Stories for all seasons in this issue of Grand
For most of us, fall is one of four seasons. But for Michael Faulds, head football coach of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Golden Hawks, there are only two seasons to speak of – “in season” and “off season” – and “in season” is in full swing. With the Golden Hawks busy working to defend their title as Ontario champions, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to give readers a glimpse into life beyond the sidelines for the reigning Canadian university football coach of the year.
We caught up with him during the “off season” as he made the most of family time with his wife, Stacey, and their two young children, Chloe and Lucas.
Regardless of the season, it seems it’s always renovation time in Waterloo Region. Tara O’Donnell thought she could tap into the curiosity we all have when neighbours update their home. What did they do? What does it look like? Can I take a peek? The result was a tour of kitchens in the area covered by the Auditorium Neighbourhood Association in order to raise money for Haven House, a women’s shelter in Cambridge. Was the tour successful? Let’s just say another one, with a different theme, is planned for this winter.
There are times, however, when remodelling just isn’t enough to fix a house with multiple problems. In that case, it might be a better idea to demolish it and start all over. That’s what George Ivanoff and Eve Schmitz-Hertzberg decided to do with a house near downtown Guelph. They created a custom-designed dwelling that better meets their needs. The house has many interesting features, not the least of them being a pair of kachelöfens, or masonry heaters, that are both functional and artistic.
Nearby, in Elora, the past is mixing with the future as the major renovation of the Elora Mill Hotel and Spa aims to preserve some of the town’s timeless features while reinvigorating tourism and creating jobs. Leanne and Aaron Ciancone, the sister and brother team behind the family business, Pearle Hosptiality, are driving the project.
“If someone doesn’t take it and renovate it and do it right, it’s not going to last,” Leanne says of the historic mill. The first phase of the project is underway and will include a 30-room hotel and event venue overlooking the Elora Gorge. The second phase, planned for two years down the road, will include condominiums, another restaurant and retail space.
The Elora development will surely become a place that hosts many weddings, just like the Cambridge Mill, another venue owned by Pearle Hospitality. That was the site of a unique wedding held this summer in which twin brides married twin grooms!
Susan and Sarah van de Merwe opted to walk down the aisle on the same day to wed Steve and Chris Warrington. The two couples purchased homes next to each other in Waterloo and will even be sharing custody of the sisters’ cat.
It’s a great story, no matter what season it is.