Tag Archives: Gorge Hall Event

Tourism

Seeking Your Input For A New Vision Of Tourism On Cortes Island

Lesley Anderson and Nancy Arsenault are bringing a new vision of tourism to Mansons Hall on Monday, October 23rd and Gorge Hall the following day.

“The old model of tourism  where you just focused on the visitors doesn’t work. How do you build tourism for the benefit of all and not just the visitors? How can tourism – the dollars that it brings, the amenities and infrastructure that can be brought – benefit residents first, along with the visitors. How do you build it based on what residents are looking for? It’s a new lens and it’s called regenerative tourism,” explained Anderson. 

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Arts

Kim Paulley (part 2): George Sirk, Cortes Island and the rebirth of her career

Part 2 of a 2 part interview, click here for part 1. 

Her singing career appeared to be a thing of the past, when Kim Paulley came to Cortes Island in 1992. The release of ‘Straight From The Heart’ had been promising, but she turned to Classical music. While there had been ‘fantastic’ moments between 1985-90, there was also the toil of auditions (and sometimes not getting the part). Her career was on hold when a friend  recommended the retreats at Hollyhock, where George Sirk was a naturalist guide.

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Arts, Education

Denise Wolda (Part 2 of 2): Coming home to Cortes Island

The course of Denise Larson’s life took a radical change in 1983, when she and two of her band members came to Merville. They were professional musicians promoting her third record. It was nice to get out of Vancouver, but Denise did not have any expectations of a small dance in the Merville Hall. Then Ron Wolda walked into her life. She had actually met him two years earlier in Courtenay, but at that time they both had other partners. Now they were single. Ron sat himself down beside her at the dinner being given for the musicians. The next morning, Ron took her out to see the home he built beside the ocean.  

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Arts

The Awakeneers return to Folk U Friday 

On July 28, the Awakeneers joined Manda Aufochs Gillespie and Folk U under the big tent at Mansons Landing as Folk U for another Friday Live Music. This is the fourth time they have performed on her show. As Robert McKenty pointed out, “We make Folk University Radio a priority anytime we’re coming to Cortes Island.” 

The Awakeneers just released a new CD, and brought the songs to Gorge Hall that evening and to Mansons Hall on Saturday.

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Arts

Jemma Hicken releases her first major album: ‘Get It Together’

Cortes Island’s own Jemma Hicken just released her first major album, ‘Get it Together.’ Cortes Currents interviewed her shortly before that.  

“I love performing and  I love playing music by myself too, but it does feel special to come back to Cortes and be able to perform on Cortes because it’s really where it started for me,” she said.

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