An Update from Utopia

Our work to begin Phase I of the restoration of Bell’s Gristmill in the Utopia Conservation Area has started! Thank you for helping make this possible. And special acknowledgement to both the NVCA and Essa Township for their help and approval of our project plans.

Phase I involves considerable emphasis on structural stabilization and external ‘buffing up’. We have had to make the tough decision to have Mr. Bell’s variety store (the building beside the mill) taken down, requiring this space to allow for machinery and effort to work on the gristmill building. As well, the pavilion in the parkland has now been taken down, having seen much better days. Hopefully we will find the means to build another structure in the future.

For those of you who have already been to the Utopia Conservation Area this year, you will have enjoyed the walking paths that are being lovingly and voluntarily created through the care and lawn-mowing prowess of Doug Root.

Volunteers and supporters have made everything possible to get to this point. Thank you for buying the compost and mulch so generously given by Envirem Organics. Thank you for buying donated books, bringing in metal and all of our ‘asks’ to help us with our fundraising .. and very importantly, for attending our concerts, our breakfasts and all our various happenings.

We have been able to start the restoration but we need to accelerate some fundraising before some bills come in .. so if ever there is a time to come out and be with us — the time is now. Every bit of help is appreciated and quite honestly, needed.

Here are our plans for the next while — please tell your friends and connections – and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Baked Goodies on Highway 90
Thanks to Ralph D’Alonzo and his family, we are going to set up a ‘baked goodies’ stand on Highway 90 at the former Olco Gas Station.  The Happy Hens of Utopia will be there from 10am – noon on Saturdays starting this week.

We have just received an enormous donation of locally-grown rhubarb (thank you Bev, Crystal and George). We will have some lovely baked goodies devoted to the ‘joy of rhubarb’ over the next couple of Saturdays, eagerly waiting for the local strawberries to ‘crisp’ and ‘pie’ things up soon.

1^st Saturday of each month ‘scrambled eggs and all the trimmings’ breakfast at the Utopia Hall 
This Saturday – our monthly breakfast is ‘on’ at the Utopia Hall (8396 6^th Line) from 9am – noon. Suggested donation of $5.

Prairie Gentlemen Concert on Saturday June 13^th
Danny Olliver and Colter Wall will be performing at the Utopia Hall next Saturday. Our supper buffet starts @ 6:30pm with concert to follow (7:30pm). Advance tickets are $15 with at-the-door pricing being $20.

Canada Day Concert @ the Gristmill
Thanks to a grant from Heritage Canada, we will be hosting a concert and bar-b-q at the Utopia Conservation Area on July 1^st. More details to follow but the timing will be around 4 – 6pm.

The 2^nd Annual Gristmill Run = Sunday August 9^th
Breathless runners, while scooting by at our run last year, asked “can we do this again next year?”

And the answer is “YES”. Mark your calendar and get your workout plan going – and we’ll see you running and walking by on Sunday August 9^th starting @ 9:30am (see the poster below for additional details).

There’s lots more to chat about. Catch up with you in a bit. THANK YOU again for all that you are making possible.