Horseshoe Valley Kaleidoscope

— by Valerie Thornton

The sounds of spring were rather different this year; added to the normal returning bird songs as they searched for food/mates and materials for building nests, were the sounds of chainsaws, tree limbs thudding on the ground, chippers grinding wood, the dragging sound of limbs being taken to the curbside for transportation to the dump for disposal. We also heard  the voices of the teams with their ropes being arranged strategically over the trees as they were trying to co-ordinate the removal of difficult trees/branches that  were in awkward locations that threatened to damage homes or outside sheds/buildings  if a mistake was made.

The ice storm that hit us caused a vast  destruction of our tree canopy, sufficient to be classed as a disaster (the fallen trees and broken branches over many roads caused many closures until they were cleared, power cuts which meant no heat/light/loss of  food in our freezers except for a few who had generators; and I made a  mental note to perhaps look into getting one at some time).

It was a challenging time for all residents, but the community came together and there were some warming centres set up, including at Horseshoe Resort. It was amazing how one can wrap up and keep warm when one has to. I also thought about the early pioneers who had none of our luxuries and felt grateful that this wasn’t going to last for too long and happy that it wasn’t an earthquake, floods, tornado, forest fire, mudslide etc. which were occurring at other places in our world.    

We never know what nature is going to present us with and I must admit that the huge clumps of ice that adhered to our vegetation were extremely fascinating, albeit a concern as so many trees and branches were damaged. I am sure that we all remember that nerve wracking night when we heard the sounds of the cracking and falling of the limbs that broke off; not knowing until the next morning what damage had been done!

In my own garden I found that the evergreens, which had been dragged down severely by the weight of the ice, just bounced up after a few days. The worst were the birches which suffered badly.  An enormous cost to our Township and Simcoe County, but also to the residents who had to spend thousands on the removal of damaged trees/branches and general clear up.    

A reminder also just how important our Hydro workers are and what they had to do during this period. You may complain about the management, but please no negatives about those men and women who had to work endlessly to getting our power back. In fact, I think that we undervalue too many of our workers who do important work in keeping our economy running. Also our Township workers, who had to focus on making sure that our roads were safe to drive on.

May is always changeable weather, and I always wait until after Victoria Day to get any plants, especially this year as there has been so much cleaning to do in the gardens. This year my tidying up in my garden begins in earnest in June. But amongst the devastation the trees are budding furiously and numerous plants are pushing their roots up and coming to life after the winter season. 

You will also notice that there are many outdoor markets popping up over our Township and soon the start of fresh produce; delicious asparagus is already appearing in our stores. Support our local growers who will be operating sales of their produce at the roadside over the next few months.   

The new public elementary school at 739 Horseshoe Valley Road and Line 4 North will be opening in September. Anyone driving by could see how the building was progressing and as the land had already been cleared of trees the storm did not delay the completion. Ideas for a name were solicited, and 100 unique school name suggestions were submitted.  

The name Horseshoe Heights Public School was selected, and final approval came before the School Board on May 28. At the same meeting a mascot and school colours also had to be selected. I agreed with local resident Gina Taylor’s comment that she liked the new name specifically because it has no affiliation with any human, living or dead.

The Community Centre attached to the school was also looking for submissions of a name which resulted in three names to be voted on: Harmony Woods, Hungry Hollow, or Simcoe Woods. This will also be voted on and the Council will announce the name chosen at the May 28 meeting. I think we are all looking forward to seeing what programming will be offered and how this sharing of the facility will work.

The many golf courses in our Township are now open and Horseshoe is continuing to improve its course and bringing it back to an 18-hole course after several years of being just 9 holes. I should mention  that if you are a woman and interested in golfing and camaraderie you may be interested in joining the LON (Ladies of the Night) group which  is playing again at two courses on Horseshoe Valley Road: Settler’s Ghost  on Tuesday evenings and Horseshoe on Thursday evenings. This is a fun non-competitive group that meet in the respective restaurants after playing.  Open to all women from any area. Please email me at vmt4141@gmail.com if you are interested and would like further information. I should add that you can pick up your ball if you want to!

Each year this group does a fundraising golf and dinner at the end of the season, raising money for a local charity. This year, the New Haven for Youth Haven has been chosen. This is an emergency youth shelter supporting Simcoe youth and is the County’s only emergency shelter for youth experiencing homelessness. Their mission: Inspiring vulnerable youth to reach their full potential with the support of our community. Their vision: Together, empowering vulnerable youth to become successful adults.

Grand Opening soon. Check out The Highland Range – where golf meets community in Horseshoe Valley. The old driving range on Highland Drive is being brought back to life; not just a driving range but a community driven destination. A fully redeveloped tee deck, a short game area with a chip and putt and plenty of family-friendly space will be available. 

There is a fully licensed patio with seasonal food and drink menus, a fire pit, outdoor lawn games and social spaces, plus an ice cream shack, and a sandbox playground for the children to enjoy.  Founded by Kalvin Sherry; chef, entrepreneur and the driving force behind Krew Catering and the BOH group. From surviving COVID and food inflation to constantly evolving with the times, Kalvin and his team have remained focused on one thing: delivering exceptional, community-first experiences. They also plan to have a Farmers’ Market on Sundays, during the summer.

Special congratulations to Mike Maynard of Sugarbush who has been awarded this year’s Oro-Medonte Senior of the Year award. He has been an avid volunteer for so many years and was a founding member of the Friends of Sugarbush, and involved with so many community events over the years, including the amazing Family Day Toboggan races, Children’s Bike Parade, fundraising for the Sweetwater Park AED installation and many other events and needs of the Sugarbush community. 

As our Ward 1 Councillor Lori Hutcheson said, “Mike’s unwavering commitment to his community is a shining example of selflessness, passion, and authenticity. Mike is a humble yet determined individual who embodies the spirit of community involvement. His selfless contributions have made a profound impact on our community.” Mike will be presented with this well-deserved award at the council meeting on June 25.

As summer begins, enjoy the season with all that is offered in our Township. Please contact me at vmt4141@gmail.com if you want more information on joining the LON golf group, are starting up a group that is open to new members, or want any other information that I can help you with.

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us” —Helen Keller