In mourning

It was terribly sad week in Wellington and far beyond. The village had no sooner said farewell to history keeper Reg Bishop when news came that Richard Karlo had passed away. And then Drew MacCandlish. Each of these individuals were immensely passionate about their community. Each worked diligently to preserve and protect it. Their passing has ripped open a dreadful wound in the heart of this place.

Reg grew up on Lakeshore Road (now known as Huyck’s Point Road). Raised his family here. But as the decades passed, he worried that the lives and stories of the those who settled here would be lost. It wasn’t just the names and places he was after—rather, he was seeking to capture a way of looking at life, an outlook he remembered as boy. Values such as duty, responsibility and hard work. Rugged self-sufficiency, but also an abiding compassion for those less fortunate.

In 2003, he collaborated with Bart Cunningham, now gone too, to create Memories of Lakeshore Road. This was no dry history text. It is a rich collection of stories, photographs and sketches offering a window into the lives of the resilient and sturdy people who lived here more than century ago. Romance. Adventure. Tragedy. Later, Reg produced a similar volume on the story of Nicholson Island, just off Huyck’s Point.

It was vital to Reg that these stories were kept and read by a new generation.

Richard Karlo only lived in the County for a decade, but it has been an amazing 10 years of transformation. Richard was a powerful a catalyst for the emerging winegrowing sector in Prince Edward County, and was also involved in countless other community initiatives.

When a local family was losing their farm, Richard threw open the doors of his new winery for a fundraising event. It would happen time and time again. Slow Food. CCSAGE. He graciously gave to virtually every cause, effort or initiative— whether for improvements to the schoolyard in Wellington or to the Millennium Trail.

He, too, was passionate about the history of this community and its built heritage. He took great joy from restoring the iconic barn on Danforth Road. So too with the magnificent dry stone bridge that traverses the stream running through Karlo Estates. The largest in North America, the bridge comprises 45 tonnes of limestone, pieced together over nine days without mortar—held together by gravity and engineering ingenuity.

For a time, Drew MacCandlish wrote a column for this newspaper. In concept, his contribution was about gardening and things floral. But in practice, the column became a gentle contemplation of life, of inspiration and of beauty.

Designing and nurturing beautiful gardens was his creative expression. Like other forms of art, his creations required the viewer to peer past the resplendent beauty to the soulful inspiration of the work. He created complex, yet subtle, work—using colour, texture, scent and growing cycles to create intricate symphonies of nature.

Through three seasons, Drew was up at dawn caring for his creations that line Wellington’s Main Street and beyond. He, too, was gracious with his time and his talent—contributing to the flair and elegance of so many fundraising and community events.

The result of their efforts surround us—they shape and define our community. Rural places like Prince Edward County rely upon people like Reg, Richard and Drew. They are the builders. They inspire, they rally support and they preserve the values of this community. Our community would be unrecognizable without their contributions.

Now they are gone. In one terrible week.

It is our job to begin to fill the hole their departure has left in this community—to continue the job they started. The task seems impossible. But it will happen.

In the meantime, we will stop for a while to remember our friends—to consider the riches they have bestowed upon this community and our own lives. To mourn their loss. To embrace their loved ones.

The world can spin for a while without us.

rick@wellingtontimes.ca