Power Outages

Utilities Kingston says an animal caused a power failure this morning that left about 620 customers without power for a couple of hours.

The power was restored around 7:30 in the area of the Tett and Isabel Bader Centre and Kingston General Hospital.

 

Home Damaged – Crash

A single vehicle crash involving a pickup truck has resulted in major damage to a home in Strathcona Park.  The pickup knocked down a utility pole at Glengarry Road and Indian Road around 3:30 yesterday afternoon…jumped a curb, went across lawns and slammed into the house leaving a large hole in the brickwork.

There’s no word from Kingston Police on whether the drive is facing charges.

 

Cows Back

Farming is resuming at Collins Bay Institution and Joyceville Institution.

Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen announced yesterday…six dairy cows with heritage lineage were transported to the prison farm at Collins Bay yesterday morning.

Prison farms were closed by the previous Conservative government….but the Liberals brought back the farms in Kingston with $4.3 million dollars in funding in the 2018 budget.

The farming operations at Collins Bay and Joyceville will include dairy cows and goats along with crop production.

 

St. Vincent de Paul – United Way

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Kingston will no longer be a partner agency of the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.

St. Vincent de Paul has decided to expand its fundraising activities and hold them on a year-round basis.

A joint statement from the organization and the United Way says this will ensure that St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a stable and viable Kingston-based charity.

 

Flooding

Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River are spilling over their banks.

The current level is 2cm above the level in late May of 2017 that cause widespread damage and flooding and also impacted the tourist season in the Thousand Islands area.

Flooding along the shoreline has already submerged and damaged docks…including gas docks at marinas.

Boathouses and boat ramps have been flooded and there is shoreline erosion and flooding around some homes and cottages.

The city of Kingston has closed the trail from Lake Ontario Park to the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour due to flooding. A section of Abbey Dawn Road remains closed and shoreline flooding is having an impact along Front Road and St Lawrence Avenue.

 

GHG Working Group

Kingston city council has decided not to decide on a motion to establish a working group to take action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Kingston.

Councillor Lisa Osanic introduced the motion last night.

The aim of the working group would be to identify quick wins to reduce emissions that can be made at no cost or low cost.

Osanic withdrew the motion last night after questions about the makeup of the working group and how members would be selected.  She will reintroduce the motion at the next meeting of council on June 18th with some new wording.

 

Rideaucrest Parking

Kingston city council has approved a plan to have the city takeover operation of the parking lot at Rideaucrest Towers on Rideau Street.

Pay and display parking machines will be installed and city council was assured last night that staff will monitor requirements for accessible parking spaces to make sure there are enough for the residents of the home.

 

INVISTA Centre – Naming Rights

A ceremony will take place today to celebrate the naming rights agreement for Kingston’s west end arena.

The INVISTA Kingston site has renewed its naming rights sponsorship for the INVISTA Centre.  The official signing ceremony takes place this afternoon.

Kingston site manager, Dennis McAllister says “The INVISTA Centre represents for INVISTA a major investment in the youth of our community, and it also highlights our long-term partnership with the City of Kingston.”

City council approved the naming rights agreement in March Council.

The new contract effectively extends INVISTA Canada’s sponsorship of the facility for another five years for $220,000.

 

Tim Hortons Camp Day

It’s Tim Hortons Camp Day.

All the money from the coffee you buy at Tims today goes to give kids ages 12-16 from disadvantaged circumstances a camp based program.

Tim Hortons also has limited edition Camp Day bracelets for a two dollar donation.