Last year, Wayne Robinson stepped back from his role as CEO of Robinson Asset Management, a company that manages money from across the globe out of an office in Sharbot Lake.

While most of the other Ontario companies that do that kind of work are based in Toronto, and perhaps Ottawa, Robinson's remains based in a small rural community, where it is one of the larger employers.

The company had its genesis managing the retirement income of local teachers by investing in real estate, but has grown into global markets over the last 30 years.

When we interviewed Wayne for this article, we talked in his office, not so much about his company, but about his upbringing on a farm in the Bradshaw area outside of Tichborne, and also about the prospects for communities in Frontenac County and elsewhere in rural Ontario.

Wayne Robinson was born at home on the farm in the late 1940s, the seventh son of a Catholic farming family. When he thinks back to his childhood he considers that he came along at a 'relatively prosperous time' in the history of the region, even though it has always been an economically disadvantaged area.

“There was work off the farm for my father, so while we sort of made a go of it as a dairy and mixed farm, there was other money coming in, which was not the case a generation earlier. My father worked for McConnells and my brothers all got jobs in construction before they went off to do other things.”

He also remembers the way the family finances were handled.

“My brothers brought their pay envelopes home unopened and laid them on the table. My mother made sure they had everything they needed, and spending money on the weekend, etc., and that was that.”

In those days, the small towns in Central Frontenac, such as Parham and Mountain Grove, were self- contained small communities unto themselves

“Tichborne was prosperous, because of the railroad station and the junction between two railways. There was a hotel, a bank, a theatre, four stores. It really catered to travelers.”

With the loss of the railroad and the resulting tendency for people to drive to Kingston or Ottawa to work and shop, the towns in what is now Central Frontenac have maintained their community ties, but are not as strong as they once were.

“Economics have no morals. People will always buy the best product at the lowest price, or what they think is the best product at what they think is the lowest price; there is nothing anyone can do about that. So they drive off to Costco, and while they are in Kingston they have a day out as well.”

But, he says, rural centers can and will survive, even if some of the back room operators in Toronto and Ottawa privately think that there is no future for rural Ontario.

“You take Sharbot Lake, for example. You can live here, and live a good life here. I think it has a future, but it concerns me when I talk to people who are connected to the top levels of government who think that Toronto is the only center of growth in Ontario and that it should be some kind of city-state.”

What they don't understand, according to Robinson, is that goods are created outside of Toronto; food comes from farms and is not made in the store.

“The thing that makes me feel that there is a future is that people can make a go of business here, and what other business people need to do is to let people who are thinking about doing something know that there is support here; that the township is willing to help out. And there are people doing that, with an Internet connection and a good idea and a sense that this is a good place to live.”

One problem is that those businesses cannot be sold easily when the owner decides to stop or to retire.

“We see that with farms and with other businesses like that. There is no one to take over. But still I feel optimistic that there is a future in rural communities as long as we keep encouraging each other to keep going and make sure that people feel we will support them if they take a chance.”

On July 15, six toga-clad “Greek Goddesses” attracted more than their fair share of attention as they shopped at local businesses in the Sharbot Lake area in preparation for their “Girls’ Annual” get together at Big Clear Lake near Arden. The ladies were spotted wearing white sheets in classic toga fashion, and were also adorned with interesting head gear like laurels, plus bangles and assorted flowers as they made their way through Sharbot Lake. The group, who have been meeting at the cottage of their hostess, Christine Seeley, for the last decade, decided three years ago to concoct a different theme every year for their annual five-day event. Part of the fun, they say, is coming to town dressed up and seeing the kind of reaction they get. Their spirited tour of the Sharbot Lake village attracted the attention of fellow shoppers and staff at Mike Dean’s grocery store, Sharbot Lake Pharmacy, the LCBO, Jossy's Chill & Grill and the Amazing Dollar Store.

Onlookers very much appreciated the ladies' efforts. Several people asked them to pose for pictures and wondered if they could be invited along for the fun. Christine said that that past themes have included Bathing and Bikini Beauties.

The six friends, who have been close since they were all just babies, said that the event is one that they always look forward to. “Friends are important and sometimes it's fun to do crazy stuff once in a while,” Christine said. “We always have a great time hanging out, eating, having a few drinks and always have some great laughs.” Asked about their plans for next year’s theme, the girls are undecided at this point but you might want to be on the lookout for six runaway brides in Sharbot Lake and area come next July.

At their annual general meeting on July 18 at St. James Major Catholic Church, which over 60 members attended, the executive of the Sharbot Lake Property Owners Association updated members on lake news and held their regular elections.

The current positions of president, vice president and secretary treasurer were all acclaimed respectively by Kevin Browne, and Ken and Joyce Waller. Rem Westland, environmental issues coordinator, announced that he will be stepping down after many years in the role, so the position remains vacant for now. Westland let interested members know that it does not require an expert to fill his shoes, just someone who has an interest in lake health.

The meeting included an update of the many projects that have been completed to date, some of which included the association’s expanded newsletter; participation in the Shoreline Naturalization Project through Watersheds Canada and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority; participation in the Love Your Lake program; ongoing invasive species testing; and involvement with the mandatory septic inspection program at the county and township levels.

Members are also continuing discussions with the township regarding access to the east basin.

The association has also begun to implement the use of EDD MapS Ontario, a web-based mapping system where invasive species and other lake issues can be mapped by members for early detection and rapid response. A new smart phone app allows property owners to submit their observations directly from the field to EDD MapS Ontario, which are then verified by experts in the field.

The association is currently looking into a number of new projects starting this year, one of which is a fish habitat project to enhance walleye spawning beds. Volunteers will be needed to identify areas for consideration; to accompany Watershed Canada staff to these areas for validation; and to work with staff to implement and complete the project. Saturday's meeting included three presentations. The first was by Emily Bacon, who outlined the Love Your Lake program, a free assessment and reporting program that encourages lake level action for healthier shore lines. The free program provides participants with shoreline assessments, individualized property reports and a lake level summary report as well as a list of voluntary actions and local resources that property owners can use to improve the health of their property.

Kendra Button of Watersheds Canada gave a presentation on The Natural Edge program, which strives to achieve a “ribbon of life” for shoreline properties. The program works with landowners to restore and naturalize shorelines with erosion problems and/or little shoreline vegetation. Staff assist property owners in designing and implementing shoreline planting of native shrubs and trees, which help provide shoreline stabilization, run off infiltration and a natural habitat for wildlife. The programs funds up to 75% of the costs involved. The final agenda item of the day was a presentation titled “Introduction to Pollinators for Cottagers” by Susan Chan, a pollination expert and project manager with Farms at Work, who spoke about the importance of bees, not just honey bees, but the 400 other species that pollinate so many seeds for our flowers and food.

Kevin Browne also announced winners of the SLPOA's annual photo contest who were 1st: Guy Mcleod; 2nd Gwen Dacosta, and 3rd Barb Wilson. Browne also thanked all of the volunteers members who help all year long measuring and tracking various types of lake information that help inform the association of the state of the lake.

Mayor Frances Smith, who also attended the meeting, thanked the association for their efforts in maintaining the health of one of Central Frontenac’s jewels, just one of the many lakes that are an integral part of what generates economic development and tourism in the region. For more information about joining the association or how to get involved, visit www.SLPOA.ca

nning photograph for the SLPOA's annual photo contest of 2015 

Council and staff in Central Frontenac assisted Drain All Ltd. staff with local residents who came out in droves to keep their hazardous household waste out of the local land fills. Now in its seventh year, the drop off, which took place at the corner of Road 38 and Highway 7, enlisted the help of household hazardous waste coordinator, Steve Tebworth of Drain All Ltd. of Ottawa, who said that more vehicles attended the event than last year.

Staff and volunteers collected and sorted everything from oils, anti-freeze, gases, aerosols, paint and paint thinners, propane cylinders, large car batteries and fertilizers, pesticides and more at the free event, which aims to keep toxins out of local landfill sites. Tebworth said that about 80% of the waste gets recycled while the rest is destroyed as per the Ministry of Environment guidelines. On behalf of the township, public works coordinator and waste management supervisor, Kyle Labbett, would like to thank Jas and Suki Kaillon of the Sharbot Lake Home Building Centre for donating the use of their property and a much needed fork lift for the event.

By the end of the day, a total of 343 cars representing 485 households took advantage of the annual household hazardous waste drop off event. Tebworth wanted to remind residents who might have missed the event to save all of their hazardous waste materials for next year’s drop off.

On August 15 the Procter sisters will once again swim across Sharbot Lake to help in the fight against cancer. Over the past six years the girls have raised over $10,000 and they need your help to make this year’s swim another success.

The girls will jump into the water at the Sharbot Lake Provincial Park at 10am and swim the 3kms to the Oso Township Beach, arriving at about 11:30am. Having grown up in Sharbot Lake, the sisters enjoy the challenge of swimming across the lake they know so well. In past years, loons have joined in as swimming companions and high waves have tested their perseverance.

Donations can be made online at http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/hopeswim2015 or at Northern Frontenac Community Services. Mark August 15 on your calendar and plan to be at the Sharbot Lake beach at 11:30am to cheer on the girls.

g

It might surprising to see a 13-year-old running a successful business at the Saturday farmers’ market in Sharbot Lake. But what's even more surprising is that it is Ellie Larocque's third consecutive summer doing just that.

Ellie started up Cassnelli's Cookies and Lemonade in 2013 with her friend and cousin Cassidy Donaldson (hence the business name) when she was just 11. It was Ellie's mother Donna, who suggested that the two set up shop at the Sharbot Lake Farmers Market, and for her first summer, Ellie used her birthday gift money to invest in the necessary supplies.

While Cassidy, who lives in Lanark, is no longer involved in the business, Ellie has continued on and her friend Annika Putnam has joined her as a co-baker/seller. The two bake all-butter-based cookies, with Ellie offering up huge and reasonably priced cookies that come in chocolate chip, ginger and oatmeal, and Annika adding her own peanut butter and sugar cookies to the mix.

I recently interviewed Ellie and her mother Donna at their home in Sharbot Lake and got a close up look at what makes this young entrepreneur tick. Coming from a family of self-motivated business people, (Donna is an artist and sign maker and father Dennis a mason), it is no wonder that Ellie is herself an enterprising young entrepreneur.

Ellie let me in on a couple of trade secrets, like the fact that some of her recipes come from Evelyn Raab's cookbook, “The Clueless Baker”. She uses only butter, never lard, and the cookies that I was lucky enough to sample are light and chewy but with a definite crispness. It comes as no surprise that one is never enough. They are affordably priced at $1 each, $5 for a half dozen and $10 for a dozen.

Ellie’s longest work days are the day before the market. She mixes up fresh batches of cookie batter throughout the week and always bakes the cookies the day before the market, ensuring their freshness. She bakes over 100 cookies on Friday and often sells out.

While cookies are the girls’ main focus, they also sell ice-cold glasses of real, homemade lemonade as well. Asked what her motivations were for starting up a business, Ellie answered that making her own money to spend as she likes is one of the reasons, but added that she was also looking for experience in running a business, understanding that it will make her more knowledgeable and employable in the future.

This summer she set a personal goal for the season - to sell enough cookies to afford a Macbook since she is also interested in graphic design.

Of course the business could not exist without the help of Donna, who does the driving to local stores to purchase the ingredients. An understandably proud mom, Donna said the business venture has been a project they worked on together and she admitted that though the road was bumpy at the start, things are now running smoothly and efficiently. “I'm very proud of the initiative Ellie has shown and her hard work.”

Ellie herself says that she has learned a lot since she first began three summers ago. “Baking is more difficult that I thought it would be and I am a much better baker now then I was back then. I am also a lot better at handling money and understanding the costs of doing business."

She admitted that balancing school and the market in May and June can also be tough. That being said, Ellie said that she expects to be continuing at the market for another year or two.

For those not in the know, Ellie and Annika's cookies are worth every penny and though the two are not able to attend every single market day, as the saying goes...Get ’em while you can.

An emergency council meeting took place on July 9, at Oso Hall, members of Central Frontenac Council first considered a temporary fix for the Raymo Road bridge collapse that occurred on June 16.

Following the bridge’s partial collapse, township staff looked into installing a walking path along the west edge of the road to allow for the safe passage of pedestrian traffic. However, a further collapse at the site on June 18 put a halt to that first plan, with staff deciding that a temporary walking path would be unsafe.

The township has since posted signs closing the section of road to all foot and vehicular traffic, though it appears that some local residents are continuing to cross the affected area regardless of the signs.

As a solution to the problem, Public Works Manager Kyle Labbett made a number of presentations to council. The first concerned installing a temporary system of docks on the upstream side of the culverts across the waterway at the site. This was deemed to be the most cost-effective temporary fix and would allow for foot traffic until the bridge is permanently fixed. The plan was to build two 20-foot docks from both sides of the shoreline with an additional 60-foot middle section connecting the two.

With an estimated cost of $20,000 - $ 25,000 it did not take long for council to quash the proposed temporary fix, deeming it too expensive for such a short term. When Mayor Frances Smith asked the five affected residents at the meeting (who it appears are continuing to use the walkway despite the signs instructing them not to do so) for a straw vote on the matter, all five said no to it.

The report on a permanent solution, which was prepared by engineers Greer Galloway, addressed soil and water tests that were done at the site. Based on the report, Labbett recommended that council approve the purchase of two pieces of structural steel, (zz1220) elliptical galvanized pipes each with a wall thickness of 5mm from Armtec Limited Partner Corporation at a cost of just over $80,000. Council approved the motion.

By the time the site is engineered and the culverts installed, the project will cost $250,000 to $300,000 or more.

Council passed a motion deferring the planned rehabilitation of two bridges on Burke Settlement Road as well as the removal of one abandoned bridge on Crow Lake Road from the 2015 capital budget, deferring both to the 2016 capital budget. Those measures freed up $230,000, which will go towards the Raymo Road fix.

Labbett stated that the pipes could take three to five weeks to arrive and in the meantime the engineers will finalize their plans so that staff can prepare the tenders. Because the township will be putting out an invitation to tender, the turnaround time will be lessened, though Labbett added that the awarding of the contract could still take anywhere from a month to five weeks.

Labbett did say that in the meantime staff could start preparing the site for the new pipes so that when they arrive work can proceed without delay.

The five affected residents who attended the emergency meeting said that they are frustrated since they feel that township staff are continuing to excavate at the site, thereby making passage across it more and more difficult.

Labbett said he had no choice but to construct berms at both ends of the affected section of road because it appeared that ATVs were still crossing it in spite of the signs. “We have no choice, due to liability, to impede all traffic crossing there because it is not safe and that is why we built up the berms to prevent people and vehicles from crossing.”

While council is addressing the issue in due time, it looks as though the permanent fix will not get underway for at least another month’s time.

A huge thank you to EVERYONE – students, parents, families and friends, members of the community, parent council and staff at Granite Ridge – for helping our grade eights raise $8000 to help fund our three day trip to Montreal in June. Our huge Granite Ridge family was involved in many fundraisers, from bake sales, tournaments, concerts and a very competitive pie auction, to selling/buying cheese, pizza, chocolate and tea. We couldn't have done it without you. A special thanks goes out to the parent volunteers who joined us on our epic journey.

Our trip was amazing. We explored Old Montreal, went jet boating on the LaChine Rapids, ordered in French at a Creperie, had a blast at LaRonde amusement park, shopped in the downtown core, ate A LOT of Montreal smoked meat, hiked up Mount Royal at night, visited the Biodome and explored the Underground City, all without a hired guide or a tour bus! We traveled by train, city bus and subway –truly the way to see Montreal.

Youngsters and adults of all ages had an opportunity to explore the latest in creative computing and other related technology thanks to a special interactive event put on by the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake on July 3.

The event, titled the Mini Maker Faire, aims to engage youngsters in the latest cutting edge technology and was headed up by members of the KFPL staff. It included a number of interactive opportunities for kids and adults alike.

On site was a 3D printer where visitors had a chance to create their own 3D designs or choose an existing design to have printed out. A number of finished items were on display such as key chains and various toys, including one detailed dinosaur head.

Liz Coates, a teen and new adult librarian with the KFPL, explained the process. A design is first created and loaded into a computer attached to the printer, which then uses a raw plastic filament to create the object. The filament is fed into an extruder, which heats the plastic to 225 degrees Celsius. The plastic then immediately hardens, which allows layer upon layer to build up, creating a finished three-dimensional object.

Coates informed me that all card-carrying members of the KFPL can put in orders to have their own 3D designs printed out at the library's main branch, which can then be delivered to any member branch. At another station of the Mini-Maker Faire, Derek Fenlon, a tech tutor with the KFPL, showed guests something called arduino, a creative computer/electronics kit complete with a detailed instruction guide that shows youngsters the basics of computer technology by showing them how to create their own computer-based electronic objects. The kit shows the users how to program tiny computers called micro-controllers, which causes objects to be interactive. The kit aims to get youngsters engaged in creating their own designs, which can eventually evolve into more complicated objects like robots.

Another attraction at the fair was a special button-making machine, at which a crowd of youngsters and their parents were busy making their own buttons.

Huda Shaltry, programming and outreach staff with the KFPL, was pleased with the turnout for the first time Sharbot Lake event and said that a lot of parents brought along friends with kids. Although the primary aim is to get young ones involved in the various programs the library offers, these can be a relaxing and equally engaging experience for adults as well. One parent said that she spent hours with her kids, who were thoroughly engaged for the entire duration of the event.

For those who missed the first fair, a second KFPL Mini Maker Faire will take place at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne on Friday, August 14 from 1 to 3pm.

Shaltry also made note of a number of summer reading clubs for youngsters and teens as well as the library's “Books Clubs with a Difference” events, which offer adults a chance to meet for relaxed conversations about the books they have been reading. For avid readers in this area, the book clubs will take place at the Cloyne branch on Friday, July 17 and Friday, August 21 at 11am, and at the Sharbot Lake branch on Tuesday, July 28 and Tuesday, August 25 at noon.

A number of programs geared to children and the whole family are scheduled for this summer at a variety of KFPL library branches and include LEGO making workshops, puppet shows, story telling, concerts and more. For a full listing visit www.kfpl.ca

On Canada day, July 1, hundreds of excited patrons streamed into the newly transformed former Catholic church in Sharbot Lake for the widely anticipated opening of the Cardinal Cafe and Shop.

Co-owners of the new business, Nicole Tarasick and Sylvie Smith, decided to welcome the public into the renovated century-old church three days earlier than planned after finding out they had passed all of their mandatory inspections.

The official grand opening followed on Saturday, July 4 and customer traffic was, not surprisingly, even busier. The day began with an official ribbon cutting ceremony where Town Crier Paddy O'Connor and Mayor Frances Smith each congratulated the owners, who both said they were thrilled to be so warmly welcomed and supported by the local community. The ceremony was orchestrated by Marcel Giroux, who said he felt the new business owners deserved a special welcoming by the local community.

Housed in the old red brick church, which was built in 1905 at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Road 38, just across from the Sharbot Lake Country Inn, the Cardinal Cafe and Shop is the perfect place to drop in, relax, visit with friends, enjoy a drink and snack, and many of the patrons have expressed their excitement at having a new place to go in town.

The church sat vacant for years after a new church was built on Road 38 further out of town. It was purchased by Steve Tarasick of Tarasick Carpentry (Nicole's father) and her partner Mike Dellios in February 2014 and the two men began the renovations a year later, in February of this year.

They gutted it back to the original brick and studs with the aim of preserving the building's original charm and unique features while also adding the owners' own personal aesthetics - simple clean lines, and bright wide open spaces. Preserved are the building's beautiful stained glass windows, its newly sanded and finished original wood floors and the gorgeous wooden overhead cross beams that float 40 feet above, as well as the large back window that inspired the business's logo. Ceiling fans give the room an open airy feel as do the clean white walls and white wood trim.

New are the double glass front doors, and a white tiled coffee bar and back wall that houses the servers and the prep area. On the opposite wall stretches one line of simple tables and chairs and one long bench that can seat 15-20 patrons comfortably.

Outside is a new patio that holds four large picnic tables that can seat another 25 customers and there is parking on site as well. The back entrance is wheelchair accessible and leads to two beautifully tiled washroom facilities that are also wheelchair accessible from the main front room.

At the jam-packed opening the owners, along with a few key helpers, offered guests the regularly available selection of espresso-based coffee drinks that include iced and hot lattes, cappuccinos and more, all made with Reunion Island Coffee, as well as a wide selection of loose leaf teas, home made lemonade and a fresh assortment of tasty home made sweet and savory goods direct from Field House bakery in Perth.

Also to be had at the opening day were grilled sausages courtesy of Seed to Sausage and thanks to a special events liquor license, Empire Cider from Bath, ON and MacKinnon Brothers beer from Brighton, ON.

Tarasick and Smith are highly committed to bringing only the best in high quality food and drink to their customers and their regular fare will also include fresh baked goods from Gray's Grocery, Chocolate by Ludwig, Conboy's maple syrup and more.

The cafe is not only a beautiful place to lounge, sip and nibble but also a place to shop. The owners, who are one half of the artisan collective known as Cardinal Handmade, (the other half are design/builders Mike Dellios and Lucas Brancalion) will be adding additional display space for a selection of the collective's hand made gift ware, which will include screen printed pillows, tote bags, t-shirts, candles, wooden toys and other cottage and home accessories, some of which were for sale on opening day.

As they are newbies to the cafe business, the ladies no doubt have their work cut out for them but are looking ahead and are currently brainstorming about possible special event nights, including a trivia night. They are also open to renting the space out and/or hosting private parties, receptions, anniversaries, birthdays and other community and private events. They also have plans to add more substantial light meal fare to their regular menu come late summer/early fall. Judging by the brisk business that they did on July 1 and 4 it looks as though the Cardinal Cafe is a much welcomed refuge for locals and seasonal residents alike.

The cafe is located at 14153 Road 38 in Sharbot Lake and is open Wednesday to Friday from 7:30 AM- 4PM and Saturday and Sunday from 9AM-4PM. For more information visit cardinalhandmade.com