City to host open house Nov. 10

While there’s been plenty of discussion in the past year, the city of Dryden wants to know what the community thinks about a proposed five mega-watt (MW) green energy project as a measure to diversify the local economy.

The City Of Dryden, Dryden Development Corporation and representatives from Johnson Controls will host an open house for their proposed photo-voltaic park on Saturday, Nov. 10, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Centre.

The project, aimed at taking advantage of recent sustainable energy incentives established by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), could cost approximately $30 million, though result in a new and dependable revenue stream.

And for the next 20 years, Ontario Power Authority will be paying solar power producers contract rates as high as $0.44 per kilowatt/hour, as compared to $0.13 for wind-generated power, or $0.12 for water-generated power.

Just where those project funds would come from is a matter up for discussion, says Dryden Mayor Anne Krassilowsky.

The city could form a corporation to take on the project itself, enter into a public/private partnership with investors, or simply lease the land and let someone else do it.

At present, the city is looking at accessing development capital through Infrastructure Ontario.

Krassilowsky adds that project costs are not included within the limits that the province has established for municipal debt.

“We all know it’s a very costly venture, but there are rates of return that are to the investor’s benefit,” said Krassilowsky. “Now is the time for the public to come in and understand what the project is and to add their input.”

While numerous properties around Dryden have been explored as potential sites, the most attractive site appears to reside in North Dryden, a block of around 100 acres east of the cemetery and south of Leach Rd.

-Chris Marchand

Leonard Arthur Graham

In loving memory of Leonard Arthur Graham, age 89 years who passed away peacefully at Dryden Regional Health Centre on October 22, 2009.

Leonard is survived by his children, Dixie Graham of Kenora, Stan (Bev) Graham of Wabigoon, Allan (Lena) Graham of Thunder Bay, Ron (Joanne) Graham of Waldhof, Kathy (Glenn) Ovenstone of Dryden and Vicki (Brad) Yurkiw of Dryden; by 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; his sisters Bernice Desjardine, Doreen Gray, Lorraine Stiehl of Thunder Bay and brother Frank Graham of B.C.

He was predeceased by his wife Lillian and daughter Diane.

Len was born at Sioux Lookout in 1920. He moved to Wabigoon in his early teens. He enlisted in the army in April 1942 where he served his country till October of 1945. He married Lillian Doudiet on December 22, 1945. Upon being discharged from the army Len started working as a logger, going into business with stepfather Elmer. Later Len worked for the Dryden paper Mill until retiring at the age of 63.

A memorial funeral service was held Tuesday, October 27th at 1:00 p.m. in the Moffat Chapel of the Stevens Funeral Homes with the Venerable Patricia Cleghorn officiating. Interment of ashes took place in the Wabigoon Cemetery.

Should friends desire, donations to the Princess Court Palliative Care Fund may be made through the Stevens Funeral Homes “Moffat Chapel”, P.O. Box 412 Dryden. Condolences may be emailed to sympathycard@shaw.ca subject: Graham.

John Arthur Davis Jr.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of John Arthur Davis Jr., on October 15, 2009, at the age of 63.

John was born in Scranton, PA on July 25, 1946, son of Alice and John Davis. At the age of 13, his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he became good buddies with Bill Pate, and 11 years later, married Bill’s baby sister, Kathy.

John attended Forest Ranger School and then spent four years in the U.S. Navy, doing a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was a Torpedo man on the USS Towers  DDG-9.

After John and Kathy were married in 1970, they lived in Florida, Mississippi and Wisconsin, before moving to 160 acres north of Dryden, where John worked for the MNR. John and Kathy built a log home and log barn. Stephanie was born in 1975 and Sarah in 1979.

In 1981, they all moved to Digby, NS, and later sailed for six weeks, moving back to Florida in the process. They continued to enjoy sailing and living close to their relatives in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 1987, the Davis family plus animals, moved back to Oxdrift, Ontario, at the end of Rugby Lake Road, where they have resided for 22 years. John worked for the MNR and Solomon & Sons.

Twenty months ago, John retired and enjoyed attending church, gardening, his pets, fishing, hunting, trapping, sailing, writing, painting and building wooden boats and kayaks. Over the past year, he built his granddaughter, Sadie, now one year old a 9’ tugboat, which we all recently enjoyed on Rugby Lake. We share John’s interests and passions – caring for animals and the land, respecting our elders and all living things, cherishing our family.

John is survived by his wife Kathy of 39 years; his daughters Stephanie Davis and Sarah (Travis) Wood; granddaughter Sadie Wood; sister Mary Alice Madden and Jenny Davis; brothers J.H. Davis, T. J. Davis, and David Davis; Aunt Dot, Uncle T.C., and cousins in FL and PA.

A funeral service was held October 21, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church with Father Al Campeau officiating.

If friends desire, donations can be made to Development & Peace, a Catholic organization dedicated to international aid, that John thought highly of or to the CT Scan Fund, at DRHC through the Dryden Community Funeral Home  249 Grand Trunk Ave. Dryden, ON P8N 2X3.

Together again

It is with great sadness that the family of Margaret Lozej announces her passing at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital after losing her courageous battle with numerous cancers since 1988, most recently in the past 5 1/2 years.

She loved life and after each recovery either from major surgery or therapy, she would bounce back and carry on living like it was just a minor inconvenience and she never complained. She loved playing cards especially the bus trips to The Shooting Star, Euchre at The Legion and Moose, Yahtzee, Bingo, and puzzles. When the grandchildren started to arrive, her life was complete. She would play endlessly including baseball, soccer, tubing on a snowmachine, getting full of mud 4-wheeling, cards and hide and seek. There were no activities that were excluded nor would she miss any rides the grandchildren wanted to go on at the Fall Fair held each year in Dryden. She always made sure there were an abundance of treats when they would come to visit. Her love for her family and grandchildren will live on forever. Her grandchildren Martin and Michael Kellar; Mark, Tyler and Donovan Marion; Jordon, Lindsay, and Stacey Upton and six great grandchildren will cherish the love of their grandmother forever. She was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother that lived the true meaning of loving un- conditionally and letting go.

She has left this life to rejoin her husband Alojz who passed on September 3, 2003. Mom was a true believer in “Life goes on” and also a very personal and humble person.

There is no service at her request. Her final wishes are to have her immediate family and grandchildren put her to rest alongside her beloved husband. Cremation has taken place. A private interment of ashes followed on Friday, October 23, 2009

If friends and family so desire, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dryden CT Scan Fund through the Dryden Community Funeral Home.

We thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts who helped make her life special and meaningful. We thank her immediate family and all her card playing buddies. She wants you to remember her “alive in your hearts” doing all things with her that she loved to do. We thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, cards, flowers, donations in her memory and countless hugs and support.

Olga, Roseanne and Ramona

Oscar Goulet, beloved husband of Jeanne of Dryden, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 on their fifty-eighth wedding anniversary with his son Roger by his side.

Oscar moved to Northwestern Ontario in the late forties with the logging industry and was a private logging contractor for Dryden Paper for many years. He then began his career with the Ministry of Natural Resources where he designed, supervised and built many access roads and bridges. His expertise was sought after and respected. He treasured his family. The pride and admiration he had for them gave him much joy. His legacy will live on through the many words of advice and knowledge he shared. Everyone will remember his hospitality and culinary talents, especially his soups.

Oscar is survived by his loving wife Jeanne; their children and spouses, Ginette and Bob Spence, Giselaine and John Ellison, Lynda and Jim McLeod, Roger and Carla, Ron and Lori and Joanne; eleven grandchildren Julienne and Laura Spence, Philip and Marisa Ellison, Jay and Austin McLeod, Leah, Danielle and Karlee Goulet, Andrea and Brennan Goulet; and a great-granddaughter Sophie McLeod. He is also survived by ten siblings, Sylvio and Helen, Marie-Antoinette Letellier, Hélène and Roland Thibault, Raymond and Marie, Léandre and Joan, Denise, Fernande Roy, Gaston and Diane, Bernice (sister-in-law), Eddy and Denise, and Gaetan; and thirty-eight nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents Ernest and Rose; five siblings, Yolande, Juliette, Thérèse, Yvette, and Claude.

A private family service was held at Dryden Community Funeral Home followed by an interment at Dryden Cemetery. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to DRHC CT Scan.