Mick Jagger turns 70 on July 26. And as he takes to the stage during the Rolling Stones’ “50 and Counting” North American tour, he’s still wowing audiences with his performances. Check out this video of last Saturday’s duet on “Beast of Burden” in Las Vegas with 28-year-old Katy Perry.

With that in mind, you never know what to expect when they ask a bunch of “seniors” to get on stage and strut their stuff. Senior Star is a talent competition open to anyone 65 years and older and a Canadian resident. Contestants get five minutes on-stage to sing a song, play an instrument, or do both. (Not to mention throwing in a little dancing as the spirit moves them. Check out Maggie Viveen’s tap interlude:)

Now in its seventh year, the contest is holding local auditions, and while Senior Star is put on by “another” retirement community, you don’t have to be resident there to take part.

More music

Dale Murray at the 2011 finals.

Barry Gardner channels Nat King Cole at a local competition in Pickering.

Registration

These days, retirement might just be another word for your second career. And that can be rejuvenating, says Meaford’s Liz Scott.

Liz has long had a passion for music. And for the last 12 years, she’s brought musicians and audiences together at her home on Irish Mountain overlooking Meaford and the sweep of Nottawasaga Bay. (The 100th Irish Mountain House Concert is scheduled for July 27.)

“What I love about live music is that we can all sit together and experience something, but each person gets something different from a song or lyrics or melody,” says Liz “It speaks differently to everyone. The rewarding part is being able to enjoy myself and know that other people are experiencing something special and that I’ve helped to bring the musician and the audience together.”

Booking her non-profit concerts, along with her involvement as a judge and presenter with the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals, kept her in the thick of the folk music scene, and Liz would often informally recommend artists to other presenters and promoters. Gradually, she found herself being called on to program for-profit gigs, such as the Village Vibe series at the Village at Blue Mountain. She became manager for Canadian roots and blues artist Mark Reeves. And then she was asked to become Artistic Director for Ontario’s Eaglewood Folk Festival. All while continuing her career as a full-time teacher.

But a year ago, she decided to retire from teaching and take up music and artist promotion more seriously. “I decided after 25 years of teaching, I felt like doing something a little bit different,” says Liz. “And since my passion has been music for the last bunch of years, I thought I could do more to help bring music to people and help musicians.”

Before long, she’d also been recruited by Firebones Management, a major Canadian artist management company, and she now represents a number of acts, including Suzie Vinnick, Wendell Ferguson, David Celia, Rob Lutes and Steve Poltz, along with Reeves.

Liz Scott with husband, Rich Fletcher, left and Canadian icon Valdy.

The shift hasn’t been a total breeze, but Liz is enjoying her second career.

“It’s tough work,” says Liz, “and I still miss the kids at school and that part of my life. But it’s a brand new energy for me. The learning curve is really high, and it will take awhile to find my feet, but it’s exciting. It’s rejuvenating. It’s injected something different into my life.”

A few weeks back, Meaford’s mayor spoke to a group of seniors about developments which will help make Meaford even more attractive for retirees. Speaking to residents at the Meaford Long Term Care Centre, he cited the new medical clinic as a key factor in Meaford’s ability to attract new doctors to Meaford.

“We desperately need space for doctors.” he told the group. “The doctors that are here now have been with us for long time and they would like to retire.”

He also share information on Meaford Haven, noting its proximity to the new medical clinic.

“The Mayor also spoke about the Meaford Haven development that is proposed for land next to the proposed medical clinic,” says the article in the Meaford Express. “He said the Meaford Haven development is a large subdivision that will include up to 400 units. He said part of the development plan is a retirement facility similar to Seasons in Owen Sound.”

But while most people are excited about the new medical clinic, there have been grumblings about its location. We’ll take a look at those arguments next time.

Last November, a former Toronto couple began blogging about their real-life retirement in real time. By the time, they began their blog, Astrid and Peter Tobin had already moved from east-end Toronto to Kingsville, a small town on the north shore of Lake Erie, but they documented the path to their decision to escape the city and embrace a small-town Ontario retirement.

We’ve found their story interesting, in that it mirrors much of what we understand and have written here about a rich, rewarding retirement lifestyle.

When the Tobins started thinking about retirement, they took a hard look at their finances and realized that in order to remain in the home and neighbourhood they’d lived in for 12 years, they’d need to both get rid of their car and fully pay down their mortgage. Neither was an option. The alternative was to move out of Toronto, which was just too expensive a place in which to retire.

Starting to seriously think about retirement had been sparked by visiting retired friends in Bracebridge, Ontario and seeing the retirement lifestyle they were enjoying in a smaller Ontario community. So moving from the city already had attractions.

On top of that, they’d always seen their Toronto neighbourhood as having a small-town atmosphere, with shops and the Beach within strolling distance. They set out to find the same feeling in a smaller community.

Their priorities included affordable housing, a community on the water with a public beach nearby; proximity to a golf course; an active arts community; and walking distance to town. Hmmm, starting to sound familiar? You might as well describe Meaford Haven.

The Tobins’ search took them north to Muskoka, further north and east to the Ottawa area, and then along Lake Huron and over to Georgian Bay. They found Collingwood a great place, but not suited to retirees on their budget. (We wish we might have met them on their travels, and shown what Meaford Haven has to offer in a short while.) And in the end, they chose Kingsville, for all of the above reasons.

In their most recent post, they reveal how much they’re saving by living a small-town Ontario retirement lifestyle. Owning a more affordable house, along with other reduced costs, has freed up an additional $350 a month.

We’ll keep following the Tobins, and hope to hear more about their real-life retirement in small-town Ontario.

Now, we love Owen Sound. After all, this small city just 20 minutes from Meaford Haven offers a wealth of culture, dining, shopping, outdoor activities, golf, boating, fishing and… we could go on.

We just think that Meaford is better. In Meaford, you can be in Owen Sound in the time it takes to put on a kettle and brew a pot of tea. But you also have more intimate access to Georgian Bay, which embraces a large part of the town; you’re in the centre of a golfer’s paradise, with Lora Bay less than 10 minutes down the road, and many more courses to the East; you’re nicely situated between the larger centres of both Owen Sound and Collingwood, so you can take your choice; and you’re closer to Blue Mountain Resort, the Village and all it offers. That’s to name just a few things. Meanwhile, you get all this while enjoying the quiet setting of a true small town Ontario retirement community.

Having said that, we do want to point out that the Owen Sound (which means Meaford) area has been recognized by MSN.com as Canada’s top retirement location.

Among the reasons cited are “great access to boating and fishing”, affordable homes, and proximity to Toronto. They also mention that it’s home to the Springfest 55+ Games (for ages 55 plus).

Our secret tip: get access to all that while living in a better location and environment at Meaford Haven.

Forgive us if there’s a tone of pronouncement in our headline, but we’re pretty excited about what’s happened over the last month or so, and about what the coming months will bring. Meaford Haven’s Three-Seasons Retirement Community is moving rapidly closer to seeing the first spade in the ground, and realizing this unique retirement community vision.

It’s been a painstaking process to take that vision from the initial idea to reality, and it has required a big investment of time, money and energy during the last two years. In order to have the property ready for a builder to actually begin work, we needed to clear three hurdles. We’ve now cleared two of them, and on Monday, we look forward to hearing good news from Meaford Council on the third and final step.

First off, Meaford Haven needed to obtain an amendment to Meaford’s Official Plan to change the land-use designation on the property to accommodate the retirement community we envisioned, and to slightly reduce the size of the area designated for commercial use along the area fronting on Highway 26. The amendment was approved last fall.

Next, Grey County needed to approve Meaford Haven’s Draft Plan of Subdivision, which creates the blocks and sets conditions for development. Last month, just before Christmas, the county recognized that Meaford Haven had addressed any concerns brought forward, and approved the Draft Plan of Subdivision. With the appeal period finished and no further action, this Plan is in full force.

Finally, on Monday, Meaford Council will be presented with the zoning bylaw amendment, which defines more detailed conditions on the various blocks, and sets the stage for a builder to begin work on the Meaford Haven property.

We look forward to celebrating completion of this third and final step, and we’ll share the news on this and upcoming developments with you here.

A recent article in the Globe and Mail by Robert McLister reports that almost 25 percent of baby boomers aren’t really that concerned about paying off their mortgage by the time they retire. The article says that, currently, about a quarter of Canadian homeowners continue to carry a mortgage into retirement – and that more than half expect that to be the case.

Mr. McLister points out the risks this attitude carries – including the chance that rising interest rates down the road may turn a manageable monthly expense into something that will quickly cut into the fixed, more modest income you’ll have in your retirement years.

While he suggests that for many, carrying a mortgage into retirement may not be that big a deal – if you are worried about being caught unprepared, you can take certain steps to avoid the risks.

These include working longer; getting a fixed rate mortgage with at least a five-year term; extending your amortization to 30 years; or starting to pay down your mortgage while you’re young. (Unfortunately, baby boomers who haven’t already taken the last bit of advice can’t really take it now.)

While this is all sound advice, Mr. McLister fails to point out another solution. By downsizing (or right sizing) or moving to a less expensive real estate market (or doing both), you can eliminate your mortgage and discover a more enjoyable lifestyle in which to enjoy your financially liberated retirement years.

We just thought we’d point that one out.

The Fall/Holiday issue of OUR HOMES Southern Georgian Bay features a group of retirees who have made this area their retirement home sweet home.

One of the questions the editors asked the Georgian Bay retirees was, “Why here?” Here’s a sampling of their answers.

Originally, weekenders in the area, Chris and Norma Desjardins appreciated a small-town rhythm a world away from the city, yet within two hours of Toronto. “It’s a great convenience to have relatively easy access to Toronto when we feel the pull of the big city,” they told OUR HOMES. “But for day-to-day living, life in a small friendly community with a broad range of activities is hard to beat.”

Margaret and Norbert Pirk echoed the sentiment. “In Southern Georgian Bay we’re part of a year-round, active community with all the amenities one could desire, but close enough to Toronto for the occasional city fix,” they told the editors.

Lee Rosenzveig mentioned loving the natural environment and the pace of life here, and Pete Russell explained that he and his wife moved here to pursue the outdoor activities that abound in Southern Georgian Bay. Pete, who’s cycled all over the world, finds the local roads and hills and vistas, “one of the best areas I have ridden in.”

Dave and Myrna Bumstead are local Meaford retirees, so choosing the area wasn’t a factor. But they do emphasize the activities they enjoy, including snowshoeing bush trails minutes from their retirement community. And Karen and Richard Pettit count golf, cycling, motorcycling, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing – and the arts – as enjoyable local attractions.

What’s your reason? If you haven’t yet visited, it’s time to discover what your retirement lifestyle can be like.

Back in 2007, Stephen Lewis, Canada’s former UN ambassador and the former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, spoke at Meaford’s United Church about the plight of grandmothers in many sub-Saharan African countries.

With AIDS rampant in many countries, these women have stepped in to care for their orphaned grandchildren – sometimes caring for as many as 10 to 15 in one household. One estimate suggests that 40 to 60 percent of orphans live in grandmother-headed households. After burying their own adult children, and often with little support, they do their best to care for and raise the children. “They display astonishing reserves of love, courage and emotional resilence, even while grieving the loss of their own adult children,” says the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s website.

The Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign had stepped in to provide support for these women, raising funds to invest at the community level – food, educational supplies, medical care, counselling, programs to help them become self-sufficent and more.

Hearing the stories, a small group of women in the audience that day decided to start their own local fundraising chapter, and Meaford Grannies was soon an active fundraising group.

Meaford Grannies holds a number of fundraisers every year, including a garage sale, plant sales, and a slient auction, and they welcome new members to help run the events.

If you’re looking for a worthy cause to get involved with during your retirement, this might be it. Becoming a Meaford Granny is easy – just let them know. (In fact, you don’t have to be a granny – or even a woman – to be part of the effort.)

Your help to raise local funds will have a huge impact on African grandmothers in these difficult circumstances.

For more information, call Sandy Farrell at 519-538-4259.

Last week we mentioned Meaford’s Volunteer Fair, held as part of “Focus on Seniors” at Meaford Hall. Focus on Seniors also features a free speaker series directed at retirees, which kicked off at the Volunteer Fair with a talk on volunteering. Tomorrow, the series continues with an introduction to genealogy packed with tips and ideas to get your started on exploring your family tree. Carole Stuart, Coordinator of Local History and Genealogy at the Collingwood Public Library will fire you up with practical advice on how to take the first steps to discovering more about your family’s past.

Every second Wednesday (with a short break over Christmas) at 1 p.m. – right up until April 17 – you can meet with others at Meaford Hall to enjoy a social gathering, light refreshments and stimulating talks.

Upcoming topics include how to avoid the “winter blahs”, financial advice, and intriguing presentations on everything from our local apple and agri-industry to one writer’s case for the theory that ancient Celts visited Ontario.

Get the full schedule here. (Click on “Learning, Fitness and Fun”.)

If you need accessible transportation, simply call the Hall Box Office at 519.538.0463 to book a free ride.