All posts by SHLF

Digital kiosk brings free Wi-Fi to Orillia’s waterfront

Hidden beneath a billowing blue sheet tied with a celebratory ribbon stood the first visual indication of Orillia’s entry into the wireless age.  

“It’s a different society today,” Coun. Ralph Cipolla said moments after the unveiling of the digital kiosk that drew a crowd to the lakeside event.

Situated outside the Orillia Waterfront Centre, the touch-screen kiosk features twin 54-inch vertical LCD screens, one on either side of the unit.

One screen broadcasts events, community happenings and paid advertisements and the other provides a touch-screen that allows users to browse information about local events, activities and amenities such as hotels, restaurants and shopping, along with directions.

“It is basically a way for cities to connect with their citizens and for citizens to connect with the city,” Gary Semplonius, Bell senior vice-president, business, sales and marketing, told Simcoe.com.

The kiosk’s digital sign can also be employed to broadcast community messages and public safety alerts, he added.

“And because it’s interactive, it’s a great way to attract tourism as well,” Semplonius said.  

The kiosk also serves as an access point for free Wi-Fi in the area and includes a USB charger for phones and tablets.

“The Orillia SMART Kiosk is the first of its kind in Ontario and only the second in Canada, and showcases that Orillia is stepping things up when it comes to innovation and technology,” Mayor Steve Clarke added.

The initiative is one component of a research partnership between the municipality and Bell that leverage’s Bell’s Smart City platform to help the city make better-informed decisions on municipal operations and infrastructure through data collection.

Other phases are expected to take shape over the next month, including a second kiosk outside the Orillia Opera House.

The free Wi-Fi network will be expanded to cover the downtown area along with the waterfront, from the port to the Rotary Aqua Theatre.

The kiosks and Wi-Fi applications will provide the city with anonymous data related to where visitors originate from and what it is they value while in Orillia.

According to Semplonius, the launch of the first SMART kiosk in Ontario represents a “significant milestone on Orillia’s path to becoming one of Canada’s leading smart cities.”

Cipolla, a member of the Smart Cities Working Group, said the project would usher Orillia “into the 21st century.”

Two other applications unrelated to the kiosks are in development in partnership with Bell and will be introduced later this year.

One will allow residents to monitor snowplow progress and the other will detect ground water infiltration into the city’s sewer system.

The partnership with Bell is a one-year pilot, with any future commitments subject to future council approval.

Bell has also agreed to provide fibre optic connectivity to the city’s residences and businesses, placing Orillia at the forefront of Canadian communities in the area of smart-city initiatives, said Dan Landry, manager of business retention and expansion and industrial development.

“This will factor greatly into how we market investment and business opportunities in Orillia moving forward,” Landry added.

Celebrate island life and support Orillia’s Aqua Theatre

Orillia’s time-worn will benefit from an upcoming celebration of island life.

Proceeds from a Caribbean-flavoured Island Princess boat cruise on Aug. 19 will support the Rotary Club of Orillia and a revitalization of the lakeside stage.

Organizer Janice Thompson is mounting the event as a thank-you to the club and city in recognition of the positive impact the waterfront has had on her life as she contends with medical issues.

“I wanted to contribute back,” said Thompson.

A two-hour, ticketed cruise is billed as the main event during an otherwise free Jamaica Day reggae festival at Couchiching Beach Park from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The day includes Caribbean food, clothing booths, music and dancing.

“It will be mostly Bob Marley music,” Thompson added.  

The Aqua Theatre was erected at Couchiching Beach Park in 1958 by the local service club with assistance from the community.

The club and the city are working to refurbish and improve the theatre while renewing interest in it as a performance space/community hub.

In a nod to that vision, four cedar trees were recently planted along the fence next to the grassed seating area to improve viewing conditions when the sun sets during outdoor movie nights.

“That row of trees is going to be dedicated on Sept. 1 to some people that were key in getting the Aqua Theatre built,” said club president Andrew Shuttleworth.

Council approved $225,000 in the 2018 capital budget for the first phase of work, including a new slab floor, repairs to the exterior, sand blasting and painting, and a new steel roof.

Staff will seek an additional $225,000 for a second phase, including a revamped viewing area, during 2019 budget talks.

Recommendations stemming from a recent design exercise exploring proposed enhancements include a sloping roof structure and replacement of existing seats with moulded, stadium-style seating.

The recommendations have been provided to the club for consideration in their fundraising efforts.  

Tickets to the Aug. 19 cruise are $65 and include live music and dinner.

The cruise runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Island Princess office starting Aug. 15.

Alliston baker Samantha Young developing loyal following with her butter tarts

Some artists express their creativity with the stroke of a paint brush on a canvas, while others like Samantha Young use butter, flour, eggs, sugar and a warm oven to bring their visions to life.

Young, who turns 23 next month, has long dreamed of having her own bakery.

She’ll never forget the day she asked her mom how she could combine her love of art and baking.

“She said ‘Oh, you can be a baker or a pastry chef.’ So since (age) 10 that’s what I wanted to do for sure. I never changed,” Young said.

After graduating from Banting Memorial High School she went to the University of Houston to get her business degree in hotel and restaurant management, and finished her studies after transferring to Guelph.

When she graduated in February she was still planning on attending culinary school, but then an opportunity came up after a storefront in downtown Alliston became available.

The property’s landlord reached out to her to see if she would open her own bakery.

“I hadn’t gone to culinary school yet, but I decided I will just do all of my self-taught baking,” she said. “I might as well just dive in and see what happens.”

Leading up to this she was already building up a loyal customer base with the treats she sold during the fall at her boyfriend’s business down the street, Cool Moose Creamery, like her famous butter tarts, pies and cookies.

“I kinda got my following there, and then at The Well Café a couple doors down, I started baking for them too,” she said.

The landlord of the Well also owns the building where her bakery is located.

“He was obsessed with my butter tarts and said I needed a place to sell these things,” she added.

Carriage House Bakery celebrated its grand opening in late April.

“It’s been unbelievable, the support from the community has been even better than we imagined it would be,” she said.

Most of the treats are based on old family recipes passed down from her grandparents and other relatives.

Her Scottish shortbread has been in the family for generations, and her fudge squares are her great aunt’s recipe.

Her butter tarts, which come in plain, pecan and raisin varieties, are the most popular daily baked items, followed closely by the scones, cinnamon biscuits and cookies.

She also does custom orders for cakes, cookies, cupcakes and cake pops.

“That’s starting to take off more than we expected to,” she said. “We are now getting booked three weekends in advance.”

Her dad Greg bakes the bread, which is offered in different varieties throughout the week, like farmhouse white, chunky cheddar, multigrain, whole wheat and natural sour dough.

“His passion has always been bread,” she said. “He’s always loved it and he’s a real bread nerd.”

Carriage House Bakery is located at

To contact them call , visit their or follow them on Instagram

They are open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mama Milly serves up spicy jerk chicken in Innisfil

Lorna Jarrett has been sharing her love of food with the public for four years, at the Mama Milly booth at the Innisfil Farmers’ Market.

“It’s my passion. It’s my heart. When you love something that much, it’s a joy to share it with others,” she said. “When I give someone the jerk sauce to taste and I see the look on their face, I feel good because I made that.”

The company is named in honour of her mother and mother-in law, and the famous jerk sauce is a family recipe that uses natural ingredients.

The business came about after Jarrett fell on hard times and she started bottling her jerk seasoning.

Next was Jamaican patties, then oats, and now raw oatmeal cookies.

, for orders and deliveries.

Midland veteran Frank Graham dies at 95

Frank Graham, a well-known Midland veteran, died on July 13 at the age of 95.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 80 in Midland will be honouring the Second World War veteran with a special service on July 23. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. with a memorial service following at 3 p.m.

Graham was a member of the Midland Legion for 60 years, serving as president of branch 80 for a short stint during that time.

“We don’t have a lot of older vets left and it’s always a shame to see one of them pass away,” said branch 80 president Ron Adair.

 “I’ll miss his presence. Whenever Frank was around he was always straight and tall and very forthright with what he said. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family.”

Graham was 17 years old when he joined the Canadian Armed Forces and the fight against the Nazis.

He started his training with the militia in Toronto when he was a teenager, and enlisted as soon as he was old enough. After completing training, Graham was shipped overseas and spent time in Africa, France, Sicily, Italy, Germany and Holland.

He was stationed in Holland in May 1945 when Canadian troops liberated the country from four years of Nazi control.

The Dutch people never forgot what the Canadian soldiers did for them, and thanked Graham every chance they got.

“He was a very genuine, friendly and caring person,” said Midland Mayor Gord McKay. “He was also a hero with his war record and the inspiration he created, not only in the Canadian community but over in Holland and building the bonds between our two countries.”

The Canada Committee of the Netherlands over the past decade. In 2013, 2015 and 2017 residents of Markelo, Netherlands, held the Frank Graham Cycle Liberation Tour, which saw residents ride from Normandy’s Juno Beach to Markelo.

In September 2017 they unveiled the , which is red with a black centre, similar to a poppy. The small stock of tulip bulbs shipped over to Norman’s Garden Gallery in Midland quickly sold out last fall.

“As a community member, Frank was certainly recognized and regarded very highly, but Frank was a very humble person,” said McKay. “Every time you tried to point out that he was a special individual he would decline and say, ‘It’s not about me. It’s about the guys or the community.’”

In May, a small group of dignitaries came over from the Netherlands on behalf of the Canada Committee of Markelo to honour Graham with . This plaque commemorates the long-standing thanks the Dutch citizens have for the many Canadians, including Graham, who fought and were instrumental in gaining their freedom.

“We are really losing someone who was very important to our community. The good news is that his memory will be long with us and will help us all,” said McKay.

Dodge Ram stolen from Bradford commuter lot

A pickup truck was stolen from a commuter lot in Bradford.

On July 30 at about 8 p.m., South Simcoe police were called after a vehicle was stolen.

A 46-year-old Bradford man said he had parked his 2014 white Dodge Ram crew cab at 5:30 a.m. in the lot, located at County Road 88 and Highway 400. When he returned from work at about 7:30 p.m., the truck was gone.

The four-door pickup truck has an Ontario license plate AJ 67065. It has a black, cloth Lund tonneau cover, tinted glass, running boards, a sport hood with two black hood scoops and a custom chrome tail light.

There were also two child seats in the back.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact South Simcoe police at , or Crime Stoppers at .

South Simcoe police want to remind residents to “lock it or lose it” and share their top 10 tips to protect your vehicle and its contents:

— Ensure doors are always locked and the key is in your pocket.

— Park in well-lit areas.

— Never leave money in plain sight.

— Always roll up your car windows.

— Put shopping bags and other parcels in the trunk.

— Ensure GPS is put in a safe, out-of-sight location.

— Keep vehicle registration certificate and proof of insurance on you.

— Take electronics, including your cellphone, with you.

— Don’t leave your car running unattended.

— If parking in the same lot often, park in different spots each day.

Robert North — SCDSB trustee Adjala-Tosorontio, Clearview, CFB Borden and Essa

Thanks for the opportunity to share information about my candidacy for English Language Public School Board trustee for the municipalities of Adjala-Tosorontio, CFB Borden, Clearview and Essa.

My educational background is in building operations and I work as a facility manager for a large charity  here in Simcoe County managing a modest budget of $1 million with 15 staff. I have been a resident of Simcoe County for the past 20 years and live in Essa Township with my wife Shelly. We have two daughters who graduated from the public school system and went on to post-secondary studies.

I have had the honour of being a trustee for 13 of the last 15 years, serving as vice-chair and chair of the board, as well as numerous committees. I have a track record of championing significant capital investments in schools including Nottawasaga Pines.

I have an excellent attendance record. I come to meetings prepared and my experience gives me an advantage in understanding how funding and policy flow from the ministry to boards, and how we operate within this framework to maximize services for students. With the recent provincial election now behind us, school boards are bracing for tighter budgets and swings in provincial policy. We need to work within these constraints and make the best long-term decisions for our students and communities as these changes occur.

I would be very grateful to continue to advocate for my local municipalities. I believe we must be fiscally prudent, but not at the expense of programming. I believe we must advocate not only for our existing students, but those who will follow. I believe that we must continue to press other levels of government to recognize that our facilities and programming serve not only students, but society in general.

I can be reached via mail at 121 Raglan St., Angus, Ont., L0M 1B0, through my website at , via email at or telephone at .

Mayor Mary Small Brett is not seeking re-election in Adjala-Tos

Mary Small Brett is bidding adieu to municipal politics.

The one-term mayor of Adjala-Tosorontio, who previously served as deputy mayor and councillor, is not seeking re-election in the October municipal election.

“I believe every season has its time, and there’s times for different things in one’s life, and it’s time for me to spend more time with family,” she said. “I know it’s cliche, but it’s true. There are also health issues in my family, not me thank heavens. But I really enjoyed serving the people of Adjala-Tosorontio. So it’s sad to leave but hopefully it will be in good hands.”

She admitted the turmoil that has consumed council over the past few years was also a factor.

Council has had to deal with the controversy surrounding the CAO’s mileage payments, the gravel pit battle that led to an OMB hearing, the OPP investigation into post-retirement benefits and other enhancements and the code of conduct/harassment investigations involving two members of council, Floyd Pinto and Bob Meadows.

Pinto and Deputy Mayor Doug Little are running for mayor.

New Tecumseth Ward 8 Coun. Chris Ross, who was first elected in 2014, will also not be seeking another term.

He said he enjoyed representing the Tottenham community but has become too busy with his full-time job

“You will have noticed that I have missed some meetings during my term, and those absences were due to the travel obligations that I have as a sales representative at Knoll Inc.,” he said. “As such, I felt it best to let someone who has more time represent the constituents of Tottenham.”

There are four candidates running for Ward 8 in the upcoming election.

“I would like to thank both my supporters and non-supporters for their input over my term,” he said, adding they have helped him evaluate and consider issues over the past three and a half years.

Marc Biss, a one-term councillor for Ward 1 in Alliston, also isn’t seeking re-election.

He announced the decision in April after failing to win the nomination for the federal conservatives for Simcoe-Grey.

Three people have registered to run in Ward 1.

Essa Mayor Terry Dowdall, who won the federal conservative nomination, isn’t seeking a third term as mayor.

Dowdall was first elected mayor in 2010 and previously served as deputy mayor and councillor.

Deputy Mayor Sandie Macdonald and former mayor David Guergis are running to replace him.

Editor’s note: A correction was made to this story on Aug. 8. The original version incorrectly stated councillors Bob Meadows and Floyd Pinto were subject to conflict of interest investigations. Simcoe.com regrets the error.

Beware of scammers collecting for Terry Fox run, Barrie police say

Police are warning Barrie residents about scammers going door-to-door and asking for pledges for the annual Terry Fox run.

Barrie police received reports of individuals canvassing local neighbourhoods throughout the city, under the façade of collecting cash donations on behalf of the annual run, which raises funds for cancer research.

The suspects, described as white males, have been reported using expired health cards for identification and pledge forms downloaded from the internet.

“We do not ask volunteers/participants to seek out cash donations by going door-to-door. The majority of the participants in the annual run seek pledges online or approach people they know, when seeking donations,” said Michael F. McDougall, chair of Terry Fox — Barrie. Anyone wishing to make donations to the Terry Fox Run can do so, securely, online at

Anyone who suspects they may have been a victim of fraud is asked to contact police or the at 1-888-495-8501.

Wasaga Beach deputy mayor: I went to the OPP

Wasaga Beach’s deputy mayor says she took her concerns about the direction the municipality was taking to the Ontario Provincial Police in 2016.

Nina Bifolchi also said she approached the Ontario Ombudsman.

She made the comments during a July 10 special council meeting, during discussion on the non-binding letter of intent between the town and Fram Building Group.

She said she went to the OPP out of “my concern for the taxpayers, the future of our town, and the need to share information.

“The concerns I shared with them that day, and since, are now being realized,” she said.

The OPP has not yet responded to Simcoe.com’s request for a comment.

The statement caught other councillors by surprise — with a couple of councillors demanding Bifolchi explain herself.

“Today is the first day I’ve heard the comment that the OPP anti-rackets squad has been approached … I find that quite disturbing and I’d like to get more information,” said Coun. Bill Stockwell. “I find it hard we just hear that and leave it hanging there without some further information.”

Bifolchi declined to comment further, other than to state that as a resident and a member of council, “I can go to any higher level to share concerns … I’m not accusing anybody. I took my concerns to them because I felt the need to share it with them.”

Mayor Brian Smith requested she provide “full disclosure” of her comments to the chief administrative officer “so the rest of council, staff, and the town’s legal team can review (them).

“I think it’s a very broad statement that implicates many folks, including this whole council, staff, the legal team and the developer,” he said.

Otherwise, said the mayor, comments about going to the OPP were “white noise.”

“To make an accusation that perhaps there is something underhanded happening here is quite frankly uncalled for and is irresponsible, and it is unacceptable in my personal opinion,” Smith said. “I would invite anyone to look into process to do so because I’m confident … that nothing happened (that was) underhanded. I believe wholeheartedly in what we’re doing.”