Oakville, ON

Crawford Lake - Revealing the Mysteries of the Past - Burlington Attractions and Oakville History.

Hidden in the eastern Ontario woodlands of the beautiful Niagara Escarpment, rests Crawford Lake.
Crawford Lake, a rare 'meromictic' lake, holds fascinating secrets of the past deep within it's depths.

As a meromictic lake, there is very little circulation at it's lower levels, thereby allowing annual sediment deposits called 'varves' to lay undisturbed for thousands of years.

In 1971 an analysis of sediment collected from the depths of Crawford Lake revealed a high concentration of corn pollen.



The corn pollen, dating from the years 1434-1459, indicated that a native village once rested nearby on the shores of the lake.

Archeological excavations revealed the presence of an Iroquoian village, the first 'prehistoric' village in the eastern forests of North America to be accurately dated.



Along with the location of the native longhouses and building structures, thousands of Iroquoian artifacts were found.

Reconstruction of the village took place over a number of years and today you may visit this beautiful Burlington and Oakville area attraction and historical site to experience for yourself life in a pre-contact Indian village.







As you stroll around the walkways of the village, the sultry scent of woodsmoke fills your nostrils and you find yourself transported back to a time when life was simple and people lived with the heartbeat of the land guiding their daily activities.











On entering one of the many Longhouses, your eye becomes entranced by the delicate, yet sturdy, baskets, tools, clothing, canoes and snowshoes of our indigenous peoples.

















A fire started with flint, the same way it would have been started hundreds of years ago by a woman of the village, sends it's smoky curls upwards in search of the smoke-hole in the Longhouse roof.


For a moment you find your heartbeat slowing and your every cell gentling to a quiet rythm rarely found in the hustle and bustle of today's harried world.





A sadness takes over you as you sense a deep spirit of loss and you find yourself wishing that, even for just a few hours, you could be transported back to that time when the waters of Crawford Lake teemed with fish and happy children's playful calls could be heard echoing throughout the surrounding woods and fields, while simple but delicious suppers cooked slowly over the longhouse fires.

Crawford Lake Conservation Area is located at the junctions of Steeles Avenue (now Conservation Road) and Guelph Line north of Burlington, Ontario.
To view a map showing how to get to Crawford Lake, click here ->Crawford Lake Conservation Area and Iroquoian Village .

With it's 19 kms of groomed hiking, cross-country skiiing and snowshoeing trails, as well as a sturdy, wide boardwalk around the lake itself, Crawford Lake will quickly become one of your destinations of choice when the urge to explore Oakville's history or Burlington's attractions comes upon you.

The unmatched beauty of the Niagara Escarpment surrounds the visitor at the Nassagaweya Canyon Interpretive Lookout as their gaze takes in the incredible views of nature and the sounds of forest creatures echo across the breathtaking landscape.

With a Visitor's Centre, well-stocked Gift Shop and Refreshment Area, Theatre, Gathering Place, Exhibits and Picnic Areas, Crawford Lake is sure to have something to please people from all walks of life and of every age.

If you are a teacher or a group leader, be sure to explore the amazing, hands-on, Educational Programs at Crawford Lake.
Parents may even opt to hold their child's next birthday party here!
It's certain to be one that will be remembered and talked about for years to come.

No matter what your interests are, if you are planning a visit to Crawford Lake, don't leave home without your camera. Photographic opportunities abound.

Crawford Lake, while revealing the mysteries of the past to it's thousands of annual visitors, has become a favourite Burlington area attraction for all who are interested in Oakville history, the Niagara Escarpment and the history of Ontario's Iroquois people.

©2009JoSmith

It's that time of year and downtown Oakville is getting prepared for many upcoming festivities. Oakville's downtown core welcomes residents and visitors alike with its' unique boutiques, cafes, popular restaurants and the Towne Square which is always a hub of activity.

Other large attractions in downtown Oakville are the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, the Oakville Harbour and Pier and Erchless Estate Museum.

Here's what's coming up in Downtown Oakville

October 30, 2009 - Tiny Tots On Parade

This annual event celebrates year number 15 with little ghosts, goblins and munchkins all dressed up and taking to the streets all for the enjoyment of local shoppers and shopkeepers. All treats, no tricks.

November 21, 2009 - Santa Claus Parade

Santa Claus is coming to downtown Oakville just like he has done for over 60 years. The Santa Claus parade winds its way through downtown Oakville streets beginning at 9:00 a.m. Local marching bands and plenty of floats will appeal to big and little kids.

November 30, 2009 - Tree Lighting Ceremony

The annual downtown tree lighting ceremony takes place in Towne Square with special guests Santa and Mrs. Claus. Carollers will be on hand to entertain and hot apple cider will be served as refreshments. Festivities begin at 7:00 p.m. with the lighting of the tree at 7:30 p.m.

November 28 - December 20, 2009 - Christmas In Downtown Oakville

Oakville's downtown shopping area will be a hubub of activity with shops decorated for the holiday season and full of beautiful items to entice shoppers looking for that perfect gift. On weekends strolling carollers will fill the sidewalks with sounds of holiday joy and horsedrawn wagons will give rides down Lakeshore Road.

For local Oakville information please visit www.oakvilleontariorealestate.ca

Jenny Kotulak Broker

Your Oakville Community REALTOR

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Fall is in full swing (bloom) in Oakville. Most of the colours have peaked. The gusty winds have turned green lawns to yellow, red and orange as the leaves come tumbling down. Our days are getting shorter. Next weekend we set our clocks back. Remember spring ahead - fall back. Yes, you get an extra hour of sleep.

But what a pain having to change every clock in the house, on the stove, the microwave, the radios, the cars, your watches. Luckily our computers, Blackberries, etc. are very smart and they do it automatically. Don't forget to change the batteries in the smoke detector. Many are now hardwired so this ritual may soon become a chore of the past.

This is a great time of year to discover ravines and trails in Halton Region. Check out the Conservation Halton website for a list of local Conservation Areas. With Halloween just around the corner a great source of information for local pumpkin patches, hay rides and corn mazes in the Oakville and Greater Toronto Area is Pumpkin Patches And More. This site also has great pumpkin recipes and tips on how to carve and decorate a pumpkin. The site also gives pumpkin patch locations for all areas of Canada and the United States.

Go out and have some fun this fall.

Sitting On The Fence

Tree Magnifique

Berry, Berry Nice

Hosta La Vista Baby

The Long And Winding Road

Fade To Gray

Cloudy Canopy

Hello Yellow

Watering Hole

Buying a Condominium in Oakville, Mississauga or Burlington - Important Things You Need to Know About Condominium Ownership -Common Expenses and The Status Certificate.

Part One of the 'Buying a Condominium in Oakville, Mississauga or Burlington' series discussed the initial things a buyer should be aware of as they begin to think about looking at condominiums.
A link to Part One can be found at the bottom of this page.

In this article, Part Two of a three part series on things a buyer should be aware of as they begin to consider the purchase of a condominium, we will be looking at 'common expenses' and also talking about the 'status certificate', two very important aspects of condominium ownership.

• Condominium ownership involves the payment of monthly condo fees to the condominium corporation. These fees vary widely from development to development, not only in amount, but also in terms of what they cover.
  Monthly fees, also known as common expenses, are used by the condominium corporation to cover such things as maintenance of the common elements, funding the reserve account (see explanation of reserve account below) and paying for the management of the day to day operations of the building/development and the operating expenses of the condominium corporation.
  
  Monthly condo fees may also include, depending on the condominium, such things as snow removal, grass cutting, building insurance (for the exterior of the building), exterior building and grounds maintenance, water usage, utilities and television cable.
  
  Be sure to find out the exact amount of the monthly fees and what they include prior to the submission of an offer to purchase.
  
  If you are working with a REALTOR® , they will attain all of this information for you on each condominium that you are considering.
  
  You should also be aware that if you will be requiring financing for your condo purchase from a bank or mortgage company, the amount of the monthly condo fees will have an impact on how much the lender will be willing to loan you for a mortgage.
  
  If you are considering the purchase of a condo that has not yet been built or is in the process of being built, be aware that the condo fees you will be quoted may rise by up to 50% or more after your first year of ownership. Factor this into your monthly costs when you are determining how much you can afford prior to submitting an offer to purchase.
  
  
  
• One of the most important documents applicable to condominium ownership is the 'Status Certificate'. It is vital that you do not purchase a condominium prior to having your lawyer review the status certificate and go over with you in detail it's contents.
  The status certificate will cover the following very significant aspects of the condominium corporation and unit you are considering:
  
  
  1. The amount held in the 'reserve fund'.
  All condominiums are required by law to maintain a separate fund that is allocated for the payment of major repairs and replacements of the common elements of the condo corporation. These may include repair or replacement of windows, roofing, pools, parking, elevators etc.
  
  
  2. Whether or not the unit you are interested is overdue on any common expense payments.
  
  
  3. Reveals any liens against the unit you are considering.
  
  
  4. Provides you with detailed accounting of the most recent audited financial statements and budget of the condominium corporation.
  
  
  5. Indicates whether there are any special assessments or legal actions involved with the condominium corporation or with the unit.
  
  6. Includes a list of the Board Members of the condominium corporation.
  
  
  7. Whether or not there are any increases in the monthly fees being contemplated.
  
  
  8. A copy of the condo corporation's 'Declaration'. The declaration is the legal document that creates the condo corporation. In it you will find a description of the boundaries of your unit and the percentage used for calculating the specific montly expenses/fees for your unit. It will also contain any obligations that affect the use of your unit.
  
  
  9. The Bylaws of the condominium corporation. The bylaws will outline the organizational and administrative functions and duties of the Board of Directors and the Condominium Corporation. They will also provide a structure for the calling of owner's meetings and for the election of members to the Board of Directors.
  
  
  10. All condominiums have a set of 'Rules and Regulations'. These will also be included in the status certificate.
  Condo rules and regulations set out the standards of behaviour for the condo community.
  They will cover such things as the day to day use of the common elements and also of the individual units.
  Some condominiums do not allow pets or limit the type and size of pets. If this is the case, it will state so in the rules and regulations.
  There are various other stipulations that will be found in the rules and regulations and it is very important for you to review them prior to making a firm offer to purchase.

Your REALTOR® will set out a certain amount of time (usually 10 days), in the offer to purchase, for you and your lawyer to review the status certificate. This is set out in the form of a condition,
thereby allowing you to rescind your offer should you or your lawyer find something of concern when reviewing the status certificate.

For Further Reading:

Buying a Condominium in Oakville, Mississauga or Burlington - Important Things You Need to Know - Part One.

Buying a Waterfront Condominium in Oakville.

If you are considering buying a condominium in Oakville, Mississauga or Burlington and would like a complete list of condominiums currently available for sale that meet your needs/desires,
contact Jo-Anne Smith.

©2009JoSmith