May 2024

Steel Wheels

Railways of the Lakehead

Community Fund is back

Apply for funding by May 21st

Submit a short video about your community project.

Apply for any amount up to $10,000. We’re awarding a total of $30,000.

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges.

IMPORTANT DATES

MAY 21, 2024

Submissions Close

JUNE 18, 2024

Winner’s Announcement 18

Editor-in-chief

Darren McChristie

Editor Adrian Lysenko

Senior Editor

Tiffany Jarva

Copy Editors

Amy Jones, Bonnie Schiedel

Editorial Assistants

Emily Turner, Sidney Ulakovic

Marketing & Sales Manager

Alaina Linklater alaina@thewalleye.ca

Photographers

Jack Barten

Anna Buske

Ryan Hill

Chad Kirvan

Dave Koski

Shannon Lepere

Darren McChristie

Sarah McPherson

Lois Nuttall

Laura Paxton

Emily Turner

Sidney Ulakovic

Art Directors

Steve Coghill, R.G.D.

Dave Koski, R.G.D. production@thewalleye.ca

Ad Designer

Dave Koski

Cory Schick

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

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

Copyright © 2024 by Superior Outdoors Inc.

All Rights Reserved.

Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.

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MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A

ABOUT MOVIES

Rolling Around the Bend

When I think of trains in Northwestern Ontario, an image comes to mind of seeing a line of railroad cars rolling around the bend above Lake Superior’s shoreline in Neys Provincial Park. As beautiful as the sight is, with the rugged, rocky landscape, the section of the Canadian Pacific Railway was one of the most challenging spots to complete, with over $7.5 million being spent on explosives (close to $199,776,470 today) between Terrace Bay and Marathon with new immigrants from China, the British Isles, and Europe having to endure dangerous working conditions— the park is named after a novice railroad worker who helped build the railroad through the area. Be it the stretch of railway by Neys, the old CN station on Water Street, or the glory days of VIA passenger service, trains can evoke memories of the past.

Whether it’s the past, present, or future, our May issue is about trains and railways. As part of the cover story, Matt Prokopchuk looks at the high demand for railway conductors, Betty Carpick reflects on the 1905 forced relocation of Fort William First Nation to build a

From Our Instagram Feed

grain terminus for the Grand Trunk Pacific railway, Kelsey Raynard delves into the history of the shortlived Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railway, and Sidney Ulakovic profiles local trainspotter Bryden See. Plus, Bonnie Schiedel digs into Thunder Bay’s history of rail through a timeline and infographic. Keeping with our theme, music columnist Gord Ellis talks train songs, Courtney Turner explores Silver Mountain station in our architecture feature, and film columnist Michael Sobota shares his favourite movies about trains.

Also in the pages of the issue, we get a sneak peek at the Thunder Bay Border Cats’ upcoming season, Zack Kruzins goes for a spring paddle around Silver Islet, and chef Rachel Bayes serves up a delicious breakfast charcuterie board just in time for Mother’s Day.

Northwestern Ontario’s railway history represents a legacy of unification, but it also represents one of exploitation of workers and expropriation of land from Indigenous people—something to consider next time you see a train rolling round the bend.

-Adrian Lysenko

Featured Contributor On the Cover

Adam Sabaz

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Adam loves the city and everything it has to offer, whether it’s music, food, art, or the great outdoors. An avid musician and photographer (find his photos on his Facebook page, Thunder Bay Landscapes) he can be found taking pictures at music performances or out hiking in the surrounding area.

Check out his review and photos of Conversation’s concert at Black Pirates Pub on page 75.

First Transcontinental Train in Fort William, June 30, 1886

Courtesy of the Thunder Bay Museum

Ontario Parks

“My teachers are focused on my success”

You belong here

Noondaagotoon! 1

May 3

Fort William Historical Park

If you’ve been to a Noondaagotoon concert before, it will come as no surprise that this event is becoming an annual tradition for music lovers throughout our community—and if you haven’t, this event is a must-add to your yearly calendar. Noondaagotoon, which translates to “play it (so it makes a sound)” in Ojibwe, is an annual collaboration between the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and a number of Indigenous performers and musicians. This musical, cultural, and spiritual experience provides all of us with an exciting opportunity for musical reconciliation with Fort William First Nation. Held at Fort William Historical Park, Noondaagotoon starts at 7:30 pm and will end at 10:30 pm. The event is free to attend, but tickets are still required (available on TBSO’s website). tbso.ca

Angelique Francis 2

May 4

The Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society is closing out their 22nd season with a concert from Juno Award-winning artist Angelique Francis. Francis is a true multi-hyphenate: this Canadian singer, songwriter, and composer plays a number of instruments, and her music is an eclectic mix of blues, soul, folk, Americana, jazz, gospel, and rock. Soulful, energetic, and downright funky, this concert promises to deliver the same electrifying performance that shot Francis to fame at such a young age (she debuted on the Oprah Network at only 13 years old!). This concert will be held on May 4 at McGillivray’s Landing, located at Fort William Historical Park; the show starts at 8 pm and tickets are $40 each, available on Eventbrite through the Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society website.

sleepinggiant.ca

4

May 5

Spring Craft Revival

Waterfront District

Spring is officially in the air, and that means Thunder Bay’s largest craft market is returning. The 2024 Spring Craft Revival is coming to Thunder Bay’s Downtown and Waterfront District between 10 am and 4 pm on Sunday, May 5. Since 2014, this volunteer-run event has supported local artisans and makers throughout our region and has brought together thousands of shoppers in a true celebration of all things local. If you’ve never been, Craft Revival hosts hundreds of local vendors, as well as live music and performers, in dozens of locations throughout downtown Port Arthur, and is completely free to attend (just save some cash for the awesome products you’ll want to buy). Watch the Craft Revival website and social media (@craftrevivaltbay on Facebook and Instagram) for the full list of vendors and locations to be announced. craftrevival.ca

3

51st Folklore Festival 2024

May 4 & 5

Fort William Gardens and Curling Club

For over 50 years, the Folklore Festival has been celebrating the vast diversity of cultures that makes Thunder Bay such an amazing place to live. This year, the festival is celebrating its 51st year, returning to the Fort William Gardens & Curling Club on May 4 & 5. This event truly has it all, with children’s activities, arts and crafts, international beer and wine, food, entertainment, music, dancing, and more. The 51st Folklore Festival will be held from noon to 11 pm on May 4 and from noon to 7 pm on May 5. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, $1 for children ages 4–12, and free for children 3 and under. For more information, check out the festival’s website. folklorefestival.ca

Border Cats Opening Night 5 May 31

Port Arthur Stadium

Take me out to the ballgame! May 31 officially marks the start of baseball season, as the Thunder Bay Border Cats play their 2024 home opener game against the Minnesota Mud Puppies at Port Arthur Stadium. First pitch will happen at 7:35 pm, and guests can enjoy postgame fireworks to celebrate the occasion. This game is the first of four held in town, with two games against the Mud Puppies and two against the Eau Claire Express. Single game tickets go on sale May 1 at the stadium box office, and season tickets are available on the Northwoods League website. northwoodsleague.com

Fort William Historical Park

James Mirabelli

New

574 Sneakers

Birkenstock

VEJA Sneakers

Weekender Bag

Lemon Jelly Splashy Bag

Puffy Heart Bracelet

Vintage Dean Chili Bag

Mama Sweatshirt Secrid Mini Wallets Mini Virtue Bag

Puffy Heart Huggies

Steel Wheels Railways of the Lakehead

Spend any amount of time in TBay and you will notice the trains: the colourful logos and graffiti art on the cars, the rumblescreech-whistle cacophony, and the feeling of bumping over the tracks that criss-cross our streets and waterfront. For some, trains and railroads evoke a sense of adventure and possibility, connecting our remote city to a wider world. In this, the first ever Trains issue of The Walleye, we take a closer look at trains in Thunder Bay’s past, present and future. All aboard!

- Bonnie Schiedel

Special thanks to the Thunder Bay Museum and Dave Battistel/Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! padwrr.com

Bryden See

Fire Hill Bay, east of Nipigon

Industry Demand

College Aiming to Get Railway Conductor Course Back on Track

By Matt Prokopchuk

Officials with Confederation College say with the high demand for qualified railway conductors in Canada, they feel that a restart of the school’s program that confers those certificates can help fill that need.

In the past, the college has offered a 12-week intensive course (the school says it dates back to 2009) that trains students to work as conductors. Conductors serve a variety of functions and are integral to the operation of a railway, including coupling and uncoupling train cars (effectively making up a train by switching the various cars it comprises), operating track switches, managing scheduling, and ensuring that safety protocols are followed and that cargo is delivered, among other duties. College officials had

the railway association’s website. It has a mixture of classroom instruction and on-site learning. “We do some practical components, whereby we take them out to the rail site […] and help them with the practicum, the coupling and uncoupling, and just making sure that everyone has the opportunity to put some of the theory in [practice],” Ozbolt says. “It is the national standard and […] it’s a good foundational type of program that helps prepare these students for when it comes time to get on to one of the bigger companies.”

And the large railway companies that operate in this country appear to need the help. As of mid-April, CN and CPKC (formerly CP Rail) had a combined 50-plus job postings for railway conductors at various locations across Canada, many of them publicly advertising relocation incentives or signing bonuses— some as high as five figures. Neither company made a representative available for an interview with The Walleye prior to deadline, but in an

email, CPKC spokesperson Terry Cunha confirmed that the company is scheduled to launch a targeted hiring campaign for conductors in Thunder Bay, while CN spokesperson Ashley Michnowski said in an email that conductors are “in high demand” there.

“Talking to some of our partners directly, many have said there’s a shortage and they’re harder to find—qualified people—and they do strongly support the need of having people trained to help try to broaden the talent pool that they can draw from,” Ozbolt says.

“We still think that there’s a great opportunity to help support these railway companies that are here locally, regionally, and […] right across the country.”

To stay up to date with the college’s plans for the railway conductor program, visit confederationcollege.ca.

said earlier this year that the program was set to relaunch this spring, after being put on hold around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that timeline has been pushed back.

“We’re looking at bringing it back at a later date—the date hasn’t been determined—but we’re talking with our partners, our community partners and our industry partners,” says Jason Ozbolt, the director of workforce development at the college, stressing that their intent is to continue the program. “We’ll hopefully revisit this later in the year and try to see if we can bring it back together.”

Confederation College’s course uses a curriculum developed by the Railway Association of Canada, and is one of only four schools in the country that offers it, according to

 Jason Ozbolt, Confederation College's director of workforce development and Carol Cline, the college’s dean of workforce development

Scott Hobbs

Connor Kilgour

The Right to Be

The Impact of Transcontinentalthe Railway on Fort William First Nation

By Betty Carpick

Canadians have been educated to believe in the inferiority of Indigenous nations and in the superiority of European nations. This history and its aftermath, therefore, should not be seen as an Aboriginal problem; it’s a Canadian one.

Justice Murray Sinclair

All people and cultures are living histories. Historical events form layers to connect the dots from the past to where we are today. The ongoing process of reconciliation invites us to understand history so that we can each do our bit and ensure that corporate powers are doing their job.

The colonial and capitalistic agendas of European settlers’ church and government are accountable for centuries of forced relocation and land loss on Turtle Island. This is a story of how colonization is responsible for lost lives, land, culture, language, identity, and pride including past harms on Fort William First Nation’s traditional territory.

For thousands of years, the Anishinabek people on the western end of Kitchigami (Lake Superior) held their own worldview with spirituality, social structures, governance, resource use, healthcare, and education passed down between generations. Life was closely tied to a seasonal cycle and subsisting off the land. In the 1650s, French explorers, traders, and missionaries arrived on the scene anxious to find the Northwest Passage. From first contact, France and Britain engaged in an ego-driven pissing match of conflicts and alliances that ignored the rights of the Indigenous people while having significant, wideranging, long-lasting impacts on the First Peoples’ boundaries, trade, and way of life.

Fast forward to 1867, when the Dominion of Canada was formed, and the federal government took control of First Nations peoples and lands. The Fathers of Confederation were itching to expand the Dominion and began building the world’s longest coast to coast transcontinental

railway. Railway history in Canada reads like a mashup of hierarchies with imperialistic motivations and political intrigue. The government and the railways were in cahoots to secure Indigenous land title for infrastructure development, resource extraction, and agricultural settlement. This meant ignoring living relationships inherent in treaties, centuries-old Indigenous perspectives, and pushing Indigenous people onto marginal lands.

The Anishinabek of Fort William had thrived with a meaningful, deep connection to their home with its distinctive proximity to Kitchigami, the Kaministiquia and Pigeon Rivers, the bounty of the boreal forest, and fertile farmland. Meanwhile, surveyors, railway officials, and government

agents had a deliberate plan up their sleeve to develop the region as a leading transhipment hub for the prairie wheat market.

To get in on the action, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway hatched a dodgy scheme to build a grain terminus on Fort William First Nation. In 1905, despite resistance, the entire village and 1,600 acres of prime land was expropriated by Grand Trunk. Community members were abruptly split up and relocated to either Squaw Bay or the other half of the mountain. A church and traditional burial site were moved, and all buildings were evacuated in the single largest railway expropriation in Canadian history. The self-reliant people who had lived a traditional sustainable

life for generations were faced with one option: adaptation.

Unable to compete with the Canadian National Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Grand Trunk Pacific went bankrupt, and the terminus was never completed. The stolen land was taken over by the CNR.

It’s taken decades of restoration for the people of Fort William First Nation to address the upheaval. In 2016, Fort William First Nation received an offer of settlement from the federal government. Away from the negotiating tables, sections of the moss-covered rail bed are gradually returning to the land while the people remain, too strong to ignore or subdue.

 Farm homes in Fort William First Nation reserve near the site of the previous Roman Catholic Mission along the shore of the Mission River in 1898

 Turning of first sod of Grand Trunk Pacific railway at Fort William, September 1905

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

The Little Railway That Couldn’t

The Short-Lived Legacy of the Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railway

By Kelsey Raynard

For many of us in Thunder Bay, travelling to Duluth is a quick and easy weekend getaway. However, 150 years ago, with no ground transportation link between these two cities, we faced extreme geographical isolation. Then, in the late 1800s, a groundbreaking idea was conceived: a regional railway that would support the burgeoning resource industries in Northwestern Ontario and would connect us with Duluth, the only city located less than 700 kms away. While this railway promised to bring prosperity and new opportunities to the North, a legacy of mismanagement and misfortune led to its untimely demise.

The Port Arthur, Duluth and Western (PAD&W) Railway, also known as the PD, was first proposed as a more efficient way to transport silver ore from mines located southwest of what is now Thunder Bay to larger city centres like Port Arthur or Duluth. After multiple unsuccessful appeals to Parliament, a charter was finally granted to the Thunder Bay Colonization Railway (and like the greater colonial project, it too was doomed to fail). After large iron deposits were found at Gunflint Lake near Duluth in Minnesota, enough interest and funding was generated to begin construction on the newly named Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railway in 1889.

Local teacher and railway historian Dave Battistel, who runs the padwrr. com website dedicated to local railway history, says that the vision for this railway was informed by the pioneering spirit of people who lived in our region at the time. “The early people who lived in this area put a lot of emphasis on transportation and trying to bring rail lines, roads, and even sources of communication into what is still to this day an isolated area,” Battistel explains. “Their desire to try and establish industry, whether it be silver or iron or even logging, was an attempt to attract people to come to this area for business and capital. A lot of people don’t

realize how much of our early history is attributed to this railway.”

This optimism and vision, unfortunately, was completely shattered by a series of unfortunate events that is almost comical in their scale. A devastating fire at the company’s engine house in 1891, the collapse of the silver market in 1892, the closure of iron mines in 1893, widespread wildfires in 1894, and bankruptcy in 1898 were just some of the troubles the railway faced in its early years. “You basically have a dysfunctional rail line, built literally into the middle of nowhere, that has no permanence,” Battistel laughs. American author James Oliver Curwood rode on the PAD&W in 1910 and affectionately nicknamed it the “Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want” railway. Even a massive caterpillar infestation is part of the PAD&W’s history.

The line was officially abandoned in 1938 after years of dysfunction and declining business, and the railway construction never even made it all the way to its intended destination of Duluth. While the PAD&W had anything but a fairy tale ending, its history can still reveal a lot about the realities of this time period. “Sometimes we forget how these railways shaped our cultural and physical landscape. Even a lot of the social aspects get overlooked,” says Lakehead University history professor Beverly Soloway. The thousands of immigrants who helped to build Canada’s regional railways, the “Beanery Queens” who operated diners along the railroad to feed travellers and workers, the social hierarchies formed within rail towns, and the underlying desire for physical and social connection to other parts of the world are all legacies left behind from the PAD&W. While we may marvel at the misfortune that plagued this railway, we can still admire the trailblazing and tenacious spirit that brought it to life in the first place.

Dave Battistel

Dave Battistel

Lakehead

An Incredible Moment

Local Trainspotter Shares Sightings on Instagram

Story by Sidney Ulakovic, Photos by Bryden See

It’s a very, very thrilling experience to catch up to a train, and then get ahead of a train, and then pull up as quick as you can and get your camera ready, because they’re usually going by at 95 kilometres an hour,” says local trainspotter Bryden See. “It’s like a hobby for adrenaline junkies.” You may be more familiar with See as @the_rubberboot_ninja on Instagram, where she has shared her sightings of trains throughout the region over the years with a series of creative photos.

See has always been interested in photography, focusing mainly on landscape and wildlife, but her unique hobby of chasing and capturing photos of trains began only a few years ago and involves a little family history. “As a kid, my grandpa worked on trains,” See says. “So oddly enough, everywhere we’ve lived, we usually lived near the train tracks.” She explains that one day she was out for a walk by the tracks taking photos to unwind and happened to get a few of a train as it went by. Her neighbour saw the train photos and asked if she would make a print of one to give to a friend. “I think after that I just kept trying to take that picture better,” See says. “And from there it just became the thrill of hunting down a train.”

See has that hunt down to a science, having once successfully tracked down the same train and crew seven times in one day. Inevitably, she became a topic of conversation amongst conductors and crew members, who were wondering who this mystery person was they always saw taking pictures of them, prompting them to eventually reach out to her via Instagram to connect. “They found it so much fun to see pictures of themselves in the trains,” See says. “Those are my favourite pictures—them

in there with smiles on their faces or waving at me out the window or giving me the peace sign or whatever. It wouldn’t be as fun if they didn’t support it.”

Aside from the connections she’s made, See says the time spent in the outdoors, immersed in the beauty of our region and encountering wildlife, adds a therapeutic element to the hobby while also creating a feeling of being connected to the history of trains and railroads in Canada.

“The history of our railroad in Canada, compared to other railroads, is incredible,” See says. “When you get out towards Terrace Bay and Marathon, it’s very hilly and rocky—just huge rock cut—and then the train and the lake. It’s just phenomenal that they built that.”

That history intersected with her own when See visited a historic station in Searchmont, Ont., just outside of where she grew up, that used to be home to Algoma Central Railway, the company her late grandfather had worked for. “I always think that my grandpa would just get an absolute kick out of it, like just shake his head and probably think it’s hilarious that that’s what I’m out doing,” See says. “It’s definitely something that’s kept a good strong connection with my grandpa.” As she explored the trainyard, she heard the familiar sound of a train approaching. “To be in an over 100-year-old train station and hear the train and have the train go by was just absolutely an incredible moment.”

To follow along See’s adventures, you can follow her Instagram @the_rubberboot_ninja. She urges others who are interested in exploring the hobby of trainspotting to be cautious and alert.

 CPR President’s Train in Rosslyn

 Trainspotter Bryden See

 CN crew at the Thunder Bay waterfront

 Eastbound over the Nipigon River bridge at sunset

 Reflection on Lake Superior’s shoreline

 Captured near Gravel River

Trains, By the Numbers

By Bonnie Schiedel

192 m (630 feet)

Length of the defunct Flett Tunnel northwest of Kakabeka Falls, making it one of the longest train tunnels in eastern Canada7

$6.7M

$31B USD Up to $24.3M

Amount announced in March 2024 by the federal Ministry of Transport to improve the Port of Thunder Bay, including adding new heavyweight rail track and switches and improving rail crossing infrastructure13

Cost for CP to acquire Kansas City Southern Railway in 2021, merging in 2023 to become CPKC, the first single-line rail system to connect Canada, the United States, and Mexico12

$1.33

Cost to ride the Muskeg Express at Centennial Park for kids aged 6 to 146

27

Number of members belonging to the Thunder Bay Model Railroaders2

Amount that the CPKC Holiday Train has raised in North America in its 25-year history; it has also collected approximately 5.3M lbs of food for food banks10

Adrian Lysenko

The Transportation Museum of Thunder Bay

49,422 km

Total length of track system in Canada; freight operations generate 95% of the annual income (so just 5% is generated from transportation)5

9 m

Height of the James Street Swing Bridge (officially known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Swing Bridge), constructed in 1907/089

(30 feet) (2,258 feet)

330M+

Weight, in tonnes, of freight moved by Canadian railways in 20228

1April 2024 interview with TBRHS representative 2April 2024 correspondence with TBMR representative 3April 2024 correspondence with CPKCR representative 4https://www.thunderbay.ca/en/city-hall/ chippewa-park-history.aspx 5https:// railwaysuppliers.ca/english/industry/industryinformation.html/industry-statistics 6https:// www.thunderbay.ca/en/recreation/city-parks. aspx#centennial-park 7https://padwrr.com/ grand-trunk-pacific-railway/flett-tunnel/ 8https://www.railcan.ca/101/canadas-freightrailways-moving-the-economy/ 9https:// padwrr.com/grand-trunk-pacific-railway/gtpswing-bridge/ 10https://www.cpkcr.com/en/ community/HolidayTrain 11https://padwrr.com/ canadian-northern-railway/canadian-northernrailway-east/blende-river-viaduct/ 12https:// globalnews.ca/news/9623982/canadianpacific-kansas-city/ 13https://www.railwayage. com/intermodal/transport-canada-c6-7mm-toincrease-capacity-at-port-of-thunder-bay/

1,000

Approximate number of visitors, from 30 countries, that visited the Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society’s restored 1929 caboose at Marina Park in 20231

192 1960

Number of railroaders employed by CPKCR in Thunder Bay3

Year that the Lakehead Express miniature train opened at Chippewa Park4

688 m (30,709 miles)

Length of the Pass Lake Trestle (officially known as the Blende River Viaduct); this trestle is 39.6 m (130 feet) high at the highest point. In 1912 a worker fell from the trestle but landed in muskeg and survived11

Thunder Bay Museum

Dave Battistel

Thunder Bay Museum

A Train Timeline

By Bonnie Schiedel

The first spike, the golden age of passenger trains, the rise of grain elevators, labour unrest, transporting ore and other goods around the world, a royal visit, going off to war…trains are an essential part of TBay history. Just think of that the next time you’re stuck waiting at a crossing!

First of a series of CPR grain elevators built; undated picture shows train at the Lakehead’s first grain elevator, operated by CPR in Port Arthur

First CPR train crosses the Kaministiquia River

First Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) train runs out of Fort William; shown are engineer Dave Miller, fireman W. Stevenson, and conductor M. Grant

First sod on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was turned in Westfort on June 1; no picture taken at the time but this image shows the area in 1888

First transcontinental train arrives in Fort William, June 30

Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railway (PAD&W) opens on June 1, connecting Port Arthur to Gunflint Lake, Minn.

CN Station on Water Street is constructed, shown here in 1915

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

The Current River Flood: On May 27, the Paquette Dam burst, releasing 200 million cubic feet of water; part of the CPR track was destroyed and a freight train derailed, with five casualties

Fort William train station constructed on Syndicate Avenue; undated picture

Royal Train bearing King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrives in Port Arthur, May 28

CoverStory

Trains transport troops and war materiel; picture shows anti-aircraft searchlight on flatbed carrier of CN army train

Martial law declared in Fort William after striking freight handlers clash with CPR police; picture shows houses at coal docks being searched on August 13

First GTP passenger train arrives in Fort William on June 7 Passenger train service to Thunder Bay ends on January 15

The Lake Superior Regiment boards the train in Port Arthur, en route to training at Camp Borden, October 10

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Brian Martyniuk

Once you’ve gotten your favourite goodies together, here are some tips to make your board look fantastic: Consider shapes and sizes

Roll or fold sliced cheese and meats, and get creative with fruits—slice them into wedges, use cookie cutters for fun shapes, or keep them whole if you wish (maybe not the melons). Don't forget to add some height and dimension with small bowls

Choose Your Own (Breakfast) Adventure

By Chef Rachel Bayes

Looking to rock brunch for the bunch without the usual kitchen chaos? Enter the breakfast charcuterie board! It’s your ticket to becoming the breakfast hero, brunch boss, and morning munchies maestro—all without breaking a sweat. Packed with brunch classics and morning must-haves, it’s a feast fit for the breakfast

or ramekins (filled with jams, dips, and spreads), or even mini cake stands if you want to be super fancy.

Bursts of colour

Fresh strawberries, juicy blueberries, vibrant orange wedges, and pretty pink raspberries, mixed up with contrasting hues—pair yellow pineapple with red or purple grapes.

Add fresh herbs or edible flowers

Think basil and chive blossoms, mint leaves, or

aficionados and pickiest eaters alike. From juicy fruits to piping hot delights, this spread promises a flavour symphony that’ll have you reaching for the maple syrup bottle with gusto. There are no rules here—just creativity. With a food-safe board or platter, a handful of serving utensils, and a sprinkle of imagination, you’ll be whipping up

Cantaloupe

Honeydew

Watermelon

Pineapple

Kiwis

Mangoes

Bananas

Oranges

Grapefruit

Grapes

Berries

Avocado

Pears

Stilton with fruit (like apricot, cranberry, or blueberry)

Gouda Cheddar Whipped cream cheese

Boursin or Alouette (sweet or savoury)

Brie

Goat cheese

violets and pansies for a beautiful pop of colour and infused flavours (*and a nod to my first-ever Walleye article back in 2010!)

The good kind of cluster

Keep savoury items with savoury and sweet things with sweet to avoid crosscontamination and wonky flavour combinations (unless that’s your thing). Also, try your hand at funky arrangements: circles of fruit, a wavy line of mini waffles,

brunch charcuterie like a pro in no time.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with options? Fear not! The 3-3-3-3-3 Rule is a surefire way to nail variety without emptying your wallet. Just choose three from each column and watch your charcutes game soar without breaking the bank.

Bacon

Prosciutto Sausage links

Salami

Ham

Chorizo

Lox

Sliced corned beef

Steak Cottage cheese

Hard-boiled eggs

Greek yogurt

Vegan patties

Mini waffles

Mini pancakes

Small bagels

Mini muffins

Mini

cinnamon rolls

Doughnuts/ doughnut holes

Croissants

French toast sticks

Biscuits

or geometric meat patterns.

Drink pairings

For the whole “continental breakfast at a swanky hotel” feel, try serving some classics alongside the charcuterie board: freshly squeezed juice, iced coffee or cold brew, a mimosa bar (boozy or not).

#TeamExtra considerations:

• Themed boards can be fun; try locally grown/ produced ingredients,

Nuts (sweet or savoury) like almonds, pecans, cashews, etc.

Jam Honey

Maple syrup

Whipped cream

Dried fruit (like mango or apricot)

Nut butter

Edible flowers* or fresh herbs

or your favourite ethnic fare (e.g. Mediterranean or Mexican).

• Pop label cards on items or make a map so guests know what they’re reaching for.

• Keep your friends’ dietary needs in mind, and offer alternatives if needed.

• Stay food safe and don’t leave food out for more than two hours.

Proteins Starches

Cheeses Fruits

Nourish Intuitive Eating Counselling

Spritz Luce Del Sole

Giorg Cucina é Barra

DRINK OF THE MONTH

Story by Jeannie Dubois, Photo by Jack Barten

Although they’ve received international awards for their inspired culinary offerings, Giorg is no less deserving of accolades for their superlative imbibements. In that vein, sweet Marie has stirred up a sunny spritz just in time for spring to be in full swing. The Luce Del Sole (that appropriately means “sunlight”) features the highly underused liqueur strega, which yields its golden tone from an infusion of saffron. It also boasts a recipe including 70 herbs, the most predominant of which are mint and fennel, lending it a cool and coniferous character. Add to that gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, orange bitters, and top it all off with some frizzante prosecco and one has decadent, sparkling sunshine in a Collins glass. Cosi buono!

Coco Bay

New Restaurant Offers Authentic Asian Cuisine

Review by Susan Pretty, Photos by Adrian Lysenko

Phuong (Julie) Pham knows her way around a noodle bowl, and that’s probably why it didn’t take long for the word to get out about Coco Bay. Opening their doors on Easter weekend made for a welcome respite from the usual traditional ham dinner. With a trio of specialty dishes—pho, ramen, and the famous noodle bowl—Coco Bay offers diners a splendid opportunity to treat their taste buds.

With over 20 years experience in restaurant kitchens, Pham and her family know how to cook, and the fact that Pham enjoys cooking for others is evident. “I like to make people happy with food,” she says. “There’s nothing better than seeing customers enjoy what’s been prepared for them.” The soup broth is simmered for hours to extract rich flavours, and contains only the best cuts of meat. “They are easier on the knife,” Pham says.

The ramen is an absolute delight to behold. Generous pieces of pork belly, bean sprouts, bok choy, green onion, and even a cheeky whisper of nori makes for a beautiful presentation. The true showstopper

is the lightly marinated soft egg, which is an authentic, umami treat. “The egg has to be perfect,” Pham jokes. “And if it’s not, we eat a lot of eggs around here. Some days we are on an egg diet.”

The pho dac biet is a combination of rare beef, meatballs, and tripe (for the adventurous palate). With an aromatic broth and served with a side plate of lime, cilantro, and basil (Thai basil—Pham insists), it’s a comforting experience like no other.

Bun thit nuong literally means “grilled meat on noodles.” With a glorious array of proteins (beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, tofu, or a mix of a select few, or all), and the experience of pouring that secret sauce over the noodles, the bun thit nuong is a sublime dining experience. Generous and tasty slices of spring roll top the dish to complete the meal.

Come hungry and leave stuffed. Coco Bay is open every day of the week till 9. Make it a Coco Bay day!

Coco Bay

Thinking About Food Systems Across the Lake Superior Watershed

By Courtney Vaughan, Lake Superior Living Labs Network

The Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy (TBAFS) is an active member of the Lake Superior Living Labs Network (LSLLN), a platform that connects academic and community groups across the Lake Superior watershed. A central

idea behind the LSLLN is that to solve complex problems like food insecurity, poverty, climate change, and anti-Indigenous racism, we need collaborative approaches that involve all people and the environments they depend upon across the Lake

Superior watershed. Thinking at the level of a watershed encourages us to move past the boundaries that constrain us and develop creative and meaningful solutions together. Watershed thinking helps us consider, for example, how our food system interacts with the social and ecological systems that affect equity, health, culture and identity, and environment.

In June 2022, I went out in the big canoe with local Métis leaders and their family on Bawaating, the rapids that connect Lake Superior and Lake Huron. I had brought my fishing gear in case the kids wanted to try their luck. As we got on the water, I noticed a smell—I supposed nothing out of the ordinary, the steel plant was probably burning something. We continued to paddle on the river, doing a little tour closer to the rapids, and swinging around back to the canal. The next day, I learned that the steel plant in Sault Ste. Marie had an oil leak the night before, and that the oil was steadily flowing down the St. Mary’s River towards my hometown, Echo Bay, just east of Ketegaunseebee (Garden River First Nation). Shortly after, my mother and sister were told not to drink their water—city or well. People had to truck water in for drinking, in the heart of the Great Lakes.

This incident was a stark reminder that what happens upstream is felt downstream. Although the steel plant does not affect my drinking water, other industries do. Smelts, an abundant source of food for my family and many other communities each spring, are now riddled with “forever chemicals.” I am told, as a woman of child-bearing age, I

should avoid eating them altogether. Although I now live in a secluded bay on Lake Superior, other factors upstream and around the lake affect my ability to feed myself and family. This is especially concerning to me as a Métis woman whose ancestors sustained themselves on the shores of the upper Great Lakes.

Watershed thinking reinforces what the "+ Area" in the TBAFS represents: positive food systems change cannot happen in isolation; rather, it relies on the collective pursuits of multiple people in multiple places. Through working with the LSLLN and TBAFS, I have learned of the many people who are working hard to make the watershed a good place to live and eat— professors working in local food security, fish specialists studying microplastics in fish populations, young Indigenous leaders working to enhance Indigenous-specific health practices in their own communities, sailors who have circumnavigated the Lake, and many more. I have met people across the Lake Superior watershed who have reminded me that I am not alone in my fears for the wellness of this Great Lake, that I have company in my desire to take care of Gichi Gami. Working across watersheds empowers us to work as a collective—not bound by state boundaries, but connected in our shared realities, our shared hopes for a healthy home, and our shared need for clean water and nutritious food. This inter-nation, inter-sector, and inter-species approach is essential for the wellness of Thunder Bay’s food system and for food systems across the Lake Superior watershed.

Courtney Vaughan

Mimosa Mimicry

By Jeannie Dubois, Pommelier and Sommelier

There is nothing quite as majestic as the true onset of spring in Thunder Bay, when the first buds of the crocuses push up (yes, sometimes through the snow) to herald the waking earth and usher in the freshest season of the year here. Close on their heels comes the rich tapestry of tulips and drowsy daffodils nodding on their slender stems, announcing the imminent time for preparation of planting and seeding in our sunny gardens, boxes, pots, and plots with high hopes for a fecund fall harvest.

Another glad tiding of

Classic Mimosa

2½ oz sparkling wine

2½ oz orange juice (fresh-squeezed, pulp-free is preferable)

Chill a flute glass. Add the chilled sparkling wine, tipping the glass to avoid over foaming. Gently add the orange juice to the wine. Garnish with whatever you wish—a strawberry or orange wedge are classic.

spring being officially sprung is the festive, ubiquitous brunch cocktail, the celebratory mimosa. Named after the yellow-flowered acacia plant, the mimosa has a somewhat opaque history, but is often credited to a famous bartender at the Paris Ritz in the 1930s named Frank Meier. Previous to that, it had the somewhat colloquial moniker—Buck’s fizz—and didn’t truly land in our neck of the woods until the 1960s, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was seen sipping it with the Earl of Burma in the south of France and it caught on like wildfire

Variations on a theme:

The Poinsettia

½ oz orange liqueur (think Cointreau)

3 oz cranberry juice

3 oz sparkling wine

Fresh cranberries for garnish

Fresh rosemary for garnish

Pour the orange liqueur and cranberry juice into a chilled flute and stir. Gently top with sparkling wine. Add a few cranberries to the flute, and a fresh sprig of rosemary.

SUPERIOR SIP

as the drink du jour.

Since then, the mimosa has long been associated with all manner of events both warm and joyous, spawning a plethora of adjacent “osa” inspired drinks for every palate.

Sommelier’s note: originally, a mimosa recipe calls for champagne (which I’m sure the Queen was delighted by, but may not be realistic for us plebs!); however, any sparkling wine will suffice— think cremant, prosecco, cava, or even sub in soda or sparkling water. Make it your way—a me-mosa!

The Vermosa (a.k.a. Vermont Mimosa)

¼ oz maple syrup

1 oz apple brandy (Calvados is wonderful)

1½ oz apple cider

2½ oz sparkling wine

Apple peel for garnish

Add syrup, brandy, and cider to a shaker filled with ice. Shake until cold. Add sparkling wine to a chilled flute. Gently top with strained contents of the shaker. Garnish with a curled apple peel.

Megmosa

2 oz grapefruit juice (freshpressed, pulp-free is preferable)

6 oz sparkling wine

Fresh thyme sprig for garnish

Fresh grapefruit wedges for garnish

Add grapefruit juice to a chilled flute. Gently top with sparkling wine. Garnish with thyme sprig and grapefruit wedge.

Hawaii 5-Osa

3 oz pineapple juice

1 oz coconut rum (think Malibu)

3 oz sparkling wine

½ oz grenadine

Pineapple wedges for garnish

Maraschino cherries for garnish

Pour 3 oz of cool pineapple juice into a chilled flute. Add the coconut rum. Tip the glass and slowly top with 3 o. of sparkling wine. Carefully pour the ½ o. of grenadine around the edge of the glass (creates a cascade effect so do not stir). Garnish with fresh pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry.

Lemosa (for a group)

For the syrup:

1 c white sugar

1 c water

2 c fresh blueberries

Zest of 1 lemon

For the lemosa:

2 c lemonade

1 bottle sparkling wine

Fresh blueberries for garnish

In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine sugar and water and stir until dissolved. Add blueberries and lemon zest and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until blueberries have burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Strain mixture into a clean jar and let cool completely.

Pour a tablespoon of blueberry syrup into the bottom of a chilled flute. Softly add ¼ cup of lemonade. Gently top the flute with sparkling wine. Add a few fresh blueberries for garnish.

Spring towards better hearing

Vegan Mac with Savoury Salad

Bonobo’s Foods

Story and photo by Jack Barten

If asked to name five famous burgers, most people will have a handful of answers from a variety of renowned locations. However, there is one burger that would likely dominate the lists more than any other, and it hails from an establishment with a clown for a mascot. Thunder Bay's own Bonobo’s Foods now offers a modern, plant-based alternative to that iconic fast food burger with the highly anticipated return of the Vegan Mac.

A natural question arises: what

OFF THE MENU

exactly is a Vegan Mac? Let's begin with the bun. From Donato’s, this burger sleeve boasts delightful texture and flavour. With a satisfying bite and authentic bakery taste, it surpasses your typical white bread burger bun. One of its signature components of this burger is the Vegan Mac sauce. Crafted in-house, this sauce combines veganaise, Thousand Island dressing, diced pickles, and vinegar to create flavours that linger on your tongue long after you’ve returned to work from lunch.

Sharp, tangy, creamy, and utterly delicious—you couldn’t ask for more in a burger sauce.

This triumph in saucery is complemented by the freshness of the lettuce and pickles, setting the stage for the main event: the two Beyond Meat patties. Beyond Meat is a company many readers may be familiar with, specializing in plant-based alternatives to meat products. A burger made entirely from plants that tastes remarkably like beef, the Beyond Meat patties serve as the perfect foundation for the Vegan Mac. Juicy, flavourful, and comforting, it harmonizes with the vegan cheese and all the other aforementioned ingredients to create burger excellence. And, as if the Vegan Mac weren't splendid enough on its own, we enjoyed it with a savoury salad. Featuring snap

peas, fresh sprouts, cherry tomatoes, tofu, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, almonds, cashews, and gouda (either Thunder Oak or vegan), this salad serves as the ideal companion to the Mac. This salad is fresh and delectable, yet indulgent enough to feel like a treat alongside a decadent burger.

While it's undeniable that worldwide burger icons exist, it’s a lofty challenge to find a burger meal that is both tastier and made with healthier ingredients than the Vegan Mac with a savoury salad. So the next time someone prompts you to name five iconic burgers, consider giving a shout-out to this local, plantbased alternative.

Carrying on Tradition

East Coast Lobster Moves Into Historic Westfort Building

By Sidney Ulakovic

Many a TBay local will hold a memory of peeking into the tank at East Coast Lobster to pick out something special for dinner.

In the 35 years East Coast Lobster has been in business, generations of customers have walked through their doors in Brentwood Mall, and owner Aaron Gillingham hopes to carry on the tradition of bringing specialty seafood to the region in a building with quite the legacy of its own in the heart of Westfort Village.

“This building holds a lot of history in Westfort,” says Gillingham, of East Coast Lobster’s new home on Brown Street. According to Gilligham, the building was constructed in 1880 and was originally home to the R.S. Piper and Sons Hardware Store, and most recently Maier Hardware, before he purchased the building in the summer of 2021. “Because it’s such an old store, everyone has a story about it,” Gilingham says. “People are coming in and being like ‘I bought my first barbecue here,’ or ‘I got my first wagon when I was a kid here.’”

The idea was to keep the relocation on the down-low until their grand opening in early April. “We tried to open quietly,” Gillingham says. But word of mouth travelled fast as people in the area caught sight of the building’s brand new facade. “There are a lot of people coming in just to see it,” Gillingham says. “They just want to see what it looks like now, which is awesome, and we welcome those people.”

Renovations to the space took three years to complete, with a balance of preservation and modernization at the core of Gillingham’s vision. Inside the store, customers will find that balance extends to the business’ history as well, with original signage from the Brentwood Mall location thoughtfully displayed on the walls. “We included elements from the past, like pictures and art pieces, to make the new store feel like a continuation of the old one,” Gillingham says, adding that members of the Gaudette family (Linda and the late Randy Gaudette were the original owners of East Coast Lobster) were his first customers at the new location.

Building on what the Gaudette family established, Gillingham says he looks forward to expanding East Coast Lobster’s offerings. “We have much more capacity now,” he says. The addition of a commercial kitchen will allow them to produce their own seafood products in house—we’re talking marinated fish, tartar sauce, crab cakes, you name it. Gillingham is also in the process of completing an event space next door, with the idea being to host regular specialty seafood nights.

East Coast Lobster is located at 1515 Brown Street. You can find them by name on Facebook and Instagram or seafoodthunderbay.ca.

 Aaron Gillingham, owner of East Coast Lobster

 R.S. Piper and Sons Hardware Store in 1945; photo taken to celebrate the store's 40th anniversary.

 Photo of original owner, Randy Gaudette, displayed in the storefront

 Vintage advertising preserved on the side of the new location

Sidney Ulakovic Matt Popowich

Sidney Ulakovic

Thunder Bay Museum Sidney Ulakovic

Silly, Sexy, and Sharp

An Evening with Le Cabaret Noir

Review by Sidney Ulakovic, Photos by Playhouse

Please don’t tell the lovely people at Cambrian that we showed you our butts,” master of ceremonies Nancy Freeborn said to the audience as she introduced the closing night of Le Cabaret Noir’s burlesqueinspired performances on April 13. With three sold-out shows, it’s safe to say that there was a fair amount of hype surrounding these performances, and the cast and team kept that anticipation alive as theatre-goers approached Cambrian Players Theatre, the bass from the pre-show party tunes shaking the building as we walked to our seats in a dark room over a sparkly aisle-turned-runway.

Le Cabaret Noir opened the show with a fitting performance of “Welcome to Burlesque,” (from the soundtrack to the film Burlesque), which welcomed the entire cast to the stage for a sultry dance number with live vocals. The cast set the tone for the evening right from the jump. They weren’t just giving people something pretty to look at; this is a cast with some serious vocal chops, wit, and command of physical comedy. The audience erupted in applause after the first number, cheering as a sense of giddiness and excitement overtook the room.

Throughout the evening, Le Cabaret Noir captivated the audience with their modern take on vaudeville cabaret. The show integrated skits between each performance, packing each segment of the show with charm and presenting opportunities for every cast member to sprinkle their personality into their role. Aside from bringing her powerhouse vocals to the table, Freeborn shined with her impeccable tone and delivery, in addition to writing a very memorable script. Cassandra Votes returned to the stage with a performance

that put the cake in “Birthday Cake” by Rihanna—no, really, there was an audible gasp from an audience member when she first turned around. Angela Valela and Martina Vaillant also delivered standout solo vocal performances, and Jessi McCulloch—director, choreographer, and H.B.I.C. (that’s Head Bitch In Charge, for the uninitiated)—brought that energy to the stage for every number.

As the show encouraged the audience to celebrate sensuality and embrace subjects that can make people uncomfortable, they didn’t shy away from being downright stupid with some of the humour—we’re talking straightfaced serenades to sex toys—and this definitely paid off with plenty of hoots, hollers, and laughter garnered from the crowd. That being said, Le Cabaret Noir’s setlist demonstrated range, with the raunchier parts generally followed by palate cleansers where the crowd was treated to some really emotive and expressive performances, most notably “I See Red” by Everybody Loves an Outlaw in Act Two.

The troupe’s finale was performed to “A&W” by Lana Del Rey, a song that has received critical acclaim for its critique of rape culture, and was truly a brilliant closer for a show that, at its heart, is concerned with unpacking the stigma of being sexual. With six months of rehearsal and preparation behind them, Le Cabaret Noir’s final product was not only silly, sexy, and sharp, but pushed the boundaries of local theatre—something McCulloch and the cast should be proud of.

Le Cabaret Noir’s next show Vixens is on June 1 at NV. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com.

Liars at a Funeral

A Farce with Heart comes to the Bay

By Taylor Onski

Isee dysfunctional families everywhere. We all have them,” says playwright Sophia Fabiilli.

“I’ve just decided to put them centre stage.”

From that idea, Fabiilli, a high school English and drama teacher from Kingston, Ontario, wrote Liars at a Funeral, in 2016. When she then won the Ellen Ross Stuart Opening Doors Award for emerging young writers for the play, she began a relationship with The Blyth Festival, a professional theatre festival in Blyth, Ontario, which resulted in Liars at a Funeral having its professional premier in 2023. Now, Fabiilli’s play will have its second professional production at Magnus Theatre.

In the play, in an effort to reunite her estranged and dysfunctional family, a grandmother decides to fake her own death, thus forcing her family to come together and face each other in a small-town funeral parlour. With five actors tasked to play 10 characters, audiences will see Fabiilli’s fast-paced writing bring this story to life, and break some of the traditional rules of a farce.

“It’s not a true farce because there’s a little bit more drama than a traditional farce. I wrote a farce

with heart,” says Fabiilli. “Farce is not the most feminist as it’s usually about men hoodwinking women and they are the butt of the joke. So I had this idea of writing a feminist farce. I put the grandmother at the centre of this story, and three generations of women, something I don’t often see onstage.”

Defying conventions, and with much laughter and heart, Liars at a Funeral will take audiences on a roller-coaster ride with this complicated family, as well as hopefully make them feel like they’re not the only ones in a dysfunctional family. Because frankly, all families can carry some dysfunction.

“I hope audiences laugh a lot, and then feel their hearts open a bit, or a bit better, or freer,” says Fabiilli. “We all have bonkers families sometimes. Hopefully this is a bit of catharsis and if you feel a little more open to connection afterwards, that would be all I could hope for.”

with the Best Certified Instruction

Wilderness First Aid: May 25-Jun 3

Basic Sea Kayak Skills: Jun 29/30 & Aug 17/18

Intermediate Sea Kayak:Jun 12-15 & Aug 23-27

Sea Kayak Instructor: Jun 17-20

Canoe Instructor: Jun 20-23

SUP Instructor: Jul 1-3

Liars at a Funeral runs from May 9 to 25 at Magnus Theatre. To purchase tickets, visit magnustheatre.com.

Playwright Sophia Fabiilli

OPEN:

Movies About Trains

By Michael Sobota

TTHE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK

A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES

Your wife. My father. Criss-cross.

-Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) discusses with Guy Haines (Farley Granger) whom they would each murder in Strangers on A Train.

rains have been both objects and subjects of cinematic treatment since the Lumiere brothers first filmed a 45-second black-and-white scene of a train rumbling into La Ciotat station in southern France. That was in 1895. The sequence terrified first-time viewers. Some of the greatest novelists and then script writers set their stories on trains, attracting great directors and actors to transfer them to the big screen. Here are four great stories that feature the clicky-clack of the tracks in their rhythmic narratives.

The General (1926)

Buster Keaton created one of the finest train movies ever. Set during the American Civil War period, the movie features Keaton as a droll, doleful train engineer. With the war playing out in background scenes, Keaton, on a train, has two main objectives: to save his girlfriend, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack) and his own original train, both of which have been confiscated by Union spies. With nearly constant motion, the movie is a journey story. Keaton executes daring feats of agility, dexterity, and jawdropping physical comedy that was as dangerous in its time as some acts of warfare themselves. And he carries out all his stunts himself. There are no doubles substituting for his character and no trick technology to pull off these awesome effects. And no dialogue. The movie is this master silent clown in motion. It is an hour and 20 minutes of cinematic gold.

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Working from a script co-written by Raymond Chandler, Czenzi Ormonde, and Whitfield Cook based on Patricia Highsmith’s original novel, director Alfred Hitchcock uses the convenience of two strangers who stumble into casual conversation on a train to launch a complicated, ambitious double murder plot. He uses those opening scenes on the train almost as a lulling device, allowing Guy Haines (Fraley Granger) and Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) to reveal confidentialities to each other. And we, the audience, are drawn into that lulling rhythm. They reveal who is the “most hated” person in each of their lives. Bruno proposes they each murder the other’s despised person. With that goal established, Hitchcock meanders through smart dialogue and sharp, atmospheric cinematography by Robert Burks and a haunting score from Dimitri Tiomkin. A paler shade of this same plot would be recreated in 1987’s Throw Momma from the Train, starring Danny DeVito and Billy Crystal.

Dr. Zhivago (1965)

Yes, David Lean’s version of this now iconic romantic Russian love story has an important place in the roster of movies and railroads. He worked with his favourite screenwriter, Robert Bolt, on a script based on Boris Pasternack’s novel (as an aside, Pasternack won the Nobel Prize in Literature the year it was published). The movie opens at the graveside of young Zhivago’s grandmother. It is late autumn; leaves are fluttering down almost in time with Maurice Jarre’s balalaika-influenced score. Startlingly, Lean takes us inside the coffin as it is lowered into the ground. We see the corpse of Zhivago’s grandmother and hear thuds as shovels of dirt are flung onto it. These are just a few of the brilliant moments Lean gives us in telling this story on the big screen. Set in Russian in the period leading up to and during the revolution of 1917, Bolt’s script gives the audience scenes of delicate intimacy, winter beauty, and military slaughter. And yes, train sequences are numerous. They show us troop movements via railroad and there are important, onboard character reveals in crackling dialogue. The trains crossing those supposed Russian steppes are the Canadian Pacific with our Rocky Mountains in the background. There is even a shot of a frozen house that was filmed in Morley Flats, Alberta.

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

There have been four feature films made from Agatha Christie’s popular mystery that takes place entirely on a train. The exotic setting, the classical passenger train with private quarters, a now iconic inspector (Hercule Poirot), and an abundance of colourful travellers all lend themselves to movie magic. I believe the best of these is Sidney Lumet’s version from 1974. With Albert Finney as Poirot and an ensemble of some of the best Hollywood actors of that era, including Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, and Ingrid Bergman (she would go on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance), Lumet dazzles us with the mystery, sticking close to Christie’s original plot and narrative. It is a model for how to bring a popular book to the screen and keep it fresh and interesting.

And here are six more movies-in-motion worthy of your reviewing or reengagement: Some Like It Hot (1959), Silver Streak (1976), Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002), The Polar Express (2004), Snowpiercer (2013,) and Compartment No. 6 (2021).

UPCOMING SHOWTIMES:

May 1st 7:00PM

May 15th 7:00PM

May 29th 7:00PM

DEFINITELY SUPERIOR ART GALLERY

(Cinema

To

We Are Monsters

A Spooky and Kooky Musical for the Whole Family

By Taylor Onski

While it’s nice for the parents to get an evening out at the theatre, it’s only fair the kids get one, too. The many youth theatre programs in Thunder Bay give kids the chance to see other kids onstage and inspire them in one way or another. So where do you take the little ones this month? No further than to Magnus Theatre, as All the Daze’s production of We Are Monsters opens this month.

This comedic musical follows four kids—Westerly, Jade, Sunny, and KC—sneaking into an abandoned theatre in the hopes of finding monsters and their secrets. But what they find is the annual monster cabaret, with vampire ballads, werewolf rockers, and the slimyyet-sweet Oozy Lumpa.

The actors bring both the human and the monster characters to life through hard, but fun work. “Westerly is sort of a nerdy character and

knows all about monsters,” says Ewan McCartney, of the character the young actor plays.

While Westerly is the brains, Jade, played by 10-year-old Katherine Robertson, is the aspiring documentary filmmaker whose subject happens to be monsters, and her younger sister Sunny carries the literal weight of the story while carrying the camera for Jade.

“There’s a lot of homework, but it’s fun homework, practising your lines and songs,” says Robertson.

“Sometimes the homework isn’t really homework.”

As for the monsters, 8-year-old Payton Mandaric is ecstatic to be doing cheer-based dance routines in the howling good numbers she gets to share with her werewolf friends.

“[The play is] teaching us to work together,” she says. “When we all work together, we do everything, and it’s really fun.”

All that said, these kids may have a lot of fun playing humans, monsters, or humans playing monsters, but they know what they’re learning now goes beyond the rehearsal room

and stage. “It’s about not being very selfish,” says Robertson. “Maybe learning to change your perspective or look at things from a different point of view.”

Catch We Are Monsters onstage at Magnus Theatre on May 31 at 7 pm and June 1 at 3 pm. To purchase tickets, visit magnustheatre.com.

Sleuth

Cambrian’s 74th Season Closing with a Bang

By Taylor Onski

From Scrooge to The Snow Queen, Cambrian Players 74th season brought complex and complicated characters to life. So it is very fitting their season closer, Sleuth , is a cat-and-mouse game where who is the cat and mouse will shift and change.

When esteemed mystery novelist Andrew Wyke (Andrea Jacobsen) invites Milo Tindle (Rob Paularinne) over to his country manor, their gentlemanly chat turns into both mind games and literal games between the two men as Milo’s affair with Andrew’s wife comes to light.

“The writer, Anthony Shaffer, kind of takes the piss out of classic mystery novels,” says director Stefani Celine. “It’s not serious, but it’s not a comedy. It makes fun of classic thriller and mystery tropes in a classic and cheeky way.” Celine is also pumped to lean away from abstract sets and speakers and have fun with the bangs and crashes of old school theatrics. “We’re going to have diegetic sound, glass breaking onstage, and vases and a safe exploding,” says Celine. “I

hope audiences after this will want to see more of this kind of theatre— more theatre that takes chances with effects and pushes what you can do on a small stage.”

After first meeting in Cambrian Players’ 2018 production of Hamlet, Jacobsen and Paularinne are two friends ecstatic to be working together again in this exciting and challenging endeavour of a twoperson play (with special guests). “Audiences are going to feel elated

at certain points, and terrified at others,” says Jacobsen. “This is a hell of a journey, and is probably one of the best they’re going to get this year.”

As for the journey itself, while it may appear intense and a lot of work for an actor, this two-hander is, quite literally, in good hands. “I think that audiences are going to recognize that these aren't just two people who are stuck together having to do this,” says Paularinne. “These

are two friends who are having a hell of a lot of fun and doing what we need to do to tell a complicated and enjoyable story.”

Sleuth runs from May 22–25 and May 29–June 1 at the Cambrian Players Theatre (818 Spring Street). Visit cambrianplayers.com or find them on Facebook and Instagram @cambrianplayers for more info.

 Andrea Jacobsen and Rob Paularinne

 Stefani Celine

JUNE IS SENIOR’S MONTH

SUMMER SOLSTICE & WOODEN BOAT FETIVAL

Celebrate summer on Lake Superior! June 21-22 at North House Folk School

MUSIC · DANCING · SAILING

CRAFT MARKET · AUCTION

FAMILY GAMES & CRAFTS

HARBORSIDE BOAT WALK

500 W Hwy 61, Grand Marais, MN | northhouse.org

Supporting older adults’ independence, betterment, and quality of life in Thunder Bay. agefriendlythunderbay.ca

This Ain’t Your Paint By Numbers

55 Plus Centre’s Spring Into Art Exhibit and Sale

By Adrian Lysenko

Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre’s annual Spring Into Art Exhibit and Sale has been taking place for almost 20 years now, and chair of the committee and art instructor Biljana Baker emphasizes the high quality of work featured. “It’s not this old people paint-by-numbers,” she says. “It is phenomenal what they can do, and the artwork is so exceptional. It's really hard to explain that it is high end.”

The work featured at the exhibit and sale is created by members of the 55 Plus Centre and the West Arthur Community Centre. The opening night takes place on May 3 from 7–9 pm, when a People’s Choice award will also be selected.

“It's an opportunity for people who are older, who have sort of discovered art in the later part of their life, to be able to do something and to be able to do something constructive,” Baker says. “Not all the paintings out there are from the classes and from the instructors.”

From acrylics to oils and watercolours, Baker says the exhibit and sale features a variety of mediums. Aside from emphasizing the quality of work, she also highlights how it’s never too late in life to pick up a paintbrush.

“A lot of times people retire and they've always said, ‘I always wanted to paint but never had a chance, so I'll do it now,” she says. “There are very few who sort of say, ‘Well, I’m not doing anything.’ They’ll paint and they start and then they like it. [...] I believe that there's a right time for everything for everybody in this life. And I think once people retire there’s something in them that says, ‘I need to do this.’”

55 Plus Centre’s Spring Into Art Exhibit and Sale will take place at the centre May 3–8. For more information, call 807-684-3066.

 Black Forest, Richard Siegfried

 Neebing Farm, Marilyn Farrow

 Fall Birches, Joanne Zachary

 In Deep Thought, C. Henderson

 Loons and summer on the lake, Nicole Wojtalik

People of the Eyes

The Samuel Ash Exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery

By Amy Sellors

Visitors to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery are in for a treat this month, as 29 never-before-seen paintings by Samuel Ash will be on display starting in May. Originally from Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation in Northwestern Ontario, just north of Sioux Lookout, Ash is a critically acclaimed Indigenous artist and a strong voice in the Woodland School of Art, whose paintings are on display in notable galleries across Canada. He passed away in 2021. This exhibition is important, as Ash is a somewhat unexamined artist and his work and his voice are unique. Ash was self-taught, and what many people notice about his work is his “great sense of humor, his charm, his sense of lightness, and a mix of playfulness and fierceness,” says Penelope Smart, curator at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. “His humor connected with people and had an impact.” His paintings are playful, and his subjects have big, expressive eyes. Like many other Woodland artists, he captures myths, stories, legends, and teachings from his Ojibway culture, alongside his lived experiences.

Life wasn’t always easy for Ash. He was Deaf, and as a young child, he left foster care in Sioux Lookout and headed south to attend a school for the Deaf in Belleville, Ontario. He was back and forth from the north and often faced barriers— including homelessness and addiction—and wasn’t always creating art. Though much of his life was spent on the streets and in the shelters of Toronto, he always returned north and maintained his connections here. One of his first exhibitions was at the Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre. His northern community was an important

part of his life.

Through the Canadian Hearing Society, Ash became friends with interpreter Joanne McMacken, and asked her to store 29 of his paintings that he eventually gifted to her. McMacken then donated them to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. In this exhibition, these new works will be shown alongside some of Ash’s pieces from the gallery’s permanent collection. In two of the paintings, hands are featured prominently. McMacken shared with Smart that these paintings would speak to the Deaf community in a certain way, and that they were really important paintings for Ash.

This exhibition is an opportunity to better understand Ash as a Deaf Woodland artist. Smart hopes that this exhibition helps people understand “how his life as a Deaf artist is reflected in his work. We want to dig deeper into his life as a Deaf artist and better understand what that meant for him.” He communicated through American Sign Language (ASL), but also with paper and pen.

“This show is a crack in the door for the hearing community to learn more about the Deaf community,” adds Smart. “The Thunder Bay Centre for the Deaf and the Canadian Hearing Society have been really supportive of the exhibit and connecting the show to the local Deaf community.”

A special event is in the works for this exhibition, with a public reception with accessibility for the Deaf and hard of hearing community being planned for the end of May, says Smart.

People of the Eyes runs from May 3 to June 16 at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Visit theag.ca for more information.

 Search of My Missing One

 Go With My Friend Grizzly and Cub

Author Joan M. Baril

May 4th, 2024 2pm-4pm

Untitled

By Penelope Smart, Curator, Thunder Bay Art Gallery

Artist: Benjamin Chee Chee

Title: Untitled Date 1984

Medium: Acrylic on paper

Size: 62 x 92 cm

The Bert Curtis Benjamin Chee Chee Collection, 1983

For the Trains issue, here is a painting by artist Benjamin Chee Chee that follows a track of two parallel lines. The image has the air of a location map of or diagram of subway stops.

Benjamin Chee Chee (1944–1977) was born at his family home on Bear Island, north of the community of Temagami, Ont. Standing out from many of his contemporaries, he painted in a style influenced by modern abstraction, and was an important and influential secondgeneration member of the Woodland School of Art.

Many people may know Chee Chee not for linear, abstract prints, but instead for his famous series of roundish, charismatic black and white geese known as the The Black Geese Portfolio. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s collection also has a number of works by Chee Chee from a period in the mid 1970s when he explored compositions of minimalism and modern graphic design. Today, his paintings have a rich, vintage design vibe. Chee Chee has an eye for line and colour that would play well with today’s interest for mid-century modernism, or 60s and 70s flair.

Mom

If you belong to any of the following groups, you are eligible to get a spring (April-June ) vaccine dose: 65 years and older

Living in a congregate living setting for seniors

6 months and older and are moderately to severely immunocompromised Time

Indigenous adult 55+ (or a household members who is also 55+)

WHERE can you get another dose?

COVID-19 vaccines are available at many pharmacies; find one at ontario.ca/vaccine-locations

Ask your health care provider if they are offering COVID-19 vaccines

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) will not host community clinics at the CLE this spring

WHEN can you get another dose?

6 months (168 days) after your last dose OR COVID-19 infection

More information: TBDHU.COM/covidvaccines 807-625-5900

Scan the QR code to visit the webpage

The Power of Portraits

Photographer Willow Fiddler Captures Beautiful Moments

Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos and captions by Willow Fiddler

Ishot on auto mode for the longest time,” says Willow Fiddler, laughing. “I was so scared and intimidated by the camera and the settings and just not knowing how to use it.” Fiddler first picked up a camera in 2007, when she was back home in Sandy Lake First Nation, working at the band office and taking pictures of local events like youth broomball tournaments or harvesting a moose. “There’s serious issues that exist in our communities that need to be addressed,” she says. “But aside from that, there’s so much community life and spirit and happiness and joy. Capturing those moments became something that I just love to do. And it really just kind of grew from there.”

When Fiddler returned to Thunder Bay in 2013, she enrolled in the multimedia program at Confederation College, which included photography courses. “That’s where I went from shooting in auto mode to manual and taking complete control of things like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and really letting my creativity just go to town. I’ve had so much fun with it since.”

After graduating, Fiddler worked as a journalist for APTN News and is now a journalist with the Globe and Mail , but her portrait photography via Willow Photography + Design is a growing sideline. “I love the candidness of it,” she says, adding that she provides some

Tech Specs

direction for families or couples on where to stand, for instance, but also likes her portrait subjects to come together in an unplanned way. “I have to anticipate those moments, those natural moments, that kind of unfold while they’re together.”

For Fiddler, who is Anishiniini (Oji-Cree), it’s important to share these positive images of Indigenous people and to create a space for them that isn’t always shown in mainstream media. “So many families go to Thunder Bay from the north, for things like school, for jobs, for education, and they work so hard to make good lives for themselves, to be healthy, to be stable, to be sober, to be successful. And getting a family portrait is one way of celebrating that and commemorating that,” she says. “Photographs become a part of history. […] I think there’s so much power in family portraits.” Fiddler says that sometimes people hesitate about getting a portrait done because they don’t have a perfect family. “Well, there are no perfect families. We all struggle. We all have challenges, we all deal with stuff. We all have a right to celebrate that we want to be healthy and living good lives. I think that’s what I capture with my portraits.”

To see more of Willow Fiddler’s work, visit @willowphotographydesign on Instagram or Facebook.

 New mom Summer at the tree farm weeks before giving birth last fall.

 Anishinaabe hide tanner Kanina Terry wearing a moose hide she harvested. From one of several “bushoir” photo sessions we have done together featuring her hides and not much else.

 Miinan stands at an Anishinaabe drum at a gathering in Treaty 3 territory outside of Kenora.

 A mother-daughter session with my sister Carla and niece Desiree. Anishinaabe families stay strong through their cultures, passing down teachings and celebrating love.

 My daughter Avery and first grandchild Jacob. He was born six weeks premature and had to stay in NICU for a couple weeks. This was their first skin-to-skin experience after not being able to hold him for several days when he was first born.

 There’s nothing quite like the friendships made in the pow wow circle over the summers. Young girls in Anishinaabe regalia run and play at a pow wow on top of Anemki Wajiw.

 When I asked these siblings to stand together, the little one in the middle was so thrilled and proud that she threw her arms around her sister on the left and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. It was such a fun, spontaneous moment.

 Nick and Candace pose in the back lounge of The Chanterelle following their wedding ceremony in 2023.

 Photographer Willow Fiddler Darci Everson

Icy Waters and Hot Buns

May is a special time on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Beavers, otters, mergansers, eagles, and sometimes even white pelicans abound, all excited for the change in season.

At Silver Islet, Jeff and Sandy Korkola are busy getting the Silver Islet General Store in shape for an exciting season. With the completion of the refurbished dock, the Korkolas have recently re-opened the store. They welcome many visitors from May through to October to enjoy a hot cuppa and delicious pastries, including their famous cinnamon buns. Cruise ships even stop here now and if you can time your visit, it is quite the sight to see. With all the people around, it creates a vibrant bustle in the community and Silver Islet really comes to life.

Only a one hour drive from Thunder Bay, this destination has so much to offer. One of the best ways to explore this area is by sea kayak. Once on the water you can find true solitude. Just offshore from Silver Islet lies some incredible islands and points of interest, all of which can be accessed in a day’s paddle—weather permitting. These include the Sea Lion arch

formation and Tee Harbour in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, the remains of the old silver mine, Shangoina Island, and Trowbridge Island.

The community of Silver Islet is as exposed as you can get on Lake Superior. However, nearby Burnt Island and the new marina breakwall provide an excellent protected launch for small crafts like sea kayaks to get on the water.

Spring on Superior offers a captivating invitation to paddlers as the days in May can feel quite warm, but the water remains icy cold. Paddling in the spring requires an understanding of these frigid waters and the potential risks involved. Fog, cold rain, snow, and strong winds are not uncommon on Lake Superior and it is of the utmost importance to be prepared.

Proper attire becomes a necessity to ensure safety. Drysuits, gloves, and a warm hat ensure that paddlers remain protected in the event of immersion. Even with all the necessary gear, training is critical. Taking a beginner kayaking course will help teach you the essential technical skills, show you how to obtain an accurate weather forecast, and teach you how to make smart decisions on the water.

Story and photos by Zack Kruzins

 Local paddlers from Such A Nice Day Adventures interact with the Viking Octantis guests enjoying the protected paddling of Shangoina Island off Silver Islet

 Sean Arruda peers over the depths of the Silver Islet mine shaft from the seat of his kayak

 White pelican in flight

By embracing the cold, navigating spring conditions, and managing risks effectively, paddlers can unlock the true essence of adventure while ensuring their well-being. It is not just about understanding the elements but about forging a profound connection with one of nature's most awe-inspiring landscapes.

In the end, if a paddle doesn’t work out, you can always enjoy a coffee, cinnamon bun, and conversation with the folks at the Silver Islet General Store.

Find your local experience at visitthunderbay.com



Play Hard, Reward Yourself

Silver Islet General Store

By Sidney Ulakovic

After a day out on the water, it’s time to treat yourself with a stop at Silver Islet General Store. The beloved blue building that overlooks Lake Superior has become an iconic symbol of the area’s mining history. Established in 1871 to support operations at Silver Islet Mine, the Silver Islet General Store is now one part

eatery, one part museum, and a must-stop if you’re ever in the area—or it might even be your whole reason to drive out that way to begin with. Co-owners Jeff and Sandy Korkola are the friendly faces at the storefront and carry a wealth of knowledge about the area’s history. Refuel with a cup of Rose N Crantz

coffee, a slice of pizza, and polish off the experience with one of their famous cinnamon buns. The store will reopen for the season on weekends sometime this month, so keep your eye on their Facebook page for updates. This feature is proudly sponsored by Visit Thunder Bay.

Ruby Van Bendegem paddling through the iconic Sea Lion arch

 A bald eagle eagle at its post

 A group of paddlers from Such A Nice Day Adventures enjoy a beautiful May day paddle to see the Viking Octantis

 Otters feeding

 Maneuvering through the rocks of Shangoina Island

 Trowbridge Island Lighthouse

Stuff We Like

For International No Diet Day

By Kelsey Raynard

May 6 is International No Diet Day. Sponsored by the National Eating Disorders Association, this annual celebration advocates for body acceptance, diversity, and respect for all body shapes and sizes. An important aspect of this day is to challenge diet culture and to recognize the dangers of commercial and fad diets, while honoring those struggling with eating disorders. On May 6 (and every day), we give a big middle finger to diet culture and work towards healthy, sustainable relationships with food and our bodies. Here is Stuff We Like for No Diet Day.

1 Stay Loud T-shirt

Loud Women Collective

251 Red River Road

This Stay Loud tee, originally designed for International Women’s Day 2024, reads I won’t be quiet so you can be comfortable: the perfect motto for speaking out against the harms perpetuated by modern diet culture. Available in sizes S–5X, this T-shirt is soft, size-inclusive, and supports an awesome local business that champions body positivity.

$40

2 Felt Pennant

Keiki Collective

251 Red River Road

Part of dismantling diet culture involves kindness: kindness towards others who may be struggling, kindness towards others who may be unknowingly perpetuating harmful diet myths, and kindness towards ourselves as we navigate a healthy relationship with food. Proclaim this kindness with an adorable felt pennant, available at Keiki Collective in Goods & Co. Market.

$22

3 Real Food Reset

Nutrition by Amy nutritionbyamy.ca

Ditching diet culture doesn’t mean you should stop trying to improve your health. Local nutritionist Amy Conrad is helping others build healthy, sustainable relationships with high-quality, whole foods. Her 28 Day Real Food Reset Plans help do exactly this, with four weeks of meal plans, a grocery list, prep guides, bonus healthy treat recipes, and guides for adjusting based on differing schedules, caloric needs, and preferences.

$99

4 Good Food Box

Thunder Bay Good Food Box

@goodfoodboxtbay

A good relationship with food requires equitable access to good quality, affordable products. Thunder Bay Good Food Box is a monthly fruit and vegetable distribution program that aims to increase access to fresh and affordable produce. Featuring 9–12 items including local, seasonal produce and products and a special featured item, and a newsletter with easy, healthy recipes inspired by the contents of the box, the Good Food Box provides an excellent opportunity to eat food you can feel great about. For foodsecure folks, GFB offers a higher range of prices that includes a charitable donation to help support this important food security program.

$22 and up

5 Outfit

Lewk Clothing

115 Frederica Street West

Lewk Clothing’s website says it all: style has no age or size. Located in Westfort on Frederica Street West, Lewk Clothing is a Canadian boutique serving gorgeous, sizeinclusive fashion and accessories. Stocking items from XS–3X, they promote dressing in a way that makes you feel comfortable and empowered. Stop in today or check out their website to find your next lewk

$Various

6 Monthly Membership

Alison Tjong Movement

alisontjong.com

Again, disassociating from diet culture doesn’t mean we stop caring about our bodies and our physical health. Alison Tjong Movement provides a wide range of fitness options, many targeted towards women experiencing pre/post-partum, peri/ menopause, and general life stressors. With a focus on feeling good and maintaining a healthy relationship with our bodies, Alison Tjong provides an excellent, body positive fitness option removed from diet culture. $55/month

7 Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked)

Entershine Bookshop

196 Algoma St South

Diet culture is mentally and emotionally exhausting, but what does participating in the latest fad diet actually do to our physiology? Marketed as an anti-diet book, Dressing on the Side debunks the myriad of myths that exist in the diet world and promotes a holistic approach towards food and our bodies. Written by registered dietician Jaclyn London, this book will help you to identify fake nutrition “news” while working towards more informed food choices.

$34

8 Poutine

The Sal

118 Frederica St West

Sometimes the best way to stick it to diet culture is to eat what we want, when we want, unapologetically and without shame. What better way to celebrate International No Diet Day than with a poutine from The Sal? Available in four different varieties (including buffalo chicken and loaded burger), these delicious poutines are an indulgence we can get behind. $13–16

OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday, May 15

10:30 am to 2:30 pm

FWFN, Community Centre

Join us and our community partners to learn more about changing what it is to be blind today.

OPEN HOUSE

Tuesday, May 14

2:00 pm to 6:30 pm

Thunder Bay CNIB office, 229 Camelot St.

Join us and our community partners to learn more about changing what it is to be blind today.

Transforming Fabrics into Fashion with Flips

By Kelsey Raynard

At the heart of every Second Chances article is a shared desire to give a new life— or second chance—to an item that might have otherwise been discarded. Usually, this has been in the form of curating secondhand fashion and housewares or refurbishing vintage furniture. However, some people have the ability to breathe new life into an old item by transforming it completely. This month, we are proud to feature Flips, who is taking secondhand fabric and reconstructing it into sustainable, one-of-a-kind fashion pieces.

Vanessa Kroeker, owner of Flips, has her own unique definition of a thrift flip. “For me, a thrift flip is taking something that would normally be going to the thrift store or going to the landfill, and then re-modernizing it or recreating it to give it a new life,” she explains. Some of Kroeker’s favourite items to flip are quilts from the thrift store. “I know at some point that someone made these quilts with a lot of care and love, and so it’s neat to take that quilt and give it a new life,” she says.

Items from Flips are not only made from the heart, but showcase Kroeker’s impressive sewing and design skills. Her self-taught hobby, she says, gave her a second chance as well. “During my maternity leave, I had a birthday coming up and I wanted to make a little reading tent. I bought a sewing machine from the thrift store and I

SECOND CHANCES

ended up loving sewing,” she says. “It just so happens I was also going through severe postpartum depression and anxiety, and sewing gave me a new purpose and a new identity in motherhood. I wasn’t just a stay-athome mom, […] I was also able to create and have a passion outside of that. It kind of saved me.”

While many of Kroeker’s flips are created from treasures found at the thrift store, she has transformed everything from a grandmother’s quilt collection to an Indian saree. Kroeker says that she hopes that as her business grows, more people reach out for commissioned pieces made from items that hold a special meaning to them.

This month, we are showcasing two of Kroeker’s latest thrift flips: a matching adult and child set of dresses. These gorgeous dresses, which would fit a women’s M/L ($60) and a child from 12–18M ($35), are made from an old floral tablecloth and are perfect for the warming spring weather.

To score these pieces or other unique thrift flips, you can find Flips stocked at Jewels of Crown inside Goods & Co. Market. Make sure to follow @flipstbay on Instagram and reach out if you have a special item you would like flipped.

Who Doesn’t Want a Sauna?

Locally Made, Locally Loved

By Emily Turner

Hot Barrels Saunas is a local business that blossomed out of a long-term friendship and a shared appreciation for highquality saunas. After enjoying the experience of building their own personal saunas, Cory Costanzo and Jaret Thurier decided to become business partners and make handmade saunas for others. Since starting up in November 2022, the two have worked tirelessly to refine their skills and widen the scope of what exactly they can offer to the people of Thunder Bay, and they have no plans on slowing down anytime soon.

Costanzo and Thurier are well aware of how expensive and difficult

it can be to obtain a personal sauna, which is why they do everything they can to make saunas more accessible and affordable, while maintaining the quality of a traditional sauna. Everything they offer is entirely customizable, and they will drive anywhere from Marathon to Sioux Lookout to Kenora to deliver.

The two take a slightly different approach to construction: they always build on site, and will build wherever the customer wants—whether that’s inside, outdoors, on a trailer, or down a 200-metre trail to someone’s lakefront property, they’ve done it all. Piece by piece, they carry the parts in and complete the build in one to two days, depending on the

style. “We started with just one, the barrel sauna, but we quickly saw people wanted all sorts of styles,” explains Thurier. They encourage people to personalize their sauna as much as they want; whether that means including an indoor shower, change room, cold plunge tub, or a panoramic window, they promise they can build it, and will do it as quickly as possible. “We build all year round, even in the winter on those cold days!” says Thurier. The typical turnaround time for a sauna from the time the order is placed until it is built in place is four to six weeks.

Hot Barrels Saunas partners with the Finn Origins sauna store so “everyone who buys a sauna

with us gets a gift card to go get their accessories as well,” Costanzo explains. The two are passionate about making local business connections and using Canadianmade products. “You don’t realize how important buying local is until you own a local business,” Thurier adds.

They also offer free shipping if people would rather order the precut wood, Harvia heater, and screws to build the sauna themselves. And they have big plans going forward, as they hope to develop and expand the scope of what their business offers— including sauna rentals. “We have so much we want to do!” Thurier shares. “And we’re just trying to fit it all in. Eventually, we will get there,” Costanzo adds.

For more info, visit hotbarrels.ca or Instagram @hot.barrels.saunas.

 The barrel style sauna

 The cabin style sauna

 (L-R) Jaret Thurier and Cory Costanzo

 Costanzo and Thurier are authorized Harvia Heater dealers

Thunder Bay Farmers’ Market

35 Years of Growing Enthusiasm for Local Agriculture

Within the four walls of the North End Recreation Centre, a 35-year tradition celebrating the rich agricultural and artisanal fabric of the city continues at the Thunder Bay Farmers’ Market.

TBFM market manager, Esther Paasolainen, has overseen operations over the last decade. She says she’s seeing more and more residents who not only want to be part of TBFM’s vendor community, but who are interested in the market’s offerings.

“People are not only appreciating the value and quality of local products in their community, but I also believe the surge in businesses speaks to the time we are living in,” she says. “A lot of us have decided that it’s best to go back to the basics and become more self-sufficient because the alternative is pricey food at the grocery store.”

Paasolainen’s waitlist of prospective vendors continues to grow. The rec centre is only able to house 16 tables at a time, but as the weather becomes warmer, the market plans to expand its space outdoors. “We had a number of requests asking for us to make use of the venue outside,” she explains. “It’s absolutely exhilarating to see this kind of enthusiasm—especially when the majority of people who are approaching us have never before been a vendor.”

Though smaller than the Thunder Bay Country Market, the TBFM has been a fixture in the community since 1989. Today, after making a move from the Victoriaville Mall to the rec centre, Paasolainen says the aim is

to offer market goers an experience that showcases the diversity of local businesses, prioritizing “quality over quantity.”

On the spring market roster is Reidridge Farm, offering beef, pork, lamb, whole ducks, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Whiskey Jack Farms will be selling their fresh produce, jams, jellies, honey, baked goods, wreaths, fresh flower bouquets, seedlings, candles, body products, and wood signs. D & G’s Kitchen is also slated to have a table with perogies, cabbage rolls, buns, and baking trays for sale.

For those with a sweet tooth, B.A.D. Desserts Company and Julie’s Bakery will be in attendance. Visitors can also access a rotating menu with farm-fresh food from the pop-up kitchen, along with art and local crafts like mugs, clothing, cross stitch and needlework.

“We’re all about being inclusive about vendors and growing our community,” Paasolainen says. “And based on how this year is starting, I’m optimistic that this season will only continue to attract more people to our space—the coffee’s always on and after all, nothing beats local.”

The Thunder Bay Farmers’ Market will run every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm at the North End Recreation Centre until June 15. For more information, find Thunder Bay Farmers’ Market on Facebook.

 Hot breakfast served up by Reidridge Farm

 Watkins Quality Products

 Cabbage rolls from D&G’s Kitchen

Story by Lindsay Campbell, Photos by Sidney Ulakovic

Magic Melon

By Justin Allec

Strain: Magic Melon Seeds

Brand: Humboldt Seed Company

THC: 15–25%

CBD: 2%

Plant type: hybrid

Price: $61.90 / 5 seeds

Terpene: limonene, caryophyllene, myrcene

Flavours: sweet honeydew, watermelon

Growers, start your engines! It’s May and the days are warm and long, which means that it’s time to dig into the dirt. If you’re a bit behind, though, never fear— an autoflower could easily solve this problem. Autoflowers are genetically modified cannabis seeds that are engineered to be feminized, in effect eliminating the guessing game of sexing and reducing grow times. These Magic Melon seeds from the legendary Humboldt Seed Co. in California promise a grow window of 55 days, with a harvest time in early October; give yourself a month to cure and you could be enjoying this funky, pungent strain by the time the snow falls.

Magic Melon turned a lot of heads (and won a lot of awards) by combining a sweet melon taste with an incredibly potent initial effect that gradually mellows into content relaxation. The flavour of Magic Melon is unreal: it’ll make itself known to the neighbourhood

while you’re growing it, as if you’re cultivating a ripening watermelon patch. That taste continues through when you’re using it. It has a thick flavour, fruity and sugary sweet, that doesn’t mind hanging around in your mouth for a while afterward. An advantage of this strain is that the hybrid makeup means a better balance than many other strains with an equally high THC level. Euphoria intensity and captivating effects for certain, but subtract that debilitating lethargy so many strains feature nowadays.

When it comes to growing Magic Melon seeds, you’ll need to take care in the beginning of their early vegetative stage. Autoflowers are easier to grow than regular seeds, but you can’t ignore them entirely. Once the seeds take, the plant develops large, thick nugs with thin, sandycoloured pistils and a slathering of trichomes, overall smaller and denser than most other strains. Keep in mind there’s a world of difference between California and Thunder Bay’s climate, too—Magic Melon likes to be warm, which can be tricky for local outdoor growers. However, if you’re using a protected space like a greenhouse, these seeds will thrive and easily yield those quantities that will keep you happy all winter long.

The Art of Burglary

Award-Winning Author Joan Baril Publishes New Short Story Collection

Story and photo by Adrian

Lysenko

Thunder Bay author Joan Baril has worn many hats over the years: teacher, whitewater canoeist, birdwatcher, and even amateur burglar. But it was the latter that inspired her new short story collection, The Art of Burglary.

“I was about 11 years old [...] so I hadn't been invited to camp that summer. And so I heard about this house that had an interior decorator and I just had to break in,” Baril says. “Breaking into houses

was an aesthetic thing. I wanted to see what this decorator had done with this great big house, and it was really beautiful. So I broke into other houses, always going through the basement, usually the basement window. [...] I was never caught, and I never stole anything. And I never touched anything except doorknobs.”

Comprised of 19 short stories set in Thunder Bay, The Art of Burglary follows Janet Marsden, a curious and resourceful girl who tends to bend

the rules. When Janet and her friends engage in a series of burglaries to snoop on neighbours, they discover that bending the rules can come with unwelcome surprises.

“The book follows her life from the time she's a child up into her old age, and it's more or less in order that way,” Baril says. “The character has had a very varied life, I think, but was always up to something and in the last few stories, she shows that she was very interested in social issues and had a lot of friends who were also involved in social issues.”

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Baril began writing fiction in her 50s. Her short stories have been published in Prairie Fire, Room, The Antigonish Review, and other Canadian literary

magazines. Although she began writing later in life, her writer-like inquisitiveness started at a young age. “We were surrounded by eccentric people. I realized that now, all the neighbours were eccentric in their own way. And there were lots of strange things going on in Thunder Bay,” she says. “You know, there's lots of interesting people here; all the way from crooks to saints.”

The book launch for The Art of Burglary will take place on May 4, 2–4 pm, at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 5. The book is also available at Entershine Bookshop.

Next Up to Bat

Border Cats Season Begins This Month

Story by Sidney Ulakovic, Photos by James Mirabelli

The sport of the summer is back for another season. The Thunder Bay Border Cats are gearing up for a summer of baseball following their return to the ballpark last year. Now, with some oil in the engine, they’re looking forward to coming back with a strong roster and with a wealth of entertainment this upcoming season, vice president Bryan Graham says. “We have a really loyal fanbase,” says Graham. “There was a really great atmosphere last year.”

The Border Cats have faced their share of challenges over the past few years, getting over the

hurdle of the team potentially leaving town only to be faced with COVID related restrictions preventing them from playing, but they were warmly welcomed back upon their return to Port Arthur Stadium last summer.

According to Graham, at last year’s opener there were 2,300 people in attendance to witness the Border Cats capture their first win of the season after such a long hiatus. “There were a few tears shed for sure that night, just [because of] the fact that we had overcome all that and were able to come back and the community supported us so well over the course of the

we have a record 13 Canadianborn players on our roster, which would be an all time record for the Border Cats,” Graham says. With management focusing on recruiting and supporting local talent, Thunder Bay pitcher Jack Pineau will be returning this year, and Graham says management is looking forward to working with players they have established a rapport with, as it was not a luxury they had last year.

summer,” Graham says. “We were very encouraged with the turnout last year, and hopefully we can make it bigger and better this summer.”

This season will include staples local baseball fans have come to look forward to each summer, like fireworks, throwback nights, and ballpark eats. Graham adds that there will be plenty of things going on in the ballpark aside from the game, such as live music on opening night, kids’ areas for family fun, cornhole boards if you’re looking for a little friendly competition, or party decks if you’re trying to get the gang together for some summer fun. “We’re really all about the community and trying to provide entertainment for the people of Thunder Bay and the surrounding area,” he says.

According to Graham, this year’s roster is looking solid. “Right now

“We play 72 games in a very short span,” Graham says of the team’s upcoming season, meaning the Border Cats are on the road and playing three to four games a week. “That’s what the Northwoods League is all about. It’s a training ground, really an apprenticeship, to see if you can further your career after college and become a professional baseball player.” So far, 13 Border Cats players have gone on to play in the major leagues, including former Border Cats pitcher Wes Parsons who started the season with the Toronto Blue Jays before being traded.

As the team travels throughout the summer, bearing the city’s name on their jerseys, Graham says he hopes they’re a point of hometown pride as they represent Thunder Bay at stadiums across the northern United States.

The Border Cats opening game will be on May 31. If you’re hoping to catch a game this summer, you can find the Border Cats’ schedule on their website via northwoodsleague.com.

 A big crowd takes in a Border Cats game on a sunny afternoon

 Boomer entertains the fans between innings at Port Arthur Stadium

 Pitcher Jack Pineau from Thunder Bay, a league all-star in 2023 and returning to the Border Cats this season

 Celebrating a big home run

 Fans enjoying a beautiful summer night on the rooftop tiki bar party area

 The Border Cats players from out of town with their local host family in Thunder Bay

 The Border Cats’ annual Whiskey Jacks Night, a tribute to Thunder Bay's former professional team

Karson Blackwood

Rosa Carlino Kaitlin Roka

Cody Fraser

With Marion Agnew

EYE TO EYE

As told to Matt Prokopchuk, Photo by Lois Nuttall

Local author Marion Agnew says it’s been a great experience getting her first novel to print. Agnew released Making Up the Gods this past October to much praise, including for its portrayal of Northwestern Ontario. Even though it was her first novel, Agnew is a veteran writer with a background in technical writing; she also released

Marion Agnew: It’s been so interesting to hear from readers and, of course it’s a great experience to know that people are reading your words. It’s also slightly alarming, but mostly a great experience. I get the most mixed reactions to some of the characters—for some of them, they love one of the particular characters, others want to slap her. So it’s been an education in my inability to predict what people will and won’t like in some way. But people have been so kind and so generous with their time; thanks to the miracles of social media I’ve had people that I was in high school with, people from undergraduate school, people I used to work with, and even some people I’ve never met in the U.K. who I just connected with on Instagram during the pandemic lockdowns [take] the time out of their schedule to let me know what they thought and how they enjoyed it.

TW: What’s the last book you read or are currently reading?

remember that one. But I will say yesterday I had an experience with a train: I have seen people talking about “I was late to a meeting because of a train” and that almost happened to me yesterday. I had a meeting in the south ward at nine in the morning and I was desperate to get there, and the train was pulled over across the main thoroughfare and stopped. But I know that they are important to the economy and when I first moved here, I lived in an apartment just where Hodder [Avenue] turns into Water [Street], and in the summertime I would open the windows and the trains would be backing up and it would be clank clank clank clank clank, and there was something really imaginationinspiring about that. This is a working city; it’s a working waterfront. I would love to take a train trip someday and I wish there was more passenger train tourism available readily, but then again, it’s kind of hard to get me to leave here.

a collection of personal essays about her mother’s dementia in 2019. The Walleye spoke with Agnew about how she feels her latest work has been received, what she is reading these days, and what she considers her valuable possessions.

The Walleye: How have you felt about the reception to Making Up the Gods?

MA: I recently finished a book by a Maritime author called Brighten the Corner Where You Are by Carol Bruneau, and it was fascinating. I’m in a book club and we present eight books in a year, and I picked this to present in March. It’s a novel inspired by the life of Maud Lewis—it was just a whole interesting way to frame that title. It’s not a historical novel, it’s not a biography, it’s not even a fictionalized biography, but it’s a story inspired by her life. And I didn’t know much about Maud Lewis either, so that part was interesting, and we had a whole lot of interesting discussion around poverty, and do you have to move far away from where you were born to be a real artist, and what constitutes art, and what’s popular. For non-fiction, Radiant Press came out with a book called If You Lie Down in a Field, She Will Find You There by Colleen Brown who is a visual artist, and possibly because of my own experience with my mother dying when I was 39— her mother died and she wanted to recreate her mother’s life and pull together information about it in a way that makes her mother’s life more complete than just the manner of her death, which was violent.

TW: Our May issue is about trains and railways—do you have a train story?

MA: Apparently when I was a small child I took a train trip—maybe to come up here to my grandmother’s funeral, I’m not sure—but I don’t

TW: What is your most treasured possession?

MA: I love a chainsaw—I love my battery-powered chainsaw and I love playing with it, but also during the pandemic, the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop had a workshop with Susan Olding and she asked a similar question and I wrote an entire essay about a ladder that my grandfather had made out of wood and it had become silvered with age and I draped my mother’s crocheted blanket, which she had made me when I was in high school, over it in the corner of our bedroom. But it’s really little things. Today, I got in the mail from a cousin a photo of my grandmother and two of her sisters. And it’s just so interesting to see them—she must have been not much older than I am now when the picture was taken—and I find those old photographs so evocative. Another one I have is a photo of my father that my mother carried when she was working in Ottawa and Montreal during the war, and just knowing the history of it, and there’s a sense of time not meaning very much, and that connection that we have with previous generations, I really like that.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. To hear more, find the expanded interview on our Eye To Eye podcast on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts, and more.

The Thunder Bay Cricket Council

Non-Profit Organization Sees Sport Flourish in the City

Story by Adrian Lysenko, Photos courtesy of the Thunder Bay Cricket Council

When Abhiram Giri first arrived in Thunder Bay as an international student, cricket was a gateway for him to form friendships and a community.

“I needed to find something to stay healthy and stay focused on rather than my school when I was here in the beginning,” Giri says. “Because we’ve all got this background from our childhood, like kids here with hockey.”

From its humble beginnings, when matches were played in a

parking lot, the Thunder Bay Cricket Council has come a long way. “We started there and immediately started to grow,” says Jerin Louis, director of the Thunder Bay Cricket Council. “We couldn't hold games there anymore because the numbers were increasing like crazy.”

Now, the non-profit organization has more than ten teams, four leagues, offers cricket practice for children, and their players hail from 14 countries. “Most of them are immigrants. When they have

all these different issues in their life, they have something that can focus [them] and [give them] a sense of accomplishment, a sense of community, a sense of just expressing themselves,” Louis says. “There’s some talent they have and a stage for them to perform. When I see these things, that’s a kick for me. You know, like any other sport, it helps the young people to stay on track.”

By bringing other cricket teams from Sudbury, Timmins, Winnipeg,

and Sault Ste. Marie, organizers hope to make Thunder Bay a hub for the sport. “We are planning an international cup in September here, which is in the early stages,” Louis says. “Nothing is confirmed, but teams are interested.”

The organization also live-streams games shot with four or five different cameras, along with commentary, that are posted on YouTube and Facebook in hopes of drawing newcomers to the sport to watch or try it themselves. “Anyone can try it, you know, as long as they can hold the bat,” Louis says.

For more information, visit facebook.com/cricheroestbay

Train Songs

By Gord Ellis

Johnny Cash “Orange Blossom Special”

There is probably no artist as associated with train songs as Johnny Cash. The Man in Black has several that immediately come to mind, including “The Wreck of the Old 97” and “Folsom Prison Blues” where Johnny could hear the train a comin’. However, for my money, Johnny’s take on the classic “Orange Blossom Special” is the one that really captures the rhythm and vibe of a locomotive running down the track, from the staccato guitar figure to Cash’s “woo woos,” and then the harmonica break that requires not one, but two harps. Iconic. Hey, look a-yonder comin’ Comin’ down that railroad track

It’s the Orange Blossom Special Bringing’ my baby back

For a tour-de-force performance of this classic, check out Johnny Cash at San Quentin on YouTube.

In the realm of modern song, there are a few themes that are evergreen: love, lust, heartbreak and cars. However, I would add trains to this list. Here are a few of my favourite train songs.

Bruce Cockburn “Night Train”

I’ve been remiss over the years to not write more about Bruce Cockburn. He is certainly among the most talented of Canada’s singer-songwriters, but lacks the legendary status of Neil Young or Gordon Lightfoot. Yet Cockburn has been cranking out brilliant, musically complex, and catchy songs for years. The song “Night Train,” from his 1997 album Charity of the Night, is a chugging, bass-driven tune that lyrically meanders between violence, infidelity, alcohol, and loneliness.

Not a knife-throw from here you can hear the night train passing

That's the sound somebody makes when they're getting away

Leaving next week's hanging jury far behind them

Prisoner only of the choices they've made.

As the song ends, Cockburn busts out one his most jarring, atonal guitar solos ever, although it is somewhat masked by that burbling bass and rata-tat snare drum. It’s the sound of a train running off the tracks.

I love “Night Train,” a brilliant deep cut from one of Canada’s very best.

Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia”

Gladys Knight was no slouch when it came to singing soul, but when she wrapped her velvet pipes around “Midnight Train to Georgia,” it was next level. You could see the man she was singing about—her man—getting on that train.

The guy has clearly blown it, and can’t live the life he had hoped to in L.A. So, he is going back home. Despite her misgivings, she is getting on that train as well.

And, I'm gonna be with him (I know you will)

On that midnight train to Georgia

(Leaving on the midnight train to Georgia)

I'd rather live in his world

Than live without him in mine.

I would bet many of us have been on our own midnight trains to Georgia, which is why the song has always packed a punch,

BURNING TO THE SKY

Grateful Dead

“Casey Jones”

Speaking of artists who have deserved more love on this page, how about the Grateful Dead? The band’s stone-cold classic “Casey Jones” mixes trains with drug abuse, sleep debt, and the ever-present possibility of trouble ahead. But “Casey Jones” is a pure joy, and showcases the Dead’s unique mix of folk, rock, and psychedelic. For a song of this vintage (1970) to sound so cool and current in 2024 tells you something about how influential the Dead have been on several generations of musicians. And the story of “Casey Jones” is compelling and comes out of a great tradition in folk: the potential disaster ballad.

Switchman sleeping

Train hundred and two is On the wrong track

And headed for you

Driving that train

High on cocaine

Casey Jones you better

Watch your speed.

I won’t give away the ending, but maybe calling “Casey Jones” a potential disaster ballad is not entirely accurate. But like the Dead, the train songs just keep on rolling.

Traditional Fun

North Atlantic Drift

By Jason Wellwood

How did a multi-instrumentalist from Ireland, a fiddler from Cape Breton, and a piper from Ontario all end up playing in a band together? “That’s a good question!” says Dan MacDonald, the aforementioned fiddler of the Toronto-based, Celtic-influenced

more often to play Scottish music as Toronto is a bit more of an Irish city.”

trio North Atlantic Drift. “[Multiinstrumtentalist] Brian [Taheny] had emigrated from Ireland in 1988 actually, and we all ended up living in Toronto. We were all going to a weekly [jam] session at a pub and met there. [Piper] Ross [Griffiths] and I would actually get together a little For

Fast forward to 2008, when MacDonald was asked to help “celtify” Toronto’s semi-professional choir Amadeus Choir. He called his friends to help and they’ve been playing together since. “We play traditional pieces that are hundreds of years old, and pieces that are thirty years old,” MacDonald says. “People love it. We’ve played in three different countries so far, and it’s a lot of fun for us.”

During the pandemic, the band had some downtime, and decided to work on a project they had been interested in for a while. They teamed up with the Toronto Brass Quintet—who counts Jen Stephen, former Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra tubist and MacDonald’s wife, amongst its members—to rearrange celtic music to work with the traditional instruments as well as brass instruments. An album was recorded

at Union Sound Company in Toronto, which was partially owned by Taheny’s son, making it even more of a family affair. “They had just finished installing COVID measures, so we were the guinea pigs. Our first session didn’t go so well, as we were a little out of practice, but the second attempt sounded great and it went very quickly from there!” ‘

The Pipes was released to a packed house at the El Mocambo in Toronto in November, with both North Atlantic Drift and The Toronto Brass Quintet performing together. While North Atlantic Drift won’t be bringing the quintet with them when they play at the Port Arthur Branch 5 Legion on May 10, they will have copies of The Pipes for sale and the show will definitely be a lot of fun.

Blues Blast Thunder Bay Blues Society’s Five Band Extravaganza Returns

By Ken Wright

If enough people push the same idea in the same direction, amazing things can happen. That certainly applies to the Thunder Bay Blues Society (TBBS), where a dedicated board of directors, generous sponsors, a deep pool of local blues talent, and loyal fans have all contributed to the ongoing success of the 26-year-old organization. Their latest amazing event is their second annual Blues Blast, a fiveband extravaganza that will be staged at the Da Vinci Centre on May 25.

“This time around, we’re showcasing three international artists with plenty to personally say about the blues,” says TBBS president Rob Croves. “It’s torch-bearers meet the new guard.”

Just 25 years old, Wisconsin native Stephen Hull and his band, The Stephen Hull Experience, placed second in the finals at the 39th annual International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tennessee this past January. Hull was also named Best Guitarist. “Booking Steven Hull before the IBC was pure chance,” says Croves. “He will be making his Canadian debut in Thunder Bay, before performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July.”

A dual threat on slide guitar and harmonica, Studebaker John Grimaldi took his stage name from the classic Studebaker Hawk automobile he

loved to drive. His blistering slide guitar pays homage to masters of the instrument like J. B. Hutto and Hound Dog Taylor. Grimaldi’s primal harmonica sound is distilled from music he heard hanging out on Chicago’s fabled Maxwell Street.

“Studebaker John is a monster performer,” says Croves. “He’s going to rock the Da Vinci Centre.”

The son of the legendary Lonnie Brooks, headliner Wayne Baker Brooks was born into Chicago blues royalty. Long recognized as one of Chicago’s quintessential personalities, powerful vocals and liquid fire guitar playing define his style. “Wayne Baker Brooks is such a classy act,” says Croves. “He’s a direct tie to blues history that is getting harder and harder to find, let alone experience.” In 2023, Brooks received the Chicago Music Award for Best Blues Entertainer and the Little Milton Campbell Award for Outstanding Soulful Singer and Guitarist.

Veteran swimmers in our pool of local blues talent, Dr Buck & the Bluesbangers and The Roosters have very different but equally entertaining approaches. They will ensure that everyone’s A-game is the only game on display.

 Studebaker John Grimaldi

 Stephen Hull

 Wayne Baker Brooks

Anthony Giacomino Stefan Meekers

Alain Boucly

A Forced March to Creativity

John Christopher’s Year-Long Music Project

Story and photo by Sidney Ulakovic

Sharing something you’ve poured your heart into can be daunting, enough to maybe even make you leave it to sit on a shelf instead, but that’s no longer the case for local musician John Christopher. Self-described as a closet musician, Christopher embarked on a yearlong art project this past January that involves writing and recording an original song every week from his home studio and uploading it to SoundCloud for the remainder of the year. Christopher is also documenting the project on YouTube, where he’s sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the process and his thoughts as the project develops.

Christopher says he was inspired

by alternative rock artist Jonathon Coulton’s “Thing a Week Project,” which also involved writing and recording a song every week for a year. Coulton’s approach was unique at the time in his pursuit of bypassing record labels and connecting with an audience directly via the Internet. “They called it a forced march to creativity—just forcing yourself to do it time and time again,” Christopher says of Coulton’s project. “It’s something that always kind of sat in the back of my head.” So when January rolled around with its clean slate of possibilities, there seemed like no better time to get started for Christopher.

As creatively invigorating as it

may be to have a fresh start every week, Christopher admits that generating new ideas week to week can also be difficult. “I’ve had to wrap my head around the idea that there’s no such thing as a bad idea. It’s just the best idea that I have right now,” Christopher says. “So I’m just trying to refine and polish [that idea] as it is.” As the project develops, Christopher finds himself improving on the technical aspects, making it tempting to backtrack and rework some of the first songs he recorded; however, he intends to stick within the parameters he set at the beginning. Eventually, Christopher says he’d like to revisit some of his early work, once the year is up.

Balancing the demands of work and family while carving out time each week to dedicate to music has presented its challenges, but Christopher says he sees the project as a way of making up for lost time. “I’ve been a closet musician for most of my life, and I can't grow old and feeble never having put some of my best effort into the world,” Christopher says. “That’s what this project is about .”

You can find Christopher on SoundCloud by name and follow along his songwriting journey on his YouTube channel,

Indigo

Manitoba Metal Band to Hit Thunder Bay Stage

Story by Kris Ketonen, Photos by Hold Fast Photography

The members of the awardwinning Manitoba metal band Indigo don’t exactly take a laidback approach to their live show. “There’s a lot of aggression that you can hear in the music, and we do get a lot of that out on stage,” singer Guin Janzen says. “It's a pretty active, pretty cool live show, I would say. Lots of energy.”

“We do this a lot for ourselves to feel better about ourselves and grow, but also the whole idea of it was also to have people have something that resonates with them, so they can get all that aggression out too,” she says. “That's why I feel like metal music is really important. I feel like it resonates with a lot of people.”

Indigo, which also includes guitarist Sheldon Janzen, bassist Matthew Enns, and drummer Noah Reimer, formed about four years ago.

“I literally grew up listening to Metallica and Slayer, always loved the music,” Guin says. “Once we

all came together, we all discussed what common goals, what common interests we had as far as the music that we created. So we all prefer heavier music, but we kind of wanted to take a new approach to it.”

Indigo has released one fulllength album, 2021’s The Descent, and an EP, Burn. More music is on the way. “It's gonna be another EP,” Guin says. “Kind of a continuation of the first EP to essentially become a full album.”

“We've kind of gone another way as far as sound goes in this new album, so I feel like they're going to get a really new Indigo experience, which I’m super excited to share with you guys out east,” she adds.

Indigo, along with The Fixer, will hit the Black Pirates Pub stage on May 24, as part of Dark Sexy Friday 2. For more information, visit indigomusicmb.com.

Glow

Katherine

Nemec

Releases Debut EP

Story by Sidney Ulakovic, Photo by Jordan Elcheson

Singer-songwriter Katherine Nemec is finding her light with her debut EP Glow, which was released at the end of April.

Nemec developed the five-song EP over a period of three years, with the majority of the songs written in a week’s time, as she felt a burst of inspiration and creativity. “The idea behind [the EP] is this feeling when you meet someone who makes you realize your full potential and you have this glow about you, this light about you, and being able to lean into that, which I really did on this album,” Nemec says. Glow follows the narrative arc of falling in love to the bittersweet end of a relationship—a story most of us can

relate to—and explores the emotional pendulum of that experience.

While Glow takes listeners on a journey of personal growth, Nemec says the process of creating the EP also took her on an aesthetic journey, as she was able to experiment with sounds outside of what she’d usually consider her style. “The songs have really just grown to more than I could have ever hoped,” she says. The opening track, “Glow,” begins with an acoustic airiness that swells as a heavy drum beat and electric guitar accompany Nemec’s confident vocal performance; “Already Know” is all fun with its defining whistling and brass combination and the inclusion of a studio outtake; “More

Than Anything” introduces some twangy guitar before delving into the reflective piano track, “Clean.”

The EP’s tone comes full circle on the closer, “Sorry,” as it revisits the spirited sound of “Glow.” Glow boasts strong performances on all parts—a professional and polished debut that establishes Nemec as an artist with a deep appreciation for sonic and lyrical storytelling.

After initially considering recording in Toronto, Nemec ultimately decided to keep the project home-based, working with Jean-Paul De Roover at Blueprints. “They just took everything that I wanted out of the songs and made it fabulous,” Nemec says. Glow was

recorded, mixed, and produced just as renovations at the state-of-theart studio were being completed, the studio and album coming into fruition alongside each other. “It was a lot of firsts happening as we were going through the motions,” she says.“It was definitely a special experience.”

Glow is available on all streaming platforms. To stay up to date with Nemec, you can follow her on Instagram @katherinenemecmusic.

Nurture your Passion. Build our Community. Create a Legacy.

Unbridled Ferocity

Conversation Live at Black Pirates Pub

Review and photos by Adam

Sabaz

Conversation, the Torontobased, post-hardcore band, drove 12 hours overnight to make it to Black Pirates Pub on April 13. But when they finally did get here, they ripped the audience’s heads off with unbridled ferocity. There was no warm-up, no warning, just pure octane intensity out of the gate. It was a welcome shock to my system. I couldn’t help but smile in the face of the hurricane on stage and in front of it. The bludgeoning assault on my senses at first made me numb, transfixed on the sight before me, but quickly I was overcome with the energy that was being blasted throughout the pub and I wanted to smash my fist into the air and scream out in unison. What a release! What a time!

Timothy John Bolton, Conversation’s frontman, commanded the audience atop his lit-up soap box, shouting at the top of his lungs one moment then quietly and earnestly singing the next. His impressive vocal range was on full display. This ability to switch back and forth, some might say, is a compulsory skill for a vocalist in this style of music—he made it look effortless, honed by years of touring.

Onstage, Bolton reminisced about performing at BPP 16 years ago when the club first opened its doors, and the fans in attendance cheered wildly

at this revelation. “TBay came to play!” the singer called out, as the BPP faithful raucously fueled the inferno on stage. Band members took turns jumping off the stage, joining the audience to rock out and share in the head banging. It was pure, unadulterated chaos, but make no mistake, the performance was concise and well-rehearsed. Each song’s drop, pause, and break was executed perfectly.

I can only best describe Conversation’s music as headcrushing grooves mixed with aggressive, punk rock-tempoed choruses that are then juxtaposed with melancholic, poetic breaks that build back up in a fury and cacophony of sound. It is a rollercoaster of infectious, heavy breaks and sonic valleys, taking the listener on a relentless, visceral journey.

The band played so hard the drummer broke his snare by puncturing the skin, and supporting acts Good Call, Railgun, and Sleepless generously offered up theirs. Bolton took that opportunity to engage with the small crowd— his genuine and grateful persona an inviting contrast to the visceral frenetic singer just moments prior. This is truly someone who loves performing.

They Love It, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Fort William

By Pat Forrest

MMale

Choir Hosts Pasta Supper and Beatles Night

ost of us have a favourite Beatles song or two, and many of us know all the words and have been known to sing along with them from time to time. The Fort William Male Choir is inviting the public to sing some Beatles songs with them at their upcoming Spaghetti Sing-a-Long Supper on May 10 and 11 at the Slovak Legion. It’s a popular event, and one that has been around for a long time, with the first spring dinner show taking place around 1965 with a singalong and a buffet-style dinner. This year’s menu for the familystyle dinner, which is brought by choir members to each table, is salad, penne with meatballs and tomato

sauce, buns, mixed dessert squares, coffee, and tea. There is also a cash bar with wine and beer available. The food will be great, but the concert and singalong will be the star of the show. Once the choir members have cleared the tables, the show will begin with the choir singing seven Beatles songs. This is followed by the singalong part of the evening, with ten more songs. Youth are invited up to the stage to participate and have the chance to win some prizes, then audience members take part in a fun contest, again with prizes. The choir members will perform some funny skits as well, and sing a final song before saying goodnight.

Fort William Male Choir president

Gerard Tremblay says that the event is very popular in the community. “It’s a unique performance and our patrons love it,” he says. “I don’t know of anyone else who has a show like it. Many purchase full tables of eight and come back every year.”

The Fort William Male Choir’s 100th anniversary is approaching in 2027, and they are already planning a special concert. In the meantime, Tremblay says that some of the highlights of a century of song include winning the title of Canada’s Centenary Choir in 1967 in a countrywide contest, performing at Expo in Vancouver, singing for the pope in Italy and for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at the opening of Fort

William Historical Park, multiple tours in Europe and elsewhere and some 11 albums produced, to mention a few. Tremblay says that the choir is always looking for new voices and that the ability to read music is an advantage, but not necessary. “We have multiple learning tools and support for vocal development,” he says. “It’s a great organization to be part of with a very devoted membership. I wish more people could get to enjoy what we do. It really is fun.”

The Fort William Male Choir’s annual spring Spaghetti Sing-aLong Supper featuring the music of the Beatles will take place May 10 and 11 at 6 pm at the Slovak Legion. Tickets are $45 for adults and $30 for youth. Call 866-9872420 or email tickets@fwmc.ca to order, or visit fwmc.ca.

Evan Mitchell

Interim Music Director, TBSO

By Kris Ketonen

Birthplace: Kitchener-Waterloo

Instrument: Conductor, and studied percussion

Age you started to study music: 16

How long have you been with TBSO: Named interim music director this year

What’s on personal playlist: Bill Evans, Tim Follin

Evan Mitchell says the next Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra season will

TBSO PROFILE

be one to remember. And he would certainly know. Mitchell was recently appointed the TBSO’s interim music director. While the 2024–25 season will be his first full season with the orchestra, he’s already been hard at work planning.

“It's going to be a season that's full of surprise and discovery; it's going to be a season that's full of music that everyone is going to love,” Mitchell says. “It's going to focus on the orchestra and the players itself, and

all of the talent and virtuosity that the Thunder Bay symphony players have, and they have it in spades.”

Regarding his own musical background, Mitchell says he was something of a late bloomer.

“My parents were musical people even if neither of them really pursued a higher education with regards to music,” he says. “My mom sang; my dad played the piano. [...] They had a weekly standing gig at a local pub doing covers, doing a couple of originals, just like a live music set for the Friday evening crew.”

And while Mitchell says he took music courses in school growing up, he “was never particularly serious about it” until his 16th birthday, when he

developed an interest in playing the drums. However, he switched musical gears during his post-secondary days. “During my undergrad, I had a couple of opportunities to conduct, and a couple of people who supported me and were encouraging on the faculty,” Mitchell says “So I took all the conducting courses, and for my master’s, I decided to then switch over again to being a conductor.”

Mitchell has worked as a conductor since, including a 10-year stint as music director with the Kingston Symphony Orchestra. And he’s excited to get on stage in Thunder Bay. “It's a wonderful orchestra,” he says of the TBSO. “They’re just magnificent players, all sorts of artistry.”

Still Playing the Vicious Game

April Wine Rocks the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium

Review by Matt Prokopchuk, Photos by Ryan Hill

There’s a very good chance you know at least one April Wine song—even if you don’t think you do. Titans of Canadian rock radio (also with numerous hits outside the Great White North) and a constant concert attraction throughout their heyday in the 1970s and early-tomid 80s, the band’s legacy remains firm, thanks to continued radio play of their hits, their reformation in the 1990s, and subsequent touring. Their current run of dates brought them back to Thunder Bay on April 14 to celebrate their legendary songbook. It’s impossible to talk about April Wine without mentioning Myles Goodwyn. Not only was he the only constant member of the band for over half a century, he was the primary songwriter, handled the

lion’s share of lead vocals, and often played lead guitar and keyboards. He essentially was April Wine, before officially retiring from touring in early 2023. Nine months later, he was dead. With Goodwyn’s blessing, the band, now under the leadership of longtime AW guitarist Brian Greenway, tours with Marc Parent on vocals and guitar (stepping into Goodwyn’s “unfillable shoes,” as Parent himself said from the Auditorium stage), Richard Lanthier on bass, and Roy Nichol on drums.

Even without Goodwyn on stage nowadays, the band in 2024 consists of four veteran rockers who clearly know their craft, the songs, and what the audience expects from an April Wine show (including the arena rock staple of separate solo spots

for each of the instrumentalists). Bursting out of the gate with the instantly recognizable fire alarm bell intro and crushing opening riffs of “Oowatanite,” the band was off and running, similarly blasting through favourites “You Could Have Been a Lady,” “Enough Is Enough,” and “All Over Town,” before the first bit of stage banter, where Greenway threw some pointed shade at a particular national airline for allegedly complicating their getting to Thunder Bay on time.

Travel problems aside, the band and the near full house were seemingly all in the mood to enjoy a raucous evening of heavy rock and roll. Slightly deeper cuts from the band’s discography like the metallic “Crash and Burn” (nice!),

and “Right Down To It” shared setlist space with radio staples and crowd favourites like “Drop Your Guns,” “Say Hello,” “I Like to Rock,” and “Just Between You and Me”—the last one prompting a number of people to wave their lit cellphones (and, in at least one case, an actual lighter) in the air. Parent’s introduction to “Rock and Roll is a Vicious Game” paid tribute to Goodwyn, and Parent himself sounded amazingly like the late frontman in his performance of that tune, in particular. Greenway and Parent were in fine form on guitar all night, particularly the dual harmonies of “Sign of the Gypsy Queen,” and their blistering work on “Roller.” Encore songs “Tonite Is A Wonderful Time to Fall in Love” (the only song where Parent seemed to struggle vocally), and “Bad Side of the Moon” sent the crowd home happy. Rock and roll can indeed be a vicious game, but even without their iconic leader, April Wine continues to play the right cards.

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Requirements: Secondary Education, Developmental Service Worker Diploma, Social Services Worker, Child and Youth Worker, or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. Casual positions are expected to work a flexible schedule which includes: weekdays, weekends and statutory holiday coverage. Casuals may apply for internal positions upon hire.

A valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle with appropriate insurance are preferred. A vulnerable sector criminal records check, proof of vaccination, and a valid First Aid certificate are all requirements for employment

For more information: www.avenueii.com

Please submit a cover letter and resumé to: humanresources@avenueii.com

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Turning Inwards Debut Album From stardrop

Story by Sidney Ulakovic, Photos by Scott MacKay

Indie-pop artist stardrop is celebrating her sensitivity on her debut album I Feel Everything

The six-song album released in early April, almost four years after work began over the summer of 2020, with Justin Stiles on guitar and Jordan Gray on drums. It all started with a demo recorded at Threshold Studio in Hamilton, which made stardrop’s project a successful applicant for Ontario Arts Council funding, allowing her to pursue its creation.

“The project had a mind of its own once it began,” says stardrop. She had initially set out to make an R&B record alongside producers Dan Hosh and Tennyson King, but as the three of them sifted through demos recorded in southern Ontario, they found themselves drawn to a different sound that was emerging. “The more time we put into [the songs], and the more we just explored what sounds I was drawn to, it just ended up becoming more fun and poppy unintentionally.”

Hosh and Tennyson came to Thunder Bay to complete the pre-production work at stardrop’s grandmother’s house on Birch Beach. “Having the opportunity to record at my grandma’s house out in the country in a comfortable place, in nature without distractions—that was a game changer for me,” stardrop says. “I think it probably gave me more space to sort of turn inwards and get what I needed to hear from myself.”

The final product is upbeat and

catchy, but behind I Feel Everything’s pop veneer, the songs’ lyrics bring listeners along for the ups and downs of stardrop’s quest for self-love as she worked on the album. “I felt like what I needed was some pep talks, so I kind of sang myself the things I needed to hear,” she says. “I wanted to build myself up and kind of use that as an opportunity to heal and empower myself and then spread that love outwards.”

According to stardrop, the album itself had been completed for a couple of years prior to its release, but she felt that space was required to release it in a way that fit her vision for it. This space allowed time for her to both rebrand and collaborate on visuals for the record on music videos with local videographer Scott MacKay. “For

me, it’s completely intertwined,” she says of the importance of having a visual element to accompany the music. “When I write music, I see the movie in my head.”

After catching up on some muchneeded sleep, stardrop says the plan is to get right back to work. She is scheduled to play at NXNE music festival in Toronto this summer, and the possibility of doing a string of shows with Sam Louis is in talks.

Visit stardrop.ca to find where you can stream I Feel Everything. To stay up to date with stardrop as she announces shows throughout the summer, follow her on Instagram @stardrop.music.

The Brilliance of Baroque Organ Consortium Aurora

By Kris Ketonen

ABorealis Features Bach and Buxtehude in May Concert

special May concert hosted by Thunder Bay’s Consortium Aurora Borealis is sure to open some eyes (and ears) to a very historically important instrument. The Brilliance of Baroque Organ: Bach and Buxtehude will feature renowned organist Christopher Dawes performing at St. Paul’s United Church.

“The thing about organ music is it’s not very common,” Dawes says. “In the services of many churches it's somewhat prominent, but in the general cultural sphere you don't hear it on the radio, you don't really see it depicted except for a few seconds in the odd movie. [...] So

when you actually go to a concert of organ music and hear a wide range of variety, that's a completely new experience for a lot of people.”

The performance will feature the music of Bach and Buxtehude, who Dawes says had a unique relationship. “Bach, who became kind of the greatest composer of history, according to most people, was 20 years old and he went on a 400-kilometre walk from the village of Arnstadt in Thuringia in central Germany up to the Baltic coast, to Lübeck, where the most prominent musician of the previous generation, Dietrich Buxtehude, was living and working,” Dawes says. “[Bach] went

there specifically to study with him and to learn about him, and he was on leave from his church position for four weeks,” he says. “He ended up staying four months because he had such an amazing time, and he came away deeply influenced by the genius of this older and now much less-known musician.”

The performance will feature pieces by both composers, Dawes says. “They're kind of side by side,” he says “So, Buxtehude writing a kind of piece, and then Bach writing a kind of piece—the same kind of piece. And the whole program kind of progresses along those lines.”

The Brilliance of Baroque Organ: Bach and Buxtehude will take place on May 11 at St. Paul’s United Church. Dawes will also perform the service at Lakeview Presbyterian Church on the morning of May 12, commemorating the installation of the organ there. For more about Dawes, visit ideasaboutmusic.ca. For more information about the May 11 concert, visit consortiumab.org.

Organist Christopher Dawes

Cowboy Carter

Beyoncé

Cowboy Carter is a musical masterpiece, full stop. At a whopping 27 tracks, with two separate interludes from Willie Nelson, Beyoncé has not only produced a cohesive album capturing the wide spectrum of what country can be, but has pushed those boundaries even further. However, like she said herself, this ain’t a country album; this is a Beyoncé album. From soulful, Southern gospel to boot-stomping banjo, crooning love ballads, rowdy, raunchy rap, and literally everything else in between, Cowboy Carter is a study in what a concept album can be. Impressive is an understatement to describe Beyoncé’s vocal range throughout the album, and the genre-bending tracklist is authentic and unapologetic of her Texas roots. With a wide variety of song lengths, various interludes, flawless transitions, and a number of guest artists, a start-to-finish listen of Cowboy Carter is necessary to truly appreciate its beauty and breadth. The final track on this album says it all: “AMEN.”

-Kelsey Raynard

She Told Me Where to Go

Old Man Luedecke

Whether it's putting your music career on pause to work as a deckhand on a scallop boat or forgoing your signature instrument on a new album, it’s good to take risks in life. Both were the circumstances leading up to Old Man Luedecke’s new album She Told Me Where to Go. Although the Juno Awardwinning Canadian singersongwriter’s banjo is missing from his latest release, the album still has that signature heart-on-your-sleeve witty lyricism he’s become known for. Like his previous albums, Luedecke sings about the mundane moments of life, like excessive screen time during the pandemic in “The Raven and the Dove” or taking reluctant kids to swim classes in “My Status Is The Baddest,” but fuses them with old-soul virtues. She Told Me Where to Go showcases Luedecke’s skills as one of the sharpest Canadian songwriters around—with or without his banjo

-Adrian Lysenko

Only God Was Above Us Vampire Weekend

New York indie band Vampire Weekend was never quite comfortable with the spotlight, but from the jump, nobody wanted to hear that from a group once dubbed “the whitest band alive.” Despite the false narratives that came with their rise in the late 2000s, the group’s relative inactivity over the last 10 years put their place in history into question. Only God Was Above Us is proof then that they were not a flash in the pan, and the fruits of their labour will continue to pay off for the listener. The band ventures back to their roots and fills the album with familiar sounds and references. The result, especially with the more subdued tracks on the album’s second half, feels fresh and inspired on tracks like “The Surfer,” and “Mary Boone.” If the band’s past work could be criticized for its inward gaze, Only God Was Above Us is undeniably grand in both its scope and production. They leave us with the obvious yet poignant closing message: “The enemy’s invincible/I hope you let it go.”

-Michael Charlebois

All Born Screaming

St. Vincent

Despite being a more recent release, St. Vincent’s latest effort All Born Screaming feels like Strange Mercy’s meaner, scarier older sister, which sort of makes sense taking into account the time between these albums and what we’ve collectively experienced in just the last few years. In an interview with BrooklynVegan magazine, St. Vincent described All Born Screaming as “post-plague pop,” which is certainly befitting of this record’s cynical mood made especially eerie by its pop fixings; however, the result is a strangeness that listeners will want to live in and revisit. The album is characterized by brutal beacons of hope from the title and artwork to the songs’ lyrics and the melodic distortion and noise that are staples of St. Vincent’s guitar-playing style. While there’s definitely a vibe listeners have come to expect with a St. Vincent project, All Born Screaming is ambitious in its scope, each song distinct and cohesive all at once, which can no doubt be credited to it being her first entirely self-produced album. All Born Screaming is nightmarish and gorgeous and an instant download to my Spotify library.

-Sidney Ulakovic

Learn About Our Plans for the Central Library

A Sobering Story

Ryan La Via

Director, co-producer, and cowriter Ryan La Via focuses on perhaps the most urgent issue of our time: substance use and addiction. It is a complex challenge facing every corner of our nation. A Sobering Story skillfully examines the subject as it is experienced in Thunder Bay by current and past substance users, doctors and specialists, other health-care providers, social workers, and police. It deepens the examination by including some families and partners as well. Questions are asked and then the camera watches quietly while their stories are revealed. Listen to their passionate and compassionate voices. With cinematography from some of our best local camera people and superb editing by Matt King, A Sobering Story is a fully engaging experience. There are real life stories here that will open your heart, break it, and offer some options for healing. High praise to La Via, his co-producer Ryan Hill, and their entire team. This is the finest documentary film to emerge from Northwestern Ontario.

-Michael Sobota

em2em

Emily Kerton and Emily Shandruk

At the heart of Science North, Emily Kerton helps offer Northwestern Ontario folks multiple programs, camps, and events for all ages, with a strong focus on science-driven education as well as “getting your nerd on.” Meanwhile Emily Shandruk runs Emily Shandruk Solutions, which concentrates on project management, specialized events, and sustainable solutions for today and into the future. Collectively, these two are a powerhouse duo who hash out those burning environmentrelated questions swirling around in your head. Although em2em only recently launched, it has already covered topics such as turning pollution guilt into positive action, and how “swapping” everyday household items can make a huge impact on our planet. What I love the most about this podcast (so far) is that Kerton and Shandruk often recommend sustainably sound products, and many of them are available here in town. Supporting local and bettering the environment—what a glorious combination.

-Andrea Lysenko

Who by Fire

Greg Rhyno

Mystery readers look for a compelling narrative to draw them into the story and relatable, interesting characters. We want to be led through a maze of potential clues, red herrings, and enigmatic plot twists to a satisfying climax and be left with a lingering feeling that you need to visit these characters and this setting again. With his second book, Who by Fire, author Greg Rhyno has crafted an engrossing mystery that does just that, and I’m thrilled to learn it’s the first book in a planned trilogy featuring amateur sleuth Dame Polara, who is the daughter of a police detective. When her father is offered a surveillance case, she decides to take it on herself because he is now struggling with dementia (and she needs the money). She immediately becomes embroiled in a shadowy world of arson, greed, and old grudges. Polara is a smart protagonist and someone you could easily see yourself befriending in real life despite the many challenges she is dealing with in her personal life. The fact that the story is set in Toronto is refreshing to readers like me who have devoured so many British or American mysteries over the years. Rhyno lives in Guelph, but you may remember him from his years in Thunder Bay, which he chose for the setting of his first book, To Me You Seem Giant Can’t wait for the next Polara mystery.

-Angela Meady

Community Ties

Kathy Toivonen and Kim Manduca

Northwestern Ontario has a rich history when it comes to trains, and how they played a part in establishing many communities. The railways of Northwestern Ontario were a lifeline for the area before the Trans-Canada came into existence, used for everything from the delivery of food to the Government of Ontario sending school cabooses for children on the line. Thunder Bay had two stations dedicated to the Canadian Pacific Railway (Canadian Northern Railroad)—Port Arthur’s Landing in Port Arthur, and Union Station in Fort William—and the first spike driven in the railway was near the banks of the Kaministiquia River in 1875. After the Great Depression hit, many transients boarded trains to find work elsewhere, which led to relief camps being established; ironically this led to the demise of the railroad when dependence was switched from trains to automobiles. If you’re interested in history, travel to any community and you’ll find past relics of steam engines and old diesel trains on display in their local museum, like the Kaministiquia River Heritage Park in Thunder Bay. Seeing how the railroad and trains have improved over the past century through the photos in the book is influencing me to buy a VIA Rail ticket.

-Craig Waboose

Silver Mountain Station

By Courtney Turner

As its name might suggest, Silver Mountain called to those seeking to make their fortune mining the silver deposits in the area. I wonder how many people travelled to northern Ontario hoping to strike it rich?

In 1889, the Port Arthur, Duluth, and Western Railway (PAD&W) started construction on railway lines from Port Arthur, extending through Fort William and onward towards the CanadaUnited States Border. The purpose

of the railway lines was to service the mining and the heavy logging industry in the region, with hopes of connecting with the existing railway lines across the border. In 1900, the two silver mines on either side of Silver Mountain were reopened and many came to Northwestern Ontario, relying on the train to transport their goods and materials.

The PAD&W was sold in 1899 to the Canadian Northern Railway, who set out to build several new station

buildings along the railway lines. In March of 1907, construction started on the Silver Mountain station. The Silver Mountain station was a thirdclass station, similar to those typically built by the Canadian Northern Railway to service rural areas. The original layout of the building was a two-storey structure with an attached freight shed. The Silver Mountain station building, between Nolalu and Whitefish Lake, replaced the simple log structure that was originally

located at Milepost 39. A similar but larger station was built at the same time at North Lake, approximately 51 kilometres west of Silver Mountain.

Silver Mountain station was overseen by several station masters throughout its years of operation, including one woman named Dorothea Mitchell, who arrived in Northwestern Ontario in 1909 to work for a mining engineer. Unfortunately, shortly after her arrival, silver mining operations saw a steep downturn,

 Dorothea Mitchell, date unknown

 Silver Mountain station on the Port Arthur, Duluth, & Western Line, date unknown

 Silver Mountain station, renovated, June 2012

Dave Battistel

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

forcing the closure of many mining operations. Mitchell stayed in the region and served as the Silver Mountain station master; she operated the general store and purchased and operated a sawmill, earning herself the nickname of “Lady Lumberjack.” In 1911, Mitchell was the first woman ever granted a homestead in the province of Ontario.

In 1923, the Canadian Northern Railway formally merged with Canadian National Railway, and sections of the railway lines originally built by the PAD&W were closed. That same year, Silver Mountain’s sister station in North Lake was abandoned. Silver Mountain station remained in operation until 1938 when the section of the railway line that extended to Silver Mountain was closed and removed. Today, the Silver Mountain station building remains at its original location at the junction of Hwy 593 and Hwy 588, and has been occupied by a series of private owners since its closure.

 Silver Mountain station, circa 1973

 Silver Mountain Station, June 1899

Library and Archives Canada

Thunder Bay Museum

Thunder Bay Museum

Night to Day

A Coming of Age Story

Story and photos by Leah Morningstar

Tattoos by Melissa Wright of Metsä Tattoo and Artistry

Like many young millennials (yes, I went there), Jason Feller spent a great deal of time feeling aimless and lost. He was born to a loving family and always got along great with his parents and siblings; his entire family was supportive. According to Feller, “Nobody batted an eye when I came out as gay. They all knew before I did!” The problem wasn’t a lack of love and support, the problem was he just didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life.

Feller didn’t do too well in high school and even quit the one class he enjoyed (biology) because he clashed so much with the teacher. He didn’t apply for any post-secondary education and thought maybe he’d just get any job and hopefully figure out what he wanted to do. Maybe he just needed time to find himself and find his passion. The tattoos on Feller’s forearms, by Melissa Wright of Metsä Tattoos and Artistry, represent the journey of finding himself and finding that passion.

After four years of working retail and still feeling aimless, Feller decided he would go back to school. He thought back to his favourite class in high school and decided to start there, by taking biology and botany at Lakehead University. Towards the end of his four-year program, Feller also started working at the Thunder Bay Museum, and his passion for learning and teaching was ignited.

After graduating from LU in 2018, Feller continued working at the museum, often working behind the scenes, organizing the collections and updating exhibits. He revamped the

big dinosaur exhibit and spent so much time cataloguing fossils, arrow heads, and pottery fragments. For the first time in a long time, Feller felt like he had a purpose and he was really enjoying himself. He felt confident, like he could actually dream something and then follow through. That’s when he knew it was time to leave the museum and see what else was out there for him.

Leaving the museum actually coincided with the first COVID lockdowns, but instead of feeling dejected, Feller began his own business! He founded the Boreal Museum and started putting his education, experience, and knowledge to work. He began by dropping off science kits for kids all over the city and, in warmer months, began hosting foraging walks for anyone interested in local plants and fungi. Presently, he’s renovating the basement in the Keskus business centre for a family-friendly museum space.

Feller went from a young man who was constantly feeling like an aimless imposter to a young man who knew exactly what he was doing. “These tattoos are a signifier that I can do anything. The moon represents the night, or the old me, the incapable me. The sun represents a new day and a new me, capable of whatever I put my mind to!”

It’s normal to feel aimless sometimes, but Feller and the Boreal Museum are a great example of finding your passion and finding your purpose. Every day Feller can look down and see his tattoos: the moon and the sun, reminding him that he’s a strong and capable person who can do anything he wants.

Navigating Canada Sustainably

Exploring Eco-Friendly Travel Options

By Ashley Priem, Co Executive Director, EcoSuperior

Canada, with its vast and diverse landscapes, beckons both locals and travellers from around the world to explore its natural wonders. However, as concerns about climate change and environmental degradation continue to grow, it's crucial to consider the impact of our travel choices on the planet. Fortunately, Canada offers a myriad of sustainable transportation options for eco-conscious travelers.

Canada's major cities boast efficient public transit systems that offer a convenient and ecofriendly way to get around. Whether it's hopping on a bus, riding the subway, or taking a tram, public transit helps reduce carbon emissions by minimizing the number of cars on

the road. Many cities also offer bikesharing programs, allowing travellers to pedal their way around town while reducing their environmental footprint.

Trains are not only an iconic mode of transportation in Canada, but also one of the most sustainable. With their low carbon emissions per passenger mile, trains offer an eco-friendly alternative to driving or flying, especially for long-distance travel. Passenger rail service connects major cities and scenic destinations across the country, allowing travellers to sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey while minimizing their impact on the environment.

For shorter distances and urban exploration, nothing beats

travelling on foot or by bike. Many of Canada's cities are designed with pedestrians and cyclists in mind, offering an extensive network of walking paths, bike lanes, and scenic trails. Whether it's strolling through historic neighbourhoods, cycling along waterfronts, or hiking in urban parks, getting around by foot or bike allows travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture and reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.

When driving is necessary, consider carpooling or using carsharing services to minimize emissions and reduce traffic congestion. Carpooling allows travellers to share rides with others, cutting down on fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, car-sharing services provide access to vehicles on an as-needed basis, eliminating the need for individual car ownership and promoting a more sustainable approach to transportation. As well, opting for an electric vehicle (EV) can significantly reduce carbon emissions. Canada has been making strides in EV adoption, with an increasing number

of charging stations and incentives for EV owners. By choosing an EV or hybrid vehicle, travellers can enjoy the freedom of driving while minimizing their environmental impact.

By embracing sustainable transportation options and making eco-conscious choices while exploring Canada, we can reduce our carbon footprint and preserve the country's natural treasures for years to come. Whether it's riding the rails, cycling through the city, or carpooling with friends, there are plenty of ways to travel sustainably and experience the beauty of Canada without harming the environment. Let's pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future of travel in Canada.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

Vaillant Family

“When our family was faced with the reality that the family farm needed to be sold, we knew it would be challenging Becky genuinely understood this and throughout the process was compassionate, honest and sincere. We understood we needed to find a special buyer for this unique property The combination of her creative marketing, effective communication and plain old hard work proved to be the perfect recipe SOLD! In our experience, Becky is THE full service realtor that we needed and we are beyond satisfied with not only the results of the sale, but more importantly, how the entire family was treated throughout the process Becky Forester receives our highest personal and professional recommendation as an agent with the utmost integrity who gets the job done. Thank you Becky from the entire Vaillant family.

May Behind the Business Feature

Matej Rodela, TOK TOK Home

Meet Matej Rodela, founder and entrepreneur behind TOK TOK Home. In March of 2020, amidst the unfolding uncertainty of the pandemic, TOK TOK Home emerged as a beacon of resilience and innovation. Founded by a visionary entrepreneur whose expertise as a product designer and project manager ignites a passion for transforming living spaces, TOK TOK Home epitomizes the fusion of artistry and functionality. Driven by a commitment to revolutionizing the design landscape, Matej seeks to redefine the very essence of home decor, offering design solutions that seamlessly blend elegance and practicality. From its start, TOK TOK Home has embarked on a mission to elevate the living environments of households everywhere, proving that even in the face of adversity, creativity knows no bounds.

To learn more about TOK TOK Home, visit toktokhome.ca, or find them on Instagram @toktok_home or on YouTube as toktokhome2280.

Q & A with Matej

What drew you to entrepreneurship?

As an entrepreneur, I'm drawn to the opportunity to turn ideas into reality. It’s a thrilling prospect shared by many in the entrepreneurial community, including myself. The ability to create something tangible from a vision is incredibly rewarding and drives my passion for entrepreneurship. What inspired you to launch your business?

I was inspired to launch TOK TOK Home by a noticeable gap in the furniture market—there simply weren’t enough options

that resonated with my home’s aesthetic and the preferences of fellow millennials. I envisioned furniture that seamlessly combined functionality, beauty, quality, and affordability—a tall order, but achievable. By employing smart design solutions, I found ways to reduce production costs and shipping fees, crucial factors when competing against lower-priced products from Asia. This drive to fill a void in the market and offer stylish yet affordable furniture solutions motivated me to bring TOK TOK Home to life.

Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?

If I knew then what I know now, I would have dedicated more time

to finding a partner or investor to give the company a stronger start. My focus on product development and production left me with little energy for marketing and promotions, areas where a partner or investor could have provided valuable support.

What advice would you give to someone who is trying to become an entrepreneur?

For aspiring entrepreneurs, my advice is simple: take action. Regrets often stem from missed opportunities, so seize the moment and pursue your goals. Additionally, ensure you have a well-crafted business plan that you thoroughly understand. Be ready to navigate unforeseen challenges, such as the impact of events like the pandemic.

What are you working on now?

Currently, our focus lies on developing smaller items suitable for retail sales. Additionally, we're dedicated to refining a versatile shelving system that enables the addition and expansion of shelves as required.

Is there anyone specific you would like to thank?

I would like to express my gratitude to the supportive community of Thunder Bay. From the Innovation Centre to the CEDC, their unwavering support has made venturing into business much more accessible and approachable.

PRESENTED

Bring VIA back to Thunder Bay

Editorial by Bruce Hyer, Photo by Brian Martyniuk

When I moved to Canada in 1976, my friends asked, “Why?” I gave three examples as to why Canada was on track: one stubby, returnable, reusable beer bottle, a universal health care system that left no one without care, and wonderful passenger rail service coast to coast on two lines, seven days a week, called the Canadian. Oh my.

Today, the Canadian dream is in terrible decline with regards to rail service. The 2012 cut from tri-weekly service to only two departures per week was a worrisome example of the various factors damaging the Canadian. Reasons include lack of legislation, a pitiful budget, and how CN abuses and overcharges VIA on the north line though Longlac, Armstrong, and Sioux Lookout on the way to Winnipeg. CP Rail doesn’t want it at all. Can we re-route the train back to the CP Superior North Shore main line on which it operated from its launch in 1955 until 1990? Except for an absence of political will,

there are no physical, operational, or financial reasons preventing putting the Canadian back on the Superior North Shore.

When federal and provincial governments pour massive public dollars into roads, airports, and airlines they call it an “investment.” On the rare occasions when they give money to VIA and other rail systems, they call it a “subsidy.” Canada is the only member of G7 or G20 with no national transportation plan. National, regional, and local transport systems in Japan, China, Taiwan, and Europe are connected, seamless and run on time within seconds.

VIA’s problems come down to broad and daunting issues:

• No legislation establishing VIA’s mandate, rights, and obligations

• No parliamentary oversight of VIA’s functioning

• Inadequate funding or budgetary assurances, making planning impossible

• Politicized board and management lacking real-world railway experience

• CN gouging VIA, raising passenger fees to non-competitive levels

• The oldest rolling stock in the industrialized world

There is no comparison between the two transcontinental routes through northern Ontario. The CN route is far outclassed by the aweinspiring vistas on the Superior North Shore portion of the former route. If a train service agreement can be successfully negotiated with CP, restoring the Canadian to its original route between the Sudbury area, Thunder Bay, and Winnipeg poses no serious physical challenges. The CP route has good capacity to accommodate both freight and passenger operations.

Whether Canada will continue to have transcontinental passenger rail service is worrisome. The Canadian cannot survive much longer under the lack of informed direction, funding, and vision exhibited by the current and previous governments. Urgently needed is a cooperative, federal-provincial approach to the unavoidably high cost of providing adequate remote rail service.

The starting point must be a

national rail passenger policy. To correct VIA’s decades of accumulated woes will require decisive action, but it is possible to give Canadians the passenger trains we need. Re-routing the Canadian to the CP line between Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Winnipeg requires no large investments. There are better alternatives for the northern route through Longlac and Armstrong to serve remote tourism and First Nations.

If VIA’s Canadian is to be sustained as Canada’s flagship passenger train, providing both a useful inter-city transportation service and a unique, tourism-boosting travel experience across northern Ontario and western Canada, it requires urgent action. The decision is up to the next government. Canada must renew what was a national treasure.

When Bruce Hyer was MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North, he published A Superior North Shore Action Plan for VIA Rail Canada’s Canadian written by Greg Gormick. This article borrows from that document, which is available by emailing Bruce@BruceHyer.ca.

May EventsGuide

May 1, 6–8, 13–15, 20–22, & 27–29

Pierogi Days

Polish Combatants

Branch No. 1

Head over to the Polish Combatants Branch No.1 every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to buy perogies, cabbage rolls, vegan beet soup, and more. Pre-order, e-transfer. 807-345-1861

May 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, & 29

Thunder Bay

Country

Market

Canadian Lakehead Exhibition

The TBay Market is a collection of small, local businesses that all make, bake, or grow the items they sell directly to you when you visit the market. The market opens every Wednesday at 3:30 pm and Saturday at 8 am.

facebook.com/tbaymarket

May 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29, 11 am

Lil Wednesdays

Goods & Co. Market

Goods & Co Market is happy to offer a safe and comfortable area for kids of all ages. Parents and guardians can come in, order a coffee and a snack, and catch up with friends while the kids have some fun. goodscomarket.ca

May 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29, 7 pm

Name That Tune

Sleeping Giant Brewing Company

Test your musical skills every Wednesday night this month. Make your way to the Sleeping Giant Brew Co. for an incredible night of quizzing tunes that always gets the taproom buzzing. facebook.com/Sleeping GiantBrewingCo

May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 3 pm

Blissful Beading

Country Park Library

Drop in after school and relax while you create beaded trinkets, necklaces, keychains, and more. Ages 4+.

tbpl.ca

May 2, 5 pm

Nicole Doesn’t Know Anime

Mary J.L. Black Library

She’s embarrassed to admit it, but Nicole really doesn’t know anime. After listening to her feeble attempt to describe the characters and plot, tell her just how wrong she is, eat Japanese snacks, and watch a few episodes of the show. Doors open at 4:30 pm. Ages 13–18. tbpl.ca

May 3–8

Spring Into Art Exhibit and Sale

55 Plus Centre

Going on for almost 20 years now, Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre’s Spring Into Art Exhibit and Sale will return for another season. See this month’s Art section for more info. 807-684-3066

May 3, 9 pm

Cinco De Mayo

Sleeping Giant Brewing Company

Ready to shake things up this Cinco de Mayo? Join the fiesta and experience something new this year with a 45-minute dance lesson included in your night of great food, drinks, and company. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

sleepinggiantbrewing.ca

May 4, 9 am

Ramada Sports Card and Memorabilia Show

Ramada Hotel

Calling all diehard sports collectors! Vendors will have NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB cards, memorabilia, wax boxes, and supplies for sale, as well as non-sports collectors items such as Pokémon. Free to attend. rowz44@outlook.com

May 4, 11, 18 & 25, 10 am

Thunder Bay Farmers’ Market

North End Recreation Centre

The Thunder Bay Farmers’ Market is excited to welcome everyone back with their spring market, now operating out of the North End Recreation Centre at 954 Huron Avenue, with both new and returning vendors every Saturday this month. facebook.com/T.Bay. FarmersMarket

May 4, 10 am

May the Fourth Be With You

Mary JL Black Library

Celebrate Stars Wars Day (and Comic Book Day) with us as you create your own mini comic book, design buttons, and make bookmarks in the programming room. All craft supplies are first come, first served. tbpl.com

May 4, 11 am

Bloom & Brew Market

Rose N Crantz Roasting Co.

Head on over to Rose N Crantz Roasting Co. to peruse locally made artisan

crafts and goods, with 15 vendors set up for you to browse their goods as you enjoy a coffee. Free to attend.

facebook.com/ RoseNCrantzCoffee

May 4, 2 pm

The Art of Burglary Book Launch

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 5

Local author Joan M. Baril will be in attendance for the launch of her collection of short stories, The Art of Burglary. See this month’s City Scene section for more info.

facebook.com/ portarthurlegion

May 4, 8 pm

Jason Rouse: The Dark Side Comedy Tour

The Industry

Social House

As seen on Showtime, HBO, Comedy Now and MTV, Jason Rouse is a renegade touring standup comedian taking the mainstream comedy world and turning it upside down. Tickets are $25 and available online. campfirecomedy.ca

May 4 & 5, noon

51st Folklore Festival 2024

Fort William Gardens

The region’s most colourful event of the year is back. Travel around the world in 48 hours at this year’s Folklore Fest. See this month’s Top Five for more info.

facebook.com/ folkloretbay

Until May 5

Lakehead University Honours Exhibition

Thunder Bay Art Gallery

The Thunder Bay Art Gallery presents this collection of individual works by students graduating from the Honours Bachelor of Fine Art program at Lakehead University. theag.ca

May 5, 10 am

Craft Revival

Waterfront District

The Spring 2024 Craft Revival will feature over 100 vendors and live performances. See this month’s Top Five for more info. craftrevival.ca

May 5, 10 am

Sunday Skate

Cinema 5 Skatepark

The Female Skateboard Collective is hosting Sunday Skates for anyone who identifies as female and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. All ages and abilities are welcome. A $5 donation is required to join. facebook.com/female skateboardcollective

May 7 & 21, 7 pm

Tuesday Trivia

Lakehead Beer Company

Trivia buffs, prepare to prove yourselves at Lakehead Beer Company’s trivia night. Up to six people per team. Prizes for the winning team. No tickets required. lakeheadbeer.ca

May 9–12, 14–19, 21–25

Magnus Theatre

Presents Liars at a Funeral

Magnus Theatre

A hilarious story of a grandmother who fakes her own death in order to get her whole wild and woolly family into one building to hash it all out, once and for all. Tickets are $35 and available online. See this month’s Film & Theatre section for more info. magnustheatre.com

May 9, 4 pm

National EFry Week Fundraiser

Roots Community Food Centre

Support local rebels with a cause. EFry NWO is hosting their annual fundraiser for National EFry Week with live entertainment, door prizes, and more. Tickets are $45 and available online. elizabethfrysocietyof northwesternontario. square.site

May 9, 6 pm

Wine Tasting & Dinner

Whitewater Golf Course

Enjoy a four-course meal and a tasting of six different wine varieties in support of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority. Tickets are $125 each and available online. facebook.com/ WhitewaterGC

May 9, 6 pm

Indigenous Author Series:

Sheila North

Brodie Resource Library

In 2024, the library will be hosting several Indigenous authors reading from their works as part of an author series. Sheila North will

be in Thunder Bay at the Brodie Resource Library for a reading this May. Registration is required. tbpl.ca

May 10 & 11

Quest: Tech & Gaming

Fort William Gardens

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to celebrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and math as you dive into cutting-edge workshops at this exciting event presented by the City of Thunder Bay’s Cultural Development, Community Programming and Events sector. Free to attend. thunderbay.ca

May 10, 3 pm

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop

Presents: Meet

Guy Gavriel Kay

Entershine Bookshop

Guy Gavriel Kay, Canadian writer and international bestselling author of fantasy fiction, will be at Entershine Bookshop for a book signing event, as part of NOWW’s LitFest 2024. This is a rare opportunity to meet the author and show support for Northwestern Ontario’s largest literary festival.

entershinebookshop.ca

May 11, 10 am

Mother’s Day Market

Goods & Co. Market

Spend Saturday morning finding the perfect gift for mom and shop local vendors at Goods & Co. Market.

instagram.com/ goodscomarket

May 11, 10 am

NOWW

Book Fair and Literary Market

Baggage Building Arts Centre

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop is pleased to announce its first annual book fair and literary market, just one more exciting feature of LitFest 2024. nowwwriters.ca

May 11, 11 am

Story

Time with Drag Queens

Waverley Resource Library

Join the always delightful Lady Fantasia La Premiere and Mz Molly Poppinz for a fun-filled and inclusive storytime. tbpl.ca

May 11, 1 pm

Mother’s Day Felted Love Fundraiser

Tapiola Nature and Ski

Join local artist Amanda Talarico for a felt painting experience. Bring your mom, daughter, sister, grandma or other loved ones and create memories and masterpieces. All proceeds will be going to Northern Lights School. Limited spots. Register by email.

northernlightstbay@ gmail.com

May 11, 7 pm

Zorya Ukrainian Dancers

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium

Join the Zorya Ukrainian Dance Association for their annual year end concert Heroyam Slava! Glory to the Heroes, which will celebrate the beauty of Ukrainian culture. Proceeds will go to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, and a donation box will be available at the concert. tbca.com

May 12, 2 pm

Macrame + Clay

Lakeside Studio & Café

Create your own macrame plant hanger and glaze a beautiful stoneware planter. Tickets include all supplies, a locally made pottery planter and a baby plant, and a drink. Registration is $50 and available online. lakesidepotterystudio. com

Until May 12

Paintings by Damon Dowbak

Co.Lab Gallery & Arts Centre

Contemporary multidisciplinary artist

Damon Dowbak’s latest collection of paintings will be on display at Co.Lab Gallery & Arts Centre until May 12. colabgallery.ca

May 14, 5:30 pm

Tea Leaf Reading with Katherine Keeping

Brodie Resource Library Have you always wanted to learn more about tea leaf reading but didn’t know where to start? Join the experienced Katherine Keeping as she gives you a step-by-step lesson on how to read tea leaves and see symbols. Find out what your tea says about you. 17+. Register online. tbpl.ca

May 14, 7 pm

Shedding Light on Nightshade: Grow Organic Potatoes and Tomatoes

Roots Community Food Centre

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener looking to refine your skills or a novice eager to embark on a new adventure, this workshop with Sleepy G Farm is your gateway to successfully cultivating these highly coveted garden vegetables. Free to attend. Register online. facebook.com/ sleepygfarm

May 14–17

Paramount Live Presents: Funny Girl

Paramount Theatre

Next up on the Paramount stage is their senior student production of the Broadway classic musical Funny Girl, a bittersweet comedy that follows the story of Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreams of a life on the stage. Tickets are $22.63 and available online.

facebook.com/plivetbay

May 16–19

The Great Benjamins Circus

Canadian Lakehead Exhibition

Down to clown? The action-packed circus returns with acrobats, aerialists, daredevils, and more. Bring the kids, bring the grandparents, and see the circus as a family. General admission is $17.50. Tickets available online. benjaminscircus.com

May 17, 6:30 pm

Dinosaur World Live!

Thunder Bay

Community Auditorium

Looking for fun days out with the kids? Dare to experience the dangers and delights of Dinosaur World Live in this roarsome interactive show for all the family. Tickets start at $37.50 and are available online.

tbca.com

May 18, noon Kooshkopayiw Awakening: Art Crawl

Thunder Bay

Art Gallery

Kooshkopayiw means “to awaken” in Michif. This event will showcase the talent of Métis artists of all ages spanning across disciplines, allowing the public to learn what Métis art is and bridge the gap between Métis artists and the provincial arts community. theag.ca

May 19, 2 pm

Resin

& Beadwork

Lakeside Studio & Café

Make a beautiful pair of earrings. Create a botanical resin set to centre your work, and then finish with the two-needle applique beading technique and edging. No experience needed. Registration is $60 and available online. lakesidepotterystudio. com

May 20, 9 am

Firefighters 10 Mile Road Race

Columbus Centre

This is one of Canada’s longest-running road races and a Thunder Bay tradition dating back to 1910. Runners from around the world from Kenya to Finland have come to run the roads of Thunder Bay in one of the few 10-mile races held in Canada. 10mileroadrace.org

May 22 & 29, 6:30 pm

Wednesday Night Racing

Thunder City Speedway

Wednesday night racing is back at the dirt track. General admission tickets are $20 and available at the gate. Cash only. thundercityspeedway.ca

May 24, 7 pm

Hungry Hearts

Ramada Hotel

Thunder Bay

Try a taste of Latin America at this event hosted by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. Tickets are $125 and a portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Northern Cardiac Fund. Tickets are available online. facebook.com/health sciencesfoundation

May 25 & 26, noon

Stamp Show

Thunder Bay

Art Gallery

The Lakehead Stamp Club will be hosting their 72nd annual Stamp Show, where all kinds of collectors’ stamps will be available for sale. Free to attend. Donations are appreciated and proceeds collected will go to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. lakeheadstampclub. wixsite.com

May 26, 10 am

Crochet Bandana

Daisy Squares

Lakeside Studio & Café

Learn how to crochet daisy squares and construct a scalloped bandana in this beginner-friendly workshop. Snacks and refreshments provided. Registration is $50 and available online. lakesidepotterystudio. com

May 31, 6 pm

Bachelors for Hope 25th Anniversary

Charity Gala Auction

Valhalla Inn

You and your friends deserve a night out. This year’s Bachelors for Hope auction has a sizzling roster of 10 Thunder Bay Firefighters. Tickets start at $100 and are available online. 100% of proceeds support the Northern Cancer Fund. healthsciences foundation.ca/bachelors

May 31, 7 pm

All the Daze Productions Presents: We Are Monsters

Magnus Theatre

This comedic musical follows four kids— Westerly, Jade, Sunny,

and KC—sneaking into an abandoned theatre in the hopes of finding monsters and their secrets. Tickets available online. See this month’s Film & Theatre section for more info. allthedaze.ca

May 31, 7:35 pm

Border Cats

Season Opener

Port Arthur Stadium

The sport of the summer is back for another season. The Thunder Bay Border Cats are gearing up for a summer of baseball following their return to the ballpark last year. See this month’s City Scene section for more info. northwoodsleague.com

Until June 16

Ziigwan: New Acquisitions to the Permanent Collection

Thunder Bay Art Gallery

Ziigwan means “spring” or “early spring” in Anishinaabemowin. This salon-style exhibition presents a chorus of voices, some new to the permanent collection, of second- and thirdgeneration Woodland style artists. theag.ca

Until August 29

Legacy of Hope Foundation

Presents Indian Day Schools in Canada

Thunder Bay Museum

The Indian Day School travelling exhibition seeks to educate and raise awareness among Canadians on the subject of Indian Day Schools to support healing and reconciliation. thunderbaymuseum.com

Until September 8

Ukrainian Matrix

Thunder Bay Museum

This community-led exhibit showcases physical expressions of Ukrainian culture and traditions, and highlights their roots. Alongside the exhibit will be a variety of programming reflecting different aspects of Ukrainian culture. thunderbaymuseum.com

May 1

Ira Johnson

Howl at the Moon

8 pm • $5 • AA

Danny Johnson’s Piano Bar

Shooter’s Tavern

8 pm • Free • 19+

May 4

RCBB presents

Bond & Beyond

Da Vinci Centre

6:30 pm • $25 • AA

Cupid’s Heart: Pick Me Up Tour with Bent Ash

May 9

Celtic Night ft

TBay Trad

Red Lion Smokehouse

7:30 pm • Free • AA

May 10

May 13

Sea Shanty

The Foundry

8:30 pm • Free • 19+

May 15

Ira Johnson

May 19

The Simon & Garfunkel Story

Thunder Bay

Community Auditorium

7:30 pm • $45+ • AA

Open Jam

Branch 5 Legion

Reckless Abandon

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

DJ Rogue

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

Blood Red Moon

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

May 2

BPP 16-Year Anniversary Bash –Night 1

Black Pirates Pub

7 pm • $15 • AA

May 3

Jazz & OldFashioned Fridays ft Mood Indigo

Anchor & Ore

6 pm • Free • AA

TBSO Special: Noondaagotoon!

Fort William

Historical Park

7:30 pm • Free • AA

Live Music Friday with Bill Murray

Red Lion Smokehouse

7:30 pm • Free • AA

The Bustle w/ The Roosters

The Foundry

9 pm • $5 • 19+

Cinco de Mayo with Karim y Nady

Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.

9 pm • $10–15 • 19+

Country Night ft

DJ Stronzo

The Industry

9 pm • $TBA • 19+

BPP 16-Year Anniversary Bash –Night 2

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $10 • 19+

Hayee Garmi ft

DJ JR

NV Music Hall

10 pm • $10 • 19+

Cheap & Easy

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Blood Red Moon

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

Throwback

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.

7:30 pm • $TBA • 19+

SGFMS presents

Angelique Francis

Fort William Historical Park

8 pm • $40 • AA

BPP 16-Year Anniversary Bash –Night 3

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $10 • 19+

DJ Rogue

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Throwback

Bashment Time ft DJ Big D + DJ Rudone

Norteños Cantina

10 pm

$10

19+

Cheap & Easy

The Wayland

10 pm

$5

19+

Saddle Up Saturdays ft DJ Mo

NV Music Hall

10 pm

$5 • 19+

May 5

Open Jam Branch 5 Legion

8 pm • Free • AA

Mexican Fiesta ft

DJ Alex Mex

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

May 6

Open Mic

The Foundry

7:30 pm • Free • 19+

May 8

Lakehead Choral Group Spring Concert: New Beginnings

St. Agnes Church

7 pm • $10–20

• AA

Ira Johnson

Howl at the Moon

8 pm • $5

AA

Danny Johnson’s

Piano Bar

Shooter’s Tavern

8 pm

Free

19+

Jazz & OldFashioned Fridays ft Mood Indigo

Anchor & Ore

6 pm • Free • AA

PINK IVY Debut

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $TBA • 19+

The JB Band

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Back Forty

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Hung Wellgarians

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Dame Mas Dance Latin Night

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5 • 19+

May 11

2nd Annual Summer in the Parking Lot

Kick Off Tribute Show

Da Vinci Centre

6 pm • $30–50 • AA

The Brilliance of Baroque

St. Paul’s United Church

7:30 pm • $25 • AA

Josh & Dono

Birthday Show ft Pedestrian Lifestyle

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $10 • 19+

Throwback

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Saddle Up

Saturdays ft DJ MO

NV Music Hall

10 pm • $5 • 19+

DJ Rogue

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

V3nom

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5 • 19+

May 12

Open Jam Branch 5 Legion

8 pm • Free • AA

Howl at the Moon

8 pm • $5 • AA

Danny Johnson’s Piano Bar

Shooter’s Tavern

8 pm • Free • 19+

Owen Riegling: Buckle Up Tour

NV Music Hall

9 pm • Free • 19+

May 16

Drag Music Bingo with Amber Ail

Red Lion Smokehouse

9 pm • Free • 19+

May 17

Jazz & OldFashioned Fridays ft Mood Indigo

Anchor & Ore

6 pm • Free • AA

Italian Touch

Latin Dance Night

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $TBA • 19+

V3nom

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Outlaw

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

5 Man

Acoustical Band

Norteños Taqueria

10pm • $5-$10 • 19+

Page 38

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

May 18

Video Star & Friends

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $10 • 19+

The Gin Tonics

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Saddle Up Saturdays ft DJ Mo

NV Music Hall

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Boom Town

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Page 38

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

8 pm • Free • AA

May 20

Open Mic

The Foundry

7:30 pm • Free • 19+

May 22

Ira Johnson

Howl at the Moon

8 pm • $5 • AA

Danny Johnson’s

Piano Bar

Shooter’s Tavern

8 pm • Free • 19+

May 23

Celtic Night ft

TBay Trad

Red Lion Smokehouse

7:30 pm • Free • AA

May 24

Jazz & OldFashioned Fridays w/ Mood Indigo

Anchor & Ore

6 pm • Free • AA

Dark Sexy Friday 2 ft The Fixer + indigo + Page 38 + Lynxxy + Greg Rekus

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $10 • 19+

Hung Wellgarians

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Blood Red Moon

The Foundry

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Mother of Wolves

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Dame Mas Dance

Latin Night

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5-$10 • 19+

May 25

Blues Blast 2024

Da Vinci Centre

3:30 pm • $75 • AA

The JB Band

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Saddle Up

Saturdays ft DJ Mo

NV Music Hall

10 pm • $5 • 19+

May 26

Music of the Night: The Concert Tour

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium

2 pm • $49+ • AA

Open Jam Branch 5 Legion

8 pm • Free • AA

May 27

Sea Shanty

The Foundry 8:30 pm • Free • 19+

May 28

Vadym Krasnooky

Concert Fundraiser

Norteños Cantina

6 pm • $39+ • AA

May 29

Ira Johnson

Howl at the Moon

8 pm • $5 • AA

Danny Johnson’s Piano Bar

Shooter’s Tavern 8 pm • Free • 19+

May 31

Jazz & OldFashioned Fridays w/ Mood Indigo

Anchor & Ore

6 pm • Free • AA

Halfway to Halloween

Costume Party

Black Pirates Pub

9 pm • $10 • 19+

Shawn Desman

NV Music Hall

10 pm • $35+ • 19+

Blood Red Moon

The Wayland

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Page 38

Norteños Cantina

10 pm • $5 • 19+

Boom Town

Norteños Taqueria

10 pm • $5–10 • 19+

Brought to you by:

Aries

(March 21–

April 19)

Welcome to the fabulously merry month of May. One has visions of flowers and ribbons and dancing around a maypole. May Day is also called Beltane in some circles, and one of the delightful traditions is the weaving and wearing of flower crowns (daisies would look lovely on you). Travel plans have Rams feeling as fiery as their signs, and the anticipation is building. Bonds are strengthening this month, and relationships are being nurtured under your thoughtful care. Do something special with a mother figure this month; she deserves the very best.

Taurus

(April 20–May 20)

Happy birthday, Taurus! You Bulls find yourselves really contemplating your life this month. There’s been some obstacles, but those born under this earth sign have plowed through some rocky times, and now find themselves in a good place. It’s a good idea to be surrounded by good friends and family this month. You find yourself in receipt of some lovely and thoughtful gifts, but it’s always a good idea to ensure that you treat your own self as well, so do buy yourself some flowers. A special night out is ahead, so enjoy time spent with your nearest and dearest. Happy solar return and many more.

Gemini

(May 21–June 20)

The Twins are not overly fond of cold weather, so the fact that spring has finally sprung is of great solace. Victoria Day this month means that there’s some rest and relaxing involved for those born under this sign. New paths are opening up for these air signs lately, and

so are some intriguing new business opportunities. Now is the time to really explore your talents and consider being an entrepreneur, particularly around the 7th, when the new moon is in your sign. Your inner circle is expanding a bit, and some new people in your life are adding in some much-needed perspective. Happy birthday to the late May babies!

Cancer

(June 21–July 22)

The full moon in May is known as the Flower Moon, so plan to spend a bit of time moon gazing. It is a time for new beginnings and intense evolution around the 23rd, and any decisions made at this time will prove fruitful.

Crabs may be feeling the strong pull of the moon more so than other signs at the moment, simply because the moon is the ruling planet of Cancer. This is a time to give up what doesn’t serve you. What does that look like?

Celebrate Mom this month in style. Fire up the barbecue and make an evening of it. After all, water signs love to be surrounded by friends and family.

Leo

(July 23–August 22)

Time to do some spring cleaning, Leo. Whether it’s tidying up your altar or going full-out, it’s no secret that Lions love doing some home renos and repair, and this month finds them lined up at the local home and garden store to fulfill all their best-laid plans. It’s nice to finally be able to crack open those windows and give the walls a fresh coat of paint. Rearranging furniture allows stagnant energy to flow through and revive your ambiance. This month has feisty Leos finding their joy in the kitchen. That might look like trying a complex

recipe, or baking some bread by the hearth. A new kitchen product may add some flair with experimenting.

Virgo

(August 23–September 22)

The rumours are true— Pluto goes retrograde on the 2nd. This isn’t always a bad thing, though. Virgos enjoy order and routine, but when life gets shaken up a little bit, it allows for some problemsolving and out-of-the-box thinking to happen, which may not normally occur. Simply go with the flow rather than trying to fight the current. Career figures prominently this month, and it’s time to think about your current job situation. Perhaps it may be worthwhile to do some journaling on the matter and really go deep, and ask some hard questions. Plan a surprise family outing for Mother’s Day.

Libra

(September 23–October 22)

Have your dreams been really intense lately? It may be time to keep a record of your dreams and see if there’s any underlying messages. May is an energetically powerful month, and your subconscious may be trying to tell you something. Dream recall is an invaluable form of divination, often holding incredible insight as to what the future holds. Spend some time in nature and just be still and listen to the noises around you. Taking a few minutes in this type of meditation can help ease our mind. Perhaps visit a local metaphysical shop and see if anything calls to you. Spend time preparing for your garden.

Scorpio

(October 23–November 21)

Victoria Day weekend approacheth, and Scorpions couldn’t be more delighted.

There’s definitely some plans happening for travel, even if it’s just a short distance. It all counts. Getting away from the hectic pace of everyday life will bring about a significant change to your physical or mental well-being. Being close to the water brings a great deal of peace. Whether a family outing or a solo trip, there’s a great deal of merriment attached to these plans.

Sagittarius

(November 22–December 21)

Archers are really feeling it these days. They are outside, enjoying the weather, and weekends may find them brunching or going to little markets or quaint coffee shops. Finally free of the shackles of winter, Sags might be doing some exploring around town on bicycle or on foot. Life seems to have fallen into a pleasant pace. There’s a special birthday person in your life this month, so do make some special plans to celebrate the big day. Mother’s Day finds Centaurs beaming with joy when it comes to their offspring. Isn’t it great to watch a young person grow up to be a wonderful young adult? Tea time finds you contemplating scones and jam. A goal is accomplished this month.

Capricorn

(December 22–January 19)

Your social life is on the upswing these days, Cap. Your hermit self is finally emerging from the confines of hibernation. It’s time to share your glory with the world and make those big, brash moves that have been weighing on your mind. It’s no secret that Goats are extremely hard workers, but allow yourself time for fun too. Your social circle expands and your calendar starts to fill up with outings. Mother’s Day celebrations

with the family are smooth sailing. Everyone is getting along and old grudges have been forgotten. Enjoy being the centre of attention (or at least try to).

Aquarius

(January 20–February 18)

This is a lucky month for you, Aquarius. You will enjoy a little bit of financial success, so make sure you grab that extra scratch ticket or consider signing up with the work lottery group. Perhaps a larger than expected tax refund? In any case, abundance is in your favour this month. There is a certain sense of excitement in the air, and Water-Bearers are feeling it. You’ll be asked to step up around the time of the full moon this month, so push away those qualms of assuming a leadership role and just dive in. A weekend getaway with friends or a loved one promises to be an enjoyable time. Celebrate Mom or a maternal figure this month. Spoiling others is fun, as it’s a win-win situation. Prosperity abounds!

Pisces

(February 19–March 20)

Are you feeling a bit rundown lately, Pisces? Time to stop your whirlwind schedule and just slow down for a bit and take stock. Ask your inner self what needs to be worked on, and take it from there. You may need to add a healing modality to your life. Take time to breathe, meditate, or do yoga. This will soothe your squirrel brain and can help to improve your overall well-being. Enjoy a bath with some soothing oils or salts. Self-care is vitally important these days, and a social media break may be in order. Curl up with a good book instead. Mother’s Day has you feeling a bit bittersweet. A surprise phone call or FaceTime will cheer you up immensely.

Colossal Crossword Fun Games for Everyone

1. Marion __ (Toronto-born aviator who became the first woman to operate a flight school in Canada ...More at #91-Across)

4. __ Parvis Magna (Thus Greatness From Small Beginnings, in Latin)

7. Disney-owned TV network

Vancouver Island seaside community, __ Bay

Hawaiian taro root dish

Spiritual 'ideal'

19. Canada's Atom Egoyan, e.g.

20. Exceeded the scheduled time

21. Hangout on Canadian comedy classic "The Red Green Show": 2 wds.

24. Quilts, hooked rugs, weaving... __ Museum of Canada, in Toronto

25. University of Toronto's carillon structure

honouring the memory of the members of the school who fell in the World Wars: 2 wds.

Celeste of "All About Eve" (1950)

'Kitchen' extension?

Adjust the guitar strings again

__ Creek (Lake Ontario community near Hamilton)

Seven, in Portugal

Not major

Tidy the floors

Prune the photo

Mr. Byrnes of "77 Sunset Strip"

Hollywood's Ms. Hudson

OutKast chart-topper in 2003!: 2 wds.

Rather like Tee's preceding letter

1966: "Love Makes the World Go Round" by __ Jackson

preface, puny-ly

to Wolf

#1-Across: 2 wds.

95. __ Mountains (Range in the Yukon named after Dominion Land Surveyor William)

historic prospectors: 2 wds.

Ontario city near Niagara Falls

Scot's 'uncle'

Gold: Spanish

__ et poivre

American guitarist Mr. Cooder, and namesakes

Restaurant bill

Down

1. The 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album artwork has Paul McCartney wearing the patch of what Cdn. constabulary on his light blue uniform's left sleeve?

2. Weathervane birds

3. Rice dishes of Italian cuisine

4. Diamond earring

in '77 sci-fi classic "Star

Greek philosopher)

Ontario... Casino __ Resort (Gaming/ entertainment venue near Orillia)

Instructions for sky novices offered by

5. "_ __... _ Said" by Neil Diamond

6. 1798: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner poet, Samuel Taylor __

7. Supplements stuff: 2 wds.

8. Canadian chocolate bar by Nestle in a blue, white and red wrapper: 2 wds.

(c) 2024: Kelly Ann Buchanan. Distributed by Torstar Syndication Services

9. King of Thebes in myth

10. Half or Whole, in music

11. Disinclined

12. K'__ (Toy building brand)

13. Medical profession of Dr. Andrew Furey, the current Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador: 2 wds.

14. The Hunter constellation

15. 'Room' in a house in Quebec

16. Foe

22. The 'deep purple falls over' these in 1963 hit "Deep Purple" by Nino Tempo & April Stevens: 3 wds.

23. Canadian company which made fighter jet engines 26. British Columbia's location, __ Canada

'Opal' suffix

Common typo of 'The'

Wander in a winding way

Tiny

Authenticate

41. Michelle __, Oscar-winning actress of "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022)

42. "It's __ _ Love" by Fats Domino

43. Have __ '__' (Be well-connected)

46. Halifax-born singer-songwriter of "Gold": 2 wds. 48. Red Serge wearer

Assn. 53. Parliament Hill political group, e.g.

Pottery piece

Shoe part

'All'-meaning prefix

58. Chow __ (Takeout dish)

59. Ontario town; or, Ms. Lohan of "Irish Wish" (2024)

63. Oswald Chesterfield __ (Birth name of Batman comics supervillain The Penguin)

66. 'Goose' in Gaspe 68. Saint John, New Brunswick born legend Mr. Sutherland

Authenticity

Commissions-making marketing exec: 2 wds.

Domain

"__ _ Have To Say The Words?" by Bryan Adams

The __ (Financial news topic)

Give the meaning

Perspectives

Audience

85. Hoda Kotb's daytime chat co-host, Jenna Bush __

French writer Mr. Zola (b.1840 - d.1902)

Striped wild cat

Modern lights, e.g.

Make-of-cake, __ Lee

Someone snooty

'_' __ in Vancouver

Islet

By Grace D

heavy laden planks holding all that wretched time the ghosts waltzing in the attics through suspended winter and below there is no one, save that old dog who sat on the road, guarding home the sinews of this land intertwine into legends and people graves unmarked or never made the coastline a memory that we will not know that we have never known

Suspension, digital Illustration, boy Roland

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TheEye

On the property of Willow Fiddler's childhood home in Sioux Lookout, where dark, starry nights are the perfect backdrop for tipis and trees. Taken in November 2016.

Photo by Willow Fiddler

They all seemed to want to be a part of her care circle; her guardians. It was just like an extended family.”

Frank Zanatta’s experience with the Care Group began when his mother moved into Bethammi Nursing Home, but soon he learned from personal experience just how important the organization can be to people of any age.

“When your loved one moves into long-term care, you just don’t know what to expect, what I would have to do, what they were going to do,” he recalls.

With Frank busy in his career, his spouse took on much of the initial visiting and care, “and thank goodness she did. But then we were able to realize that everything is good… mom’s being taken care of. She’s having fun, she’s having that social interaction. It was home for her. They became like family to my mom.”

“You don’t know how important it is to you, being able to sleep at night and understand that mom is okay.”

Frank was particularly appreciative of the Care Group’s care and compassion when his mother was nearing the end of her life. “That’s when they even took it up a notch. They moved my mom to a private room and all the staff came in, gave me a hug. It takes a special type of person to be able to do that. It was an experience that allowed me to move on.”

Then came a surprise and an experience with another special group of St. Joseph’s Care Group staff. “It was nine months after retirement that I had a stroke. My rehabilitation was at St. Joseph’s Hospital, they take a lot of time and effort and expertise with rehabilitation. They helped me get back to a place where I could function again.”

Once he was better, Frank wanted to give back for all the care and got in touch with the St. Joseph’s Foundation.

“I asked, ‘how can I help?’ I was invited to become a Director and it just progressed from that to being on the Executive and now being the Chair of the Foundation’s Board.”

The Board will sometimes tour facilities. “I always ask, ‘how many more of these (pieces of equipment) do you need?’ And lots of times the staff will say, ‘we always have a need for new and additional equipment which is keeping up with technology.’”

“When my mom was in Bethammi, they didn’t have enough of the hoyer lifts to safely lift her out of her bed. We saw the need to ensure the safety of both clients and the staff when doing transfers. I am happy to see that each

year additional hoyer lifts are installed and available.”

Frank says the more he got involved, the more he learned that many people don’t know what and how much the Care Group does.

“Then you tell them, ‘well, I’m a stroke survivor.’ Oh yeah, they understand. ‘You go there for physiotherapy… or maybe your parents have to go into long-term care, but it’s so much more.’”

“Once the community knows and understands all that the Care Group does in and for our community, I think then they’ll really understand the scope of everything and the amount of people that they touch, and the amount of funding that they need.”

Frank says that if he could say anything to people who are reading this it’s to “reach out and do something… it would be to give of your time or to donate and support their need for equipment and care. It doesn’t necessarily have to be with the Care Group, there are a lot of groups out there that need volunteers.”

“If everybody can help with one small part, it makes it a lot easier for the people who are doing the heavy lifting.”

Finally, it’s important to thank those people. “We always thank them after but sometimes we forget to thank them before. It’s a tough job.”

St. Joseph’s Foundation is honoured to share the “Caring Moments” stories from our clients and their families. Each story tells their personal experience with the care and compassion provided by the staff of St. Joseph’s Care Group. Become a part of the Caring Moments program and share your gift of gratitude through your personal story or by making a donation in appreciation of the care your family received.

Frank Family of Past Client