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Back to HomeLetters - March 17, 2011Letters: March 17
From a Northern Correspondent, Will Cybulski,
Re: Concept plan for trailhead centre, Bob Fisk
Re: Mature Living Complex, Hazel Huneault
Re: Scott Reid’s mailouts, Stephen Dukoff
Congratulations, Dave and Bonnie Jehu
From a Northern Correspondent
This is in response to the article asking for former contributors to submit some recollections on the growth of "The News". It was indeed a pleasure for me to be the "Northern Correspondent", as David Brison so named me, for a number of years prior to, and following, his passing. Some of my favourite memories arise from Bill Rowsome's and my "discussions" travelling between Sharbot Lake and Cloyne for editorial board meetings. The meetings themselves were always of interest as David sought ways to make the paper more attractive to its readership.
This week I read The Frontenac News from my winter digs in South Carolina. As far as I may travel, I always keep in touch with the area that I still consider as "back home", and the paper is my conduit for doing that. Strange how many of today's newsworthy issues are much the same as I reported upon, just in a different time. Politics and community activism were my favourite passions..good to see they are both alive and well there.
Life has provided me with both pleasant and painful times since my departure from the area in 2005. I am happy that my journalistic legacy is being carried on by my daughter Shayla, who is a writer/reporter for The Bulletin in Sioux Lookout.
To all of my former readers, and to all the "old" staff at the paper, thanks for putting up with me back then. Best wishes for continued success and growth at The Frontenac News.
Will Cybulski, "Northern Correspondent"
Re: Concept plan for trailhead centre (Feb. 24, 2011)
Facts and logic seem to be lacking in this article. For being non-motorized, the east-west Cataraqui Trail through Harrowsmith is noisy with snow machines, ATVs, and dirt bikes, not to mention other traffic. It is posted with snowmobile club signs. The north-south K&P is only a proposed development. Harrowsmith Storage is adjacent to the existing Cataraqui Trail. There is no mention of landowners adjacent to the K&P on the north side. The only existing K&P Trail is within the Kingston city limits and ends at Orser Rd. This is a non-motorized trail - by agreement with adjacent landowners. It would follow that any extension of the trail would also be non-motorized. The concept plan calls for development of a rink and landscaping on the Cataraqui Trail, which is not part of Frontenac County K&P land. The plan makes Ottawa St. dead end where it meets Railway St. The road and landscape changes hinder or deny access to adjacent properties. With dead ending Ottawa St. there is no provision for emergency and service vehicles.
For funding, the question is, where does the Cataraqui Trail Authority, Frontenac County, and the Trans Canada Trail get their funding for a project like this? This concept plan is only a dream with no clear idea of cost, funding, management, or maintenance. Before going forward with this, input from adjacent landowners would show they are not in favor of this ill-planned scheme.
On this matter, the Bible has some good advice in Luke 14:28.
Bob Fisk
Re: Mature Living Complex
Kudos to Jayne Drew and Central Frontenac Non-Profit Housing . l am sure it is a real sense of accomplishment now that the Mature Living complex is completed.
When l read this article l thought of my late mom and how upsetting and difficult it would have been for her if she had to leave her community, family and friends in order to find housing that would meet her aging needs.
It is wonderful that the elderly can remain here where they might have family and roots, a safe living arrangement that meets the challenges of aging, a place where they are not alone.
Good luck with this project and best wishes to all those who will embark on this new chapter in their lives, in this brand new facility.
Hazel Huneault
Re: Scott Reid’s mailouts
It was with another sigh of disappointment that I found another of Scott Reid's mass mail-outs in my mailbox last week, this time with the headline in bold type: "Michael Ignatieff Attacks Family Values."Three things. First, can this government not find some way to maintain respect for the fact that our political system is based on more than one party, and that each party represents different views? Come on: the Liberals have a different take on many policies, but does Scott Reid really believe, or expect us to believe, that they don't believe in "family values"? Does that mean that he believes that the Liberals, if they re-gained power, would repeal the child labour laws and change the legislation so that children could now be tried in adult court?Second, I sincerely hope (but cynically doubt) that this mail-out is being paid for through Conservative party funds, and not through Mr. Reid's taxpayer-funded office as an MP. If this is coming out of his budget as an MP, can he not understand that most of us don't believe it is right for partisan messages to be paid for by tax dollars? To do so is simply and clearly an abuse of the high office with which he has been honoured by the people who elected him.Third, all of this mailing costs money. In spite of the fact that the debt accumulated by the present and past governments has become terrifying in its immensity, the present government can't seem to stop spending more than it takes in. Hello! It's time to cut up the credit card and to start at cutting back on things you can't afford.
Lest this criticism be dismissed by the all-too-frequent comparison to the larger financial picture ("This is just a tiny expense compared to the overall federal budget!"), leaking money needs to be stopped whether it's coming out of a sieve or a pipe. Mr. Reid, leave it to the free press to tell us how your government is doing, and either cut back on your PR expenses or use the money for something which actually benefits taxpayers (even if it's our children who actually end up having to pay the bill).Oh, one last thing. The mail-out contained Mr. Reid's picture surrounded by a statement, in quotation marks, attributed to him. Am I to understand from this that he's actually quoting himself? Reality check, Mr. Reid: you're not Shakespeare.
Stephen Dukoff
Congratulations
Congratulations on producing a great little newspaper that has informed us, entertained us, and kept us all in touch over the years. As well as providing information on the usual small-town events, there were many times when your paper was the only real source of news on sensitive topics. You have always tackled the tougher issues head-on with courage, integrity and objectivity. You have also given everyone the opportunity to freely express a wide variety of opposing opinions, showing that everyone's opinion is valued and respected. While this variety of opposing opinions doesn't make life easy, it is these very diverse points of view that help a community to grow and constantly renew itself for the better.
Finally, you have done all this without polarizing the community. Running a small-town newspaper is tough, and in my opinion, you're doing it well.
Keep up the good work.
Dave and Bonnie Jehu
