Comments on: Upper Canada Village Christmas Lights http://leedunbar.com/2008/12/upper-canada-village-christmas-lights/ Observations and discussion about stuff. Primarily focused around brand, community development and experience design. Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:39:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: concerned village friend http://leedunbar.com/2008/12/upper-canada-village-christmas-lights/comment-page-1/#comment-495 concerned village friend Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:27:28 +0000 http://leedunbar.com/?p=202#comment-495 In March 2009 33 Upper Canada Village staff - (blacksmiths, woodworkers, millers, etc.) - some with over 25 years experience were laid off as the new General Manager Patricia MacDonald (formerly VP Marketing Canada’s Wonderland and current CEO of Circus Avaia in Toronto) tries her darndest to turn the place into a “History Lite” theme park. This includes huge historical anachronisms as a pop-culture Medieval Festival in the village, Midway rides at the Fall Fair, video screens in the Saw Mill, closed buildings due to lack of staff, a popcorn shop in the middle of the village, and the clearing out of all museum artifacts from Cooks Tavern in order to turn it into a licensed bar & restaurant (complete with modern stainless steel sinks and a double sized beverage fridge). If the electrical safety code allowed her (thankfully it does not), these lights would remain up all year even while the Village attempts to re-create the 1860s. Anything in the name of money - what a loss. http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1541018 In March 2009 33 Upper Canada Village staff – (blacksmiths, woodworkers, millers, etc.) – some with over 25 years experience were laid off as the new General Manager Patricia MacDonald (formerly VP Marketing Canada’s Wonderland and current CEO of Circus Avaia in Toronto) tries her darndest to turn the place into a “History Lite” theme park. This includes huge historical anachronisms as a pop-culture Medieval Festival in the village, Midway rides at the Fall Fair, video screens in the Saw Mill, closed buildings due to lack of staff, a popcorn shop in the middle of the village, and the clearing out of all museum artifacts from Cooks Tavern in order to turn it into a licensed bar & restaurant (complete with modern stainless steel sinks and a double sized beverage fridge).

If the electrical safety code allowed her (thankfully it does not), these lights would remain up all year even while the Village attempts to re-create the 1860s.

Anything in the name of money – what a loss.

http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1541018

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