Islanders – Ferry Service

People on Wolfe Island, Amherst Island and those who use the Glenora Ferry are still waiting to find out when their regular ferry service will return.  The mayors of Frontenac Islands, Loyalist Township and Prince Edward County met with Ontario’s Transportation Minister yesterday – but there is still no firm date for the return of the Wolfe Islander.  The rebuild of its wheelhouse has delayed the return of the ferry to service.  It was originally supposed to be back on track by July 1st.  The Ministry of Transportation says the company in Hamilton is working six days a week to get the job finished.

The Island Belle tour boat is being brought in to service this weekend to help ferry passengers to the inaugural Dry Stones Festival on Amherst Island.

Dry Stone Festival

It’s a festival celebrating stone walls and it takes place on Amherst Island this weekend.  The island is the site of the largest known concentration of Irish dry stone walls in Canada.  Many of them are over 150 years old.

Popular TV show host Rick Mercer and the Irish Ambassador to Canada attend the festival.

The stonemasons who build them are called wallers and 25 of them from around the world will attend the festival.

Their association has also agreed to promote Amherst Island as a tourist destination.

 

Dry Stone Canada: http://www.drystonecanada.com/2015-amherst-island-dry-stone-festival.html

Immigration Services

Improved service for immigrant children and families is coming to Kingston.

Three local agencies will formally sign an agreement today to work together to provide better services to the Muslim community and new immigrants to the region.

The Islamic Society of Kingston, Kingston Community Health Centre and Family and Children’s Services will hold a formal signing ceremony at 11:30 this morning at the Islamic Centre on Sydenham Road.

SLC Research

15 companies in Eastern Ontario will benefit from a new applied research project at St. Lawrence College.

The college has received funding from Ontario Centres for Excellence to help the companies develop and improve their internet presence.

10 students involved in the SPARK Production House at St. Lawrence will work with the companies to develop a customized strategy.

The students will also help design better websites, online sales, customer management techniques and plans to use social media.

Impaired E-Biker

Police hope they’ll be able to talk with two children who were almost hit by an impaired e-biker at the Kingston Centre.  A 68 year old man was arrested and charged with impaired driving after being followed by a witness on the evening of Tuesday, September 8th.

Police say the man blew twice the legal limit.

The children are believed to be around 10 years old and police say they could provide additional statements that may assist with the case.

Culture Days

Kingston will be celebrating all kinds of cultural activities this weekend as part of an annual event called Culture Days.  It kicks off this morning at the Tett Centre with a Daybreaker Dance Party.

The Tett is offering free programming today through Sunday.

Other activities include tonight’s Art After Dark at galleries in downtown Kingston…Legomania tomorrow at the Pump House Steam Museum and Kingston Sports Day – a Streets Alive event featuring 10 sports on King Street and in City Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

http://culturedays.ca/en/search?q=Kingston

Chilifest

Ontario Street will be closed in front of city hall tomorrow for a popular annual event.

Chilifest is taking place in Confederation Park.  Funds raised during the event go to Hospice Kingston. DOI Icon

Walks – Lake Ontario Park

Lake Ontario Park will host a couple of fundraising events this weekend.

The Kingston Humane Society is holding its 17th annual Big Paws event at the park tomorrow.

It features vendors, demonstrations, food trucks and the walk gets underway at 11am.

The Kingston Kidney Walk takes place on Sunday at Lake Ontario Park.  Transplant recipients, living donors, donor families, dialysis patients, friends and families will gather in the park for the walk that starts at 11am.

The Kidney Foundation says 1 in 10 Canadians is living with kidney disease.