The document is a winter guide for Owen Sound, Ontario that provides information on local festivals, activities, attractions and events from November 2014 to January 2015. It includes details on the Festival of Northern Lights, such as lighting upgrades, volunteer contributions and scheduled events. Information is also provided on other winter activities and festivals in the area like the Wiarton Willie Festival.
2. HIT THE SNOWBELT!
Make Owen Sound your destination for cool, Canadian exhilaration!
Enjoy live theatre, music, dining, shopping and OHL hockey while you’re here.
For more info, call 1-888-675-5555 or visit:
www.owensoundtourism.ca
Connect with us. #OwenSound
2 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
3. Table of Contents
Catch the Magic ......................................... 4-5
Lighting Upgrades ........................................6
Volunteers Vital to Festival .........................7
Wiarton Willie Festival .................................9
Trivia Night Fundraiser ...............................9
What’s On in Owen Sound Area .... 10-11
Skating Schedule .........................................13
A Winter to Remember ..............................14
Living in a Winter Wonderland ................15
When the Weather Outside is Frightful ...16
Attack Hockey Schedule ............................16
Guide to Museums Galleries ........... 17-18
Winter Camping ..........................................19
Skiing by the Moonlight ....................... 20-21
A Sledder’s Paradise ...................................22
PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Steve Harron
DESIGN PRODUCTION: Ken McMillan
ADVERTISING SALES: Leah Wyonch,
Steve Harron
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Paulette
Peirol, Lisa Greig and Karen Buratynski
FESTIVAL CHAIR: Doug McKee
FESTIVAL VICE-CHAIR: Wayne Lee
SPECIAL THANKS: To City of Owen
Sound Tourism Staff
COVER PHOTO: Harrison Park in Owen
Sound after a fresh snowfall. Photo by Shelley
Jackson
FESTIVAL SPONSORS
The Festival of Northern Lights attracts
large crowds on opening night. This
year, the opening will be held Nov. 14.
Photo by Lynn Reket
*Fine Art Sales
How to fi nd us...
*Conservation Framing
*Fine Art Restoration
*Evaluations
970-2nd Ave. East, Owen Sound
WishingYou Health Wellness (519) 376-7914
Gallery Hours: Tues.- Sat 9:30-6 pm
Web: www.gallerydeboer.ca and
visit us on Facebook
This Holiday Season
Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015 | 3
Owen Sound
955 10th Street West
519-371-3002
Useful Contacts
Owen Sound Tourism
519-371-9833 •1-888-675-5555
www.owensoundtourism.ca
Grey County Tourism
1-877-SEE-GREY (733-4739)
www.visitgrey.ca
Driving Distances
From KM Miles
Barrie 118 73
Guelph 135 84
Kitchener 154 96
London 229 142
Ottawa 638 396
Toronto 193 120
Connect with us on:
4. With over 70,000 sparkling lights and
350 displays, the festival creates a
magical setting that stirs up memories of
Christmas excitement, wonder and bliss
Photo by Nelson Phillips
5. What transforms the Festival of Northern Lights into a magical
experience is the feeling it generates inside of the people who
visit.
“It’s more than just the lights. It’s the warmth that people get when they
walk through the festival,” says event chairman Doug McKee.
Images of Santa Claus, reindeer and decorated evergreen trees conjure
up those feel-good, cozy — perhaps childhood — memories of enjoying
Christmas cheer with family and friends.
The bright, twinkling lights, set against the pure white snow, stir up
feelings of Christmas excitement, wonder and bliss.
“The festival has a spirit of warmth and caring that regenerates itself every
year,” McKee says.
The 27th annual Festival of Northern Lights kicks off Nov. 14 with opening
ceremonies featuring fi reworks, music, entertainment for the kids and the
much-anticipated fl ipping of the switch.
continued next page
7JTJUPST$FOUSF
6. Lighting Upgrades to Make Festival Brightest One Yet
6 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
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The festival, named one of the Top 100 festivals and events
in Ontario in 2013, will continue for 52 days, wrapping up
Jan. 4.
It features some 25 kilometres of lights, stretching along the
banks of the Sydenham River and into Harrison Park. More
than 350 displays and 70,000 sparkling lights illuminate the
vast spectacle.
This year’s event will follow on the heels of the most
successful to date, which saw a record number of tour buses
and cars visit the festival as well as an increase in financial
donations.
McKee says organizers will build on the success of last
season by making this year’s festival the brightest one yet.
The tree-lighting along the festival route will be brought up
to today’s standards, he says, by adding more strands of lights
to better fill in the crowns of the trees as well as replacing dim
and worn-out bulbs.
The colourful train display on the Marine Rail Museum
as well as the flock of geese on the picnic shelter behind city
hall will be re-lit with new bulbs. Another building — a
replica of the Marine Rail Museum — will be added to the
tiny village near the Owen Sound Farmers’ Market.
Organizers say about 35,000 people visit the Festival
of Northern Lights each year, which helps to inject some
$350,000 annually into the local economy. The event will be
advertised this year in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie and
Orangeville areas.
“Many people stay over after the opening ceremonies so
they can watch the Santa Claus parade the next morning.
People shop in the downtown after visiting the festival. They
eat at local restaurants and buy gas at local gas stations,”
McKee says.
A team of about 75 to 100 volunteers help to make the
festival a reality each year.
“It really is a magical event,” McKee says. “It’s like it
transports them back to good times they remember.”
7. Volunteers Vital to Festival
Some festival helpers put in more than 1,000 hours each year
Hank Vanderschans with the wooden model of the former Canadian National train station that
houses the Marine and Rail Museum and Owen Sound Visitor Centre. The model will be part
of the village display by the Farmers’ Market.
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Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015 | 7
Y ou could call the
volunteers behind the
Festival of Northern
Lights the Santa’s elves of
the annual Christmastime
spectacle.
There is a crew that works
in “The Barn” — the Santa’s
workshop of the festival
— where they build new
displays, repair old ones and
refurbish lights.
Other volunteers plan
fundraisers and events, while
teams set up and take down
the displays each year.
Volunteers are vital to the
festival.
“Nothing happens without
the volunteers,” said Hank
Vanderschans, who started
volunteering last year and
created this year a scaled-down
wooden model of the
former Canadian National
train station that houses the Marine Rail Museum and
Owen Sound Visitor Centre.
Between 75 and 100 people volunteer for the festival each
year, said chairman Doug McKee, including some who put in
1,000 hours annually.
But the volunteers are getting older, he said, and there is a
significant need for more.
“We could use help everywhere,” he said.
Each of the volunteers that work in The Barn, for example,
are at least 70 years old. One crew is made up of people in
their 80s.
McKee said efforts are underway to recruit younger
volunteers.
Óä£xÊ/9/Ê
9. ,
Bev Crawford, who has been volunteering for 14 years,
spends about three mornings each week in The Barn.
He said people don’t require special skills to help out. There
is always someone willing to show new volunteers what to
do, he said.
Crawford said he likes that he can help out when he can
and is able to come and go from The Barn as he pleases.
He said it’s the look on the faces of children when the
festival is lit up that is the biggest reward for volunteering.
“That’s my paycheque,” he said.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the not-for-profit
festival can call the festival office at city hall at
519-376-1440 ext. 1225.
15. Another festival that brightens winter
Thousands flock to Wiarton to celebrate famous groundhog
There’s another local festival that attracts a lot of attention during winter.
And that would be, of course, the Wiarton Willie Festival - an annual spectacle
that draws thousands to the small Georgian Bay community in the middle of
winter.
In 2015, Willie will be celebrating his 59th annual festival by offering events and
opportunities galore such as award-winning performers, outdoor fun in Bluewater
Park encompassing activities like dog sledding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing,
astronomy, arts and culture, aboriginal crafts, an obstacle course, winter camping
and carving.
The highlight is always Willie’s prediction at 7 a.m. on Feb. 2 which attracts many
dignitaries and members of the media - all of them anxious to find out how soon
our winter will end.
For more information, check out www.visitwiarton.ca
Trivia Night big fundraiser for festival
Twenty-six teams rasied more than $6,300 last year
O ne of the biggest fundraisers for the Festival of Northern Lights is the
annual Trivia Night.
Last year 26 teams from the Owen Sound area gathered at the Bayshore
Community Centre for the competition.
When it was all over, the teams had raised more than $6,300.
While teams compete to be the trivia champions, they also have a lot of fun along
the way, dressing up in costumes and decorating their tables.
This year’s event will be held March 28 and the venue will once again be the
Bayshore.
To register a team, contact Festival Administrator Leah Wyonch at
lwoynch@owensound.ca or register online at www.festivallights.ca
We hope you’ll join us for the
Festival of Northern Lights
this winter.
For more information visit
festivallights.ca
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20. What’s On in Owen Sound Area
November
Nov. 4 Fall Lecture Series: Threads of Time ~ Dressing Up Baby: The
History of Children’s Attire, Grey Roots Museum Archives
Nov. 7 Exhibit Opening – Mrs. Eaton’s Tea Rooms, Grey Roots Museum
Archives
Nov. 7-9 Minor Hockey Silverstick Tournament, Owen Sound arenas
Nov. 6-8 Brigadoon, Roxy Theatre
Nov 6. Food Matters – BALL Lecture Series every Thursday from
Nov. 6 – Nov. 27, Bayshore Community Centre
Nov. 9 Annual Book Sale, Owen Sound and North Grey Union
Public Library
Nov. 12-15 Brigadoon, Roxy Theatre
Nov. 14 Festival of Northern Lights, Opening Ceremonies, Queens Park
Nov. 14 Moonlight Magic, Downtown Owen Sound
Nov. 14 Museum Trivia Night Silent Auction Fundraiser, Owen Sound
Royal Canadian Legion
Nov. 15-17 The Fine Craft Christmas Show, Harmony Centre
Nov. 15 Kiwanis 68th Annual Owen Sound Santa Claus Parade,
Downtown Owen Sound
Nov. 16 Rhythm Pews Concert, Central Westside Church
Nov. 17 NHL Alumni All-Star Game, Bayshore Community Centre
Nov. 18 Fall Lecture Series: Threads of Time ~ A Look at the Woollen Mills
of Grey, Grey Roots Museum Archives
Nov. 19-22 Brigadoon, Roxy Theatre
Nov. 21 Fresh Greenery Christmas Workshop, Owen Sound and Area
Seniors’ Centre
Nov. 22 The 4th Annual Scenic City Crokinole Tournament,
First United Church
Nov. 22-23 Pottawatomi Spinners Weavers Show Sale, Owen Sound and
North Grey Union Public Library
Nov. 22-23 Holiday Tour of Homes, various locations
Nov. 23 Victorian Christmas Open House, Bishop House
Nov. 24 Downtown Christmas Open House, Downtown Owen Sound
Nov. 25 History of the Thimble – Fall Lecture Series, Grey Roots Museum
Archives
Nov. 28 Labyrinth Festival 2014, Georgian Shores United Church
Nov. 28-30 10th Annual Scenes of Wonder Nativity Display,
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
Nov. 29 Blue Christmas IV, Roxy Theatre
Nov. 29 Grey Roots Annual Craft Sale, Grey Roots Museum Archives
Nov. 29 Mossy Gatherings Presents Alana Harte, The River Cafe
December
Dec. 6 Festival in the Park, Harrison Park
Dec. 6 Christmas Concert of the Georgian Bay Concert Choir,
Harmony Centre
Dec. 6 Family Holiday Fun Day, Grey Roots Museum Archives
Dec. 7 CFOS Sun Times Christmas Fund Broadcast, Roxy Theatre
Dec. 12 Christmas in Nashville, Roxy Theatre
Dec. 13 Georgian Bay Children’s Choir, “Sounds of the Season” Christmas
Concert, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
Dec. 13 Georgian Bay Symphony’s “Family Christmas Concert”,
OSCVI Regional Auditorium, 4:00 PM
Dec. 13 A Festive Christmas, Georgian Bay Symphony, OSCVI, 7:30 PM
Dec. 13 Moreston by Candlelight, Grey Roots Museum Archives
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21. Dec. 13 Christmas Bazaar, Summit Place Retirement Residence
Dec. 19 Intergenerational Christmas Gathering, Owen Sound and Area
Seniors’ Centre
Dec. 20 A Swingin’ Christmas with the Toronto All-Star Big Band, Roxy
Theatre
Dec. 21 Festival of Nine Lessons Carols, Leith Church
Dec. 31 Beckett Family New Year’s Celebration, Roxy Theatre
January
Jan. 3-4 Rogers Hometown Hockey, Bayshore Community Centre
Jan. 3 Moonlight Ski, Sawmill Ski Trails, Hepworth
Jan. 4 Festival of Northern Lights Closes
Jan. 8 The Landscape History of Scotland: Lecture Series every
Thursday from Jan. 8 – Feb. 19, Bayshore Community Centre
Jan. 17 Bayshore Broadcasting Bridal Show,
Bayshore Community Centre
Jan. 23 Dallas Smith Concert, Bayshore Community Centre
Jan. 23-25 Scouts Winter Campout, Harrison Park
Jan. 24 The Mudmen, Roxy Theatre
Jan. 30 PA Day Adventures – Archeology 101, Grey Roots Museum
Archives
February
Feb. 5-7 The 39 Steps, Roxy Theatre
Feb. 7 The Jones Boys, Georgian Bay Symphony, OSCVI
Feb. 9 William “Billy” Avery Bishop’s Birthday, Bishop House
Feb. 11-14 The 39 Steps, Roxy Theatre
Feb. 16 Cobble Beach Family Day, Cobble Beach Resort
Feb. 20 Don Amero, Roxy Theatre
Feb. 20 Let’s Grow Together – Owen Sound and Area Seniors’ Centre
Feb. 21 Chinese New Year Celebration, Owen Sound and North Grey
Union Public Library Grey Roots Museum Archives
Feb. 26 Tomorrow’s World – BALL Lecture Series every Thursday from
Feb. 26 – Apr. 2, Bayshore Community Centre
March
Mar. 16-20 Western Ontario Drama League Festival, Roxy Theatre
Mar. 20 Rightsizing Your Home and Possessions, Owen Sound and Area
Seniors’ Centre
Mar. 20-22 Provincial Broomball Championship, Bayshore Julie McArthur
Regional Recreational Centre
Mar. 21 Health Fair, Bayshore Community Centre
Mar. 24 Climate Change Spring Lecture Series every Tuesday from Mar.
24 - Apr. 14, Grey Roots Museum Archives
Mar. 28 Festival of Northern Lights Trivia Night, Bayshore Community
Centre
Mar. 28 Nothing But Classics, Georgian Bay Symphony, OSCVI
April
Apr. 18 Georgian Bay Symphony’s 16th Annual Vintners’ Dinner and
Wine Auction, Stone Tree Golf Fitness
Apr. 23 Grey Roots Regional Heritage Fair, Grey Roots Museum
Archives
For more information about events in Owen Sound, visit
www.owensound.ca/events or call 519-371-9833.
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1230 2nd Avenue East
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12 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
Thank you
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Experience our festival lights in 2015
2014/15 Season
Dan Lenz
Conductor
Barbara Dyck
Accompanist
in 2014
Saturday, December 6, 7:30 pm
Harmony Centre Owen Sound
890 - 4th Avenue East
Tickets: $20 Adults, $5 Youth ages 2 - 18.
Available at The Ginger Press or
the Owen Sound Artists' Co-op,
or by calling 519-371-5890.
Vivaldi's
www.georgianbayconcertchoir.org
23. Owen Sound Indoor Skating Schedule
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
FREE PUBLIC
SKATING
(all ages)
1:30-2:50 pm
Julie McArthur RRC
Oct. 5 - Mar 15
Except March 1
PRE-SCHOOL
(5 yrs under)
10-10:30 am
Bayshore
Oct 6–Mar 23
No instruction provided
A Story Skate
Program will be offered
9:15–9:45 am prior
to pre-school skate
except for Oct. 13
Free Program
NOON HOUR
12–1:20
Bayshore
Oct 7–Mar 31
HOCKEY
SHINNEY
12–12:50
Bayshore
Oct 1–Mar 25
No contact or slap
shots. Helmets
are required,
other equipment
optional, but
recommended
NOON SKATE
12–1:20 pm
Bayshore
Oct 2–Mar 26
(except Dec 25,
Jan. 1)
ADULT SKATE
7:00–8:00 PM
Bayshore
Oct 2–Mar 26
(except Dec 25,
Jan. 1)
FIGURE SKATING
SHINNEY
7:30–9:00 am
Bayshore
Oct 3–Mar 27
(except Dec. 26,
Jan. 23 Mar. 20)
ADULT NOON
SKATE 12–1:20 PM
Julie McArthur RRC
Sept 5–Mar 27 (except
Sept. 19, Nov. 7, Dec. 26,
Mar. 20
SKATE-8
(8 yrs under)
11–11:50 am
Bayshore
Oct 18–Mar 14
(except Nov. 8,
Jan. 24)
No instruction
provided
MARCH BREAK
Julie McArthur RRC
Mar. 16 1–2:20pm
Mar. 17 1–2:20pm
Mar. 18 1–2:20pm
Mar. 19 1–2:20pm
FREE HOLIDAY SKATING
COMPLIMENTS OF
Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre Bayshore
Dec. 22 1:30-2:50 pm Dec. 21 7:00–7:50 pm
Dec. 28 1:30-2:50 pm Dec. 23 1:30–2:50 pm
Dec. 29 1:30–2:50 pm Dec. 30 1:30–2:50 pm
Jan. 2 1:30–2:50 pm
P.D. DAY SKATES FAMILY DAY
Bayshore Julie McArthur RRC
Oct. 24 1:30–2:20pm Feb. 16 1:00–3:00pm
Nov. 21 1:00–2:20pm Free Admission
Jan. 30 1:00–2:20pm Sponsored by RBC
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It is recommended that children wear helmets for their own protection.
REGULAR SKATING ADMISSION: (All prices include HST)
Single – $3.00 Family -$6.00
*Memberships can be used at all skates (except Shinney Hockey Adult
Skating Times)
ADULT PUBLIC SKATING: (Thursday evening only)
Single – $4.00 Membership - 20 skates – $37.00
SKATING MEMBERSHIPS:*
Single - 20 skates = $27.00 Family - 20 skates = $60.00
SHINNEY HOCKEY:
$9.00 per person
NOTE: Schedules are subject to change; FACILITIES CLOSED: DEC. 25, 26, JAN. 1
Memberships available at: City Hall, Bayshore and Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre
26. A Winter to Remember
Last year’s weather was good news for winter tourism
................................................................................................ By Paulette Peirol
Last winter was extreme.
It didn’t set any records
in terms of snowfall - despite the
mountains of snow that towered
over people’s heads - but it was
cold, long and brutal, according to
senior climatologist David Phillips of
Environment Canada.
“It was a wicked winter that
wouldn’t leave.”
Last year we saw 5 to 20 percent
more snow than usual, he said.
Yet the winter was consistently
colder than most, and also longer, with
snow on the ground from Halloween
to Easter. It was the coldest November-to-
March in 67 years in the Lower
Great Lakes, Phillips said. Blame the
polar vortex, which “stayed like an
unwanted house guest” until spring.
“November, December, January,
February, March, April – each month
was about three degrees colder than
normal,” Phillips explained. There
was no winter thaw, so the snow kept
piling up, to almost three feet (82 cm)
in February.
It also snowed more often. One
hundred and five days, to be precise,
compared to an average of 80 days most
years.
With 30 per cent more snow days
last winter, the ground stayed “pristine and white,” which
was a boon for recreational sports such as skiing and
snowmobiling. Blue Mountain Resort had a record year, with
142 days of skiing offered, while District 9 snowmobilers
enjoyed 14 weeks of groomed trails – more than double the
usual six weeks, said Karen Buratynski, district manager for
the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.
Conditions last year were ideal for outdoor
enthusiasts.
Photo by John Fearnall, Good Noise Photography
14 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
Georgian Bay and Lake Huron
froze over, which made for
excellent ice fishing as well. Plus,
the extra snow helped to bring the
low lake levels back to normal.
“The snow was pretty and
reliable, which is always good for
tourism,” Phillips said. He noted
that it is sometimes difficult to
convince people in Toronto that
it’s pretty and white up here,
when all they can see is slush at
home. At the same time, they need
assurance that they won’t freeze
or become snow-stayed when
they arrive. “You want it to look
and feel like winter, but not to the
extent that people are afraid to
come.”
What can we expect this winter?
There’s a 60 per cent chance that El
Nino may come in from the Pacific
and warm things up, Phillips said.
And an almost equal chance that it
will stop somewhere in the middle
of the country and leave us in the
cold. He predicted that the winter
of 2014-2015 will likely be “not as
long and not as cold” as last year.
The best winters of all strike a
middle chord, he said, with not too
much snow, and not too little. Just
a few years ago, in 2011-2012, we
had a very warm winter, crippling
winter sports such as ice fishing, cross-country skiing,
outdoor skating and snowmobiling. To top it off, a spring
frost decimated that year’s apple crop, killing off most of the
blossoms.
These wild swings in weather are “a hallmark of climate
change,” Phillips says, and they’re not about to end soon.
27. Living in a Winter Wonderland
Owen Sound typically gets 11 - 13 feet of snow each winter
................................................................................................ By Paulette Peirol
Snowy winters are part of our charm and culture.
Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015 | 15
It’s no secret that we live in a snowbelt. It comes with the
territory when you occupy a prime spot on Georgian Bay
that’s subject to lake effect snow.
That’s the snow produced when cold northwestern winds
move clouds across the bay, picking up warmer vapours that
turn into ice and snow. Owen Sound typically gets about 11-
13 feet of the white stuff each year.
How do we cope? Remarkably well. We wear boots, buy
snow tires, and carry portable shovels in the back of our
cars. We know how to drive through blinding storms (and
when to call it quits). We take up winter sports such as cross-country
skiing, snowshoeing, skating, hockey, ice fi shing
and snowmobiling, and produce some outstanding athletes.
Our kids make snowmen and quinzees and toboggan in city
parks. We host an annual winter camp-out for Scouts. And
we create magical events such as the Festival in the Park and
the Festival of Northern Lights to help see us through to the
spring.
Snowy winters are part of our culture, part of our charm.
When people visit Owen Sound in winter, they are coming
FOR winter. They’re tired of the grey slush of the big city.
Winter brings tourism dollars into the economy, particularly
at the Blue Mountain Resort near Collingwood. Heated yurts
at McGregor Point Provincial Park are typically booked solid
Your Community Connection
in Grey - Bruce - Huron
—PROUDLYSERVINGTHE BRUCEPENINSULA SINCE1879 —
HIIT to be FIT
Volume 135-Number22-Tuesday, June3rd,2014 Wiarton,Ontario,Canada $1.50 Taxincluded
Peninsula Shores demonstrates water awareness
RARE BIRDSPOTTED ON
THE BRUCEPENINSULA
A yellow-headedBlackbird was spotted this past week
Yoga
onthe BrucePeninsula. Therarebirdis notnativeto these
parts,and wasdocumentedatabird-feeder off PurpleValley
Roadand Waugh’s Road. The yellow-headedBlackbird is
nativetoareaswest ofthe GreatLakes,fromWisconsin,to
Oregon, asfarsouthascentral Mexico,and asfar northas
Connectwith
usonline!
@wiartonecho
OnFriday May30,approximately300 PeninsulaShoresDistrictSchoolstudents tookto thestreetand passedwater
fromGeorgianBay, allthewayupGeorgestreetfromBluewaterParkin downtown Wiarton,to theoldhigh school.
AspartofWaterDay,thebucketpasswasmeanttodemonstratewaterawareness.Nelson Phillipsphotos.
northernAlberta.
Submitted photo.
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Moose waitsfor atreatfromLilyCherwonakatSunday’sPurina WalkforDog Guides hostedbyGrandBend’sWestCoastLions.Thisgroupraised$4,015forthe
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Seaforth Huron Expositor
www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com Wednesday,May28, 2014
TheO’Reillys,alongwithfamily and
friends,welcomedfolksfromallover
Huron-Perthtothe DriveforDeanon
May 24.
Here,CharleneO’Reillywith baby
Shaylyn,dadJim,Deanandbig brother
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wereavailablebydonationfromAngela
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WhitneySouth,HuronExpositor 8
Author tells
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Facebook
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@GBTWnews
The largest circulation newspaper inGrey Bruce
Thursday, May 29,2014
Museumin
celebrates
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SUNSET STRIP
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Proud supporter of the Festival of
Northern Lights
on weekends and smaller businesses such as Ontario Winter
Camping, which offers heated teepees and yurts in nearby
Wiarton, are also thriving.
Owen Sound is a hub for snowmobilers and many local
hotels offer discounts for people on sleds.
This year, we will be a host community for Rogers
Hometown Hockey with public celebrations at the Bayshore
Community Centre, home of the Owen Sound Attack OHL
team, Jan. 3-4.
32. When the Weather Outside is Frightful
We’re Canadian and we’re
Attack Hockey - Home Schedule
November
Sat. 1 vs Kitchener @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 8 vs Windsor @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 15 vs London @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 29 vs North Bay @ 7:30 PM
December
Sat. 6 vs Kitchener @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 13 vs Mississauga @ 7:30 PM
Wed. 17 vs Plymouth @ 7:00 PM
January
Sat. 1 vs Kitchener @ 2:00 PM
Sat. 3 vs Guelph @ 7:30 PM
Wed. 7 vs Peterborough @ 7:00 PM
Fri. 9 vs Sarnia @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 10 vs Belleville @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 24 vs Kingston @ 7:30 PM
Sun. 25 vs Erie @ 2:00 PM
Wed. 28 vs Niagara @ 7:00 PM
Sat. 31 vs Sudbury @ 7:30 PM
February
Wed. 11 vs Barrie @ 7:00 PM
Sat. 21 vs Guelph @ 7:30 PM
Wed. 25 vs Barrie @ 7:00 PM
Fri. 27 vs Erie @ 7:30 PM
Sat. 28 vs Erie @ 7:30 PM
March
Sat. 7 vs Saginaw @ 7:30 PM
Sun. 8 vs Sault Ste. Marie @2:00 PM
Sat. 14 vs London @ 7:30 PM
Wed. 18 vs Plymouth @ 7:00 PM
Sat. 21 vs Sarnia @ 7:30 PM
16 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
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resilient, but sometimes, the
weather is just too much! Here are some
ways to find comfort and joy – or maybe
a little inspiration – when it’s howling
outside.
LEARN:
The Bluewater Association for Lifelong
Learning (BALL) hosts lectures at the
Bayshore Community Centre each
Thursday.
Visit www. bluewaterlearns.com
The Owen Sound and North Grey
Union Public Library offers books,
music, videos, magazines, free use of
computers, a bright, playful children’s
section and cozy fireside seating in the
historic Carnegie wing.
www.olco.canlib.ca/client/owensound
View winter exhibits at Grey Roots
Museum Archives, Bishop House
and the Tom Thomson Art Gallery.
The Owen Sound and Area Seniors
Centre offers many programs.
Call 519-376-8304.
Join a club! All are listed in the Owen
Sound Community Guide, available at
the city’s Visitor Centre or online at
www.owensound.ca/programs.
Drop by the Harmony Centre, a
community hub.
Visit www.harmonycentreos.ca
SWEAT:
Try something new and invigorating,
like NIA, pilates, aquafit, karate, step
dancing, bowling or spin classes. The
city has several yoga studios and
martial arts centres, plus a bowling
alley. If you’re looking for a gym, visit
www.owensound.ca/search/node/
fitness.
SAVOUR:
Owen Sound is home to more than
70 eateries, from licensed restaurants
to casual cafes. Live music is offered
at the Frog Ponds Cafe, the Bleeding
Carrot, the River Cafe, Jazzmyn’s, the
Coach Inn, Tuscany’s, the Harb and
Harrison Park Inn Restaurant. View
the city’s events guide for details.
www.owensound.ca/events.
PAMPER YOURSELF:
For a full service spa, try Cobble
Beach Resort or Le Scandinav at Blue
Mountain. Hair, Body Soul, Kula Spa
and The Spa West 9th Street also offer
spa services in Owen Sound.
The Roxy Theatre hosts live
performances downtown. Visit www.
roxytheatre.ca.
The Georgian Bay Symphony is offering
half-price season’s passes for new
subscribers and deep discounts for youth.
Visit www.georgianbaysymphony.ca.
35. Your Guide to Museums Galleries
GARB GEAR
34/2%(/523
7INTER
37. /WEN3OUND
Tom Thomson Art Gallery
840 1 Ave. W., Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K4
(519) 376-1932
www.tomthomson.org/
Canadian Spirit: The Tom Thomson Experience
This ongoing exhibition gives visitors an educational and
entertaining introduction into Tom Thomson’s life, his
connections with Owen Sound and Grey County, and the
factors that led him to become one of Canada’s greatest artists.
Canadian Spirit: The Tom Thomson Experience is made up of
the TOM’s important collection of objects, photos, documents
and artworks by Thomson. Ongoing display at the TOM.
If It Weren’t for the War
If It Weren’t for the War brings together work by Allan
Harding MacKay and Dick Averns (contemporary official war
artists), Tim Whiten (a Vietnam Veteran) and Tina Poplawski
(whose family was interned in Siberian gulags during the
Second World War, suffering post traumatic stress that was
visited upon subsequent generations in her family). Each
of these artists will draw upon their personal experiences to
create work responding to the theme. On display until Jan.
11, 2015
The Art of Private Jukes
While overseas during the Great War, many soldiers
documented their experiences in journals, letters home
and in drawings. Private Jukes was one such young man.
During his time of service he created hundreds of drawings,
watercolours and pen and ink sketches depicting not only
battle scenes and their aftermath but also moments of pastoral
beauty that could still be found in the French countryside.
On display until Jan. 11, 2015
Autumn Colours
Selections from the Gallery’s Collection
Of all the visual elements of art, colour has the most immediate
impact on us. Our reaction to it is complex, and has been a
subject of considerable study by artists and psychologists.
The exhibit showcases the artists’ use of a single colour to
create that big impact. On display until Jan. 11, 2015
James Sebesta: Retrospective
A retrospective exploring the various bodies of work
Sebesta has created throughout this career as an artist.
A large range of themes and imagery for a retrospective.
Imagery includes still life, abstract descriptions and
personal and public works associated with mental illness
and disability that relate to perceptual psychology.
On display from Jan. 18 - Mar. 15, 2015
more listings on Page 18
38. Community Curators Select VII
One of our annual favourites, Community Curators features
work from our Permanent Collection selected by members of
the public. On display from Jan. 18 – Mar. 15, 2015
Shards of Vanity
Lauren Craste’s artwork explores the many layers and
meanings of decorative collectibles: as indicators of social
status and class, and demonstrators of power, wealth and
politics. He is fascinated by vandalism, especially that which
accompanies revolution “when the works of art are destroyed
because they incarnate an ideology, or symbolize a specific
social class.” On display from Mar. 22 – May 24, 2015
Scott Everingham
Beauty mixed with brutality, Scott Everingham’s work
explores the physicality of oil paint depicting experimental
and conceptual realities. Each brush mark with a bold
intention, Everingham forms fictional environments that are
both striking and severe. On display from Mar. 22 - May 24,
2015
Grey Roots Museum Archives
102599 Grey Road 18, Georgian Bluffs, ON N4K 5N6
(519) 376-3690
www.greyroots.com/
“Aluminating” Grey Roots: Our 10th
Anniversary: “There’s Just SomeTIN About It!”
Check out a new pod exhibit that marks Grey Roots’ 10th
anniversary! On Display until January, 2015
Saints Sinners:
A Spirited History of Grey County
This exhibit tells the story of alcohol in Grey County, from the
early days of our first settlers, to the wild days of Prohibition;
from our highly successful breweries and distilleries to our
secretive bootlegging operations and many things in between.
On display until December, 2015.
Bountiful Grey County: Our Agricultural Heritage
A Grey Roots original exhibit featuring the agricultural
heritage of Grey County. On display until May, 2015
Mrs. Eaton’s War
Look back on the Great
War through the words
of soldiers’ letters. A Grey
Roots original exhibit. On
display January to May,
2015
18 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
Bishop House –
Museum, Archives, and National Historic Site
948 3rd Ave. W., Owen Sound, ON N4K 4P6
(519) 371-0031 • www.billybishop.org/
High Flight
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada.
Starting with RFC in the Great War to the British
Commonwealth Air Training Program to RCAF. On display
until end of December, 2014
Speaking Stones
This exhibit explores the various renovations made to the Q
ueen Anne revival style home as well as the stories of Billy
and the house. On display until March, 2015
We Are Warriors
An exhibit looking at the involvement of First Nations soldiers
in the Great War and Second World War. On display until
May, 2015
Gallery de Boer - Fine Art
970 - 2nd Ave. E., Owen Sound, ON N4K 2H6
(519) 376-7914 • www.gallerydeboer.ca/
“Creative Explorations” - A Group Exhibit
This exhibit features more than 30 artists with different
perspectives and ways of expressing their creativity. The
exhibit will showcase an array of genres including abstract,
contemporary, landscape and impressionistic art. Also
view the permanent exhibit of Robert Markle’s work, which
features the infamous pieces that caused so much controversy
in his career. On display until April 2015
Owen Sound Artists’ Co-op
279 10th St. E., Owen Sound, ON N4K 1S4
(519) 371-0479
www.osartistsco-op.com/
Guest Artists
The Artists’ Co-op welcomes monthly guest artists.
This winter will feature:
October: acrylic painter Brian Dalton.
November: woodworker Jim Scott and photographer
Paul Murphy.
December: 20 years of co-op members past present
January: textile artist Beatrix Ithurralde
February: textile artist Patti McMeekin
March: textile artist Halina Shearman
Exhibits at the adjoining Legacy Gallery:
Family Works
A joint exhibition highlighting the family of potter Steve
Irvine and mixed media artist Joan Irvine. On display until
Nov. 30, 2015
Next Generation
Emerging young artists from Grey and Bruce counties are
featured. On display from January to the end of March,
2015
Lt. Jaffrey Eaton and
Mrs. Christopher Easton.
Photo courtesy of the
Grey Roots Museum
Archives
39. Cozy accommodations and great winter experiences
.....................................................................................................By Lisa Greig
Mid-winter you need to shake
things up, you know?
You don’t have to travel far to
do it either. Last year, my partner and I
decided to check out winter yurt camping
at MacGregor Point Provincial Park near
Port Elgin.
It was a totally new experience for us and
we were surprised at how well equipped
the yurt was with a propane fireplace,
bistro set, electrical outlets and lighting as
well as four vinyl windows that let you see
the snow fly from the comfort of your toasty
accommodations. And I mean toasty! We
brought thick bedding, but we tossed it off in the middle of
the night because we were so warm! Outside the yurt there’s
a fire pit (winter bon fires rock), kitchen shelter, picnic tables
and a propane barbecue with a side burner; it really is a home
away from home.
Indoor (yeah!) washroom facilities were about 200 metres
from our yurt; the paths are well maintained and clearly
marked. Just bring a flashlight or headlamp to light your
way.
While the yurt itself is an attraction and you may just want
to spend time inside cuddled up with a good book or a loved
one, you will likely want to get outside and enjoy the winter
wonderland that the park offers. We stayed over on a Sunday
night, and it was incredibly peaceful just
to stroll around the park all bundled up.
There’s also a super fun and totally
unique outdoor skating oval. This
awesome 400 metre ice trail makes its
way through the woods in the park. It’s
open from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. and is lit at
night. There’s also a hockey pad available
if you go as a group and a game of shinny
is what you’re after.
Bring some bird seed. Many of the
migratory birds that call Bruce County
home in the summer head south for the
winter, but there are a number that do
Brad Fitz and Lisa Greig love winter
camping so much that it’s now an
annual outing for them.
stick around. With bird seed and patience you may be able to
get them to feed out of your hand!
Skiing and snowshoeing are major activities in the park
during winter. Seven kilometres of set track cross country ski
trail and twenty kilometres of unplowed road and shoreline
for snowshoeing await you. You totally won’t be bored.
Winter camping may seem daunting to some, but honestly,
staying in a yurt is more like staying in a cabin. You don’t
need any fancy gear other than your normal outdoor wear
for winter. Anyone can do this, and I highly recommend that
you do. My partner and I have made it an annual trip we
loved it so much!
For more information visit explorethebruce.com or the
following link: http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/
macgregorpoint
The writer is a Bruce County Tourism Information Officer.
What is a yurt? It’s an eight-sided, 16-foot diameter,
tent-like structure installed on a wooded deck floor. It’s
a wee home for your winter weekend getaway.
Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015 | 19
The yurts at MacGregor Point
Provincial Park provide toasty
accommodations for winter
campers.
Winter Camping
in a Yurt
40. Skiing by the Light of the Moon
Local club offers chance to experience the magic of night-time skiing
................................................................................................ By Paulette Peirol
Want to try something fun, romantic
and quintessentially Canadian?
Head to the Sawmill Ski Trails on a clear
winter night to ski or snowshoe under a
full moon.
Each year the Georgian Bay Nordic Ski
Club holds a moonlight ski to raise money
for its racing team. The event takes place
at the Sawmill Ski Trails, featuring many
kilometres of groomed, wooded trails
about a 20-minute drive north of Owen
Sound near Hepworth.
There you’ll fi nd a hive of activity
around the small clubhouse - people
waxing skis, shedding or adding layers,
talking with friends and ski-mates, or
helping themselves to hot apple cider
and marshmallows to roast on a nearby
fi re. Tea lights in mason jars help set the
tone, fl ickering in the snow.
Inside, the rustic clubhouse has been transformed into an
elegant cabin, just for this night. Tables are set with runners,
candles and bouquets of winter greenery, while a spread
of delicious food, from homemade soups and appetizers
Skiers enjoy a meal in the clubhouse
during the Moonlight Ski event at
Sawmill Trails.
20 | Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015
to dessert, coaxes hungry skiers to
indulge. The food is catered by Paul
Thomas and Karin Hayden-Thomas of
the Marketside Cafe in Owen Sound.
Two of their children, Jacob and Eli,
were longstanding members of the GBN
racing team.
“This is a great opportunity to get
some exercise, catch up with friends
and experience the magic of skiing at
night,” says event organizer Joanna
Bottrell, whose sons, Rod and Gavin,
are avid skiers, hitting the trails at least
four times a week as members of both
the GBN racing team and the West Hill
Secondary School ski team.
The moonlight ski fundraiser helps
cover GBN costs for training and races.
This year it will be held on Jan. 3rd.
Moonlight skis have taken place here for
years, and were formerly organized by
the Bruce Ski Club, which manages the trails and clubhouse.
The Bruce Ski Club is one of the largest in Ontario with
more than 750 members. The club also maintains classic ski
43. /WEN3OUND
trails at Colpoy’s Bay and Red Bay. The Sawmill site features 11 kilometres of
trails groomed for both classic and skate skiing, its newer cousin. A one-kilometre
“jackrabbit” loop is lit at night, so you can ski any night of the week. Snowshoeing
is also popular here, with three different trails – a 1.5 kilometre loop, 3.5 km loop
and 8 km loop.
“This is the big drawing card for our area,” says Sawmill Trail Captain Fred
Scheel. “Sawmill is the only trail with skate skiing, and that’s what interests the high
school and elementary kids.” The next closest place with skate-skiing is Duntroon,
more than an hour away. If you’ve grown up with classic skis and would like
to give skate skiing or snowshoeing a try, you can rent equipment from Suntrail
Source for Adventure in Hepworth.
The Sawmill trails are generally open from late November to late March,
depending on weather; last year saw close to 150 days of skiing, Scheel says.
Cross-country skiing is “good training for kids, and great for families,” he says.
“It’s not adult-driven, and it’s not kid driven. It’s all-inclusive. You’ll see families
pulling kids in sleighs and those kids grow up to be skiers.”
For more information on the Bruce club visit www.bruceskiclub.ca
Other Clubs in the Area
Owen Sound Cross Country Club, which operates trails on the Bruce Trail
north of Massie. www.owensound.org/ski/ • 519-376-8046
Sauble Cross Country Club - 18 kms of groomed ski trails branching out from
Sauble Falls Provincial Park through wooded areas and open fi elds. The trails
are located 1 km north of Sauble Falls, off the Sauble Falls Pkwy.
www.skisauble.freehostia.com/
Glenelg Nordic Ski club – 25 km of regularly groomed and trackset trails
southwest of Markdale. www.glenelgnordicskiclub.org/
Kincardine Cross Country Ski Club
Trails are at Stoney Island Conservation Area (property of the Saugeen
Valley Conservation Authority) on County Road 23, four kilometres north of
Kincardine. www.angelfi re.com/co/kccsc/
Beaver Valley Nordic Ski Club - Trailhead runs out of overfl ow parking lot at
Beaver Valley Ski Club
www.beavervalley.ca/2013/12/beaver-valley-nordic-ski-club-new/
Other Places to Ski
Allan Park Trails – (Saugeen Country)
www.saugeenconservation.com/ca.php?page=allanparktrails
Scenic Caves Nordic Adventures – www.sceniccaves.com
Kolapore Wilderness Ski Trails (Kolapore Uplands) do guided skiing and
moonlight skis - www.kolaporetrails.org/
Coffi n Ridge Winery – www.coffi nridge.ca/ (cross country ski the vineyard
and après ski by the fi re)
Cobble Beach Ski Trails - www.cobblebeach.com/amenities/ (they have trail
map/ rentals)
243 8th Street East
519-376-2232
Famous for Food...Favoured for Atmosphere
In The Heart of Owen Sound Since 1984
Owen Sound Area WINTER GUIDE 2014/2015 | 21
44. A Sledder’s Paradise
Breathtaking rides on 2,000 kms. of trails in Grey Bruce
............................................................................................. By Karen Buratynski
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DOUGCAMERONS
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46. /WEN3OUND
WWWOWENSOUNDSUBARUCOM
Grey Bruce is famous for its sandy beaches and amazing
sunsets during the summer months but what a lot of
people don’t realize is there is another world to explore once
the snow flies - one that can only be seen on the seat of a
snowmobile.
Within the area there are approximately 2,000 kms. of
interconnected snowmobile trails built and maintained
annually by volunteers.
Team that with lots of snow and the diversity of scenery
and you have something that is breathtaking.
Those fortunate enough to live or cottage in the Grey
Bruce area have a virtual playground of snowmobiling
opportunities in their own backyard.
The touring rider also enjoys this winter wonderland and
the incredible trail system draws many snowmobilers to the
area every winter.
Craig Nicholson, known as the Intrepid Snowmobiler,
notes that “the Grey Bruce Region provides reliable sledding
thanks to being well positioned for lake effect snow and
offering a good, extensive network of land-based trails that
are well signed and regularly maintained by local snowmobile
clubs.”
“The quality of our ride was equal to or better than anything
else in Ontario,” he said about his visit to the area.
“We discovered more than enough straightaways and
wide-open field trails to satisfy even the most ardent among
us. Plus there are so many trail options that our choice of
loops seemed almost endless. With good planning, you may
never have to ride the same trail twice.”
Those who choose to explore Grey Bruce by snowmobile
can easily pick an afternoon adventure or a multiple day
tour.
Many riders take a two-day excursion from Owen Sound to
Tobermory and back by snowmobile, enjoying both the Lake
Huron and Georgian Bay side of the Niagara Escarpment.
Many parts of this trek, such as Skinner’s Bluff and areas of
the Bruce National Park, are only accessible by snowmobile
during the winter months.
Heading south from there the trails continue to wind across
rolling farm fields, pass by Walters Falls, through canopies of
bush trail and along the banks of the Saugeen River.
They join small town to small town, where the local business
owners welcome riders to stop and refuel, enjoy a good meal
and relax in the comfort that is a Grey Bruce winter.
The writer is manager of District 9 of the Ontaro Federation of
Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC). More information on snowmobiling
in Grey Bruce, including what to do to get started and how to
obtain a guide that features all of the local trails, can be obtained
by contacting the OFSC District 9 Office at 1-800-387-7669 or
visiting the website at www.ofscdistrict9.ca.
Visit www.roxytheatre.ca for our coming events
251 9th Street East Owen Sound, ON 519-371-2833