The Paris Independent for Saturday March 4th, 2023

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY

Emergency: 911

Police Department: 519-442-2242

Fire Department: 519-442-4500

Willet Hospital: 519-442-2251

County of Brant Office: 519-442-6324

Paris Public Library: 519-442-2433

Paris Public Schools:

Paris High: 519-442-4477

North Ward: 519-442-2311

Paris Central: 519-442-4163

Cobblestone: 519-442-2500

Paris Catholic Schools:

Holy Family: 519-442-5333

Sacred Heart: 519-442-4443

Paris Councillors & Mayor:

Mayor - David Bailey

Ward 2 - Steve Howes

Ward 2 - Lukas Oakley

Ward 3 - John Bell

Ward 3 - John Peirce

Paris Customer Service Office 66 Grand River St. N. 519-442-7268

Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Main Services include:

- Accounts Receivable invoice payments

- Blue Boxes and Composters (pre-arrange pick up of composter)

- Brant Transit punch cards purchase and pick up

- Building Permits may be submitted and Building staff consulted

- Calendar pick up (free)

- Commissioner of Oath is by appointment only

- Dog license and tag

- Dog Park membership and key

- Parking ticket payment

- Property Tax payments and inquiries

- Public Works permits may be submitted

-Use the computer to meet with a virtual Planner to ask questions.

-Water testing sample bottles may be picked up. Drop off water testing samples on the last Wednesday of the month before 2 pm at the Burford Customer Service Office

Brant Sports Complex & Other Facility Booking

519-442-1944

226-387-2490

519-442-4955

226-216-3037

519-209-2277

519-442-7134

Administration & Bylaw: 519-442-7268

Articles,

Open Monday - Sunday, 8:30 am - 8:00 pm.

Main services include:

- Dog Park membership and key

- Dog license and tag

- Tennis Court membership and key

- Camp registration and recreation program registration

email to:

Publisher Managing Editor

Advertising Sales Photographer

News Reporter

News Reporter

Chris Whelan

Casandra Turnbull

Chris Whelan

Michelle Malvaso

Carolina Saenz

Bailey Zimmer

STATEMENT

We are an independently owned organization made up of like minded volunteers from within our community with the main purpose of providing Paris and area with a trustworthy and reliable source of local news. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of everything we publish, we regret any errors that may occur. We limit our liability to that of printing a retraction upon notification of such errors in the next available publication. Our mail and Email addresses are listed below:

SENIORS’ DROP IN PROGRAM – Every Wednesday, ongoing, from 11am to 3pm at the Syl Apps Community Centre, upstairs hall. This is a free event.

See story in next week’s edition!

BIG CITYY DRAG BRUNCH – at 2Rivers Restaurant on Sunday, March 5 doors open at 11 am. Tickets are $75 plus tax, includes three course brunch and a full drag show

HOMECRAFT DIVISION MEETING – Did you ever wonder what role the Homecraft Division plays in the Paris Fair? Come out to a monthly meeting to find out – next one takes place on March 13 at 7 pm at the fairgrounds

HEART OF ONTARIO TOUR – A weekend of Food, Music and Art in Paris! March 17 at 6 pm – March 19 at 7 pm. Tickets are available online.

NOVA VITA CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL

WOMEN’S DAY – March 8th at 5 pm at the Brantford Golf & Country Club. Ticket includes inspiring presentation by Special Guest Speaker Brandi Leifso, Founder & CEO of Evio Beauty Group Ltd, and one of Canada’s Top Women of Influence 2020, ThreeCourse Dinner from the award-winning Brantford Golf & Country Club, FUNdraiser Purse, which includes tickets for exciting door prizes and fundraising games, a $25 Donation (charitable tax receipt to follow event) and a Special gift from Nova Vita. Click here for more information

TOUCH THE SKY AND REACH YOUR DREAMS – The Brant County Singers present a charity concert in support of Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 3 pm., Sydenham-Heritage United Church, 120 Sydenham St., Brantford. Special guest performers from Triple Arts Academy, Brantford Free will offering donations appreciated.

SHAMROCK LUNCHEON EUCHRE, BRIDGE & 5 CROWNS – Friday, March 17th at 12 pm at St. Paul’s United Church, 48 Broadway St W in Paris. Tickets are $15 each and include a beef stew lunch and includes all your games. Everyone is welcome. Please call 519-442-4223 for more information or to reserve your tickets Capacity is Limited

STRATEGIC PLAN OPEN HOUSE – Monday, March 6 at the Brant Sports Complex from 6 pm to 8 pm. The County of Brant is seeking public input to update the four (4) year Strategic Plan. Discussion themes include: Green practices, Arts, culture and heritage, Sustainable and managed growth, Economic resilience, Reliable infrastructure, Stable and responsible government, Healthy, safe, and engaged citizens, Engaging the community

HINDSIGHT IS 2020 – A COVID MUSICAL – A true story of Covid and it's impact it had on our youth. April 1st , two shows at 2 pm and 7pm at St. Paul’s United Church (side entrance). Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for those under 18 years old. Written by Christopher Mallon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Community Music. Presented by a cast of 12 youth, all of whom were affected by the pandemic in one way or another, this hour-long musical journey spans the entire year of 2020 with a serious yet hopeful tone

WEEDS – FRIENDS OR FOE? - Pesky and invasive, or are weeds as troublesome as you think? Join us at the Paris Library Branch on Tuesday, March 7 at 7 pm and learn how to manage the weeds in your garden. This free workshop is sure to be helpful for novice and seasoned gardeners. Register at ow.ly/uxH850N2P3N or connect with Library staff to sign up.

CRAFT BEER & CAMPFIRES - Experience a campfire the way it’s meant to be experienced, in the forest with friends, snacks & Craft Beer! Join Paris Independent Columnist Tiffany Martin from Travelling Pint around the campfire for a beer and snack pairing you will not forget! Tiffany will guide you through four classic campfire snacks and beer pairings. Thursday, March 23 at 6:30 pm at 301 Jenkins Rd, Norfolk County. Tickets available online

Pre-Order Terry Fox Shirt designed by Ryan Reynolds Click HERE

The County of Brant Council has approved the 2023 Budget

“Through many conversations and careful thought, County of Brant Council has approved the budget for 2023,” said Mayor David Bailey. “We found a balance between meeting the needs of the community while ensuring we are acting in a financially responsible manner”

County of Brant Council approved an increase of 5.8% to the municipal property tax rate resulting in an increase of approximately $184.44 for the median home per year. “The property tax rate increased this year due to a number of factors,” noted Bailey. Among those reasons include:

• Inflationary costs have affected almost everything including salaries, fuel, materials, contracts and services.

• The County of Brant continues to invest in key community projects including affordable housing and a

new Fire Station. New services and programs are also in place to meet the needs of residents to ensure the streets are safe, to add multiuse paths, to support community partners such as Stedman Community Hospice and to advance environmental protection, to name a few

• The County of Brant is growing and with growth comes the need for more infrastructure such as roads, water and sidewalks, new services and programs and the staff to deliver services.

“When comparing the County of Brant to surrounding single-tier municipalities, Brant still has one of the lower tax rates,” said Bailey

“The County of Brant has maintained a consistently low property tax rate with a high level of service, and we are proud of that.”

Based on 2022 property tax rates, the median home paid:

•

• Norfolk County - $4699.98

Most municipalities who have finalized their budgets are seeing an increase to property tax rates and those increases have varied greatly among municipalities

This year, Council voted to use money from the reserves to ensure that operating and capital investments could be made without impacting services and programs delivered to the community and to reduce the burden of a property tax increase on the County ratepayer. Next year, in 2024, Council will need to carefully consider how to meet the growing needs of the community while maintaining an appropriate level of reserves

To view more information about the budget, visit

www.EngageBrant.ca/2023Propose dBudget.

• County of Brant - $3530.62

• City of Brantford - $4752 04

Haldimand County - $4207.24

The County of Brant is pleased to announce that Darren Watson has been named the new Fire Chief.

“We are thrilled to appoint Mr. Watson as the Fire Chief to oversee the eight stations and approximately 200 volunteer firefighters serving the County of Brant,” said Darryl Lee, Interim Chief Administrative Officer. “We are grateful for Chief Watson’s leadership and continued commitment to ensuring that the County has a highly skilled, professional and trained Fire Service team, in place and ready to respond.”

Having previously served Blandford-Blenheim for nearly a decade as volunteer firefighter and performing the duties of a Trainer Facilitator and Fire Prevention Officer, Chief Watson joined the County in 2010, beginning his service as a volunteer firefighter, which was followed by promotion to Captain. In 2019, Watson was further promoted to Brant’s Deputy Fire Chief role and acted as the Alternate Community Emergency Management Coordinator. Over the course of Chief Watson’s tenure as Deputy Chief, the County adopted the Fire Master Plan, guiding the Fire Service for 2020 to 2030, saw the construction of three (3) new Fire Stations in Cainsville, Onondaga, and Scotland, and, successfully acquired a new Training Tower. In 2022, Chief Watson was promoted to Acting Fire Chief and was integral in the recruitment and training of 31 new recruits to NFPA 1001 Firefighter standards.

“Living in the County of Brant, I am pleased to continue to serve my hometown and community,” said Watson. “My commitment to the community is to ensure the firefighters are well-trained and ready to respond to a variety of fire, medical and rescue emergencies, while ensuring their health and safety is effectively addressed. I look forward to continuing to support our dedicated team of staff, including fire prevention, training, dispatch and firefighters across eight stations to share a common vision of excellence while serving their community”

To learn more about the County of Brant’s Fire Department or how to join the team as a volunteer firefighter, visit www.brant.ca/Fire.

The County of Brant is pleased to announce that Darren Watson has been named the new Fire Chief

More parking and traffic improvements coming to Paris streets

By Casandra Turnbull

Some traffic and parking modifications were recently passed by the Administrative and Operations Committee and ratified by council.

The suggested changes were brought forth from the Brant Safe Streets program and by various county departments, councillors heard at the February 21st Administrative and Operations committee meeting. Parking modifications will affect the following streets: Charlotte St, Cedar St, Brock St, Cleaver Rd, Baird St andArlington Pkwy.

One of the most notable propositions to come from the February 21st meeting is a suggested stop sign on Silver

Street at the Oak Ave/Mulberry St intersection, just east of Northward School. The reason, according to data collected through Brant Safe Streets initiative, is to slow down eastbound and westbound motorists on Silver Street.

County staff collected data on this stretch of roadway from October 5-10, 2019. During the 40 km/hr time period (during school hours 8 am to 5 pm) data shows the average speed for eastbound motorists was 50 km/hr while the 85th percentile was calculated at 57 km/hr. The westbound speed was 52 km/hr while the 85th percentile was 60 km/hr. For the purpose of this study, the 85th percentile is what 85% of the motorists are driving at or below the respected speeds Outside of

school hours, the average motorist is driving about 3 km/hr faster.

One of Paris’ Ward 2 Councillors, Steve Howes, supports this fourway stop stating he’s confident it will contribute to increased safety on Silver Street. It was noted that the most recent pedestrian volumes, vehicular volumes and reported collision history indicates a pedestrian signal is not currently warranted at this intersection.

The new intersection will be marked with painted crosswalks and stop bars. The total cost of the project is pegged at $5,600 and will be covered under the 2023 sign operating and Brant Safe Streets budgets

A four-way stop will be installed at this intersection –Silver St & Mulberry/Oak Ave. The decision was recently passed at the Administrative and Operations committee meeting and supported by council.

Brant to receive $280,000 in Gas Tax Funding

MEDIA RELEASE - Last week MPP Will Bouma announced that the provincial government will be providing the County of Brant with $280,774 in gas tax funding to help improve local transit services

The City of Brantford will receive $1,487,053. This annual funding is delivered through the province’s gas tax program. The amount each municipalities and city gets is dependent by the number of liters of gasoline sold in the province during the previous year. Municipalities that support public transit services in their community receive two cents per litre of provincial gas tax revenue collected.

To make up for reduced gas sales due to ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s gas tax program includes one-time additional funding of $80 million to help ensure municipalities can continue to support their transit systems

In total, $379.5 million will be distributed to 107 municipalities.

“Public transit is a key driver of economic growth in Ontario, helping people get to where they need to go, whether it is to work, school, or run errands,” said

Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation.

“As more people return to public transit, our government is providing municipalities with the funding they need to accommodate growing ridership, while ensuring they can continue to deliver safe and reliable transit service for people in their communities.”

Volunteers wanted for Earth Day Community Building Festival next month

Equal Grounds Community Gardens is putting a call out for volunteers to join them at their Earth Day Community Building Festival in April. Held at the Earl Haig Community Garden on April 22, EGCG is asking for clubs, teams, organizations, businesses, food trucks, and any one else that serves their community to come forward

The purpose of the festival is to bring like-minded groups together to network and enjoy live music, food, vendors, a bit of shopping and whole lot of community building. For those who are interested in joining the Earth Day event, applications will be accepted until March 12, 2023 on a first come, first serve basis. If you’re interested, please send a message or visit our website at www.egcgbrant.ca/earthday.

Equal Grounds Community Gardens launched in 2009 to provide assistance and support to a vast network of community garden projects They currently support and maintain more than 30 active community gardens in Brantford and Brant County. These gardens, maintained fully by community residents and volunteers, provide places for growing local, healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Equal Ground Community Garden (EGCG) volunteers at last year’s Plant Pick-Up Day in May. EGCG is hosting a Earth Day Community Building Festival in April and are looking for volunteers to join them. Pictured (L-R) are Meaghan Oosterhoff, Caitlin Schneider, Natalie Opper

Fire Department puts call out for volunteer firefighters

The County of Brant Fire Department is accepting Volunteer Fire Fighter Applications from now until Sunday, March 5. Applicants are invited to attend an information night to learn more about the recruitment process These nights are scheduled for March 7 & 9 at 7 pm at the Cainsville Fire Station, 17 Ewart St. Cainsville Visit www.brant.ca/FireRecruitment to learn more and to apply.

Largest commercial and industrial land deal to date coming to Paris

MEDIA RELEASE - Orlando Corporation

(https://www orlandocorp com/index php) has made one of the largest land acquisitions of the new year, buying a 350.4-acre tract of land from Vicano. The site sits just outside the community of Paris in an area bounded by Hwy. 403, Powerline Road, Rest Acres Road and Cleaver Road.

While Orlando president Blair Wolk wouldn’t confirm a purchase price for the property acquired at 982-986 and 1036 Powerline Rd. on Feb 7, data obtained by Hamilton-based investment management firm Forge & Foster which tracks transactions across Southwestern Ontario listed the price at $190 million.

It’s the largest commercial real estate transaction reported in the region so far in 2023. Panattoni made a major land purchase in the area a year earlier, snapping up 423 acres for $290 million (about $684,000 per acre). Orlando’s purchase represents a peracre price of $542,237

“We have met with the mayor and the local councilors there, as well as staff, and they're pretty excited to have us there to kick off this business park and to get Orlando in that community and making a contribution,” Wolk told The Real Estate News Exchange in an interview.

“When you show up and people are there with open arms to have you doing business with them, it's a great start ”

Orland Corporation has acquired 350 acres of land from Vicano, located just outside of Paris in an area bounded by Highway 403, Powerline Road, Rest Acres Road and Cleaver Road.

Wolk said Orlando made an unsolicited approach to owner Vicano Construction Ltd., which is active in the Brantford area, about acquiring the property. Colliers executive vicepresident and sales representative Stewart Metcalfe was involved in the off-market deal.

Plans for the site

The current agricultural land is divided into two areas, with the initial focus being on approximately 80 acres on Rest Acres Road.

Continued on page 11

“Those are already in the Official Plan and they've just gone through draft plan approval, so that will be zoned for employment uses and industrial commercial uses,” Wolk said

“And then the balance of the lands in behind, what we call Phase 2 lands, are still to be brought into the Official Plan. They are in the County of Brant Official Plan, but they’ve got to be adopted by the province. We anticipate that will happen this year.”

Orlando would like to start site servicing this year and begin construction early next year, with the first building to be delivered in late 2024 or early 2025. The plan is to have two spec-built industrial buildings of approximately 400,000 square feet each in Phase 1.

“We'll do one building first and see how the market goes with that,” Wolk said. “Unless we have the first one leased up, we probably won't build them both at the same time, but they’ll be in quick succession of each other.”

A public road will be built through the property to make access to the rest of the site easier for future development. Wolk anticipates it could take 15 to 20 years until all phases are completed.

Orlando is going through brokers to talk to potential tenants and

Wolk said there’s been plenty of early interest, although it’s not yet in a position to sign a deal.

Orlando’s primary activity has been in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), but Wolk said it presents challenges in terms of being able to get land approved and shovelready in a timely manner. That’s making it difficult to keep up with the increasing demand for industrial product, which he doesn’t see drying up anytime soon.

Brant County presented an opportunity that fit what Orlando was looking for. Wolk said it’s a growing community not far from the busy Hwy. 401 corridor, via Hwy. 403, which makes it convenient for shipping goods.

“We believe that it's wellpositioned to pick up more of the industrial market going forward. It won't be what we have within the GTA proper, if you will, but

there's certainly an opportunity to build some great industrial buildings there.”

This doesn’t mean Orlando is looking to acquire more land outside of the GTA, however

“At 350 acres, this site is about as much as we want to take on outside of our traditional market for the time being,” Wolk said.

“We’ll see how the success goes with this site to see if it makes sense to buy outside of our typical area, but we’re certainly not eager to purchase more land at this point in time ”

Orlando has purchased GTA sites during the past year and will continue to acquire strategically located properties, but Wolk said the focus is currently on developing land it already owns.

California’s Leading Businessman was just a boy from Paris, Ontario

On this very day (March 4, 1907) one hundred and sixteen years ago, John Gillespie Bullock opened the first of what would become one of the world’s most famous chain of department stores. Bullock’s was a chain of full-line department stores from 1907 through 1995, headquartered in Los Angeles, growing to operate across California, Arizona and Nevada Bullock's also operated as many as seven more upscale Bullocks Wilshire specialty department stores across Southern California. Many former Bullock's locations continue to operate now as Macy's. Way back in 1881 an 11-year-old boy named John Gillespie Bullock was working as a stock boy for $2 a week for Henry Rehder, who sold dry goods, boots, shoes and a variety of provisions at the Junction in his store at 11 Market Street in Paris, Ontario Canada.

John G Bullock was promoted to the delivery wagon where he took orders and delivered groceries. John’s father Joseph Bullock was a railroad man of Scottish ancestry, and he died when Bullock was only 2 years old, At age 11 John took a break from his schooling to go to work to help support his family. In his book, Bullock’s Department Store, Devin T Frick states that Bullock mentioned it was always John Bullock’s ambition to someday have a store as big as Rehder’s. In 1891, Bullock received a letter from his uncle, a banker in California, outlining the opportunities there John eventually graduated from Paris High School in 1895 and his mother gave him $150 from her life savings so he could travel to California. In January 1896, John Bullock turned 25 and he made it across two countries and a large continent to arrive in Los Angeles. Upon his arrival the thrifty young man deposited his mother’s donated savings into the Citizen’s National Bank and began hunting for work After great difficulty and much persistence John finally

found a job in February helping with the selling of bankrupt stock at a large store at the corner of Fourth and Broadway owned by Arthur Letts. The pay was $2 a day, Bullock accepted, cementing the beginning of a long partnership In 1906 an Easternbased company began building a store at Seventh and Broadway. The company’s capital ran out, however, and the structure’s steel frame was halted at the seventh floor. This building was now half built and without a tenant. The owner had few options but to submit an offer to Arthur Letts, who was interested Letts, however, felt that taking on the operations of another store could be difficult Letts insisted the rent be kept low for the first 10 years and owner, Edwin T. Earl, agreed to his offer. Letts signed a 50-year lease and put John G. Bullock in charge of the new store. Letts confidence in John was so great that he named the new store “The Bullock” and provided John with $250,000 in starting capital.

Continued on page 13

Photos: John G. Bullock c 1929 Rehder & Co. General Store, 11 Market Street, c. 1905 Paris Museum & Archives. Book by Frick

In 1923, Bullock and his business partner, fellow Canadian from Vancouver, Percy Glenn “PG ” Winnett, bought out Letts' interest in Bullock’s and the companies became completely separate. Bullock’s Inc. was formed in 1927 and acquired the rest of the business and its assets from the estate of Arthur Letts. In 1929 Bullock & Winnett opened a luxury branch on Wilshire Boulevard, Bullocks Wilshire, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, is a 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m2) Art Deco building Bullock’s advice was sought by Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt. The department store served the upper crust of Los Angeles society. In its heyday, Bullocks Wilshire patrons included celebrities Mae West, John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, Alfred Hitchcock, Greta Garbo, ZaSu Pitts, Walt Disney, and Clark Gable. While struggling to become an actress, a teen-aged Angela Lansbury worked as a sales clerk Future First Lady Patricia Nixon also served a stint on the floor. From his studio, next to the Chanel department, Neil Gittings photographed many celebrities who frequented Bullocks.

John Bullock never forgot his humble beginning in Paris. His decision to do well was made while working and learning at Rehder’s store in his hometown of Paris. He often returned to Paris to visit with his mother, brother Christopher in St George, sister Mrs. T. Mauer in Paris and all his hometown friends

On Oct 10, 1930, the citizens of Paris held a banquet in Bullock’s honour. Toasts were proposed by Mayor Isaac Stewart, Henry Rehder, with whom Bullock began his entrepreneurial journey, Senator J. Fisher from Paris and MP Franklin Smoke, who remarked that Bullock had the admiration and esteem of all. J. R. Inksater looked after the ticket sales and mentioned that the capacity of the hall prevented many more friends from attending. J H Hawkins, who worked with Bullock at Rehder’s store, became third in command of Montgomery Ward and Co. in New York City. O. H. Gibson became vice-president of the Robert Simpson Co , in Toronto Bullock died on Sept 15, 1933 He was a true merchant prince and Bullock’s department stores had become world famous! Henry Rehder was born in Paris, in 1863 to Johann Rehder and Catharina Maria Elsabea Warnke. Henry Rehder had 2 children. He passed away on 04 Apr 1949 in Paris Ontario. By 1993, twenty-four department stores carried his name including the famous Bullocks Wilshire. Bullock’s was absorbed by Macy’s in 1995 for an estimated one billion dollars.

John G Bullock photo taken in 1894 in Paris, John Bullock is back, left

PARIS PERFORMERS’ WOW AUDIENCE WITH PILLOWMAN

Paris Performers’ Theatre is in the homestretch of their 30th Anniversary Season and their winter production ‘The Pillowman’ promised to be a dark and electric escape from the chilly weatherironic, considering how chilling this show truly was! I have had the pleasure of attending almost all of their 2022 shows so I was really curious and excited to see what Paris. Performers’ had in store for us with their first foray into 2023.

Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Pillowman’ is a notorious show, in three terrifying acts, anchored around four main characters and supported by several dynamic storytellers, and the show centres around Katurian, a writer of gruesome tales who is arrested after some local crimes start to mirror his stories McDonaugh’s experience writing and re-writing his own fairytales is what led him to penning ‘The Pillowman’, and his uneasy tale highlights all the layers of those stories and how both fanciful and horrible they truly are behind the glass slippers and candy houses. This show is perfect for a freezing February outing because it requires a lot of focus and energy from the audience, this is and was a very intense, disturbing and macabre script and show.

The Paris Fairgrounds Special Events Building was bustling when

we arrived, almost all the seats were filled; it was so exciting to see people supporting local and small by attending this community theatre event. Right from the top, the show was atmospheric, unsettling and stark, reflected fantastically in: the bold tonal set, the sharp lighting choices and in the confident handling of this charged script. The whole cast held this shocking and perplexing show with dedication and care, bringing heart and humour to even the blackest moments, and they all deserve shoutouts and aftercare: Connor McGrath, Nathan Farmer, Deanna Stevens, Michael Bedford, Sara Morrison, Nikole Beda, Georgia East and Nick De Bruyn; bravo for pushing hard and carrying such a weighty story all the way to it’s bleak end. Some fairytales have happy endings, this one most certainly does not.

Continued on page 15

photo credit: Duncan Graham (director)

One of my favourite parts of the production were the various aspects of design throughout and full disclosure: my partner is a costumer designer and maker, and is the designer and maker of the Pillowman character, so I have had a few peeks at the process but I’m not gunna be bias in my recount! Without any bias, the Pillowman costume - expertly handled by Sara Morrison - designed and created by Prinx Lydia is a work of art and a thing of nightmares. The Pillowman character appeared only twice in the show, but that was enough because their presence was very effective. The set design, by director Duncan Graham, was sensational too, really highlighting the play’s themes of essentialism,

black and white thinking and the lines between good and evil. Visually, the show was stunning, and exactly what was needed to balance the very huge and heavy themes. It was really fascinating to see the story shift between the realtime interrogations of Katurian and the re-enactment of his stories, adding another strong visual component while delivering deep details, and McDonagh’s building and layering of the sad ways Katurian’s life and his stories started to blend and overlap, unraveling a whole world of horrors After two hours and forty minutes (including two intervals) we reached the cataclysmic end, there were no Princes with kisses to save the day or fairies with

twinkling wands to smote the corrupt, there was just crackling and cackling darkness and a bitter finale. I don’t know about you, but I don’t go to the theatre always wanting and expecting happily ever afters, I go to see the complexities of the human experience and the ways we are all so faceted, fragile and fearless I love that Paris Performers’ Theatre isn’t retreating from darkness in their choices, and is giving people theatrical experiences that aren’t easy, that require energy, presence and processing, it’s really exciting to see! Bravo to all involved for a very dramatic and well-rounded show!

photo credit: Duncan Graham (director)

MAR 3-5 Can you handle the truth? Playful Fox presents: ‘A Few Good Men’ at the #ForParisCentre

When two marines Dawson and Downey are accused of killing one of their own at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, hotshot young lawyer Daniel Kaffee, with a penchant for plea bargains, is tasked with their defense. Inspired by actual events, this gripping story of conspiracy and corruption in the name of patriotism is a fascinating look at morality in our modern age. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Tickets available online on https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-fewgood-men-by-aaron-sorkin-tickets478290197857?fbclid=IwAR1JwMTSXKWapsVtZOVKQl5lAKPi2lz -Xwk-mVKLw5dEvaPQ02m015nc1cI

APRIL 9 – Noisemaker Presents: STARS!

With approaching 20 years as a band and a storied album catalogue spanning 2001’s Nightsongs, the romantic upheaval of 2003’s Heart and 2004’s Set Yourself On Fire, 2007’s In Our Bedroom After the War, the downcast elegies of 2010’s The Five Ghosts, the rejuvenation of 2012’s The North and sub-base, dance club infused No One Is Lost in 2014, Stars continue to prove themselves some of the finest musical storytellers in the country, moving through life with their fans. This is an all-ages event and tickets are available online https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/stars-tickets-

517794817237?fbclid=IwAR0OtXvC5j0HcJv3i4smiQnj3QW811kMgA0DNH9FTDVey5j dMCMSlusVPwg

MAR 13-15 UNLEASH THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE – With Freddy Fusion on March Break at the Hamilton Family Theatre

Get ready for the ultimate blend of magic and science with Freddy Fusion's Magic Science Show! Watch as our expert magician and scientist, Freddy Fusion, dazzles you with mind-bending tricks and awe-inspiring experiments. You won't believe your eyes as Freddy fuses science and magic to create a show like no other.

But that's not all! Freddy's interactive show is perfect for kids and adults alike. Kids will love the hands-on demonstrations, while adults will be amazed by the scientific explanations behind the magic. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind experience. Book your tickets now for Freddy Fusion's Magic Science Show and be prepared to be amazed! This March Break at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge and the King's Wharf Theatre in Penetanguisene! Family Fun Event – get your tickets online https://www.draytonentertainment.com/freddyfusion?fbclid=IwAR0hFv-LU2kxbNsSlX-nOfxeK-k0V5kubqueR_Eb9mSz2LT8N4nkEUNN0o

PrimaCare Community Family Health Team would like to invite you to join us on Wednesday, March 15th for our first presentation in our Mental Health & Addictions Speaker Series leading up to Mental Health

Awareness Month in May. More events will be announced in the coming days and weeks! This event will be presented by Samantha Kittell, MSW, RSW from the Centre for Psychology + Emotion Regulation. We are very

excited to have Samantha join us to discuss very important and relevant topics and we welcome anyone in the Community who is interested to contact PCCFHT to register for the upcoming event!

U16A Ringette Team pulls out big 5-1 win over Guelph

Under head coach Courtney Boehmer, the Paris Thunder U16A team has shown continual improvement all season. They’ve battled a goalie injury, player injuries and sickness all season.

Recently at the Paris Ringette tournament, they defeated one of the top teams, Guelph, 5-1. This was a huge accomplishment for this team. They’ve always been close games, but were thrilled to come out on top They have a few weeks left to prepare for the Ontario Ringette Provincials in Mississauga March 16th to 19th. They have entered into the top tier and it will be a tough tournament, but are excited to see how they compete

U19A Ringette Team ready for Ontario Championships this month

Paris Thunder U19A is heading to the 2023 Ringette Ontario Championships this March under the leadership of Head Coach Paul Vriends. This entire 2022/2023 season has been preparing these players for this tournament and they couldn’t be more excited Between practices, dryland, league games and tournaments plus some fun team bonding events these girls have become a close group of young ladies who enjoy spending their time together.

Unique to U19 division there are three age groups included. Ages 16,17, and 18 years old Some players will be eligible to play for universities or U18+/Open divisions next season. We look forward to

2023 tryouts for the 2023/2024. Check out our website parisringette com for tryout information March 20, 2023 is the deadline for players to declare their intent to tryout. Click on this link to apply: https://docs google com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLScjYMn_EQguPU Qc32wqQHEeKkg_Ysom9Klqz 8RZhh_fSRnwaw/viewform

U12B Ringette Team preparing for Regional Championships

Under new head coach Katelyn Luddington, the Paris Thunder U12 team has shown continual improvement all season - and is looking to build off of strong showings at the Burlington and Paris tournaments in the Niagara Falls tournament and the Regional championships in March.

Ringette Fun 3 Team brings home gold from tournament

Fun 3 team has had a big year for progress.

Last season this group was winless in our regular season play. So our goal this season was improvement in every game. The growth in our players has been so amazing to see this season. I'm so proud of these kids, they never quit and work so hard!

This season we are right in the middle of the pack of our division with 9 wins - 5 losses - no ties. We won gold in the first tournament of the season and had some tough competition in our second. We are looking forward to our final tournament next weekend and wrapping up with regionals at the end of March.

The coaches are so proud of this group of kids! Let's keep going!

Little Rock Graduates!

These are the youngest members of the Paris Curling Club. They recently completed their first season of the Little Rock program, held on Sundays at the Oak Avenue Club. The Little Rocks will graduate to the Junior program next season. A special thank-you goes out to Jeff Crowley for volunteering his time to team the program to club’s future stars! Great job everyone!

SCOREBOARD FEBRUARY 24 – MARCH 1

*U13 Team 2 sponsored by Fifth Ground Entertainment wins 2-0 over Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U11 Team 1 sponsored by sponsored by Brant Sports loses 3-0 to Waterford Wildcats (2)

*U9 Team 1 sponsored by Cobblestone medicine loses 8-3 to Simcoe Warriors (1)

*U15 Team 3 sponsored by Canadian Tire Paris loses 4-1 to Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U13 Team 1 sponsored by Arora Dental loses 10-3 to Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U11 Team 1 sponsored by Brant Sports loses 7-2 to Waterford Wildcats (2)

*U11 Team 2 sponsored by Nick’s No Frills ties 1-1 against Waterford Wildcats (1)

*U13 Team 1 sponsored by Arora Dental wins 13-0 over Ingersoll Express

*U13 Team 2 sponsored by Fifth Ground Entertainment loses 3-2 to Waterford Wildcats (1)

*U15 Team 1 sponsored by Adkins Financial wins 6-1 over Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U9 Team 1 sponsored by Cobblestone Medicine loses 5-1 to Burford Coyotes

*U15 Team 2 sponsored by Burford Foodland loses 5-4 to Simcoe Warriors (1)

*U15 Team 3 sponsored by Paris Canadian Tire ties 5-5 against Port Dover Pirates

*U15 Rep Comfort Plus Climate Care wins 6-1 over Delhi Rockets

*U11 Team 2 sponsored by Nick's No Frills loses 4-2 to Waterford Wildcats

*U13 Team 1 sponsored by Arora Dental loses4-2 to Burford Coyotes

*U13 Team 1 sponsored by Arora Dental wins 6-4 over Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U18 Team 2 sponsored by Hoogs Installation loses 5-3 to Simcoe Warriors

IT’S PLAYOFF TIME!

U11 Rep Pelton Transport playoff game against Ingersoll Express on March 7th in Ingersoll at 7 pm

U13 Rep Paris Optimist Club playoff game against Burford Coyotes in Burford on March 6 at 8 pm; in Delhi at 7 pm on March 7 and in Paris at 7:10 pm on March 9 against Tillsonburg Tornadoes

U15 rep Comfort Plus Climate Care in Paris against Tavistock Titans on March 9 at 8:20 pm

Photo by Casandra Turnbull

She Shoots… She Scores! at Gretzky Tournament

By Casandra Turnbull

The Walter Gretzky Girls Hockey Tournament welcomed nearly 2,000 athletes to Brantford last weekend for some fast-paced action.

A total of 106 teams from across Ontario competed in the annual event which featured 219 games of Canada's favourite sport. Teams played at various rinks in Brantford and Brant County, including 15 local teams representing Brantford and area players in a variety of divisions. The on-ice talent included teams from a wide range of ages - U9 to U22 - in rep and house league categories. Several volunteer appreciation gifts were handed out

to three different teams recognizing the incredible efforts of volunteer coaches, said Lisa Wallis who convened the tournament along with Ben Gagnon The entire tournament, which fills up within days of opening up, is run entirely by volunteers.

"A Huge thank you to all our volunteers and sponsors as we cannot run a successful tournament without all of your help," said Wallis.

Brantford's U13B team hosted a cupcake sale during the tournament with proceeds going to the SPCA, which was just one heart warming story that emerged

from the tournament. The tournament, which ran from February 24 - 26, was the second tournament since Walter's passing in March 2021 at the age of 82. Walter's memory is always front and centre throughout the weekend as people remember the legendary hockey dad.

Brantford's U15A team won their division and Brantford's U22 House League team finished in second place Organizers said it was another excellent tournament filled with lots of talent that really emphasized the popularity of girls' hockey in Canada.

A U15A Brantford Ice Cats player scores during a round robin game versus the Lambton Attack.

Photo by Michelle Malvaso

Paris Panthers Win Boys Hockey Championship!

By Casandra Turnbull

The Paris Panthers Boys' hockey team was unbeatable on the ice this year, rounding out a nearly perfect season as they beat Brantford Collegiate Institute 5-0 in the A A B H N championship game.

PDHS went 9-0-3 in regular season action so they were favoured going into the March 2nd championship game, held at the Brant Sports Complex. Owen Lalonde (2), Trevor Kitchen and Jacob Adams, shorthanded, all scored Paris' goals, while Carson Burr recorded the shutout in net The win comes after a season full of immense growth, said PDHS teacher and coach, Josh Gowing, who started the season on the bench and after a brief hiatus, joined the team for the end of the season

"What I witnessed was a growth in hockey IQ The boys had all the

talent at the beginning of the season, that was apparent. Just from watching the first few practices you could tell they were going to be a force to be reckoned with (talentwise)," explained Gowing. "What developed over the course of the season was their ability to not only play as a cohesive unit, but identify the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents and manage their own play accordingly."

Gowing credits this cultivation to parent coaches Gary Gardner and Shane Seibert, as well as student coach Ryan O'Keefe. "They were able to keep this group focused

on the main goal of not just winning our division, but having a successful run in C.W.O.S.S.A and potentially O.F.S.S.A.

Gowing also acknowledged the hockey culture in Paris was moulded by newly retired teacher coach Mary Thomas, who was with the team for many years, Jackie Guz, who also coached for many years, and Peter Crosby, who developed the players in his school hockey program and helped out with the team throughout the season

The team will now advance to AA C.W.O.S.S.A next week.

Photos by Michelle Malvaso

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

International Women's Day event will showcase many talented, local women

By Bailey Zimmer

Come visit the first annual Women in Business Expo on March 8 at the Marriott Conference Centre in Brantford from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for an International Women’s Day celebration

Clarity Marketing and Design is hosting a Women’s Day event to help introduce, support and network women in business in the surrounding Brantford, Brant County and Norfolk County area This exposition will showcase local talent and businesses run by women within the community.

Samantha Gernhart, creator of the expo, says International Women’s Day is a great day to host an event in support of women looking to develop their businesses.

“There’s not something like this that happens any other time of the year. There are other women’s events, but not business events like this … the hope is it’s going to morph and grow,” said Gernhart This Women in Business Expo is open to everyone

and is welcoming people of all ages to come explore and celebrate the exceptional women in the area.

“There are many women’s networking groups in our area and we really wanted to offer something fresh and modern to today’s women in business. No membership, no popularity contest, nothing like that, just community over competition,” said Jaime-Lee Ridge, Clarity’s social media manager and photographer.

The Expo will be free of charge for admission and will feature many attractive events for all attendees to enjoy.

Events include six guest speakers, each speaking for about 45 minutes about their businesses, backstories and motivational tales with about 15 minutes between each speaker.

The Paris Independent is a proud media sponsor. So let’s take a few minutes to break down the six guest speakers and what they will bring to the expo.

Continued on pages 25 & 26

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS IN 2023

Hello! I am Samantha Gernhart, owner of Clarity Marketing & Design, a fullservice and award-winning marketing and web design agency based in Brantford.

I have helped businesses and non-profits of all sizes all over Canada with their marketing and web design needs since 2005. This coming summer will be my 18th year in business.

I’ll be sharing marketing do’s and don’ts for 2023. These days us entrepreneurs wear many hats and being your own marketing department is one of them. Website, social media, email marketing, so… where do you start?! What should you focus on? When to ask for help? Be sure to come with your burning marketing questions!

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL

My all is having my family life with my beautiful kids and hubby while achieving success in my real estate career.

I am active in real estate and recently took my business to the next level by breaking off from a team-based real estate group and venturing out as a solo agent to create my own brand.

I have many goals in real estate. Helping the community find their dream home or their next investment is a strong passion of mine and I look forward to growing within the industry. Making the decision to go into business for myself humbled me with new challenges and struggles. It also has shown me a whole new side of business and confidence that I love. It allows me to continue learning and growing in all new ways. Having discovered this new world of modern women in business, this new passion sparked within and a desire to help women achieve their own goals in life was alive. If I can have it all, you can too. For the Women In Business Expo on March 8th, 2023 I look forward to sharing my journey into my business while balancing life, family and career. I will also be going into detail on the current market as well we’ll talk about teambased real estate services vs. individual. I will share important steps to take in getting started on your own as an agent, and the tips and tricks I picked up along the way. My talk will be honest and truthful as I discuss the struggles and challenges I faced, and how I overcame them and did it with a busy family. If a little voice in your head has been telling you to make a change, don’t ignore it. Embrace it, this new direction could be the guide to your purpose.

FROM SADDLE TO BURNOUT

Having professionally coached competitive equestrians for over a decade, I’ve come to realize that success in the saddle is directly correlated to what we believe is possible.

From landing myself in the hospital to rebuilding a six-figure business, one could argue burnout and I have quite a personal relationship. From this experience, it has become my mission to empower women with the confidence to accomplish what they truly desire in life.

The Jessica Parr Podcast, now with 50,000 downloads on Spotify, allows me to share the stories of many accomplished CEOs and shed light on the challenges specific to women in business. This podcast has something for everyone.

I’m looking forward to sharing the tools I’ve compiled in my time in business and in life, for the woman who wants to reach her highest potential without sacrificing everything on the journey to get there. We will have a truthful conversation about burnout and ways to overcome it.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

MEDIA MINDSET

Hello, I’m Elaine!

I am a public relations strategist, media educator and the founder of Wiltshire Media PR. Join me at 12 pm in the Speaker Hall as I share with you how to prepare yourself for successful press coverage.

After a 15-year career as a journalist in print and digital media, I made the switch to public relations and content marketing where I now serve a diverse clientele with a heaping dose of humour, passion and authenticity.

Creator and host of Pitch Class and PR for Publishing, where I teach entrepreneurs and independent authors how to create and execute their own PR strategies.

Getting coverage in the press has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to grow your business. However, for many entrepreneurs especially those in an underrepresented segment of our society the biggest struggle is that they don’t know where to start! Diving into a media strategy really does begin with how you think about yourself and your place in the media landscape.

With this speaker session, I will show you how to boost your confidence and create a meaningful foundation for an effective media relations strategy. Join me!

DOWN TO YOUR LAST DOLLAR

I’ve been there. And I can tell you how I eliminated $55k worth of debt in as little as five years. It is possible.

My successful path in business has brought me to a beautiful place where I help educate and empower women to create the financial life they deserve. Working closely with professional women, I educate and assist clients in eliminating debt and building successful financial portfolios, so they can achieve comfort in their lifestyle while creating generational wealth. In our speaker session, we will discuss relevant and manageable plans to demolish debt, how to effectively use savings/investment accounts, we’ll discuss compound interest and how to utilize your Financial Independence Number.

If you’re thinking about getting into business for yourself, start here, on the right foot, with a financial plan that is curated for you, by a trusted professional.

Looking forward to connecting with you.

RELAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS

Jodi Laking, CEO and owner of Work Smart Canada, has worked with and supported over 5,000 start-ups and small business owners over the last 15 years through her own business ventures, as well as mentoring connections and roles through municipal small business centres. Her focus is on providing consulting, coaching and specialized courses for entrepreneurs and small business owners who are in the start-up or poststartup (18 months to 3 years) phase with the goal to work with each person to find the right fit and balance between the professional growth that drives them to lead in their industry, the financial freedom they are seeking and the needs they want to fulfill in their personal life.

During this session, we will discuss 5 key trends that showcase why 2023 is the perfect year to start a new business or relaunch an existing business. Plus, we’ll break down how to leverage resources to maximize your time, capacity, cash flow and marketing to have a lasting impact on your business and your lifestyle.

Aries: March 21 - April 19 (Fire) –You will receive some much needed rewards this week. This is most likely coming to you through work You have been working really hard and it has not gone unnoticed Your love life will be starting to spice up by the mid week

Taurus: April 20 - May 20 (Earth)

– You will feel a great spiritual shift at the beginning of this week This helps you to see things clearly You have to make a big decision this week about where you want to be in the next 5 years All choices this week should be done with careful consideration.

Gemini: May 21 - June 20 (Air) –Social gatherings may bring you a new love interest Not interested in love, then it will bring a connection for new career options. You will load up your calendar this week and stay super busy. You will earn a very lazy relaxing weekend

Cancer: June 21 – July 22 22 (Water) – You are very guarded this week when it comes to your love life. You have been learning some tough lessons in the past two years. Now is the time to take what you have learned and apply it to change your life Risk and reward

Leo: July 23 - August 22 (Fire)

– You are craving a deep love connection. If your relationship is feeling like a temporary thing then you will want to end it this week You have been procrastinating on getting stuff completed at work, it will be noticed and commented on Smarten up

Virgo: August 23 - September 22 (Earth) – Curiosity will get the best of you You will find yourself snooping around home and work like a detective It may be that you are just in need of excitement You should definitely focus this energy towards your love life instead and make a plan on how to spice things up

Libra: September 23 - October 22 (Air)- You will find love this week. By the end of the week you will be euphoric with the love bug If you choose to boycott your love life then this love still comes to you from family or friends or even yourself. Take it, you deserve it. Also take a day out for a mental break

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 (Water) – You have been putting ideas into motion for a while This week you will begin to execute some of the bigger things You have it all planned out and you are now ready These projects will bring some much needed stability into your life

Sagittarius: November 22December 21 (Fire) – You get out what you put in If you want love, show love If you want success then do the work You will have a moment of self pity and why me at the beginning of this week Then by mid week you decide to buckle down and do the necessary work to get things done.

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 (Earth) – Everything needs to be real, you are tired of the fake in this world. You want to surround yourself with real people doing real things This will become inspiring to you in every area of your life Work, love and health all begin to improve through this new path of thinking

Aquarius: January 20 – February 18 (Air) – If you are single it is because you choose to be You are not willing to settle for less than you deserve If you are in a relationship you will make it known to your partner your true worth and that they better step up You also will want recognition of your worth at work too, but maybe disappointed in the way they show it.

Pisces: February 19 - March 20 (Water) – You will go through a growth week you put your head down and just work hard. You fix relationship problems, you get all your work caught up, you even spring clean your house. You are preparing yourself to be ready for anything But honestly it is just that you're bored with life right now

with Tina Graziano Energy Reader

Tina Graziano was born an energy reader. She uses her gifts to heal and guide others as a life coach. If you need support and insight in life, contact Tina for an energy reading directly online at https://www.facebook.com/ Tina.Graziano.Energy.Reader

Showtimes for Galaxy Cinemas Brantford

For Saturday, March 4, 2023

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Avatar: The Way of Water

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish