Valley Hoteliers Say NO to New Proposed
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The Leader, Eganville, Ontario - August 14, 2019 Postal Agreement # 40005333 Page A1 www.careiche.ca 118th Year - No. 9 Wednesday, August 14, 2019 Eganville, Ontario ($1.90 plus 10 cents GST) $2 Valley hoteliers say NO to new proposed tax Angry members withdraw from Ottawa Valley Tourist Association Pow Wow weekend The Algonquins of Pikwakana- gan 32nd annual traditional Pow Wow takes place this weekend and included in all copies of this issue of the Leader, circulated within Renfrew County, is a special 32-page commemorative booklet that will provide readers with a greater understanding of this cultural event. The booklet contains a wide range of information designed to make your visit to the pow wow more enjoyable, or if you can’t make, it will give you an in depth understanding of why the Algon- quins celebrate in this manner. The last of the pioneers Barry’s Bay -- The last of a gen- eration of Valley lumber pioneers, Dowdall Murray, passed away Saturday in Valley Manor Nursing Jim Hemlin, Chief Operating Offi cer for Calabogie Peaks, joined several Home two weeks shy of his 92nd local hotel owners at the Renfrew County Administration Building in birthday. Pembroke last Friday to resign en masse from the Ottawa Valley Tour- Mr. Murray was the youngest ist Association. He said a proposed tax imposed on hotel owners was son of Thomas and Hannah Mur- unfair and served no value in Renfrew County, but can be of benefi t in ray and joined the family business large centres like Ottawa. in 1947. For many years he guided the company and was president By R. Bruce McIntyre by the OVTA when they appeared and Chief Executive Offi cer of Staff Writer before Greater Madawaska Township Murray Bros. Lumber Company, Pembroke -- It was a true sign of council along with the group’s data a very successful lumbering com- solidarity last Friday as representa- that refutes each of the statements. pany that has provided thousands tives speaking on behalf of the ma- Paul Murphy, owner and operator of jobs in the Madawaska Valley jority of hotels located in the Ottawa of Calabogie Peaks which is one of area for 117 years. Valley withdrew their memberships the largest hotels/resorts in the area, A mass of Christian burial will from the Ottawa Valley Tourist As- did not hold back when discussing be celebrated in St. Lawrence sociation (OVTA) to protest OVTA’s his concerns about the information A letter from home O’Toole Catholic Church today support of a new tax that would force provided by OVTA representatives (Wednesday) at 12 noon. hotel owners to charge guests an ad- when they met with Greater Mada- Tzu Shuan Yu wipes away a tear after reading a letter from her family during a lunch break in the hills of Due to a major power outage ditional four per cent, with half of that waska council recently. Laurentian Valley Township. The Ottawa resident and 100 other children found a quiet place in a farmer’s Monday that left the wider Egan- going back to the OVTA. “They intentionally mislead coun- fi eld to read personal letters delivered by the Pony Express. The children were part of a 45-km pioneer trek ville area without electricity until The group met with County of Ren- cils in their presentations and the that re-enacted the Brigham Young-led Exodus of Mormons from the American mid-west to Utah during the 5 a.m. Tuesday, a more in-depth frew CAO Paul Moreau Friday morn- information was false and at no time 1840s. Along with 50 adults, the children spent four days along the trails and forests without the use of any story on the life and times of Mr. ing at the county’s administration did they even bother to pick up the modern conveniences. Full coverage of this unique event on page A11. Murray will be published next building in Pembroke and submitted phone and ask any of us here, who week. their letters of resignation from the represent pretty much all the hotels OVTA. in the county, what we thought about During a one-hour meeting they introducing the tax,” he said. “They Massive power outage in area voiced their concerns and displeasure said the township would keep one- in the manner in which the proposed half of the tax revenue to spend any Eganville -- As of press time yes- and sections of Highway 41 and some Residents around Silver Lake did not the Municipal Accommodation Tax way they want. terday (Tuesday), there was still no Whitewater Region communities have power until 3:30 a.m. while the (MAT) was presented to a number of “When our mayor (Brian Hunt) offi cial explanation from Hydro One including Westmeath and Beachburg. Eganville area had to wait until 5 a.m. local municipal councils over the last asked how the tax would be collected concerning the widespread power According to Hydro One interactive before power was restored. few months. from Air B&Bs, the OVTA told him outage along the Highway 60 corridor mapping throughout Monday and into As residents and businesses struggle If implemented, the OVTA would the township would be responsible for and other Valley locations leaving the early hours of Tuesday morning, to understand the explanation for the keep 50 per cent of the tax revenue collecting the tax and if they didn’t, more than 15,000 homes and busi- the outage appeared to directly affect widespread loss, all offi cials at Hydro and the host municipality would keep then those Air B&Bs are stealing nesses without power for as long as 16,000 customers at its peak in the One were able to offer up is that the the remaining amount. The tax would from them. Well I can tell you how 16 hours. late afternoon to just under 10,000 incident was under investigation. be levied against any hotel/motel, Air a municipality will spend that 50 per At approximately 3:15 p.m. Mon- around 6 p.m. The Leader can confirm three B&B and Bed & Breakfasts within a cent. They will have to use most of it day, several communities, including The fi rst major centre to turn the transformers blew in substations in municipality. and go hire a full-time by-law offi cer Eganville, suddenly went dark when lights back on was Pembroke and Beachburg, Eganville and Golden Along with the resignation letters, to go knock on every door that has an a wave of outages swept across the most of the power was restored Lake shortly after 10 p.m. Monday the group requested an investigation Air B&B and all the while the OVTA area. Some other communities im- by 8:30 that evening. However, while power was being restored and into the conduct of the OVTA and will keep their 50 per cent.” pacted by the sudden loss of power communities along the Highway the explosions can be directly linked Dowdall Murray provided a list of statements made See Page A2 were Pembroke, Wilno, Round Lake 60 corridor were not as fortunate. to the extended outage. .