The closure comes in the midst of security and funding issues
The campus community fridge, a vital resource for students, faculty and community members needing free healthy food options, officially closed its doors on Aug. 30, 2024. The decision came after mounting financial challenges, repeated security breaches and ongoing difficulties in maintaining adequate staffing.
The fridge, operated by the Student Wellness Centre, had been a food resource located behind Mills Library for over two years. It provided free, nutritious food to anyone in need, including students, staff and members of the surrounding community.
For many students, the fridge was essential to help provide food amid the rising cost of living. In an interview with The Silhouette, PhD student Val Flores, expressed how the fridge had been a great help throughout their time at McMaster. "It came at a time in my life when I didn't really have a lot of money," said Flores.
It came at a time in my life when I didn't really have a lot of money.
Val Flores, PhD student
Flores, who was diagnosed with diabetes in 2023, shared the struggles of eating healthy with expensive grocery prices and limited food options on campus. "Having the community fridge so I could make my own meals and deal with my own condition . . . It helped me a lot," said Flores.
The McMaster Community Fridge announced on Instagram that the service would be closing as of Aug. 30, 2024. The statement cited "logistical challenges" as the reason.
The community fridge was established in 2022 by a group of third-year student volunteers who wanted to address food insecurity on campus during a sustainability course project. The Student Wellness Centre undertook the project and assumed responsibility for stocking, maintaining and monitoring fridge services.
SWC Program Coordinator Jack Chen provided a detailed account of the challenges plaguing the community fridge initiative in recent years. Funding had become a persistent challenge, with the initiative relying heavily on monetary and food donations. "The years following 2022 showed a pretty exponential decrease in funding from donation . . . we were not able to secure the kind of additional funding needed to support the fridge on a sustainable basis," said Chen.
The years following 2022 showed a pretty exponential decrease in funding from donations …we were not able to secure the kind of additional funding needed to support the fridge on a sustainable basis.
Jack Chen, Program Coordinator
Student Wellness Centre
Staffing and volunteer support have posed further challenges. "We have lots of student volunteers who work on the project and love being part of it . . . But without a dedicated [paid] staff member, it's been challenging to manage everything together," said Chen.
In addition to financial difficulties, security concerns have significantly impacted the fridge's viability. According to Chen, the fridge has faced incidents of theft.
"In the past 12 months, we've experienced quite a few security breaches," said Chen.
These incidents have also highlighted the difficulty of maintaining a free-access resource in a public space while balancing the need for security and safety. Ultimately, the combination of these issues led to the difficult decision to close the community fridge.
Although the community fridge itself will no longer be in operation, the mission to address food insecurity on campus will continue through the Food Collective Centre, a service funded by the McMaster Students Union. The fridge and freezer from the closed community fridge will be repurposed to support the FCC's operations, expanding their service operations to offer both non-perishable and perishable food items.
The FCC, newly located on the 3rd floor of the HUB, has traditionally focused on non-perishable items. This expansion will help maintain the balanced and nutritious offerings previously provided by the community fridge.
"I'm super excited by the expansion of the FCC services to include perishable items. This will continue to help us serve our members and help alleviate food insecurity on campus," said MSU Vice-President (Administration) Adam El-Kadi.
The SWC will provide an initial $1,000 in financial support to the FCC and will evaluate further donations based on the success of the first year of operations.
Organizers of the community fridge have expressed their commitment to supporting those in need, albeit in a different format.
"You can still access the same number of resources, if not more, in this new space [FCC]. It's just in a different spot and a different format," said Chen.
They hope that integrating the FCC into this new model will provide a more sustainable and secure method of distributing food, addressing the challenges that led to the fridge's closure.
As the campus community adjusts to this new food distribution blueprint, the HUB will officially launch the new service space on Oct. 1. Organizers encourage students and staff to stay informed by following @msu_fcc and @mcmastercommunityfridge on Instagram.
After a home opener loss to Wilfrid Laurier University, the Marauders faced a subsequent defeat to Queen’s University on the road
As the 2024 season has come into swing for McMaster football, the team has struggled to pick up a win. In their season home opener on Aug. 24 against the Laurier Golden Hawks, the Marauders lost with a score of 14 to 31.
Despite leading at the half against the Golden Hawks with a score of 14 to 13, the Marauders were unable to keep the scoring going. After this home opener loss, the Marauders traveled to Kingston to face Queen’s University.
The Queen’s Gaels would not be an unfamiliar opponent for McMaster, as the teams faced off in 2022. That game the Marauder's lost with a score of 10 to 14.
This game would present a new opportunity to quarterback Keagan Hall, as he was not the team’s starting quarterback when the Marauders last faced the Gaels. But defeating the Queen's Gaels, USport’s 10th ranked team, would prove to be a difficult endeavour for the Marauders.
But defeating the Queen's Gaels, USport’s 10th ranked team, would prove to be a difficult endeavour for the Marauders.
The Gaels opened the scoring quickly on their home field, as they led 24 to zero for a majority of the first half. But, just before the first half ended, the Marauders were able score themselves a touchdown bringing the score to 24 to seven.
Despite the team’s effort, the Marauders failed to change the tide of the game and secure victory in the second half. . The Marauders were able to score two touchdowns before the game was completed, but these points would not be enough, with the game finishing 27 to 22.
The Marauders were able to score two touchdowns before the game was completed, but these points would not be enough to secure a win, with the game finishing 27 to 22.
Stay tuned as the Marauders face the University of Toronto in their third match of the season on Sep. 7 at Ron Joyce Stadium.
Get ready to laugh out loud with and interact with McMaster's improv team at the Westdale Theatre!
The McMaster Improv Team will be taking the stage on September 19 at 8:00 p.m. at the Westdale Theatre. This event promises an evening filled with spontaneous humour and engaging comedy, featuring not only the McMaster Improv Team but also a lineup of other hilarious acts including Dave Barclay, Carson and Taylor, and Smooth Comedy.
The McMaster Improv Team operates with a blend of structured improvisation and creative freedom, ensuring that each performance is both unpredictable and engaging. The team requires the use of quick wit to create entertaining narratives on the spot. “You go from club practices where you're performing scenes in front of your fellow members, which is easy, and then you go to performing in front of a crowd who might know nothing about improv.” explained Rachel Brinzan, vice president of promotions for the McMaster Improv Team.
The McMaster Improv Team creates narratives in real-time, a process that Brinzan finds very enjoyable. “If you’ve ever watched a TV show and seen a plot develop, in improv, you’re making that plot up on the spot. Sometimes, things circle back in scenes, creating a very interesting narrative,” Brinzan explained. This unscripted nature of improv allows the audience to experience a fresh and dynamic performance with every show.
If you’ve ever watched a TV show and seen a plot develop, in improv, you’re making that plot up on the spot.
Rachel Brinzan, Vice President Promotions
McMaster Improv Team
The team is divided into junior and senior divisions, with two student coaches and a head coach. The junior team consists of beginners who are new to improv and is under the guidance of student coaches Gabby Pelosini and Keon Madani.
The senior team includes those with more experience, further honing their craft under the direction of head coach Kevin, who oversees the entire group. “Kevin is an experienced improv coach with over 10 years of acting experience. He teaches us the curriculum and helps us develop our skills,” said Briznan.
The upcoming event at the Westdale Theatre will provide the team with a diverse audience off campus. “We’re excited to perform at the Westdale because it’s a great way to reach out and meet people who aren’t just on campus,” said Brinzan.
The McMaster Improv Team’s show is not only a chance to enjoy some great comedy but also an opportunity to try out improv for yourself. As Brinzan puts it, “Improv is all about having fun and enjoying the moment. Even if you’re not an actor, you can come and enjoy the performance or even consider trying it out yourself.”
Improv is all about having fun and enjoying the moment. Even if you’re not an actor, you can come and enjoy the performance or even consider trying it out yourself.
Rachel Brinzan, Vice President Promotions
McMaster Improv Team
McMaster Improv also includes an interactive element where the audience has influence on the performance. The performers will occasionally prompt someone in the audience for a subject, then the improv team creates a storyline from it. “You [the audience] can shape the way the scene is. If you want a scene to be about tomatoes you can have the scene about tomatoes. It's just a really fun interactive event. And you get to see how other people are going to interact with you, with your scenarios and with the people up on stage,” said Brinzan.
This event will be a great way to experience the creative energy and community spirit of the McMaster Improv Team. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to witness a night of spontaneous comedy and interactive fun. Grab your tickets, bring your friends, and get ready for an unforgettable evening of laughter at the Westdale Theatre on September 19th!
The Black Student Success Centre builds bridges and celebrates excellence at this year's Black Student Welcome
Three years after its virtual launch in September 2021, the Black Student Success Centre celebrated its fourth annual Black Student Welcome with a great turnout. Held on September 5, 2024, this cherished event continues to connect new Black-identifying McMaster students with peers and faculty.
The BSSC, McMaster University's first dedicated space for Black students, has swiftly become a cornerstone of support and community. It provides an environment where students can express their culture, celebrate their diversity and strengthen their identity and connections with one another.
This supportive atmosphere has been of great benefit to the success of many students. Jholene Massy, a recent biology graduate and current master’s student at McMaster, highlighted this expressed this in an interview with The Silhouette. “Nobody wants to stay somewhere where they don't feel supported and they don't feel welcome. So that was definitely something I took into consideration when I was looking at graduate schools," said Massy.
Nobody wants to stay somewhere where they don't feel supported and they don't feel welcome. So that was definitely something I took into consideration when I was looking at graduate schools.
Jholene Massy, master's student
The BSSC offers a comprehensive range of sources designed to foster student success, from financial aid and mental health support to mentorship programs and career guidance.
The Black Student Welcome event, which occurs during the first week of each fall semester, serves as an introduction for both new and returning students. It allows them to see themselves represented and valued within their academic community. Massy emphasized the importance of this representation at the event. “I think a big part of knowing your community is seeing the community. And even though you don’t know everybody in the room, you know that everybody is there for the same reason, which is just to support each other,” said Massy.
I think a big part of knowing your community is seeing the community. And even though you don't know everybody in the room, you know that everybody is there for the same reason, which is just to support each other.
Jholene Massy, master's student
The event kicked off with a lively meet and greet, where students and faculty from all departments could interact and make connections. Attendees had the chance to engage with Black professors, alumni, and supporters who contribute to the BSSC’s mission of growth and enrichment.
In its fourth year of occurrence, the event’s popularity has continued to soar, requiring extra chairs and adjustments to accommodate the growing number of attendees. The BSSC’s dedicated student volunteers played a crucial role in ensuring the event ran smoothly, managing the flow of guests and adapting to the evolving environment.
Following the meet and greet, participants heard from BSSC staff about the programs and resources available throughout the year. The highlight of the evening was a panel discussion featuring Black McMaster faculty and graduate students, who shared their personal experiences navigating their academic journeys. This panel offered valuable insights into the challenges faced by Black students, from international student issues to racial isolation.
Massy also emphasized the importance of this representation. “You get to see professors that look like you. You get to see staff members and researchers that look like you. And representation really does matter in these areas and in these spaces. Even just seeing and knowing that there is somebody up there that looks like me, I could do it because they did; it really makes all the difference,” said Massy
You get to see professors that look like you. You get to see staff members and researchers that look like you. And representation really does matter in these areas and in these spaces ... Even just seeing and knowing that there is somebody up there that looks like me, I could do it because they did; it really makes all the difference.
Jholene Massy, master's student
The evening concluded with a reception featuring free food and beverages, providing a setting for participants to network and share their aspirations with one another. For those who may have missed the event, Massy offered a final piece of advice when speaking to the Silhouette. “And if you missed the welcome, then there's no worries, there’s so many events throughout the year. You never know what doors might open up from going to the BSSC,” said Massy
The BSSC remains a vital resource for Black students at McMaster. For more information on upcoming events or resources, check out BSSC's Instagram and join the mailing list! Whether it's to get involved, connect with staff, or expand your network, the BSSC is here to support your journey.
For the first time since 2019, McMaster will host homecoming festivities in hopes of creating an exciting event that brings students together
The McMaster Students Union, in conjunction with the athletics and recreation department and student affairs, is planning a full day of homecoming events on Oct 5, 2024. This will be the first time in half a decade that homecoming events will be held on campus.
The main event will be the homecoming football game, scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Ron Joyce Stadium. The McMaster Marauders will take on Western University's Mustangs. McMaster students can obtain a free ticket online or at the box office. In the evening, students can enjoy the homecoming concert headlined by Loud Luxury and featuring Lil Tecca.
MSU President Jovan Popovic has played an integral role in organizing this year’s homecoming, delivering on his 2024 presidential campaign promise to improve student events and bring back an on-campus homecoming. “Coming out of the pandemic, engagement was a major, major pillar in my platform when I was campaigning and running for this position ... We saw a lack of belonging, a lack of community. And we felt that this was a really, really strong effort to really try and reel that back in and bring something significant that could help unite the McMaster community,” said Popovic in an interview with The Silhouette.
We saw a lack of belonging, a lack of community. And we felt that this was a really, really strong effort to really try and reel that back in and bring something significant that could help unite the McMaster community.
Jovan Popovic
President, McMaster Students Union
In addition to traditional homecoming events, the MSU is also organizing its inaugural homecoming festival. Highlights of the festival will include live music, free giveaways, vendors and The Monster, a 300 metre inflatable obstacle course. There will also be a 19 and older licensed area within the festival.
“We knew that given this is something that [we] lacked on campus for so many years, that we had to bring it back big. We knew that this had to be something that students would immediately become excited by and gravitate towards,” said Popovic.
McMaster last held a sanctioned homecoming in 2019 before in-person operations ceased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When McMaster began re-opening campus in the fall of 2021, the school chose not to hold any homecoming events.
In recent years, unofficial parties, dubbed “fake homecoming” or "FOCO", have drawn thousands of students to neighborhood streets, disturbing residents in McMaster’s surrounding community.
An on-campus homecoming cannot prevent such parties from happening — street parties occurred at McMaster in 2019 and earlier, and are popular at other universities with sanctioned homecoming events. However, Popovic hopes that homecoming will be an exciting alternative that draws students to stay on campus. “There were a lot of students who weren't interested in taking part in the street parties or were afraid that there was an unsafe environment there and we wanted to offer the best possible alternative option,” said Popovic.
Popovic said he hopes homecoming will foster community, culture, and belonging among students. A key part of achieving this goal was planning a variety of events throughout the day to appeal to different students. “I think that we've really thrived in creating an event that almost every McMaster student is really going to enjoy. I'm really excited to see what the reaction is as we keep moving forward,” said Popovic.
I think that we've really thrived in creating an event that almost every McMaster student is really going to enjoy. I'm excited to see what the reaction is as we keep moving forward.
Jovan Popovic,
President, McMaster Students Union
Homecoming 2024 promises a packed schedule of events. Further information about programming can be found on the official homecoming website. Stay tuned as details continue to be unveiled.
While having friends on campus contributes to a great university experience, there are a multitude of benefits to maintaining long distance friendships across universities
The pandemic greatly impacted how students make friendships during their university careers. According to Reddit user u/Bbso1229, “COVID took that friendship building experience away from me and everyone else in my first year.” They further elaborated that although extroverted, they have difficulty creating friendships due to pre-established friend groups formed during the pandemic.
Some McMaster students have noticed the similar struggles that are faced by commuter students and have created the McMaster Society for Off-Campus Students. This society aims to cater to the needs of commuter students and helps them feel included within the McMaster community. McMaster SOCS aims to help commuter students form friendships with those who can relate to their experiences.
Unfortunately, for commuter students or individuals who choose to live off-campus during their first year, the experience of u/Bbso1229 is much more commonly shared than you may think. It is difficult for individuals to make friends during a time of limited social interaction. It proves even more complicated when most of the individuals they interact with on campus have their own established friend groups.
As a former commuter student myself, it has been difficult to make friends with peers during undergrad. This especially rings true if you are attending a different university than your high school peers. On a positive note, the difficulty of making new friendships during the pandemic has lead to some creating stronger bonds within pre-existing friendships. Many individuals, including myself, have turned to childhood friendships for support.
As a former commuter student myself, it has been difficult for students such as myself to make friends with peers during undergrad.
Though distance may make it seem difficult to maintain old friendships, one of the largest benefits of possessing a friendship with a student who attends another university is the professional opportunities, such as research opportunities or jobs, that it could expose you. While McMaster is a research-intensive institute, it could sometimes be difficult for students to secure a position due to the popularity of student-sought research opportunities.
Fortunately, expanding your friend group can also expand your network; your friends could introduce you to their network, thus giving you access to more connections.
Fortunately, expanding your friend group can also expand your network; your friends could introduce you to their network, thus giving you access to more connections.
With an expanded network, students have many more opportunities to connect with individuals who are researching or working in the student’s subject of interest. Although this may sound difficult to accomplish since you do not attend that university, your friend’s own network is now shared with you, allowing you to also explore the potential connections within their network.
Additionally, inter-university friendships do not necessarily result in the same degree of competition between friends and instead spark encouragement due to the lack of similarity in work. Since courses are not structured identically across universities, the variance in coursework downregulates a competitive nature in students. It can be difficult to compare yourself to your friend when you are following a different course breakdown.
It can be difficult to compare yourself to your friend when you are following a different course breakdown.
Although having a friend group at your university can better integrate you into the community and make you feel at home where you study, it certainly does not hurt to expand your network to different universities. With the numerous benefits of having friends living far from you, it may be best to rekindle the childhood friendships that may have fell apart since beginning university.
MSU-organized initiative offers daily 90 minute access to Hamilton Social Bikes at a reduced rate
Earlier this March, the McMaster Student Union held a referendum to include a discounted Hamilton bike share pass as a part of student fees starting in September 2024. This initiative will offer students a sustainable and affordable way to get to and around campus, with an option to opt out for those who do not wish to bike.
Following the successful bike share referendum passed by the MSU last academic year, an incidental fee of $24.50 including tax has been added to the tuition of full-time McMaster undergraduate students. This fee grants them membership to the Hamilton Bike Share program.
Students who do not opt out of the program will receive an annual bike pass, providing access to a network of publicly shared bicycles across 130 locations in Hamilton, including the seven stations located on McMaster's campus.
The pass will be accessible through the Bike Share SoBi mobile app, where students can create an account and register using their MacID information. After registering, students can use the app to unlock bikes, pay for rides, and enjoy 90 minutes of riding each day. Users will also receive a $10 credit for additional features that may incur a fee, such as locking a bicycle outside a designated station off campus.
Students who exceed the 90-minute daily limit will be charged $0.15 per minute on their account, which is the normal rate for Sobi users. The regular annual pass is priced at $192, meaning full-time undergraduate students benefit from a discount of 88.7 per cent.
The bike share initiative was driven by a group of seven students who advocated for the program on campus. In 2023, the group circulated a petition to investigate if students would support the pass and collected about 870 valid signatures. Following this, they worked to establish a memorandum of understanding between Hamilton Bike Share and the MSU.
In an interview with the Silhouette, Xin Law-Gallagher, one of the co-organizers of the program, spoke about how they raised awareness about the proposed program leading up to the referendum in March 2024. "We went around to everyone chilling in libraries, in the student centre, and in study spaces, handing out stickers and a little information card with a QR code saying, "Have you heard about this referendum?" ... the answer was always no," said Law-Gallagher.
We went around to everyone chilling in libraries, in the student centre, and in study spaces, handing out stickers and a little information card with a QR code saying, "Have you heard about this referendum?"... the answer was always no.
Xin Law-Gallagher, co-organizer, Student Bike Pass
The co-organizers mentioned that they thought the most effective methods to boost voter turnout was visiting popular classes. They contacted professors across various faculties and gave presentations at the start of each class, encouraging students to vote.
Paris Liu, another co-organizer of the bike pass, shared her motivations with The Silhouette, emphasizing her concerns about the climate crisis. "I think everyone in the group joined for different reasons … for me, it was mostly the climate crisis with seeing how urgent that was and how the transport sector in Canada contributes [to it]", said Liu.
Liu mentioned that she hopes this program will contribute to encouraging a culture of biking across Canada and increases active transportation. "I hope that [the] success [of the pass] initiates a culture of biking across Canada because in Canada, it's just not really prevalent...whereas [in] Europe, this is very normal ... to have a bike share discount pass for students in most European universities", said Liu.
On March 6 and 7, 2024, students were able to vote for or against the bike share referendum held by the MSU. A total of 4,264 of 25,714 eligible undergraduate students, approximately 17 per cent, voted. Of those who voted, 94.5 percent were in favour of creating a 12-month bike share pass at McMaster.
The referendum needed to meet a simple majority, and required a minimum voter turnout of 10 per cent for the ballots to be counted as valid. A previous referendum in 2016 failed by a narrow margin of three percent.
Michael Wooder, who is responsible for the operations and management of the MSU, spoke to the Silhouette prior to the share program's launch." "I see tremendous value in this program as it is offering yet another enhancement to student transportation options in a sustainable way. Coupled with the fact that it is based on an opt-out model … a student potentially looked at this as a win-win option if they don't care to cycle," said Wooder.
I see tremendous value in this program as it is offering yet another enhancement to student transportation options in a sustainable way. Coupled with the fact that it is based on an opt-out model…a student potentially looked at this as a win-win option if they don't care to cycle.
Michael Wooder, general manager, MSU
The new student fee will provide over $600,000 annually to Hamilton Bike Share. This will make McMaster students the largest single source of revenue for Hamilton Bike Share.
Wooder mentioned that after the referendum, Hamilton Bike Share and the MSU had been in collaboration to implement the program for all full-time students, including establishing privacy policies and data-sharing procedures with the university.
"…there is a memorandum of understanding between the MSU, [Hamilton] Bike Share, and McMaster University … that says that SoBi will maintain a minimum of 100 bicycles in service on campus at all times during classes… that doesn't limit them to only 100, but that's the operational floor," said Wooder. He added that Hamilton Bike Share will monitor student usage trends to plan to meet the growing demand for social bikes.
Wooder expressed his hope that the program will become a long-term mode of convenient and sustainable transportation.
Marketing for the bike-sharing program will begin in the coming weeks, with the opt-out option available from September 1 to September 30.
Hamilton-based band Babbage Industries joins worldwide celebration encouraging everyone to
stop and listen to the music
On Aug. 30, local band Babbage Industries played a free concert from the porch of a house near Churchill Park in Westdale. Members of the Westdale community gathered to enjoy an evening of music.
Play Music on the Porch Day was started in 2014 by artist Brian Mallman who wondered, “What if for one day everything stopped and we all just listened to the music?” The event is held on the last Saturday in August and has grown to include thousands of musicians from over 70 countries. To participate you simply go outside and play music.
What if one day everything stopped and we all just listened to the music?
Brian Mallman, founder, Play Music on the Porch Day
Participants could register online to be on the Play Music on the Porch Day worldwide map, which showcases the global extent of the day. Monica Knott, the event host and bassist, remarked “We’re just one little dot in all of the dots. It’s everywhere. It’s kind of cool to know that everywhere in the world everybody was doing something like that.”
This was the first time Babbage Industries participated in Play Music on the Porch Day, having heard about the idea last year. However, they had been playing music on the porch since the COVID-19 pandemic. "We wanted to play music together and of course it’s really impossible to do that during COVID times. So we practiced exactly that way many times and the neighbours would sit on their porch and [cheer] and that sort of thing," said Knott.
Play Music on the Porch Day provides an opportunity for people to meet their neighbors and build community. In between songs, the band and audience talked about music and other shared interests. The audience was encouraged to sing along to songs they knew. Knott mentioned that one woman brought a melodica and played along and another passerby happened to be an accordion player.
Knott enjoyed witnessing small interactions between people, like her neighbor going to get a chair from his house for another attendee. “We consume music, for sure. We wear our headphones, but it doesn’t build interactions like we’re having right now. Even when you go to a concert, you go with your friends, you dance with your friends, but you’re not necessarily making those connections. But this made connections,” said Knott.
We consume music, for sure. We wear our headphones, but it doesn't build interactions like we're having right now. Even when you go to a concert, you go with your friends, you dance with your friends, but you're not necessarily making those connections. But this made connections.
Monica Knott, event host and bassist, Play Music on the Porch Day
Babbage Industries enjoys performing regularly. “As a band, we just love playing together. One thing we love more than anything is just hanging out, making music, being good to each other,” said Knott. The band’s upcoming engagements include the Hamilton for Haiti fundraiser and I’ll be Mother, an original musical. Knott said she hopes to host Play Music on the Porch Day again and have more musicians join in next year.
This year's gritLIT was a five-day celebration of the excellence, diversity and culture of the city's literary arts community
Originating as a grassroots initiative, the gritLIT literary festival has grown into a five-day celebration of Hamilton's local talent and authors from across Canada. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the festival which took place from Apr 17 to Apr 21.
gritLIT describes itself as an intimate festival with a focus on local Hamilton writers.
“People don't know what to expect, and if it's something you're intimidated by or you haven't really been in that literary world, just the idea of a literary festival can sound kind of snobbish or exclusive. And we're absolutely not that,” explained Jessica Rose, interim artistic director at gritLIT.
People don't know what to expect, and if it's something you're intimidated by or you haven't really been in that literary world, just the idea of a literary festival can sound kind of snobbish or exclusive. And we're absolutely not that.
Jessica Rose
gritLIT, Interim Artistic Director
In addition to gritLIT’s commitment to celebrating excellence in the literary arts and bringing cultural traffic to Hamilton, the festival is focused on promoting a diversity of perspective and experience in their programming.
“We've got some incredible authors coming this year who are sharing their trans experience, their immigration experiences — very much their lived experiences — whether they're telling it through memoir or poetry or fiction,” said Rose.
We've got some incredible authors coming this year who are sharing their trans experience, their immigration experiences — very much their lived experiences — whether they're telling it through memoir or poetry or fiction.
Jessica Rose
gritLIT, Interim Artistic Director
During the pandemic, gritLIT organizers saw the importance of virtual programming, which the festival still continues today through a hybrid format. This year, gritLIT will be hosting their 20th anniversary celebration and writing contest awards online to accommodate viewers and contest participants from across Canada.
“Accessibility is really, really important to us. There were so many negative things about the pandemic, but one amazing thing was we were able to have people tune into gritLIT events from across the country,” explained Rose.
Over the 30 events that gritLIT held, the festival drew in thousands of attendees. The larger events included an evening with Margaret Atwood, who was speaking about her latest work Old Babes in the Wood at Theatre Aquarius.
Efforts to engage younger audiences included new events like their flash fiction contest and involvement from the youth committee. Last year, the gritLIT youth committee organized a mixer event for attendees to discuss their favorite books, which was well-received by the younger crowd.
“We find once people come to a gritLIT event, they come back and they come back and they come back. So, we're just excited to see the demographics change a little bit, seeing some of those younger faces,” said Rose
Department of Physics and Astronomy purchased over half a million eclipse viewing glasses, hosted public lectures and a viewing party for the Apr. 8 total solar eclipse
Ahead of the total solar eclipse on Apr. 8, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster University was busy preparing plans to engage all of Hamilton with the rare astronomical event.
The eclipse is the first of its kind to happen over Hamilton since Jan. 1925. The next total solar eclipse over Hamilton will not occur until 2144.
In a webinar live streamed in November 2023, Laura Parker, a professor and university scholar in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster, explained how total solar eclipses happen and why they are so rare.
Parker explained that a total solar eclipse is when the moon passes in front of the Earth and completely blocks out the sun over a certain area. She explained that lunar eclipses, when the moon passes behind and is blocked by the Earth, can be seen far more frequently from anywhere on our planet as the Earth is much larger than the moon and is more likely to completely block sunlight from reaching the moon.
In contrast, the moon is much smaller and does not cast a total shadow on the whole Earth during a solar eclipse. “The area of the earth which experiences a total solar eclipse when these things happen is pretty small” said Parker.
The area of the Earth which experiences a total solar eclipse when these things happen is pretty small.
Laura Parker, Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy McMaster University
Parker elaborated that when a solar eclipse does happen, a much greater area of Earth can witness a partial solar eclipse, meaning that the moon only partially blocks out the sun from that point of view. She explained that it is because the path of totality, the area of the Earth for which the entire sun is blocked, is so small that total solar eclipses are such rare events for any given place on the planet.
As they are such rare events, many within the path of totality were watching the eclipse and many who reside outside of the path travelled to cities like Hamilton to view it. However, as always looking directly at the sun causes damage to one’s eyes and so special viewing glasses that reduce the intensity of light needed to be worn to watch the eclipse progress.
For this reason, McMaster purchased more than 600,000 pairs of viewing glasses for the residents of Hamilton. McMaster partnered with local Hamilton libraries to distribute the glasses to residents. Glasses were also distributed to public libraries in Brantford, Burlington, Haldimand County and the Six Nations Public Library. Glasses were also available for students to pick up from McMaster’s libraries.
McMaster purchased more than 600,000 pairs of viewing glasses for the residents of Hamilton.
In addition, the Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted several lectures about total solar eclipses that were free to attend and open to the public, where attendees could also pick up a pair of viewing glasses.
Finally, on Apr. 8 from 1 to 5 p.m., a viewing party open to McMaster faculty, students, staff and alumni was held at the Ron Joyce Stadium.
