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16 0 October 2009 Studio Tour Showcases Local Art with u to a I $150pRebate EHusqvarna Snow Blowers _ starting at Pick up a Tour Guide on our website or at the Leisure Centre in Stouffville, the [3th Gallery, For The love of Jo Coffee House and at other sponsor locations throughout Stouffville. 10:00 am â€" 5:00 pm FREE Admission - FREE Draw - Pres_sure FREE Saturday, Oct. 17 8: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 9th ANNUAL WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE For further information call (905) 642-1721 or Email infoOstoufiviilesmdiotouuom Visit us at stouffvillestudiotour.com Studio TOUR m You are cordially invited to attend the The ninth annual Whitchurch~ Stouffvillc Studio Tour and Sale takes place Oct. 17 and 18 from 10 am. to 5 .m. and features 26 artists at 18 di ferent venues. Participating artists include painters, potters, jewellery makers, stained and fused glass amans and a wood turner. In 2008 the tour was nominated for the Premier's Award for Excellence in Art and think you live at Musselman's Lakes Our community, however, is blessed with a few other, much smaller lakes, one of which is now known as Shadow Lake. As I drove down the winding private laneway leading to this haven, I came across one of the most picturesque and peaceful scenes you will find anywhere in Ontario. ‘1. .[ LIZâ€"‘L liâ€"n I" """"""" I ' ” a The 22-acre body of water on the east side of Ninth Line, just north of Musselman’s Lake, is part of the kettle lake system in our area. Cars whiz past the entrance without ever knowing what lies hidden behind the tree line. In the early days of Whitchurch Township it was known by the name of its first recorded owner, Robert McKewon (also spelled McKeown or McKewan, depending on who you ask or which record you access). The McKewon family settled on the 200 acres surrounding the lake when they emigrated from Ireland in the late 18005, and the property was received, as were many others in our area, under the terms of a grant from the governor-general of the day. .-I 1rvs( The McKewons farmed and fished on the lake until 1926, when they sold the land to the Eaton family, who were best known for their ownership of The T. Eaton Company of Toronto. Along with the farm and lake, the Eatons also purchased 82 acres adjoining the property. By 1929, realizing'that 'perhabs ihey were not cut out attracted a record number of visitors to Whitchurchâ€"Stouffville. Admission to all venues is free and the tour is a great way to explore the communit and enjoy our beautiful fall co ours. Several artists will demonstrate their skills in the lobby of the Latcham Gallery and Care and Share Thrift Shop over the weekend, and For The Love of lo coffee house on Main Street has a Rear-view Mirror If you tell someone you live on a small lake in Whitchurch-Stouffville, just north of the main part of town, they will invariably By Maurice Smith number of works from participating artists displayed on the walls. Visitors to each location can fill out a ballot for a free draw, with a prize of a $200 gift certificate to spend at one of the studios. “A diverse selection of media is represented including acrylic, encaustic, oil, sumi- e and watercolour paintings," said artist and organizer Diana Bullock. “We also have graphite drawings, to be farmers, they hired Andrew Williams to manage the property. Mr. Williams, who was an experienced farmer from Petrolia, Ont, moved into the large four-bedroom farmhouse with his wife Effie and their two children, and despite his management skills, there were still significant challenges in those years as the Great Depression settled in. To resolve his dilemma, Mr. Williams hired a number of local young men who were struggling with their own properties. Members from the Wagg, Nesbitt and Yakeley families found employment on the farm throughout the Depression. -_ r , ,,I,.A _-_.. ..â€"na 1“ “nae unynva ...... They grew 25 acres of potatoes, plus many acres of peas, berries, beans, beets and com. In 1940 Mr. Williams built a large, four-storey chicken house on the property, which eventually housed 3,000 laying hens. The foundations can still be seen. The eggs were cleaned, one by one, with a damp cloth and/ or fine sandpaper, and children would apply a rubber stamp with the logo S L on each egg. They were then shipped, as was the potato crop, to the exclusive grocery department in The T. Eaton Company’s main Toronto store. In those days, the company had a summer camp in Scarborough for their male employees and wanted to provide a similar camp for female staff members, so they decided on Shadow Lake farm. With all the fresh produce being grown there, it was a natural choice. A number of cabins, each containing 12 cots, were constructed on the hills overlooking the lake. On a routine summer weekend, the train would arrive in Stouffville with 80 or 90 female employees from the Toronto and Montreal areas. An Eaton’s furniture delivery van would meet them at the station and drive them out to the camp. For a fee of five dollars a week they could try their hand at tennis, archery, golf (the property included a nine-hole course), swimming, canoeing or sailing. But the biggest event of the summer was the horseback riding competition which was held on Labour Day weekend. Eventually, however, other summer vacation spots attracted the employees and the camp became redundant. It was closed in 1954 and shortly thereafter the Eaton family sold the property. It changed hands again in the ensuing years and in 1965 was purchased by a group known as Community Living Toronto, which brought the property alive once more when they opened a camp for mentally challenged young adults. They modernized the cabins and added a large stateâ€"ofâ€"the- art dining facility, and the camp is now a summer place for up to 600 people. It also offers winter excursions for other groups. Oyer the past few years the lake has sewed as a location for more than a dozen feature-length movies and a number of television commercials. Like many places in Whitchurchâ€" Stouffville this property has a lot of stories to tell; you could write a book. Hey, there’s a thought! mauricefp@mgers.com For more information visit www. stouffvillestudiotour.com, call 905- 642-1721 or send an email to info@ stouffvillestudiotour.com. Tour maps are also available from the Latcham Gallery and local retailers. Stouffville: