Tag Archives: Westport

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The 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail 2017 is open

I was at the opening of the 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail at Fulford Place in Brockville this morning.  This is a wonderful garden trail that features 14 breath taking gardens.  Only thing missing????  A Westport garden on the trail!  Here is the link:  www.gardentrail.1000islandsandrideaucanal.comwww.gardentrail.1000islandsandrideaucanal.com

BROCKVILLE – The 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail is entering its third year and adds Fulford Place National Historic Site to its line-up. The Garden Trail links private and public gardens and garden centre displays throughout Leeds Grenville.  This year, Fulford Place National Historic Site and its Olmsted Gardens have officially become part of trail.

Originally designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Olmsted, the Italianate-style gardens include an elaborate triton fountain and statuary with stone walls and gates surrounding the 20,000 square-foot mansion. Self-guided tour pamphlets will be available at the visitor entrance during hours of operation. Olmstead’s fame is connected to the design of Central Park in New York City. Restoration of the Fulford gardens was one of the Ontario Heritage Trust’s most exciting heritage garden conservancy projects.

The launch highlighted the 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail as the only trail in the country to be honoured with the ‘Canada 150 Garden Experience’ Designation. Awarded in March from the Canadian Garden Council in collaboration with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, it recognized the trail’s garden experience as an activity of choice for garden lovers from near and far. “The designation speaks to the calibre of the trail and quality of the gardens,” says Robin Jones, Warden of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.

The Leeds Grenville Economic Development Office launched the trail in 2015 with 9 gardens that has now grown to 14 unique gardens with added experiences including native butterflies, honeybees and birds, a monarch butterfly Way Station, fountains, ponds, contemporary art exhibits, statuary and so much more.

1000 Islands Rideau Canal Garden Trail Launch DC.jpg

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Rain has stopped for the time being ….it could be worse!

I have spent much of the morning visiting and talking with residents and business owners about the weather.  Whalen and George St have some issues with storm sewers, but nothing that interferes with traffic.  We are monitoring the different areas of the Village.  After watching the news and hearing from others about serious flooding in municipalities nearby in Ontario and Quebec, I think we are in pretty good shape.  Please call if you have information that would be helpful. 9195

In my travels this morning, I appreciated Les’s sense humour and thought I should share what was at the hardware store.

Les' sense of humour

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Bon Voyage “Connected by Canoe”!

Hopefully you are following Connected by Canoe, a group of men and women paddling from Kingston to Ottawa.

The canoe project, called Connected by Canoe, is about taking greetings and a message from the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough about the canoes—as an idea that connects Canadians to who we are and where we live in this nation of rivers—to the annual conference of the Community Foundations of Canada.  The idea of this project is to show that the canoe can be a powerful symbol of ‘being in the same boat’ and ‘pulling together’ as Canadians.  It’s a two part journey: an Express Leg involving one Voyageur canoe (16 people) travelling from Kingston to Ottawa; and a Ceremonial Leg involving three other big craft including a skin on frame umiak, a Haida-style Spirit Dancer from the West Coast, and a second big Voyageur canoe for a pre-conference paddle for delegates from Dows Lake to the Westin Hotel, where the Community Foundations Conference is happening.

The group arrived in Westport around 5:30 this evening and enjoyed a relaxing dinner and evening at the Cove.  They are a wonderful group of Canadians, with the common purpose to lead  conversations with others about what the future of Canada can be.

So glad James Raffan and the rest of the crew took the time to come to Westport.  Safe travels to Ottawa!

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Meeting with Eastern Region MPs on Parliament Hill – May 1, 2017

As the Warden of Leeds & Grenville, I am a member of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC).  The Caucus includes all of the Upper Tier Wardens of Eastern Ontario and is an advocacy group for issues shared across eastern municipalities.  Annually, the EOWC meets with the MPs who represent the federal ridings in eastern Ontario.  This morning we met with these women and men in Ottawa and discussed, among many things, infrastructure.  Our own MP Gord Brown joined the meeting.  Also in the below photo is Mr Andy Brown, CAO for Leeds & Grenville.

Gord, Andy, Robin May 1-17