Lanark County

The “community is everything” and how we take care of the environment in our community will influence our quality of life and the sustainability of nature’s attributes that surround us. Friends of the Tay Watershed, who are celebrating their...

Lanark Frontenac Kingston's independent MPP Randy Hillier has once again attracted media attention in Toronto, this time for his use of hashtags. In an article in the Toronto Star with the headline “COVID-19 conspiracy theories are spreading...

For the fourth time in the history of Maberly Fair, the Fair board has decided to cancel the annual Fair.  We cancelled last year and the first and second time it was cancelled was back in the depression era.  However, after the depression the...

“Want to fight erosion, discourage geese and spruce up your boring shoreline – all without breaking the bank? The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority offers a full-service, subsidized Shoreline Naturalization Program for waterfront property...

Submitted by Helen Mogford and Trina Conboy of MERA (McDonalds Corners Elphin Recreation Association) with files from Jeff Green Fred Fowler, a true Renaissance person, is the recipient of the 2021 MERA Award for Excellence in the Fine Arts and Fine...

The Province of Ontario kept to its commitment to let the public be the first to know about new policies regarding COVID-19 as soon as they have been determined last week. In an illustration of how that works, Kingston Medical Officer of Health,...

Spring is here, summer is coming, and MERA is optimistically planning another outdoor art show for May 22. This is a call for entry for local artists and artisans to join the outdoor show. A special event will be the “cruise and reuse show” by...

The Ontario Lanark Frontenac Kingston (LFK) riding association didn’t waste much time after their federal counterparts formalised the candidacy Michelle Foxton last week. On Wednesday evening (February 10), the provincial candidate selection...

If Michelle Foxton is going to have a fighting chance of winning the federal seat in Lanark Frontenac Kingston whenever the next Federal election is called, she will need to persuade many voters whose family backgrounds, in terms of political...

The Sydenham Legion Hall has hundreds of weddngs, funeral lunches, fundraising dances, political meetings and other gatherings during it storied history. Due to COVID, the last year has been pretty quiet, and then the latest lockdown took effect, it...

Every two years since 2009, the MERA Schoolhouse puts out a special call to all artists living in this area. This call is to apply for the very generous award of $1000 given to acknowledge a body of work demonstrating exceptional artistic skill,...

As we approach Valentine’s Day during a pandemic, people are returning to literary classics in search of examples of romance thriving despite the stresses of physical distancing. One could argue that dating has again become something done with...

Brilliant sunshine greeted the nearly 100 people who attended the outdoor art show at the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonald’s Corners in mid November. COVID protocols were in place. Entitled “Unusual Art for Unusual Times”, the show attracted the...

Members of the Lanark Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged two people after an incident in downtown Perth. On December 4, 2020, shortly before 10:30 p.m., officers responded to a bar on Foster Street. The owner requested...

MERAs 18th Annual Christmas Fair is moving online. From November 15th through December 20th visitors to www.meraschoolhouse.org will be able find special gifts for those they love. Even though the MERA Schoolhouse will be empty for this year’s...

At sunset on Saturday, Nov 7, 28 people gathered in the parking lot at MERA in McDonalds Corners to light lanterns for the Lantern Walk. Old lanterns from deep in MERA's history arrived in a truck. Small lanterns made by children the day before were...

Back when we seniors were school children, Nov. 11 was the day we all gathered to remember the veterans, usually with an assembly and a march to the cenotaph where the veterans would solemnly assemble to place wreathes, listen to prayers, a reading...

Reid backs the losing candidate for the first time. Lanark Frontenac Lennox and Addington MP Scott Reid, who has served as an Member of Parliament for over 20 years including a long stint as the Deputy Government House Leader under Prime Minister...

The Friends of the Tay Watershed announced the recipient of their annual $1000.00 Watershed Guardian Bursary for 2020. The presentation, made possible through the generosity of Graham Beck and the Little Stream Bakery of Glen Tay, was made to Miss...

After having to cancel seven musical concerts, Music at MERA is proud to announce a fund-raising outdoor concert on Sunday, August 23rd at 2:PM, featuring two of Ottawa area’s hottest up-and-coming stars, Mia Kelly and Nick Loyer.   Mia Kelly is...

Campfire explosion in Tay Valley Officers from the Lanark County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to assist The Bathurst, Burgess, Drummond-North Elmsley Fire Department just before 10:30 p.m. on July 4th, 2020. The...

For both Brooke Henderson and Bob Arnold it was a happy morning. Brooke, because she could show her support for her Great Uncle Bob and Bob because her gift of $5000 sends a message that any family can be touched by Parkinson’s Disease. Brooke,...

The Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum invites you to visit the new virtual exhibition, titled ‘Invasive Plant Basketry Exhibition inspired by COVID-19.’ The museum curator, Ankaret Dean, had planned a special event to celebrate the Lanark 200th...

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) East Region Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) has made a significant seizure of illegal drugs in Perth. On June 11, 2020, members of the Street Crime Unit, assisted by Lanark Detachment officers, executed a...

The Lanark Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating a serious all-terrain vehicle (ATV) collision which sent one person to hospital. On March 27, 2020 at approximately 1:15 p.m. OPP officers, the Lanark County Paramedic...

In order to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lanark Village settlement, the Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum is planning a very special exhibition and workshops for the 2020 season. A couple of years ago the museum was given a basket found...

30 activists occupied the offices of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MP Scott Reid in Perth on Friday afternoon (February 14), between noon and 4pm. The activists were hoping that Reid’s staff would be able to arrange for a phone call with Reid from his...

On Saturday, February 8th from noon to 3 pm MERA is proud to welcome back to Dean Hall the Lanark Life Learners. The exhibition will run all of February, please see www.meraschoolhouse.org for when the building is open. The Lanark Life Learners is a...

Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Community Street Crime Units (CSCU) from Ottawa, Leeds-Grenville & Lanark Detachments with the assistance of The Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), Emergency Responsive Team (ERT) & Canine Unit (K9), in...

As the calendar spun to the year 2020, it also marks the 20th anniversary of the Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra and last Sunday, the band got together with friends and special guests to kick things off with its annual “Little” Christmas...

It was cold, and dark, last Friday night, but that didn't stop the crowd from coming out and packing the Maberly Hall for the Tay Valley Community Choir's annual Christmas concert.   The choir's first number, which I partially missed, because I...

The Lanark County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has now laid additional charges in connection with an ongoing sexual assault investigation. In October 2019, an individual reported an historical sexual assault. Officers from the...

With the release of her third solo album, Taken by Surprise, singer/songwriter and guitarist Kate Weekes expertly maps the musical spot where landscapes and emotions converge via accessible, jazzy folk/pop inspired by the planet’s northernmost...

On Sunday, November 10th the vernissage for the latest art exhibition at MERA will be held at 2 pm.   The “Whimsical World of Emmy” features the work of Emily Wilson. Emily Wilson is an amazing young woman and artist that lives in McDonalds...

“Without the community helping out, we’d be over with, so thanks to everyone,” Maberly Fair board president Bill Cameron said in his opening remarks at the 137th annual Maberly Fair Saturday. It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and...

She’s well-spoken, knowledgeable and elegant. Many years ago, in a previous life, while raising her family Susan Mactaggart worked in administration with the Art Gallery of Ontario helping organize some of the smaller exhibitions, and eventually...

For this year’s annual Pie in the Sky Maberly Fair fundraiser. Fred Barrett wanted to give visitors a unique view of our Sun, with a Hydrogen Alpha B2200 telescope. “It let’s you see fine details in black spots and flares,” he said. The only...

We are pleased to announce that Rosemary Kotze will receive the 2019 MERA Award of Excellence in the Fine Arts and Fine Crafts for her creations using the felting process.   We are also pleased to recognize the work of Barbara Sohn as the runner...

The Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum will open on May 25, 2019, with an exciting new exhibition called Flights of Fantasy. A large, flying dragon will be outside waiting to greet visitors, while inside in the loft there will be many different types...

“Keep calm and fiddle on” was the motto last Saturday as the Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra held its 8th annual Jam-a-thon & Pie Auction fundraiser at the Maberly Hall. The hall was packed with music and musicians, and yes, the great...

“We are making excellent progress, people are starting from a more informed place,” said Maureen Bostock, spokesperson for the Lanark County Neighbours for Truth and Reconciliation. Bostock was commenting on feedback garnered from the...

Your mother gave you the gift of life, and now you can return the favour. Thanks to the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation’s Special Occasion Tree Planting program, you can skip the grocery store bouquet and plant an environmental legacy in...

A flood watch has been issued by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority for properties around Bob’s Lake and Christie Lake, as these lakes are at capacity. Although the water level increases are now almost stabilized, the water levels may still...

The Green Party is the first national party to name a candidate to attempt to unseat 5-time incumbent Conservative Lanark Frontenac Kingston MP, Scott Reid, in the coming federal election. The candidate is Stephen Kotze, who operates In Balance, an...

We all talk about the weather – here is your chance to sing about it! An eclectic mix of music loosely based on the theme of weather will be presented by the popular Tay Valley Community Choir. Under the ever-patient direction of Rebecca Worden...

On Friday, March 22nd, twenty-three North Addington Education Centre students, from grades 9 to 12, travelled to St. Lawrence College to compete in the Limestone District School Board’s Ontario Skills Competition. Seven of these students were...

In a strongly-worded letter to his “constituents and the people of Ontario”, Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP, Randy Hillier, made a series of accusations against the 9 month-old Doug Ford government on Monday. The letter came about in response to...

Late last week, one of the members of the Lanark Frontenac Kingston (LFK) Progressive Conservative Party Riding Association, Ann Rawson, sent a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford asking that he reinstate MPP Randy Hillier to the Conservative Party...

It’s unlikely that members of the Maberly Fair Board will be eating butter tarts any time soon. Or at least they won’t be buying them at the Maberly Bake shop. In Perth Criminal Court on Monday, May 4, Bonnie Palmer, owner of the shop, pleaded...

Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP Randy Hillier was not named to Doug Ford’s cabinet, and his bid for the Speaker’s chair was unsuccessful, but he continues to make headlines nonetheless, this time by quoting Jerry Seinfeld. Premier Doug Ford...