CanoeFM, Haliburton County’s non-profit community radio station, turned 20 recently, with volunteers spanning two decades attending the station Sept. 26 to mark the occasion.
Among those was Joan Cameron – widow of Don, whose idea it was to bring radio to life in the Highlands.
Cameron said her husband was, “like a dog with a bone… tenacious” once he decided to launch the station. He enlisted the help of Dave Sovereign and, later, Jack Hewitt, with the trio coming together in March 2001 to conceptualize how to bring their dream into reality. They incorporated Canoe as a nonprofit later that year.
Dysart et al authorized the use of the Canoe building in July, and the group of volunteers, which had grown to include a handful of other names, such as former Algonquin Highlands mayor Carol Moffatt and community stalwarts Wendy Bartlett, Eric Beaulieu, Russ Hemphill, Ray Miller, Caryl Ann Moulton, Al Sheridan and Harry Southworth, started to fundraise.
Start-up costs were pegged at $125,000 – for a transmitter, antenna, transmission line, stereo generator, and audio processor. They utilized a tower in Eagle Lake to broadcast a signal across the County.
By mid-2003, the station had received the go-ahead from Industry Canada. On July 8, it had its first unofficial broadcast, celebrating its grand opening on Sept. 26. The first song broadcast, ‘The Impossible Dream’, was a direct nod to Cameron.
“His whole life revolved around that station at the beginning,” Joan said. “And, as a consequence, so did mine.”
Joan played a pivotal role in the early years. She was Don’s chauffeur – he had to give up his driving licence after suffering a stroke in the late 1980s – and, later, became one of Canoe’s most celebrated voices. Getting her start on the ‘Women, Weeds and Wisdom’ show on Tuesdays, Cameron blossomed as an on-air personality. Her most famous role was as “the story lady”, where she read Junie B. June tales to listeners.
“I still get stopped by people who recognize my voice,” Cameron said.
During those early years, there was no guarantee the station would be celebrating a 20-month anniversary, let alone 20 years, said Dave Allen, long-time sales representative. He joined Canoe weeks after the station’s official launch. It may seem surprising now, but back then not everyone was convinced about the station’s long-term viability.
Allen remembers when, upon returning from sales meetings, Don would greet him with a big smile. “Do you have a cheque for me?” Don would ask.
“Things were really tight back then,” Allen said.
Greg Roe was one of the first people to come forward in 2002 once word about the station’s formation got out. He’d always had a passion for radio, dating back to his formative years when, growing up in Scarborough, he’d tune into stations across the border that played his kind of music.
The ‘It’s Only Rock and Roll’ show has been running for as long as Canoe has been on the airwaves. Roe still gets excited when, on Friday nights, he escapes to the studio, closes the door, picks up his headphones, and goes out to people across the County.
“Things have changed a little over the years, but that feeling remains. Canoe has been such a big, wonderful part of my life. I don’t know if there will ever be a time when I don’t want to go on, on a Friday night,” Roe said.
While Cameron doesn’t get out to the station much anymore, she’s still a keen listener. She said the 20th anniversary celebration was a special day for her, as she got to reconnect with dozens of friendly faces from years past. One of those was station manager Roxanne Casey. Originally joining Canoe as an on-air host in 2004, transitioning to her current position in 2008, Casey has spent almost 19 years helping shape the station’s programming.
“Canoe is a wonderful story of what can be achieved when a community pulls together,” Casey said. “There’s been a lot of people who have come through those doors over the years, and each one has contributed in their own way. It’s been quite the journey.”
Her focus now is on ensuring Canoe is still around for another 20 years. Growing from that initial team of 10 or so volunteers, the station now has around 125 people who contribute in different ways, including 40 who frequently appear on-air. She noted succession planning is underway, to ensure the next generation can keep Canoe going.
Looking back on the many success stories, Casey said there’s nothing quite like radio bingo. Since its inception in 2012, it has raised more than $1 million – with half of that being donated back into the community, supporting dozens of causes over the years.
“It’s a nice feeling knowing how much of a positive difference that money has made in the community,” Casey said.
After spending so much time herself, and watching Don give so much to ensure Canoe got off the ground, Cameron said it’s amazing to see the station still thriving all these years later.
“It’s a testament to Haliburton, it’s a testament to all the incredible people who have contributed over the years, and it’s a testament to Don, Dave, and Jack, who didn’t give in even when everyone thought they should,” Cameron said. “This community is a much better place thanks to 100.9 CanoeFM.”
