IN YOUR BACKYARD SUMMER GIVEAWAY

Inspired by our In Your Backyard virtual series, the Huron County Library and Ontario’s West Coast have partnered to present a summer giveaway you don’t want to miss! Explore the hidden gems found in your backyard for a chance to win a Huron County weekend get-away valued at over $1,400. To enter, download your entry sheet or pick up a copy from your local branch, and visit 10 or more hidden gems found across the County, answering  a question specific to each location. Answers can be found at each location and written beneath each photo. And don’t forget to share photos of your journey across the County this summer tagging @HuronCountyLibrary and @OntariosWestCoast on social media. Entries are limited to one per person and must be dropped off at any Huron County Branch location or emailed by noon on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Please review full contest rules below.

PRIZES

The In Your Backyard Summer Giveaway Grand Prize will be drawn Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, and is valued at over $1,400. The prize includes:

  • A weekend retreat for two adults at the Benmiller Inn in a Deluxe Suite, featuring a King-size bed, seating area, kitchenette, two-person soaker tub, a dry sauna, a gas fireplace, a balcony overlooking the pond with breakfast and brunch in the mornings, accompanied by a couple’s massage, depending on availability, in our Petit Aveda Spa.
  • $125 Cowbell Gift Card, two VIP tour tickets, 1 Cowbell hat, and 1 Cowbell crewneck sweater
  • $100 gift certificate for Part II Bistro
  • Wine tasting at a local winery, including a bottle of your favourite to take home
  • Passes to visit the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, including Museum merch

Return your entries early to be entered into weekly prizes drawn each Friday starting Friday, July 22, 2022. All entries, including weekly winners, will be included in the grand prize draw:

Photo of Exeter's McNaughton Park

MacNaughton Park, Exeter

1-35 McNaughton Dr., Exeter

MacNaughton Park Scenic Gardens, located on MacNaughton Drive, offers seasonal floral and arboreal displays. Sit back and enjoy the view from the shaded gazebo or one of the many benches found throughout the winding paths of the garden park.

Photo of Brussels Fairy Door

Brussels Fairy Door Trail

445 Turnberry St., Brussels

Created by the Brussels & District Horticultural Society, the Fairy Door Trail is a free, outdoor, all ages activity. Let your imagination run wild deciding who lives behind each door and what type of magic lives at that house. Over 50 fairy doors on 3 different trails.

Photo of Vanastra's Radome

Vanastra Heritage Trail

26 Toronto Blvd., Vanastra

Explore Vanastra’s rich past through its innovative Heritage Walking Tour. Learn more about the home of the former Air Force Base RCAF No. 5 Clinton – from the Radome, to the Radar & Communications School, and beyond!

Photo of Huron Historic Gaol Selfie Station

Huron Historic Gaol, Goderich

181 Victoria St. N., Goderich

Put yourself behind the bars at the Huron Historic Gaol’s Selfie Station! The Selfie Station features a recreation of the Gaol’s iconic iron doors and is a permanent structure available year round for visitors to share their visit to this National Historic Site. Touring the Gaol is also free with a Huron County Library card!

Photo of a wood carving of a lion in Lions Harbour Park Goderich

Lions Harbour Park, Goderich

 Intersection of West & Harbour St., Goderich

Throughout Lions Harbour Park you will find a number of unique chainsaw carvings – several of the characters being carved from trees that were damaged during the 2011 Goderich Tornado.

Photo of Clinton Light Tunnel at night

Clinton Light Tunnel

23 Albert St., Clinton

The heart of Clinton is alight, thanks to its newest permanent installation – the Light Tunnel! This attraction is modified with every holiday and season – and is the perfect backdrop for your Instagram photos!

Photo of Naftel's Creek

Naftel's Creek

79154 Bluewater Hwy., Goderich

This trails at Naftel’s Creek lead through mixed conifer plantations, hardwood and wetland areas – covering 49 hectares of beautiful forests altogether! Be sure to watch for trout as you cross the creek!

Photo of St. Joseph Heritage Park

St. Joseph Heritage Park

Intersection of Hwy. 21 & Zurich-Hensall Road, St. Joseph

St. Joseph Heritage Park shares the story of how the French Canadian settlement came to be; of the founder, Narcisse Cantin, “one of the most interesting and visionary men Huron County has ever produced,” and a monument to St. Joseph the Patron Saint of Canada

Photo of Reading Garden

Friends of Bayfield Library Reading Garden

18 Main St. N., Bayfield

In 2014, the Friends of the Bayfield Library, alongside the support of the community, created a beautiful, serene Reading Garden located behind the library – available to anyone visiting or living in the village.

Photo of Tiger Dunlop's tomb at Gairbraid

Gairbraid

80501 River Ridge Cres., Goderich

See stunning views of the Maitland River Valley from Gairbraid, the burial place of eccentric Goderich founder, Dr. William “Tiger” Dunlop. Located on the site where he planned to build a new estate called Gairbraid. Tip: Take the Tiger Dunlop Trail and enjoy the scenic viewpoints from the Menestetung Bridge and trail.

Photo of Alice Munro Literary Garden

Alice Munro Literary Garden

273 Josephine St., Wingham

The Alice Munro Literary Garden honours the work of Nobel-prize winning author and Wingham native. Tip: A self-guided walking tour of points of interest in the town of Wingham relating to Alice is available on the North Huron Township website.

Photo of Blyth Festival Art Gallery

Blyth Festival Art Gallery

431 Queen St., Blyth

In 1976, one year after the Blyth Festival began producing Original Canadian Theatre in Huron County, a committee of volunteers joined together to create a public art gallery as a complement to the Festival. This year due to Blyth Festival plays all being at the Harvest Stage, there will be a Community Art Showcase for the full summer.

Photo of sign at 150th Celebration Garden in Howick

150th Celebration Garden

45088 Harriston Rd., Gorrie

In honour of the 150th anniversary of Canada, this garden, which features a number of native plants was created. Many of the plants were chosen for supporting pollinators and providing food for birds. In addition, the garden has over 1000 red and white tulips!

Photo of Stevenson Tract

Stevenson Tract

41502 Morris Rd., Brussels

Explore a piece of Ontario’s reforestation legacy on the beautiful mixed forest trails of the 200-acre Stevenson Tract. Bi-sected by the Maitland River and the Sunshine Creek, the tract features prime fish habitat, some of the best hiking trails in the County, and “eskers” (gravel ridges left over from the last Ice Age!).

Photo of Balls Bridge

Your pick!

Share with us your favourite hidden gem in Huron County.

To learn more about all of the amazing gems found across the County, visit Ontario’s West Coast!

 

CONTEST RULES

  • The contest is open to residents of Canada over the age of 18 years old. Employees or volunteers of the County of Huron, or any affiliates and associates, such as employee and volunteer’s immediate family members and persons with whom such employees are domiciled are excluded from this contest.
  • The prize is not redeemable in cash and must be accepted as awarded. The prizes are locally sourced and valued at over $1,400.
  • Prizes will be drawn by random draw from eligible entries.
  • By claiming the prize, the winner authorizes the use, without additional compensation of their name, and/or likeness, and/or voice/photograph, and municipality of residence for promotion and/or advertising purposes in any manner and in any medium (including without limitation, radio broadcasts, newspapers and other publications and in television or film releases, slides, videotape, distribution over the internet and picture data storage) which Huron County Library and Ontario’s West Coast may deem appropriate.
  • In accepting the prize, the winner, and any guest(s), acknowledges that the County of Huron may not be held liable for any loss, damages or injury associated with accepting or using this prize(s).
  • The person(s) whose name(s) is chosen as being the winner(s) of the specific prize will be required to answer a skill-testing question before the prize is awarded to them.
  • Winners and any guests at the age of majority must sign a release form as prepared and accepted by the Huron County Library and Ontario’s West Coast acknowledging their acceptance and understanding of the complete contest rules.
  • Huron County Library and Ontario’s West Coast retain the rights, in its absolute and sole discretion, to make substitutions of equivalent kind or approximate value in the event of the unavailability of any prize or component of the prize for any reason whatsoever.
  • This contest is subject to all federal, provincial and municipal laws.
  • Huron County Library and Ontario’s West Coast reserves the right to withdraw or terminate this contest at any time without prior notice.
  • One entry per person.
  • All entries become the sole property of the Sponsors and none will be returned for any reason. Entries must be received no later than the end of the Contest Period. Entries will be declared invalid if they are late, illegible, incomplete, damaged, irregular, mutilated, forged, garbled or mechanically or electronically reproduced. No communication or correspondence will be exchanged with entrants except with those selected for the Grand Prize and weekly prizes.