" Self Clean Range •Quick Bake Convection •Steam Cleaning •Hidden Bake Elements •WarmZone Reg. $1199.95 Model #CGEF3037TW $ 999 95 Review-Mirror closed Monday The Review-Mirror will be closed Monday for the Family Day Holiday We will re-open Tues- day at 8 a.m. Deadline for the Feb. 22 issue is Tues- day at noon. The Village of Westport has directed staff to find around $40,000 in savings from a $1.4 million budget to help eliminate a poten- tial 12 per cent increase in taxes. Council wants to find enough savings to cut the increase for 2018 to two per cent. The $1,406,737 budget, up from $1,347,093 last year, includes additional revenue of $54,600 from the province's Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund which increased its contribution to $165,500 this year. The 5.89 per cent increase in revenue, with- out an increase in taxation, would leave the village short in meeting this year's projected capital needs of $143,658. They also need to cover a projected $41,000 deficit from last year. At last Thursday's bud- get meeting, councillors were able to place some items in the 'not-neces- sary-this-year' category without compromising the level of service from the municipality. Councillors will be looking at the budget again at the next Commit- tee of the Whole meeting Tues., Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. Westport aiming for 2% tax increase By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Last Friday Rideau Lakes staff presented a second draft budget to councilors which reduced the propsoed budget increase to 2.7 per cent over 2017. Good news was also contained in the capital budget thanks to two suc- cessful grant applications. Community halls in Rideau Lakes are going to be getting improvements in 2018 thanks to funds from the Five B Founda- tion's grants to the town- •Continued on back page Saturday and Sunday, February 17-18, 2018

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