The Paris Independent for Saturday May 7th, 2022

PROVINCIAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS BRANT ISSUES AT FORUM. Pages 4-5 POPULAR LIBRARY BOOK SALE ONE WEEK AWAY! See page 20

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The Paris Independent Saturday, May 7, 2022

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AHOY MATEY!

THIS WEEK In Community

SLOAN COMING TO PARIS DRINKS FEST

Page 9 In Travel

WHEN IN ROME..

Pages 14-17 Community Event

SHOPPERS FILL THE FAIRGROUNDS

Page 21

The Pirates of Penzance surrounding the Major General (Richard Ouellette) while his daughter Isabelle looks on (Caelan Milford). Pirates from left to right: Georgia East, Stuart Chambers, John Bell, Joe Gull, Steven B Andrews, Evan Aird, Amber Aird, Destiny Gull. Playful Fox Production’s Pirates of Penzance hits the forParisCentre stage on May 28 & 29th. See story on pages 8-10.

Photo credit: Playful Fox Production

Are you ready to make a Move ? Contact me, Your Experienced Local Realtor!

County Offices Closed

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR JANE’S WALK – Rain or shine on May 7 at 2 pm, historical walking tour begins at 13 Burwell St (the Bawcutt Centre and future location of the new library). More info available www.brantlibrary.ca/janeswalk PRINCETON FIREWORKS- Saturday, May 21 at 7 pm at the Princeton Ball Park. Also catch Jungle Jamz Reptile Show, a BBQ and other fun activities. Rain date: May 22.

SPRING FLING - Hosted by St. Paul’s United Church on May 27th at 11:30 am. Tickets are $15, includes lunch (ham, potato salad, Caesar salad, veggies and dessert). Call the church office for more information 519-442-4223.

REC EXPO– Hosted by The County of Brant on Saturday, May 28 from 10 am to 1 pm at the Burford Community Centre. The FREE event is your one-stop-shop for information on sports and recreation groups, organizations and clubs in the County of Brant and neighbouring municipalities. For more information visit brant.ca/RecExpo BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC- Presented by Primacare Community Family Health Team, Wednesdays 1:30 to 4 pm and Fridays 9:30 am to 11 a.m. at Cowan Community Health Hub in the community room. Drop-ins welcome.

IN PERSON KNITTERS GROUP- Paris Library Branch on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm or Scotland-Oakland Branch on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. *Participants must wear masks while attending in-person programs.

Knitting Clubs are free drop-in clubs; registration is not required to attend; participants must bring their own supplies.

BOOK SALE RETURNS – Library book sale, hosted by Paris Friends of the Library on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., bring your own bag or box and head to the second floor program room at the Paris Branch.

PARIS COMMUNITY SAFETY GROUP BIKE RODEO - Formally known as the Paris Community Policing Committee, will be holding their annual Bike Rodeo on Saturday June 11, 2022 10 am.12 pm. More details to follow.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR DRIVE IN BINGOS- Back by popular demand. .

Be sure to reserve your tickets for the Paris Agricultural Society’s Drive In Bingo events scheduled for May 19th and June 23th. Tickets available on ticketscene.ca GREAT CANADIAN BUTTER TART FEST – Saturday, May 28 at 11 am at the Paris Fairgrounds.

Learn more at www.allcanadianevents.com

YARD SALE, BAKE TABLE & BOOKS Saturday, June 4, 2022 at St. Paul’s United Church, 48 Broadway St. W., Paris from 8:00 a.m. – Noon. Coffee & Muffins available.

Donations accepted call 519-442-4223 PARIS SENIORS CLUB–St. James Anglican Church - OPEN ALL YEAR- Euchre and tile rummy start at 1:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Bridge club starts at 1 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays. General admission is $1.00 and includes light refreshments. Everyone aged 55 and older welcome. For information contact Brenda 519-442-2032.

READ-A-THON FUNDRAISER–In support of the Brant Community Healthcare System Foundation. Save the Date – Monday, May 9th to Wednesday May 25. #READ4BCHS2022

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Provincial candidates discuss issues affecting Brant residents Forum hosted by Paris Chamber of Commerce & WIW Women’s Institute The Paris Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Women Inspiring Women (Paris) Women’s Institute hosted an allcandidates event this week at the Paris Presbyterian Church.

Provincial candidates representing the Liberal Party, Green Party and NDP accepted invitations and attended the event, which was live streamed.

PC candidate Will Bouma declined the invitation and did not respond to the list of questions provided for the forum.

Rather than write a story on how we perceived the evening, please watch the link yourself. Educate yourself on local candidates to determine who will best

represent your needs. Sometimes it’s not always an easy decision, but every vote matters. The Provincial Election is June 2.

Brantford-Brant candidates include incumbent Will Bouma (PC), Harvey Bischof (NDP), Ruby Toor (Liberal), Karleigh Csordas (Green), Tad Brudzinski (New Blue), Nicholas Archer (NOTA) and Rob Ferguson (Libertarian). Thank-you to the Paris Chamber and the WIW for organizing the event and taking the time to put together some questions to challenge candidates on local issues. Please find the list of questions below, as well as a link to Tuesday night’s public forum.

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Publisher Managing Editor Advertising Sales Photographer News Reporter News Reporter

Correction In the April 30th edition of The Paris Independent, the story titled: “All-girls firefighting camp aims to empower & educate the next generation,” contained an error. We stated that Camp Phoenix was mirrored after the successful City of Brantford Fire Department program called Camp Molly, when in fact Camp Molly was successfully run by the City of Oakville Fire Department.

Wade Cummerson is a Training Officer who has helped run Camp Molly in Oakville and is pleased to bring a similar program to Brant County.

We apologize for the error.

Chris Whelan Casandra Turnbull Chris Whelan Michelle Malvaso Carolina Saenz Karon Sinning

STATEMENT We are a non profit organization made up of like minded volunteers from our community with the main purpose of providing our community of Paris and area with a trustworthy and reliable source of community 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:

Published Weekly on Saturday

PO BOX 99900 LA 012 395 STN MAIN PARIS, ON, CANADA N3L 0C3 Email: theparisindependent@gmail.com

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Questions posed: 1. Bill 124 capped salary increases at 1% for frontline healthcare workers. How does your party plan to address the healthcare staffing shortage?

2. Affordable housing is a huge problem in Brant County, the cost of homes has almost tripled making it unattainable for first time buyers or seniors trying to remain in the community. Renting is much the same. How does your party plan to deal with affordable housing in Ontario?

3. There is a lack of skilled/general labour in Brantford/Brant. Transportation is one of the issues. How will your party work to increase employment in the County of Brant?

4. Mandated growth has infringed on Brant County agricultural lands and natural habitat areas. What role should municipal govt. and community input play on how growth effects the area? How does your party plan on ensuring the agricultural industry in Brant County is protected and maintained?

5. LTC has been neglected for many years. It has gotten worse since COVID with resident & staff deaths. Major staffing problems have led to inadequate care. The Federal govt. left LTC out of the 2022 budget. With an aging population, how does your party plan on dealing with the LTC crisis in Ontario?

6. Brant County is growing rapidly, however its infrastructure

Click on the image above for Tuesday night’s All-Candidate’s public forum, hosted by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Women Inspiring Women, Women’s Institute. Video credit to Atomic Spark. The forum starts around the 27-minute mark. See for yourself where the candidates stand on local issues.

is not growing as rapidly.

Infrastructure is often budgeted for in larger urban areas, but growing municipalities get forgotten. How will your party ensure that Brant County infrastructure is a priority?

7. People living with disabilities are finding inflation very hard. No increases have been given to those with disabilities in 4 years.

Accessibility issues remain. This category was also left out of the 2022 Federal budget. How do you plan on addressing the needs of those living with disabilities?

8. Ontario is participating in the $10 a day Federal Daycare Program.

How will the funds be dispersed in the County of Brant to support the program? Will your party increase the number of childcare facilities to benefit those in the County of Brant who require affordable childcare?

9. What specific sources of alternative revenue are being considered to replace the $1.1 Billion in lost annual revenue to the

Ontario govt. though the cancellation of licence stickers and refunds? Do you feel that the refunded money could have been better utilized for funding in healthcare or public education initiatives?

10. Inflation has hit a rate of 5.7%, the highest since Aug. 1991 & voters are concerned about the high cost of living. What is your position and your party’s approach to mitigation of inflationary drivers to lessen the pressure on the cost of living concerns of the voters of the County of Brant?

11.

Many municipalities surrounding the County of Brant have a green waste recycling program. Removing compostable waste from traditional waste reduces the amount of methane gas they produce which leads to global warming. What are your thoughts on encouraging a green waste program in the County of Brant?

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Sloan among headliners coming to Paris Drinks Fest this summer

By Casandra Turnbull The Paris Drinks Fest is returning to Lions Park this August and they’re bringing some of Canada’s top musical talent to the stage.

The two-day event will run on August 19 and 20th and will feature a celebration of Ontario’s best food and drinks as well as top musical performances from Dwayne Gretzky, Terra Lightfoot and Sloan.

“The festival will be bigger and better this year,” previewed Tim Des Islets, President & CEO of Noisemaker Management, the organization that presents Paris Drinks Fest.

“We have top Canadian talent hitting the main stage, a wide variety of food and drink vendors and a built-up demand to get out in the community again and reconnect with neighbours.”

Paris Drinks Fest was first introduced in 2018. The event gained more popularity when it returned in 2019 but the pandemic halted its continued growth in 2020 and 2021. Organizers are confident the 3rd annual event this summer will attract upwards of 3,500 festival goers looking to enjoy and support local tourism, hospitality and the entertainment industry.

Des Islets said Noisemaker Management (& Noisemaker Presents Inc) is immersed in the music/entertainment industry and is proud to bring a true community festival to Paris. “Our business has roots in Paris and we love the charm and culture of the community. Paris has lots of great family Continued on page 7

Attendees at the 2019 festival (above). Organizers expect upwards of 3,000 guests at this year’s festival which runs August 19 & 20.

Photos provided by Noisemaker Management/Paris Drinks Fest

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COMMUNITY NEWS entertainment options and is a hub for tourism-drive events, but we wanted to fill the gap with a 19+ event for locals,” he explained.

With any large event comes a lot of planning, preparation and volunteer hours. The Paris Drinks Fest is still looking for volunteers to fill a variety of roles. “This event would not be possible without the continued support of our volunteers and partners. This is truly a team effort and a great community initiative,” said Des Islets. Extra sets of hands are always required for set up, tear down, welcoming guests, selling food and drink tokens, keeping the grounds pristine, checking on VIP guests and sponsors and assisting with

the mainstage and artist area.

Essentially, if you want to get involved, there are lots of open shifts to choose from and as a token of appreciation volunteers do receive complimentary admission to the session (Friday evening, Saturday afternoon or Saturday evening) of their choice. “And let us know what your hidden talent is so we can make sure to find an appropriate role for you,” said Des Islets.

Early bird weekend passes are on sale now. Attendees can get a deal on their passes until Sunday, May 15 at midnight. Festival organizers also announced this week that early bird single session tickets are now available for a limited time offer. You can also expect to hear more

announcements surrounding food/drink vendors and additional live entertainment in the weeks lead up to the festival.

If you’re interested in volunteering sign up online at www.parisdrinks.ca or follow them on Social Media @parisdrinksfest to keep up with event details.

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E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Playful Fox Productions presents Pirates of Penzance A Gilbert & Sullivan classic infused with current pop culture

By Casandra Turnbull Playful Fox Productions is taking a Gilbert and Sullivan classic and infusing it with a dose of current pop culture and modern twists. If you enjoy a little political satire and a hearty laugh, you won’t want to miss ‘The Pirates of Penzance,’ coming to the #forParisCentre stage later this month.

Based on the beloved classic Gilbert and Sullivan opera, this performance will feature songs you know and love with an exciting, updated script for today’s theatre audience, previewed Marissa Fox, coowner of the production company.

Starring Sean Hauk, formerly of Stratford and Charlottetown Festivals, as the Pirate King, the play centres around Frederic who has spent his formative years as a junior pirate. With his 21st birthday approaching, he plans to break free from the Pirate King and begin his courtship of Mabel, but because he was born on February 29th, a date that only arrives every fourth year, Frederic isn’t technically 21 and the Pirate King is still his master. Unless something gives, Frederick will

"It's good to be the King" especially when played by Stratford Festival alumni Sean Hauk, surrounded by Daphne Clarke who plays Edith, Calliope Quinlan who plays Gertrude, and Caelan Milford who plays Isabelle. soon be on a collision course with the Pirate King’s new nemesis: Mabel’s father the Major General.

“My partner and the show’s director, Malakai Fox and I both felt that this was the perfect opportunity to introduce our audience to Gilbert and Sullivan and just how fun these shows are,” said Fox. This production holds extra merit as both Marissa and Malakai have fond memories of their first musicals, which happen to be Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas.

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E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Top left, the cast of Pirates of Penzance read through the script during a rehearsal. Top right, Mabel singing "Poor Wandering One" as her sisters look on. Shannon Winjkar plays Mabel, and Nicole DiVincenzo and Caelan Milford play sisters Kate And Isabelle.

Photos provided by Playful Fox Productions G&S operettas were typically known for their clever political satire, so mimicking that idea, Malakai “infused the script with nostalgic and current pop culture references for a modern audience, while still keeping the heart of the story.”

Fox said Pirates of Penzance is a chance for the audience to escape and have a fun time at a show with great comedy, wonderful singers, high energy choreography, a happy ending and a lot of laughter!

And laughter, after all, is exactly what everyone needs coming out of a long pandemic winter.

“There is something so special that happens when people sing, dance and act together as an ensemble.

That human connection has been lacking over the last two years. It is wonderful to be a part of this production,” said Daphne Clarke, who plays Edith.

“Right now, I think we all can use some good lighthearted laughter.”

So, what makes this production unique from other Playful Fox performances? Some of the cast took the opportunity to provide some insight.

“I have done several G&S productions, but this is one I was dying to add to my collection.

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E N T E RTA I N M E N T I love that Malakai has allowed Mabel to have fun and be more than a female ingenue.

She’s a more modern gal with some spunk,” said Shannon Winjker, who plays Mabel.

Meghan Chambers, who portrays Ruth, added “this production takes an outdated script and makes it more relatable to today’s times.

That’s the beauty of the adaptability Gilbert and Sullivan.”

Georgia East, a pirate and featured dancer, said she loves bringing the story to life through dance. “Though this show wouldn’t typically be known for its choreography, our creative team finds opportunities to showcase everyone’s talents and strengths.”

All the leading ladies interviewed agreed that the perfect target audience is anyone who likes to laugh. The show is appropriate for guests of all ages.

Tickets are on sale now for Pirates of Penzance at the #forParisCentre on May 28 & May 29 only at 2 p.m. Due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, the planned outdoor performances at the Whistling Gardens will not take place. You can purchase your tickets at Http://pfppiratesindoors.eventbrite.ca

Sneak peak at upcoming performances "A Salute to Disney on Broadway" Featuring songs from musicals like "Frozen", "The Lion King", "Beauty and the Beast" and many more! July 16 and 17, 2002 at Whistling Gardens. Tickets on sale now! Http://pfpdisneybroadway.eventbrite.ca J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit“ Adapted by Glyn Robbins, this epic play will take you to Middle Earth to journey with Bilbo Baggins when he is persuaded by Gandalf the Grey to join Thorin Oakenshield and his dwarfs to recover their stolen treasure, which is being guarded by the dragon Smaug. September 23 25, 2022 at the forParisCentre "Into The Woods" Our 5th Anniversary Celebration presented by our Playful Fox Productions Alumni Cast, November 25 - 27, 2002 at the forParisCentre .

In honour and memory of the great Stephen Sondheim, Playful Fox Productions proudly presents this classic musical that reminds all of us to "be careful what you wish for"...

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COMMUNITY NEWS

County still waiting for province to weigh in on New Official Plan MEDIA RELEASE -County of Brant Council has endorsed the draft new Official Plan and is extremely proud of the work that has been completed. An Official Plan addresses important issues such as: • where new housing, industry, and businesses will be located • what services like roads, sewers, parks and schools will be needed • what parts of the community will grow and in what order “The Official Plan helps the

County to evolve, improve and realize its full potential in areas such as land use and the environment,” said Pam Duesling, General Manager of Development Services. “The draft new Official Plan took two years to develop and consulting with the public was an incredibly important part of the process to learn how the community wants to improve and grow now and into the future.”

The Plan was submitted to the Province on August 17, 2021 for

comment. The County has yet to receive comment from the Province and their 90-day period to provide comment has lapsed.

“The government has many competing priorities to address,” said Mayor David Bailey.

“However, the County has invested a lot of time and resources into the Official Plan and we are disappointed that the Province has not provided comment so we can finalize and complete this project.”

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Two hydro companies officially merge The three municipal shareholders of GrandBridge Energy Inc. gathered at the company’s Cambridge location on May 2 to celebrate the first official day of the new local electricity distribution company. Brantford Power Inc. and Energy+ Inc. merged to form GrandBridge Energy Inc. to become the seventh largest municipally- owned electricity distributor in Ontario.

Pictured left to right are Ian Miles, President & CEO, GrandBridge Energy, Sue Foxton, Mayor, Township of North Dumfries, Kathyrn McGarry, Mayor, City of Cambridge and Kevin Davis, Mayor, City of Brantford.

Submitted Photo

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COMMUNITY NEWS Once the County receives formal comments from the Province on a draft Official Plan, these comments will be incorporated into a final version along with the many comments from the public, development industry, stakeholders and Indigenous communities.

“The County is eager to receive comments from the Province and to work with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on responsible managed growth in Brant,” said Duesling. “The draft new Official Plan provides new policies related to affordable and attainable housing opportunities which is a need in the County. The Plan will allow additional flexibility in designing complete communities to ensure our community builds attainable, affordable housing for all income levels and ages.”

County Council has recently expressed concerns to the Province regarding their ‘More Homes for Everyone Plan’ and Bill 109, More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022.

The legislative changes respond to recommendations from the Report of the Housing Affordability Task Force.

This new Provincial legislation focuses on streamlining the

development process to create more homes, faster in Ontario.

Specifically, the Bill focuses on: • Delegated authority of site plan control, • Ministers approvals and orders on all or parts of Official Plans to the Ontario Land Tribunal and • Suspension of approval of Official Plans.

County Council has expressed concerns to the Province about limiting the local municipality’s ability to make development decisions and the need to continue soliciting valuable public input.

County Council believes that development decisions should continue to be made by local Councils and Committees which

recognize community priorities.

“We want growth to occur in a thoughtful manner. We do not want to fast track development beyond what is responsible,” said Duesling. “We need to ensure the preservation of agricultural lands and natural heritage and we are dedicated to working with neighbouring First Nations communities.”

The County of Brant currently has a 15 year supply of residential housing in the pipeline and staff continue to work daily with developers to ensure a mix of housing options will be available to the community.

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S P O RT S

PDHS Girls Rugby team is CWOSSA bound

The Paris District High School Girls Rugby team is CWOSSA bound after another week of excellent play. The team headed to Simcoe for two games on Wednesday and returned home with a 5-5 tie against Holy Trinity and a 22-10 win over Assumption College.

Submitted Photo

Tennis courts in Paris and St. George are open, key required MEDIA RELEASE: The County of Brant Tennis Courts are open!

Please note, the Tennis Courts in Paris and St George require a key for access. Residents can now purchase a key for $15.00 per family for the 2022 year.

Keys can be purchased online at www.brant.ca/COBConnect under memberships and "tennis key".

Please complete the online application with payment and choose an option for pickup or delivery.

If you choose "pickup key", you will receive an e-mail once it's ready. The pickup location is the Brant Sports Complex at 944 Powerline Road in

Paris, available from 8:30am to 7:30pm daily.

If you choose delivery, the County of Brant will mail the keys to the address provided. Please note this option can take up to two weeks for the keys to be delivered.

If you do not have access to the internet or require assistance, please call our Facility Bookings team at 519.442.1944 and staff can assist.

Please visit www.brant.ca/tennis for a list of all County of Brant Courts, hours of operations and Tennis Court rules. All users of the courts must adhere to the County of Brant Tennis Court Rules.

For customer service related to the courts or to report any facility problems, please contact Community Services at community@brant.ca or call 519.44BRANT (519.442.7268) If you are interested in becoming a member of a tennis club in Paris or St. George, please contact the club directly: Paris Tennis Club Website: https://theparisclub.ca Email: info@theparisclub.ca South Dumfries Tennis Club Email: sdtc1972@gmail.com

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T R AV E L C O L U M N

When in Rome….

Do as the Romans Do The flight to Rome was a slow start to my adventure. The plane was delayed two hours in Toronto as they couldn’t get the luggage hatch closed. Honestly it wasn’t mine!

Rome was amazing! We arrived at our Air B&B about noon on April 26, settled in and then took a stroll. As described, it was across the road from the colosseum. The colosseum is massive. Most of the stone structure has endured the centuries of passing time, only the wooden portions having collapsed. One end of the arena floor has been rebuilt, but you can still see the warren of halls and rooms that were under the original floor.

Ancient Rome is visible throughout the modern city of Rome

For our first full day here, Sarah had booked us a tour of the colosseum. That was our first stop. Being inside, gave a much fuller view of the size and grandeur of the colosseum. Then using google maps walking tour, we set off to explore Rome on foot. I must say, Sarah did a great job! We managed to find the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.

The Spanish Steps were so named as they connected the Spanish Embassy to the church above. They consist of 135 steps, and yes, I went up and down all of them. I was surprised by all the steps in Rome. There are many staircases, some going through tunnels, in the area of Rome where we stayed. Where there aren’t stairs, there are hills.

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Karon Sinning is travelling Europe. Pictured above with her daughter Sarah overlooking the Amalfi coastline, Italy.

Photos by Karon Sinning

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T R AV E L C O L U M N The Trevi Fountain was a part of the Roman aqueduct or water system and was built as a water source for the city of Rome. It was built using the same travertine stone as the Colosseum and was commissioned by Pope Clement XII, with the final renovation being completed in 1762. Yes, I did toss in a coin and make a wish!

Some estimates say the Trevi Fountain takes in about €3,000 every day ($3,300 US). The money is donated to feeding and assisting the homeless in Rome.

Finding a place for lunch is one of the easiest tasks in Rome. Cafes and restaurants are everywhere and almost all offer outdoor patios.

We found a lovely spot and enjoyed a great afternoon break.

Then we were off to find the Pantheon. The Pantheon is a former Roman temple and since about 609 AD, has been a Catholic Church. It was built on the site of an earlier temple, but rebuilt by emperor Hadrian and likely completed in 126 AD. This too is a massive structure.

Everywhere, in the section of Rome we visited, there still are ancient structures incorporated into the modern city.

Having only a couple days in Rome is certainly not enough and I plan on another stay at the end of my trip. Seeing Pompeii was top of my list, so I had pre-booked us a tour for our third day here! (There was a little shopping thrown in there too). It meant an early start to our still jet lagged bodies but…worth that and more.

The tour of Pompeii took us along the Amalfi coast with a stop in Positano. The scenery of this coastline is breathtaking.

Our guide Antennella was excellent as she described our trip. Up until the 1950s there was no road here. The towns were accessible only by boat and a dirt track (now a two-lane highway). The road is still very narrow and seeing the driver navigate hairpin turns with oncoming traffic was a bit nerve racking at times.

Some estimates say the Trevi Fountain takes in about €3,000 every day ($3,300 US). The money is donated to feeding and assisting the homeless in Rome.

Positano is nestled on the side of a mountain. If Rome has hills, this is definitely a more shining example of them. Positano is a beautiful, little beach town on the Amalfi coast, famous for its colourful buildings, excellent restaurants and picturesque coastline. We had two hours here, time for lunch and a little shopping. It is definitely a place I want to come back to for a longer stay.

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T R AV E L To end our tour, we headed back along the Amalfi coast to Pompeii.

Most of southern Italy lies in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano. It was described to us as, not IF it will erupt again…but WHEN it erupts again. In 79 AD, it had a cataclysmic eruption. When looking at the volcano, it appears to have two peaks, which were caused by the eruption blowing the entire top of the volcano to bits, thus changing the top from that point on.

For the tour of Pompeii, our guide was Francesco. He is a graduate of archeology, as is Antennella, and is very knowledgeable about Pompeii.

What we entered appeared to be a small ancient village, very reminiscent of a movie set. Only after a short time did the actual size of Pompeii become apparent.

It took me a minute to reconcile this well-preserved town, with the total mass destruction of a volcano.

Francesco explained that the eruption was so strong that it blew a 33 km plume of ash and debris into the sky.

Unfortunately for Pompeii it was on the wrong side of the wind. What fell came down in two separate deposits.

The first was ash and covered only a few feet or so of the town. Many people did try to escape at this point, but there were looters who thought they could profit from this catastrophe. They paid the ultimate price for their greed.

The Amalfi coastline, Italy.

Traveling toward Pompeii at about 180 miles an hour, the 300 degree Celsius surge scorched everything in its path. Around 7am, close to 19 hours after the initial eruption, the city was completely covered in a deadly mix of ash and rock. This was to a depth of about 14 to 17 feet. The heat would have killed the residents almost instantly and the debris buried both them and the town preserving them in almost immaculate condition.

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T R AV E L There are still areas that have not been excavated and looked for all the world like just a hill, covered in grass and trees.

What struck me most was that this was not just a small, ancient village but a medium to large (for its time) city. It was not the largest city on this coast, probably the third largest, but because of the eruption, it is by far the most well preserved.

Homes, villas and a thriving market ran along rock paved streets. Paintings on some walls are still visible and many aspects of daily life have been discovered. Many bakeries dotted the city. Running between the sidewalks, because yes, they had those, are flat rock boulder roads.

Crossing these were larger, raised flat boulders for getting

The main square with Mount Vesuvius in the background. Only portions of the stone flooring survived

across. They were placed with space between them so that carts or chariots could still get through. The rock roads were part of the sewage drainage system and you didn’t want to step in that! Like our modern crosswalks, these Roman crosswalks are all along the road system.

I think I could spend a week just exploring Pompeii.

It was fascinating.

Next, we pack up and head to Malta!

Column submitted by Paris resident Karon Sinning as she travels through Europe.

The plaster cast of a woman buried in Pompeii.

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MOST POPULAR TOURIST SPOTS IN PARIS PAST Photos Courtesy: The Paris Museum & Historical Society

Paris Past By Chris Whelan The Old Paris Inn Built c1840 Located at 40 Dundas Street West, The Old Paris Inn was one of the first hotels in Paris, built circa 1840.

The inn was originally known as the Pater Markey Hotel and has a second floor balcony supported by Tuscan columns that leads to what used to be a ballroom. Before the construction of highways or even before trains provided a more efficient way of transportation, The Pater Markey Hotel gave those travelling for business or pleasure a place to rest between destinations. After the automobile made travelling faster and easier, the Old Paris Inn housed many different small businesses. Not much is known of the building’s history between these time periods. Many renovations have taken place over the years. Circa 1870, dividers were added in order to section the hotel into smaller units. These dividers were removed in 1982.

Left: the Sulphur water fountain which once stood by the northwest corner of the Nith River bridge near Grand River St. North, c.

1950. The man on the right is William Garratt.

Natural Sulphur Spring at Arlington Park was once piped into the hotel for bathing.

Located along the Nith River across from the Wincey Mills, Sulphur was long believed to possess healing properties and many would travel to Paris to drink from the spring or bath in its waters. After the Sulphur corroded the pipes to the Arlington Hotel the baths ceased.

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MOST POPULAR TOURIST SPOTS IN PARIS PAST Photos Courtesy: The Paris Museum & Historical Society Left: This postcard depicts an early camping grounds in Paris, circa 1926. These types of tourist grounds became popular with the growth in ownership of the car; a period car is visible in the postcard along with the tents. A farm silo can be seen in the background.

Above: Evergreen Cabins c 1950s / 60s Hwy 2 & 5 where Tim Horton’s now stands

Above: Paris has the largest number of Cobblestone Buildings in Canada and this has attracted artists and architects throughout Paris history.

Postcard Right: The White Horse Restaurant The White Horse Restaurant formerly on Dundas Street in Paris was Recommended by Duncan Hines!"

A travelling salesman and future purveyor of boxed cake mix, Hines considered himself an authority on a great many things: hot coffee, Kentucky country-cured ham and how to locate a tasty restaurant meal.

By the 1950s, Hines' name would be plastered on boxes of cake mix; But Duncan Hines wasn't a chef — in truth, he could barely cook. For most of his career, he had just been a businessman, desperate for a decent meal on the road. Through his search for the best restaurants across America, he became an accidental gourmand, an unlikely author and homegrown connoisseur. The "White Horse Restaurant in Paris was Recommended by Duncan Hines!" as he travelled from Detroit to New York the White Horse was a must stop and Duncan Hines would spread the word in his "Adventures to Good Eating" guide to the best places to eat when travelling across the USA!

The Paris Independent

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May 7, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS Popular Library Book Sale returns next weekend

By Casandra Turnbull After a two-year hiatus due to Covid, the popular Paris Library book sale is returning on May 14th.

Organized by the Paris Friends of the Library Group, this popular sale attracts crowds of people looking to restock their home book shelves at a very reasonable price. The trick to picking up the best selection is to get in line early, because there’s always a line up of residents waiting to sort through the books.

“You can get a lot for a small amount the book sale has a wide variety of materials, so there is something for everyone,” said Gary Jermy, coordinator of outreach and community impact for the County of Brant Library.

For a mere $5, you can fill a bag or box of books, but you must bring your own bag. The sale offers a wide selection of all genres from science fiction to thriller, romance, historical fiction, non-fiction, DVDs, and biographies.

There are titles for all ages.

The sale helps Library staff ensure the collection remains fresh. “We only have so much space on the shelves, so we need to move items on a regular basis to account for the new material we’re bringing in,” explained Jermy.

He added that the hard work of the Paris Friends of the Library does not go unnoticed.

“Their volunteering is very much appreciated as the book sale could not happen without their support.”

The Book Sale is one-day only on Saturday May 14 from 10 am to 5 pm on the secondfloor program room. Masks are strongly encouraged and don’t forget to bring your bag!

If you love reading as much as the County of Brant Library staff (pictured above) you might want to mark May 14th on your calendar and grab a shopping bag to fill with books from the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale.

County of Brant Library Photo

The Paris Independent

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May 7, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Pop-up market fills the fairgrounds

It was nice to see the fairgrounds buzzing with laughter and conversation once again as shoppers filled both the exhibition hall and the special events building last weekend for the April pop-up shop hosted by KB Events Canada. Event organizer Kate Bonneville said she organizes events across Brant County and this was her first time hosting in Paris. She’s bringing the event back again August 20th, in case you missed this one! Just under 1,000 people popped into the event supporting just over 100 vendors!

Photo Credit: Rachel Lazaridis

The Paris Independent

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May 7, 2022

FOOD & BEVERAGE Fields of Gold turned to local beer Travelling Pint with Tiffany Martin “Malz ist die Seele des Bieres” — translated from German means “Malt is the soul of beer.”

Hops are often the most talkedabout ingredient in beer and tend to steal the spotlight these days in craft beer, in North America anyway. As enjoyable as many hop varieties are we can’t forget about the malt, it is the main ingredient in beer (water aside), brings balance, a rainbow of colours (referred to as SRM) and body to your beer yet it is something the average beer drinker knows little about. To be honest, without malt, which provides fermentable sugars that lead to the production of alcohol, we would have no beer.

So, let's shine a little light on malt this month, shall we?

Malt is one of the four key ingredients in nearly all beer: the others being water, hops and yeast. Most brewing malt is made from barley and wheat, though other grains like oats and rye can also be malted.

Malt can range from very dark to very light in colour, and impart flavors like caramel, chocolate,

Sawdust City Brewery has this giant beer sample wheel! Haven't been... hurry up!

Photo by Tiffany Martin

coffee, biscuits and crackers — to name a few. This range of malt varieties also provides different amounts of sugar that turn into alcohol. The reason brewers use malt is that the raw barley kernels are rock hard, which makes the carbohydrates needed for brewing inaccessible.

The malting process liberates these starches from the barley, so it can be used in making beer.

water, allowing the grain kernels to absorb it. Germinating is where little green rootlets come out of the grain, and inside carbohydrates and proteins are broken down, opening up the starch reserve needed for beer.

The last step of the process, kilning, halts the growth of the kernel in its tracks through heat that dries it and develops malty, biscuit-like flavors. (Think of bread in a toaster, the longer it is Turning barley into malt is a in the more it changes colour three-step process: steeping, and taste) germinating and kilning.

Steeping is soaking the malt in Continued on page 23

The Paris Independent

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May 7, 2022

FOOD & BEVERAGE Beer begins with malt. The very first step in the together, in a rising tide to bring heart, diversity, brewing process is milling (grinding) the malt for re-localization, and excitement to the brew. the marketplace’. We are fortunate to have two craft maltsters located right in Ontario — Barn Mashing is the term given to the start of the Owl Malt located in Belleville is used by many brewing process, where crushed grains are mixed craft breweries and distilleries as well as Harvest with water to form a porridge-like mixture called Hop & Malt located in Puslinch. the “mash.” It is in the mash that malt and other cereal starches are transformed into sugars and Let's raise a glass to living in such a lively beerproteins and other materials are made soluble, producing region, one with fresh water, hearty hop creating the sweet fermentable liquid called the farms and caring craft maltsters that all perhaps wort. After this mashing process, the brewers are shape the terroir of our beer? That's an article for done with the malt, and it becomes what is known another day... as spent grain. This spent grain rarely goes to waste — many local breweries give it to farmers who feed their livestock with it, they love it!

Tiffany is an Ontario-based beer & travel blogger sharing her adventures served alongside all kinds The aromas that occur on brew day during the of craft beer. Her love of craft beer is what mashing-in are nothing short of orgasmic! inspires her travels and her love of storytelling is Heavenly aromas like porridge or freshly baked the backbone of her blog. Tiffany also puts on bread, and sometimes hints of coffee and local pairing events & women only beer events so chocolate. You are sure to smell it from outside follow along with her adventures on social or the brewery on brew day and will never get tired of at www.TheTravellingPint.com because the ROI it. on curiosity is priceless!

In addition to larger malting facilities, we also have a Craft Maltsters Guild which means 'smallbatch, independent maltsters that are coming

Brewer holds dark caramel malt in his hand

Photo credit: PureMalt.com

The Paris Independent

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M O T H E R ’ S D AY

May 7, 2022

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.”

My Mom Elaine is the best for so many reasons, but most of all for her role as Grammy! She always plans fun activities for my daughter. From baking to planning at home spa days to playing all sorts of games. We are lucky to be loved by you!

Amanda Wright with her best friend, her mom, Eleanor Freeborn (left).

Celeste enjoys every golden moment she gets to spend with her daughters, Minai and Cheri

My mom, Joan Howes, is the best because she helps me weed the gardens. My eternal love, Shannon

The Paris Independent

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M O T H E R ’ S D AY

May 7, 2022

Mother of two, Shannon Robinson, with her children Andrew and Karissa. Shannon enjoys spending the most time she can with her children while they are young.

My Mom is my friend & a loving person. She is the person I call to talk and discuss anything. She lives at Telfer Place and recently has not been well. She is a strong woman and a real trooper as she has endured some difficult side effects that leave her tired with no energy. I live 21/2 hours away in Windsor and miss her so much. The miles are sometimes too far away. Happy Mother’s Day Mom. Above is Annette Bardoel and her mom Hennie.

I was blessed with a kind-hearted, intelligent and strong willed mother, who is now my guardian angel.

My mother in law Cheryl Turnbull (above with two of her four grandchildren) is a loving, patient and thoughtful mom and grandma, who we are thankful for every day.

Jessie Maltby (right) and Kerry Stuart (left) would like to wish their mom Karen Goff a Happy Mother’s Day!

The Paris Independent

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May 7, 2022

Showtimes for Galaxy Cinemas Brantford For Saturday May 7th, 2022 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Standard 12:00p.m. 12:30p.m. 3:00p.m. 3:30p.m. 6:00p.m. 6:30p.m. 9:00p.m.

9:30p.m.

3D 1:00p.m. 4:00p.m. 7:00p.m. 10:00p.m.

The Bad Guys Standard 11:20a.m. 1:50p.m. 4:30p.m.

3D 7:10p.m. 9:40p.m.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Standard 11:10a.m. 2:40p.m. 6:10p.m. 9:35p.m.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Standard 12:10p.m. 3:20p.m. 6:40p.m. 9:50p.m.

The Northman Standard 9:45p.m.

The Lost City Standard 12:20p.m. 3:10p.m. 6:20p.m. 9:10p.m.

Memory Standard 1:15p.m. 4:00p.m. 6:50p.m.

PAW Patrol: The Movie Standard 11:00a.m.