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EIGHT DAYS IN HOSPITAL Merrett Blames Bad Water A Heritage Road resident was recently confined to Winchester Hospital for eight days to recuperate from a persistent chest infection on which her doctor blames the contaminated local water supply. Heather Tremblay, who with her husband Michael and their three children has resided in Russell Village's Heritage Subdivi- sion for three years, is feeling much better after being released from hospital Oct. 12. Metcalfe's. Dr. Don Merrett unhesitantly blames bad water for causing his patient's general ' health to run down and allowing the chest infection to develop. Dr. Merrett treated Heather, Michael, and children Sandra, 2, Christine, 4, and Jeffrey, 6, for Giardia Lambia, a rare parasite nurtured by fecal contamination in drinking water. Even when a person stops drinking known polluted water, the parasite can continue to thrive in her system. The treatment administered by Dr. Merrett was effective and there's now no sign of the bug in any Tremblay family member. But the doctor warned that it could return if the "disgraceful" water situation remains uncheck- ed. *"Mrs. Tremblay's general con- dition deteriorated over several weeks," the doctor said. "For awhile, she had diarrhea every 15 minutes, her kids. were sick, she was depressed. Finally the chest infection set in."' Dr. Merrett knows of no other cases of Giardia Lambia in the subdivision. He has examined other Heritage residents but has found none as severely affected as the Tremblays. Water and Earth Science Associates, a consulting firm hired by the Ministry of Environ- ment to recommend corrective ac- tion in the subdivision, has ex- amined the 35 private water sup- plies and is now preparing its report. Roger Woeller, a hydrologist with the firm, would not comment on findings other than to say that the work has been given "high priority" and that recommenda- tions would be made to the ministry shortly. Tom Evans, president of the Heritage Road Homeowners' Association, said the consultants undoubtedly found improperly drilled and cased wells and shabbily-built septic systems. The well driller who worked in the Heritage subdivision and has since left the province has been faulted by the ministry's Gerry McKenna for not building wells according to specifications. The Evans family -- Tom, Esther, Chantal, 3, and Braden, 2 -- also suffered for a long time even after they stopped drinking their tap water. The children had bouts of diarrhea and vomiting which cleared up only when they , were taken from Russell for ex- tended periods of time. But lately, symptoms have disappeared, a phenomenon Mr. Evans attributes to his $600 water purifications system which in- cludes an ultra-violet sterilizer to nutralize poisonous impurities and a conditioner to remove iron. "'The water is still black sometimes but sampling shows that its free of contamination after it goes through the system."' Heritage Road homes were built by- Chantal Developments which has remained tight-lipped about the situation. Chantal co-owner Gary Patterson prefers not to make a public statement in case legal action is launched by residents. Mr. Evans admitted that some thought had been given to suing the developer but residents were holding off at least until the out- come of the corrective survey is known. Minor Crime Police report they are on the verge of laying charges in several recent thefts and related crimes in Russell Village. The charges were to be laid in connection with wilful damage to tractors on the lot of Derks Equip- ment Ltd., the separate thefts of two bicycles from private property and the breakin and theft of goods from a private garage. Damage and value of goods stolen was estimated at several hundred dollars. Clean The Streets! -- McNeill By Ed Schroeter Village Streets in Russell are due for a manicure and a good cleaning, Russell Township Coun- cil has decided. ~ Reeve Gaston Patenaude told The Castor Review after a council meeting, Sept. 24, "'It's going to get done one way or another."' The decision was made after Councillor Baird McNeill criticiz- ed council and the roads depart- ment for neglecting the streets. "I've been after the roads department all summer. The village is a mess. There's garbage lying on the streets. People are complaining. "T want someone to clean up the streets," Mr. McNeill said. But Reeve Patenaude told The Castor Review after the meeting there must have been some misunderstanding. 'He said Councillor McNeill "'never mentioned anything to me before."' Deputy Reeve Albert Bourdeau told McNeill, "I went through Russell. It's not that bad. ~ ""We can't clean it every week." Mr.- McNeill pointed out nobody is taking responsibility for the streets right now, so their con- dition deteriorates. "It's our responsibility to keep them clean."' He said there must be some money in the road maintenance budget available for a clean-up. _ "'There are lots of ways to get them in shape. Someone could pick up the litter twice a year, and we could get the fire department to hose them down once in a while."' Councillor McNeill urged so- meone at least to be sent out several times a year to check the condition of village streets. CASTOR REVIEW CHRISTMAS z\ GIFT CERTIFICATE This Certificate entitles the recipient to a one year subscription of the Castor Review. Just write the name and address of a friend you especially want to please on the Christmas Gift Certificate and mail:promptly along with your cheque or money order ($3.50 in Canada, $4.50 out-of-country). Before Christmas a gift card inscribed 'with your name will arrive. Say Merry Christmas to a friend with a Castor Review gift subscription. Send to the Castor Review, Box 359, Russell, Ont. Please send one year of the Castor Review as my gift to: : My gift card to be signed............. Ss eee ae Fenclose$: 23 2 See Reeve Patenaude told coun- cillors, "We can take a serious -look at this. In Embrun we clean up once a year." He suggested it might be worth spending $1,000 a year to clean the streets in the spring and fall. Church To Be Paved Residents along the western sec- tion of Church Street in Russell Village are getting an early Christmas present from the township. ; A half-mile of Church Street running west from Concession Street as well as Heritage Road, Trillium Crescent and Drentex and Bols Streets will be paved the week of Oct. 22. In all, 3.4 kilometres of dirt and gravel road will be blacktopped by Beaver Paving, of Ottawa, at a cost of about $32,000. No extra charge; the money is in the road budget. The paving job will be one of the last for the township this year before icy weather makes this type of work impossible. LEGION 25 YEAR AWARDS Mike Gloss, President of Russell Branch of the Canadian Legion, © presents awards to the Women's Auxiliary on their 25th anniversary. From left to right: Mike Gloss, Ernie Weatherall, Auxiliary President, Bessie Honey and Yvette Morrow. (Photo by Rowsell). _ Osgoode Seniors' Home still thought "idealistic" The idea of senior citizen ac- commodation in Osgoode Township continues to snowball with councillors, churchmen, doc- tors, service clubs ...virtually everyone pledging support. But organizers of the movement have been warned not to pull hard in two different directions. Such action could result in the dream being shattered, says Metcalfe Dr. Don Merrett. Dr. Merrett supports the con- cept of a combined nursing home and residence for township seniors. Twin study groups which sprung from the original task force headed by Councillor Albert McKeown are looking at two separate possibilities: a nursing home or non-profit apartments. Many leaders of the movement are saying; "Why not both?" Dr. Merrett cautions that in go- ing after two distinct institutions, the community could end up with nothing. He advises that there should be one objective -- one complete facility located anywhere in the township. He maintains the movement re- mains "idealistic'? and that it needs an injection of young business people and professionals with experience to get it going in the right direction. Getting provincial approval for ~ two separate institutions in the township is unlikely and Reeve Albert Bouwers has warned that a choice will have to be made. Louise Harris, a community development worker with Algon- quin College, said approval of two institutions would be a "utopian situation." The development worker helped conduct a survey this sum- mer of township seniors which showed a distinct need for nursing care within the community. The survey also indicated there would be no problem filling a 30-unit apartment building such as the one set for Russell Village. Bell tower gets repairs The bell tower on St. Jacques Church in Embrun is_ being repaired at a cost of $19,800, necessitating borrowing by the parish in the amount of $15,000. "The bell was about ready to come crashing through the church ceiling," Father Robert Huneault said. - Recently, the presbytery was re- roofed at a cost of approximately $3,000. " T. IVESON -- 1860 THE CHIEF THOMAS VAN DUSEN'S TALE OF DIEFENBAKER IN OPPOSITION Send $5 (which includes postage) to The Chief, Box 437, Russell, Ont. for your copy of this glossily-bound book. Call 445-5770 for more infor- mation. QARBAAR AA KE & BR AR bee Vvwvyyvveev yy vee ee There wasn't much else on Metcalfe's main street about 1860 when T. Iveson operated a saddle and harness shop out of the building that could become part of Upper Canada Village. At one stage in its long life, the building became a tinsmithing shop and that's the role it would serve in the pioneer village. Gerald Morris obtained the picture from the Na- tional Archives photography collection. The bottom shot shows the historic house as it now looks.