ATOTK A Taste of the Kawarthas Summer 2024 issue

SUMMER 2024

A Taste of the KAWARTHAS

FOOD, SHOPPING & CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Burton Cummings

The Guess Who / Solo Artist He’s got his own way to rock!

Nick Gilder

Singer / Songwriter Sweeney Todd & Solo Career

PickleGate

in Peterborough

Bridgenorth

Happy 200th Anniversary!

Cottage Escapades

Entertaining Guests

Real Estate

Capital Gains How does it affect you?

Pet’s Corner

FREE PUBLICATION - PLEASE TAKE ONE

Preventing Dog Bites

OPEN DAILY

Footwear, Clothing, Swimwear, Accessories, Home Decor & More!

11 STORES

Sun-kissed styles for endless summer smiles!

STEP INTO SPRING IN STYLE!

Bigleyshoes.com | 39 Bolton Street, Bobcaygeon, ON | 705.738.2522

SU M M E R 2024

Contents PA L ATA B L E P L E A S U R E S 06. KICKIN’ RECIPES DIY Dogs

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08. CHEFS OF THE KAWARTHAS

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Glenn Ford, Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine

10. CAROL’S KITCHEN

Spaghettini W/Grilled Jerk Chicken & Black-Eyed Peas In Coconut Cream Sauce

13. WINE AND CHOCOLATE

Two of Jennifer’s Favourite Things

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LIFESTYLE 22. REAL ESTATE TALK

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Capital Gains: How Does It Work?

26. HOME INSPECTIONS Read the Fine Print!

28. HOME

Communities of a Community

30. DESIGN TIPS AND TRENDS Elevate Your Entertaining Game

34. ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE End of School Organizing

37. GARDENING

A Balanced Garden

42. WORKPLACE SAFETY Young Worker Safety

53. PETS CORNER

Tips to Prevent Dog Bites

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G E T O U T A N D P L AY 40. GLOBAL GETAWAY Olé Mole

49. BRIDGENORTH Happy 200th Birthday!

50. KAWARTHA ARTS FESTIVAL Back for the 35th Year!

54. ‘PICKLEGATE’ in PETERBOROUGH What’s Going On?

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F E AT U R E S 16. BURTON CUMMINGS The Guess Who & Solo Artist

38. THE GHOST IN THE ROOM Photography Exhibit by Heather Doughty

44. NICK GILDER

Sweeney Todd & Solo Artist

Online Interactive magazine with bonus video and photos at www.atasteofthekawarthas.com

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A note From the Editor

Summer! A time for outdoor activities, sunshine, beaches and cottaging. Just what the doctor ordered.

I never in my wildest dreams would think we would be interviewing Burton Cummings and Nick Gilder! My childhood music has come full circle! Two wonderful men who have had long careers doing what they love.

Their interviews are very informative. Get to know them as we have. For the online issue we have uploaded Burton’s full audio interview for your listening pleasure! Check it out!

As you may know, Picklegate is a thing in Peterborough. I’m lucky to call Sylvia Sutherland my friend, and she has graciously allowed us to print her column. Remember: It’s not the game, it’s the location! Our council seems to forget who they represent and we are covering it to remind them that we are not happy with certain decisions they have made.

Please don’t forget to support our advertisers and contributors. We only take on businesses that we approve of. Without them, there would be no ATOTK magazine.

As usual, we welcome your input and comments and love to hear from you! Keep on sending those emails!

We pride ourselves on not being an advertorial publication. We feature the PEOPLE who are connected to the Kawarthas.

Karen Irvine - Editor, Video Editor, Print Editor, Videographer, Photographer & Social Media Diva Email - atasteofthekawarthas@gmail.com Website - www.atasteofthekawarthas.com Facebook - A Taste of the Kawarthas Magazine Instagram - @atasteofthekawarthas Twitter - @atasteofthekaw1

Margaret Swaine Author, Travel, Wine, Golf, Spas & Spirits Columnist Travel & Spirits Editor Karen Laws Ontario Dog Trainer Danielle French South Pond Farms Robin Murray Home Inspections

Contributors Carol Turner Carol’s Kitchen Angela Beal Health & Safety Angela Jones Home Designer Jennifer Boksman Wine Specialist Vikki Whitney Gardening

Chef Brian Henry Chef Extraordinaire & ATOTK Food Editor Keeley Ward Real Estate Broker Jay Cooper Musician, Photographer & Graphics Designer Nicole Cooke Organized by Design

Publisher - Slither Productions Editor - Karen Irvine Creative Director - Jay Cooper Advertising Sales - (705) 772-8074 Email - atasteofthekawarthas@gmail.com

Photo Credits

Scott Cisco, Burton Cummings, Nick Gilder, Margaret Swaine, Kawartha Arts Festival, Motormation, Kevin McConkey, Barry Killen © 2024 by A Taste of the Kawarthas Magazine (ATOTK) is a free publication distributed locally an is supported by our advertisers. A Taste of the Kawarthas Magazine or Slither Productions do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

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Kickin’ Recipes

GETTING ALL

by Chef Brian Henry Culinary Editor www.thespiceco.ca www.chefbrianhenry.com

Owner of Angle Iron Kitchens & The Spice Co.

FIRED UP!

M y uncle Mike was a provincial meat inspector and butcher on the kill floor of abattoirs throughout Renfrew County. He was notorious for his witty euphemisms and colloquial language. For example, whenever he saw someone eating a hot dog, he would spew venom at them and say they were eating lips and assholes.

Hot dog history began in the 12th century when a German butcher began selling sausages in elongated buns in Frankfurt, Germany which is why “Frank” and “Frankfurter” became the original name for hot dogs. This inspired Austrian butchers to sell “Franks” in Vienna, which is known as “Wien” in German and morphed into the “Wiener”. When the Wiener and Frank came to North America they were often sold at sporting events as “Dachshund Sausages” which got shortened to “Hot Dog”.

Today wieners for the most part contain pork and are at best bland until smothered with your favorite toppings. Franks contain beef and are more strongly seasoned with a more desirable texture. Flavor and texture of Wieners and Franks can be influenced by how they are cooked which can be boiled, grilled, fried, or steamed.

Hot dogs are often dressed with a variety of condiments based on one’s own tastes - mustard and catsup being the two most popular condiments of choice.

Proper hot dog preparation dictates that one must dress the dog, not the bun by first applying all wet condiments like mustard and then pile the chunky or coarser toppings like onions or sauerkraut.

Summer is here, the days are hot and long. If you wish you can make your own hot dogs from scratch using the following recipe or visit one of our local butcher shops and use some of theirs.

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Chef Brian Henry is Owner of Angle Iron Kitchen in Lakefield, and The Spice Co. Best Damned Chef in The Kawarthas!

DIY DOGS INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. lean pork, cubed 3/4 lb. lean beef, cubed 1/4 lb. pork fat, cubed 1/4 cup very finely minced onion 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. freshly fine ground white pepper 1 egg white 1 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt, or to taste 2 tbsp. water

METHOD: Puree the onion, garlic, and paprika with the pepper, egg white, sugar, salt and water in a food processor and set aside. Separately grind the pork, beef and fat cubes using a coarse blade. Mix them together and grind them on a fine blade. Stir the seasonings into the meat. Refrigerate the mixture for one hour, and then grind it again. Prepare the casing by cutting 4 - 5 feet of casing and rinse it out with cool running water to remove the salt. Soak the casing for 45 minutes in a bowl of water and 2 tbsp. white vinegar. After soaking, rinse the casing again with cool running water.

Stuff the casings and twist them off into 6 inch lengths. Parboil the links in simmering water for 15 – 20 minutes before immediately transferring them to an ice water bath. Once cooled, remove hot dogs from water, dry them and refrigerate until you are ready to grill them up.

CHEFS OF THE KAWARTHAS Glenn Ford, Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine

By Karen Irvine

C atching up with Glenn Ford, the head chef at Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine at 227 Hunter St West in Peterborough, was a delight. Glenn and his wife, Saburah, were among my favorite stops on the now-disbanded A Taste of the Kawarthas food tours. Their kindness, warmth, and community spirit are truly inspiring. Originally from Trinidad, Saburah met Glenn in Canada in 1972, and they have enjoyed 55 years of marriage.

Glenn’s culinary journey began as a bush cook in the Caribbean. “We would buy a chicken leg and cook in the bushes. I learned by trial and error,” he recalls. “Food to me is about taste. As long as you make it taste good, that’s it. Any food can taste good.”

A love for roti since childhood fueled Glenn’s passion for perfecting the dish. He explains, “I always loved roti as a little kid, so I learned to make it.

That’s what made me a great roti maker. We keep learning and improving. When I first opened the restaurant, a customer asked why the food was nice but different each time. That’s when I realized consistency was key. We started focusing on perfecting one recipe.” He adds with a laugh, “When Saburah cooked, it tasted one way, and when I cooked, it tasted a bit different. We just had to ensure we had one recipe.”

Island Cream is renowned for its rotis, a staple in Caribbean cuisine, while Jamaican cuisine is famous for jerk chicken and ackee. Glenn highlights the use of Madras yellow curry in their dishes, differentiating it from the red curry used in Pakistani cuisine.

Despite many years in the business, Glenn’s passion for cooking remains undiminished. “I love cooking! You know your food is good when people want to take leftovers home. We serve the best quality food with fresh ingredients like coriander and onions.”

Generosity is a hallmark of their service. “People often say they get two or three meals from our 8

Photo Credit: Devon Prout Photography

portions. Our policy is to provide a full serving to every customer.”

Glenn and Saburah deeply appreciate their customers. “We could never have done this without people continuing to come in. We treat people the way we want to be treated.” Before COVID-19, they operated as a cash-only business.

Glenn recalls, “The first time I went there, I didn’t have any cash. Saburah simply told me to pay later. It builds trust and respect. Very few people would do that.”

Reflecting on life, Glenn shares, “Money is not life. Most people are honest. I come from the streets of the 60s. I’ve changed my life, and it’s a

www.facebook.com/ThemightyRoti (705) 743-8398

good thing. I hope people recognize our honesty, sincerity, and good quality food. Life is getting harder, and we all need enjoyment and a good plate of food.”

During COVID-19, their front window was smashed. A GoFundMe campaign covered the repair costs, and the surplus was donated to the food bank. About a year ago, a young man damaged their door, and a good Samaritan paid the repair bill anonymously. “We didn’t ask for anything. I had my own money, and someone paid for it. It made me so happy. When you live with goodness, it breeds goodness. We feel a sense of community here.”

Their reputation extends far and wide, attracting customers from Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. Glenn fondly recalls, “One lady, a teacher, used to come here before moving to Hong Kong. Her first stop from the airport was Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine. It’s a beautiful thing. The vibe is wonderful.”

Glenn and Saburah’s story is a testament to the power of good food, community spirit, and genuine kindness. Their commitment to quality and their customers has created a beloved culinary haven in Peterborough.

Carol’s Kitchen

By Carol Turner Instagram @carolturner9319

Spaghettini W/Grilled Jerk Chicken & Black-Eyed Peas In Coconut Cream Sauce

For a change from burgers and hotdogs, you may want to try this rich grilled chicken pasta dish. Bold flavours of Jamaican jerk seasoning and creamy coconut milk come together with fresh veggies and pasta for a uniquely satisfying dish. Try with a cold Red Stripe or your favourite Caribbean inspired cocktail or mocktail! Makes 4 generous servings For garnish: INGREDIENTS: 2 green onions, sliced Chicken: 1/4 cup sweetened toasted coconut 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts fresh thyme 2 tablespoons Jerk Seasoning (I use Spice Co. Reggae Rub) 2 limes, halved 2 tablespoons olive oil Parmesan cheese, sea salt & black pepper Sauce: 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium red onion, sliced 1 green pepper, sliced 1 400 ml tin full-fat coconut milk (I prefer Aroy-d brand) 1 cup chicken stock 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning (or to taste) 3/4 cup Black-Eyed Peas 375 g spaghettini

DIRECTIONS: 1. Mix together chicken breasts, olive oil and jerk spice & refrigerate minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight or use jerk marinated chicken breasts found at local butcher shops.

2. Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before preparing. Heat grill and cook chicken breasts, both sides, until cooked through and temperature registers 165 F. Do not overcook! Let chicken rest.

3. Prepare Sauce - Heat butter & olive oil over med/high heat then add red onion and green pepper. Increase heat and stir fry until beginning to soften, roughly 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium & add jerk spice. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until spice is incorporated into vegetables.

4. Add coconut milk, chicken stock & bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced. Add Black-Eyed Peas and heat through. Taste and season with salt & pepper.

5. Cook spaghettini until al dente, strain & add to sauce. (reserve 1C pasta water to loosen sauce if necessary) Continue to cook until sauce has thickened slightly.

6. Thinly slice chicken breasts and set aside.

7. To serve - divide spaghettini onto 4 plates and top with sliced chicken breasts. Garnish with green onion, toasted coconut, a sprig of fresh thyme and half a lime (lime juice adds a nice burst of freshness to this dish!)

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For more delicious recipes, follow Carol Turner on Instagram @carolturner9319

INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING CHOCOLATE STUDIO

50 CENTRE AVE WARKWORTH centreandmainchocolate.com

Photo credit: Valerie Wilcox

Two of My Favourite Things

Well, it's finally summer, I can tell as the Delphiniums have broken through the hard ground and birds are singing their little hearts out. We have chatted about

Intensity is also something to match. If you pair a dark-flavoured chocolate with a heavy, full-bodied red wine, the intensity of the red will fill you with

wine and food, types of wine varietals, red versus white, so let's add a new element to the conversation.

Chocolate! Yes, let's chat about chocolate.

delight!

However, pair a strong tasting chocolate with a

It all started in Latin America. The Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, were the first to turn the cacao plant into chocolate. They drank their chocolate during rituals and used it as medicine.

Centuries later the Mayans praised chocolate as the drink of the gods.

delicate wine and you will destroy the wine.

A true shame. Remember light flavoured chocolate pairs well light bodied wines and intense flavoured chocloate prefers to stand along with full bodied wines.

Fast forward a few centuries you now find the cacao tree grown by 40-50 million cocoa farmers in more than 50

Do avoid pairing Champagne with chocolate. Sounds romantic to the ladies, but truthfully the Champagne tends to be too dry and astringent to be

countries around the world! Who knew?

paired with chocolate.

Wine and chocolate have a lot of similarities believe it or not. For one,

Here is a simple and handy reference guide for you.

they are both considered aphrodisiacs

White

and they both contain antioxidants

Chocolate

pairs

well

with

(remember the Olmec and medicine?).

They are both derived from fruit and

Reisling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir,

fermented as part of the creation process. Also the terroir is important in the growing of grapes and cocoa. The climate, the soil, the terrain influence

Milk Chocolate pairs well with Petite Syrah, Sherry and Ruby Port.

the

fruity,

floral,

aromas found products.

earthy in

both

and

nutty

amazing

Beaujolais and Rose Port.

@needfulthings2021 15 Cambridge Street South Lindsay

705.878.2001

So how do wine and chocolate go together? Well, firstly they are 2 of the most amazing things on earth, yes I said that previously, but it bears repeating! Both bring joy to your senses in their own way, so why not pair them together?

But before you pop that cork and tear open that gorgeous box of chocolate there are a few things you should consider so you do not ruin the taste of both your treats.

Most pairings in life involve a balance, however, when it comes to matching chocolate and wine it is best to avoid opposites.

Dark Chocolate, my absolute favourite, pairs well Zinfandel, Shiraz, Grenache, Merlot , Pinot Sauvignon.

Noir

and

Cabernet

After many years of experimenting I prefer a dark chocolate with my wines. Full bodied reds are my "go to".

I am a creature of habit and do not wish to be disappointed when it comes to wine and chocolate. Find which pairing satisfies you the most. Since wine and chocolate truly are some of the best things in life it is fun to explore and see what your taste buds like the best.

At my little shoppe, Needful Things, 15 Cambridge Street S. Lindsay I have over 40 wines from around the world and have recently added Centre and Main Chocolate, made by the amazingly talented Chocolatier Angela Rouest of Warkworth, Ontario. Come and check us out!

Sweeter chocolate, like white chocolate is much better Thank you for reading, have a wonderful summer, hope to when served with sweeter wines and bitter, dark see you on my new patio. chocolate enjoys being paired with dryer wines. Best - Jennifer to choose a wine that is equally or slightly sweeter than the chosen chocolate.

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B U RTO N C U M M I N G S THE GUESS WHO & SOLO ARTIST

By Jay Cooper

Welcome to my special interview with the legendary musician, Burton Cummings. I had the privi-

lege of chatting with a music icon known for his powerful vocals and timeless songs. Join me as I delve into the fascinating career and insights of the one and only Burton Cummings!

Jay Cooper (ATOTK): After all the interviews I’ve ATOTK: I was thinking, prepping for this, what done, finally I get to talk to the voice of Canada, can I ask a man that has seemingly done everyMr. Cummings, thank you so much. thing, awards, platinum albums, Order of CanBurton (BC): Oh, goodness gracious. My hat ada, I mean, good God, you were a bachelor on size will be going up from compliments like that. The Dating Game (laughs).

Thanks for including me in the summer issue.

BC: Well, fortunately I didn’t win the dating ATOTK: Our honour Burton. Now, you’re no strang- game because I didn’t want to go on some date with someone, a stranger and be filmed. The reaer to The Kawarthas.

BC: Been there many times and it’s a beautiful son I was on The Dating Game, the other three place. I was in Peterborough doing a show there guys in the real Guess Who back then were marabout a year ago and we walked from the hotel, a ried but I was still single. Let’s put it this way, Jay, couple of us walked from the hotel down to a lake, there was no rock and roll and no pop music on and watched the swans taking off and landing and television then, except maybe one singer on the I got some beautiful pictures of myself with the Ed Sullivan Show once a week. So, they said we swans in the background. I have used them in dif- could be on The Dating Game if Burton would be ferent interviews and magazines and stuff. I have one of The Bachelors and they would let us lipa tremendous memory of Peterborough from that sync one of our songs. We went on The Dating particular visit. When I’m on the road, it’s hectic, Game and that whole episode started with us it’s crazy and you’re flying every day and dealing lip-syncing ‘She’s Come Undone’. Then I went on with the craziness of airports. I remember that af- to be bachelor number three and not get picked ternoon in Peterborough. I was able to calm down but the whole point of it was tremendous. Teleand collect myself and get ready for the show that vision exposure all over North America. So that’s night, it was great. I have a tremendous memory of how I ended up on The Dating Game (laughs).

Peterborough.

ATOTK: Seems like we had kind of the same upbringing. I started piano lessons at the age of five and I studied Conservatory of Music until I was 14.

BC: We have a lot of similarities in our upbringing.

My mom knew I was musically inclined because I would go and plunk around the family piano. She started me on lessons when I was five or six. I was never that great at reading music. I could play a lot of things by ear that I was hearing, on the radio. My heroes in the early days of my life were Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard. I loved the piano players that pounded the piano.

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ATOTK: I would like to clear up this Guess Who controversy. You and Randy have nothing to do with the current version of The Guess Who? BC: Absolutely. Except that, the fake Guess Who is using our songs. The songs that Kurt Winter and I wrote. The songs that I wrote. The Bachman-Cummings songs. We have nothing to do with that. That’s why the stoppage was put on the fake Guess Who using the real songs and it’s as simple as that. I don’t want to go into any more details because the lawyers are handling it, but the Guess Who, as they are called, it’s a fake name because it’s not the real Guess Who Continued on page 16

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“I was in Peterborough doing a show ...we walked down to a lake, and watched the swans.

It’s a tremendous place.” and they will never be able to perform those songs again under that name ever!

ATOTK: I’m in a Western Canada headspace right now because we featured The Stampeders and have Nick Gilder. The amount of music that came from there is incredible.

BC: I know Nick Gilder, he and I have become friends over the years. He’s a great guy. I knew the Stampedes too. We were around in the early days, The Guess Who and The Stampeders were very early when there wasn’t much of a Canadian music industry yet established, you know?

We even played shows together in the old days.

I’ve known of them for ages and they were one of the other early Canadian groups that cracked the American market. City Woman was huge in the States. I mean in those times, April Wine was around in the early days. We’re talking about the days when there wasn’t much of a Canadian music industry yet. So, we were very excited to be cutting records.

ATOTK: Your songwriting process is fueled by life experience, a lyric in your head, a riff you had?

BC: Well, let’s put it this way. When I was co-writing with Randy, in the early days, we would come to each other with pieces. Usually, we fit the pieces together rather easily and usually within half an hour or 45 minutes there was a song finished.

As far as my solo writing is concerned, I’m not one of these guys that says, let’s meet at noon and create something. It’s only five to 12, we can’t be creative yet. I’ve never said, let’s get together and write songs. I’ve never done that. I’ve never been one for jamming. Get together in a garage and play one chord for four hours. I was never one of those. I like to sit down and try and write songs. So once in a while, I’ll have a title. Once in a while, I’ll have an idea of a theme, let’s say, but most times I will sit down at the keyboard, let my hands start picking out chords and see where the 16

Feature & Cover Photos: HGTV Canada

vocals go.

ATOTK: Winnipeg - with 200 bands? That sounds insane to me in a remote area.

BC: Oh, it was remarkable. In the early 60s, Winnipeg was the rock and roll capital of Canada. It was the pop music capital of Canada. Toronto was all R&B at that time. Vancouver was basically folky so there wasn’t much going on in Vancouver, Alberta, Calgary, and Edmonton hadn’t produced any artists yet. I think when we cracked with ‘These Eyes’, originally 68 and 69, Winnipeg was pretty remote. Randy and I especially in the early days, were glued to the radio in Winnipeg. There were three major stations and they were playing everything. We were exposed to a lot of different styles and genres that crept into the songwriting.

Continued on page 18

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BURTON CUMMINGS Continued from page 16

ATOTK: When did you realize your songwriting was connecting?

BC: We dreamt about being songwriters and having a big record. We never imagined anything as ‘These Eyes’ zooming up the charts as it did. Let me tell you another thing, that was thrilling for Randy and me. The same year that our Guess Who ‘These Eyes’ charted, Junior Walker and the All Stars put it out on Motown and had an R&B hit with it the same year, 1969. So, we did a show one-time with Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Junior Walker and the All-Stars and The Guess Who and this was in Boston back in 69. Randy and I took the time to find Junior Walker’s bus, go into his bus give him a big hug shake his hand and say, “Hey man, we’re the guys that wrote ‘These Eyes’ and we’re thrilled that you did it”. For Randy and me, a couple of white boys from the north end of Winnipeg, to have one

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of Motown’s major stars, cut a song we wrote and have it zoom up the charts and Walker’s version went Top 20 in Billboard the same year as ours did. So as a couple of young songwriters from Winnipeg, I think that was pretty remarkable.

ATOTK: In 1970 Randy left The Guess Who and you added two guitar players.

BC: Randy had a completely different lifestyle at the time. He had become a Mormon. A serious, practicing Mormon, so he wouldn’t even take an aspirin or have a Coca-Cola, a Pepsi or a cup of coffee. He was extreme when he first got married and turned Mormon. He didn’t like travelling with the band. You know and we drank a little bit and smoked a little bit. We weren’t crazy, but we certainly weren’t Buddhist monks. Randy wasn’t going along with any of that. So, he left.

We got Greg and Kurt from Winnipeg because

“I’m so proud that I have co-written and written some songs that will be on the radio forever. Very proud.” we thought that was the best place to go to recruit guitar players. Kurt Winter entered the band and he and I became songwriting partners. Kurt also brought ‘Hand Me Down World’ and ‘Bus Rider’. Two great songs that he had written previously. When Randy left, we just kept on going, then I came up with ‘Share the Land’ and that ended up being a Monstrous hit record for us. ‘Share the Land’ ended up being the biggest album The Guess Who ever had even though Randy was gone. Let’s be honest, it was in the wake of the success of ‘American Woman’, which had been worldwide. I’m just trying to put the proper perspective on everything here.

ATOTK: In 1975, that was the end of The Guess Who, you went solo. Was it a bit intimidating for you or just another day?

BC: The band folded in ‘75, that was it. No, it wasn’t just another day. I was scared, you know, we had

all known Neil Young as teenagers in Winnipeg.

That’s where he grew up and got into his first band. He had a band called The Squires when I was in The Devrons. Teenagers at this point in Winnipeg and Neil left early. He went to Toronto and then after being in Toronto for a while, he went to LA. and ended up in Buffalo Springfield, which was fabulous. Randy and I had known Neil as teenagers, and we were thrilled for him that Buffalo Springfield had ended up being so big.

Then we heard that Neil left and went solo. So, I always followed that very closely and when I left and went solo, I likened myself to what Neil Young had done and I was hoping the same thing would happen to me because Neil had tremendous solo success. I was scared, but I was willing to throw my hat in the ring and try.

Continued on page 20

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BURTON CUMMINGS Continued from page 19

ATOTK: How can you win Best New Vocalist and Male Vocalist of the Year all in one night? That’s like two different generations?

BC: That was funny when that happened. I was up for best new male vocalist because I was a new solo artist but also up for best male vocalist. After all, I had been on the radio for years and years. I was up for both categories and I ended up winning both categories. When I was asked to come up a second time to win Best Male Vocalist, what came out of my mouth was impromptu. I looked in the camera and said “Don’t ever let anybody tell you that things don’t happen fast in Canada because in 60 minutes I went from best new male vocalist to best male vocalist of the year. I don’t even know where that came from, it just came out of my mouth, but I think it was appropriate (laughs).

ATOTK: Like many other artists in successful bands that break up, it always comes back to their origins.

In your case, The Guess Who reunion.

BC: Yeah, we’ve had a couple of reunions where some of the original guys got together again but it’s all about the songs, the songs will never go away and I’m so proud that I have co-written and written some songs that will be on the radio forever. Very proud.

ATOTK: You were in Ringo Starr’s all-star band.How did that happen?

BC: Yeah, that was tremendous. What a band that was. We had four guitar players, two drummers, and six or seven singers. There was nothing we couldn’t do. It was great. They contacted us. When Ringo decides to do an all-star gig tour, his people get a hold of who he wants to see if they want to come and do it. When we toured it was on guitar, Joe Walsh, Todd Rundgren, Dave Edmonds and Nils Lofgren and we had Ringo and his son Zach on drums. I mean it was a terrific band.

ATOTK: Let’s talk about your solo band, The Carpet Frogs.

BC: They’ve been performing quite a while as The Carpet Frogs and they used to do a lot of Guess Who 20

stuff. One night somebody took me to see them, and they said, “Hey Burton, we do some of your stuff, would you like to come up?” I went up and did ‘Hang On To Your Life’, ‘Hand Me Down World’, or ‘Share the Land’. It felt really good. One thing led to another, they ended up being my band. 20 years we’ve gone all over the place. We played in Hawaii two or three times, every province, all over the States. We’re a real band now. It’s the Burton Cummings Band.

ATOTK: Can you name the best gig you’ve ever done?

BC: Yes, there was a night when I was still in The Devrons way back in 1965 in Winnipeg. It was the height of Beatle mania, British invasion time. First on the show was The Devrons, second was Chad Allen and the Expressions, which turned into The Guess Who later and the headliners were Jerry and the Pacemakers. That was the night that Randy Bachman saw me in front of a big crowd.

I think they already knew Chad Allen was going to leave their band, their lead singer. So that was the night I think that they kind of decided they were going to get me because it was 25,000 people in Winnipeg in the sixties. It was a huge deal.

There were big inch-thick guard ropes to keep the crowd back from the stage. I’ll never forget that night, it was great.

ATOTK: Worst gig ever like the spinal tap puppet show bad?

BC: That’s funny you should ask this as back in my days in The Devrons, my first band. We used to play at a place downtown in Winnipeg called Rainbow Dance Gardens. We used to play there sometimes on a Saturday afternoon because we always played on Saturday nights somewhere.

For young teenagers, an extra gig in the afternoon was very special. One afternoon we played there and didn’t get a guarantee, but they said we could have 50 percent of the door receipts.

That afternoon, I think four people showed up.

So it was about 50 cents to get in, it was two

bucks gross, so we got half of it, so we got a buck.

There were five of us in the band, so I think we got 20 cents a piece that day. It wasn’t exactly Madison Square Garden (laughs).

ATOTK: What do people not know about you?

BC: I tell you I’m a collector. I have a huge music collection, almost 500,000 mp3s in my big tower. I have an endless library of music and collected comic books when I was younger. I’m a huge NBA fan. I follow basketball very closely and I’m thinking maybe this year it could be the Celtics. The Celtics are looking pretty good. Forever I will follow the NBA. ATOTK: I see you’re playing Rama on Canada Day. Is that the start of your tour?

BC: We’re going to be busy this summer and into the fall. We’re playing a lot of shows coming up. I always

look forward to Casino Rama, especially on Canada Day, because that’s become a big event for me now, a special thing. We are coming to The Kawarthas also no worries! Our band is cooking, it’s rocking it’s hot. We’ve been together a long time now, and we’re enjoying the live shows.

Looking forward to seeing all our fans who have followed the music for so many years.

ATOTK: Thank you so much, Burton. Anything else to add?

BC: I want to say thanks for following the music for so many years. I still love being on the radio.

I’ve never gotten over that thrill. I’m proud to be with these other tremendous artists who have made recordings that are going to last forever.

When we’re in The Kawarthas, please come say hello and we’ll get a picture together, Jay.

Burton’s website www.burtoncummings.com FaceBook - Burton Cummings

Instagram - @burtoncummings

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Real Estate Talk

Capital Gains, How Does it Work?

By Keeley Ward, KIC Realty Brokerage 905-449-0784 www.KeeleyWard.com

Effective June 25, 2024 there will be changes to how Capital Gains Taxes are calculated and some of

us will be affected, Capital Gains is not something new, it has been a part of our financial picture for many years. There is a lot of misinformation floating around, and the media seems to thrive on scaring the heck out of the general public. The biggest questions we hear is this: Effective June 25, 2024, there will be changes to BUT WAIT! It gets better! You may be eligible for how Capital Gains Taxes are calculated and some of deductions on this sum! If you spent any money us will be affected, Capital Gains is not something improving, renovating, or repairing the asset, as new, it has been a part of our financial picture for well as the cost of selling the asset (the commission many years. There is a lot of misinformation float- you paid to your realtor and your legal fees), these ing around, and the media seems to thrive on scar- amounts can be deducted from the sum. You will ing the heck out of the general public. The biggest require proof of these expenses to be able to qualify questions we hear is this: them. For this example, let’s discuss that you paid “I’ve lived in my home for 30 years and will sell it out $30,000 for updates and renovations (that you when I retire, but will I have to pay these Capital have receipts for) and your selling costs totalled Gains Taxes I am hearing about?” NO! You do NOT $47,000 you would be eligible to deduct a further currently pay Capital Gains Taxes on the sale of $77,000 from the taxable amount leaving you with a “Taxable Capital Gain” of $81,350 and this amount your personal residence!!! (there are exceptions). would then be added to your taxable income.

Personal Capital Gains Taxes are paid when you profit from selling certain assets such as rental You would be charged income tax on this final properties, cottages and summer residences, busi- amount of $81,350 and NOT the original $300,000. nesses and investments that are not held in ac- Think you can beat this? Think again… counts where they are tax exempt.

Many are thinking that if they simply “transfer” the property to their children they can dodge this bulWhat exactly is a Capital Gain?

It is when you sell (or, in some cases transfer) an let. Think again! If you transfer your asset to your asset for a profit. You purchased your cottage for family member, YOU would still be responsible for $500,000 and you then sold it for $800,000 the the same capital gains tax based on the value of profit of $300,000 is the Capital Gain. False news that asset at the time of transfer. Not only that, but reports would have you believe that you owe that your family member would also be responsible for (or 50% of that) to the Government! You do NOT! the Land Transfer Taxes which are calculated on the current market value of the property at the time of That is where the tax calculations begin! transfer. *EXEMPTIONS MAY APPLY* Here is an example of how the Capital Gain of How much income tax you will owe at the time $300,000 would be calculated: The first $250,000 of your capital gain is calculated of filing is dependent upon your own personal situation, your income level, etc. This information at 50% which would be $125,000. should be considered general information and the The amount over $250,000 of your capital gain (in author does not qualify herself as an Accountant. It this example $50,000) is calculated at 66.7% which is recommended you speak to an Accountant about would be $33,350. your personal situation. Business sales and some The total of these sums would be a net Capital investments are also calculated differently than real property and you will want to have that conversaGain of $158,350. tion with your trusted financial representative.

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keeley video

Home Inspections Read the Fine Print!

By Robin Murray Homespect Home & Property Inspections

(905) 449-2786 www.homespect.ca

While looking at homes with your Realtor, you saw a home that you think may be ‘the one’ but it is not serviced by Municipal sewer systems - it has a Septic System. What do you need to know.

A septic system is an on-site sewage disposal system commonly used in areas without municipal sewage systems.

Septic systems will commonly have 2 components: Septic Tank: Wastewater from the house flows into a septic tank. The tank separates solids (sludge) from liquids (effluent). Bacteria in the tank break down the materials in an anaerobic process. The pipes running from the home to the tank, and from the tank to the leach field are non-perforated.

Leach Field (Drain Field): The partially treated effluent flows from the tank into the leach field. This field consists of perforated pipes buried in gravel trenches. Bacteria in the soil further purify the effluent before it returns to the environment.

Maintenance and Tips Walk around the septic system and keep an eye out for any areas around the tank where the grass is significantly more lush or dense than other areas of the yard. A leaking tank provides ample nutrition for plant life and can also give off strong sewage smells. However, in most cases, it will be difficult to find any leaks in the tank because the tank is buried underground.

The best time to check for leaks in the septic tank

is when it is being pumped, so if your technician doesn’t already include a leak inspection in their process, ask if they would be able to perform this task while they are pumping the tank. At this point, it’s also a good idea to inspect the interior baffles to make sure that they are not missing, broken, or deteriorated.

It is recommended that you have your tank pumped every 3 to 5 years or more depending on the system and usage. The average cost to pump is typically $300-$500.

Here are some tips to get the most from your system.

Use Water Efficiently. This will prevent overloading the system and possibly washing away the bacteria needed to break down waste.

Properly Dispose of Waste. Ensure that what is going down the drain is not going to clog the pipes, or the system and that it can easily travel to the tank for processing. Break down food items, or dispose of larger pieces in a Compost container so that they don’t enter your system at all.

Maintain Your Leach Field. Ensure that you do not drive heavy machinery or vehicles over the leach field. Although your leach bed is buried underground you can damage the drainage system causing breakage and blockages which can cause costly repairs.

A properly maintained septic system is expected to last anywhere from 15 to 40 years or more with proper maintenance. A Home Inspector can only inspect the elements that are visible including the pumping systems inside the home and perform a walk-around of the tank and leach field areas. A complete inspection of a septic system can only be done before and after pumping the tank to ensure that the system and baffles are working properly and not damaged or missing and that nothing is affecting the integrity of the tank itself.

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HOME Communities of a Community

by Danielle French South Pond Home www.southpondfarms.ca @howyouplaythegame Podcast

Every town, no matter how small or large, is made up of communities. Some were born and raised there,

and some who have settled from other places. I am someone from away, arriving here in Canada from Vermont, falling in love at University and finding my home first in Montreal, then in Toronto, moving to Pontypool to raise my daughters and to start a business and now in Peterborough watching my daughters grow and find their own lives and building a new community.

Peterborough was never going to be a destination for us but we fell in love with a home. We moved in and moved into a new community. I wasn’t as aware of what community was and how important it was to me until I had children. Other mothers became friends forming the basis of most all my relationships and I am sure, as it does so for many. My mother and father lived far away and I was essentially on my own figuring out how to be a parent. My friends were my support system. Later, when I started my business, South Pond Farms in a small hamlet of Ontario, I started from scratch again, seeking out others for friendship and business camaraderie. It was important in my business to find people who shared my interest in food, farming, flowers, and connecting to the land. Those people became my community and gave me a sense of belonging.

Here in town, my community was formed by talking to the “porch sitters” nearby. Fortunately, it was summertime and while out walking the dogs, I was amazed to find my neighbours sitting on their porches, enjoying a refreshment or early morning coffee, watching the people and scenery. Of course, one says hello and so it begins. Not too many, if anyone, sat on their front porches in my neighbourhood in the city and in the country, houses were few and far between. One thing I noticed as I got to know them, was that a few of my neighbours grew up in their homes or even more, were brought up in homes built by their grandparents. I am a lover of history and how people get to where they are. I had to find out more about these families that lived here all of their lives.

My friend Francine’s family, originally named Gosselin, was from Quebec. Her great-great grandfather, François and his wife Harriet arrived here in Peterborough along with others from Quebec, drawn by 28

employment in the lumber industry. The lumber industry flourished around the Kawartha Lakes in the 19th century, using dams and chutes to float wood down to Lake Ontario for shipment to England and other parts of Europe. Little Lake was a stop on the pass and François Gosselin found work at the Peterborough Canoe factory on Little Lake.

In the late 1860’s, there were over 250 families from Quebec. They worked in the lumber mills, ran bakeries, ice cream shops, butcher shops, clothing stores, factories, livery stables. The Canoe factory made cedar strip and rib construction canoes which were shipped throughout Ontario and even to Europe. One of François’ sons, Joseph had 13 children and at the turn of the century, needed a house to settle in and provide for his large family. His original house is near my own and is one of the oldest houses on Crescent Street. As their children grew, they needed more housing and he built two more houses next door. These homes are still standing, owned and lived in by Francine and her husband Bob. I love that she can trace her physical roots to where she brought up her own children and can remember skating on Little Lake when she was young, swimming out front of her house and watching the area around her grow.

Having your ancestors all live in your house, one accumulates things. There are old tools, beautifully and meticulously maintained for the various trades her relatives worked, leather, wood, tool and die. Francine’s great-grandfather opened a butcher shop on George Street just near the Canada Packers plant where the Holiday Inn now stands. According to receipts Francine found in her attic, he seemed to change his name slightly to J. Goselin, perhaps in an attempt to fit into the Anglo community.

“I was amazed to find my neighbours sitting on their porches, enjoying a refreshment or early morning coffee, watching the people and scenery.”

Unfortunately, the logging companies, the meat packers and later GE, dumped much of their waste in Little Lake causing the waterways to clog and become polluted.

in the derecho storm of 2022. At the other end of Crescent Street, is Little Lake Cemetery, established in 1850 on Mole’s Point. Mature, old trees were also knocked over in the Little Lake cemetery.

The Gosselins were in good company with other French families in the area. The Noel LaPlantes, a significant Quebec family in Peterborough built a stately brick house at 87 Lock Street. Its front door stone steps were used by Wilifrid Laurier who, folklore has it, while campaigning at the end of the 1890s, that as he stepped onto the porch, one of the stone steps leading to the house broke. This step is on the front lawn of the house that I walk by with the dogs almost every day.

While these large homes are a testament to the beauty of historic Peterborough, growing up and living in the home of your ancestors is rare in these times when many leave communities and their families, starting new communities and families often far away. Transition and change are part of our community. Our home stands architecturally beautiful but much different from the streetscape. Change must happen to attract new people from all over the world, just like what François was searching for when he moved 130 years ago. It’s what makes communities interesting and lively, and connects us.

Just down the street from us is a prominent home built by Charles Ware in 1871, this home is considered to be one of the oldest buildings in the Crescent Street area. Its huge trees were a feature of the lawn and garden and many, sadly, were decimated

Photo: Barry Killen

Credit: Francine and Bob Williams, Peterborough Museum and Archives, Trent Valley - French Community in Peterborough, E Jones and P Moore No. 3 November 2014, Heritage Designation, City of Peterborough, Ancestry, J Gosselin

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DESIGN TIPS & TRENDS COTTAGE ESCAPADES: Elevate Your Entertaining Game

As the warm sunrays dance upon the tranquil waters of the lake, the cottage comes alive with laughter

and joy. Hosting guests at your summer retreat is a delightful affair, filled with opportunities to create unforgettable moments. Let’s delve into how you can enhance your summer entertaining experience at the cottage with thoughtful touches and creative setups.

1. Guest Room Set Up Welcoming guests to your cottage is a true pleasure, where every detail matters. Imagine the cozy comfort of extra housecoats and slippers awaiting them, along with a beautifully arranged basket filled with essentials like spare toothbrushes and care packages. This is the perfect way to let your guest know you love having them and adds a touch of love.

2. Lake/Boating Towel Bin By the back door, a charming towel bin beckons with its contents—extra towels for a spontaneous dip in the lake, sunscreen for sun-kissed adventures, flip-flops for easy transitions, and all the essentials for a perfect day on the water. This can be a fun way to colour match the towels, and flip flops, and ease the need for searching for towels.

3. Breakfast Area for Early Risers For those early risers eager to embrace the day, a well-prepared breakfast area awaits. A coffee bar brimming with aromatic blends, a selection of teas, and clear instructions on the coffee maker, alongside a delightful spread of cereals, yogurts, and freshly baked muffins. What an impact this will make with your guests while being convenient for the host.

4. Campfire Basket As dusk settles and the stars twinkle above, a cozy campfire basket stands ready. Extra blankets for warmth, bug spray to keep pesky insects at bay, citronella candles casting a soft glow, a trusty lighter, and a kit complete with marshmallow sticks for fireside delights - the perfect way to end a day at the cottage.

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5. Welcome Chalkboard Sign A whimsical welcome chalkboard sign greets arriving guests, listing their weekend abodes, Wi-Fi details, and a colourful schedule of events—from sunrise breakfasts to sunset campfires, ensuring everyone is in sync and ready for the fun ahead.

6. Games Area Setup In a designated corner, a treasure trove of entertainment awaits. Books, puzzles, and games cater to all ages, while a vibrant array of activities beckons, from colouring stations to outdoor games and crafts, ensuring endless hours of amusement for all.

7. Cottage Handbook for Guests Welcome to your lakeside paradise! In this playful little handbook, you’ll find helpful notes on operating the hot tub, locating boating supplies, and departing gracefully. As your guest list grows longer than the shoreline, a little assistance goes a long way. Guests are delighted to pitch in; a simple guide ensures everyone is on the same page.

8. Extra Fridge Space Area Ah, the communal fridge space—where coolers and culinary delights converge in a symphony of snacks and goodies. Whether it’s a garage hideaway or a makeshift mudroom, this designated area solves the age-old question: “Where do we stash all this food?”

A humorous touch to a common dilemma, ensuring your guests’ treats have a happy home.

9. Enjoying Quality Time Amidst the hustle and bustle of hosting, remember to savour the moments. Prepped snacks, precut veggies, and the occasional potluck contribution from guests streamline your hosting experience, allowing you to relax and relish the company.

“The perfect way to let guests know you love having them - add a touch of Love.”

By Angela Jones, Owner & Principal Designer of Lakeshore Designs 705-748-3875 | 2968 Lakefield Rd, Selwyn, ON www.lakeshorehd.ca

10. Theme It Up! As you bask in the joy of summer entertaining at the cottage, consider infusing a theme into your décor to elevate the experience. Whether it’s a nautical boat theme, a tropical Hawaiian ambiance, or a simple colour story like red and white for Canada Day, incorporating elements like themed decorations, pillows, cushions, and towels can enhance the overall atmosphere of your cottage and summer entertainment.

Embrace the spirit of fun and creativity and create lasting memories with loved ones.

Lakeshore Design video

R& J Machine Marine Docking & Lift Solutions

1601 Eighth Line, Lakefield, ON K0L 2H0 • 705.652.6731

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rjmachine.ca

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED IN LAKEFIELD SINCE 1976

KATVA video

ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE End of School Organizing

Nicole Cooke Organized by Design

We’re in the final stretch of the school year, which is a very busy time for families! School is ending,

but summer activities and vacations are beginning. Here are some tips I have used to survive the hectic school year-end.

GIFTS FOR TEACHERS Teachers do not need more mugs and candles. If you choose to give small gifts of appreciation to teachers, daycare providers and bus drivers, small plants are an easy, environmentally friendly and cost-effective gift. I have also made strawberry jam and muffins for year-end gifts that were appreciated by the school staff!

LUNCHBAGS & BACKPACKS Empty all bags as soon as possible at the end of June. If they are still in good shape, throw them in the washing machine and hang to dry so they are ready to go again in the fall or donate them. If they are falling apart, dispose of them now.

PAPER CLUTTER Purge any school paperwork. Agendas, permission forms, school calendars and notebooks can all be recycled. Take photos of any special artwork and dispose of the originals. If you want to keep a few drawings or paintings for sentimental reasons, create a file system or memory box so you can keep them organized.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES If your child has brought home pencils, crayons, rulers and other school supplies that can be used next year, put them in a small box marked “School Supplies”. Store them in a closet or somewhere easy to find. Keeping these reusable items is good for the environment and reduces time and costs during the busy back-to-school season in August.

PLAN SUMMER ACTIVITIES Confirm bookings for any summer camps or activities for your children. Now is the time to shop for any equipment the children may need for their summer activities. Don’t wait until the night before to run around town looking for soccer cleats!

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Facebook: Organized by Design Instagram: @organized_by_design_ nicole@organizedbydesign.co www.organizedbydesign.space

DAYCARE Make sure all daycare arrangements are set so there are no unexpected adjustments that need to be made to your own work schedule during the summer. We often booked two teenagers for the summer to mind our children. We divided the schedule between them so they had some time off to spend with friends or go on family vacations. We never once had one back out at the last minute and leave us hanging!

Happy Organizing and have a great summer!

Fisher video

Photo by Barry Killen

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Griffins Greehouses video

GARDENING A Balanced Garden

By Vikki Whitney Griffin’s Greenhouses www.griffinsgreenhouses.com

For beauty and economy, a good garden has a collection of perennials. However, a great garden has a balanced combination of perennials and annuals. How to strike that mix? It’s not as difficult as you think!

Our modern homes are NOT friendly for house plants.

We turn on our furnaces for our own comfort or heat with wood (very dry heat), have air tight windows and doors (energy conservation) and new windows have low-E glass emitting VERY little sunlight in, especially the weak winter sun.

When assessing your garden space, take into consideration what is already there and try to work with that. An evergreen that you like on the corner? Great!

Psstt…if you don’t like it or it is getting tired and unable to be trimmed or cared for, now is the time to remove it. Look for other larger shrubs or large perennials already existing in the garden. They provide anchors to draw the eye in; in perfect formation, they are in odd numbers (1, 3, 5) for overall balance, but if you have two, there is no need to dig up and stress the plants with moving – work with what you have! If it’s a new, empty space, then consider three (or more) flowering shrubs, like the beautiful panicle Hydrangea (cone shaped blooms) or colourful Ninebark, na-

tive shrub honeysuckle Diervilla or Weigela as your anchors. Many of these shrubs are now offered as dwarf versions so they will not overtake your space.

A good garden centre will have choices for you.

With the anchor plants in place, supplement the garden with perennials. Consider the environmental factors, like sun/shade/wind and your soil conditions (don’t suffer with bad soil – fix it with compost). Perennials such as rudbeckia, coneflowers, astilbe, Russian sage, nepeta, liatris, and asclepias are wonderful additions.

Since most perennials and flowering shrubs do not bloom all Summer, adding in annuals will give your garden pops of colour from May to October as your perennial blooms ebb and flow. Great annual choices include: sunpatiens, trailing petunias, begonias, shade impatiens, zinnias, “Victoria Blue” salvia, marigolds and dahlias. Dot these between the perennials and flowering shrubs for a garden with harmony, balance and beauty.

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The Ghost In The Room Exhibit

A photography exhibit that sheds light on how women of a certain age often feel invisible in society’s eyes In our society, ageism is a widespread issue that often goes unnoticed. We live in a youth-centric world where aging women often feel invisible. However, it’s important to remind ourselves that beauty knows no age limit. Older women are just as beautiful as their younger counterparts, and it’s time we celebrate that.

The Ghost In The Room Exhibit is a statement that it’s time to shift our perspective and recognize that aging should not be seen as a flaw but as a testament to the strength and resilience of every woman.

Age brings with it a unique wisdom, grace, and beauty that is unmatched. It’s not about trying to turn back the clock; it’s about embracing the present moment and seeing the beauty in it.

A collaborative exhibit with photographer Heather Doughty, Dan Joyce Clothing, Illumeroom and Beauty by Leigh. heatherdoughtyphotography@gmail.com 38

Society has long equated youth with beauty. We are bombarded with images of young, flawless faces all around us. But let’s not forget that beauty comes in different forms and ages. The lines on a woman’s face or the gray strands of hair are not imperfections to hide, but rather subtle reminders of a life well-lived.

Photos:KATVA

This exhibit encourages you to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of our ghosts,the wisdom gleaming from their eyes, and the beauty that radiates from within. Let’s celebrate the power and beauty of women at this stage of life, and remember that no one should ever disappear with age.

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global GETAWAY Olé Mole!

by Margaret Swaine

Columnist and Author www.margaretswaine.com

Where is that in Mexico? Why there? Which ocean is it on? People

were curious when I said I was heading to Puebla for the week. It’s a city about 130 kilometres southeast of Mexico City, and while it’s not near any body of water, it does have considerable charms, fantastic food and historic buildings. It’s also most likely where mole sauce originated (with some debate that Oaxaca holds the honours).

Chef Margarita Zavaleta Cortes at Casa Reynaa

Mole sauce is uniquely Mexican – there are now more than 300 versions of it – and it tends to be a love it or hate it kind of food. I love it. Basically a thick, strongly flavoured sauce, it has its roots in pre-Hispanic Mexico and was commonly poured over turkey during Aztec festive occasions.

Today you can find it blanketing chicken, pork, stuffed peppers, fish and well just about anything in Mexico. However it’s notoriously time consuming to make so I’ve rarely found it offered outside of the country.

Chicken supreme dish at Casona de Maria

Some recipes call for over 30 ingredients: always various chili peppers (such as ancho, pasilla, and chipotle), nuts, spices, seeds, and possibly fruits, raisons, plantain, onion, chocolate, garlic and much more. After being roasted, charred or deep fried, the ingredients are ground up together into a paste or powder. When it’s time to make the sauce, broth is added and all is simmered together. Pipian mole contains pumpkin seeds and is green in hue while mole blanco (white) often has (skinless) peanuts or almonds and white chocolate. The classic two moles, poblano from Puebla and mole nero from Oaxaca contain dark chocolate and are deep brown, complex and spicy.

In Puebla I was joining Les Dames d’Escoffier Mexico Chapter for their annual food focussed tour. Les Dames are a great group of ladies, all involved in one way or another in the food and beverage field. Some own restaurants or wineries, work for distillers, are caterers and chefs, or like me write about it all. Every meal promised to be not only a treat but a learning experience.

Casona de Maria located in Analco, first populated by the Tlaxcalteca, is one of seven indigenous neighbourhoods whose settlers helped build the City of Puebla. The house, now a hotel and restaurant, once belonged to the blacksmiths who forged the bell of the Poblana cathedral in the 17th century. Chef Victor Rosas served us a memorable dish of chicken supreme in a crust of pumpkin blossom spread in hibiscus mole with ancho and pasilla chili on risotto with huitlacoche (corn fungus – a mushroom like delicacy).

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Talavera pottery

At Casa Reyna, which won the “best hotel restaurant in the country” award in 2018, Chef Margarita Zavaleta Cortes created a family style

“A silent group of nuns created mole for the first time.” meal with traditional dishes including ‘dry’ sopa de fideo (tomato noodle soup), chicken tinga (shredded chicken in tomato chipotle sauce), green and red chicken pipian (the red mole is coloured with chilis) and mixiote a pit-barbequed meat dish cooked in the outer skin of an agave leaf.

Chef Liz Galacia is one of Puebla’s best chefs and has represented the city at major international culinary events. At her restaurant Salon Mezcalli we enjoyed chile en nogada, which are poblano peppers stuffed with a mixture of ground meat, fruits and spices, and topped with a walnut based cream sauce and pomegranate seeds.

La Colecturia is venue that once was the most important economic and financial centre in Latin America exerting influence over seven states in the Mexican Republic from Oaxaca to Veracruz. In the early 18th century the Bishopric of Tlaxcala-Puebla used this property to store tithes in kind – grains and seeds – it collected as tributes from the people. Among the dishes we had here was tamal inverso, made with pork loin, corn paste and pumpkin flower and topped with red pipian mole.

Along with our gastronomic education, we also learned about other highlights of the area. Puebla is famous for Talavera pottery, a type of majolica or tin-grazed earthenware developed by craftsmen in the 16th century.

Brought to Mexico by the Spanish in the first century of the colonial period, Puebla’s golden age of Talavera pottery was from 1650 to 1750. Colours must be made from only natural pigments and only natural clays (not chemically treated or dyed) are used. The handcrafting process takes three to four months. Since 1997 only Puebla is allowed to use the Talavera designation in Mexico and only nine workshops have government certification.

The International Museum of the Baroque, opened in 2016, was designed by Pritzker Prize winning Japanese architect Toyo Ito. It’s filled with paintings, sculptures, installations and digital interactive displays that explain what the Baroque style meant and how it expressed itself. Baroque lasted roughly from 1598 to 1752, during the time when Western Europe was beginning to grapple with the conquest of the Americas, the Protestant Reformation and other seismic shifts. The museum is stunning, a multi-million

Mole poblano ingredients

dollar extravaganza that then governor of the state hoped would do for Puebla what the Guggenheim did for Bilbao. That remains to be seen, but it certainly is a must-see when in the near abouts.

The lovely city of Cholula, part of Puebla’s metropolitan area, is home to the Great Pyramid Archeological Zone with – when skies are clear - a view to Popocatepetl, the second highest volcano in Mexico.

The volcano, which was very active during our time in Puebla, closed the local airport most mornings with its great plumes of smoke. In the beautiful gardens of Ciudad Sagrada in Cholula, we dined on green pipian and peanut based mole chicken enchiladas served with epazote rice and fried beans.

The Museo de Santa Rosa, a former convent, houses the kitchen where legends tell us that a silent group of nuns created mole for the first time. There are several versions of this story, one which suggests it was made in 1680 to please Viceroy Tomas Antonio de la Cerda y Aragon. Here we finally got a complete demonstration by Chef Liz Galicia of how she makes her mole Poblano based on a family recipe. Among her 30 ingredients are three types of peppers, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, chocolate, coriander, cinnamon, plantain, pork lard, and…wait for it…. deep fried animal crackers.

There’s always a surprize and a delight, ready to pop into view or on the tongue in Puebla.

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workplace safety Young Worker Safety

By Angela Beal HRS Group (705) 749-1259

With summer fast approaching, our young people are beginning to look for summer employment,

many of them for the first time. If they ask questions of their new employer, it will likely be ”what hours will I work” and “how much will I be paid”. These are two important questions but young workers need to know so much more. If they are not receiving enough information for their safety, they need to ask more questions.

The employer is responsible to inform new and returning workers about their job duties and how to perform them safely. The workers need to be trained properly by experienced and competent people.

All workplaces have hazards, which must be identified and controlled. There are 5 types of hazards: Physical, Chemical, Biological, Ergonomic and Psychosocial. All workers must be informed about the hazards in their workplace.

Every year young workers are injured on the job because of poor training and improper supervision. Some injuries, and even deaths, can occur from being struck by falling objects, being caught in or crushed by equipment, slips, trips and falls, and the most common is sprains and strains from over-exertion.

Workers have three fundamental rights.

1. The Right to Know the hazards in the workplace, 2. The Right to Participate to be part of the company’s health and safety process, and 3. The Right to Refuse if they feel what they are being asked to do is unsafe, they can refuse to do it. However, there is a process that has to be followed, which should be explained in the employee training provided.

To learn more about responsibilities in the workplace and worker’s rights under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations go to www.ontario.gov , then go to the Guide to the OHSA and read the Rolls and Responsibilities and the Three Rights of Workers. Coverage begins in section 23 of the OHSA.

If you would like to hear more about Young Workers protection: Call HRS Group Inc. at 705-749-1259 and ask about our Young Workers Safety Program

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NICK GILDER

By Jay Cooper

N ICK IS B ES T K N OW N FO R H I S S ON G S ‘R OX Y R OLLE R’ A N D ‘H OT CHIL D IN TH E CIT Y ’, B U T HE I S M U C H MOR E! F R OM S W E E N E Y TODD TO H IS SO LO C A R EER, N I C K H AS B E E N W R ITIN G A N D S IN G IN G. TH IS IS H IS S TORY.

Welcome to this insightful and humourous interview with the legendary Nick Gilder. From his humble

beginnings in England to his formative years in Canada, Nick’s story is a testament to passion and the pursuit of musical excellence. Nick shared anecdotes of his early days with Sweeney Todd, to the thrill of crafting iconic hits like ‘Roxy Roller’ and ‘Hot Child in the City. Juno Awards for most promising male vocalist and best-selling single. Without further ado, I invite you to the world of Nick Gilder, a true icon of rock ‘n’ roll.

JAY COOPER: Thank you so much for making the time for me. I appreciate it.

NICK GILDER: Oh, my pleasure, I’m happy to do this.

BTW I am the original you know, I am THE Nick Gilder.

JAY: You’re not a replacement, imitator or mega fan, saying I’m Nick Gilder (laughs) NICK: I am Nick Gilder (laughs) JAY: I’m going to do this and you’re probably not going to like it but I don’t believe everything that I read, so a history lesson of your journey?

NICK: Don’t believe everything you read, except what I tell you. No problem. It’s been a long career, starting with Sweeney Todd and every possible place to play in Vancouver in the 70s. We played every single bar, high school and college event that we could play before Roxy.

JAY: You moved to Canada at the age of 10?

NICK: We were in England and my Dad joined the Canadian Army and got transferred to a military base just outside of Barrie Ontario, Camp Bolton. I just went to school, just a kid at school, you know a dreamer looking out the window, kind of bored, like most kids.

But then my folks moved us back to England when I was still young. When I was in England, as a teenager somebody said, ‘Hey, do you want to come and try and sing with our band?’ We got together and I sang in a pub in a little village, just rehearsing, practicing, and singing a few songs. That lasted for a little while and then my folks decided to move to Vancouver. In 44

Port Coquitlam, I went into a piano refinishing store and met this guy named Randy Shepard. I’m telling you my life story now. (laughs) JAY: I love it! Interesting background.

NICK: Randy Shepard said, ‘Hey, have you ever done any singing?’. Maybe I had a look or something, you know? I said, well, sing in the shower and I sang with the guys in this band in England a couple of times. So we got together and entered a battle of the bands and that’s where I met Jim. JAY: Jim McCullough?

NICK: Yes. We won the battle of bands at a high school. He said, ‘Look, we’ve got real shows with a real manager and booking agent. Do you want to come and try to do a few shows with us?’ So I said, well, yeah, I guess so, give it a try but I was scared out of my mind as you can imagine. It’s like, wow, this is for real. So we did that and the band at that time was called Rasputin. The first show was at a place in Vancouver called The Cave. We opened for Heart as they lived in Vancouver at that time.

I thought we should change the name. My mom came up with the name, Sweeney Todd. I took it to the practice and it was like, yeah, let’s go with that.

JAY: He was a nice fictional career character, Sweeney Todd (laughs) NICK: Rasputin was a nicer character Lol. But you know, it worked. It turned into a kind of a glammy thing. People would come out and watch, what I Photos: Alan Frew

“My mom came up with the name Sweeney Todd. I took it to practice and it was like, yah, let’s go with that.”

guess they thought were freaky people. Pretty soon the audience was full of freaky people. Kind of outdid the band on many occasions. It was good fun.

JAY: Sweeney Todd at the time, was a bar band. So what was the transition from Sweeney Todd, the bar band, to getting a record deal and becoming rockstars?

NICK: Our manager at that time, Barry Samuels met a guy who said he was a record producer. He came and saw us and he said, ‘Oh yeah, I can record you guys’.

So we went into a studio here in Vancouver downtown, Hipposonics Studio. We started to record an album and it yielded Roxy Roller, and you know the album came out and the first song was a song called ‘Sweeney Todd Folder’. I remember driving down the street with Jim on our way to a show and it came on

Photo Credits: Nick Gilder

the radio and we pulled over to listen to it. It was so exciting! But it didn’t do so well. So let’s try another one. We were on London Records at that time and went to the studio in Little Mountain, kind of a famous place here in town. Little Mountain Studio, and I thought, you know, I’d like to do this myself. I’d like to remix. So I just worked with the engineer to remix Roxy Roller. I wanted it to be much more like a heavier rock sound. That was the vision that Jim and I had for the whole record but there just wasn’t time to do the whole record that way. When ‘Roxy Roller’ hit the airwaves it was just Wow, it just took off and was the number one request for the entire summer, Jay. That was happening, just as Jim and I were leaving the band, which was pretty weird, to say the least.

Continued on page 46

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NICK GILDER Continued from page 45 JAY: How did the song ‘Roxy Roller’ come about? Riff is just killer!

NICK: Agreed. The original riff was cool. Jim started playing it and I started singing the song. It was one of those almost instant hits. I went home, wrote the rest of the lyrics and it was done.

JAY: You were leaving the band that just had a major hit?

NICK: Well, it was becoming a hit as we left. Jim and I went to Los Angeles and signed with Chrysalis Records and we spent a year making another album that went plywood in Surrey BC. I mean, it was just not an event at all. So, the record company, President Terry Ellis said, ‘I think you guys need to put a band together and recapitulate what you did up in Canada’. So we did and it worked again. It was very exciting to do that again. We did it playing in Los Angeles, at The Whiskey or The Troubadour was the first show.

Nick video

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JAY: You and Jim are in L. A., you have another record, you’ve got a band, and that’s when Hot Child in the City came out?

“Music has been my obsession and I think back about the days, weeks and months that would go by of me sitting in the studio down in LA at that time recording song ideas, endlessly..”

NICK: Yeah, that was the second record actually on Chrysalis. The first one hadn’t done that great.

We did manage to get an awesome cover with Pat Benatar off that record, a song called ‘Rated X’. Once we’d recorded Hot Child in the City, he brought in Mike Chapman. I had dinner with him and we talked about doing some recording and he said, ‘Well, I’ve got time to do three songs, Nick, that’s about all, it’s just my commitment’. So we did. We went in and did three songs of which Hot Child was one. And to be honest, I was like, kind of paranoid by the time it was finished, thinking, that’s so empty. He said, ‘Well that’s what’s so great about it, it’s got all that space.

It’ll sound awesome on the radio’. Of course, he was right and it went to number one. You know, it took a whole summer damn near to get there, but it got to number one in the US and Canada!

JAY: You now have this huge hit, ‘Hot Child’ and you’re number one. Now you’re touring with people like, The Cars, Cheap Trick, and The Babies.

NICK: Good times, man. We went on tour to Japan with The Babies. Out on the road in the States with The Cars, Foreigner, and lots of bands.

JAY: Any regrets about the path you took to achieve success?

NICK: One of the mistakes I think we made back in the day was going back into the studio chasing a hit, when we should have gone back out on the road and got road honed. Because that’s where you learn, is out playing. Not in the studio. That’s where all my tunes came from back in the day, when I was

out playing, learning what connects with an audience. What made it popular in the first place? It was the live show, not what was happening in the studio and trying to be clever, but the live show, the energy, the interaction with the people.

JAY: Your songs, like ‘The Warrior’, have been performed by so many other artists. What’s the songwriting process for the ‘Scandal’ hit for example?

NICK: What happened there is I got together with Holly Knight (Songwriting, hit machine). I had an idea for a song. I had the chorus for ‘The Warrior’, I think my publisher said, ‘You should get together with Holly as she’s doing great as a writer’. So I said, okay, we got together and I sang the chorus to her and she played it on the piano. Played the chords and she said, ‘Oh, that fits perfectly’. So we continued and got the verse and I went home and finished up the lyrics. We went into the studio and made a demo. Mike came down to help with the Continued on page 48

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NICK GILDER Continued from page 47 mix. Mike Chapman, who was her publisher called up after we finished the demo and said, ‘Please let me use this song. We need a hit for the Patti Smythe record. I promise you, it will be a hit’. I said, well, that’s a heck of a promise to make but got it to a guy named Roy Thomas Baker, who produced Queen, The Cars and I was like, oh my god, two bands that I adore and think are just awesome. So I was very excited that he’d heard The Warrior and wanted to go into the studio and record it with me. It was pretty tough. Holly and I were on the phone talking about it and at the end of the day, I can’t sort of complain because it went on to be a big hit, but it certainly would have changed my career if I’d had a hit with it. In reflection, I can see how a girl singing it has another angle to it. Like, an almost feminist sort of thing that empowers women. But, then I’d done that in Roxy, really, right? We still play the song in my set and it goes over with the audience participation.

JAY: Best gig you ever had?

NICK: Oh my god that’s a hard one. I’d say Canada Day in the Millennium Year. A couple hundred thousand people in Ottawa, on Parliament Hill. But they’re all fun shows. As far as a career highlight, I think it has to be Hot Child in the City getting into the Hall of Fame. June 18th, 2019. Gordon Lightfoot signed the plaque that goes on the wall.

JAY: This might be an easier question for you - worst gig ever - like Spinal Tap Puppet Show bad.

NICK: Oh Boy, oh man, I think the most upsetting gig that I did was here in Vancouver just because it’s my hometown. We were playing with The Cars, which always works. So we were out on stage and I noticed as I was walking out on stage, soft drinks on top of the amplifiers. I didn’t think anything of it. But we get through a couple of songs and all of a sudden the guitar amps go out. They’d spilt inside. There were no spares and we were standing there, looking like idiots, not playing, not doing anything and the crowd got restless and I was like, Oh shit, what are we gonna do? I think the first thing we did was plug into the last remaining amplifier. Everybody was like plugged into one just to www.nickgilder.com 48

play. It was ridiculous and I was like this is not gonna work so we had to leave the stage. In those days, you brought your equipment. And that’s the only equipment there was. The other band wasn’t gonna let you use their equipment. You know, it just didn’t happen.

JAY: Is there anything that people don’t know about you?

NICK: Really music has been my obsession and I think back about the days, weeks and months that would go by of me sitting in the studio down in LA at that time recording song ideas, endlessly. I had a publishing deal and I had to meet a commitment.

So I would be doing that every day and those songs were quite good in reflection. I had other people cover my songs including Joe Cocker, Bette Midler and Kix did a cover of a song called Body Talk.

JAY: Now, are there upcoming projects or tour dates?

NICK: I’ve been working on new recordings. It’ll be another year out in the prairies, doing rock festival stuff mostly, and some casinos coming up. The season is approaching and it’s what I look forward to most and so does everybody else in the band.

We’ve been together a long time now, this configuration. I love it. The energy level and feedback that you get from the crowd is just, it’s energizing. It is a great time to be had for everyone.

JAY: What would you like to say to everybody who’s supported you over the years?

NICK: Keep on keepin’ on. I think where I’m at these days is just to keep moving forward. Keep your momentum going and try to see something down the road that you wanna do.

JAY: Well I thank you once again for this wonderful chat!

NICK: Jay, hopefully, we’ll get into your area and you can come down and I’ll make sure you’re on the guest list.

Instagram @nickgilder

FaceBook Nick Gilder

BRIDGENORTH TURNS 200 YEARS OLD! The Hamlet of Bridgenorth is a small residential community situated on beautiful Chemong Lake amid a largely rural landscape. Bridgenorth offers a centralized destination for shopping and services, and meets the daily needs of residents and tourists. Happy 200th Birthday, Bridgenorth!

Photo Credit Kevin McConkey

Aerial Photo Credit Motormation

Bridgenorth video

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Kawar tha Ar ts Festival Back for the 35th Year!

Back for our 35th year, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever! Set in the picturesque town of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, the Kawartha Arts Festival is gearing up to showcase over 100 artists and their original artwork. This highly anticipated event draws artists and enthusiasts from across the province, making it a highlight in the art community.

A Diverse Range of Art Attendees will be treated to a wide array of artistic mediums Paintings From abstract to landscapes, there’s something to captivate every art lover.

Sculptures Stunning three-dimensional works that bring creativity to life.

Pottery Functional and decorative pieces that showcase craftsmanship.

Jewellery Unique designs that add a touch of elegance to any collection.

Engage with the Artists One of the festival’s unique features is the opportunity to meet and interact with the artists. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions, learn about the techniques and materials used. Discover Inspiration hear the stories and inspirations behind the pieces. Commission custom art andave a one-of-a-kind piece created just for you!

Live Entertainment Adding to the vibrant atmosphere, local musicians will perform live throughout the day. Their performances provide a festive backdrop to the event, making the Kawartha Arts Festival a true celebration of the arts.

Support Local Artists The festival is a fantastic opportunity to support local talent and appreciate the beauty of original artwork. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a novice art enthusiast, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

EVENT DETAILS Location Fenelon Falls Fairgrounds, 27 Veterans Way, Fenelon Falls, Ontario What to Expect Original artwork, live entertainment, artist engagement Why Attend?

Celebrate art, enjoy community, support local artists

Mark your calendar and join us for a weekend filled with art, entertainment, and community spirit. We can’t wait to see you there!

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Sandy Cline

Priya Thapilya

Paul Gray Diamond

karen video

karen video

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Pets CORNER

Three Tips to Prevent Dog Bites

By Karen Laws www.ontariodogtrainer.com

All dogs have the potential to bite. The Humane Society of Canada estimates that a Canadian experiences a dog bite every 60 seconds. MOST DOG BITES ARE PREVENTABLE with a few common-sense approaches. Educate yourself and your family on what to do and watch for to prevent a dog bite.

TIP #1 - RESPECT A DOG’S PERSONAL SPACE Recognize that dogs like people, have varying degrees of tolerance for invasion of their personal space.

Never approach a dog that you don’t know. Even when approaching a dog that you know, respect the dog’s space, follow the spatial tolerance guidelines in the diagram below and maintain a polite social distance (4 to 12 feet/1 to 4 metres) until the dog indicates it is ready for more.

Abide by these easy Do’s and Don’t safety precautions DO 1.Pause to demonstrate to the dog that you are not a threat.

2.Pat your leg to INVITE the dog to approach. Allow it to come to you first.

3.Pet the dog’s shoulder or side, when it is calm and indicates it wants to be touched (by leaning or rubbing against you or sitting/standing quietly near you).

DON’T 1.Reach your hand or fist toward a dog, 2.Reach over the top of the dog’s head to pet it, 3.Make direct eye contact or speak in a high-pitched baby voice when meeting a dog for the first time.

TIP #2 - RECOGNIZE - GOOD DOGS GIVE WARNINGS If at any time, a dog growls at you, it is the dog’s way of saying “Leave ME Alone!”

DO 1.Heed the warning and calmly back out of the dog’s personal space, at least one metre (4 feet away).

2.Remain calm until the dog trusts you are not a threat.

3.If it is guarding you, a toy, or a food bowl, hire a professional trainer to address the issue without compromising your relationship with your dog.

DON’T 1.Yell, approach, hit or grab the dog, 2.Scream in panic, 3.Grab the item that is the reason for the dog’s growling.

TIP #3 - BE A GIVER, NOT A TAKER DO 1.Feed each meal from your hand until you earn your dog’s trust 2.Play the share game by offering a treat or a more favoured toy in exchange for whatever is in your dog’s mouth.

3.Provide a predictable daily routine of work (walking is working), undisturbed rest and play to fulfill your dog’s physical and mental needs.

DON’T 1.Put your hand or your face in your dog’s food bowl, particularly while they are eating.

2.LIE to your dog by offering a treat or toy and quickly pulling it away.

3.LEAVE your dog alone and unsupervised in your yard to create a territorial mindset and risk a bite to anyone who enters their territory.

Follow me on Instagram for more great training tips and videos Instagram @karenlawslive Facebook (Karen Law Dog Trainer) YouTube Channel (@TheOntarioDogTrainer) 53

‘PickleGate’ In Peterborough Yes, It’s A Thing!

Sylvia Sutherland, past Peterborough Mayor (1985 to 1991, 1997 to 2006) and past member of the On-

tario Municipal Board for 10 years, wrote three articles about the 16 pickleball courts being installed in Bonnerworth Park and has very eloquently voiced the opinion of many residents. I am proud to call her my friend and we have wonderful discussions about this Council’s choices. Here are the highlights.

Some of the proponents for locating 16 pickleball courts at Bonnerworth Park are trying to sell the public a bill of goods. They claim that the opponents of the project are anti-pickleball. That’s simply not true. They are not “out of touch.” They do not “dislike” the sport. They do not consider the people who play it “hoity-toity.” They simply don’t want 16 courts in a residential area or the baseball diamonds gone.

They don’t want green space paved over for either the courts or the 80-car parking lot that will accompany Protest at Bonnerworth Park them. They don’t want the sound, which has been described as a “high-pitched, penetrating, incredibly dis- if it exists, before rubber-stamping Bonnerworth? tracting noise” penetrating their homes, disturbing their Speaking of due diligence, what is the risk to the peace hour after hour, day after day. community if the city barrels ahead with the courts Some of the opponents to locating the courts at Bonner- only to be sued in court or possibly taken to the Onworth Park would actually like to play pickleball, but not tario Land Tribunal and have them closed down? there. This includes Coun. Alex Bierk, who says he would It’s happening everywhere across Canada and the love to learn the sport.

U.S. Check out this small sampling of headlines: Some of the opponents do play. There is “Mike.” In a From Oregon, “Lake Oswego shuts down pickleball comment on the Peterborough Examiner’s website, he courts indefinitely due to noise complaints.” wrote, in part, “I am a pickleball player and I play a lot From Phoenix, Arizona, “Pickleball pitting neighbor …. I don’t believe we should be encroaching on residen- against neighbor, leading to lawsuits.”. tial areas by disturbing their environment and causing From Port Moody, B.C., “Pickleball banished after noise pollution that may not be able to be mitigated ... neighbours complain of rising stress, anxiety.”

I would not want this nuisance in my neighbourhood. From a bit closer to home, “Town of Niagara-onSurely, there is someplace else in this city that is vacant the-Lake and Pickleball Club fined for violating or could be better repurposed and not in a residential noise bylaw. Pickleball courts ordered closed for area. They should pause this project even if they still can, two years.” take a hard second look at options, do the proper studA Welland court found that the outdoor facilities ies and not railroad this thru (sic).” in Niagara-on-the-Lake violated section three of Has the city actually looked at any alternative sites? Oth- the town’s noise bylaw which states, ”no person er than Knights of Columbus Park, from where the exist- shall make, cause or permit sound or vibration at ing pickleball courts are being removed. any time, which is likely to disturb the quiet, peace, If it has, what sites? Where? Why was Bonnerworth con- rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the insidered better than any of them? Shouldn’t council, in habitants of the town.” the interest of due diligence, have considered this list, Section 2.2 of Peterborough’s noise bylaw states, 54

“No owner shall emit, cause or permit the emission from the owner’s property of noise likely to disturb the inhabitants of the City of Peterborough.” See you in court?

Some call it “Picklegate.” Whatever you call it, many in this city, including some pickleball players, believe council should “take a hard second look at options, do the proper studies and not railroad this through.”

Mayor Jeff Leal’s recent threat to Coun. Alex Bierk was not made in jest, but rather during a heated debate over locating 16 pickleball courts at Bonnerworth Park.

Bierk mentioned that he had no objection to the game and that, in fact, “Karan Leal has offered to loan me her pickleball paddle.”

The mayor took immediate exception to his wife’s name entering the discussion. He told Bierk “You’ll pay for that,” adding that he (Leal) would “carve him (Bierk) like a Thanksgiving turkey.”

Mrs. Leal apparently did offer to loan Bierk her pickleball paddle. It was, however, inappropriate for Bierk to mention her name during a council debate, even in a light-hearted fashion. He quickly apologized once his error was pointed out. It was even less appropriate for the mayor, a highly experienced politician, to threaten violence. He made a public apology.

You would think 4,500 people (and counting) signing a petition against the development of 16 pickleball courts at Bonnerworth Park might grab the attention of council.

Despite Coun. Joy Lachica’s effort to get the site plan and the relevant noise, traffic, lighting, parking, stormwater management and geotechnical reports before council ahead of any construction proceeding, the entire project remains solely in the hands of city staff.

That’s where council placed it.

As soon as Lachica’s notice of motion came up on the general committee’s agenda the other night, committee chair Andrew Beamer said he would allow her to read it “and then give my ruling.” You knew right away

Photos: Scott Cisco

Protest at Bonnerworth Park

the fix was in. Hammering the final nail into the coffin, Beamer added, “Once the chair rules and the motion is out of order, there is no debate.” He did point out that Lachica could challenge the chair. She managed to squeeze in two sentences.

“If 16 courts were to be installed 50 meters from any of our homes, we would want to know the measures in place to assuage our fear and uncertainty of a new normal.“ Council supported Beamer’s ruling. Frankly, it was a shameful abdication of responsibility.

Costs — now there’s a rub. A tad over $2 million is budgeted for the pickleball courts. Construction is to begin this fall. The city has no idea of how much it is going to cost to mitigate the ‘obnoxiously loud’ noise from the courts if, in fact, that’s even possible. Then, there is all the other necessary work currently without a price tag. Any overrun will have to come from somewhere.

The most shameful thing of all is that there seems to be absolutely no consideration for the comfort, mental or physical health of the residents who will have to live with that penetrating noise. This includes the seniors at Marycrest at Inglewood and the occupants of Hunt Terrace, both within shouting distance of the proposed courts.

Never mind the environmental costs to which no figure can be assigned.

We asked Mayor Leal ‘Why council chose Bonnerworth Park’. He responded, “Our Parks and Recreation Division did a comprehensive review of facilities needed for various uses and demands and determined that 16 courts would meet the pickleball demand.” We asked him to answer the question and to see the review but got no response. Why didn’t Council consider distributing the courts to other more suitable locations. Wouldn’t it make more sense if the courts were in multiple locations for better access to more people?

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