Daily Archives: July 15, 2010

By Doug Draper

Plans by a coalition of interests, including the Niagara Arts Council, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and others working under the name ‘Project Niagara’, to launch a summer music festival on lakeshore lands in Niagara-on-the-Lake are dead.

This Niagara Project vision of a summer evening music festival along a scenic stretch of Lake Ontario shoreline has faded to black.

Project Niagara has pulled the plug on its plans for a 17-week festival on 270 acres of Parks Canada lands along Lake Ontario, reportedly due to a realization that it is not likely to get the tens-of-millions of dollars in funding it would need from Ontario’s provincial government and the federal government to turn it into a reality.

The demise of this $76-million vision for a ‘Tanglewood-like’ venue for music under the stars will sadden some. But there are no doubt others – especially people living in the vicinity of the lands where the festival would go – who are relieved by the news. Continue reading →

(For all you lovers of classic old cars out there on both sides of our binational border, Niagara At Large is posting the following media release from the City of Port Colborne, Ontario.)

The Horseless Carriage Club of America will embark on a Niagara Vintage Tour Sunday, July 18 to Friday, July 23, and will cruise into Port Colborne July 20 with about 60 cars and make its way to the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum at 2 pm.

This 1910 Cadillac is one of about 60 antique cars that will be touring Niagara, Ontario later this July.

The club – which defines the Horseless Carriage as any pioneer gas, steam, or electric motor vehicle built or manufactured before January 1, 1916 – is one of few clubs to represent the dawning of the age of the automobile. Continue reading →

By Doug Draper

The Port Colborne Public Library is featuring a special exhibit of photographs by Welland photo artist Terry Nicholls beginning this Thursday, July 15 and running through October 15.

A piece titled 'Riverside', one of many works by Terry Nicholls on exhibit at the Port Colborne Public Library.

The exhibit opens at the library this July 15th at 6 p.m. through 8 p.m.; with the artist of 30 years on hand to greet all from the public who wish to meet him and experience his work.

“When I was asked by a member of the library’s board if I would like to exhibit my work this summer, I was both delighted and somewhat stunned,” said Nicholls. “I had a few pieces entered in the Roseland (Port Colborne’s premier arts venue) Juried Show a couple of years ago. But I never had a solo gig before. … Nor have I had to work so long and hard matting and framing, with twenty-seven pieces in a show. …

” I photograph whatever happens to catch my attention as I’m walking around – whatever forces its way into the “frame” I carry with me in my mind’s eye,” continued Nicholls. “I’m very selective about how I shoot. Usually I’ll take only one or two exposures, perhaps using different lenses or viewpoints. …

“I try not to ask myself whether it will ultimately make a strong enough image to print. I just try to figure out exactly what it is about the subject matter that interests me – the colour, the light, the context, the shape, line, or texture – and then I see how I can work with the file later to bring those factors to the fore in a composition which I hope will arrest the viewer’s eye as the initial sight caught mine.” Continue reading →