May 2021 by The Walleye Magazine

FILM FREE ARTS Vol. 12 No. 5 MUSIC MAY FOOD 2021 CULTURE thewalleye.ca

Made by Hand Makers of Northwestern Ontario

A TRUE FAMILY BUSINESS 28

STORIES FROM THE LAND 34

CRAFTING A NEW ECONOMY 48

LIVING THE BAY DREAM 70

Community Fund

We’ve increased the funding so you can dream even bigger $10,000

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-P op eJ oh nP au l II ,F all 20 20 Wi nne r

Grants

This year, we’re awarding three community projects $10,000 each. Need funding for your community? Through the Tbaytel for Good Community Fund, we want to help you make a difference. Tell us about a project, a need, or an idea that you require funding for – with a community group, volunteer-run or not-forprofit organization, or at your school or workplace and you could receive one of three $10,000 grants to support your goal. Visit tbaytelforgood.net to learn more and apply.

@tbaytel

Submissions close at 4:00 pm EST on Monday, May 11, 2021. Voting closes at 4:00 pm EST on Friday, June 11, 2021.

Important Dates Submissions Open April 13 – May 11 Public Voting May 31 – June 11 Winners Announced June 18

Contents ■7

■9 ■ 10 ■ 12

Editor-in-chief Darren McChristie 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

Made by Hand Local Talent Sheila Demerah, Moccasins and Beading ■ 13 Bradley Allam, Woodworking ■ 14 Lisa Makela, Pottery ■ 15 Tiffany Allen, Macramé ■ 16 Ryan Pendziwol, Blacksmithing ■ 17 Connor Hamilton and Kayley Hannusch, Leatherworking ■ 18 Peter Moule, Wood Carving ■ 19 Heather Ellam, Weaving

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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TheTOPFive FEATURES

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THE GRINNING BELLY DRINK OF THE MONTH BREW IT YOURSELF A New Model SUPERIOR SIP 'A Natural Fit' A True Family Business This & That Eats

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Spirit to Soar THE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES Stories from the Land

FILM&THEATRE ■ 34

Art Directors Steve Coghill, R.G.D., Dave Koski, R.G.D. production@thewalleye.ca Ad Designers Dave Koski, Keegan Richard, Miranda van den Berg

THE ARTS

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

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Art Through Movement FROM THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION Art as Learning Spring Rendezvous TBay

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Spring Sweetness

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CANNABIS CORNER Peggy’s Powder Brings Laundry Power Crafting a New Economy A Helping Hand

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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Copyright © 2021 by Superior Outdoors Inc. 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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Surviving, Not Pretending To This Town Won’t Miss You Damian Rivers-Moore BURNING TO THE SKY Living the Bay Dream Handle with Care

■ 74 OFF THE WALL REVIEWS ARCHITECTURE

■ 76 Eaton’s Building ■ 78 Tbaytel MAY

EVENTS GUIDE

■ 79 LU RADIO'S

MONTHLY TOP 30 HEALTH

■ 80 ■ 81 ■ 82

Dentistry and COVID-19 Celebrating National Youth Week During a Pandemic Preparing for What’s Next

GREEN

■ 84 ■ 85

Guiding the Way Making Your Bike Last with EcoSuperior

THE WALL

CITYSCENE

■ 88 HOROSCOPES ■ 89 THE BEAT ■ 90 THE EYE

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The Value of Building Communities

58 WE WORKED WITH BECKY TO FIND OUR NEW HOME, AND SHE WAS AWESOME TO WORK WITH.

Telephone (807) 344-3366 Fax (807) 623-5122

She had a great eye to help us find the right style of home for our growing family. Becky was helpful, personable, and quick to respond to our questions. She’s super knowledgeable, hardworking and was always prepared. Thank you Becky for helping us find our forever home!

E-mail: info@thewalleye.ca

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MUSIC

GO LOCAL THUNDER BAY COUNTRY MARKET EYE TO EYE: With Adam Hopkins STUFF WE LIKE Heartwarming ‘Tails’ ‘Like it was Meant to Be’ Emergency Shuttle THIS IS THUNDER BAY WALL SPACE: Pit-Stop Space

OUTDOOR

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■ 52 ■ 54 ■ 56 ■ 58 ■ 60 ■ 61 ■ 62

- Steph & Henry

(807) 623-3011 beckyforester.com

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can’t say that I’m a particularly trained or skilled crafter. Whether it be woodworking, metalworking, or other artisanal pursuits, the physical creation of these types of art is something that’s eluded me. That’s why I’m always so impressed with the vast array of talent in this city and region, and it’s those skilled artists and artisans who make up the core of our May issue. Our cover story shines the spotlight on eight talented people working and creating in more traditional media in Thunder Bay, and highlights why they’ve gravitated toward their chosen craft. As well, we examine why consumers seem more eager these days to purchase these types of goods. Staying with our artisanal theme in our May issue, film columnist Michael Sobota looks at a range of films that feature artists at work, Jesse Milani’s outdoors feature looks at the long-standing practice of maple tree tapping and syrup

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production, and Pat Forrest has the latest on an outdoors art show coming to the Slate River Valley area. Elsewhere in our May issue, Etanda Arden has the story of Tanya Talaga’s latest work—a documentary co-produced with Michelle Derosier that examines what’s happened in Thunder Bay since the inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students—Jamie Varga speaks with local punk legends Forever Dead! about their new record, and, given that we’re into the warmer weather, Tiffany Jarva visits the bike repair shop at Fresh Air in this month’s Wall Space feature. So as we get ever closer to summer, we hope you'll enjoy reading about the creativity and dedication to craft of the local artisans and artists whom we’re featuring, and that it may inspire you to support the local scene—or pursue your own creative endeavours. - Matt Prokopchuk

Featured Contributor Amy Jones

Ali Eisner

The Human Touch

Keegan Richard

From Our Instagram Feed

Amy has been with The Walleye in various roles since the second issue—most recently as copy editor and as the “we” in Stuff We Like. A novelist, creative writing teacher, and freelance editor, she currently lives in Hamilton with her husband and various pets and plants. Although Amy was born in Nova Scotia and now lives in southern Ontario, her heart will always belong to the north. You can follow her on Twitter at @amylaurajones.

On the Cover Made by Hand. Ryan Pendziwol and Red Fox Forge. Photograph by Chad Kirvan

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“My teacher believes that

I can do anything” You belong here 6

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TheTOPFive

Virtual Spring Craft Revival 2021

May 1 & 2

Come Play with Me Digital Theatre presents An Ideal Husband

May 1

Virtual

Hot off of celebrating its one-year anniversary, Come Play with Me Digital Theatre is going back to its roots and going Wilde! The theatre group is extremely delighted to present a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband. Returning to adapt and curate the play are Sheena Albanese and Jelena Psenicnik (who was also involved with CPWM’s version of Chekhov’s The Seagull). Billed as a comedy, the show will be funny and silly and everyone will be overdressed. However, remove the ruffles and bows and the play touches on serious themes of blackmail and political corruption. You can tune in for the action and for updated cast info on the group’s Facebook page. The virtual curtain rises at 7:30 pm. It’s going to be a Wilde time! facebook.com/groups/comeplaywithmetbay

Beyond BrewHa! May Long Mix Pack

May Long Weekend Virtual

Technically, the May long weekend is about Queen Victoria’s birthday, but it’s also the unofficial beginning of the outdoor season. And you know what pairs well with the great outdoors, right? Beer! Beyond BrewHa! is offering a fun pack of craft beer to take to your camp, lake, or to enjoy in your own backyard. Get everything you need, including an 8- or 24-pack of unique Ontario craft beer, Red Lion’s smoked fish fry crumb, a bundle of firewood from Dog Lake Firewood, BrewHa! wooden matches, a Path of the Paddle route map, an expertly curated May Long playlist, and add-on “take and bake” options (burgers! pulled pork!) in case the fish aren’t biting. Pick up on May 18–20 from noon–5 pm at Red Lion. brewhaevents.com/brewha-may-long-mix-pack

Rootstock 2021

May 15

Virtual

First there was Woodstock, and now there’s Rootstock! Returning for a second year, Algoma House presents an intimate evening of music performed by some of Thunder Bay’s finest and most-loved musicians in support of Roots to Harvest. The event will broadcast virtual performances by local musicians, with live intros and entertainment by MC Chad Kirvan of Algoma House. Plus, to make the evening even more special, you can add on food from Royal Aleppo and beverages from Barkeep. All funds from ticket sales go directly to the artists and your donations will assist Roots to Harvest in continuing to support our community with their good work. Tickets are $15 and the show starts at 8 pm. We’re stoked! rootstoharvest.org/rootstock-2021

IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s

May 1–29

Various

Get your steps in and make them count by walking for Alzheimer’s! Clock in 240,000 steps this month in honour of the 240,000 Ontarians living with dementia. Walk around your neighbourhood, through city parks, and along our beautiful hiking trails. The Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay & Region has partnered with the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority to showcase dementia trivia along trails at the Cascades, Mission Island Marsh, Wishart Forest, and Mills Block Forest. Use the Strava app or borrow a pedometer from the Alzheimer Society office. Register as an individual or a team. And please remember to pay the parking fees at the LRCA trails—this important notfor-profit organization uses those funds for maintenance. Connect on Facebook for local music, stories, and to share your photos. Walk on! @ASTB on Facebook or register at walkforalzheimers.ca

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Jaclyn Woods

April showers don’t just bring May flowers, they also bring the Spring Craft Revival! On May 1 and 2, The Craft Revival is coming to you virtually once again. This multi-day online shopping event means you can peruse items from over 150 vendors from the Northwestern Ontario region. There will be pottery, home decor, beauty products, blueberry maple syrup, cross-stitched pieces, beadwork, beeswax candles, and so much more. Find something for Mother’s Day or to brighten every day. The site opens at 10 am on May 1 and closes at 8 pm on May 2. For more information and to see more of the lovely participating artisans, follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Spring has sprung! thecraftrevivaltbay.com

Maria Maria Photography

Virtual

where ever you find yourself, be ready with our summer collection A portion of all clothing sales in may is donated to isthmus thunder bay

FRESH AIR PRESENTS

THE FIRE FIGHTERS VIRTUAL TEN MILE ROAD RACE REGISTER AT 10MILEROADRACE.ORG

710 BAL MORAL S TREE T

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F RE SHAIR.LOC AL LY.C O M

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Made by Hand

Makers of Northwestern Ontario Here at The Walleye, we’ve been covering the local arts and culture scene for over a decade, and we’re still amazed at the variety and talent of the artists in our region. For this month’s issue we delve into the history of the local craft scene and profile eight artisans working in traditional forms like beading and moccasin-making, forging, carving, fine woodworking, macrame, and pottery. The following pages are filled with so much beauty and inspiration—we hope you continue to be as charmed as we are by our wonderful community of creators.

Laura Paxton

- Rebekah Skochinski

The Walleye

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Local Talent

Jamie Dawn Photography

Examining the Popularity of Handcrafted Goods By Matt Prokopchuk

Jamie Dawn Photography

 One of the Craft Revivals pre-COVID-19  Heather Cranston (right) from Pulp + Paper Supply Co. at a previous Craft Revival

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“I

t just kind of got to the point where I was surrounded by all these creative people making these cool things,” Maelyn Hurley says, of why she decided to launch Thunder Bay’s Craft Revival. “I was getting frustrated with the consumerism of holiday shopping and going to Walmart and loading up your cart with stuff that nobody’s going to want or care about.” Hurley is the founder of The Craft Revival, which has been running twice a year in Thunder Bay since 2014. In pre-COVID times, the event would showcase about 200 artisans in over two dozen locations throughout the downtown north core. Since the onset of the pandemic, the event has moved online with great success. Hurley says she feels more people are turning to handcrafted items. “It’s that creator and consumer relationship,” she says. “I think that people like to know where their products are coming from, especially now with the pandemic

and this shop local movement that’s at an all-time high. I think people really want to know who they’re getting their product from and how it’s made and it’s this relationship that you develop when you meet the person making that product.” That connection is also important to the people who actually make the items, says Jessa Frost, the program director of North House Folk School in Grand Marais. The school offers a wide range of instruction in many areas, from cooking and ecology to crafting and building. Prior to the pandemic, the school was continuing to take in growing numbers of students, topping out at over 3,000 the year prior to COVID and offering over 400 courses; the ones that focus on teaching traditional skills, like blacksmithing and woodworking, are popular. “We have just seen the demand for this kind of experience and this kind of knowledge is surging,” Frost says, adding that they’re “astonished”

Courtesy of North House Folk School Courtesy of North House Folk School Courtesy of North House Folk School

Maria Maria Photography

 The 2020 Craft Revival moved online due to COVID-19. The spring 2021 event on May 1 and 2 will also be online

Ferris agrees that more people are interested in buying locally made goods than in the past. And while the skills are traditional, many artisans are turning to more modern methods of getting their products out there. “You can really see that, as much as people are creative creating things, they’re also using the technology to be creative in another way by reaching out to people so that they can have that contact throughout the year,” she says. “And now because of the pandemic, I think that’s been accentuated because a lot of artists may not have a regular market that they can go to physically to make their money. So a lot of them have increased the amount of stuff they do online, which is really fantastic.”

Courtesy of North House Folk School

at the continued uptake, even with their forced move to online instruction. Like Hurley, she says that understanding where a particular item comes from is a big attraction. “In the last century, that connection to things has been severed by the global economy, really,” she says. “And I think just like we’ve seen arise in a desire for people to know where their food comes from, people want to know where their stuff comes from and they want to understand how it’s made.” “We’re getting consumed with everything being online and we’re losing that human connection a bit,” Hurley adds. “I think people really yearn for that, they want to be more connected.” While many people are paying close attention to these traditional skills nowadays, artisans have always been working in these fields, says Lisa Ferris, who has been involved with Artisans Northwest for 17 years and is now their chair of digital presence. Artisans Northwest has been around since 1975 (it was originally called the The Craft Market) and has held numerous juried arts and crafts fairs over the years, including their flagship event every November. “There’s always been weavers and there’s always been potters, there’s always been fine artists,” she says. “All these different media have always been there, and even going back into our archives, I can see that.”

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Sheila Demerah, Moccasins and Beading Family Helps Reconnect Artist with her Craft

Story by Leah Morningstar, Photos by Sheila Demerah

heila Demerah has wonderful memories of growing up surrounded by family and friends in Fort William First Nation. She remembers quiet evenings spent watching her mother and great-grandmother weaving intricately beaded designs on soft animal hide. Watching the designs come together and then seeing a finished pair of moccasins find a pair of feet was an absolutely thrilling and incredibly comforting part of childhood. Demerah learned to bead while watching the older generations, but as she grew older, that pastime unfortunately became less of a priority. As often happens, life gets in the way. Demerah just got busy living. She attended Confederation College and studied accounting; she had a daughter and then a son. She’s still busy, currently working at Lakehead University with Indigenous Student Services. It’s been the full and busy life that so many lead when careers are new and kids are young. Demerah says, however, that she began noticing a shift about 15 years ago. “My kids weren’t babies anymore and they didn’t need me doting on them as much,” she says. “I found myself with time to spare and I needed something to fill that time.” Demerah’s sister Helen is a gifted artist and was instrumental in reconnecting Demerah with the craft. Helen invited Demerah over one evening and patiently demonstrated how to make a good pair of quality moccasins. It was a rush as all the old knowledge and wisdom came flooding back. After a childhood spent watching and learning and then a wonderful reminder from a beloved sister, Demerah was back at it.

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After completing her first pair of moccasins, Demerah knew this was her calling and her passion. Creating something beautiful and useful using traditional methods and materials was what she was meant to do. While she does branch out and make earrings and small purses and bags, it’s the moccasins that continue to call her and inspire her. “My real passion is moccasins. Being able to make art that is meant to be worn,” she says. “There is so much satisfaction from making wearable art.” Demerah has never really been one to make a fuss about her special talents and skills. She’s been selling her work and occasionally donating and gifting for years now. A couple of years ago, she was offered the opportunity to be part of Indigenous Fashion Week in Toronto and she was excited to participate. The organizers of the week-long event offered various workshops and training, including a workshop for entrepreneurs. Demerah recounted her experiences learning to value herself as an Anishinaabekwe and to value her talent. She also learned about the importance of pricing work at a level that allows for profit, and the necessity of staying visible in a social media-focused world. Since Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto, Demerah has been slowly putting herself out there, talking to various media publications, and stepping outside of her comfort zone. Her talent is as evident as her love and respect for her family, her community, and her passion for bringing traditional and functional art into a more modernized world. You can follow Sheila Demerah and her work on Instagram @sheila.kwe.

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Bradley Allam, Woodworking

Crafting Fine Wood Pieces with Care Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos by Keegan Richard

radley Allam graduated from the “Impractical Cabinetmaker” program at a small private craft school in British Columbia. Why “impractical”? “There are many ways to do woodworking,” explains Allam. “In our day and age, it’s not ‘practical’ to make furniture like this, because it’s not mass-produced. It takes time, and it takes patience.” Allam and his customers don’t mind that his creations come together slowly. In fact, that’s the appeal. While Allam does use power tools, he also frequently uses hand tools like a chisel or plane, some that he’s made himself. “There’s something that connects you a little bit more when you’re using hand tools. You might have a design in mind, but sometimes when you're using those hand tools, you can see

that that project might need to go in a slightly different direction.” Allam first became interested in woodworking as a teenager when he would try his hand at different projects in his dad’s workshop here in Thunder Bay. After high school, he headed to B.C. to go to film school and then switched to a career in the upscale restaurant industry. However, seeking a creative outlet, he decided to try woodworking, honing his skills during 12-hour days, six days a week in the year-long craft school program. In 2013 he returned to Thunder Bay and soon after started his business, which is still based out of his dad’s workshop. His private commissions include everything from a dining table to a dartboard cabinet, featuring details like hand-carved joints. And you can

see his work in public spaces, like the bar at El Tres, the tabletops at Bight, the flight boards at Dawson Trail Craft Brewery, or the hockey lockers at Play it Again Sports (which are now adorned with autographs from local and NHL players). “Every project that I do, I challenge myself to include a joint or an aspect that I’ve never done before,” he says. Allam is not taking commissions at the moment and is concentrating on a series of wall shelves that he’d like to exhibit. Allam’s passion for his work is evident. “I like taking that natural

material and being able to shape it, and put those pieces together, not just with a nail or screw, but making them fit together,” he says. “And that’s always challenging, but there’s something that I just love about being able to shape something, and build something from scratch. I also love making things for people who want something beautiful and can appreciate what goes into it. They can be proud of having that piece of work.” Check out B.T. Allam Fine Woodcraft on Instagram @bradleyallam.

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Lisa Makela, Pottery Turning Clay into Useful Art

Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos by Sarah McPherson

“C

ustomers tell me that their coffee tastes better in a handmade mug,” says potter Lisa Makela. “And when I think about why that is, I think it’s more of an experience. You know, it’s art that you can use.” Makela fell in love with clay, as she puts it, as a student at Lakehead University, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and majored in painting and ceramics. After graduation, she continued her pottery, working as a ceramic technician at the university studio (mixing up glazes and moving student pieces in and out of the kiln) and using the space for her own work. She’s been focusing on functional pottery pieces like mugs, bowls, and planters for the last three years. When the first shutdown hit last spring, Makela lost access to the LU studio and decided to invest in her own equipment at her rural property in the Slate River Valley. Today, while she’s back at work part-time at the university, her own studio is set up in her garage. It’s a bit of a rustic situation—she has to haul water in buckets, and ever-so-carefully drive unfired pieces to her sister’s property next door, where her kiln is set up—but she’s grateful to get to do what she loves. “I

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really enjoy the creative process in general, and how something comes to be,” she says. “I have an idea of a form in my head, and I’ll sketch it out or think about it for a while. And then with a ball of clay, I watch it come to life.” Makela also treasures the meditative aspects of her work, which is why she dubbed her business The Calm Creative. “When I’m working [on the] wheel, it’s like time doesn’t exist. It’s just a really calming feeling,” she says. “I hope that through my work, that I can offer people that calming feeling and that meditative state.” In time, she plans to offer lessons in a new home studio. Makela also recently joined The Clay Collective NWO, a group of local potters and ceramic artists who will offer their work for sale at the soonto-be-opened Goods & Co. Market in the former Eaton’s building. “It’s just really great working alongside a lot of like-minded people, and it’s a lot of support.” And, she’s thrilled that the community is responding to a traditional craft like pottery. “I think that people are seeking things unique and authentic to them.” You can see more of Makela’s work at thecalmcreative.ca and on Instagram @the_calm_creative.

Tiffany Allen, Macramé

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A Modern Take on an Ancient Craft Story by Kat Lyzun, Photos by Tiffany Allen

ive years ago, Tiffany Allen found herself browsing photos of gorgeous bohemian-inspired interiors and was captivated by the beautiful macramé wall hangings and plant hangers she saw. “I knew right away that macramé was something that I wanted to learn,” she says. “I was immediately drawn to these unique statement pieces that had a variety of textures, colours, and eye-catcåhing patterns, and the decorative element that they brought to a space. I started researching how to tie some of the most basic knots and techniques. I got myself set up with a piece of driftwood and some cream-coloured yarn and made a simple wall hanging, which turned out pretty good. I was immediately hooked.” Fast forward to 2021, and Allen has established a thriving fibre arts business, Macramé + Driftwood, with over 35,000 followers on Instagram. Her standout pieces are large, colourful, and intricate wall hangings made with cotton string and driftwood that can take between six and 10 hours to complete. Macramé involves knotting cords of material like cotton twine, wool, hemp, and yarn into decorative objects, often for the home. Many people might remember macramé from the 1970s but it is actually a very old craft, appearing in carvings of the Babylonians and Assyrians. Sailors, already proficient in knot tying, made small macramé objects during downtime at sea and traded their crafts at different ports, and macramé adornments were very popular during the Victorian era. For her work, Allen loves that she can use natural materials like wood, cotton, wool, and driftwood collected from the shores of local lakes. “One of my favourite materials to work with is rope and string made from recycled cotton fabric from the garment industry that

would otherwise have ended up in a landfill. The fabric is broken down to cotton fibre and then spun into thread that is used to make new beautiful cord for fibre art,” she says. “My customers are always pleased when I tell them that their pieces have been made with a more sustainable product.” Allen adds that she has noticed a shift in recent years in how people spend their money, with more people looking to buy bespoke and handcrafted items from local businesses. She is thrilled to be taking part in the Virtual Spring Craft Revival and having the opportunity to connect with both buyers and other makers. “By purchasing goods from locally owned businesses, we are keeping our hardearned money in our community. I’m proud to be part of this movement that’s supporting our local economy and the overall well-being of our city,” she says. For anyone looking to give macramé a try, Allen offers a DIY kit with instructions and materials to make a simple plant hanger. Check out @macrameanddriftwood on Instagram and Facebook or visit macrameanddriftwood.com.

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Ryan Pendziwol, Blacksmithing Working Overtime

Story by Justin Allec, Photos by Chad Kirvan

f you cruise down Ryan Pendziwol’s street in the evening you’ll probably hear him starting the real work of the day. It will probably be the rhythm of a hammer shaping a piece of metal on an anvil—the sound of a backyard blacksmith. “It’s like tacking on another work day after you’ve already done one,” Pendziwol says. “But it’s fun work.” Starting Red Fox Forge with his brother Colin in 2018, Pendziwol has been steadily crafting metalwork items like clothes hooks, drawer handles, and bottle openers that mix the practical with the creative. The brothers originally started the forge after Colin received the unique education of working at Fort William Historical Park’s armory shop for seven years. Not wanting to let his experience go to waste, Colin convinced his parents to let him and Ryan start a forge on their semi-rural property. Getting the necessary parts to start that forge proved to be a challenge at first, but it was an enjoyable experience as the very process of setting up their space required a lot of ingenuity. After installing a coal forge and bringing an anvil back to life, Red Fox was ready for business. They worked the 2018 Christmas Craft Show and then initially focused on production as a way to build the name and master their skills. Eventually the Pendziwol family moved into town and Colin headed to B.C., so Ryan changed things around to suit his new situation. “I went with a three-burner propane forge when we moved to town,” he says. “Didn’t think the new neighbors would appreciate the noise and the coal smoke,” he continues, laughing. As he’s mostly working in the evenings, Pendziwol has become efficient with his set up. Everything is on wheels for easy mobility around the workshop and yard, and he shuts things down by 10 pm.

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There’s a learning curve to blacksmithing, Pendziwol says; while Colin was in the armory shop at the Old Fort, Ryan worked the farm. Every piece that he works on is a chance to learn more and to refine his techniques. Looking ahead, he wants to take on more creative commissions. In April, he was busy making pieces for Nomad Bakeshop on Bay Street—the restaurant was reportedly unhappy with the security bars on their windows so they commissioned Pendziwol to build ones reminiscent of topographic maps. Tool crafting is another avenue that Pendziwol is interested in. Colin forged a few knives in his time, and Ryan sees himself learning those skills to eventually produce axes. “There’s a big difference between making a hook and making a knife,” he says. You can find out more about Red Fox Forge on Facebook @ RedFoxForge and on Instagram @red_fox_forge.

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Connor Hamilton and Kayley Hannusch, Leatherworking One Stitch at a Time

Story by Ayano Hodouchi Dempsey, Photos by Laura Paxton

onnor Hamilton has always been interested in artisanal work. “I started out with blacksmithing, and needed to make leather covers for some of the things I was making, such as sheaths for knives,” he explains. That led to exploring more leatherworking, and he gradually shifted his focus from metals to cowhide, making wallets and bags. Kayley Hannusch started using the leftover scraps of leather to make smaller items, such as earrings and lighter cases in order to limit waste. The two soon realized that there is a keen appetite for traditionally made leather products. “So we thought, why not turn it into a business,” Hannusch says. The two named their venture Spruce Root Leather Works. Hamilton says he likes doing things “the historical way.” When he was into blacksmithing, he didn’t use any power tools, and he applies the same approach to leatherworking. All items are carefully hand-stitched. “It takes longer, but it’s a higher quality,” he says. For new items, they first make a drawing to see what it should look like, then make a pattern out of cardboard. After making adjustments, they cut out the leather and stitch it together, using wooden clamps to hold it in place. Altogether, a small wallet takes three or four hours to make. Hamilton says he enjoys the slow pace and tactile experience. “It’s a little bit rustic, and using natural materials is very interesting,” he says. “I quite enjoy sewing.” They started an Instagram account for their company a couple of months ago, and were pleasantly surprised.

“It’s blown up, pretty well,” Hamilton says. “We’re constantly busy with orders, which is good.” Spruce Root Leather Works has a shop on Etsy, and earrings there range from $10 to $22. A leather dog collar will set you back $30, and wallets go for $50. Most of their sales are in Thunder Bay, but they recently shipped an item to Connecticut, which they were excited about. Currently, they only use vegetable-tanned cowhide. “It’s usually tanned with oak leaves or oak bark, which is quite a long process. It’s more expensive, but it’s a higher quality. We order all of our leather from Vancouver. We try to keep it all Canadian,” Hamilton says. “We’re also looking into vegan leather, to reach a wider demographic and offer more options,” Hannusch adds. The two are now working on larger items such as tote bags for The Craft Revival in early May. “We wanted to bring Thunder Bay to our leatherwork, so a Sleeping Giantthemed bigger tote would be nice,” Hannusch says. Follow @sprucerootleatherworks on Instagram to find out what they’ve been up to.

Connor Hamilton and Kayley Hannusch at work

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CoverStory

Peter Moule, Wood Carving

Functional Designs from the Boreal Forest Story by Michelle McChristie, Photos by Keegan Richard

eter Moule has been working with wood for as long as he can remember. His father does a lot of carpentry, so he grew up surrounded by it and, when he was in middle school, his parents signed him up for weekly lessons with a wood carver who taught him the basics. After stepping away from the craft for a couple of years, he was inspired to carve a spoon after seeing a photo of a spoon online. “I thought to myself ‘I can make that,’ and I gave it a try. It turns out that spoon carving is surprisingly addicting, and so now here we are seven years later and probably a thousand spoons later.” Moule says that when he started out, he could finish a spoon in a few hours, whereas now he can take one from start to finish in about 40 minutes. “It’s really fun to be able to start from a raw piece of wood straight from a log and, within an hour, have a finished utensil that can go into your kitchen and be used right away.” He prefers traditional techniques and does not use any power tools when he’s carving. After roughing out the shape of the spoon with a carving axe, he does most of the carving with a straightedge knife, known as a sloyd knife, and uses a hook knife to carve the bowl. Moule forgoes sandpaper, which he says leaves a really nice texture and a connection to the carving process, and many of his spoons are uniquely finished with designs and food-safe milk paint. “That’s how they would have done it hundreds of years ago and that’s how I’m still doing it today,” he says. Given the abundance of trees in Northwestern Ontario, Moule only uses locally sourced wood. “Most of my spoon wood comes from the slash left behind after logging. I mostly work with birch and, when I can get my hands on it, I really like sugar maple. Occasionally, I’ll

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get wood from an urban tree that’s been taken down by hydro or the city.” Imagine a spoon made from a tree cut down in your back alley— can you get any more local? Moule makes any kind of spoon you would find in a kitchen, such as cooking spoons, ladles, spatulas, and eating spoons. “Recently I’ve been playing around with pie-servers and ice cream scoops,” he says. All of his designs—many of which are inspired by traditional Nordic craftsmanship—are original and he rarely works from templates. Over the years, he’s learned how to work with the unique properties of each piece of wood, which has also involved a lot of patience. Before the pandemic, carving was more of a “side hustle” for Moule, but he’s been between jobs during the past year and has been spending more time carving. The response from customers has been very positive and encouraging. In terms of the local maker scene, he likes where things are headed. “I think it’s great that more people are becoming involved in working with their hands and making things and questioning where their products come from while trying to support local craftspeople,” he says. You can find Peter Moule’s wood carvings at hockleycrestspoonco.com, on Facebook @hockleycrestspoonco, and Instagram @peter_moule.

icture a wooden loom, powered by foot pedals and wound with soft fibres all carefully organized to form the perfect pattern. At the helm of the loom is where you’ll find Heather Ellam, a local self-taught fibre artist, maker, and weaver. Her work has gentleness and grace about it. Her soft creations look complex yet warmly organized, with carefully planned yarns in different patterns and colours. She says working on her second-hand, wooden floor loom feels relaxing, even meditative. “I think the one thing I really like to make is baby blankets,” says Ellam. “They're pretty, and basic. I just use an unbleached undyed, cream-colored cotton. The pattern I do is an understated plaid weave that is very subtle. The first one I ever made was for my first great-niece and so I embroidered her name on it. Since then, I’ve made a few for some of my daughter’s friends and loved ones, because they’re just so special, so soft, squishy, and cosy—while I’m weaving I just can imagine how a little one will cuddle up in it.” She got her start in the 1970s, beginning with needle punch, then needlepoint as a child, and then progressing into cross stitch and crochet. “It’s something I’ve always been interested in. I was always looking for craft classes or courses I could take at community centres,” Ellam explains. “I came across a weaving course that the local fibre arts guild was putting on.” She took the course over the two weekends and learned to loom her own scarf. She was hooked. “I bought my first table loom second-hand and started exploring different leaf structures and experimenting with different fibres to see how the colours would blend together,” she says. “Then eventually I outgrew that little loom and got a bigger one so I could do larger projects like shawls and carpets.” Ellam also makes napkins, table runners, trivets (for hot pans), and baby blankets. She says her inspiration to create stems from her mother and grandmother as “they did a lot of crafty things and my mum sewed a lot. That kind of thing has always been part of my life.”

CoverStory But weaving was something different for Ellam, and acquiring the simple little table loom really appealed to her. “It does provide a bit of a meditative experience, you get into a bit of a groove, especially now that I've gotten the floor loom because I’m using the foot pedal so I really get into a rhythm and just keep going and going. My mind’s always planning different projects and I find it really relaxing.” With the pandemic came a resurgence of basic creature comfort activities, says Ellam. While many were baking sourdough, others were crafting, weaving, and knitting. The shortage of basic materials didn’t impact her as she is well stocked by suppliers in southern Ontario and Quebec. “It was just interesting to see people going back to the traditional ways. I guess people were taking a step back and it’s a comforting thing.” With weaving being a traditional skill, Ellam modernizes her patterns with new colours and style trends. “I’ve created napkins in the farmhouse style in very pale cream and pale gray, or with very simple striping. I also enjoy mid-century modern, working with the bright and earthy colours of the 70s.” “I try to do new things, yet still keep it as timeless as possible. I prefer to create in small batches so it might be a slower production, but I think I’m more thoughtful about what I’m making.” You can find Ellam’s work at Seasons in the Country in the Slate River Valley, or at the Willow Springs Creative Centre in Lappe. Or visit her online shop on Etsy listed as LacewoodFibreStudio, or on Instagram @lacewood.fibre.studio. Her website is lacewoodfibrestudio.com.

Heather Ellam, Weaving An Intricate Fibre Art

Story by Kim Latimer, Photos by Keegan Richard

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Food

Springy Quinoa Asparagus Salad

THE GRINNING BELLY

½ c dry quinoa 1 c water

It’s Gonna Be May… By Chef Rachel Globensky

he old Justin Timberlake meme showing a mondegreen from NSYNC’s even older pop song still makes me laugh. In any case, May means it’s For Real Spring in TBay. We’ve made it through Fool’s Spring, Spring of Deception, and Mud Season, interspersed with random flurries and cold temps, while dealing with various stages of provincial lockdowns to arrive breathing in deeply (and safely) the beautiful weather here in the Bay. Bring on the fizzy drinks and gorgeous warm weather produce.. Worthy of a visit with freshly vaccinated friends or family you haven’t seen in a year, this hearty salad

½ lb asparagus, woody ends broken off, and stalks trimmed into 1” pieces

1 lemon is brimming with fresh asparagus, peas, tomatoes, and feta—with a good base of quinoa that’ll keep you going for a while. The recipe may seem a bit finicky with the ice bath and whatnot, but I promise you that it’s worth it. Blanching (boiling for a couple of minutes) and shocking (plunging into an ice bath) the asparagus will help maintain its beautiful green colour. Frozen shelled peas are easy peasy to use here because they’ll thaw before you’re ready to eat, and ripe tomatoes add such a vibrant colour. Nobody likes soupy salad, so you may not need to use all of the dressing—it’ll go well on a green salad, or fresh steamed fiddleheads or beans.

1 Tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar 4 Tbsp olive oil

serves 4

In a small pan, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook about 8 minutes, or until the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat, cover pot, and let rest for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid, fluff with a fork, and let cool to room temperature. The grains should be chewy and should have white spirals visible. Prepare an ice bath: place 2 c ice cubes in a bowl, add cold water, and set aside. Bring another small pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook about 4 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove pieces and plunge them into the ice bath. After a few minutes of cooling time, remove asparagus and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Zest the lemon, cut it in half, and juice one half of it into a bowl (save the other half for another recipe). Add in vinegar, oil, tarragon, and mint. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

¼ c fresh tarragon leaves, chopped 1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped salt and pepper, to taste

1 c frozen peas, thawed 1 large ripe tomato (Beefsteak, etc.) or 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced 2 green onions, sliced 1 c feta, crumbled or cubed

Combine peas, tomatoes, green onions, and feta in a medium bowl. Add quinoa, asparagus, and about half the dressing. Toss to coat. Taste it, and if you need more dressing, add it. If not, save it for another day. For the best flavour, let the salad sit for an hour or so before eating it.

thunderbay.ca/landfill

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Food

DRINK OF THE MONTH

Hibiscus Infused Grapefruit Margarita Madhouse

Story by Rebekah Skochinski, Photo by Keegan Richard

hen sunnier spring skies prevail and the warm weather wins out after a long (and it has been so very long) winter, our thoughts can’t help but turn to lighter and brighter drinks and better times ahead. Our friends at Madhouse have created a cocktail that fulfills those wishes. Their rift on a classic margarita consists of hibiscus tea from International House of Tea, unsweetened grapefruit juice, triple sec, Espolon Tequila Reposado with flavours of caramelized agave and tropical fruit, and a few drops of Heartbeat’s Blueberry Habanero. It’s served with a sugar, kosher salt, and grapefruit zest rim and a swirl of grapefruit peel. Look at this beauty! Not just another pretty face, it’s an exceptional balance of tart with a touch of heat and not too sweet. After all, isn’t the promise of patio season sweet enough? Until then, we’re thankful to have this delightful hope in a glass.

Madhouse 295 Bay Street 344-6600

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0 0 2 NY A K OFF

OC INST IKE E-B

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* E E T E FR M HEL e-bike th hase *wiu p rc

f you are searching for a few fun beverage ideas for the upcoming Victoria Day weekend, look no further than the BrewHa! Mix Pack. The good folks at BrewHa! collaborated with eight brewers from across the province to bring you a set of fun and exciting brews designed specifically for enjoying the outdoors during the long weekend. After such a difficult winter, let’s celebrate this year’s unofficial kickoff to summer. While this mix pack is no replacement for the big social event on the waterfront in August, it still does bring together interesting and unique beers from a range of Ontario breweries. You will find a mix of hoppy and fruity ales that should go great with sitting by the lake, popping up a tent, or relaxing in the backyard. The accompanying table outlines the breweries and potential brews included in the mix

Brewery

pack (note: some of the brews were still in development at the time of writing; check BrewHa! social media posts for final details). The mix pack also comes with Red Lion Smokehouse’s smoked fish fry crumb. Enjoy a crispy shore lunch over the long weekend using this special blend of smoked panko and cornbread crumble developed by Chef John Murray. Using a standard three-step breading procedure (flour, egg, crumb) and frying in a healthy amount of butter, this crumb should produce a golden-brown and deliciously crisp fillet with a hint of maple-wood smoke. The mix pack also features a bundle of firewood from Dog Lake Firewood, BrewHa! wooden matches, Path of the Paddle route map, a curated long weekend playlist, and more. Enjoy the spring sunshine; próst!

Food

BREW IT YOURSELF

BrewHa!-ing it Up This May Long Weekend By Josh Armstrong, PhD, Certified Beer Judge

Location

Beer Style

Brew Name

Description

Dawson Trail Craft Brewery

Thunder Bay

?Mystery?

Mystery Beer

It’ll be a fun surprise from the brewers at Dawson Trail.

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

Barrie

Fruited Sour

Memories of the Future

A jammy sour—bright, red, and tart, with cranberries and cherries.

Big and Juicy

Blending the bitterness of West Coast IPAs with the fruitiness of the East Coast IPAs—notes of stone fruit, tangerine, peaches, and white grape.

New Ontario Brewing Co.

North Bay

American IPA

Sawdust City Brewing Co.

Gravenhurst

Session IPA

Gnarnia Lil’ IPA

A crushable brew made with both Mosaic and Citra hops. Perfect for quenching thirst after an adventure in the woods.

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company

Kenora

New England IPA

Deadman’s Switch

This hazy hop bomb is loaded with both Citra and Amarillo hops, producing huge tropical-fruit/citrus character, but without too much bitterness.

Les Portes De l’Enfer

This award-winning brew is a perfect nightcap after a fun day in the sun. Full of caramel, plum, and fig notes, this dark brew has a wonderful red hue.

Chance of Flowers

This German-style ale smells like honey and flowers and tastes like candied fruit with a touch of crisp bitterness. A perfect beer for enjoying spring weather.

Mystery Beer

At the time of writing, the brewers were still busy coming up with something unique and fruity for the pack.

Stack Brewing

Muskoka Brewery

Sleeping Giant Brewing Company

Sudbury

Bracebridge

Thunder Bay

Bière de Garde

Dry-hopped Kolsch

?Mystery?

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he head of a Thunder Baybased fish processing and retailing company says he’s moving to a new business model that he believes will not only be more secure for his operation, but also for the people who supply him with his catches. Paul Drombolis, the owner and operator of Eat the Fish, started his business in 2018, selling at the Thunder Bay Country Market as well as directly to local restaurants. The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the food service industry in particular, he says, has cut into sales. He’s now adapting his business, which purchases fresh-caught fish and fillets and processes them for sale, to operate under a community supported fishery model. That means customers sign up and pre-pay for one or more plans (for instance, a plan that would supply one person Lake Superior fillets weekly for a four-month period) and Drombolis and the harvesters who supply him then ensure the orders are filled. That means customers “decide at the beginning of the year that they want to support their local fishery. They can decide how much fish they want to eat each week and then they make that payment at the beginning of the season and they’re guaranteeing themselves access to that catch,” Drombolis says. “That really helps the fishermen know that they’re going to have a solid base locally to sell their fish, and it allows me to kind of understand what my year is going to look like as well.” Right now, Drombolis is working with harvesters on Lake Superior and Lake Nipigon, as well as in Naujaat,

Cohen Lewis

A New Model

Eat the Fish Nets New Way of Doing Business By Matt Prokopchuk

William Hyndman

Arctic char

Cohen Lewis

Paul Drombolis

 Arctic char being filleted on the ice-covered Itirjuk Lake, Nunavut  Lake Superior whitefish on ice Arctic char fillets packaged for sale

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Nunavut, who supply him with Arctic char. The model effectively works as a cooperative between the “members,” or customers, the harvesters, and Drombolis, he says. Solomon Malliki is one of the Arctic fishermen who works with and supplies Drombolis. He lives in Naujaat, a community of just over 1,000 people north of Hudson Bay. For him and his colleagues, selling beyond their local market is essential, due to its small size, and the amount of work that goes into the catch. While summer fishing is done from the ocean near the community, Malliki says the harvesting done during the rest of the year takes place at inland lakes approximately 80 kilometres away. That means he’s typically setting up camp by the water, and fishing for up to a week at a time—sometimes in minus 30- or minus 40-degree weather. “We set up nets that take about half an hour to four hours to set up one net,” he says. “It depends on the thickness of the ice—the majority of the time, dead winter, it’s usually five feet or more of ice that we have to punch [through] with a chisel.” After supplying elders and others in the community, his commercial fishing starts—the catches from which he exports. It’s also a skill, he says, that he’s passing on. “It’s very important, it’s very beneficial,” he says. “I’m teaching my son and my nephews how to fish so they can provide for the world if they have to, in the long run.” To learn more about Eat the Fish and to check out their plans, you can visit eatthefish.ca. You can also find them on Instagram @eatthefish.

Lake trout

Cohen Lewis

Food

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B. A., LL.B., (1929-2019)

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1020 E. Victoria Avenue www.filipovic.ca The Walleye

Food

SUPERIOR SIP

In Good Company By Jeannie Dubois, Certified Pommelier and Sommelier

ith the full bounty of summer just around the corner, the enticing blooms and blossoms that herald its arrival are out in full force here in our northern nook. Fortunately for us, our entire province, with its widely varied terrain and climes, is capable of cultivating the most amazing abundance. And what we are able to do with that harvest is the best part—with innovation and inspiration, community-driven companies across the board are brewing, fermenting, and distilling all there is on offer. Here in our own microcosm, we proudly possess Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., Dawson Trail

Craft Brewery, and One Time Brew Co., with Lakehead Beer Company coming soon, all churning out topnotch brews for us thirsty locals. Venture a little further afield and most boroughs can boast a neighbourhood enterprise that is turning native apples into cider, denizen grapes into wine, and parochial potatoes into vodka, all with their own local flair. More than ever, these agricultural intrepids who labour over our local fruit (and vegetables!) to make us such delicious drams need support to sustain their endeavours. So this spring, drink the local beer (wine/cider/spirit) you want to see in the world!

Check out all the near and far Ontario offerings highlighted on the maps below and order a made-with-local-produce bottle to try today:

Beer

Wine

Think

https://canadabeermap.com/List_ all_Craft_Breweries_in_Ontario_ with_Map/ON/ Lake of the Woods Brewing Company in Kenora True North Lager, $8.99 for 750 ml

https://winecountryontario.ca/ wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WCO_ VQA_MAP_2020.pdf Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery in Georgian Bay Bone Dry Riesling, $17.40 for 750 ml

Cider

Spirits

Think

https://thecidercrate.com/ ciders-of-canada/ Thomson Farms in Sault Ste. Marie Original Apple Cider, 2 for $24, 750 ml growlers

https://www.ontariocraftdistillers. com/members-directory/ Crosscut Distillery in Sudbury Spruce Tip Vodka, $25.95 for 375 ml

Locally Grown Potatoes Fresh Cut Fries Open Mon-Fri 7am to 5pm | (807) 939-1446

Located just west of Thunder Bay at 3523 Hwy 11-17

Feeding our Community Since 1963

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Food

Slate Island Brewery's taproom in Terrace Bay

‘A Natural Fit’

Slate Island Brewery Now Slinging Suds on the North Shore By Chiara Zussino

eizing the moment, taking advantage of opportunities that came his way, and looking for a new beginning is exactly what owner Brian Doig did when he launched Slate Island Brewery in Terrace Bay. Doig, who has been in the IT industry for well over 25 years, knew he had to capitalize on this opportunity when Canada Post vacated the main floor of the building in which his office was located. “Their departure left us with about a 5,000-square-foot space available and a loading dock, which seemed like a natural fit to create a brewery,” he says. Doig was inspired to open a brewery in Terrace Bay as he lives in nearby Schreiber and this meant that he could pursue his interest in craft beer while staying close to home. Doig also explains that he saw a need in his community and that the craft brewing industry has skyrocketed in recent years, not only in northern Ontario but across North America. He says that he has been on several brewery tours himself and is an avid beer drinker and brewery enthusiast. Opening a business right before a pandemic hits is most certainly

not ideal. Doig received his licensing in February 2020, right before COVID-19 forced widespread public health restrictions in Canada. He then pivoted his business model to accommodate for the lockdowns and other measures relatively quickly. “In our original business plan we were focusing on a taproom, so we had to change to a bottling line and make that our primary focus, so that way we’d have more of a retail product versus a draught product in a taproom.” One of the biggest challenges that Slate Island dealt with was that they were adapting to the restrictions in a similar way to other breweries, and this resulted in a shortage of bottling supplies. Doig says that he does plan on eventually distributing his product in Thunder Bay. “In my business plan, in my first year, I really want to focus in my backyard, so I want to do the Schreiber, Terrace Bay, Marathon area to start and that will allow us to break into the market, and after that we will definitely look to expand out. We want to serve all of Northwestern Ontario.” Local partnerships and working with local businesses is very important to Slate Island. Doig explains that, right now,

they are working with Thunder Baybased business Bears’ Bees & Honey to use its local honey in some of the beers that they make. In the future, Doig says he wants to continue to work with local and regional farmers to source the ingredients that he needs to create his beer and have it be a unique, Northwestern Ontario product. If you happen to find yourself in

Terrace Bay, Slate Island Brewery is currently operating on Thursdays for curbside pick-up from 2 to 7 pm. Doig recommends that you try their Honey Weizen beer as it is a personal favourite. You can check out Slate Island Brewery on Facebook by searching for Slate Island Brewing Company and at their storefront location at 9 Simcoe Plaza in Terrace Bay.

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Food

A True Family Business

Shumka Dust Shipping Far and Wide By Marcia Arpin

Kate Shumka (bottom right), with her husband Scott and daughter Jordin

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lthough their success may seem like it came overnight to those who are just discovering their products in local stores and on Amazon, Kate Shumka reflects on the long road she and her family, including her husband Scott, have travelled to get to this place. “I studied culinary arts at Confederation College many years ago and worked in many kitchens,” she says. “Scott also has worked in many restaurants and had always loved to be in the kitchen.” Always playing around with new flavours in the kitchen, the couple started throwing different spices together while living in Morinville, Alberta in 2014. That’s when they came up with a favourite blend. Using their friends and family as taste-testers, they tried out the spice blend at countless barbecues. “When friends started asking if they could have some to bring home, Shumka Dust was born,” Kate says. Returning to Thunder Bay to be with family, the couple, along with their daughter Jordin, continued to enjoy time in their kitchen, especially cooking for friends and family. Scott started taking Shumka Dust to work for his new co-workers to try, and suddenly everyone was asking to buy their versatile spiced seasoning. The family sold over 100 bottles in one week. Motivated by this community enthusiasm, this team of three began the work to develop their business.

The family home has become an extension of the business with cooking, designing, marketing, bottling, labelling, and delivery happening under its roof. The Shumka family is proud of their teamwork to achieve a city license, health unit certification, and fire unit inspection. Kate says she is still excited to tell her story. “We passed with flying colours. It has been a whirlwind, but we are so extremely happy with the interest and local support, so much so we introduced Superior Steak Spice only a few months later and then Moonlite Bay Dredge in spring of 2018.” Their reimagined basement supports their growing enterprise. The Shumka trio continuously seeks to find the finest, best-quality ingredients available in the market to produce their product. Although Jordin is 12, she has also been part of every step of the business development and is a part owner. Kate knows that food brought their family closer together and wants everyone in Thunder Bay to experience togetherness with their delicious spices. “We are always working in the kitchen and playing with new ideas to expand our spice line, and even some fresh products,” she says. Shumka Dust is available in over 25 local shops in Thunder Bay and shipments are made throughout North America. Check them out on Facebook @shumkadust and at their website at mrskaitlinshumka.wixsite. com/website.

CANCER DOESN’T STOP FOR COVID-19

Get screened for cancer

During the pandemic, it is important to take care of your health. Add routine cancer screening back on your to-do list. Screening tests are used to find cancer when you have no symptoms.

If you are eligible, due or overdue for breast, cervical, or colon cancer screening tests, contact your health care provider or call the Screen for Life Coach at 1-800-461-7031 to book your appointment.

For more information about cancer screening visit www.tbrhsc.net/cancerscreening.

Get advice you can trust. Since this is our home too, our advisors understand the unique needs that come with living in Thunder Bay. We'll work with you to find the most comprehensive coverage at the best value! Start dealing with a broker that will get to know YOU and advocate on your behalf. Call us or visit us online to request a quote today.

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Food

This & That Eats

New Pizzeria Serves Up Customizable Pies Review by Susan Pretty, Photos by Keegan Richard

anny Plante, owner and operator of This & That Eats, thinks that opening a restaurant during a pandemic is “the best time to start.” After being laid off last year from his job out west in the oil patch, Plante decided he would open a pizza place, as his parents had run one for years in Geraldton. “My parents had retired and I wanted to continue in the family business,” he says. The response has been overwhelming. The menu is simple but straightforward. Pies come in one size. The dough is hand-made, and the sauce is a secret recipe from his parents’ business that’s been tweaked to perfection over 43 years. The build-your-own concept has customers picking toppings ranging from the classic (hand-cut bacon) to the unique (arugula). There is an array of cheeses to choose from, and there is no skimping on the toppings. Not a tomato fan? They also offer other sauces, such as alfredo or garlic butter. Finished with your choice of drizzle (Plante says garlic parmesan is a fave), these perfectly cooked pies are absolutely

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delicious. Poutine lovers on the quest to find their perfect bite need look no further. Crispy fries are covered in a blend of both mozzarella and curds before being generously doused with Plante’s amazing piping hot gravy. Wings are also available in a wide variety of flavours to please any palate. Looking ahead, Plante plans on adding other appetizer-type items to the menu to ensure customers truly get “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.” Let the food coma ensue! Currently, hours are 3 pm–11 pm, with plans to open up earlier in the day to capture the hungry lunch market. It’s important to note that there’s no phone number—Plante keeps things online only, so don’t hesitate to use a dining app for pickup or delivery, or get in touch via Facebook Messenger to order ahead. Try them today—your tastebuds will thank you! Check out This & That Eats on Facebook at @thisthat401maystreet where you can access their online ordering system.

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Wendell Collier/Spirit to Soar

FilmTheatre

Poplar Hill First Nation student Reggie Bushie was in Grade 9 when he disappeared in Thunder Bay in the fall of 2007. The 15-year-old went to Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School. His body was found in the McIntyre River on November 1, 2007

Spirit to Soar

Documentary about Aftermath of Seven Youth Inquest Premieres at Hot Docs By Etanda Arden

uthor and journalist Tanya Talaga’s work helped propel Thunder Bay into the national conversation in 2017, and now the documentary inspired by that work is set to premiere at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Following the inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students in Thunder Bay, Talaga, the Toronto-based journalist and author of Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City joined forces with Thunder Bay filmmaker Michelle Derosier to embark on a new journey as writer, producer, and co-director of the documentary Spirit to Soar. “I really wanted to tell the story as to what was going on in Thunder Bay afterwards, and to do that in a sensitive manner,” Talaga says. “That's basically the aim of the film: to show people what we've seen,

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and continue to see.” For the making of Spirit to Soar, Talaga headed back to the Thunder Bay area— the homeland of her grandmother, who is a member of Fort William First Nation—to talk with families, community leaders, and Indigenous youth. “We were really grateful and honoured by all the people who sat with us. It was hard in every single interview. I think there were a lot of times when we would leave, and it was so emotional and we were all crying,” Talaga says. “And then there were times where we were just like, ‘yes, we are so powerful’ and there was so much love and honour and respect, you know? It was such a myriad of emotions. It was really an emotional film to make.” Talaga also felt it was important to honour Indigenous worldviews in this documentary. “I think it shows Thunder Bay from a First Nations

lens. One of the goals of the film was to make sure that water is seen as a character, to make sure that the land is seen as a strong character throughout the film,” Talaga says. Co-director Michelle Derosier says colonial violence continues to have great impacts on Indigenous peoples everywhere. She believes that until there is no need to stand outside of courthouses, hold vigils and rallies, and participate in marches, Indigenous peoples telling

these difficult stories will remain necessary. “We have to listen to the voices of the Indigenous youth,” she says. “We have to listen to the voices of the women and their stories, and their truth will tell us where we're at as a country.” Both Talaga and Derosier hope this film will inspire people to reflect and realize there is still work to be done. To view the film as part of the Hot Docs festival, you can go to hotdocs.ca.

Tanya Talaga

Michelle Derosier

FilmTheatre

Movies About Artisans By Michael Sobota

We make things. They're not made in China. We make them ourselves. We make everything from scratch. - Jean Landry, narrator, in The Artisans

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

reating things by hand likely began when that first cave person picked up a charcoal stick and began decorating the walls of their home. Canada’s National Film Board (NFB) is more than eight decades old. The board

has been documenting people and things made by hand from its beginning. I will be talking about several extraordinary movies by the board here, including one that goes back 72 years. One of the gifts of our NFB is that its entire

catalogue of more than 3,000 films is accessible for free online. Here are three of the board’s finest movies about artisans as well as one by a familiar, modern documentarian.

How To Build An Igloo (Arctic Notebook No. 1) (1949)

Kamik (1989)

The Artisans (2018)

Crafted (2015)

Jumping ahead 40 years, director Elise Swerhone brings her cameras to a swiftly changing Arctic. The movie’s center is Ulayok Kaviok, an Inuit elder, the first woman in her community to successfully hunt a polar bear, and the last in her community who can make kamik—traditional boots often made of sealskin. While we watch that process, from hunting and killing a seal to a triumphant round-dance where the boots are worn in ritual integrity, Swerhone also skillfully reveals the vast changes occurring in the Arctic. Beginning more than a century ago with the arrival of Christian missionaries and the Hudson’s Bay Company, the peoples of the Arctic have been encouraged to live less on the land, buy clothes ready-made, and worship an imported god in wooden churches. Kaviok—the elder—bridges these cultures in a poignant analysis of history and transition.

Moving further forward into our current century, director Daniel Léger takes us to Memramcook Valley, New Brunswick. Opening with a drone shot of Atelier l’Artisan, we quietly come down and into this artisan workshop. It is operated specifically for mentally and intellectually challenged individuals. Running from September through May, much like a school year, the film introduces us to 15 people who get picked up in the morning on a bus and spend their days learning both physical and mental skills. We see them collecting and sorting recyclables, replanting potted plants, and making original woodwork. They visit a cemetery and a goat farm. Carefully and respectfully shot, the film reveals their personal stories and experiences. Their faces are calm, reflective, and beautiful as they interact with—and speak directly to—us. There are more smiles here than I have experienced in the entire past year.

Morgan Spurlock, of Super-Size Me fame, turns his cameras on five contemporary artisans who show us, through their specific skills, the importance of treating history and traditions with respect. Two men make hand-crafted knives that cost over $200 and will take you at least two years to get after placing an order (there’s a long waiting list!) We see an elder Asian-American potter who makes clay cooking pots and a couple who own a restaurant and small-batch food delivery service (they are similar to several right here in Thunder Bay) who create food from artisanal menus, using freshly grown, harvested, or preserved ingredients. Perhaps more than the others, Spurlock’s movie holds a mirror up to our own community of skilled artisans in a loving and respectful way.

Director and narrator Douglas Wilkinson takes his cameras up to the far Canadian north, on the western shore of Hudson Bay, and shows us two Inuit men building a quick, overnight shelter. There are different types of igloos— one of the important facts in the film that I didn’t know. Talking us through all the steps as he films the Inuit implementing them, we see the men test a packed snow field for its depth, then mark out a small circle with their feet, then slice the snow into blocks and assemble their overnight home. Sled dogs idle nearby, nonplussed. The snow house is neat, tight, well constructed. So is Wilkinson’s film.

And here are six more movies showcasing the delights and challenges of making things by hand: The Pottery Maker (1925), In Praise of Hands (1974), Steady As She Goes (1981, about building ships in a bottle), Seraphine (2008), The Watchmaker's Apprentice (2015), and Crafted (2020, about craft breweries).

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FilmTheatre

Ryan McMahon speaks with knowledge keeper Audrey Deroy in the episode “Wiigwaasabak: The Tree of Life”

Stories from the Land

Ryan McMahon’s Popular Indigenous Storytelling Podcast Makes Leap to TV Story by Susan Goldberg, Photos courtesy of Wanderer Entertainment Inc.

hen Ryan McMahon first floated the idea of a live tour for his Stories from the Land podcast, he was overwhelmed by the response. Close to a hundred Indigenous communities across Canada offered to participate, says McMahon, an Anishinaabe comedian, producer, and podcaster. “And each and every tour stop was completely different. Every community had a different approach to telling their stories.” McMahon—who co-created and hosted the explosive Thunder Bay podcast—travelled the country in 2016 and 2017, participating in Round Dances in Cree territory, attending a Strawberry Ceremony in Treaty 3 territory, participating in ceremonies, festivals, conferences, and community engagement exercises for communities preparing to go to court over land-claim issues. The huge diversity in approaches to storytelling, says McMahon, struck him as “both amazing and a bit surprising. It showed the great thirst and need and want

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for more Indigenous stories in this country. And it really opened my eyes to the possibility of taking the podcast into a different format.” In March, Stories from the Land made its leap to television in the form of a four-part short documentary series that debuted on CBC Gem. Each episode in the first series (fingers crossed there will be more) takes us to a different Indigenous community in Ontario, where local artists, knowledge keepers, community members, youth, and elders tell their personal stories—grounded, literally, by their connection to the land. The first episode, for example, was filmed near Fort William First Nation and focuses on Anishinaabekwe artist Helen Pelletier, whose medium is birchbark. Another episode takes us to the sacred burial mounds of Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung in Treaty 3, as seen through the eyes of Casey and Seth, two young tour guides from Manitou Rapids. It’s no accident, says McMahon, that the land is as much a character

as the human storytellers in the series. “We tried to ensure that the land takes centre stage in the stories,” he says. “Because land is central to everything.” The project of colonization in creating Canada, he points out, “was dispossession of land. And in order to do that, you had to move Native people out of the way.” Indigenous peoples’ unencumbered access to the land and to the places they are from, he continues, is essential to reconciliation. “And these stories really highlight what it actually looks like when you have free, unencumbered access to the land.” As anyone who’s listened to the Thunder Bay podcast can attest, McMahon is not one to shy away from hard stories and gritty details. Stories from the Land, though, takes a softer, almost meditative,

Ryan McMahon

approach. It was a conscious choice, says McMahon, made in part in response to the ongoing trauma and fatigue of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every time Canada turns on the TV or reads the newspaper, they read about the trauma and the difficulty in Indian Country. And while all of these things are true, I wanted to create something lighter for Indigenous—and non-Indigenous— people to consider, given especially the time we’re in,” he says. “These stories are love letters to the places that we’re from, the places that keep us alive and well. I wanted to show the reality of our lives: that we are still here, that we are thriving, and that we are doing so in community, on our land.” Stories from the Land can be viewed at https://gem.cbc.ca/

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TheArts

for kizomba, especially, bleeds into her intentions for the dance community in both Thunder Bay and across the north. Bon’s description of the dance is that it’s grounded, heavily involving the floor for the dancer, and notes its similarities to Latin dance, which also has roots in African music and rhythm. “I’ve had some doubters ask me if Thunder Bay even needs another dance studio, and the answer is ‘yes,’” she says. “There is diversity in dance here and we need to amplify that. Bachata and salsa have a solid fan base here.” Bon adds that the African community has also grown and simply having the option to learn African-rooted choreography would

Sharon Bon, owner of Dame Más Dance

Art Through Movement

Sharon Bon Looking to Further Diversify Local Dance Scene Story by Sara Sadeghi Aval, Photos by Shannon Lepere

hen she reminisces on childhood and home, Sharon Bon says the music and style of kizomba immediately come to mind. Bon is now one of the two certified dance instructors in Thunder Bay to offer the African dance, which is rooted in Angolan culture and rhythm. Originally introduced to dance in March of 2014, Bon dropped in on a Latin street dancing class at now-closed Panamania Latin Street Dancing. By April 2015, she had committed to go further in dancing, moving her way through the styles of kizomba, bachata, and salsa. By November 2016, she was officially

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certified to teach. Her hopes of continuing were quickly dampened when the studio where she taught had to close in 2019. Still, Bon maintained her drive, and by January 2020, she had registered Dame Más Dance as an official studio. She began offering Zoom classes at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The hardest part of COVID has been not being able to dance with others,” Bon says. “My original thought for my business was a physical studio, but it quickly turned into a virtual one. I’ve been faced with new equipment, set up, lighting, and technicalities that now come into play.” Her passion

be another great step. When asked about what she hopes a fellow dancer would be focusing on during a time of isolation, Bon says that “I would hope they are still honing their craft. I know a lot of these individuals are used to dancing with partners and maybe don’t have a partner in their social bubbles, but you can strengthen those skills. And to remember that when we eventually get back together, we will all be better.” Dame Más Dance means “give me more dance” in Spanish. By 2022, Bon hopes to bring more dance in person. You can find out more about Sharon Bon and Dame Más Dance on Facebook @damemasdancestudio.

TheArts

Sewing Baskets By Penelope Smart, Curator, Thunder Bay Art Gallery

sewing basket is a special thing to a sewer. Carefully organized, with a pincushion, thread, and needles or filled with beads, fabric, and tools, a sewing, beading, knitting, or craft basket is often a treasured or heirloom object. It’s a source, a trusted friend, a keeper of creativity. Mary Adams (1917–1999), also known as Mary Kawennatakie, is a renowned textile artist and basket maker from Akwesasne Territory. A member of the Wolf Clan of the Kahnawake Mohawk Nation in Ontario, Adams learned traditional basket weaving at a young age from her mother, who passed away when she was a child. She began to weave experimental and ornate black ash splint and sweetgrass baskets to support herself and her siblings. She said that "making baskets is my medicine. I'll die if I don't keep making baskets." Through this dedication, she became a master of her craft, and a teacher of it. These two sewing baskets were made during the same period she presented a fancy basket to Pope John Paul II to honour the beatification of the first Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (a near copy of which is in our own collection alongside these sewing baskets). In 1998, she participated in a major travelling group exhibition titled Crossing the Threshold, which featured her “Wedding Cake Basket” (1995), mixing Mohawk and Iroquois weaving with the Western ritual of a three-tiered cake. The way she wove wood into new shapes and textures is incredible. As your hands keep busy with their current craft project, Adams’s sewing baskets welcome quiet consideration: what does your own sewing basket say about who you are, where you are from, and the type of work you make? In what ways does your own sewing basket speak your own story? Sources: Smithsonian American Art Museum https://americanart.si.edu/artist/ mary-kawennatakie-adams-26 University at Albany https://www.albany.edu/museum/ wwwmuseum/crossing/artist1.htm

FROM THE THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION

Artist: Mary Adams Title: Sewing Basket Date: 1980 Medium: Black ash, sweetgrass Dimensions: 28 x 18.4 cm From Our Hands Collection, gift of the Ontario government, 1985.

Artist: Mary Adams Title: Sewing Basket Date: 1980 Medium: Black ash, sweetgrass Dimensions: 26 x 19 cm From Our Hands Collection, Gift of the Ontario Government, 1985.

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TheArts

Acrylic print with shaving cream: Project designed by artist Judy Mayor, completed by St. Pius X students at the Boys & Girls Club (Windsor Street location)

Art as Learning

Q&A with Jay Felix, Program Coordinator of CAHEP’s Art Club Interview by Sara Sadeghi Aval

hunder Bay’s Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) has launched its Art Club program—a new way to bring art into schools, even as teaching and learning have faced huge changes due to the pandemic. CAHEP is working with numerous local artists, organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thunder Bay, and elementary schools like Kingsway Park Public School and Sherbrooke Public School, with plans to expand into others. We spoke via email with Jay Felix, the program coordinator of the Art Club, and asked him how the program got started, what media the youth are working with, and how more kids can get involved. The Walleye: What is your main intention for the program?

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Jay Felix: Art Club was created to make art accessible. We provide artist-led instruction and high-quality supplies to students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to the arts to help nurture creativity and develop a love of the arts. TW: How has the pandemic changed your approach to the club? JF: Initially the Art Club had been planned as a lunchtime program. Students in grades 4, 5 and 6 who would not typically have the opportunity to take part in art would benefit from experiencing a broad range of art forms taught by professional artists, and develop a love of the arts while increasing their creativity. Because of restrictions and safety considerations, we have adapted to provide programming to all grade 4, 5 and 6 students

at Kingsway and Sherbrooke, and several other [grade] 4, 5 and 6 classes at other schools. We are using a blended model of prerecorded professional artist-led video projects, live artist-led Zoom projects, and a splash of live programming via our friends at the Boys & Girls Club. We are adapting our programming to fit the unique circumstances that have been constantly changing throughout the year. TW: What has been the reaction? JF: The reaction has been great. Kids at this age are incredibly willing to jump into projects and really get creative. School administration, teachers, and students continue to be the driving factors of our success. Their willingness to be adaptable and go the extra mile means we can continue to inspire future artists in our community. Thank you, teachers! TW: What types of art are you seeing? JF: We have worked in so many mediums and styles this year, even more than expected. We have a phenomenal and talented group of artists leading our programming. They

have been working closely with us throughout the school year, adapting with us and providing programming when and how it's needed. Our artists have led in-person and video projects exploring acrylics, watercolour, pencil and ink, dramatic arts, mixed media printing, collage, and sculpture—just to name a few. TW: Will this program continue? JF: Thanks to funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Art Club will be around for at least two more years. We would love to grow and bring more schools on board. Some of the adaptations have opened our eyes to new ways of making our programs even more accessible (such as offering video projects that can be facilitated when they fit in a teacher’s busy timetable and offering live-video components when in-person programming is not possible). A lot of these initially temporary changes will definitely be here to stay for CAHEP. TW: How do kids get involved? JF: The Art Club is a program offered to grade 4, 5 and 6 students in schools with support from the teachers and administration. Students should ask their teachers to contact CAHEP and speak directly to us about providing programming for their schools. You can also find us on Facebook and our website. TW: What message would you like to send to kids during the pandemic? JF: Finding ways of building creativity and art into your life can have a truly profound and positive effect. We need to make sure kids have access to opportunities to create and connect during this very challenging time. Art has always been an important and effective tool for self-expression and that's something we all need now more than ever. Parents, caregivers I encourage you not to be an observer, take part and never stop creating! You can see the students’ work at https://prezi.com/view/ UrqOZOTmesP9MH6c37e7/ This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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TheArts

Soapstone carving by Sleeping Giant Stone

A jacket by Joyce Seppala Designs

Spring Rendezvous TBay Outdoor Arts Show Planned for the Slate River Valley By Pat Forrest

ashion designer Joyce Seppala can still recall the feeling of shock that she and her partner, potter Fritz Lehmberg, felt when they returned home from Cuba in the spring of 2020 only to discover that the world had changed. Having been offline for their entire vacation, the news about the pandemic hit them hard. “We were completely stunned. The big artisan shows that we have attended for years were closed. There was no way to have in-person contact with others. We immediately felt the loss of the energy that

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comes from exchanging ideas and just being together,” she says. Their solution was to get creative. Lehmberg was the founder of a cross-border artisan tour that ran for many years with great success. The couple put their heads together and came up with a concept that would see a variety of talented artisans of diverse backgrounds sharing their stories, their techniques, and their work with the public. Autumn Rendezvous TBay was born and was such a hit that plans for a similar spring event are well underway. “Strolling among nature,

enjoying the spirit garden and all those great conversations left people glowing. Arts add such joy to life and people were urging us to do it again. They said they felt the magic in the air,” Seppala says. Spring Rendezvous TBay is slated for May 28–30 on the Lehmberg-Seppala property on Highway 61 and promises to be an antidote to the COVID19 blues. Getting there is part of the joy of the experience as visitors will witness the beauty of the Slate River Valley and the enjoyment of walking through the tall pine trees to reach their destination. “The journey down the drive is part of the buildup to experiencing what we do, which is to work with lots of natural materials,” Seppala says. Apart from Seppala ( Joyce Seppala Designs, designer clothing) and Lehmberg (Early Snows Pottery, wood-fired pottery), vendors will

An axe by Fablewood Homestead

include Elizabeth Tornblom (Lunar Moose Treasures) with jewelry made from birch bark and wasp nests, soapstone carver Deborah Spear (Sleeping Giant Stone), the whimsical driftwood and other creations of Sue Holloway (The Woodland Faery), and the eclectic works of Kerry Crooks and Curtis Wilson (Fablewood Homestead). On Saturday only, Jen Huhta of Roses & Purls Artisan Yarns will have handdyed wool and woven goods for sale. Each artisan will contribute an item to a prize gift basket with each purchase giving participants a ballot for the draw. The COVID-19 health guidelines of the day will be in place. For more information and updates on new developments, follow them on Facebook and on Instagram @springrendezvoustbay.

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Outdoor

Spring Sweetness Tapping Maple Sap in the Nor’Wester Mountains Story and photos by Jesse Milani

apping sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum) to turn their sugar-rich sap into delicious maple syrup has a long history with Indigenous peoples in what we now call Northwestern Ontario that predates European contact, with the practice subsequently adopted by settlers. The harvesting process, especially for modern commercial purposes, has slightly changed since those times, but the gratitude for the sugary gift is still evident. The Thunder Bay region sits at the fringe of the geographical range of the sugar maple species, making a sugar bush a rare occurrence this far north. To actually reach one of the sugar bushes in Northwestern Ontario involves a 30-minute hike through the woods, which will take you to the sugar shack for

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the Nor’Wester Maple Company. It’s a locally owned maple syrup producer with a sugar shack in the Municipality of Neebing area. The sugar shack is the building where sap from a tree is boiled down to make the maple syrup. The harvesting of sugar sap ranges from tapping a tree and hanging a bucket to forming an intensive network of plastic tubing, vacuum pumps, and industrial evaporator systems. When it comes to the sap running, it’s all about temperature and pressure. The warmer days that become more common in late winter causes pressure to build up in the trees. This pressure forces the sap from the roots up the tree towards the branches, being cut off by the maple taps put in by the harvester. When the overnight temperature drops below freezing, the pressure is

Trees are tapped in late winter or early spring for sap, which is converted into maple syrup

Outdoor

reversed, pulling the sap back into the tree. Now the tree is once again filled with sap, allowing for the cycle to be repeated. The average sugar maple tree will produce 35 to 50 litres of sap per season. To produce one litre of maple syrup, you need to boil 45 litres of sap. That’s a lot of trees needed to meet everyone’s needs. In North America, maple syrup is the only agricultural product where there is more demand than supply. The future holds numerous challenges for sugaring. Climate change has already altered the sugar run, starting the run earlier and ending it sooner, which affects the productive range of the sugar maple. Improved forest management is essential to keep the trees strong and productive. Government protection for sugar bushes in Northwestern Ontario is essential, keeping the traditional tapping of sugar maples around for future generations to learn and enjoy—as well as keeping our Finnish pancakes covered with the sweet syrup.

The Nor'Wester Maple Company's sugar shack on the Nor'Wester Mountains

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CityScene

Future Perfect A Look at Cannabis Extracts By Justin Allec

ne thing you cannot accuse the cannabis industry of is being lazy. I mean, sure, lethargy can be a side effect of consumption, but the world of cannabis is full of innovators who are applying hard science to make exciting products. Extracts are relatively new to the market—live resin is less than a decade old, for example, which means that many people have questions about these products. Extraction is the separation of terpenes and cannabinoids from the raw plant material; these products will have flavours and offer experiences akin to their dried flower counterparts but with the volume turned way, way up. By their very nature, extracts are intense. They’re all high-potency, which means that

most people won’t need much to enjoy the effects. They’re really not appropriate for beginner consumers. Another advantage is that extracts are versatile in how they can be consumed. While a dab rig or an extract-specific vaporizer are ideal tools (though the Ontario Cannabis Store and common sense do not recommend using dab rigs if you’re a beginner), you can just as easily add a pinch to a regular joint or bowl. Regardless of which extract you choose, you’ll notice a big difference with flavour and effect. If you’re feeling a bit lost when exploring beyond dried flower, here’s a primer on three forms of extracts. Rosin uses the easiest extraction process. Cannabis buds (or hash or kief) are simply pressed between heated metal plates, which produces

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8 Ball Kush Shatter an oily, translucent sap chock full of cannabinoids and terpenes. Once that sap cools, you have a potent addition which I’ve found is nice to brush onto a joint paper or a bowl. As with all extracts, colour, consistency, and flavour will vary depending on the strain, so if you’re trying rosin (or any other extract) for the first time, choose a strain that’s familiar and already pleasing. Live resin is the newest extract product, and it’s so called because it starts by flash-freezing fresh, uncured cannabis. The idea is that the usual drying/curing process for cannabis destroys many of the desired terpenes, while freezing leaves those intact. This chilly temperature is maintained throughout the extraction process. Frozen cannabis is

then pushed through a machine with a solvent, which is then vapourized out of the final product. The end result is a golden-hued glob of wonder that’s probably the tastiest of any of the extracts I’ve tried. Shatter is so named because the final product resembles glass. It mirrors live resin in that you’re extracting the oils through a solvent, usually butane, that is then heated off in the final step. The big difference from live resin is that shatter uses cured and dried cannabis. Out of all three, I think shatter works best with vaping, especially if you use a vape pen. Though I didn’t notice a significant difference in experience from the other two extracts, I’ve noticed that shatter has the most synthetic feel to it.

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CityScene efficacy. The company started out with three varieties: cedar, lavender, and unscented. On April 1, she introduced a new scent, “Fool’s Spring.” When asked how this detergent works so well, Enger says that it’s because of its highly concentrated formula. “My homemade soap is free of cheap chemicals [...] often used by leading brands to boost ‘sudifacation.’ We need to move past the desire of excessive sudsing when cleaning, because natural soap simply does not perform that way,” she says. “Each ingredient I select is necessary, whether it's Borax—the deodorizer—or sodium percarbonate—the grit lifter.” Removing unnecessary fillers means one requires less powder per

Page Enger holds a bag of her Peggy’s Powder

Peggy’s Powder Brings Laundry Power

Locally Made Natural Detergent Hits the Market By Wendy Wright

here is a new laundry detergent on the market that is locally made, concentrated, and natural—even its simple, beautiful paper packaging is eco-friendly. Page Enger is the inventor of Peggy’s Powder (Peggy is a nickname given to her by her husband), which came from the desire for an eco-friendlier laundry cleaning option along the path towards a more sustainable lifestyle. At the onset of the pandemic, Enger noticed how often she was

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going out to purchase cleaning and household supplies. This led to her creating an eco-friendly option for laundry that could also be produced at a great price. Since the summer of 2020, Enger has been using her own product; she started selling online in January at the suggestion of a peer. Encouragement and advice also came from the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise. Friends and family helped in the testing phases and provided Enger feedback regarding cleaning power, scents, and

load, she adds. “By avoiding optical brighteners, animal enzyme-based surfactants and other unnecessary fillers, Peggy’s Powder performs well in all water temperatures and water types,” Enger says. “There is a popular myth of powdered detergent building up in machines over long periods of use. I have not found that to be the case with my product because of my choice of ingredients.” At present Peggy’s Powder is available to purchase online at peggyspowder.com or through Instagram @peggyspowder. Curbside pick-up or local delivery is available. Retail opportunities will be cropping up in the next few months, including at The Refill Co. in Murillo.

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CityScene

By Sandra Janjicek, Policy Analyst, Northern Policy Institute

andemic-related health and safety restrictions have socially distanced local artisans and craftspersons from their communities. In Thunder Bay, annual events like The Craft Revival and other fine art and craft shows have opted for virtual platforms, transforming a sector that has traditionally thrived on the business of local customers and tourists. As we continue to navigate the pandemic, the digital landscape offers a frontier for artisans and craftspersons to adapt a new business model and to re-imagine the gig economy. In 2019, the Provincial and Territorial Crafts Councils sold over $14 million worth of products through their galleries, shops, and festivals. This total excludes the independent galleries, shops, tourism outlets, festivals, markets, and online sales that took place outside councils, inside communities, and virtually. Although physical distancing has contributed to a decline in retail sales, nationally, e-commerce sales doubled in 2020 from 2019. This suggests that online platforms are keeping businesses afloat and perhaps offering a space for recovery. Even pre-pandemic, social media and digital storefronts were bringing arts, crafts, and do-it-yourself products into the future. In fact, nowadays, as many brands and storefronts worry about excessive

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inventory, businesses are exploring partnerships with artisans since they can uniquely operate on thin margins, pivot operations, and creatively repurpose materials. Millennial business owners in particular often use digital channels to search for Business-to-Business (B2B) products and services. Beyond Etsy, the so-called “cottage industry model”—which refers to manufacturing activities at home—presents a new way of working that both revitalizes community and globalizes

artisan supply chains. This business model is also responsive to the urgent call to table Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) voices as, globally, the model has helped individuals live sustainably and create in their own community. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the crafts sector was already one of the largest home-based industries that predominantly employs women. This global view of artisanship and crafting holds true for Ontario’s northern regions.

The graph illustrates the dominance of women in the sector, according to the 2016 census. Andrea O’Reilly, a York University professor, found that, generally, in comparison to men, Canadian women are struggling to keep their jobs and income as the pandemic forces them to take on rising demands of child care and household tasks. For women, the cottage industry model benefits both entrepreneurial interests and personal responsibilities amidst pandemic and post-pandemic challenges. The model offers flexible hours, a safe workplace environment, eliminates commuting, and digitally yields greater connectivity with consumers and networks. Luckily, resources and financial supports are available for businesses, including artisans and craftspersons, to adapt to this sustainable model. If you are an artisan looking for support, here are some resources to check out. Any business owner’s first stop should be Digital Main Street Thunder Bay, which hosts free business events and offers a directory of online tools and resources to help establish a digital foundation. As well, throughout the pandemic, PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise has provided funding opportunities, such as

peer lending circles and BizGrowth for female-owned northern Ontario businesses. PARO continues to offer its services and resources online, including mentorship, webinars, business events, and is currently developing a Women’s B2B vendor database. For sector-specific resources, check out the Canada Council for the Arts for individual and non-profit funding, as well as industry trends and employment data about the arts. Join Artisans Northwest to connect with other Northwestern Ontario artisans and craftspersons, participate in virtual shows, and learn from other business owners in the community. Stay engaged with both Craft Ontario and the Canadian Crafts Federation to explore advocacy initiatives, events, technological changes to crafting, and new industry reports. And don’t forget to review the Government of Canada’s checklist, “How to Start an Artisan and Craft Business in Ontario.” This

list provides guidance on regulations and restrictions for protecting your products and business identity, which will secure your business’s online presence. These resources and supports are helping artisans and craftspersons expand and think about their business beyond community lines, especially at a time when tourism restrictions are limiting their exposure. Whether you’re in it as an amateur or a professional, traditional thoughts of artisanship and crafting are evolving with online markets. In February 2021 Canada proudly took leadership of the World Crafts Council North America Region (WCCNA), a position held by the United States since 1964. Over the next few years, Canada has the opportunity to reimagine artisanship and the crafts sector as a vital part of economic life through digital ways of business delivery, employment, and market entry. It all starts with what we craft locally.

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CityScene lot of volunteers wear many hats and carry a good percentage of the load for some smaller nonprofits, depending on […] their staffing levels, their ability to have funding,” she says. The Thunder Bay Association of Volunteer Administrators is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The organization is one of the longest-standing such groups in the province, says Hettrick, and does professional development and advocacy for those in the city who work in the field of securing and coordinating volunteers for their organizations. That field has changed a lot over time, Hettrick says. “I’ve been doing it for about 15 years give or take,” she says. “And even in that time period, you see a huge shift in the way people want to volunteer, their motivations for volunteering— things change definitely with the generations but also with just how society is in general.” People generally tend to want to volunteer on their own schedule, as opposed to older generations who

would largely commit to doing it “the same day, the same time, every week,” Hettrick says. COVID-19 has added another wrinkle, with organizations now having to plan and recruit for volunteers virtually. Some of those roles, like data entry or visiting with seniors, have also moved to a virtual model. “Here with our support services program, they shifted all of their friendly visiting volunteer opportunities now to just [over the telephone],” Hettrick says. “Their volunteers call […] elderly people in their homes once a week and connect that way, so they’ve shifted what they do to now still being able to still continue to do that, just in a different capacity.” The Thunder Bay Association of Volunteer Administrators is holding a virtual celebration for its 40th anniversary on June 1 with guest speakers and some “exciting news to share,” Hettrick says. Anyone interested in joining the celebrations can email Hettrick at Tessa.Hettrick@thunderbay.ca for the event link.

A plaque commemorating Thunder Bay’s volunteers at Boulevard Lake

A Helping Hand

The Changing Face of Volunteerism Story and photo by Matt Prokopchuk

ike with virtually all aspects of society, the volunteering sector has had to make major adjustments due to COVID19. But the head of the Thunder Bay Association of Volunteer Administrators says that’s just the latest change in a field that’s constantly having to evolve. Tessa Hettrick is the president of the local association, as well as the program volunteer coordinator for the City of Thunder Bay’s older adult unit. In her city job, she’s

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responsible for finding volunteers to help with a wide range of tasks, from helping with office administration and preparing food at the 55 Plus Centre’s River Street Cafe to helping with drop-in programming, like card games, shuffleboard, and art programs, for seniors. In all, she says the older adult unit has a roster of just under 200 volunteers. In her role as the association’s president, Hettrick says she also sees just how important volunteers are to a wide range of organizations. “A

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CityScene

GO LOCAL THUNDER BAY COUNTRY MARKET Heather Peden at her booth at the Thunder Bay Country Market

Heather Peden Photography Story by Sarah Kerton, Photos by Keegan Richard

eather Peden has been taking pictures since she was a child. Her 30-plus years of experience are evident in the quality of her work. Peden captures images of our surrounding area in ways that evoke a sense of wonder and marvel in the beauty of nature. While her images are primarily of nature, her love of animals has led her into pet photography at times; additionally, Peden is also a writer. Originally hailing from southern Ontario, Peden now lives in Neebing and has been enjoying “life in the wilds of northern Ontario,” for 16 years now (the tagline of her blog is ‘three dogs and a couch’). “I got my first camera (a blue, point-and-shoot film camera with an orange shutter release button) when I was a kid and I don’t think I’ve stopped taking pictures ever since,” she says. “My interest in photography took off in high school when my dad gave me his SLR camera and I learned how to capture images differently through things like shutter speeds, depth of field, blurred motion, and selective focus. I was also introduced to the darkroom then and thought it was the greatest thing ever.” Peden is a recent addition to the Thunder Bay Country Market, becoming a vendor in December 2020.

Her greeting cards have been selling like hotcakes, and masks printed with her images have also been taking off. “The images that are most popular are landmarks like the Sleeping Giant and the Sea Lion, but also some of my bird images like the Bohemian waxwings and pileated woodpecker,” she says. Joining the market was something that had been in the back of her mind for a decade as she sold work at various festivals and seasonal markets. “In 2020 when COVID hit, I was laid off from my job and with all the festivals cancelled, I was looking for a way to move forward,” she says. “It was both a good and bad time to get into the market as there was definitely space and I suddenly had more time, but obviously people are staying home right now, so traffic is down.” With our recent lockdowns, Peden is not able to open her booth. Having a permanent place to display her images and being able to share stories with people are two of her favourite things about being a market vendor. She hopes to see you soon. You can find Peden at the market when restrictions allow; you can also view her online gallery at heatherpeden.com.

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CityScene

EYE TO EYE

With Adam Hopkins As told to Matt Prokopchuk, Photo by Taylor Ballard

dam Hopkins is eyeing the Olympic dream. The Thunder Bay-born skateboarder, who has lived in Vancouver since 2008, is pushing for a spot in the Tokyo games this summer, as skateboarding is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport. To qualify, the 31-year-old Hopkins, who has been riding since he was nine, needs a strong Olympic qualifying season, which has faced hiccups due to COVID-19. Hopkins joined us over the phone to talk about his thoughts on skateboarding becoming an Olympic sport, the most interesting place skateboarding has taken him, and what’s on his music playlist. On how he feels about skateboarding becoming an Olympic sport: Before I was really competing, it wasn’t really—something like this wouldn’t have been of interest to me, when I was younger. There’s a lot of different types of people who skateboard; there’s a lot of different reasons people skateboard. Some people just do it for fun, some people are trying to do a little bit more with it, some people are trying to push the limits, some people just like pushing down the sidewalk, and that’s the beauty of skateboarding. You don’t need to buy a hockey stick and a puck and get all the pads [and] go out on the ice and compete with everybody to be able to hold space. With skateboarding, it’s done a very good job of just allowing people to join and be there. That being said, I do enjoy competing. I grew up playing hockey. There were already things like the X Games and the Gravity Games, and Dew Tour, and Street League—all these major global, international events already happening, so I think the Olympics is kind of just an evolution of that. […] I’m honoured to be on the national team and to have the opportunity to

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compete for Canada. On what he enjoys doing away from skateboarding: I love being in the water. So being out in B.C., there are countless streams, there’s the ocean, but you can also go out in the canyons, which have all the snow runoff, just freezing cold water. It’s just like ice baths, basically. I like doing that in the summer, doing some cliff jumping and swimming. I like biking around the city on a road bike and going on trips with friends. […] One of my favourite things is coming home to Thunder Bay and going up to camp with family and going fishing, too. I don’t fish too much out in B.C.—it’s something I want to get into more as my schedule opens up. On the most interesting place skateboarding has taken him: I did 30 days in Europe. I travelled all over Europe—Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany. I went to Israel; that was one of the best trips I went on. I was in Israel for 17 days on a skate trip. It’s always hard to say what your favourite trip was or what the best place you ever went; the real answer is it’s the one you haven’t gone to yet, because everywhere you go, it’s ‘I love this place, I want to move here, I want to come back.’ And then you go back home and then you […] go to the next place and then that place is the best place you’ve ever been to. But I think Israel. I had an amazing time in Israel. We went to Palestine for a day during that trip as well. On what’s on his music playlist these days: My music playlist is all over the place. When I was a kid [...] growing up skateboarding, I liked a lot of punk music. I liked a lot of metal music. I wasn’t so much of a hip hop kid back then—I grew up on classic rock. But as I’ve gotten older and spent a lot of time on the road, the

Pro skateboarder and Olympic hopeful Adam Hopkins takes to the air old country really started to appeal to me, like your Waylon Jennings, and your Merle Haggards, and your Willie Nelsons, Johnny Cash, stuff like that. And then you have the newer country artists like Colter Wall and Corb Lund and that stuff kind of coming down the line as well that

is paying respect. When I was a kid, it was like all pop-country. I know people like that stuff, but that was just never for me. The way I see it, the Waylons and that style of country music, those guys were kind of the punk rockers before there was punk rock.

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CityScene

Big Green Egg

Stuff We Like

Prestige Home Comfort

755 Tungsten Street There’s just something about the May long weekend that makes us want to cook outside. And the Big Green Egg is more than a barbecue—it’s a complete outdoor cooker that you can use for everything from grilling steak to baking bread. Plus, it’s easy to use in all climates, including rain, sleet, and snow—because it’s May in NWO and, well, you never know.

For the May Long Weekend By Amy Jones

s it just us, or could we all really use a long weekend? Lucky for all of us, that great Canadian institution known as May Long (or May 2-4, depending on who you’re talking to) is right around the corner. And whether you’re heading out to camp, hitting the lakes or the links, or just vibing in your backyard, we’ve got all the essentials you’ll need to make the most of this unofficial start to the season. Here’s Stuff We Like for the May Long Weekend.

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Inukshuk Stand Up Paddle Board Chaltrek

404 Balmoral Street There’s no better place to socially distance than in the middle of a lake, and no better way to get there than on a stand-up paddle board. The Inukshuk SUP board, with its broad, stable design, is very fast on the water and tracks great. It also includes a carry handle at the front, a molded carry handle in the centre, a paddle holder, deck bungie, and a drain plug.

Explore Card Parking Pass

Lakehead Region Conservation Authority

lakeheadca.com For over six decades, the LRCA has been working to preserve the region’s watershed areas, and because of them, we have several beautiful Conservation Areas to visit and explore. If you’re planning a trip to one on the long weekend, make sure you pay for parking and support the LRCA’s important work. Better yet, purchase an Explore Card Parking Pass and forgo the $5 daily parking fee for the whole year!

Lures

Thunder Bay Nature Guide

Thunder Bay Field Naturalists

tbfn.net If you’re looking for some inspiration when it comes to outdoor adventures this May Long, check out the updated 2021 Thunder Bay Nature Guide, published by the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists, with info on 30 sites in and around Thunder Bay, including detailed directions and what flora, fauna, and geology to keep an eye out for. Get out there and explore!

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Superior Baits

superior-baits-tbay.myshopify.com Jigs, crankbaits, spoons, spinners… if you know, you know. If your weekend involves heading out to your favourite secret fishing hole (don’t worry, we won’t ask you where that is!), check out Superior Baits—all their lures are locally handcrafted and are sure to get those fish biting.

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May Long Mix Pack Beyond BrewHa!

Garmin Approach G30

brewhaevents.com No matter what your plans for the long weekend, the folks at BrewHa! have got you covered. The May Long Mix Pack features an 8- or 24-pack of unique Ontario craft beer, Red Lion Smokehouse’s smoked fish fry crumb, a bundle of firewood from Dog Lake Firewood, BrewHa! wooden matches, Path of the Paddle route map, an expertly curated playlist, and more!

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420 Balmoral Street For many of you, the long weekend is a perfect time to hit the links and improve your golf game. If this is you, the Garmin Approach G30 is your secret weapon. This sleek, compact handheld golf GPS features a touchscreen display that provides full-colour mapping, as well as Touch Targeting, shows the precise distance to that spot with just a touch. Fore!

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Drinkware Omba

ombaproducts.com Whatever you’re up to for the weekend, stay hydrated with drinkware from Omba. Featuring gorgeous artwork in three different designs created by Thunder Bay Indigenous artist and advocate Corrina McKay, these double-wall 18/8 stainless steel bottles are fully resistant to oxidation and corrosion. Plus, a portion of their proceeds goes to schools in First Nations across Canada.

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Support the Makers Lightweight Zip

Ungalli Clothing Co.

ungalli.com Keep warm this May Long and show your support for the makers in your community at the same time! A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this hoodie (and the rest of their Makers collection) will go towards a $500 Maker’s Grant. And it’s made from 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled bottles, so it’s good for the environment, too!

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CityScene book is also dedicated to the memory of Glen Darlow, who started organizing the transportation and care for thousands of homeless dogs from First Nations in 2012. “I thought this book could be a tribute to him,” says White. The anthology has 37 stories submitted by rescue dog families. Many are from Northwestern Ontario, but people from southern Ontario and British Columbia also responded. Their heartfelt and funny stories describe how their dogs helped them through difficult times, such as navigating a spouse’s final illness, finding a renewed purpose in life after a rough patch, or becoming a buddy to a lonely eightyear-old. “You see that unconditional love that [the dogs] offer, and their ability to leave their past behind them and to just accept love,” says White. White and Winnipeg editor Dave Gowriluk edited the book, and

entries are accompanied by a digital illustration of each dog. Local author and designer Heather Leighton Dickson assisted with the cover design and page formatting, and longtime rescue dog advocate Victoria Lily Shaffer (daughter of Paul) wrote the foreword after White contacted her. “It’s been such a fun experience,” says White, who says she’d like to work on similar anthologies for other organizations. You can preorder How My Rescue Dog Rescued Me! via an e-transfer to pawsforlovethunderbay@gmail.com, and be sure to include your contact information and the words “Rescue Book” in your message. The book, which is expected to be available mid-May, sells for $20 and will also be available for sale at Thunder Bay’s three Pet Valu locations and Kakabeka Depot’s two locations.

DON’T FORGET YOUR MOM! Mother’s Day is May 9th

Heartwarming ‘Tails’ A New Book is Raising Funds for Rescue Dogs By Bonnie Schiedel

hile local author Donna White was sitting on the floor with eight puppies crawling over her, she decided to create a book. White had been fostering a mama dog and her pups for the local rescue dog organization Paws for Love until they could be adopted. “That whole experience just reaffirmed what I had gone through with my two rescue dogs,” she says. “You know, we

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think that we’re rescuing them, but in fact, they rescue us.” White decided to assemble a collection of stories by people who had adopted dogs from rescue organizations. The result is How My Rescue Dog Rescued Me!: An Anthology of Tails to Warm Every Dog Lover’s Heart, with proceeds going towards Paws for Love’s expenses for services and items like vet care, food, and bedding. The

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CityScene

From left to right, Brandon Esquega, Connor Johnson, Peter Panetta, Starr Moonias

‘ Like it was Meant to Be’

Underground Gym Youth Centre Full of Hope with Exciting New Space Story by Nancy Saunders, Photo by Kay Lee

espite the many challenges and tragedies that the Underground Gym and Youth Centre has experienced over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic—and even before, when in November 2019 it was forced to close its Simpson Street location due to extensive damage caused by a fire in a neighbouring building—Peter Panetta is ecstatic about once again providing a safe space for children and youth. Panetta says that it’s as though the 5,000-square-foot building on Victoria Avenue East was built with its new owners in mind. “Ironically, it’s almost like this building was designed for The Underground Gym […] like they said, ‘Oh well, you know,

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a hundred years down the road, I think we’re going to have a gym and a youth centre in this building and this is how we’re going to build it,’ he says. “Unbelievably, everything just fits. Like it was meant to be.” Located in the new building is a fitness centre, a boxing ring, a crafts and painting room, a kitchen that is being constructed, a games area with air hockey, foosball, ping pong, and a pool table, a music room with guitars, a piano, and drums, a games room with video games and a computer/tutoring room where teachers will come in to help kids with their school work. “And,” Panetta adds, “this is the coolest one. This is something new; I never even saw this coming: a guy

who helped us out a few years back called me and said, ‘Hey Peter, I run a hairdressing shop and if your kids want a haircut or a hair colouring or whatever, bring them down.” That hairdresser was Frank Romeo. Panetta took him up on his offer, and the kids had a great time. “But you know what he offered here? He said, ‘If you give me a little room, I’ll set up a sink and bring in a chair, and I’ll teach the kids hair care.’ It is really, really cool. And what I like about that is the potential of a career for these kids.” These multiple features far exceed the Underground Gym’s original incarnation more than 20 years ago. “When we started out, we were only a gym. That’s all it was. There was no youth centre, no kitchen, nothing. We wrapped ropes around some pillars and that was our boxing ring. It worked. And they’re still coming to the Underground; they’re bringing their children. It is literally one big family, and it hasn’t stopped. It continues to this day—kids of the kids that I took care of,” says Panetta. He speaks with passion about the many ways in which the local community has contributed to the

new Underground Gym location. “I don’t know if there’s a better example of a community effort for the children. The community bought this building, the community supplied this building, the community is coming in to do all the volunteer work: the electricians, the plumbers, everything is community,” he says. “We have to pay for the material, but they’re doing all the work for free. It’s unreal. This actually feels like a dream. I’m in my 23rd year, and I could have never envisioned this on day one. The beginnings of the Underground compared to where we are now […] is just unbelievable.” A $20,000 donation from Musselwhite Mine for the kitchen is of particular importance. As Panetta says, “[The kitchen] needs to happen because it’s teaching kids life skills that they need, and as well, the kids have to be fed.” Panetta is impatient to resume providing services to children and youth in need now that the Underground Gym once again has the space to do so. “I’ve got a tonne of ideas to help these children and youth with some of the issues they have to deal with. […] [It] is amazing

to be able to offer things that you can only offer if you have the facility to be able to do that. We have it, and we’re going to do it. It’s just COVID is kicking everybody’s ass right now. We have to wait, we have to be patient, and then away we go. But I have it all in my head. It’s all planned out so we know exactly what’s going to happen down the road, and it’s going to be stuff that isn’t even available anywhere else which is really cool.” At 71, Panetta has no immediate plans of slowing down or stopping the work he has been doing for 23 years. He has mentored select people in the hopes they may help run operations in the future, and has some potential succession planning ideas, with a caveat. “I don’t want people from the outside coming in to run the Underground. It won’t work. You have to live it to understand it. You have to come from their world to be able to work with them. That’s the only way you’ll understand where they’re coming from. When you see a kid that says or does or acts a certain way, you’ll know why. You

don’t have to ask them what’s going on—you know.” The need for the Underground Gym has become all the more critical over the course of the pandemic. “We lose lives when we have to close. The same thing happened when we had to close in 2000. Youth died through suicide, murder, overdoses. […] But I was never discouraged,” he says. “When the teens and children came to me and kept saying, ‘Peter, please find us a place. We’re back on drugs. There’s a friend in jail’—not that I needed motivation anyway, but when you hear the teens telling you how badly they need it […]—I am never going to stop fighting for these children, ever in my life.” Panetta’s story will always be interwoven with the Underground Gym that he began over two decades ago. “I will continue this until the day that I die, and I will die happy— there’s no doubt about that. I’m ecstatic when I see the children laughing and happy. Just the sound of children’s laughter is joy to me.”

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CityScene

Emergency Shuttle

Activist Group Puts Care Bus into Motion Story by Michael Charlebois, Photos by Keegan Richard

ne of 2021’s cold snaps proved to be deadly for some of Thunder Bay’s most vulnerable citizens. Brutal overnight temperatures and a COVID-19 outbreak among the local homeless population constituted an emergency situation. One group of social activists says its members saw the crisis coming. As temperatures dropped and the shelter system reached its capacity, already-vulnerable people faced circumstances too dire to survive. Not One More Death (or N1MD), a grassroots organization made up of 40 volunteers, decided they needed to urge city officials to act. “We kind of put things into overdrive and developed a proposal to present to city hall. We saw that they didn’t have an effective plan in place,” says N1MD member Kate Rookes. The organization was founded in the summer of 2020 and aims to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. “Our work is informed by street patrols and street-involved individuals. We are basing our work off of their experiences, and we recognized some gaps right away,” says Rookes. The proposal, submitted to city council in February, called for

60 The Walleye

seven immediate recommendations to address the crisis. Although not every proposal was adopted by the city, N1MD’s call for a care bus was something the city had been exploring, following the success of a similar model in Toronto. Rookes believes the proposal was a necessary nudge of public pressure needed to make things move ahead. “It was interesting to learn that this bus was a pilot that was underway, but I don’t know why it hadn’t been done yet,” she says. The bus was implemented on March 4 in coordination with NorWest Community Health Centres, and PACE Thunder Bay. The bus ran for 12 hours a day, was staffed by social workers who assisted the needs of the patrons, and provided food, water, hygiene supplies, personal protective equipment, warm clothing, and harm reduction supplies. It not only provided patrons with transportation between downtown cores, but served as a de facto warming centre at a time where the city’s shelters were at capacity. It was originally slated to run until the end of March, but was extended until April 16. Roughly 1,400 people accessed the care bus during its operation in

March. “That’s fabulous, but I also think it’s disgusting that there’s 1,400 people that require that in our community,” Rookes says. She adds that she was inspired to see that the city designated a bus designed with commemorative 50th anniversary artwork for the care bus. Local artist boy Roland designed the mobile

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artwork, which features notable local landmarks as cartoon figures. “The care bus is a symbol of who we’d like to be as a community,” N1MD member Suzanne Hansen says. “If we can take that mindset and run with that, a care bus won’t even be needed.”

CityScene

This is Thunder Bay

Maria Maria Photography

Stories and photos submitted by readers

With spring springing here in the Northwest comes the promise of new projects and pandemic-safe adventures. This month we asked The Walleye readers what they would do if they won $500,000.

Alain “With $500K I'd buy more land. Secure my kingdom and keep the neighbours just a little further away.”

Matt and Isla Matt “I’d build a greenhouse over my existing house so I could come home to summer every day.” Isla “A chameleon or a unicorn.”

Kara (and Perdi) “I’d donate a portion to Roots to Harvest and the Kemptville District Hospital, then buy property on the water... yep.”

Sue “I would buy a camp and plan a trip somewhere tropical, for when COVID is over.”

Calley “If I won $500,000 right now, I would get take-out at all my favourite local restaurants. I would buy a yearly membership to a locally owned gym then I would go see my cousin at her salon and buy haircuts for myself and all my family for a year upfront. Then I would book a tattoo and put some money aside for my kids’ education fund. With the remaining money I would then buy Bitcoin and Ethereum.”

Steph “If I won $500,000 I would put it towards opening a sanctuary for animals with disabilities as well as senior animals who require palliative care. I would then look into hosting programs for children to come out and learn care and compassion for animals who need it most. I have a strong passion for animals and animal welfare and this would be my absolute dream!”

Madelyne “As a young adult in the 21st century, I would put $500,000 towards the $50 trillion it will take to stop the impending doom that we are facing as a result of the fatal, and time-sensitive climate crisis. It’s probably the most responsible thing to do. Or, maybe I’ll just buy a kerosene-fueled private jet, one in which I could travel the world before it’s soon all gone. Enjoy it while it lasts, right?”

Tatijana “We would pay off our mortgage and take a sabbatical to travel domestically (assuming COVID is still a thing, otherwise internationally). We love road trips and it’s been a goal to visit every national park in Canada and the USA—we’ve done some, but would love to spend time exploring each.”

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CityScene

WALL SPACE

Pit-Stop Space Fresh Air

Story by Tiffany Jarva, Photos by Kay Lee

t’s a long weekend in April and the locally owned, longstanding sporting goods shop Fresh Air is hopping. “It’s spring tuneup time and, especially because of COVID, a lot of bikes are coming out of the shed,” explains co-owner Peter Tofinetti. Tofinetti explains it’s a wait of about two and a half weeks for tune-ups/repairs; buying new could take up to a year, due to a worldwide bike/parts/rubber shortage and limited access to shipping containers.

The shop moved to this sprawling 13,000-square-foot space on Balmoral Street after a fire forced them to move from their Memorial Avenue location about six years ago. Rolling into their 50th year in business as Fresh Air, the shop’s space includes a large retail floor with a wide range of clothing and gear, vintage 70s road bikes dotting walls and hanging from the ceiling, along with busy bike repair and tune-up, bike fitting, and storage areas.

A wide range of bikes can be assessed, tuned up, and repaired on easy-to-use bike stands.

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The repair shop is about 500 square feet, with the capability of servicing five bikes at a time. Each station has its own mobile toolbox. A 50th anniversary edition of a complete Campagnolo set. Items within can only be handled when wearing white gloves.

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Bike mechanic Rob Moore has been working with bikes for over 25 years. He spent some time out west working at the iconic Deep Cove Bike Shop in North Vancouver and now calls Fresh Air home. “I have a love of bikes,” says Moore, who currently has six in his own personal fleet. “Riding gives so much back to me, including best friends. It makes me feel like a kid and puts a smile on my face.” A Cannondale road bike sits on a specialty frame tool in the fitting room, where a trainer can check out a rider’s proper sizing and reach. Vintage Fresh Air jerseys, older bike frames, signed posters, and framed certificates are also displayed throughout the fitting room.

A hanging inflator—another specialized tool used regularly in the repair shop.

Currently there are 140 bikes waiting to be serviced, each with its own “parking” number. On average the shop repairs 18 bikes a day. Moore says his job includes a lot of assessing what’s wrong with bikes and making sure customers understand what needs to be worked on. Boxer Pearl likes to greet customers as they enter the pet-friendly store.

Moore operates a shock tester. The repair space is equipped with a variety of specialized tools like this one. “Bike tech is constantly growing, and someone is always trying to reinvent the wheel,” laughs Moore.

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Music

Surviving, Not Pretending To Local Punk Legends Forever Dead! Release New Album Story by Jamie Varga, Photo by Keegan Richard

From left to right: Marc (Mrac) Viherkoski, Jorge Gratzo, Chelsea Heart, Tylore T. Destroyer, El Gratzo

hile a testament to what we are all going through, the title of the latest release from local punk legends Forever Dead!, set for release on April 30, could not be further from the truth, as they’ve been not

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only surviving but thriving within the local music scene for over 15 years. Pretending We’re Surviving, the band’s fourth album, comes at a time that’s been tough for many, but listening to this record might be just the thing to get you through.

Fronted by the fierce vocals of Chelsea Heart, most of the rest of the band is also the rest of her family. Jorge Gratzo on bass along with his brothers El Gratzo (guitar and backup vocals) and Tylore T. Destroyer (drums) round out the core of Forever Dead!; the new album also sees the return of Marc (Mrac) Viherkoski on guitar. The band put in a tonne of recording in a short amount of time, and things got a bit complicated, but they were still able to smash out 18 tracks in six days and then get the album out. “It was weird to record this because we talked to Paul Dutil [from NON-FICTI Records] months before and he said we would do it sometime in the spring,” says Jesse Gratz, who goes by El Gratzo in the band. “Next thing, it’s May or something and he calls me to say he’s in Thunder Bay and let’s get started. So, we started with the drums on the Thursday, and we had everything tracked by the following Thursday.” Pretending We’re Surviving surpasses expectations on all levels— stellar work on the music, some pretty tasty backup harmonizing, and Heart’s lead vocals way out

front and sounding better than ever. Watching this band come as far as they have since their first album, … Not Quite Dead Yet (2008) has been a pleasure and their impact on the local music scene overall cannot be overstated. Most of us can’t wait until live performances can happen again, and I can’t help but think that it’s going to be mind-blowing because the fans are going to be so wound up for it, the bands will be pumped for it, and all the new music created is going to lift us all back up where we need to go. And this crew will be leading the charge. Playing in front of a crowd has been a staple for the Dead and they miss live shows desperately. Until then, we all have to power through, and I know I’m gonna find it that much easier pumping my fist along with Forever Dead! whenever I need them. Check out Pretending We’re Surviving by swinging by their Bandcamp at xforeverdeadx. bandcamp.com/album/pretending-were-surviving and follow the band on social media. #RIGHTdeadly