STEADY GAZE

The Bayfield Agricultural Society hosted their 167th Bayfield Community Fair on Aug. 18-20. One of the highlights of the fair for many is watching youth compete in the South Central Huron Dairy Achievement Day sponsored by the Libro Credit Union. Coverage of this event as well as the myriad of other happenings at the fair will be showcased in next week’s Bayfield Breeze to be published on Aug. 30. (Photo by Melody Falconer-Pounder)

BID FAREWELL TO SUMMER WITH DANCELAND

Jale and Joe Ferland released their first album, “Pink Lem” as the jam band known as “Danceland” in the summer of 2022. The group name as well as two songs on the record were locally inspired. (Photo by Kateryna Topol)

“Danceland” is coming to the Bayfield Town Hall for their end of summer 2023 celebration!

This afternoon outdoor concert will begin at 4 p.m. with the grounds opening at 3:30 p.m.

The jam band is composed of Jale and Joe Ferland as well as drummer Brad Park along with guest keyboard players and bassists.The Ferlands may already be known to many locals as their Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia Band cover band, “Cherry Garcia Band” has played Bayfield Volkfest and at the River Road Brewery in the past.

Danceland is rooted in a timeless psychedelic Americana tradition, replete with fine, storyteller songcraft; sunny harmonies; lonesome pedal steel; stratospheric lead guitar passages; and a touch of Eastern mysticism. This band evolved during the pandemic when Joe began writing original tunes with additional lyric contributions provided by Jale.

The name Danceland comes from Danceland Road located just south of Bayfield in the Municipality of Bluewater – those who attend the concert will be treated to such locally inspired songs as, “Daneland Road” and “Bluewater Sky”. They will also delight in performances of music by the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan, selections from the Motown era as well as a mix of Reggae. It sounds like there may be no more appropriate way to say, “Goodbye to summer!”

Tickets for Danceland at the Bayfield Town Hall are $20 each at Tickets.  Cash bar. Please bring a lawn chair.

JUST THREE MORE DAYS TO GET TICKETS FOR “OFF THE WALL” FUNDRAISER

The Bayfield Centre for the Arts (BCA) second  “Off the Wall” fundraising event is set for this Saturday, Aug. 26 at the Bayfield Town Hall.

“We invite you to light up your Saturday and be a part of this delightful summer art event!” said Leslee Squirrell, president of the BCA.

More than 45 artists answered the call to explore the theme, “Year of Land or Lakes” and the results will be open to the public for a free exhibition from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then in the evening from 4-7:30 p.m. those with tickets will have the opportunity to take home a piece of art right off the wall!

Ticket purchasers will be treated to delightful hor d’oeuvres and adult beverages (beer/wine) as well as an opportunity to bid on both live and silent auction items while waiting for their opportunity to choose a painting…off the wall.

And these auction items are sure to be quite a treat for the successful bidders.

One package includes:  two tickets to a Toronto Maple Leafs game during the 2023-24 season (centre ice – green), dinner for two at the famous Bardi’s Steak House on York Street in Toronto, and a signed Hockey Stick and photo from former Maple Leaf , Ryan O”Reilly. This auction item is valued over $1,000 and along with the signed items to a hockey fan it will be truly invaluable.

An oil painting entitled, “Colourful Huron County Fields” by Carol Finkbeiner Thomas, winner of Paint Ontario 2019, is another auction item that guests will surely be excited to bid on. Measuring 48” x 36” the painting is valued at $2,300.

Other bidding opportunities will include a Chef’s Table private dinner for six at the Little Inn of Bayfield; a Hauser outdoor lantern and side table; a Kids Craft Party for six from Crichet Handmade Designs, on Catherine Street in the village; as well as gift baskets from Bayfield merchants.

There are three ticket types available for purchase: Golden Ticket, Art Lovers Ticket and Social Butterfly Ticket.

The one and only Golden Ticket is $500 and gives two guests “front of the line” access to choose their painting first from all the works available.

The cost of the Art Lovers Ticket has been set at $175 for two guests and includes one painting. They will have the opportunity to pick a single painting from the wall when their ticket is drawn at random.

Social Butterfly Tickets are available for $45 each. These tickets are for those guests who want to experience all the evening has to offer, including the food, beverages and bidding on the auction items but without the art to take home.

To purchase tickets for the BCA Off the Wall fundraising event please visit: Year of Land or Lakes Tickets.

The premier sponsor for this event is Diane Snell of Royal LePage Heartland Realty.

VOLUNTEERS COLLECTED FOOD ALONG PARADE ROUTE

Bayfield Area Food Bank volunteers who collected food along the parade route were l-r: Ava, Harper, Catherine Tillmann, Mary Hall, Jo Costello, Renee Sandelowsky , Patrick Heffernan, Janet Deline and Bonnie Baynham. (Submitted photos)

Bayfield Area Food Bank (BAFB) volunteers participated in the Bayfield Community Fair parade on the morning of Aug. 19.

A dozen volunteers collected dried and canned goods from the spectators as they made their way along the parade route placing the items in the bed of a red, 1955 Ford pick-up truck owned by Brad and Pam Nolan-Buettenmiller.

Anyone who missed donating during the parade is welcome to still do so. Currently the BAFB is in need of soup, crackers, peanut butter and jam.

The BAFB phone number is 519 525-8286. People can also contact the food bank via email at bayfieldareafoodbank@gmail.com.

Collection boxes for donations can be found at the Bayfield Branch Library on Main Street as well as Trinity St. James Anglican Church (outside the entrance to the Parish Hall off the parking lot). There is also a special grocery cart at Bayfield Foodland to welcome donations.

For anyone who would like to support BAFB with a monetary gift, there are a few options available. Cheques can be mailed to: Bayfield Area Food Bank, 10 Keith Cres., Bayfield, ON, N0M 1G0. An e-transfer can be made through BAFB’s gmail account listed above or a donation can be received on-line through the www.canadahelps.org website.

Trinity St James Anglican Church is located at 10 Keith Cres. in the village.

KITTEN BOOM CONTINUES AT RESCUE

Persephone and family. (Submitted photo)

Every week the volunteers at Bayfield’s Forgotten Felines (BFF) encounter seemingly unimaginable challenges in protecting the cats and kittens that come into their care, one such feline family is the focus of Adopt a BFF this week.

These charming little creatures – Apollo, Athena, Helena and Zeus –  were born to their mother Persephone on Aug. 11. This is the second batch of kittens that Persephone has had that have come into the care of the Rescue. She and her older kittens were dumped at a trailer park. Her two surviving kittens from the first litter have been adopted thanks to their kind-hearted rescuers but Persephone got pregnant again before she was trapped. However this is the end of the cycle for this sweet girl. This will be Persephone’s last litter and hopefully she will find a home of her own when they are grown.

Anyone interested in adopting Persephone and her brood are asked to reach out to BFF through Facebook or email bayfieldsforgottenfelines@gmail.com.

BFF now has a new Facebook group dedicated to adoptions known as “Bayfield’s Forgotten Felines ADOPTION Group”.

“We are working on having all of our adoptable cats and kittens in one place. You can browse easily to find your fur baby,” said Deb Penhale, representing the Rescue. “We will still have our original Facebook page with lots of helpful information, interesting articles and some just plain adorable cat stuff.”

In addition to accepting monetary donations, BFF now has an Amazon wish list. This list contains items they need for the day-to-day care of their cats and kittens as well as some truly “wish” items. Items are marked as to their priority, number needed, and many explain what their use will be. There is a wide variety of prices and BFF appreciates whatever you can supply. Items need not be purchased through Amazon, the list is merely a guideline.

To view the items on the list please visit:  BFF Wish List.

Financial donations may also be sent via E-transfer to the email listed above or mailed to P.O. Box 33, Bayfield, ON, N0M 1G0. The adoption fee is $250. Adopted cats are vetted, shots are up-to-date and they are also spayed or neutered. Adoption inquiries may also be made to the BFF’s email address above.

WHITE PAPER DAY CULMINATION OF SUMMER’S RESEARCH PROJECTS

White Paper Day 2023 was held at Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health recently. The participants were from l-r: Amy Sturgeon, Jordan Connolly, Nicole Gilroy, Sage Milne, Maitland Roy, Cameron Brenner and Alexa Harrison. (Submitted photo)

Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (Gateway) held its annual “White Paper Day” on Aug. 17. This day marks the nearing end of summer before this year’s group of research assistants head back to school or into the workforce.

Held at Gateway’s office just off The Square in Goderich, White Paper Day consisted of presentations by each research assistant, commemorating the work that they have completed over the summer. It affords them the opportunity to present their experiences, successes, and progress working on their respective projects to a varied audience consisting of donors/sponsors, local government officials, Gateway board members and research chairs, as well as family members.

Highlighted below are the projects that the summer research assistants have been conducting over the course of the summer and their current next steps moving forward into their careers.

Cameron Brenner has been working on the “Growing Raising Eating Accessible Thriving (GREAT) Local Food Project” again this summer. He will be returning to Goderich District Collegiate Institute (GDCI) as a teacher after having recently graduated from Brock University’s Bachelor of Physical Education (Honours) and Concurrent Education program earlier in the year.

Sage Milne, who graduated this year with a Bachelor’s in Global Health Studies, has filled many roles at Gateway over the years. This summer she has been working on the GREAT Local Food Project and “Cultivating Memories”. Milne plans on staying with Gateway into the fall to assist with the online Rural Health Lecture Series and other projects.

Jordan Connolly has been working on the “Skilled Healthcare Attraction and Retention Program” (SHARP) this summer, conducting a needs assessment for healthcare workers in Huron County. Having graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Public Health and previously a Bachelor of Kinesiology, he plans on working for a year before applying for a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation and/or Public Health next fall.

Alexa Harrison has been spearheading the “S.H.E.D. Talks” program as well as the “Remarkable Healthcare Worker Recognition Event” over the summer. She plans on keeping ties with Gateway while she returns to school this fall, entering her third year of the Bachelor of Social Work program at McMaster University.

Maitland Roy has been working on laying the foundation for the “Mental Health First Aid” program over the summer. She will be returning to Western University this fall as she enters her third year of the Bachelor of Integrative Science program.

Nicole Gilroy has been working on the Gateway Alumni project. After completing her high school co-op term with us, she has since joined the Gateway team for the remainder of the summer. She will be heading off into her first year of university this fall, attending the University of Guelph for the Bachelor of One Health program.

Amy Sturgeon is the newest addition to the Gateway team. She is a recent graduate of Carleton University, obtaining a Bachelor’s in Sociology with a double minor in Women and Gender Studies and Biology. She will be taking over the SHARP project, developing a geriatric service framework in collaboration with Gateway research chairs, as well as helping to fill an administrative role.

Gateway would like to thank this group of amazing students for a wonderful summer, wishing them the best in their future endeavors!

Anyone who would like to learn more about Gateway, and their past or present projects, is invited to visit Gateway’s website at: www.gatewayruralhealth.ca.

EDUCATORS UNITE FOR NATURE WORKSHOPS

Denise Iszczuk, Educational consultant (left) and Janneke Vorsteveld of Seeds Rooted in Youth are excited to offer a couple of workshops for educators with regards to getting youth outdoors this Autumn. (Submitted photo)

Fall begins on Sept. 23.  At the same time, a new education series will also begin – “No Boundaries Nature Workshops – Falling for Nature”.  Partnering for this educator professional development workshop series is Janneke Vorsteveld of Seeds Rooted in Youth and Denise Iszczuk, Educational consultant.  Together they have a combined total of almost fifty years of teaching.

“Any outdoor space provides a valuable learning experience for students,” said Vorsteveld.

Celebrate back to school, with fall themed strategies for teaching outside.  This workshop is geared to anyone who wants to learn more about teaching and learning outdoors.

“We wanted to give back to the community through a workshop which would help give educators the tools and confidence to bring learning beyond the walls of the classroom,” said Iszczuk.

Sign up now for the session to be held on Sept. 23, 9:30-11 a.m. at Bad Apple Brewing in Bluewater and Sept. 27 from 4:30-6 p.m. at the West Perth Community Centre in Mitchell.

Registration is limited and registration can be found at seedsrooted.org.  All registrants will receive access to curated teaching materials with Ontario Curriculum connections for teaching outdoors this Autumn because children need nature.

Register by Labour Day to be entered into a draw for a new book from local author Jon-Erik Lappano called “Martin and the River”.  Organizers are pleased to support Lappano’s new book as it examines a child’s perspective on making meaningful connections to nature in the city and on finding ways to accept changes.

For more information, please contact Denise Iszczuk by calling  519 200-8662 or Janneke Vorsteveld at 519 440-2189.

Bad Apple Brewing is located at 73463 Bluewater Hwy near Bayfield and the West Perth Community Centre is located at 185 Wellington Street in Mitchell, ON.

YOUTH CORE MAKE A DIFFERENCE ALONG LAKE HURON SHORELINE

Members of the Coastal Conservation Youth Corps did some work in Sunset Park in Goderich in July to remove invasive plant species with native ones. (Submitted photo)

Wrapping up the 2023 Summer season, participants of the Coastal Conservation Youth Corps feel they’ve made an impact on Lake Huron’s shoreline. Participating in week-long sessions, these high school students took action to restore the ribbon of habitat edging Lake Huron while learning about the dynamic coastal environment.

In Saugeen Shores, restoration work on the Gobles Grove public beach caught the attention of passers-by who learned from participants how newly planted American beach grass and low shrubs will act as a living fence to minimize sand blowing over a newly reconstructed roadway.

“Plants can effectively remove energy from the wind-blown sand, causing it to drop and initiate dune formation,” explained Holly Westbook, “Driftwood sentinels were also fun to construct and install to add a beachy aesthetic.”

While some conservation efforts may be less obvious, they are certainly valued. Litter collection leaves the shore in a healthier and more natural condition and aids in reducing plastic pollution in this freshwater system.

“We combed the beach, picking up every tiny bit we could find – even the smallest pieces of styrofoam were recorded using Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup data sheets,” said Kerry Kennedy, coordinator of the program. “Participants now know it’s easy to plan a cleanup and that tallying the types of litter can inform future policy decisions. Being aware of the magnitude of plastic pollution in the lake motivates us to clean up, even during informal beach visits.”

Removing invasive species makes way for native plant species to flourish which support the food web and habitat needs of diverse organisms. Working alongside residents of Southcott Pines in Grand Bend, the Goderich team pulled heaps of invasive Eurasian watermilfoil, using long ropes to drag oversized flexible rakes.

Duncan Croft expressed gratitude when he said, “The time which you put in today will help revive the health of the Old Ausable Channel. As a bonus we got to connect with members of our community and make some new friends”.

Researchers from the University of Toronto will be following up to monitor the impact of this removal effort on the rare aquatic species found here.

Sunset Park, a favorite lookout spot on the steep bluff overlooking the Goderich shoreline, also received a make-over as participants pulled invasive Himalayan balsam before seed development occurred on these pink flowering plants. Planted in their place, deep-rooted native grasses will provide stability without interfering with the view, as will Ninebark, an exceptional native shrub with high wildlife value.

Erinn Lawrie, Executive director of the Lake Huron Coastal Centre (LHCC) said, “Applying their learning about the many impacts on a healthy Lake Huron, youth participants are now better equipped to care for this great lake and support a resilient coastal community throughout their lives.”

The LHCC is seeking financial support from the community to see this initiative succeed into the future. Youth interested in taking part can learn more at www.lakehuron.ca/ccyc.

The LHCC is a non-government charity dedicated to supporting a healthy ecosystem through education, restoration, and research.

JUNIOR CONSERVATIONIST CONFIRMS CAREER CHOICE DURING PLACEMENT

Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Junior Conservationist Gwen Taylor, of the Township of Perth South, from the St. Marys area, about her experiences this summer as Junior Conservationist with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). She will be taking Environmental Studies at Canadore College in North Bay, ON starting this Autumn.

By  GWEN TAYLOR

Monitoring fish and species at risk populations in the Bayfield River, at the Bayfield River Flats was a job that the Junior Conservationist participated in this summer alongside members of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. Taking part from l-r were: Junior Conservationist Gwen Taylor; Assistant Water Resources Technician, Christie Brown; Conservation and Restoration Technician, Jake McClure; and Water Resources Coordinator, Davin Heinbuck. Volunteers from the Bayfield River Valley Trails Association (BRVTA) assisted the aquatic species monitoring team as they did their monitoring work at the Bayfield River Flats. (Photo by Roger Lewington)

Junior Conservationist Gwen Taylor, of the Township of Perth South, is completing her summer term as 2023 Junior Conservationist. This is a summer job experience program, in the conservation field, funded by Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation. The Junior Conservationist is provided with the opportunity to work and learn in different departments of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. (Submitted photos)

I was thrilled to learn about the Junior Conservationist position that Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) had to offer. The opportunity to have incredible learning experiences while being outside all day sounded great to me. I was not disappointed.

The reason I applied for this program is because I love the outdoors and getting a variety of different experiences. Every day is different and I never knew exactly what to expect, which is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to get some experience in the environmental field to make sure this truly is the right field for me. Working for ABCA has certainly confirmed that my decision, to pursue a career in the environmental field, was a good one.

When I first arrived at the ABCA office, I was welcomed with lots of smiling faces and people you can just tell are very passionate about both their jobs and the environment.  This was the perfect recipe for an amazing work environment.

What I loved best was fish sampling in the community with Kari Jean, the Aquatic Biologist at ABCA. Squeezing into a canoe with all our nets, other equipment and three people … what a great time that was! I enjoyed seeing the variety of species in our rivers and attempting to identify them.

I was grateful to get to work alongside the amazing staff at ABCA.

I had a chance to experience many different jobs and work duties during my two months. I absolutely loved being able to get such a wide variety of experiences. Each job experience was enjoyable, whether it was fishing, beach sampling or helping out with the best nature day camp there is! I always enjoyed working here. Seeing all of the different jobs that are involved with the conservation authority is amazing! I never would have known all the work, in which the conservation authority is involved, without this experience. It is amazing how much they do for the community.

I would like to thank the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation (ABCF) for funding this opportunity. This program is an incredible experience and I would recommend it to anyone who loves the outdoors and who loves learning. I cannot wait to show off at school this autumn everything I learned this summer.

I would also like to thank the staff at ABCA for taking me under their wings and making sure I understood all that goes on at this conservation authority.  Everyone took their time with me and made me look forward to work each and every day.

This truly was a job I will never forget and for which I will be forever grateful. Ausable Bayfield Conservation is an incredibly welcoming community. I hope one day I can return to ABCA and all of the wonderful employees who work there.

PUBLIC INPUT REQUESTED FOR NEW WATERSHED STRATEGY

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) is preparing for the future of local conservation by creating a new watershed strategy. The local conservation organization is looking to the public to provide input into this plan to guide local watershed management beyond 2023.

The new strategy builds upon the work of the community to develop the Conservation Strategy (in 2011) and the work of staff to develop the previous Watershed Management Strategy in 2015.

A new Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy (WBRMS) will fulfil requirements of the “Conservation Authorities Act” (CA Act). It will also meet local needs to protect life and property from natural hazards and to manage and protect resources on a watershed basis.

Kate Monk is ABCA Projects Coordinator. She describes the new strategy as an “overarching document” that guides all of the conservation authority’s work with the watershed community.

“This Strategy goes beyond a traditional watershed planning document,” she said. “It is also a business plan for ABCA that includes financial information. It identifies opportunities to engage landowners in the work needed to address issues facing our watershed communities. It also identifies opportunities to collaborate with other organizations.”

The Strategy will:

• Evaluate programs and recommend future programs and services to address watershed issues facing local communities.
• Identify infrastructure needs such as stream gauges, flood forecasting and warning communications, water and erosion control projects, and major maintenance of existing projects.
• Identify future studies and knowledge needs such as subwatershed studies, inventories, research, and stormwater management plans.
• Include a business plan for delivering programs and services.
• Integrate climate change adaptation and resiliency into watershed management.
• Incorporate previous reports and studies.
• Meet the requirements of the CA Act.

The purpose of the CA Act is “…to provide for the organization and delivery of programs and services that further the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources in watersheds in Ontario.”

The ABCA Board of Directors has approved release of the first part of the WBRMS document for public review. Interested people can review the first phase of the Strategy and provide feedback through a survey which includes spaces for written comments. The feedback period for the first phase of the document continues until Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. This first phase of consultation includes the mission and vision statements, strategic priorities, guiding principles for decision-making, and objectives. The Strategy includes characterization of the watershed, setting priorities and objectives, evaluating progress made through the previous strategies, identifying gaps, and creating action plans.

To learn more about the WBRMS, people can visit the: Public Consultation Page on the ABCA website. If they have questions, they can contact staff by telephone at 519 235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610.