Welcome to Smiths Falls’ brand new front porch
Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca
A gorgeous new addition to Smiths Falls public space was unveiled on September 30. The Artscape Parkette is a beautiful update to a previously empty space, and its creation was truly a collective labour of love.
In April, Tourism and Economic Development Manager Julia Crowder announced the town had secured funding to complete-
ly cover the cost of an Artscape Parkette. In August, town residents voted on five proposed artscapes, and local artist Dominic Laport was chosen to create the massive 15x30 metre mural on the side of Shoppers Drug Mart. Planters, benches, and picnic tables now grace the newly-finished concrete sidewalk alongside the vibrant mural. This parkette feels like the town’s front porch - a beautiful, welcoming place for all to sit and enjoy.
Sweet Scoops and The Pickled Pig are on the move
Smiths Falls - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca
As many around town will have noticed by now, Sweet Scoops and the Pickled Pig have closed their shop in the historic ironshaped building at the corner of Chambers and Beckwith Streets. When one door closes, though, another one opens: a sign on the door informs customers that the businesses are not closed permanently, they are moving.
Owner Trish Krotki explained.
“The building we were located in on Chambers Street was recently sold and the new owners wanted it to be vacant. The Pickled Pig had already leased a new location on Russell Street. The timing of the move, while unexpected, came at a good time as we have grown out of the space at the Chambers Street location.”
While they have operated out of one space on Chambers Street, the sweet and savoury sides of
the business will each have their own location after the move.
The Pickled Pig will be located on Russell Street across from the beautiful new Artscape Parkette, in the former Groggery.
Customers who are eager for the Pickled Pig’s return will be relieved to know that their favourite items will not be disappearing over the course of the move. As the space increases, so will the menu, Krotki said. There will be “more of what you currently see at our location on Chambers Street, however we will expand upon our offerings with an emphasis placed on the customer experience.” This includes the option to dine in, which was formerly impossible in the tiny Sweet Scoops location.
As well as a wide array of sandwiches, salad, soups, meat, and cheese, the Pickled Pig will continue to offer charcuterie boards, take-home frozen
meals, and event catering. You may well have already enjoyed their catering at birthday or anniversary parties, weddings, or a business lunch.
Sweet Scoops will be located on Beckwith Street, in the former Grunts and Giggles. The confectionery will continue to offer ice cream, pastries, and other sweet treats, as well as the wildly popular local Jabreezy’s Donuts. (My personal favourite, their crispy creamy cannoli, will also be returning.)
The re-opening date has not yet been determined. Labour shortages in the building trades along with delays from the building department have slowed the process. They are hoping to open in late fall. While the gap between closing and opening is frustrating, Krotki and her staff are looking forward with optimism. “We promise, it will be worth the wait.”
There is a new sign in the window of the former Grunts and Giggles building the sign reads coming soon to this location
The beautiful new parkette and mural on Russell Street West in Smiths Falls. Photo credit: Tara McNeil.
Photo credit: Tara McNeil.
Photo credit: Trish Krotki.
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Tree planted in recognition of COVID pandemic leadership
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Regioanl - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca
The Board of Health along with the staff of the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit are in a time of transition from changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and new leadership in the Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer position. In recognition of the leadership of Dr. Paula Stewart, retired Medical Officer of Health, in promoting and protecting the health of the people of Leeds, Grenville and Lanark - especially throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic - the Board of Health members and staff collected donations toward the planting of trees in the communities they serve. Board member Jeff Earle
graciously provided two of the trees (Red Maples) and has planted one at the front of the Health Unit’s Smiths Falls Office at 25 Johnson St. and the other in the soccer field across from the Health Unit’s Brockville Office at 458 Laurier Blvd. The Board also purchased plaques that have been placed in front of the trees. Health Unit staff also contributed to a Weeping Beech tree that was planted by the north entrance of the Brockville Office building.
“The Board of Health commends Dr. Stewart for her leadership and commitment to the people of Leeds, Grenville and Lanark during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Board of Health Chair, Doug Malanka. “The entire staff must also be acknowledged for their ded-
ication and expertise that was and continues to be a tremendous asset in the fight against COVID-19.”
The Health Unit has also produced a COVID-19 themed Community Report which outlines the performance and finances of the agency over the past few years, as well as highlights of the pandemic work provided through staff accounts of their experiences. This report is available on the Health Unit website.
“With 75 years already in our history, we look forward to many more years of service to our communities,” added Malanka.
The Health Unit is looking forward to what lies ahead and celebrates these trees as symbols of growth and stability as the agency starts a new chapter.
Photo credit: Submitted..
Cartoon by Patrick Labelle
community
Lanark County marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Regioanl - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca
Lanark County recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a flag-raising ceremony and commemoration at the Administration Building on Friday afternoon.
“Today is a day to reflect on the painful and lasting effects of residential schools in Canada, and to honour survivors, their families, and their communities,” said Warden John Fenik (Perth Mayor) at the flag-raising ceremony. “It is also a day to remember the many children who never returned home. It is an opportunity for us to
learn more about the history and legacy of residential schools.”
Fenik noted the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a vital component of the reconciliation process and provides everyone with an opportunity to reflect on how they can play a part in reconciliation. It also builds on Orange Shirt Day, which was inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad and chosen by Indigenous peoples to open the door to meaningful conversation about the effects of residential schools and the legacy they have left behind.
“It is a discussion we can all take part in and create bridges with one another
for reconciliation,” he said. “With all of this in mind, today at Lanark County we raise this flag to recognize the survivors and those that have been affected by residential schools, and to help spread awareness, because every child matters.”
Several members of Lanark County Council, county staff and OPP Insp. Karuna Padiachi were on hand for the ceremony.
For more information about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliations, along with resources, visit https:// www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/ national-day-truth-reconciliation.html
Rideau Lakes bids farewell to the Portland
Community Hall
Regioanl - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca
As the community prepares for the redevelopment of the Portland Municipal Hub, it bids farewell to the Portland Community Hall building.
The Hall has been the backdrop to countless community events and memories. It has served the community well. The new Municipal Hub will ensure Portland and the wider Rideau Lakes community has the multi-use,
modern, efficient, and accessible facility it requires for the future.
The community plans to mark this important transition by honouring the Hall and its memories on October 6, 2022 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The program includes remarks at 4:00 p.m., and the Portland on the Rideau Historical Society (PRHS) will share some history of the Hall. Refreshments will be available. Following Thanksgiving,
the community can expect to see the demolition of the Hall begin, starting with asbestos abatement, and then structure removal followed by site clearing. The existing playground on the site will be removed and placed into storage, until a decision has been made about its relocation. For safety, the site will be fenced and secured.
Community events will continue at alternate locations for the transition period. Looking forward, plans for temporary provision of washrooms for the beach for the 2023 swimming season are being made.
In 2023, the active construction of the new Portland Municipal Hub will take place on Water Street in Portland, Ontario. Plans currently under consideration, subject to final approvals, can be found at: https://www.rideaulakes.ca/portland-municipal-hub-project/drawings
Photo credit: Submitted.
Portland Community Hall. Photo credit: Google Maps.
Secondhand Stories Perth, Rideau Lakes and Smiths Falls’ first farm animal microsanctuary
Smiths Falls - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca
There have been proven studies that show chickens have dreams, and it’s this tiny feathered animal that inspired me to follow mine. Ever since I was a little child I imagined a life rescuing animals. In middle school I was captivated with Jane Goodall and imagined living in a sanctuary for Chimpanzees. Some things have changed. First, I’m now happy to save any animal, regardless of species, not just the primate kind. Second, in July my husband and I moved to Rideau Lakes becoming the owners of 28 acres of land where my dreams could actually become reality.
With keys in hand to our first home in the small community of Lombardy we inherited 7 hens left behind by the former owners. That's to say, they didn’t have anywhere else to go. The obvious choice was for us to keep them and what quickly followed was the choice to start a sanctuary.
Inspired by the 7 clucking friends we adopted, we have launched Perth/Rideau Lakes/Smiths Falls’ first farm animal microsanctuary. Sadly, there are too many farm animals needing to be
rehomed and not enough places that offer shelter to them. We help fill this gap by rescuing abandoned, abused, neglected, ill, injured or homeless animals that have nowhere else to go. Since moving in, we have rescued 7 hens, 2 roosters, and will be accepting 4 additional surrenders this month, including a group of three hens as well as a single blind hen. Today, I am happy to share that Secondhand Stories is a registered non-profit farm animal microsanctuary and online bookshop. We fund our rescue work through
book sales on our website www.secondhandstories.ca, and donations from community members and businesses. We’re currently fundraising to build new winterized chicken coops for them before the snow arrives.
What’s Next? We hope to offer a life-long sanctuary where our rescued animals can live their natural lives in peace; be free from suffering; and have fulfilled and enriched experiences while in our care. In the coming years we hope to open our sanctuary doors to turkeys, pigs, goats and other small farm
animals who need a home.
Author Bio: Liz Wheeler is the founder of Secondhand Stories. Liz holds certifications in Animal Welfare from Thompson Rivers University and Anthrozoology at the University of Windsor. She is the Philanthropy Officer at Faunalytics and is a passionate animal advocate who is dedicated to improving the lives of animals in our community. Liz can be contacted at liz@secondhandstories.ca
Craig, Liz & Peggy. Photo credit: Amber Beasley of Sage & Seed Photography
Liz, Rolo & Hershey. Photo credit: Amber Beasley of Sage & Seed Photography
Sophie with books. Photo credit: Liz Wheeler
Carleton Place Youth Centre open house
Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca
At the Carleton Place Youth Centre’s open house on September 30, the ribbon was cut to officially open the all new commercial-sized and equipped kitchen. The centre’s popular Kidz in the Kitchen program continues to see an increase in demand.
A surprise donation of $18,562 came from Jackson Homes, one of the centre’s generous supporters.
Lanark North Leeds SuperWalk sets attendance and fundraising record
Perth - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca
On Saturday, September 10, more than 200 people gathered at Conlon Farm in Perth for the annual Parkinson Canada SuperWalk. It was the first in-person event since 2019 and the most successful since the first walk in 2017.
“It was quite a day and an incredible result,” said Co-Chair and local Parkinson’s advocate Pat Evans. “We watched the increasing numbers online but did not anticipate that
so many people would come to walk or financially support the SuperWalk in such a big way.”
At last report, the total raised was reaching $85,000. Evans and CoChair Gayle Truman hope this number will continue to grow, as donations can be made until the end of September.
While Evans believes that the result reflects the connectedness of the town and villages throughout the area and the desire to help their neighbours and friends, she also worries that it is an indication
that predictions of a doubling of the population of people with Parkinson’s in Canada by 2031 or so, are coming true. According to these predictions, 30 people should be diagnosed with Parkinson’s every day. However, in many parts of Canada, including Lanark Leeds and Grenville, getting a diagnosis can take up to 2 years or even more.
“We have a crisis looming on the horizon,” Evans says, “Covid has already left health care in a weakened state. If people don’t get a timely di-
agnosis so that they can get the help they need, it will only lead to higher costs of care, a reduced quality of life or even worse, premature death. We need to find new and creative ways to diagnose and treat Parkinson’s. It is possible. The support is out there and we have witnessed it firsthand.”
Donations to the Lanark North Leeds SuperWalk are welcome and can be made online at http://donate.parkinson. ca/Lanark-NorthLeeds or call 1 (800) 565-3000 and ask for SuperWalk.
Am I the only one? opinion: the unemployed
The greatest charity of all is to give someone a job and there’s a million of them out there.
According to Statistics Canada there are 997,000 vacant positions in the second quarter of this year, the highest quarterly number on record.
The working class aren’t working but why? The working class perform essential work. They work in restaurants, cook, serve our food, clean, work as cashiers, take care of the sick and the elderly. We devalue the working class yet who will build your house or fix your steps or mow your lawn or deliver your food or look after you when you’re old?
Every trade is desperate to hire workers, but nobody seems to want the job. Parents understand that getting into the trades is the way to go but good luck convincing our kids of that. They look down on their hard-working parents. They want the highest pay possible for the least amount of work. Kids listen to social media influencers and are looking for get rich quick schemes. Who hasn’t fallen for that at least once? My Father’s words are true, “if it sounds too good to
Carrie Wynne
be true it is.”
Working class people have low value today and the kids are picking up on this messaging from the time they reach grade 9. Am I the only one that thinks the education system in Ontario has dropped the ball and that this blatant lack of forethought has left some kids behind? Students are led to believe that post-secondary education is the only route to prosperity, and we devalue those kids who are more hands-on. By Grade 10, students start receiving glossy brochures from universities gleaming the amenities and showing happy smiling faces and the financial institutions incentivizing you to take out loans to pay for it all. The post-secondary institutions thrive because it is a multi-faceted money-making profit machine. Some say mass immigration is the answer but that comes at a cost too. Every city is dealing with a housing shortage and an under resourced healthcare system. Also check out Sweden, where comeone-come-all immigration policies have landed them. It’s a nightmare.
The value of work ethic in the previous generation was hard work pays off for those who work hard. It was taught in the home and unfortunately our schools have messed it all up by pushing their agenda that all must attend university or else.
The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ management, staff or writers.
Dena Comely board chair, Caroline Castrucci of Laurysen Kitchens, Josh Jackson of Jackson Homes, MPP John Jordan, Carleton Place Mayor Doug Black, and Youth Centre Executive Director Gail Logan. Photo credit: Brian Turner
Pictured is Josh Jackson presenting a cheque to the youth centre for $18,562. Photo credit: Brian Turner
Parkinson Canada SuperWalk in Perth on Septemeber 10. Photo credit: Kathy Botham
Food & Drink
Brian Turner
Let's Eat Hydes Smokehouse and Bar:
meat done to perfection and so much more
Disclaimer: I’m a big fan of traditional smokehouse BBQ and was delighted to find a true gem of this cuisine right in the heart of Kemptville in the form of Hydes Smokehouse and Bar at 15 Clothier St E. It opened in November of last year and locals along with visitors haven’t given its staff much of a break from the action ever since. Owner Ruby Melowsky wasn’t nervous about taking her restaurant experience and putting it to the test in the middle of a pandemic, and the steady stream of hungry diners I witnessed coming in at 5 pm on a recent Tuesday afternoon lends proof to her confidence.
The restaurant has been completely refurbished from its previous occupants but maintains a heritage nature with
its high tin ceilings and dark wood trim. There’s a great outdoor patio to the rear next to the star of the show; a huge black smoker which gives up the absolute best in terms of flavor and texture of everything from chicken to pork to beef. It’s very easy to go overboard with spice rubs and smoke but that certainly isn’t the case with Hydes. I tried a sampler platter of 3 meats and 2 sides which was more than enough for two. The pulled pork, brisket, and ribs were done to perfection with just the right amount of dark bark from the low and slow smoking process. The house-made rubs and sauces complimented the meat beautifully, making it hard to put down each piece before it was completely devoured. The meats aren’t dripping in sauce
but have it well cooked in and come with a side of a mouth-watering BBQ sauce so you can have it as messy as you like.
Hydes started out by sourcing as much as possible from local producers and that hasn’t changed a bit. Ruby is proud of the quality of each order and the meats are trimmed to provide the best flavor from the smoking process. Their menu contains some treasures not always found at smoke-houses such as rib tips, smoke-house nachos, and the Texas Twinkle: jalapeno peppers stuffed with brisket and cream cheese. For special tastes, Hydes offers vegetarian burgers, a Cajun tofu dish and all of their meat dishes are gluten-free. They have generous sized house and Caesar salads. And yes they have corn bread!
The well-stocked bar has Hydes’ takes on some favourite southern cocktails such as a blueberry mint gin fizz and a smokehouse Caesar. But with great smoked meat, craft beers are the way to go and you won’t be disappointed with their selection.
Hydes Smoke-House and Bar is open Tuesday through Thursday from 3 pm to 10 pm and till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. You can reach them by phone at 613777-6613 and can check out their mouth-watering delights and order takeout online at hydesmokehouse.com. There’s onstreet and private parking and an accessible rear entrance. I’d recommend using the parking lot because the aroma coming out of the rear-yard smoker will whet your appetite.
Beer, Wine and Spirits
perth
brewery
Brian Preston | The Travelling Sommelier | brianpreston@hotmail.com
I last wrote about Perth Brewery a couple of years ago and I figured that it was time to do an update and see what’s new. What a surprise! In addition to the original brews I tasted and enjoyed, they have an impressive line-up of brews including gluten-free, radlers, sours, and seasonals. So from the long list of brews on their website, and excluding the ones they have had for quite awhile, here are my picks for your review and enjoyment.
PLAY - The clean, crisp flavour of craft Non-alcoholic Lager is 0.1%abv and only 45 calories. This Pilsner is 28 IBUs and $17.00 / 6-pack. First, it starts with 28 days of cold fermentation, then it is filtered and the alcohol is evaporated, cooled and then bottled. Try this craft version against any non-alcoholic brews you have had before to see the difference. Personally, the only other one I truly enjoyed is Heineken Zero which has a nice head, aroma and taste of a real beer.
EURO – This old country style craft Pilsner using Saaz hops is $19.80 / 6-pack and comes in at 28 IBUs, 4.9%abv.
O’CANADA MAPLE
- This collaboration with Temple's Sugar Bush is proudly brewed in the heart of Ontario’s maple syrup region in Lanark County. It is an Ale, $20.10 / 6-pack coming in at 20 IBUs and 4.9%abv.
RAZMATAZ - Pucker up for this Seasonal Sour beer coming in at 4.5%abv
and $23.70 / 6-pack. This raspberry Sour Beer has a balance of tart and fruity sweetness that will get you feeling groovy. Try this with dark chocolate for a taste sensation! It has light malt using sour yeast. Their most expensive beer to make, it will be gone in December.
BEACH ME UP SCOTTY – This dry hopped style Seasonal Ale comes in at 4.6%abv and $20.70 / 6-pack. Dry hopping means the hops are added at the end of fermentation giving the beer flavor and aromatics without bitterness.
PUNKIN’ SPICE – For Halloween, as Jeremy says, “Don’t be intimidated by Punk’In’s rebellious attitude. He’s pumpkin, allspice and everything nice!”
This is a Wet Hopped Pale Seasonal Ale at 5%abv and $20.70 / 6-pack. Get it now as it will be gone soon!
MANY HANDS HARVEST - Many volunteer their help to grow and harvest this wet hopped pale ale, using Cascade hops picked the day they are added to the fermenter, giving the beer an aromatic green vegetal quality. Lupulin is a naturally occurring yellow powder on fresh hops that contains many of the hop acids and essential oils that make beer so delicious. In fact, when brewers add hops to their beer, it’s largely with the intention of extracting these very acids and oils. Perth Brewery is the only local craft brewery do -
ing wet hopping, and it is only in the Fall at harvest that wet hopped beer is brewed annually in collaboration with local Arklow hop farm to support the Perth & District Community Foundation, farm to kettle to community. This Seasonal Pale Ale comes in at 4.7%abv and $23.00 / 6-pack.
PISTACHI-HO-HO – ’Tis the happy ho-ho season. Get in the spirit and spread the cheer with this all natural pistachio and vanilla infused Seasonal Dark Lager Stout coming in at 5% ABV, and $21.00 / 6-pack. Sold out now but coming back in late November through Christmas.
MOCHA STOUT – This is a wonderfully indulgent experience. Smooth espresso brewed from locally roasted fair trade organic beans, natural chocolate and pure Madagascar vanilla come together into this midnight Dark Stout coming in at 42 IBUs, 5.5%abv and $21.00 / 6-pack. Your host and owner at Perth Brewery is usually there, Jeremy Steeves. Located in Perth on Hwy 7 just west of the junction of Hwy 7 and Hwy 15. There are many more beers to try than those featured today, so get out there and support your local brewery, open 7 days a week! They even have beer kegs you can get for larger party events. Contact: 613-264-1087, www.perthbrewery.ca
Jeremy Steeves. Photo credit: Brian Preston.
Photo courtesy of Hydes Smoke-House.
Photo courtesy of Hydes Smoke-House.
by Ted Outerbridge
Ambrose Halladay moved into the Keyhole House in Smiths Falls with his wife and three children in 1945. His son, Ace, remembers eating a freshly baked bun while sitting on the porch that same year. “A light rain was falling, the aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the house, and I felt like I was on top of the world,” Ace mused, then added “my mother was a great cook.” Ace shared more fond memories from his life as a nineyear-old at the Keyhole House including the spectacular staircase in the front hall and neighbors
Geraldine and Levi Clark. They lived next door at 180 Brockville Street and were friends of the family. Levi had moved to Smiths Falls from Ottawa in 1921 to assist his brother Harry, who was the owner of Clark’s Dairy. The business was located at the corner of River and Elm Streets and supplied milk to over eight hundred families. The butter plant was so successful that surplus butter was shipped to Montreal. A voters list tells us that in 1945 Ace was living at 182 Brockville Street with his parents, Gertrude and Ambrose Halladay, his siblings, and his grandmother, Margaret Ann (Gillen) Jones. Mrs. J. T. Hall and her daughter had recently arrived from Toronto and were rooming in the front bedroom on the second floor. The house was rented from William Lorimer, a retired grocer in Brockville. Ambrose Edmund Hal -
laday (1895-1976) was born to Edmund Ambrose and Sarah Jane (Swayne) Halladay on March 2, 1895, in Smiths Falls. He was the younger brother of Beatrice Margaret (Halladay) Graham (1894-1972) and the elder brother of Hiram (19051981). When he was conscripted into the Second Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1918, he was a lean, twenty-three-year-old, brown-haired, blue-eyed farmer. Many farmers did not agree with being forced to enroll into WWI and sought agricultural exemptions. The Borden government was anxious for farmers’ votes and agreed to some exemptions. Following the election, they broke their promise. New federal and provincial political parties were born as a result. Ambrose’s attestation paper is dated June 1918, however his medical was not until January 1919 when he was demobilized.
Gertrude Mildred Jones (1900-1959) was born to Thomas and Margaret Ann (Gillen) Jones on September 20, 1900, in Smiths Falls. She had six siblings, Frankie, Eva
(Jones) Wilson, Mary (Jones) McCreary, Harry, Ted, and Eldon. She was a graduate of the Ottawa Normal School and was a twenty-six-year-old teacher when she married Ambrose, a thirty-two-yearold farmer, on August 27, 1927. The Ottawa Journal wrote: “The bride looked lovely in a dress of white flat crepe and wore a veil, the fold caught with orange blossoms, and carried a bouquet of sunset roses.” They had three children all born seven years apart, Edmund Ambrose (19282019), Asahel “Ace” (1936), and Winnifred. Ambrose Halladay served as Reeve of the Township of Montague from 1931-1938 and was elected Warden of Lanark County in 1935. Framed photographs of Ambrose grace the walls of the Township of Montague Office, and the Lanark County Administration Building in Perth, as a tribute to his service. In 1935 Ambrose rented a store front at 22 Market Street in Smiths Falls where he made the transition from
farmer to merchant and operated a grocery store. His phone number was 232 w. An advertisement in the 1938 Record News documents Ambrose selling plum jam for twenty-three-cents a jar. This building would later become home to Standard Printing. Ace remembers living in the second-floor apartment above the grocery store, which was across the street from Purity Dairies, and a few doors down from Kelly’s Meat Market. He also remembers a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the store around which local farmers would gather and spend time chewing and spitting tobacco. “Sometimes they would stay rather late,” he added. The Halladays relocated to the Keyhole House in 1945 and Ambrose reinvented himself again. He found employment with the Frost & Wood company as a technician testing farm equipment. A year later the family moved to Queen Street near the Hershey chocolate factory where Ambrose and Gertrude would live for many years. Clark’s Dairy had relocated and was now just down the street, co-owned by Ambrose’s brother Hiram, and brother-in-law, Gordon Graham. Gertrude and Ambrose attended St John the Evangelist Anglican Church. Gertrude died on July 12, 1959, at the young age of 58. Ambrose was living with his brother Hiram on Kilmarnock Road in Rosedale when he died at home, at the age of 81, on May 24, 1976. They are buried at Maple Vale
Cemetery in Smiths Falls. Their eldest son, Edmund, married Audrey Doreen Hall in 1953. Ed was an entrepreneur and home builder who developed the Pines, a small subdivision outside of Smiths Falls. Their youngest daughter Winnifred worked for Ambrose’s friend, J. C. (Bert) Cameron who owned a car dealership on Main Street. Bert “got stuck” with a horse during a trade-in 1938. This launched his career as an influential leader in Canadian harness racing. His celebrity racehorses were raised at a 500-acre farm near Smiths Falls and included Ezra Blue, Slagle Hanover, and Ezra Dean, the first Canadian-bred to reach the $100,000 mark in winnings. Together Bert’s horses raced at over 75 tracks across North America. Winnifred would later marry William Diebold and move to Dorchester. Following a stint working with the Canadian Pacific Railway, Ace would become the longest serving police chief in Ontario and possibly Canada. Blue Line, Canada’s National Law Enforcement Magazine refers to Ace as “A champion of community policing… highly regarded by his peers and by the public.” He lives in Perth with his wife, Dale.
Ted & Marion Outerbridge are currently restoring a Smiths Falls heritage home built in 1893. They are also being swept away by local history & mystery. You can follow them at on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @thekeyholehouse or email ted@tedouterbridge.com.
Ambrose Halladay. Photo credit: Ted Outerbridge. Ad in the Record News. Photo credit: Record News 1938
