The Placentia Area Blog

Apologies to correspondents

2008-04-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

As it seems to have become a pattern, it should come as no surprise --- the blog has had another relatively fallow period. These seem to happen when I reach a busy patch in my own life, which gets me out of the habit of regular posting, which in turn means when I do have free time the Placentia Blog always gets put to the backburner.

I must apologize to correspondents, though, who have been sending along wonderful pictures and tidbits of information since about this time last month, almost all of which have gone unacknowledged, unposted. Placentiablog@gmail.com is not my personal address, but that is a poor excuse. I do humbly apologize.

Over the next few days, I will work through the built-up postings and put them here. Thankfully, most of them are not time-sensitive, and are as pertinent and interesting now as they were several weeks ago.

John C. Ralph, from Oshawa Ontario, has been sending along many wonderful things, including many excellent pictures, particularly of the Cape Shore, a regional the whole province knows and treasures (well, they should treasure it).

Spring finally seems to be upon us, and soon enough all that yellow dead grass will be replaced with the kind of stuff we see in this photo, sent to us by John.

As always, click on a photo to view a larger version.

Joy Norman on CBC tonight!

2008-04-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Tonight, 7:30 pm, on CBC Television, Joy Norman will be featured on the program A Tradition of Song. It was taped in Quidi Vidi late in 2007. The show will run for the next 6 weeks, and Joy may be on other episodes, as well!

Joy Norman's official website.

Placentia's Stuart Simpson Wins Memorial University's "Rant Like Rick" Contest

2008-04-07T21:12:00.001-07:00

Winners of the Rant Like Rick Contest.

One of the 3 winners is Placentia's (well, Point Verde's) own Stuart Simpson, well-known locally for his acting and general community spirit (Stuart is currently student president at Laval High School).

You can view Stuart's rant here (scroll down; he is the 3rd one listed).

The site says:

If there’s one thing Stuart Simpson has, its passion. Passion for music, passion for acting, passion for writing, and passion getting involved. It’s no wonder this Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador native was a natural fit for the Rant Like Rick contest. A two-time acting award winner, Stuart says the contest was an innovative and fresh opportunity to use his talents to express his opinion and earn money for tuition. Stuart’s passionate rant focused on the growing popularity of Facebook, and how the social networking site seems to be consuming his peers, “whenever anyone is within three feet of a computer they are nearly on Facebook, and even when they’re nowhere near a computer, they’re thinking about Facebook,” says Stuart. Stuart’s antidote to the Facebook epidemic is to get offline and get involved. In his free time, Stuart enjoys writing, reading, and drawing, serves as President of his high school student council, and is a member of his high school’s drama club..

Placentia to be featured on CBC this Monday

2008-03-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

This Monday, Placentia will be featured on CBC Radio's Morning Show. I'm not sure what or who else will be featured, but I know local musicians and artists Kevin Collins, Larry Foley, and Bill Rose will be on.

Unfortunately, I don't think the Morning Show's website mentions any specific info (I just had a quick perusal, but of course I might have missed it). If anyone has more information please leave a comment on this entry (I've had to put a spam filter on, a sign of the blog's success I suppose, but don't let that deter you).

I have also heard Radio Noon may be doing something . . . ? I have been away this week and haven't been keeping up. I'll post again when more information comes my way.

In any case, 94.1 fm is the frequency CBC is broadcast from, right here in Placentia. Be sure to tune in on Monday!

Placentia Twice on tomorrow's Weekend Arts Magazine

2008-03-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

Weekend Arts Magazine Saturday and Sunday from 6-9:30 am.

This week on WAM, host Angela Antle talks to Winterset Award nominees: Paul Rowe, Kathleen Winter and George A. Rose about their books and what the nomination means to them as authors. As well Russell Wangersky, the award winning writer and Telelgram editor has just written a book chronicling his love of fighting fires and the emotional toll it has taken on his life. And Placentia's Bill Hogan talks up the cultural revitalization of his town.

Also, many congratulations to Paul Rowe for his Winterset nomination! That is major news, and it's sure to bring more attention to Paul's excellent book, The Silent Time.

Sheila's Brush: Swept up a Storm!

2008-03-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

In both senses of the word! The actual Sheila's Brush, endured by Newfoundlanders for centuries, sure hit us with a wallop this year, dumping huge amounts of first snow and then freezing rain, with a side serving of high winds.

But this weather didn't stop the other Sheila's Brush (see previous entry). 32 people braved the storm to come to the Placentia Public Library. Bernard Penney, Christopher Newhook, Lucy Duke, Linda Miller, and Jim Pretty all had visual arts and crafts on display, while Marina Gambin, Alice Lannon, Michael Collins, and Christopher Newhook all presented, read, or performed for the gathered group.

The library was transformed with simple but effective decoration and mood lighting. It was an extremely cozy and warm atmosphere -- a good refuge from the storm outside.

We also wish to take the moment to express condolences to Marina and her family for the recent passing of her brother Reginald. We thank Marina for sharing her stories during a difficult time.

Also, thanks to Christopher Newhook, who took these photos. I took some as well, but most did not come out very well.

As always, click on an image to make it larger.

Sheila's Brush: An evening of cultural heritage

2008-03-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce the following. Click to view a larger version:

From the Newfoundland Dictionary:

"sheila's blush*, ~ brush; also sheila: fierce storm and heavy snowfall about the eighteenth of
March (England, 1924) "Perhaps the most memorable of those occasions was on the night
of 'Sheila's Brush,' which is to say the 18th of March. Newfoundland has two 'brushes,' Patrick's and
Sheila's; that is to say, storms supposed to be connected with the birthday of St Patrick and that of his
wife... The word 'brush' is not always used, however; you will hear Newfoundlanders say:
'We have our Sheila dis time o' year.'"

Admission is free. At the moment, the lineup includes Alice Lannon, storyteller, Marina Gambin, author, Michael Collins, poet, Christopher Newhook, artist, and Bernard Penney, artist.

It's not meant to be representative or definitive, so other writers and artists shouldn't feel left out. It's our hope to hold more of these in future, so if you're interested come out to Sheila's Brush and let us know.

Lears Cove

2008-03-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

Mr. John C. Ralph has been forwarding lovely pictures to The Placentia Blog for a few weeks now, but a combination of technical issues and the maintainer's busy schedule conspired to keep them unposted. Over the next week or so I hope to share them all with you, as they are well worth seeing.As always, click the image to view a larger version of it.

I think this is an excellent shot of Lear's Cove, south of St. Bride's. It really shows how verdant the Cape Shore can be --- quite in contrast to the stereotypical image of Newfoundland as nothing more than a barren rocky isle.

In the 1935 census, Lear's Cove is reported as having 14 residents, with another 11 "reported with Lear's Cove but residing elsewhere" (as to what that means, your guess is as good as mine). Fatima Academy's website also has a page about Lear's Cove. They say the final resident moved out in 1961.

Patrick's Weekend at the Star of the Sea

2008-03-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Where else would you be?

I'm having trouble uploading the poster and also pictures of celebrations past (blogger's fault, not mine), but here's the vitals.

Friday, March 14: Parish Concert at 7:30 pm, followed by a Kitchen Party
Saturday, March 15: THIRD STRIKE
Sunday, March 16: EVEN TIDE, 2-6pm, THIRD STRIKE, 6-closing.

This is also the Star of the Sea's 132 Birthday!!!!

Wind Damage

2008-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-26T05:14:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-02-21T07:35:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-21T07:24:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-19T05:36:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-15T06:46:00.001-08:00

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

2008-02-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-12T05:48:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-02-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

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!

Art Classes

2008-01-29T05:10:00.000-08:00

I'll let the poster do the talking!

That Far Smarter Bay

2008-01-24T06:51:00.001-08:00

Ray Guy (one of many Placentia Baymen of deserved renown) always referred to Placentia as 'that far greater bay' --- but SmartBay.ca strives to make sure it's that far smarter bay, too.

SmartBay.ca is an information hub for Placentia Bay, right from St. Bride's up to Swift Current and down again to St. Lawrence.

The information available is current and diverse. It has extensive community profiles with exhaustive demographic information. It also has information on shipping, ocean sciences, industrial sites, local committees, and so forth.

For example, buoys are linked to the website and automatically report to it. So, I know that at 10:43 this morning, Maximum Wave Height off Placentia was 3.6 m (11.8 ft), among many other things.

It is sure to be an invaluable tool for anyone active in Placentia Bay, regardless of their field --- but surely its greatest strength is its networking potential.

2000+ visits

2008-01-24T06:37:00.001-08:00

Just a little after 3 months after we've begun, I'm glad to say that The Placentia Blog has surpassed the 2,000 visits mark. In fact, as of this post we've had 2,072 visits from 1,016 unique visitors.
63% come from Newfoundland and Labrador. 25% come from the rest of Canada, 10% come from the USA, and the remaining 2% come from 25 different nations, from Brazil to Ireland to Guam (yes, Guam!) to Australia.

Thanks to everyone who reads and enjoys this site. Remember, if there's anything you'd like to see here, all you have to do is email it to placentiablog@gmail.com --- we're always happy to receive your email!

Picture of Placentia from Graveyard taken from Michael's Panoramio Account

Free Computer Courses at the Library

2008-01-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

As you may know, free lessons with the computer were on offer all this fall at the library, taught by this blog's maintainer (i.e. me), Michael Collins.

This was a contractual job which was meant to end in December. However, more funding was found (I am never sure how that works), and extensions were on offer. So, I'm here at the Placentia Public Library until March!

I'm hoping to offer some new things, but they're still in development. I'm happy to announce that the fall classes will be repeated --- so if you missed them the first time around, or if you'd just like some review, call the library at 227 3621 and put your name down! Spots are limited.

Classes are Thursday Night from 7:00-9:00 OR on Friday Afternoon from 1:30-3:30. Friday's class is a duplicate of Thursday's, so you only need to come to one. Also, one-on-one tutoring sessions are available by appointment, if neither Thursday night nor Friday morning is good for you.

The Classes are:

Week One (January 23, 24): The Basics
Week Two (January 31, Feb 1): The Internet
Week Three (February 7, 8): Word Processing
Week Four (February 14, 15): Powerpoint
Week Five: (February 21, 22): Blogging and Wikipedia
Week Six: (February 28, 29): Google Earth and Panoramio

I hope to see you there!

Eye in the Sky on Placentia

2008-01-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

Panoramio is the website where Google Earth gets its on-the-ground pictures (if you're familiar with the Google Earth program, I'm talking about the little blue dots you see when you have the 'geographic web' layer turned on).

Here's a satellite view from Ship Harbour down to Patrick's Cove. To see the rest of the Cape Shore further south, click and drag on the map. There are some really nice pictures of Cape St. Mary's there.

The site is easy and fun to use, and it's a great way for people from away to get an idea of the scenic beauty that abounds in this area.

The pictures are all user-uploaded; Google Earth reviews them and selects which they will use. Accounts are free. 42 pictures I've taken and uploaded are now part of Google Earth; anyone in the world can see photos I took of the bird rock, should they zoom in on Cape St. Mary's. If you see a place that's not represented (such as Fox Harbour, Patrick's Cove, or Cuslett), why not put some photos up yourself, literally for the whole world to see?

The Weather Network says it's -9 in Argentia (-19 windchill), so here's a shot of sandy sunny Point Lance beach. Stare at it and try to warm up a bit! I took this photo and uploaded it to Panoramio; it's been visible in Google Earth for 9 months now.

Bald Eagles in Placentia Bay

2008-01-18T06:20:00.000-08:00

The fact that Placentia Bay has one of the highest concentrations of Bald Eagles in North America comes as no surprise to anyone who's lived in this area. They're a common enough sight for anyone who rambles around this bay.

A few years ago, National Geographic did a story on bald eagles, and, in addition to Alaska, they talked of Placentia Bay as an eagle stronghold.

They even dispatched a photographer here; he spent 10 days camped out on a beach (sadly, the article doesn't say which) during the caplin scull, taking photos. His field notes are available to read on National Geographic's website (click the link).

Also, the Peregrine Foundation has
archived this article on their website, all about the eagles of Placentia Bay. It says that only 5% of the eagles that have been tagged in Placentia Bay have ever shown up at feeding stations elsewhere. This is a strong indication that the population is year-round, not migratory.

Just to prove the point, here are some amazing photos that were recently forwarded to the blog by local artist Christopher Newhook. As always, click on an image to view a larger version.

Here's what he has to say about them:

Took a drive up to Point Verde Beach (near Glenn's Cove) before Christmas and stumbled upon a flock of eagles, apparently feeding upon something on the beach. There were a total of 6 in the area but I could not get them all in one shot. The best I could do was 5.

Kevin Collins joins the Youtube Revolution

2008-01-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Renowned local singer, songwriter, and performer Kevin Collins has taken his music around the world. Now, his music can make the journey even when Kevin is relaxing in his Point Verde studio. Yes, Kevin Collins is on Youtube, with plenty of music videos available for all the world to see.

Clicking the link above will take you to a list of all the videos that have been posted. At the moment, there are 15 videos available, such as From an Island to an Island or The Golden Years. You might even recognize some faces and places (I know I did!).

Here's a link to Kevin's official homepage. Many thanks to Tom O'Keefe and Ray Miller for forwarding this information on to us!

French Lessons

2008-01-15T09:27:00.000-08:00

French Conversation Classes resume this week!

They are held each Wednesday from 7-9 pm at the College of the North Atlantic, in Classroom 7. The atmosphere is informal and friendly --- just waltz on in and say 'bon soir!' The cost is free, although donations are accepted on behalf of l'Association Francaise de Plaisance.

If you'd like more info, feel free to email Margie McFarlane at mmcfarlane@nf.sympatico.ca. J'espère vous voir là! (I hope that means, "I hope to see you there!")

Fallow Period Over!

2008-01-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

Phew!

Well, I'm back. I must apologize for a near silent month. Looking at the visitor statistics, though, a fallow period might even have been healthy for this blog! I hope, once you've discovered it, you'll come back regularly. Let your friends know, too. Updates should be frequent once more --- this site is designed to be something you look at several times a week, as it's always being updated (except when I take some time off!)

In future I will try to make any rest breaks significantly shorter!

This here is a picture of Point Verde, taken by your's truly only a couple of days ago. I can assure you, it was every bit as cold as the picture suggests. It was a pleasant and calm 0 degrees in Southeast that day, but on Point Verde beach the wind off the water was raw enough to freeze the face off ya!

There's a flurry of updates coming down the pipe, so hold on to your hats.

Best wishes for 2008,

-Michael Collins, Maintainer

Christmas Concert and Christmas Eve

2007-12-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the short hiatus in the blog's posting. Everyone knows how busy the Christmas season can be, and running this blog is a volunteer thing, so hopefully everyone can understand our little lapse.

Just one spot of news at the moment. Tonight, December 28, there is a variety show Christmas Concert at The Star Hall in Placentia. 16 local performers will take the stage. The door is $5, and all the money is going to Jerseyside-Ferndale's Come Home Year.

It promises to be a fantastic show!

In honour of the season, I'll close things off with this photo, by Christopher Newhook, of the Christmas Eve mass at the Placentia Church. As always, click the image to view a larger version.

Holiday tidings to all!

Happy Two-Month-aversary to us!

2007-12-16T09:18:00.001-08:00

Well, it has been 2 months to the day since The Placentia Blog was officially launched (October 16), and what an excellent month this last one has been.

I have to thank all the members of the community, both those living here and those living abroad, who have viewed this blog and passed it along to their friends and loved ones. As a result of this, I'm extremely happy to report that traffic to this blog has increased 432% from the previous month --- from 227 in the first month to 980 in the second one!

Since we began, 652 unique visitors have visited this blog 1,207 times. Almost 65% of of the visits come from Newfoundland. 22.36% come from the rest of Canada, 10.52% from the United States, and just 2.32% from other countries.

So, if you have a friend or loved one from Placentia who's living away --- be it Ireland, Korea, Dubai, or points inbetween! --- why not send them this link? Similarly, we'd love to hear from any Placentia people in unusual locales. Email placentiablog@gmail.com, tell us who you are, what you're doing, and send us a photo of the place!

Just like the One-Month-aversary, I'm going to celebrate with a photo of Placentia, our "pleasant place" (as it translates). This photo was submitted by Mr. Harry Smith. It shows Placentia gut and Jerseyside in the background. As always, click to view a larger version! Both Mr. Smith and I surmise it was taken in the late 1800s or early 1900s, but we have no more information than that. If anyone can tell us more about the picture, again, please email placentiablog@gmail.com!

Thanks everyone --- here's to a happy holiday season and a great 2008 ahead!

Royal Canadian Legion Poster Poem and Essay Contest

2007-12-15T06:27:00.000-08:00

The Placentia Blog is pleased to announce the winners of the Royal Canadian Legion's 2007 Poster, Poem and Essay contest.

In the interests of space, we have the 1st and 2nd place winners from Kindergarten and Grades 1, 2, and 3 below. As always, click on an image to view a larger version.

More winning posters will be posted over the course of the weekend. Congratulations to everyone!

Above (in order of appearance)

Kindergarten: 1st place Shaylyn Toole, 2nd place Mackenzie Kerrivan.
Grade One: 1st place Mackenzie Leonard-Power, 2nd place Emily Brown.
Grade Two: 1st place Abigail Gambin, 2nd place Hannah Duke.
Grade Three: 1st place James Newhook, 2nd place Amber Culleton.

More Winners

Grade 4, 5, and 6 Poem/Essay: 1st Place Samuel Zachary Newhook, 2nd Place Tyrone Kelly.
Grade 4, 5, and 6 Colour Poster: 1st Place Brandon Collins-Brewer, 2nd Place Nicholas Leonard-Power.
Grade 4, 5, and 6 Black & White Poster: 1st Place Caitlin C. Lundrigan, 2nd Place Patrick M. R. Pearson.
Grade 7, 8, and 9 Poem/Essay: 1st Place Brandon William Young, 2nd Place Dominique Kelly.
Grade 7, 8, and 9 Colour Poster: 1st Place Vicky Foley, 2nd Place Matthew Power.
Grade 7, 8, and 9 Black & White Poster: 1st Place Samantha Hancock, 2nd Place Maggie Ward.
Grade 10, 11, and 12 Poem/Essay: 1st Place Mallary A. S. McGrath, 2nd Place Lyndsey Buckmaster.
Grade 10, 11, and 12 Colour Poster: 1st Place Bradley A. M. Power, 2nd Place Rebecca Ann Conway.
Grade 10, 11, and 12 Black & White Poster: 1st Place Joshua P. J. Coffey, 2nd Place Allyson Roche.

Bread Oven and Phil Meade

2007-12-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

In the latest edition of Downhome Magazine (formerly The Downhomer), on page 82-83, Placentia's own replica of a French community bread oven gets a look in (for more information on the oven and to see a picture of it, look at its profile on the Doors Open Placentia site).

The article also includes a summary of the history of beautiful Rosedale Manor (built 1893), as well as a small biography on Philip Meade and Linda Grimm, who operate it as a Bed and Breakfast.

There's two nice pictures of Phil (who is also, by the way, a professional pastry chef) by the outdoor bread oven, which is in full flame. The old Placentia waterfront is visible in the background.

It brings me back to the summer before last, when I was lucky enough to go down to the oven when Phil was baking bread. It tasted so amazing, fresh out of the oven with partridgeberry jam on top.

Christmas Parade in Placentia

2007-12-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in a previous entry, the annual Christmas Parade happened in Placentia this past Sunday. There were some phenomenal floats and plenty of community participation. If you missed it, well, we've got a little virtual parade ready to roll here, courtesy of Chris Newhook's photographs.

If you have any more pictures of the parade and you wouldn't mind sharing them with the world, please email them to placentiablog@gmail.com and we will put them up here!

As always, please click an image to view a larger version.

21 Reasons to Move to Branch - Addendum

2007-12-10T16:47:00.001-08:00

We've had a surprising number of visits yesterday and today from people who have done a google search for some variation of "21 Reasons" and Branch, Newfoundland. I'm sure this is in response to the national CBC piece that aired yesterday (see previous entry).

We may have missed the crest of the wave, but I wanted to offer these searchers a little more help.

If you want to know more about Branch, there is a short wikipedia article on the town, although the longer article on the Cape Shore (the region which Branch is part of) may be more informative to you. There's a good account of life in Branch in pre-Confederation NFLD here.

If you would like to contact Branch's mayor, who was featured in the documentary "21 Reasons," please email the blog and we will pass you along to her.

Unfortunately, I have no pictures of Branch to hand, but here are two that were posted to public Facebook groups, so hopefully the owners won't mind a tiny bit of friendly piracy (this blog does not generate any income, FYI), so the sudden influx of visitors gets an idea of what the place looks like. Permission is pending from the people who uploaded these photos to facebook, but in the meantime, if you own either image and want it taken down, please let us know and we will comply ASAP.

The third photo is of the cliffs at Cape St. Mary's, very near to Branch, and was taken by the Placentia Blog's maintainer, Michael Collins.

Branch on National CBC Radio

2007-12-09T05:59:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the short notice, but I had no idea of this until a few seconds ago. And it's on in a few minutes!

Sometime between 10:30 and 11:30 this Sunday (the 9th), The Sunday Edition (a nationally broadcast CBC radio program) will feature a documentary about Branch and its mayor, Priscilla Corcoran Mooney. 21 reasons to move to Branch, heard from Victoria to Iqaluit to St. John's!

If you miss this, don't despair. You can listen again on CBC's website. I'll post a link once they upload today's show (usually it happens a few hours after it airs).

EDIT: It hasn't appeared on cbc.ca yet, and, looking at The Sunday Edition's main page, it seems not all segments of past shows are available to listen to again. We'll have to wait and see if "21 Reasons" (the documentary on Branch) is put up for internet listening.

In the meantime, here's how it's described on the site:
Branch, Newfoundland is the kind of small fishing outport that is considered an endangered species. Twenty years ago, Branch - and hundreds of villages like it - were prosperous fishing communities. But since the collapse of the cod stocks fifteen years ago, the citizenry of Branch has shrunk from about six hundred to just half that. People have been fleeing outport Newfoundland and Labrador as quickly as water running down a drain. On top of that, the entire province is in a population crisis. It's people are aging more quickly, and its birthrate is falling faster, than any province or state in North America.

But Branch has a secret weapon: it's mayor - Priscilla Corcoran Mooney. She's a 31 year old social worker, business owner and probably the youngest municipal leader in Newfoundland and Labrador. And Priscilla has a radical plan.

She's determined - government demographers be damned - to increase the population of Branch to five hundred people. Heather Barrett went to Branch to find out how. Her documentary is called "21 Reasons".

Old Pictures of Placentia

2007-12-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Several people have submitted old photos of the area recently, and I'm very happy to post them here for public viewing and comment.

They're all new to me. It's amazing to wonder how many other old photos there might be tucked away in private collections. If you have a photograph of Placentia pre-World War II, you should have copies made for safe-keeping, and maybe consider donating a copy to the Archives (located at the Placentia Public Library). Old photos are treasures!

As always, click on the image to view a larger version.

The first comes from Harry Smith. It shows people drying fish on Placentia beach. I've never seen this before, and it really drives home how different it is to read statements like "the expansive beach at Placentia was used to dry fish" versus actually seeing it done.

Unfortunately, Mr. Smith didn't say when this was taken. If anyone knows, or has a tidbit of information about the picture, email us!

The next series are provided by Chris Newhook, and they relate to the previous blog entry about Southeast. As was said in that entry, Southeast Placentia was a popular resort spot for the well-to-do of St. John's (and sometimes further abroad). This first picture is titled "A Morning's Catch," is dated 1892, and is connected to 'Fulfort's' (or, Fulford's) hotel (one of the many hotels that used to be in Southeast). I assume these are vacationers . . ?

This is the same spot, Fulford's Hotel, 33 years later, in 1925. Such a gathering of automobiles was not a common sight in 1920's rural Newfoundland. This demonstrates how popular Southeast was as a get-away for wealthy families of the day. Also, take note of the chicken standing in the lane.

The following shot is of the Riverview Hotel (labeled as 'Fulfort'). Mr. Newhook has kindly transcribed the caption in the upper right-hand corner, which obviously corresponds to the people standing in the garden.

"1 - James Howley

2 - Angela Lannon (nee Folfort)

3 - J. Brancombe

4 - Mrs. N. Fulfort (nee Power)

5 - Ned Fulfort"

It is labeled 'circa 1908.' As with all of the images above, anyone with extra information is warmly invited to email it to placentiablog@gmail.com --- or write it down and drop it in to the Placentia Library, the blog's headquarters.

The final image comes once again from Harry Smith, and it relates back to a previous entry, showing Mr. Bernard Penney's beautiful hand-carved model of the Jerseyside Placentia train station. This is an image of the station itself, with the coal storage building beside it. I believe the current 'Coalyard' playground on top of Jerseyside Hill gets its name from this?

The Emerald Arm

2007-12-05T05:16:00.000-08:00

Ray Miller has been kind enough to send along some pictures of his property in Southeast ('Southeast Placentia,' properly, for those from away). These green grassy summery lawns look especially nice after all the snow and slush we've had over the last few days (Ray informs me the largest lawn area is longer than a football field!). Ray's an artist (more on that in future) and he must draw no end of inspiration from such surroundings. And of course, it's great for weddings or just general portraits.

Considering Southeast's verdant tranquility, it's easy to see why it was the island's favoured vacation spot through to the 1950's (and perhaps later?). I wish I had Olive Power's series of articles on the history of Southeast at hand. The list of luminaries who have vacationed in Southeast (staying in one of several hotels) in the past is astonishing.

Why Southeast? Well, it's sheltered on all sides (so it's always a few degrees warmer!), the arm is usually calm as a pond, and the Southeast River has some of the finest fishing in the province. And let's not forget, before the construction of the Argentia Access Road, the road to Conception Bay and St. John's wound its way along the Southeast Arm, too. Beautiful, tranquil, and accessible.

One has to wonder, if the shamefully neglected Route 91 connecting to Colinet and on to the Salmonier Line were ever properly paved and maintained, would Southeast return to some of its prior prominence? In terms of actual kilometres traveled, that route to St. John's is actually shorter than the Access road. Of course, anyone who has traveled its gravel lengths knows which one is quicker!

INCO Environmental Information Sessions - UPDATED

2007-12-04T04:47:00.001-08:00

There will be an Environmental Information Session on the long-delayed smelter, today and tonight here in Placentia.

UPDATED

According to the Argentia Area Chamber of Commerce, the following Information Sessions will be held:

Placentia
Tuesday, December 4th (today!)
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm - 9 pm at Laval High School

Ship Harbour
Wednesday, December 5th
7pm - 9pm at the Community Centre

Whitbourne
Thursday, December 6th
3:30pm - 5:30pm and 6:30pm-9pm at Whitbourne Elementary

A session was also held yesterday, December 3rd, at Long Harbour.

Thanks to Chris Newhook for passing along this extra information!

The Irish Rebellion!

2007-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

In today's Telegram, on the op-ed pages, there's a large headline that's impossible to miss:

THE IRISH REBELLION

There are 3 letters underneath it, all in response to an editorial The Telegram published last week, which claimed the connections between Ireland and Newfoundland were widely over-stated and were being emphasized in recent years for mercenary reasons (i.e., we're hoping to cash in on the near-miraculous and sustained boom of the Irish economy).

Sadly, none of them are on The Telegram's website, so you'll have to go out and get a copy of today's (Saturday December 1's) paper to read them.

One letter is from an Irishman who is partially in support of the editorial (he seems to have missed the point, for he largely suggests physical differences between Newfoundland and Ireland. While the countryside around St. Bride's and Point Lance comes close, for the most part no one has ever tried to say our rocky isle in the ocean looks like the old Emerald Isle --- our connection is with the people, the culture!)

The other two letters, though, strongly rebut The Telegram's editorial, and they both originate from here, Placentia. We are ground zero and central headquarters for this 'Irish Rebellion,' as The Telegram puts it.

We've always billed ourselves as the French Capital of Newfoundland. Maybe the time has come to claim Irish Capital of Newfoundland as well?

Santa Claus is coming to town!

2007-12-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

The Placentia Blog is pleased to report that the annual Dunville Lions Club and Town of Placentia

CHRISTMAS PARADE

will be happening on Sunday, December 9, starting at the College of the North Atlantic at 2 pm (floats will begin lining up at 1 pm).

There will be hot dogs and hot chocolate, plus bags full of goodies for the children.

Hopefully, sometime in the coming week, we'll have details about the parade route, and maybe a preview of a float or two!

Folklore and Ghost Stories, Part II

2007-11-30T10:35:00.001-08:00

Well, there were a few nice responses to yesterday's post asking about local stories and folklore concerning ghosts, fairies, superstitions, the supernatural, etc. I'm going to post two of them below, anonymously. If you've got more, send it along to placentiablog@gmail.com --- contributions are the blog's lifeblood!
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The first one is with regards to the devil at a dance on Red Island. It's a local story I've heard a few times myself --- does anyone know any more specific details, such as when this was reputed to have happened?

There was a story about a stranger at Red Island who went to a dance and the dancers could not stop dancing after he arrived. It is said that it was the devil. Ask around and you might find out more about this story.

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The second concerns the spring or well that runs out from under Cemetery Hill in Placentia (I've always called this Swans Spring). I had heard that drinking from it meant you'd never leave Placentia (or, you're destined to always come back). The rest of it is all news to me! Is there anyone else with info about this spring or well? I know (as PATH's comedic skit 'Dirty Laundry' reports) it was abandoned as a water source sometime in the 19th century, because of fear of run-off from the cemetery.

Have you heard anything about the Old French Well under Cemetery Hill and what some locals have said about it? For instance, I've heard about a French soldier's finger that was cut off and thrown into its depths? And weasels that will spit in your eye if you go near it after dark? And if you drink from it you'll never leave Placentia.... or something like that?

Tales of Ghosts, Fairies, and the Supernatural

2007-11-29T05:11:00.000-08:00

Perhaps because I've been reading Wonderful Strange, a collection of supernatural stories from Newfoundland collected by Dale Jarvis (of St. John's Ghostwalk fame), but today I'm wondering . . .

Here in the Placentia area, do you have any stories of ghosts? fairies? unexplained or weird events? Or even just a bit of information about a house that you'd heard was haunted?

Please email them to placentiablog@gmail.com or drop them off at the Placentia Public Library (the blog's headquarters). If you're afraid of people saying you're foolish or crazy, we'd be more than happy to respect anonymity if it's requested.

I'll start.

I grew up in and around the Burnt Woods in Southeast (Bond's Path). There were a lot of children in this neighbourhood in the 80's and 90's. Some were adamant that the curve of road just past the turn off for Lannon's Place and Burnt Woods subdivisions (heading away from Placentia) was haunted. A ghost was supposed to appear there at midnight every night.

At the time, the only building on that bit of road was the old abandoned (now restored) cabin. The old schoolhouse just before the curve had been recently torn down; none of the new houses that are there now had been built. I'm sure we were just easily spooked kids and these abandoned old buildings, the lack of lights, and the encroaching woods were to blame. I never saw a ghost anywhere near the Burnt Woods, and older folks who I've mentioned it to are not familiar with the story.

Another possibility is that the story began as an easy way for parents to get their kids to keep curfew. I know for sure there were some nights when you'd be flying on your bicycle or running fit to kill yourself, to make sure you got past the curve and safely home before the witching hour struck.

Now, working at the O'Reilly House last summer, there actually were a number of minor yet unexplained events . . . .

. . . . but I want to hear stories, first. Remember, email them (or anything you'd like to see here!) to placentiablog@gmail.com or drop them to the Placentia Library.

- The Maintainer
(Michael Collins, if you've been curious who's been running this particular ship)

Railway Station Replica

2007-11-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

Bernard Penney has kindly sent along this picture of his intricately carved model of the old Placentia train station.

As always, click the image to view it larger!

Bernard writes: After developing an interest in woodworking and having a special interest in trains, I decided to make a model of the Placentia Railroad Station that was built in 1888 in the Coalyard on Jerseyside. After approximately 720 hours of work this is the result.

It certainly is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship and work of art, reflecting our history and a lost piece of our architectural heritage.

Tourism Associations

2007-11-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

Tom O'Keefe has been kind enough to email us this story, which appeared in last week's Charter.

A Perfect Fit: Tourism Associations Merge to Form New Group.

A precis: The Irish Loop and Avalon Gateway tourism associations have merged to form the Southern Avalon Tourism Association. The two organizations, representing the Southwest and Southeast Avalon respectively, still exist as separate entities when it comes to other issues such as rural development, but they've joined forces on Tourism.

Here is the new board of directors for SATA, photographed at the merger. They are (back row, left to right) Billy Luby, Rick Hayden, Margie Hatfield, Jeff Peddle, Chris Mooney; (front row, left to right) Elaine Murray, Stan Cook Sr., Maureen Sullivan, Marjorie Gibbons, Martha Mullowny, and Calvin Manning.

Calvin Manning, executive director of Avalon Gateway, sums up the motive behind the move: "What they're promoting is not that different than what we're promoting. We're promoting coastal scenery, we're promoting our Irish heritage, we're promoting bird watching, whale watching, archaeology – archaeology in Ferryland, archaeology in Placentia.”

French

2007-11-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

Is "bienvenue a la ville de Plaisance!" the limit of your French? Feel like you should know a bit more, living in the ancient French capital as we do? Well, here's a great chance to knock the rust off your ol' francais.

On Wednesday nights, from 7-9 pm, Margie McFarlane will be leading classes in French. These are open to the public, and happen in Classroom 7 at the College of the North Atlantic's Placentia Campus. The classes are free, but there is a suggested donation ($2), with the money going to L'Association Francaise de Plaisance.

Learning a second language has proven benefits, beyond opening up job opportunities with the federal government and honouring our local heritage. In fact, Being bilingual actually boosts your brain power!

Anyone who is interested in can email Margie at mmcfarlane@nf.sympatico.ca for more information or to register.

Laval Come Home Year 2008

2007-11-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

Laval High School is celebrating its 40th and likely final year in 2008 (since our shiny new state-of-the-art high school is due to open its doors in 2009).

Thousands of students (an estimate --- does anyone have an exact figure?) have walked its corridors, learned in its classrooms, and socialized in the Centre Block. To commemorate the massive and lasting impact Laval has had on the community --- and to give it one last hurrah from all its alumni --- 2008 has been designated Laval High Come Home Year.

Festivities will take place July 17-20, 2008. All sorts of events are in the works: concerts, open-houses, walking tours, fireworks, family activities, and more.

The re-union's website has plenty of info for the interested and the curious. They're currently looking for photos from days-gone-by, to post on the site.

Tell your friends!

Skewed weathermaps

2007-11-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me, some maps of Canada can be irksome. Why? Well, because we're so far east here in Newfoundland, they cram us into the upper-right hand corner of the map. You'd swear we were next door to Greenland, to look at them.

Well, the next time you want to give a smug "oh-you-must-be-used-to-the-cold" Mainlander a little trip, ask him which city is further south, Vancouver or St. John's. The answer? Why, our dear old St. John's Town, of course, by 187 kilometres too (so here in Placentia, we're more than 200 km south of that balmy BC metropolis).

Just as a trivia fact, we're also further south than Paris. In fact, the French Capital of Newfoundland (our own Plaisance, naturally) is 179 km to the south of the French Capital of . . . er . . . France.

If you click below, you'll see a little display I made up, with the aid of Google Earth. (In fact, all of these figures were calculated with Google Earth . . . what a great time-waster!) This is if major Canadian cities were on the same east-west latitude as St. John's.

As always, click to enlarge the image

Marine Atlantic's Latest Controversy

2007-11-21T10:45:00.001-08:00

Only a few months after volunteers got sick in their lifeboats*, Marine Atlantic looks like it's in trouble again.

It turns out their vessel Atlantic Freighter has a bad case of the ol' asbestos. It turns out Marine Atlantic has known this since the early 1990's. The assumption was that the asbestos were safely contained, but it turns out this may not have been the case.

Beyond Marine Atlantic's too-brief summer presence in our community, there is another local link to this story. As reported in the Charter, a Ship Harbour resident and Marine Atlantic employee has suffered prolonged exposure to the deadly chemicals. The Charter reports that the man's doctor predicts a 90% chance that he will suffer asbestos-related health problems in the future.

Marine Atlantic denies any wrongdoing and says previous air quality tests showed no problems. Look for further developments.

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*during a mock disaster in the Bay of Islands

First snow of the year!

2007-11-19T11:54:00.000-08:00

The ground isn't frozen so it won't stay, but we got our first snow this afternoon, November 19. Lots of people get poetic about first snows, but this light dusting seems a little anti-climatic to me!

Grouse in Southeast

2007-11-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

Two big grouse, right out on the lawn!

(click to enlarge)

Sometimes nature puts on an impromptu show; it's one of the benefits of rural living.

As always, if you've got a picture you'd like to share, please email
it to placentiablog@gmail.com.

Happy One-Month-aversary to us!

2007-11-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Placentia Blog has officially been rolling for a month now! You might note the first post is actually October 3, but I installed visitor statistics software and started promoting the blog on October 15.

In that time, we've had 129 visitors from 8 countries. They've visited the blog 227 times, viewing 435 pages.

Thanks, everyone! Remember to check back regularly for updates! Also, remember, if you'd like to see something here, just email us: placentiablog@gmail.com --- we're always thrilled to hear from people!

- The Maintainer

Placentia Christmas Cards

2007-11-14T10:45:00.000-08:00

Local artist Chris Newhook has been kind enough to forward to us this display of his Placentia Christmas Cards.

Click to enlarge the image and get a better look!

They feature beautiful wintery scenes from Placentia past and present. Starting in the upper left and going counter-clockwise, we have:

- Placentia Courthouse, 1902
- Mount Pleasant, 1900
- Placentia Church and Convent, 1890
- Orcan River, 1905
- St. Luke's Anglican Church
- Winter View of Placentia from Le Gaillardin
- Santa on Castle Hill
- Lower Road, Dunville
- Ship Harbour

Anyone interested in these cards can reach Chris at cjnewhook@nf.sympatico.ca.

Placentia's Floodplain

2007-11-09T06:20:00.001-08:00

Since it's such a rainy day, I thought it might be interesting to take a brief look at Placentia's flood-y history.

Tropical Storm Chantal was a bit of anomaly, as floods go. Up until the 1990's, it wasn't rain that would flood us, it was tide, and it wasn't Dunville or Ship Harbour or Southeast or Point Verde that was at risk, it was the flats of Placentia itself.

Check out this flood risk map, from the Water Resources Atlas of Newfoundland. As you can see, naturally most of Placentia floods approximately once every 20 years; the lighter pink floods once every 100 years. It seems only the area from the Star Hall through to CONA is in the clear. The historic district of town seems to be most at risk.

Unfortunately, Old Placentia's prognosis is not good, from an environmental point of view. According to a Memorial University-run website, although the embankment facing the open sea and the seawall all along the Orcan protects us now, "it will be increasingly difficult to protect Placentia from floods" "if one of the effects of global warming is a rise in sea-level."

I guess we'll deal with it as we always have done. Placentia has had some terrible floods over the years, and in future entries I'll delve further into this aspect of our history. It's part of the geographical nature of the town --- we're Newfoundland's version of Venice or New Orleans.

Rushoon (courtesy Dark Horse NF & Lab blog)

2007-11-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

While the main focus of this blog are the communities from Ship Harbour to Branch (perhaps also Long Harbour and the northern reaches of St. Mary's Bay?), we're always happy to consider Placentia Bay at large. Thus, we were more than happy to receive an email from the maintainer of Dark Horse Newfoundland and Labrador, who has written an informative and enjoyable 'snapshot' of the Placentia Bay community of Rushoon.

First settled around 1830 by a couple of fishermen from England, it gradually grew in size. By 1921 the population was 130, and swelled to 232 by 1945, a good reflection of healthy fish stocks, and source of reliable work.

You can read the whole thing here.

Local Placenames

2007-11-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

This is a partial (and perhaps only partially correct) list of local placenames in the Placentia area. If you know any that aren't listed here, or wish to correct one that is, please email placentiablog@gmail.com, or even just leave a comment on this entry.

Some of them are commonly known, others less so. Many seem to be falling out of use.

Brulee - The marshy area behind the (new) hospital and the mall.

Swans - An older area of town, around the base of cemetery hill. Does anyone know the approximate boundaries of Swans? Does it extend over to St. Edward's School and the Star Hall, or is it just around The Boardwalk bar and lounge?

Sleepy Hallow - The stretch of homes above the Regatta Grounds.

Bond's Path - From Blockhouse Hill to Smelt River. Thought of as part of Southeast by many, but historically a separate community. Older homes seem to center on the brook that flows in the valley before Burnt Woods. Does anyone know the name of this brook? We grew up calling it Bond's Path River.

Crevecoeur - The cliff facing the ocean, just west of Freshwater.

Herring Cove - On the North East Arm, around the turn-off for Ferndale.

Glen's Cove - The landward side of the brackish pond or barachoix (crossed by a causeway) just past Point Verde. This was a community in the past; the old highroad went around the coast and crossed a small bridge at the brook at the base of the cove/pond.

There are plenty more --- this is just a hastily composed collection. Please feel free to add to it, or correct things that are here!

Fall in Placentia

2007-11-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

Fall in Placentia

It's been windy and wet today and yesterday, but the weather was glorious earlier in the week. Clear, crisp but not cold --- perfect for a walk on the boardwalk.

This photos is courtesy of Michael Collins, and was taken a few days ago. Click to view a large version.

Remember, if you've got pictures of your own, email them to us at placentiablog@gmail.com.

We welcome all submissions.

The Silent Time - Paul Rowe's Book Launch

2007-11-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

Paul Rowe reading from his first novel, The Silent Time, at its launch at the Placentia Public Library on the evening of October 29. 55 people attended the free event.

It's hard not to speed . . .

2007-10-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

It sure is hard not to speed on the lovely new asphalt that's just been put down all along the Beach Road and Blockhouse Hill.

I have to confess, sometimes when I glance down I find myself going 70 or more. It's so smooth, it's easy to forget yourself!

I guess we're just reaping the rewards of patiently putting up with all the roadwork this summer. It's going to be lovely when they have the rest of the Town done, I'm sure!

Paul Rowe's Book Launch - TONIGHT in Placentia!

2007-10-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

The Silent Time
A novel by Paul Rowe

Paul Rowe's new novel, "The Silent Time," will be launched tonight, Monday October 29, at the Placentia Public Library at 7:00 pm.

Attendance is free!

Paul, a Point Verde native, will read from his book; copies will also be on sale and available to be signed. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be generously provided by the Library.

Farming Placentia Bay

2007-10-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

When I moved back to Placentia in August of this year, after two years largely spent outside Newfoundland, I noticed something along the Argentia Access Road that I'd never noticed before.

Farms.

I know some (or maybe all?) of them have been there for years, but now you can see furrowed fields and emerald green meadows from the highway, if you risk a pause from the eternal vigilance potholes and moose require.

It's a beautiful sight, the rich earth, the grazing sheep. I don't know if farming is on the up-and-up in our area, or if it simply took 'fresh eyes' to notice it, but we've got some of the most fertile parts of Newfoundland in our neck of the woods, and it's nice to see them made use of.

Then, I opened this week's Charter, and this story about agriculture in the Southwest Avalon piqued my interest further. See the photos attached to the story. They do the heart good, don't they?

There's an Agricultural Development Session on November 1 and 2 at the Bird Island Resort out in St. Bride's. It's hosted by Avalon Gateway Regional Development Inc. It sounds fascinating and more than a little exciting.

So: how many commercial farms do we have in our area? What do they grow? I'm interested to know. Pop an email to placentiablog@gmail.com if you would like to share a farming success story with us.

We'd love to hear from you!

Link

2007-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

The Placentia Blog is always interested in pertinent links! As is the case with all things (photos, essays, community events, historical tidbits), just pop an email containing the link to placentiablog@gmail.com and we'd be happy to post it here.

The Placentia Public Library Board's website has useful info about the Library, some nice local photos (including aerial shots), and a great Writers' Corner, where local writers have some enjoyable literary pieces archived.

Recall the implosion of the 'Q' at Argentia, back in 1999? Just like everything else (or so it seems), Youtube's got it.

An unusual angle

2007-10-16T06:49:00.001-07:00

Cape St. Mary's is probably one of my favourite places in the world, and I've traveled a bit. It's a real gem. The shot of the Bird Rock from the other side of the cove is pretty ubiquitous, almost as common as the shot of Placentia from Castle Hill.

But if you continue on the trail a little and follow it around, you get a really unusual angle that helps us see this natural wonder with fresh eyes.

(Photo submitted by Michael Collins)

Population Changes

2007-10-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Placentia's shrinking population is a depressing topic, but I just spent an hour with my nose in the 1935 census, and it's interesting to see Placentia suffered a similar population drop in that historical period of economic woe. In short, we've been through this before.

First of all, the Placentia St. Mary's district currently has a population of 11,115. This is obviously down quite a bit from the 70's and 80's, but look at what happened to the District's population in the early part of the 20th century:

1911: 16,099
1921: 8,504
1935: 8,454

It almost dropped by half. Boggling to consider, isn't it? It's also strange to think that more people lived here in 1911 than in 2007.

Similarly, the Town of Placentia's population declined significantly in the first part of the 20th century.

In 1901, its population was listed as 1,509, and it was the 8th largest town in the (then) Dominion of Newfoundland. By 1935, it was 1,140, and was down to 21st largest.

I got curious as to what they considered "Town of Placentia" to be in 1935 (as you still hear echoes of the amalgamation debates, almost 20 years old now). In the community profiles, they break the communities down as follows:

1935 Populations (in order)

Argentia: 477
Placentia: 469
Marquise: 283
Dunville: 261
Southeast: 216
Jerseyside: 161
Freshwater: 33

So, adding that up, what we consider as the modern Town of Placentia actually had 1,900 people in 1935, good enough for 12th largest town in Newfoundland (provided other places like Twillingate and Carbonear still have their 1935 boundaries today).

The communities they must have added together to get the 1935 population of 1,140 are: Placentia, Southeast, Jerseyside, Dunville, and Freshwater. So, in 1935, neither Argentia nor Marquise (nor Point Verde) was considered part of the town, but Dunville was.

So what about now? Well, the numbers on the other side of the century tell as sad a tale.

1991: 5,515
1996: 5,013
2001: 4,426
2006: 3,898

But we can take solace in the fact that our area has been through a cycle like this before. Hopefully the population will stabilize and begin to grow in the years to come, if promised industrial developments come through and the Province continues its economic upswing.

Election Results in Placentia - St. Mary's

2007-10-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone knows Danny Williams won a large majority last night, and that our MHA, Felix Collins (PC), was also re-elected, but here are the exact numbers for our district, Placentia - St. Mary's.

Felix Collins (PC): 3086 votes, 79.17% of the vote
Jennifer Coultas (NDP): 812 votes, 20.83% of the vote

According to CBC.ca, the district's population is 11,115 (I wonder what it was 20 years ago?).

If anyone knows the number of registered voters, I'll edit to report voter turn-out in our district. I'm told, unofficially, that 3,896 is about half of what could have voted.

Testing

2007-10-03T06:33:00.001-07:00

This is just to see how this thing works.

Hopefully in the near future, this place will be bursting with pictures, stories, recipes, event notices, personal reflections, and more, all about Placentia, all from Placentia people!

The path leads up! (taken on the Sugarloaf Trail, Ship Harbour)

- Michael Collins