You may see some smoke in the Vermilion Bay area as a forest fire is happening in the area.
The fire is identified by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry as Dryden #6 and is located near Edison Lake, about 12 kilometres southwest of Vermilion Bay.
The size of the fire is around 12 hectares and listed as not under control.
(Photo sent to our Facebook Page)
A major accomplishment for students at Lillian Berg School in Vermilion Bay.
The school accepted a Scholastic Publishing challenge to read 100 books.
The campaign was derailed thanks to COVID-19 but staff at Lillian Berg picked up the challenge virtually last week, and within 6 days their students had read and logged 100 books.
Scholastic has pledged to donate 200,000 books to children and families in need for eligible schools who reach the goal.
Staff at the school say “We are very proud of our students! It is so very important to stay connected with our school community, no matter how small and simple a task may seem.”
Operations will be reduced this year at the Experimental Lakes Area, west of Vermilion Bay, because of the coronavirus.
Researchers will be required to self-isolate for 14 days before their work begins.
Executive Director Matt McCandless says there will be some changes.
“We are going to be limiting the number of people on site. People will be quarantined before they come. As a result we are not going to be launching some of the new experiments that we had planned on this year.”
He adds “We have set-up an internal COVID-19 committee and we’ve set-up a strict regimented program for people to go on site.”
McCandless says he doesn’t expect the pandemic to impact any of their future research.
“Speaking with our project partners and our funders and at the moment they are all very excited to come back in 2021. So we are not anticipating anything beyond that but of course this is an evolving situation.”
Some research at the facility is expected to begin this week.
Provincial Police are reporting that Highway 105 is reduced to one lane between Vermilion Bay and Ear Falls.
Police say the closure is due to a vehicle collision.
No estimate on a full reopening or other details have been provided.
An Emergency Food Distribution Centre has been set-up at the Vermilion Bay Lions Hall to help those impacted by COVID-19.
The program is for Machin area residents requiring access to the Dryden Food Bank or for those who feel they need the food service during the health crisis.
Shirley Koroniak says it’s a joint effort between the Dryden Food Bank, Northwestern Health Unit, Vermilion Bay Lions Club and Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.
The Lions Club member says “The idea for this was sparked by the knowledge that the school’s Nutrition program was no longer going to be available. And because our school here in Vermilion Bay did have food on hand for that program, the Northwestern Health Unit has authorized them to divert the food stock to us for this purpose.”
Koroniak adds “There’s a lot of people in the area that will be short on funds and will possibly be needing the services of a program such as this.”
If you are a client of the Dryden Food Bank living in the Machin area and would like your hamper delivered to the Vermilion Bay Lions Hall, please contact the Food Bank to arrange to have it dropped off at the Hall.
If you are not, currently, a client of the Food Bank but are now finding yourself in a situation in which you require their services, you are asked to contact the Vermilion Bay Lions first. You will be provided with a hamper code. You than contact the Food Bank with that code and arrange for delivery to Vermilion Bay.
To protect the privacy of all clients, the Dryden Food Bank will release all personal information to the Vermilion Bay Lions only if authorized by the client.
Anyone with questions can contact Doris St. Jules at doris.st.jules@kpdsb.ca or 807-355-1230.
Shirley Koroniak says they are also looking for public support in the form of donations.
Koroniak says Vermilion Bay Co-op has a bin where you can drop-off food items, purchased in-store, during business hours.
A donation jar is available at the Co-op as well as Eagles Junction.
Any food items can be dropped off at the Vermilion Bay Lions Hall every Saturday from 10:00am to 1:00pm.
-Please leave your items on the table outside the side handicap access door.
-Please maintain a safe distance when dropping off items.
-Items must be sealed in their original packaging and have not reached best before date.
-Donation jar will be on-site.
To hear more from Shirley Koroniak, visit the Audio link below.
It’s shaping up to be a perfect weekend to join the excitement in Vermilion Bay.
The 54th Annual Kin Karnival is underway.
A flag raising ceremony was held Thursday to kick-off the four day festival.
There will be a Fish Fry and Meat Draw at the Lions Hall tonight. (Friday)
The Lion’s Family Snow Derby highlights Saturday activities.
The event starts at 9:00am at the Lions Hall.
The Kin Family Fish Derby is Sunday starting at 1:00pm at the Eagle Lake Government Dock.
This year the Kin Karnival is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Kin Canada and 60 years of the Vermilion Bay Kinsmen.
A precautionary boil water advisory is currently in place in Vermilion Bay.
The advisory is due to high levels of turbidity.
All residents and business owners who use water from the Vermilion Bay Water Treatment Plant are being asked to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking.
The notice will be in effect until further notified.
https://www.facebook.com/MunicipalityofMachin/posts/1858249237642055
Provincial Police across the Dryden area will lace up their skates tonight (Tuesday) for a charity fundraising game.
The OPP face the GM Ice Dogs at 6:00pm at the Woodland Arena in Vermilion Bay.
Constable Brittany Bembeneck says “both teams have come together in hopes to raise funds to purchase skates, helmets and broomball equipment for students of Lillian Berg School to use at the Arena.
Bembeneck says admission is only $5 and there will be a penny auction and chili for sale.
All proceeds support youth in the community.
It’s also an opportunity for Vermilion Bay residents to watch the Dryden GM Ice Dogs in person.
To hear more from Constable Bembeneck, visit the Audio link below.
Students and staff at Lillian Berg School are filled with excitement as they have officially opened their Forest and Nature School.
The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony took place today out in the wooded area behind the school.
Ribbon cutting for the Forest and Nature school at Lillian Berg School in Vermilion Bay. pic.twitter.com/SjfSbGEgcG
— CKDR News (@ckdrnews) November 7, 2019
Teacher Vanessa Clarke says there is a lot of fun and learning to be had at the outdoor learning area including fort-building, fire-starting, using tools for construction as well as playing in the hammocks.
Clarke also says they started the program in September with Kindergarten to Grade 2 students where they also use their imagination and problem-solving skills in the forest.
She also says it helps build socialization skills and helps students be able to assess what is safe.
Clarke goes on to mention that it isn’t a fully certified forest school, but she is currently in the process of completing the work needed for that to become a reality.
Principal Doris St. Jules says the school council has been very supportive of the program and they have been working hard to make sure they can work with area industries to improve the program.
St. Jules also says they are really happy to be able to offer this program to students and they have seen a lot of interest from parents to check it out as well.
A surprise announcement came later in the opening ceremony as Weyerhauser announced that they are donating $4,000 to the program as well.
Erik Holmstrom from Weyerhaeuser says they are happy to provide money since similar programming is what got him interesting in the forestry sector in the first place.
Also from Weyerhaeuser was Matt Wilkie also says it’s great to get interested in nature and hopefully learn about the good coming from the forestry sector as well.
A “Rainfall Warning” has been issued by Environment Canada across much of our region.
The warning is in effect for Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Ignace and Vermilion Bay.
Environment Canada says heavy rain is expected with rainfall amounts of 50 to 75mm being possible.
Thunder storms are also expected this evening and overnight.
Environment Canada also says heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads and flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
