Skating on the Green by J. Bruce Parker Since 2017, Wortley Village has been graced with the capability to skate on the Green. Each year a rink with dimensions of approximately 50 feet by 100 feet has been created by a dedicated group of volunteers.
What’s with the Walnut? by J. Bruce Parker Wortley Village was devastated with the destruction of the beloved Black Walnut Bakery Cafe due to arson in April of 2023. Twenty employees were affected by the loss. Local residents were pleased to see the encouraging ‘We Will Rebuild’ sign immediately placed on the property. By August of 2023, a new design for the building, very similar to the original structure, was released by the local media.
For many years prior, there had been an aspiration to create a skating rink on the grounds. A connection was made with city hall to see what was permissible and a partnering with the YMCA was created to provide storage of the rink frame. There is a huge cast of characters involved, but I was able to speak with one of the core group, Mike Kadour, who is a dedicated recreational hockey player and who also coaches minor league hockey. Mike tells me, “The main reason we are so committed to building the rink each year is that the rink continues to draw new community members together. We get young families, people who have never skated before, old-time hockey players, and people just learning to skate and hold sticks, which is just fantastic. We get guys who volunteer but can’t skate; they just want to help out”. Initially, the flooding of the surface was done by garden hoses which took several days. With recent help from the London Fire Department accessing a local fire hydrant, initial surfacing takes just a few hours. Nightly resurfacing is done with a primitive but functional homemade device, duplicating the abilities of a Zamboni. Village Auto Care has been the leading sponsor since the beginning. For the 2024-25 season, added sponsors are Aron Gangbar, London Living, Graham Brown, and Tuckey Home Hardware. Here’s hoping for a grand Canadian winter to support our rink on the Green. From left to right: Greg Veitch, Craig Naus, Mike Kadour, Andrew Cammaret, Dale Irwin and Steve Bushell. Photo courtesy Greg Veitch.
The 145-year-old property, once a general store, had been purchased by siblings, Mandy and Ed Etheridge in 2011, with their father occupying the apartment on the second floor. Progress has been slow in the rebuilding of this popular gathering place in Wortley Village. In early December the all-too-familiar gaping hole at the Northeast corner of Wortley Road and Craig Street was occupied by an excavator. Shortly after, steel l-beams were anchored in the ground, supporting timber to shore up the ground facing Craig Street. In late December, I had the opportunity to talk with co-owner of the Black Walnut, Mandy Etheridge. She tells me that now that the footings are being poured, the foundations for the new building will begin early in the New Year. Mandy hopes for a completion of construction and a reopening in October of 2025.
Photo by J. Bruce Parker
Love is a five letter word– Adopt! Bringing people and pets together
Photo courtesy Mike Kadour
London Animal Care Centre 121 Pine Valley Blvd. www.accpets.ca • (519) 685-1330 The Catty Shack 756 Windermere Rd. • (519) 432-4572
To advertise here, please contact Cathy@villagerpublications.com
Wortley Villager Jan-Feb 2025 • Page 11
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