The Wonders of Welland: An origin(al) story

When I was eight, I traded the lush landscape of Ontario for the rugged terrain of Alberta. Well, my family did; I had no say in the matter. Over the years, life’s bountiful experiences overshadowed that childhood upheaval – until the early months of 2022, that is. Suddenly, that long-ago journey loomed large in my mind. The reason was clear: my own son was about to turn eight, poised on the brink of a life-changing adventure of his own.

Let me explain.

To this day, I’ve heralded that childhood move as a momentous turning point in my life, and 2022 afforded an unfiltered glimpse into the past, a clear reflection of the type of friendships I had, my sense of safety and familiarity with the place and home I grew up in, and just how impressionable I actually was at that age. At times, I forget how strong those bonds of settlement would have been; they are so far removed from my daily life now they almost seem inconsequential. Almost.

So, as I watched my son navigate his eighth full year on this earth, I decided to produce an original illustrated children’s book as part of my portfolio of tasks within the City of Welland’s corporate communications department. If fortune never favoured the meek, I was ready to embark on an adventure that would challenge and inspire my growth as a storyteller.

Along with the aforementioned son approaching eight, the burgeoning growth of the City of Welland was also top of mind; I was busy rebranding the City, in part, to prepare for the influx of new residents projected to call Welland home – 20,000-plus in the next 10 years and nearly 50,000 over the next 20 years. That’s a lot of new people. That’s a lot of new families. That’s a lot of new eight-year-olds.

Seeing the two as parallels, the book seemed an obvious undertaking, an evident product of personal and professional experience converging. So, I got to work.

Before I could get this off the ground, the following questions had to be answered:

1.???Why produce this project at all?

2.???Who would produce this project?

3.???How would this project be funded?

4.???How do I ensure it’s inclusive and representative?

5.?? How can I make it relevant to the entire community?

Some of these questions had simple answers and straightforward tactics, others were more complex; however, every single aspect of this endeavour proved to be an eye-opening, educational experience. Thankfully, things fell into place in short order and we were able to focus more time on the book than its logistics. So, let’s dive into how it all came to be.

Why produce this project at all?

In hindsight, the reasons are plentiful and all interconnected with one another, but none eclipsed my own personal experience of moving when I was young. Would I have benefited from a book like this? Would I have been less anxious and more eager to explore my new home if I knew anything about what was there? Would I have become comfortable a few days sooner in my new surroundings after reading a book like this? I would like to think so.

This book is for everyone, especially children who are experiencing a move to a new home. It may not be Welland you’re moving to, but the encouragement and ideas are the same: get out and explore and give it a chance. This innovative endeavour aims to ease the anxieties of relocation and foster an inviting sense of belonging and community among our newest residents. And don't get us wrong, our current roster of residents will be just as engaged.

As you turn the pages, a calendar year in Welland unfolds, revealing its must-visit establishments, treasured gems, and diverse opportunities. Through creative visual and textual storytelling, we are bridging the gap between generations, promoting literacy, encouraging family bonding, and fostering a sense of civic pride and community engagement.

I’d say those are pretty good reasons to do something.

Who would produce this project?

I’m a writer, it’s part of what I do every day, it’s an activity that never fails to invigorate me, but I’m certainly not a children’s fiction author. And maybe I’m still not, but I wrote this story anyway, alongside my colleague Paul Orlando, whose reasons and motivations for participating are just as personal and rooted in childhood experience as mine. Together, we plotted the story and made sure we gave it thoughtful consideration and careful evaluation of where the text landed on a reading-level scale. To appeal to a diverse audience and promote literacy, we wrote for a level-three reading level; I hope we’ve achieved this goal. In addition to the readability of the words themselves, we knew it was imperative to make sure our chosen words were representative, inclusive, and free of any unintended stereotypes or ill-fated consequences. Sincere thanks to Carole Moss, who performed a sensitivity read on the text. With her compassionate suggestions, our story improved and captured the essence of what we were aiming for.

So, with the story written, what about the graphics? Thankfully, we were blessed with the immense talents of Javier Carranza, a Niagara College international student who was co-oping with the City of Welland as a graphic designer. Creating the visual world of our story and illustrating each page, Javier brought the text to life, infusing it with a delightful spirit. The City’s exceptional multimedia designer, Jane Walker-Scott, skillfully laid the book out, was perpetually generous with her design input, and produced all our promotional materials. It might be an understatement to say we look pretty damn professional here.

How would this project be funded?

Ah, yes, the almighty dollar. Despite the inherent value of a feasible idea, it really does come down to this, especially in a municipality where every financial decision needs to be made with the taxpayer in mind. My pre-determined approach for this project was to not only limit, but completely eliminate any cost, to the taxpayer and look towards the specific community that would be developing Welland while its population growth surges: builders and developers who build in the city. With strong connections to these groups, I prepared a funding request letter outlining the book, its benefits, and the positive impact our community partners could provide. Through the generosity of Empire Communities, LIV Communities, Mountainview Building Group, Primont Homes, and Silvestri Investments, $20,000 was donated for the book’s production and its promotional materials.

How do I ensure it’s inclusive and representative?

As mentioned, the primary audience is newcomers, those calling Welland home yet still unfamiliar with their new city and surroundings. But what about those already living here? Where will they see themselves in this book?

1.??Diversity. Our family is diverse in their composition and ethnicity. We wanted to do our best to ensure that regardless of who was reading the book, they saw aspects of themselves in any of our cast of characters. With the support of our friends at Pride Niagara, we collaborated on the appearance of the parent characters to make sure we avoided any unintended and hurtful stereotypes. Not every family looks the same, and by acknowledging that in the book, we wanted to promote the City’s commitment to acceptance and love.

2.??Bilingualism. Welland is one of 44 communities designated as a Francophone community in Ontario. Working closely with CERF Niagara, who graciously provided translation service in-kind, we produced our book in printed and digital formats, in both English and French.

3.??Indigenous acknowledgement. Thanks to our friends at the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre, whose catchment area includes Welland, we were introduced to a talented, local Indigenous artist who created the artwork complementing the book’s land acknowledgement page. Not only did Stephanie Fiddler-Stanwyck produce a stunning image, she provided some meaningful rationale behind the piece, outlined on a special page at the back of the book.

How can I make it relevant to the entire community?

Reading through the book, newcomers and lifelong residents will marvel at the vibrance of their city on every page. For those who have experienced Welland, this is an opportunity to say “I’ve done that” or “we should do that next year”, or an invitation to ask “do you remember when … ?”. Memories are made, cherished, and reminisced long after they first occur. Seeing the seasonal activities in this book is sure to elicit memories in every reader, whether they were just made earlier that day or 30 years ago.

Beyond that, reading is universal. Intentionally written at a level where children can read on their own, with help from someone else, or have the story read to them in words and phrases they’ll understand, this book is filled with community spirit and pride, fostering the ideas of family and literacy.

For a multitude of reasons, I’m deeply proud of this book. I’m proud that the entirety of it was produced within the City of Welland. I’m proud of the story we told and the characters we created. I’m proud of the dedication and hard work of those who joined me on this project.

A heartfelt thank you to the following individuals who were pivotal in seeing this project come to light:

Paul Orlando

Jane Walker-Scott

Javier Carranza

Steve Zorbas

Carole Moss (she/hers)

Suzanne C.

Enzo De Divitiis