Archives September 2021

Ken Fowler – Innisfil Ward 5

Good day residents of Innisfil,

My name is Kenneth Fowler and I am running for Ward 5 on your council. 

Why do I say your council? Because it is the job and privilege of those elected to serve your needs — To build OUR town up and have all other townships look at what we have done as a benchmark for success.

For  years I have worked on multimillion dollar projects and organized scores of people toward a common goal, even if each had a different view of how to achieve it. It is the sparks created when ideas collide that birth new fires, forging our future.

I have a background in management and have been certified in Occupational health and safety.  I also have a provincial Red Seal.  Education that allows me to see alternative perspectives.  

I have been an active member of two school councils, one of which I chaired. I have contacts at news outlets and the local paper to highlight the good our community has done. 

Council needs to LISTEN before it speaks. Only then can issues be properly addressed.

Innpower — I will look into lowering rates without sacrificing service.

Urban sprawl — I want our town to grow soundly, instead of filling space until there is nothing left. Proper planning leads to a booming town, where ease of access is a right and not a worry.

Safety in our schools — Not one but two schools this year have approached council with issues regarding the welfare of the children who walk to school. It needs to be addressed.

The above items are only a few of the things I seek to accomplish as your councillor.

Lastly, I am asking for your vote, but not your money. I am campaigning with my own funds. I believe in MY town that much.

Fighting for your rights,

Ken Fowler

Collingwood Museum gets a facelift

The Collingwood Museum is in the midst of a facelift.

The organization has completed the first phase of a three-phase re-design project.

Melissa Shaw, museum assistant, said the first phase is a boat made by the Watts family in 1937 as well as backdrop with floor-to-ceiling photographs of the harbour.

Shaw said the second phase will focus on the history of the museum, which started as the Huron Institute, and the Indigenous history of Collingwood.

She expects this phase to be completed by the end of 2019.

Next year, the final phase will focus on the significant rail history of Collingwood and the legacy of the shipbuilding industry and the Collingwood Shipyards.

She said the themes of the exhibits will be permanent but the artifacts will rotate.

“We have a pretty large Indigenous collection,” Shaw said.  “We’re working with the collections that we have.”

Shaw said the displays have also been spruced up and they will include a variety of items from Collingwood’s history.

She said they are looking to get feedback from residents that will help develop the next two phases.

“We want to know what people like about it and if there is things they don’t like, we’d like to know what those are,” she said.

Mark Taylor – Severn Ward 1

I love where I live and I am proud of Severn Township’s beauty and history.

I grew up on a family farm in North River with my 8 siblings and attended SS #8 Matchedash Public School, Coldwater Public School, and Park Street Collegiate Institute in Orillia. I graduated from the University of Guelph with a BSc in Food Science and have been working in the food industry for 40 years.

As a councillor, I supported the water and sewer project in the West Shore, various bridge and road projects in Ward 1, and the start up of the Coldwater Curling Club. I was previously a member of the Severn Sound Environmental Association and I am currently a director on the Southeast Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce. If elected, I will continue to strongly support the Coldwater Community Centre, the Matchedash Community Heritage Centre, the Coldwater Mill, Coldwater Memorial Library, Coldwater Canadiana Museum and the Fire and Emergency Services for the Township, which includes Station 4 in Ward 1 and our Roads Department.

In recent years, the Township has budgeted funds for hamlets, villages, and our beautiful trails and I believe this should be continued.

We must be fiscally responsible with the replacement of the Township’s infrastructure and assets. Our tax payers deserve quality roads and bridges. We have to work with the Provincial Government regarding dangerous fires on crown land, as well as the Province’s Heritage Mapping, which will have a huge impact on future development.

My pledge is to represent the constituents of Ward 1 with a strong and sensible voice and to effectively work with council and staff as a team to ensure the success of the Township.

With your support on Election Day, I will be honoured to serve as councillor of Ward 1 in Severn Township.

Your Vote Matters

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Unattended cooking causes kitchen fire in Angus

A mom and her 11-year-old son were treated for minor smoke inhalation after their oven caught fire at their home on Decarolis Crescent in Angus early Friday afternoon.

Essa Fire Chief Cynthia Ross Tustin said the fire happened just after 1:30 p.m. Aug. 10.

The home’s smoke alarms activated after the appliance caught fire and started to burn the wall behind the oven and some of the cabinets.

“The mom extinguished the fire with a garden hose before we got there,” she said.

The fire also caused minor smoke damage throughout the home.

The chief reminds residents to make sure they have working smoke alarms and to never leave cooking unattended.

Scott Jermey — Oro-Medonte deputy mayor

I am Scott Jermey and I want to serve as deputy mayor for Oro-Medonte.

After serving as councillor for Ward 5 from 2014 to 2018, I have ideas and experience to make our great community even better!

I would like to see our recreation facilities improved with expansions and upgrades to our existing sports fields and parks. I have brought forward the concept of creating an Oro-Medonte Sports Hall of Fame to recognize our superior athletes.

The township could fund these improvements for our residents by reducing our legal costs. We could use local lawyers more and Toronto lawyers less.

Cutting county council from 32 members to 16 would save over $600,000 per year, and approximately $2.5 million over four years. This is money better spent on meeting the needs of residents.

I believe in working for our community. By hosting fundraising events, I have helped raise over $6,500 for Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, and I am holding a charity barbecue for the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie this September.

I have been and remain active in the Oro-Medonte community. I have been both a member and a leader in 4-H, and umpired softball for over 25 years. I am currently an elder and secretary of Esson Church. I served on the local milk committee for 10 years, two years as its chair, and volunteered with the Orillia Agricultural Society (ODAS Park) for over 40 years.

After attending East Oro Public School and Park Street Collegiate, I took a bachelor’s degree at the University of Guelph, where I received the Governor-General’s Gold Medal and the Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal for academic achievement.

For the past 31 years I have owned, operated and expanded a dairy farm in the township. This requires understanding the concerns of both a small businessperson and an environmental steward.

I have the energy and the passion to champion the issues and causes of the residents of Oro-Medonte at the local and county levels.

I hope you will consider supporting Scott Jermey as your next deputy mayor.

Beeton residents evacuated due to gas leak

Businesses and residences are being evacuated from an area on Main Street in Beeton after a natural gas line was struck causing a large gas leak.

New Tecumseth Fire and Rescue said via Twitter road closure were in place, and advised people to avoid the area.


‘This is your home’: Matthews House Hospice unveils Centre of Excellence in Alliston

After all those years of fundraising and planning, the dream has finally become reality.

Hundreds of guests came out to celebrate the grand opening of Matthews House Hospice’s Centre of Excellence at 131 Wellington St. E. in Alliston.

The brand new $6-million facility features 10 beds for palliative care, along with a host of programs and services.

Hospice president Margo Cooney told the crowd the new facility will act as a place of “service, compassion and welcome” for those facing life threatening or life limiting illnesses, the bereaved and their families

“This is your home,” she said. “At some point in our lives we may need the care of Matthews House or we will know someone who will, and Mathews House will be here, ready to help at any time.”

She said none of this would have been possible without the tremendous amount of support the community has given to the organization.

“Our heartfelt thanks go out to our incredibility generous community, our benevolent corporate donors, our caring provincial, county and municipal governments, all of whom provided funds and resources to make this construction possible,” she said.

CEO Kim Woodland said the real job now begins.

“For us it’s about a new beginning, a fresh start based on a solid foundation of really great support from our community and volunteers,” she said. “We will be having chats and journeys together about living and living well before we die, because that’s what hospice is.”

The state-of-the-art facility, which began construction last fall, boasts a living room, kitchen and garden where families can spend time together, along with several other areas where guests can make and listen to music, draw pictures, take part in reiki and reflexology sessions, watch movies and more.

“You can do whatever you want to do,” Woodland said. “We will make sure your days are meaningful and pain free.”

The organization has raised all of the capital funding for the new building, but will require about $1.2 million every year to cover the operational costs.

To become a supporter or a volunteer, or to learn more about the programs and services, visit .

Grooming products take top spot at Collingwood business competition

A collection of grooming products took home top spot at the Excite Business Pitch Competition.

Sven Hansen is the owner of Hometown Brawn Supply, and he manufactures men’s grooming products using wholesome ingredients.

“I’ve pitched before, but the Excite Business Pitch Competition gave me a new focus,” Hansen said. “The Pitch Prep Workshop took my business pitch to a whole new level, and I’m grateful for the opportunity and for the win”

Hansen took home a grand prize of $5,000 with the win.

The winner of the Open Competition was awarded to Jessica Wilkins of Naked Designs, a custom furniture designer and manufacturer. Kai Hulshof of Jentu, a network automation platform, won for best in tech.

The entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to an expert panel of judges, who provided valuable feedback and advice, and selected the winning pitches. The 10 finalists had been selected from a pool of more than 40 applicants.

The event was a partnership between the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre and South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre.

Other sponsors included the County of Simcoe, Adbank, Town of Collingwood, the Centre for Business and Economic Development and The Creative Space.

 

Alcona splash pad still in design phase in Innisfil

Plans for the Alcona splash pad are still in the works, said a town manager.

“We don’t want to rush it, we want to do it right,” operations manager Jason Inwood said.

The $5-million project to build a community hub and splash pad beside the Innisfil IdeaLAB and Library is still in the design phase.

“Originally, the splash pad was going to be at Innisfil Beach Park, but we ran into geotechnical issues,” Inwood said.

With the $450,000 still set aside for a splash pad, the town was looking for a new location.

Last August, council agreed to spend $1.8 million to buy the land off Lakeside Retirement, which in turn donated $550,000 toward the deal.

“This is now more than just a splash pad. This is a town square, a real gathering place in the middle of Alcona,” Inwood said. “We are currently working through the design, with construction anticipated to start next spring.”

The land is approximately two acres in size and Inwood said the concept is to have a seamless connection to both the library and the retirement home, keeping some of the large trees on the property.

“There is going to be a splash pad with the potential for it to be a public skating rink in the winter time,” he said. “There will be shaded seating and a variety of amenities that would complement the town square/gathering place feel.”

It would be a spot for community events and performing arts, Inwood said.

“This would be our first town square, it will have a different feel to it. It will really help drive that ‘downtown Alcona’ development. Staff is excited about the opportunity.”

The project falls in line with the town’s master plan, which calls for more parks and public gathering spaces.

Full schedule for Canada Day in Wasaga Beach, Clearview

From Beach Area 1 to Creemore’s Mill Street, there’s a full schedule of Canada Day activities to entertain people of all ages.

Family fun is the focus of Wasaga Beach’s plans for July 1, with activities for children on Beach Drive starting at noon that include characters from the War of 1812, giant inflatables, pedal planes, circus entertainers, cake, dancers and musical entertainment.

The afternoon entertainment includes performances by the Neema Children’s Choir, the Glee Club, and Dance by Design, followed by a night of music on the big stage with Tragically Hip tribute band Little Bones, Canadian country musician Scotty James, and award-winning indie Canadian-American singer Justin Nozuka.

The concert is free for the general public with a ticketed VIP licensed 19+ area. VIP access is $20 at as well as at the gate.

Fireworks will light up the night sky at 10 p.m.

Canada Day events in Clearview Township start off with the 52nd running of the Duntroon-to-Stayner road race, which gets underway at 8 a.m.

Other activities in Stayner include the annual Stayner Heritage Society parade starting at Station Park at 10:30 a.m., opening ceremonies at the Stayner Arena with birthday cake and the Beinn Gorm Highlanders at 12:30 p.m., and an afternoon of heritage displays, food, and children’s activities sponsored by the Stayner Chamber of Commerce.

In Creemore, the fun starts at 9:30 a.m. with a street hockey tournament. The Creemore Ladies Auxiliary will be serving brunch at the legion from 10 until 11:30 a.m.

The Harold Crawford Memorial Kids Bike Parade starts at 1 p.m., running from Mill Street Park to the legion; other activities starting at 1 p.m. include a barbecue at the legion, and “olde thyme” games and activities for kids such as a three-legged sack race, an egg and spoon race, a scavenger hunt, and face painting.

In the evening, the barbecuing continues at the legion, with the singing of O Canada at 8 p.m., presentations to the Lady and Man of the Year, and the Baker Magic Show. The fireworks will be set off at dusk.