June Fox Talk
Digest
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5 2001
Deadline for Submissions:
1st of each month
Editors: Maurice & Ruth Dean
147 Foxboro Drive

http://www.geocities.com/foxtalkbackissues/bann01.gif

Articles:
Homeowners Association
Ponds
Grounds
Preparedness
Peter Etril Snyder
Computer Club

Events:
"Hole-in-One"
Upcoming Events
Community Calendar
Alberto
Wellness Day
Garage Sale

Social:
Care Committees
Quilters
Recipe

Notices:
Phone Book
E-Mail Addresses
Outings
Cancer Society
Lawn Bowling
Poker Club
Dinner Club
Golf Tournament

ARE YOU FOCUSED?

These few words are intended for the male residents of our fair community. Actually it is OK if the females read this because it contains words of caution if not instruction. Recently I overheard a discussion in which a statement was made that males, in general, were incapable of carrying out more than one activity at a time. There was complete agreement on this by the participants. At this point I can visualize about 50% of our population nodding in agreement. I probably don't need to add that the participants were female.

Naturally I took umbrage and stated that I, the only male present at the time, clearly refuted the statement. I had been, until taking umbrage, quietly reading the newspaper, watching golf on television, from time to time conveying liquid refreshment to my lips, and, obviously, listening carefully to the conversation. If that didn't prove multi-functional capability, just what did?

Obviously this discussion stemmed from what was perceived as male inattention to conversational gambits initiated by females. Gambits usually initiated at crucial times in the telecast or just as the lawn mower is started. Winding up to the subject, I observed that what some people thought was inattention was, in fact, a demonstration of intense concentration on the task to hand. Surely a singleness of purpose to be commended?

An ability to focus is developed by many of us to help us succeed at whatever we try, be it at work or play. Heck, everybody knows the golf courses, tennis courts, and playing fields are littered with players who quite candidly note that they simply lost their "focus" (i.e. concentration). It is my understanding that many time-outs are called in football by quarterbacks who lose their focus and have to consult the coach to find out what the purpose of the game is precisely.

It has to be pointed out that 'focusing' is not a natural talent. Everyone knows that small children are easily distracted. Older males are too unless they have worked on the "art of concentration". Personally, fellas, whenever in the past I was accused of "not listening" I would blame a faulty hearing aid. As I now have a new one I am going to push the "focusing" angle much more strongly.

Lawn Bowling
May Aquilina

A FUN in the SUNday for Foxboro residents
Lawn bowling in New Hamburg

Sunday, June 10th 1:30 p.m. Meet at the Centre
5:30 p.m. Pot Luck
Bring $5-Make a dish (lasagna, pie or salad)-Wear flat shoes
Sign-up sheet at Centre - Everyone welcome

Poker Club

Thurs. June 7th and Thurs. June 28th
7:00 p.m. at the Rec. Centre
Everyone is welcome - Bring money!!!!
For more information call Bob Price

Summer Dinner Club

Sign-up sheets are in the Dinner Club file
Please sign-up by June 4th
This is a great way to meet your neighbours
For more information call
JoAnne 634-5678
June 634-5724
Marilew 634-5000

"Hole-in-One"

Congratulations Vince

On Wednesday, May 2nd Vince Aquilina scored an "Ace" at Foxwood G. C. (blue #3). The shot was accomplished with a 6 iron at 153 yards and the event was witnessed by Charlie Connell of Foxboro Green and Barry Hall of Waterloo.

Upcoming Events

BBQ and HAPPY HOUR 2 - Fri. June 8th Bob Price
Rec. Centre upper patio 5:00 p.m. to ???
Hamburgers $2.00
Hot Dogs $1.00 B.Y.O. Beverage
Please sign-up in the Mail room so that we know what to buy. This is not a Social Committee function but we have their blessing. Bob and Bob

Special Events Marg Macdonald
Yoga - Thurs. June 7th
Ruth Cooke will be contacting all participants with detailed information.

Shunpiking Mennonite Tour - Thurs. June 7th
The tour is fully booked and promises to be an excellent excursion.
The Special Events Committee will be organizing some events such as the Royal Winter Fair, Royal Botanical Gardens, Dundern Castle, Niagara-on-the-Lake Wine Tours and the Butterfly Observatory. Announcements in future Fox Talks.
June 7th at 7:30 p.m.
Gweneth Brundrett, a Kitchener Master Gardener and member of the Lily & Alpine Societies will come to Foxboro to speak to us about the beauty of water. She will bring slides of ponds, the plants and animals that can be found around ponds and the value ponds can bring to the enjoyment of every day life. We hope to see you there!

Community Calendar

June 2001
Sat. 2nd starting at 8:00 a.m. Pancake Breakfast
Wed. 6th 9:30 a.m. G.M.O. Meeting
Thurs. 7th 10:00 a.m. Yoga
Thurs. 7th 1:30 p.m. Shunpiking Tour
Thurs. 7th 7:00 p.m. Poker Night
Thurs. 7th 7:30 p.m. Master Gardener
Fri. 8th 5:00 p.m. BBQ & Happy Hour 2
Sun. 10th 1:30 p.m. Lawn Bowling
5:30 p.m. Bowlers' Pot Luck Dinner
Thurs. 28th 7:00 p.m. Poker Night
July 2001
Mon. 2nd all day Canada Day
Tues. 3rd 9:30 a.m. Rec. Centre Committee Mtg.

Home Hardware Centre Tour - Thurs. June 21st
At 2:30 p.m. Home Hardware is prepared to receive up to 50 residents of Foxboro Green to see through their distribution centre in St Jacobs. Jim Ainsworth has arranged this for us and asks residents to meet at the Recreation Centre at 1:45 p.m. for car pooling and directional instructions. Please sign-up if you are interested. Some may wish to remain in the area for dinner.

Canada Day 2001 - Mon. July 2nd
The morning starts with Tennis competitions, the afternoon has Horseshoes, Shuffleboard followed by the BIG BBQ, Dancing and Card Games. Regular sessions of aquafit will be held for those not involved in another event. Sign-up early so organizers can plan the competitions effectively.

Sign-up for the BBQ ($8 per person). Advance ticket sales times will be announced. The menu: hamburgers, chicken breasts, salads and desserts will be served. We will be asking for volunteers to help with the BBQ.

Canada Day Games Monday, July 2nd
9:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Convenors for each event:
CARDS Don & Marjorie Corker
GOLF CHIPPING Ken Smith
HORSESHOES Alberto Alves
SHUFFLEBOARD Bob Price (a.m.)
SHUFFLEBOARD Russ Wilson (p.m.)
TENNIS Ralph Adsetts

Our Sympathy

Chris Huehn
We are saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Chris Huehn on May 3rd.
Our deepest sympathy goes to Betty and her family at this very difficult time.

Lou Hill
Lou will be missed by many who knew him. He was as an active, knowledgeable member of the Ponds Committee. Lou passed away on May 8th.

The sympathy of the community goes out to Elaine and her family.

Mona Robinet
On May 14th we lost Mona. She and her husband Archie once lived on this land before it became Foxboro Green. At that time it was a camp ground and Mona and Archie were the managers.

Our thoughts go out to the family.

Cancer Society
Joan Beveridge
A grateful thank you to the residents of Foxboro Green from the Cancer Society. We collected the most in our area.

Jocelyn Kennedy's name was inadvertently omitted last month when our canvassers were thanked.

Our Foxboro Green Ponds:
Marg Macdonald
Last summer we, of Foxboro Green, voted by more than 80% to keep our ponds rather than to have Foxboro Green Inc. de-silt and grass them. That would have left them as wet depressions, required for storm water management. The decision by the community indicates our concern for and willingness to do our part to preserve the environment.

As you have read in the Homeowners Association Report, we have arranged for Thompson Environmental Planning & Design to provide us with advice and guidance through the de-silting process and to assist us in the ponds future development. Our goal is to develop the Foxboro Green Ponds into a visually appealing, sustainable storm water management pond system, which will require minimal management and attract desirable wildlife species while discouraging those less desirable species. The de-silting process offers us a unique opportunity to begin anew.

In order to meet our goals
1. We need to establish a dense cover of vegetation along the shorelines to stabilize the pond perimeters, prevent algae growth and provide storm water functions (the biological breakdown of nutrients and contaminants, erosion control etc.). This growth also discourages the Canada Geese who thrive on the tender, fresh shoots of newly mown grass!

You may have noticed that we have longer grass around the edges of our ponds as we have already asked Greenway to leave the edges. It will probably be necessary to increase the width of the uncut areas.

2. Establish hardy and attractive species which will thrive under existing conditions.

3. Provide the desired natural setting for community residents and their activities.

4. Develop self-sustaining ecosystems, which require minimal management.

By planning and with some up-front spending we will create an ecosystem which will save costs over the long term.

We have not forgotten the main pond. In the next week or so we will be installing new machines which will circulate the water in the main pond thereby discouraging algae growth. We will also be adding to the plants in the main pond as we develop the other ponds.

We have a very active and enthusiastic group who are working to achieve these objectives:
Don Hill, Carole McGrath, Derek Tickner, Bill Jenkinson, Stuart Bowring, Arnold Muma and Marg Macdonald (chair).

We have been inspired by the enthusiasm and commitment of the first chair of the pond committee, Lou Hill. We miss him.

The Computer Club

George Walker
The Computer Club is dedicated to making it as easy as possible for you to own and enjoy a computer. The Computer Club is a community asset.

I don't think that we have yet realized the full value of the tool that we have in our hands. Consider our community of Foxboro Green. We live in one of the prettiest retirement communities in Southern Ontario. The builder spent thousands to attract people to Foxboro Green and successfully sell the community. We will have to continue to sell homes.

It is a fact of life that retirement communities by their very nature bring a larger than average number of homes onto the resale market. If homes take too long to sell, people are inconvenienced at a difficult time in their lives, and prices will surely suffer. It is in the best interest of all Homeowners that this not happen needlessly.

People continue to retire every year. If the beauty of Foxboro Green were widely known we could have a waiting list of buyers.

A member of the FGHA Executive has found an Internet Co. that will waive the fee to register a domain name for us. A domain name such as www.foxborogreen.on.ca will cost only $30 a year to own and about $20 dollars a month to host it on a server.

Soon our Web Site will be prominent in any web search for retirement communities. It can be an attractive sales tool working for all of us. The Internet is the coming way to do business. It might just be our best hope in our effort to cut down on those unwanted For Sale signs at the entrance and on our lawns.

Homeowners Association
Graham Macdonald

Foxboro Green Completion Activities
Road Works
By the time you read this, you will probably have seen the start of the road works. The first phase is the repair of deteriorated and damaged areas of the base coat asphalt and roadbed. All the water stops, manhole covers and catchbasin grates will be lifted and reset to the finished level of the surface. Some grates are rattling and/or the frames broken. These will be repaired or replaced upon inspection by the contractor, Warren Bitulithic Ltd. who is working under the direction of Stantec Consulting Ltd. A second culvert will be installed below the area where we had ice problems last winter, adjacent to the construction road entrance. As this remediation work is finished the final layer of asphalt will be laid. Working hours will be from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. It is anticipated that this entire task will be completed by June 22nd.
* Traffic diversions will be in force at times - please comply with the directions and SLOW DOWN.
* Lawn watering and car washing must be curtailed during work on your street to prevent water flowing into and eroding the areas being repaired, as well as to keep the workers dry! Residents are asked to co-operate when work is being done in their area and to ensure that automatic lawn sprinkler systems are switched off.

Pond De-silting
Also started is the work on the three Storm Water Management ponds on the property. They will be drained down and accumulated silt removed by Foxboro Green Inc. This will undoubtedly create a mess for a while, but the work is necessary to start the process of rehabilitating these areas. The Grounds Committee has hired Thompson Environmental Planning & Design Ltd. to oversee this work on our behalf. Discussions are also under way with a view to having this firm plan and implement future plantings and naturalization work to stabilize these ponds and minimize future maintenance. This must be considered a long-term project, as appropriate vegetation must be re-established around the ponds.

Removal of the Sales Presentation Centre
This building is now closed permanently and has been put on the real estate market by Foxboro Green Inc. after an earlier potential sale fell through. Removal is expected during the month of June, whether sold or not. At the same time the large sign on the front fence will be removed, as the most likely removal route will be direct to Erb's Road across that part of the fence line. The foundation will be collapsed and backfilled to grade; the parking area removed, and the whole area graded and put to grass by Foxboro Green Inc. The Grounds Committee has been discussing the disposition of the plants and shrubs around the Centre, and also future ideas for landscaping of the area. However, no funds have been allocated for this in the current year.

Administration
Return of the Chair
Peter Schmidt has returned to the community following completion of his outside commitments. He resumes the Chairmanship of the Homeowners Association immediately.

Change of Association's Legal Counsel
David Fedy, our lawyer for the last 21/2 years, has left Sims Clement Eastman for a career change. Another member of the same firm temporarily represents us while the Board seeks a new permanent replacement. Inquiries have gone out to three lawyers prominent in the Condominium Law field. This choice is particularly important in view of the proclamation in May of the new Condominium Act and the possible restructuring of our condominium community that the Act now allows.

Conveyance of the Remaining Assets, Final Condo Registration
We expect that documents for the conveyance from Foxboro Green Inc. will be presented for signature very shortly, prior to the registration of the final condominium phase. Condo directors will be advised when attendance for signature is required.

Rules Reminders
Dogs
Unlike many condos, we have the privilege, with certain provisos, of being allowed dogs. Dog owners are reminded that our Declaration requires that pets be kept under reasonable control so as not to be a nuisance or cause irritation to other residents. This would include preventing the pet from roaming off the Common Areas onto Homesites. Also the dog owner must "stoop and scoop".

Trees on Common Areas
No tree on a common area may be removed or cut by a resident without written permission from the Association. Any such requests should be sent in writing to the Property Manager.

Dumping of Garden Waste
There is no provision for dumping of plant material or any other type of debris anywhere on the Foxboro Green lands or on the adjacent lands. Only in specific cases will permission be given for such material to be reused on our grounds. The owner or his/her contractor must take all such material to the Waterloo Waste Management transfer station on Erb's Road. There is no charge for depositing up to 50 kg of waste per visit and much is recycled as compost or mulch that is distributed by the Region twice a year, free for your use.

Grounds Management Organization
Bill Hall
As I write this report on Monday afternoon of May 28th the pond behind Lakefield Court is being de-silted and the pump is lowering the water level in the large pond at the Rec. Centre. Things are happening! A detailed pond report is in this issue of Fox Talk.

The removal of the Sales Presentation Centre is next and the roadwork will begin and hopefully end before the end of June.

It all adds up to a "different look" for Foxboro Green.

Aside from the above issues, the two main topics for the G.M.O. to deal with are (a) budgets 2002 and (b) bids for lawn care services 2002 and beyond.

If you have any opinions or want to contribute something in connection with these projects, come out to our next meeting on Wed. June 6th, 9:30 a.m. As always, everyone welcome!

Care Committees

Keeping In Touch
In May we lost three Foxboro residents Chris Huehn, Lou Hill and Mona Robinet. The Care Committees have offered sympathy to their families on behalf of the community

Our sympathy has been extended to Kathy Donaldson on the death of her mother. A plant was given to Kathy.

Our best wishes have been given to Pam Linnemann in hospital. Barb Lashbrook and Denis Wilkinson also have received flowers and fruit following their Hip (Barb) & Knee (Denis) replacements. Bill Simpson and Andre Fournier were welcomed home from hospital with gift baskets.

In May we welcomed Larry and Marj Kreamer to our community.

Recipe Corner

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad
JoAnne Brodie

1/2 head cauliflower
1 head broccoli
1 lb. bacon cooked crisp (broken up)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 green onion -
1/4 chopped onion

Dressing
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tbsp. vinegar

Mix bite-sized pieces of vegetables with rest of ingredients.

Village Phone Book
.
Please Change
Michael Quinn & Beverley Finnen to
Michael & Beverley Quinn.

Residents' E-Mail Addresses

There are probably some incorrect addresses in the published list, possibly due to people changing their I.S.P. Please check yours and phone either Geri or the editor if a correction needs to be made.

Foxboro Green Emergency Preparedness
Marg Macdonald
We will be notifying the Emergency Medical Services Waterloo Region in early June that medical information about each resident will be available in containers inside the doors of refrigerators in every home in Foxboro Green. Containers and forms are still available in the mail room.
Add your OHIP number on your form. If the emergency medical persons cannot find other personal information and the OHIP number is on your emergency form then time will be saved in accessing hospital services! Please add your number now
If you have any problem or questions about this procedure call Marg Macdonald at 634-5633.

Past Events

Thank You Alberto - Ruth Dean
A most delightful afternoon took place as we watched Alberto Alves shear the locks of two of our residents, Brenda Adsetts and Gail Hovey. Thanks to Mary Boucher we have these "after the fact" pictures of our two lovely ladies.

Peter Etril Snyder

Time Well Spent Ron Wilkinson
Peter Etril Snyder is a Mennonite born local artist who, over the past thirty years, has become recognized as a specialist in Mennonite and rural painting. Thanks to a long-standing friendship with Foxboro residents, Chip and Gail Hovey, we were fortunate to have him visit us recently to talk about his art and exhibit some of his work..

Working strictly in acrylics, Peter has produced hundreds of paintings, many of which have been reproduced as limited edition prints.

This energetic man is now expanding his horizon with stints as resident artist on cruises, and oftentimes visits to England. These ventures are reflected in his more recent paintings.

If you missed his visit you can check out his website at www.snyder-gallery.com or visit his studio at 59 Erb St. West.

Outings
Marg Macdonald

Carla McLennan, operator of "Outings" explained how we could enjoy theatre, musical productions, excursions to galleries, "One of a Kind" shows, or other outings, while traveling aboard first class, highway coaches. Often a dinner at noon is included in the cost.

The Garage Sale

Bob Price

I hope that everyone who participated had an enjoyable, profitable day. Many thanks to my committee for a job well done.
Editors' Note:
Bob it was great!! You even arranged for the weather to co-operate. What more could we ask? Many thanks to you and your committee for all your hard work. You know that we're "buttering you up" for the next one, don't you?

Spring Dinner and Bridge Wilma Wilkinson
The Foxboro Green Bridge club held its annual spring BBQ dinner and bridge on May 23rd. We had 40 people for dinner and 10 tables of bridge. Ron and Wally did a great job on the BBQ and the ladies excelled as usual with casseroles and desserts. Gail Hovey and Bill Hall took the top prizes, and runners-up were Ken Smith, Bill Waylett, and Cam Magnan; Blanche Smith, Marion Magnan, and Mary Ainsworth. We are not telling who got the booby prizes. Alice Demers and her team of helpers did a wonderful job on table setting and decorations. Good fun, good fellowship, and good cards??? Well some of us had good cards - there's always a better hand next week.

Foxboro Quilters
June Davies

We have raised $298.78 through the sale of our quilts and donations received during our coffee hour. Thirty-four people attended and most thought the coffee hour a good idea. Our next one will be June 21st. Please come out one and all. Help support our efforts to help the Wilmot Family Services in New Hamburg.

The quilts will be for sale at the Centre until June 8th. Those remaining will be donated to the Wilmot Family Services. Help us to help the children in our area.

Thank you for your support.

Care Committees
Marg Macdonald

Last Fox Talk we asked anyone who has not completed a Care Committee Survey to complete the form attached and give it to Marg Macdonald or to your Care Committee Coordinator. Have you handed yours in yet?

Report on Wellness Day
Marg Macdonald

The Care Committees planned the program for this all-day workshop to inform all interested residents about health care services in the Region of Waterloo.

The acute care hospitals of Waterloo Region - Grand River, St Marys and Cambridge Memorial - are working together in a project "One Voice/One Vision". Grand River will have the new regional cancer care services; St Marys will focus on cardiac care; Cambridge Memorial will provide enhanced mental health services. Emergency services in all three will be improved along with general medical and surgical services. Tours of hospitals can be arranged for those interested.

Fire safety information was delivered in a fresh, stimulating and humorous style by Neil Davidson, Chief Education Officer of Wilmot Township Fire Department. Highlights included information about fire alarms with special focus on carbon monoxide. Battery operated systems are recommended and please read the operating manual from end to end! Yearly furnace checks are an annual "must do", give smokers giant ashtrays and dispose of ashes in metal cans. He urged each household to have a Home Fire Escape plan. Have 911 and all other emergency numbers handy. For Emergency/Disaster Protection every household should prepare to be self-sufficient for 48 hours. Headquarters for area disaster planning is in New Dundee. Information is available on the web at www.emergencypreparedness.ca. A site should be selected as disaster centre with a diesel powered generator on hand and a community food bank. He listed all essentials for emergency kits: clothing, blankets, water purification tablets, battery powered radio etc. It was a power packed presentation!

In the afternoon we learned about the Community Care Access Centre of our region. There are 3 branches and also 3 offices, one in each of the region's hospitals. Their services may be accessed directly by phone to their offices, through the doctor or through the hospital. Every request is assessed by a case manager who determines the care needed and the care they are able to provide. Information is available as to resources available in the area so that a person may arrange for private services. The CCAC is open 12 hours every day, 7 days a week. They are able to respond fairly quickly in a crisis, eg. if someone is discharged unexpectedly from hospital. If anyone has difficulty getting needed help at home, please call your Care Committee Coordinator.

Hospice services are also available to the very seriously ill who are living at home. The hospice provides support services such as visiting and providing compassionate support, shopping, driving etc. The Care Committees of Foxboro Green are knowledgeable about these services and would help any resident who feels they could use support to access appropriate services.

Our final outside presenter, Director of EMS, John Prno described the objectives and the timelines for the development of improved Emergency Services in the Region. This region expects to be able to reach every resident in 9 minutes by 2003. Currently 90% of calls are answered within 13 minutes. There is an ambulance stationed in Baden 8 hours during the night (the time period with maximum calls). Soon the ambulance will be in the area 12 hours a day. When we call 911 the emergency service answers, but fire and police services are also linked in and respond to calls to ensure that help is received as quickly as possible. The new municipal addressing system (naming of all roads in Ontario) permits all emergency services to locate a home in the region immediately on a computerized grid. They arrive in 4 to 5 minutes and carry with them oxygen equipment along with a defibrillator. The region also has ambulances manned by advanced paramedics who are able to give drugs. Over the next few years this service will be expanded and by 2003 the region plans to have this level of service available from Wellesley. The progress in EMS in Waterloo Region is remarkable and the plans well structured.

Foxboro Green Annual Golf Tournament

Remember
August 9th
Watch Bulletin Board

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