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Algonquin Media to launch St. Marys Life & Times series on YouTube



By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

To shine a light on the interesting people, places and history of St. Marys, local producer and filmmaker Evan Phoenix is launching a brand-new television series focused entirely around Stonetown on YouTube.

St. Marys Life & Times will see its first episode drop on the Algonquin Media YouTube page (www.youtube.com/@algonquinmedia) at 8 p.m. Oct. 12. The premiere episode, which features an interview with and performance by local musician Frank St. Germain, will be the first of many showing different sides of St. Marys both visitors and locals can appreciate.

“Originally from Toronto, Frank settled in St. Marys,” Phoenix told the Independent. “The thing that struck me about Frank in this episode is that he doesn't know how to write music. He just plays from the heart. He also talks about his start in the music world and the cruise-ship circuit. We also see him sing and play a song in the episode.

“When you're watching this episode, you don't really feel like you're watching a TV episode. You feel like Frank invited you on his deck for a beer or three. It was, for me, a magical experience and I hope everyone that watches it feels that magic too.”

Phoenix says he moved to St. Marys seven years ago and instantly fell in love with the town. In 2018, he launched St. Marys Radio but eventually sold the station to Grant Haven Media owner and this newspaper’s publisher, Stewart Grant.

“I didn't have enough time on my hands and Stewart, along with Spencer Seymour, turned it into a station I could only dream of creating,” Phoenix said. “They've done a beautiful job. I knew, however, that I still wanted to do something special about and for St. Marys. It was finally in 2023 that I dreamed up the idea of creating a YouTube documentary TV series that would focus on the people, the places and the history of St. Marys, and here we are; the dream came true.”

His company, Algonquin Media, started as Algonquin Records back in 2020 when Phoenix and his fiancée started a band called The Chesterfield Chronicles. Over the years, Phoenix produced promotional videos for businesses as well as instructional and music videos, so he figured he’d create a branch of Algonquin Records called Algonquin Media.

For the new documentary series, Phoenix wants to feature interesting people with surprising stories and put the spotlight on the Indigenous land St. Marys is situated on, how the town was formed and the histories and original purposes behind the heritage buildings that make Stonetown so unique.

“Ideas just come to me suddenly,” he said. “If I see or hear something inspiring about St. Marys, I want to talk about it and I think that's how stories are born. I think viewers will discover a part of themselves and they'll see a different side of St. Marys that is interesting and inspiring. St. Marys Life & Times is about everyone here.

“If someone wants to sit down with a glass of wine and allow themselves to get lost in heartfelt stories that are also funny and uplifting, they should tune in. Really, they're tuning into themselves.”

For more information on Phoenix and Algonquin Media, check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/algonquinmedia/ and Instagram at www.instagram.com/evanphoenixofficial/.

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