NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD
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In 1883, a steamer headed for the Collingwood docks was lost in a sudden storm. It was carrying a large diamond known as the Star of the North. A young ship hand named Jack was the sole survivor. Throughout the years, treasure hunters hounded Jack, but the Star of the North was never found.
Can you put together all the clues needed to find the Star of the North? Join the Puzzle Walk Challenge, the newest part of the Town of Collingwood’s new local campaign, Go Get Out.
If you have ever been on a scavenger hunt, you will understand the idea behind Puzzle Walks. The big difference is that it’s all hands-free and outdoors: a great way to go get out safely, on a self-guided walk using GooseChase, a smartphone app where you’ll find the first four Collingwood Puzzle
Walks: Dare To Dream, High Society, Where The Skies Are Blue and Waves Of Fortune. Take a walk through town, find clues, discover local history, and solve a puzzle! Complete each walk and win prizes of up to $250 from local retailers.
“We are excited to be using the GooseChase platform to activate our Collingwood Puzzle Walk series of activities,” says Town of Collingwood Mayor Brian Saunderson. “Part of the larger Go Get Out campaign, Puzzle Walks are designed to help people discover Collingwood’s unique places, stores, food & beverages on their own so that they can stay safe, but also provide opportunities to shop local. The Go Get Out campaign was approved by Town of Collingwood Council earlier this year as part of a broader COVID-19 economic recovery plan.”
Clue: Pass the enormous wild cat and look for the two black awnings. You will find Sutton and Capelli separated by two. Your answer is the larger number.
Puzzle Walks are proving popular so far, with dozens of downloads. Are you ready to re-discover your town? Visit www.GoGetOut.com and find Puzzle Walks under “Activities”, where you will find the HoHoHo Holiday 5K Run, the Collingwood Christmas Market, and other exciting activities. Simply download the smartphone app to get started and discover Collingwood as never before. Locals can explore, learn, have fun, get some fresh air…and win prizes…all on their own time.
Supporting local businesses
“Our aim is to support Collingwood businesses through this difficult time,” explains Martin Rydlo, the Town of Collingwood’s Director of Marketing & Business Development. “We’re letting people within shouting distance of Collingwood know that we’ve still got all this great stuff going on. We have some tremendous things to do, experience, and buy that even locals don’t know about. I do want to point out,” continues Rydlo, “that the Puzzle Walks and the larger Go Get Out campaign target only the South Georgian Bay area. As with every municipal effort, it’s safety first.”
About our local puzzle master
The Collingwood Puzzle Walks were created by Cathy Oliver, Founder and Principal at Seven Secrets Escape Room, a puzzle-based entertainment company with three escape rooms based out of 20 Balsam Street, Collingwood.
“It was a fun process,” says Oliver. “I had thought of doing something similar for my business, so I was excited to put these Puzzle Walks together for the Town.” For the Puzzle Walks, Oliver relied heavily on the Town of Collingwood Heritage Walks, which focus on historical plaques around town. Aside from her own escape rooms, Cathy has run break-out puzzle games for student groups at Collingwood Collegiate Institute and other schools.
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