It’s bad enough that over the past 15 or 20 years — as the composition of our small community slides the slippery slope from rural to rurban — sturdy gates at the end of laneways have become an increasingly familiar sight. Some use the lockable barriers to prevent unauthorized access to their property while they are out. Others even lock the gates when they’re at home. (Nothing tells neighbours they’re not welcome like a locked gate.} However, something I spotted yesterday may well be the tipping point, past which there is no hope.
My soul screamed “no”, but the letters on the box-on-a-pole confirmed my fears. You guessed it: a mailbox with a lock. No, Dunvegan’s rural mail carrier doesn’t need a key to make her deposit. There’s an unlocked slot at the top of the box for her use. But, the box’s owners do need one to retrieve their mail. I could understand if stealing the post was a popular pastime in these parts. But it isn’t. Which makes this one of those trendy urban solutions desperately in search of a problem. I even checked on-line, only to discover that, in some circles, showing your neighbours that you think they’re crooks is a real thing. However, this sort of vigilance and security doesn’t come cheap. The examples I saw ranged in price from $100 to $500 dollars. One wonders what’s next.
Virgin sand and all-access table
On a more positive note, I offer you a refreshing tale of newcomer/old timer cooperation… bringing Dunvegan’s tiny playground kicking and screaming into the 21stcentury. When risk assessment experts spotted our indestructible steel swing set and play equipment, probably from the 1940s or 50s, they almost suffered heart failure. It mattered little that not one child, in my recollection, had been injured using it. The point was they could have been. It’s all about risk reduction, you know.
Wisely, the Dunvegan Recreation Association chose not to buck the trend. Better to choose battles one has a hope of winning. And so it came to pass that our little park, in true ticky-tacky box tradition, now has a plastic play structure that looks like every other community playground in Ontario. Oh joy.
At least, when it came to its installation, the DRA exhibited the same sort of community spirit that was evident when a group of young parents moved the original steel structures from the soccer field many decades ago. At least one of the volunteers participated on both occasions: Brian Campbell. This past Saturday, Brien moved seven loads of playground sand from where it had been stored on his late mother’s farm… sand that had been generously donated by newcomer Marie-Josée Proulx. MJ, as she is known to her friends, moved into what used to be the Grier property, just to the east of Terry and me. Another one of our new neighbours to the west of us, Jeremy Falles, showed up with his tractor and front-end loader. By distributing the sand around the new play equipment, he saved the group a whole lot of manual labour. Nevertheless, with projects like this, handwork can never be totally avoided. Luckily, Bruce MacGillivary and Sean Burgess showed up with their shovels and rakes to do the grunt work. So slow down and take a closer look the next time you pass Dunvegan Park.
Also keep an eye peeled for the DRA’s new “all-inclusive” picnic table. Fashioned from cedar tone pressure treated lumber, even the most ardent supporter of the sunny ways gang would approve. It has spots for strollers, wheelchairs and alternate seating for creaky old people like me. Similar tables retail for approximately $1,000, but ours was made in the GDHS woodshop this spring by local students and their teachers. The project is the product of a healthy new community partnership that saw the DRA supporting the Glengarry ‘Save Our Schools’ committee last year. When local schools… including GDHS… were threatened with closure, Glengarry SOS campaigned tirelessly to keep them open.
The park’s official opening probably won’t be held until next year. The insurance-mandated cloud of soft sand is a few dump trailer loads under code. And the master plan calls for the planting of new trees and grassy borders. However, the volunteer crew is closing in on completion. And there’s nothing to stop youngsters from beta-testing the equipment. It’s better that it breaks while still under warranty.
Corny entrepreneurs
While only open for a few short days, the roadside Sweet Corn stand located at the entrance to the farm formerly owned by the Colquhouns was an extremely welcome sight. The brainchild of Dunveganites Zoran Penner and Caleb Jalbert, the two chums saw the local sweet corn market as a niche that could be exploited. In doing so, they follow in the footsteps of the late George and Catherine McIlwain who supplied the region with superlative corn-on-the-cob for many decades… and Janet MacCrimmon and her late husband Harold (Catherine’s brother) who took over the trade for a few years when the McIlwains retired. Both couples grew what I consider real corn… i.e., the all-yellow variety. None of this ‘peaches & cream’ nonsense. And Caleb and Zorn continued this tradition of good taste.
The venture was truly a joint one. The boys grew the corn at the Penner’s place on the 8th of Kenyon after machine-planting 4,000 seeds. However, this year’s challenging growing conditions meant that only about half sprouted, and even fewer reached maturity. By hand watering their crop, they managed to harvest enough to open their stand. And Terry and I can attest to the quality of their product. It actually tasted like the McIlwains’ corn. Caleb’s contribution to the venture was to help till the crop, build the handsome roadside stand, and provide the ideal retail location.
Caleb’s family moved here from Vankleek Hill six years ago. He and his one brother and seven sisters are home schooled. When I asked if he and Zoran planned to open the stand again next year, he answered in the affirmative. “But next year,” Caleb told me, “we’re going to plant the corn by hand.”
All-inclusive appeal
Did you know that the Harvest Tent at last year’s Harvest Fall Festival raised around $2,500 for the museum? Well you can take that fact to the bank. In fact, GPM treasurer Marlie Tilker did. And it’s something she’d like to do again.
However, as Harvest Tent coordinator Barb Newman stressed to the female volunteers who attended Sunday’s Volunteer Appreciation Picnic at the museum… results like these depend on the generosity of the community. If male volunteers like Ben Williams (who I’ve heard makes a mean pickle) were slighted by this lack of inclusivity, they held their tongue.
So my call for Harvest Tent help goes out to men, women and everything in between. Barb needs vegetables, fruit, baked goods, bread, rolls, jams, jellies, pickles, preserves, candies, flowers and plants… in copious quantities. For more information or to pledge your support, call Barb at 613-678-6845.
This little pig went to Hooters
Honourary Dunveganite Steve Merritt wanted me to remind you that this coming Saturday, August 25this the 10thannual “Hooter Dam Jam”… the original Glengarry pig roast and party. Held each year at 20036 Kenyon Concession 8, the fun starts at 10 AM and runs until 12 midnight..
The entry fee is just $20 per person and includes a succulent pig roast and live music by the Hallions, Steve “Spider” Merritt and a number of other performers. If nothing else, you might want to attend to see if Steve breaks his own record of 55 years of rain-free performances. When I asked him to clarify, Steve claimed an unbroken string of sunny, or at least rain-free, venues. He started playing music in 1962, and every time he’s performed outdoors, sunny skies have been the rule. “I’m like a good luck charm that guards against being rained out,” Steve said.
I’m told that Hooter Dam is an actual place, not a hangout for off-duty cocktail servers with attitude. But I’ve run out of space and time to research its history. This week, at least
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