Being in a Mexican circus isn't a typical job, but it's just the kind of story Jack Zaro wanted to tell.
He's one of 25 Quest University students contributing to the newest online radio station in town - Quest Coast Sound. Launched last week, the website includes everything from weekly newscasts to DJs letting loose.
The idea of an on-campus radio station was kicking around for a while, first-year student James Blumhagen says. He started thinking about the idea after a transit driver asked whether Quest had its own station.
At the same time, firstyear student Maggie McPhee was looking for a place to inform her about on-campus happenings. And in his final year at the university, Evan Cross was placing the finishing touches on a proposal to set up a station as a part of his parting project with Quest.
Out of this perfect storm came a string of student meetings and the creative ingredients that led to the website.
"We've been working on it since November," Blumhagen said. "We created the website ourselves."
Blumhagen has always been interested in media and how it plays a role in society. He hopes the site will be another piece of the puzzle to connect those "on top of the hill" with the rest of Squamish. The site aims to be a communication hub and media source for everyone in the Sea to Sky Corridor, he said.
"We want [Squamish] to participate in all the things we have going on here," he said.
Social media has revolutionized the way people listen to music, McPhee said. While one day the students hope to have a Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) licence to hit the airwaves, the website has opened up new opportunities, McPhee said.
"[The site] is a lot more than just music," she said. "There's blogs and student interviews and talking to tutors."
Music has always been a big part of McPhee's life. The avid concert-goer explores different musical genres and feelings provoked by songs on her radio show V Feels.
"I am hearing music that I would never have listened to on my own accord," McPhee said regarding research for her show.
Blumhagen plans to build the site, with the aim of involving the university's newspaper. The students are also looking to raise $5,000 to create a studio for the station, Blumhagen said, noting currently everything is created from laptops.
It's been exciting launching the site and watching its fan base grow, the two agree.
"We were freaking out because we had 40 listeners," Blumhagen said excitedly.
