The Eganville Leader - Thursday, July 3, 2025
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Postal Agreement # 40005333
124th Year - No. 2
Thursday, July 3, 2025
New paramedic base for Whitewater Region
A kaleidescope of colour lights up the skies Bonnechere Valley Township’s annual Canada Day fireworks show attracted hundreds of spectators Tuesday night. Manotick-based company Capital Pyrotechnics started the show at 10 p.m. and it wrapped up about 20 minutes later. A large crowd also attended the annual fireworks display at St. Andrew’s School in Killaloe and the dazzling show was a beautiful site in the western Golden Lake skyline. Photo: Alex Lambert
BV mayor seeking another term as county warden
By Terry Fleurie Staff Writer Eganville – A former warden of Renfrew County who served three consecutive terms from 2017-2019, has announced her intention to see the position again this fall. Bonnechere Valley (BV) Township Mayor Jennifer Murphy made the announcement at county council last Wednesday. Her nomination is being supported by Whitewater Region Mayor Neil Nicholson and Laurentian Hills Mayor Anne Giardini. “I really did get all my ducks in a row before I made this announcement,” she said. “I’m very, very excited about taking on this challenge again.” She said throwing her hat into the ring to serve as warden in the final year of the current four-year term of council was something she had been pondering for some time. “I thoroughly enjoyed the last time I was warden and I’m ready to do it again.” Mayor Murphy said she discussed her intentions with current Warden
BV Mayor Jennifer Murphy Peter Emon, Reeve of Renfrew, on numerous occasions before the announcement. She added the county is very unique in the fact that individuals considering running for warden have frank conversations with the current warden “I know that Peter did it with
Bob (former Petawawa mayor Bob Sweet), I did it with Peter, Debbie (Robinson, former reeve of Laurentian Valley), did it with me. I think that it shows a ton of respect for the sitting warden, and also, it gives the opportunity for the person that wants to run for warden, sort of a timeframe, to have that warden share their knowledge and information. “For the last six or seven months, Peter has made sure that I know what’s going on with the Eastern Ontario Warden’s caucus, what’s going on behind the scenes in things he’s involved in, and I find that extremely helpful,” she continued. She said her previous years in the position, which came at a very challenging time in the county’s history, gave her valuable experience on how to deal with serious issues. “One of the biggest things that happened in my first year were the floods, and then they occurred again in 2019. I think I learned a lot about myself and how to work with people in a crisis, for lack of a better term. See Page A5
By Terry Fleurie Staff Writer Pembroke – Residents of Whitewater (WWR) Region Township and staff of the Renfrew County Paramedic Service are celebrating the announcement a contract has been awarded for the construction of a new paramedic base near Cobden. At a meeting last Wednesday, county council unanimously passed a by-law awarding the design and build of the new base to R.K. Porter General Contracting Inc. of Perth, for the price of $3,253,635, plus applicable taxes. The by-law also notes the Porter company is working in collaboration with J.L. Richards and Associates Limited of Ottawa, and Egis Group, of Kanata, on the project. County Paramedic Chief Mike Nolan told the Leader the passing of the by-law is the culmination of many years of work to try and secure a base in WWR. “It’s been a work in progress for many, many years in that we’ve known with an increase in call volumes in the Whitewater area, and an aging population with significant needs,” he explained. “For years we had a paramedic unit on stand-by at a Cobden location whenever it was available, and I think it makes a lot of sense to have a base station constructed in Whitewater that provides greater consistency in terms of serving that community, but also creates a place for the paramedics to be able to start and end their day. “And for the community paramedics to also be working from,” he added. The new base will be constructed near the intersection of Foresters Falls Road and Mineview Road, on property the county is purchasing from the municipality. “We’ve been in discussion with the municipality of Whitewater to identify a location that is central, that allows for the future expansion of Hwy. 417 and provides greater adjacency to some of the more northern reaches of the Whitewater Region,” he said. Chief Nolan said the county will be using what has become a familiar design for operational usage for the base that has been utilized in the other buildings in the county. This includes having a drive-thru design for the vehicles, crew’s quarters,
administrative space, and storage and stock functions. In some of the newer designs like Renfrew County Place and Eganville, there is also clinic space, and there is space for a community paramedic clinic at the new base on Boundary Road in Pembroke, and space for the Virtual Triage Assessment Centre (VTAC), which WWR will have. “The design is consistent with the essential elements of the previous base stations, in that it will have a similar look and feel to those, but there may be some additional space,” he said. He said the decision to proceed with the new base in WWR is certainly positive for a number of reasons. “The paramedics have had to park on the street corner for a decade as a temporary stand-by location, and frankly, that’s not good for them in terms of their own health and welfare, and their readiness,” he stated. “By giving them a place to call home as a paramedic base within Whitewater Region, it gives them access to amenities 24/7, gives them a greater sense of community and attachment to the community. “So, it’s a welcome announcement, to be able to move forward with this,” he added. “And I’m really pleased that county council and development and property are moving quickly with the hopes of having the footings in before the frost comes.” Chief Nolan expressed his thanks to council and the committee for their past and ongoing support of the paramedic service. “I can’t say enough for the amount of support over the last 20 years that county council has demonstrated towards the paramedics and the paramedic service,” he said. “We have a number of innovative programs, we have base stations now throughout the community, and the confidence that council has in the paramedics and the paramedic service is really quite overwhelming. “To know that we have their full support and endorsement to continue to innovate and adapt to the community needs is really the greatest gift that county council could give to the community, and to the paramedics who tirelessly do the very best they can to make sure that our community is safe,”
he continued. Chief Nolan said everyone is hopeful the footings for the new base will be poured by fall, so the interior work can happen over the winter months with a spring/summer 2026 opening. Last year, the service opened their new base at the former O’Grady Bros. Garage in Eganville, and earlier this year the county announced the development of a new base in Pembroke on Boundary Road. “We’ve had slow and steady growth over the past 20 years,” he explained. “We’ve renewed the Arnprior base station, Petawawa, Barry’s Bay, and Deep River. “Eganville was a significant departure from being co-located at the municipal building, and really long overdue, and we’re moving out of the Pembroke facility and into a countyowned facility,” he added. “That also means that we, as a county, are wholly responsible for our assets, which no longer keeps us in a landlord-tenant relationship, and will allow us to be more nimble and more responsive to the needs of staff.” The County of Renfrew Paramedic Service and its programs have served as a template for other services locally, provincially, and even federally and beyond, and this latest announcement will contribute to that. “It’s absolutely needed and deserved but, also from a functional perspective, we’ve been very thoughtful about making sure that the space is meeting the needs of the staff. And we try to do that in a very economical way. “We’re not over-constructing, we’re not building massive buildings to prove a point in the community,” he pointed out. “Really, what we’re doing is real form and function design that is meeting our current needs, has some capability for expansion for future needs as well, done in a way that is wholly responsible.” He noted there have been seven base stations for as long as he can remember and the Whitewater Station will actually be the first expansion of the paramedic footprint within the community. “And I think it’s absolutely to be celebrated and we’re very grateful to council for making it happen,” he concluded.
Several stories held over Eganville – Several stories and photo from elementary school graduations, coverage of the 50th anniversary of Wilderness Tours whitewater rafting, the annual
Admaston/Bromley Township Canada Day awards and other events have been held over for publication next week The last week of June is tra-
ditionally the busiest week for local events as school graduations, Canada Day events and other happenings occur at this time of year.