STURGEON BAY – chopping wood and sound bytes

We headed south to Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park, a small little place near Pointe Au Baril.  We picked up some food for the fire and transformed our storymobile into a studio on wheels by day and a sleeping spot by night.  Early in the morning until late in the evening for three days we worked in the woods – listening to the stories we gathered from Little Current and Sudbury and Killarney, cutting up the interviews, mapping specific stories, writing around the clips for our podcast, and mixing it altogether.  The campground was bustling and we left only to record our voices deeper in the wilderness… It was a rugged and rustic 3 days, but being out in the woods helped us to relax while weaving the tales together. And then we drove our storymobile back to where the traffic outnumbers the trees and the buildings sometimes block the breeze, a place where faces are familiar and streets are straight and all the restaurants are open late.  Yes, we arrived back home, to Toronto to lay our heads in our own bed.

Go listen to what we found in all these awesome small and not so small towns.  The Tale of a Town X Ontario – it’s yours to discover…

KILLARNEY – fish and chips and roads and pics

Back when we were in Little Current, a group of people spotted our storymobile and pitched us to come to Killarney… so, to Killarney we went!  It was a long road into town off of highway 69, but finally we arrived in this small and splendid little town, population 500.

When we arrived on Channel Street, the main street in Killarney with one side water one side road, the mayor flagged us down in his truck and came to greet us.  He insisted that he treat us to the famous Herbert’s fish and chips.  Herbert's was the hottest spot in town and before long, the town historian, a town elder, and our connector from back in Little Current, Mary Jane, were all with us on the dock as the tale of a town turned the conversation to the changes in Killarney over the years.

Inside the storymobile I was fortunate to talk with the town historian, Rosiland Zimmiska whose family has lived here in Killarney for four generations.  The photos I saw of the main street in days gone by sent my imagination soaring.

In the meantime, Charles took a walk on the dock side of main street with Marvin Roque, town elder who told tales of the busy days of commercial fishing in the channel.

Later, Mary Jane took us to the hand built stone church whose name changed to St. Bonaventure from St. Joseph when one priest decided that he liked that name better…

Also, check out the backwards number 1.  Apparently the stone carver ran out of space, so he decided he'd just flip it...

You might assume with a name like Killarney that this is an Irish settlement, but think again. Killarney, Ontario is Native and French with a long and languid history.  No electricity until 1950, and no road to get in until 1962!! Life was isolated and insular here in most people’s earliest memories of this town, but apparently the parties were indescribable…. If you have a story about Killarney, call our storyline at 1-855-CAN-TALE and we'll be sure to add it to the collective community memory map of this small but sensational town.

Come sit in on our Killarney conversations to hear more about this joyful place where all you have to do is look out to see its stunning beauty.

A Walk Down Main Street - Killarney Edition.

SUDBURY – we did the elgin strip

First off, the drive from Little Current to Sudbury, across the swing bridge, along highway 6 & 16 was so breathtaking - you have to go and see it for yourself. The night we arrived in Sudbury, we got a phone call from our friend and colleague back home advising us to head straight to the Townehouse bar on Elgin Street and look for Paul, the manager.  So to the Townehouse we went! It was one of those restored, old taverns, with a seemingly secret side entrance and eventually we did find who we were looking for.  We booked a meeting with Paul for the next morning.

It was fascinating to hear what Paul had to say about the story of Sudbury’s downtown over the years.  Always a meeting place, a rail town turned mine town, with two standout flat iron buildings, many other torn down buildings, a mall where a market has been, and a strip that is making its way back on the map with cool new cafes, bars and boulangeries. The Elgin strip they call it, which apparently had been long neglected, is where we met Paul – at the other place he manages, The Laughing Buddha, where all kinds of imported beers are just an order away.  Guess what else we found out – Stompin’ Tom wrote that song at the Townehouse.  You know the one…

After our meeting with Paul we parked downtown.  A steady line of people came to see us at our storymobile and we got a feel for this nickel city built atop a meteor crater.  You can check out a selection of stories we gathered on our story map HERE.

Some of the local press caught us downtown too...!

Northern Life Article

Sudbury Star Article

After our storymobile stint we went to meet up at the Sudbury Theatre Centre with David Savoy to talk tale of a town.  David invited the creative and savy Matthew Heiti and the four of us imagined together what it would be like to take audiences down the streets of Sudbury while telling its tales…

A site specific performance is certainly something that would breathe life into these story filled streets and spread the good news that Sudbury’s downtown is here to stay.  Details to come…

In the meantime, why not tune in to our podcast and hear about if for yourself!

A Walk Down Main Street – Sudbury Edition.

TURTLE CREEK – writing, recording and a surprise wedding

How lucky we were that there was a cancellation at Turtle Creek Lodge on Manitoulin Island!  We drove straight from Markdale to Tobermory, drove onto a ferry boat, took a gorgeous cruise north to the spirit island, and found our way to this secluded paradise on the biggest lake on the biggest island on a freshwater lake in the world! It was in this mystical place that we wrote and recorded our first few editions of our podcast series: A Walk Down Main Street.  To check out the series in its entirety, go to our soundcloud page and take a stroll around! 

One very touching thing that happened while we were at Turtle Creek – a couple got married down at the water!  A bagpiper announced the surprise celebration and we joined in for the ceremonies.  Later that night the couple treated the lodgers to a fireworks show and we watched from our cabin as we worked the night away…

A thank you to Jack and Joyce who made our stay so, so nice.  I don’t want to advertise how amazing and gorgeous and beautiful their place is for fear that it will be all booked up for next summer when we want to go back… But that would be just too selfish, so here it is (but keep it under wraps!) http://www.manitoulin-island.com/turtlecreek/

Before we left we checked in with Points North on CBC Radio, to let the north know we were on our way to Little Current, then onto Sudbury.  CBC.ca | Points North | Storymobile lets people trade stories for ice cream.

And zoom! we were off again to search out some more stories in this province of towns and trees…

MARKDALE – ice cream and cake wheels

The main street in Markdale seemed quiet at first glance, but once we got chatting, stories started seeping out!  We started our search with the very friendly Eric Robertson, a real estate agent who grew up in Markdale.  And as we walked with Eric down the main street, we ran into almost everyone in town going in or coming out of the post office to pick up their mail.  And that's when we discovered the post office is where we should always park our storymobile downtown... and slowly but surely, the people came. We spoke to former mayor Stan Baker,

Rotarian Jerry Bartley,

former school principal Willard Foster... among others.

In  between storymobiling, we stopped into some stores on the strip.  We hit up the Bargain Store, where whoppie cusions have been selling for a dollar as long as anyone can remember;

we popped into Jeans Jeans and More Jeans where the band the Constantines got their swag;

we waltzed into Quilter’s Line to find out about the this gathering place that threads together the stories of rural women;

And we ducked into a café where every customer has their own mug to talk to a local teen; and we pranced into a toy store for a little play on words.

Finally, we headed to the Chapman’s newly built factory, which replaces the old creamery that burned down only a few years ago.  I’m sure the old Chapman’s had a nostalgia that can never be duplicated, however, this new ice cream machine is sleek and sexy and sensational.  We interviewed Ashley Chapman, the vice president of Champan’s Ice Cream.  He's the grown up version of that little boy whose face is on the Chapman’s logo!  He's the kind of guy you just can't help but hug.  (well, I couldn't help it, I'm a hugger...)

After a great chat with Ashley, we met his magnificent mother, Penny Chapman, who co-founded  this fabulous company along with her husband David.  It was a real treat to talk to Penny in person and hear the story how this booming business began, firsthand from the one who built it up.

Markdale is full of memories.  A farming town that became an important industrial town which became once again the small town that it is today.  In the heart of grey county – a beautiful, beautiful part of this province.

Take a listen to some to hear more of the memories we gathered in the land of ice cream dreams!  Tales of the street frolic, the cake wheel, the house of refuge await you...

A Walk Down Main Street - Markdale Edition! 

LONDON DAY 15 – au revoir!

Charles got up and took the storymobile in for service – the air conditioner is on the fritz!  So, I packed up our hotel and we met the awesome Andrea and lovely Lisa from Downtown London for lunch at Che – a mouthwatering new downtown resto. Then to the office to pack up from yesterday’s brown paper presentation, a quick stop for Christmas cards from Kingsmill’s sidewalk sale (I just HAD to – after all we’ve heard about it), and we were OFFFFFFF!  So long farewell London Town!  We hope to see you sooooooooooon!!!!!

Check out some of the stories we collected in London on our SoundCloud story map by visiting our website thetaleofatown.com, and listen to our radio broadcast A Walk Down Main Street - London Edition!

LONDON DAY FOURTEEN – from me to you.

This morning I wrote a quick rhyming diddie to add to our presentation so that in hopes of getting everyone out of their seats and on to the streets at the end of the presentation today.  It was quick and dirty and I think quite clever!  If you want to hear a bit, listen for it in the middle of our radio podcast A Walk Down Main Street - London Edition.

Downtown London, The London Arts Council, The Heritage Council, The Grand Theatre, The City of London, The London Fringe all gathered together at the Downtown London office and we unveiled our proposed plan.  That’s all I can tell you today.  There’s lots of work to be done but it’s going to be very very very… FUN!

After the presentation, we had a beer, ordered a pizza, and slept for many hours.  LONDON Town was done for now, but the tale continues…

BETWEEN HERE AND THERE – tusks and stingers

While we were in Toronto, dropping off our Huntsville gear and picking up some London luggage, we did a quick drive by to show off our storymobile to two of our storytelling partners. First stop – The Hive. This is the awesome company who designed our wicked website, our pimpin’ postcards and our sweeeet storymobile. This shot is of the kick ass Klint Davies who is our account manager at The Hive, and bitchin’ Brad Van Shaik who designed our Tale of a Town logo. Not appearing in this photo, but incredible all the same are Simon Creet, Chief Creative Officer and Andy Krupski, President and CEO of The Hive who have dished out expert advice to us all year long, helping us get this show on the road! We can’t thank The Hive enough for making us look so damn good!!!!

Stop two – A quick hello to David Leonard at The Walrus, the open-minded manager of special projects who got behind us at this incredible Canadian foundation. The Walrus online is where you’ll find the podcast series called A Walk Down Main Street that we are creating from all of the tales we gather on our tour across Ontario. We couldn’t be happier to have found a home for our podcasts at this witty, spirited and progressive place for quality Canadian artistry. We snapped a pic with David, picked up a stack of their award winning magazines to distribute en route and got back on the road out of the big smoke…