Gravenhurst Budget, Woodstock, Vintage Vinyl

THE NOSTALGIA OF RECESSION - AND WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN VOGUE

IS THERE ANY FUTURE INVESTING IN OLD STUFF?

NEWS WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF

WAS THERE VOTE SUPPRESSION TACTICS EMPLOYED IN THE LAST FEDERAL ELECTION, AS THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CANADA HAS CLAIMED THIS AFTERNOON? THIS IS A GIGANTIC NEWS STORY, AND ONE I SUSPECT THAT HAS SOME STAYING POWER. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE ALL THE NASTY IMPLICATIONS THIS COULD HAVE ON THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. WHAT A TIME TO BE A REPORTER ON PARLIAMENT HILL. ANXIOUSLY AWAITING AN EXPLANATION…..HAVE YOU GOT ONE?

A PREAMBLE NOTE: ABOUT THE GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO 2012 BUDGET

I WAS IMPRESSED THIS WEEK BY ONE REALITY, I'VE BEEN WAITING TO READ ABOUT FOR OVER A YEAR. POSSIBLY I MISSED IT BEFORE, OR JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT CORRECTLY SINCE THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION, BUT BY GOLLY A GRAVENHURST COUNCILLOR ADMITTED THAT THE BURDENS LEFT BY A FORMER ADMINISTRATION, IS LIMITING WHAT THE MUNICIPALITY CAN DO ABOUT TAX INCREASES TODAY.

FINALLY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN QUOTED IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, OR IF IT HAS BEEN BANDIED-ABOUT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT MY PERCEPTION HAS BEEN, THE NEW COUNCIL WAS TREADING EVERSO GENTLY ON THE NEGATIVE LEGACY LEFT TO THEM…..PREFERRING INSTEAD TO BITE THE BULLET, AND CARRY-ON DESPITE THE PONDEROUS LENGTH OF CHAIN, ATTACHED TO THE ANCHOR OF YESTERYEAR'S DEBT-LOAD. MAYBE IT WAS TO SPARE THE FEELINGS OF THOSE RETURNING COUNCILLORS, WHO WERE PART OF THAT SPENDING SPREE. HAS THERE BEEN A RELUCTANCE TO DWELL ON THIS DEBT-LOAD ISSUE? IT'S AN AWFULLY BIG AMOUNT TO SWEEP UNDER THE CARPET. NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT, SOMEONE WAS GOING TO TRIP OVER THAT BULGE IN THE CARPET. AND AS IT'S CURRENTLY RESTRICTING BUDGET FLEXIBILITY, WHAT ELSE CAN PRESENT COUNCILLORS DO, EXCEPT DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND PAST OVER-SPENDING. SO WHEN I READ THIS WEEK, THAT A COUNCILLOR HAD ACTUALLY SPOKEN OF THIS, WHEN CONFRONTED BY SOME DISILLUSIONED RATEPAYERS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL 8.8 PERCENT TAX HIKE THIS YEAR, I'VE GOT TO ADMIT IT WAS BANG-ON….THE RIGHT THING TO DRAW INTO THE DISCUSSION. IT'S TRUE. IT'S NOT JUST THROWING BLAME OUT, TO BUY SOME FORGIVENESS….OR TO RE-DIRECT THE WOLVES CLAWING AT THE DOOR. IT'S A HUGE BURDEN OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AT AN INCREDIBLY BAD TIME OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC INSTABILITY.

I'M SURE A NUMBER OF MY REGULAR READERS WERE AGHAST THAT I DIDN'T COME OUT RAGING-MAD, ABOUT NEWS OF THE POTENTIAL TAX INCREASE, A HAIR'S BREADTH FROM DOUBLE DIGITS. I REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE MAYOR LAST YEAR, AND SHE MADE IT CLEAR, THESE KIND OF INCREASES WERE GOING TO BE A REALITY FOR A FEW MORE YEARS, DUE TO THE CENTENNIAL CENTRE RE-BUILD, AND CARRY-OVER OF THE TOWN HALL / MEDICAL CENTRE PROJECT. NINETY-NINE POINT NINE PERCENT OF LOCAL RATEPAYERS, DIDN'T EXPECT THE HUGE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO FIX THE TOWN HALL ROOF. OF COURSE HEADS SHOULD HAVE ROLLED. BUT WHICH ONES? WE WERE ADVISED, EVEN BY OTHER COUNCILLORS, NOT TO GET OUR HOPES UP ABOUT SUB 5 PERCENT TAX HIKES ANY TIME SOON. WHEN I READ ABOUT THE POTENTIAL 8.8 PERCENT HIKE, I ADMIT IT. I WANTED TO HUG THE MAYOR. I HAD HONESTLY ANTICIPATED A FIGURE CLOSER TO 10.5 PERCENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIRST YEAR OPERATING BUDGET OF THE NEW REC. CENTRE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE, AND I HOPE FOLKS REALIZE THIS FACT. BUT FOR EVERY CRANKY BUGGER OUT THERE, IT SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ARGUE WITH COUNCIL REPS. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY OUR DEBT-LOAD, LARGELY THE HANDIWORK OF A PREVIOUS COUNCIL, AND HAVE A MODEST TAX INCREASE EACH YEAR.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE THIS CLEAR DURING THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION. I WAS ONE OF OVER 300 CITIZENS WHO JAMMED INTO THE OPERA HOUSE, TO HEAR THE CANDIDATES DISCUSS THE PRESSING ISSUES…….AND AS I HAVE STATED BEFORE……IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A MEET AND GREET. IT WAS A LOVE-IN, THAT WAS SO TIGHTLY BORDERED BY ORGANIZERS, WHO APPARENTLY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING CONTROVERSIAL TO HAPPEN, THAT WELL, NOTHING DID. IT WAS A FARCE, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF UNKIND REMARKS FROM THE AUDIENCE, I WISH ORGANIZERS COULD HAVE HEARD. TRYING TO MAINTAIN TIGHT CONTROL OF SUCH AN EVENT, IS AN EQUIVALENT OF ALLOWING ONLY "PARTIAL DEMOCRACY." OBVIOUSLY, THEY DID NOT WANT A GUY LIKE ME ASKING A QUESTION LIKE………HOW MUCH DEBTLOAD IS TOO MUCH ON A MUNICIPALITY? AND WHY WAS THE FORMER TOWN OFFICE GIVEN TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? IN THIS REGARD, WE WERE AWFULLY GENEROUS FOR A FUNDAMENTALLY TAPPED-OUT MUNICIPALITY. AS FOR THE MEETING, THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN COULD HAVE DEMANDED A RE-MATCH BEFORE THE ELECTION, TO CLEAR THE AIR OF STATUS QUO. SO WE HAVE TO ACCEPT PART OF THE BLAME HERE…..BECAUSE WE DIDN'T SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. WE DIDN'T DEMAND ANSWERS, AND THUSLY, WE DIDN'T GET THEM. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY NEW COUNCILLORS WERE STUNNED TO FIND WE WERE IN SUCH FISCAL ARREARS.

NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE TOWN TALKING A LITTLE MORE LIBERALLY ABOUT THE PICKLE WE FIND OURSELVES IN, POSSIBLY IT WILL BE THE KIND OF LIBERATION FROM FEAR AND LOATHING, THAT ALLOWS US TO MORE FULLY EMBRACE THE NEAR-CATACLYSMIC REALITIES OF THE UPCOMING PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BUDGETS. NOW WHEN YOU LIVE IN A REGION WHERE CIVIL SERVANTS NUMBER IN THE THOUSANDS, AND THE PRICE OF GAS WILL ONCE AGAIN POUND TOURISM TO A PULP, IT ISN'T A STRETCH OF IMAGINATION, TO SEE A GREATER CRISIS BREWING HERE. ADD TO THIS THE POTENTIAL OF RISING INTEREST RATES, THE CONUNDRUM OF OPPRESSIVE PERSONAL DEBT, AND A POTENTIAL REAL ESTATE VALUATION ADJUSTMENT DOWNWARD. IF YOU WERE ON THE OCEAN, IN A SAILBOAT, YOU WOULD SAY OUT LOAD….."GOD HAVE MERCY……IT'S THE PERFECT STORM."

I OFFERED ONE COUNCILLOR MY HONEST OPINION, PRIOR TO THE ELECTION. DON'T DO IT! I SAID IT WOULD BE THE MOST DIFFICULT, AND CONTROVERSIAL TERM OF OFFICE, IN THE PAST FIFTY YEARS. LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE DEBT-LOAD, AND THE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE TOWN…..WHETHER IT IS THE MAIN STREET BUSINESS DIFFICULTIES, OR THE FACT THE FOOD BANK IS BEING STRESSED BEYOND ITS CAPACITY, TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE IN NEED. WAS I TELLING A PORKY? WAS I BEING OVERLY DRAMATIC? UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS LATEST TAX INCREASE, YOU TELL ME. NEXT YEAR? THAT ALL DEPENDS DOESN'T IT. WE'RE NOT ISOLATED FROM THE REALITIES OF THIS MAD, MAD WORLD. LIKE THE JOY WE ALL GET AT THE GAS PUMPS. NOW IMAGINE IF THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS WORSENS. TOM BROOKS WON'T BE THE ONLY GENT RIDING A HORSE IN THIS TOWN.

NOSTALGIA ALWAYS GETS A BOOST WHEN WE START THINKING BACK TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS

I USED TO THINK OF NOSTALGIA AS STRICTLY COMING BOOKS, HOCKEY AND BASEBALL MEMORABILIA, OLD KITCHEN UTENSILS AND VINTAGE RADIOS. I WAS AN ANTIQUE HUNTER PASSIONATELY DEVOTED TO PINE. I HAD TO HAVE PRIMITIVE PINE. I WANTED PINE CHAIRS, PINE CRADLES, DRESSERS, CUPBOARDS, TABLES…..PINE FRAMED MIRRORS, AND THE OLDER THE BETTER. THEN I LOVED OAK. MAPLE. BIRCH. ANY SPECIES OF CANADIAN FOREST MADE INTO A CHAIR, CORNER CUPBOARD, DRESSER OR PICTURE FRAME. I WAS WOOD CRAZY AS A COLLECTOR / DEALER. EVEN TODAY, I WOULD LEAP OVER TALL BUILDINGS, AND WEAR A "ONESY" WITH A CAPE, TO GET TO A PIONEER-CRAFTED SIDEBOARD AHEAD OF YOU. I COULD NEVER GET ENOUGH PINE IN THOSE START-UP YEARS, AND SUCCESS FOR ME, WASN'T MEASURED BY SALES FIGURES, BUT BY HOW MUCH PINE I'D HAULED HOME TO BIRCH HOLLOW. LET'S JUST SAY I'VE REHABILITATED MYSELF SOMEWHAT, AND ALTHOUGH YOU STILL DON'T WANT TO STAND BETWEEN ME AND A PRIMITIVE ROCKER, I'M FAR MORE SUBDUED AND FOCUSED ON OTHER ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES I'M ACTUALLY WILLING TO SELL. SUZANNE HAS ALWAYS HAD A TOUGH TIME, PULLING MY FINGERS OFF COVETED PINE CRADLES AND HARVEST TABLES, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY I NEEDED TO MAKE, JUST TO BREAK EVEN. I'D SOONER SELL HER RESTORED QUILTS THAN MY FABULOUS COLLECTION OF CANADIANA…..LOVELY, WONDERFULLY AGED, HOMESTEAD CRAFTED PINE.

THE REALITY FOR ANTIQUE HUSTLERS, IS THAT WE OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO TURN A PROFIT, DESPITE THE FACT WE'D LIKE TO HANG ONTO ALL OF IT. THERE ARE TRENDS, JUST LIKE IN THE FASHION WORLD, THAT WE DO HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO, IN ORDER TO SURVIVE IN BUSINESS. THE REASON I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND A FEW NICE PIECES OF PIONEER FURNITURE RECENTLY, IS THE SIMPLE REALITY THAT A LOT OF BABY BOOMERS IN OUR BALLIWICK, COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT CANADIANA. THEY MOST DEFINITELY LIKE TO COLLECT, IN THEIR "MID-LIFE CRAZY," BUT THEY HAVE ALL THE NEAT AND FUNCTIONAL FURNITURE THEY REQUIRE. WHY BURDEN THE PRESENT HOMESTEAD WITH MORE HEAVY STUFF, WHEN IT'S WITHIN A WHISKER OF THE TIME, TO GET RID OF BURDENSOME CLUTTER? AS A DEALER TODAY, I ALWAYS DIVERSIFY MY WARES, TO INCLUDE A LITTLE BIT FROM ALL DISCIPLINES, AND ALL CATEGORIES OF COLLECTIBLES. BUT I WILL BE INVESTING IN NOSTALGIA MORESO THESE DAYS, BECAUSE AS TRENDS GO, TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, SEEM TO INSPIRE THOUGHTS OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS…..LIKE THE 1950'S THROUGH 1980'S.

WHEN I SUGGEST "GOOD OLD DAYS," I'M REFERRING TO THE DAYS THE BABY BOOMERS WERE SUCKING-UP THE AMBIENCE OF THEIR DAILY LIVES……AND REMEMBERING WHAT THEY ENJOYED OF THEIR YOUTH AND BEYOND. MY YOUNG LADS ANDREW AND ROBERT ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME KEEPING-UP THEIR VINTAGE VINYL (RECORDS) INVENTORY, AT THEIR GRAVENHURST MUSIC SHOP, AND IT'S THE BABY BOOMERS, WHO ARE LEADING THE CHARGE. THEY WANT THE COMFORTS OF THOSE SAME RECORDS THEIR MOTHERS SOLD-OFF AT YARD SALES, WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. THEY WANT THE OLD RECORD PLAYERS THEY REMEMBER, AND ANDREW IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD THESE DAYS, ABOUT BUYING A HUGE INVENTORY OF RECORD NEEDLES, A FEW YEAR BACK. PLUS AN EVEN LARGER INVENTORY OF STILL-IN-THE-BOX VINTAGE RADIO AND TELEVISION TUBES, WHICH HAVE COME IN PRETTY HANDY FOR REPLACEMENT NEEDS. THEY ARE SURPRISED, ALMOST EVERY WEEK, BY THE NUMBER OF YOUNG ADULTS, WHO ARE ALSO BUYING UP VINTAGE ROCK 'N ROLL RECORDS, AND LOOKING FOR CIRCA 1970'S AND 80'S TURNTABLES. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NEW ONES AVAILABLE TODAY, THEY WANT THE PERIOD PIECES TO SPIN THEIR VINTAGE VINYL. SO WE'RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THESE 1970'S AND 80'S COMPONENT STEREOS. REFURBISHED WITH A NEW NEEDLE, THEY DON'T LAST LONG IN THE STORE.

SUZANNE AND I ADMITTEDLY, ARE HAVING SOME CULTURE-SHOCK ISSUES THESE DAYS, BECAUSE WE ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE BOYS' COLLECTIBLE BUSINESS, AS RUN-OF-THE-MILL CONSIGNERS. THEY HAVE BIGGER CONSIGNERS THAN US. FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT FROM VINTAGE QUILTS, PRIMITIVES, CANADIANA, ART ( PARTICULARLY VINTAGE CANADIAN LANDSCAPES) OLD GLASS, SILVER AND COPPER, TO COKE MEMORABILIA, MUSIC COLLECTIBLES, OLD GUITARS AND BANJOS, NOT TO MENTION VINYL RECORDS. OUR YOUTH APPARENTLY WAS PRETTY HOT, AND SO WAS EVERYTHING WE CONSIDERED AVERAGE STUFF. IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T ADJUST, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PREPARING OURSELVES EMOTIONALLY, TO TAKE A STEP INTO (OR ONTO) THE "WILD SIDE"……YOU KNOW, "TUNE IN, TURN-ON, AND TUNE-OUT!" I THINK THESE ARE THE WORDS TIMOTHY LEARY SUGGESTED FOR US HIPPY-KIND. SHORT OF A DRUG INDUCED ANYTHING, WE DO RECOGNIZE THERE'S A BUSINESS RELEVANCE TO RE-VISITING WOODSTOCK. I WAS HAVING TOO BLOODY MUCH FUN IN THOSE DAYS, TO HAVE REMEMBERED MUCH MORE THAN THE BLACK-LIGHT POSTERS I'D STARE AT FOR HOURS….IMAGINING I WAS PETER FONDA, AND LIFE WAS FULL OF EASY RIDING. MY BOYS KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PERIOD IN MUSIC / CULTURAL HISTORY THAN SUZANNE AND I DO……..EVEN THOUGH THESE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE OUR HALCYON DAYS.

I WAS A CONSERVATIVE HIPPY. I HAD THE HAIR, THE TYE-DYE SHIRTS, RAGGED JEANS, A PEACE SIGN ON A GOLD CHAIN, AND THE IMPRESSION I WAS AT LEAST AS COOL AS DENNIS HOPPER…..ON A CHOPPER. I WAS ALL FOR FREE LOVE, AND JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR WAS MY FAVORITE MOVIE. I ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE PLAY WHILE I WAS IN ENGLAND IN 1974……ADMITTEDLY IN THE TIME PERIOD BETWEEN OLD HIPPY AND NEW YIPPY. EVEN MY DAD HAD LONG HAIR AND WORE BELL BOTTOMS. SUZANNE WAS ON THE AMISH SIDE OF HIPPYISM, AND WORE BLUE JEANS IN PROTEST. I DIDN'T PROTEST ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR, BUT I WAS AGAINST WAR, THAT'S FOR SURE. I DIDN'T LIKE AUTHORITY FIGURES, BUT I ALWAYS SURRENDERED QUICKLY TO ADVERSITY. I ANSWERED TO ANY GIRL WHO YELLED AT ME, AND MORE THAN ONE GIRLFRIEND TOLD ME I WAS A PACIFIST. I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD TRAIT FOR A HIPPY. I MEAN I HAD OPINIONS THEN, BUT THEY TOLD ME TO SHUT-UP, SO I DID.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, SUZANNE AND I BOTH FIND OURSELVES SOMEWHAT LOST, HAVING TO GO BACK TO A TIME PERIOD IN OUR LIVES, WE ONLY EVER FOUND PARTLY REMARKABLE. FUNNY THOUGH, HOW WE HAVE BOTH PAID SO MUCH TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEER PERIOD, SUCH THAT WE HAVE MEMORIALIZED THEM IN VIRTUALLY EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE, INCLUDING FILLING OUR HOUSE WITH WHAT THEY LEFT BEHIND. SO JUMPING UP TO OUR OWN BABY BOOMER TIMES, WE SURE NEED TO UPGRADE OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT WE PRETTY MUCH TOOK FOR GRANTED. IT ALL SEEMED SO ORDINARY THEN, AND THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT WE HAVE TO UPGRADE, IN ORDER TO CAPITALIZE, LIKE OTHER DEALERS, ON THIS RISING NOSTALGIA CRAZE. I SEE IT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, IN THE BOY'S VINTAGE MUSIC SHOP, AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO DENY THE SUCCESS THEY'RE FINDING, EXPLOITING THE TIMES OF OUR LIVES. WE'VE JUST BEGUN RECKONING WITH OUR OWN STUBBORN INTERESTS IN COLLECTING. ANDREW SAID TO ME THE OTHER DAY….."DAD, YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP COLLECTING OLD PINE. JUST DIVERSIFY A BIT, AND PICK UP SOME OLD RECORDS WHILE YOU'RE OUT SHOPPING." FAIR ADVICE. I SUGGESTED TO SUZANNE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DRESS-UP IN OUR SIXTIES DUDS AGAIN, THROW SOME FLOWER DECALS ON THE FAMILY TRUCKSTER, AND JOIN A COMMUNE. ARE THERE ANY OF THOSE LEFT? WHATEVER GETS US IN THE MOOD, TO HUNT RETRO INVENTORY, IS A GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY. THE ONLY BRAGGING RIGHT I'VE GOT, OVER SUZANNE FROM THE SAME PERIOD, IS I HAD THREE GIRL FRIENDS ON THE GO AT ONCE. "AND THEY KNEW ABOUT IT TOO," I RETORT WITH BORROWED HUBRIS FROM EITHER BENNY HILL OR PETER SELLERS. "AND YOU LOST EVERY ONE OF THEM, DIDN'T YOU," SHE CHORTLES, WHILE LOOKING THROUGH SOME VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR GOOD OLD DAYS.

WE'LL EXPLORE MORE OF THIS NOSTALGIA THING IN FUTURE BLOGS.

Final Woodchester Post, Sports Hall of Fame

WOODCHESTER ANTIQUES, HALL OF FAME SPORTS COLLECTIBLES, AND A SHOW-OFF

I ENJOYED EXPOSURE TO FINE ANTIQUES, INTERESTING HERITAGE, AND OLD HOCKEY STUFF

NOTE: IF YOU HAVEN'T READ MUCH BACKGROUND ON BRACEBRIDGE'S WOODCHESTER VILLA, YOU CAN VISIT MY BRACEBRIDGE BLOGSITE TO CATCH-UP.

I HAVE JUST THIS MOMENT SWITCHED-OFF THE TELEVISION. I HAD SOME LEFTOVER MACARONI AND SOME COLD DRESSING FROM THE TURKEY THE NIGHT BEFORE. I'M ON A DIET, AND UNHAPPY ABOUT IT…..AND WHAT MAKES IT WORSE, IS THAT I JUST SNUCK AN EXTRA PORTION, THAT SUZANNE WILL SPOT THE MOMENT SHE COMES HOME,…… AND SLOWLY OPENS THE FRIDGE DOOR SUSPECTING I HAVE BEEN A CALORIE THIEF. I SHALL BE PUNISHED AT DINNER, AND I'LL BE LUCKY TO GET A COUPLE OF RADISHES AND SEVERAL MISERABLE SPRIGS OF GREEN ONION. AND THEN THERE'S THE BERATING.

THE REASON I SWITCHED OFF THE NEWS, WAS DUE TO THE SUDDEN SENSE OF URGENCY TO GET STUFF DONE. NOT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO STARVE TO DEATH. BUT I JUST HEARD THAT RUSSIA HAS INFORMED ISRAEL NOT TO BOMB IRAN. IT REMINDED ME OF THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS, WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS IN BURLINGTON, STARTED DIGGING FALL-OUT SHELTERS JUST IN CASE. HERE I AM, WRITING ABOUT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, IN 2012, ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS TIMES IN RECENT HISTORY, WHILE INNOCENT INHABITANTS OF SYRIA ARE BEING MASSACRED. JUST BECAUSE THE DICTATOR HAS THE ARMY AND THE ARSENAL. AS FOR IRAN, WELL, THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING AT THIS NUCLEAR THING FOR YEARS NOW, AND CONSIDERING THEIR POLITICAL WILL, IS TO REDUCE ISRAEL TO ASH, WHAT ARE ISREAL'S CHOICES? WAIT FOR THE NUCLEAR WARHEAD? A LOT OF INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE, BECAUSE OF A DICTATOR'S INSANITY. YUP, IT'S HARD TO GET INTO THE PASSIVE, GENTLE APPRECIATION OF ANTIQUES, WHEN YOU KNOW RUSSIA IS FLEXING ITS MILITARY MUSCLE, ALL THE WAY OVER THERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO DO THESE DAYS, OTHER THAN COWER A LITTLE; AND POSSIBLY DIG A HOLE IN THE BACK YARD, AND STOCK IT WITH PROVISIONS. MY HISTORIAN-SIDE, TELLS ME TO DIG THE HOLE. THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTOR SIDE, GETS NOSTALGIC FOR BAY OF PIGS MEMORABILIA. I'M AFRAID DIPLOMACY WON'T WORK. IF COMMON SENSE WON'T PREVAIL, THERE WILL BE A MIDDLE EAST WAR INVOLVING SUPER-POWERS. SO MUCH OF THIS ARISES FROM POVERTY. IT'S AWFULLY DEPRESSING TO REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH SUFFERING IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD. AND HONESTLY, AS A JOURNALIST, I FEEL IT WOULD BE BETTER TO WORD-SMITH INSIGHTFUL, INFLUENTIAL EDITORIALS, IN AN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE WORLD OPINION……AND BRING ABOUT WORLD PEACE. I'D BE A LOT BETTER, AT THIS POINT, I THINK, DIGGING THE FALL-OUT SHELTER, BECAUSE I'M AFRAID THERE IS NO COLUMNIST IN THE WORLD, WHO CAN DAMPEN THE ENTHUSIASM FOR WHAT AMOUNTS TO A CIVILIZATION-LONG HOLY WAR. ALL THIS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCE! MAKES THE ISSUE OF RISING GAS PRICES, TOMORROW I'M TOLD, MUNICIPAL TAXES, AND PENSION REFORM IN OUR COUNTRY, SEEM A LITTLE MOOT IN COMPARISON. MAKES PERSONAL REMINISCENCES LIKE THESE SLIGHTLY IRRELEVANT. OR MAYBE NOT.

CALL IT A TEMPORARY DIVERSION FROM THE PRESSING REALITIES OF THE MAD, MAD WORLD. I USED TO ENJOY SITTING OUT ON THE FRONT PORCH AT WOODCHESTER VILLA, WATCHING MY TWO YOUNG SONS, ANDREW AND ROBERT, RUNNING AROUND THE TERRACED PROPERTY. I'D SIT THERE, IN BETWEEN TOURS AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CHORES, LISTENING TO THE CROWS IN THE TOWERING EVERGREENS, AND THE WIND FROM THE VALLEY, PUSHING UP THROUGH THE PINE BOUGHS. IN THAT PRECIOUS WINDSONG THIS HILLSIDE LANDSCAPE WAS SOFTLY ENVELOPED. IT WAS ALWAYS A SOJOURN TO ATTEND MY RESPONSIBILITIES AT WOODCHESTER. IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN MY REPORTING JOB AT MUSKOKA PUBLICATIONS. I WASN'T RE-FINISHING FURNITURE FOR MY ANTIQUE BUSINESS. I WAS HERE TO PROUDLY SHOW-OFF, THE HISTORY OF ONE OF THE REGION'S MOST INTERESTING HOUSES…..AND NO MATTER HOW LONG AND HARD A DAY'S WORK AT THE MUSEUM, IT WAS ALWAYS A RESPITE FROM EVERYTHING ELSE IN A NORMAL WORK WEEK. I RESTORED MYSELF AT WOODCHESTER. IT WAS AN INSPIRING PLACE IN A MOST SUBTLE WAY. SO IT IS FITTING, I SUPPOSE, THAT I SHOULD WRITE-ABOUT THIS TODAY, AS A SORT OF FINAL CHAPTER, IN MY RECOLLECTIONS PENNED RECENTLY, RE-LIVING MY YEARS AS ITS PROTECTOR. AS IT IS NOW IN A MOST VULNERABLE STATE, JUST AS I FOUND IT BACK IN 1977, I AM STILL IN HEART, ITS FAITHFUL PROTECTOR. I WISH I COULD DO MORE. AS FOR THOSE HISTORIANS, AND HERITAGE PROTECTORS, AND COUNCIL STEWARDS IN BRACEBRIDGE……WHO DROPPED THE BALL?

AS A LAST PIECE ABOUT WOODCHESTER VILLA, AND MUSEUM, IN BRACEBRIDGE, I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW INSIGHTS ABOUT CURATORIAL ADVANTAGES. THE INHERENT RIGHT OF A MANAGER OF A HISTORIC SITE, TO SHOW-OFF THE COLLECTION. IT WAS MY PRIVILEGE TO GRANDSTAND ALL OVER THE PLACE, BECAUSE I WAS PROUD OF THE MUSEUM COLLECTION. I WAS AN EVEN BIGGER HAM, WHEN IT CAME TO EXHIBITING THE COLLECTION OF SPORTS MEMORABILIA, WHEN I WAS CURATOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE SPORTS HALL OF FAME, HOUSED AT THE BRACEBRIDGE ARENA. FOR TWELVE YEARS I GOT TO PLAY WITH THIS STUFF, AND IT WAS ALWAYS A RUSH TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN IN-PERSON SHOWING, SUCH AS FOR SUMMER CAMP KIDS. THE SAME HELD TRUE FOR WOODCHESTER VILLA. AS AN ANTIQUE LOVER FOR MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE, IT WAS ALWAYS SUCH A BONUS HAVING THIS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE COLLECTION. IT'S ALSO WHY IT TOOK ME SOMETIME TO EXHALE, WHEN I READ A RECENT COMMENT, FROM A BRACEBRIDGE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, THAT HE WASN'T SURE IF THE HOUSE HAD BEEN EMPTIED OF ITS CONTENTS, AFTER IT WAS OFFICIALLY CLOSED, DUE TO STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. THERE WERE SOME IMPORTANT PIECES IN THAT OCTAGONAL HOUSE, WITH CONSIDERABLE VALUE, SO I'M HOPING IT WAS A NEWSPAPER MISPRINT. IF NO ONE WAS WATCHING THE ARTIFACTS, AND THERE HAS BEEN DETERIORATION, CITIZENS OF BRACEBRIDGE NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED.

IF YOU'VE BEEN READING SOME OF THESE RECENT WOODCHESTER BLOGS, YOU'LL KNOW THAT THE WRAP-AROUND VERANDAH, ON THE 1882 VINTAGE ESTATE, WAS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED BY HEAVY SNOW-LOAD SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND IT HAS BEEN CLOSED EVER SINCE. IT IS NOW BEING STUDIED FOR POTENTIAL RESTORATION, OR POTENTIAL CLOSURE AS A MUSEUM. IN ITS SHORT HISTORY AS A MUSEUM, IT HAS NEVER BEEN A COUNCIL PRIORITY, AND A NUMBER OF COUNCILLORS EXPLAINED THE REASONS WHY. I'VE MENTIONED THOSE IN PREVIOUS BLOGS, SO I WON'T REPEAT THEM AGAIN HERE.

MY WIFE SUZANNE AND I ENJOYED CONDUCTING TOURS OF THE PROPERTY. WE BROUGHT DOWN THE BARRIER ROPES IN THE ROOMS, TO BRING TOURS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL ANTIQUE PIECES. WE LET GUESTS TOUCH THE ANTIQUE FURNITURE, AND WE ALLOWED THEM TO HANDLE SMALL PIECES, UNDER OUR SUPERVISION, TO CONNECT WITH THE TEXTURES OF THE PAST. WE PRACTICED THE FULL EXTENT OF SENSORY EXPERIENCE AT WOODCHESTER, INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GHOSTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WANDERING THE HOUSE. I LOVED TO TELL VISITORS ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL HAIR WREATH, THAT HUNG IN THE SECOND FLOOR HALL. THIS PARTICULAR ONE, OR SO THE STORY GOES, WAS DONE AS A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO A FAMILY MEMBER. THOSE LEFT TO MOURN, CONTRIBUTED THEIR COLLECTED HAIR (FROM HAIR RECEIVER DISHES ON THEIR DRESSERS) TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS PROFICIENT AT WEAVING THEM INTO A WREATH DESIGN, TO THEN BE MOUNTED IN A SHADOW BOX WITH GLASS. THE REACTION WAS ALWAYS THE SAME. "WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT SOMETHING LIKE THAT," REFERRING TO THE WREATH. "IT'S SO MORBID, I DON'T LIKE IT."

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO OWN ONE MYSELF BUT THEY ARE QUITE DIFFICULT TO FIND, AND DREADFULLY EXPENSIVE TO PURCHASE. GUESTS WOULD ALWAYS FIND IT INTERESTING, UNTIL THEY DISCOVERED, ON CLOSE INSPECTION, IT WAS MADE FROM ACTUAL HUMAN HAIR. I'D GET A KICK OUT OF THE WAY THEY'D STEP-BACK QUICKLY, AS IF IT WAS A COILED SNAKE. "IT'S ONLY HAIR," I'D EXPLAIN. "IT WON'T BITE." I NEVER MET ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED TO HAVE ONE FOR THEIR HOME. SUZANNE AND I BOTH AGREE, FOR ONCE, THAT THE WREATHS ARE BEAUTIFULLY MADE, AND ARE TRULY EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL FOLK ART.

THE CASE OF PRESERVED BIRDS IN THE DINING ROOM, WAS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR. ADMITTEDLY IT WAS A LITTLE STRANGE, FOR THE LARGE CASE, TO BE SITTING IN THE DINING ROOM. IT ATTRACTED A HUGE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION…..SOME OF IT GOOD, AND A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT THE PAST CRUELTY TO OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS. WE KNOW FOR FACT, THE BIRDS WEREN'T KILLED, IN THE DAYS OF HENRY BIRD (OWNER OF THE HOUSE), JUST TO MAKE UP THIS SHOWCASE. IT WAS A VERY DARK AND UNSETTLING DISPLAY, AND PARTICULARLY SO WHEN WE'D HAVE TO PUT FOOD ON THE ADJACENT DINING-ROOM TABLE, DURING SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE EVENTS. THE KIDS WERE GENERALLY FRIGHTENED OF IT, AND MOST WOULDN'T ADMIT TO A FEELING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. I THOUGHT IT WAS A POWERFUL PIECE, THAT REALLY SET THE MOOD OF INTRIGUE ABOUT THE HOUSE GENERALLY. AFTER ALL, IT WAS BUILT AS AN OCTAGON, TO ENHANCE HEALTHY AND INSPIRED LIVING, AND OF COURSE FACILITATE CONVENIENCE. I DIDN'T FIND THIS, BUT ACCORDING TO ITS DESIGNER, AMERICAN PHRENOLOGIST, ORSON SQUIRE FOWLER, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A STRONG INNER POWER…..BEING A SPIRITUAL HIVE OF ENERGY, MUCH LIKE THE LATER SPECULATION ABOUT PYRAMID POWER. THERE WAS A DUMB WAITOR (ELEVATOR) IN THE CENTRE OF THE HOUSE, THAT WOULD LIFT PREPARED FOOD, FROM THE BASEMENT KITCHEN, TO THE DINING ROOM, AND SECOND FLOOR HALL. I'M PRETTY SURE IT WENT TO THE ATTIC BUT I JUST CAN'T RECALL WHERE THE OPENING WAS. IT WAS LOGICAL THAT IT WOULD ARRIVE UP TO THE ATTIC, BECAUSE TEA TRAYS WERE OFTEN TAKEN UP THE NARROW LADDER TO THE WIDOW'S WALK, WHERE FAMILY COULD SIT ON THE UPPER PLATFORM OF THE ROOF, LOOKING DOWN ON THE WOOLLEN MILL, ON THE EMBANKMENT OF THE MUSKOKA RIVER, JUST ABOVE THE BRACEBRIDGE FALLS. I LOVED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DUMB WAITER FOR THE SCHOOL KIDS, WHO MIGHT NEVER HAVE SEEN ONE IN THEIR LIVES. THEY ARE LARGELY A CONVENIENCE OF THE PAST.

I'D EVEN CRANK UP THE VICTROLA IN THE PARLOR, WHEN A TOUR WAS BEING CONDUCTED, AND SHOW STUDENTS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD 78 SPEED RECORDS AND THE NEWER VINYL. I WOULD LET THEM CHECK OUT THE SCREW-IN NEEDLE….WHICH WAS JUST A SHARP METAL POINT, AND LET THEM WIND-UP THE MAIN-SPRING WITH THE CRANK ON THE SIDE. WHILE I WAS PROTECTIVE OF THE PARLOR PIANO, I DID ALLOW GUESTS WHO COULD PLAY, TO TICKLE THE IVORIES. ONE DAY, AFTER LUNCH, I WAS COMING UP THE WALKWAY, AND I HEARD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIANO PLAYING, COMING FROM OUR MUSEUM. MY MOTHER MERLE, WHO WAS HELPING OUT AS A TOUR GUIDE, HAD INVITED A VISITING CONCERT PIANIST FROM TORONTO, TO PLAY TO HER HEART'S CONTENT. THE PARLOR HAD THUSLY BECOME FULL OF GUESTS, JUST TO WATCH THIS TALENTED PERFORMER ENJOY A BIT OF LIVING HISTORY. THE PLACE CAME ALIVE. THIS IS THE WAY I WANTED THE MUSEUM TO BE EXPERIENCED. IT WAS TO BE ENJOYED, CELEBRATED, AND EXPERIENCED. WHAT WAS THE POINT OF HAVING THIS COLLECTION, AND THE MUSEUM GENERALLY, IF EVERYTHING WAS ROPED-OFF, AND THE WHOLE TOUR TOOK ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES. LET ME TELL YOU, DURING MY TENURE, THE AVERAGE TOUR WAS BOOSTED TO AN HOUR….OR MORE….IF YOU HAPPENED TO PLAY THE PIANO…..OR LIKED OLD BIRDS IN A GLASS SHOWCASE. HOW ABOUT WORKING ON A VINTAGE SPINNING WHEEL? A LARGER WALKING WHEEL? WE HAD THOSE, AND AT TIMES WE'D HAVE THEM IN FULL USE, AS A CRAFT DEMONSTRATION……AND WE'D MOST CERTAINLY INVITE THOSE INTERESTED, TO GIVE THEM A WHIRL. I WANTED EVERYONE TO FEEL THEIR ADMISSION WAS WELL INVESTED. AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY'D GET A GHOST STORY FOR FREE. THEY WEREN'T STORIES MEANT TO SCARE ANYONE…….BUT TO RAISE THE SENSORY PERCEPTION OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN AN OCTAGONAL HOUSE……THAT MIGHT, JUST MIGHT BE, ATTACHED TO THE SO-CALLED PARANORMAL.

THE SMELL OF HISTORY. OLD WOOD. THAT'S A FOND MEMORY OF THE OLD PLACE. IT WAS WARM AND FRIENDLY. THOSE WHO ARE AVID ANTIQUE HUNTERS WILL RECOGNIZE SCENT, AS A KEY SENSORY PERCEPTION IN THE COLLECTION OF VINTAGE FURNITURE AND FARM IMPLEMENTS. I FOUND IT INTOXICATING IN A GOOD WAY. THE SMELL OF THAT MUSEUM COLLECTION, TOOK ME EVERSO GENTLY INTO THE ANNALS OF HISTORY. WHEN I OPENED THE MUSEUM DOOR IN THE MORNING, IT WAS A RUSH OF HISTORY THAT MET ME. I WAS IMMEDIATELY THRUST BACK IN TIME. EACH DAY WAS JUST AS PLEASANTLY APPOINTED AS THE NEXT. SO WHEN I'D SIT DOWN ON THE PORCH STEPS, WITH A PEN AND NOTEPAD, THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FINDING THE WORDS TO EXPRESS MY CONTENTMENT, MY JOY, WORKING AMIDST SO MUCH CANADIAN AND COMMUNITY HISTORY. I SHOULD REALLY HAVE BEEN PAYING THE TOWN TO LET ME WORK THERE.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THE CALMING GRACE OF THAT OLD HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON, AS I CONTINUE TO LISTEN FOR ERRANT MISSILES, GETTING A LITTLE OFF COURSE. TO A LOT OF BRACEBRIDGE CITIZENS, THIS HOUSE ON THE HILL IS JUST A RELIC OF SOMEONE ELSE'S VALUES. NOW NOTHING MORE THAN A TAX BURDEN. AN OBSTACLE, LEFT BY SOME FOOLISH PEOPLE, WHO THOUGHT A MUSEUM WOULD BE AN ASSET TO THE TOWN……A FITTING TRIBUTE TO ALL THE FAMILY NAMES ATTACHED TO BRACEBRIDGE'S EARLY DAYS. WHILE IT WAS THE BIRD HOUSE BEING REFURBISHED, IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT THEIR FAMILY, OR THE WOOLLEN MILL. IT WAS MUCH BROADER THAN THIS. FOR ALL THE PRESS BRACEBRIDGE HAS RECEIVED RECENTLY, FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ITS HERITAGE BUILDINGS, AND THE THE GLAD-HANDING DONE IN ACCEPTING THE ACCOLADES, SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG HERE. THE HISTORICALLY INCLINED OF BRACEBRIDGE, KIND OF FORGOT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL.

I DIDN'T. BUT THEN I'M AN OUT-OF-TOWNER!

SPORTS HALL OF FAME COLLECTION - I GOT TO HOLD ROGER CROZIER'S GOALIE MASK, ACE BAILEY'S SKATES!

WHEN ROGER CROZIER CALLED ME ONE DAY, AND ASKED IF I'D BE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF HIS NEW CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION, (WITH CHAPTERS IN DELAWARE AND MUSKOKA), IT CAUGHT ME TOTALLY OFF-GUARD. UP TO THAT POINT I'D BEEN WORKING ON SOME BIOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, DEALING WITH ROGER'S YEARS PLAYING IN THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE. HE HAD PLAYED WITH THE ORIGINAL SIX DETROIT RED WINGS, WITH GORDIE HOWE, THE BUFFALO SABRES, WITH EDDIE SHACK, AND THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS. THE BRACEBRIDGE BORN CROZIER, IN THE EARLY 1990'S, WAS AN EXECUTIVE WITH AN AMERICAN BANK, KNOWN AS MBNA, BASED IN DELAWARE. HE HAD A COTTAGE NEAR PORT CARLING, AND OF COURSE, HE HAD LOTS OF FAMILY IN BRACEBRIDGE. ROGER HAD BEEN ONE OF FOURTEEN CHILDREN. HEARING FROM ROGER, THAT HE WANTED ME TO DO PUBLIC RELATIONS WORK FOR HIS NEW FOUNDATION, WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY I COULDN'T TURN DOWN. THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY WAS THAT ROGER WAS SUFFERING FROM PROSTRATE CANCER, AND LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER STARTING THE CROZIER FOUNDATION, HE PASSED AWAY. IN HIS HONOR, AND AS A GIFT TO THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE, THE CROZIER FOUNDATION FUNDED A LARGE AND ELABORATE DISPLAY CASE AT THE TOWN ARENA, WITH THE BRASS LETTERS ABOVE READING "SPORTS HALL OF FAME." THE FOUNDATION WAS IN CHARGE OF THE EXHIBIT CASES, NOT THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE.

I WAS APPOINTED BY THE FOUNDATION AS ITS FIRST CURATOR. ACTUALLY, I WAS ITS ONLY APPOINTED CURATOR. WHEN THE CROZIER FOUNDATION CLOSED ITS MUSKOKA WING, AFTER TWELVE YEARS IN OPERATION, THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE INSTALLED ITS OWN CHOICE FOR CURATOR…….AND GAVE THIS GUY THE PROVERBIAL HEAVE-HO. IT WAS TO BE EXPECTED. I HAD BEEN A VOCAL OPPONENT OF THE TOWN'S SACRIFICE OF JUBILEE PARK, AND WHILE THEY CLAIMED MY REPLACEMENT WAS A NECESSARY CHANGE OF DIRECTION……IT WAS OBVIOUS MY POLITICAL RANTS WEREN'T APPRECIATED. NOT THAT I WASN'T RIGHT. JUST THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM THEIR CURATOR.

OVER THE YEARS I HAD SUCH AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ROGER CROZIER'S SMALL COLLECTION OF GAME-USED EQUIPMENT, FROM THE GOAL STICK HE USED IN THE 1966 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS WITH THE MONTREAL CANADIANS, HIS SKATES, GLOVES AND GOALIE MASK. ROGER PLAYED QUITE A WHILE WITHOUT BENEFIT OF A MASK, AND HE HAD THE SCARS TO SHOW FOR IT. I LOVED TO SHOW THE YOUNG HOCKEY PLAYERS FROM THE ANNUAL CROZIER SKATING CAMP, (WE USED TO RUN IN THE SUMMER MONTHS) HIS WORN-DOWN GOAL STICK. YOU COULD ACTUALLY FEEL THE DEPRESSIONS ON THE SHAFT WHERE ROGER'S HAND HAD WORN DOWN THE WOOD OVER MANY NHL GAMES. BACK THEN GOALIES TENDED TO HANG ONTO THOSE STICKS LONGER THAN NETMINDERS DO TODAY. YOU COULD SLIP YOUR HAND INTO THE PRECISE PLACE WHERE ROGER HELD THE STICK……AND THE KIDS WOULD CROUCH TO THE POSITION IT FELT MOST COMFORTABLE…..IN REALITY, REPLICATING CROZIER'S OWN STANCE IN THE CREASE. I ALSO LET THE KIDS PUT ON HIS MASK, AND EXAMINE HIS SKATES. I DID THE SAME WITH IRVIN "ACE" BAILEY'S SKATES, AND THIS WAS ALWAYS A TREAT FOR HOCKEY FANS, AS HE WAS ONE OF THE LEGENDARY TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS BACK IN THE DAYS OF CONN SMYTHE, AND THE NEW MAPLE LEAF GARDENS. I USED TO CLEAN DUST OFF THE ONE AND ONLY PAUL WHITEMAN TROPHY, THE BIG BAND LEADER, OF THE 1930'S, WHO HAD IT SPECIALLY CRAFTED FOR PRESENTATION TO ACE BAILEY. WHITEMAN WAS A BIG FAN OF MR. BAILEY'S PLAY. IF I DIDN'T MENTION IT EARLIER, ACE BAILEY WAS FROM BRACEBRIDGE.

FOR THOSE WHO LOVED SKIING, WE HAD AN AMAZING DISPLAY OF MEMORABILIA AND TROPHIES WON BY BRACEBRIDGE DOWNHILL SKI SENSATION, LIISA SAVIJARVI, FROM THE PERIOD OF THE "CRAZY CANUCKS." LIISA HAD COMPETED IN THE OLYMPICS IN SARAJEVO. I WAS ALWAYS PLEASED TO TALK ABOUT HER COLLECTION OF TROPHIES ON DISPLAY.

ON TOP OF THIS, I ALSO HANDLED HUNDREDS OF OTHER LOCAL SPORTS HEIRLOOMS, FROM EARLY SKATES AND STICKS, TO VINTAGE HOCKEY SWEATERS, JACKETS, CAPS, AND PLAYER MEMORIALS, SUCH AS THE ONE TO GARTH BRAZIER, AN OUTSTANDING HOCKEY PLAYER WITH THE BRACEBRIDGE HUSKIES INTERMEDIATE HOCKEY CLUB, WHO DROWNED IN A TRAGIC BOATING MISHAP. IT HAD ACTUALLY BEEN LOST FOR MANY YEARS, AND WAS FOUND ONE DAY, DURING A STORAGE-SPACE CLEAN-OUT AT THE ARENA. IT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN ON DISPLAY IN THE FORMER LOBBY, THAT HAD BEEN TORN DOWN IN THE 1970'S DUE TO STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES. THE BRAZIER MEMORABILIA HAD BEEN PUT IN STORAGE, AND THEN FORGOTTEN ABOUT. IT WAS GREAT TO GET IT BACK IN THE HALL OF FAME DISPLAY.

ALL IMPORTANT MATERIALS, AND I WAS THEIR GUARDIAN. I TOOK MY JOB SERIOUSLY, BUT IT NEVER SEEMED LIKE A JOB. LIKE WOODCHESTER VILLA, LOOKING AFTER THESE HERITAGE, LEGACY PIECES, WAS AN HONOR FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME. I DO MISS MY CONNECTION WITH BOTH OPERATIONS. JUST FOR THE RECORD. I WORKED AS THE HALL OF FAME CURATOR AS A VOLUNTEER. I WAS PAID FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS WORK BY THE CROZIER FOUNDATION. MY SONS? LIKE WOODCHESTER, THEY WERE MY HALL OF FAME ASSISTANTS, AND LONG BEFORE THEY DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR VINTAGE GUITARS AND MUSIC MEMORABILIA, THEY WERE HANDLING ROGER CROZIERS HOCKEY EQUIPMENT, THE PAUL WHITEMAN TROPHY, ACE BAILEY'S SKATES, HIS OWN ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS, AND LIISA SAVIJARVI'S TROPHIES….PLUS SO MUCH MORE. THEY'VE BOTH HAD STORIED LIVES THE RESULT OF THEIR FATHER'S OBSESSION WITH HISTORY.

Tour Guide at Woodchester Villa

LOVING HISTORY, ANTIQUES AND A FORMER WAY OF LIFE - WOODCHESTER VILLA WAS A DREAM JOB

WE ALL WANTED SATISFIED VISITORS - WE HOPED THEY WOULD COME BACK

I WAS A BAD, BAD BOY. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A FELLOW WHO WAS ONCE KICKED OUT OF CUBS FOR INSUBORDINATION? I ASKED THE LEADER TO REIMBURSE MY MOTHER FOR A NEW SHIRT, THAT HAD JUST THEN BEEN RIPPED APART, WHILE PLAYING BRITISH BULLDOG AT THE OLD SCOUT HALL, ACROSS FROM THE BRACEBRIDGE TRAIN STATION. WHEN HE SAID IT WASN'T HIS FAULT THAT ANOTHER CUB HAD RUINED MY NEW SHIRT, I INFORMED HIM OF HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CUB LEADER, TO CONTROL HIS TROOP'S BEHAVIOR. SO HE SHOWED ME THE DOOR. SO IT HAS BEEN A LIFE-LONG TRAIT OF MINE, TO CHALLENGE AUTHORITY.

I DID IT AS A DIRECTOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THEN MANAGER OF THE SITE BACK IN THE 1980'S. I WAS SO ENTHRALLED WITH THE "BIRD HOUSE," AS IT WAS KNOWN THEN, BECAUSE OF THE BIRD FAMILY CONNECTION, THAT I WOULD CONDUCT COMPLETE TOURS OF THE HOUSE WITH STUDENT GROUPS. WHY I BECAME A HISTORICAL SOCIETY BAD BOY, WAS DUE TO MY PENCHANT FOR DEFYING THE BOARD AND THE TOWN ITSELF, BY ALLOWING STUDENTS AND OTHER GUESTS TO VISIT THE WIDOW'S WALK AT THE VERY TOP OF THE OCTAGONAL HOUSE. WHILE IT WASN'T FORBIDDEN, AND I NEVER ONCE HAD A FORMAL, WRITTEN DECREE, FROM TOWN, IN MY HAND, IT WAS GENERALLY ACCEPTED THE ROOFTOP RAILING WAS UNSAFE. THIS WASN'T THE CASE. IT WAS MORE THE SECURELY REINFORCED, OR I NEVER WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ITS USE. IT WAS CLEARLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE WOODCHESTER EXPERIENCE. I FELT I HAD TO USE IT, AND I WAS WELL AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES. HERE'S WHY I DID IT?

FROM MY EARLIEST WORK IN THE MUSEUM, AND AS A VOLUNTEER TOUR GUIDE, THE WIDOW'S WALK WAS FOR SMALL TOURS, AND IT WAS ALWAYS DISCRETIONARY. IF WE HAD A RAMBUNCTIOUS SCHOOL GROUP, FOR EXAMPLE, I MIGHT DECIDE THE RISK WASN'T WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT. I HATED DOING THIS, BECAUSE A TRIP TO THE TOP OF THE HOUSE, TO OVERLOOK THE MUSKOKA RIVER, AND THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN, WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE…..THAT FRANKLY MADE THE TRIP TO WOODCHESTER, FAR MORE MEMORABLE, THAN JUST THE BASIC THREE FLOOR TOUR, AND THEN OVER TO THE MUSEUM ANNEX. ONE DAY, SOMEONE FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ON ADVICE FROM SOME TOWN OFFICIAL, ASKED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS TO CEASE TAKING VISITORS TO THE ATTIC OF THE HOUSE, WHICH OF COURSE LED TO THE STEEP LADDER TO THE ROOF-HATCHWAY. SAFETY WAS THE CONCERN, BUT IT WASN'T BASED THEN, ON ANY SERIOUS DETERIORATION OF THE RAILING, THE WIDOW'S WALK PLATFORM, OR THE STAIRS FROM THE ATTIC. IT WASN'T BASED ON ANYTHING MORE THAN THE FEAR OF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING. WELL, THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR THAT IN A HUNDRED OTHER LOCATIONS, IN THE MUSEUM AND AROUND THE TREED PROPERTY. I JUST COULDN'T SHORT-CHANGE THE INTEGRITY OF THIS OCTAGONAL WONDER OF THE 1880'S. I FELT IT WAS WORTH THE RISK, USING IT ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. I COULD TAKE SMALL GROUPS, OF TWO PEOPLE PLUS MYSELF, UP TO THE ROOF PEAK, TO ENJOY THE GREAT VIEW. NEVER LOST A SINGLE SOUL. BUT I MAY HAVE INSPIRED A FEW.

IT'S CERTAINLY TRUE I COULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE IF ANY ONE HAD TOPPLED OVER THAT RAILING. IF I HAD ACTUALLY SURVIVED THE FALL, THAT IS! YOU SEE, I HUNG ONTO EVERYONE WHO VENTURED ONTO THAT ROOF, SUCH THAT IF THEY FELL, SO DID I. MALE OR FEMALE, BOY OR GIRL, I TOLD THESE FOLKS IN ADVANCE, MY HANDS WERE GOING TO BE ALL OVER THEM……SO DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THE TOUR GUIDE GETS FAMILIAR. EVEN IN THE ATTIC AREA OF THE HOUSE, WHERE THERE WERE SECRET WALL COMPARTMENTS AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGE, I WAS GUILTY OF ALLOWING FOLKS TO HAVE A WEE GANDER AT THE DETAILED (EXPOSED) CONSTRUCTION OF AN OCTAGONAL HOUSE. OF COURSE, ONE OF THE OTHER PROBLEM AREAS, WAS THAT THE BOARD HAD ALSO DECIDED, THE VERY NARROW STAIRCASE FROM THE SECOND FLOOR TO THE ATTIC, WAS ALSO TOO STEP TO NAVIGATE. I DISAGREED. IT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE TIME, AND A RARITY VISITORS NEEDED TO SEE, IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND LIVING CONDITIONS IN SUCH AN ODDLY DESIGNED HOUSE. I ONLY ALLOWED SEVERAL GUESTS TO CLIMB WITH ME TO THE ATTIC ROOM, AND THEN WE HANDLED A SLOW, CAREFUL HIKE UP TO THE WIDOW'S WALK. SAFETY WAS ALWAYS MY CONCERN, AND THIS WENT FOR MY OWN FAMILY MEMBERS CLIMBING THOSE STAIRS ALMOST DAILY.

ON MORE THAN A FEW OCCASIONS, I'D HAVE TO DUCK BACK THROUGH THE HATCH, WHEN A PERSNICKETY DIRECTOR WOULD SHOW UP UNANNOUNCED, BUT MY GUESTS WERE ALWAYS GOOD SPORTS ABOUT IT……AND FELT PRIVILEGED THAT THE GUY WHO HELP COMMENCE THE MUSEUM PROJECT IN THE FIRST PLACE, WAS GIVING SUCH A PERSONAL TOUR, INTO FORBIDDEN NOOKS AND CRANNIES. MY WIFE AND I DID A LARGE NUMBER OF SPECIAL TOURS, DURING THE OFF-SEASON, AND FOR SCHOOL AND BUS TOURS, SPECIAL DELEGATIONS, VISITING DIGNITARIES, POLITICIANS, FILM COMPANIES, AND FOR THE NATIONAL MEDIA. WE ATTRACTED QUITE A NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS BACK THEN, FASCINATED BY THE OCTAGONAL DESIGN. AS WELL, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW TRAVEL WRITERS WHO'D SHOW-UP, OFTEN UNANNOUNCED, AND TO KEEP THE PRESS "POSITIVE" ABOUT OUR SITE, WE HAD AN EMERGENCY DRILL TO STAFF THE MUSEUM WITH VOLUNTEERS. I WOULD OFTEN GET A CALL FROM A STAFF MEMBER, LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT A TRAVEL WRITER SHOWING UP, AND IT WOULD TAKE ME ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO DASH FROM THE HERALD-GAZETTE OFFICE, ON DOMINION STREET, TO THE TOP OF THAT HISTORIC HILL. AND OF COURSE, THESE SPECIAL GUESTS TOOK A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE, AND VISITED THE FAMED WIDOW'S WALK, WHERE THE LADIES OF THE BIRD FAMILY OFTEN SAT, TO ENJOY THEIR AFTERNOON TEA. IT WAS THE ONE ASPECT OF THE TOUR, THAT SEALED THE DEAL. FOLKS ADMITTED IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT WAS OTHERWISE JUST AN ORDINARY TOUR OF A VICTORIAN ERA HOUSE. OF COURSE WE MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED ITS RESIDENT SPIRITS, WHICH DID GET A LITTLE PRESS BACK IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES. GHOST STORIES AND MUSEUMS…..THEY JUST SEEM TO WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.

THE REAL NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE WOODCHESTER DILEMMA, HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE MUSEUM'S PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE. IT'S POPULARITY, AS PERCEIVED BY TOWN HALL. AS IT HAD LONG BEEN A STRUGGLE TO CREATE THE KIND OF INTEREST, THAT MADE BEGGING FOR MONEY SOMEWHAT EASIER. I THOUGHT THAT IF I COULD PRODUCE ENOUGH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, AND BOTH TESTIMONIALS AND SOME MAJOR NEWSPAPER HEADLINES, ENDORSING THE PLACE, TOWN COUNCILLORS MIGHT LOOK MORE FAVORABLY ON THE SITE. NO MATTER WHAT WE DID, OR HOW MANY ACCOLADES WE RECEIVED, IT NEVER REALLY CHANGED THE LAGGING GENERAL OPINION, SUCH THAT IT WOULD INSPIRE MERIT INCREASES TO FUNDING. IT WAS A FAILED DREAM OF MINE, TO HAVE ALL OF BRACEBRIDGE'S COUNCILLORS COME FOR A VISIT. SO THAT WE COULD REGALE THEM WITH TRIPS UP TO THE WIDOW'S WALK, AND LET THEM SEE, FIRST-HAND, THE LARGE CROWDS THAT USED TO COME FOR STRAWBERRY AND BLUEBERRY SOCIALS, AND THE POPULAR "CHRISTMAS IN JULY" WEEK OF PROGRAMS. ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. BUT OUTSIDE OF THE PRESS COMING FOR SOME FILL PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THEIR SUMMER PAPERS, THE POSITIVES OF THE MUSUEM DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE COUNCIL TABLE. THIS IS NOT TO SAY WE DIDN'T HAVE SUPPORT FROM CERTAIN COUNCILLORS. JUST NOT ENOUGH TO CONVINCE TOWN HALL GENERALLY, WE WERE A THRIVING COMMUNITY ASSET OF CULTURE AND HISTORY. NO MATTER WHAT WE DID, ALL OF IT FINANCED ON A SHOE-STRING BUDGET, NOTHING COULD ELEVATE US FROM NUISANCE STATUS…..AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE START-UP OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT. WHAT SEEMED MORE THAN JUST A GLIMMER OF INTEREST, WAS JUST FOOL'S GOLD TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. COUNCILLORS WOULD SMILE FOR THE CAMERA, WHEN ATTENDING SOMETHING HERITAGE RELATED, LIKE ONE OF THE HUGE EMPIRE DINNERS, PUT ON BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, BUT NOT MUCH MORE. IT WASN'T A PRIORITY FROM DAY ONE. IT WOULDN'T HAVE REQUIRED A CLAIRVOYANT TO PREDICT THE FUTURE, WHICH WAS WITHIN A HAIR'S BREADTH OF FLAT-LINING FROM THE EARLY 1980'S. WHICH BRINGS US TO THE PRESENT MISFORTUNE FACING A WONDERFUL LITTLE HILLSIDE MUSEUM……THAT HAD, OH SO MUCH POTENTIAL…..BUT OH SO LITTLE MONEY, TO FULFILL ITS POTENTIAL.

THE TRULY CRITICAL RESULT OF THIS GENERAL DISINTEREST FROM THE MUNICIPALITY, AND THE ONGOING SHORTAGE OF MONEY, WAS THAT VOLUNTEERS JUST GAVE UP ON TRYING TO CHANGE PERCEPTION. IT WAS WORK ON TOP OF WORK, AND IT BECAME A JOY-LESS WAY TO SPEND TIME. WHEN I APPROACHED MUSKOKA ARTS AND CRAFTS MEMBER, JAMIE SHERMAN, IN THE LATE 1980'S, ASKING IF THE ASSOCIATION MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SHARING A PROPERTY WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, IT WAS WITH THIS SENSE OF THE INEVITABLE……THAT WE EITHER FIND A WAY TO REDUCE OUR EXPENSES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ON THAT HILLSIDE, OR FACE IMMINENT CLOSURE. NEGOTIATIONS WITH MUSKOKA ARTS AND CRAFTS WENT WELL, AND THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY TAKE-OVER THE MUSEUM ANNEX (ON THE SITE OF A FORMER 1800'S CHURCH), AND CALL IT THE CHAPEL GALLERY. IT COST ME DEARLY IN SO MANY WAYS, BECAUSE MUSEUM PURISTS WERE OUTRAGED THAT I HAD INITIATED THIS DOUBLING-UP OF PROPERTY USE…..AND WATERED DOWN THE WHOLE HISTORIC ATMOSPHERE OF THE PROPERTY. I SAW IT AS A WAY OF MERGING ART AND HISTORY, CULTURE AND RECREATION, ON A TRULY BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF URBAN LANDSCAPE. I SAW IT AS A MEANS OF BRINGING MORE PEOPLE ANNUALLY, TO THE OFTEN FORGOTTEN HILLSIDE. I SAW THE ART GALLERY, AND MUSKOKA ARTS AND CRAFTS GENERALLY, BECOMING BIGGER PARTNERS ON-SITE, AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO A DEGREE. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GALLERY. THE OTHER OPTION WAS TO PLYWOOD-UP BOTH BUILDINGS, AND WALK AWAY WITH HEAD LOWERED.

I HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, FROM ITS FOUNDING. MY FIRST POST, UNDER PRESIDENT WAYLAND DREW, WAS AS RECORDING SECRETARY. FROM THEN ON, I'D BEEN AN ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN DIRECTOR, DUE TO THE FACT I WAS WORKING OUT OF TOWN. I REMEMBER AT ONE SOCIETY MEETING, HELD AT BRACEBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL, I BELIEVE, BEING NOMINATED AS PRESIDENT. EVEN MY WIFE, ALSO A DIRECTOR, PUT HER HAND UP, AND ALTHOUGH FLATTERED TO PIECES, I WASN'T UNDER ANY ILLUSION ABOUT THE ROUGH PASSAGE AHEAD. THE MUSUEM HAD ALREADY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE ICE-BERG. SO WHEN THE DIRECTORS CAST THEIR VOTES,……AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE CANDIDATE BY THE WAY, WELL, I GOT MY CHAIN OF OFFICE ALRIGHT. IT WAS ATTACHED TO A PONDEROUSLY LARGE ANCHOR. THE OFFICIAL TRANSFER OF POWER INVOLVED THE PAST PRESIDENT, UNCEREMONIOUSLY SLIDING THE BOX OF WOODCHESTER DOCUMENTS, LIKE A CASE OF BEER ON A TRACK, DOWN THE LONG TABLE TO WHERE I WAS SITTING. NOT QUITE WHAT I HAD FANTASIZED ABOUT. IT DIDN'T EVEN TAKE "READING THROUGH THE LINES," TO APPRECIATE THAT THE MESSAGE ATTACHED WAS "GOOD RIDDANCE." SO I STARTED OFF WITH THE AUDIBLE WHISPER OF A WORD THAT SOUNDED A LOT LIKE "SUCKER."

SO PUT YOURSELF IN THE PRESIDENT'S SHOES. WHEN THE BURGLAR ALARM WOULD GO OFF, USUALLY AT 2 A.M., IT WAS MY JOB TO MEET THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE, ON SITE, TO CONDUCT A ROOM TO ROOM SEARCH. FORTUNATELY, ON NUMEROUS OF THESE OCCASIONS, THE OFFICER WOULD BE CONSTABLE ED KOWALSKY, ONE OF MY HOCKEY CLUB TEAM-MATES, AND WE TOOK A MORE LIGHT-HEARTED APPROACH TO THE INVESTIGATION. THEY WERE ALL FALSE ALARMS. BUT WHEN ANOTHER OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO ATTEND, THE SEARCHES WERE A LITTLE LESS ENTHUSIASTIC. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENED SEVERAL NIGHTS A WEEK. SEEING AS I LIVED QUITE A DISTANCE OUT OF TOWN, THESE EARLY MORNING SITE INSPECTIONS WERE BECOMING QUITE DISRUPTIVE. ESPECIALLY FOR OUR WEE LADS, WHO HAD A HARD TIME GETTING BACK TO SLEEP, THINKING ABOUT DAD TRACKING BAD GUYS, WHO HAD APPARENTLY BROKEN INTO THE MUSEUM. EACH TIME, I WOULD OFFER MY SINCERE APOLOGY TO THE OPP, AND VOW TO GET THE ALARM RE-ADJUSTED.

AFTER ABOUT A YEAR OF THIS NONSENSE, WE FINALLY FOUND OUT THE CAUSE OF THE FALSE ALARMS. THE WIRING OF THE ALARM ITSELF, THROUGH THE ATTIC, WAS ATTRACTIVE TO SEVERAL RESIDENT SQUIRRELS. IT SEEMS THE COATING ON THE WIRE, TASTED LIKE LICORICE TO THEM. SO THEY HAD STRIPPED SUBSTANTIAL AREAS OF COATING, AND EACH TIME THEY HAD A TREAT, THE ALARM WENT OFF. THEY LIKED POST MIDNIGHT SNACKS. THIS WAS THE LIFE OF THE PRESIDENT, AND FIRST LADY.

I LIKED TO STIR THINGS UP THEN, MUCH AS I DO NOW. SO WHEN WE HIRED A CURATORIAL DUO, TO TAKE OVER THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, I HAD NO IDEA IT INVOLVED A CANON. A SMALL ONE. NOT LIKE A FORT HENRY, OR GETTYSBURG CANON, BUT A CANON NONE THE LESS. ONE DAY I STEPPED OUTSIDE THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE, ON DOMINION STREET, IN TIME TO HEAR A LOUD REPORT…..AS IF A SUBSTANTIAL GUN HAD BEEN FIRED SOMEWHERE CLOSE-BY. I ALSO NOTICED, BY MY WATCH, THAT IT WAS 1 P.M. IT WAS AN OLD REPORTER'S HABIT, TO TIME STRANGE, OR OUT-OF-PLACE EVENTS, IN CASE I WOULD HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT IT LATER. I DIDN'T HEAR ANY AMBULANCE SIRENS, AND THERE WAS NOTHING GOING ON AT THE FIRE HALL, SO I WENT BACK INTO THE OFFICE. THEN THE PHONES BEGAN TO RING. YUP, THOSE CALLS WEREN'T FOR THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE. THEY WERE FOR SOMEONE, ANYONE FROM THE MUSEUM, WHO COULD EXPLAIN WHY THERE WAS CANON-FIRE COMING FROM THE HILLSIDE. GEEZ, HAD THOSE PESKY AMERICANS INVADED US AGAIN? AS I HAD KIN IN THE WAR OF 1812, I WAS READY TO DEFEND CANADA ONCE MORE.

WHEN I DROVE UP THE LANE TO WOODCHESTER VILLA, I COULD SEE MY CURATORIAL STAFF, STANDING BESIDE A TINY IRON CANON ON WHEELS, PARKED ON THE SIDE LAWN. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME, THAT THE STAFFER PLANNED ON FIRING THE CANON EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, AT PRECISELY I:00 P.M., SO THAT TOWN FOLKS COULD RE-SET THEIR CLOCKS TO THE ACCURATE TIME OF THE DAY. MEANWHILE NEIGHBORS ARE LOOKING ON, AS IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE RETURN FIRE FROM SOME UNIDENTIFIED MILITIA , CLIMBING UP FROM THE VALLEY BELOW. I DID KNOW ABOUT THE CANON BEFORE THIS, BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN USED EARLIER THAT WEEK, AT A SPECIAL HERITAGE PLAQUE UNVEILING AT WOODCHESTER. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BECOME A REGULAR THING. IT WAS AN INTERESTING SITUATION, AND VISITORS TO THE MUSUEM SEEMED AMUSED. THE KIDS LIKED TO WATCH THE PREPARATION, AND FIRING, LIKE THEY WOULD AT FORT YORK, SO I TRIED TO PACIFY THE NEIGHBORS THAT THEY WEREN'T IN ANY IMMINENT DANGER…..AND AS A BONUS, THEY COULD GET THE ACCURATE TIME EACH DAY.

WORKING AT WOODCHESTER VILLA WAS ALWAYS AN UNPREDICTABLE VENTURE. WHEN PLAYING HOST TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, YOU HAD TO BE EVER WATCHFUL. FROM PREVENTING ICE CREAM CONES BEING TAKEN IN THE HOUSE, TO DISALLOWING PIANO SMASHING IN THE VICTORIAN PARLOR. QUITE A FEW PARENTS, AS I REMEMBER, USED TO LET THEIR KIDS RUN, AS SOON AS THEY HIT THE FRINGE OF THE PROPERTY, AND IT CARRIED ON, INTO BOTH MUSEUM BUILDINGS. IT WAS HIGH STRESS, BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF VALUABLE ANTIQUES IN THE HOUSE, ESPECIALLY, THAT COULD BE DAMAGED BY ROUGH-HOUSING. LARGE CAMP AND SCHOOL TOURS EXHAUSTED STAFF, AND NO MATTER HOW CLOSELY WE WATCHED, THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME TYPE OF DAMAGE, AND YES…..TOPPLED ICE CREAM ON A RUG, OR ON A VINTAGE TABLE CLOTH.

THE BIGGEST DISASTER I EVER ENCOUNTERED, DURING MY TENURE, WAS WHEN SOME STAFFER HAD DECIDED TO PLACE A BIRD FAMILY WEDDING DRESS, FROM THE VICTORIAN VINTAGE, ON A BED IN THE MASTER BEDROOM. IT WAS SECURELY ROPED OFF, FROM VISITORS, BUT NOT FROM THE DEVASTATION THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE HEATING SYSTEM EXPLODES, WITH WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS A "SOOT BLOW-BACK," WHICH I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED PREVIOUSLY……OR WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN. NOW IMAGINE, IF YOU CAN, THE LARGE AMOUNT OF LACE ON A DRESS LIKE THIS. WHAT WAS WHITE BECAME BLACK. THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE. THE DRESS HAD TO BE SHIPPED TO A MUSEUM CONSERVATOR, IN OTTAWA, FOR RESTORATION. EXPENSIVE. YES IT WAS. DID WE HAVE MONEY TO COVER THE CLEAN UP? NO WE DIDN'T. WE JUST HAD TO DRAIN ONE RESOURCE TO OFFSET THE DEMANDS OF ANOTHER. WE HADN'T CREATED AN EMERGENCY FUND, IN OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGETS, AS SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED FROM THE BEGINNING, EXPECTING SITUATIONS TO HAPPEN WELL IN ADVANCE. WE JUST KEPT FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND IN THIS REGARD. WE COULD HAVE BEEN FUNDRAISING EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR AND STILL FALLEN SHORT OF NEEDED FUNDS.

IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, AT THIS TIME IN THE MUSEUM'S HISTORY……AND IN THIS ERA OF AUSTERITY….. WHETHER THE RESTORATION COSTS AND THE DAY TO DAY EXPENSES, COULD EVER BE RECOVERED BY OPERATION REVENUE. I AM A PAGE FROM THE PAST, AND I HAVE TO BE HONEST HERE. I CAN'T SEE IT EVER BEING COST EFFICIENT AS A MUSEUM, AND NEVER PROFITABLE UNDER OPERATION PROTOCOLS FROM MY ERA. AS MUCH AS I ADORE WOODCHESTER VILLA, ITS TRUTHS MUST PREVAIL…..FOR THE WELL BEING OF TAXPAYERS OF THE MUNICIPALITY.

Woodchester Villa, The Barge and Stewardship

THE EXPENSE OF STEWARDSHIP AND THE TOLL ON WOODCHESTER VILLA / AND GULL LAKE PARK'S "THE BARGE"

COUNCIL CANDIDATES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STEWARDSHIP AND HERITAGE BEFORE RUNNING IN ELECTIONS

IN CASE YOU DIDN'T READ YESTERDAY'S BLOG REGARDING WOODCHESTER VILLA, YOU CAN STILL ACCESS IT ON THIS SITE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A MORE IN-DEPTH RETROSPECTIVE OF THE MUSEUM, AND ITS FOUNDING, YOU CAN VISIT MY BRACERIDGE BLOGS BY CLICKING ON…….http://thenatureofmuskoka.blogspot.com/

I SUPPOSE THIS IS A BLOG INTENDED MORE FOR THE CANDIDATES OF THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION. THE ONES WHO NEED TO BRUSH UP ON LOCAL HISTORY, AND BE BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THE KIND OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THEY COULD FIND THEMSELVES, AS STEWARDS OF TOWN RESOURCES…..IF AND WHEN SUCCESSFULLY ELECTED. I'M LESS THAN IMPRESSED WITH THE SHORTFALLS IN THIS REGARD, PRESENTLY PLAYING OUT IN TWO OF MY FAVORITE MUSKOKA TOWNS.

ONE OF MY LONGSTANDING GRIEVANCES WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, IN OUR REGIONAL MUNICIPALITIES, IS THAT THEY ARE NOT ADEQUATELY INFORMED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THEY WISH TO SERVE. WHILE THEY LIKE THE IDEA OF WINNING A POPULARITY CONTEST, AND SITTING AROUND THE TOWN HALL "OVAL" (TABLE), I'M PRETTY SURE STEWARDSHIP ISSUES (AHEAD OF TIME) ARE SIMPLY INCONVENIENT THOUGHTS. "I LEARN BY IMMERSION," OR "I'LL DEAL WITH THAT WHEN IT BECOMES AN ISSUE."

THEY CAN COME UP WITH REAL NIFTY CAMPAIGN SLOGANS, AND INVEST A LOT OF MONEY TO SWAY THE ELECTORATE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCAL HERITAGE, AND JUST WHAT THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR……AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WELL, THEY ARE LACKING TO SAY THE LEAST. STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES? FOR WHAT?

IN THE RECENT DEBATE OVER THE FATE OF BRACEBRIDGE'S WOODCHESTER VILLA AND THE COMMUNITY'S OCTAGONALLY DESIGNED, FORMER ESTATE, BUILT BY WOOLLEN MILL MAGNATE, HENRY BIRD, (IN THE EARLY 1880'S), ONE COMMENT I READ……AND I HOPE IT WAS MISTAKEN, INDICATED AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF COUNCIL WAS UNAWARE IF CONTENTS WERE STILL IN THE NOW-CLOSED MUSEUM. THE MUSEUM WAS CLOSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AFTER THE WRAP-AROUND VERANDAH COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF HEAVY SNOW. WHILE NOT THE ONLY STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE HISTORIC HOUSE, LOOKING DOWN ON THE MUSKOKA RIVER, NEWS THAT COUNCILLORS WEREN'T QUITE SURE, WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE THE BUILDING, OR IF ANY OF THE "OLD STUFF" WAS STILL THERE, WAS ENOUGH TO STAB ANTIQUARIANS LIKE ME, RIGHT IN THE HEART. I SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE AS A DIRECTOR, AND EVENTUAL SITE MANAGER, BACK IN THE LATE 1970'S AND 80'S. MY FAITH NOW, IN TOWN STEWARDSHIP, IS THAT SOMEONE, A KEY-HOLDER, A KIND AND ATTENTIVE CONSERVATOR, HAS BEEN WATCHING THE MUSEUM, INSIDE AND OUT. I CERTAINLY WANT TO BELIEVE THIS, BECAUSE IF THE CONTRARY IS TRUE, THEN IT BECOMES A MUCH MORE SERIOUS MATTER, NEEDING TO BE INVESTIGATED.

IN THE PAST YEAR I HAVE WRITTEN MANY BLOGS, REGARDING BOTH MY EARLY YEARS WITH WOODCHESTER VILLA, AND MY ONGOING INTEREST PRESENTLY, TO ADVANCE RESTORATION OF GRAVENHURST'S FAMOUS GULL LAKE PARK VENUE, "THE BARGE," OPENED MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO BY QUEEN ELIZABETH. THIS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ENTERTAINMENT STAGE, CONSTRUCTED ON IRON POSTS, JUST OFF THE SHORE OF GULL LAKE PARK, IS STILL, AFTER A HALF CENTURY, BEING USED WEEKLY IN THE SUMMER SEASON, FOR THE "MUSIC ON THE BARGE" CONCERT SERIES……EVENTS THAT ATTRACT HUGE CROWDS TO THE GULL LAKE SHORELINE, TO WATCH A WIDE VARIETY OF ENTERTAINERS ON THE ISLAND STAGE, FROM JUNE TO MID-AUGUST. THE BARGE HOWEVER, IS SHOWING ITS AGE, AND FRAILTIES, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF IT THE RESULT OF INDIFFERENCE, SHOWN BY PREVIOUS TOWN COUNCILS, BY NOT HAVING RIGOROUS ANNUAL INSPECTIONS AND ONGOING REPAIRS. THE RESULT OF TIME, WEATHER AND ICE SHIFTING, IS THAT SOME OF THE SUPPORTING POSTS, HAVE BEEN SHEARED-OFF BY THE ICE. MUCH OF THE WOODWORK IS ALSO IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. FOR YEARS, PAINT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO WOOD THAT WAS ALREADY IN SERIOUS DECAY. DESPITE SOME NECESSARY CORRECTIVE WORK, BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF GRAVENHURST, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE OVERHAUL NEEDED TO BE MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE…..AND THAT, EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO, WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPENSIVE. IN ALL FAIRNESS, AND APPRECIATION OF BUDGETARY DEMANDS, ANNUAL REPAIR AND RESTORATION WORK WOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED ALL OF THE DAMAGE. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN EASIER, HOWEVER, TO ANTICIPATE NEED AND EXPENSE IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE HAD BEEN SERIOUS STUDY OF THE PLATFORM, BEFORE THE MANAGER FINALLY HAD TO INSIST, AT THE END OF THE 2010 CONCERT SERIES. PERSONAL SAFETY HAD BECOME AN ISSUE.

I DID TALK TO COUNCIL HOPEFULS BEFORE THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION, ABOUT THE NECESSITY TO ADDRESS STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WITH THE BARGE……AND IF THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR RESPECTIVE BID FOR ELECTION, HOPEFULLY THEY WOULD BE MORE SYMPATHETIC TO THE NEEDS OF A FIFTY YEAR OLD WOODEN PLATFORM, STUCK OUT IN THE LAKE. AS SAD IRONY, I HAD THE SAME DISCUSSIONS WITH TOWN COUNCILLORS IN BRACEBRIDGE, PRIOR TO 1989, WHEN BY THEIR OWN DECREE, STAFF AT WOODCHESTER VILLA COULD NO LONGER CONDUCT TOURS AROUND THE VERANDAH OF THE HOUSE. THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF THE WOODCHESTER EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE VISITORS COULD LOOK DOWN OVER THE MUSKOKA RIVER, JUST ABOVE THE BRACEBRIDGE FALLS. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THE ROPES WERE INSTALLED, TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM GETTING ONTO THE VERANDAH, ON EITHER SIDE OF THE MAIN PORCH OF THE HOUSE. I'M PRETTY SURE THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT PEOPLE ON THAT AREA OF ROOF, BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED DEFICIENCIES. THE PORCH WAS SHIFTING EVEN IN MY DAY, AND I CAN REMEMBER FREQUENTLY HAVING TO CHISEL WOOD AROUND THE ENTRANCE FRAMING, JUST TO CLOSE THE DOOR. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO HIRE A CARPENTER, AND MANY VOLUNTEERS AT THE MUSEUM LOOKED AFTER MAKING REPAIRS WHEN THEY WERE REQUIRED.

ON ONE OCCASION, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO INSTALL AN EAVESTROUGH, BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL HOUSE DIDN'T HAVE ONE……AND WITH AN OVER-RIDING HERITAGE DESIGNATION, WE HAD TO FOLLOW PROVINCIAL PROTOCOLS ON THE MATTER. A WOODEN TROUGH WAS AGREED TO, AND LATER INSTALLED ON THE WOOD-SHINGLED ROOF, BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. DUE TO THE PERCOLATION, OF WATER THAT HAD DRAINED OFF THE ROOF, BACK UP FROM THE GROUND INTO THE POURED CONCRETE OF THE WALLS, IT GOT SO BAD, THAT YOU COULD ALMOST BURROW RIGHT INTO THE HOUSE WITH BARE HANDS. WE HAD LOTS OF THESE ISSUES WITH THE HOUSE, BUT ZERO MONEY TO MAKE REPAIRS. IT DOESN'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT PROFESSIONAL REPAIRS WERE NEVER MADE, BUT THEY WEREN'T ENOUGH BY ANY MEANS, TO STAY AHEAD OF THE NEXT CALAMITY.

A LOT OF COUNCIL HOPEFULS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHER THINGS, OTHER PRESSING REALITIES OF OFFICE, MORESO THAT WHETHER THE BARGE, IN GRAVENHURST WILL SURVIVE ANOTHER HALF CENTURY, OR WOODCHESTER VILLA, ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS. HERE'S WHY. IF AT ALL-CANDIDATES MEETINGS, IN BOTH TOWNS, COUNCIL HOPEFULS HAD BEEN ASKED TO RAISE THEIR HANDS, IF THEY HAD EVER ATTENDED EITHER COMMUNITY RESOURCE, WHAT WOULD THE PERCENTAGES HAVE BEEN? HOW MANY HAD TAKEN A TOUR, IN THE PAST, OF WOODCHESTER VILLA? HOW MANY COUNCILLORS HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN-IN A CONCERT AT GULL LAKE PARK? DID THEY EVEN KNOW WHERE WOODCHESTER VILLA WAS? WHAT IT WAS? LIKEWISE IN GRAVENHURST. WERE THESE CANDIDATES FAMILIAR WITH THE HERITAGE OF THE BARGE, AND HAD THEY THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING A CHAT WITH THE VENUE MANAGER, ABOUT OPERATIONAL CONCERNS. IF THESE COUNCIL HOPEFULS (AND SOME RETURNING FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM OF OFFICE), WERE TRULY INTERESTED IN REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF THE ENTIRE MUNICIPALITY, THEN WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE HERITAGE THEY WILL BE STEWARDS OF, ONCE ELECTED? THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE IN THESE MATTERS. THE VERANDAH OF WOODCHESTER VILLA HAD ALREADY COLLAPSED, UNDER THE WATCH OF A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WAS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS INTO THIS NEW YEAR, NOT KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT THE MUSEUM WAS STILL FULL OF ITS ANTIQUE CONTENTS. JUST AS IT IS, "EYE-OPENING," FOR GRAVENHURST COUNCILLORS, IN THEIR NEW TERM, TO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY SURPRISE, THAT THE BARGE WAS FALLING APART……SOMETHING THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT BEFORE RUNNING FOR OFFICE. THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE TOWN'S ASSETS, THEY WERE GOING TO INHERIT, BY THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. UNFORTUNATELY, IN BOTH TOWNS, THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS, WERE NOT PROPERLY INFORMED. WHO IS AT FAULT? DON'T EXPECT ANYONE, OR ANY GROUP TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. I'LL TAKE THE FALL. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MORE AGGRESSIVE WRITER OF LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, TO THE LOCAL PRESS. I DID WRITE THEM. JUST NOT ENOUGH.

WHEN YOU READ OFF-HAND, ILL CONSIDERED REMARKS, LIKE "BULLDOZING" WOODCHESTER, FROM SOMEONE WHO MAY NEVER HAVE TOURED THE MUSEUM, AND IS ONLY LOOKING AT THE COST OF REPAIR, AS THE END-ALL OF WHETHER IT STAYS OR GOES, WELL, IT'S TO BE EXPECTED. WHEN THERE IS A BASIC INDIFFERENCE ABOUT STEWARDSHIP, IT JUST STAYS THIS WAY FOR ANOTHER TERM OF OFFICE…..OR UNTIL IT "GOES AWAY." IT'S JUST A MODERN DAY CONUNDRUM, NOT JUST IN MUSKOKA. HOW DO YOU EVER TAKE SOMETHING LIKE WOODCHESTER VILLA, OR THE BARGE FOR GRANTED? YET BY THE TERMS OF OFFICE THEY WERE ELECTED TO FILL, IT CLEARLY FALLS WITHIN THEIR RESPONSIBILITY? TIME AND AGAIN HOWEVER, THIS IS THE REALITY, AND ITS NOT JUST ABOUT TWO HISTORIC VENUES IN OUR TWO TOWNS. BEFORE THE ELECTION, I OFFERED A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES ADVICE ON HERITAGE AWARENESS, AND I'VE ALWAYS MADE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO CONSULT WITH WHOMEVER HAPPENS TO BE INTERESTED, IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE LEGACIES OF OUR COMMUNITIES. IF THEY WANTED THOSE OPINIONS, THEY CHOSE OTHER REGIONAL HISTORIANS TO INFORM THEM. JUST NOT ME. IF THEY HAD CONTACTED ME, I WOULD HAVE INSISTED WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSION, ON THE GROUNDS OF WOODCHESTER VILLA, OR IN GRAVENHURST, STANDING OUT ON THE RAMP LEADING TO A SLOWLY DECLINING LEGEND IN OUR TIME. AS I AM NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT, AND I TEND TO LET MY FEELINGS BE KNOWN, WITH SOME AGGRESSION, I CAN PRETTY MUCH UNDERSTAND WHY BEING BERATED ISN'T THE BEST STARTING POINT OF CONVERSATION. THAT'S PERCEPTION. NOT FACT. FOR THOSE COUNCILLORS WHO HAVE THOUGHT IT RELEVANT TO TALK TO AN OLD HISTORIAN, FOR WHAT INSIGHTS, PASSION FOR THIS REGION, HAS INSPIRED OVER A LIFETIME, NOT A SINGLE ONE HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED OR EVEN MILDLY TRAUMATIZED BY MY BARK. ADDITIONALLY, THEY HAVE YET TO PROVE ME WRONG, WHEN I MAKE THESE ASSERTIONS. IT GIVES ME NO PLEASURE TO HAVE TO SAY, "I TOLD YOU SO."

I HAVE WEIGHED INTO THE WOODCHESTER DEBATE FOR ONE REASON……AND THAT IS STEWARDSHIP OF HISTORY. THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE HAS ONLY RECENTLY BEEN PRAISED FOR THE WAY IT HAS PRESERVED ITS HERITAGE BUILDINGS. OBVIOUSLY THE SCOUTS FOR THIS AWARD NEVER MADE IT UP THE WOODCHESTER HILLSIDE TO SEE AN UNFORTUNATELY CLOSED MUSEUM, DUE TO NEGLECT. WHAT SHOULD BE HUGELY EMBARRASSING TO OUR SOUTH MUSKOKA TOWNS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE HERITAGE CONNECTED TO BOTH THE BARGE AND WOODCHESTER VILLA, IS THE LIST OF NAMES ATTACHED TO THE HISTORY OF BOTH SITES. MAYBE IF RESPECTIVE COUNCILS DID A LITTLE RESEARCH, WITH THOSE FOLKS WHO KNOW BEST, THEY WOULD BE REMINDED WHAT A LEGACY IS ALL ABOUT. I'LL BET THEY DON'T TRULY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY BUILDERS, WHO HAD DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE VENUES, AND IN THE CASE OF WOODCHESTER, THOSE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO HOUSE RESTORATION IN THE EARLY 1980'S. AND YES, IT WAS THE WHO'S WHO, JUST AS IT WAS IN GRAVENHURST. WHILE PRESENT COUNCILLORS MAY MISTAKENLY BELIEVE, THEY ARE THE TRUE TREND SETTERS OF THE LATEST TERM OF OFFICE, THEY ARE BUT LINKS OF THE GREAT CHAIN THAT BEGAN IN THE 1850'S…..AND WHILE IT MIGHT WELL BE CONSIDERED A PONDEROUS LENGTH, IT IS A NECESSARY BURDEN NONE THE LESS. WHILE IT IS UNDERSTOOD, SOME HERITAGE REALITIES CAN NOT BE CONSERVED, AND THAT FISCAL REALITIES ARE OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY WELFARE, IT DOESN'T MEAN AN ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY, TO HANDLE THESE MATTERS WITH RESPECT AND SENSITIVITY. IN MY MIND, THE DECLINING SITUATION OF BOTH HISTORIC SITES, HAS BEEN PAINFULLY DISRESPECTFUL, TO THOSE WHO DEDICATED SO MUCH TIME AND EXPERTISE TO THEIR CREATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN BRACEBRIDGE, IN PARTICULAR, COUNCILLORS NEED TO REVIEW THOSE NAMES, ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOUSE AND MUSEUM SINCE THE 1880'S, AND APPRECIATE FULLY, THAT THE HERITAGE, LEGACY FOUNDATION OF THE WHOLE TOWN, IS LINKED TO THIS NOW RUN-DOWN FORMER MUSEUM.

I WON'T HIDE MY CONCERN, OTHER COMMUNITY HISTORIANS HAVE NOT BEEN AS CONCERNED ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AS I HAVE FOUND MYSELF EMBROILED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. WHAT IS THE GOOD OF HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE, MUCH OF IT HANDS-ON……JUST TO WRITE BOOKS FOR PROFIT. I HAVE NEVER ONCE, EVEN IN THE DISCUSSION AND PROTEST ABOUT THE FATE OF BRACERBRIDGE'S "JUBILEE PARK," HAD ANOTHER HISTORIAN ACTUALLY CONTACT ME…….TO HELP CREATE AN INDEPENDENT INFORMATION SOURCE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT. I DID MENTION THIS TO ONE HISTORIAN, IN BRACEBRIDGE, WHO SIMPLY TURNED AND WALKED AWAY, MUCH AS IF TO SAY……BEING CONNECTED TO YOU, MR. CURRIE, WOULD HURT MY REPUTATION. I SUSPECT THIS WAS A CORRECT ASSESSMENT, JUST THAT I'VE NEVER TAKEN A LOT OF TIME TO WORRY ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING…..ESPECIALLY WHEN NEED ARISES TO DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT WHAT IS WRONG. WOODCHESTER VILLA IS A CASE IN POINT. WHERE ARE THE TOWN HISTORIANS? I LIVE IN GRAVENHURST. WHERE ARE THE FOLKS WHO TOOK PART IN THE ORIGINAL RESTORATION? EVEN IF THE MUSEUM WAS TO NEVER OPEN AGAIN, ISN'T IT INCUMBENT ON THOSE WHO STARTED THE BALL ROLLING, TO FOLLOW THROUGH, AND AT LEAST BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO ITS FUTURE……AS A STILL OPERATING MUSEUM, OR JUST A BRASS PLAQUE MOUNTED ON A ROCK, ON THOSE SAME BEAUTIFUL LAWNS? MIGHT WE HAVE THE SAME FOR THE BARGE, WITH A PICTURE OF WHAT IT ONCE LOOKED LIKE? DOES THIS MAKE YOU MAD? MAD THAT A FLOATING TWO-TOWN HISTORIAN, CAN MAKE SUCH COMMENTS? OR MAD THAT WE HAVE PUT TOO MUCH ONESS ON TOWN HALL, AS STEWARDS, OF OUR MUNICIPAL RESOURCES?

I HAVE NO PRIVILEGE OTHER THAN WORDS HERE, TO MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IN EITHER TOWN, FOR EITHER VENUE. IT IS THE WILL OF COUNCIL THAT DETERMINES THE FATE OF BOTH. WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO SAY THAT HUNDREDS OF CALLS AND LETTERS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED AT OUR TOWN COUNCILS, I AM PRETTY SURE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN. FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT THEN ASK, "WHY THE HELL DO YOU KEEP ON TRYING," WELL, IT'S OUT OF IMMENSE RESPECT FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE PAST, WHO CAN'T SPEAK OUT IN DEFENSE TODAY, TO REMIND US WHY THESE PROPERTIES WERE IMPORTANT IN THE BEGINNING, AND SHOULD BE JUST AS IMPORTANT, TO COMMUNITY VALUES TODAY. THAT'S WHY.

TRUTH IS, I KNEW, RIGHT FROM THE BURST OF NEWS, VIA THE LOCAL PRESS, BRACEBRIDGE'S JUBILEE PARK WAS GOING TO BE SOLD-OFF, SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I WAS UNDER NO ILLUSION THERE WAS ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO REVERSE THE DECISION, THAT WAS FORGED BY LIKE-MINDEDNESS. EVEN BEFORE OPPONENTS COULD RUSTLE UP A FEW BUCKS TO DEFEND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, I REALIZED BY EXPERIENCE IN THESE MATTERS, AS A FORMER REPORTER, IT WAS A DONE DEAL. AS I CARRIED AROUND A PLACARD, PROTESTING THE SACRIFICE OR URBAN PARKLAND, I KNEW IT WAS ALL A WASTE OF TIME….IF ALL I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS ACTUALLY SAVING THE PARK. WHAT BECAME MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, WAS THE VERY REAL OUTCOME, OF SHOWING THE TOWN AND THE REGION, THE CITIZENS WERE NOT AS UNANIMOUS AS THE RESULTS OF THEIR COUNCIL'S VOTE…..AND IT WAS VERY MUCH FOR THE RECORD OF HISTORY, THAT JUBILEE PARK WAS SOLD, WITHOUT REFERENDUM…..NOT VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERED.

I HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST BOTH PROJECTS, AS AN INFORMATION SOURCE. IF THEY WANT MY OPINION, I WILL BE GLAD TO OFFER MY CONCERN FOR BOTH VENUES. WILL I BE SOUGHT OUT FOR MY WISDOM? I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH.

THE CITIZENS ARE, IN REALITY, THE ULTIMATE STEWARDS OF THESE VENUES, THESE VESTIGES OF LOCAL HISTORY. THIS IS WHERE DIRECTION MUST ULTIMATELY COME FROM, WITH STRINGS ATTACHED. WE ALL HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE SOLUTIONS, AND SO FAR, THERE ARE HUGE GAPING HOLES WHERE CITIZENS SHOULD BE……..

WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM BULLDOZED?

WOODCHESTER VILLA, THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND WHAT NOT TO DO WITH AN HISTORIC BUILDING

I FEEL REAL BAD ABOUT THIS - SO SHOULD MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING TOWN COUNCIL. IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH SOONER

WHEN I LEFT THE MANAGEMENT POSITION, OF BRACEBRIDGE'S WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM, IN AND AROUND THE FALL OF 1989, I HAD MANY REGRETS, WALKING DOWN THAT PATH FOR THE LAST TIME. EVEN THEN, THE OCTAGONAL BUILDING, BUILT IN THE 1880'S BY HENRY BIRD, THE PROPRIETOR OF BIRDS WOOLLEN MILL, WAS GROSSLY UNDERFUNDED, UNDERSTAFFED, BECOMING UNSAFE, AND WELL, STILL LARGELY UNDER-KNOWN, DESPITE MANY YEARS IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT.

THE ANNUAL STRAWBERRY AND BLUEBERRY SOCIALS WERE MILESTONE SUMMER-SEASON EVENTS IN THE TOWN, AND THE VICTORIAN-THEMED EMPIRE DINNERS, CO-ORDINATED BY SWARMS OF EAGER VOLUNTEERS, WERE MAGNIFICENTLY APPOINTED AFFAIRS. WHO COULD FORGET THE MUSKOKA FESTIVAL PRODUCTIONS OF "PAPER WHEAT," AS THEATRE-IN-THE ROUND, ON THE HARDWOOD-SHADED SIDE LAWN? THE CHRISTMAS IN JULY CELEBRATIONS? THE SOUND OF THE FULL SALVATION ARMY BAND, OF ONTARIO, PERFORMING BESIDE THE BACKYARD FOUNTAIN….WHICH NOW ADORNS MANITOBA STREET'S MEMORIAL PARK.

I COULD REMEMBER STANDING ON THAT LAWN, WITH AUTHOR / TEACHER, WAYLAND DREW, LOOKING UP AT THE PLYWOOD-COVERED WINDOWS, AND DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY OF SAVING THE HOUSE FROM WHAT APPEARED THEN, TO BE AN INEVITABLE DATE WITH A BULLDOZER. MUCH LIKE SOME OF THE WORDS BEING BANDIED ABOUT TODAY, AT BRACEBRIDGE COUNCIL, ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS WORK AHEAD TO BRING WOODCHESTER BACK FROM THE NEAR-DEAD.

WAYLAND AND I WERE ON THE FIRST EXECUTIVE, OF THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THE MISSION WAS TO NOT ONLY SAVE WOODCHESTER FROM BEING SOLD, OR TORN DOWN, BUT ESTABLISH BRACEBRIDGE'S FIRST COMMUNITY MUSEUM. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, AND IT TOOK A HUGE WORK FORCE TO PULL IT OFF, AND AT THAT TIME, I HAD TO TAKE A HIATUS, DUE TO EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE. I CAME BACK TO THE MUSEUM DIRECTORSHIP IN THE EARLY 1980'S. I WAS PRESIDENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THEN I TOOK OVER AS MUSEUM MANAGER. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT MUSKOKA ARTS AND CRAFTS MEMBER, JAMIE SHERMAN AND I, WENT TO WORK ON A PLAN FOR THE CHAPEL GALLERY, WHICH IS STILL OPERATING IN THE FORMER MUSEUM ANNEX…..ITSELF A RE-CREATION OF AN EARLY BRACEBRIDGE CHURCH. I ALWAYS FELT GOOD ABOUT THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE PROPERTY, AND I'M VERY PLEASED IT HAS CONTINUED FOR ALL THESE YEARS. IT WAS IN THE LATE 1980'S THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP WAS FORMED, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE.

LONG BEFORE I LEFT THE MUSEUM, WE WERE NOT PERMITTED TO USE THE WRAP-AROUND VERANDAH, FOR TOURS, DUE TO THE FAILING WOOD SUPPORTS. THIS HAD TO BE BEFORE 1989. TO MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPERTY SINCE, IT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED BY THE TOWN. IF IT WAS REPAIRED, THEN I MISSED READING ABOUT THE EXPENSE BEING INCURRED BY THE TOWN, WHICH I'M SURE WOULD HAVE MADE LOCAL COUNCIL NEWS……JUST AS ITS COLLAPSE, DUE TO A BURDEN OF SNOWLOAD SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND ITS AFTERMATH, HAVE MADE FRONT PAGE INK EVER SINCE. AS COUNCILLORS TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER TO FIX IT OR TEAR IT DOWN. YES, BY GOLLY, I CAN SO CLEARLY RECALL WAYLAND AND I SHAKING HANDS, THAT DAY, AND VOWING TO FORGE AHEAD WITH THE FORMATION OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WHICH WOULD BE THE DAY TO DAY GOVERNANCE OF WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM.

SO HERE'S WHAT WENT WRONG IN A NUTSHELL. THE PROJECT WAS IMMENSE. IT DREW FOLKS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE TO HELP OUT THIS WONDERFUL MUSEUM PROJECT. IT WAS THE TALK OF THE TOWN. THE ROTARY CLUB OF BRACEBRIDGE DID A BRILLIANT JOB WITH THE PURCHASE AND RESTORATION WORK, AND IN THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS, FUNDRAISING EFFORTS AND THE RELATED HISTORIC EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE LEGEND.

IT WAS THE WHO'S WHO OF THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY, HUSTLING AT ONE OR MORE OF THE SEEMINGLY THOUSAND TASKS, TO GET THE MUSEUM READY FOR ITS OPENING. TO SAY IT WAS A HIVE OF ACTIVITY, IN THOSE DAYS, WAS AN ACCURATE ANALOGY. BUT THE DOWNSIDE WAS OBVIOUS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, AND IT NEVER REALLY CHANGED MUCH OVER THE YEARS. BRACEBRIDGE COUNCIL OBVIOUSLY SIDED WITH THE PROJECT, AND SUPPORTED THE ROTARY CLUB'S EFFORTS, BUT IT WASN'T THEIR IDEA OF MONEY WELL SPENT. IN FACT, IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET A BRACEBRIDGE COUNCILLOR TO ATTEND AN EVENT, WE WERE ECSTATIC. THE ONLY THREE I REMEMBER PERSONALLY, FROM MY TENURE, WERE HEATHER COPELAND (ALSO A MUSEUM DIRECTOR), JIM BOYES, WHO WAS A COUNCIL LIAISON WITH THE BOARD, AND AUBREY GLASS, WHO CAME TO VISIT WITH US ONE CANADA DAY EVENING, JUST BEFORE THE FIREWORKS IN THE BAY BELOW. HE HAD CAKE AND LEMONADE, TOOK A TOUR OF THE HOUSE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT ITS FUTURE. AUBREY WAS HONEST WITH ME. COUNCIL WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH FUNDING THE MUSEUM TO INFINITY. WE AGREED. JUST AS I HAD AGREED WITH ANOTHER TOWN COUNCILLOR, FRANK HENRY (ALSO THE HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR) WHO EXPLAINED ROUGHLY THE SAME SCENARIO……THAT SIDEWALKS AND ROAD REPAIRS WERE SIMPLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONTINUALLY DUMPING MONEY INTO AN OLD BUILDING FOR THE REST OF TIME. I AGREED WITH HIM. IN FAIRNESS, MAYOR JIM LANG DID ATTEND SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE MUSEUM, AS DID OTHER COUNCILLORS FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE EARLY YEARS…..NOT DURING MY YEARS IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES TO THE CUSP OF 1990.

IT WAS TRUE THAT COUNCIL HAD WORRIED ABOUT THE BURDEN, THE MUSEUM WAS GOING TO CREATE, FOR THE TOWN IN THE FUTURE. OBVIOUSLY THEY HAD PREDICTED THE 2012 SCENARIO, CONFRONTING THE PRESENT COUNCIL. AND THESE SAME SENTIMENTS HAD BEEN IN THE THOUGHTS OF LOCAL COUNCILLORS FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT WHAT DIDN'T COME OUT DURING COUNCIL MEETINGS, IN CONFRONTATION OF THIS MUSEUM ISSUE, WAS STILL A SILENTLY FESTERING NODE OF COUNCIL BUSINESS. IT WASN'T MAKING FRONT PAGE NEWS, BECAUSE NO ONE FROM THE MEDIA WAS ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. HELL, THAT WAS MY GLARING CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I WAS AN EDITOR OF ONE OF TWO TOWN PUBLICATIONS, AND ALL I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, AT THE HERALD-GAZETTE, WAS GETTING AS MUCH PUBLICITY FOR WOODCHESTER FUNDRAISERS AS I COULD. IF ONE OF MY REPORTERS HAD COME TO ME WITH A STORY IDEA TO REVEAL WHAT COUNCIL REALLY THOUGHT, ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO MUSEUM OPERATION…..WELL SIR, I'D HAVE FOUND ANOTHER MORE PRESSING ASSIGNMENT FOR THEM TO PURSUE INSTEAD. THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE RELATIONSHIP FROM THE MID 1980'S, A TIME WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THE VOLUNTEERS WERE BURNED-OUT. THE MOST GLARING ISSUE, WAS THE FACT WE LOST THE VOLUNTEER BRIGADE TO HELP US FUNDRAISE. WE WERE DOWN TO A TINY WORK-FORCE BY THE LATE 1980'S, AND IT WAS AROUND THIS TIME, I HAD TO ATTEND A COUNCIL MEETING, CAP IN HAND, AND ASK FOR TOWN ACCOUNTING ASSISTANCE, TO ALLOW US THE SLIM CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. THE IDEA TO DIVEST OURSELVES OF THE MUSEUM ANNEX, CAME AT AROUND THIS TIME, AND IT WAS THE ONE GOOD THING THAT SEEMED TO COME OUT OF THE WHOLE MUSEUM PROJECT FROM THE GET-GO.

AT THIS POINT, I TRIED BOMBARDING THE COMMUNITY WITH REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE, AND GENERALLY, THE KEY FOLKS, WHO HAD BROUGHT IT TO FRUITION IN THE FIRST PLACE, WERE JUST TO FED-UP WITH CONSTANT FUNDRAISING, TO EVEN THINK OF GETTING INVOLVED ONCE-AGAIN. I COULDN'T BLAME THEM. IT WAS A DISASTER, AND I WAS STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, WITH NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO RESIGN MYSELF. I'D HAD A COUPLE OF RUN-INS WITH TOWN ADMINISTRATION, BY THAT POINT, AND IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE KIND OF PERMANENT CHANGES THAT WOULD EASE THE BURDEN ON THE TOWN, AND ON THE FEW FOLKS LEFT TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN. SUZANNE AND I EVEN HAD TO CUT THE GRASS OF THE PROPERTY MANY TIMES, WHEN WE WEREN'T INCLUDED IN THE TOWN LAWN CUTTING CONTRACT. I CAN REMEMBER ON THE LAST DAY I WAS ON SITE, ON THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, AND WORKING FOR HOURS, TRYING TO FIX THE OUTSIDE DOOR OF THE PORCH, SO IT WOULD SHUT SECURELY FOR THE APPROACHING WINTER SEASON. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO CALL IN A CARPENTER, AND MOST JOBS LIKE THIS, HAD TO BE DONE BY THOSE CLOSEST TO THE MUSEUM. AND IT WASN'T THE MAYOR. IT WAS ME. WHILE THEY HELD THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY, THEY WANTED THE MUSEUM MANAGER TO MAKE PROBLEMS GO AWAY. I TRIED. I REALLY DID. STILL, EVEN WITH ALL THE STRESSES IT CAUSED ON OUR YOUNG FAMILY, IN THOSE YEARS, I LOVED THAT PLACE….AND STILL DO. OF COURSE IT WAS HAUNTED. THAT'S WHAT I LOVED MOST ABOUT IT. IT HAD AN ALLURE MANY OF US FELT, WHO HAD SPENT MANY HOURS ON-SITE, THAT COULDN'T BE DENIED, OR EXPLAINED. THERE WAS NO NEED. ON THAT LAST WALK DOWN ITS LANE, I COULDN'T LOOK BACK. BUT I KNEW IT WAS WATCHING ME. MY KIDS HAD GROWN UP ON THIS PROPERTY. MY WIFE AND I SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS RUNNING TOURS, AND OPERATING SPECIAL EVENTS ON THE SHOESTRING BUDGET WE WERE AFFORDED ANNUALLY. BUT THIS OLD HOUSE GAVE US SOME TRULY MEMORABLE TIMES, ESPECIALLY AT CHRISTMAS WHEN WE'D HOST OUR ANNUAL OPEN HOUSES. WHILE IT WAS WORK, AND HARD TO FIT IT IN TO A BUSY SCHEDULE OTHERWISE, WE TRULY ENJOYED SEEING THAT OLD HOME ADORNED WITH VICTORIAN DECORATIONS, AND IT WAS A PLEASURE TO INVITE FOLKS THROUGH THAT FRONT DOOR….JUST AS THE BIRD FAMILY HAD DONE A CENTURY BEFORE.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END WAS IN FACT….THE BEGINNING. IT'S CLEAR TO ME TODAY, THIS WAS THE CASE. IT MUST BE A TERRIBLE EMBARRASSMENT TO THE PRESENT TOWN COUNCIL. IF THE COUNCILLORS' TRUE FEELINGS HAD BEEN KNOWN, BACK IN 1978-79, WHEN TALKS ABOUT THE MUSEUM FIRST BEGAN, AND ISSUES OF LONG-TERM FUNDING HAD BEEN THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED, AND DEBATED THEN, POSSIBLY THE MUSEUM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THOSE DOUBTS EXISTED. THE FACT THAT THE ROTARY CLUB, AND MANY OF THE TOWN'S PROMINENT CITIZENS GOT INVOLVED IN THE EARLY GOING, MAY HAVE GIVEN THE ILLUSION IT WAS UNSINKABLE. LIKE THE TITANIC'S FAILINGS, THE MUSEUM PLAN WAS UNSEAWORTHY. IT WAS MUCH LESS RESILIENT THAN IT SEEMED IN NEWSPAPER COVERAGE. MANY COUNCILLORS HAD MADE THEIR CONCERNS KNOWN, BUT NOT LOUD AND AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO SLOW THE TIDE OF MOUNTING ENTHUSIASM, FOR A GREAT NEW COMMUNITY INITIATIVE. IT WAS A GOOD PLAN, AND IT WAS A GREAT LITTLE COMMUNITY MUSUEM. IT CERTAINLY SEEMED HEADED FOR A LONG AND ICEBURG-FREE VOYAGE.

ONE CRUSHING REALITY HADN'T BEEN EXPLORED, AND THAT WAS THE LONG TERM COMMITMENT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING FROM THE PROVINCE. YEAR AFTER YEAR IT BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO SECURE EVEN THE BASIC OPERATIONAL FUNDS, AND WE COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH MINISTRY DEMANDS, IN RETURN FOR GRANTS. WE DIDN'T HAVE A FULL TIME CURATOR OR A DAY TO DAY ACCOUNTANT. WE COULD HAVE EASILY SPENT HALF THE GRANT ALLOCATION MONEY, PAYING FOR SOMEONE TO DO THE PAPER WORK, AND THE REQUIRED CONSERVATION EFFORTS AROUND THE PROPERTY, TO JUST QUALIFY FOR A STIPEND. IT BECAME TOO MUCH WORK FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HANDLE, AND I MUST ADMIT THERE WERE TIMES, WHEN IT FELT AS IF WE WERE ON THE TITANIC, WATCHING SO MANY OF OUR FAITHFUL MUSEUM HELPERS JUMP SHIP.

I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE TOWN IN 2011 TO OFFER MY ASSISTANCE, IN ANY CAPACITY, AS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND MANAGER OF WOODCHESTER VILLA. AS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE PROJECT, DATING BACK TO 1977, I THOUGHT IT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO, AT THE VERY LEAST, DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH THOSE DECISION MAKERS OF TODAY, WHO WILL HAVE TO ULTIMATELY DECIDE, WHETHER TO RESTORE THE PROPERTY, OR CLOSE IT FOR GOOD. I DIDN'T EXPECT A RESPONSE, AND I WAS PRETTY SURE THEY DIDN'T WANT MY INPUT OR ADVICE ANYWAY. I'M GOOD WITH THAT. SO I DID THE NEXT BEST THING, AND I WROTE A MULTI-BLOG BIOGRAPHY OF MY INVOLVEMENT AT WOODCHESTER VILLA, AND PUBLISHED THEM EARLIER ON THIS BLOG-SITE. I SUGGESTED THE TOWN MIGHT, AT THE VERY LEAST, BE INTERESTED IN REVIEWING THEM, IF ONLY TO BRING COUNCILLORS UP TO SPEED, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE MUSEUM'S ORIGINS, FROM ONE OF THE FIRST DIRECTORS TO GET INVOLVED. I'M PRETTY SURE THEY DIDN'T INVEST MUCH TIME ON THIS OPTIONAL READING ASSIGNMENT.

AND YES, I DID CO-PRODUCE THE WOODCHESTER VILLA BOOKLET, WITH LOCAL HISTORIAN ROBERT BOYER, WHO HAD ALSO BEEN ONE OF THE EARLY DIRECTORS OF THE MUSEUM.

I WILL RE-PUBLISH THOSE BLOGS ON MY BRACEBRIDGE SITE, JUST IN CASE NEWS OF WOODCHESTER'S FUTURE, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OF CONSULTANT INVESTIGATION OF THE SITE, INSPIRES FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE HISTORIC PROPERTY….TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THEIR OWN.

JUST FOR THE RECORD. I DID SUGGEST TO THE TOWN, IN AN EMAIL IN 2011, THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE RIGHT TIME, TO FIND ANOTHER USE FOR THE MUSEUM BUILDING, POSSIBLY AS AN ARTS CENTRE, AS AN ANNEX TO THE CHAPEL GALLERY….WHICH HAS DONE SO WELL ON THIS PEAK OF LAND, OVERLOOKING THE MUSKOKA RIVER.

FOR MORE ON WOODCHESTER VILLA, YOU CAN SEE THESE RE-POSTED BLOGS, BEGINNING TOMORROW (MONDAY) MORNING.

Gravenhurst Winter Carnival, Antique Guidebooks

GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL - PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT - SKOKIE SCARVES MAKING MY WIFE CRAZY, AND JUST COLLECTING STUFF

IT'S LESS THAN A WEEK UNTIL THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL. I HOPE THE WEATHER PREVAILS UPON THOSE THREE DAYS…..WITH A LITTLE SNOW / SUN MIX. THE GROUP "PRESSURE POINT," WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE OPENING CEREMONIES, ON FRIDAY EVENING AT THE OPERA HOUSE (OUTSIDE). THEY WILL BE PERFORMING THEIR WINTER CARNIVAL TRIBUTE SONG, WITH SKOKIE, THE EVENT MASCOT. THE GROUP IS MADE UP OF SINGER DANI O'CONNOR, AARON BINDER, ANDREW AND ROBERT CURRIE (THE WEE LADS), WITH BACK-UP VOCALS BY RAY PARSONS AND JON O'CONNOR. ON FRIDAY, THE YOUTUBE MUSIC VIDEO PASSED A THOUSAND HITS, IN TWO WEEKS. IT WAS CREATED BY "PRESSURE POINT" AS A DONATION, IN SUPPORT OF THE WINTER CARNIVAL COMMITTEE'S TIRELESS EFFORTS, TO RE-ESTABLISH THE TOWN'S STAKE, IN THE ORIGINAL MUSKOKA WINTER CARNIVAL, WHICH BEGAN OFFICIALLY, BACK IN JANUARY 1971.

SUZANNE PICKED UP SOME WOOL, TO MATCH THE CARNIVAL COLORS, BACK IN LATE DECEMBER, AND MADE SCARVES FOR EVERYONE IN THE GROUP, WITH SPECIAL MITTS AND A HAT FOR DANI, THE LEAD SINGER. AND THEN IT WENT, AS THEY SAY, "VIRAL" WITHOUT EVEN BEING ONLINE. REQUESTS FOR THE WINTER CARNIVAL THEMED SCARVES, ORIGINALLY MADE FOR USE IN THE VIDEO, HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMING. SUZANNE'S LITTLE HANDS HAVE BEEN SMOKING, BY GOLLY, AND NOW PEOPLE ARE BRINGING HER ANY AND ALL ORANGE WOOL THEY FIND OUT THERE……BECAUSE WE BOUGHT OUT ALL THE LOCAL INVENTORY. SHE WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO KNIT SEVERAL MORE BEFORE THE CARNIVAL COMMENCES, BUT HOPES TO GET A HEAD START ON NEXT YEAR'S REQUIREMENT. ADMITTEDLY, SHE'S SEEING ORANGE THESE DAYS, EVEN WHEN SHE'S NOT STARING AT AN ORANGE BALL OF WOOL, A SCARF IN THE WORKS, AND THE GRAPHIC OF SKOKIE WE'VE PUT ON THE TABLE BESIDE, FOR SOME INSPIRATION. WENT FOR AN ANTIQUE HUNT THIS MORNING, AND THE BAG OF WOOL WENT WITH US. I HAVE A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH THE CLICKING OF THE NEEDLES, AS I AM FANATICAL ABOUT NOISES LIKE A DRIPPING TAP, AND EVEN THE TICK OF OUR KITCHEN CLOCK. I PRE-OCCUPY MYSELF THINKING ABOUT NEW BLOG IDEAS. SHE'S MOTIVATING ME NOW!

IT'S KIND OF NEAT THOUGH, WHEN SHE FINISHES ONE, AND HAS ONE OF THE BOYS MODEL IT FOR HER, TO BE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT LENGTH……ALMOST AS IF IT'S A TAILORED SUIT. AND SHE GETS A REAL RUSH WHEN SHE SEES SOMEONE, WALKING UPTOWN, WEARING ONE OF THE SCARVES. THAT KEEPS HER MOTIVATED TO KNIT A FEW MORE. BUT WITH THE CARNIVAL SONG, AND THE SKOKIE-COLORED SCARVES, WE JUST HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR THE COMMITTEE THIS WEEK, WITH A GOOD ATTENDANCE. AND HOPEFULLY, IT WILL BE "WINTER" WEATHER, TO SUPPORT THE OUTDOOR NATURE OF MANY OF THE COMING EVENTS.

YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A HUGE COMMITMENT TO PUT ON ONE OF THESE EVENTS. MAYBE YOU'VE WORKED ON ONE HERE, OR IN THE TOWN OR CITY IN WHICH YOU DWELL…..SO I WON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT LONG HOURS, OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED, CHANGES IN PLANS, WEATHER RELATED ISSUES, VOLUNTEER SHORTAGES, AND IN SOME CASES, COMMUNITY DISINTEREST. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE FINISHED UP ONE OF THESE GRUELING VOLUNTEER JAGS, AND STATED FIRMLY, TO YOURSELF ON THE WAY HOME……"NEVER AGAIN!" WELL I HAVE UTTERED THOSE SAME WORDS. MOST OF THE TIME, AFTER A FEW WEEKS REST, AND HEARING SOME OF THE FEEDBACK, FROM THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE EVENT, I JUMP RIGHT BACK ON THE BANDWAGON FOR ANOTHER GO AT IT! MAYBE YOU HAVE DONE THE SAME. I WANT TO THANK THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL IN ADVANCE, THIS YEAR, FOR BRINGING BACK AN IMPORTANT EVENT, FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR TOWN, AND THE ENTIRE REGION OF MUSKOKA. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. THEY HAVE CREATED A HOMETOWN EVENT…..A FAMILY FETE. WE'VE HAD KIND OF A ROUGH TWELVE MONTHS IN THIS TOWN, HAVING TO DEAL WITH SEVERAL MAJOR FIRES ON THE MAIN STREET, SO THIS IS THE KIND OF FEEL-GOOD WEEKEND, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE US ALL A LITTLE BOUNCE INTO THE SPRING SEASON.

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THIS YEAR'S GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL. IT WILL BE A GREAT WAY TO SPEND THREE DAYS IN SOUTH MUSKOKA……WITH AN OTTER. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEFORE, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE MUSIC VIDEO, IN SKOKIE'S HONOR, BY CLICKING ON….. http://youtu.be/AuwE6cFlRCg

SUZANNE AND I APPRECIATE THE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION FROM THE SALVATION ARMY

SUZANNE AND I, AND MANY OTHER VOLUNTEERS, WHO DONATE THEIR TIME TO HELP THE GRAVENHURST SALVATION ARMY, IN A WIDE ARRAY OF TASKS, FROM FOOD BANK ASSISTANTS, TO CHRISTMAS KETTLE ATTENDANTS, AND THRIFT SHOP HELPERS, WERE TREATED TO A FINE AND GENEROUS DINNER LAST MONDAY EVENING. IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. IT WAS A CLEAR SHOW OF ENDURING, DEDICATED SUPPORT FOR THE SALVATION ARMY'S EFFORTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE.

SUZANNE AND I OFFER OUR EXPERIENCE IN ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, FOR APPRAISAL ASSISTANCE, ON SOME OF THEIR DONATED PIECES, AS WELL AS AUCTION-ITEM ORGANIZATION, EACH MONTH AT THE MUSKOKA ROAD THRIFT SHOP. LAST MONDAY NIGHT, THERE WAS A RECOGNITION DINNER, AT THE GRAVENHURST LEGION, TO THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO ASSIST THE SALVATION ARMY EACH YEAR. WHILE WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY MAKE THE DINNER, WE DID RECEIVE OUR CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION. THIS WAS SOMETHING WE HADN'T EXPECTED, AND WAS OF COURSE, A NICE SURPRISE. TRUTH IS, THAT HELPING THE SALVATION ARMY IS A GOOD FEELING ALL ON ITS OWN…..AND WE'VE PUT-ON SIX ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SEASON CONCERTS, AT THE LOCAL OPERA HOUSE, TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR THE FOOD BANK. THERE IS A GREAT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WITH LINGERING TOUGH TIMES, IT'S LIKELY DEMAND WON'T BE SUBSIDING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WE CURRIES INVOLVE OURSELVES IN QUITE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PROJECTS, AND WE'RE PROUD OF OUR HOME TOWN HERE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE SAME, AND LIKE THE WINTER CARNIVAL AND THE SALVATION ARMY, (JUST TO NAME TWO OUT OF THE MANY WELL-SUPPORTED GROUPS), THESE VOLUNTEERS NEVER SEEM TO TIRE, LENDING A HAND TO HELP A GOOD CAUSE. ADMITTEDLY THERE ARE TIMES AROUND THIS BALLYWICK, WHEN PEOPLE WONDER ALOUD, IF GRAVENHURST WILL EVER BOUNCE BACK, AND PROSPER, THE WAY FOLKS REMEMBER IT IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS. FROM WHAT WE SEE OUT THERE, IN SO MANY DIFFERENT QUARTERS, AND THE NUMBERS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS EXPENDED BY LOCAL CITIZENS, I WOULD SAY WE ARE A DARN TOUGH ONTARIO COMMUNITY……THAT WON'T EVER GIVE UP, NO MATTER WHAT THE NAYSAYERS AND PROGNOSTICATORS MIGHT THINK. MAYBE WE AREN'T A PARALLEL TO GRAVENHURST IN THE 1940'S, OR 1950'S, OR EVEN THE 1970'S, BUT EVERY COMMUNITY HAS ITS PERIOD OF TRANSITION. INDUSTRY AND BUSINESSES COME AND GO, JUST LIKE FOLKS MOVE ON, AND "MOVE-IN" TO OUR TOWN. SOME CHANGES ARE PROFOUND. FIRES FOR INSTANCE. WE ARE SORRY TO SEE BUSINESSES RETIRED, AND SERVICES WITHDRAWN. YET IF WE LOOK CLOSELY, WE WILL STILL SEE A COMMUNITY ON THE GO, DESPITE THE CONTEMPORARY WRESTLE WITH THOSE UNPLEASANT RIGORS OF THE NEW NORMAL. ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO SEE, IS THIS AMAZING FORCE AND INFLUENCE OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, TO SHOW EVEN THE MOST NEGATIVE AND CRITICAL AMONGST US, NO ONE IS GIVING UP ON ANYTHING. WE'RE JUST RE-GROUPING.

SUZANNE AND I ARE VERY PRIVATE PEOPLE, REGARDLESS WHAT THESE BLOGS MAY SUGGEST TO THE CONTRARY. OUR BOYS, WELL, THEY'RE GRANDSTANDERS. GIVE THEM A COUPLE OF GUITARS, SOME MILK CARTONS TO STAND ON, AND THEY'LL PLAY UNTIL THE LAST AUDIENCE-MEMBER RETIRES TO BEDLAM. OUR RELUCTANCE TO PARTICIPATE CONFUSES FOLKS WE KNOW, AND I THINK SOMETIMES THEY ASSUME WE ARE INDIFFERENT AND UNAPPRECIATIVE OF RECOGNITION. IN CASE ANYONE WONDERED WHY WE HADN'T ATTENDED THE SALVATION ARMY RECOGNITION EVENT…..WELL, WITHOUT APOLOGY, WE BOTH SHY AWAY FROM LARGE EVENTS GENERALLY….AND TRUTHFULLY, WE ARE HAPPIEST TO JUST RECEIVE A SIMPLE THANKS……BECAUSE OUR REWARD IS THE GOOD FEELING WE GET, HELPING THE COMMUNITY.

SUZANNE AND I HAVE BOTH LIVED VERY PUBLIC LIVES FOR MANY YEARS, ESPECIALLY OUR WILDLY CRAZY YEARS, INCLUDING THE PRESENT, INVOLVED WITH THE MUSKOKA MEDIA. AND WE'VE ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN AS AMBASSADORS FOR THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM, THE MUSKOKA LAKES MUSEUM, THE CROZIER FOUNDATION AND EVEN AS THE FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE FOR THE FORMER HERALD-GAZETTE RINK RAT HOCKEY CLUB (NOW THE MUSKOKA RINK RATS). NOW WE JUST ENJOY BEING BACKBENCHERS, WITH THOUGHTS OF EVENTUAL RETIREMENT. THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE DESERVING OF RECOGNITION FOR THEIR VOLUNTEER SERVICES…..

OUT ON THE ANTIQUE HUNT TODAY - REMEMBER THAT GREAT OLD COWBOY, "SLIM PICKENS". THAT'S WHAT IT WAS LIKE TODAY. NICE AND SUNNY THOUGH

SOME DAYS, YOU JUST CAN'T CATCH A BREAK. ON OUR NATIONAL SYMBOL HUNT, THAT WE INITIATED A FEW WEEKS BACK, WE GOT "SKUNKED" TODAY. COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING HALF DECENT, WITH EITHER A BEAVER, A MAPLE LEAF OR SOMETHING RELATED TO THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE. WE'VE HAD PRETTY GOOD LUCK OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, AND YOU CAN ARCHIVE THIS YOURSELF, BY FLIPPING BACK THROUGH THE JANUARY AND EARLY FEBRUARY BLOGS. WE FOUND AN INTERESTING NIAGARA FALLS CUSHION, FROM THE EARLY 1940'S, BUT THE MAPLE LEAF WAS AWFULLY SMALL AND THE STAIN ON THE BACK…..GIGANTIC. WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS HUNT AS FRUGALLY AS POSSIBLE, TRYING TO GET GOOD DEALS ON HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS. SO THE PILLOW WAS PRICED A TAD HIGH FOR US ANYWAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER FOLK-ART CREATION OF THE "BLUENOSE," WITH THE CANADIAN FLAG. THE MAPLE LEAF WAS JUST A SMEAR OF RED PAINT, SO WE DIDN'T FEEL THIS WAS A FAIR AND HONEST INCLUSION IN OUR COLLECTION. TODAY WAS A WONDERFULLY CHEERFUL OUTING, BUT WITH ONLY MODEST PURCHASES. WE DID BUY TWO SIGNIFICANT BOOKS, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT.

THE FIRST BOOK, IS ONE WE ALWAYS KEEP HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW, BECAUSE OF OUR ONGOING INVOLVEMENT BUYING AND SELLING MUSKOKA HERITAGE PIECES. THE HARDCOVER COPY OF "SUMMERTIMES - IN CELEBRATION OF 100 YEARS OF THE MUSKOKA LAKES ASSOCIATION," PUBLISHED IN 1994 BY STODDART, IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BOOK FOR THE "MUSKOKA COLLECTOR." WHILE IT IS, OF COURSE, THE HISTORY OF THE MUSKOKA LAKES ASSOCIATION, IT ALSO POSSESSES AN OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF VINTAGE MUSKOKA PHOTOGRAPHS, AND GRAPHICS SHOWING SOME HIGHLY PRIZED REGIONAL NOSTALGIA…..FROM CUPS AND SAUCERS WITH BOAT AND RESORT NAMES, TO SCENIC CRUISE GUIDES OF THE MUSKOKA LAKES, POST CARDS, MINIATURE GLASS CANOES, AND FIRST NATIONS CRAFTWORK FROM THE REGION, DATING BACK TO THE 1800'S. ALTHOUGH THE BOOK DOESN'T DEAL WITH VALUES OF THESE ITEMS, (SOME COLLECTIBLES WERE FOUND AT THE MUSKOKA LAKES MUSEUM, IN PORT CARLING) IT DOES HELP THE COLLECTOR IDENTIFY PIECES THEY POSSESS, AND WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE COME FROM IN THE DISTRICT. IT'S A HIGH QUALITY BOOK THAT ORIGINALLY LISTED FOR $50. WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A BOOK STORE SALE, AND GOT THE ONE PHOTOGRAPHED, WITH THIS BLOG, FOR ONLY $9.99. WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET IT FROM SCOTT'S OF MUSKOKA, ON MANITOBA STREET, IN BRACEBRIDGE.

MUCH OF OUR SUCCESS, IN COLLECTING MUSKOKA HEIRLOOM PIECES, ISN'T DUE TO ONE SOURCE. THE BOOK IS HELPFUL BECAUSE IT PRESENTS SOME GREAT VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS, THAT SHOW CONSIDERABLE DETAIL….AND ITEMS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND WHILE ON THE ANTIQUE HUNT. SUZANNE AND I HAVE A LARGE PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION WE CONSULT REGULARLY, TO BREAKDOWN THE ITEMS SHOWN; FOR EXAMPLE, IN GROUP "FISHING" PICTURES……INSIDE SHOTS OF OLD HARDWARE AND GENERAL STORES…..MARINAS, BOAT LIVERIES, RESORTS AND HOTELS…..STEAMSHIPS, AND OLD BOATS INCLUDED. MANY PEOPLE IGNORE THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THESE PHOTOGRAPHS. FOR HISTORIANS, AND COLLECTORS, HAVING A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THESE PICS, SHOULD PROVIDE YOU WITH WHAT CAN ACTUALLY BE CONSIDERED A MUSKOKA COLLECTIBLE……A MUSKOKA HIERLOOM PIECE. JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE MUSKOKA WRITTEN ON IT, DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS LOST ITS LOCAL SENTIMENTAL VALUE. WE HAVE OFTEN BEEN ABLE TO PROVE THAT A PIECE WAS IN A RESORT, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE OF ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS WE POSSESSED. WIGWASSAN LODGE, ON TOBIN'S ISLAND, LAKE ROSSEAU, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. WE PURCHASED HUNDREDS OF ORIGINAL SLIDES, SOME THAT WERE GLASS, TAKEN OF THE RESORT PROPERTY, INSIDE AND OUT. AND AS WE HAD OTHER THINGS FROM THE FORMER RESORT, WE COULD ACTUALLY FIND THE SUBJECT PIECES IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS…..WHICH CERTAINLY ADDS TO THEIR VALUE, WHEN YOU CAN ATTACH PROVENANCE LIKE THIS.

IN OTHER CASES, IF FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ARE TOLD A FISHING CREEL CAME FROM AN EARLY CENTURY COTTAGE, WE OFTEN HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO LOOK UP PICTURES, FROM THAT VINTAGE, TO DATE SIMILAR CREELS…..AS TO STYLE AND SIZE. MOST OF THESE ACCOUNTS OF PROVENANCE ARE GENUINE, AT LEAST FROM OUR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. WITHOUT A CLEAR MUSKOKA IDENTIFICATION ON THE ITEMS, THE VALUE BECOMES MARKET VALUE……THROUGHOUT ONTARIO, AND CANADA. IF IT HAS AN INSCRIPTION, THAT IT BELONGED TO SOMEONE FROM WINDERMERE HOUSE, OR MONTEITH HOUSE IN ROSSEAU, THE VALUE WILL CERTAINLY INCREASE BY FIFTY TO A HUNDRED PERCENT. THE MORE IDENTIFICATION, SUCH AS THE NAME OF THE FORMER OWNER, CAN ADD TO THIS, ESPECIALLY IF THAT CREEL, HAD ONCE BELONGED TO DEPARTMENT STORE MAGNATE, TIMOTHY EATON, WHO COTTAGED AT RAVENSCRAG, IN WINDERMERE. THE PHOTO ARCHIVES CAN SHOW A LOT OF ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES AND REGIONAL NOSTALGIA, IN THE ORIGINAL SETTING OF COTTAGES AND LODGES, FROM THAT VINTAGE. THE "SUMMERTIMES" BOOK IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS PHOTO REFERENCING RESOURCE. THE BOOK FROM AROUND THE SAME PERIOD, BIOGRAPHICAL OF A WELL KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER BY THE NAME OF MICKLETHWAITE, (AND HIS WORK IN MUSKOKA), IS ALSO A HIGHLY VALUABLE BOOK TO THE COLLECTOR OF LOCAL ANTIQUES ETC. THE BOOK IS "MICKLETHWAITE'S MUSKOKA," BY JOHN DENISON, 1993, BOSTON MILLS PRESS. HE WAS CERTAINLY THE BEST KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER, AND HIS IMAGES OFFER A VALUABLE GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO VACATIONED IN MUSKOKA, IN THE LATE 1800'S. WE USE OURS CONSTANTLY AS A COLLECTING REFERENCE. I NOTICED THAT IT WAS ALSO AVAILABLE AT SCOTT'S OF MUSKOKA.

TEA TIME ANTIQUES

"THE ART OF TAKING TEA," 2002 HEARST COMMUNICATIONS, BY KIM WALLER….STILL AVAILABLE FROM OUT OF PRINT BOOK SELLERS….MOST LIKELY TO BE FOUND BY CONSULTING THE ADVANCED BOOK EXCHANGE, ONLINE.

THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE BOOK FOR CROSS REFERENCING VINTAGE TEA-TIME RELATED ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES, FROM CHINA TEA POTS TO SILVER TEA SETS, CUPS AND SAUCERS, AND THE ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE TABLES THAT MAKES TEA-TIME SO PRECIOUS FOR US ANTIQUE LOVING FOLK. HERE'S THE THING. IF I HAVEN'T MADE THIS CLEAR BEFORE, IN THIS SERIES OF BLOGS ABOUT THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS, THE GENERALIST DEALER, AS MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY, HAS TO POSSESS A SUBSTANTIAL COLLECTION OF REFERENCE MATERIAL. I'M NOT SUGGESTING AN OVER-ABUNDANCE OF PRICE GUIDES. BOOKS LIKE "THE ART OF TAKING TEA," SHOW MANY ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE ENHANCEMENTS, IN THE PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, FOR NOVICE DEALERS TO APPRECIATE. THESE DECORATOR, HOME DECORATING, AND ENTERTAINMENT THEME BOOKS, WITH THEIR EXTENSIVE USE OF ANTIQUES IN PLACE SETTING PHOTOGRAPHS, GIVE US IDEAS ABOUT VINTAGE PIECES WE FIND OUT ON OUR WEEKLY ANTIQUE ADVENTURES. THESE BOOKS SHOW US HOW ITEMS, LIKE OLD SILVER PLATE TEA POTS, AND TEA SERVICES, CAN BE INCORPORATED, FOR ELEGANT, HISTORIC TABLE SETTINGS, EVEN IN ULTRA MODERN HOME DECORS. THIS GOES FOR CHINA CUPS AND SAUCERS, AND EVEN COMPANION ART WORK. AS THEY SAY, "SEEING IS BELIEVING." WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS, AND WAYS TO MAKE OUR FINDS MORE DECORATOR-FRIENDLY…….AS WE HAVE MANY, MANY CUSTOMERS WHO DON'T GIVE A FIG FOR ANTIQUE ENVIRONS…….BUT ADORE ANTIQUE ENHANCEMENTS, TO CREATE FUNCTIONAL, COLORFUL, AND INTERESTING DISPLAYS…..AND WE'VE FOUND A LOT OF KITCHEN LOVERS, WHO WANT TO CREATE MAGIC IN THE CONFLUENCE OF OLD AND NEW…..EFFICIENCY, WITH YOU MIGHT SAY, AN OLD WORLD FEEL. THIS TEA-TIME BOOK IS PERFECT IN THAT REGARD.

WHEN YOU GO OUT TO SECOND HAND SHOPS, YARD SALES, ESTATE SALES, AND AUCTIONS, IT IS HELPFUL IF YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IS, AND WHAT CAN BE, A "DECORATOR PIECE." IF YOU GO TO SOME OF THE SECOND HAND SHOPS IN OUR REGION, YOU WILL FIND SHELVES LOADED WITH INTERESTING, OLD BUT NOT VALUABLE SILVER PLATE; CHINA CUPS AND SAUCERS, ALL FOR RELATIVELY LOW PRICES. THE PROBLEM OF COURSE, FOR THESE SHOPS, IS THAT IN THEIR MARKETING STRATEGY, OF PUTTING COMMON PIECES TOGETHER, TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, THE EXACT OPPOSITE CAN HAPPEN. THE SILVER JUST MERGES TOGETHER AND UNLESS THERE'S A "SHOW-STOPPER" RELIC OF SILVER-SMITHED CANADIAN OR AMERICAN TEA HERITAGE, STUCK INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ELECTRO-PLATE COMMONS, FEW DISTINCTIONS CAN BE MADE DUE TO A LACK OF SERIOUS CONTRAST. BY LOOKING IN THIS BOOK MENTIONED, YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE HOW A VINTAGE PIECE OF SILVER…..WITHOUT BEING STIRLING, CAN DAZZLE TO BRIGHTNESS, OPPOSITE SIMILARLY VINTAGE, NICELY DECORATED CHINA CUPS AND SAUCERS. SO IT'S UP TO YOU, AS A COLLECTOR / DECORATOR, TO KNOW HOW THESE CAST-OFF, SOMEWHAT UNREMARKABLE ITEMS CAN DISTINGUISH YOUR VERY NEXT TEA TIME EVENT. WE DEPEND ON BOOKS LIKE THIS, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER INTERIOR DESIGN BOOKS, WITH RETRO THEMES, TO GET IDEAS ABOUT THE PLACE AND PURPOSE TO FIT OUR "FOUND" COLLECTIBLES. SEEING IS BELIEVING. IT'S THE REASON, THAT WHILE OTHER PATRONS PONDER, FONDLE AND DELAY, WHILE LOOKING AT A DISPLAY OF ANTIQUE TEA POTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WILL GRAB THE TWO BEST ONES IN THE TIME IT TAKES THEM TO BLINK ONCE. WE'VE SEEN HOW SIMILAR COLLECTIBLES HAVE BEEN CLEANED UP, AND USED IN CONTEMPORARY DECORATION……AND PRACTICAL FUNCTION. IT'S THE REASON WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING OUR MARTHA STEWARD COLLECTION OF ENTERTAINING, SEASONALLY THEMED BOOKS, FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS. IDEAS. CONCEPTS WE HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. USES WE HADN'T DREAMED OF. APPLICATION WE THOUGHT ABSURD. BUT THEY WORKED. WE ALWAYS CONSULT THESE BOOKS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PROMOTE THE OLD RELICS WE POSSESS, INTO THE ENTERTAINING DOMAIN OF THIS NEW CENTURY. THAT MEANS SALES FOR US.

SOME FOLKS WE TALK WITH ABOUT ANTIQUES, ASSUME WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PRICE GUIDES AND REFERENCE BOOKS, ON THE SPECIFICS OF COLLECTING. OF COURSE WE DO. BUT A MAJORITY OF OUR CUSTOMERS, AT SALES THESE DAYS, HAVE MORE "MARTHA STEWART" DECORATING CONCEPTS, THAN ANTIQUE VALUE INTERESTS. THIS IS THE BIGGEST SHIFT AWAY FROM OBSESSION WITH "VALUES ONLY", I'VE EVER SEEN, SINCE JOINING THE ANTIQUE TRADE BACK IN THE LATE 1970'S. I THINK IT'S GREAT, AND I'LL TELL YOU, FOR THOSE DEALERS WHO HAVE PAID ATTENTION TO THE TRENDS, MANY THAT HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE MARTHA STEWART BOOKS THEMSELVES, THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL PROFIT ATTACHED. WHILE I'M STILL AWARE OF ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE VALUATIONS, I'M DRIFTING EVER FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ANTIQUE ROADSHOW WAY OF LOOKING AT THE INDUSTRY…..AND MORE ABOUT THE WONDERFUL GOOD GRACES OF ELEGANT TABLES SETTINGS, AS PROMOTED BY BOOKS LIKE "THE ART OF TAKING TEA." MY OLD ANTIQUE HUNTING CRONIES THINK I'M GETTING SOFT IN MY OLD AGE. I TELL THEM, "I'M GOING WHERE THE MONEY IS, LADS." THESE DECORATING BOOKS HAVE GIVEN A NEW SIGNIFICANCE TO WHAT WERE USUALLY SEEN BY THESE SAME VALUE-OBSESSED CRONIES, AS "JUST OLD STUFF." WELL, YOU CAN SURE DO A LOT OF QUALITY DECORATING WITH "JUST OLD STUFF," AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU……THE PRICE IS RIGHT.