Review-Mirror

By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Sunny skies and the dates of the 2018 Delta Maple Syrup Festival came together last week- end to bring a fine reason to head to the village for a spring tradition. Volunteers served up pancakes and sausages to around 1900 people including the 100 volun- teers who come out to sup- port the event. "People were so sick of winter they just wanted to get out," said fair board director Art Cowan who directed hundreds of cars towards parking at the fairgrounds. Around the village groups were benefitting from the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new season of visitors coming to enjoy their village. At the Old Town Hall there was a giant book sale which brought so many donations that books filled the room. Revenue from the sales, which this year almost reached $3,000 is split between the Delta Mill Society and the Rideau Lakes Public Library. On Saturday the Old Stone Mill saw its first tours of the season where there was the first public By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror The Township of Rideau Lakes has an agreement with the Upper Canada District School Board to purchase the for- mer Rideau Centennial Public School for $140,000. "I think moving for- ward with the school is the right move for the town- ship and Portland with the potential uses. It's going to enhance the Village of Portland," said Mayor Ron Holman. The municipality would take over the building Feb. 1, 2019. The nine-month wait for the closing date will allow time for the municipality to develop a business case for the site's redevelopment, followed by a design for renova- tions. The closing date would put final payment of the purchase price in the 2019 budget with the $15,000 deposit to be paid out of 2018 funds. The purchase will solve facilities issues for the Rideau Lakes Library which is currently housed in rented premises in the Rideau Realty building on Hwy. 15. The series of small rooms doesn't provide a configuration which meets the library's programming needs. "You can have small meetings around a table but you can't have a con- cert or presentation. That's where libraries are going." said Rideau Lakes Library CAO Christine Row. The township is com- pleting year two of a three -year lease of the library premises which costs a $1000 a month plus com- mercial taxes. "There's probably good opportunity to provide a community space there, a flexible space which per- haps the library could administer," said CAO Michael Dwyer. Thursday, April 26, 2018 Serving North Leeds and area since 1893 Vol. 127, No. 16 $1 incl. 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 Township buys Rideau Centennial property Town & Country 0% 60 month Financing o.a.c. Call Kerry Ryan today at 613-464-1460 Canada Post Contract No. 40021501 •Continued on back page Mirror The Review Katelyn and Emily Vanderschuit enjoyed a pancake lunch on Saturday at Delta's Maple Syrup Festival where they served over 1900 people in the agricultural hall over Saturday and Sunday. Delta Festival benefits from fine weather Village of Westport Westport Harbour Seasonal Dockage available Contact Kevin Kardash, Harbourmaster 613-273-8690 • kardash1@mac.com Duncan ' s APPLIANCE SALES & SERVICE Call 359-5660 53 Main St., Elgin Continuing a 30 year tradition serving North Leeds Renovation t 0 % O VE UP T 3 V AV S 3 0 % The Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus and Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) wel- comed the Ontario Gov- ernment's commitment of $71 million to improve cell service across the region. Ontario Rural Affairs Minister Jeff Leal announced the funding formally at an event in Belleville Monday but, as with the flurry of other pre-election announce- ments over the past few weeks, it is tied to the recent provincial budget and a seemingly unlikely win by Katheleen Wynne and the Liberals June 7. EORN has proposed a $213 million public-pri- vate partnership to improve both the reach and quality of cellular data services in the region. The federal government and the private sector are also being asked to support the project. "Funding for this pro- ject has been the EOWC's number one priority. The demand for mobile data is growing exponentially, but our region is deeply lack- ing the needed infrastruc- ture to keep up. We thank Minister Leal, and Minis- ter of Infrastructure Bob Chiarelli, for their support and for advocating for this project at the federal level. Eastern Ontario's future is at stake," said EOWC Chair Robin Jones. EORN submitted a $71 million to tackle cellular dead zones, but only if Wynne wins •Continued on page 3 •Continued on page 3 Mirror The Review Mother's Day Gift & Dining Guide Thursday, May 10

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