Two television productions to take over downtown streets in Ontario community next week

Movie magic – technically, television sorcery – will be happening next week in Port Perry with two productions taking over several locations from Monday to Saturday.

Downtown streets, the Port Perry Fairgrounds, the Port Perry Boat Launch and the Currie Grain Elevator on Queen Street will be among the locations used for filming for the Witness Protection television pilot and another season of the Hallmark Channel’ popular The Way Home series

This is the fourth season of The Way Home, a time travel drama starring Andie MacDowell, Chyler Leigh, Sadie Laflamme-Snow and Evan Williams, about the lives of three generations of “strong, willful and independent” Landry women who embark on a journey to find their way back to each other while learning important lessons about their family’s past.

The Witness Protection production will be using the grain elevator (known in town as the ‘Old Mill’) for both interior and exterior scenes from Monday to Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Water Street (with a one lane closure) on Monday between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.; the boat launch on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and the intersection of Queen Street and Water Street on Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Access to the Port Perry Boat Launch access will be limited during filming times, with boaters urged to use the Caesarea Boat Launch.

Production vehicles and various pieces of film equipment will be found on Water Street and on portions of several local parking lots.

There will be intermittent traffic control throughout filming and a lane closure at the roundabout on Water Street on Monday morning.

NE Way Home Productions will be filming exterior scenes for The Way Home at the Old Mill, with prep on Thursday (7-7) and Friday (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and filming from 4 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.

The wrap will take place Saturday from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Production vehicles and film equipment will be located at local parking lots, street parking (when available) and at the Port Perry Fairgrounds.

The locations will be reserved with cones at 7 a.m. Saturday, with crews leaving at noon on Monday.