"The main thing is the history of Utterson,” says Joe Pascall. Once a hub of railway activity, now just a whistle blow on the route past, the Village of Utterson can be found west off of Hwy. 11 between Huntsville and Bracebridge. And this is a village of close neighbours and proud roots.
A long-time resident, Pascall knows a thing or two about Utterson’s past. He’s lived in the area for most of his life, and his family has been in Utterson for generations. His grandfather, John (Jack), was the last blacksmith to work in the village. “He stopped doing it in the mid-1930s because there weren’t enough horses around any more,” he said.
In 1886 a railroad station was built in Utterson, providing both passenger and freight service. Prior to that it had been a natural stopover between other Muskoka destinations and ourished serving the needs of those passing by. Two hotels popped up and at one point the village boasted three general stores, one of which still remains and now includes a café and where you can pick up a fantastic slice of pizza, by the way.
Today the village is a small but mighty epicenter of activity, complete with a community hall and thriving senior’s group. “Physically, Utterson is just a crossroads with a post offi ce, a general store, a church and one or two downtown businesses,” says Linda Ann Jewell, who has lived in the area since 1983.
“There is a real crux of the old guard here that work together. They work hard to provide opportunities for this little community, in terms of recreation, and the hall board is very active and that’s quite a thriving enterprise,” she said. The Utterson Community Hall Board is dedicated group of volunteers who spend their time helping out with events at the hall, holding fundraisers and planning for upcoming improvements needed to keep the hall in great condition.
Pat Lee is a member of the board, and spent most of her childhood in Utterson. She in life. For over 20 years she has worked at the Utterson Post Offi ce, which means she’s gotten to know many faces around town. “I feel if you live in a community you should be involved in it,” she says matterof- factly of her volunteerism. “I do enjoy it. Even if I get tired, I do. When I get tired I still would do it just because that’s how I feel about a community.”
Attached to the community hall is the Utterson Live Wires centre. The Live Wires are a group of about 35 seniors in the community with a wide variety of weekly and monthly activities as well as charitable causes, that keep them busy all year.
Weekly meetings that last all day and include card games and a turn on the group’s Nintendo Wii make up a large part of a Live Wire’s routine, but there’s also computer lessons — offered free of charge to anyone in the community — monthly craft workshops, euchre nights, potluck dinners, pancake breakfasts and an annual penny sale to keep the group busy, says current president Carol Awrey.
The club also has large fundraising drives for charities like the Salvation Army and the hospital foundation, and they also try to regularly contribute to the upkeep of the community hall. “We’re a small-knit community. Very friendly, and you still have the wonder of the bush and the benefi t of very good friends,” says Awrey of the place she’s called home since the mid-1990s.