RESIDENTS SUPPORT WALKER PRESS PLANS! Letters to the Editor Pages 6-7 2022 BUDGET DISCUSSIONS UNDERWAY see Page 19
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The Paris Independent Saturday, December 4, 2021
THIS WEEK
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PANCAKES AND CANDY CANES!
In Community
CALL OUT TO SAVE SANTA CLAUS PARADE
Pages 8-9
Focus on Charity
CHRISTMAS MAGIC FOR SENIORS Pages 10-12
In Community
BEAUTIFYING DOWNTOWN Pages 22-23
The Kiwanis Club of Paris-Brant hosted over 160 residents for Breakfast with Santa on November 27th. Photo: Kiwanis of Paris-Brant. See page 13 for more photos.
County Offices Closed
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December 4, 2021
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Email theparisindependent@gmail.com with your community calendar submission. Help us share community news!
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December 4, 2021
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COMING EVENTS FOR DECEMBER 2021 DECEMBER 2021
DECEMBER 2021
DECEMBER 2021 Drive Thru Christmas Displays at the Paris Brantford Symphony Orchestra Drive ThruDecember Christmas Fairgrounds 4, Displays 4 pm toat 9thepm Christmas Bells are here again! December 11 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm http://www.parisfairgrounds.com. Paris Fairgrounds December 4th - After a pandemic-forced interruption to http://www.parisfairgrounds.com/ All Canadian Events presents Paris Christmas Brantford’s big symphony extravaganza, it’s Market at the Paris Fairgrounds, Saturday time to come back! Dust off your bells Saturday, December 4, All Canadian December 4, 10 Paris am toChristmas 4 pm andMarket Sunday (remember those?) and bring them along to Events presents ring in the Christmas season with a sleigh full December 11 am Fairgrounds, to 3 pm. Admission $5. at the 5,Paris Saturday of your favourite Christmas-time music. December 4, 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday The Brantford Lights at Glenhyrst Art Make up for the time when there were no December 5 11 am to 3 pm. Admission Gallery. December 3, 2021 to January 6, 2022, concerts or special events. Join in the 6$5. pm to 9 pm nightly. 20 Ava Rd, Brantford. excitement of live music at the Sanderson December 5 is Lansdowne Night at the Lights Centre with your Brantford Symphony Open Bottoms Up Clothing and will House feature Santa and costumed seasonal Orchestra! Ticket prices: $40 in-person, $15 rd virtual attendance. Boutique December 3 4:00-8:00 & greeters.
December 4th 10:00-5:00 St. George Santa Claus Parade, Saturday, December 11 Santa at 6 pmClaus downtown St. George. St. George Parade,
Saturday, December 11 at 6 pm. Drive-by Santa visit in Burford on Saturday downtown St. George. December 11. Santa will be at 385 Maple Ave S.Drive-by from 7 pm to 9 pm. Santa visit in Burford on
Saturday December 11. Santa will be at 385 Maple Ave S from 7 pm to 9 pm (see attached flyer)
Free Holiday Skates at Burford Arena on December 12 & 19 from 1 pm to 2 pm, sponsored by The Burford Optimist Club and Nathan Ackland Insurance.
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The Paris Independent
December 4, 2021
H E A LT H N E W S
COULD YOU BE A LIFE-SAVING DONOR? By Carolina Saenz
The need for organ transplants in Canada is greater than the supply. Holleigh Hrischenko, a 31year-old Hamiltonian, is experiencing this first-hand. In her search for a kidney donor, Hrischenko shares a bit about the process, the wait, and the life-changing impact a transplant would have for her and her 12-yearold son. Hrischenko’s journey began early on. As an infant, it was due to her mother’s instinct that doctors dug deeper for an answer. It was then discovered that her ureter valves were not working correctly. This caused a series of issues such as infections and damage to the kidneys. By age seven she had a major surgery that involved both kidneys and valves and that seemed to bring what they thought would be a resolution. However, at just 14 years old, Hrischenko had to be admitted to the hospital because of high blood pressure. After a series of tests and lots of investigation, it was determined that this condition was related to her kidneys.
Nonetheless, she continued to make the best of life while being careful and always taking the medications necessary. Six years later, pregnancy came with complications such as preeclampsia, all related to her existing conditions. She was able to have a healthy baby boy, and again continued taking care of her health and making the best of her situation. Hrischenko knew early on that a kidney transplant would have to be in the books for her and having a close-knit immediate family willing to donate seemed like the answer. But donor regulations have complicated these plans. As her mother went through the process of being a donor, she was denied this option due to a
history of past kidney stones. Her sister, brother, and grandmother also faced some limitations. For example, her sister is not allowed to donate until her youngest child is over one-year-old. Only then, can she begin the donor application process. As a result, within the last eight months it has become clear that Hrischenko needs to ask people outside of her immediate family for help. With her kidney function declining and in the process of starting dialysis, sharing her story is her best bet at finding a donor. Continued on Page 5
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Continued from Page 4 The Parent Exchange Program, a Canada-wide program that allows donors and those in need of transplants to enter a pool and get a match, increases Hrischenko’s chances of success. Regardless of blood type, this program would allow Hrischenko to find a donor so long as she brings a donor into the program to donate to someone else. Being a young mother, getting a kidney from a live donor would be ideal as that could potentially be enough to last her a lifetime. A kidney from a deceased donor, on the other hand, could last an average of only 15 years. So, she would need another transplant in the future or to go on dialysis indefinitely. “Dialysis is quite severe on your body. On your physical, emotional, mental health, all of it. It can take over your life”, Hrischenko explains. With an average of 4-6 hour sessions three times a week, dialysis is extremely difficult. “Right now, it looks
December 4, 2021 like I won’t have a donor anytime soon, so dialysis is definitely a part of my life now. So, the sooner I have a live donor, the better,” she says. Hrischenko explains that the donor process can be done anonymously; doctors always put the donor’s well-being first, and they are allowed to change their minds at anytime during the process. She urges anyone interested to investigate it and if possible, make a difference in someone’s life. There are many people just like her waiting for a match to change their lives. “Even if you’re not sure about it, look into it because you can quit at any time for any reason. You’re not committed just by applying. It is so worth it to at least get the information and see what it’s about”, she concludes. If interested in more information on becoming a donor, visit Living Kidney Donor Program - St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (stjoes.ca)
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The Paris Independent
December 4, 2021
E D I T O R I A L LETTER TO THE EDITOR COUNCIL SHOULD ENCOURAGE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC TO WALKER PRESS BUILDING To the Editor: Dear Brant Council Members, I am writing to comment on the Council meeting of November 23, 2021, specifically about your reaction to the presentation of Ben Ames from Forge and Foster about plans for the Walker Press building. I was surprised at the level of negativity about the project, albeit politely stated, apparently emanating from previous discussions with local residents around parking in the area. The developer was quite open about parking being a hurdle that they have been working on with County staff, having come up with some creative solutions. It would have been nice to hear Council members encourage them to keep working on it. They may not be there yet and maybe the presentation could have been delayed till they had a more concrete proposal for solving the parking issue. Still, from all the feedback I've seen Paris residents want to see this building preserved, repurposed and become a community asset. For whoever owns the building for whatever use, parking will be an issue, unless you want to see it become a storage facility which is a really bad option. The County staff and council need to work with Forge and Foster to think outside the box, come up with creative solutions and get on with making the building operational.
Publisher Managing Editor Advertising Sales Photographer News Reporter News Reporter Copy Editor
The statement that people simply will not walk to the site is questionable. Besides, shouldn't we be nudging people in the direction of walking more and driving less, not making it as easy as possible to drive everywhere? It is about a 10-minute walk from the downtown area to the Walker Press Building, with lots of interesting things to see along the way, especially for those visiting from bigger cities. The County could promote this route as part of increasing walkability and downtown redevelopment through signage, walking maps, etc. In addition, lots of cyclists visit Paris during the summer, usually arriving from the rail trail above and this would be a perfect spot for them to stop for refreshments without getting tangled up with the foot traffic on Grand River St. And, what about all the people who live, or will live, on Willow Street within easy walking distance? Sending the message that the developer should just give up on the project is disappointing. This is the kind of development that will keep Paris interesting and vibrant. I hope you will reconsider and do more justice to this project.
Regards, Jane Bewick
Chris Whelan Casandra Turnbull Chris Whelan Michelle Malvaso Carolina Saenz Bailey Zimmer Michelle Malvaso
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December 4, 2021
E D I T O R I A L LETTER TO THE EDITOR COUNCIL NEEDS TO FOCUS LESS ON PARKING AND MORE ON WALKABILITY To the Editor:
100 condo units from which residents can walk to the building. The new Kayak development near the high level bridge will have 75 townhouses with residents within walking distance. There are several other smaller apartment buildings along Willow Street within walking distance of the Walker Press building. Most of the homes along the street have either driveways, garages or parking at the back of their buildings. A walk from the downtown parking lots takes 10 minutes. Visitors to Paris are using the trail along the river from the Penman's Dam to the bridge on William Street, Lions Park and other places, obviously enjoying walking about our beautiful town. I have noticed wedding photos being taken at the dam as well. Please give more thought and encouragement to developments that promote the walkability of our beautiful Paris.
I was very disappointed with Mayor Bailey and the County of Brant Councillors during the recent council meeting on November 23 for their lack of support for the preservation and repurposing of the Walker Press building on Willow Street in Paris. As a resident of that street, I have watched with interest the beginnings of the building's evolution. A very creative new mural on the side of the building reflects the building's original purpose in its depiction of the changes in communication from cave drawings to the digital messaging of today's world. The developer also has creative ideas for what the old building could be used for to enhance the neighbourhood. The mayor and council have focused on the parking issue. Are we not also extremely concerned with the overuse of cars in this time of Thank you! environment crisis? Along Willow Street, directly Pat Moore across from the Walker Building, there are nearly
Watt’s Pond Greenway Park This park is located at 806 Watt’s Pond Road, Paris. It is intended to be a passive space for residents to gather and enjoy their surroundings. Much of the park will remain natural while incorporating a pathway, some small play components, and a pavilion. In addition to the existing vegetation, large shade trees and some small gardens will be added to help beautify the site. The proposed park name is due to its proximity to Watt’s Pond.
The budget for the park is $100,000. New park construction is supported through development charges, so no direct costs are borne by the municipality. Construction is planned to begin the spring/summer of 2022. The County is in the process of developing the Watt’s Pond trail network that will be located a small distance to the west of this property. This trail system is intended to be constructed in phases as the area is developed.
Dawdy Park, located at 80 Hartley Ave, is currently being constructed and includes more active components such as pickleball and basketball courts as well as a larger playground and community shed.
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December 4, 2021
COMMUNITY NEWS CAN YOU HELP SAVE THE PARIS SANTA CLAUS PARADE?
Left, Ed McGuire’s famous reindeer were donated to the Ayr Santa Claus Parade. Photo Credit Paris Firefighters Club. Above, Ayr Paris band in the 2010 parade. Photo Credit Teresa Moran.
By Casandra Turnbull
It started as an off-the-cuff idea and over the years snowballed into a community tradition that packs the streets and puts smiles on the faces of children and adults alike. Rain or snow, it doesn’t matter, families line the downtown streets the first Saturday of every December to catch a glimpse of the Jolly Old Fella and take in the sights and sounds of the festive parade. That tradition is at risk as longtime organizers are ready to hand over the reigns to another committee or group of volunteers. After 20 years of crafting the parade to the success it is today, Ed McGuire and Christine Ashton are hoping someone, or some group, will step forward to save the parade.
Over the years, McGuire, a local business owner and member of the Paris BIA, utilized his connections in the community to build a very strong foundation for organizing the annual parade. He said he is willing to sit down and thoroughly go over what’s required to run a successful parade. “If I get someone on board, I will help them the first year, show them all my files, help guide them,” McGuire offered, during a one-on-one interview with The Paris Independent. But that plan is in jeopardy because despite his best efforts to approach multiple service clubs and individuals in town, so far no one is willing to fill his shoes – and that would be an unfortunate loss to the community. The parade was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid, and with
uncertainty surrounding the 2021 year, McGuire did not book any marching bands in advance for this year’s parade, something that must be done at least 6 months before the event. He also felt this was the perfect time to hang up the Santa hat, so to speak. When Covid hit in 2020 and there couldn’t be a parade, McGuire said he took it as a chance to ‘retire’ as chair of the two-person committee. “The parade is one thing, but preparing for it is another – it would take half a dozen volunteers and days to get Santa’s float together. Then once it’s all over we must dismantle and store the equipment somewhere. My plate is full, and I felt my time was done,” he added. Continued on Page 9
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December 4, 2021
Founder of The Paris Santa Claus Parade has fond memories: “The feeling you get when you’re walking behind Santa’s float and you turn left on to the main route and you see 3,000 people there – and you’re part of it. The sense of warmth from a small-town community.” To further solidify his decision, McGuire donated his famous wooden reindeer used to pull Santa’s sleigh. He made a few calls locally, but with no takers, they eventually found a new home with the Ayr Christmas parade committee. Looking back on over 20 years of memories, McGuire fondly recalls how it all started. “I was a member of the BIA and we didn’t have a parade, so I approached them to find out why. I was told funds for a parade were rolled into advertising and the beautification of downtown. So instead, I formed a committee.” That four-person committee laid the groundwork for years of success. “We were like a welloiled machine. We kept track of what we did the first year, then sent reminders to participants for the second year. From there it
just snowballed.” About 30 floats entered the first year. And that number remained the same over the 20 years, with an average of 34 floats. It couldn’t be any larger otherwise the start of the parade would grid lock with the end of the parade as it winds through the downtown core and back to its Willow Street starting point. “I’ll never forget the first year. I was standing at the hot corner (at William and Willow) to direct floats as the parade started. We had two marching bands that year, and I was so nervous. I was pointing at floats and directing who to go in what order. At the end of the parade, a member of one of the marching bands came to me and said everything went so well, ‘but please, do not put us behind a team of horses again,’” McGuire recalled with a good chuckle.
As for what he will miss the most, McGuire took a long pause of reflection. With 20 years of fond memories swirling in his head, he carefully answered, “The feeling you get when you’re walking behind Santa’s float and you turn left on to the main route and you see 3,000 people there – and you’re part of it. The sense of warmth from a small-town community.” Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about the ins and outs of organizing this community event are welcome to reach out to Ed McGuire by email parisjewellers@rogers.com or by popping into his downtown store: The Paris Jewellers.
Left Santa is a crowd favourite! Above, Ed McGuire and Christine Ashton organized the parade for the past 20 years. Photo credits: Kingston Whig Standard
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December 4, 2021
FOCUS ON CHARITY SPREADING GWEN’S CHRISTMAS MAGIC TO SENIORS Far left: The residents love seeing the smiling faces of the kids when the gifts are delivered. Left: Sarah Kirby of Desjardins Insurance donates the blankets. Below the Sangster & Newell Families deliver the gift bags.
By Casandra Turnbull A Paris family is embodying the true meaning of Christmas by proving that giving is more wonderful than receiving. Each year Dawn Sangster sets out to raise money in support of Gwen’s Christmas Magic for Seniors, in loving memory of her mother Gwen Ludwig. The campaign raises enough funds to surprise every long-term care resident at St. Joseph’s Lifecare with a Christmas gift bag. Sangster’s mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was admitted to St. Joseph’s in Brantford. “She (Gwen) would give to the Christmas
Hampers each year and taught us how it is more important to give than to receive, so I thought what better way to keep her memory alive than by making people happy,” Sangster explained of how the idea developed. It was 2016 and Sangster and her family, husband Gregg and children Clara and Alexander, purchased Christmas gifts for the residents in her mom’s ward. They spent many hours visiting her mom and started to notice that many of the residents did not get any visitors, so why not brighten their spirits? The following year Gwen passed away, December 16th, 2017. Continued on Page 11
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“Hands down the best part of delivery for the residents is seeing the children, it brightens their day so, so much.” The gifts were already purchased and still distributed to residents on her ward. The initiative grew and by 2018 all longterm care residents received a gift. When the facility is at full capacity it takes 205 gift bags to ensure everyone is included. The bags are filled with an ornament, a Norman Rockwell calendar, a nice body wash (a recommended item by staff at St. Joseph’s), a toothbrush, toothpaste, warm socks, a stuffy that looks like a real pet, a blanket, lip balm, handmade cards, all packaged in a gift bag decorated by students in Brant County schools. To help keep costs down, Sangster buys in bulk, which has helped establish some great relationships with businesses and people in the surrounding community. Some of these amazing supporters include Intercorp Group who donates the calendars; Lip Service Beauty Supplies who donates the lip balms at cost with no markup or labour costs (the founder of this business is from Paris, Ontario); Sarah Kirby of Desjardins Insurance who has donated all the blankets, three years and counting; as well as the Bateson family, Tate’s Automotive and
Dion’s Heating and Cooling with their annual contributions. “There has been a lot of support over the years and I am so grateful,” Sangster acknowledged. This goal for this year’s appeal is $4,700 and so far over $1,500 has been raised. As the donations continue to come in, the Sangster family and many friends, both local and far away, continue to ensure the project is a success. “Some of my mom’s long-time friends, my friends, family members, my sisters (Erin & Wendy) and their amazing friends and families all help in their own ways to bring this magic to Christmas each year.” While it’s a tremendous amount of work, especially around an already busy time of year, Sangster takes the opportunity to teach her children the true spirit of the holiday season. “These kinds of life lessons are so much more powerful when they are experienced versus just being taught. Hands down the best part of delivery for the residents is seeing the children, it brightens their day so, so much.” Continued on Page 12
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Gwen Ludwig, the inspiration behind Gwen’s Christmas Magic for Seniors. Gwen passed away in 2017.
Fidget cubes and fidget quilts are well received gifts; Kids from local schools decorate ornaments and cards to go in the gift bags. Photos courtesy of Dawn Sangster.
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This new holiday tradition also enables the Sangster family to keep Gwen’s memory alive. Although Sangster’s children were quite young when their grandmother passed away, they both have undying love for her and hold on to memories and stories that are often shared. Sangster credits the staff at St. Joseph’s for helping keep that memory alive too. “The staff and residents there are so wonderful, some still tell us stories of (their) memories of mom.” When someone takes a moment
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December 4, 2021 to share their memories of a everyone she met wanted to deceased loved one, it truly know her. She was a wonderful warms your heart and makes their woman.” presence even stronger. As Sangster and volunteers head In addition to being a loving into the final stretch of mother and grandmother, Gwen preparations, anyone interested in was always actively involved in making a donation can do so by many activities around Paris and e-transfer to Brantford, particularly with the gwensxmasmagic@gmail.com Paris Youth Softball Association. Once all the items for the gift She loved coaching, convening bags are purchased, any and assisting with the snack bar – additional funds are used to buy often doing the same thing for the special gifts for the residents in Brantford Red Sox. Sangster Gwen’s ward. The Christmas described her mom as the most magic will be delivered on kind, caring and thoughtful December 19th. person whose smile would light up an entire building. “Everyone who knew her loved her and
HoHoHo Hike!
A group of local women dressed up as Santa to take part in the HoHoHo Holiday 5k run through local rail trails in support of Make-A-Wish Canada. Organized by Danielle Holyome, the group ran a stretch of the Paris/Glen Morris trail to the outlook and back. Pictured above from left to right are Sarah Gurney, Cassie & Alice Easton, Charlotte Holyome, Allie Fricker, Danielle Holyome, Sami Fisher, Nikki Fisher and Melissa Slade. Submitted by Cassandra Easton.
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December 4, 2021
COMMUNITY EVENTS CHILDREN DELIGHTED BY VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS
The Kiwanis Club of ParisBrant was pleased to host 160 patrons at the 2021 Kiwanis Breakfast with Santa, but no one was more excited than the children, who finally got a chance to spend some time with Santa Claus! Families filed into two different sittings at the St. James Anglican Church last Saturday, November 27th. The event was sold out with advance ticket attendees excited to parttake in a holiday tradition that was put on hold in 2020. Top left is Elliott & Violet; Left middle is Hudson Gurney (photo credit Casandra Turnbull); Left bottom are volunteers serving the pancakes; Above Kiwanis volunteers who hosted the event and left are: Scarlet, Zoe, Violet, Maxwell and Lucas. Photos courtesy of Kiwanis Club.
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December 4, 2021
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN PARIS - SO MANY YEARS AGO
Paris Past By Chris Whelan Paris started as a rural industrial town connected to the rest of the world by several railways. Many of the goods mined or manufactured in Paris were exported across North America via these railroads and in turn Paris residents enjoyed all the luxuries the railway could bring to small town rural Ontario. One of the first and largest mail order catalogues in the world was started by an Irishman named Timothy Eaton in Toronto, Ontario. Paris residents could order everything and anything
they wanted from the Eaton’s Catalogue which was especially popular this time of year. In 1905 Eaton’s held the world’s first ever Santa Claus Parade about 21 years before Macy’s famous parade in NYC. As I type this article, I am reminded that both Paris and Toronto will be having their “Covid” friendly parades this weekend. Saturday night you can drive through the Paris Fairgrounds and see what is often referred to as a “reverse parade” where the floats stay still and the audience parades through the displays in their car! When you get home you can tune into CTV after 7:00 PM for the Original Santa Claus Parade being
held at Canada’s Wonderland and viewed on television only. According to Eaton's employee records, there was an Eaton's Catalogue office in Paris, Ontario from at least 1948 and many remember it as late as the 1960s. The outlet was located near the old original Post Office downtown and later across the street from Tough’s Home Hardware.
This was the store at the corner of Grand River St. N. and Mechanic St. that is now Tough’s Home Hardware.
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December 4, 2021
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN PARIS SO MANY YEARS AGO Cont.. Located at 118 Dundas St. East it was called the Trading Post “The place to buy woollen blankets and sweaters, slacks and men’s wear.” For many years it was the Trading Post Restaurant a very popular place to gather with friends and family for many a festive occasion. This building was completely demolished in 2019. In this old postcard featuring Downtown Paris in the 1950s you can see what looks to be an Eaton’s sign on the left foreground and the old Esso Station on the right (where the dentist office stands today). The clock tower atop the old post office is visible middle right. This postcard is of the WaySide Salesroom. Located at the corner of Dundas St. East and Washington St. where the Salvation Army now resides. This was the place to purchase the famous Hudson’s Bay Blankets, Irish Linen, cashmere sweaters and English china.
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December 4, 2021
COMMUNITY EVENTS SENSITY HOSTS HOLIDAY CELEBRATION CONCERT
The band in this video was called “Morphys Law” Led by Sensity’s London program. Sensity will host a concert in Paris on December 10 at 7 pm at the Paris Presbyterian Church.
By Casandra Turnbull
The excitement is growing at Sensity as residents there prepare to present a live Christmas performance at the #forParis Centre at the Paris Presbyterian Church. It’s been 20 months since everyone was able to join together for any sort of live performance, so it only made sense to title this year’s show: Coming Together: A Sensity Holiday Celebration. Sensity is a non-profit organization that provides intervenor services for deafblind individuals who reside at the property, one-ofa-kind children’s intervenor services, as well as training and consultation for people and organizations that support deafblind people. “Group rehearsals have been part of our activity calendar for the past six weeks. You
can tell how excited our performers are because they’ve been practicing on their own time with their support workers, who are known as intervenors,” said Samantha Gaspar, Communications & Events Coordinator at Sensity. “After 20 months of not being able to gather in person, this opportunity to host our concert live creates a hopeful feeling of almost being at the finish line together,” she added. The concert will be held at 7 pm on Friday, December 10th at the #forParis Centre at the Paris Presbyterian Church, 164 Grand River St N. There is no cost for admission though organizers are accepting a free-will donation to Sensity through Canada Helps, an online fundraising tool utilized by many Canadian charities. Continued on Page 17
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December 4, 2021
“After 20 months of not being able to gather in person, this opportunity to host our concert live creates a hopeful feeling of almost being at the finish line together.” Sensity has hosted a concert for the past five years, although last year’s was done virtually via Zoom. In past years, they’ve held the concerts at their Paris location, but also at the W. Ross Macdonald School in Brantford. Five performers from the Children’s Intervenor Services program will perform virtually. A total of 14 performers, ranging in age from 10 to 50 are busy preparing for the holiday tradition with music therapist intern, Hailey Davis. For deafblind individuals, music therapy is a discipline in which Certified Music Therapists (MTAs) use music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health and well-being. Music therapists use music safely and ethically to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social and spiritual domains, explained Gaspar. “Individual and group music therapy programs began at Sensity over ten years ago, and now Sensity has three music therapists and an intern providing programming to individuals across Ontario, both in-person and through Telehealth,” said Amy Di Nino, a Neurologic Music Psychotherapist. “With a focus on the deafblind individual experiencing music as a sensory input, vibrations and other tactile approaches support their preferred sounds. As an example, we will be using the pipe organ to communicate seasonal melodies as part of the receptive listening portion of the evening,” she said.
“Receptive listening and receiving sound is a unique experience for each individual deafblind person.” Gaspar has watched the excitement grow over the past few weeks as performers are prepared to present a variety of Christmas classics such as Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas in American Sign Language. The evening will feature some solo performances, pre-recorded performances by the Children’s Intervenor Services and for the first time – dancing! Sensity is located on Main Street in Paris, occupying the property that once housed Sacred Heart Catholic School. Sensity was constructed and opened in 2012, although at the time it was known as the Canadian Deafblind and Rubella Association (Ontario Chapter). They underwent rebranding in 2019.
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December 4, 2021
S P O R T S THURSDAY AFTERNOON LADIES LEAGUE TEAM GOES UNDEFEATED The winners of the first Paris Thursday Afternoon Ladies curling draw, from left to right, are: Deb Rapelje, lead/second; Kathy Dreyer second/vice and Donna Gilbert, skip. This three-woman team was undefeated. Special thanks to The Paris Pub for sponsoring the draw.
Photo submitted by The Paris Curling Club.
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December 4, 2021
COUNCILLOR OUTLINES KEY POINTS FROM 2022 BUDGET DISCUSSIONS Ward 2 Paris Councillor Marc Laferriere Quick facts regarding last night’s budget meeting:
and Stedman Community Hospice granted
- North Paris Fire Station and electric vehicle fleet enhancements folded into budget without - County budget increases for next year additional costs to ratepayers underestimated 2021 inflation rate. It now holds for each year of this term tax increases have been - Design costs for Paris Lawn Bowling Club BELOW inflation rate. approved with options for seniors’ centre/services enhancements. - Major enhancements to social services and public housing Final budget increase of 3.14% or $95.97 per year for median home in County of Brant. Comes to - New paramedic shift/staff coming in 2022 council for final approval Dec 21. - Major contribution to conversion of gravel-toWill share news articles on the budget as they paved infrastructure become available. Video of last night’s meeting can - New walkability fund created for sidewalk be viewed here: Committee of the Whole- 2022 Budget- Consideration of Draft Budget | November creation and other initiatives 30, 2021 - YouTube - Funding requests to both St. Joseph’s Life Care
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December 4, 2021
FOOD & BEVERAGE COME TO THE DARK SIDE, WE’VE GOT DUNKEL! Travelling Pint
with
Tiffany Martin I am excited to teach you a little bit more about beer styles, introduce you to something new or remind you why something is your favourite go-to beer. From barstools to Euro Biergarten tables I encourage you to fill your glass with something fresh, tasty and local - and learn the story behind the beer.
Winter is coming and one silver lining to these chilly temps is the seasonal beer selection that is appearing in our local breweries. I am starting out this column with one of my favourite local beers, Head Gate Dunkel, from Paris' very own The Paris Beer Co. You can often find me at this brewery, perched at the bar with a pint of Dunkel in hand. Sometimes in the overpopulated IPA world of craft beer, we can forget about the more traditional styles that pack just as much flavour and history. Like a Dunkel! Besides being one of my favourite styles, Dunkel is the German word meaning dark and it typically ranges in colour from amber to dark reddishbrown.
They are characterized by their smooth malty flavour, bottom fermented so they are lagers (yes, not all lagers are light and yellow) and are wonderfully drinkable. It is a myth that all dark beers are heavy and thick. This is a great example of busting that theory! The style of beer that is now known as Dunkel was being brewed for years before the name 'Dunkel' was commonly used. In fact, in the early days of lager brewing, all lagers would have technically been
Dunkels since Dunkel is the German word for “dark”, and all beers were dark in colour before the creation of Pilsner and other golden lagers in the 1840s. Once those lighter lagers appeared on the scene, the name Dunkel came to be applied to traditional Bavarian dark lagers, especially those brewed in and around Munich. Continued on Page 21
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The Paris Independent
December 4, 2021
Dunkels are great gateway beers for those who think they ‘don’t like dark beers’
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Paris Beer Co’s Head Gate Dunkel is 5.1%, balanced to perfection and with strong German roots of the brewer, Christian Von Der Heide, it is clearly brewed to original Munich style Dunkel. Think velvety chocolate, hazelnut and vanilla malt impressions with a noble hop finish. The sweetscented beer is dry with a bit of residual sweetness and has a round, heartwarming mouthfeel. Tasty, right? The taste is familiar enough for a regular doppelbock drinker or lager lover, while it slightly pushes the palate to a more adventurous style and is so nice to look at in the glass with a thick tan collar, which carries
some flavour to it too! Already tried Adventure into time Dunkel explore a wheat this dark lager.
this brew? their limitedWeizen and beer twist on
Dunkels in particular are great gateway beers for those who don’t think that they like dark beers. Pick up a few from Paris Beer Co and bring them to your next gathering and see if you can convince a few of your friends to come over to the dark side, it's tasty!
The Head Gate Dunkel: think velvety chocolate, hazelnut and vanilla malt impressions with a noble hop finish. Photos Courtesy of Tiffany Martin.
The Paris Independent
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December 4, 2021
COMMUNITY NEWS DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFICATION A TEAM EFFORT By Carolina Saenz You might have noticed that walking through downtown Paris this time of year feels like you’re walking into a Hallmark movie. With lights, garland, and a Christmas tree, it’s undoubtedly a beautiful sight during the holiday season.
The efforts of everyone involved were on full display in mid November when a shopping extravaganza, complete with a tree-lighting ceremony, drew crowds to Paris’ downtown. The Jingle Bell Market, formerly called Jingle Bell Night for over 12 years, was modified this year from a one-night event to a threeday celebration. This made it possible for more people to participate in a safe manner and provided downtown businesses with the opportunity to offer more tax-free shopping, exciting deals, and even a $500 shopping spree giveaway.
Paris Community Christmas Tree was lit during Jingle Bell Market on November 19. Putting up the tree and all the decorations downtown this year, was a joint effort between County of Brant staff and the Paris BIA. Photo by Michelle Malvaso.
The new approach to this traditional event required creativity and lots of team effort. The Paris Business Improvement Association (BIA), having recently gone through changes in their committee, had limited time and resources to make this a successful event. Continued on page 23
The Paris Independent
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December 4, 2021
Downtown Paris feels like a holiday Hallmark movie Continued from Page 22 “We did this in record-breaking time, with the least amount of resources and availability to us, and we were able to still make something wonderful,” explained Katherine Pickering, owner of The Paris Bohemian Gallery and member of the BIA. The BIA and the County of Brant pulled together to transform the downtown into the Hallmark setting it is today. The County played an important role in renting lifts, putting up the big lights, decorating the poles, and helping set-up the Christmas tree. Pickering said wonderful donors were kind enough to provide lights and decorations. Those donors are Paris residents Salah Bachir and Jacob Yerex who saved Christmas in 2017 with a donation of over $40,000 worth of decorations, still seen today, elegantly placed on the downtown light fixtures which were repaired free of charge by PowerServe Inc. Electrical Contractors that same year. And BIA committee members, who are all business owners in the downtown core, each contributed in a unique way, Pickering added, whether it was designing and creating posters or bringing decorations out from storage and helping to set them up. A couple of local high-school students, Luke and Liam, also volunteered with the decorating process. Walter’s Greenhouse & Garden designed the exquisite centre pieces in the planter boxes. “This is not a one-person thing; this is a machine. We all put something into it,” Pickering said. “A true community effort,” which was evident at the Jingle Bell Market. Adding to that beauty, was the individual efforts of businesses owners who worked to give their display windows and businesses a warm holiday feel. Once the holidays are over, the BIA will continue its mission to improve the downtown and continuously enhance its aesthetics. The ultimate goal is to continue to draw people downtown to support local. Pickering reports the downtown core lost 7 businesses because of Covid and can only hope that number does not increase.
Top two pictures taken by Michelle Malvaso during the Jingle Bell Market. Bottom photo is of volunteers decorating the downtown core in the middle of November. Photo by Downtown Paris, Ontario.
The Paris Independent
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December 4, 2021
Showtimes for Galaxy Cinemas Brantford Saturday December 4, 2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife Standard 12:50p.m. 3:50p.m. 6:50p.m. 9:50p.m. Encanto Standard 12:40p.m. 3:30p.m. 3D 6:30p.m. 9:20p.m. House of Gucci Standard 12:30p.m. 3:00p.m. 6:40p.m. 9:10p.m. Eternals Standard 12:45p.m. 2:35p.m. 6:00p.m. 9:30p.m. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City Standard 12:00p.m. 4:20p.m. 7:10p.m. 10:15p.m. Dune Standard 6:05p.m. 9:30p.m. Clifford the Big Red Dog Standard 12:10p.m. 4:00p.m. Belfast Standard 1:00p.m. 3:40p.m. 6:20p.m. 9:00p.m. Venom: Let There Be Carnage Standard 6:35p.m. 10:00p.m. Ron's Gone Wrong Standard 12:20p.m. 3:10p.m.