1. automotive and vehicles
2. boats and watercraft

Portland On The Rideau
Compliments of the…
Portland Community Hall Board
Portland, Ontario
April – May 2015
Volume 1 Issue 1
BE PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY!
PORTLAND BEAUTIFICATION SUB-COMMITTEE
We have a beautiful community here that we need to show off to
visitors and residents alike. The flowers (believe it or not) will
soon be growing and the seasonal residents and tourists will
arrive. Join us to put Portland-on-the-Rideau on the “must see”
list. All ideas and hands-on help are welcome.
Rideau Lakes Township has declared that the primary colours
for flowers this year will be red and yellow so we are making
sure to include these in our pots and beds and encourage
residents to do the same.
Portland Community Hall Board
Twp. of Rideau Lakes
Representative Councillor: Doug Good
Chair of the Hall Board
Secretary/Treasurer: Rick Long
Committee Members:
Betty James Don Burchill
Guy Barnes Heather Moodie Doug Good
Beautification Sub-Committee:
Connie Cochran
Dawn Lawson
This issue…
Be part of your community!
Portland Beautification Sub-Committee
Promoting Portland
Big Rideau Lake Association (BRLA)
Portland on the Rideau
Historical Society
Portland Community Hall Board
Portland Docks
‘Block Briefs’ Ongoing Events,
Activities and Services
Ongoing Monthly Calendar
Upcoming & Special Events Calendars
Glancing ahead 3 months
Keep us in mind when you are splitting plants in the spring. We
will gratefully receive any plants you don’t need. Financial
donations are also welcome. Cheques would be payable to
Township of Rideau Lakes, marked to the attention of Sue
Dunfield – with a note that it is for the Portland
Beautification Fund. Cheques can be mailed to the Township
Office or given to either contact shown below.
Sponsor a planter, a bench or flower bed and have your
name or the name of a loved one on a plaque! $75.00 for
one year or $150.00 for three years.
Beautification is a year-round endeavor with lots of activities,
not just for the summer months. It is a challenging, creative
exercise that works with a limited contribution from the
Township but fund raising at the local level is necessary to
supplement the budget.
One of the current fund-raising activities is the ‘ICE OUT
50/50 CONTEST’. You will find the calendar at the Portland
LCBO. For a Toonie you can choose a date and time (a.m. or
p.m.). Thanks to our local LCBO for their support.
If you have an interest, a gift, or a donation
please feel welcome to participate.
Contact: Connie Cochran at 613-272-6747
or Dawn Lawson at 613-985-6033
Visit us at… www.portlandontario.com
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Portland On The Rideau
Promoting the Portland area
Visit… www.portlandontario.com to view your newsletter
Portland, Ontario
April – May 2015
Promoting the Portland Area
How did this newsletter come about…?
The Portland Community Hall Board (PCHB) did a mail out flyer asking
people in the Portland area to come share ideas on rejuvenating the area.
Wednesday February 11th the board met in the Portland Community Hall
(PCH) with several guests attending.
Creation of a newsletter was considered to be one way to get in touch
with people and let them know of the many activities and events in the
Portland area. Portland On The Rideau newsletter is to provide
information for Ongoing Events and Activities plus Upcoming Special
Events and Activities. It will be available bi-monthly printed 6 times in a
calendar year.
Volume 1 Issue 1
If your club, committee or
organization has an activity/event
you’d like in the newsletter,
Please email your information by
the 15th of each month to…
cd.bresee3@gmail.com
Or by mail:
Carolyn Bresee
P.O. Box 135
Portland, ON
K0G 1V0
Ongoing Events and Activities Calendars provide a look at what is
happening on a regular monthly basis. Upcoming Special Events and
Activities Calendars will provide a glance at what will be coming up in the
Portland area.
The Big Rideau Lake Association (BRLA) is a non-profit organization with roots back to 1911. Located on
the Big and Lower Rideau Lakes in Eastern Ontario, the Big Rideau Lakes Association is committed to longterm environmental protection and service to all who use the lake and share its resources. The Big Rideau
Lakes Association supports programs in the areas of environment, recreation, government affairs and lake
safety.
Why Join…?
BRLA is committed to long-term environmental protection of our lake. We provide valuable services to all
who use the lake and share in its resources. Shoal markers to provide safe passage for all boaters on the lake,
the annual Canada Day fireworks display and important environmental research and advocacy are a few of
the services that rely on your membership fees. As a BRLA member, you have access to information about
issues of concern and interest related to the Big Rideau Lake community, as well as to our many social,
recreational and environmental activities centered around Cow Island, our very own “Jewel in the Lake”. Our
lake, our legacy. Be involved.
www.bigrideaulakeassociation.com
Saturday July 4, 2015
BRLA will be holding their Annual General Meeting
Location and meeting time TBA
For more information:
info@bigrideaulakeassociation.com
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Visit us at… www.portlandontario.com
Portland On The Rideau
Promoting the Portland area
Portland on the Rideau Historical Society
Portland, Ontario
April – May 2015
Volume 1 Issue 1
When did the train come to Portland and when did it
(PRHS) is moving forward with events, future plans and
leave? We have also been asked by the Royal Bank to
projects to identify the history of the village of Portland
document the two bank robberies, yes there were two
and the Big Rideau Lake.
bank robberies in Portland.
The Society plans to hold meetings every two months and
It is no use gathering information without passing it
intends to bring in guest speakers on the topics of interest
along and the Society plans to achieve this through
to the members. These topics will range from the history
presentations at their meetings and retaining it on our
of the lake and the village, to using/developing the website
website as a “virtual museum” for all to enjoy.
and preservation of historical documents.
If you have an interest in history, photography,
research, websites, archival abilities we need you. We
Tuesday May 12, 2015 7:00 pm The PRHS will hold its
also need you if you have a piece of Portland and/or
Annual General Meeting with a Guest Speaker.
Rideau Lakes history in your attic or in your mind. If
Portland Community Hall. This is open to the public.
A future event we plan to look into is the role “The we are to record and preserve the history of our home
Landing”, now called Portland, played in the transfer of we need to start now before another generation is lost!
some 16,000 people in the Town of Perth and the
The PRHS can be contacted by calling: Doug Good
development of Bathurst District as they prepare to
613-272-5078 doug.good.rideaulakes@gmail.com
celebrate their bicentennial. Over about a four to five year
Edith Seward 613-272-2409
period settlers walked from Brockville to “The Landing”
Doug Bond 613-272-2252
and then boarded vessels to go down the lake to likely
Or by mail at: P.O. Box 1, Portland, ON K0G 1V0
what became Oliver’s Ferry, now called Rideau Ferry.
Some of those individuals may have been the original
Portland On The Rideau
founders of Portland.
Pick up your complimentary copy
Another area the society intends to embark on is research:
at various locations in the Portland area…
identifying, documenting and establishing time lines of
Portland Library
businesses in the village, like the first cheese factory in
Portland Gas station
Upper Canada, Dowsett’s Carriage Shop – which became
Len’s Cove Marina
Dowsett’s Boat Works, E.H. Bolton Lumber Co., Rothwell
Bayview Yacht Harbour
and Perrin Lumber, the storekeepers, the hotels and the
Portland Grocery Store
marinas for example Len’s Cove recently celebrated 50
LCBO
years, and before that Wendell Brown operated a marina
Portland
Community
Hall
on that location, a marina has been on the Bayview Yacht
Harbour location for about forty years (before that it was
Online at… www.portlandontario.com
the site of the Bolton Lumber Co.).
The Portland Community Hall Board is always looking for Volunteers. If you are available to help our BRLA’s 100th
Celebration on Saturday August 8, 2015… We need to hear from you! You can’t have events and people without the ability
to have food and drink! The Churches and others are being approached to determine their interest in holding
breakfasts, canteens, maybe a corn roast… or other food and drink ideas. Nothing firm on this subject has been
established. It would be nice to see Community Organizations come forward with ideas.
A Portland Historical Walk will point out where the Dowsett Boat Works was located, along with the Dowsett homes in
the village of Portland. The Portland Historical Society will be providing a display of Commemorative pieces showing
Portland and the Big Rideau Lake over the years. For info. - Contact Doug Good doug.good.rideaulakes@gmail.com
Visit us at… www.portlandontario.com
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Portland On The Rideau
Portland, Ontario
Promoting the Portland area
April – May 2015
Portland Docks
Among the Big Rideau Lake cottagers there are a number who are
concerned about the docking space in Portland, and I am asking for
your input and suggestions. I appreciate their concerns and
frustration because apparently the need to address the docking in
Portland has been on the table for a number of years with “nothing
happening”. Having been around Portland and the docks and
seeing the effect of the North winds for more than a couple of
decades, any docks for Portland have to be specifically planned,
designed and built for Portland.
The condition of the existing dock was examined last year and it’s
my understanding the findings of the condition was that it was
generally fairly sound. So I believe any discussion about additional
dockage in Portland is based on extension to the current existing
dock. Many lake users have said what a great job one of our
neighbouring municipalities have done in installing new dockage,
we can only work to ensure that we do as well.
When we talk about planning we need to try and determine the
amount of additional capacity, the potential use (more transient
cruisers, day trippers, loading/unloading by cottagers etc.), the
best layout and the impacts on adjoining residences and
businesses. Designed for protection of vessels, safety of the dock
users and contribute to the desire to wanting to visit/stay in
Portland.
As I stated earlier any dock built for Portland has to be able to
stand up to strong north winds, that doesn’t just mean the visible
part, but the anchoring system to hold the dock(s) in place. An
overriding factor that cannot be forgotten is the economics of
investing tax dollars into expansion of the facility and the ‘dollar
return’ versus ‘service factor’.
To move the issue forward from the ‘nothing happening’ to at least
commencing the ‘planning stage’, I would like to hear your
thoughts and ideas of what/why and how the docks in Portland
should be extended.
I invite you to contact me at:
doug.good.rideaulakes@gmail.com
Wearing my other hat as:
Doug Good
Councillor
Twp. of Rideau Lakes
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Volume 1 Issue 1
Block Briefs…
Events, Activities & Services
In the Portland area
Twp. of Rideau Lakes
Portland Branch
Library Hours
Monday: 5 – 8 pm
Wednesday: 2 – 5 pm
Friday: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Saturday: 1 – 4 pm
FRIDAYS
Forfar Euchre
Forfar Community Hall
7:30 pm
Light Lunch
All Welcome
VIBE:
Venturing in Biblical
Education
Wednesdays at 7 pm
April 22 – Dec. 2, 2015
Portland United Church
Contact Rev. Takouhi
613-272-8977
Forfar Strawberry Social
Sunday June 28, 2015
Starts at 4:30 pm
Forfar Community Hall
1544 Cty. Rd. 42
PRHS
Portland on the Rideau
Historical Society
Annual General Meeting
With Guest Speaker
7:00 pm
Portland Community Hall
All welcome
FRIDAYS
Portland Legion
Fun Darts
7:00 pm
All welcome
Community Clothing
Cooperative
Portland Community Hall
Wednesdays 1 pm - 3 pm
Saturdays 10 am – 2 pm
Portland Food Bank
Portland Community Hall
st
rd
1 & 3 Tuesdays
of the month
11 – 12 noon
Portland Community Hall
Board Committee
nd
meets on the 2 Wed.
of each Month - 7:00 pm
Come on out and see
what’s going on
in the Portland area.
For more info. contact
Rick Long
613-272-2188
Sunday May 31, 2015
The Masonic Tri-Lodge is
hosting a Ladies Night for
North Leeds Food Banks.
Proceeds go to Seeley’s
Bay, Westport, Delta and
Portland Food Banks.
1000 Islands Gananoque Casino Mondays
Complimentary Bus
Leaves Portland Hall parking lot 10 am Returns @ 4 pm
Casino Bus Shuttle to Rideau Carleton.
st
1 Tues. of the month.
Leaves Portland Hall 8:30 am Returns @ 5pm
$14.50 return trip. Echo Tours 1-800-667-0210
Visit us at… www.portlandontario.com
Portland
Community
Pot Luck
Thursday April 23, 2015
5:30 pm Social 6:00 pm Supper
Presentation by Doug Bond
“The Homes of Portland”
Portland Community Hall
Portland
Community
Yard Sale
Saturday May 16, 2015
starting at 8 A.M.