BLUEWATER COUNCIL VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO SELL BUILDING AT 6 MUNICIPAL ROAD

STORY BY MELODY FALCONER-POUNDER

Late in 2024, the Municipality of Bluewater was approached by potential buyers for the Bayfield Lions Club’s Community Building at 6 Municipal Road in the village. Bluewater Council made the unanimous decision to sell the building at a special meeting of council on Feb. 4th. (Photo by Dianne Brandon)

At a special meeting of the Municipality of Bluewater Council on the evening of Feb. 4th, a unanimous decision to sell the building at 6 Municipal Road in Bayfield was made.

The building was originally constructed as the Bayfield Public School. It was opened in 1956 and operated as a two-room school until 1967 when students were bussed to the newly constructed Huron Centennial School in Brucefield. The building was then purchased from the Huron County School Board by Bayfield Council and the then incorporated village used it as their Municipal Building. It was home to the village council chambers and was used for many types of meetings including a health clinic. The building’s use came into question when the villages of Hensall, Zurich and Bayfield, and the former townships of Hay and Stanley were amalgamated in 2001 and the Council Chambers for the new Municipality of Bluewater was established at the Stanley Community Centre in Varna.

Twenty-four years ago, the building became home base for the Bayfield Lions Club as they leased the property from the municipality. The Lions maintained the building and made it available for community groups to use from that time forward. As council determined on Feb. 4, the municipal property will be sold for the full appraised value of $700,000 to the buyers, identified to be two doctors from Seaforth, ON who wish to repurpose the building as a medical clinic.

Members of the Bayfield Lions Club have signed an agreement stating that they will vacate the building on or before Apr. 4th. The Lions have notified all other user groups that they need to vacate and relocate as well.

In April 2024, the Bayfield Area Food Bank (BAFB) Board determined that they had outgrown the church space they had been operating in for 20 years and moved into the former Council Chambers at 6 Municipal Road. Their relocation to a temporary, and then permanent location, is the next task to be completed.

With the anticipation of the possible sale Bluewater CAO Laurie Spence- Bannerman and Bayfield Ward Councilor Bill Whetstone as well as municipal staff have been working to assist the BAFB Board in finding a new home for the BAFB. Outlined in a report to council, distributed for the Feb. 4th meeting (and available for reading at Disposition of 6 Municipal Road), are a number of scenarios for the future of the BAFB none of which have proved fruitful to date. These included investigating relocation to one of the three church buildings in the village; privately owned properties; the Bayfield Agricultural Society building in Agricultural Park; the washroom and concessions building near the village ball diamond; the Bayfield Community Centre; or a trailer placed on municipal property within the village.

The BAFB Board President Claire Trepanier released a statement on Feb. 6 following the sale announcement addressing the doctors, BAFB clients and community:

“As many of you know, the Bayfield Area Food Bank is seeking a new home following the sale of the Bayfield Lions Community Building.

To the doctors – we warmly welcome the doctors who have chosen to set up their practice in Bayfield. Your presence is invaluable, and we are grateful for your commitment to our community. We need you, and we appreciate you.

To our clients who rely on us – our promise to you remains unchanged: we are here for you. You are the heart of our mission, and we will not stop serving you. We want to reassure everyone that we are actively working to secure a temporary location so that there is no disruption to the services you depend on.

To our community – you are the foundation of the Bayfield Area Food Bank. Your generosity, commitment, and unwavering support have allowed us to serve over 100 clients, and for that, we are deeply humbled and grateful.

Now, more than ever, we need your voices. As we work towards a permanent home, we ask for your continued support in ensuring that no one in our community goes without.

Please stay tuned, stay involved, and stay connected. Together, we will find a way forward.”

FAMILY DAY LUNCH THIS COMING MONDAY

The Optimist Club of Bayfield and The Albion Hotel are teaming up to host a Family Day Lunch at the Bayfield Community Centre and Arena on Feb. 17. In addition to the lunch, there will be appearances by Snippety the Clown and the Bayfield Ukulele Club as well as other youth focused activities and free skating. This image was taken at a Family Day event hosted by the Optimist Club in 2014. (Photo by Melody Falconer-Pounder)

The Optimist Club of Bayfield members are looking forward to hosting a fun-filled get-together at the Bayfield Community Centre and Arena for Family Day, Feb. 17 in place of their Breakfast with Santa event that was cancelled for 2024.

“It was very unfortunate for The Albion Hotel owners and their staff when the building’s roof collapsed on Dec. 8, 2024. It was also unfortunate that the Optimist Club had to cancel their annual Breakfast with Santa that was to be hosted at the Albion that same morning,” said Jeff Kish, president of the Bayfield Optimist Club.

What is fortunate is the fact that the Optimist Club and The Albion Hotel owners and staff are working together to host what should be a super exciting Family Day Lunch. There will also be games, entertainment and free skating.

The day will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Community Centre with welcoming entertainment provided by the Bayfield Ukulele Club. Beginning at 11 a.m., a lunch consisting of hotdogs; super-gooey macaroni and cheese and “smiley” face fries will be served. Please note that gluten free options will not be available. Coffee and drinks will be graciously supplied by Shop Bike Coffee Roasters. For one hour starting at noon, Snippity the Clown will be on hand and other youth focused activities will be offered. From 1-4:30 p.m. free family skating will be held in the Bayfield Arena sponsored by several local anonymous families. People should note that they do not need to attend the lunch to take in the free skating.

“This is truly a total, community sponsored event, so we are able to keep the cost down. Lunch for adults (12 years and up) is $10 and kids are $5,” said Kish.

Seating for the lunch is limited to 150. Reservations are not required but the Optimists are asking that those who plan to attend reserve a spot online by visiting: Family Day Lunch Attendance.

“It will only take a minute and it will help us out a lot,” said Kish.

For further information or to contribute to this Family Day event please call Optimist President Jeff Kish at 416 435-8700 or email  jeff.kish.home@gmail.com.

The Optimist Club is also seeking new members and volunteers.

The Optimists are dedicated to providing programming and events to youth in the community.

Some of the events they host include the monthly Kids Corner, Rubber Duck Race, Easter Egg Hunt, Breakfast with Santa, and the Youth Fishing Derby. They also sponsor other youth oriented organizations and groups like the Bayfield Lego Club, Bayfield Guiding and Seeds Rooted in Youth.

Anyone interested in getting more involved in their community and supporting youth activities is invited to attend a one-hour,  informational Meet and Greet tonight (Feb. 12), starting 6 p.m. at the Bayfield Community Centre and Arena.

“We’re welcoming anyone who might want to become a member, provide input, or occasionally volunteer to help out events. Please stop by!” concluded Kish.

JAMES-SMITH TO DEFEND AWARD WINNING AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Each year, The Village Bookshop presents Bayfield Reads and adopts the theme identified by CBC’s Canada Reads. This year will be no different and on March 16 they will determine which of the five books will be the “one book to change the narrative”.

“A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder” by Ma-Nee Chacaby (University of Manitoba Press, 2016) is one of this year’s contenders.

From her early, often harrowing memories of life and abuse in a remote Ojibwa community, Ma-Nee Chacaby’s extraordinary story is one of enduring and ultimately overcoming the social and economic legacies of colonialism.

As a child, Chacaby learned spiritual and cultural traditions from her Cree grandmother and trapping, hunting, and bush survival skills from her Ojibwa stepfather. She also suffered physical and sexual violence, and in her teen years became an alcoholic. At 20, Chacaby took her children and, fleeing an abusive marriage, moved to Thunder Bay, ON. Despite the abuse, racism, and indifference she often found there, Chacaby marshalled the strength and support to help herself and others.

Chacaby has emerged from hardship grounded in faith, compassion, and humor. Her memoir provides unprecedented insights into the challenges still faced by many Indigenous people.

This award winning autobiography will be defended by Gemma James-Smith, who is an artist, humanist, and small business owner, originally from Calgary, Alberta. After a handful of years establishing roots in Huron County, she opened Bayfield Lavender Farm in the summer of 2023. She truly believes that encouraging people to look up from their phones in order to meaningfully pay attention to each other and the nature that surrounds them will make the world a better place.

The remaining defenders are: Ben Woodward, Anne Marie Madziak, Tony Pemberton and Shannon Lough.

The other 2025 Bayfield Reads Books are: “Watch Out for Her”, by Samantha Bailey; “Jennie’s Boy: A Newfoundland Childhood”, by Wayne Johnston; “Dandelion”, by Jamie Chai Yun Liew; and “Etta and Otto and Russell and James”, by Emma Hooper.

Judging these debates will be the esteemed panel of judges who are all past defenders: Catherine Tillmann, Faith Wyant and Madison Thornton.

Bayfield Reads will be held at the Bayfield Town Hall starting at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $5 at the door, everyone is welcome and will be encouraged to participate in selecting the People’s Choice Award winner.

This year’s Bayfield Reads book selection, and so many more, are available at The Village Bookshop located at 24 Bayfield Main Street North in Bayfield. The shop is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. People can also shop online by visiting: village bookshop.ca.

MATURE CAT PROVES IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR A NEW BEGINNING

Grumpus (Submitted photo)

Behind the facial expressions of many of Bayfield’s Forgotten Felines (BFF) is a story to be told and this week’s featured cat is no exception.

Grumpus is the Adopt a BFF cat of the week.

His story can be best summarized by the saying, “It’s never too late for a new beginning.”

“This poor guy’s face says it all,” explained Deb Penhale, representing BFF. “He’s been wandering a neighborhood for years and one family in particular had been feeding him regularly for the past two years.

“He would visit and welcome the food, even befriended their cat, but didn’t have a lot of interest in sticking around. As time passed they noticed he was losing his spunk and had started moving much slower. Although they were worried about him they were not able to take him in so they reached out to a friend of theirs who in turn reached out to BFF.”

According to Penhale, this individual knew BFF was full and so she volunteered to foster Grumpus until such a time he could be brought into the Rescue or be adopted.

“We were fortunate in being able to get him to the vet fairly quickly. He received his shots and neuter and a complete physical. At that time it was discovered that he was suffering from severe dental issues, which were slowly poisoning his body and causing difficulty in eating. Again, we were fortunate and able to get him in for dental surgery quickly when an opening became available,” Penhale said. She went on to say that he is now recuperating from the dental surgery.

From his behavior once brought inside his foster believes that he likely once had a family.

“He quickly learned to like being indoors and to love being curled up in his favorite lap, which happens to belong to his current foster,” said Penhale.

Grumpus is believed to be about eight years old.

“He now has a new beginning for his life, and hopefully he will live the rest of his days in comfort and surrounded by love,” said Penhale “Don’t let that face fool you, he wasn’t grumpy, just terribly sad.”

Please reach out to bayfieldsforgottenfelines@gmail.com to learn more about Grumpus and others. The adoption fee is $250. Adopted cats are vetted, shots are up-to-date and they are also spayed or neutered. Can’t adopt or foster at this time?  Consider donating for medical care and food to the email address listed above via E-transfer or mail financial donations to P.O. Box 33, Bayfield, ON, N0M 1G0.

Want to see and learn more about the felines at the shelter? This can be done easily by visiting their website! Included on this website is lots of helpful information on how people can help feral kittens. The site, www.bayfieldsforgottenfelines.ca, features a searchable index of all the cats and kittens available for adoption. This includes pictures and descriptions of their personalities. Plus there is  a new option for making donations by credit card. The website also includes online forms that automate the adoption and volunteer application processes as well as testimonials from previous adopters who found their purrfect matches at BFF.

GATEWAY HOLDS STRATEGIC PLANNING DAY AND INTRODUCES NEW RESEARCH CHAIR

On Jan. 31st, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health held its Strategic Planning Day. This event brought together board members, research chairs, research assistants and associates, and staff to collaboratively plan for the future of the organization. (Submitted photo)

Dr. Erin Donald (Submitted photo)

On Friday, Jan. 31st, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (Gateway) held its Strategic Planning Day at the picturesque Benmiller Inn and Spa. This important event brought together board members, research chairs, research assistants and associates, and staff to collaboratively plan for the future of the organization.

The Strategic Planning Day focused on creating growth, implementing meaningful changes, and identifying strategies to ensure Gateway’s continued success in advancing rural health outcomes. Participants engaged in a series of strategic activities designed to evaluate current initiatives, set priorities, and develop actionable goals for the years ahead.

“This day is an opportunity for our dedicated team to come together and align on a shared vision for Gateway CERH,” said Chair of the Board, Dan Stringer. “By working collaboratively, we can ensure our organization continues to meet the evolving needs of rural communities.”

Adding to the momentum of the day, Gateway proudly welcomed its newest Chair of Equity and Access in Rural Palliative Care, Erin Donald, PhD, RN, CHPCN(C) (they/them). Dr. Donald is a graduate-educated nurse with a 15-year career in palliative care. Dr. Donald has practiced as a clinical nurse in community and hospice, as an educator at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and as a nurse researcher in palliative care and health systems. Their program of research focuses on access to palliative care and a palliative approach in rural settings and for populations made vulnerable by social inequity. Having relocated to Goderich in 2022, Dr. Donald has joined Gateway with the aim of fostering local partnerships and supporting community-based initiatives focused on improving the quality of life across the disease trajectory for those with life-threatening illnesses.

The takeaways from this event are expected to drive positive changes that will enhance Gateway’s impact on rural health research, education, and community collaboration. From exploring new opportunities for growth to strengthening existing programs, the insights gained will shape the organization’s path forward.

LAKESHORE UNITED WELCOMES NEW MINISTER

Reverend Rohan Pushparajan presided over his first service at Lakeshore United Church in Goderich on Feb. 2nd. (Submitted photo)

On Sunday, Feb. 2nd, the congregation of Lakeshore United Church in Goderich gathered to hear new minister Reverend Rohan Pushparajan’s sermon, “Called, Rooted in Love, And Sent with Boldness”. Having arrived in Canada on Friday, Jan. 24, the congregation had a chance to meet and greet Pushparajan and his family including his wife and their son on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 26.

This celebration follows a seven month-long search with the congregation’s search committee expanding beyond Canadian borders. On Sept. 22, 2024 the Lakeshore United Church congregation accepted the search committee’s recommendation to call Rev. Pushparajan as their full-time minister to Lakeshore United Church.

Lakeshore United Church chair of council and member of the search committee, Andy Ross said, “The search for a new minister was certainly lengthy and there were disappointments along the way. But once we met Rev. Rohan via ZOOM, the excitement started to build. Waiting for him and his family to arrive felt long, but it was certainly worth it. We are delighted to welcome Rev. Rohan and his family to Lakeshore United Church and to the Goderich community.”

When asked what Pushparajan hopes to bring to the community, he expressed, “Church is a space, and I, as the minister, am the facilitator, sensing what the community needs, and offering the spiritual support the best I can.”

Pushparajan added, “I am deeply interested in intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Being rooted in Christianity, it’s important to send a message of acceptance, an open arm to other faith communities among us in Goderich. It’s when we come to know our differences and similarities that the church can reveal its true beauty.”

His interest in aiding marginalized communities plays well to Lakeshore United Church’s statement of intention to provide a safe haven for all seeking peace, justice, affirmation, acceptance, and equality. It was this alignment of beliefs that encouraged Pushparajan to consider Lakeshore United Church.

He said, “When I read the mission statement and statement of intention, I knew this [Lakeshore United Church] would be the best place for me to serve in ministry while providing me with the space to be the best that I can be.”

Following completion of his four-year Bachelor of Divinity Studies at The United Theological College in Bangalore, India, Pushparajan has worked in full-time ministry in the Church of South India.

Lakeshore United Church holds its weekly services on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. with live streaming on YouTube available.

For more information visit: :Lakeshore United Church. 

ONE MONTH REMAINING TO ORDER TREES FOR SPRING  PLANTING

Local landowners plant tens of thousands of trees each year, totaling more than one million trees in the past two decades. (Submitted photo)

Spring is not far away, and ABCA provides the opportunity for bulk-ordering trees through the Spring Tree Order Form now through the end of February. It is posted at the conservation authority website at abca.ca on the Order Trees web page Tree Order Form. The final order deadline is Feb. 28. Ordering sooner is encouraged as availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

ABCA offers a wide range of trees through its spring tree planting program. The Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist encourages interested landowners to visit abca.ca for the spring tree order form or to give him a call at 519 235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 to discuss planting projects.

“We’re happy to help with project design and help to apply for funding for eligible projects,” he said. Funding is available in many areas to support planting trees for windbreaks, for reforestation and for naturalization.

Local landowners plant tens of thousands of trees each year, totaling more than one million trees in the past two decades.

“These efforts have helped tree cover to double in the last 60 years,” said Jean.

However, forest cover in local watersheds remains quite low at only 14 per cent according to the Ausable Bayfield Watershed Report Card (2023).

People plant trees for many different reasons, said Jean. “Everything from field windbreaks, wildlife habitat, bordering walking trails, to retiring unproductive acres or corners of fields to create private natural areas,” he said.

These tree planting projects help protect and improve our soil and water quality that are so important to agriculture, tourism, and quality of life.

Spending time in trees and natural areas has been shown to have physical and mental health benefits, according to Jean. Planting trees is one way a local landowner can achieve recreational and physical and mental well-being benefits on their own property. An article published on Jan. 2nd by “Farmtario” documents how 15 minutes spent around trees and nature can make a big difference in someone’s personal well-being: “Spending time outside, particularly in nature, is important because it can help regulate stress, boost mental health, and improve immune function … But the good news is you don’t need to spend hours outdoors each day to see benefits. Even just 15 minutes a day in nature is enough to boost your mood, concentration and physical health.”

To read the full article visit: Farmtario.

ABCA thanks grant program funding partners including member municipalities; Huron County Clean Water Project; Forests Canada; the Government of Canada’s Canada Nature Fund; the Government of Ontario’s Great Lakes Local Action Fund; Sunset Community Foundation; and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation; along with other community donors and other valued funding partners.

Anyone who has property on which trees can be planted should consider purchasing a tree through the tree order program. Anyone who doesn’t have room on their property for trees, can still help to improve forest conditions by donating to tree planting through the program Footprints to Forests.