Winnipeg music venues hopeful for rebound after pandemic closures
The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to almost all live events, leaving Winnipeg’s music venues empty, but now they are finally starting to rebound.
Despite the pandemic, it has been a busy summer for John Scoles, the owner of Times Changed on Main Street.
While his main venue has been shut down due to the pandemic, he's been finding ways to support the music community through other projects.
He launched Blue Note Park earlier this year, an outdoor concert venue next door to Times Changed.
"We have actually managed to put $200,000 into the hands of musicians in this town through different projects like Blue Note Park, the beer can last year, an album we released and a video we did," said Scoles.
But with Winnipeg winters, Scoles is forced to close Blue Note Park, its last show coming Saturday.
Though, with an improved outlook on COVID-19 and an ease in restrictions, he plans to reopen his indoor venue on Oct. 22.
"It's what we've always done and what we love and everyone says 'oh my god, we have to be back in the club' and then when we open the door let's see how the feel," said Scoles.
It's a similar story at The Good Will Social Club. The venue is also making a return on Oct. 22 after being closed for almost 19 months.
"It's not easy but we've had a lot of support from the community and that's what helped keep The Good Will going. We are really grateful for that," said Jeremy Haywood-Smith, who does the booking for The Good Will.
One of the biggest challenges the venue faces now is ensuring everyone stays safe.
"It's going to be a fully immunized building, so everyone coming in performing and booking needs to be vaccinated just to be extra safe," said Haywood-Smith.
At The Park Theatre, owner Erick Casselman made the best of the pandemic closure.
“I took the opportunity to start gutting the place in January. Redo it so coming out of the pandemic bigger, stronger, have a larger capacity to be able to host bigger shows," Casselman said.
With the final touches being put in place, the theatre is slated to reopen on Oct. 8.
No matter the venue or staff member, they all share the same feelings toward holding events again.
"Oh super excited. I can't wait. I've been sitting on pins and needles for 18 months looking forward to having live music back in the room again," added Casselman.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.