Since Dave and Ruby Ollerton moved to Porquis from the Owen Sound area just over a year ago, they’ve become the official lost and found for the domed skating rink.
Dave says they walk their elderly dogs a couple times a day, and love the sound of a puck bouncing off the boards, or a late-night game of shinny. It’s on those walks that they find those misplaced items, mostly mitts and hats.
“We were parents of three girls and I think sometimes in the distraction of putting your kids in the car and probably making sure they’re clean with COVID rules,” he remarks, “a lot of clothing gets left behind. So I usually just put it in one area so people can see it if they happen to drive by.”
Dave also posts photos on Facebook and says people will message him to ask him to hang on to the items for them.
In addition that, the Ollertons are also the unofficial clean-up crew.
Dave says he and Ruby love Porquis and its beauty, but the garbage strewn around the area of the rink detracts from that.
“You know, it’s a little frustrating at times that there’s stuff in the parking lot people have thrown out of their vehicles. There’s two garbage cans. There’s a recycle bin, so sometimes the stuff is ten feet away from the garbage cans, which is a little frustrating.”
As a newcomer, Dave says he’s hesitant to point out the garbage problem. But sometimes something as small as that can give a negative connotation to a community he and Ruby love.
