Country Roads 10-02

SUMMER 2010

Bridging The Gap In Hastings Where Farming Heritage Lives On You’ll Have A Gem Of A Time

COVERING THE ARTS, OUTDOORS, HISTORY, PEOPLE AND PLACES

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Contents VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2, SUMMER 2010

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CO-PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Nancy Hopkins 613 395-0499 CO-PUBLISHER & EDITOR

John Hopkins 613 395-0499 ART DIRECTOR

Jozef VanVeenen SALES DEPARTMENT

Michael Beeston michael@countryroadshastings.ca 613 395-6226

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michael Beeston Orland French Audra Kent CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brandon West • www.westphotography.ca Bill Bickle • www.bilbickle.com HOW TO CONTACT US Telephone: 613 395-0499 Facsimile: 613 395-0903 E-mail: info@countryroadshastings.ca Website: www.countryroadshastings.ca For written enquiries you can reach us at: PenWord Communications Inc. P.O. Box 423, Stirling, ON K0K 3E0 COUNTRY ROADS, Discovering Hasting County is published four times a year by PenWord Communications Inc. Copies are distributed to select locations throughout Hastings County including the ­communities of Bancroft, Belleville, Madoc, Marmora, Stirling and Tweed.

Copies are also delivered to select homes within southern Ontario.

Subscription rates: 1 year: $10.50 2 years: $18.90 3 years: $27.30 All prices include G.S.T. The contents of this publication are ­ rotected by copyright. Reproduction of p this publication in whole or in part without prior written permission of PenWord Communications Inc. is prohibited.

The advertising deadline for the Fall 2010 issue is July 24, 2010.

Cover Photo: Irene Van Rompaey, IVY Photography, Frankford, Ontario ivyphotography@gmail.com

F E AT U R E S

6 - The Bridges of Hastings County A short history of water crossings

10 - A step back in time Stirling museum brings back strong memories

14 - One Wild Ride Stirling teen lives on hot seat

18 - North Hastings Nuggets Creation of Gemboree a boon for Bancroft

22 - Gone Fishing Angling for some fun on the water?

D E PA R T M E N T S

26 - Cross Roads An enduring passion

28 - Country Calendar Things to see and do in Hastings County

29 - Marketplace 30 - Back Roads Alligators in Ontario

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discovering hastings county

fall In love WIth

Comfort Country • Shops • Hiking • Heritage Sites • Accommodations • Sumptuous Dining • Live Entertainment • Antiques • Artist Studios & Tours • Lakes and Rivers to Explore

VISIT THE FARMERS

June 19 & 20 MADOC

Madoc Canadian Heritage Music And Arts Festival

MARkETS

SATURDAyS 9AM - 1pM Ay M THROUGH G THAnkSGivin WEEkEnD

Madoc Kiwanis Centre.

Admission is free. www.madocfestival.com

CRUISIN SCHMOOZ’ & IN’

MARMORA

July 30 - August 1

Celebrate Marmora

Family fun festival celebrating arts, culture and heritage! www.celebratemarmora.ca

August 28, 11am-7pm STIRLINg

GO BUFF at the Water Buffalo Food Festival

Downtown Stirling at the covered bridge/ Mill Street Tickets $20 www.stirling-rawdon.com

Every Thursday evening from through September MarmoMay shuts down main street and ra out the red carpet for this fab rolls event. Stroll back in time witulous sounds of the 50’s and 60’ h View scores of amazing class. beauties and talk to the pro sic ud owners along with other clas sic enthusiasts. Live entertainm car face painting...its all free, eve ent, n the registration is free!.

For more information go to www.marmoraclassiccruis ers.com

July 25

ILL O’HARA MD Y E g A HERITMill HomesteAad,

July 1 TWEED

Municipality Of Tweed Canada Day Celebrations!

O’Hara

Madoc

ill.org

www.ohara-m

Parade starts at 12:30 pm with an afternoon of entertainment and activities to follow at Tweed Memorial Park.

July 2 & 3

DESERONTO WATERFRONT FESTIVAL Downtown Deseronto (Mill & Main Streets)

TO OTTAWA

www.deseronto.ca

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MADOC

August 27 – 29

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MARMORA

SHANNONVILLE WORLD’S FAIR

TWEED

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Midway, arts & crafts, tractor pull, beach volleyball, classic car show and more.

...and more.

STIRLING 14

TO KINGSTON

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www.shannonvillefair.com

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BELLEVILLE

Bountiful!

This being our ­summer issue, it would be fairly logical to expect us to concentrate on the ­out-of-doors and we have.

And just in case you’ve ­forgotten, or perhaps didn’t know, we thought we’d better put it into perspective and remind you that Hastings is the second ­largest county in Ontario. I guess you could say when we do it in Hastings County, we do it big.

And in addition to our impressive size our geographic diversity is almost ­overwhelming.

On these pages we’re talking about agriculture, fishing, the multitude of bridges it takes to span all our waterways, and what lurks below. And we don’t just mean the fish. We mean the rocks and minerals that reside beneath the surface in the Bancroft area that make it such a unique geological region.

These riches are known around the world and every summer for the past 46 years (this year 47) thousands of visitors have congregated in Bancroft for the Rockhound Gemboree.

We are also home to some of the best farmland (and farmers) you can find.

Just drive the beautiful country roads and you’ll see large, immaculate and in some cases very advanced farms, smaller farmsteads and farm gate stands with ultra fresh produce, and a Saturday morning market in nearly every town around. Visit www.harvesthastings.ca and you’ll be shocked at the variety of items farmed from our land. To truly experience the impact that farming has had on life in this part of the province a visit to the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage is a must.

But it’s not just dry land we can boast about. Our waterways are, well, flowing everywhere! The Moira Watershed covers a large portion of central Hastings and the hills of northern Hastings are sprinkled with lakes. And we have it on good authority that this area has some of the best fishing you can find in North America, all within two hours of Belleville. It can be as simple as casting into a local stream or as adventurous as pulling out the big rigs for an outing on the Bay of Quinte.

But if all this travelling over and under land and water has you tired out then no worries, there are also ample opportunities to rest in your lawn chair.

Actually, we suggest you leave it in the trunk of the car for the summer. Then if the urge hits you can put it into good use on any Sunday for Music in the Park in Tweed, or for a production of Shakespeare in the Park in Marmora, or a picnic at one of our conservation areas, or a food festival, a music festival, art in the park, or…

You can even experience the first ever local presentation of the Dodge Rodeo Tour as it makes Trudeau Park in Tweed its home for the Civic Long Weekend.

Whew - so much to see and do in one summer.

If there’s one overriding sentiment this issue of COUNTRY ROADS brings to mind for us it’s the sheer bounty of this land. We hope you feel it too! And one last thing - if you happen to find a billabong please let us know!

‘Voyageur Bob’ Abrames, featured in the Spring 2010 issue of Country Roads, departed in mid-May on his latest expedition. You can track his progress all summer long at http://www.abrames.com/v~2010.htm. Z

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DESERONTO

TO TORONTO TRENTON

Corrections For more information on events, attractions, places to dine, accommodations, shopping and more.

www.comfortcountry.ca

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Country Roads • Summer 2010

On page 24 of the Spring 2010 issue of Country Roads we ­incorrectly said that Bobbie Gates makes maple syrup at Apple Gates Orchard. The maple syrup is made by Joey Gates.

We apologize for the error.

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Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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BY ORLAND FRENCH PHOTOS COURTESY ORLAND FRENCH

The Bridges

of Hastings County A short history of water crossings

W

hy did the bridge cross the creek?

To get to the other side, of course.

Road bridges are built for one purpose and one purpose only – to get from one side to the other, whether of a river, a stream, a ravine, a canyon or a swamp.

Having said that, other uses spring to mind.

For instance, in the old days of horse-drawn conveyances, a young romantic couple might find that their horse needed a rest inside a covered bridge, out of sight of prying eyes. Bridges can also form photogenic backgrounds for pictures of boats, automobiles, waterfalls and people.

I once put a wooden bridge on the Rideau to good use as a platform to display 80 guests at a wedding anniversary party.

Of the hundreds of bridges which span awkward gaps in the geographic continuity of Hastings County, a few capture the imagination of engineers and travellers alike. A couple of these, the Skyway Bridge at Deseronto and the Norris Whitney bridge in Belleville, arch gracefully over the beautiful Bay of Quinte. The recently built Dundas Street bridge across the Trent River in Trenton is an engineering first of a sort (it wasn’t built where it sits), and the merits of others are invisible to the casual eye.

The first bridges of record in Hastings County were built very early in the 1800s. Until 1804, if you wanted to cross the Moira River at Belleville, you used a ferry. In that year John Walden Meyers (a miller and influential settler of Meyers Landing) optimistically built a floating bridge across the mouth of the Moira.

Well, we know now what happens to floating structures across the Moira. They get pushed away by ice. Two years later, Meyers built a sec-

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Postcard showing the old covered bridge in Trenton, which was built around 1834.

ond floating bridge to replace the original structure, which was presumably floating somewhere down the bay towards Deseronto. By 1808, Meyers had had enough of the mischievous Moira.

He built a permanent fixed bridge.

The waters of the Trent in Trenton were not tamed by a bridge until about 1834. From 1794 a ferry had provided transportation across the mouth of the Trent. Although petitions for a solid bridge were presented as early as 1801, travellers had to be content with crossing the river by boat for another three decades. The artist Thomas Burrowes painted a fine watercolour of the ferry and dock at Trenton in 1830, a few

years before the first bridge was built. With this article you will find a postcard image of the old covered bridge. Note that the walls are rather dilapidated and needing repair.

The purpose of covering a bridge, besides providing privacy for romantic couples, was to protect the wooden bridge decking and structure from rain and snow. Since the roof also kept the wood nice and dry, occasionally these bridges would burn down. This hardly ever happened to stone or steel bridges. There is evidence of other covered bridges in the area: see the postcard of the idyllic scene at Gilmour.

At Napanee, not in Hastings County but worth

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The Norris Whitney Bridge, built in 1982, connects Belleville with Prince Edward County. It is also known as the Bay Bridge or Belleville Bridge.

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The Hawkins Bay Bridge over the Skootamatta River, north of Tweed, is a fine example of a through truss bridge.

mentioning, the King’s Highway crossed the Napanee River under the Grand Trunk overpass via a covered bridge.

Since the Trent is a navigable river, the Dundas Street bridge had to be high enough to accommodate cruisers on the Trent Waterway.

When a new bridge was built a few years ago, it became North America’s first multi-span bridge deck constructed and slid laterally into place over water. The current bridge was built to the south of the old bridge. When it was finished, traffic was rerouted onto it while the old bridge was removed. Then, with minimal traffic disruption, the new bridge was pushed hydraulically sideways into its current position.

You’d never know that today. Nor would you guess that the four-lane curved bridge over the CPR track on Dundas Street West in Belleville is actually two bridges. Built a few centimeters apart, the gently curving structures are each mounted on massive single concrete posts. You

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The old highway bridge in Tweed has been preserved as a pedestrian walkway across the Moira River. The Municipality of Tweed has about 50 bridges.

can see the slight separation from Avonlough Road below.

This is the kind of detail of interest only to wannabe engineers. As Meyers learned in the early 1800s, bridge-building is an art, with details not always readily apparent.

Bridge builders found more formidable challenges on the Bay of Quinte. Ferries had initially provided service between Prince Edward County and Belleville. The first bridge at that location was opened in 1891; at 1,869 feet it was described at the time as “the longest bridge in Ontario”. An artist’s sketch in the Belleville Intelligencer shows the crossing had a causeway at the north end and 18 steel truss spans including a swing bridge at the Rossmore end. It was a toll bridge until 1921. The bridge became a frustrating bottleneck until it was replaced with the Norris Whitney Bridge (also known as the Bay Bridge or Belleville Bridge) in 1982. Whitney was a prominent local Conservative MPP

who played a leading role in getting provincial financing for the structure.

At Deseronto, a soaring structure called the Skyway Bridge links the eastern end of Prince Edward County to the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway. Until the bridge’s construction, a ferry had provided transportation across the narrow Bay of Quinte at this point.

For shorter crossings of streams and rivers, steel truss bridges emerged as a viable form of construction in the 1800s. They were the favourites of engineers in the 1900s up to about 1940, when steel beam and concrete construction methods became more convenient.

My interest in the bridges of Hastings County was sparked in 2009 when a resident asked the Hastings County Historical Society for help in preserving a pony truss bridge near his home in Lonsdale. I didn’t know a pony truss from a donkey cart, but as president of the Society I was about to find out. Unfortunately, the request Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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The Bridges Of Hastings County

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Truss bridges are disappearing from Hastings County. They were not built to sustain the loads of today’s trucks, and most of them are single-lane, creating traffic issues. This is Wyman Bridge.

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Bridges can serve a variety of purposes besides simply offering a crossing over water. For some they provide an ideal artistic palate.

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Country Roads • Summer 2010

came much too late to save the bridge (tenders had already been called) but it sparked my interest in local bridges.

Pony truss bridges have short side railings of steel trusses, and are used to cross short spans over streams. Through trusses are larger for longer spans, with the steel framework forming a box through which traffic travels.

For deeper ravines, engineers designed deck trusses, in which the entire steel structure lies beneath the road surface and traffic travels on the deck on top. There are also very elegant bowstring trusses that feature a graceful arched steel structure on either side of the bridge.

For examples of these forms of bridges, some

in southwestern Ontario, go on-line to www. historicbridges.org.

Examples of truss bridges can be found on the rural roads of Hastings County but they are disappearing. Many of the bridges are 80 to 90 years old. They were not built to support the heavy loads of today’s trucks, and as most of them are single-lane, they impede the heavier traffic flows of today. The Wyman Road bridge, which the Historical Society was called upon to preserve, has already been replaced with a modern steel-andconcrete structure. (The original was salvaged in one piece and sits in an adjacent field.) Another, the Paul Clement’s Bridge on Greenwood Road east of Stoco Lake, is slated for replacement soon.

The Bridges Of Hastings County

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When the old Wyman Road truss bridge was replaced, the original was salvaged in one piece and sits in a field nearby.

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Another of the covered bridges, this one in Gilmour. The covering protected the decking from rain and snow, but also produced a fire hazard as the wood was nice and dry.

But many more still live. Lonsdale has two pony truss bridges over the Salmon River, and there is a fine through truss bridge on the Hawkins Bay Road over the Skootamatta River, just off Highway 37 north of Tweed. In Tweed itself, the old highway bridge has been preserved as a pedestrian walkway across the Moira. Just off old Highway 2 in Tyendinaga there’s a through truss bridge over the Salmon River on the Milltown Road. When you find a truss bridge, note the deck surface: it is probably made of wood planks set on edge.

There are also some crumbling old one-lane concrete bridges on the back roads which are displaying signs of their age. Eventually, these bridges – both steel and concrete – will wear out and be

replaced. Fortunately, the backroads of Hastings County provide a living museum of old bridges.

The Municipality of Tweed alone has about 50 bridges. Follow your road map to the Moira, the Skootamatta, the Black or the York rivers and see what you find. Z Orland French is president of the Hastings County Historical Society. He is interested in collecting old photos of bridges of Hastings County. Send scans to ofrench@littlebrickbookhouse.com or copies to Hastings County Historical Society, General Delivery, Cannifton, Ontario, K0K 1K0. He also runs Wallbridge House Publishing in Belleville.

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN HOPKINS

A step back in time Stirling museum brings back strong memories

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The inclusion of many of the original furnishings make the recreation of Whitehead’s look almost identical to the original.

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f all the exhibits at the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage there is one in particular that almost always causes the facility’s president Ron Reid to pause.

Now the museum has thousands of impressive artifacts recalling the history of farming in Hastings, and as president of the museum Reid has passed by them all many times, so it is interesting that a particular showpiece would attract his attention so consistently.

The exhibit in question is a recreation of Whitehead’s, a soda shop that existed on the main street of Stirling between 1924 and 1967. The restaurant has been painstakingly restored at the far end of the main building of the museum, and it is the attention to detail that causes Reid, and many of the museum’s visitors, to regard it with such affection whenever they see it.

The scene it paints is so vivid that anyone who ever spent time in Whitehead’s can’t help but be transported back in time.

“That booth back there is where I learned to smoke Player’s cigarettes,” recalls Reid as he surveys the scene once again. “We’ll have folks come through here that are 70 or 75 years old

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The Tractor Building features 40 vehicles at any one time. Note the streamlined body on this model, designed to guard against tree branches while working in apple orchards.

who shed the odd tear, because that’s where they met their future wife or husband. I get a little choked up myself.”

Looking at the counter Reid recounts in striking detail the figure of Joe Whitehead serving up ice cream or sodas, right down to the cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

Located in Stirling, behind the fairgrounds on the west side of the village, the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage has been serving up these sorts of memories since it opened in 1996. Sprawling through seven buildings and over 35,000 square feet of display space, the museum was created as a means to preserve the

discovering hastings county

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The school house is a recent addition to the museum, which acquired three new buildings recently. Despite the museum’s rapid growth and extensive collection, development of new attractions is ongoing.

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county’s roots in farming, and particularly dairy farming and cheese making. While it does that brilliantly, the museum has also become a trip back to the way things used to be in the farming communities scattered throughout Hastings.

Indeed, it is somewhat ironic that Whitehead’s would be the subject of so much attention in the museum, since it played an identical role when it was in existence over half a century ago – serving as a meeting place and focal point for the community.

The museum also serves as a tremendous source of pride for the people who have put it together, and represents a fitting example of what can be accomplished through passion and dedication to a goal. The facility has grown almost entirely through private financing and is maintained by a strong and devoted group of volunteers. Of the thousands of artifacts now in the museum’s possession, many of which are quite rare, only a handful were actually purchased. The remainder have been donated or found by chance.

The idea of creating an agricultural museum in Stirling was born 10 years before the facility actually opened. In 1986 Stirling hosted an international plowing match and a group of 15-20 folks reasoned, according to Reid, “If we could put on a show like that for one week, why not forever?”

Reid, who became president of the museum in April, was among the group of initial pitchmen who travelled in pairs across Hastings County, armed solely with their idea and a rough drawing of what the museum would look like.

“We had a plan but I don’t know if we believed we’d do her,” Reid recalls. “But by the end of the campaign our average call had brought in $800.

If it wasn’t for the trust of some of those people I don’t know what we would have done. People really wanted this to happen.

The land the museum sits on was acquired from the agricultural society and the original 120x40 foot display area was constructed at a cost of $33,000, about half what was expected,

“I had an old fella come in a few years ago. He had been one of the original donors but he had never been here before. He went around and wrote me another cheque.”

Attention to detail and lifelike settings give an air of authenticity to the museum’s exhibits.

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Not Just Desserts by Winnie Leclair, 23-25 West Front Street 613.395.9292

www.stirling-rawdon.com Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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A Step Back In Time

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Not all the vehicles in the museum’s collection are in working order, but a surprising number are. Certainly all of them look ready to be fired up, so immaculate is their presentation.

thanks partly to a dedicated volunteer workforce. In its current state the museum would cost around $4.5 million to build, Reid says, but it has all been done for about $1,000,000.

Reid and his cohorts may have been great salesmen, but there is no doubt they hit on a nerve when they started presenting their idea around the county. Farming has changed a great deal over the past century and its role as a way of life for the people in Hastings has clearly evolved. Reid, who grew up in a traditional cheese making family, was not the only one who worried that if nothing was done soon many of the artifacts and even memories from farming two or three generations ago would eventually disappear completely.

“The reason it’s so important is all the history.

If we didn’t have some of it here, it would be gone,” Reid explains, pointing at a couple of artifacts nearby. “Try to find that vat or urn today.”

A particular piece of pride for the museum is a ‘Dutch Clock’, one of only two in Canada. The

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This Dutch Clock is one of only two in Canada, and was barely saved from the scrap heap by the museum. It was used to help set cheese prices.

clock is quite similar to an old analog scoreboard clock in appearance, and was used to set market prices for cheese between 1956 and 1988.

The clock was rescued from the garbage heap in a Belleville industrial lot.

Part of the appeal of Whitehead’s is the fact that many of the pieces are original, including the tables and chairs, the marble counter top and the ceiling fan and lights. The display also has the original tiffany soda fountain, valued

A Step Back In Time

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at thousands of dollars. The pieces were in the possession of Joe’s son Glen, and the Whitehead family helped set up the display. Glen often comes in to look after and clean the restored soda shop, Reid says.

The tractor building has become a favourite for little boys of all ages and is another example of the ingenuity and industriousness of the museum board. A tractor club was formed that now consists of 100 members who own over 300 tractors. Forty tractors are on display in the building at any one time and the oldest in the collection dates back to 1927. Many of the vehicles in the museum’s possession were showcased in the world record tractor parade that was a feature of Stirling’s 150th Anniversary celebrations in 2008.

Similar examples of old farming equipment are on show in the Harvest Building and Tillage Building. Some of it could be taken out into the field and run today, most of it not. But what all pieces share in common is their presentation.

Displays are clean and the artifacts are in immaculate condition.

One vehicle that still runs is the 1947 Case snowplow truck, another item that causes Reid to grow wistful. It was found recently in the Maynooth area, where it was still being used to clear roads.

Perhaps the greatest source of pride for the museum these days is the Heritage Village, which was opened in 2006. Set in a 12,000 square foot building, the display is meant to recreate a historic main street from any village in Hastings County. The setting consists of 18 stores plus a small chapel at the far end. The businesses include a fire station, complete with vintage fire trucks, shoe shop, barbershop, hotel and county offices. The doctor’s office has been outfitted with the supplies of Dr. Parkin, a Marmora-based physician whose family donated the materials from his old office.

The Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage is located on the Stirling Fair Grounds, at 437 West Front Street in Stirling.

The museum is open seven days a week from 10:00am-4:00pm between the Victoria Day Weekend and Labour Day Weekend. Admission charges apply, and senior and family rates are available. For more information call 613395-0015, email info@agmuseum.ca or visit www.agmuseum.ca.

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Ron Reid and Sandy Donnan play key roles in the functioning of the museum, but a strong and dedicated cadre of volunteers have been pivotal to the facility’s growth.

volume of artifacts and memorabilia they have on display, yet the true value of those pieces is in the emotions they evoke in visitors. All the thousands of items at the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage would mean little if it weren’t for the memories they bring back for the people who see them. And for different people the memories are different, making for a quite distinct experience for each person who takes the step back in time.

“I think the real satisfaction for me,” Reid says, “was when a couple came in with their grandkids. I asked them if they needed someone to show them around. And they said that no, they were OK, and they started going through, telling their grandkids about all the different displays they were looking at, passing along their own memories. That was pretty special.”

If you do visit the museum, be sure to keep an eye out for Reid. You’ll probably find him hanging out at Whitehead’s, just like everybody does. Just like everybody used to. Z

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The Village cost $200,000 to build, $50,000 of which came from Hastings County.

The chapel came into being almost by chance.

A contact in Cavan, near Peterborough, informed the museum that the old United Church was being dismantled and did the museum want a church? Sure enough, the pieces were brought to Stirling, the pews being cleverly cut and reassembled to fit the tighter confines.

An impressive century-old pipe organ was brought from Cobourg to complete the setting, and the chapel has become a popular venue for weddings.

After many years and much hard work, it would be easy for the museum to rest on its laurels – sit back, slow down and enjoy the fruits of its labours. But that is not the style of Reid and his partners. Last year the museum acquired three new buildings from the Fair Board. One has been turned into a traditional schoolhouse and a second is being used as a workshop and storage facility.

The third will be turned into a kids’ activity centre, complete with cow milking. That is due to open in June, 2011.

The setting of the museum also includes an inner courtyard that can be fenced off for special outdoor events. And maple trees have been planted. One day Reid hopes to have a sugar shack built which, combined with the mature maples will allow visitors to get the feel of traditional maple syrup production.

It’s a funny thing about museums – their popularity and prestige is measured by the

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BY JOHN HOPKINS PHOTOS COURTESY TYLER DRACUP

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One wild ride Stirling teen lives on hot seat p

Bull riding requires a wide array of athletic skills, and the price of a mistake can be high.

Eight seconds may not seem like a very long time, but if you’ve got a bull bucking and kicking underneath you, it can feel like an eternity.

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

MUSIC FESTIVAL

or Stirling’s Tyler Dracup, eight seconds will be the magic number when he takes part in the bull riding competition at the Tweed Stampede and Jamboree Weekend.

The event is slated for the July 31-Aug. 1 holiday weekend at Trudeau Park.

The event is part of the Dodge Rodeo Tour and will be a career highlight for the 17-year-old Dracup, who is in his second year of bull riding.

“It’ll be up there,” says Dracup. “It’ll be my first time on the Dodge Tour and there will probably be about 20-25 competitors. They sound pretty good, they have good bucking stock for sure. It’s not going to be a cakewalk.”

The Dodge Rodeo Tour travels across southern Ontario through the summer before winding up at Mississauga’s Hershey Centre in September. This is the 13th season for the tour, which is making its first visit to Tweed.

The series is sanctioned by the Canadian Cowboys Association (CCA) and features seven traditional rodeo events. Bull riding is probably the most dangerous competition. The cowboy is let loose on a 2,000 pound animal – while he does everything in his power to stay aboard, the bull is working hard to throw him off. The cowboy must hang on with one hand for eight seconds and he is awarded points based for his ability to stay on. So the more violent the action of the bull, the higher the rider’s score – as long as he hangs on for eight seconds!

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The Church of St. Mary Magdalene Picton, Ontario

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Artistic director and pianist

WATERFRONT FARM IN THE COUNTY

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Composer-in-residence

Alcan Quartet Ottawa Brass Quintet Aaron Au, viola Donna Brown, soprano Susan Hoeppner, flute Judy Loman, harp Paul Marleyn, cello Martin Riseley, violin Margaret Munro Tobolowska, cello Presented by The Prince Edward County Arts Council

www.pecmusicfestival.com ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL CONSEIL DES ARTS DE L’ONTARIO

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Even though the ride is only eight seconds the cowboy must possess impressive athletic ability to stay aboard.

“The strength aspect is certainly there,” says Dracup. “But in some ways you’re basically an acrobat, trying to adjust to the action of the bull. It’s a very physically demanding sport.”

The risk of serious injury is never far away and Dracup has had his own experience of the rough side of the sport.

“Last year in the Ontario Finals, on my last ride, I got bucked off the side after 7.8 seconds,” Tyler recalls. “I’ll never forget that number – 7.8 seconds.

The bull stepped on me, just below my ribcage. It bruised my spleen and they were worried that I had a lacerated liver, but it turned out my spleen was the only big injury.

“I’ve torn my shoulders up and hurt my knees.

It’s just part of the sport.”

Tyler is the first member of his family to pursue a career in rodeo, although he has had a lot of exposure to the sport.

“My family’s been working horses for a while and we went to rodeos when I was younger,” he recalls.

“Friends of our family were involved in the rodeo.

When I saw it, it looked like something I wanted to try when I got older, and that feeling never went away. I never grew up, I guess.”

Dracup competes regularly on the Ontario Rodeo Association circuit. He would like to follow the Dodge Tour as well but admits he doesn’t have the financial backing to do both.

Ultimately he hopes to progress to a major professional rodeo tour. In the United States, Profes-

sional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) was recently among the nominees as Professional Sports League of the Year by Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily. The series attracts bull riders from Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico, as well as the U.S., and attracts an annual total of 1.5 million spectators to its Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events, according to a press release from the series.

According to Dracup, the PBR could be called the National Hockey League of bull riding, with the Ontario Rodeo Association a junior level, like the Ontario Hockey League.

“The plan is to get from here to a professional tour in the States within the next three or four years,” Dracup explains. “The sport isn’t so well known in this area, but it’s big in Alberta and the southern U.S., where they get major corporate sponsors. It’s just not the same magnitude here.”

Despite the risks involved in the sport Dracup enjoys strong support from his family.

“My parents have supported me a lot, my grandparents too,” he says. “They like to come out to watch, but my mom can’t watch now. I don’t blame her sometimes.”

Tyler may be the first in the family to pursue a rodeo career, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be the last. His 14-year-old brother is getting into steer riding. More stress for mom may be on the way! Z The Tweed Stampede and Jamboree Weekend runs from July 30-Aug. 1 at Trudeau Park in Tweed. For more details on the event visit www.tweedstampede.com.

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Seventeen-year-old Tyler Dracup is in his second year of rodeo competition, and has high hopes for the future.

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Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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Experience

TWEED THIS SUMMER We’re fun, friendly & eclectic!

Studio 737 Art Gallery 109006 HWY#7, 1KM EAST OF HWY. #37 NORTH OF TWEED

Sculpture, Carvings, Pottery, Custom Framing By: A. Palonen

Your Window to the World of Fine Art

Marble Church Arts Centre 13 Bridgewater Rd. Actinolite June 13 - 2 p.m.

Hastings & Prince Edward County Children’s Choir.

July 16 - 7 p.m., July 17 - 2 and 7 p.m.

IANA Theatre Company “Tweed! The Musical”

By 60 Artists.

Aug. 14 - 7 p.m.

IANA Theatre Company “Cocktails for Two Hundred”

By: D. Fraser

OPEN DAILY: 10AM - 5PM SUN/HOLIDAYS: 12PM - 5PM By: D. Bruner

613-478-3059

WWW.STUDIO737.COM R.R. #3, TWEED, ONTARIO K0K 3J0

New Items Arriving Weekly!

Hwy 37 north of Tweed

Over 1000

Original Paintings

Bridgewater antique Market 2.875x 5.75

Over 6,000 sq. ft. in the Main Building and 4 Outbuildings

Sept. 24 - 7 p.m.

Young Family Jamboree Oct. 23 - 7 p.m., Oct. 24 - 2 p.m.

Tweed National Theatre presents “Fall Follies” Ticket information at www.tweedartscouncil.ca

Located just seconds north of Tim Horton’s on the east side of Hwy. 37 at the north end of Tweed

LOADS OF PARKING Open 10 am - 5 pm 6 days a week (closed Mon) April thru Sept.

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FOR SHOW TIMES - EVENT DETAILS & FURTHER TICKET INFORMATION VISIT US ONLINE

www.tweedstampede.com 613-478-5511

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Experience

TWEED THIS SUMMER We’re fun, friendly & eclectic!

Summer Music in the Park VITAMINS, SUPPLEMENTS GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS BULK AND NATURAL FOODS BLOOMING FLOWER TEA NETI POTS. 347 Victoria St. N

613 478-3373

www.thefoodcompany.ca

Tweed Memorial Park Picnic Shelter.

Every Sunday 2 - 4 pm Presented by the Tweed Lions Club.

Farmer's Market - Saturdays 9am - 1:00pm - Memorial Park by Stoco Lake.

129th Tweed Fair July 8-11 www.tweedfairboard.com

A beautiful waterfront retreat ideal for overnight guests, ­workshops, seminars and special events.

Art in the Park August 14-15, Tweed ­Memorial Park & Kiwanis Tweed Pavilion, Free Admission Presented by Tweed & Area Arts Council and Kiwanis Club of Tweed www.tweedartscouncil.ca

1-888-478-6116

www.bridgewaterretreat.ca Hwy 37 - North of Tweed

Kelly’s Restaurant

Casual Family Dining in a Quaint Country Setting.

Licensed, kids menu, take-out and catering.

Open daily at 11:30 am

613-478-2113

Hwy 37 – North of Tweed ACCESSIBLE WITH SUPPORT PERSON

PaulShier G A L L E R Y

Stop by to look around the ­gallery or to watch the dust fly while I carve.

8264 Hwy. #37 JUST NORTH OF TWEED

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Tweed Chamber of Commerce – Tweed - Ontario - Canada

Tweed

Chamber of CommerCe

Tweed

Chamber of CommerCe

The Tweed Chamber of Commerce invites you to enjoy Tweed’s natural beauty and the many talents of its shops and artisans.

We are very thankful and proud of our Members; AON’s Moira Place, Bosley’s Heating and Cooling, Community Futures, DeGenova Consulting, Duffer’s Chipwagon, Fresh Landscaping & Garden Solutions, Fun & Furry Inc., Guthrie House, Gateway Community Health Centre, Land O Lakes Tourist Assoc., Leonard Bryan/Lawyer, Liz VanDijk, Lakeside Holidays Bed & Breakfast, Linda Myrie, McConnell Funeral Home, Park Place Motel, Rashottes Building Supply, Rayburn Insurance, Sue’s Kitchen Catering, Terriplan Consultants, The Food Company, Trudeau Park & Recreation Centre, Tweed Dental, Tweed Heritage Centre, Tweed News, Tweedsmuir Hotel/Tavern, Tippers Campground, Vito’s Pizzeria, Welch LLP. For more information contact Roger Guthrie at 613-478-5094 • Special thanks to David Crighton for his amazing artwork.

Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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North Hastings Nuggets

By John Hopkins and Michael Beeston

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explained how much of a commercial impact it would have on the area if these people were sent home.

He got them to agree not to press charges as long as they played by the rules the next year.

“That was a crucial year, because it all could have come tumbling down. I think we were very fortunate.”

The Gemboree survived that bump in the road and will celebrate its 47th year in 2010. Scheduled from July 29-Aug. 1, this year’s event has been selected as one of the Top 100 Events & Festivals in Ontario this year, according to www.bancroftdistrict.com. Over 110 dealers of mineral specimens, gemstone

Courtesy Bancrof t & District Cham ber of

I

n the summer of 1966 the town of Bancroft saw its popular new tourist event almost come to a screeching and ignominious halt.

In only its third year of existence, the Rockhound Gemboree was quickly gaining in popularity among mineral collectors and jewellery artisans in both Canada and the United States.

But when RCMP officers descended on the event and charged some U.S. exhibitors with customs infractions, it looked like the party was over.

Among those present was Barry Penhale, a Campbellford-based journalist and magazine publisher at the time who was an early booster of the Gemboree. He placed a call to an acquaintance, Dr. Russell Scott, who was the coroner for Hastings County and was not far away in Coe Hill.

“He showed up accompanied by the MP or MPP for the area. I can’t remember if he was provincial or federal, but between them they started reasoning with the police,” Penhale recalls. “Dr. Scott knew how to talk to them, and

Commerce

Creation of ­Gemboree a boon for Bancroft

jewellery and lapidary supplies are expected and highlights will include a gold panning booth, rock and mineral talks with geologists, a swapping area, expert mineral identification

discovering hastings county

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For many years the Sword Motel has been a popular choice of accommodation for visitors to the gem and mineral show.

Carl Bosiak was a leading force in the creation of the popular Rockhound Gemboree, now in its 47th year.

Courtesy of Rocks and Minerals in Canada magazine.

Courtesy of Rocks and Minerals in Canada magazine.

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services and mineral collecting field trips. Depending on the source, estimates of visitors for the four-day event range from 14,000 to 25,000 annually.

It’s all pretty heady stuff for the town of Bancroft and its population of just over 4,000. The community is now known as the ‘Mineral Capital of Canada’, and the region is considered to have a greater number of minerals than any other area in the country.

Indeed, part of the success of the Gemboree comes down to just plain geological good luck. The area sits on the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, where the rock is between 1.0 and 1.2 billion years old. Over time this rock was subjected to volcanic activity, glacial scouring, extreme heat and pressure, and intense faulting and folding. The result is a rich and varied array of semi-precious minerals

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that has been a source of interest in the area for almost 150 years.

According to bancroftontario.com, most mining activities around Bancroft began in the 1880s, but this was limited to smaller mines and quarries. After World War II, however, uranium was much sought after for its applications for nuclear technology and when it was found in Bancroft four major mines opened – Bicroft, Faraday, Dyno and Greyhawk.

But despite the wealth of natural resources in the area, an event like the Rockhound Gemboree might never have come into existence were it not for the vision and business acumen of the late Carl Bosiak.

Born in Dauphin, MB, Bosiak came to Ontario as a prospector in 1927 and discovered the Bancroft region in 1935. In 1960, now living in Stirling, he purchased the Princess Sodalite

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Mine and developed it as something of a tourist attraction, offering tours of the mine and running a gift shop on the property.

“I think in Ontario this sort of operation was pretty unique,” Penhale says. “There might have been one or two in Thunder Bay that were similar, and maybe the caves in Eganville.

But not a lot.”

In 1963 Bosiak teamed up with Dorothy Thompson, Harold Petch, Marilyn Watts and Sam Woodcox to put on a one-day rock and craft show in Bancroft. Despite being held in the dead of winter the event drew over 2,000 people and the seeds were sown for a bigger function.

According to an article in the May/June 1981 issue of Rocks and Minerals in Canada magazine, Dan Griffin and Bob Ramsbottom of the Bancroft Chamber of Commerce put together

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Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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North Hastings Nuggets

A Royal Treat

By John Hopkins

There have been apparently 1,600 species of minerals identified in the Bancroft ­region, but none has the hold on the imagination like Sodalite.

While Sodalite is found in a number of locations around the world, Bancroft has become known for the colour and quality of its Blue Sodalite, or Princess Sodalite.

The name ‘Princess Sodalite’ comes from the turn of the previous century. In 1901, while visiting the World’s Fair in Buffalo, England’s Princess of Wales was apparently quite taken with a gift of Blue Sodalite from the Bancroft area. In fact, she liked it so much that she wanted more of the mineral for decoration of her London residence, Marlborough House. Miners soon set to work extracting quantities of Sodalite from Bancroft and in 1906, 130 tonnes were shipped to England for the Princess of Wales.

Part of the appeal of Princess Sodalite jewellery also comes from the fact that it is a very difficult mineral to cut, as it is quite fragile.

The Princess Sodalite Mine, located just east of Bancroft, was first opened to the public in 1961 by its owner at the time, Carl Bosiak, and it continues to operate to this day.

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Magazine and Book Publisher, Barry ­Penhale fondly recalls the early years of the Rockhound ­Gemboree in Bancroft.

Credit Courtesy Princess Sodalite Mine Rock Shop

For more information go to www.bancroftontario.com and look under ‘Attractions.’

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a committee, borrowed $3,000 and the event was held on the farm of Ted Kelusky on the edge of the town from Aug. 13-16.

The event was not without its pomp and ceremony, according to the magazine article.

Montreal Canadiens hockey players Bryan Watson (a native of Bancroft) and Jim Roberts opened the event, the local flying club put on an air show and the fire department staged a fireworks display.

Griffin, who came up with the name of the event and was the first chairman, says today that although the chamber held the reins for the first couple of years, they certainly had to rely on the mineral people to supply the products on show. He recalls writing to people all over North America and having to rent tents in Peterborough. “The Chamber went on the line and fortunately it worked,” Griffin says.

Penhale points out that Bosiak’s unique personality and vision were very influential.

“Carl was a bona fide prospector,” remembers Penhale, who launched Rocks and Minerals in Canada magazine as a response to the creation of the Gemboree. “He knew his stuff. I don’t think Carl saw himself as a ‘rock hound’. But he also had business smarts. I was in the magazine publishing business and Carl brought it to my attention that he was putting the finishing touches on a guide book about the mineral deposits in the Bancroft area.

He recognized that people were venturing in that direction.

“A lot of professional prospectors were plain not interested in gemstones or the hobby side of the business. At that time, I think perhaps they considered rock hounds a couple of levels below them. But Carl could see the importance of catering to the rock hounds, what it all meant commercially to the area.”

North Hastings Nuggets Indeed, Penhale says part of the early growth and popularity of the Gemboree was its ability to cater to both serious and respected geologists and prospectors as well as the rock hound clubs of the more casual hobbyists.

Bill Christianson, at the time a highly respected mineral buyer, seller and trader from Barrie was among the early participants, as were the likes of Dr. Joseph Mandarino of the Royal Ontario Museum and Dr. Franc Joubin. A native of San Francsico, Joubin is best known for his role in a major uranium discovery near Elliot Lake, ON in 1953. He received the Order of Canada in 1983.

“The clubs were so important to building up the event and its success,” Penhale points out.

“They had their own tables and promoted their existence. The others [professional prospectors and geologists] were hardly rock hounds, but because of their stature they gave credence to the area.”

Another source of popularity in the early days was the presence of old time propsectors that evoked the early days of the pursuit of mineral wealth.

“We would get these old codgers who had practically spent their lifetime hunting for riches,” Penhale laughs. “They were real characters and they took delight in being colourful old timers.

They were minor celebrities.”

Of course, timing is everything, and the launch of the Gemboree in 1964 coincided with a point in time where people were starting to get out and discover new things.

“In those days everything was popping,” Penhale recalls. “More and more people were getting out, taking off. We were 15-20 years beyond the end of the Second World War, people had more disposable income and eventually we attracted a new breed of treasure seekers that helped swell the ranks.”

Ever the promoter, Bosiak seemed to recognize the potential of drawing new enthusiasts into rock collecting. In his ‘Carl’s Corner’ column in the April, 1964 issue of Rocks and Minerals in Canada magazine he made an impassioned pitch for the hobby.

“Rock collecting is no longer a hobby just for the young,” he wrote. “People in the ‘over forty’ group are finding the hobby gets them out of doors and into the country, where Nature’s tonic, the fresh air of the woods and waters gives a new dimension to life.

“So, if you want to get more out of life – get up off your sofa and get out and join one of the rock clubs in your area. Visit the nearest museum or the rock shops. Look up a nearby rockhound and have him show you his collection.

“The magic of rock will occupy your mind and give you a fresh outlook on life.”

Between the vision of people like Bosiak, a wealth of minerals to showcase and good timing (not to mention friends in high places!) the Rockhound Gemboree has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of Bancroft.

Proceeds from the first two fairs went toward the cost of creating Eagle’s Nest Park, now a popular area attraction. And a number of local businesses benefitted from the boost those early events provided.

Hing and Winnie Lum still operate Winnie’s Treasure Shop on the main street much as they have since 1962. Bancroft jeweller David Burke who once housed gem cutter Roland Miller on his premises and exhibited in early shows is still running. Former Chamber of Commerce Geologist Chris Fouts provides a variety of items At Mad River Minerals.

“The benefits to the area were pretty far flung,” Penhale says. “You look at the incredible growth of a place like the Sword Motel, which has undergone a tremendous amount of expansion. I think that growth is not unrelated to the success of the Gemboree.

“I think we tend also to not give enough credit to the people who discovered the Shield area.

This part of Canada has always had an interesting hold on people.”

It would be interesting to consider what Bosiak would make of his little gem now. Despite the obvious contributions of many others, he is described in the Rocks and Minerals in Canada article from 1981 as deserving of “the lion’s share of the credit.”

Summer Theatre in the Bancroft Village Playhouse Presented by

July 6-24 Take a Number, Darling

by Jack Sharkey

Laugh Lines Theatre

“Frenetic high energy comedy” Saddleback Valley News

“I am a man by myself,” he is quoted as saying.

“But I channel energy into other people.”

His wife Margaret, who lives in Stirling, recalls her late husband’s enthusiasm for the Gemboree, saying, “he loved it; it was a lot of fun.”

The 47th Annual Rockhound Gemboree 2010 runs from July 29-Aug. 1, 2010. For admission charges and more details visit www.bancroftdistrict.com/gemboree. Z

July 29, 30, 31 & Aug 1, 2010

Matinee July 17

Aug 3-21 Office Hours

“Office Hours is Foster at the top of his form” Hamilton Spectator

by Norm Foster

Matinee Aug 14 Tickets $20.50

SEASON SPONSORS

($18.14 + $2.36 HST)

The Craftsman Restaurant The Old Hastings Gallery Bancroft Bed & Breakfast Wilson’s TIM-BR Mart Bancroft Auto Body Harvest Moon Whole Foods Jan Woodlands

Box office open Mon-Sat 2-6 (to 7:30 on show nights) Order by phone at 613-332-6141 VISA, MasterCard, AMEX, Interac All Seats Reserved

Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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“I found a huge school of smallmouth bass,” he remembers. “I forget how many we actually caught, but it was well over 40 and our best five weighed just under 20 pounds, What a day.”

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BY JOHN HOPKINS

Gone Fishing Angling for some fun on the water?

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Early morning or evening are good times to find the fish biting. They’re also active just before storms hit.

Success may be hard to come by, but nothing beats the feeling of landing the ‘big one’.

Photo by Ann Moffit/courtesy Bancroft Chamber of Commerce

Photo by Kerry Fitzgerald/courtesy

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tirling’s Casey Ruttan has been fishing competitively for 15 years, and he had one of his best tournament days on Lake Consecon in Prince Edward County.

“I found a huge school of smallmouth bass,” he remembers. “I forget how many we actually caught, but it was well over 40 and our best five weighed just under 20 pounds, What a day.”

Just another day at the office for a pro, right?

Think again.

“The thing about competitive fishing is that for every day like that there are hundreds that are the exact opposite,” he points out. “It can be a long day out there.”

We are a frighteningly optimistic group, we humans. Despite the odds being stacked against us, we will persevere, convinced that success is just around the corner, so long as we don’t give up.

No sport reflects that better than fishing (OK, maybe golf as well). We will sit in a boat, or on a

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Bancroft Chamber of Commerce

dock, for hours on end, patiently casting a line into the water, imbued with unwavering faith that the next cast will see us finally hook “the big one.”

If it doesn’t happen that day, or the next, or even the next, we will still try. And when our efforts are finally met with success, we will feel vindicated, and begin the long process all over again.

Of course, that’s not to say that an unsuccessful day of fishing is a complete waste of time. Indeed, it is less the success or failure of the exercise but the simple experience we enjoy. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves! A trip out in the boat is a time to enjoy the camaraderie of friends, or a peaceful moment away from the hustle and bustle of our working lives. It is an opportunity to enjoy nature, a rare occasion to let our minds wander and unwind.

But when you get right down to it the lure of landing the big one remains at the heart of every fishing adventure. Having tasted success once, we yearn for it again.

And sometimes it is the one that got away that turns us into lifelong enthusiasts. That was certainly the case for Scott Walcott, the owner of West Lake Willows Resort, who acts as a guide on West Lake, Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. When he was 16, a close call with a salmon was a defining moment in his young life.

“Without any of the proper equipment and out of the prime season, I headed out into Lake Ontario with my brother and my cousin,” Walcott recalls. “After setting up all wrong and trolling around for hours, the downrigger rod finally fired and it was obviously a good fish. The reel

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One of the 5,000 anglers who took part in the 30th Annual Kiwanis Walleye World Fishing Derby in the Bay of Quinte in early May. The Bay of Quinte is internationally renowned for its fishing.

Photo by Jerome Lessard/Trentonian

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Matt Seeley of Belleville with a couple of smallmouth bass, one of the species commonly found in this area.

Photo courtesy Casey Ruttan

was screaming as the fish tore line from the spool.”

Thus began an almost half hour battle between the three lads in the boat and a very reluctant salmon.

“After almost 20 minutes we finally got a glimpse of the beast in the gin-clear waters of Lake Ontario,” Walcott continues. “I’m sure time, my memory and the depths make the fish look bigger but it was a monster. I got it to the surface but with only a walleye net in the boat we could not fit the fish into the net.”

The boys repeatedly got the fish half into their net, only to have it fall out and take a hundred feet of line with it. Finally the fish broke the line, swam back below and the ordeal ended. Walcott was left with conflicting emotions.

“The three of us sat in the boat drifting for almost an hour,” he says. “We were all shaking and my arms were rubber from fighting the fish.

“On one hand I felt so discouraged I never wanted to return to the lake. On the other hand I was determined to get some better equipment and get out there the next day – the beginning of a lifelong passion.”

You don’t have to go after the big salmon to get the most out of fishing in Hastings County. In fact, part of the beauty of the area is the wide variety of fishing opportunities it offers.

“Hastings County has it all,” says Ruttan, who runs the service department at Bay Marine in Belleville. “You can experience some of the best fishing in North America all within two hours of Belleville.”

And with so many lakes and rivers, and a wide variety of species, there is never really a bad time to head out onto the water and drop a line.

“Post spawn is probably the most difficult time to catch trophy sizes of any species,” says Ruttan.

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“Usually females are larger and they are less active for a while right after spawning. As the season progresses the fishing gets better and better.

“Fall is one of the best times to catch numbers and size of most species, especially bass, walleye, pike and muskie.”

Walcott says that spring can also provide opportunities.

“The emerging weed beds create fresh growth and produce oxygen,” he points out. “They also provide some shelter for the bait fish. The sunny side of the lake will have weed growth first and this results in a concentration of fish attracted to the bait and oxygen rich areas.”

Morning and evening are generally considered the best times of day to hit the water.

“Fish are very active at night, especially walleye,” says Ruttan. “One of the best times as well is right before a storm. Fish go crazy!”

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The many lakes and rivers of Hastings County provide extensive angling opportunities.

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As summer progresses into autumn fishing opportunities continue to improve.

Photo by Asna Black/courtesy Bancroft Chamber of Commerce

Photo by Asna Black/courtesy Bancroft Chamber of Commerce

And while you can try any number of lures, Walcott says there are a few standards that will work in just about any situation.

“There are species-specific lures, but lots of lures will work for many species,” he explains. “Spinners are a classic lure that works for just about any fish that swims, likewise a Jig Head and Mr. Twister will catch just about anything.”

So where do the experts do their fishing? Well, no serious fisherman would give away their prime spots, but Ruttan, Walcott and Matt Seeley came up with a list of 10 Hastings County favourites. Seeley has been fishing for 15 years and competes in tournaments with the support of Canadian Tire.

To avoid arguments we have listed them here (roughly) north to south, not in order of preference.

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1. Bark Lake: Bark Lake is at the northernmost end of Hastings. “This lake is huge, man-made and offers excellent smallmouth and largemouth bass, pike and walleye fishing,” Ruttan says.

2. Baptiste Lake: Just north of Bancroft, Baptiste Lake is known for its bass, pike and muskie.

“A very accessible lake with lots of multi species angling,” says Walcott.

3. Mississippi River: A tributary of the Ottawa River, the Mississippi, “holds a lot of great bass and walleye with many access points and lots of crown land camping opportunities,” Walcott says.

4. Limerick Lake: Located near Gilmour, south of Bancroft, Limerick offers excellent small and largemouth bass, lake trout and pan fish.

5.Weslemkoon Lake: Also near Gilmour, this

lake offers excellent smallmouth and largemouth bass, and lake trout.

6. Moira Lake: Just south of Madoc, Moira Lake has great large and smallmouth bass, walleye, pike and muskie.

7. Trent River: Many places accessible by boat or shore are excellent, from the mouth of the Trent all the way up to Lock 9 within Hastings County.

“The Trent system offers huge small and largemouth bass, excellent walleye, pike, crappie and even giant muskie,” says Ruttan.

8. Stoco Lake: Located in Tweed, Stoco Lake is excellent for muskie and pike. “There are also large and smallmouth bass and walleye,” Ruttan adds, “but they are a little tougher to catch.”

9. Crowe Lake: Located near Marmora, Crowe

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This pike from the Kiwanis Walleye World ­Fishing Derby weighed in at just over 17 pounds!

Photo by Jerome Lessard/Trentonian

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Stirling’s Casey Ruttan shows off the fruits of his labour, but success with the rod and reel doesn’t come easily.

Photo courtesy Casey Ruttan

Lake offers smallmouth and largemouth bass, pike and huge muskie. “Crowe Lake even has the odd Tiger Muskie,” says Ruttan. “This is a cross between northern pike and muskie. These fish are ferocious.”

10. Bay Of Quinte: You could probably write a book about the fishing opportunities in the Bay of Quinte.

“This body of water is arguably among the top fisheries in Canada and possibly North America,” says Ruttan. “The Bay offers countless boat launches, depending on which section you want to cover, and you can catch anything you want from panfish all the way to lake trout from nearby Lake Ontario. You can fish many different techniques on the Bay all in the same day.”

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“The Bay of Quinte is literally world renowned in late October, November and into December,” adds Walcott. “Trophy walleye are stacked up in Adolphus Reach waiting to migrate into the Bay. They stay in the Bay throughout the winter and into April, but migrate out again following the Shad [herring-like fish]. There are many resident walleye in the Bay of Quinte, but these are generally juvenile fish that have a sufficient food base in the Bay. The big mature fish have to follow the Shad out into Lake Ontario for the summer months.”

You don’t have to be a pro to get the most out of fishing. Even an old hand like Ruttan has fond memories of his early adventures.

“Some of my most memorable experiences were starting out,” he says. “We had crappy equipment,

little tin boats that we modified for bass fishing, no money. But we had dreams of someday doing this either for a living or in some way more seriously.

“Sometimes we don’t stop and smell the roses but it’s pretty neat how far this has come and the vast potential fishing really has in Ontario and right here in Hastings. I am certainly a ‘small fish’ in a huge pond and will always have much to learn, but that’s what this is all about.” Z For more on West Lake Willows, including details on waterfront cottages, boat rentals, fishing packages and charters visit www.westlakewillows.com.

For more on Bay Marine or to reach Casey Ruttan go to www.bay-marine.com.

Matt Seeley can be contacted through the Belleville Canadian Tire store, at 613-968-6701, ext. 318.

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Summer 2010 • Country Roads

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• cross roads • An enduring passion Story & Photography By Audra Kent

Before he retired, Neil Smith was an elementary school teacher, and history was his favourite subject. It’s not surprising, then, that Smith ­embraces a role in his retirement that dates back more than 200 years.

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Neil Smith

Smith is the curator of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regimental Museum located in the historic Belleville Armouries in downtown Belleville.

The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, popularly known as the Hasty P’s, is one of Canada’s most prestigious reserve infantry regiments. The unit was awarded more Battle Honours during WWII than any other Canadian Infantry Regiment, and was made famous in Farley Mowat’s book, ‘The Regiment.’

It was “about 1970” that Smith first took an interest in the regiment.

“At that time, I had rifles from 1764 to …1950,” says Smith, referring to his own private gun collection. His son asked for his help. ‘Dad, they need some guns to put on a display for the Belleville centennial.’

“So, I loaned my snag of rifles to the regiment so they could put out a display ‘cause they didn’t have any. So that sort of got me started to being associated with the museum,” explains Smith.

What was to have been a one-time event has resulted in 40 years of volunteering with the museum.

Born in Kingston, Smith grew up in Trenton and later Belleville. As a student at Belleville Collegiate Institute (BCI), he was enrolled with the Army Cadet corps.

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of the multiple units that would eventually become the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment. He waxes poetic about the “bird kite” used to suspend a radio antennae during the First World War, and he enthusiastically shares the details of the regiment’s involvement in the taking of the 2,800 foot hill at Assoro, Italy during the Second World War. The minutiae of military history, it would seem, is all stored within the brain of this 73-year-old historian.

And despite the vast and varied collection the museum already boasts, Smith’s job is never-ending. Smith has never actively sought memorabilia

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The cenotaph of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, located on the grounds of the Belleville Armouries at the corners of Bridge Street East and Pinnacle Street in downtown Belleville.

“The cadet corps in BCI were Hasty P’s cadets.

They wore the Hasty P badge,” says Smith.

In the 1970’s, Smith’s son encouraged him to become involved with Belleville’s 608 Air Cadet Squadron. Acting as range officer in a civilian capacity, Smith later enlisted as an officer, retiring as a captain after 17 years.

Tall and slender, Smith is a soft-spoken, humble man. He hesitates to talk about himself - his personal history, apparently, is of little importance. The regiment is what counts. And it shows.

Surrounded by the many display cases and the history they hold, he becomes quite animated - his face lights up, his blue eyes sparkle, his physical demeanour seems to change, as though he himself wears the uniform.

In his 40 years as curator, he has overseen the acquisition of a number of irreplaceable artifacts including one-of-a-kind medals, flags, uniforms and photographs.

He takes immense pride in the regiment’s history and goes into great detail about the amalgamation

for the museum – there is no budget to purchase items so the museum relies entirely on voluntary donations - but he does continue to document the regiment’s past.

“Right now I’m doing the nominal role for the Hasty P’s during the Second World War – those who went overseas,” says Smith. “So far, I’ve got 3000, about 3500 names on the list – and all the information. For example, the name, rank, serial number, when they went over, what ship they went over on, whether they went to France, when they went to Sicily, the date of their going to Sicily… you know, wounded, killed, promotions.”

Sergeant Scott Ryan, Chief Clerk for the Hasty P’s, has been with the Canadian Army since 1979 – the last three he has served with the regiment. A history buff himself, Ryan says he enjoys “at least one conversation a week about history” with Smith.

“He has such an extensive knowledge of military history and such an interest,” says Ryan. “He really has a legitimate desire to help people understand the history and the unit. We’re lucky to have him.”

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During the Second World War, Charles John Spatafore served in the Army Service Corps transporting troops, ammunition and supplies in towns and villages from Scotland to Germany.

Wherever he stopped, Spatafore would play his guitar and record the name of the place on the face of his guitar. The names of family members are also written on Spatafore’s guitar, including his wife, “Sylvia,” lovingly surrounded by hearts.

For now, Smith can see no end to his role as curator with the regimental museum. He will continue to document its past, which, as a functioning unit, means history happens everyday.

“This is why I exist. As long as I’m physically and mentally able to do it then I will do it,” says Smith, before adding with a chuckle, “I’ll probably be carried out.” Z

Gallery & Gift Shop Featuring over 40 Local Artisans 29 Forsyth Street, Marmora 613-472-1278

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The Hastings and Prince Edward Regimental Museum includes the uniform, saddle and tack of Colonel Roscoe Vanderwater, used during the First World War.

The Regimental Museum is located on the main floor of the historic Belleville Armoury at 187 Pinnacle Street, in downtown Belleville.

Hours of operation are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:00-4:00pm. For more information go to www.theregiment.ca/hpmuseum or call 613-966-2100.

Step back in time to 1922 and enjoy a current movie or live stage show in the beautifully preserved Regent Theatre.

www.regenttheatre.org

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Albert College...................................................... 2 Algonquin Gourmet Butter Tarts.......................... 2 Amazing Coffee.................................................. 29 Artists in Motion........................................... 27, 31 Bancroft Village Playhouse, Laugh Lines Theatre...21 Bridgewater Antique Market.............................. 16 Bridgewater Retreat............................................ 17 Bush Furniture.................................................... 23 By the Way Tweed’s Café.................................... 17 Can Asia Imports.................................................. 5 Comfort Country................................................... 4 Daryl Kramp, MP Prince Edward-Hastings.......... 28 Deer Fence Canada...................................... 25, 29 Deerhaven Farm & Garden Ltd.......................... 31 Dinkels Restaurant & Courtyard............................ 5 Elizabeth Crombie, Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty ........................................... 14 Elm Tree Collectibles ......................................... 29 Farmgate Gardens.............................................. 32 Goodnight Vienna Antiques Etc......................... 11 Greenhawk Express............................................ 11 Greenley’s Bookstore............................................ 5 Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage................................... 11 Hearts to God..................................................... 29 Jean Finlayson Studio......................................... 29 Johnston’s Pharmacy & Gift Shoppe.................. 24 Kelly’s Flowers..................................................... 29 Kelly’s Restaurant ............................................... 17 L’Auberge de France Bistro, Bakery & Gourmet Shop.................................... 5 Madawaska Art Shop Gifts & Gallery................... 2 Marble Church Arts Centre................................. 16 Marmora & Lake................................................. 31 Marmora Inn....................................................... 31 Maynooth General Store...................................... 2 McMichael Jewellers.......................................... 21 Memory Lane...................................................... 31 Mill Creek Spa.................................................... 29 Municipality of Tweed......................................... 17 National Air Force Museum of Canada.............. 15 Newman, Oliver & McCarten Insurance Brokers....11 Not Just Desserts by Winnie Leclair................... 11 Old Peterson Road Gallery................................... 2 Old Tin Shed....................................................... 24 OmWorx............................................................... 8 Paul Shier Gallery................................................ 17 Paulo’s Italian Trattoria.......................................... 5 PEC Music Festival.............................................. 14 Plumbing Plus..................................................... 14 Princess Sodalite Mine Rock Shop...................... 21 Quinte Global Foods.......................................... 29 Renshaw Power Products .................................. 25 Rockhound Gemboree (47th)............................. 21 Scotia McLeod Financial Services Inc................. 19 Stirling Festival Theatre........................................ 9 Stirling-Rawdon BIA............................................ 11 Studio 737 Art Gallery........................................ 16 Sun Volts............................................................. 29 The Apple Store, Cooney Farms........................ 11 The Food Company............................................ 17 The Market Café & Fudge Factory..................... 29 The Old Hastings Gallery................................... 25 The Potter’s Studio & Gallery................................ 2 The Regent Theatre............................................ 27 The Unconventional Moose................................ 17 Town of Deseronto............................................. 15 Tweed Chamber of Commerce........................... 17 Tweed Stampede & Jamboree Weekend........... 16 Viewtech Windows............................................... 5 Wallbridge House Publishing............................. 13 Ward’s Marine..................................................... 31 Welcome Wagon................................................ 28 Westben Concerts at the Barn........................... 15 Wild Rose Sandwich Shop.................................. 29 Wilson’s of Madoc.............................................. 24

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• country calendar •

Things to see and do in Hastings County To submit your event listing email info@countryroadshastings.ca or call us at 613 395-0499.

ART GALLERIES/EXHIBITIONS

THEATRE/LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

EVENTS

Art Gallery of Bancroft, 10 Flint Avenue, Bancroft, 613-332-1542 www.agb.weebly. com June 2 - 27 - Works by Alejandro Rabazo June 30 - July 25 - “SYNTHESIS” Works by Carol Kadwell and Heather Inwood-Montrose July 28 - Aug 29 - “Legends & Landscapes” Works by Arne Roosman Sept 1 – 26 - “Beauty Heals” Works by Mendelson Joe

Bancroft Village Playhouse 613-3326141 Presented by Laugh Lines Theatre July 6 - 24 - Take a Number, Darling by Jack Sharkey (Matinee July 17) Aug 3 - 21 - Office Hours by Norm Foster Matinee Aug 14 Box office open Mon-Sat 2-6 (7:30 pm show nights)

June 19 - St-Jean-Baptiste Celebration on Bakers Island, CFB Trenton. Family activities at 4 o’clock, followed by an evening concert and bonfire. Everyone is invited to join us for this Free Event. info@franco-phare.ca or 613-955-8837

Belleville Art Association Gallery, 392 Front St., Belleville, 613-968-8632 June 15 - July 10 - Tables and Chairs July 12 - Aug 7 - Artists Choice Aug 10 - Sept 10 - Wonder John M. Parrott Gallery, Belleville Public Library, 254 Pinnacle Street, Belleville 613-968-6731, ext. 2240 www.bellevillelibrary.com June 10 – July 15 - “Music as Muse” is the Gallery’s own theme-based, juried show, showcasing the work of our talented local artists for the 8th year running July 22 – Aug 26 -The East Central Ontario Art Association is holding its 52nd annual juried exhibition in Belleville this year, showcasing recent works by the members.

Sept 2 – 30 - Manly Edward ­MacDonald (1889-1971) in honour of the official launch of the book “Manly Edward ­MacDonald (1889-1971) Interpreter of Old Ontario” by Charles Beale.

Tweed and Area Heritage Centre Gallery, 40 Victoria St. N., Tweed 316 478 3989 Open daily 9 to 12 and 1 to 5 (closed Sunday). Call for abstract art to be hung in the gallery in October. Contact suzannecavers@ sympatico.ca June 3 - 29 – Roberta Fisk; Laszlo ­Szilvassy; Winifred-Mary Gutsell; Linda and Doug Artstad; Neil Purcell July 3 - 29 – Bev McConnell; S and G ­Heaysman; Ted Rayner; Pauline Webber; Diane Woodward Aug 5 - 30 – Tweed and Area Studio Tour promotional show Aug 14 - Tweed and Area Heritage Centre will host Heritage Day

Belleville Theatre Guild 613-967-1442 www.bellevilletheatreguild.ca June 3 - 19 - South Pacific - Book: Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan Music and Lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II The Regent Theatre, 224 Main St., Picton, Ontario, 613-476-8416, ext. 28 or 877-411-4761 www.theregenttheatre.org July 22 – 24 - Freedom 85 - The play is about an 85-year-old who is trying to escape “the morgue” (as she “affectionately” calls her retirement home), and a younger woman, glad to take on the job of the old lady’s “personal assistant”. As it turns out, though, it is not clear which of the two needs the other’s assistance more.

The Stirling Festival Theatre, West Front St., Stirling 613-395-2100 or 1-877-3121162 www.stirlingfestivaltheatre.com July 7 – 17 - Driving Miss Daisy Written by Alfred Uhry, Directed by Andrew Lamb. Starring Jillian Cook, Alan B. Jones, Mark Terene July 20-21, 2pm, July 22, 8pm Songs of the Reel... Not a Fishing Show, but Fishermen Welcome! starring Christina Gordon (The Panto’s Blue Fairy & Mama Bear) Aug 11 - 21 - The Last Resort -Music & Lyrics by Leslie Arden, Book by Norm Foster. Directed by Luisa Appolloni, Charlene Nafziger, Musical Director Aug 24 – 28 Love You Forever, and More Munsch Aug 24 & 28 2pm, Aug 25, 26 & 27, 11am, Aug 26, 7pm. A wonderfully charming compilation of five of the best-loved books by Robert Munsch, including Love You Forever and Murmel, Murmel, Murmel. Theatre for kids of all ages.

June 19 - ARTEVÏNO a celebration of regional art, wine and food. Crystal Palace, Picton.

Tickets $35 available at the Quinte Arts Council, 36 Bridge St. East, Belleville 613-962-1232 www.quinteartscouncil.org.

June 19 – 20 - The Madoc Canadian Heritage Music and Arts Festival will be held at the Madoc Kiwanis Centre. www.madocfestival.com Admission is free.

June 19 - Tweed Kiwanis 50’s 60’s & 70’s Community Dance, Tweed Pavilion on Stoco Lake www.tweedkiwanis.ca June 25 - Corb Lund Concert, Trudeau Park Resort, Tweed. www.trudeaupark.com 613-478-5511 June 26 - Beef BBQ hosted by Order of the Eastern Star, Tweed Pavilion on Stoco Lake 613478-3550 June 27 - Pre-Canada Day Bash at the O’Hara Mill Homestead, Madoc 10 am – 4 pm Take a look into our past of crafts and arts that stood the tests of times, and enjoy local entertainment. Free. www.ohara-mill.org July 1 - Municipality of Tweed’s Canada Day Celebrations. Parade starting at 12:30 followed by events at Tweed Memorial Park (Boat Tours of Stoco Lake provided by the Friends of Stoco Lake), Musical entertainment in Pavilion, events for Children, Tweed and District Horticultural Society’s Flowerama and more.

613-478-2535.

July 2 -3 - Deseronto Waterfront Festival Downtown Deseronto (Mill & Main Streets) www.deseronto.ca for Festival details July 3-,4 - Land O Lakes Summer Arts and Craft Show, Land O Lakes Curling Club in Tweed . www.info@curltweed.ca 613-478-3529 July 4 - Tweed Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Tweed Memorial Park. www.tweedkiwanis.ca July 9 - Tweed Charity Jamboree, Royal Canadian Legion, Tweed 7:00 pm.

July 10 - School’s Out Dance for Young Teens - Queensborough Community Hall 613-473-1458 July 8 - 11 - Tweed Hungerford Agricultural Fair www.tweedfairboard.com 613-478-3903.

July 15 - Tweed Kiwanis Chicken BBQ (Served Lunch and Dinner) Tweed Memorial Park www.tweedkiwanis.ca July 16 &17 - Tweed! A New Canadian Musical. Marble Church Arts Centre, Actinolite. www. tweedartscouncil.ca July 25 - Heritage Day at the O’Hara Mill Homestead, Madoc 10 am – 4 pm Demonstrations of blacksmithing, woodworking, rug-hooking, spinning, weaving, log hewing and much more. Entertainment. BBQ. Admission: Adults $3.00, Children $1.00 www.ohara-mill.org July 26 – 30 - The Dinosaur Rock Play Summer Camp at the Madoc Performing Arts Centre, Centre Hastings Park, Madoc. Sing, Act, Dance, Build Props, Play Music, Sound Effects and Perform! Ages: 6 – 13. The program is run and designed by Jim and Sherri Tallon. Fee $125.00 + tax; Register at the Tourist Information Booth at Centre Hastings Park.

613-473-5265 www.shariandjerry.com July 29 – Aug 1 - 47th Annual Rockhound Gemboree, Bancroft. Discover Canada’s ­largest gem & mineral show. Bancroft & District ­Chamber of Commerce, 888-443-9999 www.BancroftDistrict.com July 30 – Aug 1 - Celebrate Marmora - Family Fun Festival Celebrating Arts, Culture and Heritage! www.celebratemarmora.ca July 30 – Aug 1 - Tweed Stampede & Jamboree, Trudeau Park, Tweed. -Featuring Aaron Pritchett & Jessie Farrell. Rodeo Show Times Sat. & Sun. 2 p.m. www.tweedstampede.com July 30 - Aug 2 - Flinton Country Bluegrass Jamboree - Township Recreation Centre 613-336-0995 July 31 - Tweed Kiwanis Community Dance featuring Freddy Vette - Tweed Pavilion www. tweedkiwanis.ca Aug 7 - An Evening with Eugene Smith (singer, songwriter & great entertainer) and Victoria Slager (dancer, choreographer). Marble Church Arts Centre, Actinolite. www.tweedartscouncil.ca

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Aug 13 - Tweed Charity Jamboree - Royal Canadian Legion 7 pm.

Aug 13 – 22 – Prince Edward County Jazz Festival – Guido Basso & Luanda Jones, Ranee Lee, Lorraine Desmarais Trio and direct from Snug Harbor a Brilliant Surprise. Box Office 613-476-8416 www.pecjazz.org Aug 14 - Cocktails for Two Hundred – Musical Comedy (IANA Theatre Co.) Marble Church Arts Centre, Actinolite. www.tweedartscouncil.ca Aug 14 - 15 - Art in the Park. Sponsored by the Tweed Kiwanis Club and Tweed and Area Arts Council. Tweed Memorial Park www.tweedartscouncil.ca 613-478-3592 Aug 19 - Annual Corn Boil & Scarecrow Building Contest at O’Hara Mill Homestead.

FREE succulent corn on the cob cooked over an open fire. Entertainment by local musicians.

3 - 8pm www.ohara-mill.org Aug 28 - Stirling Water Buffalo Food ­Festival -GO BUFF in Stirling and enjoy a cook-off between chefs using fresh w ­ ater buffalo cheese and locally produced meat. 11am7pm www.stirling-rawdon.com Aug 29 - Queensborough Triathlon 613-473-1458 Aug 29 - Third Annual Jack Vance Golf Classic- Poplars Golf Course in Stoco www.tweedartscouncil.ca Sept 4 -6 - 2010 Rednersville Road Art Tour Take a drive along scenic Rednersville Road in Prince Edward County and visit the many artists’ studios and workplaces.

Sept 17 – 19 - Prince Edward County Studio Tour. 10 am to 5 pm The juried artists and galleries celebrate all weekend long with many guests and demonstrations. Guides (with map) available for free throughout Prince Edward County and Eastern Ontario. www.pecstudiotour.com Sept 16-25 - Prince Edward County Music Festival - The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Picton, Ontario. Stéphane Lemelin, Artistic director and pianist, Steven Gellman, Composer-in-residence. Presented by The Prince Edward County Arts Council www.pecmusicfestival.com

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Sundays, 2 – 4 pm - Tweed Lions Music in the Park, Tweed Memorial Park, Tweed.

Wednesday Evenings 7 pm (Sept to May) Quinte Twirlers Square and Round Dance Club, 516 Harmony Rd. Belleville (Thurlow Community ­Center) Sept 15th and 22nd are FREE nights for those interested in learning more. Contact Wayne Cruwys 613-962-8816 or quintetwirlers@cogeco.ca Sunday Night Cruise - Classic, Vintage and Special Interest Vehicles (May 16 – Sept 12) The public is invited to come and view the vehicles ­every Sunday evening from 5 pm, beginning at the Front Street parking lot in Trenton.

If you would like to include your community event in our free COUNTRY CALENDAR listing please email details to info@countryroadshastings.ca April 29, 2010 is the deadline for events occurring early June thru mid August.

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> ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

Wed.-Sat.

11-5

> dEvOTIONAL

> RESTAURANTS

Elm Tree Collectibles

Treat Yourself today!

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To book your markeTplace adverTisemenT please call 613-395-0499

BReWeD COFFeeS • eSPReSSO • BeANS 2 blocks south of 7 on Hwy 62.

613-473-9994

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> BUILdING SUPPLIES & SERvICES

> FLOwERS & GARdEN CENTRES

Kelly’s Flowers & Gifts Wedding Consultations, Wedding Rentals, Bridal & Attendant Bouquets, Sympathy, Tribute & All Occassion Designs 43 Durham Street S. Madoc, ON Tel: 613-473-1891 • Fax: 613-473-2712 www.kellysflowers.net

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Mill Creek Spa a natural choice

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P: 613 395-0499 • F: 613 395-0903 info@countryroadshastings.ca www.countryroadshastings.ca

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Alligators In Ontario

Country Roads The Alligator was an amphibious machine designed and patented in Canada in the late 1880s.

This warping

discovering hastings tug was capable of towing a log boom across a lake and then portaging itself to the next body of water.

Al- county ligator #26, Weslemkoon, was built in 1896 for use in the timber limits of John Ferguson, the MPP for South Renfrew. The tug is shown on Lake Weslemkoon with a full cargo of picknickers, circa 1896.

Country Roads

Photo Courtesy of the Clarence F. Coons Collection. Reprinted from Alligators of the North, the Story of the West & Peachey Steam hastings county Warping Tugs by Harry B. Barrett & Clarence F. Coons, published by Natural Heritage Books, a Memberdiscovering of The Dundurn Group, Toronto

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Country Roads • Summer 2010

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Artists in Motion • 613-472-1278

Marmora Inn • 613-472-6887 www.marmorainn.com

July 30th - Music in the Park 6 - 8pm July 31st - Art In The Park, All Day Farmers' Market, Community Displays, Music, Purdy Fest, Shakespeare In the Park

August 1st - Children's Day, Entertainers, Art In The Park, All Day Farmers Market, Community displays

ww w. c e l e brat em ar m ora . ca Memory Lane • 613-472-6467 www.ruralroutes.com/marmorasmemorylane

Community Futures Development Corporation of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin

613.967.1581 525 Frankford Rd. Foxboro (2km. west of Foxboro) www.farmgategardens.com

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