Grand Bend, Ontario community newspaper and entertainment events guide. Also serves Zurich, Dashwood, Port Franks, Exeter, Parkhill. Casey Lessard photos.
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View from the Strip By Casey Lessard I’m sure Gord Minielly is ready to let someone else be the front man (or woman) for the municipality after last month’s meeting to discuss the Lambton Shores sewer project. It’s a tough job and he has to do it. You can imagine why his health has suffered; [...]
Alternative View By Lance Crossley Here in Canada, we seem to think we are immune to a housing bubble, so it was interesting to see the Globe and Mail – usually a real estate cheerleader – at least question the logic of why we continue to experience a booming housing sector amid the greatest economic [...]
Advice from Mom By Rita Lessard My wonderful sister Joan treated Tom and I to Remembrance Day dinner at the Grand Bend Legion November 7. We had a great time and the meal was, as usual, superb. Thanks, Joan. On Wednesday November 11th, Tom and I were out again to celebrate Remembrance Day. This is [...]
Keeping the Peace By Tom Lessard, C.D. I was privileged to attend the Grand Bend Legion’s Remembrance Day dinner on Saturday November 7. My first order of business was to purchase a nice cold beer at the bar. Next was to find where Rita was sitting. My sister-in-law Joan, who volunteers at all of the [...]
Lambton Shores mayor wants low-pressure sewers before infrastructure funding runs dry The Lambton Shores sewage treatment plant and Zone 3 sewer network could be the last project mayor Gord Minielly is involved in before he retires. Casey Lessard sat down with the mayor to discuss the projects. Why is this project necessary now? We just [...]
Southcott Pines resident Dr. Carl Belke retired from Brandon University after 31 years teaching chemistry. Dick Matzka has cottaged in Southcott for 58 years. Neither is in favour of the sewer project proposed. What are your concerns? Dick: There are two major concerns. One is the expenditure the township plans on making. Two is that [...]
Industry professional thinks septic tanks are fine, gravity next best option Richard Webb of Stewart Webb & Sons has been installing, repairing and replacing septic tanks and sewer line connections for more than 20 years. His family has been in the excavating business for more than 75 years. The Strip asked the Southcott Pines resident [...]
The Grand Bend Chamber of Commerce named its 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year and Business of the Year at its annual general meeting November 12. Colonial and Gables won the business award, while Paddington’s Pub owner Jen Gaukroger won the entrepreneur honour. Interview and photo by Casey Lessard What makes you successful as an entrepreneur? [...]
Darlene O’Rourke taking part in torch relay Story and photo by Casey Lessard This is one flame Dashwood firefighter Darlene O’Rourke won’t want to put out. O’Rourke is on her way to Summerside, PEI this week to take part in the 2010 Winter Olympic torch relay. She will run the torch November 22 at approximately [...]
Fido… Come… Sit By Yvonne Passmore http://www.FidoComeSit.com Of our three dogs, Viva is the oldest. She’s just approaching nine years old and is a great little Golden Retriever. From that first day driving her home in the car, she had a strange confidence. She calmly looked out the window without a whimper and without much [...]
Zurich photographer opens shop in Exeter above Village Vines Story and photo by Casey Lessard One of our favourite area photographers, Sandra Regier, opened a studio and office above Village Vines in Exeter in July. Regier hosted an open house Friday to show the new place, which is a photographer’s dream. The former apartment has [...]
SHDHS receives $10,000 CARAS instrument grant Story and photos by Casey Lessard Music students at South Huron District High School are blowing new horns after the school’s music program received a $10,000 equipment grant from the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). “You’d be surprised how much equipment costs,” says music director Isaac [...]
Living in Balance By Jenipher Appleton The back section of our three-acre property is an expanse of wonderful thickets, shrubs, and hedgerows. In late October, while walking just before dusk, Fergus the Lab managed to flush up a stocky, short-bodied bird with a very long beak. I knew immediately that it must be an American [...]
Community/Charity Grand Bend Nursery School is now offering 5 sessions a week of the Early Learning Program…a FREE high quality program designed to help prepare young children for school. If you have children 2.5 to 4 years old and reside in Lambton County call Grand Bend Nursery School at 519-238-8514 Tuesdays 10 a.m. to 2 [...]
Recipes by James Eddington Eddington’s of Exeter 527 Main Street, Exeter, 519-235-3030 http://www.eddingtons.ca You may have heard that onions can kill the H1N1 virus, but that’s just a myth. Still, a warm soup like this is good medicine for your body and soul during cold and flu season… Caramelized onions (This is the base for [...]
The Grand Bend Chamber of Commerce named Paddington’s owner Jen Gaukroger its entrepreneur of the year, and named the Colonial Hotel and Gables Bar the business of the year for 2009. The awards were presented at the chamber’s annual general meeting Thursday night at Hessenland Country Inn in St. Joseph. Guest representatives from Saugeen Shores [...]
View from the Strip By Casey Lessard In the wake of Thanksgiving, it’s important to take a moment and consider what we’re thankful for. I’m thankful for the support I have for the work I do here and at home, support that comes from readers and my family. I also want to send a message [...]
Father Brad Dunbar has been rector of Trivitt Memorial Church in Exeter and St. John-by-the-Lake in Grand Bend for the past two years, and recently presided over Trivitt’s 150th anniversary celebrations. As told to Casey Lessard Photos by Casey Lessard Trivitt has begun to recognize that we live in a post-Christian era. The days when [...]
Story by Casey Lessard Painting by Helga Otton After a trip to Cuba, an inspired Helga Otton returned to Grand Bend with plans to document the town in the way Caribbean artists do. The result is Dreamin’ Grand Bend, a surreal collage of favourite Grand Bend landmarks painted in acrylic on canvas, as seen at [...]
Alternative View By Lance Crossley I have said this before, but future generations will write about our time as a turning point in history. One major event that is attracting too little attention is the decline of the American dollar. To understand the importance of this we must first understand the dollar’s privileged status as [...]
Keeping the Peace By Tom Lessard, C.D. (Continued from last issue) The saga of the sewers continued throughout the town with no end in sight. Rumours abounded that the sewers would be finished by December, and the road paved the following year. These optimists must have been talking about another town. Once the sewers were [...]
Fido… Come… Sit By Yvonne Passmore http://www.FidoComeSit.com With fall officially upon us, Mother Nature had decided to grant us with some wonderful summer like days. With vacation season over and the kids back to school, it was a perfect time for us to take advantage of the now quiet beaches. My dogs love the beach. [...]
Story by Casey Lessard Disney sensation High School Musical will kick off a musical summer at the Huron Country Playhouse as Drayton Entertainment prepares for the 2010 season. The playbill also includes Sweet Charity, Country Legends, Cagney! and the world premiere of Dance Legends. The playbill “offers something for everyone,” artistic director Alex Mustakas said [...]
After learning that the annual Kause for Kids fundraiser was cancelled after seven successful years, Jen Gaukroger at Paddington’s decided last week to revive the event as Bikes for Tykes November 7. “There’s not a lot going on in Grand Bend in November,” Gaukroger says, “and when you get 600-700 people coming in and supporting [...]