i bl b i OOLIVERLIVERThe PPAIPOONGEAIPOONGE News Volume 24, Number 2 February 2021 Those Were the Nights that the Lights High Speed Funding Application Went ON in Oliver Paipoonge! Successful! Project to Start in 2021 On January 20th, the Provincial Tbaytel will be handling the pub- Government announced funding lic communications for the project. awards for several broadband pro- Tbaytel has established a project jects in Northwestern Ontario. An information website to provide application submitted by the information to the public, which Municipality for a broadband pro- includes a coverage map and fre- ject was included. quently asked questions (FAQs). The initial application was sub- The website address is: mitted by the Municipality in www.tbaytel.net/fibreexpansion August 2019. Once the initial appli- More information will be posted in cation was approved, the the future. Municipality submitted the final Unfortunately, not every area of application in November 2019. the Municipality is included in the After a reorganization of broadband project. Less densely settled parts of funding programs and a significant the Municipality are not in the cov- increase in the funding envelope by erage area because cost was the A THANK YOU FROM restock their shelves. Thank you to the Provincial Government, a overriding factor in determining the PINEGROVE UNITED CHURCH everyone that came through our review of our application by the coverage area. It is more costly to Pinegrove United Church would Trail of Lights and for your gen- Ministry of Infrastructure resulted in deploy fibre in areas where there are like to to say a big Thank You to erosity. It was terrific to see so the funding award. too few addresses to connect. everyone who supported our first many come out and share a new The application was prepared The Municipality continues to trial of the Pinegrove Trail of holiday memory. I hope the light with the assistance of Tbaytel. The work on broadband initiatives. In Lights. It was an opportunity for we shared with you that night car- Ministry of Infrastructure will con- conjunction with neighboring rural all ages of the congregation to ries you through lockdown until tribute $2,337,250 to the project and municipalities and the Northwestern come together and bring light to we can see one another again. Tbaytel will match the Ministry’s Ontario Innovation Centre we have the dark nights of December. Pinegrove United Church con- contribution. There is no cost to the been working with Tbaytel to We couldn’t have done it with- tinues to offer family friendly, Municipality. improve and expand broadband ser- out many hands of the church con- multi-generational, music-filled The project entails Tbaytel bring- vices further. An application was gregation, but especially Dave Sunday services through live- ing fibre-to-the-home high speed submitted last year for a project that Bertrand and the Oliver Paipoonge streaming with other United internet to nearly 1800 homes and would improve and expand broad- Fire and Rescue crew who brought Churches in the city. Join us businesses in the Municipality. The band in areas of our Municipality the beautifully decorated firetruck Sundays at 10:30am. Visit ; project is scheduled to take three that are not included in the project and most importantly the Minion! www.trinityunited.church years to complete with construction announced on January 20th. We are What a delight to all! Thank you! /livestream to connect. commencing in 2021. hoping that application will also be Through the generosity of our successful. rural community, Pinegrove was able to hand over $1500 and a Do you like the new paper in your newspaper? much-needed truck full of food Oliver Paipoonge is doing a 3 month trial with mandobrite paper. Mando is heavier, whiter that was collected at the event to and brighter than newsprint, which makes for an easier read. Your feedback is appreciated! the Rural Cupboard Food Bank to Call the office at 935-2613 or email Chris Vaclav at [email protected] CANADA POST AGREEMENT #40037986 Murillo Minor Athletic Association RURAL CUPBOARD 2021 Spring Softball League FOOD BANK Cancelled Neighbours Helping Neighbours It is with great disappointment to Impact Promotions Conmee Municipal Complex announce the cancellation of the Kershaw Well Services 2021 spring softball season due to L.A.K. Business Services 19 Holland Rd, Kakabeka Falls P0T1W0 the ongoing COVID-19 virus uncer- Levaero Aviation 807-285-0836 tainty. Over the coming weeks, the M.A.C. Rail Contracting MMAA will be contacting families Main Excavations We sincerely thank all those that regarding the refund of any 2020 Makkinga Contracting continue to support us softball registration fees refund that Mooseland Contracting during COVID-19. were held for the 2021 season. The Pines Hardware MMAA will also be contacting busi- Play It Again Sports Your donations enable the food bank nesses about their 2020 team spon- P.V. Ltd. to remain open sorships. Ronald Parcher - RAP Comets Silvaggio Fine Homes We thank the many local businesses SolCrete Contracting Next Food Bank that have sponsored our League: Stanley Hill Bison Superior Hyundai Wednesday, Sunrise Farms Bay City Energy The Eddy February 17th Brule Creek Farms BTG Contracting Please stay safe and let us look for- Registration: Chaschuk Enterprises ward to a successful 2022 softball 9 am to 11 am Daniel Vanlenthe Mechanical season! For more information, con- DJs Truck and Trailer Repair tact Joe and Karen Ladouceur by Drift Day Spa email at [email protected]. Haveman Brothers Forestry Services Grandma’s Restaurant Hymers Fair News Take Out 939-1551 by Erin Laforest The Hymers Agricultural Society, for the first time ever, held their Annual General Meeting virtually! ...And with much success might I add. With a virtual fair been held, 2020 was not a complete bust. The group worked hard to hold exhibit challenges on Facebook and Instagram, a music concert via HomeHome CookingCooking Youtube, a virtual market on Facebook and a 50/50 draw with tickets sold by our 77 a.m.a.m. -- 1010 p.m.p.m. amazing volunteers and the businesses that supported us. It was marvelous to everyevery dayday have pulled it off in such a short period of time. Switching the gears from a phys- ical fair to trying to entertain our fair-goers virtually took some hard work and BREAKFAST FRESH HOMEMADE ingenuity, but we managed. All Day Every Day! We thank everyone for their kind words and support through it all. The 2020 vir- SOUP Daily! tual exhibits and music can still be accessed through our website at www.hymers- fair.com. Fresh Subs, Sandwiches, Wraps! With that being said, the 2021 Board of Directors have already been drumming Coffee Bar available 24hours up ideas to make this year’s fair an even better success, should we be unable to hold a physical fair again due to COVID-19. Stay tuned for upcoming news via newsletters, Facebook, Instagram and the Hymers Fair website. ’’ Congratulations to the 2021 Board of Directors! Santorelli24 Hourss President - Randy Creighton Santorelli 1st Vice President - Lawrence Prystanski Bulk DEF Truck Stop 2nd Vice President - Erin Laforest Now Available! Free Wi-Fi! Secretary - Debbie Hoover Treasurer - Oona Szyja Shannon Dodd-Smith 3131 West Arthur Street Marg Duncan (near Twin City Crossroads) Jeff Glavish Phone 939-2619 Chris Lawrence Aury Murray Gerry Murray Nadia Myhal PRO-TECPRO-TEC TIRETIRE CENTRECENTRE The Hymers Fair Board wishes everyone good health. We hope to see you all for a “normal” fair in 2021. To make this possible, we encourage everyone to stay distanced as much as possible so that we can beat this awful virus. OUR TOUGHEST ALL-TERRAIN TIRE. EVER. • 20% Tougher Sidewalls • 2X Longer Treadlife on Gravel, +15% on Asphalt +10% Traction in Mud, +19% in Snow THE NEW KO2 We also sell tires for TAKES ON cars and light trucks!! CANADIAN EXTREMES Monday - Friday 8-5, Saturday 9-1 3129 W. Arthur Fast, Friendly Service by Santorelli’s by Knowledgeable Ph. 939-2581 Husky Truck Stop Staff Authorized BF Goodrich Truck Tire Dealer page 2, The Oliver Paipoonge News, February 2021! PROPOSED ALTERNATE VOTING METHODS FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTION For the 2022 Election Council is considering changing the voting method. More and more municipalities in Ontario are using online voting coupled with telephone voting rather than the traditional paper-based voting. Online and telephone voting are considered to be more convenient for voters and thereby can increase voter turnout. Some municipalities use vote by mail but use of this voting method is declining since it is considered to be cumbersome and expensive. The Municipality is not looking at that option. While people generally use their own computers or smart- phones to vote online, both advance and election day polls are set up to allow people to vote there. Help is available for people who are unfamiliar with technology at the polls. As well, people can use their landline phones to vote. More information about the proposal to adopt alternate vot- ing methods can be obtained from the Municipality’s website or by calling the municipal office @ 935-2613. Over the next 3 months Council is looking for input from resi- dents on the proposal to adopt online and telephone voting. You may submit your comments in writing by dropping them off at the municipal office, mailing them or emailing them. Below are the addresses for comment submission: CAO/Clerk Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge 3250 Hwy 130 Rosslyn ON P7K 0B1 [email protected] Premium Wood Pellets For Sale $ Lac Wood softwood@ 5.95* per bag Proudly selling locally produced premium hard and softwood pellets *While quantities last 939-1152Call for more details 3879 Hwy 11/17 The Oliver Paipoonge News, February 2021! page 3 and partly the way his life has The Rural Pharmacist: unfolded.