InFocus Magazine

Once upon a time there was a store known to Valley old-timers as the ‘Eaton’s Block’.  It was situated at Fifth and Duncan in Courtenay.  And then Eaton’s made the corporate decision to depart, malady much to the chagrin of many local shoppers.

But all was not lost. The structure remained and ultimately was transformed into a kind of mini-mall with a number of other businesses moving on-site.

One of the first businesses to take up residence there was Linda’s Leather, viagra approved
owned by the husband-and-wife team of Marty and Linda Grundy, who have been serving the public in Downtown Courtenay for 29 years, 28 years at their current venue downstairs in the old Eaton’s block.  Joining them in welcoming customers old and new is a friendly Blue Heeler dog named, appropriately enough, Blue.

True to the name of the place, leather is Linda’s stock-in-trade.  Leather in all its facets, incarnations and uses that run the gamut from the military to the movies.  It’s also more than leather as new materials encroach increasingly on a time-honored trade.  For leather working, whether it be for jackets, saddles and other riding tack, and especially shoes and boots, is both an ancient business and also an up-to-the-minute and ever-changing one and it is essential to move with new realities, even if you don’t always like those new realities, says Marty.

“It has changed a lot since we got into the business,” says Marty.  “The sad part is a lot of older people are getting out because of the changes.  We’ve stayed and had to adjust. And I think we’ve adjusted quite well.”

In that, being the only equivalent business from mid-Vancouver Island north, Linda’s is doing just fine, thank-you.  At the same time both are concerned that their craft may be a dying one in the sense that they understand it.

“A lot of older people are getting out, and fewer and fewer young people are getting into the business because of all the changes,” Marty says.  “And, even though the business is called Linda’s Leather, and that was what we dealt with almost exclusively when we started, today plastics and other synthetics are very much part of what we do and to continue with the business we have to get comfortable working with those materials.”

At the same time, environmental concerns are prompting people to avoid their former discard impulse and instead to renew shoes, boots, jackets and so forth that might have been chucked out at an earlier time.  Consequently repairing of items is every much part of Linda’s stock-in-trade.

Returning to the point that younger people aren’t getting into the business—which has been a business benefit to Linda’s but not ideal for the public in some other communities—is the reality that there is virtually no longer any training in old fashioned ‘cobbling’ and other forms of leather work.

“Vancouver Vocational Institute used to have a really good shoe repair program in the old days,” Marty says.  “Unfortunately, that has gone now and nothing else has come in to take its place.

“Except the prisons,” Linda adds.  “A lot of people when I started had an Oakalla (a reference to the former provincial prison in Burnaby, now closed) background.  Even today it’s a popular program in the prisons and it’s a good trade to learn.”

But there is a downside to going into the trade.  It’s a costly business in terms of start-up costs and a costly business in which to remain current in order to meet ever-changing demands.

“Just the machinery for a little mall operation can run you $125,000 to $130,000,” says Marty.

While there is another shoe-repair business in the Comox Valley, the Grundys’ operation is unique.  It’s not just about shoe repair.  That’s only part of the overall picture of the operation.  Years ago they recognized that in order to thrive they had to diversify.

Part of their diversification has resulted in Linda’s getting some nice contracts and return customers over the years, Marty says.  They still retain a contract for jackets and jacket and other leathergoods repairs for Westjet, something that began when that carrier began utilizing the Comox Airport.  Meanwhile, Linda is the saddle and harness specialist in the business—the outlet offers virtually any leather item a rider would want or need.  Where can you specially order leather chaps for your western equestrian endeavors?  At Linda’s.

“It’s ideal for me since I also drive and ride and have for years,” she says.  “But (moving into a more current transportation mode) I also do restoration leather work for cars, including my own because I’m in the process of restoring my own MG.”

Linda also makes a further concession to contemporary specialties with her impressive handcrafted and custom-made motorcycle leathers.  This is a “booming” aspect of their business—leathers for ‘weekend warriors’ but also leathers for racers.  The elaborate suits are specialized, heavy duty to withstand falls and to offset road-rash, and they are costly, running as high as $4,000 for a complete outfit.

“But, if you’re into that sport it’s worth the price if it’s going to save you from serious injury, or even worse,” she says.

Alterations of jackets and other types of leather clothing fall within Linda’s bailiwick.

“People have some beautiful garments they don’t want to let go and often they are surprised at how nicely they can be restored,” she says.  “What I do is remove the stitching, take the entire garment apart, put in new lining that is a better quality than the lining that often comes with jackets and coats, and then put it all back together so it’s not only like new, but actually better than it was when it was new.”

Boot restoration and alteration is also a mainstay, Marty says.  While you can buy new specialized footwear at Linda’s (they are the local agent for Viberg Boots), they also custom-build boots to the customer’s specifications.  For example, they build marching boots that are used in the annual Armed Forces Nijmegen March in the Netherlands, where the boots have to withstand the rigors of marching up to 50 kilometres a day for a period of four days.  Boots created by Linda’s have been quite up to the task, Marty says, which is why participants keep coming back to them.

Another area of specialty for Marty and Linda is orthopedic boots and shoes for those who have either undergone clinical procedures on legs or feet or who are suffering from a disparity of leg length in which a specially fitted shoe must compensate and give comfort to the wearer.

“We work directly with local orthopedic surgeons so that we can custom-make just the right build-up in shoe modifications,” he says.  “The type of footwear created for the patient is going to be vital to not just comfort but can also alleviate stresses on other parts of the body, such as the back.”

The Comox Valley is a significant recreational area and backwoods hiking in the far reaches of Strathcona Park and elsewhere in the hinterland demands high quality boots and supplying of such boots is an important aspect of their trade.

“In some cases the traditional hiking boots are inadequate for the needs of hikers who gravitate towards more extreme trekking,” Marty says.  “So, a lot of them are switching to caulk boots and we can put the caulk spikes on their regular hiking boots.  They’re much safer and largely eliminate the fear of losing your footing.”

Speaking of caulk boots, increased activity in the woods in recent months has meant for Linda’s an increased demand for caulk logging boots.

“Caulk boots have always been an important aspect of what we do,” Marty says. “And it’s good to see that people are again working in the woods and want to get the right boots.”

But, the whole scenario has changed, Marty says with some dismay.  While they are doing a good business there have been huge international trade repercussions within Canada and it doesn’t bode well for the Canadian shoe industry especially.

“Shoes from China are the big issue,” he says.  “We hear a lot of complaints about ill-fitting shoes and boots and that’s because the sizes are different.  People know they take a certain size and then they make a purchase at one of the cut-rate stores and find that the fit isn’t as it should be.  When you go to a cut-rate store be aware that the items is probably manufactured in China.”

As an example of the changed scenario he cites the case of the Montreal firm of HH Brown that formerly manufactured 5,000 pairs of shoes a day.  Recently, however, they went offshore to China and now import their product from China.  Canadians in the industry all lost their jobs as a consequence.

There are other changes as well, though they aren’t entirely negative ones.  The vastly increased use of plastics in the business has wrought a different approach.

“We’ve had to learn to work in plastics rather than just leather,” he says.  “We use a heat activated process with an oven and in a most respects that has been a good thing. In resoling, for example, the bonds are stronger than they were in the old days.  So, we’ve been forced to adjust to the times and we’re constantly changing.”

Then there’s the matter of leather supply and the problems in that realm.

“You literally can’t buy soling leather in North America,” Marty says.  “This is a problem because there are still customers who demand good leather shoes.  The reason you can’t get the soling leather is because we butcher our cows too early so we are left with immature hides.  Consequently, we have to go offshore to get the leather we need.”

But along came showbiz to add a new facet to the operation.

One of the more intriguing business ventures, Marty says, came about when a Hollywood production company was filming the movie The 13th Warrior (based on the Michael Crichton book Eaters of the Dead) in the late 1990s.  The Antonio Banderas-starring Viking flick was filmed in the Campbell River area and the filmmakers wanted somebody to fabricate Norse garb—particularly authentic-appearing boots and riding gear that would have been realistic for the time of Viking conquest.

Linda did her research and came on board.  Not only did the company hand-make the boots used in the film, Linda also turned out saddles and saddlebags with a distinctly 12th century flavor.  Her involvement called for her to be on the set many days—for very long days.

“It was great,” Marty says.  “It was exciting to be around a film that was under production and get a first-hand view of what is involved.  And they always treated us very well.”

An aspect of the business that is very near and dear to Marty’s heart is manufacturing equipment, especially harnesses, for disabled skiing.  At one time Marty worked hand-in-glove with the late Herb Bradley, the guru of disabled skiing in the Comox Valley and throughout the province.

“I taught disabled skiing,” Marty says, “and am one of only nine qualified instructors in the province.  I can honestly say I learned virtually everything I know about it from Herb. In fact, he trained us all.  Due to his enthusiasm it was easy to become passionate about it, and I did.”

Consequently, Linda’s Leather is a mainstay in the harness business for that calling and it is something Marty remains devoted to. He adds that the ski harnesses and the other specialty areas of the operation “represent the kind of diversification that has kept us going all the years we’ve been in business.”

Linda’s Leather is located at 307-5th Street in Downtown Courtenay and can be reached at 250-334-4533.
Once upon a time there was a store known to Valley old-timers as the ‘Eaton’s Block’.  It was situated at Fifth and Duncan in Courtenay.  And then Eaton’s made the corporate decision to depart, look much to the chagrin of many local shoppers.

But all was not lost. The structure remained and ultimately was transformed into a kind of mini-mall with a number of other businesses moving on-site.

One of the first businesses to take up residence there was Linda’s Leather, owned by the husband-and-wife team of Marty and Linda Grundy, who have been serving the public in Downtown Courtenay for 29 years, 28 years at their current venue downstairs in the old Eaton’s block.  Joining them in welcoming customers old and new is a friendly Blue Heeler dog named, appropriately enough, Blue.

True to the name of the place, leather is Linda’s stock-in-trade.  Leather in all its facets, incarnations and uses that run the gamut from the military to the movies.  It’s also more than leather as new materials encroach increasingly on a time-honored trade.  For leather working, whether it be for jackets, saddles and other riding tack, and especially shoes and boots, is both an ancient business and also an up-to-the-minute and ever-changing one and it is essential to move with new realities, even if you don’t always like those new realities, says Marty.

“It has changed a lot since we got into the business,” says Marty.  “The sad part is a lot of older people are getting out because of the changes.  We’ve stayed and had to adjust. And I think we’ve adjusted quite well.”

In that, being the only equivalent business from mid-Vancouver Island north, Linda’s is doing just fine, thank-you.  At the same time both are concerned that their craft may be a dying one in the sense that they understand it.

“A lot of older people are getting out, and fewer and fewer young people are getting into the business because of all the changes,” Marty says.  “And, even though the business is called Linda’s Leather, and that was what we dealt with almost exclusively when we started, today plastics and other synthetics are very much part of what we do and to continue with the business we have to get comfortable working with those materials.”

At the same time, environmental concerns are prompting people to avoid their former discard impulse and instead to renew shoes, boots, jackets and so forth that might have been chucked out at an earlier time.  Consequently repairing of items is every much part of Linda’s stock-in-trade.

Returning to the point that younger people aren’t getting into the business—which has been a business benefit to Linda’s but not ideal for the public in some other communities—is the reality that there is virtually no longer any training in old fashioned ‘cobbling’ and other forms of leather work.

“Vancouver Vocational Institute used to have a really good shoe repair program in the old days,” Marty says.  “Unfortunately, that has gone now and nothing else has come in to take its place.

“Except the prisons,” Linda adds.  “A lot of people when I started had an Oakalla (a reference to the former provincial prison in Burnaby, now closed) background.  Even today it’s a popular program in the prisons and it’s a good trade to learn.”

But there is a downside to going into the trade.  It’s a costly business in terms of start-up costs and a costly business in which to remain current in order to meet ever-changing demands.

“Just the machinery for a little mall operation can run you $125,000 to $130,000,” says Marty.

While there is another shoe-repair business in the Comox Valley, the Grundys’ operation is unique.  It’s not just about shoe repair.  That’s only part of the overall picture of the operation.  Years ago they recognized that in order to thrive they had to diversify.

Part of their diversification has resulted in Linda’s getting some nice contracts and return customers over the years, Marty says.  They still retain a contract for jackets and jacket and other leathergoods repairs for Westjet, something that began when that carrier began utilizing the Comox Airport.  Meanwhile, Linda is the saddle and harness specialist in the business—the outlet offers virtually any leather item a rider would want or need.  Where can you specially order leather chaps for your western equestrian endeavors?  At Linda’s.

“It’s ideal for me since I also drive and ride and have for years,” she says.  “But (moving into a more current transportation mode) I also do restoration leather work for cars, including my own because I’m in the process of restoring my own MG.”

Linda also makes a further concession to contemporary specialties with her impressive handcrafted and custom-made motorcycle leathers.  This is a “booming” aspect of their business—leathers for ‘weekend warriors’ but also leathers for racers.  The elaborate suits are specialized, heavy duty to withstand falls and to offset road-rash, and they are costly, running as high as $4,000 for a complete outfit.

“But, if you’re into that sport it’s worth the price if it’s going to save you from serious injury, or even worse,” she says.

Alterations of jackets and other types of leather clothing fall within Linda’s bailiwick.

“People have some beautiful garments they don’t want to let go and often they are surprised at how nicely they can be restored,” she says.  “What I do is remove the stitching, take the entire garment apart, put in new lining that is a better quality than the lining that often comes with jackets and coats, and then put it all back together so it’s not only like new, but actually better than it was when it was new.”

Boot restoration and alteration is also a mainstay, Marty says.  While you can buy new specialized footwear at Linda’s (they are the local agent for Viberg Boots), they also custom-build boots to the customer’s specifications.  For example, they build marching boots that are used in the annual Armed Forces Nijmegen March in the Netherlands, where the boots have to withstand the rigors of marching up to 50 kilometres a day for a period of four days.  Boots created by Linda’s have been quite up to the task, Marty says, which is why participants keep coming back to them.

Another area of specialty for Marty and Linda is orthopedic boots and shoes for those who have either undergone clinical procedures on legs or feet or who are suffering from a disparity of leg length in which a specially fitted shoe must compensate and give comfort to the wearer.

“We work directly with local orthopedic surgeons so that we can custom-make just the right build-up in shoe modifications,” he says.  “The type of footwear created for the patient is going to be vital to not just comfort but can also alleviate stresses on other parts of the body, such as the back.”

The Comox Valley is a significant recreational area and backwoods hiking in the far reaches of Strathcona Park and elsewhere in the hinterland demands high quality boots and supplying of such boots is an important aspect of their trade.

“In some cases the traditional hiking boots are inadequate for the needs of hikers who gravitate towards more extreme trekking,” Marty says.  “So, a lot of them are switching to caulk boots and we can put the caulk spikes on their regular hiking boots.  They’re much safer and largely eliminate the fear of losing your footing.”

Speaking of caulk boots, increased activity in the woods in recent months has meant for Linda’s an increased demand for caulk logging boots.

“Caulk boots have always been an important aspect of what we do,” Marty says. “And it’s good to see that people are again working in the woods and want to get the right boots.”

But, the whole scenario has changed, Marty says with some dismay.  While they are doing a good business there have been huge international trade repercussions within Canada and it doesn’t bode well for the Canadian shoe industry especially.

“Shoes from China are the big issue,” he says.  “We hear a lot of complaints about ill-fitting shoes and boots and that’s because the sizes are different.  People know they take a certain size and then they make a purchase at one of the cut-rate stores and find that the fit isn’t as it should be.  When you go to a cut-rate store be aware that the items is probably manufactured in China.”

As an example of the changed scenario he cites the case of the Montreal firm of HH Brown that formerly manufactured 5,000 pairs of shoes a day.  Recently, however, they went offshore to China and now import their product from China.  Canadians in the industry all lost their jobs as a consequence.

There are other changes as well, though they aren’t entirely negative ones.  The vastly increased use of plastics in the business has wrought a different approach.

“We’ve had to learn to work in plastics rather than just leather,” he says.  “We use a heat activated process with an oven and in a most respects that has been a good thing. In resoling, for example, the bonds are stronger than they were in the old days.  So, we’ve been forced to adjust to the times and we’re constantly changing.”

Then there’s the matter of leather supply and the problems in that realm.

“You literally can’t buy soling leather in North America,” Marty says.  “This is a problem because there are still customers who demand good leather shoes.  The reason you can’t get the soling leather is because we butcher our cows too early so we are left with immature hides.  Consequently, we have to go offshore to get the leather we need.”

But along came showbiz to add a new facet to the operation.

One of the more intriguing business ventures, Marty says, came about when a Hollywood production company was filming the movie The 13th Warrior (based on the Michael Crichton book Eaters of the Dead) in the late 1990s.  The Antonio Banderas-starring Viking flick was filmed in the Campbell River area and the filmmakers wanted somebody to fabricate Norse garb—particularly authentic-appearing boots and riding gear that would have been realistic for the time of Viking conquest.

Linda did her research and came on board.  Not only did the company hand-make the boots used in the film, Linda also turned out saddles and saddlebags with a distinctly 12th century flavor.  Her involvement called for her to be on the set many days—for very long days.

“It was great,” Marty says.  “It was exciting to be around a film that was under production and get a first-hand view of what is involved.  And they always treated us very well.”

An aspect of the business that is very near and dear to Marty’s heart is manufacturing equipment, especially harnesses, for disabled skiing.  At one time Marty worked hand-in-glove with the late Herb Bradley, the guru of disabled skiing in the Comox Valley and throughout the province.

“I taught disabled skiing,” Marty says, “and am one of only nine qualified instructors in the province.  I can honestly say I learned virtually everything I know about it from Herb. In fact, he trained us all.  Due to his enthusiasm it was easy to become passionate about it, and I did.”

Consequently, Linda’s Leather is a mainstay in the harness business for that calling and it is something Marty remains devoted to. He adds that the ski harnesses and the other specialty areas of the operation “represent the kind of diversification that has kept us going all the years we’ve been in business.”

Linda’s Leather is located at 307-5th Street in Downtown Courtenay and can be reached at 250-334-4533.

Walk into the 4Cats Art Studio at the corner of Comox Avenue and Anderton Road in Comox, and you know you’ve found a space for kids to be creative.

The walls are papered in paintings and sketches, from floor to 15-foot ceilings.  The shelves sit filled with paper maché and clay projects.  Cupboards stand open with paint, brushes, clay and other art supplies at the ready.  Off to one side is a splatter room, looking like the spot where Jackson Pollock refined his drip technique.  And in the centre are two enormous worktables with benches for seating.  To complete the atmosphere, the whole space is filled with music and natural light, thanks to the sound system and store-front windows wrapping the front of the studio.

It’s enough to make any kid want to take up art.  In fact, that’s the point.

4Cats is a professional arts studio franchise where children ages two to 15 can grow their ability to see and think like an artist.  It’s named after Els Quatre Gats (4 Cats Café) in Barcelona, Spain, where Pablo Picasso went with artist, poet and philosopher friends to discuss art and life and make and show his art.

At 4Cats, kids take inspiration from artists like Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Andy Warhol and create their own art using professional art materials.  Class curriculum and workshops are developed and delivered by curators like Comox Valley owner Kristi Martin.

“4Cats started in Victoria,” explains Martin.  “Joey [Simon] is the president, and it started in her basement with the idea of doing art with kids and teaching them art history.”

Simon’s idea in turn came from caring for a premature baby.  Simon’s son Jet was born at 26 weeks, and at the time doctors explained there was a high likelihood he would develop learning disabilities.  Armed with that knowledge, Simon looked for ways to help and encourage her son in his learning.  Being an artist herself, she started reading books about art and painting with her son.  Before long, friends and family took notice of the results and asked her to offer workshops for their children.  4Cats was born in 2005. The 4Cats workshops proved so popular and successful that Simon was soon opening other locations, including a studio in Courtenay’s Tin Town three years ago.  And that’s where Martin comes in.

“I had just returned from teaching in Indonesia—I came back half-way through our school year—and applied for a job Joey had posted on Craig’s List,” says Martin.  “I went in for the interview and she gave me the job right then.  Then for the next year I managed the studio for her.”

Simon also kept asking her—“trying to convince me,” says Martin with a laugh—to buy the studio.  It took some effort.

“I always had this negative feeling about a franchise, for some reason.  I don’t know why. I guess you just think about McDonald’s and all those kinds of places.”

Then there was the fact that Martin’s dream was to teach full-time in the Comox Valley. Martin is a graduate of Highland Secondary School, and attended the University of Victoria as a Physical Education major before completing her teacher’s training at Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina College). She’s been teaching part-time since returning to the Valley.

“I kept saying ‘No! No! No!  But eventually I decided to just do it.  I’m glad I did.”

That was a year ago, and since then Martin has moved the studio to Comox from Tin Town for better street traffic, grown the business, and found a team of teachers for days she’s at Highland.  The transition from teacher to art studio curator and business owner hasn’t been that much of a stretch, even for a Phys Ed teacher.

“Everyone always just thinks I’m a jock and play sports, which I always did in high school,” says Martin.  “I’ve always really been into sports and stuff.  So people are always saying, ‘What?  No, you don’t do art.’  Actually, yes I do. I always have!

“I did art in university as all of my electives.  So I’ve always enjoyed art but didn’t want to be pushed into being heavily graded on it and have a lot of stress and pressure around doing an art major.  “It’s cool to be both sides and put them together,” she adds.

Besides, 4Cats is as much about education as it is art.

“It hasn’t been a big deal that I wasn’t in art or that I wasn’t an artist,” says Martin.  “I’m constantly learning things and teaching the kids.”

That includes researching artists, learning about their techniques, developing curriculum and delivering all of it in a kid-friendly, age appropriate art class.

“I think the idea of 4Cats is amazing,” continues Martin.  “It’s teaching kids to be creative and self-expressive.  I know being a teacher myself and having 28 kids in my Grade 2 class, it’s really difficult to be creative and free with art in a class setting.  There is only so much we can do.”

“At 4Cats we’re really giving kids the opportunity to learn a little bit more and go a little bit further, just as sports have done outside of school.  Teachers can only do so much in a PE class.”

4Cat students register for specific sessions, choosing from things like clay and sculpture, drawing, claymation, and stop motion animation.  The most popular session, though, is the Artist of the Month.  Classes start with stories about a specific artist—say Michelangelo—and their style.  Kids then move onto to sketching using what they know about the artist as inspiration.  Finally, they move onto a larger painting or clay project done in that artist’s style, but with their own touch.

And the kids love it.  So much so, they’re often dragging their parents through the door to take a look.

“We have a doctor’s office next door and I often see kids holding their parent’s hand walking to the doctor, and their head is completely turned to our studio,” says Martin with a grin.  “Then after the doctor’s visit they will come into the studio.”

And the kids definitely like what they see.

“We say the phrase ‘No big deal’ all the time because they’re allowed to get messy and it doesn’t matter if their whole hand is stuck in the paint jar,” says Martin.

In fact, the phrase ‘No big deal’ touches on the Montessori principles that are the foundation of all the 4Cat art studios.

“Maria Montessori saw education differently and changed some ideas about education as far as letting kids learn at a pace that’s more suitable for them, and letting them really find a passion when they’re younger,” says Martin.  “Also, using lot of natural things and having kids do things that maybe at first you might hesitate to let them do.

“Even our three to five year olds, I let them scoop out their own paint.  It’s really being tactile and experiencing things.  They choose their own colors; they’re making their own decisions; they’re scooping out their own paint.

“At first the three year olds are hugely messy and it’s crazy,” continues Martin with a laugh.  “But eventually they get it.  They run over and they know how to set up their artist’s tray perfectly.”

What really makes the 4Cats experience so successful, though, is the support from the community and the franchise.

“We have so many wonderful, supportive families that have been with us since Tin Town and help us get more great families in,” says Martin with pride.  “The Valley is so amazing.  There are really so many cool parents out there, and they bring their little kids’ friends.”  Word-of-mouth has helped Martin double the number of students registered in 4Cats programs over the past year.

“And the franchise aspect of it has actually been great.  For us it’s this huge support network, like a little family.  We all Skype, and we’re chatting back and forth sharing ideas.

“Even though Joey started it and it has become this huge franchise all across Canada and the US and Mexico I can still call Joey on her cell phone and say, ‘What do you think about this?’” says Martin.  “And Joey always says, ‘Do what’s best for your studio’.”

And for Martin, doing what’s best means one thing. “I feel proud to own the studio and have the kids that we have in here,” says Martin.  “I hope that when they come through the door they absolutely fall in love with art, and that they’ll take something away to be proud of.

“I don’t expect kids to come in and become artists when they grow up,” she adds.  “But I think it would be really neat to know that kids who have gone through here continue to do art.  I feel the same way about coaching [high school volley ball].  I hope that the girls that I coach go on to be active and live healthy lives.”

 

For more information about 4Cats and the Comox Valley studio, go to www.4cats.com

 

In this day and age of computers, this site
internet, purchase
instant messaging and never being out of touch, it’s no wonder that more and more people are looking for ways to bring some peace and serenity to their everyday life.  Yes, you can plan that once a year vacation to some exotic location but once your brief escape is over you have a whole year to dream about finding paradise again. Now imagine if you had that little piece of paradise right in your own backyard, waiting for you at the end of every day!  Imagine sitting in the shade of a maple tree, the leaves rustling in the warm, gentle breeze, listening to the sound of the water gently falling over rocks.  You lazily open one eye and watch the goldfish and koi chase each other around the pond, or see a dragonfly land on a lily pad, all without a passport, security line ups, lost luggage and the stress of travelling.

Having a well-planned and constructed backyard paradise can give you all this, especially if it has a pond, stream, or a simple water feature.  Having a pond in your backyard though, gives kids the chance to explore nature up close and personal, cool off on a hot summer afternoon and experience hand feeding the fish.  In the evening, the adults can look forward to dinner on the patio with friends while the underwater lights bounce off the waterfalls.  An added bonus for gardeners is all the awesome aquatic plants that you can add to your landscape, which can also draws the birds, butterflies and dragonflies to your yard.

While there is still the misconception that all ponds and water features are nothing but a lot of work, advances in the pond industry in both construction techniques and components have almost all but eliminated the chore of pond ownership. The biggest change in construction techniques is to build a pond as an ecosystem which sustains life—all life including algae.  There are many types of algae, however there are three varieties which are of a concern for us.  The first is the single cell algae which causes green, cloudy water which a UV light can be used to help to control it, the long, stringy algae that hangs off the waterfalls and creates mats on the pond surface which generally has been controlled by the use of chemicals, bacteria, or enzymes, and the thin layer of algae that coats all the surfaces in the pond which in smaller quantities is very beneficial for the pond, but when gets out of control, can look unsightly.  New products have recently been introduced to the pond market to help control these alga from new bacteria formulations to ionizers that introduce small amounts of copper into the water which inhibits the growth of the algae. If a pond still isn’t really to your liking or you have young children or travel, maybe a pondless waterfall would be more to your liking.

A pondless waterfall is exactly as it sounds—it is a stream or falls (or a combination of the two) that ends in a gravel bed rather than a pond.  In the ground under the bottom of the stream a large water reservoir is constructed to catch and hold the water so it can be recycled over and over.  A water feature does not need a constant supply of water as it reuses the water.  Some people are concerned about the water usage, as minimal as it is, so if you want, the basin can be made a little bigger, and a downspout from your house can be diverted to drain into the basin to keep it full.  With this set up, you may never have to add water to top up your feature. If you like, you can make the basin a little bigger and catch a bit more water from your roof, and water your planters on your deck, all without using municipal water.  If you don’t want a stream or have room for a waterfall, you can always have a bubbling rock or other ornamental feature that gives the sound of water.  And yes, they have a basin underneath that holds the water that can be made bigger too!

Ornamental water features are wonderful in that they can fit in any space, can be installed in an afternoon, and can be very affordable.  They add that bit of class to a front entrance, help create white noise so you don’t hear your neighbors in a patio home, and they can be made from practically anything.

Having a water feature doesn’t have to be a lot of work when installed correctly and the joy it can bring can be beyond belief.  I have built many water features and have either worked with or have been trained by some of the best pond builders in North America.  To be able to bring the joy of moving water into a yard—it’s like the yard comes to life, from being a static space to becoming dynamic and alive with the birds, insects, and aquatic life.  It’s a lifestyle. Having your own private backyard retreat to escape to at the end of the day, you will find yourselves spending many an evening on the patio watching the fish, listing to the soft flow of the water, seeing the dragonflies skim across the surface of the pond, and listening to the  crickets that visit the pond in the evenings.

With careful planning, you can create that perfect retreat with the added bonus of being able to use it every day.  There are some great books out there that can inspire you with ideas for making the best use of your space or you could consider hiring a professional to help you. Either way, plan well, and add water.