In The Hills Spring 2012

Page 1

V O L U M E 19 N U M B E R 1 2 0 12

A

M A G A Z I N E

O F

C O U N T R Y

L I V I N G

I N

T H E

H E A D W A T E R S

R E G I O N

Northern connections

Adventures north of 6o

DEEP analysis Headwaters frogs

Beauty in the Beast Spring at Lilactree Farm



ROS E T H EAT R E P R E S E N T S

The Fastest Feet in Rhythm

YOUR HOME FOR ENTERTAINMENT CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: THE DOORS L.A. WOMAN APRIL 18

INDIA JAZZ JA AZZ S SUITES UITES APRIL 16

An explosive collaboration between one of India’s foremost Kathak masters Pandit Chitresh Das and one of the world’s fastest, Emmy-award winning tap dancers Jason Samuels Smith.

Note for Note - Cut for Cut APRIL 17

SHEENA EASTON APRIL 28

HOST

PETE ZEDLACHER

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Season 2012

Godfrey, Bret Ernst and Paula Bel

MAY 22 - 23

R O S E T H E AT R E P R E S E N T S

Individual Show Tickets On Sale

summertheatre

APRIL 4

Pick 4 - The Best Deal! SAVE 20%

A Premium

Forever Plaid, Barefoot in the Park, The Last 5 Years, Storm Warning $94.40 $102.40

Pick 3 - Save 15%

JULY 13 - 28

MAIN STAGE r $37/$32

AUGUST 17 - 25 MAIN STAGE r $37/$32

JULY 6 - 28

AUGUST 3 - 25

STUDIO r $27

STUDIO r $27

Subscriptions On Sale Now!

Experience It Live! Follow F ll us on twitter i @R @RoseTheatreBram Th B m

Become a fan facebook.com/RoseTheatreBrampton

A Premium

Opt 1:

Opt 3:

L5Y, SW, FP

L5Y, FP, BP

Opt 2:

Opt 4:

L5Y, SW, BP

SW, FP, BP

$73.10

$77.35

$77.35

$85.85

Complete list of dates and times oonline at www.rosetheatre.ca oor contact the Box Office for a assistance.

905.874.2800 | www.rosetheatre.ca 90


E D I T O R ’ S

D E S K

VO LU ME 19 N U M B E R 1 2 012 PUBLISHER | EDITOR

Signe Ball O P E R AT I O N S M A N A G E R

Kirsten Ball EDITORIAL

Welcome home, dan Needles

Brian Bixley | James Jackson Bethany Lee | Dan Needles Douglas G. Pearce | Pam Purves Jeff Rollings | Nicola Ross Don Scallen | Ken Weber

A long, long time ago, I landed a job as a young reporter for the Orangeville Citizen. At its sister paper, the Free Press & Economist in Shelburne, the editor, who was about my age but rather more clever, had just left for a career at Queen’s Park in the office of local MPP George McCague. His departure was a sad day. I was newcomer to the hills, and the Shelburne editor’s column, “Letter from Wingfield Farm,” had been a weekly cause for celebration. When the paper arrived, all else ceased as we competed to be first to read the next installment in stockbroker-turned-farmer Walt Wingfield’s letters to the editor. Time and again, through the fictional Walt, Dan Needles pinpointed exactly our own experience as eager rural neophytes fumbling to absorb the wit and wisdom of our farmer neighbours. The letters were both a hilarious account of Walt’s feckless experiments in farming and a poignant tribute to a way of life that was slowly disappearing. Fortunately, Dan’s career as a bureaucrat didn’t work out. And in the ’80s, he seized the opportunity to turn his original columns into a one-man play. Since then, Letter from Wingfield Farm has been followed by six more Wingfield plays, and Persephone Township and the town of Larkspur, based on Mono and Shelburne, have become iconic rural Canadian communities. The latest in the series, Wingfield: Lost & Found, opens in Orangeville at the end of this month. And a novelization of all seven plays, Wingfield’s World, was released last fall. But it isn’t just Wingfield that has kept Dan busy. He has written other plays and novels, and in 2003 he won the Leacock Medal for Humour for his book With Axe and Flask, the History of Persephone Township from Pre-Cambrian Times to the Present. For 15 years he was also the back-page columnist for Harrowsmith Country Life. But Harrowsmith’s sad demise last year was our gain. With this issue, we are very pleased to welcome Dan’s gentle and philosophical humour as a regular column in our pages. Dan grew up in Rosemont and still has family in Mono, including his mother Dorothy Jane Needles, and sister, Laura Ryan, mayor of Mono. But deeply frustrated by encroaching urbanization, Dan and his wife Heath moved a few miles north to raise their children on a farm in Nottawasaga. Still, we continue to claim him as a native son of these hills and regard his presence in this magazine as a happy homecoming. Welcome back, Dan.

Rosemary Hasner | Robert McCaw Pete Paterson | Pam Purves

PHOTOGRAPHY

I L L U S T R AT I O N

Shelagh Armstrong Ruth Ann Pearce | Jim Stewart DESIGN | ART DIRECTION

Kim van Oosterom Wallflower Design ADVERTISING SALES

Sarah Aston | Roberta Fracassi ADVERTISING PRODUCTION

Marion Hodgson Type & Images PROOFREADING

Janet Dimond l Susan Robb WEB MANAGERS

inthehills.ca l foodinthehills.ca Valerie Jones, Echo Hill Web Sites kidsinthehills.ca Bethany Lee, Focus on Media COVER

Lilactree Farm by Brian Bixley — In the Hills is published four times a year by MonoLog Communications Inc. It is distributed through controlled circulation to households in the towns of Caledon, Erin, Orangeville, Shelburne and Creemore, and Dufferin County. Subscriptions outside the distribution area are $22.6o per year (including hst). Letters to the editor are welcome. For information regarding editorial, advertising, or subscriptions: PHONE E-MAIL

519-942-84o1

info@inthehills.ca

FA X

519-942-1118

MonoLog Communications Inc. R.R.1 Orangeville ON L9W 2Y8

www.inthehills.ca — The advertising deadline for the Summer (June) issue is May 11, 2o12.

We acknowledge the assistance of the OMDC Magazine Fund, an initiative of Ontario Media Development Corporation. 4

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012


How can we offer the best guarantee? Look how we build our pools: Only Betz uses genuine dry Gunite, the strongest concrete available, to create a rock-solid pool wall that’s the best in the business. “At Betz, we simply won’t compromise on materials or workmanship. When our name is on your pool, you have

our 100% guarantee of satisfaction.”

Call today: (905) 640-1424

betzpools.com

5 YEAR “BUMPER-TO-BUMPER” GUARANTEE AVAILABLE ON ALL CONCRETE & VINYL POOLS.

With more than 70 years of building pools to the industry’s highest standards, Betz is the name you can trust for quality. Guaranteed.

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

PROTECT YOUR NEST EGG FROM MARKET VOLATILITY Investment Advisor Robert Masutti focuses on overall risk management and tax minimization to ensure that you receive the maximum value out of your retirement portfolio. Working with highnet-worth individuals and corporations, Robert has the specialized strategies you need to shelter your portfolio from worldwide events and market volatility. Find out how a comprehensive wealth management approach can help you improve retirement income, reduce risk and minimize taxes. Contact Robert for a complimentary review. Robert N. Masutti, CFP CIM FCSI Investment Advisor 905-764-3451 | robert.masutti@rbc.com www.robertmasutti.com RBC Dominion Securities 260 East Beaver Creek, Suite 500 Richmond Hill ON , L4B 3M3

Professional Wealth Management Since 1901

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©2012 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.


Karry Kitchens & Bath Design SERVICE AND INTEGRITY Family Owned and Operated Since 1978

Also offering services for WALL UNITS and CLOSET ORGANIZATION

Visit our Showroom: 170 Bovaird Drive West, Brampton (just west of Hwy 10)

(905) 456-2943 www.karrykitchens.com

Hwy 10

Queen St

McLaughlin

Bovaird Dr W

Mon - Fri 9:30am - 5pm; Sat 10am - 4pm

You’ll find us in better homes everywhere Orangeville* 76 Centennial Road Nº4 519.941.7208 Thornbury King’s Court Plaza Hwy 26 519.599.6252 www.cedarport.ca

6

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

800.668.2087 800.347.7724

*by appointment


I N

T H I S

I S S U E F E A T U R E S 20 LILACTREE FARM

Spring in a Mulmur garden By Brian Bixley

D E P A R T M E N T S 8

12

15

26

17

56

18

46 HOMEGROWN IN THE HILLS

Van Dyken Bros. farm by Nicola Ross

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 52

HISTORIC HILLS

Win Hand’s Stanton Hotel by Ken Weber

FENCE POST

Spirit of Place by Dan Needles

48 BEAUTY IN THE BEAST

Animals in art by Signe Ball

THE DIGEST

Tara Imerson

40 SPRING’S CROAKING CHORUS

The frogs of Headwaters by Don Scallen

Rowing on Island Lake by Nicola Ross

Countryside news by Douglas G. Pearce

26 NORTHERN CONNECTIONS

Adventures north of 60 by Nicola Ross

36 GOOD SPORT

LETTERS

Our readers write

67 AT HOME IN THE HILLS

Eco revival of a Gothic farmhouse by Pam Purves

MUST DO

Our favourite picks for spring

TRASH TALK

A DEEP analysis by Jeff Rollings

72

HEADWATERS NEST

Cry it out by Bethany Lee

64 THE CIRCLE GAME 48

Peel’s first roundabout by James Jackson

84 WHAT’S ON IN THE HILLS

A calendar of spring happenings 94 A PUZZLING CONCLUSION

by Ken Weber

67

KNABE EQUINE VETERINARY SERVICES

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE

Usha has been providing veterinary care for horses in the Headwaters area for over twenty years. Sport Horse Medicine | Chiropractic | Holistic Medicine Lameness Diagnostics using Wireless Digital X-ray and Ultrasound | Shockwave Therapy Prepurchase Exams | Reproduction and Neonatology

Usha offers a free lecture series: MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING PEAK PERFORMANCE First Lecture - April 21st, 2012 at Cranmore Farm, 4th Line Mono RSVP: 519-940-4896

Dr. Usha Knabe, DVM

© NATI TIONA AL LPO POST OST T/ /ttyyller eran nd deerssoon

Phone: 519-940-4896 | E-Mail: knabe.equine@hotmail.com

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

7


L E T T E R S

Spirit of Christmas

Meetings with remarkable trees I am an amateur but enthusiastic naturalist in eastern Ontario. Through the years, I must admit to largely ignoring the trees as I move about among them looking for something of interest. So often our focus at the distance blinds us to what is right in front of us. “Meetings with Remarkable Trees” (autumn 2011) had a fi ne selection of photos, and the smaller inserts were a great way to get to know the trees up close. We have an old and expiring tree on our property, which I do talk to from time to time. Don Scallen’s article made me feel that talking to a tree is maybe not as crazy as the rest of my family think it is. I’m guessing he too talks to a tree from time to time. It will be our little secret. The article reminds me of the Ents (ancient trees) in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. They had a lot of slow-moving wisdom and power, and were great characters in the books. Yes, there is something slow and special about trees, especially big old trees like the ones the article focused on. Thank you, Don Scallen, for your fine article and for a wonderful reminder to appreciate the trees. Brian Naulls, Grafton

Energy use question In your spring 2011 issue’s “Countryside Digest,” you said that Canada is the highest per capita user of energy – 96,000 kWh per person. (You see, we read and re-read your magazine, especially in winter!) We bought our farm with an oil heater installed in the home, but added a heat pump to improve the environment and save on home heating costs, so we use more electricity than we once did. But the total energy consumption – oil combustion plus electricity – is much reduced. I must therefore ask whether your figure for energy use per capita included energy generated by carbon-fuel combustion, or if it was limited to electrical energy alone. If the latter, it isn’t quite fair to Canadians with heat pumps. It is also not fair – and yours is not the only publication that indulges in this – to compare Canadian energy consumption with that of nations with more benign climates. It costs more energy to survive in the North. Charles Hooker, Orangeville Editor’s reply: The figure for energy use used in the CPPA Monitor, from which the item was excerpted includes energy from carbonfuel combustion. Yes, it takes more energy to “survive” in the north. 8

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

I absolutely adored your winter issue cover by Shelagh Armstrong and the accompanying short story “Spirit of Christmas” by John Denison. As a one-horse owner of 35 years (he’s a Morgan, what can I say, he’s as tough as nails!), the cover transported me back to a time when I was a horsestruck young girl still in love with Christmas. The night hues and colours, and the simple majesty of the horses evoked in me the magic of the holidays when I would spend many a Christmas Eve with my beloved friend. Thank you to the artist and author for this gift. Tracey Holmgren, Mono Surviving in the north Tracey and long-time friend.

Tempting Providence It is so nice to see the struggles of Newfoundland brought to life, and how difficult life was on the island. Being of the younger generation from Newfoundland, I have experienced hard times, but not to the extent of the earlier years. I sit and listen to the older generation talk and tell stories about how it used to be, and often wonder how in God’s name they even survived. I guess it just makes us the proud people we are today! Peter Yetman, Brampton

Massey Chapel window Thank you for the prominent inclusion of the window in the letter from Paul Aird (winter 2011). There is, however, a problem in his attributing the window to me. It is not an uncommon mistake in a medium where the design and execution can be done by different people. In this case there is a plaque that states, “The stained glass is dedicated to the memory of Alice and Vincent Massey … The design symbolizing the Masseys’ love of Canadian nature was created and given to Hart House by Will Ogilvie who also painted the mural in the chapel. The stained glass work was done by Rosemary Kilbourn in the studio of Yvonne Williams.” Will Ogilvie, who at that time was also living “in the hills,” gave the full-size drawing of the window to me, to choose the glass and paint it with the iron oxide and gum medium which is fired into the glass. This gives the lines of the drawing the tone and movement over the surface, which simply carry out and re-emphasize the original design. My own work in glass looked quite different, and I include a picture of a small window done at about the same time. It illustrates some lines from T.S. Eliot: “When the tongues of flame are infolded / Into the crowned knot of fire / And the fire and the rose are one.”

Stained glass window by Rosemary Kilbourn.

Will Ogilvie is well known for his wonderful and unique watercolours of Georgian Bay, among other things, and the window includes some of the birds, flowers, frogs and insects that he encountered there. Again, you have a very interesting collection of articles in a beautiful format. We are very fortunate to have this way of connecting with neighbours who would otherwise be unknown to many of us. Rosemary Kilbourn, Caledon continued on page 10


Resident Ernie Dyck with wife Carolyn, 2011

Bethell Hospice – here when you need us. Hospice H ospice care is as as much mucch about abbout lliving, ving, as as it iss about aboout dying. LLiving ving w with th dignity dig gnityy andd the best best po possible oss ble qualityy of life iss the fou foundation undatio on ooff our ccare aree at B Bethell ethell Ho Hospice. ospic ce. S nce 1991, Since 1991 Bethell Be hel Hospice Hosspice (formerly form merly Hospice Ca Caledon) edon ha has as been pro providing ovid ng com compassionate mpassioonate and profe professional essioonal in-hom in-home me visiting v s t ng to those challenged cha lenged by life-limiting lifee-limiting illness, i ness, as well wel as respite esp te pprograms ograms and w wellness e lness initiatives nitiaativves for families fam m l es and careg caregivers, vers, individual ndivvidua and group bereave bereavement ement sup support pport and sp spiritual r tua ca care. are. Inn 20 22010 2010, 010, we 010 we oopened peen enneeedd BBethell e hel H House, House ous usee, a tten ten-bed en-bbbed ed residential esid ideent al hospice hosp pice pro providing ovid ng end-ofend-of-life ife ca care are in a hom home-like, me l ke pea peaceful acefu pplace ace where where ind individuals vidduals and their the r families faam l es can be supported supporteed to live, ivee, sharee memories, mem moriees, tears tea s and laughter, aughter and annd make those last ast moments mom ments m most osst meaningful. mean ngful

About Bethell Hospice Bethel Hospice Bethell Hosppice serves Dufferin Dufferin County, Countyy, Caledon, Caleddon, Brampton and surrounding su round ng areas, inc including ud ng W Wellington el inngton County and oother her parts par s of of Ontario. Ontar o. Our services se vicees are pprovided rov ded at no cost cost to participants, pa t cipaants with full respec respect ct for sp spiritual, r tua , cu cultural tu al ddiversity, vers ty, age, illness i lness and and gender. gendder Your support suppor makes itt possible. poss ble Volunteer: The Bethell Bethe l Hospice Hosp ce team includes nc udes over 200 compassionate com mpassionate volunteers voolunteers who who care caare for others othhers when wheen they are most vulnerable. vu nerabble Our vo volunteers olunteers receive receeive extensive, exteensivve, ongoing onggo ngg training tra ning too expa expand and thei their vvaluable aluab e skil skills. s. To le learn earn m more o e aabout bout volunteering, vo unteeer ng, contact Lou Louise se SStinson, tinnson, 905-838-3534, 905-8338-3534, lstinson st nson@ be hel hosp ce org bethellhospice.org. Donate: PPlease ease cons consider der suppo supporting t ng oour ur cruc crucial a work w with ith a financial finan ncia ggift. ift. W Wee would would not be able ab e too prov provide de Community Comm munity InnHome and and Residential Res dentia Hospice Hosp ce Support to ind individuals vidduals and the theirr families fam m l es w without thouut you! Cal Call us oorr “Donate Now” Now w” on our w website. ebsite.

Participate in an event: May M ay 66: Hik Hike ke for Bethell H Hospice osp ce Cre Create eate a team, team m jo joinn a team, teeam m ppledge ledge your su support. upport May M ay 11 11: S Spring pring FFashion ash on Show w Caledon Ca edon Country Coun ry Club Club, b, 2121 Olde Base Baseline inee Rd Rd, Ca Caledon, edon 6–9pm. PPurchase urchhase your ticket tickke at The TThh Genera Gene all Store, Inglewood, Store ngleewood 905-838-4386. 905 -838-4386 May M ay 19 19: Sw Swim-a-Kilometre wim m a-K Kilometre for Bethell Bethel Hospice Cass Cassiee Campbell Campbe l Community Com mmun ty Centre Cent e, 10500 Sanda Sandalwood wood Pkwy, Pkw w y Brampton, B am mpton, 9am–12pm. 9am––12pm. SSign gn up, ple pledge edge yyour our support. Contact Contaact Sherryy sym mpaticoo.ca aat jscar99@sympatico.ca. May M ay 29 29: Cale Caledon edon Ladies Caring Caring for our Com Community mmunityy A lad ladies’ es 99-hole hole golf go f tournament tou nam m en t and luncheon, uncheon 10am, 0am m Caledon Ca edon Country Count y Club, C ub 22121 21 O Olde de Baseline Basel ne Rd. Rd. Contact SSandra andra M Mowat, ow wat rogerss.com.. 905 838-0385 sandra_mowat 905-838-0385, sandra_mow wa @rogers.com June 24: Healing Hea ing Cycle C ycle B Bike ke Rid Ride de – Mississssa Mississauga Mis auga Create Create a te team team, eaam ea m jjo join oin a team, tteam eam m ppledge edge your suppo support. ort

“BBethe l House sta “Bethell staff aff and vo volunteers unteeers trulyy he helped ped us to cherish every m moment oment and feel feeel so lovedd and cared careed for. for. They They were were our our family fa amilyy and Ernie Ernnie and I loved loovedd every everyy one of th them. hem ” CCarolyn aro yn Dyc Dyck ck “As we we approached approoached the front door of Bethell Betthell House, House, we we felt felt a sig significant gnificaant w weight e ght lifted fr from rom m our sh shoulders. houlders From m th that hat moment m omentt until untilil his hhiis peaceful peaacefull dea ddeath eathh four four day ddays ays llater, ateer sstaff taff ff andd volunteers vo unteeers treated treateed Joe and our large laarge family faamilyy – including inc udinng grandchildren gra andchildreen ooff aallll aages ges – w with ithh kindnesss aand nd com compassion. mpassion Inn tthis hiss se serene erene and sunny sunny oasis, the thhe level evel of of care care was was exceptional. exce eptioonal”” Barb Pid Pidcock dcock “TThroough Bethell “Through Bethell Hospice, Hospicce, a volunteer voluunteer visited me me weekly weekly and and was w as a ggreat reat virtual virtuual life lifeline eline dduring uring those darkk m months. onthhs. He was w as ppresent resennt to m myy grief grief.f. He liste listened. ened. In a most most subtle and non-intrusive way, way, he bothh w witnessed ittnessedd m myy ggrief rieef and provided provided mee with m witth the tools too s to navigate nav gatee this thhis journey. joourneyy. The The level levvel of commitment comm m tm ment was was remarkable. remarkaable”” Com Community mmun ty client “W “We We cam came me into your hhouse ouse sscared careed st strangers. tranggers It to took ook but but hours hours too make your home feel like ikke ours. ours As As I feltt all all alone a one with w thh the thhe one I love, love, knowing knoowing th th iinevitable, the nevi vitittabbl ble, bl yyour our hhouse ouse bbrought rooughht ht m mee peace.” N Neil, ei , Resident’s Res dent s family fami y m member ember

See website for detai details. s. Spons Sponsorship rsh p opportunities opportuni ies are a e available available.

Bethell Hospice 15835 M McLaughlin cLaughhl n Road, Roadd, Inglewood Ing ew wood w w w bethe lhoospice.orgg 905-838-3534 www.bethellhospice.org 905-838 3534 Please do not hesitate hes tate to contact con ac us for more information. nformation

“It iss such a ddeep eep honour honour to meet meet with withh and simply sim mp y be be with with another anoth her pers person son who who eit either ther iss aapproaching pproaching the end of the their eir lifee or is gr grieving eving the end ooff a loved one’s one s life. l fee. O Our ur com community mmunityy iss truly tru y bblessed leessed to be be served serveed byy an organization orgganizaatioon like ikke BBethell etthell House.” Jake McArthur, House” McAr hur Volunteer Volun eer

TThe he BBethell etheell Hospice Hosspicee Fo Foundation oundation iss ddedicated edicaated too rais raising singg fu funds unds in sup support pport off BBethell ethe l Hosp Hospice, pice, aand nd to ensuring ensurinng the best the best poos ossi ssible sibl blee managem mana ma nage geme ment m ent ntt anndd inves nvestm stment tmen entt of doon onat nat atio ions ons ns re reec ecei ceiv eive vved edd thro throug oughh fund fundra draisin rais isin ing ng in init nitiat itia iatitive vess. ves. IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

9


L E T T E R S

The

Country Life...

It’s how I grew up, It’s how I live, It’s what I sell.

Out Standing In His Field

Wayne Baguley Sales Representative

519-941-5151 941 5151 941-5151

wbaguley@trebnet.com @trebnet @t b t com m

RCR Realty, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated

$2,500,000

THIS IS NOT JUST A NICE PROPERTY.... this is an absolutely spectacular property!! 126 acres. Long winding driveway passes open fields & driveshed to spacious 5 bdrm main house with large stone fireplace & 3 bdrm coach house/cottage. Then carries on past former hatchery, bush, large secluded pond/lake, over stream with waterfall to charming stable with 7 stalls & tack room. 5 ponds plus an extensive network of streams. Artesian springs. Call Wayne Baguley*. $949,000

VICTORIAN STYLE FARMHOUSE BUILT IN 2002 ON 100 ACRES WITH POND Immaculate, spacious rooms with 9’ ceilings. Eat-in kitchen has island with breakfast bar, built-In dbl oven & cooktop, large dining area & pantry. Open to family room with woodstove & walkout to yard. 40X80 driveshed with 14’X14’ sliding door & 10’X8’ roll up door & hydro. 60X40 barn with water, hydro, 4 stalls plus room for 4 more. 2 paddocks. 95 ac workable - approx. 65% tile drained.

For information on other country properties, visit www.waynebaguley.com 10

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

continued

Green Gravel “Green Gravel” by Tim Shuff (autumn 2011) is a cogent and clearly written article on the issues that surround aggregate extraction in Ontario. It offers some hope for reducing the current high level of conflict between proponents and communities. The SERA principles he describes include “the environmental and water impacts and site stewardship,” but they fail to address the disproportionate impact of super-sized aggregate developments. Highland Farms is applying to mine a colossal 2,400 acres in Melancthon. It beggars belief that the net effects of larger and larger industrial developments do not have a profound social and environmental impact on the community. In the Town of Caledon, from Kennedy Road in Caledon Village to the town border at Winston Churchill Blvd, there is corridor of 3,800 acres of licensed quarries and pits, with another 200 acres of proposed pits seeking licences, as well as 600 acres of properties amassed by gravel operators for which licences have not yet been applied. Taken together, the collective mass of operating mines in this part of Caledon is potentially 4,600 acres. In 2007, a study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council reported that Caledon contained the “largest series of gravel pits in North America.” When is the cumulative impact of progressively larger industrial developments too much? This needs to be addressed before we continue adding acreage to mega sites like this. Our community organization, REDC, People for Responsible Escarpment Development Caledon, is preparing to challenge one of the newest licence applications for a property which abuts existing operations, the McComick Pit on Heart Lake Rd, a 75-foot-below-the-water-table proposition. In recent geological maps of our area, our conservation authority no longer bothers to distinguish between the few modest natural lakes and the numerous acres of pit lakes which result when the aquifer is permanently breached during mining operations. Nowadays, all are “lakes.” The irony of the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park dividing a wasteland of mines stripped of biodiversity is not lost on those of us who live here. Nor that our region in the Niagara Escarpment is recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, a precious world resource equal to the Serengeti, but obviously not as valuable as gravel. Size and cumulative impact need to be addressed if the SERA Green Certification audit process is to be truly constructive. Christine Shain, President, REDC ment Development Caledon Inc. People for Responsible Escarpment ncillor Editor’s note: At the request of Councillor don Richard Paterak, the Town of Caledon has prepared a map showing the ne Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine and Niagara Escarpment planning areas, as well as aggregate resource and aggregate reserve lands in the municipality. Paterak notes that thee 4,800 acres referenced in this letter represent to gross acreage owned byy aggregate companies; however, not all the acreage is licensed.

ONLINE IN THE HILLS We welcome your comments! For more commentary from our readers, or to add your own thoughts on any of the stories in this issue, please visit inthehills.ca. You can also send your letters by e-mail to sball@inthehills.ca. Please include your name, address and contact information. In The Hills reserves the right to edit letters for publication.


SUNSHINE LANDSCAPE Design & Construction

*2011 Design & Construction Award Winner

Our Services Include: • • • • • •

Proud Member Landscape Ontario

complete landscape services custom stonework rockery / precast walls & steps interlocking stone patios, walkways & driveways garden design & installation water features

• • • • • •

specializing in infinity edge fiberglass pools excavating & earthworks drainage solutions lot clearing & grading trailway planning & construction large tree transplanting

Call today for a FREE no obligation quote. 1-800-361-5296 sunshinelandscape.com


C O U N T R Y S I D E

Family Relationships Can Be Criminal!

D I G E S T

by Douglas G. Pearce

Libertarians, populists and procrastinators Hot Tip

The Guilty Plea By Robert Rotenberg Published by Simon and Schuster, Canada

2012 One Book One County Selection Grand Finale with Author May 25

121 First Street, Orangeville 519-942-3830 Pick up a copy at BookLore Independent Bookstores Matter!

“A massive store of clean, renewable energy, the ‘hot rocks’ that are close to the surface in Western and Northern Canada, could generate more electricity than the country now consumes. This was the finding of a recent report on geothermal energy by 12 scientists for the federal Geological Survey of Canada. “‘Canada’s in-place geothermal power exceeds one million times Canada’s current electrical consumption,’ the report asserts. The heat is closest to the surface in large swaths of British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, but exists in substantial amounts all across Canada. “The report points out that geothermal has distinct advantages over not only fossil fuels and nuclear energy, but also wind, solar and biofuels, since the planet’s internal heat is available 24 hours a day, year-round.” From Montreal Gazette, quoted in the CCPA Monitor, Dec/11-Jan/12. policyalternatives.ca

Gee Haw “Oxen are not harnessed and guided by reins as are horses. The team of two is connected by a simple handmade wooden yoke. They are guided by voice command, the position and movement of the driver, and the occasional persuasion (or distraction) of a goad stick, a light stick with a switch at the end.” From The Canadian Organic Grower, Winter/12. cog.ca

Vive Le Vermont Libre “The Second Vermont Republic arose from the statewide anti-war protests in 2003. It embraces a left-wing populism that makes it unique among the national movements, which usually veer more toward Ron Paul libertarianism. The Vermont movement, like the Texas and Alaska movements, is well organized. It has a bimonthly newspaper called the Vermont Commons, which champions sustainable agriculture and energy supplies based on wind and water, and calls for locally owned banks that will open lines of credit to their communities. Dennis Steele, running for governor as a secessionist, runs Radio Free Vermont, which gives venue to Vermont musicians and groups, as well as being a voice of the movement. Vermont, like Texas, was an independent republic, 12

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

but on March 4, 1791, voted to enter the union. Supporters of the Second Vermont Republic commemorate the anniversary by holding a mock funeral procession…” From The World As It Is: Dispatches on the Myth of Human Progress, by Chris Hedges, Nation Books, 2011.

Ig Nobel “The literature prize went to retired Stanford University professor John Perry for his eloquent explanation of ‘structured procrastination.’ As he writes at structuredprocrastination. com, ‘the procrastinator can be motivated to do difficult, timely and important tasks, as long as these tasks are a way of not doing something even more important.’” From New Scientist, Oct 8/11. newscientist.com

Hello? “According to the wireless trade group CTIA, there are now 327.6 million active phones, tablets, and laptops on cellular networks in the U.S. That compares with 315 million women, men, girls, boys, and infants populating the country, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.” From CCPA Monitor, Dec/11-Jan /12. policyalternatives.ca

am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.’” From Civilization: The West and the Rest, by Niall Ferguson, Penguin Press, 2011.

Weather Vanes “The simple weather vane was once an instrument of war? So it seems. ‘Originally fabric pennants were used to show medieval archers the direction of the wind,’ tells Alfred Denninger, who custom crafts modern weather vanes in Theodosia, Mo. ‘The word “vane” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “fane” meaning flag.’” From Homestead, Winter/11. JohnDeereHomestead.com

Holy Typo “The Authorized Version (as the King James Bible of 1611 came to be known) stands alongside the plays of William Shakespeare among the greatest works of English literature. The team of 47 scholars who produced it were let down by the royal printers only once. The 1631 edition – known as ‘the Wicked Bible’ – omitted the word ‘not’ from the commandment ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’” From Civilization: The West and the Rest, by Niall Ferguson, Penguin Press, 2011.

Young Michael Moore Passing Thought “In dutifully reconstructing past thought, I have tried always to remember a simple truth about the past that the historically inexperienced are prone to forget. Most people in the past either died young or expected to die young, and those who did not were repeatedly bereft of those they loved, who did die young. Consider the case of my favourite poet, the Jacobean master John Donne, who lived to the age of fifty-nine… In the space of sixteen impecunious years, Anne Donne bore her husband twelve children. Three of them, Francis, Nicholas and Mary, died before they were ten. Anne herself died after giving birth to the twelfth child, which was stillborn. After his favourite daughter Lucy had died and he himself had very nearly followed her to the grave, Donne wrote his Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1625), which contains the greatest of all exhortations to commiserate with the dead: ‘Any man’s death diminishes me, because I

“For some reason, I never found my way to the path called ‘normal.’ And it was a good thing science and business had not yet conspired to invent ways to sedate and desensitize a little soul like mine. It’s one of the few times I thank God for growing up in the ignorant and innocent fifties and sixties. It would still be a few years before the pharmaceutical community would figure out how to dope up a toddler like me and have the teachers send me off to the ‘time-out room.’” Michael Moore in his autobiography, Here Comes Trouble, Grand Central Publishing, 2011.

Sure “No evidence exists that aliens have ever ‘contacted or engaged any member of the human race,’ nor is there evidence that life exists ‘outside our planet.’ So said the White House in response to two petitions this week calling on the US government to admit to any contact with aliens.” From New Scientist, 12 Nov/11. newscientist.com


G R A N N Y TAU G H T U S H OW.CO M 519 路 92 5路274 8 V I O L E T H I L L O N H I G H WAY 8 9 B E T W E E N 10 & A I R P O RT R D IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

13


14

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

P H OTO C R E D I T: P E T E PAT E R S O N


A R T I S T

I N

R E S I D E N C E

clockwise from top right : Migration, 1o" x 2o"; Get Out of Dodge, 28" x 22"; Outdoor Pepsi, 29.5" x 33.5"; An Afternoon at Rideau Antiques; Waterfront View, 28" x 22"

Tara Imerson Trained as an illustrator, Tara now works from her Portfoolio studio in Orangeville, bringing the drawing skills she acquired working in technical and architectural applications to her creative watercolour depictions of old buildings, vintage automobiles and everyday objects in still life. She is an elected member of the Ontario Society of Artists and the Colour and Form Society, and exhibits regularly with those associations. This spring, she is mounting a one-day exhibition with three guest artists, on Saturday, April 21 at Monora Park Pavilion on Hwy 10, just north or Orangeville. taraimerson.ca IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

15


Installations booking fast | Get your free quotes Don’t be disappointed Book your pool opening early Supplying all your pool and spa needs!

D&D Pools and Spas 519-942-8113 | www.d-dpools.com View our newly designed showroom at 82 First St, Orangeville

HARD WORK PAYS OFF ENJOY THE RIDE.

BE SURE.

CCV has been serving your community for over 40 years, sharing your enthusiasm for success and the perseverance and

hard work it takes to achieve it.

Bringing the Spirit of Wood to Life CUSTOM CEILINGS • KITCHENS • FIREPLACE MANTELS • OFFICES Serving Headwaters and Surrounding Areas

16

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

519-217-4447

TOLL FREE 1.877.422.8467

www.ccvinsurance.com


F E N C E

P O S T S

by Dan Needles

I L L U S T R AT I O N S H EL A G H A R M S T R O N G

t ru e c on fe ssions from t h e n i n t h c once ssion

a

F

or the past 30 years I’ve made a living writing about rural Ontario, which is a bit odd considering I am an immigrant to this sideroad I call home. I’m an American immigrant for my sins. I am descended from two families of peasant farmers who fled across the Atlantic in the 1600s in search of free land, and spent the next three centuries roaming North America trying to figure out some way to get off the land and into some employment that offered a decent living. My mother’s family succeeded first, in the farm implement business near Port Hope, Ontario. Hay fever drove my father’s father off an Iowa corn farm in 1912, across the border and into the tire business in Kitchener. Business was so good for both families that my parents were eventually able to give up gainful employment and turn to the theatre. Then, when we were reasonably comfortable and settled in a big house in the city with indoor plumbing and an oil furnace, my mother decided to buy another farm. It’s been a struggle ever since. In 1955, Mother drove an hour north of the city to Dufferin County and bought a hundred acres of treeless hills that had been chewed down to the quick by sheep for more than a century. A rabbit could not have lived off that farm unless it had a job in town. The other farms on the concession road weren’t much better off. The township had been steadily losing population since the agricultural depression of the 1890s and most of the old farmhouses hadn’t

Sense of place

seen new shingles or a coat of paint in living memory. But there was something very attractive about that old rural community. I loved the way the neighbours worked together and played together. It had a marvellous talent for making its own fun and it had a wonderful way of pulling together in a crisis, like a death or a fire.

a rabbit could not have lived off that farm unless it had a job in town Theatre people are not typically much interested in children. My parents turned me out to free-range at an early age to roam the hills of Mono Township with a pony and a .22 rifle. I was adopted by a group of hard-living cattle farmers who instructed me in the ancient art of hand rolling a cigarette and driving fast on dirt roads. By the time my education was complete, the painstaking work of my ancestors had been completely undone. The city grew quickly past my powers to comprehend it. I bought my own farm, married a farm girl from the next township, and settled down to a view of Georgian Bay and the life of a hunter-gatherer, or “freelancer,” to use the ancient Ojibway term. Biologists tell us that edge communities, where the savannah meets the rainforest or the meadow

meets the woodlot, produce the greatest diversity of species. These junction zones often contain species of each of the overlapping communities as well as some species that have become adapted specifically for living in these zones. If you’re looking for surprises in biology, this is where you’ll find it. This publication speaks to one of those edge communities, where the town meets the country. Here we find a colourful assortment of people who, chances are, have a foot in both camps and have learned to live by their wits. They are an interesting combination of the sophisticated and the practical. They might listen to Mozart while they blow snow. They go to potluck suppers and trade seed catalogues. They use the old community hall for sustainable food breakfasts and take cappuccino makers on deer hunts. I may be a “blow-in” myself, but my wife is as native to these hills as a hawthorn root. All the men in her family limp from some encounter with a cow. She’s related to everyone between Highway 7 and Georgian Bay. My sons complain that before they ask a girl out, they have to call their grandmother to see if it’s all right. She belongs to an extended network of women who were raised on a 100-yard diet and can amuse themselves in an open field. CSIS can only wish they knew as much about what happens in this neighbourhood. For this writer and for this moment at least, the great migration has finally come to a halt. I am at home. ≈

The latest installment in Dan Needles’ Wingfield series, Wingfield Lost & Found, plays at Theatre Orangeville from March 28 to April 15. The plays are based on the stockbroker-turned-farmer character Needles introduced in a weekly column he wrote as editor of the Shelburne Free Press and Economist in the 1970s. His new column “Fence Posts” appears in In The Hills, On The Bay and Watershed, three independent magazines reaching over 90,000 readers. You can read an extended profile of Dan Needles from the summer 1995 issue of In The Hills at a link with this column at inthehills.ca. IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

17


must do

A highly selective guide to the picks of the season.

must

plant

Planting a tree is not only good for the planet, it’s also a great way get some fresh air, exercise and meet your neighbours. This spring there are several opportunities to make tree planting a communal celebration.

must

charm

worms

One of the stranger events to become an annual fixture in these hills is the Great Canadian Worm Charming Championship. The day-long festivities include music, dancing, kite flying, food, and above all, a competition to entice as many worms as possible from the soil. Each wormer and their two “gillies” have 45 minutes to charm worms from a three-metre-square plot. Methods may include fiddling, grunting, vibrating, or any other form of worm attraction, as long as no worms are harmed. All the wrigglers are returned to pursue their subterranean activities after the event. The team that gathers the most worms is awarded the Canadian Worm Charming Championship, and the title of Great Canadian Wormer goes to the charmer who finds the heaviest specimen (the record so far is 7.o4 grams). There’s also a prize for the Most Curious Wormers, the team with the most unusual method or costume. Charles Darwin calculated there are 53,767 earthworms per acre, aerating and fertilizing the soil as they burrow away. So this competition should be easy, right? Hosted by the Shelburne Lions, the event takes place Saturday, June 2 in Shelburne’s Fiddle Park. To register a team, go to wormcharming.ca.

18

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

To launch Earth Week on April 21, Orangeville and Credit Valley Conservation invite volunteers for a morning of tree planting and cleaning up along a tributary of Mill Creek. Meet at 9am at Broadway Pentecostal Church, work hard, then enjoy a free barbecue lunch hosted by the Lions Club (orangeville.ca).

Also on April 21, in Caledon, the Bolton Horticultural Society has teamed up with Toronto and Region Conservation for a similar morning of digging and planting as part of a multi-year naturalization project on the Humber. Meet at 10am at the pumping station on Old King Rd, off King St. E.

Then on May 12, you can do it all again at the Caledon Creek community tree planting, hosted by the Town and Ontario Streams. Meet at 9am at the end of Giles Rd in Caledon Village.

And if you want to add a few trees to your own property, visit the tree and shrub seedling sale in Primrose on April 28, when the Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Council is offering a wide variety of bare-root seedlings (6-16 inches) for sale at $10 to $12 for a bundle of 10. Bring your own container and be there early for the best choice. The sale starts at 9am on a first-come, first-served basis (dufferinmuseum.com/forest).

must

adopt

If you have a barn, you may need a cat, the most reliable mouse and rat catcher there is – with no poisons involved. And Brampton Animal Services may have just the cat for you. Its innovative “Barn Program” offers neutered, dewormed and vaccinated felines to suitable rural situations at no charge (though a donation is appreciated). The cats are socialized, but otherwise deemed “poor house adoption candidates,” because they’ve previously lived outdoors. Furthermore, if the cat doesn’t work out, you can return it to the shelter. To apply for a cat, complete the questionnaire at brampton.ca/animalservices.

Orangeville is embracing both Earth Hour and Earth Week with a host of activities to celebrate and promote the health of our planet and local environment. As millions of people world-over prepare to turn out their lights for one hour on March 31, the town will get into the spirit with a free swim at 6:30pm at the Alder Street Recreation Centre, followed at 7pm by various activities, entertainment and a free barbecue at Westside Secondary School. The final countdown begins at 8:29pm, followed by an hour of acoustic music while the lights are dimmed.

must

switch off

The town’s Earth Week festivities, April 21 to 28, include a tree photography contest, an elementary school poster contest, displays, raffles and book exchange. A highlight of the week will be the annual presentation of the town’s Sustainability Awards (nominations close March 30). For a full list of Earth Week activities, see orangeville.ca. And for information about Earth Week celebrations across the country, see earthday.ca


D C M A P H O T O P - 33 4 4

Palgrave Rotary Club 15th ANNIVERS

ARY

Superintendent Miss Barclay and the first class of student nurses in front of Lord Dufferin Hospital, First Street, Orangeville, in spring, 1913. The hospital had been opened in 1912 in the former Kearns home by the IODE, after five years of fundraising. They had planned to give it to the County of Dufferin, but the gift was declined, so they operated it themselves until 1924.

must

celebrate 100

It’s been a hundred years since the Lord Dufferin Hospital opened in Orangeville, and as part of the anniversary celebrations, Headwaters Health Care Centre is looking back at a century of medical service with a year-long series of exhibitions of photographs and artifacts. Presented with the assistance of Dufferin County Museum and Archives, the first exhibit, now on display in the hospital lobby, covers 1907 to 1923 and highlights the work of the IODE in founding the hospital and nursing school, along with photos of some of its first staff and physicians. The second display will span the years from 1924 to 1953, with the final from 1954 to the present.

must

identify

A walk in the woods is grand, but it’s a lot more fun if you know what you’re looking at. To help you do just that, the Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Council is hosting two walks and talks at the Little Tract of Dufferin County Forest (938130 Airport Rd, north of Mansfield). The first, on May 26, focuses primarily on wildflowers, and the second, on June 2, on trees. Both start at 9am. And if you’re inclined to nibble on any of the plants you see, you might also want to attend the council’s presentation on edible and medicinal plants. It’s presented by master herbalist Lisa Yates, at the Mono Community Centre in Mono Centre at 9:30am on June 9. For details and to register for any of the council events, go to dufferinmusum/forest, or call 705-435-1881. Edible and medicinal plants are also the subject of a presentation hosted by the Upper Credit Field Naturalists with Meaford-based naturalist and tracker Alexis Burnett. It’s on April 24 at 7:30pm at the Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St, Orangeville.

A premier tasting event with 80 wines, beer from 2 micro breweries and cider. Enjoy roast sirloin, finger foods, cheeses and chocolate. Door Prize draws include a motorhome vacation weekend.

Friday, June 8 th 6:00 to 8:30 PM Caledon Equestrian Park – Palgrave All Inclusive Advance Tickets $40 For ticket information visit www.rotaryclubofpalgrave.com or call 416-200-3806 PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

19


Brian and Maureen Bixley first began gardening around their Mulmur farmhouse some four decades ago. From season to season, the mature garden is a welcoming, carefully planned maze of leafy cloisters and blooming pathways breaking into long vistas across the countryside.

T E X T A ND P H OTO S BY B R I A N B I X L E Y

above : Magnolia ‘Sunsation’. below : Through the Jungle into the New Field. Magnolia liliiflora ‘Jane’ and Malus ‘Radiant’ to the left, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) to the right.

20

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

Winter is both too long and too short for the ardent gardener. It is too short because the summer garden has consumed us, we have neglected our books, our music, our friends, and now winter offers the chance to recapture them. Like the garden itself, we need a restorative time. And we need a space to contemplate, to reflect on what went well, what needs rethinking, how we can pursue what Francis Bacon called the “greater perfection,” while remembering that gardening is the ideal form of artistic expression for the irresponsible; we can always blame Nature. Certainly there are tasks that could use attention – cutting back the Carolina beech hedge, knocking the heavy snow from the tops of the cedar hedges so they don’t split open, cutting out a dead limb or one that has simply had the misfortune to extend itself in the wrong direction. But winter is too long because what we really want is to be back in the garden, chilled and wind-burned, pulling aside the mulch to see if there is any sign of a plant we know cannot possibly be winter-hardy, sniffing with pleasure the dubious odours of the reviving landscape, clearing away the mysterious, uninvited winter debris, edging the beds, peering for the first snowdrop and the first crocus, putting out the garden furniture, like an art dealer getting her continued on page 22 gallery in order for the next exhibition.


above : The ‘Profusion’ Allée. top right : Galanthus nivalis ‘Viridapice’. right, inset : From the Nursery Garden, through Malus sargentii, to the Blue Snake in the Oak Grove.

lower : Pulsatilla vulgaris, a dark red form of Pasque Flower in the Sand Bed; and Cyclamen coum, one of three cyclamen species hardy in the garden with some winter protection. IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

21


lilactree continued from page 20

COLD C R E E K

LA N D S C A P E & LA W N M A I N T E N A N C E

IN C.

PROVIDING RELIABLE AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE IN THE AREA FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS

PHONE 1 888 880 4118

OR

905 880 4118

Parkton Lanternss and Da Vinci beaded jewellery

At Glen Echo we are getting ready for an exciting new season. Ourr gi Ou gift ft sho hop p ha hass st stun unni ning ng new hom ome e dé déco corr fo forr in indo door orss an and d outt. Our fas ou ashi hion hi on dep epar artm ar tmen tm entt is g ro en rowi wing wi ng w it ith h be beau auti au tifu ti full co fu cost stum st ume um e jewe je well ller ery y su such ch as Da Vin inci ci Bea eads ds and a gor orge geou ouss ne new w li line ne of Cana Ca nadi dian an-m -mad ade e, one ne-s -siz izee-fit fitss-al alll cl clot othi hing ng. Wi With th our hug uge e se sele lect ctio ion n of t re rees es, sh shru rubs bs, ro rose sess, per eren enni nial alss, ann nnua uals ls and acc cces esso sori ries es, you’ yo u re sur ure e to fi nd all you nee eed d fo forr gi gift ft-giv g ivin ing g or for you ours rsel elf! f!

www..gl g en e ec echo o.c .com o 15070 1507 0 Ai Airp portt Road d south th off Called don Eastt 905 90 5 58 584 4 99 9973 73 or 90 905 5 67 677 7 31 3140 40 fax 9 05 584 975 751 1

22

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

We are fortunate at Lilactree Farm that the many hedges and fences provide a structure whose geometry is only softly diminished by drifting snow. Many of the trees have bark of great interest (the peeling, cinnamon bark of the Chinese paperbark maple, Acer griseum; the green and white striped bark of the native moosewood, Acer pensylvanicum; the bright red stems of the Japanese maple, Acer tschonoskii). Others have fascinating shapes, like the towering zelkova at the entrance to the Barnyard Garden, or the gaunt Kentucky coffee tree in the New Field. We rejoice at all this – “You should have an open garden day in February,” said a well-wrapped friend – but we are waiting for spring. The conventional concept of spring in southern Ontario is that it perishes almost as soon as it arrives. It is true we do not normally enjoy the long, slow spring of the temperate climates of northern Europe. To extend our spring, we need to reach backwards into the cooler weeks of April and early May, we need to embrace those chilly days and nights as gardening moments to be savoured, not merely endured, even if our expectations are sometimes thwarted. “Is the spring not an evil time, that excites us with lying voices?” asks a character in The Family Reunion, as the snow flurries return. When we announce an open garden day in late April, we often hear the comment, “But what will there be to see?” The answer is: a great deal. A Garden Diary entry for March 20, 2011 announces the beginning of the floral deluge that will make April one of the most thrilling months in the garden year: ••••• Many snowdrops already visible have been joined by the first golden winter aconites ... My eye was suddenly caught by a substantial patch of rosy-pink flowers (of) Cyclamen coum ... had shrugged off its mulch ... I sprawled out, torpedoed my way under some shrubs and counted the flowers – there were at least 70 – and I could see nearby siblings urgently pushing through their cover. Many Leucojum vernum in the Acid Bed and the North Jungle. ••••• By the first week in April, the snowdrops, including a miniscule sampling of the more than 500 named forms, aconites, snowflakes (the writer Elizabeth Lawrence’s name for Leucojum vernum) had been joined by the few crocuses that were left to us by chipmunks and squirrels, the first dwarf iris and the early, mat-forming Scilla mischtschenkoana, with a dark stripe on each of its pale blue tepals. •••••

April 8: Chionodoxa (Glory-of-thesnow) now flowering freely on the Roadside Rock Garden, while two days later, good stands of Iris ‘Katherine Hodgkin’ shot up and opened by the Steps and in the North Jungle, with more to come in the Anniversary Garden. There, two clumps of Iris reticulata have begun along with the odd Iris histrioides and half a dozen Bulbocodium vernum ... Many crocuses now, snowdrops looking ethereal in the South Jungle. ••••• April 11: Snowdrops and aconites close to their best ... the brown-grey snubs of bloodroot beginning to push through, many peony shoots visible, puschkinias everywhere, the great blue wave [of scilla and chionodoxa] preparing its own minor horticultural tsunami, cyclamen continue, Saxifraga elisabethae in flower in the Rock Garden, many dwarf tulips up, pink chionodoxa ... a magical moment. ••••• Many of the days and even more of the nights are cold at this time of year, frost battering down the emerging Crown Imperials, but the garden imposes demands that cannot be ignored. ••••• Removed burlap and guards from trees in the South and North Jungles, cut out old hellebore foliage, spread gravel on the Back Porch path ... clipped the yews, removed the dead Nest Spruce, moved Cyclamen alpinum from the Rock Garden to the Trough ... planted a Catalpa speciosa to replace the old Manitoba maple that finally collapsed ... The Nursery Garden looked very sparkling after everything had been clipped and raked ... sowed seed [in pots indoors] of Tithonia rotundifolia, Salvia coccinea, Quamoclit coccinea ... my back has, naturally enough, not improved. ••••• Before April is out, scilla and Gloryof-the-snow will carpet much of the garden. The rose-f lowered spring daphne, Daphne mezereum, lines the east side of the driveway, while the Daphne Bank – not, as a friend suggested, a Noël Coward heroine – is at its best, the flowers of the white form of the spring daphne fi lling the air with fragrance. Bloodroot, single, double, pale pink appear, along with the first species tulips, while Narcissus minor sets the pace for all the daffodils to follow. As May arrives, anemones, dog’s tooth violets and rarely-seen trilliums catch the eye. A week later, tulips dominate the Maple and White beds. The spring ephemerals – jeffersonias, primulas, pasqueflowers, fritillaries, alpine plants – race into life. The first herbaceous clematis, tiny jewels of colour, astonish visitors unfamiliar continued on page 24


www.hillndalelandscaping.com www.hillndalelandscaping.com

Contact us at : (519) 925-3238 Mono, Mulmur and Creemore Hills

top : Tulipa ‘Maureen’ in the White Bed. centre left : A pale pink form of bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis. lower left : Tulipa aucheriana. Vita Sackville-West described this tulip as being like a “rich and old brocade.” right : Iris ‘Katherine Hodgkin’ is an easy, old favourite.

• Architectural Design • Project Management • • Installation • Maintenance • IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

23


OPENING DAY

Saturday April 28±

Beautiful Hanging Baskets, Annuals, Perennials and Herbs Gift Certificates Available

Hart Massey sculpture in the New Field, on the eastern edge of the escarpment. right : Helleborus x hybridus.

Open Mon-Fri 8:30-7:30 Sat 8:30-6:00 and Sun 8:30-5:00 13694±Chinguacousy±Rd, Cheltenham 2km west of Hwy 10 south of King St www.scgreenhouse.ca

lilactree continued from page 22

SPRING HAS SPRUNG OPEN APRIL 14 to JUNE 10

~ Choose From ~ Spruce, Pine, Maple, Cedars, Birch, etc. ONE YEAR WARRANTY • GROWER DIRECT Backyards are Our Specialty

HOCKLEY VALLEY TREE FARMS

519.942.4030

Hours | Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm or by appointment 8.3 km N of Hwy 9 on Airport Rd.

www.hockleyvalley.on.ca

• Landscape Design & Construction • Natural & Interlocking Stone • Weekly Lawn Maintenance • Landscape Lighting • Retaining Walls • Water Features

www.peellandscaping.com 24

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

519-927-9404 1-800-663-7680

with them. Towards the end of the month blue, pink and white flowers of the vigorous Clematis alpina and Clematis macropetala will flood fences, trees and shrubs. In the early days of May, deciduous trees and shrubs are leafless, but the hedges of cedar and alpine currant, and sometimes simply of unmown grass, guide our eyes along a peonyand daphne-lined path to a blue bench, to a beckoning obelisk, to one of the two dramatic Hart Massey sculptures seen from under the branches of an allée of ‘Profusion’ crabapples, to a small figure (to make the path look longer) cut into a “window” in a hedge, and on to the borrowed landscape of the surrounding countryside. From a wooden bench in the Nursery Garden we can gaze through an open door to a pedestal and into the Oak Grove where Ray Spiers’ Blue Snake neatly divides the space and draws the eye to the blue bench. From the obelisk at the top of the New Field Path we encounter a vista that does not exist at the heart of the garden, but must be sought – the view from the very eastern edge of the Niagara Escarpment over the ungreened fields, over discreet rooftops and slender silos and much-patched barns. Behind us, cut into the grass, is a maze. It is a copy of the one at Hampton Court, linking one of the gardeners to an English childhood, and serving as

a miniature metaphor for the garden as a whole. By the middle of the month, many trees are beginning to leaf out and flower, though the timing is dependent on temperature as well as light. Magnolias are prominent, especially the yellow-flowered forms, but increasingly the garden is dominated by crabapples, scattered around the garden but also in formal rows. Among the latest to flower are the Toringo Crab, Malus sieboldii, lining the New Field path, and those in the ‘Profusion’ Allée. A path descends from the Massey sculpture, runs under the overhanging flower-fi lled branches and leads on, if the timing is helpful, to a single row of the white-f lowered Malus sargentii. It is a sumptuous moment before summer’s heat rolls in. ≈ ••••• Lilactree Farm Garden in Mulmur will be open from 10am to 4pm on the following Sundays in 2012: April 22, May 6, 20, 27, June 17, September 16, and at other times by arrangement. For directions and information, email lilactreefarm@gmail.com. Brian Bixley is the author of Essays on Gardening in a Cold Climate, available from BookLore in Orangeville.


Victorian Gingerbread Custom designed to fit your home. Low maintenance. Will not rot.

Heritage Inspired Building Products Solid Wood Entry & Screen Doors ~ Mouldings ~ Cabinets Mantels ~ Tin Ceilings ~ Hardware ~ Shutters

ƝɆȱȺɃɁȷɄȳΎ͒ΎƝɆȱȳȾɂȷȽȼȯȺΎ͒ΎƝɆȾȳɀȷȳȼȱȳȲ ƨɀȽɃȲȺɇΎɁȳɀɄȷȼȵΎɂȶȳΎƠȽɀɁȳΎơȼȲɃɁɂɀɇΎȰɇΎȱɀȳȯɂȷȼȵΎɃȼȷȿɃȳΎƝȿɃȷȼȳΎƞȯȱȷȺȷɂȷȳɁ ƛȽȻȾȺȳɂȳΎƪȳɁɂȽɀȯɂȷȽȼɁ˴ΎƛɃɁɂȽȻΎƨȺȯȼɁΎ˱ΎƯȽɀɀɇΎƞɀȳȳΎƨɀȽȸȳȱɂΎƥȯȼȯȵȳȻȳȼɂ

Gary van Bolderen V ISIT O UR S HOWRO OM 493 Broadway, Orangeville www.kurtzmillworks.com 519-941-7875

www.dutchmasters.on.ca

Greg van Bolderen 705.737.3392

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

25


the

northern

What makes these Headwaters residents leave our pastoral hills for the raw and rugged landscapes of Canada’s Arctic? Adventure for sure. Creative inspiration, too. And those long, long hours of daylight. But perhaps above all, it’s the sheer monumental grandeur of the north – and the sense that in this place, more than any other, both the history and destiny of our small planet is writ large.

Taylor Pace, Al Pace and Lin Ward of Hockley Valley operate Canoe North Adventures. See page 28.

26

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012


connection

Caledon artist Cory TrĂŠpanier paints the Arctic landscape. See page 33.

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

27


French River Creative Writing Workshop The Lodge at Pine Cove May 13 to 18, 2012 Oakland Ross says the best thing he ever did for his nonfiction writing was to take instruction in creative writing. Whether your interests tend toward fiction or nonfiction, this five-day workshop is your chance to hone your skills with three of Canada’s foremost writers. The historic French River is sure to draw out your creativity and provide the peace needed for you to find your voice. The group cheers after running the formidable Cache Creek Canyon, Mountain River.

LEAH McLAREN Globe and Mail columnist, long-fiction & screenwriting

Paddling on the Wild Side Adventures north of 60 BY NI CO L A R OSS

CECILY ROSS Food in the Hills editor, non-fiction & memoir writing

OAKLAND ROSS Toronto Star feature writer, short- & non-fiction writing Visit www.frenchriver.com for more about the workshop and the Lodge at Pine Cove (rated Ontario’s #2 specialty lodge). BONUS In the Hills publisher Signe Ball will impart her editorial wisdom, and In the Hills columnist Nicola Ross will lead a travel writing session.

28

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

T

here are a lot of reasons a couple might decide they are incompatible, but an interest in different sports pursuits isn’t usually high on the list. Nevertheless, horse riding enthusiast Lin Ward had some marital jitters over Al Pace’s infatuation with canoeing Canada’s north. She recalls, “During the early years, Al was going north to the Arctic as often as possible. I avoided those trips like the plague.” It turns out Lin’s apprehensions reflect those of many who have since become great fans of Canoe North Adventures, the company the Hockley Valley couple started once Lin “got the northern bug.” With the sort of deft persuasion that has become his trademark, Al convinced his wife to paddle the Yukon’s South MacMillan River. Though she agreed, Lin was terrified by the prospect. She didn’t believe the flatwater paddling she’d done was sufficient training. “As I prepared to head north, the expedition rested on my mind like a black cloud. I imagined myself always behind the group, struggling to keep

up and being asked to face things I was not sure I wanted to face: brutal portages, big bugs, and surly whitewater. Physical exertion to this level was not in my vocabulary! What kept me going was my trust in Al.” I could relate. Last August, I had a week to ponder my decision to accept CNA’s offer of a trip down the Northwest Territories’ Mountain River. At the time, my familiarity with Canada’s northern rivers was limited to the famed Nahanni. The Mountain was the Nahanni’s little-known, but more challenging cousin. There would be at least some “surly” whitewater, as well as six tricky canyons. Lin recalls that when she finally made it onto the South MacMillan, it was as if “a lifetime of responsibility fell off my shoulders. I could see my 16-yearold self with all the feelings of youth, when life was simple, innocent and full of joyful freedom. I was hooked!” That was 21 years ago. Over that time the couple has become well known locally for their Farmhouse Pottery studio on Hockley Road, where Al’s clay designs often feature northern motifs. But since then, this paddling

duo has also logged a combined 40,000 kilometres on Canada’s northern rivers. In recent years, their son Taylor has become an integral part of the company too, including working as a lead guide with Al. In total, they’ve led 90 expeditions on 21 rivers in the NWT, Yukon and Nunavut, making their track record hard to match in canoeing circles. With so much time in the bow (Lin) and stern (Al), you might think they would be winding down their operation, which runs from May until September each year, but nothing could be farther from the truth. CNA’s business took a big leap forward in July last year with the official opening of their brand new outfitting centre in Norman Wells, a small town in the NWT’s Sahtu region, not far from the Arctic Circle. Prince Andrew, a school


friend of Al’s, cut the ribbon and spoke eloquently about Canada’s north. With funding from the territorial government and an informal alliance with North-Wright Airways, Al and Lin are helping put the Sahtu region on Canada’s tourism map. (Coincidently, North-Wright’s president, Warren Wright, grew up in Dundalk, Ontario.) They aren’t the only people from Headwaters involved in the campaign to balance out the NWT’s focus on resource extraction. Over the last three years, some nine people from Headwaters, including Al and his son Taylor, travelled to the land of the midnight sun to help build CNA’s outfitting centre, and the hangar, dock and aviation museum next door. Laurie McGaw and her contractor husband Ross Phillips are among the most involved. Laurie, who lived near

top : As confidence and skills develop, riding the roller coaster waves offers an exhilarating ride! above : A female moose and her calf wade in the river shallows.

Shelburne for years, is an eminent Canadian portrait artist. With Lin’s recommendation, Laurie was commissioned to paint two murals that depicted the region’s aviation heroes for North-Wright Airways’ new facilities. Laurie was so enamoured with her experience that she plans to return to paint portraits of some of the Sahtu’s Dene elders. Ross, who helped North-Wright convert an old Alaska Highway building into the continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

29


COMFORT

&

BEAUTY

NEW CONSTRUCTION

R E N O VAT I O N S

BU I L D I N G

FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION

TAMERLANE

Barb Shaughnessy Design Consultant

www.tamerlaneinteriors.ca

barb@tamerlaneinteriors.ca

INTERIORS

905 838 5182

above : Fireweed Campsite below massive Fortress Mountain, high in the Mackenzie Mountains, nwt. Summer 2011 at the Canoe North Adventures Outfitting Centre in Norman Wells, nwt. back row left to right : Ron Jasiuk, Donald Grant, Al Pace, Warren Wright, Harry Feinig. centre row : Susan Casson, Shar Robertson, Laurie Smith, Matt Casson, Taylor Pace, Peter Scott. front row : Jim Robertson, Lin Ward, Laurie McGaw, Bethany Lee, Cedar Jasiuk, Ann Voyame

Spring into Fresh New Skin Firm & Tighten Even Skin Tone Minimize Fine Lines & Wrinkles Improve Rosacea & Sun-damaged Skin Receive a

FREE*

Skin Renewal Peel (value $85)

with your facial!

paddling continued from page 29

*applies to new clients only

Mention IHPEEL when booking. Valid until April 30th, 2012.

Shop our Gift Boutique for a unique collection of inspired gifts and beautiful beginnings. Organic Facial & Body Treatments Laser | Massage Therapy Skin Renewal Peels Manicures | Pedicures | Waxing

Organic Spa & Gift Boutique

30

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

25 Queen St N, Bolton ON 905.951.8659 jadeholisticspa.com

aviation museum, will do the finishing carpentry on the new home of Warren Wright’s son. The couple has caught Al and Lin’s northern bug, although, as Ross emphasizes, “not enough to want to live up there yearround!” Defined by the Mackenzie River, Canada’s longest, the Sahtu region encompasses Great Bear Lake as well as a range of the Mackenzie Mountains that rises up from the river to the Yukon border. It is the source for several paddling rivers, among them the Mountain, Keele and Natla. These rivers flow for hundreds of kilometres, gaining speed and girth as they tumble out of the mountain peaks and flow into the Mackenzie. With names that are unfamiliar to all but a

few ardent paddlers, a handful of geographers and a growing number of mineral prospectors, these waterways are largely untracked. They receive a small fraction of the paddlers who navigate the Nahanni. Although Lin and Al lead expeditions on a dozen or so different northern rivers, a number of which empty into the Arctic Ocean, it’s the Sahtu Region that is their passion when they are away from the Hockley Valley. Inhabited mostly by four different Dene people, the small town of Norman Wells (pop. 800) is their base, as well as a home to Imperial Oil since the company discovered oil there in 1919. Oil remains a focus in Norman Wells, especially now that the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline is once again being considered, but it’s gold that has


Donald Grant of Orangeville shows off a magnificent Arctic char, Horton River, nwt.

helicopters f lying up and down the Sahtu’s deep valleys and over its sharp peaks. And it’s minerals that threaten the Sahtu’s pristine wilderness. As I made my way down the 340kilometre Mountain River over 11 days, we came across ptarmigan, sandhill cranes, eagles and dozens of magnificent woodland caribou, their antlers so enormous they made my neck hurt. Though we never spied any, I could imagine that grizzlies and black bears watched our progress. We picked blueberries, identified soapberries and cranberries, made Labrador tea, and hiked high up into mountains. Karl Schiefer, who spent 35 years as an environmental consultant, has accompanied CNA on five northern rivers. Karl recognizes that people who travel these rivers will also see

what I spied in the lower reaches of the Mountain River. Here, sheer cliffs composed entirely of fine silt limit the river’s gracious curves. The only “structure” holding these banks together is permafrost. Even though the air temperature was cool, they were melting. Streams, in some cases rivers, of mud carved deep channels and flowed unimpeded into the river, fi lling it with sediment and eroding the shoreline. Karl confirmed my fear that a warming climate was speeding up this process. I wondered what effect it was having on the river and its resident wildlife. Recognizing the need for tourism to balance out mining interests in the Sahtu, Karl is enthusiastic in his description of CNA’s expeditions: “I’ve continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

31


paddling continued from page 31

NEW WAVE

TION A L L STA N I D N EA SALES, SERVIC

POOL & SPA SERVICES

989 1 e c n ity Si n u m m Serving Our Co INGROUND

POOL INSTALLATIONS

• Replacement Liners • Solar Blankets • Accessories • Pumps, Filters, Heaters • Chemicals • Free Water Testing

308 Broadway, Orangeville • 519-942-2722

Watch for our new location 302 Broadway, Orangeville

Southview Chiropractic & Wellness Centre Improve Your Animal’s

• Mobility • Performance • Overall Health with Chiropractic Care

Dr. Lori Batch BSc, D.C. Certified Animal Chiropractor

Serving Bolton/Caledon & surrounding areas

905-951-WELL (9355) www.southviewchiropractic.com

32

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

been on lots of organized trips and I don’t think you can give them too high a mark … Anyone who goes on one of Al and Lin’s trips will come away with a different view of wilderness.” What sets CNA’s expeditions apart isn’t only the couple’s canoeing experience, it is also the care with which they craft each trip. When I answered their last-minute call for a journalist, Al was most interested in the fact that he knew me and felt I’d get along with the group he had already lined up. My writing credentials and limited paddling resumé took a back seat. The couple has made a career of getting the personal chemistry right for each trip. I came away from the Mountain River with some new, likely lifelong friends.

With his eagle eyes, Al always spotted wildlife first, pointing them out with the glee of a young child. Getting the right people often puts Al’s gift of persuasion to the test. Take Cathy Macdonald who weekends near Mansfield, as an example. A trip to Florence or Paris was her idea of the perfect 50th birthday. Problem was, her husband Jamie, who doesn’t like cities much, ran into Al some months before Cathy’s big day. It wasn’t hard for Al to convince Jamie that Cathy’s 50th would be better spent on a CNA canoeing adventure. But it took some conniving to talk the birthday girl into it. “I didn’t know why Jamie wanted me to go visit Al,” Cathy explained. But the meeting worked. Al convinced Cathy to give the north a shot despite what she thought was her too little paddling experience. Getting people to believe they can handle a big-water northern river is one of Al and Lin’s greatest challenges. Another is getting them to understand that the trips CNA operates are pretty comfortable. The food is great, the tents are roomy, the biffy generally has a great view, and happy hour is always entertaining. Even though she’d agreed to paddle the Keele River, Cathy said, “I couldn’t sleep for a week before that trip.” As she looked back on that 2006 expedition, Cathy says it was the beginning of her more adventuresome holidays (she’s since paddled the Mountain River). “I proved to myself that even though I was 50, I was not about to be turned out to pasture.”

I had a similar experience on the Mountain River. I was so unnerved by what I’d signed up to do, I spent the better part of an afternoon a few days before I was to leave watching howto-paddle-whitewater videos. When I finally climbed into the bow of the canoe high up in the Mackenzie Mountains, I was fi lled with trepidation. But as we cascaded down that powerful river at a pace that seemed fitting for a downhill skier, I learned some of the tricks of the trade. By the end, I had developed a reasonable bow-draw stroke. It required me to brace my knees against the boat and lean my body far out of the canoe so that I could stab my short, fat whitewater paddle into the roaring river to gain the traction I needed to pull the canoe around and avoid “kissing” a looming sheer cliff face in one or another of the Mountain River’s canyons. But as much as I loved the exhilaration of days spent f lying down 100- and 200-metre-long whitewater ramps, it was my first sighting of caribou that will stay with me forever. It will be Al’s sheer joy at leading our group safely down the trickiest of the northern rivers. He took charge of our trip with the light touch of a benevolent dictator. His leadership went unchallenged as he sought out the best routes down immense rapids, through sheer-cliffed canyons, and among as many as five or six river braids. With his eagle eyes, he always spotted wildlife first, pointing them out with the glee of a young child. John Wheelwright, who lives near Palgrave, has paddled three rivers with Al (two of them with his wife Isabel). He said, “I feel that anyone who enjoys the outdoors should make a real effort to visit Canada’s north by canoe. There is really no other way to enjoy the majesty of the northern rivers.” It is also a tremendous way to push your limits as Lin and Cathy and I had done along with, no doubt, dozens of the 136 other Headwaters residents who have followed Lin and Al to the north. Like me, they took heart in CNA’s safety record: although there has been an occasional capsize over the years, none has resulted in injury or evacuation. Thanks to Al, Lin and my stern paddler Taylor Pace, whose skills match those of his parents, wild excitement crowded out any fear I had during my trip down the river. Moreover, I vowed that one day I would return again to paddle Canada’s north, one of the world’s great wilderness landscapes. It can’t be for my 50th birthday and it won’t be as a young bride, but I can’t think of any adventure that would be as exhilaratingly romantic as undertaking this trip with my life partner. Guess I’ve caught the northern bug too. ≈


Cory Trépanier’s Big Northern Dream BY NI CO L A R OSS

Ian DesLauriers, a former trail director with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, is credited with saying, “If they don’t laugh at your dream, it’s not big enough.” If that’s true, then Caledon landscape artist and filmmaker Cory Trépanier must spend a lot of time fending off amused skeptics. His vision is so enormous that he had to renovate his barn to accommodate it. Cory first began documenting the Canadian wilderness in earnest in 2001 around Georgian Bay and Lake Superior. That project, called Coast to Canvas (see In The Hills, Summer 2003) resulted in a touring

exhibition of 30 oil paintings. In 2006, he travelled still farther afield to the eastern Arctic, documenting his painting adventures in a film called Into the Arctic. Three years ago, Cory undertook his most ambitious project of all, venturing far into the western and high Arctic. Over three months, he travelled to a dozen locations, primarily on Ellesmere and Baffin islands, places so remote few people have ever visited them. “I can’t deny the thrill of knowing that I may be the first person ever to paint this view,” Cory says. “It feeds my inner passion for exploration and marries it to the canvas.”

Cory Trépanier in his studio on The Gore Road, working on “Great Glacier.” inset : Cory in the field at Henrietta Nesmith Glacier. IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

33


Mount Thor, 9' x 5'

Glacierside, study, 15" x 5"

Sundown at Wilberforce, 45" x 19" 34

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012


trépanier continued from page 33

Into the Arctic II, the 85-minute documentary that traces his amazing trip to these seldom-visited places, premiered on the big screen in Bolton last October. Since then, it’s been shown in seven Ontario cities, including Ottawa, as well as Iqaluit. It will play in New Zealand this spring and other international showings are in the works. CBC’s Documentary Channel gave both his Arctic fi lms back-toback prime-time airing in December. As executive producer, director, cinematographer and narrator of Into the Arctic II, Cory has created a riveting fi lm that is part Survivorman, part travelogue and part History Channel, all the while featuring his stunning oil paintings. To get to Mount Thor, Sam Ford Fjord, Wilberforce Falls, Coronation Glacier and other iconic, but seldomvisited Canadian sites he travelled by float plane, boat and hiking boots with the help of Inuit guides. At one point, he and his brother Carl lugged hundred-pound packs stuffed with food, camping gear, paints, canvases and easel, as well as camera equipment. To paint icebergs, he and his guide moved in closer than caution would dictate as these extraordinary formations calved off house-sized chunks of ice that could have swamped their small motor launch. To capture Wilberforce Falls on the Hood River from a lofty vantage point, he perched himself on the edge of a canyon and tied his easel to nearby trees as he battled gusty winds and hellish legions of mosquitoes. And the fi lming of his encounter with a trio of Arctic wolves is worthy of National Geographic. With its up-close-and-personal depictions of monumental landscapes, Into the Arctic II can’t help but make you simultaneously very proud to be Canadian and concerned for the preservation of the northern wilderness. Exactly as Cory hoped it would do. Born in Windsor, Ontario, Cory spent some of his formative years near North Bay. “My brother and I would get in a dinghy, go down the river and return after dark,” he recalls. By the time his family settled in Caledon, his spirit of adventure and love for nature were ingrained. This graduate of Humberview Secondary School in Bolton (which his daughter now attends) and Sheridan College is an avid canoeist and clearly doesn’t let physical exertion come between him and the subject of his paintings. To a lesser extent, it doesn’t come between his family and nature either. His wife, Janet, and two daughters, Sydney and Andie, joined him on his earlier ventures on Lake Superior and in the Western Arctic, but the threat of polar bears, the need to cross trea-

cherous glacial rivers, and the sheer remoteness of his 2009 travels meant that he left his family behind for this expedition. Instead, he was accompanied by four different people, usually one at a time. Their job was to help fi lm the adventure, carry gear, keep Cory company and help ward off unwelcome predators, such as the polar bears that several times came within shooting distance of their camps. In the documentary, he explains what drives him to pursue these artistic adventures. “Through them, I hope others are inspired by these distant lands and that they further an appetite to care for them more.” That passionate goal was no doubt one of the factors that encouraged Parks Canada, and more than two dozen other sponsors, to support his undertaking. Cory’s goal is to create 50 paintings from the trip. Although he is about two-thirds of the way there (with many of the paintings already sold), he discovered that “when painting this grand landscape in the field, my canvases were just too small.” Hence the barn renovation at his home on The Gore Road. With several very large canvases now planned and underway, each requiring months of work, he expects it may take another two years to execute the whole project. His depiction of Wilberforce Falls, for example, is 7½ feet by 5½ feet. (The Canadian government considered giving the painting to Kate and Will as a wedding gift.) His painting of Mount Thor is 9 feet by 5½ feet. And the centrepiece of the collection, Great Glacier, at Coronation Fjord, is 15 feet by 5½ feet. Still in his early 40s, Cory hopes that one of his Arctic paintings may someday hang on Parliament Hill, a reminder to Canadians and their legislators of the need to preserve our rich northern landscape. And if any artist can add his voice to awareness about the threats associated with mining and climate change, Cory is the man. Not only does he have the creative talent and adventurous spirit to explore the wilderness, he promotes his art in ways that are innovative, highly professional, entertaining and surprisingly rare in an industry that often complains it is underappreciated. “Am I capturing the spirit of the land and in some way preserving it?” Cory wonders. “That’s for others to decide. All I know,” he says, “is that I’m giving it my all.” ≈

SCHUSTER CONTRACTING 30 YEARS OF QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP

CUSTOM HOMES . ADDITIONS . RENOVATIONS INTERIORS & EXTERIORS

51 9 . 9 3 9 . 3 116

For more information about Cory Trépanier’s Arctic travels, including paintings from the developing collection, route maps, media interviews and the film trailer, see intothearctic.com. IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

35


S P O R T

by Nicola Ross P H O T O S R O S EM A R Y H A S N ER

G O O D

row row Row your boat On the calm, early morning waters of Island Lake, rowers get a healthy head start on their day.

I

’d hiked by the Island Lake Rowing Club on Orangeville’s outskirts a number of times, but this was my first venture past the gates. Inside the 3,500-squarefoot boathouse that stores some 40 “rowing shells,” I met Cathy Wilson and Brent Kane, both of whom row, compete and coach at the club. They’d agreed to give me the lowdown on a sport that had intrigued me since Canadian rower Silken Laumann made her miraculous recovery from a leg injury and won bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The evening light streamed into the simple building through enormous doors that open onto the Island Lake, ref lecting on the near mirror-like water. I was lucky. Normally, rowers rise at the crack of dawn to get such calm conditions. I asked Cathy if you need to be a morning person to love this sport. “When I told my husband I wanted to row and that I had to be here at 5:45 three times a week,” Cathy explained, 36

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

“he just started laughing.” But it took her only three days to become addicted to the sport. Moreover, her three sons were soon getting up early to row too – and all of them carried on to be varsity rowers at university. Long, sleek rowing “shells” are truly sensuous boats. They make a kayak or canoe seem like an awkward second cousin. They are pretty tippy too. Fortunately, the double Cathy and I would take out was a “tubby” one, good for training because of its relative stability. Brent said he lived in Orangeville for several years before he discovered the rowing club. When he finally did, he quickly became enamoured with the sport. “Coming out here every morning is like waking up at a cottage,” he explained. “Sunrise, nature around you. It’s amazing. It gives you a reason to go to work.” Brent pointed out the parts of the shell, which are straightforward except the stern is the bow and the bow is the stern, because you row

backwards. Riggers hold the long oars, and oarlocks keep them in place. There is a small seat that moves back and forth on slides or rails. The moving seat allows rowers to use their legs as well as their arms. “Despite what most people think,” Cathy explained, “rowing is 80 per cent legs and only 20 per cent arms.”

Brent and Cathy advised me to be very careful with the boat. Our Swift recreational was worth about $5,000, which is expensive enough, but not nearly as costly as the bigger composite-carbon-fibre racing boats that can put you back $15,000 or more. Cathy climbed deftly aboard, fit her feet into the shoes attached to


the boat and picked up her oars. In the “catch” position, Cathy was scrunched up at the front of the stroke, with her knees tucked under her chin. Holding the oars, her hands were well out in front and the oar blades back behind. As she dipped the oars into the water, she straightened her legs, the seat slid back and she pulled her hands into her rib cage until the oar blades were out in front. Then she raised both oars and slid forward to the catch position. It sounds complicated and, indeed, it does take co-ordination. Rowing is a highly technical sport. “It’s only one stroke,” Cathy explained, “but you spend years perfecting it.” It’s all about how you use your legs, how quickly you pull the oar out of the water and feather it, how you keep time with your fellow rowers. Then it was my turn. I put both feet in the centre of the boat and managed to sit down. Using only one oar, I tried a few strokes. By then, we were about 40 minutes into my condensed lesson, and it was time to push off. Cathy, who sat in the stern of our shell, that is, in front of me, began to stroke and I followed as best I could. “Keep your wrists flat,” Brent advised from his coach boat. “Curl your wrists when feathering the oars. Make sure you use your legs first, then your arms.” It was a lot to take in. But I managed to get the stroke down enough so I got a sense of the rhythm of the sport. The water was dead calm and I snuck a peek at John, a rowing club member who was out on his single. Silhouetted

Dawn casts a golden glow on Island Lake rowers, from bow to stern, Brent Kane, Ken Norris, Bryan Corlett, Jack Lacrooy, Shane Curry, Steve Fisher, Aleks Lietz , Richard Reid, and coxie Janet Reid.

by the evening sun, his boat skimmed the water. Quiet, calm, peaceful. The club has about 250 members; 120 of them are high school students from either Mayfield or Orangeville District secondary schools. These keeners arrive early. The Mayfield students are there between 5:30 and 7 a.m., followed by those from ODSS. The club is well equipped with rowing shells, coach boats and coaches. And it has numerous programs that cater to rowers of all abilities, including people with disabilities. Its Learnto-Row programs involve either a weekend-long course (June 23 and 24) or you can opt to attend six sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings or evenings during July. Cathy noted that most of their active members are women in their late 30s and early 40s who can get away for a few hours because their kids are a little older. “They are looking for something they can do that is just for them.” The Island Lake Rowing Club is also turning out some accomplished rowers. Cam Sylvester, the young Olympian who grew up in Caledon, began his rowing career on Island Lake. In 2011, Matthew Wortley, who rowed on Island Lake during high school, won gold in the under 23 division of the National Rowing Championships. Cathy and her crew competed in the charity program of the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston (known as the Wimbledon of rowing competitions in North America). And women’s Olympic team member Sarah Bonikowsky trains here when she’s home in Mono, I had a wonderful evening on the lake. The sport obviously requires technical skill, fitness and team effort. I’m not sure that I would take to the early mornings with Cathy’s zeal, but I could certainly spend long hours getting the f low of the stroke as my shell skimmed the water and the sun climbed up over a wakening Orangeville. ≈ Nicola Ross is a freelance writer who lives in Belfountain. From May 13-18, she is hosting a creative writing workshop on the French River with the other accomplished journalists in her family: Oakland Ross, Leah McLaren and Cecily Ross (editor of Food In The Hills). For details see frenchriver.com.

Bryan’s Fuel PROPANE

Sign up for a new home heating fuel or propane account and receive up to

300 BONUS AIR MILES® REWARD MILES plus receive ONE Air Mile Reward Mile for every $30 spent on home heating fuel

Island Lake Rowing Club 673178 Hurontario St., Orangeville 519-941-6175

519.941.2401 t 1.800.637.5910

See islandlakerowing.com for information about membership and lessons, including the popular Learn-to-Row program.

www.bryansfuel.on.ca

OR ANGEVILLE ONTARIO

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

37


DowntownOrangeville.ca

Off Broadway Clothing Boutique

Mochaberry Coffee & Co

An incredible selection of contemporary brands such as Guess, Free People, Pink Martini and much more. A great place to shop for fashionistas of all ages! Like us on Facebook.

New! In-house micro coffee bean roaster. Offering organic fair trade. Join our whole bean loyalty program. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, decadent desserts. Open 7 days a week.

519.941.5633 21 Mill Street

519.938.8788 177B Broadway mochaberry.ca

Academy of Performing Arts

Chez Nous Thrift Boutique

Fun, inspirational atmosphere! Children and adult classes. Hip-hop, ballet, tap, acro, vocal, musical theatre, ballroom, adult yoga classes and more. Sign up now.

We specialize in gently used better labels of clothing and accessories. Brands such as: Parasuco, Nine West, Tribal, Guess, Danier, Franco Sarto, Abercrombie, Bench, A.E. Open Tuesday to Sunday.

519.941.4103 133 Broadway academyofperformingarts.info

Dragonfly Arts on Broadway

38

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

519.307.0603 70 Broadway

Pear Home

Now entering our 10th year finding you the best Canadian art and fine craft. Be original, buy original.

Introducing Kameleon. An interchangeable jewelry system where you customize your own style. Come in to Pear Home to learn more about Kameleon Jewelry.

519.941.5249 189 Broadway dragonflyarts.ca

519.941.1101 185 Broadway pearhome.ca

Trina’s Cakes

The Chocolate Shop

A charming custom cake and cupcake boutique. Our highly addictive gourmet cakes are works of art, and our cupcakes will make any day brighter! Like us on Facebook.

Indulge yourself with a tasty tidbit, or surprise someone special with a delectable treat. Handmade chocolates and truffles. Gifts for any price range.

519.941.8885 16 Mill Street trinacakes.com

519.941.8968 114 Broadway thechocolateshop.ca


Where Shopping Meets Dining

KNOW WHERE IT GROWS AT ORANGEVILLE’S FARMERS’ MARKET Every Saturday May 5th to October 20th | 8am to 1pm Orangeville’s Historic Town Hall

marketonbroadway.ca

Pia’s Bakery The gourmet breakfast, lunch and theme dinner destination in The Hills. Everything homemade and fresh daily. Sidewalk patio open in the summer. Liquor license.

Maggiolly Art Supplies Accelerate your creativity at Maggiolly’s! We offer a full selection of artists’ materials for professionals and hobbyists, gifts and art workshops in our friendly store.

519.307.1258 177 Broadway piasbakery.com

519.942.9560 158 Broadway maggiollyart.com

A.M. Korsten Jewellers

SunFIT Solar

Fine jewellery, custom designs, watches. Goldsmith and gemologist on premises. Serving Orangeville and area since 1960. Accredited Appraiser C.J.A. Gemologist, Goldsmith.

The Beauty of Solar. Be good to the next generation. Make guaranteed income for 20 years. 100% financing available. It even looks good. Your local experts for Micro-FIT and FIT.

519.941.1707 163 Broadway korstenjewellers.com

519.941.4222 162 Broadway

Mimosa Boutique Mimosa Boutique is bringing Big City Fashions to Town. Mimosa offers unique fashion labels and jewellery from Europe and Canada for the fashion conscious shopper. Like us on Facebook.

519.941.9995 61 Broadway - beside Greystones Inn

Icarus Skate and Snow

The Manhattan Bead Company Please visit us for all your beading needs!

519.943.1299 111 Broadway manhattanbeadco.com

The Scented Drawer

We are the “go to” shop in Orangeville for skateboards, snowboards, influenced apparel, shoes, shades, watches and children’s clothing. We are open 7 days a week.

The Scented Drawer is dedicated to women’s health, wellness and image. We specialize in accurate and comfortable bra fittings. We are now carrying bra fit and mastectomy swimwear.

519.938.8985 94 Broadway icarustown.com

519.941.9941 143 Broadway thescenteddrawerltd.ca

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

39


spring’s croaking chorus

S TO RY BY D O N S C A L L EN | IL LUS T R AT I O NS BY R U T H A NN P E A R C E

S

oon the hills will reverberate with the glorious voices of frogs. Voices that peep, quack, snore, tap, trill, and creak. Voices that sound like banjo strings being plucked, voices that chant bass notes on sultry evenings. These voices are the soundtrack of a healthy ecosystem. As they have for thousands of springs, they signal rebirth and an affirmation of life in all its mesmerizing diversity. Frogs can do wondrous things. Some can essentially freeze solid, then, in an astonishing resurrection, thaw out, stretch their sinuous legs and hop away. Cryogenic scientists struggle to

40

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

unravel their mysterious secrets. Some can scale sheer glass surfaces like amphibian spider-men. One species can willfully change its colour to match its surroundings. Some frogs can poison their adversaries and some tadpoles can change their shape and colour to stymie predators. Ten species of frogs and toads share our landscape, a rich assemblage of hopping amphibians for such a northerly clime. And the good news is, given the threats to many of their kind around the world, most of our frogs are doing very well. Six varieties are common. Because our lightly populated landscape still contains ample fields, woodlands and wetlands, these species can be

found throughout Headwaters. They are the spring peeper, grey tree frog, American toad, northern leopard frog, green frog and wood frog. Four other species are more spottily distributed. The mink frog, a species more common in the Canadian Shield, reaches its southern limit in the hills, probably extending no further south than the village of Alton. The bullfrog, the bruiser of the frog clan in North America, is found only sporadically here. The chorus frog, a wee sprite that could perch comfortably on a bullfrog’s nose, is also more rare, as is the pickerel frog, a close cousin to the more numerous leopard frog. Though all our frogs and toads depend on wet-


Be kind and tender to the Frog, And do not call him names, As ‘Slimy skin,’ or ‘Polly-wog,’ Or likewise ‘Ugly James,’ Or ‘Gape-a-grin,’ or ‘Toad-gone-wrong,’ Or ‘Billy Bandy-knees’: The Frog is justly sensitive To epithets like these.

grey tree frogs No animal will more repay A treatment kind and fair; At least so lonely people say Who keep a frog (and, by the way, They are extremely rare). leopard & wood frogs

lands for breeding, each species has particular preferences. Some, like the American toad and the grey tree frog, are bold opportunists, breeding just about anywhere – ponds, lakes, swamps, roadside ditches, garden pools – even pool liners. Amphibian dousers, they seem to possess an almost magical ability to find these water sources. This allows them to shift their breeding sites from year to year, taking advantage of temporary pools that come and go on the landscape. However, the breeding site selection of these amphibians is not entirely random. Toads, for example, discriminately test the waters, so to speak, for telltale evidence of the presence of wood frog

The Frog, by Hilaire Belloc

tadpoles. Those omnivorous creatures consume whatever they can get their rasping mouthparts on, including toad tadpoles. Remarkably, if a mother toad detects the presence of wood frog tadpoles, she turns her warty back on the pond and hops away. Unlike toads and tree frogs, wood frogs are very choosy about where they breed. They look for ponds that will dry up in the summer heat. Spring peepers and chorus frogs also prefer these temporary “vernal” pools. This raises the question why so many amphibians – spotted and Jefferson salamanders also lay their eggs in vernal pools – entrust their precious larvae to ponds that could dry early and kill them. The

short answer is fish, or rather the absence of fish, in the vernal pools. Avoiding amphibian-hungry fish trumps the spectre of early drying. The Niagara Escarpment, beaded with innumerable such pools, is one reason we have so many frogs. Another is the presence of extensive woodlands. Some of our frogs are utterly tree-dependent. These include the aptly named wood frog and grey tree frog. Remove trees, and the shelter, food, humidity and shade these frogs need are gone. Other predators that make a frog’s life perilous include giant water bugs, herons and raccoons. Of course, as masters of evolutionary adaptation, frogs continued on next page

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

41


frogs continued from page 41

SUNSHINE TREES

are not entirely at the mercy of these predators. Some, like leopard and pickerel frogs, avoid pursuers with erratic, powerful jumps. Tiny, cryptically coloured frogs, such as spring peepers and chorus frogs, opt for concealment. Several frogs, including pickerel frogs, emit toxic skin secretions that leave a bad taste in a predator’s mouth. Large glands behind the eyes of toads contain bufotoxin, a witch’s brew of chemicals that can cause seizures and convulsions in mammalian predators. Bullfrog tadpoles are believed to be toxic as well, a quality that allows them to swim unmolested with the fish.

Alas, no defence is absolute. Snakes feed on toxic toads and pickerel frogs with impunity. I once watched a garter snake open its mouth impossibly wide to swallow a large toad. The big gulp took about 20 minutes. Another remarkable defence that one of our frogs has evolved is the ability to change colour. The grey tree frog’s scientific moniker is Hyla versicolor. The species name is most apt, for this chameleon-like frog can colour shift through a range of greys, greens and browns to match its surroundings. Grey tree frog tadpoles also have a colour change capability, stimulated by chemical traces of predacious

dragonfly larvae in the water. If the larvae are present, the tadpole tails will turn bright red. The theory is that the intensity of this colour diverts attention from the heads of the tadpoles to their expendable tails. Even more remarkable is how our tree frogs survive the winter. Grey tree frogs, along with spring peepers and wood frogs, hibernate on land – not under a foot or so of insulating soil like the American toad – but simply by tucking themselves under a blanket of leaves on the forest floor. When the mercury falls, they become frogsicles! Well not exactly – though that might be your impression if you held

froggy fears Supply plant and transplant services. Various size trees and spades available.

1.800.361.5296 www.sunshinetreeplanting.com

MASONRY RESTORATIONS INC. Does your chimney need to be repaired or replaced? • we specialize in building and restoring chimneys • we also do window sills, concrete work, foundation waterproofing • only the highest quality materials • all work guaranteed • customer satisfaction is our goal

Cell 416-505-4674 • 905-584-5708 Richard Guenette masonryrestoration@bell.blackberry.net

american toad

Unique Perennial Garden Designs Despite the mind-boggling repertoire of survival adaptations that frogs Personalized perennial gardens that reflect your own style. Specializing in drought-tolerant pest-resistant native plants and time-efficient gardening.

905 951 7780

possess, many species are ill-equipped to deal with the environmental changes

mayflowersbydesign.com Contact Deborah May-Forbes for a no-obligation consultation

42

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

we have wrought.

Of the more than 5,500 frog species in existence, hundreds are now on the casualty list of endangered and threatened wildlife. A great extinction event is unfolding because of our management of the planet. When the dust settles after this apocalypse, it is likely many species of frogs will be gone forever. Although our local frogs appear to be doing well, they are not immune to the varied threats causing frog populations to decline elsewhere. Bob Johnson, curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Toronto Zoo, says, “Loss of habitat in Ontario and globally explains about 75 per cent of amphibian declines.” This is no great surprise. Eliminating the mosaic of wetlands, fields and forests that frogs depend on pulls the ecosystem rug out from under their webbed feet.


An old pond— a frog tumbles in— the sound of water. Matsuo Basho

one in your hand. These frogs have the ability to transfer much of the water in their cells into the spaces surrounding those cells. It is in these extra-cellular cavities that freezing occurs. At the same time, water remaining in the cells is flushed with syrupy glucose or glycerol, natural antifreezes that protect the vital cell structures. This amazing survival toolkit allows wood frogs to live further north than any other amphibian, even beyond the Arctic Circle. Hibernating in the leaf litter, these frogs are energized sooner by the warmth of the springtime sun than their pond-hibernating kin. This means, for wood frogs and spring peepers at least, an early start to their breeding activity, sometimes before the end of March. In the vernal ponds,

where many of these frogs breed, this early start is crucial as their tadpoles race to transform before the ponds evaporate. Although frogs are eaten by many other animals, they are effective predators themselves. They usually ambush their prey, waiting sphinxlike until insects, spiders and other invertebrates wander within striking distance. Bullfrogs eagerly devour anything they can fit in their cavernous mouths including mice, small snakes and other frogs. Movement triggers feeding. A juicy bug clinging to a cattail leaf in front of a frog’s snout will be ignored as long as it is sensible enough not to move. A flick of its wings, however, or a waggle of its antennae will immediately arouse the frog’s interest. In a water-filled ditch along Highpoint Sideroad in Caledon one summer, I had a rare opportunity to watch frogs actively feeding. A bloated beaver carcass bobbed in the water with three green frogs aboard. The carcass had become an amphibian buffet, with plump bluebottles and carrion beetles on the menu. ≈

Site Planning | Natural Stone | Water Features Retaining Walls | Interlocking Brick | Planting

519-855-6026 | 519-938-6526 | www.stonehengelandscaping.com Habitat loss is not the only threat facing frogs. Johnson sites pollution and the recent emergence of diseases. One is chytrid fungus, a pathogen that has ravaged frog populations in widely disparate parts of the world. It is spreading tsunami-like down the spine of Central America, sweeping away frog species such as the exquisite golden toads of Costa Rica. Poignantly, Johnson was probably one of the last people to see a breeding pair of these frogs. “For me,” he says “extinction is personal and extends to the extinction of experience itself – the opportunity for me to share an experience with you, my daughter or your readers.” The wholesale disappearance of a species is not necessary for Johnson’s “extinction of experience” to occur. It can happen as well when a frog becomes locally extinct and we lose the opportunity to experience the joy and fascination of hearing and observing it in our own communities. The water-permeable skin of frogs makes them especially susceptible to water-borne pollutants. Frogs lacking limbs or with extra limbs have been found in disturbing numbers at some sites in Canada and the United States. The causes of such deformities are not fully understood, but it is widely accepted that run-off from pesticides and fertilizers is among the factors. Unlike pesticides, fertilizers do not affect frogs directly. Instead, they are thought to be the “push” that gets the deformity ball rolling. Fertilizers encourage the growth of algae in ponds, spurring a population explosion of algae-grazing snails. It’s not the snails that harm the frogs, but a parasite they harbour. The parasites leave the snails to complete their development in the bodies of tadpoles, where they can impair limb development. Concern about frog populations inspired the creation of FrogWatchCanada, a national frog monitoring program co-ordinated in Ontario by the Toronto Zoo. Headed by Bob Johnson, FrogWatch Ontario invites the public to submit information on where and when they have heard frogs calling. Thousands of records have been contributed to FrogWatch Ontario since its inauguration in 1998. “These data can be used to look at long-term trends in populations, or shifts in calling and activity dates based on weather changes,” says Johnson. But as important is the role FrogWatch plays in engaging people with nature: “People can speak up for the creatures that cannot speak for themselves.” continued on next page

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

43


finding frogs in the headwaters

2–3 . 2C M

2–4CM

3 . 7–7C M

Parks and conservation areas such as Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area and Forks of the Credit Provincial Park are excellent places to see and hear frogs. Here are few specific locations to find frogs, along with a general timeframe on when our 10 species can be heard. (Expect to occasionally hear frogs calling outside of these times.) Most frog species become more vocal as the day progresses, reaching a crescendo after dark.

spring peeper

April; throughout, anywhere with woods and wetlands

April; Luther Marsh, Caledon Lake, Creditview Road, just south of Grange Sideroad; likely many other locations in the hills

April and May; throughout

3–5CM

5. 5–9CM

western chorus frog

4 . 5 –7. 5 C M

wood frog

pickerel frog

grey treefrog

green frog

May; throughout, anywhere with woods and wetlands

May and June; throughout, anywhere with woods and wetlands

Late May through June into July; throughout

Its voice – a low “snore” – doesn’t project well and usually begins later in the evening.

froggy fears continued from page 43

Here in the hills we have a wonderful opportunity to speak up for frogs and act on their behalf. We can ensure that our hills, unlike so many places in the world, remain frog friendly. Obviously we need to preserve the wetlands and woodlands they depend upon. But we can also go a step further and attempt to grow frog populations by enhancing and creating frog habitat. Landowners are crucial to such an initiative. “Reducing chemical use on lawns or near water bodies is an easy first step,” says Johnson. “Leaving grassy areas unmowed is also easy. This provides not only shelter from the sun, but areas where frogs can forage for the invertebrates that will also thrive there.” Allowing natural corridors to develop between ponds and woodlots to permit safe movement between them is another good idea. Such linkages can also be brought about simply by not cutting the grass. Where there are no ponds, they can be built, though resist the urge to stock them with fish if frog habitat is the goal. Digging temporary pools is an option as well. Locating such pools near woodlands offers additional breeding opportunities for frog and salamander species dependent on vernal pools. Why should we bother to ensure that frogs continue to thrive in Headwaters? Well, to begin with, consider the role they play in the food web. Most frogs end up in the bellies of other animals. That is why frogs lay hundreds or even thousands of eggs. They convert the abundant energy found in wetlands into, in Bob Johnson’s words, “a form that is readily digestible (i.e., juicy frogs and tadpoles).” A spring bereft of frog voices would indicate not only an absence of frogs, but a dearth of other creatures that depend on them. The crucial role frogs play in maintaining healthy biodiversity should be enough reason to protect them. But there are other compelling reasons as well. Frogs are a splendidly slimy, animated introduction to the natural world for children. The thrill of the chase, the splashing, the opportunity to get muddy, and finally a wriggling, writhing frog in hand is, in the vernacular of the young, “Really cool!” My grade six class has the opportunity every spring to catch frogs at Finlayson Field Centre at Caledon Lake. Most of these urban kids have never seen a live frog before and they jump at the chance to find one.

44

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012


5–9CM

5–9CM

Add some Curb Appeal to your home

northern leopard frog

american toad

Mid-April through May; throughout

Late April through May into June; throughout

t 8PPE 4UFFM *OTVMBUFE %PPST t 8JEF $IPJDF PG %FTJHOT t 4FSWJDF 4QSJOH 3FQMBDFNFOU t &MFDUSJD 0QFOFST Authorized Dealer

5 –7C M

9 –1 5 C M

519 942-1956

mink frog

bullfrog

June and July; Luther Marsh, where naturalist Linda McLaren reports they create a “wall of sound” at dawn

June, July into August; Ken Whillans Resource Management Area, Terra Cotta Conservation Area

The guidance of caring adults is necessary, of course. Children need to understand that after suffering the indignity of capture, the frogs should be handled gently and quickly returned to their watery realm. If frogs can open the eyes of children to the wonders of nature, they can also touch our souls. Bob Johnson again: “Frogs and other wildlife enrich the lives of many of us, just as art and music do. Just as art can provide meaning and inspiration and insight into the power of creation, so too can frogs.”

www.allmontdoors.com

Visit our showroom

Orangeville 48 Centennial Road, Unit #20

Why wait years for beautiful trees. We’ll plant them today. • Supply and Plant Mature Trees • Mulching 519-942-1507 • Deep Root Fertilizing • On-Site Transplanting

To learn more about frogs, listen to their voices, or sign up to participate in the frog monitoring program at FrogWatch Ontario, see the links with this article at inthehills.ca.

Science teacher and naturalist Don Scallen will make a presentation on the Frogs of Headwaters on Saturday, July 21, as part of the Beauty in the Beast exhibition at Dufferin County Museum & Archives. He will give a second presentation on Caterpillars, Moths and Butterflies, including live specimens, on Saturday, August 18. Both presentations are at 2 p.m. You can read Don’s regular blog, Notes from the Wild, at inthehills.ca

5 Patterns to choose from

Ruth Ann Pearce is an illustrator who works from her studio and gallery, Coloveration, in Creemore.

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

45


H O M E G R O W N

Cheaper by the

I N

T H E

H I L L S

by Nicola Ross

bushel

A

s I walk across rows of vegetables at the back of the Van Dyken Bros. pickyour-own farm, I understand why farmers farm. Situated on the edge of the Peel Plain, the pancake-f lat land seems to beg cultivation in the same way a working dog demands a job. Lonely trees demarcate individual well-tilled fields. To the west, an enormous sun is setting behind a ridge of hardwood forest. To the south, an old black bank barn tilts in the wind. It won’t survive too many more Canadian winters. The house Curtis and Jane Van Dyken rented and used as the basis for their business when they arrived in south Caledon in the mid-1970s once sat next to the barn. About 12 years later, they bought the land next 46

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

door, built a modest home and have lived in it ever since. Far in the distance, the sun reflects on the low rising hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Evening birds hop from tree to field and back again. It’s a peaceful meditative place despite the steady hum of cars charging home on The Gore Road. “The first number of years it was pretty rough,” Jane tells me. “But since 1979, we haven’t had a bad year.” Those are unusual words from a Caledon farm family, especially one that raised 13 children (nine boys and four girls) almost entirely on the proceeds from the 40 acres they own and about 60 more they rent near the corner of The Gore Road and Castlederg Sideroad. A first-generation Canadian of Dutch descent, their 29-year-old son Paul shares the house

VAN DYKEN BROS. PROPRIETORS CURTIS & JANE VAN DYKEN 14510 THE GORE RD CALEDON 8AM TO 8PM L ATE MAY – L ATE NOVEMBER CLOSED SUNDAYS

905-857-3561 CROPS: PEAS, TOMATOES, BEANS, RAPINI, EGGPL ANTS, PEPPERS, ONIONS, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, MELONS, WATERMELONS

with his parents, his wife Anita and two young sons. The only one of the Van Dyken children to do so, he farms full time with his dad during the summer and helps out on neighbouring farms when the snow flies. “We grow vegetables on about 40 acres each year,” Paul explains. The rest of the acreage is in rotation. Peas come up first in late May or early June. One of their early customers is Palgrave United Church. It serves Van Dyken peas at its annual Thanksgiving turkey dinner. “I know it’s pea-podding time when Wimbledon comes on,” says Palgrave resident Gail Grant, who is also an avid tennis player. According to Barb Imrie, a dinner organizer, they hold a “pea bee” during which five people spend about three hours podding the candy-

P H O T O P E T E PAT ER S O N

Italian cooks flock to this Dutch family’s pick-your-own farm in Caledon


The Van Dyken family, from left : Curtis and Jane, Derek, 18, Joanna, 15, Nathan, 10, Miriam, 20, Paul’s wife Anita holding Jayden, 9 months, and Paul holding David, 22 months.

like vegetables before they are frozen and stored for the fall dinner. In addition to five acres of peas, the Van Dykens grow about 12 acres of tomatoes, 10 of beans (romano, white, cannellini, green, snap and flat green beans), five or six of rapini, four of eggplants, three and a half of peppers, one and a half of onions, and an acre of melons and watermelons, as well as some cucumbers and squash. If there seems to be a theme to these vegetables, it’s not just a question of what will grow on their productive land; it’s what the mostly city folk who frequent their farm want. Jane says, “Eighty per cent of our customers are Italian.” While at the Van Dykens, I run into Vito and Faelicia Crispo who are picking a bushel of late-season rapini. Pointing to the rundown barn, Vito tells me, “We’ve been picking the Van Dykens’ vegetables since they lived in the house that used to sit next to that old barn.” In response to my query, Faelicia gives me detailed instructions on how to prepare and store the bitter Italian delicacy that overflows their bushel baskets. Then she explains that while her family loves rapini, it’s the tomatoes that really draw them to the Van Dykens’. Like hundreds of others, Vito and Faelicia arrive not long after dawn on “tomato opening day” in mid-August. “You have to come really early in the morning on that day and line up for the tomatoes,” Vito tells me. “Some days, cars are backed up right out to the road,” he adds, pointing in the direction of The Gore Road, which must be a kilometre away. “We get a whole row of tomatoes to ourselves,” Faelicia brags. What is especially alluring about the Van Dykens’ tomatoes is their Nova variety of San Marzano tomatoes. “They make really good tomato paste,” Paul says. “The seeds are not sold commercially, so we keep our own seeds.”

If you have never heard of San Marzano tomatoes, then you likely aren’t Italian. With more than one website dedicated to San Marzanos, you know they are popular. As one site puts it: “As the most famous plum tomato for making sauce, the San Marzano is preferred by gourmet chefs and cooks all over the world. Foodies and connoisseurs, to put it politely but accurately, are fanatical about certified San Marzano tomatoes.” The Van Dykens grow about 15 varieties of four types of tomatoes, including small and long San Marzanos, romas and beefsteaks. Paul’s young wife Anita says the bushel and a half of tomatoes she processed in the fall will last her family the winter. She’s more impressed with her mother-in-law who turned an astounding eight bushels of them into soup and juice. I wonder how Curtis and Jane could consume that many tomatoes before remembering that Paul is only the sixth of 13 children. Jane has several more still at home. In all, her kids range in age from 38 to 10. Moreover, this petite, youthful woman homeschooled them all. “We do love children,” she tells me. I ask Jane if her family is ever tempted to sell their land. “No,” is her simple response. I ask if they have problems with their increasingly urban neighbours. Paul admits that when they spread a bit of composted manure, they are sometimes asked what the funny smell is, but that’s it. With the Oak Ridges Moraine section of the Greenbelt cutting through only the northern tip of their land, the Van Dykens live in a strip of Southern Ontario known as the “white belt.” People figure it will all be developed one day as the Greater Toronto Area bulldozes north. Anita quips, “Pretty soon we’ll have paved sidewalks.” But the Van Dykens know that for their pick-your-own vegetable business and the largely urban clientèle it serves, paved sidewalks aren’t such a bad thing. ≈

HEADWATERS FOOD SUMMIT & LOCAL FOOD TRADE SHOW

WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD OUR FOOD FUTURE

MONDAY, APRIL 23 Come and help develop a practical approach to bringing out the best of our regional food system. Discussions on: Proven practices from other communities Market opportunities Distribution systems Food education Ensuring access to healthy food for all

Hockley Valley Resort Summit 9am – 4pm Your $25 includes lunch prepared with local ingredients by Chef du Cuisine Michael Potters

Local Food Trade Show 4pm – 6pm* Hosted by Eat Local Caledon, this is an exceptional networking opportunity for local farmers and food businesses. *trade show booths are free and samples are encouraged

To learn more or register for the HEADWATERS FOOD SUMMIT visit headwaterscommunities.org or contact Sylvia at action@headwaterscommunities.ca 519-940-3118 For information or to reserve a booth for the LOCAL FOOD TRADE SHOW contact karen@caledoncountryside.org 905-584-6221

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

47


peaceable

a

kingdom

A Lady Sheep by Lindee Climo, 1992, oil on linen, 18" x 24" This portrait was inspired by Rubens’ portrait of his first and much-loved wife, Isabella Brant. Painting in the style of the Renaissance Masters, Nova Scotia artist Lindee Climo’s inspiration springs from her life on the farm. Her animal subjects are surrogates for the figures in well-known religious and other historic portraits.

Beauty in the Beast is an extraordinary exhibition of animals in art and objects

S

ince Stone Age man first painted a creature on a cave wall, human beings have been working out their deep and complex relationship with animals through art. Just how ingrained is that relationship? According to a recent American study on childhood language development, “cat” and “dog,” along with “mummy,” “daddy” and “milk,” are among the 25 most common words a child first utters. And as all adoring parents

know, before they’re three, most children can name every animal on Old MacDonald’s farm (and what they “say”), along with a host of other wild animals, many of them from far-off lands. Although they may never have seen the real creatures, they have met them through the art in their picture books. Throughout the ages, humans have elevated animals as gods or vilified them as demons. Animals have been our playmates, our workmates, our slaves, the companion at our feet, the food on our table. In our contemporary world, they are increasingly valued as our fellow creatures on a small and fragile planet.

It is that last relationship that is the inspiration behind Beauty in the Beast, a truly extraordinary exhibition of animals in art and objects that runs from April through the end of the year at Dufferin County Museum & Archives. Museum curator Wayne Townsend had been ruminating on the significance of the broad-based outcry against the proposed mega quarry in Melancthon. To him, it revealed just how intensely attached the community remains to the fields, woods, rivers and animals that define this region’s social and natural heritage. About the same time, continued on page 50

Young Hound by Marc Lavoie, early to mid-20th century, painted wood, 24" high Sleepy Cat by Jordan MacLaughlan, 1988, ceramic, 35" long

48

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012


P H O T O S P E T E PAT ER S O N

Martimas by John Sloan Gordon, oil on canvas, 23" x 17" “Martimas, foaled 1896, died 1916, winner Futurity and other races, a good horse and sire of good horses.” So reads the headstone of Martimas, a horse owned by William Hendrie and buried at the jockeys’ headquarters at the Hendrie farm near Hamilton. Martimas was immortalized when the

Hendries donated his winnings from the 1898 Futurity at the Coney Island Jockey Club in New York, a remarkable $38,250, to build the Martimas Wing of the Hamilton General Hospital. The family donated their farm to the citizens of Hamilton in 1931 and it became home to the Royal Botanical Gardens, where Martimas’s headstone still stands.

Winter Shelter by Edwin Frederick Holt, 1887, oil on canvas, 24" x 18" Born in London in 1830, Holt was a silver medalist at the Royal Academy Schools. This image was reproduced on a Christmas card of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The sheep, New Leicesters, are “bloom-dipped,” an identification practice of the day that fell out of favour when natural-coloured wool came to be preferred by the woollen industry.

Otter by Adrian Sorrell, 1998, patinated bronze, 28" long This is one of several works by the English sculptor in the exhibition. “His bronzes embody some primal truths about our relationship with birds and beasts that is in danger of being lost. Like all the best “protest” art, the message is implicit rather than explicit. He gives us the predatory strut of a wader and

the sinuosity of an otter in a way that is archetypal rather than illustrative.” From a catalogue for Sorrell’s 1995 exhibition at the Tryon & Swann Gallery, London, England.

below : Along with fine art, Beauty in the Beast includes an extensive collection of historic and contemporary folk art pieces.

The Collection by Heather Cooper, 2005, oil on canvas, 8" x 1o" Toronto artist Heather Cooper is a prolific painter whose work often features mythical overtones. She is perhaps best known for her fancifully detailed posters for the Canadian Opera Company and the Royal Winter Fair, as well as designer of the Roots beaver logo. Bear and Wasp’s Nest by Benoît Thiutièrje, 1990, carved and painted wood, 22" high

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

49


Do I Know You byy Rosemary Mihalyi, 2011, oil on linen, 8" x 26"

Snowy Owl by Marina Fricke, 1982, stonework collage, 10" high This is one of several works by this Latvian-born, Ontario artist in the exhibition, including other owls and two unicorns.

Noah’s Ark by Robert Wylie, 2002, painted wood, 32" wide With the exception of the story of creation itself, there is no Old Testament tale that has so captured human imagination through the ages as Noah and his ark, nor any story that offers such a rich feast for artists. Beauty in the Beast features two arks. In a nod to his Ontario roots, the 13 pairs of animals in Wylie’s version include two beavers and two red foxes.

Animals in Dufferin In addition to extraordinary works of art, Beauty in the Beast includes photos and documents that convey the integral role animals have played in both the domestic and work lives of the people of Dufferin County. The items include blacksmith ledgers, veterinary advertisements, and photos from the Orangeville Raceway. Among them is an 1881 diary kept by Carver W. Simpson. As a young farmer in Amaranth, Simpson kept what was a mostly prosaic log of his daily activities, visits to town for supplies, weather reports, and the like. But prominent among the matters he considered noteworthy were his sightings of wildlife. These included both the creatures he admired (“I saw two loons fly over the barn this morning, very fine birds”), and those he dispatched (“Shot two crows for stealing two chicks”). The diary is punctuated by small and charming ink drawings of the birds or animals he’d noted. The lifelong bachelor also made a hobby of taxidermy. His work included a passenger pigeon – and his stuffed example of the doomed species eventually wound up in the collection of the Royal Ontario Museum.

50

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

beauty continued from page 48

he ran into a private collector who had previously shown portions of her vast collection of animal-inspired art in the museum’s exhibitions. She told Wayne she had been thinking it was time to move her entire collection into the public domain. And a show was born. It took more than four weeks of flat-out effort to move, catalogue and install the collection of some 1,500 works. Acquired over a lifetime by a woman with both a passionate love of animals and an educated artistic sensibility, the works range from tiny ivories to large bronze sculptures, from highly formal portraits by British masters to engagingly whimsical Cape Breton folk art, from sophisticated dinnerware ornamented with animals to weather vanes and children’s rocking horses. Although they come from around the world, the majority of the works are Canadian (beavers are well represented), including several Ontario artists. In this exhibition’s peaceable kingdom, horses and cows share companionable space with rabbits and foxes, dogs rub shoulders with cats, a plump hippopotamus does not feel out of place next to a sleek deer. A moose rides a motorbike and a beaver takes a walk on a leash.

Animals, domestic and wild, have always been an integral part of the daily life and culture of Dufferin, says Wayne. “They are at the very heart of the quality of life we so treasure.” And in the changing cultural makeup of the community, he adds, the human relationship with animals creates a common bond. The donor of the collection (who wishes to remain anonymous) had considered other locales for the show, but settled on DCMA as the “perfect place,” in part because, “it’s in the country. Animals belong here.” For the official opening of Beauty in the Beast on the afternoon of April 1, visitors are invited to bring their pets. ≈

A summer with the animals Along with the Beauty in the Beast exhibition, there will be special animal-related shows and presentations nearly every weekend from June through August. For event details and updates, see dufferin museum.ca. (Regular museum admission applies, unless noted.) June 16, 2pm: Veterinary Medicine through 1800 to WWI A talk by veterinarian Michael Corridini. June 23, 2 & 3pm: More Than Just Fish Two speakers on aquatic life. June 23 & 24 : Celebrating Our Conservation Authorities Trails and wildlife at the headwaters of four rivers. Jun 24, 2pm : Other Nations: A Life Spent in the Company of Animals A talk by wildlife artist Linda McLaren.

July 7 : Love Your Pet Day With local SPCAs and Procyon Wildlife, a local centre for animal rescue and rehabilitation. July 14 & 15 : Beaver Weekend A salute to a Canadian icon, past and present. $10. July 21, 2pm : Frogs of the Headwaters A talk by In The Hills writer Don Scallen, with pictures and frog voice recordings. July 22 : 4H Day in Dufferin 4H Club speakers and historic displays. July 28, 2pm : Martimus and Romeo: Two Unknown Canadian Horse Stories Wayne Townsend on the story behind two horse portraits. $10. July 28 & 29 : Celebrating Domestic Animals in Dufferin The role of farm animals, race horses and their keepers in county history. Live animals and birds on site. Aug 11, 2pm : Deceptive Ducks A talk by Paul Brisco on duck decoys. Aug 11 & 12 : Birds and Bees Weekend Bird watching and beekeeping, talks and displays. $10. August 12, 2pm : The Queen, the Bear and the Bumblebee Dini Petty reads from her children’s book. Aug 18, 2pm : Moths and Butterflies A talk by In The Hills writer Don Scallen, with live caterpillars. Aug 25 & 26 : Wild Beast Festival The changing local relationship between humans and wild animals. $10. Aug 26, 2pm : Beauty Inside the Beast Biologist Esther Finnegan on how animals control their internal thermostat.


shelagh armstrong-hodgson

pet portraits 416-693-1778

www.shelagharmstrongillustrator.blogspot.com

Linda McLaren: A life with animals This summer, Beauty in the Beast will include a show by Linda McLaren, whose Headwaters Sketchbook was a regular feature in this magazine for 15 years. An Amaranth farmer, artist, naturalist and avid reader, Linda brought to the Sketchbook not only her delightful and detailed pen-and-ink illustrations of local flora and fauna, but her careful research notes and, inevitably, a literary reference that captured the essence of her wild subjects. Linda retired her column in 2011, but the original art from the Sketchbook will form part of the show, along with her drawings and watercolours of domestic and wild animals. As on only child raised on a farm, Linda says she gravitated naturally to the companionship of the natural world. As an artist, she has frequently led sketching workshops in the fields and woods near her home, and she has further honed her keen observation of the nature as a frequent and hardy volunteer during the annual migratory bird banding and census at Long Point on Lake Erie. Linda is currently president of the Upper Credit Field Naturalists. Along with her show, she will present a talk at the museum (where she has volunteered since 1995), called “Other Nations: A Life spent in the Company of Animals.” The title was inspired by author Henry Beston who observed that “animals are not brethren, they are not underlings, they are other nations.” The show of Linda McLaren’s art runs from June 24 to August 26. Her presentation is at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 8.

FRAMED x DESIGN Art Galleries

Custom Framing makes it uniquely yours! Over 25 years experience Fine Art from World Renowned Artists 11 First Street, Orangeville 519-940-3050 parking at rear

framedxdesign.com IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

51


H I S T O R I C

H I L L S

by Ken Weber

the

Colourful Constable and his Remarkable Hotel

Paul Waechter • Brian Horner

800-932-6661 • Shelburne

Farm-gate market offering drug-free black angus beef, bison, wild boar, lamb, chicken and pork. Also carrying an assortment of culinary delights from local producers. Taste You Can Trust Tues & Wed 10-6; Thurs & Fri 10-7; Sat 9-5; Sun 12-4

17049 Winston Churchill Blvd, Caledon 519.927.5902 www.heatherleafarmmarket.ca 52

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

Constable and entrepreneur Win Hand, described as “tall enough to pick the caps off telegraph poles,” became a legend in his own time. This controversial character’s legacy to these hills still stands in Mulmur’s Stanton Hotel, but it too may disappear.

rangeville’s weekly Police Court in the 1870s had to be the best show in town. There were the usual nefarious types of course, almost always facing charges of drunkenness or brawling. Often both. Some of them were so “usual” they even had courtroom nicknames. Two well-known regulars, for example, a pair of “Joes,” Joe Agnew and Joe Coolihan, were distinguished as “The Orangeville Bruiser” and “The Donnybrook Rooster.” A number of different magistrates presided on the bench, but a spectator favourite was Fisher Munro, whose habit of drifting off to sleep between,

or during, cases was a subject for pool betting. Police Chief Wilkins, who filled the role of court officer, was wont to summon the various accused with phrases such as, “Come forward, you blackguard!” – making clear just where he stood on the principle that justice is blind. And looming high above all the proceedings was Constable Win Hand. At six feet, five-and-a-half inches tall, he was impossible to ignore, not just because of his unusual height and his very long arms, but because he was often the arresting officer. Except for those cases, not at all rare, in which he was the accused!

A rough and ready style Newspaper accounts and court records suggest Win Hand’s philosophy of law enforcement did not lean to patient negotiation or citizens’ rights. Whether his dubious fame as a brawler was well earned or the result of bad luck is unclear, but somehow his arrests were rarely easy ones. In April 1878, for example, he was sent to Ballycroy to bring in Messrs. Bloomer and McMaster, two hotelkeepers determined to resist Orangeville justice. Win himself had been a well-known hotelkeeper – much more on that later – but that didn’t secure


What’s so special about the Stanton Hotel? In spite of its current drab appearance, the old Stanton Hotel is a heritage jewel, an architectural rarity that boasts a range of unique features. But it’s under threat of demolition. Unfortunately for the hotel, it stands very close to the road, obstructing traffic sightlines on the northwest corner of Airport Road and Mulmur’s 5 Sideroad. Neglect and cheap cladding make the place look so weary it all but disappears in the landscape. So what makes it so special? To begin with, the hotel is pure Georgian, a design typically built when Ontario was still called Upper Canada. It is a “bank building,” built into a hill, with a separate entrance at the basement level where the tavern was located, and another on the first floor, an uncommon construction for buildings of its period. Although the finely coursed stonework is, in its current condition, the most noticeable exterior feature of the hotel, it also has neoclassical details, rare in pre-Confederation Ontario. Among these is the large 10-foot-tall, first-floor entranceway with its pilasters, detailed cornice, sidelights and transom. (The entranceway was recently removed for restoration.) The hewn pine frame partly visible inside is entirely of mortise and tenon construction, built without nails. Interior features include a central staircase rising from an expansive lobby area where patrons were greeted and encouraged to warm themselves by the Rumford fireplace. At this writing, Dufferin County owns the building and Mulmur Township has stayed the wrecker’s ball by declaring an “intention to designate” it as a heritage building. And there is some discussion about moving it to another site. Though only a first step, the “intention” is by itself a progressive move in Dufferin County where, despite its rich heritage, there has been a curiously limited approach to heritage building preservation. The Town of Mono, for example, currently has nine “designated” buildings. Next door, the former Township of Caledon has 47. Throughout the Town of Caledon, which has a population only slightly larger than Dufferin’s, there are more than 100 designated structures. In the 19th century, dozens of hotels dotted these hills. They were both community gathering places and stopping places where travellers and new settlers who came by stage coach, wagon, horse or foot were provided with food, drink and accommodation. The Stanton Hotel is the only one remaining in Mulmur, and one of a tiny few still standing in the Headwaters region. Its demolition would mark the loss of a remarkable chapter in the county’s history.

facing page : This illustration by Vic Snow, a passionate advocate on behalf of the hotel’s preservation, shows the front and south elevations of the Stanton Hotel as it one would have been (but with railing partially deleted to show the entranceway detail).

him any favours from this pair. They set a couple of savage dogs on him, then jumped him from ambush and fought so hard that Win had to retreat. The arrest was completed only after he returned with a posse gathered up in Orangeville and Mono Mills. A year earlier, in May of 1877, Win had collared a hobo near the railway station, normally an easy task because these worthies often welcomed a dry bed and a few meals at municipal expense. But this one fought so savagely that Win received a bloody nose and needed the help of five

citizens to drag the offender to jail. Just days later Win’s uniform was torn and his arm broken as he served a warrant on one M. Leeson. Typical of cases involving Win, the allotment of blame was debatable. The slugfest arose only after Leeson, reasonably enough, insisted on seeing the warrant, a step in the process that Win felt was entirely superfluous. Altogether, 1877 was not a great year for Win. In addition to being on the receiving end of some rough blows, he was also convicted for delivering continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

53


hotel continued from page 53

Kingsmeris expanding! NEW and NOW OPEN! Fully Assisted Living You can now Age In Place with peace of mind!

Call 705-434-4600 today!

Were Win and Orangeville a “wild west” combination?

Life is full of...

Live your life to its fullest!

people like you!

287 King Street South, ALLISTON www.nauticallandsgroup.com A

U N I Q U E

C O N C E P T

I N

S E N I O R

R E T I R E M E N T

L I V I N G

SPRING MAINTENANCE Air Conditioning • Brakes • Exhaust Systems • Suspension • Oil Changes Transmissions • Tires • Tune Ups • Computer Diagnostic & Analysis established 1993 633393 Hwy 10, Mono Plaza, Orangeville formerly EuroBrit Motors

54

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

them. He was fined four dollars plus costs for assaulting a citizen at the Orangeville Fair. According to the Orangeville Sun, when the decision was delivered from the bench, the “swarthy” chief “raised himself on tip-toe, and with his face beaming with Irish humour, whispered, ‘Bedad, Win, but ye held a loosin’ hand.’” Not long after that, Win was twice more brought to court and convicted of abusing his role as the town’s bailiff (a co-appointment he held with constable). It seems that while discharging the prescribed duties of debt collection and court-directed property seizure, he had a habit of extorting an additional “fee” from the offenders.

Although Win’s rambunctious arrest stories, along with his size and style, always made great news copy, Orangeville was actually generally peaceable, perhaps even more so in Win’s absence. Case in point: In early June 1878, Win left town for a few weeks. That same month, council suspended Chief Wilkins for refusing to do road repairs. Without any police service, Orangeville was theoretically vulnerable to a crime spree. Yet records show the sole disruption of community harmony was more pigs than usual wandering and wallowing on Broadway. But the town seemed to feel more delight than censure with regard to Win’s escapades. Although the Orangeville Sun almost always described him as “ever ready to take part in a row or ruction,” when he returned that June to take up his constabulary duties, the paper literally gushed a “welcome back.” Later that year, when he left town for good and moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, there was genuine regret in Orangeville at the loss of its unusual policeman. That regret turned to anguish when news came he had been killed (in a fight, of course), then just as quickly to relief when the story turned out to be false. Many years later, an article on the front page of the Sault’s Evening News indicates there was a softer side to the man. In January 1910, the paper paid tribute to his 50 years of “married tranquility” (to Catherine Bradley of Mulmur, with whom he had nine children). It quotes Win as saying that in those five decades he “never had a row with the woman of his choice.” Even in Michigan though, Win’s legend continued to build. In Sault Ste. Marie (where he lived until his death in 1913), he immediately became

Ann Hand, b. Orangeville, 1871 – d. Michigan, 1956. Win’s sixth child may have inherited the colourful genetics of the family. She was married seven times and had but two children, the first of these by an eighth man she never married.

a policeman again. Apparently the change in venue did nothing to modify his constabulary style. Over the next many years, the Evening News was fi lled with enthusiastic reportage of his rough and tumble arrests and, as in Orangeville, convictions for assault. There was something else that didn’t change. Win Hand knew how to make a buck. In addition to his policeman’s salary he earned a stipend as a fire warden, ran the city’s dog pound, and earned money on the side as an auctioneer and proprietor of a cigar store. The only thing he did not transplant from Dufferin to the Sault was his considerable experience as a builder, developer, renovator/flipper, and manager of hotels. And herein lies what is arguably Win Hand’s most interesting contribution to Dufferin County: hotels. He was involved in a number of them in Orangeville and beyond, but the one that stands out is the hotel he built in Stanton.

Win’s Hotel Legacy In January 1871, two men were arrested at Orangeville’s Royal Hotel by Constable Hand – who also happened


All in the Family?

Meet our chef extraordinaire, Jason Reiner

In a letter to the editor of the Northern Advance, dated January 9, 1868, the writer – who signed himself “Pro Bono Publico” (on behalf of the people) – stated that he went to a council meeting in Mulmur Township to see for himself if these meetings were as wild and raucous as reported. He found the rumours to be true for the meeting ended in a mighty brawl involving three brothers: Deputy Reeve Win Hand, Reeve Thomas Hand and Councillor William Hand. right : There are no known photos of Win Hand, but this image of his brother Thomas, older than Win by 10 years, appeared in the Shelburne Free Press in 1892. Thomas was a Mulmur councillor for three years and reeve for seven. Their father William was one of the township’s first settlers and served as a councillor for six years.

to be the hotel’s owner. That coincidence did not raise an eyebrow in the community. In addition to his high profi le as a policeman, Win was already both well established and well regarded as a hotelman. Over just a few years in the 1870s, while employed as the town’s constable, he had bought, operated and sold not just the Royal, but the Dominion House and the Marksman, as well as the Prince of Wales in nearby Primrose. His first hotel, however, the one that launched this side of his colourful career, was in the village of Stanton in Mulmur Township. In 1863, with the help of his family, he constructed the building that still stands today on Airport Road. And although the tales about this lanky constable with the extremely long arms contribute much colour to local history, the Stanton Hotel is Win Hand’s most important legacy. In 1863, when the hotel was completed, Win was just 23 years old. Although Mulmur already had eight licensed establishments for a population of mere hundreds, Win was granted a liquor licence, called a “shop licence,” for his new building. (It probably helped that the Hand family was prominent in the township. In about 1837, Win’s father, William, was one of the first settlers and later served as a township councillor for six years. Win’s older brother, Thomas, a councillor for three years and reeve for seven, held office in 1863 when Win applied.) The new Stanton Hotel was no ordinary enterprise. Its size and potential is evident in the fact that

the main room

SUPERB CUISINE AND A GENIAL ATMOSPHERE HAVE MADE MONO CLIFFS INN A MECCA FOR FOOD AND WINE LOVERS FOR 25 YEARS

Win’s shop licence (takeout only) was upgraded to a tavern licence (fullservice inn) the very next year. Yet Win did not stay in Stanton for long. Although the hamlet was growing and stagecoach traffic increasing as the northern part of the township opened up, he soon leased out the operation. By 1870, he had made his move to Orangeville. He sold the Stanton hotel outright in 1873 and got out of the hotel business in Orangeville at about the same time. It turned out to be a shrewd move. By the early 1880s hotels across these hills, indeed across Canada, disappeared en masse as Prohibition took hold. The Stanton Hotel was licensed for the last time in 1876. By 1880, Mulmur assessment rolls show the building was occupied by carpenters. However, unlike the vast majority of Ontario hotels built in the 19th century, and all the 19th-century hotel buildings in Mulmur, the former Stanton Hotel still stands. And because it does, and because it represents a history and heritage unique in Ontario, the controversial spirit of Win Hand remains in these hills. Under the mantra of “progress and traffic safety,” authorities have determined the Stanton Hotel should come down, while heritage supporters are equally determined it must be preserved. Somewhere, Win Hand must be smiling at all the brouhaha. ≈

peter cellars pub SPECIALIZING IN SINGLE MALT SCOTCH LIVE MUSIC ON FRIDAYS

the wine cellar INTIMATE PRIVATE DINING FOR PARTIES OF UP TO EIGHT

mc laren room

STONE FIREPLACE, WIRELESS INTERNET AND PROJECTION SCREEN – PERFECT FOR RECEPTIONS AND BUSINESS MEETINGS OF UP TO FORTY

LUNCH & DINNER 11.30AM–9.00PM WEDNESDAY–SUNDAY & HOLIDAY MONDAYS WE CATER ANY DAY · LARGE OR SMALL PARTIES · ON OR OFF SITE 867006 MONO CENTRE ROAD IN THE HAMLET OF MONO CENTRE WWW.MONOCLIFFSINN.CA 519 941 5109 SPECIALIZING IN AUSTRALIAN WINES

Caledon writer Ken Weber’s bestselling Five Minute Mysteries series is published in 22 languages. IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

55


Dufferin County has some high-tech trash plans. Are they forward-thinking or foolhardy? BY JEFF R O L L IN GS

B

ack in the mid-’90s, I had a crazy idea. I wanted to learn about local politics, so I applied to be a citizen member of Dufferin County’s Community Development Committee. One of the committee’s primary responsibilities was to oversee Dufferin’s proposal for a new landfill. It was in the final stages of approval after millions of dollars of study and years of enraged debate. A naive keener, I read through a foot or two of reports, then marched off to my first meeting – and into a hornet’s nest. Despite its pending approval, the new landfill continued to face fierce opposition, and this bunch played rough. At that first meeting, I learned how the audience would boo vigorously if you said something they didn’t like. At the second, I learned how to make a county councillor froth at the mouth, and how to land myself on the front page of the local paper. After the third, it was ugly phone calls to my home – between the f-bombs was something about how my face might be about to meet a fist. So it went for my two-year tenure. The politicians were at each other’s throats. The public opposition groups were at everyone’s throats. County staff ducked, bobbed and weaved like seals in mating season. Some 15 years later, the Community Development Committee is still debating garbage, and what to do with that 200-acre landfi ll site the county owns out in the northeast corner of East Luther-Grand Valley. It’s a miracle there hasn’t been a lynching. I must admit it’s also near-miraculous how the discussion has evolved. The once certain-seeming landfi ll eventually received environmental assessment approval and a Draft Provisional Certificate of Approval, but by then its opponents had suf56

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

ficiently infi ltrated local politics. The proposal was quashed, and the new dump was never built. In its place are plans for an industrial subdivision of sorts, the occupants of which will be mostly engaged in the generation of energy from waste. It’s called Dufferin Eco-Energy Park, or DEEP. Is DEEP a sensible, pioneering investment, or a nimby-maniacal, anything-but-the-dump reaction, destined to be a hugely expensive white elephant? As envisioned, DEEP will tackle the ever-growing mountain of garbage Dufferin residents produce from a number of different angles. Perhaps the most ambitious component of DEEP, and the anchor for everything else, is an energy-from-waste, or EfW, facility that will employ a technique called

DEEP is to be located on a 200-acre site in the northeast corner of East LutherGrand Valley. The property was originally purchased by Dufferin County for use as a new landfill. Trevor Lewis, Dufferin’s director of public works, has speculated at public meetings that a spur could be built from the existing rail right-of-way to service DEEP. Existing Dufferin Waste Transfer and Recycling Facility Rail line to Streetsville

plasma gasification. The plant will process what remains after recyclable and compostable materials are removed from the waste stream, by vaporizing it at temperatures roughly as hot as the sun. Assuming it all works, almost none of the byproducts will go unused. Combustible gases produced in the process will fuel a turbine to generate electricity, which in turn will be sold to the grid. Waste heat from the process will provide a cheap source of heat for a greenhouse operation or other businesses located on site, and if it is deemed suitable, the hard, glass-like slag residual would be used in road and construction projects. continued on page 58


who: Undetermined details: Lots of approximately 2.4 hectares each, located in the northerly portion of the site, are intended for other alternative energy producers, or businesses whose processes can benefit from the source of cheap heat produced at the nearby gasification plant. status: Though Trevor Lewis has spoken with about five different companies that have expressed some form of interest, it’s a matter of “chicken and egg,” he says. “Once we have some sod-turning and it’s more than just talk, there will be concrete interest.” Allen Taylor, chair of the Community Development Committee, adds, “People will be lining up to bring their processes there, and we’ll be able to pick and choose what we want on the site.”

THE DUFFERIN ECO-ENERGY PARK CONCEPT: NOT JUST WASTE DISPOSAL

details: While the EfW facility will be owned and operated by a private company, the composting facility will be publicly owned by Dufferin County and York Region, but privately designed and built. Dufferin will pay development costs leading up to the site. York, with a population of a little over a million, compared to Dufferin’s 55,000, will pay for on-site development and operate the facility.

status: Ministry of the Environment approval and financing in place by late 2012/early 2013. At that point, Dufferin should be ready to sign a Definitive Agreement, officially binding the municipality to the project.

status: Hydrogen energy was the original catalyst for resurrecting activity at the DEEP site, when a private company expressed interest in establishing a fuelling station for hydrogen powered taxis. The concept was widely presented in early discussions about DEEP, and it was thought it might also offer a means of storing energy generated by the wind farms in north Dufferin for use during periods of peak demand. Engineering students at the University of Waterloo conducted a pre-feasibility analysis; however, the economics proved to be a challenge. Trevor Lewis reports that currently, “Hydrogen is on hiatus.”

Anaerobic Digestion who: Undetermined

c o mp o s t in

g fa c il it y

om ene r g y fr it y il c a wa s t e f

Energy Transfer Corridor

details: The privately owned and operated plasma arc gasification plant will be built on land rented from Dufferin County, with an expected life of 20 years. It will process up to 89,000 tonnes of waste per year delivered by six to eight large trucks a day, and will not be open to the public for waste drop-off.

who: Undetermined details: Electrolysis, gasification and anaerobic digestion can all be used to create hydrogen, which can be stored and used to fuel electrical generators.

e ene r g y a lt e rnat iv / u s e r s c r e at o r s

status: Dufferin County went through a procurement process and selected a preferred vendor, who then announced it was going into receivership. York Region took over and issued a second Request for Proposals in June 2010. Due to York’s stringent non-disclosure policies, few other details are available until a report comes forward to council.

who: Alter NRG Corp., Navitus Plasma Inc., Bridgepoint Group, Morrison Hershfield (consultant)

Hydrogen Energy Pilot Plant

e ene r g y a lt e rnat iv / u s e r s c r e at o r s

who: Joint venture between Dufferin County and York Region

Energy from Waste

Before DEEP can go ahead, the Ministry of Transportation has requested that the Amaranth-East Luther-Grand Valley Town Line and Melancthon 8 Line SW be realigned to form a four-way intersection. Dufferin County will pay for the work.

89 highway

Composting

There is a tendency to think of electricity as the only form of energy produced at the site, but the gasification plant will also produce substantial volumes of waste heat. As an energy source, the problem with heat is it can’t be transported very far. A westerly corridor will deliver heat to other businesses located at the DEEP site. Conceivably, it could also be used at neighbouring properties.

Road Realignment

g

n e o p e r at io r e e nh o u s

e x p e r imen

ta l c r o p s

amaranth / east luther grand valley town line

Alternative Energy Creators / Users

Education Trevor Lewis envisions the DEEP complex as an educational opportunity for school children and the general public. “I don’t want them to just be black boxes in a field. It should be done so that you can come and take a look at it and see what we’re doing.”

details: A process in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen, producing a biogas that can be used as a source of renewable energy. status: Initially, a company named Bullrush Clean Energy came forward as a partner to develop this technology, but it has not been involved for a couple of years. More recently, Canada Composting has expressed an interest. Negotiations are ongoing.

Greenhouse Operation who: Undetermined details: With “Eat Local” and the “HundredMile Diet” movements growing across the province, DEEP is located within a hundred miles of millions of people in the Greater Toronto Area, creating a huge, potentially lucrative market. Typically, heating is a major cost in greenhouse operations, but in this case, waste heat from the EfW facility could be used, and is expected to cost about 80 per cent of usual market rates. The savings could offer a significant competitive edge. Horticulture could also benefit from the nearby source of carbon dioxide. Next to the greenhouses, an experimental crop area would be available to receive plant stock during the growing season. status: Though conceptual discussions have taken place with a few greenhouse operators, no firm commitments have been made.

Maps by Jeff Rollings based upon DEEP documentation.

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

57


NEW RV STORE & SERVICE COMING IN THE SPRING

www.hughesrv.com

PLASMA GASIFICATION Dufferin’s chosen supplier for the EfW facility is a Calgarybased company called Alter NRG, which plans to employ a technique known as plasma gasification. Alter NRG has since formed an Ontario company called Navitus Plasma Inc., which hopes to develop and operate several similar facilities across the province. While traditional incineration is, simply put, burning garbage in a big fire, gasification is the process of applying either oxygen-starved heat (greater than 7oo°C) or intense pressure to any material, causing it to separate into its basic molecular components. This produces a gas called syngas, which can be used to fuel engines that generate electricity.

FEED HANDLING

PLASMA GASIFICATION

There’s nothing new about gasification, which has been in use around the world since the 1800s. Plasma gasification, however, is more recent. This approach operates at much higher temperatures than conventional gasification. Torches inject plasma gas at over 5,ooo°C into the bottom of a chamber to maintain a +1,3oo°C environment. Waste is fed into the chamber and as it breaks down, most of it becomes syngas, exiting through the top where it undergoes a cleaning process, ensuring purity levels sufficient for use as fuel. Metals can be separated and recovered, and the remaining material melts into a slag at the bottom. The chief advantages of plasma over traditional gasification and incineration are said to be reduced toxic emissions, and the ability to better handle a more varied feedstock.

GAS COOLING

SYNGAS CLEANUP

PRODUCT OPTIONS

CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE SPECIALS

Certified Centre to Check or Replace Your Permanent Propane Tanks / Fully Approved Centre for Insurance Repairs / Structural Repairs / Towing Systems / Generators / RV Appliance / Roof Airs / Awnings / Pre-Owned RV Sales / RV Storage Inside or Outside

519 - 94 0 - 4 252 1- 866 - 3 4 4 - 894 4

FEED MATERIAL RECEIVING, STORAGE, CONVEYING

HOUSEHOLD WASTE INDUSTRIAL WASTE BIOMASS PETCOKE

ORANGEVILLE

HWY 9

steam ethanol power plasma torches

air or oxygen

HWY 9

109

HWY 10

19th LINE

DUFFERIN RD 3

Townline

slag & recovered metals

CALEDON

quench

particulate removal

410 BRAMPTON

Located near Orangeville at 431139 19th Line

www.hughesrv.com

WIDE VARIETY OF FEEDSTOCKS LOW COST

FLEXIBLE PROCESS GASIFIER

The facility exports 80% of the energy input to Syngas

Plasma torches use 2% to 5% of the energy input

deep continued from page 56

The facility won’t be the only EfW plant handling garbage produced in Headwaters. The Region of Peel opened a conventional incinerator in Brampton in 1992, and it currently processes about 175,000 tonnes a year, including waste from Caledon. Owned by Algonquin Power Systems, the plant is operated under a long-term waste supply agreement with the region. In a similar arrangement, Dufferin County has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with a Calgary company called Alter NRG, through its Ontario spinoff called Navitus Plasma Inc., to develop its facility. A feasibility study assessed the possibility of building a plant with a 25,000 tonne per year capacity – enough to handle just Dufferin’s waste – but found the volume too small to be economically viable. A 70,000 tonne per year capacity did look like it would work, and even though it meant importing significant volumes of trash, Dufferin County council agreed to proceed. In the company’s most recent submissions, the volume has been increased again, to 89,000 tonnes a year. Navitus CEO George Todd says this second increase was 58

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS HIGH VALUE Gasification is not incineration

also a matter of economics. Supporters claim the plasma approach is clean, makes use of a large renewable energy resource, and promotes sustainability. But critics aren’t so sure. In their view, there aren’t yet enough data to support such claims. So let’s take a look at some of the evidence for and against.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE It’s got to go somewhere According to Peter Hargreave, director of policy and strategy for the Ontario Waste Management Association, the province generates about 12.5 million tonnes of garbage each year, or roughly one tonne per person. About 4 million tonnes are exported to Michigan and New York, most of it from the industrial/commercial/ institutional sector. However, our American neighbours are growing increasingly testy about us using their backyard as a dump, and there are strong indications that the border will eventually be closed to Canadian waste altogether, or become prohibitively expensive.

Gasification creates hydrogen and carbon monoxide, an energy-rich gas steam

Without the U.S., Ontario’s annual maximum permitted fi ll rate is not sufficient for the waste requiring disposal. What’s worse, even though some new capacity has been approved in the last few years – mostly by expanding existing sites – space is running out fast. As a result, Ef W facilities are expected to become more common. In 2009, after recycling and composting, Dufferin County was generating about 15,000 tonnes a year requiring disposal. Most of that was shipped to the U.S.

What you get: No landfill Dufferin’s approved-but-never-opened landfi ll site becomes more valuable by the day, to both the private and public sector. As Allen Taylor, mayor of East Garafraxa and chair of the county’s Community Development Committee, says, “People will be walking in here with a blank cheque and saying how many million do you want?” The City of Toronto did just that when it bought a licensed landfi ll near London, Ontario several years ago. Building an alternative form of waste disposal on Dufferin’s site would preclude a landfi ll from happening there.

S C H EM AT I C N AV I T U S

Specializing in Service and Repairs for All Models from Trailers to Rear Engine Diesels and Horse Trailers


Points for trying When Dufferin decided not to trash its landfill plans in 2000, it committed to finding an alternative way to handle garbage. An exhaustive review of the available options was undertaken, and finally, in the fall of 2008, it issued a Request for Proposals to design, finance, build, own and operate a thermal treatment waste processing facility. Alter NRG’s plasma gasification proposal was accepted in 2009. In short, the county took its time, considered the alternatives, and plasma gasification is where it ended up.

There is some track record for plasma gasification According to Allen Taylor, “There’s a lot of untried technology out there. They’ll say ‘Oh yeah, we can do it for ya,’ but you just try and find a demonstration plant that shows they can.” Alter NRG backed up their technology with two reference plants in commercial operation in Japan. A contingent of six committee members visited them last fall, and came away impressed.

The residual isn’t too nasty Though estimates vary, somewhere between 5 and 20 per cent of the waste fed into the gasifier will come out the bottom, transformed into a glass-like residual. Tests to date in the U.S. and Japan indicate this slag is an inert material that may be suitable as aggregate in road building and concrete. Though it’s a somewhat different material, Peel Region has been testing ash produced at its incinerator in road and parking lot asphalt with positive results. Brampton Brick has also been experimenting with using it in brick making. However, the Ministry of the Environment will need to be convinced Dufferin’s slag is inert, and the Ministry of Transportation would require lengthy testing before it could be used on provincial roads. But Trevor Lewis, Dufferin’s director of public works, points out the county builds and maintains quite a few roads of its own: “We’re also a buyer of those products. I would propose that we do some test strips using the slag to see how it works, and if things work out, here’s a way to get rid of it.” In any event, Allen Taylor insists, “The deal we have with Navitus is that the residual is their problem, not ours. At the end of the day, that residual is part of what Navitus contracts to deal with.”

Limited taxpayer investment A White Paper produced by the Town of Mono’s Sustainability Advisory Committee makes a convincing argument that, based on the experience at other gasification and incineration

plants, the cost of the Ef W facility could easily be double or even triple the roughly $70 million estimated in the Navitus feasibility study. However, Dufferin officials point out that for county taxpayers the capital cost of the facility is somewhat irrelevant. “We’ve said from day one that it’s a design, finance, build, own and operate by Alter NRG/Navitus,” says Allen Taylor. “Dufferin County has never committed itself to a dollar toward the building or operation of this facility. Nobody has even suggested to us that we co-sign a loan.” So where is the money coming from? Says Taylor, “These folks are out dealing with pension funds and other investment institutions trying to sell them a piece of the action for a guaranteed return on their money.” Still, the original Memorandum of Understanding in 2009 called for an acceptable financing structure to be in place by the end of that year. Taylor says the delay is related to the slow progress on provincial environmental approvals and power rate negotiations. Investors aren’t likely to commit without those assurances, which are now not targetted to be in hand until the end of this year or early next.

It’s cheaper than recycling Sadly, as Allen Taylor notes, “Composting and recycling are the most expensive ways you can deal with waste. If people understood the real cost of recycling, they’d be amazed on a per-tonne basis.” Recent county studies peg the cost of recycling at $209 per tonne. Turning source-separated organics into compost costs $115 per tonne, plus the cost of collection. The target rate for tipping fees at the EfW plant is $100 per tonne.

Creemore Hills Realty Ltd Brokerage

Austin Boake Broker of Record/Owner

27 Years in Real Estate, land development and building/design. Specializing in Mulmur/Mono, Creemore/Clearview area. Located in the pretty village of Creemore, Ontario

136 Mill Street • Creemore • 705.466.3070

www.CreemoreHillsRealty.com

Relief from sheer exhaustion Dufferin began trying to address its waste problem nearly three decades ago – longer than the projected 20year lifespan of the Ef W plant. It could go on considering alternatives forever. If the issue is ever to be resolved, at some point concrete decisions have to be made.

BUT THEN AGAIN Consume, consume, consume Zero Waste philosophy promotes the rethinking of product life cycles so all components can be reused. Possibly the worst strike against the EfW plant is that it perpetuates the endless cycle of pulling resources from the earth, spending vast amounts of energy processing them in factories and shipping continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

59


deep continued from page 59

“Everybody in our nei eighb ghbour ourhoo hoodd like likess the h roo roof.f. I have ave no fe fear ar of any ki kind nd of wea we therr now. Interlock is abs bsolu olutel telyy prof professional and n I highly h recommend them from sales all the way down to the instal inst tallllation. The instal talllers lers w were ere th thee hard hard ardest est working group I have ever seen. They did everytthin hingg we we expecte e t d and and mor mo e. The wa warra rranty nt is fanta t stic!”

ntil ’t pay u and don ber 2012 Septem ED LIM IT FER TIME OF

them around the globe, where they end up lost – buried in a landfill, burned or “thermally treated.” While generating electricity recovers some of that energy investment, it’s only a small fraction. However, the technology does appear to be improving. Peel’s conventional incinerator delivers about 6 MW to the grid. Dufferin’s plasma gasifier is predicted to net out at about the same, from only about half the volume of waste.

How many Rs do you see?

Slate

Shingle

Shake

Membrane

Don’t delay… Limited Time Offer

1-855-563-7663 yournextroof.ca LI M ITE D TI M E O FFE R FO R O NTAR I O O N LY – E XPI R ES J U N E 15, 2012

DIRECTIONAL BORING SERVICES Need an underground conduit or cable installed under an obstacle? Don’t dig up your expensive driveway or lawn. We can install any type of cable, water line or conduit up to 8” diameter with very minimal excavating.

Need a water line brought directly into your house? No need to dig up your foundation or disturb your costly landscaping. We can install it directly into your basement.

905 939-0553 cell 416 577-8909 gfrangakis@accglobal.net www.terraconutilities.ca With over 25 years experience in directional drilling, Terracon Utilities is the answer to your project. Fully insured. Serving all of Ontario for 25 years.

We’re all familiar with the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Proponents of gasification would have us believe there’s a fourth R: recovery, and that creating energy from waste does just that. However, the fly in the ointment is that this fourth R works against the other three. Once you’ve built the facility, it has to run pretty much at capacity to be financially viable. As a result there’s an obvious disincentive to reduce the volume of material available to feed the monster. Alter NRG and the county have agreed to “high grade” the waste feedstock to boost the BTU content, using things such as scrap tires, carpet remnants and unrecyclable plastics. This will not help such efforts as the Ontario Tire Stewardship’s initiatives to develop markets for recycled rubber products, or other recycling research programs, such as Peel’s partnership with a private company to recycle carpet. The province has tried to address this problem by insisting on high waste diversion rates before it will issue a certificate of approval for new EfW facilities. The Region of Durham, for example, had to commit to at least 70 per cent diversion before they could go ahead with the new conventional incinerator currently under construction there. Similar levels are predicted for Dufferin, but there’s a long way to go to meet that target: the diversion rate currently stands at 36.5 per cent. It remains to be seen if other municipalities would also have to meet those targets before their waste could be shipped to Dufferin.

More expensive tipping fees The typical tipping rate municipalities pay for landfill is $75 per tonne. The target rate for the DEEP EfW is $100 per tonne, and it’s possible that by the time final design is complete this will increase. Trevor Lewis says, “The feedback we got from the local municipalities was that they didn’t mind paying a premium for something that was going to be more environmentally friendly, which we feel this technology is.” But how much of a premium is that likely to be? The Mono committee’s 60

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

White Paper argued that the company’s financial projections failed to include several capital costs, including such critical components as wastewater treatment and disposal. Ed Kroeker, an environmental engineer and chief author of the White Paper, says, “So what if maybe up front these guys pay for everything? We’re still going to pay for it. This isn’t a charitable donation from Alter NRG to Dufferin County. It’s the old saying ‘You can pay me now or pay me later.’ Once the music starts the piper has to be paid.”

So much for “Dispose of your waste in your own backyard.” In the 1990s, a central mantra of waste disposal was “dispose of your waste in your own backyard.” In other words, to avoid the environmental and financial costs of shipping waste hundreds of miles, municipalities should deal with their own waste within their own borders. At the time, with that very principle in mind, Dufferin’s neighbour, Simcoe County, passed a bylaw declaring all its waste must be disposed of within Simcoe. Even in 20 years, Dufferin’s garbage will only account for 15 to 20 per cent of the volume proposed for the DEEP EfW facility (less if 70 per cent diversion is mandated as predicted), with the balance imported from other municipalities. Trevor Lewis agrees that Dufferin will account for only a “very small percentage,” but he says that’s because “we can’t find the technology to treat just the small quantity that we have on our own.” Allen Taylor qualifies that by adding, “Within the price range we’re willing to pay. You could build a facility to handle just Dufferin County. We just can’t afford to pay what it would cost to do that. It’s a matter of economies of scale.” Which raises another question: Why not locate the EfW plant where there’s a bigger population, and export Dufferin’s waste there, instead of the other way around? Lewis responds, “Somebody has to do it. We’ve got the land, we’re looking for alternatives, let’s try something rather than just twiddling our thumbs.” And in Taylor’s view, Dufferin’s small size and comparative lack of bureaucracy make the project more achievable. “Sometimes you can do something on a small scale that you couldn’t do on a big scale.” Trevor Lewis also sees Dufferin’s plant as the first step in a grander scheme. “What I like to suggest is we get the thing running and we’re doing a great job, then bring the City of Toronto up to show them what they can do. The place for this type of thing is actually industrial subdivisions in Toronto. Then they’re not


RENEWABLE POWER? The Navitus feasibility study identifies electrical power generation as a significant income stream for the plant, forecasting a gross output of 9.3 MW before power used in the process is subtracted, and approximately 6 MW net available for sale to the grid. The study anticipates receiving 12 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) via a Power Purchase Agreement from the Ontario Power Authority. So far, however, the province has only offered eight cents. This is because EfW facilities are not considered a renewable energy source, so the price offered is similar to other non-renewable forms of energy generation, such as natural gas. The conventional incinerator currently under construction to serve York-Durham will also receive eight cents. The province is in the process of reviewing its Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program, which pays substantial premiums for renewable energy. Solar projects, for example, receive anywhere between 44.3 and 80.2 cents per kWh, with wind turbines at 13.5. Even systems recovering landfill gas receive between 10 and 11 cents per kWh. Dufferin officials and others have been lobbying the province to include EfW facilities in the FIT program, though it’s still unclear if that will happen. Regardless, Navitus CEO George Todd says he is optimistic the rate will end up “somewhere in the middle” between 8 and 12 cents. If no increase is achieved, tipping fees will likely need to be increased to make up the shortfall.

hauling the garbage as far, the grid’s right there, and how much of that energy could they use right on the site?” Simcoe County, meanwhile, failed in its efforts to open a new landfi ll at its infamous Site 41, and has recently rescinded its local disposal bylaw. Although Navitus, not Dufferin, is responsible for sourcing contracts, county officials have teamed up with the company and made presentations to Simcoe, aimed at securing some 47,000 tonnes of its waste to feed the DEEP plant.

Which way to the toxins? While landfi ll raised concerns about what was seeping into our ground and water, gasification raises concerns about what is seeping into our air. The European Commission’s Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Reference Document on the Best Available Technologies for Waste Incineration (2006) found that air emissions from conventional gasification installations are the same as from old-fashioned incinerators. Among the nasties: particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, dioxins, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, mercury, carbon dioxide and furans. Even tiny amounts of some of these substances, such as mercury, are harmful to human health and the environment. Dioxin, reported as the most carcinogenic known substance, has no safe level of exposure. However, the industry argues that because plasma gasification heats the waste to much higher temperatures than conventional gasification or incinerators, most of the toxins are destroyed. Those that remain, as in the

conventional process, pass through a series of pollution control devices that capture and concentrate them for disposal as hazardous waste. As a result, Alter NRG, and the rest of the industry, forecast emissions to be less than from a natural-gas-fired plant generating the same amount of electricity. Proponents further argue gasification is not incineration, and because there is no combustion, no combustion gases are released. If they’re right, it’s a compelling argument in favour of plasma technology. However, regulators have yet to be convinced. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to define it as a form of incineration. And in its regulations for “thermal treatment facilities,” the Ontario Ministry of the Environment makes no distinction between incinerators and conventional or plasma gasification. The environment ministry would set maximums and monitor emission levels from the plant. However, its monitoring guidelines are based on a principle called “maximum achievable control technology,” meaning allowable emission levels reflect what is technologically feasible, rather than what is proven safe for the environment. And even these may be behind the times. With upgrades, the 20-yearold Peel EfW incinerator, for example, boasts emissions levels “well below” MOE standards. In addition, as the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives points out, the standards only regulate a handful of the potentially thousands of pollutants that could be present in municipal solid waste, and they don’t consider the possible cum-

Your One Stop Sewing Shop 6HZLQJ :RUNVKRSV (PEURLGHU\ GHVLJQV 6XSSOLHV &RWWRQ 4XLOW )DEULFV DQG VHZ PXFK PRUH

6HUYLFH WR DOO PDNHV

Vernon & Minerva Knorr

519-323-2693

continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

61


Delivering Superior Service 24 HOURS A Day

DUFFERIN’S OLD LANDFILLS The bylaw that authorizes Dufferin County to take over waste management from its lower-tier municipalities on January 1, 2013 speciďŹ cally excludes existing township dumps, which will be closed. While Orangeville, Shelburne and East Garafraxa have no landďŹ ll, those that do – Mono, Melancthon, Amaranth and East Luther-Grand Valley – will be responsible for the costs of closure, monitoring and any environmental impacts that arise from their sites. The EfW plant will not be in place by the switchover, so Dufferin will be sending all its waste outside the county until such time as the facility is operational.

deep continued from page 61

ulative effects of exposure to multiple chemicals at the same time. Finally, there are reports of explosions at Ef W plants. Even if the chances are remote, should a catastrophic failure take place, an undetermined release of toxins could occur.

Making your house feel more like HOME

Will the darn thing work?

SALES • SERVICE • INSTALLATION RENTALS

donsheatingandcooling.com

www.facebook.com/DonsHeating

@DonsHeating

519-942-1568 / 1-800-461-4401 48 Centennial Rd, Unit 13, Orangeville

We supply all your needs for both indoor and outdoor projects • large selection of landscape products • precast and natural stone • cedar and pressure treated lumber • composite decking

Orangeville Building Supply

205164 Hwy 9 just west of Orangeville

519-942-3900 | 1-800-647-9442 www.orangevillebuildingsupply.ca

9DOXH 3DFN

TM

IRU 6RQLF %D JU SRZ WK G )5(( WUDY HU HO %DJ

“You haven’t tried everything until you’ve tried SonicBrite™. No matter how old those stains are, SonicBrite™ will give you back your beautiful smile. We guarantee it!â€? Order today at 519-942-9315 or 1-800-250-5111

30 day Money Back Guarantee If You Are Not Fully Satisfied! distributed by Dent-Line of Canada Inc, Loretto, Ontario

62

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

There are numerous examples around the globe of EfW facilities malfunctioning, undergoing lengthy or permanent shutdowns, or failing to produce the volume of electricity originally claimed. Plasma gasification has been around for two decades, but primarily in industry-specific applications. Its track record for dealing with the complex stew that makes up municipal solid waste remains very limited. Navitus and county representatives point to the two operating plants in Japan as proof the company has the technical knowledge and operating experience to ensure that Dufferin’s facility will work. Those plants opened in 2003 and employ the same Westinghouse plasma technology. But considering Alter NRG, Navitus’s parent company, didn’t exist until 2006 when it bought the rights to the Westinghouse technology, its claims of experience seem somewhat exaggerated. The Japanese operations are independently owned, with Alter NRG providing technical support and torch parts. In fact, the only plant Alter NRG owns and operates itself is a pilot facility in Madison, Pennsylvania, used for short, small volume test runs. No matter, insist county representatives. The contract is to design, finance, build, own and operate. Dufferin will just be a customer that sends its waste there and pays a tipping fee, like any other municipality. And if the plant is temporarily shut down, Navitus will be responsible for finding an alternative place for the garbage to go. In a worst-case scenario, if the operation were to completely fail or go bankrupt, Trevor Lewis says Dufferin’s liability is limited: “It’ll be on our land, so we’ll have to deal with it from that perspective. Do we want to go in there and run it, or try to figure out

what could be fi xed? Or is it just a matter of they walked away, we’ve got a new building, we’ve got some equipment inside, we have a garage sale.� Perhaps, but as the entire DEEP project is envisioned, other businesses at the site will rely on the heat output from the EfW plant. If it goes down, the whole development could be in jeopardy. Dufferin would also be back at square one as far as dealing with its garbage, but the townships’ landfi lls will have all been closed. hether you think energy from waste initiatives are mean or green, chances are you will be seeing more and more of them in Ontario over the coming years. Already, the city of Ottawa has given its approval for a plasma gasification plant to proceed, a similar proposal is moving forward in Meaford, and Waterloo and other Ontario communities are considering the possibility. Proposals are also popping up across the United States, including the world’s largest plasma gasification unit, set to process more than 3,000 tonnes a day, under construction in St. Lucie, Florida. Opposition in Dufferin has been very clear landfill is not an option. So something has to take its place. Like many municipalities throughout North America, Dufferin has turned to gasification as an alternative. Is plasma gasification the wasteslaying, energy-generating pot at the end of the rainbow? Or is there still an alternative out there that would save headaches, perhaps even money, in the long run? With the huge pressure to resolve the global waste problem, the industry is evolving quickly, and it’s quite possible that over the next few years a better solution will come along. But after nearly three decades of anguished deliberations, and more than three years and few hundred thousand dollars into the current plan, Dufferin is running out of time. Sometimes you’ve just got to pick the lesser evil. The trick is to know which one that is. ≈

W

Jeff Rollings is a freelance writer in Orangeville.


SP R ING|S U MME R 2012

Spring starts with new colours by Emile Henry Purveyor of quality kitchen & tableware Emile Henry • Global • Krups • Riedel • Cuisinart Sophie Conran • Nespresso • Henckels and more! Sign up for our monthly newsletter for recipes and to find out what’s new. 125 Broadway, in historic downtown Orangeville 519-942-5908 www.kitchentotable.com

Farmgate Dairy For the love of olive oil

Alton Mill wedding The Heirloom Tomato Club

Spears of Spring

The new issue of Food In The Hills is coming in May. Watch for it at restaurants, specialty food stores and markets throughout the hills. Read about

FASHIONS . GIFTS . HOME DECOR

Ontario’s first on-farm dairy processing A down-home summer wedding A handcrafted kitchen full of surprises Cooking tips for olive oil, asparagus and heirloom tomatoes – plus recipes galore!

But don’t wait until May to get into the spirit – visit FoodintheHills.ca for good food news and advice from our local bloggers: Kelly Pleadwell’s From Scratch Catering makes home cooking a breeze with her no-fuss recipes. Cathy Bray of Hungry Hollow shares the joys (and trials) of living off the land – and loving it. Daphne Randall’s Edible Tulip blog features a new, healthy and delicious salad every week. Sarah Hallett of Roseberry Farm praises fresh, local ingredients in her outstanding home cooking. And Eat Local Caledon continues its updates on who’s growing, serving and cooking local. For print and online advertising information, contact Sarah Aston at 519-940-4884, sarah@inthehills.ca. 78 First Street, Orangeville 519.940.4719 16 Elora Street, Harriston 519.338.3230 | www.achesons.ca

foodinthehills.ca IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

63


THE CIRCLE GAME

Peel’s first roundabout puts Caledon drivers on the merry-go-round. BY J A ME S J AC K S O N

Roundabout at Dixie Road and Olde Baseline Road.

R

oundabouts have long been a feature of European roads – and a source of bewilderment verging on terror for many Canadian travellers who cross the Atlantic and dare to get behind the wheel of a car. Our collective inexperience with roundabouts was best captured in the 1985 fi lm European Vacation, starring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold. After landing in England, Clark and his family rent a car to drive to their hotel. Along the way, they are caught in the Lambeth Bridge roundabout in downtown London. Unable to merge to exit, Clark drives around the circle for hours, each time happily proclaiming, “Look kids, Big Ben! Parliament!” Eventually day turns to night and his wife and kids fall asleep, leaving a confounded Clark to decipher the roundabout on his own. But that joke may soon grow old

64

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

Roundabouts [can] reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 29 per cent and nitrous oxide emissions by 21 per cent … [and] reduce intersection fuel consumption by about 30 per cent on this continent, as more and more roundabouts replace traffic signals and stop signs at our intersections. As the calendar f lipped from 1999 to 2000, there were only about a hundred roundabouts across North America, but the past decade has seen a slow but steady transportation transformation. Engineers have turned to roundabouts to help solve growing traffic congestion and air quality concerns. In Canada, roundabouts now number in the hundreds. The Region of Peel joined that movement last November when it

officially unveiled its first roundabout at the intersection of Dixie Road and Olde Base Line in Caledon. Since then, according to Joe Avsec, manager of traffic engineering, drivers have expressed “a lot of positive feedback.” And more are already in the works. The intersection of Mayfield Road and Pillsworth Drive is getting one, and roundabouts are set to become an integral part of the new, estimated $50-million Bolton arterial bypass project on King Street at Coleraine Drive and Highway 50. Love them or loathe them, roundabouts are here to stay.

“All the new intersections we are building will go through a screening process to determine the suitability of a roundabout,” Avsec said. Planners use 15 criteria to determine if a new intersection – or an existing one in need of an upgrade – will support a roundabout. Among those criteria are car and truck traffic volumes, collision history and pedestrian use. The plan for the region’s first roundabout goes back to 2006 when staff decided to correct the “jog” in the offset intersection. Construction began in 2010 and the entire project cost about $2.3 million, including the $400,000 roundabout, as well as the realignment and reconstruction of Dixie Road from south of Boston Mills Road to Olde Base Line. It would have cost about $250,000 to construct a conventional four-way intersection at the site, with another $150,000 anticipated for installing


A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROUNDABOUTS While the roundabout is new to the region, circular traffic control measures have been around for centuries, predating the invention of the automobile by more than a hundred years. One of the first was the Bath Circus (circus is Latin for “ring” or “circle”), located in Somerset, England, a circular section of road surrounded by townhouses completed in 1768. The first true roundabout, referred to as a traffic circle or rotary, was built around the Arc de Triomphe in France in 1901, and the first known traffic circle in North America was the Columbus Circle in New York City, completed in 1904. Traffic circles are much different from their modern counterpart. They’re typically larger than roundabouts (90 to 120 metres in diameter compared to 20 to 40 metres now), allowing vehicles to operate at higher speeds. Priority was also given to traffic entering the roundabout, instead of traffic already inside. Operational problems and safety concerns with traffic circles led to their gradual disappearance from North American roads during the 1950s, though they continued to be used extensively in Europe. France has the most roundabouts and traffic circles in the world – about 30,000 – while the UK has about 25,000. During the 1960s and ’70s, changes to the design and function of traffic circles helped spark renewed interest in their use around the world. Those changes were simple, but important. Traffic still moves in one direction around a central island, but modern roundabouts give priority to the vehicles already inside the circle, allowing traffic to flow much more smoothly and reducing the number of collisions. In 1999, there were only about a hundred roundabouts across Canada and the U.S. In 2007, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation established its first Roundabout Implementation Team to research and promote roundabouts as an alternative form of traffic control on provincial highways. By 2010, the Canadian Institute of Transport Engineers reported there were 146 roundabouts in Canada – with BC and Ontario leading the way with 44 and 39 respectively – and an estimated 2,300 in the U.S. Still, there has yet to be a roundabout built in Canada as complex as the so-called “Magic Roundabout” in Swindon, England. Built in 1972, it consists of five mini-roundabouts arranged in a circle around a large central one.

phone: 416 938 4853 info@pigroastcatering.ca www.pigroastcatering.ca

WEDDINGS | CELEBRATIONS | BBQ’S | COCKTAIL PARTIES DINNER PARTIES | CORPORATE FUNCTIONS As a full service and special event planning company, we provide you with cuisine, rentals, decor, entertainment, and service staff tailored to your needs.

DISCOVER CAN-AM

®

T H E N O - CO M P R O MI S E AT V

Road signs associated with roundabouts, from left to right : Roundabout ahead, begin to slow. Prepare to merge, yield to vehicles in the roundabout. Proceed in the direction indicated. Be aware of which exit you will be taking.

traffic lights in a few years, so planners expect the roundabout will save the region money in the long run. They note the savings in hydro and maintaining traffic signals represents savings of approximately $6,000 per year. Joe Avsec cites three advantages in choosing roundabouts over traffic lights: they reduce the environmental footprint of driving, help move traffic more efficiently, and increase motorist safety. A 2005 study conducted in Arlington, Virginia, found that by eliminating the stop-and-go movements at traffic lights and stop signs, roundabouts could reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 29 per cent and nitrous oxide emissions by 21 per cent. Another study suggested roundabouts could reduce intersection fuel consumption by about 30 per cent. Also, because the entrance to a roundabout is curved (referred to as

deflection), drivers instinctively slow down while entering. “Motorists will reduce to an internal operating speed of 30 or 35 kilometres per hour,” said Sean Ballaro, supervisor of traffic operations. The Ministry of Transportation found there are fewer collisions at roundabouts, and the seriousness of collisions is greatly reduced because there are fewer “conf lict points” – areas where two cars can potentially collide. “When you build a roundabout, in essence what you get are rear-enders and side-swipes, which are not the types of collisions that typically kill people,” said Ballaro. From Vancouver to Halifax, roundabouts have sprung up across the nation. In neighboring Halton Region, the first roundabout opened in late 2010, and Waterloo Region has been continued on next page

1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY †

6-MONTH BRP LIMITED WARRANTY + 6-MONTH B.E.S.T. EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT ON NEW AND UNUSED 2010, 2011, 2012 OUTLANDER™ AND RENEGADE™ MODELS

PLUS FINANCING AVAILABLE AT

4.49%APR*

FOR 36 MONTHS‡ ON NEW AND UNUSED 2010, 2011, 2012 CAN-AM ATVs; OTHER FINANCING OPTIONS AVAILABLE

PLUS UP TO

$1700 REBATE◊ ON SELECT NEW AND UNUSED CAN-AM ATVs

Larry’s Small Engines 4 km north of Orangeville on Highway 10 519-941-1517 www.larryssmallengines.ca ©2012 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®,™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Offers valid in Canada only, from February 1, 2012 to March 31, 2012. See an authorized BRP dealer for details. The conditions may vary from province to province and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. †1-Year Limited Warranty: Eligible units are all new and unused 2010, 2011 and 2012 Can-Am Outlander and Renegade ATVs. The buyer of eligible units will receive the 6-month BRP Limited Warranty plus a 6-month B.E.S.T. extended service contract subject to a $50 deductible on each repair. See your participating BRP Can-Am dealer for all details and to receive a copy of the BRP Limited Warranty and B.E.S.T. contract. ◊Rebate on select new and unused 2010 and 2011 Can-Am ATVs. See an authorized BRP dealer for complete details. BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the Canadian Safety Council at 613-739-1535, ext 227. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: always wear a helmet, eye protection, and other protective clothing. Always remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Never carry passengers on any ATV not specifically designed by the manufacturer for such use. Always ride safely and avoid excessive speeds. All Can-Am ATV adult models are Category G ATVs (General Use Models) intended for recreational and/or utility use by an operator age 16 or older. Respect the environment, all applicable local laws and the rights of others when you ride. Ride responsibly.

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

65


roundabouts continued from page 65

building them since 2004. Peel has been relatively late to introduce roundabouts, and there is growing evidence that slow and thoughtful implementation is prudent. Waterloo has been one of the most aggressive jurisdictions in the country to adopt the roundabout. Since 2004, when Waterloo built its first four, their numbers have quadrupled to 16, and there are at least 30 more in the planning stage. But the municipality has come under fire in recent years for rolling them out too quickly and in poorly chosen locations. In the past two years alone, the number of collisions in Waterloo’s roundabouts has risen nearly 54 per cent – from 85 in 2009 to 131 in 2010 – an indication that the learning curve has been steeper than anticipated. Although the majority of the Waterloo collisions were of the fenderbender and side-swipe variety with no serious injuries – precisely the types of collisions traffic engineers expected – the fact remains that collisions at roundabouts continue to rise despite their presence in the region for nearly a decade. In response, Waterloo tripled their roundabout education budget to $150,000 in 2011, introducing a program called “Practice Makes Perfect.” It included various print and radio ads, as well as a series of television spots featuring the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers. “I challenge anyone to find a more comprehensive education plan than what we have,” said Bob Henderson, Waterloo’s manager of transportation engineering. In Peel, the approach to education is so far more muted. Staff conducted what they call a “grassroots educational campaign” that consisted of distributing brochures and other materials to residents at a cost of about $4,500. “We found generally that any issues Early morning at Caledon’s roundabout.

66

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

anyone had were just fear of the unknown,” said Imre Tot, the region’s technical analyst of traffic operations. “[The public] didn’t really understand how roundabouts would work, but they’re excited about it, and the message we got was that it’s about time.” The early results in Peel have been encouraging. There has been only one reported collision at the intersection so far, and that was while it was under construction. “It is a more rural location and it is a one-lane roundabout, which was what we were looking for to kick off,” said Avsec. According to a traffic analysis at Dixie and Olde Base Line, only a little more than 3,000 vehicles moved through the intersection in total over three daily peak times, and about 96 per cent of all traffic was cars. The intersection also had a sparse collision history – only 12 were reported between 2006 and 2010, less than 0.2 per cent of the 6,102 collisions that occurred in the entire region in 2010 alone. Still, if Waterloo is an example, the number of fender-benders is almost certain to rise once roundabouts begin to appear at intersections with higher traffic volumes. Staff recognize the challenges ahead, and admit this roundabout is a test to see how they might potentially roll out across the rest of the region. Still, they are optimistic that given a little time and experience, the public will adjust without too many problems. “Like I tell my mother, they are no different than road signs. It’s just a standard yield situation,” said Tot. “Just drive slowly, proceed with caution, and the roundabout will help you get through it.” ≈ For more information, including an animated demonstration on using a roundabout, go to peelregion.ca/ roundabouts.

James Jackson is a freelance writer who grew up on a farm in Caledon.


A T

H O M E

I N

T H E

H I L L S

by Pam Purves

An eco-revival for a Gothic farmhouse

Erica Hyland wanted a “green” renovation for her 1881 Caledon farmhouse. Architect Harry Morison Lay obliged.

Gothic Revival house has been revived. With its arched window in the centre gable, polychromatic brick, elegant bargeboard and symmetrical façade, this formerly modest Caledon farmhouse, built in 1881, is firmly rooted in tradition. It is a direct inheritor of the Gothic Revival style which began in England around 1750, arrived in Canada with the settlers, and dominated architectural design in rural Ontario until the 1950s. Indeed the style’s classic centre hall plan and welcoming porches continue to ensure its place on the planning boards of many builders. However, some of the most compelling arguments for the 21st century interpretation of a 19th century design are very contemporary ones. Owner Erica Hyland approached residential architect Harry Morison Lay and asked if it would be too great a stretch to consider a “green” renovation. He replied, “Not at all,” noting that just by not knocking down the original building there would be a

huge conservation of labour and materials. Although Harry immediately understood the limitations of the old house in relation to contemporary standards of energy efficiency, he also recognized the native wisdom of the original design. A centre-hall plan Gothic house has good ventilation and, with spacious porches, good protection from direct sunlight in the summer. So the style already offered an environmental head start. He would take advantage of this home’s existing assets and enhance what he could. In that spirit he began by restoring the original virtues of the house. The 12-inch pine floor planks were preserved and additional flooring milled from salvaged barn siding. The former porch, demolished many years ago, was rebuilt using templates from historic Gothic farmhouse designs and adding a screened area that opens from the dining room. Wrapping three sides, the porch protects the interior from the direct rays of the summer sun. continued on next page

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

67


Without sacrificing the historic aesthetic, the light-filled addition is a model of energy efficiency. right : Light flows into the upper hallway through both the front arched front window and the glass doors of the porch off the master bedroom. The porch faces the morning sun as it rises over the cornfields.

Custom Frameless Showers Tempered Glass Railings Custom Cut Glass & Mirror Decorative Glass Serving Orangeville and Surrounding Area since 1998

519-940-4200 www.dufferinglass.ca

68

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

revival continued from page 67

Mature trees were likewise carefully preserved to provide shade from the summer heat. As Harry said, “The mature chestnut in the south garden is the biggest asset by far for air conditioning.” The windows of the original house were replaced with the same double-hung style to allow lots of fresh air, but the new, state-of-the art windows both insulate and reflect ultraviolet and infrared light. No more fading carpets and upholstery! Although good ventilation is one of

the virtues of century homes, the old walls leaked rather too much air. So interior surfaces were taken off, fi lled with expanding foam insulation and resurfaced. With these changes the draughty old house became a model of energy efficiency. But this project was more than a renovation. The plan also called for a large kitchen/family room addition and second-storey master bedroom. Starting from scratch meant the new wing could be built to include the best of current environmental tech-


nologies. The challenge in this case was to maintain consistency between the old and new. Super high-performance insulation was installed in the walls, roof and foundation of the addition. For heating and cooling, a geothermal system was installed, with 1.5 kilometres of horizontal coil providing heat and cold exchange to maintain comfort in every season. Air is circulated by a high-efficiency, forced-air furnace system. Although the system is more expensive than a conventional furnace,

it stands to pay back the investment within 10 years by reducing annual heating and cooling costs to a fraction of what they were before. All these technological advances were not accomplished at the expense of the beauty of the building. The original house is a Gothic gem and the new addition respects the historic vernacular. A generous kitchen, anchored by a large stone island, links to an equally generous living area anchored by a continued on next page

F I N E D I N I N G . C A S UA L E L E G A N C E . H I S TO R I C C H A R M .

519·925 ·3627 M R S M I TCHELL S.COM IN VIOLET HILL

HW Y 89 BE T WEEN H W Y 10 A N D A I R P O R T R OA D

TUE– FRI LUNCH 12- 2 / T E A 2- 4 D I N N E R 5 - C LO S E

S AT– S U N L U N C H 11- 2 / T E A 2- 4 D I N N E R 5 - C LO S E

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

69


Quality Installations • Free Estimates Ceramics • Carpet • Hardwood • Blinds • Laminate & Vinyl Flooring 18 Centennial Road, Orangeville 519-942-3414

horizon landscape services we believe in quality Design • Construction • Maintenance • Seasonal Lawn Care Programs Serving the Headwaters area since 1973 J.A. Henderson H.LT. •

top : Wrapping three sides of the original house, the new porch includes a screened sitting area off the dining room. above : Erica Hyland in her kitchen, where the original brick walls have been exposed.

519-925-2116

revival continued from page 69

er Custom BUILT HOMES in Caledon East • quiet cul-de-sac • escarpment views • Energy Star homes ONLY 2 LEFT Sales Office located at 15891 Airport Rd, Caledon East Sat/Sun & holidays, noon - 4:30

519-938-8417 www.dalerosehomes.ca

70

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

Wiarton limestone fireplace. On the opposite side, the kitchen is connected to the dining room by a pass-through cleverly designed to look like an original window. The device is practical for the cook and wonderful for guests, who have an uninterrupted view from the front to the back of the house and beyond to the outdoors. Original molding details have been retained or replicated to maintain a continuous style throughout. The new spaces open up from the

old using long galleries and wide French doors. Natural light pours in from windows on three sides of almost every room. Our eyes are said to be the windows of our souls. In this house, the windows are the soul of the house. Not only are they extremely protective, they also play an important role in continuing the visual flow from indoors to out, framing the views almost as a painter would compose a landscape. The countryside has become a strong element of the interior experience.


2010 Home Builder of the Year

Custom Homes * Additions * Renovations

Custom Homes Inc. Janssen Design & Construction * Dufferin Masonry * Dufferin Foundation Coatings

Your design/build company with the one stop advantage

519-925-0663 www.jdccustomhomes.ca

EAT LOCAL AND TASTE THE DIFFERENCE above : A window-like pass-through connects the cook to the dining room and provides an uninterrupted view from the front to the rear of the house. below : The modest farmhouse pre-renovation.

The revival of this home was a labour of love for Erica and an acknowledgment of her love for the area. For Harry it was a fulfi llment of the marriage of old and new, form and function. Erica commented, “Harry worked really hard to fulfill my vision and impart his knowledge. It is everything I dreamed of and more.” ≈

RE-OPENING MARCH 29 Visit our greenhouse for fresh cut flowers, hanger & patio plants.

all Ontario produce as in season • fresh picked strawberries • farm fresh eggs, baked goods 905-584-9461 • 16930 Airport Rd, 2.5 kms N of Caledon East

Over 50 Years in Business and We Haven’t Met You Yet? Come and Visit us Soon PUBLIC PLAY | MEN ’ S NIGHT | LADIES ’ NIGHT | NINE AND DINE DEMO DAYS | JUNIOR CAMPS | SCENIC PATIO / RESTAURANT | WEDDINGS *Winner of 2011 Customer Service Award from The Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association

Freelance photographer and writer Pam Purves lives in Caledon.

905-838-0200 | golfcaledon.com | info@golfcaledon.com

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

71


N E S T

by Bethany Lee

I L L U S T R AT I O N S H EL A G H A R M S T R O N G

H E A D W A T E R S

Special event sponsored by Kids In the Hills Welcome Nanny Robina! When we heard that Canada’s beloved Nanny Robina was travelling to communities across Ontario, we had to invite her to ours. Nanny Robina is well known for her work on “The Mom Show” and “CityLine.” She makes parenting fun and fearless, and she’s full of valuable lessons from her 30 years’ experience as a nanny and governess. Nanny Robina will share her no-nonsense, simple approach to her most requested topic – Sleep! Join us April 23 for a warm and entertaining night in the lounge at the Best Western Plus in Orangeville from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. You’re sure to meet lots of other parents going through the same trials and tribulations. Bring a friend or family member (plus your questions for Robina) for a great night out. Refreshments and a draw for door prizes are included. Tickets $25, see order details at kidsinthehills.ca 72

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

Cry

it out

I

t happened after a long week of disagreements and back and forth on one subject or another. I can’t really remember why or how, but after a series of admonishments, my son threw a fullblown tantrum. My eyes widened in disbelief at the words coming out of his mouth, and tears sprang to them out of hurt and surprise. He was much too old for this behaviour, and indeed much too young for the words he was saying. Seeing my tears almost instantly brought him down. He made some final guttural growls and pounded the pillow onto the couch in front of him. “Up to your room!” I screeched. And then “Up to your ROOM!” a few times more. It was not nice. It was not patient. It was not the kind of parent I wanted to be. Who was this terrible shrew in my body? My tears burst forth fully.

With another punch of the pillow, my son stomped the dozen or so stairs to his room. His crying began in earnest now. Noisy, wet, sad-boy crying. I stayed at the bottom of the stairs for what felt like an eternity, but was more like a minute. My heart and mind raced, and my frenzied fight or flight response directed me to get to the bottom of this battle. I stormed up the stairs to his bedroom. His lips were swollen and red already, a small puddle on his pillow. “Tell me what’s wrong! Tell me why you are being so rude! So loud!” I said rather…loudly. I demanded and cajoled him. “Leave me alone, Mom!” he said between gulps. “Just leave me alone!” He repeated it over and over. I didn’t relent. I persisted in talking to him and asking questions to get to the bottom of his recent dark turn. He finally unfolded: problems at school had been making him feel bullied, and alone, and he didn’t know what to do

about it. It made him feel sad and angry all the time, he said. I wiped his tears. I was so glad to know the reasons behind his sullenness and rude outbursts, to have the problem out in the open. We talked about how to handle things and I hugged his bony body tight. We looked at each other through salt-rimmed eyes. Then he closed his in exhaustion and leaned into me. But later that night, I didn’t feel very good about my insistence. I had forced the situation. I had really pushed him into a corner. I realized that he is old enough now to want to be alone sometimes with his feelings. I thought back to the years of turmoil I had experienced growing up; there was almost always a private place to go to cry it out. When we lived on a farm, I could run away as fast as I could to a loft, slip down between bales of hay, pulling a purry barn cat with me to breathe into and talk to between sobs. Or I could go into the woods. A Boy Scout camp across the road from our farm was


Understanding Bullying As school comes to a close, we reflect on how the year went and how we can do the best for our own children and community. The Dufferin Parent Support Network (DPSN) will host speaker Michael Reist on May 2 from 7 to 9 pm for a special presentation on “Bullying: Why It Happens, What Parents, Teachers, and Kids Can Do About It.” A teacher with over 30 years’ experience in the classroom, Michael is currently head of the English Department at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School in Caledon East. He is a frequent speaker to parent groups and education conferences across Canada, drawing large crowds and enthusiastic responses. See michaelreist.ca and dpsn.ca for more information, and call 519-940-8678 to register.

good for times when I needed to pout and wander. The feeling of tall grasses and burrs against hands and legs was often enough to ground me back in reality. A stream or creek was also a possibility for escape, with bridges to hide under and rocks to pelt at the apparitional enemies in the rushing water. It’s sad that there is nowhere for our children to cry and be alone. We don’t let them out of sight, certainly not out amid the perceived dangers of all that creeps beyond our walls. Even on the farm – imagine the child who is allowed to sit at the edge of a coursing waterway, a pond, or wander through a forest. As a society, we’ve become so protective that there is no place or patience to let the little ones cry it out. We tend to think that leaving children alone is to abandon them, and forcing them to talk to us about their every need, want and sadness is considered loving and appropriate. “Responsible Parenting 101” insists you must know every detail of every moment. We assess in detail these moods, feelings and reactions, and ref lect on what it all means. We perfect our children’s histories through scrapbooks we can show our friends. No tears here! But how can we expect our children to make their own sense of the world around them if we constantly watch and interfere with their every step? Since that incident with my son, there have been many more. They are to be expected from a sevenyear-old who is negotiating his way through the social settings of the schoolyard, sports field and family matters. What has changed is that now I let him cry, and cry, until he is ready to talk. Eventually he always is. But that time alone for him is invaluable, and I remind myself that he needs it as much as he needs me. ≈ Bethany Lee is the online editor of kidsinthehills.ca, a sister site to inthehills.ca, where she also writes a regular blog.

Thinking of Starting a Small Business? Over the past few years, Kids in the Hills has discovered many parents who have started a small or home-based business, and are living, working and prospering here in the hills. For those of you new to business, or considering a startup, we recommend talking to the folks at the Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) in Orangeville. They offer excellent resources at their location in the Town Hall and hold regular events on a variety of topics. SBEC will host “Starting a Small Business” on May 16 at the Alder Street Recreation Centre, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Cost is just $10. orangevillebusiness.ca

Over the past few months we have been revamping our website to serve our community better. The big feature we want to tell you about is our improved online calendar. It now integrates with In the Hills and Food In the Hills. Events are listed by interest, making it easy for you to find local happenings for you and your family. We can also now accept your event listings – free – through our online form. This work was made possible through a grant from Ontario Media Development Corporation. To plan your activities or post an event, go to kidsinthehills.ca/ events. As always, thank you for supporting Kids In the Hills. As you read this, I am writing my next column, and preparing our annual online guide to local camps. Summer will soon be here! —Bethany

Get back your Spring Glow Wake up your skin from winter hiberation. The Millcroft Facial is customized to your individual needs and specific skin conditions. Consider the benefits of a regular facial they will be evident for life. As part of our Spa Services Series, purchase 5 facial service treatments and receive a complimentary facial. Let us help you put your best face forward! Call 1-800-383-3976 or visit millcroft.com for complete details on all our spa services.

THE , C ENTRE FOR W ELL-BEING 55 John Street, Alton TripAdvisor- Certificate of Excellence 2011

iPlay • PIANO • GUITAR • BASS • DRUMS • VOCALS • THEORY • SCHOOL OF ROCK

I learn to play... I play to learn. 519-941-3616

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

73


1-866-901-0888 • 519-833-0888 www.BogertandBall.com info@BogertandBall.com sue@ChestnutPark.com

ERIN, CALEDON, MONO AND SURROUNDING AREAS Patrick Bogert**, Sandy Ball*, Sue Collis*

** Broker *Sales Representative

REAL COUNTRY - UNIQUE OFFERING Two ‘move in’ separate houses on a 122-acre parkland, rolling lawns, aged trees, bush and trails. 2 large ponds, one on hilltop, one in valley below. Completely private setting, stunning landscaped pool, established gardens. 20 minutes to GO train. $1,890,000

COULD BE YOUR SECRET PARADISE... Caledon. Unassuming, hidden from quiet paved road. Wow factor 10! Natural woodland in the back. 800 acres of view in the front. All season splendor, open concept 5 bedroom, rooftop deck, double separate garage. Must see. $1,695,000

NEW ON CREDITVIEW, CALEDON An ideal country lifestyle. An immaculate contemporary house + 2-bedroom house attached. Quality throughout. Killer kitchen, open dining room/living room walkout to unique outdoor room on 16 acres. Large drive shed, 2-car garage. $1,295,000

THE PRIZED CALEDON ESTATES OFFERING... Designer log/board and batten home with ultimate French country style is magazine ready. No detail forgotten. 3 fireplaces, 5 bedrooms, bright and airy. Beautiful landscaped pool + tennis court...ready for play. See today! $1,150,000

THIS ONE’S FOR FUN! TWO HOUSES! Rambling modern log house, waiting for family and friends. Central open kitchen, huge fireplace, dining for many. Winding road thru beautiful rolling land, past workshop/barn, past boating pond, to century brick house in the woods beyond. $1,050,000

YOUR DREAM OF A COUNTRY FARM! Storybook white farmhouse with original detail plus all modern comforts on 97 farmed acres. Tree-lined drive, house with privacy landscaping and established gardens. Pool and tennis. Large bank barn. Bring the menagerie. $995,000

LOCATION LOCATION - THE BEST OF CALEDON 12 acres. A private retreat with a backdrop of sugarbush forest on a quiet country road in the much sought after Grange Sideroad area. Rolling lawns, mature trees, pool, renovate or rebuild. Minutes to all amenities. $995,000

CHOOSE THE HILLS OF MONO... for your family. Open concept living, high ceilings, large windows. Appreciate the surrounding 25 acres, of meadows, barn, paddock, with views beyond. Owned and loved by an artist. With appreciation of the aesthetics of life! $897,000

CONTEMPORARY LOG IN GRAND VALLEY Sky high windows, bright open spaces, immaculate from top to bottom. Views over pond with backdrop of trailed woods. Very large separate workshop/separate dog kennel, double attached garage. 10 minutes to amenities. $890,000

Country 519-833-0888 City 416-925-9191

COUNTRY SALES

PRIVATE SETTING AND CHARM Enjoy the ambiance of this perfect retreat. Century log cabin + addition. Stunning open kitchen/dining room/sunroom overlooks pool. Very large barn with loft, spring-fed natural pond, lovely private 11 acres. $699,000

74

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

SANCTUARY IN THE ROLLING HILLS OF MONO Contemporary 4-bedroom home. 5 acres bordering on Bruce Trail/conservation lands. 10 minutes to Mansfield Ski Club. Easy country living. Full lower level walkout, nature abound. Full-time or your weekend retreat. $639,900

CALEDON MONO ERIN GRAND VALLEY ADJALA HALTON HILLSBURG BELFOUNTAIN

$3,195,000 $669,000 $1,350,000 $895,000 $1,195,000 $925,000 $689,000 $270,000

$649,000 $1,150,000 $1,079,000 $550,000 $639,000 $599,000

COUNTRY OFFICE Caledon, Mono, Erin & Surrounding Area

www.BogertandBall.com


Top 5% in Canada

jacquelineguagliardi.com

for Royal LePage 2008-11

519-833-0569 • 800-268-2455

RCR Realty, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated

BROKER

ROOM TO ROAM ON 10 ACRES Beyond a rustic exterior is a modern, open concept spacious interior with hardwood, on demand hot water, newer furnace & CAC, views & spectacular sunsets, detached 3-car garage on quiet paved road in Erin. $619,000

48+ ACRES WITH SHOP & BARN Impeccably maintained 4-bedroom century home, 96’ x 60’ horse suitable barn with separate driveway, 86’ x 42’ office/workshop with in-floor radiant heat, close to Orangeville. Diverse property! $875,000

CAREFREE COUNTRY LIVING No need to compromise luxury for practicality! Aluminum roof, newer geothermal furnace, generator, open concept with hardwood & granite and finished walkout lower level nanny suite on 3 tranquil acres. $665,000

CHARMING CAPE COD IN ERIN Pretty 3-bedroom country home features hardwood, granite counters, main floor laundry + lower level teen flat on private half acre backing onto farmer’s field. Detached 28’ x 36’ 6-car garage! $575,000

contemporary log house in grand valley

**Broker of Record *Sales Representative 122 Main Street, Erin

CAIRNCROFT Nestled among very mature trees, stands this wonderful 20-yr-old stone 5-bedroom house. 4,500 sq ft plus on 21 acres in private Caledon horse country. A handsome panelled library with limestone fireplace as one approaches the entrance to the large master ensuite with views overlooking the valley all the way to the CN Tower. 3-car attached garage and 3-car separate building. Potential for four box stalls in the other building. Only 45 minutes to downtown Toronto. It’s a pleasure to show!! Offered at $3,395,000 Jamie Gairdner**

SOLD

WOLFFDALE FARMS Imagine a huge sunny indoor riding arena in your 240’ x 82’ main barn with 11 brand new custom designed stables for your thoroughbreds or hunter jumpers. Plenty of room for 41 more indoor stalls to keep 52 horses indoors year round. 3 outdoor riding areas, 124 acres, 2 hayfields, 8 outdoor waterers, 7 paddocks, 3 huge pastures plus 15-acre forest. Completely renovated century home, heated inground pool with outdoor shower and stone stream. Cedar deck embracing an 8-person hot tub. Located just 2 minutes north of Caledon Town Line. 45 minutes north of Woodbine Racetrack and the GTA. Offered at $1,495,000 Jamie Gairdner**

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

75


JUST A FEW OF OUR SOLDS IN 2012

FEATURING COUNTRY HOMES OF

33.95 ACRES OF PRIVACY... surrounds this 4+2 bedroom home with double-sided floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, spa room, billiards area, sunroom, tiered brick deck, triple garage, inground pool and separate workshop in the woods. $949,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

DISTINCTION

HEADWATERS COUNTRY

BELFOUNTAIN OFFICE

ORANGEVILLE OFFICE OPENING 2012

TRANQUIL SETTING - 90 ACRES with rolling land, views, creek, mixed bush, ponds, former landing strip. Energy efficient bungalow, cathedral ceilings, solarium, screened-in porch, w/o lower level. Adjacent scenic 98 acres also available for $599K. $1,200,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

SOLD

$1,599,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

4 BEDROOM ON 90 ACRES... with large pond, paddocks & restored 1800s barn. Spacious living rm with fp, vaulted wood ceiling & wood floors open to eat-in kit with granite counters, breakfast bar & w/o to deck. Lower level with rec rm & w/o to patio. $1,799,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

EXQUISITE SETTING - 60 ACRES Long paved driveway leads to this beautiful home with inground pool, bush, drive shed, mini barn with stalls & paddocks with ponds. Fabulous lr/dr features cathedral ceiling, floor-to-ceiling fireplace & massive windows. $799,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

SOLD

$1,499,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

SOLD

$1,350,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

SKI, SKATE OR SWIM 32 acs w/ trails, huge pond w/ beach & dock & stream winding through the bush. Open land for horses, crops or recreation. Behind a screen of tall trees is a raised 3-bdrm bungalow w/ a fin bsmt w/ 2nd kit, fam rm & bdrm. $859,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

SOLD

76

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

SOLD

$769,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

SOLD

$699,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

SOLD

$579,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

GREAT LOCATION - CALEDON Gorgeous Victorian farmhouse on quiet road. 11-acre hobby farm with original bank barn ideal for horses. Great eat-in kit/family room featuring stunning fireplace. 3 bdrms, 2 full baths, hardwood, rec room, hot tub, firepit. $869,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

$997,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

I CAN SEE FOR MILES AND MILES Private 57+ acre setting on dead end road with mixed woods, open rolling fields and spectacular view of the hills of Mono. Large 5+2 bdrm contemporary home with stone fireplace, large master w/ ensuite & w/o bsmt. $799,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

FEATURING HOMES IN THE TOWNS & VILLAGES OF

YOU MUST SEE INSIDE 3+1 bdrm bungalow on 6.25 acres w/ forest, stream, pond & yard. Huge eat-in kit, 5 fp’s & many w/o’s to deck. Finished bsmt w/ bdrm w/ adjoining bonus rm & kitchenette, massive rec room w/ bar & w/o’s to patio. $779,000 Wayne Baguley* 519-941-5151

SOLD

$849,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

SOLD

$495,000 Diana Cooper, Sales Rep

LEASED I UNIT LEASED Jim Wallace, Broker 5 UNITS AVAILABLE


99 ACRE CALEDON COMPOUND Stunning 5,000 sq ft home, 7-stall horse barn with tack room and paddocks, 2-acre pond, grass tennis court, guest house, detached 3-car drive shed with workshop, NEC approval for a third dwelling. 5,400 sq ft bungalow overlooking the pond, endless trails, post & beam construction, large stone fireplace and open concept with lofts. $3,500,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

ENTERTAINER’S DREAM HOME IN CALEDON 2+ acres in this estate style development, 5,000+ sq ft with large principal rooms, 9 bathrooms, 5 bedrooms ensuite including in-law/nanny suite. Tudor style, indoor pool with dry-o-tron dehumidifier and indoor pressure controller to keep pool aromas in the pool area, multiple walkouts, 4,000 sq ft composite deck, custom home theatre with Sony projection home theatre (available), large gourmet kitchen with granite and custom cabinetry, 30 mins from Toronto. $1,399,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

CITY VIEWS ON ST. ANDREWS, CALEDON Approximately 7 acres across from the Devil’s Paintbrush Golf Course. Almost 5,000 sq ft on multiple levels, 3 car-garage, inground pool, custom kitchen, home theatre, indoor hot tub, 1-bedroom fully contained in-law/nanny suite. Spring-fed pond with trout, Chinese Tea House overlooking the pond, sprinkler system, roof top deck with a clear view of the CN Tower. $1,350,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

50 ACRE HORSE FARM, CALEDON 3 + 2 bedroom, 4,000 sq ft sprawling bungalow with multiple walkouts on 50 private rolling acres with large pond, stream running through the property, rolling hills with 7 paddocks, inground concrete pool, 6 fireplaces, 6 baths, new roof 2011, 3-car garage, 2,376 sq ft box stall barn with 9 stalls, 975 sq ft pole barn and 3 garden sheds. $1,350,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

RECREATION PROPERTY IN MONO - INCLUDES TWO HOUSES 64 acres in the rolling hills of Mono. This custom open concept home has lots to offer. Tennis court, large round inground pool, 3-car drive shed, endless trails, opportunity for crops, guest house with full kitchen, 4-piece bath. Perfect as a country weekend home and just 50 minutes from Toronto. There are also long distant views from the hilltop. $1,350,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

WEEKEND/RECREATION PROPERTY IN ERIN - 40 MINUTES FROM TORONTO Incredible 38-acre property with newly constructed 2,200 sq ft board & batten home, master bedroom on main floor. Beautifully manicured horseshoe shaped pond with fountains, 3-bay detached garage with 2-storey workshop and loft. 30 plus acres of motocross trails and 2 additional ponds and Credit River runs through it. $1,199,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

LIKE NEW HUMBER TRAIL, CALEDON Completely reno’d. Lrg principle rms, 6 bdrms & full in-law/nanny suite w/ kitchen. 1.5 acs on golf course. Very priv backyard. I/g pool, fin bsmt. Custom gourmet kit w/ granite, 3-car grge, w/o from bsmt. $989,000 Diana Cooper, Sales Rep

SIMPLY STUNNING IN AMARANTH Completely reno’d, 3k sf open concept on 2.5 acs, new windows, gourmet kit w/ granite & island, main flr mstr + 4 bdrms, geothermal heat/air, saltwater i/g pool w/ heat pump, 1k sf drive shed/ workshop. $749,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

4.5 ACS IN TERRA COTTA, CALEDON 2k sf home w/ horse barn. Barn could easily be converted to grge. Very priv, house cannot be seen from road. 3 bdrms, lrg open concept kit & liv rm. Handyman’s dream home, some work is required. $675,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

PERFECT FOR EXTENDED FAMILY, CALEDON Approx 3,000 sq ft on 1 full acre, 4+2 bdrms, inlaw suite w/ sep entrance & full kit, open concept liv/din rm, 2.5-car grge, above ground pool, hot tub, fin bsmt. $599,000 Jim Wallace, Broker

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

77


MOFFAT DUNLAP REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE

905-841-7430 www.moffatdunlap.com Moffat Dunlap*, John Dunlap**, Peter Boyd, Murray Snider, George Webster, Peter Bowers*** *Chairman, **Broker of Record, ***Sales Representative

78

GRAND CALEDON ESTATE A superb country estate of unmatched scenery with outstanding buildings. 10-bedroom main house + 3 other houses. Tennis, pool, sporting clays, crystal clear trout pond, streams, orchards, stunning views. $19,000,000

EASTVIEW FARM 100 acres with new main residence plus 5-bedroom guest house. Pool. Cabana with fireplace. Tennis. Very private.

HIDDEN VALLEY, MONO A 143-acre country retreat. Substantial main house, farmhouse, guest house, staff house & large workshop w/ 2nd flr studio. 3 huge ponds, groomed trails, exceptional swimming pool surrounded by a moat & waterfall. $3,950,000

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Superb views from stunning Siamak Hariri designed home. Extensive use of stone, massive timbers & glass. 73 acres, pond, Credit River, tennis, stable, paddocks, pool. A hidden treasure 5 mins to Caledon Ski Club. $4.5 million

1861 STONE HOUSE, KING Main residence of stone plus 2nd home. 6-stall stable. 65 acres. Rolling hills. Pond. Small orchard. Convenient to schools, shopping, Schomberg. $1,800,000

300 ACRES, CALEDON Distant views. Mix of open lands and Maple forest. Great views. Already divided into 4 lots. Staff houses, wells and driveway in place. Call for details.

QUIET STREAM FARM, CALEDON Prime location. A tributary of the Humber River meanders through the 84-acre farm. Miles of trails with mix of woods, rolling hills and farm fields. Solid farmhouse + separate office + workshop + storage buildings. $1,429,000

CONTEMPORARY ON 96 ACRES Architect designed home. Built in 2008. Ultimate in high tech energy conservation. Ipe wood exterior, radiant heating, Douglas fir, exposed steel, geothermal heat. Contemporary chic. Just west of the Grange. $4.2 million

GEORGIAN MANOR, CALEDON 3 finished levels with 5 bedrooms. Newly renovated kitchen. Huge dining room with fireplace. Elegant master suite. Distant views. Stream. Tennis. Pool. 27 acres. Call for details.

TORY GLEN FARM, CALEDON Lovely Caledon horse property. New baths and kitchen. Walkout lower level. 6 bedrooms. Stable with indoor arena, sand ring, 20 stalls, board paddocks. 5 minutes to Palgrave. 35 private acres. $1,995,000

RON THOM HOME, CALEDON Architectural gem by Ron Thom. Perfect room proportions. Superb views, pool, cabana + 1,000 ft of Credit River frontage. Very private. $2,800,000

GRANDE FARMS, MONO 100-acre horse farm owned in 2 separate lots. Fully renovated main house with luxury kitchen and master suite. 24-stall barn, massive indoor arena, staff house. Immaculate paddocks and miles of trails. $3,350,000

KINGSBORO FARM Picturesque farm with updated century farmhouse + new coach house. Fully renovated equestrian complex with 19 stalls, huge indoor arena, new paddocks + sand ring. 70 acres. 5 mins to Palgrave. $1,900,000

BRIARDALE, CALEDON Updated farmhouse on 25 acres. Studio building plus century barn and pond. Long trails which lead into Glen Haffy Park. $799,000

POND VIEW, HOCKLEY 3-bedroom, 3-bath home on almost 15 acres. Ponds plus woods ensure total privacy. Lovely fireplace in the living room + walkout to huge deck. Almost new home. $574,900

DOWNWIND AIRFIELD Keep your plane at home! 5-bdrm home on 20 acres, 15 mins from Orangeville. Lovely swimming pond with decks, sandy beach & waterfall. Large open concept kitchen, breakfast area, family room w/ fieldstone fp. $849,000

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

S

D L O


ESCARPMENT OASIS Estate home on a street with only 2 other homes. Hidden for ultimate privacy on over 14 acres with stunning countryside and GTA views. This multi-level home has many unique features including vaulted ceilings, pocket doors, skylights, spiral staircase to office, spa room and luxury ensuite. Finished basement, in-ground sprinklers, and much more. $1,575,000

ORANGEVILLE TREASURE Known as ‘The Old Fire Hall’ in Orangeville’s central business district zone. This exceptional building has been entirely renovated. It is now an open concept, 2-level space plus access to a balcony waiting to be finished. 2 kitchens, 2 sets of his & her baths, sprinklers, the works. Many allowable uses, a great opportunity! $1,688,000

ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL Unmatchable contemporary masterpiece on over 63 acres with 2 road frontages. Private drive lined with towering pines. High-end estate home with soaring walls of windows. An impressive open layout perfect for entertaining guests. Travertine, maple, granite, it’s all here. Finished walkout basement with wine room. No detail overlooked, across from Devil’s Paint Brush Golf Course! Caledon. $2,800,000

25 ACRE PARADISE Sprawling, 2-storey residence with 5+1 bdrms, 5 baths, main floor office & finished basement, + 3-car garage and 1,675 sq ft shop! 25’ x 40’ storage building, inground saline pool & gazebo on the hill with views for miles. $1,395,000

ESTATE BUNGALOW Situated on a private road with long inspiring views of Caledon’s landscape and the Toronto skyline. Beamed & vaulted ceilings, beautiful gardens, geothermal heating, unique covered porch, finished lower level. $1,149,000

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY A rare find! Over 140 acres of open rolling land not in the Greenbelt! The home is habitable but is being sold in ‘as is’ condition. Bank barn & steel building on the property. Priced at land value. Caledon. $5,000,000

FINELY CRAFTED Custom bungalow w/ high-end finishings tucked behind treed & landscaped hills on 7.67 acres. Wrought iron front doors, travertine flrs, spa mstr suite, gourmet kit w/ granite, radiant heated flrs. Massive w/o bsmt. Caledon. $1,675,000

ADJALA JEM Built beyond residential standards, this unique home offers 4 bdrms & 5 baths. Soaring ceilings & open concept great rm, dining & kit area, ideal for lrg gatherings. Insulated barn w/ 6 stalls + tack rm. 5+ acres & pond. $724,900

RARE OFFERING Two properties side-by-side in the heart of Caledon East both with road exposure. Orig retail outlet with residence at rear + house on 2nd lot. All in ‘as is’ condition. Approx 112.14 ft total frontage (.64 ac total lot area). $979,000

CUSTOM BUILT ESTATE Brand new home on approx 33 rolling acres. Unbelievable detail & quality. Beamed great room w/ soaring windows, lavish main flr mstr suite. Massive trim & crown mouldings. Dry walled bsmt w/ heated flrs. Caledon. $1,795,000

STATELY ESTATE On one of Caledon East’s sought after streets, seldom offered. Well cared for home shows sharp & features Corian counters, hardwood floors, sep nanny suite area, finished bsmt. Over 1.5 acs of treed privacy. $999,999

BUNGALOW ON 1 ACRE Country living in the city. Backing onto rolling green space, a perfect investment property w/ i/g pool, oversized 2-car grge w/ lots of parking. Sep entrance to fin bsmt w/ 2nd kit. Wonderful long & rolling views. Brampton. $849,900

ESCARPMENT VIEWS Picturesque property on prestigious Grange Sdrd. Sweeping views of Escarpment hills to the west. Raised bungalow w/ spac living rm, gas fp & country kit. Fin w/o lower lvl w/ office. Enjoy the seasons on 9.99 acs. Caledon. $639,000

S

D L O

S

D L O

S

D L O

S

D L O

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

79


905-584-2727 1-866-251-3232 15955 Airport Road, #104, Caledon East

MARIA BRITTO SALES REPRESENTATIVE

SUSAN HUNTLEY SALES REPRESENTATIVE

VICTORIA PHILLIPS SALES REPRESENTATIVE

80

Independently Owned and Operated

Career Opportunities Available

www.ReMaxSpecialists.ca

For confidential interview, contact Heather Stimpson, Sales Rep/Manager hstimpton@trebnet.com

68-ACRE RENOVATED FARMHOUSE IN CALEDON Stunning reno’d 1895 farmhouse on 68 acs w/ terraced views of Caledon Hills. Features 3 bdrms, open concept kit w/ granite counters, 9.5' clgs, crown mldgs, 6” baseboards, 3 bath, 3-car grg, fp, grdns w/ irrigation & pool. Zoned farm residential w/ barn (26' x 40'), workshop & paddocks. $1,499,000 905-456-3232 www.mariabritto.com

PREMIER CALEDON Gorgeous 10-acre lot provides peace and privacy. Exclusive cul-de-sac. Open concept layout, perfect for entertaining. Sunken living room with stone fireplace. Custom oak wainscotting and bar in games room. Minutes to Devil’s Pulpit Golf Course and Caledon Ski Club. $969,900 905-584-2727 www.susanhuntley.ca

SPACIOUS COUNTRY BUNGALOW Situated well off the road on a gorgeous 10 acres overlooking a spring-fed pond, this property has it all. Large principal rooms, multiple walkouts, main floor family room, partially finished basement, conservation rebate and so much more. $765,000 416-953-4724 www.CountrySpecialist.ca

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

SIGRID DOHERTY BROKER

BRUCE LIVINGSTON SALES REPRESENTATIVE

PAUL & CHRISTEL SACHS SALES REPRESENTATIVES

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! Estate home on private cul-de-sac in quaint village of Cheltenham, Caledon. Approx 1.5ac lot. Gourmet kit w/ granite, b/i appl, w/o to 2-tier deck & stone patio. Dining rm & liv rm have hrdwd flr, vaulted & coffered clgs. Fin lower level, stone fp, wet bar, office & gym. W/o to manicured gardens. Close to upscale dining & shops. Backs on to Bruce Trail. Close to Hwy 410. $1,179,000 416-274-1592

CALEDON COUNTRY ACRE Gorgeous 4-bedroom family home, situated on a nicely landscaped one-acre lot. Cozy up in the main floor family room, serve dinner in the formal dining room or dine with friends and family alfresco on the deck or in the eat-in kitchen. Excellent layout with large, bright rooms. Welcome home! $589,000 416-795-4454

TURN-KEY B&B POTENTIAL! Spectacular log home in Hockley. Ideal for large family or B&B, 3 guest bedrooms, separate private quarters, modern kitchen, open concept, walkouts to deck, 2-car garage. Call Christel 416-949-1298 www.caledonhomefinder.com

HEATHER STIMPSON SALES REP/MANAGER

LORIS ORTOLAN SALES REPRESENTATIVE

KYLE FERRIS SALES REPRESENTATIVE

CALEDON EAST EXECUTIVE This well appointed 4+ bedroom home has it all - even a detached heated 8-car garage with hoist! Exquisite master suite with private access to spa and balcony, and 7-piece ensuite. Surround sound, fireplace(s), gourmet kitchen, spa and exercise room, indoor parking for 12+ vehicles and more. $1.2M 519-940-5050 www.CountryHomesForSale.ca

10 GORGEOUS ACRES IN SCENIC MONO TOWNSHIP Build your dream home in area of fine homes & horse farms. 350 ft front on Airport Rd, N of Hwy 9. Mins to Orangeville, hospital, schools, restaurants & shopping. Enjoy hiking, biking, skiing, golfing & nature’s serenity. Close to Hockley Valley & Mono Cliffs Prov Park. Don’t miss out…this is a great time to buy! $359,000 647-232-8419 www.LorisOrtolan.com

CENTURY HOME ON 100 ACRES Gorgeous, renovated 2 storey, 3-bdrm dbl brick farmhouse. Open concept living/dining & kitchen completely modernized. Beautiful hardwood floors, many windows, overlooking paddocks, gardens & fields, barn with box stalls. Multiple decks & walkouts, pool & ultimate ground source heat/CAC. Abundance of wildlife, trails & minutes to the Marsh. $649,000 519-216-7691 www.kyleferris.ca


Sales Representative

Susan Brown

Royal LePage Top 1% in Canada, 2009

519-925-1776 1-800-483-7740 Serving Mono, Mulmur, Caledon and Orangeville

View Full Details On All Our Listings At:

www.susanbrown.com

RCR REALTY Brokerage

STUNNING CENTURY VICTORIAN on 47 acres. Completely renovated with superb quality of work. Large newer addition. Approx 4,200 sq ft of finished space. Pond, patio, pool, landscaped gardens. 4,400 sq ft insulated steel workshop. MONO $1,499,000

BEAUTIFUL TUDOR STYLE HOME on 20 very private acres. 3,600 sq ft stone/ brick manor, 3 fireplaces. Plus 1,400 sq ft finished basement includes workshop for the hobbyist. Pool, patio, open area at back, perfect for horses. MONO $899,000

GORGEOUS UPPER CANADA POST AND BEAM HOME on 20 mature and private acres. Impeccable interior with quality and beauty. Great room, high ceilings, huge windows, sunroom, 2 wood burning fp’s. Walking trails. MULMUR $859,900

OUTSTANDING STONE BUNGALOW on 19 acres. Over 5,000 sq ft with cathedral ceilings, spacious chef’s kitchen with granite, separate in-law suite, indoor pool, landscaped gardens, 3 patios, hot tub, mixed bush, views. MULMUR $799,900

STRIKING LOG HOME ON 32 ACRES Exposed log, gorgeous interior décor. Finished basement with kitchen, bath and family room. Apartment above garage. Separate log studio. Landscaped gardens. Very private. MULMUR $689,900

EXCEPTIONAL COUNTRY PROPERTY on 2.2 acres. Fabulous swimming pond, creek, separate studio. Open concept, high ceilings, fireplace, 5 bedrooms, chef’s kitchen with breakfast bar, walkout basement. Less than 1 hour to GTA. MONO $549,900

CLASSIC COUNTRY PACKAGE on 46 acres. Spacious solid brick bungalow, huge principal rooms, finished basement. Mostly open land with mature trees. 4 stall barn with room for more. Could be hobby horse farm. Great value. NEAR ALLISTON $529,000

CENTURY STONE HOME ON 99 ACS With large addition. Great room with floor to ceiling woodburning fireplace. Superb craftsmanship with old world charm. Creek, ravine, trees. Spectacular setting. Great privacy. NEAR MOUNT FOREST $499,900

PRIME 48 ACRE VACANT LAND High on a hill with sweeping views overlooking rolling land in an area of prestigious country homes. Close to skiing. 1 hour to airport. The perfect spot to build your dream home. MULMUR $499,900

GORGEOUS CHALET BUNGALOFT Custom built 6 bedroom home perched on a high point with views south and east. Great room with 2 storey ceiling, huge windows, fireplace, upscale kitchen. Walkout to deck and hot tub. MULMUR $499,900

UPSCALE COUNTRY HOME ON 3 ACRES NR MANSFIELD SKI HILLS Custom quality built home overlooks scenic ski hills. Fully finished basement. Detached workshop ideal for hobbyist. 2 tiered deck, patio, pool. MULMUR $499,000

GREAT VALUE ON 34 ACRES Picturesque acreage. Delightful open concept bungalow with in-law suite potential. Move-in condition. Insulated steel barn (40x80). Great property for horses. Quick closing possible. GREY HIGHLANDS $478,000

RURAL COMMERCIAL ON 1.92 ACS Country setting. Live and work from home. Open style raised bungalow, large kitchen, 4 bedroom, fireplace, 2,300 sq ft on main level. Walk-out lower level, hot tub, outbuilding. NEAR SHELBURNE $439,900

CENTURY HOME W/ ROOM FOR ALL on 5.56 rolling acres with scenic views. Many upgrades, huge country eat-in kitchen. Main floor addition with spacious master suite. Drive shed, barn, paddocks, perennial gardens. MULMUR $439,000

COUNTRY CLASSIC ON 9.7 ACRES Attractive 2 storey home with views to the south and west, covered wrap around porch, huge deck, gazebo, large open backyard, mature trees, perennial gardens and a heated greenhouse. MULMUR $399,900

CHARMING AFFORDABLE COUNTRY HOME ON 2.53 ACRES WITH POND Open concept living space with woodstove. 3 bedrooms and large open basement. 2 car garage/workshop. Private, treed driveway, views. NEAR SHELBURNE $279,900

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

81


For All Your Real Estate Needs

www.prudentialronanrealty.com Ronan Realty Brokerage

© 2011. An independently owned and operated broker member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential company. Prudential and Prudential are service marks of The Prudential Insurance Company of America and are used herein under license. Not intended to solicit clients under contract or contravene the privacy act.

Alliston Barrie Nobleton Orangeville Tottenham Wasaga Beach

1-877-435-4336 705-725-8255 905-859-4477 1-888-943-0860 1-888-936-4216 705-422-2350

A Proud Sponsor of

Dedicated to children with cancer

A RARE GEM IN CALEDON EAST! Spacious bungalow on beautiful lot in desirable estate neighbourhood, just minutes north of the city. French doors, California shutters and much more! $724,900 Anne Hilliard*/Jo Gunn* 1-888-936-4216

CUSTOM HOME WITH WORKSHOP Views, workshop and custom raised brick bungalow. Country lot mins to Hwys 400/88/27. Mature trees, landscaping, interlocking walkway & patios, tiered deck & 32’ x 52’ workshop. $629,900 Marc Ronan*** 1-888-936-4216

BOLTON WEST Look small live big. 2,500+ sq ft, 4 generous size bedrooms, 4 baths, main floor laundry & family room. Professionally finished basement & landscaped yard. Inside entrance to garage. $574,900 Tina McCarty* direct 416-885-1445

RARE PIPER HILL ESTATES Must see custom built. Fully finished w/ 5 bdrms. Saltwater pool, heated floors. 2.13 treed acres. Over $150k in landscaping. $985,000 See photos at www.TheMortimerTeam.com 1-877-435-4336

HOCKLEY VALLEY HORSE FARM Private setting! Pond! Paddocks! Adjala horse farm mins N of Palgrave. Equestrian Centre set amongst lrg farms & estates on 19 acs w/ 400’ road frontage. Tree-lined drive to main house. $729,900 Marc Ronan*** 1-888-936-4216

CHARACTER & CHARM Spectacular panoramic views from this gracious updated century brick farmhouse. Original cedar trim, oak floors, 4 bedrooms, detached 20’ x 40’ drive shed & bank barn on 2.34 acres. $449,900 Marc Ronan*** 1-888-936-4216

EXECUTIVE ESTATE! Amazing custom designed antique brick 2-storey 4-bedroom home. Approx 1 acre of manicured perennial gardens, mature trees & Victorian brick gazebo on a ravine setting. $669,900 Cheryl Vienneau*/ Marc Ronan*** 1-888-936-4216

FOR THE DISCRIMINATING BUYER Quality exudes throughout this executive home on 10 acs. Gated entr, det heated workshop. Fully fin home w/ w/o lower lvl setup for in-laws. 500’ road frontage, views, walking paths. Near Schomberg. $999,900 Marc Ronan*** 1-888-936-4216

BRINGING FAMILIES TO ERIN AND SURROUNDING AREA www.al-liz.com

ALLAN ALLS

Sales Representative alls@easyfocus.com

82

P.O. Box 1076, Main Street, Erin, ON NOB 1T0 519-833-9911 Toll Free 1-800-834-5516 Fax 519-833-0311

LIZ CRIGHTON

Sales Representative liz@lizcrighton.com

MONO PRIVATE 10 ACS W/ POND Fabulous new custom, open concept 3+3 bdrm, 4.5 bath bungalow w/ fin loft & w/o bsmt, 8,068 sq ft of living space! Hardwood, 9’ & 16’ ceilings throughout, 3 fireplaces, massive decking, 4+ car garage. $1,748,000

CALEDON 2.5 ACRES WITH POOL Country estate subdivision, spacious 5-level sidesplit, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, hardwood, living room with woodstove, office, family with fireplace, rec room with wet bar, tiered decking, inground pool & park-like lot! $634,900

MAGNIFICENT CASTLE-LIKE DWELLING, 26.42 ACRES, ERIN Unique and private property edged with forest and bush, large pond and stream. Gated entrance, large barn, indoor arena. $1,599,000

LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF SPRING? Beautifully appointed 4-bedroom Charleston built home on an acre lot south Erin. Saltwater inground pool, landscaped, and ready for your family. $840,000

CALEDON 10 ACRES WITH VIEWS Newer custom 4,200 sq ft, 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home with 3-car garage and walkout basement. Maple floors and 9 ft ceilings throughout. High end kitchen with custom wood oven. Small vineyard. $1,875,000

CALEDON 2.52 ACS, SUBDIVISION Custom built 4+1 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom on mature pro-landscaped lot with forest and inground pool. New cherry kitchen with granite, stainless appliances, newer furnace, windows and shingles. $768,900

UNDER 5 YEARS OLD - ESTATE SUBDIVISION, HILLSBURGH 4-bedroom family home with fully fenced big backyard. Open & bright with great flow. Great room with gas fireplace right off big eat-in kitchen. $589,000

ERIN, 6.37 ACRES BREATHTAKING, REALLY This is a treasure just south of Erin Village with a fun, loft style chalet. Beautifully built. You need to come by for a walk. $539,000

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012


Roger Irwin,

Making a move? I offer peace of mind! A local and trusted professional with proven results for 20 years

Broker

RCR Realty, Brokerage

Barbara Rolph,

Kathy Ellis

Independently Owned & Operated

Sales Representative

Sales Representative

Oliver,

905-857-0651

Land Inspector

rirwin@trebnet.com www.irwinrolph.com

905-874-3040 / 519-833-9714 kellis@xplornet.com www.kathyellis.ca

UNIQUE BUNGALOW, 1.5 ACRES Amazing 10-yr-old 4-bdrm home that unfolds from the 2,500 sq ft main floor to 3,500 sq ft on the lower level w/ full glass atrium wall, theatre, wine rm & gorgeous rec rm. Perfect for entertaining. Stunning back w/ lrg rock wall, pool, hot tub, patios & grdn. $1,795,000

SPECTACULAR TREED 2.5 ACRES ON CUL-DE-SAC Impressive open concept home with 3,500 sq ft 3-car garage and finished basement. Additional 54 acres and lake owned jointly by others on the court. Swim, bike, hike, ski, skate. Natural gas and high speed. $750,000

LOVELY OUTSIDE, STUNNING INSIDE! Overflowing with luxurious finishes; plaster mouldings, coffered ceilings, hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen w/ granite & stunning cabinetry. Spa bathrooms throughout. Master bedroom w/ sitting room, fireplace, 5-piece ensuite, large walk-in closet. Approx 4,300 sq ft plus 4,000 sq ft finished basement w/ 2nd kitchen, games, gym, media, party room. Beautifully landscaped property, saltwater pool w/ waterfall, hot tub, gorgeous pool house w/ woodstove, kitchenette & 3-piece bath. Total privacy! Exceptional executive in North Halton. $1,649,000

HOCKLEY VALLEY DELIGHTFUL 4 ACRES, POND Bungalow hidden in treed setting with 2,200 sq ft on main floor with finished walkout lower level. Vaulted ceilings, two family rooms, 2 fireplaces, huge windows with forest views. Nature lovers setting. Just listed. $589,000

OVERLOOKING HOCKLEY VALLEY Sunlight and shadows dance on this high, glorious, rolling 5 acres. House has views of sunrises and sunsets. Key features include pool, large screened porch, wonderful landscaping, dead-end road, paddocks and peace and quiet. $849,000

INCREDIBLE HOME WITH DISCREET & SUBTLE WRAPPING Gorgeous architecturally designed home on 10 beautiful acres w/ amazing views of the city lights. Undeniable quality throughout w/ incredible ambiance and atmosphere. Beautiful principle rooms all walking out to a wrap-around veranda and views. Superb master bdrm w/ gorgeous his & her ensuites. Every room has a view. Additional 3 privately situated bdrms, possible 2nd master bdrm. Heated driveway to double-car garage. Beautiful pool and stream on property. Situated on a quiet dead end road in south Caledon. $1,350,000

AN ACRE NEAR CALEDON VILLAGE Large 3-car garage w/ loft, 4 bdrms, newer windows, roof. Solid pine doors, skylight in foyer, formal living rm w/ fp, airtight wood stove in bsmt, sunken fam rm, decks, eat-in kit w/ oak cabinets & all appliances. $579,000

CHARMING SPACIOUS 5 BEDROOM BUNGALOW On idyllic acre next to Caledon Trail and 1,100-acre conservation area. Attractive mature landscaping, inground pool just outside family room. Well maintained, many upgrades. Just listed. $549,000

GORGEOUS BUNGALOW ON BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED PROPERTY Stunning & pristine! Much better than a model home. Beautiful Brazilian Teak flrs throughout. Gourmet Maple kit w/ centre island & eat-in breakfast area w/ w/o to an amazing backyard, landscaping is gorgeous providing privacy & a water feature. Beautiful ceiling height & detail, spacious & open flr plan, fp in mstr w/ 6-pce ens. Fin bsmt w/ above grade windows, high ceilings & tons of natural light offering plenty of space w/ an office, fam rm, 4th bdrm, 3-pce bathrm. Located on one of the nicest streets in Erin. Nothing to do but move in & enjoy! $799,000

S

S

S

D L O

D L O

D L O

S

D L O

CALEDON EAST 25 ACRES, TWO PONDS Gorgeous 10-year ranch style stone bungalow with vaulted great room, heated garages/ workshop for 5 vehicles. Wonderful pool, patio, sunroom. One pond for wildlife and the other for people to enjoy. Details include hemlock hardwood, Mexican clay tiles, granite counters, superb master/ensuite/sunroom layout. $1,750,000

MONO MAGIC ON 23.9 ACRES Beautifully updated home with new 3-bay garage. 45-second walk to your stocked pond with insulated cabin with fireplace and dock. Property is spectacular, hardwood and softwood forest, wonderful walking trails. $885,000

S

D L O

SUPERB 26.6 ACRE PROPERTY Charming home with gorgeous fieldstone fireplace, wood vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors. Picture windows abound. Very private property, house situated at end of a long drive. South Caledon. $669,000

S

D L O

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

83


3KRWR E\ 3HWH 3DWHUVRQ

I L L U S T R AT I O N S J I M S T E WA R T

Aass unique you are

MHZHOOHU\ IURP HYHU\GD\ WR HYHQLQJ 4XHHQ 6W _ $OWRQ _ &DOHGRQ 21 _ LQIR#JDOOHU\JHPPD FRP ZZZ JDOOHU\JHPPD FRP

What’s on in the Hills A

C A L E N D A R

NOW – APR 1 : UNCONVENTIONAL

Susan Gale: paintings. Elaine Heath: watercolour. Floyd Elzinga: steel landscapes. Craig Bell: mixed media. WedSun 10am-5pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-217-3370; crimsonfeather.com NOW – APR 1 : MANNY MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY Solo show suitable for all

NOW OPEN AT THE ALTON MILL WWW.ALTONMILL.CA

WWW.STEVEWILKIE.CA 416 805 8596

APR 1 : BEAUTY IN THE BEAST EXHIBITION OPENS – PET FRIENDLY

Reception 1-4pm. Over 1,500 animal objects and pieces of art. Bring your pet for show and tell. Museum admission. Dufferin County Museum & Archives, Highway 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-941-7787; dufferinmuseum.com APR 4 – MAY 6 : OF A FEATHER Local

artist Laura Kingsbury’s exquisite bird paintings. Wed-Sun 10am-5pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-217-3370; crimsonfeather.com

NOW – APR 2 : EXAMINATIONS OF ABSTRACTION VERSUS MINIMALISM

APR 7 – 30 : CONVEYED: VISUAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ART AND TEXT

NOW – APR 15 : HOT FLASHES Three

Artists use encaustic, metal, paint, textiles and assemblage. Thu-Mon 11am-5pm. The Mad & Noisy Gallery, 154 Mill St, Creemore. 705-466-5555; madandnoisy. com

Artists present works in silver, encaustic, paper, paint, stone and digital imagery. 1pm. Mad and Noisy Gallery, 154 Mill St, Creemore. 705-466-5555; madandnoisy.com

MAR 31 : TELL ME HER STORY Dubbed

“the Mona Lisa of Orangeville,â€? S.J. Pringle’s painting of a young girl needs a story. Submit yours. Winners read aloud Mar 31, 2pm. Dragony Arts, 189 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-941-5249; dragonyarts.ca MAR 31 : PAUL MORIN GALLERY OPENING Acclaimed local artist Paul

Morin opens his new studio. 1-4pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-941-9300; altonmill.ca IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

H A P P E N I N G S

ages. Wed-Sun noon-5pm. Williams Mill Gallery, 515 Main St, Glen Williams. 905873-8203; williamsmill.com

female artists use heat to create art. Jane Longstaffe: metal. Bridget Wilson: iridized glass. Ann Randeraad: stoneware, raku. Mar 24: reception, 1-4pm. Thu-Mon 10am-5pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-943-1149; headwatersarts.ca

84

S P R I N G

For more about the events listed here, as well as up-to-the-minute listings, see What’s On at inthehills.ca. Our new and improved online calendar offers the most comprehensive listings of local events in the Headwaters region, and makes planning your activities easier than ever.

arts+crafts

FINE ART GALLERY

O F

APR 7 – MAY 3 : ART OPENING Apr 7:

reception, 2-4pm for artists and mother/ daughter team Ann Davidson and Lynn Hubbs. Curiosity House Books & Gallery, 134 Mill St, Creemore. 705-466-3400; curiosityhousebooks.com APR 11 – MAY 6 : PRIMAVERA Open call

art exhibition for members of Headwaters Arts. Wed-Fri, Sun 11am-5pm. Dam Gallery, Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-943-1149; info@headwatersarts.ca APR 14 : PLAY IN CLAY WITH ANNE JORDAN Sculpt and form a head using

clay. $50, plus $10 for clay and ďŹ ring of work. Register. Victoria Parks Community Centre, 35 Victoria Cr, Mono Mills. 519307-0210; orangevilleartgroup.ca

APR 14 : REMEMBER HOW TO PLAY

Creativity workshop for adults. 10am-5pm. $85. The Hill Centre for Creativity, 17768 Horseshoe Hill Rd, Caledon. 647-834-8874; sweetreunioncompany.com APR 14 – 22 : ERIN’S ANNUAL QUILT FESTIVAL Themed celebration of quilts

displayed in Erin’s shop windows. 9am-5pm. Main St, Erin. 519-833-0872; villageoferin.com APR 21 & MAY 19 : NOTTAWASAGA HANDWEAVERS & SPINNERS GUILD

Speakers, mini-workshops, other activities related to spinning and weaving. 1-3pm. Nominal cost per program. Gibson Centre, 63 Tupper St W, Alliston. 705-4356991; guild@darwinsys.com

APR 21 : SPRING FORWARD – WATERCOLOURS OF TARA IMERSON

With Susan Card, Brenda Roy: oral ceramics. Barn Owl Woodworks: jewellery framer. Michele Edwards: Caasi’s Floral Design. 10am-4pm. Monora Park Pavilion, Hwy 10, just N of Orangeville. 519-9422558; taraimerson.com APR 22 : ARTISTS AGAINST THE MEGA QUARRY: THE VIEW FROM HERE Show

and sale featuring landscape at risk in the Hills of Headwaters. 10am-4pm. Free. Proceeds to ďŹ ghting the mega quarry. Honeywood Arena, 706114 Cty Rd 21. artistsagainsthemegaquarry.com

APR 28 & 29 : A FOWL EXHIBITION

Acrylic paintings by Elise Walmsley in the spirit of all things fowl. Joined by Al Pace: stoneware, porcelain. 10am-5pm. The Farmhouse Pottery, 307114 Hockley Rd. 519-941-6654; pacepottery.com MAY 2 – 21 : SPRING REVEAL ART SHOW AND SALE Glass, painting, photography,

ďŹ bre, ceramics, jewellery and sculpture. May 5&6: reception, noon-4pm. Noon-5pm. Williams Mill Gallery, 515 Main St, Glen Williams. 905-873-8203; williamsmill.com


MAY 5 : BEADS ON BROADWAY – DRAGONFLY Jewellery from the union

of Sassafras Artistic Designs and Beth Grant’s glass beads. 10am-5pm. Dragonfly Arts, 189 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-9415249; bethgrantglass.com

MAY 5 & 6 : SPRING AWAKENING Open

artist studios, workshops, demos, four galleries and more. 10am-5pm. Fee for some workshops. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-941-9300; altonmill.ca MAY 5 & 6 : WILLIAMS MILL SPRING OPEN HOUSE & SALE Various artists and

media. Noon-4pm. Williams Mill Gallery, 515 Main St, Glen Williams. 905-873-8203; williamsmill.com MAY 5 – 24 : RALPH HICKS: SCALE WITHOUT MASS Geometric constructions

of steel mesh. May 5: reception, 5-7pm. Tues-Sun 10am-5pm. The Gibson Centre, 63 Tupper St. W, Alliston. 705-435-2378; ssimcoeartscouncil.com

MAY 5 – 28 : MOMENTE: MAGNIFICENT MOVEMENT AND MOTIFS CAPTURED IN TIME Several artists. May 5: reception,

2-5pm. 11am-5pm. Mad and Noisy Gallery, 154 Mill St, Creemore. 705-466-5555; madandnoisy.com MAY 5 – 31: TOM CASWELL New acrylic work featuring the beautiful landscapes of the Purple Hills. May 5: reception, 2-4pm. Curiosity House Books & Gallery, 134 Mill St, Creemore. 705-466-3400; curiosityhousebooks.com MAY 9 – JUN 3 : SPIRIT OF THE MOMENT

Artists Iris Casey, Pete Herlihy, Sue Powell. Wed-Sun 11am-5pm. Dam Gallery, Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. Headwaters Arts, 519-943-1149; info@headwatersarts.ca

MAY 12 & 13 : SPRING FLING Paintings,

cards, alpaca products, felting, knitting, beading, jewellery & more. Rosemont Hall, Highway 89, Rosemont. 519-9250421; kai-liis@sympatico.ca MAY 13 : MOTHER’S DAY AT THE MILL

Workshops and demonstrations, plus luncheon at Shaw’s Creek Café. Cost varies by food choice. 11am-4pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-941-9300; altonmill.ca MAY 27 : PLEIN AIR PAINTING A day painting in the open air with guidance and critique by George Perdue. $50, register. 12 Faulkner St, Orangeville. 519-307-0210; orangevilleartgroup.ca JUN 6 – JUL 1: SOLSTICE Open call art exhibition for members of Headwaters Arts. Wed–Sun 11am-5pm. Dam Gallery, Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-9431149; headwatersarts.ca

MAR 28 : BRCA CHAT AND SUPPORT

Informal peer support group for those at risk for hereditary breast or ovarian cancer. 7-9pm. Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-857-1045; brcasupport@live.ca MAR 29 : DUFFERIN WOMEN IN BUSINESS – SPEED NETWORKING Make

business contacts, enjoy the Marketplace tables and boxed lunch. 11:30am. $25. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. 519-941-0460; dgacc.ca MAR 30 – APR 1 : ORANGEVILLE LIONS’ HOME & GARDEN SHOW Over 300 local

exhibitors showcase latest products, services and ideas. 9am-4pm. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. 519-941-2401 x227 MAR 30 – APR 1 : ASK THE DESIGN EXPERT Bring fabric swatches, room

photos, dimensions for advice from Marg Anquetil. Proceeds to Orangeville SPCA. Fri 5-9pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 10am-4pm. $30. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. 519-942-0602; www.decdens.com/anquetil MAR 31 : DUFFERIN-CALEDON GREEN PARTY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Everyone welcome. Guest speaker Rob Adams, Mayor of Orangeville. 11am-1pm. Orangeville Public Library, 1 Mill St. 519938-1212 x519; dcgreens.ca MAR 31 & MAY 5 : BOLTON KIN TOONIE CHARITY GARAGE SALE Proceeds to

the Kinsmen Club of Bolton. 10am-2pm. Bolton Kinsmen Centre, 35 Chapel St, Downtown Bolton. boltonkin.com APR 6 – 7 : YOUTH FORUM BEEF SHOW

Over 200 junior beef exhibitors from all over Ontario compete in various classes. Noon-5pm. Free. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. 519-928-5220 APR 7 : CREEMORE EASTER FARMERS’ MARKET Local crafts, maple syrup, honey,

preserves, herbs, jewellery. 8:30am1pm. Creemore Station on the Green, 10 Caroline St E, Creemore. 705-794-8943; creemorefarmersmarket.ca APR 10 : DOING BUSINESS WITH THE GOVERNMENT How to sell to

governments. 9am-noon. Free, register by Apr 6. Tony Rose Sports Centre, 6 Northmen Way, Orangeville. Small Business Enterprise Centre, 519-9410440; orangevillebusiness.ca APR 11, MAY 9 & JUN 13 : CALEDON BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION SUPPORT GROUP Meet trained

community

volunteers and survivors in a safe, confidential environment. 7-9pm. Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-857-4068; caledonbcf.org

MAR 27 : EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING FOR SMALL BUSINESS Reach your target

APR 12 : SENIORS @ YOUR LIBRARY The

market and attract new customers. 9amnoon. $10, register. Tony Rose Sports Centre, Orangeville. Small Business Enterprise Centre, 519-941-0440; orangevillebusiness.ca MAR 27 – APR 26 : COMMUNITY GRIEF SUPPORT PROGRAM For those dealing

with grief and loss. 7-8:30pm. Free. Tues: Caledon Seniors’ Centre, Bolton. 905857-2213. Thu: Lord Dufferin Centre, 32 First St, Orangeville. 519-941-2630; eganfuneralhome.com

musical talents of Terry O’Brien. 1:30pm. Free. Albion Bolton Community Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-857-1400 x231; caledon.library.on.ca APR 13 – APR 15 : ALPACA CANADA EASTERN FUTURITY SHOW & SALE

Breeders from across Canada compete. Seminars and displays. 9am-3pm. Free. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. Alpaca Canada, 519-9282497; drm.macdonald72@gmail.com continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

85


HAF 2012 Headwaters Arts Festival

A

CALL FOR ARTISTS ENTRY DEADLINE MAY 7

September 20-October 8

Any artist who is a member, resident or exhibitor within the Headwaters region (Dufferin, Caledon, Erin & vicinity) is invited to submit work to the juried HAFestival Art Show and Sale.

Details & entry forms at HeadwatersArtsFestival.com or call 519.943.1149

C A L E N D A R

O F

S P R I N G

continued from page 85 APR 14 : BOLTON UNITED CHURCH FISH FRY Lightly battered Georgian Bay lake

trout and white fish. Continuous seating or take-out. 4:30-7pm. $15; children 6-12, $6. 5 & under free. 8 Nancy St, Bolton. 905-857-2615; boltonunitedchurch.com

APR 14 : TASTES OF AFRICA DINNER, DANCE AND SILENT AUCTION Presented

by the students of King’s College School in partnership with Eta Colleges International. Proceeds African sister school. 6-11:30pm. $80. Caledon Woods Golf Club, Hwy 50, Bolton. 905-880-7645; kingscollegeschool.ca

$5; children & seniors, $3. Proceeds to Bolton Sea Cadets. Bolton United Church, 8 Nancy St. Caledon Navy League, 647-233-7182

APR 16 : 2012 GROWN IN PEEL, BUY FRESH GUIDE RELEASED Your guide

APR 23 : HEADWATERS FOOD SUMMIT & LOCAL FOOD TRADE SHOW A day of

to locally grown food and peak growing seasons within Peel region. Various local farms and nurseries. Region of Peel, 905-791-7800; growninpeel.ca

Transfer to DVD

APR 20 : EUCHRE TOURNAMENT Prizes, silent auction, 50/50 draw. Proceeds to Caledon East Public School. 6-9pm. $15, register by Apr 10. $20 door. Caledon East Public School, 15738 Airport Rd. Caledon East Community School Association, 905-584-2796

8mm, Super-8, 16mm Film, Video & Audio tape Slides & Photos ★ Custom production, Blu-ray available ★ www.ADD-duplications.com

519-928-2604

APR 20 : LAUGH OUT LOUD Live comedy by Yuk Yuk’s On Tour. Proceeds to programs that strengthen families. Prizes, silent auction. 7-11pm. $60. Glen Eagle Golf Club, 15731 Hwy 50, Caledon. Caledon ParentChild Centre, 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org APR 20 – APR 22 : CALEDON HOME SHOW Over 80 vendors. Fri 4-9pm; Sat

10am-6pm; Sun 10am-3pm. Albion Bolton Community Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. Caledon Chamber of Commerce, 905-857-7393; caledonchamber.com APR 21 : EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT CCS CHEZ THRIFT Donate treasures

is coming in June Be part of the magazine that everyone reads and talks about. advertising deadline is May 11th

519-940-3299 info@inthehills.ca

and enjoy entertainment and bargains. 9:30am-6pm. Chez Thrift, 301 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-584-2300; ccs4u.org APR 21 : EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT CCS THE REUSTORE Tour our recycling

facilities. Help us ReUse and RePurpose goods. 8:30am-4:30pm. Peel Regional Recycling Centre, 109 Industrial Rd, Bolton. 905-584-2300; ccs4u.org

APR 21 : WELLIES TO WISHES AUCTION

A fun auction of art and tasteful treasures, with appetizers and cash bar. Proceeds to the Dufferin Children's Fund. 7pm. $40, from museum, DCAFS or online. Dufferin County Museum & Archives, Airport Rd & Hwy 89. Dufferin Child & Family Services, 519-941-1530 x246; dcafs.on.ca APR 21 : CHICÀBOOM PARKING LOT SALE FOR MFTD CHILDREN Top-quality

items from in the store. All proceeds to Medically Fragile/Technologically Dependent children. 10am-4pm. Caledon Village. 519-927-9300; chicaboominc.com APR 21 : SCRABBLE FOR AFRICA

Game boards provided. Refreshments, prizes. Proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. 2-4pm. $10 at Booklore or door. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St, Orangeville. GoGo Grannies, 519-941-9966; aanimad.com/gogo APR 21, MAY 19 & JUNE 16 : PANCAKE BREAKFAST Delicious breakfast. 9-11am. 86

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

H A P P E N I N G S

discussion to forge a practical approach to bringing out the best in the local food system. Summit 9am-4pm. Trade show 4-6pm. $25, incl lunch, register. Headwaters Communities in Action, 519-940-3118, headwaterscommunities.ca

APR 26 : WELL-SPRING 2012 Massage, reiki, yoga, nutritional advice, speaker, plus boxed lunch. 10am-3pm. $30. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. GDACC and Dufferin Women in Business, 519-941-0490; gdacc.ca APR 27 : ILLUMINATION – A SPRING AWAKENING Meditation, yoga,

pilates, Zumba, lunch, local vendors. 9:30am-4pm. $60 at Orangeville Scotiabank. Caledon Golf Club, 2121 Olde Baseline Rd. Women with Spirit, starthrowerfoundation.org APR 27 : SPRING STORYTELLING IN THE CHURCH Stories and live music in

historic Corbetton Church. 7-9pm. $10 at BookLore, Jelly Craft Café, Shelburne, and the museum. Dufferin County Museum & Archives, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. Dufferin Arts Council, 705-435-1881; dufferinmuseum.com

APR 28 : ERIN HOME & LIFESTYLE SHOW

See what Erin has to offer. 10am-4pm. $2; children 12 & under free. Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin. Economic Development Committee of Erin, 519-855-6683; erin.ca

APR 29 : PURINA WALK FOR DOG GUIDES

Bring your dog for a walk on the west-side trails. 10-11am. Donation. Fendley Park, Montgomery & Riddell, Orangeville. Amaranth Lions’ Club, 519-942-2121; purinawalkfordogguides.com APR 30 : WOMEN AT THEIR BEST 2012

Fashions, speakers, local services. Proceeds to the local women’s shelter, My Sister’s Place and Girls on the Run. 6-10pm. $25. Nottawasaga Inn, 6015 Hwy 89, Alliston. TD Waterhouse Alliston, 705435-8874; womenattheirbest.ca

MAY 2 : HEADWATERS ARTS PRESENTS: A LUNCHEON TALK WITH DR. LANCE SECRETA Be challenged by one of the top

leadership teachers. 11:30am-1:30pm. $45, incl lunch. Best Western, 7 Buena Vista Dr, Orangeville. 519-943-1149; headwatersartsfestival.com MAY 4 : HAM DINNER With scalloped

potatoes, homemade pies. 5-7pm. $13; $15 at door; children 12 and under, $6; under 5 free. Westminster United Church, 247 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-941-0381; westminster@westminsterorangeville.ca


MAY 4 & 5 : ONTARIO BELGIAN ASSOCIATION Fri: light & heavy teams,

indoor horse pull. Sat am: tack and equipment sale. Sat 6-10pm, horse sale. Free. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. Ontario Belgian Association, 705-887-3350; rymarbelgians@sympatico.ca MAY 5 : TOWN OF MONO GARAGE SALE

Rent an inside table $10 or an outside spot $5. 8am-noon. Monora Park Pavilion, Hwy 10, just N of Orangeville. 519-941-3599 x24; townofmono.com MAY 5 : BEEF BBQ Hosted by Cheltenham United Church. $17; children under 10, $6. Eat in or take out. 5-7pm. Credit View Public School, 13990 Mississauga Rd, Caledon. 905-838-3417; brander@sympatico.ca MAY 5 – OCT 20 (SATURDAYS) : ORANGEVILLE’S FARMERS’ MARKET

Fresh local produce, baked goods, meats, dairy, artisanal crafts, children’s activities. 8am-1pm. May 5 Opening Day: free pancake Breakfast. 8am-1pm. Downtown Orangeville, 94 Broadway. 519-942-0087; marketonbroadway.ca MAY 6 : HIKE FOR HOSPICE DUFFERIN – CELEBRATE LIFE. CHERISH MEMORIES.

Support palliative, end-of-life care and bereavement services. Orangeville Curling Club, 76 Fifth Ave, Orangeville. 519-9423313 x25; hospicedufferin.com MAY 7 : REACH FOR THE STARS – INSPIRATION & RESILIENCE Paralympic

gold medal winner Tracey Ferguson and Orlando Bowen, former CFL player, share insights. 7:30-9pm. Free, register. Centre 2000, 12 Boland Dr, Erin. Erin Parent Connection, 519-833-9665 MAY 7 – MAY 13 : MY.HOSPITAL@WORK

Car washes, fashion shows, bake sales, BBQs and more. Proceeds to Headwaters Health Care Centre. Headwaters Health Care Foundation, 519-941-2702 x2302; jshephard@headwatershealth.ca MAY 8 : FINANCING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS Tips from a banking

perspective. 2pm. Free, register by May 4. Tony Rose Sports Centre, 6 Northmen Way, Orangeville. Small Business Enterprise Centre, 519-941-0440; orangevillebusiness.ca MAY 8 : THE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS Recognize outstanding

businesses and entrepreneurs in Dufferin. Gala dinner and entertainment. 6-10pm. $110. Best Western, 7 Buena Vista Dr, Orangeville. 519-941-0490; gdacc.ca MAY 8 – 10 : KNIGHTS OF VALOUR

Medieval jousting, swordsmanship, displays of lifestyle and weaponry. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. 519-428-2498, knightsofvalour.ca MAY 12 : PRIMROSE UNITED – MOTHER’S DAY PLANT & BAKE SALE

Pick up pre-ordered annuals and flower arrangements, or buy perennials from local gardens. 8-11am. Primrose United Church, Hwy 10. lorraine@much-mail.com MAY 12 : SCRAP METAL COLLECTION FOR FRIENDS OF ISLAND LAKE Get rid of

old BBQs, fire pits, bikes, etc. Proceeds to Island Lake trail system. 9am-5pm. Island Lake Conservation Area, Orangeville. 519-941-6329; wanda.wayne@rogers.com

MAY 12 : GIRL’S DAY OUT AT CHICÀBOOM Mini massages, beauty

treatments $5. Fashion show at noon. 10am-3pm. Proceeds to Erin SPCA. Caledon Village. 519-927-9300; chicaboominc.com

MAY 12 : ORANGEVILLE LIONS’ AUTOFEST Over 500 antique and new

cars, parts and accessories.10am-5pm. $5; students 16 & under, $2; under 5 free. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. Dave Ferrier, 519-942-3893 MAY 19 : DCMA SPRING BUS TOUR

Visit farms and businesses, past & present. Bring suitable shoes. $30, incl lunch. Register after Apr 2. 10am-3pm. Dufferin County Museum & Archives, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-941-7787; dufferinmuseum.com MAY 26 : TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH YARD & BAKE SALE Books, china,

furniture, collectibles, baking. 8am-2pm. Campbell’s Cross, 3515 King St, Caledon. 905-838-1623; ruth.wiggins@sympatico.ca MAY 26 : VILLAGE OF ERIN SUMMER CELEBRATION Discover Erin’s history

on walking tours and more. Each shop celebrates its building history with window displays. 10am-4pm. Main St, Erin. 519-833-0872; villageoferin.com

MAY 26 : GRAND VALLEY LIONS’ DUCK RACE 2000 yellow ducks race for cash

prizes, $1000 and up. $5/duck. Proceeds to community projects. 2pm. Hereward Park, Main St S, Grand Valley. 519-9285470; grandvalleylions.com MAY 26 : MOULIN ROUGE – DINNER & AUCTION Cabaret-inspired evening,

casino, oyster and martinis bars, in support of Headwaters Health Care Centre. 6pm. $195. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. Headwaters Health Care Foundation, 519-941-2702; headwatershealth.ca MAY 26 : PERFECT PAIRING Gourmet meal paired with tasteful wines. Proceeds to Transportation Program at Caledon Community Services. 6pm. $125. Glen Eagle Golf Club, Hwy 50, N of Bolton. Caledon Community Services, 905584-2300 x236; ccs4u.org MAY 27 : BELFOUNTAIN GARLIC MUSTARD FESTIVAL Cooking contest,

prizes, local food vendors, entertainment, community garlic mustard pull. 10am3pm. Free. Belfountain Conservation Area, 10 Credit St. 519-927-5212 x1; garlicmustardbusters.ca

MAY 30 & JUN 6 : PARENTING TO DISCOURAGE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE

Tools to help prevent or cope with alcohol and drug use in adolescents. 7-9pm. Free, register. Dufferin Parent Support Network, 655 Riddell Rd, Orangeville. 519-940-8678; dpsn.ca JUN 2 : SCOTTISH AFTERNOON AT ST. ANDREW’S STONE CHURCH Pipers,

fiddlers, dancers, Scottish food, BBQ. Noon-4pm. $10; children under 12, $5. St. Andrew’s Stone Church, 17621 St. Andrew’s Road, Caledon. 905-584-5001 JUN 2 – OCT 27 (SATURDAYS) : CALEDON FARMERS’ MARKET Fresh local foods,

crafts, demos, music, games. 8am1pm. Albion Bolton Community Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. caledon.ca/ farmersmarket continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

87


A

C A L E N D A R

O F

S P R I N G

H A P P E N I N G S

Please join

Garden. 10-11am. Free unless indicated, register. Jun 9: June Blooms Garden Party, 11am-3pm, $30, register. Plant Paradise Country Gardens, 16258 Humber Station Rd, Caledon. 905-880-9090; plantparadise.ca APR 17 & MAY 15 : BOLTON AND DISTRICT HORTICULTURE SOCIETY MONTHLY MEETINGS Apr 17: Plants

in welcoming

That Attract Beneficial Insects. May 15: Gorgeous Gardens with Less Water. All welcome. 7-9pm. $5. Albion Bolton Community Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-857-4741; bolton.hort.info

Nanny Robina

APR 21 : ORANGEVILLE EARTH DAY TREE PLANTING Equipment provided (bring

shovel). Free BBQ. 9am. Park at Broadway Pentecostal Tabernacle, 556 Broadway, Orangeville. Credit Valley Conservation, Trout Unlimited, 905-670-1616 x445; creditvalleyca.ca

continued from page 87

April 23 Townview Room Best Western Plus Orangeville Inn and Suites

JUN 3 : WJ HUGHES CORNFLOWER FESTIVAL Meet former owners, guest

speakers, live auction, consignment sale. 10am-4pm. $10. Dufferin County Museum & Archives, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-941-7787; dufferinmuseum.com JUN 8 : WINES OF THE WORLD (WOW)

Tasting with sirloin, cheeses. Over 80 wines. Proceeds to Rotary projects. 6-8:30pm. $40, at Howard the Butcher or online. Palgrave Equestrian Centre, 200 Pine Ave, Palgrave. 416-200-3806; rotaryclubofpalgrave.com JUN 8 – 10 : CALEDON FAIR Dairy and

beef contests, horse show, baking, crafts, midway, beer garden. Fri: truck and tractor pull. Sat: lawn tractor challenge, BBQ, music. Fri $10; Sat & Sun $8; $15 per car; children under 14, $2. Caledon Fairgrounds, Hwy 10, Caledon Village.

Bethanyy Lee from

K In Kids InThe Hills H

JUN 9 : CANADIAN WORM CHARMING COMPETITION Entice the worms from

the ground. Prizes, entertainment, kite demos, market. Camping available, register. 9am-5pm. $20 team; spectators $2. Shelburne Fiddle Park, Dufferin Cty Rd 11, Shelburne. Shelburne Lions, 519-9256528; wormcharming.ca

JUN 9 : MOTORCYCLE RIDE FOR HOSPICE DUFFERIN Scenic Run $20;

Poker Run $30. Register. BBQ & silent auction. 8:30am. Orangeville Curling Club, 76 Fifth Ave, Orangeville. Orangeville Valley Riders, 519-942-3313 x23; ovr.ca

kidsinthehills.ca In The Hills magazine’s online home for families living in the Headwaters region

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

JUN 20 – OCT 10 (WEDNESDAYS) : INGLEWOOD FARMERS’ MARKET

Dinner on the BBQ, live music, kids’ crafts, recipe ideas & foodie activities. 3:30pm-7pm. Inglewood General Store, 15596 McLaughlin Rd. 905-584-6221; eatlocalcaledon.org JUN 20 : SHRINE CIRCUS Two indoor

shows featuring talented performers and animal exhibits. 4 & 7:30pm. $20. Orangeville Fairgrounds, 5 Sdrd Mono, off Hockley Rd. Tecumseh Shrine Club. 1-800668-9111; customerservice@xentel.com

outdoor+ environment MAR 27 : WOLVES Presentation by MNR field research scientist, Brent Patterson. 7:30-9pm. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. Upper Credit Field Naturalists, 519-925-3968

APR 21 – 28 : EARTH WEEK EVENTS

Photography contest, displays, raffles. Various Orangeville locations. Town of Orangeville, Orangeville Sustainability Action Team, 519-941-0440 x2254; orangeville.ca APR 23 : ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS Orangeville honours

residents and leaders contributing to the natural environment. Nominate online at orangeville.ca before Apr 22. 7pm. Free. Town Hall Opera House, 87 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-941-0440 x2254 APR 24 : EDIBLE & MEDICINAL PLANTS

With Alexis Burnett, naturalist and tracker from Meaford. 7:30-9pm. Orangeville & District Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. Upper Credit Field Naturalists, 519-925-3968 APR 28 : ONE-DAY TREE AND SHRUB SEEDLING SALE Seedlings 15-40cm

APR 7 & 14 : INTRODUCTORY HIKING ON THE BRUCE TRAIL New hikers welcome.

MAY 6: HEADWATERS TRAIL COUNTER LOAN PROGRAM AND WORKSHOP

JUN 10 : SAFETY AWARENESS DAY & PUMPKIN DONUT EATING COMPETITION Local first responders

Native Plants in the Garden. Jun 12: Headwaters Hospital Friendship Gardens. 7-9pm. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. orangevillehort.org

JUN 16 & 17 : FATHERS’ DAY FESTIVAL: CELEBRATING OUR FOREFATHERS

the pumping station lot, Old King Rd, then King St E, Bolton. 10am-noon. Free. TRCA, Town of Caledon, Bolton & District Horticulture Society, 905-857-3228; rich.hunt@sympatico.ca

Downtown Orangeville. Orangeville Hydro, Green Pathways, 519-941-0440 x2246; orangeville.ca

Hiking boots or comfortable shoes recommended. Apr 7, 10am-noon. April 14, 10:30am-12:30pm. Free. 905-216-7559; caledonbrucetrail.org

promote safety, then face off for charity. Noon-3pm. Downey’s Farm Market, 13682 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon. 905-838-2990; downeysfarm.com

APR 21 : BOLTON/SUNKIST WOODS COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING Park in

(6-16”) high. Bring reusable containers. $10-$12/bundle of 10 trees. 9am. County of Dufferin Operations Centre, 635666 Hwy 10, Primrose. Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Network, 705-435-1881; dufferinmuseum.com/forest

MAR 31 : EARTH HOUR – TURN LIGHTS OUT TO TURN AWARENESS UP 6-9:30pm. Free. Alexandra Park,

JUN 9 : STRIDE FOR LIFE 1km/5km trail run/walk to benefit Island Lake Public School. Prizes, silent auction, kids’ activities. Register at runningroom. com 10am. Island Lake Conservation Area, Orangeville. 519-940-8588; SC.IslandLake@ugdsb.on.ca

Storytelling, one-room schoolhouse, 88

antique equipment, displays, food and vendors. $8. Island Lake Conservation Area, Orangeville. Friends of Island Lake, 519-941-6329; wanda.wayne@rogers.com

APR 10, MAY 8 & JUN 12 : ORANGEVILLE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MONTHLY MEETINGS Apr 10: Trish Symons. May 8:

APR – JUN : PLANT PARADISE COUNTRY GARDENS SEMINARS Apr 14: Dividing

Perennials. May 5: Growing Clematis $10. May 12: Long-Blooming Perennials. May 19: Superb Shady Selections. May 26: Gardening Tips. Jun 2: Fabulous Fall

Why and how to use these units for trails management and funding strategies. 10am-4pm. Free. Monora Park Pavilion, Hwy 10, just N of Orangeville. Headwaters Communities in Action, 519-940-3118; action@headwaterscommunities.ca MAY 12 : SHELBURNE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Horticultural Societies Past

and Present, Return of Trumpeter Swans. 10:30am-3pm. $12, incl lunch. Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex, 200 Fiddlepark Ln, Shelburne. 519-925-2182; shelburnehort.blogspot.com MAY 12 : PEAK-TO-PEAK ESCARPMENT CHALLENGE Stomp out quarrying on the

Escarpment. Hike 26km or choose your challenge. Breakfast, buffet/bbq, music.


Register. Raise tax-deductible donations. Century Farm, 1209 Concession 10, Duntroon. Clearview Community Coalition, peaktopeakhike.com MAY 12 : CALEDON CREEK COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING No experience needed,

training on-site. 9am. Along Caledon Creek, at the end of Giles Rd, Caledon Village. Town of Caledon, Ontario Streams, 905-670-1615 x445; ljennings@creditvalleyca.ca MAY 26 : IDENTIFY WILDFLOWERS AND SHRUBS Learn to identify common local

APR 14 : A HOT NIGHT IN HILLSBURGH

The Chinguacousy Swing Orchestra presents Big Band sounds. 8pm. $20. Century Church Theatre, 3 Hill St, Hillsburgh. 519-855-4586; centurychurchtheatre.com

APR 14 : TARTAN DAY CEILIDH CONCERT

Fergus Pipe Band celebrates its 85th anniversary by opening for Rant Maggie Rant. 8pm. $25. Fergus Grand Theatre, 244 St. Andrew St W, Fergus. 519-7870099; fergusscottishfestival.com

APR 18 : DAVE GUNNING IN CONCERT

plants. 9am. $5; children free, register. Little Tract, Dufferin County Forest, 938130 Cty Rd 18, Mansfield. Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Network, 705-435-1881; dufferinmuseum.com/forest

Recipient of recent Canadian Folk Music Awards as Emerging Artist and Traditional Singer. In a private home. 8pm. $20, reserve. 519-942-1587; wigboroughmusic@sympatico.ca

JUN 2 : ORANGEVILLE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY PLANT SALE Perennials,

APR 20 : LARRY KURTZ & FRIENDS/ REDC BENEFIT CONCERT Deep roots,

house plants, herbs. 8am until sold out. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. orangevillehort.org JUN 2 : WHAT TREE IS THAT ANYWAY?

Identify various trees, shrubs and plants. 9am. $5; children free; register. Little Tract, Dufferin County Forest, 938130 Cty Rd 18, Mansfield. Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Network,705-435-1881; dufferinmuseum.com/forest JUN 9 : EDIBLE WILD Master herbalist/ folklorist Lisa Yates identifies edible and medicinal wild plants. 9:30am-noon. $10; children free, register. Mono Community Centre, 347209 Mono Centre Rd, Mono Centre. Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Network, 705-435-1881 x23; ontariostewardship.org/lsn

music MAR – MAY: LIVE MUSIC AT ROSE THEATRE APR 24 : EMERSON DRIVE Passionately

expressive vocals, extraordinary musicianship, first-rate songs. $45-$65 MAR 30 : CADENCE Four men. Four microphones. No instruments. Big Band, innovative jazz, eclectic originals. $30 APR 12 : SONGWRITER’S CIRCLE WITH DEAN MCTAGGART & FRIENDS An intimate

performance with Emm Gryner and Tim Chassion. $20 APR 18 : CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: THE DOORS’ L.A. WOMAN Recreated live, note

for note – cut for cut. $38-$58 APR 27 : GUIDO BASSO on trumpet and

flugelhorn, one of the world’s great brass artists. $30 APR 28 : SHEENA EASTON Still going strong after two Grammys, Gold and Platinum albums. $75-$95 MAY 6 : A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES

soulful blues. REDC opposes expansion of aggregate mines between Caledon Village and Belfountain. 7:30pm. $35. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 519-927-3376; responsible_caledon@hotmail.com

APR 21 : SOURCE OF THE SONG 20 Bruce

Madole, roots and blues, and Alan Rhody, acoustic folk, perform original songs. 2pm. $15; $20 at door. Glen Williams Town Hall, 1 Prince St. 905-459-975; brucemadole@sympatico.ca

APR 21 : CALEDON CHAMBER CONCERTS – CELTIC LEGENDS WITH HEATHER DALE

8pm. $30; 15 & under $15, at BookLore, Howard the Butcher, Forster’s Book Garden. St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. caledonchamberconcerts.com

APR 21 & MAY 6 : POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE Achill Choir sings music of grand

occasions. Apr 21, 8pm, St. Timothy Roman Catholic Church, 42 Dawson Rd, Orangeville. May 6, 7:30pm, Christ Church Anglican, 22 Nancy St, Bolton. $25; 13 and under, $15. 705-435-1091; achill.ca APR 27 : PENTAEDRE Opera Colada

Pentaedre features original chamber music. 8pm. $30; students $15. Town Hall Opera House, 87 Broadway, Orangeville. 800-424-1295; orangevilleconcerts.ca

MAY 27 : RE-INKARNATION MUSIC CONCERT Organist Rodney Jantzi plays

Bach to Bjerre on the Karn organ to celebrate church’s 175th anniversary. 2pm. Free. Melville White Church, 15962 Mississauga Rd, Caledon. belfountainheritage.com

MAY 31 : ORANGEVILLE BLUES & JAZZ OPENING GALA PARTY Live music, cash

bar and food. 6:30pm. $30 at BookLore or the Festival office; $35 at door. Best Western, 7 Buena Vista Dr, Orangeville. 519-941-9041; objf.org

The Brampton Festival Singers in a fast-moving, sing-along evening. 7:30pm. $25. 289-752-6642; bramptonfestivalsingersinc.org All performances 8pm unless noted. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-8742800; rosetheatre.ca

JUN 1 – 3 : ORANGEVILLE BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL Two days of concerts

APR 13 : FIDDLE LEGENDS BY SCOTT WOODS Canadian Fiddle Champion pays

JUN 7 – 10, 15 & 16 THE ALL-NIGHT STRUT! Swing’s the thing. An evening

tribute to fiddle legends. Proceeds to Building Together Fund of Caledon East United Church. 7pm. $20; $10 children 6-12; 5 & under free. Caledon Community Complex, 6215 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. 905-584-2118; scottwoods.ca

featuring local and international artists (outdoors and in over 25 local venues), demonstrations, food, beer tent, farmers’ market. Blues Cruise with over 300 classic cars on Broadway. Noon-9pm. Free. Downtown Orangeville. 519-941-9041; objf.org

filled with jazz, blues, bebop. Thurs-Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm. $18; students & seniors $15; June 7 $15 all. Grace Tipling Hall, 120 Main St, Shelburne. 519-939-9038; lpstageproductionsinc.com continued on next page IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

89


A continued from page 89

theatre+film MAR 23 & 24, 30 & 31 : TOO SOON FOR DAISIES Freda, Joy and Edie, three

retirement home escapees, have a resourceful approach to a new life. 8pm. $15; $20 dinner. Inglewood Community Centre, 15825 McLaughlin Rd. 905838-2874; inglewoodperformers.ca MAR 23 – APR 1 : ROMANTIC COMEDY

Cool wit fuels this journey through love and friendship. By Bernard Slade. Fri, Sat 8pm; Sun 2:30pm. $18. Century Church Theatre, 3 Hill St, Hillsburgh. 519-855-4685; centurychurchtheatre.com MAR 26 : STARBUCK – MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (14a) Just as David finds

out his girlfriend is pregnant, he discovers he’s already a father — to 533 children! 4:30pm, 7pm & 9:20pm. $8, from BookLore or cinema. Galaxy Cinemas, Orangeville. mondaynightmovies.ca MAR 28 : TED OUTERBRIDGE ILLUSIONS

A high-energy magical adventure filled with breathtaking new illusions. 7:30pm. $34-$54. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca MAR 28 – APR 15 : WINGFIELD LOST AND FOUND The latest in the Wingfield saga.

It’s the driest summer on record. Is it the end of farming in Persephone? By Dan Needles. Mar 28-31, Apr 5, 6, 12-14, 8pm. Apr 7, 3pm & 8pm. Apr 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 2pm. $32.38 to $39.16. Theatre Orangeville,87 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-942-3423 MAR 30 : GERRY DEE Sold out three years

in a row, Gerry Dee offers big laughs and great new material. Language caution. 8pm. $37-$57. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton, 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca APR 14 : CANADIAN IMPROV SHOWCASE

Come see Canada’s best comedic talent with this hilarious interactive show. 8pm. $20. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca APR 16 : A SEPARATION – MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (14a, Iran)

After Nader refuses to emigrate from Iran to provide a brighter future for their children, Simin files for divorce. Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. 4:30pm, 7pm & 9:20pm. $8 from BookLore or cinema. Galaxy Cinemas, Orangeville. mondaynightmovies.ca

C A L E N D A R

O F

S P R I N G

dinner theatre $28. Old Town Hall, 18365 Hurontario St, Caledon Village. 519-9275460; caledontownhallplayers.com APR 27 – MAY 5 : NEIL SIMON’S RUMORS

Two guests arrive at the deputy mayor’s home to find the wife missing and the deputy mayor covered in blood. Fri & Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm. $15. Grace Tipling Hall, 120 Main St, Shelburne. 519-925-2600; tiplingstagecompany.com APR 28 : AN EVENING WITH MARK TWAIN Patrick C. Smith is Mark Twain

in this evening with one of the world’s greatest humorists. 8pm. $23. Century Church Theatre, 3 Hill St, Hillsburgh. 519-855-4586; centurychurchtheatre.com

APR 30 : MONSIEUR LAZHAR – MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (PG) Following

the shocking death of a schoolteacher, Bachir Lazhar helps the overworked principal and students. 4:30pm, 7pm & 9:20pm. $8 at BookLore or cinema. Galaxy Cinemas, Orangeville. mondaynightmovies.ca

MAY 7 : MUSIC FROM THE BIG HOUSE – MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (PG)

Rita Chiarelli goes to the birthplace of the blues – Louisiana State Maximum Security Penitentiary. Proceeds to Blues and Jazz Festival. 7-9:30pm. $15. Galaxy Cinemas, Orangeville. mondaynightmovies.ca MAY 10 – 27 : MENOPOSITIVE – THE MUSICAL Four 50-ish women come

together to stage a review for their high school reunion. By J.J. McColl. Thu, Fri, Sat 8pm; Sun, Wed 2pm; May 19 3pm. $32.38$39.16. Theatre Orangeville, 87 Broadway. 519-942-3423; theatreorangeville.ca MAY 14 – SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN – MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (14a) A fisheries expert and

H A P P E N I N G S

MAY 25 – JUN 3 : MURDER BY THE BOOK Verbal duels between a writer

and his estranged wife escalate in this light-hearted, thriller. Fri, Sat 8pm; Sun 2:30pm. $18. Century Church Theatre, 3 Hill St, Hillsburgh. 519-855-4586; centurychurchtheatre.com JUN 9 – 23 : THE WIZARD OF OZ This

much-loved family musical will enchant munchkins of all ages. Fri, Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm; Jun 16 & 23 2pm; Jun 21 8pm. $20; children under 12, $15. Town Hall Opera House, 87 Broadway, Orangeville. 519942-3423; orangevillemusictheatre.com

kids+family NOW – ONGOING : CREATIVE SATURDAYS IN INGLEWOOD Family time drop-in and

structured play-based learning programs on 2nd and 4th Saturdays. 9:15-11:30am. 6 & under. Free, register. Inglewood United Church, 15672 McLaughin Rd, Inglewood. 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org NOW – APR 25 (WEDNESDAYS) : HOW TO TALK SO KIDS WILL LISTEN Develop

positive relationships through effective communication. Free, register. 7-9pm. Dufferin Parent Support Network, 655 Riddell Rd, Orangeville. 519-940-8678; dpsn.ca NOW – MAY 25 (FRIDAYS) : PARENTING EDUCATION WORKSHOPS For parents

of children 6 & under. Childcare available, small fee. 9:30-11am. Free, register. Caledon Parent-Child Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org NOW – MAY 29 (TUESDAYS) : LET’S GET TOGETHER Connect with other families

academic is approached to introduce salmon into the waterways of Yemen. 4:30pm, 7pm & 9:20pm. $8 from BookLore or cinema. Galaxy Cinemas, Orangeville. Mondaynightmovies.ca

to explore parenting a child with special needs, 6 & under. Light dinner. Siblings welcome. Free, register. 5:30-7pm. Caledon Parent-Child Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org

MAY 22 & 23 : YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

NOW – MAY 31 (THURSDAYS) : ADJUSTMENTS AFTER BIRTH A support

Dr. Frankenstein attempts to create a monster – but not without scary and hilarious complications. 8pm. $90-$110. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

group for mothers affected by postpartum mood disorders. 1:30-3:30pm. Caledon Parent-Child Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org

90

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

mosaics, painting, claymation and other classes for children 6-14. Details on website. Caledon Community Complex, 6215 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. cacy.ca MAR 31 : STATION ROAD BUNNY BRUNCH Family breakfast, crafts,

vendors, bake sale. 9am-noon. $5; 2 & under, free. Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin. Station Road Co-operative Nursery, 519-833-2882 MAR 31 : STATION ROAD DRAMA CAMP REGISTRATION Camp runs from July 3-13,

9am-4pm, acting and stagecraft, directed by EDHS drama teacher Steve Sherry. Register 9am-noon. $300, ages 7-12. Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin. Station Road Co-operative Nursery, 519-833-2882 MAR 31 – APR 8 (WEEKENDS) DOWNEY’S FARM EASTERFEST Wagon rides, farm

animals, Easter egg hunt with the Easter Bunny, magic & puppet shows. 10am5pm. $11. Downey’s Farm Market, 13682 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon. 905-838-2990; downeysfarm.com APR 9 – 14 : CHILDREN’S EARLY LEARNING – PROGRAM REGISTRATION

Baby playtime, Mother Goose, fun with phonics, and more. 9:30am-4pm. Programs also at satellite sites. Free. Caledon Parent-Child Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org APR 14 : THE MAPLES OPEN HOUSE

Tour the school and meet students, parents and staff. 10am-2pm. The Maples Independent Country School, 513047 2nd Line Amaranth. 519-942-3310; themaplesschool.com APR 14 & MAY 12: CURIOSITY HOUSE STORY TIME Children 18 months-6. 10:30-

11:15am. Free. Curiosity House Books & Gallery, 134 Mill St, Creemore. 705-4663400; curiosityhousebooks.com APR 19 : ADHD/ADD PARENTING WORKSHOP Learn coping strategies,

treatment options. Bring your questions. 7-8:30pm. Free, register. Dufferin Parent Support Network, 655 Riddell Rd, Orangeville. 519-940-8678; dpsn.ca

MAY 5 : TEDDY BEAR CLINIC Bring your

APR 17 : JUST FOR LAUGHS ROAD SHOW Four of the best stand ups from

getting complicated. Apr 26-28, May 4, 11 & 12 8:15pm. May 5, 2:15pm; dinner theatre 6:30pm. Thurs-Sat $15; $12 matinee $12;

MAR 31 – MAY 31 : CACY SUMMER ART PROGRAM REGISTRATION Pottery,

Hills presents an evening with Canada’s favourite nanny on the subject of baby and toddler sleep. $25. Best Western Plus, Orangeville. kidsinthehills.ca

collaboration between one of India’s foremost Kathak masters and an Emmyaward winning tap dancer. 8pm. $41-$61. Rose Theatre Brampton, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

APRIL 26 – MAY 12 : THE TROUBLE WITH RICHARD For a quiet guy, Richard’s life is

For children JK-Grade 8. Visit headwaters health.ca for entry form and rules.

APR 23 : NANNY ROBINA Kids in the

APR 16 : INDIA JAZZ SUITES Explosive

the world’s largest and most prestigious comedy event. 8pm. $38-$58. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-8742800; rosetheatre.ca

NOW – JUN 1 : HEADWATERS HEALTH CARE CENTRE’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY POSTER CONTEST Deadline Extended!

To submit your community, arts or non-profit event, go to inthehills.ca and click what’s on on the menu bar. That takes you to the listings page. Click submit your event and complete the easy form. For the summer (June) issue, submit by May 11. We reserve the right to edit submissions for print and web publication. For up-to-date listings between issues, go to inthehills.ca and click what’s on on the menu bar.

Teddy bear, doll or favourite stuffed animal to the hospital for a checkup. 10am-1pm. Free entrance & parking. Headwaters Health Care Centre, 100 Rolling Hills Dr, Orangeville. 519-241-2410 x0; headwatershealth.ca MAY 13 : MOTHER’S DAY TEA Adults

receive a strawberry tart and tea. Children paint a clay pot for mom. Each child receives a cookie & drink. Noon-3pm. $10. Downey’s Farm Market, 13682 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon. 905-838-2990; downeysfarm.com ≈


MARKETPLACE ALPACAS

C AT E R I N G

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ART & CRAFT

CLEANING SERVICES

PET Portraits

! ! !

by Joan Gray

CENTURY HOME OWNERS KEEP YOUR ORIGINAL WOOD WINDOWS AND ENJOY WEATHER-TIGHT ENERGY SAVINGS

Heartwood Window Restoration

ction Satisfa NTEED GUARA

"! !

(cont’d)

www.heartwoodwindow.com Peter Cell: 416-294-6784 Home: 905-857-4906

Montana of Caledon

BED & BREAKFAST Indulge Yourself – an Overnight Stay at Clearview Station B&B is Priceless!

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

ALL-MONT LTD. Garage Doors & Electric Operators Residential • Commercial Industrial Sales • Installation • Service Visit our showroom 48 Centennial Rd, #20 Orangeville

R.R.#2 Creemore ON LOM 1GO Toll Free: 1-855-KABOOSE Hosts: Ann and Dave Huskinson

519-942-1956

On Hwy 9 Just East of Orangeville

519-941-3667

Windows That Suit Your Style

ZOLTAN POTOVSZKY

MASONRY

BRICK • BLOCK • CONCRETE • FIREPLACES • STONE Serving Dufferin County & Creemore Area

BEES

B. A. WOOD MASONRY

(705) 434-3285

Insured and Licensed

DANCE

Specializing in Stone & Restoration Work Brick • Block Brian Wood

519-941-5396 New for 2012

BIRD FEEDING Caledon Mountain Wildlife Supplies • Wild Birdseed / Feeders / Nesting Boxes • Pet Food & Supplies / Wildlife Feeds • Crafts / Books / Nature Accessories “We’re here to help you help nature.â€?

Spring & Summer dance workshops & practices

Forrest Custom Carpentry

Serving the Greater Orangeville Area since 2012

Established 1986

For more information & our class schedule visit www.iwanttolearntodance.com or call 519-925-9197

Design, Build, Install Wall Units, Bars, Home Offices Call Gary for a Free Estimate

EQUESTRIAN SERVICES

519-323-1121/1-877-454-9522 www.forrestcustomcarpentry.com

18371 Hurontario Caledon Village Tel 519-927-3212 Fax 519-927-9186 Brian Thayer

MARKETPLACE: CLASSIFIEDS DON’T GET ANY CLASSIER For Summer Issue Call by May 11, 2012

R&M Stucco Superior quality & service • Interior/exterior plaster/stucco finishing Marco or Rose Mary Andreozzi

705-434-0248

18424 Hurontario St Caledon Village 519-927-3773 manestreet@hotmail.ca

TO PLACE AN AD, CALL 519-942-8401 OR EMAIL INFO@INTHEHILLS.CA IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

91


MARKETPLACE FURNITURE Yesterdays HOME FURNISHINGS

Can’t beat our prices!

NOW OPEN 5000 Sq Ft Furniture Home Decor • Vintage • Retro Antiques • Collectables • Jewellery Lighting • Brand New Mattresses Wide Variety Chairs Delivery Far & Wide • Open 7 Days Gift Certificates Available

101 Main St, Shelburne 519-925-1011

LANDSCAPING & GARDENING Serving Caledon and all surrounding areas since 1994. Quality Care, Professional Service for both Residential and Commercial needs. Variety of seed mixes available including: Kentucky Bluegrass, Ornamental Wildflowers, Environmentally Friendly ‘Ecograss’

LAND SURVEYING P.J. Williams Ontario Land Surveyor

Open: 8am-4pm weekdays Free Consultation on Weekends by Appointment Phone: 519-925-0057 or 519-941-6231 Fax: 519-941-6231 www.pjwilliams.ca

Call for quote 905 880 8909 / 416 577 8909

Greg Frangakis caledonhydroseeding.com

Short drive N of Caledon/Orangeville up Hwy 10 left on Hwy 89

PARTIES

HAIR SALONS

Wedding Specialists • Colour • Highlights • Perms Updo’s • Make-Up • Chemical Straightening

413 First Ave. East, Shelburne

Garden Design & Installation Property Maintenance Nursery Stock Supplied & Planted Concrete Garden Ornaments David Teixeira 519-942-1421

307 Broadway, Orangeville 519.415.4545

...from hedgehogs to snakes, lizards to spiders and turtles to birds... there’s something for everyone at

An amazing, hands-on experience for kids of all ages! Ask about our exciting Safari Packages today!

www.partysafari.ca Where scaly isn’t scary! Jennifer 519-925-1165

PEST CONTROL

www.artizanhairsalon.ca

H E A LT H & W E L L - B E I N G

CPR TRAINING For Healthcare Providers, Business, Personal Daniel Fracassi, BCLS Instructor “May the Beat be with you” 519.942.9944 daniel.fracassi@sympatico.ca

B BIO-IDENTICAL IO -IDEN T IC A L H HOR OR M MONES ON E S

Gardens by MsPlants Garden Design • Landscaping Planting • Maintenance Sheilagh Crandall • Gail Morrison 905-880-4616 msplantsofcaledon@gmail.com

Saliva Saliva H Hormone ormone Testing Testing P Physicians hysicians N Network et work for for Patients Patients IIndividulized ndiv vidulized Treatment Treatment T TruBalance r uBalance Healthcare Healthcare ((Canada) Canada) D Direct: irect: 647.884.0663 6 47.884.0663 | www.trubalancehealthcare.com w w w.trub balancehealthcare.com

PET SUPPLIES & SERVICES These are signs that your pet’s current food needs to be looked at:

INTERIOR DESIGN

DUFFERIN LAWN LIFE Drapery and Blinds Furniture and Accessories Colour and Space Consultations 519-939-7193 deborahjackson-interiors.com

MARKETPLACE: CLASSIFIEDS DON’T GET ANY CLASSIER For Summer Issue Call by May 11, 2012 92

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

Customized Organic Based Lawn Care Programs

• Overweight • Frequent paw licking • Hairballs • Biting root of the tail • Dry, flaky or greasy skin • Smelly ears or skin • Excessive shedding • Stiff joints/arthritis • Recurring ear infections 47 Broadway, Orangeville 519-942-8187 113 Victoria St W, Alliston 705-434-3311 226 First Ave E, Shelburne 519-925-3471

Since 1973

519-942-9333

1-800-265-1605

/ Seasonal Gardener Garden Bed Maintenance Planting & Pruning Spring & Fall Cleanup

Janice Sant Barry 705-440-8607

• 30 years experience • Doggy daycare coming soon • Free pick up and delivery in Orangeville

Tess MacLean • By appt 519-941-2646 • tess_mac@live.com 55 A Townline, Orangeville • www.poshpuppysalon.com


MARKETPLACE PET SUPPLIES & SERVICES

(cont’d)

Wits End Cattery

(cont’d)

SEPTIC SERVICES

Karen Thompson-Harry

B.A. (Hons), JD

Barrister & Solicitor Collaborative Family Lawyer/Mediator/Arbitrator Practising in: Equine and Family Law/Divorce

Breeding exotic Bengal Cats Kittens expected throughout the year

519-833-0040 www.kthlaw.ca

705-424-1169

www.witsendcattery.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Headwaters Homecare Senior Care / Family Support 24 hours / 7 days a week

(519) 942-8880

Stephanie deRoux stephanie@headwatershomecare.com www.headwatershomecare.com

fax (519) 942-8870 24 hour pager (519) 939-7790

Home Auto Commercial Farm Financial Services Life

since 1925

Call & Compare

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Competitive Rates

Payment Plans

A member of the Precept Group Inc.

35 Main Street, Erin Tel: 519-833-9393 • 1-800-930-4293

R E A L E S TAT E

TREE SERVICES

LAND FOR SALE 89.77 acres arable farmland with rolling hills, underground springs, 2 potential pond sites, 5 acres of bush, corner lot has 2 frontages. Suitable for horse operation.

3rd line and 5th sideroad, Adjala

$1,200,000

Call 519-941-9537 or 905-859-5117

Enchanting Country Estate with huge pond, extraordinary privacy, plentiful gardens & horse facilities for Private Sale

TUTORING

homework help, personal tutoring, exam reviews, prep courses, mastery courses, video game design camp 1-866-519-MATH (6284) 519-307-0989 295A Broadway, Orangeville www.mindovermath.ca To view visit

CALL FOR THE MONTHLY SPECIALS

www.dalriadameadows.com

VIDEOGRAPHY Attention agents and private sellers!

Colourful design ideas get colourful results!

Let us help sell your home. From photography to video tours to building a website, we can do it all.

Type and Images

.

Visit us online at www.videopulse.net or call 519-925-9003

.

creative advertising communication 519.940.0192 typeandimages.ca

P U Z Z L I N G

S O L U T I O N S

Border Challenge in Erin A Two: Nova Scotia & PEI (not three; Newfoundland was not a province then). B Nova Scotia (with New Brunswick), BC (Alberta) and Newfoundland and Labrador (Quebec). C Nine: Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, Washington (New York and Michigan land masses never touch). D Five: Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania. E Prince Edward Island (18); British Columbia is second with 15. F Twenty-five: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California,

find an advertiser

from page 94 Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia. Good Queen Bess Herself? The signature is precisely as Elizabeth signed her name (but without the “I”). She was never called Elizabeth I until Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953. Ephraim’s Sales of Bitterroot Balm Caledon $550, Erin $650, East Luther $450, Melancthon $700, Mulmur $400 Walking to Bolton Wednesday

Visitors nab your copy of In The Hills? But now you want to reach an advertiser? You can find complete listings of all our recent advertisers, sorted by business category, at www.inthehills.ca Select ‘Find an Advertiser’ from the menu. Click a name to go directly to our advertiser’s site!

Narrow It Down! Panorama

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012

93


a Puzzling Conclusion

by Ken Weber

Good Queen Bess Herself? A N

Border Challenge in Erin

I N

T H E

H I L L S

M I N I

M Y S T E R Y

Ephraim’s Sales of Bitterroot Balm

“Somebody get Wayne and Steve. They have to see this!” Wayne and Steve were the curator and chief archivist respectively of the Dufferin County Museum and Archives. “This” was a letter, a very old letter. The paper, frayed along the edges and torn in one corner, was yellowed with age and even darker in the several creases. And it was fragile. Without the protection of the two thick panes of glass enclosing it, the letter would surely have crumbled into tiny fragments. But what excited the group standing around Marilyn’s reception desk at DCMA was not so much the apparent age of the letter; it was the signature at the bottom.

When the new Continuation School opened in Erin in 1924, students taking geography were somewhat surprised to find the following “Border Test” on the blackboard on the very first day of classes. Would you have passed the test?

Although he passed by only once a year, nearly every family on the sideroads of these hills instantly recognized Ephraim’s horse and wagon. And for the few who didn’t, the faded sign on the wagon box quickly answered the question of “who’s coming down the lane?” Ephraim made a good living peddling homemade medicine from farm to farm, but his best ever year was 1913, just before World War I. That year, he racked up total sales in Caledon Township that were only $100 lower than what he sold in neighbouring Erin Township, where he sold $200 worth more than he had managed to sell in East Luther where in turn, the total sales had been $250 lower than in Melancthon, although in Melancthon, total sales in 1913 were $300 higher than they’d been in Mulmur.

A

How many Canadian provinces do not have a border with the United States?

If Ephraim brought in $400 in the township where his sales were lowest of all, what were his total sales in each of the above townships in 1913?

B

What Canadian provinces have a border with just one other province? C

Walking to Bolton

This letter, if authentic, bore the well-known signature of none other than the first Queen Elizabeth – “Good Queen Bess,” contemporary of Shakespeare, daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII! This letter was over four hundred years old! The man who’d brought it stood quietly at the edge of the group of excited staff and volunteers. He’d appeared at the museum unannounced and simply said that he was from Calgary and that his great-grandparents had pioneered in Mulmur Township. The letter had been in the family for centuries and because he was the last of his line, he felt it appropriate that DCMA should have this valuable piece because of the family’s connection with Dufferin. Wayne and Steve appeared at the same time, both rushing to see the exciting new acquisition. Together they bent over the letter and together, in no more than a few seconds, they looked at each other, nodded, and walked away in disappointed silence, shaking their heads.

(Read this one carefully!) How many U.S. states can you name whose land mass touches the border with Canada? D

How many Canadian provinces and U.S. states border on Lake Erie? E

Of all the provinces in Canada and states in the U.S. A., which one has the longest name (most letters)? F

How many Canadian provinces and U.S. states together have names which end in the letter ‘a’?

On the first anniversary of Confederation Day, Abner’s only horse became lame and for the next six months Abner had to walk to Bolton. Since he lived quite far away he went to Bolton only once a week and always planned his visits very carefully. On each visit he took maple syrup with him to sell to a distributor on King Road who in turn sold it at a market in Toronto. Abner also made a deposit or withdrawal at the bank each visit, always bought a newspaper, and would then go to chat with his friend, the blacksmith. On every second trip into town Abner got a haircut. The barber was always closed on Mondays. The distributor was always away in Toronto on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The bank was closed on Saturday and Sunday.

What did Wayne and Steve see immediately that showed the letter was not authentic?

On what day of the week did Abner go to Bolton?

Narrow It Down! Use the following clues to determine an eight-letter word that one might use while visiting a beautiful provincial park like Forks of the Credit or Mono Cliffs. The first letter of this eight-letter word does not appear in HILLSBURGH or GRAND VALLEY, but it does appear in JESSOPVILLE .

The second and eighth letters appear in each of BELFOUNTAIN , ALBION and AMARANTH .

1

2

3

The third and seventh letters are side by side in the very middle of the alphabet.

4

5

The fifth letter appears in both HILLSBURGH and GRAND VALLEY, but not in JESSOPVILLE .

6

7

The sixth letter is a vowel and is the same as the second and eighth letters.

By now you should know what the fourth letter is.

8 solutions on page 93

94

IN THE HILLS SPRING 2012




Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.