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Vol. 8
No. 7
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE
JULY 2021
More songs to come from Ellis Craig Perth - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca If he’d known at 14 his second career was going to be as a songwriter, he might not have stopped writing. But sometimes fate is fickle, and as fate would have it for Ellis Pringle Craig, his writing career began seven decades later. He turned 85 in January, and is a bit of a star on the internet and YouTube. As he’s finding out, all the events he stored in his memory over the years are at his fingertips now when he needs them — John McCrae’s poppies, Lord Stanley’s Cup and Terry Fox on the run. Craig wrote We Are Canadian!, an internet phenomenon attracting over 138,300 hits so far with more each hour. His wish, desire, hope is that it be performed on Parliament Hill on Canada Day — maybe not this one… but one soon. “Dream big, or go home,” he grins. “I’m waiting for that magic phone call from some wellknown singer.”
His creativity is a bit of a puzzle to him. “I never knew I had a creative side. I regret not recognizing this back at 14. If I’d known then, and continued, I might have been another Leonard Cohen, or even Canada’s poet laureate!” Over the years he admits he’s written a bit of poetry. June, his wife of 57 years, remembers he wrote verses to her when they were going together but won’t tell him where she’s kept them all these decades. And he got paid for his first poetry attempts, writing for The Canadian Boy, a United Church magazine. For first prize they paid $1 and Craig says he remembers cashing four or five one dollar cheques — “big money in those days!” His goal today is not to get paid, however, but to leave a legacy — “something other than 35 years in the RCMP.” Alongside We Are Canadian! he’s written two other songs — Known Just to God and Me, and The Ever Dwindling Few, as well as a truly Canadian version of his first hit —
We Are Canadian, eh! And, he adds, with a glint in his blue eyes and a chuckle, he knows of a band of “four elderly gentlemen” who have it on their back burner to play it as soon as Covid restrictions are lessened — the Grateful We’re Not Dead band. He says it’s a “humorous” version. So what makes him write? He's not sure but says straight-faced there’s a little voice, who, one day out of the blue, asked why he didn’t write a song about Canada, similar to the I Am Australian song. “I said…Little voice, there’s one problem here. I’ve never written a song in my life!” He says he doesn’t often hear the voice, in fact, has only heard it once. But the voice continued: “If you don’t do it, will somebody else?” “I’d had a couple of glasses of wine and, on a whim, started writing lyrics. Over two or three evenings I put the words together and then took them to June. She thought they were ‘pretty good!’” That was the begin-
ning. Craig wrote it, Carey Blackwell composed the music and sang the original; eventually Alan Sandeman came on board, sang the current version as well as Craig’s later two songs. Craig says he’s got some more songs he’s thinking about, but these are “hurtin’ songs,” more in the Gordon Lightfoot style. Diversity is important to Craig. He wrote about it in his Canada song — “We all live on this blessed soil that to death we will defend. Diversified yet unified — we are Canadian!” He adds there are three themes — diversity, unity and individual pride in being Canadian. “Diversity makes us stronger, not weaker,” he says, adding people who immigrate to Canada bring talent and contribute immensely. The one thing Craig says he really needs right now is a webmaster who could work with him and keep the site up and going. He or she could be “an old, retired computer person
Ellis Craig sits out back at his daughter’s home reminiscing about writing We Are Canadian! Photo credit: Sally Smith
or a young, college level student who might do it for a course credit. “I need someone able to get copyright permission so I can stay out of jail,” he
says, another grin. Canada Day is this month. Go to https://canadiansatarms.ca/we-are-canadian/ to hear and sing along to Craig’s song.
Canada @Olympics!! So proud of you Bails!!” This will be the second Olympic games for Henderson, who represented Canada at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil 2016. In March of 2020, Canada announced they were withdrawing their teams from participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This was a crushing blow to many who had trained and devoted themselves to preparing for the apex of world competition. Swimmer Andison described her disappointment: “fighting for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team is something
I have been dreaming about since I was a little girl. The difficulty of watching that chance quickly be taken away is indescribable.” At the same time, however, she felt that it was the right decision. “Though I am sad about Canada’s decision to withdraw from the 2020 Olympic Games I understand and stand with this choice as this has become about much more than sports. As a Canadian, I feel proud that my country is on the forefront of this movement and hope that this urges other countries to do the same.” It did. Continues on page 2
Two Smiths Falls women heading to Tokyo Olympics Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca
Henderson (left) and Andison (right) in front of Chimo Elementary School more than ten years ago. Photo credit: Chimo Elementary Facebook page
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Smiths Falls' own Bailey Andison and Brooke Henderson are heading to the Tokyo Olympics. The two local women have been friends since their childhood days when they were both students at Chimo Elementary School. Golfer Brooke Henderson recently posted two old photos of the girls together on Instagram celebrating Andison’s success at the Olympic trials, writing “Super excited that my childhood bestie and I both have qualified to represent Team
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Resorts and lodges were a huge summertime draw for tourists, such as Nordlaw Lodge on Bob’s Lake, shown here. Photo credit: villageofwestport.ca
Two Smiths FallsBakery women heading to Tokyo Olympics
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Fresh Falls DeliMayor Shawn Pankow Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle congratulated Andison on roduceeditorial@pdgmedia.ca Salad Bar making the team. He point-
Fresh ed Fish out what an astonishing year this has already been Butcher’s Counter h Flowers As other countries followed for Andison: “three personal Continued from page 1
suit, the 2020 Summer Olympics were delayed for a year and will now be held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 to August 8, 2021. Andison, 23, grew up in Smiths Falls and enjoyed swimming as a member of the Perth Stingrays swimming club. She started swimming competitively at the age of 10 and has been winning medals since she was 12 years old. In 2019, Andison was part of Team Canada in the PanAm games in Lima, Peru. There she won bronze in the 200 metre individual medley (IM). In August 2020, Andison was added to the Smiths Falls Wall of Fame, and last week was awarded the Brooke and Brittany Henderson Award for Youth. During the Olympic trials in Toronto June 21 and 23, Andison won 3rd place in the 400 metre IM with a speed of 4:38.66. In a Facebook post, Smiths
bests so far in 2021 - in the 200-metre breaststroke on May 26, the 400-metre medley on March 26 and with her amazing performance in the 200-metre medley on March 28 where she finished just 1.38 seconds off the Canadian record, standing as the second fastest time ever recorded by a Canadian woman in that event!” Brooke Henderson is currently the seventh ranked golfer in the world, and a 10time LPGA winner. She first began playing golf as a little Smiths Falls girl who wanted to keep up with her Dad and sister on the green. She holds the record for most golf wins by a Canadian. Henderson is also the youngest player to win a professional golf event, winning a Canadian Women’s Tour in 2012 when she was just 14 years old. Congratulations, Brooke and Bailey! We are wildly proud of you both and will be cheering you on.
Andison standing with her photo in Boston Pizza in Smiths Falls. Photo credit: Boston Pizza Smiths Falls Facebook page.
Henderson signing her photo at Boston Pizza in Smiths Falls (2019). Photo credit: Boston Pizza Smiths Falls Facebook page.
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July 2021
community Warden Lowry making her mark Regional - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca Having the job of being mayor of a growing community like Mississippi Mills is daunting and time-consuming enough, but taking on the additional duties of county warden (head of county council) can make one wonder how any one person can find
the time to handle all the various duties and files that come with wearing two heavy chains of office. Hometown News sat down with Mississippi Mills Mayor and Lanark County Warden Christa Lowry recently to see how she is coping with these occupations, especially during a public health pandemic.
Christa grew up on a dairy farm, just outside of Almonte and left this area for work and to attend university where she obtained a double masters degree in music (she plays trumpet). She moved back about 10 years ago and, after sitting in on a few town council meetings, found there was no one at the table quite
Shopping local in Smiths Falls
Councillor Niki Dwyer stands in front of Pearl's Gem. Photo credit: Experience Smiths Falls facebook page.
Smiths Falls - Catherine Poag editorial@pdgmedia.ca We’re back for another shop local day where I give you all the shops to find what you’re looking for (and what you’re not looking for)! We have all missed shopping during this pandemic, and all our local shops have surely missed us; with the lockdown coming to a close and shops reopening, it is the perfect time to tell you all the wonderful shops that Smiths Falls has to offer. First, let’s start with our specialty shops. These cute shops are filled to the brim with those perfect gifts, and all the cute things you NEED to have! Starting with Pretty Things on Russell, The Arts Hub, and Pearl’s Gem where you will find basically every-
thing you could ever want/ need. Next moving over to Special Greetings, Global Culture Trading Post, and Ilan Treasures, where you will find the best gifts for all the hard to buy for people in your life! Do not forget to check out Tayboo Boutique, where you can pick up the cutest things for kids, young and old! Next, let me help you buy a new wardrobe. First in dresses, we have Marrianne Style, where you will find the perfect dress for that special occasion. Next over to Michele’s Doorway to Splendor, and Beautiful Full Figure Boutique where you will find anything from jeans to dress wear! Need new shoes to go with your new outfits? Head down to Smiths Shoes to find the
perfect pair of new shoes. Are you getting tired of how your room is decorated? I know I was before I checked out Elizabeth Interiors, Willow & Co, and Pearl’s Gem. In these places you will be able to pick up anything from paintings, to paint, to vases! Is vintage more your style? Smiths Falls has all the vintage and antique you could ask for. Wanting some new-to-you clothes? Check out Jewel’s Gently Used Clothing, The Score, Dawn’s Closet, The Salvation Army, and Thrifty’s. Looking for some vintage toys from back in the good old days? Check out Toy Heaven. Maybe furniture and knick knacks is more your style? Don’t worry we have that too, check out The Real Deal, Gallery 15, and Bernie’s Nearly New Shoppe. Before you head home, head over to Gemmel’s Flowers and pick up a beautiful bouquet of dried flowers, they are all the rage, and you can’t kill them if you have a not so green thumb like myself. Now that we have finished our shopping, we’re ready to head over to Arlie’s Books to grab a new novel and put our feet up and relax! It is time to put your shopping shoes on and hit the town of Smiths Falls! Next month, this local shopper heads over to Almonte, to see what kind of stores they have there and to do some more shopping local.
like her, so she decided to run in the 2014 election for a councilor seat which she won handily. In 2018, she set her sights on becoming mayor with another successful outcome. Last fall she was chosen as Lanark County Warden by her fellow county councilors. She told Hometown News she’d always rather do than sit on the sidelines and complain. Over her time in municipal politics she’s found that her formal post-education studies provided some relevant assets as they both demanded a good handle on time management and a strong dedication to sticking with an issue to its completion regardless of distractions. In the County, Christa noted that 3 files were attracting the most attention; affordable housing/ homelessness, cell/internet service, and climate/environment issues. The County’s community services committee held 3 special meetings this spring to discuss housing concerns and decided to hire an outside consultant to review current affordable and attainable housing needs and the county’s 10-year plan (which was recently re-endorsed by county council). They also approved setting up a working group to make recommendations into the 2022 budget process on how to leverage partnerships and opportunities in the County’s housing plan. In an unprecedented move, Council opted not to have any elected officials sitting on that committee. As Christa explained, “we realized that we, as members of council, didn’t necessarily have the expertise required but fortunately in Lanark there is a wealth of organizations that can help us move forward to make the biggest impact with our housing dollars and assist the most people we can.” Cell and internet acces-
Lanark Warden Christa Lowry. Photo credit: Submitted.
sibility has been a major problem for a substantial number of Lanark residents for years and Christa, along with just about every other municipal leader, is very pleased that a contract has finally been inked with Rogers Communication to improve things. The Eastern Ontario Regional Network announced earlier this year that a $300M project has been approved with Rogers kicking in half of the total, the remainder is being covered by the federal government and the province and affected municipalities, with the latter only having to pony up $10M. Christa notes that Lanark residents should see marked improvement as early as the end of this year with the total project expected to be completed by 2025. Climate change and environmental issues are at the forefront in Lanark as they are in most upper and lower tier governments. Christa was proud to talk about the recent launch of Lanark’s ban on single-use plastics and how it will benefit our environment. She reminded
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us about related federal legislation due at the end of this year and that Lanark will be looking for voluntary compliance in their ban. The County is using the ban as a tool to provide awareness of the federal ban and continue to provide public education along with support for small businesses as we all are weaned off these toxic products. In a short time in office, Christa has made her mark in leading a diverse group of elected representatives to help form solid consensus on a number of difficult issues. Her style is one of inclusivity and setting positive examples which seems to be working well both in Mississippi Mills and around the county council table. And just in case her two main jobs weren’t enough of a challenge for her, she is also on the board of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, Mill of Kintail Museum Special Advisory Committee, Mississippi River Power Corporation, Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus, the Rural Ontario Municipal Association and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
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July 2021
community
Carleton Place tenant sounding the alarm on exorbitant rent increases Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca A local single mom is raising the alarm on residential rent increases and is puzzled by the lack of government control on these inevitable living expenses. Michelle Hart is also a small business owner who just over a year ago signed a lease for a 3-bedroom apartment at 17 Moore Street with Jackson Homes in Carleton Place and recently received notice from her landlord that her rent would be increased from $1700 per month plus utilities to $2100 just after 12 months of tenancy. She told Hometown News that she did some research and discovered any new units built and first occupied after Nov 15th 2018 are exempt from rent control. She said she’d spoken to other landlords in the area who themselves are unaware of this rule. When she contacted the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board, they told her they could do this, but when she mentioned the Ontario government’s pandemic-related rent freeze, instituted last year, they agreed with her that the landlord wasn’t exempt from the freeze and couldn’t put it up by even a penny until Jan 2022. So ironically Covid-19 gave
her some ‘breathing’ space. She believes there should be more to protect tenants and people against this sort of greed especially during these uncertain times. She reported that similar units in her building are now being advertised at $2800 per month and when she pressed her landlord for a reason, she was told the market has changed. The Ontario government recently released its rent increase guidelines for 2022 (for units that do qualify for rent control) and pegged that number at 1.2%. No increases were permitted in 2021. The current freeze is set to end on Dec 31 2021 and landlords are permitted to give 90-days notice of any price bump by the end of September. Stakeholder groups such as the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) call these uncontrolled increases ‘economic eviction’ because they can be used by landlords to oust complaining renters or to raise rents beyond Ontario’s guidelines without having to go through normal channels. Hart told us, “We are all struggling financially and emotionally during this pandemic and surely this should not be allowed to happen especially during these uncertain times. I just don’t understand after
struggling to find accommodation, only a year later I have to move out because of them increasing the rent ultimately by 65% (based on her report of $2800 per month rent). Other tenants are panicking because there is nowhere else and in a few months we will be literally on the streets after being served notice of the rent increase once the freeze has expired to only be in the same situation in another 12 months with the rental laws.” In addition to this stress Hart is also trying to cope with her daughter’s medical issues which recently required surgery along with the temporary closure of her nail and pedicure business due to pandemic restrictions. She also reported that her business landlord has been more than helpful to her during this period and is eager to see her back in action when public health rules permit. Hometown News connected with Hart’s landlord, Josh Jackson, and he replied with this detailed statement. “Our goal from the very start was to provide affordable rentals. I would like to start by saying this is the first building we built of this magnitude and first time becoming a landlord. We started advertising our prices which were over $1400 per
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month cheaper than about 4 other new rental buildings in town and I thought we could accomplish this and still make a profit based on quotes we received originally; unfortunately this was not the case. We started advertising our units in August of 2019 and signed leases in September although the building wasn't complete until November after many issues with supplies to get our occupancies from the town. Therefore we made the prices for rent based on budgets and quotes and those are incredibly hard especially when the buildings are not complete and surprise costs come up all the time. We didn't stop getting actual bills until January of 2020 then we still had to finish all the exterior landscaping work in June 2020 which was much higher than we were quoted as was everything else as people only hold quotes for 30 or 60 days. The budget came in way over and the rent prices were much too cheap to begin with. Based on the new building comparables for rent in town I can now understand why their prices were as high as they were or they could never make a profit. As of now I'm losing money on my brand new building because of this and I'm trying to get my prices up somewhere near market value to pull a profit and doing everything by all the standards of the Ontario government and all renting and landlord acts. I'm assuming this is why they have this law in effect about rent increases so that com-
panies don't go out of business while renters pay rent that is under market value. As was mentioned, the renter in this case was informed on Oct 2 2020 that the prices would be going up and nothing has gone up on any unit and will not until the start of 2022. That's a year and 3 months notice of the rent increase and has given people that much time to find something more affordable for themselves elsewhere. Hopefully they can find some peace in the fact they have underpaid for a high end unit in town for over 2 years. I am also starting another 24-unit building which I will only get approved for from the bank if I show a profit on my previous building so you can see how they are connected as well. If we cannot go ahead with the new building then we are out a massive portion of work and I have 30 employees and over 40 sub-trades who rely on the work I provide to support themselves and their families. As far as why the prices of rent are so high it's solely based on cost. These costs stem from the amount of red tape we have to go through as builders. For example I am over 5 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in on the 24-unit and still do not have a finalized set of plans to submit for building permit and that is because of the countless hoops we have had to jump through. Also all buildings can’t be just plain boxes with siding to make them cheaper. They have to be intricate with high end exterior finishes and
designs as you notice on all new buildings in town and that’s because that is what is required to have a building design acceptable to build in town. The market for material has increased substantially over the past few years and has also made things very tough to produce what people call affordable rentals. Also land has been very expensive and very risky to buy as we have no idea what or how many units we will have approved. We do our best to provide affordable pricing but there is much more going on behind the scenes that nobody sees or understands and every year it gets harder and harder to provide low pricing as rules, regulations and pricing costs rise dramatically. I really do feel for anyone having to find somewhere new to live due to pricing but I have to also look out for the many families who rely on my company to stay profitable and keep work ahead. Everything we do is always at or better than any legal standard or requirement as in the case herein. As well, insurance, taxes and all overall costs have risen over 30 percent in the last 2 years because costs to rebuild have increased dramatically. Hopefully this is understandable and reasonable to most as I am doing the best I can as a hometown guy who has provided affordable housing for years and supports our community in any way possible and will continue to do so.”
opinion: Am I the only one? Carrie Wynne
progressivism
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Progressivism claims to be a movement that aims to represent the interests of ordinary people. I’m not so sure about that. We are living in an era with more fences and security, more protests, and clashes. The media separates us into different camps. The working class versus elites, left versus right, black versus white. It’s a profitable strategy to have us pitted against each other where we hate and blame each other for things the ‘ordinary’ person has not participated in like systemic racism, indigenous residential schools, or islamophobia. If you disagree with the mainstream narrative, you’re a bigot. If you call it out, you’re a racist. They shut down voices of reason
that are contrary to what they subscribe to. Where is the open-mindedness and tolerance in that? These virtue signallers have a hidden agenda. To prop up “group think” and clusters of mobs like Black Lives Matter and the LBGTQ communities to sell discourse and create division. They like to embroil us in bitter disputes because bad news sells. The demoralization of society is the way forward for them. We are puppets in a play called money and power. We hate and blame each other while leaving the people who got wildly rich off the pandemic alone. The censorship by Facebook and Twitter of the Wuhan Lab leak theory is one example of how the corporate elite are onboard with the liberal media. Now that Trump is out of the way it’s okay to discuss this very real and likely possibility. Of course, the school boards have jumped on the bandwagon too. The To-
ronto District School board is investigating the names of 583 schools and parks for its racist legacy in an initiative called, ‘Renaming schools and celebrating the diversity of Toronto’. That should go very well for the media and keep the school boards busy for a while. God knows they have time on their hands. If you really look at it, all this distracts from the real work that needs to be done which is to fix homelessness and poverty, tax the rich and shrink the government. They fall over each other to solve problems and hire committees for everything that comes up. Efficiency should be a top priority and stay out of the ‘woke’ business. I would love to see a politician with the chops to change that. Am I the only one? 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.
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community
End-of-season plants go to community gardens Regional - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca At 23, she’s been driving a truck for four years. Not just any truck. This truck (and driver) delivers plants (mostly veggies and herbs) to stores, and at the end of the season picks up the still-viable ones and re-delivers them…but this time to a community garden or food bank. Karen-Amy Linton, a.k.a. trucker-girl, loves driving. She’s driven a lot of places… kind of like that Johnny Cash song I’ve Been Everywhere. Her delivery day with Fernlea Flowers starts early, in Merrickville, around
6. First job is to inspect the truck, things like noticing if nuts are loose, making sure straps are tight so the racks don’t move around, testing wires to make sure they’re secure. When the inspection is done and everything’s okay, she loads her truck with flats which she wheels out of the line-haul that arrived from Delhi where Fernlea’s located, then sets up her GPS and heads to the first store in Ottawa or Kingston to be there when they open. There are stops along the way to deliver new plants and take out dead ones. “And at the end of the season we bring back the good plants to local food banks.”
Trucker-girl Karen-Amy Linton. Photo credit: Sally Smith.
Dan Cunningham, store manager at REAL in Smiths Falls, says the plants are a real perk for his customers. Many go to the community garden and others are sold for $1. “They go like crazy.” Board member Barb Hicks agrees. Their last delivery was 200 plants, all in great shape — tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs, like basil. Some of the plants filled in available nooks and crannies in the community gardens, the rest were sold — “and they all went that first week,” Hicks says with a certain delight. “We’re very glad to have them.”
REAL supports 12 small garden plots; they’ve been available to the public since 2010. They often go to retirees or older people who don’t have space for a garden, the rent is $25 and the ‘renter-gardener’ is responsible for planting, tending, and cleaning up by the end of October. Some also go to the Heritage House community garden. As well as Smiths Falls, Linton says they’ve dropped off flats to community gardens in Kingston, Carleton Place and Kemptville. “We watch how the sales are going through the season and when they begin to slow down we contact the food banks and community gardens,” she says. The store managers know what the local demand is, so if there’s a need for cucumber plants, Linton does her best to get them there. Linton’s not new to gardening — her dad has a garden — but when April rolls around she’s on the road again. She works with Fernlea until the end of June, early July, sticks around home for awhile, finishes some school courses, picks up another trucking job. “I like trucking. I love driving, going into stores, seeing happy faces when they get plants… they’re happy to see me when I show up.” She hasn’t had many
Karen-Amy Linton (right) sits with sister Amanda in a sea of green at the Lanark County Food Bank in Carleton Place before setting off on her daily truck route delivering plants. Photo credit: Sally Smith.
scares while driving but there is one she remembers vividly. “I was on the 401, there was a truck in the other lane, veering towards the median, with debris flying into my lane coming at me. He hit the median, scraped along it and his truck went up in flames. “He got out. I pulled over on the other side. The truck was pouring black smoke, it covered the highway. A tire exploded which was the debris. When a tire goes you can’t control the truck. He didn’t hit anyone else.
“You wouldn’t recognize it as a truck anymore.” And she does remember a hilarious moment when she first started trucking. Again, it was along the 401: “There was a guy passing me in a transport truck. He was drinking water at the time. When he looked over and saw me he almost spit out his water…probably because I was 21 at the time, and a girl. “It’s not very common.” In fact, she says, it’s her favourite job so far in her just over two decades of living. “I love trucking.”
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July 2021
lifestyle Perusing the Peninsula Regional - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca Recently my family and I took a trip to Tobermory Ontario for a brief holiday and stayed at a beautiful and well-equipped cottage on Dorcas Bay, a paradise just off Lake Huron. If you haven’t experienced it yet, the Bruce Peninsula should be on your bucket list. There are many routes to get there but avoid your GPS device’s suggestions and take the less direct route by driving from this area through Peterborough, Orillia, Collingwood and Owen Sound. It may only add 30 minutes to the roughly 7-hour drive, but it’s well worth it and not just because it avoids the stress of multilane traffic through the GTA. You’ll pass through a series of small towns and villages along the way with plenty of excuses to get out and stretch your
legs while grabbing a treat or souvenir. Be prepared for some fresher weather along the way. The Bruce Peninsula has a large Great Lake on one side and the equally impressive Georgian Bay on the other. This means almost constant breezes and more temperate weather without stifling heat or pestering insects like mosquitoes. No matter what your interests, the Peninsula has something to tempt. There are national and provincial parks, and natural management areas all just off Route 6, the main two-lane highway that runs through the middle. And of course there’s the world-famous Bruce Trail with hiking routes for every level of ability and endurance. There are boat tours, kayak/canoe rentals, diving/snorkelling, spelunking, shopping, and
Tobermory Ontario. Photo credit: Brian Turner.
plenty of opportunities for birding. If you’ve forgotten any essentials for your trip, its shops will have you covered. Just down the road from our rental was Singing Sands Provincial Park with acres of sandy beaches and great trails; we visited often. You can easily walk out a kilometre in the waters of Dorcas Bay which are decidedly warmer than the depths of Lake Huron.
Tobermory, the small town at the tip of the Peninsula is renowned for its natural setting; it’s a photographer’s paradise. The majestic cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment carve their way into Tobermory along the Georgian Bay coast; they’re simply breath-taking. It also boasts the highest concentration of native orchids in North America. Take a hike along the trails, and you may be
lucky enough to spot a rare Calypso Orchid or a gorgeous showy Lady Slipper Orchid. The cliff faces in the Bruce Peninsula National Park contain some of Eastern North America's oldest living trees, the ‘cliff dwelling’ white cedar. And then, of course there’s Flowerpot Island, located 6.5 kilometres northwest of Tobermory, only accessible by boat. Several tour boat companies offer regular
service; it’s well worth a visit if time allows. Two hours is sufficient for a quick walk around the Island, but three to four hours is required if you want to see it all. If you’re thinking of visiting this year, check for fall bookings as most facilities are pretty much taken for the summer. Then, in addition to everything the Bruce Peninsula has to offer, you can enjoy spectacular fall colours.
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Willow & Co is a lifestyle boutique in beautiful downtown Smiths Falls specializing in home décor, apothecary, gift items and specially curated artwork.
We also offer the following services: Architectural Design Colour Consultations Home Staging Interior Design & Decorating Wedding & Event Planning
Sakari and Jason Munro. Photo credit: Brian Turner.
Regional - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca
S E E PA G E 1 1 F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N
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Pictured is Sakari (with local kayaker Jason Munro), her name is of Indigenous origin and means ‘sweet’ and she’s enrolled in a very special program at Ability Dogs Canada (ADC)and when she graduates, she will have a very special job. Samantha Cooper, ABCDT, CTDI, owner of Ability Dogs Canada has created a plan to train Sakari as a PTSD service dog, and place her with a local first-responder who is struggling with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cooper, who has over 20 years experience in
dog training, moved to The Ottawa Valley last year to set up an education facility and programs for service dogs after learning from personal family experience about the excruciatingly long waitlists for these invaluable resources. The ADC Community Gives Back Campaign was launched recently to seek donations to offset the approximately $18K it takes to transform a playful intelligent pup into a steady, loyal life-changing companion. Sakari will become very tuned-in to imperceptible changes in her human partner’s physiology and behaviours and will react
in seconds to provide emotional and calming support when needed. This service can mean a world of difference in the day-to-day life of a PTSD victim. It can mean moving from barely surviving to thriving. So far Ability Dogs Canada has been doing bottle drives, started a Go Fund Me campaign, and in August they will have a father/ daughter team doing a kayak marathon (60km) to help raise even more money. They’re looking for businesses to donate items for an upcoming silent auction in addition to any direct financial donations available. Cooper calls this an amazing way to give back to one of our community's hard working first-responders who struggles with PTSD. The kayak team, Jason Munro and Raina Cooper, will be enduring a very difficult kayak trek to symbolize the difficulties that a PTSD victim may go through on a daily basis. Cooper is encouraging any local first-responders suffering from PTSD to apply for an ADC Service Dog. Choosing the recipient for Sakari will be difficult but very rewarding. By applying, this could be the chance of a lifetime for one of our local heroes. Contact Ability Dogs Canada at www.abilitydogs.ca to apply. Applications are already coming in and the selection will be made in August. Those interested in making a donation can go to https://gofund.me/ 0f42accb or email ADC at info@abilitydogs.ca
July 2021
7
Food & Drink
Beer, Wine and Spirits Let's Eat Bargain Whisky Blends
The Travelling Sommelier
to be included in blends! It’s getting more difficult to find a very good single malt for under $50. Being of two-part Scottish heritage, I feel a bit swindled when I see prices escalate overall at the rate they have, and most especially when I see the price of certain single malts rise too quickly in the marketplace. One of these was my favourite 'house malt' for the last 20 years, The Balvenie Double Wood. It was $54 back then and now it seems to increase more rapidly every year or so, currently priced at $100. It is a victim of growing popularity and distillery management's fear of running out given their relatively static capacity to produce over time. So what to do if you are a lover of 'uisge na beatha' (water of life)? Turn to the really good blended scotch brands on the market. Famous Grouse Blended whisky is the largest selling brand of whisky, period, in Scotland. Blended whiskies make up around 90% of all scotch sold in the world. Blended scotch whiskies are a blend of one or more single malt scotch whiskies with one or more single grain scotch whiskies from different distilleries. Single malt is 100% barley from a single distillery, whereas single grain can be made from any or all of corn, wheat, barley, or rye, but must come from a single distillery. Here are four of my “go to” blended scotches that can hold their own against many single malts: Grant's Family Reserve Scotch Whisky, 750ml, LCBO#31112, $32.75 Great balance of vanilla and caramel flavors, with subtle peat overtones. Best bang for buck Scotch. Teacher’s Highland Cream 750ml, LCBO#4465, $28.20 Known for having more of a peaty note than most
of the old school blends, due to the peaty Highland whisky from Ardmore being a large part of the blend, this is a very rich textured whisky for a blend. It also has some citrus fruit and a long, pleasant finish. Teacher’s would fool many people into thinking it was a peaty Highland or Islay whisky. Dewars White Label 750ml, LCBO#11130, $28.20 Created in 1899, this is a classic blend. John Dewar & Sons own five single malt distilleries and thus have a lot of high quality Scotch for blending. Aberfeldy (Highlands) is well known and the largest component, but they also own Royal Brackla (Highlands), Craigellachie (Speyside), Aultmore (Speyside) and Macduff (HIghland). They also use whisky from distilleries they don’t own. The White Label is a smooth, slightly sweet and floral whisky. Famous Grouse, 750ml, LCBO# $29.95 The Macallan and Highland Park are key parts of this well balanced whisky, which has a nice trade off of fruit and woody caramel notes, due to lots of Sherry cask influence. Remember what I said about the 'big houses' selling off single malts to other distilleries to make blended scotch whisky? It’s a great everyday whisky for making Manhattans and Whisky Sours. Oh, and speaking of Macallan and Highland Park, in August 2022, I will be sampling Highland Park at the distillery in the Orkneys when I cruise Scotland and Ireland, and I look forward to sharing my tasting experiences with you in future columns, including a planned stop at Glengoyne Distillery in the Campsie Hills near Glasgow too. I will be touring the Guinness St. James' Gate Brewery in Dublin too...but this is another topic and another future column. Slange!
when single malts get too expensive
Photo credit: shop.dewars.com
As you get older, you gain a certain perspective of products and their prices as they change over time. You also get a sense when the prices are being jacked a bit too quickly, usually because of the popularity of the product which, especially in terms of single malts, means that the volume in storage drops faster than the producers want. The large houses in Scotland (and elsewhere) sell off a certain percentage to other houses who make blended scotch at usually much more affordable prices. I learned this from a master blender from one of the premier houses in Scotland whom I met on a cruise to Japan where I toured Nikka Distillery in Hokkaido, and I will not reveal his name because of this little secret that the industry doesn't want the general public to know. Have you noticed how, take Macallan or Highland Park for example, that many of their labels that used to say 10 or 12 years old no longer say that. They give them names instead to hide the fact that their age-defined status is no longer traceable, and that they must be aged for a minimum of 3 years. As their stocks have diminished in certain age-numbered vintages, they are more in control of what is running short or has been sold under contract
1 Chambers Street, Smiths Falls
Brian Preston
Brian Turner
We Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost (Kitchens)
brianpreston@hotmail.com
Ghost Kitchen is a term referring to commercial food enterprises without a traditional bricks and mortar dine-in facility, instead they operate on a delivery only basis, often out of a smaller building unit. They’re relatively new in Canada, having started to spring up five years ago in primarily large urban markets. In our small towns and rural areas they’re not well known, but an Ottawa Valley based food ordering and delivery service, Valley Eats, is doing more than their fair share to bring these innovative food and business models into the spotlight they deserve. Connor Bunn, Growth and Marketing Manager for Valley Eats told me they currently have five such offerings on their popular app, some operating in a no-seat facility and some attached to existing dining venues. He said it can give independent chefs a great foothold into a new market without the burdensome expense of a full restaurant located on an expensive urban property. The concept also offers opportunities for traditional facilities to test and expand their menus and try out different branding, and, of course, to reach new hungry clients. Connor reported that offerings on his company’s app have been extremely well received by his customer base. One of our area’s ghost kitchens is Gibson BBQ, operating out of CC’s on the Rideau at Rideau Ferry. Jason Ride is the man behind the smoker and the grill and one of the best sauces ever created for meat. First, his enterprise isn’t named for any local family name but instead a small Lanark-sized county in Tennessee; the state that inspired
sweetscoops.ca
Photo credits: Brian Turner.
Jason in the art of perfecting BBQ during his 10 year stay there. I dropped by on a recent busy Friday to pick up some take-out for the family. I was glad I had a chance to connect with Erin Van Pelt, owner of CC’s who described the challenges of pivoting business models while maintaining the high standards of product and service CC’s is known for. Keeping a solid and well-performing employee team on board throughout pandemic ups and downs was an important focus for her and the results make diners forget lock-downs ever happened. Coordinating the logistics of running two businesses simultaneously is made possible by the efforts of manager Kyana Hitchens and an enthusiastic and hardworking crew. Both Erin and Jason agree that our pandemic has created shifts in consuming and in operating both a full restaurant and a ghost kitchen out of the same location gave them great opportunities to expand their reach. Even with patio service available due to public health restrictions (at the time of publication), they told me take-out remains an important part of their business. And let’s dig in to the Gibson BBQ review! If you recognize Jason or his Gibson brand from local and regional BBQ festivals and competitions, you’ll know what to expect. His ribs and chicken are treated with a hand-rub and are slow roasted and sauced in preparation
for grill finishing. It’s not enough to just be able to create the tastes that Jason does, he had to craft a way of making them deliver his unique sweet or hot punch and falloff-the-bone goodness after it’s packaged and driven home. His Hickory smoked St. Louis side ribs were tender and every bite infused with a southern sweet sauce. I devoured his rib and chicken combo complete with cornbread, BBQ beans, slaw, and fries. My wife was lucky enough to score an order of one of CC’s featured items; blackened salmon. It was perfectly seasoned and flaky served on a fluffy bed of rice with veg. My son kept talking for days about his Nashville fried chicken sandwich with roasted garlic mayo served on a hearty potato bun. Return trips are planned. The menu is loaded with choices and their poutines are not to be missed or skipped. We had their Backyard BBQ which came mixed with a generous amount of BBQ pulledpork. Prices are reasonable ranging, from $15 to $31 to get you hearty meals and sandwich combo plates; no one goes away hungry. You can find Gibson BBQ details online at gibsonbbq. com or call them at 613-2676060.They’re located at CC’s on the Rideau at 1030 Rideau Ferry Road by the bridge. Or you can download and use your Valley Eats app to let your fingers click their way to a delicious delivery.
8
July 2021
culture Smiths Falls History & Mystery: Seize the Day by Ted Outerbridge
In 1886, the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway yards in Smiths Falls, Ontario created some incredible business opportunities. Matthew Ryan was a local carpenter who took advantage of the situation to make his fortune. He quickly branched out to become a dealer in lumber and shingles, a manufacturer of brick, a contractor, a buyer and seller of real estate, an ice dealer, a Board of Trade representative, a Smiths Falls town council-
lor, and a racetrack owner. Matthew Ryan was born on October 5, 1856, in Smiths Falls, Ontario. The 1871 census indicates that he was the youngest of seven children born to Roman Catholic parents. The family had recently emigrated from Ireland, and his parents could neither read nor write. His father Mathew, and older brother James, supported the family of nine by working as labourers. Matthew was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to school. The 1881 census indicates that Matthew was a carpenter at 24. A decade later, Matthew Ryan was documented as living with his wife, Mary Ann (Shanks) Ryan, two children, and a “domestic.” His profession was listed as carpenter and builder of
Matthew Ryan. Photo credit: Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum.
e e r F
GUIDED HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR
ted@tedouterbridge.com
homes, and he had 60 employees. Ryan did not just build brick houses—he manufactured brick. The 18845 Ontario Gazetteer and Business Directory includes a listing for Ryan & Allen and describes Matthew Ryan and Herbert Allen as “Brick Makers”. Their brickyard was on the southwest bank of the Rideau below Old Slys Rapids. Although Allen was the stone mason and bricklayer in this partnership, Ryan is the one who made the headlines. In 1929, The Rideau Record wrote “Ryan bricks really built Smiths Falls. Ryan bricks are in practically every building of this type in the town of Smiths Falls. His brickyard, it is conceded, resulted in the erection of many “fireproof ” homes and incidentally in the lowering of local insurance rates.” Matthew Ryan was a highly coveted contractor during his glory years in Smiths Falls. He frequently collaborated with the high-profile architect George Thomas Martin. Ryan’s impressive list of accomplishments includes numerous private homes, the Smiths Falls Firehall and Hose Tower, St. Francis de Sales School, Malleable Iron Works Foundry, Wood's Mill, St. Andrew's Church, Carleton Place Town Hall, modifications to Saint John the Evangelist Church and the Smiths Falls Public Market.
Matthew Ryan's house. Photo credit: Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum.
Matthew Ryan supplied ice to the Town of Smiths Falls for years. He obtained a lease and built the first icehouse at the detached lock in October 1895. He had competition a few years later, as Frances Hourigan also received a lease to build an icehouse. Mathew Ryan’s father-in-law James Shanks bought both businesses and then sold them to John E. Joynt in June, 1918. The original business consisted of a 140-foot by 30-foot
building with an addition in the centre and stables for the delivery horses. 20 to 30 labourers would harvest 5000 tons of ice from the canal each year. The ice was cut into two-foot by threefoot blocks with a hand saw, which were transported from the canal to the icehouse. In the late 1890s, Ryan converted his farm on Jasper Road into a public park. "Ryan's Park" was surrounded by woods and
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had a magnificent view of the Rideau River. It featured an impressive, half mile oval racetrack with a grandstand and was far enough out of town to allow for a discreet drink or other forms of debauchery. In 1924, "Ryan's Park" was acquired by a group of local citizens known as the Strathcona Park Association. The Association made extensive improvements and changed the name to “Strathcona Park”. At Old Home Week in 1925, the Association boasted "of having one of the best racetracks in Eastern Ontario". By the 1960s the area was commonly referred to as “Ryan’s Park” again. In the 1970s, it became a housing subdivision. A portion of the racetrack is now Colonel By Crescent. In 1888, Matthew Ryan built a magnificent house at 102 Brockville Street with a separate ornate brick carriage house on Elm Street. He lived there with his wife Mary Ann, their six children and one servant. Ryan died at the age of 73 on November 6th, 1929. The Rideau Record newspaper referred to Ryan as “… one of Smiths Falls most prominent citizens and one who was largely responsible for the modern, attractive Smiths Falls of today.” Ted Outerbridge & his wife Marion are currently restoring a Smiths Falls heritage home built by Matthew Ryan in 1893. They are also being swept away by local history & mystery. You can follow them at The Keyhole House on Instagram & Facebook. ted@tedouterbridge.com
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July 2021
culture
Outdoor live music series returning to Smiths Falls
The first Music by the Basin series in 2020 featured an eclectic lineup of acts, including the Dixieland jazz group King of the Swingers. The series returns this year with live music at Confederation Park in Smiths Falls every Friday afternoon and evening from July 30 through Sept. 3. Photo credits: Submitted.
Smiths Falls - Staff editorial@pdgmedia.ca If a couple of hours in the sunshine in scenic Centennial Park, listening to live music and enjoying some refreshments sounds like fun, you’re in for a treat. The second annual Music by the Basin series, showcasing an array of local musical talent, kicks off at the Park Friday, July 30 and continues every Friday until Sept. 3. The series hosted last summer by new business the Pickled Pig by the Basin was one of the few opportunities for Smiths Falls residents to enjoy live music during the first year of the pandemic. Music by the Basin is back in 2021 thanks to the support of the Town of Smiths Falls’ On the Roll program, the Hometown News and other local sponsors. Although the lineup of acts is still being finalized, most of the schedule is confirmed. Back for the second year in a row is singer/songwriter Ambre Mclean, who has released six albums since 2004. She is known for her live performances, versatile and distinct singing voice, cross-genre songwriting style and use of live looping technology. Also returning for the second year is Rosalyn Dennett, a fiddler, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. One of the founding mem-
bers of the acclaimed quartet Oh My Darling, Dennett has produced four award-nominated albums. The 2021 lineup also features John Wilberforce. This singer/songwriter from the Kemptville area is also a multi-instrumentalist who performs a solo acoustic show as well as serving as a member of several bands. A fixture on the local music scene who was also featured in Music by the Basin last year, guitarist and singer Tom Watson has been playing live shows since 2012 and will be back for a show at the basin Aug. 13. The Continentals are a band of local musicians who trace their classic rock roots back to the heyday of the Rideau Ferry Inn back in the early ‘60s, and will also be returning for the second year. New in this year’s lineup is The Black Cherry Band, an Ottawa-based rock cover band founded in 2004. The band has performed at many clubs, bars, fairs, festivals, special events, curling bonspiels, charity events, sporting events, Canada Day celebrations, including opening appearances for larger acts such as The Jeff Healey Band and The Five Man Electrical Band. In 2012, the Black Cherry Band released a Christmas album entitled “Christmas Comfort and Joy.” Kontrast the Band, formed
in 2011 for a charity event, consists of Kelly Sarazin and Chris Rouffer. Their repertoire features sounds both loud and mellow, ranging all the way from Peter, Paul and Mary to Adele. Their music is a blend of both old and new, country, folk and rock. Dallas Alexander, appearing Aug. 20, is a Metis country singer/songwriter originally from Alberta. He released his debut single, Pass It On, last June. Alan Wright, known as Ottawa Valley Al, is a veteran performer who has hosted weekly open mic nights in Arnprior and Renfrew. He plays a mix of country, rock and folk music. Each of the six Fridays in the series includes a performance by the acoustic duo Ian and Chris. Ian Jones and Chris Must first worked together as two members of a Beatles tribute show. When that project ended early in 2018, they continued working as a duo, expanding their repertoire to include British Invasion hits, folk rock classics, Celtic folk music and a variety of other hits of the 50s, 60s and 70s. As of press time, the lineup for Music by the Basin 2021 is as follows (an additional Friday, Sept. 10, has been added in case any of the scheduled events are cancelled due to bad weather): Friday, July 30 2-5 p.m. Ian and Chris 5-7 p.m. Ottawa Valley Al 7-10 p.m. Ambre McLean Friday, August 6 2-5 p.m. The Continentals 5-7 p.m. Ian and Chris 7-10 John Wilberforce Friday, August 13 2-5 Rosalyn Dennett 5-7 p.m. Ian and Chris 7-10 p.m. Tom Watson Friday, August 20 2-5 p.m. To be confirmed 5-7 p.m. Ian and Chris 7-10 p.m. Dallas Alexander Friday, August 27 2-5 p.m. Black Cherry Band 5-7 p.m. Ian and Chris 7-10 To be confirmed Friday, September. 3 2-5 p.m. Ian and Chris 5-7 p.m. Kontrast the Band 7-10 p.m. To be confirmed
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Smiths Falls singer and songwriter Madden Grace
Smiths Falls - Catherine Poag editorial@pdgmedia.ca Introducing Madden Grace, born and raised in Smiths Falls who has just released her debut single called “Prologue” at 20 years old. Grace recently graduated from Seneca College where she studied independent music production, and is now making her dreams come true. Grace has been writing music since she was a kid. “As a kid I was always the one to make up little songs here and there, meaningless ditties about whatever I was doing.” She says that at the age of 14 she began writing songs seriously and she has been writing ever since. When asked about her process for writing songs, Grace explains her process as chaotic, explaining that sometimes the songs come fully formed to her, and she tries her best to write them down as quickly as possible. Other times she sits down with her guitar, named Bernadette, with pen, paper, and her phone set to record. Grace explains her new debut as “a perfect introduction to my writing style and sound.” Grace describes her genre as alternative Indie-folk, telling that she works to capture her heart in her lyrical storytelling, as well as moments of her life. “I like to capture a specific moment within the words, it’s like taking a photograph, the moment is frozen forever within
Smiths Falls singer/songwriter credit: Submitted.
the song.” Grace was inspired to become a singer/songwriter by life, stating that “I went through a tough time in my early teen years, like many do; I needed to find a way to cope, and song writing was that. My songs are like journal entries. I don’t really think it was a conscious choice to become a songwriter, I think it fell in my lap. It was a gradual experience, and the more I listened to other great songwriters I felt such a
Madden
Grace.
Photo
connection to the craft, I wanted to be like the women I was listening to, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Taylor Swift. I just hope to emulate my feelings and experiences best I can and reach people I connect to.” Grace’s next steps are to keep releasing music. She has plans for music videos for future releases as well as releasing an album. You can find Grace’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, or any other streaming service.
10
July 2021
culture
Summer Theatre Smiths Falls takes the stage at the Heritage House Museum Smiths Falls - Shannon McLellan editorial@pdgmedia.ca
Summer Theatre Smiths Falls is raring to go! Photo credit: Paul Griffin.
Summer Theatre Smiths Falls has officially announced its 2021 season chock-full of theatre, music, comedy and drag, offering something for everyone, with its stage set on the picturesque grounds of the Heritage House Museum. The first of 32 performances will begin on July 29th, boasting a theme filled with fun, humour and hope. The Heritage House Museum makes the perfect backdrop for the stage of Summer Theatre Smiths Falls, as well as a perfect venue to enjoy a picnic lunch from one of the town's local restaurants while you catch a show or two. Patrons are encouraged to come early and visit the historic museum for a tour before enjoying one of the many acts this summer. There is seating available at the venue, and/
or bring your own blanket. After having to postpone their debut in the summer of 2020 due to the pandemic, the crew at Summer Theatre Smiths Falls never stopped working behind the scenes to find a way to bring outdoor entertainment to the community. Artistic director Paul Griffin told Hometown News that this season’s theme of ‘hope and humour’ embodies what is needed at a time when we’ve had “Covid leaning over our shoulder”. Smiths Falls Summer Theatre has cultivated a diverse group of performers and companies from throughout Eastern Ontario to give the community an exciting array of theatrical thrills that can be enjoyed all summer long. The season kicks off on July 29th with two incredible shows: Fringe Fest winner In Waking Life, a partially-impro-
vised comedy featuring two charming psychics, the Synsk Sisters; and Being Coloured/ful in a Black and White World, where international storyteller Jacqui Du Toit takes you on a journey to her motherland, South Africa, to the times of great struggle, uprising, and racial divide. On August 6th get ready to laugh your mask off with some “comedy19” relief featuring an evening of laughter with three comedy acts that will leave you in stitches. The very next evening, August 7th you can enjoy the musical stylings of Canadian singer and record maker Jim Bryson. Jim resides in Stittsville, and has released 6 critically acclaimed solo recordings, the most recent being 2018’s “Tired of Waiting.” But wait...there’s more! Four infamous Queens: Eve Anne Jellicle, Saltina Shaker, Aimee Yonce, and
Cyril Cinder bring you a fabulous night of drag under the stars, with the option of two separate showtimes on August 20th. Last but certainly not least is Summer Theatre Smiths Falls’ featured show Matt & Ben. Written by two Dartmouth graduates, Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers, Matt and Ben is a wildly fictional account of how two novice actors, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, were capable of writing Good Will Hunting. Meant to be played by two women, the characters battle their way through jealousy, anger, betrayal, and visits from Gwyneth Paltrow and JD Salinger to reach an important conclusion. For ticket information, full programming schedule, performer bios, Covid-19 protocols and FAQ’s visit: www.summertheatresmithsfalls.ca
Doug Phillips makes headlines worldwide with release of film “Stealing Chaplin” Regional - Shannon McLellan editorial@pdgmedia.ca Doug Phillips has recently made headlines across the globe with the release of "Stealing Chaplin," the film he wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in alongside British actor Simon Phillips. Born in Wembley, London, England, Doug Phillips is a stone mason by trade and heating stove specialist, who is well known as owner of Hearthstone Stove & Chimney Services based in Toledo. What people might not know is that Doug is a man with a burning multitude of talents that reach well beyond the stove business. Doug is a playwright, actor and an award-winning short story writer to mention just a few. When asked how he finds the time to write, produce, run his business and also throw acting into the mix, Phillips stated with a chuckle, “I don’t sleep much.” During his interview with Hometown News, Doug explained to us that his start in the film industry was a path he stumbled into accidentally after a play he wrote, The Righteous
Tithe, which was first produced at the New Ottawa Repertory Theatre in 2009 and nominated for the Capital Critics Award in 2010, and later turned into a film. After becoming good friends with director of the film Adrian Langley, Phillips found he did rather well at production and crew, resulting in what Doug described as “a very strange journey for a stone mason, but a fun one.” Doug went on to co-produce “Butchers” with Langley, a horror film which is now out on Amazon Prime. “It’s kind of funny because I don’t even watch horror films,” Doug said. Further along Doug’s journey he was commissioned to write his own spin on two brothers who dug up the remains of Charlie Chaplin. This resulted in a dark caper comedy where two inept brothers dig up Charlie Chaplin’s body in the underbelly of Las Vegas. The film can be described as two indebted Las Vegas con men, running out of time and options, hatch an insane scheme to steal Charlie Chaplin's body and sell it for a fortune. The film “Stealing Chaplin” was
released in May 2021 across all streaming devices and is also available on DVD. A sequel is set to be shot in Memphis this summer where they will dig up the body of Elvis Presley. On top of his many other accomplishments, Phillips has also written his first book. This coming-of-age story is set in 1981 during the era of high unemployment in the UK. Its storyline follows five unemployed punk rockers who are religiously drunk and incessantly finding themselves getting into trouble. The story concludes on the day of Charles & Diana’s wedding, about which Doug told us, “You can’t be more extreme in British society than unemployed punk rockers and the royal wedding, I’m trying to make a comment on the ills in our society.” Phillips told us that the novel is currently in the final stages of edit. The book can be summed up perfectly by Doug’s final words in his interview with Hometown News, “a great example of the quote: the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
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11
July 2021
business Women working together make beautiful spaces at Willow & Co Smiths Falls - Shannon McLellan editorial@pdgmedia.ca Brand new businesses continue to pop-up allover Smiths Falls, despite the many challenges several businesses have faced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, showing just how resilient the town has become. Willow & Co is one of the latest new businesses to hit the freshly beautified downtown at 38 Beckwith Street North in Smiths Falls. With its eye-catching window displays, and prime downtown location, this stunning new brick and mortar shop is already grabbing the attention of passersby. Willow & Co is a lifestyle boutique specializing in home décor, interior finishes, apothecary and specially curated artwork by several well-known local artisans. Additionally, they offer a full range of architectural and interior talents, home décor, home staging and event planning services. What makes Willow & Co a little extra special is the coming together of three local women under one roof, creating the “Willow Family.” Patricia Krotki (Polcan Design Group), Angie Webster (Shangrila - Utopia at Home), and Tammy Edwards (Mishka Staging & Redesign) are blending their style and talents to offer the community a brick & mortar destination that offers services and a unique shopping experience. Willow & Co owner Patricia Krotki, who is also the owner of The Pickled Pig and Polcan De-
sign Group alongside her husband Mathew Krotki, shared with us the meaning behind the name of the shop, as well as insight to what sparked the initial vision for Willow & Co: “One of the greatest symbolic meanings of the willow tree is that even through great loss we have the ability to grow and there’s a potential for something new. After more than two decades operating a successful design-build company in this community, the timing seemed right to expand. We teamed up with some of the best creative minds in the area to bring you Willow & Co. Willow & Co is the coming together of dreams, a collective of local design professionals offering an array of services and many, many years of professional experience all wrapped up in a pretty (retail) package. Willow & Co is a place to share our love of beautiful items with you, A lifestyle boutique specializing in home decor, furnishings, gift items, apothecary and specially curated items from local artisans that we know you will love!” Willow & Co celebrated its soft opening on Tuesday June 22nd with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Mayor Shawn Pankow, the Smiths Falls Chamber of Commerce, and members of the community who had been awaiting the opening with anticipation. Angie Webster, General Manager of Willow & Co and owner of Shangrila - Utopia at Home, shared during an interview with Home-
Photo credit: Shannon McLellan
town News that, “we have the perfect combination of design talents brought together under one roof to assist with any design/ decor/staging process that may be needed by clients. Our collaboration and passion for the design industry has been a wonderful brainstorming experience and we look forward to making homes beautiful in this area.” Tammy Edwards, owner of Mishka Home Staging & Redesign as well as Tammy’s Nails in Smiths Falls, told us “I’m thrilled to be given such a wonderful opportunity to expand and grow Mishka
Left to right: Tammy Edwards, Patricia Krotki and Angie Webster. Photo credit: Shannon McLellan
Staging.” Tammy’s business had previously been located at the Brockville Street Plaza. These three women, who have braved the econom-
ic storm of the pandemic, are hopeful of a bright future ahead and are excited to introduce Willow & Co, the initial phase of a longer-term project that aims
to foster the spirit of co-operation among artisans and customers while developing a strong sense of community, leaving a lasting impression with every visit.
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