On The Bay Fall 2020

FALL 2020

High WATER Can we hold back the flood?

Hiking the Bruce 3 trails to explore

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IN THIS ISSUE 76

FEATURES 26 High Water Georgian Bay’s water level is at an all-time high, leaving waterfront property owners and municipalities scrambling to mitigate damage and hold back the water and debris. What’s causing the rising water and what can we do to hold back the flood?

BY MARC HUMINILOWYCZ

46 Escarpment Idyll Transforming a log cabin in the woods while maintaining the original structure and feel.

BY JANET LEES

57 One Room, Three Different Looks Quick and easy changes to transform a room.

BY JUDY ROSS

76 Exploring the Bruce 3 hikes to take you away from it all.

BY LAURIE STEPHENS

26 COLUMNS Perspective

15 In the Face of Racism, a Love Story

BY MARCIA ALDERSON Fenceposts

DEPARTMENTS 10 18 90 92 97 98

From Our Editor From Our Readers Openings Gallery of Realtors Reader Buying Guide Looking Back

22 When the Spirit Moves

BY DAN NEEDLES

69 Gallery Spotlight Local art galleries are supporting artists and keeping art in the spotlight during this difficult time. We’re pleased to feature three local galleries and a sampling of the artists they represent.

FALL 2020

57

onthebaymagazine.com

High WATER Can we hold back the flood?

Hiking the Bruce 3 trails to explore

ON THE COVER: High water crashes over a breakwall at Sunset Point Park in Collingwood.

PHOTO BY DOUG BURLOCK

46

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VOLUME 17, ISSUE 3 P U B L I SHE R

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WASAGA BEACH WEST END All brick raised bungalow in Wasaga’s West end. Custom upgrades; quartz & granite kitchen, induction stove, lrg island w open concept to Great Room - huge deck (w electric awning) off kitchen to lrg pool sized landscaped, fenced lot w fruit trees, manicured gardens, pergola, storage shed.

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Peter Gibson CON T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S

Marcia Alderson, Marc Huminilowycz, Janet Lees, Dan Needles, Judy Ross, Laurie Stephens, Emily Worts CON T R I B U T I N G PH OT OGR A P HE R S & I L L U ST R A T OR S

Shelagh Armstrong-Hodgson, Doug Burlock, Jessica Crandlemire, Derek Trask

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Published by On The Bay Magazine Inc., A subsidiary of ZoomerMedia Limited.

President & CEO Moses Znaimer On The Bay publishes 4 issues per year and is available, free, at 55+ locations in the following communities; Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Nottawa, Craigleith, Thornbury, Clarksburg, Ravenna, Kimberley, Markdale, Meaford, Creemore, Stayner, Glen Huron, Singhampton, Flesherton and Eugenia. The magazine is also distributed to hotels, resorts, developer showrooms, realtor offices, and to members of private ski and golf clubs in the area. For a complete list of the exact locations within each of the communities go to onthebaymagazine.com Subscriptions outside the distribution area are $29.95 per year for 4 issues (including HST), payable by cheque or credit card. No part of On The Bay may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent of On The Bay Magazine Inc. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or staff of On The Bay Magazine.

Letters to the editor are welcome: readermail@onthebaymagazine.com On The Bay Magazine Suite 200, 115 Hurontario St., Collingwood, Ontario, L9Y 2L9 Tel: 705-444-9192 Toll-free: 1-888-282-2014 Printed in Canada by Dollco Print Solutions Group.

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Lorraine McDonald Sales Representative (705) 444-4216 lorrainemcdonald@rogers.com

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FR O M

O U R

E D IT OR about our region’s restaurants, and a listing of the many artists and artisans throughout Southern Georgian Bay. Those stories showcased our fun side, but we also took pains to ensure that we were seen right out of the gate as a serious magazine analyzing the issues that impact our lifestyle and enjoyment of this place we’ve chosen to call home.

To that end, I wrote a feature titled, “The Great Migration,” detailing the many reasons people come to Southern Georgian Bay to live, work and play. We came up with two acronyms to describe our region and the types of people drawn to it: NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) and NATS (Naturally Attracted Thirty-Somethings). In other words, this area was a draw for retirees and Baby Boomers, but the natural beauty and amenities were also attractive to a younger cohort.

The article quoted David Foot, the author of the seminal book on demographics, “Boom, Bust & Echo”: “You’re looking for something different than the downtown concrete jungle. You want some peace and quiet, nice scenery and an active four-season lifestyle.” I also interviewed pollster and author Michael Adams, who said, “I do not see Collingwood as a retirement community. I see it as a living community with an indigenous population that is going to be oriented to services and an itinerant population that is going to be oriented toward activities and amenities.”

It’s rewarding all these years later to see just how our community has evolved – and how right we were about where things were heading.

Our other main feature in that first issue looked at wind turbine projects, which were at that time in the early stages of proposals to be

Celebrating Our 75th Seventy-five issues! How the time – and pages – have flown. I clearly recall our first-ever issue of On The Bay published in the Summer of 2004. On the cover: a young, active and vibrant couple, Noelle and Doug Wansbrough, and their thenyoung children, now grown, frolicking on the Thornbury beach of Georgian Bay. It was the perfect cover shot to introduce our fledgling magazine and reflect our tagline: ‘Celebrating Life in Southern Georgian Bay.’ Our guiding vision was clear. As Jeff Shearer noted in his Publisher’s Message, “Beginning with this, our inaugural issue, On The Bay Magazine brings readers a selection of interesting, informative and well-written features and columns on such topics as outdoor activities, arts, crafts, food, restaurants, gardening and local history, as well as photo spreads of beautiful Southern Georgian Bay homes and landscapes. The publication also delves into major regional issues, including environmental and developmental challenges and the changing nature of the area both demographically and psychographically.”

The stories in that first issue set the stage for the editorial approach that has continued to steer us through the years. There was an activity piece about cycling on our trails, another about golfing, a beautiful featured home, a lovely perennial garden, a food column, a story

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It’s rewarding all these years later to see just how our community has evolved – and how right we were about where things were heading. erected on farmland throughout the region and on top of the Niagara Escarpment. We later published several follow-up stories about wind turbines, which on balance showed them to be detrimental.

Our ongoing coverage and our strong editorial stand on the issue demonstrated our unique role as an advocate for our region (one project slated for Fairgrounds Road in Clearview Township was scuppered and there have been no further proposals since).

We’ve continued to delve into the issues that affect our community, from water levels and gravel pits to real estate and development, and everything in between. We’ve also kept our lighter side intact, with stories about all of the four-season activities our region offers, plus more beautiful homes and gardens, more arts and culture, more food and beverages ... more of everything that celebrates life in Southern Georgian Bay. Thanks to everyone who made our first 75 issues possible – our staff, contributors, advertisers ... and most of all, you, our readers.

Here’s to the next 75! ❧

Janet Lees, Editor

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SUMMER 2020

SUMMER 2019

onthebaymagazine.com

Fall 2012

onthebaymagazine.com

www.onthebay magazine.c om

Apart

$5.95

Roadworthy!

How will we get from there to here?

Together

Home Design & Décor

Weathering the pandemic with strength and spirit

Trends and easy fixes

Horse

Power Healing with horses Cycling Standoff

Pulling Together

Can bikes and cars coexist?

Dairy & Non-dairy

2

3

Rowing and paddling on Georgian Bay

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1

Winning COVERS

Our covers are a reflection of the many aspects of life in Southern Georgian Bay. To celebrate our 75th issue of On The Bay, we asked our staff and contributors to choose their favourite covers of all time. Then, with a shortlist

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of 12, we surveyed our readers to pick their Top 3. We’re proud to present the winning covers above, and runners-up on the facing page. Thanks to all 433 people who participated, and here’s to 75 more issues of On The Bay!

September 10, 2012 1:53 1:52 PM

CELEBRATING OUR 75TH ISSUE OTB - mid summer 15-07-05

7/15/05

9:59 PM

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Grassroots Heroes

The challenges facing our farmers

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Cinema Magic

Our film club’s starring role

Biking

Women’s Golf Arrives!

Top 10 Patio Picks

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BOOM How road cycling is

changing our landscape

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A Stage Near You Spotlight on local venues

Real Estate & Development How to navigate today’s market

Aging Gracefully

Branching Out

5 pillars to successful aging

Landscaping with trees

Grassroots Heroes

Making a difference in our community

Better Together 7

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Raising The Bay!

6 groups that make a difference

How do we get our water back?

Homestead Revival

Windmills:

A pioneer cabin gets an update

Friend or Foe? Hot Topics

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Summer is the new “high season” in Southern Georgian Bay, and we’ve got the fresh food, entertaining ideas and outdoor activities to make this your best ever.

ON THE BAY

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CODA CONCERTO COUNTERTENOR DA CAPO DIMINUENDO ENSEMBLE ESPRESSIVO ETUDE FORTE FUGUE GIGUE GLENN GOULD HARMONY HARRY POTTER

HEIFETZ HOROWITZ HVXOSTOVSKY HYMN IMPRESSIONISM JAMES EHNES JESSYE NORMAN JOHN WILLIAMS KLEZMER LANG LANG LARA ST JOHN LEITMOTIF MAHLER MAJOR

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S TAY T U N E D ! S TAY S H A R P !

PERSPECTIVE

In The

FACE of

RACISM,

a Love Story

by MARCIA ALDERSON ❧ photography by JESSICA CRANDLEMIRE If my parents had not stood up to racism almost 60 years ago, I would not exist.

My mother emigrated from Jamaica in the 1950s. She had come from a life of privilege, well educated and untouched by prejudice. In the early 1960s, when she was ready to buy her first new home, she met my father, George Hubbs, who was the real estate agent for the builder and possibly the whitest man in Canada.

My mother chose a home to purchase and signed a full-price offer. My father presented the offer to the builder, telling him the buyer was a well-qualified Jamaican nurse. The builder told my father that he would not sell to a Person of Colour, Black, Jamaican ... you get the picture.

Here’s where the story gets interesting. My father, outraged, went back to my mother and told her exactly what the builder had said. My mother decided to take the builder to the Human Rights Commission, and my father testified for her. She got her house. He got fired from the building site, losing his job. They started dating, got married, and in 1965, I was born.

This wasn’t my mother’s first challenge finding housing as a Black woman in Canada. Before buying her home, many an apartment that was available when she phoned was suddenly gone when she got to the door. However, I grew up oblivious to any of this. My mother didn’t tell me anything about the racism she’d encountered until I was in my 20s and able to handle it. I grew up hearing only that I had “the best of both worlds.”

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PERSPECTIVE

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All businesses are operating under the Covid 19 guidelines to keep everyone safe www.collingwooddowntown.com 16

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Thousands marched peacefully in two separate Collingwood demonstrations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement recently.

My point in recounting this family history is that good people can make a difference when they speak up and do the right thing, even when it’s hard. Even when it comes at a cost. My parents stood up to racism almost 60 years ago. I imagine that was not an easy task. At that point, their interracial marriage would have been illegal in many parts of the U.S. Thank God she had chosen Canada.

Over the last few months, I’ve witnessed the people of Southern Georgian Bay stand up for justice and equality in droves. I’ve peacefully marched through the streets of Collingwood with more than 2,000 of our citizens – not once, but twice in a week – in support of #BlackLivesMatter.

We still have much work to do. We are not immune to racism. It exists all around us, but generally in much more subtle ways than our neighbours south of the border display and experience it.

Lasting change comes from education, both in the schools and in the homes. It happens one uncomfortable conversation at a time.

Ours may not be the most diverse region, but I believe it is a place full of good people willing to learn, grow and make change. Lasting change comes from education, both in our schools and in our homes. It happens one uncomfortable conversation at a time. It happens when you admit that you may have biases, whether conscious or unconscious. It happens when you realize that change is necessary, and seek to be better and do better.

I’ve never been more in love with this community. My parents, George and Yvonne Hubbs, are looking down proudly upon all of you.

Thank you for making a difference. ❧ Marcia Alderson is a local realtor and lead singer with Motown and Marley, a Collingwood band. She has lived in Collingwood for the past 12 years with her son, Matthew.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re happy to introduce “Perspective,” a new op-ed column in On The Bay. In each issue, this page will feature a guest writer’s personal perspective on a topic of interest to our readers. If you have suggestions for future topics or writers, please email janet.lees@me.com

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R E A D E R

M A I L

FROM OUR

READERS RE: SUMMER 2020 ISSUE Just wanted to drop you a line about the current issue cover.

I think this is an award-winning shot. It captures emotion and warmth at the same time and casts a youthful and hopeful light on the pandemic. Doug Burlock has done an amazing job.

All the best.

Jack Marley I feel compelled to write you on this beautiful July morning in Collingwood, while the sun is shining and dappling our condo balcony with light. I sat down beside my husband to read On The Bay outdoors, while

listening to the robins and other birds. I have to tell you that I was very impressed by this particular edition.

First of all, the photo on the front cover is so arresting. That little girl drummer looks like something out of a painting. The photos of Collingwood during the beginning of lockdown were fascinating to me, as my husband and I were in Mexico at this time, deciding, as many of us snowbirds were, whether to stay or come home. You can therefore imagine how much I really enjoyed reading Judy Ross’ piece (coming back from Florida). I also enjoyed the other quarantine diaries.

What’s more, I am very interested in birds and I thought the section on the raptors was excellent! Thanks for the silhouettes! Great for ID! I think I’ve seen every one of those except for the Northern Harrier. Birding is a wonderful occupation during these times and a source for a lot of my photography.

Another article that resonated was the beautiful featured home on Wasaga Beach. I spent many a childhood summer at a little rented cottage at Wasaga with my parents. Later in my life, as my husband and I decided to downsize, we looked up here to relocate and during this pandemic, it seems to be the best spot to shelter in place.

Thank you for addressing this extraordinary time in our history. I don’t often keep magazines, but I think this one will be kept by me and by many as a pictorial and written account of all that we have gone through and continue to experience.

Well done. Take care and stay safe.

Sue Livingston I greatly enjoyed your Summer issue of On The Bay. Your photographer, Doug Burlock, is just one of the many talented people who help to produce On The Bay Magazine. He’s a photographer, a retired chap, a

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grandpa and an all-around nice guy. Editor Janet Lees is another talent, judging by the variety of interesting items I read in each issue.

On The Bay Magazine stands out with its larger-than-usual magazinestyle format and its articles and photos about the Southern Georgian Bay area. This publication is one of the few in our area that delves into issues.

Canada’s King of Rural Funny, as I call him, Dan Needles, is another talent, whose humour column is featured in the pages of On The Bay. Dan, we are proud to say, is a local fellow, past-president of the Great Northern Exhibition, who lives with his wife Heath (a talent in her own right when it comes to baking!) in the Nottawa area. I also enjoyed the educational piece about birds. I shall send it to an ardent birdwatching friend of mine in Belgium.

The current edition of On The Bay features another local talent, my wife Nancy. She appears in a photo by Doug Burlock wearing a mask she made from a promotional piece of cloth we were given at a Mirvish Theatre in Toronto last March. It was just two days before the pandemic hit and closures began.

I also like that there are letters to the editor appearing in clear, readable style about topics. In the Summer issue is a letter in support of the proposed electricity-producing project near Meaford as well as a letter against the project. I am firmly against the proposed Pumped Storage Plant, which will have water pumped to a reservoir on land and then rush down through generators to Georgian Bay. I am positive that rush of water will make a nasty mark on Georgian Bay’s pristine waters.

But that’s just my opinion.

I’m glad to see advertisers are continuing to support this magazine, because they do get their money’s worth in readership.

George Czerny-Holownia, Collingwood

I have just started to peruse your Summer issue and feel compelled to send a bravo to you for continuing to publish in spite of so many setbacks.

I have lived in Toronto for 98 per cent of my life, but my close ties to Collingwood through family and friends stretches back through decades.

As a result, your magazine continues to give me access to your beautiful community even if I can’t visit in person.

Good luck to you and all the local businesses, eateries, markets, shops, etc. I am looking forward to an unknown future date when I can stroll, eat and shop there once again.

Kathleen Case, Toronto P.S. Dan Needles should be declared a national treasure!

RE: NEW HOMES, SPRING 2020 I would like to address all the new home building in the area, having moved into a new build a number of years ago. Have you heard of “builder grade”?

These new homes are going up overnight using basic, cheap borderline materials. They will be falling apart in 10 years and will guarantee local jobs for years. The marble counters, brushed aluminum and other cosmetics don’t compensate for the cheap products. The

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19

R E A D E R

M A I L

building standards organization of Ontario has a lot to answer for.

Why are reverse sewage traps not installed? Why are surge protectors not installed up front on the electrical panel? Why are people not offered upgrades on the roof, the insulation, the siding, the electrical panel and do the builders even put a fan in the gas fireplace? After freezing in my new home for 2 years, I had to have the attic insulation upgraded at my cost. The roof started to curl after the 10-year limit.

There are a lot of insulation upgrades not offered as well. I believe the only place where they used to have higher standards was the project called Terracewood, that I read about in your magazine many years ago.

It is very sad.

Gloria Thompson, Wasaga Beach

RE: COLLINGWOOD TERMINALS I’m confounded by the number of people who have signed a petition to save the Collingwood Terminals, but not a one is prepared to put up a penny to pay the cost of maintenance.

Collingwood taxpayers are expected to pick up an estimated $10 million tab to save them. Save them? What for? They serve no purpose.

They cost the town $100,000+ annually to keep.

The reasons given to save the structure are mostly sentimental: “I’ve lived with them all my life;” “When they come into view, I know I’m home.”

Yes, they are a landmark, but they are a monument to inaction.

Politically they are a polarizing issue with a prohibitive price tag.

The Terminals have no equity value, but council is required to exercise due diligence, since the structure has been found to be potentially dangerous, and something must done before a catastrophic crumble.

Alternative “saves” have been suggested. None have succeeded to date.

Most of us don’t embrace change, particularly when we do not have a clear vision of what that change will bring.

Let me run this vision past your economic and your sentimental side: A great opportunity lies in replacing the Terminals with a brilliant glass hydroponic greenhouse that can return more than $1 million to Collingwood annually.

The vision is of a vibrant green space centred on the footprint of the concrete towers, which will be devoted to growing fresh produce year-round. The produce will be harvested daily for the benefit of local restaurants, grocers, hospitals and for our own kitchen tables.

We can all eat local and appreciate the $1.3 million profit forecasted

by Collingwood Hydroponics as a contribution to our own tax coffers.

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Save us from “Save the Terminals.” Save us from eating “fresh from U.S.” Save us all from sitting much longer on an accident waiting to happen.

John Wiggins, Collingwood

RE: MEAFORD PUMPED STORAGE PLANT The Collingwood Climate Action Team (CCAT) supports an independent, third-party environmental assessment of the proposed Meaford pumped storage project to ensure environmental concerns are identified and quantified correctly.

Building new pumped storage facilities (water batteries) is part of a current global trend to develop grid-scale energy storage using proven technology that has a very long lifespan. Pumped storage can be used to capture and store Ontario’s clean excess electrical energy, much of which is currently unused and lost due to insufficient storage.

Unused energy could be used to displace vast amounts of fossil fuels.

It could also be used to reduce the need for gas generators during peak demand periods. Ontario’s electricity consumers would also benefit financially from building new storage because excess and unsold energy that is currently lost could be stored and used when needed.

Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are all connected and are at the same height above sea level; because of this, their levels are monitored as one single body of water. The proposed reservoir’s volume, compared to the volume of this single body of water, is equivalent to just under one-seventh of a teaspoon of water compared to a full bathtub.

When considering global emissions, coal-fired electrical generators in neighbouring U.S. jurisdictions are under pressure to close because of legal requirements to reduce emissions. Building new pumped storage in Ontario and elsewhere increases the pressure to close these coal

plants because pumped-storage allows more clean renewables like wind, solar, excess hydro and even excess nuclear to displace coal. If coal plants close earlier than expected in neighbouring states, the reduced emissions in those states could be even greater than the predicted reduced emissions in Ontario.

CCAT is committed to listening, learning, and sharing information about mitigating human-caused climate change. We look forward to informed discussions with others.

The Collingwood Climate Action Team is a non-partisan, math and science-based organization that encourages and promotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. We also promote open dialogue based on informed perspectives. We listen, we learn, and we present science-based perspectives regarding climate change mitigation strategies. Within this process, we take into consideration the impacts of human emotion, vested financial interests, jurisdictional and political policies. CCAT does not accept donations from, nor do we speak on behalf of, TC Energy or any other vested parties promoting or opposing this project.

Ray Mueller, BSc., Group Leader Energy Group Collingwood Climate Action Team

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE ISSUES? Do you have any comments, suggestions or additional information in response to any of our stories? To submit your letter to the Editor, go to onthebaymagazine.com/write-a-letter-to-the-editor. Comments will be published in an upcoming issue of On The Bay. We reserve the right to edit for style, content and space considerations.

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ON THE BAY

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F E NC E P O S T S

WHEN THE SPIRIT MOVES True confessions from the 9th Concession

by DAN NEEDLES

❧

illustration by SHELAGH ARMSTRONG-HODGSON

The chief purpose of a country property is to be looked after. I knew this as a young man, long before I bought my own place. When I was a student, my friends often invited me to join them for a weekend in the country because they knew I was a willing worker and didn’t flinch at the to-do list their parents presented at the breakfast table on Saturday mornings. Half the kids who were supposed to be home to help would beg off with some feeble excuse or other, because they’d rather be anywhere else than the “prison farm.” The parents were lawyers and bankers who enjoyed organizing work parties and barking orders. Mowing lawns and mucking out horse stalls can be tedious enough. Not being paid for it was a tipping point for desertion.

I know summer cottages have their work parties, too. The May 24th opening and the Thanksgiving closing are command performances where attendance is strictly enforced. But that’s it. The rest of the time is set aside for sunbathing and Trivial Pursuit. A country property, on the other hand, always perches on the precipice of chaos. After a three-week absence, the jungle reclaims its own.

So when I bought Larkspur Farm in 1978, I made a vow never to make a chore of it and find myself becoming resentful. I would work at a thing until I tired of it, and then give myself permission to lay down tools and do something else until the spirit returned. I did this for 10 years until it became a deeply ingrained habit; one that bothered the hell out of some people, but also helped me become a happier writer.

Robertson Davies once observed that the problem with the humorist Stephen Leacock was that he suffered from a very strong work ethic. He kept going on and on in spite of all obstacles, when it might have been better if he had just sat down and waited for a good idea. I often tell my writing students that they are unlikely to get better at writing, but it is possible to get better at not writing. To do it you must first learn to conquer your wretched willpower.

My wife took a while to board the train on this subject. By nature she is impatient with waiting for the spirit to move a man. Over the years we have achieved a delicate balance. She likes to landscape with a riding mower

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and I like to putter with broken machinery, so we are a fairly good match.

“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, that wants it down,” said the poet. I would add that it doesn’t love a two-stroke engine either, or a water pump or any other moving part on a farm. If you need any evidence that the universe is cooling off, slowing down and wearing out, then you should come here for the weekend. After 42 years I find myself surrounded by a mountain of repairs and unfinished projects.

Now the quarantine has handed me the gift of unlimited time to finally get down to all this work with no excuse to slide into town or go back to the desk to meet a deadline. For the first time in four decades I have finally gotten around to chores that normally slip away forgotten every season.

I have pruned and staked tomatoes before bottom rot strikes. I have installed a new washer on a garden tap that has dripped for 10 years. The goldfish pond has a new waterproof liner. Shovels, axes, rakes and hoes have new handles. The apple trees are pruned. Three bush cords of firewood are stacked beside the house. Fifty meat birds and two pigs lie in the freezer.

The henhouse even has a new coat of paint. The term we use in the writing profession for such a burst of non-essential activity is “avoidance behaviour.”

One writer I know has turned out two drafts of a novel in the same amount of time.

I read everywhere that the pandemic is going to change the way we live and work for a long time to come. I have my doubts about that. The headlong rush with all its noise and fuss will inevitably return. In the meantime, I will remember the summer of 2020 as a very odd and productive blip that forced me to pause and smell the roses … and prune them, for once. ❧ Author and playwright Dan Needles is the recipient of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. His latest book, True Confessions from the Ninth Concession (Douglas & McIntyre), is a collection from 20 years of his columns for On The Bay and other publications.

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Waves smash over a breakwall at Sunset Point in Collingwood, with the iconic Inukshuk standing guard atop another breakwall in the background.

Georgian Bay’s water level is at an all-time high, leaving waterfront property owners and municipalities scrambling to mitigate damage and hold back the water and debris.

What’s causing the rising water and what can we do to hold back the flood?

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FEATURE

L

by MARC HUMINILOWYCZ photography by DOUG BURLOCK

isa Mantella stands at the edge of her Wasaga Beach property on a sweltering July day and points to the water where, about 20 feet from shore, an iron bar protrudes from the gentle waves. “That’s my property line,” she says. “I used to have

four posts on the beach marking the boundary between my property and the public Provincial Park beach, but they’ve all been washed up over the years. You can see two different colours of the water. The second colour way out there is where the beachfront used to be in 2011.”

ON THE BAY

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27

IT’S A

NATIONAL SCANDAL! BUT HERE’S AN EVEN BIGGER ONE! For years, governments knew how bad it was.

But still they didn’t fix it.

A shocking report from The Royal Society of Canada says “systemic and deeply institutionalized implicit attitudes about age and gender” help explain the appalling state of Canada’s long-term care system.

In short…ageism.

Governments knew how bad the system was, how urgently it needed reform. But they didn’t act.

Now, panicked (and rightly so) by what happened during covid, they’re scrambling for answers.

But will there be actual solutions or just more studies and white papers and fine-sounding promises?

CARP intends to keep the pressure on. This is no time to be vague about it: we must force the necessary changes. And we can do it, too – with your support.

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ON THE BAY

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Mantella recalls when she and her family were able to walk up and down the beach – an activity that is now impossible, with only a few metres or less separating cottage properties and the water.

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CREEMORE Waterfront property owners like Mantella, as well as regional municipalities, Georgian Bay protection groups, and cross-border U.S./ Canada Great Lakes agencies are all very concerned about rising water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron (including Georgian Bay) which, this year, have set all-time high records. It’s a far cry from only a few years ago, when they were lamenting the opposite problem – record low water levels that exposed vegetation, rocks and debris along the shoreline and left some private docks high and dry (but on the plus side, greatly expanded local beaches).

“Old fences from the 1950s, when the beach was more level, have been exposed, and the water has washed all the sand away,” says Mantella, whose family began vacationing in Wasaga Beach around the time those midcentury fences were built. “The third property to the east of us has a sand dune that’s at least 10 feet higher than the shore. That dune used to go out all the way to where the posts are in the water. There were 10 to 12 beautiful poplar trees on it, but they all got washed away.”

Mantella recalls when she and her family were able to walk up and down the beach – an activity that is now impossible, with only a few metres or less separating cottage properties and the water. She points to an old motel (now a condominium) a short distance away, with balconies precariously perched directly over the water. “On weekends, we get people coming from the public park nearby and setting themselves up for the day directly in front of our deck so that we can’t even access the water,” she says. “They may not know it, but they’re sitting on our property. Some of them get funny, arguing that this is public beach. We’ll probably put up some signage soon, telling people nicely that it’s private.”

Asked what she thinks will happen to the beach in the future, Mantella replies, “I’ve been up here since the 1950s. I think in a couple of years, the water will go down and the sand will come back.”

At the eastern end of Wasaga Beach, where the Nottawasaga River flows into the Bay, stands a flagpole in the middle of the water with a flag that reads, ‘No Swimming.’

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29

FEATURE

ABOVE: John Dick sits on sandbags piled on the breakwall of his home at the mouth of the Nottawasaga River. ABOVE RIGHT: A barge crew hired by the Town of Wasaga Beach cleans up the debris along the beachfront.

RIGHT: A “No Swimming” flag flies atop a sandbar that used to be above water, separating the Nottawasaga River from Georgian Bay.

In October of 2019, the situation became more serious, when an intense storm that picked up sand buried a good part of Dick’s and his neighbours’ properties all the way to the road.

“That flagpole is on a sand bar that, two years ago, was above water, separating the Bay from the mouth of the river,” says John Dick, owner of a waterfront home at the river’s mouth. “Cars used to be able to drive right up to the end of it and park. Now, it’s all under water.” Dick’s father-in-law bought the property, which originally contained a house, a small cottage and a vacant lot, in the early 1970s. He was the first among his neighbours to install a steel breakwall along the shore to prevent erosion.

“This was the mouth of the river right here,” says Dick, pointing to the edge of the breakwall. “The sand bar across the water grew and became covered in vegetation. Then, when the water was low, the river changed course and the mouth moved. Around 1992, the river came in and started taking away everybody’s properties, so other neighbours built breakwalls, too.”

About two years afterwards, Dick recalls the course of the river changing again. “The water was so low here that the weeds came in, and it was good fishing,” he says. “Then last year, the sand began changing. It buried our

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neighbour’s breakwall, and waves brought in a lot of trees and trash that washed up on our shore. Thankfully, the town came in with a barge and cleaned things up. Everybody was laughing, saying we now had beachfront, not riverfront.”

In October of 2019, the situation became more serious, when an intense storm that picked up sand buried a good part of Dick’s and his neighbours’ properties all the way to the road. “I needed help to remove the sand, so I bought 400 sandbags, had them filled and piled along the edge of our breakwall. Last spring, the sand shifted again. People down the road from us lost everything. They had a breakwall, but the water undermined it because the steel wasn’t set in deep enough.”

The sand is burying boat launches and, by next year, Dick predicts that the sand bar across the water will be completely gone. “It’s all due to high water in the lake – nothing to do with the river. The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority won’t let anyone put in steel breakwalls like ours anymore – only square stones or cedar posts. Right now my break wall is about four feet above the water. If I ever needed to raise it, I’d have to do stone. This is serious. My fear is that people aren’t paying attention.”

At the western end of Wasaga Beach, waterfront property owners are also seeing the beach disappear. The Wasaga West Beach Association has been working closely with Ontario Parks over the years to keep the beach a sandy recreational area, free of invasive vegetation.

“The high water level is creating new challenges for maintenance this season,” says association president Marsha Ramage. “Although it’s impacted our shoreline, we are fortunate to still have some beach left. We have seen

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ABOVE: Work crews struggle to move the sand back from the storefronts along Wasaga Beach. RIGHT: Tree roots are exposed after a sand slope washes away at Beach Area 3. BELOW: A breakwall stands at the ready to hold back more high water and debris.

massive erosion of our sand dunes, and most of the beach vegetation in flat areas has been removed by high water and wave action. Some homeowners have seen the water reach their property lines, and fences and deck structures have been damaged or completely demolished. We have asked members looking for help to protect their properties to contact the superintendent of our local Ontario Parks office or the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority to apply for the proper permits.”

Ontario Parks is responsible for monitoring shorelines within provincial

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park boundaries, which includes most of the 14 kilometres of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. “For several years, the lake levels on the Great Lakes have remained high affecting several kilometers of shoreline in many areas, including Wasaga Beach Provincial Park,” says John Fisher, Ontario Parks superintendent for Wasaga Beach.

“Due to continuing high water levels on Georgian Bay and severe storm events, the shoreline of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has experienced significant erosion and flooding in recent years. High water levels have also resulted in less beach area.” According to Fisher, shoreline erosion remediation may require review and analysis from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MNRF) District, the local municipality, the conservation authority, federal jurisdictions (Department of Fisheries & Oceans), private consultants and environmental assessments with public consultation.

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FEATURE

LEFT: High water heaved piles of rocks onto the shore at Sunset Point Park last spring, requiring a massive cleanup.

RIGHT: A backhoe moves boulders into place, forming a breakwall. MIDDLE & LOWER LEFT: Trails and parks were closed last spring due to high water and damage.

According to Collver, other high water problems require attention, such as shoring up at Harbourview Park to prevent erosion, replacing a jut that extends out into the west harbour, fixing sink holes in Millennium Park, and continually pumping out a section of Heritage Drive.

West of Wasaga Beach, the waterfront in the Town of Collingwood is also being impacted by the rising Georgian Bay waters. According to Dean Collver, director of parks and recreation, many municipal trails and parks are being eroded or risk disappearing altogether.

“We are proud of our 60 kilometres of trails, but they are at risk,” he says. “The trail to the northwest harbour is under two to three feet of water.

We’re doing an engineering assessment to see if a boardwalk there would be feasible. The extreme west end of Sunset Park is eroded. The town has already spent $350,000 to restore the shoreline by replacing and building up stones, but more is needed for the long term. Council is considering more dollars to take other ‘soft treatment’ actions involving designing soil types and vegetation planting to establish a healthier shoreline.”

According to Collver, other high water problems require attention, such as shoring up at Harbourview Park to prevent erosion, replacing a jut that extends out into the west harbour, fixing sink holes in Millennium Park, and continually pumping out a section of Heritage Drive – “the size of a football field” – due to flooding. “What’s the long-term solution?” Collver muses. “It’ a toss-up between spending more money or waiting until the water recedes. For now, we have a priority plan in place to deal with water issues as they arise.”

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37

FEATURE

ABOVE: Moira Hayworth looks out from her Collingwood property’s water line, with damage evident all around her. ABOVE RIGHT & RIGHT: Collingwood’s Millennium Park has also struggled with damage, debris and sinkholes. LOWER RIGHT: In The Blue Mountains, the shoreline for homeowner Boyd Van Allen and his neighbours is now a rock wall.

Hayworth points to a neighbour’s home two doors away, noting that her deck was on their lawn. Another neighbour had a patio over the water that started to collapse.

At the west end of Collingwood off Long Point Road, one waterfront resident is waging a personal battle against the forces of nature. “When we bought our house in 2014, the gardens were in bad shape, so we started over,” says Moira Hayworth. “But over the past few years, we’ve lost a ton of shoreline and our gardens have collapsed. It started with a storm last October, but every storm since then has taken out more and more. When we bought the property, we had a beach, a volleyball net and a fire pit. Now our beautiful birch tree is hanging by its toenails. Since 2015, every time we have gone away and come back, something else is gone.”

Hayworth points to a neighbour’s home two doors away, noting that her deck was on their lawn. Another neighbour had a patio over the water that started to collapse. “They’ve decided to install large square stones to reinforce their shoreline, which are brought in from Manitoulin Island,” she says. “We have decided to do the same, and we’ll need three levels of stone.

It’s going to be expensive.”

When asked how equipment and materials will be brought to her shoreline given the lack of access on either side of her home, Hayworth admits that she and her husband had asked their next-door neighbours to allow access through their property, offering to fully compensate them for any damage. They refused.

“Two doors down the other way, there’s a small cottage owned by a young couple. They have allowed access, but only to their shoreline,”

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says Hayworth. “To get to our shoreline, the contractor needs to build an underwater stone bridge to bring in the equipment and materials to our site.

As part of our deal with the couple, we took care of cleaning up the sediment from their property and will clean up their rock wall for them. They just bought the property, and they get tons of sediment in the water. Two weeks ago, their kids were swimming in it and got covered in rashes. I feel for them.”

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FEATURE

Vaccaro believes the reason for the high water level in Georgian Bay is the reluctance of Great Lakes authorities to reduce lake levels by letting more water out of the St. Clair River.

ABOVE: Sal Vaccaro stands atop the new rock wall in front of his seasonal home in The Blue Mountains.

RIGHT: Bruce Smith and Frances Roberts clean up the shoreline in front of the family cottage in Thornbury.

Seasonal resident Sal Vaccaro bought his waterfront home in The Blue Mountains 27 years ago. When his family moved in, their shoreline consisted of a gently sloping beach with some rocks that came up to where a retaining wall now stands. Today, the water just about reaches the wall.

Vaccaro motions out to the Bay. “See the black rocks out there? It was built as a wave barrier that was about 600 feet long by 300 feet, sticking out of the water about six feet,” he says. “There’s not much left of it.”

Last November, Vaccaro had rocks placed on top of his retaining wall to build it up against the elements. “This past March, the day before we were leaving for a trip to Dubai, water and debris was splashing over this new wall and ended up making a mess of our grass and patio,” he recalls.

“I was going crazy removing all the debris. So much for our wall! What I realized is that, with a rock wall, whatever splashes up and over it doesn’t go back into the water.”

Vaccaro believes the reason for the high water level in Georgian Bay is the reluctance of Great Lakes authorities to reduce lake levels by letting more water out of the St. Clair River, due to concerns about flooding in other areas. “Will the water go up or down?” he asks. “When the water went down a few years ago, we were all panicking and dredging. I think it’s a cycle, like anything – the stock market, real estate.”

Like Vaccaro, Bruce Smith, whose family cottage sits on Lake Drive in Thornbury, is experiencing a constant barrage of debris washing up on his property. “My father built this cottage in 1951, and I’ve been coming up here since I was a boy,” he says. “We’ve never seen anything like this. All of this plant matter [moved and dispersed around the cottage] was on the beach – about 600 to 800 wheelbarrow-loads. We had a quote to remove it, which was quite high, with no guarantees that it won’t come back.”

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Smith’s theory is that the debris is the result of soil erosion along the shores of the Bay, even from as far away as Wasaga Beach. “Due to wave action, it comes in, then goes out, then comes back in. My brother-in-law, who’s in the nursery business, told me that this stuff is really rich in nutrients.

The problem is that there’s a lot of bits of plastic in it. It’s only in the last five

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years or so that the plastic has been in there – pretty disgusting. Our beach gets buried in it, and you wouldn’t want to go in the water. I wish that people would realize that Georgian Bay is an amazing thing!”

Smith considers himself fortunate that the water was high in 1951, leading his dad to build the place a distance back from the shoreline. “And we’re also fortunate to still have a beach with the high winds and waves we’ve been getting. When I was a kid, you could walk all the way up and down the coast. We even had enough beach to play a bit of volleyball. Now, a lot of the cottagers around us have had to put in what looks like local rocks to save their shoreline, but some of them are using large, rectangular cut rock that comes from somewhere else.”

Smith’s take on the future: “Maybe this is as high as it’s going to get.

Hopefully the worst is over. Until then, I keep chipping away at the sediment.”

In addition to waterfront property owners, local municipalities are facing challenges from the high water on their public lands. According to Meaford CAO Rob Armstrong, the shorelines at Memorial Park, Fred Raper Park, and a portion of David Johnson Park have needed to be protected and reinforced.

In The Blue Mountains, stockpiled large stones have been used to shore up the most impacted beach in the municipality - Little River Beach – according to Director of Community Services Ryan Gibbons. Other beaches have shrunk considerably but, due to their “shelf shale” makeup, have experienced minimal shoreline erosion.

Why is the water so high? On July 17th, the International Joint Commission (IJC), which rules on applications for approval of projects affecting boundary (Canada/U.S.) or transboundary waters and approves conditions and criteria for regulating water levels and flows, held a public webinar on rising Great Lakes water levels. The event was held in

While Gauthier concurs that climate change plays a large role in lake water levels – causing less ice cover, more severe storm events and higher water temperatures – he also pointed to historic human interventions as a big part of the problem.

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partnership with the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, the International Lake Superior Board of Control and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management Committee (GLAM).

The webinar presented the following facts: • Precipitation in the Great Lakes from 2017 to 2019 was the highest three-year total in over 100 years, contributing to the highest water levels on record.

• The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence water system is interconnected. It is huge in terms of volume and basins.

• Seasonal factors impact lake water levels: snow accumulation in winter; snow melt, rainfall and increased runoff in the spring; more sunshine in the summer, which warms the waters; increased lake water evaporation in the fall.

• The St. Marys River, which connects Lake Superior to Lakes Michigan and Huron/Georgian Bay, is the only water control point in the Great Lakes, affecting upstream and downstream water flow.

Total St. Marys flows and lake levels are similar to what they would be without flow controls.

• Plan 2012 Balancing Principle allowed for adjustments to outflows to balance high or low levels upstream on Lake Superior with those downstream on Lake Michigan/Huron. If one lake is higher than the other, more or less water is released to balance the flows.

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• There are three Great Lakes water diversion points: the Long Lac/ Ogoki Diversion on the very north end of Lake Superior; the Chicago Diversion; and the Welland Diversion.

• When the high water in the Great Lakes will end is unknown. In the past, high levels have subsided with dry weather.

An earlier webinar in May, titled “Extreme Water Levels on the Upper Great Lakes: What Can Be Done?” was presented by Roger Gauthier, chair of Restore Our Water International (ROWI) and retired chief hydrologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the Georgian Bay Great Lakes Foundation (GBGLF), chaired by Mary Muter.

ROWI is a U.S./Canada non-profit, binational umbrella organization of several shoreline property owner associations, small business owners and concerned citizens. GBGLF is a group of shore property associations and environmental concerns around Georgian Bay. Gauthier began by releasing the latest statistic on water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron/Georgian Bay (considered as one lake as they are connected by the wide and deep Straits of Mackinac), which reported levels rising by a staggering 10 inches between May 2019 and May 2020, and

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43

FEATURE

ABOVE LEFT: A partially buried bench at Fred Raper Park in Meaford. ABOVE: The trail at Bayview Park in Thornbury was closed for waterfront repairs last spring. BELOW: A stone breakwall in Wasaga Beach toppled like a house of cards. LOWER LEFT: Cleanup work was also required at Little River Park in Thornbury.

predicted a rise of at least another five inches by the end of August 2020, setting new record highs this year.

While Gauthier concurs that climate change plays a large role in lake water levels – causing less ice cover, more severe storm events and higher water temperatures – he also pointed to historic human interventions as a big part of the problem.

As the webinar outlined, two human interventions were introduced more than 100 years ago that have impacted water levels over the years: the Long Lac/Ogoki Diversion north of Lake Superior, which creates more water outflow into Superior (then into Lakes Michigan and Huron/ Georgian Bay); and the Chicago Diversion, designed to remove water from Lake Michigan as required.

The intent of both diversions was purely economic, with a priority to support hydroelectric power and water freight. Gauthier notes that 95 per cent of the Lake Superior outflow is controlled by hydropower plants on either side of the St. Marys River. The average outflow over the last 102 years is 76,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). In May 2020, the target outflow is 80,900 cfs, a 6.5 per cent increase above the long-term average.

The webinar cited another factor in the increase in Lake Michigan/Huron

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levels: the human manipulation of the St. Clair River, which has caused sand accumulation in the river over time, reducing the ability of the river to outflow.

Recommendations on the next steps needed to reduce lake levels are to decrease the Long Lac/Ogoki Diversion – easiest to do, with no capital costs, and could result in a 4.5 inch drop in Michigan/Huron lake levels in 12 to 24 months – and increasing the Chicago Diversion, which could lower Michigan/Huron water levels by an additional 2.5 inches.

The webinar’s two presenting organizations claim that historic modifications to the system can be reversed, likely with substantial and acceptable costs to prevent future water level extremes. However, they worry that the current mind-set is to react to one crisis after the next.

“Prudent, long-term planning and follow-through are needed. We should send a clear message to the International Joint Commission (IJC) to think and act ‘outside the box.’ We don’t need more studies, ineffective adaptive management approaches or excuses. We need them to follow through on published recommendations. Furthermore, we need an equal emphasis on the

St. Clair – Detroit River system to monitor critical changes in this waterway.”

GBGLF chair Mary Muter adds, “The IJC is now holding Lake Superior to range. Although it’s reasonable to increase the water levels, we’re asking them to withhold this “The International Lake Superior Board of Control is continually discharging above what the 2012 Balancing Principle Plan allowed.

We can find no justification for doing so. Although climate is a factor in high Huron/Georgian Bay water levels, government agencies are only blaming the climate and inaccurately over-recording St. Clair River outflows.”

Muter is currently working with Professor Pat Chow of Simon Fraser University, assessing the impact of high water levels on wetlands in Georgian Bay. “In many cases, water has been pushing into shoreline rock and woodland,” she says.

She and Chow are conducting water assessments, tracking young fish near shores. “It’s different now because there is very little shallow water vegetation where young fish feed, forcing them into deeper water where they are eaten by larger fish. The east and north coasts of Georgian Bay are particularly sensitive to water level fluctuations.”

Sweetman observes that our Octobers are getting wetter, leading to a higher water level later in the year and more water in the spring. His recommendation for Georgian Bay waterfront property owners and municipalities is simple: adapt.

While Gauthier and Muter believe that human intervention in the Great Lakes has been the primary factor in high water levels, David Sweetman of another concerned group, Georgian Bay Forever, acknowledges the human factor but places most of the blame squarely on the climate.

“Water in Georgian Bay goes in and out through connecting channels, precipitation and evaporation. Even subtle changes in rivers can result in an underestimation of evaporation changes,” he says. “It’s all driven by energy in the atmosphere. Since the 1980s, the increase in extra energies due to climate change has had a tremendous impact on the lake, with much flashier transitions between high and low water. What our grandparents predicted doesn’t apply anymore.”

Sweetman believes that we are now in a major transition stage. “Lots of things change in the Great Lakes ecosystems. These changes will continue with a one degree Celsius increase [in temperature]. Canada gets hit a lot harder because we’re a northern country with lots of water vapour. It’s like a heat pump. We’re headed for huge storms in the future.”

Sweetman observes that our Octobers are getting wetter, leading to a higher water level later in the year and more water in the spring. “Looking at long-term modelling from Environment Canada over the next 40 to 50 years, it appears that our water levels will continue to fluctuate, but slowly increase on average from year to year.”

His recommendation for Georgian Bay waterfront property owners and municipalities is simple: adapt. “Make sure that properties are redesigned and weatherproofed to accommodate rising water levels. For example, install floating versus permanent docks with reversable access ramps.”

Whether it is the result of human intervention, an effect of climate change, or a combination of both factors, Georgian Bay water levels are rising to record levels, and indications are that they will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. While correcting the human activity of the past may play a moderate role in controlling water levels, it appears that Mother Nature is winning the battle. For this reason, it is important for waterfront residents and municipalities to prepare for the future by reinforcing and redesigning their shorelines and vulnerable waterfront structures. ❧

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FEATURED HOME Part of the original log cabin is visible on the far right end of the remodeled home, and designer/ builder Jacqueline Van Strien used veneers from some of the logs removed inside for the log section in the centre of the new limestone façade. To the left of the front door is the addition built to house the master suite, and to the right is the new section where the dining room now resides.

W

Transforming a log cabin in the woods while maintaining the original structure and feel

hen Susan and Stuart Ash were ready to turn their weekend retreat into a full-time residence, they went driving around The Blue Mountains to gather ideas. It was on one of those drives where kismet intervened.

They fell in love with designer-builder Jacqueline

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Van Strien’s house, drove in her driveway, and met the perfect person to turn their 175-year-old “basic log cabin” into a stunning stone and log home with plenty of room for living and entertaining, while maintaining the history – and memories – of their beloved cabin in the woods.

Escarpment

Idyll

by JANET LEES photography by DEREK TRASK

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FEATURED HOME

The cabin actually started out as two cabins, which the previous owners brought from the Ottawa Valley and joined together on this two-acre property perched on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment off Camperdown Road, surrounded by trees and very private, with an incredible view of Georgian Bay stretching from Christian Island to the Meaford Tank Range.

The Ashes purchased the home in 1998 and used it as a weekend ski chalet, creating lots of family memories over the years even though the cabin lacked conveniences like town water or sewer, cable TV or internet. Retirement approached just as The Blue Mountains was growing into a four-season destination and the Georgian Bay Club opened nearby. The resulting development along Camperdown brought more services to the area, and the Ashes knew

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LEFT & ABOVE: Walls in the log cabin were removed to create the new kitchen, which still has the original pine flooring. The redesign has a slightly nautical feel, a nod to the Ashes’ love of sailing.

LOWER LEFT: The dining room is in the newer section added to the front of the home, but is open to the kitchen and creates a seamless flow between old and new.

In spite of more than doubling the square footage, the innovative upgrade preserved the original cabins in-situ – with just the merest alterations to incorporate the additions and achieve the Ashes’ wish list. they could take advantage of these improvements while still enjoying the privacy of their exclusive oasis in the trees.

“As the area evolved, the house has evolved with it, and we’ve been able to evolve with the house,” says Stuart, who had an illustrious career as an award-winning graphic designer (among many accomplishments, he designed the iconic ‘Centennial leaf’ logo made up of multicoloured triangles to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation in 1967). As he prepared to sell his Toronto company, Gottschalk + Ash, he and Susan, herself a former interior designer, set out to transform their rustic hideaway into a home that would take them through the next phase of their journey.

After hiring Van Strien in 2006, they laid out their must-haves. They wanted to reorient the home to capitalize on the view; establish a great room looking out on the Bay, with a majestic two-storey cathedral ceiling; create an open concept between the expanded kitchen, dining room, living

room and billiard room; and relocate the master bedroom to the main floor with a fabulous ensuite bathroom, walk-in closet and laundry facilities. All while maintaining the footprint of the original cabin, preserving as much of the log structure and “cabin feel” as possible, and meeting the strict regulations of the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC).

“The brilliance of Jacqueline Van Strien was to reconfigure the space accommodating all of these objectives,” says Stuart. “This was achieved within the buildable footprint considering all the zoning and regulatory requirements of the Grey Bruce Escarpment.”

The existing cabins had a combined footprint of about 1,700 square feet, which the renovation expanded to just over 3,800 square feet above grade. But in spite of more than doubling the square footage, the innovative upgrade preserved the original cabins in-situ – with just the merest alterations to incorporate the additions and achieve the Ashes’ wish list.

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FEATURED HOME

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ABOVE: In the master suite addition, the bedroom features a vaulted ceiling and views out to the trees and gardens.

LEFT & LOWER LEFT: In the master bathroom, Van Strien used plenty of white marble, including the mosaic tile on the floor, the rectangular tiles on the custom skirting around the undermounted tub, and the Spanish wall tile in the wainscoting.

This attention to detail and preservation give the house a sense of history and a flow that makes it hard to tell where the old house ends and the new sections begin.

The other challenge was combining the couple’s contrasting tastes into one cohesive home. “Stuart’s a modernist and Susan, on the other hand, loves old things. She grew up partly in Vermont and partly in Quebec so she loves old log cabins,” says Van Strien. “The first time I met with them, she said it would really pain her heart to knock it down because of all the history and all of their past that the family spent there.

Stuart mentioned just in passing that he likes the tension between old and new, and that is something that intrigues me. So I sat down that evening and drew up the plans.”

She went back the next day to show the couple her vision, which involved preserving the original log cabin and building around it, completely modernizing it with a huge new kitchen, a new ground floor master suite, enlarging the living room with a view out to the Bay, and those cathedral ceilings the couple longed for.

Van Strien’s plan was a hit with the Ashes, and then it was a matter of making it work structurally and adhering to the confines of the NEC’s regulations. Van Strien hired a geotechnical engineer to navigate the NEC regs, and a structural engineer to ensure that removing portions

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TOP LEFT: Susan Ash created a cosy writing nook in a corner of the original cabin. TOP MIDDLE: The painting in the dining room, by Quebec artist Ulysse Comtois, reflects Stuart’s contemporary taste. LEFT & ABOVE RIGHT: The living room is in the original log cabin section of the home. Part of a wall was removed to create the rectangular bay window with views out to the Escarpment and Georgian Bay, and a section of the original second floor was removed to give the room a cathedral ceiling, with reclaimed beams added for structural load bearing. The fireplace was recreated using stones from the cabin’s original fireplace. ABOVE: Walking in the front door, the first thing a visitor sees is this corner of what was originally the exterior of the log cabin. FAR RIGHT: The Ashes’ dog, Suki, stakes out a warm spot in front of the fireplace in a log corner of the kitchen. The fireplace is a gas model that looks like a wood-burner and radiates heat.

A portion of the original second floor has been removed to create the sought-after vaulted ceiling in the living room, and the Ashes are especially fond of the floor-to-ceiling fireplace. of walls as well as part of the ceiling in the original log cabin wouldn’t compromise structural integrity or load bearing.

“The property was really constrained by steep slopes, so the geotechnical engineer looked at diverting storm water along the property and also making sure that the slopes would remain stable after we built on the property,” recalls Van Strien. “The footprint had to follow the terrain to a certain degree, and the new garage had to be

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at a higher elevation with all kinds of drainage in the transition area between the two levels, so the ground remains stable and water moves efficiently and safely.”

Entering the somewhat hidden driveway, the detached double-car garage has a coach house feel. The new stone and log façade of the house stretches out below, nestled in the trees with natural gardens Susan put in herself and a promontory at one end looking out over the edge of the

FEATURED HOME

Escarpment. The impact is breathtaking but not at all fussy; the house has a sense of belonging to the landscape.

Walking in the front door, one of the first things a visitor sees is the corner of two exterior walls of the original log cabin. These walls have been maintained throughout, so in practically every room you have a view of a log wall. The wall at the Escarpment end has been opened into a rectangular bay window that takes full advantage of the view.

A portion of the original second floor has been removed to create the sought-after vaulted ceiling in the living room, and the Ashes are especially fond of the floor-to-ceiling fireplace, which was recreated using the stone from the cabin’s original fireplace, once situated in the kitchen.

The fireplace stone isn’t the only thing that has been reused; the log section on the exterior of the house uses veneers from the beams that were removed during the renovation.

This attention to detail and preservation give the house a sense of history and a flow that makes it hard to tell where the old house ends and the new sections begin. That’s exactly what Susan was hoping to achieve, and she couldn’t be happier.

“Log cabins talk to you,” she muses as she looks around fondly, taking in the view indoors as well as outdoors. “You feel a calmness. It’s so natural and timeless, and being in the trees it really feels like you’re in the forest. Then, when the leaves go off the trees, we can see all the way over to Meaford one way and Christian Island the other way. It’s a completely different view in the winter.” ❧

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FEATURED HOME

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Source Guide General Contractor – Van Strien Developments Inc., Thornbury Design Concepts for Renovation & Detached Garage – Jacqueline Van Strien, Thornbury Structural Engineering – Dan Barill, PEng., Barill Engineering Ltd., Collingwood Geotechnical Engineering – Andy Hims, PEng, Jagger Hims Limited (now Genivar Inc.).

Andy Hims now with Hims GeoEnvironmental Ltd., Collingwood Windows – Loewen Kitchen Counter – Bianco Romano granite Kitchen Cabinets, Range Hood & Custom Vanities – Greg Andrews, Clearview Woodworking, Stayner Countertops (kitchen and bathrooms) – Solid Stone, Vaughan Plumbing Fixtures – Taps, Toronto Living Room Light Fixture & Exterior Copper Lanterns – Walter Haidle, Lightcrafters Custom Lighting Fireplace Masonry – Campbell Construction Inc., Thornbury Landscaping and Stonework – Janalco Limited, Thornbury Spanish Tile in Master Ensuite - Tilemaster, Barrie

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How will COVID-19 impact your retirement?

With the stock markets being volatile, it’s perfectly normal to be wondering about your savings ahead of retirement. Whether you’re preparing for retirement, already enjoying it, or in the middle of establishing a long-term retirement plan, Jamie has sound advice to help you get through this period of instability Need help?

Start by meeting with Jamie.

He will guide you on the next steps according to your needs.

Jamie Bennett Investment Advisor

Tel.: 705-446-0255 jamie.bennett@nbc.ca 108 Hurontario St. Collingwood, Ontario ABOVE: The detached coach house-style garage, at left, was built after the house renovation and is situated slightly higher due to drainage considerations and Niagara Escarpment Commission regulations.

BELOW: Photos taken during construction show the footprint of the original log cabin (actually two cabins joined together) and the additions Van Strien built around it. LEFT: Homeowners Susan and Stuart Ash sit on the promontory that looks out over the Escarpment to the Bay.

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HOME IMPROVEMENT & STYLE

ONE ROOM

THREE DIFFERENT

LOOKS Quick and easy changes to transform a room stories by JUDY ROSS photography by DEREK TRASK

T

ired of staring at your four walls?

Wish you had something different to look at during these long, cooped-up days of the pandemic? Wondering how to make changes at home without spending a fortune?

On The Bay consulted an expert in changing the look of a room to show us how it works.

Suze McCart is an interior decorator and home stager who has been refreshing spaces for homeowners and realtors for 14 years. We gave her the challenge of taking a basic living room and updating it with three distinct decorating styles. Here’s what she did and how.

Interior decorator Suze McCart chose three different decorating styles to transform this room. Left to right: a Boho look; a rustic chalet look; and a sophisticated modern look.

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HOME IMPROVEMENT & STYLE

In this ‘before’ photo, the room has good-quality furniture, but the walls are empty and accents are needed.

The Starting Point The original living room in this house needed some editing, so McCart began by taking away some of the knick-knacks and allowing the room to breathe. She was then able to see what changes she could bring to the space. The only items that stayed in place throughout all the scene changes were the sofa, coffee table and area rug. Lamps, plants and accent pieces were rotated in and out.

“One of the best ways I find when designing a whole house or just refreshing a room is to first look around the house; often there are pieces of furniture, lamps and art that can be recycled,” says McCart.

“Sometimes we’ve had something in the basement or tucked away in a cupboard for so long we don’t even know it’s there. Items like chairs, lamps and rugs can be moved easily from room to room and it’s amazing how different they can look in a new setting.”

In this case the living room is small and somewhat narrow with windows on one wall and two wide door openings, one to the foyer and one to the dining room. The house was built in 1904 and the main floor layout is typical of older homes in downtown neighbourhoods. The homeowner had good quality basics: a large dark grey sofa, an ivory patterned rug, a stylish wood and metal coffee table, and two Bergère

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armchairs that were purchased 25 years ago. She wanted art and some accent colour, but didn’t know what direction to take or which colour to choose.

As McCart explains, “Art is a good starting point for a room, but it can be difficult. We don’t know what to get and are often afraid of making a big investment in original art. But inexpensive options are available. Every piece of art that I chose for these rooms is a print on canvas, bought at home stores like HomeSense. They’re a good size, they don’t cost much, they aren’t heavy and they’re easy to hang. Of course, real art is wonderful in any room, but sometimes it’s beyond the budget.”

Choosing a theme for every new look gave McCart a focus and allowed her to play with colour, pattern and texture. In each of the three rooms the art came first. “It’s important to choose and to hang art properly, and to pay attention to scale and proportion,” she notes. “The two biggest mistakes are hanging art too high up the wall or choosing pieces that aren’t the appropriate size for the space.”

Once the art was chosen, the fun could begin. The three looks are all unique and show how a little imagination and a selection of just a few new things can give you a totally different look.

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Above, rearranging the coffee tabletop is an easy change. Here a tray is used to gather a selection of pots and plants. Below, a resin monkey, dubbed “Gus,” adds a touch of whimsy and appears in all three transformations.

The Boho Look This look derives from the word “Bohemian,” suggesting an eclectic – often exotic – gathering of items and a carefree, relaxed style. The opposite of minimal or neutral, the boho look involves layering of textures and saturated colours, along with plenty of greenery.

“In this room, I used the Buddha print as a starting point for the colour palette,” explains McCart, “then I found the perfect pillows for the sofa.” The print was hung off-centre, allowing for a trio of baskets to complete the casual look of the wall arrangement. Two leather hoop chairs were brought into the room to replace the original, more formal armchairs. A nubbly pouffe is a nice textured addition, and can be moved about the room and used as either seating for kids or as a footstool.

McCart used the subtle orange tones in the Buddha print as the basic accent colour. “If you’re introducing colour in a room, a basic rule is to use it three times,” she says. “Here we have the orange tint of the leather chairs, the art and the sofa pillows. And since the boho look allows for lots of character, we added some funky sculptural pieces.”

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HOME IMPROVEMENT & STYLE

The wall arrangement with an oversized print and baskets sets the tone for the new Boho look (above). Orange tones add warmth and life to the room. For the throw pillows (left), McCart selects a blend of colours, sizes and textures.

“If you’re introducing colour in a room, a basic rule is to use it three times,” she says. “Here we have the orange tint of the leather chairs, the art and the sofa pillows. And since the boho look allows for lots of character, we added some funky sculptural pieces.”

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Above, this look is all about texture and comfort, with animal skins and hides against a palette of neutral colours. Below, a new arrangement on the coffee table uses the same tray as a base.

The Rustic Chalet Look “In this room you just want to touch everything!” laughs McCart as she tucks a sheepskin throw into the corner of the sofa. This versatile design style is more commonly associated with log homes and ski chalets, but here it adds an exuberant new look to the living room of a downtown Collingwood heritage home.

The oversized photograph of an elk provides the dramatic starting point. Normally, art hung over a sofa should take up about two-thirds of the horizontal space. But this print is tall enough to compensate for the narrower width. Everything in the room is nature-inspired, with earthy colours and real animal skins. The cowhide was layered on top of the rug to anchor the space, and McCart used the same plants that were in the boho room.

New tweedy armchairs were brought in that are “really comfortable for reading,” and plenty of throws and cushions add to the all-important warmth and comfort of the rustic chalet look. “It’s important to get the scale of the throw pillows right,” says McCart. “Too often you see sofas with dinky pillows. Here we layered many of them, all with different textures, but all of them feel great when you touch them.”

Although the live-edge side tables stayed the same for this look, new neutral ceramic lamps were added to suit the soft, warm colours and natural textures.

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HOME IMPROVEMENT & STYLE

The live edge side tables remain the same, but the lamps have changed for this rustic chalet look. Layers of throw pillows make it cosy. Below, Gus the monkey makes another appearance.

The oversized photograph of an elk provides the dramatic starting point. Normally, art hung over a sofa should take up about two-thirds of the horizontal space. But this print is tall enough to compensate for the narrower width.

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HOME IMPROVEMENT & STYLE

Above, removing the dark drapes opened up the room to allow more light. The plant by the window appears in every room, but the black ceramic pot holder makes a difference here. Below, using a coffee table book as a pedestal is an interesting option.

The Sophisticated Contemporary Look Contemporary differs from modern in that it showcases space rather than things. ‘Less is more’ is the mantra for this style. To achieve this the drapes were taken down, which brought in more light and revealed the interesting architectural details of the window trim.

A pair of bold abstract prints over the sofa add graphic punch to the sophisticated palette of black, gold and cream. Clean lines and metallic elements form part of this look. The two mustard coloured armchairs energize the room and tie in with the gold in the artwork and throw pillows.

“I always use some black in rooms that I design,” says McCart. “It grounds a space and adds a sophisticated look.” Here, black is seen in the metal lamps, the plant pot, the ceramic head sculptures on the coffee table, and the black resin monkey – “Gus” – who appears somewhere in every one of these different rooms. “I always like to add some whimsy,” laughs McCart, “and Gus is here for that!”

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Accessorize

LIKE A PRO A good way to start the process of breathing new life into your space is to clear it out. Remove all small and mid-size items such as art, pillows, lamps and knick-knacks. Once you’ve done this you can see the room more clearly and assess what is needed and what to keep.

“Don’t keep it if you don’t love it,” advises Suze McCart. “People get attached to things for sentimental reasons, but sometimes you have to let it go.” Injecting your own personality keeps a room from looking like a staged model home. No matter what style you hope to achieve, the best-looking rooms involve a combination of old and new. You want the room to seem collected over time. If you have treasured heirlooms or antiques that you haven’t looked at in years, bring them all out, dust them off and examine them. Be selective and place them appropriately to make your space original.

Books are essential and always add character to a room. Arrange them vertically and horizontally on shelves. A stack of coffee table books can be used as a pedestal for an interesting vase or bowl.

When arranging accessories, pay attention to scale and proportion.

Groupings of three or five generally look best. Think of a triangle when arranging a grouping using one tall piece and two lower items.

Use trays to group items on tabletops. Arrange sofa pillows the same way by choosing different sizes and layers of texture and pattern.

As a final word of advice: “Don’t do what’s trendy. Do your own style but keep it timeless and classic.”

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A pair of bold abstract prints provide the starting point for the sophisticated look (above). A stylish floor lamp replaces the side table at one end of the sofa. Below, silky pillows complement the colours in the artwork.

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Jessica Crandlemire PHOTOGRAPHER portrait • wedding

•

art

withlightandshadow.ca 705.888.8699

Tour the

Local Arts OPENING NIGHT ONLINE: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH AT 5PM

Annual Square Foot Show

SHOW RUNS NOV. 7 - DEC. 31 LOFTGALLERYART.COM We are taking t he Square Foot Show online t his year. Great Gif t Ideas!

Awards

Gifts Art

Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts 65 Simcoe St., Studio 4, Collingwood 705.445.3430.bmfa.ca

Gallery

SP OTLI G HT Local art galleries are supporting artists and keeping art in the spotlight during this difficult time. We’re pleased to feature three local galleries and a sampling of the artists they represent.

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GALLERY SPOTLIGHT

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Loft Gallery Inc. “If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit Loft Gallery Inc. in downtown Thornbury in a while, our doors are open and we’re eager to share new works that are both incredibly uplifting and inspiring,” says owner Heather Carroll. “The gallery is fortunate to showcase the artwork of resident artists Debra Lynn Carroll and Lorne McDermott, exclusive artist Janet Liesemer, and local artists Jennifer Woodburn and Brian Buckrell. Our resident artists (Debra and Lorne) can be found painting and interacting with patrons onsite at the gallery most days.”

New events at the Loft include the recent release of Janet Liesemer’s Art In A Box series. “The art boxes make beautiful gift ideas and include all the materials you need to complete her lesson, along with a video link to follow as Janet guides you through the completion of your painting,” says Carroll. “We even have a fun Party Box for groups of four to purchase and complete a class together.”

The gallery is also planning its annual Square Foot Show on Nov. 7, with a new online format designed to keep everyone safe while shopping for your favourite square foot paintings.

To find out more and view works online, visit loftgalleryart.com

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Clockwise from top left: Incoming Weather,

by Jennifer Woodburn, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 60 inches. Summertime Blues, by Debra Lynn Carroll, oil on canvas, 36 x 72 inches.

Escarpment Autumn, by Brian Buckrell, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 36 inches. Summer On the Bay,

by Lorne McDermott, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches. Down By the River, by Janet Liesemer, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48 inches.

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Clockwise from above: Two Chairs, by Philip Craig, oil on canvas, 30 x 36 inches.

Snowy Copse, by Jo Ann Sauks, pastel, 23 x 17 inches. Slip Stream, by Mark Thurman, scratchboard, 27.5 x 33 inches.

Summer on the Loire, by Philip Craig, oil on canvas, 24 x 48 inches. Windy Sky Georgian Bay, by Shannon Craig Morphew, oil on canvas, 24 x 36 inches.

Calculations of Gravity, by Evelyne Richer, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 40 inches.

GALLERY SPOTLIGHT

Craig Gallery New to the area, Craig Gallery is located in downtown Meaford. Set in a large, light-filled space, it contains artwork in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, photography, pottery and jewelry.

Owned and operated by Jonathan Craig and Bridget Light Craig, the gallery features work by more than 40 Ontario artists, including Jonathan’s father, Philip Craig, and several local artists. Styles of art range from traditional landscapes to beautifully crafted artisanal products and jewelry, to the weird and unexpected.

Craig Gallery also offers free local delivery, curbside pick-up and shipping.

Find out the latest hours at craiggallery.ca. During this time, visitors are asked to wear a mask, and only four people are allowed in the space at a time.

For those preferring not to visit in person, the website offers a 360-degree virtual tour and online store.

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GALLERY SPOTLIGHT

Brights Gallery Located in the Village at Blue Mountain, Brights Gallery represents professional, established artists, with an almost exclusive focus on Canadian art. The gallery carries the work of top-selling artists ranging from landscapes, abstracts, contemporary and ski pieces to yard sculptures. Brights also offers recommendations, evaluations, delivery, hanging and guarantees.

“We have close relationships with Canada’s largest art agents and can draw from over 100 artists to help clients find what they’re looking for,” says owner Peter Bright. “The price point of the pieces in the art gallery will appeal to first-time purchasers and seasoned collectors of quality original Canadian art. With over 50 artists, 20-plus new paintings in every month and with access to over 100 artists’ collections, we guarantee we will help you find the perfect piece.”

The gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Or visit brightsgallery.com to find out more about the artists and view their work online.

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Clockwise from top left: Pine Cone, by Floyd Elzinga, Corten steel, 12 inches to eight feet. Polar Bear, by Myriam Rousseau, mixed media on canvas, 48 x 36 inches. Wake Me Up Softly, by Stephanie Fehrenbach, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches. Shoreline Study, by Carole Malcolm, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48 inches.

Dream of My Past, by Michele Woodey (Fiona Hoop), oil on board, 48 x 48 inches. Regal Gray, by Pietro Adamo, mixed media on board, 48 x 48 inches. Hidden Pine, by Mark Berens, oil on canvas, 24 x 36 inches.

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ACTIVITIES

Exploring THE

BRUCE

3 hikes to take you away from it all stories by LAURIE STEPHENS photography by DOUG BURLOCK

S

outhern Georgian Bay is a hiker’s paradise. From challenging climbs up the Niagara Escarpment to leisurely strolls alongside local rivers, the variety of terrain, unique geological features and diversity of flora and fauna provide overwhelming choice for hikers of all abilities.

My mission: hike three trails, with friends, in three beautiful parts of region, all touching sections of the historic Bruce Trail. I put out the call to my hiking buddies. They’re up for the challenge.

Emerging from the depths of the Singhampton Caves, Karen Hall and Barry Zimmermann marvel at the moss and ferns that cover the rock walls.

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ABOVE LEFT: Morag Nieuwold examines a tree root that seemingly sprouts from the rockface, anchoring a large birch tree in place in the Singhampton Caves. ABOVE RIGHT: Barry Zimmermann takes in one of the stunning rock formations on the upper part of the trail. ABOVE: A map showing the trail route.

Singhampton Caves Trail Blue Mountains Section of the Bruce Trail We are standing in the middle of a deep pit, looking up at massive granite walls that rise 30 feet high and envelop us on all four sides. Slivers of sun peek through the tree canopy above. It’s a feast for the senses.

The first sensation as we climb down into the crevice is heavy, cool moisture that is visible to the eye and clings to our skin. Then a sweet, earthy smell fills our nostrils, and as we glance up and around, we see the walls are alive, carpeted by all kinds of mosses and ferns. We hear the muffled sound of birds twittering above us.

This is the deepest part of the Singhampton Caves, a geological marvel that was formed millions of years ago when huge blocks of rock broke away from the cliff face of the Niagara Escarpment. Getting to this deepest crevice is not for the faint of heart. It involves carefully clambering down through narrow fissures in the rock, descending in stages through ‘crevice caves’ that each reveal a new wonder.

I’ve brought hiking poles with me on this hike and it’s a mistake. They become a hindrance when the descent requires both hands – and sometimes my rear-end – to make sure I don’t lose my footing on rocks that are still a bit slick from recent rain. The effort to manoeuvre through the rock formations has me breaking out in a sweat, even though the air is cool from moisture.

The six members of our group today are ski friends, many of us retirees, who are looking forward to exploring a new part of the Bruce Trail. This hiking trail, appropriately called the Singhampton Caves Trail, is in my opinion the most memorable of our three hikes, even though it is the shortest at only 2.3 kilometres.

The trek starts at the top of the Escarpment. After taking in a spectacular view of the Pretty River Valley from a lookout, the descent through the crevices is filled with sights that confound us, like huge birch and fir trees that sprout out of the rock walls and rise upwards to catch some sunrays.

A large turkey vulture circles above us, no doubt hoping we are his lunch.

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Our group takes it all in, searching for superlatives to describe this section of the trail with its interlocking crevices that take us deeper and deeper into the earth.

“It’s a mini Grand Canyon,” says Dave Nieuwold, a retired firefighter from Guelph. Or like something out of Jurassic Park, adds Katia Abaimova, a broker with a Collingwood real estate firm.

Deb Bloom Hall, from Collingwood, likens the rock structures to a giant Jenga set, while Karen Hall, a retiree from Wasaga Beach, marvels at the way the light hits the moss on the rock walls: “It looks like velvet.” Barry Zimmermann, Karen’s partner, is impressed by the way a large birch clings to the rockface: “Just look at that one root – it loops up the rock and then goes back down into a crack.”

We linger in the deepest crevice for a few minutes, soaking up the experience before beginning the much-easier climb out into a full deciduous forest. We start to ascend the Escarpment, and the odd mosquito buzzes us as we walk through a section that looks like a graveyard of white birch trees.

The upward trek is short but provides a burst of cardio before we reach the end of the trail where our cars are parked. It’s been an hour and a half, but too soon, this hike is done.

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ABOVE: Leslie Piercey looks out over the Pretty River Valley from a lookout on the Pretty River and Bruce Trail Loop. RIGHT: Linda and Taiden Burlock hike along the lush Pretty River Trail, which gently rises to the top of the Niagara Escarpment. BELOW: A map of the trail.

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It’s just after 3 p.m. and the temperature is only 24 degrees, but the humidity is fierce. I’ve got a good sweat going, and we’ve barely started our hike. But we’re in the forest and walking alongside the Pretty River – really a stream at this point –which burbles over rocks and provides a cooling mist that hangs in the air.

Our group, seven in number this time and all appropriately physically distancing in this COVID world, scramble over this early section of the trail where the stream encroaches the path in a couple of sections. Not everyone’s hiking boots remain dry.

For Morag Nieuwold, a retired teacher, this is her favourite part of the hike: “I love hearing the babbling brook and the rocks and the waterfalls.”

Morag and Dave Nieuwold began hiking when they first met 36 years ago.

Both loved the outdoors and would incorporate hikes into their frequent camping trips. After they had children, they started hiking much more, to show their kids the beauty and splendour of Ontario’s great outdoors.

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ACTIVITIES

ABOVE: A familiar white blaze on a tree shows the way on the Pretty River and Bruce Trail Loop. TOP LEFT: Morag and Dave Nieuwold, Leslie Piercey and Rick Floether cross over the Pretty River at the start of the hike. MIDDLE LEFT: The going starts to get a little tougher for Rick Floether and Deb Bloom Hall as the trail becomes a little steeper closer to the top. BOTTOM LEFT: Dave and Morag Nieuwold find a way across the river without getting their boots wet (others weren’t so lucky).

“It’s good to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” says Dave.

The allure of hiking extends beyond the simple enjoyment of nature. The physicality of an activity that takes place in what Bloom Hall calls “the centre of the universe” has other benefits as well: “It’s a chance to re-centre myself, and you don’t even realize it’s a workout, do you?”

A little over a kilometre in, we veer away from the river and start a slow climb through a forest of tall deciduous trees that allow slivers of sunlight to feed the lush undergrowth. The smell here is different – fresher and less moist.

Woodpeckers drum and cardinals sing to us as we follow a path that is well-worn and a little muddy in places on this day. A number of side trails criss-cross the main trail, and we take care to follow the signs and our map so that we don’t get sidetracked.

It’s an easy climb at first – not technical – with surprisingly few bugs. But then we start the serious ascent up terrain that is much steeper. I put my head down and climb, my heartrate rising and sweat dripping down my face and body. We finally reach the lookout at the top – our Garmin watches tell us we’ve climbed almost 300 metres – and we peek through the trees for a view of the Pretty River Valley. It’s a gorgeous vista of tracts of golden farmers’ fields carved out of deep green forests. A barn with a bright red roof punctuates the scene.

A conversation ensues. Do we hike the other loop to make it the full ninekilometre Pretty River/Bruce Trail experience, or do we start back and head to Side Launch Brewing Company in nearby Collingwood for a beer?

A quick check of the brewery’s closing time seals the deal.

If we want to make it there before 6 p.m., we have to hustle, so we retrace our steps down the main trail and then veer off onto a side trail that takes us past one last point of beauty, a small pond that glistens in the full sun. We pause briefly to take it in, then walk a half kilometre further back to our cars.

We have time to spare for the 10-minute drive to Side Launch.

We’ve covered 7.5 kilometres in about 2.5 hours. We’re sweaty, thirsty, and physically tired from a great workout. A cold beer never tasted so good.

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ABOVE: As pockets of cold air waft up from the crevices, Leslie Piercey and Shanna Reid cool off amidst the mossy rocks of a massive boulder field on the Silent Valley Trail. RIGHT: Karen Hall and Barry Zimmermann lead the pack as the hikers leave the boulder field. FAR RIGHT: A map of the Silent Valley Trail.

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Silent Valley Trail Sydenham Section of the Bruce Trail It’s another hot and humid day, even at this early hour of 9 a.m., as eight of us embark on our 5.5-kilometre hike along the historic Silent Valley Trail.

The first 300 metres of gravel road gives way to a field where we follow a narrow path with tall grasses on either side. The moisture from the morning dew makes it a steamy start to the trek.

But soon, we enter a stunningly beautiful cedar forest that gives us some respite from the heat. The trees are at least 10 metres tall, and their delicious fragrance is overwhelming. Little sunlight makes its way through the dense canopy, and the occasional large rock covered in moss interrupts the flat path, foreshadowing what is ahead for us.

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About two kilometres into the hike, we start uphill along a narrow path that becomes more difficult due to the increasing number of boulders and uneven footing. Before we know it, we are in the midst of a massive boulder field that is framed by an impressive rockface on our right. This geological formation is called a scree – an accumulation of rock debris at the base of a cliff.

Leslie Piercey, a retired biologist/ecologist from Meaford, climbs over to the Escarpment cliff face to size it up.

“Look at the height of this! It’s the fracturing of these cliffs over time that

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ABOVE: Amidst amazing plant life, Laurie Stephens heads towards the abandoned homestead on the Silent Valley Trail. RIGHT: Boulders the size of Barry Zimmermann – and larger – are common along this trail.

LOWER RIGHT: Beside the trail lies the wreck of a Cessna plane that went down in a storm in 1970, killing all aboard.

create the boulder fields,” she explains. “I think of those processes when I’m at the bottom of a wall or crevice like this, and I’m grateful that the rate of change is very slow.”

The hike at this point is best described as a scramble. There is no welldefined passage here – we must climb over or around the rocks, up small inclines and down, following the trail markings on rock surfaces as best we can. The terrain features small caves and crevices that are clearly home to forest creatures, and when we drop down into a pocket surrounded by boulders, we are hit with a blast of cold air that is at least 10 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature. It’s a natural fridge, and a welcome one on this sweltering day.

Due to its technical nature, it takes us some time to navigate the boulder field. But once through, we are back onto an easier path that leads us to the ruins of a homestead built in 1866 by Scottish immigrant John Wilson, whose family farmed the land for three generations. According to a historical plaque at the site, the family cleared the 200-acre plot of land of its boulders and dense forest using only oxen and horses.

The first evidence we see of the Wilson farm is a well-preserved 20-foot well that was dug by hand and lined with stones all the way to the bottom.

A short distance away is the stone foundation of a barn that was huge for its time, measuring 92 feet by 62 feet. Some rusty farm implements are scattered here and there.

“I love that some of the equipment is still here, and to think that someone built the barn wall from scratch is incredible,” says Shanna Reid, an outdoor enthusiast who works in the recreation field in Port Elgin. “A lot of work was put into it with little technology and the foundation was very large. They even used some of the natural rock walls as part of the foundation.”

Just beyond the homestead, we came across another historical site: the preserved wreckage of a Cessna 205 that went down in a severe thunderstorm on September 26, 1970. All four aboard perished, and looking at the remains of the plane, I am struck by how fragile this aircraft would have been in a storm.

We continue on our trek, an ascent up the Escarpment that gets our heart

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rates up. Once at the top, the terrain flattens out, but the trees do their best to obscure the view. There are glimpses of the valley below from our rock ledge, but we have to be mindful of our footing.

We decide that rather than do a loop for our descent, we will come back down through the boulder fields. It’s a smart decision, as it provides a whole new perspective of the scree as we come at it from above. “I think the boulder area is most impressive this way,” says Piercey. “It’s really quite magical. And it’s nice that it’s so wonderfully lush and cool on a hot summer day.”

Once through the boulder field, it’s an easy retrace of our steps back to our parked cars. On this hot, humid day, we’ve covered 7.2 kilometres in a leisurely 2.5 hours.

We’ve done three spectacular hikes, all offering a very different experience of the historic Bruce Trail. Our mission is complete, but it whets our appetites for more. ❧

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE MOUNTAIN RESORT

Hiking the Groove Trail along the top of the Escarpment at Blue Mountain Resort.

Blue Mountain For those looking for a more structured kind of hiking experience, Blue Mountain Resort may be the place to explore.

The resort has significantly expanded its trail system this year, now operating 22 trails or loops that vary in length and difficulty, from challenging ascents up the popular Cascade Trail or The Grind, to easier routes like the Woodview Trail that runs along the top of the Escarpment and is fully accessible.

“We’ve got trails for everyone,” says Tara Lovell, the resort’s manager of public relations. “There are some advanced trails you can go on and some advanced loops that are a little more of a physical challenge. Or, if you just want to explore a little bit, there are trails that are beginner loops for smaller children, or for people who have a stroller or a wheelchair with them.”

This year, Blue Mountain has faced some controversy for a decision to charge for access to its trail network.

One reason is the need to control the number of people on the trails this year due to the COVID 19 pandemic, says Lovell. Another is the fact that the resort invests significantly in the maintenance and supervision of their trail system to ensure it offers a safe environment for visiting hikers. They even have first aid patrollers available should someone require medical assistance. “Charging for hiking was going to happen at some point anyway because it is so popular and because the wear and tear [of the trails] continues,” says Lovell. “But the urgency in implementing it this year is because of capacity management.”

Visitors are able to access the hiking trails and the gondola through a Play-All-Day Pass, a 2021 5x7 or Ikon Season Pass, an Explore Pass, or a Play-As-You-Go Base Camp Attraction Ticket. All of these can be purchased online.

Due to the popularity of the resort’s hiking trails, visitors are strongly encouraged to pre-book their visit so that they are guaranteed access to the trails and gondola on the day they want to hike. “It’s kind of an easy way for people to get into nature,” says Lovell. “It’s an activity that really all you need is a set of hiking boots or even running shoes and the desire to get outside. But go online first, have a look at what we have to offer, and we strongly encourage you to pre-book.” ❧

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SPECIAL INFORMATION SECTION

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Jassy Sidhu, interior designer & stylist, JS Design House.

JS DESIGN HOUSE This new, full-service interior design studio and home décor store recently opened on Simcoe Street in downtown Collingwood.

“Our sense of style is about balancing neutral palettes with bold and edgy design choices that make a statement! This is reflected in our furnishings and décor available at the store and in the designs we create for our clients,” said owner and principal designer Jassy Sidhu.

“We believe your home should be a reflection of you and your lifestyle. With this in mind, we set out to create sophisticated, timeless spaces that are thoughtfully curated and beautifully designed.”

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TRANSFORMATIONS Ashley Mills, owner of LYFT Medical Aesthetics.

LYFT MEDICAL AESTHETICS LYFT Medical Aesthetics offers nonsurgical injectable cosmetic treatments aimed at helping clients look and feel their best.

“We treat your face as a whole rather than targeting specific wrinkles and folds, with the ultimate goal of creating the best version of YOU,” said owner Ashley Mills, a Registered Practical Nurse and member of the College of Nurses of Ontario. “We do this by softening deep folds, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, restoring lost volume, enhancing facial contours, all while maintaining normal expressions and a natural look. Every single person has a

DUNTROON HIGHLANDS Duntroon Highlands is Ontario’s highest golf course, and new owners Martin Rydlo and Stacie Smith have big plans to take it to even greater heights.

Located on the Niagara Escarpment just south of Collingwood and The Blue Mountains, the breathtaking views of Southern Georgian Bay, dramatic landscape features and relaxed atmosphere at Duntroon Highlands have made it a favourite for locals and visitors to experience the fun and freedom of golf and the outdoors.

“We have made significant changes already, including a renovated Clubhouse, launch of a locally inspired café, new golf carts, new tee boxes, and an all-new trail

Go for great taste!

The Duntroon Highlands team (l-r): special events expert Travis Nixon, Stacie Smith, Martin Rydlo, GM John Marshall, head golf pro Tony Rubes.

Missing: chef Christina Sheardown.

system for hikers of all abilities. And we have lots more we’re working on,” said Smith. “Duntroon Highlands is a place where guests can have fun, leaving the stress of daily life behind them. It’s a place where they can recharge with friends and family while enjoying the outdoors, the beauty of the Niagara Escarpment and locally inspired food and beverages all year long.”

The par 71 golf course offers a range of membership options as well as leagues, clinics, lessons, practice facilities and kids’ programs. The café is inspired by the region’s rich farming history, the extensive trails include access to the Bruce Trail, and the resort also provides a unique setting for indoor and outdoor retreats.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.

1226 Concession 10, Duntroon 705-445-3554 DuntroonHighlands.com

ROYAL LEPAGE RCR REALTY Sales representative Basia Regan and her team have moved to a new location in downtown Creemore to better serve the communities of Caledon, Mono, Mulmur, Creemore and surrounding areas.

“We needed to find a suitable location in the village as the previous office space was sold and will be redeveloped,” said Regan.

“The new location provides space for additional realtors plus an assistant, and more Basia Regan, sales representative for attractive office space.”

Royal LePage RCR Realty in Creemore.

Regan has worked in real estate and property management for nearly 40 years and, as a Mulmur resident since 1984, offers an intimate knowledge of the area.

“Despite COVID-19, real estate is booming in the area,” she noted.

“I am here to serve clients who are looking to make a change, in either buying and/or selling real estate. Connecting buyers with quality properties and sellers with the right buyer is my specialty.”

Visit mycollingwood.ca when you connect and find a fabulous selection of amazing restaurants, wineries, specialty food shops, take-out & home delivery, grocery delivery service and so much more. Sign up to receive notifications about our famous Double Dollars Marketplace where you can purchase gift certificates for ½ price.

Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9-5, Sat. 10-4 & by appointment 154-B Mill St., Creemore 705-466-2115 basiaregan.com All photos courtesy of business owners ON THE BAY

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CH ESTN UT PARK IS AN EXCLUSIVE AFFILIATE OF CH RISTI ES I NTE R NATI O NAL R E AL ESTATE

OUR GLOBAL PARTNER

940 OFFICES IN 48 COUNTRIES & TERRITORIES $3,900,000

500 ACRES - GEORGIAN BAY

A piece of paradise might best describe this truly unique Bruce Peninsula home with forest lands, open fields and 2,900 Georgian Bay water frontage. 4 bed, 4 bath 3000 sq.ft stone home with Frank Lloyd Wright influences. MLS®249321.

Gary Taylor** 519.378.4663

$1,549,000

PRIVACY WITHIN VILLAGE LIMITS

10+ acres of parkland in Nottawa yet 5 min to Collingwood. Century farmhouse renovated with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, lifetime metal roof, generac, Florida room with indoor waterfall and fishpond. Pretty River flows through property. Horse barn and 3 car garage.

Michelle Kingsbury* 705.888.8177

$1,295,000

47 ACRE HOBBY FARM

Picture perfect hobby farm with direct deeded access to Chesley Lake with your own private dock. 3 bedroom, 2 bath log cabin, Bank barn, fenced horse paddock and sugar shack are just some of the features waiting for your family to enjoy! MLS® 40009398.

Dave Moyer* 519.379.1996

$998,000

OWEN SOUND COMMERCIAL

Solid commercial building on the Pottawatomi River.

15,600 sqft of usable space and C4 Arterial zoning allows for a range of options. An excellent opportunity to invest in a growing market. MLS® 264320.

Dave Moyer* 519.379.1996

$779,000

CREEKSIDE

Spacious open concept 2800 sqft bungalow in popular Creekside Subdivision. Walking distance to schools and shopping, this well maintained home backs onto the trail system, Black Ash Creek and has mountain views. Deb Saunders-Chatwin** 705.443.2191 Cheryl J. Morrison** 705-445-5454

$1,799,000

NEW HOME ON THE ESCARPMENT

Ideal for the active family who enjoy skiing, biking, hiking and boating close by. Bright, open concept 5 Bedroom and 4 Bath home with 3,828 sq. ft. including a finished basement. Located in nature with attached 2 car garage. MLS®237900.

Barb Picot* 705.444.3452 Ron Picot* 705.446.8580

$1,499,000

BASE OF BLUE MOUNTAIN

Walking distance to the slopes and Village at Blue Mountain, this 4 Bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,637 sq. ft. chalet is the perfect get-away with plenty of room for family and friends.

Incredible views to the ski hills, hot tub and attached 2 car garage. MLS®40016805 Barb Picot* 705.444.3452 Ron Picot* 705.446.8580

$1,290,000

CAPTIVATING VIEWS-LAKE HURON

Come experience this waterfront oasis. Outstanding log home on approx 1.5 acres. Quality construction and attention to detail is evident. 6 well appointed bdrms with vaulted ceilings and large windows. Main lvl master with ensuite, hot tub room and private deck.

Gary Taylor** 519.378.4663

$989,000

RARE 33 ACRES IN MULMUR

Situated in one of the most sought after areas north of Toronto, this very private 33 acres presents the perfect blank canvas to build your dream home. Boasting a diversity of tree species, a river running through & trail system. MLS® 40010888.

637519princeofwales.ca. Cheryl MacLaurin* 705.446.8005 Rob McAleer* 705.888.3981

$699,000

25 ACRE RETREAT

1.5 storey home has been completely remodelled including cedar panel walls, baseboard and ceiling mouldlings, Maple stairs and hardwood floors throughout. Large spring-fed pond and creek abound with rainbow trout! MLS® 40010283.

Michael Biggins* 519.378.6336

$1,599,000

24+ SERENE ACRES

Magnificent 5900 SF TimberFrame home is only surpassed by the beauty of the landscape. Soaring ceilings, 2nd floor loft, a true gourmet kitchen & double detached garage/workshop. Close to all area amenities.

MLS® 247583 Lori Schwengers** 226-974-1818 Ralph Schwengers* 416-300-5899

$1,390,000

COME HOME TO THE PENINSULA

Charm and character abound at this 4 season home / cottage with captivating views of the crystal clear blue water and marine life on Lake Huron. 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2000 sq.ft.deck, 4000 sq.ft. Indoor Pool, stunning finishes throughout. Gary Taylor** 519.378.4663

$1,149,000

WASAGA RIVERFRONT

Imagine having the beautiful Nottawasaga River as your backyard! Perfect for boating, canoeing, paddle boarding with direct access to Georgian Bay. Impeccable 5 Bed, 3 Bath home, over 4,700 sq. ft., dble car garage and municipal services. MLS®259764. Barb Picot* 705.444.3452 Ron Picot* 705.446.8580

$899,000

CHALET - DEEDED BEACH ACCESS

Cozy upgraded Chalet with large Great Room, fireplace and finished basement. Chef’s Kitchen and large backyard deck for alfresco entertaining. Access to a private sandy beach. Barb Picot* 705.444.3452 Ron Picot* 705.446.8580

$699,000 $749,000

PICTURE PERFECT

Timeless architecture and a completely renovated interior highlight a fresh take on a country classic. Set upon 5 tranquil acres, this home is appointed with 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, upgraded finishes and incl large outbuilding with hydro. A MUST SEE! Maria Elensky* 647.963.0456 Mark McDade* 519.387.7650

$1,550,000

WWW.READHILTON.COM

Custom built 5 bedroom, 3 bath home on 98 versatile acres. Modern kitchen, formal dining room, master bedroom with balcony, walk-in closet, and stylish ensuite.

Horse barn with 10 stalls and outdoor riding arena. 90 mins to the GTA! MLS® 247174. View Gail’s MOVIE. Read Hilton* 705.351.8100

$1,375,000

EVERGREEN ESTATES

Custom built 3 bedroom home in Evergreen Estates.

Minutes to downtown Collingwood and Blue Mountain.

Expansive use of windows floods the main floor living area with natural light and enhances the 24 foot ceilings.

MLS® 40015678. Cheryl J. Morrison** 705.445.5454 Deb Saunders-Chatwin** 705.443.2191

$1,049,000

“SHIPYARDS” BUNGALOFT.. 4BDRM

“Spacious and Charming”..Walk to Downtown; Main Flr. Master w/ensuite; 2nd Bdrm.(or Den) also Main Flr. w/3 pc. ensuite.;Open Concept Great Rm/Kit & Breakfast Bar; W/O to private garden; Add’l 2 bdrms. on 2nd Flr. plus open loft family area; ++. June Russell** 647.201.9899

$859,000

WWW.READHILTON.COM

Fully renovated 5 bedroom, 3 bath home with newer addition and large finished basement, just a short drive to BVSC and Devil’s Glen. Huge open concept living/ kitchen space, wood burning fireplace, and sweeping country views! MLS® 40011704. View Gail’s MOVIE. Gail Crawford* 705.445.3751

$439,900

BLUE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

A fabulous new look coming this fall! 2 bedroom, 2 bath top floor condo in the mountainside Weider Lodge, just steps to the Silver Bullet lift. Amenities incl, seasonal pool, hot tub, sauna. MLS®40016556.

Ellen Jarman* 705.441.2630

COLLINGWOOD/BARRIE/CRAIGHURST 705.445.5454

OWEN SOUND 519.371.5455

WIARTON 519.534.5757

FOR ALL OF OUR LISTINGS PLEASE VISIT CHESTNUTPARK.COM

Nick Alfano*

Kim Archer**

Dave Armstrong*

Vince Artuso*

Chris Assaff*

Office Manager

Michael Biggins**

Vanessa Burgess-Mason*

Gail Crawford*

Judy Crompton**

Maria Elensky*

Rob Holroyd**

Keith Hull**

Ellen Jarman*

Blane Johnson*

Rob McAleer*

Melanie McBride*

Ron Picot*

Diana Berdini**

Michelle Exner*

Alyson Jones*

Aaron Garner*

Heather Garner*

Debra Gibbon*

Read Hilton*

Kate Hobson*

Kim Johnson*

Michelle Kingsbury*

John M. Kacmar**

Stefanie Kilby*

Cheryl MacLaurin*

Joan Malbeuf*

Sue Mallett*

Barbara McCowan**

Linda McClean*

Mark McDade*

Taylor McFadyen*

Gerry McIntyre*

Lane McMeekin**

Jane Mehlenbacher *

Cheryl J Morrison**

Dave Moyer* Barbara Picot*

Cynthia Razum**

Jennifer Ridsdale**

David Rowlands**

Ralph Schwengers*

Chris Stevenson*

Gary Taylor**

June Russell** Deb SaundersLori Schwengers** Chatwin**

Brendan Thomson*

Jodi Ward*

Fran Webster*

Rick Wiles**

Mike Kris McAleer* Masongsong*

Mike Taylor*

Neil Thain**

Paige Young* Larisa Yurkiw*

CHESTNUT PARK REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE TORONTO 416.925.9191

HALIBURTON 705.754.0880

MUSKOKA / FOOT’S BAY 705.375.9191

ERIN / CALEDON / MONO 519.833.0888

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY 905.800.0321

FOREST HILL 647.47.8500

PETERBOROUGH / THE KAWARTHAS 705.652.5000

LAKE OF BAYS / HUNTSVILLE / ALMAGUIN 705.789.1001

LAKE SIMCOE / NORTH OF MARKHAM 289.338.0767

KITCHENER/WATERLOO* 519.804.7200 *Affiliate Office

MUSKOKA / PORT CARLING 705.765.6878

GRAVENHURST 705.765.6878

STRATFORD / HURON-PERTH 289.338.0767

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY 613.471.1708

*Sales Representative **Broker

GATHER CREATE NESTLE…

FALL!

FIND YOUR DREAM WITH  SERVICE

WELCOME TO CLAIRWOOD I am very excited to join Clairwood Real Estate that cultivates its own unique brand and culture – one that is cooperative, community-focused, family-oriented, energetic, and fun while providing clients with high-end service. Let me help you experience the Clairwood difference.

YNA RIZIK*

JACQUI VIAENE*

YnaRizikRealtor@ gmail.com

MAUREEN GOWANS***

MaureenGowans@ ClairwoodRealEstate.com

PETER LAMY*

PeterLamy@gmail.com

Jacqui@ ClairwoodRealEstate.com

EMMA BAKER**

Emma@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

MICHAEL MAISH* Michael@ MichaelMaish.com

BRENDA CROWDERº

BrendaCrowder@ ClairwoodRealEstate.com

MIKKI BELLIVEAU* MikkiBelliveau@ hotmail.com

CHRIS MOFFATLYNCH*

Chris@LynchHomes.ca

JACKI BINNIE*

Jacki@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

SHERRY RIOUX**

Sherry@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

CAROL GLEADALLº

Contact.col@ ClairwoodRealEstate.com

* Sales Representative

SANDI CAIN*

Sandi@CainRealtor.ca

YNA RIZIK*

YnaRizikRealtor@ gmail.com

ALMIRA HAUPTº

Almira@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

** Broker

I am very excited to be joining the Clairwood Real Estate Family! I made the move from a brokerage in the GTA to join Clairwood Real Estate because it aligns with my personal beliefs of integrity and customer service.

The beauty of the Southern Georgian Bay region, the exceptional service and the expansive knowledge among the Clairwood Realtors® are inspiring for me as a new realtor. Being able to work with clients in one of the most beautiful areas of the province is an additional bonus! I look forward to helping you with all of your residential and commercial real estate needs.

*** Broker of Record

RHONDA RONSON* Rhonda@ RonsonRealtor.ca

HOLLIE KNIGHT*

Hollie@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

CRAIG DAVIES*

Craig@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

STEPHANIE RUMFORD*

Steph@ BuyandSellCollingwood.com

DAVID HOLMAN*

David@ RiouxBakerTeam.com

JACQUI VIAENE*

Jacqui@ ClairwoodRealEstate.com

SANDEE TATHAMº

Contact.col@ ClairwoodRealEstate.com

ºAdministration

MEMBER OF THE SOUTHERN GEORGIAN BAY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS* AND THE TORONTO REAL ESTATE BOARD

Visit us at ClairwoodRealEstate.com

Estate/Solar Income

Downtown Century Home

Turnkey Townhome

Lighthouse Islander

Emma Baker** 705-444-3989

Mikki Belliveau* 705-446-6103

Jacki Binnie* 705-441-1071

Sherry Rioux** 705-443-2793

Acreage/Close to Skiing

Sought After – Far Hills

8 bdrms, 3.5 baths 5159 sq. ft. fin. $2,195,000

52+ Acres on Beaver River 3 bdrms, 2 baths 2793 sq. ft. $1,350,000

4 bdrms, 3 baths 2800 sq. ft. $889,900

3 bdrms, 2.5 baths 3238 sq. ft. $1,735,000

Craig Davies* 289-685-8513

Emma Baker** 705-444-3989

2 bdrms, 1.5 baths 1169 sq. ft. $699,000

3 bdrms, 2 baths 1315 sq. ft. $589,000

3 bdrms, 3.5 baths 2477 sq. ft. fin. $694,900

David Holman* 416-930-2558

Commercial Hwys 6/10 Building & Land 677 ft frontage $497,000 Peter Lamy* 705-888-5809

SOLD

Luxury Thornbury Condo

Georgian Bay Waterfront

Michael Maish* 705-606-5814

Chris Moffat-Lynch* 705-606-0850

3 bdrms, 3.5 baths 2498 sq. ft. fin. $1,095,000

3+2 bdrms, 3 baths 2970 sq. ft. fin. $1,649,000

Dockside Waterviews

3 bdrms, 3 baths 1820 sq. ft. fin. $659,000 Sandi Cain* 519-535-2622

Walk to Downtown

3+1 bdrms, 3.5 baths 3245 sq. ft. fin. $1,249,900 Yna Rizik* 647-860-9285

SOLD

Walk to Cranberry Golf

Desirable Clarksburg

2+3 bdrms, 4 baths 2986 sq. ft. fin. $799,900

Sherry Rioux** 705-443-2793

Build a business/home 2+ acres $899,000 Rhonda Ronson* 705-888-8700

COLLINGWOOD 705.445.7085

Properties Needed We Have Buyers 2, 3, 4, bedrooms

Sustainable Oasis

Stephanie Rumford* 705-606-4982

TOLL FREE 8 7 7. 4 4 5 . 7 0 8 5

5 bdrms, 3 baths 4100 sq. ft. $1,645,000

Jacqui Viaene* 416-919-5400

TORONTO 8 7 7. 4 4 5 . 7 0 8 5

LET OUR EXPERIENCE BE YOUR GUIDE OVERLOOKING THORNBURY RIVERWALK – THORNBURY

RAVENNA – 25 PRIVATE ACRES 1 ½ STOREY HOME – COLLINGWOOD

SHALE BEACH HOUSE

SOLD

Sun-filled condo featuring French doors open to a private patio garden with interlocking stones. Quality kitchen appliances, granite countertops. Perched on the banks of the Beaver River. MLS®#273505 2 | 2 | 1,280 ft2

Covered front porch. Large covered deck, gazebo & an enclosed sun room. 9 ft ceilings, large family room addition with gas fireplace. MLS®#274703 4 | 1 | 1,706 ft2

Fantastic location directly across the street from Shale Beach, with water views galore from 2 balconies & many windows. Currently set up as a legal licenced STA generating good revenue. MLS®#40017807 4 | 3 | 2,500 ft2

$479,000

$524,900

$1,299,000

Karen Kalosza* 705-607-6595 Dennis Klinsky** 705-443-9794

Derek Crespy** 705-441-0112

Lorraine Champion* 705-441-3642

COLLSHIP LANE – “THE SHIPYARDS”

Luxury designer finishes throughout with underground parking & private patio. Spacious Chef’s kitchen. Double car private garage (4 car parking). MLS®#40015267 3 | 4 | 2,456 ft2

WESTMOUNT MEWS – “THE SHIPYARDS”

3rd Floor Observatory with unparalleled views to Georgian Bay, In-Suite Elevator, 4 Exclusive Underground Pkg & Designer Finishes Throughout!

MLS®#40010149 4 | 5 | 4,277 ft2

WEEKEND GETAWAY

Or full time residence just minutes away from Osler Bluff Ski Club. Lots of living space on the main floor as well as a large family room in the basement.

MLS®#262037 7 | 3 | 3,289 ft2

$998,000

$2,250,000

$639,000

Loretta McInnis* 705-443-1659 Tara Parsons* 705-888-8272

Loretta McInnis* 705-443-1659 Tara Parsons* 705-888-8272

Greg Grossman* 705-443-7093 Blair Thomspon** 705-446-8507

COLLINGWOOD “TREE” STREET

MILLHOLLOW B & B, MEAFORD

Desirable “Tree” Street location on oversized Ravine Lot. Numerous interior upgrades include new kitchen, bathrooms and flooring. Walking distance to many restaurants and shops.

4 | 2.5 | 2,300 ft2

Triple brick classic, across from the Bighead River & Beautiful Joe Park, swimming pool in large private backyard. “B & B turnkey” – furnishings included.

MLS®# 40015552 4 | 3.5 | 3,200 ft2

C1 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Excellent exposure to traffic along a main corridor from Toronto – just 5 km south of Collingwood.

Opportunity for retail or office with separate residential unit, or purchase land, building & the current business. MLS®#40015235

$875,000

$950,000

$685,000

Darice Lush* 705-443-0741

Todd Brooker** 705-888-1818

Janet Piotrowski* 705-994-5858

four seasons realty limited, Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated

67 First St., Collingwood 705-445-8500 47 Bruce St., Thornbury 519-599-2600 202 Montreal St., Stayner 705-428-4500

www.remaxcollingwood.com

*sales representative **broker ***broker of record

READER BUYING GUIDE For more information, link directly to advertisers at onthebaymagazine.com

ACCOMMODATIONS Jayne’s Cottages, Luxury Rentals & Concierge Services

BlueRock Wealth

FURNITURE Orangeville Furniture

PAGE 100

PAGE 31

Good Health Mart Collingwood

PAGE 29

PAGE 68

LYFT Medical Aesthetics

PAGE 82

Collingwood Art School

PAGE 68

Scandinave Spa

PAGE 82

Collingwood Museum

PAGE 72

Craig Gallery

PAGE 68

Photography

PAGE 68

Kelly Gale Creative

PAGE 68

Kilby Gallery

PAGE 68

Loft Gallery Inc.

PAGE 68

AUTO SALES & SERVICE

PAGE 66

Jill Maxwell Design

PAGE 54

JS Design House

HOME IMPROVEMENT & SUPPLY Aeon Kitchens & Design

PAGE 66

Court Contractors

PAGE 50

Huronia Container Rentals

PAGE 81

PAGE 33

Blue Mountain Chrysler

PAGE 99

Master Mechanic

PAGE 33

INTERNET PROVIDERS

McLaughlin Auto Wreckers

PAGE 33

Xplornet

Speedy Glass

PAGE 33 PAGE 81

PAGE 80

CPA Professional Corporation

PAGE 80

PAGE 37

CPA Professional Corporation

PAGE 43

National Bank

LANDSCAPE/GARDEN

PAGE 81

L. Patten & Sons Ltd.

PAGE 50

Shouldice Designer Stone

PAGE 21

Yanch Homes

PAGE 67

The Landmark Group

PAGE 11

PAGE 55

RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Page 41

Tim Heacock

Darryn Stroud

and Rehabilitation Centre

Brabary Fine Lingerie

PAGE 75

Elaine Dickinson’s Fashions

PAGE 75

Vaiya

PAGE 71

Culford Family Hearing

PAGE 45

PAGE 2

Dean’s Carpet One

PAGE 20

PAGE 82

PAGE 14 & 89

PAGE 45 PAGE 43

PAGE 45

Erie Street Dental

PAGE 42

Georgian Bay Spirits Surf & Turf Blue Mountains The Vine Agency

PAGE 87 PAGE 83 & 86

Brokerage

PAGE 92 & 93

PAGE 54

(Royalton Homes)

PAGE 79

PAGE 37

Mountaincroft (Grandview Homes)

PAGE 5

PAGE 34 & 35

(Dicenzo Homes)

PAGE 23

(Georgian International)

PAGE 65

PAGE 94 & 95

SENIOR SERVICES

Clairwood

CARP

Brokerage, Jacqui Viaene

Page 28

PAGE 41

SKIING

Real Estate Brokerage

PAGE 56

Re/Max Four Seasons Realty Ltd., Brokerage

PAGE 96

Royal LePage Brokerage

PAGE 39

Windfall Blue Mountain

Island Lake Catskiing

PAGE 85

Mica Heli Skiing

PAGE 4

TOURISM PAGE 24 & 25

Royal LePage PAGE 36

PROFESSIONAL/FINANCIAL/ LEGAL Barriston Law LLP

Paul Martinek

Waterstone Modern Townes

Real Estate Limited,

Municipality of Meaford Town of Collingwood

PAGE 72 PAGE 16 & 17

Locations North Realty Inc., Brokerage Christine Smith

PAGE 59

Sutton Group – Incentive Realty

(Devonleigh Homes)

Locations North Realty Inc.,

Lifestyle Hearing

FOOD/DRINK

PAGE 89

Summit View

REAL ESTATE

Faris Team

Family Dentistry

by Helix Hearing Care

Todd Kutz

(Royalton Homes)

Real Estate Corporation,

Dr. Robert McCoppen

FLOORING

International Realty Canada

Aquavil

RADIO

Brokerage

Collingwood Vitality Laser Clinic

PAGE 72

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS

The Waterfront Group,

Real Estate Corporation,

Collingwood Sport Medicine

FASHION/JEWELRY

Suzanne Lawrence

PAGE 42

Chestnut Park

MEDICAL/DENTAL PROFESSIONALS Collingwood Optometry

RCR Realty, Brokerage

TD Wealth Management,

Clairwood

PAGE 16 & 17

PAGE 29

Sotheby’s

Jamie Bennett

The New Classical 102.9 FM

Mulch-It

Town of Collingwood

Basia Regan

Blue Vista PAGE 18

BUILDERS/CONTRACTORS

PAGE 91

Royal LePage

Royal LePage

Dan Wynnyk

PAGE 89

mycollingwood.ca

PAGE 3

RCR Realty, Brokerage

Julie A. Ford,

Wellington Altus Private Wealth,

Environmental Pest Control

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Locations North Realty Inc., Brokerage, The Chris Keleher Team

Financial Wealth Management, PAGE 51

PAGE 19

Royal LePage

Barristers & Solicitors

LM Rourke,

FAD Farrow Arcaro Design

Auto-Tech ‘n Tire

Walkers Small Motors

Professional Corporation,

CPA Professional Corporation

HOME DÉCOR/DESIGN

Locations North Realty Inc., Brokerage Josh Dolan

Cathie Hunt,

BMFA Arts Centre

Jessica Crandlemire

PAGE 9

Brian Renken

HEALTH/BEAUTY/FITNESS

ARTS/MUSEUMS/ PHOTOGRAPHY

Royal LePage

Management Inc.

PAGE 6

Royal LePage Locations North Realty Inc., Brokerage Jane Moysey & Lorraine McDonald

PAGE 8

WINDOW FASHIONS Ashton’s Blinds, Draperies & Shutters

PAGE 51

Shades & Shutters

PAGE 55

ON THE BAY

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97

BAC K

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLINGWOOD MUSEUM COLLECTION, X968.967.1

LO OKI NG

Building the

TERMINALS

T

his photo from 1929 shows the Collingwood Terminals in the early stages of construction. The building process was a welcome sight, as a new concrete grain elevator had long been needed to replace the previous wooden structure, providing greater capacity to serve the growing trade and the larger ships carrying grain across the Great Lakes.

Forty men were employed to build the modern elevator, at a cost of $800,000 (almost $12 million in today’s dollars). On May 25, the pouring of the cement for the 52 bins began, and by May 30, the foundation and the ‘mat’ had been completed. From this massive foundation, the concrete bins, each with a diameter

98

ON THE BAY

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of 22 feet, would rise simultaneously to a height of 100 feet.

Pouring went on day and night until June 13, when all 52 bins were complete. A 96-foot-high workhouse was added on top, making the total height from the water level almost 200 feet.

On September 14, 1929, the steamer Munising delivered the first shipment to Collingwood’s sparkling new grain elevator, which boasted a total capacity of two million bushels.

The Collingwood Shipyards closed in 1986, and the grain elevator ceased operation in 1993. Since then, the imposing structure has held its own as an iconic local landmark and one of the last remnants of Collingwood’s shipping industry. ❧ Source: Collingwood Museum