Getting ready for training season

Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

There are plenty of rewarding activities for the outdoorswoman or man to partake of in spring, but none is more rewarding and joyful than training with your dog. This is an activity that benefits the dog and the human because it clarifies once and for all who is the alpha of the pack. And that understanding is critical if you plan on working together as a team during the autumn hunting seasons.

I have been out for the last several mornings with my English springer spaniel Rosie, working predominantly on the basics: retrieving, recall and heeling off leash. And I am very happy to say that we are making real progress with all three.

Right now, the team is fundraising to help cover the cost of attending the tournament.

There was funding in place to cover the cost of staying in Whitby, says team manager Jason Waechter, but the budget is now gone even as the season continues.

Budgets aside, the U15 squad is peaking at the right time. The regular season didn’t get off to a meteoric start, said Waechter, but the new, young coaching staff eventually got the team into the top three.

“We got some new non-parent coaches this year – young guys that just finished up hockey themselves. There were some moves made, player-wise, at the start of the year, and it took some time to get it together,” he said, noting many of the players had been together since novice.

“They really took it to heart – really took it seriously,” he said of the young coaching staff. “We videoed every game, and they spent a lot of time dissecting those videos and talking to players about certain things.”

Their hard work paid off.

“Everyone saw ... these things don’t come without effort, even on the coaching staff’s part.”

By last weekend’s tournament in Whitby, things had come together.

“We were a bit of an underdog, I would say, in that tournament, but we basically rolled right through it,” said Waechter, who’s son is part of the squad.

The team is hoping for a repeat performance the weekend of April 21 in what is expected to be an elimination format for the four visiting teams and the host squad in London.

The team is currently arranging some fundraising ideas. Anyone who would like to help support the Wildcats can contact Waechter via email at jasonw.d.w@gmail.com.

Spring is Here

Oh sure, there are moments when I get distracted by birds when she sends me out for the training dummy, but mostly, I’m getting the hang of it pretty well – especially when you consider that she’s not bribing me with treats anymore.

(I was putting on too much weight.)

Heeling off-lead is still a bit of a challenge for me, however – mostly because it is not easy to keep up with a young, athletic → GALEA 10

EMSF:

Planning is already underway for next year’s festival, the 60th fully in-person event came a few changes, with the biggest one being the relocation of the pancake venue to the Lions Hall from its previous location at the main mall, which Jessop said was a question mark for the committee going into the day.

“It worked extremely well. The lineup did get a little bit long at one point, however at the peak the line was still only about an hour’s wait to go from lining up to getting served. We were able to move a huge volume of people through the pancake venue,” he said.

The committee met Wednesday night to discuss how the day went and any improvements that should be made going forward.

“Like anything, there’s always points where you may want to rethink something a little bit, or make some slight adjustments. I think that the pancake venue as much as it was a success there were committee members that had figured that with even some slight adjustment, it could even be better next year. So I think that we’ll continue to work on that and, hopefully, we can exceed expectations next year,” Jessop explained.

In that vein, 2024 will mark the 60th anniversary of the festival, and the committee is already starting to prepare for it, Meyer said.

Jessop hinted at the possibility of forming a special committee to get alumni committee members involved, noting this year’s success was due to the support the committee received from volunteers and sponsors.

“It’s been fantastic to see and now that the ball is rolling again, we’ll just keep that up and let’s have a great long stretch of festivals to come,” he said.

“It was great to see all the excitement and the commitment that our community members have towards the festival. It was great to see the turnout. We look forward to hosting again in 2024 for our 60th,” Meyer added.

FLAIR: Report bolsters claims of economic development impact

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Flair also presented a report by the travel consulting firm InterVISTAS, which made several claims about the airline’s economic impact on Waterloo Region.

The report found the airline’s operations at YKF resulted in 188 full-time employees across the country at the end of 2022, including airport staff and third-party contractors. A further 226 tourism jobs were created in Waterloo Region. The report also claimed a total of $36.3 million in GDP contribution and $83.7 million in economic output.

ↆ MINOR SPORTS SCOREBOARD

WOOLWICH WILDCATS

■ U15BB

Apr/01/2023 vs Lasalle

Sabres

HOME: 4 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Carter Weir (2), Charlie Basler, William

Krubally

ASSISTS: William Krubally, Levi Adams, Declan Martin, Mac Zettel

■ U15BB

Mar/31/2023 vs Oshawa

Generals

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 5

■ U15BB

Mar/31/2023 vs Milton

Winterhawks White

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 3

English springer spaniel. On the plus side, I can honestly say that my recall is 100 per cent. When Rosie barks for me, I join her as quick as I can.

Most of these successes can be credited to Rosie being a very patient and skillful trainer. She has been consistent in her praise and in rewarding my successes. I particularly like when she barks, “Good boy” or scratches me behind my ears. The belly rubs are not too bad either.

Green Leaf Sponsors

AMI Attachments Inc.

Avis Car Rental

Bank of Montreal (BMO)

Bleacher Rentals

Bridgeland Terminals Ltd.

Contour Directional Drilling

Dr. L.S. Mohan Dentistry

Eldale Veterinary Clinic

Elliott Coach Lines

Foodland (Elmira)

Frey Building Contractors

Grand River Agricultural Society

Hoovers Maple Syrup

KDR Transport & Rentals

Kindred Credit Union

Lanxess

Long & McQuade (Waterloo)

Martin Mills Inc.

Martin Small Engines & Auto Clinic

Michael Harris MPP Kitchener-Conestoga

PC Riding Association

MRC Wireless

Pita Pit (Elmira)

Programmed Insurance Brokers Inc. (PIB)

Royal Bank (RBC)

St. Jacobs and Aberfoyle Model Railway Steed and Evans Limited

Stolz Sales & Services

Straightline Custom Flooring

TD Canada Trust

Tip Top Tents

Waterloo Central Railway WestLin Building & www.ElmiraMapleSyrupFestival.com

Of course, we have been training year-round. But spring is the ideal time to train because Rosie and I also get to work on water retrieves – which is the thing I need to improve on most before duck season. I still can’t get used to feathers in my mouth, but we are working on it.

Some people start their training a little later in the year, when the water is warmer, but I think that is a mistake.

I cannot overstress the importance of regular dog training for the outdoorsman. Even short lapses in training, such as our two-week break in March, can lead to both members

GOALS: William Krubally

ASSISTS: Declan Martin, Josh Wraight ■ U15BB

Mar/23/2023 vs Oakville

Rangers

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Carter Weir, Alex Vietch

ASSISTS: Mac Zettel

WOOLWICH WILD ■ U15B

Mar/19/2023 vs Grand River

Mustangs

HOME: 4 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Jaiden Radler, Katelyn Snider, Addison Searth, Lexi Weber of the human-dog team being confused about their roles.

For example, when we resumed our spring training exercises, I thought Rosie was the one who was supposed to retrieve, recall, and heel off leash. Two training sessions later, however, it all came back to me.

The trick with all training is to keep training sessions short because of the short attention span of the simple creature being trained. Typically, about 10-minute training sessions is the most Rosie can get out of me before my mind wanders.

Consistency is also important. If her bark commands or paw signals are not issued in the same way, I tend to get confused. It’s also important to keep the training sessions positive and fun, otherwise I tend to sleep in.

This training is not the be-all and end-all of how my pup and I are making the most of spring. But it is bringing us closer together and making us a cohesive team which should mean great things in the hunting season to come. But only if Rosie can break me from treeing squirrels.

The U15BB team played the Oakville Rangers for the Tri-County title March 23. One minute into overtime on a breakaway, the winning goal secured the boys the gold medal. Back row: head coach Mike Wraight, Mac Zettel, Alex Lloyd, Cohen Clemmer, Patrick Goetz, Thomas McCarthy, Harrison (Tuna) Hartwick, Jackson Kellough, Alex Veitch, Declan Martin, Grant Rintoul, asst. coach Mark Rintoul, Levi Adams, William Krubally, Adam Bloch, Luke Forbes, asst. coach Dan Weir. Front row: Charlie Basler, Mills DeVrieze, Sam Kruschat, Josh Wraight, Carter Weir, Mason Maurice, Trainer Vic Maurice. Submitted

Notice of Study Commencement and Public Consultation Center #1

Wellesley Water and Wastewater Master Plan Class Environmental Assessment

The Study:

The Village of Wellesley (Wellesley) lies in Wellesley Township, one of seven local municipalities in the Region of Waterloo (Region). The Region is responsible for the water and wastewater systems in Wellesley, as well as planning for new growth while meeting regulatory requirements. The Region is undertaking the Wellesley Water and Wastewater Master Plan (WWWMP) to plan for future needs to 2051 (see Figure for study area). The WWWMP will incorporate recent population forecasts, existing asset conditions, and identify new opportunities to maintain or upgrade the water and wastewater systems while considering climate change impacts. By including the water and wastewater components under a single master plan, integrated water management solutions may also be developed.

The Study Process:

The study will be carried out as a Master Plan in accordance with the Municipal Engineers Association’s (MEA) Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) Process (MEA 2000, as amended 2007, 2011, 2015), which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The study will follow MCEA Approach #2 for completing a Master Plan, which involves the preparation of the WWWMP at the end of Phases 1 and 2 of the MCEA process, while including sufficient supportive studies and investigations required to proceed to Phases 3 through 5. Approach #2 includes public and external agency consultation and an evaluation of alternative solutions.

Opportunities for Participation:

Consultation with interested parties, including the public, First Nations communities, municipal council, and technical or regulatory agencies, is an important part of the MCEA study process to identify areas of interest. Three virtual public meetings (public information centres) are planned throughout the study process to connect with the project team, learn about the study, and facilitate feedback. Join us for the first, virtual Public Consultation Center #1 is on Wednesday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m.

Upon completion of the study, a WWWMP report will be prepared and available for public review.

Project Information

If you would like more information regarding this project, visit regionofwaterloo.ca/wellesleywater. To receive email updates as the project progresses, and register for virtual Public Consultation Center #1, subscribe to engagewr.ca/wellesleywater. You can also contact us with any questions.

The U13A Woolwich Wild Girls hockey team are the 2023 Ontario Southern Champions. After defeating Cambridge and Owen Sound to claim their league title, the Wild eliminated St. Thomas and Burlington to advance to the Southern final on April 8 in Toronto. The Wild defeated the Barrie Sharks 3-1 to claim the championship. It was topped off with a traditional fire truck ride through town for players and coaches. Front row: Camryn Dewar, Rachel Heckendorn, McKenzie Rank, Audrey English, Lyla Naughton, Seryna Hessels, Ellie Clemmer. Back row: Stella Grundy, Megan Nixon, Sage Balog, Elle English, Taylor Rayfield, Addison Gunn, Elle Schwindt, Brynn Berfelz, Brinley Fitzgerald. Coaches Karen and Rod Martin, Kyle Grundy, and trainer Marylou Schwindt. Submitted

Kaoru

Yajima

Project Manager

Transportation and Environmental Services, Water Services Region of Waterloo 150 Frederick Street, 7th Floor Kitchener, ON N2G 4J3 KYajima@regionofwaterloo.ca

Tom Mahood Project Manager Jacobs

72 Victoria Street South, Suite 300 Kitchener, ON N2G 4Y9 tom.mahood@jacobs.com

All personal information included in a submission, such as name, address, telephone number, and property location, is collected, maintained, and disclosed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for the purpose of transparency and consultation. The information is collected under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act or is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public as described in Section 37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Personal information you submit will become part of a public record that is available to the general public unless you request that your personal information remain confidential. Questions regarding the collection of this information should be directed to Kaoru Yajima at the Region of Waterloo.

This Notice was first issued on April 6, 2023