Our contributors

Very nearly a decade ago, Kathleen and I embarked upon our lives as newspaper owners, publishers and writers. Even then, it was clear the business of newspapering faced intense challenges. Online news sources had largely displaced the physical paper, particularly and more profoundly in urban markets but, even here, change was underway.

A business mentor once explained to me that there was really only one rule that should never be tested—don’t be number three in your market. It was pretty specific advice. Keith Moore was an industialist heading diverse businesses, including Hawker Siddeley Canada and a division of SPX . When Moore looked at a business he wanted to own, it had to be number one or number two in its market—either number one in the hearts and minds of customers, or possess a reasonable shot at attaining that stature. Moving number three to number one—was too much work. And in the end likely too risky an investment. So it was with this business tenet well steeped in my blood system, that we found ourselves, in the spring of 2004, the naive and woefully inexperienced proprietors of the number three newspaper in Prince Edward County. Moore’s advice clanged loudly through much of that first year.

We resolved very early on that the Times would need to find its own voice. An independent, unfettered and unapologetic voice. Readers could agree or disagree with the views and ideas expressed, but they had to read it. It had to be something that folks would have to feel compelled to retrieve from newsboxes and retail stores, or feel they were missing something.

It followed that one opinionated voice wasn’t sufficient. We needed many voices to reflect the experiences and perspectives that reside here. We scoured our limited County network at the time, searching for independent, interesting and compelling voices to bring to our readers.

There was no shortage of folks who were keen to submit articles and even columns to our little newspaper— but most of this was merely advertising or publicity masking as editorial content. It would prove much harder—and take much longer to find the true voices of Prince Edward County.

I had known Robin Baranyai from the elementary school where our children attend. One evening, speaking on a thorny issue before the school council, Robin spelled out her opinion on the matter. She spoke with clarity, force and passion. These were qualities I knew in an instant we would share with our readers. She has never flagged in opening windows into worlds and cultural perspectives I might never otherwise encounter in my parochial cocoon.

Theresa Durning was a vastly underused, and I dare say underappreciated, contributor to one of the other County papers. As that paper came under increasing and unrelenting pressure to cut costs, Theresa was let loose. Almost immediatly her acerbic, down-to-earth and personal observations of life in the County became a key feature in the Times.

John Kennedy had been a television writer, producer and teacher over his career. Upon retiring in Wellington, he continued to write— now just for pleasure. His stories often centred on a barbershop in the fictional town of Sloeville. It was in the barber chair at Village Barber and Beauty that I was given one story to read. I wasn’t three paragraphs in before I knew I wanted to share these tales with our readers. Kennedy’s stories evolved over the next few years introducing us to many quirky characters, but rarely strayed far from the Main Street in Sloeville. Celine Papizewska has since ably assumed the duty of documenting the lives of the folks of Sloeville through her advice column, Aunt Agonia.

David Simmonds became a wry observer of Prince Edward County before he actually moved here. He sees the humour, charm and the bizarre in everyday life. He is at his best when gently sketching the wonderful and often amusing rituals that make life in the County precious.

His very first column for the Times, though, erupted a minor tempest when he suggested that Tim Hortons was considering the construction of a new store on the site of the Anglican Church in Wellington. Some readers considered listing their homes for sale. Since then his legion of readers has continued to grow—eager for a weekly dose of wry, sensitive and hilarious observations of the world around us.

Others followed. James Hurst. Conrad Beaubien. Marjorie Seguin. Sharon Harrison. David Brown. Lili Sullivan. David O’Connor. Steve Campbell. Others still. Space won’t permit me to dwell on the individual strengths of each contributor in this week’s column, but we will get there.

The strength of the Times, indeed its heart and soul, is revealed each week through the words and images brought to you by those who contribute to this newspaper. Their ideas, experience and perspectives inspire and motivate me. They confirm my sense that we are offering something special and unique to our readers. It is our solemn responsiblity to do so—our commitment to you that each and every week you will find something you won’t see anywhere else. Our contributors do this. It is my honour to present this special contributors’ edition of the Times.

rick@wellingtontimes.ca