The Paris Independent for Saturday January 28th, 2023

FIRST LOOK AT NEW LIBRARY BRANCH

Catch a first glimpse of the new Main Branch of the County of Brant Library during a public open house on Monday, February 6 at the Brant Sports Complex from 6-9 pm. Beginning at 7 pm, DPAI Architecture Inc. will showcase draft design concepts of the exterior and interior spaces of the new Main Branch Library. The open house will give residents an opportunity to engage with representatives from the project’s Steering Group and DPAI Architecture Inc. More details on page 5. Read about the history of the current main branch on pages 6-7

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

TOMORROW! OPTIMIST CLUB OPEN HOUSE

Takes place on January 29th from 2pm to 4pm at the Optimist Club on Elm Street (shared parking lot with the Syl Apps Community Centre) in Paris. Everyone is invited to drop in for a chat about the Optimist Club and how they enrich the lives of the youth in Paris and the surrounding area If you are new to the community, the Optimist Club is a great place to make new friends.

TOMORROW! SAFETY & CRIME

PREVENTION WALK – Hosted by the Brant North Community Safety Group (www.brantnorthcsg.com) on Sunday, January 29 at 9:30 am. Meeting location is the entrance to King William Park We are also holding a follow up Speaker Meeting on Wednesday, February 15 at 7 pm in the Community Room at the Gaukel Memorial Community Centre in St George The speaker will be from the OPP Safe Guarding team. Meeting will also provide updates on recent OPP stats from Brant County and an open forum to share community safety concerns as well as brainstorm solutions. Everyone welcome.

TODAY!

BIG CITYYY LIFE DRAWING

–Hosted by Rubyyy Jones at Dog Eared Café on January 28 at 2pm. A costumed life drawing event for artists and creative people of all levels and all walks of life. No experience or arts education required, this is a space for trying, exploring and getting your creative juices flowing! Tickets are $20 for this three-hour long event. You can purchase tickets online. Visit the event’s Facebook page for more details! Everyone is welcome to attend!

SAVE THE DATE STORYBOOK

BREAKFAST –for the first time since the pandemic Kids Can Fly’s most popular event returns on Saturday, February 4th at the Hellenic Community Centre with two seating times of 9am and 11am. Tickets on sale now on the Kids Can Fly website. This year’s Storybook Breakfast theme is “Imagination,” and will leave guests enjoying decorations from a variety of popular storybook themes and popular children’s movies.

Saturday, February 11, 7pm to 11pm at the Memorial Hall in St. George (34 Main St). Event hosted by the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band, tickets are $30 each Includes Scottish music, haggis dinner, cash bar and entertainment. Find out more online.

HAGGIS FEST 2023

SENIORS’ DROP IN

PROGRAM

– Every Wednesday, ongoing, from 11am to 3pm at the Syl Apps Community Centre, upstairs hall. The County of Brant is excited to partner with the Brantford Seniors’ Resource Centre to offer a weekly seniors’drop-in program! Participants can look forward to coffee/snacks, games, creative projects, a place to visit & much more! This is a free event.

TODAY! CONTEMPORARY ART SHOW & TASTING – Saturday, January 28 at the Taren White Gallery, downtown Paris. View the contemporary art show and enjoy a tasting event with local loves: Vodka Friday and Arepa Love. Viewing and tasting takes place from 4 pm to 7 pm at the gallery. Open to the public, everyone welcome!

PARIS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – February

Register online now or connect with your local library branch and sign up with staff. Space is limited; registration is required

VALENTINE’S DAY SPEAKER - Tuesday, February 14 at 6:30pm at the Paris Legion Branch 29, Canadian singer-songwriter and musical theatre actress Dana Jean Phoenix will perform and speak. Hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Paris-Brant, this monthly meeting is an excellent way to find out about how Kiwanis helps our community If you would like to attend, please write to Kiwanisparisbrant@gmail.com for more information

See story in next week’s edition!

1st , 7pm at the Paris Fairgrounds. Anne Vernon, owner of Rooms and Blooms is our speaker for the evening. Her topic is “Porch, Patio, Deck Décor and More” The presentation will be a slide show Check out her website in her own words “Your home extends beyond the walls of the house. Push back the boundaries of your home by bringing it outdoors. Imagine relaxing in your outdoor room, entertaining on a relaxing patio, and reveling in the beauty of your garden.” This is a fabulous opportunity to plan for spring & summer projects. We cordially invite guests and future members.

LIBRARY LIBATIONS – Thursday, February

9th at 7pm. Compete against other tables as Library staff lead you and friends through interactive games! Book a table, assemble your group, and get ready for fun at the Paris Beer Co (Wincey Mills, downtown Paris).

Community generously supported the 2022 Christmas Hamper program

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Our 2022 Christmas hamper program was very successful in supporting 156 hampers by way of food/toys and monetary gifts.

Thank you to the Paris Fair Agricultural Society for donating their excellent facilities. Thank you to all our local schools for promoting the children to help donate non perishable items A special thank you to the Paris Optimist club, Lions Club of Paris and St. George, the Paris Legion, St. Vincent de Paul, Kiwanis Club, and all the residents and businesses who donated to our program. Thank you to everyone who made and donated lovely knitted items to help keep our residents warm.

A special thank you to the Matt Amy and staff with the Paris Firefighters Club and Cst. Conrad Vitalis and staff with the OPP for organizing and running the “Fill a Vehicle “ programs which ran for several weekends in December, collecting food and monetary donations.

Thank you to the businesses who donated their space for boxes to collect food and toys. Thank you to the

County of Brant Customer Service office downtown Paris for supporting residents with applications and receiving donations, as well as the staff who kept information up-to-date on the website.

Also, we would like to thank the Paris Independent, the Expositor, The Paris Chronicle, and the St George Lance for all their support in helping make our presence public to all residents.

A big thank you to all the residents who came out to help sort, pack and distribute the hampers. You are very much appreciated.

Lastly, thank you to our committee members and volunteers who worked so diligently dedicating their time to help before, during and after the week of December 11-16 to see our worthwhile project through to completion.

We look forward to 2023.

Our sincere, warmest thanks! - Shirley Simons, Laura Bowlby, Marg Knill-Wilson, Cherish Gamble, Tawnia Martel, Lisa Lewis, Anne Rutt

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:

Public open house will showcase draft designs of the new Main Branch Library and encourage feedback from residents

The County of Brant Public Library will host a public open house at the Brant Sports Complex on Monday, February 6 from 6 pm to 9 pm. A special presentation by the Library and DPAI Architecture Inc. will begin at 7 pm and showcase draft design concepts of the exterior and interior spaces of the new Main Branch Library

The project involves the full restoration of the historic Paris Old Town Hall (now known as the Bawcutt Centre) with a bright and modern addition featuring library services for all age groups. A landscaped exterior offers public green space for outdoor use and public enjoyment.

“The proposed design strikes a perfect balance between restoration of the original Gothic Revival-style building and a modern library,” says Kathryn Carter, chair of the Bawcutt Centre Advisory Committee. “We are so excited to share this concept with the community. The new Main Branch Library will be an incredible resource for County residents and preserves a significant piece of our cultural heritage ”

The public open house is free to attend and provides County of Brant residents an opportunity to engage with representatives from

the project Steering Group and DPAI Architecture Inc. Residents are invited to attend the open house, take in the presentation, and provide feedback on the proposed design concepts.

A recording of the presentation and design images will be available on the Library’s website at brantlibrary ca/newmainbranch The public is encouraged to submit feedback online during the month of February.

This project is guided by a Steering Group composed of Library Board members and the Bawcutt Centre Advisory Committee. Pending Council approval of the final project design and budget, construction is expected to begin in 2023.

The Bawcutt Centre (formerly, the Paris Old Town Hall) is located at 13 Burwell Street, Paris, Ontario. It is one of the oldest civic Gothic buildings in Canada The original structure was built in 1854 and consists of a basement, a first / ground / main floor, second / upper floor, and a bell tower. Aone-storey addition was put on the east side of the original structure in 1870. In 1954, the Mary Maxim Company purchased the property, and, in 1964, added a two-storey addition. In recent years, community initiatives to save, preserve, and repurpose the Bawcutt Centre have

evolved. In October of 2015, Council authorised acquisition of the Bawcutt Centre. In December of 2015, Council entered into a Gifting Agreement with Skystone Media’s CEO Linda Schuyler to secure a $1,000,000 donation towards both acquisition and restoration of The Bawcutt Centre. The building was renamed from the Paris Old Town Hall to The Bawcutt Centre in honour of the principal donor’s father, Jack Bawcutt, who is a former mayor of the Town of Paris.

The property was acquired in March of 2016 and The Bawcutt Centre Advisory Committee was formed. In October 2020, the former Paris Town Hall was designated as a national historic site www brant ca/theBawcuttCent re

The County of Brant Public Library serves the County of Brant, Ontario, with five branches in Burford, Glen Morris, Paris, Scotland-Oakland, and St. George, and a mobile library and 24/7 booklending kiosk in Onondaga. Visit the library online at brantlibraryca, @brantlibrary on Facebook and Twitter, and @brantcountypubliclibrary on Instagram

Paris Public Library Building Opened in 1904

Free library service has been a feature of Paris life since 1904, the year in which the present library building was erected Making the building possible was a $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie, the father of free library service in North America. Before the year of 1904, town library service was provided by the Paris Mechanic’s Institute, which in the beginning had been known as the Mutual Institute, but fees were charged for book borrowing During the first 75 years of library service development was hindered by public apathy and lack of money. The Mutual Institute came into being on April 22, 1841, when Hiram Capron and 24 other men attended an organization meeting for having lectures, scientific experiments, and a circulating library. Capron was elected president, Thomas Allchin secretary, Robert McCosh treasurer and James Murray librarian. A fiveshilling entrance fee was charged plus a monthly fee of two shillings. Meetings were held irregularly at the home of Mr. Finlayson (now 40 Dumfries St ) The back of James Murray’s store was the site of the first library During the first year the library was open each Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm By April 1842, 40 names were on the subscribers' list and 134 books were available for

circulation. The Mutual Institute became the Mechanics' Institute on July 19, 1842, in order to receive a small grant from the government for this purpose. In 1856, directors of the institute rented for £37 a year rooms in a stone block building across the street from the fire hall in Upper Town to serve as a reading room Mr Patterson, owner of the building, agreed to be the librarian. This venture proved successful, and the annual report of 1857 disclosed there were 900 books and 16 periodicals available for circulation A new reading room was erected in 1858 on land purchased from Mr Capron for $150. The building is still standing at 7 Grand River St North and was the home of the institute for nearly half a century. The new room - was open six days a week from 9 am to 4 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm. In 1858 J. Graham was appointed librarian at a salary of $50 a year. At night, the reading tables were lighted by large flickering candles. Members now paid a fee of 10 shillings a year in advance and the government provided

a grant of $48. Frequently in those days the town's clergy were called upon to censor certain books and magazines suspected of containing passages that tended “to promote infidelity”. The clergy received tickets of honorary membership and were requested to occupy platform seats during lectures To raise funds for the new reading room, directors in 1858 rented the Old Town Hall on Church street and held a soiree. It was so successful that two other similar events were held. In 1860 the mortgage had been paid and membership had reached 125. The library had 1,000 volumes Samuel Reynett became librarian following the resignation of Mr Graham By 1875 the town's population had grown to 3,071 and the library’s book stock to 2000. Books were placed on sloping desks arranged along two walls and patrons had to stand while reading. The librarian’s desk was situated in the middle of the room and bookshelves were back behind a glass partition

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The building was wired in 1880 by William Thompson but an attempt to light it with electric bulbs failed because of trouble with a dynamo. A year or two later, however, old oil lamps were replaced by electric lights After 1892 the institute appeared to be less useful to the town and by 1900 few people were willing to pay the membership fee of $2 00 Income from those who became members was too small to pay the librarian's salary, purchase a sufficient number of good papers, magazines and books, and maintain the building. Fortunately, at this time however, Andrew Carnegie, prominent Pittsburgh steel man, had established a fund for building public libraries. As mentioned above, it was a grant from Carnegie that built the present library building at Broadway and William streets. In 1902 citizens of the town were asked to vote on a by-law accepting the terms under which the steel magnate would donate $10,000 for the erection and furnishing of a library. The vote was carried 224 to 11. Tenders were called and the new library building was built by Alexander Frank Wickson and opened on June 1, 1904. Members of the first Public Library Board were Mayor H. Stroud, who served as chairman; Dr W N Bell, Principal of the Paris High School; Paul Giovanni Wickson, prominent Canadian artist; James Smiley, county clerk; A H Baird, proprietor of the Paris Wincey Mills Ltd.; M. Ryan collector of customs and grain dealer, Rev. J. E. Crinnon, pastor of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, and Canon Alfred Brown rector of St. James’ Anglican Church.

Books were catalogued in 1907 as much confusion existed in the classification of non-fiction In 1907 Edward Reynett, who had succeeded his father, resigned and Miss Mayme Mylne was named to succeed him. In the same year, a reference room was added for $90.83. Miss Mabel Fasken succeeded Miss Mylne and in 1916, Alex Kirkpatrick was appointed librarian at $420 a year and served until he became ill of pneumonia in March 1940. H. J. Haire, then chairman of the Library Board volunteered to act as librarian during his absence but when Mr Kirkpatrick found he would be unable to resume his duties, Miss Marion McConkey was appointed. The library was remodeled in 1950 at a cost of $20,000 and officially re-opened during an “at home" held in September 1951 Angus Mowat director of library services for the Ontario Department of Education was guest speaker. In his address Mr. Mowat contended that the public library should be the cultural centre

of the community The 50th anniversary of free library service was observed in October 1954 The guest speaker was Dr. C. E. Silcox, Toronto, well known Canadian author and clergyman. He traced the history of the Mechanics’ Institute, referred to the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie, and told of his early days in Paris where his father was minister of the old Congregational Church. Colored slides made by Dr W N Bell, a member of the first library board were shown by Mrs D A Smith. Dr. Bell was a pioneer in colored photography The anniversary celebration also featured a reunion of early library subscribers The library underwent renovations in 1995, moving the main entrance to Broadway Street. After merging with surrounding areas in 1999, the Paris Public Library was renamed as the Paris Branch of the County of Brant Public Library. The Paris location now serves as the central branch of libraries in the County of Brant, which is a single-tier municipality.

New Lawn Bowling Clubhouse will cost $1.6 million

By Casandra Turnbull

Plans to build a new clubhouse for the Paris Lawn Bowling Club moved forward this week as more details were presented at the Administrative and Operations Committee meeting on Tuesday. In a report delivered by Kathy Ballantyne, Director of Parks & Facilities for the County of Brant, committee members supported the concept design, construction timeline and backed a staff suggestion that the project should be included in the 2023 budget. The estimated cost of this project is $1.6 million

The new clubhouse is designed to function as a ‘net zero’ building, which supports the climate emergency mandate that council established in 2019 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and it will replace the existing 75-yearold Clubhouse that was built in 1948. The building was eventually turned over to the Town of Paris for $1 when membership dwindled, and the lawn bowling club could no longer afford the upkeep in 1986. Plans for the new clubhouse were unveiled last fall. After meetings with stakeholders to review the concept plans, a few changes were implemented to maximize the uses and functionality of the building. The large open space within the

clubhouse will be increased by 200 square feet to better accommodate programming by increasing the capacity to 60 people; indoor and outdoor storage reconfiguration was required for better organization and flow within the building; and operable doors on the front of the building decreased from three to two to allow for better placement of furniture and flow of patrons. The estimated cost of $1.3 to $1.6 million includes demolition of the existing building, civil engineering costs, landscaping, mechanical/electrical, restoration of the greens, as well as a 15% contingency fund It does not include furniture, appliances and

permit fees Staff recommend that $1.6 million be included in the 2023 capital budget, to be funded by long-term debt.

The Paris Lawn Bowling Club has 65 members and that membership is climbing over the last few years Members of the club have agreed to assist with fundraising for this project and have set a goal of $150,000 To date $24,375 has been raised. The club has approached the County of Brant to collaborate so that donors have the option of a multi-year pledge An overall fundraising campaign goal will be set once the project is approved

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County staff seek approval to include the Paris Lawn Bowling Club in the 2023 Capital Budget. The new clubhouse is estimated to cost $1.3 to $1.6 million dollars and construction should start this fall. The new clubhouse will be a ‘net zero’ building, supporting council’s climate emergency mandate, and will replace the existing 75 year old structure.

The Paris Lawn Bowling Club uses the facility two evenings per week, which leaves room for The Paris Seniors’ Club to operate out of the new facility as well The seniors’ club has been housed at three different facilities over the last nine years and having a dedicated programming space will enable the group to expand their programs from two to three or four days per week. Additional programming opportunities would also be available for evenings or weekend workshops and social events. The group currently has approximately 45 members and has reported a 30% increase in members this past few months.

County staff also met with Pastor Joel Sherbino from the Paris Presbyterian Church to review part of the site plan that outlines parking as the county plans on making parking improvements on land partially

Cool shirt

owned by the church. A formal agreement will be drafted and brought back to council for approval County staff hope to have the budget for this project approved by council next month. Construction documents should be finalized by April and the project will call for a tender by May. Demolition of the current building is scheduled for September with construction to follow. If all goes according to plan, the new clubhouse will be operable by May 2024.

do you recognize the artist?

Paris Councillor Steve Howes is flexing his artistic ability with a new art medium! Available online now, Howes’ sketch of the Paris legion was printed on tshirts and are available for sale through T-shirt Tuesdaze, a non government-funded community arts project highlighting the amazing local talent in this area. T-shirt Tuesdaze works directly with each contributor to refine their unique work. The t-shirts are $20 each and $10 from every purchase goes directly to Howes, who is donating it all to the Paris Legion’s renovation fund. Howes explained the inspiration behind the design. “Two summers ago, during a much needed pause in Covid restrictions, I had the pleasure of attending a Bobby Banks performance on the patio at the Paris Branch 29 Royal Canadian Legion. It was a wonderful, memorable day and I later tried to capture my memory of it in a sketch.” Shirts are available online at www.zbtfd.ca and free delivery is offered (within Brantford and Brant County) until January 30th .

New International Women’s Day Expo puts focus on connecting women in business

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 About 100 people have already registered online to attend.

“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.

“We’re really excited with the partnerships so far that are interested in coming on,” said Gernhart

There will also be 50 trade show tables for guests to explore, which can lead to job opportunities and networking within the business community. Tables may be handing out business cards and other merchandise to bring home

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Vendors for the tradeshow are applying from Oxford County, Brant County, Norfolk County and Hamilton area Applications to be a vendor will be open until January 31.

“We want to be a resource for women within our communities who are thinking about taking the plunge into business for self,” said Ridge. “You can come to learn from our selected guest speakers who will touch on subjects that are relevant and educational. Walk the trade show and meet actual women in business and learn about their stories, how they overcame challenges, what their passions are, how they keep balance and more ”

Along with vendor tables, there will also be a photo booth to commemorate the exciting day and capture the start to success of many new and growing businesses.

The exposition will also include a ballot draw for prizes which will include gift cards or gift certificates to local businesses around the community. This event will also come with swag bags for the first 100 attendees to take home which includes merchandise from local businesses, various sponsors and other community members putting their

products, gift cards or online discount codes in the bags.

Swag bags are not only great for what’s inside, but they’re also convenient to put other products in.

“Swag bags are always great when you’re walking around at a trade show because you receive stuff or people give you pamphlets or a tester.”

Gernhart and Ridge are most excited to see the number of people attend the event and learn about women in business and to see all the successful women come together, to network and support each other in the community.

We’re putting the work in to make this a successful annual event to celebrate women in business and support one another authentically,” said Ridge.

Gernhart feels this will help fill the gap in support and networking for women in the area and hopes to see business develop and grow. She is excited for a day of learning and showcasing women in business.

“You never know who you might meet or what connection you might make,” said Gernhart. “There a lot of different ways people can utilize this event and benefit from it ”

Registration is available online until January 31.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Ball

Helps A Child Smile!

The Glass Slipper Company hosted a Bibbidi Bobbidi Ball on New Year’s Eve and a portion of the proceeds from that evening were donated to Help A Child Smile.

Cinderella presented a $2,500 to Tara Derbyshire-Hutson from Make A Child Smile and Chloe Hutson, who is holding a picture of her late sister, Caitlin. The Glass Slipper Company sent out a huge thank-you to everyone who was involved: Raised Barefoot Photography, David Brown, Martin Smith - Playwright, Joshua Wall, Mike Anthony Tattoos, Kidtastic Adventures, Dan Taylor's Music Academy and Dollarama! This event was only possible because of your kindness and generosity!

Photo credit: Help A Child Smile

Illusionist reappears for March Break Magic!

MEDIA RELEASE - Help A Child

Smile is excited to announce the return of March Break Magic! The Illusionist Lucas Wilson is bringing his familyfriendly show back to Brantford on Monday, March 13, 2 p.m. at the Sanderson Centre for Performing Arts. Tickets went on-sale Friday, January 27 at noon and are $15 per person. Proceeds from the show will benefit Help A Child Smile.

Direct from the pages of Guinness World Records and your TV, join The Illusionist Lucas Wilson as her performs some of his favourite illusions and introduces spectacular new ones for this March Break Magic special presentation! Enjoy the show and help raise funds for Help A Child Smile and awareness of childhood cancer.

Help A Child Smile is a charity that supports children and families impacted by childhood cancer that are being treated at McMaster Children's Hospital.

We assist families by providing paid hospital parking for the duration of a child's treatment, regular free events and activities that include the entire family, and a number of other supports. This year, The Brant Community Foundation has provided a $3,100 grant for our families to attend the show for free.

Illusionist Lucas Wilson is bringing his family-friendly March Break Magic show back to Brantford on March 13 at the Sanderson Centre for Performing Arts. What for a follow up article on this event!

My-Thai is Your Thai – have you checked out Paris’ newest eatery?

By Carolina Saenz

Thai food lovers can now rejoice with the arrival of the new My-Thai restaurant. The freshly opened Paris branch, located at 1070 Rest Acres Rd, is the fourth location for this successful franchise Vanh Kalong, founder and principal of the My-Thai Brand, shares her story and reasoning behind choosing Paris as their new home

A Thai refugee, Kalong recalls her arrival to Canada and her search for freedom and financial security back in the year 2000. “The Downtown of Hamilton is what I knew. This is where I landed and this is where I believed I should grow,” she writes. Determined to find success, she purchased an existing restaurant with the help of private lenders

On July 6th, 2001, the first My-Thai location opened its doors on John Street. Kalong worked hard alongside her brother Johnny and their culturallydiverse-staff, learning along the way as well as educating themselves and others about different food, cultures, and values.

“Did we get it right? That would remain to be seen.

As it turned out, we can say, “absolutely”! From a marketing standpoint, being first to introduce Authentic Thai cuisine to this market paid off,” Kalong shares. Hamiltonian foodies welcomed them with open arms, and while it has been a process to be accepted by the masses, through education, great service, social media, and charity events, My-Thai has positioned itself as an award-winning restaurant over the last 20 years.

Since their beginnings in 2001, the My-Thai Brand has expanded significantly. At one point, they boasted with seven locations. Due to the pandemic and some changes in ownership, some locations were closed. The new Paris location is their fourth operating under the My-Thai Brand, but they do also have a sister store in downtown Hamilton called Pintoh.

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Vanh Kalong is the owner/operator of the My-Thai brand. The newest location opened up on Rest Acres Road last week. The owners and staff are excited to finally open and serve the community!

Paris became their number one choice in response to the growing population in the area and their goal towards serving young, busy families. This new location will also be the new Head Office for the My-Thai Franchise.

Since opening their doors on January 19th, 2023, My-Thai Paris has had an amazing response, truly feeling welcomed into the community. They do continue to ask for orders to be placed ahead of time, as well as patience and kindness towards their young trainees, who are mainly students from Paris and St. John’s high schools. “Their first job experience is important to them, and we can't make that experience happen alone without our community help. We would like these young people to gain life experience not just work experience and create impact for their lives and build live long friendship within our work family, a tradition we would like to keep and continue,” Kalong explains.

And while both labour and material shortages have delayed and finally made their opening a true accomplishment, Kalong is certain that being able to handle these challenges only means they’ll be able to handle whatever the future brings more easily

For those looking to try Thai food for the first time, Kalong clarifies some misconceptions. “Thai food is still being perceived as spicy and cooked with peanut oil, two of these perceptions are false We cook with vegetable oil and peanut as topping of some of our dishes,” she clarifies. In terms of spiciness, she explains that most of their dishes are mild, but of course, urges the public to keep in mind that everyone’s spice level is different.

“If you are new to Thai food or any food for that matter, I would recommend you try what make the cuisine popular. In our case it is Pad Thai, Cashew Chicken are some of the most popular dishes on our menu,” Kalong shares. Beyond being proud of the ingredients they use and their great service, My-Thai is also honoured to be a part of a pilot Foreign Worker Program with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) as well as Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Through this program, they can create jobs by sponsoring, contracting and helping their Certified Thai Chefs transfer their skill set to Canada “Without Chef there's no part time position creating for students is an example we like to give. Their contribution to our job growth contributes to taxes are a win situation for us as community as well as the country,” Kalong explains Sponsored chefs also hold the right to exercise their status after one year working experience and become permanent residents so long as they meet the criteria by IRCC On their part, My-Thai must prove that they cannot find another chef specialized in Thai cuisine and must meet all criteria by ESDC.

The newest Paris location’s chef recently arrived in December with his whole family “Both him and his wife are currently working at that location so please help us make them feel welcome to our community, their transition to our climate, way of life depend on us as we would like them to stay,”

Kalong writes

As for their 2023 goals, My-Thai will continue to redefine themselves and the industry standard, while challenging the status quo to provide customization and meet today’s dietary demand while maintaining their authenticity as well as that of their cuisine.

“We at My-Thai Group would like to invite Parisians to our welcoming location and enjoy delicious authentic Thai food Thailand is only steps away and enjoying Thailand food can now be in the comfort of our own safe home. We often said My-Thai now is your Thai and its up to the community to make the business viable and help create the jobs”, concludes Kalong.

Who’s ready to try some MyThai?

The newest location in Paris is now open!

Mounties win in overtime thriller

The Paris Mounties picked up their second win of the season with an overtime thriller against Tavistock last Saturday in front of a hometown crowd. See additional photos on pages 18-19.

Your Paris Mounties Report

With George Le Gresley

The fourth place Tavistock Braves visited the Brant Sports Complex to face your Paris Mounties last Saturday. With a roster showing signs of improvement, the Mounties took the first period lead with a goal by Xavier Moura and assisted by Grant Eastwood and Ryan O’Keefe. Tavistock scored three unanswered goals in the second period and took a 3-1 lead. The only entertaining event on the ice for Paris, other than

the Under 8 Wolfpack intermission game, was when a Tavistock player came onto the ice and challenged Ryan O’Keefe to a fight. Unfortunately for the Tavi player, Ryan may look like Clark Kent but handled himself like Ali, giving the Mounties bench and the fans an emotional lift.

Mounties Will Curwen opened the third period scoring with an unassisted power play goal to trail Tavistock 3-2. The tying goal came with just over a minute left in regulation when Josh Schell assisted on Grant Eastwood’s goal. Overtime lasted only 39 seconds on Xavier Mouras’ second goal of the night.

The Mounties have two home games starting tonight against the Hespeler Shamrocks and on Monday, January 30 against the Woodstock Navy Vets Both home games have a 7:30 p m puck drop.

Photos by Michelle Malvaso

Top left, Grant Eastwood celebrates after he scores the tying goal with only a minute left in regulation play to send the game into overtime. Top right, Xavier Moura scored Paris’ game winning goal only 39 seconds into overtime. Paris’ offense was all over the fourth-placed Tavistock Braves. Pictured left is Ty Wetzel. Bottom left, Paris’ Ryan O’Keefe in a fight with a Tavistock player during the second period. Bottom right, Mounties goalie Scott Rodrigue faced 47 shots in net.

Photos by Michelle Malvaso

U8 Wolfpack team scrimmages during Mounties intermission

Young players meet the Mounties, get autographs and entertain the hometown fans

The U8 Wolfpack Team 1 got to skate with the big guys last Saturday and they were very excited to put on a show for the hometown crowd! Pictured above is the under 8 players meeting the Mounties before the game (photo credit Mike Heintzman). Top right are Lincoln Pynenburg and Ben Turnbull; to the right is Jack Ferren taking a shot, blocked by Parker Sevigny and Brennan Deane; bottom left is Nathan Blake and Parker Sevigny and bottom right is Luci Corbett and Emerson Kneale. Read about this team’s most recent game on Page 19! Photos by Michelle Malvaso

U8 Team 1 offence red hot in win against Waterford

There was no stopping Paris’ offense during a recent match up between the U8 Wolfpack Team 1 and the Waterford Wildcats last Saturday at the Brant Sports Complex

It was a slow start to the game with no one scoring in the first seven minutes of play. Parker Sevigny opened the flood gates with Paris’ first goal. The next Wolfpack goal came from Brody Heintzman with a beauty one-timer that the Waterford goalie didn’t even see coming. Heintzman went on to score another six goals in the remaining 20 minutes of play and

was virtually unstoppable every time he touched the puck. Not to be outdone, Sevigny also scored another three goals, for a total of four goals during the game. He also was a force to reckon with, blasting many of his goals top shelf. Emerson Kneale also recorded one goal, firing a bullet by the Waterford goalie The final score was 12-2 for Paris. Everyone on the team worked in unison and exhibited some excellent stick handling skills and passes. It was a complete team effort with some solid defensive plays from Lincoln Pyenburg,

Sebastian Britton and Brennan Deane. Jack Ferren, Ben Turnbull and Luci Corbett battled hard for the puck throughout the game, digging deep to make some nice passes to their teammates Nathan Blake fended off several saves between the pipes as he settles into his new role as the team’s fulltime goalie Blake polished some of his goaltending skills over the winter break and stepped forward to take on the position with the full support of his teammates. He’s transitioned nicely during his first couple of games. Great job everyone!

SCOREBOARD JANUARY 20 – JANUARY 26

*U13 Team 2 sponsored by Fifth Ground Entertainment ties 2-2 against Delhi Rockets (2)

*U15 Team 1 sponsored by Adkins Financial wins 5-1 over Port Dover Pirates

*U15 Team 1 sponsored by Adkins Financial ties 1-1 against Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U9 MD sponsored by Desjardins ties 1-1 against the Ingersoll Express

*U9 MD sponsored by Desjardins loses 6-5 against the Ingersoll Express

*U11 Team 1 Sponsored by Brant Sports wins 4-2 over Delhi Rockets (1)

*U11 Team 2 sponsored by Nick’s No Frills wins 5-4 over Waterford Wildcats

*U11 Rep sponsored by Pelton Transportation wins 10-1 over Six Nations Blackhawks

*U13 Team 1 Arora Dental wins 5-2 over Norwich Knighthawks

*U13 Team 2 sponsored by Fifth Ground Entertainment wins 6-1 over Delhi Rockets (2)

*U18 Team 2 sponsored by Hoogs Installation ties 3-3 over U18 Team 3 sponsored by Paris Legion Branch 29

*U15 Team 3 sponsored by Canadian Tire loses 3-0 against Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U15 Team 2 sponsored by Burford Foodland ties 2-2 against Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U18 Team 1 sponsored by Cobblestone Medicine loses 51 to Simcoe Warriors (2)

*U18 Team 2 sponsored by Hoog Installations ties 1-1 against Burford Coyotes

*U13 Team 2 sponsored by Fifth Ground Entertainment loses 3-2 to Simcoe Warriors

*U13 Rep sponsored by Pelton Transportation ties 1-1 to Tavistock Titans (1)

*U13 Team 1 sponsored by Arora Dental loses 5-2 against the Port Dover Pirates

*U11 Team 2 sponsored by Nick’s No Frills wins 3-1 over Delhi Rockets (1)

*U13 Team 2 sponsored by Fifth Ground Entertainment loses 2-1 to Tillsonburg Tornadoes

*U15 Team 1 sponsored by Adkins Financial wins 6-4 over U15 Team 3 sponsored by Canadian Tire

*U18 Team 1 sponsored by Cobblestone Medicine wins 20 over Norwich Knighthawks

My child wants to play soccer –what leagues are offered in Paris?

By Casandra Turnbull

There are several options when it comes to youth soccer in Paris With the outdoor season approaching in a couple of months, and registration opening now, let’s take a look at what leagues and clubs operate in Paris

PARIS FC

Paris FC operates out of Green Lane Sports Complex and offers a wide range of development leagues from U4 (born 2019) to U9/10/11 (b. 2012, 13, 14). Their programs are completely non-profit and are assisted by sponsors to keep registration costs as low as possible explains Melissa Ostrowercha, co-founder of the club

“Our development league is different than a traditional house league It focuses on learning the actual game, through interactive training, touches on the ball and applied skill,” she said. Parent volunteers are recruited to help and assist on the sidelines during games and practices, but all training is provided by Ulysse Soccer trainers in order to provide consistency across all programs “It’s (development league) is for all abilities and skills levels –those brand new to soccer will have as good an experience as those who are future ‘rep’ players,” she added. Development league teams practice once a week and play games once a week.

For the more experienced players, ones who excel within the

development league, there’s an option to sign up and join a self-selected festival team (U8 only), which travels to a few selected Hamilton District Festivals (Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Hamilton, Flamborough, Brantford, etc). These festivals are held on Saturdays in the summer and the Paris FC also hosts a festival at its Green Lane fields in earlyAugust

Paris FC rep teams start at U9 and Ostrowercha says the programming for the rep teams is an excellent for those looking for more of a challenge Paris FC follows the Canada Soccer Grassroots Program designed to create the best possible learning and development

environment for all young players in Canada. The Grassroots Standards are based on global best practice, while taking into account the realities of Canadian soccer Registration for Paris FC outdoor season is open now and early bird pricing ends on March 1. You can register online at www.parisfc.ca and you can learn more about the league’s Ulysse Soccer Trainers online at https:/www.ulyssesoccertraining.co m/coachcorner

Ulysse Soccer Trainers (above) run the programing at Paris FC. To the right, U5 & U6 awards night following the end of the outdoor season 2022.

Photos courtesy of Paris FC

PARIS SOCCER CLUB

The Paris Soccer Club is open to all youth regardless of skill level and experience. They offer divisions from U4 through U21 and a majority of the league’s games and practices are held at the fields beside Mary Maxim on ScottAve.

The U4-U8 teams are co-ed play, while the U10, U12, U14, U17 and U21 teams are separated by gender The club also offers a leisure league for 18+ co-ed, played on a quarter of the field and a Soccer Momz league that also plays on a quarter of the field

Players looking to grow their soccer skills can be offered the opportunity to be called up as a substitute player for higher division Paris Soccer Club teams, explains Kevin Noseworthy, club President. “In addition, our club shares information about soccer camps and other leagues that players can register to attend to broaden their soccer skills,” he adds.

Players in the U8 – U 21 leagues have one game a week and one practice a week. The U4-U6 teams only play on Saturdays. The season starts in may and ends at the end of July – although some divisions continue with playoffs for the first few weeks of August. All coaches are volunteers. The Paris Soccer Club offers the volunteers coaching clinics and program guidelines and drills under the guidance and support of the league’s Director of Coaching.

“Paris Soccer Club offers over 35 different volunteer roles, all with the goal of keeping our costs down for our players,” said Noseworthy. Volunteer opportunities exist in administration, executive, teams, fund

development, and field and clubhouse maintenance. They also offer volunteer positions to high school students looking to complete volunteer hours and to college and university students seeking placements. The club is currently hiring for referees and lines people who are 15 years of age or older. Full training and uniforms are provided

“Our club is grateful for the support of our local businesses, corporations, service clubs, foundations and Brant County for the ongoing support,” Noseworthy concludes.

Registration for this club is also open online at https://parissoccer.ca/registration-info/

Early bird rates apply until February 28th . New registrants will need to create an account before completing the registration. If you require assistance you can reach you via email to admin@parissoccer.ca

PDHS girls’ hockey remains undefeated with three regular season games remaining

By Casandra Turnbull

The Paris District High School girls’ hockey team is riding an undefeated wave with only three regular season games left this year

Paris’ most recent win was a 7-0 shutout against McKinnon Park Secondary School on January 18th. Paris also picked up a 6-2 victory over Assumption College on January 16th.

Head Coach Steve Ahlberg believes Assumption College was their toughest component so far this year. “They are the deepest team we have played in terms of talent throughout their lineup, and they have the strongest goaltending,” said Ahlberg. During Paris’ first game of the new year, they posted a 4-2 win over Assumption.

Asked what the team’s strength this year is, Ahlberg responded, “We have some really high-end talent which we can lean on if we get into a close game, but I think our depth is what has given most of our competition the toughest time when playing us. We

can send three lines out there and any one of them have players that can make plays and make life hard for the opposition.”

Paris has always had a strong team on the ice. Brantford Collegiate Institute was the reigning Brant County champions for six years in a row before Paris dethroned them last year. In 2013, PDHS girls’ hockey team took home the OFSAA banner. Ahlberg said this year’s team is on track to repeating that success. As they edge closer to playoffs, the team will focus on unity within their on-ice systems and fine-tuning plays

“It’s 100% a team effort, no matter who is on the ice,” saidAhlberg.

Paris is back on the ice, following an exam break, on February 6th against BCI. They face North Park on February 13th and the final game will be against St. John’s on February 15th. If Paris wins the AABHN title,they will advance to the ‘AA’ CWOSSA championships.

COMMUNITY NEWS

The cat’s out of the bag now! Paris’ Home Hardware store, currently located in the downtown core, will make the move shortly to its new location in the commercial plaza on Rest Acres Road. Fixtures and merchandise was being installed this past week and the official opening is scheduled for March.

Photo credit Paris Home Hardware

Kiwanis collects nearly 350 pounds in donations for the Food Bank

The Kiwanis Club of Paris-Brant sends a big THANK YOU to 150 households located on Marriott Place, McQueen Drive, Savannah Ridge Drive, and Crawford Place, in Paris for generously supporting the local Food Bank A total of 346 lbs of donations were collected by Kiwanis Club members in support of local families who utilize the food bank at the Salvation Army. Pictured making the donation, from left to right, are Al Bennett, Stan Hutchinson, Chris Powles and Shelagh Finnigan. Absent from the photo were Pat Doherty and Allison Bossert.

ADDITIONAL KIWANIS PARIS BRANT NEWS – Are you handy with a paintbrush and love to be creative? The Kiwanis Club of ParisBrant is looking for volunteers to help with facepainting at their Annual Teddy Bear Picnic taking place Sunday, June 4th at the Paris Fairgrounds. Reach out by email to Stan Hutchinson at stanhutchinson2007@gmail.com if you’re interested!

Are you losing that January motivation?

Just for the Health of It

With Coach Shelley Gaudet

It's the last week in January and you wake up and realize you lost something that you had a lot of at the beginning of the month - motivation! At the beginning of January motivation was all you had You were gung-ho to make 2023 ‘your year.’ You were going to go to the gym every day, follow a nutrition plan and lose that weight once and for all.

But then something happened. It was either something big (eg. A family tragedy) or a series of little things (your child had the flu, you went on a weekend away, etc) and you realize in the last week of January that you are right back where you started at end of 2022.

So what should you do? Give up on your dreams until the Spring when you can be more focused? Or maybe the fall when things are quieter?

Even worse, you decide that 2024 will now be ‘your year!’ Most definitely not. Because guess what? There is never going to be a perfect week, month, season or year for weight loss to happen.

Life will always through a curveball that will impact your goals, but only if you let it happen. Instead, decide now and today to commit to an eating and exercise routine that is simpler, more manageable, and allows for life's curveballs to come your way Discipline always wins out over motivation in the long haul! Instead of committing to the gym seven days a week, start with two and walk on your off days. Then bump up your walk days once you have established discipline in your gym routine

Giving up alcohol is another classic resolution. Why not try cutting back first? Limit your intake to weekends and social events. You will see results by just cutting back and developing this discipline will allow you to still enjoy adult beverages on occasion while losing weight. Are you ready to jump into Keto?

Start by lowering your carb intake and limit your chips, popcorn or cracker snacks to one serving, rather than cutting it out completely Once you have the discipline to lower your

carb intake, you will notice changes in your body and then maybe it will be easier to transition fully to Keto. Instead of saying I'm never eating pizza again, find a healthier option that you love as much (or almost as much). There is a great margherita pizza recipe on the Skinnytaste recipe you could make or get the kids involved and do an English muffin pizza night.

Often the biggest mistake is trying to adopt a really boring diet that you can't help but cheat on. Instead, put together a meal plan with foods you love that help you move closer towards your goals not further away. Moderation and discipline are key. At the end of the day, you do not have to be 100% gung-ho to get and sustain weight loss. I believe you are better at 80% because this will lead to a more sustainable lifestyle. Here's to February and crushing those January goals!

Coach Shell is the proud owner of GFS and is committed to helping you discover your HEALTHY lifestyle. Reach out at any time to learn more about our programs and services by sending an email to gaudetfitnesssolutions@gmail.c om

“Life will always through a curveball that will impact your goals, but only if you let it happen.”

Aries: March 21 - April 19 (Fire) –You will be wanting to pack up with a love interest and run away this week You need privacy and some alone time Your work will be starting to get busy soon, so venture now or it will not be any time soon If you can not get away, take the time to seclude yourself from the world for a while

Taurus: April 20 - May 20 (Earth) –You will be open and social You want to try new things, new foods and meet new people. This energy could not come at a better time for you, cause your work is stale and your life has been becoming robotic You will come out of this week rejuvenated and inspired to do more

Gemini: May 21 - June 20 (Air) – You would like some attention this week You feel attractive and sexy in all you do This does attract people to you, but make sure it's the right people. You want to use this to build confidence and security in work and love. Learn had to wield this energy to benefit you and to attract good and not bad

Cancer: June 21 – July 22 22 (Water)

– You have a lot of people who love you This week you will start to see proof of that. Your admirers will go out of their way to make you feel like you have all you ever wanted and needed Be aware that your overthinking mind will still question all this attention and may not take advantage of this extra love

Leo: July 23 - August 22 (Fire) –Try and keep the peace. You feel unsettled, moody and a bit argumentative This has nothing to do with your career or relationship This is an internal struggle. Take responsibility for the changes you need to make before asking others around you to accommodate you This week is about personal growth.

Virgo: August 23 - September 22 (Earth) – Count all your blessings Your life has really great things going on You are a bit stuck on the negative Find a way to the light and stay there Do this and your relationship will flourish and your career will be more exciting The potential for growth is in anything you decide to focus on this week

Libra: September 23 - October 22 (Air)- You will be appreciated this week It is so needed in the love area and about time at work Accept this praise gracefully But also know that you have been working really hard lately and you deserve it. Stop over thinking every little thing that's not perfect right now, this could turn to self sabotaging behaviour quickly

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 (Water) – You have dreams of an epic love story. The energy this week is finally open to bringing this to you You may feel like it is too easy or too good to be true This is because it's supposed to be that way So do not mess it up These opportunities are a rare thing Take your brain out of this and focus on faith

Sagittarius: November 22December 21 (Fire) – You are very reasonable this week It is a good time to sit and talk with your lover about the future and start getting on the same page It would also be great to talk to your boss about ideas you have had and changes you want to make. You will be successful.

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 (Earth) – You are a flirt this week. You will be spicing things up in the bedroom a lot. Your efforts will not be in vain. This week ends on a very satisfying note for you. You will make compromises at work that make your life a whole lot easier Speak up and be heard

Aquarius: January 20 – February 18 (Air) – Time to be a bit selfish You will have to show people the proper way to take care of you. You will have to take time to yourself. Stop waiting for others to offer you a break and demand it Being selfish can be a great thing for your mind, body and soul as long as you do not stay that way for too long

Pisces: February 19 - March 20 (Water) – This week is a bit of every emotion for you. You are frustrated then sad, then angry then happy and by the end of the week super snuggly You are not crazy, things are just triggering to you and you will react emotionally is all Let yourself go through this rollercoaster, because when the ride stops you walk away smiling

Horoscopes 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, January 28, 2023

Avatar: The Way of Water

A Man Called Otto

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank Standard

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Standard