June 2021 by The Walleye Magazine

FILM FREE ARTS Vol. 12 No. 6 MUSIC JUNE FOOD 2021 CULTURE thewalleye.ca

The Great Escape Why We Love Camping

ANATOMY OF ART 36

A NEW TYPE OF CAMP 46

A TOUCH OF POISON 74

PUTTING PLANS INTO MOTION 86

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Contents ■ 7 TheTOPFive FEATURES

Editor-in-chief Darren McChristie

■9 ■ 10 ■ 12

Interim Editor Matt Prokopchuk matt@thewalleye.ca Assistant Editor Rebekah Skochinski Senior Editor Tiffany Jarva Copy Editors Amy Jones, Bonnie Schiedel

Marketing & Sales Specialists Kaitlin Trevisan kaitlin@thewalleye.ca

■ 26 ■ 28 ■ 31

THE GRINNING BELLY DRINK OF THE MONTH BREW IT YOURSELF Setting Up Shop SUPERIOR SIP 'Creativity, Expression, and Positivity’ Clap Along There Are No Fakes THE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES

THE ARTS

■ 33

Ad Designers Dave Koski, Keegan Richard, Miranda van den Berg

Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission is strictly forbidden. Views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.

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FILM&THEATRE

Art Directors Steve Coghill, R.G.D., Dave Koski, R.G.D. production@thewalleye.ca

The Walleye is a free monthly publication distributed on racks throughout Thunder Bay and region.

FOOD

Alaina Linklater alaina@thewalleye.ca Photographers Patrick Chondon, Kevin Dempsey, Damien Gilbert, Aelin Foster, Chad Kirvan, Dave Koski, Kay Lee, Shannon Lepere, Marty Mascarin, Darren McChristie, Sarah McPherson, Laura Paxton, Keegan Richard

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The Camping Issue The RV Appeal Canoe Tripping: A Love Story Taking the Trailer Camping Car Camping with Angela Chen

■ 34 ■ 36 ■ 38 ■ 40

FROM THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION Joining Forces Anatomy of Art Continuing Important Work Changing with the Times

■ 42

Right On Our Doorstep

■ 44 ■ 46 ■ 49

Meet myLocalism A New Type of Camp GO LOCAL THUNDER BAY COUNTRY MARKET Concert Venue Comes to Life WALL SPACE: Road Space

OUTDOOR

CITYSCENE ■ 50 ■ 52

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■ 56 ■ 58 ■ 60 ■ 63 ■ 64 ■ 65

MUSIC

■ 67 ■ 68 ■ 70 ■ 71 ■ 72 ■ 74 ■ 77 ■ 78

EYE TO EYE: With Jason Veltri STUFF WE LIKE Teeing Up Entershine Bookshop CANNABIS CORNER Pride Month Builds Community Online THIS IS THUNDER BAY The Will to Make Music A Project for the Golden Hours In Memory Of... Lucky to be Loved BURNING TO THE SKY A Touch of Poison Tuning to Finer Things Making a Comeback

■ 80 OFF THE WALL REVIEWS ARCHITECTURE

■ 82 Silver Islet General Store ■ 84 Tbaytel JUNE

EVENTS GUIDE ■ 85 LU RADIO'S MONTHLY TOP 30 HEALTH

■ 86 ■ 89 ■ 90

Putting Plans into Motion Learning from the Pandemic Cancer Doesn't Stop For COVID-19

GREEN

■ 93

It’s Easy Being Green

THE WALL

■ 94 Keep It Public ■ 96 HOROSCOPES ■ 97 THE BEAT ■ 98 THE EYE

All Rights Reserved. Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Superior Outdoors Inc. 242 - 1100 Memorial Avenue Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A3

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From Our Instagram Feed

Out in the Wilderness

ne of my favourite fairly recent memories involves a camping trip a couple of friends and I took a number of years ago. We drove out to Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park and set up our tent at one of the sites for a couple of days. I can’t remember which actual camping area we were at (Kakabeka has three), but I do remember there being a lot of RVs and trailers around—not so many other tents—which made me chuckle at the relative primitive setup we had. I believe the more tent-oriented sites had been flooded and weren’t usable. Regardless, the weather was good, the hiking enjoyable, and it was just a nice way to get away for a little bit. Hearing the wolves howling at night is something that will stick with me for a long time. As we head into summer, our June issue will take a closer look at this favourite pastime of many people here in the northwest, and the different ways one can do it. Our cover story will feature people’s experiences and with—and some of the gear needed for—four different types of camping: backcountry camping, car camping, trailer camping and motorhome camping. Staying with the theme,

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drink columnist Jeannie Dubois has three delicious cocktails that are natural fits for the campsite, film columnist Michael Sobota features four films with camping as a central theme, and chef Rachel Globensky tells us how to make a classic dish that will get any day outdoors off to a great start. Elsewhere in our June issue, Kris Ketonen has the latest on this year’s Pride Month plans and a special fundraiser that will be taking place to benefit Thunder Pride, Marcia Arpin speaks with Bill Smeltzer, a local man who is combining his loves of music and woodworking to help young people, and Roxann Shapwaykeesic has more about Damien Bouchard, a member of Aroland First Nation who continues to pursue his love of (and talent for) photography and videography here in Thunder Bay. We also have a story on what the organizers of the Tumblestone music festival are planning this year. So, as we head into summer and our planned camping adventures, we hope this issue will help inspire your next trip out of the city, and entertain you along the way. - Matt Prokopchuk

Featured Contributor Jamie Varga

Having been born with a naturally large set of lungs and a big mouth, Jamie Varga learned at an early age that people would often get sick of listening to him talk. Still wanting to share his tales and opinions, he found solace in the world of writing and concluded that if someone is reading this, it is surely by choice so, there’s that. Much of his skill can be summed up in the following line: That that is is that that is not is not. #RIGHTdeadly

On the Cover Beachfront camping on the shores of Lake Superior. Photo by Darren McChristie

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WHEN YOU’RE UP THAT CREEK, WE’RE YOUR PADDLE.

Call us or visit our website to find out how we can assist you with your litigation needs. We’re here to help. ericksonsllp.com | 1-807-345-1213 | 1-800-465-3912 Damien Gilbert

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TheTOPFive Thunder Pride

June 1–30 We are incredibly grateful for Thunder Pride and all they’ve done and continue to do in the name of community! This year, they’re building on their second virtual Pride event with activities all month long. Take part in trivia and movie night, storytime and painting with drag queens, and the return of the (so fun and so popular!) Drive-by Drag. There’s also a competition for the best-dressed space this year with both an adult and youth version, which can be as simple as decorating a wall in your favourite room. Pride has also partnered with Hooligan Fuel Hot Sauce to create a habanero-infused honey sauce, aptly named Bee Proud, with all profits going to support Thunder Pride. Bee Proud launches on June 1. One love! thunderpride.ca

Beer School: Beer and Art

June 6

EcoSuperior’s Big Lake Reflections

Various

Not everyone loves school to begin with, but you’d be excited about Beer School, right? Right on! Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. has collaborated with the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) on a Beer and Art pairing package. Choose from five different prints and a four-pack of beer. Featuring artwork inspired by a SGBC beer from local talents like Merk, It’s Fine Art Collective, Judy CzankMayor, Tom Collins, and Carol Cooper. The prints are unframed and a portion of each sale will support a professional fund for artists. Packages are $65 each and will be ready for contactless pick-up at the brewery as of Thursday June 6th. Pick your favourite print and order online. Bonus: no final exam and everyone gets an A+! sleepinggiantbrewing.ca

Now in its second year, Big Lake Reflections celebrates our relationship with Lake Superior through the arts. EcoSuperior invites Thunder Bay and surrounding communities to reflect on what you feel, see, or hear while being with this Great Lake. Their hope is that this individual connection will encourage environmental stewardship and protection of this special entity. It’s time to get creative! Make a sidewalk chalk drawing for your neighbours to enjoy, pen a short poem or haiku, or any other artistic expression of your choosing—take photos, paint, sing a song, dance a dance, dress up in blue. Then share your reflective joy by tagging EcoSuperior on your social media post (#biglakereflections) or send an entry via text and you could win up to $400 in prizes. ecosuperior.org and click on “Current Events”

National Indigenous Peoples Day

June 14–28

Neighbourhood Day

June 19

Various

Your Hood Marlene Wandell

The month of June signals the summer solstice on June 21 but also National Indigenous Peoples Day—an opportunity to celebrate the heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. This year, there will be activities planned from the 14th until the 28th, with special guest Sharon Johnson, who is an Ojibway Kwe from Seine River First Nation and is a part of the committee responsible for the Waniskahtan exhibit, a project designed to educate and create a greater awareness about the high rates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and 2-Spirit (LGBTQ2S). Organizers hope the exhibit will be able to be viewed publicly in person at Intercity Shopping Centre. Details for this and other exciting events to be finalized so follow the Facebook page for updates! facebook.com/NADTBay

Sue Hamel

June 12–19

Virtual

Great neighbourhoods make a great city, and we have both! On June 19th, the City of Thunder Bay is participating in the second annual Neighbour Day and they want it to be even better than last year. Celebrate unity and community and show that Thunder Bay has a giant heart by getting creative all while respecting social distancing and safety. Have a driveway dance party or porch party, dress up your window for a neighbourhood walking tour, make yard sculptures, put up some lights to brighten up your block, or show random acts of neighbourly kindness. Check out the city website for inspiration and easy art videos and to access the Neighbourhood Day Toolkit which includes printable cards and postcards and colouring pages for kids (with prizes). Ready, set, go! thunderbay.ca/en/recreation/neighbour-day.aspx

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Matt Prokopchuk

Keegan Richard

Various

wilderness is calling – catch our full collection of rugged outdoor essentials

A portion of all clothing sales in JUNE is donated to isthmus thunder bay 710 BAL MORAL S TREE T

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F RE SHAIR.LOC AL LY.C O M

CoverStory

The Great Escape Why We Love Camping `We don’t have cottages here in Northwestern Ontario, but we do have camps, and camping! In fact, we think our camping opportunities are some of the best in the world. So whether your idea of a good time involves portaging to a secluded backcountry oasis and pitching a tent, or hooking up your fifth-wheel to take to your favourite campground, or you prefer snoozing in a hammock in your backyard, there’s something here to entertain and inspire you to embrace being outside this summer. We’ve also got the lowdown on some gear! Now if we could only get the blackflies and mosquitoes to buzz off.

Bonnie Schiedel

- Rebekah Skochinski

The Walleye

CoverStory

The Torpedo at a campsite at the tip of the Gaspé

Karen Watt and John Prezio, along with their children Sam and Kate

The Torpedo

used the bathroom for anything but storage—Prezio simply didn’t want to deal with the hassle—the option for an electrical hook-up felt luxurious. There’s hot water for dishes, a furnace in the morning to take the chill off, a fridge to keep food cold—all the advantages of home. The family also realized that the motorhome could lengthen their camping season, as sleeping warm and dry off the ground led to camping earlier in the spring and well into autumn. While Prezio and Watt have never had any problems with the motorhome, they caution that there are some things to be aware of if you’re thinking of going this route. Preventative maintenance is necessary, but finding a good, reliable mechanic can be a challenge,

A Home on Wheels

Story by Justin Allec, Photos courtesy of Karen Watt and John Prezio

even year ago, John Prezio and Karen Watt decided to change how they camped. Though they were previously dedicated to nylon tents, sleeping pads, and canoes, their growing children prompted a reevaluation. As teachers with time off in summers, the couple wondered how to best use the days while keeping things relaxed and family-friendly. The answer to that question proved to be a motorhome, which surprised them. “We didn’t want some giant, gas-guzzling vehicle that’d kill the ozone layer every time you started it,” Watt says. “But after looking around, we found something that would work for our family.” Jokingly referring to their boxy, 22-foot used motorhome as a “glorified tent” and lovingly christened “The Torpedo” by daughter Kate, the family found themselves traipsing around the country in a way you simply couldn’t in a stuffed car. Over the next few summers, The Torpedo criss-crossed Canada. With about six weeks of dedicated travel

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time, the Prezio-Watt family went the distance: one summer down to southern Ontario, another summer on the East Coast, then the West Coast, then everywhere in-between, with the Gaspé peninsula being a highlight. The national parks and national historic sites served as destinations, with the family choosing to spend their time in those wild places conscientiously. Watt explains that they tried the approach of “rather than see everything, try to see a few things well.” That meant that once they arrived at a campground, the motorhome stayed parked for the duration and any getting around had to happen by bike. “We didn’t want to get in the habit of using it like a car,” Prezio says, since the family was proud of their one-car approach in their city lives. It didn’t take them long to realize the advantages of the motorhome. “It’s really like travelling first class,” Watt laughs. “The open road, the stereo’s going, one kid is playing Legos on the table, the other is reading in a bunk.” While they never

especially on the road. Even though their motorhome was built upon a Ford F-350 base, many regular mechanics won’t want to deal with motorhomes due to their size and the additional systems. There are also limitations to where you can take a motorhome—older areas of Canada that feature twisting, winding roads, like parts of Quebec and Vancouver Island, simply aren’t built for big vehicles. Now that Kate and Sam are teenagers and busy with school and jobs, The Torpedo has gone onto a new family. It’s an opportunity for the couple to get back to basics, and Watt says she’s “looking forward to the solitude of a canoe again.” Journeys and destinations can change, but some parts of summer stay the same.

Sam and Kate taking a nap in the motorhome

CoverStory

In a Class of their Own From Compact and Cosy to Luxurious

By Matt Prokopchuk, Photos courtesy of the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association

otorhomes are essentially just that: a house you take on the road with you. Often considered the firstclass option for camping, motorhomes are self-propelled vehicles, as opposed to requiring a truck or other vehicle to tow or host it, according to the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA). Motorhomes are divided into three classes, based on their size and overall configuration.

Class A Motorhomes The largest and often most impressive of the three classes, class A motorhomes are the kings of the road. Resembling a large bus and designed for luxury, the class As are built on a specially designed frame, according to the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association, and also are the most expensive. Shane Devenish, the president of the CRVA says that, while class As are the largest (in Canada, the maximum length is just over 12 metres), they don’t often boast the largest sleeping capacity (usually up to six people) as the space is used for other amenities—some can come fully decked-out with marble surfaces, a fireplace, etc. Devenish says the price can range wildly here, from the high five figures up to a million dollars.

Class B Motorhomes The smallest of the three motorhome classes, modern class Bs can be thought of as a “really luxurious van,” Devenish says. It’s an appropriate description, as class Bs are constructed using a conventional van chassis, on to which a raised roof is added, according to the CRVA. The maximum length is roughly half that of a class A. “The class B market […] is usually a couple, usually older, and they’re travelling around. They want something easier to drive that gets a little bit better gas mileage—they don’t care so much about the space and amenities,” Devenish says. The CRVA website says class Bs can sleep up to four people. Class Bs are the least expensive of the options here, often topping out at under $200,000.

Class C Motorhomes Class Cs might be the most distinctive, thanks to their telltale cab-over bunk which sits atop the driver and passenger seats. Despite not being as large as a class A (size-wise, they tend to fall between an A and a B), they often have the largest sleeping capacity of up to eight people, due to the way they’re configured inside. A popular choice for families, Devenish says, class C motorhomes are built on a commercial van chassis. “Class Cs tend to allow for more sleeping capabilities because you have the bed over the driver,” Devenish says. “You have a dinette and a couch—usually you can sleep there—you’ve got a queen bed at the back, so usually you can sleep between six and eight people in a class C, easily.” Price-wise, class Cs tend to fall in the $100,000 to $200,000 range.

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CoverStory

Canoe Tripping: A Love Story

How I Spend My Summer Vacations Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos by Darren Elder

Sunrise on Quetico Lake

grew up on a small lake in southern Ontario and learned to paddle a wide, wallowing plastic canoe. Backcountry canoe camping was not on my radar. However, my university boyfriend Darren (now my husband) had completed the Outers outdoor rec program at Atikokan High School, which culminated in a 12-day canoe trip deep into Quetico Provincial Park in grade 12. That didn’t make him an expert, but it did make him want to see that side of Quetico again. So, in the summer of ’94, we borrowed and scavenged gear and set out for a five-day trip. It coincided with a heat wave where it was 36°C by 10 am, and on our second morning we spotted a massive plume of forest fire smoke. End of trip. Undaunted, the next summer we completed a five-day trip—and we were hooked. We learned a lot in those early years. At first we wore jeans (dumb) and usually put our life jackets under our seats (really dumb). We ate a lot of crummy instant noodles and cereal bars. Gradually, by thinking things through, talking to other trippers, and reading those new-fangled online forums, we figured out how to be safe and comfortable out there in the vast expanse of billion-year-old rock and pristine lakes. In the late 90s, we scraped together the funds to buy a 17.5-foot Prospector from

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Roughing it in the bush Atikokan’s Souris River Canoes, still our sweet ride today. We gave each other paddles and life jackets for birthdays, and used wedding money to invest in the compact, lightweight gear that backcountry camping requires. A Christmas gift of a food dehydrator from one set of parents means that we can preserve deluxe meals at home and just add boiling water at a campsite. One of my hands-down favourite buys is a cookbook called A Fork in the Trail by Laurie Ann March, with recipes for Moroccan chicken stew, feta and quinoa soup, and chili. It’s a mix of satisfaction and thrill to set out on a trip and know that everything our little family needs to be sheltered and safe and fed is packed into our yellow canoe. Our daughter did her first overnight canoe trip when she was four, and we’ve done a couple trips a year since then. Many of those trips are what I call “backcountry lite”: one portage, paddle for a couple hours, set up camp on an island or two for five days, where we while away our time swimming, fishing, reading in our hammocks (yes, that’s hammocks, plural), making up games with sticks and rocks, and taking day trips to that nice bay over there. We do get more ambitious about once a year on a seven-day trip with more portages and a little more distance covered. On one epically

rainy trip, I gave my daughter a little pep talk about how the next day, our final one of the trip, would be challenging, but we could do it. “We’re tough northern girls,” I said, a phrase that has come up more than once since then. I love knowing that’s part of her childhood soundtrack. When we lived in Ignace for 10 years we camped on that area’s sandy beaches, and did another very cool canoe trip to the Slate Islands a few years ago, but it’s the Quetico magic that holds my heart. It’s where every campsite has incredible views and air that smells so, so good, where you can paddle into a secluded bay and see a mama moose feeding her baby, or you can float alongside a

sheer rock cliff and see the rusty red pictographs that someone else in a canoe painted long ago. Last August, frazzled by months of pandemic living and still raw from the unexpected death of my dad in July, we escaped to Quetico once again and were rewarded with a string of perfect weather days and a weird absence of biting bugs. Before we left home I poured one of my dad’s bottles of wine into a plastic flask, and every night I toasted his memory in the quiet, golden evening light. Canoe tripping can be hard—hammocks and Moroccan chicken notwithstanding—but it’s profoundly restorative too. I can’t wait to get out again this summer.

The Schiedel/Elder family on a recent canoe trip

CoverStory

Lighter Fare

ackcountry camping is the type of camping experience intended to take you the furthest away from the creature comforts of home. Often involving hiking and canoeing into the remote wilderness, a successful backcountry trek requires gear that has to be, above all else, durable, lightweight, and compact, as there’s often no motorized vehicle to help transport it. “It’s all about weight,” says Jon Wynn, the owner of Gear Up for Outdoors.

Backcountry Gear 101 By Matt Prokopchuk

Tents

Bonnie Schiedel

Nowadays, tents come in many different sizes and configurations, but Wynn says that for backcountry camping, the shelter you use should be lightweight and compact. “You want to go ultra-light,” he says. “There’s lots of ultra-light single-person tents and twoperson ultra-light, using ultra-light fabric, so you can cut the weight down almost to a pound, two pounds on a regular-sized tent.” This means the tents will, by and large, be smaller and more compact than some of the larger, more luxurious models one may find at a campsite you drive up to, he adds. Quality and durability are also necessities. “You want to buy a good quality tent,” he says, adding that it’s important to make sure it’s “fully waterproof.”

Cooking Chances are if you’re doing a backcountry trek, you won’t be able to pack anything too bulky for food preparation—that not only includes the food itself, but also the cooking apparatus. Ostrom suggests buying dehydrated foods (or make your own if you own a dehydrator) and reconstituting them when needed. There are also places in town that will vacuum-seal things like meat, he adds. For the actual cooking, a single-burner stove (which, effectively, is an element attached directly to the fuel canister) can be used. “Some of them are super lightweight and you can boil a litre of water within a minute there and have […] your coffee and your freeze-dried food, and your shore lunch all at the same time,” Wynn says.

Packs

Dave Jones

Having a proper pack to store and carry all of your gear (shelter, food, water, clothing, fuel, etc.) is crucial, and one thing people need to be aware of is how well that pack fits the person carrying it, says Bill Ostrom of Ostrom Outdoors. Ostrom is also the designer of a line of customizable, heavy-duty canoe/ portage packs, which are back on the market. People may use fabric packs or barrel harnesses on backcountry treks, Ostrom says. The barrel harness is, essentially, just that: a plastic lidded barrel (usually 30 or 60 litres) that is harnessed to the camper’s back. Ostrom says a sealing ring makes them waterproof and the barrels are animal resistant (not entirely bear-proof, however). Wiping them down to remove food and human smells is a daily part of Ostrom’s backcountry routine, he says.

The The Walleye Walleye 1313

CoverStory

Taking the Trailer Camping

Minimalism Meets Comfort

Story by Kat Lyzun, Photos courtesy of Emily Kerton

Emily Kerton and Matt Roy camp with a mini trailer

n 2009, Emily Kerton and her husband Matt Roy hiked over 1,000 kilometres of the Appalachian Trail. They had everything they needed strapped to their backs or posted ahead to stops along their journey. “It was a totally incredible experience,” says Kerton. “Things were so simple. [Camping] is minimalism embodied. The more you declutter, you feel calmer. You can’t bring a lot with you, and you start to realize that everything else you have is kind of extraneous.” Kerton is a passionate, life-long camper, from tent camping with her dad as a kid to years of working with the Ontario Ranger Program at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, fostering a love of camping in other youths. When she had her son Emmitt, the young family of three did some backcountry and tent camping but also started talking about trailer camping, since Roy had great family memories of camping that way. “I never thought or intended that we would be trailer camper people,” Kerton laughs. “Then two years ago we thought, ‘Hey, let’s do it. Let’s try a trailer.’” And so they set about searching for a lightweight trailer

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that their hybrid SUV could easily pull, and that would allow them to experience nature with the freedom and privacy they enjoy. They found an ultra-light ProLite Mini trailer manufactured in Quebec that fit the bill. It has no bathroom, but has snug sleeping areas, a little kitchen and a table, and is warm and dry year-round. “It’s perfect. I’m a total convert,” Kerton says. “It means we can go camping anytime. If it’s freezing cold or super buggy, we always have a place to sit and make crafts or play games, make our food and be comfortable.” They spend as much time camping as they can at favourite spots around Thunder Bay and across the border in Minnesota. “We love camping at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park and Sleeping Giant. Our favourite spots there are the 300 sites—you have to drive around Mary Louise Lake to get to them, and they’re more rustic and private,” she says. Quetico is also a favourite. They’ve also done some longhaul trips, notably one to Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park. “That was an adventure,” says Kerton. “When you’re pulling a trailer with a hybrid [vehicle], you can’t get very far on a

tank of gas and the battery doesn’t last that long. We could only do about 200 kilometres on a tank of gas, so we had to stop every hour and a half. It took us a long time to get there, but there are some amazing parks as you drive out west that we got to experience.” This included their destination, which is an incredible park but also incredibly hot in the summer, and the little trailer does not have air conditioning. “We spent a lot of time inside the visitor centre reading the information plaques,” Kerton

laughs. “But that was great because we also love natural science. Although we were a bit jealous of all the big trailers with their A/C.” Her favourite thing about trailer camping is that it allows them to experience nature with minimal trappings, just like tent camping, but with a little extra comfort. It enhances the whole experience for them. “We have everything we need, and no more.” Kerton blogs about their trailer adventures and sustainability on Instagram @plastic_problems.

Inside the trailer. From left to right, Matt Roy, Emmitt Roy, Emily Kerton

CoverStory

Pulling it Behind You A Look at Three Types of Trailers

By Matt Prokopchuk, Photos courtesy of the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association

uch like motorhomes, trailers are designed to bring a touch of comfort to the camping experience, although how much can vary widely here. There are a number of different classifications of trailers, but we’ll examine three common ones you’ll see on the road: the standard travel trailer, the fifth wheel, and the folding camper (or tent trailer).

Travel Trailers According to the Go RVing Canada coalition—a group of manufacturers, dealers, and campground operators that advocates for the domestic recreational vehicle industry—the travel trailer is the most popular type of RV on the road, largely due to the number of different models and configurations. Pulled behind a vehicle using a bumper or frame hitch, travel trailers can range in size from the ultralight “teardrop” trailers (or the classic Boler) which can be pulled by a family car, up to ones well over 10 metres in length. The kinds of amenities inside, along with the prices, vary widely here, too. The Go RVing coalition puts the general range of a new travel trailer at between $20,000 to $120,000.

Fifth Wheels A unique type of trailer RV, this one is so-named due to the fifth wheel hitch required to secure the trailer to a pickup truck for towing. It’s also easy to spot by its overhang that comes over top of the towing pickup truck’s cabin. “It can be more luxurious because it can be longer,” Shane Devenish, president of the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association, says of the fifth wheel. “It’s really neat the way it’s designed, because usually in that overhang part is the bedroom, so you actually step up into a pretty large bedroom, there could be a washroom up there too, and then in the main part, you’d have your kitchen and […] living areas.” The Go RVing Canada coalition says you can expect to pay between $45,000 to $160,000 for a new fifth wheel.

Folding Campers Also known as a fold down trailer, a pop-up trailer, or a tent trailer, these lightweight RVs have either a rigid or canvas top and side walls and are folded down or stowed on their chassis when they’re in transit, then deployed at the campsite, according to the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association. Tent trailers tend to be the least expensive, Devenish says (the Go RVing Canada coalition puts the general price range at between $10,000 and $25,000 and adds that they are often bought as a first trailer). “It has to do, too, with how luxurious you want to get, how many places do you need for sleeping, […] and do you want a big kitchen or are you OK with cooking outside?” Devenish says. “There’s all kinds of reasons why people might choose one or the other.”

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CoverStory

Car Camping with Angela Chen From China to Canada and the Northern Experience Story by Leah Morningstar, Photos courtesy of Angela Chen A campsite at Minnesota's Tettegouche State Park in 2019

he’s been all over the world, been educated at multiple universities, and has worked many jobs in many fields. She’s enjoyed adventures around the globe, but up until recently, Angela Chen had never been camping. Chen was born and raised in central China, in the province of Hubei, the fourth of five children. Chen and her siblings were encouraged to work hard and dream big and then follow those dreams. In her case, those dreams took her to Australia for schooling, to Scandinavia for travel, and—after being intrigued by Canada when meeting Canadians on those travels—to this country (southern Ontario first) for more schooling and work. She found herself contemplating a move north in 2019 to the beautiful wilderness of Northwestern Ontario. Thunder Bay is where Chen met her husband Tyler Forbes. He helped fix her car one evening, which led to chatting and visiting and dating and, eventually, camping. Forbes actually hadn’t been camping alone before. His experiences with the great outdoors were from childhood memories with friends and family. But they were both excited to try something new. They bought a tent, borrowed everything else, and ventured into Minnesota in search of Tettegouche State Park. Chen recounts their first attempt at camping with much laughter. She says, “We had some bumps. I didn’t

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realize that campsites usually have to be booked in advance.” Thankfully there was an open spot for them at Tettegouche. And the fun was only just beginning. She said the first time they tried to light a fire was absolutely comical and putting up the tent was hilarious. Chen and her husband never gave up though. They loved learning by trial and error during the summer of 2019. They enjoyed laughing at themselves as they figured it all out and we’re better prepared for the next summer. In 2020, the couple decided that camping wasn’t enough— they were going to also try fishing. They stayed closer to the city this time and went to Silver Falls, near Kaministiquia. “I can’t imagine what people must have thought as we struggled and tried our best,” Chen says. “We caught nothing but it was so fun.” Another notable trip was a trek to Pukaskwa National Park, towards the end of last summer. The idea of going to a nationally known park seemed like an important achievement for the no-longer-novice camping couple. At Pukaskwa, the two were excited to improve their skills and spend time just relaxing. “We swam in the lake, laid on the beach, watched the sunset, watched the birds, and explored some of the smaller hiking trails,” Chen says. Unfortunately the canoe rental station was closed at the time, but there will be plenty of time this coming season to keep trying new things, like canoeing and

Angela Chen and Tyler Forbes’s dog Athena at Tettegouche State Park boating—maybe some of the longer hiking trails, too. Thinking back to the little girl living in Hubei, it’s likely that getting married in Canada (with family attending via Zoom) was never on the radar. Now that she’s married and working a steady job, her world travelling days often seem like ancient history. But putting down roots doesn’t mean the adventures are

over. There are always new things to do and new things to learn. “I love it,” Chen says. “I love camping. It has been one of my best experiences in Canada so far.” Canada is expansive and there is little doubt that Chen is going to see as much of this huge country as possible. With her husband and her dog, a tent and a campfire, Chen is truly living that northern experience.

Tyler Forbes and Angela Chen at Pukaskwa National Park in August 2020

CoverStory

Setting Up Camp

Three Useful Pieces of Equipment for Your Next Car Camping Adventure

ar camping refers to the longstanding practice of packing what you need into your vehicle and driving out of the city to a campsite, setting up your shelter, and enjoying time in nature. Unlike backcountry camping, where you’ve got to pack everything on your person, car camping allows for a little more flexibility in what you bring with you.

By Matt Prokopchuk

Tents Whereas tents that you take into the backcountry should really be compact and lightweight, people can get away with using a larger tent when car camping. Nowadays, some tents can measure eight to 10 feet by eight to 10 feet, with enough height to stand up in, says Jon Wynn of Gear Up for Outdoors, adding that they can come with “big, huge front vestibules and back vestibules [with] enough [space] to put a porch where you can put a picnic table, or a small table and a couple of chairs,” he says. Some campers will also pack a separate screen shelter as well, he says. Quality is still key, Wynn adds. “So many people buy an inexpensive tent, then the first rainstorm it leaks and your kids are floating on a mattress in your tent, and they’ll never go again.”

Coolers

Jonathan Portinga

Regardless of the length of your stay at a drive-up campsite, keeping food and drinks cool will be important. Peter Tofinetti, the co-owner of Fresh Air, says that there are now coolers on the market (Yeti being a popular brand) that, through technological improvements, can keep ice intact and ice packs cool for seven days or longer. “It’s like a fridge—it’s like a seven-day fridge,” he says. A good cooler can also be bear-proof, or at least bear-resistant. Some high-end ice packs also freeze at temperatures below zero degrees, Tofinetti says, adding to their ability to stay cool.

Jonathan Portinga

Cooking There are also a variety of single or multi-burner camp stoves on the market using a range of fuel sources, such as cylinders of gas or propane, that can allow campers to do more conventional cooking on an element. Portable fire pits are another option, Tofinetti says. “They’re more for your purists,” he says. “You literally can just stuff in some twigs […] and it’s an extremely efficient style of cooking.” He says that modern models are often smokeless as well, and some work with “fuel pucks”—solid discs of compacted fuel designed to burn in the appropriate portable camp stove.

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Food

THE GRINNING BELLY

Campfire Chilaquiles By Chef Rachel Globensky

ho or what are chilaquiles and how do you even say it? Chee·luh·kee·leiz are a traditional breakfast Mexican comfort food of tortilla chips coated in sauce—typically green salsa (salsa verde), or red enchilada sauce (chilaquiles rojos)— and topped with all kinds of fresh deliciousness: meat or beans, onion, avocado, crumbled cheese, cilantro (love it? hate it? I’m a fan), and sometimes fried eggs. Crawling out of a dewy tent on cool June mornings always reminds me of tree planting, yet nowadays, I do not have to beat the 5 am rush to the lunch table to secure my ration of Block Treats, or try to cram a fistful of breakfast quiche into my mouth before I start duct taping my fingers. Now, I camp by choice— usually in a trailer!—enjoying easy mornings of strongly fortified coffee,

and wiping sleep from my eyes as Shawn “Ranger Ricks” up a breakfast fire. These chilaquiles are a perfect start to a busy camp day of hiking and kayaking, or reading on the beach with a fizzy drink in a koozie if that’s more your jam. A bit of prep beforehand and having everything at your fingertips ensures a smooth launch in the morning: • salsa verde or enchilada sauce (homemade is the bee’s knees, so if you have time before your camping trip, Cookie and Kate’s recipe is the best: cookieandkate. com/enchilada-sauce-recipe • fried tortilla chips (buy some or fry up some stale tortillas) • fresh toppings (shredded chicken or beef, refried beans, guac, crumbled cheese, sour cream, avocado, red onion, fried eggs

Camping Chilaquiles serves 4

2 c enchilada sauce or salsa verde

Grease the bottom and sides of a Dutch oven. Stirring often, warm sauce over the fire until hot.

5 oz (read: 5 big handfuls) corn tortilla chips

Add chips to the sauce, and using a rubber spatula, gently stir, stir, stir until all the chips are coated in sauce. At this point, you can take the pot off the fire, or if the chips aren’t quite tender enough for you, put the lid on for a minute or two. Fair warning: there’s a fine line between tender and soggy chips, so be careful….

1 c cooked, shredded chicken or beef, or refried beans ½ c crumbled cheese: Cotija, queso fresco, or feta 3 Tbsp thinly sliced radish or onion (red or green)

Unlid your creation, and sprinkle meat/ beans, cheese, radish/onion, and cilantro on top.

2 Tbsp cilantro leaves eggs: fried, scrambled, or poached wedges of lime sour cream (or Mexican crema if you have it) salsa or hot sauce ripe avocado, thinly sliced, or your favourite guacamole

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Serve it up and let everyone dress their own plates with the good stuff! NB: These don’t keep very well, unless you like gloppy, soggy chips and sweaty cheese, so don’t plan for leftovers.

Food

DRINK OF THE MONTH

Amethyst Mine Bight Restaurant & Bar

Story by Rebekah Skochinski, Photo by Chondon Photography

o you know what we love? Drinks with a local connection. Drinks with a great name. Drinks with captivating looks. Drinks that taste dynamite. Our cool pals at Bight have always entertained us with first-rate cocktails and their latest, the Amethyst Mine, is unlike anything we’ve tried so far—and we’ve tried a lot! This tempting violet vixen pays homage to the official gemstone of Ontario and the fact that Thunder Bay is so well situated in the heart of amethyst country that we have a mine. Imagine that. Also imagine a gin-forward drink of Empress 1908 Gin with sharp notes of juniper, citrus, and butterfly pea blossoms that lend it its intriguing colour. There’s also Lillet Blanc, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur for floral flavours, simple syrup and lemon juice for brightness, and magic— it’s what turns the gin this lovely hue. Who knew? It’s glorious. A real gem, you could say. Available to stay or to go. GO!

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ne of the most widely brewed beer styles on Earth is none other than the classic pilsner. Some people estimate that pilsners account for 95% of global beer consumption. While craft beer fans of today often consider pilsners boring and relate them to the watery beers produced by industrial breweries, the pilsner style of beer making truly has been a raging hit with the widest range of people since it was first developed in the mid 1800s. A pilsner is a pale lager that takes its name from the Czech Republic city of Plzeň. Typically at around 4.5% to 5% in alcohol by volume (ABV), pilsners are pale straw-to-golden yellow in colour and are hopped to various degrees. I personally think that when most people think of beer, they are thinking of the pilsner style. The Pilsner has an interesting history that I can only briefly address here. It started in 1838 in the Bohemian town of Plzeň. Back then, the town’s stores of ale had completely spoiled. This led to the brewers and the citizens revolting and dumping many barrels of beer into their main square in protest that their locally produced ale had become undrinkable. The citizens demanded that something be done about this. Working together, the town raised funds to build a new brewery—Burghers’ (Citizens’) Brewery—that incorporated some of the latest technologies of the Industrial Revolution: steam power and artificial refrigeration. For this new brewery, the town also hired a brewer from Bavaria named Josef Groll. Groll came from a brewing family and brought with him two further advances in brewing technology. One of them was lager yeast from Bavaria that fermented at colder temperatures, producing a cleaner tasting beer, and the second was malt kilning techniques using coke (rather than wood), which produced much lighter-coloured malt (and thus a lighter-colour beer). With these new brewing developments, combined with Saaz hops from Bohemia and clean soft well water from the town, Groll produced a

Food delicious golden brew such as no one had ever seen before. People immediately fell in love with the Pilsner beer. This new town brewery eventually started calling its beer Pilsner Urquell (which means “original source of pilsner”), which is still available today at most LCBOs. This approach to making beer became so popular that it eventually spread across the world, leading to several regional variations. See the accompanying table for a breakdown of the different pilsner substyles. Pilsner beers are notoriously difficult to brew due to their simplicity in ingredients. If you are interested in brewing one at home, you almost have to focus more on your brewing techniques than the recipe itself. Because the brew is so simple, there is nowhere to hide any of your process mistakes. You will need to dial in your water chemistry to match the regional style you are trying to replicate. I personally love pils from Northern Germany, which has more of a bite from the high calcium sulfate levels. However, Lake Superior water is so soft and perfect for a Czechstyle pilsner. If you are an all-grain homebrewer, make sure you use pilsner malt and consider step mashing (where the mash temperature is progressively increased through a series of rests). While a stepped approach is often not considered necessary with modern malts, carefully considering the schedule of temperatures can have a direct impact on fermentability, clarity, and head retention of your final beer. Furthermore, like with any lager brewing, make sure you pitch enough yeast and have tight control of your fermentation temperatures. This includes a diacetyl rest at the end of fermentation so that the yeast cleans itself up before you begin the lagering process. This month when you are out camping or enjoying the summer weather, be sure to pick up a few different styles of pilsner and try to learn which substyle you like best. Próst!

BREW IT YOURSELF

A Profile of Pilsners

The History and Substyles of the World’s Favourite Beer By Josh Armstrong, PhD, Certified Beer Judge

Table 1. Substyles of pilsner beer. Type

Czech Pilsner

German Pilsner

Description The original pilsner, look for caramel maltiness and spicy/herbal flavour from the Czech Saaz hops. Examples: Pilsner Urquell, Světlý Ležák Nefiltrovaný 12º (Godspeed Brewery), Steam Whistle Drier and crisper with a more pronounced bitterness than the Czech versions. Features German noble hops and a honey sweetness from the malt. Examples: Bitburger, Jever, Vim & Vigor (Tooth and Nail Brewing)

Italian Pilsner

Eurolager

Much like the German pils, but with more European hop aroma from dry hopping. Examples: Glorioso (Left Field Brewery), Marco Polo (Indie Alehouse) A broad category that is often not even considered to be a pilsner. Very much the equivalent of American macro-produced lagers but from Europe. Low on bitterness and typically finish sweeter that most pils. Examples: Heineken, Stella Artois, Grolsch

Classic American Pilsner

This style died out after Prohibition in the USA and is often called “pre-Prohibition lager.” These pilsners are often made with adjuncts found in America (corn, rice) along with old-school American hops (Liberty, Crystal). Examples: Grass Roots (SGBC), Root of Evil (Whiprsnapr Brewing Co.)

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Food

Setting Up Shop

Hearst’s Rheault Distillery Makes the Move to Thunder Bay

Story and photo by Matt Prokopchuk The Court Street site where the new Rheault Distillery will open

northern Ontario distillery known for its vodka has the green light to move into a new space in Thunder Bay, and the owners say they’re going to be expanding what they offer. Marcel Rheault and Mireille Morin co-own Rheault Distillery in Hearst, which produces Loon Vodka, along with whisky and liqueurs. The two will be operating out of a building on Court Street South that historically was used as an automotive garage, but has sat abandoned for years. They plan to turn the building into a space where

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they can create and serve a growing line of spirits, including a planned move into producing gin and cider. The process had been held up by a property zoning issue, but with that resolved earlier this year, Rheault says he’s excited to move forward. “Being there, it’s going to be easier for us to bring the product to the people,” he says, noting that Thunder Bay gives them more access—COVID-willing—to broader tourism markets. Even in Hearst, however, Morin says that the distillery was a hit with people from outside of Northwestern Ontario. “In Hearst, we get people from all over the place, […] from other countries, even, just to come visit the distillery,” she says. “It’s mind-boggling, so imagine if it would be situated in Thunder Bay.” The building the distillery will move into still needs a lot of work but, with its wood construction, it can be turned into a very inviting space, Rheault says, adding that they’ll be bringing all of their existing distilling equipment down from their Hearst facility. He says that their new location will feature not only the production space, but also a tasting room, bar, and room for functions like small weddings. “There’s […] big trusses, it’s all been made out of wood,” Rheault says of the space. “It’s so beautiful, so that’s what we want to come out with. […]

It’s really going to look like a saloon, kind of a rustic look there.” Morin says that they plan to open their new location in Thunder Bay in early October.

You can visit Rheault Distillery’s website at rheaultdistillery.ca and follow them on Facebook @rheaultdistillery.

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Food

SUPERIOR SIP

Camp? Fire? Cocktails! By Jeannie Dubois, Certified Pommelier and Sommelier

he May long weekend has come and gone, meaning we can now enjoy the dappled days of June and look forward to the sultry summer weeks ahead of us here on our beautiful bay. Whether you have put in your water line at camp and set up your beachside fire ring, have put in your backyard garden and set up your outdoor fireplace, or have aired out your gear and are ready for a provincial park fire pit, here are three easy mason jar cocktails that you can mostly make ahead, and pull out of the cooler to enjoy around the campfire.

Beergarita (4 servings)

S’more To Love

Fro-Fru Sangria

Ingredients:

Handful of roughly crushed graham crackers

Bag of mixed frozen fruit

Handful of mini marshmallows

1 c off-dry white or rosé wine

1 12 oz can of frozen limeade ¾ c tequila 4 bottles of Coronita (210 ml Corona bottles) Lime wedges Method: Prepare limeade in a pitcher. Add tequila and stir to mix. Divide among four mason jars and cap (make ahead at home). When ready for a campfire refresher, pull the masons from the cooler, and throw in a couple of lime wedges and a handful of ice cubes. Pop the top on the Coronitas, invert into the mason jar, and chill out!

Squeeze of chocolate sauce 3 oz Baileys (or any sweet creamy liqueur) Method: Layer crushed graham crackers and then mini marshmallows in a mason jar (make ahead at home). Squeeze some chocolate sauce on top. Toast a couple of large marshmallows over the campfire. Place them in the mason jar and then drizzle with Baileys. Grab a spork and enjoy!

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1 oz vodka

Splash of lemonade concentrate Dash of sugar/stevia Can of club soda Method: Add vodka, wine, lemonade, and sugar/stevia to a mason jar, screw on lid and shake to mix (make ahead at home). When the campfire gets too warm, grab the bag of frozen fruit and mason jar from the cooler, add a cup of fruit to the jar, and top with club soda. Sip and stay cool!

Jessica Coley Mortgage Specialist

(807) 476-4867 jessica.coley@rbc.com

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Food

‘ Creativity, Expression, and Positivity’ Inside Babylon Quick Fix

Review by Susan Pretty, Photos by Keegan Richard

“H

ow do we make this weird?” That is the number one question bandied about on the daily by Kal and Jana Merkley, the owners of Babylon Quick Fix, and their staff. When it comes to their menu, the whole gang pitches in to devise and develop all of their unique offerings. “There's no one person,” explains Kal. “It's a combination of everyone's input, and one of the foundations of our business model is to create an environment that encourages creativity, expression, and positivity.” And memorable they are. The pathway into the Merkleys’ resto is otherworldly—one could literally be in any entrance in any world capital. The unique décor and eclectic items to look at make for a tactile experience for the guest that just screams fun. "We love colour here,” says head chef Meagan O’Shea. Satisfying sipping sodas are arranged in chakra colours (spicy boba balls for bravehearts only), and reviewing the colourful menu of Buddha bowls is a unique experience. There’s also the rainbow display of hotdogs, prepared by their “chef de weenie” (all staffers

get to pick their title, and yup—the more unusual the better). Want to apply for employment here? Never mind dusting off the resume, instead prepare to make a video, sing, and draw pictures. Personality is key here, and if you’re a little extra, you’ll fit right in. Babylon Quick Fix is the COVID baby of Babylon Lounge. “The goal is to make food that is not only delicious but that also makes people look twice and question it—and of course, looks good in pictures for sharing with friends,” Kal says. “We've also tried to cater to groups that are under-represented by offering plenty of vegan, vegetarian, sugar-free, and gluten-friendly options, which we are still working on. We're trying to expand our menu to offer even more options. But at the heart of it all, we just want to make people happy and provide something different than what people are accustomed to.” Don’t want your dog on a pink bun? That’ll be an extra dollar, please, if you don’t want to play along. Offerings such as the Nacho Dog, the Umm What? panini, and

Pourquoi Pas dog are just a small sampling of the creative names you’ll find on the menu. There are pogo pops, waffle pops, and—if you’re overwhelmed—just say “Surprise Me!” and they’ll take the guesswork out of the whole thing. The olive tapenade bruschetta is a tangy, umami joy of sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, and parsley, served on grilled pink bread with lemon basil cream cheese (try the cheesecake and crackers for dessert). It's not all fun and games, though. Operating a business during a pandemic is just plain tough. “We are far from alone in the number of setbacks and changes we've had to endure because of the pandemic. By no means are we envious of the decisions our politicians and community leaders have been faced with throughout this—it must be a very difficult job to decide where to give help—but as a business that was not open prior to the initial lockdown, we have not qualified for any of the federal [or] provincial grants, loans, or subsidies,” Kal says. “All of these things that were put in place only

help businesses that were already open and making income before the pandemic hit. They don’t take into account the businesses that had invested time and money into building something that wasn't open yet.” He adds that they also had to drastically change their business model from a cocktail bar to their current Quick Fix setup because of the difficulties liquor-focused establishments are having obtaining insurance during the pandemic. There is a bright side when asked about the community response to their business “Overwhelmingly positive,” Kal says. “We love this wonderful and beautiful city, and so far Thunder Bay has shown us so much love and support in return.” If you need a fix, plan wisely: they are open Thursday to Monday and ready to take your order via Skip or by calling them directly. Babylon Quick Fix is at 234 Red River Road and can be contacted at 620-2539. You can also find them on Facebook, and on Instagram @ _babylon_lounge_.

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FilmTheatre

Clap Along

Celebrating 25 Years of Applauze Productions Damien Gilbert

By Wendy Wright

Denise Krawczuk, owner of Applauze Productions

enise Krawczuk is the heart and soul of Applauze Productions, which has been serving Thunder Bay for over 25 years. Applauze is both a school and production house for those aspiring to learn voice, acting, and dance—the triple threat of skills required for any student looking to perform, whether in big live productions or the current online stage. With the onset of the pandemic, the 25-year celebration has been put on pause. Krawczuk and her students, however, have not. Lessons are being taught online and there are small productions as well. Everything has been adjusted to a different delivery method and everyone involved is learning and going with the flow. “Kids need a creative outlet now more than ever to express themselves and this a safe place,” says Krawczuk. The troupe is still able to enjoy group work online, virtual recitals on YouTube, and even virtual festivals. While everyone is excited to perform for a live audience again, perhaps outdoors, there are many virtual ways to “get back into the groove,” as Krawczuk says. From

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games to movement classes with music to acting skills, the virtual world of learning and teaching is an adjustment, not an end. Over the years there have been many highlights. The first big, licensed production from Applauze was Rent, and is a special memory for Krawczuk. “That production brought so many talented people into my life,” she says. This type of undertaking is a big part of Applauze when there is no pandemic to work around. Stay tuned to learn more about attending live when times allow. Students participate in provincial competitions, which helps to support Krawczuk’s sense of pride in her pupils. Coming in first place is not the main point; learning confidence and new skills always outshines winning. “At Applauze it’s about skills, but also learning to be you and to be true to yourself. Kids need to be comfortable in their own skin to perform on stage,” she says. Students learn how to accept criticism and learn that it is not a personal attack with Krawczuk’s guidance and nurturing approach. “Joy of performance will always be

the most central point of the final product,” she adds. Coming this fall, Applauze will be rebranding. They are very busy on social media and will continue with this, along with conjuring up possible productions and projects. Performers ranging in age from four to over 80 are part of classes and productions. There is truly

something for everyone. And soon we will be able to watch live as well. You can follow the journey of Applauze Productions and Denise Krawczuk at the following places: applauzeproductions.com, Applauze Productions on YouTube, and @ApplauzeProductions on Facebook and Instagram.

A combined cast of musical theatre groups and the cast of Legally Blonde in December, 2019

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FilmTheatre

Renowned self-taught artist Norval Morrisseau, circa 1970s; Morrisseau was born in Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek and created the Woodland school of art

Kevin Hearn with his painting “Spirit Energy of Mother Earth”

There Are No Fakes Shedding Light on the Dark Side of Art Fraud

Story by Michelle McChristie, Photos courtesy of David Leyes and Cave 7 Productions

“I

just wanted to buy a painting,” says musician Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies, Rheostatics) in the film There Are No Fakes. Little did he know when he purchased what he thought was a Norval Morrisseau original that he would find himself in the midst of an art fraud ring with its hub in Thunder Bay. After learning his painting was a fake, Hearn sued the Toronto gallery that sold it to him. In the lengthy legal battle that ensued, he came to know the dark side of the art world. When he pitched his story as a documentary to friend and filmmaker Jamie Kastner, Kastner said yes immediately. “It’s such an incredible story,” says Kastner. “It’s hard to get your head around—there are so many tentacles to it when you first hear it.” As Kastner describes,

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the film starts out being about an art crime, but ends up providing a snapshot of Canada today. “It is an art fraud story, it is a crime story. I think it’s a story about colonialism, but latter-day colonialism in a way you can see it playing out in front of your eyes,” he says. From the beginning, Kastner saw the story that Hearn and his lawyer shared with him as one side of the tale, so he set out to find the other. The film starts by introducing the viewer to an eclectic cast of characters that includes art dealers with purported and legitimate expertise in Morrisseau’s art, and art scholars. Just when you think the story could not get any more bizarre, it takes a sharp turn north and introduces the viewer to people directly involved in painting forgeries under oppressive and

abusive conditions in Thunder Bay. “I prefer to get primary source material, so that means conflicting points of view and meeting some people who I might personally find unsavoury or threatening, but it’s my job to take a deep breath and go there for the sake of getting to the truth,” says Kastner. To describe the stories he uncovers in Thunder Bay as incredible is an understatement. They are shocking and deeply disturbing in their commentary on greed, corruption, and abuse. Kastner says that he always knew there were important elements of the fraud ring story in Thunder Bay, but “it was one thing to have heard about them second-hand—it was another thing when I started meeting these

people and hearing their incredible testimony myself. I was floored by the people, by their stories, and by their real courage,” he says. Almost a year after the film’s 2019 release, the Thunder Bay police opened an investigation into an art fraud ring involving the work of Norval Morrisseau. According to an Ontario Provincial Police spokesperson, the investigation remains underway and is being led by the OPP working in conjunction with city police. There Are No Fakes earned six 2021 Canadian Screen Awards nominations and is available via TVO.org, the Knowledge Network, and Amazon Prime Video. The soundtrack by Kevin Hearn is available via iTunes and Spotify.

Jamie Kastner, director/producer There Are No Fakes

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FilmTheatre

Movies About the Campsite By Michael Sobota

Sometimes it’s nice not to be special. Sometimes it’s nice to listen to whatever everyone else listens to. Just to be normal for once. - Vlad (Daniel Letterle) in Camp

amping is about getting away from it all—or at least getting away from all normal routines. Going to camp is an adventure, a journey. Sometimes this is as much internal as it is external, particularly if you are a kid. There

are all sorts of ways to camp. You might jump in your camper van and go cross-country. You might grab your sleeping bag and a tent and go off into the bush. You might rent a summer cabin, sort of a second home. The movies have covered

just about every sort of camping story. Here are four of the very best, including a classic comedy. And because June is also Pride Month, I am including two that add an extra layered meaning to camp.

The Long, Long Trailer (1954)

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Camp (2003)

This classic screwball comedy, co-written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich and directed by the esteemed Vincente Minnelli, contains one of the best lines about giving directions ever to be written. Tacy (Lucille Ball) tells her husband Nicky (Desi Arnaz) to “turn right here,” which he promptly does. Only she didn’t get to finish her sentence; what she intended to tell him was “turn right here left.” Tacy and Nicky have just gotten married and instead of buying a house, they buy an enormous, long, modern (for 1954) trailer and go off on their honeymoon, traveling around the continental U.S. The moment when Tacy gives her misunderstood direction leads them into deep trouble, as does just about every mile they travel. The script is corny but most of the comedy is physical slapstick, all performed with perfect timing by this real-life husband and wife.

Director and screenwriter Stephan Elliott takes three friends, puts them on a bus in Sydney, Australia, and takes them cross-country on an adventure like no other. The friends are Tick (Hugo Weaving), Adam (Guy Pierce), and Bernadette (Terence Stamp), a trans woman. And Tick and Adam are actually Mitzi and Felicia in their drag personas. The trip they are on will lead them into the centre of Australia, to a city called Alice Springs. Just before leaving Sydney, they christen the bus “Priscilla.” Tick has arranged several weeks of stage performing, with equity scale pay and hotel included. But first they have to get there. And that’s where most of the comedy lies. The script is laced with witty, bitchy camp comedy and some startling visuals as well. And Tick has a secret that will be revealed that deepens the story and makes it very human, very ordinary, and very satisfying.

This is about a musical theatre summer camp—one of those educational camps that parents send their kids to with hopes of some quiet time back home. Written and directed by Todd Graff, and cast with a supremely talented ensemble of unknown young actors, this is a fun, silly, and sometimes profound story about growing up. Theatre kids always seem to be a little bit more in everything, including competitiveness. The comedy derives from their desperate camp director and their personal relationships as they learn about growing up while simultaneously moving toward that big, final musical production at the end of summer. And who should show up to that event? Spoiler alert: it is just about every musical theatre kid’s theatre dream, Stephen Sondheim.

THE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES

The Kings of Summer (2013) I am revisiting probably my favourite summer movie. Jordan Vogt-Roberts directs a script by Chris Galletta in a poignant summer coming-of-age story. Three teenage boys decide to flee their parents and homes and spend the summer in the woods—only they are not tenting. They build a makeshift cabin from scrap and salvage lumber with the intention to go “totally offgrid.” You know, candles and food cooked over a fire. Joe (Nick Robinson), Patrick (Gabriel Basso), and Biaggio (Moises Arias) are an odd trio of forest musketeers. But Galletta’s script takes care to give them clear backstories and attractive, three-dimensional qualities. We come to like them and care about what happens to them—even when they cheat with trips into town for fastfood meals. The highlight of the film is when the boys burst into a spontaneous percussion concerto on a fallen tree deep in the woods. The climax of the story involves a poisonous snake, with the inevitable layers of self-maturation.

And here are six more movies that can make you a happy camper this summer: SpaceCamp (1986), Heavyweights (1995), Wet Hot American Summer (2001, the original), Without a Paddle (2004), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and Tracks (2013).

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A New Acquisition

FROM THE THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION

By Penelope Smart, Curator, Thunder Bay Art Gallery Artist: Olivia Whetung Title: #35 Date: 2015 Medium: 10/0 seed beads, thread, steel Dimensions: variable

his month, instead of revisiting an older work in our collection, we’re celebrating something new. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery is delighted to announce a new acquisition of the beaded work #35 by Olivia Whetung. The title of the work references the historic name of the artist’s home community of Curve Lake First Nation #35. Between 1889 and 1964, the community’s name was Mud Lake Band #35, part of Treaty 20 territory. If you visited the gallery in the fall of 2019, you would have first encountered Whetung’s #35 as part of the exhibition Beads, they're sewn so tight, organized and circulated by the Textile Museum of Canada, and guest curated by Lisa Myers. A central work in this exhibition, Whetung’s beaded piece is made of thousands of clear glass seed beads carefully loom-woven and resembling a shawl or blanket. Appearing almost like pixels on a monitor, the beads reflect light in a way that creates a holographic effect. A subtle eight-pointed star is only visible from certain angles. A small metal object holds a map of the Curve Lake community’s land base,

obscured by thread and beads.The closer you move towards this work, the more it reveals. This beadwork installation speaks to land, place, and presence. #35 adds to the conversation about land use issues, traditional lands, and the treaties that have shaped relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. As part of the permanent collection,

this work will continue to contribute to this discussion through curated exhibitions, education programs, online platforms, and public events. This work is the latest addition to the gallery’s permanent collection of over 1,600 works of art. Part of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s mandate is to collect, study, and exhibit contemporary art by Indigenous artists and to assist

in connecting emerging artists with the public. We are so proud this work has found a home in our community. The acquisition of this work by the gallery was made possible by receiving a grant from the Elizabeth L. Gordon Art Program, organized by the Ontario Arts Foundation and the Gordon Foundation.

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Inscribed hearts by Sara Peters

Joining Forces Potters Form New Collective By Chiara Zussino A selection of work by Crystal Solhman

ommunity over competition. This is a sentiment that is inextricably linked to the Thunder Bay artisan community and continually put into practice by those involved. It is vital to create an environment to allow this mentality to resonate—something that Crystal Sohlman of P0Ts2G0 is fostering with her newest project, The Clay Collective. “I started pottery out in Alberta after I had my second child as something to do to get out of the house,” she says. “I’ve always been crafty and did sewing and other artistic ventures, so when I began pottery it was an instant fell-in-love moment. It spoke to my soul.” Born out of her love of pottery, Sohlman realized that this collective would be a unique opportunity for potters to come together to sell their work. Partnering with fellow local potters Melesa Hane (The Clay Pottery) and Sara Peters (Sara Peters Ceramics), Sohlman was able to realize this vision, and together they purchased

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a space at the Goods & Co. Market. Sohlman says that this collaboration came about in December 2019 when Maelyn Hurley, the founder of Goods & Co., put out a call for vendor applications. “As of right now we are hoping to have it start out exclusively at the market and we will set up an online system at some point,” she says. “We aren’t going to start out that way [online] unless we have to because of COVID reasons.” Sohlman says that, as of right now, The Clay Collective is going to function as a sales outlet. In their location at Goods & Co., the collective founders currently have six other potters who are committed to selling alongside them, including Peyton Harris of Blooming Tulip Ceramics, Karen Long of Phire Pottery, Lisa Makela of The Calm Creative, May Naimian, Kasia Piech of Three Legged Girl, and Donna Stecky. “The goal of our collective is to provide a location, year-round, for people who want to sell their

pottery as a business to be able to have an environment to prosper in,” Sohlman says. “We are all going to share working the store so there will always be one of the artists running the store when it’s open and I think that will give a nice feel. So when you are asking questions about ceramics or pottery, you’ll get an answer from someone who does this art form.” When asked about potential pottery workshops, Sohlman says that within the Goods & Co. Market there is a space for workshops and she anticipates that individual potters in the collective

A vase and mugs by Melesa Hanes

will most likely choose to host and teach a workshop when COVID regulations permit. If you happen to be a local potter who is looking for an outlet to sell ceramics, you appear to be in luck. “We [The Clay Collective] have the capacity for 12 potters and we currently have six, so we are always looking for more to join our collective if they are interested,” Sohlman says. You can find more information about The Clay Collective by following them on Instagram @claycollectivenwo.

When you help yourself, you’re helping others We will donate $300 to the Our Hearts at Home Cardiovascular Campaign every time a pair of hearing aids is purchased during June

We love supporting important local initiatives. For every pair of hearing aids sold during the month of June, we will donate $300 towards the Our Hearts at Home Cardiovascular Campaign run by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. Donations help fund life-saving cardiac surgery and ensure that the best possible heart healthcare is available in our own home in Thunder Bay.

Book your appointment today with the professionals at Thunder Bay’s only locally-owned hearing clinic. 807.346.0101 | 125 N. Cumberland St. | superiorhearing.ca

The $300 donation per pair of hearing aids will only be for clients who are privately paying for their devices- either through private insurance or on their own. The third party funding sources that some clients are eligible for include WSIB, VAC, NIHB, and ODSP. For these individuals, their hearing aids are completely funded through a third party and therefore a donation cannot be made.

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A piece of Thompson’s beadwork depticing Lake Superior

NOSM student and beader Jamie Thompson holding one of her creations: a beaded coronal brain slice

Anatomy of Art

Jamie Thompson’s Beadwork Raises Money for Grassy Narrows First Nation Story by Kim Latimer, Photos submitted by Jamie Thompson

n a heartfelt labour of love and learning, both delicate and detailed, Métis artist Jamie Thompson carefully recreates the tiny ventricles, valves, and arteries of an anatomically correct heart with tiny glass beads all hand-stitched one at a time. She’s an artist and first-year medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). The work, she says, helps solidify the details of the anatomy she’s learning about. She beads during long hours of online course lectures and lessons. She also beads in the little moments of downtime she has, a

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practise she says that relaxes and refreshes her mind. “I only started beading last August,” Thompson explains. “There was a Métis Nation of Ontario youth council gathering and it was online this year. They sent us beading kits and I took a workshop that introduced me to beading. It just seems to click with me.” So far, she’s beaded lungs, a pancreas, a brain, bones, an intestine, vertebrae, a kidney, an eyeball, a thyroid gland, a neuron, a placenta, a uterus, even an IUD. After posting photos of her beadwork on Instagram and Twitter, she started to receive questions about

A beaded heart commission work. Rather than sell her works, she hosted an online auction on social media raising $3,335 in support of Grassy Narrows First Nation (Asabiinyashkosiwagong Nitam-Anishinaabeg). “I was hoping to raise a few hundred dollars in bids,” Thompson says. “I didn’t know I would receive that many donations, it was amazing. I’ve sent the beadwork to the top bidders all across Canada and some doctors are wearing them as pins on their lanyards.” “I do it because it’s fun and it’s starting to feel more like artwork lately,” she continues. “It's an awesome way for me to personally reconcile my ideas of academia, medicine, and Western medicine with traditional thoughts and teachings. It’s where these different worlds can interact in a good way. The work reflects my recent thought processes and being a part of both of those spheres.” Although Thompson isn’t currently taking commissions, she has created works for people who

have approached her with compelling stories. Some are patients and some are physicians. “They are my own personal projects and I want to create them out of inspiration,” she says. “Sometimes that’s based on a personal story that compels me to make them. For example, someone had reached out about their daughter going into cardiac surgery so they wanted an anatomical heart, and so of course stories like that always get me and I made one for them.” Her largest anatomical beadworks include a palm-sized beaded heart and similar-sized coronal brain slice. She says she’s grateful for this creative outlet that she intends to build upon for her own personal wellness. “I enjoyed making bigger pieces and I’m trying to figure out where else I can go with it, so I'm definitely still having fun with it.” You can follow Jamie Thompson on Instagram @birchandbeads and on Twitter @JT_MD2024.

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Neechee Studio assistant program co-coordinator Sarah McPherson teaching a workshop on accessible forms of photography in 2019

Continuing Important Work

Neechee Studio Finds Success with Virtual Workshops By Sara Sadeghi Aval

“I

t’s more important than ever for youth and all people to have projects to work on and feel a sense of community,” says Sarah McPherson, the assistant co-coordinator for the Neechee Studio collective. A locally founded group, Neechee Studio has been offering virtual workshops throughout the

COVID-19 pandemic. McPherson has been involved with the collective since 2016, and last summer moved into the role she currently holds. As a member of the committee, McPherson handles social media, promotional work, assembling supply kits, and creating relationships within the community

and with other collectives. She also initiated a website to make audience interaction more streamlined. The collective is currently supported by the Youth Opportunity Fund and other grants and local donations. An Instagram user by the name of Only Child Handicrafts recently held a local raffle and donated the proceeds to Neechee—a gesture that McPherson says “really helped us feel the love in the community.” Although it took a while to adjust to the pandemic restrictions, by December the collective began offering online workshops. “For our first workshop we tried a Facebook Live and ever since then, we have been operating under lockdown. Right now, we work under a registration basis. This helps us keep

track of kits and participants,” McPherson says. “We normally offer drop-in style, but we try to make the workshops as accessible as possible. And they usually consist of the artist and one other person running the sessions from home separately.” She is also present during the workshops as a moderator to the audience and is there to answer any questions that arise during the teaching sessions. “The original intent of this collective was to create a safe space for Indigenous youth,” she says. “I think we need to keep in mind the other pandemic of suicide in the Indigenous youth communities and the feedback we have gotten affirms that this is important work, more than ever.” The collective offers a variety of workshops including painting nights, beading sessions, moccasin making, medicine pouches, along with “hang out” spaces for the youth to join and spend time with the same peers they attend workshops with. The board members brainstorm ideas and then poll their Facebook audience in order to pick the next workshop. “The choosing process is very community driven,” McPherson says. Some of the workshops come with teachings shared by elders in the community. McPherson uses the medicine pouch as an example, where Elton Beardy shared his teachings on medicines and healing and Lucille Atlookan, Neechee’s founder and program coordinator, led the crafting of medicine pouches. The Neechee Studio can be found on Facebook and Instagram @neecheestudio or at neecheestudio.com.

Sarah McPherson

A medicine pouch by Savanna Boucher from one of Neechee Studio’s virtual workshops

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The Northern Lights over Aroland First Nation

Changing with the Times

Damien Bouchard Embracing the Spirit of Community in Life and Learning Story by Roxann Shapwaykeesic, Photos by Crow Creations

amien Bouchard is a man of many talents. His passion for media arts began in high school, but he also had doubts about his prospects of working in Thunder Bay. “I wanted to do something that I was passionate about. But growing up in northern Ontario, you

An eagle spotted near Highway 584

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don't really think there’s a career [in Thunder Bay],” Bouchard says. “It's not as mainstream as the bigger cities.” Today, the 35-year-old Aroland First Nation member has a full-time job, plus is listed as the editor, photographer, videographer, and graphic designer for his own company, Crow Creations, based in Thunder Bay.

Zephyr & Mom

Bouchard started the business to work in media with local organizations. He is quick to thank his mentors such as Theymedia, a local TV and film production company, who helped him get his foot in the door with film projects, and his boss at Wasaya Airways, where he learned marketing and design. When the pandemic hit, he really started focusing on photography. “I’ve been doing a lot of research and learning about professional colour grading techniques, gear, and lenses, and trying to apply that to my new skills and come up with new ideas to create projects,” Bouchard says. Although photography started out as a hobby, people really enjoyed his images and asked about hiring him on his Facebook page. “Sometimes it's good to just get out

in nature and share perspective, and people like that,” he says. Bouchard works with gear he reacquired after $10,000 worth of equipment was stolen from his truck in Toronto three years ago. “I had hard drives taken with the past eight years of my life. I said I’m not doing photography, videography anymore,” Bouchard says, adding that he recovered after saving and rebuilding over the years. He also loves any opportunity to work with local businesses. “I'm a big supporter of local businesses in the city,” he says. “I love Heartbeat Hot Sauce and Beefcake Burgers. […] If it’s local, I try to support it.” Bouchard describes mutual “liking” and “sharing” on Facebook between local businesses and Crow Creations as “pretty awesome.” His goals are numerous, with

A boat in the water at Fort William First Nation. The first photo Bouchard uploaded to his page

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Grass fires near Aroland First Nation

A top-down shot of a pond just outside Aroland First Nation got to go through every department of the production company. That was probably one of the most amazing work experiences I've ever had,” Bouchard says. “My goal is try to land contracts doing promo videos […] and of course, to make a short film,” he adds. Bouchard also continues to

explore new crafts. “I've been dabbling in script writing. I really would like to flesh that out. That would be another step to collaborate with people in the city,” he says. “I get inspired by a lot of things [...] and I'm always trying to build the Crow Creations name.” Bouchard has an affiliation with

An image of Bouchard’s grandparents’ tree making it look like veins of history running through his hand

Candy floss skies over Pie Island

one of them being film—something he’s passionate about. Bouchard graduated from the television broadcasting program at Confederation College and Indigenous independent filmmaking at Capilano University in Vancouver, where he was placed on the set of the American sci-fi series Eureka. “I

the crow, which is why he chose it for his business name. “It’s an animal I love. It’s a bird that’s always been in my life, I feel like it’s my grandfather talking to me.” To see more of Bouchard's work, you can visit @Crowcreator on Facebook and Instagram

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Keith Ailey

Outdoor

Right On Our Doorstep

A steelhead or rainbow trout

Gord Ellis

Protecting Rainbow Trout in Thunder Bay By Matt Prokopchuk

Steelhead jumping at McVicar Creek in spring, 2021

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Kyle Stratton

allowing anglers to participate in the fishery [...] but we were able to limit harvests so that the fishery can not only survive, but thrive here in an urban environment.” The organization works with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on the initiative, which

Sampling gear used in the annual survey Anglers on the McIntyre River during the steelhead run

Tom Whalley

hunder Bay is a fairly unique place when it comes to having such robust urban Great Lakes fisheries right in town, says Tom Whalley, president of the North Shore Steelhead Association, and the group is working to make sure it stays that way. The association, responding to concerns over declining populations of rainbow trout (also called steelheads) due to over-fishing in local waterways such as the Neebing and McIntyre Rivers, started efforts to rehabilitate fish stocks as well as annually monitor their numbers, says Whalley. The notfor-profit organization was formed in the 1970s to help conserve and preserve fisheries in Lake Superior’s tributaries, and continues to work to raise public awareness of the need to protect the north shore of Lake Superior. Efforts surrounding the rehabilitation and monitoring of the urban steelhead fisheries started about 30 years ago. “This was a very, very severely depressed fishery,” Whalley says. “We’ve been able to rehabilitate that fishery by limiting harvests. [We are] still

Volunteer angler and certified sampler Randy Beamish sampling steelhead

Kyle Stratton

of time to stockpile a large number of these adult fish.” The reward for those efforts is having a great source for wild-caught fish right in town. “I think it’s an absolute gem,” Whalley says of the local steelhead fisheries not only on the Neebing and McIntyre Rivers, but also the Kaministiquia and Current Rivers, as well as McVicar Creek. “That is probably unique, not only on Lake Superior, but perhaps on the north side of the Great Lakes.”

The North Shore Steelhead Association’s Kyle Stratton holding a sampled steelhead Steelhead jumping at McVicar Creek in spring, 2021

Gord Ellis

includes using trained and ministry-certified volunteer anglers to catch and tag rainbow trout every spring in order to collect data on the life histories and numbers of the wild steelhead population. According to the association’s website, each angler receives a specialized kit and records the length and sex of each fish they catch, and takes a scale sample. Both the ministry and the steelhead association make use of the data, which is also made available to the public, and the two organizations share the cost of the project. Current data shows that there are about 2,000 adult rainbow trout in the north branch of the Neebing River, and about 3,000 in the McIntyre, according to Kyle Stratton, a director and volunteer with the steelhead association. That’s about three times higher in the McIntyre alone than what levels were at in 2008. “Those are the fish that produce the fishery for anglers […] who are into stream fishing, as well as those who don’t have the means, perhaps, to participate in lake fisheries,” Whalley says. Overall, Whalley says that fishing limits in place on the Neebing and McIntyre Rivers are working to allow fish populations to rebound, but he stresses that any kind of rehabilitation work like this takes time. “That’s one thing that I really need to emphasize because a lot of people seem to think ‘Well, you just stop keeping fish and it’ll recover.’ Well, yeah, it will—assuming there are no major environmental factors hindering that—but it does take a substantial amount

Randy Beamish

Outdoor

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CityScene

Meet myLocalism

A New Online Marketplace is in the Works By Bonnie Schiedel

“L

ocal Amazon” is how Pam Tallon describes her latest project. It’s a multi-vendor online marketplace called myLocalism.ca, scheduled to launch in late 2021. As most of us know, it’s pretty easy to hit Amazon at midnight, pick, say, a red bowl or purple shoes from an assortment of vendors, click and check out, she says. “That’s what [local vendors] are competing against.” As part of her research, Tallon put out a survey to find out how TBayers want to shop. One stat that stood out was that only 11.5% of respondents said that they like to shop at an individual vendor’s website versus a multi-vendor online

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marketplace. Tallon has been interested in the benefits and challenges of local commerce for years, but realizing that a small business owner was putting a significant amount of time running an individual website that only about one in 10 potential customers was interested in was startling. So, she started thinking. “We will create an online marketplace that will allow these vendors to actually compete on the field that they need to compete on. We will create this same sort of subscription fee as all the other large marketplace players, about $40 a month [and] they could list unlimited products.” The goal is to create a seamless

shopping experience, where you can go to myLocalism.ca, search for your item locally, whether it’s purple shoes or car parts or a puzzle, check out with your digital shopping cart and arrange shipping or free next-day local pick-up. Currently myLocalism.ca has one full-time developer and one full-time designer, and the organization is overseen by Tallon, who, in addition to her work with her urban garden company Growing North and running research labs at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, also has a MBA and has run a website development company for New York and Boston business clients since 2008. Part of her business plan

includes giving back to the community. Within two or three years, Tallon says myLocalism.ca will donate up to 5% of its earnings to local grassroots organizations that are tackling basic human needs. “[It would] not only support the general economy, the businesspeople and the people that they are employing; it would also support the grassroots organizations that are trying to help everybody get back on their feet so they can also become a part of that viable economy and an active city.” For more information, go to mylocalism.ca or visit Facebook @MyLocalism.ca or Instagram @mylocalism.

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A New Type of Camp By Sandra Janjicek, Policy Analyst, Northern Policy Institute

he word “camp” describes many things in Northwestern Ontario. A camp can be a cottage, cabin, shack, recreational vehicle, camper, or a tent. As the summer of 2021 approaches, it’s another opportunity to explore campsites and local tourist spots, and to make the most of your staycation in the region. Recreational and vacation campsites—which includes children’s camps, family vacation camps, and outdoor adventure retreats—in Northwestern Ontario represent 41% of all recreational and vacation campsites across northern Ontario, according to the province. This excludes the additional 292 hunting and fishing campsites that are also available across the northwest. Indeed, there are many opportunities for Canadians to explore—and the demand is being captured. In late March, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks reported that online camp reservations within the first three months of 2021 increased by 121% for Northwestern Ontario parks,

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compared to the same time period in 2020. It is clear that Canadians are taking advantage of the region’s beautiful provincial parks and making the most of another summer close to home. While it may be more difficult to book a space as the summer fast approaches, there are other options for experienced campers, such as backcountry camping and Crown land (depending, of course, on COVID-19 policies set out by the province). Last year, daytime visitation to provincial parks in the Thunder Bay district was higher than the average daytime visitation to parks in the northwest, northeast, Algonquin, and southeast regions. And of course, there is another way people have chosen to enjoy the outdoors: car camping. In July and August of last year, drive-up car camping at provincial parks in the Thunder Bay district was higher than the northwestern average. In 2019, Sleeping Giant was the most popular interior camping park in the Thunder Bay district, and neighbouring Quetico in the Rainy River district was the second-most popular in the whole province, after

CityScene Algonquin, according to Ontario Parks. Nevertheless, car camping occupancy was much higher in southern regions of Ontario. There are almost 10 million posts on Instagram using #VanLife as influencers embrace the simplicity and minimalism of RVs and campers. Prior to the pandemic, millennials were already driving up RV sales in Canada and represented 56% of all new camper owners in 2018. When COVID-19 curtailed air travel, the North American market for RVs and campers boomed. Drive-up car camping is a cost-effective opportunity for the non-avid camper to safely make the most of their summer days. There is no need for a mighty RV or camper. Cars also offer mobility to explore multiple locations without the strain and labour of setting up a tent. With an air mattress and a string of twinkly lights, that vehicle can be transformed into an Instaworthy “car glamping” experience. Another exciting type of “camp” for you to try this summer.

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GO LOCAL THUNDER BAY COUNTRY MARKET

The Sapling Bakery Story by Pat Forrest, Photos by Keegan Richard

ikos Mantis and his business partner Shawna Deagle have been pioneers in the local food movement since 2013 when they launched Pinetree Catering. Over time, they added their Local Motion Northern Fusion food truck, the NomadYQT café at the Thunder Bay International Airport, and the new Nomad Bakeshop and Sandwich Bar on Bay Street (Nomad on Bay) in the old Scan Deli to their empire. Their bakery branch, The Sapling Bakery by Pinetree Catering, which opened in 2015, has found a home at the Thunder Bay Country Market. Mantis says that their move to the market came after the closure of two of the market’s bakery booths, as well as growing Pinetree staff interest in digging deeper into the craft of preparing artisanal rustic breads. The experiment has been so successful that Pinetree now has a separate bakery division. The Sapling’s staples include stone oven-baked sourdough bread, French baguettes, parsley basil French loaves, potato buns, Thunder Oak cheese bread, farmer’s rye, milk buns, English muffins, and power loaves featuring nine kinds of ancient grain seeds. On the sweeter side, there are cinnamon twists and a variety of cookies and pies.

Inspired by their imaginations and the seasons, staff concoct specialty breads like challah, Finnish pulla and honey hibiscus brioche hearts. Their “Starry Night” sourdough bread, tinted and flavoured by blue tea leaves and dotted with dried apricot pieces really does look a lot like the Van Gogh masterpiece. Bacon has been showcased to rave reviews in their maple bourbon bacon sticky buns and stout and bacon French loaf. They also have candied bacon made with Sleeping Giant Brewery’s Skull Rock stout. A range of tasty dips including different types of hummus, artichoke and asiago dips, bean dips, and salsas pair well with Pinetree’s famous pita chips; Sapling’s range of salad dressings are also popular. Even during the pandemic, Sapling has had a loyal following. “Bread is one of those key items that people come to the market for on a regular basis. They love that it’s fresh and that we use as many local ingredients as we can, often partnering with other market vendors,” Mantis says. Besides its market location, Sapling products can be found at Dawson General Store, the Breakaway on Oliver Road, The Cheese Encounter, Rebel Salad, and Nomad on Bay, where there is a build-your-own sandwich bar.

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CityScene

Mary Jane MacDonald and Chad Kirvan, the people behind Algoma House

Concert Venue Comes to Life Algoma House Rocking the Local Livestream Market By Nancy Saunders

lgoma House is an intimate concert venue in Chad Kirvan and Mary Jane MacDonald’s living room, and is the result of their enthusiasm and passion for the local music scene. By offering free live shows and video streams, Kirvan and MacDonald were able to create opportunities for local artists to share their talent with people outside of the region, while also encouraging bands to come to Thunder Bay “to see what a great music scene we have in hopes they will keep coming back,” says MacDonald. “We have always been about creating a supportive community for musicians […] by bringing performers from different areas together to facilitate cross country connections.” “At first we would record the performances and release them after, and I don’t really know where the idea came from, but I was like, ‘Oh, it would be really cool if we could livestream them,’” says Kirvan. This

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experience and the equipment they acquired set them up when COVID19 hit to offer their services on a broader scale. “At first it seemed like this project was just an endless money pit. With livestreaming, if something doesn’t work, the only way to really get it to work is to throw money at it and then try to solve your problem that way. But in the end, when COVID hit, we were the only ones that knew how to do it,” he says. MacDonald is an artist and has been looking forward to expanding into holding art shows at Algoma House. These plans, as well as a fully booked lineup of shows for most of 2020, had to be cancelled because of the pandemic. However, with livestreaming being heavily in demand for a variety of purposes, she and Kirvan have been keeping busy. “Doing all the Algoma House shows ended up being amazing practice for more complicated livestreams that

have been keeping us busy as COVID goes on,” says MacDonald. “For me it has been pretty wild as I have no formal background or education in film or broadcasting, and I would not consider myself a tech person at all, but, as we have been branching out and doing different types of shows and events, I have been learning so much and gaining new skills I never thought I would,” she says. Livestreams can be stressful, since there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and not a lot of things to do about them. As Kirvan says, “When something goes wrong, you have to figure out what’s going wrong, and fix it while the show is going on. You can’t stop anything. So, you have to figure it out and keep going. […] That’s why I love doing them, because I think they’re some of the scariest things you can do.” That being said, Kirvan encourages all of his clients to do rehearsals before the live event, saying it is an excellent way to find any bugs and troubleshoot issues so they don’t happen live. Kirvan explains that it is not only the skill and experience, but also the equipment that makes Algoma House’s livestream productions better than if one were to try to go it alone. “Even if we hadn’t done as many livestreams as we have, and done all the troubleshooting, […] it’s

just the equipment alone,” he says. “Having it on your phone, audio and video, it doesn’t feel like a show—it feels like you’re on your webcam. It’s not as engaging for viewers. There’s no way around it; the engagement just isn’t there. […] We have all of the equipment […] and we are always working on it; we’re always trying to evolve what it is we’re doing. If it’s a one-time thing, why go through it? It would be a lot easier for us to do it than for the person to go through hours of learning how to do it if they’re only going to do it once.” That’s surely part of the reason organizations like Roots to Harvest, PRO Kids, Keewaytinook Okimakanak Board of Education, the Indigenous Food Circle, Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society, and others have been using Algoma House for their livestreaming events. MacDonald says that Algoma House has some exciting plans in the works for after COVID. “Working with so many different organizations for different events has allowed us to try new things and learn new skills,” she says. “We have some cool plans that hopefully we will be able to share with everyone in the not-toodistant future.” Check out algomahouse.ca or visit them on Facebook @algomahouse or Instagram @algoma_house.

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CityScene

WALL SPACE

 Ian Spoljarich in front of the Python 5000. “I like working as part of a team to make the city of Thunder Bay a better place for everyone who lives or visits here,” he says. Spoljarich moved back to his hometown about three years ago. “I grew up in Thunder Bay and I am proud to call it home.”

Road Space

Maintaining Thunder Bay’s Roads and Highways Story by Tiffany Jarva, Photos by Kay Lee

 The 39,065 square feet at the Egan Street location includes a garage/ office and yard. The southside’s Mountdale garage and yard is 26,900 square feet.  Stockpiles of different types of cold mix asphalt, gravel, and winter control sand dot the Egan Street yard on the city’s north side. In an average year, the city uses the following to help maintain roads: 125 tonnes of hot mix asphalt, 500 tonnes of cold mix asphalt, 175 cubic metres of concrete, 15,000 tonnes of salt, and 18,000 tonnes of winter control sand.

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t’s late spring in Thunder Bay, meaning it’s pothole season. When the freezing and melting cycle weakens pavement, leading to cracks and potholes, the city is on it—especially with the help of the Python 5000. This machine is especially helpful because it can be operated by one person, as opposed to a crew, helping to patch asphalt

on both city and highway roads all year round. “You never know what each day will bring, and every day is different,” says Ian Spoljarich, the city’s southside maintenance supervisor of roads. In addition to patching potholes, some other responsibilities for the road crews include sweeping, sanding, and salting the city’s sidewalks and roads.

 A street sweeper just outside the city’s north-side garage on Egan Street.

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 The Python 5000 is an automated asphalt patcher that helps streamline the process. Weighing about three tonnes, the Python was acquired by the city about five years ago, says Spoljarich. In addition to fixing holes, the Python is used to patch long cracks and dips to help prevent water from entering and causing the asphalt to break up.  The roads division is also responsible for replacing and maintaining road signs, which unfortunately often get vandalized or stolen.

 There are over 200 pieces of equipment in the fleet used by the roads division, including sweepers, sanders, rollers, and graders.  Patches can be applied by the Python in a matter of minutes; the hydraulic roller creates great compaction. The Python can also travel at highway speeds and works in cold and rainy conditions. It keeps hot asphalt hot and warms cold asphalt.

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CityScene

EYE TO EYE

With Jason Veltri As told to Matt Prokopchuk, Photo by Kay Lee

Jason Veltri is an avid Lady Gaga fan, having seen her in concert 16 times

ason Veltri has been heavily involved in Thunder Bay’s Pride community for the past couple of years. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, he spent over 10 years out west working in the oil and gas sector before returning in 2019. He’s a former chair of Thunder Pride and is now a co-founder of Rainbow Collective, a new organization that aims to further education and advocacy for gender and sexual diversity. Veltri joined us over the phone to talk about the new organization, his love of travelling, and how many times he’s seen Lady Gaga in concert. On the Rainbow Collective: The Rainbow Collective is a group of us who came together because we had [seen] a gap in our community on education and increased advocacy work on the gender and sexual diversity communities. We really wanted to provide the increased education component to our community because there’s lots of misinformation out there and we wanted to ensure that a healthy community is an educated community. We are doing that work now through a variety of workshops that we’re offering, and working with

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other community stakeholders to broaden their approach and make sure that their spaces, or businesses and organizations, are inclusive, open, and inviting for everybody who comes in under the gender and sexual diversity umbrella. On his interests outside of work: I’m an avid traveller, I enjoy my sports—I’ve curled for the better part of 20 years—and live music and concerts are probably a staple in my life, especially when I lived in the bigger communities. I could get to a lot more concerts than I can now. Maybe a fun fact is I’ve seen Lady Gaga 16 times. Seventeen was supposed to be this summer, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen. On spending time at camp: We have a family camp in Rossport that has been there for over 125 years, [and so has] our family. So, that is my little slice of heaven. As I get older, I appreciate more the peace, the quiet. Time stands still in Rossport and it’s where you can kind of go and shut off and mow the lawn, fix the camp, do your chores, but also get out on the lake and take the boat and go put around the harbour or cast the line in and

try to catch a fish. It’s where I grew up; it’s where, as I get older, I am the most happy. It’s somewhere I’m thankful that we have, and that we have our family down there and we all kind of come together. It’s the watering hole for everybody, especially in the summer, and [I get] to see my cousins and my aunts and uncles. That’s my one special place in the world. On the most interesting place he’s travelled: For me, it would have been Morocco—to not only go to the continent of Africa, but to travel around the entire country over 10 days was probably one of my most special trips. I also did it with my parents, and then my step-mom was also a teacher at the college, so she was with her students. Morocco’s a fantastic place because […] you’ve got almost everything—you’ve got mountains, you’ve got snow, you’ve got desert, you’ve got water. Every place we went, you could see the past as a Roman colony back in the day, and now it’s transformed into a predominantly Muslim country, but the influences are still there. It was just fascinating—the food, the

culture. That was my first foray into a predominantly Muslim country and some of the things that you have to observe we were taught along the way. Morocco was a pretty spectacular country to see. On what’s on his music playlist these days: Top 40. I’m a Top 40 guy. I’m really enjoying the new Justin Bieber, believe it or not. Dua Lipa is another one that I’m really kind of into right now. On who he has looked up to: Not [any one] single person. I think in every different part of my life, there’s somebody that I kind of gravitate towards. I think of my curling days and gravitating towards Sandra Schmirler, who passed away in 2000. She was at the top of her class in everything in the sport, and being someone who identifies as male, I looked up to a very strong female athlete that way, and wanted to emulate everything about Sandra. In life, though, I take some of my cues from our leaders [but] I don’t have anyone specifically that I look up to. I pull from a little bit of everything.

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CityScene

Stuff We Like For Camping By Amy Jones

n Northwestern Ontario, camping is in our DNA. And whether you are heading out across the province in your RV, returning to your favourite campsite at Quetico or Neys, or just setting up a tent in your backyard, you’re probably going to need a few things to make sure everyone stays happy and safe. Because even though nature is perfect, it can be hard to appreciate that perfection when you’re cold, bug-bitten, and desperate for a cup of coffee. So, for all you intrepid campers trekking out into the wilderness this summer, here is Stuff We Like for Camping.

Enamel Percolator Wilderness Supply

244 Pearl Street There’s nothing better than waking up on a calm, cool morning in the middle of nowhere and enjoying a cup of coffee by the edge of a lake or beneath a canopy of trees. With this 12-cup percolator built from heavy-gauge steel with a stainless steel rim, a unbreakable resin cap, and classic speckled enamel finish, you can enjoy 12 (or, we suppose you could share with your camping companions).

$40.95

S.O.L. Survival Kit KBM Outdoors

Washer Toss Game Toy Sense

447 May Street North What’s a camping trip without a little friendly competition? This premium birch wood washer toss set with mitred corner joints comes fully assembled, so all you need to do is set it up and get to tossing! (Bonus: it’s regulation size, in case you’re ready to go pro).

$89.99

Grapole Chaltrek

404 Balmoral Street File this one under “things you didn’t even know you needed.” The Grapole is a multi-use tool meant for tending a fire, with an articulated claw that can pick up brush, logs, twigs, and even bottle caps, all while keeping your hands clear of the flames. Because if you’re anything like us, half the fun of a fire is poking around in it!

Sleeping Giant Trail Map

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

$11.95

Kuma Lazy Bear Chair Gear Up For Outdoors

Breeo Smokeless Fire Pit

Creekside Nursery & Garden Centre

683 Woodcrest Road “A smokeless fire pit?” you might be asking yourself. “What magic is this?” Well, it’s the magic of Breeo’s patent-pending X Airflow system and double-wall convection, which allows their fire pits to burn their own smoke. That means fewer white rabbits—and a lot more s’mores.

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$34.99

RR #1, Pass Lake For many of us, no summer in Northwestern Ontario is complete without a trip to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. If this sounds like you, then this beautiful, fullcolour map is going to be your new best friend. The first new trail map of the park since 2003, it contains information on new campsites and rerouted trails— perfect for planning your next Giant adventure. Available at the park office or by calling (807) 977-2526.

$72–$79.95

349 Mooney Avenue No matter how experienced a camper you are, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The S.O.L. Survival Kit is an old-school survival tin with the quality and features of a modern survival kit, covering four of the main survival areas: water, shelter, fire, and signalling. Don’t leave home without it!

$various

894 Alloy Place Look, we all love the Earth— we just might not want to sit on it for hours at a time. Enter the Kuma Lazy Bear Chair. This all-season chair, made from durable ribbed polyester on a sturdy black tube frame, has padded armrests and fully padded seating, stabilizer feet, an insulated drink holder, and a phone holder, making it a thousand times comfier than the cold, hard ground (sorry, Earth, but you know it’s true).

$126.99

Revenge Outdoor Body Spray Orysi

orysi.com We all have that smug friend who always claims that “mosquitos just don’t bite me.” But once they see your Revenge outdoor body spray, with its lemongrass, eucalyptus, peppermint, and citronella essential oils and refreshing herbaceous lemony scent, they’re going to wish they did!

$16.99

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CityScene

Teeing Up

City Golf Courses Set for Another Busy Year Story by Matt Prokopchuk, Photos by Shannon Lepere

Chapples Golf Course

hunder Bay’s city-run golf courses saw a marked increase in the number of rounds played during the 2020 season, according to the municipal official in charge of golf operations, and says he’s hopeful that people of all ages will be able to tee it up again this year. A tightening of public health restrictions by the provincial government in April dictated that all golf courses close and remain closed. That has affected the start of the 2021 season—a year after Thunder Bay’s supervisor of golf operations Pat Berezowski says Strathcona Golf Course and Chapples Golf Course saw a combined approximately 8,000 more rounds played than in 2019. “We feel that golf is a very safe sport in the fact that we’re outside all the time, or mainly outside,” he says, adding that the city put a number of measures in place to reduce potential COVID transmission, such as adding barriers between seats on the golf carts, removing bunker rakes and ball washers, stepping up sanitization and enforcing social distancing. Golf Ontario, the organization that oversees amateur golf in the province, has been lobbying the Ford government to allow

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courses to open, citing benefits it says the sport provides, such as exercise, mental stimulation, and safe social time, in addition to it being outdoors and where social distancing can be more easily maintained. “We continue to work with the government, and we hope we will be golfing sooner than later. In the meantime we encourage everyone to continue to follow current government guidelines,” according to a posted statement on its website. Berezowski adds that he’s noticed more people returning to the game after spending years away from it, as well as an uptick in younger players. While the start to the 2021 season has faced delays, Berezowski says a skeleton crew has been doing basic maintenance at the two city courses and they’re ready should the courses see more use this year. He says last year’s bump in golfers was good to see. “When you see foursomes going out after foursomes after foursomes, that’s like full capacity,” he says, adding that it “maximizes your course and what you can offer.” Berezowski says the city will continue to promote initiatives like allowing youth 16 and under to play for free—including club rentals—if they’re playing with a paying adult. “It’s easy to try this sport,” he says.

 Pat Berezowski, Thunder Bay’s supervisor of golf operations  A sign at Chapples Golf Course shows COVID-19 rules

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It has been a difficult year, but you continue to do your best to keep yourselves and the people we support safe and healthy. Thank you for all you do! To learn about employment opportunities with Avenue II please visit our website at: www.avenueii.com Avenue II Comunity Program Services Inc. 122 S. Cumberland St. Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5R8

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Avenue II provides support to adults with disabilities in our community….We would like to take this opportunity to send all of our Essential Workers at Avenue II a very warm THANK YOU!

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After you mow your lawn, don’t rake and bag your grass clippings. Leave the grass clippings on the lawn! It saves time and it’s better for the environment.

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CityScene

Construction progress at Entershine Bookshop as seen in May, 2021

Entershine Bookshop

An Act of Love for the City Story by Rebekah Skochinski, Photos by Laura Paxton

ood things can come from words, like conversation, books, and bookshops. A few months ago, David Tranter asked Tim Lappala if he’d ever thought about opening a bookstore. After he heard a resounding “yes,” Jennifer Wreszczak-McKenzie, Lori Carson, and Lynne Warnick came on board to form an equal partnership and a plan. Soon to follow: an ideal spot. “It’s the perfect location,” says Lappala about Entershine Bookshop’s home on Algoma Street. The idea for the name “entershine” came from Warnick and Wreszczak-McKenzie, which they describe as the dappled light that appears through leaves in the forest. “The goal has been to design the store so it has that light in it,” says Lappala. “So it almost feels like walking into the woods—a calm space, no need to rush.” This sort of light, too, lends itself to the notion that books (good ones) have the ability to

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illuminate as well as entertain. It’s been several years since Thunder Bay has had an independent bookstore, so there is an excitement about it becoming a community hub as these stores do—one that unites writers, creators, and people who love books. “We wanted Thunder Bay to have a local bookstore,” says Lappala. “We see it as an act of love for this city. And we’re excited because we feel like this city really deserves one.” The space has received a fresh coat of paint and a new floor. Tranter has also designed and built bookshelves, making sure there is enough room for books and browsing, but also the flexibility to adjust the layout to accommodate seating for readings and book launches by local authors. “We are going to be mainly a bookstore with some quirky book-related gifts from artisans but we want to make sure we complement existing businesses and

Tim Lappala of Entershine Bookshop provide something unique and different,” says Lappala. You can expect to find the usual selection on the shelves like fiction and literature, sci-fi, and fantasy, as well as non-fiction, some graphic novels, a section for kids (complete with a kid-friendly space), and lots that will appeal to young adult readers. In addition to mainstream popular authors, they are dedicated to supporting voices from marginalized communities. What will set them apart from a larger chain is a carefully curated collection and an

aim to be responsive to the community they serve. Entershine is also committed to being sustainable—no plastic bags or gift wrap—so make sure to bring your favourite tote when they open on July 1st. Or, buy a new one at one of the nearby shops. In the meantime, follow them on the socials for updates. They built it, we will come!

Entershine Bookshop 196 Algoma Street South 628-6377

Setting a New Course ericksons LLP is pleased to announce three new lawyers have recently joined our firm, serving clients in the areas of Real Estate, Wills and Estates, and Corporate/Commercial.

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Superior Strains

A Closer Look at Wappa By Justin Allec

riting for Cannabis Corner means that I’m typically researching cannabis products that I’m unfamiliar with. Topicals? Gotta try them. Extractions? Sure, why not. Edibles? Okay, but… Make sure you throw some Wappa into my bag. After testing strains a-plenty, I can safely say that this indica is one of my favorites. Originally created by Amsterdam’s Paradise Seeds, Wappa is a derivative of the Skunk strain so it possesses that fruity, sticky-sweet flavour and smell. High in THC with next to no CBD content, Wappa earns its superior strain accolades through the experience. One of the Ontario Cannabis Stores (OCS) bestsellers and a big winner at worldwide cannabis competitions, Wappa works for consumers, growers, and medicinal users alike. Wappa plants tend to be chunky and squat, with few leaves. The luminous buds are rounded and look dusted with sugar thanks to the prevalence of the crystal-like trichomes. It’s a hardy plant too,

CANNABIS CORNER

and works well for outdoor growers even in our chillier climate. Wappa’s dominant terpene profile is made up of alpha-pinene, beta-caryophyllene, and myrcene, so in addition to its flavour, the stain also possesses powerful analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects. The experience is where Wappa really shines. Despite having a high THC level, Wappa slowly sneaks up on you. This strain radiates–the feeling starts around the front of the skull then progressively moves out through your nervous system and down your spine to provide a

nice overall numbness. “Easy does it” about sums it up, rather than any kind of wild ride. Along with this physical reaction, there’s a lot of mental stimulation that leads to contemplation or creative free-association rather than dedicated concentration, but it’s all positive—Wappa doesn’t push the paranoia or the negative introspection. For me, Wappa works best as an evening strain, something to have

in the background for puttering around the yard, going for a walk, or some non-productive time on the couch before fading into a good night’s sleep. OCS usually has a few varieties of Wappa available, though the vape cartridges tend to sell out fast. If dried flower is your thing, both Redecan ($9.90/g, THC 19.00 - 25.00%, CBD 0.00 - 0.10%) and Namaste ($7.95/g, THC 14.00 - 20.00%, CBD 0.00 - 1.00%) offer the best options. Redecan’s Wappa offers a higher level of THC for a slightly more intense experience (cue the munchies!), but Namaste’s version is consistently fresher and better tasting. If you’re going for a bulk purchase, Stash City offers 28 grams for $140.00 (THC 15.00 20.00%, CBD 0.00 - 0.10%), though I haven’t tested their strain. If you’re already a fan of strains like Shiskaberry, Sensi Star, Delahaze, or Tangerine Dream, I’d strongly suggest giving Wappa a try. If you like it, you’ll always want some in your bag.

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CityScene

Pride Month Builds Community Online Thunder Pride Partners with Hooligan Fuel for Special June Offering

Keegan Richard

By Kris Ketonen

Pride Month celebrations will again be virtual this year

he ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will prevent in-person festivities during Thunder Bay’s annual Pride Month for the second year in a row, but that doesn’t mean the sense of community will be lost. “I’ve actually come to realize that you can engage more people by being online,” Thunder Pride chair Ashley Moreau says. “You can make that information reach a little farther, and you can make that ripple of love a little farther.” “It also allows people that don’t live here, or that can’t make it here for our Pride events, to be able to participate, and see what’s going on in Thunder Bay, and have that sense of connection,” they continue. “In these COVID times, that’s something people are really craving, is that sense of connection.” Plenty of virtual events will be on offer during this year’s Pride Month, Moreau says. “It’s what we have to do right now, until we can see everyone in person.” Planned activities include a trivia night, movie night, panel discussions, Storytime with Drag Queens, Painting with Drag Queens, and the return of Drive-by Drag, Moreau says. Pride Month will

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also feature a best-dressed space competition this year. “We’re trying to open it up so everybody can participate,” Moreau says. “We have a youth and an adult version of it, so if a youth wanted to do a wall in their room or something and take a picture, or wherever your space is, is totally fine.” They add that there are prizes to be won. One new addition this year is a partnership between Thunder Pride and Hooligan Fuel Hot Sauce. The company is launching a new habanero-infused honey sauce called Bee Proud, and all profits from the sale of the sauce during Pride Month will go to support Thunder Pride. Bee Proud officially launches on June 1, and it will be available at more than a dozen businesses in the city. “I feel bad that Thunder Pride lost out on the events that they would normally get their funding from,” says Hooligan Fuel Hot Sauce co-owner Kevin Cernjul. “I don’t need to make the money on this.” “I would rather it go to the organizations that deserve it, and need it.” For more information about Pride Month, and the events planned, visit Thunder Pride’s website at thunderpride.ca.

Bottles of Hooligan Fuel’s ‘Bee Proud’ hot sauce

CityScene

This is Thunder Bay Stories and photos submitted by readers

With summer right around the corner, many people in Northwestern Ontario turn their attention to camping. With that in mind, we asked The Walleye’s readers about their favourite way to camp.

Amanda Camping in tents at provincial parks near—but not too near—flushing toilets. "Glamping."

Emmitt My favourite camping setup is when we’re trailer camping. The trailer is basically like a house. You can eat inside and basically everything you need is there. I like the tent and it’s waterproof, but not as waterproof as the trailer!

Brookes, Sarah, Daniella, Sarah Favourite camping setup: Rocks, trees, dirt and lots and lots of water!

Kelly Quality camp setup these days really only requires an abundance of excellent snacks.

Senna (right, with her nana, Nancy) My favourite camping setup is a canvas tent and a stove. It has a nice cosy atmosphere that I really like. Me and my nana and my dad and sometimes others go on an annual grouse hunt and set up the canvas tent and a stove. It’s one of the things I look forward to every year.

Lisa Quetico! Preferably an island spot (with blueberries if we're really lucky!) with a good rock for laying in the sun and diving off of. Tent, good sleeping pad, hammock, shortwave radio, my dog, and my hunny cooking freshcaught fish for supper.

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Music

The Will to Make Music The Creativity and Collaboration of the TBSO By Savanah Tillberg

s with many things this past year, the celebration of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra’s 60th season did not go as originally planned. Thus, the year was dubbed the TBSO’s 59.5th official season. It opened in the fall with a series of live performances that included audiences of 50 people and small groups of musicians performing chamber music. Ryleigh Dupuis, the executive director and general manager of the TBSO, explains that the original hope for the season was to gradually grow the performances, both in audience and musician capacity, following health and safety guidelines as the season progressed. “What we found was exactly the opposite,” Dupuis says. “Based on government restrictions, our performances started getting smaller until instead of live audiences we began streaming performances.” To make the TBSO events as accessible as possible, all of the virtual concerts were made available to the public for free. Dupuis adds that “we decided early on that we were not going to put our concerts behind a paywall. There are not a lot of ways that the TBSO has been able to give back and support our community during all of this […]. We’re not front-line workers [and] we

Members of the TBSO playing at one of the orchestra’s early-season chamber music concerts prior to more restrictive public health measures can’t do a lot in that capacity. I think that by being able to offer entertainment [while encouraging] people to stay home and enjoy what the city and the symphony have to offer, that was kind of our way of helping in whatever way we could.” Due to the stay-at-home orders that were enforced mid-season, musicians were no longer able to play together, and streaming events were no longer possible. Despite these seemingly insurmountable challenges, the symphony found creative ways to play music for the community while still respecting government

and local health authority recommendations. A Valentine’s Special was released in February where musicians had pre-recorded themselves performing in their homes for a virtual concert. To end the season, through a partnership with Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., an adapted version of a beloved local event, Beer & Beethoven, took place in April. The TBSO has also partnered with Westfort Productions to create a post-season TBSO Tour Video that is expected to become available in June. In addition to that, Westfort Productions, composer Dean Burry,

writer Jacob Richler, and the symphony are collaborating to produce an educational concert video for schools that is based on Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang by Richler’s dad, Mordecai Richler. Despite the challenges that this past year have presented, Dupuis says that she has been amazed at “how creative, collaborative, and wholly invested [everyone has been] in ensuring that we were able to keep playing music.” You can stay up to date with the TBSO by going to tbso.ca.

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Music

A Project for the Golden Hours

Spending Time with Chemical Bank Story by Justin Allec, Photos by Tara Leigh Marcin

here’s a tagline on Chemical Bank’s Bandcamp page for their latest release, Lungbones Vol.1: “What else is there to do? Stay home and make songs.” It partially sounds like a recipe for pandemic productivity, but it’s also how Chemical Bank, a.k.a. Wayne Marcin, prefers to spend his time. “I’m always messing around with something. I have to pick up the guitar, play a little bass, play with a synth,” the soft-spoken multi-instrumentalist says as he describes

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his compulsion. Since picking up the guitar in his late 20s, Marcin has stayed enamoured with the weirder (but infinitely more entertaining) strains of rock music. Preferring garage-spewed sounds that are noisily psychedelic, Marcin front-loads his songs with fuzz along with fun, catchy melodies. That’s true of his Chemical Bank solo project, which now has three releases to its name, but also Marcin’s contributions to esteemed local acts Reverb Bomb

and Secret Baby. While the pandemic may have provided Marcin the extra time to polish the latest Chemical Bank project to perfection, he’s sure Lungbones Vol.1 wasn’t completed just to counter boredom. Working full time along with being a dad means there’s no real time to get bored, pandemic or no. Marcin says that the first two Chemical Bank releases, 2020’s Action Home Product LTD and 2018’s SlowBurnAlibiWatchDog GroupSupport, were more experimental, indulgent exercises in songwriting and recording. This new release is a different beast. “It’s the first batch of songs I’ve written under that name that I can see performing live,” he says. Compared to those prior releases, Lungbones Vol.1 has some subtle advances in songwriting that reach out to the listener. There’s

a bit more room for the melodies, a brighter production, some added depth to the fuzz—all small steps that add up to a larger whole. What’s certain for Marcin right now is that music—writing, playing, releasing, and supporting other locals—is a necessary part of his life. Both Reverb Bomb and Secret Baby were writing material to support new album releases in the future, and Marcin’s been helping his wife Tara produce her LU Radio show, RawlStarGurl's Rawkin Hours of Rock N Roll, that airs weekly. With the fate of local venues and annual events like Tumblestone still tentative, Marcin doesn’t want to comment on the future except to express hope. In the meantime, you can find all his music on Bandcamp. What else is there to do? Stay home and listen to songs.

Sponsored Content

Show Me the City! Thunder Bay Tours Gives the Inside Scoop on The City I have dubbed the summer of 2021 “The Incredible Journey.” It will kick off with some sightseeing, a little bit of exercise, and getting more acquainted with one of my favourite places. One of the best ways to learn more about your community is to explore the streets, and the new Thunder Bay Tours app offers a medley of specialty walking and driving tours, turning your phone into a personal tour guide. Whether your interest is history, architecture, city heritage, art, or maybe the local food scene, the interactive tours provide the inside scoop you won’t get anywhere else. The app covers some serious ground, with over 194 sites to see and 138 kilometres to travel (with even more tours to still be added).

By Amanda Bay, Photo by DZ Photography

To me, one of the most awesome qualities about Thunder Bay, is once you think you know everything about the city, you always find out there’s more. I bet you have driven past that building, park, statue, or house a thousand times, but do you know the story behind it? Through the app you can take a trip back in time (DeLorean not required), and visit one of the many neighbourhoods that make up the city. Stories are told through the houses that line the streets, each whispering secrets of Fort William and Port Arthur’s past, and all of the locals that once lived there. As you walk, the app talks, sharing fun facts about the area and must-see sights, all the while keeping you on the right path using your phone’s GPS.

Hungry? Jump into your vehicle and rediscover the joy of knowing your food’s origins on the Food Producers Tour. Hit the back roads and take in some farm-to-table culture in the area, on a journey highlighting artisan food production and fresh, locally sourced, seasonal goodies. You can stock up on all of your favourites along the way, with stops at a famous fish shop, dairy farm, flour mill, and even a couple breweries. By the way, in 1963 the Paramount Theatre co-hosted the world premiere of Walt Disney’s The Incredible Journey! It’s actually an adaptation of Port Arthur resident Sheila Burnford’s classic novel— a cool detail I learned for the first time on the Thunder Bay Waterfront and North Core Tour.

All the features of the Thunder Bay Tour app are available offline with no roaming charges. It’s free for download today in the Apple iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

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Keegan Richard

Music

V3nom performing as Poison at The Cover Show 25 at Black Pirates Pub in January 2020

A Touch of Poison V3nom Forced to Trade the Stage for Livestreaming Right After Forming By Matt Prokopchuk

Thunder Bay band who took to the stage for the first time just before COVID-19 shut down the live music scene continues to perform virtually, and says they’re determined to make the most of a tough situation. Francesco Mollicola is the bassist and co-lead vocalist in the all-family power trio V3nom, alongside his brother Andrea (lead guitar and co-lead vocals) and father Enzo (drums and backing vocals). The group formed out of a lifelong love of music. The eldest Mollicola, 50-year-old Enzo, drummed for years in a number of local bands, eventually stepping away to raise his family. With his two sons now in their 20s, and the brothers picking up the musical bug themselves, Francesco Mollicola says he proposed forming the group. Their first gig was at The Cover Show at Black Pirates Pub in January 2020.

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“We didn’t think that we’d ever start playing bars and stuff, we were just kind of jamming in the basement,” he says. “And then we kind of looked at each other and were like ‘hey, we’re pretty good, we’ve got some chemistry.’” The band’s debut set covered Poison—their name also a nod to the 80s glam rockers. Mollicola says they had two other gigs scheduled after that show, but the pandemic quickly quashed those. He adds that it was tough to swallow after getting the initial rush of performing in front of a live crowd, but the group was determined to keep performing. “We were full of piss and vinegar for lack of a better word,” he says. “We were like ‘man, we just became a band and now this happened—what are we going to do?’” Like many artists, the group turned to livestreaming, with the first one in April 2020. Dialing back

the distortion, V3nom performed the set they were going to do in person. “It was such a good turnout, seeing everybody kind of interacting in the comments and requesting songs,” he says. “It was just cool to see everybody come together.” A pair of other virtual shows followed, with the band and viewers donating money to the local Salvation Army, as well as two animal rescue and shelter groups. The band also

played some outdoor gigs last year, as COVID restrictions allowed. Going forward, Mollicola says the group is planning another livestream with a donation to charity, and is currently woodshedding new covers. If pandemic rules allow, he says the band may also play outdoors again. To keep up with V3nom, visit them at facebook.com/thebandvenom/.

V3nom, from left to right: Francesco Mollicola, Enzo Mollicola, Andrea Mollicola

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Music

Tuning to Finer Things

Bill Smeltzer’s Love of Music and Woodworking Come Together By Marcia Arpin

usic has been a lifelong interest for Bill Smeltzer. “It started with a guitar,” he says. “I played and sang. In time, I found opportunities to play in groups and enjoyed jamming with others.” Since his retirement seven years ago, Smeltzer has filled his time developing his musical skills with an infectious joy. “Minutes happen, moments are created: this is an ideology I came up with many years ago,” he says. “I have looked for ways to interrupt what can become repetitive minutes in my day-to-day existence. This is important because it is this realm of continuous learning, enthusiasm, and accomplishment that life is enhanced.” Smeltzer has put his words into practice as he consistently exercises his mind with new challenges, including his current passion project that has evolved over the past five years. “I chose the baritone ukulele as a starting point on my adventure to create something outside my normal

realm of activity,” he says, while describing how he researched, designed, and built this instrument for his seven grandchildren and other family members. Motivated to pass on his love for music, Smeltzer combined his interest with woodworking to craft several ukuleles. Determined to design the finest of instruments, Smeltzer even built the tools required to bend the wood and develop his design. The process began as 1,000 hours of labour of love for each instrument. “There is a whimsical side to this undertaking,” he explains. “Which is one of creating a new path for used pallets, old furniture, or forgotten timber washed down a northern Ontario river, and giving them a chance to create their own moment. The result is an instrument which has its own voice, its own unique imperfections, but the capability of producing outstanding tone.” After creating over 20 unique ukuleles, Smeltzer says that “to realize

my passion in its full form, my hope is that one day, one of the recipients will create beautiful music involving one of my hand-crafted instruments. This would do two things: firstly, to allow me to truly recognize the accomplishment, and secondly, to demonstrate that we can do amazing things with what is around us—in this case

materials destined for waste recycled to create harmony.” “To move this dream along, each recipient has been asked to enjoy their gift, but also to freely put it in the hands of any young person that could appreciate and benefit from a premium instrument to use for their learning and growth.”

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Music

Making a Comeback

Tumblestone Organizers Planning New Virtual Festival Story by Matt Prokopchuk, Photo by Keegan Richard

Tumblestone in 2019. This year’s event is set to feature streams of pre-recorded sets by local artists

fter going on a one-year hiatus last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers of the annual Tumblestone music festival are working to bring back the music this year. But, like many performances and festivals, 2021’s edition will look quite different. Those behind the popular festival are raising money with the goal of holding Tumblestone as a solely online event this year, featuring pre-recorded sets by eight local artists, as well as opportunities for spectators and musicians to interact virtually, says Ed

Blanchette, the artistic director for the Tumblestone Collective and Music Festival. The virtual concert series will be streamed on social media, with the goal of being free, Blanchette says, adding that they’re fundraising through crowdsourcing (a GoFundMe campaign started in early May, and another one, through Indiegogo, is slated for June), as well as submitting grant applications to organizations like the Ontario Arts Council and Tbaytel. “We’re trying to keep this a free event as well,” he says. “One of our worst-case scenarios [is] if the funding falls through, then we have to

scale back. Because we’re prepared to scale forward or backwards with this project, depending on the funding available.” The lineup for the festival is being kept under wraps for now, and Blanchette says he wants to release the names of the performing artists slowly, as they reach 10% milestones during the Indiegogo campaign. One thing that is in the works, however, is a tribute to the late Camden Blues, who passed away in early 2020. Prior to the pandemic shutting things down last year, Tumblestone had been running as a late-August annual festival since 2011. This year,

however, Blanchette says the plan is to release the streams once per week in the fall. Should grants come through, though, he says there may be an opportunity to run a sort of pilot prior to the main event and extend the series. “I don’t know if that’s possible or not, I think we’ll just follow the steps the way we wrote it in the grant and we’ll stick to that as much as we can, making sure we don’t sacrifice the artists’ rates,” Blanchette says. You can stay up to date with the latest from the Tumblestone Collective at facebook.com/ TumblestoneMusicFestival.

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OfftheWall

Pretending We’re Surviving

Forever Dead!

You can read the title of Forever Dead!’s compilation as a comment on the futility of modern life, or you can see it as a revised slogan for punks aging gracefully. “Of course we’re still making peace with this bullshit,” Forever Dead! say as they crack a tall boy too early in the day. “Nothing’s really changed, has it?” I can’t argue with that, and I definitely don’t want to get in the way of a raging good time. Compiling 10 years of Thunder Bay punk rock fury over 18 tracks, Pretending We’re Surviving is a roadmap of the band’s history and how they won their way into our hearts. The long-awaited followup to 2015’s EpicDemic, Pretending shows the band older, smarter, and just as volatile. Eighteen tracks may seem like a lot, but each song—be they about love, life, death, sobriety, or false teeth—quickly becomes required listening after the first play-through. Offering oodles of that loveable skate punk sound with biting riffs, barreling drums, and sneering vocals that charge into fist-pumping choruses, the album also has slight touches of psychobilly and hardcore to darken the corners and keep the intensity redlined. Pretending is Forever Dead!’s latest giant, knowing middle finger to all the silver-lined promises we know aren’t true but still have to live with. Thanks to music like this, we’ll get by. - Justin Allec

REVIEWS

Conviction

Sydney Blu

Throughout Sydney Blu’s career as one of Canada’s top EDM performers, her digital success gave her the ability to fill venues with thousands of people ready to dance. When the COVID pandemic shuttered large music venues across the world, Blu returned home to Thunder Bay to finish her sophomore record. Conviction isn’t meant for the blues of isolation, however. It’s a call back to the packed stands of a pre-pandemic time and a reason to get back there as fast as possible. Sydney Blu unleashes a relentless assault of high-energy drum patterns, purposeful vocals, and masterful synth work. Although the formula may repeat itself over the course of two hours, the sonic details give each track new life. While the live experience will have to wait, Blu offers some of the sleekest production an artist from this city can aspire to, and has decades of experience to back it up. - Michael Charlebois

‘Til We Meet Again

Direct, honest and sure-handed, there’s a Disney-like magic to Jeffery Straker’s folk-based piano styling and powerful storytelling. Underpinned by influences as diverse as Joni Mitchell and Beethoven, comparisons to Billy Joel and Victor Wainwright ring true. Inspired by the unexpected death of his mother, his latest album Just Before Sunrise reflects on life’s victories and losses. “Light a Fire” is a toetapping argument for the power of positive change while the countrified “Play That Song Again” reminiscences on happier times. “Ready to Be Brave” sends a supportive message to the LGBTQ2+ community that “Honesty is where freedom is found.” “Morning Light” speaks to our ongoing search for relevance, while “One Foot on Main Street” is Straker’s statement that his small-town Saskatchewan upbringing will always define him. Buoyant and optimistic, Straker's worldview is a brand of contagion well worth catching.

I’ve never been a big fan of live concert recordings. The sound is often muddled and I find too much audience noise annoying. I was pleasantly surprised, however, with Norah Jones’s latest album ‘Til We Meet Again. It was recorded live in 2018 and 2019 at concerts on a world tour. The 14 songs span her career, going back to her debut album in 2002. I can’t say enough about the quality of this recording. There’s a great separation of the instruments and Jones’s silkysmooth voice is clear and lush. The audience applause and cheering is kept to a minimum. It’s hard not to appreciate just how good of a piano player Jones is by listening to this recording. Favourite songs include a cover of Hank Williams’s “Cold, Cold Heart.” There is a wonderful bass line and a bluesy vibe to the tune. “I’ll Be Gone” is a bluesy ballad with some marvelous background vocals. If you are already a fan, you won’t be disappointed. If you are new to Norah Jones, this would be the place to start. ‘Til We Meet Again is a lovely recording from the queen of hipster jazz.

Jeffery Straker

- Ken Wright

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Just Before Sunrise

Norah Jones

- Gerald Graham

You and Me

Nancy Wilson

Despite releasing albums alongside her sister Ann as the core of Heart for nearly 50 years, You and Me is Nancy Wilson’s first solo album, and the veteran rocker proves she works just fine on her own. Wilson spends a fair bit of time on You and Me honouring people who have passed, whether it be her mother on the title track, fellow guitar legend Eddie Van Halen on album-closing instrumental “4 Edward,” and Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley on “The Dragon,” a grungy song that dates back to the early 1990s. That song is a bit of an outlier on the record as it’s the only one that doesn’t have the warm, intimate feel of the rest of the release. Wilson is in great voice throughout and gets plenty of opportunity to show her well-documented proficiency on electric and acoustic guitar. Covers of songs by Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, and others, along with appearances by guests like Sammy Hagar and the Foo Fighters’s Taylor Hawkins add further variety. If this is the kind of music Wilson has been holding on to over the years, let’s hope there are more solo endeavours to come. - Matt Prokopchuk

Woman on the Run: The Laurie Bembenek Story Catherine Fogarty

Apprehended in our very own city of Thunder Bay, Laurie Bembenek (better known as “Bambi”) was a convicted killer on the run before getting caught working as a waitress at the Columbia Grill on May Street. Although convicted of killing her then-husband’s ex-wife, the evidence was weak and Bembenek always maintained her innocence, saying she was framed by a corrupt U.S. police force. All the while, hundreds of Thunder Bay and Milwaukee supporters were holding rallies during her trial, and even selling bumper stickers and T-shirts saying “Run Bambi Run.” Catherine Fogarty does a superb job narrating this compelling story, mustering up feelings of suspicion, sadness, and shock. Was Laurie Bembenek really a murderous killer fleeing justice, or rather, a political refugee escaping wrongful persecution in her home state? Woman on the Run will have you on the edge of your seat in no time and is a true testament to Bambi’s fight for justice. - Andrea Lysenko

Forty Fathers: 150 Best Men Talk about Recipes for Parenting Cooking in Foil

As told to Tessa Lloyd Marilyn Haugen Tessa Lloyd is a counsellor, writer, and photographer. She has used all these skills in compiling this volume of Canadian men discussing parenting. This is a very handsome volume. The dads here are some of Canada’s most famous, including both Justin and Pierre Trudeau, Marc Kielburger, Robert Bateman, Scott Moe, Rick Hansen, and Ben and Mark Mulroney. There are other lesserknown fathers, a couple of them whose circumstances are a bit more unusual. She includes advice on parenting from a dad who is incarcerated, and one who transitioned from female to male. The subjects covered are both broad and deep. Most of the fathers are humble. Almost all of them admit they should have or could have spent more time with their kids. While celebrating their children, they frequently admit to not knowing what they were doing upon first becoming a father. Several admit that men need more help and support in parenting but often don’t know how to ask for it. The book is full of photographs and each chapter begins with a detailed biography of the dad who then speaks to us directly. This is a major contribution to research on how boys become men. Highly recommended.

If you’re looking for new recipes for camping or grilling, then check out Marilyn Haugen’s 150 Best Recipes for Cooking in Foil. Haugen has created a whole book full of easy dishes, many of which contain your whole meal. The book is split up by oven type, so you don’t have to search through the whole book for recipes that are best cooked using a particular method. Haugen also includes a very nice variety of dishes, from kid-friendly to gourmet. These are perfect for bringing to camp because you can make them into foil packets ahead of time—plus cleanup is super easy! The big downside to this book is the cooking times: many of the recipes (especially those cooked over the fire) may take longer than the recipe says. Also, this style of cooking will not appeal to anyone who wants to cut down on aluminum for health reasons, or is conscious of all the excess waste aluminum foil generates. But many of the recipes can be modified to cook in a grill basket or using a pan instead. They just might not be as juicy if they’re not covered during cooking. - Shauna Kosoris

- Michael Sobota

Ask us how

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Architecture

Keegan Richard

Silver Islet General Store By Laurie Abthorpe

Keegan Richard

The Silver Islet General Store as seen today

A look inside the store’s third floor

Keegan Richard

 The main store counter and entrance to the tea room in the background

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very well-known landmark at Silver Islet, the charming general store, celebrates 150 years in 2021. Leading up to this milestone, let’s revisit this historic structure, learn about its original construction, and take a look at some of the exciting recent refurbishments. In 1868, a silver vein was first discovered across the surface of a rocky island just over a kilometre off the shore of Lake Superior. Taking on the very challenging endeavour of extracting silver that ran under the icy cold and often tumultuous waters of this Great Lake, the American-owned Silver Mining Company of Silver Islet began operating its mine in October 1870. To support operations, mine superintendent Captain William B. Frue directed the construction of a company store on the mainland in the summer of 1871, which is the general store we see today. American ingenuity built this two-and-a-half storey structure using timber framing and joinery. Much of the wood used was single-piece white pine sourced and cut at nearby Sawyer Bay. Steel

bolts were also used in the building’s framing, while steel rods support the roof structure in the loft. Built into the slope of the shoreline, the structure’s base uses 12 x 12-inch horizontal beams and vertical support posts to create the 35-foot-wide by 75-foot-deep footprint. A 28-inch-thick stone and mortar foundation was added after the timber base had been constructed to fill the space created by the sloping run towards the lake. This created a basement level that gradually reaches 14 feet tall at its tallest point, allowing for a ground level walkout to accommodate warehousing and storage. The original doors at this entry point remain in place today. The clapboard-finished supply store that sold goods and staples to miners and their families also provided accommodations on its upper floors. Cedar shakes initially clad the roof, though they have long since been replaced. The roof in early days also featured a widow’s walk along the full length of its peak. Here wooden barrels of water were stored in order to quickly douse any fire that might break out.

The building’s windows have been replaced with modern, energy-efficient ones

Thunder Bay Museum 977.1.866

Thunder Bay Museum 993.51.70.g  The building as seen in this undated photo prior to its  A gathering in front of the store as seen in this photo initial restoration and repainting to the now-familiar blue from the early 1900s  New co-owners Jeff and Sandy Korkola stand with the newly refurbished store sign

Keegan Richard

The building’s single 58-foot-high chimney served the entire structure. Stoves on all levels had pipes that ran to the central chimney which acted as a heat source. The mine’s closure in 1884 led to the store’s closure as well. Over the next century the store operated intermittently, particularly as Silver Islet developed into a summer cottage community. When the Saxberg family purchased the building in the 1980s, much work was needed to bring the old store back to life. Floors were rebuilt, windows were repaired, and the clapboard was painted the now-familiar blue. The tea room became a popular local destination when it opened in 1993. Recently, Jeff and Sandy Korkola (Sandy is a member of the Saxberg family) have begun updating and restoring this wonderful building once again. Windows have been replaced and a new metal roof with skylights installed. A planned off-grid solar power system is also soon to be fitted. Even the original, well-recognized “Store” sign has been restored, soon to be hung again above the road facing entry. Neither the store nor tea room have operated since 2015, but this year, coinciding with the building’s 150th anniversary and the newly revitalized harbour, plans are well underway for a summer opening. Full details will be published on the Silver Islet General Store Facebook and Instagram pages. A visit to the store, once open, will be like stepping into a living museum, offering glimpses into the life of a miner and the families of Silver Islet. Visitors can even play billiards on mine president Alexander H. Sibley’s vintage pool table. While there, enjoy the tea room with its light lunches, or the cappuccino bar. Ice cream will also be served. Laurie Abthorpe is the heritage researcher for the Heritage Advisory Committee, which advises City Council on the conservation of heritage buildings, sites, and resources, and their integration into development. For more information on the city’s heritage resources, visit thunderbay.ca/en/city-hall/heritage-in-thunder-bay.aspx.

Keegan Richard

Architecture

The Walleye

JuneEventsGuide Ongoing Banff Film Festival Virtual World Tour Virtual

The Banff Film Festival is online for some #epicadventuresindoors, featuring skiing and snowboarding adventures and the personal stories of inspiring people. Films are offered in two separate programs or as a bundle; prices in USD. filmfest.banffcentre.ca

Ongoing Thunder Bay Museum Virtual Exhibits Virtual

Explore the art of artist, mapmaker, and illustrator Hans Krakhofer. Delve deep into Thunder Bay’s past places like the historic Algoma Hotel and the famed Chapples building. Take an illustrated history of the city’s east end. Gather round the kids for A Tail of Two Cities, which sees Jerry Muskrat visiting the museum to discover the history of Fort William and Port Arthur. Peruse items that are unique, historic, and everything in between. thunderbaymuseum.com

June 1–30 Thunder Pride Various

This year, Thunder Pride is hosting its second virtual Pride event with activities all month long. Take part in trivia and movie night, story time and painting with drag queens, and the return of Drive-by Drag. There’s also a competition for the best-dressed space this year with both an adult and youth version, which can be as simple as decorating a wall in your favourite room. See this month’s Top Five for more info. thunderpride.ca

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Read This Next Virtual

Join Thunder Bay Public Library staff members Laura and Nicole on YouTube or any podcast app for the latest edition of Read This Next. They’ll share their top recommendations and talk about books you can check out from TBPL’s digital and physical collections. This program will be available Tuesdays on your favourite podcast app or the following Monday on the library’s YouTube channel. youtube.com/tbpl

EVENTS GUIDE KEY

June 3, 10, 17, 24 French as a Second Language Courses Online

Want to become more proficient in French? The Novocentre is offering online courses to help you learn French as a second language. This is a class for people who are not comfortable in French or who start almost without prior training. You will learn basic communication and how to express yourself, listen, and share in French. Cost is $200 for 20 hours (10 two-hour sessions). Contact Denis Malette at dg@novocentre.com for more information. novocentre.com/en

June 3, 10, 17, 24 Catch the Ace Anywhere

Catch the Ace and win big! Catch the Ace is a progressive jackpot, multiple-draw, weekly raffle in which ticket-holders have the chance to win a weekly prize and the Catch the Ace Jackpot. Cosponsored by the United Way of Thunder Bay and the Port Arthur Rotary Club, The Catch the Ace draw is administered by United Way of Thunder Bay under a raffle license issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. tbayace.ca/

June 6 Gutsy Walk Anywhere

The annual Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada will take place on June 6 all across the country. Due to ongoing uncertainty about in-person events, Gutsy Walk will not be gathering in any parks, sites, or specific physical locations this year. Gutsy Walkers are encouraged to do the walk in their community, whether it be their neighbourhood or a local park while within their bubble, to show their support for people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis all across the country. crohnsandcolitiscanada. akaraisin.com

June 6 Beer School: Beer and Art Virtual

Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. is collaborating with the Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) on a Beer and Art pairing package. Choose from five different prints and a four-pack of beer. Featuring artwork inspired by a SGBC beer from local talents, the prints are unframed and a portion of each sale will support a professional fund for artists. Packages are $65 each and will be ready for contactless pick-up at the brewery as of June 6th. See this month’s Top Five for more info. sleepinggiantbrewing.ca

June 10–12 SGBC Great Northshore Beer Fest Virtual

The Great Northshore Beer Fest is an exclusive and unique craft beer event that celebrates Ontario Craft Breweries and allows you the opportunity to try beers that you can’t get anywhere else. Beer boxes feature a selection of Ontario Craft Beer curated for your enjoyment and will include the most fun, delicious, and summery fruit and sour around. sleepinggiantbrewing.ca

June 12–19 EcoSuperior’s Big Lake Reflections Various

Big Lake Reflections celebrates our relationship with Lake Superior through the arts. EcoSuperior invites Thunder Bay and surrounding communities to reflect on what you feel, see, or hear while being with this Great Lake. Make a sidewalk chalk drawing, pen a short poem or haiku, or any other artistic expression of your choosing. See this month’s Top Five for more info. ecosuperior.org

General Food Art Sports Music

June 14–28 National Indigenous Peoples Day Various

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day—an opportunity to celebrate the heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people. This year, there will be activities planned from the 14th until the 28th. Further details are to be finalized, so follow the Facebook page for updates. See this month’s Top Five for more info. facebook.com/NADTBay

June 14 TBPL Dad and Me Kits Anywhere

Dad and Me kits are kits made to celebrate the father figure in your life. You can receive a fun craft to do together, paper to make a card, a Father’s Day book, and some tea to end your day. Registration is underway. For more information, contact Patience And Nicole at the library at pmarino-hutton@tbpl.ca. tbpl.ca

Until June 15 TBSO Virtual Tour NWO Virtual

The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra is hitting the road— virtually. The TBSO’s Virtual Tour NWO presents 19 streaming concerts for 24 communities across the region, featuring collaborations with up-and-coming artists. Check out the TBSO’s website for more information, including a listing of communities and featured performers. tbso.ca/tbso-virtual-tour/

June 19 Neighbour Day Anywhere

The City of Thunder Bay will be hosting its second annual Neighbour Day presented by Tbaytel. The city will be equipping Thunder Bay with Neighbour Day ideas and tools, including printable and digital cards to say #thanksneighbour, instructional videos on socially distanced activities like window decorating and driveway concerts, and plenty of contests to share stories of kind and generous neighbours. See this month’s Top Five for more info. thunderbay.ca/neighbourday

June 20–28 Run the North Virtual

The United Way of Thunder Bay, Indigenous Youth Achievement and Recognition Awards (IYARA), and Wasaya Airways are excited to announce the return of their Run the North event. This noncompetitive race can be run anywhere and anytime between the event dates. Participants can walk, run, bike, or hike, so you can run your race at your pace. Participants can choose from a 1 km or 5 km distance, so the whole family can participate. Funds raised go to support United Way and the IYARA. trellis.org/run-the-north

Until June 20 Dakobinaawaswaan (Baby in a Cradleboard) Thunder Bay Art Gallery

The exhibit gathers more than 100 tikinagaans (or cradleboards) representing Indigenous communities from across North America. This living collection presents a wide range of imagery, beadwork, and specialized materials. The exhibit is lovingly dedicated to the late Freda McDonald, the Elder for this initiative. With support from the Cradle Keepers Co-operative. Curated by Caitlyn Bird. Check the art gallery’s website for the latest COVID-19 visitation information. theag.ca

Until September 12 Piitwewetam: Making Is Medicine Thunder Bay Art Gallery

The art gallery presents this very special exhibition featuring the work of the Gustafsons, a Thunder Bay-based family whose signature floral motif beadwork and intricate designs is known regionally and internationally. This exhibition honours the family’s son and brother Piitwewetam (Rolling Thunder), also known as Jesse Gustafson, who died in a tragic accident several years ago. Check the art gallery’s website for the latest COVID-19 visitation information. theag.ca

Upfront plan pricing and options online, by phone or in-store That’s the Neighbourly Way tbaytel.net

84 The Walleye

LU RADIO’S MONTHLY TOP June Show Spotlight:

1 Forever Dead!* Pretending We’re Surviving Self-Released

Hosted by Conor Chandler and Brett Holmberg Mondays at 11 pm Stuck between genres and ever evolving, The Monday Nightcap brings you a mix of everything from post-punk bubble grunge to classic indie rock. Hosts Conor Chandler and Brett Holmberg keep your Monday nights alive, closing out the evening slot at 11 pm and congratulating you for making it through that first day of the week. Flatlanders through and through, Conor and Brett ventured east to attend Lakehead University and stumbled upon a chance to share their love of music on the airwaves of LU Radio. The two are keeping the radio dream alive, currently pre-recording shows for their regularly scheduled slot through the pandemic and looking forward to that sweet, sweet moment when they can get back into the booth. Current favourites include Merin, JayWood, Julien’s Daughter, and Skegss. Song of the Moment: “Leave You Alone” by Sea of Lettuce

Check out our weekly charts online at luradio.ca and tune in to the Top 20 Countdown Mondays from 7-9 am. Keep it locked on 102.7 FM, online streaming at luradio.ca

24 Current Joys Amateur Secretly Canadian

8 PONY* TV Baby Take This To The Heart

25 TuneTown* Entering Utopia Three Pines

9 Art d’Ecco* In Standard Definition Paper Bag 10 Grouplove This is This Self-Released

The Monday Nightcap

Music

16 Nonagon They Birds Controlled Burn

2 Dinosaur Jr. Sweep Into Space Jagjaguwar

17 Cloud Nothings The Shadow I Remember Carpark

3 Burial Etiquette* Out of Our Hands Emocat

18 Mo Kenney* Covers Turtlemusik

4 Death From Above 1979* Is 4 Lovers Universal Music Canada

19 Ratboys Légèrement Self-Released

5 Pop Pop Vernac* Rapid Fire Self-Released

11 Chemical Bank* Lungbones Vol. 1 Self-Released 12 Smirk LP Drunken Sailor

20 Tired Cossack* EP Self-Released

6 Animal Dreams* Music For My Wife To Dance To Self-Released 7 JayWood* Some Days EP Royal Mountain/ Captured Tracks

15 Dark Time* Radiation Self-Released

27 Born Ruffians* PULP Yep Roc 28 Virgo Rising* Sixteenth Sapphire House Of Wonders 29 Dave Cherub* Dave Cherub Self-Released

13 CODE Quartet* Genealogy Justin Time 14 Chad VanGaalen* World’s Most Stressed Out Gardener Flemish Eye

26 Melvins Working With God Ipecac

30 Rick White Archive* Rick covers Sloan’s Peppermint [EP] Self-Released 21 Diego Rivera Indigenous Posi-Tone 22 MIHI NIHIL MIHI NIHIL Self-Released 23 A Case of Mistaken Identity Under The Radical Sign Self-Released

* indicates Canadian artist. Chart ranking reflects airplay during the week ending May 18, 2021.

The Walleye

Health

Putting Plans into Motion

Q&A with Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Ron Turner Interview by Matt Prokopchuk

anaging the COVID-19 pandemic has meant a lot of planning at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre over the past yearplus. However, those plans also have to be put into action in a timely, organized manner if they are to be successful. That’s where Ron Turner comes in. He is the director of acute medicine, stroke, and seniors programs at the hospital, and is currently acting as the operations section lead on the health sciences centre’s COVID incident management team. We spoke with Turner about how this process works, what kinds of changes they’ve had to make, and how he feels the hospital is set to react should we see another spike in COVID cases. The Walleye: What’s involved putting a pandemic action plan into place?

86 The Walleye

Ron Turner: As soon as changes in ministry directives or process gaps or mitigation strategies are identified for action, the IMT [the COVID incident management team] planning section develops a response plan that is presented to IMT for approval. Once that’s approved, the plans are then handed over to the operations section, which consists of representation from programs and services across the organization. From there, stakeholders are engaged to assist in the execution of the plan. […] So what the plan is, and how detailed or how far-reaching it is, depends on who’s engaged in that process. Oftentimes, those stakeholders are engaged in the development of the plan. But sometimes, once we get to the implementation piece, we need to sort of reach out a little bit more broadly, also [making] sure

we’re communicating the change, and that if there’s education required to support the change, that that happens. Then we reach out to logistics to pull in the pieces—for example, if equipment is needed, if staff is needed, those pieces are coordinated. TW: What are some things that you’ve had to implement? RT: It’s a pretty extensive list. We’ve operationalized procedures for staff, patient, and visitor screening, COVID-19 assessment and vaccination processes, and infection control protocols. We supported critical care capacity planning—the creation of the COVID-19 inpatient unit was a significant piece of work that we had to undertake. That’s really just naming a few. The IMT operations section has been involved at some level in every activity associated with the hospital’s

response to the pandemic, so as little as a small change in current policy, to the way we isolate patients who have COVID-19. TW: What was involved in setting up the dedicated ward for COVID patients? RT: We had to make sure the unit had boundaries in order to make sure it was a closed environment in order to maintain infection control. We also needed to coordinate staff so there were specific staff who were specifically dedicated to the area. There was ensuring that that staff had the appropriate education to care for this specific patient population. And then, once patients are in a unit in the hospital, they don’t necessarily stay in that unit—they’re often transferred to other departments—so how do we maintain infection control principles while they’re going to DI [diagnostic imaging], for example, or other areas in the hospital that they might need to attend during their admission? TW: How confident are you in the hospital’s ability to handle any future spike in cases? [Editor’s note: This interview was conducted in early May, while case number in the Thunder Bay district were in decline.] RT: There is a very robust pandemic response plan in place that looks at ICU [intensive care unit] capacity and how we can surge outside of the ICU into other areas and still support that level of care. Aligned with that is a comprehensive staffing plan, so that we can ensure that the skill set of healthcare providers are managing those types of patients, so there’s been a lot of work up front. Some of this was in place before the pandemic in preparation for the event that we were ever having to have to use it, but this has been a great opportunity, and I’m really proud of the fact that the hospital has remained so nimble and that we’re able to change on a dime as need arises locally and then across the province. We really have been able to shift our focus in order to make sure we’re addressing the most critical needs of patients. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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The Walleye 2021-05-11 2:1487 PM

SN AP & SH ARE Post photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram of your Thunder Bay outdoor adventures, special experiences, and memories in the city for a chance to win prizes. Use #tbaycation to enter.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE visitthunderbay.com/TBaycation 88 The Walleye

Health

or most of us, it’s safe to say that COVID-19 has overstayed its welcome. For the past year, we have experienced a shift in how we do things, and it has affected the daily lives of everyone in our community. This pandemic has undoubtedly caused a significant amount of stress for many, especially when it comes to those who are struggling to access food, and also those who experience mental health concerns. Independent of COVID-19, research has shown that those experiencing household food insecurity (not enough money to purchase enough food) also experience poorer mental health. Statistics Canada has reported that those who experience food insecurity are nearly three times more likely to self-report fair or poor mental health, and to report moderate to severe anxiety symptoms. Since COVID-19, we have noticed a worsening in both of these areas. Household food insecurity rates have increased from 10.5% (4.4 million) of Canadians, up to 14.6% (6.1 million) as of May 2020. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we can predict that these rates have further gone up. Research done on mental health during COVID-19 has shown that 57% of Ontarians feel lonelier than they did pre-pandemic. Reports have also indicated higher rates of feelings of despair, and substance use has also increased as a means of coping. So what do we do? With rates of food insecurity and poorer mental health rising, we should first focus on addressing the immediate needs of our

Learning from the Pandemic Mental Health and Food Insecurity During COVID-19 Story by Ivan Ho, Public Health Nutritionist, Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Photo by Kay Lee

community. This includes being aware, providing support, and reaching out to those in need. The next step is to consider resilience planning. This means learning from what has happened with COVID19 and creating a plan so that, as a community, we are better prepared for future emergencies. For example, the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy has brought together different community organizations across the city to discuss, plan, and prepare for any future situations that will necessitate emergency access to food. One major benefit of this is there has been an increase in community collaboration and

relationship building, which opens up more opportunities for building a resilient and healthy community. The longer-term solutions will really require taking a step back and shifting our focus towards addressing root causes. For household food insecurity, this means investing in appropriate income solutions to reduce poverty. These solutions may include—but are not limited to—basic income, livable wages, and affordable housing. Improving mental health outcomes means supporting community-level mental health initiatives that focus on inclusion and social well-being— for example, supporting vulnerable

neighborhoods with community development programs and services for children and youth. The reality is that COVID-19 has disrupted our daily lives at least to some degree. However, there are also opportunities that we can gain from this experience that can improve our community for the better—especially when it comes to food insecurity and mental health. If you or anyone else is in need of support for accessing food, please visit tbdhu.com/food. If you or anyone else is in need of mental health support, please visit tbdhu.com/ health-topics/mental-health.

The Walleye

Health

By Caitlund Davidson, Health Promotion and Communications Planner, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

he pandemic has affected numerous hospital services across the province, but our Regional Cancer Care Northwest team at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) has not missed a beat. They have continued to see new patients and provide timely treatment for cancer patients living in Northwestern Ontario. “We initially saw a decrease in the number of patients due to the pandemic and a reduction in screening and surgical services. However, in the last quarter of the year, we experienced a surge as these services are catching up,” said Dr. Margaret Anthes, the clinical lead for radiation oncology at TBRHSC. “I would encourage eligible individuals to take part in cancer screening now that the services are once again available.” Cancer screening services were halted for three months beginning in March 2020. Patients who were due for screening during this time had their appointments rescheduled. Cancer screening services restarted in July 2020, but unfortunately, numbers have not returned to normal. For example, monthly screening mammogram volumes in the northwest region in 2021 are approximately 20% less than in 2020. “We continue to promote cancer screening because it’s better to treat the cancer at an early stage. Even in

90 The Walleye

a pandemic, it’s important to carry on with routine cancer screening,” says Anthes. “For example, a colon cancer screening test is easy to complete since the test can be sent to you by mail, and for cancer screening tests that need to be done in-person, such as mammograms and Pap tests, you can be confident that when you are visiting these clinical settings, they are following COVID-19 guidelines and you will be safe.” Since the start of the pandemic, Dr. Anthes’s practice has changed to include a combination of virtual (video and phone calls) and in-person appointments. This mix has improved the efficiency of the clinic and reduced wait times between appointments. Many of the patients have also expressed their appreciation of this new appointment method. “It’s important for our patients to have their appointments on time and know that their healthcare team is keeping up with their care. For our patients in the region, virtual visits have allowed them to access care without having to travel to Thunder Bay,” Anthes explains. “By starting with a phone call, we can assess who needs to come into the clinic and who we can help virtually.” Angela Saunders has worked alongside Dr. Anthes for 15 years as

her primary nurse. Working in the clinic, Saunders has missed seeing patients in-person but has seen benefits to virtual visits during the pandemic.

“With COVID-19 restrictions, it’s tough for patients when they can’t bring a care partner or family member to their appointment. So virtual visits have been great,” Saunders says. “When we phone patients, their families can be present and have the opportunity to ask questions.” Don’t let the pandemic stop you from attending medical appointments and seeking care if it’s urgent. Whether you are attending a virtual appointment or coming to the Cancer Centre for an in-person appointment, this team will be ready to help. “We’re never too busy to see patients. We want to see you if it’s necessary,” says Saunders. “If you have any concerns at all, do not hesitate to call us. Don’t feel like you have to wait for your next appointment.” For more information about Regional Cancer Care Northwest, please visit tbrhsc.net/programs-services/ regional-cancer-care.

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