Feature Article June 3, 2004
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Save the Halls
Many people in North Frontenac have been wringing their hands and shaking their heads over the plight of the halls, and wondering where the money will come from to upgrade them and pay for the provinces expensive water regulations. But Frank Morrison, with a little help from his friend Dwayne Scudder, is actually doing something about it.
Frank Morrison has been putting on musical events over the years in many places, and when the relative newcomer to North Frontenac heard about the problems being faced by community halls in the township he decided to put on a series of concerts to showcase the halls and try and raise money to help with hall maintenance.
Never one to do things in a small way, Frank announced at a press conference in Plevna (probably the first press conference ever held in Plevna) that there will be a total of 10 different shows at halls throughout the township and in Flinton over the next six weeks.
Morrison talked about the importance of community halls to the township, and agreed with Mayor Ron Maguire when he said the township council did not want to see any halls close down.
The first event on the summer schedule will actually be the only event that takes place outside of the township. It is a dance on June 19 featuring a band from Toronto called Nat King Kong. Morrison says Nat King Kong plays rock nroll the way its supposed to be played, the way they played it in the 50s and 60s.
The concert will also feature special guests throughout the evening. It starts at 8 pm and runs until 1 am, and will be a licensed event. It was originally going to be held at the Clar-Mil Hall in Plevna, but was moved to the Flinton Hall because it is a larger venue, and based on early indications Morrison is expecting a strong turnout. The Nat King Kong dance will cost $10 per person.
On the very next day, Sunday, June 20, from 2-4 pm, a concert at the Snow Road Hall featuring Neville Wells will take place.
Neville Wells was born in Newfoundland, but was raised in Ompah. He moved to Ottawa in 1959, and has played in the Ottawa area for many, many years. In 1989 he founded the Ompah Stomp, was named Country music person of the year by the Canadian Country Music Association in 1984 and was inducted into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994. He will be joined by Frank Morrison, Dwayne Scudder, and other special guests. Admission is $8.
Other Neville Wells shows are scheduled for Sunday, June 27 in Ompah from 2-4 pm; Saturday July 3 from 7-9; Sunday July 4 from 2-4 at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne; and Saturday July 24 at the Harlowe Hall.
Look for announcements later about shows featuring Echo Mountain, three-time eastern Ontario Country and Bluegrass champions on July 17 & 18, and shows on the August long weekend with Echo Mountain and tribute acts to the Andrews Sister and Shania Twain.
Before Frank Morrison left the press conference he extolled all the people present to tell ten people about these concerts, and get those people to tell ten more. We need to fill these halls in order to save them.
After Morrison left, the press conference descended quite a bit with the arrival of Dwayne Scudder, the hairy singer from Donaldson, who will be the emcee for all the concerts. Mayor Maguire presented Scudder with a certificate proclaiming him the cultural ambassador of North Frontenac but Scudder wondered why the document was not even written on township letterhead and Maguire confessed to having signed it with his left hand.
Still, Scudder said he might show up at some of the events if he can get time off from his lucrative promotional work for Gemmills Store in Snow Road.
