John Buyers and William Connell, descendants of the earliest residents of the hamlet of West Essa, recently unveiled a plaque in Thornton commemorating the community.
The project of the Essa Historical Society recognizes one of the earliest settlements in the township.
For the first time in many years, local knitters and yarn crafters can save themselves a long drive for supplies with the opening of Twist Yarn Co. in Midland.
Opening on the weekend of Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival in June, owner Michelle DesRochers said the response has been “great.”
“People come in and say, ‘Thank God we have a yarn shop in town,’” she said.
DesRochers said she recently discovered crocheting and is now “addicted.”
A yarn social is held Tuesday nights. Classes and workshops will begin in the fall.
Twist Yarn sells yarns of all fibres as well as patterns, books and accessories.
Brent Ackland is bringing his paddleboard business to the friendly waters of Innisfil.
After four years of renting boards and giving lessons at Barrie’s Centennial Beach, Ackland is teaming up with the Town of Innisfil to expand Northern Stand Up Paddle at the Mapleview Drive beach on Lake Simcoe this month.
The location, just south of Friday Harbour, is perfect for paddleboarders, Ackland said.
“It’s an awesome spot,” Ackland said. “The water isn’t deep there and it’s sheltered from the wind and bigger waves.”
It’s also much quieter than the Centennial Beach location, which is near a popular floating water park.
Ackland said he took on the Mapleview location when he won a call for business proposals from the Town of Innisfil, which is looking to increase its waterfront activities.
The town has set up a temporary parking system for non-residents who want to rent and take lessons at Northern Stand Up Paddle. Ackland simply gives customers a parking pass when they come to paddleboard.
It’s a soft launch for this season and limited rentals will be available for most programs with a full fleet coming, available in the 2019 season.
Paddleboarding is becoming more popular; just ask any boater or beachgoer these days.
Ackland is a full-time fitness coach who uses the PaddleFit coaching and training system, which helps clients reach their fitness goals by using a paddleboard.
“Anybody can do it,” Ackland said. “We’ve even had someone on a wheelchair up on a board.”
Paddleboarding lessons are also a great way to socialize with others who are excited about the activity, Ackland said.
Ackland created Northern Stand Up Paddle in 2011. In 2013 he partnered with PaddleFit as their Canadian affiliate. The company offers retail sales, Jimmy Lewis Boards and Infinity SUP, lessons, and rentals for recreation paddling.
The lessons include introduction to paddleboarding, Progressive Technique Training (SUP Club), kids standup paddling as well as community-building social paddles.
“With the potential to have standup paddling in the Olympics in the near future, offering progressive lessons is a must,” Ackland said.
When it comes to purchasing a paddleboard, there’s a wide variety. And what you buy depends on how serious you want to get about boarding.
Prices for Jimmy Lewis Boards run from about $800 to about $4,500.
“The difference is in the glide,” Ackland said. “You can go just as far with one stroke on a more expensive board as you can with four strokes on a less costly board.”
Buying a board from a retailer who is on the beach like Ackland means you can actually test different boards on the water before your purchase.
“You can’t do that from a store. Here you can actually find the board that suits you by trying it out.”
The hot weather early this summer has brought out more paddleboarders than ever and business has been booming at the Barrie location.
For more information, contact Ackland at or
By day, Lucio De Rose is a personal support worker, helping seniors in South Georgian Bay.
When the lights go down, the 28-year-old Collingwood man becomes DJ Primary Sources, a hip hop DJ.
De Rose will be showing his skills at a hip hop show called Man vs. Machine on Aug. 15 at Jozos at Blue Mountain Village at 9 p.m.
The show will feature accomplished rapper and Juno nominated Fresh Kils as well as other hip hop acts including OBM and Vokal Legend.
Always a fan of hip hop music, DeRose got the bug to DJ five years ago.
“I needed a release, always listened to hip hop, and saw there was a lack of respect for the hip hop and DJ communities,” he said. “I started to drive the two hours weekly (to Toronto) to attend every hip hop show I could make.”
He said he networked and built contacts in the hip hop world in Ontario, Canada and worldwide. He realized there was an opportunity for him to travel while doing something he loved.
He soon connected with promoters in Toronto and started performing at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto.
While hip-hop has grown to do big business around the world, De Rose said there are many new artists burgeoning below the surface.
“Canadian and underground hip hop has been hidden from most people’s ears for a long time,” he said. “We are just like any other struggling artists. Recently they have opened an art exhibition at the McMicheal art gallery showcasing Canadian hip hop. This is very important as (hip hop) needs it’s proper place in history.”
De Rose said one of his goals is to bring about change with his music.
“Substance is what I am trying to bring and what inspired me about hip hop,” he said. “I love Margaret Atwood and she believes art without a message is pointless. I feel very similar about hip hop. Hip hop has tried to change the world for the better multiple times.”
For more information visit .
I live in the East End, cherish my home and, like you, want to age well where I live. Great things are happening in Barrie and important decisions will be made over the next four years.
People of Ward 1 have shared that they care about how city growth will impact their neighbourhoods and want to see their tax dollars supporting programs and services that are important to them. They are informed and active.
I believe that with strong council representation, Ward 1 can drive positive change. What I offer is a full-time, committed representative. No hidden agendas. No surprises. I do not regard this responsibility as part-time or ‘on-the-side’.
My ‘CARE’ pledge:
Committed as your representative.
Accountable to you and open to your feedback.
Respectful of the range of residents’ interests and issues and responsive to concerns.
Effective in getting positive attention and change to our Ward.
What’s unique about me? I have nearly 20 years of experience in the health system, spanning provincial, not-for-profit and academic institutions. I have a master’s degree in public health and a certification in health law (Osgoode), as well as training in ethics, conflict resolution and public engagement. All of this experience has been geared toward making positive change happen.
It is my pleasure to serve as the Alzheimer Society Simcoe County board chair for a second term. I have been a long-time volunteer meal maker with the Barrie Out of the Cold program and have built strong connections within our city and the County of Simcoe.
I will facilitate positive change through municipal service in support of building a Barrie where all may thrive and an East End that is cared for.
We can expect more and do better in engaging, communicating and designing our cityscape with residents while supporting strong business and job growth.
I believe better has no limit.
Let’s build a strong council together. A council that cares.
Vote Kungl on Oct. 22.
Campaign Office: 62 Oakley Park Sq.
Website:
Phone:
Email:
Twitter: #KunglCares #KunglforWard1
Facebook Page:
Instagram: annmariekungl
A main road in the north end of Tosorontio will soon be closed for a month due to a construction project.
County Road 13 between Tosorontio Sideroad 17 and Tosorontio Sideroad 15 will be off-limits to nonlocal traffic from July 30 to Aug. 29.
The closure is for repairs to the Tioga Bridge over the Pine River.
The road will remain open to locals to access all residential and commercial properties.
Nonlocal traffic will be forced to use County Road 5, Concession Road 3, and Tosorontio Sideroad 17 as the detour route.
The county asks drivers to take extra precaution and to observe all detour and advisory signage during the ongoing construction activities.
For questions contact Jae Park, project engineer for the County of Simcoe, at ext. 1166 or email .
Orillia OPP seek the public’s help in identifying a suspect caught on camera during a recent break-in.
On Aug. 5, at about 1 a.m., someone entered a business on Atherley Road and stole a quantity of cash.
Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the person responsible and have released an image that shows an individual wearing a distinctive pair of light pants with a stripe down the leg, and a distinctive pair of shoes.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Orillia OPP at .
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My Name is Daniel Boucher, and I’m seeking your confidence in Ward 4. My life in Barrie began almost three years ago, when I met the most patient, caring and beautiful woman, whom I married just this summer in our backyard, absorbing our four children into a large, chaotic (at times) and immensely energetic family. My kids (ranging from four to eight) have tremendous impact on our views of family oriented community programming and activities. School volunteer opportunities, coaching sports and shift work consistently keep us busy.
My life as a public servant began in 2004 when I joined the Canadian Forces Reserves as a medic. I successfully challenged the Ministry of Health, AEMCA testing, certifying as a primary care paramedic following college. In 2009, I proudly donned Canada Border Services Agency blue fatigues and started a very rewarding career in law enforcement, also serving as chief union steward. I continue to serve you federally, with honour, having received numerous accolades. My work experience is extremely varied, working industrial construction, fraud restoration and even as a baker for numerous years in my youth, among other things.
My vision in regards to council is solely dependent on you. I believe in true democracy, where the quorum of the populace drives the voice of their elected representatives. My intentions are to represent the ward with ethically influenced canvassing, perpetual communication with constituents seeking feedback and ideas, and business-driving initiatives for the city that will see an increase in jobs, efficient service delivery and economic prosperity. I don’t see value in our city maintaining a deplorable unemployment rate, deficient trade skills programs for our youth and a downtown core that lacks investment into mental health, addiction and community based policing. Conversely, I’d like to see massive provincial contributions to our highway infrastructure and bypasses, keeping up-to-date with population growth, industry projections and seasonal traffic demands.
I’m Daniel Boucher, your new neighbour, a new voice for change!
Campaign office/home: 61 Barwick Dr., Barrie, Ont.
Cell:
Email:
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Adjala-Tosorontio council hasn’t decided what to charge Everett and Colgan residents for their water and sewage service.
Council deferred the decision July 9, after receiving a presentation from a consultant hired to calculate the charges residents will have to pay to fund new water and wastewater infrastructure that will have to be built for future growth.
The consultant recommended setting the connection charges at $10,500 per unit for water and $16,300 per unit for wastewater.
These costs would be included into the price of new homes that are going to be built in the two communities, but existing users who are using septic tanks or are serviced by the problematic New Horizons sewage treatment facility in Everett would have to pay to connect.
The charge for existing users to convert to the developer-built systems would be charged over 20 years, plus interest, but council has yet to decide if existing homes will be forced to do so.
Everett Coun. Dave Rose said it would be unfair to the residents of the New Horizons subdivision to pick up the tab for a second time.
“They’ve already paid once, and it’s going to be tough to ask them to pay again,” he said.
Council will hold a workshop at a later date to discuss the proposal further.
It was a set of Pokemon cards that inspired Tiffany Tremblett to host her first garage sale with the kids.
“My oldest wanted to buy this very specific Pokemon set and it was $80,” Tremblett said.
She encouraged her four-year-old son to save up his chore money and buy it.
But the next morning, her son Dmitri asked to have a garage sale, selling his toys to make a profit.
“I said we could see if other kids want to come and join and have a bigger sale, with more people coming through in the hopes of selling the little things you have,” she said.
Seven families joined in and her son raised $110.
“He was able to buy that Pokemon set and he still has it,” she said.
Three years later, the Kidding Around Garage Sale has grown to include a bake sale and takes place July 14.
“In the past, there have been tables who donated their earnings to charity. There are also tables with boxes set up with free items.”
It takes work to put the event together, but every winter, Tremblett’s kids start asking if they are hosting again.
“One of the biggest benefits for them taking part is the experience and the responsibility portion of it,” she said. “Leading up to it, they have to go through their toys and figure out what they don’t use and what is still in good shape and can be sold.”
The next part is deciding a selling price.
The day before, her family bakes cookies together.
And at the sale, Dmitri is now old enough to be the banker, calculating the change.
“It’s a huge learning experience for the kids. There are a lot of little things that add up.”
But the best part of the sale is to see kids shopping for new items.
“Five minutes before it starts, the kids run from table to table to see what they can buy from each other.”
Tremblett said she’ll keep doing the kids’ garage sale until it’s “not cool” anymore.
The is July 14 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at