Folk and fiddle music concert in Cambridge August 3, 2024

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The members of Portage are: Anne Lederman, Erynn Marshall, Laura Risk, Christina Smith and Jean Hewson.
Canadian folk music group Portage perform Aug. 3, 2024 in Cambridge ON. The members of Portage include: Anne Lederman, Erynn Marshall, Laura Risk, Christina Smith and Jean Hewson. Photo from Portage.

A new group of Canadian folk musicians plans a show in Cambridge on Aug. 3, 2024, at Wesley United Church.

I’ll be the emcee for the show by Portage. I look forward to seeing you in the audience. Tickets cost $20.

For me, it’s a chance to reflect on the annual Mill Race Festival of Traditional Folk Music, that used to be staged downtown on the Civic Holiday Weekend. I always had great fun volunteering on the board planning the event, and introducing musicians on the show weekend.

And on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, folk trio Tea for Three plays at Mill Race Park – where the Mill Race festival began in 1992. The trio include Paul Morris, Gwen Potter & Brad McEwen, who are also members of the band Tethera. Brad was the founder and musical director of the festival. Tea for Three performs at 7 p.m., after Emi-Lee Small at 6:30 p.m.

Last Mill Race Festival staged in 2018

The festival’s last year was in 2018, after 26 years. There’s no plan to revive the festival. Instead, the volunteer folk society is now helping other groups host music events.

I was also a volunteer emcee at the annual Cambridge Celebration of the Arts in June. I was one of three Cambridge Toastmasters members who put our practice into action by introducing performers.

At Wesley, Portage members will showcase their skills as fiddlers, multi-instrumentalists, and singers performing old and new music in a collective artistic adventure.

Their new self-named recording Portage, features ten arrangements of high-energy fiddling from many traditions combining vocals, guitar, cello, piano, bones, feet, and more. 

The members of Portage are Anne Lederman, Erynn Marshall, Laura Risk, Christina Smith and Jean Hewson.

The Cambridge event is organized by Wesley United Church and Mill Race Folk Traditions.

Portage concert information

Sat., Aug. 3, 2024

Wesley United Church – Ainslie Hall

6 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, ON

Concert: 8-10 pm

Tickets: $20:  www.ticketscene.ca/events/48148 or cash/debit at the door

Parking for the show is available behind City Hall, in the Cambridge Street lot.  Please enter the church through the Cambridge Street doors.

Doors and Bar Open at 7:30 pm

For information about the concert, email: events@wesleyunitedchurchcambridge.ca

Be part of Neighbours of West Galt magazine in Cambridge, Ontario

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Cover pages of Neighbours of West Galt magazine
Cover pages of Neighbours of West Galt magazine.

Would you like to be a featured family in Neighbours of West Galt?

As the magazine’s content coordinator, I’m planning future editions for fall and winter. I’d like to feature your West Galt family on the cover, with photos taken by professional portrait photographer Stan Switalski.

The magazine is published monthly by Best Version Media. It is only distributed to selected homes on the west side of the Grand River, in Cambridge, Ontario.

Please contact me directly: kswayze@bestversionmedia.com

Share your events & pet photos!

I’m also always on the lookout for tips and photos about West Galt events to share in the magazine. And I am always ready to receive your pet photos and information, for our monthly Pets of the Month feature page.

Here’s an online submission page to speed things up: https://www.bestversionmedia.com/submit-content

How to freeze a row in an Excel spreadsheet – again

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I’m a grudging user of Excel spreadsheets.

I don’t seem to use them enough in my day-to-day projects in communications consulting and teaching to keep all the tips and magical shortcuts at the top of my mind.

Today, I – again – forgot how to freeze the top row of an Excel sheet while organizing class attendance data. It was for the Creating a Consulting Practice course I teach in the Cloud Data Management program at Conestoga College.

Yes, I appreciate the fact I forget to do things with Microsoft Software in a program that is based entirely on Microsoft Software. This might be part of my challenge: I use a Mac.

Frozen out

This how-to page from the University of Sussex came to my rescue, with succinct advice to freeze a row. The top row is now locked in place where I can see it.

Now, back to sorting attendance data…

Blenheim Road closes May 6 to October 2024 reconstruction in West Galt

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Sign showing Blenheim Road closed May 6 to October 2024 in Cambridge Ontario

Updated July 3, 2024

Reconstruction of Blenheim Road, between Devil’s Creek and Mount View Cemetery started May 6.

The City of Cambridge says the project will close the road until October 2024. A sign posted on Blenheim Road near Blair Road says the project costs $2.2 million, funded by money from Cambridge and Ottawa.

Sign showing $2.2 million cost of Blenheim Road construction cost in Cambridge, Ontario, in 2024
Sign on Blenhim Road near Blair Road in May 2024 showing $2.2 million cost of Blenheim Road construction cost in Cambridge, Ontario. Photo by Kevin Swayze

Blenheim will close at Bismark Drive in the west and Aberdeen Road to the east. The official detour appears to be Edworthy Side Road, Cedar Street, and St. Andrews Street.

Here’s what’s planned:
– water main and sewer replacement
– curb and asphalt replacement
– a multi-use asphalt trail mostly on the south side of Blenheim Road, between the Devil’s Creek trail and the cemetery entrance.

Blenheim Road at the CPKC railway crossing was closed October 30 to November 3, 2024 for crossing repair works.

Impact on Mount View Cemetery

The work has impacted the adjacent Mount View Cemetery.

Five tombstones were toppled by construction equipment on July 19, 2024. Three teens were arrested by Waterloo Regional Police and charged with stealing the equipment and causing the damage on Victoria Day Weekend.

An access gate to the cemetery off Grand Street was also closed on July 1, 2024. It’s a common shortcut through the cemetery for motorists. Other Grant Road access gates were open when the photo was taken.

Sign indicating closed Grand Street access gate for Mount View Cemetery in Cambridge, Ontario, on July 1, 2024.
Sign indicating closed Grand Street access gate for Mount View Cemetery in Cambridge, Ontario, on July 1, 2024. Photo by Kevin Swayze

Canada Day events planned July 1, 2024 in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo

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Fireworks burst in the air over Riverside Park in Cambridge, on Canada Day 2017.
Fireworks burst in the air over Riverside Park in Cambridge, on Canada Day 2017.

Updated July 2, 2024: Parade livestream recording added.

Livestream recording of Cambridge Canada Day parade July 1, 2024.

To all my Conestoga College students, I wish you a Happy Canada Day on July 1, 2024.

There are no classes on the national holiday, so I encourage you to visit community events across Waterloo Region. Here are events accessible by Grand River Transit buses and Ion LRT trains, running on a holiday schedule.

Cambridge: Canada Day events are planned in Riverside Park, 49 King Street West, starting at 8 a.m.  and ending at 10 p.m. with fireworks. A 1 p.m. parade follows King Street, from Bishop Street to Eagle Street, ending near the park entrance. Fireworks are planned at dusk in the park over the Speed River. 

Kitchener: There are events planned from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Carl Zehr Square, in front of Kitchener City Hall at 200 King Street West.  

Waterloo:  A community picnic is planned 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Waterloo Park, at 100 Westmount Road West.  The ION LRT tracks cross the park, with access at the stations at Seagram Drive and in downtown Waterloo.   

Here’s a listing of all the public Canada Day fireworks locations in Waterloo Region.

See you in our next class!