Education on tap at newly opened water museum in Midland
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, Jul 24, 2025
It may have taken a few years to arrive, but the grand opening of the Canadian Museum of Water in Midland is ready to welcome residents and visitors alike.
Searching for a place to call home since 2022, the Canadian Museum of Water had been pitched by executive director Dan Travers to local municipalities and interest groups as a means to add Canada to a growing list of global water museums.
In early summer, the keys to the front portion of the Midland Cultural Centre were granted to the not-for-profit organization, and a grand opening Saturday included roughly 500 attendees.
“We had a membership list that had well over 250 people sign up, so that’s a really good sign,” Travers said of the success of the opening.
The formal hours of operation began Tuesday morning.
“At last count, we’ve had 27 people through the doors today (shortly after noon), and that’s kids and adults as well a lot of people coming in and seeing what we’re all about,” said Travers.
As the UNESCO-endorsed Global Network of Water Museums had grown to more than 120 museums since its formation in 2017, the initiative was made for Southern Georgian Bay to represent Canada on that stage.
“Until Saturday, Canada really didn’t have a member museum or space as part of that network. That indicates something; like leaded gasoline in the 1970s or CFCs in the 1990s, we see our mission as advocacy through education,” said Travers.
“Canadians and people of all nations need to have a greater respect for water and treat it like a relationship, and not simply a resource to be consumed. That’s what we intend to use this space for. That’s what our major mission is, and that’s our mandate.”
With a front-facing window toward King Street, onlookers can see screens portraying the various ways the planet is affected by water, along with its history; nautical artifacts are displayed alongside local artwork.
“We’ve partnered with the Budd Watson family and friends,” explained Travers, “and we have some of Budd’s photographs and artwork here, which we’ve selected along with the Watson family, which we think best represent that concept of water as an artist.”
A large blue rug was spread in the middle of the room, which Travers revealed was where a LUMOplay overhead projection was planned to be installed, should future funds be raised for the $18,000 equipment. Its operation would allow participants to experience water in interactive ways with computer enhancements.
Partners assisted in getting the initiative up and running, including the Huronia Museum, Georgian College, Lakehead University, the Georgian Bay Heritage League, and more.
“This is designed to be a community initiative with community engagement,” said Travers. “This is our headquarters. This is our hub.”
Upcoming events for the museum include attending the Edenvale Aerodrome in Stayner on Aug. 9, partnering with the Midland Cultural Centre and Event Horizon Hobbies throughout mid-August, and attending the Tall Ships festival at Midland Harbour from Aug. 15 to 17.
Admission to the museum is free for 2025 during Midland Cultural Centre hours of operation, and further information on exhibits and projects for the organization can be found on the Canadian Museum of Water website.
‘Take care of my baby’: Heartfelt ceremony marks anniversary of Midland woman’s murder
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, July 16, 2025
“Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t need a transition house? Isn’t that the ultimate objective?”
The question was posed by Marion Dutton, the adoptive mother of Midland resident Julia Brady, who was killed on July 15, 2024, a victim of intimate partner violence. She was 23.
The question, asked through a wavering voice, was posed Tuesday at a ceremony on the town’s harbour docks during the installation of a purple bench and two purple Muskoka chairs, shortly after Dutton and Brady’s aunt, Mary Ross, had placed a rose and a sunflower on each chair.
“When Julia was little, and she first came to me, I would rock her in my chair and sing You Are My Sunshine,” explained Dutton, fighting back tears.
She had taken in Brady shortly after the death of her own mother as a way to carry her mother’s wishes.
“To my mom and my dad, you are my heroes,” said Dutton.
Unable to hold back her grief, she added, “Take care of my baby.”
It was a heartfelt ceremony filled with tears and heightened emotions — sadness, memory, and anger with frustration toward inactivity — shared by two dozen attendees.
Started in 2015, the purple bench initiative began as a commemoration in Nova Scotia of Barb’s Bench to bring attention to the death of Barbara Baillie, murdered in 1990 through intimate partner violence.
Haily MacDonald, executive director of Huronia Transition Homes, spoke with passion against gender-based and intimate partner violence at the Midland event.
“We can’t just call women who are murdered for the sake of being women another homicide,” she said. “We have to acknowledge that it was a result of them being a woman. So, every time we use the word femicide, that itself is an act of resistance.”
In attendance were representatives of La Maison Rosewood Shelter and the Georgian Bay Native Women’s Association, as well as Mayor Bill Gordon and other members of council.
“Words are not actions,” said Gordon. “We rely on our policing partners when it comes to being the action when it comes to intimate partner violence.”
During his remarks, Gordon noted Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) members were not in attendance, despite their being a key element of tackling the epidemic.
He cited an 18 per cent increase in intimate partner violence calls for service in Ontario over past year, according to OPP statistics, but noted it was uncertain whether that was from “more violence being perpetrated, or if people are coming forward now and reporting that.
“The stigma is being broken by efforts like this,” Gordon said.
As explained at the ceremony by Desiree Salis, crisis counsellor for La Maison Rosewood, a moment of silence would be followed by the gathering making as much noise as possible to draw attention to Brady and the plight faced by women everywhere.
The silence was marked by held hands and soft tears, followed by an eruption of drums, pots, and stir spoons, shouting, clapping, banging and more. Its conclusion resulted in a second moment of unintended silence and hugs.
Huronia Transition Homes has been in operation since 1984 in north Simcoe and has a 24/7 county-wide crisis line where community members can access critical support and resources. (In north Simcoe: 1-800-461-1750; in south Simcoe: 1-800-987-0799.)
Justus Chester has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Brady, who was his partner.
Bus breakdowns highlight ‘vulnerability’of Mid-Pen Transit system
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, Jul 18, 2025
Currently, the Mid-Pen transit system is up and running.
However in June, the service through the two towns had been inoperable for a short length of time due to mechanical issues, as buses suffered mechanical failures.
The topic was even brought forward during a June meeting of Penetanguishene council, where resident concerns prompted a staff response that four of the five buses shared by the two towns were out of service, due to issues securing parts.
Penetanguishene Mayor Doug Rawson stated during that meeting that the concerns were being both heard and addressed, noting a transportation update received during an in-camera special meeting earlier that evening.
MidlandToday reached out to Penetanguishene CAO Jeff Lees on the matter, who replied that the town’s transit buses were sourced from Canadian suppliers, and not directly tied to components from the United States.
“The town of Penetanguishene primarily procures goods and services through suppliers and distributors based within the province, whether those businesses are Canadian, U.S., or internationally owned,” replied Lees via email. “While a small portion of specialized equipment or services may be sourced directly from U.S. vendors, this represents a limited portion of our overall procurement.”
Mid-Pen Transit operates Monday through Saturday, with Penetanguishene and Midland intersecting at three locations on their respective lines: at Georgian Bay General Hospital, the Huronia Medical Centre Bus Shelter, and at the Huronia Mall all in Midland.
During a Simcoe County transit review meeting in June, Rawson raised awareness of provincial gas tax funding for the local service, and a connection between the county LINX service within the two Midland terminus points of the Mountainview Mall and Georgian College stops. Midland Mayor Bill Gordon also asked at the county meeting if the county could absorb ownership, cost and maintenance of municipal transit systems.
Gordon spoke recently to MidlandToday about the reliability of the buses. He noted that new buses are prohibitively expensive, with procurement needing to come from previously-owned and well-travelled vehicles.
“If we go down a bus, and they go down a bus… transit’s over,” Gordon said. “We’re getting more and more of those because stuff’s aging and breaking down.”
Gordon added: “It isn’t just the physical hardware parts, it’s the soft costs (like) hiring transit drivers. We have a small but really amazing group of drivers, but it’s difficult to get enough drivers; people just aren’t flocking to that.”
“It’s such a fragile, vulnerable system that so many people rely on in our community, that we have to do something to guarantee the uptime,” Gordon said.
One potential solution Gordon offered was a hint toward a potential solution which could be introduced at a future council meeting. He remained tight-lipped on what it entailed, but told MidlandToday, “Stand by for some information about what we’re going to do about our transit problem, and spoiler alert: It isn’t about shutting down transit and getting rid of buses.”
Mid-Pen Transit route information is available through the official Transit phone app which provides accurate real-time location, times of arrival, and connectivity through the region.
Further information on Mid-Pen Transit, including route schedules, is available on the transit page of the Penetanguishene web site.
Midland-Based Charity Expands Support for Homeless Boys in Kenya
By Fred Hacker
MIDLAND – Jul 28, 2025A Midland-area organization is quietly transforming lives half a world away — and now, it’s offering local residents even more ways to help.
Life4Kids Canada, a grassroots charity based in Simcoe County, is expanding its sponsorship and support options for a small home for homeless and abandoned boys just outside of Nairobi, Kenya.
The home currently houses 26 boys who were rescued from the streets and garbage dumps of Nairobi — many of whom had never slept in a bed or eaten a hot meal before being taken in.
“These boys have experienced unimaginable hardship,” says Fred Hacker, Chair of Life4Kids Canada. “They’ve lived in rags, slept on concrete, and gone days without food. What they need most is to feel safe, cared for, and loved.”
Meeting Every Need — One Gift at a Time
Life4Kids Canada provides for the emotional, physical, educational, and social needs of the boys in a safe and loving environment. While the home has room for up to 44 boys, limited funding means 18 beds remain empty — for now.
That’s where local donors come in.
For years, the primary way to help was through full or shared sponsorship of an individual boy, now at a cost of $3,300 per year. That option remains available, covering everything from food and school fees to healthcare, clothing, and counselling.
But now, new opportunities are opening up — making it easier for people to contribute according to their means.
Small Gifts, Big Impact
Even modest donations can make a meaningful difference. For example:
- $19 can buy a backpack or a live chicken for the home’s small farm.
- $25 provides a soccer ball.
- $29/month buys sheets and blankets — in constant need because many boys struggle with trauma-related bedwetting.
- $55/month supports basic healthcare.
There’s also a long list of monthly giving options that focus on learning, healing, and dignity — from library books and school supplies to garden tools and seeds that teach self-sufficiency. For more details, visit Specific Gifts For Specific Needs | Life4KidsCanada
And for those looking to give a life-changing gift, a one-time $3,000 donation can fund a post-secondary scholarship for one of the home’s five young men currently pursuing higher education.
A Chance to Welcome More Boys
With more support, Life4Kids hopes to welcome 18 more boys into the home. Monthly sponsorship of a new boy is $275. One-time gifts like $125 for clothing or $275 for a bed help provide a warm welcome.
“Whether you’re marking a birthday, a wedding, or simply want to give back, your support gives these boys something most of us take for granted — a future,” says Hacker.
How to Help
To learn more or donate online, visit www.life4kidscanada.ca and click “Donate.”
Questions? Call 705-528-8787 or email info@life4kidscanada.ca.
As Life4Kids puts it: You don’t have to be rich to help. You just have to care.