Wind Damage

Last week, you'll recall the we had some savage wind that blew the roof off the mall. Tom O'Keefe was good enough to send in some photos of wind damage in the area. The broken Ultramar sign is even scarier than the mall roof!

Apologies to all: I haven't had a chance to post them until today. They're still something to see. As always, click to view a larger version.

Point Verde School

Keeping with the Point Verde theme of late: Jeananne Ralph (Mott) has kindly sent us this photograph of the old Point Verde School House. It was taken by her mother Ruth Mott (Young) in the late 1930s or early 1940s. As always, click to see a larger version.

It's interesting to see how Point Verde has changed. With much fewer people farming, the open fields and meadows are all growing in.

Great news! Placentia's getting an Arts Centre!

Fabian Manning, Member of Parliament for the riding of Avalon is pleased to announce $895,804 in financial assistance for The Town of Placentia to construct the “Plaisance Cultural Arts Centre” (from a press release dated Feb 20, 2008)

And so it was announced, yesterday at the Star of the Sea, that funding has come through and a new Cultural Arts Centre will be built in the Town Square.

The Placentia Area has always had a lot of artistic activity. Think of all the fantastic writers who have come out of here (including Gregory Power, current Poet Laureate Agnes Walsh, Robin McGrath, and many many others). There are, to my knowledge, four active theatre troupes. Think of the visual artists who either come from here or who take inspiration from here. And I haven't even mentioned the army of musicians!

The Arts have long had a prominent place in Placentia. It is wonderful to see them given a proper home.

The Eclipse

The clouds over Placentia parted just in time to give us a beautiful show of last night's Lunar Eclipse.

Local artist Christopher Newhook captured this image. I think it's very beautiful and also well-suited to the times we're in.

Point Verde Girl Celebrates 90th Birthday

Don Ladolcetta was good enough to forward along the following report to the Blog. Joan Greene, his mother, is descended from the family of lighthouse keepers, back before the Point Verde lighthouse was automated. She recently turned 90, and although she's spent almost 57 of those 90 years in the USA, her big birthday bash was decided Newfoundland-themed.

As Don says in his report, photos of the old lighthouse are hard to come by, and these (plus one other he sent which I did not post in the interest of space) are the only ones he could come across. Does anyone else have any pictures of the old Point Verde Lighthouse? I'm sure everyone would be very pleased to see them.

Joan Greene daughter of Joseph and Louise Greene (who were the lighthouse keepers at Point Verde for many years) turned 90 last month. Joan had 8 brothers and sisters in the family including Mary, Bridie, Monica, Angela, Madge, Leonard, Fred, Gussie all of whom grew up in the Placentia area. Joan moved to the US in 1951. Her family threw her a big birthday party where many of the descendants of Joe and Louise Greene turned out. The attached photos are of the lighthouse and surrounding buildings which may be the only photographs of the site in existance because the buildings were torn down quite some time ago. Additional photos are attached of the recent Party activites such as a screechin in for all the Yanks in attendance and playing the Newfoundland Reel on the spoons by Joan and son Don complete with Norwestern headgear. The party included Codfish with scrunchins, corned beef and cabbage, toutons, figgy duff and a variety of other Nefoundland cuisine. A good time was had by all. The Greene family intends to come out to Placentia this coming August for the first ever Greene Family reunion

Oh dear

In case you hadn't heard, part of the mall's roof blew off yesterday. I hear some stores got flooded. It was a pretty vicious day --- about 50 mm of rain fell, and I believe wind gusts were 110 km/h.

It's a hard week for Placentia, I tell you.

Gloomy News

INCO's test plant in Argentia is closing in June.

130 jobs will disappear from the area.

And not a sod turned in Long Harbour, which isn't due to start for another 3 years.

It's gloomy news. Placentia has lost 1,617 people from 1991 to 2006. Many businesses have closed, and I've heard rumours more will soon be shutting.

Personally, I find it hard not to be morose at the news.

Also tonight

Tonight, at 8 pm, there's the Laval Come Home Year fundraising concert at the Star Hall --- but before that, at 6:30 pm, there is:

Computer Safety Seminar

at the Placentia Public Library, in the board room. Michael Collins (me) will give an information session on the basics of protecting yourself and your computer. Topics covered are virus protection (including the free anti-virus programs that are also the best), spyware and adware (what they are and how to get them off your computer), and "phishing" (a relatively new phenomenon, where credulous-seeming messages try to finagle your credit card number from you).

The session should last for 45 minutes or so, so you can easily make it to Laval's show on time.

Another Dance!

By the time February's over, our feet are gonna be some sore. ;)

Jerseyside and Ferndale are having a Come Home Year in 2009 (click for the official homepage), but they're getting the ball rolling in '08, with a

50's / 60's Dance

at the Star of the Sea in Placentia. It happens on Friday, February 15. The band starts at 10:00 pm, and admission is $5. Music will be provided by Lone Rider.

There will be Door Prizes, a Costume Prize (some come in your best retro get-up!), and Elvis Impersonators.

Placentia in Korea

Freshwater's own Cheryl White was recently featured in an article about Newfoundlanders living and teaching in Korea, which is apparently 'Fort Mac for university scholars.' It appears in the Troubador, a publication by journalism students at the College of the North Atlantic.

It's a nice article and it's pretty indepth.

Remember, if you've got an article like this one and you'd like to see it here, email placentiablog@gmail.com and we'll be more than happy to oblige.

Laval Reunion and Fundraising Concert

Laval High School's Come Home Year 2008 is coming up this July (click the link for more information), and just in time too --- it's your last chance to see the old place before it's torn down and a brand new school built in its place. We've mentioned the Come Home Year before, but there's new information to share. First, this logo, by local artist Ray Miller:
Second: There's a fundraising concert scheduled for February 12 at The Star Hall, starting at 7:30 pm. Local talent will raise the roof once again for a good cause!