Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville - Hometown News February 2023

A.C. Towing

Waiting for a miracle in Smiths Falls

Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Chris Craig has been suffering with a rare liver disease since he was a teenager.

Due to Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a rare chronic liver disease, Chris’ liver has been deteriorating over his lifetime. It began to fail rapidly this past year and he is currently in liver failure. On December 23 the family received word that Chris is now on the liver transplant list as his survival depends on it.

Connor Craig, Chris’ 19 year old son, plays hockey with the Smiths Falls Junior Bears. He put his hockey journey on hold in order to undergo the rigorous process of becoming a living donor for his dad. Heartbreakingly, a few weeks ago Connor received the news that due to the anatomy of his liver, he is not able to make

a liver donation.

Bobbi-Jo McGrath Craig, Chris’ wife, is grateful for the compassion and help the family has received. “I cannot express how thankful we are for all the support we’ve had from our friends and family, but also from the community. There have been small fundraisers popping up, and a Go Fund Me. There’s no way we could afford to do this apart from the support we’ve had.”

Chris’s sister Sarah has created an online fundraiser via the online platform Go Fund Me, and members of the community have been reaching out and stepping up as well.

A fundraising hockey game between Ottawa Senators Alumni and Smiths Falls Bears Alumni is planned for February 19 at the Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre, 8pm. There will also be a silent auction, including a prize

of a first level box at the Senators game on Feb 28 vs Detroit Red Wings. This box includes 4 tickets, food and drinks. Also included in the silent auction is a Senators Jersey signed by Tim Stutzle.

Chris has been hospitalized since January 24 with complications from his liver failure. He will be transferred to a hospital in Toronto as soon as a bed becomes available. “In Toronto, the doctors will be able to provide more speciality care to get him healthy enough for a transplant. He will remain in the Toronto hospital until he is stabilized and a liver becomes available,” notes Sarah.

In Canada, the long-term success rate for liver transplant recipients is over 80%.

To help the Craig family in their fight for Chris’s life, donations can be made at GoFundMe.com. Search for Chris’s Journey To A New Liver #doit4craiger

Skate the Lake Portland cancelled

Regional - Submitted

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Skate the Lake was set to return to Portland, Ontario, however ice conditions are not good enough to hold the event.

“Obviously we are all very disappointed to have to cancel Skate the Lake 2023, but it is the right call. After postponing the event to Family Day weekend we were hoping for a sustained period of cold temperatures and that just didn’t happen,” said Skate the Lake co-founder and past president Marco Smits. “I do feel that the future is bright for Skate the Lake. We had so many dedicated volunteers working on this be-

hind the scenes this year, we even had some new sponsors and new food vendors lined up. So many people were looking forward to this and we are already thinking ahead to 2024.”

This would have been the 18th edition of the popular skating event held on Big Rideau Lake.

Skate the Lake is organized by Portland Outdoors, a notfor-profit group that puts on the annual event which was previously known as the International Big Rideau Lake Speed Skating Marathon. The North American Marathon Speed Skating Championships were held in Portland in 2006 and 2014, and in 2009 an episode of the Rick Mercer Re-

port was filmed. Portland is located 40 minutes north of Kingston and 100 kilometres south of Ottawa and the multi day skating festival has become a mainstay with locals as well as skaters across North America.

For registration and a full list of race events, visit www.skatethelakeportland.com

You can also check them out on social media: www.facebook. com/skatethelake and www.twitter.com/bigrideauskate

Skate the Lake is also on the social fitness site Strava.com

For more information contact Skate the Lake at stlportlandoutdoors@gmail.com or 613-207-1950.

Photo credit: facebook.com/skatethelake.

Chris Craig (left) and his son, Conner Craig (right). Photo credit: Submitted.

Page Two

Letter to the editor

Hello, having recently moved to Perth, I was impressed with the four issues of the local Hometown News I came across last year. Had not seen it for a while, but now have the January 2023 issue, and again happy to see it still exists.

Send my thanks to Carrie Wynne who shares her opinion under "Am I the only one." I have read (online) all her articles of the past and fully agree with her many questions and comments. Pretty sure there are others that appreciate the truth, in my view, that she is sharing. Please continue speaking your truth. Our communities need it. The same goes for Brian Preston of Portland Ontario who wrote the Opinion "Woke folk going too far?" Thank you for stating your opinion on the issue of Girl Guides of Canada. I was shocked when I read the first paragraph and my 1st reaction was 'oh, please don't make this about race." Providing all that background history was very much appreciated as it helps individuals decide for themselves what they think about this issue. I too am tired of this woke narrative that is being pushed down everyone's throats. I read your article out loud to my husband... and wow, it was so refreshing to read the column and

realize we are not alone with these thoughts. Kudos for your hard work in putting this information together. If only the mainstream media would do the same so that Canadians could be informed of the truth, thereby unveiling this "effort to socially reengineer society" as you, Brian, stated. We all need to put a stop to this re-writing of history. It's happening everywhere on everything, in schools, etc. Thank you. Hope to hear back and do give you permission to share my email with Carrie Wynne and Brian Preston.

Denise Lombardo Perth, ON

Publisher

Patricia Krotki pmkrotki@pdgmedia.ca

Editorial

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Reporters

Kathy Botham

Sally Smith

Chris Must

Janelle Labelle

Brian Turner

Shannon McLellan

Photography Kathy Botham

Sales & Advertising advertising@pdgmedia.ca

Community engagement shannon@pdgmedia.ca johnnyfive@pdgmedia.ca

Submit an Event events@pdgmedia.ca

Contact 613-284-9826 hometownnews@pdgmedia.ca

Cartoon by Patrick Labelle.

Evicted homeowner has high hopes

Smiths Falls - Sally Smith

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

It looks like nothing is happening at the small brick building on William Street; the eviction notice is still taped to the door, the water’s been turned off, there are no snowy footprints going in or out.

But… behind the scenes…the game is afoot.

Three years ago Julie Chagnon drove through Smiths Falls and fell in love with the town. “I’m here to stay,” she remembers saying, “It’s my dream come true.”

She took up residence and put down roots. Her small dog is buried there, she landscaped the front garden, she made friends, joined groups and began to breathe easily.

Then the eviction notice.

So at the moment she’s not in the small building where her heart and hopes lie…but down the street with a young family who offered her their home.

She could be with them for some time, she says a bit forlornly, or she could be back in her own home as soon as this summer.

That’s her hope anyway, she adds, a gleam in her eye.

Her lawyers are helping navigate the complex world of getting through the eviction. She sent them a “detailed estimate” which includes architectural drawings, as well as insurance quotes, which took about a month to pull together. The estimate, she says, is pretty steep “to get back in.”

She hopes to know soon if insurance will pay.

Julie’s a philosopher, and a bit of an idealist. From childhood she’s had a dream of giving kids ”a place to go where they have free arts and crafts, free dancing, anything free,” with no thought about extra cost for parents.

It will be, she adds, an “… extra thing for the community that doesn’t cost anything.”

But that’s not all. If she had her ‘druthers’ there would be space for activities for people with disabilities, for movies, yoga, Hallowe’en parties, weddings. Perhaps an Art Alley between the big church next door and her smaller home in the summer months, “very Parisian looking,” she grins, a place for local art-

ists to display their art.

Or, how about a walk and a vigil, maybe remembering Heather Fraser, a young Smiths Falls girl raped and murdered in 1985. “We could walk from her school to where the old train track was. A walk to show you can walk at night, a program for young women and men to have somebody to walk with them, a program to teach young women and men how to defend themselves.”

Maybe a breakfast club, a small vegetable garden, a cooking course, learning how to budget. Or even, at graduation, finding a dress to wear from a stock Julie hopes to accumulate.

She has credentials; she’s a certified children’s Yoga instructor, and she’s been an adult educator for the best part of her career…”so I have the skills,” she says, not bragging, a bit diffidently.

Grinning again, she adds “…you won’t need Lululemon pants, or a mat. You do what you can, and walk out of here, chin up.”

Plans for her Little Orange Hall will eventually be outlined on Facebook, and signs will catch the eye of

those walking by.

Julie has found and collected bits and pieces of memorabilia. “I have pictures, old chip bags, ticket stubs, bingo chips,” she laughs.

Is the pool table still there? Not anymore, she

laughs, adding she might put one in again.

Wistfully she returns to her childhood dream. “I can’t wait to spend time in there by myself, to recapture my young essence, my young heart, and start

dancing and singing.”

And if all ends as she hopes, and her plans work out, she says, a bit cheekily, she can chase “arts and crafts” for the rest of her life.

Construction begins this month.

Inside construction starts early February in Julie Chagnon’s little brick house on William Street. She’s delighted! Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Garden Matters: Architectural plants

Now is a great time to think about your property; which changes can you do this coming season, to enhance it?

Just as an architect uses geometric forms to build a house, such as triangles for roofs and dormers, rectangles for windows, columns for porches, etc. to make a box-like building look interesting, we as gardeners use various shapes to add interest to our yards. How boring to have a house sitting on a lot with no walkways, fences, and no plants.

Permanent structures like decks, pergolas, fences, walkways, etc. are called hardscaping, and they organize our yards to make them functional and attractive.

Plants including trees shrubs, perennials annuals and bulbs enhance the basic structure of a house. Plants come in many shapes, sizes and colours. When we think of trees, we see conical shaped trees like cedars and spruce, oval forms like maples, round forms such as crabapple, weeping willows, and columnal forms as in skyrocket juniper. The

shapes of trees and shrubs provide the bones of a garden and provide architectural elements. Look to shrubs for vase-shaped, mounding and round forms. All these shapes add variety and interest to the landscape. Repetition of forms add unity to the overall design.

Perennials and annuals also have an important role to play in enhancing our yards. As well as form, they provide colour and texture. The tall stocks of hollyhocks, delphinium, and ornamental grasses add height. The spiky leaves of yucca grow to make a round shape. Bushy weigelas or ninebarks can hide unsightly objects like compost piles. Climbing plants like morning glories, and Dutchman’s pipe will twine around poles and soften vertical elements as well as providing shade. Plants such as these and many others can be called architectural plants. Even some of our edible vegetables can add great colour and interest. Flower beds need not be just for flowers. Artichoke and cardoon with their thistle like leaves and globular heads

www.ucdsb.on.ca/

Submitted

are show stoppers, and when they bloom their purple flowers are amazing. The pendulous seeds and leaves of love-lies-bleeding are edible. So too, are the colourful stocks of ‘bright lights’ Swiss chard. Kale cultivars like ‘Redbor’ or ‘Tuscany’ add great texture and taste. Of course they have many nutrients too. Indeterminate tomatoes can be attractively trellised and fit right in amongst annuals, adding colour and snacks.

No garden is too small to include interesting plants that have a variety of shapes, sizes and texture. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and try something new this year.

In favour of Embers opinion:

Last year, the Girl Guides of Canada announced that they will be changing the name Brownies this month, January 2023. The branch of Girl Guides for girls aged 7-8 was called Brownies, but has been renamed Embers. On their website, Girl Guides of Canada explains their reasons behind this change: “As an organization driven by the experience of girls, Girl Guides of Canada must listen to girls’ voices. We have heard from members and former members that the name Brownies has caused them harm as racialized (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) girls and women. Some do not want to be part of this branch because of the name. Some girls choose to skip this branch altogether or delay joining Girl Guides until after this branch. This branch name is a barrier to racialized girls and women feeling part of the Guiding sisterhood and we cannot use a word that causes any girl harm. Part of the Girl Guide Promise is to ‘take action for a better world.’ Taking action by updating this branch name is an important step in creating a space where every girl feels that she belongs in Girl Guides.”

Last month, I read with some surprise that the Girl Guides’ name change for their 7-8year old girls was causing chagrin -not among the girls themselves, but among non-members. There is no reason why a group should not change the name of their club if it is distressing or alienating. Clearly, the historical basis of the name Brownies was not a racist one - this is not something the Girl Guides are claiming. However, since the term has currently come to contain hateful and distasteful tones, why would anyone (particularly not anyone attached to the group in any way) object to the name change?

As Mr. Preston pointed out, there is historical precedence for the Brownies to change their name. The girls’ group was formerly named Rosebuds, but the girls objected to this name and chose a word that they believed better represented their spirit. That time has come once again, and the girls have chosen to call themselves Embers. The Girl Guides of Canada’s website explains, “Embers have potential that’s just waiting to be unleashed. They’re glowing and ready to start something incredible!”

Words have power to hurt, but they also have power to create. In responding to the girls who were uncomfortable with the name Brownies,

the Girl Guides has helped girls to take action for a better world. When you know better, you can do better. Now that we know this word was hurting some young girls, we can celebrate that they have used their voices to oppose it, and to put a new word on their banner: Embers.

Shine bright, Embers! The Rosebuds and Brownies who went before you stand with you and cheer you on.

Janelle Labelle Smiths Falls, Ontario

The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ management, staff or writers.

Brownie uniforms from Canada from the 2000s. Photo credit: Lia from New York, NY, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

LEFT: Weeping crab tree with snow. RIGHT: Grasses and bridge. Photo credit: Helen Halpenny - Member of Lanark County Master Gardeners

Legion Ladies’ lunches a lifeline

Covid-19 restrictions. But the Ladies' Auxiliary was tasked with preparing bagged lunches for the needy in Smiths Falls, so every Monday and Thursday a small group of dedicated volunteers met in the Legion kitchen and got to work. Masked and maintaining distance, 4-5 women gathered to make sandwiches and pack lunches.

The Smiths Falls Legion Ladies' Auxiliary performed an essential service during the Covid-19 pandemic. They stepped up and met the need of hungry citizens by preparing bagged lunches twice a week, in a socially-distanced and safe way. The meals were picked up or delivered (not consumed on site); roughly 160 meals each Monday and Thursday.

"It was good for the people we were helpingbut it was just as good for us," said Helen Wilkinson, president of the Smiths Falls Ladies' Auxiliary.

The Legion Branch 95 - including the Ladies' Auxiliary - was shut down during the peak of

They prepared egg salad and three different types of meat sandwiches each week. The lunches included a sandwich, fruit, dessert, and a drink. They also offered hot beverages, and soup during the winter months.

"We really loved working together. It was a lot better than sitting alone in our homes," Wilkinson confessed. "There are 40 members of the Ladies' Auxiliary, but many members are in nursing homes or unable to help. With our usual events shut down, it was getting lonely. This was a great chance to get together with the girls."

“We had a lot of fun in the kitchen,” Wilkinson recalled, “we got along really well. And when things didn’t go as planned, we laughed about it and

carried on.”

Wilkinson did the ordering and shopping for the undertaking, with help from other members of the Auxiliary when she was in hospital. "I couldn't have done it alone," she said, "Iris Doran and Jean Lasenba took over the ordering and shopping for me."

The food was purchased from Quattrochi's, Garden Market, and Giant Tiger.

The Ladies’ Auxiliary began packing lunches in August of 2020, and wrapped up their last sandwich in December 2022. They took a twomonth break in the fall of 2021 to focus on the Legion's annual Poppy Campaign. In their two years of service, they passed out 21,187 bagged lunches.

“We met a lot of people,” said Wilkinson, “and seeing them every week, twice a week, we got to know them. Doing this helped the community, and it helped us.”

Smiths Falls community meals are currently being held Mondays from 11:30 am - 1:00pm at Hanley Hall under the oversight of The Table with plenty of help from local volunteers; all are welcome.

opinion: mutual respect

Carrie Wynne

Am I the only one?

I wish that I could say that sexism and misogyny was not a part of the work culture I was in, but it was, in every single workplace. Sexual harassment had varying degrees of seriousness and creepiness, but it was all just swept under the rug. I remember one place I worked women had to wear skirts, pour the partners their coffee and get their lunch. I didn’t last too long. Blond jokes were funny. I laughed. Comments such as, “when are you going to wear those jeans again to work” were embarrassing, but nothing crazy. Women were seen as less important, less intelligent, and less able than men. We survived, but I much prefer what is happening now.

One of Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous quotes is, “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” She was right but exposing people like Harvey

Weinstein and Bill Cosby showed the world how men abuse their power. The “Me Too” movement started a global discussion to end sexual harassment and violence. I’m so proud and grateful to the women who came forward with their stories. They are heroes in my view because they made our daughter’s and granddaughter’s lives safer and more equitable. This is great news for all parents. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Violence against women will always be a battle to be won. One in three women have been exposed to relationship violence. When I was a teenager some guy in bar poured a whole beer in my purse because I wouldn’t dance with him. My antenna went up after that. What else would this guy be capable of? It reminds of a quote by Margaret Atwood. “Men are afraid they will be laughed at. Women are afraid they will be killed.” We’re fortunate to live in a coun -

try with laws that protect women. There are warning signs about the potential for violent behaviour, and we need proper education to address the root causes for violence such as poverty and addiction.

I get defensive when men are constantly made into villains. Am I the only one? I love strong men especially my husband, son, father, nephews, and brothers-in-law. One day we will stop the divisive rhetoric and bring these moral arguments to fruition. Let’s acknowledge the progress that women have made, while also addressing the issues we still face today. The future is no longer men overpowering women. The future isn’t female either. We are allies and together we can build a future that is safer and more equitable for everyone.

The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ management, staff or writers.

Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Beer, Wine and Spirits Food & Drink

Wines for Valentine’s Day

Brian Preston | The Travelling Sommelier | brianpreston@hotmail.com

When you picture a romantic dinner date, what comes to mind… a candlelit dinner, roses, chocolate, slow music, some red wine? Red wine is often associated with Valentine’s Day, so let’s explore some good food pairings that you can celebrate with this year, whether on a first date or over a meal with that special person in your life. Drinking wine on the first date has a long list of benefits. It’s sexier than a coffee date at a corner cafe and less intimidating than having a full course meal. Wine has featured in simple quotes, songs, and even poems. To quote the Irish poet W.B Yeats, “Wine comes in at the mouth And love comes in at the eye.”

In a nutshell, it is said that wine is an elixir of love.

Just as there are matches for people, there are matches for wine and food, and especially at Valentine’s, for chocolate! Here are a couple of tips for pairing wine and chocolate.

Get the sweetness in balance: When pairing wine and desserts, the general rule is that the wine should be sweeter than the food, to avoid making the wine seem bitter or sour. This holds true for wine and chocolate too. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, young, ripe, dry reds can sometimes pair well with high-cacao chocolates (over 72%).

Dark and bittersweet chocolates, which have just enough sugar to taste "neutral" rather than sweet, can even enhance those wines’ flavours of fruit, vanilla and chocolate. Put some weight behind it: Luscious, mouth-coating chocolate can make wine pairings seem lighter and flabbier, so choose a fuller-bodied wine balanced by vibrant acidity, like a ripe Cabernet Sauvignon or full-bodied Italian red. Fortified red wines with their sugar, tannins and high alcohol levels have the heft to hold up to chocolate’s richness. For example, a great match is dark chocolate and Port. You can go with a more expensive single vintage Port, or go with a reasonably priced Tawny Port that has a nice fruity profile.

Some wines traditionally linked to Valentine’s Day include rosés and a number of red wines including lighter style Gamay-based wines like Beaujolais, especially one of the ten Beaujolais Cru, Saint-Amour. Saint-Amour wines are among the lightest of the Beaujolais crus, often displaying spiced berry and stone-fruit characters with a marked minerality. At LCBO check out the availability of Domaine de la Pirolette La Poulette Saint-Amour 2018, $37 LCBO#28678. Described as having a ravishing nose

Let's Eat

of ripe mulberries, picked straight from the tree. Rich and very ripe, but there's no hint of dried fruit and the expansive, creamy palate carries the generous alcohol very well. Very long, velvety finish. (jamessuckling.com, April 23, 2021).

Try Remo Farina Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore $17.95LCBO # 999946: Ripasso-style made by fermenting ('re-passing') the wine a second time on dried Amarone grapes; a process that enhances everything from the wine's colour and flavour to its ageability. Farina's Ripasso, with its consistent notes of cherries, licorice, and pepper spice, is a super-popular example of the style. Or go for Masi Costasera Amarone Classico DOC $25.95

LCBO#297663: Deep purple ruby colour; rich, ripe, dark fruit aromas and flavours with hints of licorice, toast and chocolate; full-bodied and smooth with a firm, long finish.

I even like a Stout beer with dark chocolate!

In a sweet but more complex and fruity Tawny Port, try Warre's Otima

10 Years Old Port, $24.10

LCBO#566174: Bright, medium tawny colour; flavours and aromas of red fruit, dried figs and pears, nuts and herbs; sweet with medium supportive acidity, medium-bodied with a warm finish.

Brian Turner

SIP: taking your time pays off

Sip opens in the Davidson Courtyard in Smiths Falls this month, offering a unique bistro experience with an assortment of artisanal pizzas, soups, salads, craft beers and wine. It’s the creation of Jamie Creighton, a wizard of cuisine with a long history in the hospitality sector who is well-traveled and who brings flavours from the various places he’s called home over the years. But don’t let the notion that Sip is offering ‘light fare’ fool you. I stopped in on a recent winter night during their soft launch and was both impressed and sated by the unique offerings that are sure to make this a go-to destination for res-

Underneath this snow, gardens are awaiting

idents and visitors alike.

Smiths Falls - Submitted

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

All this snow will eventually go, but before it does the Smiths Falls Horticultural Society is hosting a free movie and popcorn night on February 21 at the Legion. Come out and enjoy the evening with other green-thumbed enthusiasts.

The Gardener is a film that reflects upon the meaning of gardening and its impact on our lives.

Shortly before his passing at the age of 86, influential gardener and plantsman Frank Cabot recounts his personal quest for perfection at Les Quatre Vents, his twenty-acre English style garden and summer

estate that was opened to a film crew for the first time ever in 2009.

Nestled amongst the rolling hills of Charlevoix County in Quebec, Les Quatre Vents has become one of the world’s foremost private gardens. Created over 75 years and three generations, it is an enchanted place of beauty and surprise, a horticultural masterpiece of the 21st century.

Through the words of Cabot and his family, and with the participation of

gardening experts and writers, the film looks back at this remarkable man's personal story and the artistic philosophy that gave birth to one of the greatest gardens in the world.

The Royal Canadian Legion is at 7 Main St. E in Smiths Falls; the time is 7 p.m. The date is Tuesday, February 21 and guests attend free.

For more information contact Laura Hunter, president of the SFHS, laurahunter611@gmail.com.

Jamie said he plans on keeping the menu small and rotating different specials in on a weekly basis, but for a modestly-sized listing he’s got it all pretty much covered with four types of salad, four varieties of personal–sized pizzas, not to mention a good selection of mouth-watering desserts. What deserves equal billing with this food are the wine and craft-beer selections which make for perfect pairings no matter which dishes you select. I opted for their carrot-ginger soup served with crispy onions (as it was a winter night after all) and a Margherita pizza made with authentic water-buffalo mozzarella cheese. The balance between carrot and ginger was perfect, as was the generous serving. The pizza’s sauce added just the right note without overpowering the star of the dish: the cheese. Both came piping hot, meaning you have to wait and let them cool a bit; reinforcing Jamie’s philosophy of taking your time when enjoying a meal to focus on the taste of every bite and who you’re sharing it with. I took him up on his suggestion of a glass of Merlot to go with the pizza and wasn’t disappointed.

For dessert, I opted for a malt-infused chocolate brownie accompanied by a coffee served in a bodum, which as anyone who has

used one knows, works best when you take your time to flow the liquid through the grounds.

Sip makes the most of its dining room, creating a warm welcoming space with just the right lighting and background music to let you carry on a conversation without having to raise your voice. It’s certainly a welcoming change from the usual surroundings of loud cavernous halls which have to focus on almost circus-like atmospheres to distract you from less than stellar menu choices. Sip sets the mood that’s conducive for relaxed dining, something we could all use more of.

Sip is currently open Mondays through Saturdays, at lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and in the evenings from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Prices are reasonable. Reservations are definitely recommended. You can reach them at 613-283-9126. They’re located at 7 Russell Street West in Smiths Falls with plenty of on-street parking and the building is wheel-chair accessible. You can also peruse their menu and postings on Facebook under Sip SmithsFalls. If you’re looking for a place out of the ordinary with extraordinary creations, that lets you relax and truly enjoy some great dishes, look no further than Sip.

Sip in Smiths Falls, ON. Photo credit: Brian Turner.

Garden bounty. Photo credits: Sally Smith.

Smiths Falls History & Mystery: A career criminal's daughter

by Ted Outerbridge

as a “disreputable character,” “a bad egg” and “the sleekest kind of swindler.”

In 1884, at the age of twenty-two, Alice Maude Butler (1866-1935) found herself in a United States courtroom with her fifty-fouryear-old mother, Hannah Cordelia (Friar) Butler. The courageous mother-daughter duo testified against a man who called himself Dr. Richmond. The man was in fact Ira Richmond Butler, who had deserted his lawfully wedded wife, Hannah, and their six children. Hannah testified that in 1874 Ira claimed he was leaving Smiths Falls, Ontario to “seek a better home for us.” She did not see her husband again until ten years later in front of a grand jury in Lockport, New York. He was being charged with bigamy and manslaughter in the first degree.

The 1869 Province of Ontario Gazetteer and Directory lists Ira B. Butler as a watchmaker. Lovell's Province of Ontario directory for 1871 confirms that J.R. Butler was a watchmaker on Main Street in Smiths Falls. However, when he arrived in Lockport, Ira falsely declared that he was a physician and a graduate of the New York Medical University. His lack of medical training likely contributed to a botched abortion he performed, which resulted in a death. He was subsequently charged with manslaughter in the first degree. Ira’s career as a womanizer is also well documented in the press.

One of his numerous conquests was a wealthy widow by the name of Mrs. Sarah Platts from Lockport, New York, whom he married in 1883. Mrs. Platts later testified against Ira. In 1884, he was sentenced to six years at Auburn State Prison for manslaughter in the first degree and bigamy. The story became national news.

Within one year of his release from prison, Ira was arrested again. In 1891, he was convicted of bigamy for a second time. On this occasion, he had married a Mrs. Catherine Boulivette in Brockton, Massachusetts. The couple were found to be in possession of an impressive array of counterfeiting equipment, including plates and 26 moulds for making $5 and $10 gold pieces, a forge, bellows, and bars of metal. Ira was sentenced to two years in prison, while Catherine was discharged. The press condemned Ira on several occasions, referring to him

Hannah was an independent woman who took on four boarders so she could raise her six children on her own. Alice was the fourth of six children born to Ira Richmond Butler and Hannah Cordelia Friar on January 2, 1866, in Cornwall, Ontario. She and her siblings Eva Estella, Angelo Dodge, Janette E., George E., and Cordelia May were raised in a Scottish, Wesleyan Methodist household.

In 1881, a twenty-nineyear-old engineer by the name of Robert J. Brodie was one of four boarders in the Hannah Cordelia (Friar) Butler household. He would later become a very influential Smiths Falls resident and town councillor. He would also become owner of the Keyhole House for several years with his future wife, Henrietta Lamb. Coincidentally, Alice would own the very same property for seven years.

In 1883, twenty-one-yearold Harry Stancliffe McNeill (1861-1936) made the 10day journey from Glasgow, Scotland to Quebec City aboard the S/S Corean. During his 47 years in Canada, Harry would support himself with a variety of careers, ranging from bookkeeper and commercial traveler to wholesale confectioner. On June 7, 1886, Harry married Alice. By 1897, Harry and Alice were homeowners at 127 Brockville Street where they lived with their four children: Pearl Gertrude (1890-1978), Stanley Howard (1892-1972), Grace Marguerite (1897-?), and Edwin Bentler (1900-1984), as well as a domestic servant.

After creating a family, Harry focussed his energies on his career as a commercial traveller. He left his wife and children and moved to Edmonton. Pearl moved to Victoria, Ontario, and in 1927 she married John S. Srigley in Edmonton, Alberta. Grace moved to Buffalo, New York and married a Dr. McKowne. Edwin settled in Toronto.

Stanley was the only sibling who remained in Smiths Falls. He entered the workforce as a bookkeeper. By 1912, he was the first manager of the Rideau Theatre, located on Chambers Street at the corner of Beckwith Street. The state-of-the-art venue was equipped with a screen for moving pictures as well as a full stage for live theatre productions. It replaced the Opera House located on Market Street for touring vaudeville productions. The local press wrote that “…he ran the theatre like a well-oiled machine.”

Bert Soper was the man responsible for the construction of this motion picture and live performance venue. It is featured on page 33 of the 1924 Who’s Who in Smiths Falls, along with a photo of Stanley. In 1936, the name of the venue changed to the Capitol Theatre. It continued to operate until 1949. Stanley married Lucy (Henderson) McNeill and they had a daughter, Jean.

Historical records indicate that Alice was financially stable and was close to her children. In 1921, fifty-fouryear-old Alice was a homeowner at 3 Alfred Street, a semi-detached home. Her son Stanley lived next door at 5 Alfred Street with his wife and daughter. Her other children, Pearl and Edwin, came for a visit from Toronto that year, which made the news in The Ottawa Journal. In 1923, Alice paid $4,100 for the Keyhole House, which she owned for seven years. In 1930 she sold the property to John Briggs for $6,500 and moved in with her son, Stanley, and his wife. On November 3, 1935, a sixtynine-year-old Alice emigrated to Buffalo, New York to live with her daughter Grace and her son-in-law. Alice died that same year and was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. Harry McNeill died November 12, 1936, at the age of sixty-eight in Edmonton, Alberta and he is buried at the Edmonton Municipal Cemetery.

Ted & Marion Outerbridge are currently restoring the Keyhole House, a Smiths Falls heritage home built in 1892. They are also being swept away by local history & mystery. You can follow them on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok @thekeyholehouse or email ted@tedouterbridge.com.

TOP: Capitol Theatre. BOTTOM: Cells at Auburn State Prison. Photo credits: Ted Outerbridge.

Studs Terkel’s WORKING opens February 9 in Perth

with everyday people doing their everyday jobs. Speaking of music – wow! You’ll hear songs by James Taylor and Lin-Manuel Miranda and other talented lyricists, plus you get to see Brent McLaren, WORKING’s musical director, playing his rockband monster Hammond organ on stage, alongside a phenomenal percussionist, bass player and guitarist.

Perth - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Studio Theatre Perth’s production of WORKING is getting into crunch mode. The actors are ready – they have their lyrics and choreography down pat. The set is built. Now the tech side moves

into the theatre. The unsung heroes are cabling the show, hooking up the video monitor, finding extra power bars, prepping for the arrival of all the musical gear, wiring the cast with their microphones, and spending hours in the tech booth rehearsing the patching process. I don’t

know about you, dear reader, but this writer has no expertise in any of the above activities. What I do know is that it is going to be AMAZING when the lights go down on February 9, opening night, and I get to be blown away by the show. I get to sit back and enjoy the rock musical

Big Band Dances return to Almonte

Regional - Submitted

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

After a three-year hiatus due to COVID, the Standing Room Only Big Band is excited to once again be staging Sunday afternoon tea dances in the historic Almonte Old Town Hall. There will be a tea dance on Sunday, February 12.

What is a tea dance? Tea dances are afternoon dances that were popular in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, when big bands were king. They were generally held in hotels and, of course, featured a live band. One key part of the concept is that beverages served are non-alcoholic. Standing Room

Only (SRO) launched the popular Almonte tea dances in 2006 – seventeen years ago! They give the band members a regular opportunity to perform the music they love to play in a

period atmosphere, while allowing guests a chance to listen and dance to live big band music. Over the years, SRO’s Sunday afternoon Almonte tea dances have become widely known, attracting ballroom and swing dancers from as far away as Brockville and Deep River, as well as from the Ottawa area. The music played naturally includes a lot of swing music, but also enough waltzes and Latin music such as cha chas and tangos to keep the ballroom dancers happy.

The Almonte Old Town Hall is a beautiful classic old building located at 14 Bridge Street in the lovely little town of Almonte, about a 35-minute drive from downtown Ottawa. The dances take place on the top floor of the building, a beautifully preserved venue with a clean and spacious wooden dance floor,

natural lighting, and wonderful acoustics.

SRO learned early on that its tea dances can’t compete with the nice weather, when even keen dancers would rather be outside on a Sunday afternoon, or with the holiday season. The tea dances are normally held once a month in November, January, February, and March.

The February 12 tea dance will feature vocalist Saffron Bradbury. Bradbury has sung with jazz and pop bands, and in an a capella female quartet. She has sung on cruise ships in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. She has sung at casinos, weddings, funerals, birthdays, house concerts, and street parties. Her many years of experience and her versatile voice will contribute to an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

The dance will be held from 1:30 pm to 4 pm.

that is WORKING. Your feet will be tapping and your hands will be clapping as an ironworker, a housewife, a millworker, and a firefighter, to name just a few, sing and dance as they tell their stories. The musical is based on real life interviews by Studs Terkel done

And don’t even get this writer started on the amazing cast of this production! Seven workers sing and dance and build the set as they portray over 20 roles. Sarah Jane Laberge, an accounts payable administrator and a real-life mom to a 12-year-old portrays a fast-food delivery employee, and a beleaguered receptionist – among others. Zach Brown, working real time in a pet supply store by day, is up on stage as Rose Hoffman, a thirdgrade teacher, and then as the grandchild of a stone mason, and more. The cast is rounded out with multi-talented Claire Campbell, Diane Cote, Sarah Wibberley, Dave Corbishley and (new to our theatre) Emily Morris Cree.

Our passionate and multitalented director, who first

brought this show forward for our consideration, Dani Corbishley, is both directing and choreographing this great piece of mature subject musical theatre in a production that will knock your socks off! Dani pursued professional training in both Canada and the US, but in the end found that her passion was for teaching the arts and, of course, community theatre. She’s grateful for past opportunities to choreograph or direct such amazing shows as, Hairspray, Oklahoma, Bye Bye Birdie, James and the Giant Peach, and Disney's The Little Mermaid. This show is the perfect antidote for the February blues. A pair of tickets makes a great date idea for you and your favorite friend or partner; our Valentine’s gift to the community – not to be missed.

WORKING opens February 9 and runs February 10, 11, 16,17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and February 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $27 each and available through ticketsplease.ca or (613) 4856434 and at the box office one hour before the show. Opening night $5 off. Mature content and language.

Doors open at 1:00 pm. Admission is $16 per person at the door or $30 per couple, cash only. Reservations are not required. Light refreshments will be available at very reasonable prices. These will include delicious treats and a range of non-al-

coholic beverages, cash only.

For more information, visit SRO’s website at srobigband.ca, where you can watch video excerpts of SRO performing for dances and concerts, or visit SRO’s Facebook page at facebook. com/srobigband. To receive

notifications of upcoming tea dances and other public performances, you can ‘like’ SRO’s Facebook page in your Facebook News Feed and/or you can be added to SRO’s email distribution list by sending an email to srobigband@bell.net.

Almonte Big Band Tea Dance. Photo credit: facebook.com/srobigband/

In Studio Theatre Perth’s newest musical WORKING based on the book by Studs Terkel are (L to R) Sarah-Jane LaBerge, Claire Campbell, Emily Morris Cree, Zach Brown, Dave Corbishley and Diane Cote. Directed by Dani Corbishley with musical Director Brent McLaren, the show opens February 9. More at studiotheatreperth.com. Photo credit: Submitted.