"Super Mike" Photo Shoot

This is a real treat. HGTV finally posted this to YouTube a couple of days ago (it's been on the HGTV Canada website for a while, but it's inaccessible to anyone outside of Canada).

This is the behind-the-scenes footage for the "Super Mike" promo that's been bounced around the internet for the last couple of weeks to advertise Mike's new show, which premiered in Canada on October 16. In it, they describe the concept behind the shoot, and why Mike's familiar face was of secondary focus.

(By the way, this would make a great 3x4 poster. I think the Holmes Group should really consider this as a merchandising idea.)

 

Holmes Makes It Right - Episode 2 Preview

If you're Canadian, don't miss the next new episode of Holmes Makes It Right! The preview is already up, and will cover the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground rebuild, which took place in July of this year. If I'm lucky, a friend of mine who was actually there with her family during the community build day will give us some behind the scenes insight into what it was like to be there building with Mike and his crew!

See also:

Jamie Bell Adventure Park Rebuild Comes To A Close With Community Build Day
Mike Holmes Helps to Rebuild Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in Toronto
Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park Grand Re-Opening
Mike on The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"
Now THAT'S A Castle!
Picture Time! Yesterday's Build at the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park
Jamie Bell Adventure Playground Community Build - YouTube Videos

Advice For Canadian Home Buyers

The Canadian premiere of Mike's new show a couple of days ago has fatigued me to the max, and I haven't even seen it. Since The Holmes Spot has been thanklessly covering all the buzz, from Facebook and Twitter, to HGTV and ET Canada, I figured it's time for a break. Shortly before the new show aired, an article was posted to the Ottawa Citizen in regards to the cooling Canadian housing market. Mike advises people to consider all the variables when buying a home and make a wise decision. Buying a home is a huge investment, and it's not something that should be done without a great deal of thought. He also talks about the new show as well. It's a great little read...

 

 

 

 

Mike Holmes, host of new HGTV series, has advice for Canadian home buyers

By Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press October 14, 2012

 

Mike Holmes is shown in a recent handout photo. With Canada's housing market showing signs of cooling, prospective buyers need to stop looking for their "dream home" and be practical, says celebrity contractor Holmes.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ho-Susan Snee

TORONTO - With Canada's housing market showing signs of cooling, prospective buyers need to stop looking for their "dream home" and be practical, says celebrity contractor Mike Holmes.
"We need to buy with a solid mind, meaning, is the area smart to buy in?" the construction and renovation expert said in a recent phone interview to promote his new series, "Holmes Makes It Right," debuting Tuesday (at 9pm ET/PT) on HGTV Canada.
"What is the area? Does it contain asbestos, does it have termites in the area? We can find all this out before we look but we're not doing that little bit of homework that is so necessary, even trying to find the right home inspector before we buy," he added.
"When it comes to your home, one thing that's really clear: this is about the most money you're ever going to spend in your life — don't you want to spend your money right? Buy with a proper conscience of what you need to buy and not of what you think you want."
In "Holmes Makes It Right," the beloved, brawny Toronto native does what he did in his previous series, "Holmes on Homes" and "Holmes Inspection": he comes to the rescue of distraught homeowners suffering from contracting work gone wrong.
Only this time, he's also taking on larger projects, including the redesign and build of an arson-destroyed High Park playground in Toronto, and the construction of an accessible outdoor deck and dining area for a paralyzed teacher.
"The storyline in 'Holmes Makes It Right' is so much bigger and I'm the type of guy, I can't turn a blind eye to something," said Holmes, who is still in touch with many of his clients from past episodes and often gets thank-you presents and cards from them.
"So if I actually walk in the house and I see a lot more wrong with it, I'm my own worst enemy because then I'll say, 'We need to look into this, we need to look into this,' and before we know it, from what is scheduled to be a three-week job turns into six months of construction and a half a million dollars later."
Holmes said when he first agreed to be on television over 10 years ago, he vowed it would just be for two years because he's too busy.
"And 'Hotel California' stepped in where you won't let me go," he said with a laugh, noting that out of the 100,000 emails he gets from viewers a year, "probably 60,000 of them are begging for help and are in real turmoil."
"That I can't help everyone is the hardest thing that I face. I wish I could. A lot of these people may go bankrupt, lose their home ... (go through) divorce — I call it divorce dust. But I'm doing what I can and I'm trying to teach so they don't fall in this trap."
While Holmes may hear from viewers often, that's not the case when it comes to the contractors whose shoddy work led to the disasters he sees in homes.
"Out of almost 200 shows that I've finished by this date, there's only two contractors that I've heard from," he said. "They put the tail between their legs and sort of run. It's a shame but it's expected.
"They realize they were wrong and I can only hope that the majority learn from what they saw on television."
Holmes figures his services are so in demand because of "an epidemic" of poor construction.
"We're building wrong in the first place," he said. "We're building with minimum code and not even trying to push above that or at least educate as so why you should."
Holmes often hears about minimum-code problems from condo dwellers who tell him they can hear — and smell — their neighbours.
"STC means Sound Transmission Class and that's around 50 when it comes to a condo," he said.
"The truth is, we knew the sound transmission class of 50, you can hear your neighbour and more than likely you'll smell them too. Don't you think you'd want them to up it a bit, shouldn't the condo guys be upping it? I would, and brag about it."
One of the biggest pieces of advice Holmes has for prospective buyers is to look for the year in which the home was built.
"Anything before 1980 has a possible 50/50 chance of containing asbestos in the plaster, tile and attic insulation. And if you just knew that, that's education."
They should also insist on getting a home inspection, even if the real estate agent discourages it in order to secure a strong bid.
"Don't buy the house without it," said Holmes.
"How many times do I see a real estate clipping that says, 'All new electrical, totally renovated, just gorgeous, move-in ready.' Meanwhile, did (the real estate agent) even check to see if there were permits pulled or did they even care?"
When it comes to hiring a contractor, homeowners should look for a passion in the person they're hiring.
"It's about caring and I always do it in a simple equation — we've got two cooks, one loves to cook, one hates to cook. What burger do you want to eat? Really simple, right?" said Holmes.
And with the cooler temperatures setting in, Holmes advises homeowners not to wait until the last minute to do seasonal maintenance: make sure the furnace is working properly, the ducts and fireplace flue/chimney are clean, and the roof is in good condition.
"When it comes to your home, learn what you need to do. Start from the outside, work your way in. Do not start from the inside and work your way out. I can't say that enough."

© Copyright (c)

Holmes Makes It Right - "Mike At His Hands-On Best"

Mike's new show, Holmes Makes It Right, is ready and set to premiere on HGTV Canada on October 16, 2012. As of now, there are 9 brand new one-hour episodes that will feature Mike Holmes working "hands-on," and "strapping on a tool belt, and helping desperate homeowners," according to a press release written about the HGTV Canada fall line-up. The reason the new show is being marketed this way is, in my observation, to distinguish Holmes Makes It Right from Mike's previous show, Holmes Inspection, where Mike took a more hands-off approach, leaving the bulk of the "grunt work" to his crew. I think we the fans are happy to see Mike swinging a hammer once again. I enjoyed Holmes Inspection and getting to see Mike's protege Damon Bennett taking more of a leadership role, but nothing and no one can replace Mike. Simple as that. Can't wait to see Mike "Make It Right" once again!

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Highly anticipated brand-new and returning series are filling the fall schedule on HGTV Canada, bringing big entertainment, dynamic stories and compelling characters to Canadians. Featuring its refreshed on-air look, this fall HGTV is jam-packed with favourite celebrity hosts, new versions of international hit formats and enticing original series, all beginning the week of August 27. HGTV's most trusted celebrity contractors Mike Holmes and Bryan Baeumler are giving homeowners the hands-on help they need in new and returning series. The second season of HGTV's successful Leave It To Bryan begins Thursday August 30 at 10pm ET/PT. Bryan is once again asking Canadians to give him their keys and their trust as he decides which part of their home gets renovated. Homeowners quickly find out that what they want and what they need may not be the same reno. The all-new Holmes Makes It Right finds homeowners whose houses, lives and finances have been brutally disrupted by unimaginable disasters. Beginning Tuesday October 16 at 9pm ET/PT, Mike takes on larger-than-life catastrophes that would make other contractors run. "HGTV Canada's robust fall schedule, stacked with the network's favourite personalities, a number of captivating new faces and compelling unique stories, reflects our ongoing efforts to bring Canadians more highly entertaining content than ever before," says Barb Williams, Senior Vice President of Content, Shaw Media. The exciting new series and formats coming to HGTV Canada show off exotic locales, test household risks and exhibit some very eccentric characters. Live Here, Buy This is a brand-new series showcasing properties available anywhere in the world for the same price as one home in Canada, beginning August 27 at 10pm ET/PT. Whether the dream destination is Vancouver, San Francisco or Venice, this series shows Canadians what life could be like in paradise. Premiering on August 30 at 9pm ET/PT, Four Houses Canada is the first Canadian edition of ITV Studios' hit UK format May The Best House Win. Featuring four house-proud Canadians touring each other's homes with a critical eye, each home is given a grade and the house with the highest score wins not only the $1,000 prize - but also the pride. The all-new series House Hazards, premiering October 16 at 10pm ET/PT, is a completely new experience for HGTV viewers. A mind-boggling array of potential domestic disasters will be put to the test, whether it's determining the effects of a metal spoon in your microwave or watching what happens when you spill a whole bottle of dish detergent into a high power hot tub. A brand-new site for HGTV.ca now features completely original image galleries, a sleek new full-screen video streaming experience of episodes after they air, the Find A Pro section which helps find real screened professionals in Canada, and more information on the shows and hosts fans love. To explore the new site and get more information on the fall schedule visit www.hgtv.ca. Brand New Series Include: ... Holmes Makes It Right (9x60min) (World Broadcast Premiere) Tuesdays at 9pm ET/PT, beginning October 16 In this brand-new series Canada's most trusted contractor helps unfortunate homeowners whose homes, lives and finances have been brutally disrupted by disastrous events and renovations. Mike Holmes takes on catastrophes that would make other contractors run. With the same commitment to high standards that is at the forefront in Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection, Holmes Makes It Right will feature Mike at his hands-on best - strapping on a tool belt, and helping desperate homeowners. ...

So.... I guess this means all of us in the States have to wait a while to see Mike's new show? I hope they get the details worked out, and fast!

Total bummer :(

TV Handyman Mike Holmes Sells Latest Series to HGTV Canada

12:02 PM PDT 7/23/2012 by Etan Vlessing

The channel's U.S. edition is also in talks to acquire "Holmes Makes It Right" for an October bow stateside.

TORONTO – HGTV handyman Mike Holmes has sold his latest reno series, Holmes Makes it Right, to HGTV Canada for a fall season debut.

Toronto-based The Holmes Group is also in talks to sell the reality series about homeowners whose lives are brutally disrupted by unimaginable home reno disasters to HGTV stateside.
HGTV Canada will start airing the first nine episodes of Holmes Makes It Right on October 16, with its sister American channel expected to debut the series at the same time as in Canada after a sales agreement is inked.
Two earlier Holmes-hosted series, Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection, are already rating winners for HGTV U.S.
Executives at HGTV in Knoxville, Tennessee were not available for comment at press time.

Mike Holmes and Michael Quast, Holmes Group CEO, Part Ways

Very interesting news about some BIG changes in Mike's company, The Holmes Group's management structure. Michael Quast, the man who discovered Mike Holmes back in 2001 when Mike was working as a stagehand for HGTV, stepped down as CEO of Mike's company, it was announced yesterday, July 16, 2012. The split is "amicable" according to both Mikes. Here's the article:

HGTV Handyman Mike Holmes and Michael Quast Part Ways

10:34 AM PDT 7/16/2012 by Etan Vlessing

The CEO of The Holmes Group was production exec on the original "Holmes on Homes" series that launched the Canadian-based TV home renovation brand.

TORONTO - HGTV home repair host Mike Holmes has parted ways with Michael Quast, head of his Canadian-based production shingle The Holmes Group.

Quast, who served as the broadcast production executive on the original Holmes on Homes series that launched the iconic Mike Holmes TV brand, is leaving as part of an amicable split, according to both parties.

The move also follows Holmes hiring Canadian TV exec Shanna Albert as VP of development at a second production shingle, Point Load Pictures.
"We blazed a new trail and I’m very proud of what we created together," Quast, who became CEO of The Holmes Group last year, said in a statement Monday.
"I wish Mike and The Holmes Group long and continued success," he added.
There’s no word from the celebrity TV renovator on Quast’s replacement.
The Holmes Group is best known for its top-rated HGTV series Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspections.

As the above article states, this news follows other changes in the Holmes Group structure. Here's an article about Shanna Albert being hired on as VP of development for Point Load Pictures:

HGTV Handyman Mike Holmes Splits Co-CEOs at Production Shingle

7:08 PM PST 11/30/2011 by Etan Vlessing           

The top management revamp leaves Michael Quast as the sole CEO of The Holmes Group, while Pete Kettlewell launches Point Load Pictures, a joint venture with the TV home repair pro.

TORONTO - How many CEOs does HGTV home repair host Mike Holmes need?

our editor recommends

Turns out one’s enough, so Holmes has restructured his production shingle by splitting up its co-CEOs.
The Canadian TV handyman, who’s usually gutting suburban homes on HGTV Canada and HGTV to replace shoddy construction or renovations, has named Michael Quast as the sole CEO of The Holmes Group.
The new leadership structure also leaves former CEO Pete Kettlewell to launch Point Load Pictures, a joint venture with Holmes that will produce TV series outside of The Holmes Group brand.
Holmes and Kettlewell have been behind popular HGTV series like Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection that bowed in Canada before airing stateside.

One more article about Quast and Holmes parting ways, reposted from realscreen.com:

Michael Quast leaves The Holmes Group

17 hours ago by Danielle Ng-See-Quan

Michael Quast, CEO of The Holmes Group, is leaving the company.
According to a release from The Holmes Group issued Monday, “the amicable split comes on the heels of lengthy discussions on the company’s future direction.”
“We blazed a new trail and I’m very proud of what we created together. I always knew there was great potential and I think what we achieved in a short time was remarkable,” said Quast in a statement.
Quast and Mike Holmes, host of HGTV’s Holmes on Homes, first met in 2001, when the contractor presented Quast with the idea that spawned the TV show.
Quast became the series’ first production exec, and in 2005 joined The Holmes Group as VP development, before being named CEO recently.
“Michael has been an important part of The Holmes Group since 2005. Even before that, when he was a production executive at HGTV, Michael was the guy who ‘tricked’ me into doing a television series in the first place,” said Mike Holmes in his own statement.
“The Holmes Group continues to push forward and grow. You’re going to see big things,” he added.
Back in November, Holmes restructured his production shingle, naming Quast the sole CEO of The Holmes Group.
Former Holmes Group co-CEO Pete Kettlewell was tapped to head up Point Load Pictures, a new indie production company to operate as a joint venture with Holmes as chairman, to develop and produces new series outside of the Holmes Group brands.
As previously reported by realscreen sister publication Playback, Point Load Pictures has a development deal with HGTV Canada, the specialty channel that made Mike Holmes a recognizable face for Canadians, and now stateside with his shows that air on HGTV U.S.

Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park Grand Re-Opening

It's been several months since Mike and his crew got involved in the rebuilding of the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in Toronto. All of the hard work they've invested over the last couple of days and weeks paid off with plenty of "hugs and love" yesterday, July 13, 2012, as it reopened to an endless stream of grateful children, parents, and community members. This article and video from the Toronto Sun goes into details:

High Park playground replaces one destroyed by arson

visit the Toronto Sun website to view the video

By Kevin Connor, Toronto Sun

First posted: Friday, July 13, 2012 06:28 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, July 13, 2012 06:42 PM EDT

TORONTO - High Park’s Jamie Bell Adventure Playground reopened Friday with a brand new castle after the old one was destroyed by arson.

After the park was torched in March plans to rebuild began immediately spearheaded by HGTV celebrity Mike Holmes with the help of Toronto fire and police and members of the community.

At the opening Holmes was being repaid with hugs from the dozens of kids in attendance.

“I’m just listening to the kids scream as they come down the slide. This is all about the kids. This was a little bit of work and a lot of sweat, but it was well worth it,” Holmes said.

Michael Ogle was one of the 40 Toronto firefighters who volunteered to rebuild the park.

“Our involvement was a perfect fit for us. We responded to this fire so we wanted to be involved in rebuilding the park,” Ogle said.

The Youth Policing Students program for at risk children put some of their kids to work rebuilding the park.

“It was good. It taught me more about what work is and how hard it can be to keep going,” said 15-year-old Remington Latanville.

Kiera Walsh-Lopez, 12, has been coming to the park all her life.

“It was devastating when it burnt down. I am so glad they built it again,” Walsh-Lopez said.

The inspiration for the playground came from the community who designed and built it, said Coun. Sarah Doucette.

“This rebuild is an amazing example of how the public and private sectors can collaborate with the community to create something of value and wonder for everyone in this city,” Doucette said.

The park was able to be rebuilt after $80,000 was raised by the community and corporations.

“That this playground has been rebuilt in less than four months, entirely from the work and donations of sponsors and the community, shows how important this space is,” said Coun. Norm Kelly, chairman of the city’s Parks and Environment Committee.

“Now, due to their efforts, this playground is bigger and better than ever and will continue to inspire people in the future.”

Here's another article from InsideToronto.com:

Children run screaming with delight into new Jaime Bell playground

Children run screaming with delight into new Jaime Bell playground. The childrens Adventure Playground in High Park finally officially opened on Friday after Mike Holmes and volunteers came together to build the new castle. Children await the opening. Staff photo/IAN KELSO

LISA RAINFORD
July 13, 2012
Held back behind yellow police tape, a crowd of children waited impatiently for a chance to climb the new castle and to go down the new slides.
They watched as HGTV contractor Mike Holmes and his crew put the finishing touches on the rejuvenated Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park and listened as Parkdale-High Park Councillor Sarah Doucette thanked the long list of people who made its reconstruction possible. Even though Doucette promised to keep her speech much shorter at the second grand re-opening on Friday, July 13 than that of her speech on the community build day, July 7, the children's patience waned.
"When are we allowed in?" several kids were overheard asking.
And then, for the moment they had been waiting for - for the past four months, Holmes asked, "Are you ready?"
To which the crowd cheered and applauded: "Yeah!"
"We're going to have a countdown," he told them.
From five to one they counted - followed by absolute chaos. Children ran screaming in delight as they descended upon the new structure, climbing into the castle and onto the swings and down the two slides.
"I think it's fun when the light shines on the slide making it glow red on the inside," said seven-year-old Sofia moments after she came out of the new winding slide.
Tilden, 5, called the new castle "good".
Even Holmes and his team, wearing their trademark black T-shirts, got a chance to try out the playground they had worked tirelessly on for almost two weeks. Since Tuesday, July 3, they endured sweltering temperatures and 12-hour days to get the playground rebuilt as soon as possible.
Jamie Bell's son, Adam and his niece Margot were given the honours of trying out the slides first. Landscape architect Janet Rosenberg was gifted with her own City of Toronto park plaque in appreciation for her support and talents.
In four months, the City of Toronto, financial donors and the community rallied to get the playground rebuilt.
"I think that's a record," said Doucette.
Doucette thanked Toronto Fire Services for all its support from the firefighters who came to the rescue of several members of Holmes' crew, who collapsed because of the heat a week ago to those who kept the construction site lit so they could work after dark. Firefighters were also instrumental in cutting 500 shields, which were decorated by the community - they will be installed on the playground at a later date.
'Our spirit is fire proof,' reads one of them.
On March 17, around 3 a.m. a vandal set fire to the castle turret. The community rallied, raising money and joining efforts to help rebuild within four short months.
People arrived from across the city to see the new playground.

From Mike's Facebook yesterday:

Thanks to everyone who made the Jamie Bell Playground rebuild happen. My incredible crew, all of the volunteers, Janet Rosenburg, the sponsors, the city and many many more. A special thanks goes out to the community. This was such an inspiring community project. What a great place to live. I hope everyone enjoys a new chapter in Jamie Bell's Adventure Playground.

There's a wall of kids ready to rush the castle!

It's the kids castle now! What a reveal.

The countdown is on! Just a few minutes until the kids get to play!!

And finally, here's some photos and videos from around the web about today's re-opening:

This little article, published by the Chronicle Journal, talks about some of the ways to avoid having to call Mike Holmes with your own sad reno-nightmare. It's true, Mike gets many desperate pleas for help, but he's only able to reach a small portion of those who need him. As the article points out, a little bit of prevention is worth all the cure in the world. Research and education are the keys to a successful renovation, and rushing can only lead to disaster. When it comes to your home, take your time and do it right so that Mike doesn't have to come bail you out.

Long story short, the only time you want to call Mike Holmes is to invite him over for a beer, not to beg him for help.

 

Don’t call Mike Holmes

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

MIKE Holmes is a popular fellow. And why shouldn’t he be? It seems he’s the only person standing between hapless homeowners and the seeming army of crooked contractors and renovation types who promise good work at fair prices, only to create havoc and leave behind a mess to fix.
Holmes, the popular host of HGTV’s Holmes Makes It Right, makes a very good living fixing those messes. And he has no trouble finding people who have had horrible experiences in the wild west home renovation market. One episode features the show’s producer and director who say they have trouble choosing among so many sad stories. Many homeowners don’t know how badly they’ve been taken until Holmes and his crew pry apart houses to find shoddy workmanship done on the cheap.
What does it say about the renovation industry when a handyman can make a career out of undoing what others in his business have done so badly? It says that you cannot trust anyone who you ask for a price on repairing, renovating or improving your home without doing some serious research.
Do that and you will find the good people. Don’t and you will end up among scores, hundreds, thousands of Canadians left with cheap work intentionally done badly. Often, it’s because the person or business hired has taken on too many jobs at once. Juggling them all in a short Canadian building season means the date you were promised the job would be completed can come and go with much more left to do, at times meaning you cannot live in your own home yet. In order to finish your job and move on, corners are cut, then covered with drywall and plywood.
This newspaper annually directs angry, frustrated readers with renovation woes to the chamber of commerce (most small, private handymen aren’t members), the Better Business Bureau or their MPPs for possible help through consumer legislation. But, as Holmes often finds, these roads can lead nowhere and homeowners are left to take the matter to small claims court. Incredibly, these courts often find in favour of fly-by-night renovators who successfully argue that work was done. It’s a matter of opinion whether it’s quality work, and officers of the court do not come by to see how bad it can be.
That’s where Holmes comes in. Homeowners lucky enough to be selected for his expertise get huge reductions in the cost of the work left to do because those who end up doing it right get exposure on Holmes’ popular show. But in order to get there, one usually has to have spent their life savings and more with no end in sight to the job they thought they’d agreed to.
Holmes invariably finds work done badly, or dangerously, and his anger at those who soak homeowners and give his industry a bad name is palpable.
It can be exciting to plan and prepare for home improvements. But don’t rush into anything. Once you’ve talked to someone in this business, take a few days to think about it. Don’t sign anything on the spot. When you do, make sure it says what you want it to say.
Ask for and check references. The company can also be checked out with the chamber of commerce and Ontario’s Ministry of Consumer and Business Services.
Ask for a written estimate. Then get at least two more estimates from reputable businesses in your area. That big saving may be a sign of a deal too good to be true.
Have any proposed contract checked over by someone trustworthy — ideally, a lawyer — before signing it.
There are three columns of Renovations and Home Improvements listings in the Yellow Pages of the Thunder Bay phone book and more advertising in newspapers. Some have been around for years, which usually means they are trustworthy. Some are smaller, independent contractors anxious to do good work to make a name for themselves. Some may be crooks looking to take your money in return for the assurance of quality workmanship that is anything but.
Mike Holmes is a nice guy, but you don’t want to call him.

Jamie Bell Adventure Park Rebuild Comes To A Close With Community Build Day

The rebuild of the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park, Toronto has come to a happy end, although there's still more work to be done, according to Mike a few hours ago. Residents of High Park came out in droves to help Mike and the crew of his new show set to air this fall on HGTV, Holmes Makes It Right, finish the playground, which was partially destroyed by an arsonist earlier this year. Community Build Day was today, July 7.


From Mike's Facebook Page a couple hours ago:

What an amazing turn out today in High Park! Thanks to everyone who made it out. Still have work to do on the castle - but the wait will be worth it!!

Here's an article about the rebuild today from CBC News:

Volunteers work to rebuild High Park playground

TV handyman Mike Holmes leading revamp of popular Toronto park

CBC News

Posted: Jul 7, 2012 11:22 AM ET

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2012 1:46 PM ET

 Volunteers work on Saturday to rebuild the playground in High Park. (Submitted by Chris New)

Raw video: High Park fire

About 100 volunteers wearing "I love High Park" T-shirts are working to rebuild the popular Toronto playground that was destroyed by arson earlier this year.
On March 17 a fire gutted much of the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in High Park.
The project is being led by TV handyman Mike Holmes and landscape architect Janet Rosenberg, and will be featured in a fall episode of the Holmes Makes It Right show.
"I haven’t been this excited since I went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina,” Holmes said in late May.
The new park includes more seating, slides and cutting-edge building technology.
Corporate donors, including Canadian Tire, Lowes and TD Bank, have all pitched in with contributions of money and materials.
The playground, near the park entrance off High Park Boulevard and Parkside Drive, was originally built in 1998 by a group of community volunteers.

Some more new pics from around the web:

 

Mike on The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"

A GREAT video clip released today about Mike and crew rebuilding the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground.

From Mike's Facebook page:

The Morning Show visited the Jamie Bell Playground rebuild in High Park. Watch the video at the link below!

My favorite part of the video -- this letter was left on Mike's car. How sweet :) Shows the gratitude of the community to Mike and all the other guys who are working hard to rebuild a small but important part of their community. "Thank you guys for rebuilding our favorite park. Words cannot express how greatful we are. Isaiah (4 years old) + his mama"

Friday July 6th: 11am

VIDEO: Global TV/The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"

07/06/12 - Global TV/The Morning Show - "Holmes Makes It Right in High Park"

Daru Dhillon from Global TV's "The Morning Show" visited our High Park site yesterday for an interview with Mike. The segment aired on July 6th.

Mike and Crew Down To The Wire On Jamie Bell Playground Rebuild

Mike and crew are working like busy little bees trying to get the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground, which burnt down in March of this year, rebuilt and ready for reopening this Saturday, July 7, 2012. Fighting record summer heat and tough time constraints, they're racing towards the finish line, full speed ahead. The question stands, will they meet their deadline? I guess we'll all find out for sure on Saturday! But experience tells me that even if it comes down to the wire, Mike and crew will pull through. They always do, and with the support of the community behind them, there's no way they can fail. The build is being filmed for Mike's new show, HGTV's Holmes Makes it Right, set to air this fall.

From Mike's Facebook page yesterday (he seems quite optimistic):

On site rebuilding the Jamie Bell Playground in High Park. The structure is up - but we have lots to do. Its huge! The kids are going to love it. The clock is ticking...

 

 

You can read more about Mike's latest work on the Jamie Bell Adventure playground in this article from thestar.com.

High Park’s Jamie Bell Playground rebuild goes down to the wire

Published on Thursday July 05, 2012

                              

Stephanie Law/Toronto Star                   

The Jamie Bell Playground in High Park is being rebuilt for a scheduled reopening on Saturday. Mike Holmes from HGTV is orchestrating the reconstruction while his film crew shoots the process.

Stephanie Law
Staff Reporter

Celebrity home renovator Mike Holmes is used to working under extreme pressure and time crunches. But reconstruction of the burnt-down playground in High Park is proving to be a challenge, even for this maestro of construction.
“I’m trying to do it by Saturday, even though tomorrow’s supposed to hit a record-breaking degree,” the host of HGTV’s Holmes Makes it Right said Thursday.
“Will we make it work? Well, it won’t have anything to do with not trying.”
The reopening of the Jamie Bell Playground is scheduled for Saturday, when hundreds of children and their parents will help with the finishing touches. The community rebuild will see dragons and fairies painted all over the playground’s castles, among other activities.
The popular playground, built in 1999, was torched by vandals in March. The community wanted it back for the summer.
Holmes and his crew — which includes people filming the rebuild — started work last week, beginning at 6:30 a.m. daily. Very late nights are expected to meet the deadline.
On Thursday, the “supercastle” was starting to come together. It was still hard to tell what to expect, but at least two of the towers were already complete. The design includes a drawbridge and climbing wall, features that children told Holmes and landscape architect Janet Rosenberg they wanted.
“You climb to a certain height, and you can crawl through a window and then you’re into another castle, and then you can walk across the planks to another place,” said Rosenberg, referring to the climbing wall.
Throughout the design process, the team has heard from parents, kids and the community — sometimes, parents and kids had different ideas. In the end, Rosenberg said, “that the sense of adventure was very much informed by the kids.”
So far, those involved in the project have kept mum about what the supercastle will look like.
“Wait till you see it,” said Holmes. “You won’t believe it.”



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The Ward 13 official website also contains a message from City Councillor Sarah Doucette and some information about the build, geared for volunteers wanting to help:


Friends and Constituents,
I would like to thank you for visiting my website. On December 1, I celebrated the one year mark as your City Councillor for Ward 13. Please share your thoughts with me through my Contact Page so I can hear your ideas on how we can work together to continue to improve our ward and our city.
Best regards,



THE JAMIE BELL PLAYGROUND

Rebuild this Saturday, July 7!

Update: My office has recived hundreds of phone calls and emails with offers to volunteer at the Jamie Bell Playground Community Build Day. As you know, a fire at the playground on March 17 destroyed a large portion of the structure. Since then, Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff have worked with the community, my office, and donors such as Canadian Tire, Lowe's, TD Canada Trust, Mike Holmes' Make it Right and Janet Rosenberg Landscape Architects to develop and design a new castle playground structure to replace the portion that was destroyed. I am also very pleased to be working with our Community Volunteer Co-ordinator, Robin Sorys, in organizing your participation at the event.

The Community Build Day is Saturday, July 7 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.). We have divided the day into shifts:


Shift A 9 am - 11 am

Shift B 11 am - 1 pm - at 12:00 we will be unveiling the castle

Shift C 1 pm - 3 pm

Shift D 3 pm to 5 pm or when finished - the ribbon cutting ceremony and speeches will take place at 5 pm (Then back to work if construction is not finished!)

If you are able to join us at any of these times:

· Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 27 to jamie.bell@highpark.org by cutting and pasting this section into your email with your answers beside each question.

· Please tell us how many will be coming to volunteer: how many children (under 16) and how many adults

· Tell us which shift you would like to volunteer for A, B, C or D.

· Please also indicate if you have any skills that may help us place you at work areas.

Here are some tips to help you enjoy the day:

· If you wish to volunteer on the playground site you must wear closed toed shoes as no open-toed shoes will be allowed.

· There will be limited parking so we encourage everyone to walk, bike or take TTC. If you do drive please enter off Parkside Drive. Volunteers who have registered will be given priority for parking near the site. Other parking can be found throughout the park and along Lake Shore Blvd W.

· The City's H2O TO GO will be on site so bring your reusable water bottles, they'll be easy to refill.

· There will also be children's activities and a barbecue throughout the day.

· The City as well as the producers of Mike Holmes' Make it Right have requested that clothing with logos not be worn that day. We will be providing t-shirts – hopefully for everyone and that's why we need to know who is attending. They also suggest not wearing white that day.

Finally, please carefully review the attached documents which are the Personal Release for the TV production and the Volunteer Placement Agreement Release and Waiver. Print off and sign both for each person volunteering and bring the forms with you to be handed in at the registration table when you arrive. Please remember that registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

For the volunteer agreement, please click here.

For the Make It Right release form, please click here.

Mike Holmes: Canada's Avenging Angel

This article, posted on ToolsOfTheTrade.net talks about the popularity and influence of Mike Holmes in Canada, and how his quest for better building is taking his "make it right" credo across the border. Bad builders and the "minimum code" make Mike angry, and he's one angel who's not afraid to use a little profanity and coarse language.  When it comes to educating home owners about using better, non-toxic, sustainable products to build their homes, Mike is full of piss and vinegar. He urges big box stores to "stop selling crap" and start selling better, safer products. It's an uphill fight, but Mike is boldly leading the resistance, hammer in hand. To Mike's American fans (like me) Mike Holmes already is a rockstar of rockstars, and we would certainly love to see the "reno revolution" Mike is leading arise in our country as well.

ProWatch: Canada's Avenging Angel

Bad Builders: Cable TV star Mike Holmes relentlessly exposes builders' shoddy practices.

Photo: The Holmes Group / www.makeitright.ca TATTOO U.: Mike Holmes shows his true colors with the "Make It Right" tattoo on his arm. That's no mere bit of whimsy. Rather, it's the brawny builder's personal mission statement as he exposes the work of bad contractors on his cable TV show.

Source: PROSALES Magazine
Publication date: October 4, 2010

As usual, Mike Holmes is angry. "What is the percentage of contractors who give a shit?" he demands. "If you're lucky, 15 out of 100 contractors are good. And developers? I'm sorry, they really don't care. If they did, they would be building better and bragging about it. How many times are we going to keep banging our heads before we start doing things better?"
That's more than a rhetorical question to Holmes, the most outsized Canadian to cross the border since William Shatner. This bluff, plain-talking contractor with cropped baby-chick blond hair and "Make It Right" tattooed on one of his mighty arms aims to use his status as a cable TV and magazine personality to encourage homeowners to educate themselves and demand that builders create better living spaces. And he wants LBM dealers to join his crusade.
If you keep your TV tuned to the sports programs, you might not have heard of Holmes or his weekly show, Holmes on Homes, on the HGTV cable channel. But there's a good chance your wife or your female customers have. HGTV declines to release viewership numbers for the show, which began airing on the U.S. cable channel in late April 2009, but it's already one of HGTV's top 10 programs and has been dubbed the channel's "breakout hit of the year" by HGTV executive Kenneth Lowe. "We expect his popularity to grow in the U.S. as viewers get to know him," network publicist Emily Yarborough says.
His American fans hope Holmes will reach the rock star status he already has achieved in Canada, where Holmes' show has aired since 2001. There, a May 2010 Reader's Digest poll of the 10 most trusted Canadians placed Holmes second, above the Queen, the prime minister, and even Michael J. Fox.
Holmes on Homes is a 30-minute drama built on a recurring theme. First, Holmes visits a property (usually near Toronto, his home) where hapless homeowners have been the victim of work by contractors whose misdeeds run the gamut from simply incompetent to criminally negligible. Marching from room to room, Holmes calls out contractors who've done shoddy work. "This is not acceptable" is one of his favorite, less salty comments; other remarks not so suitable for the viewing public are drowned out in a sudden revving of power tools.
White Knight
Then Holmes not only fixes the listing decks, buckling foundations, and leaking bathrooms, but keeps up a steady stream of explanations, demonstrating the right way to handle the issue. Never have thermal breaks, Ditra, and mold-resistant drywall been such compelling viewing. Through it all, Holmes seeks not just to fix problems but to do the work the way it should have been done from the start. Most episodes he will find the camera, dismiss the contractor's lousy work, and then ask: "Why didn't they just make it right?"
Why indeed. It's a question most homeowners have asked during the course of building a new home or renovating an older one. And Holmes' rescue tactics make him a white knight that many a customer in distress would love to have come her way.

Photo: The Holmes Group / www.makeitright.ca SHOW AND TELL: Along with his popular cable TV program, Mike Holmes also has a namesake magazine devoted to quality construction, a website, a newspaper column, and a housing development in Canada where each of the 457 homes planned will be certified LEED platinum. He aims to expand the home brand into the United States.

But Holmes doesn't see himself as an avenging angel so much as a teacher and proselytizer. He wants people to get smarter about what they look for in a home, and he believes the recession has opened a massive opportunity for suppliers to start helping builders amp up their knowledge base. The contractor spoke with ProSales recently during a break from filming on location in Canada with his new show, Holmes Inspection, and in classic Holmes fashion he did not mince words:
"We are looking at this bass ackwards, building from the inside out," he says. "Forget the pretty cabinets and the granite countertops and think about what goes on the outside." Unfortunately, he says, "we act on vision, not knowledge. We do it on illusion. 'Oh that's beautiful; I want that.' We act on the visual." To avert future building system failures ("There is not a '1-800 Help-I'm-Screwed' number for homeowners to call," he says), pro dealers can stock better products and help educate builders on their merits and how best to use them.
"Everyone is sick and tired of replacing a roof after 10 years when it's guaranteed for 15 to 20," he says.
Knowledge Is Power
Trying to get contractors to build better than the minimum required by code–and don't get him started on the inadequacy of minimum code requirements–is like trying to teach an old dog new tricks. "Not gonna happen," he says. He urges homeowners to educate themselves about their home's building envelope because he believes that the only way to change building practices is for them to demand better products. "We need to be absolutely more educated about how things work."
Holmes wants homeowners to start finding the beauty not just in interior finishes, but in products like low VOC paints, BluWood (lumber treated with a non-toxic finish that prevents mold and rot and repels termites) and closed cell spray foam insulation. "We need to look at products that off-gas"–and that's just about everything, he says–"and try not to use those in our homes.
"I was the type of guy who always did my homework," he says. "When I was three, I used to take my toys apart to see how they worked." Now Holmes want to imbue homeowners, and LBM dealers, with that spirit of inquiry.
That's the message Holmes is trying to get across through his television shows, books, magazine (Holmes, The Magazine To Make It Right), website (http://makeitright.ca), syndicated column, and building projects (including a Holmes Homes development called Wind Walk in Okotoks, Alberta, where each of the 457 houses planned will be certified LEED Platinum).
Living the Toxic Life
"The average person is living in an incompetently built home," Holmes says. "We are all living in a toxic atmosphere. We don't build totally sustainable homes because we're used to what we have, and we are resistant to change.
"Almost no one is looking at building better. We have to teach the new technology in schools and in the trades, and this demand has to come from the public.
"Look, I talk to many big-box stores and I tell them, 'You have to stop selling crap, start selling BluWood and green drywall and mold resistant caulk.' They don't want to, because it's driven by demand."
But Holmes is not a man to be deterred by obstacles. "The bad guys don't like me; [they say] 'He's causing us problems and he's costing us money,'" he says.
"I am the boss. I'm a Leo, and I'm a pretty confident guy; been confident all my life." And the boss is confident that he is heading in the right direction, and determined to take us with him.
–Kate Tyndall is a contributing editor to ProSales.

HGTV Father's Day Mike Holmes Marathon

June 17 may be Father's Day, but all the handy moms of the world will be busy watching HGTV that evening. Tune in for a Mike Holmes prime-time marathon starting at 7PM EST. You can catch some episodes of Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection that you've probably already seen, but wouldn't mind watching again.  Oh, OK...I guess all the handy dads of the world can watch too. It is their day, after all.

Source: Huliq