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This guest post was contributed by local photographer Janine Jones. There are many places I like to take photos in St. Thomas. Reasons being that there is some great architecture and nature spots in the area. 1. The Courthouse DistrictI love the vibe in this area. The old houses mixed in with different types of churches, and other great buildings. Old tall trees which carry years of stories. I love being in this area.  Spring Sunset on Gladstone April 2018  Supermoon January 2019 2. DowntownAgain, with the architecture. City Hall, and the CASO Station are the most prominent features of the downtown area. Buildings that look good in all seasons. CASO in particular is one of my all-time favourite buildings. Once a transportation hub, now a home for local businesses and events. I buy coffee there, I insure my car there, I have spent many hours at psychic fairs held in the hall, and I have even spent many work lunch breaks sitting outside the building. A real gem in the heart of the city.  City Hall January 2019  Summer Sunset at CASO June 2016 3. Jumbo & AreaHow could you not like Jumbo? A giant elephant, lit up with by coloured lights. An attraction for all to see and enjoy, despite the tragic story of this elephant. There are also cute houses, and other buildings in the area which I really like. The Old St. Thomas church looks amazing lit up in blue hour!  Jumbo Sunset May 2018  Old St. Thomas Church May 2018 4. Lake MargaretBased at the south side of Pinafore Park, is Lake Margaret -- home to many birds and other wildlife. It's nice to have a lake in the city to relax at and enjoy nature.  Late Summer Sunset September 2017  Moody Morning October 2018 5. Pinafore ParkLast but not least, my favourite chill spot in the city. Whether it's meditating in the forest, walking my dog along the paths, or doing fun photoshoots with friends on the bridge, there is no shortage of things to do here. No matter the season.  Christmas at Pinafore December 2017  Change of Season September 2018 AuthorJanine Jones is a local photographer. She has been taking photos for 25+ years, but decided to get serious about her passion by studying digital photography at a post-secondary level in 2011. She received formal qualification from Open College Dublin in January of 2012.
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 Chris is a multimedia artist practicing in various forms of discipline and mediums, from canvas to murals. As an artist Chris aims to reshape the integral roles of artists in the community and society, exploring opportunities and sharing colour. Tour around St. Thomas and look for Chris' signature graffiti style as murals inside places such as the Back Alley & Mitchell's Soup, or outside places such as the Elgin County Railway Museum (boxcar mural painted with fellow artist Ben Vandevooren).  Mural by Chris at the St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre Chris says about his art "I love to explore the relationship between linear and colour abstraction. Using different mediums like spraypaint and acrylics and different subjects like portraits and landscapes lets me explore those themes." Check out Chris' Instagram account and see what he's up to!  Photo by Curt McInnis  Tucked away in southwestern Ontario is the beautiful and small city of St. Thomas. Once a bustling hub with over 26 railways passing through it, the town continues to offer an abundant of recreational and economic opportunities. Home to over 41 000 people, it’s a stunning place to visit and live. Its rich history and small town vibe play major roles in the city’s current industries and culture. On top of that, here are 5 more reasons why you should visit St. Thomas, Ontario (and see why it’s a great place to live).  1. ST. THOMAS HAS A VARIETY OF ANNUAL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS. Don’t let the size of the place fool you. The residents in St. Thomas know how to have fun. And consequently, they know how to create one heck of a celebration - just check out their annual Canada Day Fireworks show. In addition, the city’s annual events include the Arts Crawl, the Great Lakes International Airshow, Light the Night, the Iron Horse Festival, Beerlesque, the Conductor’s Choice Culinary Tour, and the Santa Clause Parade. In particular, the Iron Horse Festival is one of a kind. It’s even considered the greatest street festival in Elgin County. It involves various rides, street performers, food vendors, and more. The whole festival spans over 4 days in August. And it drives the funding for maintaining the old railway system (The railway system was built in 1872 and is a proud part of St. Thomas’s history). It’s definitely worth checking out. The Railway City Arts Crawl further keeps the winter months alive in St. Thomas with a spectacular display of local artists set in various venues throughout St. Thomas creating on-site. You don't want to miss this unique event! In addition, Beerlesque offers craft beer sampling, live music, food vendors, and more every May. The Conductor’s Choice Culinary Tour is also unique to the St. Thomas area - combining the area’s rich railway history with a culinary experience. All these events define the people and the city of St. Thomas, making it an exciting and enjoyable place to live.  2. THE CITY IS IN AN IDEAL LOCATION!In a quick 30 minute drive to the north, you’ll find yourself in the greater London area. In other words, a visit to a big city is just a drive away! Lake Erie is close to the south of St. Thomas - and it offers a variety of summer activities for the whole family. Beach day anyone? You won’t have to venture far. A short 20-minute drive and you’ll find yourself at Port Stanley Beach. It’s perfect for a day or afternoon adventure.  3. THE ATTRACTIONS DON’T DISAPPOINT.Have you ever been up close and personal with the biggest elephant in the world? In St. Thomas, you can be - at least in the form of a giant memorial statue. Jumbo the Elephant was the biggest elephant of his time. He travelled around partaking in one of the biggest circus shows on earth. Unfortunately, Jumbo met his demise with an unfortunate bump with a locomotive in 1885. The statue, erected in his honor, weighs 38 tons and stands at a whopping 4 metres. It was built in 1985 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his death. And today, it continues to draw visitors from miles around. For beer enthusiasts, the Railway City Brewing Co. doesn’t disappoint. Many of the craft beers are named after historical events - such as the Dead Elephant Ale. All beers are locally made and crafted. Get a tour of the place and grab a few souvenirs while you’re at it! You can also hop on over to the Railway Museum or Elgin Military Museum to take a dive into the area’s historical past.  4. THE PARKS OFFER A VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.The stunning Pinafore Park covers 90 acres. If you love the great outdoors, you’ll live in this place. It has gardens galore, beautiful green space, a wildlife sanctuary, and much more. Take the family for a picnic or a stroll through the park. Make it a weekly affair! Waterworks Park is also located in St. Thomas. This park was the first publicly owned park in St. Thomas. It’s origins go back to the 1900s. 25 acres around the Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) pumping station and water treatment plant was not needed for waterworks purposes. Consequently, the land was developed as a recreational spot for citizen use. Beautiful water gardens were developed in 1932 - which still exist to this day. Today, the park is further home to a splash park as well as trails that allow for cross-country skiing in the winter months. The community centre and YMCA further offer opportunity for ice skating, swimming, running, and more.  5. FOR RAILWAY ENTHUSIASTS, IT’S THE PERFECT PLACE.With its rich railway history, individuals interested in the railway systems of North America won’t want to skip out on a visit to St. Thomas. Due to the city being a major junction for the railway in the 1800s, many buildings arose from this point in time and the city saw vast growth. St. Thomas wouldn’t be the city it is today without the railway system. It has even been called the ‘Railway Capital of Canada.’ St. Thomas is waiting for you! Plan your next weekend or week getaway in St. Thomas. Come explore the beautiful and quaint town, and all it has to offer. AuthorKurtis Forster is a real estate for Team Forster. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate. Their team focuses on London, St. Thomas, Dorchester & surrounding areas.
 As an observer and one of the volunteers of this event I am amazed to watch how it all comes together. On Saturday July 8th 2017 on a picture perfect night, St Thomas found it's main street jammed with an estimated 1200 special interest vehicles. On the newly refurbished front steps of St Thomas city hall an incredible live band could be found belting out songs from the 50's and 60's from speakers mounted on Moonlight Painters genie boom high above the street. The band, DJ tunes and announcements are orchestrated by the one and only conductor Ken Chaplin. A few blocks west of city hall you can find the ragtime piano tunes of Dave Hoy bringing the streets alive. Behind Dave you found the St Thomas Art Gallery with kids activities , a balloon magician along with a face painter for the kids also. Two blocks to the east of city hall at the L&PS replica Railway station St Thomas tourism office one could ride the train for a half hour ride. There were six trains that went out with approx 150 people per trip. While waiting for the train ride one could listen to the buskers at the station or browse through car art and/or info displays.  When this event was started, there was only one requirement that had to continue from year to year. That everything was FREE. You could bring your family for a full night of entertainment and leave your wallet or purse at home. This is only possible due to the efforts of the St Thomas Downtown Development Board and the many businesses that jumped in to cover costs. This year there was a special tribute for a fellow gearhead that is no longer with us. At approximately 7 o'clock we found many cars from the Ontario Nostalgia Drag Racing Association and the East London Timing Association along with John Chandlers incredible AA Fuel dragster fire up for a "Cackle of Respect". That is when it makes you stop and reflect. Are these shows about the cars or the people behind the cars and the people in the crowds? We all know that these machines are expensive to operate, some more than others, however all those involved never blinked an eye when it came time to fire up for a fellow car enthusiast. When it came time to park all these cars up stepped the St Thomas Optimist Club, but with this number of cars many other friends and car owners were called upon to assist as they have in the past. I know at times when they see me coming it is a "Here he comes again". But because of the character of the volunteers they do it again and again for only the smiles it puts on others faces. Even with all the volunteers we found that an extra pair of hands or feet would suddenly be required, a request to the closest person, be it another friend or complete stranger I was never ignored or turned down. That is why I question if an event like this should be called a car show or maybe a show of people and their cars. Here in St Thomas we have a promotional logo" #stthomasproud", I wonder if we need to revise it to #stthomas"people"proud.
Even with all the volunteers we found that an extra pair of hands or feet would suddenly be required, a request to the closest person, be it another friend or complete stranger I was never ignored or turned down. That is why I question if an event like this should be called a car show or maybe a show of people and their cars. Here in St Thomas we have a promotional logo" #stthomasproud", I wonder if we need to revise it to #stthomas"people"proud. AuthorRob Burns is a St. Thomas native, volunteer, and small business owner. Rob has been heavily involved in the success of Nostalgia Nights since day one. |
