May 26

May 26 Announcing the New “Evans Sisters’ Stage” at Springwater Forest

Beyond our social media work, articles, and partnerships with private companies and government organizations, our team at young & free press function as consultants alongside owner Andrew Gunn through his consulting firm, Andrew Gunn Consulting Inc. This gives our team of teenage staff members the opportunity to provide ideas and develop special community projects.

Currently, we are serving as consultants on the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell, who passed away in November 2019 in her hundredth year. In the coming weeks, Andrew and our teenage staff member, Maddie King, will be taking the lead on announcing $2.5M in donations from the Estate to support lots of amazing projects in St. Thomas and Elgin County! This has been an interesting task in the midst of a global pandemic, but we are thrilled to be able to help support the community at this time.

We kicked things off on Tuesday, May 26th with an announcement at Springwater Forest near the Town of Aylmer in Elgin County. Maddie and Andrew joined representatives of the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority and Steelway Building Systems to highlight a donation of $335,000 from the Estate to the Conservation Authority to build the new “Evans Sisters’ Stage” … this new outdoor venue has been designed as a ‘sustainable stage’ and will feature a green roof with a recycled water irrigation system, recycled building material including timber products from Springwater Forest, erosion control measures, and low volatile organic compound paint. Significantly, all CO2 emissions generated through the construction process will be offset by planting 5000 trees! The stage will be built locally by the team at Steelway Building Systems.

Currently, the goal is to have the stage delivered and assembled this fall, add the green roof in the spring, and prepare the site for the first events in summer 2021! The “Evans Sisters’ Stage” will be an awesome new outdoor venue for concerts and special events including the annual Fred Eaglesmith Charity Picnic, as well as educational programming run by the Conservation Authority.

Groundbreaking ceremonies in the physical distancing era! Left to right: Marcio Oliveira, Project Manager at Steelway Building Systems; Chris Wilkinson, General Manager at Catfish Creek Conservation Authority; Rick Cerna, Chairperson at Catfish Cree… — Groundbreaking ceremonies in the physical distancing era! Left to right: Marcio Oliveira, Project Manager at Steelway Building Systems; Chris Wilkinson, General Manager at Catfish Creek Conservation Authority; Rick Cerna, Chairperson at Catfish Creek Conservation Authority; Andrew Gunn and Maddie King of *young & free press* and consultants on the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell. Everyone gathered briefly at Springwater Forest in Elgin County on Tuesday, May 26th to announce a donation of $335,000 from the Bushell Estate to fund the construction of the new “Evans Sisters’ Stage” … the actual site of the stage will be set back from the water. Construction will begin in the fall and the new concert venue is set to open in 2021.

Notes on the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority:

Catfish Creek Conservation Authority is a community-based, non-profit, registered charitable environmental protection organization that protects, restores, and manages the natural resources within the Catfish Creek watershed. For more information on Catfish Creek Conservation Authority, please visit www.catfishcreek.ca.

Notes of the Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell:

Donna Vera Evans Bushell passed away November 9, 2019, in her hundredth year, the last of her family. Donna’s passion was to plant trees and reminisce about her ancestors and friends while her sister Doris Evans taught music as a church organist. The oldest sister, Thelma Joiner, taught elementary school around Aylmer for forty-five years and researched local North Yarmouth history. All three sisters shared a love of their heritage as descendants of the pioneer Westlake, Penhale and Gilbert families who settled along the North Edgeware Road in Yarmouth. Their collected historical papers will eventually be deposited in the Elgin County Archives. The new “Evans Sisters’ Stage” at Springwater Forest will be built in memory of Donna, Doris, and Thelma, and for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors to the community.