Destination Knowlton

So Our Trees Are Becoming A Nuisance?

2008-05-09T19:22:00.008-05:00

A beautiful elderly tree on St. Paul Street has been selected to be cut down and residents are asking if this is part of what seems to be a growing trend where development and individuality seems to take priority over our collective environment.

Residents on the lovely and historical street in Knowlton were chagrined to see a Hydro-Quebec marker on the huge and healthy tree near the historic St. Paul Anglican Church which meant the old-growth tree may soon be cut down, unless, of course, the residents who are mounting a petition can convince all sides involved to reconsider!

Concerned citizens, including children who live within the vicinity of the tree, immediately placed a hand-drawn poster on the tree and tied ribbons and even placed a petition for residents to sign on the trunk of the tree that has stood for generations near the historical church on St. Paul street across from the Historical Museum of Brome County and across from the Brome Lake City Hall. That such a healthy and prominent tree could even be considered for removal has shocked and appalled residents!

Neighborhood children living near the tree decided that something had to be done and armed with only ribbons and crayons, and maybe some parental support, decided to start a petition and allow passers-by to sign their names and leave it in a colored sack hanging on the tree. When this intrepid reporter stopped to check the bag it seemed that many people had signed the petition to save the tree!

People under the tree were wondering why Hydro-Quebec would want to cut down the tree which was over one-hundred years old and who even asked them to perform such an abomination!

Granted if a tree is hazardous to human life-and-limb or threatens to disrupt electricity transmissions then something must be done but doesn�t it make more sense to try and accommodate the tree by maybe moving a telephone pole instead; and if that $2000 price tag to move a phone pole is too rich for anyone then you have to ask where the priorities are in our world? Why not place a simple insulated saddle to keep the wire safely away from the tree?

Hydro-Quebec was apparently contacted by a resident and indeed they had marked the tree for destruction based on this request of a resident. It has yet to be ascertained if a local resident was concerned for the neighborhood safety or if there were insurance issues based on the proximity of the tree to a neighboring home on St. Paul Street. As far as Hydro-Quebec charging in with chainsaws blazing due to the tree being close to the power lines, which do admittedly come within the proximity of the White Pine, why does this Corporation have the mandate to go in and rip out trees? Didn�t their engineers maybe contemplate the surrounding trees when they were digging holes for their poles?

This tree is over one-hundred years old and any rightly-oriented person would wonder who was there first�.the tree or the person who asked for the removal of the tree? Anyone doing a monthly survey of traffic on St. Paul Street shows that, as is typical in Brome Lake and Knowlton, there are often two types of residents: those who live here permanently and want to raise their children in a quiet and natural setting that is both healthy and environmentally progressive, and those who live far away and maintain a weekend residence who think inside a bubble only inches larger than their own property.

Some people pop in and out of the village into their second or third homes that they bought in Brome Lake and feel that their domain should be their little pink toy that they can do what they want with so it looks like something from the pages of a Martha Stewart Home Sense magazine!

Didn�t we see our former Prime Minister, Paul Martin, kill some lovely trees and blatantly disregard environmental laws in order to have a private golf course on his property only to have a little tap on his wrist? Didn�t we see another private resident get fined by the Town for cutting down trees without a permit? Aren�t we seeing massive destruction of trees in Dunham because Hydro-Quebec wants to put in hydro lines? Aren�t we seeing Knowlton going onside with the Main Street (Rue Principals) program which mentions hiding the hydro lines in order to beautify the Town?

People in Brome are seeing a few inconsistencies and arbitrary contradictions so it is no wonder that people are calling the Town to ask what is happening!

Take a look at this picture! Admittedly, I am not a German Windmill Engineer so Hydro-Quebec will likely reject my proposal to keep their poorly placed line from touching the tree but I won't be deterred: A small brace on the tree with glass insulators would keep the line spaced securely away from the tree...but it seems that the solution is just too simple for them to grasp! Chainsaws and axes have worked in the past so why change policy?

Reportedly, a resident who phoned the Town of Brome Lake regarding the tree on St. Paul Street was told that the Town couldn't really object if a resident within their legal rights asked for the tree to be cut down by Hydro-Quebec; calls to Hydro-Quebec seemed to give the response that they were waiting for word from the Town of Brome Lake. Isn�t it convenient when both sides of suggest that it�s up to the other to make the call!

At least the children are brave enough to take a stand and do something instead of passing the buck!

Some of the more jaded amongst us are saying that the tree will come down and no ribbon and petition campaign will make a bit of difference. Some of the more jaded of the jaded say this tree is coming down for no other reason that someone in the vicinity of the tree objects to the pine needles tumbling onto their property garden.

Goodness! Imaginations can run amuck! It would be disturbing to think that anyone in this day of global warming would be able to find a justifiable reason to chop down a mature and healthy tree. The trees and hills and lakes around us define who we are and people who choose to live here should accept that our natural wilderness is an integral part of our heritage and cannot be removed just so a property owner can live in homes reminiscent of Canadian Home and Garden with perfectly manicured gardens and optimal views of the hills and lakes.

Maybe the tree is a threat to fall during a windstorm? Why not do a simple core sample and see if the tree is healthy? Some experts state that such a tree has a huge root expanse and there is little if any risk the wind could knock it over being in the solid soil it's in. There's more risk of a Quebec highway overpass collapsing on someone than there is that this healthy tree would ever come down!

This sign was placed by the kids on the White Pine tree. Hmmm...they even made a bilingual sign which is more than many folks do when they make signs in the Town of Brome Lake for their for sale signs or those soon to be banned garage sale signs!

Some people point out that The Town of Brome Lake always seems to throw their hands into the air whenever a serious issue comes up and says they can�t do a thing about because it�s not their decision�when taxes go up for us they say it�s the evaluators fault�when a stop sign can�t get put in�they say it�s the Qu�bec government that has to do it�when we are fed up with having no good police force they say they have no choice�trees being cut�can�t do a thing�lake pollution�can�t enforce any laws�goodness gracious what the heck are people paying taxes for?

How can a healthy tree that is older of any resident in this town be chopped down when there must be alternatives available! My goodness it is sad to see the children of St. Paul Street so upset!

Many of us who grew up in rural Canada had a particular tree that was where we had a tree-fort or a tire-swing or stole a first kiss sitting under the trunk. We used to marvel at the bark of the tree and marvel at the birds who danced and chirped in the boughs above our heads; the ants and spiders and squirrels made us, as children, feel that a tree was worth protecting as it was the catalyst for so many species. So many creatures coming together in the global simplicity of a tree!

This picture shows a resident of Knowlton signing the petition and looking up...way up...to the top of the magnificent pine.

Of course everyone has a right to own many houses around the world and many cars but when the children of Brome Lake are tying ribbons around a tree and have tears in their eyes it is time to see the leaders take a stand instead of saying that they have no control over what goes on.

It seems that in other municipalities where Rues Principals has worked they are often suggesting that burying hydro-lines is one way to improve the look and feel of a town so it seems ludicrous that Hydro-Quebec is removing trees at will and the Town who supports Rue Principals philosophies would just say �Oh Well�!

Last year another favorite tree for many residents was unceremoniously cut-down and then the Town, after having publicly announced their new directions in environmental progress days before, literally destroyed a natural filtering system that feeds the lake after a resident complained that the helpful plants were an eyesore! OUCH!

In Dunham the tragedy of the trees being removed has made the front pages of the local newspapers! To see the before and after pictures is a heart breaker! Hydro-Quebec has spent millions on their marketing, including that lame commercial that shows some hydro electric dam a la James Bay project powering a Tokio Hotel band wannabe guitar yet they refuse the windmill projects submitted by the local Bromont Windmill company in favor of some German group�great�a Quebec company tried to help solve the energy crises and the Liberal Government and Hydro-Quebec say no causing massive fiscal loss for the local companies in Bromont. Some tinfoil-capped residents say its proof that the whole system is run by a Teamster-esque gang working in complicity!

Near Dunham the hard work of planting trees by long-time residents had created a magical thick, lush clustering of vibrant living, breathing trees...a natural habitat for creatures big and small!

The same road seen during the Hydro-Quebec clearing frenzy eradicated years of growth within moments to make way for power lines. With every destructive punch the planet gets beat down further into illness in the name of profits, progress and greed.

These pictures are courtesy of the Brome County News, photographer: Chapman

Many feel that such disregard for such natural and historical structures in Brome Lake and across is proof that the entire �Save Our Lake and Join Kyoto because the Environment is our Priority� PR movement by our Canadian and Quebec Government leaders is nothing more than �Bunky duck doo-doo�!. Who knows what this German firm did to deserve the contract�maybe they employ people from Quebec? Not likely!

While towns like Knowlton suffer due to some cosmetic ugliness caused by Hydro-Qu�bec power lines and sub-stations, Hydro-Qu�bec continues to refuse green windmill projects in our area and cuts down more and more and more trees! While business owners in Brome Lake work with Rue Principals to beautify the town, one of the obvious causes of ugliness throughout the village of Knowlton is the strings of wires and crooked creosote soaked poles spoiling the skyline holding drooping electric lines emitting electro-magnetic pollution.

Hydro-Quebec continues to clear corridors of green space to make way for transmission lines to the USA�isn�t something similar happening in Alberta where the tar sands is being called an environmental catastrophe! Recently close to 1000 ducks perished while landing in a polluted waste water basin in Alberta. Some people see the profit-hungry government agency of Hydro-Quebec is willing to raze acres of forests just to appease profit targets and corporate bonus payments!

These trees were here before all of us and will likely outlive most of us despite our grandiose schemes and delusions of importance! I have often stepped outside my door to look into my tree to see the birds singing and not caring a whip about me�if that tree was gone then their would be no birds singing to not care a whip about me�that would be as sad as to think of one of our children seeing a glorious tree being sawed down because some bureaucracy couldn't find a better way to save a life.

Many times I have returned to my hometown back in Western Canada and passed by the old house we used to live in and the strongest emotion I feel is when I see the empty spot near our house where that glorious tree used to stand where I played hide-and-seek as a boy. I feel so sad for the children who love that tree on St. Paul Street because if it gets cut down they will feel the same poignant loss that I do thinking about my lost tree.

Country Chic Fashion Show

2008-05-04T08:54:00.003-05:00

The popular annual luncheon and fashion show featuring clothing and original fashion creations from some of Knowlton's finest boutiques will be held on Sunday May 4th in Lac Brome. Come and see why Knowlton is becoming known for having a variety of mens and womens clothing stores and unique styles that rival many large city centers.

More and more visitors are discovering that the local Knowlton businesses have a lot to offer that can only be found here in Brome Lake. This is the perfect event, now in it's sixth year, to come and enjoy the best of all of Knowlton has to offer in one place in the cozy comfort of the Relais.

Country Chic Fashion Show
The 6th annual luncheon show featuring the boutiques of Knowlton ~ spring & summer fashion for women and men. Boutiques featured include Clementine � la Campagne, Elle Diva, Jones New York,Ma Bille, Jodi Mallinson, Paddies, Rococo, Sandila, Woolrich, Zen Den. Door prizes.

Presented by the Restaurant-Bistro Le Relais, 286, Knowlton Rd.
Reservations required: 450-242-2232.

Knowlton Players Dropping Like Flies!

2008-05-01T05:40:00.005-05:00

The Knowlton Players present "A Tomb with a View" by Norman Robbins.

Directed by Lucy McAuley at Arts Knowlton (9 Mount Echo, Knowlton)
May 8th, 9th, 10th, 15th, 16th & 17th at 8pm and May 11th and 18th at 2pm.
Proceeds on Thursday May 8th will benefit the Massey Vanier Stratford trip.

Tickets are only $12 for adults, $8 for students, and $5 for 12 years and under
For reservations call 450 242 2510.

The Cast of the Play
Cedric Briggs, Roger de la Mare, Michaela Barnes, Sarah Hoblyn, Steve Trew, Linda Carey, Genevieve Heap, Julie Senier, Jim (Ace) McLellan, Patricia St-Onge
Norman Robbins' comedy thriller features the, to put it mildly, eccentric Tomb family.

In as sinister an old library as one is likely to come across, presided over by the portrait of a grim-faced, mad-eyed old man, a dusty lawyer reads a will (involving some millions of pounds) to an equally sinister family; one member of which has werewolf tendencies, another wanders around in a toga thinking that he is Julius Caesar, whilst a third is a gentle lady - who plants more than seeds in her flower-beds! By the third act there are more corpses than live members left in the cast.

Lucy McAuley returns to the directing helm and is thrilled to try her hand at directing adults!

The cast of ten is made up of a mix of familiar and not so familiar faces. Each actor gets a chance to try out a really outlandish character that is before they end up dead.

Knowlton Players is a non-profit organization, supporting numerous charitable organizations and providing bursaries and camp tuition for our youth. Support your local theatre and see the tremendous talent that Knowlton has to offer!

Visit their website at www.knowltonplayers.com

Ecosphere Thanks DestinationKnowlton.com

2008-04-27T15:15:00.011-05:00

The Destination Knowlton website tries, in it's own little way, to bring opinion, news, upcoming arts and cultural events as well as photographs of Lac Brome and Knowlton without being a traditional newspaper that relies on pulp and paper mills for production. This website has a smaller carbon footprint than say "The Sherbrooke Record" "La Voix de L'est" or "The Brome County Snooze" which all use paper and ink to print the news...that means cutting forests and mixing up solvents...ouch...that wouldn't please David Suzuki!!

Well this is 2008 and that paper and ink is old school stuff soon to go the way of the Dodo! Newspapers are a dying breed as more and more people turn to the Internet for news and opinions...yep...DK.com is on the cutting edge which isn't too bad considering we're based in teensey-weensey Knowlton Quebec! Pretty soon more and more advertisiers will realize that paying a few hundred dollars for a small advertisement in a local paper isn't as good a return on investment as placing advertising on a popular local website...like this one! Advertising on a local website can cost several times less than traditional newspapers and magazines which are scrambling to find advertisiers in their soon-to-be-extinct media!

Recently we were happy to be recognized by Eric Ferland, co-president of the Project Ecosphere, for being a responsible and environmentally friendly form of local news...well...we think that's what the letter said...after all it was all written in French so we may have missed some bits but at least it didn't say "Sans Prejudice" or "Mise en Demure" at the top of the letter so it can't be that bad!

Here is the letter; finally some "fan mail"?

Bonjour � vous,

Merci pour l'article que vous avez produit en septembre dernier concernant la foire environnementale de Brome.

J'aimerai apporter quelques renseignements concernant cet article.

Premi�rement, je suis le premier � dire que le vol de la banni�re �tait une erreur et je peux vous assurer que c'�tait la derni�re fois que vous aller voir une banni�re dans le ciel pour promouvoir la foire.

Deuxi�mement, tous les papiers utilis�s afin de promouvoir l'�v�nement est approuv� FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) avec un fort pourcentage de papier recycl� et imprim� avec des encres v�g�tales. Cette ann�e, nous utiliserons un papier 100 % recycl�. Papier glac� n'�gale pas n�cessairement papier non recycl�.

Nous r�aliserons un �v�nement similaire � Ottawa du 2 au 4 ao�t et l'�v�nement sera carbone neutre et nous travaillons actuellement afin que l'�v�nement de Brome soit carbone neutre d'ici peu.

Pour ce qui est du d�veloppement �olien, l'Allemagne et plusieurs autres pays Europ�en, ont d�j� surpass� les objectifs de Kyoto gr�ce au d�veloppement �olien. Pour l'Allemagne, on parle de plus de 20 %, ce qui est magnifique.

Je suis d'accord avec Monsieur Muir concernant le d�veloppement �olien dans notre r�gion. Steven Guilbault, anciennement de Greenpeace est le premier � dire que ce genre de d�veloppement devrait ce faire proche des grandes centrales hydro�lectriques du Qu�bec. Louis-Gilles Francoeur, journaliste du Devoir, rapportait qu'une grosse entreprise d'�olienne avait rencontr� le pr�sident d'Hydro-Qu�bec, afin de faire un d�veloppement �olien proche de la rivi�re Rupert. Cette rivi�re subit de grandes modifications afin d'alimenter un autre barrage � plusieurs km de sa localisation. Hydro est en train de modifier ce cour d'eau important pour des projets de d�veloppement. Cette magnifique rivi�re subira de nombreuses modifications.

Le projet d'�olienne propos� �tait des plus ambitieux. Le pr�sident de cette firme Allemande, proposait de construire des �oliennes qui produiraient autant d'�lectricit� que les eaux pouvaient produire et cela � un co�t moindre que l'hydro�lectricit�. De plus, le pr�sident proposait d'installer le bureau chef de cette entreprise pour l'Am�rique du nord au Qu�bec. Imaginez les avanc�es technologiques que le Qu�bec aurait pu obtenir sur ce genre d'�quipement. Des �oliennes capables d'�tre immobilis�es � moins 50 degr� Celcius pendant plusieurs heures et red�marrer avec un petit souffle du vent. C'est le genres de projets que nous devons d�velopper, pas dans nos terres agricoles ou les seules b�n�ficiaires sont quelques r�sidents et que les voisins n'auront rien pour les d�dommager du bruit et du paysage modifier.

Pour de plus amples informations, je vous invite � me t�l�phoner au num�ro ci-dessous.

Encore merci pour l'article et � bient�t,

�ric Ferland
Copr�sident
Projet �cosph�re
8, chemin du Moulin � Scie
Frelighsburg, Qu�bec J0J 1C0
e.ferland@projetecosphere.org

Here is some background from our previous coverage of the Ecosphere held every year at the Brome Fair Grounds:
Going Green Has Two Sides | 2007 Ecosphere comes to Lac Brome

Renaissance Lac Brome Offers Lake Bushes

2008-04-16T19:16:00.011-05:00

After holding a public consultation meeting, the Town of Brome Lake will soon adopt a new bylaw requiring residents to maintain lake shorelines and river banks in a natural condition. In practice this means that grass cutting will be forbidden within 10 meters of lakes and water courses.

Many people wonder if the Town will insist that industrial residents like Brome Lake Ducks or Les Emballages Knowlton will be forced to plant barrier zones and invest in green shorelines? Why not plant bushes? What abou the condo developments and golf courses that have streams and brroks running through them? It seems like only yesterday that Paul Martin, ex Prime-Minister of Canada, ignored environmental rules and uprooted trees within putting distance of a stream to make way for a new fairway for his private Golf Course within Brome Lake. Will such residents be having inspections to ensure they have bushes growing on the shorelines? Many residents think not.

Concerns have also been expressed at the dump site behind the fire hall which is right on the waterway, the garages in Lac Brome which store rusting, fluid leaking vehicles and parts often within meters of brooks and streams...most of these cars are junked jallopies that even Archie and his gang would not dare to try and re-build so some folks wonder why in this era of global green do towns even allow this practice to continue!

New rules regarding permits for building have recently been announced by the Town but existing residents and businesses, who either have properties on the lakeside or properties that have streams passing through them, are not sure if they will all be treated equally. As was seen in recent tax hikes the town has raised the taxes of private property owners but have generousely dropped taxes for industrial clients, many of whom, some residents say, are creating more pollution than anyone and should thus experience a raising of taxes instead of the opposite!

As for those eligible (your property must be affected by the bylaw) RLB is offering up to 200 bushes per property owner (1 bush for each square meter to be restored is recommended). The distribution, in return for a nominal contribution, will take place on May 3 and May 17 in the parking lot of the Knowlton IGA (the shiney new IGA location, not the ramshackle decrepitated old IGA building still sitting vacant like a nine-number bingo card) between the hours of 8 am and 12 noon.

To reserve your bushes nowor for more information contact Renaissance Lac Brome at info@renaissancelbl.com or visit the Renaissance Lac Brome website.

During recent meetings Renaissance Lac Brome, the grassroots group determined to assist in positive remediation of the lake, laid the ground work for the upcoming season.

During 2008, RLB will continue the programs it began in 2007, emphasizing concrete
measures for the restoration and preservation of the environment of the lake and of the streams throughout the watershed. Various approaches will be tried to improve coordination among the municipalities and other bodies involved in the watershed (Ministry of the Environment, MRCs, Cogeby, Ministry of Agriculture, UPA, woodlands operators, etc.), with a view to achieving true watershed-based management.

Monitoring of the physical and chemical condition of the lake and its tributaries will be continued and improved. In addition to our operational activities, the following projects are planned for 2008:

1. Renaturalization of the shoreline of the lake (shrub-planting program)
2. Reforestation of Brome Lake tributaries � Phase 1
3. Lake monitoring (physical and chemical characteristics)
4. Monitoring of lake water clarity (Secchi disc readings)
5. Measuring the frequency and extent of blue-green algae blooms
6. Monitoring water quality in the tributaries (with Universit� de Sherbrooke)
7. Public information campaigns (3) and documentation
8. Maintenance and development of the website
9. Membership
10. Network of sector representatives throughout the watershed
11. Fundraising
12. Management of citizens� complaints
13. Adoption of rules relating to motor boats
14. Participation in Town of Brome Lake�s Action Plan against blue-green algae
15. Public meetings

Three additional projects are planned if financial and human resources permit:

16. Working with commercial and industrial operations in the watershed
17. Analysis of secondary watersheds within the Brome Lake watershed (2)
18. Working to improve defective septic systems

Renaissance Lac Brome is a progressive and active group determined to work with the powers that be to help save Brome Lake. Any residents or concerned citizens interested in helping restore one of the Eastern Townships wonderful lakes is invited to visit the website of the group: http://www.renaissancelbl.com/

Lost Cat Found in Knowlton

2008-04-15T15:48:00.012-05:00

Did you lose a little pussy-cat? We are looking for the owners of a young healthy long hair female or male tabby cat. We�ve been seeing this cat around our yard for some weeks now and it looks like it�s staying underneath our porch. It doesn�t have a collar and still has claws. It is very playful and affectionate.

It needs a bath and grooming. If unclaimed it will most probably end up at the SPCA or some shelter because we cannot keep an outdoor cat. If this is your cat or you know who lost it please send an email to us through this website!

UPDATE
Well it turns out this isn't a lost cat after all! This turns out to be a lovely Maine Coon purebred cat who was owned by a dear lady on Oak street who had to give up the cat when she moved into the Manoir Knowlton, a home for the elderly in Knowlton. The woman had given the lovely cat to a neighbour and this wiley cat decided that Spring was a good time to roam the neighborhood and when we saw him taking up residence under our porch we assumed he was lost!

We call him Leo! He loves to climb trees and hunt and play with his new friend Sassy! Here is a video of them together; pussy-cat friends for the Summer of 2008.

The Maine Coon is one of the largest breeds of domestic cat, known for its high intelligence and playfulness as well as its distinctive physical appearance. The breed is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and originated from New England, specifically native to the state of Maine, (in fact, the Maine Coon is the official Maine State Cat), making it America's first indigenous show cat. The Maine Coon cat is known as "the gentle giant."

See some more great pictures of the Maine Coon Cat Here http://www.blazerscats.com/maine_coons.html

Remember...to support your local Animal Shelter and SPCA.

SQ Ambushes Peeve Lac Brome Drivers

2008-04-13T22:00:00.014-05:00

The trucks roar through Brome Lake at excessive speeds. The tailgaters hang on our bumpers. The school zone and residential speed-limits are blatantly ignored. Crosswalks with elderly residents using walkers trying to cross are being ignored. School buses with flashing lights unloading children are being ignored. Vehicles doing the speed limit on Lakeside or Knowlton Road or Victoria Street are being passed and sometimes cars are passing against a solid yellow line attempting to pass two vehicles at once on a corner or risking the lives of pedestrians who have no sidewalk to walk upon.

Meanwhile the SQ sits idly...charging too much and preferring to ambush drivers instead of really helping with public security!

While these obvious highway code violations occur many residents are scratching their heads asking �Where are the SQ who we are paying to patrol our streets?�

Roads in Brome Lake are pocked with potholes and are winding twisting single lane danger zones yet the traffic on these hazardous roads seems to be faster and faster every day yet the police in charge of our streets seem to prefer to hang out in the shadows and ambush drivers who are using the nicest roads in the region!

Why would the police ignore flagrant violations in our towns and just sit on their bums waiting to catch someone going slightly over the speed limit?

The answer is being discovered by more and more residents...the SQ officers assigned to traffic ticket duty on the roads of Brome Lake seem to feel it would be helpful to ambush drivers by hiding along the best roads outside of Lac Brome instead of dealing with the dangerous driving in Town!

The cops have been camped out far outside of the reach of any dangerous traffic violations and are waiting to pounce on drivers who take the few well paved roads in Brome Lake. The best roads are between Bromont and Knowlton, a lovely paved stretch of highway that features flat straight roads with nothing but vast fields to both side. This is the road that any driver could let go of the steering wheel and close their eyes for a nap and still wake up after 5 minutes and be on the smooth and arrow straight road! The speed limit on the road is 80 kmh.

Meanwhile...the speed limits on other roads that are riddled with potholes, covered in corners, dangerous due to lack of shoulders, and laden with over-filled dump trucks, is 90kmh and even on these roads, if you dare drive the speed limit, you will have a train of tailgaters riding your bumper!

In the village of Knowlton cars ignore the crosswalks, trucks speed through the 50 kmh zone at least at 80kmh and there is not a police car to be seen! Why would the SQ feel it helps the public safety to hide in the bushes and ticket drivers? It�s called laziness...it�s called bureaucracy...and it�s called ripping us off!

According to many, the policing of Brome Lake is at an all-time low as far as quality of service goes yet the cost of having the SQ patrol our region is the highest per capita in Quebec! Are we suckers?

Maybe not complete suckers but the poor police service on our roads is leaving many residents feeling that an accident is waiting to happen! With the blatant traffic violations going on even within the tiny village of Knowlton you�d think that our tax dollars were going towards a police service, the Surete du Quebec, or SQ, that could Serve and Prtotect.

Even myself, a taxpaying, land-owning person in Brome Lake has recently been exposed to the useless Public Service the SQ is providing. Recently I had to take a rare trip to Montreal from Knowlton and like many motorists who prefer to avoid the winding stretch of Lakeside Road full of trucks and aggressive residents speeding on the tight rounding road, I took Brome Road towards Bromont which is the only nicely paved stretch of Road in all of Brome Lake! This road is so straight that a driver can let go of the steering wheel and take a nap and their car will drive for 10 minutes because the road is so wide and straight and surrounded by nothing but wide soft fields of wheat! For some reason the �engineers� of the Quebec Highway Department figured that such a straight wide and clear highway should have one of the lowest speed limits in the Eastern Townships!

So of course I am driving on a bright sunny day listening to 99.9 The Buzz on the radio of the Salsa Vibe and while I�m trying to do the speed limit....it just doesn�t make sense on this road! When anyone drives the speed limit on this road the cows in the fields will literally laugh and point at the car! I�ve been doing 100kmh on this road and had towtrucks literally flash their lights at me wanting me to go faster or move over as if it was Burt Reynolds driving! I could never understand why I was allowed to go faster up Tibbits Hill which is a pothole ridden, narrow road or why when I entered Brome Lake on Highway 104 at over the speed-limit I had cars and trucks passing me yet when I cruised alone on this road towards Bromont I was pulled over for speeding!

I wish I had been pulled over by a local police or a first responder...at least if we had local police we would likely know the officer who pulled us over and maybe a warning would have been in order. As it was I was ticketed by a SQ officer who probably didn�t live in Brome Lake and was likely assigned to traffic duty because of some sort of indiscretion due to the publication a YouTube video of some bum slapping incident at the Police Station! This guy, besides being out of shape and smelling like salt and vinegar Humpty Dumpty chips, had no sense of cool.

He said to me:� Do you know why I pulled you over�
I said to him:�I was probably going over the speed limit�

Directors note: The speed limit is 80kmh which is so slow that the cud-chewing cows in the field will literally laugh if you do that speed. The road is straighter and wider than any other road in Brome Lake and for some reason has the slowest speed limits!! This is the kind of road that even an airline pilot from Hewa Bora flight school would dream about to land a 737!

He said to me:�I know the road is good, and it�s a nice day, but do you know how fast you were going?�
I Said to him:�No....it seemed slow on such a good road on such a nice day....especially with no traffic either way! Was I going too slow?�

Directors note: There was no traffic...only cows...a speeder could have rolled their car into the ditch without harming even a fencepost!

He said to me:�Can I see your license and registration�
I said to him, thinking that he may be in a playful mood due to the sunny day and lack of traffic: �It depends on the health of your eyesight...I find the Arial font printing on the Government issued Identification Cards is too small for most elderly people to read especially if they suffer from any sort of eye malfunction due to poor eating habits. Looking at you, sir, I�d say that perhaps you may not be able to see any sort of ID card I offered you without mechanical help of a magnifying apparatus....however your analysis of the conditions of the road today seem to display an odd appreciation that this ticket you plan to give me is a complete load of Boo-Hockey!�

Directors note: Were you expecting to get out of a ticket with such smart-ass talk? But your use of the word �boo-hockey� is good considering it is the Stanley Cup Playoffs and if the officer is a fan of the Canadiens he may let you off....good thinking!

So after this encounter I resign myself that this knuckle-dragger will be giving me a traffic ticket to meet his daily quote and can wag his tail all the way back to the station and show the boss how proud he is to have ambushed some drivers on the best roads of the territory while meanwhile residents have their life and limb being risked due to uncontrolled driving in the town! Good for you SQ dronesl!!

Actually...the worst infraction was the fact that I was wearing a Montreal Canadiens Shirt! Man...if the SQ are so lame that they don�t give a speeder a break even when they are wearing a Habs shirt then we are really in trouble!

This SQ officer, code named �Daniel�, walked back to his SUV vehicle with my papers to write up my ticket. He seemed to be unsure of which end of the pencil was the right one to make a scribble because he literally took 20 minutes to write up the ticket! I have cerebrally challenged family members so I am not going to make light of any affirmative action policy that allows the hiring of police officers even when they cannot print via pen to paper, more than 6 words per minute...but this was ridiculous! Not only did this SQ officer sit in his SUV for 20 minutes writing me up a ticket but the worst thing is he left his vehicle running the whole time!

Dude! If you pull over a driver and then proceed to try and figure out your pencil then why not shut off you motor....have you heard about the planet Earth and the collapse of our environment or has the latest episode of Tete a Clac done something to your membrane?

Man...I was driving 100kmh which is the most efficient speed to reduce emissions and consumption. I was pulled over for doing that speed yet on Highway 10 when the speed limit in construction zones is 70kmh I would be killed in a drive-by if I slipped below 90...are the SQ there? NOT! So by asking me to reduce my efficiency and then while idling his engine the whole time while figuring out the mechanics of the lead pencil the SQ and Quebec Government has increased the carbon footprint of our region by a huge percentage!

Many residents are asking why this money sucking, environmental disregarding, useless police force is allowed to drain money from Lac Brome Taxpayers like a vampire!

It seems the motto of the SQ should be �To Self-Serve and Protect our Bosses� because many residents are not feeling that the abolition of the local police force in favor of the SQ to patrol our streets has been worth it.

More Lac Brome Residents Fed Up With Poor Police Service

The Mayor�s of many Eastern Townships towns and municipalities aren�t the only ones who are fed up with the Surete du Quebec; residents are now voicing their complete dis-satisfaction with the lack-lustre service the SQ is providing to Brome Lake.

Of course, the cost of the SQ to �police� our little patch of heaven is going up faster than the price of unleaded gasoline with Brome Lake paying some of the highest price per-capita for the patrolling and service from the Quebec Police. While other municipalities have seen their policing costs go up only marginally over recent years, it seems that Brome Lake residents are being viewed as a cash-grab by the Government-run Police force who must feel that we are ready to just open our wallets and toss up whatever tax dollars they ask!

The cost of �service� from the SQ has jumped over 11% since last year forcing Brome Lake to hike taxes to try and pay the extra quarter-million dollars per year to the SQ. An 11% jump in cost is seen by many residents and local officials as nothing less than robbery! But when the cops are the ones doing the crime how can any of us do anything but try not to complain too much lest we have a boot-strapped attack by taser-wielding Police Officers sent in by the Minister of Public Security to show us that an 11% increase is a reasonable and fair augmentation!

The problem of poor public protection by the Surete du Quebec in Brome seems to be reaching a head as residents are getting �ambushed� by traffic ticketing police officers who are leaving a sour taste in the mouths of many residents who are tired of being given borderline traffic tickets in remote ares of Brome Lake while the safety of pedestrians, drivers and citizens within the town limits is being ignored.

I guess they can basically do what they want since they are, after all, the police! What are we supposed to do about crappy service that costs more than any other region in Quebec? We could maybe write to someone in Quebec City or complain to our MLA or even get on board with Mayor Wisdom who has been fed-up and battling the Minister of Public Security, Jacques Dupuis, over the pathetic police presence in Lac Brome and the continuously rising cost of such poor service.

Of course, trying to reason with Jacques Dupuis or whatever puppet is in office representing the Charest Liberal Quebec Government is a no-win fight. It would be like trying to argue with Lotto-Quebec that the suicides at the Montreal Casino are maybe a sign that gambling shouldn`t be a government sanctioned activity! Nope...the Government likes the income and since they write the rules they can decide how the game is played. If Brome Lake is being held hostage by the Police and the Minister of Security then we are literally screwed...who do the citizens, or the Mayor of Brome Lake complain to? They charge more and give worse service! That is sounding like a Monopoly or even a Government Service!! And if we�re fed up to the brim what are we supposed to do call the Police?

I wasn�t in Lac Brome in the good old days when they had their own Police Force but apparently Knowlton and Brome Lake used to have their own force and as recently as 2002 the annual budget for policing Lac Brome was only $770,000 dollars and now, only 6 years later residents are looking at paying over $1.9 million dollars. Wow! No wonder the Government wanted to take charge of policing...if they can rake taxpayers of Lac Brome over the coals with such exorbatent rate-increases every year then the Quebec Government must have been drooling in their soup thinking how they found a holy cash cow! The poor taxpayers of Brome Lake are being taken for more money than the Casino at Mount Tremblant could bring in 6 months and the Town of Brome Lake has no choice but to raising property taxes to pay for the SQ service!

Residents of Lac Brome have been fuming recently as local property taxes have gone up more than the Canadian Inflation Rate and certainly more than wages! Of course taxes have only gone up for the regular folks of Knowlton, the Industrial Tax Rate in Lac Brome has actually been reduced. Some residents say this doesn�t make a bit of sense since the Industrial taxpayers of Brome lake like Les Emballages Knowlton and Brome Lake Ducks create the most heavy truck trafffic aand residual pollution that is causing Brome Lake to turn into a toxic dump. Whoa! That may be a little left-wing as far as pointing fingers goes, after all the Industrial residents of Lac Brome provide many jobs in a time of tough economics here in Eastern Canada...let�s face it...selling duck breasts to Japan or bottling Miss Clairol for the US headsets is not as lucrative as tunnelling into the tar sands of Alberta and we are losing taxpaying residents faster than you can say �Roll up the Rim to Win!�.

So the SQ, by overcharging for a poor service, is causing more and more residents a feeling of chagrin and concern. Some feel that this is another example of the provincial Government thinking only of their own �Union� of employees instead of actually caring for the population that builds the province. Some folks are saying that it would be nice to see Brome Lake Government stand up for the residents and revert to a local police force where the money being spent was actually going to the public safety and security instead of what is happening now! If the SQ prefer to hide in the bushes and leap out at residents to meet their quota of highway traffic tickets then they are doing less than nothing to protect the residents of Brome Lake...in fact they are creating more of a hazard and perhaps leaving real delinquants and violators to run free!

Looking at it from a SQ officers point of view it is likely more enjoyable to sit on a quiet road in Brome Lake watching the latest episode of Deal or No Deal on their portable laptop but the occasional motorist they pull over on the empty highway for excessive speed will hardly make the Taxpayers who pay their salary any safer. While cars and trucks are speeding through school zones and passing over double lines at triple the speed limit on Lakeside and Knowlton Road the cops, who are costing us an arm and a leg, prefer to just sit on their cushions waiting to ambush drivers on the only nice road in Lac Brome!

2008-04-13T00:41:00.001-05:00

On April 19, Arts Sutton will launch the first of two annual exhibitions of works by its artist members, who will also be attending the opening. The show displays recent work by about 20 artists on the theme Sutton Going Green, providing an opportunity to view many different approaches to contemporary visual art.

Arts Sutton is very pleased to offer this exceptional member showcase. �This exhibition takes up the theme the Town of Sutton chose for the National Home Show held in Montreal this past March,� said Yves L.-Ph. Cousineau, president of the Gallery. In effect, the Town, in cooperation with the Sutton Economic Development Corporation, developers and local real estate agencies joined forces to promote Sutton as a great place to live and provide visitors to the Home Show with information about the possibilities for settling in our area.�

The Gallery thought it would be interesting to suggest to its artist members that they create works based on Sutton Going Green. Through diverse media ranging from photography to sculpture, painting and mixed media, the artists interpret the theme in a multitude of ways. �This exhibition definitely offers a new way of looking at all the attributes that attract people to Sutton,� said Mr. Cousineau.

The exhibition continues until May 18.

The Galley is located at 7 Academy in Sutton. The Gallery and offices are open from Thursday to Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm.

Source : Catherine Audet for Arts Sutton Gallery
450.538.2563 info@artssutton.com www.artssutton.com

Live Jazz Featured in Knowlton

2008-04-04T07:49:00.012-05:00

One of Knowlton�s best kept secrets, and a real treat for visitor�s, is the Saturday night Jazz performances at the Relais Restaurant in the Auberge Knowlton.

The live performances take place from 6:30 to 9:30 on Saturday eveningand is a great occasion to enjoy an evening of dining in the historical Inn while listening to some great jazz from the classics of the 1940�s to easy listening Jazz.

Visitors are often asking where to go in Knowlton on weekends to enjoy dinner and live music, or just to hear live music while enjoying a glass of red wine with friends!

The cozy Relais Restaurant, with it's antique decor and decorations featuring local history, is the ideal spot to get comfy in the rich wooden tones of the restaurant and listen to fine Jazz music.

The Saturday Evening Jazz features John Barr on piano with Nicholas Barr on clarinet and Christopher Barr on trumpet. Amazingly, the accomplished musical group consist of two members who are comfortable doing a Benny Goodman Stomp but aren�t yet old enough to drive!

Nicholas, on clarinet, is 14 years old and won first prize in the Victoriaville music competition last year. He is currently studying with Marianne Croteau of the McGill Chamber Orchestra. Christopher,11, on trumpet, is studying under Manon Lafrance of the renowned Canadian Brass. The mother of Nicholas and Christopher is also an accomplished musicial and vocalist; Laura Barr has a Bachelor of Music, McGill. This is one family with a progressive musical gene!!

Piano, clarinet and muted trumpet create some sweet sounds and songs like �I got Rhythm� a Gershwin jazz standard, and �It�s all Right with Me� one of Frank Sinatra�s classic tunes. The 1940�s were an incredible time for Jazz music with artists like Lennie Tristano, Duke Ellington, Lee Konitz, Coleman Hawkins and Mary Lou Williams making some of the most memorable music of our time!

Knowlton visitors and residents are indeed lucky to have a chance to enjoy a glass of wine, or a hot French Onion soup or a full dinner at the Auberge Knowlton and be treated to live performances by such young rising musical talents.

On alternating Saturday nights the Jazz is performed by Yaakov Ludmir playing piano. Yaakov is currently studying music at CEGEP Vanier and is another young man who is showing a deep talent and appreciation for the genre. There is nothing more beautiful and intensely personal as listening to live Jazz and solo piano and both The Barr Family and Yaakov Ludmir create dramatic yet peaceful sounds so soothing in these stormy times.

Sitting down with friends and dinner or a drink while listening to musicians deliver Jazz music also ensures you get your weekly recommended allowance of hip coolness which has been proven to promote well-being!

As Frank Sinatra said : �I'm not one of those complicated, mixed-up cats. I'm not looking for the secret to life.... I just go on from day to day, taking what comes.� And of course in the words of Duke Ellington ��It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing�!

Jazz every Saturday night at Le Relais 6:30 to 9:30. The Relais is located in Downtown Knowltons prestigious Auberge Knowlton at 286 Knowlton. Road, across from the Knowlton Gallery at the four-way stop. Info: 450-242-6886

Brome Lake To Be Sold For Bio-Fuel

2008-04-01T21:30:00.004-05:00

The complete emptying of Brome Lake began this week as the Town reached an agreement to completely drain the lake and sell off every last gallon of lake water.

The Town decided that instead of spending any more money on engineers and experts to solve the problem of poor lake water quality and re-occuring blue-green algae issues they would take the brave move and sell off the entire lake, although some call the move a completely irresposible use of Brome's natural and historical resources.

Workers installed pumps on the ice to begin draining the lake in a process that would take three years. The water, rich in phosphorous, will be sold to a Magog firm to develop an exportable form of natural "Green" fuel.

Last minute negotiations by the Town of Brome Lake with BioGreenz Ltd., the International bio-fuel conglomerate, have secured a deal which would see the entire supply of the algae-ridden waters of Brome Lake being sold to the bio-fuel manufacturer in return for over $920 Million dollars.

The entire liquid supply of Brome Lake, all the water, is being sold to a local Townships company who plans to drain the lake in order to make a new, hyper-powerful bio-diesel in a move that shows Brome Lakes serious approach to going Green.

But some residents are upset that Going Green suddenly means Going Dry!

The algae-rich water of Brome Lake are going to be used to create a valuable resource as opposed to the yearly problems the lake has caused; but the new deal means that within three years the lake will be nothing but a dry crater filled with nothing but a mixture akin to soupy bran muffin mix filled with cigarette butts and beer bottles and golf balls and plastic ducks from years of ice fishing and fund-raisers and duck races near the lake!

The blue-green algae that pollutes many Quebec lakes and ponds has been a growing problem but Brome Lake is the first municipality to realize that they may be sitting on a Billion Dollar Asset and has decided that it may be best to sell the entire lake than try and solve the issue of yearly pollution! Blue-green algae is suddenly being hailed by International Scientists as the newest bio-fuel miracle-component as well as potentially a disease-fighting cancer-bashing natural wonder!

Relatively high oil prices, advances in technology, and the Lac Brome administration's increased emphasis on renewable fuels are attracting new interest in a potentially rich source of biofuels: algae. A number of startups are now demonstrating new technology and launching large research efforts aimed at replacing hundreds of millions of gallons of fossil fuels by 2010, and much more in the future.

Algae makes oil naturally. Raw algae can be processed to make biocrude, the renewable equivalent of petroleum, and refined to make gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and chemical feedstocks for plastics and drugs. Indeed, it can be processed at existing oil refineries to make just about anything that can be made from crude oil. This is the approach being taken by startup BioGreenz Ltd. based in Magog, Quebec.

Alternatively, strains of algae that produce more carbohydrates and less oil can be processed and fermented to make ethanol, with leftover proteins used for animal feed. This is one of the potential uses of algae produced by the heavily polluted Brome Lake.

At first, the Town and groups such as Renaissance Lac Brome were spending much time and money to find solutions for solving the annual closures of the lake due to blue-green algae. But fortunately, smarter heads prevailed when it was decided by the majority of the town that perhaps the algae was a natural resource that should be exploited. Instead of trying to fight what Mother Nature delivered and what had until now been considered merely a pollution, the "Brainiacs of Brome" came to understand that this horrid mixture of toxic liquid could actually be worth something.

One Brome Lake Official, speaking to us on guarantee of anonymity, stated: "This pea soup we call a lake has been a real pain in the Aspen, Colorado!" he cursed, "We have angry residents, angry businesses, angry waterfront property owners all complaining that we need to do something to clean up the lake! But report after report and consultation after consultation all lead to one conclusion: cleaning up the lake will cost millions of tax dollars!"

Last year, the firm BioGreenz Ltd., approached residents and officials with a somewhat unique and innovative plan: instead of fighting the blue-green algae, why not harness the sloppy toxic stew to make inexpensive fuel so we could drive our vehicles for much less cost. The proposed new line of bio-fuel, tentatively called Brome Lake Gas� would, according to BioGreenz Ltd spokeswoman Aineedhia Baleevit, be able to supply enough bio-diesel to operate 40,000 vehicles for a year.

"That of course, depends on the size of the vehicle being fuelled. We calculated that if we could fuel 40,000 regular vehicles for a year it would be equivalent to only 5 of the monster trucks that show up at the Big Brome Fair", stated Baleevit.

Brome lake is know for The Big Brome Fair, one of the premier agricultural fairs in Eastern Canada, and the highlight of many vacationers visit to the Eastern Townships. The startling news delivered by BioGreenz Ltd that the Brome Fair�s yearly Tractor Pull Event used more fossil fuels on a Sunday afternoon than all the residents of Stagecoach, Sugar Hill and Mount Echo used in an entire year combined lead one brave Brome Fair insider to promise:
"We strive to be an environmental fair! If the factualities of this firms facts are firmly factual then we promise to make big changes so we reduce the impact our entertainment has on the environment!" he said, "Even if that means turning the tractor pull event into a donkey pull!"

A random survey of patrons of The Thirsty Boot, outside of Knowlton near the Beaver Pond Motel, found that most people were not impressed at the thought of watching stubby-legged donkeys pulling cement blocks across the grandstand field instead of the loud honkin� tractors!

"Shoot!" exclaimed one patron as he took a break from his wobbly Karaoke singing, "If I wanted to watch mutant asses stumbling across a public stage up to their knees in mud I could just go to a monthly council meeting!"

Right Said Fred! But surely this comment, by one of Knowltons� wanna be Canadian Idol hopefuls, was a lighthearted jab at the Town leaders who have been busy this year trying to bring all aspects of the town together. From the Chamber of Commerce, to the Main Street program, to the residents and volunteers who work so hard together in the re-building of our precious town, the Town of Brome has ramped up their efforts to bring cohesion and positivity to Brome Lake.

This new initiative to sell off the water of Brome Lake in order to create a source of fuel is one example of how our leaders have chosen a positive direction for the local economy. Of course, not everyone affected by the selling off of the 400 million gallons of lake water is feeling so happy. One business owner, and lakeside property owner, was less than impressed by the new deal which would see the draining of Brome Lake within 3 years. He has since launched a lawsuit against the Provincial Government and the Town of Lac Brome.

"They want to drain the lake and within 3 years it will be nothing but a gloomy crater with only 12 inches of stinky muck full of worm colonies at the bottom! We used to have motorboats and sailboats and swimmers in the lake and they all co-existed with the toxic muck, duck poop and poisonous, stinky water just fine! What kind of message are we sending out now?!" asked the bare-chested resident.

The sale of the lake water, which has yet to be approved by both Federal and Provincial Governments, is expected to receive final acceptance by both Government Departments in charge of the Environment and Economic Development within 10 days, once the officials return from their 8 week holiday.

This means that the trucks from the Magog firm will soon begin showing up at the bridge beside the Auberge Quilliams to begin pumping the algae-rich waters of Brome Lake to transport it to the Magog treatment plant. The pumper trucks will be arriving at a rate of 300 trucks per day to begin draining the lake and hauling the phosphorous rich waters to Magog for processing into bio-diesel.

Residents between Highway 10 and The Quilliams are not too impressed by the addition of 600 truck trips per day destined to pass in front of their once quiet homes on Lakeside Road. However, the fact that the royalties on this deal earned by TBL, which will amount to over $60,000 per resident per year for the next 3 years, will likely defer any anger residents currently have over traffic disruptions and loss of the lake.

The entire volume of Brome Lake will be completely drained, leaving only a small patch of mud in the central deep zones, within 3 years.

The good news is that the new partnership with BioGreenz Ltd will mean that every card-carrying Brome Lake resident will be eligible to recive the Brome Lake Gas bio-diesel at only 6 cents per litre. As an added bonus every resident will receive four free tickets to the annual Brome Fair Ass Pull!

April Fools!

Townships new therapeutic laughter center

2008-03-18T20:29:00.018-05:00

The AVIVA Spa, the new wellness centre, located in the beautiful Qullliams Hotel on Lac Brome will be offering a range of courses in the new advanced laughter technique Laughercize. This new round of "Laughercize" starting in Knowlton is further proof that there is more to The Eastern Townships of Quebec than just Maple Syrup and the Big Brome Fair! Already a prime destination for visitors and one of the most desirable places to live in all of Quebec, Brome Lake is now being known as the home to such innovative and fun activities as the "Laughercize" program!

Laughercize was created by filmmaker Albert Nerenberg, who developed the method by fusing therapeutic laughter with exercise. Laughercize yields health benefits, fights stress and elevates mood. A series of new Laughercize sessions begin in March and April including: Introduction to Laughercize, Advanced Laughercize and Laughercize for couples.

Nerenberg who teaches some of the classes, says he is delighted to be at AVIVA. �It�s a perfect location, fantastic air wide open spaces, and stunning views,� he said. Quilliams is often less than an hour from Montreal by car centrally located in the Townships. Montrealers can come down for a weekend and go home with a new exercise technique under their belts.

Laughercize, has taken off in the Townships with capacity classes and some of the graduates adding to the method.

Students Adding to the Technique

�One of the challenges of the practice since it is group driven, is how to you bring it home� said Nerenberg is who is also CBC Radio Noon�s Laughologist. � One of our graduates Margaret Zurbrigg developed a technique of laughing in the shower. It sounds crazy but it works.�

Shower Laughter was featured on several Montreal radio stations. �I believe we�re at the ground floor of the laughter movement,� said Chris Severs founder of the AVIVA SPA SANTE. �Therapeutic laughter is a new and effective and fun form of fitness and wellness, as well as mood elevation. And Laughercize is the most comprehensive and
enjoyable technique to date.�

Laughercize is suited to all ages including seniors who often find it less strenuous and more enjoyable then other forms of fitness.The AVIVA SPA SANTE specializes in positive wellness and health practices.

Laughercize is based on recent scientific discoveries that prove laughter helps blood circulation, strengthens immunity and can fight depression. As well, it�s a form of fitness. However, to reap the benefits people need to laugh for reasonable lengths of time, which is where Laughercize comes in. People often laugh for half an hour at a time in the sessions. Nerenberg is plans to train Laughercize instructors. With Laughercize headquartered here, the plan is to turn the Eastern Townships as a
centre for therapeutic laughter.

�Nothing says Joie de vivre like Quebec�s Eastern Townships,� said Nerenberg.

People interested in classes can call 450-242-2927 or email info@Laughercize.com or visit the laughercize website at http://www.laughercize.com

The Quilliams Hotel is at 572 Lakeside on beautiful Lac Brome.

For more information on the Laughercize program look back at this DestinationKnowlton.com article: Laughter: The Best Medicine for The Eastern Townships

Day of Celebration at Arts Sutton

2008-03-10T20:59:00.011-05:00

With the month of March coming in like a lion and showing us, with this last major snowstorm, that winter in the Eastern Townships is not yet over we often need to find activities that can help us beat the cabin-fever and winter blahs that tend to set in around this time of year.

But can someone tell me how do we stay positive when there is nothing but a cold bone-fingered windchill greeting us for breakfast? Getting plenty of exercise is one way to keep the body and mind fit and happy when all around us is bitter cold, darkness and high heating bills! Image courtesy of Arts Sutton and the artist H�l�ne Latulippe - La Reine de la nuit - Glass and mixed media - 40 x 40 x 20 cm

One of the best places to keep in shape in Knowlton is at Brome Lake Fitness where you�ll find residents and visitors working out and getting healthy lifestyle tips and encouragement from the friendly and professional staff. In-expensive monthly and yearly memberships are available at the Gym as well as walk-in rates and they have a tanning bed too; I�ve gone from a chunky gluttonous blob to a handsome chiseled physique (well...sort of) in only a few months thanks to the help of Alan �Gut Grinder� Gauthier and Jessica �Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone� Brown...check it out...why not make a change for the better before Spring hits and you fall out of you bathing suit like groceries from a wet paper bag! Visit Brome Lake Fitness.

Another great way to feel positive and happy and re-set your outlook on life is to have a close encounter of the artistic kind. Knowlton is lucky to have the Gallerie Knowlton, a warm and eclectic art gallery at the heart of the village, home to unique art and wonderful gifts created by local and internationally renowned artists. Visit The Gallerie Knowlton Website.

When it comes to viewing original art and experiencing new trends in the world of artistic expression we are also fortunate to be so close to such lovely towns as Sutton which is home to Arts Sutton, one of the premiere art galleries outside of Lac Brome that is constantly striving to innovate and showcase new and exciting Quebec and Canadian artists. Sutton is only a short drive from Lac Brome and is the home to many exceptional restaurants, boutiques and a fantastic ski hill.

Currently Arts Sutton Gallery is welcoming Spring with a festive show by three Montreal artists: H�l�ne Latulippe, Sacha Marie Levay and Claude Prairie. Titled �Day of Celebration,� the show will run from March 15 � April 13 and will be an oasis of joy, lightness and pleasure.

The show will open on Saturday, March 15 at 2 pm; the artists will be present. Each artist addresses the theme of celebration in her own way: H�l�ne Latulippe through her theatre of objects from the neighbourhood hardware store, working with a vocabulary that develops around a simple form, bright colours and everyday objects. All of her works in Puttin� on the Ritz are playful figures with unusual personalities.

Sacha Marie Levay captures moments from the past in wood, wax and pigments: echoes of music, dance, laughter and tears. Her watercolours and wood sculptures express the pure emotions experienced in daily life.

Claude Prairie takes a vase and invites us to look at it from a new perspective. She shapes clay in a way that shows her sensitivity to the dual nature of the material. An expert in nuance, her works offer the visitor an exploration of variations, taking us on a waltz between the original utilitarian function of the object and its purely formal characteristics. Image courtesy of Arts Sutton and the artist Claude Prairie Vase � un pied Ceramic 12 x 13 x 10 cm

Come play with us at the special opening event with masks on March 15 at 2 pm. The theatre troop Mobile Home will be performing.

The Galley is located at 7 Academy in Sutton. The gallery and offices are open from Thursday to Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm.

For more info contact Catherine Audet at Arts Sutton Gallery 450.538.2563 info@artssutton.com Visit the Arts Sutton Galerie D'art Website at http://www.artssutton.com/

Winter Storm Hits Eastern Townships

2008-03-08T18:02:00.016-05:00

The 29th snow storm of the year pounded the Townships bringing a bit of everything, allowing us to sample climactic delicacies from all over Canada; from pouring rain like in Vancouver to gale forced winds like at the Alert Weather Station in Nunavut, this storm gave us a taste of all!

The start of the weekend was literally the calm before the storm. Saturday saw temperatures climbing up above freezing and then all day the rain got heavier and heavier and the Coldbrook was threatening her banks and huge pools of mushy ugliness built up on roads all over Knowlton. Roads were closed throughout Quebec and many of us were glad to be living in the small town of Knowlton as those poor Montreal residents must be going through a special kind of snow hell!

When the rain turned to ice rain the tree branches began to feel the weight of the ice and many were cracking and tumbling to the ground. Luckily the ice rain turned to snow and throughout the night the warm air melted most of the snow so there was not an emergency ice storm like the big bad one a decade ago.

Winds picked up and blowing snow started into Sunday and huge piles of snow created snow dunes and winds were expected to be gusting over 100 km/h in some areas, luckily The Eastern Townships is not expected to see such strong winds but more snow is going to be falling and with the winds it's a good time to stay home and curl up under a blanket and sleep until May!

At least there is some good news this weekend: Panissimo, Knowlton's favorite artisan bakery and bread emporium, has started selling fresh croissants! Up until now Panissimo only sold a variety of baked bread, and while it is the best bread in the region surpassing Owl's Bread in flavor and quality, it is great that they will now be serving up fresh baked croissants starting every morning. Panissimo opens daily at 8am so go and get your fresh croissants and tell them you read the news here on DestinationKnowlton.com!

Saturday saw heavy rains and temperatures hovering around freezing and the storm warning sent people scurrying for their emergency candles and extra blankets as it looked like a major winter storm would make it's way in to The Eastern Townships.

Many of us remember where we were during the Quebec Ice Storm of 1998 and how we were without power for days and suffered immense losses of trees that buckled under the weight of the heavy frozen ice. Well, it looks like we might have a little bit of deja vu all over again as the rain started pouring down on Knowlton, Lac Brome and the Eastern Townships in what is looking to be a real messy weekend!

While it may not be as exciting as the last great Ice Storm and may be only considered a winter storm with a bit of freezing rain it still had people wondering what to expect as they sat down to dinner.

By 5 PM on Saturday, Lac Brome work crews were busy trying to open up storm drains on Victoria Street as the snow from last night turned to thick slush in the rain and blocked the drains and made driving hazardous. Victoria Street is already a pock marked mess like some sort of pot-hole slalom course and the huge piles of slush that started forming on Saturday didn't help. Cars sent slushy spray flying into other cars and the police were busy with accidents as drivers, once again, fail to realize that pouring rain and temperatures at the freezing point can be a be a complicated mix.

Sunday, With the temperatures plummeting and the high winds the roads are a mixture of ice covered potholes with ridges of solidly frozen tire tracks with large snow dunes!

Snow from last night gradually turned into a steady rain as a trough of low pressure passed over the Townships. The entire Eastern Seaboard has been pummeled by a monster winter storm recently and it looks like it's now our turn! While the daylight can make frozen branches look rather beautiful it is the weight of the frozen snow combined with high winds that cause branches to fall and break power lines and damage property.

Power and cable services started fading off and on just after 6pm and with violent winds being forecast for the night along with several more mm of freezing rain. Ice pellets and high winds! This is the sort of nightmare scenario that leaves hockey fans in doubt of watching their Hockey Night in Canada on a Saturday night! For some of us that is enough to make us want to buy an emergency generator...what would happen if we lost power during the playoffs!?

And why do these havoc-wreaking storms always seem to hit on a weekend? Why doesn't this sort of thing happen on a Tuesday so we can have a few days off work instead of ruining our weekends!

Such is the mischievous side of Mother Nature!

Tree branches started tumbling in the early afternoon around Knowlton as a warning that maybe candles and camp stoves would be in use over the rest of the weekend. The IGA in Knowlton was busy as residents and visitors stocked up on supplies in advance of the storm. Skiers must be madder than Jasey-Jay with a hangover as this weekend at Bromont and Sutton look to be washouts!

As people sat down to supper they could only imagine and wait in anticipation as to what the night would bring. When Environment Canada issues severe storm warnings it's always a good idea to take them seriously and this looks like it's going to be a long and dark night!

At least the storm won't be getting any worse...it's still bad...almost as bad as the chances that the Leafs will make the playoffs, but if we have to light a few candles and cook using fondue pots because we lose electricity so be it! I tell you one thing...it really makes me treasure those few precious weeks I got to spend in Hawaii in January.

What adds insult to this icy injury is we are also switching to Daylight Savings Time this weekend and so we get one less hour of sleep before we have to wake up and start shovelling our cars out from under a mountain!!

Well...it's a good thing it's March and not December and we're almost at the end of Winter. And at least now you will be able to fuel up for the day of shovelling with fresh n' hot croissants from Panissimo! Oops...I guess you have to shovel out your car first! Hang in there!

Group Believes in Knowlton's Revival

2008-03-01T23:27:00.009-05:00

There�s a new wave of creativity happening in Knowlton and coupled with a good dose of retail savvy, it may well signal a rebirth of the village�s fortunes. Long a tourist centre from both a commercial and artistic point-of-view, Knowlton, of late, has been suffering the closure of many of its small boutiques and with that, the beginnings of rumours exclaiming the demise of the village.

Not so, say a group of artists and business people who are spearheading this new wave of optimism and positive action. �Arts & Antiquities ~ A La Carte� is a newly-formed coop of some 20 creative entrepreneurs that see the village as their home as well as their way of life. Having rented a large space in the heart of the village at One Lakeside Road, the group of artists, artisans and antique dealers have set up a mini shopping center of individuality and creativity that has yet to be seen in the Eastern Townships.

Products available at �Arts & Antiquites ~ A La Carte include handmade soaps and lotions, braided rugs, sculptures and paintings, lamps and lampshades and antiques that include china, glassware and furniture.

�We believe in Knowlton and we believe our collective creativity will attract and keep shoppers coming to Knowlton. People like us need to get together to showcase our respective artistic offerings and here we share the costs as well as our ideas which creates a great synergy. That translates into great shopping for the customer, � enthuses group spokesperson Judith Duncanson, who is an antique dealer.

The group is also pleased that the Town of Brome Lake is taking a positive step towards the revitalization of the village core with action recommended by the �Fondation Rues principales�. �We are extremely pleased with this new effort and we will do everything possible to make it work,� says Duncanson. �We felt, however, that we had to do something now; not wait for a report.�

Members of the group are: Gail Bolton, naive art; Shannon Brown, painter; Nicole Brunet Moras, totes, hangbags, etc. made from re-cycled materials; Nathalie Cyr, stained glass; Suzanne Demers, frames and custom framing; G�raldine Dub�, handmade soaps & lotions; Judith Duncanson, antiques; Claire Globensky, doll houses; Anne Johnston, braided rugs; Pina Macku, hats & decorative arts; Elena Morgan, handmade soaps; Judy Mullins, Santa Clauses made from re-cycled materials; Th�r�se Savard, mosaic-topped tables; Richard Shea, antique restoration & sales; Carolyn Smart, lamps & lamp shades ; Jack Walker, naive art, paintings & furniture; Tanya Workman, products for the body.

This picture shows a small sample of the wonderful lamp creations of Carolyn Smart, who is one of the artists coming together to form the �Arts & Antiquities ~ A La Carte�. Carolyn creates original lamps from interesting objects, antiques, porcelains and candlesticks. She also make custom lampshades in a variety of styles for any decor style. More information on Carolyn Smart at www.tinkhamsmart.com

Arts & Antiquities ~ A La Carte is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday until May when it will be open 7 days a week. It is located in the Auberge Knowlton building, tucked cozily under the popular terrasse of Knowlton's favorite Inn. For further information, please contact: Judith Duncanson 450-242-2491

More information on the Auberge Knowlton at www.aubergeknowlton.ca
More information on Lac Brome at www.knowltonquebec.ca

Local Hotel Joins Prestigous Groups

2008-02-21T08:28:00.003-05:00

The Auberge Knowlton in the heart of Lac Brome is arguably one of the most beloved historical buildings in Lac Brome. The popular hotel provides visitors and locals with one of Knowlton's better restaurants and comfortable rooms with the real Victorian character of the Eastern Townships.

Auberge Knowlton, the oldest operating hotel in the Eastern Township�s, is not one to sit on its laurels. Having been hailed by Fodor�s, America�s leading travel publisher as �Fodor�s Choice� the place to stay and eat� in the area for the past 3 years as well as being featured by travel guides, Ulysses, Petit Fut� and Lonely Planet, the Auberge has now aligned itself with the prestigious chain �Auberges du Passant Certifi�e� managed by the F�d�ration des Agricotours du Qu�bec.

The F�d�ration uses various criteria and certification programs that allow customers to identify the top quality establishments. These certification programs involve a detailed selection process based on tough standards for high quality. In addition to the Auberge having successfully achieved the certification demands of the F�d�ration, the Auberge�s
Restaurant �Le Relais� has also been designated a �Table aux Saveurs du Terroir� by the group. New in 2006, the �Tables� of the group offer a food service concept that showcases Quebec�s local products.

We are extremely pleased to be recognized by the F�d�ration des Agricotours,�
enthuses Auberge co-owner Signy Stephenson. �We have been working hard to improve our offering to the public, both in the hotel and the restaurant and to see these things recognized makes it all worthwhile.�

�Also new in 2008 is the Auberge�s membership with V�lo Qu�bec, giving it the right to promote its offerings to cyclists under the �Bienvenue Cyclistes� banner. This is a result of the �Route Verte� coming through Brome Lake and again a certification program is involved. Lodging next the �Route Verte� is obliged to offer secure, covered storage space for bicycles, supply repair kits and cycling and tourist information plus, if there is a restaurant, healthy food conducive to cycling. To this end, the Auberge is building a secure lock-up for bicycles to be ready for the spring season.

�We�re looking forward to a busy spring and summer with the involvement of these two associations,� says Stephenson, �because in addition to our own promotion, they will be publicizing both the Auberge and the village of Knowlton.�

The Auberge is also a member of Tourisme Cantons-de-l�Est, the Quebec Hotel Association, the Quebec Restaurant Association and the CAA and is an �Ami de la Route des Vins� (CLD Brome-Missisquoi).

The Auberge website is: www.aubergeknowlton.ca

For further information, please contact
Lynn Patenaude 450-242-6886
Signy Stephenson signy@aubergeknowlton.ca