WINTER 2020
Healthcare Heroes Caring for our community
Pivot!
How arts & culture are staying alive
Skate
On!
The joys of outdoor skating
onthebaymagazine.com
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IN THIS ISSUE 27
FEATURES 27 In Their Own Words Workers at the Collingwood General & Marine Hospital open up about the fear and anxiety of being on the front line during the pandemic, revealing how courage, commitment, resilience and teamwork are keeping us safe and healthy.
42 Get Your Skates On! Outdoor skating is a great way to enjoy winter safely during the pandemic. BY LAURIE STEPHENS
58 Timeless Classic A designer’s renovated Creemore farmhouse combines antique and salvaged pieces with modern elements. BY JUDY ROSS
71 State of The Arts Arts & culture organizations are pivoting in the face of COVID-19 restrictions to stay relevant ... and survive. BY MARC HUMINILOWYCZ
COLUMNS Perspective
13 The Business Behind “Green” Technology BY BRUCE RODGERS
42 DEPARTMENTS 10 16 92 94 97 98
From Our Editor From Our Readers Introductions Gallery of Realtors Reader Buying Guide Looking Back
Fenceposts
22 No Cause for Alarm
WINTER 2020
BY DAN NEEDLES
87 Gallery Spotlight Local art galleries are supporting artists and keeping art in the spotlight during this difficult time. We’re pleased to feature two local galleries and a sampling of the artists they represent.
Healthcare Heroes Caring for our community
Pivot!
How arts & culture are staying alive
Skate
On!
The joys of outdoor skating
onthebaymagazine.com
58
ON THE COVER: Caeden Benoit (left), Caleb Benoit (middle) and Cooper Hammond take a break from playing shinny at the Collingwood outdoor skating rink.
PHOTO BY DOUG BURLOCK
Editor’s Note: This photo was taken a year ago. At press time, it was unclear whether shinny will be allowed at local rinks this winter due to COVID19 restrictions. Please check websites and COVID guidelines for the latest updates.
71
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VOLUME 17, ISSUE 4
Anita Hunter L I ST I N GS COOR D I N ATOR
Sheila Johnston D I ST R I B U T I ON COOR D I N ATOR
Peter Gibson CON T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S
Marc Huminilowycz, Janet Lees, Dan Needles, Bruce Rodgers, 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
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From our families to yours, wishing you the best possible experience of the Holiday Season. Let’s all raise our glasses high this New Year’s Eve with hearts full of hope for 2021! Lorraine McDonald Sales Representative (705) 444-4216 lorrainemcdonald@rogers.com
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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 115 Hurontario St., Suite 200, Collingwood, Ontario, L9Y 2L9 Tel: 705-444-9192 Toll-free: 1-888-282-2014 Printed in Canada by Dollco Print Solutions Group.
onthebaymagazine.com 8
ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
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FROM
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The
Lionhearted When it rains, it pours. As COVID-19 took hold in March, I went into lockdown, working from home and diligently protecting myself and others. Then in midAugust, my 89-year-old father landed in the hospital with a massive infection in his leg. My sister and I – both of whom had spent the previous six months in virtual isolation except for sporadic trips to the grocery store – donned our medical masks, grabbed our hand sanitizer and ventured onto the front lines. The pandemic was in full force, although cases had slowed somewhat, but spending every waking hour in a hospital was still a daunting prospect. It would have been scary and stressful at the best of times, and COVID made it 100 times more so. Thankfully, my dad recovered some mobility and is now happily ensconced in an assisted living home. But those weeks at the hospital were a wake-up call in so many ways, not least of which was a lasting appreciation for the dedication and commitment of everyone who looked after him – and us – during that difficult time. From the amazing doctor who fought the infection and explained to dad why it wasn’t safe for him to return home, to the nurses who gave him intravenous antibiotics and other meds, the physio and occupational therapists who kept him moving so his leg didn’t ‘die’ and have to be removed, the diagnosticians who took x-rays, MRIs and ECGs, the personal support workers who bathed him and helped him with daily functions, and the many other workers who fed him, changed his sheets, cleaned his room, and generally kept his spirits up. Not
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ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
Instead of Grassroots Heroes, we’re calling it “In Their Own Words,” because what these remarkable people have to say needs no interpretation or embellishment. They tell their stories openly and honestly, their experiences as raw as they are inspiring. to mention those behind the scenes preparing the meals, ordering personal protective equipment, making sure protocols were followed, and sanitizing, sanitizing, sanitizing. As I began working on this issue of On The Bay, I was planning to devote our usual Grassroots Heroes feature to frontline workers, but after seeing for myself all the moving parts that are involved in running a hospital, and the courage and commitment it takes to show up every day during a pandemic, I decided to switch gears and focus this issue on the staff of the Collingwood General & Marine Hospital. Instead of Grassroots Heroes, we’re calling it “In Their Own Words,” because what these remarkable people have to say needs no interpretation or embellishment. They tell their stories openly and honestly, their experiences as raw as they are inspiring. In our Spring issue we’ll publish Part 2 featuring people from other professions on the front lines. But this issue is dedicated to everyone who keeps our small but mighty hospital going – stepping into the fray every day, keeping us safe, and putting our health and wellbeing ahead of their own. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all. Calling you heroes doesn’t do you justice. ❧
Janet Lees, Editor
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Dawn French (The Vicar of Dibley ) stars as Maggie Cole, the self-appointed “local historian” and chronic busy-body of her closeknit community in the idyllic English fishing village of Thulbury. Maggie makes it her business to know a little bit about everyone else’s,START and when she shares a few too many secrets about some of Thulbury’s notable residents during a radio interview, the village is turned upside down.
Full schedule at VisionTV.ca Bell 1161 Bell Fibe 1213 Rogers 60 Telus Optik 871 or check your local listings
PERSPECTIVE
The Business Behind “Green” Technology Corporate greenwashing and the Georgian Bay pumped storage plant by BRUCE RODGERS, MSc, PEng ❧ photography by DOUG BURLOCK
There is currently a plan to build a pumped storage plant (PSP) on the shore of Georgian Bay on Department of National Defence (DND) land in Meaford. The proponent, TC Energy, proposes an open-loop PSP, marketing it as a “green” project and one of the largest climate change initiatives in Canada. However, the plant will consume more electricity than it generates, increase carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, potentially harm the environment, and pose a risk to those living in the impact zone. What does this project entail, what are the dangers involved, and by what criteria is it labelled a “green” initiative? There are a variety of factors to consider when examining this proposal.
Open vs. Closed-loop PSPs The proposed open-loop PSP will pump water from the bay at night to a 375-acre man-made reservoir on top of the Niagara Escarpment, and release it during the day to generate electricity. An alternative to this proposal would be to build a closed-loop PSP, whereby a man-made lower reservoir would be used instead of Georgian Bay. Every time the reservoir is filled, it will draw water from the Bay plus everything living in that water. A similar open-loop PSP, located on the shores of Lake Michigan near Ludington, Michigan, reportedly killed 150 million fish per year. TC Energy has reacted to
ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
13
Always Here to Help
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AUDIT • TAX • ADVISORY 14
ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
Save Georgian Bay is a group of concerned citizens opposed to the TC Energy plan for a pumped storage facility in Meaford. Middle, writer Bruce Rodgers is a member of the group.
these concerns by relocating the intake structure into deep water, which is the habitat for Cisco, an endangered species of fish. Recently, TC Energy announced a closed-loop PSP in Alberta, citing that the closed-loop system “will significantly reduce any potential adverse environmental impacts.” When asked about the Georgian Bay PSP, TC Energy stated a closed-loop system was not considered because of the “significant increase in cost.”
Inefficiency According to TC Energy, the plant will consume 2,044 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per year to produce 1,474 GWh. This 30 per cent
PERSPECTIVE loss may not sound like much, but it is a huge waste of energy, which could otherwise serve a city the size of Barrie, or 16 Meafords. The Georgian Bay PSP will be a net consumer of energy, meaning it will use more energy than it produces. The plant will rely on energy generated by nuclear plants to pump water to the upper reservoir, and because of this, it will not mitigate the loss of power from the closure of the Pickering nuclear plant.
FA M I LY V I N E YA R D S
®
Fictitious CO2 Credits TC Energy claims the project will reduce CO2 emissions by 490,000 tonnes per year. This claim is misleading. The PSP will not actually reduce CO2 emissions. The claim is based on the logic that if TC Energy chose to build a natural gas plant, it would emit 500,000 tonnes of CO2. But if they build a PSP instead, it won’t emit as much CO2. Therefore, by building a PSP, TC Energy claims credit for a reduction in CO2 emissions simply because they decided not to build a natural gas plant. The electricity that the PSP consumes to fill the reservoir would otherwise be sold to the United States. If no longer available, natural gas plants would make up the difference, increasing CO2 emissions by 500,000 tonnes per year.
The Clean Air Alliance states that Hydro Quebec’s reservoirs are the best load balancing option for Ontario. By investing $80 million to build a 20-kilometre transmission line, Ontario could increase its electricity exchange capability by 2,000 megawatts (MW). In contrast, TC Energy proposes a $4.3 billion PSP and 80 km transmission line, which will increase Ontario’s peak capacity by only 1,000 MW. The Ontario Society of Engineers recommends reform of electricity prices to incentivize consumers to use surplus electricity instead of burning fossil fuels. This reform will reduce energy costs and reduce CO2 emissions by 2,100,000 tonnes per year. These alternatives benefit Ontario without imposing additional costs or harming the environment. But these alternatives do not benefit TC Energy.
The Real Reason Behind the Proposed Georgian Bay PSP The real benefit of this project is to TC Energy, which own 48.4 per cent of Bruce Power. As a nuclear power plant, Bruce Power has a constant output of energy, day and night. They make money during the day and less money at night, because they can’t stop production. TC Energy wants to store the energy produced during the night so that they can sell it during the day at a higher price. This has nothing to do with the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station closing, a reduction in carbon emissions, or creating a “green” project as a climate change initiative. This is about profit for TC Energy. ❧ Bruce Rodgers is an environmental impact specialist with more than 30 years’ experience conducting environmental assessments for large capital projects. He is a local property owner and a member of the Save Georgian Bay group, which is opposed to the TC Energy proposal for a pumped storage facility on DND land in Meaford.
FA M I LY O W N E D F I V E G E N E R AT I O N S
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Perspective is an op-ed column featuring a guest writer’s personal perspective on a topic of interest to our readers. If you have suggestions for future topics or writers, or to comment on this article, please email janet.lees@me.com
Legacy.
RY
Alternatives
AN
S
A
“The Georgian Bay PSP will be a net consumer of energy, meaning it will use more energy than it produces.”
N IVER
CONTACT: WINE@THEVINEAGENCY.CA / 416 .693 . 7994
ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
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R E A D E R
M A I L
FROM OUR
READERS RE: HIGH WATER onthebay magazine
FALL 2020
HigERh WAT
Can we hold back the flood?
Hiking the Bruce 3 trails to explore
.com
You can easily understand why people love cottages on gently sloping beaches. The water warms up quickly, sand accumulates, and poor swimmers can more likely get out of trouble just by standing up. And such beaches are beautiful. But if the water goes up a meter you might lose 50, 100 or even more metres of beach. People with waterfront properties should have been aware of this when they bought the properties. Caveat emptor. There are just too many other uses for the Great Lakes to micro-manage water levels to satisfy waterfront property
owners. Agriculture, hydro-electric power, industry, fishing, shipping, drinking water and new uses like cooling Toronto towers with Lake Ontario water all make claims on Great Lakes water. If we decide on the basis of what does the most good to the most people, beachfront properties would be at or near the bottom of the list. You also need to be wary of some of the proposed solutions. Dredging the St. Clair River will lower water levels, but unless you build a control structure, the water will continue to drain faster even when Lake Huron waters are lower than you want them. Cue the complaints; floating boats or having to walk a long way to the water. Pumping more water through Chicago into the Mississippi watershed would set a dangerous precedent. As climate change dries out the Mississippi watershed there will be increasing demands to boost water levels in the Mississippi by tapping Lake Michigan. That could permanently threaten Great Lakes water levels. (Incidentally, the Chicago River was reversed not to generate power or enable shipping, but to take Chicago’s sewage into the Mississippi, away from the source of Chicago’s drinking water, Lake Michigan.) Ultimately, you buried the lead. You ended by highlighting: “[The] recommendation for Georgian Bay waterfront property owners is simple: adapt.” Quintin Lang, Irish Lake I heard about your magazine while listening to CMFX radio. I loved your story about the high water levels on the Great Lakes. I live only 10 miles from Lake Ontario, which has had recent problems. You mentioned several times about regulating the St. Clair River flow, but you did not fully explain how this would be accomplished. Can you please elaborate? Mike Kinsky, Spencerport, NY
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ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
FEATURE Waves smash over a breakwall at Sunset Point in Collingwood, with the iconic Inukshuk standing guard atop another breakwall in the background.
Editor’s Note: Here is some relevant information from the Restore Our Water International (ROWI) webinar last May: Channel modifications in the St. Clair River system are one of the most significant human modifications to the water Georgian Bay’s water level balance of the Great Lakes ... The St. is at an all-time high, leaving waterfront property owners Clair - Detroit River system is the only and municipalities scrambling river course in the Great Lakes without to mitigate damage and hold back the water and debris. a formal international oversight body, What’s causing the rising water and what can we do to hold and hence changes in this part of back the flood? the Great Lakes has been sorely overlooked by the IJC (International Joint Commission) ... With rising water levels, more beach erosion and bluff retreat has increased sand supply into Lake Huron that is picked up by nearshore currents. It is quite probable that sand may be settling out or “shoaling” in the St. Clair River, decreasing the river’s cross-sectional area, and hence its ability to discharge water from Lake Huron or its “conveyance.” There is a clear need to assess the changes in the St. Clair River’s geometry. More funding needs to be provided to the U.S. Army Corps of engineers to analyze the recent ... survey data and to develop a comprehensive conveyance mode for the river and to report on any changes every five years ... One factor that needs
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.”
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to be considered during extreme high-water periods is the impact of ice buildup in the St. Clair River, which can completely shut down outflows from Lake Huron ... the ice conditions ... can be stabilized by simply shutting down commercial freight movement ... and directing U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards to conduct icebreaking operations only when ice jams occur.
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In Collingwood, Caledon and Cottage Country, contact:
RY
ON THE BAY
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
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by MARC HUMINILOWYCZ photography by DOUG BURLOCK
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R E A D E R
M A I L
I believe water management of the lower lakes has the same problem – high water. Montreal will get washed away, if the lower end of Huron is simply opened. This is a much more serious problem than a narrow focus (local) can accommodate. Beware of simple solutions like Ogoki/LongLac diversion suggests. Ogoki (Albany river) waterways are in Arctic watershed. Obviously, they intend to divert some Atlantic watershed water into Arctic waterways, but then the towns up north get flooded. Drainage North of Hwy. 11 is VERY POOR, because the relief is low. We need a wide angle lens to understand this. Ron Tweedie, Collingwood Please excuse me for the comments I am about to make but they NEED to be made. I know that I will be pilloried for making them, but so be it. When I read the Fall cover with the subheading “Can We Hold Back the Flood?” I thought you might be referring to the onslaught of migration from Toronto, not the high water levels, which come and go. There – I have said it. As one who arrived here in the early 1970s to find a small town with small-town atmosphere and the slow pace that comes with it, I felt that this was an undiscovered gem known only to the local workers and the ski crowd who were so impressed by what Jozo Weider was doing out at Blue Mountain. Sure, you could fire a cannon down the main street on Sunday, but you could always head off to Barrie for big-town shopping. I can remember when High Street south of Sixth was barely a one-lane path. Now we have it all including the traffic caused largely by the influx
of people from down south. They are flocking in to occupy housing developments. And with the pandemic the influx of newcomers is on the rise as people flee the big city in favour of working from home. House prices and rentals are going through the roof. Try to find a reasonably priced house or apartment rental. If you are a “local” you will find it tough. No offense, but my plan is to find a new horizon. Al Truscott, Collingwood
RE: COLLINGWOOD TERMINALS John Wiggins has again echoed my sentiments regarding the fate of the Collingwood Terminals. How long must we wait for the proper decision to be made to take down this monstrosity? A few delicately placed sticks of dynamite by a professional demolition company would implode the eyesore into a neat concrete rubble. And the pile could be trucked away or possibly used to construct a breakwater where needed along the lakeshore. Then this site could be transformed into a myriad of useful, practical endeavours attracting local inhabitants and tourists. To quote John, “Save us from ‘Save the Terminals.’ Save us all from sitting much longer on an accident waiting to happen.” Peter Edwards, Thornbury
RE: MEAFORD PUMPED STORAGE FACILITY How can anyone be in favour of this insane project? To even think of allowing this deluded company to come in and start digging on shore and off for pipelines is mind boggling. Removing billions of gallons of water every day and then returning it every day causes me to wonder if anyone considers the fact that it will not be the same water removed and returned
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destruction of land and disruption of people. We live in a beautiful area that has become a magnet for people all over the world. Tourism is a big deal here but not if the water is polluted. How many people fish these waters regularly? How many have boats of all varieties that enjoy the clear, clean water of this bay? Now consider one of the most important facts – this clean water provides drinking water for thousands of people around Georgian Bay. Many towns not on the bay are getting water piped to them through the water plant in Collingwood. I was born and raised 82 years ago in the Georgian Bay area. This pristine body of water has been the focal point of so many things in our lives. My father and many of his family worked for the Collingwood Shipyards for over 39 years. We watched the boats launched many times. The grain elevators gave work to many people including all the ships that came into the harbour. – eventually all the water in the bay will be involved. Building a huge dam to hold a reservoir of water on a military base that does manoeuvres regularly, shaking the ground for miles around, does not bode well for anyone living below this dam if it should let go, and what guarantee can be given that it won’t? Then there is the destruction of land, wildlife, fish and forest to consider with the project supposedly going to take up to seven years to complete. There has been mention in the plans to run a hydro corridor to carry what little power they will make to Barrie. When people put up objections to that, the plans changed to the idea of running a power line on the bottom of the bay to Wasaga Beach, then on land to Essa. More
Our family was involved with boats and motor sales, for sports and fishing. We spent many hours at Wasaga Beach in the summer and water skied out of the harbour in Collingwood. We have enjoyed many visits to Meaford and area – right up to the top of Georgian Bay. Our children come home from Alberta and spend their vacation swimming in this bay. All of the above activities have only been done because of the beautiful and clean water in Georgian Bay. Once this body of water is damaged it cannot be replaced! This story needs to be told to everyone and soon. There will be no benefits to anyone if this project is allowed to go ahead. Please stop it now. Fay Gieg, Collingwood
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RE: COUNTY ROAD 91 Short-sighted, ill-informed, and selfish. That’s my take on Clearview Township’s proposal – and I’m sure all On The Bay readers will agree. County Road 91, our well-traversed east-west thoroughfare, is in jeopardy. Clearview wants to sell off our historic over-the-mountain road to Walker Aggregates. Under this proposal, traffic would be rerouted to an “upgraded” Sideroad 26/27 – creating unnecessary difficulties for farmers, residents, tourists, and hikers. You are not remiss if you are unaware of 26/27. It’s a narrow, unpaved, dirt path that most pass by without a second thought. It’s dangerously steep and not conducive to handling high levels of traffic – this road will never be an adequate replacement for CR91. As Grey County grows and tourists abound, our infrastructure will play an increasingly essential role in keeping our communities connected and safe. Replacing CR91 with 26/27 will permanently disrupt swelling traffic patterns and cause delays for emergency vehicles, undermining access to life-saving services. It also makes no financial sense when Clearview spent money to resurface CR91 this past summer. The Municipality of Grey Highlands and the Town of The Blue Mountains have already expressed their frustration at this proposal. Without due consultation, Clearview has pushed forward with their proposal which impedes future regional transportation plans and exacerbates our traffic concerns. Moreover, this proposal will cause irreparable damage to the environment – destroying the habitats of rare birds, plants, and trout – and cause a ripple effect that would impact the whole tributary. Clearview, however, is sweeping these concerns under the rug. If they have their way, this road will be closed permanently, and we
will be forced to live with the consequences – more traffic, dangerous driving conditions, impeded access to emergency services, and environmental damage. Niagara Escarpment Commission staff recently highlighted that the township is not acting in the public’s interest, and that Clearview hasn’t proved that this project is worth the damage it would cause. But the battle isn’t over – the fate of this project won’t be decided for over a year. We need persistent public pressure to ensure that common sense prevails. Lorrie Gillis, Grey Highlands
RE: COLLINGWOOD TRAILS Many readers of your magazine are fans of our Collingwood Trails system so may be interested in this news. The trails, particularly those around Sunset Park, are apparently not going to be cleared of snow this winter because of municipal budget difficulties. I find it hard to fathom that our town can dish out seven million dollars to investigate a previous council’s misdeeds but we can’t afford to remove snow from our trails. Particularly this winter when we all need to be outdoors as much as possible. Robbie Ross, Collingwood
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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NO CAUSE FOR ALARM True confessions from the 9th Concession by DAN NEEDLES
❧
illustration by SHELAGH ARMSTRONG-HODGSON
Out here on the Ninth Concession, burglars are at work every week among the “view” properties along the top of the hill to the west. Break-ins and car thefts are so common that police no longer visit the scene anymore. They just take the details by phone and tell you to call your insurance company. A friend in the insurance business tells me that cash, jewelry and electronics are the first choice of home burglars. He assures me, given the choice between a Rolex watch and a 1948 Champion root pulper that weighs 500 pounds and needs sharpening, the burglar is more likely to take the watch. Certain vehicle models are regular targets, but a farm truck with cow cartoons painted on the racks has never made the top 10 list. Since the pandemic began, we hear reports of livestock rustling in the county, but again, professional rustlers are looking for something in its prime, not a donkey who is old enough to vote. I have been burgled twice now. The first break-in occurred in 1978, when I was a weekender restoring the old frame house on this farm. Maybe break-in is the wrong word. At the time I owned just one power tool, an anemic Black & Decker circular saw that whined if it was asked to cut anything thicker than plywood. I drove off one Sunday night, leaving the saw on the veranda, and someone swiped it. I never got a chance to thank that burglar properly. I went straight out and bought a decent saw the next week, and it still runs to this day. The second burglary happened many years later, when my wife and I had moved here full-time and stocked the farm with livestock. Late one night I heard a truck backing out of the lane over by the barn and I dashed out with a flashlight to investigate. The truck roared off, leaving the barn doors wide open and the lights on, the dogs barking and the guinea hens shrieking. I looked around and couldn’t immediately see what they had stolen. But that’s always the way. The next morning I took a more careful inventory and realized the thieves had taken nothing. Not a thing. I should have been relieved, but I found the experience deeply upsetting. I felt violated. People I didn’t even know had dismissed all my treasures as worthless. They have never come back. My insurance friend dropped by to comfort
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me and he noted that the keys were always in my truck and my tractors didn’t even need a key to start. “What is the matter with you people?” he shouted, speaking generally to the large number of rural customers he serves who are oblivious to the simple security measures city people take for granted. I pointed out that someone could make off with the tractor in theory, but they would have to know that you must squirt ether into the carburetor before it will start. The ether can is on the bench in the middle barn where the gander sleeps, and the gander bites everyone but me (he’d probably even bite me in the dark). And then you would have to disconnect the manure spreader, because even I would concede it has no retail value whatsoever. There’s usually a nest of yellow jackets hanging off the tongue of the spreader – again, not the sort of thing you want to bump into in the night. So if you are thinking of taking my tractor, you might be safer just to give me a buzz first, the way the neighbours do. In the middle of the religious wars in 16th-century France, the philosopher Michel de Montaigne decided to take early retirement from government service, leave Paris and move back to the country to write. His friends were horrified. Private armies roamed the land, looting and plundering as they went, and here was this lunatic thinking he could survive in an unfortified house. Montaigne assured them the secret was to live in a way that made it clear you had nothing worth plundering. He lived unmolested on his family estate for the next 20 years. I have lived by Montaigne’s dictum successfully for 25 years now. Burglars are by nature averse to heavy lifting and any sort of risk. Between the age and the weight of my possessions and the bad temper of my poultry, they have decided to give the place a pass. ❧ 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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IN THEIR OWN WORDS Workers at the Collingwood General & Marine Hospital open up about the fear and anxiety of being on the front line during the pandemic, revealing how courage, commitment, resilience and teamwork are keeping us safe and healthy.
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KEEPING FOCUSED Norah Holder President & Chief Executive Officer
When COVID-19 first hit, we initiated Incident Command Response to oversee our COVID response and required actions. This resulted in unprecedented change, innovation, adaptability and teamwork throughout the entire hospital, which has never stopped since March 2020. Â Our greatest challenge was a seriously outdated hospital physical infrastructure. The age of the hospital and very limited space have resulted in a phenomenal amount of effort and work that has been undertaken to meet current and emerging best practices that are needed as a result of COVID. Keeping focused, remaining calm and staying resilient have been essential to reframe both strategy and operations during a pandemic. This requires being anticipatory and innovative with multiple short timeframes, developing scenarios and then Plan A, B, C and D each and every day as well as understanding these may indeed change a number of times a day and being open to that possibility. Most of all, being open to the pandemic represented a tremendous opportunity for those of us in health care to reflect, grow and develop as leaders, including myself. I am most proud of the unwavering dedication and commitment to patients and the community. Many long hours have and continue to be logged to ensure the required equipment, PPE, space, IPAC (infection prevention & control) best practices and so much more, are in place to provide care safely and to ensure the best quality of care possible during a time of great uncertainty. It has required an ongoing razor-sharp focus and being on and available 24/7. I must say that the stellar CGMH culture of innovation and engagement has been foundational to our success and will be as we continue to move forward. In March, obtaining PPE for employees and physicians was very challenging. I recall driving home late one night in
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early April, extremely worried about where we were going to obtain masks and gowns that were essential to keep employees, physicians, patients and our community safe. I lay awake that night thinking about how to get through this challenge. I reflected intensely upon my ultimate accountability and responsibility for the safety of so many. I knew that it would require our entire team to find innovative solutions. The next day, I encouraged our team to think outside the box and we came up with the idea of recruiting community volunteers to sew re-usable, washable and waterproof gowns. We obtained masks from partner hospitals that helped us until we secured and received masks from vendors. It was a very stressful time, but our teamwork, caring and innovation were key success factors. As CEO of CGMH during this unprecedented time, developing, maintaining, sustaining and growing partnerships, relationships and collaborating with the overall goal of keeping our South Georgian Bay and Simcoe County/Muskoka communities as well as the province of Ontario safe and healthy is essential. No one person and not one organization can move through this COVID journey alone. It will continue to require the collaboration and combined efforts of everyone to successfully get through and address this pandemic. I am so grateful and honoured to work with such an amazing organization. Our people at CGMH have had to make so many changes. I understand everyone is tired. Yet through it all, our people come to work each and every day and care so deeply for patients and for our community. They are my heroes: CGMH physicians and employees. I am also thankful to the entire Southern Georgian Bay community; their continued support of the hospital and stellar engagement in the required public health measures to keep patients, families, loved ones, friends, co-workers, neighbours, etc. safe and healthy is deeply appreciated and inspiring. CGMH is here for South Georgian Bay and we are so thankful that South Georgian Bay is here for CGMH. We are stronger together.
Through it all, our people come to work each and every day and care so deeply for patients and for our community. They are my heroes.
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COVID-19 has been humbling in that none of us really knew what optimal management would look like. I’ve tried to stay flexible and adapt so we can learn and get better.
BEING PREPARED Dr. Jesse Guscott Simulation Team Lead
Even before COVID-19 arrived in Canada, our simulation team identified the fact that a very sick patient with COVID-19 presenting to our hospital would require challenging medical interventions with the added complexity of risk of infection to staff and other patients. We felt we needed to simulate the case to figure out how and where we would be best able to care for such patients. At the time we thought we were practicing for a theoretical scenario, not expecting that we would ever actually have to implement our approach. After simulating the scenario a number of times, we produced a document to offer guidance to our care providers and also shared the document with rural health care providers around the country. At this point it became clear that we would actually have to implement our protocols. We continued to develop simulations for all types of COVID-related medical crises in all kinds of hospital locations. As a novel type of infection, the biggest challenge has been uncertainty around optimal clinical care and infection control practices. In the early days, the science of COVID19 seemed to be evolving almost daily. The scientific literature was filled with publications from China and Italy offering observations from their early experience. Trying to consolidate all of this literature with ever-evolving policy
and guidance documents from the province and the region was a challenge. Putting all of that literature together into a coherent plan that made sense given our local resources became our priority. My overriding philosophy has been to exercise humility and flexibility while drawing from what we know from the scientific literature combined with our other clinical experiences. In my previous educational endeavours, I often felt I had the knowledge and experience to confidently share my opinions about how to optimally manage certain clinical scenarios. COVID-19 has been humbling in that none of us really knew what optimal management would look like. I’ve tried to stay flexible and adapt so we can learn and get better. The early days of COVID-19 were truly scary for frontline health care workers. We feared for our safety and the safety of our families should we contract the virus during high-risk clinical care like resuscitations or putting breathing tubes into patients whose lungs were failing. I think that our simulation program gave healthcare workers the opportunity to learn and practice these highrisk scenarios, which helped people to feel safer and more confident in their work. I also think we were able to establish the ability to provide a very high standard of care for sick patients requiring resuscitation and critical care.
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In a pandemic with large numbers of sick patients presenting in multiple places at once, you can’t expect a lot of help from elsewhere, like in the old Westerns, that ‘the cavalry will come riding over the hill.’
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RELYING ON EACH OTHER Dr. Mark Quigg Infection Control Lead
Every department of the entire hospital came together, brainstorming and working around the clock to try and get the hospital ready for when COVID hit. With standards of care sometimes changing daily as new information came out of China, Italy and New York, it was a huge challenge. Trying to get a rural hospital with limited resources and an old, inadequate physical plant ready to deal with a 100year pandemic, with medical standards of care changing at one point literally every 24 hours, has been the greatest challenge of all our careers. In a pandemic with large numbers of sick patients presenting in multiple places at once, you can’t expect a lot of help from elsewhere, like in the old Westerns, that “the cavalry will come riding over the hill.” You have to rely on your local resources. That is why I am very glad I am at the G & M because I can’t think of a better hospital or a better community to be in during this. I know we can all count on each other. The only effective response to a pandemic is a community response. We in health care play a very public role, but without all our fellow frontline workers, the first responders, truckers, grocery store workers, etc. – supported by the entire community following the public health rules – we never would have made it through the first wave. I am so proud of the G & M hospital staff and the community we all live in. I distinctly remember in the spring at the darkest part of the first wave when we put out a call for help to our community in obtaining PPE. A week later I walked into what had been an empty room now piled to the ceiling with donated masks, gowns and gloves, all the result of local people working round the clock to obtain PPE from all over the world. It is that same spirit that will get us through the “second wave” which will possibly be the worst part of the pandemic. If we all follow the public health rules, we can get through this with minimal illness and loss of life. I can’t think of any other community I would rather face the second wave with. We will rise to the challenge!
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EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY Crystal Bell Manager, Mental Health Services
When the pandemic began in March ... our Mental Health Team was advised to cease all non-urgent in person contact by the government. Our team of mental health therapists in our Outpatient Clinic knew that we needed to continue to serve and provide care for fear of worsening symptoms in those living with mental illness, and worry about individuals who may become impacted by the pandemic needing support for the first time. We adapted from in-person therapy to virtual therapy, and the patients we served adapted well to this new delivery of service. We also were concerned about our own team at CGMH, as we know that one in five individuals live with mental illness, and one in two will be impacted by a mental illness before the age of 40. Our amazing team of therapists
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stepped into action, developing online resources for our health care professionals to help with anything from coping with our collective trauma of the pandemic, sleep hygiene, managing self care, grief and loss, grounding techniques, healthy vs. unhealthy coping, and the list goes on. We also asked that these resources be posted on our CGMH web page under our Mental Health Program for the community to access. Our team would check in with our healthcare workers, offering support and resources to ensure we could stay well during unprecedented times, knowing our community is counting on us to be there for them. The pandemic has emphasized the need to learn to better tolerate, even embrace, times of uncertainty in life,
The pandemic has emphasized the need to learn to better tolerate, even embrace, times of uncertainty in life, and to focus on those things that are within our control.
and to focus on those things that are within our control. This overriding philosophy will help us to relieve anxiety and stress levels and allow us to focus on our self care. It was important for me to early on stress the importance of self care to anyone I came in to contact with. It is the act of being deliberate about our own emotional, mental and physical health and that if we were all going to work through this collective trauma of the pandemic, we needed to work on a balanced response. The Mental Health team was quick to act and adapt to the pandemic response. It was their time to rise and demonstrate the important work they do each day in health care. They took initiative and were willing to support and care for not only patients, but each other and our entire CGMH team.
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Our team showed up daily to the front line, despite the unknown challenges before them. They continued to provide patient care with dedication and professionalism.
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hospitals around the world. The concern for appropriate PPE and not having enough of it was my biggest fear. Many of us were anxious. We wanted to know we were best protected to keep ourselves, our patients and families safe. There was immense fear of what was to come as we watched nightmare situations unfold in hospitals around the world. Our team showed up daily to the front line, despite the unknown challenges before them. They continued to provide patient care with dedication and professionalism. We may be a small hospital, but our Emerg team doesn’t let that stop them. Our team works really hard to get patients the best care in a timely manner. Despite all the challenges the pandemic has posed, professionally and personally, the team’s hard work and dedication to our patients has not changed.
There were days where our practice was changing in minutes, let alone hours. It brought us doubt, which then brings fear of the unknown.
MANAGING CHANGE Patti Grossman, RN Resource Nurse, Medical Floor
The medical floor was one of the chosen units to accept the COVID-positive patients as well as those waiting for test results. It was scary and overwhelming, to say the least. All admitted patients were sent to the medical floor and we were known as the ‘yellow floor.’ This isolated us from other departments and we were able to maintain a decreased amount of exposure to the rest of the facility. Our workload can be difficult on the best of days; however, it was increased significantly, and trying to follow the standards of practice made it challenging on most days. There were days where our practice was changing in minutes, let alone hours. It brought us doubt, which then brings fear of the unknown. Did we have the right PPE? Things were changing so fast in terms of what to wear to protect us and ensure we were not a host for
this virus. Our PPE was getting low and our practices for protection were changing. The days felt longer than a regular day and exhausting with the PPE and fears of this disease since it was new to everyone. I was so impressed with our teamwork and how each member of our team was adaptive and professional. The training we received has been instrumental during the pandemic. The tremendous changes the hospital underwent, in addition to the fear of the unknown and personal stressors, were among the top concerns of peer contacts that reached out to me since the start of the pandemic.
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The impact on health care from COVID-19 will forever change the demands and operations in the future.
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THANK YOU FRONTLINE WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS!
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We are open and excited to be serving you once again while adhering to stringent COVID-19 regulations. Your health and safety is our top priority.
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The maintenance team was tasked with multiple projects simultaneously. Balancing all the multiple demands as a small team, we planned, designed and installed measures to help protect patients and staff. Everyone adapted and worked long hours to meet the challenges, even when they changed midcourse as more information came out about COVID-19, all the while maintaining CSA and other standards protecting patients and staff. The need to separate our emergency department trauma bays and create barriers to protect staff and patients was just one example. All the while the department had to be able to function if a trauma case presented. The challenge has been to remain calm and be prepared for changes and the increased demands of dayto-day operations and challenges. Communication with the team is ongoing. How the team adapted to the challenges, and the dedication to patients and staff, have been a huge source of pride. They worked long hours and always presented a cheerful outlook, even with the increased load beyond day-to-day operations. The impact on health care from COVID-19 will forever change the demands and operations in the future. Not only will I have to look after the day-to-day operations; the role will need to stay focused on new technology and lessons learned from my counterparts in other facilities. All the departments had tremendous demands placed upon them and rose to meet them. I would like to say thank you to all my coworkers, as everyone faced this challenge with their own thoughts and concerns, yet always provided the highest level of patient care.
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ACTIVITIES
Skates On! Get Your
Outdoor skating is a great way to enjoy winter safely during the pandemic
L
by LAURIE STEPHENS photography by DOUG BURLOCK
acing up my skates in the hut before heading out onto Blue Mountain Resort’s outdoor Woodview Mountaintop Skating loop, my mind drifts back in time. I’m 10 years old, stepping onto the edge of a frozen pond leading into a kilometres-long
stream that is frozen solid, clear and smooth. It’s a pure Canadian winter day – brilliant sun and cold enough to freeze exposed skin in minutes. I pull my scarf up over my nose and push off, skating all alone and feeling at one with nature along the trail that snakes through woods and marshes.
Jessie Robinson, Chloe Jacques and Andrea Labossiere enjoy a turn around the Woodview Mountaintop Skating loop at Blue Mountain Resort.
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It’s a quintessential Canadian experience, and I’m excited about the promise of another outdoor adventure that turns our harsh northern climate into a winter wonderland. And what an adventure it is. I’m joined by three friends for an evening skate on the Woodview trail atop the Escarpment, preceded by a lovely dinner in Blue Mountain Village. We need the fuel: the night is cold and blustery, winds whipping snow everywhere. Yet, once out onto the 1.1-kilometre loop, we’re mostly shielded from the weather by the towering fir trees that shelter the trail, and our down coats keep us toasty. As we begin our skate, it quickly becomes clear who’s the expert. My friend Andrew, a volunteer firefighter from Collingwood, was on skates not long after he learned how to walk. He has played hockey his whole life. But he’d trade an arena for an outdoor rink in a heartbeat. “I grew up in Toronto and I like being outdoors and playing shinny outside in parks and whatnot, but there’s not a lot of options in that regard in Toronto,” says Mollenhauer, who exhibited his skating prowess by lapping us on one of the loops. “It’s just good to be outdoors and not in an arena.” The night is pitch black, and the lights of Collingwood sparkle below in sharp relief. Along the trail, torches, spotlights and twinkle lights illuminate the route, make it easy to see the smooth surface of the ice. Benches are scattered here and there, and I take advantage of one to adjust one of my skates that is causing my foot to cramp. It’s been a while since my feet have been in these skates, and it
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The mountaintop skating loop attracts people of all ages. Above left, Candice Rainey. Above, Loren Howes-Jones, Jason Barwegen. Right, Katia Abaimova and Andrew Mollenhauer. Lower right, Nora Barwegen, Loren Howes-Jones, Davis Barwegen and Jason Barwegen.
might have been better to spend $6 on a pair of rentals that are available in the hut. Other skaters go by. It’s a real mix of abilities: some, like Mollenhauer, literally skate circles around their friends; others are just learning how to skate, leaning on a device that looks like a modified walker and scoots along the ice. Everyone has big smiles on their faces. Mollenhauer is here with Katia Abaimova, a Collingwood realtor, on a date night, something they have done a few times a year since the skating trail opened in the winter of 2017. “It’s definitely one of our favourite date things to do in the winter because it’s a really nice setting,” says Abaimova. “It’s nice they have those twinkle lights and the torch lights, and there’s lots of benches to sit down on. It’s a really great environment.” Into our second loop, I’m reminded that skating takes effort, especially since it’s my first time being on ice this winter. My breathing picks up, and I start to feel the strain in my quad and calf muscles. Tucking around a corner of the twisty trail, I am hit with a swirl of snow that has found a path through the fir trees. Again, I think about my 10-year-old self on that solitary skate and feel a burst of exhilaration like I did back then. It’s simply magical.
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Kaylie, Alyssa and Jennifer Frost round a corner on the Woodview Mountaintop Skating loop.
Another friend, Leslie Piercey, is also on skates for the first time in a while, and at one point, the retired biologist/ecologist from Meaford takes a fall and lands on her already surgically repaired knee. Still, after flexing it out, she is game to skate a third loop with the others after I decide to call it a night. Afterwards, while taking off her skates, Piercey reflects on the experience. “Despite the weather, despite the wind, despite the cold, despite the crack of my kneecap on the ice, it was still just a super fun thing to do,” she says. “It was just a lot of fun to be out on a cold stormy night, under the lights. The weather just kind of added to the whole adventure.” As we leave the hut to head to our cars, battling gusts of wind and snow the entire way, crowds of younger people arrive to begin their skate. This skating adventure took place in February 2020, before the pandemic shut most everything down. The good news is that outdoor skating for this winter appears to be a go at most rinks and trails in the region. Here’s a rundown of what is expected to be available for outdoor skating this winter.
Woodview Mountaintop Skating Going into its fourth year of operation, the Woodview skating loop is an increasingly popular locale for pleasure skaters looking
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Others are just learning to skate, leaning on a device that looks like a modified walker and scoots along the ice. Everyone has big smiles on their faces. beyond the confined space of a traditional ice rink. Winding through majestic pines and bountiful snow atop the Escarpment, the loop delivers a truly Canadian winter experience for local residents and visitors to the resort. “We’re seeing a trend overall in families who come to Blue Mountain Resort but not everybody wants to ski all day,” says Tara Lovell, manager of public relations at Blue Mountain Resort. “So we’re trying to find other ways for people to enjoy getting outside or enjoying a ski destination, even if they don’t want to ski the whole time, or if they don’t ski at all. “It is just another activity that families can get out and do, and there’s something for everyone.” The loop is maintained by a dedicated maintenance team that installs the ice surface in early winter when temperatures permit and continually monitors and maintains it to make sure it’s smooth and safe for skaters of all abilities. If the weather gets too warm and the ice starts to get too soft, the team temporarily shuts the trail down. This winter, the resort is planning some enhancements to Woodview, including the addition of more multi-coloured lighting and firepits, and possibly having music piped through speakers. Blue Mountain is still establishing how Woodview will operate in the pandemic world. Certainly, the number of skaters will be
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Top, the view from the skating loop at the top of Blue Mountain. Below, Leslie Piercey and writer Laurie Stephens. Bottom, the loop is lighted for night skating
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The Oakview Woods Outdoor Complex in Wasaga Beach offers outdoor skating in winter. Left, Jonas and Hilary Deline introduce daughter Stella to the joys of skating.
restricted, and skate rentals will not be available. Guests will be able to lace up their skates in a tent, rather than in the hut. Lovell says there will be more details to come. “But similar to skiing and snowboarding, the activity itself, being outside and having enough room, is a go. It’s the other elements that must support our COVID response. We’re looking at heaters outside, tent facilities, ways to keep people outdoors as much as possible, and ways to spread people out.” Last year, tickets for two hours on the Woodview Mountaintop Skating trail cost $14 for youth and $17 for adults during weekdays; $16 for youth and $19 for adults on weekends. Lovell says 2020-21 ticket prices, along with information about how the facility will operate during the pandemic, will be available at bluemountain.ca.
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Central Park is a popular spot for skating in Collingwood. Above, Michelle Engelhardt, Kassandra Webb and Alissa Engelhardt take a break after a few laps of the outdoor rink. Upper right, Kassandra Webb and Teague Murphy enjoy a romantic skate. Lower right, Jenna Mills with budding hockey star son Boden Moffatt.
Collingwood Outdoor Skating Rink Collingwood’s outdoor rink, located near the Collingwood Curling Club and the YMCA, has been around since the early 2000s and is a popular destination for people of all ages who can come and skate for free, says Dean Collver, Collingwood’s director of parks, recreation and culture. “I think its central location is probably key,” he says. “It’s a 17,000-square-foot ice surface – NHL regulation size – but I think
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there are a lot of people who will come for the circle skate, as well as learn to skate, as well as the occasional pick-up game and shinny. “We block out times for each different activity so that someone who wants to bring a three-year-old on for a skate isn’t there at the same time as 40-year-olds running around shooting pucks.” The installation of the manufactured ice surface depends on weather, but can start as early as late November. Staff aim to have the ice last through the March Break for students, as it provides a much-needed activity and stress outlet at that time. This year, they expect they will be able to open the rink with some modifications to address COVID-19 concerns and keep
Collingwood’s outdoor rink is a popular destination for people of all ages who can come and skate for free, says Dean Collver, Collingwood’s director of parks, recreation and culture.
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Above, Beau Hutchinson, Elliot Rowbotham, Tate McCarl and Hunter Rowbotham enjoy a game of shinny at the Collingwood outdoor rink. Right (l-r), Caeden Benoit, Caleb Benoit and Cooper Hammond take a break from shinny while the Zamboni cleans the ice (lower left).
skaters safe, says Collver. A full pandemic re-opening plan is still in the works, but some possible measures include a mandatory face mask policy, limits to the number of skaters on the ice and limited hours of operation. “Since we’re working through plans and organizing to get the indoor surfaces open, I expect that we’ll be able to do something with the outdoor surfaces as well,” says Collver. “That just makes sense. In terms of things like access to the changeroom and putting skates on, it may look different in terms of the experience. But I am optimistic we’ll see the outdoor slab functioning this year.” For updates on the availability of the rink, keep an eye on the Collingwood website at collingwood.ca
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It’s a quintessential Canadian experience, and I’m excited about the promise of another outdoor adventure that turns our harsh northern climate into a winter wonderland. Skating is a family affair at the Collingwood outdoor skating rink. Clockwise from top left, mother and daughter Donna Crane and Renée Courtemanche; Corey Murphy and Michelle Engelhardt; Veronica Mear.
Good Cheer Rink The Good Cheer Rink in Owen Sound’s Harrison Park has been in operation for 14 years and features free access for the public. About two-thirds the size of a regular indoor hockey rink, users can play hockey on odd-number calendar days and free skate on evennumber calendar days. The rink is a very popular destination for a number of reasons, not the least of which is its central location that makes it easily accessible, says Adam Parsons, manager of parks and open space for Owen Sound.
“We see people walking into the park with skates and hockey sticks over their shoulders constantly.” The rink has benches and lighting, and there are other amenities close by, including playgrounds. And it’s right next to the Harrison Park Inn, so if people want refreshments, they can get a hot chocolate or a bite to eat. Parsons also believes the quality of the ice is a draw – a Zamboni maintains the refrigerated ice surface daily. The rink is named after a local charitable organization, called the Scenic City Organization of Good Cheer, which has raised $1.3 million to help bring outdoor amenities to Owen Sound. “They were also involved in our splashpad project and then establishing an accessible washroom and changeroom for the splashpad a few years later, so they’ve been a really valuable group to work with for the city,” says Parsons. The city intends to have the rink open this winter and is currently working on a safety plan that will include some restrictions and modifications to operating procedures, such as limiting the number of skaters on the ice and requiring the use of masks. Those plans will
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be vetted through the local public health agency and then promoted to the public. “We do want to provide affordable recreational opportunities outside, especially during the global pandemic where those are things that are safer than other activities that we might have enjoyed in the winter,” says Parsons. Plans are to open before Christmas – depending on Mother Nature, of course – and going through to late March. Since the ice surface is refrigerated, there is some capacity to keep the ice up longer than some other outdoor rinks or trails. Operating hours will be from sunrise to 10 p.m. For more information about the rink’s opening, check out owensound.ca/en/exploring/public_skating.aspx
Simcoe County Museum Skating Trail
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Like the Woodview Mountaintop Skating loop, the Simcoe County Museum Skating Trail places you in the middle of nature on a 1.1-kilometre loop that curves through stands of majestic pines and deciduous trees on museum property. When the conditions are ideal, it’s a piece of heaven, says Mike Burns, the museum’s maintenance supervisor. “There are benches all along the track, and a couple of skate huts. We also have a warming station with picnic tables, so if you’re half-way through and it’s a little too much or your first time on skates in a while, you can pull over and have a quick break there. And you’re surrounded by beautiful red pines. It’s all lit by lanterns. It’s beautiful.” Admission is $10, which includes access to the museum, located in Minesing on the outskirts of Barrie, as well as snowshoe rentals for the three-kilometre snowshoe trail that also winds through the woods (there’s a discounted rate for museum members). The
skating loop is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The trail is popular with families and couples, says Burns. Before strapping on your skates, you can walk amidst the heritage buildings located onsite or tour the museum’s exhibits and permanent collection. At the entrance to the skating trail, the museum has a replica sugar shack where staff greet skaters and answer any questions they may have. “Inside, there’s an old antique wood stove that we have fired up, with benches in there, so you get the nice smell of the wood burning,” he says. “You can warm your hands up by the fireplace.” With the help of copious amounts of well water and two Zambonis, the museum aims to get the trail in place as quickly as nature allows – usually December – and then operate as long into
“There are benches all along the track, and a couple of skate huts. And you’re surrounded by beautiful red pines. It’s all lit by lanterns. It’s beautiful.”
Above and upper left, the skating trail at the Simcoe County Museum curves through the trees for 1.1 kilometres.
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Where to Skate Woodview Mountaintop Skating Location: Blue Mountain Resort, 201 Scenic Caves Road, The Blue Mountains Cost (2019/20 prices): Weekdays $14 for youth, $17 for adults; weekends $16 for youth and $19 for adults for two hours of skating Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Website: bluemountain.ca/things-to-do/activities
Collingwood Outdoor Skating Rink Location: 200 Hume Street, Collingwood Cost: FREE Hours: To be determined Website: collingwood.ca
Simcoe County Museum Skating Trail Location: 1151 ON-26, Minesing Cost: Adult $10; child/youth (4-24) $8; child $6; under 3 FREE Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Fri. noon – 2 p.m. & 6 – 9 p.m.; Weekends 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Website: museum.simcoe.ca
Good Cheer Rink, Harrison Park Location: 75 2nd Ave. E., Owen Sound Cost: FREE Hours: Sunrise to 10 p.m. Website: owensound.ca/en/exploring/public_skating.aspx
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Winding through majestic pines and bountiful snow atop the Escarpment, the loop delivers a truly Canadian winter experience for local residents and visitors to the resort. Juno Gallacher and Shane Ward glide through a winter wonderland on the Woodview Mountaintop Skating loop.
the winter as possible. March Break can be a bit of a stretch, says Burns, but “Family Day is a big day for the museum because we’ve got all the trails, the toboggans are going, and there are game and events inside the museum.” In terms of the impact of COVID-19, museum curator Kelley Swift Jones says she is hopeful the museum will be able to open the trail for use “provided we can create a process for safe access for visitors and staff, and that we have a plan in place that is approved by public health.” Burns advises people to keep an eye on the website for updates as the skating season approaches. You can find the latest information about the Simcoe County Museum Skating Trail here: museum.simcoe.ca With so many outdoor rinks and skating loops in our midst, all we need is some cold weather to provide a smooth surface of ice on which to spend a winter’s day or evening gliding along, reliving our own childhood memories and introducing new generations to the wonders of skating. ❧
A designer’s renovated Creemore farmhouse combines antique and salvaged pieces with modern elements
T
by JUDY ROSS photography by DEREK TRASK
he key to any good renovation is how it looks 10 years down the road. As designer Jill Maxwell puts it, “You don’t want to spend a lot of money redoing your home and then have it look dated a few years later.” Her own stone farmhouse, located on a quiet rural road south of Creemore, provides a good example. She renovated it 14 years ago and it still has a timeless appeal, as if it was renovated yesterday.
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FEATURED HOME Since 1894, this classic stone farmhouse has been surrounded by the unchanged rural landscape south of Creemore. Owner Jill Maxwell plans to renovate the red bank barn for future events and parties.
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ABOVE: A French-style limestone fireplace warms the main living area. The choice of a neutral palette and classic pieces of furniture like the Ralph Lauren sofa keep the look timeless. RIGHT: The reclaimed hemlock dining table can seat 12. Maxwell designed the black iron and glass light fixture.
The farmhouse, built in 1894, is surrounded by a hundred acres of rolling pastures, ponds and forest. Majestic old maple trees arch over the long gravel driveway that leads to the house. The property also boasts a large red bank barn, an airplane hangar, two landing strips and a wetland conservation area that drains into the Pine River. Maxwell, who has had a thriving design business in Toronto for 20 years, bought the property in 2006 as a rural retreat for her family. “We wanted a peaceful escape where we could relax on weekends,” she says. “As a family we ski at Devil’s Glen in winter, and in other seasons we hike on the Bruce Trail, which edges our property.” When she bought the farmhouse, it had already been renovated by the former owners – stripped down to the studs, insulated and given all new wiring, heating and plumbing – the hidden but necessary updates required
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in a Victorian era house. The front entrance was relocated, creating a new foyer and allowing for a screened porch off the kitchen. For that earlier renovation the architect was Jim Campbell, whose firm, Rockside Campbell Design, located near Duntroon, is well known for imaginative work. Some of his signature touches in this house include the steel and rod staircase that leads from the kitchen to the second storey. “I fell in love with this house when I saw that staircase,” enthuses Maxwell. “It was exactly the modern farmhouse look that I was hoping for.” Using the staircase as inspiration, Maxwell added her own touches, such as the iron light fixtures she designs to look home-made and then has produced by Studio Lampcage in Toronto. Throughout the house she combines modern elements with antiques and salvaged pieces, some found on the side of the road and refurbished. In the powder room, for
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Maxwell loves to cook and entertain, so for her, a key part of any house is the kitchen. Without changing the basic structure of the farmhouse kitchen, she refreshed it by painting the cabinetry, hanging new glass pendants over the island, installing stainless steel commercial appliances and adding new countertops. She chose Statuario marble for either side of the stove, and cement Caesarstone for the island top. “When I did this kitchen 14 years ago, you couldn’t get honed finishes on stone, so I did it myself and had to sign a waiver that the warranty would not be valid,” she recalls. “Now you see honed countertops everywhere.” A major change in the large airy living area was the wood-burning fireplace that dominates one end of the room. It had been encased in plates of black steel (another Jim Campbell signature touch), but
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ABOVE: At the top of the staircase, an open hallway serves as Maxwell’s office and leads to the master bedroom. LEFT: An antique French armoire adds extra storage in the foyer. On the left is an English daybed upholstered in Ralph Lauren fabric.
Maxwell recommends choosing classic furniture, adding antiques and salvaged items to the mix, and keeping a neutral palette.
Maxwell wanted more of a French country look. She contracted Sienna Design in Toronto to create a bold handcrafted limestone fireplace and had window seats built in on either side with firewood storage beneath. The room’s beautiful windows have 20-inch deep window wells and neutral linen shades that don’t detract from the views. One wall faces south over two spring-fed ponds and the gentle hillside. With the goal of creating a calm environment for weekend escapes from the city, she began the renovation by getting rid of all the distracting wall colours and painting everything in beautiful shades of grey. “The
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views from every window are so fabulous in every season that I wanted them to be the focal point and let the walls fade into the background.” Maxwell likes to play with tones of paint colour. She used ‘Revere Pewter’ from Benjamin Moore on the beautiful vintage mouldings and trim, and then diluted the paint by half on the walls making them a lighter version of the same colour. Then she chose a darker colour, ‘Mercer’ from Ralph Lauren Paint, for all the interior doors. “I don’t like white doors,” she says, “I prefer to make them dark. Especially when they are the original wooden doors with white porcelain doorknobs.” She and her daughter Tori both own horses, which is fitting considering the history of this intriguing property. The original 750acre parcel of land was purchased by a German, Hubert Kaiser, who
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came to Canada in the late 1800s and over a 35-year period turned the property into a lavish estate with riding trails, a large bank barn, and a huge equestrian arena. His company, Kaiser Porcelain, was famous worldwide for its collectible plates and sculptures. One of the most popular was a line of porcelain horse figurines. After the Kaisers’ time, the property was divided into 12 lots, including the 100-acre parcel that Maxwell now owns. Her section had the original stone farmhouse as well as the airplane hangar that was used as a distribution centre for Kaiser Porcelain, and the landing strips for transporting product. “There’s no porcelain there now,” laughs Maxwell. “The airplane hangar is filled with bales of hay. I lease some fields to local farmers which helps me keep the property going.” For now, the farmhouse remains a weekend retreat, but her plan is to move here full-time within a year. “I have more and more business up here, and I love the kind of work I’m doing here,” she says. “Every property and house is so different. And I enjoy working with the tradespeople here; they really take pride in their work.” She is forming a design/build partnership with Marty Webster, a local builder who has been operating his WFD Construction company in this area for six years. “We are a good team,” notes Maxwell, “Marty is a great builder and we complement each other’s work. Since the pandemic there has been a lot of business for designers and builders. So many people are moving up from
LEFT: The soothing palette continues in the master bedroom. The headboard was a salvage find that Maxwell painted and had reupholstered. The pair of leather armchairs are from Lee Industries. UPPER RIGHT: A vintage dry sink was turned into a vanity in the ground floor powder room. The mirror frame is salvaged wood. LOWER RIGHT: In daughter Tori’s bedroom, the headboard and bedding are from Victorian Values in Creemore. Every room has 20-inch-deep window wells and beautiful views.
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“The views from every window are so fabulous in every season that I wanted them to be the focal point and let the walls fade into the background.”
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The screened porch, accessed from the kitchen, was added by former owners. With lots of homey touches, it is well used as an extra room in warm weather.
the city, finding they can work from home, and wanting to make their country cottages or ski chalets into more permanent houses. These kinds of renovations are exactly what Marty and I specialize in.” To achieve the timeless design that is evident in her own country home, Maxwell recommends choosing classic furniture, adding antiques and salvaged items to the mix, and keeping a neutral palette. “I also believe that every house should have pieces that reflect local history.” True to her word, there’s a mirror hanging on the stone wall of her screened porch. It was made from old windows from the gym at Admiral Collingwood School, a historic red brick schoolhouse on Hurontario Street in Collingwood that was torn down in 2005. It’s a fitting nod to heritage in a timelessly classic home with its own rich history. ❧
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ARTS & CULTURE
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Artist Merryn Edgar checks her work on display at the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts; Theatre Collingwood’s virtual performance of “Missing Pages”; artwork on display at the Wasaga Society for the Arts; Georgian Bay Symphony conductor François Koh; The Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts shop on Simcoe Street displays a variety of work by local artists.
State of The
ARTS
Arts & culture organizations are pivoting in the face of COVID-19 restrictions to stay relevant ... and survive by MARC HUMINILOWYCZ photography by JESSICA CRANDLEMIRE
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hen COVID-19 hit, artistic and cultural organizations were among the first, and arguably the most severely, impacted. Galleries, theatres and live music venues closed. Live performances were first prohibited, then severely restricted in terms of audience size,
making it impossible for many organizations to sell enough tickets to viably hold live events. As the pandemic rages on – and at press time, the increasing numbers were again forcing us into greater restrictions, possibly heading towards another lockdown – local arts organizations continue to struggle.
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The Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts shop on Simcoe Street displays a variety of work by local artists. ABOVE MIDDLE (l-r): Merryn Edgar, Suzette Terry and Susan Cook.
Some are offering virtual performances while others are planning outdoor events with distancing and even “pods” to protect patrons. But it’s unclear how long many organizations can hold on. “COVID-19 restrictions impacted us tremendously,” says Susan Cook, administrator of the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts (BMFA). “Gone are the days of people wandering around freely in galleries, artists coming together, receptions, critiques and award ceremonies. We see no full exhibits for the foreseeable future. Now, it’s pivot, pivot, pivot.” Like other arts groups during COVID lockdown, the BMFA needed to act quickly to move entire art exhibits online, create an e-commerce presence, and be active on social media, in order to keep patrons engaged and buying local original art. “It’s been a challenge with our limited staff, and we question if the viewing public is willing to accept virtual representations of art. Some are not tech savvy, and some of our artists are not willing to exhibit virtual versions of the work.” At press time, the BMFA’s storefront studio at 65 Simcoe Street in
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Collingwood was open (thanks in large part, says Cook, to the kindness and support of landlords Rick and Anke Lex), but with reduced hours. Last summer’s successful Saturday street closure in downtown Collingwood was a big boost to the studios, artists and other businesses, creating a relaxed shopping atmosphere. The BMFA and other Collingwood businesses are hopeful that the Saturday street closure will continue next summer, and they’re making plans accordingly. In the meantime, Cook encourages people to support her organization by becoming a member, joining the board, buying art on the BMFA website, and submitting their suggestions for engaging the community.
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“Gone are the days of people wandering around freely in galleries, artists coming together, receptions, critiques and award ceremonies. We see no full exhibits for the foreseeable future. Now, it’s pivot, pivot, pivot.” Susan Cook, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts Another local cultural institution, the Collingwood Museum, was forced to close due to COVID-19 restrictions from March 13 to September 9. Only curbside pickup of gift shop items was available to the public. Now open with safety protocols in place, visitors must pre-book an appointment for a group self-guided tour (up to 10 people), with only one group at a time allowed. Interactive/hands-on exhibits are off limits and visitors are prohibited from touching any items in the static exhibits. Museum supervisor Melissa Shaw says the lockdown gave staff the opportunity to work on administration tasks, data management, online content, and social media. “Since our shutdown, we have been busy with online and social activities, doing as much as we can virtually,” she says. “During our ‘Collecting for Collingwood: COVID-19’ campaign, we asked people to give us their COVID stories, photos and comments. We supplied content for Collingwood Parks and Recreation’s ‘Rally Point’ virtual initiative, as well as digital puzzles, scavenger hunt clues and heritage videos for another virtual event, ‘Camp Collingwood’.” The Collingwood Museum is currently working on a new live exhibit titled ‘Launch Day,’ where the community comes together to launch a ship. “As the third phase of modernizing the museum, it’s an exciting exhibit that will enliven our gallery,” Shaw explains. “Other than this,
Whether you live in Creemore, Thornbury, Wasaga, Meaford, Stayner or Collingwood, here’s your chance to register your nonfinancial support for a regional multi-use centre that will support visual arts, community events, live theatre, the best cinema as well as musical performances of all kinds.
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“What do we foresee in 2021? Right now, it’s difficult to predict anything. We’re hoping to offer children’s programs and hire students on-site next summer. And we’re grateful for the funding we’re receiving from federal, provincial and municipal sources.” Melissa Shaw, Collingwood Museum what do we foresee in 2021? Right now, it’s difficult to predict anything. We’re hoping to offer children’s programs and hire students on-site next summer. And we’re grateful for the funding we’re receiving from federal, provincial and municipal sources.” COVID-19 hit shortly after a new arts organization in our region, Wasaga Society for the Arts (WSA), was getting ready to launch. It bills itself as a charitable organization created to raise awareness of the arts scene and support local artists, artisans and musicians in Wasaga Beach. “In the past 20 years, the population growth in Wasaga Beach has been quite outstanding, surpassing Collingwood,” said WSA administrator Michael Jarrett. “It’s telling us that people are moving here, and they will be clamouring for lifestyle choices, including opportunities for careers in music, art, film, as well as opportunities in the arts for their children.
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ABOVE LEFT: Claire Reyes (left) and Melissa Shaw explain local history at the Collingwood Museum. ABOVE: Karin Cubitt, manager of culture & events for the Town of Collingwood (foreground), Melissa Shaw and Claire Reyes (background) examine the displays at the Collingwood Museum.
We’re building an organization that can generate a local creative economy, engaging artists and like-minded people to socialize, share and learn their craft.” According to chair Steve Wallace, COVID-19 gave the WSA time to organize, plan, develop governance and revamp its website. “It’s a pause that has allowed us to connect with people, start conversations, network and build our membership,” he says. “We’re continually searching for and offering online learning opportunities, such as hosting an art initiative and a competition for children, asking for entries of artistic representations of their feelings about COVID. In August, the WSA opened its public art venue, Stonebridge Art Gallery, located in the Stonebridge Town Centre and curated by local artist Sue Miller. It is currently open to the public on Thursdays and Saturdays. The gallery has featured works by local original printmaker and painter Barbara Kendrick, as well as exhibits of paintings and sculptures by local artists. The WSA is asking residents who are passionate about the arts to join the organization as members and patrons.
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ARTS & CULTURE
The Wasaga Society for the Arts (WSA) is a new organization showcasing the work of local artists. ABOVE RIGHT (l-r): WSA artists Barbara Kendrick, Claire Weston and Sue Miller.
Live theatre organizations and venues in our region were dealt a severe blow when the pandemic forced their closure. “When the COVID lockdowns hit, we soon realized that nobody was buying tickets. With $350,000 a year in expenses to pay artists and overhead costs, and no money coming in, it was a terrifying scenario,” recalls Erica Angus, executive director of Theatre Collingwood, a mainstay of live theatre for 36 years. “We quickly looked for a less expensive office space, and found one for half the cost,” Angus adds. “The government wage subsidy helped us, and our staff sold off office items to raise funds. At the same time, we looked at ways to stay connected and relevant to the community. Through our newsletter, we asked people how COVID was affecting them. The response was tremendous.” In August, Theatre Collingwood staged an outdoor wine, food and art event at Georgian Hills Vineyards based on the Stephen Sondheim play, “Sunday in the Park with George,” which saw 50 people enjoying wine and food pairings, live music by local performer Aaron Solomon, and on-site painting by local artist John Burton. “It was a wonderful afternoon, and we realized that this works,” Angus enthuses. Previous to that event, the theatre staged a ‘Porch-side Series’
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“It’s a pause that has allowed us to connect with people, start conversations, network and build our membership. We’re continually searching for and offering online learning opportunities.” Steve Wallace, Wasaga Society for the Arts where musicians entertained people outside seated on lawn chairs. In the fall, the theatre staged a virtual production of a play by CBC Radio personality Tom Allen titled, “The Missing Pages” and two Christmasthemed online events were planned for December: a staged reading of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and a musical performance called “Rockin’ Round The Christmas Tree,” featuring Leisa Way and the Wayward Wind Band. “If there was anything positive from COVID, it was a gift of time that motivated us to think outside the box and ask ourselves how we can be creative to serve the community and support local artists,” says Angus. “We’re working on more live streaming events and a Porch-side Festival next summer. In the meantime, we’re asking our patrons to convert their subscriptions to donations. I think it’s important for people to support their bodies and their mental health during the pandemic. Theatre Collingwood plays a vital role in helping people to be happy. We’ve been around for 36 years, and we’re not going to let a pandemic stop us!”
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ARTS & CULTURE
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Theatre Collingwood recently staged a virtual production of a play by CBC Radio personality Tom Allen titled, “The Missing Pages.”
“When the COVID lockdowns hit, we soon realized that nobody was buying tickets. With $350,000 a year in expenses to pay artists and overhead costs, and no money coming in, it was a terrifying scenario.” Erica Angus, Theatre Collingwood In March, The Marsh Street Centre in Clarksburg was all set to host a St. Patrick’s Day fundraising event featuring a popular Celtic-folk/ pop band from Kingston, Ontario. Following The Town of The Blue Mountains’ lead, the venue immediately shut its doors. Suddenly, staff needed to be laid off and expenditures minimized. “Fortunately, The Marsh has always been well-managed financially, so we had no debt and we were able to cut our expenditures to a bare minimum to keep the lights on and pay the bills for a matter of months,” says president and board chair Steven Gorton. “Sure, COVID forced us to put on the brakes on many things. We used that four-month time period when we were closed to review and improve our internal systems and processes, renovate our bar and stage front, and stay close to our bands and members through newsletters and streaming a few online concerts.” As soon as COVID restrictions began to ease, the Marsh Street Centre
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teamed up with The Blue Mountains to hold two major fundraisers – Lobsterfest and Oktoberfest – which helped to raise over $10,000 for the venue. On September 12, The Marsh held its successful annual general meeting – hosting, thanks to an Ontario Arts Council grant – renowned guitarist Robert Michaels with his band and flamenco dancers. At press time, with restrictions limiting indoor gatherings to 10 people, the Marsh Street Centre was open for business, renting its facilities to various community groups, hosting its seniors’ ‘Coffee at the Marsh’ events, and planning, with funding, a new seniors’ ‘Lunch and Learn’ program including an exercise session, a hot meal and speaker, a group activity or a video. “Our typical operating budget is $235,000 but, as a result of COVID, it has shrunk by $200,000,” Gorton says. “But the current situation will not last forever. We are thinking and planning for the future through fundraising and sponsorship and membership drives. Work is continuing on our back roof, and we are hoping to renovate our back patio before next summer. Our current membership is at 300, and we encourage everyone in the community to join. We look forward to the day when we will be able to open our doors wider to a new, refreshed Marsh Street Centre that provides even more value to our wonderful community.”
“Our COVID-19 rules are: masks mandatory; socially distanced seating; advance sales only; sanitization stations; one entrance, one exit. Currently, it is difficult for us to program with confidence beyond six weeks.” Susan Lake, Meaford Hall Like The Marsh, the historic Meaford Hall, a cultural institution for more than a century, had to shut down for concerts and theatre events. The weekly film showing, called ‘Thursday Flicks,’ are planned to continue from January until spring, barring another lockdown, according to Susan Lake, manager of cultural services. “Our COVID-19 rules are: masks mandatory; socially distanced seating; advance sales only; sanitization stations; one entrance, one exit,” says Lake. “Currently, it is difficult for us to program with confidence beyond six weeks.” In Collingwood, the intimacy and limited capacity of the Simcoe Street Theatre forced the venue to close its doors during COVID-19, but the municipally managed venue has been actively pivoting, reaching out and partnering with various local arts groups to support the town’s arts and culture community. “The pandemic forced us into a virtual realm, finding ways to increase audiences,” says Simcoe Street community services representative Tyler Cleary. “For us, it’s not about the bottom line. Over the past months, we have been partnering with local writers, actors, and groups like Gaslight Theatre Productions, Theatre Collingwood and Shipyard Kitchen Party to support virtual and live/virtual hybrid events, spotlight artists and venues, and raise funds.” Cleary cites one example of a virtual event last April that showcased local artists and establishments in a series of weekly episodes. After 20 episodes and 43 guests, the event recorded 23,000 views. “The health and wellbeing of our community’s arts institutions has a larger impact than folks realize,” he says. “We owe a lot to our artists, who supported our digital initiatives and believed that the theatre and the community are at their best when they collaborate in forging a new path and embrace new ways of reaching audiences.”
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International concert pianist Daniel Vnukowski had to make the heartbreaking decision to cancel the Collingwood Summer Music Festival, but kept performing through virtual livestream concerts.
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“COVID has been a catalyst for me, and I believe that many positive things will come of it. I’m excited about 2021, with a new vision for the Collingwood Music Festival to impact the community in a positive way.” Daniel Vnukowski, Collingwood Summer Music Festival COVID-19 was heartbreaking for Daniel Vnukowski, an international concert pianist and the artistic director of the Collingwood Summer Music Festival, who was suddenly faced with not only cancelling the Festival’s entire season, but also the cancellation of his scheduled performances around the world. “The pandemic hit us at a sensitive time when we were negotiating partners and contracts for our summer season,” says Vnukowski. “If we had been ready, we could have taken the festival outdoors, which has been my long-term vision, and could be our strategy for 2021.” On a personal note, Vnukowski has been presenting a successful virtual concert series on his website, performing and inviting guests for interviews followed by an audience Q & A. “It’s been a learning curve, but now I’m comfortable with it,” he says. “Playing with technology is available to everyone. It’s an incredible time for artists to hone their craft while embracing virtual events and social media.” Working with an audio engineer, Vnukowski describes the creation of virtual concerts as artistry meeting technical expertise. “There are basically two challenges to live streaming: the reliability of connectivity and the technology itself,” he explains, describing visuals as “almost there” and sound – capturing the range of classical music dynamics – as “getting there.” He adds, “COVID has been a catalyst for me, and I believe that many positive things will come of it. I’m excited about 2021, with a new vision for the Collingwood Music Festival to impact the community in a positive way.”
How You Can Help To help arts & culture organizations survive the pandemic restrictions and resulting economic impact, it’s more important than ever to make a donation, become a member, buy gift certificates, and buy tickets for virtual events as well as future live events even if they may be cancelled. To lend your support and find the latest updates, please visit the websites below and do what you can to ensure that our arts community can weather the storm and come back as vibrant as ever once we’re all able to gather again. Since we’re stuck indoors most of the time and travel seems unlikely this winter, you might also consider buying the work of the local artists and artisans to brighten up your home (or home office). These creative people are self-employed and rely on the income from selling their artwork. Most of the local galleries that carry their work are independent businesses that are also struggling. For a list of local art galleries and links to their websites, go to onthebaymagazine.com/art-galleries. Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts bmfa.on.ca Brookside Music Association brooksidemusic.com Bruce Peninsula Society of Artists brucepeninsulaart.ca Collingwood Arts, Culture Entertainment Group (CACE) collingwoodarts.com Collingwood Museum collingwood.ca/museum Collingwood Summer Music Festival collingwoodfestival.com Festival of the Sound festivalofthesound.ca Georgian Bay Symphony georgianbaysymphony.ca Huronia Symphony Orchestra huroniasymphony.ca The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay tisgb.com Lyrica Chamber Choir lyricachoir.ca Marsh Street Centre marshstreetcentre.com Meaford Hall meafordhall.ca Meaford International Film Festival meafordfilmfest.ca Midland Cultural Centre midlandculturalcentre.com Simcoe Street Theatre, Creative Simcoe Street, The Tremont creativesimcoestreet.ca Theatre Collingwood theatrecollingwood.ca Travel By Sound travelbysound.com Wasaga Society for the Arts wasagasocietyforthearts.ca
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Georgian Bay Symphony conductor François Koh conducts a virtual concert – one of six in the symphony’s season of performances available online.
“With virtual performances, you have to do things differently. Arts organizations need to be creative and adapt. We’ve risen to the challenge with new skills to keep making music happen.” David Adair, Georgian Bay Symphony In Owen Sound, the Georgian Bay Symphony (GBS), founded in 1972 by a group of dedicated area musicians, has risen to the COVID challenge and the lockdown of its 761-seat venue, the OSCVI Community Auditorium. Last spring, the symphony used Facebook Live to broadcast piano and violin pieces performed by University of Western Ontario students and young violinists practicing for the Kiwanis Music Festival. Digital concerts via YouTube were also staged. “They were a challenge,” says general manager David Adair. “Over 20 musicians recorded themselves individually playing their parts of the score – shorter pieces and quartets – with a ‘click track’ electronic tempo, similar to a metronome, replacing the conductor. The
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brass section, following COVID rules, recorded their parts together.” These events were so successful, they gave the GBS confidence to mount an entire season of virtual concerts, Adair adds. The symphony has a complete six-concert series planned until May 2021 – one of only a few symphonies in Ontario doing this. In November, string players were grouped together for their pieces and recorded with a guest pianist. A Christmas concert will be streamed on December 19, and maybe a Christmas Karaoke sing-along event. “With virtual performances, you have to do things differently. Rather than just showing a bunch of people playing, we have added video of local waterfalls, nature, and even sheep grazing as a backdrop, along with an interview,” says Adair, reporting that most GBS subscribers have
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Please drink responsibly. ©Georgian Bay Spirit Co.TM 2020
ARTS & CULTURE
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Georgian Bay Symphony violinist Lucia Barcari, bassist Jack McFadden and pianist Kati Gleiser perform one of six virtual concerts.
signed up for the season. “Arts organizations need to be creative and adapt,” he adds. “We’ve risen to the challenge with new skills to keep making music happen.” Violinist Victoria Yeh, a former guest concertmaster with the GBS, is working as the audio engineer on the symphony’s virtual concert series. She has also launched her own six-month long virtual concert and adventure series titled ‘Travel by Sound,’ filmed at theatres across Grey, Bruce and Simcoe counties, featuring six bands and over 20 musicians. Local concerts include ‘Winter Classics’ at Meaford Hall (December 20) and the Freeman Brothers in Owen Sound (January 17). “We’re heading into a long winter,” says Yeh. “This is my way of
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helping my fellow artists and my community come together and have something to look forward to.” Like many businesses and organizations in Southern Georgian Bay, arts and culture venues, organizations and artists themselves have been dealt a serious blow as the result of COVID-19 restrictions. Yet now more than ever, we need arts and culture for our mental and spiritual wellbeing, as well as the long-term economic vitality of our region. The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, a not-for-profit community ‘Think and Do Tank,’ recently held a virtual discussion titled, ‘Mapping Our Road to Recovery’.
ABOVE: The concert was performed at St. George’s Anglican Church in Owen Sound.
“Our audiences came up with 10 things they would like to see,” said Institute chair Rosalyn Morrison. The top three were: collaborating on weaving together a complete inventory of arts and culture organizations, venues and artists; creating a network of arts and culture leaders and bringing them into a collaborative platform; branding regional arts and culture. It’s a work in progress, but it’s the beginning of a local strategy that highlights the positive impact that arts and culture have on our lives.” She cites a 2016 Statistics Canada report revealing that arts and culture represent $27.5 billion, or 3.7 per cent of Ontario’s Gross Domestic Product. “That’s larger than all major industries combined. Because we have an integrated economy, we need to understand the interconnections. We need to think strategically and invest in the arts and culture sector, which is inspired by creativity and important for the next generation. “COVID-19 has revealed that arts and culture are critical to our dayto-day creativity and wellbeing – not just for some people who think they are important, but for all of us. The data shows that we should be investing in this sector as much, if not more than, in traditional sectors receiving recovery money.” For many arts-related organizations and businesses, the pandemic restrictions have provided time to think, organize and pivot by embracing technologies in order to maintain audiences, stay relevant and plan for the future during these challenging times. But as cultural institutions struggle to stay solvent during this crisis, they’re in dire need of community support. We urge you to do your part to keep arts and culture alive in Southern Georgian Bay, by participating in virtual events (and live events when possible), joining as members, and donating funds if you can. It’s the surest way forward for them, for us, for artists, and for the health, wellbeing and creative strength of our community. ❧
Concerned about market volatility? Let’s talk. Contact me today for a complimentary, no-obligation investment review.
Steph Fitzgerald, PFP Investment Specialist and Financial Planner
705-791-3224 steph.fitzgerald@scotiabank.com
® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. Scotiabank includes The Bank of Nova Scotia and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Scotia Securities Inc. As used in this document, “Investment Specialist and Financial Planner”, “Scotiabank Investment Specialist” and “Financial Planner and Investment Specialist” refers to a Scotia Securities Inc. mutual fund representative or, in Quebec, a Group Savings Plan Dealer Representative who is also registered in the category of Financial Planner. Scotia Securities Inc. is a member of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association.
5791-2020-0923 F2
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DOWNTOWN TORONTO
EVERYWHERE
ABOVE: Professor’s Lake, Fall, by Jesse Unsworth. Oil on wood panel, 10 x 12 inches. LEFT: Red Bike, by Don Kilby. Acrylic on canvas, 14 x 20 inches framed.
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 two local galleries and a sampling of the artists they represent.
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GALLERY SPOTLIGHT
Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts This charitable not-for-profit arts organization has been a cornerstone of the arts community in Southern Georgian Bay for 45 years. Throughout that period the BMFA has supported and launched the career of hundreds of artists. “Inspiring excellence in the arts is our mandate, encouraging and celebrating artists through awards, juried shows, workshops and art talks with a community focus,” says BMFA administrator Susan Cook. “Pivoting to the online world for art shows has, and will continue to be, how we must do business. BMFA shows are now online with smaller representation in the gallery, showcasing winners only.” The BMFA Gift Shop remains open with shorter hours of operation. There’s also a new online store with curbside pickup and shipping options. “Most importantly. we will continue to support artists of all ages and work to provide meaningful opportunities for member artists and community to engage. Our area has a wealth of artistic talent and the BMFA is proud to work with this community.” To find out more, visit bmfa.on.ca
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Full Service Dental Office Including Invisalign and Implant Placement NEW PATIENTS WELCOME 186 Erie Street Suite 202 | Collingwood 705-445-2470 WWW.ERIESTREETDENTAL.COM CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sandy Shores, by Don Brommet. Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 inches. Equus, by Ann Clifford. Wire sculpture, 6 feet. Sunshine, by Pauline Jennett. Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 60 inches. Functional Art Cutting Board, by Kevin Cassidy, 16 inches square. Storm Rolling in Over the Blue Mountain, by Barb Simmons. Acrylic on birch board, 24 x 30 inches. Space to Breathe, by Merryn Edgar. Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 inches.
BEAVER VALLEY REAL ESTATE We Have Ski Chalets On & Near The Ski Club All Ready For The Holidays!
Down In The Quiet Rural Beaver Valley VISIT READHILTON.COM To View Gail’s MOVIEs
READ HILTON SAL E S RE PRE S E NTAT I VE
Cell: 705 351 8100 Read@ReadHilton.com
GAIL CRAWFORD SA L E S R E P R E S E N TAT IV E
Cell: 705 445 3751 Gail@GailCrawford.com
CHESTNUT PARK REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE 393 FIRST STREET, SUITE 100 COLLINGWOOD | 705 445 5454 | WWW.CHESTNUTPARK.COM THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO SOLICIT BUYERS OR SELLERS UNDER CONTRACT WITH A BROKERAGE.
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Local Arts Tour the
Awards
Gifts Art
Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts 65 Simcoe St., Studio 4, Collingwood 705.445.3430.bmfa.ca
COLLINGWOOD ART SCHOOL ALEXANDER ART MATERIALS
ArtBank Weekly art classes Great savings on art supplies 705-293-1771 collingwoodartclass.com
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The ArtBank is a multi-purpose gallery founded in the fall of 2019 by co-owners Jeff Gillmor of the The Metal Cabinet Company and Don Kilby of The Kilby Gallery, both local businesses in The Town of the Blue Mountains. Together, they secured the former bank building in downtown Clarksburg and set about turning it into a shared showroom for their respective creative efforts. The pair also decided to showcase a few carefully selected artists and artisan friends, known as the ArtBank Collective. Today, in addition to Kilby’s award-winning paintings and Gillmor’s custom outdoor kitchens and cabinetry, the gallery exhibits a wide range of work, from metal sculpture and wood craft to ceramics, paintings, paper collage and more. “With its exceptional light, uncluttered layout and friendly atmosphere, the ArtBank is a unique and rewarding destination – a place to view exceptional art and artisan goods unlike anywhere else – truly a one-of-a-kind experience,” says Kilby. As of publication deadline, the gallery is open with reduced hours or by appointment. Curbside pickup and local delivery are also available. For more information, go to artbankcollective.ca
GALLERY SPOTLIGHT
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mid Century designed outdoor cabinet, by Jeff Gillmor, Metal Cabinet Company, 84 x 32 inches. Windswept, by John Werlich. Japanese hand-made papers/collage, 26 x 34 inches framed. St Vincent in Winter, by Don Kilby. Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 60 inches. Red Horizon, by Stephen Corner. Ceramic, 18 inches round. Carriage House, by John David Anderson. Oil on canvas, 16 x 20 inches. Treeline on Blue, by Karin Silverstone. Graphite on lathe and plaster, 20 x 20 inches.
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SPECIAL INFORMATION SECTION
Business openings, transformations & businesses new to On The Bay THE CHEESY CORNER This new shop on Stayner’s main street offers fine cheeses and gourmet foods from Southern Georgian Bay, Canada and the world. Owner Phyllis Cook purchases handcrafted artisan cheese in full wheels and blocks, cuts them into manageable sizes and packages the cheese ready to purchase from the coolers. Phyllis Cook, owner of The Cheesy “I also have many items to Corner in Stayner add to the cheese: jams, pepper jellies, vinegars, olive oil, crackers and packaged meats,” said Cook. “I also now have the largest collection of Canadian hot sauces in Canada: over 300 different sauces.” If you don’t find what you’re looking for, she will find it for you. Gift baskets are also available. “I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to provide fine food,” said Cook. “I feel customer service is the key to any business, and I strive to do my best always.” Would-be connoisseurs can sign up for the Cheese Lovers Monthly Sampler to receive a box full of specially selected cheeses every month, complete with a fact sheet and pairing notes.
This family-owned business got its start more than a decade ago producing custom wide-plank flooring. “We pride ourselves on customer service and delivering a premium product we can stand behind,” said Ron Haggart, who owns the business with wife Debbie. “While every order is truly custom, the wide-plank hardwood flooring is treated with all-natural European hard wax oils and the finishes are free of VOCs.” From wire-brushed white oak to rustic hickory and everything in between, the skilled team at Northern Stable Supply can help you achieve the look you’re after. Because they manufacture and prefinish their own products, they are able to provide custom colouring and specialize each order. The company is continuing to grow, now offering a line of exterior wood siding. This custom line of Boreal siding is a name that suggests an Debbie & Ron Haggart, owners of image of warmth, tradition and Northern Stable Supply durability,” said Ron. “It lets you enjoy the luxury of real wood, with a low-maintenance finish.” Other available products include premium wood ship lap, V-joint and antique barn board.
Hours: Tues. – Fri. 11 - 5, Sat. 1 - 4 • 7296 Hwy 26, Unit 3, Stayner 705-888-5535 • thecheesycorner.com
Hours: Mon. – Fri. 8:30 – 5 • 83 Hwy. 522, Trout Creek 705-723-1234 • northernstablesupply.ca
PAUL CHAPMAN, INVESTMENT & WEALTH ADVISOR, RBC WEALTH MANAGEMENT Paul Chapman’s new practice with RBC Dominion Securities offers comprehensive financial planning, tax efficiency, insurance and risk management, estate planning, retirement and charitable strategies. Paul Chapman, RBC Wealth “My clients are often dealing Management with unique and complex issues, and want a personal relationship with a skilled advisor who can deliver tailored, thoughtful solutions,” he said. “We’re not here to just manage your money – we are here to make your life easier.” Chapman had 20 years of capital markets experience prior to joining RBC Dominion Securities. “I have built a business model and process that provides an outsourced family office for my clients, to serve as their ‘personal CFO,’ ” he said. “There are a lot of powerful planning and tax-saving strategies that can be easily implemented that most people likely weren’t even aware of.” Hours: Any time by appointment 1 First St., Suite 230, Collingwood 705-444-1800 • paul-chapman.ca
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NORTHERN STABLE SUPPLY CO. LTD.
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REMEDY MEDICA Southern Georgian Bay has a new private health and wellness clinic, offering patients a multidimensional and interprofessional approach to esthetics, surgical and non-surgical cosmetics, weight loss and wellness. “The programming is customized to meet your health needs and focuses on helping you obtain your Joseph Pugliese (left) and Dr. Michael physical, mental, esthetic Lisi, co-owners of Remedy Medica and social goals,” explained medical director Michael Lisi, who co-owns the business with Joseph Pugliese. The clinic offers a variety of treatments and services from skin health, lasers and esthetics to surgical and non-surgical cosmetics, weight loss and wellness. “Traditionally, patients see one provider for a specific issue,” said Lisi. “Remedy Medica takes an interprofessional approach, with several providers with different perspectives to address one issue, to truly identify the underlying challenges and to provide a solution that is derived from multiple perspectives.” The Remedy Medica team follows strict COVID prevention protocols and is available for virtual consultations. Hours: Flexible • 313A Hume Street, Collingwood 705-994-6334 • remedymedica.com
SURF & TURF BLUE MOUNTAINS
Go for great taste!
This craft butcher shop and boutique food market in The Blue Mountains offers high-quality beef, lamb, pork, chicken and fish along with a variety of game meats (bison, venison, elk, kangaroo, wild boar and ostrich) and locally sourced dried goods, breads and premade meals. Aaron Dancey, general manager “The local community & head butcher, Surf & Turf Blue Mountains deserved a shop where they can get the best quality products available,” said Aaron Dancey, general manager and head butcher, a cook and butcher with more than 14 years’ experience. He added, “We will be expanding, adding a deli counter and many locally prepared, premade foods.” Previously known as Black Angus Blue Mountains, the shop’s parent company is Blue Surf Inc., which sells stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, wake boards and surf wear from a storefront next door. Owner Matt Bartol recently merged the two businesses into Surf & Turf Blue Mountains. Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 10 – 7, Fri. 10 – 8, Sat. 9 – 6, Sun. 11 – 5 209574 Hwy 26, The Blue Mountains 705-293-9323, • surfandturfbluemountains.com
TREMONT CAFÉ This popular Collingwood restaurant has moved to a new location on Pine Street, offering Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, a unique and diverse wine list and classic cocktails. The menu includes a mouth-watering range of appetizers, pasta dishes, entrées and desserts. “We made a difficult decision to relocate our restaurant during the virus lockdown,” explained Josh Fevens, executive chef and Aidan Coyne, head chef, Tremont Billy Vastis, who co-owns the Café Tremont Café with Imad A. Chalha. “The decision was made without knowing when and if we could open for business again. It was a huge risk with a big financial commitment during a time we were not generating any income. We are grateful for our new landlord, suppliers and contractors, who were all lenient with us to help us open our doors.” The café’s new home maintains key design elements that played a role in the successful look and feel of the restaurant over the past 10 years in its previous location. “The Tremont Café has been elevated at a more desirable location with a stronger street presence on the finest street of downtown Collingwood,” said Vastis.
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.
Photo: Chef Jeffrey Anderson, Gustav Chophouse & Bar, Catering
Hours: 7 nights a week starting at 5 p.m. • 100 Pine Street, Collingwood 705-293-6000 • thetremontcafe.com ON THE BAY
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INVEST IN ( life) STYLE
Visit investinstyle.ca to check out our new issue of INVEST IN STYLE magazine and our featured properties.
CHESTNUT PARK REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE | CHESTNUTPARK.COM COLLINGWOOD/BARRIE/CRAIGHURST 705.445.5454
$4,449,000
COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT
Centrally located in downtown Collingwood, The Shipyards Medical Arts Centre consists of 4 levels spanning over 10,000 sq.ft. with 11 quality tenants, a pharmacy, retail space, medical suites, elevator and 1 residential suite. MLS®40036170 Ron Picot* 705.446.8580 Taylor McFadyen* 647.823.5643
$1,395,000
105 ACRES – COUNTRY HOME – ANNAN
Captivating 105 acres surrounds this 4 bedroom, 3 bath century home. Approx. 60 acres workable, Fleming steel shed 32x64, forest area and lots of walking trails throughout property. This is a perfect oasis for those wanting to escape the busy city life! Gary Taylor** 519.378.4663
$799,900
A NATURAL COUNTRY LIFE
Open country, rolling pastures, calm and Wi-Fi. This updated century farmhouse on 8 acres is truly “Home Sweet Home”, a great investment in land and a recreational haven in the beautiful 4 season playground of Grey Highlands! MLS®40037562 Cynthia Razum** 519.377.9134
$2,750,000
WWW.READHILTON.COM
Words cannot describe the magnificence of this fine home with ski in at Base of The Beaver Valley Ski Club. Enchanted forest views, river runs along property, soaring ceilings, brilliantly detailed log home with 5000 SF. open concept design +++ Read Hilton* 705.351.8100
$1,200,000
BLACKASHESTATE.CA
Every once in a while a piece of property comes to market uniquely aligned with the times.18 acre parcel is the perfect blank canvas. Zoning permits an array of uses inc. Accessory res dwelling. Mixed Forest with Black Ash Creek MLS®40045552 Keith Hull** 705.444.4855 Rob McAleer* 705.888.3981
$785,000
11 ACRES IN BEAVER VALLEY
Country home with 11 acres of hiking trails and access to the Bruce Trail. Natural Pond, 4 beds, 3 baths, open concept, main floor living, master with ensuite, finished basement, attached 2 car garage, roof top solar panel income. Gail Crawford* 705.445.3751
WIARTON 519.534.5757
OWEN SOUND 519.371.5455
$1,999,800
AN ENTERTAINER’S DREAM!
Private, renovated home on 3 acres with high end finishes complete with 30’ x 80’ Barn used for entertaining and storage. In-ground pool, manicured grounds, geothermal heating, 3 Bdrms, 2.5 Baths and extensive decking. MLS®40031911 Barb Picot* 705.444.3452 Ron Picot* 705.446.8580
$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
$699,900
COUNTRY LIVING CLOSE TO TOWN
The Westwinds, a 22.5 acre estate complete with 2 - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Attached double garage and separate heated workshop with its own 100 amp service. Perched among rolling hills, fields and woods. Enjoy glorious views. MLS®40043946 Cynthia Razum** 519.377.9134
$1,599,000
EVERGREEN ESTATES - COLLINGWOOD
Welcome Home to this gorgeous 3545 SF, 4 bdrm, 3 bath, sun-filled bungalow. Open concept layout with private dining, sunroom, kitchen nook, and lovely landscaped yard with gazebo and 2 ponds. Visit MLS® 40039288 or call for more details! Fran Webster* 705.444.9081
$999,000
APPLEWOOD INN - DYER’S BAY
Located halfway between Tobermory and Lions Head, overlooking Georgian Bay. This delightful quiet Inn offers casual candlelight dining and overnight accommodation plus owner’s quarters. Currently licensed for 40, zoning allows for a variety of uses. Mark McDade* 519.387.7650
$469,000
SKI IN/SKI OUT- MOUNTAINSIDE
Amazing newly refurbished Weider Lodge lockoff steps to the Silver Bullet Chair. Currently in the Blue rental program, where you can use 10 days / month and generate revenue to offset operating costs. A great Cottage Alternative! MLS®40042535 Ellen Jarman* 705.441.2630
FOR ALL OF OUR LISTINGS PLEASE VISIT CHESTNUTPARK.COM
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Office Manager
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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
LET OUR EXPERIENCE BE YOUR GUIDE 43 ACRE BEAVER VALLEY CIDERY
Escape the Big City to the heart of the Beaver Valley, 5kms north of Kimberley. Renovated white stucco farm home w/ open concept main level, cozy living room, sunroom extension. Solid maple floors throughout. 32x16’ pool & timber frame gazebo. MLS®#40008299
3 |
1 |
1,400 ft2
25 ACRE HOBBY FARM
Countryside & Georgian Bay views. Raised bungalow. Open concept living, large kitchen, dining room w/ French doors to patio. Pasture land, electric fenced horse paddocks & open land. Big barn. Room for outdoor toys, plus 3 stalls. MLS®#40028706
3 |
2 |
BUNGALOFT AT THE SHIPYARDS!
50k In Upgrades. Soaring 17 ft ceilings in Great room. Double garage and full unfinished basement. Steps to waterfront and downtown! MLS®#40036979
3 |
3 |
2,109 ft2
1,604 ft2
$1,900,000
$1,075,000
$849,000
Todd Brooker** 705-888-1818
Todd Brooker** 705-888-1818
Loretta McInnis* 705-443-1659 Tara Parsons* 705-888-8272
PRIME DOWNTOWN COLLINGWOOD
FANTASTIC 100’ X 150’ CORNER LOT
RESTAURANT & BAKERY BUSINESS
C1 Zoning for many commercial uses. Excellent location. Price is for land and building only. Two bedroom residential apartment upstairs. MLS®#40021072
Located on a beautiful street in a quiet neighbourhood. Close to all the shops & amenities of downtown Stayner. This lot provides the perfect opportunity to get a great location at a great price to build your dream home. MLS®#40010047
$1,029,000
$137,900
$1,299,000
Blair Thomspon** 705-446-8507
Derek Crespy** 705-441-0112
Dominic Ellis* 705-606-3070
four seasons realty limited, Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated *sales representative **broker ***broker of record
Located in Singhampton close to Devil’s Glen Ski Club & Osler Ski + Golf Club. Artistic, cozy interior, 3485 sq. ft. Seats 28 & 12 seats on patio. Fully equipped commercial kitchen, dining room, bakery & retail on lower level. 2 bed apt & chef’s apt. MLS®#40015527
67 First St., Collingwood 705-445-8500 47 Bruce St., Thornbury 519-599-2600 202 Montreal St., Stayner 705-428-4500
www.remaxcollingwood.com
READER BUYING GUIDE For more information, link directly to advertisers at onthebaymagazine.com
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Cheesy Corner
Jayne’s Cottages, Luxury Rentals
The Vine Agency
& Concierge Services
PAGE 44 PAGE 15 & 17
PROFESSIONAL/FINANCIAL/ LEGAL Chartered Accountants
FURNITURE
ARTS/MUSEUMS/ PHOTOGRAPHY
Orangeville Furniture
BMFA Arts Centre
PAGE 90
Collingwood Art School
PAGE 90
Craig Gallery Loft Gallery Inc.
PAGE 90 PAGE 90
PAGE 65
HEALTH/BEAUTY/FITNESS Good Health Mart Collingwood
PAGE 47
Scandinave Spa
PAGE 51
PAGE 14
Barriston Law LLP
PAGE 37
BlueRock Wealth Management Inc
PAGE 26
Brian Renken Professional Corporation, Barristers & Solicitors Cathie Hunt,
Blue Mountain Chrysler
PAGE 77
BUILDERS/CONTRACTORS
FAD Farrow Arcaro Design
PAGE 66
JDC Janssen Design
PAGE 66
Jill Maxwell Design
PAGE 81
PAGE 33
L. Patten & Sons Ltd.
PAGE 69
HOME IMPROVEMENT & SUPPLY
Yanch Homes
PAGE 23
Aeon Kitchens & Design
PAGE 63
Court Contractors
PAGE 78
Northern Stable Supply
PAGE 61
CLEANING SERVICES Lighthouse Group
INSURANCE Sutherland Insurance
CACE Group
PAGE 73
mycollingwood.ca
PAGE 93
Rural Lights & Winter Nights, Clearview Township
PAGE 79
D.C. Taylor Jewellers
PAGE 100
Elaine Dickinson’s Fashions
PAGE 54
Vaiya
PAGE 55
PAGE 2
PAGE 79 PAGE 78
Shouldice Designer Stone
PAGE 67
The Landmark Group
PAGE 11
Financial Planner, Steph Fitzgerald
PAGE 85
Darryn Stroud
PAGE 41
Collingwood General &
PAGE 63
and Rehabilitation Centre
FOOD/DRINK
Suzanne Lawrence
PAGE 79
Todd Kutz
PAGE 33
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS (Royalton Homes)
PAGE 99
(Devonleigh Homes)
PAGE 35
(Sherwood Homes)
PAGE 5
(Advance Corp)
RADIO/TELEVISION
PAGE 6
Royal Windsor at Balmoral Village
The New Classical FM
PAGE 70
Vision TV
PAGE 12
Zoomer Radio
PAGE 86
(Sherwood Homes)
PAGE 5
Summit View (Devonleigh Homes)
PAGE 34
(Sherwood Homes)
Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Brokerage
PAGE 33
Read Hilton & Gail Crawford
PAGE 89
PAGE 61
Morgan Ornstein
Family Dentistry
PAGE 37
Collingwood Olive Oil Co.
PAGE 75
Erie Street Dental
PAGE 89
Georgian Bay Spirits
PAGE 83
Georgian Bay Dental Hygiene
PAGE 51
Tesoro Mercato Italian Specialties
PAGE 75
Remedy Medica
PAGE 18
Friends Pub & Grill
PAGE 75
Mylar & Loretas House of Sustenance and Cheer
PAGE 75 PAGE 75
SENIOR LIVING PAGE 96
Ailsa Craig at the Village of Arbour Trails
PAGE 80
Brokerage Darice Lush
PAGE 75
PAGE 21
PAGE 85
Brokerage
Bad Vegan
Chez Gilles Fine Dining & Catering
The Dornoch Tap & Grill
Collingwood
PAGE 51
Dr. Robert McCoppen
PAGE 49
RESTAURANTS
Brokerage
Re/Max Four Seasons Realty Ltd.,
PAGE 41
(Georgian International)
Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited,
Forest Hill Real Estate Inc., Brokerage PAGE 57
PAGE 5
Windfall Blue Mountain PAGE 94 & 95
Re/Max Four Seasons Realty Ltd., Culford Family Hearing
PAGE 3
Georgian Bay Terrace
Jacqui Viaene
Collingwood Sport Medicine
FLOORING
The Chris Keleher Team
Cobble Beach
TD Wealth Management,
Brokerage
MEDICAL/DENTAL PROFESSIONALS Marine Hospital
Royal LePage Locations North Realty Inc.,
Centre Point North
REAL ESTATE
Mulch-It
Collingwood Optometry
Dean’s Carpet One
Paul Chapman
Clairwood Real Estate Corporation, PAGE 54
PAGE 20
The Cottages at Lora Bay
FASHION/JEWELRY Brabary Fine Lingerie
Josh Dolan
Blue Vista
PAGE 4
LANDSCAPE/GARDEN Environmental Pest Control
EVENTS
PAGE 77
Scotiabank Investment Specialist &
PAGE 62
COMMUNITY SERVICES
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.,
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.,
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Brokerage
Sotheby’s International Realty Canada PAGE 80
Tim Heacock
JDC Custom Homes Inc.
Royal LePage Locations North Realty Inc.,
Royal LePage RCR Realty, Brokerage
CPA Professional Corporation
Management, Jamie Bennett
HOME DÉCOR/DESIGN
PAGE 8
Brokerage
PAGE 14
National Bank Financial Wealth
AUTO SALES & SERVICE
Brokerage Jane Moysey & Lorraine McDonald
Baker Tilly SBG LLP,
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Royal LePage Locations North Realty Inc.,
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Royal LePage Locations North Realty Inc., Brokerage
PAGE 24 & 25
Royal LePage Locations North Realty Inc., Brokerage Christine Smith
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WINDOW FASHIONS Ashton’s Blinds, Draperies & Shutters
PAGE 61
Salnek’s Custom Window Treatments Shades & Shutters
ON THE BAY
PAGE 16 PAGE 69
WINTER 2020
97
L O O K I N G
B A C K
The Palace
I
LIVERY
n the late 19th century, horse-drawn vehicles were still the standard for passenger and freight transport. In Collingwood as elsewhere before the advent of the automobile, livery stables were essential for both travellers and settlers who made frequent trips to town for goods and services. Typical rates around that time were $2 per day for a single nag and $3 for a rig and driver. Livery owners frequently built attractive, purpose-built buildings in convenient downtown locations. In 1889, John Foster followed this practice and built a stylish modern facility for his livery business at the corner of Simcoe and Ste. Marie streets. This was an ideal location as it meant Foster’s was the nearest livery to the railway station, where he could pick up and deliver passengers and freight, and close to the town’s many hotels. The building had horse stalls, a carriage room, rooms for washing
98
ON THE BAY
WINTER 2020
and painting rigs, a hayloft, sales stable, caretaker’s apartment and office. The Palace was also equipped with an elevator, a new modern device for lifting carriages to the second floor. “As it occupies the entire corner it is a very prominent and imposing building, and adds greatly to the appearance of that part of the town,” raved one local newspaper. Following Foster’s death in 1916, his three children inherited his holdings. Over the next 90 years, the building housed everything from a beer store to a restaurant, furniture store and saloon before being converted to apartments with the addition of a third floor. It eventually fell into disuse and was torn down in 2008 to make way for the new Collingwood Public Library. ❧ Source: Richard Lex, Creative Simcoe Street & Architectural Conservancy of Ontario
COMING THIS WINTER, YOUR MODERN MOUNTAIN ESCAPE
Modern Detached Collection
At Blue Vista, you can leave the city behind, for a new community of modern bungalows, singles and semis with beautiful views of Blue Mountain. Nestled between Scandinave Spa and Monterra Golf Course, and only minutes to Georgian Bay. Set on 50-60 ft. lots, Blue Vista will provide bungalows and 2-storey homes, that are designed for modern
Designer Bungalow Collection
living, offering contemporary designs and open spaces. Blue Vista is your summer home and winter place and everything in between.
REGISTER NOW AT BLUEVISTA.CA
CONTEMPORARY
DESIGNER
MODERN
SEMI
BUNGALOW
DETACHED
FROM THE HIGH
FROM THE HIGH
$800’s
$500’s
$700’s
FROM THE MID
Contemporary Semi Collection
R O YA LT O N H O M E S . C O M @RoyaltonHomesON
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@RoyaltonHomes
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Renderings are artist concept and Images are for mood and impression only. E.&O.E. 2020