Get some of your Christmas shopping done this weekend at The Green Gecko! The Green Gecko has something for everyone and this weekend only, they are having their Christmas Open House. They will pay taxes on all your purchases, offer prizes, you will receive a free gift with your purchase of $25.00 +, and enjoy free food samples and treats as well as in-house specials!

The Christmas Open House Schedule is as follows:
Thurs, Dec 2, 10am- 8pm
Fri, Dec 3, 10am – 8pm
Sat, Dec 4, 10am – 6pm
Sun, Dec 5, 10am – 4pm

The Green Gecko located at 436 Lyndhurst Road, Lyndhurst, ON

If you are a business owner or have an interest in the tourism of Westport & The Rideau Lakes, you will want to join the first ever “Let’s Talk Tourism” session hosted by the Chamber of Commerce on November 3rd. Join in on the discussion to determine what needs to be done for the future of tourism in Westport and the Rideau Lakes.

Share ideas, learn from experts and enjoy an optional lunch if you are hungry! This event is taking place at The Cove from 12:30pm to 4:30pm.

Optional lunch available at a cost of $10. Please RSVP to Kim @ 613-273-2929 or wrlcc@rideau.net.

If you know a thing or two about photography, or maybe have a talent in it, then you might be interested in a photo contest being organized by the Rideau Lakes Township.

Officials are inviting locals in the area to pass their photographs of the township, with the winners getting the opportunity to have their pictures published in the Township of Rideau Lakes’ 2010 Calendar.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be published then join up. The contest is open to just about anybody with a camera, just as long as he or she owns property in the Township of Rideau Lakes.

The photography contest kicked off on the 1st of January, and will run until the 31st of August, 2010.

Photographers are encouraged to submit their shots in either 4″x6″ prints, or as high resolution (at least 6 megapixels) JPEG files in CD format. You can drop your entries off at the township office or e-mail them at aschur@twprideaulakes.on.ca.

Pictures of the fast scenery in the township are preferred since photos of people will require the township to ask their permission to be part of the calendar.

Each photographer can only submit 4 entries. Join now!

Mayors from the Leeds and Grenville Counties are worried that the costs of building solar farms in the region outweigh the tax revenue it will generate for the community. At present, a new solar farm to be built in the Rideau Lakes Township is in the planning stages, but Mayor Ron Holman is worried that the construction will deteriorate and affect the roads around the site badly. Furthermore, he admits he’s a little apprehensive about the project not being done with the consultation of the involved municipalities.

According to Holman, the use of solar energy will allow the communities involved to reap immense benefits. He’s totally for solar energy, he said. However, having a solar farm built near a residential area for example, will be problematic for the township, he added.

Officials from Ontario recently announced to the public an agreement between South Korean electronics giant Samsung. Apparently, the company will be responsible for construction solar farms across the province, which will generate a total of 2,500 megawatts of clean, renewable energy. Announced by Premier Dalton McGuinty late last month, the deal stipulates that the Samsung group gets to reap 437 million in subsidies over the next 25 years.

Officials from the Rideau Lakes Township are currently debating if a solar farm will really be beneficial to the community.

Ontario has a new Senator, and he’s promised not to forget his roots.

Newly elected Senator Bob Runciman, formerly the MPP of Leeds-Grenville, has requested that his designation in the Senate be changed from the current “Ontario” to “Ontario – Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.” If his request is approved, the new designation will be used on government documents and correspondence.

According to Senator Runciman, he wants to change the designation as a way of paying back the community he owes everything to. He also hopes that the new designation draws attention to what he describes as one of Canada’s most beautiful and scenic regions.

The newly elected senator spent some 29 years in service of the region, and he vows to continue to do so with his new and higher position in government. One of the things he will try to do is work for the interests of the Rideau Lakes and Thousand Islands region.

One of his primary concerns will be the rural development of Eastern Ontario, he said.

On January 29, Friday, Runciman was named to the Senate. He will be officially sworn into office on the 3rd of March at a ceremony to be held in Ottawa.