HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1975-08-20, Page 8HURON BRUCE
PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE
ASSOCIATION
Nomination Convention
Thurs., August 21
8:30 p.m.
Kincardine Town Hall
Residents of this riding who wish to /vote at this Convention
must be paid up members-of this Association and recorded as
such with the secretary at least 4 hours prior to this meeting.
Memberships may be purchased from
Barry Schmidt, Secretary, 396-3350
Bruce Keith, President
or any one of the following:
Cliff Hewitt
Lorne Robinson
Daly Ourvhi
Earl McSpariden
Murray Cardiff
Sam MacGregor
Bill &Miter
George Johnson.
Harold Adams
Ralph :Jewell
Jini Caltdiff
Ed. Powell
ancly Feely
bmar Orditikt
Don Pi&it
be here," he added. •
'The kids just come, he equips
them with life jackets and canoes
and after the lesson, they leave.
He'll do it again, if more kids
want to come for lessons, he said.
iGreg Cown is a puzzle. A
hermit-like publicity man, be
seems to exude the spirit au&
strength of those voyageurs.
Part image? It's hard to say, but
he seems to fit theBrussels area
like a glove.
The cars,zooming past his store
seem out of place and the rest of
the world, a little out of kilter,
THE FINISHED PRODUCT — •GreWs wife, Trudy
and six-year-old ,daughtei- look after the. Jamestown
store, located north of Brussels. The Cowans win
canoe race prizes all over this area. (Staff Photo)
*EEKLY SALE
BRUSSELS STOCKYARDS LTD.
EVERY FRIDAY
At 12 Noon
Phone 887-6461 Brussels, Ont.
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Top racer makes canoes -near Brussels.
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FROM A PLANK OF WOOD Greg covvah i. canoe
builder and racer ia rhokitig a paddle. that latat
be. sold his JattiattOtiith store, Ha said it takes
About. 'Ode hour td Odth plate a Paddle' and L the WOW is
done on a nearby farm,— (6taff Photo
8 THE-.13RUSteLt AUGUST' ,Mthi 1915
(Continued from. Page 1),
radio stations realize that Ifni right
in their backyard", he said.
To him, interviews have
become routine, and when this
reporter suggested he was rather
smug, he said emphatically: "Yes
I'm smug. I've done everything a
person could possibly do in a
canoe."
It all began when lie was 18. He
heard about the Canadian canoe
teams that were going to travel
across Canada. Never having
canoed before, he asked people
what was needed in a canoe, and
with ideas of his own, he went to
, work to build a canoe on his
father's farm near Wingham.
He said it took him about a
month, and he wasn't far wrong
in what he felt he needed in a
canoe.
To get on the Ontario team, he
had to paddle against 60 other
men., The longest portage during
xz
the Centennial trip was 19 miles
and meant the full crew carried
the 400 pound canoe,
He said: "We didn't take the
easy route because the
government wanted us to see
everyone that year."
Mr. Cowan graduated from
Ryerson as an electrical engineer,
but said he couldn't do that for a
living.
"I learned how to think , that is
all a university education is for,"
he said.
• There is an "endless" amount
of navigable water and the rivers
of the North hold no special
fascination for him. He says he
couldn't consider going all that
way before exploring all the rivers
in Ontario.
Groundhog River
Next year, he plans to do
something "spectacular" along
the Groundhog River, which is
!created in the Timmins area,
He said there is about a ten
mile stretch of rapids and the 150
mile trip would take about a week
travelling in small canoes.
Mr. Cowan said; "I sell very
few canoes locally, so far,
because people don't want to buy
locally."
He said the initial outlay is
rather expensive for those
wanting to learn to canoe but
/ good equipment lasts 10 to 20
years.
Previously he mass
,manufaCtured canoes in the
Peterborough area. He sold the
• company because he prefers to,
custom make canoes.
He said he now has about 11
models which includes river, lake,
racing and motorized canoes
which are built differently
depending on their use. With
hard to conceal pride, he said,
"No place, not even Toronto has
this variety".
He builds -nothing smaller than
16 feet because they would be too
small foicanoe trips and the riders
too cramped, he said.
His canoes are expensive with
the price ranging from $30Q to
$400. He said they are more
expensive than the average
,because of better, materials and the
amount of work involving in
making them.
lie makes about 60 canoes a
year depending on the demand
for larger canoes. He estimates
this year he will build about 3 to 5
large canoes. Added to this he
makes about six or seven paddles
a month, he said.,
Most of his orders come from
out of the area,,, friends of friends
7 and through his racing contact.
He Said the Jamestown location
for his shop is no hindrance since
a more convenient location would-
mean he would sell more life
jackets and canoe books but not
necessarily more canoes.
His brother, Ted and he
build the canoes and race
together. He said they aren't
overstocked with canoes and can't
seem to produce enough.
Mr. Cowan warned people
against buying canoes from
department stores. Although the
equipment be inferior, the sales
clerks often don't know anything
about what they are selling. For
example, certain pack sacks are
designed for hiking and others for
canoeing trips.
Mr. Cowan races about 25
times a year which helps to
promote his paddles and canoes.
Soft Life
He said his canoe trips are a
means of getting away from
everything, but he still likes the
soft life.
Jamestown is about as far away
as he could afford to get, he
laughed, and still make a living
building and selling canoe s.
In winter he cross country skis
to keep in shape for canoeing, so
this winter in the slack period
which stretches' from early
August to February he hopes to
make and sell cross country skis
and snowshoes.
He said the purpose of his store
is to have people come in and talk
about their trips. He said he's
there to promote the sport so if
people are interested in going
somewhere, ,? and • want
information On what to take, he
hopes they'd come in to swap
ideas 'and get advice.
In the past he has been hired as
a Cantle gUide on trips within
parks.
tessona
Recently he advertised in a
local paper, to teach young
on Saturday
mornings, About 12 kids dame for
free lessons and these ' Will
continue for Several weeks.
Many people hesitated to send
their kids because they felt there
was a gimmick. "In twenty years,
they'll be potential customers. I'll