When I was ten years old, I was certain I’d be a rock star.
I asked my parents to buy me an electric guitar for my birthday (there was no acoustic guitar on Bon Jovi’s tunes) and I started taking guitar lessons. I had a few chords down, a few blues scales and a few riffs. I was well on my way to replacing Richie Sambora.
But sadly, I was never able to get that next level that would set me on a path to rock star-dom. I think what I was missing was a program that would help me realize my destiny. Something like a rock star program. Something like Marsh Street Rocks in Clarksburg. When I first heard about this opportunity for kids to pair up with local musician, Craig Smith, I could hear my ten-year-old self calling out. That was the catalyst I had missed out on in my failed path to stardom.
But I’m glad to hear it’s helping the local kids of today achieve their rock star dreams. It may not be Bon Jovi they’re trying to replicate, but more likely bands such as July Talk or The Beaches. And I’m sure there are some young Swifties with lofty dreams. And it’s found a serious niche in the Town of the Blue Mountains.
Board member Graham Binks has been working hard over the years to make sure the program is a success. “Marsh Street Rocks program remains as popular as ever with the Fall session almost sold out two months in advance,” he says.
“We’ve talked about whether there could be an expansion of Marsh Street Rocks,” adds president Michele Myrah. “The kids program sells out quite quickly, so we think there is the demand.”
“I wish I had this when I was young and trying to get famous” says Robert Brown, who started in 2019 as Director of Marketing and now oversees the musical bookings and recording studio. He actually did get close to stardom, closer than I did at least. He played with a band called Motel that became well known in Toronto and got some radio play. His solo 45rpm was even featured on CBC’s Centre Stage and is hanging on the wall in the recording studio where we’re all chatting.
The Marsh Street Rocks program, that began in 2016 under Florian Lenders, is now under the guidance of a local rock star in his own right, Craig Smith. “The kids really love working with Craig,” says Michele. Robert adds: “It has become our flagship program. You wouldn’t believe how many people say either ‘I was in that’ or ‘my kid was in that and what a difference it made.’”
And while the Program is a popular one at the Centre, it is certainly not the only thing the Centre offers. Not by a long shot.
MSC also hosts the very popular Seniors Wellness Program and Coffee Klatch, and is home to long time renters such as the Active Arts dance school for Kids, Marsh Street Artists for adults and Thornbury Community Theatre. You can also rent out their recording studio for a professional demo.
“Once we got the bar in 2010, that became a big income generator,” says Tom Kennedy, who is one of the original board members from when the not-for-profit was formed. The bar brings in revenue for concerts and Pub Nights, but it also allows community members to rent the Centre out for weddings and events.
“In a nutshell, the Marsh Street Centre’s goal is to be something for everybody. You can have a concert with a high-quality band with 180 people or you can have a little classroom meeting in the boardroom, or you can come in and record your own tune with professional musicians,” says Robert. “There’s something for everyone – if you’re an artist, if you’re a recording artist, if you’re a gymnast,” he says and laughs as the floor above us is shaking from the youngsters doing dance classes.
It’s also for everyone in the sense that there is no financial barrier. “We don’t want financial concerns to prohibit someone from coming,” says Michele. And thanks to grants, business sponsors, and some generous donations from groups like the Hundred Men Who Care in South Georgian Bay, many programs can be subsidized.
“There’s a lot of momentum right now,” says Robert. “The Marsh is growing exponentially. We’ve had some really good acts play here – The Skydiggers, The Sadies, The Satelittes, My Son the Hurricane, Robert Michaels. And we’re building on that. And on top of that, we’re really promoting local musicians with weekly Pub Nights on the Patio in the summer…this town is full of great musicians like The Jenny Howes Duo, for example.”
“We’re proud of the Marsh’s reputation as a go-to concert venue for great bands and are looking to add comedy nights soon,” says Graham.
This programming is all in line with the mandate of the not-for-profit when it purchased the building off the Town of Blue Mountains in 2001. “The vision was that they were going to have kids in here, they were going to have old folks in here, they were going to have programs, they were going to have bands and dances and theatre,” says Tom noting that over the years the building has been used as a town hall, war museum, library and town treasury, but actually dates back to 1928 when “the building itself was built as a dance hall,” says Robert. “You could square dance here and the tickets were 25 cents.”
There’s still a lot of dancing going on at Marsh Street, and it will continue thanks to the fundraising that the Centre does each year. “The current list of capital projects is quite long for our 97 year old building,” says Michele. “There is a balance between our charitable purpose and making sure we offer affordable programming.” The board is excited to have recently renovated the Marsh Street facade to provide a facelift and secure the building for another 100 years. Hopefully there’s still lots of dancing going on in 2125.
And let’s not forget the volunteerism that is at the backbone of the Centre going back all the way to its inception. Tom, who moved to Slabtown in the late 1990s, tells me the early work that was involved including the removal all the old artefacts from the building in 2001 – a lot of books and bricks, he says. He can cite almost every renovation and upgrade that has happened in the building.
“We’re a very hands on board,” says Michele. “It’s a bit of a challenge because the community has changed a lot over the last four years. It’s grown a lot. And volunteerism is down since Covid. That would be one of the challenges going forward.”
“It’s harder to get volunteers now, but the volunteers you do have work twice as hard,” adds Robert. “This place gets into your blood,” adds Tom.
“We want to make sure we keep offering programs for everyone going forward,” says Michele. That includes a possible expansion of the Marsh Street Rocks program as Michele mentioned earlier, so if you think your child could be the next Owen Riegling or Sylvie Kindree, get them signed up.
“To start a band is such a wonderful thing,” says Robert. “And then you get to play in front of 180 people. It builds confidence in the younger kids. And a lot of them are still playing.”
“This is where they got their start,” adds Tom.
“There is no prerequisite. You don’t have to play an instrument. You come to learn,” says Robert. “That’s the same with the recording studio here. Not only are you getting a good quality recording out of it, but you’re learning.”
“One thing that Marsh Street Centre should be very proud of it is that it’s become a really creative space. It’s not just a community centre where you come to play pickle ball – there’s arts groups, music programs, dance programs, even karate. It’s very unique,” says Robert and poses a question to the group: “Aren’t we, in fact, one of two places that operate this way in Ontario?”
“That’s what I keep reading but I can’t find out what the other place is?” responds Michele and laughs.
If anyone out there knows where that other place is, please tell us. But either way, let’s just celebrate that at least one of these unique places is right here in Clarksburg. Whether you want to rock out, dance, paint, drink coffee or get married, the Marsh Street Community Centre should be your go-to spot.
Written by Jesse Wilkinson
Photos by John Fearnall of Good Noise
