Echo Essentials Podcast

Liz Lott and Liza Vandermeer, along with dozens of other Friends of Sweetman's Gardens and thousands of visitors, didn't need another battle on their plate - especially one requiring them to reprove the value of a seven-decade community jewel in North Bay. They joined co-host Dave Dale and guest co-host Stu Campaigne, in the Echo Essentials podcast studio to discuss the impact of a recent mis-plan...

The Echo Essentials podcast features former councilor and 2022 mayoral candidate Johanne Brousseau talking with co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale. Johanne did some homework on the Sweetman's Garden file and came up with two ideas to potentially protect the long-time unofficial community asset (recently impacted by city clearing of brush and trees on an adjacent road allowance.) In the preamble ba...

Bill Parfitt, 99, shares his Second World War "adventure" as an RCAF tail gunner flying bombing runs over Germany in this 40th episode of the Echo Essentials Podcast. The patriarch of a four-generation farming family in Widdifield Township also threatens to go back before city council to properly develop parkland beaches at Four Mile Lake and Otter Lake. He said the land was donated by a veteran a...

North Bay Councilor Gary Gardiner joins the Echo Essentials podcast to discuss the latest Town Hall controversy, what changed his mind about the twin pad arena project and what he thinks about running for mayor again. He also described his strategy to get things done at council and how elected officials have to adopt a patient attitude and work with staff. Co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale start...

The group representing Northern Ontario municipalities wants the province to re-examine the Integrity Commission and code-of-conduct system and make it more consistent and worth the cost. Former North Bay councilor Dave Mendicino and Echo Essentials co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale rake over past investigations, outcomes and options that might make it better. A debate was sparked when Mendicino...

Matt Parfitt, of the Parfitt Farm, visits the Echo Essentials Podcast studio to highlight city restrictions on rural and agricultural land use that he feels are not science-based and unfair to rural property owners several kilometres away from Trout Lake. He also said the city has recently approved additional development of lots right on Trout Lake, the city's source of drinking water that the res...

Adam Dennis, the Battalion's new president and director of hockey operations, visits the Echo Essentials Podcast studio and talks about his hockey journey as a Memorial Cup winner, NHL-drafted goalie and European league pro ... and how that experience shapes how he develops players. ln the pre-interview banter, co-host and Echo owner Scott Clark takes co-host Dave Dale to task for getting somethin...

Town Hall rules, ward system and political motivations are discussed by co-hosts Dave Dale and Scott Clark in this episode of the Echo Essentials Podcast. Media coverage of a recent City of North Bay outreach event sparks the discussion, that also touches on the issue raised in a recent Letter to the Editor suggesting that city councilors should be required to live within the city limits. CORRECTI...

Tony Limina and Peter Rooney join the Echo Essentials podcast to talk about the Kennedy Fall Fellowship, a 62-year tradition where North Bay business owners and community leaders gather for a social event on the French River. Co-host Scott Clark, who has attended several of the gatherings, references the positive benefits of the casual interactions between some of the most active movers and shaker...

It's been a year since the Echo Community Podcasting Network launched in North Bay with the goal of amplifying community story-tellers, creating shows and complementing existing media with the credo: "Local voices should be heard." Since then we've produced more than 200 episodes of a variety of podcasts and 100 Echo Essentials newsletters reaching tens of thousands of listeners and viewers, begin...

Joining the Echo Essentials Podcast today is former North Bay deputy mayor and 16-year councilor Tanya Vrebosch, who expressed frustration about how the first half of this term is going. Coun. Vrebosch first took a seat in the council chamber in 2008 after placing 11th in the previous municipal election, but then filled a vacant seat mid-term. It was when Maureen Boldt, a paralegal, was removed fr...

Paul McLean drops by the Echo Essential Podcast studio to talk about the resurgence of minor baseball in North Bay. The owner of Source for Sports describes how the newest iteration of the diamond sport offers a Panther 'travel' team system with a 'local' league foundation. McLean, with his boy's 9U team fresh off a provincial championship tournament experience in Sault Ste. Marie on Labour Day we...

Uphar, this week's Echo Essentials guest, is an international student from Punjab, India who is entering his second year as a Nipissing University marketing student while working part-time at Clark Communications, which owns the North Bay Echo Community Podcast Network. Co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale invited Uphar into the studio as he celebrated his first year in North Bay to talk about his e...

Scott McLeod Shabogesic visits the Echo Essentials Podcast studio to talk about his nine-year tenure as chief of Nipissing First Nation, his future and specific challenges his community has overcome and continues to face. One of the primary topics covered was how the Robinson Huron Treaty Annuity lawsuit and subsequent court rulings and settlement that worked to divide many of the 21 communities i...

Echo Essentials Podcast co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale discuss the history of North Bay's past and current community events. They cover the successful recipes and challenges they face, while referencing the Aug. 24 Block Party, on-going Summer Concert Series, the old and potentially-revived Northern Ontario Country Music Singing Contest, former Heritage Festival and former Summer Concert in th...

This week's Echo Essentials podcast is half banter between co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale before bringing seemingly-ostracized Coun. Jamie Lowery to discuss the progress and lack there of half-way into the four-year term. Scott asks Dave about him stepping into a bit of Facebook "goo" while offering criticism about how a media release was republished by The Nugget as "submitted" without furthe...

The owner of a vilified motel in downtown North Bay and the president of the Near North Landlords Association visit the Echo Essentials studio to share their perspective on handling 'trouble' tenants. Anthony Koziol, owner of the Villa in the 300-block of Main Street East, is vice-president of the NNLA, was named by a nearby business owner as part of the problem because he rents to people associat...

This week's Echo Essentials podcast is all about the banter between co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale when a guest can't make it to the studio...and the tables are turned a bit as Scott finds himself agreeing with Dave for a change. Seriously, do we really need more access to alcohol? If you are tripped up by a pothole, should you report it and file a lawsuit? (Scott and Dave share their own expe...

Shane Moyer says the recent Echo Essentials podcasts featuring local politicians, police chief and business representatives didn't have the street-level perspective. Moyer, who is trying to help through the Homeless Advocates group, has gone through addiction treatment, lived on the street and was a criminal during the dark times. He says the Northern Pines transitionary treatment program might wo...

Brennain Lloyd, of Northwatch, pokes holes in nuclear waste storage decisions and so-called strategy, noting that much of it could travel through North Bay via truck convoys most days of the week for half a century. Before the discussion, co-hosts Scott Clark asks Dave Dale why they are doing so many podcasts about the environment when they could be drilling into why City Hall windows don't match.

The North Bay Public Library is close to achieving charitable status and, some day, they'll be looking at capital fundraising campaign to build a better designed facility to help build a stronger community. Don Curry, chairman of the library board, and Ravil Veli, chief executive officer, join Echo Essentials Podcast hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale to discuss the challenges and opportunities they...

Today's Echo Essentials Podcasts includes video clips of elected officials and a citizen presenter making comments at the June 18 North Bay City Council and Committee meeting. Co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale provide their thoughts to add insight and perspective, as well as adding some context. Before the clips are played, Scott asks Dave about his city council beat role at the Nugget, when it s...

North Bay is co-hosting a public open house on PFAS 'forever chemicals' today (Thursday, June 20) at Memorial Gardens 3 to 8 p.m., with a 4 p.m. presentation repeated at 6 p.m. Featured on this podcast is Karin Pratte, the City's Senior Environment and Facilities Engineer, who manages the water filtration plant, waste water treatment and Merrick landfill. Joining the city at the public forum is th...

New North Bay Police Chief Daryl Longworth joins Echo Essentials co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale to talk about his background, why he took on the role after retirement in Woodstock, Ont. and his priorities. Longworth, who made a presentation to council June 4, explained how high-profile cases in southern Ontario provided experience that shaped his perspective on helping officers cope with their...

A controversy is brewing, once again, in the City of North Bay, over the best location and operational plan for a "warming centre" and "low barrier shelter" to serve unhoused residents. Coun. Mark King, chairman of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board, joins the Echo Essentials podcast with hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale to discuss the issue. King doesn't support a consu...