February 2012 by The Walleye Magazine

ARTS CULTURE MUSIC FOOD FILM

FREE Vo l 3 N o 2

FEBRUARY

2 01 2

t h e w a l l e y e . c a

Our Nordic Heritage Menn채채n hiihto!

35 Years of Sibley p 6

Ways to Feed Your Lover p 15

Cambrian Players Roman Conquest p 35

Derelicte p 38

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Our Nordic Culture

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It’s not surprising, when we look at the climatic similarities between Thunder Bay and Nordic countries, that many immigrants from Finland and Scandinavia (Danes, Swedes, Norwegians, and Icelanders) have settled here, bringing their language, recipes, and love for skiing with them. Thanks to my Finnish heritage—and my aunt, who loved to cross-country ski and often stockpiled skis, poles, and the four cousins into the wood-paneled station wagon—I have fond memories of wearing homemade cross-country ski knickers with knee-high wool socks and the satisfying sound of clicking my boots (more like shoes) into my skis with my ski pole. I learned how to classic ski at Centennial Park, at times frustrated because I couldn’t keep up at the beginning, tears rolling down my cheeks while trying to get up a hill and slipping backwards. But how quickly the tears stopped when I found my stride through the snowy trees and sun-dappled snow, followed by the thrill of zipping down one of the more steep hills on the park’s five and ten kilometre loops. I rediscovered skiing Centennial when I moved back to Thunder Bay as an adult to attend teacher’s college, slipping away after class to ski mid-week, thrilled it was only a ten-minute drive away—and doubly thrilled about not seeing a soul, getting lost in my own personal rhythm of skis on snow. And Centennial is only one of a myriad of easy-to-access cross-country gems in the area; Donna Faye and Marlene Wandel fill us in on many of the others.

Thunder Bay’s arts & culture alternative

Editor-in-chief Darren McChristie Editor Tiffany Jarva: tiffany@thewalleye.ca Contributing Editor Rebekah Skochinski Photographers Darren McChristie, John-Paul Marion, Storm Carroll, Chris Merkley, Dave Koski, Tara George, Amy Vervoort, Uriel Lubuk, Tyler Sklazeski Copy Editor Amy Jones Art Director Dave Koski, R.G.D.: production@thewalleye.ca Business Manager Doug McChristie Sales Manager: sales@thewalleye.ca Advertising Sales Tracy Sadgrove: tracy@thewalleye.ca 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 © 2012 by Superior Outdoors Inc. All Rights Reserved. Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Superior Outdoors Inc. Suite 242, 1100 Memorial Avenue, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 4A3 Telephone (807) 624-1215 ; Fax (807) 623-5122 E-mail: info@superioroutdoors.ca

The Walleye has been travelling the world! Sveta Morugova reads The Walleye in front of Moscow’s famous St.Basil’s Cathedral.

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On the Cover “Let’s Go Skiing!” translation Knute Hansen (1915-1988) Knute is a member of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to skiing. In the 1960’s he and his brother, Thor, were instrumental in the development of what became the Big Thunder Sports Park. Errata The correct website for Yoga 4 All is www.yogathunderbay.com

Masa Kato (featured in our January 2011 issue) reads his copy of The Walleye in Gifu City, Japan with Mt. Kinka in the background, after picking up an issue personally during his annual holiday winter trip to Thunder Bay.

The Sleeping Giant continues to be a dream destination, and this year marks the 35th anniversary of the Sleeping Giant Loppet (formerly known as the Sibley Ski Tour); Michelle McChristie takes a look at years past and what has contributed to the Loppet’s success. Skiing enthusiast John-Paul Marion profiles local Olympian Reijo Puiras, a world-class cross-country skier and the founder of the Lappe Nordic Centre, which boasts a beautiful network of trails. Marion also fills us in on a recent Friends of Big Thunder meeting and what’s happening in terms of possibly reviving the once world-class Nordic ski jumping facility. Ski jumping has long-term roots in Thunder Bay, dating back to the turn of the century when Norwegian and Swedish skiers popularized the sport at the Shuniah Mines Site in Port Arthur, and not surprising, there are many skiers and enthusiasts who would like to see the sport return. Contributing writer Diane Imrie, Executive Director of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, shares in-depth research about skiing competitions and events throughout the decades, including the building of a 165 metre jump, first ski tow erected, and a course cut for the historic 1939 Canadian Ski Championships. In keeping with the Nordic theme, Finnish language teacher Saara Vuorela shares some random notes on Finnish food, language, and skiing. Perfect for après ski, artist Crystal Nielsen shares her Danish Glogg recipe with Rebekah Skochinski. And just in time for Valentine’s Day, sommelier Jeannie Dubois looks at Icewine and Amy Jones suggests some “Ways to Feed Your Lover.” Remember to check out our Top Five Things to Do in February, attend events, and send proof that you were there (ticket stub, photo, receipt, etc.) to info@thewalleye.ca and you could win a prize from one of our sponsors as part of our Top Five Challenge. Here’s to lots of snow in February and staying true to our Nordic ways. -TJ The Walleye

Thunder Bay Historical Museum

Contents

FEATURES

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CoverStory: Sleeping Giant Loppet

■ 7 National Development Centre ■ 7 Cross-Country Gems ■ 8 Reijo Puiras ■ 8 Experiencing Skiing ■ 9 The Nordic Way ■ 10 The Kicksled ■ 10 Wax On ■Food 11 The Danish Settlers of Pass Lake

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12 Can Big Thunder Fly Again?

16 Tagine Dining 17 Finnish Food, Language and Skiing

CITYSCENE

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18 She Shoots, She Scores!

MUSIC

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19 Hometown Diva 20 Rawk Uranus 21 TBSO - Beyond the Horizon

14 Ice Wines Baby! 15 Ways to Feed Your Lover

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27 R.A. The Rugged Man

THE ARTS

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28 Julie Cosgrove 29 Wyn Jones

22 Burnin’ to the Sky 23 Tyler Yarema Returns 25 The Vinyl Café

Drink of the Month ZYGOTE bop 24 Off the Wall Reviews 36 February EVENTS 37 The Wall 15 34

LIVING GREEN

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30 EcoSuperior question of the month - Ski Wax

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31 Lars on Homes - Sauna Upkeep

FILM&THEATRE

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33 Paul Morralee 35 Cambrian Players - Roman Conquest

27 Nick Sherman Live

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29 Walter Zarowski

21 SYKE - A Guitar Fetish Confessed

FOOD

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R. Anderson and Gertie Wepsala at the 1939 Dominion Ski Championships that were held at the Lakehead.

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Cameron Reid

PromPocalypse February 10 Finlandia Club

A fundraiser for LU Radio and the LU Student Union (LUSU) Food Bank, the People’s Prom is the prom you never had in high school, always with a themed twist. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the event and the theme is “Prompocalypse”—in the spirit of 2012, and the romance of the impending (or not) apocalypse. The People’s Prom is a community-oriented, themed costume event with competitions for the best and worst dancer and a kissing booth. The Prom King and Queen will be crowned at midnight and music is by DJ Luv, Fabulous Dave, Miss Temperance, and Jafo. Age of majority is required, tickets are $10 and are available at LUSU, Calico and The Growing Season.

Nathan Rogers February 11 Finlandia Club

TOPfive

Hedley

February 20 Fort William Gardens

MuchMusic presents Hedley with special guests Classified, Karl Wolf & Kay as part of Hedley’s Shipwrecked Tour. Hedley released their fourth album, Storms, in November 2011, and it is jam-packed with a blend of slow songs and harddriving rockers. The band calls Vancouver home and is named after Hedley, BC—a mining town that was, at one time, for sale for around $350,000. Their bragging rights include 15 Juno nominations, three consecutive double-platinum certificates, and 10 number one videos on the MuchMusic Countdown. Tickets are $49.50 and available at the Fort William Gardens Box Office, 6252929. www.hedleyonline.com

Following in the footsteps of his late father, the legendary Canadian singer and songwriter Stan Rogers, Nathan Rogers’ talents as a musician and song-writer are said to be turning the folk world on its ears. His concert in Thunder Bay is a tribute to his father’s music. They say the resemblance is unmistakable: the same bright eyes, hairline (or lack of?), solid build, and rich baritone vocals. Tickets are $20 in advance and available at The Hoito, Fireweed, Chaltrek/Ostrom Outdoors, and PC Medic. The show will sell out, so buy your tickets early! www.sleepinggiant.ca

Arts Fiesta

February 16 Thunder Bay Community Auditorium

The Arts Fiesta, hosted by Community Arts & Heritage Education Project of CAHEP, is an incredible celebration of arts education projects in drama, dance, music, and visual art based on the theme Catch a Dream. Enjoy extraordinary artwork created, presented, and performed by 21 local grade four, five, and six classes, educators, and artists participating in CAHEP’s Artists in the 5th programming. This is a morning event; 9:4511:30. Tickets are only $5 and are available at the door. If you can’t skip out of work, you can get a sneak peak of the art on display on February 15, between 5–7 pm at the TBCA. www.CAHEP.ca

Central Canada Outdoor Show February 24–26 The Sports Dome

This year marks the eighth year for the Central Canada Outdoor Show—the largest show in the region. The show includes over 100 exhibits and interactive displays related to outdoor recreation and sports, including resource-based tourism, camping, fishing, hunting, water and adventure sports, cycling, and more. There is also a variety of seminars, demonstrations, and contests—where else can you find a kids’ moose calling contest, an archery range, photography contest, and a cycling race under one roof? www.tb-chamber.on.ca

The Walleye

CoverStory

Loppet

The Making of a Winter Classic by Michelle McChristie

“Cross country skiing is basically jogging while wearing lumber. The same personality type that would make mock of a summer morning by donning pyjamas with a racing stripe, forty dollar sneakers and lurching around a football field until his lung burst--that’s the kind of bedrock lunatic that is the very foundation of cross country madness” - Arthur Black, 1981 Sibley Ski Tour participant and eulogist

Thirty-six years ago, a few members of the LU Outdoor Club made the trek to Ottawa to participate in a cross-country skiing event that covered 100 miles over two days. They liked it so much that their thoughts turned to organizing a similar race in Thunder Bay. Over some post-race beers, the idea brewed, and on the way home from Ottawa, they agreed that Sibley Provincial Park would be an ideal location. Later that year, the group, led by Mike Dean, started organizing the tour that would be called the Thunder Bay Ski Tour. The first tour was held on March 1, 1978 and the race has been held annually ever since, changing its name to the Sibley Ski Tour in 1982, and again to the Sleeping Giant Loppet in 2009. Peter Gallagher, the current coordinator of the Loppe t, first participated in the event as a volunteer when he was a student at LU. At the time, he had never been skiing nor had he visited the Sibley Peninsula. “The tour introduced me to a world I never knew existed,” he says, recalling that first year. Since then, he’s been a loyal volunteer and coordinated the event in 1985 and 1986 before taking the reigns from Diane Ambro, the

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Given the trials and tribulations documented by each coordinator in the introduction to the results books, the fact that the event has never been cancelled is quite a feat. The weather plays a huge role, and Mother Nature has had her way over the years. In her 1997 introduction, Diane Ambro says, “We’ve had rain, blizzards, high winds, frigid temperatures and temperatures so high we were skiing ankle deep in puddles, wishing we’d brought our SPF15.” In 1979, the tour was delayed for

Darren McChristie

The Sleeping Giant

varied over the years and, in 2007, a lack of snow in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park forced organizers to hold the race at Kamview Nordic Centre (adding insult to injury, a dump of snow arrive two days before the tour).

coordinator from 1993–2008. There have been a handful of other coordinators over the years: Mike Dean, Al Maddox, Bruce Brown, Alan Cranston, Hilary Kaszor, Keith Fawcett, and Richard Suttie. When asked to identify the common denominator of the nine coordinators, Gallagher explains that they all “get it done” despite the weather or other logistical challenges—they are a tenacious group.

two weeks due to too much snow (participants enjoyed the banquet two weeks early, before they ever skied); in 1980 it was so bitterly cold and windy that bibs were blowing off the skiers. In 1981 the medals didn’t arrive until just before the first skier crossed the finish line, and in 1984 the race bibs failed to arrive at all—as then-tour coordinator and manager of Fresh Air Experience, Alan Cranston, recalls, “I bought a roll of Tyvek, cut out bibs and wrote on the numbers.” In 1987, it was already 16° C by mid-afternoon—and that’s just the first decade! Because of warm weather, the routes and distances have

The number of participants in the Loppet has always been impressive, with 382 skiers in the inaugural year and 741 last year. According to Cranston, Thunder Bay is one of the most competitive cities in the country in terms of cross-country skiing, with more skate skiers per capita than any Canadian city, and the largest cross-country ski club (Kamview). Thunder Bay also has a skilled and talented crew from Thunder Bay Nordic Trails, led by Peter Crooks, that ensure the trails are impeccably groomed for the Loppet. “Peter is amazing,” says Gallagher. “He can make powder out of ice—he understands temperature, humidity and all of the variables that create a good skiing surface.” Gallagher is quick to point out that the success of the event is also made possible by the sponsors (two of them, Fresh Air and Ontario Parks, have supported the event every year), and hundreds of dedicated volunteers. Gallagher says that people from out of town are “blown away by the event—the beauty of the trail, the trail maintenance and grooming, friendliness of the volunteers.” Mike Dean, the organizer of the inaugural event, isn’t surprised that the event is still going strong after 35 years, calling it “a great way to end the ski season.” He noted with a twinge of pride that “there are not a lot of things a person can do in his life that will continue for more than a few years.” He’s hoping to ski in this year’s event, and the organizers are encouraging all “bedrock lunatics” to plan a family and friends ski reunion. Strap on your wooden skis to win “The Woodymakeit Award” in the 50 kilometre event and pull out your knicker socks and gaiters for the retro clothing contest. Early registration ends on February 6, but procrastinators can register up to 9 am on race day. For more information on the Loppet visit www.sleepinggiantloppet.ca

CoverStory Cross- Country Gems in the Area Centennial Park

National Development Centre Thunder Bay A Cornerstone for the Training of Elite Cross-Country Skiers in Canada By Amanda Holdsworth

The National Development Centre Thunder Bay’s cross-country ski team is a community-based organization working within the framework of Cross Country Canada to provide elite cross-country skiers with intensive training and competition programs. It is one of only four NDCs in Canada, with others based in Quebec City, Callaghan Valley, and Canmore. Since 1994, NDC Thunder Bay has been a cornerstone for the development of elite cross-country ski racers in Canada. Up to 12 of the top athletes from across the country are selected on national performance-based criteria to come to Thunder Bay and become a member of NDC Thunder Bay. The Centre provides these individuals with national level coaching, access to extensive high-level training facilities, and excellent sport science testing services. Athletes compete in regional, national, and international competitions from late November to early April. Their individualized training programs average about 650 hours per year, and are usually blended with post-secondary academic pursuits at Lakehead University.

Martin Kaiser

The 2010/2011 season was one of the most successful seasons yet—three athletes represented Canada on the world stage, six qualified for Canada Winter Games, and two athletes became National Champions (Andrea Lee – Canadian University Champion, Andy Shields – Junior National Champion). Thunder Bay native Michael Somppi also qualified for the National Team. This year’s team consists of 12 athletes and three staff members, making the 2011/12 edition the largest team in a number of years. The team is very excited to be in town for the Sleeping Giant Loppet this year before heading off to the National Championships taking place in Mte. Ste. Anne, Quebec this March.

Erin Tribe LSSD Camp

by Donna Fay

Head uphill from Grand Marais on the Gunflint Trail, and enter skiers’ paradise. The Gunflint Trail gains ear-popping elevation en route to various access points of the ski trail networks of Cook County. The Pincushion Mountain, Central Gunflint, Banadad, and Upper Gunflint Trail networks provide 226 kilometres of blissfully varied skiing: lantern-lit night skiing, steep climbs to windy ridges with views to forever, and frozen lakes are all within a ski’s reach from the Gunflint Trail. For those not willing to ski all 226 kilometres in one day, more than 20 lodges and resorts are scattered along the trail—several of which offer skiing from the cabin door.

Over 10 kilometres of groomed ski trails pass along the Current River, through Centennial and Trowbridge Falls Parks to the Cascades Conservation Area. Enjoy a snack at the concession and warm up in the chalet. The price is right—to support the cost of maintaining the trails, skiers are asked to leave $1 in the honour box located at the park entrance. To get there, exit Highway 11/17 via Hodder Avenue to Arundel Street.

For more comprehensive info, visit www.volksski.com, or www.gunflint-trail.com

Winding Rendezvous By Donna Faye

The volunteer-run Rendezvous CrossCountry Ski Club offers more than 13 kilometres of classically groomed trails winding through the scenic valley between Red Rock and Nipigon. The club is located on Golf Course Road just west of Nipigon. Get a day pass for $5, a single membership for $30, or a family membership for $50. Call ahead to make sure the trails have been groomed.

Chris Stromberg

Somppi (L) Seaton (R) competing at Eastern Canadian Championships Feb

By Marlene Wandel

Quetico by Donna Faye

For information contact Chris Leale at (807) 887-3659 or Rob Swainson at (807) 887-2073.

Darren McChristie

Mary Tribe

Head South to “Do North”

Mink Mountain

Close to 50 kilometres of world-class groomed classic and skate ski trails make a trip to the Atikokan/Quetico area well worth the drive. Volunteers from the Beaten Path Nordic Trails club, along with the Friends of Quetico, developed these trails north of Quetico Park Boundary and amidst the Dawson campgrounds. For the more adventurous, there is wilderness skiing on Quetico Park’s lakes and portages. Get a day pass for $15, a single membership for $75, or a family membership for $150. For trail conditions or other information, visit: atikokancanoe.tripod.com/beatenpath/

By Donna Faye

If you’re looking for a less crowded crosscountry skiing experience, a short drive south of the Thunder Bay Airport leads you to Mink Mountain Resort. For only $5 per carload, you can take to the trails located on the west side of Mink Mountain Drive. Enjoy a hot chocolate in the lodge if you’re visiting on the weekend, or book one of the lodge units or cottages for an overnight stay. For information contact Cathy at (807) 622-5009 or visit www.superiornorth.com

Tapiola Trails by Donna Faye

Closer to home, the volunteer-run Tapiola Trails on Pento Road offer more than five kilometres of groomed skating and classic trails, one of which is lit for night skiing. Memberships can be purchased from the Hoito Restaurant, and skiers are asked to wear their red membership buttons on the trails. For more information, call 344-7081, or visit their page on Facebook. The Walleye

CoverStory absence, he was once again racing, this time in Canada. Puiras raced and trained hard over the next five years—both in Canada and Finland—and by 1974 he had landed a spot on the Canadian national team. That was the year of the world championships in Falun, Sweden, in which he competed. The next big event came in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria, where Puiras represented Canada as an Olympic athlete. As a crowning achievement, he was the overall champion at the 1979 Canadian cross-country ski championships, at which time he chose to call it a career.

Reijo Puiras after winning the 50k at the 1985 Sibley Ski Tour

Reijo Puiras: Olympic Athlete, Canadian Cross-Country Champion, and Founder of the Lappe Nordic Centre By John-Paul Marion

After competing in the 1974 Falun World Nordic Championships, Reijo Puiras came to Thunder Bay to visit friends and participate in a ski race at Surprise Lake, which he won. The seed had been sown— the promise of early and late skiing, lots of snow, and cold temperatures eventually brought Reijo back to the Lakehead for good. In 1979, Puiras purchased a property on Kam Current Road as a nice place to raise a family, not even knowing that the land’s hills and valleys would eventually become the Lappe Nordic Centre. What began as a two-kilometre cross-country ski trail for personal use has blossomed into a world-class Nordic ski centre. Born and raised for the first five years of his life in the rail line town of Chapleau, Ontario, Puiras and his parents moved back to Finland to work the old family farm. During the 10 years spent there, he developed a passion for skiing—beginning with the routine two and a half kilometre ski to and from school. Eventually he began racing in school and club programs, and even drawing some attention from scouts. Upon returning to Canada at age 15, he spoke very little English, so he spent a year learning the language before returning to high school. Puiras played many sports in high school, including football, but it was an announcement at school about a crosscountry ski team meeting that charted the course of his sporting life. After a two year

The Walleye

It wasn’t too long after that his two-kilometre trail in Lappe attracted the attention of fellow competitive skiers, who saw something special in the making. At the time, there were only a few Nordic ski areas in town, such as Centennial Park (where Puiras won 10 city championships), Tapiola, and Jarvis Bay. With great motivation and perseverance, he continued to design and develop the trail system on his 100-acre property, discovering and revealing some of the finest cross-country skiing in the nation (just ask Beckie Scott). In 1982, he hosted an Ontario Cup event, and in 1989 he hosted the World Junior Trials, which led to most of the development we can see today: an enlarged chalet with washrooms; a kitchen (with arguably the best Finnish pancakes in town); a wax room; and, most brilliantly, saunas for him and her, along with a new Pisten Bully groomer. Some of the many events held at the Lappe Nordic Centre over the years include the 1991 Canadian Masters, 2000 National Junior Championships, 2006 Nationals for senior, junior, and university, weekly club races, and the annual 24-hour ski marathon (mostly a team event, unless your name is Werner Schwar ). Puiras has exercised a passion for Nordic sport with great vision, and we are fortunate to have such an excellent facility in our midst that is both familyfriendly and ready for the world’s best. He has built this ski area on his own dime and generous spirit, including the outdoor rink he maintained for 18 years, compete with lights and a heated shack. This was the community rink for the Lappe area. There was also a young local skier in the earlier days in whom Puiras saw great potential. Inspired by her, he went for it. The 12 kilometres of trails, the six kilometres of night skiing, the top-notch training centre we see today was, in a way built for her, and all who share the passion. Her name is Brook Latimer and she is probably the best cross-country skier to come out of the Northwe st. Good job, Reijo—keep it up.

Experiencing Skiing Active Mindfulness & Meditation By Paul Hemsworth photos by Tyler Sklazeski

As I set off with my father-inlaw one brisk December evening, I couldn’t imagine that this ski would be any different than all the others we’d been on in my very amateur career. Because I hadn’t been skiing for very long, past runs had focused on trying to stay afoot, getting a good workout, and improving technique. But, on this full-moon night on his 160 acres, I couldn’t help but feel something different. I felt my blood warm my body like a fireplace; I felt my muscles propel my body effortlessly through the tracks; I felt the crisp wind cut my face with each stride. I was being mindful of what I was doing. I focused on both seeing my breath and feeling it, on the rhythmic sound of my arms brushing my side and the poles hitting the snow. I was experiencing skiing rather than just doing it.

I realized that what I was doing was meditating. Most people think of meditation as sitting down in a lotus position with your eyes closed and candles lit. Of course, this is also meditation, but meditation can be done in so many forms. The act of being mindful of exactly what you are doing through sight, touch, smell, sound, taste, and spirit is also meditation, and it makes your activity so much more enjoyable.

NWO Sports Hall of Fame

Compiled by Diane Imrie, Executive Director Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame

Early accounts of the introduction of organized skiing to this area reveal that on March 2, 1907, a group of local skiing enthusiasts invited the community to attend what is thought to be this area’s first ever skiing meet, an exhibition held at the old Shuniah Mine site. Reports of the day noted that about 200 people made their way to the event on skis, snowshoes, and by horse and rig. Early competitions featured the Nordic events of both cross-country racing and jumping. In 1929, the Port Arthur Ski Club took up residence at Strathcona Heights, with 66 members and a jump constructed out of logs. Shortly thereafter, a clubhouse was built and ski trails were cleared. The 1930s saw a lot of progress with

During the 1930s, another local ski area was being developed. Located five miles north of Strathcona on a burned-over area, the site was somewhat sparse in appearance and came to be known, not surprisingly as “Baldy.” On January 13, 1947 civic officials officially opened Mount Baldy, and by 1951 the club had hosted their first major ski meet—the Central Canadian Championships. The clubhouse was again expanded in 1952, when it was moved to the bottom of the hill and new trails were cleared. In 1954, the club hosted the National Junior Ski Championships, which included a 7.5 mile cross-country event, downhill, slalom, and junior and senior jumping competitions. Although the popularity of Nordic skiing dropped off in Canada somewhat after the 1950s due to the increased interest in downhill events, it continued to flourish in

NWO Sports Hall of Fame

March 1960 ski jumpers at Fort William Ski Club

Thunder Bay. The Port Arthur and Fort William Ski Clubs hosted Nordic events at Mount Baldy and Mount McKay up until the 1970s. With the development of Little Norway Ski Resort during the 1960s— which became the eventual site

of Big Thunder National Ski Training Centre, which opened on February 2, 1975—came a new era for Nordic skiing in the area. Throughout its over 20 year history, Big Thunder has hosted a number of World Cup events, including the 1995 World Nordic Ski Championships. At the same

time, cross-country skiing trails were being developed and utilized at such places as Kamview, Lappe, Centennial, Kakabeka, and Sibley. As a result of access to these facilities—and the hard work of volunteers who developed such organizations as the Thunder Bay Nordic Trails Association and the Sibley Ski Tour—thousands of people have been provided the opportunity to participate in and excel at crosscountry skiing. Their efforts have not just provided sporting opportunities for local citizens, but have also produced worldclass athletes and sport administrators who have represented our community with pride and distinction from the national to the Olympic level. The volunteers and athletes of yesterday and today have created a rich Nordic skiing heritage for future generations to take pride in and build upon into the next 100 years and beyond.

Thunder Bay Historical Museum

The Nordic Way: Thunder Bay’s Rich Local Skiing Heritage

the construction of a new jump and the installation of electric lights on the slopes and in the clubhouse. Night skiing was made possible with the illumination of the trails by coaloil torches. Not to be outdone by their close neighbours, the Fort William Ski Club established sites at King George’s Park, the Prison Farm, and Hawk’s Farm before taking up permanent residence at Mount McKay in 1932. Extensive work was done at that location, with a jump and clubhouse being built. In 1939 the Club hosted the area’s first ever Canadian Ski Championships. In preparation for this historic event, a 165 metre jump was built, the first ski tow was erected, and a new course was cut. Competitors from all across Canada, the United States, and Norway attended the event, which featured ski jumping and downhill and cross-country skiing. Ten years later, Mount McKay once again welcomed the nation as it hosted the 1949 Dominion Ski Championships for junior and senior jumping and cross-country.

NWO Sports Hall of Fame

CoverStory

A view from the Port Arthur Ski Club’s hill at Strathcona in 1948 The Walleye

Food CoverStory

The Kicksled by Michelle McChristie

The earliest kicksleds can be traced back to seventeenth century Holland; however, it was the Swedes in the late nineteenth century who standardized the design and mass produced the sleds. Kicksleds became commonplace in Scandinavia through the 1920s and 30s, but they fell out of vogue in the 1970s. In order to preserve the kicksledding tradition, some municipalities in Scandinavia reserve part of the road for kicksleds and maintain a salt-free, well-compacted trail.

Darren McChristie

To propel the sled forward, the driver rides on the foot plates at the rear of the sled and kicks the ground between the runners like a scooter. To steer the sled, the driver twists the handlebars in the direction she would like to turn and pushes out on the opposite foot plate at the same time, thereby applying torque on the frame.

Wax On

On packed trails or snow-covered ice, kick sleds can be very fast (and fun!). Moving a sled uphill may require the driver to step off the rails and push, but it’s still easier to push a loaded sled than carry gear in a backpack, and it’s more fun than pulling a toboggan. On downhills, there is no limit to the top speed if a kick sled is driven with reckless abandonment (not recommended if the sled is carrying human cargo).

By Olivier Doucet

Generally, if you want to ski, you have to wax, or pay someone else to do it. Like anything, waxing can become an obsession for fine tuning your skis, be it for classic (diagonal stride), or skate skiing. Skate skis are waxed along their length for glide; different wax provides optimal glide for different temperatures. Classic skis are waxed with glide wax along the tip and tail, and grip wax in the grip zone. Even waxless (fish scale) skis benefit from glide wax on the tips and tails. Waxes are helpfully colour coded—softer wax is indicated for warm conditions, and harder wax for colder conditions. Those serious about waxing will own a wax arm to secure the ski, and a wax iron to melt wax onto the ski. Glide wax is melted onto the ski with an iron, allowed to cool, and then mostly scraped off again. The remaining thin layer of wax on the base of the ski is brushed smooth with a hard nylon brush. A last swipe with a synthetic (Fiberlene) towel should leave your ski ready to go. Appropriate grip wax can make or break a classic ski experience. Having your grip zone properly identified is key: too much grip wax extending in the tip and tail is, literally, a drag. Grip wax application can be as simple as crayoning the wax onto the base of the ski—if you get it wrong, you can fix it! It’s not uncommon to see a skier on the side of the trail re-applying grip wax.

1973

1976

1984

1987

OUTFITTING THE TOUR FROM THE START 311 VICTORIA AVENUE E., THUNDER BAY, ON

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The Walleye

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(807) 623-9393

CoverStory The Danish Settlers and Community of Pass Lake By Larry Hogard

Along Highway 587, as you pass under one of the largest and deepest train trestles in North America, you enter a small community called Pass Lake. In the early 1920s Danish settlers started arriving here from their homeland in search of land ownership for farming. A train station was situated near the lake, where steam-powered trains would fill up with water. The farms were mostly dairy and everybody grew their own vegetables, which were canned and preserved, or stored and kept cool for winter in “root houses.” Logging occurred in the area, where logs were hauled by horse and sleigh and then transported out by train or three-tonne trucks. Two local stores (Brohm’s and Madsen’s) sold foodstuffs, such as flour, oatmeal, and canning supplies. A third store (Petersen’s) was located at the junction of 11/17 and 587. A local blacksmith shoed horses and provided ironwork for the community. He operated his shop, farmed, and lived with his family where the Bayview Golf Course is now located. Today, the original church (1932) and community hall (1936) still remain in Pass Lake. Karen’s Kountry Kitchen offers home-cooked meals and, this August, the local fire hall will hold a cancer fundraiser called the Garden and Farm Discovery Tour 2012. The Pass Lake Historical Society keeps records of the community and caretaker Ingrid Price is more than willing to be a guide for anyone interested in its history.

Painting of Pass Lake Salem Lutheran Church Circa 1940 by Pastor C. Krogh

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Superior

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A map to experiencing of the world’s the largest lake. wilderness coast

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Selwyn Lake

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Smoothrock

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Lake Barrington

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Bell Lake

Mattawa Lake

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QUETICO

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Elf Lake

Granite Lake

Big Lake

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Burt Lake

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Brennan Lake

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Steep Rock

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Sarah Lake

Basswood

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LAKE

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Hill Lake

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Penassi Lake

RIVER

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OTTER LAKE

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Argo Lake

Lake

Vincent Lake

Caribou Lake

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EAST ENGLISH

SANDBAR

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Poohbah

-89° W

Grayson Lake

De Lesseps

Lake

Houghton Lake Lewis Lake

Marchington

Lake Press

Lake

Paguchi Lake Indian Lake Cecil Lake

Agimak Lake

CAMPUS LAKE

West Lake

Elizabeth

Quetico Lake

Crooked Lake

www.SuperiorOutdoors.ca

-90° W

McCrea Lake

LAKE

Miniss Lake

Lake

r ive

ISLANDS

Botsford Lake

Lake

KAMES

Kukukus

Abamategwia

Raleigh Lake

White Otter

Lake TURTLE RIVER-WHITE

Clearwater

Calm Lake

Lac la Croix

i Rive ush kitig

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Highstone

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Base map produced November 11, 2011 by Lake Superior mermap.ca. bathymetric A TIN was data: created from and a raster contour lines, Data from: produced to create this effect. http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/?rel=ext&action=sext http://gis.glin.net/ogc/services.php American data: 3D relief resolution digital elevation geotiff underlay models courtesyproduced from USGS 15 Canadian of http://eros.usgs.gov/#/Home arc second data: Canadian Federal data: Boundary 1:1,000,000 of derived from:Lake Superior National courtesy of GeoBase. Marine Conservation http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/amnc-nmca/proposals/carte-map_pro_e.asp. Area is approximate, Provincial data: Ontario Ministry Produced by mermap.ca . of Natural under license Resources from copyright Coordinate Queen’s Printer of Ontario, Projection: System: Canada Albers Equal 2011 Albers Datum: North Area Conic American 1983

Superior perior

Outdoors Outdoo rs

Vol. 5 No. 2

A Sound Expedition

Winter Cyc ling on Lake Sup erior

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The Walleye

John-Paul Marion

Food CoverStory Now, for those who would like to see Big Thunder reopened and functioning as it did in its heyday, there is a fresh ray of hope. The Friends of Big Thunder (FOBT) just recently held a meeting with most of the stakeholders who have some interest in the entity that constitutes Big Thunder. In attendance were representaJens Weissflog flies to a bronze medal on the K-120 at the tives from Fort William First 1995 World Nordic Ski Nation, the Municipality Championships of Neebing, Lakehead University, Confederation College, Thunder Bay City Council, and Infrastructure Ontario. Chaired by Paul DeGiacomo of FOBT, this meeting was the culmination of five years of work by the FOBT towards producing a business case draft, followed by a marketing plan to be completed this summer. By John-Paul Marion Their goal is to establish a board of directors and present the detailed business plan to the provincial It’s coming up on 17 years since the largest and federal governments before year- end. This is sporting event in the history of Thunder Bay, the a long and complex road the “friends” have emWorld Nordic Games, took place at Big Thunder barked on, and the business case draft just released Sports Park, and it has been 16 years that the once represents the beginning of the final stretch in the world-class facility has sat idle. With the financial dream of bringing Big Thunder back to life. If rug pulled out from under the feet of the former their recipe for reopening the venue comes to fruinational training centre, the government of the tion, the site would be restored to its former glory day promptly put an end to what had become and more. These are lofty goals for sure, but the known as one of the best Nordic facilities in the FOBT are extremely dedicated to their mission. world. Besides the large hill ski jumps and the challenging cross-country ski racing course used for the World Nordic Games, there was also a freestyle aerial site (winter and summer), a freestyle mogul run, a natural luge track, recreational alpine and cross-country skiing, fall hiking, and more. Over the years there have been a few futile attempts to revive Big Thunder in one way or another, but the Young team of ski jumpers take a break at Little Thunder question still remains, can Big Thunder fly The recent meeting was held in the cross-counagain? try technical building, which is, remarkably, in The biggest news involving Big Thunder in the excellent condition—looking out the windows past few years has been the proposed wind farm. at the stadium and surrounding Nor’Wester Although the city of Thunder Bay has agreed in Mountains, then looking up to the ski jumps, one principle with the Horizon Project, provincial apcould still feel a detectable pulse at this almost-forproval remains a work in progress. If this developgotten venue. Let’s hope the FOBT are successful, ment becomes a reality there will be some portions and perhaps the legacy of the 1995 World Nordic of the 60 kilometres of trail lost, as well as some Games can be rewritten in a more positive way. of the sugar maples—the most northerly stands in Canada—which used to be a huge draw for hikers in the fall. Time will tell if this controversial project will pan out.

Darren McChristie

The in-run of the k120 ski jump at Big Thunder

The Walleye

John-Paul Marion

Can Big Thunder Fly Again?

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Food

Ice, Ice Baby By Jeannie Dubois, Certified Sommelier

In the middling hours between dusk and dawn in the brittle cold of January nights, men and women mufďŹ&#x201A;ed against the evening air cut the crystalline clusters of grapes that will be gently pressed to create the nectar known as icewine.

Made for centuries in Germany as eiswein, only the most marginal climates such as our own Ontario wine region can create true icewines today. Freezing of the grapes on the vine at harrowingly low temperatures concentrates the delicious flavours already inherent in the berries. Then the slow, chilly process of gently pressing the clusters leaves all the frozen water in the grapes and coaxes out only the sweetest and most intensely flavoured juice. An expensive and potentially disastrous endeavor, icewine production is a gamble for the intrepid winemaker. Extremely low yields of juice from the berries after pressing, coupled with the months of nervous watching and waiting while weather and predators wreak potential havoc on the vineyards, is not a feat for the faint-hearted winemaker. However, if delivered unscathed, icewine is worth its weight in gold for its ambrosial flavours and seductive concentration on the palate.

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The intense process of bringing icewine about can be called nothing less than a labour of love, so there is no better libation to toast your dearest with this St. Valentines Day!

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ARTS FIESTA White hot recommendation:

Seeing red recommendation:

Henry of Pelham Riesling Icewine LCBO No. 430561 375ml - $49.95

Strewn Cabernet Franc Icewine LCBO. No. 251140 375ml - $59.95

Join us for refreshments, a sneak preview of over 250 pieces of art on display for the Arts Fiesta, meet those involved with CAHEP and take part in our new Give Me 5 donation campaign!

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Food

Ways to Feed Your Lover Amy Jones photos by Tyler Sklazeski

Staying in for a meal with your sweetie this Valentine’s Day? Let history and chemistry guide you in the kitchen, and they might not even notice that you forgot to buy them flowers. Again.

Drink of the Month

Make Your Own Spiced Winter Wine By Rebekah Skochinski

A classic aphrodisiac, oysters contain zinc—which increases testosterone and boosts libido— as well as pleasure-enhancing dopamine. Try slurping them raw from the half-shell, accompanied by a glass of cold champagne, for the ultimate sensual experience.

With their voluptuous, feminine shape, avocados were once considered so obscene that Catholic priests in Spain were prohibited from eating them. Their creamy texture contrasts nicely with crisp greens and crunchy nuts in a simple salad. In some parts of the world, basil is considered a token of love. Use it to make a quick pesto or tomato sauce served over pasta for a meal that will

It’s official: we’re in the shortest month with the most potential for fun. Days of outdoor frolic are in full swing and there’s that cupid fellow readying his bow. We recommend facing February head-on with something warm and spicy that you can really wrap your hands around. Here’s looking at you, winter. Crystal Nielsen’s Danish Gløgg Serves 10–12

raise your temperature and promote circulation—which might come in handy if the meal goes well! Figs have long been associated with fertility, and with their yonic shape are a staple in literature as a metaphor for female sexual organs. For an elegantly sexy appetizer, stuff them with almonds and goat cheese, or wrap them in prosciutto.

2 bottles (750 ml) organic red wine (Fuzion or Bonterra are good) 1/4 cup Limoncello or Grand Marnier 24 oz natural (unpasteurized) apple cider 1/2 cup honey or pure maple syrup (adjust to taste) 3 cinnamon sticks 6–10 cloves 1/4 tsp cardamom seeds a couple of slices of fresh peeled ginger 2–4 star anise juice from 4 squeezed oranges 2 cups frozen blueberries (preferably from summer picking) 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Put everything in a crock pot. Once the Gløgg is close to boiling, turn the temperature to low and keep warm; adjust to taste (sweeten or increase the spice). Serve in mugs with a spoon to scoop out the yummy blueberries and almonds. *For traditional Danish warmth, add a 1/2 cup of Aquavit to the Gløgg before serving. Skål!

Win cool prizes with the Top Five in 5 challenge For each Walleye Top Five event you attend from January to May, fill out an entry form along with proof you attended. Send them to us and you will be entered in a monthly draw for cool prizes courtesy of our advertisers. Proof of attendance can be through photos, video, ticket stubs or whatever you consider to be proof. Be creative! Winners will be announced at www.thewalleye.ca on the last day of every month. Full contest details are available at www.thewalleye.ca. The Walleye

Food

Tagine Dining Move over, slow cooker. With a tagine on her stovetop and fragrant, spicy aromas filling her kitchen, food writer Tanya Gouthro serves up Fresenjan (a pomegranate chicken dish) at a recent winter dinner party. By Tanya Gouthro

When temperatures plummet so low I hold my breath on the way to the car, certain cravings set in. Gone is my desire for a green salad, or fresh mango and avocado. I long for warmth, sunlight, and slow-simmering comfort food. This often means a very traditional meat-andpotato meal, such as a roast hidden away in the oven, or a slow cooker simmering all day, filling the house with mouth-watering aromas at the end of our very short winter days. Both of these have their merits, to be sure. However, I have recently become acquainted with the perfect solution to my comfort food cravings: mine is red, her name is Almira, and I love her. She is a tagine, her origins in North Africa. Made of terra cotta, she is glazed on the exterior and bottom. She is a cooking vessel made in two parts—a round base and a tall coneshaped lid. Together, these two parts function like a ceramic oven, containing the food flavours so that they don’t evaporate and promising a tender, flavourful meal.

Recently, I invited my girlfriends to meet Almira and share a tagine meal with me—a pomegranate chicken dish called Fresenjan, served with Algerian chickpeas (also done in the tagine), and a Persian-style rice pilaf cooked with saffron and turmeric and studded with dried apricots and prunes. Tagines allow for serving a meal familystyle, placing the tagines in the centre of the table and allowing them to become the centrepiece of the meal. Combine the exotic, heady aromas of the spices, the bright, warm colours of the tagines, fall-off-the-bone meat and tender, flavourful accompaniments, and I, for one, forget all about the cold outside.

Fresenjan 3 tbsp. olive oil 4 chicken thighs and 4 chicken legs Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling 4 tbsp. unsalted butter 3 onions, chopped (about 4 cups) 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses or 2/3 cup pomegranate concentrate or syrup 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped* 1-1/2–2 cups chicken broth Lemon juice and sugar, as needed *I left the nuts out due to allergies, and made a pomegranate reduction with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice and some sugar. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat the olive oil over high heat and sauté the chicken pieces until lightly coloured, sprinkling with salt and pepper and a bit of cinnamon as you go. Transfer to the tagine and set aside while you make the sauce. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the onions and cook them over low heat for about 15 minutes until they are tender. Add the two teaspoons of cinnamon and cook for a minute or two. Add the pomegranate molasses, tomato sauce, walnuts and broth and simmer for about 20 minutes, until thickened. Transfer the sauce to the tagine. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice if the pomegranate syrup is too sweet, sugar if it is too tart. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds. Serve with rice.

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Food

Some Random Notes on Finnish Food, Language, and Skiing

Runeberg’s Day Join in the Runeberg’s Day celebration on February 5. This Finnish holiday honours Finland’s national poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg, who wrote poetry depicting the Finnish landscape, the Finland War, and brave Finnish soldiers. The first poem in his Tales of Ensign Stål collection, entitled “Maamme” (Our Land), became the Finnish National Anthem. On this day, many enjoy the Runeberg’s tart—a pastry seasoned with almonds and rum and adorned with powdered sugar and raspberry jam. This dessert is said to have been created in a café in Porvoo, Finland where Runeberg himself ate.

Bush camp recipes, popular Finnish winter drinks, “Finglish” words and how Thunder Bay’s mojakka (beef soup) is not part of Finland’s vocabulary: writer Saara Vuorela dishes on some Nordic Finnish culture. By Saara Vuorela

My father recently told me a story about a Finnish immigrant who, back in the day living in the southwestern part of Finland, made his own skis out of wood when he was young. The neighbours, who were few and far between, would go skiing on trails around their houses every weekend during the winter months for as far back as he could remember (editor’s note: today on the outskirts of Thunder Bay, there are still many Finns who groom their own trails and ski as much as they can). He knew that if he broke his skis, when he got home, he would have to choose a branch off a tree that his father would then spank him with for breaking the skis. Another Finlander that I met up with at the Hoito recalled a few of his skiing days in Finland when he raced. He shared many stories, including how he and other people practised every day from the first snowfall to Christmas, usually skiing from 50 to 70 kilometres a day, depending on the weather. Out of the varied traditional foods that Finnish people ate after a long day of skiing, many are now made in Canada, including suolaa kalaa (salt fish), pannukakkuja, piirakkas (rice patties), viili (clabbered milk), mansikka/mustikka kastikett

photos by Chris Merkley

a (strawberry/blueberry sauce) and pulla (Finnish coffee bread). The word mojakka we use for beef soup is not actually known in Finland—instead, it is called liha keitto. One theory is that the name originated in Wisconsin amongst a few Finnish people who made their soup with beaver meat (beaver in Finnish is majava) and called their soup majala (keitto), which over time might have turned into mojakka. Traditional Finnish non-alcoholic drinks popular during the winter months include puolokka mehua (blackberry juice), mustaviinimarja mehua (blackcurrant juice), and piima (buttermilk). When a skier had no appetite or had skiied too much he would often drink koti kalja, a homemade non-alcoholic malt beverage with a thicker consistency than conventional beer, almost like a dark port. Occasionally, the conventional beer would also be refreshing after a long day of skiing. Finnish bush workers in Canadian logging camps were often spoiled by the variety of food they were offered. Traditional recipes from Finland, such as meatballs and mashed potatoes, were popular, and kept simple due to the lack of spices.

Ystävänpäivä (Friend’s Day/Valentine’s Day) Celebrate Valentine’s Day the Finn Way! February 14 in Finland is known as Ystävänpäivä (Friend’s Day), which commemorates the bonds of friendship. It is popular to send cards and gifts to close friends on this day. The romantic holiday, Valentine’s Day, is believed to have been assimilated into Friend’s Day in the late 1980s. This holiday is often celebrated with large carnivals, special games, and in the capital city of Helsinki, Nordic skating events are organized.

-Melanie Thompson

Finnish Meatballs Recipe

Finnish/English Dictionary

Popular words/phrases used in skiing by Finns

1 cup half and half cream

Skiing: Hiihto

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Hot Chocolate: Kaakao

1 egg

Coffee: Kahvia

1 onion, minced

Snowshoeing: Lumikenkäilya

Latua (tracking): a word commonly used by Finnish people to politely let another skier know to move off the ski track so they can get by

1 tbsp butter

Tobogganing: Kelkkailu

1 tsp salt

Ice Fishing: Pilkkiminen

1/2 tsp salt

Bonfire: Kokko

1 tsp Allspice

Family: Perhe

1 pound of ground beef

Skating: Luistelu Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cream, bread crumbs, and spices together. Fry the onion and the butter in a frying pan on medium heat until golden brown. Remove the onion from the heat and mix into bread crumb mix. Mix in the ground beef and roll into half-inch balls. Cook for 30–45 minutes or until fully cooked.

Mashed Potato Recipe 6-8 Yukon Gold potatoes

Hockey: Jääkiekko* Old-school Finnish mixed with Canadian English has created a new dialect known as Finglish. Most are English words with an “a” or “i” added to the end of the word. And some of these Finglish words have made it back to Finland— such as fani (a sports fan) instead of the proper Finnish word urheilu. Some other popular Finglish words include:

1/2 cup butter 1 cup milk

Kara: Car

1 tsp salt

Roki: Truck Trackseteri: Track setter

Peel and boil potatoes. Pour out the water and mash the potatoes. Add the salt and butter. Add the milk last.

Streetila: Street

Hyvä Keli: Good (skiing) conditions Nolla Keli: Bad (skiing) conditions

Other skiing words Kicking (push off with skis): potkia Gliding: liitää Tracking: seurata Skate-Skiing: hiihto-luistelu Double-Poling: kaksinkertainen sauvatyönnön Horiztontal Poling: vaakasuora sauvatyönnön

Winter words snow: lunta winter: talvi gloves/mitts: lapaset ski: hiita cold: kylmä

Apulijuissia: Apple Juice

-Melanie Thompson The Walleye

Food CityScene

She Shoots, She Scores! Story & Photos By Tara George

In this dressing room, you might think you would find as many figure skaters and ringette players as you would hockey players. Taking time out of their busy schedules, these women are lacing up to partake in a sport they once may not have had the opportunity to play, but are now passionate about. It’s the dressing room of my hockey team, part of the senior recreation division of the Thunder Bay Women’s Hockey Association (TBWHA). In the 2011/12 season, the TBWHA registered almost 500 players in one of their three divisions: senior (development, recreation, and house), junior (novice through to midget), or rep (competitive midget, peewee, and bantam). In the senior division alone there are 230 participants—a ten-fold increase since the inception of the league in 1985. Tammy Reynolds, TBWHA President, recalls that the introduction of women’s

hockey in the 1998 Nagano Olympics sparked enrollment in Thunder Bay. Naturally, the senior division has transformed over time with the injection of skilled players who have moved through the junior ranks, and the graduation of new players from the skills and drills program. Loretta Elvish-Kivisto, team manager and player, says that the “progression of the senior recreation division [over the years] has been incredible.” Of course, the progression of the league in general is in part due to the time, energy, and enthusiasm of the volunteer TBWHA executive members and coaching staff. Their motivation you might ask? As simply stated by my coach, Bruce Barber, “It’s for the love of the game.” For more information on women’s hockey in Thunder Bay visit www.tbwha.ca.

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Music

TBSO Masterworks 4

Hometown Diva By Melanie Thompson

The Symphony Orchestra welcomes home Thunder Bay native, Monica Whicher, as guest soprano for their production of Masterworks Four: Hometown Diva. Monica is an accomplished, award-winning singer, who has performed with various orchestras and opera companies all over the world, from Canada to Asia. She has released numerous classical albums, two of which each won a Juno award, and her live performances can frequently be heard on CBC radio. Enjoy Monica’s warm, powerful sound, with the accompaniment of our hometown orchestra, February 23, at eight o’clock at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium.

a n a z i Mel

Monica Whicher

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Food Music

Rawk Uranus Six Local Bands

By Julia MacArthur photos by Chris Merkley

Although there was a small audience at Black Pirates Pub for the Rawk Uranus show, the groups that performed nonetheless went out on their respective limbs to create an interesting evening. The Shallow Void: Not quite danceable, but definitely eye-catching, with music being created live on a Nintendo DS. Norman: With lyrics written from dreams, Will Rutledge’s one-man, one-guitar band is Eric’s Trip supplemented with portamenti. I hope we hear more.

Ocean City Defender: In addition to loop pedals, the third one-man outfit of the night rotated between leading with guitar, and more interestingly, bass guitar. OCD is a studio electropop band that translates remarkably well to live performance. ICBC: We were witnesses to an unknown final musical destination that combined a MacBook and a harmonica, sampling the Cold War en route to an experimental noise/techno/fusion/blues combination. Reverb Bomb: Shaking the pub up with their well-crafted take on noise rock, Reverb Bomb was a loud and fun way to end the night. The band rolled through their set using a mixture of garage and math rock, with elements of psych thrown in for good measure. JAFO: Providing visuals throughout the evening, JAFO’s video mixing and projection gave the night an ambiance it would not have otherwise had. The visuals matched the mood of the various performers impeccably, and were a great addition to the music.

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Music

TBSO

Beyond the Horizon By Rebekah Skochinski

The theme for this evening—to consider musically what it means to go beyond the horizon—was wholly established by Nielsen’s swelling pictorial piece, Helios Overture, Op. 17. The orchestra played with seeming effortlessness right from the opening notes. They followed with Stravinsky’s The Firebird: Suite (1919), a truly magical tale of harmony and rhythm that induced goosebumps on several occasions, even catching a few members of the audience by surprise at the bright beginning to “Danse infernale du roi Kastcheï.” The second half introduced a group of 20 electric guitarists from the community to the stage to deploy Tim Brady’s dramatic composition Amplify, Multiply, Remix and Redefine: in memory of Les Paul. From the ear-bending “Wave Form” through to “An Orchestra, Riffing,” Brady teased us with both electric and acoustic voices in a seamless marriage of old and new, challenging us to consider the possibilities of what lies ahead musically, beyond what we can already hear and see.

SYKE: Voces Intimae (Intimate Voices) Scandinavian + Russian Repertoire Never Attempted Before in TBay By Erik Riekko

Voces Intimae focuses on musically representing struggle from the different cultural and geographic points of view of Finland and Russia. This music, because of its scope and intensity, has never before been attempted in Thunder Bay. It is now possible with the vision and virtuosity of Russian pianist Evgueni Tchougounov. In addition to Tchougounov, performers include violinists Thomas Cosbey and Michelle Zapf-Belanger, violist Catherine Jillings, and cellist Anthony Bacon. The concert (named after one of the pieces) will feature works by Rachmaninoff, Sibelius, and Shostakovich— introspective, beautiful, and sometimes shocking works that were created in part because of inner conflict and the struggle against Communism. This series is also set to continue next season with a guest pianist from Montreal and a soprano from Toronto. Voces Intimae will be held at Hilldale Lutheran Church on Sunday, March 4th, 2012. Tickets are $20, available at the Hoito, Finnport, and the Finnish Bookstore.

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Food Music

Dave Koski, R.G.D.

A Guitar Fetish Confessed

Burning’ to the Sky By Gord Ellis

It’s difficult to say exactly when I became infatuated with guitars. It was definitely early in life. My first guitar, bought in 1977 or so, was a not terribly exotic used Yamaha acoustic. A decent enough guitar, but no great shakes. That was followed by a brand new Yamaha Guild style acoustic. I remember seeing it on the wall in Colosimo’s. It had voluptuous curves and a shiny spruce top. There was an attraction that was something close to physical. Still own it. Then came the electrics. The first was a somewhat terrible Gibson SG copy made by a company called Dana. It was a workable, but not terribly lovable guitar. Then in 1979, I spent the last part of my 18th summer in Palm Springs, California, living with my Uncle Mike and his wife. Mike Neely is a musician, and we spent a lot of time looking around at music stores and Pawn Shops in the desert. There was a lot to see. One day, we stopped at a Pawn Shop in La Quinta, California. We walked in, and there was a bearded guy jamming along to Bob Dylan’s New Morning album. He was playing the most beautiful instrument I‘d ever laid eyes on. It was a wood grain Fender Stratocaster, with maple neck, brushed aluminium pickguard and tele style knobs. Truly love at first sight. Within minutes the guitar was on hold and $500 was being wired from Thunder Bay. Thus began a five-year, passionate love affair. That beautiful strat was there through the various education and work related adventures that followed. However, like many great romances, we were doomed by bad timing. In 1984 the bank account was empty and there were bills to pay. My baby was sold to a very appreciative musician who had it, I’m told, for another 20 years after me. Once money came again, so did the guitars. Some time in the mid 1980s, a guy approached me about buying his axe. He opened his closet, pulled out a battered old case and opened it. There was a well used, translucent red Fender Telecaster with maple neck. He said it was a 1968 model, with some pick up and tuning issues. The seller was motivated and, after some negotiation, I bought that telecaster for the princely sum of $350. That guitar (which turned out to be a 1970 model) played many

hundreds of gigs during my time in the Crosstown Blues Band and is still in my collection today. It’s had a few cosmetic makeovers, but remains a favourite. There have been more guitars since and each one has a story. But you get the drift. If you’re a guitar player, or have one in your life, you have heard or shared similar stories. Guitars are unique in that they can be part of your life for years, decades even, yet require almost no upkeep or maintenance. Open the case, plug in and you pick up from last time. They also provide a weird kind of unconditional love and comfort at a moments notice. Guitars can be broken, but it’s rarely irreversible damage. And like old loves, they can suddenly come back and rekindle that flame. In the 1970s, Peter Frampton played a three pick up 1954 black Les Paul at nearly every show he did. It was on the cover of Frampton Comes Alive and was truly an iconic guitar. Then, in 1980, the guitar was in a plane full of gear that crashed. Frampton was told it had been lost in the fire. Turns out it was actually salvaged and sold. However, after 31 years, the two have been reunited. The pictures of Frampton with that Les Paul today are awesome. He‘s grinning ear to ear. You never forget that first love. If anyone sees an old ash strat with aluminium pick guard around, you know where to find me.

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Music

Tyler Yarema Returns By Kathryn Lyzun Dave Koski, R.G.D.

If you saw him at the Blues Festival, you know that Tyler Yarema’s high-energy, boogie-woogie sound will get your blood flowing and help you shake off the winter blahs. Originally from Thunder Bay, for the past 10 years Yarema has been playing blues, jump blues, swing jazz, and barrelhouse keyboards at the Reservoir Room in Toronto, where he and his band are among the most sought-after swing/boogie-woogie groups in the city . The award-winning pianist will be back in the Bay to play a solo show on March 1 and another with his band, The Rhythm, on March 2—both shows will be at Gargoyles Grill Grille and Ale . For more info on Tyler’s music visit www.tyleryarema.com

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REVIEWS

OfftheWall Under Your Hood

Written by Superior Scribes, a group of writers who all have some connection to Thunder Bay, Movers and Mavericks of Thunder Bay is a collection of short biographies of people who have either resided in or made some contribution to our community—an interesting mix of artists and businesspeople, sports icons and politicians, doctors and humanitarians. Although it would have benefitted the book to include not only those who contributed to our city’s past, but also those who will continue to influence its future, the diverse array of accomplishments featured in the profiles should make us proud to call ourselves Thunder Bayers. Review by Amy Jones

The Golden Hour

If your semi-formal was made into a movie, with a disco ball-lit happy ending where you and your high school love slow dance under crêpe paper and gently falling confetti, Ocean City Defender would be the soundtrack. This EP is the stuff of dreams, and dream dates. K. Preston Merkley (the sole Defender) has self-recorded and released a set of five magical electro-pop songs. The sound is clean and bright, with delicately layered synths and fuzzy guitars. The lyrics approach the realm of cliché, but are held at bay by the EP’s heroic beats. The Golden Hour is aptly named: it actually feels like you are staring into a sunset—or better yet, a sunrise—when you listen to it. These songs are dream-pop versions of 80s fantasy adventure films and brat pack soundtracks: Molly Ringwald meeting David Bowie in the middle of the Dark Crystal. This sound is not what high school was like for me, but it’s what it should have been like. If you like M83, you should meet its soft-spoken best friend. You will fall in love.

The Walleye

Vinyl

Northern Scribes Publishing, 2011

Ocean City Defender

Video

Lorna Olson, William Hryb, Maureen Arges Nadin, Marianne Jones, Ron Chepesiuk, Elle Andra-Warner, Peter Fergus-Moore

Eddie Bruce

-Julia MacArthur

Music

Movers and Mavericks of Thunder Bay

Catherine Taddo

Under Your Hood is a straight-laced urban blues record from Catherine Taddo. Raised in Thunder Bay and based out of Sault Ste. Marie, Catherine kicks off her sophomore release with “Slow Train” and keeps things chugging through to the last track “Leave the Light On.” Selfproduced, self-engineered, and recorded in her home studio, Taddo’s rhythm guitar and vocals are backed by lead guitar, bass and drums. Nine of the ten songs are original and her music is finding airplay on various campus and commercial radio stations. She has toured nationally and internationally. If you are a fan of CBC’s Saturday Night Blues, you’ll be a fan of Under your Hood. The CD can be purchased through her website at www. catherinetaddo.com.

Books

Sweating with Finns: Sauna Stories from North America

By Lakehead University’s Centre for Northern Studies and editors

Raija Warkentin, Kaarina Kailo, and Jorma Halonen

This is a fascinating book that combines anthropological and sociological academic theory with stories, poems, and reflections on saunas collected through a contest held by the Thunder Bay Finnish Canadian Historical Society. In the academic section, the role of the sauna in health and hygiene is explored. The ritual of preparing the sauna and enjoying it with friends and family was a welcome escape from the hard life of early immigrants. The sauna itself has developed beyond a place of simple bathing to a place of spiritual cleansing and rejuvenation. Many of the stories include details of sauna rules and outline how those new to saunas have been initiated. I discovered that Adrienne Clarkson bought a Finnish sauna from Finn-Tastic and had it set up on her secluded island in Georgian Bay. In the handy glossary included in this book, I learned the term löyly (which I regularly use while taking a sauna, thanks to some Finnish friends) has spiritual implications, which only seems appropriate. Lakehead University’s Centre for Northern Studies and editors Raija Warkentin, Kaarina Kailo and Jorma Halonen should be commended for bringing us this interesting and entertaining book. If you’ve never taken a sauna, you’re going to want to after reading this! Review by Joanna Aegard, Head of Virtual Services

CityScene Music

Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishhbone

Directed by Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler Narrated by Laurence Fishburne

Having influenced diverse artists across genres for decades—from ska, punk rock and metal to jazz and hip hop—Fishbone is the band that never quite made it as big as everyone, critics included, thought they would. Everyday Sunshine is the story about the rise and fall of this eclectic band (think high-energy live shows, dreadlocks, mohawks, trumpet, bass, saxophone, keyboards, and even the theremin!)—essentially individuals, outsiders, and rebels from South Central L.A., attempting to forge their own way in the music world. Directors Lev Anderson and Christ Metzler not only get behind the scenes, showcasing the personalities and conflict of band members (notably Norwood and Angelo), but they also parallel the band’s story with what was going on culturally and socially in L.A. at the time—from late-70s desegregation efforts to Rodney King and what’s happening today. The documentary is narrated by Laurence Fishburne and features interviews from artists influenced by the band, from Les Claypool (Primus) to Gwen Stefani (No Doubt). Perhaps Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) best summarizes the journey: “People have to be willing to walk through their pain in order to get to the other side of it.” Whether you’re a fan of the band or not, this is more than a sugar coated behind-the-scenes pop star exposé. The DVD is available February 21. www.fishbonedocumentary.com -TJ

Catch The Vinyl Café in Thunder Bay and Grand Marais By Tracy Sadgrove

The Vinyl Cafe’s Stuart McLean, along with musical guest Harry Manx (a musical storyteller who blends the blues with Indian ragas) is performing back-toback shows, one on Canadian soil at The Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (March 1), and the other, just south of the border in Grand Marais(March 2). Currently on tour, the weekly CBC radio program is sure to make for an evening of laughter, great music, and McLean’s one-of a-kind storytelling. Tickets are $51.50; visit www.tbca.com for details. And if you plan on a mid-winter weekend getaway, you can catch the show at The Arrowhead Centre for the Arts. Tickets available online at www.arrowheadcenterforthearts.org.

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New and gently used clothing, footwear, jewelery, purses and accessories, Youth, ladies and men’s wear.

Make a “change” today

Outdoor Skating Rinks SUPERVISED RINKS Facility Brent Park

NORTH

CHANGES consignment boutique

T h u n d e r B a y ’s

SOUTH

113 S. May St., (807) 285-0791

closed/volunteer run Mon/Tues

Carrick Park

Mon/Tues

Castlegreen CC.

Community Supervised

Current River

Mon/Tues

North End

Wed/Thurs

Oliver Road

Mon/Tues

Volunteer Pool

Wed/Thurs

West End

Wed/Thurs

Facility

closed/volunteer run

Frank Charry Park Wed/Thurs James St. Playfield

Mon/Tues

Tarbutt Park

Wed/Thurs

Wayland Park

Mon/Tues

West Thunder

Mon/Tues

UNSUPERVISED RINKS North Unboarded

Academy Heights Gresley Parkette Marina Park Philips Parkette Picton Poplar Park Valley/Fassina Picton

Boarded

Third and High County Park Wilson Street John/Jumbo CC Stanley Park River Terrace John Kushnier Delaney Minnesota Park

Rural Rinks

Jackpine CC N. Neebing CC N. McIntrye CC S. Neebing CC Vickers Heights CC West Arthur CC

South Unboarded

Dalhousie Parkette Franklin Street Parkette Fraserdale Parkette Green Acres Park Holly Parkette Holt Parkette Humber Park Kingsway/Lillie Friendship Gardens Parkdale Churchill Park Riverview Telephone Exchange Sandpiper Parkette Thornloe Parkette Uniberry Parkette Victoria Park Vale C.C. Lambton Park

surpervised rinks open 2-10pm Mon-Fri, 1-9pm Sat-Sun For more information about outdoor rinks in your area or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer to assist with opening the facilities on closed days and holidays, call the Parks Division at 625-2351 or visit www.thunderbay.ca

RECYCLING FIVE PLASTIC BOTTLES WILL STUFF ONE SKI JACKET A plastic bottle will sit in the landfill for hundreds of years before it will even start to decompose. Recycling saves valuable natural resources, energy, time and money.

ONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE www.thunderbay.ca

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Music

Nick Sherman Live Folk Music Backed by Power By Greg Carveth

Uriel Lubuk

Tyler Sklazeski

Sometimes, a live show can be astoundingly different from an album. And sometimes , a live show can be bang-on—as it was on Friday, January 20 for Nick Sherman and the WinterDark. Celebrating the release of his first studio album, Drag Your Words Through, at Black Pirates Pub, Sherman was folk music backed with power. Simple songs, with many layers and lots of emotion behind them, made for an impressive performance. The evening also featured The Greenbank Trio, Seaballast (with Robin Ranger) and The Seaside Villains. Is it just me or do the Seaside Villains rock? I know we’ve heard the ska groove many times before, but when it’s played with that much energy you can’t help but love it.The Thunder Bay music scene is full of talented souls, and Nick Sherman can count himself as one of them.

R.A. the Rugged Man

Raw Sounds of East Coast Hip Hip By Uriel Lubuk

New York underground rapper R.A the Rugged Man played a high-energy set to an enthusiastic crowd of Thunder Bay hip hop fans at Crocks in January. This was not a show to be missed by anyone who follows the raw sounds of east coast hip hop. R.A is currently on tour with Nova Rockafeller from Edmonton and Killah Priest (Wu-Tang Clan affiliate) from Brooklyn. The show started off with local acts Li obi-Dope & Bronze, followed by Webster Death.

Comics & Graphic Novels • DVD’s • VHS • Rock T-Shirts Records • CD’s • Video Games • Action Figures & Toys Cards • Posters & Other Collectibles

186 South Algoma Street • 345-5700

www.comixplusmusic.com

How many loaves of bread could you bake from the wheat stored in Richardson‛s elevator?

his and 100 more fascinating questions about our history are asked and answered in a new book from the Thunder Bay Museum. Thunder Bay Quiz Book 2 is a follow-up to the bestselling Thunder Bay Quiz Book 1.. At only $13.95, it is the perfect gift for those who love local history, puzzles, or both. Available at the Thunder Bay Museum or at a bookstore near you

425 Donald St. E. Thunder Bay, P7E 5V1 www.thunderbaymuseum.com 623-0801 The Walleye

theArts Food

Julie Cosgrove

Raw Canvases By Melanie Thompson

Entertain your creative side while supporting local artists at Definitely Superior Art Gallery. This month’s exhibit features the works of Julie Cosgrove. Her contemporary paintings and multimedia pieces combine themes of wilderness, geography, technology, and concepts of space, layered onto raw canvas to create her soothing abstract images. The use of raw canvases (instead of primed) is an intentional effect, allowing the rough texture to seep through the layers of paint and altering the way which light is absorbed and perceived. “My work is about how light, environment and atmosphere affects our lives, so I think it is important to see how the painting also changes depending on setting and light,” Cosgrove says. Cosgrove has won several awards, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Master’s Scholarship, and Ontario Arts Council grants. This will be her first solo exhibition in Thunder Bay upon the completion of her Masters in Fine Arts at the University of Calgary. Later this year, she will be showcasing her artwork at the Esker Foundation in Calgary.

Secret At Red Brick House

The event will open with a gala on Friday February 10 at 7 pm in Gallery Two, and will feature musical performances and refreshments.

Wyn Jones 30” x 36” Mixed Media The original pitch-pine doors are Everywhere colored a bitter chocolate, the balusters are yellow, and you walk on polished boards which, like the parquet in the dining-room—have been there since the house was built. It is not too fanciful to say that The staircase and stairwell are themselves a perfect foil of belief—for when you stand at the bottom and look up you respond to an elegance of survival. Its very exuberance conveys a perhaps unfounded optimism. A major point of tension is that borderline between culture and nature. It eschews the carnal activities of torture, reminiscent of some of the more essential procedures of violence and depravity set in the shadows of an earthly paradise.

The Walleye

To contact or learn more about local artist Wyn Jones check out www.localcolourartgallery.ca/wynjones/ or email: oranjz@shaw.ca

theArts Travel

Photographer Walter Zarowski Capturing just-the-right light for over 70 years By Tara George

In the age of digital photography, seldom do you find a true photographer — someone who understands the technical aspects of their camera, studies their subject, and appreciates the cast of the light. I recently had the good fortune to meet one such photographer, Walter Zarowski. A guided tour of his some of his photos was a true testimony to Walter’s talent and passion for his art. Walter has been taking photos for 70 years, and with the exception of digital, he has experimented with most types of photography. While there was a time when his only option was black and white, he currently works with colour slide photography, as he finds the colours

to be more vibrant. Essentially self-taught, Walter has learned to control and manipulate his equipment to produce the most interesting interpretations of his subjects. Some of the more intricate details of his macro-abstract work is awe inspiring – dew captured on single blades of grass, or reflections caught in rippling water so that the photo appears to take on the qualities of a painting. The secret to Walter’s work? His understanding of light. He “follows the light” and “however the spirit moves me is where I go,” explains Walter. While he feels that some of the best opportunities are down by the lake, he often finds himself drawn to the country— he worked with the Canadian Grain Commission and for years worked closely with the farming community. Wherever he is, his ability to light his subjects is impressive. However, it does help that he heads out first thing in the morning to capture first light. When everyone is still sleeping he’s already shot three rolls of film.

Walter’s photography has graced the covers of Lake Superior magazine, and the insides of several calendars (including those produced by Hallmark) over the years. Some of his bird photos have been recognized and awarded in cross-Canada competitions. One of his prized photos is a close-up of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher —a rare find in Thunder Bay. It’s not surprising that Walter would get such an incredible shot, his expertise and dedication to an art he clearly loves is reflected in all of his work.

The Walleye

the LIVINGGREEN WALL

The Hit Radio Show

Q - Should I be concerned about environmental impacts from ski wax? A-

The main concern with ski wax is actually more of a human health issue, although there are also environmental impacts resulting from the use and manufacture of these products. The nasty stuff in question is perfluorochemicals (PFCs), also known as Teflon, the same substance that is behind all the warnings to avoid non-stick frying pans. After all, the primary purpose of ski wax is to make you glide over the snow faster than grease in a pan! Teflon breaks down into perflorooctanic acid (PFOA), one of the most toxic and persistent chemicals known on earth. Higher dosages of the chemical have been shown to cause cancer in animals and liver disease in humans. Residue left on the snow from every skier who passes by will follow the snowmelt into soils, groundwater and eventually wildlife and humans. But a more direct route of human absorption is through the inhalation of the vapour as we wax our skis. You know that smell, but what you may not realize is that heating PFCs turns it into one of the most hazardous chemical vapours around.

The Walleye

There are other ski wax options out there, but you may have to do some digging to find them. You can try soy-based wax, or the newer bio-ester waxes. Unless you are a racer, you may also be content with waxless skis. Nordic skiing is inherently more environmentally friendly than alpine skiing (primarily because of the tremendous use of energy in lifts, grooming and snowmaking) but Teflon waxes are prevalent in all types of skiing or snowboarding. For more ways to green-up your skiing, consider the following: Reduce travel emissions by skiing locally and car-pooling to the trails. Chances are you could get in some fine skiing at a park in your own neighbourhood. Buy used equipment and be sure to swap or donate your old gear. Appreciate the nature around you whenever you’re on the trails. Most of all, encourage others to take up this healthy and mostly eco-friendly activity.

Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean in Grand Marais, MN 7:00 pm Friday, March 2

at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts

Tickets on sale now

www.tix.com Simply enter “Vinyl Cafe” in the “Find your Tickets” section

Ellen Mortfield Photo by Bruce J. Dynes

In association with WTIP North Shore Community Radio

www.wtip.org 218-387-1070

Music LIVINGGREEN

Sauna Upkeep LARS on HOMES

PAINT LIKE REMBRANDT with Prof Ann Clarke Feb 7,14,21,28 Tues 6pm-9pm

LANDSCAPES IN ACRYLIC with artist Eugene Vandal Feb 8,15, 22, 28 - Wed 6:30-9pm

WATER COLOUR SAMPLERS

with artist Biljana Baker Feb 25 - Saturday 10am-4pm KIDS ART CLUB

with artist Crystal Nielsen Thursdays 4:30-6:30pm

MARCH BREAK PIRATE SCHOOL with artist Kathy Toivonen March 13,14,15 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4pm

There are many homes in Thunder Bay with built-in saunas. A sauna needs little or no maintenance, but there are a few basic facts that will help you understand how to build and maintain a sauna. Homes with built-in saunas generally have electric heaters. These heaters are convenient, do not require a chimney, and are easy to clean and operate. The outer shell is usually made of stainless or pre-painted steel. Pre-painted heaters can rust if paint starts to bake off. Sauna rocks should be intact, with no cracks, and sit loosely in the stove to allow air to circulate properly. Electric heaters are required to have operating controls with a maximum one-hour timer and a temperature-regulating thermostat. All sauna heaters need guards installed for personal safety. The best material to be used in a sauna is western red cedar, but local cedar is also fine. For benches, cedar is very hot to sit on, and some people prefer clear poplar or birch, finntastic_halfpage.pdf finished with a natural linseed oil for protection. Avoid wood that contains sap which can cause burns, is messy, and can bleed from the wood for many years. The sauna floor should be well-sealed to prevent water or moisture from penetrating the foundation. A floor drain is not necessary unless larger volumes of water are used. Behind the walls, there should be a continuous vapour barrier made out of aluminum tape and foil, rather than polyethylene, which can deteriorate from excessive heat. finntastic_halfpage.pdf

10/25/09

Ventilation is important to ensure the sauna is not too stifling and for airing out after use. Light fixtures should be certified for use in a sauna, and doors should open outwards and not be installed with any latching or locking mechanisms. The floor and benches should be washed regularly with a10/25/09 mild soap3:35:23 solution PM to remove build-up and stains. Enjoying the heat of a sauna is relaxing, cleansing, and healthy. If you do not have a sauna in your home, Kangas Sauna is located on Oliver Road and there are many shops on Bay Street that provide sauna supplies and information. Larry Hogard is a Certified Home Inspector and Energy Advisor with Superior Inspections Inc. He can be contacted at larry@superiorinspections.ca. 3:35:23 PM

CMY C

CMY

344.6656

321 Bay Street

www.finn-tastic.com The Walleye

The Great Northwest is now Superior Morning. It’s still the place to turn to for the news you need to start your day. Weekdays at 6am with host Lisa Laco

winter Try Steak Therapy. Nothing beats the winter blues like a perfectly cooked Keg steak. Join us for more great steaks – like our 18 oz. bone-in New York, and other new entrees from our Winter Grill menu. It’s the best thing to happen to winter since spring. Only until March 25.

kegsteakhouse.com

Thunder Bay Keg 735 Hewitson Street (807) 623-1960

Find us on cbc.ca/superiormorning

CBC Radio Canada, English Communications 250 Front Street West P.O. Box 500, Station ì Aî Toronto, ON M5W 1E6 Print Production 416-205-3781

REC jobs:

Come join our team! Are you a leader?

Find out about summer employment opportunities and work as part of a creative and dynamic team! Positions available in: Junior Inclusion Services Youth Zone Chippewa Summer Camps Playgrounds Adventurer’s Camp

APPly now! Application forms and job descriptions are available online. Visit www.thunderbay.ca/jobs (employment opportunities in recreation)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: February 29th, 2012, 4:30pm

The Walleye

WALL TOPfive

FILMTheatre

thethe

Paul Morralee Building Bridges through Film by Tiffany Jarva

Over the past few years, local filmmaker Paul Morralee has been instrumental in building a relationship between the Canadian and Mexican film industries. Writer Tiffany Jarva catches up with the recent Arts and Heritage Award-winning Morralee upon his return from a scouting tour of Mexico, where he has started co-writing (on the beach!) a short film with a Mexican screenwriter. It’s white-cold outside, but cozy inside the local café where filmmaker Paul Morralee (his recently-acquired tan contrasting a warm green and black striped scarf ) explains how his relationship with Juan Manuel Gonzalez, the Director of the Monterrey International Film Festival (MIFF)—an annual $600,000 project held over 10 days with over 30, 000 people attending—came to be. “It was pure happenstance,” he says. “We met at a dinner party and immediately I realized we were equally involved in our own film communities: from making our own films, bringing people together to work on films, and also showcasing films.” This was the spring of 2009, and after this initial chance meeting, Gonzalez invited Morralee to return in August as a guest of the festival. In turn, Gonzalez and two other Mexican filmmakers attended the Bay Street Film Festival in Thunder Bay and lectured at the college and university.

Confederation College film students and Morralee at the Monterrey International Film Festival as part of a student exchange. from left to right: Veronica Fummerton, Ian Connor, Paul Morralee, Lenny Carpenter, Connor McMahon

In 2010, Morralee was invited back to Monterrey as a short film judge for international films. He also organized a Confederation College film student exchange with the festival. Next, Confederation College and Universidad de Monterrey signed an agreement to start sharing virtual lectures on the history of film. “It very much became an integrated connection,” says Morralee. “Not just about swapping films, but a friendship between the two countries.” By November 2010, Morralee and Gonzalez were knocking on the door of the Canadian Consulate in Monterrey. They met with trade officials, and then Gonzalez met with more trade officials at the Embassy in Mexico City. Within two months, the Canadian Ambassador to Mexico, along with three major Canadian corporations, signed a sponsorship deal that eventually cemented Canada as the 2011 MIFF guest country—featuring panel discussions and a showcase of eight Canadian-made films, including Morralee’s film Where on Earth is My Bike. All of the Canadian films were also later showcased in Mexico City. Now it’s Morralee’s dream to shoot a short film in Spanish, using a Mexican screenwriter, Mexican actors, and a Mexican location, but with a Canadian crew. “They are very good storytellers and have a richness to their culture with really good locations to choose from,” explains Morralee. “They do have some good technical people but I think that by using a Canadian crew we can share our expertise and add an educational component.” Morralee says the experience of bridging the Canadian and Mexican film industries has taught him that as an individual you can do simple, step-by-step things to connect people and make change in our communities. The Walleye

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theTOPfive FILMTheatre

Humour Between the Lines By Rebekah Skochinski

Cambrian Players packs a one-two punch of comedy this season with their followup to The Importance of Being Earnest, Roman Conquest. This fast-paced play by John Patrick introduces audiences to two American girls who move to Rome—an heiress trying to escape her status and make it as an artist on her own merit, and her best friend, who tags along for the ride. “The play’s action occurs between the characters the girls encounter their first week in Italy,” explains director, Naomi McNeill. “The relationship between the characters is also a lovely depiction of the frenetic, irrational, beautiful and artistic energy of the city of Rome.” Currently knee-deep in rehearsals, McNeill says it’s an exciting process. “As a director, you get to facilitate and witness the development of the character.” She adds, “The stakes are high in comedy. The

sincerity and seriousness of the lines is often harder to convey than with tragedy. Timing is very important. There are many funny lines in the play, but the hard part about staging a comedy is to pull out the humour between the lines, through character development, body language of the characters, and the reactions to emotions and situations.” The rewards of comedy, however, go both ways. “The actors feel great about making the audience laugh and the audience and actors have a real-time, organic experience. This is what theatre is all about: the magic that is created in the shared moment.” Those looking for an evening centred around the intoxicating culture of Italy (complete with accents)—with a few mistaken identities and generously peppered with humour—need look no further. Roman Conquest runs March 1–3 and 7–10, at 8 pm at Paramount Theatre. Tickets are available at Steepers, Fireweed, and at the door. Tickets: $20 General/$15 Students&Seniors. Preview night is $10 and March 7 show is 2 for $20.

Written work at the Waterfront Lake Superior Métis

Tracey Tebbenham

Roman Conquest

Lauren Payette (as Sue) and John Welyki (as Tony)

Two Great Restaurants One Great Hotel

Commercial fishing by day Lighthouse keepers by night Freezing fish in the early winter cold On racks at the foot of Red River Road Towing people to safety From mighty Superior’s raging storms Fishing well into December On early winter’s freezing waters Sailing home from the lighthouse During breaks in Superior’s heavy winter seas ~Rick Garrick & Bob McKay

Prince Arthur’s Landing re-opened to the public with resounding success last December. As construction continues we can soon look forward to the final installations of poetry and prose in the park, including Lake Superior Métis. Through their writing, Garrick and McKay wanted “to provide a true-to-life image of a Métis family’s experiences working and living on Lake Superior over a number of generations.” Currently the park contains selections by Marilyn Dumont, Emily Pauline Johnson / Tekahionwake, Marianne Jones, Jean E. Pendziwol and Sarain Stump. In the coming months we can expect to see works by Jane Crossman, Donna Faye, J. F. (Jim) Foulds, Rick Garrick & Bob McKay, and Catherine Moodie Vickers. As part of the City’s public art program, the literary art adds another dimension to the existing outdoor gallery of visual art. View all the works, and download a copy of the Waterfront Public Art Walking Tour Guide, at www.thunderbay.ca/ publicartprojects.

Ask your server for your Valhalla Inn Rewards Card and start earning valuable points with every dollar you spend.

1 Valhalla Inn Road • 577-1121 The Walleye

FebruaryEventsGuide theArts Food February 1, 7 pm

February 5, 12, 25 & 26

Book Launch: Foreclosure

Winter Workshops

Brodie Resource Library Jacqueline D’Acre’s launch of Foreclosure—a book about murder, horses and New Orleans—will feature an author reading followed by a Q&A and refreshments. Charlie Wilkins will be a guest speaker.  norleans@tbaytel.net

Vintage Pixie Studio Make a glass mosaic vase, create fairy wings, or sculpt a character doll. Space is limited so early registration is recommended.  www.vintagepixiestudio.blogspot. com

February 2, 7 pm

Writing Workshop

For the Birds

Arrowhead Center for the Arts (Grand Marais) Kevin Kling and Zeitgiest present “For the Birds: A Chamber Suite with Music, Poetry, Comedy, Tragedy, Artistry.” Tickets: $15 for adults; $5 for students.  www.northshoremusicassociation. com February 3, 8 pm

Around the World with John Scaffeo

Italian Cultural Centre Experience the glory of the accordion with music sampled from around the globe by Thunder Bay’s own accordion virtuoso, John Scaffeo. Admission: $35; students: $15.  www.tbso.ca February 3, 6 pm

Fans Lending Hands

Fort William Historical Park In support of the Canadian Diabetes Association, this will be a night of music, prizes, auctions and dinner. Tickets are $75 (with a $50 tax receipt).  www.fwhp.ca February 4, 6 pm

The Rebirth

Moose Hall In celebration of Black History month, the African and Caribbean Student Association (AFCASA), in partnership with the Caribbean African Multicultural Association of Canada (CAMAC), will be presenting an evening of authentic cuisine, cultural presentations, a fashion show, and after 10 pm the event will turn into a 19+ Jamz with performances by DJs and local sensations Rock Steady. Tickets: $20 student; $30 general; $10 children under 10 and seniors. Available at LUSU office, Thunder Bay Multicultural Centre, Urban Boutique, and Moose Hall. * afcasa@campusclub.ca February 4, 8 pm

Yuk Yuk’s

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium This proudly Canadian show promises that you just can’t laugh any harder.  www.tbca.com February 4, 7 pm

Manipulation Roaring 20s Theme Game Night

This annual event is an opportunity to outbid, outsmart, and outplay your family and friends, with the proceeds supporting The Arthritis Society. Tickets are $40 per person. ) 345-9535, ext. 1 February 5, 9 am

Walk for Memories

Intercity Shopping Centre This family event includes breakfast, a 1 kilometre walk, face painting, entertainment, and prizes. All funds raised support those affected by Alzheimer’s disease in Thunder Bay.  www.alzheimerthunderbay.ca

EVENTS GUIDE KEY

The Walleye

February 7, 7 pm Waverley Library Auditorium Join the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop for an interactive writing workshop for writers of all ages and levels. Admission is free.  www.nowwwriters.org February 7, 8 pm

Stormy Weather - Classical Plus Series

Hilldale Lutheran Church This year’s series is dedicated to the seemingly effortless genius of Mozart and to the music he inspired in later composers. Hear the TBSO’s solo group of violin, cello, oboe, and bassoon in Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante. General admission is $35; students $15.  www.tbso.ca February 7, 7 pm

Escape to Reality in the Garden with Mark Cullen

Valhalla Inn Ballroom Join Canada’s best known gardener for garden talk. A book signing, refreshments, and door prizes to follow the presentation. Tickets: $20 with proceeds to the TBRHS Foundation for the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Treatment Centre. Call 473-4943.  www.soroptimist.org February 9, 8 pm

The Pink Floyd Experience.

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium A celebration of the music, the themes, and the innovation that this great band brought to their fans around the world. Tickets: $45.  www.tbca.com February 10

People’s Prom

Finlandia Club In its fifth year, this fundraiser for LU Radio and the LU Student Union (LUSU) Food Bank is a community-oriented costume event with great live music and, of course, the crowning of a Prom King and Queen. Tickets: $10.  www.luradio.ca February 10–March 10

February 10, 7–10 pm: Gala Opening Reception Three Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Definitely Superior Art Gallery Gallery 1: The Circulation of Fluids Catherine Bechard & Sabin Hudon. An interactive sound installation by internationally exhibiting Montreal artists, using recordings of water to probe its resonance as a pervasive fluid in our lives. Visitors perform the work, their movements captured by sonar sensors, triggering the imagination.

Gallery 2: Along the Way - Julie Cosgrove. Exciting new contemporary painting/ multi-media works, which develop from an external/technological experience of place, and an internal/poetic experience of space. Cosgrove is a well-recognized regional artist, exhibiting nationally, and this is her first post-Masters solo show in Thunder Bay. Gallery 3: Bullseye - A Painter on the Watch Marc Seguin - A film by Bruno Boulianne. An award-winning, highly metaphorical documentary film about Marc Seguin, one of most important/successful painters in Canada, offering a rare glimpse into the world of an internationally exhibiting artist who paints like he hunts: with patience, faith and passion. At the opening, enjoy meeting featured artists, an artist talk by Bechard & Hudon (Quebec), acoustic music by Doug MacNearney and refreshments; all ages/ by donation.  www.definitelysuperior.com

February 15–20

February 24–26

Second Annual Northern Fibers Retreat

2012 Central Canada Outdoor Show

Grand Marais Celebrate all manner of fiber craft with over 25 inspiring courses, including weaving, bead embroidery, origami, felting, and much more.  www.northhouse.org/www. grandmaraisartcolony.org February 16, 9:45–11:30 am

Bearskin Airlines Hope Classic

February 25, 9:30 am–4:30 pm

February 11, 9 am–1 pm

February 18, 2:30–4:30 pm

Two Hearts Valentine Waffle Breakfast

Partner Yoga Workshop

St. John’s Anglican Church There will be hot waffles to enjoy and a bake table, too. Buy tickets at the AIDS Thunder Bay Office for $5, or pay $7 at the door. )345-1516

Pulse Fitness Studio Hosted by Morgen Holborn and Meghan Aylward, attendees for this workshop can partner up as a couple or as friends. Sign up early at $30 per pair or $20 each at the door. Call 577-6727 for more information.  www.yogamassagenow.com

February 11, 8 pm

February 18–20

My Funny Valentine

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium World-renowned opera diva Natalie Choquette returns by popular demand. Be ready for an evening of romance, music, and laughter as Natalie entertains you with her unique blend of humour and vocal virtuosity.  www.tbso.ca Until February 11

The Syringa Tree

Magnus Theatre Seen first through the eyes of a child, this play tells the deeply evocative story of an abiding love between two families—one black, one white—and the two children that are born into their shared household in early 1960s South Africa.  www.magnus.on.ca Until February 12

Imprints: Three Perspectives

Thunder Bay Art Gallery Featuring the work of three Aboriginal artists who experiment through printmaking.  www.theag.ca February 15, 7:30 pm

Bag It

Paramount Theatre The Environmental Film Network (EFN) will be screening Bag It, an award-winning documentary film that starts with simple questions about plastic bags and then evolves into an investigation of the effects of plastic on our waterways, oceans, and our bodies, ultimately showing us what can be done about it. Free admission. Donations appreciated. For more information find the EFN on Facebook or contact Deanna at 475-3631.

GENERAL FOOD ART SPORTS MUSIC

Rough Cuts

February 17–19

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium The Arts Fiesta is an incredible celebration of arts education projects in drama, dance, music, and visual art based on the theme Catch a Dream.  www.cahep.ca

Italian Cultural Centre There will be dinner, raffles, prizes, and entertainment, with all proceeds to stay in Thunder Bay to support client services and education. )344-2944

Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance

February 25, 9 pm LU Outpost An evening packed with music, a silent auction, and door prizes with proceeds to support Bicycles for Humanity and Community Education Services. Tickets are $15 and available at Quality Market (both locations), Georges Market, and Fresh Air Experience. Doors open at 8 pm. Call Sandy Guthrie at 623-8547 or Terry Zeleny at 577-8289 for details.

CAHEP Arts Fiesta

All curling abilities are welcome in the 16th Annual Women’s Curling Bonspiel. This is a skins format with a $5 payout per skin. All teams guaranteed five games, ladies only. Funds raised support the Linda Buchan Centre through the Northern Cancer Fund of the TBRHSF.  www.bearskinairlineshopeclassic. com

February 11

The Sports Dome This three day show includes exhibitors, entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors, and presentations.  www.tb-chamber.on.ca

Voyageur Winter Carnival

There will be dog sled rides, a tubing hill, a snow maze, carnival games, crafts, a snow skating rink, and tonnes more winter fun as well as indoor entertainment.  www.fwhp.ca February 20, 8 pm

Masters of Illusion Live

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium This touring magic show will feature headlining illusionists, comedy magicians, exotic animals, colourful birds, and beautiful dancers.  www.tbca.com February 23, 8 pm

Hometown Diva

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Regular appearances with major opera houses and orchestras such as the Toronto Symphony are the hallmark of Thunder Bay native Monica Whicher’s exciting career. On the program: arias that will hold you spellbound.  www.tbca.com February 24, 8 pm

Ron James

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Ron James brings his new “gut-bustingly, knee-slappingly funny” 90-minute rant to the Bay.  www.tbca.com February 24–25

CIS Wrestling Championships

Lakehead University - CJ Saunders Fieldhouse An exciting weekend of men’s and women’s wrestling. Ticket prices range from $15– $50 and include day passes and weekend passes.  www.thunderwolves.ca

14th Annual Scrabble Fundraising Tournament

Intercity Shopping Centre Presented by the Thunder Bay Literacy Group, they promise you don’t need to be a pro to win, and there are some great prizes including a trip for two from Porter Airlines.  www.tblg.org February 26, 5:30 pm

Thunder Bay Field Naturalists

Dinner Meeting

Current River Community Centre Dale Shippam will be the guest speaker at this annual dinner meeting. Dale is a local firefighter and has been involved in a number of exciting adventures and continues to plan for future ones. In addition to his talk, there will be pictures featuring his adventure to the North Pole. There will also be unique penny auction items, displays, and a special activity and prize for Junior members. Tickets are $20; to reserve yours, send a cheque payable to Thunder Bay Field Naturalists to: Box 10037, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6T6.  www.tbfn.net February 26, 9:00 am

Run for the Meatball

This yearly run begins at Charry Park, just over the bridge into the east end on Pacific Avenue. After the race, everyone will meet at the Knights of Columbus Hall for lunch and prizes.  www.metreeaters.ca March 2, 6:00 pm

Winter Wilderness Art Auction

Thunder Bay Art Gallery The evening’s festivities include a buffet dinner, live music, cash bar, and raffle extravaganza. $70 for Art Gallery members; $85 for non-members. All proceeds support the Art Gallery’s exhibition and education programs.  www.theag.ca Until April 20

Urban Infill - Art in the Core 6

The next evolution of creative possibilities. Revitalizing our downtown north core by capitalizing on assets of arts/culture and linking/ reinforcing connections through accessible empty spaces and existing arts/commercial business/social spaces. Featuring 17 multi-disciplinary art projects by 350 regional/national/ international artists at 15 downtown locations. Rediscover “The Waterfront District” through contemporary art.  www.definitelysuperior.com

theWall February 1

The Unbalanced Debut Show Black Pirates Pub $6, All Ages, 7:30 pm February 3

Artesian Well Crocks 8 pm

February 4

Hanson- Shout it Out World Tour

The Outpost $30 Advance/$35 Door, All Ages, 8 pm February 4

Justin Lacroix

The Apollo $TBA, 19+, 9 pm February 4

Juliann Robbins CD Release Party Crocks $5, 19+, 8 pm February 4

Bob Marley Birthday Dance Party Crocks $5, 19+, 11 pm February 10

Deleo Dance Party Crocks $5, 19+, 10 pm

February 10

Chicago

Thunder Bay Community Auditorium $TBA, All Ages, 8 pm February 11

Nathan Rogers

Finlandia Club $20-25, All Ages, 8 pm February 11

Lauren Mann/Bay City Sound Collective/Ocean City Defender/Nathan Woods The Apollo $5, 19+, 8 pm February 18

The Funk Hunters Rockhouse $TBA, 9 pm

February 20

Hedley

Fort William Gardens $49.50, All Ages, 7 pm February 23

Every Time I Die/Former Thieves/Stray From the Path/ Terror

Marlene Wandel

Music Events

Crocks $15, All Ages, 7:30 pm February 29

Loopy Leap Year

The Study Coffeehouse (LU) Jean-Paul De Roover/Jamie Smith/ Ocean City Defender $7 (5$ Students), All Ages, 7:30 pm

Making Thunder Bay Home A Love Song to Skiing By Marlene Wandel

If I could write music, I would write a love song to skiing—that perfect winter activity that is sometimes close to flying, that lets you to zip up hills, glide through glades, and whisper through snowfall on a soft winter day. We’re lucky to be blessed with an abundance of winter in Thunder Bay, where we have the potential for skiing for seven months of the year; there’s hardly a year without someone managing to squeeze in a ski at Lappe in October, and there’s always someone eking out a few laps in a t-shirt in April. The first few outings at the beginning of the season are an exercise in picking your way through the bits of autumn still poking out through the early veneer of winter, which only serves to heighten the anticipation of the season to come. The last few spring outings—hatless, gloveless, and more often than not resulting in a little sunburn—are almost just to make a point. I skied in April. In my shorts. This low-intensity winter activity is recreation, transportation, community, sport, and fitness, all at the same time. The popularity of skiing in Canada is credited partly to the strong Scandinavian population, and to the passion and dedication of Herman “Jackrabbit” Johannsen. Ever since Jackrabbit Johannsen’s legacy inspired the Jackrabbit Program in 1975, little tykes on little skis have crowded the trails on Saturday

morning. Fast forward a few years, and some of those little tykes become the National Team Development skiers weaving through the toddlers, the octogenarians, and everyone in between. There are as many approaches to skiing—and skiing apparel—as there are skiers. Nordic skiing is an all-ages parade of natural and synthetic fibers, muted tones, and flashy colours. This is where wool mingles with nylon, where spandex and polypropylene rub shoulders with corduroy and denim. There are as many generations of ski equipment out on these winter trails as there are generations of skiers; there are a myriad of places to ski around here, any time of day, in an endless variety of beautiful and challenging conditions. In my 10 years here in Thunder Bay, I’ve skied at dawn, before the heat of the day turned the March snow to slush; I’ve skied in the last rays of sunlight, and in moonlight, with headlamps and on lit trails. I’ve skied in the rain at 7 am, and slid my skis across squeaky snow at 25 below. I’ve floated blissfully across the crusty snow of a field, skated on groomed trails at Kamview, Sibley, Kakabeka Falls, and Lappe, bushwhacked at Centennial and gotten lost at Tapiola. I’ve crossed paths with good skis, crappy skis, old skis, and wooden skis. Skiing in Thunder Bay means coming to terms with frozen water bottles and ice on your hat and shoulders, and it also means skiing to a picnic table with sunny views down the frozen Kam, and scanning for glimpses of the elusive lynx. For this Thunder Bay transplant, skiing has meant crossing paths with a community of smiling, rosy-cheeked people invigorated by fresh air and adrenaline. It has made Thunder Bay home. The Walleye

Chris Merkley

TheEYE - Derelicte

The Walleye

You’re invited to a GIANT Family & Friends Ski Reunion March 3, 2012! RBC Sleeping Giant Sprints March 1, 2012 Early Registration Deadline February 6, 2012 SleepingGiantLoppet.ca Presented By: Sprint Sponsor:

Media Sponsor:

Gold Sponsors: Superior Outdoors magazine

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Silver Sponsors: OSTROM OUTDOORS

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