Lanark County

OFFICE CLOSURE: Please note Lanark County Public Works offices will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 24 and will re-open at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 25.

E-mail [email protected] or call 613-267-1353 with concerns. Thank you for your understanding!

🌟 Looking for a career that truly makes a difference? 🌟

Join us at the Early Childhood Education Career Fair and discover how you can help shape the lives of young children while building a rewarding career.

📅 Wednesday, October 21, 2026
⏰ 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
📍 Upper Hall, Carleton Place Arena

✨ Meet local child care employers
✨ Explore education pathways
✨ Interactive booths and activities
✨ Hear from keynote speaker Mary Hewitt
✨ Swag bags, prizes, giveaways & more!

✨ Round-trip transportation will be available from both Perth and Smiths Falls. Additional details, including pick-up times and locations, will be shared closer to the event date.

Whether you're a student, considering a career change, or simply curious about the profession, this event is for you!

💡Learn firsthand about the rewarding opportunities available in Early Childhood Education and the impact you can make in the lives of children and families.

We're wishing Charlie Quinn from Lanark County Public Works good luck today at the Provincial Roadeo competition!

Charlie won first place at the Lanark County Roadeo held this summer. Shout out to second place winner Jeff White from Tay Valley Township, who is also competing today.

Learn more about the Provincial Roadeo here: https://aors.on.ca/events/aors-truck-roadeo/

Sept. 23 is Bisexuality Visibility Day. Marked each year since 1999, Bi Visibility Day raises awareness about bisexual identities and cultural acceptance.

Bisexuality refers to a person who is attracted to more than one gender, and it consists of a spectrum of identities. Marking the day is important to address bi-erasure - erasing bisexual identities on the basis of being confused about one's sexual orientation. Learn more at https://www.lgbtgreat.com/bisexuality-awareness-day

Lanark County Council received an update on the status of 2026 construction projects. In a presentation to the public works committee last month, Public Works Manager Sam Poole said rehabilitation projects have been completed on Pine Grove Road, Ferguson Falls Road, Wolf Grove Road, Bolingbroke Road and Highway 511. Work on Townline Road and Richardson Side Road is still to be completed, and County Road 29 work is ongoing.

In terms of culvert replacements, all projects have been completed, including Heritage Drive, Tatlock Road, Wolf Grove Road and Blakeney Road. Microsurfacing work on Elm Grove Road, Elphin Maberly Road and Ferguson Falls Road is finished, with Townline Road deferred to next year. Shouldering work on Elm Grove Road and Maberly Elphin Road is done, and the rehabilitation of 5-Arches Bridge is ongoing.

Lanark County Council meets tomorrow (Sept. 23)! The meetings may be attended by the public in person or via livestream through Lanark County’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com//streams. Once the livestream is available, it will show under the “Live” tab on the channel.

Meetings kick off with a special economic development committee meeting at 5 p.m. to hold a public meeting about the McKinnon Pit Official Plan Amendment application overview.

The regular council session follows. There are no scheduled delegations or presentations. Reports include community services, corporate services, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario reception suite, and the child care priority placement policy.

Next is the public works committee of the whole meeting. There are no scheduled delegations or presentations. There is a discussion report on the County Administration Building HVAC. Verbal reports include the Climate Action Working Group.

Last is the economic development committee of the whole meeting. Pending confirmation there is a delegation from the Eastern Ontario Regional Network about the EORN Cell Gap Project Update. There is a discussion report on the Business Retention and Expansion progress. Verbal reports include Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation, the Lanark County Municipal Trails Sub-Committee, the Business Retention and Expansion Working Group and Lanark County Community Highlights.

Agendas can be found under “Government” then “Council and Committees” at www.lanarkcounty.ca. Hope to see you there!

This week - Sept. 21 to 27, 2026 - is International Week of Deaf People, and on Sept. 23, International Day of Sign Languages is recognized. The 2026 theme is "Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights."

The first International Day of the Deaf was celebrated in 1958 and was later extended to a week. This year marks 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and celebrates recognition of national sign languages as full and equal languages. This means reaffirming a commitment to Deaf people’s human rights and ensuring these rights are fully implemented.

The week highlights the importance of access to education for Deaf learners, a call to action to declare Deaf people's human rights, accessibility to p***c services, meaningful participation, and the importance of respecting and promoting Deaf culture and identity.

The International Day of Sign Languages calls for action to make Deaf people's human rights a reality in all areas of life and highlights the importance of recognizing, protecting and promoting these rights, including full access through national sign languages.

Learn more at https://wfdeaf.org/international-week-of-deaf-people-2026/ and https://www.un.org/en/observances/sign-languages-day

REMINDER: Please note the Lanark County Social Services sub-offices in Smiths Falls and Carleton Place will be closed today, Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The main office at the Lanark County Administration Building will remain open.

Lanark County Council received an update on the K&P Trail and has asked staff to draft a by-law to designate it as a wilderness trail and to draft an interim management plan to be brought to a future meeting for discussion.

At the economic development committee meeting last month, Public Works Business Manager Cindy Deachman explained the county entered into an agreement of purchase and sale to acquire the trail from Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority in December 2025. The county will assume full responsibility this fall under a lease that will be in place until clear title can be transferred to the county. The exact start date will be announced once known.

More than 60 people attended a public meeting in May and 30 surveys were completed, along with additional online comments. Primary concerns were about maintenance, property access, public access and recreation. Deachman outlined due diligence work that is underway, agencies involved, information about infrastructure, activities on the trail and financial considerations.

Lanark County Council received an update on the spread of phragmites and has asked staff to bring forward a two-year management plan that includes partnering with private landowners and local municipalities with a goal to reduce it by 50%.

“We need to declare war on phragmites,” said Warden Richard Kidd (Beckwith Reeve). “The County’s Natural Heritage System Working Group has identified phragmites as a serious threat to our wetlands. Our wild parsnip control program has been successful, but our efforts to stop phragmites are failing. The number of phragmites cells and the size of existing cells are rising exponentially. We need to take action now to reverse this invasion.”

Climate and Environmental Coordinator Elizabeth Boldt explained phragmites, also known as European common reed, was brought to North America in the 1800s and is referred to as Canada’s worst invasive plant. “It is terrestrial, aquatic and semi-aquatic and spread mostly by an extensive root system or rhizomes, although it can spread from seed.”

The w**d reaches heights of up to 5m and alters hydrology by clogging ditches, storm drains and agricultural tiles, causing flooding, property damage and reduced crop yields. Boldt explained it outcompetes existing vegetation to create dense cells that prevent wildlife movement. It also limits shoreline access, which reduces property values, increases fire hazards and creates visibility issues at intersections.

Public works staff conduct a phragmites inventory each summer. Since 2018, 165 cells have been identified along county roads and trails, with numbers rising each year. Boldt said cells are managed by mowing, digging and with herbicide, which is the most effective. Despite current efforts, the amount of phragmites continues to escalate and a more aggressive campaign is required to protect the County’s wetlands. The herbicide treatment will expand to include wet cells in 2026, with appropriate permits acquired. “Large cells may need to be treated in a phased, multi-year approach,” she said. “Partnering with adjacent landowners would be required to treat phragmites cells that extend beyond county property.”

The plan will be brought back to a future council meeting.