Paula Thiessen
Why do you enjoy working at Lakehead University?
I am stimulated by working in a learning environment, perhaps because I feel like a perennial student. Having the campus replenished every fall with a new group of young people embarking on new life adventures is exciting for me. In my position, not only do I have the opportunity to meet high school students who are in the process of deciding what their next educational stepping stone will be, I also get to meet members from all of the faculties which gives me a glimpse into all of the new and innovative work each of them is doing.
What is your favourite place on campus?
One of my favourite places to hang out and relax is The Study. Sometimes I just stop by to lounge on the couches with a coffee or a sandwich; other times I go for a game of pool or to take in some live music.
When I just want to hide on campus and read a good book, I go to the third or fourth floor of the William Tamblyn Centennial Building and sit among the rocks and minerals of the geology displays.
What attracted you to Thunder Bay?
I felt an immediate affinity to Thunder Bay and the surrounding area when I first moved here because of the stunning geography of Lake Superior’s north shore. Having the Sleeping Giant geographical formation as my point of reference invigorates me. Unlike many other cities in Ontario, in Thunder Bay the remote outdoors are easily accessible. During all four seasons, you will find world-class recreational opportunities from sailing, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, and wind-surfing to ice climbing, cross-country skiing, and downhill skiing.
What is there to see and do in Thunder Bay?
For a city its size, Thunder Bay boasts a proportionately high percentage of people who take in and participate in arts and cultural activities. In the summer, you would be hard pressed to find a weekend when there isn’t a festival or some outdoor musical concert going on: The Blues Festival, The Children’s Festival, Harbour Fest, Festa Italiana, the Bay Street Film Festival, the North Superior Film Fest, and the list goes on…In the fall, the season begins for Thunder Bay’s professional live theatre, Magnus Theatre, and for the professional Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. The Thunder Bay Art Gallery has three gallery spaces with rotating exhibits, and I often enjoy the work of regional and national Aboriginal artists. The Definitely Superior Artist Run Centre is the hub of cutting edge local and Canadian art and performance art. Not only does Def Sup have monthly art openings, they host extravagant happenings involving live bands, fire breathers and poet performers.
Where do you like to hang out in Thunder Bay?
The Calico Coffee House is a funky little café that displays local artwork in the hopping Bay-Algoma neighbourhood. Right next door is the famous Hoito Pancake House. It has a church basement ambience, and I almost always order the Finn pancakes, but sometimes get adventurous and order viili (clabbered milk), moujaka (stew), or good old fashioned rice pudding. Then, just a few doors away, is the Madhouse Bar and Grill which is the perfect place to meet friends, have a pint and some Thai coconut shrimp.