Magyar & Hammond are Woodstock's double play tandem

The 401-403 corridor can be your business development destination

Come To The Crossroads latest newsletter circulated

By Mark Schadenberg

No matter what any Major League Baseball club can assign to its infield, the best double play combination is Len Magyar and Brad Hammond.

Where and Why?

This duo can scoop up anything that is ground(er) in an industrial area of Woodstock, Ontario and promote both its location and possibilities to attract industry and employment to this southwestern Ontario region.

The most recent newsletter from the City’s development commissioner office notes quickly and succinctly the amount of land available locally for commercial / industrial purposes. The best news is that a good portion of the best land, and most certainly the best overall possible destination (401-403 intersection), is owned by the City, which assists in controlling prices for land buyers considering Woodstock.

Newsletter intro:

“Woodstock continues to prove its reputation as one of the most investment friendly locations in Ontario. Many businesses are choosing Woodstock because of its winning combination of reasonable real estate prices, No Industrial Development Charges, and great access to both labour and markets. Over 400 acres of vacant industrial land is available for lots of all sizes both in municipal and private ownership. More than 300 acres are fully serviced and shovel-ready for development with many options to choose from. A wide range of buildings from 3,000 to 150,000 sq. ft. are also available in move-in condition.”

In promoting a community it is not a balanced playing field, nor should it be, as based solely on our locale at the 401-403 connection or ‘crossroads’, Woodstock is the grand slam.

The fact there is no development charges from the City of Woodstock is an important factor for multi-national firms looking for a place to call home base (More puns).

Woodstock also hits a home run based on limiting the overall cost of a building permit – based partially on cost recovery from the engineering and building inspection departments. Don’t ask me the final total or its possible plateau sum ($25,000 ?), contact the shortstops. Yes, both Mr Magyar (519 539-2382, x2112; lmagyar@city.woodstock.on.ca) and Mr Hammond (x2113; bhammond@city.woodstock.on.ca) are vertically challenged and since neither play ‘second’ fiddle to anyone, I will refer to them as middle infielders or the go-between from your company to City Council and Mayor Pat Sobeski’s (hot) corner office at 500 Dundas St in Downtown. Hammond and Magyar (top picture) are the ground-ruling double, but there’s no bad bounces here.

401-403

While I mentioned the crossroads of the two significant transportation arteries, it must be added when you look at the PDF newsletter that Lot 1 might just be the best industrial location anywhere in Ontario right now, in my humble honest opinion. The cost for the completely serviced property in the highly-sought-after Commerce Way park is $100,000 per acre, but the premium (above usual acreage charge of $70,000) is the obvious exposure to both the 401 and 403 highways, plus that it’s a parcel of 43.5 acres, so it could also be the home of quite a significantly-sized business venture.

When it’s time for you to discover Woodstock for industry, give me a call, as I would love to personally introduce you to the Hammond-Magyar double play combo.

DBG

By the way, I just noticed that the DBG building at Springbank and Juliana has a SOLD sticker on its sign, so therefore yet another company has selected to either expand in Woodstock or re-locate here. 

Home Sweet Home

If you have decided Woodstock is the best place to buy a home, call me first as I have 15 years of full-time real estate experience in Oxford County. 

By the way, Len Magyar would call himself a soccer player first – not baseball.

Link to City Of Woodstock newsletter PDF:

http://www.cometothecrossroads.com/images/PDFs/newsletters/2014/2014_RealEstateNewsletter_Email.pdf

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Journey to Jakeman's for pancakes and family pictures

Our tradition of visiting The Maple Store in Sweaburg continued this past weekend

The Trillium Woods is a wonderful backdrop for family memory pictures, the pancakes drenched in maple syrup are picture perfect

By Mark Schadenberg

Maple syrup and bacon are Canadian traditions.

At Jakeman’s Maple Farm (The Trillium Woods) near Sweaburg, it’s all about authentic maple syrup, pancakes, sausages and maple baked beans.

Our family’s annual sojourn to The Maple Store at Jakeman’s took place this past weekend (March 23) as the provincially-recognized Trillium forest is part of the back drop of tall maples with pails catching sap and then processed into products including syrup (plastic or glass jugs, or traditional tins), candy (toffee, mints and even lollipops), maple popcorn, cookies, ice wine syrup. . .  

Directly from their home page at www.themaplestore.com, you can quickly note that Jakeman’s has existed since 1876. The rustic barn should be deemed a historic site. The store on the second floor is converted into a breakfast destination in the month of March as many area 4H clubs serve up the fare as a fundraiser. (Ends March 29 and 30, 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)

Nicole and I have been making the short trek out to Sweaburg every year, including before we were parents (see the picture of Nicole expecting in the series of photos below). If you’re on the 401, it’s Exit 230 with the large 230 Truck Stop visible. Drive south on the Sweaburg Road and right through the village of Sweaburg before turning right on Trillium Line.

Growing up in Woodstock, the Trillium forest has been a destination for me on several occasions, including during a visit of an aunt and uncle from Germany approximately around 1975, and in high school (WCI) a class trip with Mr Harvey (See: 2 links below) and a hands-on science biology lesson to literally grid off a large area to count Trilliums and then prepare a report submitted to a provincial ministry of forests.

For a family to mark a March tradition, such as pancakes and maple syrup at Jakeman’s, is important to creating a fabric with the four of us. Maeghan is now 7, so this was her 8^th trip, while Spencer will soon turn 5.

Part of the interest in discovering The Maple Store, which is open year-round, is the artifacts on display and a wall mural which depicts the syrup-creating process. The person who created the sap flow chart (puns again from me) had impeccable penmanship. I wonder if it was Mary Jakeman. She was working the till (yes, they do have Interac there for those who want to make a bulk buy for all their aunts and uncles – near and far).

As you will quickly note from the below photo gallery of shots from the Trillium forest, we have been greeted with various weather conditions over the years. This past Sunday it was -8C on my car’s thermometer. Some years, there has been zero snow remaining on the trails and a horse carriage ride was added to the morning outdoor spirit.       

I share this story to point out that Oxford County has a lot of treasures to discover and my family believes Jakeman’s is truly a place not to miss. I guess you could say it’s on my bucket list every year – bucket of sap dripping from a tree which is all about Canada – the Maple (leaf).

   ()()()()()()()()

In making natural maple syrup, naturally Jakeman’s Sugar Bush has a company promise:

Jakeman’s pledges to produce maple syrup and maple products of the most exceptional quality. We aim to impress through taste and innovation. 

On August 29th of 2012, Jakeman’s received the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation for the introduction of their Maple Ice Wine Syrup. Pictured are: Left to Right: Dave Hope from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mary Jakeman and Devin Jakeman

More Jakeman’s Contacts:

Email: info@themaplestore.com

Call: (519) 539-1366 or 1-800-382-9795

               ()()()()()()()()

John Harvey Links:

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2014/01/13/john-harvey-has-taken-part-in-the-christmas-bird-county-since-1953

http://rogerstv.com/page.aspx?sid=5678&rid=15&lid=237&gid=124921

Since this is free advertising, it’s the best advertising: work of mouth.

When you’re thinking of an Oxford County Realtor, think of me

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Pundit ponders possibility of pool practicality

Be careful not to over-improve your home, says one report

By Mark Schadenberg

The exorbitant cost of an in-ground pool combined with the four months it’s feasible to enjoy it due to weather, means you should not install a pool?

Wrong.

However, be sure to know that your family’s enjoyment of the pool will account for at least 70% of the pool’s value to the property. In other words, you could easily spend $30,000 on an in-ground pool and when you factor up-keep and maintenance, the overall increase to the value of your home will still be less than $15,000. 

My thought: Live in your 'family' home for a long time and enjoy your house and all its amenities, especially the pool.

Consumers know this over-improvement concept as they bring in a backhoe and build a pool house to store the pump, chemicals, the floating skimmer, toys and floating reclining chairs because they want a pool.

Anyway, below is a link to a story which reminds home owners that over-improving a house is done solely for the enjoyment of the current owner. If you own a 50-year-old house and plan on updating the kitchen – spend $25,000, but avoid spending significantly more than that.

If you live in a neighbourhood with modest homes ranging in value around $200,000, don’t over-improve your house too high as the market value for the street-scape is certainly a factor in determining the value of your home.

I have also seen many properties where the entire backyard is ‘landscaped’ with ponds, a gazebo, three-tier deck, statue of a child with soccer ball, retaining walls, and ornamental trees. We all love the outdoors, so limit the crowding of the yard as the next owner may have small children who need space to kick a soccer ball.

The story below notes a warning about invisible improvements such as a heat recovery system on the furnace. My best advice is to make sure all quality enhancements to the house are advertised and promoted as they most certainly add value – security system, central vac, water treatment systems, heated ceramic tile, built-in speaker wiring, etc. I firmly believe the average consumer realizes the true value of such items and will pay for them, but they are ‘invisible’ on first impression or initial viewing of the house. Your Realtor's task is to remind other agents showing the home about all the 'added value enhancements'.

The flip side of some newer improvements, is that home buyers are sometimes ‘blind’ to the new windows (pun intended), new roof, updated main bathroom, newer flooring, and newer back deck, but are very quick to point out an older furnace. No one can replace everything in a house, but the positives must out-weigh the negatives.

Your home will sell in a reasonable length of time based on the sum of its parts and a proper asking price.

Link:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/investopedia/2013/05/19/6-things-you-think-add-value-to-your-home-but-really-dont/

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Maybe renting an apartment is what you prefer

Not buying in Woodstock, rent in one of these great buildings

By Mark Schadenberg

A Realtor should be a local resource – someone with contacts for your quick access to lawyers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, roofers and of course hockey tickets.

What about if someone is seeking to rent for a short time period due to a work relocation, or perhaps for an aging person seeking a retirement home?

Our area has many good options for rental properties. Some on the list below are buildings more than 25 years old, such as Leinster or James streets or Durham Crescent, but many are very nice newer buildings such as 505 Finkle Street.

Here’s a list of places to contact for high-end apartments in Woodstock.

APARTMENTS

600 Chieftain – www.drewloholdings.com – 519-421-2751

700 Chieftain – www.drewloholdings.com – 519-421-1650

800 Chieftain – www.drewloholdings.com – 519-421-9393

900 Chieftain – (All above are Lakeside Estates and pictured below) www.drewloholdings.com – 519-537-1040

505 Finkle St – www.tricar.com/woodstock (Also pictured) -- 519-539-3029

83 Kent Street – Kentwood Towers (Seniors only) – 519-746-3033 

685 Canterbury Street – www.vwapartments.com – 519-421-2188

6 Burtch Street – www.vwapartments.com – 519-421-2188

635 Canterbury Street – www.drewloholdings.com – 519-421-2735

110 Beale Street (Canterbury Place) -- www.drewloholdings.comn 519-421-1998

510 Admiral Street – Northgate Towers – www.realstar.ca – 519-537-2875

175 Wellington St South – www.ndev.ca -- 519-421-7148

855-859 James Street – 519-533-0692

59 Perry Street – www.ska-apartmentrentals.com – 519-421-9699

432 - 462 Leinster Street – www.grandriverproperties.ca – 519-539-0233

558 Durham Crescent – www.greenwin.ca – 1-866-671-1792

Or I like the site: www.101apartments.com

RETIREMENT

Oxford Gardens – Devonshire Avenue – 519-537-7733

Cedarview – Finkle Street – 226-400-0300 or 519-602-0282

Park Place – Graham Street – 519-539-0219

Langdon Villa – Parkinson Road – 519-537-6446

Woodingford Lodge – Juliana Drive – 519-421-5556

Caressent Care – Fyfe Avenue – 519-539-6461

83 Kent Street – Kentwood Towers (Seniors only apartments) – 519-746-3033 

Note: This is not meant to be a complete list of apartment complexes or retirement homes in Woodstock.

If you’re looking for info on purchasing a home in Oxford County, 

I’m your full-time Realtor with 15 years experience.

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Bernadette Place should be tops on your shopping list

Ranch with large eat-in kitchen, huge lower family room with gas fireplace

By Mark Schadenberg

The first woman to be a mayor of a Canadian city was Bernadette Smith.

The year was 1952 and the city was Woodstock (See plaque below).

My newest listing is found on Bernadette Place in The Friendly City of Woodstock.

Sometimes when you walk through a house you can note many items which you can credit the original builder for overall quality in layout and construction.

The ranch at 12 Bernadette Place fits that billing as it’s quite a large bungalow with a smart use of space.

I’m of the belief that Woodstock (for its population) has too many tiny 3-bedroom bungalows built in the 1960s that are all under 1,000 sq ft. These modest homes can be found on quiet streets like Elora, Heather, Lorene, Willowgrove and Lyndale, but also on busier thoroughfares such as Clarke, Springbank, Warwick and Sprucedale.

My 12 Bernadette Place home is the opposite – spacious and very well built.

Beginning with its positive overall curb appeal is the large front (wood) porch (with spindles) as it runs the full width of the home.

The front living room with hardwood flooring is quite large, but the main floor’s top selling point is the spacious eat-in kitchen with oak cabinets. The home was built in 1979, but when you see the brand new backsplash and countertops in the kitchen, you would think the home was much newer. All 6 appliances could stay with the house.

The 4-piece main bathroom is like ‘new’ with a soaker tub.

All three bedrooms are a good size.

You could move in before having children, raise them, and live here still when university is their destination.

All families today seek a gigantic family room, which might be for home theatre or for a pool table or simply to create enough space to play Twister when the cousins visit. The Bernadette ranch includes a recroom the full width of the house – 36 feet by 15 feet, and to top it off there is a gas fireplace so your toes are warm as you watch the Leafs or another sit-com such as Big Bang Theory.

Mostly newer vinyl windows, a 6-year-old roof, water softener, central vac, and a security system are additional traits of importance.

LOCATION
Location is paramount in real estate and this house fits the bill as it’s very close to Southside Park (all-inclusive playground, ball diamonds, skateboard park, swimming pool and splash pad), near elementary and secondary schools, box mall shopping (Canadian Tire, Staples, Wal-Mart, Winners, Mark’s Work Wearhouse, Reitman’s, Sport Chek, Bonnie Togs, etc) and countless restaurants (Boston Pizza, East Side Mario’s, Kelsey’s, Montana’s, Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, A&W, Burger King, McDonald’s, Mr Sub, etc) along Norwich Ave, the community complex (two arenas and gymnastics), and you can see the Cedar Creek golf course from the backyard. For commuters, this quiet south Woodstock neighbourhood also provides quick 401 / 403 access.   

To view this home today, so you can begin the process of making it your home, contact myself.

MLS: 73062

Asking Price: $212,900
Narrated virtual tour: http://tours.CreativeVirtualTours.com/51122

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Attend the Captain's Night for Relay For Life on April 8

Relay For Life organizing event April 8 at Fanshawe College

The first of two Captain's Nights are set for Relay For Life for 2014.

The organizing committee invites all Team Captains, and team members if they would also like to attend, to the Captain's Night at Fanshawe College on Finkle Street on Tuesday, April 8, 6:30 p.m., for more background details about registrations, fundraising ideas, recruiting team members, motivation, new ideas for 2014, selecting your campsite, sponsorships, luminary sales, volunteering, silent auction, entertainment, and the logistics of setting up the over-night camp at CASS.

Every year, all teams have an enjoyable night of remembering, celebrating and fighting back. Relay For Life is all about recalling past struggles with cancer and raising dollars to find a cure. Look below at the cross-section of team photos from last year.

By the way, there's still a lot of time to recruit your own team for Relay For Life from your group of friends, neighbours, relatives, co-workers, or even possibly your friends from the gym.

   

And, we certainly can't forget the great folks from Vuteq:

Relay For Life

To learn more about Relay For Life in Woodstock – June 13-14, 2014, plus background information on Oxford County events in Ingersoll (June 20) and Tillsonburg (June 6) as well, be sure to read other posts on this blog site. Many updates will appear as Relay approaches, including reminders about the two captain's nights at Fanshawe College (first one is Tuesday, April 8, 6:30), background details about registrations, recruiting team members, selecting a campsite, sponsorships, volunteering, registering as a survivor, entertainment, and the logistics of setting up the over-night camp at CASS.

To sign up or sponsor a participant, see: www.relayforlife.ca/woodstock or call the Oxford unit office at (519) 537-5592.

If you would like to contribute a story (Why you participate) or promote a Relay team fundraiser, send details to: tbucholtz@ontario.cancer.ca or mschadenberg@rogers.com. 

Also: 

Follow us on Facebook at: Canadian Cancer Society's Relay For Life In Woodstock group

Follow us on Twitter at: @Woodstock Relay and @CCSOxfordCounty

Celebrate . . . Remember . . . Fight Back

CONTACTS:

Sandy Smith

Relay For Life co-chair

Email: megzmom@hotmail.com

(519) 456-5270

Bob Axon

Sponsorship committee and co-chair

Email: raxon@rogers.com

(519) 421-0806

Deb Moss

Relay For Life co-chair

Email: mmoss905@rogers.com

(519) 539-2288

Mark Schadenberg

Public relations committee

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

(519) 537-1553

Tracy Bucholtz

CCS – Oxford unit fundraising

Email: tbucholtz@ontario.cancer.ca

(519) 537-5592

No one in Bright or Plattsville will ever forget Tyler Todd

Annual hockey tournament raises money in memory of soldier from Oxford killed in Afghanistan

Tyler Todd killed in 2010; proceeds from tourney to non-profit Wounded Warriors organization

By Mark Schadenberg

Tyler Todd died at the age of 26.

He was in Afghanistan for all Canadians, but for people of Oxford County, his death in active duty, really hit home.

There are many links and stories online, including a few below (YouTube musical tribute included), but the grad of Woodstock’s Huron Park Secondary School, apparently was killed when he stepped on a land mine or what is referred to as: an improvised explosive device, while on foot patrol.

The currently published Woodstock Sentinel-Review story (below) promotes an upcoming 4^th annual memorial 3-on-3 co-ed hockey tournament in Plattsville in Private Tyler Todd’s honour. Proceeds for the weekend (April 3-5) event will be directed to www.woundedwarriors.ca, which is a foundation created to assist Canadian war veterans who are inflicted with both physical injuries and mental illnesses upon returning home. The newspaper story notes the tournament raised $35,000 last year and a total of $60,000 over its first three years.

Tyler Todd, who was from Bright, was involved in minor hockey in Plattsville and was also a volunteer firefighter. 

Todd was nearing the end of a six-month assignment near Kandahar City on April 11, 2010 when he was killed, and was a member of the 11th Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry regiment, which is based at CFB Edmonton.

I personally did not know Tyler Todd.

One of the reasons I’m writing this is to recall those events of 2010.

Another reason, is tourney organizers are seeking the involvement of 158 minor hockey players to participate in a ceremony in the lunch hour on Saturday, April 5, where each young hockey player would skate in a ceremony with the picture of one of the Canadians killed in Afghanistan.

A specific third reason to simply attend the event at some time that weekend is that the Portraits Of Honour will be on display.

To register a team or find out more info, contact Trevor Baer at 519-635-3507.

Sentinel-Review LINK:

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2014/03/14/the-4th-annual-tyler-todd-3-on-3-co-ed-hockey-tournament-starts-april-3-to-5-with-all-money-going-to-wounded-warriors

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2010/04/19/pte-tyler-todd-comes-home

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2010/04/15/fallen-oxford-soldier-returns

Additional LINKS:

www.woundedwarriors.ca

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canadian-soldier-killed-in-afghanistan-1.922097

http://www.ctvnews.ca/thousands-say-goodbye-to-pte-tyler-william-todd-1.501478

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QerRytM2CJk  . . . a musical tribute

Best U Expo geared to the over-50 crowd

South Gate Centre in Woodstock to host health fair on March 24

By Mark Schadenberg

No matter what your age, you should circle March 24 on your calendar.

The Best U Expo will be held at South Gate Centre in Woodstock (on Old Wellington St) by the gate to Southside Park).

While South Gate (519 539-9817) is an activities centre selling memberships to the 50-plus set, the Best U Expo on Monday, March 24 (Noon – 5 p.m.) is a free trade show and is geared to every facet of health, wellness, nutrition and fitness for aging adults. I’m curious about laughter yoga, by the way. 

For more details email: bestuhealthexpo@gmail.com

Previously known as the Active Living Fair, the event is now coordinated by Nancy Scott and more details are available through The Sentinel-Review link below, but the event will attract more than 30 vendors / exhibits to South Gate.

I like to write about South Gate as I'm a Realtor who has earned the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation.

Golden Nugget

The March issue of the South Gate newsletter called the Golden Nugget is an important read as it includes a tribute to the late Bob McFarland, who I knew quite well as a member of the Woodstock recreation advisory committee for many years. McFarland was integral in many areas of the City when he was employed as the director of community services. His accomplishments include the strengthening of the South Gate Centre membership numbers, plus the relocation of the Woodstock Art Gallery to Dundas Street, Cowan Park soccer complex, skateboard park in Southside Park, expansion at Southwood Arenas for additional dressing rooms, the creation of fenced-in leash-free dog parks, extensive improvements to the area walking trail system especially on the south shore of Pittock Lake, and the naturalization of some spaces within larger city parks.

The Golden Nugget also features a list of upcoming events, membership perks, information on day trip possibilities, a look at activities ranging from card tournaments to woodworking to yoga and computer learning, plus a volunteer of the month profile, and a recap on the club’s Chilly Charlie ground hog day event.  

Southgate Centre: Our mission is enriching lives of adults 50+ within our community.
Vision- Realizing and inspiring active, healthy and meaningful lives for adults 50+ in our community by providing access to innovative, recreational, educational and social programs.

LINK:
http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2014/03/11/best-u-health-expo-coming-to-woodstock

www.southgatectr.ca

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination