History moments series launches sixth season

The region’s rich history continues to be celebrated with the launch, Friday, Oct. 14th, of more ‘history moments’ from 5 pm – 7:30 pm at the National Air Force Museum in Trenton.

The event will showcase the premiere of 12 two-minute stories of the region as part of the History Moments television series now in its sixth season.

“These are old stories, but we believe there are new audiences for them,” says the County’s Peter Lockyer, a former CBC journalist and creator of the series. “There was a time when Eastern Ontario was at the very epicenter of Confederation as a driving economic, social and political force. Those days are gone. But as we approach Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations in 2017, it is timely to celebrate the past as a way of preserving it for future generations.”

The series tells untold or forgotten stories of early settlement, founding industries, prominent people and events which have shaped the history of the area and Canada. The series is broadcast on CKWS TV in Kingston, CHEX TV in Peterborough, TV Cogeco cable, before movies at several participating theatres, online on the websites of sponsors and community partners, and is distributed into local libraries, museums, and schools as learning resources.

History Lives Here Inc., Lockyer’s Picton communications company, produces the History Moments series.

This year’s series tells the story of Belleville as a railway town, the building of the Trent –Severn Waterway in the 1830s, the construction of Canadian Forces Base Trenton as a work project during the hard years of the Depression era, the restoration of Picton’s historic Royal Hotel, the history of Albert College, a Belleville private school that is older than Canada, the life of Quinte artist Manly MacDonald, and the making of Picton’s Sir John A. Macdonald sculpture to celebrate the life of Canada’s first prime minister and his early years as a “Quinte boy.”

In this example from the History Lives Here Series, Peter Lockyer explains how Greek immigrant George Cook turned a warehouse on Picton’s Main Street into a theatre and opera house in 1918. The Cook Family operated the facility for many decades. Today, The Regent Theatre is the centre stage for cultural life in Prince Edward County.

The launch event is open to the public. For more information, visit www.historyliveshere.ca