Lots of lacrosse events planned before Canada Day as 150th anniversary celebrations continue
Tag: Planned
How Pride events nationally are responding after a White supremacist group allegedly planned to riot in Idaho
Pride Month is a time when the LGBTQ community and its allies come together to celebrate the freedom to be their most authentic selves. But on Saturday, 31 men believed to be linked to a White nationalist group allegedly attempted to rob the community in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, of that experience.
Over two dozen men were arrested after an alarmed 911 caller reported a group dressed like a “little army” getting into a moving truck. The group was headed to a Pride in the Park event at Coeur d’Alene City Park and had plans to riot, police said.
When Debra Porta, executive director of Pride Northwest Inc., heard about what happened in Idaho, she felt “disappointment that we still face this kind of thing and reminded that our communities are stronger together than they are apart,” she told CNN in a statement.
Porta has been volunteering with Pride Northwest since 2006 and said safety has always been a top priority at the annual event and this year is no different.
Their security strategy entails a combination of local law enforcement, private security, de-escalation teams and infrastructure support from several local jurisdictions, she said. Portland Pride Waterfront Festival in Oregon is scheduled for this weekend.
Over 2,000 miles away, Chicago will also be celebrating this weekend and David O’Neal Brown, Chicago’s superintendent of police, said during a Monday news conference he wanted “to put those who might be planning something on notice that we are going to be vigilant to ensure that this event, as well as others, go off safely.”
Threats to the city’s celebrations will not be tolerated, Brown said.
In San Francisco, the city’s Pride parade is scheduled for June 26.
“This week marks six years since the Pulse tragedy, and we commemorate the loss of so many lives taken from us, Carolyn Wysinger, board president of San Francisco Pride told CNN in a statement. Forty-nine people were killed at the gay nightclub in Orlando by an American-born man who’d pledged allegiance to ISIS.
“We have always been vigilant when it comes to safety and are working on a very coordinated basis with local law enforcement, city and community leaders to ensure this year’s Pride is safe and people can enjoy themselves knowing we are taking every precaution possible,” Wysinger said.
It’s not just bigger cities giving their security measures a second look. Oklahomans for Equality, the organizers of Tulsa Pride, said it had increased security measures following a mass shooting at a Tulsa hospital this month.
“We have heightened our security measures with bag checks at every entrance, increased security personnel throughout the festival grounds, and, as always, no weapons will be allowed at Tulsa Pride,” Alex Wade, deputy director of Oklahomans for Equality, said in a Monday statement. “We ask that festivalgoers not engage with antagonistic protestors. Proving a point is not worth risking your safety.”
His message for attendees: Stay together, stay safe, go with someone you trust and remain alert.
At a time where many communities are ramping up their safety protocols, organizers in New York City said they’re not making any changes to protocols or event schedules as a result of the incident in Idaho.
Last month, NYC Pride announced a new set of policies around safety, wellness, accessibility, sustainability and efforts to reinforce its commitment to ensuring the safety of festivalgoers, the organization said. “Based on our existing safety plans we are not making any changes in response to this particular incident,” NYC Pride spokesperson Dan Dimant told CNN in a statement.
In 2021, NYC Pride and Denver Pride publicly banned corrections and law enforcement exhibitors from marching and participating in their uniforms. Similarly in San Francisco, organizers originally decided May 11 that off-duty police officers who march in the June 26 parade wouldn’t be allowed to wear their uniforms. Organizers have amended that policy to say all first responders will march in one contingent, with command staff wearing their mandated uniforms and a small number of LGBTQ officers in uniform will provide security for the contingent, according to a statement. All of these officers will be on-duty, a spokesperson for the organizations said.
Participation by uniformed law enforcement at Pride events can seem threatening or dangerous to an LGBTQ+ community that over decades has been targeted with excessive force, even if their presence is intended to foster a sense of community and safety, advocacy groups have said.
Additionally, NYC Pride staff and executive board go through active shooter training annually, he said.
Mirroring San Francisco’s plan to work closely with law enforcement, organizers from Denver PrideFest and Seattle Pride say they are doing the same for their celebrations scheduled for the end of the month.
After two years of postponed Denver PrideFest events due to the pandemic, the organization said it’s excited for this year’s festivities.
As a direct result of what happened in Idaho, the Seattle Police Department and Iron Oak Security, Seattle Pride’s privately contracted security company, will increase the number of Seattle police officers at the parade to a “couple hundred” in addition to roughly 80 Iron Oaks officers, Krystal Marx, the executive director of Seattle Pride, told CNN.
CNN’s Jennifer Henderson, Jarrod Wardwell and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.
Full day of events planned for Vernon’s Polson Park on July 1 – Vernon News
Celebrate Canada Day
Photo: File photo
A celebration is planned for Vernon’s Polson Park on Canada Day.
The July 1 celebrations were scaled back the past two years because of COVID concerns, but the Canada Day committee has a full slate of events planned for 2022.
In a report that will be presented by city council at their regular meeting Monday, the committee says the plans are “community-based and celebratory of our town, citizens, and heritage.”
The free event will be free for everyone to attend and will have activities suitable for all ages.
One thing that will not happen this year is fireworks.
“Due to a tight timeline, fireworks were deemed to not be achievable this year,” the report says.
However, there will be numerous events taking place throughout the day, including:
- Square dance demonstrations and lessons
- Outreach Literacy Society doing a story walk
- Emmanuel Baptist Church bouncy castle/inflatable slide
- Community Art Activities
- Chalk art on the Polson Park service road
- Large canvas, community at project to be later displayed at Riot on the Roof and other events
- Skateboarding competition
- Spray Zone, in a fenced area, including water guns and small pools for refilling stations
- Polson Artisan Night Market and Food-Truck Garden featuring local artisans
There will also be live music from noon until 10 p.m. featuring local talent such as Duane Marchand, Hot Sax, October Poppy and others.
The children’s bike parade will take place at 2 p.m. and there are plans to source additional bicycle parking to encourage alternative transportation to the park.
To make the big day happen, the committee is looking for more volunteers, Fruitfest contributors – local farmers, orchardists – and additional musicians.
Events planned for Wear Orange Weekend campaign against gun violence in Chicago and beyond
CHICAGO (CBS) — An orange flag few above the Wrigley Field marquee on Friday as part of Wear Orange Weekend – a campaign against gun violence.
The Wear Orange movement was created in honor of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed on a Chicago playground.
Hadiya and some classmates had gone to Vivian Gordon Harsh Park on the 4500 block of South Oakenwald Avenue on Jan. 29, 2013, and were taking cover from a rainstorm, when prosecutors said Ward opened fire.
Prosecutors said Ward thought he was shooting at rival gang members. Instead, he killed Hadiya.
The shooting happened a week after Hadiya had performed with her school band at President Barack Obama’s inauguration for his second term in Washington. Coincidentally, Hadiya had also appeared in a public service announcement about gang violence in late 2008.
Wear Orange began on June 2, 2015, which would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday. Since then it has expanded to a period of three days each year – National Gun Violence Awareness Day on the first Friday in June, and Wear Orange Weekend on the Saturday and Sunday afterward.
Wear Orange noted that orange has now become the defining color of the gun violence prevention movement.
The Cubs are encouraging fans to wear orange to Sunday’s game, at which Pendleton’s family will throw out the first pitch.
Other Chicago sports teams have also tweeted support for Wear Orange.
To find local Wear Orange events, follow this link.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Plenty of pomp and pageantry planned for historic event – National | Globalnews.ca
The Royal Family is gearing up for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee to mark 70 years since her ascension to the throne.
The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years of service and will be honoured for the work she’s done for the people of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the Realms.
Celebrations have been ongoing for the past year, but it culminates later this week with a four-day holiday in the U.K. that promises to be full of pomp and pageantry.
The free flower festival, Chelsea in Bloom, launches on May 23, 2022 in London, England. The streets around Sloane Square are full of tributes as businesses participate with ‘British Icons’ as their 2022 theme. The festival coincides with The Chelsea Flower Show and is inspired by the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Martin Pope / Getty Images
Where will you be able to see the Queen? Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make an appearance? Which British celebrities will we spot raising a glass to the monarch? Read on to see what the palace has planned for the long weekend.
The major events
Trooping the Colour: The Queen’s annual birthday parade will kick off the festivities on June 2, when more than 1,200 officers and soldiers, the 1st Battalion and the Irish Guards will put on a display of military pageantry. They will be joined by hundreds of army musicians and approximately 240 horses.
It’s an annual birthday tradition that has been used to celebrate the birthday of the British sovereign for more than 260 years.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, right, with Prince William holding Prince George, centre, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge holding Princess Charlotte, left, on the balcony during the Trooping The Colour parade at Buckingham Palace, in London, Saturday, June 11, 2016.
AP Photo/Tim Ireland
It will be one of the busiest events in London — tickets are already sold out — but officials say there will be an opportunity for people to view the parade as it travels from Buckingham Palace to the parade ground. There will also be large screens erected in St. James’ Park for Londoners to watch and the festivities will be shown live on TV.
Once the parade has ended and the procession has returned to the palace, the Royal Family will make a balcony appearance, as they do every year.
Only working royals have been invited to stand on the balcony this year, leaving out Harry and Markle. The Queen’s embattled son Prince Andrew has also been left off the invite list after being stripped of his royal title and patronages earlier this year.
Platinum Jubilee Beacons: The U.K. will uphold the long-standing tradition of lighting beacons to celebrate the jubilee.
The beacon chain, once used as a tool for communication, is now used for royal jubilees, weddings and coronations, as a sign of unity across towns and borders in the U.K.
In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of the Queen, and in 2016 her 90th birthday. More than 1,500 beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and U.K. overseas territories.
A Diamond Jubilee Beacon is lit in this file photo.
Rick Harrison / Getty Images
A principal beacon, called The Tree of Trees, will be lit in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on the evening of June 2.
There are three kinds of beacon events:
- Community Beacons — thousands of beacons will be lit by communities, charities and different groups throughout the regions of the U.K., Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories.
- Commonwealth Beacons — beacons will be lit in all capital cities of the Commonwealth – 54 in total.
- Principal Beacon — to be lit on June 2 in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Service of Thanksgiving: On June 3, Great Paul, the largest church bell in the country, will ring during a service of thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign, to be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The bell was made in 1882 but fell silent in the 1970s due to a broken mechanism. It was fixed in 2021 and has been rung eight times since, but this is the first time it will ring for a royal occasion since its restoration.
People magazine reports that the service might be the first glimpse we see of Prince Harry and his wife, although it’s expected the couple’s children, Archie and Lilibet, won’t attend due to their young age.
The Derby at Epsom Downs: On June 4, members of the Royal Family will attend the Derby at Epsom Downs.
The Queen is known to love a good horse race, and it’s been noted that she often appears happiest when watching and interacting with thoroughbreds. However, there have been some reports that the Queen might not make this year’s race, opting to “pace herself” over the course of the weekend, and will use the afternoon to meet her granddaughter, Lilibet, instead.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attend Derby Day during the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Racecourse on June 4, 2016 in Epsom, England.
Matt Mumby / Getty Images
Regardless, the Derby website promises lots of fun and a carnival-like atmosphere for this year’s event. We’re sure to see the very best of British horse-racing fashion come out of this event, too, so get your fascinators and top hats ready.
Platinum Party at the Palace: On June 4, royal watchers will also be treated to a concert that will feature some big names from the music scene.
The party, sponsored by the BBC, will feature three stages with performances from Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, Duran Duran, Andrea Bocelli and many more.
Diana Ross performs a medley at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles.
Matt Sayles / The Associated Press
Diana Ross will close the two-and-half-hour show with her first live performance in the U.K. in 15 years.
Stars from the stage and sporting worlds, including Sir David Attenborough, David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Dame Julie Andrews and The Royal Ballet, will make appearances and there will be a specially recorded performance from Sir Elton John.
The Big Jubilee Lunch: According to the Palace, more than 60,000 people in the U.K. have registered to host Big Jubilee lunches on Sunday, June 5, which will feature events ranging from world record attempts for the longest street party to small, backyard barbecues and plenty of events in between.
A file photo shows residents of Murrayfield Drive in Edinburgh, sitting down to a Jubilee street party.
Courtesy / The Royal Family
The festivities aren’t just limited to the Brits, however. Worldwide, more than 600 international Big Jubilee lunches have also been organized, including a number in Canada.
The Platinum Jubilee Pageant: The weekend’s festivities will be capped with a final pageant that the palace promises will feature some of the biggest names in celebrity, as well as the inclusion of more than 6,000 volunteers, essential workers and 2,500 members of the general public.
Although the Queen won’t personally lead the parade in the Gold State Carriage, the pageant serves as an opportunity to pay tribute to her and will bring to life iconic moments from her 70-year reign. The three-kilometre parade route from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace will start with the chiming of the bells at the church before 10,000 parade participants act out of the story of the Queen’s reign as they travel the route.
Queen Elizabeth (R) and Prince Philip ride in the Golden State Carriage at the head of a parade from Buckingham Palace to St. Paul’s Cathedral celebrating the Queen’s Golden Jubilee June 4, 2002 in this file photo.
Sion Touhig / Getty Images
According to several news sources, tributes to the Queen and Philip will include a Bollywood-inspired reimagining of their wedding day in 1947, including a six-metre-tall wedding cake and performances by 250 Bollywood dancers.
The pageant will culminate directly outside Buckingham Palace with a show from pop superstar Ed Sheeran, who will perform his love song Perfect at the pageant as a tribute to the Queen and her late husband.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Community events planned to honour Afzaal family one year after attack
As the one year anniversary of the attack that killed four members of the Afzaal family approaches, members of the community along with the City of London have planned a number of commemorative events in the hopes of “continuing the healing.”
All Londoners are invited to attend the events that include a commemorative button and book display, a lecture and invocation from the Muslim Wellness Network, an Our London Family gym dedication, a march, prayer service, anti-Islamophobia workshop, among others.
Four members of the Afzaal family were killed on June 6, 2021 after being struck by a pick-up truck on Hyde Park Road. Only their nine-year-old son survived.
The accused driver is facing first-degree murder and terrorism charges.
A number of community organizations and partners worked together to bring the events to remember and honour “Our London Family” to the community.
For a list of events, along with dates, times and where to attend visit london.ca/ourlondonfamily
Memorial Day 2022 events planned for Kalamazoo area, including Fort Custer ceremony
KALAMAZOO, MI — After two years without many Memorial Day ceremonies and activities taking place due to the pandemic, parades and services are returning to Southwest Michigan in 2022.
Two of the weekend’s marquee events will occur at Fort Custer over the weekend, beginning with a flag-placing ceremony Saturday, May 28 at the Fort Custer National Cemetery, 15501 Dickman Road, in Augusta.
By day’s end, over 23,000 flags are expected to have been placed on the graves of veterans who are interred at the cemetery, a news release from the cemetery states. The public is welcome to attend and help place flags. Those wishing to help are asked to arrive by 8 a.m.
The annual Memorial Day event, for the first time since 2019, will then take place at the cemetery grounds at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 29. Included in the program will be patriotic music by the Cereal City Concert Band and the Kalamazoo Area Pipers, a flyover by the renowned Hooligans Flight Team, a speech from Ret. Navy Lt. Com. T. R. Shaw, Jr., the laying of wreaths to fallen heroes and numerous other events.
“As we reflect on the cost of freedom we know how important it is to honor those individuals who have preserved that special gift for us,” said Deborah G. Owens, chairperson of the Fort Custer National Cemetery Advisory Committee. “That is what we do at the Fort Custer National Cemetery.”
Owens said she hopes those who attend this year’s events will not only honor those sacrifices but leave with a warmth in their heart for those who made them.
The Military Color Guard participates in a ceremony at the Riverside Ceremony following the 2019 Memorial Day Parade in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (MLive file photo)
Also returning for the first time since 2019 is the Kalamazoo Memorial Day Parade and ensuing service, co-sponsored by Charlie’s P.L.A.C.E. youth organization and the Rotary Club of Kalamazoo Sunrise.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. Monday, May 30 in front of the Kalamazoo County courthouse at 227 W. Michigan Ave., heads east down Michigan Avenue, north on Riverview Drive and east on Gull Road, ending at Riverside Cemetery at 1015 Gull Road, where a ceremony will follow the parade’s conclusion at 11 a.m.
“We are very, very excited,” said Charles Parker, executive director of Charlie’s P.L.A.C.E. and incoming president of Kalamazoo Sunrise. “It’s been two long years of nothing going on.
“It’s important to celebrate our veterans, both fallen and present, who served our country well, so we can have the rights and the freedom we have today.”
Parker said while Memorial Day is traditionally a day to honor those who have fallen it is important to take the time to honor those veterans who are still with us as well.
“We sometimes take them for granted, so it’s important to let them know that we appreciate them,” he said. “I always tell people that it’s good to give people the flowers while they’re alive, to let them know we really appreciate them.”
Among the highlights at the ceremony will be a musical presentation from a combined band made up of the Kalamazoo Central and Loy Norrix High School bands, Parker said.
Masks and hand sanitizer will be provided for those who need one, he said.
Some other events happening in the Kalamazoo area include:
Portage Memorial Day Service: Hosted by American Legion Post 207, the service will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, May 30 in Veterans Memorial Park, 300 Library Lane. The Portage Memorial Day Parade, traditionally hosted by VFW Post 5855, will not be held for the third consecutive year.
South Haven Memorial Day Parade: The South Haven Memorial Day Parade will commence at 9 a.m., Monday, May 30 at the intersection of Center Street and Michigan Avenue, head north to Phoenix Street and east toward Lakeview Cemetery, 191 Bailey Ave., where a ceremony will be held to remember fallen veterans.
Hickory Corners: A pancake breakfast will get the day started from 7-9:30 a.m. at the Hickory Corners Fire Department, 14505 Kellogg School Rd. and be followed with the parade, which will begin at 10 a.m. sharp. The parade begins at Cadwallader Park, proceeds east through town and ends at the East Hickory Corners Cemetery, where a ceremony will be held to honor fallen veterans.
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Events planned for Police Week
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Sault Ste. Marie Police Service celebrates Police Week by rappelling down the wall of a hotel, patrolling the city’s downtown and recognizing residents who help officers keep the community safe.
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Your Police Services: Helping Build Safer Communities is this year’s theme, a release says.
Downtown bike patrols are planned, weather permitting, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. A foot patrol is planned for Thursday.
Presentations about careers in law enforcement will be made at St. Mary’s College and Superior Heights Collegiate and Vocational School on Monday and Tuesday.
Delta Hotels Sault Ste. MarieWaterfront hosts a community program night on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
The police department’s emergency services unit will rappel down a wall at Quattro Hotel and Conference Centre on Wednesday between 10 a.m. and noon.
Events on Friday and Saturday will be announced on social media.
Full slate of events planned at Alton Mill next weekend
May 12, 2022 ·
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By Constance Scrafield
Once again, a beautiful weekend is planned for the Alton Mill Arts Centre on Saturday May 21 and Sunday May 22.
On Saturday, as the media person for Headwaters Arts, Susan Powell told the Citizen, “It’s a long weekend of events, with an arts market place under the tent. We can fit 16 vendors under there and let’s see what kind of response we get for this on May 21.”
Artisans will be set up outside the Mill itself, using the shelter and space of the covered Annex; some will be on the lawn.
“It would be nice to see how this goes,” Ms. Powell commented further. “I know they’re keen but nervous to get out there. They don’t have to bring a tent or anything if they’re under the cover in the Annex.”
Caledon Music Festival [as an organization] is doing a concert on May 22 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“They also rehearse there during the week,” she told the Citizen. “It was open and under shelter. This will be a ticketed event.
“It’s fascinating,” she said. “You don’t know how people are feeling about coming. It’s outside. The musicians just want to get out there. It has to be a ticketed event; the musicians need to get paid.”
The musicians are for sure among the best, she promised with a great repertoire and Ms. Powell went on to note the quality of music being played here in Alton. People will drive into Toronto, pay for parking, tickets to the concerts and this is right here. The musicians performing at the Mill next weekend are the same musicians who play for the TSO.
Naturally, Headwaters Arts is hoping for a good crowd for the market. The artists are from Tottenham, Wasaga Beach, Waterloo, and Terra Nova.
“We’ve opened it up and we’re charging reasonable booth space cost.”
While the market is visiting artists, the Mill artists were welcome to participate and encaustic artist, Karen Brown is showing her work in the market. The market is free for visitors.
We took a couple of moments to speak to one of the coming artists, a water colourist who specializes in pet portraits, Patrice Clarkson. Asked which was the most unusual, she demurred, saying, “Well, they are all special and the connection with the people is great. I’m commissioned to paint their pet and then it’s the relationship with the dogs is special. I have done cats and horses too. I usually meet them afterwards because I work from photos. Some I meet before to take pictures of them, which is really fun.”
Ms. Clarkson also has products with her art on them, tote bags and other small items. She does not need owners’ permission as she has the rights to the art.
Her planned attendance to Alton Mill’s market place next Saturday came from an email invitation to come, “So, I just thought, why not?” said she. “I’m going there for the first time for this, selling original art and samples of my work, some of my products.”
She was “really excited” to tell us she is working on putting her art on clothing . She recently received an email from a company [that prints on clothing] in Montreal and there were artists from Orangeville using the company. Her totes are coming from the States at the moment.
“I’ve never been to the Alton Mill,” Ms. Clarkson reported. “But I’m going there this weekend to see what it’s all about.”
A metal sculptor working with horse shoes will also attend as vendor and Wood turn pens is another. Andrea Elmhirst, a textile and felting artist is coming from Tottenham with her stitch purses and other items.
We were reminded that the market is the one day only on May 21with the concert to follow in May 22.
Event organizers have encouraged the markets participants to think of this as day of just shopping from every price point. A variety of cost is what the customers are looking for.
The Mill itself is open all weekend and will be busy too with the tenant artists.
Good news: the cafe is open and a bar will be set up for the concert on Sunday.
Terry Lim, coordinator for the Caledon Music Festival spoke to the Citizen about the upcoming concert on Sunday, May 22 and how pleased they are to be coming back to the Mill. This is the third time the music festival has performed at the Alton Mill.
“We came as the Belfountain Music Festival,” he commented. “Last year the tent was up and we were one of the few assembles to perform there. I went to check the acoustics and they are very good. It’s beautiful. We always worry about doing concerts outside because of the acoustics but at the Mill, it sounds like being in a castle.”
Although Mr. Lim plays the flute and he sometimes plays in the concerts, because of all the “running around” for this event, he is sticking to the organizing.
He took over running the Caledon Music Festival, of which the major event is in August. He had been running it with another person with whom they decided that using Caledon as the name for the music festival worked better.
“I do love the arts,” he said. “I have a couple of other ensembles in Toronto, as well general promo work for music events. Before studying music and I also studied commerce. I like to blend them together.”
There are six string players for this concert, violin, viola and cello, playing mostly Vivaldi (Spring from his Four Seasons – “so suitable and the most popular of the four”) and Tchaikovsky.
“Also, an original by the viola player,” he enthused. “An electronic singing using his own music – it’s fantastic.”
A performance of a cello duos called VC2 – Colour You Like.
After intermission, the program follows with Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence.
“That’s a big piece for a string -sextet, big and a real crowd pleasing piece,” said Mr. Lim. “Ringing out in a place like that! These musicians are playing in TSO or COC.”
The concert this weekend will be exceptional.
For tickets go to www.headwatersarts.org
Local Committee Acquires Major Landmark in Port au Port Region; Slew of Events Planned
Some big plans are in the works now that a local committee has finally gained possession of a major landmark in the Port au Port region.
Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church in Port au Port West is one of the province’s largest wooden churches. It was designed by noted architect William F. Butler and built in 1914 to accommodate an anticipated population boom from the opening of a limestone quarry in Aguathuna.
The population boom never occurred and the quarry closed in the 1960s.
The church features a steeple that rises 115 feet and is big enough to accommodate 1000 parishioners. It was designated as a Registered Heritage Structure in 1997.
Photo by Jon Myers
Our Lady of Mercy Complex Committee Chair Denise Goosney says although they have been running events in the church for some time, they finally purchased the building and outlying structures from the local Diocese, making them eligible for government funding.
Goosney says their first order of business is to conduct a structural assessment of the church and apply for the appropriate funding. She admits it’s a daunting task.
“It’s kind of scary… but something that needs to be done to preserve the culture and heritage of the area.”
A number of major events are planned this summer including the Port au Port Grand Ol’ Opry Show June 11. A full list of planned events can be found on the church’s website.
