The Government of Ontario is continuing to bolster the unilateral decision-making powers of mayors across the province with a proposal to expand strong mayor powers to 169 additional municipalities effective May 1, including St. Marys.
In 2022, through changes to the Municipal Act, strong mayor powers were first granted to the heads of councils in Toronto and Ottawa, and then to mayors in 48 additional municipalities in 2023. Though several mu -
nicipalities declined the enhanced mayoral powers, a total of 47 mayors in Ontario now have these strong mayor powers.
“Heads of council are key partners in our efforts to build homes and infrastructure across the province,” said Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack in a press release announcing the latest proposed expansion. “By extending strong mayor powers to these additional municipalities, we are providing mayors every tool at our disposal to empower them to get homes and infrastructure built faster. Mayors know
St. Marys will be represented at the Skills Ontario provincial competition for secondary students this May.
Carson Van Fleet, a St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (DCVI) student in Grade 12 placed first overall in the Skills Ontario welding competition qualifying round at Fanshawe College on April 5. Van Fleet earned the top prize for creating a windmill with open-roof plates and open corners. He will be heading to the Skills Ontario provincial competition at the Toronto Congress Centre on May 6.
“It was a really good experience and I’m really happy with the way my project turned out,” said Van Fleet.
He also participated in the competition when he was in Grade 11 last year. Van Fleet said the previous experience helped him during this year’s competition.
“I was going into the competition knowing what I was looking for and how to prepare for it, whereas before I was just preparing for what I thought it could be, so it definitely helped this year knowing what I went through last year,” he said.
Van Fleet said he will get ready for the provincial round by working on his strengths and improving techniques he’d like to boost. He said the Skills Ontario competitions are important for students.
“It gets kids’ names out there and it shows
(WENDY LAMOND PHOTO)
GALEN SIMMONS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Perth County council rejects proposed budget cuts, passes 2025 budget with 11.3% tax increase
GALEN SIMMONS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Despite county council’s previous request to have staff bring the proposed tax increase this year down to an even 10 per cent, Perth County councillors couldn’t stomach the cuts proposed by staff and instead passed the 2025 budget with an 11.3 per-cent tax increase, inclusive of growth.
At a special meeting of county council April 10, councillors reviewed a list of cuts proposed by department managers and directors to the departmental budgets for the CAO’s office, economic development, archives, legislative services, information technology (IT), human resources, paramedic services, council and planning that would have the least operational impact on the county while reducing the proposed 2025 levy by nearly $286,000 or 1.29 per cent.
In presenting the list of proposed cuts to county council, county treasurer Corey Bridges suggested that instead of using the savings realized through cutting items like professional development for staff and deferring projects and purchases to the 2026 budget to reduce the impact on county ratepayers, council use that money to bolster the county’s capital roads reserve to offset the impact of planned drainage work by the lower-tier municipalities and the possible impact of 2025 winter maintenance costs based on the first two months of this year, which has already eaten up approximately 62 per cent of the county’s winter-maintenance budget for 2025.
“The items within that list are indicated by management to be mild in nature (when it comes to) the effect on their operations,” Bridges said. “(They’re) to be deferred but returned again in 2026 for the purpose of moving the organization forward. What we have provided to council now is that there are some major components within public works that are impacting the operation a little more significantly than the mild changes that were identified within the (list of cuts).
“ … The impact of municipal drains, the impact of winter maintenance; we haven’t seen a winter like this since, I think, I was born in 1977. Those compo -
nents are where we reside when we talk about 2025 operations, and the recommendation to hold that money in the capital roads reserve (so it can be) utilized by council to deal with the impacts of where 2025 might reside at the end of the year, I think, is prudent on council to consider.”
Councillors, however, balked at the idea of making cuts only to “squirrel the money away” for future uses. Simultaneously, they disagreed with, on principle, the cuts themselves. Councillors Todd Kasenberg and Rhonda Ehgoetz, and deputy warden Dean Trentowsky each spoke against the cuts.
Ehgoetz, who led the charge in having staff bring back proposed cuts to the budget at a previous council meeting, said she felt it was unfair some departments like economic development, IT and paramedic services seemed to bear the brunt of the proposed cuts while other departments like public works and facilities seemed to get away without any cuts to their budgets.
“Why is our budget process so convoluted and hard?” she said. “… We’ve been at this for six months. This is ridiculous what we’re doing. Why is there not (cuts) from every department? Some departments got hit really hard and there’s some departments that aren’t here at all.
“To me, we’re all in this together. Everybody needs to give something up. … We’ve hit economic development pretty hard; they’re the ones trying to get businesses to come here. If we don’t have the businesses, we don’t have any economic development in our communities.”
Kasenberg and Trentowsky, meanwhile, suggested it isn’t prudent to cut professional development at a time when new technologies are making municipal
operations more efficient amid rising inflation and an unstable global economy.
Ultimately, council voted unanimously to abandon the proposed list of cuts they had asked staff to bring forward and approved the budget as it stood.
The approved 2025 budget includes a tax levy of just over $25.1 million, an increase by $2.9 million or 11.6 per cent over last year’s levy. In 2024, the county saw 1.77 per cent in assessment growth, bringing the net impact on ratepayers down to an increase of 11.34 per cent.
This amount represents an additional $103.32 annually per household – about two dollars per week – based on the average 2016 MPAC household value of $282,000.
“Council understands the financial pressures faced by municipal governments,” county Warden Doug Kellum said in a press release issued by the
county. “The 2025 budget was carefully reviewed to ensure all opportunities for cost-saving measures were considered while still maintaining current service levels. In light of inflationary pressures, council worked to mitigate this year’s increase by pausing some proposed projects for consideration in future budget years.”
“We appreciate the support of council with the approval of the 2025 budget,” added CAO Lori Wolfe in the release.
“Staff work hard to ensure that the annual budget reflects the needs of the county for critical projects and services required each year to support the goals of the strategic plan while being mindful of budget pressures.”
The county’s annual budget allocates funds for both operating and capital expenses. The county also budgets for contributions toward reserves which are established to fund long-term goals and to mitigate unpredictable or fluctuating nature of some annual costs such as winter maintenance or drainage. The reserve contribution for 2025 represents 1.33 per cent of the total levy increase to stabilize annual costs. This investment also serves to close the gap and cover costs downloaded by the province. A bylaw will be brought forward at the next regular council meeting on April 17, which will complete the 2025 budget process.
Maker Faire
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
(WENDY LAMOND PHOTO)
EDITORIAL
Spencer Seymour earns award for sports coverage
GRANT Publisher
Last weekend, I attended the Annual Independent Publishers’ Retreat in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which was put on by the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA).
Always a worthwhile event, this year’s was extra special because, for the first time since prior to the pandemic, the Publishers’ Retreat was combined with an in-person Better Newspapers Competition awards ceremony and Hall of Fame inductee presentations.
Though larger, corporately owned newspapers have fallen off in recent years, many of the independent publishers are still going strong thanks to their continued commitment to the communities they serve. In fact, OCNA’s membership numbers are growing year over year for the first time in over a decade, reaching 135 in 2025 – up from 131 member newspapers in 2024.
The Better Newspapers Competition awards ceremony is always inspiring to witness because it highlights some of the best community journalism that exists across the province and inspires all members to reach those heights.
At the St. Marys Independent, I believe that our newspaper is improving each year, but we have not yet reached award-winning status in most categories. With 135 member newspapers, it’s hard to get nominated to the top three, but we’ll keep trying.
However, there is one aspect of the Independent that we have now received awards for in three consecutive
years, and that is our sports section. This year, Spencer Seymour earned second-place honours in Ontario in the Best Sports Section category for 2024. This award follows the third place that he earned for 2023, and the second-place recognition Pat Payton earned for 2022.
Anyone who spends time at the local arena, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and high-school gymnasium knows the commitment and care Spencer takes every week to put together a first-class sports section for our town. He’s always there taking photos, interviewing athletes and coaches, and trying his best to ensure equal coverage across all areas of the local sporting landscape. He truly cares about his community and it shows throughout his award-winning coverage.
Congratulations to Spencer for his most recent honour from the OCNA’s Better Newspapers Competition.
Bravo Boo
We have 1 Bravo this week.
1) Bravo to the Town of St. Marys council and staff for being so quick and willing to respond to questions from local media. Your commitment to transparency and fairness in local government is appreciated.
We have 1 Boo this week.
1) Boo to the person(s) on Wellington Street South between Jones Street East and Park Street that leaves their loud and constantly barking dog outside for hours at a time, allowing it to bark and disrupt the entire neighbourhood and the surrounding blocks. While you may be inside or away, everyone else has to listen to your dog making it unpleasant to be outside or have windows open. PLEASE be a considerate pet owner and either control your dog’s barking or find it a new home where its constant barking does not disturb other neighbours.
Quote of the Week
“I would say it was 14 years in the making, from going out with a four-shot lead in 2011, feeling like I could have gotten it done there. Yeah, there was a lot of pent-up emotion that just came out on that 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it.”
- Rory McIlory on Sunday after winning the Masters and clinching a grand slam
Restoring small-town journalism, one community at a time!
St. Marys Independent
Publisher
Stewart Grant • stew@granthaven.com
Regional Editor
Galen Simmons • galen@granthaven.com
Graphic Design / Sales Inquiries
Tyler Carruthers • info@stmarysindependent.com
Business Development
Heather Dunbar • heather@granthaven.com
Billing Administrator
Cindy Boakes • boakescindy1576@gmail.com
Administrative Assistant
Wendy Lamond • wendylamond74@gmail.com
Contributors
June Grant, Nancy Bickell, Mary Smith, Nancy Abra, Lauren Eedy, Spencer Seymour, Sarah Cairns, Paul Knowles, Jake Grant, Julia Paul, Emily Stewart, McGinny Photography
36 Water St. St. Marys, ON, PO Box 2310 N4X 1A2 info@stmarysindependent.com | 519.284.0041 | granthaven.com
The St. Marys Independent THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK
Always find time for things that make you feel happy to be alive.
Stress feeds on chaos, but it starves in peace.
Your mind will answer most questions if you keep calm and wait for the answers.
mind will never give you a positive life.
STEWART
Spencer Seymour, Grant Haven Media sports director and 2024 Better Newspaper Competition runner-up in the Best Sports Section category.
(FILE PHOTO)
St. Marys DCVI student Carson Van Fleet wins
Skills Ontario qualifier
the working world that there are kids out there who are willing to work and are working hard, and I think it’s a really great opportunity for kids in high school to potentially get opportunities with companies that might not necessarily just hire someone based on a name,” Van Fleet said.
The Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) will also see Luke Jackson of Stratford District Secondary
School (SDSS), along with Dylan McNeil and Braydon Curran from Goderich District Collegiate Institute (GDCI), compete in Skills Ontario’s provincial competition for secondary school students. AMDSB will also send 40 elementary school students to the May 5 Skills Ontario competition to compete in a variety of categories such as construction, LEGO robotics, character animation, technology and VEX IQ robotics.
Carson Van Fleet (left), a St. Marys District Collegiate and Vocational Institute (DCVI) student and Logan Karges of Goderich District Collegiate Institute (GDCI) were part of the Skills Ontario Qualifying Competition at Fanshawe College.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF AMDSB)
Our senior of the week is (Elizabeth) Betty Freve who turned 103 on April 3. Betty grew up in Mattawa, Ontario. She has one child, two grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Being a very crafty person, Betty always loved ceramics, sewing, painting and pottery.
If you would like to nominate someone for Senior of the Week, contact us at 519-284-0041 or info@stmarysindependent.com.
How many theme parks does Disney have worldwide?
7. What card game inspired the creation of the Joker?
8. What is the name of the villain in the Smurf’s?
9. In which country did the Easter Rising take place in 1916?
10. What event do Christians celebrate on Easter Sunday?
By Jake Grant
St. Marys to partner with North Perth on transportation needs assessment
GALEN SIMMONS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
To help inform a community transportation strategy unique to St. Marys, the town is partnering with the Municipality of North Perth to undergo transportation needs assessments in both municipalities.
At the April 8 St. Marys council meeting, CAO Brent Kittmer told councillors an application from North Perth and St. Marys for funding in support of a transportation needs assessment through the federal Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF) has been approved.
“(Council) has a strategic priority that asks us to research and develop options to fill the current gap in transportation options,” Kittmer told council. “One of the things that we flagged that we’ve always had an issue with is a lack of data. We don’t necessarily understand what the demand is or what the market would bear, and really what the need of the public is.
“Essentially, what this grant is striving to achieve is to find that information for us and fill that gap.”
Similar to the process the town and its partners in Stratford and North Perth undertook prior to the launch of the PC Connect bus service in 2020, Kittmer said North Perth and St. Marys will work with transportation-planning consultants to undergo community engagement processes in both municipalities aimed at providing more data on what current transportation options exist, where locals travel and at what times during the day, whether schools and busi-
nesses might use a transit service, and what routes or type of transit service would be most successful.
The consultants would then compare each community’s need to the current transportation options available with the goal of developing a community transit plan unique to each municipality.
The cost of the project is estimated at between $60,000 and $70,000, half of which will be covered through the RTSF grant. The remainder, between $30,000 and $35,000, would be split equally between North Perth and St. Marys. The town’s share will be funded from reserves previously set aside for developing transit options.
“I believe this is an extremely worthwhile project because I think it’s going to help us decide what we need to do prior to the end of the year,” Coun. Jim Craigmile said, referring to the fact that the PC Connect bus service is set to expire by the end of 2025, and, at this point, there is no plan in place for continuing the service at a sustainable cost in future years.
In response to a question from Coun. Dave Lucas about whether the consultants would work with Stratford Transit as a potential partner, Kittmer said that option is under consideration.
“That’s actually within the scope of work (the consultant) has identified, even just to seek out information about how Stratford Transit works to see if there’s partnerships that could work there,” Kittmer said. “We’d look at them as a partner to provide service, but also as a partner in helping to develop a more wholistic, regional service.”
Spring Cemetery Decoration Day coming to St. Marys
ST.
Staff Contribution
As spring blossoms in St. Marys, there’s a new opportunity to come together as a community and beautify one of our town’s most special green spaces – the St. Marys Cemetery (150 Cain St.).
A new Cemetery Decoration Day, in partnership with Andrew L. Hodges Funeral Home, will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon) on Saturday, May 10. It will be an opportunity to clear graves of winter debris and plant flowers and decorate for the season – as well as get together with others in the community and enjoy the 50-acre greenspace.
“In the recent past, the town’s different faith groups would have services, often in the autumn, to commemorate their loved ones,” said Hodges Funeral Home owner Andrew Hodges in a press release. “Having one Decoration Day is a nice way to bring everyone together while beautifying our cemetery.”
The morning will formally begin with an official welcome and a non-denominational blessing from the St. Marys Ministerial Association. Hodges Funeral Home will provide refreshments in the chapel until noon.
“While families with graves at the cemetery are welcome to do maintenance at any time, we’ll have additional waste receptacles available and the water taps will be turned on to assist in cleaning and planting,” said town director of public works Jed Kelly in the release.
Tourism and cemetery information will be available at the chapel during the event, plus copies of the St. Marys Museum’s self-guided cemetery walking tour brochures.
In the event of rain, the morning will be rescheduled to Saturday, May 17.
For more information, please contact the Andrew L. Hodges Funeral Home at 519-284-2820.
The Town of St. Marys and Andrew L. Hodges Funeral Home are partnering to host a Spring Cemetery Decoration Day at the St. Marys Cemetery (pictured) on May 10 from 9 a.m. to noon.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF ST. MARYS)
MARYS INDEPENDENT
Ontario government proposes expansion of strong mayor powers to 169 more municipalities, including St. Marys
their municipalities best, and we support them in taking bold actions for their communities.”
Strong mayor powers include the ability to appoint a municipality’s chief administrative officer (CAO), hire certain municipal department heads and reorganize departments, create committees of council, propose the municipal budget, propose certain bylaws the mayor says advances a provincial priority, veto certain bylaws the mayor says could interfere with a provincial priority, and bring forward matters for discussion by council if the mayor says they could advance a provincial priority.
St. Marys Mayor Al Strathdee is one of the 169 mayors included in this proposed expansion. While he says he can’t see himself using these new powers to appoint a CAO or hire departments heads, he understands the push by the province to give mayors the power to advance initiatives and projects that could support the development of new housing in the community.
“A lot of the public already thinks we have the powers that are in this bill to begin with,” Strathdee told the Independent. “ … We’re in a crisis situation with housing and I think that the government has to try all that they can do to fix the housing problem. If they think this could drive housing, I’m willing to give it a shot. I’m a big believer in collaboration and I think ‘better together’ is a good slogan, but if we’re not all working together, then it’s going to create divisiveness. I mean, you read about some of the craziness with some of the councils and some of the stuff that’s going on. I can see where certain municipalities and certain mayors will really want to use it to their benefits.
“I don’t think everyone is on board or understands the seriousness of the housing crisis, and we run against it all the time. … I’m not a big fan of authoritarianism or being able to make decisions (unilaterally); I think there should be committees for when you hire a CAO (or department heads) because I’m not that smart. I need people to help me. … On the other hand, when you’re specifically talking about housing, we’re not moving quick enough. We’ve tried a number of
initiatives … and we’re seeing limited success, but it’s not quick enough.”
While Strathdee acknowledges the potential for mayors to use these powers to advance their own agendas, he says heads of council who are responsible and accountable for their actions can use those powers for the good of their communities.
Yet instances like the recent use of strong mayor powers granted in the wake of the recent ice storm to reverse the hiring of a new CAO in favour of hiring from within by Orillia Mayor DonMcIsaac, as well as public backlash to the proposed use of strong mayor powers in municipalities like Burlington and Caledon, have some worrying these powers have not yet been adequately tested and they may be a step too far.
In response to the recent announcement of the expansion from the province, the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), which has been tracking the use of strong mayor powers since they were first introduced in Toronto and Ottawa in 2022, said there is no evidence to suggest this legislation has any impact on the number of housing starts in municipalities that have been granted the powers.
Instead, AMCTO says its research suggests strong mayor powers have blurred the political-administrative authority between the roles of heads of council and chief administrative officers (CAOs), threatening the neutrality of the public service and politicizing local government leadership.
“Looking at Ontario’s Housing Supply Tracker, there is no evidence to suggest that the use of strong mayor powers is helping to build housing,” said AMCTO spokesperson Jacquelyn Folville. “For example, of the 11 municipalities where
mayors used powers in relation to staff and organizational structure, only three were on track to meet or exceed their 10year target. We have more so been hearing about instances where the powers have created confusion by blurring the distinction of mayor and CAO roles or responsibilities, and where there’s been operational issues – for example, affecting a recent council decision at the Town of Orillia.”
Zack Taylor, an associate professor of political science at Western University and a fellow at the Institute of Municipal Finance and Governance, has been among those sounding alarm bells about strong mayor powers since their introduction in Ontario in 2022.
“If we buy the argument that these powers can be used to expand housing in rapidly growing areas, it’s the larger municipalities in rapidly growing areas that already have these powers,” Taylor said. “So, bringing this to much smaller places, many of them slower-growth places, I’m not sure if it’s something that would move the needle.”
Taylor said the expansion of these powers is based on the premise that councils across Ontario are “gridlocked” when it comes to dealing with issues deemed as priorities by the province, something the associate professor doesn’t see a lot of evidence to support. He says the idea that giving “soft-dictatorial authority” to heads of council to move the needle on housing doesn’t really make a lot of sense.
“Ontario has a very elaborate planning system that has generally served the province well for decades going back to the Second World War,” he said. “As a result, we have fairly efficient housing production that’s fully serviced by water and sewer and that kind of thing. And if you look at other parts of North America, that isn’t necessarily a given. But I think there is a legitimate argument there is a housing shortage, it’s just is this the right way to address it and will this kind of thing make it happen? What we’ve seen so far is it’s really hard to find any kind of evidence that strong mayor powers have created any more housing than would have been created otherwise.
“ … I think a cynical perspective on it is this is a way for the province to trans -
fer blame for the housing crisis onto mayors.”
Among the myriad issues he sees with strong mayor powers and this proposed expansion is the decision by the province to expand these powers to smaller municipalities with fewer staff.
“If we think this entire policy basically emerged out of Doug Ford’s special interest in Toronto, the City of Toronto’s administrative structure with 30,000-plus employees is enormous and multi-layered, so the idea of having the mayor being able to play a role in hiring and firing senior staff means that you’re only really looking at that top layer. When you go to smaller places, we know you can fit the entire staff of a municipality in one room. … So, what does it mean to give the mayor hiring and firing power over that kind of thing? I think what it really risks is arbitrary decisions getting made, people playing favourites – you hire uncle Joe or whatever,” Taylor said.
“ … The mayor can install anyone they want.”
Another red flag for Taylor, specifically among smaller councils with as little as six members, is the notion a strong mayor can introduce a bylaw that supposedly advances a provincial priority and see it passed with just one-third of council’s support. For a council with six members, one of whom is the mayor, that means it would require just one other councillor’s support to pass.
While Taylor said these powers could see some benefits when it comes to limiting council debate during budget deliberations to ensure annual budgets are passed in a timely manner, he sees this expansion of power as opening the door to mayoral candidates in future municipal elections running with the intention of using strong mayoral powers to advance their own agendas instead of what’s best for their communities. And, in many smaller and rural communities, Taylor said mayoral candidates often run unopposed.
“Next time around, they’ll run with the knowledge of having these powers,” Taylor said. “ … You could imagine in small places that don’t really have any local media – there isn’t a lot of scrutiny – that things could go off the rails pretty fast.”
It’s onwards and upwards for the Facile PerthHPCDSB partnership
CONNOR LUCZKA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Since partnering with Facile Perth, a Stratford-based non-profit which serves people with disabilities across Huron and Perth counties, the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board (HPCDSB) has seen a marked increase in success stories across the region.
The partnership was started in the 2022-2023 school year to empower students with disabilities and help them transition to post-graduation life. As Tara Boreham, superintendent of education for the board, said, not only has the partnership helped students transition to post-graduation life through Facile’s facilitators, it has also empowered the board’s teachers.
“As educators, we have a ton of knowledge, but Facile Perth also has a ton of knowledge and they have transition facilitators that know a lot about funding opportunities, workplace opportunities, etc.,” Boreham said. “Teachers want the absolute very best for every child and the involvement with other community agencies to help us in support planning has made them feel more confident that we are doing the very best.”
Since partnering, the HPCDSB has increased their service levels for students with disabilities year over year.
During the 2023-2024 school year, the board served 15 students. This year, it is currently serving 21 students. In the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, it is expecting to serve 25-30 students.
The HPCDSB has renewed its partnership with Facile Perth, extending it for another three years (which it is in the first year of). During this period, Facile will continue to share knowledge and co-create presentations that will provide school teams with insights on building collaborations, community development, increasing access to future pathways and meaningful planning for life
after graduation.
Additionally, Facile will aid students and families in finding meaningful opportunities within each students’ home communities with a focus on active citizenship, the world of work and post-secondary and lifelong learning opportunities.
The board and Facile will continue to work with community partners, employers, colleges and service providers to identify and plan pathways to adult life beyond high school.
“It has had an incredible impact,” Boreham said about the partnership. “I believe that families are feeling more well-held by both education and by community partners. … When you put
heads together, you know you can come up with some pretty great things. And I feel that the community collaboration is extremely important and has made it so that we have reached more kids and we have supported more kids than ever before. A community raises a child and I think that’s the most important part of this. We need to all work together to help students.”
Boreham clarified they have a longterm plan in place at the board with Facile in mind, meaning when this most recent agreement comes for renewal in two years, they are looking to expand the partnership with an even more fulsome program.
An annual tradition continues as the Parkinsons give back to Ronald McDonald House
WENDY LAMOND Independent Reporter
For the ninth year in a row, the Parkinson family has organized Easter donations for the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in London.
When Scott and Jessica Parkinson’s daughter, Laura, was born, they had to spend some time at the 40-room house which is close to the London’s Children Hospital and provides families a spot to stay near their sick children.
Every year since, remembering how much comfort the home brings to families, the Parkinsons along with friends and family deliver Easter baskets, monetary donations and food for the RMH pantry. Laura Parkinson’s birthday is at Easter time and the RMH staff deliver the baskets on Easter weekend, giving the families a little boost during a rough time.
According to Jessica Parkinson, RMH is truly a home away from home.
“We will never forget the comfort we felt when we stayed there,” she said.
This year the Parkinsons dropped off 45 Easter baskets, more than $1,000 in pantry donations and cleaning items, and $750 cash.
Matty and Laura Parkinson pose with the 45 donated Easter baskets.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Jess, Laura, Matty and Scott Parkinson at Ronald McDonald House in London on April 13 delivering the donations.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Cleaning up the Thames River for 26 years
WENDY LAMOND Independent Reporter
On Saturday, April 12, 78 volunteers showed up to help with the 26th annual Thames River Cleanup in St. Marys.
Organizer Todd Sleeper, who has run the event since its start, was happy with the turnout. Every year, dozens of bags of garbage get picked up including, this year, a lazy boy chair and a big screen TV. The most disturbing items picked up were two five-gallon pails of used motor oil.
Sleeper was an avid fisherman and canoeist and wanted to clean up the river and educate people on how to help the environment. That was when he decided to join forces with Upper Thames River Conservation Authority on an annual cleanup event.
Over the years, it has grown to have 17 communities involved with over 40 cleanup sites. All of the volunteers are greatly appreciated.
Once the cleanup is done, volunteers headed back to Milt Dunnell Field for a barbecue. Sleeper wishes to thank Hearn’s Ice Cream, Diamond Disposal, Stonetown Supplies, Tim Hortons, Giant Tiger of Stratford and the Town of St. Marys for their support.
HAVE YOUR SAY!
Public Notice
Consultation regarding proposed amendments to Source Protection Plans and Assessment Reports in the ThamesSydenham and Region
What’s happened? Provincial technical rule changes have led to amendments to the Source Protection Plan. Also, the Lambton Area Supply System’s secondary intake has been included in the Assessment Report.
How will this affect me? If you live or work in an area that has changes, there may be policies in the Plans that will affect how and where certain activities, which could impact a drinking water source, can occur.
Let us know what you think. The public is invited to submit written comments on the proposed amendments to the ThamesSydenham and Region Source Protection Plans and Assessment Reports, on or before May 11, 2025. Please submit your comments to welkerj@thamesriver.ca
For more information:
· View the proposed amendments at https://www. sourcewaterprotection.on.ca/public-consultation/ Join us for a live webinar: May 6, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
Questions? Please contact Julie Welker, Source Protection Coordinator, at welkerj@thamesriver.ca or by phone at 519-451-2800 ext 255.
A group of volunteers were hard at work disposing of garbage found during the 26th annual Thames River Cleanup. The donated Diamond Disposal bin was fairly full by the end of cleanup.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Amnesty International hosting screening of film on flaws in Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program
MARISA BERRY MÉNDEZ
Amnesty International Canada
My father grew up on a family farm on Perth Line 8 in the 1940s and ‘50s. Since childhood, I was regaled with stories about the strength and solidarity of the farming community, where farmers relied on the extended family for support during moments that required intensive labour, like the harvest.
Times have changed: farms have gotten bigger and migration of many in the younger generations to cities has meant there is a shortage of local farm labour available, especially in labour-intensive operations like fruits and vegetables. And hence, the reliance of some producers on migrant labour via the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
In January of this year, Amnesty International published a damning report about Canada’s TFWP, concluding exploitation in the program is systemic. This came not long after a UN special rapporteur stated the program is “a breeding ground for modern forms of slavery.”
While the assertion is exploitation is systemic, abuses aren’t necessarily systematic. Tens of thousands of migrants come to Canada every year under the program to work in jobs across sectors – agriculture, food processing, care work, tourism, industrial and construction jobs, to name only a few. Many employers are respectful of workers’ rights, and many workers return home after working in Canada under the program without incident.
The problem is the structure of the program opens the door wide to abusers by putting migrant workers in a subordinate position vis à vis their employers. Workers in the program come to Canada with a closed work permit – they are tied to a single employer, and switching jobs is generally not possible for a variety of reasons. What this means is if workers are in a situation of abuse, they are not free to leave. And while on paper they have the same rights as Canadian workers, the closed work permit and their precarious immigration status (their right to be here is tied to their employment contract, and thus to their employer) make it so they are afraid to speak out to assert their rights or make a complaint, for fear of being sent home.
That fear is well-founded: countless cases have been documented of workers being repatriated by employers for complaining, or even for getting sick or being
Poetry Corner
In the mid to late 1800s, poets were a little like rockstars. People swooned over Lord Byron. People read poems, they memorized them and even wrote them. Indeed, it was common for someone who was interested in another to signal their interest by writing a poem.
Today poetry is much less popular. It is rarely our first choice for a read. And yet, poetry has not lost its power. Who can forget, for instance, the way that Amanda Gorman’s recitation of her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” cut through the pomp and circumstance of President Biden’s inauguration, grounding the day with simple truths and lofty dreams.
The St. Marys Poetry Circle knows this. We meet every month to share poems we are writing and poems we have read that just need to be shared. We work hard to make poetry sexy again, and to get people in -
injured (this isn’t allowed of course, but one of the problems is the lack of accountability mechanisms for employers).
Of the workers Amnesty interviewed for its report, many were told things like “if you don’t like it here, you can go back home” by employers and supervisors. And human-rights abuses are not theoretical – the Amnesty report and others have documented cases of egregious human-rights violations and severe labour exploitation.
“I did not come here injured. … Canada has destroyed me,” Gabrielle, a Jamaican woman working in agriculture, told Amnesty. She was injured falling from a ladder while fruit-picking; shortly after, her employer booked her flight back to Jamaica. She told Amnesty that at the farm, supervisors would threaten staff in the fields with repatriation and utter racial
slurs to make them work faster.
So, what is the solution? Amnesty, along with organizations across the country, are calling for the abolition of the closed work permit. It is fundamentally unfair for many sectors of the economy to be relying on workers who are essentially captive and don’t enjoy the same rights as Canadian workers. Some employers have evoked the concern that workers will abandon them.
What many migrant workers I have spoken with say to that is, “we come here to work,” indicating that if the conditions are decent, they don’t see themselves shopping around.
But beyond that, let’s remind ourselves that workers switching jobs is and has always been a risk with a free labour force. This is what makes employers invest in good working conditions to retain their workers. People should be allowed to change jobs – if we accept that basic premise for ourselves, why wouldn’t we accept it for workers from other countries?
It is interesting to note that the closed work permit has discriminatory origins. The TFWP started out as a seasonal agricultural program for Caribbean workers in 1966. Until that point, farmers and agricultural labourers could come to Canada from Europe with few restrictions on their labour mobility, and with the possibility to stay permanently in Canada. Indeed, that’s what my ancestors did back in the 19th century when they settled land in Perth County! Yet, when Canada began to recruit Black workers from Caribbean countries, they were tied to their employers and prohibited from remaining in Canada as permanent immigrants. Today’s TFWP continues this discriminatory pattern.
So, what are we doing perpetuating a program that is rooted in discrimination and inequity?
The bottom line is that Canada should not be depending on a system of unfree labour that enables abuse and exploitation. Migrant workers should have the same rights as Canadian workers, not only on paper, but in practice.
The Amnesty International St. Marys London Stratford chapter is organizing a film screening of the documentary, My Friend Omar, at the St. Marys Public Library on Monday, April 28, from 6-8 p.m., to help bring to light the human-rights concerns related to the program. It is a free event and all are welcome.
terested and excited about poetry.
Poetry can be defined as a way of expressing oneself through the careful arrangement of the written word. Unlike the language we speak and the language we usually write, it is this careful arrangement of words which make a poem.
For example, while a haiku poem sounds like normal speech, it actually has a structure based on the number of syllables of its three lines.
Take a look at this one:
It’s spring, write away the cold and windy weather.
As the snow falls, laugh.
You will see there are three lines and that the first and the third line have five syllables, while the second line has seven syllables. This is really all you need to know to write a haiku.
This week, take some time to write a few haikus. They are surprisingly easy and satisfying.
Here are some hints. The best haikus are usually
about nature, so maybe choose a nature theme. They usually paint a picture, so use your words to paint that picture. Finally, they have a twist. For example, in the haiku above, it sounds at first that what the poet is trying to do is describe the springtime that is all around us, when really, what we discover that the poet is trying to do, is create a springtime image in the poem that combats the cold, winter reality that just does not seem to want to let us go this year.
In the week ahead, try writing a few haikus. Print them up in your own little book of poetry and share them with friends. Write a love haiku and give it to your honey. And of course, feel free to send them to the poetry circle at alizonsharun@gmail.com. We might even share them with the newspaper for publication!
Get excited. Who knows, you may be the next Amanda Gorman!
In faith, with hope and through love, all things are possible.
ROBERT LAWSON
St. Marys Poetry Circle
Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are that of their authors and do not reflect the opinions of the St. Marys Independent or Grant Haven Media.
A mother’s urgent plea for vaccination LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the editor,
I would like to express my frustration and anger at those who choose not to vaccinate.
After what I would describe as an ongoing week of hell, I cannot help but express my overwhelming rage and disappointment.
My one year-old was just forced to unnecessarily endure the measles. She does not attend daycare, is in no playgroups and has not been anywhere other than the grocery store and library once during the period in which it was contracted. And yes, she was vaccinated on schedule. Measles is a two-part vaccination; she had her first vaccination at 12 months.
I think it’s important for people to understand that vaccinated children between the ages of one and four are really at risk here, besides of course, the unvaccinated.
Terrifying days of high fevers then the rash. It was horrible watching such a perfect, little, happy child suffer through the poking and prodding at the hospital by people in protective gear who probably appeared to her to be like scary monsters. Trying to get a blood sample from a little one this age is no easy feat and emotionally distressing for everyone involved, including the health-care workers.
Anyone with small children understands the grueling and what feels like insurmountable process of trying to console an ill child and, in this case, trying to remain calm throughout as you diligently watch for one of the possible severe complications that can come with this virus. I didn’t think it was possible to worry so much.
My little Iris is ok, thankfully, but I am not. I am angry and saddened that many others will have to go through this. Please consider this as you make decisions regarding vaccinations; consider vaccinating on behalf of myself and my little one who is not even two,
Andrew L. Hodges
I implore you.
I would like to extend my appreciation to the wonderful, courageous and professional staff at the St. Marys emergency department who did everything humanly possible to keep my child, as well as my husband and I, calm as she underwent measles assessment.
It was a terrible day to try to navigate for us and I can’t imagine it was great for them either. They took every precaution to keep us, themselves and all of their patients safe. I can only imagine the stress and strain they have to endure on top of managing an already busy ER. I can also speculate on the levels of frustration they probably felt and continue to feel as they deal with this measles outbreak that is largely unnecessary. They went over and above. A big thanks to Dr. Berta, the team of nurses and all other staff.
Also, thank you to the hardworking people of the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) who have been checking in, informing us and helping us to understand what we can do to not spread this to anyone else.
They have also been helpful in keeping us calm as we keep our sweet little one comfortable.
Again, just like the ER teams, they are working overtime while, I imagine, also working through great feelings of frustration.
My heart goes out to these health-care workers and the helplessness they must feel dealing with this.
Hats off to them.
For conscientious members of our community, unless it’s a serious emergency and you suspect measles, it’s my advice to call the hospital or HPHA to give them a chance to prepare and give you instructions. This is what we did.
Thank you.
Samantha Ullyot and Mike Mercey, St. Marys
Iris, the one-year-old daughter of Sam Ullyot and Mike Mercey who recently underwent medical treatment after contracting measles.
(PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM ULLYOT)
St. Marys Firefighters’ Breakfast returns May 4
ST. MARYS INDEPENDENT Staff Contribution
The St. Marys Firefighters are preparing the grill for the annual breakfast!
This year’s breakfast is happening on Sunday, May 4 at the Fire Hall (172 James St. S) from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Parking is available in the St. Marys DCVI lot. The cost is $10 per adult or $5 per child aged five to 12. Children under the age of five eat for free. Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, toast, juice,
coffee and tea.
The annual breakfast has traditionally been held on the Sunday before Mother’s Day and is a significant fundraiser for the fire department. The event provides a meal and an opportunity for community members to gather, learn and support, with proceeds going towards efforts to fight Muscular Dystrophy.
“This breakfast is something the whole community embraces,” said St. Marys deputy fire chief Phil West in a press release. “The firefighters start
preparing for this several months in advance to ensure this event is a success.”
“Last year, we had nearly 1,000 people come out and take in the festivities,” added Fire Chief Richard “Andy” Anderson. “Along with being a fundraiser, we also use the breakfast as an opportunity to talk fire prevention, promote fire safety and discuss Emergency Preparedness Week.”
This year’s theme for Emergency preparedness Week, happening May 4-10, is “Be Prepared. Know Your Risks.”
The St. Marys Fire Department encour-
2025 Easter hours for Town of St. Marys
ST. MARYS INDEPENDENT
Staff Contribution
The following hours will be in effect at Town of St. Marys facilities on Good Friday (April 18, 2025) and Easter Monday (April 21, 2025).
Child Care Centre, Before/After School Programs and EarlyON Centre
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Curbside Collection Garbage and recycling will be collected
as normal on Friday, April 18 Fire Hall
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Friendship Centre
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Landfill
Closed Friday, April 18, Saturday, April 19, Sunday, April 20 and Monday, April 21
Library and Adult Learning
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday,
April 21
Mobility Services
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21 (rides must be booked by 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 17)
Museum and Archives
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Pyramid Recreation Centre Arena open Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Youth Centre closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
ages residents to know the risks in the area and to create an emergency plan that includes what to do in case of fire, flood, or other natural disasters. Families are encouraged to review their plans regularly and ensure all members know how to respond in case of an emergency.
Those attending will get the opportunity to meet the firefighters, explore the fire hall and view a display of fire trucks and rescue equipment. Sparky the fire dog will also be on hand.
Pool temporarily closed for renovations Municipal Operations Centre and Town Hall
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Service Ontario
Closed Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21
Train Station
VIA Service hours will be 10:15-11:15 a.m. and 8-9 p.m. on Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21. Visit www.viarail.ca for train scheduling.
The St. Marys Legion is an avid supporter of local youth sports. On April 9, a cheque presentation was made from the Legion to St. Marys Minor Soccer and St. Marys Minor Baseball. Shown in the photo presenting cheques for $750 to each organization are, from left to right, Legion president Bim Graham, Michelle McKeen of minor soccer, Legion youth education chair Ken Felkar, Kylie Monteith of minor baseball and Legion first vice president Reg Rumble.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
St. Marys Independent SPORTS
‘Crazy work ethic’ leads U9 MD Boys to Shamrock title
The Finnbilt Construction U9 MD Boys St. Marys Rock once again worked their way to success, claiming the Shamrock League Championship at the U9 Shamrock Year-End Championship tournament April 3-6 in Mount Brydges.
Head coach Rodney Harrison praised his squad for playing to their identity better than at any point this season.
“Our team identity is that we’re a pest, and that’s what every single one of our guys did every time they were on the ice,” Harrison told the Independent.
“They never went away. They kept attacking pucks. They never gave up on the backcheck. The buy-in to what we’ve been preaching all year was as good as it’s been all year. They just never gave up.”
Despite how young they are, Harrison added the team possesses an impressive on-ice intelligence.
“They came together as a team early on in the year and we’ve never looked back. They have gotten better and better every game, especially in the hockey IQ they have. For kids at the U9 age group, you don’t expect to see guys moving the puck and thinking the game as well as these guys do.”
After winning both of their round-robin games to finish tied for first in their pool, the Rock picked up a 9-0 win over the West Lorne Comets in their quarter-final matchup.
The win over West Lorne advanced St. Marys to a semi-final clash against the North Middlesex Stars. Less than a minute into the game, the Stars opened the scoring, but Max Bilyea and Carter Van Wieran scored the next two to put St. Marys up by a goal. Both teams scored again before the end of the opening period, with Ryker Harrison finding the
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
The Finnbilt Construction U9 M Boys St. Marys Rock, on the backs of their “crazy work ethic,” captured the Shamrock League Championship at the U9 Shamrock Year-End Championship tournament April 3-6 in Mount Brydges. Pictured in the first row, from left to right, are Jack Becker and Everett Douglas. In the second row, from left, are Brody Pearson and Jackson Monisit-Brown. In the third row, from left, are Jacob Zwambag, Landon McIntosh, Ryker Harrison, Max Bilyea, Maclean Ross, Carter Van Wieren, Zac Bes, Callum Palmer and Ben Hemstock. In the back row, from left, are Mark Ross, Rod Harrison, Ben Douglas, Drew Pearson and Dan McIntosh.
back of the net for the Rock.
North Middlesex managed one goal in each of the final two periods, but a three-goal second frame propelled St. Marys to a 6-4 victory and a berth in the championship contest. Bilyea posted his second of the game in the middle period, while Landon McIntosh netted a pair in less than a minute.
In the finals against the St. Thomas Junior Stars, both teams got off to a quick start, with St. Marys finding themselves with a 2-1 lead less than two minutes into the game. Jacob Zwambag and Ben Hemstock put home the Rock’s two first-period goals.
The teams continued trading goals in
the second with the Rock going up 4-2 after getting goals from Van Wieran and McIntosh. However, two goals in 30 seconds with less than two minutes to go in the second stanza gave the Junior Stars a one-goal lead heading into the third.
Harrison discussed the team’s mentality after St. Thomas took their first lead of the game late in the second.
“When St. Thomas tied it up, we didn’t want to panic or stop playing to our identity,” he said. “The message on the bench was, ‘Okay, they tied it up and they’re a good team. We knew they could score with us. Let’s just be better in the third.’ And they took that to heart because we exploded in the third for five
unanswered goals.”
The Rock’s compete level led them to that aforementioned offensive explosion, according to the bench boss, which is necessary given St. Marys’ smaller roster.
“It’s a great feeling when you have confidence in every guy, especially when you have a short bench. We only have 11 skaters and two goals, but we’re playing teams that have nine forwards and five or six defencemen. Our guys have to dig in and work harder than their opponent every shift, and that’s tough against a team like St. Thomas, who works incredibly hard.”
St. Marys wasted little time in finding their offensive spark with Van Wieran tying the game at four apiece less than two minutes into the third and tallying the first of four goals in a stretch of four and a half minutes. McIntosh scored a pair to give him a three-goal game, while Van Wieran also capped off a hat-trick as part of the Rock’s torrid third period. Zwambag rounded out the Rock’s fivegoal period with just over four minutes left in the game.
Brody Pearson earned a trio of assists while Jackson Monisit Brown added two helpers and Bilyea, Zac Bes and Callum Palmer each had individual assists.
When reflecting on the year, Harrison said the team’s consistently ceaseless work ethic never failed to impress the coaching staff.
“There have been times earlier in the year, after winning a tournament, when we thought the boys weren’t going to be engaged or put in the work at practice the next day, and we prepared for a bit lighter practice,” Harrison said. “But these boys showed up ready to go full-throttle and made us adjust our plan on the fly to push them a bit more than we had planned to achieve the details of our game, and they would step up every time.”
U12 Snipers claim silver at regional championship
SPENCER SEYMOUR
Independent Sports Reporter
The U12 St. Marys Snipers capped off a year of growth by capturing the silver medal at the Provincial Championships hosted April 3-6 in Markham and Thornhill.
Head coach Courtney Beech said she was filled with pride in her squad at the end of the tournament.
“Overall, I left feeling so proud of these girls,” Beech told the Independent. “This team worked hard, stayed positive and kept clear heads. We won six games straight heading into the finals, which is incredible to comprehend, as I don’t think we won our first game of the season until the end of November. The progress continued on a linear projection from the new year onward, which led to more confidence and the feeling that we could actually go out and win this tournament.”
The Snipers punched their ticket to the championship game with a 9-6 semifinal victory over the Walden Ring Devils. However, as Beech noted, the game began with early adversity for the Snipers.
“Walden scored just 15 seconds into the semifinal, so we started from behind, and I was impressed at how well the team kept its composure and stayed focused on the task at hand, and ultimately came back to win.”
The two teams traded goals in the first
U12
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
April
period, ending with St. Marys at 4-3 going into the intermission. Kenzie Shackleton scored a pair in the opening period while Lillian Garniss and Liv McCutcheon also found the back of the net.
St. Marys continued their strong offensive production in the second frame, with Garniss scoring twice to complete her hat-trick and Shackleton adding three goals of her own.
Shackleton and Garniss ended the weekend with a whopping 19 goals each, while McCutcheon scored 11, Bria
the
Henderson netted four, Vaida Graham had two and Natalie McCorqudale, Briella Graham and Chelsea Hughes each had one. Every skater posted at least one point in the tournament.
Beech explained how the game prior to the semis, in which the Snipers had close to 50 more shots than their opponent, gave St. Marys a jolt of confidence.
“We beat Guelph 4-3, but outshot them 59-11,” said Beech. “Their goalie played excellently, but we never gave up and the persistence paid off. This hard-fought
win gave us a lot of confidence to finish strong and come out of the round-robin as the top seed. This also allowed us to bypass the quarter-final match and save our legs for the semifinal.”
The Snipers narrowly fell in the gold-medal game to the Richmond Hill Lightning by a score of 12-11, with the Lightning potting the game-winning goal with just over two minutes left in the game.
“While there was some disappointment to lose in the final, we had our heads high knowing the kids left it all on the rink, and we were very proud of our result,” Beech said. “The teamwork we showed was amazing. We had really solid passing, communication and encouragement for one another. In the moments when we were behind, we were able to regroup and refocus, and we never let our emotions get the best of us.”
Beech also remarked on the team’s outstanding growth over the course of the season.
“Our skating, passing and shooting have developed immensely, as has the girls’ ability to play as a team and anticipate where to be on the ice. We had a few leaders emerge on the team that helped keep energy and spirits high, and a competitive drive from all of them that fueled their want to win. But, the coolest part about the season overall was watching the friendships and bonds form, and I think this is largely what led to the team’s great success at provincials.”
‘Driven, determined’ U11 B Girls claim WOGHL title
TURNER ROTH
Independent Sports Reporter
The St. Marys Landscaping U11 B St. Marys Girls Rock defeated the North Middlesex Junior Stars by a score of 2-0 to win the Western Ontario Girls Hockey League (WOGHL) Division One Championship on April 5.
Head coach Dave Blake told the Independent the team lived up to the mentality discussed heading into the season’s culminating game.
“We had been telling the girls for weeks that the playoff elimination games are players’ games, meaning they weren’t playing for the coaches or their parents, but for themselves,” said Blake. “And no matter the outcome, if they finished the game proud of the way they played, that was all anyone could ask. They didn’t just make themselves proud, but coaches and parents alike were unbelievably proud of how they played.” It didn’t take long for the Rock to open the scoring as, during just the second shift of the game, a quick two-on-zero led to a Jessica Zwambag shot, which created a rebound that Alex Harlton put home, giving St. Marys a 1-0 lead. An additional assist went to Kylie Blake.
The early goal spurred the Rock on, leading to a smothering defensive performance that kept the Junior Stars to
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
tion required to get the outcomes they want.”
In the second period, a strong forecheck caused a great passing play by St. Marys resulting in a goal by Amelia Falkiner, assisted by Blake and Audrey Parsons. The goal gave the Rock a 2-0 lead, which they maintained to secure the WOGHL Championship.
Blake, when reflecting on the season leading to their division title, was proud of his team’s ability to rise when the game’s importance was at its highest.
“They rise to the challenge and play their best games when it counts the most. That has led to gold medals in the Stratford Aces Festival Cup Challenge and London Devilettes tournaments, and three successive playoff elimination-game victories on the way to becoming WOGHL champions. That drive and determination has fueled their season.
the outside and limited the number of chances they had. The confidence displayed on both sides of the puck, according to coach Blake, comes from the team’s season-long willingness to grind.
“We practiced Sunday mornings at 7:30 all season which, in the dead of winter, can be hard to get going for. Yet every time, every girl on this team was dressed and ready to go 15 minutes early
to try and get as much ice as they could. That dedication and desire makes this group special and have been the driving forces behind their success this season.
“You don’t start as champions,” Blake added. “You have to work hard. You have to earn it and, throughout this season, these girls have learned what it takes to be successful. They have learned the hard work, determination and dedica -
“The one thing we asked of this group of girls right at the very start of the season was that, when they show up to a game or a practice, they come prepared to work hard,” continued Blake. “The wins and losses didn’t matter. It was the effort we asked for and what makes this team so special. They understood that and have put in a tremendous amount of work this season, and they have grown so much and have a lot to be proud of.”
The
St. Marys Snipers earned the silver medal at the Provincial Championship held in Markham and Thornhill
3-6. Pictured in
front row, from left, are Jordyn Rasenberg, Courtney Beech, Eleanor Beech, Peyton Foley, Vaida Graham and Suzie McCutcheon. In the middle row, from left, are Hannah Pickel, Natalie McCorqudale, Briella Graham, Paisley Allen, Lily Garniss, Chelsea Hughes, Harper Buck and Liv McCutcheon. In the back row, from left, are Brent Foley, Tanya Buck, Bria Henderson and Kelsey Pickel.
The St. Marys Landscaping U11 B St. Marys Girls Rock shutout the North Middlesex Jr. Stars by a score of 2-0 on April 5 to win the Western Ontario Girls Hockey League (WOGHL) Division One Championship. Pictured from left to right are Audrey Parsons, Brynlee Pickel, Addison Hudson, Mya Grose, Alex Harlton, Jessica Zwambag, Samantha Matheson, Jaynie Johnston, Emily Chateauvert, Ellie McDonald, Amelia Falkiner, Emily Ewing, and Kylie Blake.
Grade 5/6 Boys end season with trio of wins
SPENCER SEYMOUR
Independent Sports Reporter
The Grade 5/6 Boys St. Marys Minor Basketball team scored back-to-back-to-back wins over Stratford, Goderich and Listowel on April 12.
St. Marys began the three-game slate of action at St. Marys DCVI against Stratford, grinding out a 29-20 victory. Luke Savile led the way with 10 points with Sam Richardson posting five and Kayden Brode adding four.
Coach Devin Arn praised his team for their ability to counter and outmatch a strong Stratford squad.
“Stratford was a really good team,” Arn told the Independent. “They put a ton of pressure on us. I was really happy with our guys because they just kept battling and battling. Our boys chipped away and slowly built up the lead. We didn’t panic, we kept our calm and we slow-played it, and it allowed us to withstand Stratford’s pressure.”
Arn added the team’s rebounding efforts played a major part in coming away with the win.
“In my eyes, it was our rebounding that really was the key to our success. Hudson (Monteith) and Kayden (Brode) in particular were outstanding at pulling down rebounds. They both took it to the boards and put up quite a few second-chance points, which really helped build up that lead all game long.”
The second game of the day for St. Marys came immediately after the win over Stratford, with St. Marys picking up a 43-16 victory over Goderich. Ryan Zwambag led the way with nine points while Brode and Hudson Monteith each tallied eight, and Talan Ward and Finn Reid both posted four.
Arn was thrilled with his team’s performance against Goderich, crediting their work on the defensive side of the ball for leading to a wealth of offense in transition.
“They played excellent. They’ve been really hustling on defence all season long, and it’s leading to a lot of turnovers, which is how we get a lot of our offense going. Our point guards put a lot of pressure on the ball and were getting their hands dirty, which really paid off for us in a big way.
“It’s very impressive to see them defend the way they do,” Arn continued. “Usually, you have to preach about defending hard every practice, but I rarely have to mention it. They just want that ball and want to score, and they know to be able to do that, they have to be strong defensively.”
St. Marys’ final game was a hard-fought contest against a small but fierce Listowel team, which St. Marys ultimately won 45-34. Arn credited Listowel for giving St. Marys an incredible test, which he said his team rose to meet.
“Honestly, that was a heck of an effort by Listowel. With only seven kids, they played an incredibly tough game and gave us a really good challenge. They put a ton of pressure on us and they played awesome. I think our boys responded really well and just kept chipping away all game, which was awesome to see.”
Brode led the team in points with eight, followed closely by Landon Weber, who posted seven. Savile put up six points, Ward scored five, Reid, Corey Vansteelandt and Carter Prudhomme had four, and Richardson drained three.
When discussing his squad finding a way to outlast Listowel, Arn cited his team’s tightknit bond and resilience as keys to the win.
“Perseverance was the big thing that got us through that. Again, it started with defence and not getting down on each other when we miss shots, and just pumping each other up. Our guys are always cheering each other off on the bench, and that helps lead to a total team effort.”
Arn also noted the team’s season has seen remarkable growth, both on and off the court.
“They’ve really come together as a team. They play
with a lot of cohesiveness. A lot of them play together in other sports and on other teams, so it’s really nice to see them bring that togetherness over to our team.
“They are a super mature team,” added Arn. “All of them are competitive, obviously, and that makes them
a really tough team to play against. Every practice is a battle and it shows in the games. They just come out ready to fight and they want to win every time they take the court.”
ST. MARYS LEGION ANNUAL STEAK BBQ SATURDAY, APRIL 26
Menu consists of BBQ steak, baked potato, baked beans coleslaw and pie
$25 PER PERSON
Take outs picked up at 6 pm Dinner starts at 7 pm
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE BAR UNTIL MONDAY, APRIL 21ST
66 Church Street North, St. Marys Public welcome!
On the left, Kayden Brode puts up a shot in the Grade 5/6 Boys St. Marys Minor Basketball team’s 43-16 win over Goderich on April 12, their second of three games that day. On the right, Finn Reid takes a shot of his own in the team’s third game of the day, a 45-34 victory over Listowel. St. Marys opened the day with a 29-20 win against Stratford. Both Brode and Reid were among the team’s many leading offensive drivers throughout the day.
(SPENCER SEYMOUR PHOTOS)
Adrianna McCutcheon passes the ring up through her own zone during a U14 St. Marys Snipers (Graham) game earlier this season.
Deanna Muir launches a quick shot on target during a U16 St. Marys Snipers game earlier this season.
Will Graham lets a shot fly during a Stonetown Electric U9 LL Boys White St. Marys Rock game earlier this season.
Lauren Masselis blasts a slap-shot during a Cascades U13 B Girls St. Marys Rock game earlier this season.
Adam Peachy sends a shot on net from the blueline during an Armstrong Motors U15 LL Boys St. Marys Rock game earlier this season.
(SPENCER SEYMOUR PHOTOS)
U9 LL Boys Blue capture year-end tournament’s top prize
SPENCER SEYMOUR
Independent Sports Reporter
The Radar Auto Parts U9 LL Boys Blue St. Marys Rock left the April 4-6 U9 Lambton-Middlesex Local League (LMLL) Year-End tournament in Strathroy as Group E Champions.
Head coach David Palmer told the Independent he was very proud of the effort put forward by his squad.
“This was an unbelievable way to end the hockey season,” said Palmer. “It was a validation of the players’ commitment to development and teamwork over the year. We entered four tournaments, starting with the Stonetown Classic in mid-January, and in each successive tournament, we made it a bit further. The pool of goal scorers expanded with each tournament as each player learned their role on the team and how they would get their chance to score, while our defensive players played a great shutdown style.”
St. Marys finished first in their division after the three-game round-robin, earning two wins and one tie to give them a spot in the championship game.
Coach Sarah McGill explained how the team got better every time they took the ice.
“The boys definitely improved with each and every game over the weekend,” McGill said. “We had moments in every game where the boys had to battle back, and it was great to see them push through multiple games that were very close at one point or another and come out on top. Everyone just came together so well this last tournament, supported each other, persevered on the ice and, most importantly, had fun doing so.”
In the finals against the North Mid -
tend to get our legs towards the middle of the second period and continue on through the third. That was definitely the case with the final game, as we really pressed and opened it up in the final half.”
“We had contributions all throughout the lineup,” added McGill. “Whether it was great play making, drawing penalties, scoring goals, strong backchecking, or timely saves by our goaltender, each and every player truly gave it their all and contributed to our win. As coaches, we couldn’t be more proud of our players’ efforts and what they accomplished. It was a great feeling to watch them finally have an opportunity to chuck their gloves off and celebrate their victory.”
Palmer discussed the season as a whole for the Rock, explaining the team’s strong bond has been one of the biggest highlights of the season.
The Radar Auto Parts U9 LL Boys Blue St. Marys Rock earned the Group E Championship at the April 4-6 U9 Lambton-Middlesex Local League (LMLL) Year-End tournament in Strathroy.
Pictured in front is Finn Aarts. In the first row, from left to right, are Harvey Van Maar, Fitz Turpin, Parker Hammond, Liam Sheldon, Alex Hernandez and Jack Hemstock. In the second row, from left, are Jase Hazen, Angus Palmer, Caleb McGill-Liao, Bryson Nairn and Andrew Garvie. In the back row, from left, are manager-trainer Chris Aarts, head coach David Palmer, Mitchell Grant, assistant coach Sarah McGill and trainer Freddie Hernandez. Not pictured is Mathew Pickel. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
dlesex Junior Stars, Andrew Garvie and Bryson Nairn got the Rock out to a 2-0 lead with goals just 70 seconds apart, but North Middlesex cut the lead back to one before the end of the first. St. Marys once again outscored North Middlesex two goals to one in the second frame, with the Rock getting goals from Jack Hemstock and Alexander Hernandez.
The Rock’s offense roared to life in an even bigger way in the third, with Nairn, Caleb McGill-Liao, Liam Sheldon and Harvey Van Maar contributing to a four-
goal period en route to an 8-3 victory for St. Marys, thus claiming their group’s championship.
McGill said the team turned in their strongest performance of the year when it mattered most.
“The boys definitely saved their best game of the season for last. It truly was a team effort, and even though the final score appears lopsided at 8-3, there were some tense moments that the boys had to persevere through. All season long, we have been a little slow to get going and
“The season can best be defined by individual growth and playing as a team. The players all showed commitment to improving their technical skills but were also interested in learning tactics. We wanted to set a good foundation of skating and stick skills, but also gave the players a chance to be creative in scrimmages. Toward the end of the year, we could see the players using tactics to anticipate a play with a teammate or to defend an opponent.
“This group was special for one main reason – they celebrated each player’s success or contributions as if it was their own,” Palmer continued. “From my experience, it is unusual to get a full group with this mentality. I believe that each player felt that they had an important role on the team, whether or not they ended up on the scoresheet.”
U9 LL Boys Red win year-end championship
SPENCER SEYMOUR
The St. Marys Ford U9 LL Boys Red St. Marys Rock won the Group D Championship at the U9 Lambton-Middlesex Local League (LMLL) Year-End tournament in Strathroy April 4-6.
Head coach Brayden Lord praised his group for the strong execution of their strategy throughout the tournament.
“We tried to keep a simple gameplan for the entire weekend,” Lord told the Independent. “We were focusing on themes we had talked about all year, such as forechecking hard, backchecking hard and moving off the puck to be ready for a pass. The boys embraced what we were asking them to do and followed through.”
Lord further stated the team’s defensive play was a standout aspect of their performances.
“I would give special credit to the team on their backchecking, specifically as our defenceman did a great job getting back and limiting shots against. Meanwhile, our forwards were always working hard to skate back in support. As a coaching staff, we talked about getting back to help our goalie out, and the team took it to heart and did a really good job at that.”
St. Marys ended a three-game round-robin with two wins and one tie, a record that tied the Rock for first in
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
The St. Marys Ford U9 LL Boys Red St. Marys Rock won the Group D Championship at the U9 Lambton-Middlesex Local League (LMLL) Year-End tournament in
row, from left, are Jake Richardson, Charlie McCutcheon, Hugh Munro, Andre White, Levi Garniss and Jalyn Arn.
Group D with their eventual championship final opponent, the Thamesford Attack. The two teams played to a 5-5 tie in the round-robin.
The final game was once again closely contested with the two teams staying tied or within a goal of each other all game long. With just a few minutes left,
Liam McCutcheon completed a hattrick to score the eventual game-winning goal, putting the Rock ahead 3-2.
Pete Anderson, Levi Garniss and James Lord all put up assists in the game, while goaltender Griffin Queen backstopped St. Marys to victory.
According to Brayden Lord, the team
elevated their play in the final few minutes after taking a 3-2 lead.
“We knew that the final game would be a good one. Thamesford played a great final game, but our boys played hard on the puck and received great goaltending from Griffin (Queen) to eventually pull the win out. The forwards backchecking through the neutral zone and our defencemen playing very solid in our own zone allowed us to close out the game and hold off Thamesford. We didn’t sit back, but we stepped up our efforts on the defensive side of the puck.”
The head coach added the tournament victory was a well-earned positive culmination to a season of deep unification amongst the team.
“Although the boys were rightfully ecstatic on winning their division, it was how they did it that meant the most. Their individual skills improved so much during the year, but they played so well as an entire group, and that is what sealed the win in the end.
“Over the season, they became a very close group and were always supportive of each other, both on and off the ice,” continued Brayden Lord. “Our dressing room could typically be heard well down the hallway at most arenas in a positive way. To see every player contribute to the win in their own way and then celebrate as a team was fantastic.”
Strathroy April 4-6.
Pictured in the front is Griffin Queen. In the first row are Bentley Folkes, Pete Anderson, Nicholas Ehgoetz, Liam McCutcheon and James Lord. In the second row is Owen Gropp. In the back
Lincs squander 3-0 series lead
SPENCER SEYMOUR
Independent Sports Reporter
What seemed like a foregone conclusion turned into a do-or-die Game 7, hosted on April 15 after the Independent’s press time, after the St. Marys Lincolns lost three straight games for the first time this season.
The first of the Lincolns’ losses to the London Nationals came on April 9 when the Lincs fell 4-2 in Game 4 of the Western Conference semi-final.
Head coach Jeff Bradley was generally happy with how his team performed.
“I thought we controlled the play,” Bradley told the Independent. “We heavily out-chanced and out-shot them. We had 25 shots from the home-plate area. We had 37 shot attempts in that area compared to London’s 15, so we had plenty of chances to score. You have to give London some credit as well. They played a good game. They had to win and they found a way to do that. We just have to bounce back, execute better and get a little more desperate.”
It took until the 16:53 mark of the second period for Jaden Lee to bury the game’s first goal. Lee’s powerplay marker was assisted by Luca Spagnolo and Chase MacQueen-Spence.
With less than 30 seconds left in the period, Aiden McDonald answered for the Nationals, tying the game at one apiece.
The contest stayed deadlocked until, with just under two-and-a-half minutes left in the third frame, Connor Clark finished an odd-man rush to put the Nationals ahead by one. A minute later, David Brown cashed in on an empty St. Marys net. Ryan Hodkinson made things interesting with a goal in the final minute to cut London’s lead back to one, but a second empty netter by Joshua Lepain iced the game for the Nationals.
Bradley explained the team has always done well when they’ve adhered to their systems.
“We trust our game plan. It’s just a matter of executing consistently. That’s all it is to me. We’ve outplayed London every single game, but we’ve struggled to score and that bit us (in Game 4). We lost for a bunch of reasons, some that were out of our control and some that were in our control, and all we can do is worry about the ones we can control.”
Despite the loss, Bradley noted two forwards as being particularly bright spots in Game 4.
“Kyle (Morey) played hard. He played really hard. We need everybody doing that and we’re going to do very well if we have guys playing the way Kyle played (in Game 4). It didn’t matter what line he was on. He made a point that he was going to play hard whenever he was on the ice.
“Jacob (McLellan) was very good as well,” Bradley continued. “He does what he is asked. When Jacob got his opportunities on the penalty kill, he did a great job. He had a hard nose for the net. He was really working hard to get
to the net and make things happen for us.”
Embarrassing 15 minutes sinks Lincs in Game 5
Embarrassing, then miraculous, then bitterly disappointing; the story of Game 5.
Game 5 began with the most abysmal 15 minutes the Lincolns have played all year, during which, for the first time this season, St. Marys trailed by more than two goals.
After just 13 minutes and seven seconds, the Nationals had a 4-0 lead and had chased Colby Booth-Housego from the St. Marys net.
Lepain, Michael Kopcok, Eddie Hickson and Austen Pomerleau scored in London’s torrid start to the game.
The Lincolns began to rev to life in the final five minutes of the opening period when defenceman Owen Kalp – one of the Lincolns’ few standout performers in the game – stopped the bleeding with a goal from the side of the Nationals’ net.
The bench boss credited Kalp for rising to fill the void left after Ryder Livermore was injured in Game 4.
“We’ve lost a major piece of our team in Ryder (Livermore), not only on the ice but also in the dressing room,” said Bradley. “With that comes an opportunity for someone else to step up and Owen did just that. He showed he was a true veteran and a true leader. He played fantastic. He was a big part of our comeback. He deserves a lot of flowers.”
Livermore, an overage defenceman in his final Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) season, is not expected to return this post-season.
The aforementioned comeback heated up in the second stanza with goals by Spagnolo, a powerplay tally and then Cohen Bidgood. Then, just three minutes and 19 seconds into the third peri-
It just wasn’t consistent enough, with London squeaking out a 3-2 victory to force a seventh and deciding game.
Assistant coach Mike Herman said the game was within the Lincolns’ reach.
“I thought it was very winnable,” Herman said. “As a coaching staff, we haven’t felt like we’ve gotten close to the consistency in terms of the sense of urgency we would like or expect at this time of year. But I thought we got a lot closer to what we’re looking for in that regard, specifically from our top forwards. We’ve been getting full value out of our depth forwards, our defence and our goalies, but our top guys haven’t been where we need them to be, but we finally started seeing it (in Game 6).”
Despite an early jolt of energy, the Lincolns found themselves quickly trailing once again, this time from two goals by Hickson and McDonald separated by just two minutes and 16 seconds.
od, Jacob McLellan fired the tying goal past Nationals’ goalie Casimir Weckström to make it four apiece.
The Lincolns stood, writers of their own miracle; a horror movie turned fairytale.
Then, one defensive miscue led to a goal by Pomerleau.
Anthony Tudino scored eight and a half minutes later, which was answered by Hodkinson’s sixth of the playoffs a mere eight seconds later. Hodkinson, along with linemates Bidgood and Blake Elzinga, received praise from Bradley.
“The line of Ryan (Hodkinson), Blake (Elzinga) and Cohen (Bidgood) was our best line by a country mile. Ryan was unbelievable. He’s our best player right now and has been the whole playoffs, and Blake and Cohen aren’t far behind him. They controlled the game every time they were on the ice. It was certainly nice to see someone taking the bull by the horns and trying to lead us to a win when we didn’t deserve one.
Tudino slid the puck into an empty net to seal a 7-5 London win.
Bradley didn’t mince words about the loss.
“We’re incredibly disappointed. We seemed to think that we could just walk into the arena and automatically win the game. We had a chance to eliminate a team and we decided not to show up. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but it’s even more disappointing that we’re trying to learn lessons 60 games into the season.
“We just didn’t show up,” Bradley continued. “We had no effort, no determination and no will to win. We let 1,300 people down, including ourselves. We embarrassed ourselves. We embarrassed the fans. We embarrassed the logo.”
Misery loves company
In Game 6, they showed more desperation. They played with more pride. They had a much better effort.
In the second, Kyle Morey got the Lincolns on the board. However, the Nationals restored their two-goal advantage less than three minutes later when Ryan Nichols buried a backdoor one-timer from Tudino.
“It was unfortunate that we let that third goal in,” Herman acknowledged. “It was a bit of a breakdown defensively, but we didn’t let it kill us. It was where we wanted to be in terms of having that sense of urgency. We had the desperation we needed, especially in the final five minutes. In the dressing room after the game, I felt we were much closer to where we want to be mentally.”
Noah VandenBrink got credit for a goal midway through the third that brought the game within one, with multiple Lincolns crowding the Nationals’ crease and just barely poking the puck over the goal line. However, that was as close as the Lincolns came to finding the equalizer, falling 3-2 and returning to St. Marys for the most improbable Game 7.
Herman put the emotions of the moment into perspective.
“The hockey landscape is littered with the bodies of top seeds who got knocked out of the playoffs because they fell victim to complacency,” said Herman. “When you have a regular season like the one our team did, complacency is a real concern. These kids aren’t doing it on purpose, and it’s not that they don’t care. They badly want to win, more so than anyone else.
“There was always this feeling that we could just flip a switch and turn it on. But that feeling is gone. London has made adjustments. They’ve done what they needed to do and it’s up to us what happens next. We have to be pissed off at the situation that we put ourselves in because whatever happens (in Game 7), good or bad, is up to us.”
Game 7 took place after the Independent was sent to print on April 15. The winner of Game 7 will meet the Chatham Maroons in the Western Conference final.
Cohen Bidgood celebrates a goal during the St. Marys Lincolns’ four-goal comeback in Game 5 of their Western Conference semi-final on April 5 against the London Nationals.
(MCGINNY PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO)
St. Marys bowlers compete at High-Low Doubles tourney
(CONTRIBUTED
Pictured from left are Jack Brockman, coach Gerry Brockman, and Jesse Graham. Brockman and Graham placed seventh in the High-Low Doubles tournament’s junior division, hosted at the New Hamburg Bowling Lanes, scoring 60 points over average. It was also the first tournament for Graham, who bowled over his average in all three games.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Pictured from left are Nathan McKeen and Landon Ball. McKeen and Ball competed in the Senior division, also hosted in Brantford, and finished seventh with 21 points over average. The St. Marys Bowling Lanes thanks the Downie Optimists for paying lineage fees.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Pictured from left to right are Colin Van De Gevel, coach Helen Brockman, and James Van De Gevel. The Van De Gevel duo captured the silver medal at the High-Low Doubles tournament’s bantam division, hosted in St. Marys on April 13. Colin and James bowled 207 points over average and earned a spot at the Provincial Championships taking place May 31 in Oshawa.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Pictured from left are Austin Kittmer and Felix Louwagie, who competed in the Peewee division hosted at Echo Bowl in Brantford. The tandem came in fifth with 26 points over average, and Kittmer rolled a personal best score of 97 in what was his first tournament.
PHOTO)
The Scenic Artist - Painting Dreams SPOTLIGHT ON ARTS & CULTURE
JIM GILES
Independent Columnist
Edited by Alice Rixson
The first impression that impacts most audiences when a stage performance begins is the set welcoming theatre goers to a different world, preparing their minds for the presentation.
Scenes bring theatre to life. They are crucial elements in theatre, film and TV productions, devised to forge immersive environments. After approval of the production designs and the scenery has been built, the theatrical scenic artists step forward, working closely with the set designer and from a scale model and set renderings, to finish the backdrops. Constructed scenic elements create the views the audience sees onstage, anything from a cityscape to a wall decorated in period style.
An experienced scenic artist is proficient in landscape and figurative painting, as well as faux finishing texturing, breakdown and age techniques working with a variety of media such as acrylic, oil and tempera. In smaller playhouses some set designers paint their own scenes to defray costs.
Scenic art is a highly specialized career choice. No one understands that role any better than St. Marys’ area resident Janet Shearn, who spent 22 seasons at the Shaw Festival, 15 of them as head of Scenic Art. Shearn also painted for productions at The National Arts Centre, Theatre New Brunswick, Neptune Theatre, Theatre London and Mirvish Productions in Toronto before briefly joining the Stratford Festival. In 2014, while living in China, she worked as a scenic artist in Wuhan on The Han Show, a water circus presentation created by Franco Dragone (1952-2022), an Italian-born theatre director.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Shearn had not intended to be a scenic artist. Her initiation into the arts began at a very young age with dance and she later studied modern dance at York University while taking extra courses in theatre production and design. “In high school I studied theatre arts and became involved in the drama club, working both onstage and backstage,” she states. “William Lord, who taught design at York, was very supportive of my move to theatre,” she says fondly. She leaned towards theatre production with a special interest in costuming and scene painting.
Her first season with the Shaw Festival was in 1974, when she was hired to assist where needed with props, scenic art and in the carpentry shop. “The very first job I was given was to make a canvas backdrop 20 by 45 feet. Left to my own devices, I still remember sewing endless seams on an industrial sewing machine in a
large room, alone and lost in a sea of canvas,” chuckles Shearn.
“Starting my second season with Shaw, I worked the paint shop with head of scenic art Nancey Pankiw and that was the true beginning of my training as a scenic artist,” she recalls. She believes it isn’t until one is actually working in the field that one truly learns the tricks of the trade. However, a formal education in art can provide a foundation as drawing skills and an understanding of colour are important in this profession, Shearn states.
The most common scene paint is an acrylic or latex specially designed for use in the theatre. Unlike house paint, scenic paint is about pure saturated colour and colour mixing. Oil based paint is avoided, if possible, because of health and safety concerns and clean-up is messy. Knowledge of paint composition and skills in sculpting and gilding are often called upon.
“On average, from start to finish a show at Shaw or Stratford will have a two and a half to a four-week paint period and will involve three to five people, depending on the scale and complexity of the design,” Shearn stresses. Theatre seasons that run shows in repertory,
as opposed to one show at a time, come with added pressure because more than one show will be worked on simultaneously, explains Shearn.
Work as a scenic artist is physically demanding and overtime is often demanded when deadlines loom. Like any job there are tedious aspects such as filling, sanding, prepping the surfaces and base painting, not to mention the cleanup of paint brushes and buckets.
“Every show is different and every design offers unique challenges and problems to solve, including working within time and budgetary restraints,” she points out.
Shearn’s husband worked for Disney Theatrical and for many years, they lived just outside of New York City. “We always intended to return to Canada, so when the Stratford Festival offered him the job as Production Manager, it was the opportune time,” and in 2010 they relocated to the St. Marys area.
Shearn thrived during her time as a scenic artist. “It is amazing to have artistic and creative work that pays one a living wage,” she happily claims.
Please send comments and proposed topics for Arts articles to - smindependentarts@gmail.com
Scenic artist, Janet Shearn
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Janet Shearn
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Dr. Michael Nixon, Dr. Karl Weselan and Dr. Reem Amayem
COLUMNS
UKRAINIAN CORNER: Daycare games
ALONA
VASYLIEVA Independent Columnist
Let’s talk about the legendary quest, the epic saga, the slightly frantic scramble known as “Finding Daycare in St. Marys.”
My Ukrainian friends are currently struggling to secure childcare for their kids. Finding a reliable daycare spot here sometimes feels more like a frantic scramble than simple due diligence.
The first rule of St. Marys Daycare Club? You talk about St. Marys Daycare Club. Constantly. You whisper about waitlists in hushed tones at the grocery store. You casually (but not too casually) ask neighbours with slightly older kids, hoping they’ll spill the beans on some secrets.
Rumour has it, some parents put their theoretical future children on waitlists the moment they get a positive pregnancy test. And often, it still doesn’t seem to help.
I know it’s not just a problem for newcomers. Everybody struggles. Sometimes you feel lost and don’t understand how to stay on track. You are doing your best, trying to email the “right” person to get the answer. “How did it happen that my kid ended up at the bottom of the waitlist again?”
Getting “the call” – that glorious notification that a spot might be opening up – is akin to winning the lottery. You drop everything. You confirm faster than a toddler spotting an unguarded cookie. You might even do a little celebratory dance, being careful not to wake the current reason you desperately need daycare in the first place.
Then there’s the competition. It’s (mostly) friendly, of course. But you see that parent eyeing the same daycare tour? You give them the nod. Not just any nod. It’s “The Nod.” The one that says, “I see you. I understand your struggle.”
Now, let’s be fair. Daycare scarcity and affordability are issues everywhere. St. Marys isn’t unique in the challenge, but the small-town dynamic adds a special flavour. You’re likely to bump into your daycare provider (or the one you wish was your provider) at the Foodland, the Quarry, or walking the Riverview trails. It adds a layer of charming awkwardness to the whole endeavour.
So, to all the St. Marys parents navigating the Daycare Games: we salute you. May your coffee be strong, your patience endless and your name magically rise to the top of that mythical waitlist. And if you do find that unicorn spot, maybe, just maybe, share your secrets.
Straight from the Shelves
LAURA MCASH
St. Marys Public Library
Have you been itching to try something new? Why not learn to paint with watercolours? At “Fun with Watercolour at the Library” you’ll explore your creativity alongside fellow beginners as you learn and practise a quick technique. Project, brush, and paint set are provided at this free, drop-in program open to everyone. Attend any or all three of the sessions (April 25, May 23, June 27), all running on Friday afternoons from 1-3 p.m.
This Week’s Recommendation Learn more about watercolour painting with the instructional books in our collection. Start with the basics in “Basic Water Colour Answer Book” by Catherine Anderson, get inspired with
Hazel Soan’s “The Essence of Watercolour”, and then explore the possibilities of the art form in “Experimental Landscapes in Watercolor” by Ann Blockley. These titles and more are available in our adult non-fiction collection in the 751.42s.
Up This Week Fri., Apr. 18: CLOSED Sat., Apr. 19: Dungeons and Dragons (10 a.m.), Crafty Tales – Easter Edition (10:30 a.m.)
Mon., Apr. 21: CLOSED Tues., Apr. 22: Open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 23: EarlyON Play and Read (9:30-10:30 a.m.), Mahjong! (1-4 p.m.), Scrabble (6-8 p.m.)
Thurs., Apr. 24: Open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Ask the Arborist
By Joel Hackett | 519 272 5742 | jtsquote@gmail.com
Dear Arborist,
I have a large tree, the ground beside it moves, only on the one side. You can see it go up and down, almost like it’s breathing - like lungs in and out. Curious as to why?
Thanks, Cat
Dear Cat,
If the ground moves beside a tree, especially a large one, this is very concerning. It means the tree is about to uproot, the ground is moving because the wind is moving the tree and the root system is resisting the wind.
Normally, when a tree uproots there are some warning signs prior to the unfortunate event. First it starts to lean; second, divots or cracks appear in the ground; thirdly, you might see
the roots or the ground on the one side will be higher then the other side. The last warning sign is the ground looks like it is breathing. Then the tree falls over, and you have a large uprooted stump.
If it is a large tree, unfortunately your only real option is removal. However, with a smaller tree, sometimes it can be braced and the roots will eventually reestablish support.
Sincerely,
The Arborist
Joel Hackett is a certified Arborist residing in the St. Marys area. Currently, he spends most of the year running Joel’s Tree Service. For contact call 519 272 5742 or email jtsquote@ gmail.com
(PHOTO COURTESY OF ALONA VASYLIEVA) Ukrainian newcomers are among those parents in St. Marys struggling to find child care.
HISTORIC ST. MARYS: St. Marys and the 1925 Federal Election
MARY SMITH Independent Columnist
In the autumn of 1925, Canadians were heading towards the 15th federal election since Confederation. William Lyon Mackenzie King was the leader of the Liberal Party. He had governed for four years with a slim majority, often depending on the support of the Progressives, a western Canadian party, to retain power. The Conservative opposition leader was Arthur Meighen. He had become leader when Robert Borden retired in 1920 but had lost to Mackenzie King in the 1921 election. Although by 1925, he had lived in Manitoba for almost 30 years, he was considered a St. Marys “old boy,” and had friends, relatives, and former high school classmates still living in the area. Even people who didn’t agree with his politics turned out to see him when he came to town, as he did on a campaign stop, on October 21, 1925.
The candidates for the Riding of South Perth were both from St. Marys – Robert Samuel Graham for the Conservatives and Frederick George Sanderson for the Liberals. These three men – Meighen, Graham and Sanderson – had known each other personally from a very young age. Robert Graham, born in 1867, was seven years older than Arthur Meighen and so, perhaps Meighen was stretching things a bit when, during his campaign stop, he referred to Graham as “a playmate of his at their little school.” However, their families had once had farms on the same concession in Blanshard Township and the Meighen and Graham children had all attended the one-room school in Anderson. Meighen also remarked that he had “known and respected the Liberal candidate for 40 years.” Fred Sanderson, born in 1870, was just a few years older than Meighen. Both the Meighens and the Sandersons were faithful members of the Presbyterian Church.
The people of St. Marys and area also knew the Graham and Sanderson families very well. Robert’s father, W. H. Graham, had sold his Blanshard Township farm and moved to St. Marys in 1896. He and his sons ran several business enterprises from their large property on James Street South including the shipping of cattle and carriage horses to Great Britain. The Grahams also imported Clydesdale horses to Canada. Robert himself made many trips across the North Atlantic with these cargoes. Later, when the sale of horses was not longer profitable, the Grahams took up the buying of hogs. Robert had been active in municipal politics, serving as mayor of St. Marys in 1904-1905. He was a longtime member of the Public Library Board and was chairman when the Carnegie building opened in 1905. His brother, James W. Graham, was a local lawyer and the town’s solicitor. Two other brothers were Methodist ministers. Yet another member of the family had become famous under tragic circumstances. The 1925 voters would have remembered Robert’s younger brother, George, who had grown up in Blanshard and St. Marys. He eventually went to work for the T. Eaton Company where he had risen to be an important buyer. He had perished in the Titanic disaster in 1912 on his way back to Canada from a buying trip to Europe. Fred Sanderson’s father, John, had arrived in St. Marys in the late 1840s and established a prosperous lumber business. His mother, Agnes McIntrye, was from another well-known family who had settled in Fullarton Township. Fred’s first cousin, G. H. McIntyre, had been the Liberal member of parliament representing South Perth from 1904 to 1911. After high school, Fred had attended the Ontario College of Pharmacy and returned home, establishing a drugstore on Queen Street. He served on town council during the years that the St. Marys Cement Company decided to locate in town and was mayor
(PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ST. MARYS MUSEUM’S DIGITAL COLLECTION)
The old arena stood on Wellington Street North, where Home Hardware is today. When Arthur Meighen visited St. Marys on a campaign stop in 1925, he spoke to a large crowd in this unprepossessing building.
in 1911-1912. He had enlisted in the First World War, had gone overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and held the rank of captain. By the 1920s, he was involved with his father-in-law, James Clark, in the local flax industry. When he was nominated as the Liberal candidate for South Perth in the 1925 election, Sanderson used his experience as part of his campaign message. In a large display advertisement in the St. Marys Journal Argus, he emphasized that, as a veteran himself, he would work to see that justice was given “to the claims of returned soldiers and their dependents.” He was confident he also understood the concerns of businessmen and farmers.
In 1920, the two local newspapers amalgamated, creating the Journal Argus. Before that happened, readers were presented with two distinctly different viewpoints on political affairs – Conservative from the Journal and Liberal from the Argus. The Journal Argus took a non-partisan stance – not nearly as entertaining reading for researchers. Still, the newspaper was a place where the two candidates could buy space to explain their platforms. Their advertisements showed what issues they believed mattered to South Perth voters. The newspaper also reported on major meetings and rallies for both parties. As in previous federal elections, a major issue was tariffs.
The Conservative advertisements tended to be lengthy arguments in dense columns of type, presenting reasons for increased protection for Canada’s natural resources, farm produce and manufactured products. This was leader Arthur Meighen’s main platform, and he emphasized it when he came to town. Meighen spoke in the St. Marys arena, the old curling rink on Wellington Street beside Trout Creek, set up for this special occasion: “A commodious platform occupied the right centre of the rink, and the floor was strewn with dry shavings, and tiers of seats were placed upon it.” The Journal Argus estimated the size of the crowd to be 2,000 people. The chairman, Mayor C. E. Richardson, a staunch Conservative, introduced first Robert Graham and then Arthur Meighen. According to the newspaper report, Meighen’s speech revealed “the working of as fine an intellect as there is at the present time in the public life of English-speaking countries.” He received a standing ovation when he finished speaking.
F. G. Sanderson’s advertisements were more directly personal. He gave reasons why he, a local man, would be a good representative in Ottawa because he would not be “controlled by any individual or clique” but would represent all constituents “diligently and fairly.” Although the advertisements presented reasons in favour of less restricted trade with the United States, they did not dwell on the qualities of the Liberal leader, Mackenzie King. He did not have the same voter appeal as his predecessor, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and he did not stop in St. Marys to support Sanderson. Still, the final Liberal rally in the Lyric Theatre, attracted so many people – about 700 – that the overflow was accommodated in the town hall. Sanderson’s speech included the claim that “all local factories were working steadily” and not suffering at all from less restricted trade. His speech was also received enthusiastically.
Because late October weather was uncertain, both parties arranged to wait for election returns indoors – the Conservatives at the town hall and the Liberals in the Lyric Theatre. But October 29 was warm and sunny throughout the day, and in the evening, the Journal Argus again became the focal point for election returns. By the time the polls closed, a crowd had gathered on Queen Street, waiting for local results to be posted on the bulletin board. Early polls showed Graham well ahead in both St. Marys and Blanshard Township. However, news from the other townships made it clear that Sanderson would win a majority in South Perth. At the town hall, Graham conceded the election to Sanderson. Then many people made their way to the Lyric Theatre to hear Sanderson’s victory speech. Overall, Sanderson had defeated Graham by 416 votes.
Federally, neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives had a clear majority although Arthur Meighen’s Conservatives won 115 seats to 100 for the Liberals and Mackenzie King. Smaller regional parties made up the remaining 30 of the 245 seats in parliament at that time. In St. Marys, the 1925 election had been straightforward and reasonably polite. But things were soon to become complicated and nasty in Ottawa and the effects would trickle down to South Perth. The election series will finish next week.
OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO:
Let’s be honest, there is no lack of historic castles and palaces in Europe. Any traveller to that continent will have had the opportunity to visit as many such destinations as they wish, some still occupied and opulent, some merely romantic ruins. After almost four decades of travel writing, my list of castles toured would run past the bottom of this page. So, why would a jaded travel writer get so excited about visiting yet another palace? Because this was the Alhambra, a unique and magnificent palace and fortress complex in Granada, Spain, and perhaps the best-preserved palace from the time of the Moors. The Moors is a general term for the Islamic people who conquered most of Spain and Portugal, ruling over the region from 711-1492 AD.
And during that time, the Moorish leaders built the Alhambra. It was begun in 1238 and saw continual additions until 1492 when the Islamic state suffered its final European defeat at the hands of the troops of Ferdinand and Isabel-
la.
A lot of history happened right here. There is evidence of inhabitation by the Phoenicians, who came from the eastern end of the Mediterranean from what is now Lebanon to dominate southern Spain more than a millennium BC. Of course, as in all of southern Europe and beyond, the Romans were here, in force, and that evidence remains as well.
Granada was the last bastion of the Islamic occupation of Spain, finally conquered in 1492. And if that date rings a bell, Ferdinand and Isabella immediately occupied the Alhambra, declaring it one of their royal palaces, and it was here Christopher Columbus was commissioned for his voyage to the Americas. As a side note, it’s not surprising Columbus is a hero in Spain with his exploits celebrated and his elaborate tomb a highlight of any visit to the cathedral in Seville, but there is little or no recognition that he was not the first European to reach North America or that North America was already occupied by highly sophisticated Indigenous people. But that’s another story.
I have offered this very quick précis of the history of the Alhambra not because it is the most striking thing about the site, but simply to get those details out of the way because the most striking thing about the Alhambra is not what happened here, but the Alhambra itself.
To a traveller used to the castles of the British Isles and the rest of Europe, this is a reve -
The Alhambra - a European palace with a dramatic difference
lation and an utter delight. Incredible artisanship, creativity and attention to minute detail is evident at every turn in these astonishing buildings.
The tour actually takes you through three Moorish palaces, each more magnificent than the last. As we toured the palaces, it was immediately evident that there are no images of people or animals in the complex decorations. This is because it is held by Islamic believers that portraying human or animal forms might be interpreted as idolatry, so instead of paintings of people or beasts more common in buildings from so-called Christian eras, here, the motifs are calligraphy and complex geometric design.
There is a marvellous exception to this rule at The Alhambra – a beautiful fountain including 12 sculpted lions. Our guide told us it was a gift to the Islamic rulers from the Jews of Granada, a token of their thanks for being allowed to live in peace in Granada. Perhaps not surprisingly, other explanations of the fountain’s origins can be found online, but I like the story our guide told, so I am sticking to it.
Even though you might think three consecutive palaces would be sufficient to impress visitors, there is much more to The Alhambra. There is an another, unfinished palace from the post-1492 era. There are also extensive ruins; the Alhambra was in fact a small, self-contained city with mansions occupied by diplomats and relatives of the Islamic rulers. These had fallen into disrepair until they were oc -
cupied by Napoleon’s troops in the early 19th century. As was their custom – not unlike certain infamous rock groups – when the troops checked out, they destroyed the buildings.
Modern visits to the Alhambra include the extensive gardens, which offer wonderful views of the city of Granada, the mountains and the palaces themselves. Modern is the key word here because these gardens, which seem to fit perfectly into the historic landscape, are, with some exceptions, recent creations dating only to the 1950s when a performance space was built in the midst of redesigned gardens.
My personal reaction to the Alhambra was very different
from how I feel when touring the castles and palaces elsewhere in Europe. In those cases, I bring a certain sense of awareness of the history, even if it may be romanticized in my understanding. But here, there was a sense of encountering something new to me, even if it is many centuries old. I came away with a deep appreciation of the incredible artistic sensibility of the Islamic people who lived in southern Spain for seven centuries.
Paul Knowles is an author and travel writer, and President of the Travel Media Association of Canada. To contact Paul about travel, his books, or speaking engagements, email pknowles@golden.net.
PAUL KNOWLES Independent Columnist
The modern gardens overlook the city of Granada and the mountains beyond.
(PHOTOS BY PAUL KNOWLES)
The unique fountain in the Palace of the Lions. Water and geometric symmetry are key elements of the design at the Alhambra.
Fragrant but sour orange trees abound in southern Spain.
EAT AT OUR HOUSE: Easter hors d’oeuvres
For those reading this newspaper the day it comes out, there is precious little time to prepare for guests this Easter long weekend. Here are three simple dishes to help keep guests fed in the leadup to the big meal.
Alain Ducasse’s gourgéres
Made from a classic French pastry, pâté à choux, which is the same as the one used for profiteroles, these
savoury, cheesy delights take only 15 minutes to prepare and are sure to impress your guests. They are also freezer friendly and can be reheated in the oven when you are ready to serve.
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, plus more for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Method:
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter and salt;
bring to a boil.
- Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the side of the pan, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape dough into a bowl; let cool for 1 minute. Beat the eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each one. Add cheese and a pinch of pepper and nutmeg.
- Transfer dough to a pastry bag (you can also use a large ziplock bag with the tip cut off at one inch) and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto baking sheets two inches apart. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes until puffed and brown.
- Serve hot or let cool and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat in 350˚F oven until piping hot.
- *When making the choux
pastry, be sure that each egg is incorporated into the batter before adding the next. Don’t worry if the batter separates and looks curdled at first. Keep beating; it will come together nicely.
Red pepper hummus (carrot crackers)
A healthy and vegan dip, pipe hummus onto your favourite crackers in the shape of carrots and top with a dill frond for an Easter twist.
Yields: 2 cups; Total: 15 minutes
1 red pepper, halved and seeded
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 small clove garlic, chopped ¼ cup tahini
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt & pepper
Fresh dill, for sprinkling
Crackers & vegetables for
serving
Method:
- Heat broiler. Place pepper, cut side down on rimmed baking sheet and broil until charred, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit until cool enough to handle.
Peel off and discard skin.
- Transfer pepper to a food processor along with chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, cumin and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Serve as is sprinkled with dill alongside crackers and vegetables or pipe onto crackers in carrot shape and top with dill fronds.
Sprigs in a blanket
Yields: 40
An upgrade on pigs in a blanket.
All-purpose flour for work surface
1 sheet frozen (thawed) puff
pastry
3 tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
Thinly sliced prosciutto
Asparagus, trimmed
Non-stick cooking spray
Method:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry into 10-inch square. Brush with mustard and sprinkle with pecorino. Line with 2-3 large pieces of prosciutto
- With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut sheet in half, then cut halves into twenty half-inch by five-inch strips. Wrap each strip around one stalk of asparagus with prosciutto side facing in.
- Place on 1 or 2 parchment-paper-lined cookie sheets. Lightly spray wrapped asparagus spears with cooking spray. Bake at 425˚F until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
LAUREN EEDY Independent Columnist
Riddles
I fly without wings, I cry without eyes. Whenever I go, darkness flies. What am I? A cloud.
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Footsteps.
I’m full of keys but can’t open any doors. What am I? A piano.
I’m tall when I’m young, and short when I’m old. What am I? A candle.
I get wetter the more I dry. What am I? A towel.
I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I? A joke.
I’m not alive, but I can grow. I don’t have lungs, but I need air. What am I? A fire.
I’m round and bright and seen at night, but sometimes I’m gone from sight. What am I? The moon.
I can run but never walk, I have a bed but never sleep. What am I? A river.
I shine bright in the sky, but I’m not the sun. Kids wish on me when the day is done. What am I? A star.
You can hear me and feel me, but you can’t see me. I make trees dance. What am I? The wind.
Kid
- Word Search -
SPONSORED BY: Adult Learning Programs of Perth, 26 Wellington St. S. St. Marys | Phone: 519-284-4408 | Cell: 226-374-8231 alearning@town.stmarys.on.ca | www.adultlearningperth.ca | Facebook: @AdultLearningProgramsofPerth
RURAL URBAN NIGHT
Rotary Club
Ninety ninth Annual event
Pyramid Centre Rural Urban Residents Fellowship Community Social Dinner
Great food Speaker Mark Cullen Entertainment
St. Marys Veterinary Clinic is pleased to be the sponsor of the
PET OF THE WEEK
If you suspect your pet has swallowed a foreign object, seek immediate veterinary attention as it can cause serious complications like obstruction or damage to the digestive tract.
ANGUS & CASH
Our Pets of the Week are a picture of contentment. Angus on the left is a three-year-old cane corso and Cash on the right is a two-year-old Lab/ Staffordshire bull terrier cross (labrastaff). Both love their kibble and their cat sisters, Hazel and Pearl. They hate rain and mosquitoes. Angus and Cash are the beloved pets of Scott and Kim Jackson.
Thames Centre hosts council meeting held in Thorndale
As part of the Municipality of Thames Centre direction to be more accessible to all residents of the municipality, Thames Centre council held its April 7 meeting at the Thorndale Lions Community Centre.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Sharron McMillian, who delivered her welcoming remarks, followed by presentations to council. The Oxford Renaissance Festival organizers outlined their event of unique exhibits and activities, stating 11,000 attended this festival last September in Thorndale. Organizers said the economic benefit to the local businesses will be even better this year as they expect 13,000 in attendance for the Renaissance Festival this year to be held Sept. 26-28 on the grounds at the Thorndale Lions Community Centre.
Also part of the meetings agenda’s presentations, council officially awarded community grants to the following
that are available on the municipality’s website for review, committee reports and recommended motions.
Coun. Tom Heeman addressed council with his notice of motion regarding a traffic study to assess the need for a crosswalk at Catherine and Richmond streets in Dorchester. Heeman also recommended a motion in response to residents voicing their concerns at the Ward 1 Mini Townhall meeting of speeding vehicles through Thorndale.
The motion says “that Thames Centre Council request Middlesex County to reduce the westbound speed limit on Thorndale Road to 50 km/hr near Thames Centre Fire Station 2 with a gradual transition from the current 80km/hr in the interest of public safety and consistency with other speed buffer zones entering the Village.” It was passed by council.
groups: Thorndale Agricultural Society ($6,000), Thorndale & Area Horticultural Society ($2,700) and the Thorndale Lions Club $6,000) with representatives from these groups in attendance
to receive these recognitions.
The council meeting continued with McMillian’s report of activities and county council meetings, first-quarter Thames Centre department reports
For further information on Thames Centre council meetings, agendas and minutes, visit www.thamescentre.on. ca/agenda-minutes.
NANCY ABRA Independent Reporter
The Thorndale Agricultural Society received a $6,000 community grant at the Thames Centre council meeting April 7. Pictured from left to right are Mayor Sharron McMillian, deputy mayor Michelle Smibert, Thorndale Agricultural Society president Bridget Heeman, directors Ian Ferguson and Matt Little. This grant money will go towards purchasing more sound and tech equipment for the ag. society’s events.
(NANCY ABRA PHOTO)
The Thorndale & Area Horticultural Society received a $2,700 community grant at the Thames Centre council meeting April 7. Pictured from left to right Mayor McMillian, deputy mayor Smibert, horticultural society member MaryLou Bontje, society president Jennifer Prgasa, and society members Danny Deprest and Carolyn. This grant money is earmarked to replace the wooden flower boxes on the Wye Creek bridge in Thorndale.
(NANCY ABRA PHOTO)
The Thorndale Lions Club received a $6,000 community grant at the Thames Centre council meeting April 7. Pictured from left to right are Mayor McMillian, deputy mayor Smibert and Lions Club members Matt Adams, Roy Chowen and Bill McDonald. This money will fund some additional features for the Foxborough subdivision park area.
(NANCY ABRA PHOTO)
OBITUARY
Hemstock
Hemstock, Debra Darlene
July 3, 1961 – April 12, 2025
It is with great sadness we have to announce the passing of Debra Hemstock. She passed away peacefully at the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth with her family by her side.
Debbie was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Women’s Auxiliary for 25 years in St. Marys, also the Women’s Auxiliary at the Army & Navy in St. Marys, a volunteer at the St. Marys Day Care and taught children the Apple Computer. Deb attended Downie Central Public School and Northwestern Secondary School and afterwards ventured west to hang with her brother Tiny. Debbie loved to play cards and other games with her very good friends at McCarthy Place. She also loved to come and see her great nephews and nieces and the rest of her family when she could. Her greatest love was her son Brandon - who she was so very proud of. Deb will be deeply missed by her son Brandon (Kristina), her brother Dan (Brenda), nephews Chace (Abbey), Danny (Sarah), Brett (Maxine) and Jake (Jenna), and her great nephews and nieces Benjamin, Jack, Hank, Lennon, Kol and Eloise. Debbie was predeceased by her parents, Lloyd and Helen Hemstock and her brother Ken (Tiny) Hemstock all from St. Pauls. Look out mom, dad and Tiny, here I come to stir things up again!
A private graveside service will take place in St. Marys Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to The Kidney Foundation of Canada or the Ontario Brain Injury Association through the W. G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron Street, Stratford. 519.271.7411 www.wgyoungfuneralhome.com
IN MEMORIAM
L eigh Youse May 31, 1968 ~ April 23, 2021
Remembering you is easy I do it ever y day.
Missing you is hear tache that never goes away.
Love Carol, Patti/Doug, Tim, and the Youse and Quinn families.
CELEBRATION
IN MEMORIAM Salmon
In memory of Jennifer Joan (Grasby)
December 29,1955 - April 23, 2019
Its already 6 years, but not a day goes by that we don’t think about you. We so miss your love, guidance and wisdom. Our memories and the deep impression you left in our heart and soul will endure with us forever.
Loved and missed by your husband Keith, children Lee Owen and Shaana Beverley, brother Errol and sister Rhonda.
God bless you. Forever in our hearts.
IN MEMORIAM
Holden
In loving memory of Bob who passed away April 16, 2024
There will always be a heartache And often a silent tear, But always precious memories Of the days when you were here. We hold you close within our hearts And there you will remain, To walk with us throughout our lives
Until we meet again…
With Love Helen, Marie, Sandra, Brenda & Peggy
IN MEMORIAM
Coulson
In loving memory of Kenneth Coulson (Papa) February 16, 1939 - April 27, 2019
Six years have passed since you’ve been gone, still loved and remembered.
“Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.”
Bernice and family
Notice of Application for Approval to Expropriate Land
Form 2
Expropriations Act
In the matter of an application by the Ministry of Transportation for approval to expropriate land, pursuant to s.11(2) and subsection 11.1(3) of the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, being in the Geographic Township of Fullarton, Municipality of West Perth, County of Perth, Province of Ontario.
For the purpose(s) of: Property is required to accommodate Highway 23 Russeldale Intersection Improvements.
Notice is hereby given that application has been made for approval to expropriate the land described in the schedule attached hereto.
The approving authority is the Minister of Transportation with an address of: Minister of Transportation 777 Bay Street, 5th Floor
Toronto ON M7A 1Z8
416-327-9200
Any owner of lands in respect of which notice is given, who desires to comment on the proposed expropriation of the land for the described purpose(s) may do so by submitting the comment within the time stated herein to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Transportation Infrastructure Management Division, Ministry of Transportation, in writing.
The Ministry will review the comments for their technical/engineering information, having regard to the need for the land for the purposes of the project.
The Assistant Deputy Minister must receive the comments within thirty days after the owner is served with this notice, or within thirty days after the first publication of the notice.
The comments must be sent:
By e-mail to: Property.Process@ontario.ca
Or by mail to: Assistant Deputy Minister Transportation and Infrastructure Management Ministry of Transportation
4th Floor, Garden City Tower
301 St. Paul Street
St. Catharines ON L2R 7R4
Please include the municipal address of the land in the comment.
The expropriating authority is the Minister of Transportation with an address of:
777 Bay Street, 5th Floor
Toronto ON M7A 1Z8
416-327-9200
Minister of Transportation
Per:
c/o Linda Wilson-Holmes Conveyancing Supervisor 659 Exeter Road 3rd Floor London ON N6E 1L3 226-688-7999
SCHEDULE A
All right, title and interest in the following lands:
1. All right, title and interest in the lands described as follows:
In the Municipality of West Perth, in the County of Perth, being Part of PIN 53212-0025 (LT), being Part of Lots 33 and 34, Concession North of Thames Road, Geographic Township of Fullarton, designated as PART 1 on Reference Plan 44R-6268 (P-2198-39).
2. All right, title and interest in the lands described as follows:
In the Municipality of West Perth, in the County of Perth, being Part of PIN 53219-0074 (LT), being Part of Lot 34, Concession North of Thames Road, Geographic Township of Fullarton, designated as PART 2 on Reference Plan 44R-6268 (P-2198-39).
3. A permanent limited interest, in the nature of a free right and easement for the purpose of enabling the erection and maintenance of a large traffic sign, in the lands described as follows:
In the Municipality of West Perth, in the County of Perth, being Part of PIN 53220-0010 (LT), being Part of Lot 34, Concession South of Thames Road, Geographic Township of Fullarton, designated as PART 1 on Reference Plan 44R-6287 (P-2198-43).
THIS NOTICE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON: APRIL 3, 2025
LOOKING BACK Parking meter sale
By Amy Cubberley
25 years ago (2000)
St. Marys’ downtown parking meters, many of which were removed last week during sidewalk repair, are getting a second chance at life. The Town has been inundated with calls from people who would like a chance at owning these souvenirs. Town Council had decided to give the parking meters to the Friendship Centre so they can be sold as a fundraiser. Between 80 and 90 meters will be available at $40 for a single head and $50 for double heads.
St. Marys resident Rosaleen Dunbar is running the Boston Marathon next Monday. Dunbar has run other marathons, but it will be her first time competing in the famous Boston event. Dunbar is one of several organizers of the River Road Run, held in September in St. Marys, which raises funds for the Memorial Hospital.
50 years ago (1975)
A new call-board system is in use at the James Street fire hall. Rather than writing names on a board as they report in for a country call, magnetic name tags are simply transferred to the left side of the board, with the first eight going to the country. The board is the work of firefighters Bob Favacho and Jack Constable.
St. Marys Lions Club members are now sporting a new Club pin. The former pin featured a mink, but the new edition has added a cement mixer and other touches.
75 years ago (1950)
Donald Fletcher, a radio officer with the R.A.F. Transport Command during World War II, will join the teaching staff at St. Marys District Collegiate next September as a P.T. and Mathematics teacher. Don is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Fletcher.
Maple syrup is selling for $5 per gallon in this district. This is considered a very poor season by most sugar bush owners, owing to the more or less open winter and the heavy precipitation of moisture.
100 years ago (1925)
Owing to the resignation of Councillor R.S. Brown, nominations for South Ward Councillor will be held in the Town Hall next Tuesday, and if more than one candidate is submitted an election will be held on the following Tuesday.
On Saturday Mr. Luke Wiles of Thomas Street was digging up his parsnips and among the vegetables garnered, he secured one that weighed over three pounds and was of a peculiar shape. It was really six parsnips in one, the separate roots being joined at the top by a single head. This freak parsnip is now on display in The Journal Argus window.
HELP WANTED CLASSIFIED ADSCLASSIFIED ADS
Wanted
$ Cash Paid $ for your RECORDS and LPs. Jazz, Blues, Rock, Pop, Fold, Soundtracks, and more. Selectively buying CDs, Cassettes, Turntables, and Stereo Equipment. For more information: Diamond Dogs Music 114 Ontario St. Stratford/ 226-972-5750
Wanted
A working camcorder that will play Hi-8 digital tapes. Phone 519-284-3774
Wanted to buy
All collectibles including sports cards, beanie babies, Funko pops and stamps. Highest prices paid. Free appraisals.Are you downsizing or need an estate clean out? We can help. Call or text Stan anytime 519-868-3814.
Wanted
I will pay cash for antiques and collectibles. Coca Cola, Pepsi or any pop company. Brewery items - Kuntz, Huether Labatts, etc.
Old radios and gramophones, wristwatches, pocket watches, old fruit jars - Beaver Star, Bee Hive etc. Any old oil cans and signs - Red Indian, Supertest etc. Any small furniture. If you are moving or cleaning out stuff please contact me - 519-570-6920.
For Sale
Hundreds of shade trees, fruit trees, apples, pears, peaches, plums, sweet and sour cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, haskapp grapes, raspberries, elderberries etc. Lots of spruce, pine, cedars for windbreak and privacy hedges. Sizes 1-8 ft. in containers ready to go. Flowering shrubs and much more. Mon-Sat 7:00am to 6:00pm. Martin’s Nursery, 42661 Orangehill Rd Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0 (1 Conc. North of Wroexter on Belmore Line)
Large 3 bedroom downtown apartment in 3 story walk up above Gilly’s, includes all utilities, wifi, laundry, parking. References required. Available April. Please call 519-697-4985
For Rent
Wildwood Care Centre (Retirement Living). Private room accommodations for Senior living available, can accommodate couples. Price $2800 to $4600 monthly. Meals, basic care, medication management and staff available 24/7. For tours call Lisa at 519-284-3628.
Local Lawn Rolling
Local Lawn Rolling - reliable service, fair prices. Call 519-933-8636
For Sale
2 burial plots with deed, 2 vaults, gold cross certificate & memorial bronze marker located in Forest Lawn London. Today’s prices $13,000 - $15,000. Priced at $5,900 for quick sale. Please leave message 519-453-4917.
For Rent
2 bedroom, one bathroom upper unit of house available May 1st. Laundry and parking on site. $1950 per month + hydro and water. Contact amberleypd@yahoo.ca for application and viewing
Stratford Police Service
We currently have openings for the following position:
Auxiliary Police Constable
Please refer to the City of Stratford website at www.stratford.ca for details of the duties for this position, minimum qualifications, and application submission process.
Application forms will be available at the Stratford Police Service Administrative Centre at 789 Erie Street, Stratford, Ontario.
Completed application packages for this position will be accepted until 1600 hours on May 2, 2025. Please mail or deliver completed applications to Stratford Police Service, 17 George Street West, Stratford, ON N5A 1A1 – Attn: Auxiliary Unit OR email to recruitment@stratfordpolice.com. We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for testing will be contacted.
Solution
SUDOKU ANSWERS
Warehouse and Parts Facilitator
Full time job Monday through Friday involves answering parts calls, receiving / shipping parts, organizing and maintaining warehouse, assembling equipment, and preparing for trade shows. Agricultural background an asset but not required. Must be able to work with little supervision. Better than competitive wages, with bene ts and pension plan.
Please submit resumes by e-mail to jobs@dfkequipment.com
THE WEEK AHEAD
to Noon
- Mac Crummer book signing of “A Gardener’s Pilgrimage” at the Farmers Market – 8 a.m. to Noon
- St. Marys Kinettes Easter egg hunt at Lion Park, Milt Dunnell Field – 9-11 a.m., Ages 0 to 10
- Federal election advance polls at the PRC – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Royal Canadian Legion meat draw – 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 20
- Federal election advance polls at the PRC – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Chain Breaker Ministry Easter Sunday victory service at the PRC – 10:30 a.m.
Monday, April 21
- Federal election advance polls at the PRC – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Community dinner at St. Marys United Church – 5 p.m., Sponsored by St. Marys Lions Club
Tuesday, April 22
- Royal Canadian Legion Buddy Check coffee at the Legion –10 am to Noon
- Emm Gryner acoustic candlelit show at Riverwalk Commons – 7-9 p.m. Tickets – Students $15, Seniors $20, Adults $49
Wednesday, April 23
- Nature school for ages 18 months to 6 years at Wildwood Conservation Area – 9:30-11 a.m.
Thursday, April 24
- Rotary Club Rural Urban Night at the PRC – Social at 5 p.m., Dinner at 6:30 p.m., Tickets $75
- SMCP preview “Over the River and Through the Woods” at the Town Hall theatre – 7:30 p.m.
