The Peterborough County OPP detachment on 453 Lansdowne Street East in Peterborough was temporarily closed yesterday (February 22) while police investigated a possible explosive device contained in a briefcase.
At around 11:30 a.m. on February 22nd, members of the Peterborough County OPP spoke with a man who explained he had received a call about winning a lottery in the United States. The man was told he had won 2.5 million dollars and, in order to receive his winnings, he had to pay $5,000 in tax.
The man also received a locked briefcase and was told that it contained a portion of his winnings. A letter accompanying the briefcase indicated he had to first send the tax money and then he would receive a code to open the briefcase.
The letter also said the briefcase contained an explosive device and any efforts to open it without the proper code would cause the briefcase to explode.
The man brought the briefcase to the Peterborough County OPP detachment. Police closed the detachment to the public and contacted members of Central Region Tactics and Rescue Unit. Members of the Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) were assisted by TRU in rendering the package safe. There were no explosives in the package.
Police remind members of the public that, if they find any military ordnance or a suspected explosive device, they should not touch, move, or transport the item. They should record any numbers that might appear on the device (this will assist with identification of the item) and call the local police for proper disposal.
Both the OPP and the Canadian Armed Forces have trained experts who will attend the location of the explosive device and can decide the safest method for its removal and disposal.
Nikki Weatherdon, Derek Bell, and Quinn Ferentzy perform in The Theatre of King's production of "No Exit" by Jean-Paul Satre, which runs from February 23 to 25 (photo: Andy Carroll)
Originally scheduled for December 2016, The Theatre on King’s (TTOK) production of Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential classic No Exit finally hits the stage on Thursday, February 23rd.
No Exit
When: Thursday, February 23 – Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 8 p.m. Where: The Theatre on King (159 King St., Suite 120, Peterborough) How much: $10 at the door or pay what you can
Written by Jean-Paul Sartre, directed by Ryan Kerr and co-director Simon Turner, and starring Derek Bell, Nikki Weatherdon, and Quinn Ferentzy. Set and costumes by Kate Story, lighting design by Ryan Kerr, stage management and lighting operation by Shannon McKenzie. Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Directed by Ryan Kerr with assistance from Simon Turner, No Exit was months in the making — but the wait was well worth it.
The best known literary work of the French philosopher, No Exit first made its debut in Paris in 1944. The play was the source of Sartre’s most famous quote “L’enfer, c’est les autres”, which roughly translates to “Hell is other people.”
The one act play revolves around three characters: Joseph Garcin (Derek Bell), Inès Serrano (Nikki Weatherdon), and Estelle Rigault (Quinn Ferentzy). A coward, a seductress, and a murderer, the three recently deceased souls find themselves damned in hell. But instead of the fire and brimstone and torture they were expecting, they are locked together in an elegant room with nothing but each other’s company.
While awaiting their fate, the characters are able to see the people they left behind and eventually reveal to one another their sordid stories and the reasons they ended up in this place. As their conversation continues, different dynamics between the characters emerge, from lust and desire to disgust and hatred. Eventually the trio realizes just why they have been bundled together, and discover that the banality of their final fate is crueler than any sadistic torture chamber could offer.
There is much to love about TTOK’s No Exit, but what really makes the show is the wonderful cast assembled for the production. As Ryan Kerr pointed out to me, while many of the people involved in the show are known throughout the Peterborough artist community, for the most part this is the first time the majority of them have appeared in the TTOK space.
Derek Bell is Joseph Garcin, Quinn Ferentz is Estelle Rigault, and Nikki Weatherdon is Inès Serrano (photo: Andy Carroll)
Derek, Nikki, and Quinn play beautifully off of each other. Through a combination of lust and disgust for one another, the characters break each other down and expose their inner demons. The result is a show about the confessions and mind games of three truly terrible souls, but ones that are captivating enough to make you want to watch.
Derek Bell gives an interesting performance as Joseph Garcin. Emotional and proud, there is also a sense of pathos to the character who, even in hell, tries to find validation of the life he left behind. It’s hard to like Garcin, but Derek manages to give the character such a tragic disposition that he becomes the figure that the audience most empathizes with, thus making him the anchor of the performance.
Nikki Weatherdon plays Garcin’s foil Inès as a hostile and abrasive ball of darkness, who prods and needles Garcin at every turn. The scariest member of the trio, Inès is also the strongest, and her constant attempts to seduce Estelle gives the performance some nice moments of eroticism. Nikki is just delicious to watch.
But it is Quinn Ferentzy who steals the show as Estelle. In her stage debut, Quinn shines bright white under the lights and beautifully plays off her two co-stars. Potentially the most complex and bleakest of the three characters, Estelle is the personification of evil and desire, with both Joseph and Inès feeding into the lust that she creates.
But what is most disturbing about Estelle is the fact that, while her co-prisoners seem to have different degrees of remorse for their crimes, she is completely indifferent to everything and everybody, both in her current situation and her past life. Quinn beautifully portrays a sociopath in a fantastic debut performance
“No Exit” is Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist depiction of an afterlife in which three deceased characters are punished by being locked into a room together for eternity (photo: Andy Carroll)
I want to give a special shout out to the fourth member of the production, Jean Francois Tremblay, who has the small role of “the valet” in the show’s opening moments. A familiar face within the local theatrical community, in recent years Jean-Francois has stayed off the stage working within promotion and stage management. No Exit is not only the first time that Jean-Francois has worked at TTOK, but it’s his first return to the stage since 2014.
It’s such a joy to see Jean-Francois back on stage and he is sardonic and wickedly funny in the role. Although a small role, it is a standout performance. Hopefully Jean-Francois won’t wait so long to get on the stage again.
While No Exit is cerebral in nature, the ideas and concepts expressed in the play — life, death, lust, regret, morality, and evil — are not so complex that the audience can’t comprehend or relate to the material. It’s brilliant, yet still accessible. Furthermore, Sartre’s commentary on hell is interesting, and makes us ponder if perhaps we are living in hell already.
As a result, No Exit is just good theatre and the kind of show that makes TTOK such an important theatrical institution. With a lot of choice for entertainment in Peterborough this weekend, make this show a priority as No Exit runs for only three nights, Thursday, February 23rd to Saturday, February 25th. Performances begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 at the door (or pay what you can).
Homemade bee homes for wild cavity nesting bees can be made from natural, hollow, straw-like materials bundled together and placed in a nook of a tree or shrub. This bee house is made from the stems of grasses tied snugly together and hung at GreenUP Ecology Park in a place where wild bee activity can be easily observed.
Over the past few years, more people are transforming their yards from lawn to a more wildlife-friendly landscape, which provides a healthier habitat for many species including wild bees.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Marcy Adzich, Manager, GreenUP Landscape Programs.
Did you know that wild bees pollinate most of our backyard fruits, berries, and vegetables? Acccording to the Xerces Society, the ecological service native bees provide is necessary for the reproduction of over 85% of the world’s flowering plants — including more than two-thirds of the world’s crop species.
In 2011, over 350 species of bees were documented in the Greater Toronto Area. It was estimated that an average yard in the GTA hosted 50 bee species actively nesting or foraging. Wild bees are mostly solitary in nature and, like honeybees, they struggle to maintain their populations due to urbanization, pollution, invasive species, habitat loss, and disease.
Approximately 70% of Ontario’s wild bees nest in the ground in hidden spots such as underneath cracks in the sidewalk, in rotting logs, or in gravel and sandy areas. Some of our city’s worn footpaths and bare roadsides have created suitable nesting sites for ground nesting, wild bees who seek a certain type of soil and compaction for laying eggs. Wild bees appreciate you leaving a few bare patches of ground in your garden, so they can create a nesting site close to their foraging source.
Approximately 30% of Ontario’s wild bees are cavity dwellers meaning that solitary, female bees must find narrow, hollow crevices to lay their eggs in single rows. Eggs are placed within a pollen ball containing pollen and nectar and are usually round or oval in shape. Depending on the type of bee, the eggs are segmented from one other with mud mixtures, waterproofing plant cellulose, or leaf material collected by nearby plants.
Females lay an egg, close the cell, and repeat the process until the hollow cavity is full. It takes several weeks for the eggs to hatch. The larvae then consume the pollen and nectar ball, and then each larvae metamorphoses into an adult bee.
Bees are very industrious insects and will search high and low for the right nest site to raise their young. In urban settings, bees sometimes consider additional nest sites, such as at the base of fire hydrants, in strategically placed drinking straws, and in tunnels burrowed into decks. While these nest sites are sometimes a bit of an inconvenience for us, they are crucial to allow females to raise the next generation of pollinators.
A GreenUP staff member was surprised by several leafcutter bees that emerged from a piece of garden hose that was being stored in her desk drawer. During the previous season the hose had been used as part of a tree guard, at which time a female leaf cutter bee had laid her eggs inside.
Last summer at the GreenUP office, one of our staff members had a big surprise when she opened her desk drawer. Inside, several leafcutter bees were crawling around.
How did they get there? After the leafcutter bees were safely moved outside, we discovered a hollow section of garden hose inside the drawer — it had been used the season before as a tree guard. Before it was removed from the tree and brought into the office, a female leafcutter bee thought this hose was an ideal nesting site and had laid her eggs within it!
Making a simple bee house is a wonderful way to observe these remarkable pollinators in your yard (instead of inside your home or office). Depending on the time of year, season, and even the time of day, your bee house will be frequented by a variety of bees making it easy to closely study their unique characteristics.
GreenUP & The Endeavour Centre present Build Your Own Bee Hotel
When: Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Where: The Endeavour Centre (910 High St., Peterborough) How much: $125
With instructors Jen Feigin and Marcy Adzich. Includes a 45-minute presentation “The Bees in Your Backyard”, nest block and wood block bee hotel design options, and the oppotunity to build your own bee hotel. Register at endeavourcentre.org.
Wild bee houses can be made with natural hollow, straw-like materials of varying diameters (ranging from 3mm to 10mm) and lengths (ranging from 10cm to 30cm). Simply bundle them tightly together and secure them in a nook of a tree branch or a shrub.
Some bee houses are similar in size and shape to a small birdhouse and contain removable reeds, cardboard and paper tube inserts, bamboo rods, or twigs.
Wild bee houses can also be made from untreated, solid wood logs or blocks drilled with varying diameter holes for bee nesting.
Unlike honeybees that regenerate their population throughout the season, only a few wild bees in our region live for more than one generation per year and species are rarely seen for more than a one-month period. The majority of our wild, solitary bees spend the winter as fully-grown larvae within the nesting cavity, emerging once per year in sync with the timing of the flowers they provide pollination services for.
This time of year, many wild bees (including bumblebees) are in a state called diapause, which is a type of hibernation that lasts until the weather warms up. This is a perfect time to make some bee houses and have them prepared to install early April.
GreenUP and The Endeavour Centre are hosting a workshop, “Build Your Own Bee Hotel”, on Saturday, April 22nd. In this workshop, participants will receive hands on instruction building a bee house, with a few designs to select from.
Participants will also learn more about Peterborough’s wild bees and pollinator-friendly plants, and will be introduced to GreenUP’s new Native Bee Share citizen science program, which will monitor cavity nesting bee numbers, nesting patterns, and pests and diseases, while stewarding and restoring pollinator habitat.
For more information about the Build Your Own Bee Hotel workshop and the GreenUP Native Bee Share program, visit greenup.on.ca.
All photos courtesy of GreenUP. Note: The “Build Your Own Bee Hotel” workshop originally scheduled for Sunday, April 16th now takes place on Saturday, April 22nd.
Carla Hunt has retired after 35 years at ServiceOntario in Lakefield, which is operated by the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. Carla, pictured with outgoing Chamber president Kris Keller, was recognized at the Chamber Annual General Meeting on February 15.
Thanks to all who attended the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting on February 15th. Here’s a recap:
Recognizing Carla Hunt
After 35 years, Carla Hunt worked her last day at ServiceOntario on February 10th.
Carla’s friendly smile and wealth of knowledge are known by many in this community. Since 1982, she has been conducting driver and vehicle transactions and more recently Health Card transactions and Organ Donor registrations. Carla acted as the Assistant Supervisor in the office from 2004 until 2011 when she decided to reduce her hours of work.
In recognition of this exemplary service, Carla has chosen a gift certificate for Shoreline Furniture Co.
Thank you Carla for your dedicated service and best of luck on your future endeavours!
2017-18 Board of Directors
Introducing the Kawartha Chamber’s 2017-18 Board of Directors. Look for full introductions in the April/May Newsletter.
Brian Harrington, Clearview Cottage Resort
Bryan Kingdon, ISL Insurance
Chris Wilson, Let’s Get Digital
Cindy Windover, Windover Plumbing
Garry Douglas, North Kawartha Design and Kawartha Lakes Construction
John Penny, JC Penny Accounting & Tax Services
Kevan Herod, Herod Financial Services
Mike Walker, Agilec
Scott Matheson, CIBC
Sheri Hockaday, Salon Sorella & Day Spa
Tom LaBranche, Village Pet Food & Supply
Tonya Kraan, STREXER
Tracy Logan, Logan Tree Experts
Thank you Kris Keller!
Kris Keller (right) is retiring from the Board of Directors Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism after seven years, including the past two years as President.
Kris Keller is retiring from the Board of Directors after seven years. Kris has had a hand at some point in almost every committee: Membership & Programs, Marketing, Gala, Golf Tournament, Public Policy and Human Resources. She served as President in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
The Board of Directors will greatly miss Kris’s knowledge, dedication and efficiency in running a meeting, and extend their heartfelt thanks.
The Board of Directors will elect its new Executive at the March Board Meeting. Cindy Windover has been named as Interim President until that time.
Professional Development Sponsor
Lynn Woodcroft of Royal LePage Frank Real Estate is the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism’s Professional Development Sponsor for 2017-18
The Chamber is proud to announce Lynn Woodcroft, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Frank Real Estate as its Professional Development Sponsor for 2017-18. This generous sponsorship will support seminars as well as training that will be shared digitally.
Lynn has been part of this community since 1998. She is a graduate from Trent University with her B.Sc. in Biology with strengths in aquatic ecology.
She has been boating the Trent Severn Waterway for 30 years and knows these lakes inside out. Her focus is on cottage country and Peterborough County.
Lynn has been a Top Performer, achieving the director’s platinum award two consecutive years. This represents the top five percent in the marketplace based on closed and collected sales. Give her a call she will work hard for you.
Networking Sponsor Renewed
Blue Diamond Window Cleaning has renewed its Networking Event Sponsorship for 2017-18.
This generous sponsorship will assist with the Chamber’s various networking events such as Business After Hours, the AGM, as well as title sponsorship of the Chanber’s upcoming Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast.
The Chamber expresses its sincere thanks to Gerry Herron and Blue Diamond Window Cleaning for the dedicated support.
Money raised for Warsaw Habitat Build
Dick Crawford and Tonya Kraan, two Chamber members who supported the Habitat for Humanity Build in Warsaw
Cindy Windover challenged AGM attendees to support the Habitat for Humanity Build in Warsaw by “buying 20 square feet for 20 dollars”.
Thanks to all who supported this great cause!
There are a few square feet left to buy on the Warsaw Build Blue Print. If you would like to support this cause, please contact the Chamber office at 705-652-6963.
Square feet are $1 each and can be purchased in any increment. Purchase at least 10 square feet and receive a coupon for a free pizza — while quantities last.
Thank you to businesses involved in the AGM
Thank you to the following businesses who helped make the Chamber AGM a success!
Food Donations
Lakefield Foodland
Jack’s Family Restaurant
M&M Food Market
Pizza Villa
The Nutty Bean Cafe
Meeting Room & Beverages
The Village Inn
Save the date: upcoming Chamber events
Thursday, March 30th: B.O.S.S. Business Owners Sharing Solutions, 7:30 AM, Lakefield Legion
Wednesday, April 19th: Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, 7:30 AM, Beachwood Resort
More details to come!
Canadian Chamber of Commerce 5 Minutes for Business: How to Persuade on Trade
In this edition of 5 Minutes for Business, Hendrik Brakel, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director, Economic, Financial and Tax Policy, reflects on the Canada-U.S. trade partnership and how the uncertainty of the U.S.’s position on NAFTA could substantially impact employees, businesses, and economies around the world.
In an effort to advocate for NAFTA and a strong trading relationship between Canada and the U.S., the CCC reached out to allies in the U.S. business community, including U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Tom J. Donohue, who was in Ottawa on February 6th.
Read 5 Minutes for Business to learn how Mr. Donohue feels about NAFTA and what’s at stake for Canadian businesses.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce provides 5 Minutes for Business, a publication written by Hendrik Brakel, the Senior Director of Enconomic, Financial and Tax Policy. In these publication, Hendrik briefly describes current issues that affect the Canadian economy and provides insight on what it will mean for Canadians today and in the future.
Hot deal on tax return preparation
JC Penny Accounting & Tax Services is offering preparation of a basic tax return for $55 before March 31st, prepared and e-filed by John C. Penny, Certified Bookkeeper. Learn more.
Glow in the Dark Mini Funspiel at Lakefield Curling Club
Get your glow on at the Lakefield Curling Club for the Glow in the Dark Mini Funspiel on Saturday, February 25th.
Sign up as a team of four or as an individual. Cost is $20 per person for two to four end games. Draws at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wear your brightest neon or white colours and other glow accessories. There is a prize for best “glowing” team.
For more information, contact Lisa Donaldson at 705-875-0003 or email lakefieldglow@gmail.com.
Career Fair & Community Information on March 1st
The annual Career Fair & Community Information session is coming up on Wednesday, March 1st at the Lakefield Legion. Drop in between 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. — admission is free!
For more information, call 705-740-2577 ext. 5212 or email dayotte@agilec.ca.
First EV Charging Station in Lakefield
The EV Charging Station in the municipal parking lot in Lakefield
The Township of Selwyn has its first EV Charging Station in Lakefield, located in the municipal parking lot adjacent to The Village Inn.
Charging is free for 2017!
This charging station was installed in partnership with Peterborough Distribution Inc.
The charging station is a Level II charger that provides users with a 30A charge rate that can take a typical EV or PHEV from empty to full in 4-10 hours (depending on the vehicle’s battery size.)
Food & Agriculture Video Series Receives Provincial Recognition
Staff from Peterborough Economic Development
Peterborough Economic Development received a provincial marketing award in the advertising category for last year’s Food & Agriculture Video series. The award was presented at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario President’s Dinner earlier this month.
This series showcased the opportunities and experiences available to business, residents and visitors in the food and agriculture sector in Peterborough & the Kawarthas. Read more.
VIDEO: Agriculture in Peterborough
Canada Day in Lakefield – Sponsorship & Vendor Opportunities!
Celebrations for Canada 150 are taking place in Lakefield on Saturday, July 1st in Isabel Morris Park featuring Artisans in the Park, music and food, family games, and fireworks!
Various sponsorship levels are available to fit any budget. Learn more.
The Rotary Trail Bridge on the Scenic River Road Trail is being rehabilitated
Rehabilitation of the Rotary Trail Bridge (Township of Douro-Dummer) located on the Scenic River Road Trail at County Road 32 (locally known as River Road) and Hickey Road will begin on Monday, February 27th. The anticipated completion date is Friday, March 10th, 2017.
Work will require a full closure of the Scenic River Road Trail at the bridge. Work to the bridge includes repair of crib abutments, wing-walls, and railing.
Please note that timelines are approximate and weather dependent. Work on weekends may take place to accommodate completion of the project within the established construction schedule. Read more.
KPR Wall of Honour
In celebration of its 20th year as a school district, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board is seeking nominations to be considered for a newly established Wall of Honour.
This dedicated area within the Board’s Education Centre will serve to acknowledge those individuals who have made significant contributions to the Board and its students.
Do you know a worthy past or present student, staff, member of the public, or trustee? Nominations can be submitted online, from now until March 27, 2017. Learn more.
Upcoming events
Kawartha & Haliburton Trapper’s Carnival, North Kawartha Community Centre – March 4th
For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.
All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.
TVO anchor and author Steve Paikin will be speaking about the current state of politics and news during his keynote presentation on March 23 at the Market Hall in Peterborough
One of the oldest business networking groups in the Kawarthas is bringing acclaimed journalist and author Steve Paikin to the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, March 23rd at 7 p.m. for a keynote presentation.
Peterborough Sales & Ad Club presents An Evening with Steve Paikin
When: Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 7 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) How much: $25 plus fees
Tickets are available in advance at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
The Peterborough Sales and Ad Club is presenting “An Evening with Steve Paikin”, an hour-long event in which Paikin will speak about the current state of politics in Ontario, Canada, and the United States, and what the future may hold. He’ll also be talking about information and news sources in today’s era of social media and “fake news”.
The 56-year-old Hamilton native began his journalism career in the late 1970s while studying at the University of Toronto. After graduating in 1981, he went on to obtain his master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University.
While at the University of Toronto, he was sports editor for the university’s independent weekly newspaper as well as play-by-play announcer for the Varsity Blues hockey and football teams on the university’s radio station.
Paikin continued his journalism career in the early 1980s as the Toronto City Hall reporter for Toronto radio station CHFI, and also worked with CBC’s Toronto television station CBLT-TV as well as CBC Newsworld. In 1992, he began working at TVOntario (TVO), Ontario’s publicly funded educational television station. In 1993, Paikin also directed a TVO-produced documentary, Return to The Warsaw Ghetto, which won the “Silver Screen Award” at the U.S. International Film and Video Festival
VIDEO: The Future of News in Canada – The Agenda with Steve Paikin
At TVO, Paikin hosted the political series Between the Lines until 1994, when he began co-hosting the daily current affairs new program Studio 2. Paikin also hosted TVO’s weekly foreign affairs commentary series Diplomatic Immunity, which debuted in 1998 and ran until 2006. In 2006, TVO replaced Studio 2 with The Agenda with Steve Paikin, its flagship daily current affairs program which Paikin has anchored for the past 11 years.
His trademark thoughtful style and his ability to tackle complex issues has given Paiken a reputation as one of Canada’s most respected journalists, leading to his selection as moderator of six federal and Ontario election debates. He has also authored seven non-fiction books, including Paikin and the Premiers: Personal Reflections on a Half Century of Ontario Leaders and his latest book, an authorized biography of former Ontario premier Bill Davis entitled Bill Davis: Nation Builder, And Not So Bland After All.
Given the current political climate, don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear insights and advice from a seasoned political journalist. General admission tickets for Paikin’s presentation are only $25 plus fees, available in advance at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
The event is sponsored by LLF Lawyers, Ward McFarland LLP, McColl Turner Chartered Accountants, and The Protectors Group, with media sponsorship by kawarthaNOW, Country 105, and Energy 99.7.
Hydro towers and a wind turbine in southern Bruce Peninsula
The Ontario Legislature resumes sitting today (February 21) for its spring session, and the cost of hydro is expected to dominate the agenda. Last week, the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) sent the following letter to the Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister of Energy Glen Thibeault.
Dear Ms. Wynne,
The following comments are related to widespread concerns about the unrelenting rise in electricity costs for rural residents.
Ontario’s economy has flat lined. Wages and the Consumer Price Index are rising in the 2% range and yet the proposed changes to electricity delivery rates will mean bills will rise another 200% for some low use rural customers.
FOCA believes that the recent move to All-Fixed delivery charges, and the related phase-in period has already shifted considerable burden to many R2 and Seasonal Class customers. And yet, we are barely into Year Two of the eight year phase-in period.
Fully 46% of Seasonal customers consume a monthly average of less than 150kWh, and it is quite apparent that the “penalty” to low-volume users will be further aggravated by eliminating Hydro One’s “Seasonal” Class. With All-Fixed delivery charges, the elimination of the Seasonal Class will result in only marginal benefits to those customers moving to the R1 Class, at the expense of very large negative impacts on those moving to the lower density R2 Class.
FOCA cannot accept and vigorously objects to the current plan that would see so many of our members and thousands of low-use customers in rural Ontario seeing electrical bill increases of over 200%. Furthermore, FOCA objects to the discriminatory mechanism which provides a monthly $60.50 bill credit to R2 customers, while Seasonal customers will be burdened with a monthly fixed delivery cost in excess of $117, up from the current $36.28, with no bill credit available.
Virtually every other electrical distribution utility in North America offers relief to customers in remote and low-density areas. Exhibit 1 (see below) illustrates the delivery costs that utilities charge in other provinces. The Hydro One rates are already extremely high by comparison. After phase-in, for the 84,000 Seasonal customers moved to the R2 Class, delivery costs will more than triple.
Exhibit 1:
2016 Annual Fixed Delivery Cost for Seasonal Residential Electrical Power Customers
Nova Scotia
$64.98
Seasonals pay half of Residential Rate
Quebec
$148.34
Seasonals pay regular Residential Rate
Manitoba
$93.84
Seasonals pay regular Residential Rate
British Columbia
$66.98
Seasonals pay regular Residential Rate
Ontario
$389.64
Seasonals pay 46% more than Urban Residential Rate
Planned All-Fixed Delivery Cost with Seasonal Class Eliminated
Ontario (phased-in)
$1,404
Seasonals moved to R2 Rate Class
On behalf of the over 200,000 electrical customers that are within the waterfront residential community, we strongly urge reforms on the electrical pricing file and anxiously await your plan to mitigate these costs for Ontarians.
Sincerely,
Terry Kennedy, President, FOCA
Terry Rees, Executive Director, FOCA
The awards for the 2017 Ontario 55+ Winter Games were designed and crafted by Hoselton Studio Limited of Cobourg. The apple motif is intended to be reflective of Cobourg and the surrounding area. The stem of the apple is made from recycled aluminum and colour-cured to signify gold, silver, and bronze. (Photo: Chris Oliver Photography)
One thousand Ontarians 55 years of age or older will participate in the 2017 Ontario 55+ Winter Games beginning today (February 21) in Cobourg and runnng until Thursday, February 23rd.
Developed in partnership with the Ontario Seniors Games Association, this one-of-a-kind event is the only major provincial sporting event in Ontario for the 55+ age demographic.
“The Town of Cobourg is home to a very active senior population and a thriving Seniors Activity Centre that operates out of our Cobourg Community Centre,” says Cobourg Mayor Gil Brocanier. “On behalf of Cobourg Municipal Council, we are thrilled to be hosting the 2017 Ontario 55+ Winter Games and look forward to welcoming all of the participants, their family, and friends.”
The Province of Ontario is supporting the 2017 Ontario 55+ Winter Games with a $235,000 investment through its Games Ontario Program.
“Cobourg is recognized as having a large older adult populations,” says Dipika Damerla, Ontario Minister of Seniors Affairs. “So it is fitting that a multi-sport event that promotes healthy, active lifestyles for seniors is being held in this community.”
Competitions are being held in eight different sports: 10-pin bowling, badminton, curling, duplicate bridge, ice hockey, prediction skating, table tennis, and volleyball. Due to mild weather conditions, two of the originally scheduled sports — Nordic skiing and alpine skiing — have been cancelled.
The opening ceremonies for the games take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21st at the Cobourg Community Centre (750 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
On Wednesday, February 22nd, downtown Cobourg will be hosting “Middle Night Mingle” to celebrate the games. Events at the free celebration from 6:30 to 10 p.m. include live music at Victoria Hall and downtown restaurants, a film screening at The Loft, horse-drawn wagon rides, historical tours, and more.
Each stop on the Kawartha Lakes Arts and Heritage Trail is marked with a roadside sign (photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)
The new Kawartha Lakes Arts and Heritage Trail will be officially launched tomorrow night (February 21) at the Academy Theatre in Lindsay.
Funded by the City of Kawartha Lakes Economic Development Department in partnership with the Province of Ontario through Kawarthas Northumberland, the Kawartha Lakes Arts and Heritage Trail has been created to increase tourism and highlight Kawartha Lakes’ rich cultural heritage and diverse artistic talent.
“The Kawartha Lakes Arts and Heritage Trail has the potential to attract visitors and increase opportunities for artisans,” explains Debra Soule, Economic Development Officer for the City of Kawartha Lakes. “The trail showcases the importance of the unique culture and heritage of Kawartha Lakes.”
Olde Gaol Museum in Lindsay (photo: artsandheritagetrail.com)The Kinmount Railway Station (photo: artsandheritagetrail.com)
The trail is made up of 24 stops including museums, historic sites, and artist studios and galleries located throughout Kawartha Lakes. Each stop on the trail is clearly marked with a roadside Arts and Heritage Trail sign.
Some highlights of the Kawartha Lakes Arts and Heritage Trail include Doube’s Trestle Bridge, the Olde Gaol Museum, Kawartha Settlers’ Village, and the Austin Sawmill.
Visitors can travel the entire trail in one day or pick and choose the destinations they are most interested in.
The Kirkfield Lift Lock (photo: artsandheritagetrail.com)The Austin Sawmill in Kinmount (photo: artsandheritagetrail.com)
More information about the Arts and Heritage Trail and maps are available from the Economic Development Office at 180 Kent Street West in Lindsay. You can also view an interactive map of the trail by visiting artsandheritagetrail.com.
An official launch of the Arts and Heritage Trail is being held at the Academy Theatre (2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay) on Tuesday, February 21st at 7:30 p.m. The launch will follow the “Copyright 101” workshop being presented at 6 p.m. by the Kawartha Lakes Arts Council and will be followed by a wine and cheese social at 8 p.m.
babyEvia, a subscription service that delivers a box of organic baby clothing to your home every month, won the Cubs' Lair entrepreneurial competition (photo: babyEvia)
babyEvia wins Cubs’ Lair competition
Congratulations to the owners of babyEvia — Sanu Somaweera, Benev Limbong, and Nalaka Liyanage — on winning the Cubs Lair competition last week.
The trio launched their business the next day, selling a subscription service that delivers a box of baby clothing to your home every month. Made from organic cotton and SeaCell fabrics and designed by Oscar Mendoza, babyEvia offers good quality, carefully designed new baby clothes, delivered to your home, every month.
Brantford-based Steer Tech has expanded to Peterborough with a new location on Chemong Road (photo: Steer Tech / Facebook)
Steer Tech is expanding into the Peterborough market. The Brantford-based company has just opened at 1650 Chemong Road.
They specialize in rebuilding steering components, power steering pumps and gears, Falcon Flow exhaust systems, in-house “pipe” manufacturing, steel and stainless radiator pipes, muffler and exhaust parts supply, and more.
Stop in or check out the open house on Wednesday, March 1st. Visit www.steertech.ca for more information.
An Evening with Steve Paikin
TVO anchor and author Steve Paikin (photo: TVO)
Tickets are selling quickly for An Evening with Steve Paikin, hosted by the Peterborough Sales and Ad Club at Market Hall on Thursday, March 23rd.
Paikin will be discussing his new book on former Ontario Premier Bill Davis, and touching on current events — including the phenomenon of “fake news”.
Retired Peterborough accountant Ed Burrows has published a new book on estate planning
Local author Ed Burrows has just published his fourth book called Putting Your Affairs in Order.
The journal-style book allows you to enter all of the information you’ll need to organize everything for your loved ones, smooth the settlement of your estate, and ensure that your wishes are followed.
Peterborough resident Ed Burrows is a retired accountant specializing in estate planning and income tax. If you’d like a copy of the book, call Ed at 705-743-3340.
"The Door You Came In" is a performance of of spoken word and music by author David Macfarlane and musician Douglas Cameron, based on Macfarlane's 1991 historical memoir "The Danger Tree: Memory, War and the Search for a Family's Past"
If you missed acclaimed author David Macfarlane and musician Douglas Cameron when they performed The Door You Came In: Songs and Stories of The Danger Tree in Peterborough in November 2015, you now have another chance to experience the show that CBC radio host Michael Enright says “should be seen by everybody,”
The Door You Came In: Songs and Stories From The Danger Tree
When: Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) How much: $25 in advance, $30 at the door, $50 VIP
Written and performed by Douglas Cameron and David Macfarlane. Tickets are available at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Macfarlane and Cameron are bringing their collaborative show back to Peterborough for a one-night-only performance at the Market Hall on Thursday, February 23rd. The 90-minute show combining words and music is based on Macfarlane’s critically acclaimed memoir The Danger Tree: Memory, War and the Search for a Family’s Past.
“It’s not a play, but it’s not a reading,” Macfarlane says, describing the performance. “It’s something in between.”
First published in 1991, The Danger Tree is an exploration of Macfarlane’s family’s past in Newfoundland. Although born in Ontario, Macfarlane looks at Newfoundland’s social and political landscape, filled with both joy and tragedy, via the lives of the Goodyears.
Much of the history is tied into the sacrifices and loss that the people of Newfoundland faced during the First World War. Not only did 2016 mark the 25th anniversary of the book’s publication, but it also marked the 100th anniversary of the battle at the heart of book.
“My mother was from Newfoundland, she was born in Grand Falls,” Macfarlane explains. “The Danger Tree is the story about her father’s generation and it’s somewhat centered on Newfoundland’s regiment involvement in the First World War and the battle at Beaumont-Hamel. That battle is where the Newfoundlanders, on July 1st, 1916, were pretty much wiped out in the first half hour of battle. The story of Beaumont-Hamel is central to many families in Newfoundland.”
The original danger tree at Beaumont-Hamel in France. The gnarled tree marked the spot halfway down the battlefield where German machine gun and artillery fire was the most intense, and it was where most of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment would fall on July 1, 1916. Within 30 minutes, the regiment suffered a crippling 324 killed and 386 wounded, out of a total of 801 soldiers. While the danger tree survived WWI, it eventually was replaced with a replica that now stands at the same spot in Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont-Hamel.
“The Danger Tree was the stump of an old tree on the battlefield and it was the only thing that had any verticality on the battlefield,” Macfarlane continues, explaining the origins of his book’s title. “It was used as a landmark by the Newfoundlanders and they knew that was the beginning of No Man’s Land.”
“In my grandfather’s family, there were seven children — six sons and one daughter. Of the six sons, five enlisted. Three were killed at Beaumont-Hamel and the other two were wounded. That was not an unusually high mortality rate for Newfoundland. Newfoundland suffered the highest mortality rate per capita than any other colonial power.”
Macfarlane began his artistic collaboration with musician Douglas Cameron in 2013 after publishing his most recent novel, The Figures of Beauty, when he was looking for something unique to do at the book’s launch.
“The passage I wanted to read at the book launch made reference to an Italian partisan song from the Second World War,” Macfarlane recalls. “It was one of those songs that, if you read the title, it doesn’t really register with an English-speaking audience — but when you hear the tune, it’s a familiar melody. I was frustrated that I was going to read this passage, making reference to this song, and no one at the book launch would know what the song was.”
“So I asked Douglas if we could work together in working out an arrangement where he played the melody on guitar and I read the passage. When we performed it at the book launch, I was struck by the power of combining words and music. It seemed to kind of elevate things to a whole different level. The people who were there also remarked on how this was a potent combination.”
With the success of the collaboration of their words and music, Macfarlane and Cameron decided to work on a larger project. With Harper-Collins about to republish The Danger Tree, the pair decided to create a piece surrounding that book. However, the pair wanted to make sure that it would be more than just a book reading.
“We agreed we didn’t want it to be a reading with background music,” Macfarlane says. “We wanted it to be very much a collaboration of a musician and a writer. We tell the same story together. Sometimes we sing together. Sometimes Douglas is speaking. So it’s very closely woven together.”
“It’s very much like being told a story, and that seems to be what connects to people. People seem to really like the idea they are listening to a story through spoken word and music, and it’s their imagination that fills in the faces and the features and the landscapes we’re describing.”
The title of the performance, The Door You Came In, comes from a song that Cameron wrote from inspiration he found at the funeral of Macfarlane’s mother.
“Douglas began writing ‘The Door You Came In’ at my mother’s funeral,” Macfarlane explains. “Three of us spoke, and we all made reference to a Newfoundland superstition my mother always talked about. When anyone came to visit she’d say ‘Be sure to leave by the door you came in, because if you don’t you’ll take the luck out of the house with you.’ Douglas began to write the song in the church, and that became the song that guided us through the show.”
Musician Douglas Cameron and author David Macfarlane
Macfarlane and Cameron toured The Door You Came In last year across Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, and in Ontario (including at the Stratford Festival). Almost half of the performances were sold out — most of them in Newfoundland.
“We were nervous about doing it in Newfoundland because we’re mainlanders and it’s a story about Newfoundland,” Macfarlane admits. “We performed it in a room one night were there were quite a few people in the audience who actually knew the people we were talking about. So we were a little uncertain how we would be received.”
“Although we’ve been overwhelmed by audience reactions in Ontario, I have to say we were even more overwhelmed by the audience in Newfoundland. We were received with open arms in Newfoundland because the show makes a very strong point to not pretend to be Newfoundlanders. That would have been a disaster. The show is written very much from the viewpoint of two people who are not from Newfoundland, but loves it.”
Macfarlane says that the audience has reacted to the show with both laughter and tears. At a 2015 performance in St. John’s in Newfoundland, the pair had a truly special thing happen involving a special member in the audience.
“John Crosby, the former Lieutenant of Newfoundland, was sitting in the first row,” Macfarlane recalls. “He’s still sharp as a tack, but he’s very uncertain on his feet. One of the most moving things that have happened to me was watching John Crosby struggle to give us a standing ovation. That was wonderful.”
VIDEO: The Door You Came In – Song and Stories from the Danger Tree
The Door You Came In: Songs and Stories From The Danger Tree will be performed on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 8 p.m. at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. General admission tickets are $25 (plus fees) in advance or $30 (plus fees) at the door.
VIP tickets are also available for $50 (plus fees), and include front section seating, a VIP minute meet and greet with David Macfarlane and Douglas Cameron one hour before show time, and a special souvenir gift.
Tickets are available at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
A version of this story was originally published in November 2015. Photos courtesy of David Macfarlane and Douglas Cameron, except for the public domain photo of the danger tree.
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