3 minute read
Eclipse Talk
On April 8th, 2024, much of North America was treated to what was known as the Great North American Eclipse, which was unique in that we fell in the path of totality. The event was celebrated by many in PointeClaire, and we wanted to share some of the impressions and images they submitted:
Impressions of a local artist
Michael Thomson sent in his painting of the sky during the peak of the eclipse, along with a photograph of the scene from Antoine-Pilon Park. He is the owner of Atelier Michael Thomson and his work can be seen on Instagram at @ateliermichaelthomson.
Teen thoughts
The thoughts of a small group of Secondary IV students from St. Thomas High School were recorded by one of our editors, Caroline Speirs, who managed to capture their awe and excitement of the event. They viewed the eclipse from Belmont Park in the Valois district while donning eclipse glasses provided by the Lester B. Pearson School Board:
“That was insane!”
“That was so cool”
“Oh my gosh it was so bright!”
“The experience of a lifetime!”
“I can’t believe it’s 3:30 in the afternoon!”
“Yeah it feels like nighttime”
“Look at how quickly it changed”
Thoughts of Pointe-Claire residents
“Can we have it more often? I saw people sitting in driveways with friends and families, the companies in the park. It was very uniting.” - Olena Yaryhina
“Eerie and spectacular at the same time.” - Yolanda Lichocki-Senecal
“Day and night at the same time.” - Hilda TB
“The burning ring of fire.” - John Mihalik
A Visitor to Pointe-Claire
“I decided to head out to Edgewater Park to view the eclipse. It seemed like an activity that would be more enjoyable in a picturesque setting, and I was hoping not to have to experience it alone. I met a wonderful man named Jim, who invited me to join him. As his friends arrived, they all introduced themselves and welcomed me into their group, sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience with me. I cannot express what a wonderful sense of community I felt being with this group of residents, and I hope they know how thankful I am for their generosity of spirit.”
- Deborah Ancel
