With the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics in full swing, it’s no wonder that everybody across the country has turned their attention to the athletes playing in home soil. Unknown to some, another group of equally talented athletes are also competing for glory and pride here at home.

Unless you have children playing minor league hockey, you probably haven’t bothered to pay attention to it. Sure, you might have heard of some games, even been to one or two, but you haven’t really bothered to keep track of rivalries, standings, and the like. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Hopefully, that changes as two minor hockey teams from Gananoque make their way to achieving something great. The Rob Nash Excavating Atom Islanders will be playing against the Aylmer Flames at this season’s semifinals match. The Home Hardware Novice Islanders are also doing well this post season, and are looking to make it to the OMHA levels.

With all these games taking place left and right, it’s no wonder that some of the players’ parents are having a tough time with travel and accommodations costs. While they might have signed up for this by letting their children play in the league, let’s help these kids represent the town and focus on the game. They need our support.

In a council meeting held last week, Gananoque resident Kimberly Higgs spoke at the meeting and presented a letter she wrote herself, along with Stephen Higgs, and Linda & William Steacy.

Higgs spoke about her worries on the new hydro poles slated to be built in the east side of Stone Street North, the neighborhood where she resides in. If the project plans are approved, Eastern Ontario Power will be in charge of building the poles, which are aimed at creating redundancy in the system.

But according to Higgs, the current system has a flaw that could prove disastrous for the town. A power outage, she said, could leave a large section of Gananoque in darkness. She added that it would be most expedient to have more power lines to safeguard against this scenario.

The original plan was to have the poles run through Stone Street, then turning west on King Street. But council wanted the development to look more pleasing to the eyes, so they agreed to subsidize another $200,000 to let the lines go through Brock Street to the library instead of King Street. It’s worth noting that the original plan proposed by Eastern Ontario Power would not have cost the town a single cent.

This decision, made without the consultation of the public, is something Higgs finds disturbing.

Council is set to hold another meeting on the subject.

Not many people may have known it, but Gananoque had the honor of playing host to the OCA or Ontario Curling Association Bantam Provincial Championships for young kids a few weeks ago on February 3. The event drew in over 30 players from 8 different teams vying for the chance to represent the Southern Ontario region at this year’s Winter Games.

The 4-day event was held at the Gananoque Curling Club along William Street, and was attended by young boys and girls aged 12 to 16, some competing, and some of whom came to watch the games. It was an odd sight, especially for those not familiar with curling – the scene was composed of children crouching close to the ground with broomsticks, all concentrating on scoring a goal.

Brian Brooks, the OCA 2010’s Host Committee Chairman, welcomed the players and encouraged them to do their best and play fair, telling them that they are now part of a centuries-old sport that came to the shores of Canada as far back as the 1700s. He added that competing at the event meant that they were all champions in their own right.

Gananoque Mayor Jim Garrah also spoke at the opening ceremonies and congratulated the kids for making it this far.

While not many people in the province may have known it, Gananoque had the honor of hosting the OCA or Ontario Curling Association’s Bantam Provincial Championships for young kids on the 3rd of February. The championships drew in 16 teams from all across Ontario for some intense competitive curling at its best.

The Gananoque Curling Club, located along William Street, was where the championships were held. The event saw the participation of over 80 boys and girls aged 12 to 16 from the different curling teams that vied for the opportunity to represent the Southern Ontario region in this year’s Winter Games.

Brian Brooks, chairman of OCA 2010 bantam division Host Committee, welcomed the young curlers and encouraged them to do their best and reminded them that they are now part of an old sport that came to Canada in the 1700s. He urged them to never forget that they’ve earned the right to compete at the event through their dedication and hard work.

Both Gananoque Mayor Jim Garrah and OCA director for youth relations and competitions, Joan O’Leary, spoke at the championships’ opening ceremonies and congratulated the young players for making it this far.

Indeed, the future of this sport looks to be bright in the hands of these kids.

In a move to answer the high number of complaints on the current snow clearing policy of the town, the Gananoque Town Council has assigned Darren Dalgleish, Chief Administrative Officer of Gananoque, to come up with a bylaw amendment.

Dalgleish presented the amendment two days ago, and council gave it their approval so as to ease the growing discontent in the community, this according to Gananoque Mayor Jim Garrah.

The new bylaw addresses the concerns of the Gananoque community, and is improved to be more informative and fair in the need to have clear and unobstructed sidewalks, this according to the report filed by Dalgleish.

While the Town Council chose not to disclose whether or not they would approve the amendment, which they’ll be doing in the next meeting, Dalgliesh’s proposed bylaw on snow removal in Gananoque would give a grace period for residents who fail to keep the area in front of their homes clear, as well as give violators a written warning for a first offense, instead of an invoice.

Mayor Garrah notes that the goal of the bylaw isn’t to create tension, but to encourage everyone in the community to keep the sidewalks in front of their homes clear of snow.

Noel Bullock, a photographer based in the town of Gananoque, describes himself as a man who likes to live on the edge. The local photographer was recently spotted snapping pictures of impoverished and homeless residents in the City of Vancouver. These telling pictures have been published and are now at display at Kingston’s Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre. They’ve been there since the previous weekend.

Some of Bullock’s thought-provoking pictures include shots of Vancouver from a very urbanized perspective, as well as pictures of indigent residents with their mobile homes on wheels, otherwise known as shopping carts. Bullock explained that homeless people are shunned and rejected by the public during the day. But in the nighttime, they congregate and form a small community of their own. He said that watching them has somewhat changed his views on life.

Even though the Olympics showcase the beauty and sights of Vancouver, nobody seems to address the problem of homelessness in the city, he said. With his exhibit, he hopes that the pictures displayed encourage people to act and pressure the local government into do something.

The Vancouver government is reaching out to indigents through support programs and the like, but Bullock thinks this is only because the Olympics are in town. When the Olympics end, he doesn’t want things to go back to “normal”.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics in full swing, thousands of police officers and other public service personnel from all Canada are deployed in Vancouver, British Columbia, to help keep peace and order in the region. Const. Rhonda Grant, from Gananoque’s Police Service, together with Sgt. Junior White and Constables Peter Lorenz and Mike Driscol are currently pitching in on the effort as well. All four Gananoque police officers are now in Vancouver working together with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Const. Grant is presently part of one of the event’s surveillance teams and is paired with another police officer from British Columbia. She commented that working behind the scenes in one of the year’s biggest sporting events has exceeded her expectations. A lot more work needs to be done but things are pretty relaxed, she added.

The Gananoque Police Service held a lottery last year for those interested to work in Vancouver during the Olympics. Three constables were chosen in June, with Sgt. White assigned to be their supervisor. Late last year, the officers got their first instructions from the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) regarding deployment dates and assignments.

Gananoque’s police officers will be working in their own uniforms and carrying their own equipment.

Rockport, a township located a few kilometers north of Gananoque, will be hosting its 30^th annual winter carnival from the 12^th to the 14^th of February. The yearly event will come with some new and special activities, as well as some challenges the entire family will surely enjoy.

And as always, this year’s winter carnival will feature a “New To You Table” where those in attendance can drop off clothes both new and slightly used, as well as other items that are not more than $30, this according to Lori Senecal, one of the event’s organizers.

The annual event will also involve a number of charities, one of which is the Gananoque and District Humane Society. A percentage of the carnival’s proceeds will go to the organization and the rest of the other charities involved.

Last year, the winter carnival raised $3,100 – a number organizers hope to top this year.

Other activities to check out include a book sale, a karaoke contest with great prizes, and a Male Sexy legs competition. In addition, an outdoor rink was created in the vicinity of the event grounds.

So what’re you waiting for? Rockport is just a short drive away from Gananoque. Mark your calendars and join the fun!

If you’re around the Gananoque area next month and are looking to exercise your creative muscles, then we’ve got a contest that you should definitely check out.

Pam Staple, town and cultural coordinator for Gananoque, recently invited all local artists, designers, illustrators, and pretty much anyone with a creative flair to come up with a design for themed street banners.

The new banners will be placed on lamp posts along King Street. Submitted artworks must of course be original, as well as specifically designed for the contest. The four banners must feature a theme that represents life in the Gananoque community. Designs must “speak” of water, the arts, our heritage, and our historical downtown district.

Designs and artwork can be submitted for consideration through a CD as a high-resolution JPG file. Artists and designers are requested to include all necessary information along with CD like name, address, and the like.

And if your artwork is chosen, you get to receive a gift certificate worth $500 from Wallacks Art Store

Not only do you stand a chance to win great prizes, you’re also helping Gananoque out. So what’re you waiting for? Get your creative juices flowing and design something for the community!