regional news - Performance Printing

LOCAL NEWSConnected to your communityPerth mayor vows to keep Beveridges Locks openBy DESMOND DEVOYdesmond.devoy@metroland.comEMC News – Perth mayor John Fenikis vowing to keep the Beveridges’locks open for future summers, even ifhe has to operate the locks himself.With the upper and lower BeveridgesLocks not due to be staffed until June20, boaters wanting to take a detour offof the Rideau Canal on their way to Ottawaor Kingston to visit Perth and areaby boat, must now give 48 hours notice.Fenik informed town council on Tuesday,May 28 that, as of that evening, onlyone boat had put in notice that it wantedto travel to the Tay on June 16.“The next thing that they are goingto do is close Beveridge Lock,” chargedFenik, who pointed out that about 700boats plied the waters of the Tay lastsummer. “I will go down and run themmyself if I have to.”He even suggested that if Parks Canadano longer wants to run the locks,the town, and surrounding municipalities,could shoulder the burden, and hiresummer students to keep the boats andwater flowing.“We are being treated much differentlythan other parts of the canal system,”said Fenik.“It’s like we’ve been forgotten…Itseems like it (the Tay) is the poor cousin,and lack of attention is not acceptable.”Fenik promised that he would take hisconcerns to the federal minister responsiblefor the canal, Peter Kent, as well asLanark-Frontenac-Lennox and AddingtonMP Scott Reid, and that he wouldLorne Baird of Wemyss enjoys a morning of fishing on Thursday, May 30, with the Lower Beveridges Locks behind him.bring supporters along if need be.“You’d better get a big truck,” saidCoun. Jim Graff, in supporting the mayor’sdrive to keep the locks operational.“If I have to speak with the primeminister, I will,” said Fenik. Fenik hadvisited the lock stations during the VictoriaDay long weekend and had noticedduring that trip to Drummond/NorthElmsley, south of Port Elmsley, thateven the picnic tables were not out yet.“I think that the shoulder season is aPhoto by PAGE TAYLORthreat to the local economy,” said Fenikafter the council session during a meetingwith local media in his office. “I feelit is the thin edge of the wedge.”Fenik hoped that it would not cometo the affected municipalities to operatethe locks, but he added that “this isnot a good option,” currently being employed.He was also not clear if a similar48-hour notice period would be in placefor the end of the season.THE EMC - SF16 - Thursday, June 6, 2013