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Vol. 9
No. 1
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE
JANUARY 2022
Community honours memory of Chantale Lebrun
Chaplain Pat Forbes and his wife Sue Forbes offered prayers during a Jan. 1 candlelight vigil for Chantale Lebrun of Smiths Falls, who died Dec. 26. Photo credit: Emilie Must.
Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pd gmedia.ca Over 200 Smiths Falls residents gathered on the first day of 2021 to honour the memory of Chantale Lebrun, who died Dec. 26 at the age of 36, a victim of domestic violence. A candlelight vigil was held the evening of Jan. 1 at Victoria Park for Lebrun, who leaves behind four daughters. Friends have started a Go Fund Me campaign, which had collected more than
$62,000 of its $80,000 goal by Jan. 1. The campaign’s original goal of $10,000 was met within hours. The crowd at the vigil was welcomed by Lebrun’s long-time friend Danielle Pilon, who said, “Tonight is just to remember Chantale and the amazing person she was.” She acknowledged that “Chantale would hate this,” but added, “this is what we had to do for her.” Pilon thanked the community for giving generously to the Go
A candlelight vigil Jan. 1 in memory of Chantale Lebrun of Smiths Falls, who died tragically Dec. 26, attracted a large crowd. The location beside the yellow aircraft at Victoria Park was chosen to reflect Lebrun’s love of airplanes. Photo credit: Emilie Must.
Fund Me campaign. “That money is going to go a really long way in helping her family.” Friends said the location for the vigil, Victoria Park beside the iconic yellow Harvard Trainer aircraft, was fitting because Lebrun had a love for airplanes.
Also speaking at the vigil, offering prayers, were St. John Catholic High School Chaplain Patrick Forbes and his wife Sue Forbes, principal at St. James Catholic School. Lebrun operated a home-based photography business, Chantale
Irene Photography. Friends have told the media she had recently decided to leave a relationship described as “toxic.” Kevin Ramage, 39, has been charged with first-degree murder and is scheduled for a court appearance Jan. 6.
The challenge of crossing the river in Carleton Place
Bridge Street, Carleton Place. Photo credit: Submitted.
Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pd gmedia.ca On January 10th, the central bridge across the Mississippi River in Carleton Place will be closed to all traffic (vehicle and pedestrian)
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until late fall. Later in the spring a main street rehabilitation project will get underway involving Bridge Street from the river south to Lake Ave. This project has been planned over several years and delayed by
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one year thanks to the effects of our current COVID-19 pandemic on the municipal construction industry. Heading it up is the town’s former public works director, Dave Young, who was convinced to take this project on after retiring from a long and successful career. South-bound vehicle traffic will have a choice between McNeely Ave and Hwy 7 while the northbound flow will have the addition of the bridges on McArthur Island: a narrower one-way route with several sharp turns. Pedestrians are being directed to use the Ottawa Valley Rail Trail (OVRT) rail-bridge route, a choice made easier by a new exit ramp from the trail down onto Mill St. Signage has now been posted at all vehicle entrances to the
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town, and a large banner has been hanging over Bridge St for several months announcing the closure. What this means for residents and visitors is the need for an extreme amount of patience and a little planning. McNeely and Hwy 7 will see increased traffic counts and delays with bumper to bumper line-ups: something seldom seen in Carleton Place, save for the occasional parade. Downtown businesses will remain open during the construction and a lot of planning has gone into maintaining safe, easy-to-use customer access. It would be wise to review our normal travel patterns across the river and make some accommodations by combining trips, and leaving enough time during heavy traffic periods. Town Hall
has done an admirable job of communication on this file, but they can only reach those who are listening. They offer a daily email bulletin to provide local information primarily, but it’s also a handy source for relevant provincial and national items. Simply go to the town’s website at carletonplace.ca to sign up. They are also active on traditional social-media sites. Print and radio news media organizations will, of course, do their utmost to provide important info as it becomes available, but these options sometimes bring delays without internet access. We should consider those in our social and family circles who might not regularly use the internet and contact them when needed to keep them up to date.
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January 2022
Page Two Letter from the Editor
Looking forward to looking forward in 2022 At the beginning of every new year, I sit down with my calendar and look over the next twelve months. Using my neatest handwriting, I note birthdays, anniversaries, regular paycheques and regular bills, etc. Looking over the fresh calendar pages is such a satisfying activity; planning good things in the upcoming year builds up hope and happiness. I like to imagine what surprises might arrive to illuminate some of those 365 blank squares. A new friendship? An outing filled with laughter? A moment of bravery? And I spend some time plotting out the comforting ebb and flow of routine: school days, graduation, summer vacation, visits with grandparents. I love looking forward. I am finding it particularly tricky to do that this year. The first day of school has already been crossed off twice. We know now when virtual learning begins, but we do not yet know when it ends. I do not know if our hoped-for family vacation
will be allowed - will provincial borders be closed again? Will campgrounds be open? Gymnastics and basketball lessons have been canceled indefinitely, and music lessons will be rescheduled online. Dental and medical appointments are written in pencil: those may have to be rescheduled as well. Covid-19 has taken a sense of certainty away from us, maybe a sense of certainty that we did not know we took for granted. The cycle of restrictions and lockdowns, vaccines and boosters is our best attempt at keeping one another safe but it does not come without a cost. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and untethered without knowing what the year ahead will hold. We do not know whether restrictions will continue, increase, or ease off altogether. We do not know if newer, more effective vaccines will be discovered. We do not know if schooling will continue online or resume in person, and if so, when. There is so much
we do not know. But what we do know is that we can choose to look for anchors in the middle of this uncertainty. The sun will rise and set each day. We will sleep and eat and drink. We can send cards and gifts to mark special occasions, even if we can’t celebrate in person together. We can learn new skills and practice old ones. We can still turn on our favourite songs and sing along. We can dance like no one is watching (mostly because no one will be watching). We can read, and write, and laugh. And we also know that pandemics end. These strange times will not last forever: they will end and we will once again have big special moments to look forward to. We will schedule vacations and be reasonably confident they won’t be canceled. We will be able to fill our calendar pages with plans written in ink. We will look forward again - and I’m looking forward to that. Janelle Labelle
Letter to the Editor re: Habitat or waste?
Dear Folks:
PART OF THE DISCOVER COMMUNTIY NETWORK
Hometownnews
I applaud Chris Must’s article on Smiths Falls residents, Craig and Beth Sinclair, and their efforts to actually support our planet and its inhabitants, instead of mindlessly bending to out-
dated and unhelpful by-laws. For pity’s sake — decayed logs are anything but waste. They are rich in biodiversity and playing a vital role in keeping our planet healthy. We should be applauding folks like the Sinclairs and anyone else making an effort
to support our planet rather than impose our generally destructive human values on it. Please get with the programme, folks. Yours grumpily, Susan Fisher Perth, ON
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Cartoon by Patrick Labelle
The Snowstorm of March 1947
Top Left: Article about the snowstorm of March 1947 titled "Still Plugged With Snow" from The Ottawa Journal newspaper. Photo credit: lindaseccaspina. wordpress.com Top Right: Main Street during the 1947 snowstorm in Almonte. Photo credit: almonte.com Bottom Right: Carleton Place during the 1947 snowstom. Photo credit: lindaseccaspina.wordpress.com
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3
January 2022
community New composting tech to be tested in Smiths Falls in 2022
Photo credit: www.foodcycler.com
Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca Alex Hayman from Foodcycler Science Corporation presented the foodcycler, a new composting technology,
and proposed a joint project to town council and staff during a December Committee of the Whole meeting in Smiths Falls. The Foodcycler is a fast-acting countertop com-
poster, which transforms a bucket of food waste into soil in one cycle (this takes approximately three hours). This is an energy-efficient tool for diverting food waste from the solid waste stream.
Foodcycler Science Corporation will partner with Smiths Falls in testing the technology at one hundred households in town at a reduced cost in the new year. Is food waste a significant problem? In Canada, household waste is composed of 25-50% organic waste. “Food waste decays in landfill anaerobically and turns into harmful methane gases. If food waste can be kept out of the garbage can, there is less odor, less weight, and a significant reduction in methane production,” explained Hayman. The Foodcycler offers a 95% reduction in methane gas compared to sending waste to the landfill. Many cities use green bins to divert food waste from landfills. “Green bins work well in large cities with dense housing due to economies of scale,” Hayman said. In smaller municipalities, however, it’s an expensive
and messy service to offer. The Foodcycler is “all about making recycling food waste easy, clean, and convenient.” Typically, users fill the Foodcycler’s bucket once a day, and turn it on for a compost cycle (much like a household might run their dishwasher at the end of the day). The Foodcycler uses a combination of heating and grinding to “create a dry, sterile & odourless soil amendment,” explained Hayman. “A typical household will generate a 5-gallon bucket in a 6-month period.” The pilot program will see users tracking their daily use of the Foodcycler. This will give Smiths Falls a chance to calculate the amount of waste being diverted from garbage collection and landfill. The cost of the units, $500 each, will be subsidized by Foodcycler Science Corporation and the town of Smiths
Falls, leaving interested households to pay $150 for the unit which they will test and then keep. Hayman informed council that the Foodcycler consumes about 0.8 kilowatt hours per cycle, which works out to $0.08 per cycle. “We’re pretty pleased with how efficient it is,” he said. Councilor Niki Dwyer commented, “I think this is hugely exciting. We’ve talked for years about starting a green bin program for the town; it’s never really been achievable. I love this as an option.” Mayor Pankow was also very interested. “The opportunity here to divert waste away from landfills may get us to the point where we don’t need weekly garbage pickup. This has my full support,” he said. The pilot project will run in Smiths Falls beginning in February 2022.
Perth native opens doors to local-centric sustainably minded craft distillery Perth - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca Perth native Adam Brierley recently opened a brand new micro-distillery in Kanata, Ottawa. Ogham Craft Spirits distills artisanal spirits from 100% Ottawa Valley grains in their custom Canadian-made copper pot still, the only one of its kind in the city of Ottawa. PDCI graduate, and former engineer from the aerospace industry, Head Distiller Adam invested his passion for the chemical and mechanical nature of the distilling process into realizing his dream of bringing an entirely locally distilled, premium spirit to the Ottawa market. Brierley explains the value of copper as a still: “the metal itself naturally removes sulfur and sulfur compounds, resulting in a naturally smoother drink.”
Ogham is committed to sourcing and supporting local, using sustainable recycled packaging, and teaming up with local farmers and artisans to further encourage a holistic circular economy. Brierley was inspired to create Ogham Craft Spirits by a trip through Ireland in search of his roots. Ogham (which can be pronounced several ways; Brierley says “owe gum”) is an early medieval alphabet used to write the Irish language, in which each letter is associated with a tree or a plant. This notion of plants and meaning growing together resonated with Brierley, who saw such a close connection between growers and drinks and the storytelling they enjoy together. Traveling through Ireland, Brierley was captivated by the rural culture. There is a real sense of community, he says,
where people buy from local farmers, and head down to the local pub for a locally-made drink and a chat. “I wanted to recreate this in Canada to facilitate a hub for local farmers, local consumers, and local drinks.” Ogham’s focus on local-centric production has been particularly helpful during the supply-chain issues of the last year. “Our supply chain hasn’t been interrupted at all. I popped over to a maltster in Almonte to pick up some grains just today, from a supplier who has become a friend,” Adam laughs. Ogham’s architecture with soaring windows inviting passersby to watch is a silent testament to their commitment to transparency. “We want people to see that we do everything: mill, ferment, distill; it all happens here.” Ogham has been offering tours of the
PDCI graduate Adam Brierley with his Canadian-made copper pot still. Photo credit: Submitted
facility, “my favourite way to connect with customers,” Brierley smiles. Tours are currently on hold due to the recent increase in
restrictions, but as soon as they can start offering tours again, they will. Ogham is located at 767 Silver Seven Rd in Ka-
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nata. They are currently open for pickup orders and in-person retail: check them out at oghamcraftspirits.ca. Slainte!
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January 2022
lifestyle Smiths Falls Rideaus
smiths falls rideaus give a big stick tap to supporters
Smiths Falls - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca Thank you to all who support us in our mission to bring competitive Senior A hockey back to Smiths Falls. Thank you to our spouses, family members, supporters, and fans who have stood by us during the pandemic and through our inaugural season, especially our volunteers: Keith and Nancy Rhoden, Jason Code, Craig Barr, Andrea McArthur, Dale Bowles, Stan Munroe, Marlene Hull, Danny Whitemore, Boo Young, Robbie Hull, Aaron Wallace, Dylan Hendy, Greg Hull, Charmaine McArthur, Sherrie Axford, Brody, Oryanna, and Matt McKenney. “Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time, they just have the heart!”
A special thank you to all those who have sponsored the 2021-22 season: Boston Pizza Smiths Falls, Settlers Ridge Mall, Rideau Home Hardware, HG Roofing, Line X, Brett Ayers Scotia Bank, The Pickled Pig, Hometown News, Rideau Lakes Construction, Curb Appeal, Truck Town, New Horizon Communication, Rob Garvin Sales Representative RE/MAX Affiliate Brokerage, Eastern Ontario Pallets, Rob Roy’s Pub, Hank’s Tires, Adrenaline Sports Apparel. We are truly a community team. Smiths Falls has always been resilient and we rely on one another to continue to persevere as a community. The Smiths Falls Rideaus look forward to taking the ice in 2022, but until then we want to en-
courage all our supporters to think and shop local! These are the individuals that have invested in our youth sports and allowed us to learn and love this amazing game. “Thank you so much for the immeasurably valuable work you have done for our organization! We cannot thank you enough, and want to let you know that your dedication is essential to this team and community. We can’t do it without you, we would not want to do it without you. You bring ideas, positive energy, opportunity and a beautiful intensity. I hope you will come back and join us on a quest for the cup, and maybe even bring a Rideau with you!” Selfless actions are the source of our strength and what unites the Rideaus and our community!
Photo credit: Submitted.
Bowler a hit in the provincial tournament despite challenges Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca While 10-year old Makenna Parker has only been bowling for three years, she’s striking a formidably competitive pose on the lanes, having recently taken fourth spot in a provincial youth bowling tournament in Chatham. What makes this feat extra special is that Makenna is legally blind. She has tuberous sclerosis and surgery to treat it when she was an infant left her with the predicted loss of 50% of her vision. As her mother Natasha describes it, “it’s like looking through a pair of swimming goggles where the left half of each lens has been painted black.” To most, Makenna’s challenge is invisible; she needs little or no assistance, moves through life with seeming ease, and only needs to visually scan a room with wide head turns
Makenna Parker. Photo credit: Submitted.
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when first entering. Makenna approached her parents about “joining bowling’’ as she put it and was persistent enough to get her parents to visit Chasin’ Turkeys bowling facility in Carleton Place where they witnessed firsthand how owner Ashley Walron supports new younger bowlers, giving them every opportunity to excel. He reintroduced the Youth Bowl Canada (YBC) program in 2019 and Makenna was an early recruit. He proudly puts a picture of each bowler on the Turkey Club Membership wall at the lanes when they achieve 3 strikes in a row. Makenna scored 187 for her inauguration. Whether she’s at home, school, or hanging with friends, Makenna’s parents are strong proponents of providing opportunities for her to succeed on her own with minimal traditional supports. As her Mom puts it, “all these special services in school
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won't be there in later life, so it’s best to learn how to be independent early.” At the provincial tournament on Dec 5 in Chatham, Makenna was up against 30 of the best youth bowlers in the province. She remembers falling behind in the 4th of the 5 game series, and then pulled 4 strikes in a row from her bag of tricks to score a 170. Her total for all 5 games was 684! While some might argue that Makenna’s vision challenges bring an advantage in her bowling with the removal of a lot of visual distractions, she still needs laser accuracy and consistent delivery to achieve her amazing results. Being part of the YBC program will bring many more opportunities to shine in regional, provincial, and maybe even national competitions. It seems as soon as she sets her sights on a goal, she’s bound to hit the mark.
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January 2022
lifestyle
opinion: Am I the only one? Carrie Wynne
the empty chair
It’s the little things that I will miss the most about my mother. The matriarch, the grandmother, the mom. Things that I haven’t even thought of yet. How do you say goodbye to the woman who gave you your life? I look at the empty chair across from me in the food court where mom used to be and tears of joy and sadness flow. Mom was there from day one and became my friend without me even realizing it. She poured her love onto others and was always a soft place to land if you were having a rough day. Mom fed everyone including the birds. Even at 87 years old we still
ate at her table on a very regular basis. She had more energy than all of us put together. She raised four of us and if that wasn’t enough, she had her cub pack, choir practice and church. She looked after our grandparents and had part time jobs and a vegetable garden and played euchre with her friends every two weeks for decades. She taught through her example to make the best of it and that it wasn’t all about us. Her book of life had zillion things in it that I can’t even begin to wrap my head around. She loved the fair and she loved baking and canning and swimming. She loved ball games, card games, garage sales, bake sales, picnics, and parades. She loved the theatre, Christmas, movies, concerts, the mall, and swimming. Mom was up for anything. It’s a blessing to recog-
nize what a great mother we had. She was fun and she was feisty. She always had her priorities straight. Mother never gave up on people. If there were people in need there was work to be done. She lived a full and wonderful life she built with my father, and I’ll always be grateful to both for keeping our nuclear family together. What I have learned is that grief is just grief, and you can’t turn it into anything but grief. I’m grateful for all the years we had her, and it wasn’t long enough. Mom lived well and she used everything she had until the very end which is a good legacy in my view. Mom, if death is a graduation, you’re on the honour roll. 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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January 2022
lifestyle
Food & Drink
Beer, Wine and Spirits
Well, here we are in the new year, still under the cloud of Covid-19. Let's hope 2022 breaks its back and we can get back to some form of normalcy. To help keep us in a positive mode in the middle of winter, here are some ideas to cheer you up whether it be alcoholic beverages to accompany food, friendly gatherings or simply to enjoy in a quiet moment by the fire. In December, we took a bus trip to Quebec to enjoy the Christmas Markets in Montreal and spend the weekend within the old city walls of Quebec City.
It was a wonderfully Canadian weekend vacation, a get-away from the routine of isolation, and a time to celebrate some Canadian traditional foods and beers and beverages. Winter is known for heartier fare and so too must your selection of beverages to match and balance with these foods. Roasts and ragout are fatter and richer, and the wines or beers you have should keep up with them in weight and body and have more pronounced flavours to go with the bold sauces and herbs/spices.
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Try a medium to full bodied oak-aged Chardonnay, or a full bodied Bordeaux (traditionally a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot). Now there are all kinds of variations of different varietals added like Malbec from Argentina, or Baco Noir, a French hybrid, renowned in Niagara, Canada. Latour Chardonnay Bourgogne, Burgundy, France LCBO#:55533 $23.15 Pale straw colour; aromas of toast, vanilla, oatmeal and nuts with yellow plum and pear. Balanced acidity and medium-body with nuts and pear on the palate followed by a clean finish. Match with a stuffed pork roast or a chicken/turkey casserole. For a local one, I always love the Speck brothers version in Niagara. Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay VINTAGES#: 268342 $21.95. This Chardonnay is always an elegant wine crafted to emphasize focus and precision. It features bold, ripe fruit with pear, quince, vanilla, nuts and toast and a creamy, long mouthfeel. Try this with grilled pork ribs, grilled lobster for the seafood fans, or BBQ chicken. In reds, go for an Australian smooth and full bodied Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, in the big format 1500 mL bottle for guests
Winter beverages
LCBO#:19612 $23.95. Expect aromas of dark cherry and plum with mocha spice. The palate offers blackberry, plum with pepper and subtle oak. Enjoy with steak, beef roast and gravy, or game meats if you were successful at the hunt. Or you could try Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi California LCBO#:678698 $18.40. Gnarled 35 to 80-year-old zinfandel vines produce intense, concentrated fruit flavours. Experience rich blackberry, fig and dark fruit aromas and flavours, complemented by a hint of licorice. Serve with grilled steak, roast lamb, duck or pork hock cassoulet, or stuffed mushrooms. As I mentioned, we were in Quebec where there are some great winter beers made by McAuslan Brewery in Montreal. St-Am-
broise Oatmeal Stout LCBO#398677 in 473ml can $3.00 received many international awards (9 Platinum medals in the 1994 World Beer Cup) and consists of an expert blend of deeply roasted malts; a rich brew punctuated by espresso and chocolate notes, topped with a thick and creamy head with just the right hint of mocha. This went great with the Quebec tourtiere, duck and onion poutine I had at the oldest restaurant dating to the 1600s L'Ancien Canadien, and would go well with any cassoulet or stew you want to make. Blanche de Chambly by Unibroue LCBO#: 697698 in 473 mL can $3.00, features a straw-coloured body and a thick head, smooth and refreshing wheat beer known for its subtle spicy bouquet and citrus notes.
Brian Preston
The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com
This highly awarded beer was named in honour of Fort Chambly, the proud emblem of the city where it is brewed. Subtle bouquet of spices with citrus notes, aromas of yeast bread, coriander and cloves, and taste notes of wheat, orange and spices, with good sugar/ acidity balance, and honey finish. Great with lighter fare and seafood for lunch at the Restaurant D'Orsay below Château Frontenac. And to finish: Bailey's Irish Coffee INGREDIENTS • 1 mug hot premium coffee • 1 fluid ounce Bailey's Irish Cream (LCBO# 5959 $30.45) • whipped cream DIRECTIONS • Combine coffee and Bai ley's Irish Cream. • Top with whipped cream and serve.
Brian Turner
Let's Eat Looking forward
to great local dining in 2022 The recently released Canada’s Food Price Report doesn’t contain a lot of good news for any of us with its prediction of the average family spending almost $1000 more in 2022 for food than they did in 2021. Most startling is this survey’s revelation that 51% of us will avoid dining out this year to es-
cape inflation’s effect on our household budgets. The food service sector of our economy has suffered greatly over the last 2 years of our pandemic with many treasured dining rooms being shuttered for good and those that survived hanging onto the pivot philosophy by reinventing the ways they deliver their crafts to hungry clienteles with take-out, delivery and heavily restricted in-person dining. Prior to our current health crisis, food-service employees made up 7% of the Canadian workforce. But the pandemic has taken its toll with a loss of over 180K workers who made the shift to other sources of income. Restaurants, diners, coffee-shops, and eateries offer so much more than simple nourishment to our communities and regardless of dire surveys and doom-predicting studies and statistics: we all need to include some support for these vital contributors to our daily lives in our 2022 resolutions. Consider that in many communities, food-service is the place where most of our youth get their first job. Eighty percent of generation Z (born 1997-2012) state they got their first paycheck from a restaurant
and over 70% would recommend the experience to others. Restaurants are strong community supporters donating funds and food to a wide variety of organizations every year. The newly created food-waste reduction initiatives operating across the province wouldn’t exist without food-service facilities’ support. We are blessed in our region to have a very wide variety of great cuisines to choose from, crafted by imaginative artisans who are seemingly more dedicated to expanding our food experiences than rosy profit spread-sheets. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of visiting many of our gastronomic gems and getting to know their owners. Without exception I’ve found them to be amazing at their art and their ability to win over our hearts via our stomachs. But more than great food, restaurants offer us the opportunities to connect with others and to celebrate special occasions and milestones or simply to create lasting fond memories. So we need to move forward this year, keep each other safe and enjoy the benefits of connections with others, especially those made over a table of great food!
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January 2022
culture Smiths Falls History & Mystery: The spy who lost Smiths Falls by Ted Outerbridge
The birth of Smiths Falls begins with a tale of intrigue and espionage. During the American Revolution (1775-1783), the Smyth family were involved in covert spying missions. Working on behalf of the British Crown, they communicated using cipher disks, secret coded messages, and code names. Several members of the family were imprisoned and managed some cunning, death-defying escapes. In 1770, the Smyth family emigrated from Dublin, Ireland to the Province of New York in America. Dr. George Montague Smyth (code name Hudibras) was a talented surgeon. His wife, Rebecca, was such a good spy that we are not certain of her real name. We do know however, that her code name was R.J. or R.I. They had two sons, Terence (code name Young Hudibras), and Thomas. The Smyths spent most of the American Revolution working for the British, through George’s secret United Empire Loyalists espionage networks. When George was not in prison for spying, he practiced as a surgeon in a rebel military hospital, where he surveilled the Americans. He was devoted to “affording every Intelligence that was supposed conducive to
the Royal Cause.” Rebecca would schedule George's dispatches for him by risking the lives of their own sons, Terence and Thomas, using them as messengers. By the end of the war in 1783, George had escaped from prison on at least two occasions. He had been promoted and was responsible for recruiting spies and capturing enemy spies. George eventually moved to St-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, where he remained until he died in 1788. His sons Terence and Thomas settled in Elizabethtown, Ontario, the site of modern-day Brockville, on the St. Lawrence River. Thomas was a lieutenant in Sir John Johnson's King's Royal Regiment of New York and would later become a Major in the Leeds Militia. As compensation for their services and those of their late father in the American Revolution, Terence and Thomas Smyth successfully petitioned the Crown to grant them land. Terence received an abundance of prime land on the Rideau which was suitable for building mills. We now know this townsite as Burritt's Rapids. Over time Major Thomas Smyth was granted a total of 3,900 acres of land, most of which was in the township of Elmsley. 400 acres of land was granted to him in the form of lots 1 and 2, Concession Four, Elmsley Township, on July 28, 1784. This uncultivated land lacked roads, trade, and commerce, but it boasted water power on the Rideau. He named it Smyth’s Falls.
ted@tedouterbridge.com In 1810, Thomas Smyth was experiencing cash flow issues. He mortgaged his 400-acre Smyth’s Falls townsite to Joseph Sewell, a Boston merchant, for 233 pounds. The mortgage was for one year. Fourteen years later, Smyth had not repaid the debt. In 1824, Sewell brought action in York, Toronto for foreclosure of the mortgage and he obtained judgement. During the legal proceedings, Smyth dismantled and removed a small sawmill which he had built on Lock Island, with the help of William Merrick and his sons. The Smyth’s Falls townsite was auctioned off by Sheriff John Stewart in Brockville in 1825. The townsite moved through the hands of Charles Jones and Truman Hicock. By 1831, James Simpson and Abel Russell Ward had become the owners. Despite this setback, Smyth continued to retain influence in the area as he held title to 1,800 acres of land in South Elmsley near Smiths Falls. During the construction of the Rideau Canal, he began to sell this land to settlers. Major Thomas Smyth died on November 11, 1832, at the age of 64 at his residence in Elizabethtown. The Brockville Recorder wrote “… he was in his usual health when he went to bed on Sunday night, and in about an hour or little more was found dead in his bed by his son Terence Smyth, Esq. of Merrickville, who providentially was on a visit to his father.” In 1835, Smyth’s two sons,
Photo credit: Ted Outerbridge
Terence and George Henry, began legal proceedings to regain possession of the 400acre Smyth’s Falls townsite. Simpson and Ward tried unsuccessfully to reach a compromise with them. The Upper Canada Jurist provides details of the Smyth versus Simpson lawsuits and appeals which spanned 15 years. Hundreds of pages of evidence were reviewed, and witnesses traveled across the country to testify. In 1839, Terence Smyth’s new house containing most of the documents related to the lawsuit “mysteriously” burned to the ground. In 1841, the Vice-Chancellor ruled in favour of the Smyths. In 1846, the Court of Chancery and the Court of Appeals also decided in favour of the Smyths. However, in March of 1847, the Court ruled in favour of Simpson and
Cipher Disk. Photo credit: Hubert Berberich.
Ward. The Smyths launched an appeal to the Privy Council of London in 1850, which was unsuccessful. Ted & Marion Outerbridge are currently restoring a Smiths Falls heritage
home built in 1893. They are also being swept away by local history & mystery. You can follow them at on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @thekeyholehouse or email ted@tedouterbridge.com.
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