Camping Approved

Camping will be returning to Lake Ontario Park.

The campground at the park was closed in 2005.

Last night…Kingston City Council approved a 2-year camping pilot project at Lake Ontario Park.  But – the camping won’t be for just anyone…it will be for cyclists and other visitors arriving at the park by other modes of active transportation.

 

Kingston Pen Lease

Kingston will be signing a long-term lease for the use of Kingston Penitentiary.

City council has approved a tentative agreement with the federal government to allow for year-round access to the former maximum-security prison.  The proposed lease is for three years with five optional one-year extensions.

The cost for the city is $100,000 a year plus a 2 per cent annual increase.  The city will also lose out on a yearly payment of $474,000 in lieu of taxes and will have to pay up to $550,000 a year for utilities.

The lease allows for 110 days of for-profit generating activities a year not including money generated by Kingston Pen tours.

For profit use is supposed to cover the costs and any deficit will be made up by the accommodation fee paid by visitors to hotels, B&B’s, etc.

 

Queen’s – Sexual Violence

A two-year study by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities has found 23 per cent of university students have experienced sexual assault…and Queen’s University has the second highest rate in Ontario at 30 per cent.

The survey was conducted two years ago.  It also found 63.2 per cent of university students said they experienced sexual harassment one or more times.  The rate was 70% at Queen’s.

Queen’s Dean of Student Affairs, Ann Tierney, says the data is a striking example of the issues students face and more needs to be done to address sexual violence on campus.

 

Mail Boxes Damaged

Lennox and Addington County OPP is investigating damage to mailboxes on Lucas Road in Loyalist Township.

A resident on Lucas Road noticed damage to their mailbox as well as a few other on the road between February 27th and March 2nd.  A hole had been punched through the mailbox…possibly made by some projectile.

Anyone with information on the damage is being asked to contact the OPP or online at Tipsubmit.com.

 

Road Closure – Tragically Hip Way

The Tragically Hip Way in front of the Leon’s Centre will be closed through Thursday from 4:30-5:30 p.m., 6:30-7:30 p.m. and 9:30-10:30 p.m. The city announced the temporary closures yesterday saying they will facilitate pedestrian crossings during the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier.

The street will be completely closed from 10:30 Friday morning until 11 pm on Sunday for the curling tournament.

 

Teachers Update

Ontario’s Education Minister says the province is willing to lower average high school class size to 23 from the 28 it had been proposing…and Stephen Lecce says the government will also make online courses optional instead of mandatory.  Lecce says two unions were given the proposals two weeks ago…but the unions say his announcement yesterday was the first time they’ve heard of the apparent concessions and the government has not tabled the proposals during bargaining talks.