Everyone has a story to tell. They might be stories about the places we’ve lived, the people we’ve met, the work we’ve done, the adventures we’ve had or the experiences that have stayed with us over the years.

Together, those stories also tell the story of our community.

Through Our Town: Stories from Wasaga Beach, WBPL is inviting local adults ages 55+ to learn the basics of storytelling and podcasting while helping us capture and celebrate the voices and experiences of Wasaga Beach.

The project is made possible through the Government of Ontario’s Seniors Community Grant Program and is designed to provide older adults with opportunities to develop new digital skills, connect with others and take part in a creative community project.

Start with a Story

The first Our Town: Storytelling & Podcasting Workshops are now open for registration.

These free, hands-on workshops will introduce participants to the building blocks of an engaging audio story, interviewing and the basics of podcasting. Participants will also learn how to use the library’s portable podcast recording kits and have an opportunity to practice with the equipment.

No previous storytelling, podcasting or technical experience is required.

After completing the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to borrow a recording kit from the library to record their own story or interview someone whose story they would like to capture.

From an Idea to a Finished Story

Once participants have completed the introductory workshop and captured their audio, editing workshops will be offered later in the project. These sessions will introduce participants to basic audio editing and help them begin shaping their recordings into finished stories, with support from library staff along the way.

The process is designed to be approachable and step-by-step:

Selected stories created through the project will help form Our Town: Stories from Wasaga Beach, a new WBPL podcast celebrating the people, experiences and stories that make our community what it is.

What Story Could You Tell?

Your story doesn’t need to be extraordinary to be worth sharing.

It could be a favourite memory of Wasaga Beach, a family tradition, an interesting career, a volunteer experience, a hobby or passion, an adventure, a person who influenced your life or the story of how you came to call Wasaga Beach home.

Stories can be funny, thoughtful, surprising or heartfelt. What matters is that they mean something to you.

And if you would rather interview someone else than tell your own story, that works too.

Be Part of Our Town

Whether you’ve lived in Wasaga Beach for decades or recently made it your home, your experiences are part of our community’s story.

If you’re 55+ and curious about storytelling, podcasting or simply trying something new, we invite you to join us.

View Our Town Workshops & Register

Questions about Our Town? Contact communityrelations.wbpl@wasagabeach.com.