Smiths Falls History & Mystery: The vanishing swimming pool

Evening strolls through Victoria Park often lead to a large stone adorned with a bronze marker laid in 1923. The marker reads “This swimming pool erected by the corporation and citizens of Smiths Falls under the auspices of the Rotary Club”. Antique postcards featuring beautiful images of the Rotary Pool are relatively common. An old […]

Community Services brings solutions to problem areas around town

During Tuesday evening’s Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls, Director of Community Services Stephanie Clark shared some updates with town council about solutions to ongoing issues in various community spaces.  In order to mitigate the amount of mess left by geese defecating in public places, Community Services has obtained “two products that we’ll […]

Former water treatment plant salvageable

Ryan Elliott, Director of Structural Engineering with G. Douglass Vallee Engineering Ltd., investigated the building at 25 Old Mill Road in Smiths Falls on Tuesday, and shared an update with the Committee of the Whole during Tuesday night’s meeting.  Elliott was engaged by the town to determine if the former water treatment plant requires immediate […]

Rideau Canal opens for 2023 navigation season

Parks Canada is pleased to welcome all new and returning visitors for the opening of the 191st navigation season on the Rideau Canal National Historic Site. Following a record year for overnight mooring along the Ontario Waterways in 2022 and a surge in popularity among international guests, travellers are encouraged to book their preferred travel windows, […]

REAL celebrates very successful 56th annual Pitch In!

During Monday evening’s council meeting in Smiths Falls, Councilor Dawn Quinn shared an update from the Rideau Environmental Action League (REAL).  Last month, REAL held their 56th annual Pitch In, Smiths Falls public clean-up event. Participants picked up 372 lbs of garbage and debris from Smiths Falls roadsides and public spaces.  “We had teams from […]

Police week and National Accessibility week observed this month

During Monday evening’s town council meeting in Smiths Falls, Mayor Shawn Pankow noted two special weeks that are being observed in May: Police Week and National Accessibility Week. Police Week is being celebrated in Smiths Falls this week, May 14-20. Police week is a way for police to connect to the community and bring awareness […]

The playgrounds are coming!

Stephanie Clark, the new Director of Community Services with the town of Smiths Falls, gave a report to council during the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday night.  This month is the last chance to lace up your skates at the community centre until autumn. “The ice is coming out in the community centre […]

Smiths Falls fire quenched with help from Perth, Montague, Drummond / North Elmsley

During Monday evening’s Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls, Fire Chief Rick Chesebrough shared a report on the overnight fire at the old water treatment plant on Old Mill Road. The fire began overnight and was contained and extinguished with help from neighbouring fire services. The cause of the fire is still unknown […]

Early morning fire at old water treatment plant

An early morning fire at Smiths Falls’ old water treatment plant brought firefighters out in force. Fire started at 2:20 a.m. May 8; it was “fully involved — roof, third, and second floor,” one fireman reported. He added they’re not sure of the cause, they’re “still investigating.” He said the building has been boarded up […]

Red Dress Day honours missing and murdered Indigenous women

During Monday evening’s council meeting in Smiths Falls, Acting Mayor Jay Brennan proclaimed Red Dress Day on May 5, 2023. The Red Dress Project was a public art installation created by Jaime Black in 2010, as a way to commemorate missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), “by hanging empty red dresses in a […]