When the Olympic Torch Relay went through Arnprior, Ontario, Canada

Olympic Torch Visits Arnprior

Olympic Torch in Arnprior

Olympic Torch Run Photo by Cathi Harris

-Arnprior, Ontario, Canada, Sunday, December 13, 2009-

The Olympic Torch was carried through Arnprior today. This first photo was taken on Edey Street, just before the runner turned onto John Street, heading north.

At 11:21 AM the Torch left Tim Horton’s on Daniel Street (Out near the 417 construction & confusion.) And made it to this corner in a very short time. It later arrived at the Town Hall at 11:44 AM, where it looked like more people than live in Arnprior were gathered for the festivities, and to say, “Hey, I was there!”

Local video producers and volunteers from TVCOGECO were on hand to capture the moments for their local newscasts and possibly for other programmes that may be in the works.

Passing the flame, Arnprior, ON, 13 December, 2009

Passing the Flame. Photo by Cathi Harris

We were extremely lucky, as soon as the torch-bearer rounded the corner onto John Street, there was another runner waiting to take the flame from there. The two runners paused long enough to be sure the flame had indeed been transferred successfully and then waited for the cheers to quiet down before the new runner took off on his or her leg of the journey.

Beside the torch run itself, there were several other related events in Arnprior today. There was a ‘Fun Run’ (that I almost mistook for the torch arriving here, it would have had to have taken a weird detour to be coming from the west instead of the east) and a Free barbecue at the Shoppers Drug Mart. Downtown streets were blocked off and a stage was set up for a free concert. Stores that are usually closed on a Sunday were open today.

(We didn’t get any photos of the related events as we were concentrating so fiercely on the main event that this reporter has one ‘heckuva’ nasty headache.)

—–Jim—–

Cable Television, Local Access, Town Council Meetings, Availability and “I don’t have a computer”

Overheard Outside the Town Hall This Morning

-Sunday, December 13, 2009. Arnprior, Ontario, Canada.

A Reporter for TVCOGECO was on hand outside the Town Hall in Arnprior today. As he finished up interviewing one of the officials with the Olympic Torch relay, a woman from the crowd came up to him and asked what channel she could tune to to watch what he’d just shot.

He replied, “TVCOGECO, channel 22 in Arnprior or Renfrew.”

The woman responded that she lived in Ottawa, and asked again, “What channel will it be on in Ottawa?”

It won’t be.

She pressed further to ask if CTV or CBC or any of the other local channels associated with any network would air this event.

Her answer was, “No, but you can see it on the TVCOGECO dot com web site, if you click on-”

“But I don’t have a computer-” she complained.

The reporter looked defeated. He looked like he was trying to come up with a polite way of saying, “I’m sorry, then, I can’t help you.”

The woman then blurted, “This is important, somebody has to show this on television.”

Somebody will. TVCOGECO’s got a saying, “Truly Local Television.” Local Cable subscribers will be able to see this news item on their local stations. No Local network affiliate would come out to Arnprior (a town of between 7,500 and 8,500 people, depending on who you ask) to cover really local events such as the Olympic Torch relay through this small town.

If the woman who asked the reporter how she could see this on her television has any friends or relatives in Arnprior, one of them could tape, or somehow make a copy of the News Programme that will cover today’s Olympic Torch relay, and get that copy to her.

Along with Junior Hockey games and other very local programmes that local stations affiliated with the big networks would never even consider covering, The Olympic Torch relay through a town like Arnprior would only find air time on a cable station.

(climbing down from soapbox now…)

—–Jim —–

Arnprior & District Museum Opens for the Season

Second Post in ‘The Arnprior News’, posted by ‘Jim le Cartoon’ on June 21, 2009:

Arnprior & District Museum Opens for the Season

ArnpriorMuseum-Saturday, June 20, 2009

The Arnprior & District Museum held its annual A.G.M., The Museum Board Members elected officers for the coming year and adjourned in time to have the Opening Ceremonies. TVCOGECO was on hand to record the ceremonies as Mayor Terry Gibeau called the Museum a major attraction in Arnprior’s Downtown area.

Senior Conservation Scientist Thomas Strang, of the Canadian Conservation Institute, gave a talk and visual presentation of the process he went through last year to rid the Museum of an insect invasion which threatened some valuable artifacts on display in the various areas of the museum. His presentation could have been called, “Everything you never wanted to know about bugs,” but it was strangely fascinating.

Janet Carlile, the Museum Curator, finished the day’s speeches with accolades for the various volunteers who contribute quite a bit of time and energy to keeping the museum open and interesting.

Refreshments were served and several guests were seen talking in the parking lot hours after we’d thought they’d all gone home for the evening.

—T.Talxalot, Reporter at large

Original Post From Independent Canadian News:

On June 20, 2009 ‘indigostarcrystalradio’ posted in the blog that was originally titled ‘The Arnprior News’:

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