Mayor Chris White said Guelph-Eramosa Township did whatever it could to cater to the producers of a Disney movie that brought the Jonas brothers to Rockwood.
For at least two weeks this month, cameras were rolling at the Rockwood Conservation Area, filming Camp Rock 2, the sequel to the highly successful Disney Channel original movie Camp Rock.
Hundreds of youths, most of them screaming young girls, lined Fall Street last week in the hopes of catching a glimpse of world-famous musicians Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas as their black SUVs departed the location for their Toronto hotel.
The brothers, as well as co-star Demi Lovato – herself also an international recording star – didn’t disappoint, as they waved to crowds and posed for pictures on more than one occasion.
Crowds grew larger after the News spread via CTV News and other media outlets, causing conservation authority officials to close half the park to the public and the Jonas brothers to make more hasty exits when filming wrapped for the day. But on at least one occasion the trio, accompanied by Lovato, stopped and performed an impromptu musical set atop the roof of one of the SUVs.
The township agreed to shut down portions of Fall Street as well as County Road 44 during the filming.
“From a municipal perspective, we’re doing whatever they want,” White said. He added bringing movie productions to the town can have a great impact on the local economy.
White said the Jonas brothers even bought a birthday cake at a Rockwood bakery to help celebrate the 17th birthday of Nick Jonas, on Sept. 16.
As the filming for Camp Rock 2 moves on to other locations, rumours are already abound that perhaps Rockwood could again host a portion of the filming if producers decide to proceed with a third installment of the Camp Rock series.
Earlier this summer, crews began to erect 10 cabins, including several right next to the water, at the Rockwood Conservation Area to prepare for filming.
Township, conservation and Disney officials were tight-lipped about the title and stars of the production (largely due to what was rumoured to be a multi-million dollar non-disclosure deal), but eventually the News was leaked.
And for at least a couple of weeks, Rockwood girls were the envy of all their friends, not to mention thousands of other young girls across the globe.
