9 am Fortress opens

10 am Elastic Millenium Choir, Chapel

11 am Military Demonstration - Troupes de la Marine and Fraser Highlanders, King's Bastion

11-3 pm Les Barricades Misterieuses Ensemble, Chapel

2 pm BATTLEFIELD RE-ENACTMENT, Fauxbourg

4 pm Tippecanoe Fife & Drum Corps, King's Garden

7 pm Fortress closes

9 am Fortress opens

10 am Les Barricades Misterieuses Ensemble, Chapel

11 am BATTLEFIELD RE-ENACTMENT, Fauxbourg

1 pm Les Barricades Misterieuses Ensemble, Chapel

3 pm BATTLEFIELD RE-ENACTMENT, Fauxbourg

4 pm Elastic Millenium Choir Workshop, King's Garden

4:30 pm Les Barricades Misterieuses Ensemble, Chapel

7 pm Fortress closes

9 am Fortress opens

10 am Les Barricades Misterieuses Ensemble, Chapel

10:30am BATTLEFIELD RE-ENACTMENT, Fauxbourg

2 pm Commemorative Ceremony, Fauxbourg

4 pm Les Barricades Misterieuses Ensemble, Chapel

5 pm Fortress Musicians, Music & Dance, Chapel

7 pm Fortress closes

"Upper Canada Dancers" will perform daily, every 2 hours along the waterfront. Watch for impromptu performances throughout the weekend in the food service area (Morin #57).

Re-enactors will be travelling from points of origin in Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Québec), the United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin) and Europe (England, France and Germany).

A kidnapping has taken place at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Joe Gnome, long time companion of fortress gardener Miles MacDonald, was snatched from his home in the De La Plagne garden early in June. Investigators are at a loss as to who may be responsible. Two separate groups have claimed responsibility and it is said that disturbing photographs of Joe have been sent to Mr. MacDonald in an effort to extort an undisclosed ransom. Anyone who may have information dealing with this matter is urged to contact Warden Douglas Pearl or Warden Lee Anne Reeves, investigating officers at (902) 733-3542. A reward of 3 bushels of carrots and a chicken is being offered to anyone who provides information that may lead to the arrest of the culprits.

On Sunday evenings in July, August and September, a group of ambitious (if not insane) park animators will be presenting "Bloody Sunday", a murder mystery at the Fortress. Although not a sequel to last summer's "Murder on the Quai", it does feature the intrepid Sergeant Dominique Bellefond of the Compagnie Franches de la Marine investigating yet another murder in Louisbourg. But who committed the murder? That problem may be solved by the audience who witness several scenes prior to the evil deed. Act I takes place in the homes and streets of this 18^th century town. While Act II is the investigation where the audience, who up until then are invisible, suddenly become a very real part of this fictional adventure. The show starts at 7:30 pm Sundays, except the weekend of the Grand Encampment (July 25) and the weekend of the Feast of St Louis (Aug 22). Tickets are $12.50 advance and $14.00 at the door. Park and Volunteer Staff are offered a special price of $8.00.

St. Peters Canal Notes

St. Peters Canal is well into another busy season. The fine weather and additional commercial traffic has brought about a major increase in lockages. As of July 4^th, there were 281 lockages; this compares to 181 for this date in 1998 and 144 for 1997- a 95% increase over 1997. Part of the increase is due to Scotia Rainbow Inc., a company from Arichat that has fish farming operations in the Bras d'Or Lakes. In preparing for a major shipment to Japan, they were transporting live rainbow trout from the lakes to the processing facilities in Arichat. They had engaged the services of the "M.V. Forest Glenn", a pumper-transporter boat from the Southern shore. For several weeks, they operated around the clock transporting the live trout. The crew at the canal, Donald MacKenzie, Leonard Whitty and Robbie Mann, were being called out at odd hours in order to let the boat through the canal. I think everyone was glad to see the end of this operation.

A major repair was completed successfully on June 21^st. One of the canal lock gates (18 tons) had broken its upper hinge connection and slumped into the canal. The afternoon was a bustle of activity with cranes, welders, divers and our crew from Louisbourg. It was a great introduction for Darrell Cross (new ironworker trades-helper) on his first day of work. Thanks to the effort, skills and knowledge of everyone, the canal was operating again in the evening.

For the first two weeks of May, guide training took place and actually has taken place a few times since then due to changes in personnel. We have many new and young faces this year and everything is rolling smoothly. June was very busy with the sounds and energy of children throughout the museum during their annual school trips.

Interns hired through the federal Career Edge Program have been working diligently at AGB since late autumn of 1998 and will be here until autumn of this year. They have assisted with outreach programs, helped other community organizations like the local nursery school and they are preparing supplies for summer interpretive programs and are now complimenting the guide service program. Other venues benefiting by hiring interns under the AGB umbrella are the Municipality of Victoria County, Alderwood Rest Home, Baddeck Volunteer Fire Department, Nova Scotia Highland Village and Centre Bras d'Or.

Last fall, the Site hosted activities planned by the Atlantic Digital Media Festival and Awards weekend session and for the National Geographic Society including a tetrahedral kite workshop and sit-down dinner.

A February write-up in the Society's publication Connections clearly indicated the activities at AGBNHS were a most memorable part of their weekend in Baddeck and area: On Friday morning we assemble in full force at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, one of Canada's premier tourist attractions - with its treasure trove of photographs and memorabilia of Bell's scientific experiments and achievements. We hear greetings by National Geographic Society Chairman Gil Grosvenor, then by museum Director Aynsley MacFarlane, whose soft accent we will hear often here in "New Scotland". We think that's the same Aynsley we know. We just never knew how to describe her accent!

Interpretive and attendant staff are in full force as of July 1^st and the Site is now open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. We are offering kite-making and flying (weather permitting of course) every day at 2 p.m. followed by the experiment program at 3:30 p.m. Each morning at 10:30 a.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. is a slide presentation.

Our first fire drill was a resounding success taking 3 minutes to evacuate the building. Since it went off about thirty minutes ahead of time just as the first round of staff was taking "tea break", the element of surprise was greatly enhanced. Our General Works Manager Danny Kaiser was just making sure all was in order when his "pre-test methods" activated the alarm. We wish we had been there to see the look on his face. Anyway, the drill showed us where we need to improve visitor control once outside the building.

General Works staff has found cutting the grass a more frequent duty this year due to the excellent growing conditions we have had. The flower beds were planted with annuals about two weeks ahead of the normal "beware of frost" time and the perennials are in a constant state of bloom as one type of plant finishes and another begins. Now the challenge is to keep the plants watered through this lovely but very dry spell.

Marconi and Grassy Island National Historic Sites opened June 1^st and all is well. Young Canada Works students from across Canada have arrived for the Cape Breton Parks Canada program and pre-planning for the summer activities was done at AGB. So...we are busy...Aviation Day celebrations are August 15^th...to be continued...

Early indications are visitation is up significantly at AGB, Louisbourg and the Highlands. Aynsley reports a significant increase in motor coaches.

Staff News

A recent article, recognizing the accomplishments of Nova Scotia federal public service employees, has highlighted our Curator of Textiles, Elizabeth Tait. Congratulations, Elizabeth!

A warm welcome extended to Amelia Ellis, the new intern working with Wayne Flynn in Informatics!

If you would like to make a submission to the Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Newsletter, please direct same to Wendy Bryan at 733-2280, Extension 3109 or e-mail at wendy_bryan@pch.gc.ca.

 

 

 

 

 

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