Meet Me on Main Street in Morewood
Following the introduction of the recent local Canada 150 Medallion winners and announcement of this year’s Community Builder Award recipient, Bill Smirle, officials and winners gathered for a photo in front of the stage on Main St., July 5. From left are Councillor Tony Fraser, MP Guy Lauzon, Councillors John Thompson and Allan Armstrong, Mayor Eric Duncan, Bill Smirle and wife Nancy Wilson, Maria Cousineau, Joe Cass, Stan and Betty Vanden Bosch, and Deputy Mayor Gerry Boyce.   Carruthers photo

Muriel Carruthers
Record Staff
MOREWOOD – The event that was inspired by Ottawa’s upcoming event, Canada’s Table, a 1,000 person open-air table dining experience on Wellington Street to celebrate Canada 150, was just as exciting last week on Wed., July 5, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

North Dundas’ first Meet Me on Main Street in Morewood was a great success to celebrate Canada 150, with a welcoming giant Canadian flag draped in front of the monument on Main St. that provided a decorative backdrop to the main stage. Local residents (some of whom had moved away and returned for the evening) joined other friends and neighbours to enjoy Canadian-themed food such as poutine, beef on a bun and otter tails, from Winchelsea Events of Winchester and Snack Shack of Chesterville. So popular were the eats that a few patrons had to wait for more food to be brought in, or if they arrived late to settle for just poutine!

The Township of North Dundas Councillors and Mayor Eric Duncan, as well as MP Guy Lauzon and MPP Jim McDonell, were on hand to socialize and enjoy the evening as well. The entertainment by locals Hillbilly Highway with their down-home country and rock music was enjoyed by all, as was the popular cash bar, refreshments, and the convenience of tables set up down the middle of the closed-off streets of Moffat (County Rd. 7) and Main St. (County Rd. 13).

Also on site were Township of North Dundas firefighters with a booth set up for educational and other items for the kids and adults. Kemptville’s Southgate Community Church volunteers and pastors were on hand to help with kids at the giant bouncy structure loaned from their organization. The Church will be soon opening a satellite branch at Winchester’s New Hope Church (formerly the Weslyan Church) which has gifted the building to the United Pentecostal Church.

Mayor Duncan welcomed and thanked all to the event, including sponsors and vendors, and encouraged the audience to stop by and support the Lucky Dollar for dessert, delicious Canadian ice cream. Before long, people soon lined up around the corner to purchase their ice cream cones and word has it that one of the owners’ hands was numb from all the scooping of the cold dessert!

One of the highlights of the evening was Duncan’s introduction of the recent local Canada 150 Medallion winners: Joe Cass, Stan and Betty Vanden Bosch, Maria Cousineau for the late Claude Cousineau, and Bill Smirle. Following this, Duncan read a list of accomplishments and organizations relating to Morewood resident Bill Smirle and announced that Smirle is the recipient of the 2017 Community Builder’s Award, to be officially presented later this year.

For a full list of the next streets scheduled to be closed for Meet Me on Main Street, see the event page on Facebook or visit the North Dundas website under Community Events.

Duncan highlighted the event with a comment on Facebook, “What an awesome night in Morewood for our first of five Meet Me on Main Street parties! We didn’t know what to expect, but 300-400+ turned up for Canadian food, beer, music and games. We can’t wait for next Thursday (July 13) in South Mountain for Round 2!”