Caledon Living Winter 2012

http://www.jimwallace.ca

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WINTER 2012

PUBLISHERKATIE BURCHELL

CREATIVE DIRECTOR& PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER

SIMON BURN

EDITORIAL TEAMKEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN

DAVID K. DORWARDKIRA DORWARD

HEATHER GHEY-BROADBENTRIC KITOWSKI

JOCELYN KLEMMDIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI

CONTRIBUTORSSIMON BURN

JIM CONNELLYPETER DE SOUSA

ANDREW HIND

PROOFREADERSALLY MORELL

EDITORIAL DESIGNSDB CREATIVE GROUP INC.

ADVERTISING DESIGN & PRODUCTION CAROLINE SWEET, SKY CREATIVE GROUP LTD.

ADVERTISING SALESKATIE BURCHELL

BARRIE BURCHELLTRUDY GENTILEDESARAI RIVARD

[email protected]: 905 857 2536

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Good peopleWe are blessed to live in such a wonderful part of the world, surrounded by tranquil and verdant rolling hills, and nature in every direction. We can enjoy a whole host of outdoor activities year-round. There are lovely little villages with interesting architecture, quaint stores in which to shop, and a wonderful supply of locally produced food and drink. But, in my opinion, what really makes our little part of the world that we call home such a great place to live is the people who make up our community. There are those who go out of their way to help or care for others, and I seem to keep meeting more of these people each year, in both a personal and professional capacity.

In this issue we feature three articles about people and places that are all about helping others in need. David Dorward meets Gail Grant, who runs a volunteer-led supported housing initiative for the elderly in Caledon East.

Priscilla Eastman talks to Corina O’Brien’s family, who explain the importance of places like Hospice Caledon’s Bethell House. Corina, with terminal stomach cancer, was admitted to Bethell House with only two weeks to live but she celebrated her joyous wedding there, plus several more weeks with her newly extended family.

Diana Wronski visits Kate Richardson and Dave Hanley, a young couple who purchased a horse farm to help people with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding. Their students range from age three to mature adults, with physical conditions ranging from cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy to car accident injuries, strokes and blindness.

I read recently that it’s people who help keep us healthy. Good friends are worth more than money in the bank. Having a closely knit group of friends adds years to your life, and improves the quality of that life too.

I’m lucky that those I work with on every issue of this magazine, our team of dedicated locals who want to investigate, share, inform and educate, are good people. They give me the energy to keep going, and never cease to amaze me with their ideas and enthusiasm to help make this community a more interesting place in which to live.

So, here’s wishing you all a wonderful New Year, and may your lives be enriched by friends and encounters with good people. There are more of them out there than you think!

Katie BurchellPublisher

p.s. If you wish to support Bethell House, please visit their web site to make a donation. www.bethellhospice.org

4 CALEDON LIVING WINTER 2012

home22 From plastic to fantastic

heritage24 Two extra men in my life

54 Alton flood of 1889

community12 Caledon’s gone to the dogs!

people19 The face of volunteerism: Gail Grant and Abbeyfield House

47 A wedding at Bethell House: Corina’s story

50 Giving second chances

food 31 Batty for batter

36 Sushi: Fusion food

wine connoisseur38 A surprising end... or start... to a meal

art 40 Photo gallery: Michael G. Church

travel42 Nashville: Music City

motoring58 Show season kicks off

61 Road Test: Ford Flex Titanium

contents winter 2012

6 CALEDON LIVING AUTUMN 2011

COVER Kate Richardson and Dave Hanley of KR Equestrian.

WINTER 2012 CALEDON LIVING 7


Rosa Alvarez, founder & CEO of the Caledon Breast Cancer Foundation, thanks you and all her guests for making the fourth Pink Tie Gala a success!Thank you!

SILENT AUCTION DONORS Abbott of England

Amoena

Angelo Raso

Anna Litvack Sales

Annalee’s Skinwork

Anytime Fitness

Arcadia Academy of Music

Aria Day Spa

Aroma Touch Esthetics

Audrey Pauls

Basic Stitch

Beachcomber Caledon

BIT Jewellery Design

Blush Lingerie

Bolton Massage Therapy Clinic

Boss Leather

Brampton Flight Centre

Caledon Centre For Recreation & Wellness

Caledon Hills Pet Spa

Caledon Living magazine

Caledon Studio

Calm Waters Day Spa

Canadian Flyers/Air Partners

Cathy Tucholski

Computer Captain

Corey Trepanier

Curves

Dairy Queen

D’Angelo Brands

Daniel’s of Nobleton

David Tilson MP

Deanne Mount

Derek Alexander

Diana Janosik-Wronksi

Diane Sawyer

Embassy Suites Fallsview

Empire Theatres Limited

Empreinte North America Inc.

Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company

Exclusive Jewellery

Family Seat Canada

Fanac Framing

Foodland

Forster`s Book Garden

Foula Skaltsiotis

Ganz

Garden Foods

Glen Echo Nurseries

Global Ryan`s Pet Foods

Hawthorne House

Health First Wellness Centre

Healthletica Hot Yoga & Wellness

Hockley Valley Resort

Home Hardware

Humber Valley Dental

Inglewood Antique Market

Inspirations

Inter-Continental Mercantile

Katie’s Fitness

Kenan Enterprises International

Klementine

Longo Brothers Fruit Markets

Lost Soles

Lynda Craig

Madelaine Adams

Mansfield Ski Club

Maria Garrigan

Mars Canada

Massage for Health and Harmony

Mercato Fine Foods

NHL Alumni

Nick Sammut Landscaping

Nicole & Co.

One Love One Heart Yoga

Pampered Chef

Pangea Jewellery

Pizza Pizza

Prudential Real Estate

Relaxing Yoga

Rexall Pharmacy

Sapore Restaurant

Scotiabank

Skyview Lanes

Sugar Plum

Suri’s Fish’n’Chips

Swarovski Canada Limited

Tamsu Learning Centre

The Caledon Inn

The Cookbook Store

The Doctors House

The Ivy Garden Spa

The White Room Home Decor

Timeless Moments Day Spa

Urban Bangs Hair Studio

Utsav Indian Restaurant

Vivien Blaj

Voce Enterprises

Wilma Reynolds

Xerox Canada Ltd.

Xtreme Auto Service

Zehrs

Zero 20

LIVE AUCTION DONORSBella Photography

Caledon Woods

Georgian Manor Resort

Glen Eagle Golf Club


Jade Holistica Spa

Kinetico Home Water Systems

Mayfield Golf Club

Saint Hilaire Inc

SWAG BAG DONORSAnytime Fitness

Capri Medi Spa

David Tilson MP

Empreinte North America Inc.

Jade Holistic Spa

Grand Entrance Design


Klementine

Mars Canada Inc.

Pro Design

Saint Hilaire Inc.

Shoppers Drug Mart


Glam & Tease Hair LoungeGrand Entrance DesignJade Holistic SpaPaul Wallace GraphicsRebelious Designs Inc.Salon Coy

ENTERTAINERSChantal DubeDon Reinhart AuctionsDuo D’AmoreRick SargentRobbie Lane & The DisciplesSound Production & Lighting

DONATIONSCavalier TransportationCurves BoltonEgan’s Funeral HomeFamily OpticalFour Corners Bakery EateryMike & Mary RasoNu-Bra Canada LimitedShelly WitzkePaula M. WilemanScotiabankSoligsoftVickeryYoko Reynolds

VOLUNTEERSAlaina BaptieBarb ReynoldsChristina TrozzoloDanusia RobaszewskiDebbie BullockDebra YeagerLynda CraigMaria CorsettiMaria GarriganMelanie WindoverRosa RasoMarlene Josiak

PLATINUM SPONSORSHusky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.Shoppers Drugmart

SILVER SPONSORSDr. David BrinkhurstKinetico Home Water Systems

EVENT SPONSORSAnytime FitnessBella PhotographyCaesar’s Event CentreCaledon Living MagazineFour Corners Bakery Eatery


out & about

Bolton HyundaiCar sales and service. 65 Pillsworth Rd, Bolton 905 457 5553

Water Roots Day SpaA full range of treatments, from aromatherapy, waxing, facials to hot stone massage. 18 King Street East, Bolton.www.waterrootsdayspa.ca

Black Tie Gifts and AccessoriesEvent planning source. Specializing in party favours, bomboniere, bridesmaid and prom dresses.1 Queesgate Blvd, Bolton 905 533 4438

Four Corners Bakery EateryCatering for all your functions. Fresh bread, cakes and pastries, hot table for lunch.28 Queen St North, Bolton 905 951 6779

Naked CaféSpecializing in fresh and nutritious whole foods.256 Queen St South, Bolton 905 857 7050

The Cherry Tree Décor IncHandcrafted solid wood furniture and cabinetry.8 King St West, Bolton 905 533 1102

Feb 11Caledon Chamber ConcertsSerenade Ensemble presents songs by Beethoven, Bizet and Gershwin. www.caledonchamberconcerts.com

Feb 12Outdoor Winter CarnivalA fun-filled day of snowshoeing, building snow shelters, and other winter activities.www.mcmichael.com

Mar 1Ski Day: Heart on the HillsBreakfast, skiing, lunch, and ski challenge. Caledon Ski Club. In support of William Osler Health System Foundation. Tickets $100. www.oslerfoundation.org

March 17Caledon Chamber ConcertsCatherine Wilson’s Ensemble Vivant—piano, violin and cello. www.caledonchamberconcerts.com

Mar 25First Annual Circle of HopeA get together for cancer survivors and supporters. [email protected]

NEW BUSINESSESEVENTS

FOR COMPREHENSIVE & UP-TO-DATE LOCAL EVENT LISTINGS, VISIT WWW.THEHILLSOFHEADWATERS.COM


The CKA is an all-breed dog club operating as a non-profit organization since 1974 under the auspices of the Canadian Kennel Club. They had 3 complete shows from Friday through Sunday, as well as 4 specific Breed Specialties on Saturday. Breeders, owners, professional handlers and dog enthusiasts from across Canada, blow dryers at the ready, gathered to showcase the finest in Canadian canines as they sniffed out the competition. Over 1,450 entries representing 115 breeds were judged over the three days.

Vendors booths completed the show, selling every-thing from show needs to “doggie” home décor items, big choices in dog beds and bowls, latest fashions in collars for pooches and all manner of squeaky toys. The show’s sponsor, Royal Canin, also had a large display (with samples given) of the various types of dog foods it produces. Mention must be made that this show would not happen without Caledon Kennel Association member volunteers who perform most of the functions involved in running the shows setting up, ongoing daily cleanup, and takedown.

The CompetitorsDescribing her “expensive hobby,” Lynda Woolley of Bow Wowz and Meowz Too, a dog and cat grooming shop on Airport Road in Caledon East, holds her Pomeranian close to her heart. This is a champion dog that came to win, but won’t see a prize today because she’s at the wrong end of a natural cycle and has shed her undercoat. A problem

unnoticed by the ordinary human eye is a serious concern for a show judge, who is looking for canine perfection dictated by rigid conformation standards which address tooth to tail and everything in between. Ultimately, all these qualities represent the overall soundness of a dog and its ability to perform the job for which it was bred. The breeder’s goal is to improve the breed, physically and mentally, to create a better dog. As Judge Michael Shoreman reminded me, they “…can’t lose sight of the fact that they are breed-ing companions.”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Dog shows have regular owners competing against experienced breeders and professional handlers for reputation and prestige. Judges must be knowledgeable about all the breeds that they are licensed to judge, and are guided by written standards. From a business perspective, the point of entering a dog show is to showcase a champion line resulting from decades of work, with the price of puppies reflecting the success of the breeder. Ultimately, Woolley says, the payoff comes with the knowledge that you’ve bred and trained a dog which is singled out for its merits at the shows. “You never stop learning.”

Linda Dowdle, President of the Norfolk Terrier Club of Canada and Orangeville resident, gives some insight into the dog world as she grooms Phoebe, a Norfolk Terrier that she bred and sold to its current Newmarket owners. Norfolks have come from across Canada, as well as one

At the Orangeville Fairgrounds, the show has literally gone to the dogs. On the last weekend of November, the Caledon Kennel Association’s annual Dog Shows were held, to great “a-paws.”

Caledon’s gone to the dogs!

WORDS KIRA DORWARD


from Texas, for today’s Breed Specialty with a turnout of thirteen, the most at a CKA show in many years. Their Specialty is a ‘show within a show’ where Norfolk Terriers are judged by a different Judge than the three who assess them in the CKA Shows this weekend. The Norfolk is an uncommon breed and owners from St. Johns to Victoria are familiar with one another through friendly competition at dog shows and other events. As Dowdle pulls excess hair from Phoebe’s coat, she emphasizes the need for ‘sparkle’—that X factor in an outstanding dog that is literally on its toes at all times, exhibiting proper gait and movement, with a pleasing expression and a well-behaved disposition.

Show dogs are trained to socialize properly with humans and other dogs, a fundamental component in sculpting a champion. Dogs waiting in crates or tethered to arms on grooming tables when not competing are regarded with disdain for barking, a sign of poor training and cause for embarrassment to their owners. Looking at the Orangeville arena filled with dogs at their grooming stations, the animals seem to be aware of the pressure on them, and that every aspect of their composition is being scrutinized at all times. Some dogs take it in stride, showing off and enjoying the attention, while others lounge in their crates, completely dis-interested in the action around them. A common sight is the ‘stage mom’ who talks up her dogs while grooming them, applying mousse for lustre, braiding fur for waviness, or trimming ears for competition-ready points. Like pampered

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

‘‘‘‘


community


Your dogs will do things for you because they love you.

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movie stars, the more seasoned dogs appear bored with all the excessive attention and seem rather ‘ho hum’ about it all.

Outside the arena, dog-cart rides are available for children by The Good Guys, a small group of dedicated dog owners who, in addition to participating in other doggie disciplines, have taken time out for more than twenty years to support worthwhile community services with fund-raising events. Today they are raising money to buy oxygen masks for dogs rescued from burning buildings by Caledon firefighters. The carts are pulled by dogs such as Lilly, a Landseer Newfoundland. Her owner, Carol Ralston, is a Schomberg resident who uses her backyard to train own-ers and their dogs in an eight week course. These people donate their time, talent, travel expenses, dogs of many breeds and sizes, and equipment to come to events like the Caledon Kennel Association dog shows and raise funds for causes selected by the inviting organization. They also participate in parades, children’s parties, visiting senior homes and hospitals, and even hauling the family Christmas tree out of the woods. Asked why she started the organiza-tion, Jan Kay cites their desire to overcome bad publicity about dogs. Naming them The Good Guys signifies that dogs with responsible owners are important contributing community members.

All dog owners, breeders and handlers at the Oran-geville Fairgrounds are displaying their labours of love. Brampton’s Standard Schnauzer breeder Rheal Morin, trimming the feathering on junior puppy Gina’s hind legs, emphasizes that, apart from the competitive aspects of dog shows, owners participate to socialize in a common passion, having fun in shared experiences. Lynda Woolley explains that she decided to pursue her interest in Pomeranians, “the heartbreak breed” that is delicate and prone to difficult births, even with the financial, emotional and time strains it causes, because there’s pride in her work and a sense of accomplishment. Owners aren’t just breeding a dog, they’re breeding a companion. “At the end of the day,” says Woolley, “your dogs will do things for you because they love you.”

If you want to catch the Caledon Kennel Association’s shows here next year, the dates are November 23–25, 2012. Be sure to mark them on your calendar!

www.caledondogs.com

community

Today’s BIS was Afghan Hound CH Mijkelh Sikanni Of Procyon CGN. BPIS was Bearded Collie CH Xtcs Fabulous Enchanted Caramel.


Dog show judging—how it worksDogs initially compete, males first and then females, within their own Breed classes as listed in the catalogue —Junior Puppy, Senior Puppy, 12-18 Month, Canadian Bred, Bred by Exhibitor, and Open—and the class winners compete for Winners Male and Winners Female. Next, the Specials, already champions (CH), are brought into the ring to compete with WM and WF for Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex.

The dog chosen as Best of Breed has now defeated all other entries in this particular Breed and receives a red, white & blue ribbon. Best of Opposite Sex receives a green & white ribbon. If WM or WF is Best of Breed, it is automatically Best of Win-ners and also receives a purple & gold ribbon; if neither wins BOB, the Judge chooses between them for BOW. All winners receive points toward their championships, based on how many dogs each one has just defeated.

Best Puppy in Breed is finally chosen, from puppies not defeated by another puppy in the classes. If Best in Breed is a puppy, it automatically wins a pale blue ribbon for Best Puppy, but this does not occur often. However, some Specials who did not win BOB may be puppies so they are judged against any undefeated puppies from earlier classes. After this award is given, the breed may leave the show site except for the BOB winner who stays until Group judging. The Best Puppy in Breed usually stays for Puppy Group judging, but is not compelled to do so.

In Canada, the breeds recognized by the Canadian Ken-nel Club are currently arranged in seven Groups—Sporting, Hounds, Working, Terriers, Toys, Non-Sporting and Herding. Once every breed in a Group has been judged to determine its Best of Breed and Best Puppy (if any), the Group is scheduled for judging. This is where it becomes more obvious that the Judge must compare each dog to its breed standard in order to mentally note its imperfections or faults and decide which dog is the best overall, and which stand second, third and fourth in that Group. Beautiful, large rosettes (dark blue, red, yellow, white) are presented to the four Group placings and often prizes are donated by the show giving club, its members, other individuals, pet supply companies and dog food brands.

If a puppy wins Group 1st, it is automatically Best Puppy in Group. If a puppy places 2nd to 4th in Group, its only competi-tion will be the Best Puppy winners of the breeds who placed higher in that Group. Best Puppy in Group receives a large pale blue rosette, and often a prize, and usually stays for Best Puppy in Show competition, but is not required to do so.

After all Groups are judged, the seven Group winners come into the ring for Best in Show judging and, if offered by the show giving club, Reserve Best in Show. BIS receives a big red, white & blue rosette and any donated prizes. The rosette for Reserve BIS is red, white & green.

Best Puppy in Show is the final judging, in case a puppy won BIS and was automatically BPIS, which does not often happen. Usually (when BIS is not a puppy) the Best Puppy in Group winners are judged for BPIS.


Gail Grant andAbbeyfield House

WORDSDAVID K. DORWARD

PHOTOSSIMON BURN

THE FACE OF VOLUNTEERISM

I had the pleasure of meeting Gail Grant for a tour of Abbeyfield House in Caledon East on a sunny Autumn day. Gail grew up in Alberta and moved

to Caledon with herdaughter Jennifer in

1985. She adoresCaledon with its

proximity to so manyoutdoor activities,

countryside views,peace and quiet.

She cannot imagineliving anywhere else.



Volunteerism reflects Gail’s commitment to this community. In addition to her six-year term with the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Gail has been involved with Abbeyfield Houses Society since 2001 and serves on the Caledon Board of Directors. Along with other hardworking volunteers, politicians such as Emil Kolb, Chair of Peel Regional Council, all levels of government and many very generous Caledon residents, Gail worked to make the residence a reality. Abbeyfield House opened its doors to the Caledon community in October 2010.

The Abbeyfield concept – companionship with independenceThe Abbeyfield housing concept Gail and others have embraced for our community was devised in 1955 in England to meet the need for supported housing for older, isolated people. Houses are set up and run on a not-for-profit basis by local, volunteer-led Abbeyfield societies. There are currently more than 12,000 volunteers worldwide operating 850 Abbeyfield houses in 16 countries. Residents of the houses are provided with affordable accommoda-tion in family-sized households. They have their own room which they furnish with personal belongings, a resident housekeeper provides nutritious meals daily, and commu-nity volunteers offer support and companionship. With our rapidly aging population (the first baby boomers born in 1945 retired in 2010 at age 65), this is a concept communi-ties need more than ever.

Abbeyfield guiding principlesAbbeyfield is a voluntary effort by people of good will to assist older people to enjoy a fulfilling life. All Abbeyfield Houses operate according to the ‘guiding principles’ of the Abbeyfield concept. Members believe that:

• Older people have an important role to play amongst their families, friends and in the community;

• Overcoming isolation and insecurity, and benefitting from sound nutrition, can make all the difference to an older person’s well-being and quality of life;

• Local people have an essential part to play in helping older people in their community.

Local content rewardedDuring the construction phase of the Abbeyfield Caledon project, the Board of Directors used environmentally

conscious local contractors and professionals. For example, Donkers Harris Limited (Listowell) was the builder, and local kitchen manufacturer John Cunic from Gemini Kitchens designed and built the beautiful country kitchen which is the focal point of activity in the House. These extra efforts resulted in Abbeyfield winning the 2011 Stratford and Area Builders Association award for the most outstanding multi-residential project.

Outstanding layoutThe Abbeyfield layout consists of a large, open concept living/dining room and kitchen, with a broad hallway leading to two residential pods of six private rooms each which surround a serene sheltered garden courtyard. I was very impressed with such touches as in-floor heating, huge senior-friendly showers, and the airy spacious common rooms kept immaculate by the house manager. Residents enjoy tending flower beds and a vegetable garden containing basil, tomatoes, carrots, peppers and radishes which help residents eat healthy. All meals are prepared by the house manager and eaten together in a sociable family atmosphere. The charm of the house is enhanced by displays of original works from excellent local artists such as Anna Pannia, Dawna Courtney, Tara Imerson and Doris Pontieri.

Dignity and independence retainedResidents furnish their own rooms. The one I visited had a beautiful electric fireplace as an individual accent. Abbeyfield homes are geared to seniors who do not have debilitating health conditions requiring constant medical attention. Residents are encouraged to live active, independent lives and are responsible for their own laundry and maintaining their private space.

The futureThis small-scale, sustainable local project, based on volun-teer efforts and input from our community, follows a tried and true model. While Abbeyfield Caledon is still accepting applications at the moment, awareness of this unique, afford-able living option is increasing and gaining approval from seniors seeking an alternative to social isolation, while at the same time retaining their cherished independence.

For more details, go to www.Abbeyfieldcaledon.org or call the Caledon East Abbeyfield house at 905 860 0181.

people



http://www.familyfootcare.net


home I project

From plastic to fantastic WORDS

JIM CONNELLY& PETER DE SOUSA

Here’s a fun and easy project to do on a cold winter’s day. Turn those cheap looking plastic planters into something that takes pride of place on your kitchen windowsill or countertop!

$1.50at a dollar

store

Priceless!

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Who doesn’t love to have fresh plants and flowers around at home to cheer things up, especially in winter when the cold keeps us nestled indoors in the warm. We’ve come up with a simple project that allows you to put your personal touch on an uninspiring planter, and create something you will be proud to display your plants in.

Peter and I loved the herb article in Caledon Living last summer, and that inspired us to create an indoor container for your favourite herbs, so you can always have them fresh and at your fingertips when cooking. The aroma and scents that come from your indoor herb garden will uplift your senses and kick-start you into more adventurous recipes.

We found an inexpensive plastic planter that had good design and the correct dimensions to sit on a kitchen window or countertop. By being creative with a special faux finish, we transformed this plain plastic planter into an antique copper planter with a verdigris patina. Now our herb garden conveys the ambiance of an antique family heirloom!

Jim Connelly and Peter De Sousa are paint and plaster experts, regularly appearing on TV to demonstrate their unique finishes and share decorating ideas. You may reach them at Masterpieces Studio, [email protected]

The steps for this transformation are as follows:

STEP 1: Remove all stickers, grease and fingerprints from the planter by washing it with TSP, an industrial cleaner, and then dry it completely.

STEP 2: Paint with a with a bonder primer sealer using either a brush or spray paint, and let dry completely.

STEP 3: With a paint brush, apply water based size/glue used for gold leafing, and let dry completely. The size will remain sticky when dry.

STEP 4: Apply copper transfer foil, in small pieces, to the surface of the planter until completely covered.Copper Transfer Foil can be purchased at Michaels Craft Store

STEP 5: Brush over the surface with a blue green verdigris coloured latex paint. Wipe back the excess paint with a soft, damp, lint free cloth, leaving just enough verdigris in the nooks and crannies of the surface to create an antique copper patina.

STEP 6: To make a more believable antique patina, use an artist brush and a little thinned down black paint. Using a tooth pick, flick the end of the artist brush to make small dots all over the surface. Let dry completely.

STEP 7: Paint the surface completely with a satin varnish to protect and seal.


heritage

In my early research for Caledon and the Albion-Bolton Historical Society, and later the Ontario Heritage Foundation (now Trust), two men inspired that feeling. Perhaps it was naïve of me not to realize until later that they and their families knew one another in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and were possibly friends. A series of coincidences consoli-dated my feelings of familiarity with them.

James Grant Chewitt was principal surveyor for most of present day Caledon after the treaty for northern Peel was signed in October 1818 by the four male Native leaders and William Claus, the government representative. To say that Chewitt’s name cropped up, on average, at least once a week in the early days is probably no exaggeration. James was born in 1793. This year was significant with the emer-gence of Toronto/York in the development of Upper Canada, now Ontario. James’ father, William, was Deputy Surveyor General for the new Province, and later became Joint Surveyor General, along with Thomas Ridout—very significant posts.

James was about 26 when he was appointed Chief Surveyor of what is now Caledon. Surveyors and their crews were paid in land at that time, and it is hardly surprising that the 2,000 acres James received were rich in potential mill sites. Other parcels had valuable assets like hardwood stands or mineral resources. A notable example includes the 200 acres at Lot 9, west and east half of Concession 7, former Township of Albion, the site of Bolton’s first grist mill and the main reason the village is in the Humber valley. Chewitt sold the land to George Bolton in 1821 and, with the help of his relative, James Bolton (a farmer in Albion who had some experience in mill construction), they built the mill where the river meets the bend in Mill Street. There you will see the Ontario Sites and Monuments blue and gold sign commemorating the founding of the village.

Both of the Bolton men were very politically active, especially in support of our elected representative, William Lyon Mackenzie, but the Chewitt men were not. They were both in the Militia, opposing Mackenzie. History does not record James Chewitt’s work with his crews, but their com-prehensive reports reveal how rich in natural resources the emerging townships were. He spent over twenty years as a surveyor and eventually became Deputy Surveyor. Later he was involved in the construction of the Front Street Parliament building in Toronto from 1829 to 1833. He also designed and built Upper Canada College and then became a Director, plus he was a Director of several banks and an insurance company. James retired in 1841, eventually dying in 1862 at age 70.

The second man who fascinated me was Upper Canada’s first Governor (later known as Lieutenant Governor), John Graves Simcoe. As a new Canadian many years ago, I knew that he and his wife, Elizabeth, had came from Devonshire on the south coast of England shortly after Upper Canada was created as a new Province. In those days the Civic Bank Holiday in August was sometimes celebrated in his honour, but not as frequently now.

My interest grew in 1986 when, shortly after my appoint-ment to the Ontario Heritage Foundation, I received a call from the Chair, the late G.H.U. ‘Terk’ Bayly, asking me to chair a new committee formed as the OHF gradually took over management of Wolford Chapel in Devonshire, England, from the John Graves Simcoe Foundation. Built by the Simcoe family on an escarpment above their home after their return to Britain from Upper Canada, the Chapel is also the grave site of John, Elizabeth and several of their children.

Two extra men in my life WORDS HEATHER GHEY-BROADBENT

Anyone who does a great deal of historic research involving one particular person may identify with developing the feeling of actually knowing that individual. Genealogists, for example, often find they closely identify with an ancestor that they discover had a very interesting and fascinating life. After a while, you come to feel you had met them, even though their life was over long before yours began.

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The Chapel at Wolford Lodge, Dunkerswell, Devon



The committee was comprised of two sections, one here and the other centred in Dunkerswell, near the Chapel and the house that the Simcoes had built soon after their marriage on the site of Wolford Lodge. Their earlier home had been lost to fire, but its charming replacement incor-porates several original components. The interments are why the Chapel was not relocated to Ontario, as originally intended, after it was purchased by Canadian-born news-paper magnate Sir Geoffrey Harmsworth from his friend A.G. Le Marchant, who owned part of the Simcoe estate and granted a right of way into the property. At the time it held a unique status as, when it was deeded by Harmsworth to the Ontario Government, it became the only piece of Canada not actually here. We apparently don’t even own any of our Embassies or Consulates around the world!

At that time the Chapel, nearly 200 years old, was in need of general maintenance, having received little since the gift had been made. Shortly after my appointment, on a visit to elderly relatives in the UK, I took the opportunity to visit the Chapel and to meet my committee’s counterparts in Devonshire. It took a certain amount of lobbying on the part of OHF and the Ontario committee to obtain some lottery funds for the restoration, which was accomplished by local craftsmen under the direction of a restoration architect in Exeter. Ontario House in London was fully involved with the transfer of funds and other details, and it was decided by the Agent General, Thomas L. Wells, that a celebration of the restoration would be in order. The following year I scheduled my annual visit to coincide with the planned event.

The service of rededication was held in the Chapel and officiated by the Dean Of Wells, the Very Reverend Peter Mitchell, who happened to be married to Pamela, daughter of the late A.G. Le Marchant and owner of Wolford Lodge, where an enjoyable afternoon garden party was then held. Afterwards, the guests retired to the Guild Hall (much more than twice as old as our province) in Exeter where an evening reception and dinner were held. Joe Coté, an Ontario Media personality, memorably portrayed our first Lieutenant Governor, ‘regally’ inviting the guests to Ontario, and relating the voyage they should expect (as winter had started), com-paring it to the 1793 gruelling journey he and his family had

actually experienced. Later a few guests retired to Simcoe’s ‘local pub’—formerly two doors down from his earlier home in Exeter. There Joe, still in costume, entertained the startled customers by recounting Simcoe’s importance in the estab-lishment and development of Upper Canada. (Two customers had recently visited Ontario and were very surprised to learn of the connections to their community.)

It should be noted that John Simcoe received rapid promotion during his brave service for Britain as a Lieu-tenant Colonel during the American Civil War. In Upper Canada he was known as both Governor and Lieutenant Governor, but was later promoted to Lieutenant General, as noted on his monument. However, he and Elizabeth were never ‘Lord and Lady’ Simcoe. That general misconception comes from a hotel in Toronto (long demolished) being called the Lord Simcoe, giving the family name a promotion it never actually received.

The history of John Simcoe’s family and his dynamic but complicated efforts to establish Upper Canada are well recorded in many books, as is his marriage to a wife that was earlier reported to be fifteen years his junior. Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim did not have an auspicious start in life. Her father, Colonel Thomas Gwillim, had died in Gibraltar seven month before, and her mother died twenty four hours after her birth. Fortunately her childless aunt and uncle, Admiral Samuel and Margaret Graves, took her into their home at Hembury Fort in Devonshire and brought her up. Descended from ancient Welsh Kings, as well as William the Conquerer, she was incredibly wealthy and extremely intelligent. When she was reportedly fifteen, her uncle’s godson came to recuperate from his injuries at the Battle of Brandywine in America, where he had been commander of the Queen’s Rangers, and that is how she met John Graves Simcoe. As he recovered they spent a great deal of time with one another. Historic accounts state that they were married about a year later, but subsequent authors have noted that Simcoe’s widow may have indulged in the lady-like habit of forgetting her age in later life, and she may in fact have been twenty years old when wed. Further research by author Hilary Arnold confirmed this.

Shortly after the marriage they purchased 5,000 acres of Devonshire, including villages and farms, and built Wolford Lodge. John oversaw the estate with a manager, John Scadding, and he was also elected M.P. for the St. Mawes Riding in nearby Cornwall. Elizabeth eventually benefited from the estate of her uncle and aunt as well. In 1792/3, when Simcoe was proposed as first Governor of Upper Canada, they decided to leave their older children in Devonshire in the care of a trusted friend. Elizabeth’s letters and diaries, plus her water colours and drawings sent home to the children, still portray the best record of our province’s early days.

Landing in Quebec as winter started, they lived in a tent he had purchased from the estate of his late father’s friend and colleague, Captain James Cook. In spring they travelled to Kingston and then on to Newark, now Niagara Falls, where they often stayed as John traversed and recon-noitered Upper Canada. (One of their children was born

heritage

Portrait of John Graves Simcoe, ca. 1881 Archives of Ontario


there, in the tent.) He travelled extensively, visiting various proposed capital city sites and surrounding areas, includ-ing what is now London which he favoured principally for its distance from the border. John Scadding had come over from Devonshire and he travelled with Simcoe during these years. (Later his family also emigrated and their log home is the oldest known surviving artifact of pioneer life remaining in Toronto. It was relocated from his original property east of the Don River to the C.N. Exhibition grounds.) Simcoe’s journeys and his decisions are well recorded, illustrating the huge impact he had in determining how our Province was laid out and, indeed, how it looks today.

However, Simcoe’s appointment was not the choice of Lord Dorchester, then Governor of Canada, who had lobbied for his own protégé to become Governor, and who left to visit Britain shortly before the Simcoes arrived, not coming back until later. Largely because of Dorchester’s interference and continued promotion of his protégé, John’s requests and recommendations to the English Parliament were either ignored or subjected to unnecessary months of delays. When York, now Toronto, was chosen, the Simcoes relocated there, again living in the tent before a house was built for them. John probably didn’t travel in present day Caledon, but he toured King Township on his journey north to Lake Simcoe, named after his father. Returning to York, he planned the construction of Yonge Street, just as Dundas Street was completed.

In 1796 John fell ill and was given leave to recover in England. He never returned to Upper Canada and resigned in early 1798. John Graves Simcoe was only 54 when he died in 1806, shortly before he was to take up his next post as Commander-in-Chief of India. Continuing to manage the estate, an interesting custom of Elizabeth’s was to give a Bible to each newly married son or daughter of a tenant, but not until at least nine months after the wedding and only if no infant had appeared! Elizabeth died at 88. She was John’s widow for far longer than she was his wife.

My links to these two men continued to surprise me when I was invited to meet Caroline and John Griffiths on The Gore Road. During the visit I learned that, not only was John directly descended from William and James Chewitt, but that Chewitt was his second Christian name. I also saw the charming, beautifully carved chair (reportedly made by a prisoner in Kingston) that had been given to the Simcoes to furnish their homes in Kingston, Niagara and Toronto, but which Elizabeth gave to the Chewitts prior to returning to Britain. So this couple was linked to both men!

Another strange occurrence happened while I was Chairing the Chapel committee. We learned that the Simcoe family in England had discovered family papers and artifacts that related to Ontario and the first Governor-ship. So it was decided that I would meet with the Archivist of Ontario (who had the budget for such acquisitions) in Launceston, Devonshire, when I next visited my family. We travelled to the beautiful old manor where the lady of the house explained that her husband had been slightly delayed but was on his way. When he arrived, we discovered that we had already met! They were friends of friends, and he had often lunched at my aunt’s 15th century hotel, but previously we had never had any reason to discuss the ‘Simcoe connection’.

MythIn addition to the persistent misuse of the titles “Lord and Lady Simcoe” and incorrect attribution of the names of Lake Simcoe and Simcoe County to John (when in fact they were named in recognition of his late father Captain John Simcoe of the British Navy), now a municipality close to the route of the “Carrying Place Trail” has allowed a developer (despite knowledgeable local opposition) to name a new street “Lady Gwillum Drive.” Although in the past there have been two women with that title, they were not related or connected to Elizabeth Gwillum Simcoe, so unfortunately this will perpetuate yet another myth.

The Carrying Place Trail The First Nations route between Lake Ontario, Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay, subsequently used by French Traders and then the British, including Simcoe, before he opened up Yonge Street.

heritage


food

Batty about batter I’ve just been re-introduced to a British

classic, and experienced it in many forms. And love every one of them!

WORDS + PHOTOS SIMON BURN

On a recent trip to England, I had multiple opportunites to enjoy classic “pub grub”, which these days, has become very sophisticated. Traditional British fare is on offer even in the most remote of rural public houses, freshly made each day to age-old recipes. One of those dishes I had the chance to enjoy was the traditional roast dinner. Roast beef, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, brussels sprouts, carrots... and the Yorkshire Pudding. Ahh, the old “Yorkie,” there’s nothing like it, if it’s made correctly, which means it has to be big and puffy, with a crisp shell, and slightly gooey inside. In many establishments with Yor-kies on the menu, you may also find other perennial favourites using basically the same batter recipe, Toad in the Hole and Apple Batter, to name but two of my batty favourites. Let’s take a look at some of the tasty possibilities using this quick and simple batter recipe...

Ahh, the old “Yorkie,” there’s nothing like it, if it’s made correctly...

‘‘‘‘



Yorkshire puddings

flour 1 cup2% milk 1 cupeggs 2salt 1 tsppepper 1 tsp

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place flour, salt, milk and eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk into a thick creamy batter.

Drizzle a little oil into each muffin baking tray compartment and place in pre-heated oven. When tray is smoking hot, take out of oven and quickly pour the batter into each of the holes, filling approximately half way. Place back in oven and let cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immediately, while still hot.

OPTION: Instead of making individual Yorkies, try making one big one in a baking tray.

The simplest thing you’ll ever make!

Prep time5 min

Cooking Approx. 25 min

Makes 12

Equipmentmixing bowl12-piece muffin tray

deliciouscovered with

gravy

food I recipes


Batty forbatter

food I recipes


try itusing

applestoo!

buythe best

sausagesyou can

find

ShroveTuesday is

Feb 21

Use it for quick and easy meals throughout the day!

Here are three of my faves:

BREAKFASTEnglish pancakes with fruit and maple syrup

LUNCHToad in the Hole

DESSERTPear & ginger batter

TOAD IN THE HOLE

PEAR & GINGER BATTER ENGLISH PANCAKES


Toad in the HoleThis is a really nice lunch to have on a cold winter’s day. It’s very filling. The trick is finding really good freshly made pork sausages in Caledon. There’s not much choice; probably the best place to look is Anker Meats in Bolton, or use Zehr’s lean Blue Menu pork sausages.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Make your batter as described on page 32. You can add some chopped fresh rosemary if you have some.

Fry sausages in pan for approx. 15 mins on medium heat, until nice and brown. Place aside and then fry chopped onion in a generous dash of olive oil and worcestershire sauce until caramalized – approx. 10 minutes. Start on medium heat, and increase to medium high for last few minutes to make sure they are really brown.

Place baking dish in preheated oven until hot, and then remove and quickly place sausages in the dish, and evenly distribute fried onions. Pour the batter on top and place in oven for approximately 40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Pear & ginger batterA quick and wholesome dessert that always impresses. Make the batter as you would the Yorkshire Puddings, and replace the salt and pepper with a few finely chopped pieces of fresh ginger. You can make individual servings (as shown) or one big one in a shallow baking dish. Pre-heat oven to 425°F. You will need about 3 to 4 pears, cored and chopped into eighths. Grease baking dish with some butter, and pre-heat until extremely hot. Remove from oven and drop in the pear pieces, then pour in the batter mix and place in oven for ap-proximately 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Drizzle some honey, and serve with some whipping cream.

English pancakesEvery Shrove Tuesday in England, the nation is making pan-cakes for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You don’t need to wait for Shrove Tuesday to enjoy a healthy breakfast of pancakes though! Make the batter as you would the Yorkshire Puddings, just add an extra ¾ cup of milk, omit the salt and pepper, and add a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon. Heat a frying pan, grease with butter, and pour about half a cup of the mix onto the pan. Fry on a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, and then flip over with a spatula and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Serve with fresh blueberries and raspberries, and agenerous drizzle of maple syrup.

pork sausages 5 largered onion 1worcestershire sauce 2 tspextra virgin olive oil dash

I N G R E D I E N T S – F I L L I N G Prep timeBatter: 5 min Onion: 5 min

Cooking Frying: 25 minBaking: 40 min

Serves 3–5EquipmentShallow 9x6 baking dish

frying panmixing bowl


How to read the menuKey to reading a sushi menu is knowing the terminology, so you don’t blindly point and get something you may or may not like.

Much fear stems from simple ignorance of the terms necessary to sushi dining, and a fear of the unknown. The “raw fish” label is an overly simplistic view of a complex cuisine which, as an art form, demands a certain apprecia-tion on the part of the diner. What must be remembered is that the many different categories of sushi have been care-fully honed over thousands of years in the Japanese islands and, from cars to cameras to cinema, the Japanese take great care in what they make.

Agari – the Japanese term for green tea, which always accompanies sushi as refreshment.

Tobiko – a common ingredient in sushi rolls, they are small, orange-coloured fish eggs.

Nori – edible seaweed used to wrap ingredients in sushi rolls, made by a shredding and rack-drying process similar to paper-making, with similar physical results.

Sashimi – raw meat sliced and served by itself.

Inarizushi – a pouch of fried tofu usually filled with just sushi rice.

Nigirizushi – “hand-formed sushi” consisting of sushi rice hand-pressed into rectangular shapes, usually flavoured with wasabi and topped with raw meat such as salmon, tuna or other seafood. Some toppings are bound to the rice by a thin strip of seaweed. A sushi set is a sampler dish and usually contains only one piece of each topping.

Neta – raw fish slabs served either inside sushi rolls or placed on top of nigirazushi.

Maki – short for makizushi, refers to actual sushi rolls. Usually wrapped with nori, a roll is sliced into six or eight pieces, which constitutes a single order.

What is sushi exactly?The word “sushi” is derived from an ancient Japanese dialect meaning “sour tasting”—referring to the form of traditional sushi, fermented fish and rice preserved with vinegar and salt. More than just cuisine, the proper present-ation of sushi is regarded as an art form and is served mostly on special occasions in Japan as opposed to North America.

Despite its growing popularity, reservations about “raw fish food” still persist, combined with a wariness of the new and strange that perhaps speaks to the way we tend to regard foreign cultures, without making the effort to person-ally investigate. Much of this stems from simple ignorance of the terms related to sushi dining, and a fear of the unknown.

However, don’t let that unappetizing traditional descrip-tion put you off the sushi of today, which takes many delicious forms and offers both a healthy and exotic alternative. In North America, it has become immensely popular and widely available, even in country supermarkets. Depending on where we live, non-traditional Japanese tastes, such as Mozzarella cheese and cucumber skin, have been making their way onto our plates.

Western influence on the Japanese diet is not merely a result of the post-war globalization era. Traditional Japanese food did not include beef, chicken or egg, as these ingre-dients were only introduced by the Americans and British, dating from the nineteenth century.

Starting with the basics, sushi today is defined as anything created using rice and sushi vinegar. From there, the possibilities are endless and have been extended to include favourites of the North American palate. Some examples are the “Philadelphia roll” (raw salmon, cream cheese, and avocado), the “dynamite roll” (shrimp tempura and spicy mayonnaise), and the staple “California roll” (fish eggs, avocado, and crab). This also includes non-traditonal ingredients such as mayonnaise, avocado, and cheese. The varied combinations of ingredients make sushi a surpris-ingly flexible food, with something for everyone.

Traditional sushi, as in maki rolls (without cheese, avocado and mayonnaise additives), is relatively low in calories (although high in sodium), and offers a healthy dining alternative.

food

WORDSKIRA DORWARD

Here in Caledon, we have been seeing more and more sushi restaurants opening their doors. To some, it is part of a delicious food trend, but to others the thought of eating “raw fish” is less than appetizing. Now it has become a popular meal or party snack and, like all such foods, sushi has been evolving as it hit the local streets.

Sushi: Fusion food WORDSKIRA DORWARD


There are several different varieties of maki, characterized by various fillings, toppings, condiments, preparation and presentation. The most common types are futomaki, temaki, and uramaki. Futomaki refers to thick, large or fat rolls, generally 3 to four centimetres in diameter, with two or three fillings chosen for complementary tastes and colours, and nori on the outside. Uramaki is an “inside-out roll”, typically what people refer to as “sushi” and favoured in North America because the rice encompasses the nori, disguising the black impression generally disliked by Westerners. However, uramaki is not so popular in Japan because it is more difficult to hold with the fingers. Temaki is more commonly referred to as “hand rolls” character-ized by large, cone-shaped rolls that are narrow at one end and have the filling spilling out the other. They are about ten centimetres long and typically eaten with the fingers, as they are awkward to pick up with chopsticks.

And don’t forget the Wasabi, an extremely spicy green paste, sometimes already in the roll, but often served on the side as a condiment so the customer can add as much or as little as desired. Gari is sweet pickled ginger served with sushi as both a condiment and a palate cleanser. It was traditionally included with a sushi dish to help digestion.

If you are still not sureSimply ordering chicken teriyaki in a Japanese restaurant is a safe option if you are out with friends who are “into” their sushi. Another option is tempura, deliciously deep-fried anything. However, the Japanese deep-frying process differs from North American and has a lighter, crispier effect. Usually, tempura refers to deep-fried vegetables such as sweet potato slices, broccoli, eggplant or zucchini. However, shrimp tempura is also a staple appetizer in many sushirestaurants. A few establishments offer green tea ice cream which, it goes without saying, is the result of North Ameri-can influence and is not a traditional Japanese desert.

You can also rely on the Bento Box, a compartmentalized box including a variety of foods, typically diced teriyaki meat (beef, chicken or salmon), a sushi roll, salad, and others. These can be the best deals as lunch or dinner specials.

Try new foods as a family event!Sushi has become so popular that some families or groups of friends make sushi appetizers together in the kitchen as part of their social gatherings!

Sushi is a cuisine in constant evolution, capable of flexibility and suited to every palate, fusing new and old ingredients. A common criticism of Japanese cuisine is that the food isn’t filling, sushi being “just an appetizer.” How-ever, knowing your dining options and entering a Japanese restaurant with an open mind, you might be surprised by what ends up appealing to the palate!

With several sushi restaurants now open in the Caledon area, there are more options than ever before to be adventurous.

Itadaki-masu!


wine connoisseur

A surprising end ... or start ... to a meal

WORDS RIC KITOWSKI & JOCELYN KLEMM

Perhaps you’ve finished a meal with a glass of port. This deeply-coloured, sweet, red, fortified wine from Portugal makes a nice pairing with firm cheeses and dried fruits and nuts. It’s also a great match for chocolate desserts.

Oloroso sherries have lovely aromas of nuts, figs and raisins.

‘‘‘‘Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm are authors of the best-selling Clueless about Wine. Contact them and sign up for their newsletter at www.thewinecoaches.com

PHO

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: SIM

ON

BU

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For a change of pace, we often look to southern Spain for a more versatile fortified wine, sherry, which takes its name from the Spanish town Jerez. Sherry can make a fantastic beginning or ending to a meal, being made in a range of styles from dry to off-dry, to lusciously sweet. This surprises many because sherry is often thought of as a sweet wine—like Harvey’s Bristol Cream which bears no resemblance whatsoever to the original from Spain, or rather what the Spanish prefer to drink.

There is little or no residual sugar in sherry because the fortifying spirit is added after the fermentation process is complete, and therefore sherry is dry. Port, by contrast, is sweet, as the fortifying spirit is added during the fermentation process, to actually stop fermentation before all the grape sugars convert to alcohol. Both sherry and port have about the same alcohol content though, about 19%.

While port owes its colour to being made from dark-skinned grapes, sherry is made from light-skinned grapes like Palomino. The colour range of a sherry can be anything from palest gold to deep amber, depending on how it is aged.

Sherry is deliciously tangy and the best are made bone dry. Here are the key styles and what you need to know about them:

Fino sherries (pronounced fee-no) are the palest, driest and tangiest. Tio Pepe, an easy-to-find brand in the LCBO, is a fino sherry but there are many other examples. All will say fino somewhere on their labels.

Manzanilla (pronounced man-zan-ee-ya) is a type of fino sherry, but from a different area in Spain, and has a slight salty tang due to the coastal location of the region.

Amontillado (pronounced ah-mon-tee-ah-doh) is essentially an aged fino sherry that has developed a darker colour from exposure to air, and more toffee flavors. Quite delicious.

Palo Cortado (pronounced pah-lo core-ta-doh) is richer than an Amontillado but not as concentrated as an Oloroso.

Oloroso (pronounced oh-low-roh-soh) sherries are fabulous. Dark and a touch off-dry, they have lovely aromas of nuts, figs and raisins. There are sweeter-style Olorosos as well, and the label will indicate as much.

The most lusciously sweet sherries are made from the Pedro Ximéniz grape (pronounced heh-men-ez), or simply ‘PX’. These are sometimes so thick and sweet, like molasses, they can be served as a topping for ice cream.

While fino sherries are usually bottled in 750ml bottles, most of the other styles come in 375ml bottles, which make it easier to experiment. Sherry isn’t necessarily expensive either—many are in the $15-$20/bottle range, and typically a 2oz pour is all you need.

Sherry is one of the world’s best kept secrets, and you’ll know why once you taste it. Try a dry and tangy Fino or Manzanilla as an apéritif, a yummy, nutty Amontillado or Palo Cortado style with soups or appetizers (tapas), or a rich off-dry Oloroso with dessert, preferably one made with dark chocolate and nuts.P

HO

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art I photo gallery

Local photographer Michael George Church spends many hours on the trails and sideroads of Caledon year round. Here he shares two of his most recent images made in 2012.

RIGHT

Fallen Guard

BELOW

Misty Morning



WORDS + PHOTOSSIMON BURN

If ya’ll appreciate country music, a little dose of kitsch and grit, and good ‘ol southern comfort food and hospitality, then Nashville, Tennessee, is the perfect place to spend a few days exploring. This time last year, I escaped our cold winter and did just that.

HonkeyTonk bars are everywhere

‘‘‘‘

Perfect pork atthe Loveless Café

Buck McCoyperforms at Legends Corner, a Nashville institution.


Nashville, as we know, is the home of country music. It’s where you head to get discovered. The Grand Ole Opry has musicians lining up to perform there, and has been the venue in which to do so for 86 years. Performances air every Friday and Saturday night. Heading down Broadway, the main strip and the place to be seen if you’re a musician with aspirations, is like heading back in time. Old record stores and guitar shops line the road, mixed in with tacky souvenir stores selling cowboy boots, hats and life-size cutouts of your favourite stars of the fifties and sixties. Gritty honky-tonk bars are everywhere, all featuring very talented live bands, many on the verge of making it big, or hoping to.

I dropped into Legends Corner, recently voted best country music bar in the city, where curious tourists and locals mix, propping up a worn wooden bar that’s seen better days, surrounded by record covers adorning the walls. I spent an entertaining couple of hours watching contemporary country singer Buck McCoy. Admittedly, part of that entertainment comes from watching the local denim-clad, hat-wearing characters that frequent the establishment as they yee-haw, shout, dance and jig as the empty beers bottles accumulate. Even though these bars can be tourist traps, the beers are very reasonably priced, just a couple of dollars a bottle, and there’s no cover charge for the live performances. The evening entertainment in Nashville really is quite something!

Nashville doesn’t just play homage to the past. The music scene is quite varied these days, with mixed genres including rock, folk, and gospel—we are in the Bible Belt here, y’all! Beyond the kitsch and grit of Broadway, the city has a very modern and prosperous feel. There are many restaurants to tempt your tastebuds, from traditional southern fare to contemporary Mexican and Italian. Some of the long-established eating places are well worth seeking out to experience old-world southern charm and tastes. These include Arnold’s, a local favourite “meat and three” cafeteria-style lunch venue, to the iconic Loveless Café, founded just out of town as a1950’s pitstop, where they make the most fantastic biscuits and slow-cooked pork.

Most of the attractions in Music City are music-related, including The Grand Ole Opry, The Country Music Hall of Fame, The Bluebird Café, and numerous bars and music stores on Broadway. If you want a break from the music for a few hours, there is also a good art gallery at Fisk University, and some historic homes to visit that includeBelmont Mansion and Belle Meade Plantation. For those with a penchant for décor, there are a number of reason-ably priced antique and design stores scattered around to explore.

Ultimately, you go to Nashville for the music scene. So grab yur jeans, and git on down and have ya’sef a great time, ya’ll hear me?


http://www.organizedinteriors.om


people

When she arrived at Hospice Caledon’s Bethell House in Inglewood with stage four stomach cancer, Corina O’Brien had been given two weeks at the most to live. Yet that wasn’t what happened. Corina ended up living just more than one month longer than had been expected. During this very precious time, surrounded by friends and loved ones, Corina became part of a new family. It was at the hospice, on September 25th 2010, that Corina was able to fully express her celebration of life with everyone there. She invited all of the staff to take part in one of her life’s most important moments—her wedding day.

During one of many conversations with Sandra, Corina’s mom, I learned that Corina had been feeling ill for about two and a half years. She was experiencing stomach pains that had become more severe, yet all of the extensive test-ing that her family physician performed had all come up negative. In the end she was told rather adamantly that there was nothing wrong with her. Then, to add insult to injury, Corina was advised to see a psychologist, but she still knew that something was wrong.

As her condition got worse, Corina could barely eat even her favourite dishes. Nothing relieved the pain, and she eventually was rushed to the William Osler hospital in Brampton. The doctor there initially thought that a perfo-rated gall bladder was the cause of her pain. However, tests immediately revealed that, after two years of misdiagnosis, Corina had stomach cancer. The news was devastating to her family. Corina had been living a comfortable life as a customs broker. She had built a home with Peter, her partner of 10 years, and her two children, Matthew, who was then 18, and Sarah, who was 22 years old.

As I sat with Sandra going over the details of that period, just over one year ago, I could sense the pain in her voice as she remembered hearing that Corina had cancer. It is something that no mother ever wants to hear.

Corina fought the cancer with numerous chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Her family was there with her all of the way. The treatments took their toll and she would frequently end up at the hospital. Then one day the treat-ments stopped. Corina told her mother that she no longer needed them and she had chosen that summer to spend time with her family and loved ones, travelling and enjoying

life. Near the end of this time, Sandra found out the truth—Corina had been diagnosed with stage four cancer and it had spread to other organs throughout her body.

In the fall of 2010 Corina moved in with Peter’s parents in Innisfil for more care, and she was introduced to the Community Care Access Centre, a great support system. CCAC helped a lot when Corina could no longer take care of herself, and it was a CCAC nurse who recommended moving into the hospice. Remembering when Corina was admitted into Bethell House, Sandra said, “This was a gift of a lifetime.” It was there that Corina was able to live out her life in peace. Sandra also finally felt some relief. She said that, during the months before, she had been bound up so tight that she couldn’t even speak. Once Corina had moved into Bethell, she wasn’t nervous to leave her there; she had peace of mind.

This new haven gave Corina the much needed time to get her affairs in order. She organized her own will, spent intimate moments with friends and family and made new friends who became more like an extended family. This is why her decision to share one of the biggest events in her life with everyone there made so much sense. Sandra explained that Corina had grown extremely close to Lorna Bethell, the founder of Bethell Hospice. When I spoke with Lorna, she remembered being in Corina’s room the day that Corina had announced, “Peter and I are getting married!” Lorna had been surprised because she had thought they were already married. Corina told her that for the past ten years their attitude had always been, “Mañana, mañana, we will get married.” They had never gotten around to actually doing it, but now the time had come. This was very important to her and she wanted Lorna to be there for the wedding.

It was the perfect wedding and it had only taken about six days to plan. Corina had already chosen a wedding dress and she wore her mother’s rings. The ceremony took place in the main living room at the hospice. Bethell’s staff had decorated the area beautifully and they hung white tulle in front of fireplace. Peter had spoken to the staff and they offered to prepare the food he had purchased, catering the whole event which included a delicious chocolate fountain.

One of Corina’s friends had arranged for a singer and musician to perform at the wedding. Corina’s bed was wheeled to the living room in front of the fireplace where the minister carried out the service. The ceremony was beautiful. All of their family and close friends were there to celebrate with them. Sandra remembered the day clearly

A Wedding at Bethell House:Corina’s Story WORDS PRISCILLA EASTMAN



and shared, “Peter had personally invited every single person in the hospice. All of the residents were given food and drink, even those who had to stay in their rooms. There was red and white wine for everyone.”

Lorna recalled the same feelings of joy as she too remembered the special day, “There was laughter, tears, and it was absolutely spectacular! The party was still going on two hours later! It was one of the most moving events that I’ve ever been to.” Sandra said they made a slide show of the wedding and showed it to all the residents. It brightened up the whole place, especially for those who were severely bedridden.

Corina passed away on October 13th 2010, just weeks after this festive occasion. She was only forty-nine years old. Her story lives on through her loved ones’ memories, as well as in the many lives that she touched during her time with us. Explaining what a blessing Bethell House had become to Corina and her family, Sandra said with full conviction, “You go in the front door and you go out the front door, with dignity.” For those of us who must face this painful journey, that can make all the difference.

TOP Corina (centre) with her grandmother (left), and mother Sandra (right).

CENTRE Corina with her husband Peter, and Lorna Bethell.

BOTTOM Corina and Peter prepare to cut their cake.


people

WORDS DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI

Giving second chances

Kate Richardson and Dave Hanley run KR Equestrian,

founded to help people with various disabilities achieve

their personal goals through therapeutic horseback riding.

“Giving” is the catchword for this establishment. While

KR Equestrian offers regular horseback riding lessons, its

specialty is helping children and adults with physical,

emotional and cognitive challenges. Who are their students?

Now numbering about 45 to 50, these special students are

aged from three years to mature adults in their fifties. While

some are there for the “sheer fun” of learning to ride, many

have physical conditions ranging from cerebral palsy and

muscular dystrophy to car accident injuries, strokes and

blindness. On the cognitive side, many students are dealing

with types of autism or developmental delays, and some

have Down’s syndrome.

Family members who accompany the rider are also

welcome to enjoy all the animals and the rural tranquility

of the facility.

Special people and special horsesYou have to be a special person to do such a job. Friendly

attitude and a passion for helping people go a long way

in this barn! Director Kate Richardson has always wanted

to provide therapy and has been working with horses for

more than 20 years. She is an experienced riding therapy

instructor, having trained for over three years under three

persons at two other stables where students had a variety

of physical and mental challenges. Kate also has a degree

in Physical Anthropology and Health Studies from McMaster

University. Lauren Rutherford, who has been involved in

therapeutic riding since her teens, is another KR Equestrian

instructor.

Opening KR Equestrian was a life’s dream for Kate. She

started on a leased property but, when the idea caught

on quickly, she and Dave purchased a 13-acre farm near

Highways 9 and 27 in Schomberg. With the help of his

father, Dave (whose ‘day job’ is in software), personally

tackled upgrades from carpentry to plumbing. Improve-

ments to their own home waited until their horses could be

looked after properly! They proudly showed me around the

century barn, fully updated for luxurious equine accom-

modation.

Speaking of horses, it also takes a special horse to do

this job! Like the people, the horses were chosen for their

attitude and helpful demeanour. Surprisingly, some are

from the racetrack. One Standardbred, Carter, had suffered

a broken leg before he came to KR Equestrian. Instead of

meeting a terrible fate, he was tended by Kate over several

months of healing and he is now a favourite of the small

children, gently teaching riders the basics like walking,

stopping and grooming. Ricky, a Thoroughbred, once stood

stone-still while the child riding him suffered a seizure,

allowing immediate assistance as he sensed the signifi-

cance of the incident. His calm demeanour and carrot

begging tricks make him another favourite with students.

Like their riders, these horses have adapted well to their

new lives.

Besides the therapy instructor, KR Equestrian uses two

volunteers, one on each side of the horse, to steady the

rider if needed. Volunteers are also carefully selected from

a variety of sources, and need not have experience. Kate

says they learn fast and many request riding lessons them-

selves! Kate’s ultimate goal is to have each rider eventually

work independently, off the lead line.

Therapeutic ridingKR Equestrian is a member of OnTRA, “Ontario Therapeutic

Riding Association.” So, what is therapeutic riding? Making

the headlines and even popular TV shows, the many benefits

of therapeutic riding are rapidly becoming widely recognized

Meet Kate and Dave, a young Schomberg couple whose caring enthusiasm benefits those they touch. In this case, by seeing through their vision, they are improving the lives of humans and horses alike!

PH

OT

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IMO

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Horses react to emotions and leadership from their riders. They also have a calming effect.

‘‘‘‘


in North America as a way to help overcome limitations

from physical, mental and congenital conditions in every-

one from adults to “kids at risk.”

Its history goes back as far the Ancient Greeks in 600

BC, who wrote that riding was more than transportation but

improved the health and well-being of people with handi-

caps. This was also mentioned in 16th century Italy. By the

1870s, a French physician used it for certain treatments and

noted better posture, balance and joint movement, as well

as psychological improvements in his patients. After WWI,

wounded British soldiers were successfully treated with this

form of therapy. With the outbreak of polio in the 1940s, a

Swedish victim used riding therapy to regain her muscle

strength and went on to win the silver medal for Dressage

at the 1952 Olympics, bringing world attention to riding for

the disabled. By the 1950s, British physiotherapists were

exploring its use for various conditions, and in 1969 the

British Royal Family supported forming the Riding for the

Disabled Association.

About that time, the Canadian (now Community)

Association for Riding for the Disabled was founded here.

In the mid 1990s, horseback riding became an official

Paralympic sport, and became their largest event in history

with 122 participating countries at the 1996 Sydney

Paralympics!

It’s the “magic” connection between horse and rider

which makes this possible; it’s that simple! The sense of

independence found on horseback is a real benefit to those

without it. Living and breathing creatures as well, horses

react to emotions and leadership from their riders. They

also have a calming effect.

First, on the physical side, it’s said that riding is the only

sport which uses every single muscle in your body. No,

you don’t just sit there! A horse’s movement can improve a

human’s posture. Developing core strength is essential to

maintaining balance and control. KR Equestrian’s student,

3-year-old Zophia, has cerebral palsy and was hunched

over at first on the horse. Now her doctor has commented

on her vast improvement in being able to support herself.

While she is very young, the movement of the horse, which

mimics that of human walking, will strengthen her own

movement. KR’s website explains that riding increases pelvic

and spine mobility, and it improves balance, coordination,

strength, postural control, physical stamina and range of

motion. Besides, the big smile on Zophia’s face gives away

how much fun she is having in “therapy”!

On the mental, emotional and cognitive side, horseback

riding empowers the rider, and the unique relationship with

the horse can lead to increased confidence, patience and

self-esteem. KR Equestrian’s list includes improved

communication skills, verbalization, attention span and

academics, as well as accomplishment and social inter-

action. Kate’s autistic students may start out shy, but their

personal relationship with the horse leads to huge enthusi-

asm and human social connections. The mother of a child

with Asperger’s once told me too, how riding lessons had

led to the child’s first ever “playdate”—a big deal in their

family!

Building even more confidenceThere is also a competitive aspect to therapeutic riding.

Kate was proud to send three of her students to the Ontario

ParaSport Summer Games last year in Sarnia, an achieve-

ment for a small barn. Her students competed in Dressage,

a discipline in which riders are judged on their display of

horsemanship skills using a series of commands for walk,

trot and canter. They also had to ride local horses with whom

they were not familiar, an extra challenge! KR Equestrian

is pleased to report they came home with two gold and

three silver medals in the Equine Canada sanctioned Gold

Level competition, as well as the Bob Secord Award of

Merit!

If you wish to inquire about the programme please visit

KR Equestrian’s website. The stable is always looking for

volunteers too, those who are passionate about making a

difference in the lives of people with disabilities!

www.krequestrian.com

Diana Janosik-Wronski is a seasoned communicator and project management consultant. She has worked in public and community relations in numerous industries across private, public and not-for-profit sectors for many years. Diana has also given a retired Thorough-bred from the racetrack a second chance at life as a riding horse.

Instructor Lauren Rutherford, Dixie and volunteer Lina Ruffa take thee year old Zophia Douglas, who suffers from cerebral palsy, for a ride.


heritage

Alton Flood of 1889 WORDS ANDREW HIND

Thomas Whetham was in a deep sleep in his Alton home on the night of November 13, 1889, when he awoke to a deafening roar. A moment later, a strange and powerful force lifted Thomas right out of his bed. It took him a second to register that he was in the grip of freezing cold water. Thomas struggled to keep his head above water as the current carried him away. He had the presence of mind to grab hold of the top of the door, and then watched with horror his young daughter being tossed about by the roiling maelstrom. She came within reach and he grabbed hold of her, almost certainly saving her from being swept away.



The room was cast in darkness and it took every ounce of Thomas’ strength to retain his grip on the door. Over the roar of the water he dimly heard a voice crying out for help. Where was his wife? And where was his newborn baby?

In 1889 Alton was a thriving industrial town with more than a dozen mills and foundries to provide a stable economic base. These businesses depended on Shaw’s Creek to power their machinery and, in a similar fashion, Alton relied on this babbling waterway to maintain its prosperity. But, on occasion, during heavy rainfalls or after deep snows melted in the spring, this benevolent creek could be transformed into a raging menace that burst from its banks to drown the landscape in water.

Alton residents had recorded significant flooding in the recent past but none had caused major damage to life or property. So, even though it had been raining heavily for

weeks, on November 12, 1889, no one in town was particu-larly concerned by the rising waters of Shaw’s Creek or the ominous creaking coming from the McClellan Brothers’ mill dam upstream. Those who heard the cracking sounds shrugged their shoulders as twice in the past year the 7-acre pond had to be drained for repairs, so unsettling sounds were not exactly uncommon.

By midnight the noises had grown louder and more ominous, but everyone in Alton was too cozily asleep in their beds to notice. Two hours before dawn on November 13, the dam gave way with an agonizing crack. When it broke, a wall of water 16 feet high raced down the valley toward the unsuspecting town.

Within seconds, the roiling mass thundered into the next dam at the Alton Knitting Mills (today’s Millcroft Inn), this one holding a 5-acre pond. This second dam barely provided

OPPOSITE PAGE The third line bridge over Shaw’s Creek after the 1889 flood, scene of the death of Mr & Mrs J. Harris.

THIS PAGE Beaver Woolen Mill (today’s Alton Mill) and pond after the flood.


a speed bump for the onrushing wave. After the slightest of pauses, it too gave way and the flow, now 20 feet high, resumed its path of destruction. The seething mass, carry-ing uprooted trees and large rocks along with it, took out another dam and then launched itself at the Beaver Knitting Mills (now known as the Alton Mills).

The Beaver Knitting Mill’s dam was new and built strong, so it held back the onrushing water. Unable to break through, the relentless wave instead went around the dam, flooding the mill, damaging its interior, and gouging out a 60-foot-long trench from the earth, through which the water continued its unyielding advance.

The next dam, at Meek’s Alton Flour Mill, was torn apart as easily as if it had been made of paper-mache. Next to be targeted was the Dominion Foundry which suffered perhaps the most damage yet. The water crashed into its walls with thunderous force and, though the building was stoutly built of stone, it broke apart, according to one witness, “… like snow melting in June.” As the wall of water continued its rampage through Alton, its unearthly sound began to wake residents. Unfortunately it moved with such speed that those caught in its path had no time to react.

John and Ellen Harris, for example, never had a chance. They were likely just waking to the danger when the water struck their little frame house with such force that it was shattered, simply disintegrating in the blink of an eye. The

helpless inhabitants were swept away and killed. 80 year old John was found the next morning, his body broken and with a look of terror etched on his face. Of 70 year old Ellen there was no sign. For days residents sifted through the rubble and ruin downstream, searching for her body with-out success. Then, just as her husband’s funeral cortege got under way, Ellen’s body was found.

More fortunate were the Whethams, whose tiny one-bed-room cabin was likewise directly in the path of the raging river. Thomas and his wife were tucked snugly in their bed. Next to them was the crib of their newborn baby, and nearby was the bed of their two year old daughter. Despite the noise the family slept soundly, and it wasn’t until their bed started floating that Thomas woke with a start. There was barely time to react as the current swept through the room, rapidly filling it with water. Thomas managed to grab hold of his two year old daughter before she was swept away. Holding onto her with one arm he clung to the top of the bedroom door with the other. His arms ached with the exertion but he knew if he let go both he and his little girl would be carried off and drowned. Thomas’ wife, mean-while, found herself trapped on the bed and pressed against the ceiling by the rising water. Her face was streaked with tears. If the water rose another foot she would surely drown.

But it didn’t rise. Instead, a few minutes later it receded, leaving the family standing knee deep in mud. They raced over to the crib, fearing the worst. Incredibly, the baby was safe and still soundly asleep, blissfully oblivious to the surrounding horror, her face a mask of angelic contentment.

By this point the disaster had largely run its course. The water had lost most of its strength and the further it travelled the less it was able to vent its anger. In the flood’s wake was a swath of utter devastation. Three of the village’s bridges had been torn away, sidewalks were gone, roads washed out, trees uprooted, a dozen buildings damaged or destroyed, a number of livestock were dead, and debris littered the landscape for miles. Residents were shocked and horrified. Their little village, which just a day earlier was postcard beautiful, was now devastated and reminis-cent of a war zone. By evening the river had receded into its banks and the people of Alton were busily cleaning up.

But while debris could be easily removed and homes quickly rebuilt, it took far longer for the wounds inflicted that night to heal. The horror of that devastating maelstrom had deeply scarred many people so that they slept rest-lessly at night when it rained, always with one ear open for the sound of distant thunder that might represent another wall of water intent on destroying their quaint village. The Flood of 1889 became something people only whispered about in hushed tones, so painful were the memories.

Today, with the passage of more than a century, the Flood of 1889 no longer carries such grim weight. Nevertheless, people in Alton still remember and still mourn one of the greatest disasters in Caledon history.

Photos courtesy: Alton Women’s Institute Tweedsmuir History. Our thanks to Sally Drummond, Heritage Resource Officer, Town of Caledon.

heritage


Each year, the automotive world welcomes in the New Year with the start of its auto show season. The North American International Auto Show is the first, closely followed by Montreal, Chicago and Toronto. For us here in Canada, Toronto is perhaps the largest and most important on the yearly schedule. However, when you look at the bigger picture within North America, Detroit (Motor City) is the must-see event. Having just returned from there, I`m now going to share my thoughts with you.

New vehicles on display

Acura ILX Sedan Acura NSXAcura RDX Audi Q3 Vail CrossoverBentley Continental V8 BMW ActiveHybrid 5Buick Encore Cadillac ATSChevrolet Code 130R Concept Chevrolet Miray ConceptChevrolet Sonic RS Chevrolet Tru 140S ConceptChrysler 700c Mini Van Concept Dodge Dart

EYE-CANDY AWARDThis has to go to the new Acura NSX concept.I am not usually a big fan of concept vehicles, however this new supercar from Acura appears to be almost production-ready, rather than simply a designer’s dream.

Falcon F7 Supercar Ford FusionHonda Accord Concept Hyundai Genesis CoupeHyundai Veloster Turbo Lexus LF-LC ConceptLincoln MKZ Concept Maserati Kubang SUV ConceptMercedes-Benz 300 SL Mercedes-Benz E300 HybridMercedes E400 MINI RoadsterNissan Pathfinder Concept Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

Porsche Cayman R Scion Racing/GReddy FR-SShelby GT500 Super Snake Shelby GT350 Limited EditionShelby GTS V6 Smart-For-Us ConceptTata eMO EV Toyota NS4 ConceptToyota Prius C Volkswagen E-Bugster ConceptVolkswagen Jetta Hybrid Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid ConceptVolvo C70 Convertible

Show season kicks off KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN

motoring I auto show review


2012 is already shaping up to be an interesting year for auto enthusiasts.

The atmosphere was a lot more upbeat this year and I’m hoping this is a sign of things improving for the car industry.

I’m looking forward to the Toronto show [Feb 17–26]; perhaps we’ll see you there!

TOP PICKFor me the car of the show has to be the new Ford Fusion. The styling is first class and considering the price range this vehicle will fall into, I feel anyone would be proud to have one sitting on their driveway.

FORD FUSIONDODGE DART

HYUNDAI ELANTRA

SUBARU BRZ

CADILLAC ATS

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

The Hyundai Elantra was named North American Car of the Year and the Range Rover Evoque won North American Truck of the Year.

Dodge unveiled its new Dart and with with pricing start-ing at under US$16k (CDN pricing TBA), I predict we’ll be seeing a lot of these hitting the street soon.

I got to take a peek at the new US production model of the 2013 Subaru BRZ, what a gorgeous looking car!

Cadillac is aiming squarely at the BMW 3-series with its new ATS compact. Ambitious? We’ll have to wait and see, but I like it.

Crash’s

TopPick

NorthAmerican

Car of theyear

NorthAmerican

Truck of theyear


motoring I road test

Titanium2011 Ford Flex

WORDS KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGANPHOTOS SIMON BURN

Now I’ll admit to liking this vehicle, even though it’s perhaps not one

for my personal shopping list. But if you’re looking for a smart looking,

decent sized family vehicle, they don’t get much better than the Ford Flex.



From the outside, there’s more than a little low-slung custom cruiser look going on, and it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine this design originating from some well-known hot rod fabri-cation shop. I like that, because we’ve all had enough of the boring old family minivan look, not that there was anything necessarily wrong with the basic concept of the minivan. In fact, I’m often seen driving my square box VW camper simply because there’s so much room in it. However, while manufacturers understand that most items of size arrive neatly packaged in a square box, it’s not exactly the most becoming of shapes for an automobile. Which is why the manufacturers toyed and fiddled with the design until it became more streamlined, unfortunately resulting in any number of misshaped contraptions which no longer bore any resemblance to the big box.

Fortunately for us, the much loved SUV came along and saved the day with its 7-passenger configurations and off-road prowess until, of course, fuel prices started our questioning the need for a honking great 4x4. Enter the era of the crossover vehicle and, if anyone can define precisely what that word means, then all I can say is, “You’re a better man than I am Gunga Din!” As I see it, the term crossover roughly translates to a cornucopia of traditional styles blended into one design for which no one could think of a better name. I guess we should look on the bright side of things, for if they’d thought of this idea years ago, many of my friends would be riding around today on Harley Davidson crossover bicycles!

In my opinion, most families couldn’t care less whether their vehicle is called a crossover or a cross-dresser; they simply want a comfortable vehicle of decent size which won’t break the piggy bank at the gas station, and some-thing they can feel a mite proud of having in their driveway. If I’m right on that, then the Ford Flex should fit the bill quite nicely.

Sold as one of these new crossovers, in truth the Flex is part old-school station wagon, part low-slung SUV, and part cool-looking boulevard cruiser. It boasts a spacious up-market interior, comfortable seating for up to 7 and, although slightly taller than old station wagons, it drives just like a regular everyday car!

Actually, scratch that, because it drives better than most cars. You see, the added height makes for much better vision than you get in a typical station wagon, especially in boring stop-and-go traffic, and the rather lengthy wheel-base makes highway cruising feel like you’re traveling on a cushioned conveyer belt. It’s almost limousine-like in ride!

The 2011 Ford Flex comes standard with a 262hp 3.5L Duratec V6 which delivers pretty decent fuel economy (12.6L/100km City – 8.4L/100km Hwy) for what is, in effect, a fairly large vehicle. However, my tester was fitted with the optional 3.5L EcoBoost V6, which not only offers a mind-blowing 355hp, but does very little to alter those fuel figures (13.6L/100km City – 9.2L/100km Hwy). To me, it’s a no-brainer! Go for the EcoBoost and enjoy the added power for next to nothing in cost!

Perhaps I should rephrase that, because you will be expected to pay a little more for the power of the EcoBoost. In fact, if you let your heart run away with itself, you could quite easily find yourself owning a fully-loaded Titanium packaged Flex for nearly $50k ($49,599), such as the one I tested this week. (The base price is under $30k.)

Of course, this is where I’m expected to say, “Save your money and select one of the more basic models,” but I’m not going there. No, in fact I’m going to encourage you to dig down and find the money for the top-of-the-line model, and I have several reasons behind this. Number one is that I see this vehicle becoming highly sought-after on the used car market in a few years’ time, and loaded models always demand premium prices and are much easier to off-load.


motoring I road test

the Flex is part old-school station wagon, part low-slung SUV, and part cool-looking boulevard cruiser.

‘‘

‘‘


Second, if I had to list all of the wonderful features the Platinum Flex boasts, this would become the War & Peace of automotive reviews. Last and perhaps most important, I view this as a long-term ownership vehicle, by which I mean, once you’ve become accustomed to driving the Flex, you’re not going to want to drive anything else. I can actually back this up as I’ve spoken to several Flex owners and they’ve all said pretty much the same thing!

Now I know that’s perhaps old-school thinking, as many of you lease vehicles today, but think of it this way…Vehicles are getting better and better. In fact, any vehicle today should provide you with at least ten years of reliable usage, so why ride the never-ending lease treadmill when you could pay off your vehicle within a few short years and enjoy payment-free ownership for several more. Naturally, due to styling considerations, certain products do better with this line of thinking. The Mini never really goes out of style, nor does a VW Beetle, but in my opinion, the Ford Flex could perhaps be the first family vehicle we’ve seen in a while to actually make it onto that list.

It’s just dawned on me that I’ve spent considerable time, and word count, waffling on about vehicle styling, leasing vs purchasing, and other such nonsense, all of which has some bearing on the subject matter, but does very little in achieving my goal of providing you, my readers, with an adequate product review of the Ford Flex. Therefore, I find myself in a slight dilemma. Do I rewrite the entire article, or should I go with my gut feeling and leave it verbatim?

As you can no doubt tell, I’ve decided to leave things just as they are and spend the rest of my afternoon working on my to-do list. My better half did offer up some advice on this, so here follows my rather scaled-back Ford Flex review…

It looks super-cool, especially for a family ride, drives really nice, and is loaded with pretty much everything you and your family could ever wish for. There are lots of great safety features, and it’s all neatly packaged in a high quality product. Of course, if you need further information, simply visit your local dealership or ask somebody who currently owns one. They all appear to be friendly people and quite willing to discuss their vehicle choice!

Pros: Looks great and will continue to for years to come!Cons: A tad pricey for the Titanium package, but worth it in the long run.Verdict: A vehicle which the whole family will enjoy!

Rating

83%

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INTERIOR DESIGNCOLLISION & TOWING

DOG GROOMING

BARRISTER & SOLICITORART CATERING

PSYCHOLOGYPEST CONTROL

http://www.environmentalpestcontrol.ca


http://www.stephaniesimone.com

Caledon Living Winter 2012

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