Archives September 2021

Marg Sharpe – Ramara mayor

My commitment to you:

Govern with strong business ethics

Common sense decisions — what’s best for the township and the taxpayers

Accessible — listening to the concerns of our residents. Following up in a timely manner to emails and phone calls.

Visible — my only job will be to represent you as mayor — out and active in our communities, proudly representing our township.

I am in full support of our local businesses, community centre boards, library board, committees and all of our volunteers that work so hard in our communities.

My priorities for our township — “It’s Time for Change”

Roads/drainage — roads are our Township’s No. 1 asset.

Finances/taxes — Tax dollars must be spent with a proper understanding of the impact, both short and long term on the township.

Economic development — Industrial and commercial development and affordable housing.

Communication — broadband, rural high-speed internet is a must.

Contaminated soil — Fill bylaw, close loopholes.

Township Effluent Waste Facility Spray Field — ready to go when the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan comes up for review 2018/19.

Work with homeowners concerns for their lifestyle living near quarries.

OLG funding, lost revenue over the years coming into our Township. This needs to be aggressively pursued.

CN double crossing at Concession Rd. 47.

My municipal, business and community experience:

Municipal:

Ramara Township Councillor — four years                

Simcoe County Councillor — Alternate                

Your elected representative on numerous boards and committees

Business:

Sales/management for an international packaging company — 15 years

Program manager for a Canadian-owned national merchandising consultant company — 15 years

Managed high profile clients marketing plans, budget and submitting reports on their business performance.

Community:

Residence: Ramara Township for 13 years.  married, proud parent and grandparent

Bayshore Village Association — President for five years; vice-president for two years. 

For more information please contact me at:

Phone:    

Email:    

Wasaga Beach resident wins Rotary Club early bird draw

Wasaga Beach resident Shari McKilligan was the early bird winner of $1,000 from the Rotary Club of Wasaga Beach’s early bird draw.

The draw was made July 3.

The final draw for the 2019 Long Beach Red Corvette Stingray will be held at the Recplex in Wasaga Beach on Sept. 29 at 2 p.m.

To date, more than 1,000 tickets have been sold. Tickets are $100 each.

Funds raised from the Corvette Lottery will be donated to 15 local charities in Simcoe County.

For more information, go to .

Collingwood’s Victoria Annex up for sale

The Victoria Annex property is for sale.

The former school site is located at 400 Maple St. and is currently zoned for residential development.

The property, owned by Victoria Annex Development Corporation, is part of the receivership filing of Paramount Equity Fund that includes properties across Ontario.

Grant Thornton was appointed the receiver in August 2017 and documents show the property is mortgaged to $2.6 million.

The site has had two previous development proposals including condominium and town homes.

According to the listing at realtor.com, the deadline to submit bids is July 18 at 5 p.m., and the current starting bid is $1.

After an in-camera session on May 14, council directed its lawyer to file a court motion to determine if the town can proceed with designating the property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Jump for Justin raising cash for Youth Haven at Innisfil’s Skydive Toronto

Janette Boyter is taking quite a plunge to honour her son.

The Barrie resident is organizing the Jump for Justin skydive fundraiser in memory of Justin Keogh, who died in a car accident in January 2013, three days before his 19th birthday. The event takes place July 14 at Skydive Toronto in Innisfil, and more than 70 jumpers have signed up so far.

All proceeds will benefit Youth Haven, which provides shelter, programs and services to homeless youngsters throughout Simcoe County.

Keogh lived in the Wasaga Beach and New Tecumseth areas. He also spent about six years in the Air Cadets, reaching the title of flight sergeant.

Youth Haven aligns with Keogh’s passions — he wanted to become a counsellor to help troubled youth.

“Justin had asked to go skydiving,” Boyter said. “It’s a way for me to be closer to Justin. One of his friends had used Youth Haven. We want to help youth; it’s what Justin believed in.”

Youth Haven representative Isabel Alonso Vilarino called the pending donation a “huge help.”

“The money’s really needed; it costs about $125 a day just to have one (youth) at our shelter,” she said.

Organizers are seeking online auction items. More details on the event can be found at .

Orillia native and former Snowbird competes in ‘The Amazing Race’

Mark LaVerdiere has soared through the sky while executing aerobatic manoeuvres that would leave the average mortal dizzy with fear.

A member of the iconic Snowbirds precision flying team from 2007 to 2010, as well as having served as a fighter pilot, LaVerdiere was no doubt well equipped to face his latest thrill-filled challenge.

Paired with a longtime friend and fellow flyer, the Orillia native recently faced off against nine other teams during filming for the latest season of Amazing Race Canada, dubbed the Heroes Edition.

“I certainly don’t consider myself a hero,” LaVerdiere told Simcoe.com in a phone interview during a break from his work contract flying overseas. “I’m just an average guy from small-town Orillia, Ontario.”

An avid follower of the show, LaVerdiere last fall was approached by a friend who suggested he audition for the popular reality TV series.

As appealing as the idea was, he did not expect to be selected.

“I never thought for a second they would even consider me,” he said.

LaVerdiere, who is no stranger to the sort of daring feats that viewers of The Amazing Race tune in for, ultimately made the cut after an application process that included an audition video.

“I’m into bungee jumping, I scuba dive, I skydive — there is nothing I won’t do,” he said. “I have no phobias, per se.”

Nicknamed ‘Happy’ for his resemblance to Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore character — LaVerdiere was partnered with Corey ‘Chewy’ Liddle, a retired Air Force pilot with whom he attended aviation college in Thunder Bay in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

“It’s kind of a long friendship,” he added.

Filming for the series started in late April and lasted until the end of May and included multiple locations that reinforced his admiration for the country he calls home.

“Flying F-18s and flying for the Snowbirds, obviously I’ve seen a lot of Canada from the sky,” he added. “Being down on the ground and visiting different communities and locations, it really just brings home the point of how lucky we are to live in Canada and how beautiful it really is.”

Interviewed in advance of the show’s July 3 start, the 48-year-old father of three was unable to discuss specific details.

More broadly, he said viewers could expect to see him and his fellow competitors — among them first responders, teachers, mentors, and athletes — engaged in fear-based challenges, problem solving, navigation, and other experiences that were familiar territory for the seasoned pilot.

Even when others “got freaked out a little bit … we always stayed kind of calm and cool,” LaVerdiere added.

While skill and determination certainly play a role in the competition, “some things you just kind of have to roll the dice.

“If you are lucky, good, if you are not lucky, well, that’s unfortunate,” he added.

LaVerdiere was raised in Orillia on Canice Street and attended Mount Slaven School and ODCVI.

He and his family now split their time between Saskatchewan and a cottage in Muskoka.

(LaVerdiere and Liddle were eliminated in the first episode.)

Beer Yoga to raise cash for Collingwood women’s shelter

Do you like yoga? Do you like beer with your yoga?

If so, My Friend’s House has the event for you. The organization has partnered with Side Launch Brewery to host a session called Beer Yoga on Aug. 13 at the Mountain Road location at 6:30 p.m.

Jen Tindale from Wasaga Beach Yoga will teach a one-hour gentle class with the emphasis on fun. During the class you will get beer education and a flight of Side Launch beer. Money raised helps support My Friend’s House, a shelter for abused women and children in Collingwood and South Georgian Bay.

Participants are asked to bring their own mat. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit


French immersion programming in Midland will look a little different this school year

The French immersion program at Mundy’s Bay Public School is going to look a little different come September, as some students will be transitioning over to Huron Park Public School.

The Simcoe County District School Board has decided to operate the French immersion program between the two schools, as neither building has the capacity to handle the ever-growing program. Grades 1 through 4 will stay at Mundy’s Bay, while grades 5 through 8 will be offered at Huron Park.

“At the end of the day what we decided to do was minimize the number of students impacted and minimize the number of transitions for the students,” said Chris Samis, superintendent of programs and special education at SCDSB.

With the French program just advancing into Grade 6, the students in grades 4 and 5 at Mundy’s Bay will transition over to Huron Park for grades 5 and 6. French immersion classes in Grade 7 and 8 will be added as those students advance.

“It is really only a total of about 45 students that will be impacted,” said Samis. “All of them are transitioning together. It is not like we are moving part of a class. The entire class is moving.”

Interest in the local French immersion programming has grown significantly over the past five years. This success forced the school into finding a creative solution.

Last year Mundy’s Bay was bursting at the seams, operating at 124 per cent capacity with 576 students enrolled in a building built for 464. Of those, 139 were in the French immersion and 97 were in extended French.

In October, board officials knew the program wasn’t going to be able to continue to grow in its current location and began searching for options.

“We knew status quo wasn’t an option,” said Samis. “We were already over capacity.”

Huron Park, located just down the road from Mundy’s Bay, operated at 86 per cent capacity last year with two empty classrooms. A total of 354 students were enrolled in a building with room for 404.

After the decision was made, principals from the two schools participated in a number of activities to ensure a smooth transition.

Clare Riepma – Barrie Ward 1

I was born on a farm in southwestern Ontario and went to university in Toronto.  We chose to live in Barrie because it has a lot to offer and to be closer to our parents, children and grandchildren.

I am a civil engineer with a master’s degree in environmental studies and have my own consulting company working primarily as a city planner. 

I have worked in many municipalities throughout Ontario and as a result have a great deal of experience in the area of municipal government.  I have always been involved in my community and have served as president of the Barrie East End Householders Association, on Town and Gown, North Shore Working Group, and various other municipal advisory committees over the years.

It is time for a change in Ward 1.  Time for a more positive and collaborative approach to resolving issues in Ward 1.  Listening to resident’s concerns and doing something about them is my priority.

Our roads are rough but we pay generous taxes.  We need better value for our tax dollar.  I will work hard to find efficiencies in the city’s operations so that we can hold the line on taxes.  

Our neighbourhoods were not designed to accommodate the numbers of students currently living in some of them. 

As a result, there are conflicts and some absentee landowners are having a negative effect in some our neighbourhoods. 

I will propose that these units be better regulated and inspected to ensure that they are safe and that standards such as parking and maintenance are respected.

We need to attract more businesses to Barrie.  People need good jobs close to home and our youth need opportunities as well.  We need to balance our industrial – residential assessment to bring our taxes into line.

I am a strong supporter of our downtown, and our waterfront.  We need to bring more people, the arts and economic activity to the area to support our local businesses.

Kal Johnson — Ramara Township Ward 5

My name is Kal Johnson, I’m 61 years old and I’m running for re-election as Ward 5 councillor in Ramara. 

My wife and I have resided in Lagoon City for 24 years, been married 40 years and have three children.  After running a successful business for 28 years (400-plus employees), I decided to retire in 2011.

I was honoured to be voted councillor in 2014.  Over the course of 40 years in business and now municipal experience, I have developed a skill set of financial management, employee relations, production, and project management. I am dedicated to our town and have diligently worked these past four years to implement fresh ideas and accountability.  Your support enabled us to make Ward 5 a better place to live.  We managed to table a balanced budget, reduce debt, find greater success in weed management in our lagoons and create a dog park — all in just four years!

I actively sit on 13 boards and a variety of committees. I have a reputation of being involved, knowledgeable and approachable.  

My vision for the next four years is to continue focusing on affordability, accessibility, safety and support, and building our community. 

We can do this by:

•    Finding greater efficiency in our water and waste treatment plant;

•    Dealing with the long waits at the railroad tracks;

•    Exploring new ways to manage our lagoons;

•    Regulating short term rentals within the town.   

 
I publish a monthly article which keeps residents educated and informed. If you would like to receive a copy, please email me for inclusion in the email blast.  

 
I’m excited to serve this community for another term. If you have questions or concerns, please call or email me.

Please consider showing your support with a lawn sign.  

 
Do you want to help our town continue to take action?  Let’s do this together — a vote for me is a vote for action!  

Kal Johnson

Collingwood’s first family of arm wrestling continues winning tradition

Being successful at arm wrestling is a tradition in the Wilson family.

And Sarah Wilson is carrying on that tradition.

The 31-year-old Collingwood woman recently returned from the Canadian Arm Wrestling Federation national championships with a pair of gold medals.

Wilson won the left and right championships in the 80 kg plus women’s division defeating multi-time Canadian champion Maria Petersen and Alma Keuhl.

Wilson lost in the finals to Petersen in 2017.

This marks her third national title, winning in 2014, but the 2018 event in Laval Quebec is probably the most special to date.

“This is the first time I’ve won both arms,” she said. “It was really awesome.”

Wilson has been around the arm wrestling seen since she was a kid as her father Earl, is recognized as one of the best in the sport.

Earl is the owner of more than 30 Canadian titles, and 11 world titles and is a member of both the Canadian Arm Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame.

Earl casts a large shadow in the arm wrestling circle and Sarah admits it adds more pressure.

“Everyone puts me on a higher level because my dad is who is,” she said in an interview with simcoe.com.

“People look at me and say, you’re going to win. And let’s say I don’t, like I did last year, it’s so heartbreaking and I feel like I’ve let everybody down.”

Sarah said she grew up with the sport, but didn’t start to take it seriously until her late 20s.

She said her dad has always been supportive and she’s used some of his techniques on the table.

“I’ve watched him since I was a kid so I pretty much adapted his style and tweaked it a little bit,” she said.

Sarah trains daily at The Centre for Squash and Wellness on High Street in Collingwood and is honing her skills on the table twice a week. She said those efforts were stepped up heading into the nationals.

“It’s not just gym time, it’s table time,” she said. “These are the best girls this country has to offer. I want to win, so you have to amp up the training

With the victories, Sarah has qualified for the world championships in Turkey but won’t be attending.

She said her goal is to win at the 2019 national championships in Edmonton and then attend the world championships.

“I want to try and make that one, because he won there so I think that would be really cool,” she said.

Ultimately, her goal is to top her dad’s accomplishments.

“That’s something I do want to do, I want to beat those records,” she said.

Earl believes she has the right attitude and ability to achieve that.

“She trains hard, she’s focused,” he said.  “If you have the desire and she seems to have that, I believe she has the potential to be in those record books.”