Paper ballot a pursuable promise

Upper Canada Village’s new fall event Pumpkinferno has proven its status as the largest, boldest and definitely most unique event in Eastern Ontario.  Just ask the 35,000 visitors, who passed through the gates.  

With performance exceeding even the St. Lawrence Parks Commission’s expectations (approximately 20,000 forecasted), Pumpkinferno will return in 2013 with even more improvements and visual features. 

To say investing in the event required a leap of faith by the SLPC’s leadership would be an understatement.  The concept was actually a few years in development.  

And as the vision and concept was fine-tuned, so to was a business plan and market analysis.  

Investment in the range of $600,000 over three years has been allocated for the event.

The Product and Development Team presented a plan to purchase thousands of artificial pumpkins and carving equipment, hire a team of talented local artists and carvers and a supervisor to bring the concept of Pumpkinferno to life.  

“It definitely was a calculated risk on our part to support the development of this new event,” said general manager and CEO Darren Dalgleish. “But as leaders in event development, the event business plan really fit with our strategic objectives of product mix enrichment.”

The SLPC has led the way in the region with the introduction of special events both during the regular season at Upper Canada Village, Fort Henry and their other recreational properties as well as during what is traditionally the ‘off-season’.”  

“Our experience with Upper Canada Village’s Alight at Night and Fort Henry’s Fort Fright events proved to us that there is interest amongst consumers to visit our sites for a non-traditional product offering,” says Dagleish. “In fact, we find that our audiences for the off season are quite different than for the regular core season.  Often visitors have never been to the sites during the main season, so these events offer us a unique opportunity to broaden our appeal and to connect with market segments we previously may have overlooked to be our guests.” 

“We attracted guests from Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Northern New York State and some even from Toronto!”

Dalgleish went on to say: “Development of these very successful off season events is critical to our overall business objective to improve our net performance and by doing so, strengthen our sustainability and tourism brands throughout the Great Waterway Region.”

Next up for Upper Canada Village is the winter lights festival Alight at Night which opens its twelfth year on Friday, November 30 at 5 p.m. and operates on select nights through until Saturday, January 5, 2013.  

Admission to Alight at Night is $13 adults (13 to 64 years of age) and $10 for seniors (65+ years of age) and youth (six to 12 years of age.).  

Entry, wagon ride and train ride are all included in the admission price.  Parking is free.  Advance tickets are recommended and can be purchased online at www.AlightatNight.ca

[…]

“Completion of the Campbell Street extension is imminent,” reported South Dundas chief administrative officer Stephen McDonald, at the December 16 council meeting.

“We have received our permit. We can now cut down a butternut tree.”

One endangered butternut tree located right in the centre of the Campbell Street extension put a stop to the work taking place to open up land in the Morrisburg business park.

The work was stopped back in 2013, and could not proceed until the Municipality was granted this permit through a lengthy process.

Work will proceed as soon as the contractor is available to complete the project.

[…]

“The building looks great,” said Erika Heesen, communications and marketing librarian for the SDG County Library following a final site inspection at the renovated building that will be home to the new Williamsburg branch.

“We’re looking forward to moving into our new space and taking the time to get everything set up for our patrons,” Heesen told The Leader.

The library will be moving in throughout December and early January.

The plan is for the branch to open to the public in mid-January.

The new Williamsburg branch will be a full service and accessible neighbourhood branch, with computers, internet access, programs, and collections for adults, teens and children. “We’re also working on a full suite of programs to offer the public when the library re-opens in January,” said Heesen.

Firm opening dates are not yet available, but when they do re-open the hours will be the same as at the old branch; Tuesdays-Thursdays 4-8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

[…]