new events showcased at 155th bayfield fall fair

BY MELODY FALCONER-POUNDER

The 155th edition of the Bayfield Fall Fair takes on the theme, “Our Fair will be Revvin’ in 2011” and offers a couple brand new events to bring people out to the fairgrounds from Aug. 19-21.

Undeniably, the fair is for families and there is no better way to salute that fact than with a Baby Show. On the afternoon of Aug. 20, new parents will have an opportunity to introduce their children to the community. Each child will be introduced and presented to the audience. All participants will be given a personalized certificate. A special prize will be given to one family in each section through a random draw. There are two categories, 0-6 months and 7-12 months.

Families should attempt to register by Aug.17 by emailing C. Brennan at mysterymingler@hotmail.com. Babies can also be registered the day of the fair. More information can be obtained through the fair’s website www.bayfieldfallfair.ca.

And once the babies have been tucked snug in their beds, the fair will offer some fun for the older folks and youth too with a BX93 Video Dance Party. This licensed event will begin at 9 p.m. on Aug. 20 and run until 1 a.m. There will also be a separate unlicensed area so that youth can enjoy the music as well.

A BX93 Video Dance Party is comprised of three, side-by-side, 15-foot video screens. When they're not playing hot country videos they have the ability to televise live video from the Country Cam. The BX93 host will appear larger than life for all to see as he/she gives away prizes and leads the fun.

Tickets are available now for the dance. They are selling for $10 in advance or $12 at the gate. Tickets are available at a number of village merchants including, Nip N’ Tuck, 519 565-2688; and Brandon’s Hardware, 519 565-2677.

In addition to the new events the tradition of entering handicrafts, vegetables and flowers etc. continues. Everyone is encouraged to check the website for the prize book and find some categories to enter. The entry fee allows people to enter as many things as they wish. It also gives them a free weekend pass to the fair as well as membership in the Bayfield Agricultural Society. Children enter their classes for free.

Extreme summer adventure via art and the outdoors 

Kyrart Studio and Outside Projects, both on Main St. in the village, ran an Extreme Outdoor Adventure and Art camp from July 25-29. In this photo, the day campers displayed their finished boards, posing alongside some of their camp leaders. (Submitted photos)

Skateboard, biking, hiking and art, what could be more fun? Two local businesses, Outside Projects and Kryart Studio, located on the villages, Main St., once again joined their expertise to provide just those types of experiences through their Extreme Art and Outdoor Adventure day camps.

The camps are jammed packed full of activities, and throughout the weeks, campers challenge themselves in various outdoor and artistic pursuits.

At the beginning of the week, campers begin designing their own skateboard logo for their own skateboard that they design and build throughout the first few days of the camp.

The camp combined art with outdoor activities. One excursion was a hike on Lobb's Trail near Holmesville. The campers had the opportunity to get their "feet" wet in the Maitland River.

In town bike safety, along with various skills of balance, turning, and control are emphasized in the first days of camp. Then later in the week, Outside Projects staff and campers head out to Lobb’s Trail near Holmesville to spend a whole day of riding and challenging themselves further with more technical trail riding along the Maitland River.

Hiking is another important component of the week where campers get to enjoy local trails around the Bayfield area and gain knowledge about the surrounding area along with water safety and quality initiatives important for the area such as Blue Flag along the Bayfield Marina and beaches.

The most popular part of the camp tends to be the process of designing and painting their skateboards through Kryart Studio. The youth gain knowledge in assembling their own board and then travel to the local skate park to get used to their new boards and learn some new tricks.

Campers are sure to come home tired every day after learning new skills in biking, boarding, and art. Another Extreme Outdoor Adventure and Art Camp is scheduled for Aug. 15-19. Anyone interested in learning more should contact outsideprojects@tcc.on.ca or 519 565-8514.

local pharmacists nominated for national awards

Pharmasave Michael’s Pharmacy is once again being recognized on a national scale for its commitment to care. Two members of the pharmacy staff have been nominated in two categories this year and customers can help ensure a win for the home team by submitting positive testimonials to the judging panel.

Michael Ibrahim, pharmacist and owner of the business, has been nominated for a Commitment to Care and Service Award in the Collaborative Team Initiative category.

Adam McDowell, staff pharmacist, has also been nominated for an award in the Overall Patient Care category.

Commitment to Care and Service is the only national pharmacy award program that recognizes and celebrates the important contribution of individuals and teams across Canada. These national awards honor community and hospital pharmacists, pharmacy owners and managers, pharmacy technicians and collaborative teams for their innovative contributions to pharmacy practice.

Pharmacy customers can support the nomination, by forwarding testimonials to be included in their submission to the judges. Your testimonial can be handed in directly at the pharmacy or emailed to awards@on.pharmasave.ca.
Testimonials will be accepted from now until Sept. 9.

Two years ago, Ibrahim earned the title Rookie of the Year for the 2009 Commitment to Care and Service Awards.

level one low water advisory issued for watershed

The Ausable Bayfield Water Response Team (WRT) has issued a Level 1 Low Water Advisory for the entire Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) watershed. The team made the decision based on very low stream flows and July rain patterns.

The spring season was wetter than usual but July precipitation amounts were below normal across most of the ABCA watershed. Conditions were hot and dry in July (with the exception of some rainfall at the first of the month and between 25 and 40 mm during the last week of the month).

Most areas of the watershed observed nearly no rainfall for three consecutive weeks, according to Davin Heinbuck, ABCA Lands and Water Technologist.

“The prolonged dry spell had a significant negative impact on stream flows in local watercourses,” Heinbuck said.

The most recent rainfall was timely and did provide some flow to area watercourses, he added, but much of the water was soaked up at the ground surface.

Flows, as of early August, once again reflect a Low Water Condition.

If hot and dry conditions persist through August and September, residents of the watershed may experience their driest summer since 2007. During 2007, the WRT issued a Level 2 Low Water Advisory and considered moving into a Level 3 for the first time in the ABCA watershed since the inception of the program in 2001.

WRT Dave Frayne said that conservation of water is very important at this time to prevent further reduction in water levels and availability.

“We encourage everyone to voluntarily reduce their water use 10 per cent based on current Level 1 conditions,” he said.

Along with the Level 1 recommendation, the WRT, in co-operation with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, has sent a letter to all surface-water Permit To Take Water (PTTW) holders to invite them to a meeting/workshop in anticipation of a Level 2 Advisory that could be issued as early as mid-August. The meeting is planned to take place the week of August 15.

The WRT wants to engage local PTTW holders to discuss water use strategies in which limited water supplies can be shared amongst the users. The incentive would be to find a local solution to avoid a Level 3 situation where water use restrictions could be mandated or restricted by the province.

The WRT will review conditions mid-August and make any necessary condition updates as necessary. The team could meet to discuss the possibility of moving to a Level 2 Advisory at this time.

ABCA staff will continue to monitor rainfall and stream flow data and keep the public informed of any changes in watershed conditions. Visit www.ontario.ca/lowwater for further resources on the Ontario low water response program or ABCA website at abca.on.ca and view the dynamic low-water advisory tool which alerts people to low-water advisories in effect in the watershed.

photography club

Photography is a passion best enjoyed when work can be shared with others and a talent best improved when surrounded by like-minded individuals. For these reasons some local photographers have been exploring the idea of establishing a photography club in Bayfield. Well, the community has responded and the list of interested people now sits at 20 potential members and growing.

This enthusiasm for the possible club has generated the need for an Open Meeting to be held on Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building. Anyone interested in joining the Photography Club of Bayfield should plan to attend.

Interested people should also take a moment and answer an online survey created to help organizers learn what individual’s experience levels are and also what they would like to get out of being a member. To take the survey please go to Survey Monkey

For more information please contact Jack Pal or Gary Lloyd-Rees.

pioneer park

Pioneer Park is going to be a very active place over the remaining weeks of summer with some family fun in the works.

For two Saturdays in August as dusk settles over this lakeside park a film will be shown under the stars. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to cuddle up and watch Enchanted on Aug. 13. Something for the older crowd is set for Aug. 27 when the classic Rocky Horror Picture Show will be presented.

Please also be advised that the Annual General Meeting of the Pioneer Park Association will be held at 10 a.m. on Aug. 13.

BRVTA

The Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) are asking members of the community to save the date for the of the village’s 3rd Annual Terry Fox Run set for Sept. 18.

It will be an all-inclusive, non-competitive, family oriented event. The Bayfield run is a BRVTA initiative and is scheduled to start and end at Clan Gregor Square. Registration will open at 8:30 a.m. with the event to begin at 9:30 a.m.

To be a part of the Terry Fox Run people can choose to walk, run, bike or wheel. In town there are two routes; the two kilometer route is suited to wheelchairs, strollers or roller blades and the five kilometer route is perfect for running and walking.

Participants up for more of a challenge can choose to walk or run distances of either seven or 10 kilometers. These longer distances include the Sawmill Trail Loop, which travels along the Bayfield River. There is also an in-town 10 kilometer route for cyclists.

There is no minimum pledge and donations can be collected through pledges, personal donations or on-line pledging. Pledge sheets will be available soon.

agricuLtural society

Once again, the Bayfield Fall Fair will play host to a Preliminary Competition as part of the Western Fair Youth Talent Search on the opening night of the fair, Aug. 19.

All summer long, aspiring entertainers between the ages of six and 21 have been performing at preliminary competitions, like the one planned to take place in the Bayfield Community Centre at 7 p.m. on the Friday of the fair.

Competitors hope to win a chance to represent their area at the finals to be held at the 2011 Western Fair in London this September. There are a number of prizes to be won at the Western Fair in the Junior (ages six to 12 years) and Senior (ages 13-21) Divisions. In the Senior Division, one act at the Western Fair finals will ultimately be chosen to compete at the national championships in Calgary on Nov.19.

For more information on the Bayfield Talent Search including, rules, regulations, and online registration forms, please visit the Bayfield Fall Fair website at www.bayfieldfallfair.ca.

Interested contestants need to be sure to read the rules thoroughly before entering. Entries must be made in duplicate on the Official Youth Talent Entry Form. All required information must be provided, and sent or delivered to the Contest Coordinator, Charlie Kalbfleisch, by the closing date, Aug. 8.

The following people can be contacted for more information: Kalbfleisch, 519 565-2244; Wilhelmina Laurie, 519 482-9265; or Dave Bieman via email at dbieman@tcc.on.ca.

town hall

The Bayfield Town Hall Heritage Society will host “Detroit to Bayfield with Music” at the town hall on Aug. 19.

This evening of beautiful chamber music will feature a fun mix of international duos and trios for violin, clarinet and cello. The performers, Velda Kelly, Nadine Deleury and Brian Bowman are members of the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra.

The concert will begin at 8 p.m.

Another highlight of the evening will be an auction. A wine tasting for 10 as well as a “Why I love Bayfield” poster will be auctioned off during intermission.

Also all who attend are invited for a complimentary glass of wine after the concert to meet the musicians.

Tickets are $20 each and are available on Ticket Scene, at Ernie King Music in Goderich or by calling 519 565-2827 or 519 565-2894.
 

horticultural society

The very future of the Bayfield and Area Horticultural Society (BAHS) may depend on the outcome of the organization’s next general meeting to be held on Sept. 19.

According to Sue van Baardwyk, secretary for the BAHS, “The focus of the meeting will be to discuss and vote on the future of BAHS. We need you to come out, to bring all members and friends of BAHS and to be ready to talk and cast votes for our future.”
She noted that this is an extremely important general meeting for all members, and those who would like to become members. The meeting will be held in the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building starting at 7:30 p.m.

Prior to this discussion and vote, a guest speaker will share his knowledge on a popular subject with the BAHS membership – Trees. The speaker will be Ian Jean from the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA).

concert series

The Bayfield Concert Series summer line up is really heating up with a bare naked lady now on the docket.

Kevin Hearn, of the very popular Canadian group, Bare Naked Ladies, will show off his solo talents on the Bayfield Town Hall Stage on Aug. 25.

The doors will open at 8 p.m. and the show will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 each and are available now at www.ticketscene.ca.

fitness fun

Summer is here and now that all those good fitness habits have been established it is time to get out and enjoy not only the weather but a variety of opportunities to keep fit as well.

Local folks may be interested in a new wellness program that is starting in September known as "YEAH". This acronym stands for “You Effectively Achieving Healthy Habits”. YEAH will promote exercise and nutritious eating. Two levels will be offered - Boot Camp and Soft Shoe. This program is offered free of charge. Come to the Bayfield Community Centre at 10:15 a.m. on Aug. 26 or Sept. 2 to learn more about this program.

One Care is sponsoring several programs for both men and women to stay fit over the summer months. The following activities are scheduled to run from now until the end of August.

Dancefit and Toning classes are held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. The cost is $40 for four months or $3 per class. The Sit and Get Fit classes are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. The cost is $1 per class.
Both of these fitness opportunities are held at the Bayfield Community Centre.

For the more adventurous among us, there is Pole Walking. Walks for women will start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the men can venture out on Mondays and Fridays at 8:30 a.m. All walks begin from 6 Main Street and poles are provided free for those who require them.

A Yoga Class will be held at the Bayfield Town Hall starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. New for the months of July and August is a Yoga Class to be held in Pioneer Park on Thursday mornings at 8:30 a.m. weather permitting. The cost for either yoga experience is $3 per class and participants are asked to bring a yoga mat.

Call 519 565-2202 for more information on the above exercise opportunities.

For those people looking to exercise their minds, Women’s Bridge is played every Wednesday at 1 p.m. No partner needed to play the cost is $1.50 per game. For more information call Brenda Blair 519 565-2881.

Mah Jongg games and lessons are also offered on the first and third Mondays of the month starting at 1 p.m. Call 519 565-2468 for more information.

Both Bridge and Mah Jongg are played at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building.

Bayfield residents can join the Zumba craze as classes are now being held in the village. Zumba is a dance fitness class that combines Latin rhythms and easy to follow moves, creating a calorie burning dance party suitable for all ages.

ZUMBA classes continue in the village with Instructors, Alison de Groot and Lorraine Dietz. One-hour classes are held Monday mornings starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Bayfield Town Hall and evening classes are held at the Bayfield Community Centre on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact de Groot at bayfieldzumba@gmail.com.

bridge club

Brenda Blair and Terri Allen were the high scorers when the Wednesday Evening Bridge Club met next on Aug. 3 6 at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building.

The club will meet next on Aug. 17. The cards will be dealt starting at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend.