If you watch RogersTV, you probably recognize her face.
For this week’s edition of People of Collingwood we sat down with Penny Skelton, host of the Penny Skelton Show on RogersTV.
Q: What is your background? How long have you lived in Collingwood?
A: I was born here. I’m one of the town’s centennial babies, born in 1958.
I was born and raised in a much different Collingwood. It was very small-town. I think the sign read 7,000 for most of my youth. Like every small town, everyone knew who you were.
My mom and dad came from Toronto in the mid-’50s. He was a general manager at a furniture store.
It was a great childhood. We were the kids where, in the summer, my mom would open the door and say, “I don’t want to see you until dinner.”
We had our little neighbourhood gang. We got on our bikes and away we went for the day, and came home filthy dirty.
Collingwood didn’t have a lot of the amenities it has now. We didn’t even get an outdoor in-ground swimming pool until 1967. We took our swimming lessons at Sunset Point.
I’m a graduate of Victoria Public School, I stayed there until it was closed. Then I went to Cameron Street Public School when it opened.
I went away for university, and then I did move out west for a few years.
I was going to spread my wings.
I came back. Nothing was better than Collingwood. I lived in Edmonton and Vancouver. You know what I missed when I was in the west? I missed the four seasons.
Vancouver was grey and a little bit of sunshine.
Here, we have four seasons and it’s a wonderful community.
Q: Did you always know that TV was something that appealed to you?
A: No.
Quite honestly, I’ve always been known as a pretty good talker. (Growing up), I have so many of my mother’s friends who, when I would ride my bike by I would stop on their porch, have lemonade and talk to them.
I’ve always wanted to know what’s going on.
My TV career grew out of my volunteer career.
At 13, I started working on political campaigns. In my 20s, I started volunteering in the community, mostly in arts and culture. In those days, our TV station was Maclean-Hunter. I knew one of the producers there and he said, “We need a political show.”
A friend and I got together and decided we’d interview the mayor once a month.
It was called Politically Speaking and my co-host was Terry Geddes.
We chit-chatted but we also brought in department heads just to talk about things.
When Maclean-Hunter was bought out by Rogers, they didn’t really want a political show so we sort of went on our way. I then got more heavily into the volunteer side of the community.
I got more into the family business which was Crow’s Nest Books and Gifts, which was where Mad Dogs Cafe and Vinyl is now.
About eight years ago, Rogers decided to bring back community programming in Collingwood.
Doug Measures, who was the station manager at that time, came to me and asked me to do a show. Everything ended up backward because basically I had a show before I pitched my idea.
Being a local business owner, the one thing I would hear at my counter was, “I didn’t know that,” or “I never heard about that.” But it was always after-the-fact.
I told them what I would like is (a show) that was one time period, one topic. It could be politics, it could be Rotary Club. I don’t like the type of interview that starts, and you have six to seven minutes but then you have to say, “I’d love to talk more, but we’re out of time.”
They came back and said, OK, you’ve got an hour.
Then I realized I had to talk for an hour. (laughs) I basically started by lining up my friends who were involved in the community.
We’ve got a lot of good “Save the things.” We want to save the Terminals. We’re still trying to save the (Nottawasaga) Lighthouse.
Those people need a platform to share their expertise. So, that’s what it’s developed into.
People like to better understand what’s going on in a community.
I’ll continue to do it for as long as I’m enjoying it, as long as I have new topics and as long as they still want me.
Q: What would you say was your most interesting interview you’ve done over the past eight years, or even before that?
A: What has stuck with me recently was a show I did with John (Cardillo Jr.) and Lea (Pankhurst, both from the Collingwood Youth Centre) for a show on the youth homelessness documentary.
It was an initiative, and it was young people. I think often it’s a personal interview.
I did one once with an interesting lady who had written her own book and published it, but it was in, what I would call the woo-woo business. It was about spirits and different things. It went off on a tangent. But, I always say with every show, I learn at least one thing that I didn’t know. If that’s happening to me, I can only imagine (it’s happening) to others.
I’m still chasing (MPP) Jim Wilson. I’d love to have him on for an hour to see where he’s at.
When you’re just sitting talking with local politicians, you can see the pride in what’s they’re doing which is something I think you don’t see at council or whatever is being covered in the paper.
These are people who don’t get paid a lot of money and are beaten up regularly for what they’re doing.
I’ve done a few political interviews that have been interesting.
I always love an election period.
Q: Since your childhood in Collingwood, what changes have you seen over time to the community?
A: The Collingwood I grew up with had one industry: the Shipyards.
In those days, in my estimation, Collingwood was blue-collar and middle class. People graduated high school, started at the yard and worked there their entire life.
In 1969, Collingwood was actually declared economically depressed. There was a federal program that brought in all of the industry.
Collingwood went from being the industrial-based community with amenities, to amenities and ski hills.
When the Shipyards closed... the council of the day had to look at it and decide, how does Collingwood re-imagine itself?
The development of private ski clubs and Blue Mountain brought what I call the original permanent part-timers up here. They’re the people who have retired here.
The recreation department was formed. Trails we’re formed. We didn’t used to have trails, but now we’re known for them.
Collingwood has grown up mostly in an intelligent way, but we’ve retained our small-town charm.
Traffic has increased greatly. Collingwood of my youth did not have subdivisions. Now they’re everywhere.
Q: You’re on the Downtown BIA. Can you tell me about your volunteer career in town?
A: When I first moved back after being out west, I got involved with the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts.
I always took my father’s approach to things. He used to say, if you’re on a board, learn what you need to learn... do your time, and then move on. Don’t stay in the same position for 20 years. It keeps an organization healthy that way.
I used to be on the parks, recreation and culture advisory committee. I was the voice of culture. I was on that for seven or eight years as chair. They were two-year appointments at that time.
I got involved with the Collingwood Historical Society briefly. Now, I’m the president of the Collingwood and District Historical Society. I’m also chair of the Downtown BIA.
Q: Looking forward, what does the future hold for you, and for your show?
A: I’m going to continue to do the show as long as there are good shows out there to do.
As long as it works and as long as there’s an audience. They don’t really do stats on viewership but I certainly know who watches the show, because they talk to me about it.
It’s one of the wonderful things about Collingwood. When you’re identifiable, you can be stopped in the grocery store, in Wal Mart, Canadian Tire or pumping gas.
Some of the ideas I hear are good, and not ones I'd thought of.
I retired from working and closed the family business a number of years ago. I’m 61. I would actually like to go back to work, but I did it for a specific reason.
My mom was in her 90s and was becoming more isolated. I was living with her and my two crazy Afghan Hounds. She needed me more.
My mom always watched my shows. She was my “Um” and “Err” counter in my early years.
I made a life decision to spend time with my mom. I’m glad I did because she lasted about another two and a half years, and we had some wonderful times.
My heart was at peace when she passed away. You can’t fault that.
I’d be very happy now working part-time. Doing what? I don’t know. I could easily go into retail and work at one of the counters on the main street. Or, I could broaden my horizons and apply at Home Depot or Home Hardware and learn about tools.
I always loved learning.
Q: Is there anything else you want people in Collingwood to know about you?
A: My hopes and dreams for Collingwood include a theatre. I’d like to see some version of a town square or an event square. We need that kind of social interaction that isn’t necessarily in a senior’s home.
The theatre, I’ve wanted all my life. Now, I just want it in my lifetime. It’s a way to cross between the ages. I think we’re getting a little siloed, and I think we need to find ways to bring people together, not just at the dinner table.
For our feature People of Collingwood, we’ll be speaking with interesting people who are either from or are contributing to the Collingwood community in some way. This feature will run on CollingwoodToday every Saturday. If you’d like to nominate or suggest someone to be featured in People of Collingwood, email [email protected].
