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February 20, 2014 | 28 pages
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Gloucester Fair to grow Organizers to add rides, entertainment to lineup Jennifer McIntosh jennifer.mcintosh@metroland.com
The Winchester Hospital Awards excellence in their employees and volunteers. – Page 5
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Dump this Dump 2 looks to gain support of Greely residents. – Page 12
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A North Gower resident’s story makes it into Chicken Soup for the Soul: O Canada the Wonders of Winter – Page 25
News - The Gloucester Fair is growing. The regional fair will move from four days in the last week of May, to 10 days at the end of August. The new, extended version will kick off on Aug. 15 and run until Aug. 24. Harley Bloom who is on the fair’s board of directors, said the longer run and new dates aren’t the only exciting additions. “We are very excited with the possibilities,� he said. Festivities will kick off with a monster truck show and a demolition derby. Bloom said there will also be one headliner and other local entertainers on stage throughout the fair. The change in timing and length will mean more planning, but the basic infrastructure has been in place for years, said the fair board’s president Maurice Lafortune. Originally started as an offshoot of the City of Gloucester’s parks and recreation department, the fair started in the parking lot of the Earl Armstrong Arena on Ogilvie Road, nearly three decades ago. The fair board is a working one and Lafortune said members can be found throughout the fairgrounds driving fence spikes into the ground or pitching in wherever else they’re needed. It was moved to the Rideau Carleton Raceway in 1997 largely because it had outgrown its home. “The Rideau Carleton Raceway have been great partners to
us,� Bloom said. Bloom said the board began to consider taking over the lateAugust dates a few years ago when the Super Ex was suspended in 2011. “We are not looking to take over for the Ex,� Bloom said. Bloom said the Gloucester fair will still maintain it’s smaller, regional fair feel, despite the extended timelines and addition of more rides and attractions. This year, the fair will have the largest midway in the city, featuring the Zipper, Scrambler and Fireball, among others. There will also be a kid’s zone with a petting zoo, pony rides, the bird of prey show and DooDoo the Clown. Bloom and Lafortune said what makes the fair special is the fact that it has hosted more than 1,000 physically and mentally handicapped children during its existence. “We offer them a day at the park for free,� Bloom said. The change in timeline from May to August may mean organizers will have to reach out to families or agencies in the communities so the kids can have a chance to take advantage of their day. Traditionally, the one-day event during the fair has been sponsored by Hydro Ottawa. The utility company provides funding and volunteers to help out. Another big event is the annual Smoked to the Bone barbecue competition, sponsored by D& S Southern Comfort BBQ. See FAIR, page 2
JENNIFER MCINTOSH/METROLAND
A cut up Joe Nesrallah, 11 cuts up onions for homemade salsa during a cooking class at the Osgoode Youth Association on Feb. 11. For the whole story, see page 4.
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