In this episode we reflect on the life and times of an amazing woman who brought “lilies for the soul” to our community through beauty and colour. Mary McKay’s story and her connection to Collingwood is both as vibrant and inspiring as her artwork. After the story we invite everyone to check out our sidewalk exhibit on Hurontario Street, celebrating women in local history. A joint project with the Sheffield Park Black History and Cultural Museum, it runs until March 20th. Make sure you find all twelve unique signs showcasing business owners, war-workers, medical professionals, artists (includi ..read more

The quiet routine of daily work and life is shattered by an explosion that rocks the shipyards and surrounding area. Windows are shattered, and a huge piece of the ship crashes down outside of the shipyards. The press of questions come raining down almost immediately. What caused it? Could it have been prevented? Was anyone hurt? And what happened after the dust and debris settled?  Join us to hear the explosive tale of the Norman P. Clement. After the story we express our on-going gratitude to the shipyard workers and their lasting legacy in town. We invite your feedback and ask for your ..read more

While the festive mood of Christmas has been a constant for the people of Collingwood, the shape of their celebrations has seen some interesting changes through the years. Like when the town’s Christmas tree wasn’t a tree at all! Join us as we travel back to the lean years between the two world wars to see what shape the holiday season took when times were difficult. We hope you will find the stories as heartwarming as we do! After the story we talk about family Christmas traditions and invite the listeners to join the Museum in some of our newest holiday traditions. And we ask for your help i ..read more

Just in time for Remembrance Day, we look into the story of not just one local man, but six – and all of them brothers – who took up the call to serve King and country in the First World War. One will have the distinction of serving as honour guard to the King himself on one of Canada’s most important days. But each man’s story is equally important and will range from close to home to Azerbaijan and every place in between. After the story we can’t help but make an incredible story even more so with some added details we know you will like. We also encourage the listeners to find the Ridgway br ..read more

Sometimes the most fascinating history is hidden in plain sight. In this episode we look at a tragic and pivotal moment of our town’s early history through the lens of an underappreciated building in our downtown. A building you have probably walked past and looked past many times already. Come back in time with us as we talk about the day that could have brought an end to our town, but instead only strengthened our resolve to rebuild and continue on, better than before! After the story we invite our listeners to come and visit us in our lovely building to see all that is going on, and to chec ..read more

In the very first story of our second season we listen as powerful men make big plans and pretty speeches and it is left to an elegant lady to do the heavy lifting of creating our town ... practically from nothing! We travel back to January 1, 1855 to witness the arrival of the Lady Elgin and trace the myriad of ways that historic day and its visitor impacted every part of our town’s history right up to today. After the story we dig a little deeper into a couple of the characters associated with the events detailed. One famous fellow (he has his very own Canada Heritage Minute devoted to his s ..read more

To finish off our first season we circle back to our very first episode through the high arctic and a monumental archaeological discovery that our town had a small, but vital part in. History has a unique way of connecting every story eventually, and the many stories of our town are no exception. We can’t wait to make more of those connections in our next season of stories. We take a moment to thank the behind-the-scenes team that have worked so hard to make these episodes available. We hope you have enjoyed them.  And finally, we invite you, the listeners, to come out and join us in pers ..read more

In this episode we go back in time to observe the annual Orange Day Parade through the lens of a fiery local character. And while there on that hot July day we see patriotism, prejudice, a practical joke and just a little bit of profanity all come together to take a very serious (and controversial) international movement and put a decidedly local (and funny) twist on it. After all, a community is defined by its resident characters, no matter what else is going on in the world around it. After the story we let you know about the upcoming summer activities at the museum including late night open ..read more

Take a stroll with us down by the water, not just in the evening but back in time as we explore some of stories that show the changing nature of our town’s waterfront through the years. From the community hub and enter of activity it is today, to idyllic postcard scenes of unspoiled nature of yesteryear, to an absurd tale of nature fighting back against those who would try to tame it, this episode may have you looking at the waterfront in a new light. Following the story Ken has a humorous tale of his own losing battle with nature and we highlight both the trails of Collingwood (many of which ..read more

In this episode we introduce you to Mr. David Williams, a man whose resume both here in Collingwood, Ontario, and to parts beyond defies all belief! Recognized for his tireless work across so many fields, he would win many honours and awards. But a most fitting recognition would escape him as the museum that would proudly bear his name never came to be. And so it is that we honour the  memory of a pivotal figure who helped to create our museum by telling you about the history of a Collingwood Museum that might have been ... but never was. After the story we remember David’s wife Ida, a si ..read more