The Villager 2018 May by Villager Community News

May 2018

Tell Everyone About Your

Community Event! Lioness say good-bye . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Political candidates . . . . . . . . . . 16, 17

com thevillagerpress@rogers.e issue

Politics & climate change. . . . . . . . 18

Deadline: May 11th for the

Community Events. . . . . . . . . . . 24, 25

Jun

Local comic con an exciting and unique event Since 1989, Carmine De Santo has produced many comic con shows but last year was the first for our area. The show was an outstanding success with over 8,500 people attending, apparently breaking all past records for a one-day show in Orillia. It was held at Barnfield Point Recreation Centre on Atherley Rd. but this year’s comic con – branded as the Cottage CountryCon – will run over 2 days and it moves to the much larger Rotary Place venue in anticipation of an even larger number of attendees. Carmine De Santo is also the owner of Dr. Comics in Orillia and he knows about comic cons. He said, “This show is not just for geeks. The comic con culture is largely enjoyed by families. People who attend my events enjoy dressing as their favourite super hero or movie character, or maybe they come looking for articles to add to their collection. Comic-Con shows are exciting and appeal to all ages.” He adds that dressing up, called cosplay, for a comic-con event is just like going out for Halloween all over again. However, at his event you have the opportunity to show off your costume to thousands of people and to enjoy all the other people participating in cosplay.

Photo credit: Sif Photography

The Cottage CountryCon will feel like being at a giant flea market but with much more excitement in the air. There will be over 300 vendors spread out over both Rotary Place rinks. One of those rinks will feature comic books, statues, movie posters, and literally tons of collectibles while the second rink will feature Eddie Munster as one of the show’s special guests. Carmine says that if all of that isn’t enough, the show also features live wrestling, meet and greets, and a game zone area. The guest list this year includes some world-wide celebrities including: Lou Ferrigino, the actor who played the Incredible Hulk; the creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Jim Sterling, a comic book ‘god’ and creator of the villain in The

Avengers; wrestlers from the 1980’s and much more. Attendees may also enjoy some of the educational components of the show including seminars and panels, spending time and asking questions of celebrities and creators, or participating in a workshop on how create your own comic book. Also watch for contests for both adults and kids, and a huge food truck pavilion outside on the Rotary Place grounds. The show runs on June 23rd and 24th, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. each day at Rotary Place, 100 University Ave., Orillia. Admission is $25/day or $40 for a 2-day pass. Under age 12 is free. Parking is also free. Get complete details on the show’s website: cottagecountrycomiccon.com.

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Historic and stunning theatre in Gravenhurst Celebrating her 4th anniversary as Manager of Arts & Culture for the town of Gravenhurst, Krista Storey says her pride and enthusiasm for the Gravenhurst Opera House (GOH) grows by the day. She says this is due to a number of things, but mostly it’s about the support the opera house gets from the Gravenhurst mayor and council, the business community and the local residents, the hard and excellent work of the staff and, of course, the ever-growing audience who come to the opera house to be entertained. “Gravenhurst is terrific,” she says. “The community loves and respects the beautiful building. It really is the community’s centre. We have no mall, no movie theatre in our town so residents look to us to provide a hub – a place to gather, to be entertained, to participate in events and activities. We even host service club meetings, weddings and celebrations of life. We do it all.” The Gravenhurst Opera House presents a year-long calendar of professional plays, musicals, and stand-up comedy, live performances that are created and performed by a local high school drama team, movies, children’s programming, and an annual New Year’s Eve gala with dinner and show. This storied venue is the birthplace of summer theatre in Canada. In fact, they have presented quality professional productions for 84 years. This coming summer the GOH will present 100 summer shows with 92 performances, plus concerts

The Gravenhurst Opera House is a stunning 117-year-old theatre offering year-round entertainment including 100 summer shows with 92 performances. scheduled from the end of May to the end of September. A valuable commodity to the community of Gravenhurst, summer theatre is very popular with residents and summer cottagers and attracts visitors from far and wide. During the summer months, buses from out of town are lined up in front of the theatre. Theatre goers enjoy dining at restaurants and shopping at local shops. This in turn, says Krista, is paramount to the local economy, helping to support all types of businesses and creating employment opportunities for residents. This important partnership between the GOH and the residents and business owners is one reason the GOH is so beloved. Perhaps even more important than any economic benefits, Krista said, is the fact that the GOH provides health and wellness to the community. A school child gets to see a live play for the first time; or a high school student gets to perform a song they wrote, on the big stage. The Songs and Story

nights, a free will giving event throughout the fall and winter gives local musicians the opportunity to play and tell stories about the songs they have composed. “These kinds of events are so rewarding. We can help educate and entertain children, or give local musicians opportunities to perform. It is an honour – and it’s so much fun. We even had someone teach the audience how to play the spoons,” Krista said. When Krista moved from the Orillia Opera House to Gravenhurst 4 years ago, one of the first things she learned was how deeply loved the GOH is. She has taken her responsibility very seriously – to help keep the opera house safe and to nurture it so that it is part of the community for another 117 years. To learn more about the upcoming schedule at the Gravenhurst Opera House and to book tickets, visit their website at www.gravenhurstoperahouse.com.

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thevillagerpress@rogers.com

705-717-0322 The Villager, a Severn Township community news magazine, is an independently owned and operated publication delivered to households and businesses on or before the first day of every month. It is mailed through Canada Post north from the Severn Township/Orillia border to Severn Bridge and includes parts of Ramara Township. In addition to Canada Post delivery, The Villager is distributed each month through high traffic locations along the Highway 11 corridor and in many other select locations in Orillia. For a complete list of locations email thevillagerpress@rogers.com. Editorial and advertising material is protected by copyright. Reproduction of any article, photograph or graphic is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher. The sentiments of our columnists do not necessarily reflect those of The Villager. The Villager’s liability to advertisers for errors is limited to the portion of the advertisement in which an error occurs and only if the error is the fault of The Villager. Community event submissions and prearranged editorial contributions must be received by the 10th of each month for the following month’s publication. Advertising space must be booked by the 10th of each month in order to appear in the following month’s publication, with 5 business days thereafter to complete the advertising artwork and proof approval process.

The Villager P.O. Box 5 Washago, ON L0K 2B0 Art director: Cathy Cleary

On his way to help construct a turtle nest on the neighbourhood canal, Bill Hill rides neighbour Pam Pasemko’s tractor. From the Publisher:

Extraordinary neighbour will be missed The notice published in the Orillia Today newspaper, identified our neighbour, Bill Hill as “‘Bill’ William Edwin Leonard Hill. The notice continued to say he was a loving husband and father, and devoted grandpa and uncle, who passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Tuesday March 27th, 2018 at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in his 72nd year after a short but hard fought battle with cancer…loving husband of Alma (Gilbert) for 43 years. We are so sad. Everyone in our neighbourhood of Sandcastle Estates just south of Washago knew Bill, especially those who live on Sandcastle Court or the north end of Shoreview Drive. He was the finest example of a good neighbour. Bill was known to us as a generous, happy, bright and helpful man. His trademark was his cherished John Deere tractor. Over the past few years, I saw that piece of machinery clear driveways and haul great loads of branches and limbs. That tractor helped neighbours complete any number of projects and, I believe, it provided Bill with many hours of complete joy. Just the sight of Bill on that tractor made the neighbours smile. To me, that John Deere was a metaphor for who Bill was. That green machine represented neighbourliness and selflessness because that tractor didn’t do all those things all by itself. The master of that tractor did it all. He helped us all with something, just things that needed doing. He was always there for us – without being asked and with kindness in his heart. Of course, a man like Bill did so much more in our community. He helped a neighbour when she was building her fairy house out of the stump of a tree. He designed and built our little local lending library that sits in our park. He worked so very hard helping us with a legal/council issue that got resolved in a professional and thorough way because of him. He helped at community BBQ’s. He helped with neighbourhood spring cleaning. The list goes on and each item on that list begins with the words ‘Bill helped’. We don’t always take the time to recognize some of our good neighbours for the kindness they show, the support they give. In my neighbourhood we seem to have more than our fair share and I have been the recipient of that kindness many, many times from neighbours on my right, neighbours on my left – and from Bill. If you’re lucky enough to have a “Bill” in your neighbourhood, perhaps you’ve already let him know how much you appreciate him. If you haven’t, take a moment and do just that. Life can bring unexpected sadness and you don’t want to be too late. On behalf of my neighbours, I would like to publicly extend heartfelt condolences to Alma and her family. Bill was an extraordinary neighbour and he will be sorely missed. The family requests in lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to the Hospital for Sick Children. Letters to the publisher are welcome and may be emailed to thevillagerpress@rogers.com. Letters may be edited.

The Provincial Election is on June 7th Get to know the candidates. See pages 16 & 17 For information about advance polling stations and to ensure that you are on the voting list go to: www.elections.on.ca.

Don’t forget about construction in Washago It starts on or before May 7th. There may be some challenges finding a parking space immediately in front of your favourite shops, but there will be signs pointing to some temporary parking areas.

REMEMBER: all businesses will be open during construction. Contact the Township of Severn office if you have any questions. 705-325-2315

Water tower committee update As The Villager reported in the April issue, the Friends of the Washago Water Tower committee has created a ‘to do’ list that includes investigating the possibility of solar lighting, some landscaping/clean up beneath the tower, painting of the tower base, and the installation of an interpretive sign near the base. To that end, the committee approached the township for some funding. Unfortunately, there are no funds available in the year’s budget to help with this project. Fortunately, the committee has some funds and will move forward with some of the items on the list, including the sign. They will also hold a fundraising event in the early fall, and approach the township in time for the 2019 budget. Community members who would like to contribute to this ongoing project can make a donation at the Friends of the Washago Water Tower table at the upcoming Washago Community Centre garage sale on May 19th.

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Keep your eye on your cell phone May 6-12 By Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton

As you may have seen in the news, as of April 6, 2018, all wireless carriers in Canada must distribute wireless public emergency alert messages (called Alert Ready) on their LTE (long-term evolution) networks. Wireless emergency alerts will inform Canadians about imminent dangers to life and property. The alerts, which can be targeted to a specific area, will be sent to mobile devices connected to LTE networks. This will enhance the emergency alerts that

Canadians already receive via their radios and televisions. Wireless service providers will conduct a nationwide public alerting test during Emergency Preparedness Week, which is from May 6 to 12. This will be an opportunity for Canadians to become familiar with how public alert messages will be delivered to their mobile devices, including the tone and vibration cadence that will distinguish them from regular text messages. Government officials developed a specific list of the types of alerts that are considered a threat to life and should be “broadcast immediately” on television, radio and wireless devices, including: Fires, natural disasters, biological threats (such as drinking water contamination), hazardous threats, environmental threats, terrorist threats, and civil emergencies (including Amber Alerts). While the emergency alert may look like a

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text message it is not a text message. Emergency alerts are sent via Cell Broadcast distribution. Cell Broadcast is a mobile technology that allows messages to be broadcast to all compatible wireless devices within a designated geographical area. Cell Broadcast is designed for simultaneous message delivery to multiple users in a specified area, and is not affected by network congestion because it uses a dedicated part of the network, separate from that used for traditional voice and data traffic. Cell Broadcast can be compared to radio broadcast. Radio towers broadcast music to people in defined geographic areas as long as the individuals can pick-up the broadcast signal and have their radios turned on. Cell Broadcast messages similarly are delivered to those compatible wireless devices that are within range of cell towers and antennas in the designated area. Location services do not have to be enabled on your wireless device to be able to receive alerts. You can get more information on Alert Ready at www.alertready.ca

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Farewell to Washago’s Lioness Club By Estelle Ness, President It is with regret that we have to tell you that our Lioness Club has disbanded. We had one member over 100, one over 90. Eight of our members were between 80 and 90, and the rest of us youngsters (4) are under that. It has been a joy to serve the Washago Community for just under 40 years. We are still planning on having an open house with our Lions in June. The date and time will be in the next issue of The Villager. Please find the time to drop by and chat with us. Thank you for your support over the years. It made it possible to give a hand up to those less fortunate.

From The Villager: Anyone who has had any contact with the members of the Washago Lioness Club has no doubt about their focus on our community and their never-ending kindness and hard work. In fact, their support of individuals in need, youth and children’s groups, and a wide variety of initiatives is legend in Washago and area. Among so many other things, they got involved in the Water Tower project, supported neighbours who were devastated by house fires, raised money for a young boy’s family so that he could get special treatment in the US, raised money for shirts for local baseball and hockey teams, and supported the local cubs, scouts and beavers. To accomplish all of this, the Lioness raised money one dollar at a time by selling their homemade meat pies and selling 50/50 tickets on the street during Washago’s Canada Day festivities. They also hosted four Court Whist events every year and held an annual Christmas bazaar. Hard work for a group of aging women in a club that was dwindling in numbers. There probably isn’t enough that can be said about these selfless community members except ‘thanks for everything’. Wish them well and never forget what they’ve done, asking for nothing in return. But, as Estelle told The Villager, some of them will now be looking for other ways to help those in need of a hand up. “Those who are able will not stop helping those in need,” she said. Farewell to the members of the Lioness Club of Washago. You will be missed.

SPECTACULAR WATERFRONT ON THE SEVERN RIVER

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An example of one of the homes on tour on June 3rd.

Annual homes tour and tea The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Orillia Annual Homes Tour and Tea will be held from 12 noon until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 3rd. The tour features five outstanding local homes and includes a Tea at the Fern Resort. Proceeds from this event go towards funding for scholarships awarded to young women seeking post-secondary education. Passports for the Homes Tour and Tea are $30 each and are available starting on May 1st at the following merchants: in Washago, Simply Special Originals; and in Orillia Beauty Supply Outlet, Laclie Pharmacy, Mariposa Seasons Shop, Street’s Flower Shop, The Kitchen Shop, and thimbles and things. Raffle tickets for 8 prizes are available from CFUW members, or at the two Farmers’ Markets in Orillia in May. Both the passports and the raffle tickets are limited. For more information, call Roline at 705-327-0327; email george.roline@rogers.com; or visit the CFUW website at cfuworillia.org.

On the move! Junction Rehabilitation will be moving from their current location on Muskoka Street in Washago to a larger premises at the end of May. The new location, only a few minutes south on Rama Rd., is completely accessible and has more space for their clients. It also includes a gym, and ample parking. See details on page 14. • 7 0 5-71 7-03 2 2 •

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a g e r p r ess @ r o g e r s. c o

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New threat arriving by the truckload? By Mark Bisset Dorothy was right: there’s no place like home. Protecting our homes from threats may be one of the most fundamental urges we have. So it is no surprise when, facing an environmental threat, people look for help wherever they can find it. The Couchiching Conservancy regularly receives calls from alarmed residents concerned about development near their homes. The Conservancy is not an advocacy organization. To achieve our goals, we need to remain tightly focused on bringing wild spaces under protection. We do not we set our caps against development in general. Instead we try to support intelligent planning that recognizes the critical importance of maintaining significant green space. The only time we will become involved in a development issue is when it directly threatens one or more of the properties under our protection. We’ve recently become concerned about a potential threat to the wild lands we protect: contaminated fill imported from outside the region. The Conservancy is following four separate situations in Carden, Ramara Township and Oro-Medonte Township involving major fill operations. Two of those four proposals could pose a direct threat to habitat on our properties even if the fill is clean. Toxic fill would be disastrous. All of them together create a worrisome trend. Unwanted soil, particularly contaminated soil, is very hard to get rid of in the Greater Toronto Area. But with major development projects underway, there is mounting pressure for developers to find a solution. It has also made fill operations very lucrative where regulations are lax. Municipalities to the south with a long track record of problems with imported contaminated soil have put very strict bylaws in place to deal with it. So the soil is being exported north to more remote areas where some shippers hope they will encounter less savvy municipal leaders. This has caught some municipalities ill-prepared. The City of Kawartha Lakes (Carden) may be particularly unprepared since it has shown little ability to regulate and monitor a

Contaminated fill is an environmental threat to our community and may leave tax payers on the hook. fill operation currently underway on the edge of Lake Dalrymple. And now the Conservancy has learned of a proposal for a gun club that could see thousands of tonnes of soil trucked into the heart of the Carden Alvar, where millions of dollars have been spent to protect a globally rare ecosystem. Where will the fill come from? Who will be testing it daily to ensure it’s clean? Who will pay for the wear and tear on roads caused by thousands of truck loads rolling through the cottage community of Lake Dalrymple? In Ramara, a similar story is unfolding. The same questions remain. Ramara seems to lack a fill bylaw strong enough to deal with the issue. The risk to local ecosystems could be enormous. The risk to municipalities is that taxpayers could be on the hook for incredibly expensive clean-ups and residents could end up struggling with the long-term effects of toxic chemicals leaching into their water systems for decades to come. This is a wake-up call. Let your municipal leaders know we need tougher laws and zero tolerance for the importation of toxic fill. Because it could be coming to a meadow near you. For information visit htpp://osrtf.ca/osrtf or contact Mike Douglas at mikedouglas1056@icloud.com. Mark Bisset is the Executive Director of The Couchiching Conservancy, a charitable land trust that protects wild spaces for future generations. For more information on the Conservancy, go to www.couchichingconserv.ca.

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Scoopz opens in Washago May 5 New owners, new name for local ice cream shop After Canoe Scoops closed for the season last fall, the owners, Rod and Mary Harth decided to sell that shop and devote their attention on their large grocery store and bakery. As luck would have it, one of their employees, Haven Uchacz, a business student at Georgian College in Barrie, was interested in running a business. The deal was done and Scoopz was born. Haven, only 19 years old, is ready to face the challenges of business ownership and excited about the prospect of serving her community. Her sister, Pyper, a high school student, is also ready to be Haven’s business partner. Their mother, Tera said that the first question they’re asked is if they’ll be selling Kawartha Dairy ice cream. The second question: will they have Moose Tracks? The answer to both is ‘yes’. In addition to traditional ice cream cones, the menu will include smoothies, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cakes, sundaes and more. The grand opening of Scoopz is on May 5th. Local residents are invited to join in the festivities which will include a BBQ and music. Visit www.facebook.com/scoopzwashago/ for updates.

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Washago Community Centre

Gemstone of May

Emerald

www.washagocommunitycentre.com 705-689-6424

Hall Rentals for all your special occasions. © Can Stock Photo / Boykung

Coming events and activities

Emerald is the precious gemstone for the month of May, a variety of the mineral beryl, coloured green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Today emeralds are sourced in Columbia and Zambia. The most desirable emeralds are bluish green to pure green, and are highly transparent. Emeralds are notorious for their flaws, making flawless stones of great value. Aristotle wrote that owning an emerald increases one’s importance. richardsjewelrydesigns.com

www.simcoenorthpc.ca

On June 7th Elect Jill Dunlop

EUCHRE May 25 at 7:00 p.m. Come out and support the Centre and meet new friends and neighbours. Pre-register for $7 by calling 705689-6424, or pay $8 at the door. Light refreshments and prizes. CIRCLE and PLAY GROUP Monday mornings from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. until June 18th. All preschool children welcome. The program is administered by a volunteer from Life With A Baby. SUMMER DAY CAMP July 3 - August 24 Complete details for our summer day camp program can be found on page 26 of this issue of The Villager. Registration forms are on our web site www.washagocommunitycentre.com, and also available by email wccc@rogers.com, in the lobby of the Centre, as well as at our annual garage sale on May 19th. The camp fills up quickly. Register early!!! ANNUAL GARAGE SALE May 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hot dogs and sausage on a bun will be available. Call the office at 705-689-6424 to book your table. All tables $10. PICKLEBALL May 25 at 7:00 p.m. The season for outdoor pickleball is almost here. Glen has returned from Florida and will be sending an email out to the active list regarding the start-up date. For those who want to join the league, please watch our website for the start date and associated costs for play. Stay tuned or call the WCCC for more information. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Thursday May 3 at 7:45 p.m. All are welcome!

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Exciting changes to Lions Canada Day event

Susan Lang, the outgoing managing director of the Orillia & District Chamber of Commerce, shown in the front row, middle, is surrounded by 13 past presidents at her farewell party.

Orillia Chamber managing director retires For 25 years, Susan Lang, a long-time resident of Severn Township, managed the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce. She was also harbourmaster at the Port of Orillia. Susan recently retired and, once her home has been sold, she will move to British Columbia to be closer to her family. Through her leadership, the Orillia Chamber grew steadily to well over 600 members, dozens of those from Severn Township.

It’s time to make some changes to our beloved Canada Day event. This Lions Club perennial favourite has become so popular over the years, we now have to give our growing number of attendees a larger space in which to have even more fun. The ever-popular Pancake Breakfast will still take place at the Lions Hall on Hamilton Street from 8:00 a.m. until noon, and we’ll still offer fluffy pancakes, sausage, bacon, juice, coffee and tea. Seating will be available in the hall and at tables on the outside patio. The afternoon celebration and evening events will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will take place at Washago Centennial Park, just a minute or two from the Lions Hall. A beautiful park, it is located at the end of Quetton Street on the shore of Lake Couchiching. The park venue will feature the extremely popular Ten Bands for Ten

GERRY MARSHALL

Authorized by the CFO of the Simcoe North PLA.

Midland 705-527-6363 Orillia 705-242-0642 votegerrymarshall.ca @Gerry4MPP /Gerry4MPP

Kids are invited on the afternoon of July 1st to Washago Centennial Park for a ‘Free Bike’ draw. Hours. Be prepared to dance and sing along! We’ll have a bar tent, hot food and soft drinks. A limited number of picnic tables are available at the park, so bring your own chairs. Washrooms are available. Free parking.

Gerry stands for… • Bringing skilled trade jobs and investment in tourism to Simcoe North • Protecting local schools and hospitals in Simcoe North • Building affordable housing for low- and middle-income Ontarians, including seniors • Free tuition for low- and middle-income students • $15 minimum wage • Introducing a Small Town Rural Ontario Act to give communities responsibility and tools for success • Free prescription drugs for children and youth

14 CHIRO

SERVIC

PRACT

ES AVA

ILABLE

Your vegetable garden - seeds or seedlings (transplants)? By Karen Kahle

3378 Muskoka Street, Washago JunctionRehabilitation.com • 705-796-3877 Our highly-trained, experienced and friendly physiotherapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic professionals will respect and accommodate your needs quickly and effectively. Call on us for injuries or accidents, arthritis, repetitive strain, post and pre-op issues, chronic pain, therapeutic or relaxation massage, and more. Also available: Cupping and Acupuncture

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EXPANDED SERVICES

Thanks to the every-increasing demand for our services, Junction Rehabilitation has added two professionals to our team:

Massage Therapy: In addition to our current therapist, Tracey, Ashley Giles, RMT has joined our team. Drop by to welcome her to the neighbourhood.

…and Dr. Alana Welch will provide chiropractic services every Tuesday.

Based on patient demand, service hours may expand.

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Once the sun starts to warm the earth, changes to the soil happen quickly. And because we don’t have a terribly long gardening season, now really is the time to make your vegetable garden plans – and especially to think whether you want to plant seeds or seedlings (also called transplants). There are advantages to both approaches. Seeds are very inexpensive but some vegetables are tricky to start from seeds as compared to transplants. Others take a long time to mature. And, planting from seeds may not be practical for long-season plants in our relatively short growing season. Ask yourself some basic questions: is the vegetable easy to germinate from seed; is the growing season long enough for the vegetable to mature if planted from seed; and does the vegetable transplant well?

If not planted by seed indoors many weeks before planting time, long-season plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, chard, and zucchini are often planted as seedlings. If you’re looking at seed packets, read the information on the packet to help you make your choice i.e. ‘time to maturity’ will tell you how long after the seed sprouts that the plant reaches maturity. For example, 75 days for time to maturity means you won’t get produce until after that time. ‘Sow time’ is also noted on the packet, the time seeds should be planted relative to the last frost date. Some vegetables don’t transplant well and are usually directseeded in the garden, particularly root crops and vegetables with long taproots, such as carrots. As well, some quick growing crops, like peas, beans and radishes, really don’t benefit from being started indoors as seedlings. These seeds will quickly catch up to transplants. Whatever your choice, direct seeding, seed starting indoors, or purchasing seedlings (transplants), it’s best to decide this while you are planning your vegetable garden, well before the actual planting time. Lastly, get your plants in the ground as early as possible to give them time to acclimate to the warming weather and to give them the longest growing season possible. Happy spring gardening. Karen Kahle is the grower and proprietor of Fern Forest Garden Centre, www.fernforest.ca

Culture and Recreation ready for a busy spring By Pat Harwood, Recreation Coordinator Here are just some examples of what the Township of Severn has in store for the spring of 2018: Washago The Washago Centennial Park washroom work will soon begin. And, in partnership with the Washago Lions Club, hydro will be added to the pavilion in the park. Marchmont Community Park This park, through a township grant to the Marchmont Association, will receive two new picnic tables for the pavilion in the park. Ball Diamonds On May 9th, the Ontario Parks Association will be hosting a ball diamond and maintenance workshop at the Coldwater ball diamonds. Staff from area municipalities will spend the day doing both theory and practical work on the diamonds. The large diamond will receive new material to bring it up to a higher standard. The Washago diamonds will receive new player’s benches

and spring maintenance. Coldwater & District Community Centre Once the arena structural work is completed, we welcome back our pickleball players on the floor. Work is being completed for the longevity of the building for the next 30 years! Coldwater Skate Park It’s another season of tricks on the skate park. Join in fun. Helmets must be worn! Uhthoff Trail The new gates will be manufactured and the installation is planned to begin when this is completed. This is a huge improvement for access for cyclers, and hikers as they will be more easily able to easily access the trail without cement blocks and barricades to navigate. Docks and Launches The preliminary paperwork has been completed which moves closer the physical improvements this year to the Hedgemere Landing launch access.

Recreation Programs Check out the township website www.townshipofsevern.com for updated information on programs throughout the Township. The spring session is in full swing, with the summer line-up coming up behind. Parks We welcome a new neighbourhood park to the system – Ardtrea Park. If you have any recreation questions or concerns, please call the Township of Severn offices at 705-325-2315, ext.253. Visit us at www.townshipofsevern.com. Correction notice from The Villager: in the April 2018 issue we published incorrect information about a township partnership from the County and Trans Canada Trail. That partnership applied to the Uhthoff Trail, not the Couchiching Avenue Parkland.

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Simcoe North Candidates Provincial election June 7, 2018

The following information about the provincial election candidates and their platforms is taken from Villager interviews conducted in the month of April. Since then, one or more political parties may have changed or added to their platforms. By visiting the candidate or party websites, contacting them through email or Facebook, or attending candidate events or debates, you can learn more about each of them and their plans for Simcoe North.

VALERIE POWELL Green Party of Ontario

GERRY MARSHALL Liberal Party of Ontario

This candidate explained what her party stands for by saying, “The Green Party is fiscally conservative with an eye firmly on policies that will improve the lives of people, including the environment, while business owners thrive and residents have the opportunity for good jobs. Our party believes in a capitalist system but one that cares about the environment and social issues – both of which create a strong economy.” Valerie said that all Green Party policies are based on values: social justice; non-violence; sustainability; ecological wisdom and respect for diversity. On environmental issues, she said environmental issues cannot be separated from economic success. “The cost of doing nothing is astronomical. Besides the obvious need to clean up the planet, a good program will create many thousands of jobs and new business opportunities.” Regarding Simcoe North key issues, Valerie has found that there are many that are common to the entire riding, notably hydro costs and health care, especially home care and long-term care availability. There are, Valerie noted, issues unique to certain parts of the riding: many in the west area have grave concerns about Area 41, while City of Orillia residents are concerned about housing, particularly the high prices and lack of good rental units. Both are issues Valerie says she intends on addressing. Valerie said that one of the biggest opportunities for the Green Party is to establish a basic liveable income for Ontarians. Establishing this, she said, would be another boon to the economy allowing for more people to attend post-secondary school or open a home-based business, and generally empower more people to contribute to the overall health and wealth of the province. Contact Valerie Power at valeriepowell@gpo.ca or visit the Green Party of Ontario website www.gpo.ca.

Among many issues that Gerry talked to The Villager about, he wanted to address the issue of hydro costs, a top of mind concern by many Ontarians. He said that, like most residents of Simcoe North, he believes costs have to come down. He added that investment in the grid, something the province has been doing, needs to continue and pointed out that there hasn’t been a major blackout in many years. He stressed creativity will be paramount – a continuing move towards alternative energy while being creative with our current system is crucial. He said that hydro is a difficult subject but that he’s eager to confront this issue and help solve today’s issues while preparing for the future. As the current mayor of Penetanguishene and the Simcoe County Warden, Gerry says he has had many opportunities to talk to business leaders, most especially the needs of manufacturers. His observation is that there are manufacturers and other businesses in the county who have been fearful of answering tenders for new business because they cannot find qualified candidates, particularly in the trades. “The province must think long-term about the lack of qualified employees, looking at a 10-15 year window,” he said. Affordable housing is another serious issue to combat, said Gerry. The homeless and seniors are facing serious problems getting housed. He believes renters need to be able to find a path to home ownership, and that there is a way for developers to profitably include affordable housing units in their developments. Gerry said he has talked to Simcoe North residents about the investment in and the protection of schools and hospitals; free tuition for low-middle income students; $15/hour minimum wage; and infrastructure – fibre optic technology and waste water improvements, and more investment in roads and bridges. Improvements in these things, he said, improves the lives of residents, creates jobs and grows the economy. Gerry said that his focus is to use his voice as a path to getting things done and to be socially conscious while being fiscally responsible. Gerry can be reached at www.votegerrymarshall.ca or visit the party website at www.ontarioliberal.ca.

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO VOTE? If you are 18 years of age or older, and a Canadian citizen, and a resident of Ontario, you can vote. By visiting the Elections Ontario website, you can easily confirm, update or add your information to the voters list. That website will also let you know where you can vote on Election Day, your advance voting location based on your address, and more. Visit elections.on.ca.

Elizabeth Van Houtte Ontario NDP

JILL DUNLOP Ontario Progressive Conservative Party

As of the time of this writing, the NDP of Ontario had a 97-page platform with a fiscal attachment, $3.3 billion vs the Liberals at 6.4 billion. Elizabeth Van Houtte talked about some of the features of the plan. Student loans, Elizabeth said, can cripple the millennial population economically for years. They are educated and willing to work but have difficulty becoming part of the economic solution. It’s why the NDP party has proposed a plan that will allow conversion of student loans to grants resulting in forgiving loans, and moving forward, the plan is to have more grants for students than loans. Free prescriptions and free dental care for all residents who do not have an existing plan is another major plan the NDP offers. The plan calls for the top 125 medications to be covered, including Rx’s for heart conditions, diabetes and depression. The dental care plan addresses the fact that every 3 minutes someone is being seen in an emergency department for dental care. “Economic benefits to these plans are important. We’ll have a healthier population resulting in less absenteeism and better performance. Staff retention will improve. And small business owners who currently can’t afford to support plans will have employees who are covered,” explained Elizabeth. The NDP also propose a $916 million investment in hospitals geared to end ‘hallway medicine’; free daycare for those who earn less than $40,000/year, regardless of the age of the child, and $12/day for those earning $40,000+/year; and a substantive, comprehensive plan to improve both homecare and long-term care, most notably adding 2,000 more hospital beds and 40,000 more long-term care spots in the province. Hydro costs, an important issue to most people in the riding says Elizabeth, will be addressed by an NDP government. This party is convinced that Hydro One belongs back in public hands and they pledge to reduce costs to users by 30%. Elizabeth Van Houtte can be reached by visiting www.elizabethvanhoutte.ontariondp.ca or email houtte2@gmail.com

At the time The Villager interviewed Jill, because of the leadership change in the Ontario PC’s, the party had not released a formal platform document. But, Jill Dunlop said, she is laser-focused on the needs of the Simcoe North riding. She explained that she was nominated last summer and, therefore, has had the luxury of spending a lot of time in the riding. “I’ve spent months learning about and talking to residents about their top-of-mind issues,” she said. Those issues include the high cost of hydro. As with all political candidates, Jill has listened to local residents, business owners and farmers about how the cost of hydro impacts their lives. Business owners often identify hydro as one of their top 3 costs of doing business and, she added, farmers are desperate for a lowering of costs. “Farms are among the most important businesses in Simcoe North, and farmers are some of most vulnerable when it comes to rising costs of doing business. The PC party is firmly on their side and will do whatever we can to lessen their burden.” The lack of affordable housing is a major issue for all residents in Simcoe North, said Jill. “We are confident that we can create more units, especially for seniors. The senior population in our riding is above the average compared to many communities in Ontario. Housing for them, along with home care and long-term care must be must be addressed. “These issues cause strain on our already over-crowded hospitals, especially when seniors have to wait in hospital while a long-term care bed becomes available. Even the number of non-medical seniors’ residents is below the actual need in some areas of our riding,” she said. Doug Ford, the PC party leader has recently given some hints about what the eventual platform will include. The party pledges to: vigorously address the cost of hydro; eliminate income taxes for minimum wage earners; and eliminate the carbon tax. Voters can go to the Ontario PC Party website at www.ontariopc.ca for updates on the PC platform, or communicate directly with Jill at www.simcoenorthpc.ca.

Do candidates have plans for combating climate change? By Ron Reid

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As the drumbeat of a provincial election grows louder, it is difficult not to think about how its results will affect Ontario’s natural environment. For us in the riding of Simcoe North, where the widely popular Garfield Dunlop relinquished his tenure to the now-disgraced party leader Patrick Brown, this may be an especially interesting election. The biggest environmental issue, by far, is how a new provincial government will address climate change. I am not a climate scientist, but I do follow various scientific studies and monitoring results as they are published, and I trust the science. The pattern is overwhelmingly clear – the atmosphere and the oceans are heating up at an unprecedented rate; the Arctic ocean is melting fast; the glaciers of Antarctica and around the world are shrinking; sea levels are rising; and weather across the globe is becoming more “weird” and unsettled. Climate models that predict future conditions have often been criticized, but for now at least, real-world data shows that the climate is actually changing faster than predicted. The serious consequences associated with climate change demand leadership and action by governments as well as by each of us individually. Despite their failings on other fronts, this is one area where the Wynn government deserves credit for significant achievements. They closed Ontario’s super-polluting coal power plants – all of them – and have done much to encourage the growth of the solar and wind power industries. (And the price for new green energy projects has now dropped to 13 cents per kilowatt-hour and falling). The Liberal government has also set up arrangements with other jurisdictions for a cap-and-trade system to drive down carbon emissions from other industries. The NDP and the Greens are generally on-board with these actions and would like to push further and faster. How about the Conservatives? Patrick Brown supported a “carbon tax” while he was leader, but none of the four candidates to replace him did so. Even more disappointing, none of them would put forward any kind of specific

alternative to guide Ontario to lower emissions. Doug Ford, the new PC leader, doesn’t seem to have any thoughts on the issue beyond repeated assurances of “no carbon tax”.

Ironically, many of the private-sector economists and business leaders who are usually aligned with Conservative thinking see the carbon tax as the most efficient and fair way to address climate change. A large part of the problem is the terminology, which leads many people to expect that they will see a new tax added to their income taxes or at the gas pumps. That’s not how it works – in fact it is a “carbon penalty” levied against industries who fail to clean up their emissions, and that penalty grows over time. It is meant to spur innovation and cleaner technologies, which provide competitive benefits as well as environmental benefits. As the election campaign rolls on, I encourage you to ask hard questions to the candidates about how their party will effectively address climate change. Let them know that we expect specific, workable plans. This is an issue that is far too important to ignore. A regular contributor to The Villager, Ron Reid is a natural heritage consultant and the co-founder and former executive director of The Couchiching Conservancy. He has written more than 30 magazine articles and co-authored three books. He lives in Washago with his wife, Janet Grand.

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Emergency Preparedness Week May 6-12 By Dianne Kyle, Fire Prevention Officer, Severn Township Natural disasters may be beyond our control, but there are ways to reduce the risk and the impact of whatever emergency we might face. Emergency Preparedness Week, May 6-12, 2018, encourages everyone to be prepared to protect themselves and their families during emergencies. Emergency Alerts Ontario has three types of alerts: Red Alerts, Emergency Information Advisories, and Tornado Warnings. Announcements come over the local radio stations and television as well as arrangements can be made to have them sent to your email or cell phone. To sign up to receive the alerts please visit www.canada.ca/emergency-preparedness-week.

Get prepared By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. MAKE A PLAN - In an emergency, your family may not be together, or you may be asked to evacuate your home. Thinking about what you would do in different situations and preparing a plan with every member of your family is the first step to being prepared. BUILD A KIT - Your emergency survival kit should have everything you and your family would need to be safe and take care of yourselves for at least three days immediately following an emergency. STAY INFORMED - There are two main ways that you can be informed about emergencies: sign up for Ontario’s emergency alerts, and learn more about the hazards you can face and how you can be prepared for them. Visit www.canada.ca/emergency-preparedness-week for more resources to help you and your family prepare for all types of emergencies.

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Black River pulled pork with fennel dill slaw By Chef Becky Lennerton, proprietor of Black River Food Company and a teacher in our region for Loblaw Companies Limited. PULLED PORK: • 1 Whole pork shoulder (preferably bone-in) • 1 cup orange juice • Cointreau or other cognac (optional) • ¼ cup brown sugar • ¼ cup maple syrup • Your preferred rub (a mixture of herbs and spices). For example: allspice, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and paprika. • 2 cups of homemade BBQ sauce, or your favourite brand Pre-heat BBQ on high. Combine orange juice and Cointreau (one big slug). Rub herb mixture thoroughly all over the pork shoulder. Quickly, while rotating shoulder carefully, sear the outside of the pork, being careful to manage the flames from the fat. Keep a spray bottle of water nearby.

After quickly searing directly on BBQ, turn one side of the BBQ off and turn the other side to medium heat. Place the pork shoulder roast on the half that is turned off. Cook for about half an hour rotating the roast throughout that time. While the meat is on the BBQ, preheat oven to 225°F. Pour orange juice and cognac into a roasting pan and then place pork pan, • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard sealed tightly with tinfoil. Slowly cook for • ¼ cup maple syrup 6-7 hours. Remove from oven and shred Combine first 4 ingredients in medium with two forks and mix in the BBQ sauce. bowl. Combine last 3 ingredients in a FENNEL DILL SLAW: small bowl and then lightly toss with other • 1 cup shredded fennel ingredients. Season to taste and add dried • ½ cup grated carrot berried or nuts if desired. • ½ cup diced apple THE FINAL MEAL: • ½ cup shredded red cabbage On a freshly baked toasted bun, pile on the • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped dill pulled pork and top with lots of slaw. Add • Salt & pepper to taste a few dashes of hot sauce if desired. Enjoy • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar with your favourite bevvy!!

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May 1 – June 29 The Orillia Ganaraska Hiking Club offers hikes on area trails for 1½ to 2 hours every Tuesday in May and June, usually in the morning. Join us for easy to moderate exercise in local woodlands. Call Paul at 705325-6001 or check our website: www.ganaraska-hiking-trail.org. May 2, 9 and 16 6–8 pm Introduction to Hiking, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Haven’t hiked before or need some motivation to get active again? The Ganaraska Hiking Club, Orillia section, is offering a series of hikes geared for novices. There is no cost and registration is not required. Call Carol at 705-3251065 for locations and information. www.ganaraska-hiking-trail.org May 5 The Orillia Concert Band and Orillia Brassworks present Around the World at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Centre, 62 Peter St. North, Orillia. Tickets at the door. Family $30; Adults $15; Students $10.

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May 5, 12, 19, 26 Coldwater Canadiana Museum offers a Deluxe Pancake Breakfast including orange juice, pancakes and sausage with maple syrup, tea or coffee. 9:00 to noon. $10.00 pp. Enjoy breakfast in the cozy Fireplace Room served on beautiful fine china in the 1830’s Homestead. May 12 Coldwater Canadiana Museum from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. As a special Mothers’ Day treat, we will be providing a special Devon Tea. $10.00 pp. Enjoy your delicious tea and freshly baked scones in the warm and cozy Fireplace Room. May 12 Fundraising Meat roll event starts at 3:00 p.m. Come out and try and win your dinner for $1.00. Coldwater Legion. May 17 Join the Ramara Historical Society at 7:00 p.m. with guest speaker Dr. Tom Garry remembering prominent people of Ramara.

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Udney Community Centre, 2347 Concession Rd 10 Ramara. May 19 Washago Community Centre annual Garage Sale from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hot dogs and sausage on a bun will be available. Call the office at 705-689-6424 to book your table. All tables $10. May 19 The Washago Garden Club presents their annual Spring Sale. 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at 3363 Muskoka Street. Perennials, hostas, grasses, herbs. All proceeds to the Washago Garden Club for their care of the local garden at County Rd.169 & Muskoka Street. May 19 Jammin’ at the Coldwater Legion at 2:00 p.m. Everybody is welcome. Join in and bring your own musical instrument. May 26 Upstairs in the big hall, two-time Canadian Elvis Champion Terry Chisholm from 4:00 p.m.- 8:00

p.m. Tickets are $10, includes a hound dog and chips. The door prize is 2 tickets to the semi-finals at the Collingwood Elvis Festival. Coldwater Legion May 26 Entertainment by Rebecca Pascall from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in our Clubroom at the Coldwater Legion. May 26 Couchiching Conservancy: Walk Wylie on Saturday, May 26. Description: This is not your typical walk-a-thon! Take a walk through a key conservation corridor, also known as a birder’s highway. Pick your walk distance and set out on the alvar. Donate to take part of fundraiser to help even more. Details at www.couchichingconserv.ca.

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