INGERSOLL- love and marriage

We stopped in downtown Ingersoll to see gather some stories in Charles’ hometown!  We heard tales of a fire on the main drag, legendary department stores, and we even heard a love story!  Don’t take my word for it, check our SoundCloud story map on our website www.thetaleofatown.com and read this article in The Ingersoll Times. Story 'catchers' stop in Ingersoll | News | Ingersoll Times.

And when you are done reading, tune in here to our podcast created for The Walrus to hear the stories for yourself!

A Walk Down Main Street - Ingersoll Edition.

LONDON DAY TEN – organizing chaos and dr. lendt

Today we tried to organize the many interviews we have taken in, and make a plan for the week to come.  How will we listen to over 70 hours of tape before we leave London next week?!  And the interviewing isn’t over yet!  London has so many downtown stories, and as always - there are so many sides to each story.  But alas, that is where creativity comes to play, and artful decisions will rule the day, as we make something beautiful from what the people say….  That rhymes, non?! In the midst of the organizing of tracks and tapes and papers and plans, I skipped off to meet with Dr. Barbara Lendt who had an office in downtown for many years where she delivered babies and promoted health.  Barbara painted a picture of downtown from the perspective of a Torontonian who came over 30 years ago, just for a short time, but was drawn in.  Above and beyond the insight this interview provided, I loved hearing Barbara’s love for the downtown store Novak’s – that’s one for the story map for sure!

The weekend has come.  And my friend Jo from London, England is getting off the via rail train tonight to visit us here in London Ontario!!  I can’t wait to show the downtown off and take her out Londonlicious!  (I wonder if Jo will feel more at home here with The Covent Garden Market and the forks of the Thames nearby…)

LONDON DAY NINE – bob, books and fanny goose

The day began again in the market.  Bob usher uncovered the tale of the swearing parrot in the old market whose name was Mac.  Bob recounted market memories, both the old and new and what happened in between.  It was impressive to hear that there are no chains or franchises allowed, and the farmers who share there are local tried and true.  Bob did a few market adverts for me in his booming radio voice, and I was correct I suspected he was a pro… You can hear the voice of Bob on 98.1 Free FM.

Off we went to City Lights Bookstore and it was there we heard the gritty and underground tales of downtown culture.  We heard about the days of the Talbot block and the Brunswick House and noise bands and second run movie theatres.  We heard about a time when London was packed with young people cruisin’ around the downtown between record shops and comic shops and bookstores to bars.  Here are the gents we spoke to, along with one other who wishes to remain anonymous.

Next we rushed to the famed Fanny Goose.  We found her at the Richmond Retirement Centre – and a beautiful one it was.  It struck my funny bone, as it was a microcosm of downtown London, Ontario inside, replete with the Blackfriars pub and the Covent Gardens – just as London Ontario is a microcosm of London, England, one could say…  Fanny’s story is second to none.  She even has a book about it.  Fanny came to London Ontario from Poland, began selling wares from a suitcase, moved up to a flat bed truck and finally opened a shop downtown called J. Goose Family Clothing which she ran successfully for over 50 years, until she was 88 years old.  Anyone who knows anyone back in the day in downtown London will remember Fanny and her wily ways.

Friday tomorrow.   Looking forward to the weekend to digest all of these new stories….!

LONDON DAY EIGHT – a grand downtown day!

8:30am ghost stories at The Grand!  This theatre is a lively place with some super smart women at the helm.  We were thrilled to talk The Tale of a Town with them and hear their spin on what is turning around downtown. Here they are – Susan, Andrea and Deb – the leaders of the pack!

Next, we took off to the marked.  HOLY MOLY THIS MARKET IS SOOOOO COOL!  I can’t believe we haven’t been inside yet and Charles literally had to drag me out later.  While inside, we met with the unofficial mayor of the market, Ian Greasley - owner of BLOOMERS in the Market.  Ian is a man who knows how to tell a story.  The best one was about when the rolled up sleeves of his leather jacket caused a dozen glasses to break at Birks Jewelry in the 70’s.  The manager came over and told the long haired, misfit seeming young man, not to worry about it – “these things happen”… and that is why Ian, to this day, has never held anyone up in his store for breakage.  But Ian told us that once you've heard the story, you don’t get off the hook so easily if you break something...  so we were still careful weaving through his delicate goods on our way out.

Next, we rushed over to City Hall to meet Judy Bryant, the city councilor for downtown London.  She took us up onto the top floor where we could overlook the entire city.  Judy does lots of her thinking and planning from up here, she told us.  She sees more density and high-rise buildings in the future.  Here’s the view of downtown from above today: 

The afternoon took us to The Sentimentalist where we met with rad Miranda in her vintage clothing shop.  Miranda gave us the goods on the punk scene, the new wave styles and the Brunswick, or “The 'Wick”, as it was called to those who frequented it.  We heard about the sadness that surrounded the tearing down of the Talbot block and other indie cornerstones of downtown.  It was a real treat to talk to Miranda, and it was really difficult not to buy everything in this wicked shop…

Later, we had our long awaited tour with the one and only Kathy McLauglin.  She took us on an in-depth walk through downtown pointing out almost every building to tell us its story - the dreams of the business owners, the desires of the landlords, the history, the architecture, the revitalization plans…   While walking with Kathy we felt somewhat like celebrities, because she knew so many people along the way – and always introduced our project and us.  It is so key to us to have people like Kathy ready and willing to make space and time for artists and new ideas…. And we highly recommend her tour.  You’ll never see the downtown the same way again!

And, if that’s not enough – as I type this, Charles is out with Doug Allen – a former owner of a downtown theatre and a known storyteller.  Hearing Doug's rendition of certain key events that we are following from the past will certainly be a treat because I hear Doug has a few great tales to tell about downtown London…  I look forward to listening to this interview when we start logging all of this material next week!!

A demain!!!!

LONDON DAY TWO – more talk on tape…

Hey there!  Today was full of interviews, which are proving to be indispensable in providing us with a base from which to launch our questions that we will ask the public from our story mobile on street level. Today we spoke to Kathy Novackas, the extraordinary founder of the London Fringe among a list of other grassroots initiatives.  Kathy told us of the movers and shakers in the arts community downtown and the venues and theatres that pop up around town.  She recounted her own memories of visiting Kingsmills and Roland Hill Shoe Store as a child where her mom would buy her oversized clothing for the year ahead, that she would have to grow between her next annual visit to London Ontario from London England where she spent her childhood.

Next we met with Michael Gibson, who has had an art gallery downtown since 1984, and in its current location on Carling Street since 1997.  Michael wowed us with stories of the 80’s and 90’s on the scene and then how it felt to be part of the circle of people who held hands around the entire Talbot block to protest bulldozing it to build the John Labatt Centre.  When asked about the stigma of downtown London, Michael brought our attention to his flower basket and the two benches he had the city put in across the street from his gallery.  He wishes everyone would follow suit, knowing all the businesses have a vested interest in the improvement of downtown, but what he says is that not everyone agrees with the best way to make it happen…

GIBSON GALLERY

Finally, we had a quick visit with Natalie Boot of Renaissance Massage Therapy and Spa Ltd.  Natalie’s business is inside the Citi Plaza, which used to be the grandiose Galleria Mall.   The Galleria Mall used to house Eaton’s, The Bay, The Gap, Eddie Bauer, and Ralph Lauren, to name a few.  Those stores are long gone, and now there is a beautiful public library, among other smaller stores and services and empty spaces.  We are curious about this enormous structure right smack downtown.  There’s a story there, we are sure of it, and perhaps it will help shed some light on just what happened over the past few decades downtown….

As we walked back into the downtown office a gift awaited us… Felicia, who was visiting London from Vancouver regaled us with her stories of waitressing at the Mascot, and a Casino bar on Dundas Street, and her one day of working at the lunch counter at Kresge’s where the lights were bright outside the building and flickered on and off all day!

ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER THIS?!  SEND US YOUR MEMORIES OF DOWNTOWN LONDON!

CALL 1-855-CAN-TALE  or email us at INFO@FIXTPOINT.COM and add your story to the collective community memory!

LONDON DAY ONE – good days sunshine!

Bright and early to the Downtown London office, on the corner of Dundas and Richmond, we were greeted by Kathy McLaughlin and Lisa Thomas, the most positive, cheerful, savvy women we could hope to collaborate with!  We moved into the office,  started booking interviews, making calls, and then went off to a fantastic lunch where we joined with another incredible Downtown London associate – Vicki Smith, to celebrate the birthday of their intern Sarah.  Over lunch we were fascinated to hear a base of stories from downtown; what used to be here, what is new, who we should talk to, who we were already scheduled to talk to (yes – these ladies have things organized!).  I was furiously note taking to try and take it all in.  London is no small town.  And at this first lunch, I got a hunch, that there are many many many stories in the living memory of this downtown waiting to be remembered…

The afternoon took us to the London Arts Council and London Heritage Council to meet with Andrea and Andrea. We heard about the vibrant community of artists downtown, and the history of some of the oldest buildings, the bulldozed buildings, the heyday of London visual artists in the 70’s, the selling of the London Free Press by the Blackburns, music venues like Notes and Call the Office, the food rotating in the old Albert’s Diner, City Lights, Mark Emery, and a great little anecdote about hiding in the fur coats in Simpsons department store.  We cannot wait to listen through that interview to mine all the little story gems.  One thing that struck us was hearing about a perceived stigma that surrounds the downtown.  Apparently, downtown London is unsafe, undesirable and unclean according to the gospel of the suburbs.  Bad press, or true?   One thing is certain – we are here to get to the bottom of this urban myth….

HUNTSVILLE DAYS THIRTEEN to SIXTEEN – a blur.

It’s difficult to say how it all happened.  But it did!  From all of the interviews, together we selected stories, and sound bytes and scenarios and created four tales to tell at Nuit Blanche North.  We crafted and cringed and created and collected and carried each other through.  We set up lights and sound, put up projections and pictures, we sang and we danced, we laughed and we cried (but mostly laughed), and all we could hope for, was that on Saturday July 14, the people of Huntsville would be proud of what we made from what they gave… We were so busy making our show, we didn't take too many pics, but here's a fun glimpse of our pre-show set up.  Check us out lighting up the night before unit blanche north!

HUNTSVILLE DAY TEN – on and on and on

  We found the reining champ of the bathtub derby!

We found the trophy!

Rich at Algonquin Outfitters told us the history of the legendary business that reaches us into the wilderness.  Rich warmed us with his thermal sleeping bag smile and we were so happy to be on a trip with him into memory lane on the corner of Main Street in Huntsville.

Then we marched off to Hugh McKenzie’s house – former mayor of Huntsville, radio station owner, board director and all time jolly man.  It was a thrill hearing his side of all the stories, getting a picture of Main Street when Eaton’s and Wardell’s was still at number 77.

more ice cream.  more stories.  more fun ahead – tomorrow the other four artists arrive!!!!

AND WE'RE OFF!

A long day packing.  Night after the Dora awards in downtown Toronto.  Charles drives early in the morning to Chapman's to pick up the decked out storymobile. Lisa sleeps in and then posts Dora pics on Facebook. Charles goes out to buy a freezer for the ice cream.  Lisa has a chat with her mom and then begins to pack.

We get on the road by 8:30pm

Before we get on the highway, we stop for a quick photo shoot with Tony & Danielle of little blue lemon photography.  They set up lights, call us to action and click us into gear before we finally leave town.  Their photos are beyond awesome.

...And as we drive away we feel ourselves slowly start to unwind.  We arrive at 3am at our cottage by the lake

FIXT POINT HITS THE ROAD!!!!

  ... And we're off!!!  THE TALE OF A TOWN X ONTARIO TOUR has just begun.   This summer FIXT POINT is hitting the road to trade ice cream for stories about downtown's and their Main Street tales.  Which people will we meet?   What stories will we find? What will we create?

THANKS to our supporters who have helped us get on our way.  Without you there would be no way.  Wait - that's united way.  But I’m talking about our way - across Ontario this summer.  You have fuelled us with ingenuity and creative spirit.  And you are with us on this adventure!

A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO:

CHAPMAN'S ICE CREAM THE HIVE ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL THE WALRUS CBC ONTARIO MORNING HUNTSVILLE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS DOWNTOWN LONDON

STOP ONE: HUNSTVILLE!

FIXT POINT will be in town June 26 to July 15!

While we are here, you can find us doing one of the following things: * Trading Chapman's ice cream for stories about downtown in our storymobile! * Sharing some of the gathered stories CBC Ontario Morning every Friday and Monday! * Listening to interviews, editing interviews and mapping stories online! * Creating a site-specific theatre installation for NUIT BLANCHE NORTH on July 14 in  downtown Huntsville!

SEE YOU ON MAIN STREET!!

Watch here for updates and if you'd like to learn more about the tour, where we are going, our supporters and how you can drop us line with your Main Street story visit HERE