Five Woodstock home construction companies are the Builders Group

Subdivisions with streets named after birds, or monikers like Alberni, Normandy and Anzio were all part of their canvas

Geerlinks, Goodman, Deroo and Reyneveld all part of a respected home construction cooperative 

By Mark Schadenberg

I’ve been a full-time Realtor since January of 1999 and a lot has changed in that time in real estate circles both in trends and policies.

The map of the City of Woodstock has also changed considerably as our entrance signs now promote a population of 41,000.

One consistent theme or name in this time span, however, locally has been the name: The Builders Group.

When I began my career, there were still a few blank lots on Crow and Neutral on the west side of Lansdowne, and on the east side of that avenue there was the beginnings of Heron, Blue Jay and Oriole streets.

I don’t know the exact day The Builders Group was established, but it should be considered a significant moment in the growth of Woodstock in residential subdivisions. Could they possibly be celebrating a 20-year birthday of their win-win-win-win-win-win cooperative in 2017? It truly is an affiliation of excellent local home builders with a strong philosophy of quality and craftsmanship.

I will certainly not forget the contributions of the late developer Albert Hargreaves here, but if you see a formal amalgamation among four builders (today it’s actually five construction companies) continue for a duration of two decades anyone should be impressed. It’s not just building homes, it’s approving subdivision plans, installing storm sewers and water, utilities, concrete curbs, asphalt streets, and don’t forget the street lights. The City of Woodstock engineering department of inspectors and site plan approvers has truly been fortunate to have this crew of neighbourhood creators.   

The Builders Group are Oxford Builders (George Geerlinks), John Goodman Homes, Karl Reyneveld, Deroo Bros Ventures (Rick and Henry), and Marc Deroo Fine Homes.

The vast majority of homes in the so-called bird sanctuary (Also: Cardinal, Finch, Falcon, Hummingbird, Kingfisher and Parrott) neighbourhood and the military themed streets (Spitfire, Normandy, Halifax, Dieppe, Juno, Anzio, Alberni, Moro, etc) were all constructed by these five companies. They have earned their successes.

The condos on Heron’s Landing and at Anzio/Spitfire were both built by VanEl based in Brantford, but with our aging demographics it was John Goodman who constructed the city’s most recent project of 1-level condos with a complex fronting on Munnoch.

There is a Builder of Sport category in the Woodstock Sports Wall Of Fame, so there likewise should be a Builder Of Woodstock category to recognize the accomplishments of the Builders Group at City Hall.

I will also not forget the efforts of other Woodstock-based builders such as Heritage, John Hurley, Tru-Built, and Ray Losee. I recently chatted with the owner of a construction company who operated as Champagne a few years ago and his work can be seen on streets like Indian, Haida and Algonquin. Woodstock has a strong framework of carpenters, plumbers, HVAC crews, electricians, and brick layers. I think I’ve known brick layer Bill Poort since I was about 10 years old.

Out-of-town builders have also been aplenty and continue to expand Woodstock subdivisions like the Neighbourhoods of Devonshire (Claysam and Finoro), Sally Creek (Sun Light, Breymark and Trevalli) and Havelock Corners.

As a Realtor, I’m not supposed to advertise listings of other offices without permission, but you can certainly shuffle through the links below and contact me if you would like to buy a home in the Woodstock area – brand new or residential resale.

The summary though when you look at a city map is to applaud The Builders Group. I must add that there key contribution might be the fact that each street features unique and attractive homes as it’s never a cookie cutter collection of identical houses.  

Deroo Ventures are also concentrating on Boot Hill west off Mill Street.

Plans continue to build on the former site of Ecole Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys on Huron Street.

A new conglomeration of building lots has appeared east off County Rd 11 in the west end of the city, and you will see the Builders Group there as well.

I love Woodstock and thereby enjoy promoting everything Woodstock.

Alberni connects Alberni to . . . Alberni

Country Road 11 

Just south of Canada's Outdoor Farm Show park

LINKS:
www.cityofwoodstock.ca

www.goodmanhomesltd.net

www.deroobrothers.ca

www.marcderoofinehomes.com

www.oxfordbuildersinc.com

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Dedicated to Woodstock and Oxford County

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.royallepagetriland.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland

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

Farley Mowat & Dan Needles recognized by Woodstock Public Library

Canada 150 series highlights 3 Canadian authors each week

Tessa McWatt is third author in Week 45 of year-long celebration

By Mark Schadenberg

From coast-to-coast Canadians have been celebrating 150 years of Confederation throughout 2017.

The City of Woodstock has joined in the party with added attractions at Cowapolooza, a special concert in Victoria Park on Labour Day weekend, and other festivities.

Joining in the Canada150 recognition was the Woodstock Public Library (WPL) with its 2017: 150 Canadian Authors series. With three writers featured each week for 50 weeks, it depicts the true inventory of talent in our nation with published efforts in fiction and non-fiction, plus many epic sagas.

Fitting into the category of novel story-telling writing is certainly Farley Mowat.

Week 45 features Mowat and the wonderful Dan Needles, along with Tess McWatt.

I haven’t seen a full list of 150 prose producers, but I wonder if the series is building up to a crescendo to the likes of Margaret Atwood, Pierre Berton, Mordecai Richler, Alice Munro, Robertson Davies, Stephen Leacock and Jane Urquhart.

FARLEY MOWAT

In the brochures available at the library, the Mowat books receiving the spotlight are The New Founde Land, the autobiographical The Boat Who Wouldn’t Float, along with Never Cry Wolf, and The Farfarers. Many other publications could have been included certainly, but the premise of The Farfarers makes it an obvious choice as the novel ponders and alternative to the Europeans founding or arrival at North America by giving credit to the Albans. Could British people fleeing Europe have arrived in Labrador before the Vikings?

The Boat Who Wouldn’t Float won a Stephen Leacock Award for humour.

Mowat, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 92, was also a World War II veteran (Including the Moro River battles in Italy), but many of his best known books dealt with Canada’s north.

Mowat was recognized on Canada’s Walk of Fame before he passed away. He was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada back in 1981.

I believe, five of his books were turned into feature or TV movies: The Snow Walker (2003), Lost in the Barrens (1990), Lost in the Barrens II: The Curse of the Viking Grave (1992), Never Cry Wolf(1983) and A Whale for the Killing (1981).

Berton also penned many important books, including Klondike: The Last Gold Rush.

DAN NEEDLES

Dan Needles is interesting in my opinion as most of his 1-actor stories / plays have starred Rod Beattie as Walt Wingfield and surround the tales of Wingfield Farms (7 books and/or plays from 1985- 2009) and the fictional locations of Larkspur and Persephone Township.

The Letters From Wingfield Farm evolved from a newspaper column, and over the years the productions have been a staple across Canada in Beattie touring shows, including the Stratford Festival.

Needles has written his entire career as he also spent a tenure as a speechwriter at Queen’s Park.

The WPL series includes three books with Wingfield in the title plus With Axe And Flask: The History of Persephone Township. This book was the Stephen Leacock humour award in 2003. It is interesting to see how a series of characters in a fictional village (rural area) evolve over a 25-year span.

Today, Needles lives on a hobby farm he has named Larkspur.

Dan Needles

LINKS:
www.mywpl.ca

www.cityofwoodstock.ca

https://danneedles.ca/plays-by-dan-needles/

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2014/05/07/farley_mowat_acclaimed_canadian_author_dead_at_92.html

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/acclaimed-canadian-author-farley-mowat-dead-at-92/article18511064/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&

http://markroyallepage.blogspot.ca/2017/03/canada-150-is-about-recalling.html
http://markroyallepage.blogspot.ca/2017/08/have-you-seen-hoopla-at-wwwmywplca.html

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Passing along a big congratulations today 

to the Woodstock Public Library

for its Canada 150 series promoting our nation's authors

Dr. Peter Fowler, Peter Campbell, Peter Ewing . . .

Astounding and amazing lifetime achievements

Basketball, figure skating, and a swimmer who became a world renown surgeon

Sometimes it's simply astounding to look at a particular person's accomplishments, and not be simply amazed.
At the annual Woodstock Sports wall of Fame ceremony on Oct 28, that would apply to all three honourees in the Lifetime Achievement category, namely Dr Peter Fowler, Peter Campbell and the late Ross Garner.
Here are some details on all three, long with Peter Ewing, who is someone I have greatly admired since high school.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

        Dr Peter Fowler

He was previously recognized in 2002 at the induction ceremony as a ‘male athlete’ as a Pan-Am Games medallist as a swimmer, winning silver in Chicago in 1959 in the 4 x 100 metre medley with Bob Wheaton, Cameron Grout and Steve Rabinovitch. Fowler also competed in the Pan-Am Games in 1955.

At Western University, he won 15 medals in the Ontario-Quebec conference in swimming.

At Woodstock Collegiate Institute, he also played basketball, football and volleyball, before graduating in 1956. 

By the way, his Dad was a pharmacist locally and his store was located at 533 Dundas Street.

Lifetime achievement is the category of induction in 2017 for an extremely impressive resume in medicine, including significant contributions to the sports medical community with Fowler-Kennedy Clinic in London; co-founded in 1974 along with the late Dr. Jack Kennedy. Simply put, Dr. Peter Fowler is a pioneer in orthopedic surgery.

He was a president of the American orthopedic society for sports medicine.

He was a ‘W Club’ hall of fame member at Western University in London.

Fowler has received the Sport Medicine Council of Canada Lifetime Achievement Award, was the first recipient of the Western Alumni Professional Achievement Award, and has served as Chief Medical Officer to Canadian National teams at Commonwealth and Olympic Games, including the 1984 Winter Olympics.

Peter Fowler was chief medical officer in sports injuries for the middle east country of Qatar, beginning in 2007.

He was also among the original inductees in London sports hall of fame in 2002.

Dr Peter Fowler

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

       Peter Campbell

A Woodstock educator who became prominent on the national stage as a basketball coach.

Peter Campbell had an extremely impressive 34 years as an OUA basketball head coach at both Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (16 years; school’s all-time leader for wins) and Sudbury’s Laurentian Voyageurs (2 OUA championships). He retired after the 2016 season as the all-time Laurier leader in wins with over 150, leading the Golden Hawks to the playoffs for 14 straight seasons. He was a conference coach of the year and guided the Hawks to a CIS (U-Sports) national tournament placement as well.

At Laurentian, Campbell’s squad won two OUA Wilson Cup titles – 1998 and 2000. He was OUA East coach of the year 5 times including 1993, 94 and 97. He was CIS coach of the year in 1997. Laurentian won OUA Wilson Cup league championships in 1998 and 2000. Peter Campbell was Inducted in the Laurentian hall of fame in 2010.
Previously, was also head coach of the Fanshawe Falcons women’s team, coached Team Ontario in women’s tournaments, coached at the national level at the Goodwill Games in Australia and other events, including youth U18.

Campbell began his university career with the Western Mustangs in 1982 as an assistant coach.

He began coaching / teaching career in Woodstock at Oliver Stephens public school and at CASS, and coached a youth girls’ team to a provincial championship in both 1974 and 1975.

Peter Campbell

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT       

        Ross Garner

Another pioneer.

In junior pairs figure skating, he was 2nd at the nationals in 1964 with Sharon Davis as partner. Competition was in North Bay. 

The next year in Calgary, they were silver medallists at the Canadian championships again.

Ross Garner had earlier won at the junior level in Western Ontario Sectionals competitions.

He would be named an alternate for Canada’s Winter Olympics team in 1964.

Ross Garner competed in singles and ice dance also, winning medals at Western Ontario sectionals in the early 1960s. At one time, Ross Garner and Sharon Davis were the reigning champions in Western Ontario in all 4 divisions.

Ross Garner climbed the ladder very quickly as he didn’t pass his first figures and dance tests until he was 15, and that was 1957.  In her speech, his sister noted that Ross was extremely successful in figure skating despite having poor eye sight. 

Ross would then coach within the Woodstock Figure Skating Club.

After a competitive figure skating career, he not only became a power skating coach, but was considered a true pioneer in the techniques of power skating and was an instructor throughout North America -- for figure skating but also power skating technique for NHL teams including Boston and Detroit.

Ross Garner passed away in April of 2006.

Ross Garner & Sharon Davis

BUILDER OF SPORT

       Peter Ewing

A long-time Woodstock high school basketball coach, including OFSAA silver in 1975 with a CASS boys’ senior team. Ewing began coaching locally in 1965. Also known for his years coaching and teaching at WCI, beginning in 1982. At WCI he coached John Campbell (Peter's son), who is now coach of the Toronto Varsity Blues.

Peter also played for Woodstock Kings in men’s intermediate basketball. 

From Hamilton originally, Peter Ewing was accomplished at hockey, basketball, golf and baseball, but with 4 years as point guard for the McMaster university team he excelled in basketball as the McMaster captain and MVP in the 1964-65 season.

As a coach, it’s often said that developing student athletes and youth in areas such as teamwork and commitment, is as important as teaching general court skills.

Besides his dedication to high school athletics, Peter also spent 25 years as an instructor at the summer Olympia youth camps.

Peter Ewing also guided many young coaches following in his footsteps.

Along with Peter Oswald – both of the Lions Club of Woodstock – Peter Ewing was co-chair of Terry Fox Run in Woodstock in 2016. 

Peter Ewing

LINKS:
http://www.rogerstv.com/show?lid=12&rid=15&sid=7655&gid=284658
www.cityofwoodstock.ca

Sports wall of fame is an annual celebration in Woodstock

Eight people and one team were added to city's sports recognition roll

Deadline for public to nominate for 2018 is June 1 

The Woodstock Sports Wall of Fame celebration -- held Oct 28 at Reeves Community Hall at Cowan Park -- is all about recognizing sports-related accomplishment, honouring the past and congratulating the efforts of volunteers.
There were 8 individuals and 1 team enshrined this year, but before I place emphasis in this column on the Woodstock Wildcats girls' bantam hockey team of 2008-09, I would like to thank the crew who created the successful event.

The volunteer Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee (WRAC) met back in June to look through all the nominees to be considered. The public is always invited to nominate deserving candidates annually up to June 1.

WRAC includes myself as chair, but the group also includes contributions from Don Fulkerson, Steve Gilbert, Dan Gray, Jeremy Jeanson, Nick Karalis, Shawn Lowes, Todd Materick, Dan Molinaro and Adam Nyp. As an advisory committee of city council our elected reps are Todd Poetter and Shawn Shapton, and I must add both were in attendance at the selection meeting as both are committed council members.

WRAC meets monthly and receives its main direction and updates from parks & recreation manager Brian Connors.

Others integral in a successful sports wall ceremony are: city events coordinator Brad Janssen,

city hall administration Ann Ash, city technology department rep Jason Dunham (Programming the touch-screen monitor with photos and biographies), parks & rec administration Glynis Hill, What’s On Woodstock magazine writer Jeff Culp, and from outside city hall there is Brian Keeping who coordinates the program, plaques & large easel photos. This city is lucky to have both the organization skills and thorough planning ideas of Brad Janssen and Ann Ash, something also very evident at Cowapolooza, Canada Day, Victoria Day weekend, Pavlo In The Park, and many more events.

The 2017 ceremony was an important day for the inductees, their family and friends, and the entire community.

Other inductees were Dr Peter Fowler, Peter Campbell, Ross Garner, Beth Lochhead, Peter Ewing, Danny Sutherland, Dawn Brokers, Michael Heath and Harry McIntosh.

I give additional thanks to the Woodstock Public Library staff for assistance with microfilm Sentinel-Review reels, both the Oxford Historical Society and genealogy groups (Fran Irwin in particular), and Jean and Bill Roberts who had pictures and stories about Harry McIntosh to share with me.

Michael Heath

Beth Lochhead

Danny Sutherland

Harry McIntosh

TEAM INDUCTEE

      2009 Woodstock Wildcats girls’ bantam hockey.

The winners of a provincial Bantam ‘B’ OWHA championship, they began the road to qualifying for Ontario playdowns by winning the Lower Lakes league title. The squad had an excellent regular season of 20-1-4, outscoring opponents 70-23. 

The Wildcats had earlier won both the Durham West Lightning and Oshawa Fall Fest tournaments, along with silver at their own Wildcats tourney.

At the OWHA finals, the Wildcats would run the table, going 6-0 and allowing just 3 goals.

 Brittany Brown had a hat trick in a 6-0 round robin win over Mississauga. Woodstock also beat Markham and Sarnia in round robin contests.

In the quarterfinals, it was a 2-0 win over Durham West on goals by Emma Roefs and Dallas Burdette. 

Zoe Talbot would then score 2 in a 3-0 semifinals win over Stratford.

In the finals over Nepean 2-0, Allie Rivest had the shutout, and goals were by Stacey Simmons and Emma Roefs. 

That's correct, Rivest had three straight shutouts in playoff games.

Woodstock won the championship with just 11 players – due to injuries.

Dee Roy was head coach and players included Stacey Simmons, Larissa Jones, Meghan Thompson, Zoe Talbot, Rachel Pace, Chelsea Roy, Brittany Brown, Emma Roefs, Kayla Condota, Frankie Hendershott, Dallas Burdette, Andrea Hunniford, Bethany Heaman, and goalie Allie Rivest. Assistant coaches were Ed Pace, Brent Hunniford and Nikki Richard. Trainer was Sue Hendershott.

LINK:
http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2017/10/29/the-woodstock-sports-wall-of-fame-inducted-their-2017-class-of-athletes-and-coaches

https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/living-in-woodstock/resources/Applications_and_licences/2016---Sport-Wall-of-Fame-Nomination-Form.pdf
http://www.rogerstv.com/show?lid=12&rid=15&sid=7655&gid=284658

Photos at the event by: Tracey Thompson.

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If you're looking for a home in Oxford County . . .

Call me today !! 

Exciting expansion project planned by South Gate Centre

Woodstock activity centre is designed for the 50+ age group 

Large gymnasium and adding 2nd floor to current building in the vision

By Mark Schadenberg

In an effort to promote all the great amenities of Woodstock, I’ve written about South Gate Centre before – similar to highlighting the local museum, library, art gallery and many sports facilities.

If South Gate Centre -- found at the main gate to Southside Park -- completes its planned renovation and expansion project, it may become the focal point community centre of the city. Their enthusiastic plan includes, by the way, adding a second floor and atrium to the current building, and also adding a full-size gymnasium. South Gate officials describe it as a triple gym, but it is in essence the size of a regulation basketball court with additional sideline space for fold-in bleachers.

South Gate is a buy-a-membership centre for adults over the age of 50 and the programs offered vary from wood working to card tournaments (including klaverjas) to dancing to cardio fitness to hobbies (knitting, crochet, etc) to shuffleboard to billiards to choir singing to computer courses to ukulele to darts to carpet lawn bowling to buying lunch at its café. (Specific times for each activity are noted in the Golden Nugget newsletter)

If you want to be truly impressed by the centre, check out its Golden Nugget (It is online) seasonal newsletter as it updates the membership on upcoming special events, planned group trips and the always-popular annual 12 Days of Christmas fundraising lottery.

The Golden Nugget is a terrific publication because each activity notes who the convener is if you want to seek more details. The newsletter also lists various areas where the club seeks additional volunteers.

Many other annual events take place including the Bob McFarland Memorial Golf Classic tournament, which was held Sept 9 at Woodstock Meadows.

The most popular gathering might be Chilly Charlie’s prognostication of the hopeful change of seasons hosted in early February at the centre – Groundhog Day.

South Gate is also a group of entrepreneurs as the centre has its own kitchen for lunch meals, but they also cater for in-house weddings and banquets (Local Roots). South Gate is also the lease holder for the Southside Park canteen called Local Roots At The Park.

After skimming through the Golden Nugget you will quickly see that the centre is a local treasure which is ready to expand . . . its walls and its horizons.

EXPANSION PLANS

The South Gate committee was on the agenda of Woodstock city council on Oct. 19 and hosted an open house on Oct. 25. At the open house, the full board of directors and staff members were in attendance to answer questions and extol with excitement of their placards on easels depicting the architect (Perkins & Will) renderings of what could be in the future. The design also includes a major shift to the parking lot to accommodate 49 more spots.

The vision includes adding a second floor to the current building but also adding a brand new full-size gymnasium. The new activity space will be utilized by all current programs but also permit the addition to the already impressive roster of “things to do”.

Executive director Chris Cunningham talked about the entire community in her presentation on Oct 25, including the idea that night-time uses of the gymnasium could be geared to youth groups (Minor sports or clubs) or be rented by competitive adult leagues such as volleyball or floor hockey.

The budget for the entire project and specifics for a massive fundraising campaign were not announced as the overall ‘idea’ must be approved by South Gate membership, the City of Woodstock (Council) and other user groups and possible partners. It would be easy to guess that the price tag could be in the range of $4 million and the building timetable to continue to the spring of 2021 as co0nstrction would be in 2 phases.   

“When you look at these drawings, think about the potential and the dream . . . think of all the space we would gain for our activities,” said Cunningham.

I interviewed Chris Cunningham, Felise Jones and centre membership chair Graham Becker for Rogers TV and the show Inside Oxford, and I will include a link to that video after it has aired.

South Gate – it truly is important to note – already hosts more than 60 groups and organizations for their meetings. On the night of the open house the local stamp club was having a meeting. I’m in the Lions Club of Woodstock and we meet twice a month at South Gate and also host our Thursday bingo events at the venue.

One more example is the Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee. This advisory group of city council, which I’m also a member, meets monthly at South Gate. The 50+ age group club could be called the 50 (and more) activities destination.

“The focus will not change as seniors will always be our priority,” says Cunningham. “This is the city’s building, but everyone involved with South Gate has done an awesome job maintain and improving what is currently here.

“This has been years and years in the planning,” Cunningham added.

Naturally, the exact timetable and costs has not been defined, but Chris Cunningham and all South Gate board members are confident, and note that the centre is currently very financially stable and has about 800 members.

 

South Gate Centre

191 Old Wellington St, Woodstock

519 539-9817

www.southgatectr.ca

Executive Director: Chris Cunningham

Operations Manager: Felise Jones

Volunteer Coordinator: Neela Kennedy

Local Roots Manager: Shelley Davis

Board Of Directors Chair: Cristian Lagos

Membership Chair: Graham Becker

LINKS:
www.southgatectr.ca

www.southgatectr.ca/newsletter
https://www.southgatectr.com/membership
http://www.heartfm.ca/news/local-news/south-gate-expansion/

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2017/06/06/south-gate-kicks-of-seniors-month-with-bbq

2016 Stories:

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2016/11/01/southgate-centre-expansion-would-create-a-community-centre-for-all-ages

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2017/01/06/grand-prize-winner-chosen-in-south-gate-centres-12-days-of-christmas-lottery

My Previous Blogs (Note the date on each):

April 2016

http://markroyallepage.blogspot.ca/2016/04/volunteers-are-stars-is-south-gate.html

November 2015

http://markroyallepage.blogspot.ca/2015/11/south-gate-centre-creates-catering.html

Woodstock is a great place to live;

call me today if you would like information 

about the Friendly City and/or Oxford County

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.royallepagetriland.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland

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