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A Canada Day to treasure

Shania Twain promised a show that would be outrageous and overwhelming for Timmins.

And she didn't fail to deliver, much to the delight of the more than 20,000 cheering fans who packed Hollinger Park for her show.

The wet weather didnt seem to dampen the spirit of the crowd.

This is great, screamed Mike Bourdon, between songs.

Most fans came prepared for the weather, putting on raincoats and covering their heads with sheets of plastic.

Bourdon, who drove from Hamilton with his brother Stan to attend the concert fashioned a rain coat from a plastic garbage bag.

This is the best place to see Shania perform in her home town. Rain or no rain, he said.

Twain, herself, felt the excitement of playing back in her home town.

Normally, I nap between sound checks and the shows but that wasnt really possible today, she said, an hour before she hit the stage.

Twain was ecstatic about playing to 20,000 people in her home town.

All our audiences have been over 20,000 people. So its really exciting that practically half the town is here, she said. The support is overwhelming.

Twain said her crew and bandmates were impressed by the level of affection Timmins has shown her.

They were really moved and touched by the support that has been given to me, she said.

Twain arrived in Timmins about three days before the show.

I spent the last three days out at a camp out of town, said Twain. Ive been out in the bush.

Fitting for a Canada Day celebration, Twain led the audience in the singing of O Canada to close the show.

One person said it was the proudest and loudest rendition of O Canada that she had ever heard.

A fireworks display followed the national anthem.

Shanias performance was clearly a hit with the massive audience.

They roared their approval as she belted out the hits that have made her legendary. And they cheered when she moved about on stage, gestured and made references about Timmins.

The cheering was every bit as loud and as hearty as that heard at a key NHL playoff game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto or the Molson Centre in Montreal.

Without question, it was the largest event and the most successful in Timmins colourful history.

In addition to the more than 20,000 people inside Hollinger Park, thousands of others were at places like Railway Street, Algonquin Boulevard and even Gillies Lake.

Music from the high-energy concert could be heard throughout downtown Timmins.

The rain fell during the concert but it seemed as no one noticed.

Despite the unprecedented size of the audience, city police officials reported no problems with crowd control before or during the show.

Weve had absolutely no problems and if there was a problem, Id hear about it, said John Gauthier, police co-ordinator for the event, as fans began filing through the gates. Theyre doing exactly what we expected them to be doing. Theres electricity in the air and everyones just waiting for the concert to begin.

Proceeds from the concert went to four charitable organizations: Matagami First Nations, Timmins Community Partners for Child Nutrition / Breakfast for Learning, Porcupine Food Bank and Timmins and District Hospital.

Shania has made several contributions in the past to the food bank in the past.

Reprinted from The Timmins Daily Press, July 2, 1999.