Vimy Oak tree to be planted
A Commemorative Vimy Oak tree will be planted at the Westmeath Cenotaph in partnership with the County of Renfrew and the Township of Whitewater Region.
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay said as part of the 100th year of Vimy, special oak trees are being planted across Canada. He noted a Centennial Park was developed in Vimy featuring 100 centennial trees, which are descendants of a Vimy Oak acorn which fell from a European Oak during the Battle of Vimy Ridge and was subsequently planted in Scarborough. The County of Renfrew received a grant for trees to be planted throughout the county, but wanted each council to choose a suitable site within the township.
Since the Cobden Memorial Park has a cenotaph, playground and soon-to-be monument, it was thought the Westmeath Cenotaph would be appropriate, he said.
“It is high visible and high traffic, with the ball park and arena and firehall right across from it, and it did meet the requirements,” he said.
If council agrees, staff will get the tree from the county and plant it in Westmeath, he said.
Following a question from Councillor Daryl McLaughlin about the tree being replaced if it dies, CAO Tremblay said it’s a special tree. As far as he knows, someone brought back an acorn and these trees are from the original grove. He will check with the county to see what would happen if something were to happen to the tree.
Mayor Hal Johnson said it would be a good idea to plant it in Westmeath.
“Westmeath is a good choice,” he said. “It will be looked after with loving care because our CAO lives around the corner from it. It would be against his pride to see it go down.”
CAO Tremblay noted the Gervais family “really maintain the cenotaph with great pride.” He believes with it being such a high visibility spot, this tree will have some prominence within the community.
Arnprior and Whitewater Region partnered
The First Impressions Community Exchange (FICE) will now go ahead following a partnership between the Township of Whitewater Region and Arnprior.
Under FICE, a team from each municipality will visit the partnering municipality and prepare a feedback report. The costs of FICE are relatively low, CAO Tremblay said.
The scope of the project will be determined in consultation with those participating in the program, he said. Volunteers will be selected to ensure representation to participate in the exchange.
The idea is that the team will go into a partnering community anonymously and take a look around. FICE helps communities learn about their strengths and weaknesses as seen through the eyes of first-time visitors, CAO Tremblay explained.
“The knowledge gained through a FICE can be the basis for developing a positive and effective community action plan,” he said.
It’s expected this exchange will occur in time for a report to be presented at a council meeting in November.
MWC provided data
Councillor Charlene Jackson noted she attended the recent annual general meeting of the Muskrat Watershed Council. She provided the summer newsletter of the MWC as a way of providing an update on what the organization has been doing.
“They have done a lot of different projects with the amount of money they have, which is very important to note,” she said.
Coun. Jackson spoke briefly about the application for review for the need of new policy and legislation to address environmental problems in Muskrat Lake agreed to by the Ministry of Natural Resources. While Donald Deer and Gary Younghusband were the applicants requesting this review, it must be noted the MWC provided all the data it has collected over a number of years for the report, Coun. Jackson said. It was also Louise Deschambault of Bonnechere Vista Campground who did the research on how to get the review application, she added.
It’s unfortunate Mr. Deer has never mentioned, in any of his letters to the editor or interviews with various news media, that it was data provided by the MWC that helped him in the application, she said.
“I thank Mr. Deer and Mr. Younghusband, but it was certainly a conglomerated effort, and they they would not have had the information to put forward for the application without the Muskrat Watershed Council,” Coun. Jackson said.
Community Improvement Plan
Planning Masters student Robert Tran developed Phase 1 of the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) and was presented to council at its June 21 meeting.
Phase 1 includes the villages and hamlets of Beachburg, Cobden, Foresters Falls, La Passe, Haley Station and Westmeath.
A CIP is a document that provides municipalities with tools and strategies that allow for the improvement, rehabilitation or redevelopment of defined project areas.
A public meeting will be held Wednesday, Nov. 1 to discuss the CIP in Whitewater Region.
Advisory committees appointed
Council approved the Terms of Reference for the Economic Development Advisory Committee and appointed its members.
Council members are Mayor Hal Johnson, Councillor Chris Olmstead; business members are Mark Enright, Gordon Huckabone, Cindy Jamieson, Joe Janota, Joe Kowalski, Jody Langton, Chris (High Tower) Thompson, Dirk Van Wikj and staff CAO Tremblay, chief building official Doug Schultz and deputy-clerk Carmen Miller.
Council also approved the Terms of Reference for the Recreation Advisory Committee and appoint its members.
Council members are Coun. Olmstead and Mayor Johnson, community members Dave Alexander, Heather Corrigan, Neil Nicholson, Sheila Wishart, Cameron Dube, Cheryl Spotswood, Mike Wendorf, Ivan Burton and staff, community services manager Jordan Durocher, arenas and parks supervisor Hugh Martin and accounts receivable/CS co-ordinator Debbie Ready.
Council also approved the terms of reference for the Development Review Team and appointed its members. The members are Councillor Charlene Jackson, Councilor Dave Mackay, Reeve Terry Millar, CAO Tremblay, Mr. Schultz, physical services manager Janet Colllins and Ms. Miller.
Notes
Renfrew Fire Department Chief Guy Longtin has been appointed acting fire chief for Whitewater Region. Earlier this summer, on the same day, Whitewater Region fire chief Wayne Heubner retired and deputy-chief Mike Moore resigned, without notice. Firefighters Terry Moore and Roy Church were appointed acting deputy-fire chiefs. It was decided since a fire masterplan is now underway, hiring a fire chief should wait until the report is complete.
Council received a letter from the County of Renfrew that it is investigating the request put forth from the township of having streetlighting installed at the intersection of Beachburg and Westmeath roads.
Erin Tennian from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Renfrew made a presentation to council on what the organization does. For those interested in participating in the program, there are two Meet the Mentor Info Sessions planned. The first is Thursday, Sept. 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Arnprior Public Library and a second one is scheduled for Thursday, September 28, also from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Petawawa Public Library. For more information, contact Ms. Tennian at 613-794-4476 or toll free, 1-844-414-2227.
Warm N’ Cozy Insulation Services of Petawawa was awarded the contract to supply and install spray foam insulation to the Westmeath Garage at a cost of $19,662, including HST. The other two bidders were Pirie Insulation at a cost of $25,382.06 and Whitewater Foam Insulation Solutions Inc. for $32,205. The approved budget was $20,000.
