Issue 2
Volume 16
February 2023
THE TOWNSHIP OF ST. CLAIR
Municipal Notes Pages 2, 3, 8
WORKS DEPARTMENT
Pages 4-6
Heritage Corner Pages 12-14
Community Contact Page 17
Around the Township Pages
20-19
These three firefighters had different reasons for joining the St. Clair Fire Department, but they all have one thing in common – they want to be there to help and reassure people on “the worst day of their lives.” Do you have what it takes to be a firefighter/emergency medical service re-
sponder? See page 11 to read more.
Bonnie Stevenson photo
Presentation details purpose and need for battery energy storage project
Following up on the virtual public meeting regarding three proposed battery energy storage facilities in St. Clair Township, representatives from Enbridge’s Re- newable Energy division attended council to make a formal presentation on the purpose and need for these facilities.
The need for greatly increased energy capacity in this area was identified by the Independent Electricity Supply Operator (IESO) which oversees the power grid that keeps the province supplied with power.
The IESO has determined that southwestern Ontario will soon be receiving an insufficient energy supply to meet the demands of increased population, the elec- trification of certain sectors and vehicles, and econom- ic growth, including mining, industrial, and agricultural sectors. This situation prompted the IESO to issue RFPs (Request For Proposal) inviting companies to develop strategies that could increase energy capacity for the grid. The Enbridge Renewable Energy division is cur- rently working on a proposal that, if accepted, could allow the three battery energy storage projects in St. Clair Township to proceed.
Since the design and construction of environmental- ly-friendly power generation facilities would take years to engineer, build and bring online, battery energy storage facilities could be used to store energy from solar and wind sources, as well as excess energy from the grid during times of low demand.
During peak usage times when the power supply could not meet the demand, the intelligent software employed to control these “batteries” would bring them online to fill the energy deficit and prevent blackouts.
The “batteries”, which resemble shipping contain- ers, are assembled in rows of single units about nine feet in height and about 20 feet in length. They cannot be stacked due to their weight and the need for access during regular maintenance, so they will be installed in one layer on cement pads.
The properties to be used for the three projects are owned by Enbridge and some company infrastructure is already installed on them, although most of the land is currently being used for agricultural purposes.
Enbridge has been working with St. Clair Township and Lambton County to understand what permitting requirements and other policies and requirements might apply. The company has done this to ensure that if its proposals to the IESO are accepted, work can begin on the projects with minimal delay. Successful proposals will be announced on May 1.
BY-LAW REVIEW FYI
By-Law #57 of 2021
This is a property Standards By-Law amendment re- garding the prohibition of Sea Cans in residential zones.
By-Law #57 of 2021 states, “Without a valid per- mit, storage containers, (also known as “sea cans”) are not permitted in any residential zones.”
More Municipal Notes, page 3
Winter curbside parking by-law
aids snow removal efforts
All vehicles , whether l icensed or unli- censed, must NOT be parked on a high- way, road, or street in such a manner that it interferes with the clearing of snow or any winter control operation conducted by municipal forces or con- tractors between the hours of 1 a. m. and
7 a. m. The by- law, which will be in ef- fect until April 1 , 2023 , includes: camp- ing trailers, commercial trailers, derelict vehicles, marine vehicles, and recrea- tional trailers.
All obstructions including basketball nets and garbage cans must also kept off the streets during this period.
Property owners are also reminded it is against the law to shovel snow off drive- ways and side-
walks onto public streets. These snow piles create dangerous obsta- cles that can contribute to needless automo- bile collisions and the loss of control of a vehi- cle.
The St. Clair Township Beacon is issued monthly by St. Clair Township
as a public service to township residents. Production by Bonnie Stevenson.
The Beacon of St. Clair Township February 2023 Page 3
MORE MUNICIPAL NOTES
Exceptions allow these containers to be temporari- ly permitted in a residential zone when it is entirely on private property and NOT on any township street or boulevard. It must comply with site triangle set- backs for corner lots, and it must be removed within 14 days of its arrival on-site.
Anyone considering the location of a storage con- tainer on their property is urged to check out this by- law BEFORE getting one. For more information on this by-law, please contact the St. Clair Township Clerk’s Department at 519-867-2021.
BY-LAW REVIEW FYI
By-Law #55 of 2017
This is a by-law to regulate Open Air Burning in the Township of St. Clair.
This by-law regulates the times during which fires may be set in the open air, and the precautions to be observed by persons setting such open air fires. These regulations are necessary to prevent fires and the spread of fires.
Such fires lead to the need for emergency response and as a result, the person or persons responsible for the fire are subject to pay a fee for emergency re-
More Municipal Notes , page 8
Payment options available as follows:
Monthly pre-authorization
Pay online or by telephone at your bank In person at your bank branch
Drop a cheque into the secure drop box at Civic Centre front door
Mail a cheque
Debit, cash, or cheque at Civic Centre Credit card, debit available for a fee
on www.paysimply.ca
If you do not receive your tax bill(s) in the mail by February 6 please email:
taxes@stclairtownship.ca
Water utility appointments St. Clair Township By-Law 16 of 2022 requires at least 48 hours
require 48 hours notice notice in advance of scheduling appointments with the Public
Works department to avoid service fees.
The St. Clair Township winter parking by-law is now in effect and will continue until April 1, 2023. Under this by-law (By-Law #5 of 2022) it is against the law to leave vehicles of any kind parked on public streets and roads overnight from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
More Works page 5
All homeowners are reminded to clear recreational sports equipment (e.g., basketball nets, goalie nets, etc.) off and away from roads and streets. This includes sports nets that are located on the street surface near the back of the curb. A verbal and/or written warning will be issued to homeowners with sports nets on or near the road.
More Works page 6
When was the last time you checked your chimney?
Look for loose bricks, crumbling mortar, dark stains and white powder; they all indi- cate problems in a masonry chimney. Inside a chimney, buildups of black, tarry cre- osote can cause devastating house fires. Dark stains and white powder at the joints of a wood stove pipe chimney also spells trouble. The SAFEST and most practical way to check and maintain your chimney, woodstove, and fireplace is to contact a WETT* certified Chimney Sweep.
St. Clair Township has introduced a new Water Treatment, Transmission and Meter- ing fee that now appears on your water/sanitary bill. The new water fee is being in- troduced to help the municipality pay for costs related to water treatment, metering and distribution facilities that, with the growing water demands and aging infrastruc- ture, will enable the ongoing delivery of safe drinking water to every customer in St. Clair Township and ensure that it is properly metered.
Residents will notice a new line item on their bill containing the Treatment, Trans- mission and Metering Fee information. An average residential customer with a 3/4 – inch water meter will see “Water Fixed Fee Res Qtly < 1 inch”. The fee is based on your meter size and rate class. For example, residential customers with a 3/4 -inch di- ameter meter will receive a monthly Water Treatment, Transmission and Metering Fee of $4 ($12 billed quarterly) in 2023. The new water fixed fee will be adjusted over the next two years until new infrastructure costs are being financially balanced with the added revenue.
You will have a NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR YOUR WATER BILL
Did you know that when you move properties within St. Clair Township you get a
NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER for your water bill?
It is important that when you move properties you update your banking with your NEW account number so that your payments go to the correct account and don’t land you in HOT WATER!
St. Clair Township Fire Department Awards Dinner resumes after two years
Like many organizations that had to call a halt to annual in-person activities during the pandemic shut down, the St. Clair Township Fire Department
was forced to delay its awards dinner for two years. Finally, in December, milestone service awards and special awards were handed out, and, below left, new recruits were wel- comed to the force.
Below right: Mayor Jeff Agar and Fire Chief Richard Boyes presented retired Fire Chief Roy Dewhirst with his 50-year service award and congratulated him on his retirement. After the presentation, the former chief offered his perspectives on the changes that had occurred in the fire service from the time he served to the present day. Lynn Lester photos
Retired fire chief Roy Dewhirst is honoured.
The Beacon of St. Clair Township February 2023 Page 7
The Beacon of St. Clair Township February 2023 Page 8
GFO general meeting hosts special guest speaker
The Grain Farmers of Ontario, District 3 general meeting in Wyoming on January 19 was the first after two years of Zoom meetings due to COVID. (The district border reaches as far south as Walpole Island, east to Bothwell, and north to Grand Bend.)
In addition to the election of a new executive and reports from GFO departments, a special guest speaker was on hand to talk about an exciting new opportunity that will open up for local grain farmers in 2025.
Jan Westcott, president of Spirits Canada, attended the general meeting to talk about a new Crown Royal whisky distillery planned for St. Clair Township. He em- phasized the mutual benefit that will be gained by building the distillery in close proximity to grain grow- ers.
“You need two things when you’re in our business,” he said. “You need water and you need grain...We need what you produce and we’re proud of the fact that 100 per cent of the grain we use to produce our product in Ontario comes from Ontario farmers...We principally buy corn, wheat and rye.”
Royal Crown’s current distillery operation is in Gim- ley, Manitoba. Since the company bought the brand from Seagram’s, the Gimley facility has been expanded several times to accommodate the growth of the brand, and there is no further space to do so.
The $245 million distillery will be the first one built in over 50 years and Mr. Westcott believes the move to Ontario will have several advantages. ““We’re a lot closer to the United States here and you get more heat days here than in Manitoba...When you look at the
starch levels and other kinds of things, the grain you grow represents a distinct advantage over Manitoba. It’s a pretty big vote of confidence for this area...this is a significant historic decision,” he said.
Mr. Westcott pointed out that 75 per cent of the spirits his company produces is exported, much of it to the U.S. “Crown Royal, in 2019, was the number one selling whisky in the United States. It only beat Jack Daniels by a little bit, and it goes back and forth, but it’s very popular with American consumers,” he said. In addition, he quoted global sales findings that placed Canadian whisky among the top five recognized whiskys in the world, along with Bourbon, Scotch, Irish whisky, and increasingly, Japanese.
A sidebar to Mr. Westcott’s presentation was a story about the origin of the Crown Royal brand. He said the brand was created by Sam Bronfman, then a patron of Seagrams and later, its owner. He was a chemist who set out to create a whisky in honour of the first visit of a reigning monarch to Canada - in this case, King George VI. Aiming for a “lucious,
velvety” mouth feel, he added corn to the recipe. When the resulting whisky was approved, Crown Royal was launched in 1939.
Work on the St. Clair Town- ship distillery project will soon be in progress, with actual oper-
ation to begin in 2025. However, product from that facility will need time to age for a period of at least 5 years before it is re- leased.
Spirits Canada is a subsidiary of Diageo, a multinational alco- holic beverage company head-
quartered in London, England. The company operates from 132 sites around the world, and it is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits.
Spirits Canada
President Jan Westcott speaks at GFO
general meeting.
From page 3
sponse services and/or face charges for activities that lead to the fire.
The Ontario Fire Code provides for the prohibition of open air burning unless approved or unless this fire in- volves the use of a barbecue to cook food and its use is supervised at all times.
PLEASE NOTE: This by-law includes specific provi- sions for open burning, including the need for a permit under certain conditions. Anyone planning to hold rec- reational fires, burn yard debris or field waste, or act in contravention to this by-law in any way should be- come familiar with and obey this by-law or check with Fire Chief Richard Boyes. Failure to take this simple step could prove costly if your open fire results in the need for fire department response and/or the loss of property or life.
By-Law FYI
By-Law #12 of 2017
This is a by-law to accept and adopt an Emergen- cy Management Program for the protection of pub-
lic safety, health, the environment, the critical infra- structure and property for the Township of St. Clair.
This by-law was enacted at the direction of the Prov- ince of Ontario. It requires that the municipality develop an emergency response plan. It also requires the Head of Council to declare an emergency and implement the mu- nicipality's emergency response plan if or when one aris- es, as well as the designation of one or more members of council who will have authority to act for the Head of Council in his/her absence or if he/she is unable to act.
An emergency plan is in place for St. Clair Township as directed under the Province of Ontario Emergency Man- agement Act.
SLEP Digital Main Street program revitalized to help small business
Main Street program is back!
Local businesses looking to grow in Sarnia-Lambton have some great news; the Digital
cused on what they do best. We are thrilled to add addi- tional team members to get out in the community and provide business owners with this free support.”
New Digital Main Street Service Squad members Tahreem Fatima and Kaila Borne will be visiting local businesses to bring awareness to the program, offering
The Digital Main Street (DMS) program provides busi- nesses in Sarnia-Lambton an opportunity to grow their business by implementing free digital tools and technolo- gies to help make them the most tech-savvy and competi- tive businesses in the province.
Local business owners who have already received help from the program are excited about the way it will help grow their business. Cat Cabajar said, “With the help of the Digital Service Squad, I was able to receive help through all of Digital Main Street’s available programs. The Digital Transformation Grant I was awarded will pro- vide funds that will go towards improving my online pres- ence.”
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP) is excited to be revitalizing the Digital Main Street program. To keep up with the demand for the services and training offered through the program, two new Service Squad members have been added to help boost Sarnia-Lambton's local businesses.
CEO Dan Taylor noted, “This is a fantastic program to help businesses grow their business through the enhanced use of digital tools. Through this offering, our goal is to make our businesses more efficient, effective, and fo-
free one-on-one training and an assessment of your busi- ness’s digital needs.
Services and training offered are:
• 360 Photos for Google Business Profiles
• Google Analytics
• • Social media
• • E-Commerce
• • ShopHERE
• • Grants
For more information about this program and how to access it, visit the DMS website at: www.sarnialambton.on.ca/dms or call 519-332-1820.
The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP) is the lead economic development agency for the Sarnia- Lambton area. Funded by the County of Lambton, the focus of SLEP is to promote the distinct advantages of- fered to companies and residents by Sarnia-Lambton. For more information about the Digital Main Street program, go online to: www.digitalmainstreet.ca/ontario
Clash of the Classrooms reading challenge aims to strengthen students’ love of reading
and groups for the challenge through Beanstack, a web- based reading tracking service that enables individuals and groups to easily track their reading progress. Until March 10, educators can use Beanstack to report their classes’ reading progress. Classes will earn badges for reaching reading milestones and completing activities. Any time students spend reading in and outside of class
Lambton County and Chatham-Kent elementary and secondary school classes and homeschool groups are invit- ed to participate in the Clash of the Classrooms Reading Challenge, hosted by Lambton County Library, in partner- ship with Chatham-Kent Public Library (CKPL). Through this program, CKPL and Lambton County Library aim to strengthen students’ love of reading.
Online registration for Clash of the Classrooms
opened in January. Educators can register their classes
during the challenge can be added to class reading totals.
Two elementary classes and one high school class from each municipality will win a pizza party for the most minutes read. In addition, one elementary school, one high school, and one homeschool group from each munici- pality will win a cash prize for most collective minutes read.
It’s never too late to sign up! For more information on Clash of the Classrooms visit lclibrary.ca
Lambton County Library branches offer much more than books
For more information on locations, services and hours of operation visit www.lclibrary.ca
*Brigden 519-864-1142): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,
2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
*Corunna (519-862-1132): Monday through Friday, 10
a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
*Courtright 519-867-2712): Tuesday, Saturday, 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.; Thursday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
*Mooretown (519-867-2823): Monday, Saturday, 9 a.m.
to 1 p.m.; Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
*Sombra (519-892-3711): Tuesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.;
Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
*Port Lambton (519-677-5217): Monday, Saturday, 10
a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Royal Canadian Legion Corunna Branch 447 welcomes New Year with old-school levee
The Sarnia Legion Pipe Band kept spirits bright during the Co- runna Legion’s New Years Day levee. The afternoon party wel- comed friends and neighbours to the Legion hall on Albert Street to begin 2023 in style, with a scrumptious table of munchies and beverages, and entertain- ment.
Right: Young Silas Belet, sporting a dashing green kilt and a sporran, plus hearing-protective ear muffs, stood with his mother to watch the pipe band play with special attention to his uncle, a piper with the band.
Left: Elleke Burke dances to the sound of a solitary piper, who just happened to be her brother,
William Belet. Elleke, who took
up Highland dancing when she was five, says Scottish music and dancing is a family passion.
Bonnie Stevenson photos
Local businesses eligible for grants to increase digital presence
Applications for the $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant 4.0 are now open. This grant will help local small businesses adopt new tech- nologies and increase their digital presence.
Local brick-and-mortar businesses can leverage this grant to in- crease their digital marketing, website development or improvements, new software, digital training, and hardware.
Some requirements for eligibility include being a brick-and-mortar establishment in Ontario, employing 1-50 employees and a registered business in Ontario. Additional requirements and application process can be found at sarnialambton.on.ca/dms.
These $2,500 grants are administered by the Ontario BIA Association through the Digital Main Street pro- gram, which is run locally. Digital service advisors, Tahreem Fatima and Kaila Bourne, are leading this pro- gram locally.
Business owners who seek additional information or assistance are encouraged to reach out.
“These Digital Transformation Grants are a great program for our Sarnia-Lambton businesses to increase their digital presence and stay current,” said Dan Taylor, Sarnia□Lambton Economic Partnership CEO. “It’s exciting to see these businesses given the opportunity to make improvements to set them up for success in the future.”
Businesses looking to participate in this program are encouraged to visit sarnialambton.on.ca/dms or call Tahreem and Kaila at Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership at 519-332-1820.
ABOUT Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership (SLEP) is the lead economic development agency for the Sarnia- Lambton area. Funded by the County of Lambton, we have a focus on promoting the distinct advantages that Sarnia-Lambton proudly offers companies and residents.
ABOUT Digital Main Street
Digital Main Street is a program that helps businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and our Digital Service Squad, a team of street-level team members who help businesses grow and manage their operations through technology. Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association on Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct sup- port from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners including: Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Microsoft, Facebook, Intuit QuickBooks, and Square. For further information, go online to: www.digitalmainstreet.ca/ontario
Beacon Bits
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of differ- ence you want to make.” – Jane Goodall, primatologist, anthropologist, & activist
Firefighters reveal motivations/rewards of emergency response
By Bonnie Stevenson
Little girls are fortunate these days. Their gender is no longer limited to traditional female careers like secretarial, nursing, and teaching.
Non-traditional roles are being filled by wom- en with ever-increasing frequency and the three women in this story personify the good sense
behind this trend.
Jen Zoller, Madison Dupuis, and Savana Palominos are fire- fighters with the St. Clair Township Fire Department. Jen and Madison are also accredited EMS responders.
Each of these women view their career as not just a job, but a calling.
Jen, who has been with the department for 17 years, says in her teen years, she had been searching for a way to help the community and couldn’t seem to settle on anything. Her neighbour was a firefighter whose children she looked after when he was called out to an emergency. “I got involved,” she said. “I asked him a lot of questions and after high school, I took Police Foundations at Lambton College and joined the fire hall when I turned 18. I fell in love with it. After being with the fire department for a few years, one of my captains told me I should go back to school to become a paramedic.” She took her captain’s advice and is now a trained paramedic. “It was the best decision I ever made,” she said. And around the station house, she is now Deputy Chief Jen Zoller of the St. Clair Township Courtright fire sta- tion as well as a full time paramedic.
Savana Palominos, the youngest of the three, says as a child she volunteered in the community and was fascinated by her father’s job; he was a firefighter with the Tiverton fire department. “That’s when I learned I liked to help peo- ple,” she said. After moving to Mooretown, she got involved with swimming and became a lifeguard and swimming teach- er who taught water safety. She was also a lifeguard at Cana- tara beach and was part of several life-saving efforts. “I was looking for more ways to help and firefighting ticked all the boxes for me.”
At first she volunteered with the St. Clair Township Fire Department but after one year of training and six months with a pager as a member of the department, she now at- tends calls and also teaches fire safety.
Madison Dupuis grew up in a family that knew the full ex- tent of the firefighter’s life. To her, it seemed like her fa- ther, a 30-year veteran of the Tilbury Fire Department, was always out on calls, even during special occasions and holi- days. As a child, she resented her father’s job. “I didn’t see it as helping the community,” she said. “I saw it as taking him away from his family.”
Her change of heart came during a ride on the fire truck with her dad, a practice that has since been discontinued. “I overheard a call I shouldn’t have,” she said. Her father re- ceived a call that a car was on fire and he had to quickly de- cide whether to respond and expose his daughter to a poten- tially horrifying scene, or take her back to the fire hall.
He took the time to drop her off at the fire hall before he responded. She was old enough to realize her dad cared deeply about her and that, to help others, he had to make difficult choices sometimes. “I knew he was just more than a hero, and I knew, in some capacity, I had to help people on
their worst day,” she said. After high school, Madison joined the fire department and eventually returned to school to become a paramedic as well. “My goal was to do both. Being a paramedic has made me a better firefighter, and being a firefighter has made me a better paramedic,” she said.
During the interview, the women considered what it took to do the job they were so passionate about. They agreed that a person can watch a lot of videos and have all the in- formation in the world, but you have no idea how it will make you feel when you see the real thing. Informed com- mitment and eyes wide open are necessary to handle the job effectively.
The firefighters also agree a person must become a fire- fighter for the right reasons and remember who they’re do- ing it for. Women may encounter the occasional push-back from a less enlightened colleague, but that’s when it helps to keep your eye on the goal of helping people.
Back in the fire hall, the camaraderie is not just a superfi- cial bond between workmates, it goes deep into the hearts of every firefighter. “Firefighting is one of the few careers where, even if you don’t know each other going in, once you’re here, you’re family,” said Madison.
Jen noted how being in the thick of an emergency created a special dynamic between firefighters. “I like the brother- hood of it; everyone comes together,” she said.
To Savana, the magnetic effect of emergency response seems to create a bond any sports team would be proud of. “We’re able to come together as a team,” she said.
If you know a firefighter or an emergency service respond- er, don’t forget to thank him or her for the good work they do. You’re one of the people they work hard and train hard to help during your worst day.
The St. Clair Township Fire Department is always looking for new recruits. If you believe you have the drive to make a positive difference in your community, call the office at 519
-481-0111 to obtain information about what it takes to be- come a firefighter.
200 YEARS IN THE MAKING: Corunna was Almost Canada’s Capital!
Heritage St. Clair breaking news: From the
dusty halls of history to 2023, we bring you a story that will amaze and amuse you. Did you know that Corunna was once chosen to be Canada’s new capital city? Read on…
...In 1823, Lord William Carr Beresford of England and his survey party arrived in awe of a mighty forest on the eastern shore of the St. Clair River, to survey a suitable location for the Capital of Canada. Beresford named this site Corunna to commemorate the Napoleonic battle of La Coruña, a seaport in northwestern Spain, where his com- manding officer Sir John Moore met his demise. From the 1823 survey, the streets were laid out in a pattern similar to that of the British flag, the Union Jack. The British ar- my officers under the command of Sir John Moore provid- ed the names for Corunna’s streets.. Hill and Lyndoch Streets were to be the main thoroughfares of Canada’s capital, which accounts for their extra width, still seen today. The diagonal street design from the 1823 survey converged in the centre of a ten acre open area which was named St. George’s Square, in honor of the Patron Saint of England. This is where the government buildings of the United Provinces of Upper Canada (now Ontario) and Lower Canada (now Quebec) would have been built. Corunna was surveyed again in 1836. The diagonal design from the 1823 and the 1836 surveys were rejected, so another survey was order for 1837. The area was then designed in the style of the current town layout, a square street pattern. Building lots were then put up for sale and settlement of the town began. The village boasted two shoemakers, two harness-makers, three blacksmiths, one cabinet maker, a tin smith, a grist mill, a ship builder, and two general stores. Five hotels were also built along with two on Stag Island. In 1852 the post office was es- tablished. Since marine shipping was the main mode of transportation at the time, many docks were built to han- dle exports of timber, grain and potash. A railway, the Erie and Huron railway, now know as CSX, was built pass- ing through Corunna in 1886 This railway linked Corunna with Lake Huron, Sarnia and as far south as Lake Erie,
greatly adding to Corunna’s prosperity. Sadly, the pro- posal of Corunna as the Canada’s capital was rejected, along with Toronto (York) and Kingston, because of its close proximity to the United States. However, Corunna has now become a thriving community that people contin- ue to call home.
This year, Corunna will celebrate 200 years since Corunna was “capital of Canada” for a couple of days. A special committee has been formed to discuss ways to commemorate this brush with greatness. So far, a special logo is being designed and banners bearing that design will be posted on 36 Lyndoch Street streetlight poles to raise public awareness. A family-friendly com- munity event plus associated activities and commemo-
The Corunna 200 Committee holds its inaugural meet- ing to figure out how to celebrate Corunna’s near-miss to be capital of Canada. From left to right around the table: Chairman Tracy Kingston; Nicole Smith; Steve
Pilke; Melissa Atyeo; Myka Barnes; Dean Esser; Ashley Ward-Robbins; Randi Rogers.
Can you reunite this adorable pair of dolls?
The Moore Museum is searching for Bonnie, the adorable little dolly in this picture. She’s shown here with her brother, Ronnie, in the happy days before she went missing.
The museum would like to reunite the twins so they can be included in the museum’s toy shop display.
The dollies are made from molded plastic rubber and were originally sold in pairs by the Viceroy Manufacturing Company of Toronto. The company factory on Dupont Street began pro- ducing the molded rubber toys, which were known for their bright colours, in 1930. In addition to dolls, the product line included: bath toys, balls, sand and beach toys, small cars and trucks.
If you have a Bonnie doll, or if you know someone who has, please reunite the twins by emailing: lwoods@stclairtownship.ca
Riverside
Cemetery Board Annual Meeting
The Riverside Cemetery Board Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. at Nautical Hills (formerly Pick & Pay Variety). Lot holders and interested par- ties are encouraged to attend. For more information, please contact Dennis Robinson at 519-892-3316.
More Heritage, page 13
A Family Day throw-back to days gone through portraits
Moore Museum Curator Fiona Doherty
Monday, February 20th is Family Day. As a newer holiday, first observed in On- tario in 2008, there are few traditions associated with Family Day; however, the tradition of taking family portraits is one that has been increasingly popular for hundreds of years.
Before the invention of photography, hav- ing a family portrait meant sitting to have one painted, an expensive and lengthy pro- cess that was out of reach for most people. Working class families might have had a sil- houette of their profile cut out of black pa- per and mounted instead; while those slightly more fortunate might have been able to ac- quire a miniature of watercolours. Only the rich were able to commission their portraits in oils. Fortunately, this changed in the early 19th century. The first known photograph was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a French inventor, in the late 1820’s. The next several decades would see the development of the process of photography, from expensive and time consuming to more affordable and ac- cessible to the average family.
The popularity of family portraits is some- times attributed to Queen Victoria, who was passionate about photography and used it to document her life and family. The public, often looking to mimic the practices of the royal family, also embraced photography and sat for family portraits, which soon became not only a way to immortalize the family
group, but also a symbol of status. As such, these pictures were taken to portray an idealized version of the sitter. Everything from the pose of the subject, their gaze and dress, accessories held or displayed around them, the painted backdrop and even the event prompting the photograph to be taken, were all carefully chosen to ensure that the portrait would reveal the subject’s best features.
Although hard to believe now given the frequency with which we take photos, a family portrait would be a rare treat: cherished by the family, displayed a safe but noticeable place, and passed down through generations.
The portraits above were created
with different processes.
(1) Photos like this one, mounted on hard card stock, were called cabinet cards. They became popular in the 1870s. Prior to this, a carte de visite, a smaller photo- graph the size of a visiting card, was often popular to trade and collect amongst friends when visiting. Cabinet cards measured 4 ½” x 6 ½” and declined in use in the early 1900s as personal and candid photography became more common. The photo is signed J. M. White of 938 Mil- itary Street, Port Huron.
Photos and information from Moore Museum archives
Museum train room receives donations
Curator Fiona Doherty
This past year the Moore Museum’s train room was very fortunate to receive several generous donation. Two of
the donations, in particular, have allowed us to plan some new exciting features for this years Train Show on July 2/23. One of the scales modeled in the train room is “G” scale. “G”, known as Garden Scale, is the largest scale
operating at the Moore Museum. These trains can run in- side or out, even in the rain or snow. One of the generous donations was “G” scale train and track supplies. This has allowed the Museum the opportunity to add another train
(2) These tintype photos were made on a thin sheet of metal (iron, not tin), coated with enamel and a photo- graphic emulsion. Most popular in the mid to late 1800s, the tintype could be developed in just a few minutes and so were used both in photography studios and by travel- ling photographers at fairs and events.
(3) This mounted photograph of sisters Barbara, Annie, Emma and Minerva Robbins was taken by T. A. Cairns of Sarnia. Cairns began working as an independent photographer in 1903 and had a gallery on Victoria St.
N. in Sarnia.
route in the Shaw Building, near the Train Room. The sec- ond donation is an impressive collection of 14 large scale models. The donation includes models of naval vessels, military rail equipment and aviation/ aerospace items.
We plan to use these models as the nucleus of a new mod- el display. In addition to Museum member’s model collec- tions, this year’s Train Room and Train Show should be the best yet. So mark July 2 on your calendar for a visit to Moore Museum’s annual Train Show for some new and ex- citing exhibits. Don’t forget, you can always visit the Mu- seum, March through to December, to tour the Train Room and the rest of this wonderful Museum.
More Heritage, page 14
Sombra Museum project will celebrate historic local barns
The preservation of old barns in Sombra Township
By Darrell Randell
The Sombra Museum is looking at the barns again. Twenty-two years ago, a millennium project to photograph the barns still standing in the town- ship was completed. By that time, many of the old large barns, built with beams that were likely har- vested from the property owners own bush, were beginning to disappear. Modern agriculture had changed from the mixed livestock base to more in- tensified production of either crops or livestock. The simple explanation is that those old barns be- came less practical as farming changed, but they were vitally important to the agricultural process that made change possible.
The Sombra Museum is undertaking a project for 2023 that will involve a review of the year 2000 photographs and the selection of some of the barns that are still standing to be photographed again to include in a calendar for 2024. A plan is in the works to host an opportunity to visit a historic old barn, learn how it has been used in the past, and see what has been done to re-purpose the building. There will also be a presentation and discussion at the Sombra Museum’s lecture series in the fall.
Some of the old barns have been modified or had additions to continue service in ways very dif- ferent from the original purpose.
Many barns were simply left idle for too long; they had deteriorated to a point where there was no option left but to remove the building. It is per- fectly understandable as there can be significant costs to re-roof an old barn, or to paint it, or do foundation repairs. If the owner has no use for the barn, it is not going to last. It is not an easy call to keep up a building that is no longer in use.
In the millennium year, we believe there were 240 old barns in Sombra Township. We are not in- cluding the modern livestock barns, but we do in- clude the old barns that have had additions built because that is part of the repurposing, and it pre- serves the original structure.
Within the former Sombra Township over the past twenty-two years, 87 barns were demolished. Without doing a close inspection, we rated the con- dition of the existing barns from the car window as poor if we could see that parts of the roof or siding were missing. At the time, 35 barns were listed in poor condition of the 153 still standing. We could not see the backs of the barns or get a look at their foundations, so the estimate for barns in poor con- dition is likely higher than 35.
We are always impressed with the architecture of barns that are 100 years old or over. The barns had to store hay and grain to feed the horses and cattle, as well as straw to provide bedding for the animals, and all that made it necessary to con- struct these large buildings. A vast amount of space was required in the mow to store hay and that af- fected the barn size and design. It is unbelievable to think that all this was done with hand tools, horses, and the help of many neighbours.
The old barn photographs taken around the mil- lennium year have provided us with an incredible archive for the future. We are fortunate our muse-
um volunteers had the foresight to document this important architectural history to demonstrate their importance to early farming in Sombra, because it is inevitable that the number of old barns in the town- ship will continue to decline.
However, we are pleased to report that some barn owners are maintaining their buildings and even un- dertaking renovation projects and finding new ways to continue using the barns. Examples of this type of construction will remain for the near future, but will certainly not exist on every farmstead, as it once did.
B
Above: A community barn-raising brought neighbours and their carpentry tools to the building site. It was understood that helping one’s neighbour was a way of ensuring that, if you needed their help with a build some day, you’d have a crew to help you do it.
These barns were often built without the use of nails. Stout timber frames were joined using techniques like mortis-and
-tenon, tongue-in-groove, and dovetail joints, and fastened in place with long, thick wooden pegs to ensure that the barn would stand for many decades.
A: The supportive skeleton of a barn wall is raised into po-
sition during a barn-raising.
B: With the supporting frame in place, the “pre-fab” roof
frame is prepared for placement.
Courtright Friendship Club back in action with new executive
The Courtright Friendship Club is back in operation after a long pause due to the pandemic. The group recently chose a new executive to handle club business. Above, from left: President Joyce Brock; Vice-president Sue Jones; Secretary Chris Lapuise; Treasurer Marilyn Johnson; and Second Vice-president Vicki McNaughton.
The Courtright Friendship Club membership meets the first Thursday of every month at 1533 Fourth Street in Courtright. Annual membership is $10, but non-members are welcome to come out and enjoy the group’s weekly card games: Euchre is played on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and Pepper is played on Fridays at 7 p.m. at a cost of $3 per per- son. Newcomers are always welcome. Bonnie Stevenson photo
Optimist Club of Moore thanks community for success of 2022 Operation Christmas Tree
The Optimist Club of Moore and the 2022 Operation Christmas Tree organizing committee would like to thank local individuals, groups, schools, corporations and busi- nesses for their generous support toward our 2022 pro- gram.
Community donations, school food drives and fundrais- ers enabled us to deliver over 115 food and toy hampers to families with young children, ensuring they had food on the table and gifts under the tree on Christmas morn- ing. The hamper deliveries helped to make a brighter holiday season for over 150 children, and as well, 20 full carloads of food went to our local food bank. Specific thanks to the Knights of Columbus and the Corunna Legion
for sponsoring fundraising breakfasts and luncheons, the Corunna OPP for hosting their annual donation drive- through, volunteer firefighters for their delivery assis- tance and fundraising, and to local schools and parents for their overwhelming food and toy donations.
On behalf of the Operation Christmas Tree organizing committee, and the recipi- ents of the hampers and toys, we thank you for your valuable contributions this year and look forward to a successful 2023 campaign.
Stan Marsh, President, Operation Christmas Tree
The Beacon of St. Clair Township February 2023 Page 16
New Year gives birth to Baby Bookworms literacy program
Above: One of the first new borns to receive a Baby Bookworms bag was little Luke McVittie, son of Erika and Kyle McVittie.
Bluewater Health photo
~We now offer online program registration~ Please visit https://www.nlchc.com/services/ wellness-programs/ .
Be sure to specify which program you are regis-
tering for on the top of the form.
To register, call 519-344-3017 ext. 237 or email adinell@nlchc.com to register and/or receive the Zoom link.
**All programs will start January 9. **
In Person-Low Impact Exercise:
Low impact exercises performed using body weight and resistance bands. All abilities welcome.
Brigden Low Impact: Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. (at Brigden Fair Grounds, 2976 Brigden Road, Brigden)
Mooretown Low Impact: Thursdays at 9 a.m. (at Mooretown Sports Complex, 1166 Emily St.)
Virtual Exercise:
Virtual Low Impact Exercise: Wednesdays and Fridays (Zoom) at 9 a.m. Low impact exercis- es performed using body weight and re- sistance bands. All abilities welcome.
Virtual Shibashi: Tuesdays, (Zoom) at 11 a.m. Tai chi/qigong is a practice of aligning breath and movement for exercise and health. Shiba- shi consists of 18 simple steps. It is easy to learn and perfect for beginners.
Virtual Sit or Stand Exercise: Mondays (Zoom) at 1:30 p.m. Virtual Chair Exercise: No impact exercise performed standing or seated in a chair, resistance bands are used. All exercise abilities are welcome.
Anger Management: Offered until March 2, 2023. Every Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Iden- tify your anger triggers, patterns, and practice posi- tive and effective anger management skills. Registra- tion required. SESSION NOW FULL.
Boosting Balance and Bone Health Held Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. until Feb. 15 at 460 Christina Street N. in Sarnia. This five-week exercise and edu- cation program run by an occupational therapist is designed to improve balance and strength. To regis- ter please call 519-344-3017, ext. 274.
Cooking Buddies: Children’s cooking classes for ages between 6 to 12 years old. The class will focus on learning to read recipe cards, measure ingredients, try new foods, and to have fun! Classes will run monthly. CLASSES ARE FULL AT THIS TIME!
Coffee Time: Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (at Cardiac Rehab Site, 460 Christina St N. Parking at the back of the building, off Maxwell). Join us for coffee and conversation, free of charge, everyone welcome! On Feb. 24, a pharmacist will speak about the 13 new RX generic brands pharmacists can now prescribe and what to do if you miss or double dose on medications.
Garden Fresh Box: The Garden-Fresh box is an inex- pensive monthly food buying club for anyone who wants fresh vegetables and fruit all year round.
Line Dancing: Continues until Feb. 15 every Wednes- day at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, 120 Russel St.
S. from 1p.m. to 2 p.m. All abilities welcome, no previous experience necessary. Space is Limited! Master Your Health— Chronic Pain: Light exercises to improve strength and flexibility, techniques to deal with stress, pain, depression and improve sleep, fatigue management, pain medications treatments. This is 6-week virtual program began in January. Call 519-786-4545 ext. 327 for more details.
Meditation: Held Mondays 10 a.m. to 11a.m. (at West Lambton CHC). Increase self esteem, improve concentration, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, emotional balance.
Opening Doors: Healthy lifestyle program for indi- viduals living with mental illness or seeking mental health support. For information, 519-344-3017 Ext. 277.
Virtual Caregiver Support Workshop: This workshop is set for Feb. 6 at 2:30 p.m. As a caregiver, you are well versed in what others need. Now, learn tools and resources to help take care of yourself. To reg- ister, call 519-344-3017, ext. 277 or email: revera- ert@nlchc.com.
Young Parent Prenatal: Continues until Feb. 7 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (at West Lambton CHC) A four-week program facilitated by Lambton Public Health learn- ing with other young parents about labour and deliv- ery, relationships, nutrition, caring for your baby and more! For more information or to register please call LPH at 519-383-3817.
North Lambton Community Health Centre is proud to be accredited through the Canadian Centre for Accreditation, a third-party review based on ac- cepted organizational practices that promote on- going quality improvement and responsive, effec- tive community services.
The Beacon of St. Clair Township February 2023 Page 19
The Beacon of St. Clair Township February 2023 Page 20
Corunna Legion to host events/activities Royal Canadian Legion Br. 447 Corunna will host the fol- lowing activities.
Regular Legion Br. 447 Activities
Every Monday is Pepper at 1 p.m. Every Thursday is Cribbage at 1 p.m. Every Friday is Bridge at 1 p.m.
Every Saturday is Meat Raffle at 4 p.m. Every Friday - Fun Darts at 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 6, 13, and 27 - Corn Hole at 6:30 p.m. Every Tuesday - SLDL Pub Darts at 7:30 p.m.
Legion Br.447 Special events
*Saturday, Feb. 4: Barb Griffin/Twisted Sisters Ladies Dart Tournament - registration at 10 a.m. and play at 11 p.m.
*Friday, Feb. 8: Trade Show-gold and silver appraisal.
*Pub Night, Sunday, Feb.12 , 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with
entertainment by JST4FN
*Saturday, Feb. 25: Open Jam Session at 3 p.m.
MAS Country Jamborees continue Country Jamborees are back at the Brigden Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall. The next Jamborees will be held on Sun- day, February 12 and on Sunday, March 12 (Daylight Sav-
ings time begins) Doors open at 12 noon and music starts at 1 p.m. Cash bar will be available. Tickets for the ham and Scalloped potato dinner at 5 p.m. with dinner will be $15 per person at the door. A $5 cover charge will apply for those who are just coming for an after-
noon of music and fellowship.
Bring your partner, your dancing shoes, and your love of music. Musicians are welcome.
Sombra Museum family fun time
On Saturday, Feb. 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. come out to Sombra Museum for music and fun family activities. The February Beacon will carry all the information you need to enjoy this welcome break from your winter hiberna- tion.
Sombra Museum family activities day
The Sombra Museum will host an afternoon of music and family activities on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m. Cost is $5 for ages 13+, $3 for ages 3-12, 3 and un- der are free.
Sombra Museum Lecture Series speaker The next Sombra Museum Lecture Series presentation on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. will feature speaker Greg Hilliard who will tell the story of the wreck of the Mana- soo and reveal its Lambton County connections. Tickets will be $10 per person at the door.
World Day of Prayer service planned
The World Day of Prayer service will be held at Knox Moore Presbyterian Church at 1354 Rokeby Line on Fri- day, March 3 at 1:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend and learn about the women in Taiwan who have prepared the service. A time for food and fellowship will follow the service.
Courtright Friendship Club activities
The Courtright Friendship Club meets every first Thurs- day of every month next to the Courtright Library, 1533 Fourth Street. Annual membership is $10, but non- members are welcome to come out to the groups weekly card games. Euchre is played on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and Pepper is played on Fridays at 7 p.m. The cost per game is $3 per person.
