Byron
NOVEMBER 2024 ISSUE 95
Villager
760 Hyde Park Road, London www.gordonsgold.ca 519-473-3988
760 Hyde Park Road, London | www.gordonsgold.ca | 519-473-3988
CELEBRATING THE SPECIAL OCCASIONS IN YOUR LIFE
Remembrance Day Parade The National Poppy Campaign begins on Friday, October 25, this year and runs until November 11. With assistance from volunteers, members of the legions distribute poppies within the community and local businesses. They give out the poppies for free; however, donations are gratefully accepted and go directly to supporting Canada’s Veterans and their families. This year’s Royal Canadian Legion, Byron-Springbank Branch #533 Remembrance Day Parade and Ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 9, at 1:00 pm. The parade route through the community will make a stop at the Byron Memorial Library and the final ceremony will be held at the Legion. The Legion considers a live ceremony honouring our Veterans and their sacrifices very important. Inviting our community is essential in building a future that recognizes our veterans who served and gave their ultimate sacrifice. Ensuring the symbolism of the Legion and community leaders while paying homage to our veterans is more important than ever. This year’s commemoration will include: • Air Cadet Colour Party • Veteran and Legion marching parade • VIPs • 27 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets and NLCC Navy League Cadets • Community Organizations; Byron Ashlar Lodge (Masons Canada), Knights of Columbus, Byron Optimist Club, Byron Scouts and Guides
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November 2024 Page 3
What is Happening with the Byron Optimists!! On Monday, November 4, members from our club will help prepare a meal for the residents at Ronald McDonald House.
Wednesday, November 13, 5:00 to 7:00 pm, will be the next Spaghetti Dinner in support of the Sports Complex and will be held at the Byron Legion. Tickets ($16.00) each must be purchased no later than November 6. For more information, email byronoptimistdinner@gmail.com. Friday, November 15, 4:00 to 7:30 pm, join us for a fun night with Minty Gold and Silver exchange at the Byron Optimist Youth Centre, 1308 Norman Ave in Byron. Gather your unwanted gold and silver and receive a free evaluation. We also take Silver Flatware, Silver Dollars, Estates & Bullion. You will receive a cheque or etransfer for the items that you sell. A portion of the sales will go back to the Optimist Club of Byron. Please RSVP to byronoptimist@gmail.com to reserve your spot. TV Bingo – Every Monday night this exciting program is on Rogers TV Channel 13, 182 & 510 starting at 8:00
Poppy Pastel by local artist, Brad Boug
SERVING OUR
Y O U T H
Byron Villager Issue #95 November 2024 Your local community connector. The 100% locally owned and produced Byron Villager is published ten times a year with thousands delivered free to area residences, set out at local venues, and posted online at www.villagerpublications.com Publisher & Editor: Barb Botten P.O. Box 134, Lambeth Station Ontario N6P 1P9 Barb@villagerpublications.com 519-282-7262 Content Managers: Lynne WIlliams, Barb Botten Graphic Artist: Jon Botten Delivery Ambassador: Nippy Watson Copyright @ 2015 Villager Publications. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the Publisher. Information presented has been compiled from sources believed to be accurate at the time of printing however the Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. We’d love to hear from you. Contact Barb at Barb@villagerpublications.com
pm, or you can stream online at tvbingo.ca Join us and continue to make Byron Great! www.byronoptimist.ca
EST. 1979
Please contact Barb@villagerpublications.com for more information regarding any of our local community magazines. Visit our website at villagerpublications.com to read them all. YOUR OCTOBER 2024 VILLAGER PUBLICATIONS LINEUP
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Byron Villager
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DELAWARE/KOMOKA/KILWORTH/MT. BRYDGES BYRON AND AREA DELAWARE/KOMOKA/KILWORTH/MT. BRYDGES
INSURANCE SHOPPER YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE DELAWARE/KOMOKA/KILWORTH/MT. BRYDGES YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE
ASK US ABOUT INSURANCE FOR HOME, AUTO, COMMERCIAL, OR FARM INSURANCE SHOPPER DELAWARE/KOMOKA/KILWORTH/MT. BRYDGES YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE SPRING FLOODS HAPPEN YEAR ROUND NOW Different insurers have different ways of covering high water problems. Coverages and costs will vary with the specific location of your house, surrounding terrain, and nearby water features. What kind of policy should I have for high water in the Spring WORRIED ABOUT SPRING FLOODING? Different insurers have different ways of covering high water problems. Coverages and costs will vary with the specific location of your house, surrounding terrain and nearby water features. Cathy Fallowfield Registered Insurance Broker Director of Operations URANCE SHOPPER WARE/KOMOKA/KILWORTH/MT. BRYDGES Cindy Haywood Registered Insurance Broker Cindy Haywood Registered Insurance Broker Cathy Fallowfield Registered Insurance Broker Director of Operations Terry Young Registered Insurance Broker Jessica Cornelis Registered Insurance Broker Jessica Cornelis Registered Insurance Broker Andrea Coutu Registered Insurance Broker Andrea Coutu Registered Insurance Broker Andrea Coutu Registered Insurance Broker Jessica Cornelis Registered Insurance Broker Jessica Cornelis Registered Insurance Broker Terry Young Registered Insurance Broker Cindy Haywood Registered Insurance Broker Terry Young Registered Insurance Broker Is Your Home Ready For Winter? RIED ABOUT SPRING FLOODING? Different insurers have different ways of covering high water problems. Coverages and costs will vary with the specific location of your house, surrounding terrain and nearby water features. URHOOD SOURCE FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE What is the difference between “Flood Insurance” & “Overland Water Coverage” RRIED ABOUT SPRING FLOODING? ENERGY EFFICIENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE INSURANCE ADVISORS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD SPRING FLOODS Different insurers have different ways of covering high water problems. Coverages and costs will vary with the specific location of your house, surrounding terrain, and nearby water features. WORKING SMOKE ALARMS SAVES LIVES! URANCE ADVISORS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD D DELAWARE/KOMOKA/KILWORTH/MT. BRYDGES ASK US ABOUT INSURANCE FOR HOME, AUTO, COMMERCIAL, OR FARM Cathy Fallowfield Registered Insurance Broker Director of Operations Cathy Fallowfield Registered Insurance Broker Director of Operations Cindy Haywood Registered Insurance Broker
Flood Insurance may be needed if your home is near a lake, river, or pond to insure your property against storm surges, tidal waves, and similar major events. What kind of policy should I have for high water in the spring What kind of policy should I have for high water in the spring • Cover windows with plastic • Check your insulation in your attic and basement • Replace worn weather stripping OUTSIDE TAPS • Bleed the lines of your outdoor faucet • Turn off the interior shutoff valve for your outdoor faucet INSIDE WATER TAPS • Use insulating tube on exposed indoor pipes to prevent frozed pipes Overland Water Insurance covers sudden water events such as heavy spring rains or a river overflowing its banks in a spring thaw. Patty Crawford Registered Insurance Broker sudden water events such as heavy spring rains or a river overflowing its banks in a spring thaw. What kind of policy should I have for high water in the Spring Flood Insurance may be needed if your home is near lakes, rivers or ponds, to insure your property against storm surges, tidal waves and similar major events. Overland Water Insurance covers sudden water events such as heavy Spring rains or a river overflowing its banks in a Spring thaw. Flood Insurance may be needed if your home is near lakes, rivers or ponds, to insure your property against storm surges, tidal waves and similar major events. Overland Water Insurance covers sudden water events such as heavy Spring rains or a river overflowing its banks in a Spring thaw. Enhanced Water Damage Insurance will combine coverages for multiple types of water problems such as ground water, overland water, exterior water and sewer lines.
Enhanced Water Damage Insurance combines coverages for multiple types of water problems, such as ground water, overland water, exterior water, and sewer lines. Jessica Cornelis Registered Insurance Broker Enhanced Water Damage Insurance combines coverages for multiple types of water problems, Test yours every month. Replace the batteries twice a year. such as ground water, overland water, exterior water, and sewer lines. Replace smoke alarms every ten years.
Drop into our office for a free flood preparation brochure or call us and we will mail it to you Coming soon: Look for our flood preparation brochure filled with tips and guides on what to do before, during, and after a flood. Overland Water Insurance covers sudden water events such as heavy Spring rains or a river overflowing its banks in a Spring thaw. Enhanced Water Damage Insurance will combine coverages for multiple types of water problems such as ground water, overland water, exterior water and sewer lines. Flood Insurance may be needed if your home is near lakes, rivers or ponds, to insure your property against storm surges, tidal waves and similar major events. Flood Insurance may be needed if your home is near a lake, river, or pond to insure your property Overland Water Insurance covers Cathy Fallowfield Registered Insurance Broker Director of Operations against storm surges, tidal waves, and similar major events. Drop into our office for a free flood preparation brochure or call us and we will mail it to you Coming soon: Look for our flood preparation brochure filled with tips and guides on what to do before, during, and after a flood.
INSURERS THAT WE CAN GET QUOTES FROM Max Insurance Burns & Wilcox INSURERS THAT WE CAN GET QUOTES FROM Max Insurance Burns & Wilcox • Replace your furnace filter each month this winter • Vaccum heating vents • Consider replacing furnace thermostats with a programmable model • It’s always a good idea to have your furnace inspected and cleaned every year MOST EFFECTIVE HEATING nsurance specialist, we know the lay of the land in your neighbourhood. o assess conditions affecting your home and compare your options from an insurers. HOW DOES ACCIDENT WAIVER PROTECT ME OUR HOME A SPRING TUNE-UP! season to check out your home’s exterior, from roof shingles to lazing to dryer vents. Use the handy “Home Maintenance Checklist” bsite to make sure your home is safe and sound. S A “WAIVER RECIATION” preciation coverage insurer’s right to deduct from the value of your It is an auto insurance benefit that may prevent insurance rates from increasing as a result of a driver’s first at-fault accident. It can be added to a policy to protect those with a good driving record. rive, Delaware, Ontario N0L 1E0 • Tel: 519-652-3201 • Fax: 519-652-2710 0-363-4304 • Email: crawfordanddanyluk@cmmgbrokers.com n settling a claim for ge caused by a peril u are insured.
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November 2024 Page 5
3 WAYS
the crisp air, the streetlight, houselights (and holiday lights) and moonlight feels brighter somehow in contrast to a gray November day. If you’re going to try this my recommendation is that you walk with a friend, take a flashlight and stick to the sidewalks – but otherwise, enjoy!! When we get outside, we can more closely connect with nature. We are part of this natural world and the more we align to its rhythms, the less stress we create on our body, energy, and mind. I call this the art of living Ayurvedically, but it’s something our ancestors have known and practiced for generations. By getting outside more often, we can re-establish some of these lost connections. In what ways will you explore nature and your neighbourhood this November? Kim Fulton grew up in Byron and returned to our community 21 years ago with her husband and children. When she’s not “neighbourhood adventuring”, Kim is a Yoga & Ayurvedic Life & Wellness Coach who specializes in Stress Management, supporting clients through her coaching and wellness programs. She also teaches Yoga Classes in the neighbourhood. www.kimfulton.ca
Neighbourhood Adventuring: Head in the Clouds and Feet on the Ground by Kim Fulton November can seem drab, cold and endless! After Halloween, the darkness of the season begins to settle in. The vibrancy of October turns into duller browns, grays and maybe even a little of the white stuff. There’s a chill in the air and thoughts turn towards finding warmth and preparing for the season ahead. You may even notice your time spent outdoors is limited to the time it takes to get the mail or put out the garbage. The beginning of the colder season brings with it a period of internalizing energy. After months of producing leaves, flowers, fruit and berries, the showy external displays of energy end. It’s a period of quiet, stillness and rejuvenation. And while we humans can’t just stop the busyness of life, we can still connect with the energies that are happening in the natural world by getting outside and witnessing it. I’ve got some ideas to make it fun and interesting! How to be a Neighbourhood Adventurer this November Look up! The clouds can put on quite a dramatic show as the weather shifts between cool and cold. Even a short mid-day walk can provide an opportunity for a little cloud-gazing and the expansiveness of the sky can offer a balancing contrast to the shortening daylight hours. Look down! While things may appear more muted, the depth of textures can also be a feast for the eyes. After the showy display of colourful leaves, we can now notice the bark of the trees, the shapeliness of the sumac clusters or the resilience of the final whisps of milkweed. Catch the view. Byron boasts some of the highest vantage points in the city! From Boler Mountain to the hill at Chalet Crescent and the lookout point at Lookout Court – at each of these places you can almost look over the whole city. Take a big breath of fresh air and feel like you’re on top of the world! Try a Moonlit Walk. It may seem counter-intuitive, but during the colder months of the year I like to walk outside in the evening. Something about
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To advertise here please contact Barb@villagerpublications.com Lambeth Villager • November 2024 • Page 9
Byron Villager
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Earth Day Old South Clean-up “We had a great crew this year,” reported Margaret Hopkins. “We did Charles Hunt Park and the Green as well as Wortley Road (lots of cigarette butts). Hoag and Jeff of Old South Village Pub provided FREE pancakes and sausages to the team who included: Noelle Hack, Vitalii, Mariia, Nikita, Valeiia Niemtev, Illia Bilianskyi, Eric Shepperd, Donald Phillips, Nicole Phillips, Malachy Elliott, Dan Ebbs, Brent Crowther, Dorisdey Celarie, Gwen Shugar, Amy Shugar, Theresa Morrissey, Erin, Nolan and Nathan Ross, Maya Rastogi, Anne Rastogi, Scott Johnson, Peter Hopkins, William Hopkins, Kendal Hopkins, Hailey Armstrong, Maguire Morning and myself.” Thanks to all for your time and effort. The Duchess Steve Plunkett is known for owning rare vehicles that would make any gearhead salivate. But one of his “one of one” Cadillacs has a royal connection like no other.
Jason Rip by J. Bruce Parker
not your big chain pharmacy An independent pharmacy that specializes in complementary therapy options and operates with a knowledge-based approach to combine Western prescriptions and Eastern natural remedies, Turner Drug Store, now in it’s 85th year at the corner of Grand Ave. and Carfrae Cres., is not your big chain pharamacy. Darren Dasovich purchased the business in 2021 when long- time owner Jeff Robb retired. Darren maintains the charm of the old style, community-involved drug store that prioritizes customer care, while continuing to be forward thinking and innovative with regards to technology and treatment advancements. The store offers a wide variety of herbal, vitamin, and natural remedies not commonly found in large chain outlets, as well as all the prescription medications that are. Some of Darren’s favourite products available at Turners are:
It’s a 1941 Cadillac custom limousine named the Duch- ess. Style 41-62190 was built to order for Edward, the former King of England, and his wife Wallace Simpson. Royal watchers will recall that King Edward abdicated the throne in 1936 in order to marry Simpson, an Amer- ican socialite who was twice divorced. The relationship caused a constitutional crisis, and Edward chose love over the throne.
Wallace Simpson and Prince Edward
The couple commissioned the car from Cadillac while living at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. It was a major coup for General Motors. The company’s CEO, Alfred Sloan, personally oversaw the vehicle’s construction at a cost of US $14,000. (Nearly US $300,000 today.) “I bought it in 2016,” Plunkett says. “The previous owner spent $400,000 restoring it to its exact original features. No modifications.” The car was built for the couple’s personal use, and they owned it for 11 years, fondly calling it the Duchess. It has an automatic transmission and was one of the first vehicles with power windows. It was an eye-catcher, with fully chromed wheels and plush, rose broadcloth upholstery with satin privacy curtains. Plunkett describes some of the custom features. “Because it has a division window separating driver and passengers, it has dual climate control systems. She was into jewellery, so it has four jewellery boxes. He smoked pipes so it has a humidor and pipe rack. Its one-off body is different than all other ‘41 Cadillacs.”
Tuckey In Steve Plunkett’s world, classic cars, even a one-off with a royal connection, are more than just showpieces. He exercises all his cars. “I drove it 25 miles today,” he says. For 15 years, Steve Plunkett turned his love of cars into the Fleetwood Country Cruize-In, an event that supported local charities and raised over $1.7 million. “Taking a passion that I love and creating an event that benefits so many people has been a blessing,” says Steve. The event attracted thousands of people and cars from across North America. When not at home on his estate on the outskirts of Byron, Steve tours invitational car events and shows across North America, showcasing his classic cars. We have everything you need to Spring Forward into Summer! BBQs • Lawn Mowers & Garden Tools • Lots more Ready for Summer Outdoor Living BBQs, Lawn Chairs, Patio, Lots More All the body panels were handmade. The vehicle’s flowing body lines would later influence the styling of Buick and Rolls Royce. It was the ultimate in luxury for the time.
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Wortley Villager June 2024 • Page 11 To advertise here, please contact Cathy@villagerpublications.com November 2024 Page 7 136 Wortley Road • (519) 432-7683 M-F 9-6 • Saturday 9-5 • Sunday 10-5 Gift Cards Available! Mother’s Day Gifts for Mom! Plants & Flowers • Garden Decor • Patio Furniture Planters • Baskets and more! Home & Garden • Auto • Tools and More! Father’s Day Gifts for Dad 1255 Commissioners Rd W (corner of Boler and Commissioners) 519-471-3500 www.byronoptometry.com
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To advertise here, please contact Cathy@villagerpublications.com To advertise here please contact Barb@villagerpublications.com London Animal Care Centre – Licensing, Bylaw Enforcement, Adoption and Lost/Found Services: 121 Pine Valley Blvd., (519) 685-1330 The Catty Shack: 756 Windermere Rd., (519) 432-4572
An update from Anna Hopkins Our Ward 9 City Councillor
I will be hosting an Information Session on Wednesday, November 13th, from 6 to 8 pm at the Byron Library Auditorium, located at 1295 Commissioners Road West. During this session, I will present the Budget Update with proposed amendments, and staff will be available to answer your questions. Your input is also vital. If you cannot attend, please share your comments via email at ahopkins@london.ca or call 519-661-5095. The city will hold several Information Sessions throughout the area and conduct a survey to gather feedback on the budget amendments. For more information, please visit Get Involved London.ca. The feedback collected will be shared with the budget committee before deliberations begin. You are also welcome to attend the Public Participation Meeting at SPPC on Tuesday at 4 pm to address Council. Deliberations will commence on Thursday, November 21st, at 9:30 am. Take care of one another, and I look forward to hearing from you. As a Candidate for Ward 9 in this year ’ s Municipal Election will be a number of conversations that I will be talking abou constituents.
London’s 2025 Annual Budget Update In March 2024, Council approved the 2024-2027 Four-Year Budget, which includes increases of 8.7% in 2024, 8.8% in 2025, 5.8% in 2026, and 6.8% in 2027, totaling a 30.1% increase. Recently, Council also approved adjustments to the 2025 Water and Wastewater Rates, with a 5.4% increase for wastewater and a 1.5% increase for water, in addition to the already approved increments in the four-year budget.
Elgin counthy
We are now preparing for the 2025 Annual Budget review, which the Mayor will present on Tuesday, October 29th, at the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) meeting for Council’s consideration. This annual budget update allows Council the flexibility to make modifications to the budget. The City’s budget supports over 90 municipal services for Londoners, representing the closest level of government that affects our community on a daily basis. Community input is a crucial aspect of this budget update. FIREWOOD FOR SALE S easoned, ready to burn, hardwood
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Page 8 Byron Villager Page 10 Real Living • Winter 2020
Organized Chaos
By October 3, 1813, General Proctor’s army, what is left of it, is only 15 miles above the mouth of the Thames River at Matthew Dolsen’s farm in Dover, three miles below Chatham. They have reached the place where General Proctor had originally decided to make a stand. The original order to fortify Dover cannot be carried out since the trenching and fortification tools have all been sent ahead to the Bowles Farm, seven miles further upstream and the means to return those tools, whether it be by wagon or by boat simply doesn’t exist. Proctor has rushed upriver to Moraviantown and has left everyone rudderless. Tecumseh has not been told of any change in plans, nor has Proctor’s second in command, Lt. Col. Warburton. Proctor’s army is close to mutiny. Tecumseh takes charge and insists that they move three miles further up the Thames to Chatham. Warburton, sensing that he might lose Tecumseh’s support, tells Tecumseh that he will try to comply with Proctor’s promises and will make a stand on any ground of Tecumseh’s choosing. Messages are sent to Proctor concerning the situation but Proctor is in Moraviantown, busy sending his wife and children up the Longwoods Road to the safety of Niagara. Tecumseh is disgusted to discover that Chatham has no fortifications and is indefensible. Nevertheless, he is forced into a rearguard action with General Harrison’s forward scouts. He would like to move his Native warriors upriver to Moraviantown. On the morning of October 4th, Warburton waits at Chatham for Proctor until 10 o’clock. No Proctor. With American riflemen firing across the river, he can wait no longer. Orders arrive. Proceed at once upriver to the Bowles farm. Progress upriver for Warburton’s troops is painfully slow owing to the Native women and children and all of their baggage clogging the way. At the Bowles farm, Warburton encounters Proctor and is ordered to burn all the stores that they had so labouriously dragged all the way from Fort Amherstburg. Two gunboats are scuttled to impede American progress. Frustration with Proctor’s leadership
affects everyone’s morale. The British troops push on until they arrive at the Sherman farm that evening. The men are exhausted and half-starved. There will be no hot meal. The cooks are busy seeing to the needs of their own families. The morale of the army reaches its lowest ebb. Meanwhile, Tecumseh and his warriors continue their rearguard action at the forks of the Thames at Chatham. His natives have torn the planks off the bridge crossing McGregor’s Creek. The American troops replace them within two hours. Two six- pounder guns drive the Natives off. Tecumseh catches up to Proctor’s army later that night. There is a fatalistic calmness about Tecumseh, like he is aware that his time is up. He remarks to some of his chiefs: “Brother warriors, we are about to enter an engagement from which I shall not return. My body shall remain on the field of battle.” (To be continued...)
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November 2024 Page 9
A Band of Brothers Seven friends who grew up in the same neighbourhoods and attended the same high school have forged a connection that transcends mere companionship; it is a connection that’s evolved into a brotherhood. Fifty-four years ago, Colin Botten, Chris Brawn, and Brian Prentice, three homegrown Byron boys, met in kindergarten and spent their early years playing sports and running around the neighbourhood together.
Bill Swan Wedding – The Byron Gang – 1992
The boys often arranged to meet in Springbank Park near what became known as the “Meeting Tree” beside the train tracks. “We lived close enough we could hear the train whistle and the peacocks scream,” adds Colin. While the tracks and peacocks are gone, the Meeting Tree still stands, waiting. In Norton Estates, a similar brotherly bond was forming between Dave Thompson (DT) and Bill Swan. They met 53 years ago on the first day of grade 1. Like the Byron boys, DT and Bill hung out together, playing sports and exploring their world first on bikes and then on motorcycles. In Grade 9, the worlds of these boys collided as they all headed to Saunders Secondary to start high school. During the next two years, Colin, Chris, Brian, DT, and Bill, along with Chris’s friend Darcy McNeill, formed a combination of friendships with each other through shared classes, hockey, football, band, orchestra, and student council. Grade 11, however, was the pivotal year that solidified the band of would-be brothers into the cohesive group they are today. “It was a house party that brought us all together in one place at the same time,” recalls Darcy. “That’s when we started hanging around as a bigger group rather than just in smaller packs.” That party also introduced Dave Bridges, a fun-loving “dance to his own beat” enigma, into the brotherhood. Dave had recently moved into Westmount and was new to Saunders. “He just kind of appeared,” laughs DT.
Brian Prentice, Colin Botten, Chris Brawn, Todd Therrien, 1983
“Byron was our playground,” explains Colin. “In those days, you left the house after breakfast and didn’t come back until the streetlights went on. We’d land at one of our houses for lunch or supper then head out again.” Colin, Chris, and Brian roamed freely and with confidence within Byron’s
Bill Swan, Dave Thompson, 1981
boundaries, chasing each other up and down the sand dunes behind Griffith Street, building tree forts near the Byron gravel pits, stopping at Pinto’s on Commissioners Road for a cream soda, or tobogganing down McNiece’s Hill.
Canoe trip, 1989
Boys in Eden Ave basement New Year’s Eve around 1993
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Page 10 Byron Villager
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Dave Bridges stag weekend, 1996
The seven plus John Gunn and Geoff Hilker – September 2024
High school led to university, which paved the way for adulthood. Careers, marriages, commitments, and differing interests pulled the boys in various directions. Yet, what remained constant was the connection these seven friends maintained. Shared classes, roommates, motorcycle rides and pub nights became canoe and ski trips, annual cottage weekends, and poker nights. Weddings, births, deaths, and life’s ups and downs were the dots keeping the boys connected as the years flowed along. “We might go a few days, weeks, even a couple of months without connecting,” Colin explains. “But then someone sends a
Stephanie Ann Webb Encouragement & Empowerment Coach Amidst the noise, let me be the one who listens I Can Help Guide You To: - Identify & Work Through Limiting Beliefs - Find Your Unique Voice and Passions - Understand Sensitivities & Triggers for HSPs/Empaths - Learn to Let Go of Shame, Love Yourself and Reclaim Your Power - Recognize & Process Feelings Through Deconstructing Religion In person and/or virtual stephaniewebbcoaching@gmail.com stephanieannwebb.online “Honestly, I can’t picture a future where these guys are not a part of my life,” adds Colin. “We’re more than friends; we’re brothers. We maybe don’t share blood, but we share a bond that’s deeper.” That bond is steeped in the respect and appreciation these boys share for what each brings to the group. However, it is growing up in the same neighbourhoods, going to the same school, and sharing adventures, laughter, loyalty, and countless memories that make them brothers. funny meme or an update on something in their lives and it’s like we all saw each other yesterday.”
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Wortley Villager Jan-Feb 2024 • Page 15 To advertise here please contact Barb@villagerpublications.com
November 2024 Page 11
Grand Theatre announces 2024 High School Project A Lifetime of Comradeship In 1943, John Morris volunteered to join the Fleet Air Arm, a branch of the Royal Navy that operated aircraft from navy ships. He was 16 years old and wanted to work on aircraft carriers. Because of problems with his eyes, John’s application for the specialized branch was denied. The Navy recruitment office, however, saw something they liked in John because they offered to keep his name on file until they found a spot where he could contribute. John didn’t have to wait long. By 1944, at the tender age of 17, he was called up and the Navy put him in its Dental branch where he became a dental technician. The Grand Theatre’s renowned youth mentorship program, the High School Project (HSP) will celebrate its 26th anniversary with the Tony and Olivier award-winning Roald Dahl’s MATILDA the Musical (book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin). It will feature students on-stage and behind-the-scenes to take on roles such as stage management, props, wardrobe, scenic art, orchestra, sound, and entertainment marketing. The High School Project is open to any high school student from London and area who will be enrolled in high school in the fall of 2023, or participating in homeschooling. Ages generally range from 14 to 18. Visit www.grandtheatre.com/participate-high-school-project to learn more.www.grandtheatre.com/high-school-project Dentistry during a war may not be as glamorous as flying aircraft, nor is it the topic of Hollywood films or Netflix documentaries. However, it played a pivotal role in World War II. According to one source, “in the time span of 1942 to 1945, over 69 million restorations, over 16 million extractions, and over 2.5 million full or partial dentures were provided by dentists.”
Warm Hearts on the Coldest Night of the Year
TD Wortley Branch Manager Frances Distefano, and Manager Customer Experience Andressa Barros braved the cold Feb- ruary 24 and participated in Mission Service of London’s Coldest Night of the Year walk in support of local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness. “As leaders of the TD Wortley Branch, it is a mission of ours to lead by example when it involves supporting our community. We have a lot to be thankful for, therefore, being visible and taking action to support fundraising initiatives that help those less fortunate is priority more than ever,” said Andressa.
John (left) and fellow sailor
in a variety of capacities. He started in a cotton factory for 85 cents an hour and went on to build ambulances and work in construction doing renovations. John’s long tenure with the Royal Canadian Legion began soon after arriving in Canada. His first home was in Woodbridge and that’s where a friend from England introduced him to the Woodbridge Legion. By 1968, John was living in London,
John played a part in that. He was stationed at the Royal Naval Hospital in Malta where he oversaw the shipping and receiving of dental supplies. Malta was a British island colony in the Mediterranean and a strategic location during the war because of its access to supply lines to and from North Africa. Between 1940 and 1942, Germany and Italy fought to gain control of the island. By the time John arrived in 1944, the British had prevailed, and all was quiet during his 10-month tour there.
South Collegiate’s Emma Bishop, 2023 High School Project
Frances Distefano and Andressa Barros
Botox, Lip Filler, Dermal Filler, Laser Hair Removal, facials, hydrofacial, Indian head massage, microblading, permanent makeup, PRP, microneedling, Dermaplaning & more. Because the hospital was situated beside the harbour, John and the other sailors swam every day. John recalls once he and a few friends decided to swim from one side of the harbour to the other for a lark. John laughs now at how lucky they were that no ships sailed in while they did this. “We’d have been goners,” he quips. After the war, John returned to England and built double- decker buses. He emigrated to Canada In 1949 and worked 350 Ridout S • (519) 601-3900 www.boldbeauty.ca Face | Skin | Body Treatments Feel Great, Look Amazing Leading Skin Rejuvenation Clinic Enhance your natural beauty John in front of the Royal Naval Hospital in Malta
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John in a captured German E-Boat
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Page 12 Byron Villager Page 10 Wortley Villager • April 2024
John has enjoyed the many years of comradeship and community he’s found within the Legion walls of the different branches where he’s been a member, but none more than at the Byron- Springbank Legion. To this day, you will find him every Saturday sitting at a table sipping a glass of red wine and enjoying the friendship and camaraderie around him.
John receiving his Life Membership
Ontario, and joined the Tweedsmuir Legion where he was an active member until the branch folded in the 1980s. It was at that point, John transferred to the Byron-Springbank Legion. John has been a steadfast member of the Byron-Springbank Legion for the last 35 years and received his life membership in 2016. As President during the difficult times of COVID, John oversaw the donation of thousands of dollars to worthy causes such as the St Joseph’s Health Care Foundation and Parkwood Hospital Veterans Care Program.
John and his son Neil
Sources: Sarty Web Essays, “Dentistry During World War II – an Unappreciated History,” Concordia College. www.concordiamemoryproject. concordiacollegearchives.org/exhibits/show/sartyessays/seanzimny “How Malta Survived the War”, Imperial War Museums. www.iwm.org. uk/history/how-malta-survived-the-second-world-war
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November 2024 Page 13 12/04/2024 2:43:47 PM
birdhouses from three different artisans in London, and indoor and outdoor fountains. The store also carries a variety of plant pots and the best selection of McIntosh Mugs, which make perfect gifts. This month, Gillian plans to add quality artificial plants and trees to beautify any space to her inventory. Gillian hopes that, in the last year and a half, she has helped many customers
Enjoy Life! Feed The Birds! “Enjoy Life! Feed The Birds!” is the motto of Birders Bird Supply and Gift Store, a small business Gillian Gibson started in December 2022. She had been a small business owner for over 40 years, owning a retail store and a yoga and fitness studio in the past. Operating a small business is important to Gillian. She believes small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy and one’s community.
Gillian opened her new store in West 5 because it was an up- and-coming area that supported sustainability by using solar power in their homes and businesses. “Sifton was on the cutting edge of what I feel is important to climate change,” explains Gillian. “That’s also why I chose a bird supply and garden store. It complements how we should be helping the wildlife, nature, and our own well-being.” What Gillian likes and values most is helping people see how important feeding the birds is, and how it can contribute to relieving stress and reducing mental fatigue. According to Gillian, birdwatching is known to reduce blood pressure and levels of stress-reducing hormones. Plus, watching birds can lure people outside, which also improves our mood. Birders Bird Supply opened as a bird supply store, carrying everything for the bird lover. They have now expanded their inventory to include other garden items such as handmade Byron-Springbank Veteran Monument, Remember, Reflect, Preserve With each passing year, the memory of the many contributions of Canadian soldiers, airmen and sailors during times of conflict fades a little more from our collective memory. This is why a group of veterans, partners, businesses, and committed citizens has joined together to envision a new monument to commemorate and honour those who contributed to and shaped Canada through their participation in our nation’s military history. Your support is needed to make this important project a reality which is why the Byron - Springbank Veterans Monument project have partnered with the London Community Foundation to raise the necessary funds. During November, there will be an announcement and details for the fundraising program that is now being launched, providing the opportunity for the community to donate funds in support of this important project being placed at the west end of Springbank Park for the Byron Legion. Stay tuned to the Byron Villager for more details as they become available.
find enjoyment from bird feeding and watching. “We have many repeat customers who have become friends,” she adds. “I love to discuss bird stories with them.” As a company, Birder Bird Supply and Gifts has recently supported the Thames Talbot Land Trust which protects and restores nature within London and surrounding areas. “As we grow our business, I’m hopeful we can contribute to other worthwhile causes.” When not swapping bird stories, Gillian loves spending time with her family. She has a son, a daughter, and four grandchildren who are the light of her life. She also loves to walk, read and stay involved with the social committee where she lives. Gillian strives to live by her store’s motto: “Enjoy Life! Feed The Birds!”
Why feed SUET? Suet is higher in easily FEED BIRDS THE digestible fat and calories, which provides quick energy to hungry birds. This makes suet ideal for fall and winter feeding, when birds need more calories to maintain body heat.
1325 Riverbend Rd Unit 155 519-473-2820 www.birdersbirdsupply.com
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Page 14 Byron Villager
B YRON LEGION MONUMENT SPRINGBANK PARK LONDON, ON CONCEPT RENDER
22-305 Lf
N.T.S.
RKLA Inc.
DEC 2023
Tel: (519) 667-3322, Fax: (519) 645-2474 368 Oxford Street East, London, Ontario, N6A 1V7
L-2
Gatenby Street was named in honour and remembrance of Air Artificer 2nd Class John Kenneth Gatenby, Royal Canadian Navy, World War II, who died on October 20, 1947 at the age of 21 in the line of duty.
Recognizing London’s Service Men and Women through “Streets of Honour” The Streets of Honour program was created in 1989 to pay tribute to outstanding service people from various backgrounds. Naming a city street to memorialize their efforts is intended to promote awareness of the individual and express appreciation for their special contributions. These streets are identified by a ‘poppy’ symbol for Armed Forces individuals and a City of London ‘tree’ symbol for other honourees. These symbols appear on the City’s interactive map in front of the street name for easy reference. Go to the City of London’s map directory at www.maps.london.ca and click on ‘Streets of Honour’ to see more. Here is a list of the streets that were honoured in the Byron area; Brayford Crescent was named in honour and remembrance of Warrant Officer 1st Class Navigator Lloyd Willis Brayford, Royal Canadian Air Force, World War II, who died on February 11, 1943 at the age of 24 in the line of duty.
Tyson Walk was named in honour and remembrance of Sergeant Stanley John Tyson, Royal Canadian Air Force, World War II, who died on May 29, 1941 at the age of 20 in the line of duty.
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November 2024 Page 15
Byron Legion November 2024 Calendar | 1276 Commissioners Road West (519)-472-3300 Monday to Friday 12pm – 10pm, Saturday 12pm – 12am, Sunday 1pm – 7pm
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Page 16 Byron Villager
Byron Calling Cell phones practically graft themselves to most people’s hands these days, or so it seems. Phone booths have all but disappeared, and the venerable touch-tone, princess, and rotary dial phones are non-existent in most homes. Thanks to the advancement of technology and the Internet, telephones, in their traditional sense, fit into the palm of your hand and can connect you with anyone around the world almost instantly, depending on your Wi- Fi connection. In 1884—a mere 140 years ago—Byron residents who wanted to use the telephone had to travel to the local pumphouse. The telephone was likely a wall-mounted box with a handle the user cranked to power a battery that sent a signal to an operator. That operator would then connect the call. Instead of travelling through airwaves, the signal piggy-backed on existing telegraph wires. By the 1880s, Bell Telephone had incorporated, and private and municipal telephone companies were springing up all over the province. At its peak, almost 1,100 companies were operating telephone exchanges in Ontario. The Municipal Amendment Act of 1906 paved the way for installing utility poles along municipal roads and highways, increasing the infrastructure and lowering costs, which made telephone services accessible to more people. That same year, a meeting was held in the growing village of Byron to discuss and subsequently agree to create its own local company. A board of directors was formed, and the Byron Telephone Company received its charter in 1908. Ralph Irwin managed the company for 30 years.
Byron Telephone Company Stock certificate
“When the Byron telephone lines were run into Delaware, each subscriber was required to purchase at least one stock of the Byron Telephone Company. This stock was purchased by my grandfather Frank Mahler, the Delaware Ford dealer, when he got his first telephone” John Mahler. The first switchboard was installed in McLaren’s store. Initial subscribers had to buy one share of the company for $30 and pay $22 for a telephone to access the service. In 1912, Byron Telephone moved from McLaren’s store to the renovated Fortner house, formerly McMillan’s Tavern, on the northwest corner of Boler and Commissioners Road. It moved again in 1950 to a new building a block away on the northwest corner of Boler Road and Springbank Avenue. The seventh-largest independent phone company in Ontario, Byron Telephone serviced Byron, Lambeth, Delaware, and Belmont. Four operators lived at the Fortner house under Grace Irwin’s supervision. By 1924, 722 phones were in service, and by 1960, when Bell Telephone bought the local company, there were 3,200 phones in the area. You will find Byron Auto on the corner of Boler and Commissioners now. An office plaza with a Pizza Hut sits at Boler and Springbank Avenue. Like the phone booths and the rotary phones, the Byron Telephone Company has faded into history.
Byron Telephone Building, NW corner of Boler and Commissioners
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November 2024 Page 17
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