r/OwenSound

not sure if this is the right place to ask but I’m hoping I might jog a memory. I’m looking for a Cuban lady that lived on a farm just outside of Owen Sound, in Chatsworth. She was married to a man who was much much older than her. I believe she was on her early to mid twenties (30 at the most). This was about 2006ish-2010ish. I would see her in town and considered her a good friend. One day she just disappeared and I never saw her again. I believe her husband is deceased now, not sure exactly where the farm was in Chatsworth. The ladies name was Julia or Julie I believe. If this isn’t the right place to ask, can someone point me in the direction of a local forum that might know? thank you in advance

My New philosophy is honey not vinegar.

5 plus years ago I would have been prepared with every word weapon I had before I got on that call that's the truth.

Now I start every customer care call with this sentence

" You are a lovely person and don't let anybody make you question your self-worth because of their phone bill ( sub company lol) at the end of your shift and nothing that we're going to discuss is your fault and I understand that we are both just rats trying to figure out how to get out of this maze and neither of us really have much more information than the other so let's just try to help each other get through the day and this call."

And I was the one surprised by the response people were so grateful and appreciative and some got a little emotional. That made me really sad because that means they deal with so much anger all day that just receiving a call that starts with hey this isn't your fault is just such a blessing to them. Do we want to yell at the waitress before she brings the food if there's something wrong with the food was it the waitress that cooked it and even if she did could it have just been a mistake.

Aside from making that person feel seen and valuable before you ask them to help you with something....

I feel good every time I hang up and I've made customer service person laugh or tell me that they enjoyed this call.

Because let's face it do we want our customer care people replaced with AI, I don't. So let's take care of our customer service Representatives so that they can stay around and we can still have people on the other end of the line. And no I don't work in customer care. But I do work in humanity care. Lol

Happy thoughts by me

Thank you for becoming a part of our dysfunctional family. ❤️🇨🇦❤️

Wondering what characteristics or policies you would like to see in a municipal candidate for Owen Sound?

What did people think?

For me some things looked really good and other things not so much. I don't understand all the history in Owen Sound but I thought the lone building ones were kinda lame. The fish and boats were cool. The beaver looked a little weird to me. The hockey guy was cool but it's not winter season. Could have done a baseball player swinging a bat or a soccer player kicking a ball.

The bright lights at the Marina was annoying to look at while watching the show. The people in their cars with the head lights on near the ball diamond also was annoying. Maybe I was just at a bad spot but a portion of the Owen Sound letters at the end of the show were blocked by trees.

6/7 out of 10 for me.

OWEN SOUND — Canada Day festivities at Kelso Beach at Nawash Park proved to be another triumph of modern public policy this week, as thousands of overheated revellers packed into blissfully unmonitored waters before making the traditional patriotic pilgrimage to Brightshores Hospital’s emergency department.

Nothing says “Happy Birthday, Canada” quite like standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a sweltering heat wave, marinating in water that nobody has tested, then spending six hours in an emergency room contemplating the regrettable life choices that brought you there.

Hospital staff reportedly enjoyed the annual summer ritual of treating an endless procession of patients suffering from dehydration, heat exhaustion, gastrointestinal distress, infected cuts, mysterious rashes, and the timeless diagnosis known simply as, “I thought the water looked okay.”

The timing could not have been more exquisite. With temperatures soaring into dangerous territory, the city’s free two-day Canada Day celebration attracted enormous crowds eager to cool off in Georgian Bay. Unfortunately, while the beach remained open and inviting, one thing was conspicuously absent: anyone actually checking what was floating around in the water.

That omission, of course, wasn’t an accident.

The provincial government under Premier Doug Ford previously restricted funding for local public health units, including reductions affecting routine recreational water testing at many beaches. Apparently, testing water for bacteria has become one of those unnecessary government luxuries, like libraries, inspectors, and functioning emergency departments.

After all, why burden taxpayers with expensive laboratory analysis when nature has already provided an excellent testing mechanism called “the first few thousand swimmers”?

Officials might argue that water quality can change rapidly after storms and that testing isn’t practical everywhere. Fair enough. But there is a certain poetry to inviting families to a massive waterfront celebration during an oppressive heat wave while simultaneously deciding that knowing what’s actually in the water is an extravagance best left to wealthier civilizations.

It’s fiscal conservatism at its finest: save a few dollars on prevention, then spend considerably more treating the consequences.

Witnesses described the beach as resembling a human bouillabaisse. Children splashed happily. Teenagers cannonballed with Olympic enthusiasm. Adults floated peacefully, comforted by the reassuring absence of any warning signs—which, as everyone knows, is scientific proof that absolutely nothing could be wrong.

Several swimmers reportedly adopted the increasingly popular “Don’t Ask, Don’t Test” approach to recreational water safety.

Emergency room physicians, meanwhile, were introduced to hundreds of new acquaintances whose symptoms ranged from mild nausea to the sort of digestive rebellion that makes one reconsider every decision made since breakfast.

One exhausted nurse reportedly suggested that next year’s Canada Day festivities simply relocate directly into the hospital parking lot.

“It would save everyone some time,” she allegedly muttered while searching for another IV bag.

Brightshores, already wrestling with physician shortages, hallway medicine, overcrowding, and wait times that can be measured using geological epochs, rose magnificently to the challenge by discovering entirely new ways to fit stretchers into spaces previously believed incapable of containing stretchers.

Hospital administrators are believed to be considering a commemorative plaque recognizing the annual event.

Future inscriptions may read:

“Dedicated to those who believed warm water, thousands of people, zero testing, and a record-setting heat wave were ingredients for a refreshing afternoon rather than a public health field experiment.”

City officials praised another successful Canada Day celebration, while residents celebrated surviving it.

As for next year, organizers remain optimistic.

Rumours suggest the province may save even more money by replacing water testing altogether with a large sign reading:

“Swim at Your Own Risk. Diagnose at Brightshores.”

Because nothing captures the Canadian spirit quite like celebrating universal health care by overwhelming it before the fireworks even begin.

Coming up from London for Sunday - Tuesday. Anything I must do to?

Lasted about 8yrs before catching fire and sinking in the harbour in 1989. Anyone have some memories to share?

I've been back in owen sound a year and a half. Last year it took me a minute to get situated, that's not really what the story is about so we won't get into that part, but what's important to know is I'm a 46 year old woman with no children.

Productivity is the resolution to death I feel at this point because boredom feels like death. Because of that I started gardening and landscaping the front of my building I created a walkway, my neighbor downstairs rode around collecting the stones for it, it's beautiful. I noticed my neighbor who has a very busy family household had an overgrown Garden so I just went over and weeded and dug out her garden for her just because I'm her neighbor and because I have time. This created a bit of a domino effect on my street. And I was more than happy to go around assisting my neighbors with the yard work they needed done just because I was their neighbor. Ultimately this did get me some paid gardening jobs. what I do know about Owen sound people is that they always appreciate a hard worker. If you show that you are a hard worker you are almost guaranteed somebody is going to stop and offer you a paid job of sorts because people need a hand. So now I'm gardening across town from my neighbor's friends and for my neighbors around the corner. I have a license but I don't have a car right now. Increasing the radius in which I could commute to work more than doubled the possible places I can apply to work for the summer. I went to my neighbor for some advice on whether or not I should consider getting into some kind of high interest car loan just so that I could seek employment a little out of town. I'm actually going to cry telling you the next part because this is so kind, but my neighbor said to me" I always see you trying to do the right thing it's okay that somebody does something nice for you". So he and his wife offered to loan me interest-free a little money to get a car so that I can get to work and back and I wouldn't be lockrd in to paying double the amount of the car. The amount of money I wanted to commit too would likely mean I could spend probably the next 6 to 12 months trying to find a car that is going to be reliable and in that price range. So I decided to apply that to an E bike. It's expensive because it's for commuting but it was cheaper than the car. So my neighbor took me to bike face and bought me ( as a loan) my bike and helmet and mirror that cost 3 months worth of my rent. And everyday I have to work I ride that bike to Sauble Beach from Owen sound. I'll be honest part of me feels like a little of that child like Spirit we lose has returned each time I take it for a ride. The bike has already almost paid for itself I have half way paid him back, and with motivation and a lot of peddling LOL I intend to have it paid off by the end of July. This amazing thing started because instead of sitting inside all day on my phone or whatever else kept me indoors I went outside and did productive things not because I expected anything back just because we should be neighbors to each other, somebody recognized that and now my life is that much easier for me to make it that much better, if you live in town you probably have seen me feel free to wave. And you'll be happy to know that I have ordered signal lights for the bike.

Anyway there's always so many crappy stories I just thought I would share this one and maybe it'll motivate somebody else to just do something for nothing cuz it might just come back to you.

Heavy bag, pads, conditioning, and sparring. All skill levels welcome. Worst case we spend a few minutes chatting to see if we’re a good match and share a laugh. Best case we find a great training partner.
I can provide most gear for a first session.
All replies welcome. DM or reply here if interested.

I posted a new Owen Sound campaign update here:

https://helpos.ca/c/owen-sound-council/8399/owen-sound-update-housing-history-team-canada-and-our-first

This update covers housing history, Premier Ford’s letter to Team Canada, the Council of the Federation, and my follow-up letter about rebuilding stable communities where people are supported earlier and less likely to fall into crisis.

It also shares local team news: Thomas Arakal has agreed to join my team as the councillor candidate for Owen Sound East, and we now have two village leaders for Owen Sound Central.

Curious what people think, especially about the village leader model and how neighbours could participate more directly in local upkeep and care.

I am completing a swimming event this summer and trying to find somebody/group I could join for Open water swim in Owen Sound or nearby.

Any leads will be appreciated.

Someone flip the power back on. I missing the football match.