CTV National News: Modern music helping to raise money to restore historic Montreal church
A century-old piano is taking centre stage at Notre-Damage Basilica to help pay for a restoration project. Genevieve Beauchemin has the details.
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CTV News
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- CTV News
Open Air Dunlop kicks off Troubadour Festival
The Troubadour Festival Summer Concert Series draws thousands to downtown Barrie, Ont., on June 14, 2025, for headliner Canadian country artist Dean Brody. Dunlop Street in downtown Barrie will once again be closed for Open Air Dunlop and the Troubadour Festival later Saturday evening. Downtown Barrie BIA along with the Barrie Foodbank got things started Saturday morning with the help of the world's strongest man Mitchell Hooper. CTV's Sarah Freemark interviews the worlds strongest man Mitchell Hooper CTV's Sarah Freemark interviews the worlds strongest man Mitchell Hooper (CTV NEWS/ Sarah Freemark) Hooper, pushed a van full of food down Dunlop to help raise money and donations for the Barrie Foodbank. Classics in the Park also returns to downtown Barrie Saturday along Open Air Dunlop and in the park across from Meridian Place. Classics in the Park Classics in the Park returned to downtown Barrie for Open Air Dunlop (CTV NEWS/ Luke Simard) Brandon Valley, president of Barrie Thunder Classic said its the second time Thunder Classics have made their way to downtown during Open Air Dunlop. 'We changed the name a little bit to give some heritage to our show that used to be here in the park,' said Valley. Hundreds of vehicles are lined up throughout Heritage Park and along Dunlop Street and Valley hopes the younger generation is taking notice. 'It's very important because when we're gone, we need the next generation of caretaker to take these things and keep this tradition going, because this is there's a lot of history here, not only of North American cars, but also with cars from all over the world,' said Valley. Michael Bartley has a 1994 Chevrolet Silverado and said Classics in the Park is one of the best. 'The location can't be beat, of course, near the waterfront and all the other activities going on it makes it a really well-rounded show for everyone, including people who are not necessarily car enthusiasts,' said Bartley. Bartley added its important for classic cars to be appreciated. 'Especially for people in our age group it's nostalgic for us to have something that goes back years and years,' said Bartley. 'In our younger days, we were driving these vehicles as kids and it's nice to have them back again.' Setting the stage for the second Troubadour Festival of the summer headlined by The 99s. The outdoor music series kicks off at 6:00 p.m. with a local artist showcase including alt-rock band Goofus, folk-rock Sydney Riley + The Bog Bodies, and Dorene, an indie duo from Tottenham. The 99s will take the stage around 8:30 p.m. with hits and covers from bands like Tina Turner, ABBA, and Avril Lavigne.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Here's how a Montreal teen is helping Ukraine
Aleksander Yakimiw-Martin, 26, is raising money for his home country of Ukraine, one haircut at a time. Aleksander Yakimiw-Martin first learned to cut hair in school. Now a part-time barber, he takes each client's haircut seriously, with passion and precision. But lately, each cut has taken on more meaning. 'I wanted to do something personal to help Ukraine, so I'm a barber, so I thought, why not use that skill to do some good?,' said Yakimiw-Martin. The 16-year-old created 'Haircuts for Hope.' He first got the idea after giving a haircut to a Ukrainian refugee at his church. Now he's doing it at Dynasty Barbershop in Pointe-Claire, where he's worked for the past year. He donates $10 from every cut to help keep lights on in classrooms and rebuild schools in war-torn Ukraine. 'It gives them the same chance that I have to learn with light and without bombs,' he told CTV News. The teenager says he feels lucky to live here, especially since he has relatives back in Ukraine. What's happening to his family's home country is never far from his mind. He wears a Ukrainian trident around his neck; a symbol of resilience, amid the ongoing fight for freedom. 'My grandparents are Ukrainian, my parents are Ukrainian. We grew up speaking Ukrainian in our house, and we stayed really close to our heritage.' His coworkers say taking on the fundraiser at such a young age proves why he's a cut above the rest. 'I'm super proud of him and all of us here are it's super cool that he could, like, use his passion and his craft to fund this whole thing and make a real difference in the world,' said Dynasty Barbershop manager William Godbout. Yakimiw-Martin's goal is to raise $1,000. One of his clients, Kyle Gales, said, 'It's nice knowing that my money's going to like a good cause' after getting his haircut. The barber hopes the buzz continues to grow, so he can give back even more to schools in Ukraine, one cut at a time.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
‘This is totally unique': Why the RAM is rejuvenating a taxidermied elephant from the 60s
The Royal Alberta Museum is giving new life to a taxidermied elephant and using it as an opportunity to show guests what goes on behind the scenes. The Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) is giving new life to a taxidermied elephant that lived in the Calgary Zoo in the 60s. The museum says Gyro the elephant has been hidden from the public for most of his life. 'We're just happy to have it out front of house and having fantastic conservation staff working on it,' said Nick Cairns, curator with the RAM. Gyro is a juvenile Asian elephant who came from Toronto in the 1960s. He lived in the Calgary Zoo until his death in 1967, after his female mate, Gyrette II, knocked him into a dry moat. He was 6-years-old and wasn't fully grown. The museum acquired him in 1979 through the Riveredge Foundation and has never been displayed to the public before. Now, visitors will be able to see history conservator Gigi Kulis give him a fresh look close to the entrance. Gyro the elephant Natural history conservator Gigi Kulis working on Gyro the elephant at The Royal Alberta Museum (Miriam Valdes-Carletti/CTV News Edmonton) 'I love working on taxidermy and I fortunately get to do that with the work I do but this is totally unique and novel, it's pretty amazing,' Kulis told CTV News Edmonton. Cairns says having Kulis working on Gyro in the public eye is also a way to show guests what goes on behind-the-scenes at the museum. 'They're working really, really hard at making things look amazing when they might have been stuck in a basement or stuck in an attic for half a century,' Cairns said. While elephants aren't native to Alberta, the museum says Gyro's time spent at the Calgary Zoo makes him a part of provincial history. Gyro the elephant Gyro the elephant celebrating one year living at the Calgary Zoo with a cake. (Glenbow Archives) 'He is, as far as we know, the only taxidermied elephant in western Canada and in our collection,' said Carme Li, head of curation at the RAM. It's one of the biggest reasons the museum is giving him a makeover. Part of the conservation process includes fixing the cracks on his body and getting rid of over paint to unveil more natural characteristics. The museum says Gyro will be on display for the next couple of months.
