Grey-Bruce Kids Spring 2023

A FREE MAGAZINE FOR 

PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS 

SPRING 2023 • Volume 13 Issue 1 • greybrucekids.com 

SEXUAL 

health 

How to discuss 

sexuality with 

youth and teens 

Finances after 

DIVORCE 

In a time of change, get 

your finances in order 

ANXIETY 

What parents need 

to know about 

this rising issue 

FREE!

FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Sunny days to come 

We’ve officially made through the darkest days of the year, in what turned out to be a 

pretty grey and drab winter in Grey and Bruce counties. 

CONTENTS 

4 Anxiety 

8 Gifts from Creator 

Now, though, the sun is setting at 6 p.m. or later and it will continue to shine its light 

past 6 p.m. until the first of November, with each day of the spring getting longer until 

it gives way to summer and fall, and we again begin our preparations to hunker down. 

It’s glorious to have these extra hours of daylight to spend outside, whether it’s family 

activities with the kids, extra ‘me’ time with walks in the sun instead of under the cover 

of darkness, or more time to tackle the never-ending list of outside chores. 

This issue marks the beginning of Year 12 for Grey-Bruce Kids, an accomplishment of 

which our family is very proud. With each passing year I wonder if we will ever run 

out of topics that interest local parents or educated and passionate local contributors to 

write for us. 

I will forever be amazed at the knowledge, expertise and talent in our area, and there 

seems to be more topics than space to address them all in our pages. 

This issue is no exception, as we have an excellent article by Jennifer Chreptyk on 

children’s anxiety and how to deal with this rising issue. Diane Owens, an Oji-cree 

Métis Elder whose cultural teachings come from First Nations and Métis Elders, 

ceremonies, communities and life experiences, shares why children are gifts to us. 

12 Finances after divorce 

16 Eugenia Falls 

20 Sexual health talk 

26 Resources 

30 Recipes 

Christy Kelly writes about her personal experience with divorce, with professional and 

practical tips to deal with the financial aspect of this difficult time in a person’s life. 

Mat Kelly profiles the beautiful and historic Eugenia Falls area, its history and the fun 

it provides for families. 

Grey Bruce Public Health also gives us the tools we need to talk to our children about 

sexual health, an important topic that you will no longer put off or avoid after reading 

these tips and tricks. 

I hope you get the chance to enjoy every 

minute of daylight this spring! 

Amy Irwin, Publisher 

SPRING 2023 

Publisher 

Amy Irwin 

amy@greybrucekids.com 

Magazine Design 

Becky Grebenjak 

Advertising inquiries 

amy@greybrucekids.com 

Grey-Bruce Kids welcomes your feedback. 

EMAIL amy@greybrucekids.com 

PHONE 519-524-0101 

MAIL P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0 

Grey-Bruce Kids is distributed for free in Grey and 

Bruce counties, and is published each March, June, 

September and December. Distribution of this 

publication does not constitute endorsement of 

information, products or services by Grey-Bruce Kids, 

its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors 

and advertisers are not necessarily those of the 

Publisher. Grey-Bruce Kids reserves the right to edit, 

reject or comment on all material and advertising 

contributed. No portion of Grey-Bruce Kids may be 

reproduced without the written permission of the 

Publisher.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS 

ANXIETY 

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 

THIS RISING ISSUE BY JENNIFER CHREPTYK 

4 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • SPRING 2023

The facts are clear – anxiety is on the rise in Canadian 

children and teens. A 2018 study found increasing anxiety 

across Canada, with professionally diagnosed anxiety disorders 

in youth 12 to 24 years old doubling from six per cent in 2011 

to 12.9 per cent in 2018. (1) 

So, what do we as parents, family members, and caregivers need 

to know about anxiety and how do we support our children and 

teens when it becomes a problem? 

Firstly, there is a difference between helpful and unhelpful 

anxiety – it is a normal, healthy, and helpful feeling. When the 

anxiety response in our brains and bodies is working in a normal 

way it is designed to help us to slow down, pay attention, stay 

safe, and motivate us to take action in uncertain situations. If 

there is serious danger, our anxiety response helps us to survive. 

When our kids pause and look before they jump, study for the 

test they feel unprepared for, or take quick action when they 

hear a fire alarm, this is their body’s anxiety system recognizing 

and responding in helpful ways. 

Normalizing anxiety in these situations and helping our kids 

cope in healthy ways can go a long way. 

When you see your child displaying signs of anxiety, it’s good 

to point it out to them, by saying, “It looks like you are feeling 

anxious. That makes sense right now.” 

Letting kids know these feelings are uncomfortable but 

manageable, keeping your cool and sharing stories of situations 

where you were anxious and how you coped, can help kids move 

through anxious moments without getting stuck. 

So what happens to turn this helpful feeling into a disruptive 

force that keeps our kids from doing what they want and need 

to do? Put simply, the culprit is our thoughts. As sophisticated 

as our brains can be, this anxiety system in quite primitive and 

cannot differentiate between real danger and situations that we 

think are dangerous. When our thinking in a situation predicts 

something terrible happening and we tell ourselves that we can’t 

handle it, our alarm system responds in the same way as when 

there is real danger. When this system is activated, our bodies are 

primed to survive with the release of hormones and chemicals 

that make us strong and fast, but, if we are not fighting or 

running and using this energy to survive by taking action, 

this creates uncomfortable body feelings (fast heart rate and 

breathing, sweating, tense muscles, nausea, etc.). 

When we start to avoid this situation (or develop other unhelpful 

coping strategies) because of the discomfort, and it becomes 

an established pattern of thoughts and behaviour, our anxiety

ecomes unhelpful. If you are interested in learning more about 

how anxiety works, anxietycanada.com is a great website with 

kid-specific information. I also highly recommend Lyn Lyon’s 

podcast FlusterClux and her book Anxious Kids Anxious Parents 

for any parent who is supporting an anxious kid. 

The most obvious pattern 

that emerges with anxiety is 

one of avoidance... when a 

kid avoids specific situations. 

RECOGNIZING ANXIETY IN KIDS 

So how do we recognize unhelpful anxiety in our youth? 

Parents are in a great position to detect when anxiety becomes 

an unhelpful force in their kids’ lives; we spend a lot of 

time together, so we are aware of their usual behaviours and 

thinking patterns. 

We should pay attention when we see a change in our kids’ 

usual behaviours and thinking patterns, especially when they last 

beyond a few days and seem out of context. The most obvious 

pattern that emerges with anxiety is one of avoidance. When 

a kid begins to avoid specific situations, places or people, this 

is a red flag. Commonly avoided situations are school, being 

separated from parents/caregivers, social situations like parties or 

where they might be evaluated like presentations. 

Isolation/loss of connection is another change that we should be 

looking for, especially in our tweens and teens. Whereas most of 

us associate anxiety with a quiet, shy temperament, in younger 

kids the opposite can be true where a child becomes angry and 

aggressive when faced with uncertain situations. 

Physical complaints are another sign that unhelpful anxiety 

could be affecting a child. Headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, 

racing heart and vomiting that cannot be otherwise explained 

can indicate that the child’s alarm system is being activated in the 

absence of real danger and causing uncomfortable body feelings. 

Many parents also notice a child asking for constant reassurance, 

usually in the form of “what if” questions. While all kids ask 

these questions from time to time, an anxious kid’s questions 

will seem relentless and parents can feel like, no matter how 

much reassurance they give, their child is never satisfied with 

the answers and don’t find any relief from their worry. Another 

source of information is your child’s school. Connecting with 

teachers and determining if they are noticing changes in that 

environment can also provide you with valuable data. 

anxiety. When a parent recognizes changes in behaviour and 

thinking patterns, it makes sense to ask for help. Making an 

appointment with a family doctor is a good start in determining 

if further action is necessary, as is connecting with resources 

like pediatricians and psychiatrists. School boards have 

resources like social workers, psychologists or mental health and 

addiction nurses. There are also resources in the community, 

both public and private, including Keystone Child Youth 

and Family Services locally. A list of private therapists can 

be accessed through your family doctor or a search on www. 

psychologytoday.com. 

BE STRATEGIC 

So you have recognized anxious behaviours and thinking 

patterns, reached out for help, and maybe even made 

arrangements for your child to talk to someone about how 

they are feeling. Great job! Your work is not done though. The 

truth is that anxiety is not just a child/teen problem, it is a 

family problem, and if a child is to recover from anxiety, the 

whole family will need to understand how it works and make 

necessary changes. 

Anxiety takes a toll on parents. An anxious kid might ask their 

parents for constant reassurance. This takes up a lot of time, 

usually during busy periods of the day like getting ready for 

school or before bed, when everyone just wants to go to sleep. 

Either way, this will cause frustration and sometimes anger for 

weary parents and other family members. 

Parents will change plans, cancel trips 

and events, alter routines and miss 

work, all to satisfy the relentless 

demands that anxiety makes 

of them. 

Validating a child’s anxious 

feelings is an important skill 

for parents to master. It is 

easy to say, “Why can’t you 

do this?” or “This is no 

big deal... no one else is 

scared right now!” yet the 

fact is that, although 

anxious thoughts are 

usually irrational and 

hard to understand, 

your child is still 

feeling awful and 

uncomfortable in 

the moment. 

TAKE ACTION EARLY 

Like with most psychological and physical problems, early 

recognition and intervention leads to better outcomes with

Letting them know that you get it is vital. Saying something like, 

“I see that you are anxious, and I know that this is really hard,” 

can go a long way and keeps you both on the same team. 

Externalizing anxiety is an easy strategy that can reduce stress 

on a kid by creating a better target for frustration… the anxiety 

itself! This involves separating a child’s “anxiety part” from 

them, and giving it a name and a character. When a child’s 

anxiety shows up a parent can say, “Argh It looks like Bob the 

Anxiety Blob just showed up! Bossing us around as usual! I’m 

so done with him!” 

Kids can get in on the same game, talking back to their anxiety. 

“Bob! You are not the boss of me. You tell me that I can’t handle 

this but I’m not listening today!” 

FAMILY ACCOMMODATION 

The final and most important skill is recognizing and reducing 

what is known as “family accommodation.” These are behaviours 

that people other than the anxious kid engage in that keep 

anxiety going. When we exhibit these behaviours, we are playing 

into anxiety’s hands, and in doing so, we are giving the anxious 

kid the message that their anxiety is right and they can’t handle a 

given situation. 

When we constantly reassure them, change our plans, and jump 

through hoops to create situations where they don’t have to 

face their fears, we inadvertently maintain the very behaviour 

and thinking patterns we want to extinguish. Identifying these 

behaviours and gradually reducing them over time is a tough but 

necessary job for parents of anxious kids. 

While reducing accommodating behaviours, parents must both 

validate their kid’s feelings and state their belief that they are 

confident the child can handle the discomfort. “I know this 

is really hard and uncomfortable, but I am sure that you can 

handle this situation.” 

For more information about family accommodation and how 

to reduce it, read Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A 

Scientifically Proven Program for Parents by Eli R. Lebowitz, 

PhD. 

Source: Wiens K, Bhattarai A, Pedram P, et al. A growing need 

for youth mental health services in Canada: Examining trends in 

youth mental health from 2011 to 2018. Epidemiol Psychiatry Sci 

2020;29:e115. GBK 

CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT IS AN 

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JENNIFER CHREPTYK is a Registered Nurse Psychotherapist practicing 

in Kincardine, Ont. With 22 years of experience in adult and children’s 

mental health, she is the proud owner of a new business, AnxietyLab 

RN Psychotherapy. Specializing in the treatment of anxiety disorders 

using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Jennifer delights in the opportunity 

to build trusting, therapeutic relationships with her clients. Contact her 

at jchreptyk@anxietylabrn.com, her booking/website at anxietylabrn. 

janeapp.com or via phone at 519-955-6233. 

TEL (519) 881.2448 

director@campcherith.ca 

www.campcherith.ca 

greybrucekids.com • 7

COMMUNITY 

Moss Bag, 

Tikinagun 

and Dream 

Catcher 

OUR CHILDREN ARE GIFTS 

FROM CREATOR BY DIANE OWEN 

Alliah Kenny and daughter Miinan. 


In Indigenous culture it is believed that women are 

sacred life carriers. When pregnant, no harsh word 

must be spoken to her. She may be carrying an ancestor or 

a great spiritual leader. 

When a child is born it has colours, helpers, a song, a name and a clan. It is held by 

community members and relatives, each who welcome the newborn into the community. 

“It is good to see you,” they say, or “It is good you have come.” 

Every person had a role and importance to the survival of the whole. Abuse was not 

tolerated. Abusers would be swiftly dealt with. Rape was seen as a violation of the womb 

and the perpetrator would be banished. Parents only speak to and touch the child lovingly. 

Discipline was left to the aunties, uncles and grandparents. 

During the pregnancy, the parents are engaged in ceremonies and education about 

parenting. They would construct for the infant a safe and warm womb-like environment in 

which to begin life. Dad will build a cradleboard or tikinagun. This is the hard outer shell 

into which the Moss Bag is placed. The tikinagun provides shelter and safety for the babe 

and is constructed with a hoop, extending out from the back board and from which hide 

would hang, keeping out the harsh sun, the rain and the cold. 


Should the tikinagun fall forward, the hoop protects the child’s face from 

contact with the ground. The tikinagun would be held by a strap going 

across the mother’s forehead or chest, and it could be hung from or leaned 

against a tree and the child would be with community members as they 

completed their tasks. 

Within the tikinagun is the Moss Bag. It is so named as it holds the child 

and sphagnum moss, used to absorb the baby’s waste. This is still used 

today in the far north. The Moss Bag is like a receiving blanket and, 

though it is stitched and laced closed, it has a hole beneath the lacing 

at the baby’s feet where Spirit is free to travel. In the past, the Moss Bag 

would be of soft hide or fur, like rabbit. Today they are fabric and are 

sometimes beautifully and ornately beaded. 

To entertain and teach the baby, amulets symbolic of the baby’s clan, etc., 

may be hung from the protective hoop of the tikinagun. Among these 

would be a small bag containing the baby’s umbilical cord. When the 

baby takes its first steps, the cord would be buried under an older tall tree 

with prayer that, like the tree, the child’s life would be long and healthy. A 

Dream Catcher might also be hung from the tikinagun hoop. 

The Dream Catcher, or Bawajige ngwaagan, is an object which ensnares 

nightmares in its web and allows good dreams to travel through the 

centre opening to the sleeper. Traditionally they were made of natural 

components and, as with life, are not intended to last forever, as infancy 


does not last forever. The hoop will become brittle and the hide 

will stretch, ending that phase of life. 

We see kits for sale with metal hoops and gaudy feathers, which 

may be easy to make, but are only vulgar misrepresentations. We 

see elaborate works of art that represent Dream Catchers that are 

lovely but are not those of our ancestors. 

SPIDER WOMAN LEGEND (CREE) 

Spider Woman represents the vital creative female power of the 

universe. As the story goes, grandmother watched the spider 

weave its web. She saw that the morning dew caught the light of 

the sun and the evening dew in the web caught the light of the 

moon. Grandmother thought she could always carry that light 

for the community if she could weave such a web. 

One day grandson rushed over and, seeing the spider, made to 

crush it under his foot. “No!” said grandmother. “Do not intend 

harm! This is our relation.” 

Grateful, the spider taught grandmother how to weave the web. 

To make a Dream Catcher, we begin with a red willow hoop, 

no larger than your hand, for the tikinagun. The red willow 

reminds us of life blood, woman and birth. A grass, it teaches 

us forgiveness as we can crush, cut, burn and otherwise abuse 

grass and it will return. The red willow hoop as a circle teaches 

equality as we are all learning from and teaching each other in 

the circle. The circle is strength. As a Dream Catcher hoop, it is a 

mirror reflection of the maker. 

The web is made of sinew, calling memory of the deer. The 

deer is the gentle watcher. The web reminds us that we are 

connected to all things and what we do affects everything. The 

web is attached to the hoop in eight places, representing spider’s 

eight legs or in 13 places, honouring the moons. Woven around 

and around, the maker will stop to leave the centre opening. A 

symbol, meaningful to the maker and representative of Spider, is 

woven in. 

An owl feather is also woven near the opening. The owl sees 

clearly, things which seem imperceptible and flies silently 

through the night. As a night eagle, owl will protect the dreamer 

from danger. On the tikinagun, the owl feather entertains the 

infant and teaches about the importance of breath and silence. 

We hang the Dream Catcher with our pledge to be conscientious 

protectors of Mitakue ‘oyasin – all our relations – and that we 

intend to make the world a better place for our children. GBK 

DIANE OWEN is an Oji-cree Métis Elder whose cultural teachings come 

from First Nations and Métis Elders, ceremonies, communities and life 

experience. “I speak from what I have learned and do not speak for all 

people,” Diane said. “Different nations will have different understanding 

and teachings. None is wrong. There are simply differences. Remain open.” 


FINANCE 

Dealing with 

divorce 

RECONFIGURING FINANCES A BIG PART OF THIS 

LIFE-CHANGING EVENT BY CHRISTY KELLY 


My parents’ divorce taught me valuable life skills. On 

the last day of Grade 6, my mother and I arrived at 

our country farmhouse to find my father blocking the door, 

preventing my mother from entering. 

Eventually, I crawled through the kitchen window to call the 

police. That was the beginning of my parents’ four years-long 

divorce, and as any child of divorce can attest, it was lifechanging. 

One of the many significant lessons I learned was financial 

literacy. At age 11, I worked at the local farmers’ market to help 

with expenses. We lived in a motel that summer and relied on 

fast food for meals. 

Like any single mother, my mom worked hard at many jobs to 

make ends meet. At the end of my junior high school days, I 

would walk along the side of the highway to the gas station to 

do my homework and fall asleep on the gas booth floor until my 

mother’s shift was over. The short trip home felt like an eternity 

as I watched my exhausted mother struggle to stay awake while 

driving. I took charge of keeping her alert and getting us home 

safely. When I finally earned my driver’s license at 16, it felt like 

a life-saving moment (although some of my passengers may 

disagree). 

It took me years to fully discover the hidden lessons of that life 

event, and I highly recommend seeking professional mental 

health advice and support from your community. 

Although my mother was married for 21 years, she knew very 

little about the household finances. Now, when I meet with 

couples, I advocate for both partners to be fully educated on the 

family finances and to have strategies in place for both planned 

and unplanned events. 

When a marriage ends, you have to deal with the emotional 

fallout, and also the financial one. The following are some tips 

to reorganize your money and your life after separation and 

divorce. 

Develop a strategy – Separation and divorce are painful and 

exhausting – and also expensive. After a marriage ends, you need 

to restart your life with separate finances and a new strategy for 

moving forward. When you start again, it’s not from zero, but it 

can feel that way sometimes. You are often working with fewer 

resources, which is tough, and things that once seemed simple 

are now complex. Until you press reset on your income, savings 

and long-term financial planning, you can’t really move on. 

Explore EarlyON 

Child & Family Centres 

IN BRUCE COUNTY 

EarlyON program 

information can be found 

on the Bruce County website 

or on Facebook 

brucecounty.on.ca/human-services/earlyon 

Enhancing 

children’s learning 

and development 

Connecting families 

to community 

services 

Providing support 

to parents and 

caregivers 

facebook.com/EarlyONBruceCounty 


RESTARTING AFTER A DIVORCE 

According to Christine Van Cauwenberghe, Head of Financial 

Planning - IG Wealth Management, the best way to restart is 

to... start. 

“I have had clients who are paralyzed by their situation,” Van 

Cauwenberghe said. “Once you’ve made the decision to separate, 

be honest with yourself and recognize it’s time to move forward. 

You’re no longer part of a team, you’re on your own. Take charge 

of your new life right away, otherwise you’ll put your financial 

self in jeopardy.” 

Start by separating your finances, Van Cauwenberghe said. 

“Cancel automatic deposits to joint accounts and credit cards 

where your spouse is a secondary card holder and open new 

accounts and credit cards in your name.” 

As well, if you changed your name but are now changing it 

back, start updating your identification right away. 

If you have younger children, make sure the paperwork at their 

school and summer camps has been updated with new phone 

numbers and email addresses, too. 

Update documents – Once you have a separation agreement 

and it’s been decided who gets and pays for what, start removing 

names from the ownership of properties and vehicles. The 

partner who has moved should issue change of address cards. 

That is easier said than done though; some of these changes can 

be emotional. 

Perhaps you’ve agreed to give up the family cottage or sell 

a beloved vintage sports car. Putting those assets in another 

person’s name can be difficult. 

Rethink your budget – It’s likely that for the last few years 

you’ve been budgeting using two incomes. Now you’re spending 

and saving with just one. 

“You may need to reassess your lifestyle,” Van Cauwenberghe 

said. “You were sharing but you’re not now. You’ll have to pay 

bills on your own.” 

Create a new budget for yourself. You may, at least in the shortterm, 

have to cut back on certain expenses like pricey meals out 

with friends or mid-winter vacations. Work with your advisor on 

creating a new financial plan. You may have to come up with a 

new timeline for retirement – and you may have to work longer 

than expected now – or come up with new assumptions around 

pension plan payouts or RRSP savings. 

Be aware of other changes – Van Cauwenberghe noted that 

the newly divorced may be surprised to find that they will no 


longer be receiving survivor benefits from their former spouse’s 

pension plan or that their medical benefits have been reduced or 

eliminated. 

“You may have been getting health and disability insurance 

through your spouse and now you’ll have to find your own 

coverage,” she said. 

Also, update your will and the beneficiaries on your retirement 

accounts and life insurance policies, which, by the way, you will 

have to start paying for by yourself, she said. In many cases, the 

recommended beneficiary designation after a separation will be 

to “estate,” but you should confirm this with your advisors. 

NEW HOPE FOR FUTURE 

Restarting your life after divorce is difficult, but it also brings 

with it new hope for your future. 

“You will get through this,” Van Cauwenberghe said. “And when 

you do, by taking the right steps, you may find yourself in a 

better place, both personally and financially.” 

It is wise to understand the financial and tax implications of 

separation and divorce before making any changes. Please 

consult with your own personal professional financial, legal and 

tax advisors who understand your full financial situation. 

Certainly, the divorce of my parents was a challenging and 

transformative experience that taught me valuable life skills. One 

of the most significant was perseverance. Despite the difficulties 

we faced, my mother and I were determined to make the best of 

our situation and worked hard to support ourselves. 

The experience also taught me the importance of financial 

education, along with an action plan is what creates financial 

confidence and security. 

Everyone has a story and it is the choice we make that can 

create a positive future. I also learned the value of kindness and 

listening, as you never know what someone is going through, as 

well as the power of sharing our stories to help others. 

While I may still be working on my culinary skills, I embrace 

my gifts of imperfection and continue to learn and grow. GBK 

CHRISTY KELLY, CPA, CA, CFP®, RRC®, MFA-P, is a Certified Financial 

Planner® with Investors Group Financial Services Inc. Written and 

published by IG Wealth Management as a general source of information 

only. Not intended as a solicitation to buy or sell specific investment, or 

to provide tax, legal, or investment advice. Seek advice on your specific 

circumstances from an IG Wealth Management Consultant. Christy can 

be contacted at Christy.Kelly@IG.ca or learn more at ChristyKelly.ca. 


RECREATION 

Eugenia Falls 

FROM POWER GENERATOR TO POPULAR HIKING SPOT, 

LOCAL CONSERVATION AREA HAS A LONG HISTORY 

BY MAT JOHNSON

Though not for the faint of heart, hiking the Bruce Trail at 

the Eugenia Falls Conservation Area has many redeeming 

qualities, making the challenging conditions worthwhile. 

Located at the cusp of the Beaver Valley, on the west side of the 

hamlet of Eugenia, the falls have been well known to the local 

population since they were set aside as part of a conservation 

area in 1957. Even before this designation as a protected 

property, Eugenia Falls was noted in the diaries and newspaper 

accounts of travellers who marvelled at the beauty and power of 

the 30-metre waterfall. 

Though visiting the falls has been a staple for those living 

in Grey/Bruce for quite some time, its rocky paths and 

ancient cedar trees have recently seen an explosion in visitors, 

particularly during the pandemic. When the popularity of 

a natural location rises, however, the risk of the added foot 

traffic damaging the sensitive ecosystem also increases. This 

dynamic often compels the authorities that care for these areas 

to implement protective measures; this is precisely what has 

occurred at Eugenia Falls. 

Though most visitors to the area have heeded the pleas to stay 

on marked trails and steer clear from the sheer cliff edges in the 

park, the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority, in cooperation 

with the Bruce Trail Conservancy, has taken the unfortunate 

but necessary step of fencing off the north side of the gorge. 

This move, however, does not reduce the overall enjoyment of 

the park, as the splendid vistas of the falls and Cuckoo Valley 

remain untouched. 

Aside from being a peaceful and beautiful landscape, the 

Eugenia Falls Conservation Area has its share of hidden and 

fascinating history. Mysterious stone arches found on the 

property are a constant source of intrigue to visitors. Hiding 

in these beautifully crafted arches is not just the tale of failed 

experiments in power generation, but a reflection of early 20th 

Century attitude where conquering nature, by any means, was 

seen as a necessary step in the forward march of progress. 

Like almost any account of North American history, it must 

start with the end of the last ice age. Between 12,000 and 

13,000 years ago, the last of the Wisconsin ice sheet receded 

from what is now southwestern Ontario, leaving in its wake 

a series of deep gouges and irregular scrapings. This glacial 

bulldozing resulted in both the creation of the Great Lakes 

basin and revealed a stunning layer of rock too hard for 

the glaciers to flatten, which is now known as the Niagara 

Escarpment. The beautiful Beaver Valley, into which the 

conservation area’s namesake Eugenia Falls cascades, is a 

charming remnant of this turbulent geological time. 

The village of Eugenia itself, like many small Ontario hamlets 

in the mid-1800s, developed organically over a relatively long 

period. Early settlers in Grey/Bruce were attracted to sources 

of power, such as Eugenia’s Beaver River, which provided 

propulsion for early saw and grist mills. The village is named 

after Princess Eugénie de Montijo (1826-1920), the wife of 

French Emperor Napoleon III (1808-73). Members of the 

original survey team in the Eugenia area were former French

in a stone powerhouse. The scheme 

faded out as the river only provided 

limited generating power and didn’t 

prove to be profitable enough to 

invest further capital in. Though 

heavily vandalized and decorated 

with graffiti, the stone portion of the 

structure that housed the generation 

equipment remains for visitors to 

explore. 

Another hydroelectric plan was 

hatched in the early-1900s by a 

consortium calling itself the Georgian 

Bay Power Company. It would see a 

52-inch pipe run nearly 800 feet north 

from the Beaver River, just above the 

falls, descending through the side 

of the escarpment into a generating 

station located on the valley floor. It 

was initially projected that the station 

would produce 2,400 horsepower 

in the span of a 10-hour day. This 

plan involved the costly procedure 

of excavating an 800-foot tunnel, 

which would house the water pipe, 

through the escarpment or “Eugenia 

Mountain,” as several overly dramatic 

newspapers dubbed it. 

Work began on the tunnel in 1906 

and was completed in 1907, however, 

the costs of the project nearly 

bankrupted the Georgian Bay Power 

Company and work was halted. The 

Ontario government took control 

of the enterprise several years later, 

buying the company’s assets. 

The stone arches have provided an ideal setting for photographs yesterday 

and today. 

military engineers and their militaristic influence on the village is evident in the street 

names such as Napoleon, Redan and Zouave. 

In 1853, the hamlet was rife with excitement as it was rumoured that gold had been 

discovered in the valley below the falls. What is now acrimoniously referred to as the 

“Eugenia Gold Rush” turned out to be nothing more than the chance discovery of 

pyrite, commonly known as fools’ gold. 

Aside from an ephemeral bout of gold speculation, Eugenia’s settlement pattern 

resembled other growing communities in Grey and Bruce counties through the latter 

half of the 19th Century. A collection of dwellings, sawmills and churches serviced the 

population. Excitement would return once again in the late-1890s as speculation in 

electrical power generation enthralled the village. 

Looking to capitalize on profits that the new technology promised, businessman 

William Hogg built a small power generation station on the south side of the river, 

just to the east of the falls, located in what is now the main conservation area. Water 

from the river was used as propulsion for an electricity generating turbine operating 

Provincially funded work to 

generate electricity and involving the 

construction of a massive dam on the 

Beaver River, to the east of Eugenia, 

began in 1914. When completed, the 

flooded area covered roughly 1,170 

acres and was now known as Eugenia 

Lake. To produce power, water 

descends through pipes from the lake 

to a generating station located on the 

valley floor, a journey of roughly one 

kilometre. 

Officially opened in November 1915, 

this power generation facility is still 

in operation nearly 110 years later 

using the water of the Beaver River 

and Eugenia Lake. The generating 

station’s use of water power for so long 

lends credence to the original plan 

of diverting water through pipes to 


on the north side of the Beaver River in the park, near the brink 

of the falls. The corresponding arch, or what was once the other 

end of the tunnel, is located about one kilometre north of that 

spot and is hidden in the woods, just off the Bruce Trail. 

The main trails and side trails in the Eugenia Falls Conservation 

Area are mostly single track, well marked and hard packed. 

Nevertheless, great care must be taken, particularly near the 

river above the falls, as very irregular rocks on the trail guarantee 

unhappy results from any missteps. Sturdy shoes are a must, 

and due to the rugged terrain, exploring with a friend is 

recommended. Carrying a water supply with you is also a good 

plan, particularly during the summer months. Parking is limited 

on weekends in the Conservation Area parking lot, while several 

smaller Bruce Trail lots are located nearby within a short hike of 

the park. 

the valley floor. However, the volume of water available from 

Lake Eugenia today vastly eclipses that which would have been 

available from smaller dams located near the top of the falls. 

While enjoying the trails in the Eugenia Falls Conservation 

Area, it is recommended to visit the remaining stone tunnel 

entrances, reminders of the ambitious designs of the Georgian 

Bay Power Company. The tunnel was filled in for safety reasons, 

but the stone archways serve as a memento of what was once 

expected to be a profitable undertaking. One archway is located 

Additionally, the Bruce Trail website and mobile app are 

excellent sources for updated parking information, trail 

alerts, and other tips to help make a day at the Eugenia Falls 

Conservation Area enjoyable for all. GBK 

MAT JOHNSON is the owner of Marathon of History, a historical 

interpretation company located in Durham. Since 2011, Marathon of History 

has partnered with museums throughout Ontario to create fascinating 

displays and programming that present historical topics in engaging and 

entertaining formats. To learn more, visit marathonofhistory.ca or follow 

Marathon of History on Instagram and Facebook. 

Festivals, tours, and sweet treats - that's maple syrup season in Grey County! 

Play, Eat, & Stay when you #visitgrey. 

@visitgrey visitgrey.ca 


HEALTH AND WELLNESS 

More than the 

birds and the bees 

SEXUAL HEALTH DISCUSSIONS SHOULD 

INCLUDE TOPICS LIKE CONSENT, 

GENDER, AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS 

BY MONICA BLAIR AND JACQUELINE PARKES 


As a parent, you have 

a central role to play 

in teaching your children 

about sexual health, and 

this doesn’t mean just 

having a conversation about 

sex. Discussions about 

sexual health should also 

include topics like healthy 

relationships, gender, 

sexuality, consent, puberty, 

and personal hygiene. 

Parents are an important source of information for their kids because the 

information is coming from someone they trust and love. Being open and 

starting these conversations with your kids as soon as possible can help 

them to know that you are comfortable with these topics and want to talk 

about them. 

You can prepare yourself for these sexual health-related conversations 

by reading up on topics, such as puberty, consent, and sexual and 

gender diversity. 


THE HOW AND THE WHEN 

It’s never too early or too late to talk with your child or children about these 

things. The level of detail you provide may change based on your child’s age, 

but accurate terms to describe body parts should always be used. 

Having small, regular conversations throughout their childhood, rather than 

sitting them down one day to have “the talk,” will help to normalize and 

integrate the conversation into everyday life, give your child time to think 

about and process the information they’re given, and let them know that you 

are available and willing to talk about it at any time. (1) 

Using “teachable moments” to start the conversation may be helpful. 

Conversation starters can include things like a family member announcing 

they are pregnant, a commercial appearing on TV to promote hygiene 

products, or watching a certain relationship being portrayed in a movie. (2) 


HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS 

It’s important to talk with your kids about 

different kinds of relationships and what healthy and respectful 

relationships look like. Remember, when you talk about sexual 

relationships, don’t assume your child is only interested in 

relationships with the opposite sex. Use gender neutral pronouns 

and terms, such as partners, when chatting with your child 

about relationships. 

Healthy relationships have characteristics like mutual respect, 

trust, honesty, individuality, and good communication. Unhealthy 

relationships are often marked by disrespect, dishonesty, and 

control. It is important to educate kids on characteristics of 

healthy and unhealthy relationships to help them develop realistic 

expectations and healthy practices going forward. 

PUBERTY AND PERSONAL HYGIENE 

Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a 

child’s body begins to develop into an adult body. This can be a 

difficult and confusing time for your child. Conversations about 

puberty should begin before these changes start – and it may be 

earlier than you think. Puberty can begin as early as eight years 

old for girls and nine for boys. (3) 

Conversations about personal hygiene and the changes that 

come with puberty can naturally progress into discussions about 

sexuality and sexual health. 

CONSENT 

The importance of consent in all relationships should be 

discussed regularly and these conversations should begin at an 

early age. Teach your child it is OK to say no. 

Respect your child’s choices about touch, and teach your child 

about respecting other people’s boundaries. If your child is on 

social media, talk to them about the dangers of sharing images 

and set an example by asking for their permission before sharing 

their image on your social media accounts. 

GENDER AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION 

Gender diversity and sexual orientation are also topics that 

parents should be open about discussing with their child from 

an early age. Some children have a gender identity that is 

different from the gender they were assigned at 

birth. Some children do not identify with either the 

male or female gender. They may feel like they fall 

somewhere in between or that they have no gender. 

Sexual orientation, meanwhile, refers to a part of a 

person’s identity that relates to their emotional, romantic, and/ 

or sexual attraction to persons of the opposite, same, both, or 

neither sex. The important thing is to let your child know that 

you love and accept them no matter what. 

If applicable, you can help to connect them with local 

LGBTQ2S+ groups. Also, be on the lookout for signs that they 

may need mental health support. 


SAFER SEX 

The all-important topic of safer sex should also be a regular 

part of the sexual health conversations parents have with 

their children. Safer sex is the responsibility of both partners. 

Abstinence is the only way to ensure the prevention of 

unplanned pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections 

(STIs), however, there are ways to make sex safer. 

Condoms should be used every time to protect against STIs, 

and there are many birth control options that can be used in 

addition to condoms to increase protection from unwanted 

pregnancy. These options include shorter-acting methods such 

as the pill, patch, vaginal ring and the shot, and longer-acting 

methods like intrauterine devices and implants. 

Sexandu.ca is a wonderful resource for all things sexual healthrelated 

and has a downloadable contraception guide that 

provides information on each method all in one place. A health 

care provider can walk youth and their parents through these 

options and help them choose the best one for them in their 

current circumstance. 

NORMALIZING SEXUAL HEALTH 

CONVERSATIONS 

Conversations about sexual health can be uncomfortable, but here 

are some tips to help normalize it. 

Start early. The earlier conversations happen, the easier and more 

comfortable they will be. 

Be open. If a child is old enough to be curious, they are old 

enough for an honest conversation. 

Learn together. If unsure, seek out answers to your kids’ 

questions together. This could be a good way to teach kids about 

safer Internet use as well. 

Look for teachable moments. 

Normalize discussions about sex by 

having frequent, short conversations 

when a question arises or an 

opportunity presents itself. 

Listen. When a child asks a questions 

about sex, listen and answer as best 

you can without lecturing. 

These conversations will help frame 

the way that your child views healthy 

sexuality. As your child gets older, they may start to look for 

answers and information about sexual health from their friends 

and the Internet. But having open communication early on with 


your child will let them know they can come to you whenever 

they have questions and will help them make healthy, informed 

decisions now and later in life. 

OTHER RESOURCES 

Grey Bruce Public Health’s website, publichealthgreybruce. 

on.ca, is a great place to go for sexual health-related information 

and resources. There is information about birth control and 

STIs, as well as links to many sexual health-related resources. 

Public Health also operates a Sexual Health Clinic, which 

offers confidential services related to STI testing and treatment, 

pregnancy testing and options, access to low-cost contraceptives, 

and emergency contraception. 

Grey Bruce Public Health now operates regular Sexual Health 

Clinics in five communities. The clinic at the GBPH building 

in Owen Sound is open Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

A clinic at the Hanover Medical Associates Building takes 

place Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 

p.m. The clinic at the CMHA building 

in Kincardine runs on the first Tuesday of 

each month from 4-8 p.m. The CMHA 

building in Southampton hosts a clinic on 

the third Tuesday of each month from 4-8 p.m., and a clinic 

at The Green House in Wiarton takes place on the second and 

fourth Thursday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Appointments are preferred by calling 1-800-263-3456 x1256, 

but walk-ins are also accepted. 

You can also get answers to sexual health questions as well as 

information and assistance by visiting sexualhealthontario.ca 

and using its live chat function or calling the toll-free Sexual 

Health InfoLine Ontario at 1-800-668-2437 and speaking with 

a counsellor. GBK 

SOURCES 

1 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About 

Sex & Relationships 

(plannedparenthood.org) 

2 Ten Things to Remember When You 

Talk to Kids about Sexuality | 

Stop It Now 

3 Talking to Your Child About 

Puberty (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth 

4 Sexandu.ca 

MONICA BLAIR and JACQUELINE PARKES are Registered Nurses with 

Grey Bruce Public Health. Learn more at www.publichealthgreybruce. 

on.ca. 


RESOURCES 

ABUSE 

Assaulted Women’s Helpline 

Crisis line: 1-866-863-0511 

www.awhl.org 

Bruce Grey Child and Family Services 

(Bruce and Grey Children’s Aid Societies 

amalgamated April 1, 2012) 

1-855-322-4453 

Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services 

1-800-567-2384; 519-371-4773 

kcyfs@bmts.com or keystonebrucegrey.org 

Owen Sound 

Saugeen First Nation - Kabaeshiwim 

Respite Women’s Shelter 

519-797-2521 

cgeorge@saugeenfirstnation.ca 

www.saugeenfirstnation.ca 

Sexual Assault and Partner 

Abuse Care Centre 

Grey Bruce Health Services 

1-888-525-0552 or www.gbhs.on.ca 

Owen Sound 

Victim Services Bruce Grey 

Perth 

Crisis: 1-866-376-9852 

Administration: 1-888-577-3111 

info@victim-services.com 

www.victim-services.com 

Victim/Witness Assistance Program 

Owen Sound - 1-866-259-4823 

Walkerton - 1-866-994-9904 

attorneygeneral@ontario.ca 

http://bit.ly/ujKyeE 

Women’s Centre (Grey and Bruce) 

Administration: 519-376-0755 

Crisis: 1-800-265-3722 

womenscentre@bmts.com 

www.bmts.com/~womenscentre 

Owen Sound 

Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey 

Sexual assault crisis: 1-866-578-5566 

Crisis line: 1-800-265-3026 

Administration: (519) 396-9814 

crisis@whsbg.on.ca 

www.whsbg.on.ca 

Kincardine 

BREASTFEEDING 

Brockton and Area Family Health Team 

1-866-507-2021 or 519-881-1920 

RN/certified Lactation Consultant available 

www.bafht.com 

Walkerton 

Grey Bruce Health Unit 

1-800-263-3456 

publichealth@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca 

www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca 

Owen Sound 

Hanover Family Health Team 

RN/Certified Lactation Consultant 

519-506-4348 

www.hanoverfht.ca 

La Leche League Canada 

Owen Sound; 519-376-5916; www.lllc.ca 

Moms Walkerton 

New Mom support 

320 Durham St.., Walkerton; 519-379-6769 

Support groups 

Southampton, Port Elgin, Paisley, and Tara - 

519-797-2010 

Kincardine, Ripley, Tiverton, and Lucknow - 

519-368-4847 

South-Bruce Breastfeeding Buddies - 

519-881-1920 

Wiarton and Bruce Peninsula - 519-534-0912 

Markdale - 519-369-3381 

Owen Sound - 519-372-1330 

The Mama Nurse 

www.themamanurse.com 

CHILDBIRTH 

Glamma Doula 

Christine Piotrowski, Postpartum Doula 

www.glammadoula.com; 519-477-9985 

Hanover and District Hospital Obstetrics/ 

Family Centred Care Birthing Centre 

519-364-2340 

admin@hanoverhospital.on.ca 

www.hanoverhospital.on.ca 

Jessica Connor Doula Services 

519-580-0612 or jconnor.doula@gmail.com 

www.jessicaconnor.ca 

Midwives Grey Bruce 

519-371-2886 

www.midwivesgreybruce.com 

Owen Sound 

Owen Sound Hospital Labour and Delivery 

519-376-2121 

www.gbhs.on.ca/owensound.php 

Walkerton Hospital Family Birthing Centre 

519-881-1220 

www.sbghc.on.ca 

CHILD CARE 

Acorn Montessori 

705-606-1642 

Thornbury 

Amabel-Sauble Child Care Centre 

519-422-3611 

Sauble Beach 

Beaver Valley Outreach 

519-599-2577 

Bobi’s Playschool 

519-538-5483 

Meaford 

Brockton Child Care Centre 

sbross@brockton.ca 

Brooke Montessori Toddler Program 

519-376-3447, Owen Sound 

Bruce County Childcare Services 

519-881-0431 or www.brucecounty.on.ca 

Walkerton 

Bruce Peninsula Family Centre 

519-793-4100 

Lion’s Head 

Chesley Nursery School 

519-363-9544 

Durham Nursery School 

519-369-6973 

Grey County Childcare Services 

519-376-7324, www.greycounty.ca/childcare 

Hanover Montessori Children's House 

1-800-906-7036 or 519-364-6455 

Happy Hearts Day Care Centre 

519-376-1284 

Owen Sound 

Inglenook Creche Day Care 

519-371-9471; Owen Sound 

Kids & Us Community Childcare 

and Family Education Centres 

Ayton - 519-665-2022 

Dundalk - 519-923-2182 

Durham - 519-369-9911 

Holstein - 519-334-3132 

Markdale - 519-986-3692 

Osprey - 519-922-2333 

Paisley - 519-353-7220 

www.kidsandus.ca 

Kids Street Nursery School - Port Elgin 

519-389-9050 

Kinhuron Integrated Day Nursery School 

Co-op 

519-396-4532 

Kincardine 

Le Jardin des decouvertes - Owen Sound 

519-371-4411 

Military Family Resource Centre - Meaford 

519-538-1371 x6509 

mfrc.meaford@gmail.com 

www.cafconnection.ca/Meaford/Home.aspx 

Meaford Co-operative Nursery School 

519-538-3854 

Nawash N'Shiime Day Care Centre 

519-534-3909 

Neyaashiinigmiing (Cape Croker) 

OneList – Find and apply for child care 

brucecountychildcare.ca 

greycountychildcare.ca 

Queen of Hearts Nursery School 

109 Balmy Beach Rd., Owen Sound 

www.queenofheartsnurseryschool.com 

Sandbox Daycare - Hanover 

519-506-7263 

Saugeen First Nation G’Shaw-da-Gawin 

Day Care Centre 

519-797-2419 

gshawdagawin@bmts.com 

www.saugeenfirstnation.ca 

Saugeen Shores Childcare Centre 

519-832-2400 

Tobermory Primary Place 

519-596-2606 

Unity House - Owen Sound 

519-371-8686 


Viola Jean’s Garden Daycare - Owen Sound 

519-416-5633 or 519-371-2362 

Wiarton Kids Den Day Care/Kids Club 

School age Program 

519-534-4434 

Wiarton Nursery School 

519-534-2121 

Wooden Hill Child Care Centre (La Colline 

De Bois) at Notre Dame School 

519-376-6952 

Owen Sound 

YMCA Childcare 

Arran Tara - 519-376-0484 

Hanover - 519-364-4938 

Kincardine - 519-396-9622 

Owen Sound - 519-376-0484 

Port Elgin - 519-832-6225 

Ripley - 519-395-5570 

ymcaowensound.on.ca 

DIET/NUTRITION 

EatRight Ontario 

Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport 

1-877-510-5102; www.eatrightontario.ca 

Foodlink Grey Bruce 

Find locally grown meat, fruit and produce 

www.foodlinkgreybruce.com 

Good Food Box 


519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 



1-800-263-3456 



Owen Sound 


519-506-4348; www.hanoverfht.ca 


1-800-567-2384, 519-371-4773 


Ontario Student Nutrition Program Grey 

Bruce 

www.osnp.ca 

EDUCATION 

Academy of Learning - Owen Sound 

1077 2nd Ave. E., Suite B (2nd floor) 

519-371-6188 or www.academytraining.ca 

Adult Learning Centres 

Collingwood, Port Elgin, Markdale, Owen 

Sound, Walkerton, Wiarton 

www.adultlearningcentres.com 

Bluewater District School Board 

1-800-661-7509 or www.bwdsb.on.ca 

Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board 

519-364-5820 or www.bgcdsb.org 

Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence 

(French Catholic School Board) 

1-888-768-2219; www.cscprovidence.ca 

Edgehill Country School, Durham 

www.edgehillschool.org 

Georgian Tutors 

www.georgiantutors.com 

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 

JobsWork 

Aimee Kim, Job Developer, akim@clkd.ca 

519-396-9434 x223 

Leads Employment Services 

1051 2nd Ave. E Owen Sound 

1-866-955-3237 

www.leadsservices.com 

LiveGreyBruce 

www.livegreybruce.ca 

VPI Employment Strategies (Walkerton) 

519-881-4900 or 1-855-260-4900 

jobswalkerton@vpi-inc.com 

www.vpi-inc.com 

YMCA Employment Services 

1450 1st Ave. W., Suite 4A, Owen Sound 

519-371-9222 

employmentservices@ymcaowensound.on.ca 

FAMILY SUPPORT 

211 Ontario 

Online database of services in your area 

www.211ontario.ca 

Aspire Youth Services Inc. 

Ryan McLeod, CPT, RSW, MSW, CYC (BA) 

ryanmcleodplaytherapy@gmail.com 

aspireyouth.ca; 416-417-7098 

Big Brothers Big Sisters 

Owen Sound - 519-376-4449 

www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/bbowensound 

Kincardine - 519-396-3565 

www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/kincardine 

Bruce Grey Child and Family Services 

1-855-322-4453 

www.bgcfs.ca 

Bruce Grey Mentorship 

504 10th St., Suite 2, Hanover 

519-506-5065 

www.brucegreymentorship.ca 

Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation 

- Native Child Welfare - Cape Croker 

519-534-3818 

supervisor.ncw@gbtel.ca 

www.nawash.ca 

EarlyON Child and Family Centres 

Chesley, Hanover, Kincardine, Markdale, 

Meaford, M’Wikwedong (Owen Sound), Owen 

Sound (East Ridge), Port Elgin, Thornbury, 

Wiarton 

1-800-616-8116 

Family Support Initiative 

Peer support for family of those with mental 

health issues 

519-371-4802; fsi@hopegb.org 

mhagb.ca 

Grandparent Network 

For grandparents raising grandchildren 

Meets first Monday of month at 9:30 a.m. 

Owen Sound 

Call Mary Nuckowski at 519-371-2498 

Grey Bruce Supervised Access Program 

519-371-5991; pc-superacc@bmts.com 

www.supervisedaccess.ca, Owen Sound 

Kids Help Phone 

1-800-668-6868 (24 hours) 

www.kidshelpphone.ca 

Multiples in Bruce 

For families with or expecting multiples 

http://multiplesinbrucecounty.webs.com 

Nemesis Group Services 

Owen Sound; 519-372-2425 

www.nemesisgroupservices.com 

Parent Help Line 

1-888-603-9100 

Penetangore Wellness 

Art and family therapy 

www.penetangorewellness.com 

Salvation Army 

Hanover - 519-364-3450 

Owen Sound - 519-371-0957 

Port Elgin - 519-389-3942 

Wiarton - 519-534-0353 

Victim Services Bruce Grey 

Perth 

Crisis: 1-866-376-9852; Admin: 1-888-577-3111 

info@victim-services.com; 

www.victim-services.com 

Victim/Witness Assistance Program 

1-866-259-4823 - Owen Sound 

1-866-994-9904 - Walkerton 

attorneygeneral@ontario.ca 

http://bit.ly/ujKyeE 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT 

Beaver Valley Outreach (Thornbury) 

519-599-2577; info@bvo.ca; www.bvo.ca 

Bruce Children are Special Foundation 

Directs donations to the children programs 

provided by Bruce Grey Child and Family 

Services (formerly Children’s Aid) 

1-855-322-4453 ext 4133 

Social Services 

Grey County - 1-800-265-3119 

www.grey.ca/health-social-services/ 

Owen Sound 

Bruce County - 1-800-265-3005 

www.brucecounty.on.ca/ontworks.php 

Walkerton 

United Way of Bruce Grey 

519-376-1560 or manager@unitedwaybg.com 

www.unitedwayofbrucegrey.com 

YMCA of Owen Sound and Grey/Bruce 

519-376-0484 or ymcaowensound.on.ca 

FOOD BANKS/HOUSING 

Beaver Valley Outreach - Thornbury 

519-599-2577, info@bvo.ca or www.bvo.ca 


RESOURCES 

Durham District Food Bank 

Monday and Friday, 9 a.m.-noon 

Flesherton and Area Food Bank 

Marian Doyle, 519-599-3576 

Kincardine Ministerial Food Bank 

519-396-2185 or circlek@bmts.com 

Lion’s Head and District Food Bank 

519-793-3860 or helen.rick@amtelecom.net 

Markdale and District Food Bank 

519-986-1432 

Meaford Food Bank 

519-538-4550 

Paisley Food Bank 

Immanuel Evangelical Mission Church 

307 Balaclava St.; 519-353-5270 (Carol) 

Salvation Army 

Hanover - 519-364-3450 

Owen Sound - 519-371-0957 

Port Elgin - 519-389-3942 

Tobermory Food Bank 

519-596-1501 

Walkerton and District Food Bank 

519-881-0168 

Wiarton Food Bank 

519-534-0353 

Habitat for Humanity Grey Bruce 

1-866-771-6776 or habitatos@bmts.com 

www.habitatgreybruce.com 

Ontario Tenants Rights 

ontariotenants@hotmail.com 

www.ontariotenants.ca 

Safe ‘n Sound Homelessness Initiative 

519-470-7233; www.safensoundgreybruce.com 

Subsidized housing 

Bruce County - 1-800-265-3022 

www.brucecounty.on.ca/socialhousing.php 

Grey County - 376-5744 

http://bit.ly/vVG1k0 

HEALTH CARE 

Auditory Health Care 

202 Cayley St., Walkerton 

519-881-4994 or info@auditoryhealthcare.com 

Brockton and Area Family Health Team 

1-866-507-2021 or www.bafht.com 

Walkerton 

Canadian Mental Health Association 

Grey-Bruce Branch 

Administration - 519-371-3642 

Crisis: 1-877-470-5200 

jralph@cmhagb.org; www.cmhagb.org 

Collingwood General and Marine Hospital 

705-445-2550 

www.cgmh.on.ca 

Connect Rehabilitation, Yoga and Fitness 

1100 16th Ave. E., Owen Sound 

admin@connectrehab.com; 519-372-2121 

www.connectrehab.com 

ConnexOntario Help Lines 

Drug and alcohol - 1-800-565-8603 

Gambling - 1-888-230-3505 

Mental health - 1-866-531-2600 

www.connexontario.ca 

Grey Bruce Health Services (hospitals) 

Lion’s Head - 519-793-3424 

Markdale - 519-986-3040 

Meaford - 519-538-1311 

Owen Sound - 519-376-2121 

Southampton - 797-3230 

Wiarton - 534-1260 

www.gbhs.on.ca 

Grey Bruce Health Unit - Owen Sound 

1-800-263-3456 



Hanover and District Hospital 

519-364-2340/info@hdhospital.ca 

www.hdhospital.ca 

Healthy Babies, Healthy Children 


519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 



519-506-4348 or dford@hanoverfht.ca 

www.hanoverfht.ca 

Healthy Smiles Ontario 

Dental for families making under $20,000/yr 

Register through the health unit 

Online: http://bit.ly/JAqJbY 

Honouring Life Network 

Indigenous youth suicide prevention 

www.honouringlife.ca 

HopeGreyBruce - Owen Sound 

Mental Health and Addiction Services 

519-371-4120 or www.mhagb.ca/gbchc/ 


1-800-567-2384 or 519-371-4773 


Kids Help Phone (24 hours) 

1-800-668-6868 or www.kidshelpphone.ca 

Kincardine Family Health Team 

Kincardine - 519-396-2700 

Ripley - 519-395-2601 

www.kincardinefht.ca 

Mino Bimadsawin Health Centre 

57 Mason Dr., Saugeen First Nation 

519-797-3336 

M’Wikwedong Native Cultural Resource 

Centre - Owen Sound 

1-866-202-2068 or admin@mwikwedong.com 

www.mwikwedong.com 

Owen Sound Crisis Pregnancy Centre 

1-888-371-2004 

oscpc@wightman.ca 

Pediatric clinics 

Hanover - 519-364-2340 

Kincardine - 519-396-3331 

Markdale - 519-986-3040 

Owen Sound - 519-376-2121 

Walkerton - 519-881-1220 

Penetangore Wellness 

Art and family therapy 

www.penetangorewellness.com 

Poison Control Centre 

1-800-268-9017 

Postpartum depression 

Grey Bruce Health Unit - 1-800-263-3456 

Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services - 

1-800-567-2384 

Sandra Hall Physiotherapy 

519-270-6528; shallphysio12@gmail.com 

www.sandrahallphysiotherapy.com 

South Bruce Grey Health Centre (hospitals) 

Chesley - 519-363-2340 

Kincardine - 519-396-3331 

Durham - 519-369-2340 

Walkerton - 519-881-1220 

www.sbghc.on.ca 

South East Grey Community Health Centre 

55 Victoria St., Markdale 

519-986-2222 or 1-855-519-2220 

info@segchc.ca or www.segchc.ca 

St. John Ambulance First Aid training 

519-364-7004 or grey.bruce@on.sja.ca 

Online: http://bit.ly/t3Ye8g 

TeleHealth Ontario 

1-866-797-0007 

TVCC 

519-3370-0777 or 1-866-590-8822 

www.tvcc.on.ca 

LIBRARIES 

Blue Mountains Public Library/ 

L.E. Shore Memorial Library 

Thornbury 

519-599-3681 or thebluemountainslibrary.ca 

Bruce County Public Library 

opac.brucecounty.on.ca; 519-832-6935; 

libraryinfo@brucecounty.on.ca 

Cargill - 519-366-9990 

Chesley - 519-363-2239 

Kincardine - 519-396-3289 

Lion’s Head - 519-793-3844 

Lucknow - 519-528-3011 

Mildmay - 519-367-2814 

Paisley - 519-353-7225 

Port Elgin - 519-832-2201 

Ripley - 519-395-5919 

Sauble Beach - 519-422-1283 

Southampton - 519-797-3586 

Tara - 519-934-2626 

Teeswater - 519-392-6801 

Tiverton - 519-368-5655 

Tobermory - 519-596-2446 

Walkerton - 519-881-3240 

Wiarton - 519-534-2602 

Collingwood Public Library 

519-445-1571; www.collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca 

Dundalk/Southgate Public Library 

519-923-3248; http://southgate-library.com/ 

Grey Highlands Public Library 

Flesherton - 519-924-2241 

Kimberley - 519-599-6990 

Walter Harris Memorial Library (Markdale) - 

519-986-3436; greyhighlandspubliclibrary.com 


Hanover Public Library 

519-364-1420 or www.hanoverlibrary.ca 

Meaford Public Library 

519-538-1060 

www.meaford.ca/meaford-library-home.html 

Owen Sound and North Grey 

Union Public Library 

519-376-6623; www.owensound.library.on.ca 

West Grey Public Library system 

www.westgreylibrary.com 

Durham (main) branch - 519-369-2107 

Elmwood and area - 519-363-3321 

Neustadt - 519-799-5830 

Ayton/Normanby - 519-799-3242 

MUSEUMS 

Billy Bishop Heritage Museum - Owen Sound 

519-371-0031 or www.billybishop.org 

Bruce County Lighthouse Museums 

Cabot (Lion’s) Head - 519-795-7780 

Chantry Island (Southampton) - 866-318-8889 

Kincardine - 519-396-3468 

Point Clark - 519-395-2494 

Bruce County Museum, Cultural Centre & 

Archives - Southampton 

519-797-2080 or www.brucemuseum.ca 

Bruce Peninsula Visitors Centre 

519-596-2233 or http://bit.ly/rQQFf6 

Tobermory 

Bruce Power Visitors’ Centre 

519-361-7777; www.brucepower.com 

Chesley Heritage & Woodworking Museum 

519-363-9837 

Craigleith Heritage Depot - Thornbury 

519-599-3131 

www.thebluemountains.ca/Craigleith-Heritage-Depot.cfm 

Grey Roots Museum & Archives 

Includes county’s archives 

1-877-GREY ROOTS; www.greyroots.com 

RR4 Owen Sound 

Meaford Museum 

519-538-5974 

www.visitmeaford.com/meaford-museum.html 

Owen Sound Marine and Rail Museum 

519-371-3333 

www.marinerail.com 

Paddy Walker Heritage Society - Kincardine 

519-396-1850 

www.walkerhousekincardine.com 

South Grey Museum - Flesherton 

519-924-2843 or museum@greyhighlands.ca 

www.southgreymuseum.ca 

St. Edmunds Township Museum - Tobermory 

519-596-2479 or online http://bit.ly/vEdicK 

Tobermory Maritime Association 

519-596-2700; www.tobermorymaritime.ca 

Treasure Chest Museum - Paisley 

519-353-7176 or http://bit.ly/1PjTS1D 

NEWCOMER SERVICES 

Grey Bruce Settlement & Langauge Services 

519-371-9222 or settlement@osgb.ymca.ca 

ONLINE SUPPORT 

www.211.ca 

www.pathwaysawareness.org 

www.mentallyfit.ca 

www.shelternet.ca 

www.targetyouth.ca 

www.thehealthline.ca 

www.wesforyouthonline.ca 

PLAYGROUPS 

Grey Bruce Play 

Monthly inclusive playgroup 

Greybruceplay@gmail.com 

Kincardine Toy Library and Playgroup 

249 Bruce Ave.; Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 

Pine River Moms 

519-389-7136; jill.ricica@gmail.com. 

Thursdays during school year, info on FB 

EarlyON Child and Family Centres 

Chesley, Paisley, Kincardine, Port Elgin, and 

Wiarton - 1-800-616-8116 

Hanover, Markdale, Meaford, M’Wikwedong 

(Owen Sound), Owen Sound (East Ridge), and 

Thornbury - 1-866-483-7774 

SPECIAL NEEDS 

Autism Ontario Grey Bruce Chapter 

226-787-0333 or marti@autismontario.com 

http://bit.ly/tO6kam; Owen Sound 

Autism Parent Support Group 

Community Living Kincardine & District 

519-396-9434 or www.clkd.ca 

Bruce County Children’s Services Resource 

Program 

1-800-265-3005 or www.brucecounty.on.ca 

Walkerton 

Bruce Peninsula (Wiarton) Association 

for Community Living 

519-534-0553 

Community Living Kincardine & District 

519-396-9434; www.clkd.ca 

Community Living Meaford 

519-538-4165 

Community Living Owen Sound 

and District 

519-371-9251 or communitylivingowensound.ca 

Community Living Walkerton & District 

519-881-3713 or www.clwalkerton.org 

Georgian Riding Association 

for Challenged Equestrians 

519-372-2721; grace@log.on.ca 

Wicklen Stables, RR5 Owen Sound 

Hope Haven Therapeutic Riding Centre 

519-986-1247 

www.hopehavencentre.org 


Owen Sound; 1-800-567-2384 


PRANCE Therapeutic Riding Centre 

519-832-2522 or prance@bmts.com 

Miramichi Farms, Hwy. 21 Port Elgin 

Reading Rescue Ontario 

519-794-4745 or soehner@bmts.com 

www.readingrescueontario.ca 

Holland Centre 

South Grey Bruce Youth Literacy Council 

519-364-0008 or info@sgbyouthliteracy.org 

www.sgbyouthliteracy.org 

Hanover 

Special Therapy and Education 

Program of Saugeen (STEPS) 

519-797-1935 

info@stepsahead.ca; www.stepsahead.ca 

Southampton 

TVCC 

519-370-0777 or 1-866-590-8822 


United Way of Bruce Grey 

519-376-1560; unitedwaybg@bmts.com 

www.unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/ 

Owen Sound 

SPEECH/LANGUAGE 

Bruce County Childcare Services 

1-800-265-3005; www.brucecounty.on.ca 

Walkerton 

Closing the Gap Healthcare Group 

Rehab Express Grey Bruce 

1-866-990-9901 or www.closingthegap.ca 

Owen Sound 

South West Community Care Access Centre 

In-Home Services 

Owen Sound - 519-371-2112 

Walkerton - 519-881-1181 

www.sw.ccac-ont.ca 

TVCC 

519-370-0777 or 1-866-590-8822 


VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children 

Support, speech and language therapy 

Grey/Bruce chapter is free to families 

www.voicefordeafkids.com 

WISH PROGRAMS 

Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada 

1-800-267-9474 

on@childrenswish.ca or www.childrenswish.ca 

Ajax, ON 

Make-A-Wish - Southwestern Ontario Chapter 

519-471-4900 or www.makeawishswo.org 

London, ON GBK 


RECIPES 

Asparagus season 

is coming! 

ASPARAGUS SCALLOPED POTATOES 

INGREDIENTS 

1 lb asparagus, trimmed 

8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick 

3 tbsp butter 

2 cups onion, chopped 

3 tbsp all-purpose flour 

3 cups milk 

1 bay leaf 

1½ cups old cheddar cheese, shredded 

INSTRUCTIONS 

In a large pot of boiling water, cook asparagus 2 to 3 minutes or until 

tender-crisp. Drain and refresh under cold water. Cut into 2 inch 

lengths; set aside in bowl. Cook potato slices in steamer about 10 

minutes or until barely tender; add to asparagus. 

In same large pot, melt butter; cover and cook onion over low heat 

until limp. Sprinkle with flour and stir in. Remove from heat and 

gradually pour in milk, whisking continually until smooth. Add 

bay leaf. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until just boiling and 

thickened. 

Stir in 1 cup cheese, asparagus and potatoes. Season to taste with salt 

and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Spoon into greased 13 x 9 inch baking 

dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate for up to 

24 hours. Reheat, uncovered, in 350 F oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until 

bubbly. 

GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND STEAK TACOS 

INGREDIENTS 

Pickled radishes: 

½ cup each white vinegar and water 

½ tsp each salt and granulated sugar 

3 radishes, julienned 

Pico de Gallo: 

1 greenhouse tomato, finely diced 

3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped 

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped 

2 tbsp fresh lime juice 

¼ tsp each salt and crushed red pepper flakes 

Tacos: 

½ cup sour cream 

1 tbsp chipotle hot sauce 

1 lb asparagus, trimmed 

1 tsp vegetable oil 

Pinch each salt and pepper 

8, 6-inch flour tortillas 

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled 

250 grams beef steak, grilled and sliced 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Pickled radishes: In small saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring to 

boil vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Add radishes. Remove from heat; let 

stand 5 minutes. Drain and refrigerate. 

Pico de Gallo: In medium bowl, stir together tomato, coriander, 

onion, lime juice, salt and red pepper flakes. Set aside. 

Tacos: In small bowl, stir together sour cream and hot sauce. 

Brush asparagus with oil, season with salt and pepper. Grill over 

medium-high heat, until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. During last 

minute, add tortillas to grill. Flip once; grill until warm. 

Spread each tortilla with sour cream mixture; spoon on Pico de Gallo. 

Sprinkle with feta; top with steak, asparagus and radishes. 

Recipes courtesy Foodland Ontario 


Learn how we make clean energy and medical 

isotopes at the Bruce Power Visitors’ Centre. 

Wonder. 

Explore. 

Discover. 

www.brucepower.com/visit 

3394 BRUCE ROAD 20, NORTH OF TIVERTON, WEST OF HIGHWAY 21. T: (519) 361-7777 

REGISTER YOUR CHILD 

SAINT-DOMINIQUE-SAVIO 

800 23 rd Street East, Owen Sound 

519-371-0627 

CONTACT US OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY! 

MyFrenchSchool.ca

Grey-Bruce Kids Spring 2023

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