Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your Friendly Fly!
Providence Bay is blooming and come May will be booming! As we begrudgingly continue yard cleanup, home and business repairs, maintenance and refurbishing and store away our ski-masks, snowshoes, and hockey bags in exchange for soccer cleats, baseball bats and bike helmets, we must take a minute to experience and revel at the wonder of the natural world coming back to life! And the remote possibility and pipedream that some or one of our favourite NHL teams doing the same (not naming any names) as we puck- drop into Stanley Cup playoff season. And call to order spring meetings, management, Mother’s Day gifts, the May 24 miscellaneous of grill-friendly fare, marshmallows, Muskoka chairs and splash around in muddy puddles with muddy boots wondering if our neighbours have ordered their gravel, mulch and peat moss yet as we grumble at the cost of groceries, goods and services that are sure to spike in tandem with the tourists arriving. The good and happy news is all of our favourite outdoor events are happening again! Here’s the lineup:
Providence Bay Arena: soccer is back beginning Saturday, April 27 at the Providence Bay arena grounds, recurring Saturdays, 10 to 11 am for Ages 6 to 13. Pre-registration required, visit Providence Bay Spring Bay Recreation Committee https://www.facebook.com/provbayspringbayrec.
Providence Bay Hall: Coming Soon, alot of Prebooked private events including some seasonal Lions Club breakfast events. I will keep you all in the know as I am as of last week’s Lions Club meeting, a newly appointed and proud member of the Providence Bay Spring Bay Lions Club. My sponsor was Annette Murphy. Thank you, Annette and Lions, what an honour.
Coffee Club is done now for the season and will resume in the fall, thanks to everyone who participated in support of the Lions Club.
Mindy meetings and drop-ins: https://www.centralmanitoulin.ca/recreation-culture/events
Cancer support group April 24 (today) 2 to 4 pm at the Mindemoya Council Chambers; Seniors’ drop-in, April 25 at the Mindemoya library 2 to 4pm, macrame workshop.
Manitoulin Nature Club meeting, April 25 at the Trinity United Church 7 to 9 pm.
Community of Christ Church regular Sunday service at 10:30 am with community chat at 11 am service.
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12 this year.
Notable Events: Central Manitoulin Council meeting has been rescheduled to April 30 at 7 pm.
Central Manitoulin Mother’s Day Market Saturday, May 4 at the Mindemoya Community Hall and Memorial Park.
Art Stash event Saturday, May 4 at the Mindemoya Curling Club, buy, sell and trade gently used and new art supplies, paint, canvas, frames, paper, stencils etc.
Spring cleaning notes, if disposing of bedding, pillows, towels, handbags or clothing SicSox Circular Clothing and Textile bins are located at 39 Henry Drive at Kagawong Park Centre. Or you can donate your items to Manitoulin Family Resources or salvage for your next yard sale!
Yard Clean-Up: 6 am today garbage and recycling plastic and metal /first week of May cardboard and paper (or repurpose your cardboard in your garden beds). The Providence Bay transfer station accepts light bulbs, paint cans and small batteries in a designated sea-can. If you have any questions, contact Mark 705 377 5276
Batter, batter, batter! Central Manitoulin softball club is in search of volunteer coaches, on field helpers, score keepers and umpires, contact Central Manitoulin Softball Club for details.
Docks and boat launches: Docks and bumpers are installed May long weekend.
Providence Bay beach change rooms and washrooms are open in May – Hooray!
Happy Volunteers Week, National Student Leadership Week, National Playground Safety Week and National Organ /Tissue Donor Awareness Week and National Administrative Professionals Week.
“ A Tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers Love.”
Saint Basil
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
There’s been a lot going on in the township recently. But not only that, there are some days being celebrated on a national scale that we wanted to recognize here in our community column! First up, April 18 was National Exercise Day. It was also National Velociraptor Awareness Day. Which makes sense to us since once you become aware of a velociraptor, you better start running!
Got bedding, curtains, clothes, or other fabrics that you don’t want any more? Drop them into the lavender deposit boxes near the Kagawong Park Centre. Items in good shape will be re-sold at the Sic Sox retail store. Other textiles that would otherwise be garbage are recycled into insulation. Either way, it’s a win-win situation for the environment!
Happiest of happy 29th birthday wishes go out to Kagawongians Jean W and Kristy C, as well as seasonal Kagawongian Marilyn P. We find birthdays are an excellent time to look back over our lives and reflect on the really big questions. Like, can you believe we used to think people our age were adults and had their life in order?!
Sunday (April 21) was Big Word Day. Not to be too sesquipedalian, but Team Fergmeijer finds that absolutely supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Come out the Rotary Club of Gore Bay fundraiser “Life on a Farm” this Saturday, April 26th being held at the Gore Bay community hall. Enjoy an evening of song and poetry with Vernon Bailey and John McCleneghan, featuring the poetry of Charlie Smith of Massey. Tickets are $25 and are available at Central Pharmacy and at the door.
Billings council has established an Ad-Hoc Committee to create a Municipal Owned Water System Policy. The committee will be responsible for developing clear procedures on capital projects and major upgrades to the water lines, as well as reviewing options for implementing a capital levy that can be used to create a water capital reserve, among other important tasks. The Township is looking for 4 members of the community to serve on the committee. Application details are available on the Township website.
Today (April 24) is National Pig in a Blanket Day. It is also Stop Food Waste Day, so in honour of the day, pass over the rest of those pigs in blankets!
In other township news, Todd Gordon has been appointed to the position of Deputy Chief Administrative Officer/ Municipal Project Manager, effective immediately. The Deputy CAO role is an integral part of the Senior Management Team and acts as the CAO in the CAO’s absence. Todd is a dynamic and experienced municipal leader with a demonstrated history of managing projects and strategic initiatives in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Congratulations!
Old Mill Rd. Bridge replacement will begin on May 1st! There will be several weeks when the bridge is out-of-service and the only access to properties on Old Mill Rd. will be via Newburn Rd/Graham Hill. Full closure of the bridge is expected to be no later than May 15th. Please note that construction will also affect those using the river trail. Anyone walking on the east side trails (along the bluff) will not be able to cross the river at the river mouth and will have to retrace their steps to the pedestrian bridge.
The worst part of April is when the meteorologist keeps predicting sprinkles and you just get regular droplets of water like always. Have a great week!
Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley
The bay is open, the grass is green, spring bulbs are blooming and pussy willows are out. We saw our first bumblebee yesterday and it was huge.
Congratulations to Jamie Nelder who has been hired as the new manager for the Meldrum Bay Marina for 2024. There will be two cleanup days coming up, April 27 and May 4. Be at the marina building at 9 am or whenever you can make it to help out.
On May long weekend there will once again be the ATV Ride, followed by a dinner at the hall here in Meldrum Bay. A lot of work goes into planning this and it should be a great day for everyone.
Friday night, April 12, there were three full tables and one sit-out at Euchre. High lady was Gladys Duncanson with 73 points. High man was Karen Noble with 68 points. Ladies’ lone hands went to Rose VanEvery with four. Men’s lone hands went to Murray Duncanson with four. Most euchres went to Donna K McDonald with nine. Bob Benedict brought home the juice. The 50/50 draw was won by Diane Jones. The money jar is still safe. Come out and join us on Friday night.
Silver Water
Karen Noble
The funeral for Arthur Addison was held on Thursday, March 28. Condolences to his family. Erwin Thompson announced that he has done his very last funeral. Thank you to Erwin for all his service over the last many years.
Friday, April 5 we went to Meldrum Bay to play euchre.
Saturday, April 6 Albert Meijer and I went for a long walk in Evansville picking up cans and bottles.
Sunday, April 7 we went to Tehkummah for their euchre tournament in the afternoon. They had twelve tables of players. The ladies announced that the tournaments will continue all summer on the first Sunday of each month.
Monday, April 8 the recycle bins were open. After we finished with them, we went to the house to prepare for the eclipse. The television provided excellent coverage.
Tuesday, April 9 there was exercise class at the Silver Water Community Hall.
Wednesday, April 10, there was an online meeting with two members of the NFPP about the future of the Robinson Township fire department.
Thursday, April 11 there was euchre at the Silver Water hall.
Friday, April 12 there were three tables of euchre players in Meldrum Bay.
Sunday, April 14 there was a soup and sandwich lunch at the Silver Water Hall to raise funds for the hall board. At 1:30 pm, there was a euchre tournament in the hall. Thank you to the nine tables of players who came out and had a fun afternoon. First place with a perfect score of 90 were Myra Duncanson and Karen Noble. Second place with 80 points were Lisa Townsend and Darlene Munro. Third place with 79 points was Allison Idle and Annie Porter. $170 was raised at the tournament for the hall board. Thanks to everyone who helped with the events and we look forward to the next one on June 9.
Monday, April15 I went to Mindemoya to work. Afterwards I did the shopping for the funeral. After supper, I took Murray, Ken, and Myra Duncanson with me to the Burpee Mills Complex to play euchre.
Tuesday, April 16 Albert Meijer and I went to the Meldrum Bay hall to help with packing the hygiene kits. There were 14 people and the record for one session was broken when over 600 kits were packed. Thanks to everyone for coming out to help.
Tuesday night, there was fire practice. The team members got homework of a course on fighting grass fires.
Wednesday, April 17, there were eight ladies at the hall for 8:00 am. It took us just over an hour to prepare all the trays of food for the funeral luncheon in Gore Bay. Thanks to all the volunteers.
Myra Duncanson, Marie Leeney and I went to the funeral home to serve the luncheon.
Thursday, April 18 there were five tables of euchre players at the Silver Water hall.
Alexis McVey and many other members of the MSS Robotics Team flew to Houston, Texas on April 17. They are in competitions there every day until they return on the weekend.
Lee and Ed Alexander were at their cottage for a few days last week.
Murray and Gladys Duncanson went to Sudbury for an appointment on April 17. They did a lot of the shopping for the upcoming Snowduster fish dinner on May 4 at the Silver Water hall.
There will be a fashion show on May 11 from 2 to 4 pm in Silver Water.
Happy 90th birthday to Alfreda Wickett on April 25.
Condolences to the family of Morris Emery.
