WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE

o n theroad

J U N E 2 0 1 7

it is that t ime againS T R A W B E R R Y F E S T I VA L

Story Page 2-3

Has Stouffville lost its fame, or closed an old book? With the demolition of the Stouffville Country Market, one thing is for certain, an era has come to an end.

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CANADA 150 ISSUE

Brendan John WetheralStrawberry Festival, 1987

2017 STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

The Strawberry Festival has grown into the second largest attraction in York Region with over 30,000 people visiting each year. The Strawberry Festival is organized by a volunteer committee which has grown to more than 20-people strong. There is plenty to do and see at this year’s Festival including fun for the whole family, young and old.

This year the Festival has moved from Main Street to Memorial Park. The move is a proactive one, as Main Street in the Downtown core is anticipated to be under construction Summer 2018. “We can always move back,” says Ker-Yng Pang, Co-Chair 2017.

“One advantage,” adds Ker-Yng, “is that the circulation of the festival will be more circular than linear - in the past people missed the parts off Main Street and vice-versa.”

There will be shows - the Baby Show, Agility Dog Demos and Dog Contests. Family fun includes circus stunt

people, comedy magic shows, human-soccer Zorba Balls, rubber ducky races and an inflatable playground. Music and dance events this year will feature John Stinson - The Songs of Gordon Lightfoot, The Marshall Dane Band, York Regional Police Male Chorus, Ben Hudson - a Canadian country music singer, folk singer Amber-Jo Bowman, The Blackboard Blues Band, Laya Bhava Dancers, and three dance academies.

The Festival Market at the Strawberry Festival features over 250 crafters and food vendors, Park Drive and Burkholder St. The streets will be closed to traffic allowing festival-goers to stroll the streets and browse the market while soaking up the festival atmosphere.

Opening day is Friday, June 30. The carnival starts at 4pm, while the Made-in-Canada Music Party kicks off at 7:30pm. Saturday, July 1 is a day that is packed with activity and ends with an amazing Canada 150 fireworks display. The final event Sunday is the Hometown Country BBQ that will feature many country artists.

There are no entrance fees at the Strawberry Festival. For more information or volunteering, see strawberryfestival.ca.

BUS LOOPS A GOOD IDEAThe Town is taking a step in the right direction by introducing a bus service on Canada Day during the Strawberry Festival – especially with the Musselman’s-Ballantrae Bus Loop. In the early days, Strawberry Festival was a broader event, geographically and socially.

The first formal Strawberry Festival was held in 1985 and was eleven days long. Events took place in Stouffville (fireworks, street dances, fun fairs, concerts and beauty pageants), but also in Vandorf (Celebrity Tennis Tournament and The Country Lunch), in Bloomington (Strawberry Craft & Bake Sale), at Musselman’s Lake (Bicycle Race and Flying Display), and in Ballantrae (Festival Motorcade, Lions Beef Barbecue, Baby Contest, Weiner Roast & Dance, a petting zoo and wagon rides).

“There was even a double decker bus providing service between

Stouffville and Ballantrae.”Socially, everyone was involved in the inaugural Strawberry Festival: Stouffville Figure Skating Club, Friends of the Museum, Seniors of Whitchurch-Stouffville, Block-Parent Association, Stouffville Fire Department, Stouffville Ministerial Association, Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Progress Club, Kinsmen Club, Stouffville Lioness Club, Gormley Women’s Institute, School Bands and Choirs and many more.

It featured endless sporting competitions: Youth Olympics, bike races, youth and celebrity tennis tournaments, Frisbee championships, slo-pitches, and horseshoe pitching contests. There was also a celebration of citizenry - Citizen of the Year and Youth Awards.

“Every age was involved in the event. People drove together in

motorcade fashion from Ballantrae to the strawberry fields.”

The first annual was so successful that Premier David Peterson attended the event in its second year.

So, what happened? The event remains a major regional attraction and draws more people than ever before, but why has it shrunk in length and geography? The reasons are many.

Organizing such a large event over 11-days could not have been easy for volunteers, and the nature of volunteerism itself has changed. Public interest in an 11-day event also waned with time. Too, planning events is more complicated these days, as there are street closure bylaws, insurance premiums, beer tent corals, a weaker sense of community, less social clubs, busier family life and more competition.

Back to the bus. Yes, it’s only a one day affair, but the symbolism of reaching beyond the community limits of Stouffville is a big step in the right direction.

CANADA 150 ISSUE

Carnival

Fireworks

MarqueeTent

BallDiamond

LatchamHall

LeisureCentre &

WS Library

PavillionLawn

Bowling

Main StCar Show &Sales (Sat.)

M e m o r i a l

P a r k

D o w n t o w n

D o w n t o w n

Plimited

PlimitedP

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GOStation

Ballantae BusLoop Pick Up& Drop Off

Stouffville BusLoop Pick Up

& Drop Off

Main St. closedMarket to ParkSaturday 9am-4pm

Park Drive closed [local access only

this block]

Vendors

Burkholder closed Creek to Park Dr.Friday at 4pm toMonday at 8am

Booth Dr. closed Thicketwood to Park Dr. Friday/4pm to Monday/8am

MAIN STREETlimited

MA

RKET STBURKHOLDER ST

BOOTH DR

PARK D

R

PARK

DR

HOOVER PARK DR

MAIN STREETEDW

ARD

ST

FranklinPark

Bandshell

Trail

TrailTrail

one minute walkingSCALE

CAUTIONConstruction

Area

Plimited

Sangster’sGrove

! !

!

!!

!!!

Park Drive closed Main to LibraryFriday at 4pm toMonday at 8am

Bus ServiceSaturday, July 1

Satellite Park and Ride LocationsPStouffville Sports Clippers Complex, 120 Weldon Rd.Stouffville Arena, 12483 Ninth LineSoccerCity, 45 Innovator AvenueBallantrae Community Centre, 5592 Aurora Rd.

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MILLARD

BAKER HILL

MAIN ST

SANDIFO

RDINNOVATOR

HOOVER PARK

MO

STAR WEL

DON

TEN

TH L

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MILLARD

EVENTSidewalk Sale &

Classic CarsSaturday 11am-4pm

on Main Street

EVENTStrawberry

Festival Friday, Saturday

& Sunday in Memorial Park N

INTH

LIN

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HOOVER PARK HOOVER PARK

YORK

-DU

RHAM

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HOOVER PARK PARK

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NOTE:Park Drive closed Main to Hoover PkFriday at 4pm toMonday at 8am

NOTE:Main St. closedMarket to Park

Saturday 9am-4pm

HWY 48

StouffvilleArena

MAIN STREET

MILLARDP

P

P

PARK DRIVE

MAIN ST

MANTLE

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Note that buses could be full or wait times increased during peak demand.

All stops on Stouffville Loop

15-minute Service9am to midnight

starting at Hoover & Park

Strawberry Festival / Canada Day FREE BUS SHUTTLE

Saturday, July 1

Ninth &Valley Rd

Ninth &Coultice Park

Ninth &Cedarvale

Aurora Rd &Ballantrae CC

NINTH

Baker Hill & Boadway

Madori Park

Millard &West Lawn

Millard &Ninth

Millard &Edward Millard &

Ironwood Millard & Opal

Millard &Stouffer

Stouffer& Main Millard

& Tenth

Tenth &Katherine

Hoover Pk & Tenth

Hoover Pk & Sunnyridge

Hoover Pk & Juglans

Y-D Line & Hoover

Mantle &Astral

Mantle &YakefarmMantle &

SunnyridgeMantle& Tenth

Hoover Pk & Jacob

Hoover Pk& Ninth

Hoover Pk& Park Dr

Hoover Pk& StouffvilleSecondary

Clippers Complex

SoccerCity

BLOOMINGTON RD

AURORA

Ninth &Castle Gate

Ninth &Bloomington Cove

P

Main &Edward

All stops on Ballantrae Loop

30-minute Service9am to midnight

starting at Edward & Main

Bus is hereat :15 and :45 past the hour

Bus is hereat :00 and :30 past the hour

Bus is hereat :00 /:15 /:30 /:45past the hour

Bus is hereat :00 /:15 /:30 /:45past the hour

HIGHW

AY 48

NIN

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BLOOMINGTON

MUSSELMAN’SLAKE

BALLANTRAE

STOUFFVILLESTOUFFVILLE

STOUFFVILLE

CANADA 150 ISSUE

CANADA 150 ISSUEGOODBYE

TO THE STOUFFVILLE

SALES BARNIt was a perfect storm as an attraction - a bargain hunt, country charm and great variety. Very few old barns in Ontario were capable of drawing 20,000 visitors on a Saturday from great distances away. They descended upon the community in droves, clogged the main street, put Stouffville on the map and became imprinted on the routines and identity of two generations.

It was planned as the Stouffville Sales Arena, but opened as the Stouffville Stockyards and Farmer’s Market. The focus changed with the times, from stockyard to flea market, and so did its name: Stouffville Sales Barn, Stouffville Flea Market, Stouffville Country Flea Market, and finally Stouffville Country Market. Informally, it had been known as The Big Flea and The Sales Barn. (Referred to as “The Market” herein).

“It was a perfect storm as an attraction - a bargain hunt, country charm and

great variety.”The Market closed its doors last year to make way for new residential development. It is currently being demolished, and ironically, by Charlie Dahl of JMX Contracting. We interviewed Charlie, a local resident, in On the Road last fall when he was demolishing the Southwire plant on Mostar. Charlie was the Regional Manager with QM Environmental back then, but now he is the VP of this Whitchurch-Stouffville company located on Ram Forrest Road.

The irony is – “I am here because while on one of my weekend visits to the Flea Market I saw a house for sale. I bought it and moved to Stouffville. That was many years ago,” says Charlie. The demolition process is scheduled to take three months, start to finish. Most of the materials are being recycled on site. As usual, Charlie has great sensitivity for the surrounding neighbours when doing a job like this. He says that “minimizing impact is key”.

The Market opened in 1952 as a livestock auction. With each year its offerings were expanded, beginning with baked goods and vegetables, and then a restaurant. Later, everything was available: antiques, auto parts, name-brand clothing, stereos, books, paintings, aquarium supplies, axe handles, sporting goods, pets, china dolls and kitchenware.

There were as many as 700 vendors on occasion, but usually 300-500 vendors would descend on the site in the early hours of Saturday morning.

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Walter Atkinson, a prominent Stouffville auctioneer, built The Market from the ground up from scavenged barn wood in northeast Stouffville. Its permanent location came to be along Highway 47, now known as Tenth Line. In the early 1960s, Atkinson sold his interests in The Market to auctioneers Norm Faulkner (childhood friend of Eldred King) and Frank Bennett. Norm Clements, the owner of the prominent retail chain National Sports, bought out Bennet’s share in 1984.

“Headlines like ‘Stouffville’s dirty little secret’ didn’t bode well for the Market. This hasn’t been the

only controversy.”As a sideline, Faulkner and Clements became known as the “Two Norms”, not because of The Market, but rather in the horse racing industry. They owned a lucky horse - Cam Fella - the richest Standardbred horse of all-time. A Stouffville street is named Cam Fella Boulevard in the horse’s honour. Faulkner later sold his interests in The Market to Clements in 1990. Atkinson died in 1992 at the age of 88, Faulkner in 1996 at 60.

The Market’s reputation became tarnished over the last decade, as animal rights activists turned attention to the sale of live animals – ducks, chickens, rabbits, pigeons. The traditional way of selling live animals and sacking them like groceries did not rest well with everyone. Local farmers, in contrast, argued that this practice embraced new traditions too, such as the farm-to-fork movement; one knows where their food comes from when it is bought live, as opposed to deboned and plastic wrapped from a factory farm. The argument boils down to a wavering line of opinion on animal cruelty.

The live animal issue also haunted the Market back in 1982. Multiple regulatory bodies weighed in on the subject, but their determinations were equally mired in moveable interpretation. Either way, headlines like “Stouffville’s dirty little secret” didn’t bode well for the Market. This hasn’t been the only controversy.

In the late 1980s, York Regional Police laid charges against many stores under the Retail Business Holidays Act, including Hy & Zels, Shoppers Drug Mart, and The Market, for illegally operating on Sundays.

In 1987, a toy stall vendor was arrested in possession of $27,000 worth of stolen model cars, games and hobby crafts. In the early 1990s, many flea markets – including The Market – were raided by the police on behalf of the National Basketball Association for un-licensed use of team logos and colours; products were seized. Finally, there were decades of politically-sensitive debates involving blowing garbage, overrun septic systems, fire hazards and traffic congestion.

“The Market was constantly reinvented in an effort to maintain public interest.”

On the flipside, a myriad of magazine and newspaper articles have identified the famous Stouffville market as a place to: take a break with the family and enjoy pony rides; as a perk-reason to buy a local home; as a place that brought people together or unexpectedly reunited folks that had been disconnected; and as a place where retail proprietors got a head start in business.

The building that is being demolished now, or the “Stouffville Country Market”, was built in 1993-94 in

Left and bottom left - demolition underway (photos by J. Williams). Above - packed with shoppers in 1989, and Below right - peacock feather shopping in 1975 (TorStar Photo Archive)

an effort to keep the market from becoming stale. The structure allowed for more vendors to operate from an indoor setting during the winter months, and a place for groups like the Chamber of Commerce to hold their annual home show.

The Market was constantly reinvented in an effort to maintain public interest. In the 1990s they tried weekly concerts, garden shows, and bingo, but the customer count continued to decline. Popular opinion described the place as “a shadow of its former self” - downsized, old, expired. At one point The Market announced its impending closure in 2007; it didn’t happen then, but the announcement of closure in 2016 did close the chapter on an impactful part of Stouffville’s history.

YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!

What do you think of when you hear the word “senior”? In June 2017, the 55 Plus Club is celebrating “40 years young!”

The Club was originally founded in June of 1977, with 39 members. The name at that time was the “Whitchurch-Stouffville Silver Jubilee Senior Citizens’ Club”. The original four founding ladies—Marion Smith, Marion Murphy, Aurelia Smith and Gladys Clarkson—were too young to join! [see photo bottom left]. The Town gave the newly-formed group the old Post Office building at Main and Market for their programs. They ran card nights, bazaars, bus trips and musical entertainment evenings. Membership increased to 123, then to 240. Census data from 1976 records the population of the municipality as 13,129.

Turn the page from 1977 to 2017: the population of Whitchurch-Stouffville has risen to 45,837. Among those are 12,895 people over the age of 55, which is indeed 28% of the population. The growing club has been re-located to Latcham Hall on Park Drive South and will soon be re-located once again to 6240 Main Street. The name of the club has been changed to “55 Plus Club” which is more attractive to recent retirees. Membership is nearing 600 as more classes and events are offered.

The motto on the 55 Plus Club sign reads, “Healthy, active living! Lifelong learning! Fun and friendship!” This coincides precisely with the interests of the boomers who are now into their “senior” years. However, they don’t acknowledge themselves as aging and don’t want to be classified as seniors. They want to look better and feel younger. 70 is the new 50.

Boomers and Zoomers Boomers and zoomers are all about healthy, active living. They are into illness prevention (look at the spike in vitamin sales), nutrition and nutritional supplements, and fitness. They are very much into pickleball and other active sports such as hiking, pole-walking and skiing, as well as travelling. They register for programs such as line dancing, mat yoga, chair yoga, stretch ‘n’ core, osteo-fit, Zumba gold, tai chi and mindful living. They look for quality classes with professional instructors. They look after their bodies and their minds.

Boomers are also interested in lifelong learning. Education and the mind are a key focus. Seminars dealing with the workings of the brain and dementia are very popular. Boomers want new challenges and want to learn new things. They now have the time

to take up watercolour painting or acrylic painting. They are interested in TED talks and the theatre. Coming from a career background, they are already technology-savvy but they take computer classes to expand their skills.

Fun and friendship are an important part of the 55 Plus Club. Recent research has shown that socialization is just as important as physical fitness to the health of older adults. Getting out of the house, interacting with others and having fun keeps the brain active. Laughter is great medicine for those dealing with an ailing partner or having a difficult time themselves. Drop-in games such as bridge, bid euchre, euchre, canasta, hand and foot or mah-jong all encourage skill development while providing vital social contacts. Meeting new people on trips or at lunches is exactly what the doctor suggests. Friendship is just plain healthy.

VolunteerismRegrettably, the area that is being hit the hardest by the advent of the boomers is volunteerism. The generation of the “little red hens” who ran the pie bees is fading. The women who used to stand for hours making soup and sandwich lunches have done their time. Lunches at the 55 Plus Club now feature gourmet food focusing on a theme, prepared by caterers. Fortunately, there are still some generous members who help with planning, serving, set-up and clean-up.

Boomers have very different attitudes. They are the “what’s-in-it-for-me” generation. They are the policy makers rather than the workers. When they volunteer, they are time-limited and want their volunteer hours to be meaningful. All organizations are experiencing difficulties getting volunteers to come forward. Traditional community organizations are experiencing dwindling numbers as boomers pick and choose their volunteer contributions.

For more information about the 55 Plus Club, call 905-640-1910, ext. 2955 or check the website, stouffville55plus.ca. The building is open Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm from September to June. Summer hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00am to 1:00pm. Cost of membership is a mere $20 per year. “Consider it an investment in yourself. You’re worth it,” says 55 Plus Club Vice-President Carol Morin.

CANADA 150 ISSUE

Below are the Founding members of the Whitchurch-Stouffville Silver Jubilee Senior Citizens’ Club. Below Right is the “Kitchen Band”. Above Right Jan Douglas poses during a 55 Plus fashion show. Photos supplied by 55 Plus Club.

by Carol Morin

55 Plus Club is Celebrating their 40th year in June 2017

Below Varsha Singh, Client Manager for CLutterBGone, a home-based business run by two women in Stouffville.

Above Stouffville Honda’s staged a magnifiscent grand opening ceremony. Now open for business at 35 Automall Blvd. For more info see mystouffvillehonda.com. (Photography by J. Williams).

CANADA 150 ISSUE

For ClutterBGone “it’s not just about clean and tidy, it’s about having functional and efficient systems of organization in place to manage time daily,” says Varsha Singh. The typical client for ClutterBGone is a homeowner who does not have the time, skill or physical ability to manage space, or rather, organize a space so that it is time-effective and highly efficient.

ClutterBGone is one of many businesses in Whitchurch-Stouffville run by successful female entrepreneurs. ClutterBGone has been operating for six years. Business is growing rapidly, and is fed by positive referrals and an active social media front.

Both Varsha and Linda Vanderkolk, the Principal Lead Organizer and Project Manager, have a background in law; perhaps this is where their organized mindset comes from.

“People are sometimes confused,” says Varsha - they think that our services pertain to hoarding, which is hardly the case. Rather, we are navigators. We learn and observe our clients’ routines and help make simple transformations

that result in major change.” People that call for ClutterBGone’s services vary from first-time home buyers to empty nesters to those moving; all are busy and all need a system that fits their lifestyle, but some are not natural at it and that’s where we come in.

Varsha explains that they begin with a consultation and then work with the client to remove obstacles or unneeded things that take up space. ClutterBGone seamlessly pulls everything out, sorts it, and once the decision-making is done, reorganizes it fittingly.

From Nancy M. in Barrie - “Wow! It’s been just over 3 weeks and I still pinch myself every time I walk into a room! Linda and her team spent a day at my place in July. They waged war on my chaos and their strategic battle plan and organizational skills won! I now have a home I can be proud of, a garage I can park in (winter is coming) and a basement that I can walk through!”

ClutterBGone works all over the GTA and beyond. For more information, see clutterbgone.ca.

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ClutterBGone

STOUFFVILLE HONDA

Women In Business Series

CANADA 150 ISSUE

A PARK FOR MUSSELMAN’SBuilding a Park, SimplePlanning a Park, ComplicatedThe Stages of Birth - Similar

It is the eve to celebrate the birth of a community park, June 17, 2017 is the grand opening. The park is modern, environmentally advanced and is overdue for a community of Musselman’s Lake that has never had the pleasure of a neighbourhood park. Even with construction coordination delays, the park was built within a year. However, few realize – with the exception of those directly involved – that the planning for this park began more than ten years ago.

We would not be celebrating the opening of Coultice Park if not for the endurance of champions: an active neighbourhood association, a local Councillor, a philanthropic family, and dedicated Town staff. Over the course of ten years, the players changed – residents came and went, the Councillor replaced, leading staff moved on. But, the plan was a good one; it rightfully survived the passage of time.

The First Trimester The first trimester is the most consuming because everything is all so new, so exciting, even overwhelming.

In January of 2007, Town Council approved a study on the issue of parkland within the Community of Musselman’s Lake.

“The Community of Musselman’s Lake had an estimated population

of 1,200 persons – the largest settlement area within the Town

that currently has no park or community based facility.”

According to the Town’s own Official Plan the provision of parkland or park facilities for a community of this size should be approximately 6 acres in area. But with no new developments on the horizon (being environmentally sensitive lands), there would be no developer-funded mechanism for getting public lands allocated or a park built, and there was no publicly-owned property in the vicinity.

The Town would have to build this park from scratch. The study was geared to engage residents of Musselman’s Lake to answer some questions: Is there a need for a park? Would the locals use it? What amenities should it contain?

Two public information sessions were held, oddly, almost a year apart (2007 and 2008); there were multiple processes at work. 88% of the residents surveyed indicated the need for a park, half said that they left the community a minimum of twice a week in search of recreation space, and 86% said that they would make use of a local park. Residents favoured amenities such as a children’s playground, open space, a splash pad and tennis courts.

Above Coultice Park in June 2017.8

COULTICE PARKGrand OpeningJune 17, 2017. 10am

14769 Ninth LineParking at Cedar Beach lot

In 2009, $100,000 had been put aside by the Town Capital Budget for the acquisition of parkland at Musselman’s Lake. Staff assessed 3 properties: (a) Glendale Beach, (b) the nearby “water tower site”, and (c) a property between Lakeshore & Aurora. One was too close to the water (safety and overuse concerns), one too far from population, and another would require some impossible land use-trading. The Town was approached by a landowner that presented a 4th potential site. This one became the preferred location was owned by the James Coultice Estate.

The Coultice property was formerly known as the Wagon Wheel Ranch. It was or had been a horse farm that offered “horseback riding for all ages, all experience levels... The trails wind their way through woods, hills and meadows, a pleasing backdrop for an exhilarating adventure. Sleigh or hayrides and corn roasts are available with advance booking.” [From a web advertisement listing.]

Two parts of the Coultice property were offered up as an opportunity for the park at Musselman’s Lake; one a large 137-acre site that stretched westerly from the York-Durham Line area, and an adjoining 5 acre parcel that fronted onto Ninth Line. The larger piece is environmentally sensitive land and is deemed a Natural Linkage Area under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. Therefore it was development constrained, but an opportunity for the Town to promote environmental awareness and water quality initiatives – objectives that were laid out in the recent Musselman’s Lake Subwatershed Assessment Plan. Staff recommended that the larger parcel ultimately be managed or owned by a qualified partner, such as the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA).

The offer was described as a “win, win, win for everyone” by the local

Councillor, and it was. There were some reasonable objectives set out by the Trust that had to be met: (1) Council had until August 15, 2010 to act on the offer; (2) the sale price would be $2; (3) the Town would prepare a Reference Plan that would divide the holding into 5 parts, including the two parts mentioned above; (4) the Town would assume reasonable costs for the Estate’s solicitor in relation to lands being transferred; (5) the Town would be obligated to demolish the old buildings and structures; (6) the Town and Estate would build a mutual driveway off Ninth Line to serve both parties; (7) the park would be named “Coultice Park” after the donor; and (8) the Estate had until January 1, 2011 to establish a valuation for the property for the purpose of determining the amount of charitable receipt that was to be issued by the Town.

The first trimester, or due diligence stage, had taken 3.5 years.

Second Trimester The second trimester is called the “honeymoon period” for good reason: the aches and pains associated with rapid development – or the learning curve – is past. Things are now more relaxed, details around the baby’s new life are planned. Except this trimester unexpectedly took an additional 4 years.

June 15, 2010: Council endorsed the James Coultice Estate property as the preferred candidate site for the purposes of consultation. Staff again would meet with the Community of Musselman’s Lake on July 22 to ensure their buy-in and that their needs be met.

August 17, 2010: Council confirmed its interest in acquiring a neighbourhood park and the environmentally

sensitive lands from the James Coultice Estate, that the Municipality clears its Conditions on the Offer of Purchase and Sale Agreement, and that staff begin budgeting and forecasting the necessary items linked to this project, including provisions for park design and phasing process. The demolition was estimated at $250,000 and another $940,000 to fully develop the park (2009 dollars).

Bumps in the road occurred from 2010 until 2014, while one extension request after another were filed and accepted. The transfer of land was not projected to be complicated, but there were issues with the survey and land title. In undertaking the update to the Reference Plan, the Town’s Ontario Land Surveyor encountered some difficulty in establishing a proper description of the transfers arising from the earlier lot line adjustments.

Apparently, individual Property Identification Numbers (PIN) were not established for each of the earlier transactions by the Registry Office. This was a unique situation and it was not understood how or why it occurred. Multiple land owners and their lot lines had to be sorted out.

Too, the Estate was trying to enroll in Environment Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program. The program provides a way for those with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and leave a legacy for future generations. It offers significant tax benefits to landowners who donate land or a partial interest in land to a qualified recipient. Recipients ensure that the land’s biodiversity and environmental heritage are conserved in perpetuity. The Eco Gifts Program automatically involves policies and procedures set out by Canada Revenues Agency.

The learning curve for participation in Eco Gifts was steep. The parcel slated for the park, being a “development”, did not qualify for the program, the proposed third party oversight of the larger parcel complicated things, and by the time the Reference Plan was filed and completed (years later), the property valuation needed to be revisited

under law. Yes, it was a snail’s pace, but no blame could be laid as everyone involved proved to be champion of endurance.

Third Trimester The last trimester is full of contrasts: you’re revved up for the homestretch, but you’re tired. You’re thirsty, but you often have to go to the bathroom. One celebrated aspect of the park project is that public washrooms were added to the plan. It was determined that children who spend hours at a splash pad and park would eventually need facilities.

In 2014, members of the Coultice Family were present at Council to celebrate the naming dedication for a park on lands that had now been transferred. By August, the old farm buildings on the site had been removed.

On July 15, 2015 staff hosted an Open House at the Cedar Beach Pavilion at Musselman’s Lake to review the initial design and receive feedback on the park amenities. Council had already approved a phase II site preparation and design amount of $250,000. The construction phase of the Park was planned for 2016. Staff was hoping to complete the construction of Coultice Park in the fall of 2016; however, after 10 years of planning another 6 months of construction seemed miniscule.

Birth In the end, Council had allocated up to $2 million for the park project, including the addition of the washroom facilities (in 2017 dollars). The Park design incorporated many storm water management features; in so doing the Town qualified for a LSRCA contribution award of $103,260. [More to come on the LSRCA in a future edition of On the Road.]

Birth of a new park for Musselman’s Lake – Coultice Park – is scheduled with the same precision as a caesarean section for June 17, 2017 at 10am. Armed with the rest of the story – the ribbon cutting, fitness demos, games and prizes will have more meaning.

Above members of the Coultice Family in front of Council Chambers celebrate the naming of a new park in 2014 slated for Musselman’s Lake. 9

CANADA 150 ISSUE

WhiStle FM is Stouffville’s own Community Radio Station. It’s located right here in Stouffville and serves the community of Whitchurch Stouffville. The call letters (like CFRB or CHFI) are CIWS which stands for Community In Whitchurch Stouffville. The clever founders requested these letters on purpose and they named the station WhiStle which has a capital “S” because it stands for Whitchurch Stouffville – WhiStle. On the FM dial in down-town Stouffville you can listen to the station at 102.9 and world wide on the internet at whistlefm.com.

This little station has a lot to offer. Start every weekday morning with Stouffville Morning which features local news and weather by Bob Pritchard and is hosted by various morning show hosts. WhiStle tells local Stouffville traffic as well as how long it’s going to take you to get to where you’re going in the GTA (not that that’s ever good news in the morning). Stouffville Morning also gives Go Train reports and fabulous toe-tapping, get-you -moving morning music.

WhiStle FM has many amazing specialty shows and award winning DJs as well. Now retired and just in it for the fun, radio personalities like Dave Booth, formerly Daddy Cool and internationally renowned, Bob Pritchard, formerly of CTV and professional morning show host and Ken Cowle, Grammy winner are part of the WhiStle FM team.

Dave Booth, graces the airwaves twice a week with Dave’s Juke Box, a three hour show that rocks the radio with great tunes from the 60’s,70’s and 80’s. Honky-Tonk Outlaws features classic country music. Swing with the Big Bands is all about the Big Band tunes of the 40’s.

The Block Party gets you dancing to the techno beat. Inside the Icebox features Canadian Indie music. Fresh is a live weekly talk show that features guests from the community and topics of interest. Teen Tales is hosted by two students from Stouffville District Secondary School.

Soundtrack Studio is all about the music from the movies and WhiStle even has The Vinyl Vault that features classic vinyl recordings played from the original vinyl records. These are just a few of the shows that WhiStle FM offers listeners. For the full list of shows and the show calendar, visit their website at whistlefm.com.

There really is something for everyone on WhiStle FM. Community Radio is volunteer based and gets funding through membership and advertising. For more information please contact the station at 905-640-1027 or whistlefm.com. The station offers great volunteer opportunities, training and fun!

Listen on the FM dial at 102.9 and on the internet at whistlefm.com.

STOUFFVILLE’S BEST KEPT SECRET: COMMUNITY RADIO

STRAWBERRY PICKING COMMENCES USUALLY IN

MID-JUNE

Applewood Farm Winery12416 McCowan Rd.

Fruit Picking Hotline (905) 640-5357applewoodfarmwinery.com

Trapper Bob Farm16864 Warden Ave.

Fruit Picking Hotline (905) 836-6358trapperbob.ca

AG.NOTES

FARM STANDDOWNTOWN

FORSYTHE FAMILY FARMS

Farm Stand in front of Main Street Bakehouse on Saturdays

“We are starting up June 10 and running every Saturday until 2pm except strawberry festival weekend when we will move into the Memorial Park. There will be an assortment of farm fresh ontario produce. We also can offer csa shares pick up for those who pre-register for the program and farm fresh brown eggs may be available.”

MeadowSweet FamrsFarm Stand to open this Year

MeadowSweet Farm is a certified organic farm specializing in babyleaf salad blends, heirloom veggies, heritage breed beef & pork as well as a small HOP yard. Our produce is available in stores & restaurants primarily in Toronto, however Reesors and Village Grocer carry it up here. We are opening a Farm Stand in July this year at 12102 Warden Ave.

meadowsweetfarm.ca

HULSHOF FARMMARKETNOW OPEN

5538 Bloomington Road

“We have stawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, potted plants, pies, BBQ meat, jams & jellies.”

hulshoffarmmarket.com

OAK RIDGE FAMILY EYE CAREDr. Jasmintha Ellaurie

As a continuance of the Women in Business series that started in the January 2017 issue of On the Road, we would be remiss if Dr. Jasmintha Ellaurie was not mentioned. She a a remarkable femal entreprenuer and the owner of Oak Ridge Family Eye Care at located at Weldon & Main (behind the Lion).

Dr. Ellaurie grew up in St. Paul, Alberta and moved to Ontario to attend the University of Waterloo. She then moved to Boston, Massachusetts where she attended The New England College of Optometry.

Finally, she had the privilege of spending six months at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (the #1 eye hospital in the US) in Miami, Florida in a rigorous program which gave her extensive experience in ocular disease and allowed her to work directly with many ophthalmologists and optometrists who are at the top of their field.

Dr. Ellaurie is experienced in examining patients of all ages in addition to patients with mental and physical disabilities. She loves being an eye doctor. Her goal has always been to own her own clinic and she was excited to open one in Stouffville.

She is a member of the College of Optometrists of Ontario, Canadian Association of Optometrists, Ontario Association of Optometrists, and Eye Recommend and has successfully completed all

Women In Business Series

parts of both the Canadian and American Optometry Board Exams.

Dr. Ellaurie’s volunteer work includes a humanitarian mission to the Dominican Republic to provide free eye exams, prescription glasses, and sunglasses to hundreds of people who did not have access to eye care. She looks forward to going on more missions. Dr. Ellaurie enjoys dancing, baking, reading, and playing sports (especially tennis and squash).

Whitchurch-Stouffville is gearing up to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday with a long line up of festivities.

All events are listed at townofws.ca/canada150. Be sure to check our social media feeds for more details closer to event times.

July 1: Canada 150 Birthday Celebration in Memorial Park as part of Strawberry Festival 2017 featuring Stouffville’s own Motus O Dance Company, Soldiers of Song and Freedom Dance. Check out the show at the Marque tent from 5:30 until 7 p.m.

July 2: Historical Walking Tour: A Look at Pre-Confederation Homes in the Village of Stouffville with award-winning historian Fred Robbins at 1:30 p.m. Meet at Summitview School.

Complete list of events: townofws.ca/Canada150

CANADA 150 CELEBRATIONS LIBRARY EVENTS

Library summer hours start on June 26 until September 4.

Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.Friday & Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Sunday: Closed

The Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library now has outdoor return boxes available so you can return your library items at any time! The return boxes are located outside the front doors at the temporary location of 175 Mostar Street.

TD Summer Reading Club 2017 The annual summer reading program is back, starting June 26 and ending August 31. There will be small prizes awarded each week for achieving goals, participating in programs, and completing worksheets about Canada. Find more details in the library or online at wsplibrary.ca

MUSEUM EVENTS

“Canada’s 150th - Then and Now”June 3 - December 9

What was life like in our community in the early years and how has our lifestyle and identity changed? This exhibit will be available to be seen at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum during regular hours of operation and is included with general admission.

Animal TalesThursdays July 6, 13, 20, 27 and August 3 10 - 11 a.m.

Spend time in at the Museum exploring a story, with the option to stay for an age-appropriate craft. Recommended ages: 2 to 5. $4 per child. Pre-registration required. Call 905-727-8954 for more information.Register with WS Play online or in person at the Leisure Centre or Museum.

WS WALKS

Our outdoor walking program starts June 7 at 9:00 a.m. and runs every Wednesday until September 27.

WS Walks is a FREE supervised program that rotates between 4 locations in Stouffville. Urban poles will be provided. Participants attending will receive a pedometer to keep and track their walking throughout the summer (while quantities last). Routes have been selected to cater to all levels. They have a loop that can easily be altered based on time or pace desired.

• Staff on hand for encouragement• Poles provided• Perfect for strollers, walkers or runners

of all ages• All fitness levels welcome!

Visit townofws.ca for more information or call Barb at 905-642-7529 Ext. 5328.

COMMUNITY NEWSJune 15 - July 14, 2017

Customer Service:(905) 640-1900 or (855) 642-TOWN (8696) townofws.ca

Whitchurch-Stouffville Town Hall111 Sandiford Dr., Stouffville ON L4A 0Z8

The agenda for the Council meetings will be available for review at the Municipal Offices, Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library and on our website 12:00 p.m. (noon) the Thursday prior to the meeting. To listen to the Council meetings live, visit townofws.ca/cmlivestream. Also follow our Twitter account @ws_townhall for live updates during council meetings.

Did you know we know have an Instagram account? Follow us here:

@townofws

COUNCIL eNEWSLETTER

Sign up here: eepurl.com/cKPNg9

PROPOSED DRAFT PLAN OF SUBDIVISION AND ZONING BY-LAW AMENDMENT

FILE NUMBER(S): 19T(W)-17.001, ZBA17.001

Tuesday, June 20, 2017 @ 7:00pmCouncil Chambers, Town Hall, 111

Sandiford Drive, Stouffville, L4A 0Z8

Applicant: Fieldgate HomesLocation: 11731 Tenth Line, Part of Lot 32(M), Concession 10Area: 36.9 ha (91 ac)

What are the Proposed Changes? The Plan of Subdivision Proposal is for 666 single detached residential lots, 16 live-work townhouse units and 56 residential townhouse units. Two parkettes are proposed, one of which would connect to the existing woodlot on the property, a proposed linear open space and a buffer area. The application proposes to convey stormwater flows to a stormwater management facility to be located in the City of Pickering. The existing stormwater management facility at Mantle Avenue and York-Durham Line would be filled in to create a park, with its stormwater conveyed to the new facility in Pickering. The Zoning By-law Amendment implements the plan of subdivision by rezoning the property from Development Reserve [D], Flood Hazard [FH] and Environmental Hazard [EV] to New Residential Three [RN3*] with site-specific exceptions, New Residential Three Exception [RN3*], New Residential Four [RN4*] with site-specific exceptions, Live/Work [RN*] and Open Space (OS).

Additional InformationAdditional information on the Proposed Draft Plan of Subdivision and Zoning By-law Amendment is available for inspection at the Development Services Department, during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). If you have any questions, please contact Mary Hall, Director of Development Services, at extension 2359 or via email at mary.hall@townofws.ca.

Appeal Procedure: If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville before in respect of the proposed Plan of Subdivision before the approval authority gives or refuses to give approval to the Draft Plan of Subdivision, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Town of Whitchurch to the Ontario Municipal Board.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville before in respect of the proposed Plan of Subdivision before the approval authority gives or refuses to give approval to the Draft Plan of Subdivision, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Municipal Board unless, in the opinion of the Board, there are reasonable grounds to do so.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville before the By-law is passed, the person or public body is not entitled to appeal the decision of the Council of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville to the Ontario Municipal Board.

If a person or public body does not make oral submissions at a public meeting, or make written submissions to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville before the By-law is passed, the person or public body may not be added as a party to the hearing of an appeal before the Ontario Municipal Board unless, in the opinion of the Board, there are reasonable grounds to do so.

Notice of Decision:If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville on the proposed zoning by-law amendment, you must make a written request to The Corporation of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, 111 Sandiford Dr., Stouffville ON L4A 0Z8.

The Town’s new Council e-Newsletter is now open for subscriptions. This newsletter, delivered directly to your inbox, will summarize decisions made at the previous night’s meeting, announce upcoming Public Meetings and provide other important Council-related information.

Stouffville Morning is WhiStle FM’s morning show. On Tuesday,

July 4, at 8:30 a.m., Patty and Edward will interview the Honorable Jane Philpott, Canada’s Minster of Health and Member of Parliament for Markham-Stouffville. Tune in for what promises to be a fascinating half hour of discussions about local and national issues. Stouffville’s community radio station is WhiStle FM, 102.9 FM in downtown Stouffville and whistlefm.com throughout Whitchurch-Stouffville and around the world.

HON. JANE PHILPOTT LIVE

DECORATION DAY

Please join us for the annual Decoration Day Service on Sunday, June 18 at 2:30 p.m. at Stouffville Cemetery featuring a non-denominational service celebrating the memory of loved ones. In memoriam donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, please contact Matthew at matthew.powell@townofws.ca.

June 22:Burkholder St., from Park Drive to east of Franklin Street, will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, June 22, beginning at 2:00 p.m. and will reopen at 11:00 p.m. for Food Truck Frenzy.

ROAD CLOSURES

June 30 - July 3: Burkholder Street from Thicketwood Blvd. to Franklin St. and Park Dr. from north of the Leisure Centre entrance to Booth Dr. will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic from Friday, June 30 at 7:00 a.m. until Monday, July 3 at midnight for the Strawberry Festival.

July 1: Main Street from Mill Street/Market Street to Park Drive will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, July 1 at 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. for the Strawberry Festival and the Canada Day Cool & Classic Car Show.

Summer program registration has started. Time to sign up for swimming lessons!

Fall/Winter 2017-18 Leisure Guide ad-vertising is available. For details contact Micole Rubinoff at micole.rubinoff@townofws.ca

LEISURE NEWS

COMMUNITY NEWSJune 15 - July 14, 2017

NOTICE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

TUESDAY, JUNE 20Council Meeting at 3 p.m.Public Meeting at 7 p.m.*

* if required

TUESDAY, JULY 18 Council Meeting at 3 p.m.

PUBLIC MEETING

Customer Service:(905) 640-1900 or (855) 642-TOWN (8696) townofws.ca

Whitchurch-Stouffville Town Hall111 Sandiford Dr., Stouffville ON L4A 0Z8