Gananoque Legion rings in the new year
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 92 in Gananoque welcomed 2025 with its annual New Year’s Day Levee on Wednesday, bringing local leaders and residents together to reflect on the past year and look ahead to developments in the region.
Newly-elected United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Warden and Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands Mayor Corinna Smith-Gatcke took the opportunity to share updates on the construction of the new fire station in Seeley’s Bay, which is expected to open in May.
The new fire station will be located at the intersection of Highway 15 and County Road 32 on land purchased from the Sly family. The existing Fire Station No. 2, located in the Seeley’s Bay Community Hall, no longer meets the needs of the community or the operational requirements of a modern fire department.
“In the next couple of months, I’m hoping to invite you to the grand opening of Station 2,” said Smith-Gatcke.
She highlighted the station’s dual purpose, noting that it will also serve as a safe shelter during emergencies.
“There was an earthquake in the Renfrew area that was felt as far wide as here,” Smith-Gatcke said.
“Just so everyone is clear, the new structure that is being built is a post-disaster structure, which means that we will have a home base to protect citizens and have as a command post.”
Gananoque Mayor John Beddows also addressed attendees, updating them on recent changes in municipal leadership and infrastructure projects.
“We recently lost our fire chief, hired a new chief in Chief Dickson, who is going to do a wonderful job for us,” said Beddows. “And we’re in the process of searching for a new chief of police. We have authorized and are in the midst of rebuilding the main dock at the marina.”
The Gananoque Police Service saw a leadership shift as Scott Gee stepped down as police chief on Jan. 1 to join Kingston Police as second deputy chief.
Meanwhile, the town’s fire department welcomed Andrew Dickson as its new fire chief, with Andrew Kent stepping into the role of deputy chief.
Beddows also highlighted upgrades at the Gananoque Municipal Marina, which is undergoing a major facelift. The project, managed by Kehoe Marine, involves replacing the aging stationary dock with a more durable concrete structure to better serve the community.
Awards were also a focal point of the celebration.
Alfred Reid received the Legionnaire Award, while the Gananoque Seniors Association, represented by local musician Cliff Edwards, was named the Honouree Award recipient.
Community organizations were not forgotten, with the Gananoque Food Bank and the Gananoque Wheels of Care each receiving $500 in recognition of their contributions.
The Gananoque Ladies Auxiliary continued its tradition of generosity, presenting a $7,000 donation to the Legion, adding to the $5,000 they gifted earlier in 2024.
The event included a lunch buffet and servings of the ever-popular Moose Milk, a New Year’s Levee staple that kept spirits high as attendees took time to reflect on the year that was, and look forward to the year ahead.