Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville - Hometown News October 2022

Welcome to Smiths Falls’ brand new front porch

A gorgeous new addition to Smiths Falls public space was un veiled on September 30. The Arts cape Parkette is a beautiful update to a previously empty space, and its creation was truly a collective labour of love.

In April, Tourism and Econom ic Development Manager Julia Crowder announced the town had secured funding to complete

ly cover the cost of an Artscape Parkette. In August, town resi dents voted on five proposed arts capes, and local artist Dominic Laport was chosen to create the massive 15x30 metre mural on the side of Shoppers Drug Mart. Planters, benches, and picnic ta bles now grace the newly-finished concrete sidewalk alongside the vibrant mural. This parkette feels like the town’s front porch - a beautiful, welcoming place for all to sit and enjoy.

Sweet Scoops and The Pickled Pig are on the move

the business will each have their own location after the move.

As many around town will have noticed by now, Sweet Scoops and the Pickled Pig have closed their shop in the historic ironshaped building at the corner of Chambers and Beckwith Streets. When one door closes, though, another one opens: a sign on the door informs customers that the businesses are not closed perma nently, they are moving.

Owner Trish Krotki explained. “The building we were located in on Chambers Street was recently sold and the new owners want ed it to be vacant. The Pickled Pig had already leased a new location on Russell Street. The timing of the move, while unex pected, came at a good time as we have grown out of the space at the Chambers Street location.”

While they have operated out of one space on Chambers Street, the sweet and savoury sides of

The Pickled Pig will be located on Russell Street across from the beautiful new Artscape Parkette, in the former Groggery.

Customers who are eager for the Pickled Pig’s return will be relieved to know that their favou rite items will not be disappear ing over the course of the move. As the space increases, so will the menu, Krotki said. There will be “more of what you currently see at our location on Chambers Street, however we will expand upon our offerings with an em phasis placed on the customer experience.” This includes the option to dine in, which was formerly impossible in the tiny Sweet Scoops location.

As well as a wide array of sandwiches, salad, soups, meat, and cheese, the Pickled Pig will continue to offer charcuterie boards, take-home frozen

meals, and event catering. You may well have already enjoyed their catering at birthday or an niversary parties, weddings, or a business lunch.

Sweet Scoops will be located on Beckwith Street, in the for mer Grunts and Giggles. The confectionery will continue to offer ice cream, pastries, and other sweet treats, as well as the wildly popular local Jabreezy’s Donuts. (My personal favourite, their crispy creamy cannoli, will also be returning.)

The re-opening date has not yet been determined. Labour shortages in the building trades along with delays from the build ing department have slowed the process. They are hoping to open in late fall. While the gap between closing and opening is frustrating, Krotki and her staff are looking forward with opti mism. “We promise, it will be worth the wait.”

The beautiful new parkette and mural on Russell Street West in Smiths Falls. Photo credit: Tara McNeil.

Photo credit: Tara McNeil.

Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca

There is a new sign in the window of the former Grunts and Giggles building the sign reads coming soon to this location Photo credit: Trish Krotki.

Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Home to

Reporters Kathy Botham Sally Smith Chris Must Janelle Labelle Brian Turner Shannon McLellan

Page Two

Tree planted in recognition of COVID pandemic leadership

Regioanl - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca

The Board of Health along with the staff of the Leeds, Grenville and La nark District Health Unit are in a time of transition from changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and new leadership in the Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer position. In recognition of the leadership of Dr. Paula Stewart, retired Medical Of ficer of Health, in promoting and protecting the health of the people of Leeds, Gren ville and Lanark - especially throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic - the Board of Health members and staff collected donations toward the planting of trees in the communities they serve.

Board member Jeff Earle

graciously provided two of the trees (Red Maples) and has planted one at the front of the Health Unit’s Smiths Falls Office at 25 Johnson St. and the other in the soccer field across from the Health Unit’s Brockville Office at 458 Laurier Blvd. The Board also purchased plaques that have been placed in front of the trees. Health Unit staff also contributed to a Weeping Beech tree that was planted by the north entrance of the Brockville Office building.

“The Board of Health commends Dr. Stewart for her leadership and com mitment to the people of Leeds, Grenville and Lanark during the COVID-19 pan demic,” says Board of Health Chair, Doug Malanka. “The entire staff must also be ac knowledged for their ded

ication and expertise that was and continues to be a tremendous asset in the fight against COVID-19.”

The Health Unit has also produced a COVID-19 themed Community Report which outlines the perfor mance and finances of the agency over the past few years, as well as highlights of the pandemic work pro vided through staff accounts of their experiences. This report is available on the Health Unit website.

“With 75 years already in our history, we look forward to many more years of ser vice to our communities,” added Malanka.

The Health Unit is look ing forward to what lies ahead and celebrates these trees as symbols of growth and stability as the agency starts a new chapter.

Photo

Cartoon by Patrick Labelle

community

Lanark County marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Regioanl - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Lanark County recog nized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a flag-raising ceremo ny and commemoration at the Administration Build ing on Friday afternoon.

“Today is a day to reflect on the painful and last ing effects of residential schools in Canada, and to honour survivors, their families, and their commu nities,” said Warden John Fenik (Perth Mayor) at the flag-raising ceremony. “It is also a day to remember the many children who never returned home. It is an opportunity for us to

learn more about the histo ry and legacy of residential schools.”

Fenik noted the National Day for Truth and Recon ciliation is a vital compo nent of the reconciliation process and provides every one with an opportunity to reflect on how they can play a part in reconciliation. It also builds on Orange Shirt Day, which was inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad and chosen by Indigenous peoples to open the door to meaningful conversation about the effects of residen tial schools and the legacy they have left behind.

“It is a discussion we can all take part in and create bridges with one another

for reconciliation,” he said.

“With all of this in mind, today at Lanark County we raise this flag to recognize the survivors and those that have been affected by resi dential schools, and to help spread awareness, because every child matters.”

Several members of Lanark County Council, county staff and OPP Insp. Karuna Padiachi were on hand for the ceremony.

For more informa tion about the National Day for Truth and Rec onciliations, along with resources, visit https:// www.canada.ca/en/cana dian-heritage/campaigns/ national-day-truth-recon ciliation.html

Rideau Lakes bids farewell to the Portland Community Hall

the community can expect to see the demolition of the Hall begin, starting with asbestos abatement, and then structure removal followed by site clearing. The existing playground on the site will be removed and placed into storage, until a decision has been made about its relocation. For safety, the site will be fenced and secured.

Regioanl - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca

As the community pre pares for the redevelop ment of the Portland Mu nicipal Hub, it bids farewell to the Portland Community Hall building.

The Hall has been the backdrop to countless community events and memories. It has served the community well. The new Municipal Hub will ensure Portland and the wider Rideau Lakes com munity has the multi-use,

modern, efficient, and ac cessible facility it requires for the future.

The community plans to mark this important transi tion by honouring the Hall and its memories on Octo ber 6, 2022 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The program includes remarks at 4:00 p.m., and the Portland on the Rideau Historical Society (PRHS) will share some history of the Hall. Refreshments will be available.

Following Thanksgiving,

Community events will continue at alternate loca tions for the transition peri od. Looking forward, plans for temporary provision of washrooms for the beach for the 2023 swimming sea son are being made.

In 2023, the active con struction of the new Port land Municipal Hub will take place on Water Street in Portland, Ontario. Plans currently under consid eration, subject to final approvals, can be found at: https://www.rideau lakes.ca/portland-munici pal-hub-project/drawings

Photo credit: Submitted.

Portland Community Hall. Photo credit: Google Maps.

Secondhand Stories

Perth, Rideau Lakes and Smiths Falls’ first farm animal microsanctuary

Smiths Falls - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca

There have been proven studies that show chickens have dreams, and it’s this tiny feathered animal that inspired me to follow mine. Ever since I was a little child I imagined a life rescuing animals. In mid dle school I was captivated with Jane Goodall and imag ined living in a sanctuary for Chimpanzees. Some things have changed. First, I’m now happy to save any animal, regardless of species, not just the primate kind. Second, in July my husband and I moved to Rideau Lakes becoming the owners of 28 acres of land where my dreams could actually become reality.

With keys in hand to our first home in the small community of Lombardy we inherited 7 hens left be hind by the former owners. That's to say, they didn’t have anywhere else to go. The obvious choice was for us to keep them and what quickly followed was the choice to start a sanctuary.

Inspired by the 7 cluck ing friends we adopted, we have launched Perth/Ride au Lakes/Smiths Falls’ first farm animal microsanctuary. Sadly, there are too many farm animals needing to be

rehomed and not enough places that offer shelter to them. We help fill this gap by rescuing abandoned, abused, neglected, ill, injured or homeless animals that have nowhere else to go. Since moving in, we have rescued 7 hens, 2 roosters, and will be accepting 4 additional sur renders this month, includ ing a group of three hens as well as a single blind hen.

Today, I am happy to share that Secondhand Stories is a registered non-profit farm animal microsanctuary and online bookshop. We fund our rescue work through

book sales on our website www.secondhandstories.ca, and donations from commu nity members and business es. We’re currently fundrais ing to build new winterized chicken coops for them be fore the snow arrives.

What’s Next? We hope to offer a life-long sanctuary where our rescued animals can live their natural lives in peace; be free from suffering; and have fulfilled and en riched experiences while in our care. In the coming years we hope to open our sanc tuary doors to turkeys, pigs, goats and other small farm

animals who need a home.

Author Bio: Liz Wheeler is the founder of Secondhand Stories. Liz holds certifica tions in Animal Welfare from Thompson Rivers Universi ty and Anthrozoology at the University of Windsor. She is the Philanthropy Officer at Faunalytics and is a passion ate animal advocate who is dedicated to improving the lives of animals in our com munity. Liz can be contacted at liz@secondhandstories.ca

Craig, Liz & Peggy. Photo credit: Amber Beasley of Sage & Seed Photography

Liz, Rolo & Hershey. Photo credit: Amber Beasley of Sage & Seed Photography

Sophie with books. Photo credit: Liz Wheeler

Carleton Place Youth Centre open house

Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca

At the Carleton Place Youth Centre’s open house on September 30, the ribbon was cut to of ficially open the all new commercial-sized and equipped kitchen. The

centre’s popular Kidz in the Kitchen program continues to see an in crease in demand.

A surprise donation of $18,562 came from Jackson Homes, one of the centre’s generous supporters.

Lanark North Leeds SuperWalk sets attendance and fundraising record

Perth - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca

On Saturday, Septem ber 10, more than 200 people gathered at Con lon Farm in Perth for the annual Parkinson Can ada SuperWalk. It was the first in-person event since 2019 and the most successful since the first walk in 2017.

“It was quite a day and an incredible result,” said Co-Chair and local Par kinson’s advocate Pat Ev ans. “We watched the in creasing numbers online but did not anticipate that

so many people would come to walk or finan cially support the Super Walk in such a big way.”

At last report, the to tal raised was reaching $85,000. Evans and CoChair Gayle Truman hope this number will continue to grow, as do nations can be made until the end of September.

While Evans believes that the result reflects the connectedness of the town and villages throughout the area and the desire to help their neighbours and friends, she also worries that it is an indication

that predictions of a dou bling of the population of people with Parkinson’s in Canada by 2031 or so, are coming true. Accord ing to these predictions, 30 people should be di agnosed with Parkinson’s every day. However, in many parts of Canada, including Lanark Leeds and Grenville, getting a diagnosis can take up to 2 years or even more.

“We have a crisis looming on the horizon,” Evans says, “Covid has already left health care in a weakened state. If peo ple don’t get a timely di

agnosis so that they can get the help they need, it will only lead to higher costs of care, a reduced quality of life or even worse, premature death. We need to find new and creative ways to diagnose and treat Parkinson’s. It is possible. The support is out there and we have witnessed it firsthand.”

Donations to the La nark North Leeds Super Walk are welcome and can be made online at http://donate.parkinson. ca/Lanark-NorthLeeds or call 1 (800) 565-3000 and ask for SuperWalk.

The greatest charity of all is to give someone a job and there’s a mil lion of them out there.

According to Statistics Canada there are 997,000 vacant positions in the second quarter of this year, the highest quarter ly number on record.

The working class ar en’t working but why? The working class per form essential work. They work in restaurants, cook, serve our food, clean, work as cashiers, take care of the sick and the elderly. We deval ue the working class yet who will build your house or fix your steps or mow your lawn or deliv er your food or look after you when you’re old?

Every trade is desper ate to hire workers, but nobody seems to want the job. Parents under stand that getting into the trades is the way to go but good luck con vincing our kids of that. They look down on their hard-working parents. They want the highest pay possible for the least amount of work. Kids lis ten to social media influ encers and are looking for get rich quick schemes. Who hasn’t fallen for that at least once? My Father’s words are true, “if it sounds too good to

Carrie Wynne

Am I the only one? opinion: the unemployed

be true it is.”

Working class people have low value today and the kids are picking up on this messaging from the time they reach grade 9. Am I the only one that thinks the education system in Ontario has dropped the ball and that this blatant lack of fore thought has left some kids behind? Students are led to believe that post-sec ondary education is the only route to prosperity, and we devalue those kids who are more hands-on. By Grade 10, students start receiving glossy brochures from universities gleaming the amenities and show ing happy smiling faces and the financial institu tions incentivizing you to take out loans to pay for it all. The post-secondary institutions thrive because it is a multi-faceted mon ey-making profit machine.

Some say mass immi gration is the answer but that comes at a cost too. Every city is dealing with a housing shortage and an under resourced health care system. Also check out Sweden, where comeone-come-all immigra tion policies have landed them. It’s a nightmare.

The value of work ethic in the previous genera tion was hard work pays off for those who work hard. It was taught in the home and unfortunately our schools have messed it all up by pushing their agenda that all must at tend university or else.

The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not neces sarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ man agement, staff or writers.

Dena Comely board chair, Caroline Castrucci of Laurysen Kitchens, Josh Jackson of Jackson Homes, MPP John Jordan, Carleton Place Mayor Doug Black, and Youth Centre Executive Director Gail Logan. Photo credit: Brian Turner

Pictured is Josh Jackson presenting a cheque to the youth centre for $18,562. Photo credit: Brian Turner

Parkinson

Photo

Kathy Botham

Food & Drink

Let's Eat Hydes Smokehouse and Bar:

Brian Turner

meat done to perfection and so much more

but have it well cooked in and come with a side of a mouth-watering BBQ sauce so you can have it as messy as you like.

Beer, Wine and Spirits

perth brewery

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

Disclaimer: I’m a big fan of traditional smokehouse BBQ and was de lighted to find a true gem of this cuisine right in the heart of Kemptville in the form of Hydes Smoke house and Bar at 15 Clothier St E. It opened in November of last year and locals along with vis itors haven’t given its staff much of a break from the action ever since. Owner Ruby Melowsky wasn’t nervous about taking her restaurant experience and putting it to the test in the middle of a pan demic, and the steady stream of hungry diners I witnessed coming in at 5 pm on a recent Tuesday afternoon lends proof to her confidence.

The restaurant has been completely refur bished from its previous occupants but maintains a heritage nature with

its high tin ceilings and dark wood trim. There’s a great outdoor patio to the rear next to the star of the show; a huge black smoker which gives up the absolute best in terms of flavor and texture of everything from chicken to pork to beef. It’s very easy to go overboard with spice rubs and smoke but that certainly isn’t the case with Hydes. I tried a sam pler platter of 3 meats and 2 sides which was more than enough for two. The pulled pork, brisket, and ribs were done to perfec tion with just the right amount of dark bark from the low and slow smoking process. The house-made rubs and sauces compli mented the meat beau tifully, making it hard to put down each piece before it was complete ly devoured. The meats aren’t dripping in sauce

Hydes started out by sourcing as much as pos sible from local producers and that hasn’t changed a bit. Ruby is proud of the quality of each order and the meats are trimmed to provide the best flavor from the smoking process. Their menu contains some treasures not always found at smoke-houses such as rib tips, smoke-house nachos, and the Texas Twinkle: ja lapeno peppers stuffed with brisket and cream cheese. For special tastes, Hydes offers vegetarian burgers, a Cajun tofu dish and all of their meat dishes are glu ten-free. They have gener ous sized house and Caesar salads. And yes they have corn bread!

The well-stocked bar has Hydes’ takes on some favourite southern cock tails such as a blueberry mint gin fizz and a smokehouse Caesar. But with great smoked meat, craft beers are the way to go and you won’t be disappointed with their selection.

Hydes Smoke-House and Bar is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 pm to 10 pm and till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. You can reach them by phone at 613777-6613 and can check out their mouth-watering delights and order takeout online at hydesmoke house.com. There’s onstreet and private parking and an accessible rear en trance. I’d recommend us ing the parking lot because the aroma coming out of the rear-yard smoker will whet your appetite.

I last wrote about Perth Brewery a couple of years ago and I figured that it was time to do an update and see what’s new. What a surprise! In addition to the original brews I tasted and enjoyed, they have an impressive line-up of brews including gluten-free, radlers, sours, and seasonals. So from the long list of brews on their website, and excluding the ones they have had for quite awhile, here are my picks for your review and enjoyment.

PLAY - The clean, crisp flavour of craft Non-alco holic Lager is 0.1%abv and only 45 calories. This Pil sner is 28 IBUs and $17.00 / 6-pack. First, it starts with 28 days of cold fermenta tion, then it is filtered and the alcohol is evaporated, cooled and then bottled. Try this craft version against any non-alcoholic brews you have had before to see the difference. Personally, the only other one I truly enjoyed is Heineken Zero which has a nice head, aro ma and taste of a real beer.

EURO – This old coun try style craft Pilsner us ing Saaz hops is $19.80 / 6-pack and comes in at 28 IBUs, 4.9%abv.

O’CANADA MAPLE - This collaboration with Temple's Sugar Bush is proudly brewed in the heart of Ontario’s maple syrup region in Lanark County. It is an Ale, $20.10 / 6-pack coming in at 20 IBUs and 4.9%abv.

RAZMATAZ - Pucker up for this Seasonal Sour beer coming in at 4.5%abv

and $23.70 / 6-pack. This raspberry Sour Beer has a balance of tart and fruity sweetness that will get you feeling groovy. Try this with dark chocolate for a taste sensation! It has light malt using sour yeast. Their most expensive beer to make, it will be gone in December.

BEACH ME UP SCOT

TY – This dry hopped style Seasonal Ale comes in at 4.6%abv and $20.70 / 6-pack. Dry hopping means the hops are added at the end of fermentation giving the beer flavor and aromat ics without bitterness.

PUNKIN’ SPICE – For Halloween, as Jeremy says, “Don’t be intimidated by Punk’In’s rebellious atti tude. He’s pumpkin, all spice and everything nice!” This is a Wet Hopped Pale Seasonal Ale at 5%abv and $20.70 / 6-pack. Get it now as it will be gone soon!

MANY HANDS HAR VEST - Many volunteer their help to grow and harvest this wet hopped pale ale, using Cascade hops picked the day they are added to the fermen ter, giving the beer an aromatic green vegetal quality. Lupulin is a nat urally occurring yellow powder on fresh hops that contains many of the hop acids and essen tial oils that make beer so delicious. In fact, when brewers add hops to their beer, it’s largely with the intention of extracting these very acids and oils. Perth Brewery is the only local craft brewery do

ing wet hopping, and it is only in the Fall at har vest that wet hopped beer is brewed annually in collaboration with local Arklow hop farm to sup port the Perth & District Community Foundation, farm to kettle to commu nity. This Seasonal Pale Ale comes in at 4.7%abv and $23.00 / 6-pack.

PISTACHI-HO-HO – ’Tis the happy ho-ho season. Get in the spirit and spread the cheer with this all natural pistachio and vanilla infused Sea sonal Dark Lager Stout coming in at 5% ABV, and $21.00 / 6-pack. Sold out now but coming back in late November through Christmas.

MOCHA STOUT – This is a wonderful ly indulgent experience. Smooth espresso brewed from locally roasted fair trade organic beans, nat ural chocolate and pure Madagascar vanilla come together into this mid night Dark Stout coming in at 42 IBUs, 5.5%abv and $21.00 / 6-pack.

Your host and owner at Perth Brewery is usually there, Jeremy Steeves. Lo cated in Perth on Hwy 7 just west of the junction of Hwy 7 and Hwy 15. There are many more beers to try than those featured today, so get out there and sup port your local brewery, open 7 days a week! They even have beer kegs you can get for larger party events.

Contact: 613-264-1087, www.perthbrewery.ca

Jeremy Steeves. Photo credit: Brian Preston.

Photo courtesy of Hydes Smoke-House.

Photo courtesy of Hydes Smoke-House.

by Ted Outerbridge

ted@tedouterbridge.com

Ambrose Halladay moved into the Keyhole House in Smiths Falls with his wife and three children in 1945. His son, Ace, remembers eating a freshly baked bun while sitting on the porch that same year. “A light rain was falling, the aroma of freshly baked bread waft ed through the house, and I felt like I was on top of the world,” Ace mused, then added “my moth er was a great cook.” Ace shared more fond memo ries from his life as a nineyear-old at the Keyhole House including the spec tacular staircase in the front hall and neighbors

Geraldine and Levi Clark. They lived next door at 180 Brockville Street and were friends of the family. Levi had moved to Smiths Falls from Ottawa in 1921 to assist his brother Harry, who was the own er of Clark’s Dairy. The business was located at the corner of River and Elm Streets and supplied milk to over eight hun dred families. The butter plant was so successful that surplus butter was shipped to Montreal. A voters list tells us that in 1945 Ace was living at 182 Brockville Street with his parents, Gertrude and Ambrose Halladay, his siblings, and his grand mother, Margaret Ann (Gillen) Jones. Mrs. J. T. Hall and her daughter had recently arrived from Toronto and were room ing in the front bedroom on the second floor. The house was rented from William Lorimer, a re tired grocer in Brockville.

Ambrose Edmund Hal

laday (1895-1976) was born to Edmund Am brose and Sarah Jane (Swayne) Halladay on March 2, 1895, in Smiths Falls. He was the younger brother of Beatrice Mar garet (Halladay) Graham (1894-1972) and the elder brother of Hiram (19051981). When he was con scripted into the Second Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1918, he was a lean, twenty-three-year-old, brown-haired, blue-eyed farmer. Many farmers did not agree with be ing forced to enroll into WWI and sought agri cultural exemptions. The Borden government was anxious for farmers’ votes and agreed to some ex emptions. Following the election, they broke their promise. New federal and provincial political par ties were born as a result. Ambrose’s attestation pa per is dated June 1918, however his medical was not until January 1919 when he was demobilized.

Gertrude Mildred Jones (1900-1959) was born to Thomas and Marga ret Ann (Gillen) Jones on September 20, 1900, in Smiths Falls. She had six siblings, Frankie, Eva

(Jones) Wilson, Mary (Jones) McCreary, Harry, Ted, and Eldon. She was a graduate of the Ottawa Normal School and was a twenty-six-year-old teach er when she married Am brose, a thirty-two-yearold farmer, on August 27, 1927. The Ottawa Journal wrote: “The bride looked lovely in a dress of white flat crepe and wore a veil, the fold caught with orange blossoms, and carried a bouquet of sunset roses.” They had three children all born seven years apart, Edmund Ambrose (19282019), Asahel “Ace” (1936), and Winnifred.

Ambrose Halladay served as Reeve of the Township of Montague from 1931-1938 and was elected Warden of Lanark County in 1935. Framed photographs of Ambrose grace the walls of the Township of Montague Office, and the Lanark County Administration Building in Perth, as a trib ute to his service. In 1935 Ambrose rented a store front at 22 Market Street in Smiths Falls where he made the transition from

farmer to merchant and operated a grocery store. His phone number was 232 w. An advertisement in the 1938 Record News documents Ambrose sell ing plum jam for twen ty-three-cents a jar. This building would later be come home to Standard Printing. Ace remembers living in the second-floor apartment above the gro cery store, which was across the street from Purity Dairies, and a few doors down from Kelly’s Meat Market. He also re members a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the store around which lo cal farmers would gather and spend time chew ing and spitting tobacco.

“Sometimes they would stay rather late,” he added.

The Halladays relocated to the Keyhole House in 1945 and Ambrose rein vented himself again. He found employment with the Frost & Wood compa ny as a technician testing farm equipment. A year later the family moved to Queen Street near the Hershey chocolate facto ry where Ambrose and Gertrude would live for many years. Clark’s Dairy had relocated and was now just down the street, co-owned by Ambrose’s brother Hiram, and broth er-in-law, Gordon Gra ham. Gertrude and Am brose attended St John the Evangelist Anglican Church. Gertrude died on July 12, 1959, at the young age of 58. Ambrose was living with his brother Hi ram on Kilmarnock Road in Rosedale when he died at home, at the age of 81, on May 24, 1976. They are buried at Maple Vale

Cemetery in Smiths Falls.

Their eldest son, Ed mund, married Audrey Doreen Hall in 1953. Ed was an entrepreneur and home builder who devel oped the Pines, a small subdivision outside of Smiths Falls. Their young est daughter Winnifred worked for Ambrose’s friend, J. C. (Bert) Cam eron who owned a car dealership on Main Street.

Bert “got stuck” with a horse during a trade-in 1938. This launched his career as an influential leader in Canadian har ness racing. His celebri ty racehorses were raised at a 500-acre farm near Smiths Falls and included Ezra Blue, Slagle Hanover, and Ezra Dean, the first Canadian-bred to reach the $100,000 mark in winnings. Together Bert’s horses raced at over 75 tracks across North Amer ica. Winnifred would later marry William Diebold and move to Dorchester.

Following a stint working with the Canadian Pacific Railway, Ace would be come the longest serving police chief in Ontario and possibly Canada. Blue Line, Canada’s National Law Enforcement Mag azine refers to Ace as “A champion of community policing… highly regard ed by his peers and by the public.” He lives in Perth with his wife, Dale.

Ted & Marion Outerbridge are currently restoring a Smiths Falls heritage home built in 1893. They are also being swept away by local history & mys tery. You can follow them at on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok @thekeyholehouse or email ted@tedouterbridge.com.