Downtown Kingston BIA announced 2021 pewter ornament collection
Every year the Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area (BIA)’s pewter ornament collection helps mark the beginning of the winter holiday season, and this year is no exception.
On Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, the Downtown Kingston! Business Improvement Area (BIA) announced the five new ornaments for the collection, and this year included something a little different. The 28th annual Limited Edition Pewter Collectibles will officially launch on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, with a few timely surprises, according to a release from the BIA.
“With the ongoing pandemic, the past two summers have been all about patios in downtown Kingston,” said Jan MacDonald, Chief Experience Officer with Downtown Kingston!, “so we thought it would be fun to recognize patio dining with the original, iconic Chez Piggy patio which first opened in 1979.”
In deciding on the year’s pewter collection, MacDonald confirmed, “we take suggestions from everywhere.”
Such is the case with the final ornament being released. “Dr. Kieran Moore’s Flipchart was a Twitter suggestion from @evilplasticfork that was endorsed by MOVE 98.3’s Reid and Ben,” said MacDonald. “We loved the idea of honouring Dr. Moore and his daily updates during the pandemic. He became a fixture in the lives of Kingstonians.”
The selected buildings, landmarks, and Kingston icons to be cast in pewter and their release dates are as follows, with descriptions of the sites from the BIA:
Kingston Lawn Bowling Club
100 Napier Street
Available Monday, Nov. 15
The first lawn bowling club in Kingston was established in 1914. It was located on the Queen’s University campus and was originally named the Queen’s Lawn Bowling Club. The name was based solely on its location, as the club had no affiliation with the university. The Kingston Lawn Bowling Club began building a new facility, including the current clubhouse, in 1933 at 100 Napier Street. The club officially opened on Napier Street in 1935 and has been an active club at that location ever since.
The Screening Room/Send in the Clowns
120 Princess Street
Available Monday, Nov. 22
In 2018, a massive renovation was undertaken at 120 Princess Street to transform both the façade and the interior of this brick building. From the early 1900s until near the end of that century, Steacy’s Limited operated in this location first as a general dry goods, millinery and dressmaking store and eventually evolved into a department store with an interior elevator. In the mid-1990s, the site became an independent movie theatre, first as Super Flicks & Food and now the three-screen cinema, The Screening Room. The main floor of the building houses the gift and card store, Send in the Clowns.
Katherine Bermingham Macklem House
18 Barrie Street
Available Monday, Nov. 29
This distinctive home at the corner of King Street was built by Thomas Rogers in 1883 and later remodeled by the Bermingham family with the addition of the Classical Revival portico in 1905. The final owner of the house, Katherine Bermingham Macklem purchased the house for $1 from her father, Christopher Bermingham, in 1934. She remained in the home until her death following which her two sons helped facilitate its donation to Queen’s University. With the help of Heritage Preservation Consultants, Queen’s commissioned the restoration of the house to its former glory both inside and out. Today, it houses the Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences.
Chez Piggy Patio
68R Princess Street
Available Monday, Dec. 6
In 1977 renovations began on the old stable that now houses one of Kingston’s most iconic restaurants, Chez Piggy. The innovative restaurant was opened in 1979 by Zal Yanovsky and Rose Richardson and continues to be a destination in downtown Kingston. The outdoor patio, which was met with some skepticism when it opened at the same time as the restaurant – outdoor patio dining in Kingston was new and different- is a colourful vine-covered culinary oasis in the center of the City.
The ‘Flipchart’
Available Monday, Dec. 13
All of Kingston, and now Ontario, knows Dr. Kieran Moore, who in his role as Chief Medical Officer of Health at the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Health Unit, guided local residents through the COVID-19 pandemic. His calming demeanour and consistent use of the informative “Flipchart” in his regular video chats, helped guide the residents of the region to understand the progression of the disease within the community and inform them what measures needed to be taken. In the spring of 2021, after 10 years at KFL&A, Dr. Moore was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Province of Ontario by Premier Doug Ford.
Each ornament can be purchased for $10 with proof of $25 worth of receipts from downtown businesses. The ornaments have a regular retail value of over $20. Receipts dated after November 1, 2021, are valid and may be from several businesses. All downtown businesses are applicable, from the dentist to the grocery store. Quantities are limited and are available only as long as they last.
The 2021 Limited Edition Pewter Collection, sponsored by the Downtown Kingston! BIA, will be available at:
- Grand Theatre Box Office, 218 Princess Street, Monday to Friday 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Leon’s Centre Box Office, 1 Tragically Hip Way, Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visitor Information Centre, 209 Ontario Street, Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.