Timmins Urban Park officially got underway yesterday accompanied by blue skies and wispy white clouds and promises of a great urban outdoor experience right through until the Labour Day weekend.
Throughout the summer, Third Avenue - the heart of Downtown Timmins - will be closed to traffic from Cedar St. to Pine on Wednesdays and from Cedar to Spruce Street from Thursdays and Fridays
“People from Timmins and visitors to the city are welcomed to stroll along Third Avenue, enjoy a concert, buy fresh locally grown produce at our Urban Farmers market, or just relax at one of our patio tables and enjoy a coffee and conversation with friends,“ said Noella Rinaldo, executive director of the Downtown Timmins Business Improvement Association, the group representing downtown merchants.
This year, Urban Park is being organized and administered by two summer students Samantha Goulet and Samantha Chookomoolin
One of this year’s themes for Urban Park is living well.
Yesterday people strolling the downtown pedestrian mall were treated to a preview of ACM Wellness and Arts, a welcoming tent with an array of musical instruments ranging from piano to digeridoo.
“Arts and music is a great way for people to improve their health and self-confidence,” said Andrea Max who will host the ACM Wellness and Arts event every Wednesday’s starting on July 8th.
Passersby are welcome to stop and try out the array of instruments and enjoy the sounds that they produce. Max says that these are not lessons, but an opportunity to explore the various sounds as part of team building and therapeutic efforts.
“It could lead to lessons down the road,” Max said, “But the purpose of ACM Wellness and Arts is to enjoy the sense of joy from the sounds that are produced by the instruments.”
In addition to music ACM will also provide dramatic arts and drawing.
The events and activities of Urban Park will evolve over the summer as people bring forth their ideas for events.
The anchors for the Urban Park 2015 are as follows:
Wednesdays: ACM Wellness and Arts providing drama/art/music classes (team building, therapeutic benefits)
Thursdays: Farmers Markets starting July 9th and running through until October 1, 2015
Fridays: Tunes at Noon, featuring guest performers and Open mic. Also on Fridays the Humane Society will host a booth were pets will be featured
Specific scheduled events are:
July 3 - Tunes at Noon featuring Michael Allarie
July 10 - Tunes at Noon featuring Jeffery Baldock
July 15 - Health Fair
July 22 - Urban Park “Beats on the Street” – literary readings, with poems, rhymes, storytelling, raps, open mic continuing through the summer.
July 25 - Blacktop 3 on 3 basketball tournament
July 31 - Bike Rodeo with Rick Lemieux
August 13-14: Urban Nish at the Urban Park featuring guest aboriginal musicians, open mic, Aboriginal singers, Drummers/Dancers, Teepee, a fashion show and lessons on beading and language.
There will be more to come, as we also have some ideas we need to put into effect.
For more information visit http://www.downtowntimmins.com
(PHOTO: Enjoying the day at an outdoor patio table. From July to Labour Day Timmins' 3rd Ave is closed to traffic and people can enjoy a range of activities from wellness lessons, concerts, 3 on 3 basketball, a bike rodeo, literary readings and a farmer's market. The Urban Farmer's Market continues until October 1, 2015. A family enjoys a musical moment (below) with Andrea Max seated at piano of ACM Wellness and Arts, a Wednesday staple throughtout the summer at Urban Park. Frank Giorno for TimminsToday)
