"That's the passion part of what I do - antiques, home restoration and hands-on construction. I've built a business that weaves all of these things together," says Brad. He and wife Brenda Ball operate the business out of a neatly restored and repurposed building in the village of Spencerville, a community where Brad's parents once ran an antique shop.

Hubbard & Co. employs 22 dedicated and talented staff. The 4,000-sq.-ft. showroom is filled with fine furniture, arts and more. The motto is "We Build, Restore, Furnish & Maintain Fine Homes." The company provides in-house design services and works with a number of outside professional firms. Hubbard & Co. acts as a general contractor and executes masonry, carpentry, painting and finishing. It has a fully-equipped workshop in Spencerville where they make furniture and millwork.

Since opening in 1981, Brad says he has completed close to 50 whole-home restorations and has worked on 100s of other houses. His company has built 6 early-Ontario replica homes. A recent  restoration project is the 1838 Battle of the Windmill Parks Canada historic site in Johnstown. The $373,000 upgrade includes repairs to masonry, windows and doors to curtail water infiltration as well as improvements to the picnic area, grounds and trail to the river. The reopening is set for July 1st.

Some of Brad's clients include the National Capital Commission, the St. Lawrence Parks Commission and the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Brad has worked hard to build a business with a solid foundation. He has twin boys, Kirk and Neil, who are both studying in the field and working at the company. Brad hopes to see them enjoy the next chapter of the business.

Learn more about this unique Leeds Grenville business by visiting their Facebook page and their website. You can call them at 613-658-2100 or send them an email.

Representatives of tourism-related businesses are being asked to complete a survey.

To learn more background on Ontario's tourism labour shortages and to complete the survey go to the TIAO 

link here. A final report will be released this fall.

"The gardens are simply beautiful, unique, well designed and educational," Garden Trail Co-chair Dave Cybulski told the crowd gathered May10th at the Rideau Woodland Ramble, one of 14 host gardens on the trail and the 2015 recipient of the Garden Centre Destination of the Year Award.

"I can tell you I talk about this trail a lot," said guest speaker Michel Gauthier, Executive Director of the Canadian Garden Council and Ontario Garden Tourism Coalition board member. "You've come together and taken it to a whole new level," he said to organizers and host gardeners of the Trail's highly successful inaugural year in 2015.

Joining the tour this second season are the Diane and Keith Haskins Garden in Portland; the Norgaard Garden in Kemptville; A Labour of Love Garden in Oxford Station; the Ivy Lea Club in Ivy Lea; and Wilstead Manor Gardens near Gananoque. 

The nine gardens who opened their doors and backyards to hundreds of guests from around the world are returning this season as well. Laurie and Ed Wight, creators of Chillane Gardens near Mallorytown, called the first Trail season a "wonderful experience."

"I learned so much from the people who came through our garden and we made many friends," Laurie said, adding they had visitors from as far away as Australia and Poland.

Dave Dunn, of Rideau Woodland Ramble, and Mary Ann Van Berlo, of Van Berlo Gardens, outlined how the inaugural Trail had an immediate economic impact with increased visitation and expenditure on overnight stays, shopping, dining and garden centre products. 

The Trail gardens each attracted between 300 to 650 visitors, including a growing number of groups arriving by bus. Several bus tours have booked for 2016, including a Quebec group bringing a travel writer and staying four nights and five days.

Hours vary from garden to garden. Learn more about the gardens on the 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail by visiting our Leeds Grenville website. Brochures are available at all gardens and regional tourism centres.