Latest news with #LocalJournalismInitiative
Hamilton Spectator
16 hours ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Callander considers allowing backyard chickens
Callander resident Sheridan Carr hopes one day the chickens will come home to roost — in the backyard. Carr appeared before council during its June 24 meeting requesting the municipality consider allowing residents to have backyard chickens within residential zones. Her presentation was well-researched and offered details of how other municipalities went about the process of allowing coops in residential areas. She noted, 'Backyard chickens have a lot to offer the community, from nutritional benefits to education. Other communities that have changed their laws on backyard chickens see the benefits they have brought to their community, with little upkeep or resources required.' Council was interested in the idea and directed municipal staff to prepare a report on the topic. At that time, council will begin discussions on whether or not to allow poultry in residential area. One point everyone seemed to agree on was that roosters would not be allowed. Too noisy. As for hens, Carr explained they are quiet birds, and the municipality's current noise by-laws would be suitable to cover any concerns. As for concerns about stinky coops, Carr noted the town already has a Community Standards by-law, which includes bad odours emanating from properties. 'It is time to give people more control over their food choices and make sustainable decisions by revising the by-laws to allow backyard chickens,' Carr said. See: Meet North Bay's backyard chicken outlaws Many municipalities allow chickens to be kept in backyards, including Toronto and Kingston, which Carr cited in her presentation. She mentioned those cities required coops to stand certain distances away from fences and dwellings, and the number of hens was usually capped around four to six. However, each by-law varies. Carr also mentioned the importance of including within the by-law a section detailing that a renter must get permission from a landlord to have a coop. She suggest a yearly permit of $35 for chicken owners, which is in line with other municipalities. Carr offered to create a web page or an information package for residents interested in keeping chickens, if the municipality decided to allow that. The issue is set to return to council at its first August meeting. David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Mattawa applies for fitness centre upgrades
Mattawa is applying for provincial funds to upgrade the municipality's Fitness Centre. Specifically, the application asks for funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. The town is asking for $554,363. If received, the municipality would be responsible for contributing $138,591 towards the project and for covering any overages, if any occurred during work on the building at 1216 John Street. Municipal council passed a motion detailing these responsibilities, which is part of the application process. Mattawa's Chief Administrative Officer, Paul Laperriere, outlined the work to be done if funding is provided. 'There is some structural foundation work required. The foundation of the building is deteriorating.' 'That is a significant part of the cost,' Laperriere said. Washrooms would be upgraded to be fully accessible as well, Laperriere continued, and the entrance doors would also be made accessible. A ramp will also be installed to the front door. Once completed, 'The building will be 100 per cent compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.' Laperriere mentioned the $138,591 the town must contribute, 'Will be reduced by $55,140, which is the HST rebate, bringing our share down to around $83,000. There's another $11,000 in contingency, and if we don't require that, it will bring the cost down to $72,000.' Further, the Fitness Centre is within the same building as the Voyageur Curling Club. If the project gets funding and the upgrades are made, 'We intend to look for a contribution from them.' 'I'm expecting our costs will be in the order of $50,000 for this half-million-dollar project,' Lapierre said. If the project is approved, Lapierre expects work to begin in mid-2026. David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
New housing project in Gananoque supports Canada's heroes
GANANOQUE – With hard hats on and shovels in the dirt, veterans, dignitaries and community leaders gathered Friday afternoon at 295 Oak Street to break ground on Moving Heroes Home, a 16-unit subsidized housing development that will provide safe, accessible living for Canada's national heroes. Co-developed by veterans Martin Ouellet and Jordan Morelli through the non-profit Moving Heroes, the project is designed for those who serve and have served, including military personnel, veterans, peace officers, first responders and health-care professionals. 'This is more than a build, it's a message that Canada stands with its heroes,' said Ouellet, director general of Moving Heroes. 'It's about giving back with real, lasting support.' The project was met with praise from officials and guests during Friday's ceremony, which featured remarks from Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen, retired Brigadier-General Larry Aitken, Bob Howard of Legion Branch 92, representatives from Homes for Heroes and CFB Kingston, and Gananoque Mayor John Beddows. 'It is to serve those who have served, and I'm grateful for this initiative that will provide such a place for people who need a place that they don't just call home, but where they feel at home,' said Beddows. The homes will be built to universal accessibility standards and located near local trails, the St. Lawrence River and Gananoque's downtown core, ensuring a high quality of life and community integration. The project's funding model includes a portion of real estate commissions from Moving Heroes-affiliated realtors — many of whom are veterans or military spouses — as well as support from private donors, community partners, and local organizations. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with completion targeted for 2026. More information can be found at . Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Fate of Yankee trade ship Tonquin brought to life in play at Tofino's Village Green
By Nora O'Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tofino, B.C. – Children playing 'Tla-o-qui-aht warriors' paddled in cardboard cutouts of dugout canoes around the wooden pirate ship play structure at Tofino's Village Green to recount the fate of the Tonquin. The 269-ton American trade ship sank to the bottom of Clayoquot Sound in 1811 after being overwhelmed by the warriors – and blew up. As told by Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation's Gisele Martin and her father Joe Martin on June 11, the Tonquin's goal was to establish a trade post and claim the region as part of the United States of America. The Tonquin's captain Jonathan Thorn, who was played by Tofino resident Hugo Hall, was brash, and not well-liked by his crew. Thorn wanted to trade for sea otter furs with Gisele's great, great grandfather Nookmis. But when Nookmis told him the price for one pelt was three blankets, 30 beads, 30 buckets and three knifes, Thorn scoffed and shoved the otter pelt in Nookmis' face. In the novel Astoria by American historian Washington Irving, which chronicles the entire journey of the Tonquin, Thorn is said to have 'slapped' the chief in the face. The next day, angry Tla-o-qui-aht warriors boarded the ship and threw the captain overboard. 'The captain got clubbed by the women and disappeared under water,' Gisele regaled the audience on the sunny June 11 afternoon. One crew member, James Lewis, who was played by Clayoquot Action's Dan Lewis, allegedly scuttled to the bottom of the ship and lit five tons of gun powder. 'KA-BOOM!' Joe exclaimed as the children ran around the mock Tonquin ship with sparklers. 'Sparks flew and Nookmis got thrown overboard.' Tonquin's crew and roughly 100 brave Tla-o-qui-aht warriors perished in the sea. Martin says Lewis became the first 'suicide bomber' of Clayoquot Sound. 'People in Opitsaht could see the mass of the ship for three years poking out of the water. During that time, Tla-o-qui-aht became very diligent about protecting this coast,' said Gisele. It wasn't until 20 years later that Tla-o-qui-aht started having a relationship with some of the British trading companies. 'That's why Tofino is here today and that's also why this is not part of the United States today. We've never sold this land. We've never ceded it; we've never signed it away in a treaty,' said Gisele, noting Tla-o-qui-aht's fight to protect Meares Island from old growth logging, preserving the source of Tofino's drinking water. '[I]n 1984 Tla-o-qui-aht took the government all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. In their own courts, the government could not prove that they owned this land.' Forty-one years ago, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, with support from the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC), famously declared Meares Island the 'Wanachis Hilth-huu-is Tribal Park' under Nuu-chah-nulth law. The Meares Declaration protected the old-growth forest from being logged, and is recognized as one of the largest demonstrations of civil disobedience in North America. Prior to the conservation stance, there was no 'tribal park' in existence under provincial or federal legislation. The wreck of the Tonquin was never found… But one day in the spring of 2000, a local crab fisherman found his trap hooked on the end of an old, old anchor – that anchor, encrusted with blue trading beads, is believed to be the Tonquin's. The anchor is on display at the Village Green in the gazebo to this day and belongs to the Tla-o-qui-aht. -30- Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
11-06-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
New signage on Ucluelet's Wild Pacific Trail honours Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ's Bob and Vi Mundy
By Nora O'Malley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Ucluelet, B.C. – A new series of interpretive signs along the Ancient Cedars section of the Wild Pacific Trail pays tribute to the legacy Bob and Vi Mundy, the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ couple who shared priceless traditional knowledge with the west coast. Bob passed away on May 5, 2024. Vi passed shortly after on July 31, 2024. 'We couldn't imagine in our family Bob without Vi or Vi without Bob. They came as a unit, and they were really beautiful to watch. They were a testament to not giving up on each other,' said Jeneva Touchie during a June 7 ribbon cutting ceremony. 'Bob would open the door for her, even in the rain, until the day he passed,' said Melody Mundy. The new Ancient Cedars signage features an audio box framed with a carving by Kevin Touchie and six interpretive panels sharing Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ teachings, developed by Carey Cunneyworth and Jeneva Touchie. Wild Pacific Trail President Barbara Schramm says the audio box, which records Jeneva's voice, brings local voices to the Old Growth Forest. 'We didn't want to repeat the same old, same old. We wanted this done so people could learn in the right way,' said Schramm. One of the oldest trees on the Ucluelet Peninsula is now showcased with a new deck featuring interpretive signage explaining sustainable plank harvesting practices – it's also where hikers can find the memorial plaque dedicated to Bob and Vi Mundy. Cunneyworth is an archeologist and the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government's director of culture, language and heritage. He said the special old growth stand is culturally modified tree (CMT) and protected archeological site. 'Bob and Vi taught us how to be with the land, be with family and to take care of your community. We see a lot of that in this tree. It's quite a special tree,' said Cunneyworth. He shared that at one point, 100 years ago, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ ancestors would take big strips off the tree to use for houses, carving or boxes. There is also a large hollowing in the tree that he says was a cache ancestors used for storage - and it may have been a bear den at some point. 'It's such a powerful testament to the forest and really giving back,' said Cunneyworth. 'It's something we can all learn from, and I know Bob and Vi really talked about that; being intimately connected to the forest and how to take care of it. I really think this whole trail with the CMT here and the knowledge they put into the signage really represents how much love they had for the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ community and the Ucluelet community.' Ucluelet Mayor Marilyn McEwen says the new signage 'provides a legacy of culture learning for residents and visitors, alike.' 'This meaningful initiative honours Indigenous knowledge, language and the enduring relationship between people and forest ecosystems that has shaped this region for millennia,' said McEwen. Vi was a board member of the Wild Pacific Trail Society and had a 'quiet, patient way' of sharing traditional knowledge for signs throughout all Ucluelet and the region. 'Her impact ripples to this day through all the societies on the west coast,' said Schramm. 'I'm really grateful for everything they were willing to share with us,' Jeneva adds. 'They taught us to share what we know. It's really hard to imagine sometimes how to carry language without Bob around. But we are doing the best we can.' The Mundy family plans to scatter the ashes of Bob and Vi Mundy in the sea near Black Rock Resort, Vi's favourite place to eat. Three years in the making, the audio box, signage and CMT deck project was made possible through the leadership of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government with support from the Province of BC Resort Municipality Initiative, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Black Rock Resort, the Wild Pacific Trail Society and the District of Ucluelet. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
