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Peter Beacock — Oro-Medonte and Springwater SCDSB trustee

Over the past 12 years as your Trustee, I have worked hard on behalf of Oro-Medonte & Springwater students and families to improve the learning opportunities in the Simcoe County District School Board.

As Trustees, we are responsible for every student in the county and not just in the area where we were elected. Students have benefited from a new French Immersion Program, improved music programs and many additions and new schools because of Trustee decisions. Springwater has seen additions at Huronia Centennial and Elmvale District High while Oro-Medonte will see a new elementary school in the Horseshoe Valley area. Our school board has been very successful at receiving funds for many new schools across the county in recent years.

During my time as your Trustee, I have been the chair of many committees and been elected vice-chair of the board three times. I have been elected by my peers as the chair of the board for five consecutive years. I have earned the respect of many within both municipalities and in the education system. As the chair of the board, I have attended many special events on behalf of Trustees and have gone the extra mile to support schools.

I have an impeccable attendance record for all meetings and functions of the board. I visit schools regularly to talk with students and staff to ensure that the decisions we make at the board table are having a positive outcome in our schools.  As a former manager of a local manufacturing company, I have the ability to work with all parties and use my common sense approach to work through issues and concerns. This approach has helped me to resolve many concerns that parents have shared with me.

I would be pleased to continue my work on your behalf.

I can be reached by phone at 705-322-1053, by email at [email protected] or via Twitter, @PbeacockL.

Andrew Prince — Barrie Ward 7

A resident of Ward 7, I originally moved to Barrie in 1990 with my mother Vicki and brothers Matt and Mike. Barrie allowed my mother to work in her field of passion as an educational assistant and work with autistic children, Matt was able to join the military and become a police officer and Michael became a sports entrepreneur.

After post-secondary school I returned to Barrie and joined one of the country’s leading financial firms. Throughout my 10-year finance career I helped families assess their financial needs and helped them with investments, tax laws, and insurance decisions.

Between 2006-2010 I represented Ward 9 in the southeast end and returned to city council proudly representing Ward 7 for the last three years. Throughout my terms I have repeatedly lobbied for lower taxes, been a champion for small to medium-sized businesses, implemented programs that helped increase public safety, and have always been accessible to my constituents.

Issues:

Value for tax dollars.

It’s not enough to say taxes should be linked to inflation. It takes proper strategic thinking to look at the long-range financial planning of our city. We need to shift the tax base from the residential taxpayer to the commercial and industrial sector by creating a business-friendly environment.

Traffic.

With the Harvie Road overpass opening in 2020 and Bryne Drive opening in 2021, we need to focus on Mapleview Drive and work with the province to push for a substantial fix. I will continue to advocate for a DDI (diverging diamond interchange) to get the south end moving.

Public safety.

Commission a comprehensive review for the south end to slow down residential speeders and those who ignore the safety of the residents, by looking at traffic calming measures, revisiting red light cameras and increasing enforcement from Barrie police.

Age-friendly community

We need to acknowledge the unique needs of our 65+ population when making decisions around areas like, transportation, housing, health care, public spaces and community engagement.

On Oct. 22 I ask for your support to help keep Barrie “Moving Forward.”


Innisfil teacher paddling Lake Simcoe with service dog

Nantyr Shores Secondary School special education teacher Jane Boake and her dog, Buddy, are making a special trip to mark the veteran service dog’s retirement.

Boake and Buddy will paddle around Lake Simcoe on a standup paddle board from July 29 to Aug. 6 to raise awareness and funds for her COPE Service Dogs Canines in the Classroom program.

After founding COPE in 2000, she realized how much dogs could help people with a wide range of challenges — not just physical. That led her to start bringing training service dogs to a local high school to help students who were struggling.

The Canines in the Classroom program is aimed at students with mental health challenges and learning disabilities. The young people learn how to train service dogs in class; both puppies that are candidates for service dogs and older animals suited to the classroom program.

Canines in the Classroom helps students learn to communicate and become more social so they become engaged and successful, in and out of the classroom.

The program is costly, but it’s worth the investment, Boake said. “More dogs in schools results in happier kids.”

As their training dogs’ skills increase, the students become happier and more confident themselves, Boake says.

“It’s all about mental health,” she said “When they train the dogs, their confidence goes through the roof. The program has huge mental health benefits.”

Boake and Buddy start their paddleboarding adventure at Innisfil Beach Park July 29, hitting Camp Arrowhead and Friday Harbour July 30, Jackson’s Point Aug. 1, Couchiching Beach Park in Orillia Aug. 4 and arriving at the main stage at Barrie’s Kempenfest Aug. 5 to mark Buddy’s 13th birthday.

During each stop along the way, Boakes will offer tips on how to train your dog for standup paddling. The paddle will depend on conditions on the lake, she noted, but a boat will accompany the pair and Buddy will be wearing a life-jacket as well.

For more information on the COPE visit . You can also message on Twitter at @buddypaddles. For updated paddle and schedule info, visit

Paul Rasiulis — SMCDSB trustee Barrie Wards 1-5

Hello, my name is Paul Rasiulis and I am running for Catholic school trustee in Barrie for Wards 1 to 5. As a father of two daughters who completed their education through the Catholic school system and with the full support of my wife, who is a registered nurse, I will be a strong and experienced voice for parents and children in our school system.

I am a retired teacher with 33 years of both elementary and high school experience within the Catholic school system. My last 27 years were with the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board. I currently work as a licensed financial consultant in Barrie.

My educational background includes:

Master of education degree (University of Toronto)

Principle’s certification (York University)

Bachelor of education (University of Toronto)

Bachelor of physical and health education (University of Ottawa)

My extensive background in education allows me to be well-informed and to have a grassroots appreciation of educational issues. Some key issues that I feel need to be addressed are: a) the support of students’ mental health; b) the need for improvement for students with learning disabilities; and c) the distinctiveness of the Catholic school and community.

If elected, I intend to be easily accessible to my constituents and to respond to all inquiries in a timely manner. I have always valued hard work, honesty and dedication and feel that these qualities would make me a strong advocate for the community. I am very proud to have been a member of the SMCDSB and would love the opportunity to continue to be involved in the field of Catholic education.

My contact information is as follows:

Home:

Cell:

Address: 111 Chieftain Cres.

Barrie, ON, L4N 6J2

Facebook and LinkedIn: Paul Rasiulis

Twitter: @PRasiulis

Red tape ahead for Tollendale seniors housing in Innisfil

With eyes on a new seniors home for Innisfil, Tollendale Village representative Clare Riepma had hoped it wouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get the project started.

Riepma spoke to Innisfil council Aug. 8, asking for assistance with the town’s Our Place official plan.

“Tollendale owns and operates a significant seniors complex in Barrie on Hurst Drive, just down the road,” he said. “I’m a planner for the project, and we’ve submitted our plans to you.”

Tollendale Village owns 1870 and 1902 Big Bay Point Rd., with plans to build another long-term care seniors living complex. Council has already approved a cross-municipal servicing agreement to the site east of Strathallan Woods Lane South.

Riepma said their proposal meets the requirements of the town’s official plan under a public service facility.

But if they build in a rural or agricultural area, an official plan amendment would be required.

“This is a much-needed project, as you know.”

Tollendale Village is a not-for-profit company offering life lease apartments, with affordable unit costs, Riepma said.

Currently, the waiting list for Tollendale’s Barrie facility is 900 people, with approximately 20 units becoming available every year.

The Innisfil proposal is a continuum-of-care facility with a 160-bed nursing home and 464 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

 “Within those apartments, you can obtain the services you need as you get older,” Riepma said. “A lot of people don’t need it when they move in, but their needs increase, and support is available.”

The town’s official plan was adopted by council in January 2018, but the County of Simcoe has proposed some changes.

One of the changes requires an official plan amendment for any legal nonconforming site plans.

Town manager of land-use planning Tim Cane said the county is trying to find synergies between its official plan and that of the town, and if the town modifies the agreement, it could delay approval of Our Place, which is expected to happen in September.

He noted that, regardless of the wording, the land already requires an official plan amendment anyway.

Council agreed to accept the county’s changes, meaning Tollendale Village would have to appeal the town’s official plan.

Canuck cuisine featured at Orillia’s Era 67

Era 67 likes to keep it local.  

“Our motto is a taste of Canadian history,” said Devon Spence, who owns and operates the upscale casual Orillia restaurant.

With that in mind, its culinary philosophy is to use fresh and local ingredients whenever possible.

“We believe in playing with the seasons, and building strong relationships with our local farmers and producers,” said the restaurateur, whose business partners include her sister, and brother-in-law Pam and Brian Patterson.

The menu serves up gourmet and casual cuisine inspired by our Canadian heritage, including Alberta steaks, lobster, P.E.I. mussels, smoked salmon, poutine and local duck — to name a few.

“We’re particularly well known for our steaks, rack of lamb, short ribs and duck,” she said. Everything is made from scratch, and made to order.  

While Era 67 has been a fixture on the Orillia dining scene for years, Spence took over the helm about three years ago.

“I’ve worked in the industry for about 25 years, and I was ready to run my own place,” she said.

Born and raised in Collingwood, Spence started busing tables when she was 13 and worked her way up. Before taking over Era 67, she managed Kaytoo in Collingwood and Hudson (now closed) in Barrie.

Primarily looking after the front of the house, she’s also handy in the kitchen, and can prepare any dish on the menu.

“I just put on my chef’s hat, change my heels for flats and away I go,” she says with a smile.

The popular 80-seat venue features a 12-seat private room, a lounge and a patio. “People can come in and have drinks with sharing plates or charcuterie boards or enjoy a three course dining experience,” she said. The decor is casual and features the artwork of local artists, oak booths, a fireplace and plenty of comfy cushions.

Specialty nights include No Corkage Tuesdays (you can bring in a bottle of wine and there is no corkage fee), Half-Priced Appetizer Wednesdays (half-priced appetizers from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.), All You Can Eat Mussels Thursdays, Fish Feature Fridays, Surf and Turf Saturdays, and Prime Rib Dinner Sundays.

The restaurant is also planning an upcoming wild game night.

Along with local wines and beers, Era 67 showcases a craft cocktail menu. “Our big sellers are freshly muddled raspberry mojitos and margaritas,” she said.

Local entertainment is showcased Thursdays through Saturdays.

While there are many dining establishments in and around Orillia to choose from, the restaurateur encourages diners to support local independent businesses.

“The summer is the perfect time to check us out because we have a wonderful patio with a historical fountain.”

“It’s a very peaceful setting and you can hear the water trickling when you are enjoying your meal.”

Era 67 is located at , Orillia.

For more information, call or visit

Racing stunt in Alliston costs York Region man his ride

A racing stunt in Alliston cost a 35-year-old York Region man his ride over the weekend.

A member of the Nottawasaga OPP detachment was patrolling County Road 10 just before 2 a.m. Saturday, July 28 when the officer approached a black Nissan travelling south toward Alliston.

While stopped at County Road 10 and Highway 89, the Nissan took off at a high rate of speed after the light turned green.

The officer followed the vehicle and clocked it travelling 160 kilometres per hour in the 80 km/h zone.

The car was pulled over and the driver was charged with stunt driving. His licence was suspended for seven days and his vehicle was impounded for seven days.

He will attend a future court date in Barrie.

Maplelane Farm Events Centre near Alliston is all for the dogs

Sherri Hall and her daughter Jen, owners of Maplelane Farm Event Centre near Alliston, are big believers of keeping their pawed patrons active and fit.

In addition to offering a big agility course, doggy diving area, disc course and lure coursing fields, they are introducing a new training centre.

“It’s a big indoor area where they can play, and we also have the pool they can swim in,” said Jen. “We really want to start pushing exercise and health for dogs.”

This will tie into their doggy daycare and boarding services.

“We are going to have some health programs,” she said. “We will have a big weigh scale for dogs that need to lose weight, and diet will also be part of that. We feed the raw diet here, a species-specific diet, so we will start selling some of that and encouraging proper nutrition and exercise.”

Her mom started the business in 1993, and the licensed breeding-boarding kennel breeds golden retrievers and other types of dogs. They are also a licensed municipal shelter and operate an all-breed rescue.

Their business is made up of various divisions, such as animal and goose control services, bedbug detection services, and dog training and competitions.

“People compete for the love of the sport, and to just get out and do something with their dog that they can both enjoy,” said Jen, who competes with various groups, including Super Dogs. “It’s all about exercise and training, and it’s quite the community, too. There’s a lot of friendships; you travel around.”

The five-acre property boasts a three-acre, fully fenced area for dogs to run and play in a safe environment, and there are also walking trails nearby.

The doggy daycare is available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and they offer daily rates, along with weekly or monthly packages.

“A lot of daycares offer less hours than that, so we are more flexible with drop-off and pickup times. We also will have after-hours drop-off and pickup.”

Basic grooming services are also available.

The facility is at just west of 10 Sideroad.

For more information, visit or call .

Impaired charge for Newmarket man after winding up in Bradford rock pile

A 54-year-old Newmarket man escaped injury but is facing impaired driving charges after veering into a construction zone and winding up on an eight-foot rock pile.

South Simcoe Police Service officers received a call about a possible impaired driver at Line 5 and Hwy. 400 in Bradford West Gwillimbury around 11 p.m. Thursday, July 12.

Responding officers found a van on its side and wedged on top of an approximately eight feet high pile of rocks used for road construction, police said.

The driver wasn’t injured but posted blood alcohol readings of nearly three times the legal limit when tested, according to police.

He was charged with impaired driving and over 80. He will appear in court at the end of the month.

“Sadly, we continue to arrest impaired drivers in our communities,” Sue Sgambati, South Simcoe Police spokesperson, said.

“People are still not getting the message that driving drunk is a dangerous gamble that can have very tragic results.  However, we are encouraged by the number of good citizens who are calling us to report suspected impaired drivers, as was the case in this incident and we thank them for their ongoing support and assistance as we continue our shared responsibility to road safety.”

Collingwood manufacturer celebrates 50 years

One of Collingwood’s longest-tenured manufacturers has reached a major milestone.

Pilkington Glass is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, having opened in July, 1968.

“To be a manufacturer of automotive parts in southern Ontario for a 50-year span, is an incredible accomplishment,” said plant manager Brian Hammond.

The company produces windshields for the automotive sector and is the only plant of its kind left in Canada.

Plant manager Brian Hammond said the automotive business has seen a lot of ups and downs, especially around 2008-2009.

He said the plant not only survived but is now thriving in the automotive sector. Hammond said they enhanced safety measures and efficiencies in the plant and took on some specialty glass jobs and aftermarket business.

The facility produces about two million windshields per year, making glass for Honda, Toyota, GM, Chrysler and Nissan.

They also added a new lamination line, upgraded their bending technology and a new packaging line.

“The Collingwood facility never gave up on maintaining its presence in the auto business and now as we stand, we’re the only automotive glass supplier in Canada,” Hammond said. “It’s nice to see the company is still willing to invest in the plant in Canada.”

The plant employs about 250 people and Gary Sacerty is the longest serving.

Sacerty started shortly after the plant hung out its shingles, September, 1968.

“I don’t know where it went,” he said.

He said he started at the bottom.

“I was out in the front lawn picking weeds,” he recalls.

However, he has gone on to hold a number of jobs in the plant including operating the tempering furnace, driving a forklift and now works in the tooling department.

“I love my job, what I do. It’s a challenge every day,” he said. “I like my job and I’m not planning on leaving as long as my health holds out.”

The company is holding an open house on July 12 until 4 p.m., and is hosting a series of events with employees for the rest of the year to celebrate the milestone.