countylive.ca year in review photos – August 2017

Countylive thanks our readers and advertisers for continued support of community news and we look forward to an interesting and informative new year!

Countylive is on holiday this week and will be updating at a minimum. Please enjoy exploring the site, and the year-in-review series of photographs from 2017.

Prince Edward County firefighters were on the scene of a fire at Wilson Road, north of Wellington overnight where a large quantity of straw bales were ablaze in a farm field. Firefighters were called around 9:30 p.m. and were on the scene until early morning dousing hot spots. There were no injuries reported. – Carson Arthur photo

Council received a staff report regarding proposed official plan and zoning amendments to make way for a Sobeys grocery store, restaurant and two unconfirmed uses, but potentially a dollar store or pharmacy. The development is in the area of the long closed hydro office, works garage and yard, at 13300 Loyalist Parkway.

Sailors made it to shore but their boat was destroyed due to high waves and violent rolling and pitching of the vessel. OPP, the Joint Rescue Co-Ordination Centre, Canadian Coast Guard and the Wellington Rescue Vessel responded to the incident. Early rising campers at the south end of Outlet Beach at the Sandbanks Provincial Park were given a first-hand view of maritime salvage. The park, along with John Leavitt Excavating Ltd. from Bloomfield recovered the lead-filled keel, weighing about four tons with the help of some large machinery. – Photo by John Brebner, Friends of Sandbanks

Consecon celebrated its community and preserved a memory of the day for the future. International portrait photographer Gabi von Gans assembled residents and visitors to the village’s Consecon Community Day celebration in the United Church parking lot. Perched above the group in a bucket truck, the photographer organized the grouping from on high into one big family to shoot “Consecon – Portrait of a Town” one of a series of six communities around Ontario to commemorate Canada 150. – Janet Battaglio photo

A piece of Cherry Valley’s history has disappeard following the demolition last week of SS #3 Athol Public School, which stood next to its replacement – now called Athol South Marysburgh Public School. The County’s Michelle (Fraser) Found spent the better part of two days witnessing the event and recorded a Facebook live video feed of the action. “It’s a sad day in Athol Township when a piece of the history is disappearing,” she said. “It was the original public school and my first school.” From the 1830s to the 1960s, there were 76 rural schools and five urban schools in Prince Edward County. The two-storey stone S.S. No. 3 was constructed in 1924. – Michelle Found photo

Dodie Ellenbogen, of The County Bounty Farm in Elmbrook, was one of 45 vendors at the Fermentation Festival Saturday, at the Crystal Palace, Picton Fairgrounds.

A steady flow of people showed a growing appetite for nourishing food as they made their way around the first Ontario Fermentation Festival at Picton’s Crystal Palace in search of all that is yummy – and good for the tummy. Jenny Empey and husband Alex Currie organized. They have been operating Pyramid Ferments, in Northport, since 2008 and refer to themselves as “bacteria farmers” going with their gut producing hand-crafted raw, live and fermented foods.

Young Mummers included Alice Graham, Ember Landucci, Elizabeth Mascarenhas, Evelyn Mascarenhas, Sage Noxon, Noah Peeling, Rebekah Peeling, Alicia Rose, Maeve Sanderson, Lilly Hoekstra, McKenzie Crombie, Floral McCaw, Hazel Woodyard North, Norah Venslovaitis, Cayden Downie, Aliya Bowman, Grace Heaney, Gabby Majos-Hughes, Emilie Lewis, Kira Parks, Miriam Epstein, Talia Epstein and Montanah York.

Young Marysburgh Mummers delighted their audiences at Mt. Tabor Playhouse on the weekend presenting a polished and entertaining compilation of song and stories. Canada: A Musical, Eh? was the culmination of just over two weeks of drama camp activities for the 23-member troupe.

Sunshine and squeals of delight filled the air at the official opening of Picton’s new splash pad at Picton Fairgrounds. Susan Quaiff officially opened the park with committee co-chair Phil St. Jean, by thanking individuals, clubs, organizations and businesses who raised more than $250,000 to build it, and help with ongoing operating costs expected to be under $35,000 each year.

Gillian Hubick took this photograph from inside the store.

A driver suffered minor injuries when her vehicle jumped a curb and slammed into a pole downtown Picton. No pedestrians were injured but Gillian Hubick, who was shopping in a store when the accident happened said the incident was terrifying. Her son, mother and grandmother who were standing outside waiting had to move to avoid being hit by debris. – Gillian Hubick photo