Bare Oaks Blog

Early Payment Discount Deadline Approaching

2012-01-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

There are only a few days left to take advantage of the early payment discount. February 1st is the deadline for the 2012 early payment discount. You can save 2% for paying two months early. That's the equivalent of a 12% annual interest rate! Try to get that from your bank.

Members invoices were sent out in November and are all due by April 1, 2012. If you have not received your invoice, please contact the office ASAP to request another copy.

Court Ruling on Nudity

2012-01-12T23:05:00.000-05:00

The Federation of Canadian Naturist (FCN) just sent out the following announcement:

On Thursday, January 12th, the Ontario Court of Justice found Brian Coldin guilty on 4 of the 5 counts of "partial nudity that offended against the public order." (Section 174 of the Canadian Criminal Code) John Cropper who was a co-accused in one count was found not guilty. Mr. Coldin was sentenced to 24 months of probation and a $3,000 fine. Justice Douglas also dismissed the arguments that the anti-nudity statute was unconstitutional. Mr. Coldin is considering appealing.

While the 37 page ruling did not go in Mr. Coldin's favour, it did contain a number of opinions that favour naturists.

Under the act, nudity without a "lawful excuse" is only illegal if it either offends against (1) public decency or (2) order. Justice Douglas specifically found that mere nudity in public is not indecent. By his analysis, public nudity which does not risk public order would not be illegal.

In analyzing the Constitutional Arguments, Justice Douglas recognized naturism as a valid form of expression:

[161]"...The evidence is very clear that many people, call them naturists, find some fulfillment in the conduct of being nude, and, not simply in private, alone, but being nude in some form of quasi-public place, such as a naturist camp. For them, the conduct of public nudity is imbued with meaning; hence, expressive."

He further suggested that naturism would be meaningful enough to be protected:

[166]"In my view, if the prosecution before this court concerned the sort of public nudity engaged in by naturists, at, for example, Mr. Deschenes' private home or his privately owned, but open to the public, naturist park, the matter would be much different. The effect of this laws application in such a circumstance, in my view, would be somewhat analogous to regulating the behaviour of those who celebrate the Seder of Passover or the Eid al-Fitr of Ramadan in private homes, or the Christmas at midnight in a church, which, too, is privately owned by, effectively, the congregation, but nonetheless open to the public. Without putting too fine a point on it, many would feel far more comfortable in considering the conduct of Mr. Deschenes' naturists as protected expression akin to that given to recognized religious behaviour, than they would the conduct of those at swingers sex club or those engaged in a lap dance.[167]"In such circumstances, one could easily see the conduct as clearly expressive (and, with religious significance) and the law as oppressive thereof."

Justice Douglas also addressed a common concern of naturists who are either nude in their homes or backyards. Section 174(b) states that it is not only illegal to be nude public but it is illegal to be "nude and exposed to public view while on private property". Justice Douglas expressed strong concern that this part of the law reaches too far:

[197]"Thus, what the private reach of the legislation catches is non-indecent, private nudity, if exposed to public view, such as the individual walking from the shower, observable through the bathroom window, the individual getting out of bed, observable through another window, the individual walking to or from the hot tub or pool, visible because the fence or shrubbery is too low."[198]"Can it be said that the legislation as a whole or in part fails because it reaches for and restricts even private nudity, simply because that nudity, while on private property, is exposed to public view. I must admit to some significant concern with this aspect of the legislation. It very much does reach across the boundaries of private property, into, that is, the bedrooms and bathrooms, and backyards of all. It does impose obligations on persons in the very intimacy of their home to build literal or figurative walls to protect against the vision of those who choose to look into their homes. Not only must those who live in glass homes not throw stones, they must buy curtains. This strikes me as overreach."

But Justice Douglas declined to rule on the constitutionality of this section because it did not apply to any of the charges that Mr. Coldin was facing. However, his judgement presents a clear argument for any naturist who would be caught under 174(b).

You can read the complete ruling at: http://www.fcn.ca/download/Coldin.pdf

Winter Yoga

2012-01-06T12:46:00.000-05:00

Winter Yoga Schedule will run from January 8th to March 28th.

Classes will be held downstairs in the clubhouse on Sundays 12-1pm and Wednesdays 8-9pm.

Mat Rental: $2
Class: No charge but tips are appreciated

Nikki Lafrance, the instructor, is working towards her 200hr Teaching Certificate; and, she needs to practice teaching with a class of participants. The classes will be gentle and light-hearted. All levels welcome!

Here's an interesting article from Salon.com where a writer recounts her first experience in a coed naked yoga class.

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/06/my_naked_yoga_class/singleton/

Please contact the office before attending to confirm availability as well as the time and date. Non-members must also register in the office before closing time. (which is 6pm on most days)

Disclaimer: The yoga classes are provided by an independent individual. Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park only coordinates the arrangement and is not responsible for the service provided.

Bare Oaks is a photo of the year

2012-01-01T06:47:00.007-05:00

A picture taken by Mark Blinch for Reuters last summer has been selected as one of the National Posts' 25 oddest photos of 2011. As is often the case, we are lumped in with other "crazies". But the normality of the photo speaks for itself and should raise good questions in many people's minds.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/29/25-oddest-photos-of-2011/

Naturism in France

2011-12-28T14:34:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uo7iGK1Nwo

France is often regarded by naturists as the Mecca of naturism. While the naturist movement is generally considered to have started in Germany, the largest resorts are now found in France. The French government has a division of the tourism ministry whose purpose is only to promote naturist tourism. The naturist district in Cap d'Agde was created by the French government in the 1970's and now attracts over 40,000 people every summer. Millions of French citizens vacation every year in naturist resorts, clubs and beaches.

But as advanced as naturism is in France, it is also an example of how things can go wrong when commerce drives a movement's growth. For example, Cap d'Agde has been widely criticised over the decades for its lack of standards.

This video was originally broadcast on French TV in August of 2011. It is an excellent overview of the current state of naturism in France – both good and bad. It also provides a warning for the naturist movement in our own country. If we do not defend naturist values, those who exploit naturism will destroy the philosophy on which our movement was created.

The original show was in French only. This version has been enhanced with English subtitles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uo7iGK1Nwo

Act Naturally on DVD

2011-12-12T06:49:00.013-05:00

The producers of the movie Act Naturally have announced the pre-release sale of the DVD version.

http://ActNaturallyMovie.com/merch.html

So if you were there at the Fox Theatre on June 26th or saw the screening during the 2011 Naturist Festival, you can now have your own copy! (plus bonus material)

If you missed both screenings, then this is your chance to finally see it!

Please support independent naturist film by purchasing your own copy of this movie instead of duplicating it or downloading it.

15 Years of Equality in Topfree Rights for Women!

2011-12-09T11:37:00.000-05:00

Fifteen years ago today, on December 9th, 1996, the Ontario Appeal Court reversed the 1991 conviction of Gwen Jacob for indecency making it legal for all women in Ontario to be topfree. Jacob, at the time a university student, had walked bare-breasted through the streets of Guelph in July 1991 in order to protest the inequality of current law.

http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onca/doc/1996/1996canlii1119/1996canlii1119.html

On July 19, 1991, Gwen Jacob took off her shirt and walked home from the University of Guelph. She was charged with committing an indecent act. (Section 173 of the Criminal Code of Canada)

It was actually the second time that she had walked top-free in the City of Guelph during 33C weather. The first stroll only generated puzzled reactions. But on the second day, she ran into more opposition when she stopped to talk on Ontario Street. A Ms. Pettifer called the police after after Gwen Jacob refused her request to cover up. Another resident of that street, Ms. Snarr, expressed concern about the impact that bare breasts would have on her young children. The police asked Gwen Jacob to put on her shirt. They arrested her when she refused and charged her with committing an indecent act.

At the first trial in 1991, Ms. Pettifer testified that bare breasts were "disgusting" while Ms. Snarr said that it is "dirty" for women to expose their breasts. Gwen Jacob was found guilty and fined $75. In 1992, the Ontario Court's General Division upheld the ruling. But on December 9, 1996, the Court of Appeal for Ontario reversed her 1991 conviction and gave all the women of Ontario the right to be topfree.

You can hear Gwen Jacob tell her story on episode 28 of The Naturist Living Show.

Photo by Phillip Pessar

2012 Invoices

2011-11-25T17:07:00.003-05:00

If you are a member, you should have received by now the 2012 invoices that were mailed a week ago. They are not due until April 1st. This year, the rates have gone up modestly but if you take advantage of the early payment discount, your rates will be the same as last year!

If you have not received your invoice, please contact the office to request another copy.

Winterizing Your Trailer

2011-11-09T06:20:00.000-05:00

Woodall's Family Camping Blog has a good article on how to prepare your recreation vehicle (RV) for the winter:

http://blog.woodalls.com/2010/10/winterizing-your-rv-a-step-by-step-time-proven-system-to-get-the-job-done-right

Photo by brentolson

Seasonal Water Off Monday

2011-10-27T17:17:00.000-04:00

We've held out as long as we could but frost is now a possibility at night. So we will be shutting down the seasonal water (Beckett Circle) on Monday, October 31st.

If you have a trailer, this is also the time to winterize it otherwise you may experience damage. If you need someone to winterize your trailer, please contact the office for recommendations.

But the clubhouse with its hot tub, saunas and fireplaces is open all year and members are most welcome to continue using the property and their trailers throughout the winter.

1961 Interview with Karl and Marlies Ruehle

2011-09-29T22:42:00.000-04:00

The call box at the entrance to Sun Valley Gardens circa 1964

Some people will have noticed that we have the old call box from Sun Valley Gardens hanging on the wall in the Bare Oaks office. The club had a significant impact on Ontario’s naturist scene. Almost every existing club in Southern Ontario (and a few that have since closed) in some way owe their existence to former members of SVG.

A 1961 interview with Karl and Marlies Ruehle, owners of Sun Valley Gardens, has been posted in the CBC's archives. They are being interviewed by a young June Callwood on CBC-TV's Close-Up.

http://archives.cbc.ca/lifestyle/living/clips/17573/

Note: the CBC archive can be very slow to load. Be patient.

Toronto Star Photo Slideshow

2011-09-21T17:27:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Star has picked up the Reuters photos and made them into a slide show:

http://PhotoGallery.TheStar.com/1056411

It includes some photos that were not in the Reuters Blog but were still taken by Mark Blinch from Reuters.

It has also been picked up around the world in places like the USA:

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/20/7859951-nudity-not-optional-for-photographer-at-naturist-camp-in-canada

Argentina:

http://www.misionlandia.com.ar/index.php/cultura/curiosidades/23786-la-practica-de-nudismo-comunitario-es-posible-en-canada.html

China:

http://news.ifeng.com/photo/hdsociety/detail_2011_09/20/9326344_0.shtml

Romania:

http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/lumea-vazuta-prin-teleobiectiv-sanctuar-nudist-946304.html

Vietnam:

http://www32.24h.com.vn/phi-thuong-ky-quac/cong-vien-khoa-than-tai-canada-c159a405068.html

World:
(17 editions, published in 10 languages across 13 countries)
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/217124/20110920/nudist-vacations-naturist-travel-naked-toronto-bare-oaks-family-naturist-park.htm

Reuters at Bare Oaks

2011-09-19T17:31:00.000-04:00

Mark Blinch, a photographer with the Reuters News Agency, contacted us in June about a project he was doing on "what it means to get back to nature, movements on how people find alternatives to cope with big city living, and what it means to our health when we are absent from nature." He wanted to know if he could explore the naturist movement in that context. We agreed and he spent a few days at Bare Oaks both as a participant and as a reporter. The fact that he took his time and tried it himself really shows in the resulting video:

http://blogs.reuters.com/photo/2011/09/19/naturism-these-images-contain-nudity/

These photos also become part of the worldwide Reuters photos library which means that when the media does a story about naturism, they may be using pictures of Bare Oaks with their article.

Mount Albert Family Fun Fest & Music Mania

2011-09-19T07:36:00.000-04:00

Mount Albert

Family Fun Fest & Music Mania

Saturday, September 24th

It's not a Bare Oaks event but it is an event in our community which we support. And it's a fun time!!
The village of Mount Albert is located about 5 km southeast of Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. Maps are available in the office.

FREE ADMISSION • FREE PARKING
Downtown Mount Albert (Community Centre)

FAMLY FUN FEST
Starts at 10 am
Bouncy Castle • Pony Rides • Pumpkin Decorating • Vendors • Festival Games & Crafts • Live Performances • Free “Test Drive Your Fitness” Classes • Story Time • Contests • Chaotic Exotic Animals • Demos & much more

MUSIC MANIA

Fuzian Pan-Asian Restaurant ~ Nayanna Parcher (Folk) 1pm-6pm, Ewan Dobson (Solo Guitar) 7pm
KristineA’s Family Restaurant ~ Karaoke by Elyse 8pm-11pm
Mad Hatter’s Bistro & Catering ~ Mose Stephenson (Folk/Country) 6pm-10pm
Mount Albert Legion Branch 382 ~ Steve Porter 5pm - 8pm
The Prince Albert Pub ~ (Performer TBC)

Visit www.MountAlbert.com

Members' Meeting

2011-09-18T21:53:00.000-04:00

Each year, there is pressure to hold the members' meeting as early as possible before some of our retired members head south. That always makes it difficult to effectively evaluate the past season which has barely finished. It also makes it challenging to announce plans for the next season so the projects and ideas are usually vague. To solve this, the members' meeting is being moved to the spring – likely in April. That way, we'll be able to be very specific about the plans for the summer and report much more accurately on the previous year. The change in timing shouldn't have any impact on anyone because individuals who have ideas, issues, concerns or questions bring can bring them up directly with us at any time. The office is staffed 358 days per year and we can also be reached by Phone, Email, Skype, Facebook, and Twitter. ...oh yes, and by old-fashioned postal mail too.

coffee as sunscreen?

2011-09-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

A recent Toronto Star article reported on a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It confirms previous evidence that caffeine helps prevent some skin cancers.

We all know by now that there is plenty of evidence that sunshine and vitamin D are very important to our health. (See the May 2010 blog post) But skin cancer remains a concern so treating the sun with respect is also important. But now it seems, that a cup of coffee prior to getting your sun exposure might be a key part too!

Other research has also linked coffee consumption to lowering the risk of colorectal and liver cancers, asthma, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

It's all about controlled dosage. Some sun is good for you, but too much is bad. And so is too much caffeine or too much alcohol. In all things, moderation!!

Restaurant Hours - September

2011-09-07T11:16:00.000-04:00

Given the popularity of the restaurant, we've extended the hours into the fall. In the past, the restaurant switched to weekend-only hours after labour day. But this year, for September, the Bare Bistro will be open:

Monday to Friday: 11 am to 3 pm
Saturday: 8 am to 8 pm
Sunday: 8 am to 3 pm

Of course, Liz is always happy to stay open a bit longer if the weather is good and there are customers around.

Visit www.BareBistro.ca for hours, menu, events and announcements.

Recent Film Shoot Rumours

2011-09-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Over the last week, several members have approached staff with disturbing rumours about the film that was shot at Bare Oaks on August 15th to 17th. We really appreciate those members who took the time to find out the facts by asking us directly. To spread such rumours without even trying to check the facts would be malicious.

But in case anyone has heard the stories but hasn't had a chance to ask us yet, here are the facts:

Not porn
This is the most surprising part of the rumour. Given our clear position against pornography, it is dumbfounding that anyone would believe that we would allow it to be filmed at Bare Oaks.

We were told that the film would contain nudity and sexuality. That didn't seem shocking given that almost all movies and many TV shows contain "scenes with nudity and sexuality" these days. A person would have to be very old-fashioned to think that a movie with nudity or suggested sexuality is porn. Prime-time TV is full of shows with steamy love scenes. Nevertheless we sought and received assurances that any simulated sexuality would be not be seen by visitors or members of the park because the set would be "closed". Clearly that didn't happen. Also the sexuality went further than we were led to believe. We are very sorry for anyone who was offended. That will not happen again.

Not produced by Bare Oaks
We had nothing to do with the film. Our location was simply rented by the production company. While Bare Oaks earned over $5,000 for the 3 days, it was not worth it in hindsight given the disruption to our visitors and members.

Not set at Bare Oaks
After the contract was signed, we learned that the movie was actually set in a "nudist colony". But this location is completely fictitious. Bare Oaks will not be associated in any way with the film. We will not even get a credit.

Content was a surprise
Despite receiving some general verbal descriptions of the movie in advance, the actual content was a surprise. Unfortunately, the script only became available after the contract was signed.

The film crew and cast lacked discretion
We were assured by the producer that when they were filming the "simulated sexuality", it would be shielded from the view of the park's visitors and members. Clearly that didn't happen and we are very disappointed. We apologize to anyone who was offended.

More disruptive than expected
Only small areas of the park were supposed to be used at any one time and generally during off-peak hours. However, the reality is that they used more space than expected and took longer than suggested. For this reason alone, we would be unlikely to rent our facilities again as a film location unless we had more specific commitments and restrictions. We are very sorry for the inconvenience.

We learn from our mistakes
If we decide to rent out our facilities for a film shoot again (and that is a big "if") we will insist on reviewing the script prior to signing the contract. We will not depend on verbal descriptions. We will also be more involved in the scheduling of the filming to ensure minimal disruptions.

This was our second time renting out Bare Oaks as a location. Our first experience in 2009 was a lot of fun and worked out really well. (see: http://www.blog.bareoaks.ca/2009/11/growers-cider-nude-ads.html)

Mini Golf

2011-08-16T17:41:00.011-04:00

The new mini-golf is now open!

Everyone is welcome to play. Putters and golf balls are available in the office.

This was not a Bare Oaks undertaking. Rather, it is the fulfillment of 3 years of dedication and perseverance by several Bare Oaks members who wanted to create a project that would enhance their park.

Paul, one of the main organizers, tells the story as follows:

The idea germinated during discussions between members during the summer of 2008. Fundraising started September 2008 and ran through May 2010. The money was raised though numerous dances and casual meals offered by members over the winter seasons. The fundraising effort was managed by Gord & Colleen, Stony, and Liz & myself. We raised over $6,500 for the project with all but $480 currently spent on materials. The remaining funds will be used to complete the finishing touches.

During this period, additional funds beyond the $6,500 were allocated for the fire pit in Beckett Circle, lighting for that area plus replacement of the lights on the bridge to Strawberry Fields.

Construction began in May 2010 with the removal of the sod, followed by the limestone being brought in during June and the frames built through the end of the season. The buildings that are there today were built by high school students under the direction of their shop teacher, a member of Bare Oaks, throughout the school year 2010-2011. The main construction began this spring and was completed the week of the FCN Festival. There are still tasks to be done but it is now usable.

Stony with assistance from Larry removed the top level of sod from the site. Bob and Stony moved all of the limestone from the parking lot to the site and did the rough levelling. Dave volunteered his students to build the four structures we currently have using materials that we supplied. Most of the construction was handled by Stony and myself. We had assistance over the last four months from Marc & Suzy, Kim & Wendy, Bruce, Steve, Marc, Dave, Ulli, Kevin, Melissa, Marianne, and Rosie. I think that is everyone, although it is possible I may be overlooking a person or two who contributed. I apologize to anyone who was missed. It was not intentional.

So to everyone who contributed either financially or through your sweat and toil (or both!) a very big thank you!! All the members and visitors, both present and future, will certainly appreciate your hard work.

August Events

2011-08-09T18:20:00.011-04:00

The 2011 Naturist Festival by the FCN & FQN was a huge success!! Fantastic weather ensured that hundreds of people attended and participated.

The festival itself is over but there are still many events scheduled for August! Some of the events are organized by Bare Oaks but most of the events are done by the members either through the Bare Oaks Social Committee or the Bare Bistro.

Euchre Night - August 12
Horseshoe Tournament - August 13
Country & Western Hoedown - August 13
Bare Olympics - August 20
BOSC Breakfast Reception - August 21
Lee Baxandall Memorial Volleyball Tournament - August 26 – 28
Easter in August – August 27
Pétanque Tournament - September 3
Illumination Night - September 3
Chili Cookoff/Pot Luck Dinner - September 4

Plus, drop-in Volleyball Games every Saturday & Sunday at 2pm.
And Yoga classes every Thursday and Saturday.

How to keep up with events

Look at our online calendar at: http://www.bareoaks.ca/index.php/en/events.html

Get event reminders (4 days ahead of time) via Twitter: http://twitter.com/BareOaksPark

Subscribe to the calendar:
We use Google Calendar to publish Bare Oaks’ Event Schedule. This gives you a great deal of advantages. You can subscribe to our calendar and it will then be included in your own calendar. Events will be automatically updated. You can also add specific events to your calendar or subscribe to event reminders. For more information, go to http://www.google.com/intl/en/googlecalendar/overview.html

If you have an ICS/iCalendar enabled calendar program (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Calendar or Apple iCal) you can subscribe to the calendar and have Bare Oaks events automatically added. The calendar address is:
http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/422s6e12r8dfkjbqa50drkbmks%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

20th Anniversary of Gwen Jacob's Topfree Walk

2011-07-19T04:33:00.004-04:00

Twenty years ago today, on July 19, 1991, Gwen Jacob took off her shirt and walked home from the University of Guelph. She was charged with committing an indecent act. (Section 173 of the Criminal Code of Canada)

It was actually the second time that she had walked top-free in the City of Guelph during 33C weather. The first stroll only generated puzzled reactions. But on the second day, she ran into more opposition when she stopped to talk on Ontario Street. A Ms. Pettifer called the police after after Gwen Jacob refused her request to cover up. Another resident of that street, Ms. Snarr, expressed concern about the impact that bare breasts would have on her young children. The police asked Gwen Jacob to put on her shirt. They arrested her when she refused and charged her with committing an indecent act.

At the first trial in 1991, Ms. Pettifer testified that bare breasts were "disgusting" while Ms. Snarr said that it is "dirty" for women to expose their breasts. Gwen Jacob was found guilty and fined $75. In 1992, the Ontario Court's General Division upheld the ruling. But on December 9, 1996, the Court of Appeal for Ontario reversed her 1991 conviction and gave all the women of Ontario the right to be topfree.

You can hear Gwen Jacob tell her story on episode 28 of The Naturist Living Show.

Telling People About Naturism

2011-07-03T10:09:00.000-04:00

You want to tell your friends, family and co-workers that you are a naturist. But you don't want to make a big announcement and you're not sure how to bring up the subject. After all, it's a natural thing to do and isn't a big deal.

Here's the solution. Get yourself the Bare Oaks mug and just casually drink your morning coffee in it. Or just leave it laying around. It's bound to generate some questions. The cartoon nature of the image makes it relatively inoffensive. The variety of ages, genders, and types of people shows that naturism is for everyone.

Of course, make sure you are ready to answer all the inquiries. Here are most of the typical questions that textiles ask:

You can purchase the Bare Oaks Mug at the park or order it from the Bare Boutique online.

The Movie Stars are Coming!

2011-06-22T08:59:00.001-04:00

The movie stars are coming! Josh McVaney (Trevor Wilson) and Katie Hall (Leah Collins) will be at the Toronto screening.

As previously announced, J.P.Riley, the director, will be there. Maya Kuper, the sound designer, will also be there. Hollywood is coming to Toronto for the International Premiere of Act Naturally! At this point, no other screenings are planned outside of the United States.

Date: Sunday, June 26, 2011
Time: 5:00 p.m. EDT (clothing-free) & 7:00 p.m. EDT (clothing-optional)
Place: Fox Theatre, 2236 Queen Street East, Toronto

More info: http://tinyurl.com/ActNaturallyToronto

The deadline for advance tickets sales has been extended to June 24th.
https://register.beanstream.com/scripts/registration.asp?form=1208

Time is running out! Tell all your friends that this may be their only opportunity to see this movie. It almost certainly will be their only chance to see it clothes-free!!

Nude Movie Night in Toronto

2011-06-13T11:50:00.015-04:00

(Click here to download the Toronto movie poster)

Attend an advance screening, clothes-free, of the movie Act Naturally in Toronto on Sunday June 26, 2011.

Finally, a Hollywood movie about naturism that doesn’t exploit naturists! This indie film was produced over the last few years as their limited budget allowed. Previews such as this one are being organized around North America as fundraisers to help the producers to fund the final step of getting the film into theatre distribution.

Date: Sunday June 26, 2011

Time:
Two options:

Attendees for the 5pm show can stay free for the 7pm show if seating is available.

Meet the director! JP Riley will be attending the Toronto screening and answering questions between shows.

Clothes-check service: available on site

Rental towels:

$2/towel (limited quantities – first come, first served unless reserved in advance)
Free with advance ticket purchase

*You must have a towel to sit on so rent one or bring your own.

Advance Ticket Purchase (FREE Towel Rental Included)
https://register.beanstream.com/scripts/registration.asp?form=1208
(until June 20th)

Price:

19.95 Single adult
29.95 Two adults
Children under 18 with parents: free (Note: parental warning below)

Location:

Fox Theatre, 2236 Queen Street E., Toronto
http://foxtheatre.ca/
http://goo.gl/maps/T9Az

Movie Trailer:
http://www.actnaturallymovie.com/teaser.html

Behind-the-scenes Video:
http://www.actnaturallymovie.com/bts.html

Plot Outline:

When two estranged step-sisters learn of their father's untimely death on a business trip, they must travel cross-country to claim his remains. Upon arriving at their father's final destination, the girls are shocked to discover he had been leading a double life as the proprietor of a nudist resort. To top it off... this is their inheritance.

As the sisters' world continues spinning out of orbit, the resort staff takes them under their bare wing. Welcoming them to a world free of worries or clothes, the staff must convince them to keep the doors open. The girls face the ultimate decision: embrace their unlikely inheritance... or lay it, and their unanswered questions, to rest with their late father.

Parental Warning:

The Ontario Film Review Board has classified this movie as 18A – “Suitable for viewing by persons 18 years of age and older. Persons under 18 may attend but must be accompanied by an adult. May contain: explicit violence, frequent coarse language, sexual activity and/or horror.”

Please note that because the movie is for a short-run, it was rated by the board based on a description but without having being seen by the review board. As a result, the rating is likely more stringent than it would be if it had been screened. But having it screened would have cost significantly more money.

A parent’s personal review: Aside from the obvious nudity, there are adult situations & mature themes (smoking, drinking and drunken behaviour), language including multiple uses of the f-word, and sexuality (kissing, touching and off-screen/implied sexual acts).

Contact:
Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park
+1 (905) 473-6060
info@BareOaks.ca

Bare Bistro - Now Open Daily

2011-05-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

As of the Victoria Day weekend, the Bare Bistro is open 7 days a week again. The weekday host this year is Sabina. (pictured above) Weekday hours are 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. except for Friday when they are open until 8 p.m. On weekends and holidays, the Bare Bistro continues to offer extended hours that include breakfast.

As announced last year, Liz has continued to operate the Bare Bistro. Her friendly disposition and passion for quality food is very much appreciated by both members and visitors. As I'm sure you read last year, she even got positive reviews from the Globe and Mail and blogTO.

For this season, Liz has brought in a couple of new quality beer suppliers. Amsterdam Brewery, a Toronto based brewery, is supplying Natural Blonde Lager, Big Wheel (amber), 86 the calories (low calorie, light beer), KLB (Kawartha Lakes Brewing Co.) Raspberry Wheat Beer, and Nut Brown Ale (Smooth Dark Ale). McClelland Premium Imports is supplying a number of imported beers from Belgium and Austria. This includes Affligem Abbey Blond, Duvel, Erdinger Weissbier -Bavarian Wheat ale, Erdinger Weissbier "Dunkel" (Dark), Bavarian Wheat Beer, Fruili (Belgian White Beer and Pure Strawberries), Stiegl (100% barley malt. lager brewed in Austria) and Erdinger (Non-Alcoholic, isotonic drink free of chemical additives, fat & cholesterol, yet still has the distinctive, sparkling flavour of a wheat beer). Be careful, the Belgians like to brew strong beers! As high as high as 8.5% alcohol!!

For hours and menu, visit:

www.BareBistro.ca

Bare Oaks on CBC

2011-05-28T07:07:00.001-04:00

Naturism and Bare Oaks was the topic on the Friday May 27th edition of Q on CBC radio. Listen to the podcast version at: http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/qpodcast_20110527_67645.mp3

The naturist segment begins about 7 minutes into the show.

Yoga Classes

2011-05-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

Yoga classes will start this Saturday, May 28th and continue throughout the summer. They will take place in our freshened up Outback building in the Yogi Bare Studio.

The classes are being organized independently by Nikki Lafrance who is also the instructor. She is offering 3 one hour classes a week: Tuesday's class is gentle(1-2pm), Thursday's class is fun(8-9pm), and Saturday's class is energetic(11:30-12:30pm). The Daily Drop-In fee is $14 or you can purchase a 6 class package for $65. You can pay her directly or through the Bare Oaks office.

Nikki is a nurturing and compassionate teacher working towards her 200hr Teaching Certificate. She'd like to remind you that yoga is extremely beneficial for overall wellness and you can have fun no matter what fitness level you may be at!

Disclaimer: The yoga classes are provided by an independent individual. Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park only coordinates the arrangement and is not responsible for the service provided.

Pool is OPEN, Volleyball at 2pm

2011-05-20T15:19:00.000-04:00

This afternoon, the York Region Department of Health Inspector has given us the green light to announce that the pool is open!!

Since we've been heating it all week, the water is at a very comfortable 29ºC (84ºF). And with the sun finally shining on the solar collectors, expect that to keep climbing!

Also, the volleyball aficionados in the park have decided that every Saturday and Sunday at 2pm is volleyball time. Everyone is welcome to join in! Don't know how to play? That's OK, they'll happily teach you.

The Annoying Bare Oaks Website

2011-05-15T09:06:00.014-04:00

OK, that talking head that popped up every time we loaded the front page was getting annoying.

Plus some people complained that the unexpected voice at work was embarrassing – good point.

So we've revamped the page so that our spokesperson now walks on quietly carrying a sign that says "click to play video". When you do, then you get the discourse – but you've had fair warning.

So you no longer have to be afraid to load the web page while in your cubicle at work.

P.S. It only works if your system supports Flash. So it won't work on many phones ...or the iPad or iPhone because Steve Jobs doesn't like Flash.

Volunteer Day - CANCELLED

2011-05-13T13:32:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately, we have decided to cancel Saturday's Volunteer Day due to the weather forecast.

All of the projects for this year were outdoors. Given the almost certainty of a large amount of rain in the forecast, it had become obvious that most projects would not be able to proceed. So the decision was made to cancel the event.

Thank you to everyone who was planning to volunteer! We are considering rescheduling to later in the season.

Note: As soon as the decision to cancel was made on Thursday afternoon, we posted it to the Twitter feed, on our Facebook page, and sent an email to the blog subscribers. Unfortunately, it was not possible to add a blog entry until Friday afternoon because Google's Blogger Service was having technical problems.

Status Updates via Twitter

2011-05-06T06:38:00.000-04:00

Occasionally, people have come to Bare Oaks and been disappointed because one of the amenities is unavailable due to maintenance issues. While we usually post notices in the clubhouse, you can't see that until you get there. So we needed a better solution. In this age of technology and instant communications, there are many options. The Bare Oaks Blog is best suited to important announcement and news items. We don't want to overwhelm everybody with a large number of minor blog postings. And not everyone wants to subscribe to another email list. So we've decided to use Twitter to provide status updates.

The short messages you get on Twitter (maximum 140 characters) are quick to read. Plus you can get Twitter updates (a.k.a "tweets") online, via email, or on your phone.

So subscribe to our Twitter feed for status updates, notices of new blog posts, and event reminders.

Twitter.com/BareOaksPark

Pocket Towel

2011-05-02T09:24:00.001-04:00

Zippered storage pocket

We've had a steady number of requests at the Bare Boutique for a pocket towel to carry keys, money, etc... (Because as textiles love to point out, we naturists have no pockets!) Variations on the pockets towels have been sold in the past by the FQN, FCN and, most recently, the Nudist Store. Unfortunately, none of these options are still available.

Then last fall, we found this incredibly functional towel. It took the pocket towel well beyond what anyone had seen before!

Slides over back of chair

Folds into a bag

So we brought in 10 towels to gauge the interest. And they sold out within a week! Since then we have brought in 2 more small shipments and sold most of them too. That's impressive given how little traffic the store gets in the fall and winter. As a result we made sure we had a more significant inventory for the upcoming summer season.

The one difference is that the latest model we carry is terry cloth instead of velour. It is identical in every way except that the price is $10 less. And customers have told us that they prefer the weight, feel, and absorbency of terry towelling.

Pocket Towel Features:

Pockets on the sides

Folds into a multifunctional beach bag
Terry Towelling finish
213 cm (84") long - 100% terry towel cotton
Top pocket slides securely over back of lounge chair
Three pockets either side
Separate iPod/MP3 player pocket with loops
Zippered storage pocket
Ties to secure to the lounge chair

Embroidery Option

The towel is available with a 10cm x 12cm Bare Oaks logo embroidered in a complimentary colour on the bottom zippered pocket for $9 more. Please note that this option adds about a week to the delivery time.

You can also have your name embroidered on the towel for an additional $4. That way there will not be any confusion as to which towel belongs to you. Like the logo embroidery, this option will add about a week to delivery time.

The Pocket Towel at the Bare Boutique

http://www.BareBoutique.ca/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=221

Used Trailers for sale

2011-04-30T10:03:00.009-04:00

There is a great demand for trailer sites at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. There 14 members on the waiting list for a year-round campsite.

But rest assured that we will continue to keep 25 sites for short-term use. That way, everyone gets a chance to spend a weekend or their vacation at the park.

But if you want a year-round campsite, there are ways to get there faster.

(1) Members who take an unserviced spot (no water, no electricity) get priority on the waiting list.

(2) Members who buy an existing used trailer with a campsite through the office get to keep the site. There are a few trailers currently for sale. We expect a few more to become available in the next month. There are several ways to keep track of what is for sale:

Keep checking this webpage
Subscribe to this RSS Feed
Get Email Updates by submitting your email address here
Check the bulletin board outside the office

(3) Finally, we occasionally make a larger, premium site available to the first person who purchases a new trailer through one of our preferred trailer dealers. That situation has just presented itself with site #105 in Helios Circle. It is a large site with year-round water, sewer connection and 100 amp electrical service. It is currently occupied by a unit that will be leaving. The site is available to the first person who commits to purchasing a new, peak-roofed, park model trailer from one of our preferred trailer dealers. If you are interested, please contact the office.

Drinking Water

2011-04-15T07:38:00.003-04:00

Our water is drinkable!

Until now, we could not say that our water was safe for drinking. That's despite the fact that it was filtered, chlorinated, and tested daily for adequate chlorine & weekly for lack of pathogens. Since the Walkerton tragedy of E. Coli contamination in May 2000 that lead to 7 deaths and thousand of illnesses, the regulations for drinking water have become incredibly rigorous in Ontario. (some say excessively so)

But after several years of work and many thousands of dollars in expenses, we now meet the regulations! So rest assured that you can safely drink the water at Bare Oaks. Two wells supply water into our treatment and distribution equipment. The system is registered and inspected by the government and must meets very strict standards. The water is filtered, disinfected with UV light, chlorinated and tested daily for adequate chlorine. Further tests are conducted periodically, by an independent laboratory, to ensure the absence of a multitude of biological and chemical substances. The system was designed and certified by an engineer. Finally, it is operated and monitored by people who have been trained and accredited.

Photo by Maja_Larsson

Video Tour

2011-04-08T08:09:00.001-04:00

We have introduced a video tour of Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. A TV with 4 headphones has been installed in the office to show the video to visitors.

There are many reasons for the video:

Do a better, more consistent job of giving a tour
Provide a more complete look at the park and its activities regardless of weather or season
Include information about the philosophy behind naturism
Give tours to everyone – in the last two years, we have been getting so many visitors that we just didn't have the staff to give a tour to everyone
Stop touring clothed people around the park – we have received a number of complaints about this. One person said it best: "it is starting to feel like a zoo and we're the animals on display"

Of course, you don't just have to be a visitor. Everyone is welcome to view the video. Just stop by the office and ask!

Theatre Au Naturel

2011-04-01T13:30:00.003-04:00

On the penultimate day of Toronto's Fashion Week, the fashionable thing to wear to the Theatre Passe Muraille was your birthday suit.

Thursday night's clothing-optional performance was a great success with a near-capacity audience of 133. The majority of crowd enjoyed the show clothes-free. Maev Beaty and Erin Shields, the performers and co-creators of the production who spend most of the show nude on stage, also enjoyed the event. After the show, they both commented that it "felt like a special event" and that they were "very excited for this performance." Erin added that "it was just wonderful… just people really generous… sitting there… enjoying the show… naked!" They were interviewed for the May episode of the Naturist Living Show and an upcoming article in Going Natural Magazine.

The show itself was excellent. Montparnasse has generally received good reviews. J. Kelly Nestruck of the Globe and Mail commented that "Montparnasse's chief pleasure comes from the well-honed stage chemistry between Beaty and Shields". The Torontoist said that the production "is an effective showcase for its two versatile performers, full of witty writing and beautiful moments, and to be commended for its attention to detail, both historical and topical." In Now Toronto, Glenn Sumi concluded that "the chief reason for visiting this Montparnasse, however, are the two actors, who slip into and out of their colourful characters as quickly, comfortably and confidently as they doff their clothes."

Unfortunately, the show only runs for about two weeks. Saturday April 2nd is the last performance.

The Globe and Mail published an article about this particular "theatre in the buff" performance where J. Kelly Nestruck commented that it was the first time he had "heard of a theatre inviting naturists to a special performance and – while I'm not entirely sure of the legality of it – why the heck not?"

Volunteer Day – Saturday May 14th

2011-03-31T20:03:00.001-04:00

Volunteer Day!

Saturday May 14, 2011

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Everyone is welcome! Lunch will be provided, free of charge, for all volunteers.

Non-members who volunteer will not be charged any day fees. (please register at the office)

We really appreciate the multitude of people willing to give up their time to make Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park a better place. While there are many people volunteering all year, this is the day we set aside for a massive volunteer effort to get things ready for the season. We are told that it is also a fun day that many people look forward to. There will be projects suitable for all abilities and levels of ambition.

Clothes-free theatre! Thursday, March 31st

2011-03-24T08:16:00.003-04:00

This performance is reserved for naturists and the audience will be NUDE!

Just $20/person ($10 discount)
TO OBTAIN THE SPECIAL PRICING, CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT 416.504.7529 AND QUOTE "NATURAL"

This is the story that reveals the naked truth.

Theatre Passe Muraille is enchanté to be home to the next stage of development for the SummerWorks smash hit, Montparnasse. Exposing us to the artists of the time, such as Jules Pascin, Henry Miller, Sylvia Beech, Kiki de Montparnasse, Chaim Soutine and the muses who inspired them, Montparnasse invites you to peek behind the canvas and discover the clandestine world of nude models in 1920s Paris. As Amelia & Margaret leave Canada to enter a world brimming with Bohemian writers and artists, they are engulfed by their desire for truth, passion and power.

Click here for the Facebook Event

http://passemuraille.on.ca/shows/2010-2011-season/montparnasse/

Please note: For the March 31st performance, clothing is optional while in the theatre. The lobby is a shared space and because of this people must remain clothed while in it. The bar is located in the theatre space, meaning refreshments and libations are available without leaving the theatre.

Memberships due April 1

2011-03-22T12:28:00.000-04:00

Spring is here, the days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, the sun's rays are getting stronger, and there's almost no snow left. That also means that memberships and site fees are almost due. Invoices were sent out in November with an April 1st due date. If you have not received an invoice, please contact the office immediately to ensure uninterrupted access.

As always, we take payments in a variety of methods and offer a monthly payment plan. If you have other problems or concerns, please contact us. We would be happy to try and work out alternatives.

Where to Eat Naked in Toronto

2011-02-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

Last year, members and visitors found Liz to be their favorite operator of the Bare Bistro to date. But it sees to be true for the media too! First it was the restaurant review by Ian Brown in the Globe and Mail. Today, there is an article in blogTO.

In their own words, "blogTO is a web site about Toronto written by a group of obsessed artists, musicians, photographers, politicos, advertising and media types, dancers, tech geeks, food lovers, aspiring film directors, fashionistas and people for the ethical treatment of animals." The website is popular with urban youth in Toronto and has 500,000 unique users and 2,100,000 page views per month.

www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2011/02/where_to_eat_naked_in_toronto/

It's funny that our restaurant is such a fascination to the textile world!

Over 100,000 podcast downloads!

2011-02-13T12:02:00.001-05:00

The Naturist Living Show has exceeded 100, 000 downloads (not hits or impressions) of the show! And that number to continues to grow every day and the rate of growth is also increasing. Here are a few facts about the podcast:

It is audio-only so only true naturists or those genuinely interested in naturism listen (we don't get downloads of the show from people just looking for nudity because there are no pictures)
Each download is many megabytes in size and the show is nearly an hour long so the involvement level is very high. (it's not just a 'hit' or 'impression')
Unlike a radio or TV show, the podcasts are available forever. Even the oldest episode is still growing in listenership as new people discover the show and catch up on the older episodes.
While there are no specific demographics available, the audience is obviously technologically savvy which suggests that they are well-educated and younger.
There are listeners from around the world. (18% Canada, 39% USA, 26% Europe, & 17% other)

The show website is at: NaturistLiving.BareOaks.ca. You listen on your computer at this website or you can subscribe to the Naturists Living Show with:

iTunes:

Click Here

Other podcasting software:

Click Here

To get notified by email whenever there is a new episode of the show, click here.

If you subscribe to the Bare Oaks Twitter feed or the Facebook page, you'll get notifications of new episodes there too!

Discounts and Events

2011-01-27T04:38:00.005-05:00

Early Payment Discount

February 1st is the deadline for the 2011 early payment discount. You can save up to $67.00. The discount is 2% for paying two months early. That's the equivalent of a 12% annual interest rate! Try to get that from your bank.

Upcoming Events

It may be winter but there are still lots of events happening. February 5th is the second Euchre night organized by the Bare Bistro and February 12th is the Valentine's Day Dinner and Dance. Plus the Ontario Roaming Bares and the Newmarket Nature Bares continue to organize swims; January 29th (wave pool), February 12th, and February 19th.

Check out the Bare Oaks event calendar at
www.bareoaks.ca/index.php/en/events.html
which includes the ORB and NNB calendars too.

Constitutional Challenge

2011-01-25T17:11:00.000-05:00

The Federation of Canadian Naturist (FCN) just sent out the following announcement which is important to all naturists in Canada:

The final court date of the Coldin trial has been rescheduled to May 17th in Bracebridge. Originally scheduled for today (Jan. 25) in Bracebridge, the hearing could not proceed because Mr. Coldin's lawyer, Clayton Ruby, was unable to attend due to car troubles on his way to the trial.

For naturists and those interested in legal affairs, this last day should be the most interesting since Mr. Ruby and the crown will be making constitutional arguments as to the validity of section 174 of the criminal code. That is the portion of the act which criminalizes mere nudity. (not to be confused with section 173 which makes indecent acts illegal) Anyone interested in listening to these arguments should put May 17th on their calendar. The hearing starts at 10 a.m. in the Bracebridge Courthouse. (3 Dominion St. N. in Bracebridge, Ontario)

Listen to an interesting discussion of the issues from CBC's The Current at:

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/01/25/nudity-challenge/

This is an important trial because it has the potential to change the law on nudity. If the court decides that nudity is not harmful, it could make section 174 of the criminal code (nude in public) invalid because, with no harm, there is no reason to put such a restriction on the personal freedom of self-expression.

Brian Coldin is charged with several counts of nudity in the Bracebridge area. Mr. Coldin denies going through any drive-through while nude but readily admitted to regularly walking in the parkland adjoining his property while wearing only sandals. He is represented by Clayton Ruby, a well-known constitutional lawyer. Mr. Ruby is going ahead with the constitutional challenge to section 174 despite the fact that the evidence so far might be enough to acquit Mr. Coldin.

This is the 6th day of hearings in a case that started on September 27. On the 2nd day of the trial, Mr. Ruby called Stephane Deschenes, director in the Federation of Canadian Naturist, to testify about the naturist philosophy. The court certified Mr. Deschenes as an expert witness in the field of naturism. Mr. Ruby also called Dr. Ronald Langevin as an expert witness in sexual offenders and their victims. He testified that adults or children who are exposed to nudity do not suffer any psychological harm. While he agreed that people who see nudity unexpectedly might experience shock, embarrassment and even be offended, he indicated that there was no evidence that those people would suffer any permanent psychological harm. He added that nudity is generally well accepted in society as evidenced by media, nude beaches, and the gay pride parade. While different people's reaction to nudity would vary greatly given that Canada is a multi-cultural society, Dr. Langevin was adamant that nobody would suffer any psychological harm.

Dr. Ronald Langevin has been studying sexual offenders and their victims for over 40 years. In preparation for this trial, he reviewed 195 scholarly studies as well as his own personal database of over 3,000 offenders. Dr. Langevin put special emphasis on a 1995 study by Dr. Paul Okami at the University of California, Los Angeles. The study concluded that children who are exposed to nudity do not suffer any harm.

Dr. Langevin was also very specific that nudism/naturism is not exhibitionism. Sexual arousal is key to exhibitionism as a sexual disorder. The scholarly research he reviewed clearly indicated that naturists/nudists are not motivated by sexuality. In fact, Dr. Langevin recalled that he dealt with two "genital exhibitionists" who had tried nudism/naturism but did not like it. But he also added that even in cases of simple genital exhibitionism there was no evidence of psychological harm to the victims.

The Federation of Canadian Naturists supports the decriminalization of mere nudity. It is ridiculous that the simple exposure of our natural body (such as being nude in your backyard or seen through your house's window) could result in a criminal charge. Casual nudity should not be in the same league as theft, robbery, assault and murder.

It is important to note that indecent acts are covered under a separate section of the criminal code. As such, there would still be ample room to charge exhibitionists and other sexual deviants.

If you don't get the FCN's announcements, you can subscribe to their email list here.

The Exploitation of Naturists

2011-01-18T12:20:00.000-05:00

The latest episode of the Naturist Living Show is all about how we have been, and continue to be, exploited. From the very beginning of naturism/nudism, there have been people who have exploited naturists and nudists. They go against the very core values of our movement. They objectify our bodies and sexualize our activities. They turn our philosophy into a source of personal gain. (money, sex, power, pride, etc...) Some of them even pander to deviants but conceal themselves beneath the cloak of legitimacy that naturism provides.

All too often, we have been willing participants. The exploiters use our tolerance and open-mindedness against us. They can infect a club and twist the definition of naturism to suit their purposes. They tempt us with the money that many clubs and naturist organizations are always short of. Because naturists are intelligent, they understand that life is not black & white so some compromise is sometimes necessary. But those small concessions can lead to a very slippery slope.

Sadly, the exploiters also hurt us and our purpose. While the internet has made it easier for naturists to spread our message, it has also been a boon for the exploiters. The result is that a search for naturism will quickly result in a plethora of pornographic images. But those are not the worst websites. The truly insidious ones are those that claim to be naturist/nudist but only use the moniker to legitimize what they do.

A simple search for "nudist family", which should be one of the most wholesome of concepts, generates results that include many websites with extensive photo galleries and video collections. While it is important to illustrate naturism, why would anyone who participates or is interested in naturism want to pay for access to a website that features "153,020 Naked Pictures" and "1,125 Naked Videos." Ironically, this website calls itself "pure nudism" and is the number one result in Google using that search term.

Another website proudly announces that it has 207 videos for sale. These videos cost between $60 and $95 each. Based on the still images that they have selected to represent each video, we conclude that most of them prominently feature children. The descriptions contain information such as "Yoga, naturist-style, females only." Why would any naturist care that the video features only a specific gender? Another video's description states that "these beautiful teens frolic in the river, pick flowers in the field, camp in the woods, sing and dance, and give each other massages." Does that sound like a description that is meant to appeal to naturists? Among their most popular titles are several "junior miss" and "teen" beauty pageants.

When the general public investigates naturism, either because they are interested or suspicious, they find these sites that appear to be naturist/nudist. And as they read on, they quickly realize that the websites are simply selling flesh. They read between the lines and understand that the people behind these businesses are no different then Hugh Hefner, Bob Guccione, or Larry Flynt; they are making money by objectifying people's bodies on behalf of those who are looking for lecherous entertainment. Thus they may dismiss naturism as just another tool for sexual exploitation instead of what it really is – an antitheses to pornography.

It is not my suggestion that we should avoid photography, film or video. The human body is beautiful. Why turn it into something shameful? To naturists, nude pictures are just as normal as any other pictures. We need those images to illustrate the beauty and wholesomeness of the naturist philosophy. But we must also be judicious in who we allow to use our images, who we recognize as authentic, and what message we convey through the use of those images.

I am also not suggesting that the adult entertainment industry should be banned. We live in a free society where each one of us has the right to choose their path. But we must speak out against those who corrupt the concept of naturism for profit. We cannot tolerate anyone who uses naturism in a deceptive manner. We must be vociferous defenders of the ethics that are fundamental to our naturist creed.

Nude Volleyball Update

2010-12-20T10:25:00.000-05:00

Winter Nude Volleyball

3rd annual installment of this very popular indoor tournament in London, Ontario
Sunday January 2nd, 2011 – Signup 9 am, play 10 am to 5 pm
Spikes Indoor Beach Volleyball, 120 Weston Street, London (www.spikes.on.ca)

More info at: www.BareOaks.ca/files/NewYears-Tournament-London-2011.pdf

Summer Nude Volleyball

5th Annual Greater Toronto Naturist Volleyball Tournament
June 30th - July 3rd, 2011

By popular demand (and the loss of the Four Seasons and Sunny Glades tournaments) we've added a second tournament: August 26-28, 2011

Nude Volleyball Newsletter

To get updates by email regarding nude volleyball in Ontario, subscribe to the Nude Volleyball Newsletter: http://lists.BareOaks.ca/mailman/listinfo/newsletter

Nude Volleyball Website

The ultimate website for nude volleyball info!
www.NudistVolleyball.com

Four Seasons Going Textile

2010-12-17T14:01:00.001-05:00

The Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN) just sent out the following announcement:

The Four Seasons Nudist Resort, in Freelton, Ontario, has announced that they are going textile on May 1, 2011.

In a letter dated December 10th, 2010, Paul Colvin who is the president of the Four Season's owner, Castle Vacations Parks, blamed some of the members for the change. He says "The lack of co-operation of some members in welcoming new managers, staff, guests of the resort and most of all, new prospective members of The Four Seasons Resort has been both disappointing and discouraging. This goes to events as simple and unkind as challenging partially clothed guests in the pool area, making it difficult if not impossible to enrol new members."

The letter explains that clothing will be required starting on May 1st and that this new policy will be "strictly enforced". It is the resort owner's plan to change the zoning to allow for a residential community and a seasonal trailer park.

The tone of the letter suggests that a great deal of animosity has built up between some of the members and the management. A paragraph titled "Security Issues" talks about thousands of dollars of damage to the clubhouse by a resident. It then adds that "even though we know some members were witness to these events or have information that would assist the police, no one has come forward."

On the fall of 2009, Hans and Lisa Steins sold the Four Seasons Nudist Resort to Castle Vacation Parks. It has been for sale since 1999. Over the decade that followed, the FCN received numerous complaints about deteriorating facilities and a lack of standards. The new owners initially planned on continuing to operate the resort as clothing-optional. So the news of the sale was greeted with great anticipation since the purchaser had the financial resources to restore the facilities and expand the resort. Long-time nudists, Tom and Lynda Landers, were hired to run the resort. Tom had a great deal of experience having managed the Caliente Resort near Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately, the Landers resigned in the spring of 2010 for health reasons.

The Four Seasons was founded in 1969 by Hans and Lisa Stein. It gained international attention with the tremendously successful Miss Nude World contests. In 1970, the first year the contest was held, twelve contestants vied for the title. The panel of distinguished judges included the famous Toronto radio and television broadcaster Gordon Sinclair. (making his own fashion statement in a fine kilt) Media coverage was so extensive that it preempted reports about Prime Minister Trudeau’s attendance at the reopening of the Welland Canal on the same weekend.

The Four Seasons featured the most elaborate resort amenities of any nudist club in Canada with its nightclub, gazebo, 3 bars, restaurant, snack bar, indoor pool and outdoor pool with a waterfall. The clubhouse also contained a gym, motel rooms, a sauna and whirlpool. The resort was particularly famous for its 8 ton platform that was lowered from the ceiling onto the swimming pool to create a dance floor.

In my opinion, this is just another example of a lack of succession planning on the part of some owners. Glen Echo was sold as a private residence after 54 years. Now the Four Seasons is gone after 50 years. At least in this latest situation, I have to give the Steins credit for selling to someone who would at least try to maintain it as a nudist club. But there are other examples out there of club owners who have done even better. They planned for a transition decades before they were ready to retire. In some cases, they sold to their members. But they didn't try to do it overnight. They carefully planned it out.

I'm surprised that the individuals who started these businesses because they were passionate about nudism/naturism would let their work disappear so easily. I would have expected them to try and find a way to have their legacy continue in perpetuity.

Bare Boutique Online Store

2010-10-28T06:48:00.000-04:00

Photo by Bryan Thatcher

Shop naked! OK, that's not really a novelty since you can shop naked at Bare Oaks anytime. But it has become a cliché to say that any activity you do on the internet can be done naked. So we're joining the fun with the online version of the Bare Boutique. Shopping naked in the real store is much more pleasant but for those who live far away, this is a good alternative.

www.BareBoutique.ca

The fact is that there hasn't been a Canadian retail option for naturist/nudist merchandise since the demise of The Nudist Store. So for those who live too far away from Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park to come and purchase items in person, we created this online store with a limited selection of items from the Bare Boutique. Obviously, many of the items at the Bare Boutique are convenience items (e.g. drinks, ice cream, charcoal, etc...) that have no place in this e-commerce shop. The products in the online catalogue were selected because they might be of interest to naturists and nudists everywhere.

The Bare Boutique is intended to be a resource for reference material about naturism. All of the books, magazines, and videos have been carefully selected to be consistent with the naturist philosophy. There are some popular items for sale on the internet that we intentionally do not carry despite the fact that they claim to be naturist or nudist. While those items might generate significant revenue, they are more likely to appeal to those with a prurient interest in exploiting naturism and are rarely purchased by naturists. You will not find those types of items in the Bare Boutique. But the absence of an item does not mean it should not be in the store. If you know of a product that you think is consistent with the naturist creed, please contact us and let us know about it.

The Bare Boutique also carries some branded Bare Oaks merchandise and items that are particularly well suited to the needs of naturists. (such as a towel with a pocket for your keys and money) You will find these products in this online shop too.

New products will be added regularly so keep checking! www.BareBoutique.ca

Water shutdown

2010-10-16T17:03:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, the cold weather is coming fast which means that we need to shut down the seasonal water supply. That's everyone in Beckett Circle and a few connections in Helios Circle.

The shutdown is scheduled for Monday October 25th.

But this year, we will keep the water on in the washrooms and indoor showers in Beckett Circle. We'll keep them open as long as we can; hopefully well into November.

If you have a trailer at Bare Oaks, we strongly recommend that you get it winterized. Failure to do so could result in damages that would be expensive to repair. If you would like a recommendation on who can provide you with this service, please contact the office.

Of course, Bare Oaks and the clubhouse is open all year and you are most welcome to continue using the property and your trailer throughout the winter.

Warning: penis

2010-10-12T17:29:00.000-04:00

Over many years of studying our society's view of nudity, I've come to understand that there is a clear hierarchy in what people consider nudity. A recent article (discussed below) has definitely confirmed the rather odd and irrational categorization of nudity offense. Generally speaking, in North America, it goes something like this:

Buttocks (mild nudity)
Grudgingly acceptable in most cases. It is widely seen in media and advertising with little public backlash. G-strings and thongs which show most, if not all, of the buttocks are legal on beaches almost everywhere in North America. One exception: In 2008, the ABC network was fined $1.4 million by the FCC for airing a 2003 episode of "NYPD Blue" that showed actor Charlotte Ross' nude buttocks. But that fine has been appealed to the courts.

Breasts (moderate nudity)
A bit worse but genrally acceptable in a public setting when in art or when displayed for a paying customer. Also legally acceptable in some jurisdictions (but generally not socially acceptable) under equality concepts. Of course, we're talking about women's breasts because men's breasts are not generally considered nudity despite the fact that they are mostly constructed the same way. And then we're specifically talking about nipples and areolas because the rest of the breast can be freely exposed in all types of fashion without any repercussions. I guess it is difficult to define where the breast starts and stops so society has agreed that we should only be offended when we see a woman's nipple or areola. For a more in depth discussion of breasts, see the November 2008 blog post titled Nipples on TV.

A woman's groin (strong nudity)
It seems to be generally agreed in our society that this is a very upsetting area of the female body even though, in most positions, there is almost nothing to see other than hair. And even in those other positions, a fair bit of effort is required to show more than just flaps of skin.

A man's penis (extreme nudity)
The male genitals are definitely considered to be the most offensive body part in all of humanity. It is rarely seen in either art or media presumably for fear of causing mass hysteria. I assume (although I have yet to be presented with any evidence) that people are generally concerned about the immense irreparable harm that is caused by merely seeing a penis. That well-known, but rarely explained or rationalized, concern has resulted in the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) creating a special warning of "male nudity" when rating movies. As reported in Spangle Magazine, three films in 2010, Jackass 3D, Eat Pray Love, and Grown Ups, have earned this new designation.

MPAA spokesman Craig Hoffman told Spangle that “Parents requested specifically after the movie Brüno that we provide such information.” So apparently some parents might be agreeable with their children seeing buttocks, breasts and women's groins but not penises – thus requiring the special warning. I wonder what those parents tell their boys to do when they take showers. Or maybe they are only concerned about girls seeing penises. Perhaps it goes back to Freud's theory that when girls see penises they might feel they are missing something and develop penis envy. But then those same parents should worry about their boys seeing women's groins since, according to Freud, that might lead to castration anxiety.

How much more ridiculous can we get about our own bodies? How did it come to be that we are so embarrassed, ashamed and offended by our own image? I've said it many times before and I keep getting more and more confirmation: our society suffers from a phobia (Oxford: an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something) about our own bodies.

Recommended reading: Brian Patrick Thornton's clever analysis of this new rating category in Spangle Magazine.

Photo by Aurelien Model

Members' meeting

2010-10-01T18:42:00.002-04:00

When: Saturday October 16, 2010, 11 am – 1 pm
Location: New Forest Room (downstairs in the clubhouse)

It's time again for the annual members' meeting. All members are invited to come and get an update on what's happening at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park and ask questions.

As our membership grows, this meeting is getting very popular and, unfortunately, we ran out of space last year. So please come early if you want to make sure you get a place to sit. We would like to have a bigger space. But unless we hold it outside (brrrr...) or rent an off-site auditorium, this is the best we can do for now. We apologize in advance to anyone who can't make it into the meeting due to lack of space.

After the meeting, why not attend the Newmarket Nature Bares swim: 6:30 pm at the Aquacenter Pool in Newmarket. See: nnbares.fcn.ca/schedule.shtml

Photo by liam de burca

The right to be nude

2010-09-27T07:26:00.000-04:00

The Federation of Canadian Naturists (FCN) has sent out an interesting item about a trial that starts today and is challenging section 174 of the criminal code (nude in public) which is not to be confused with section 173 which makes it illegal to commit an indecent act.

Read the FCN announcement at:
http://lists.fcn.ca/pipermail/public/2010-September/000116.html

New website

2010-09-09T18:52:00.000-04:00

We have launched a completely new website. While it may not appear that different, it was completely rebuilt using the Joomla content management system. Initially, we have maintained most of the look and feel of the website in order to have a consistent message. But this new system will allow us to provide far more functionality and flexibility in our website design. Already, you can find enhanced navigation in the menu, an RSS feed for the used trailer sales, and a greatly improved events calendar display.

Take a look and let us know what you think.

www.BareOaks.ca

Hamilton Spectator Article

2010-08-23T13:34:00.000-04:00

The Hamilton Spectator featured a couple of articles on naturism this weekend.

While the article featured the Ponderosa Nature Resort (which is near Hamilton) it does feature a quote from a Karen at Bare Oaks.

A rare opportunity!

2010-08-12T17:53:00.002-04:00

A trailer in Helios Circle has just been listed for sale. Not only is it one of only two trailers for sale at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park (there are no year-round sites left) this one is serviced with year-round water, sewer & 100 amp electrical services!

For those looking for a more affordable option, there is also a 2007 27ft Starcraft Aruba Travel Trailer for sale.

For more details, go to: http://www.bareoaks.ca/Bare-Oaks/Used_Trailers.html

Toronto Star: Naked in public

2010-08-08T09:24:00.000-04:00

In today's Toronto Star, Ryan Bigge reviews A Brief History of Nakedness by Philip Carr-Gomm and concludes that "being naked in public has a number of spiritual, cultural and political implications." This is certainly in line with the naturist view that being nude is much more than just taking your clothes off.

Toronto Star
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Insight section, page IN2

Also online at: http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/845050--a-picture-and-1-000-words-naked-in-public?bn=1

Bare Bistro: Year-round operation

2010-08-04T07:34:00.000-04:00

The Bare Bistro has been doing very well this year. Liz has done a fantastic job. The service has been great and the food has been very tasty. We even got a positive review in the Globe & Mail.

"the eggs were done perfectly"

Ian Brown, The Globe & Mail

The extended hours have also been well received. Nikki has done a great job of providing drinks and meals during weekdays.

So with that in mind, I approached Liz to find out whether she wanted to extended her contract beyond this summer season. The Bare Bistro is run as an independent business. For Liz, this was her first foray into entrepreneurship. She found it challenging and tiring at times. But she also found it rewarding. She enjoys food and making people happy. And while she didn't make very much profit, she does see some future potential.

So I am happy to announce that Liz has agreed to continue operating the Bare Bistro on a permanent, indefinite basis. She will continue the operations during the winter; albeit with very limited hours. That will likely mean only weekends. But please check the posted hours on the website, www.BareBistro.ca, before coming up for a meal.

The restaurant is an important part of the amenities of the club. When people come up for the day, they want to be able to buy a meal or a snack. Most of us lead busy lives and don't have time to plan ahead and bring a picnic lunch.

But it is also a fundamental part of the experience. Having a pleasant place to sit and share a coffee, a glass of wine, a beer or a meal with others has been at the core of our culture for thousands of years. Socializing with family and good friends over food and drink is one of the most pleasant things we do. So clearly having the Bare Bistro makes Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park a better place.

So please support Liz and the Bare Bistro by letting her know when something could be done better and by encouraging her when things are done well.

Skinny-Dipping Results

2010-07-12T14:25:00.000-04:00

Thank you everyone who came out and participated in Saturday's Skinny Dip. Here at Bare Oaks, we had 177 people -- beating our personal record from last year of 95 people. The weather was fantastic and at three pm the word to go was given. Everyone (including many first time visitors!) headed into the lake, cheering and several swam out to the dock, sinking it to about two feet below the water. It was fantastic to see so many new faces here on the park.

If anyone wants a print of the 'official' photo, you can order them from the office. They cost $1 for a 4x6 or $5 for an 8x10. (plus HST of course) If you want it shipped to you (instead of picking it up) there will be an additional $5 shipping charge. Orders must be in and paid for by July 19th.

It'll be a couple more weeks before we'll know from AANR whether or not we beat last year's Guinness World Record™ of 13,648 people simultaneously skinny-dipping across North America.

A Channel from Barrie came and did a great cover of the skinny dip. See above or, if that doesn't play, just click here.

Once again, thanks to everyone who turned out. Hope to see you again soon!

Current media

2010-07-10T13:15:00.000-04:00

In today's Globe & Mail, Ian Brown talks about having a "Naked lunch – and naked breakfast" at the Bare Bistro at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. You can read the article online by clicking here.

Nobody at Bare Oaks had any idea that a Globe & Mail reporter had been there. He simply checked into one of the rooms like everyone else and didn't tell anybody why he was there. Which is fine, of course, since we treat all our guest with equal respect. It's just more useful for reporters to identify themselves if they want to spend some time discussing the philosophy of naturism with someone or get facts about Bare Oaks.

Ian Brown's commentary on his experience and his reactions are quite funny. And in between all the comments are all the right messages. He says being nude is a philosophy at Bare Oaks. He includes people of all ages, including children, when describing the members and visitors at the park. He accurately communicates the non-sexual tone of the park and marvels at the incredible casualness and comfort that regular members manifest while nude. He describes intelligent conversation between knowledgeable people. He compliments our staff (specifically names Nikki) and describes a pleasant environment at Bare Oaks. And most importantly, he gives Liz a great compliment when he says that the eggs were done perfectly." (I never expected to have the Bare Bistro reviewed in a newspaper!)

Mr. Brown also spends a lot of time describing his discomfort. Some people might think he's making fun of naturists. But I think that he is much more clever than that. The way I see it, he's poking fun at our society's phobia towards the human body. Insightful people will recognize that the discomfort described in the article is symptomatic of a people that have a dysfunctional view of their anatomy.

Other media:

There was an article in the Toronto Sun and Canoe about today's Skinny-Dipping record attempt and A Channel in Barrie has told us they would attend the Bare Oaks event. The FCN and FQN sent out a press release about all the locations across Canada where people can participate in AANR's Skinny-Dipping record attempt. So there may be even more media coverage that we haven't heard about yet.

Skinny-dipping for a world record July 10th

2010-07-05T10:49:00.001-04:00

Last year, 95 members and visitors at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park contributed to the 13,674 people who simultaneously skinny-dipped in 140 locations across North America for a Guinness World Record. See the video of last year's event at Bare Oaks: http://www.youtube.com/BareOaks

We're doing it again! Along with many other clubs throughout Canada and the USA, at 3pm Eastern Daylight Time, we will be trying to break last years’ record. Day visitors participating in the skinny dip will be given a 50% discount on grounds fees.

Never tried naturism out? This will be a great day to give it a go! With the 50% discount you save money and it will be a lot of fun, a great way to meet people and you get to be part of the record!

In order to be able to be counted in the record, we will be taking a video and a photo of the skinny dip. Both will be taken from a distance and nobody should be recognizable. (like the link to the video on YouTube or the picture attached to this blog entry) But if this is something that you would not be comfortable with, perhaps just come to cheer folks on. The special day fee does only applies if you are getting in the water.

If you wish to participate please arrive at the very least ONE HOUR before the skinny dip, so 2 p.m. This way we will have time to get you in and set up before sending you off to the lake. But don’t wait until then to show up! We encourage you to come sooner and make the most of the day.

Hope to see you here at the park!

Nude Bus to Hanlan's Point Beach – July 14

2010-07-02T16:40:00.000-04:00

The following message was sent today by the Federation of Canadian Naturists:

Naturist Festival

3rd Annual Nude Bus

to Hanlan's Point

Wednesday July 14th is the Naturist Festival trip to Hanlan's Point nude beach in Toronto. It's time again for the 3rd annual Nude Bus ride to the beach.

Yes, you can be nude on the bus! In fact, we're encouraging it. If you want, you can spend the entire day with only a towel. (to sit on and for those brief periods when you need to cover up)

The bus will leave Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park, drive on to the ferry and then drive right to the beach!

Schedule

(Wednesday July 14)

9:30 am boarding at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park
10:00 am departure

5:30 pm - Leave Hanlan's Point. Arrival at Bare Oaks will depend on traffic and the space on the ferry. It may be as last as 8 pm.

Cost & Reservation

Cost: $8 (plus $6.50 for the ferry) per person (roundtrip, no discount for one-way)

Reservations are highly recommended! Maximum capacity is 40 people and every year we have sold out well ahead of the festival. We cannot have more than one bus because of the size of the ferry.

To reserve, call the Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park office at: (905) 473-6060

There is very limited space for luggage. Please let us know if you are planning on bringing any luggage.

Earthquake

2010-06-23T15:04:00.000-04:00

Yes, the earth did move for you...

Earthquake info:

time: 1:41 pm at epicentre (around 1:44 pm in Newmarket)

magnitude: 5.5 (moderate)

location: 53 km northeast of Ottawa

depth: 15.7 km

More info:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010xwa7.php#details

Want to be in pictures?

2010-06-14T14:54:00.002-04:00

A film production company looking for extras to appear in a shower scene. It is for a feature film, directed by Sarah Polley, that is being filmed in Toronto.

They are looking for WOMEN to be background extras in a locker room scene where some of the cast are talking after a workout. The main character in the scene will either be showering or changing after a work out. There are other female cast members that will also be nude in this scene. There is no sexual contact of any kind.

People interested in the job must be comfortable with full nudity. They want WOMEN of all body shapes and all ages but are focusing on women above 55.

They are filming in Toronto but the exact location is TBD. The pay is $630.50 total for the first 8 hours and then $79.25 for each additional hour after that.

It will be filmed around the end of July, beginning of August. The commitment would be one day, a weekday, although at this point they don't know the exact date that the scene is scheduled to shoot. A typical shoot day is anywhere from 8 - 14 hours so you would need to have that day completely free.

If you are interested in more details please contact: extrascastingtoronto@gmail.com

More info about Sarah Polley at:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001631/

World Naked Bike Ride 2010

2010-06-13T07:49:00.000-04:00

Well over 100 people participated in the 7th World Naked Bike Ride in Toronto yesterday. The weather was grey and cool but none of that kept participants from stripping and riding. Thankfully, the rain held off until the last five minutes of the ride. The group included a significant contingent from Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park.

Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bareoaks/sets/72157624136625147/

Media:

Digital Journal (photos and video included)

Toronto Sun

Youtube

About the World Naked Bike Ride:

Toronto Wiki
Toronto Yahoo Group
World Naked Bike Ride main website

Three New Videos

2010-06-10T10:49:00.000-04:00

The videos are available on:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BareOaks
Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/BareOaks
Daily Motion: http://www.dailymotion.com/BareOaks

Growers Cider Nude Ads now in Ontario

2010-06-07T10:54:00.001-04:00

Last fall, a blog post told the story of the Growers Cider ads that were done at Bare Oaks. [click here to read] At the time the ads were on billboards and transit shelters in British Columbia and Alberta. Later, the campaign was extended to a website.

This year, the campaign has come to Ontario. (as you can see above) In this image, all of the people featured are regulars at Bare Oaks. We'll let you figure out who they are.

Some of my friends and neighbours who recognized me as they drove by the billboard thought it was part of a promotional campaign for Bare Oaks. (they obviously didn't get a chance to read the tagline) I really wish Bare Oaks had that kind of promotional budget!!

The Naked Gardens

2010-06-03T10:45:00.001-04:00

For those of you would like to have a garden plot at Bare Oaks, we announce the opening of “The Naked Gardens”. There's no better way to feel at one with nature than to tend your garden and then harvest the fruits of your labour. It's also a wonderful learning experience for children.

We are doing Square Foot Gardening. It's a more environmentally friendly way to garden where you get the same production but in only 20% of the space. It is easy plus it saves water, resources, time and effort. Visit www.squarefootgardening.com for more details

The 4'x4' raised beds are now available for planting. There is a cost of $35.00 per bed for the soil mixture. Bare Oaks is providing the frames and space. The beds are available on a first come, first served basis. To reserve your garden plot, contact the Bare Oaks office or send an email to: NakedGardens@BareOaks.ca.

Participation in The Naked Gardens is easy. There are just a few things to keep in mind:

This is an organic garden. No pesticides or herbicides may be used.
Only the Square Foot Gardening method is permitted.
Each gardener is responsible for their plot(s). Any naked gardener who does not maintain their plot(s) will forfeit the use of the plot(s) and any access to the produce.
If this is your first time trying Square Foot Gardening, please limit yourself to 3 plots.

The Vitamin D Solution

2010-05-31T10:48:00.012-04:00

Being nude is the best way (and the most natural way) to maximize vitamin D production. The more skin we expose to the sun the more vitamin D is synthesized. According to Dr. Michael Holick, when we make vitamin D in the skin, it last 2-3 time longer in the body than supplements & dietary sources.

So we are now carrying Dr. Holick's new book, The Vitamin D Solution, in the Bare Boutique at Bare Oaks. There has been an enormous amount of information in recent years about the importance of the "sunshine vitamin" on our health. Research studies have suggested that it helps us fight illnesses like cancer, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, influenza, psoriasis, Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (P.M.S.), sleep disorders, autoimmune diseases and more. Yet, based to Dr. Holick's research, the majority of us are vitamin D deficient.

Dr. Holick spent more than three decades studying the relationship between vitamin D, limited sun exposure, and human well-being. In this book, he shares his findings on how combining the natural curative properties of the sun along with small lifestyle changes can help everyone to live a substantially healthier life.

The book is available for sale at the Bare Boutique which is located in the office at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park.

You can also listen to Episode 18 of the Naturist Living Show to hear Dr. Holick speak about the book. [Click here to listen]

In June of 2008, I also did a blog entry reviewing some of the recent research. [Click here to read it]

Having a Drink at Bare Oaks

2010-05-29T18:56:00.000-04:00

We're very pleased to announce that, for the first time, the Bare Bistro is now fully licensed. (in previous years, liquor was sold under special occasions permits)

Also, a reminder that the Bare Bistro is now open 7 days per week. (see the Bare Bistro website for hours of operation)

There has been much speculation about what it means to have a licensed establishment within Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. In fact, nothing has changed legally, as a result of the liquor license other than you are now able to purchase wine, beer and other drinks at the Bare Bistro.

What we did learn is that we had been misinformed about the law with regards to liquor and alcohol consumption at the park. The possession and consumption of alcohol at Bare Oaks is regulated by Ontario law. The law is the same whether we have a liquor license or not.

People who live in different jurisdictions may find these laws and regulations very restrictive. Indeed, one can still see the influence of temperance attitudes in the rules. Ontario liquor laws seem to betray a belief that alcohol is an unavoidable evil temptation that even normally responsible adults are incapable of controlling. But regardless of our opinion, these laws apply at Bare Oaks just like they do in the rest of the Province of Ontario. So until things change, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks can be purchased at the Bare Bistro. By law, only drinks purchased at the Bare Bistro can be consumed in the licensed area. Additionally, drinks served at the Bare Bistro cannot be taken outside of the licensed area.
Except for the Bare Bistro licensed area, people can only be in the possession of alcohol or consume alcohol in a private place or residence. (alcohol in a closed container is not considered possession)
This rule applies everywhere in Ontario whether or not there is a licensed premise on the property. It does apply to private property that is not a residence or a private place.
A residence includes your tent, trailer or RV along with the land next to it that is used as part of your campsite.
A private place is defined by law as “an indoor place to which the public is not ordinarily invited or permitted.”
Each individual is personally responsible for obeying the law. We have no plan to inspect coolers or examine the content of mugs & cups. But if a person is obviously violating the law while at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park, we must intervene or we become complicit in the act.

Ontario Liquor Licence Act Excerpts

Unlawful possession or consumption [Liquor Licence Act R.S.O. 1990, c. L.19, s. 31 (1-5)]

Definition

(1) In this section, “residence” means a place that is actually occupied and used as a dwelling, whether or not in common with other persons, including all premises used in conjunction with the place to which the general public is not invited or permitted access, and, if the place occupied and used as a dwelling is a tent, includes the land immediately adjacent to and used in conjunction with the tent.

Unlawful possession or consumption

(2) No person shall have or consume liquor in any place other than,

(a) a residence;

(b) premises in respect of which a licence or permit is issued; or

Exception

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to the possession of liquor that is in a closed container.

Intoxication

(4) No person shall be in an intoxicated condition,

(a) in a place to which the general public is invited or permitted access; or

(b) in any part of a residence that is used in common by persons occupying more than one dwelling in the residence.

Arrest without warrant

(5) A police officer may arrest without warrant any person whom he or she finds contravening subsection (4) if, in the opinion of the police officer, to do so is necessary for the safety of any person.

Private Place [Liquor Licence Act R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 718]

3. (1) For the purposes of clauses 30 (13) (a) and 31 (2) (c) of the Act, “private place” means a place, vehicle or boat described in this section.

(2) An indoor place to which the public is not ordinarily invited or permitted is considered to be a private place except at the times when the public is invited or permitted access to it.

(3) Despite subsection (2), an indoor place that is available for rental by members of the public for occasional use is not a private place.

(4) A motor vehicle equipped with sleeping accommodation and cooking facilities is considered to be a private place while it is parked and being used as a residence.

(5) Despite subsection (4), a motor vehicle is not considered to be a private place while it is on a highway or a King’s Highway within the meaning of the Highway Traffic Act.

Photo by Slack12

Restaurant changes

2010-05-21T08:40:00.001-04:00

We are very happy to announce that Liz Savel will be operating the Bare Bistro this summer. Many of you will know Liz from the wonderful volunteer dinners and breakfasts during the winter season. Liz enjoyed volunteering so much that she decided to try it as a business this year. We have had a hard time finding the right person to operate the restaurant at Bare Oaks. (we've had 4 people in 3 years) But we think that Liz has the right combination of customer service skills, cooking talent and business ability.

And for the first time, the Bare Bistro will be open 7 days a week starting this weekend and until Labour Day. Nikki (pictured above and who many of you will remember from the office in the last 2 years) will be operating the restaurant from Monday to Friday.

For hours and menu, visit:

www.BareBistro.ca

It's looking like it's going to be a fantastic Victoria Day long weekend. We exceeded 30ºC yesterday! I'm sure we've already had more sunny warm days this year than for all of last summer.

Going Postal at Bare Oaks

2010-05-19T11:03:00.001-04:00

For the past few years, we have provided an informal service for members who wish to receive mail at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. It has worked relatively well but there are some problems. First, several people have expressed concerns that our current mail handling system lacks privacy. It is certainly true that anyone can see what mail you are receiving. Secondly, the present system provides minimal security provisions. Anyone could take your mail without your knowledge. Finally, the volume of mail we have been dealing with has been growing steadily. We therefore require a more secure, formal and cost-effective mail handling process.

So effective immediately, we are making mailboxes available for any member who wishes to receive mail at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. The cost is $50 + tax per year. Alternatively, you can get your mail delivered to your residential address or get a mailbox from Canada Post. The closest post offices are located in Mount Albert, Sharon, and Queensville. There are also commercial mailbox providers such as the UPS Store at the corner of Leslie Street and Davis Drive in Newmarket.

In order to make sure everyone has enough time to make a decision, we will continue to sort and deliver mail, for those without a mailbox, using the existing process until July 1st, 2010. That should provide enough time for everyone to either decide to rent a mailbox from us or change their mailing address and redirect their mail. Effective July 1st, any mail received for someone without a mailbox will be stamped "undeliverable" and returned to Canada Post.

To get your mailbox at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park, please come to the office during our normal operating hours.

NOTE: There are only 30 mailboxes. We have no plans to expand this service so mailboxes will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis until they run out.

Naturism's popularity

2010-05-17T11:00:00.003-04:00

Photo by: Modulor

In Winnipeg, Ray and Sue Ryynanen, who are the owners of the land where the Crocus Grove Sun Club resides, decided to turn it into a textile campground and rename the property as Sandhill Pines. The media naturally jumped to the conclusion (with the recent stories about the closing of Glen Echo) that naturism in Canada was on the decline. This resulted in some press coverage for Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park because we are an exception to that conclusion. The Crocus Grove Sun Club is also disagreeing with that inference. They are actively looking for a new property.

The Canadian Press did a story that was picked up by a number of newspapers and radio stations. For example, it was picked up by CTV, the Winnipeg Free Press, and the Winnipeg Sun.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: naturism is clearly not shrinking. Bare Oaks is now getting close to 500 members. That's almost 4 times the membership from 3 years ago!

And there's a lot more room for growth. A 1999 survey commissioned by the Federation of Canadian Naturists determined that 8.9% of Canadians were interested in naturism. The Ontario Government estimates that the 2010 population of the GTA – Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, & York) is 6,197,190. We could also easily add Simcoe & Kawartha Lakes in our market area. In fact, we have members who live even further away than that. But for the sake of our calculation, let's limit ourselves to the GTA definition. At 8.9%, we therefore conclude that 551,550 people in the GTA are interested in naturism. Even if we assume a huge margin of error in the survey (which is unlikely) and the number is actually 100,000, we still have more than enough business to overwhelm Bare Oaks. Clearly we need more naturist clubs not less.

Interestingly, a very recent poll in Australia also showed that interest in naturism is growing.

So why are clubs closing? I see many reasons. There are clubs that haven't changed their services and amenities since the 1970s. Sometimes clubs have been so poorly run as businesses that nobody wants to take them over when the owners want to retire. In some cases, members and visitors have put up with such a lack of amenities and such poor service that they have given up. I have also seen clubs that have lost the passion for naturism which has, in turn, made their existence irrelevant. And far too often, naturist clubs have done a deplorable job of marketing themselves.

World Naked Bike Ride 2010

2010-05-15T11:09:00.000-04:00

In 2009, several people from Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park participated in the Toronto portion of the World Naked Bike Ride.

Join us on June 12th for the 2010 ride! Click here for details.

According to the WNBR website:

It's time to put a stop to the indecent exposure of people and the planet to cars and the pollution they create. We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the vulnerability faced by cyclists and pedestrians on our streets as well as the negative consequences we all face due to dependence on oil, and other forms of non-renewable energy.

If you don't live in the Toronto area, find a ride near you at: wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org

Bare Oaks on Canwest News

2010-05-02T12:46:00.000-04:00

An article by Allison Cross of the Canwest News Service talks extensively about Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. The story is showing up on a number of Canwest newspaper websites. It's is difficult to know how many of the newspapers have the story on their printed edition. Of course, it is great publicity either way in this age of electronic communications!

Here are some of the links: Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Vancouver Sun, Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen, Canada.com, Windsor Star

The story has also been picked up by a number of blogs and news aggregators such as WBIR an NBC TV affiliate in Knoxville, Tennessee and Internaturally. Expect more to pick this up in the next couple of days.

Save 8% on memberships & campsites

2010-04-23T17:00:00.002-04:00

Photo by Coffeego

Thinking of taking out a new membership?

Planning a stay at Bare Oaks this summer?

If you book before April 30th, you will save 8% !!

That's because the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has informed us that, starting May 1st, membership fees and camping fees are subject to the HST of 13%. (up to now, only 5% GST was applied) But we don't have to charge the HST until May 1st even if the service will be delivered after July 1st. [Click here for all the gory details]

So pay by April 30th and SAVE 8% !!!!

The Hot Tub is OPEN !!

2010-04-22T11:59:00.034-04:00

YES! It's finally done!!!!!!!!!

We finally managed to get the the approvals we needed.

So come by, relax and enjoy!!

We appreciate the patience that everyone showed through the last few months. This project was only supposed to take two months but we ran into an unbelievable number of problems. In fact, the stray voltage was typical of the huge number of frustrating and unpredictable issues we encountered. But it is finally done!!

While Hydro One is still feeding us stray voltage down our neutral feed, we managed to ground it away in the hot tub area. So the stray voltage problem is not actually gone but the danger has been removed from the hot tub area. This latest solution was relatively inexpensive but diagnosing it has cost well over $10,000. And that doesn't count all the labour time put in by Bare Oaks staff.

Hydro One confirmed that the problem was coming from their feed. They even attempted to remediate the issue using a Variable Threshold Neutral Isolator. (you can see it by the transformer near the gate) But when that didn't work, they presented us with a regulation that said they weren't responsible if the voltage was below 10 volts. Unfortunately, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), which must approve all electrical work, didn't agree and would not approve our system as long as there was any voltage present. That left us in a very difficult situation.

But a relatively simple (and slightly unorthodox) solution was recommended which worked. And ESA, after consulting the code book, approved the installation. So we are now done!

We're open tomorrow (Friday)

2010-04-01T21:14:00.000-04:00

Contrary to what our website says, we will be open tomorrow. (limited hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) We normally close for statutory holidays during the off-season. And normally, Good Friday is cold and there's often still snow on the ground. But that's certainly not the case this year!! This picture was taken yesterday. While the weather is hot, that water is still really cold! But they went all the way in!!

Friday, April 2nd (Good Friday)
Office/Store Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We are open normal hours on Saturday and Sunday.

(But facilities are always open for members)

Volunteer Day!

2010-03-26T05:58:00.000-04:00

Volunteer Day!

Saturday May 1, 2010

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Earth Hour - This Saturday

2010-03-23T12:20:00.003-04:00

Saturday March 27

8:30 – 9:30 p.m.

At Bare Oaks, we will turn off as many lights and other electrical devices as we can for Earth Hour.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for an hour to demand action on climate change. But that's just the beginning. Every hour, Canadians are taking small steps to lessen their impact on the environment. From hanging your clothes to dry to taking transit to work, those small steps add up to huge changes for the better.

If you are at Bare Oaks, please help us by turning off as many things as possible.

Even if you are not going to be at Bare Oaks, please participate by turning off lights and electrical devices wherever you are.

http://www.EarthHourCanada.org/

Update: roads, hot tub & water

2010-03-19T13:16:00.000-04:00

The road to Beckett Circle is open
Things have dried up nicely this week so we have opened the roads. Please drive carefully. There are still soft spots. And the roads may have to be closed again if we get a bunch of rain.

Hot Tub
It is still running well and still hot with nobody using it. A Hydro One supervisor was here today. They are working on the stray voltage problem but everyone is stumped. We hope to have a Hydro One truck at the park on Monday to check voltages at the pole. In the meantime we all wait... Feel free to ask for a tour if you want to see a beautiful working hot tub that you can't touch. ...sigh...

Water
I was asked if we are going to turn on the water in Beckett Circle. I think we're getting fooled by the unseasonable weather. Right now, the average high is 3˚C and the average low is -8˚C. So the water is still going to have to wait a while!

Used trailers are moving fast

2010-03-09T07:29:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, 3 used trailers were added to the Used Trailers for Sale page which meant that there were 4 for sale. Now there are only 2 left.

So if you are interested in a used trailer, go to www.BareOaks.ca/Bare-Oaks/Used_Trailers.html for details. Currently, there is one small trailer without a site that has been very well maintained. There is also a larger trailer on a premium wooded lot.

So if you are interested in a trailer or a site at Bare Oaks, don't wait until the summer. There may not be any left.

It's getting hot out there!

2010-03-05T16:38:00.000-05:00

Not bad for March 5th! Can't wait until the weekend. It's getting even hotter!!

Road closure

2010-03-04T20:38:00.000-05:00

It's starting to feel like spring. The sunlight is beginning to regain that cheery warmth that's been missing all winter. Environment Canada is predicting Sun for this weekend with temperatures of 10ºC on Saturday and 12ºC on Sunday. But with all that warmth and sun, we're getting our yearly muddy road mess. So until the ground thaws and absorbs all that water or things dry up a bit, we are forced to close Beckett Circle to vehicles in order to prevent damage. Of course, everyone is welcome to walk around everywhere but rubber boots are definitely recommended!

A visit to the Ontario Legislature

2010-02-27T07:51:00.001-05:00

On February 24th, I participated in a lobby day at the Ontario Legislature as part of a delegation from Camping in Ontario. We had arranged to meet a with several MPPs (Members of the Provincial Parliament) to make them aware of issues that impact campgrounds. My colleagues frequently used the naturist aspect of Bare Oaks as a conversation starter when we met with an MPP.

In the afternoon, some of us had some spare time between appointments so we decided to observe the legislature in action from the visitors' gallery. While we were there, the following exchange occurred:

Mr. John O'Toole (Durham): Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I'd also like to recognize guests in the gallery from the RV industry, as well as Camping in Ontario. One of the camp operators advises me that he operates a campground that has a dress code. I thought that was interesting information.

(By the many smiles in the assembly, it was clear that most people, including the Speaker of the House, were clearly aware what he meant by 'dress code'. Bare Oaks had obviously been a topic of conversation that day.)

I have a petition, as well... (He proceeds to present the petition. That text is not shown here.)

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I thank the honourable member for the petition and I trust that he's a regular visitor to that camp he spoke of.

Mrs. Joyce Savoline (Burlington): What goes to camp stays at camp.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): The member from Sarnia-Lambton.

Mr. Robert Bailey(Sarnia--Lambton): I'm not going to touch that. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...

(and then the business of the legislature continued normally)

While the exchange does not necessarily reflect the true character of naturism, I think it bodes well that everyone was comfortable discussing it that day. Nobody showed any disdain at the idea. And the fact that it was even referenced in the legislature (albeit in a euphemistic manner) demonstrates that we have progressed far with acceptance and understanding.

People in the textile-obsessed world are generally uncomfortable with nudity. As discussed in the December episode of the Naturist Living Show, this discomfort fits incredibly well in the definition of a phobia. When people are uncomfortable with something, the often deal with it using humour. We should never take offense at that. The fact that they are able to discuss it demonstrates acceptance. Humour is just a tool that is used to cope with gymnophobia.

Text from the Hansard Transcript of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Wednesday 24 February 2010
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/house-proceedings/house_detail.do?locale=en&Date=2010-02-24&Parl=39&Sess=1&detailPage=/house-proceedings/transcripts/files_html/24-FEB-2010_L207.htm

Photo of the Ontario Legislature Building by jimmywayne

Bare Oaks on Google Streetview

2010-02-14T06:13:00.002-05:00

Google Maps' Streetview has been expanded and now goes right past Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. From the looks of things, it was taken last summer. It will make it even easier for anyone trying to find their way to the park.

To see it, just click here.

Streetview is also embedded into this blog post right below this paragraph. If you can't see it, it might be an issue with your browser or that you are reading this using a blog reader or email program.

View Larger Map

Hot Tub Update

2010-02-12T17:39:00.002-05:00

The new hot tub has been working well since early December. And we have been approved by the department of health. But this project has been fraught with unforeseen complications and it hasn't stopped yet. We have experienced unexpected problems with the foundation, piping, heater, pumps, wiring, circuit breakers, etc... Each problem required investigation, sourcing and remediation. Each time that happened, it often took weeks to get an expert to give us the solution and then a further wait for parts to arrive. I was asked this week when I thought the hot tub would be open. My answer was "last June". I honestly believed that. But we have run into so many weird and unusual issues with this project that everyone involved is frustrated beyond belief. And now... (drum roll)... we have a problem with... stray voltage!

Many of you will remember that getting into the old hot tub while holding the hand rail sometimes resulted in a mild electric shock. It was happening well before the park become Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park and everyone assumed it was some sort of static discharge. But with the new hot tub, the problem became much more significant. While working in the new hot tub filled with water, we occasionally got painful electric shocks. Regular electricians couldn't explain it so we hired an electrical engineer to find the problem. It took nearly two weeks to determine that the problem is not on the property. In fact, when we shut down the power to the park at the street, there was still voltage running through the hot tub. We have contacted Hydro One and they are going to install metering equipment to try and figure out where the stray voltage is coming from.

So how much longer? It all depends on Hydro One's ability to find and fix the problem. In the meantime, we have been advised that the voltage levels are significant so it is too risky to let anyone use the hot tub. Other than that, the hot tub is working very well. The water is hot, the jets are powerful, and the room is warm and comfortable. But getting into it is a shocking experience that could kill you.

It turns out that stray voltage is not that uncommon. You can read more about it at:

Note: while many of the articles above indicate that stray voltage is frequently an issue with local wiring, it is not in our case. By shutting off the electricity at the street, we concluded with certainty that the stray voltage was coming from outside our property.

Photo by sillydog

Campsites Available

2010-01-30T20:47:00.000-05:00

Last year, several people were disappointed to find out that there were no long-term campsites left at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. We're happy to announce that there are a few opportunities in Beckett Circle for people looking for a year-round campsite. Here are your options:

1. Take an empty site

We opened several sites this year by clearing some brush and adding access to electricity & water in some areas. In addition, we had a couple of people give up their site. During the busy season, it was hard to figure out where we stood because we were always booked with visitors and we took so many new memberships. Now that things have settled down, we did an inventory of campsites and found that we can book a few more long-term sites and still keep 25 open sites for short term use.

The members who previously asked to be on a waiting list are being contacted first. The available sites will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. So if you interested in a campsite, please contact the office right away to place yourself on the list. Email info@BareOaks.ca or call (905) 473-6060.

2. Purchase a used trailer on a site

There is only one trailer for sale right now. It is on an large premium lot that backs onto the forest. See www.BareOaks.ca/Bare-Oaks/Used_Trailers.html for details.

3. Purchase a new trailer on a site.

There is one large, private campsite available on Vaïs Lane. In order to get this site, you must purchase a new park model trailer (in any configuration you want) through the Bare Oaks office.

Bare Oaks is happy to promote the sale of park model trailers from Woodland Park and Northlander. You can see sample trailer plans at www.bareoaks.ca/Bare-Oaks/New_Trailers.html and on the Northlander Website.

Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park has 110 serviced campsites on 50 acres. The number of sites is very limited for two reasons:

Several parts of our property are environmentally sensitive and must be protected.
We want to keep our natural spaces open for our members to enjoy.

To ensure that all members can spend the occasional weekend or vacation at Bare Oaks, and because we want to continue to welcome visitors from all over the world, we keep 25 campsites open for short-term use.

Article in British Naturism

2010-01-07T05:24:00.002-05:00

The latest issue of British Naturism (the magazine of the naturist federation in the UK) features an article that talks about Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. You can read the complete article at:

www.bareoaks.ca/files/BN-Clothing-optional.pdf

You can also learn more about naturism in the UK at: www.british-naturism.org.uk

You can order their magazine from their online shop: shop.british-naturism.org.uk/magazines.html

Walking on water

2010-01-05T04:43:00.002-05:00

Please remember that when ice is covering the water, its thickness can vary greatly and conditions can change quickly. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

The presence of an ice rink or people on the ice is not a guarantee of safety. Ice should be at least 10 cm thick before venturing on it. Stay away from cracks, seams, pressure ridges, slushy areas and darker areas that signify thinner ice. Do not congregate in one area. Do not venture onto the ice alone or in the dark.

EVEN IF THE TEMPERATURE IS COLD, NO ICE IS WITHOUT RISK

Please read the following fact sheets from the Lifesaving Society:

(click to download)

Bare Oaks in Toronto Star

2009-12-31T08:10:00.000-05:00

A photo taken during the Canadian Naturist Festival at Bare Oaks last August has finally made it in the newspaper. It's in "The year in pictures: the favourites" feature on page A3 to today's (December 31st) edition of the Toronto Star. The photo was originally scheduled to run last August but was pulled by an editor because of concerns that it might offend readers.

Rick Madonik, a photographer with the Toronto Star, took a number of pictures that day. But this one was his favourite. Can you identify any of the subjects?

Also available online at: http://thestar.blogs.com/photoblog/2009/12/the-year-in-pictures-the-favourites.html Note that while the online version shows 19 pictures, the picture at Bare Oaks is only 1 of 3 pictures in the printed edition.

Membership ID cards

2009-12-29T15:15:00.000-05:00

We finally have a system to issue our new Bare Oaks membership cards. The new identification is pre-printed on one side with an image of Lake Beamor and the Bare Oaks logo. The other side is customized with the member's picture and identifying details.

In addition to providing identification, the cards are also useful for getting discounts. Some of the larger naturist resorts provide a discount to Bare Oaks members.

In keeping with the naturist philosophy, we did our best to make the cards more environmentally friendly. They are printed on a material called CornCard™ which is made using a corn-based plastic from NatureWorks LLC. This biopolymer named Ingeo™ offers more disposal options and is more environmentally friendly to manufacture than traditional petroleum-based plastics. It can be composted or recycled. If burned in an energy-from-waste plant, it provides more energy by weight than wood or newspaper with no volatiles and low residue. The manufacturing process is also more environmentally friendly. They are continuously reducing the waste, greenhouse gas emissions and non-renewable energy use in the manufacturing process.

To get your card, just come into the office anytime during our regular business hours and we will take your picture. Right now there's only one person trained to print the cards so you may have to wait a few days to receive it. But we will be training more people in the next few weeks.

A big thank you to Kim, a long-time Bare Oaks member, who works for Identicam and helped us acquire the necessary equipment.

The Hot Tub is working! (but not quite open yet)

2009-12-23T07:25:00.000-05:00

Yes, the hot tub is finally working. After an unbelievable number of challenges and delays, it is finally operational. The photo features Peter (who has been doing much of the work and coordinating the rest) bravely sacrificing himself to test the water. We have experienced many, many small issues: a week's delay because of the heater needing service, 2 weeks' delay to diagnose and repair a faulty electrical panel, 2 weeks to replace a brand new relay that failed, (special parts that must be ordered can take weeks to arrive) another week's delay to replace hoses that were too short, and I could go on and on... But it is now working!!! Lots of pressure, no leaks and plenty of heat!

But... it's not open yet. As a commercial facility, the new hot tub has to be approved by the department of health. Stay tune to this blog for that final announcement!

As well, the room hasn't been completely repaired and cleaned up. As you can see in the picture, we've also replaced the windows and we will be redoing the floor. But if you don't mind the mess, we will open the hot tub to regular use as soon as it is approved.

Holiday Hours

2009-12-16T16:36:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that the Bare Oaks office/store will be closed on December 24, 25 & 26 as well as on January 1.

We are generally open everyday, including holidays during the summer, but we are closed on New Year’s Day (Jan. 1), Family Day (3rd Monday in Feb.), Good Friday (Friday before Easter), Thanksgiving Day (2nd Monday in Oct.), Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and Boxing Day (Dec. 26).

But facilities are always open to members using their key fob.

Olympic Torch coming near Bare Oaks

2009-12-13T07:20:00.004-05:00

The Olympic Torch Relay will be passing near Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park on Friday December 18th. Of course, they won't be nude like the Greek athletes were in the original olympics. Given the weather right now, that's probably a good idea.

The torch will be coming up Yonge Street in Aurora in the morning. It will enter Newmarket around 10:30 a.m.

There will be a special stop/celebration in Newmarket on Friday around 11 a.m. at the new community centre in Newmarket. (performances begin at 10 a.m.) From there it will go up Bayview/Prospect to Davis Drive. And then up Leslie and into Sharon/East Gwillimbury. It will be passing by Mt. Albert Road around 1:15 p.m. (the closest it gets to Bare Oaks) From there it will continue up to Keswick.

see: www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-torch-relay/

Keep in mind that it's a run. It will go by in seconds. (except for celebration points like in Newmarket) So if you want to see it in a particular place, get there early or you might miss it.

Keeping in touch

2009-11-19T19:28:00.011-05:00

We thought that we were doing a good job of keeping everybody informed. Then we learned that some people were not aware of the many different methods that existed to keep in touch with what is happening at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park. So we are going to make a concerted effort to be better communicators about our communications! We have added several new electronic contact options. Plus we have installed a bulletin board in the clubhouse that features a paper version of the news and events for those who don't use the internet.

So keep in touch using:

Email: Subscribe on the front page of the Bare Oaks website at www.BareOaks.ca and get blog updates by email. Or click here to subscribe right now.
Website: Read the blog right on the website at blog.BareOaks.ca.
Twitter: Get notifications of new posts (with a link) at twitter.com/BareOaksPark
Facebook: Become a fan of our facebook page and read the blog on the page or get notices of new posts on our wall. facebook.com/BareOaksPark
Blog RSS/Atom feed: If you know how to subscribe to an RSS or Atom feed you can get updates in your favourite feed reader. blog.BareOaks.ca/feeds/posts/default
In person at the park: You can read printouts of the blog posts and the calendar on the bulletin board at the member’s entrance near the store/office. But remember that it may take the paper format a few days to catch up with the electronic version.

Note that the events posted on the calendar are not announced in the blog newsletter. There are just too many of them. To keep up with those, view the calendar at www.bareoaks.ca/Bare-Oaks/Events.html or subscribe to the Bare Oaks Google Calendar.

We use Google Calendar to publish Bare Oaks’ Event Schedule. This gives you a great deal of advantages. You can subscribe to our calendar and it will then be included in your own calendar. Events will be automatically updated. You can also add specific events to your calendar or subscribe to event reminders. For more information, go to http://www.google.com/intl/en/googlecalendar/overview.html

If you have an ICS/iCalendar enabled calendar program (e.g. Microsoft Outlook 2003, Mozilla Calendar or Apple iCal) you can subscribe to the calendar and have Bare Oaks events automatically added. The calendar address is:

http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/422s6e12r8dfkjbqa50drkbmks%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

More information on the iCalendar format can be found at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICalendar

...or you can read the printed version of the calendar on the bulletin board inside the clubhouse near the store/office.

Grower’s Cider nude ads

2009-11-17T15:43:00.010-05:00

In early June, we received a call from Westside Studios, Canada's largest Advertising and Design Photography facility. They were inquiring about using the park to shoot some photography featuring nudity for a campaign they were putting together. Having spent 15 years in advertising, I was very familiar with both Westside Studios and the process. I jumped at the opportunity. It was a chance to make a bit of money in location fees and it would also be fun. I didn’t know who the client was nor did I know what kind of photos they would be taking. But I wasn’t worried because I knew that any work done by Westside studio would be for a major and very public campaign. Besides, the ad most certainly wouldn’t name Bare Oaks as the location anyways. They were coming to us because, when you want to shoot people naked outdoors, your options are limited. We agreed tentatively on June 12th. The final decision would be made the day before depending on the weather.

As the cast and crew arrived very early in the morning, each one very nervously entered our main office. The producer came to the front desk and explained that two of the models cancelled out at the last minute. (cold feet?) He asked if we knew anyone at the park who would be interested in stepping in. He then added that it was a paying job. Well, I’m nude all day anyway and it certainly doesn’t bother me to be in an ad campaign so I jumped right in. Stony, who happened to be hanging around was also quick to volunteer.

While being nude in an ad is no big deal, being a model is certainly a lot of work. It took most of the day to setup 3 scenes and shoot enough material for the 3 pictures they wanted. The non-naturist models were a bit apprehensive at first but soon got right into it and stopped getting dressed between sessions. I guess having Stony and I nude all the time probably helped them. Plus the other members who kept walking by and watching also set the tone. None of the crew stripped off but that was probably due to the peer pressure of being there with their co-workers. The models had the excuse to be nude since that was their job. But an excuse was not needed that day given the warm sunny weather.

The photographer, Matt Barnes, did take all his clothes off for the group shot at the end. And one of the models loved Bare Oaks so much that she has since spent several days at the park with her friend.

The campaign is for Grower’s Cider. The original ads were on billboards and transit shelters in British Columbia and Alberta at the beginning of the summer. The ads feature images of naturists enjoying Growers in various outdoor settings with headlines like, “Being All Natural is Quite Refreshing. And Chilly.” Andy Shortt, the founder of HQvB, the agency behind the campaign says that Growers is a natural and unassuming brand, and “who’s more unpretentious than people who don’t wear clothes?”

See the ads here: http://www.huxleyquayle.com/2009/09/growers-cider/

That set of ads was so popular that it inspired a new promotion. I was contacted in August for permission to use my likeness in the extended campaign. I didn’t mind and it also meant more money!

They created a website where you can upload any picture of your choosing and have the site "nudify" the pictures which are then posted to the site's gallery. Three pictures will win $500. By “nudifying” they mean that you insert the picture of one of us (the original models in the ads) into your own picture. “You can take any bland, boring holiday or family photo and you put a nudist into it, it makes it kind of funny,” said Shortt. Naturists have so far been added to events like family camping trips and wedding pictures.

Take a look yourself: http://www.growersaunaturale.com/

Credits:

Advertising Agency: HQvB, Toronto, Canada

Creative Directors: Andy Shortt, Mark Tawse-Smith, Chris Hall

Copywriter: Mark Tawse-Smith

Photography: Westside Studios, Toronto

Photographer: Matt Barnes

Production Company: Lollipop, Toronto

Creative Director/designer: Michael Gramlow

Executive Producer: Amanda Loughran

Web Developer: Amanda Lutz

Flash Developer: Jim Bachalo

Nude Volleyball in January

2009-11-08T20:37:00.007-05:00

Indoor Naturist New Year's

Volleyball Tournament

London, Ontario

Saturday Jan 2nd

RSVP: volleyball@BareOaks.ca

Location

Spikes Indoor Beach Volleyball

120 Weston Street

http://www.spikes.on.ca

Click here to see a map.

Details

Signup and registration: 9am

Game play: 10am-6pm

All play is NUDE, unless your parent requested otherwise!

Cost: about $15 per person with a $30 family rate depending how many show

(we are just covering cost of rental & prizes)

Spikes now has 4 beach volleyball courts.

Levels

A 4 on 4

B 4 on 4

Novice Plus 6 on 6

Novice 6 on 6

Click here to subscribe to the Volleyball Newsletter

Hotel Recommendations by Chris:

Closest

Country Inn & Suites by Carlson

774 Base Line Rd East

(519) 430-1150

www.countryinns.com/londonon

Nicest

Best Western Lamplighter Inn and Conference Centre

591 Wellington Rd

(519) 681-7151

www.lamplighterinn.ca

Cheapest

Super 7 Motel Inc

697 Wellington Rd

(519) 681-7272

www.super7motel.ca

View Larger Map

Hot Pool Update

2009-10-24T10:49:00.005-04:00

The pool temperature is not climbing as fast as we expected. The water temperature has climbed overnight from 10ºC (50ºF) to 16ºC (61ºF) in about 10 hours. As such, it will not likely reach a decent temperature until late in the day. So we're keeping it going through tomorrow (Sunday). So if you are brave and hardy, please feel free to have a dip today. If not, you are welcome anytime tomorrow!

Ultimately, this is a useful test. As mentioned in the previous post, the propane heater is all new. We're getting very useful data on performance that we can use next year. We're also making sure that it works up to specifications.

Photo by: pntphoto

Trailer Show this weekend

2009-10-16T10:42:00.007-04:00

This weekend is the Toronto Fall RV Show and Sale at the Toronto Congress Centre. If you have been thinking of getting a new trailer, this is a great opportunity to touch and feel all the different types. In addition, there are great deals to be had for those people who are willing to make a deal at the show.

At the show you can tour many different models and types. From tent trailers to park model trailers. To understand the difference, visit the Go RVing website by clicking here.

One of the brands that Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park sells, Northlander Industries, will be at the show. Ask for Kyle or Morgan from Cedar Beach if you visit. Special promotional pricing is available at the show only.

www.TorontoFallRVshow.ca

Friday Oct. 16: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (discount price after 5 p.m.)
Saturday Oct. 17: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday Oct. 18: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here for directions.

Hot Pool Party

2009-10-13T12:43:00.011-04:00

As part of the upgrades for the new hot tub, we have installed a propane heater. It is faster and more effective at heating the hot tub than an electrical heater. It will also be able to do double-duty as a pool heater. We still plan on making good use of the environmentally-friendly solar heating system. But, from time to time, the pool drops in temperature quite a bit during cold spells. (like this past summer!) The solar system can take days to bring the temperature of the pool back up. So when we see good weather coming, we can now switch the hot tub's propane heater with a few valves to warm up the pool several degrees. Then, we will let the solar heating system do the rest.

So now that it is connected, we're announcing what we plan on making a yearly tradition:

The End-of-the-Season HOT POOL Party
Saturday, October 24th
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last chance to swim in the pool before it closes for the season. We will be using the new propane heater to bring the pool up to a balmy temperature so, regardless of the outside weather, it will be nice in the pool!

After that, we will be closing the pool for the season.

Seasonal Water Shutdown
Please note that the seasonal water will be shut off on Monday October 19th. (which affects mostly the campsites in Becket Circle) But we will keep the water running in the Beckett Circle washrooms and indoor showers for a while longer.

Hot Tub Update
We're getting very close to having the new hot tub operational. We're now waiting for delivery of a sand filter (that was not originally part of the plan we were given) and the 5 horsepower pump that will power the jets. The first pump specified turned out to be the wrong one. It needed 3-phase electricity and we only have a single phase available in the park. Once that arrives, it should only be a few days worth of work to finish all the connection and then a few more days of testing. Once that is done, we will need approval from the health department before we can open it up. It will be several more weeks before the new windows are installed but we will start using the tub even if the windows are not in.

Members' Meeting

2009-09-18T17:23:00.001-04:00

When: Sunday Nov 1, 2009
11 am – 1 pm

It's time again for the annual member's meeting. All members are invited to come and get an update on what's happening at Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park and ask questions. Food and drink will be served.

Photo by liam de burca