JOIN
US for stories and songs celebrating railways, trolley-cars and Britannia Park!
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| Ottawa Electric Rail Car circa 1900. Ottawa City Archives. |
PRESENTED BY: The Workers’ History Museum
TIME: Thursday 29 November at 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: The Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre
2805 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON
TICKETS: $10.00
A STORY: The Almonte Train Wreck - remember the people who
worked on the trains of the Ottawa Valley and specifically those who came to
the aid of NO 550 – Pembroke Local during the night of 27 December 1949. 36
people died and 207 were injured.
“Anyone with any sense would have stayed by the fire
that dreadful night. Snow and sleet competed with freezing rain as engineer Joe
Sauvé, and conductor M. O'Connell approached train No. 550 in Petawawa on
December 27, 1942. They would have to pull the 10 wooden cars with “the
contemptible old hog”! The engine: light Pacific No. 2518 had plied the tracks
of the Ottawa Valley for 34 years and in all that time, it had not had a single
trip that went smoothly.
This would be its most disastrous… Thirty six people
died and 207 were injured…”
SONGS: Chris White will sing Mac Beattie’s song:
Train Wreck at Almonte. He is writing a song about Britannia Park and will sing
some of his own songs.
WORDS OF WISDOM: Ken Clavette will talk about the
Workers’ History Museum exhibit on Britannia Park -- the People’s Playground.
TROLLEY CARS David Jeanes will talk about the about
the street cars that took Ottawans out to Britannia Park for fresh air and
romance.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Donna
Stewart and Ruth Stewart-Verger are storytellers with
years of experience recounting tales of Canada’s history. They come from a long
line of CN and CP railroaders. Donna and Ruth have told stories on all three of
Canada’s coasts, and everywhere in between! Donna was given the title “Elder”
by the Storyteller’s of Canada/Conteur du Canada’s national conference in 2003.
Ruth has recorded two CDs of Canadian history. The stories we tell of Canadian
Railways have been researched through academic texts, Archives and the
newspapers of the time, but they are heavily influenced by family stories we
have heard all our lives!
Chris
White: Musician; community organizer; activist;
co-founder and past artistic director of the Ottawa Folk Festival, Chris White
is an integral part of the Ottawa Community. Chris will perform his original
songs, one written for this event about the impact of Britannia Park on the
local community.
David
Jeanes: A former President and current member of Transport
2000 and Heritage Ottawa, David has a long-standing interest in transportation
and architectural heritage. He is also part of the Ottawa Heritage Streetcar
Committee, working to plan, build and operate a heritage streetcar system in
downtown Ottawa.
For more information contact: info@workershistorymuseum.ca
@WorkersHistory #Almonte1942
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