A comedian dedicated to showcasing unique Canadian towns on television is putting Turner Valley on his map.
Jonny Harris and his production team for the CBC Gem series Still Standing will spend five days in Turner Valley next week meeting the people, learning about the history and preparing a 45-minute comedy set to be televised in 2020, says executive producer Anne Francis.
“We saw the tenacity of the people that like living there and want to see good things for their community,” said Francis of their choice to feature Turner Valley. “We’re excited to get out there. We haven’t been out west yet this season.”
Still Standing has taken viewers on a journey to explore Canadian small towns that overcame adversity for six seasons with about a dozen communities showcased each year.
“After a town has been featured on our show they get a lot more outsiders coming in,” said Francis. “Some even had an increase in real estate in some of our east coast towns. It’s like a giant promotion for towns.”
The premise of the show, said Francis, is to feature communities that are either bouncing back or still standing. She said Turner Valley, which will be the show’s 75th episode, fits this mandate perfectly.
“In this case we’re talking about the Turner Valley Gas Plant closing, the oil and gas industry downturn and what that did to Turner Valley and how Turner Valley is getting past that and surviving,” she said.
During a previous visit to Turner Valley, Francis said the show’s team found the residents to be “lovely and passionate about Turner Valley.”
While in Turner Valley next week, the production crew and writers will film interviews with people and scenic shots throughout town, painting a picture of what life is like in Turner Valley, said Francis. The list of those to be featured include lifetime residents who spent their childhood in Turner Valley, business owners and historians.
Meanwhile, Harris will write and memorize a set for a free live comedy show about the town that will be performed and filmed in the Flare ‘n’ Derrick Community Hall Nov. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
“The whole time he’s in town he’s working towards his comedy set about the town,” said Francis.
At the disposal of the production team next week will be Turner Valley Mayor Barry Crane, who took the team on a tour of the town earlier this month.
“We drove around and talked history,” said Crane. “They had already done some background work into the various artists in town and we showed them some of the businesses. They found we had a plethora of characters in town.”
The team visited the Turner Valley Gas Plant, learning the educational component of the discovery of oil and gas in the area and how the industry has grown to be environmental stewards, said Crane.
They also stopped at some businesses that make Turner Valley unique, such as the multi-award-winning Brauerei Fahr Brewery and Eau Claire Distillery, he said.
Crane said Turner Valley administration reached out to the show’s production team about two years ago, expressing interest in being featured, and maintained communication regularly.
“We were fore-thinking two years out looking for that,” he said. “It’s no different than when we tried to get Rick Mercer here for the Turner Valley Triathlon four years in a row.”
Crane said Still Standing is an opportunity to boost tourism in Turner Valley.
“Let’s get some exposure and recognize the history that Turner Valley represents for the oil and gas industry, not just to the province but the whole country,” he said. “We would like to see some spin-off to businesses from the tourism market increase that would come from visits to their facilities.”
Crane said the opportunity is like one in a million for Turner Valley.
“It’s just fantastic to be highlighted and selected for a show that really honours history, as well as entrepreneurship, and the fact that we have such a unique town with an amazing array of artists,” he said. “We are the Salt Spring of Alberta.”
Those interested in watching Harris’ comedy show on Nov. 23 are invited on a first come, first served basis. Attendees must be over the age of 11.
The doors open at 6 p.m. and taping begins at 6:30 p.m. with two warm-up comics before Harris’ set at around 7 p.m.
Harris and the production team leave for Lillooet, British Columbia the following day.
