Fireworks for Canada's 139th birthday

The fireworks will go off about 10:15 Saturday night over Columbia Lake, after eight hours of family fun to mark the national holiday, say organizers of UW's annual Canada Day celebration.

They're promising a lively day for the estimated 60,000 visitors who will make their way to the north campus for some or all of the day's celebrations, which fall on the 49th anniversary of UW's founding date in 1957. "There is tons of fun, food and community to be had at the 22nd annual celebration," says Dana Evans of UW's public affairs office, one of the key organizers.

Canada Day is jointly sponsored by UW and the Federation of Students. Most of the work is being done by scores of student volunteers, including some who have been planning entertainment, security and finances for months, while others will show up tomorrow in time to help with children's games, food service and the rest of the programming. The Math Society and Engineering Society are major sources of student volunteers, but people from all parts of the university, and from off campus, are welcome.

A feature of Canada Day this year is a "Think Green" campaign to encourage the community to consider walking, biking or taking the bus this year. "We can each do our part to help keep our environment clean," says Evans, "and it saves you idling in traffic after the fireworks! Community members are encouraged to come to the"Think Green tent and recite the phrase "This Canada Day, think green and ride clean with GRT" to receive a free ride on Grand River Transit."

Organizers are telling visitors that if they do come by car, they should choose University Avenue as their route and plan to park on the main campus, where all the parking lots will be open and free tomorrow. (Another option is parking lot B, which opens off Phillip Street and is also free.) Columbia Street will be closed from Phillip to Westmount, and the streets on the north campus — Hagey Boulevard and Wes Graham Way — will be closed at Bearinger Road. That means there's no access to streets or parking in the Research and Technology Park area.

Canada Day activities such as the arts and crafts fair, games and face-painting, and food booths are on the playing field area along Columbia Street overlooking the newly reshaped lake. "Checkers Fun Factory will be on site again this year, with many activities for children," says Evans. " "All other activities on the field are free. We have an excellent arts and crafts fair full of exceptional artists and vendors." Washroom facilities will be available on site.

Things start at 2 p.m., and live music runs all day on the main stage, with a brief break when VIPs bring greetings at 6 p.m. Noted children's performer Eric Nagler performs at 5 p.m. While most of the children's activities wrap up at 8 p.m., the stage performances, food sales and the arts and crafts fair continue until 10 p.m. (Highlights include Dala at 6:15 and Matthew Barber and the Union Dues at 9:00.)

The day's highlight is, as always, the fireworks after dark. "This year's display is going to be spectacular," Evans says. "Last year's show was slightly delayed because of high winds, but we are anticipating lovely weather this year."

Canada Day organizers will be accepting donations toward the cost of the fireworks, and are also welcoming non-perishable food items for the on-campus food bank. Food donations can be brought to the Federation of Students tent on the Columbia field.

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UW speakers at teaching conference

More than a dozen people from UW will be on the program when MERLOT — the Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Teaching Online — holds its international conference in Ottawa in August, hosted by the UW-based CLOE consortium.

"We know from inquiries coming in that there are a lot of faculty members planning on going," says Peter Goldsworthy of the Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology, or LT3. Goldsworthy is on the program for next month himself, along with such LT3 colleagues as its director, Liwana Bringelson, and senior advisor Les Richards.

Goldsworthy wears multiple hats: as project coordinator and communication officer for LT3, coordinator of the Flex lab in the Dana Porter Library, and manager of CLOE, which is an alliance of Ontario universities that exchange "learning objects" and instructional software. CLOE is the host organization for the August 8-11 event, along with the University of Ottawa. It's the first time in Canada for the California-based MERLOT.

"Do you want to engage with other exemplary teachers to enhance learning for your students?" a conference blurb asks. "Do you have expertise to contribute to your discipline colleagues about teaching in your area? Would you like to work with them to improve resources you can all use in your teaching? Then you will want to attend."

Tom Carey, who recently finished a term as associate vice-president (learning resources and innovation), will be the keynote speaker. Among other people at UW to present papers or serve on panels are Katherine Lithgow of LT3, John North of the department of English, Joe Sanderson of physics, Myra Fernandes of psychology, Marek Stastna of applied mathematics, and Bob Sproule of accountancy.

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Kids' camps and other visitors

The campus will be ready for the patter of little feet next week, as two major day camp programs get started for 2006. Somewhat older visitors are also expected for the Shad Valley teens’ program and the Warrior women’s volleyball camp.

"The stage is set, computers turned on, easels set up, music ready to go," says says Marsha Wendell of ACE Camp -- the Arts Computer Experience for children 7 to 12. "I think preparations are complete and we anticipate another great season of ACE Camp. You will spot us easily this year in our very fashionable lime green T-shirts as we parade around campus. Wish us a happy 24th season." Opening day is Tuesday. Wendell said enrolment is just about full, but "we have a few spots available in Session III, July 31 to August 11, and Session IV, August 14 to 25."

Engineering Science Quest, with backing from the science and engineering faculties, will start on Monday, with a total of eight camps for various age groups — for youngsters entering grade 1, all the way through high schoolers. At most levels, each camp "will have at least one activity associated with each department of each faculty," says the ESQ web site. "Thus, there will be chemistry, physics, earth sciences, optometry, civil, computer, electrical, geological, mechanical, system design, and usually others such as health sciences, environmental, life sciences and now even architecture."

There are also special-purpose "ExXtreme Technology" camps working on web technology, robotics, and video production. "ExXtreme Video will develop the camper's knowledge of the video production process from the ground up, as well as, further enhance the skills of camper's with prior knowledge. Camp will begin with brainstorming an idea and developing a solid screenplay, to filming/acting/directing, and finally video editing and composing. Using Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Elements and other professional computer applications, campers will assemble a DVD of their feature presentation."

Away from campus, ESQ will hold sessions for the next three weeks on the Six Nations reserve near Brantford, and will add outposts in Paris, Ontario, for four weeks starting July 10, Chatham starting July 24 and Stratford starting August 7. In addition, ESQ director Bill Baer said yesterday that funding is now in place for a one-week camp in late August at the Aamjiwnang First Nation near Sarnia.

This year's Shad Valley program gets started Sunday afternoon with the arrival of 48 high school students from across Canada. "Waterloo is the flagship campus of this award-winning enrichment program for teens with strong interests and potential in sciences, technology, engineering and entrepreneurship," writes Linda Carson of the Shad staff. "Shad Valley is an intense pre-university experience where students live in residence and take challenging classes, workshops and labs all over the campus. It's not just about the classroom, though. The teens, called "Shads, find time for swing dance lessons, dragon boating, and regular games of ultimate frisbee." They'll hold an open house to show off their achievements on Thursday, July 27, 1:30 to 4:30 in the great hall at Conrad Grebel University College, where they'll be staying for the month.

The women’s volleyball camp is a five-day program, Tuesday through Saturday, organized by Warrior coach Jason Grieve and members of the UW team. Girls born in 1990 through 1992 were eligible to register. "Advanced technical skill, position specific drills, and alternative team systems will be the focus."

One group that was expected on campus this summer, but won’t be here, is a contingent of planning students from England’s Oxford Brookes University who were to spend three weeks in Waterloo. A group of UW students was at Oxford Brookes earlier in the year as part of the annual exchange. The British invasion has been called off, but is expected to be revived next summer, Angie Rohrbacher of the planning school says.

CAR

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