Monday, June 27, 2011

show us your unionville!! DAY THREE - lynn

On our final day in Unionville we met a woman named Lynn, born and raised in Unionville Lynn like our other breakfast dates had a great perspective on the town, where it's been and where it's going. We had breakfast on Unionville main street at a place called Toogood Cafe.

Lynn is an animator by trade, she was living in Halifax but found herself back in Unionville for a contract in Toronto, three years later she is still in Unionville and still working various contracts in Toronto. Hr work sounds really awesome, it's not on the internet but that may change soon.

Lynn was really keen on the adventure aspect of our project and she planned us a kind of game to play in the flood plains of the city. This is a park system that can't really be developed on it because of it's tendency towards flooding. So in turn the land is an incredible path system lush with all the natural flora in the area. Lynn set us out playing Wilderness Bingo on our walk. While we walked we kept and eye out for a list she made ahead of time of birds, animals and plants that she had spotted on the path in the past. This was actually an awesome way to ensure that we were paying attention to our surroundings rather than just walking and talking, with out looking like I might normally do.

With out the list in front of me I will try to list everything we saw:
blue jays, orioles, cardinals, red winged black birds, cow vetch, wild dill, wild strawberries, geese, ducks, and a whole bunch more flora. Oh and I found a Saskatoon bush so i had a little snack... I don't remember if anyone else did?

When we met Lynn she walked us down Main Street Unionville before we ate and explained to us what the street looked like when she was a kid. Lynn has a love hate with her home town and was very vocal about it. I think if you listen to the podcast you will find she looks at her home with a critical and careful eye and wanting to preserve the small town feel of her exploding city.

 Lynn and Robin at the Too Good Cafe (Too Good was a family name in Unionville)

 Our adventure walk!

 A pretty flower - I will have to check the notes to see what it was...

Remnants of Unionville, the way Lynn remembers it as a child.

 Beaver dam!!! 

And of course don't forget to check out Robin's website and the podcast! 



1 comment:

  1. Hi Brette. The flower you have a picture of is a buttercup. I really enjoyed the visit by you and Robin but am still feeling guilty about walking you through the worst mosquito clouds of the year - you were both real troupers! You helped me in rediscovering my hometown, too ... I never knew those were Saskatoon berries but I did snack on them with you and will look forward to tasting them in the coming years. Great project!

    Lynn

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