Welcome to Osgoode Community Chronicles - Introductory Episode

Hello and welcome to the very first episode of Osgoode Community Chronicles.

I'm your host Tracey D'Aviero and I'm so excited that you are here. I'm excited to be here myself.

I have been trying to find my place in the community and I really think this is it. I hope you agree!

Many of you may know me as Tracey Blanchfield, I've been married to my husband Tony D'Aviero for almost 30 years so you've had time to get used to the new name, but in a small community like ours, we often still refer back to our maiden or family names. I know I do all the time.

I have lived in Osgoode all of my life … well, almost all of it. My relatives have been living in what was called West Osgoode since the 1830s. My father was born on what is now called Blanchfield Road, and after he married my mom they briefly lived in Ottawa where my sister and brothers were born, before moving us all out to Lion Street in Osgoode village.

Let's just say I don't remember living anywhere else. Tony and I are still living in the village with our son Owen. I wouldn't live anywhere else!

Now although the podcast is called Osgoode Community Chronicles, it will not be just about the village of Osgoode. I like to think lots goes on here, but probably to get enough content for a weekly podcast would consist mostly of peeking through my neighbours windows and we have to draw the line somewhere!

We will be covering Osgoode and area – and that area doesn't have ward or road boundaries. We are going to talk about the communities that we are living in – news and events, history, local businesses, community voices, and a whole lot more. And I'll bring it to you from my home in Osgoode village.

Why a podcast? I've hosted a weekly podcast for my business for more than 2 years and I love the way that it is accessible to the people who want to tune in whenever they like. A podcast is just a radio show that you can listen to anytime you want – from anywhere you want.

So whether you are a current resident of our area, or a former resident, you can listen in, and I hope you do.

I myself have been involved in a number of community groups over the years and here is what my vision of Osgoode Community Chronicles is: a hub for local organizations and groups to get the word out about their events, a spotlight on local businesses and their products and services, a dive into our area's rich history and the families that have come here and stayed, or simply passed through, an account of the community leaders who have helped to shape and build our communities through their businesses or other community initiatives, and a place where stories that make up the history of our rural communities can be shared and passed on to our future generations.

Many of you will know or have heard of Mr. Michael Daley. He is our local historian, which seems like a measly title when you see all of the information he has gathered and shared over the years. Mr. Daley, I call him Mike … is one of my biggest inspirations for this podcast. You will hear a lot more from and about him on this podcast – when he made the decision to move away from his family farm on Stagecoach Road, in his 90s, he had to downsize. A lot. And I am humbled and so very proud to have been the recipient of ALL of his historical records. It's a lot, and he's a lot. He is a wealth of knowledge and he has put much of it in writing. Some of it has been published by the Osgoode Township Historical Society, which is now the Osgoode Museum, as well as other locations. Much of it is held in multiple file folders and cabinets, which now reside at my home. I will be drawing on this collection for content for this podcast, as well as a regular segment which I call Daley's Diaries. I'm hoping to do him proud. I sure will try!

I will be sharing historical accounts, stories, as well as memories of people who live or have lived here in our growing communities, hamlets, boroughs and villages. Where possible I will do interviews to capture their own voices and stories.

The podcast will come to you every week on Tuesdays – and you can listen to it anywhere you listen to your favourite podcasts – Apple, Spotify, Google.

I have a website – OsgoodeCommunityChronicles.com which is where you can find links to all of the podcast episodes, as well as more information about the topics we cover in each episode, links to our sponsors, and also where you can give us your ideas on what you want to hear, who you want us to talk to, and let us know about events that are taking place in your area.

A brief disclaimer: if you have ever heard a story passed down from generation to generation, you will know that not everything ends up being historically accurate, shall we say … I will strive to ensure that the historical information and anything else we share here on the podcast is accurate… I pride myself in telling the truth. But if we make a mistake, be forgiving and just let us know.

I invite you to come along as we uncover the fascinating history, stories and culture of our beloved region.

I have SO much content mapped out for you, and I can't wait to share it. I hope you'll come along for the ride. Don't forget to like and subscribe to the podcast so you can be notified when a new episode becomes available!

Quick thanks to my family who I sprung this on recently, after much planning in my own head. Thank you to Tony, Owen, Mel, Mom, Lynne and JR, for your immediate support and genuine interest, and for saying all the nice things that you all said when I was brave enough to tell you that I was doing this. I know it's weird and new but it's exactly the vehicle I want to use to bring our community together and move it forward while remembering our very rich past.

I know I am not alone in that, and I can't wait to connect with all of you who also feel the same way.

Thanks so much to you for being here. Until next time, let's keep our rural spirit alive, one story at a time. See you next time!