Andrew Beatson shares Carleton Honour

–Barely 10 minutes into the Friday night performance of Upper Canada Playhouse’s production of Leisa Way’s Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee, audience members, of all ages, were spontaneously applauding and cheering. 

That initial level of enthusiasm and delight never let up for the entire two hours. 

When Leisa Way, Nathan Smith, Bobby Prochaska, Fred Smith, Bruce Ley and Sam Cino took their final bows, for many in the audience, the only disappointing thing about this exhilarating premiere was that they weren’t going to be able to buy new tickets at the Playhouse and see it again. 

It was a memorable production, running April 21-25, opening the Playhouse summer season.

Leisa Way, who has gained popular and critical celebrity for her shows such as Sweet Dreams, Rhinestone Cowgirl and Country Jukebox, described the inspiration for this, her newest production, in an April 15 interview with the Leader. “We are the greatest country in the world. This is simply a fantastic place to live. With all the celebrations coming up in 2017, everyone is going to be incredibly proud to be a Canadian, and we are excited to be part of that energy with this new show.”

The appeal of this show is patriotic, yes, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to capture audiences so completely. It’s the music that inspires them: that terrific music. Canadians tend to forget sometimes just how good our composers and singers really are, and how much they have influenced music world wide. Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee, exuberantly reminds them.

From the 50s songs, Little Darlin’, and a boisterous Life Could Be a Dream, to the breath-taking modern duet between Way and Prochaska of David Foster’s Let This Be Our Prayer, the production showcased an extraordinary range of music. Toes tapped to classic Habitant fiddle pieces and modern French-Canadian chansons, hands clapped to a heavy metal, rock medley that included Takin’ Care of Business and Born to Be Wild, and there was more than one misty pair of eyes during the singers’ beautiful rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

Leisa Way is a dynamic, versatile singer. Able to country swing in Shania Twain’s comic Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? move us with Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Until It’s Time for You To Go, and cheerily channel Anne Murray, Way’s vocal range is exceptional. Along the way the artist shared anecdotes and side stories with the audience about some of the artists and the music they wrote. “Music,” she pointed out, “is the most popular language in the world.”

The Wayward Wind Band and the musicians joining Way in this production were outstanding. Sam Cino, Nathan Smith, Bobby Prochaska, Fred Smith and Bruce Ley were unquestioned instrumental masters. And their vocal work, singly, but especially in a cappella numbers like Northwest Passage and The Lion Sleeps Tonight, elated every listener.

Quick comic asides throughout the show, (“Canada is the only nation where you can wear shorts and a parka at the same time!”), a reprise of the classic “Canadian Rant,’ and Stompin’ Tom Connors’ ever popular Good Old Hockey Game continually reminded the crowd that yes, Canadians do have a great sense of humour along with their gift of music.

Oh, Canada, We Sing For Thee’s powerful finale which began with Gordon Lightfoot’s wonderful Railroad Trilogy and ended with everyone on their feet for O Canada, was breath-taking. 

This show is a terrific musical celebration of the Great White North, one that audiences will love.

After attending this production, did people leave Upper Canada Playhouse proud to be Canadians? You can bet your maple leaves they did.

[…]

  It’s been a busy year for the Dundas County Hospice at Williamsburg as they settled into and completed the renovations at the home purchased last spring.  And they couldn’t have gotten it all done […]

A $2 million sewer and water project that will see 1,050 meters of roadway from Canada Way west to the first bridge of Lakeshore Drive dug up this summer will get started as soon as possible.

The project will include sanitary sewer and watermain replacement, storm sewer improvements and the necessary road and sidewalk rehabilitations.

Although it was agreed that work should start as soon as possible, South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds, asked that work not start until after Tubie weekend, the 43-year old summer event that attracts large crowds to the Morrisburg waterfront and includes a parade along that stretch of road.

This sewer replacement work was identified as a high priority in the inflow and infiltration study done on the Morrisburg sewer system. 

It is expected that the completion of this work will eliminate or reduce the risk of basement flooding, for which there is a history at several residences along Lakeshore Drive in Morrisburg.

This project includes up-sizing the sewer to accommodate expansion of the collection system to the west limit of the village allowing residents currently on private septic system, as well as future developments to connect to the sanitary sewer, according to the report to council by South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald.

Todd Grant of AECOM, the project managers, said the hope is that throughout the construction they will be able to maintain a lane to let traffic flow through the area.

“This will be a mess while it’s going on, but in the end it will be worth it,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds.

The sanitary sewer work will be funded by the Government of Ontario under the Strategic Investments Funding for the sanitary sewer rehabilitation program. The watermain replacement will be funded through water capital replacement and water rate stabilization reserves and storm sewer work will be funded by the United Counties of SD&G. 

South Dundas council awarded the project tender to Cornwall Gravel at the July 16 regular council meeting. 

Four bids were received, ranging in price from $2 million to $2.5 million. Cornwall Gravel submitted the lowest bid.

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