Markham Creates
MARKHAM CREATES COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Finalists Announcement – July 1, 2020 at 10 AM!
Join Mayor Frank Scarpitti and representatives from the City of Markham’s Culture Department and Markham Public Library for the official unveiling of the Markham Creates Community Arts Challenge finalists, as part of the City’s Virtual Canada Day Celebrations.
The virtual initiative was launched in late May to get the community to unleash their creativity and showcase their talents while we physically distanced to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Five finalists will be announced in each of the following categories:
· Performing Arts
· Visual Arts
· Exhibit Design
· Creative Writing
The 20 finalists will also get the special opportunity to be mentored in their field by professional artists such as Jully Black, George St. Kitts, John Abrams, Missy Marston and more.
Tune in on July 1, 2020 at 10 AM and celebrate our local artists on Canada Day. Because, Markham’s got talent!
Thank you to all who participated in the Markham Creates Community Challenge.
The City of Markham invites all residents of Markham to create, engage and share your artistic expressions and be part of a city movement. During a time of social distancing, through the arts, we can connect.
“Markham Creates” is a call to Markham residents or groups to showcase your creativity through a medium of choice: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Exhibit Design. and Creative Writing.
For full challenge details, please visit Markham.ca/creates
Five top finalists (in each category) will be chosen and shall receive:
- MENTORSHIP by a distinguished professional artist in the respective discipline
- PERFORMANCE/EXHIBITION
- ONLINE EXHIBIT/SHOWCASE
- CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION signed by Mayor Scarpitti.
The four Categories you can submit to:
- Performing Arts (Flato Markham Theatre)
- Visual Arts (Varley Art Gallery)
- Exhibit Design (Markham Museum) *NEW OPTION FOR SUBMISSION*
- Creative Writing (Markham Public Library)
If you have any questions, please contact markhamcreates@markham.ca
How to enter your submission:
- Complete the Submission Form no later than 11:59 PM, EST on Wednesday June 17, 2020. *NEW DEADLINE TO SUBMIT*
- All required documents or video uploads as specified by each category must be included with your Submission Form in order to qualify. Only one submission per applicant is permitted per category.
- Once you make a successful submission – please check your email to ensure you receive a thank you confirmation.
- Check out the Virtual Display pages below “Performing Arts” / “Visual, Writing & Exhibits”
The selection committee will consist of a panel selected by the City of Markham. The committee will review all submissions and select five finalists in accordance with the category selection criteria to be announced on Canada Day!
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The Varley Art Gallery wishes to engage the community through creative expression while celebrating visual arts and culture in Markham.
This program is open to artists of all abilities, aged from 13 years to senior citizen, who are interested in receiving mentorship and coaching in relation to their art practice.
At this time the project is specifically focused on artists who paint.
Enjoy viewing submissions from our creative community! Content displayed here are initial submissions only.
View All Ideas3 months ago
Anna Edmonds - Claire Chen
Artist Name: Claire Chen Title: Anna Edmonds Medium: Digital Painting Artist Statement: I created this art because I had a interesting burst of inspiration. I also did this, because I had typed a story, and I wanted to create a character, and know what it would look like. I believe that people should do art for leisure,and I'm proud of this.
3 months ago
Navigating Renewal - Sherlyn Hu
Artist Name: Sherlyn Hu Title: Navigating Renewal Medium: Artist Statement: Sherlyn Hu is an emerging artist, experienced social worker in mental health, author, and holistic nutritionist living in Markham. She values the transformative power of communities joining together to nurture wellness and facilitate changes through art.
3 months ago
Submission - Sandra Cao
Artist Name: Sandra Cao Title: Medium: Oil Artist Statement: Walking on the waterfront trail has inspired me to paint this work. I combined several elements that I love into this painting. Even though this pandemic makes us depressed sometimes, we should always remember the beauty and peace that we have here.
4 months ago
Submission - Elizabeth Sung
Artist Name: Elizabeth Sung Title: Medium: Water Colour / Acrylic / Other Artist Statement: Due to schools transitioning to e-learning because of the coronavirus, my school art teacher was assigned my class some unconventional projects. The directions for this piece in particular were to paint items my family stocked up on recently.
3 months ago
Minecraft Fox - Jules Mah
Artist Name: Jules Mah Title: Minecraft Fox Medium: Acrylic Artist Statement: Jules is an elementary school student who loves to bike along the trails and bike routes around Markham. He started studying piano this year and enjoys playing really fast!
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New option for the Exhibit Design challenge! Do you have a collection, that is, do you collect stamps, figurines, photos, etc.? Did you know that your collection can be turned into an exhibit and the Markham Museum is here to help! Please note that if you have started your family history in Markham exhibit, we still are accepting those submissions too!
The submission must include:
2-3 photos showcasing your collection
A short statement as to why you were inspired to collect those items in particular and what significance it has to you. Your collection can be one that you started or you have carried on from someone else. It can have 5 items or can have 1000!
Original Challenge (still open for submissions)
The Markham Museum invites the community to creatively relate the story of their family’s settlement and/or life in Markham using words, images and family ‘artifacts.’
The Exhibit Design of your family story may include panels, models, maps, illustrations, audio, video and/or photographs of people, events and/or significant family objects.
Enjoy viewing submissions from our creative community! Content displayed here are initial submissions only.
View All Ideas3 months ago
Dhara Bharanitharan
Saw hundreds of bees buzzing...favourite one of mine
3 months ago
Emma Zheng
This is my 4 year old daughter Emma drew her pet Teemo. Her idea was that inside Teemo’s body were things Teemo loves. Teemo loves watching others playing basketball outside. He loves his toys and collars and etc. Outside Teemo’s body are things that he doesn’t like. Teemo doesn’t like to take a bath. He doesn’t want to brush his teeth or go to training pad to pee and others. Markham is a pet friendly community and we often see people walking their dogs all around the parks and trails.
3 months ago
Ananiya Narmathan — Mineral Collection
For almost 2 years, I have collected numerous seashells, rocks, and minerals with my family. Each rock, mineral, and seashell have their own unique features and are all beautiful in their own way. I have used majority of the seashells I have collected for crafts so here are the minerals and rocks I have collected...
3 months ago
Lesley Wooton - Unusual Craft Tools Collection
I am a founding member of the Markham Guild of Village Crafts, and for many years taught traditional rug-hooking for the Guild. I am a collector by nature, and among other interests enjoy travelling and collecting antiques. Therefore crafts, from here and other countries, and through the ages, coalesce in my interest in collecting unusual craft tools that people have used to create, to make their work easier and enhance their lives. My collection ranges in materials from metal to wood, silk, paper and plastic; in size; and in age from the 17th century until today.
3 months ago
Juanita Castro - Markham, Our Home, Our History
Thank you Markham for being part of my family's history in Canada. I only have words of gratitude to Markham, the city that as an immigrant family received us with its supportive people and secure environment. Once my parents knew about Markham by all moving to Canada two years ago, they happily decided to make it our home. A place they were sure my sister and I could be raised within a great and positive environment. This quarantine time has allowed me to value our neighbourhood, Cornell, in Markham. Being surrounded by all its nature that has been greatly preserved and respected, inspired me greatly as an artist. Walking safely with my family in Markham's streets and parks makes me value our freedom as immigrants. In Markham, we've found people's generosity upon our adaption, as well as the great organization in the city that promotes our citizen principles.
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Participants will submit one piece of original, unpublished creative writing. The story must centre around their experience arriving, settling, or living in Markham. The story is to be presented in one of two ways.
- A poem, which can be in any form, but must be under 5000 words.
- A fiction piece, which must be under 5000 words.
Enjoy viewing submissions from our creative community! Content displayed here are initial submissions only.
View All Ideas3 months ago
Seasons - Ashley Tjon-Hing
Artist’s Statement: I write because it’s fun; I can create a whole new world for my readers to experience life through my own eyes using words on a page. I think anything can be challenging to write. But once you find your direction, the ideas just keep flowing. I hope to connect to others with my works, and help them find themselves. Seasons A new town, a new place; A home unlike before. Green fields, farm land; A new front door. Still a greenhorn in town; Just a few years old. Still upset with my parents That our old home was sold. A new school, new neighbours; Time to make new friends. I wonder if I’ll adapt To the different trends. Years later the town grows; No longer a town, but a city. More shops, more homes, And more trees to make it pretty. A few close friends And a summer job; A secret crush That makes my heart throb. Now older, maybe wiser, I strive towards my dream. With hopes that things Will be easier than they seem. My crush, now love Now bound to me forever We promise each other To always be together The sickness is sudden Our situation dire As he rests in bed I begin to perspire. A loss so great; I wonder if I can move on? My tears run dry At the break of dawn. I stand back up That’s what he’d desire. I steel myself And relight the fire. I try and try, But again I fall. But I don’t give up And give it my all. I take each opportunity And as many they come I’m grateful this place Has many to drum. Through hardships and pain I work towards my goal With support from my city I let the ball roll. The air is frigid But still I persevere. Although I’m afraid, I throw away my fear. In the end I’ve done it I can’t believe it’s true; I’ve found my place In this home, anew.
3 months ago
Dhara Bharanitharan - Marina
Marina - Written by Dhara It is a sunny morning and clock was ticking 6.00am. Lot of people going walking on road, lot of car, ambulance, police, fire trucks sounds, lot of kids playing sounds in the parks and all tall buildings. In one of the tallest building , on the 30th floor, there lived a girl named Marina. Marina lives in a tall apartment home located near Sheppard and Yonge intersection. She is 6 years old , studying in Grade 1 with her favourite colour as light pink. She is short, not tall and brings always smile in others face because she always keeps her mouth as smiling mouth. Marina is kind girl and loves her family very much. Her dad is fun and playful all the time. Her mommy is helpful and kindful but most of all she likes the hugs and kisses they both would give. Marina also has a baby brother and he is always naughty, fun to play with him. Marina loves to go school everyday without fail since she feels school is place to have learning with fun. Her teacher name is Ms.Lavender. Marina did her daily schedule at school itself. It is mentioned to have some reading. Marina lovers to read all types of genres but most liked ones are comics and funny stories. Her teacher told to read a non fiction book but sadly she did not know what a non-fiction book. so she asked her teacher and her teacher explained Marina about non fiction. On and On days passed by until on day there was an assembly, Marinas day and mommy were there. When the teacher announced the name of the people who are getting awards. Marinaʼs name was called out. Marina was happy and she had such a big smiling face. When Marina was holding the award, her mommy and daddy were happy and taking pictures. After which Marina was walking with her mommy and Daddy. Her mommy told that they have a surprise for her when they reach home. When they got home, Marinaʼs father told her that We are moving to new place. Marina was shocked, surprised, big smile and was so happy to see the new place but Marina would have to say but to her friends and teachers. Marina still wanted to know about new place so that she can tell her friends and Mommy told here that they are moving to Markham. So before the moving day, Marina made sweet cards and nice presents for her classmates and to her teacher. She still needed to ask her dad something else. Yes it is the same question in your mind. Why do we have to move ? Her daddy told that we have to move because then we will need more space as family is bigger now, study room for Marina, play area for baby brother. Ohh yea said Marina and she was thinking that when she moves then she needs to go to a new school. Marina moved to new place and she was excited about each & every thing. Markham because her exploring place since it had very close park, school, shops, good place to ride cycle, long walk near the lake, small running near the rail track. Marina enjoyed herself by exploring nature a lot in Markham. When Marina joined new school, she is now in Grade 2 and no friends. Marina entered the doors of her new school with the hope of making new friends and see what Markham school bring her with fun. She did not have any friends and slowly got use of it. Her teacher Ms.Posie showed her the school around a bit but suddenly a girl said “Hi..” I am Mia and asked me Whats your name ? Marina introduced her and that moment changed everything for her. Both of them are best friends till now. They played together, talked lot of things together, lot of teamwork fun plays were done with her. Marina was so happy since Markham showed her nature beauty , new experience and made new friends and her best friend Mia. Everything was happy until Mia told that she is moving to a new place. Marina felt very sad because Mia is her best friend but Marina understood that she is going to new place and will be happy there too. Marina Mommy explained about changes that will happen to everyone and we need to adapt quickly and easily. Marina made a friendship card and gave to Mia with big hug. She made new friends and they are also nice to Marina. But then came CoVid-19 virus and it made to be in home and only home. Marina did not go to school or to play outside in parks. Marina followed the rules to stay away from crowd but we wanted something to keep us busy so we started taking photos. We took so much photos and some of them were nature photos, some of them were crafty photos, some of them were insect photos and some of them were animal ones. The animal photos took forever because you can never get a great shot but we did. It was fun having a hobby. It was a great experience doing all these fun stuff and going out for tiny walks with my family. While she was walking then she saw a board and her mommy said about the competition on story writing. Marina shared all her stories from old place to new place, old friends to new friends, from new classroom to now new google classroom. Marina thought life is full of changes and lets make fun stuff with new new things. She completed the Marina book story and was waiting what this story book is going to bring change to Marina. ******************************* THE END********************************* Dhara - Grade 3, Markham Hi I am dhara and 8 years old an in grade three.I wanted to write this story because I really like writing stories and it was a very great topic . I also had a great time writing this story because I am like telling about what happened before day and I really liked thinking about what happened before this day .It reminds me of my friends and other stuff.
3 months ago
A Year in Markham - Sherry Shu
Artist’s Statement: I wanted to reflect on my experiences growing up in Markham through a coming-of-age journey, showing the passage of time and personal growth through four different seasons. I centered all of my experiences around Toogood Pond, as it was one of the most important places of my childhood, containing so many fond memories. I write to capture unique human experiences, and depict deeper emotions and themes through simple examples. It was difficult for me to make all of these pieces connect, and make them as relatable to the reader as possible, since they were deeply personal experiences. Enjoy! A Year in Markham i. Spring “Toogood Pond? That’s a funny name!” I screeched in the middle of the walking trail, making my sister burst into laughter. The nature sign glinted off the summer light, and on the very top, the stretching string of ‘Os’ dashed across my vision as I stood on my tippy-toes, lifting up my pink hat to take a closer look. “Why is it Toogood? Too-good. Tooooo. Goooood.” I rounded my lips around the new, strange syllable, stretching it out and making my pitchy voice vibrate around the tone. The old ladies that sat on the nearby bench are staring at the strange, bulgy-eyed child with a quizzical smile. The family walking in front looked behind with exasperation as they deleted their fifth attempt at a baby geese video. Even the birds on the trees have stopped their dewy calls and turned to gaze in awe, wondering how such a little creature had the capacity for such a major commotion. “Toooouooouououou-” “Shhh, Sherry, xiaoshengyidian! ” (1) Mom muttered sternly, blushing with bright embarrassment. Dad giggled with pride, while Sister simply shook her head at the antics of her tiny partner-in-crime. After a bit more searching, we found a geese-poop-free section of the grass right at the waterfront and rushed to claim it before another family eyes the limited real estate. I saw onlookers staring, and I gave them my proudest grin. For the longest time, I thought they were looking at my hat - my favourite watermelon hat. Tinted pick, with little black dots and green fringe around the edges; the first cool thing I’d gotten ever since we’d come to this brand new place Dad had called Canada. I didn’t know that they were really staring at Mom and Dad because they looked new to the area. They’d brought the essentials for this new phenomenon locals call a picnic - the checkered blanket, cooler, paper plates and towels, and two bright blue Home Depot fold-up chairs that would soon become browned and faded. But instead of sandwiches, sliced veggies, and salami strips flying out of the cooler; there were ‘tea-eggs’, smoked pork slices, soup baos (2), and spring rolls. I didn’t see the few scary faces that Mom, Dad, and Sister were focusing on - the frustration at this batch of newcomers. I didn’t understand that the others didn’t speak the Mandarin my parents mumbled as they struggled to unfold the chairs. I simply waddled around the site with a fistful of dandelions, a bright pink spot in the clearing. I let out a blow after collecting as many as I can carry, and watched the little ‘fluffs’ set off on their sky-bound journeys. While my parents were still setting up the delicious feast, I wandered away from the main setup, looking for more pretty dandelions to pluck. Before I could blow, the big beast of wind came down from the sky, setting the fluffs free. “Hello, Mr. Wind!” I call. But the beast is so strong, it throws my precious watermelon hat into the sky, drifting gently towards the steady ripples. “No! My hat!” I pounced, a tiny cheetah chasing its prey, towards the bright pink blur in the sky. The yells of my parents to ‘come back this instant!’ faded out as I rushed further and further away, and closer to the pond’s open gullet. Just before I was about to dash into the rapids, a great big hand stretched out of the sky, snatching the hat right before it floated out of reach. I stood on my tippy-toes, looking up to see a man with glasses and a funny handlebar mustache, with one hand clutching a fishing rod, the other grasping the precious pink fabric. “Thank you!” I cried, as the man put the hat back on my head with a gentle pat. Mom, Dad, and Sister aren’t far behind, gasping for air. “Thank you so much for getting her hat back… she can really be a bit of a klutz at times!” “No problem!” The man smiled. “I’ve got a daughter her age as well, and I know how often things just fly out of her hands without her control.” Mom and Dad start chatting up a storm with the kind stranger - the first new conversation they’d had since they’d gotten to Markham. With my hat squarely back on my head, I’m ready to go back to our picnic area -- before I notice a girl next to the stranger, also picking dandelions, clad in a small purple hat. “Hi, my name is Sherry - what’s yours?” “I’m Catherine. Nice to meet you!” We were new to the neighborhood, but we’d already made our first few friends. ii. Summer I stepped out of the car with cheese-string legs, barely dodging the trail of a bright yellow car. The Crosby parking lot is packed beyond capacity, honks and lights flashing at every turn. Some of the parkers were heading across the street to the pond walking trails, while others were parents and coaches, eager to see their kids play. I double, then triple-checked my floppy pockets for the “free hot dog” and “free drink” coupons we’d gotten the previous game. The pink-black leather mitt was slipping off my sweat-coated fingers -- I didn’t know if it was the sweltering mid-June heat, or the fact that my heart was pounding at sonic speed. I hated this day every year. I hated the anxiety, the suffocating crowds, the blasting music, the hubbub of never-ending noise, and all of the coaches, parents, and players watching from every corner- “Hey Sher, how’s it goin’?” Catherine grinned, throwing a hand around my shoulder when I stepped up to the food line, sporting an identical long yellow jersey and purple cap. “I’m not ready to let everyone down, Cat.” I moaned. “I’ve been practicing throwing and catching with my dad every day, but I’m still not getting it…” “You’ll be fine, Sher! You played an awesome second base today during the third inning. And remember, the skills challenge doesn’t matter as much as the actual games. It’s all just for fun!” But deep down, I knew that wasn’t true. The skills challenge determined who rose up or plummeted to the bottom in the invisible player rankings list. Why did they have to choose me this year, when there were so many better players? Every year, I’d make a mistake during the challenge under the competitive pressure. I’d always been the “new girl” on the team; the teammate whose pop flies bounced out of her glove because they were just out of reach; who’d strike out at bat because she’d forgotten to swing, praying it was a ball. As nice as the other girls were to me, chatting at the dugout or encouraging me in training drills, I knew they saw me as a handicap. Ten-year-old me had to defend my dignity. I refused to give them another reason to look down. We finally got to the front of the line, and I asked for a hot dog and blue Kool-aid -- keeping with tradition. The normally delicious bites are hard pills to swallow as my stomach twisted and turned, watching the boys’ division finish their tournament. “Now… it’s time for our Mite Girls! Can all our mighty Mite Girls teams report to the field?” We stepped into the rose-coloured sand, most of the girls giggling with excitement. I tried my best to mimic and smile and put on the same performance. “The first challenge we have today is the throwing relay! Can the chosen teams from each of the teams please step up?” With a gulp, I turn to Cadence, Sally, and Jackie -- my team for the event. We strode to the grass and arranged ourselves into a line, evenly spaced apart, the same way we’d done every week prior. The pink team to our right gave us a set of sneers as they looked down at their much shorter competition. “Whichever team is the first to throw the ball within their team back and forth, twice, will be the champion! Remember, the whole team has to be seated at the end of the relay. Andddd… GO!” Toss. The ball went at the right height, in Cadence’s direction, who was already turning around to Jackie before it landed safely in her glove. Cadence then aimed it to Jackie, and the rest of the line continued. Every second was a passing heartbeat, where I could do nothing in response but sit and continue to stare, praying that the ball wouldn’t betray us by choosing to blast off to another universe. As it reached the end of our line and began making its way back, I snuck a quick glance at the other teams. Orange Number Three was still fumbling. The Purples had also made it to their last player - but the Pinks were just the tiniest bit ahead. I gritted my teeth, hoping we’d be able to pull ahead for the second round. As it continued to saunter through the air, it finally came right back up at me, and I reached out my glove in hope. Plop. I fumbled to get it out of my glove before passing it forward for the second cycle. “And our girls are finishing their final round -- time is counting down! Who will be the team to finish it first?” Sally. Down. Then Jackie. Then Cadence. Then Me. It’s coming towards me. I reached out my trembling glove. The arc was high and smooth -- high -- too high. I watched it flutter to the cloudtops, above Cadence’s horrified stare. I knew it would easily soar far above my outstretched arm, costing us the tiny lead we’d been able to build up. So I lept. My ten-year-old self summoned up all the strength she had, from the tips of her toesies to the bits of her fingers, and attempted a great big jump. I watched as my left arm moved up, seemingly autonomous of my control, scraping the edge of the round surface before free-falling back down. I heard a startling cry of frustration exit my body, before crashing butt-first into the ground I sobbed - I knew I’d lost it for the Yellows. I looked up with tears streaming down my face to apologize to my teammates, who were also crying in agony. Shrieking. Wait, were they cheering? I looked down. The ball had been knocked perfectly into my lap. It hadn’t been a real game. The first place metals we’d been awarded were made of neon yellow plastic instead of genuine metal. But in my own little way, I’d still proven myself. And the hugs and shrieks I’d gotten from Cat and my other cheerful teammates? Those had all been real. iii. Fall Sasha begged for me to keep holding her hand. Even though I knew I had to pay close attention to all the kids in the line, I still wrapped my fingers tightly around hers. After all, I was her favourite volunteer, and she was my favourite student. “We’re almost there!” The teacher at the very front yelled. “Be very careful and quiet when you’re crossing the road. Stay in a nice straight line, and look both ways first!” After the grueling task of blocking the crosswalk for five minutes, frustrating the long line of drivers that’d piled up on either side, we’d finally gotten all thirty students safely across the street from the Varley Art Gallery. We headed down the hill, across the bridge that made the kids squeal, and finally to the fountain -- spraying forth cooling mist, reflecting the reddish hues of the changing leaves. Each one then held up their sketchpads and pencils, sitting down on a rock or a log, and scribbling at their heart’s content. “I don’t know what to draw! The fountain’s too hard!” I heard a little boy moan. “Me neither!” A girl sighed, twiddling her thumbs and fidgeting with the flowers in the grass. “Can you come help me think of an idea for my picture?” A third one asked. It was so weird to see all these kids standing in front of me, asking for me to lead and offer help, when I had been in their very spot only a few years ago. I smiled, mustered up all the confidence I had, and gathered all the muttering kids in a circle. “Everyone: don’t worry too much about exactly what to draw! Drawing isn’t about creating something perfect, or making something look exactly the way it’s supposed to look. All you have to do is create a story with your drawing. Show people what makes you special with the doodles you do! For example: Michael! What in this park means the most to you?” Michael paused in thought. “Maybe… the big tree over there, beside the water. It looks a little bit like the tree I have in my backyard. My brother and I have a treehouse on the very top, and we go inside to tell each other scary stories!” “Perfect!” I smiled. “You can draw a sketch of your treehouse on top of this new tree! Now, Ashley… what about you?” She pointed to the daffodils, growing in a little patch near the fountain’s base. “Those flowers! They look like the ones growing in my mommy’s garden, that I picked for her on her birthday!” One by one, all of the kids picked out something special to capture on in their sketchbooks. Stroke by stroke, I watched as the drawings began to take shape and burst off the pages. “A little bit more shading there would look great, Eric! Nice use of perspective, Marcus! Wonderful details on that chipmunk, Sasha!” At the end of the day, there were thirty different masterpieces hanging on the walls. Each one had a slightly different angle, perspective, or subject; but all of the kids were super proud of the work they had done. And as the kids came up to hug or high-five me before they walked out the door, I was the most proud of them all. iv. Winter A frosty wind danced past the signs of stores and buildings, gently rousing the bells and store signs who murmured sleepy cries. Little white fairies drifted down from the dappled sky and buried themselves in folds of grass. Although the flocks of geese had long migrated to warmer shores, and the pond had become slightly too chilly for weekly walks, Main Street Unionville was still crowded and lively. It somehow looked even more welcoming in December. Mom and I were taking a stroll, or sanbu (3); the first one in months. We’d both recently thrown for a loop with new jobs and projects. I’d just embarked on a whole new chapter of my life -- high school -- and the transition hadn’t been as easy as I’d expected. It had been months since we’d had the chance to have a one-on-one chat, or even taken the time to sanbu. We’d been able to stop by Uncle Tetsu’s on the path, and picked up a warm box of sweet, cheesy delights that I kept safe under my mitts. The tantalizing wafts were making it hard for us to not eat it on the spot. “Honestly, I miss elementary,” I’d lament, not recognizing the sliver of pressure I’d faced in comparison to adult life. “We used to have fun projects and so many more field trips, and we were all so close together! If I could go back, I totally would.” Mom laughed. “You’re going to get used to your new school. There’s so many more exciting things you get to look forward to in the next four years - clubs to join, new material to learn, new classmates and teachers to meet. Enjoy all of it when you can. Because before you know it - you’ll be whisked off to University.” “University.” “Crazy, isn’t it?” We passed by the open balconies and bars on our second lap, playing loud music and brimming with conversation. Even though many of them were closing down, families were still gathered around the balcony tables, determined to stretch their discussions long into the night. “Mom - real question here. When you first moved to Markham, what made you decide to stay? With the whole English thing, having to get a whole new job, lacking close friends and family, and the fact that winters can feel like negative-one-million degrees. What prevented you from freaking out, turning your one-way ticket into a two-way, and going back to Nanjing where everything was familiar?” She was silent for a few moments. “I’m not sure. It was mostly your dad that wanted to move here in the first place. He insisted it would be better for us, better for jiejie, better for you. He had a lot of hope, and I trusted him even through the tough parts. So we worked together, made friends, joined communities, found new jobs. And we looked for beautiful parks and neighborhoods like Toogood pond to take our weekly walks, the same way we did back in China. “But most of all - when I saw your sister finally enjoy school after being bullied so often back home, when you were so happy after your first day of kindergarten with all your new friends. That’s what made it worth it.” Feisty salsa guitar music had begun to strum out from the Bandstand, as the night’s last song began to play. The lead sang his heart and soul into the mic, vocals ringing across the pavilion and sparking the hearts and lips of passersby. Even though our family had never been one to act emotional, an urge bubbled up to wrap my mother in a warm, wooly hug. “Even though it’s been hard, Markham’s been a pretty great place for us to stay.” As I looked around, I saw the tables surrounded by so many different colours. I watched the children and elderly alike dance in the snow, the bitter frost and impending darkness repelled by the warmth and light of smiles at every turn. “Yeah. It really has.” … It all floods back to me when I get to the park. The place I grew up, made so many friends and precious memories; deserted and empty. Now completely lifeless. “Dad, look…” I step off my bike to gesture at the shocking scene before me. The shops on Main Street barred, the Crosby parking lot emptied, the trails free of screaming children or carefree couples. “Don’t worry, Sherry. Markham’s simply taking a rest at the moment. Everything will go back to normal -- eventually.” I thought about his words, and about the memories I’d conjured up. If there’s one thing I’d learned over the years from my life in Markham… It’s that there’s always hope. There’s always life, laughter, and love in the community and its people. We’re always going to be there for each other, even in the darkest moments. With the passing of seasons and time, Toogood Pond would come back to life. And so would the rest of Markham.
3 months ago
My Journey. An immigrant's story, and his journey to Markham...
It was February 22nd, 1970 when I first stepped foot into the unknown: a new life in a country called Canada. I had just spent two days travelling across the world, and I had no idea what to expect. I had dreamt of coming to Canada for years ever since my brother and his wife had moved here in 1966. But now that I was here, I found myself nervous and unsure what to expect. I was only 19 when I left Ceylon, which would be renamed Sri Lanka just two years later. Like many immigrants who left their homeland in search of a better life, I had mixed feelings about leaving home. On the day of my departure, all of my relatives and friends came to the airport to say goodbye. I was leaving them to travel halfway around the globe for a new and an exciting life. At least, that was what they all hoped for, including me. Mixed in with my excitement and sense of adventure was a feeling of sadness and anxiety. I boarded a small twin-engine Air Ceylon plane destined for Bombay (now Mumbai) India. Then a connecting flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands, and flew across the Atlantic Ocean to Toronto, Canada. It wasn’t until I got on the plane that I realized how much I was going to miss my family, especially my mother. She cried the night before I left, worried she might never see her youngest son again. It was hard enough when my older brother left four years ago, and now her youngest was leaving, too. I began to feel sad, nervous and lonely, all at the same time. It was a weird feeling, as a teenager, to know that my life was about to enter a new phase, without most of my family there to share it. It was the dream of my generation in the 60’s to immigrate to the West, especially to US. At the time, there were few to no opportunities for professional advancement, as social and economic upheavals took hold across South and East Asia, including Sri Lanka. As someone interested in science and technology, I adored the USA for its advancement in science, including the quest to send a man to the moon. USA was a promised land for most young men of my generation, fascinated and mesmerized as we were by the glamour of Hollywood, and glossy Western magazines like Life, National Geographic, The Times and Newsweek. We couldn’t get enough of it. Popular Science magazine was my personal favourite. I couldn’t wait to see it every month at the local library, where I happily spent much of my youth. I was a book worm who loved reading, and the local library was my oasis. It still is! Back to my journey. After an overnight layover in Amsterdam, which was my first time in Europe, I flew to Canada, landing first in Montreal. For the first time in my life, I saw snow. I was so excited. Coming from a tropical island where there was only one season, hot, we weren’t used to checking the weather on daily basis. It was mostly sunny year round, sometimes rainy for days. But always hot. I had absolutely no idea how cold Canada was, especially in the middle of February! It would seem that my brother forgot to tell me that February was not the best month to come to Canada! The immigration officer with a funny French accent said “Bonjour, welcome to Canada!” with a smile! I am sure he meant “Welcome to deep freeze sucker!” knowing damn well that I was coming from a very warm country! Thankfully, my brother met me at the Toronto airport, which looked modern to me at the time. Unlike Montreal, there was no snow on the ground in Toronto. It was dull and grey. All I remember is that it took about 45 minutes from the airport to his apartment along a big highway called the 401. His apartment was in Don Mills, just in front of the Ontario Science Centre. The area was called Flemingdon Park which, at the time, had few high rise apartment buildings and a strip mall. This strip mall had a grocery store called Dominion Store, a pharmacy, a laundry mat, a hair salon, and a little Greek restaurant. My first impression? I couldn’t believe how big everything was in Canada. Big cars, big buildings, big everything! Everything was new to me; it looked so clean and organized well-planned landscapes, roads, signs, buildings, traffic, etc. It was also the first time in my life that I saw so many white people! I was very lucky to have my brother and his wife, who came to Canada four years earlier and cleared most of the challenges that majority of new immigrants face when they arrive in a new country. Another advantage was that I could speak English fluently, one of the only benefits of British colonization. I still remember the first time I went grocery shopping with my brother and his wife. “Whoa“I said to myself as soon as we entered the Dominion Store in the strip mall. It was a huge supermarket to me, aisle after aisle filled with all kinds of, vegetables, meat, fish, and canned food, many of which I had never seen before! I remembered how the friendly cashier entered prices by hand while packing our groceries into brown paper bags. There were no scanners, digital bar codes, or even plastic bags, back then. The first few weeks, I was like a kid in a candy store! I was absolutely blown away when I saw TV for the first time in my life! Even though it was black and white (colour TV came soon after), I was in awe of the five channels available in my brother’s 20” Zenith TV. Being a big fan of Western cowboy movies, I think the first week I watched a show called Bonanza almost daily, including Three Stooges. And, of course, there were my favourite cartoons: the Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner, which I couldn’t get enough of! While I was so fascinated and in awe of all these new things, I knew that I need to figure out soon what I was going to do. My main goal was to pursue a higher education - a dream of many of my generation. Since I didn’t have the necessary qualifications or funds to support myself, my first priority was to find a job, any job, while taking night courses needed for the university entrance. There were many services provided by a government agency called Man Power, which helped new immigrants like me find jobs and training, matched to our previous education and work experience in our homelands. The first question the counsellor at Man Power asked me was what my previous work experience before I came to Canada. I said none, since I had never really worked in my life before. I had only recently finished advanced level, which was equivalent to grade 13 at the time. I said I was willing to do any type of work until I acquired necessary qualifications to enter university in couple of years. I said my goal and dream was to pursue higher education and I was willing to do anything to achieve my goal. He said he was pleased to hear that and would do his best to find a suitable job. Two days later he called me to say there was a small spice company near where I lived, and they were looking for a young person to do book keeping. No previous experience was necessary because it was an entry level job. I was thrilled. I rode the TTC bus for the first time in my life to go to York Mills and Leslie from Flemingdon Park. The trip cost me 10 cents, including a transfer to the second bus on Leslie Street from Eglinton. I was overjoyed when the owner of the Tom’s Spice Mills, Mr. Horton himself, offered me the job on the spot. He was pleased that I came from the land where he imported 75% of his spices. I had no idea what kind of book keeping I was supposed to do, but I felt relieved when his office manager, Ms. Ella Bevan, a polite and well-mannered English lady, said she would train me. I knew I was very lucky to get a job just 3 weeks after arriving in Canada, especially since I never had a job before. My starting salary was $75 per week and all the spices I wanted at 50% off. I was thrilled! So were my sister-in-law and her Sri Lankan friends, who knew they could get their spices cheap through me! I was sad when I left my first job almost two and half years later, in July 1972. After finishing the necessary night courses, I was admitted to the University of Waterloo’s faculty of science in 1972. The work experience and knowledge I gained working at Tom’s Spice Mills was tremendously useful, and helped me to realise that I was now an adult responsible for my own future. The care free teenage years and fond memories were quickly becoming a distant past. In the fall of 1972, I started at the University of Waterloo, a fairly new faculty located in the suburbs of Waterloo. As exciting as it was in the beginning, the transition to the campus life wasn’t easy. The first year’s work load as a science student was overwhelming and stressful. I loved the social and carefree culture of the university life, but found myself too stressed out trying to keep up with the daily work load of lectures, assignments, and so on, which made me wonder if I could really handle it. This era was also the beginning of the computer revolution, as the business and industries began to computerize their operations. As a tech geek, I was very much interested in computer technology. As a kid, I had always been interested in electronics. So, it was an easy and natural transition for me into this new technology. I was amazed at how quickly the world was changing. In the spring of 1976, I met a remarkable woman of whom I had no idea that she would be my wife later! She was also from Sri Lanka, and had lived in Denmark, working as an Au Pair before moving to Canada. We got married on the Labour Day, six months after we had met. After living in a basement apartment owned by a nice Swedish lady in Leaside for nearly a year, my wife and I moved to a high rise apartment in the Flemingdon Park, the very same area I used to live in with my brother when I came to Canada. Around this time, I also got my first job as a computer technologist at General Instrument (Canada) Corporation, which was a leading manufacturer of TV/cable, and data processing equipment. I was hired by their computer data system division located in Downsview. Two years later, in the summer of 1978, my wife was pregnant with our first child! It was exciting, but also scary because we didn’t know what to expect, or how to be parents! The first few months were tough as she experienced morning sickness, but we worked together to become comfortable with the reality of becoming parents soon. On March 6, 1979 she gave birth to our daughter at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. I was excited, afraid, and nervous when the head nurse handed over the little bundle of joy, wrapped in a pink blanket, in the delivery room. I nearly died! I also felt extremely happy because I wanted our first child to be a girl! I know, many Asian fathers want a son as their first child, but not me! Our lives were never the same once we became parents. We were no longer in charge of our lives as it was the baby who was in control. We had to adapt to her commands and demands! It’s amazing how much power a baby has over their parents. My daughter was three when we were expecting our second child. I was hoping it would be a boy this time. My wife went into labour at midnight, and I drove her quickly to Mount Sinai Hospital. This time I wasn’t as nervous or fearful as the first time; I knew what to expect. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, my wife was taken to the delivery room, where her doctor and his team were waiting for her. The nurse was monitoring the baby’s vital signs through a machine. She told me that, according to the heart beat and pulse of the baby, we were going to have another girl. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. I didn’t say anything, but kept smiling and sweating every time the nurse updated the results of the monitor. At 4:00 am, on the 5th of April, 1982, a baby boy made his grand entrance into the world. I was so glad that the nurse and her monitor were wrong. It was the baby boy I hoped for and I was thrilled that our son fooled the head nurse and her machine! I had the last laugh when nurse said, “You see Mr. Wick, even the best machines in the world sometimes get it wrong!” “Yep I am glad it did!” I said with a grin from ear to ear! Having two small kids was not an easy task; there were no family nearby to help us. My wife deserved full credit for looking after both children while I was at work. Now that we were a family of four, we realised that we need more space to grow, and that the apartment was not big enough. We wanted to move to a house in Toronto, but the prices were beyond our reach, as I was the only one working at the time. It was also the time that many people were moving away from Toronto and buying houses in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where prices were lower. We wanted a smaller house with minimum of three bedrooms and a backyard where the children could play. This was the fall of 1982. The housing market was in a slump. The interest rate was 21%. The economy was in a recession, even though we didn’t really understand what that meant. Yet we kept looking for affordable housing. To boost the economy, the federal government created a program to support first time home buyers like us. A $3000 grant by the federal government was available, and a $5000 interest-free loan was offered by the provincial government. We wanted to move further north of Toronto, but not too far away as my office was in the Downsview area near the Yorkdale Mall. Markham was not initially on our radar, but we decided to take a drive north to check it out. I remember driving through farmland and corn fields on either side of Highway 7, which was a narrow one lane road at the time. On our way we saw a large, newly-constructed mall, called Markville Mall. A block north of the mall, at McCowan and Raymerville Drive, was a trailer with a huge sign announcing that new houses would be available soon in the surrounding area. We found out exactly what we were looking for, a four bedroom, 1800 sq ft house with a fairly big size lot. Prices started at $75,000. With $8000 worth of government grants and loans available, the final price would be $67,000. That was the price of a 4 bedroom detached house in Markham, 38 years ago! We bought our very first house in Markham in 1982 from the blueprint of a house builder who promised that the house would be ready in the spring of 1983. My wife and I were very happy that we finally found the house that we were searching for, even though some of our friends and family wondered why we wanted to move to what they considered the middle of nowhere. The excitement of owning a home was somewhat dampened when my bank refused to give us a mortgage, saying my annual salary of $13,000 didn’t qualify. Unlike today, it was next to impossible for first time buyers to get a mortgage easily. Panicked and upset, we called our real estate lawyer not knowing what to do. He said not to worry, and found a private lender who was willing to take the mortgage at 15% interest for a five year term. I was grateful that our lawyer handled the deal professionally, making our dream come true. In June 1983, we moved into our brand new home on Graham Crescent, just off Raymerville Drive. This was how our lives began in the little town of Markham almost 37 years ago. When we moved there, my daughter was four and my son was one year old. The population of Markham was close to 96,000. I still remember the mayor of Markham at the time - Mr. Tony Roman, a charismatic leader who, according to some long term residents, was an enterprising visionary. After nearly three years since we had moved to our first house, we felt that it would be nice to move to a bigger house since the kids were growing. Though we never actively looked for one, a real estate agent one day knocked on our door and asked if we were interested in selling our house, now that real estate prices were slowly going up. We had no idea what the prices were, but we were curious to know how much our house has appreciated in price over the past two years. He told us that according to their market research, prices had increased nearly 40%. I said that was hard to believe. He had the statistics to back up, and asked us to think about it, which we did. We checked the prices of new houses in the area, since we liked the proximity to schools, parks, recreation, and shopping in the area. After searching for weeks, we nearly gave up the idea of upgrading. It was almost by an accident that we found a small builder who had been building houses on Raymerville Drive. The salesman said the first phase was sold out already but they were planning to build few more new houses on Raymerville. He showed the plan, and we liked the house right in front of the park. We said we have to sell our existing house before we could buy the new. He said they would accept a conditional offer, as long as we were committed to buy. In the fall of 1985, two years after we moved to Markham, we listed our first house for $125,000 and sold it for $121, 000, a month later, which wasn’t bad for a house we had bought for $67,000! It is hard to believe how many changes have happened in our lives within the 37 years since we moved to Markham. My two kids went to school, graduated, and pursued their own goals. My daughter decided, even before finishing high school, that she wanted to go to a university far away from home. She went to McGill University in Montreal. My son decided that university was not for him, and he wanted to pursue his own career path. Over the past 37 years living in Markham, I have witnessed the transformation of this sleepy little farming town into the high-tech capital of Canada, earning the nick name Silicon Valley of the north. However, what impresses me most is how Markham has transformed itself in to one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan and multicultural cities in Canada, enriching the lives of thousands who chose Markham as their home. What I appreciate most is town’s public resources such as parks, recreation centers, and especially the public library system which is second to none, in my opinion. As a teenage bookworm who spent most of his time in the local library in Sri Lanka, it brings back happy memories every time I visit the library nearby in Markham! The progress of this town into a major city centre is phenomenal. However, I also wonder how this urban sprawl will shape the future of this remarkable city. We are already seeing the results, and some aren’t great. Rich and fertile farmlands are disappearing to make way for more suburban housing, which increases dependence on vehicles. This has resulted in increased air pollution, and is damaging an already fractured environment. Of course, these issues are not unique to Markham, but are shared by every municipality in the GTA that has seen an explosion of population over the past several years. I do hope Markham will rise up to these critical challenges effectively with innovative solutions, as it has in the past. My journey started 50 years ago from a tiny island in the Indian Ocean 12,000 miles away from Canada - halfway across the world. I have seen how Canada has changed over the decades. The country has grown from quiet Anglo and Francophone communities into vibrant multicultural cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. It is a remarkable transformation of a country that is home to millions of immigrants, who came from all over the world. I am sure they all have their unique stories to tell, just like me. We had our share of successes, failures, and frustrations, our heartbreaks and joy along the way. We all are travelling this elusive highway called life, searching for happiness, success, love, peace, and chasing dreams and goals along the way, not realising life is what’s happening right at this moment. That may be the reason why they say life is a journey, not a destination. My journey continues! Don J. Wick Markham
3 months ago
Claire Chen - 2 Poems: I Hate Corona Virus & Apples
I Hate CoronaVirus By: Claire Chen, age 10 Sunday.April.12.2020 Hello, Coronavirus, You’re ruining my day. I cannot visit my best friend, Or listen to the bay. You cause a bunch of trouble, Your pandemic is still on, I really, really, really, hate you; When will you be gone?! I cannot step outside, The house is such a bore, I really can’t do anything, You’re rotten to the core! You’ve made a lot of shortages, “There’s our stuff!” Then, poof! The things are gone, and you’re to blame, You are such a goof! Our nice frontline workers, Are risking their own lives, You just sit there watching us Go right down in fives. I know you to help Our old earth to be healed, Please don’t do it like this way, No apples can be peeled! We’re spending all our money, On essentials and some soap, But don’t be happy, just quite yet, No one’s losing hope! Apples By: Claire Chen, Age 10 I am crunchy, I am sweet, I’m made of fruit, No sign of meat. My skin is ruby red, On my inside, I am gold, Now here’s a goody tip for you; Eat me when I’m cold! I’m famous; don’t you see? I start with letter A, I’ve even got a saying, I can keep the doc away! I come up to your mind, When you think about a treat, I’ll say this stanza once again, In other words; repeat! I am crunchy, I am sweet, I’m made of fruit, No sign of meat. I’ve told you all about me, But there’s something left to do, Act along and eat me, please, You really will, won’t you?
