Living Caledon
WINTER 2010
PUBLISHER KATIE BURCHELL CREATIVE DIRECTOR SIMON BURN EDITORIAL TEAM JIM CONNELLY KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN STACEY FOKAS RICHARD KITOWSKI JOCELYN KLEMM CONTRIBUTORS HEATHER BROADBENT LENA DIAZ DAVID K. DORWARD KIRA DORWARD ANDREW HIND ROBERT HULLEY DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI KIMBERLEY SELDON THE RING BEARER PROOFREADER SALLY MORELL EDITORIAL DESIGN SDB CREATIVE GROUP INC. ADVERTISING DESIGN & PRODUCTION CAROLINE SWEET, SKY CREATIVE GROUP LTD. ADVERTISING SALES KATIE BURCHELL BARRIE BURCHELL SHEILA BAKER frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca Tel: 905 857 2536 While every effort has been made to ensure that advertisements and articles appear correctly, Frontline Media cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. All material is intended for information purposes only. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Owned & published by Frontline Media, P. O. Box 340, Caledon, Ontario L7E 5T3 Tel: 905 857 2536 Email: frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca Caledon Living is published 4 times a year (January, April, July, October)
www.CaledonLiving.com © 2010 1735715 Ontario Inc. Caledon Living is a Registered Trademark PRINTED IN CANADA ON PAPER FROM A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE, USING VEGETABLE-BASED INKS. PLEASE SHARE MAGAZINE WITH A FRIEND, AND THEN RECYCLE.
CONTACT US Readers are invited to contribute comments and views. Stories and ideas are always welcome for consideration. Write to us at: Caledon Living, P.O.Box 340, Caledon, Ontario L7E 5T3 Or email: frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca
CONTENTS
Winter 2010 HOME
16 The grand staircase 19 Mudrooms FOOD & DRINK
29 Five days of local in season recipes 36 Glasses make a difference 35 Local restaurant guide
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23 16
STYLE
44 Wedding trends for 2010 48 Designer spotlight: Gilles Montezin 50 Create your own wedding invitations PEOPLE
39 The bird man HERITAGE
23 Caledon—a heritage oasis 59 Pampering meets the past at
Millcroft Inn & Spa
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
55 Warm and fuzzy MOTORING
71 Nissan Cube road test COMMUNITY
64 Private education in and
around Caledon
NEWS
12 Letters to the Publisher 14 Out & about
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CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2010
COVER
GuardhouseGoodfellow House, Bolton
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WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
New decade, new beginning THIS PAST YEAR was a tough one for many, but fortunately most of us made it into 2010 still smiling, with hopes of getting back on our feet and embracing an exciting new year with many opportunities ahead, be it a new business venture, or even a marriage.
My personal project at present is the launch of Explore Caledon. Unbelievably Caledon doesn’t have its own dedicated visitor guide or tourism publication to help promote local businesses, yet it is a wonderfully diverse area to visit or shop or explore nature. We are certainly well enough known in the GTA for our numerous prestigious attributes and events to stand on our own two feet in terms of tourism promotion. So this spring we are launching a visitor guide and map that will be distributed to select areas of the GTA and beyond and, of course, promoted through Caledon Living magazine. All of the businesses and natural resources Caledon has to offer will be featured, hopefully bringing some much needed tourism dollars to the Town. For more details see our ad on page 22.
If you are looking to tie the knot this year, you may be interested in the latest in wedding gown design trends for 2010, directly from the New York runway, together with tips from Lena Diaz showing you how to make your own stylish wedding invitations. Heather Broadbent and Robert Hulley’s factual article on heritage property designation in Caledon is fascinating reading —essential for those of you who dream of owning a quaint Victorian farmhouse one day! The question many parents ask themselves at some stage is, “Should I send my child to a private school?” David Dorward investigates the local options and provides all the facts to help you decide. In a world of petroleum based synthetic fabrics, it is refreshing to know that natural fabrics, wools specifically, are not only the most environmentally friendly option, but the warmest and most durable. Diana Wronski takes a peek at local wool farmers and shares some interesting facts. Kira Dorward visits worldrenowned fowl expert and farmer, Gerald Donnelly, who talks about how commercial farming and government restrictions are hurting the small local guys. Jim Connelly shows us a rather dramatic staircase that he has just renovated, taking a standard builder-built functional staircase and transforming it into a stunning architectural feature. Kimberley Seldon shares some ideas for making your mudroom more appealing and user friendly. Food editor Stacey Fokas has created five tasty winter recipes that are easy to make using local produce, giving us a week of healthy eating. Andrew Hind visits the Millcroft Inn and tells us about the history of the property and The Wine Coaches discuss glassware appropriate for particular types of wine. Kevin Corrigan gives us the lowdown on the new and unique Nissan Cube. We hope you enjoy our first issue of the new decade!
Katie Burchell Publisher
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CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2010
Contributors
HEATHER GHEY BROADBENT WRITER. Heather is the former Caledon Heritage Resource Officer and was Chair of the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee. She is a past President of The Ontario Historical Society, former Director of the Ontario Heritage Trust, Vice Chair and Hearing Officer of the Conservation Review Board of Ontario, and is presently a Director of the Multicultural History Society of Ontario, Caledon Heritage Foundation, the Humber Alliance, and holds a current Ontario Avocational Archaeological Licence. You can read her article Caledon—a heritage oasis co-written with Robert B. Hulley on page 23.
KIRA DORWARD WRITER. Caledon resident Kira is in her third year at Trinity College in the University of Toronto, specializing in the study of history. She writes avidly, and is currently the editor-inchief of the Policy Exchange, an online forum for issues related to Canadian governance and public policy. Kira is also on the editorial board of the Hart House Review at the University of Toronto, and was recently one of eleven authors published in the book “A Caledon Collection” released by Giant Beaver Publications. For this issue she got to chase geese with Gerald Donnelly while researching for The bird man on page 39.
LENA DIAZ DESIGNER. When not working as part of the Caledon Living editorial design team, Lena can be found putting her strong aesthetic sensibilities to good use restoring old furniture found at garage sales, designing and making clothes and home furnishings for her new apartment, or garnishing her culinary creations. She is a big believer in creating original and unique items with a personal touch, as demonstrated in her piece Create your own wedding invitations on page 50.
Letters to the publisher Dear Katie, It was with considerable pleasure that I read the update on the “Amaranth Mammoth” and the “Highgate Mastodon”. Caledon Living writer Diana Wronski did great research. Such remnants, if found today (and not fossilized) are frequently kept wet and dried very gradually to delay deterioration. After the first skeleton (reportedly discovered in marshy land) disintegrated as it dried out I was amused to read the second was treated with hot white glue to delay deterioration—and increase its earning potential. There are other very old sites in Caledon that your readers may be interested to hear about. Regrettably my Ontario Avocational Archaeological Licence does not allow me to disclose the actual location of these sites but many of your readers will probably be familiar with some of them. Heather Broadbent We cut Heather’s letter short, as we decided to feature Heather’s fascinating information in the form of an illustrated article in our spring issue. KB
Dear Katie, I just wanted to say “Thank You” for that wonderful article about Tony. So many people have stopped me, even on the street, to tell me how much they enjoyed it, and they never knew anything about Tony before! I’ve even had phone calls about it , from old friends of his in England and Australia, to whom I had sent the magazine. Even some of his closest friends and family say he’d only told them that they grew delicious tomatoes in prison camp! Now they know, and the reason the hospice is called “Bethel House”—after him and the fifty. I will be in touch. Affectionately, Lorna Bethel
Lorna & Tony Bethell, photo taken in the 1990s
We would love to hear from you! Send us your thoughts to : frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca P.O. Box 340, Caledon, ON L7E 5T3 12
CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2010
OUT + ABOUT
Two Toronto-based businesses open locations in Caledon
New businesses in town
Rachel A. Clingen Designs Toronto-based wedding and event designer opens studio location in Palgrave. Rachel Clingen believes all of her clientele are seeking the same thing; they all want the confidence that when they arrive at the ceremony and reception, the experience will be something of great beauty and originality that guests will remember and talk about for many years to come. We are here to find the right solution for that perfect wedding for every one of our brides. For more information check out our web site at 17197 Hwy 50, Palgrave. www.rachelaclingen.com
Bolton Furniture Kids’ furniture and mattresses 60 Healey Rd, Unit 6, Bolton Caruso (New location) Gourmet pizzas, pastas, breakfasts, desserts and specialty coffees. Now featuring a drive-thru. 212 Queen St S, Bolton Deli To Go Sandwiches, deli, cheeses and imported European products 301 Queen St S, Unit 5, Bolton House of Colour Paint store featuring Para Paints 15 Allan Dr, Unit 12, Bolton Prenderci Gusto Hot lunches, take-out and catering 28 Queen St N, Unit 2, Bolton
Azure Blue Photography and Designs Toronto-based Azure Blue Photography and Design is proud to announce the opening of their new location in Bolton. Stacey Barry and her team have been specializing in Wedding and Event Photography in the Toronto area for almost a decade. Their new location will offer complete wedding photography packages, including albums and printed products, plus advertising, web design and corporate branding for local businesses both large and small. 7 Queen St. N, Bolton. www.azureblue.ca
After Play by Anne Meara Blackhorse Village Players February 3-20 www.blackhorse.ca
The Cemetery Club Caledon Townhall Players February 11-27 www.caledontownhallplayers.com
New web sites of local businesses Caledon florist launches new site Bolton based Flower Workshop is renowned for its team of exceptional designers, and now their work can be viewed on a new image-rich web site that features photo galleries for weddings, funerals and events. Robert Viveiros and the Flower Workshop team are offering wedding and event planning services, and provide exceptionally detailed consultations at their fascinating store. www.myflowerworkshop.com Local wine experts on the web Caledon based sommeliers Ric Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm have recently launched a great new web site that features a searchable wine database and online store. They also provide a food matching tool, a blog packed with lots of educational content, and GTA restaurant guide. www.twcimports.com
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Upcoming events Friday February 12 Mayfield Alumni Pub Night, supporting the Mayfield SS Rugby Players Ireland Tour 2010 at Mayfield Secondary School, 7 pm. Tickets: $10. Cash bar, entertainment, and silent auction. For tickets: Tish Hansen, 416 434 1717 or tish@thansen.ca. SkiDay Osler Foundation Ski, Snowboard, Snowshoe Thursday, March 4 at Caledon Ski Club. Cool off in support of Women’s Oncology at William Osler Health System. 905 494 6556 www.oslerfoundation.org
Correction
OOPS! We are blushing! For the Apple pecan salty cardamom shortbread envelopes in the Autumn 2009 issue we forgot to mention the bake temperature of 335�F. The bake time should have been 20-25 minutes and the cookie cutter should have been 2¼ inch squares. We were probably too busy enjoying the cookies to notice!
HOME
Acanthus leaves and ribbon motif were used to create a realistic yet dreamy old world staircase
“
Before
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”
The grand staircase BY JIM CONNELLY & PETER DE SOUSA • PHOTOS BY SDB IMAGES
WELL KNOWN for her love of the arts including the opera, our client’s home showcases some of the most exquisite paintings and beautiful objects d’art. She is an elegant and high energy business woman who travels extensively and runs a very successful company. Peter and I have worked with this client over several years and each project has been a rewarding experience on many facets. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to hear her play for us on her Steinway baby grand piano. Either classical or modern, the music creates a wonderful ambience which you wish to never leave.
Since this client is an art aficionado, we enjoy the projects that she asks us to create. She has a great eye and gives us creative license to perform miracles with our craft. Recently she engaged us to transform an ordinary set of stairs in her home into an “extraordinary” staircase. No stranger to staying in beautiful hotels, or sightseeing in castles and villas, she had been inspired to create her own dream staircase. The project started with removing the pickets and handrails and the stairs were ripped out. At one point we all laughed (afterwards), as the client left for the opera in a full length ball gown, wearing stilettos, and did a great balancing act holding onto a rope in place of the handrail! Luxury builders understand the attraction of a beautiful staircase, as it will make or break a property, and most builders in this category will invest valuable time in this important architectural element. The design was well planned as it had to devise a unique custom wrought iron balustrade. Acanthus leaves and ribbon motif were used to create a realistic yet dreamy old world staircase, which was a ‘must have’ for the client. The handrail, custom made from individual pieces of wood to match the new wrought iron balustrade, took considerable time to complete. The result was magic, a true testament to the mastery, love and expertise of these craftsmen! Artistic corners were added as a feature detail on the outside edge of the stairs, adding extra glamour and drama. We initially painted the edge of the stairs to match the wall. However, the staircase suddenly begun to have a personality of its own, and the decision was made to paint the edges with a high realism wood grain. This wood grain matched the stairs and made a much stronger visual impact. WOW! What a transformation! After the wooden handrails were installed, the client didn’t feel that the wood and the wrought iron gave the correct
ambiance that she was looking for. She said that the staircase was not flowing with the softness that she had hoped to achieve. After a consultation with Peter and me, the decision was made to paint and glaze the handrail to look as though it was made from wrought iron. The result was perfect, but why stop there? We decided to gold leaf some of the decorative elements on the wrought iron to give a wee bit of drama, romance and excitement. The staircase was now complete and ready for its coming out party.
Lights, camera and action! The foyer walls are softened with a large collection of beautiful oil paintings that add sophistication and energy and compliment the entrance foyer. The newly transformed staircase has gone from “ordinary to extraordinary” and now shimmers under the fabulous crystal chandelier, like a jewel. Our client can now glide down her elegant staircase in full evening gown, with her high stilettos, safely. The final result ensures the grandest entrance on a dreamy staircase before slipping off into the night to enjoy the opera, feeling like a movie star. Jim Connelly & Peter De Sousa are owners of Masterpieces Studio 416 781 5588
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HOME
Mudrooms BY KIMBERLEY SELDON
AS WINTER EXERTS its power and mess I inevitably lament my own lack of a proper mudroom. Recently I was able to indulge my domestic fantasy when long-time clients asked me to create a stylish and functional mudroom for their family. With approximately 48 square feet to consider I approached the design of the mudroom in the same way you might approach the design of a kitchen – dividing it into efficient work zones.
The small space is a perfect spot to corral the detritus of family life...
“
”
Zone 1
Entrance + storage
An effective mudroom frequently operates as a home’s main entrance, but it can also be a dumping ground for all the “stuff” you don’t want visitors to see. When that happens, you have an inefficient eyesore instead of a well-functioning utility space. Instead, dedicate space to deposit coats, jackets, shoes, boots and heavy school backpacks. Here, a custom wall unit with tongue and groove panelling defines the storage area. Built-in seating provides additional storage and a perch for changing into boots or shoes. Concealed hanging storage houses clothing that is used occasionally, while open hooks (6"-9" apart) provide easy access to frequently used items. For children, secure hooks about 36" above the floor, and for adults increase to 60". Choose slipresistant and indestructible flooring such as slate, honed tile, cork or vinyl and include an area carpet to grab mud and dirt before it gets into the house. Even a tiny kitchen can accommodate a “mudroom”. Here, a built-in bench provides sufficient seating and a little extra storage right where it’s needed.
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Zone 2
Workstation This compact workstation revolves around a built-in desk that acts as “command central” for the busy mother of two. The small space is a perfect spot to corral the detritus of family life—birthday party invitations and social engagements, soccer games and dance lessons, and medical or dental appointments. There is storage for paper and pens, plus hanging files for important documents. A fabric covered bulletin board underscores the green and cream colour scheme inspired by the adjacent garden.
Zone 3
Gazing spot
A small window lets light into the space and provides just the spot for day dreaming—or pestering mom while she’s on the phone. A 3" box cushion in lively plaid is accented with green and white toile and check fabrics. With a growing family, this young couple required a full-sized mudroom which was added to the front entrance of the home.
Kimberley’s guide to incorporating a tiny mudroom A modest 4' of wall space allows for a “mudroom” where none exists. Provide ample storage for boots, hats, gloves and backpacks when children are in residence. Seniors require a firm bench and crisp lighting to assist with changing shoes. Dog owners appreciate easy to clean surfaces and storage space for brushes and leashes.
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For a room-by-room guide to small space living, pick up a copy of Kimberley Seldon’s 500 Ideas For Small Spaces: Easy Solutions for Living in 1000 Square Feet or Less, (CPi Publishing), available at www.chapters.indigo.ca
WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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Advertising opportunities now available Email us for a detailed PDF
Introducing the first and only dedicated visitor guide for Caledon
Explore Caledon is an essential annual publication in which to advertise if you are a Caledon business. This publication is designed and published by the team that brings you Caledon Living. Highly acclaimed professional design, stunning photography, compelling editorial features, in addition to useful guides and listings for shopping, dining, attractions and more, will make the 2010 Explore Caledon guide simply irresistible! This attractive glossy guide is full colour throughout, and distributed directly to affluent homes in Toronto, tourist information centres across southern Ontario, in addition to stores, restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions within the GTA. The Explore Caledon guide will also be promoted in Caledon Living magazine, and online.
And there’s an accompanying map too. Finally, a retail biased visitor map for Caledon. Local businesses will be literally put on the map at last! We’ve designed a beautiful and fully functional colour map to accompany our Explore Caledon guide. It is the definitive shopping and tourism map for both visitors and locals. A Caledon area map shows all the trails, conservation areas, farmers’ markets, unique country stores, restaurants and more. User-friendly 3D maps of Caledon East and Bolton showcase the shopping areas in detail like never seen before. The Explore Caledon map folds to a handy pocket size, and has a limited number of advertising spaces available. Explore Caledon will feature:
produce Accommodation *Shopping *Local Dining Leisure activities *Attractions & events * * *
Distribution: 25,000 copies I You don’t need to be a member to advertise
Published April 2010 Booking deadline Feb 12, 2010 Katie Burchell Sheila Baker
To advertise contact: 416 899 3738 Barrie Burchell 416 804 0169 Main office
416 892 9923 905 857 2536
Email us for a rates and data PDF: frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca
HERITAGE
Caledon–a heritage oasis BY HEATHER GHEY BROADBENT + ROBERT B. HULLEY
Former Caledon resident, the late Robertson Davies, once said “(You) can’t understand the present if you don’t know the past...”
Maybee-Parrish House
ON A PER CAPITA basis Caledon has more designated heritage properties than any other municipality in Peel Region. This is largely due to the widespread urbanization that proliferated through the southern part of the Region, but had less impact on Caledon which occupies over 50 percent of Peel. In addition, the Town Council has been judicious in applying the terms of the Ontario Heritage Act whenever possible to preserve Caledon’s heritage.
Conserving Caledon’s heritage properties is not limited to buildings, but includes landscapes, cemeteries, bridges,
a Cenotaph, and stone culverts. For the most part, however, heritage designations apply to buildings and their surroundings. Some are big while others are modest; some are commercial while others are industrial properties. Some of the buildings were originally constructed for one purpose, but were saved and adapted to a new use. Caledon has also designated rare or special trees. Like our orchards and flower gardens, they needed human intervention to grow in Caledon. For example, an Osage Orange hedge on the old 5th Line, east of Hurontario Street, is recognized WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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“
Properly maintained older buildings usually exceed any modern ‘building code’. They were built to last!
”
as a cultural feature because it was used as a natural hedge to keep farm animals in and neighbours’ animals out. The Osage Orange hedge landscape is also ‘special’ as it is one of only two that exist in Peel and York Regions. Both are right on the edge of their climatic zone and therefore it is also unique that they have survived. Many people are confused about what is meant by a heritage designation under the Act. For example, there is a widespread belief that when something reaches one hundred years of age it automatically becomes a heritage property. But, while age is always implied in the Act, it is never implicitly mentioned. Important new structures may also become designated. The Act depicts a cultural heritage property as being more than its age. It’s the total embodiment of a property’s design features, history and contextual value in relationship to the community. In addition to specifying what constitutes a heritage property, the Act goes further in promoting the conservation of heritage properties. The Clerk of every municipality in Ontario is required to maintain a ‘Register’ of all ‘designated’ properties of cultural heritage interest within its jurisdiction. When a property is designated, the municipal council enacts a By-law assigning the property to special provisions under the Act. A full description of the property is included which details those aspects that are of interest, as well as a description of the property’s heritage attributes. The designation is not complete
until it is registered on title. The Town of Caledon now has 104 Heritage Designated properties with five more in the process of receiving final approval. The Act also allows the municipalities to list, in less detail, all properties that are not designated, but that the council believes might be of cultural heritage interest and value. Caledon currently maintains a Register containing 106 properties of cultural heritage interest. Understandably, with the exception of those ‘designated’ under the Act, not all heritage properties within the community are currently in the Register, as it is a ‘work in progress’ and properties are continually being added as they become known and researched. Sally Drummond is Caledon’s Heritage Resource Officer, assisted by Maureen Baker and the volunteer municipal heritage advisory committee known as Heritage Caledon. This committee has existed since 1976 and is currently chaired by Mike Starr. Together they gather the necessary information, recommend designations to Council, compile the Register, and advise Council on other heritage matters as requested. There are many myths circulating about real estate being designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Dr. Robert Shipley of the University of Waterloo looked into the most prevalent of these myths—that heritage designation of a house results in reduced value, making it harder to sell. He investigated 2,707 properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 24 communities over a 20-year period. What Dr. Shipley found was that heritage designation actually helped maintain and even improve the market value of various structures. Here’s what he found:
Rosehill Schoolhouse
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Guardhouse-Goodfellow House. John Guardhouse was the owner of the Bolton grist mill and built this splendid Victorian property from the proceeds of the grain boom in the 1870s.
Daley-Waldie House
Some 74 percent of individually designated properties equaled or bettered the average property value trend in their communities. The rate of sales among individually designated properties was equal to, or greater than, the general rate of sales of properties within their communities. Designated properties tend to resist downturns in the ambient market. In addition to this, owners of designated buildings can benefit from the expert advice provided by Heritage Caledon and municipal preservation staff. They may also be eligible for financial incentives such as tax relief and grants which are presently available in Caledon. Another myth is that it’s cheaper to demolish and start anew than to restore a heritage building. From a construction standpoint, historic preservation has several advantages over new construction. For example, structural costs on an old building usually make up 5 to 12 percent of total project costs, half the average expenditures for new construction. In addition, many older building have unique and desirable signature features such as ornate windows and finishes, high ceilings, etc. that would be prohibitively expensive to create in a new building. Also demolishing to rebuild is not cheaper from an environmental point of view, given that 35 percent of our landfill is building material waste. In Caledon it is very noticeable that restoration/renovation benefits the community in other ways. It employs local crafts people and companies. Building material is purchased locally. This is unlike new construction which buys its materials in vast quantities elsewhere and employs few local people. Their employees travel here each day, but spend their wages elsewhere. CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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Abraham Armstrong House A Caledon example of a Heritage Designated home Heritage Designation Criteria There are three criteria set out in the Ontario Heritage Act, of which at least one or more must be present in order to qualify for ‘Cultural Heritage Designation’. The Abraham Armstrong House, designated under the Act by the Town Council in 1994, exemplifies at least two of these criteria. 1. Historical or Associated Value Many aspects of Caledon’s historic roots can be found in the Abraham Armstrong House. Standing on Dixie Road in the middle of the “Peel Plain” it reflects the wealth that descended on central Peel during the ‘wheat boom’ in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the area was the grain producing heart of Canada before railways opened up western Canada to settlement. This house is symbolic of that time but is also still a farm home. Debbie and Phillip Armstrong and their family are the fourth and fifth generations to live in the house but also the fifth and sixth on the farm. The Armstrongs, historically and presently, have always played a central role in their community’s civic, agricultural and social lives. There are still many splendid farm houses in Ward Two, the south part of Ward One and southeastern part of Ward Four from the ‘wheat boom’ era but some have already been lost as development pressures grow. 2. Design and Physical Features The stylistic characteristics of a house are extremely important. In the “Criteria for Designation” of the Abraham Armstrong House it is described as a two storey home constructed in red brick in the mid 1890s in a modified Italianate style in the form of an “L” with a more modern
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and compatible addition at the rear. It has a medium hip roof. Several windows have semi-elliptical heads with one semi-circular headed window at the front. The front has coloured and decorated glass in the main door and window. The house also has many of its original shutters. In reflecting the ‘Italianate Style’ the house has pairs of ornate brackets supporting the eaves on all sides and, also noted in the description, is the verandah which wraps around the front and also over the other front door which is set back into the “L”. Not quite as grand as the main late Victoria front door, it is still exceptional. Smaller versions of the decorative double brackets support the entire verandah roof which replicates the slope of the main roof. There is also another wooden trim decoration known as ‘spool’ trim. The house has an 1895 date stone. Caledon has not designated interiors of designated houses, although it is permitted under the Heritage Act. However, the municipal heritage committee has recorded particularly important elements. This home is no exception as the interior reflects great taste in the use of expensive wood finishes throughout, with elegant trim in all the rooms, on stairs, banisters and newel posts, as well as plaster ceiling rosettes and other fine molding. 3. Contextual Value Another important element of heritage designation is that it recognizes the settlement history and the place that families have in the context of defining the area. Millers, for example, also benefited from the boom as demonstrated in the Guardhouse-Goodfellow House in Bolton, which is also designated. Mill sites were often the raison d’être for the community being established in the first place. Farmers and Millers represent the embodiment of the community’s origin and therefore are irreplaceably linked to its surroundings.
Detail of original spool decorations and Italianate roof brackets
This brings us to the third and last myth about heritage properties—old technology is not as efficient as modern replacements. In fact, components such as historic windows and doors can be retrofitted to meet current standards of energy use. This can be achieved at less immediate and long-term cost than replacement units. Studies show that replacing historic wood or metal single-glazed windows with contemporary units, such as vinyl or aluminum double-glazed sash, cannot be justified on the basis of life-cycle costs. Properly maintained older buildings usually exceed any modern ‘building code’. They were built to last! Caledon seems to have the best of both possible worlds. On the one hand, it is in close proximity to larger urban areas. On the other, it has managed to retain most of its rural character and many of its defining cultural heritage properties. Through application of a well defined and strengthened Ontario Heritage Act, Caledon has been able to conserve much of its heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the community, and sets a positive example of what J. L. Granatstein wrote in Who Killed Canadian History?, “…it’s time to restore the past, to its proper place in our national cultural consciousness.” Robert B. Hulley is a historian and author and has written extensively on real estate and heritage matters both in Canada and the United States. He is presently a member of the Executive Committee of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and a former member of the Heritage SubCommittee of the Humber Watershed Alliance of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
RECIPES
Five days of local in season recipes BY STACEY FOKAS PHOTOS BY SDB IMAGES
INSPIRED BY THE SEASON, I want to share with you five simple recipes using fresh local ingredients, and show you just how easy it is to find these in season foods during the winter months… helping you to make healthy choices for meals you may prepare. Eating out is not cheap any more, and the benefit of supporting local producers and suppliers can greatly reduce your personal carbon footprint immediately. These recipes are created with you in
M T W T F
mind, all prepared in 30 minutes or less. With recipes like these you will always beat the take out guy hands down! Here in Caledon we have everything we need and more right in our own backyard. Looking local first is the key to a healthy community and a healthier you. By supporting each other through local sources, we will help protect our local farmers and businesses in a tougher economy. Eating foods that are in season is the way nature intended us to eat.
Creamy potato and chicken soup with fresh dill
Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 8–10 minutes (May take up to 30 minutes without pressure cooker) chicken legs with thighs white onion garlic sunflower oil potatoes sea salt pepper fresh dill artesian baguette
3 1 large 2 cloves for frying 8 large to taste to taste ¼ cup 1
TIP For moms and dads who are pressed for time and want really
nutritious yet fast home cooked food, a pressure cooker takes care of both—reduced cooking times and the taste is unbelievable!
Serves 4–6 (with extra for next day) Cost per person 97 cents or less!
Tools pressure cooker (or large pot) small pot or bowl for holding stock hand held blender Wash chicken, boil in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes in uncovered pressure cooker or pot (until chicken is white), remove from water, cool. Set aside water (stock) in a small pot or bowl. Chop onions and garlic. Peel potatoes; cut large ones in half. In the pressure cooker or pot, fry onions in sunflower oil until clear, add garlic, fry for a few more minutes. Add chicken stock from legs and up to 6 more cups of water, toss in potatoes, lock the lid, and boil for 8 minutes. (Up to 30 minutes in regular pot, until potatoes are soft.) Pull chicken from bones, break into pieces, set aside. Turn off heat, let out steam, and blend the soup adding sea salt to taste. Stir in chicken pieces and fresh dill. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes for the chicken to warm up and dill to infuse into the soup. Cooked this way, the chicken should be very tender and the soup exceptionally tasty! Top each bowl with fresh ground pepper. Serve with fresh baguette and a glass of white wine.
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Sweet baked carrot and spicy pepper baguette
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes carrots red bell peppers oyster mushrooms garlic hot dry chilies sea salt brown sugar fresh thyme sunflower oil fresh artesian baguette arugula BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
balsamic vinegar sunflower oil garlic powder sea salt Tools 2 glass baking pans 1 frying pan
Preheat oven to 425 F 2 large 2 2–4 2 cloves sprinkle to taste sprinkle 2 sprigs drizzle 1 2 cups ¼ cup ½ cup ½ tsp to taste
Clean and peel the carrots; slice them, along with the peppers and mushrooms, so they are flat and can be easily eaten on a baguette. Drizzle sunflower oil in one pan, add the peppers, and season with chopped garlic, chilies and sea salt. In the other pan place the carrots, sprinkle with brown sugar and season well with thyme and sea salt, then drizzle with sunflower oil. Bake both pans uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until they brown and get kind of crispy. While the veggies are baking, combine the ingredients to make the Balsamic drizzle. When the veggies are finished baking, remove them from the oven and set aside. Rinse the arugula, lay it on a plate to dry. Fry the mushrooms in sunflower oil on high until brown, and set aside. Slice the baguette into four sandwich style pieces and toast them under the broiler. Coat the arugula with the drizzle—you will have some left over for dipping, so use only what you need. Lay on your arugula first, then the baked carrots, and then the spicy peppers. Add a drizzle of balsamic and top it off with the oyster mushrooms. Serve and enjoy!
Serves 4 Cost per person $1.25
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M T W T F
Crunchy flax trout with sprouts and wild rice
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes wild rice scented rice garlic powder sunflower oil trout sea salt dried tarragon egg organic flax sunflower oil garlic bean sprouts sea salt fresh dill CRANBERRY REDUCTION
cranberries, frozen maple syrup brown sugar or Disaronno
1 cup ½ cup ½ tsp drizzle 1 sprinkle 1 tsp 1 6 tbsp for frying 2 cloves 5 cups sprinkle ¼ cup 1 cup ¼ cup ¼ cup
Tools 1 small pot for rice 1 small pot for cranberries 1 small bowl for egg wash 2 plates for coating fish 1 frying pan for fish and sprouts 1 plate for cooked fish
Rinse and boil both rices together for 15 minutes in salted water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and steam for 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic powder, a drizzle of oil, and set aside. Slice the rinsed, skinned trout into 1–1½ inch pieces; set aside. Boil cranberries in another pot with maple syrup and brown sugar (or Disaronno), while you are coating and cooking the trout. Season trout with sea salt and tarragon, dip one side into beaten egg wash, then into a plate of flax and set on another plate, flax side up. Fry the trout on medium heat in sunflower oil and chopped garlic, flax side down first, for 3–3½ minutes per side. Set aside on clean plate. Wipe the pan with a paper towel, drizzle with sunflower oil, put back on medium heat, toss in bean sprouts and sea salt. Cook for a few minutes until sprouts start to go clear, and finish off with fresh chopped dill. Your cranberries should now be reduced to a nice sticky sauce; turn them off and set aside. Plate as shown in the picture; your family will be most impressed.
TIP Timing is everything when cooking a dish like this, so take the time to prepare everything before you start—makes it really easy.
Serves 4 Cost per person $2.86
Silvercreek Aquaculture in Erin offers fresh trout all year round. I spent an afternoon with Lou and his beautiful swan, checking out his wonderful cold spring water ponds, well stocked with incredibly tasty trout.
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M T W T F
Hockley chipotle chili on chive mash
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes CHIVE MASH
large red potatoes sunflower oil rice milk chives CHILI
spanish onion sunflower oil garlic ground sirloin thyme sprigs smokey paprika chipotle ground cumin garlic powder PC chipotle hot sauce sea salt pepper red kidney beans diced tomatoes Hockley stout tomato paste brown sugar dried bay leaves
CHIVE MASH
8 ¼ cup splash ¼ cup 1 large for frying 4 cloves 450 grams 4 4–6 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 14–16 drops to taste to taste 2x 540ml cans 1x 796ml can ½ can ½–1 can ¼ cup 2
Peel and boil potatoes in salted water until soft and ready to mash. Add sunflower oil and a splash of rice milk when mashing. Chop and stir in the chives just before serving. CHILI
Chop and fry the onion in sunflower oil for a few minutes, then add chopped garlic. Toss in the ground sirloin and fry only until it browns. Add spices and chipotle hot sauce directly onto the meat and simmer for a few minutes. Add the kidney beans and tomatoes along with the Hockley beer, tomato paste and brown sugar. Toss in your bay leaves and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until desired thickness. Your potatoes should be done just before the chili. Serve the chili plated directly on the chive mash!
TIP Substitute the beef with turkey or chicken for a milder flavour.
Serves 4–6 (plus next day’s lunch) Cost per person $1.65
Tools 1 large stock pot for chili 1 medium pot for potatoes
Sourcing one of the most amazing local breweries was a lot of fun and a whole new learning experience for me. The local LCBO carries Hockley Beer, which has layers of flavour and is a definite asset to a lot of my recipes. They take old world tradition and make one of the finest beers I have ever tasted.
Really easy; everyone makes a great chili! This one creates heat by using chipotle, perfect on a freezing cold winter day!
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M T W T F
Pingue prosciutto pizza
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20–30 minutes DOUGH
whole wheat pizza dough SAUCE
Preheat oven to 425 F Set out pizza dough to warm up to room temperature. 1
tomatoes
6
fresh thyme dried oregano pepper sea salt brown sugar
3 sprigs 1–2 tsp to taste to taste 2–4 tbsp
or 1 large jar of plum tomatoes
BALSAMIC DRIZZLE & ARUGULA
balsamic vinegar sunflower oil garlic powder sea salt arugula PIZZA
Kalamata olives oyster mushrooms Spanish onion garlic cloves orange pepper sunflower oil Pingue prosciutto fresh basil
4 tbsp 12 tbsp ½ tsp to taste 2 cups ¼ cup 3–4 1 6 1 for frying 300–400 grams handful
Tools 1 pot hand held blender 3 frying pans cutting board large vented pizza pan or square baking tray
SAUCE
Cut up the tomatoes, toss into a pot with the thyme, oregano, sea salt, pepper and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle boil for about 5 minutes; then blend. Test the flavour; add seasonings if needed. While the sauce is simmering, prepare the arugula and drizzle BALSAMIC DRIZZLE & ARUGULA
Combine vinegar, sunflower oil, garlic powder, and sea salt to taste. Rinse the arugula and coat with ¼ to ½ of the balsamic drizzle. Set aside the rest for dipping! Coating the arugula prevents shrinking and keeps the arugula moist, not to mention the great taste! PIZZA
Slice and pit the olives, slice the mushrooms; set both aside. Chop up the onion, garlic, and orange pepper. Fry the onion and garlic in sunflower oil, season with sea salt, and set aside. Fry the chopped pepper in sunflower oil in a separate pan for about 5 minutes until you get some nice browning. Set aside. Fry the oyster mushrooms in sunflower oil in another pan for a few minutes to brown. Set aside. Roll out the dough, lay it on the pan and pour on your fresh sauce. Lay on the arugula, then the onions & garlic, peppers, mushrooms, olives and finally the prosciutto. Bake on bottom rack for about 20 minutes, or until it is cooked. Fresh basil (chopped or torn) is for sprinkling on pizza when done. Prepare your chopped and sliced pizza ingredients the night before so,
TIP when you come home, your pizza is assembled in minutes and into the oven. Far better than any commercial pizza!
Serves 6 Cost per person $2.01
Being able to source local produce and meats during the winter months has never been easier. Piero and Rose from Garden foods are listening to you and me, the consumers. They are constantly sourcing new locally produced foods to carry in their store. Always huge supporters of local (Ontario Produce), they are now adding a new poultry line called Beretta Ranch, alongside their local veal and lamb. And a new line of prosciutto, Pingue, is antibiotic free and cured naturally with sea salt, a good massage, and time, less the nitrates. Prosciutto is actually quite good for you if cured properly, and it tastes fantastic too! Mario, the owner of Pingue Prosciutto, showed his Niagara curing facility to me and shared his passion for creating the finest prosciutto and cured meats.
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Local Restaurant Guide The Angry Tomato
A creative twist on a family favourite. The town of Bolton is home to a unique blend of Cajun and Italian cuisine. Enjoy everything from fresh salads, pastas, pizza or be adventurous with blackened entrées and Cajun favourites. The Angry Tomato has been family owned and operated for 10 years. Mon–Fri: 11am to 10pm Sat: 12noon to 10pm Sun: Closed Bolton (in the McDonald’s plaza) 905 857 0802 www.theangrytomato.com
Arbour Restaurant
Chartreuse Restaurant
Regional dishes and classical cuisine featuring fresh fish, aged top quality steaks with a selection of up to ten different fresh vegetables. Mon–Sun: Lunch 11:30am to 3pm, Dinner 5pm to 10pm 10512 Islington Ave, Kleinburg 905 893 0475 www.chartreuserestaurant.com
Chef Talk Bistro
Fri & Sat: 5pm to 10pm 334 Queen Street South, Bolton 905 857 6578
Nobleton 905 859 4445 www.arbourrestaurant.com
The Consulate Dining Lounge
A Taste of Freedom Country Inn
Traditional French cuisine, served in “country portions”. Deliciously created sauces, bread baked daily, locally grown vegetables. Set in a restored Victorian home. Wed–Sat: Lunch from 12 noon, Dinner from 5pm Sun: Dinner from 5pm 24 Mill Street West, Tottenham 905 936 6532 www.atasteoffreedominn.com
Bangkok Thai Cuisine
Elegance and tranquility surround you in a park-like setting. Enjoy a business lunch looking across Innis Lake, or a romantic evening meal with exquisite wine, against a sunset backdrop and cozy glowing fire.
Port Soirée Restaurant
French and Portuguese cuisines 174 Main Street, Schomberg 905 939 7678
Ray’s 3rd Generation Bistro Bakery
WINNER Caledon Culinary Challenge 2006 2007
Mon: Closed Tues–Fri: Lunch 11:30am to 3pm, Dinner 5pm to 11pm Sat: Dinner 5pm to 11pm Sun: Brunch 11:30am to 3pm Inside the Royal Ambassador Event Centre 15430 Innis Lake Rd., Caledon East 905 584 6286 www.theconsulate.ca
Has been in the family for three generations since 1966. The Bistro with local flavour & live entertainment Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Fresh items on our menu daily.
Tues–Sat: 9am to 9pm, open for Lunch and Dinner
The Scruffy Duck Restaurant
Family dining, featuring wings, chili, nachos, salads, sandwiches and burgers. Sun–Thurs: 11:30am to 11pm Fri & Sat: 11:30am to 1am
Daniel’s of Nobleton
Mon–Thurs: 11am to 9pm Fri: 11am to 10pm Sat-Sun: 4pm to 10pm
The menu changes monthly to take advantage of seasonal produce from local organic farmers. An extensive wine list.
18 King Street East, Unit 15, Bolton 905 857 8988
Mon–Fri: Lunch Mon–Sun: Dinner. Call for times.
Japanese Restaurant
Belfountain Inn & Restaurant
12926 Hwy 27 just south of King Road, Nobleton 905 859 0060 www.danielsofnobleton.com
Situated on the Credit River in the historic hamlet of Belfountain, the Inn has lots to offer, from award winning dishes to theme nights including Pub Nights & Live Entertainment and Gourmet Tasting Nights with Wine Pairings. The incredible ambiance of the dining room is accentuated by the views of the Niagara Escarpment. Wed–Sun: 12 noon to close 792 Forks of the Credit Road, Belfountain 519 927 9219 www.belfountaininn.com
Caledon Estates Banquet Halls
An international menu offers salads and soups, appetizers, classics, lighter fare and signature dinners. Extensive list of vintage wines. Wed–Sun Call for hours 18111 Hwy 50, Palgrave 905 880 8781 www.caledonestatesbanquethalls.com
The Caledon Inn
The menus have a country flair with just a little sophistication thrown in for good measure. The wine list is both friendly and extensive. “Pub Grub” also available. Thurs & Fri: 4pm to 10pm Sat: 5pm to 10pm Sun: High Tea 11am to 4pm, Dinner 5pm to 10pm 16626 Airport Road, Caledon East 905 584 0033 www.thecaledoninn.com
Casamici Trattoria
Rebekha Sushi
Mon–Sat: 11am to 10pm Sun: Closed 1 Queen Street North, Bolton 905 857 1771 www.rebekhasushi.com
Da Paolo Trattoria
Mediterranean and Italian dining. 15749 Airport Road, Caledon East 905 584 4766
David’s Casual Dining Restaurant
Features a lovely dining room, a large fully equipped banquet room and personalized off site catering.
Tues-Thurs: Dinner 5pm to 9pm Fri-Sat: Dinner 5pm to 9:30pm Sun: Dinner 5pm to 8:30pm 20 Shamrock Road, Erin 905 833 5085
The Doctor’s House Restaurant Italian dining in elegant surroundings.
Lunch: Mon to Sat 12 noon to 3pm Dinner: Tues to Thurs 5:30pm to 8pm, Fri to Sat 5:30pm to 9pm 21 Nashville Road, Kleinburg 905 893 1615 www.thedoctorshouse.ca
Hogan’s Inn at Four Corners
French/Country/Contemporary with a modern twist. Buying from local farmers and meat purveyors ensures community support.
Sushi Date
Japanese Restaurant Sun–Thurs: 11am to 10pm Fri & Sat: 11am to 11pm 18 King Street East, Bolton 905 857 8989 www.sushidate.ca
The Terra Cotta Inn
Fine Italian dining featuring risotto and pasta, veal, stuffed chicken, calf liver, steak and fish. Tues–Thurs: 11:30am to 9pm Fri & Sat: 11:30am to 9:30pm Sun: 11:30am to 8pm Mon: Closed
175 King Street, Terra Cotta 905 873 2223 www.terracottainncanada.com
Tokyo One Sushi
Japanese Restaurant
12566 Hwy 50, Bolton 905 857 2888
Villaggio Ristorante
12988 Keele Street, King City 905 833 5311 www.hogansinn.com
A gem of an Italian restaurant now in its 5th year. Situated in the historic town of Kleinburg, 25 minutes from Toronto. Excellent pasta dishes. Everyone goes to Villaggio, even Michael Douglas when he’s in town. Reservations suggested.
House of Chung
Lunch: Mon to Fri 11:30am to 3pm Dinner: Mon to Sat 5:30pm to 10pm
Authentic Italian cuisine in a cozy trattoria setting. Plenty of seafood and pastas adorn the menu, plus an extensive wine list.
Chinese restaurant 238 Queen Street South, Bolton 905 857 3111
Mon: Closed Tues–Sat: Lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm, Dinner 5pm to 9pm Sun: Closed for private functions
The Market Hill Café
1 Queensgate Blvd, (Shopper’s Drugmart Plaza) Bolton 905 951 8325 www.casamici.com
WINNER Caledon Culinary Challenge 2009
1475 Queen Street, Alton 519 941 6121
357 Main, Schomberg 905 939 7772 www.thescruffyduck.ca
Authentic Thai food
WINNER
Caledon Four-diamond dining overlooking a serene Culinary millpond or shimmering Shaw’s Creek falls. Challenge 2008 Savour an experience for all the senses as Chef Roberto Fracchioni creates the finest seasonal cuisine featuring local and organic products, paired with award-winning wines.
55 John St., Alton, 1 800 383 3976 www.vintage-hotels.com
Tasty bistro-style fare in a comfortable atmosphere. The menu covers a wide spectrum of favourites including steak, Italian pasta and Asian influenced stir-frys.
Casual elegant dining . Good selection of pastas, pizza and meat dishes.
The Millcroft Inn & Spa
110 Nashville Road, Unit 11, Kleinburg 905 893 4888 www.villaggio-ristorante.ca
A small restaurant with a big heart. Eclectic menu and Imported beverages.
19834 Airport Road at Highway 9 519 941 5150 www.markethillcafe.com
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WINE CONNOISSEUR
Glasses make a difference BY RIC KITOWSKI + JOCELYN KLEMM
WHETHER FORMAL OR INFORMAL, having proper wine glasses at the table completes the place setting. Spending a little more on wine glasses makes a great investment, as drinking out of a better glass is one of the best ways to improve the look, the smell, the taste, and the feel of most wines.
Here’s what to look for in good stemware: •Clear is best. It allows you to see the colour of the wine, without it being distorted by the appearance of the glass itself. Avoid tinted or cut glass. •The thinner the better. A lighter weight glass with a thin rim lets you concentrate on the feel of the wine in your mouth, not the feel of the glass. •Large, but not too large. A larger size, at least 12 ounces, gives you room to swirl your wine without having it slosh over the sides. Goldfish bowl sized glasses are best for margaritas, not wine. •Tapered for still wines. The tulip shaped bowl, tapered in toward the rim, concentrates the aromas and enhances the taste experience. •Flutes for sparkling wines. Flutes concentrate the bubbles more in the glass. Avoid the saucer type glasses unless you’re building one of those sparkling wine glass towers. •With or without a stem. While a glass with a stem means you can hold the glass without getting fingerprints on the bowl, or warming up the wine, stemless glasses are handy and less subject to breakage. •If both white and red wines are going to be served, an all-purpose glass works well. To better highlight the qualities of each, serve white wine in a smaller glass, about 12 ounces, and red wine in a larger glass, 16 ounces or greater. Try looking at lines from Riedel, Spiegelau, Eisch or Bormioli for simple entry level series of stemware. As you get more serious about wine, there are even glasses created to showcase specific grapes and wine regions. •When serving wine with a meal, glasses should be filled to the widest part of the glass bowl, about three or four ounces per glassful. This allows for more aeration, for the wine to “open up” and release its aromas into the air. This also gives enough room to swirl the wine, again to release those aromas into the bowl of the glass so that you can enjoy them. •For sparkling wine, do a series of small pours to just over halfway up the flute glass. This will prevent the bubbly from foaming up and spilling over. •Better wine glasses not only enhance the beauty of a table setting, they always add to the pleasure of the wine tasting experience.
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CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2010
Taste the difference The world’s leading glass company, Riedel, conducts regular seminars to demonstrate the effects of stemware on our impressions of wine. We had the pleasure of attending a tasting event lead by Maxmilian Josef Riedel, 11th generation of the over 250 year old family owned company. Served Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, we noticed a striking difference in each wine when served in its “ideal” glass shape versus other glasses—more captivating aromas, better flavours, and a much longer finish. As a guideline, Riedel recommends spending the same amount per stem as you would on an average bottle of wine. Although there’s an initial investment, well cared for, good stemware can give a lifetime of enjoyment. Ric and Jocelyn are the authors of the best-selling Clueless about Wine. Sign up for their newsletter at www.thewinecoaches.com
WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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PEOPLE
The bird man BY KIRA DORWARD
People living in Caledon are blessed in a way we often fail to appreciate. We live in communities large enough for both supermarket chains and a specialty health food store, but we forget how close we are to the farms in one of Canada’s richest agricultural regions. Sometimes they’re just a fiveminute drive past the outskirts of the town’s farthest subdivision. Rather than the main street, the drive-through, or the movie theatre, it was the small, family-run farms that not too long ago characterized the Canadian landscape.
Then with automation and commercialization, the small farm became a nostalgic sight for tourists on their way to cottage country for the weekend. However, with recent movements toward organic and local foods, the idea of the family-run farm has gained popularity among people wanting to believe in the wholesome quality of the food they are eating. Trends like the “100 Mile Diet” are advocating the consumption of locally raised and produced agriculture. So the small farm remains an important institution, and not one on its way out in favour of quantity-over-quality mass agricultural production. Fashionable trends in consumer consumption mean little to small farmers like Gerald Donnelly, who has been raising his own birds since he was seven years old. People in search of free-range eggs, fresh from the bird to the frying pan, drive right to Donnyweir Farm and knock on Gerald’s door. This is the way Gerald first met his wife, Joan, who has come to share her husband’s lifelong enthusiasm for the bird business. Stopping by one day to buy geese from the local bird man,
Joan Donnelly has since been on her own wild goose chase. The Donnelly bird has been an institution to those who know their fowl. Donnelly geese have been a yearly demand by butchers in the St. Lawrence Market who refused to stock anyone else’s birds come Christmastime. They say no one else can match the taste or size of a Donnelly bird. This year, the Donnellys could not send out their annual quota to be the main course of peoples’ Christmas dinners. During the summer a pack of coyotes, most likely teaching their young how to hunt, managed to find their way into the farm and killed as many as 40 goslings. Although Gerald has had the fencing replaced and security tightened, such is the life of a farmer. He has always been a farmer at heart, learning how to breed and raise birds from his mother and grandmother, but there was a time some people still remember when the “bird man of Caledon” was the principal of the local one room schoolhouse. With the same frank determination expressed in his plans to import a flock of birds from Germany for his retirement, Gerald also recounts to me his school-teaching days, when
“
The Donnelly bird has become an institution to those who know their fowl. WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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the “bird man” helped put on a successful “Tom Sawyer” operetta. Birds, however, have always been his preoccupation. In his field, as competitive as that of horse or dog breeding, Gerald Donnelly is unquestionably an expert. Though he operates a small, secluded farm, he travels to both the United States and England to judge bird shows and share his expertise. In his case, it is life experience that emphasizes the difference between amateurs who’ve passed a licensing test and someone able to spot the offspring of several generations ago. Once, he recounts, at a competition he was not judging, he heard the cry from a bird that had been awarded first prize in a category of female Brown Chinas. He asked the judge if he was entirely sure of his decision, if perhaps he wanted to take another “gander” at the goose. It turned out the prizewinning female China was, in fact, a male. From across the room, Donnelly had recognized the cry of the male searching for his mate. Despite the occasional rivalry from competitors, he has the respect of them all. Even with his inherent love of bird-farming, Gerald has become acquainted with the modern obstacles of his occupation. In recent years, large farms have lobbied the federal government for regulations that are edging out the small farmer. Problems with importing, regulations on how many birds small farmers can sell commercially, and gratuitous blood testing are some
of the hurdles facing Gerald and the local farmer. Instead of supporting small-time agriculture, which already faces significant struggles, the government seemingly bends to the will of corporationsbentondominatingthemarketwithmassproduction. With a sigh of resignation, Gerald says that he’s lucky to be getting out of the business before too many restrictions kick in. He’s had a good go of it, but with recent health problems he is beyond the stress of the bird business. In the fall Gerald sold off the majority of his stock, which he spent his lifetime cultivating, and retired, with only flocks of his favourite breeds. Although Gerald Donnelly has kept seventeen different species of birds on his farm, he intends to keep just two breeds, Aylesbury ducks and Toulouse geese. It is, in fact, Gerald who is responsible for importing the first Aylesburies, reinvigorating the species in North America. He values the Toulouse geese for their quiet disposition, a reflection of the character of Caledon’s bird man, assertive, but of quiet countenance, with an undeniable penchant for the pastoral life.
PREVIOUS PAGE Group of geese including Embden, African, American Buff and Pilgrim Pommeranian.
Egyptian Goose
Mute Swan
Gerald Donnelly
Golden Pheasant
Impeyan Pheasant
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
He puts her down...He does all the talking and dominates the conversation… She has unexplained injuries… He tries to keep her away from you… These are just a few of the warning signs of abuse. Are you concerned about someone you think is being abused? Most of us feel a personal responsibility for reducing woman abuse, but don’t know what to say or do when someone we know is in an unhealthy, disrespectful relationship. Family Transition Place (FTP) provides safety, support and hope for women in Caledon and Dufferin who have experienced abuse. Since first opening its doors almost 25 years ago, FTP has continued to offer safe shelter, counselling and transitional services to more than 1,200 abused women and their children. Preventing violence takes a community effort. Giving our youth the skills they need to build healthy, respectful relationships is at the core of FTP’s violence prevention education programs which, until recently, were entirely supported by fundraised dollars. However, last year FTP received one-time funding from the Region of Peel and, most recently, a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation which has helped sustain programming. The challenge remains for FTP to continue to improve these critical violence prevention programs while developing a model for ongoing sustainability. Last year, more than 6,000 youth took part in school based prevention programs designed and delivered by FTP’s educators in Dufferin and Caledon schools. In addition to providing violence prevention support in Caledon schools, FTP has also identified a need to increase their other services in the Caledon area. FTP has placed a counsellor in Bolton for one additional day a week, and is pleased to offer transitional support and counselling services in Caledon to help women get assistance with housing applications and referrals. These counsellors are also available to support women with other transitional issues such as budgeting, accompaniment to family court, problem solving, goal setting and linking women with other community resources. For women who need to seek shelter in our residential program in Orangeville, FTP will provide emergency transportation for those who cannot drive themselves to the shelter. “Abuse often isolates women and diminishes women’s selfconfidence and problem solving abilities, leaving them in need of support and assistance with many of the practical aspects of life on their own. Counselling, transitional support helps them rebuild their capacity to live full, violence-free lives,” said Norah Kennedy, Executive Director of Family Transition Place. FTP’s transitional support counsellor is located at the Caledon Parent Child Centre, 150 Queen St. S. in Bolton. FTP also has a counselling office at Caledon Community Services, 15 King St., Bolton where women can meet with an FTP community counsellor to deal with the emotional and psychological impacts of abuse and trauma. All appointments are booked directly with FTP at 905 584 4357. Do you want more information on the warning signs of abuse? Are you, or do you know someone experiencing abuse? 24 hour crisis support is available by calling 905 584 HELP or 1 800 265 9178. Emergency transportation from Caledon to the FTP shelter is also available. Support for the deafened and hard of hearing is available by calling FTP’s TTY line at 1 519 942 1651. You can also visit our website at www.familytransitonplace.ca
STYLE
Wedding 2010 trends BY THERINGBEARER.CA
From dramatic bows and ruffles to floral details & jewelled headpieces, see the hottest dress trends for 2010
Black accents Trying to appeal to the modern bride, while also looking to push the limits of the classic white dress, designers are incorporating sexy black details into their newest collections. From jewelled black headbands to bold black trimming, black isn’t just for the gothic bride anymore. The black accent, most often mixed with crystals and beading, creates a glamorous look that is dramatic and actually very classy.
Belts Savvy designers added removable belts to their collections to add unique flair with minimal costs. This season, a bride can take any dress and add a little bit of colour or jewellery with an optional belt. A big bonus to this trend—use the belt after your wedding day to glam up any outfit.
David Fielden
Sexy backs
Pnina Tornai
Many of the wedding gowns that passed by wowed us when we saw the backs —cut low and sexy. Also note the keyhole style back which was popular with many designers.
Jim Hjelm
Metallic Gold and silver accents made dresses sparkle on the runway. A dress with a glittery metallic accent is a perfect way to add a sense of royal glamour to your wedding day.
Jenny Packham
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Jenny Lee CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2010
Platinum
WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2010
Bolero
Asymmetrical details From one-shoulder ruffles to big asymmetrical flowers, designers played with interesting lines and unique details this season. Asymmetrical details add a “wow” factor to any bridal gown, making everyone take a second look at the fabulous accents and the beautiful bride!
The ‘80s structured shoulder, which was a hit last season for readyto-wear collections, has inspired bridal designers to take cues from European runways and subtly add coverups. The removable bolero gives contemporary brides the option to add a fashionforward piece to their wedding attire.
St. Pucchi Platinum Jenny Lee
Texture Texture was key this season for designers who wanted to add romance and drama to their bridal collections. Textured floral prints and intricate lace details made head turning statements on the runway. Dresses not only looked beautiful, but they begged to be touched.
Bow From subtle to dramatic, designers loved bows this season. Cute accent bows added a girly, flirty feel to any dress, whereas big, back bows added opulent elegance. Badgley Mischka
Charcoal Maids The hottest colour for your bridesmaids this season —a cool charcoal grey. A slimming dark grey looks great on everyone, and this season’s flattering styles will make your maids swoon.
Go to www.TheRingBearer.ca to see more wedding gowns from the 2010 runway. Kirstie Kelly
Platinum WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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STYLE
Designer Spotlight:
Gilles Montezin BY THERINGBEARER.CA
The debut of his first bridal collection was an instant headturner at this year’s Bridal Market in New York City. NEW YORK CITY PLAYS host, twice a year, to the largest bridal fashion event in North America—we’re talking Bridal Market, where the biggest names in media turn out to see the best designers in the world show off their collections.
TheRingBearer.ca team is invited to Bridal Market every year to bring Canadian brides the latest wedding styles straight from the runway. With the prestige of this event, and the grandeur of world renowned designers, it’s humbling when you find a diamond in the rough designer that grabs your attention. Gilles Montezin, a French Canadian, debuted his bridal collection this year and he is our pick for the hottest new designer. Montezin has a flair for haute couture; he studied at the legendary L’école de la Haute Couture in Paris, France, where he learned his signature techniques. Debuting his ready-towear collection in 2004, Gilles moved into bridal in 2009. Besides creating elegant and luxurious dresses, Gilles pays special attention to the fine details of his gowns. His dresses are so well-crafted; the inside is just as gorgeous as the outside. A detail we loved was the optional body shaper—his trademark, “Le Cinch” corset, can help brides take up to four inches off their waistline, creating an hourglass look. As well, Montezin’s strapless necklines scoop slightly higher at the armpit, a small detail that is designed to cover a not so appealing bulge that many woman experience. He truly knows how to flatter a woman’s body. We had the pleasure of meeting Gilles at bridal week this year and we can’t wait to see what he creates next. Although Gilles is French-Canadian, the American market has fallen in love with him. Montezin’s collection is offered by select department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Kleinfeld. His work has caught the eyes of stylists and celebrities across the world; most recently his work was featured in ELLE Sweden, Women’s Wear Daily, and worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in the film Sex and the City. To read his full bio and see Gilles’ entire collection, go to www.TheRingBearer.ca/wedding_fashion
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STYLE
Create your own wedding invitations BY LENA DIAZ
WEDDING SEASON is fast approaching and before you start picking out your wedding dress you should not forget about one of the most important details that will set the tone for your special day—the invitations. Although wed-
ding invitations are usually sent out 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding day you should not leave them until the last minute. When choosing stationery, some brides decide on a theme and colour palette first and then incorporate it into the invitations whereas other brides pick out invitations that inspire them
first and then create a theme around the colours and style of the stationery. Whichever method you choose it is always a good idea to browse through web sites, magazines and visit paper shops. If you want to be completely unique, not to mention thrifty, why not gather your closest friends on an afternoon, pop a bottle of rosé and create your own custom invitations! For these invitations we headed to our local craft and paper stores to find anything that was simple to make, beautiful and affordable!
Simply pretty (For the intimate Victorian wedding) We found this soft yellow parchment paper with a beautifully screen printed white floral pattern reminiscent of the late Victorian wallpaper patterns. It is available in a number of colours and comes in 19.5”x25” sheets, priced at only $5/sheet! How to create your own: 1 Using a word editing software lay out your text into a 4¾”x7¾” box, keeping in mind that it will be folded in half . We were able to fit 2 layouts on one 8½”x11” horizontal sheet. (Tip: Check wedding web sites if unsure about invitation wording.)
2 Print your layout on paper with a pearly finish and cut the rectangles along the crop lines . 3 Cut your floral paper into 5”x8” rectangles. We were able to get 9 rectangles per sheet. 4 Fold both sheets in half and make 3 evenly-spaced holes, staring in the centre. (Tip: Lay both sheets together first for folding and making the holes.)
5 Cut about 24” of sheer white ribbon and insert both ends through the outer holes of both sheets, starting on the outside and making sure the ends are even. Now insert both ends through the centre hole and tie a bow.
6 For the finishing touch print out 2¼”x1¼” rectangles with the couple’s initials and
$1.63 ea
wedding date. You can glue these to the front using a very thin layer of glue. (Tip: you can also use rubber stamps for the initials)
$1.90 ea
Whimsical (For the garden soirée) We got inspired by the beautiful paisley pattern featuring rich aqua marine blues and fresh lime greens with hints of gold. This type of paper comes in 19”x25” sheets and can be easily cut into strips using a craft knife, ruler and cutting board. Bonus: the blue cover stock comes already pre-cut at 5”x7” and is available in a variety of colours with matching envelopes . How to create your own: 1 Using a word editing software lay out your text within a 4½”x6½” box. We were able to fit 2 layouts on one 8½”x11” horizontal sheet. (Tip: use a typeface that compliments your pattern. We used “Zephyr”)
2 Print your layout on paper with a pearly finish and cut them along the crop lines. Glue them to the blue cover stock. (Tip: Make sure your layout is smaller than the cover stock you will be gluing it to. We left ¼” border all around) 3 Cut your patterned paper into 2”x10½” strips. We managed to fit 20 strips per sheet! 4 Wrap the patterned paper around your card and glue the flaps together on the backside. You should have ½” overlap. 5 Cut 36”-40” of blue ribbon and lay it centred over the front of the patterned strip. Wrap it around the card and criss-cross on the back, bringing it around to the front again. Make a bow and glue down each section that lays over the centre. (Optional: You can glue a small crystal in the centre of the bow)
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Trendy (For the traditional yet fun wedding) We purchased some inexpensive flourish stamps with black ink pads and created 2 variations of the same design.
$1.99 ea
How to create your own:
1 Lay out your text in a 4¾”x 4¾” square using a word editing software, leaving about 1½” (depending on the stamp) of free space on the left side.
2 Print your layouts and cut out the squares. We got 2 squares out of an 8½”x11” horizontal sheet.
3 Cut your cover stock into 10½”x5¼ rectangles. To get a clean fold on the flaps, use a ruler and the backside of the craft knife to score (2⅝” from each end). (Tip: To save time use the first folded card as your template to mark the flaps on the rest of the invitations.) 4 Press the inked stamps onto the interior sheets (and the exterior flaps if desired). Once the stamped layouts are dry you can glue them to the interior part of the cover stock. You should have a ¼” border all around.
5 Punch a small hole close to the edge of each flap, making sure both holes are centred.
6 Cut two 9” pieces of ribbon and feed through each hole. Make a tight knot on the other side, making sure it does not fall through the hole. Using both ends, close the flaps and tie a bow.
TIP: Before deciding on an invitation size always make sure you can get matching envelopes! Resources: Simply pretty Envelope required: A2 (4⅜x 5¾)
Where we found supplies: The Paper Place (887 Queen St W, Toronto)
Whimsical Envelope required: A7 (5¼”x7¼)
Where we found supplies: The Paper Place (887 Queen St W, Toronto)
Trendy Envelope required: 5½” square
Where we found supplies: Michaels (9065 Airport Rd, Brampton)
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Rosa Alvarez Founder & CEO of the Caledon Breast Cancer Foundation thanks you and all her guests for making the second Pink Tie Gala a success! Auction Donors Abbott of England Allograph Amoena Aria Day Spa B.I.T. Jewellery Design Baffo’s Pizza Basic Stitch Bell’s Framing Bella Fitness Bernie Rochon Biliana Boutique Blush Lingerie Bob Coll Bolton’s Finest Car Wash & Detail Boss Leather Boston Pizza Brampton Registered Massage Brookers Natural Meats Cacy Caledon Centre Caledon Hills Pet Spa Calm Waters Day Spas Campbell’s Company of Canada Canadian Flyers/ Air Partners Capri Medi Spa Casamici Tratoria Cheeks Homemade Burgers Chef Talk Bistro Chloe’s Canine Collection
Club 54 Fitness Cora Breakfast & Lunch Cucci’s Daniel’s of Nobleton Darcy Grube David Tilson DeeDee & Company Dolcini Dr. Rosanna Porretta Elizabeth Babyn Empreinte Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Everlasting Image Family Foot Care Family Seat Canada Fanac Framing Fleurelle Flower Workshop Forster’s Book Garden Frank D’Angelo Ganz Garden Foods Glen Echo Nurseries Herbal Magic Hersheys Hogan’s Inn Humber Nurseries Humber Valley Dental Images that Suit Inglewood Antique Market Into The Mystic Jade Holistic Spa Jeremy Workshop Josiane Sharkey Joy of Yoga Karen Dallow Kathleen Baggio Kenan Enterprises Int. Klementine La Marina Bakery Lam Style Mansfield Ski Club Margaret L. Good
Marolyn Morrison Mars Canada Max’s Grooming Parlour Millington Adams Interiors Mirabella Gift Boutique MSM Transport My Pet Boutique Nick Sammut Landscaping Nu Life Massage Only Accessories Pangea Jewels Party Magic Paul Lamarche Perfect Complexions Petrific Pet Foods Pia’s Electrolysis Pizza Pizza ProDesign Prudential Real Estate Quantum Synergy Holistic Health Center R&D House Cleaning Services Rexall Pharmacy Rivoli Pet Store Robert Landry Robyrt Regan Roc’s 4U Rosa Raso Rose- e-Dee Royal Ambassador Saint Hilaire Inc ScotiaBank Shelley Recoskie Shoeless Joe’s Restaurant Sigvaris Silvery Blue Butterfly Salon Simply Gorgeous Son of the Pharaoh Southview Chiropractic StHairs Stratford Festival Studio 49 Hair Design Sue Chiouitti-Bogner
Sugar Plum Swarovski Canada The Forever Group The Goodie Bar The Kitchen & Glass Place The Millcroft Inn & Spa The Naked Vine The White Room Home Décor Timeless Moments Day Spa TL Therapeutics Tree Frog Productions Triple M Metal LP Trulife Unilever Canada Unique Boutique Utsav Indian Restaurant Van De Velde Vickery Vintage Hotels Voce Enterprises Walking in Comfort Shoe Store Warm Buddy Williams Coffee Pub Xtreme Auto Service Yolanta Collection Zehrs
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Bella Photography Bolton Flowers Caledon Living Magazine Felix & Ginger Salon Glam & Tease Hair Lounge Grand Entrance Design Hexavogue Group Rebellious Designs Inc. SDB Creative Group Inc Skylark Framing Sound Production & Lighting
Live Auction Donors Air Canada Bella Photography DK Bridal & Formalwear Chantelle Lingerie Georgian Manor Resort Glen Eagle Golf Club Lorac Wines Lynda Craig Studio Ed Jewellers Inc
Volunteers Alaina Baptie Anna Voetman Barb Reynolds Debra Yeager Kathy Wallace Lucy Hutcheson Lynda Craig Maria Garrigan Rosa Raso Vera Robinson
Entertainers Angelica Chanel Beckenlehner Ed Snook (M/C) Jason Palter Robert Viveiros (Auctioneer) The Belly dancers (Christine Zeni, Dayl McKenna, Janice Cooper, Letizia Camarda, Maria Corsetti) The GTA Swing Band & June Garber The Marshal Olchowy Jazz Trio
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SUSTAINABLE LIVING
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Good quality fleeces result when the sheep are raised naturally on grass all summer, obtaining the proper nutrients from it.
”
Warm and fuzzy BY DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI
WOOL, CASHMERE, ANGORA, alpaca, merino, mohair… we all love wearing soft, cosy garments and most of us look for these labels when we buy clothes. Do we really know what they are and how they came into our closets? Wool, in my Pocket Oxford Dictionary, is defined as “fine, soft wavy hair from fleece of sheep, etc.” There is a lot contained in that word etcetera!
Fluffy as a cloud Sheep, of course, are the usual source one thinks of for wool. But there is more to sheep, and getting wool, than meets the eye. Sheep come in a variety of colours, from white, to yellow, to brown, to red, to black, also with different coloured faces, with or without horns, with differing quality of fleeces, and with many other dissimilar characteristics. In fact, there are over 200 known breeds around the world, never mind the modern crossbreeds. Statues of woolly sheep have been found in Iranian sites about 6,000 years old, and representations resembling modern characteristics of sheep appear in art and books from Mesopotamia and Babylon some 3,000 years ago. Ask sheep farmers Bert and Janet Nieuwenhuis what breed they picked, and they’ll answer “Polled Dorsets.” Why? They have the “classic sheep look”—the archetypical white, fluffy and cute breed, they say, the stuff of nursery rhymes and counting at night! “Polled” means that they do not have any horns, even the rams.
I was lucky enough to spend a morning at their farm just north of Orangeville to watch some of the herd being sheared. Keeping in mind that a ewe (female) can weigh about 130 pounds and a ram (male) double that, shearer Don Metheral deftly had one out of the chute and on its back in seconds. He then pulled it along on its rear end for a few feet, like a giant stuffed toy (and looking just like the cute lamb I had bought our daughter in England for her 7th birthday), to the spot where he could relieve it of its fleece within two minutes! “It’s all in the position I hold them,” said Don who is from Glen Huron, near Creemore, and travels over North America shearing sheep and competing. He learned his trade during a year spent in New Zealand and then Australia. In fact, he took a special weeklong course in Australia learning to shear Merino sheep, as they have wrinkly skins requiring special care when shearing. Merino sheep produce a heavy type of fleece, much in demand for wool production. Don comes by his craft honestly, as he is the third generation in his family to do this, and he is much sought after by local and other sheep farmers. “Dorsets are especially wiggly!” he adds, shooting a mischievous glance at the Nieuwenhuis’. Fleeces are usually taken once a year just before breeding. This not only facilitates easier breeding and lambing, but allows the farmer to screen his herd for any health issues which may be hidden by a heavy coat of fleece. Good quality fleeces result when the sheep are raised naturally on grass all summer, obtaining the proper nutrients from it. Wool is protein, according WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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to Bert, and takes as much energy to grow as for the sheep to stay fit. By grazing on grass, impurities in the wool such as chaff are minimized. The sheep themselves don’t need the wool insulation for winter warmth as long as they are kept indoors, out of the wind, and fed well. Once shorn, the fleece is inspected for any dirt and manure, called “skirting”. In the south western USA, this can even be very sizeable cactus thorns! These are picked out, as are the fleece bits from around the legs and face which are too short for use. Nothing is wasted, however, as this scrap wool is kept aside and used in the felting process for felt, boot liners and the like. The fleece is then carefully folded, and rolled up for the “packer” which pushes the wool into bulky round packs for shipping. In this case, the wool was going to a mill in PEI to be processed. A few fleeces were kept aside for sale to local hobby spinners. LEFT
Don Metheral BELOW
Rolled fleeces being packed for shipping to a mill in PEI
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Carding separates the fibres and readies the locks of wool for spinning as part of its processing. The “crimp” in the wool strands, again particular to each breed, is what keeps the fibres together in making the yarn, and cloth, with which we are all familiar. About eighty percent of wool is used for clothing, but other applications can include fire safety products, as wool is a natural fire retardant, plus carpets and under padding. Sheep’s wool contains waxy lanolin. Don Metheral, in fact, wears special shoes to keep him from slipping on the lanolin that collects on the floor where he shears. In the old days this lanolin was retained in wool used for sweaters and such, as a natural water repellent. Because lanolin also clumps the fibres together making production challenging, it is generally washed out nowadays. This lanolin can be harvested for products from skin cream and other cosmetics to mechanical lubricants.
Purring cartoon characters Seemingly right out of a Dr. Seuss book jumps the Alpaca. The first time I saw them in a friend’s pasture, I did the veritable “double take” as they indeed looked like cartoon characters come alive! And yes, they are known for their soothing purring or humming noises, as well as body language, known to anyone who has come in close contact with these very cute creatures. They have the personalities to match, and have even been used as therapy animals in seniors’ homes. Alpacas also have a long history of domestication, over 5,000 years, and were treasured by the ancient Incas. They are actually members of the same family, camelid, as llamas, camels, vicunas and guanacos. Some claim that alpacas produce the strongest animal fibre in the world, except for mohair. Alpaca wool is also warmer than sheep’s wool. One source says it comes in as many as 22 natural colours! Alpaca is in high demand as a luxury textile because of its soft, silky feel, and in ancient times it was actually reserved for Inca royalty. It took another royal, Queen Victoria, to send two fleeces in 1844 to Sir Titus Salt’s mill in Bradford, England, to revolutionize this luxury fabric for use by the world beyond the Andes. Peru is still the largest producer, with about ninety per cent of the world market for alpaca fibre. There are several local breeders in or near Caledon who have two breeds of alpacas. The most common is the “huacaya” which has a crimped type of fleece, like sheep, and has a “fluffy” appearance. This breed makes up about 90 percent of the world’s population. On the other hand, the “suri” has elegant long wavy locks of lustrous fibre. Like sheep, alpaca fleece is shorn and then skirted. Generally it is harvested once a year, using sheep shears. Several mills custom process alpaca fibre into yarn, fabric and felt, and it is an ideal fibre for this, because of its strength. You have likely seen homemade examples of clothing and accessories made from alpaca fibre at craft shows. An interesting fact is that each animal is an individual, even in the fleece; each has unique fibre characteristics such as crimp or density which will show up when made into an article of clothing! Therefore
fleeces are often identified and grouped by animal when shearing, or at least separated for specific uses by characteristics such as fineness and colour. There is no lanolin, or grease, in the fibre so it is in demand by people with sensitivities to sheep’s wool and lanolin.
Classics from goats Next time you yearn for cashmere or mohair, think of goats! Also remember a classic Hollywood glamour girl, Lana Turner, who wore a skin tight cashmere sweater in the 1937 movie “They Won’t Forget.” Voilà, a trend was started, which persists until today. Cashmere actually comes from the Kashmir goat, mainly from Mongolia, and also Iran, Tibet, India and China. Traditionally in the frigid high desert climates, the dense inner coat guards against harsh winter weather. The best cashmere comes from the down of their underbellies and throats when they moult during the change of seasons, but the less expensive kind is taken from their legs and backs. Once again, because of its rarity, cashmere was only available to royalty. Napoleon is reputed to have given 17 cashmere shawls to the Empress Eugenie, his second wife, and popularized its use. Recently North American herders have joined the international cashmere production market. Mohair comes from Angora goats, originating in Turkey and mentioned as early as the time of Moses. They are shorn twice a year. Again, it is like sheep’s wool, without the scales which irritate some people’s skin. “Mohair” comes from an Arabic word meaning “choice” or “select”. A fibre stronger and warmer than wool, that also wicks moisture away from the skin, it insulates against both cold and heat. It is very elastic and shrink resistant, and is easily dyed and spun. Cute as a bunny! Angora goats are not to be confused with Angora rabbits, the source of those wonderful angora sweaters! There are four varieties of bunnies to be concise. Their fibre is a very soft and silky fur, hollow and short so it is light and “floating”. Due to its nature, it needs to be mixed with other fibres for strength. The rabbits are plucked, combed or gently sheared of their fur about four times a year when moulting. Angora also originated in Turkey and, about the end of the 18th century, hit European shores where it was first popularized by the French. It is also a luxury fibre because of the work to obtain it. All natural fibres Wool doesn’t stop at these animals, as there are many more sources. However, one can rest assured that these wools are all natural; a far cry from our myriad of synthetics on the market! Diana Janosik-Wronski is a communications consultant and project manager with over 20 years national experience. Living in Caledon East, she is also a great lover of animals, the countryside, arts and history.
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Investing this RRSP season HAPPY NEW YEAR! At this time of year many of us often find ourselves scratching our heads and wondering just where the past twelve months have gone. For myself, the year has been a busy one as I have continued to speak with many wonderful area residents and expand my practice—Bay Street To Bolton—throughout Caledon. It has also been eventful for our firm, Blackmont Capital, which late last year was acquired by the prestigious Australian investment bank, Macquarie Group. Soon the firm will take a name more reflective of our new corporate lineage as Macquarie Private Wealth, but what will not change is Blackmont’s unique position as a true investment boutique, offering the highest levels of expertise and service. And now, as part of the global Macquarie Group, these strengths are set to be nurtured and enhanced. It is a promising time ahead for our clients. This time of year also marks the start of the annual RRSP season. With the economic malaise of the past two years and the accompanying market “acrobatics” this year’s RRSP investment decision will not be an easy one. But the first thing investors should recognize is that anxiety over where the economy and the markets may be headed in the coming months should not deter you from contributing to your plan. Contributing money to your RRSP and actually investing are two separate functions, and the benefits of tax sheltering and following a regular savings program are worthwhile, quite irrespective of the market outlook. That being said, with interest rates at historical lows many investors will want to allocate their contribution assets more productively, be their objectives growth or income-oriented. This raises some difficult questions. We spent 2008 watching the market decline by more than one third in the midst of a global financial crisis, and then bounce back rather astonishingly from its lows throughout most of 2009. In light of this performance, the concern on investors’ minds is whether the global economy is truly on the mend and will therefore support market gains this year, or whether a major reversal is in the cards. Given the lack of certainty in both the bull and bear camps, investors would do well to adhere to some basic measures that can
best prepare their investment portfolios for whatever lies ahead. One of the first things I strongly suggest before there is any talk of investment specifics is to make sure you have a well-defined portfolio approach. It is particularly common at this time of year for some investors to simply look around for whatever investments seem to be “hot” at the moment and add them to a growing pile of investments similarly accumulated in years past. While technically this might be considered to be an investment approach, it’s not a very effective one. Like building a home without an architectural blueprint, you may end up with something resembling a house, but don’t count on it to keep the rain off your head during the next big storm. If you think you may be in this situation, devote some time to correcting it. Defining and maintaining effective investment approaches is one of the most valuable services we provide for our clients. One thing investors can be fairly certain of in the coming year is that market volatility levels will remain high. This in itself is a concern because volatility is probably the single biggest factor behind investment portfolio underperformance over time. This is because investors are often poorly prepared for it, both mentally and in their investment positioning, leading to poor trading decisions. “Buyand-hold” investing is commonly recommended as the solution to dealing with volatile markets. This advice does hold merit but, in my experience, can be somewhat cryptic and far from being sufficiently comprehensive. After all, should every investment be bought-and-held? How long should the hold period be, 5, 10, 25 years? And what if circumstances necessitate abandoning the hold strategy part-way through? These are all important questions and I won’t delve into them here except to say that, particularly in the current environment, investors should strive to keep portfolio volatility levels reasonable. When choosing managed investments such as mutual funds, be sure to look at return data on a calendar year basis (ie) performance in each 12 month period. Doing so will provide a much better record of the fund’s year-over-year consistency and won’t allow a single good year to mask previous years of poor performance, the way that average annual performance data can. For example, let us say that a well-positioned equity fund returned 60 percent in 2009, but it had previously declined by 30 percent in 2008, for an average annual return of a little more than six percent over the two years. Not bad, given the economic climate, but ask yourself if you would have continued to hold this investment in 2008 as its value fell by almost one third. Many would not, choosing instead to jump out after having endured a loss of perhaps 15 to 20 percent or more and then remaining on the sidelines as the fund began to bounce back the next year. While white knuckling it through would
David Hagenow, BA Investment Advisor 416 864 2099 dhagenow@blackmont.com
have worked in this instance, it would have been better to avoid such volatility in the first place with an investment that may not have rebounded as sharply, but had also not previously declined by nearly as much. Ultimately the net result is comparable, but the lower volatility approach causes less investor anxiety and less likelihood of making a costly mistake. Apart from year-over-year return consistency, lower volatility funds are often ones that are mandated to invest across asset classes (cash, bonds, stocks, etc.) and are actively managed without strict limits being put on fund managers as to maximum and minimum allocations to any one asset type. When it comes to individual securities, I believe the focus for the coming year will be on quality and yield. Again with a mind to keeping volatility in check, companies with solid earnings and strong balance sheets should experience the least turbulence, as should those which pay regular and secure dividends back to investors. Choosing growth stocks with an income component also has the advantage of allowing the investor to earn something while patiently waiting for capital appreciation, a significant benefit in a flat market. As for the preferred market sectors in the coming year, some economically sensitive stocks, including railroads and shipping, should do well if the economic outlook continues to improve. I believe that commodities like energy and base metals also offer upside potential, and gold is something most investors will want to investigate as pressure on the US dollar reasserts itself. Commodity investments can be volatile in themselves, but can actually serve to reduce overall portfolio volatility when appropriately paired with other asset classes in accordance with your portfolio approach. As with all personal investment decisions, if you are uncertain about what course is best for you, professional advice should be sought. The current market environment is a particularly complex one that unfortunately cannot be fully addressed in a limited space. For that reason I have put together a more comprehensive discussion of the economic climate and investing within it entitled Bay Street To Bolton: Insights. Interested readers should feel free to contact my office for a complimentary copy. The opinions contained in this editorial are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Blackmont Capital Inc. Every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this document have been compiled or derived from sources believed to be reliable and contain information and opinions which are accurate and complete. However, neither the author nor BCI makes any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, in respect thereof, or takes any responsibility for any errors or omissions which may be contained herein or accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from any use of or reliance on this report or its contents. The comments contained herein are general in nature and professional advice regarding an individual’s particular tax position should be obtained in respect of any person’s specific circumstances. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees/expenses may be associated with mutual fund investments. Read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values will change and past performance may not be repeated. This report is not to be construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation for or an offer to buy any securities. BCI is an independently owned subsidiary of CI Financial. CI Financial is a Canadian owned diversified wealth management firm, publicly traded on the TSX under the symbol CIX. Blackmont Capital Inc. is a member of CIPF and IIROC.
HERITAGE
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When you spend a night here, you can almost touch the past.
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Pampering meets the past at Millcroft Inn & Spa BY ANDREW HIND • PHOTOS BY SDB IMAGES
STROLLING DOWN the lane leading to the Millcroft Inn and Spa, an Alton resort that today exemplifies classic country charm, it’s hard to imagine that this pretty country resort was once a bustling industrial hub. However, from the 1880s to the 1960s, it was one of the leading knitting mills in all of Canada, manufacturing all manner of woollen garments that were shipped across the country and overseas.
Huddled along the banks of soothing Shaw’s Creek, the resort consists of a collection of century-old buildings that have retained much of their original appearance and charm. It’s apparent from the moment you arrive that this place is rich in history, and soon you find yourself wondering, if walls could talk, what fascinating tales those at the Millcroft Inn would tell.
“There’s been a mill on this site almost since the first settlers arrived along Shaw’s Creek. These mills are a part of Alton’s character,” explains innkeeper Jill Sproule. “And, of course, the Millcroft is rich in history, which is part of our character.” Beginning in the 1840s, several frame mills operated on the site of the present-day resort. In 1881, Benjamin Ward purchased the land and replaced an existing mill with a far more substantial four-storey structure built of beautiful stone quarried in nearby Inglewood. Ward’s son-in-law, John M. Dods, purchased the mill in 1892. Dods was an enterprising, ambitious, well educated and mechanically inclined individual, the type of man who drove progress through willpower and vision. After he assumed control of the operation, he transformed it into one WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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“
It’s so tranquil here, and the historic buildings have a special character that can’t be reproduced. There aren’t too many mills around anymore, certainly not ones you can stay at.
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of the largest producers of wool garments in the country. The mill could barely keep up with demand, and any setback in production chaffed at Dods. Even the slightest delay frustrated the driven businessman, so one can imagine the bouts of anger and dismay he suffered every time a flood or fire—both of which plagued 19th century mills with unnatural regularity—threatened his business. At least twice during the 1890s Shaw’s Creek flooded and caused damage to the mill. (A more serious episode, during which the swollen creek burst its dam and caused considerable mayhem in the mill and throughout town, had occurred in November of 1889, a few years prior to Dods taking ownership.) Fire, though less frequent, was even more devastating to early mills. The Dods Knitting Mill was particularly at risk because of its coal-fired steam generator, more efficient than relying on waterpower, but far more unstable. Dods dodged fate for almost three decades but it eventually caught up with him and in 1917 a disastrous fire gutted his mill. The fire couldn’t have come at a worse time. In August of 1914, World War One erupted and Canada joined ranks with the remainder of the British Empire to oppose German aggression. Hundreds of thousands of men enlisted in the army, and each of them required outfitting with socks, underwear, blankets, and assorted other woollen gear. Dods had received huge contracts to fulfill these orders, and had to run three shifts both here and in his new Orangeville facility (built in 1913 at the corner of Church and Mill Streets) to keep up. Neither he nor the army he was supplying could
afford a let down in productivity. As soon as the smoke had cleared after the fire, Dods rebuilt. Precautions were made to avoid a repeat. The third floor of the mill became a water tower and an expensive sprinkler system was added. When John Dods died in 1923, the mill was back up to full capacity and was once again one of the leading woollen manufacturers in Canada. The Dods Knitting Mill continued to operate under the stewardship of Dods’ sons, James and Andrew. In fact, it experienced a new renaissance during World War Two (1939-45) when it once again was asked to outfit hundreds of thousands of men and women in the armed forces. During this period, and for the first time ever, the majority of the employees at the mill were women. Unfortunately, this was the peak of the mill’s fortunes. The post war years were less kind. Increased overseas competition and the widespread use of synthetic materials slowly ate away at its profits and eroded its markets. With each passing year it became increasingly obvious that the mill, at some undetermined point in the future, would have to yield to the inevitable and close. That day came in 1965 when the mill closed for good. It was the end of an era, and a sad day for employees and residents of the community alike. The mill had been a landmark in Alton. At that time, through tear-swollen eyes, they couldn’t foresee that forty years later the mill would still be a landmark, though now in the guise of a charming country inn. “The Millcroft is a four diamond resort, and while we offer magnificent modern attractions such as our spa and luxurious accommodations, the setting is what makes the inn unique,” says Sproule. “It’s so tranquil here, and the historic buildings have a special character that can’t be reproduced. There aren’t too many mills around anymore, certainly not ones you can stay at. When you spend a night here, you can almost touch the past.” That intimate connection with history begins at Millcroft’s heart, the former Dods mill, which
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brilliantly blends rustic charm true to its heritage with the dramatic opulence of a world-class resort. Today, the building houses the inn’s main lobby, a fine dining restaurant, and twenty-two guestrooms, ten with views of the falls and river below. While the mill’s interior has been extensively renovated over the years to accommodate modern luxuries, its exterior would be instantly recognizable to John Dods, having changed little in the past century. A function room occupies the basement, where in years past there was a web of pulleys and belts that operated the mill’s machinery. In later years, they would have been powered by a coal-fired boiler, but originally the mill’s machinery was propelled by a single water-driven turbine, part of which remains and can be seen from a balcony off of the room. Just across the lane way was a handsome stone warehouse, connected to the mill by way of a steel catwalk. This warehouse still stands and today it houses the inn’s conference centre. From the laneway, stretch your neck and look up— you’ll see in the exterior walls the faint outline of brickedover doorways leading to the long-gone catwalk. Inside, the scars of the devastating 1917 inferno can still be seen in blackened stones along a staircase leading to the second floor. Some of the finest guestrooms are located in the Manor House, which was once the private residence of John Dods and his family. His wealth and standing are reflected in the grandeur of the building, which undoubtedly was the largest and finest home in Alton.
Wander over the bridge and then along a trail on the left that leads to the wedding garden. From here, it’s a short and easy clamber through a grove of cedars and down to the banks of the babbling creek, where the hauntingly picturesque ruins of a stone arch rise up from ground. Though they look like the meager remains of a crumbling medieval castle, these ruins are all that remain of a dyeing facility where wool manufactured at the mill was coloured. This location also affords an up-close view of the mill dam, restored twelve years ago. In the years before the boiler was installed, the dam was vital for mill operations since it ensured a year-round supply of water to power the machinery. It seems everywhere you look at the Millcroft Inn and Spa there’s a reminder of its unique origins. Jill Sproule agrees. “History is tangible here at the Millcroft,” she explains proudly, “and it’s not just in the buildings themselves. Some senior residents of Alton remember working in the knitting mill, and Dods’ granddaughter lives beside us. We have a truly unique connection to the past.” That connection makes your function or stay at the Millcroft Inn a truly memorable experience.
Andrew Hind is a freelance writer specialising in gardening, travel, and history. He has contributed to dozens of magazines and is the author (alongside Maria Da Silva) of four books, the most recent being “Ghosts of Niagara-on-the-Lake”. He can be reached at maelstrom@sympatico.ca
The Manor House, once the private residence of John Dods. Remains of the old dyeing facility where wool manufactured at the mill was coloured.
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COMMUNITY
Private education in and around Caledon BY DAVID DORWARD • PHOTOS BY SDB IMAGES
WHEN WE HAVE a perfectly good public school system here in Caledon, why will some parents still pay the price for private education? That question is almost on a par with the weather as a subject of conversation. This article looks at some of the choices available, but is not an exhaustive survey of all area private schools. Rather it discusses four very different private schools in the Caledon and surrounding area which, in their own unique ways, are hidden gems suiting particular needs.
The Country Day School The Country Day School, an independent school on 100 acres in the heart of King Township, was created by a founding set of parents in 1972. It started with Junior Kindergarten (JK) to Grade 6 with 40 students and now has 725 students from JK to Grade 12. The Country Day School is a not-forprofit independent school which is co-educational, nondenominational, and a university preparatory school. David Huckvale, Director of Admission and University Placement, describes it as providing a “safe and nurturing environment” which provides education with balance in academics, leadership, athletics (there are 3 gyms and 9 athletic fields), visual arts, and music and drama (taught in a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre). David says the school has positive peer pressure to be a good person and to be academically successful. As in Harry Potter novels, the school is divided into four houses. Each student belongs to one house, helping foster school spirit and team work. The school makes a point of 64
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hiring talented teachers who are expected to be fully engaged and committed to student extracurricular activities. In my tour of the school I noted a sense of community, where teachers have a genuine passion for teaching, the school itself, and its students. Teachers are there to create great experiences for students, providing a launching pad for future success. This school has had its share of academic successes. Examples of late include alumnus Brian Coulter (’04), who was awarded the world famous Rhodes Scholarship. Recent (’09) graduate, Genevieve Laurier—the great, great granddaughter of Sir Wilfred Laurier, a distinguished former Prime Minister of Canada—is a champion debater who went on to Oxford University for a debate, fell in love with it, and is now studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Hertford College, Oxford, England. In looking at the past five years’ list of graduates, all the Ivy League schools of Canada are represented including the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, McGill University and many others. I also counted an impressive total of 31 different universities throughout the United States to which Country Day School students were admitted. The result of offering an education with balance, as they say, seems to be that graduates are academically prepared and sufficiently well-rounded to take on whatever life hands them next!
King’s College School King’s College School was co-founded by Barbara Lord and John Eta. Barbara is originally from Etobicoke, where she at-
Teachers are there to create great experiences for students, providing a launching pad for student success.
“ ABOVE B.H. Lord, Headmistress of King’s College School, Caledon
tended Martin Grove Collegiate and went on a scholarship to Erindale College of the University of Toronto where she did a joint major in Philosophy and Economics. John came to Canada from Cameroon, West Africa, on a scholarship at the University of Toronto’s Innis College for his undergraduate degree, and did his Masters of Social Work at the University of Toronto as well. Barbara and John met, formed a partnership, opened King’s College School in 1994, and they will be celebrating the school’s 15th anniversary this year. Currently they have 26 students from Grade 3 to 12. Enrollment is limited to 50 students maximum as they believe the type of education they offer is best suited to small numbers, allowing them to give personalized attention. In 2002 the school moved to its current location in the original Peel Dufferin Board of Education Outdoor Centre, which had been vacant for 10 years before they bought it. The school has 8 acres with a stream and a small forest on the property and is situated well back from The Gore Road. The decision to open the school stemmed from John’s observations in business that many bright people were struggling with less than effective and intelligent management. John’s experiences in the public school system with his own children led him to conclude there were gaps in the regular structured public school environment which did not give some children the self confidence and governance to perform at a high level. This carried on into the business world. John put it succinctly when he said, “Bright people often cannot
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implement in the real world. The issue is not one of having the ability to think, but having the skills to implement and function in the real world.” As a business professor I can relate to this: often students who are bright lack the self confidence and discipline required to function well in business. A statistic I often use with my students is that 70% to 80% of all businesses cannot implement strategic business plans, not because the plans are bad or poorly thought out, but because they lack the ability to execute the plan in the real world. Parents who approach the school are first looking for their children to be happy at school, but also for an education which challenges them. John feels that King’s College develops real world practical people skills and leadership skills and, the most important of all, the ability to deal with change. The old saying, which is very true in my experience, is you had better learn to love change, as it is always going to be with you! John feels the school creates a positive attitude towards change, and the ability to cope with change is the key to leading a happy and productive life. The school practices what they call “Z-schooling”, which their web site describes as a “powerful education model that develops each student’s intellect, ability to change, leadership, and capacity to influence.” The claim is also made that 100% of their graduates go on to university. Barbara and John feel that many students have lost the burning desire to learn and have picked up poor work habits, with inferior quality work and low work stamina being the results. These students want to be part of the crowd and are afraid
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David Huckvale, Director of Admission & University Placement, Country Day School, King City
to think for themselves in an original manner, often because inquisitive questioning has been extinguished or constrained. King’s College encourages students to think big and think in a different way, yet not be afraid to reach for the stars. The motto of the school is “Be Magnificent”. The school dedicates itself to the magnificence of learning, doing, being, leading and making a difference.
Montessori School The Montessori School of Nobleton is a private independent school founded in 1981 with a current enrolment of 160 students from Toddler to Grade 8. The school which was accredited by the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA) in 2004, and in 2007 they started a second Montessori school in Milton. The Montessori Method is a system of education that promotes independence in children. It was developed in the early 20th century by Dr. Maria Montessori. This method helps children learn by working with specifically designed Montessori materials presented at developmentally appropriate times. Jack Rice, Head of School at Montessori School Nobleton, explains, “In a Montessori classroom students are given freedom to explore and are guided to discover. It is a peaceful and joyful approach to school; we do not promote artificial competition or evaluation as a means of motivating students. Montessori students become joyful scholars and oftentimes come away from school with a very creative and entrepreneurial flair.” Jack advises parents looking for a Montessori school to do some research and check the school out with the CCMA. Maria Montessori never trademarked her name and, therefore, 66
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any school can claim to be “Montessori”. The Montessori School in Nobleton prides itself on its outdoor environment, located on a 10 acre property which enables it to give children a close look at nature through pond studies and nature walks. It also has a music curriculum that allows children to start with the Kindermusic program and continue to Grade 8, where students can be found playing saxophone, flute, clarinet, drums, guitar or piano.
Oxford Learning Centre The Oxford Learning Inc. is a Canadian company founded by Dr. Nick Whitehead in London, Ontario, and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It is a franchise with outlets across the United States, Canada, Kuwait and the Bahamas, to name a few countries. The Oxford Learning model starts with a Diagnostic Assessment to determine how each student learns, and then designs an individualized student program that incorporates each student’s learning preferences. In addition to academics, it also develops critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is something I find sadly lacking in many of the student papers I personally mark at the university and college level. This is a very important skill which helps students make sense of what they learn. By simply memorizing material, we have all had the experience of taking an exam and being able to remember few, if any, of the concepts the minute we finish the exam. Critical thinking skills, on the other hand, last you a lifetime and will stand you in good stead no matter what career you pursue. The Oxford Learning Centre in Bolton, Ontario, opened in May 2003. It offers supplemental education which provides remedial, supplemental and enrichment services to students in the public and private school systems in Caledon and the surrounding areas, to help students “reach their academic potential.” With the increasing and ever changing education demands, Ms. Enza Falzone, Education Director, feels that supplemental education is becoming more popular than ever amongst families, and more of a necessity than a luxury. It is not a private school in the style of King’s College or Country Day School, but rather a private supplement to existing school programs. The program levels offered range from pre-school children to adult education. The Little Reader Academy is a half-day preschool program designed to bridge the gap between phonics and whole language. The Beyond Tutoring Program is designed to build confidence and academic excellence in students from grades 1 through 8. The High School Advantage Program helps students in grades 9 to 12 build strong academic skills directly related to subjects they are currently taking. The Study Skills, Essay Writing, Exam Skills and Homework Assistance programs focus on specific areas where individual attention is needed. Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) and SAT preparation programs are also offered.
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Summary The Country Day School Tuition Fees (2009/10): $22,100 for Grades 1 to 12, $19,450 for Junior and Senior Kindergarten Uniform Required: Yes Address: 13415 Dufferin Street, King, ON, L7B 1K5 Contact Information: 905 833 1220 ext 225 or admissions@cds.on.ca Web Site: www.cds.on.ca
King’s College School Tuition Fees (2009/10): $16,500 for the full year, plus $1,000 initial entrance fee and an annual fee of between $3,000 to $4,000 for expenses for school trips, lunch, snacks, skiing, riding and golf lessons etc. Uniform Required: Yes Address: 16379 The Gore Road, Caledon, ON, L7E OX4 Contact Information: 905 880 7645 or info@kingscollegeschool.ca Web Site: www.kingscollegeschool.ca
Montessori School Tuition Fees (2009/10): $11,839 for the elementary program Uniform Required: No Address: 6185 15th Sideroad, Nobleton, ON, L0G 1N0 Contact Information: 905 859 4739 or JackR@mcs-nobleton.com (Jack Rice is the Head of School of Montessori in Nobleton) Web Site: www.mcs-nobleton.com
Oxford Learning Centre Tuition Fees: Free initial consultation with fees beginning at $200 per month. Tuition costs vary depending on the program and the number of times and hours per week the student attends. Uniform Required: No Contact Information: 905 857 2803 or bolton@oxfordlearning.com Address: 1 Queensgate Blvd., Unit A7, Bolton, ON, L7E 2X7 Web Site: www.oxfordlearning.com
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Enza Falzone, Education Director, Oxford Learning Centre, Bolton
Four schools, four very different approaches The issue of private schooling for your child was put in perspective by Enza Falzone from Oxford Learning Centre during a recent interview: All schools vary in what they have to offer. Parents will often consider many factors when choosing a school that is suitable for their children. Philosophical beliefs, sports and extracurricular activities, costs, cultural and/or religious instruction are factors that parents look at when choosing a school for their child, whether it is private or public. The reality is there are many good public and private schools. When choosing a school it is important to find a school that provides a learning environment in which the student will excel. Parents with more than one child will sometimes find that a particular school is suitable for one child and not suitable for another child. The individual needs of each child need to be considered. While it is a cliché that every child learns in his or her own unique way, it is nevertheless true. This article shows you four very different approaches and philosophies to education. It all comes down to what suits your child and your pocketbook. David K. Dorward is a Business School Professor teaching numerous Business and Human Resource subjects at Humber and George Brown College, Guelph-Humber, York and Carleton Universities and the Human Resource Professional Association. He has just returned from the Oxford Insights Program at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
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MOTORING
Nissan Cube
if you were truly ‘a square’, then this vehicle probably wouldn’t interest you in the slightest.
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STORY + PHOTOS BY KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN
I have to admit that when I first saw pictures of this vehicle I thought, “Oh no, Nissan has gone completely off the rails and has produced a cartoon car.” Honestly, I thought it more suited a Pixar movie than a vehicle to be driven on Canadian roads. In fact, those feelings stayed with me right up until the day I collected my test vehicle.
From a distance, the Cube somewhat resembles one of those large balloons which you see flying above car dealerships during the sales season; yet up close, it actually starts to look pretty good. Not only that, but the closer you get, the more you realize just how smart an idea this is. After all, everyone knows that the best shape to carry stuff in is square, which is precisely why cardboard boxes come built that way. Now I’m not saying that you need to be square to enjoy the Cube. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, because if you were truly “a square”, then this vehicle probably wouldn’t interest you in the slightest. No, because this is now one of those vehicles in which to be seen. It’s a transportation device for the cool drivers out there, something for those who pride themselves on being individualists. It’s different, it’s funky, and it pulls a fair amount of attention on the road. From the outside, the Cube doesn’t appear that big; yet open
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the doors and you start to realize that this is something of an illusion, because its interior is actually larger than that of some SUVs. The Cube boasts some amazing headroom and that’s certainly one of the first features you’ll notice upon entering the vehicle. Truly, this is probably the only car on the market today in which the groom could arrive at church still sporting his top hat! I simply love the dashboard layout in the Cube. It’s quirky, yet nicely flowing, and the controls all seem well placed. Some of my fellow scribes have compared its appearance to that of a Jacuzzi tub, and I have to admit that I can see where they’re coming from, but is that necessarily a bad thing? It’s definitely not the norm, but isn’t that exactly what Nissan was aiming for with this vehicle? I believe that Nissan has created a very user friendly environment with this design. The rather high seating position allows for fair visibility over the vehicles ahead, and the uprightness of the dash creates a warm sense of security. This is something which I find manufacturers often lose sight of when designing vehicles today. It’s also a major reason why some owners will never relinquish their large SUVs in favour of WINTER 2010 CALEDON LIVING
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smaller cars. Drivers like to feel that they’re piloting something solid which, in the case of an accident, is going to protect them. You actually get that feeling in the Cube, and I can see it being a large selling feature with the vehicle. I also really liked the chunky steering wheel which was fitted to my tester. It suits the overall design and, again, makes you feel like you’re driving something more substantial. The interior of the Nissan Cube is rather nice. The front seats are soft, yet supportive, and the rear seats, which not only slide fore and aft but also recline, make for a comfortable ride for two large adults. It is possible to squeeze three adults back there, but the comfort level decreases slightly when you do so. Rear luggage space is perhaps not as plentiful as the shape of the vehicle would first lead you to believe. The back seats fold forward, but they don’t actually provide a flat, continuous cargo floor. There is very little room in the back when the rear seats are in their upright position, perhaps better suited to shopping bags than suitcases. There are, however, plenty of places to store smaller items in the vehicle, including some reasonably sized door pockets and dash cubbies on either side of the steering wheel. The Cube also comes loaded with many sought-after standard features such as A/C, power locks, power windows and mirrors,
remote keyless entry, cruise, AM/FM/CD with auxiliary jack, 60/40 split fold-down rear seats, and even a tire pressure monitoring system. In fact, on the value-for-money scale, the Nissan Cube scores rather well indeed. We now come to the drive and, again, the Nissan Cube fares adequately. It’s no powerhouse, that’s for sure, but the 122 hp 1.8L 4-cylinder pulls well and is quite smooth in operation. My tester came fitted with the company’s Xtronic CVT automatic and, although I’m not a lover of CVT transmissions, I have to admit that Nissan did a fine job on this one and it suits this type of vehicle. However, for those who would rather play with a stick shift, the Cube is also available with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Handling wise, the Cube performs slightly better than one might first expect. After all, it is a fairly lightweight box on wheels. However, the vehicle can be a tad susceptible to crosswinds, especially on the highway, and the driver feedback through the steering wheel is a little on the light side. This makes the vehicle easy to park, but it can be a bit of a wanderer at higher speeds. The suspension soaks up the bumps quite well although, because of the vehicle’s rather short wheelbase, it can occasionally pitch fore and aft a bit when the going gets a little rougher. Braking is extremely good with a nice firm pedal feel, and safety comes as a standard on the Cube with six airbags, including front side airbags and side-curtain bags for front and rear occupants, along with front seat active head restraints. For accident avoidance, electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist are standard on all models. Now for my summing up...The Cube is very cool, yet also functional, and it’s rare to see both those attributes on the same vehicle. I like the car very much. Yes, I can find a few items at which to point my finger, but I could do that with any vehicle in this price bracket. The Cube is perhaps not the ultimate family vehicle and I wouldn’t be loading one to the brim and heading off on a cross-country adventure, but for a fun, yet practical, runabout, it’s hard not to view this one as a winner. So if you’re looking for something to make you stand out in a crowd, the Nissan Cube will certainly do that for you, but for how long is another matter. After all, pricing for the 2009 Nissan Cube starts at just $16,998 and even my fully loaded tester, including the technology package, only came to $21,663 (MRRP). Whatever way you look at it, that’s a lot of car for the money and, as I figure they will sell like crazy, I’m guessing that there may be an awful lot of individualists out there in the near future! For: Plenty of everything for the money Against: A little too light on the steering Verdict: A very cool and clever ride Visit www.carkeys.ca for all the latest reviews
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Rating
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Be part of our Spring issue by calling 905 857 2536 or emailing frontlinemedia1@sympatico.ca Caledon Living — Caledon’s best loved magazine!
CaledonHomes The finest properties in Caledon and surrounding areas |
WINTER 2010
Caledon, $1,299,900 Paul & Christel Sachs, Sales Representatives Remax Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage 905 584 2727
On the following page we feature a selection of appealing properties that have been recently released on the market by some of our best area realtors.
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The Directory
AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS
BOOKS
CATERING
CATERING
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
CHILDREN’S FURNITURE
COLLISION & TOWING
FITNESS
FITNESS
HOME DECOR
HOME DECOR
INSURANCE
PHOTOGRAPHY
RENOVATIONS
TRAVEL
WEDDING DECOR
WELLNESS
The Directory
FRAMING & FINE ART
Caledon Living locations If you didn’t receive your copy in the mail, or need a spare copy for a friend, you can find Caledon Living, available free, at the following locations:
ACTON
CHELTENHAM
Leathertown Lumber 264 Main Street
Cheltenham Country Store 14386 Creditview Road
ALTON
DUFFERIN
Alton Mill 1402 Queen Street
Dufferin County Museum Airport Road & Hwy 89
Millcroft Inn 55 John Street
ERIN
BELFOUNTAIN Ascot Room 17228 Mississauga Road
BOLTON Aspen Fine Custom Cabinetry 19 McEwan Drive West Chef Talk Bistro 334 Queen Street South Forster’s Book Garden 55 Healey Road Mille Notte Lingerie 4 Queen Street North RE/MAX West Realty Inc. 1 Queensgate Blvd Royal LePage RCR Realty 12612 Highway 50 Skylark Framing & Fine Art 256 Queen Street Soup Du Jour 170 McEwan Drive East
CALEDON EAST Bell’s Framing & Fine Art 16078 Airport Road Caledon Town Hall Customer Service Centre, 6311 Old Church Road
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The Weathervane 74 Main Street
INGLEWOOD Inglewood General Store 15596 McLaughlin Road
KING CITY Rose Gallery 18 Doctors Lane
ORANGEVILLE Orangeville Best Western Inn & Suites 7 Buena Vista Drive Orangeville Furniture Mono Plaza, Hwy 10
VICTORIA Coffee Bean Café 15499 Hurontario Street