Hosts Matt Kippen, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, and Mike Shara will take to the stage at Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon when Globus Theatre presents the first-ever live-on-stage version of the "This Day in Sports" podcast from June 14 to 16, 2024. (Photo: This Day in Sports / Instagram)
Whether you’re a sports enthusiast or just tolerate one, Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon has a perfect outing for the Father’s Day weekend: the first-ever live-on-stage version of the This Day in Sports podcast.
Described as “an irreverent look at one day in sports history, hosted by three men who think they’re funnier than they are and probably know less than they think,” This Day in Sports is rapidly becoming one of Canada’s most popular sports podcasts.
That’s due no doubt to the aforementioned hosts — Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Mike Shara, and Matt Kippen — who are each seasoned performers with some serious comedy credentials along with their shared love of sports.
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Jobin-Bevans is a television host, Second City performer, and nine-time Canadian Comedy award winner, who is also co-founder of the improv troupe Slaphappy that has performed at Globus Theatre many times. Shara is a stage, film, and television actor who regularly performs at the Stratford and Shaw Festivals and has appeared in television series including Orphan Black, Designated Survivor, and Queer as Folk. Kippen is an actor, producer, and award-winning writer for shows including Kim’s Convenience and Schitt’s Creek.
“I love these performers and I love the concept of the podcast,” says Globus Theatre’s artistic director Sarah Quick in a media release. “It seemed the perfect fit to put on our stage for Father’s Day.”
With performances at the Lakeview Arts Barn at 8 p.m. on June 14 and 15 and a 2 p.m. matinee show on Father’s Day (June 16), audiences will be part of a live recording of the podcast.
“This Day in Sports” hosts Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Matt Kippen, and Mike Shara describe their podcast as “an irreverent look at one day in sports history, hosted by three men who think they’re funnier than they are and probably know less than they think.” (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)
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For those who may be less than enthralled by the idea of a show about sports trivia, Quick has some reassuring words.
“This show is definitely more fun than facts — it’s hilarious, irreverent, yet knowledgeable,” she says, calling it “a fresh take on all things sports and sports-adjacent.”
Globus Theatre promises audiences will experience a show filled with comedy, exciting special guests, and even a prize or two.
Tickets are $50 for the show only, or $100 for the show and dinner before evening performances (or lunch before the Father’s Day matinee performance). Tickets can be purchased online at globustheatre.com or by calling the box office at 705-738-2037.
While Peterborough GreenUP's May challenge to promote healthy and active transportation modes in Peterborough has concluded, the organization hope is to keep the momentum going all year long for alternatives to individual car trips, including walking, cycling, taking transit, carpooling, and telecommuting. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
With one in 10 trips in Peterborough being made through active transportation and a growing number of people using public transit, Peterborough GreenUP is aiming to maintain the momentum for alternatives to solo car travel in the city.
While its ‘Shifting Gears’ May Challenge is over, GreenUP aspires to keep the wheels spinning all year long. That’s the biggest hope of Ashley Burnie, GreenUP program coordinator, following the month-long challenge that encouraged Peterborough residents to make the switch to active and sustainable transportation.
“I hope that it acts as a catalyst for longer-term changes,” Burnie told kawarthaNOW. “I hope that it encourages workplaces to be more friendly to staff or clients arriving by way of active and sustainable travel.”
“If someone began to build a successful habit over May, I hope they keep going and are able to enjoy the benefits — whether it’s more fresh air, exercise, time to socialize, money — beyond our campaign. I hope recognizing the hard work of the workplace teams and champions shows them that their positive impacts are celebrated in this community.”
This past May, participants in the Shifting Gears challenge took 6,472 active and sustainable trips, which accounted for 46,627 kilometres of travel by walking, cycling, taking transit, carpooling, and telecommuting.
GreenUP recently celebrated the latest cohort of May challenge winners with an awards celebration and bike-in movie.
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GreenUP said the program has moved new and returning participants to make the shift towards more planet-friendly transportation means in pursuit of both personal and community benefits: added daily activity, savings of transportation costs, social time and/or self-care time, decreased vehicle congestion, improved air quality, and reduced greenhouse gases.
“Peterborough is only 13 kilometres from north to south and has 26 kilometres of trails within the city limits — not to mention our other supportive infrastructure, such as more than a dozen bus routes, numerous bike lanes, et cetera,” Burnie said. “With such a cityscape comes a lot of potential for shifting away from solo car trips in favour of walking, biking, taking transit, and carpooling and Shifting Gears wants to make sure we celebrate every single trip.”
Now in its 20th year, Shifting Gears has grown over the years to include community members and schools, workshops, rides, special events, and more.
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“Outside of the Shifting Gears May Challenge, we have other programs and supports under that brand for business and community audiences, and we have other programs under Active School Travel Peterborough which support our school and family audience,” Burnie noted. “This time of year, we primarily engage in other bike-culture promoting activities.”
For example, June is “Bike Month” and GreenUP will be holding pop-up events in Peterborough and Lakefield and helping facilitate a bike maintenance workshop at a local high school.
From left to right, top and bottom: "Dear Rita" at Bancroft Village Playhouse, "Bed & Breakfast" at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope, "The Selfish Giant's Garden" at Westben in Campbellford, "This Day In Sports" at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon, "Yes Dan Can" benefit for Dan Fewings at the Piggy in Peterborough, Rick Fine's "Farewell for Now" concert at the Market Hall in Peterborough, John-Paul Chalykoff and his puppet Baabii at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival in Peterborough, and Elyse Saunders at the Country Music Association of Ontario awards show. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights a unique tribute to the late Rita MacNeil in Bancroft, the staging of Bed & Breakfast at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, a new musical take on an Oscar Wilde short story at Westben, a live version of one of Canada’s most popular sports podcasts in Bancroft, a benefit for musician, comedian, and storyteller Dan Fewings at The Pig’s Ear, a rousing musical farewell to Rick Fines at Market Hall, and the return to Trent University of the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival.
In 1990, as country music entered a decade that would give the music genre a bold new energy, artists the likes of Garth Brooks and Clint Black ruled the roost pretty much everywhere. Canada, however, proved to be a tough nut to crack as a singer-songwriter from Big Pond, Nova Scotia stood in the way.
Rita MacNeil was the top selling country artist on this side of the border that year, earning three Juno Award nominations and winning Best Female Vocalist. Her biggest hit, “Flying On Your Own,” had been released three years earlier.
Shortly after she passed in April 2016, MacNeil was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Over the years prior, she released 24 albums, and won three Juno Awards, a SOCAN National Achievement Award, four Canadian Country Music Association awards, and 11 East Coast Music Association awards. Add to that resumé her induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, and her being named to the Orders of both Nova Scotia and Canada.
In 2021, for the Charlottetown Festival, the Confederation Centre of the Arts first produced Dear Rita: A Musical Toast To Rita MacNeil. After its Ontario premiere at the Marble Arts Centre in Tweed from June 5 to 8, Tweed & Company Theatre is bringing the show to the Bancroft Village Playhouse from June 12 to 16.
The cast features actor-musicians who channel MacNeil’s stories and spirit through their own identities, as opposed to offering a literal depiction of the singer. There is no ‘Rita’ in the show per se. The performers and audience share that role collectively, with MacNeil’s hits and lesser-known songs providing the soundtrack.
The show opens at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12th, with additional 7 p.m. performances from June 13 to 15 and 2 p.m. matinee performances on June 13, 15, and 16. Tickets cost $38.50, with a discounted ticket price for arts workers, seniors and students/youth, and are available at www.villageplayhouse.ca.
Brett and Drew try hard to adjust … and it’s hilarious
Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar during a rehearsal for Mark Crawford’s comedy “Bed & Breakfast” at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
My vote for the hardest working people in showbiz changes from show to show but, at present, I’m giving the nod to Amir Haidar and Kyle Golemba.
As the sole actors in the Capitol Theatre’s staging of the riotous comedy Bed & Breakfast, they portray a dizzying 22 roles — male and female, young and old, including the main characters of Brett and Drew, a big city couple who decide to give it a go in a small tourist town after Brett’s inheritance of his aunt’s historic home. The plan? Transform it into a bed and breakfast.
What follows is a crazy year marked by renovation hell, a farcical opening weekend, and encounters with small-town prejudice centre around their gay lifestyle. Ultimately, Brett and Drew have a decision to make — stay or go?
Written by critically acclaimed Canadian playwright Mark Crawford, Bed & Breakfast premiered in 2015 at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque and was the best-selling show in the history of its Firehall Theatre. The Capitol Theatre production is directed by Rob Kempson, who is also the theatre’s artistic director.
In a recent interview, Kempson told kawarthaNOW that bringing Brett and Drew’s relationship before its audience checks a lot of boxes for the historic Port Hope venue.
“It’s about taking a stand and being an organization that wants to live true to its values,” he explained. “If this (the Capitol Theatre) is an organization that says it values equity, diversity and inclusion, if this is an organization that says it values artistic excellence, if this is an organization that values community engagement — all of which are key directions in our strategic plan — then work like this isn’t even remotely provocative. Why? Because it does all those things beautifully.”
Bed & Breakfast will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on June 14 (preview night) and 15 (opening night), June 21 and 22, and June 27 to 29, and at 2 p.m. on June 16 to 20, June 22 and 23, June 25 to 27, and June 29 and 30.
Tickets are $48 or $40 for those under 30 (pay what you can for preview night on June 14) and are available at the Capitol Theatre’s box office in person at 20 Queen Street (open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday), by phone at 905-885-1071, or online at capitoltheatre.com.
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Oscar Wilde’s short story transformed into a musical
Robert Longo during a rehearsal for “The Selfish Giant’s Garden,” an original musical by Brian Finley and Ken Tizzard based on the short story by Oscar Wilde at Westben’s The Barn in Campbellford. (Photo courtesy of Westben)
When talk centres on the literary contributions of Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), it’s rare if ever that “The Selfish Giant” crosses anyone’s lips. That isn’t a surprise, considering that the late Victorian Irish writer gave the world such enduring works as his play The Importance of Being Earnest and his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
But Wilde wrote a fair number of short stories as well, “The Selfish Giant” among them.
All these years later, Westben co-founder Brian Finley and musician Ken Tizzard have written The Selfish Giant’s Garden, an original musical based on Wilde’s short story that explores the precarious beauty and power of nature, and our collective responsibility to future generations.
‘Trespassers will be prosecuted!’ warns the sign at the base of the new wall surrounding the giant’s beautiful garden. What will the children do without their beloved playground? Can one child make a difference?
Starring Robert Longo, Donna Bennett, and Gabriella Prata, the production also features the talents of the Westben youth and teen choruses as the singing flowers in a colourful garden at The Barn at Westben, located off County Road 30 near Campbellford.
Performance dates are Fridays (June 14 and 21) at 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays (June 15 and 16 and 22 and 23) at 2 p.m.. Tickets cost $45 for adults, $43 for seniors, $30 for adults under 30, and $5 for youths and children under 18. To order online, visit www.westben.ca.
Three men and a whole lot of entertaining sports talk
Globus Theatre is bringing Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Mike Shara, and Matt Kippen and their popular “This Day in Sports” podcast to the stage at Lakeview Arts Barn for the Father’s Day weekend. (Photo courtesy of This Day in Sports)
Billed as “an irreverent look at one day in sports history, and hosted by three men who think they’re funnier than they are and probably know less than they think,” the This Day In Sports podcast debuted in November 2022 and, from the very crowded chat field, has emerged to become one of the country’s most popular sports podcasts.
That said, it only makes sense to bring a live version to the masses. That is exactly what Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre will do June 14 to 16 at the Lakeview Arts Barn off Pigeon Lake Road.
In the stage production, the original podcast hosts — Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Mike Shara, and Matt Kippen — will take a look back over the years at all things sports, delivering a load of laughs for sports fans as well as those who love (or tolerate) their fandom.
“It seemed the perfect fit for our stage for Father’s Day,” says Globus Theatre artistic director Sarah Quick. “The audience will get to be part of a live taping and enjoy a lot of sports-related banter. This show is definitely more fun than facts. It’s hilarious and irreverent yet knowledgeable.”
And oh yes, there’ll be special guests and even a few prizes to be won.
Performance times are 8 p.m. on June 14 and 15, with a 2 p.m. matinee show on Father’s Day (June 16). A 5:30 p.m. dinner option is available for the evening shows, and a noon lunch option for the matinee. Tickets to the show are $50, or $100 for the show and dinner or lunch. For tickets, visit www.globustheatre.com.
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Yes Dan Can! And you can too at his June 15 benefit
Dan Fewings and Jimmy Bowskill in 2014. Bowskill is one of the musicians who will be performing at the Pig’s Ear Tavern on June 10, 2024 in a musical fundraiser for Fewings. The beloved retired Peterborough high school music teacher, professional clown, guitarist, and popular emcee was recently diagnosed with cancer and is about to begin radiation treatment. (Photo: Wayne Eardley)
There are many who claim, rightly so, that no community rallies around those going through a tough time better than Peterborough.
That’s particularly true in the music community, with past benefits for Buzz Thompson, Bobby Watson, and Rick Young (of Rick ‘n’ Gailie fame) — to name a few — still remembered for the love and encouragement that were at their centre. And let’s not forget that once each month at Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews, the Peterborough Musicians’ Benevolent Association (PMBA) raises money for artists in need of a hand-up.
Now it’s time to turn out in support of Dan Fewings. The clown, musician, storyteller, and former longtime teacher at PCVS and Crestwood, is beginning treatment for cancer. In a bid to lift his spirits, and raise a few dollars to help offset the costs of constant trips to a Hamilton hospital, Dan’s sons Buster and Coby, along with musician Jimmy Bowskill, have organized “Yes Dan Can!” from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 15th at The Pig’s Ear Tavern in Peterborough.
The suggested admission is a donation of $20 but, based on the stage lineup, another $20 or two is well warranted. Scheduled to perform are Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor, James McKenty, Nicholas Campbell, The Bonus Numbers (Trevor ‘Tiny’ Davis and Wyatt Burton), Sleevehaus, Ian McKeown, Boogie Time Ramblers, Brooks and Bowskill, and Buster. Pretty impressive, for sure, but bet on a few other music notables taking to the stage as things progress.
Dan has been out of Peterborough for a bit but many still remember how he made them laugh like no other, as a member of The Three Martinis or during an informal encounter on George Street. It’s time to repay that gift, with interest. This is going to be one terrific time for a very special human.
And if you can make it to both, make sure to drop by this month’s PMBA event at Dr. J’s on the same Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., as PMBA has committed the proceeds from that event to help Dan.
Revered Peterborough musician says so long (for now) in style
VIDEO: “Never Let Go” – Rick Fines (2021)
Another Peterborough music treasure will be in spotlight, for a whole different reason, on Friday, June 21st at Market Hall in downtown Peterborough.
Three-time Juno Award-nominated roots/blues musician and Jackson Delta member Rick Fines, is headed to Germany with his family later this summer. With his wife Lise having accepted a teaching contract in Bonn, Fines will be gone for two years.
Fines isn’t going out with a whimper. Quite the opposite with his “Farewell For Now” concert bringing to the stage a number of local music collaborators including his longtime friend, the legendary blues, boogie-woogie, and jazz pianist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne. The musical menu will be sprinkled with many of Fines’ original songs and, no doubt, some rousing covers.
Glass Tiger musically pleaded “Don’t forget me when I’m gone.” Fines is doing his damnedest to ensure that doesn’t happen, as if there was really any chance we would forget.
Tickets to the 8 p.m. show cost $30 (cabaret seating is sold out). Visit www.markethall.org for tickets.
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Indigenous performance celebrated over three days
Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival’s first-ever family show features John-Paul Chalykoff performing original songs in Anishinaabemowin, along with interludes between songs with his puppet Baabii sharing some Anishinaabemowin. (Photo courtesy of NIFF)
With June designated National Indigenous History Month, the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) could haven’t been timed any better.
Set for June 21 to 23 in and around Trent University’s Enwayaang building, the festival will feature more than 20 performances, special events, family activities and vendors. Artists have been chosen through a lottery process, which is a customary element of fringe festivals.
NIFF’s mandate “is to provide a space for Indigenous artists to showcase their uncensored work, while developing their artistic practice and having access to Indigenous mentors and artistic development opportunities.”
According to festival general manager Lee Bolton, this is the only Indigenous festival “in the known world.” That makes it uniquely ours and that is pretty terrific.
For more information, including the three-day schedule and advance tickets, visit www.indigenousfringefest.ca. Tickets for each performance are $12 and are also available on a cash-only basis at the door.
Encore
VIDEO: “Famous” – Elyse Saunders
What’s left for Elyse Saunders besides world domination? The Peterborough-raised country singer-songwriter came home from the June 2nd Country Music Association of Ontario awards show as the Female Artist of the Year — one year after winning for Music Video of the Year. With her new single “Dirt” already catching fire, her early 2024 song “Never Have I Ever” continues to garner strong radio play, particularly in, of all places, Australia. Saunders has enjoyed a steady year-to-year rise in popularity, no doubt bringing a smile to the face of Peterborough’s Cyril Rawson, Saunders’ vocal coach when she was just another teen with a Nashville dream.
Applications for grants offered by the Electric City Culture Council are being accepted. Grants of up to $1,500 and $3,000 are available for professional artists in the Peterborough region. Visit www.ecthree.org/program/grants-for-individual-artists-2024/ for the grant application form. The deadline to apply is July 11. Now in its third year, the grant program has awarded more than $105,000 to 44 artists working in a broad range of disciplines.
Last time around, we raved about the Gazebo patio in back of the Peterborough Holiday Inn as a great spot to catch live music this summer. Well, there’s another. The Gazebo at Riverview Park and Zoo is the venue for free concerts on several Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Next up is Harold Wylie and Radio Flyer on June 23. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy. Be sure to check out kawarthaNOW’s concert and live music listings for shows as they near.
A 13-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl are facing multiple charges after stealing a car in Kingston and driving it to Peterborough, where it was seen driving around a city park and later struck a fence and a wall at other locations in the city.
At around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Peterborough Police Service received a call about a vehicle being driven on a soccer field and the beach at Beavermead Park. Officers received two more calls about the vehicle, one as it left a parking lot in the Braidwood Avenue and Jane Street area striking a fence, and the other after it struck a concrete wall in the Morphet Avenue and Morrow Street area.
After the vehicle struck the concrete wall, two people were seen fleeing the vehicle. A short time later, officers spotted two people who matched the description given to police walking in the area and took them into custody.
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Police learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Kingston the previous day and was also wanted in connection with a traffic complaint in the north end of Oshawa earlier on Sunday evening.
As a result of the investigation, police arrested and charged a 13-year-old Oshawa boy who was driving the vehicle with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, failing to comply with a sentence, two counts of failing to remain, two counts of careless driving, and driving a motor vehicle without a licence.
Police also arrested and charged a 13-year-old Kingston girl who was a passenger in the vehicle with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
The accused boy is being held in police custody and will appears in court on Monday (June 10). The accused girl was released from custody on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on July 15.
Local non-profit organization Wildlife Rescue Nests will have a vendor booth at the Made By Me Market on June 22, 2024 outside the Silver Bean Café in Peterborough's Millennium Park. All proceeds from earrings, bags, stuffies, phone slings, and other crocheted items will be covering the shipping costs and materials associated with providing no-cost crocheted nests to animal rehabilitators across the world. (Photo courtesy of Cheryl Edwards)
Since 2012, Peterborough maker Cheryl Edwards has been building a network of local creatives by hosting regular maker markets. Though they have been held under many different titles over the years, the “Made By Me Market” is perhaps the most aptly named, as it features no shortage of locally made goods from accessories to artwork, home décor, baked goods, and more.
To support as many artists and artisans as possible, Edwards has invited a different lineup of vendors for each day of the weekend markets she has scheduled over the summer and fall.
The first summer Made by Me Market will be held on the waterfront outside Peterborough’s Silver Bean Café in Millennium Park (130 King Street) between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22nd and Sunday, June 23rd. That market will feature 12 vendors selling paintings, all-natural dog treats, plushies, crochet jewellery, skin care products, and more.
While some of the vendors are for-profit businesses, others are non-profit organizations. Hearts 4 Joy sells hand-painted goods made by adults with intellectual disabilities. Wildlife Rescue Nests sells earrings, pins, phone slings, shoulder bags, and other crocheted items to fund the shipping and material costs of crocheted nests that the organization donates to wildlife rehabilitators across the globe.
“Shadows” (24″ x 30″, oil on gallery canvas) by Fred Sutherland. Sutherland is one of the artists in 201 Studio, a Peterborough-based volunteer-run artist collective that will have a vendor booth at the Made By Me Market on July 20 and 21, 2024 outside the Silver Bean Café in Peterborough’s Millennium Park. (Photo courtesy of Cheryl Edwards)
At all Made by Me Markets, visitors can enter a draw to win prizes donated by the vendors, and every visitor will receive a unique bookmark that clips onto books and is handmade by Edwards herself.
Additional Made by Me Markets at the Silver Bean Café this summer run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the weekends of July 20 and 21 and August 24 and 25. Fall markets will have even more vendors, and will be held at the Lions Club Community Centre (347 Burnham Street) on Saturday, September 7th and Saturday, November 30th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Edwards is still seeking vendors for the August, September, and November markets. Interested vendors are invited to fill out an application online at madebymemarket.ca. To learn more about the vendors who will be participating in the first Made by Me Markets of the summer, visit the Facebook event pages for the June 22 and June 23 markets.
Know Your Locals™ is a branded editorial feature about locally owned independent businesses and locally operated organizations, and supported by them. If your business or organization is interested in being featured in a future “Know Your Locals” branded editorial, contact Jeannine Taylor at 705-742-6404 or jt@kawarthanow.com or visit our Advertise with kawarthaNOW page.
Marci and Jonathan Swift and their sons Gavin, Dylan, Emmett, and Caleb run Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in North Kawartha Township along with Marci's mother. The Swift family is welcoming the public to their Apsley farm every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for their new farmstand featuring fresh eggs and honey, cut flowers, seasonal products, and handmade goods from local makers. (Photo: Katie Ellement Photography)
“We like to just jump in feet first and then figure it out as we go.”
Such is how “Queen Bee” Marci Swift became the owner of a 107-acre farm in Apsley, found a passion for beekeeping, learned to raise animals, and is now running a small business selling sustainable and handmade products alongside her husband Jonathan and their four sons.
Now Swift Acres Apiary & Farm is diving in once again by inviting the public to a new farmstand on the North Kawartha property every Saturday morning.
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From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, Swift Acres Apiary & Farm is inviting anyone to drop by and purchase delicious honey and fresh eggs, cut wildflowers, and a selection of handmade goods and products from other local makers.
“What we offer is going to be a little different every week as we go with the seasons,” says Marci. “My boys have different things planned — they have lemonade and have been working on little herb planters — and, in the summer, we’re going to have veggies that are locally grown.”
Hearing Marci’s love of farm life, you would never guess that she wasn’t a generational farmer. But, while growing up in Bowmanville, Marci “always dreamed” of one day living on a farm.
“I had a friend whose house was on a farm, and it was one of those memories that stuck with me because I loved the feeling when I was there,” she recalls. “I think I was drawn to the simplicity of farm life — not to say that it’s easy, because it’s far from easy — but there’s something about the rhythm of the simplicity of it, with the animals needing food and water. There’s a certain routine that just has to be done.”
Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley began with the decision to take in chicks that been kindergarten class pets. Now the farm is also home to kunekune pigs and Nigerian dwarf goats, with Marci and Jonathan Swift’s four sons ranging in age from 8 to 17 doing most of the farm chores and animal care at the farm. (Photos courtesy of Marci Swift)
Moving to their large North Kawartha property was not something Marci and Jonathan had set out to do. They were living in their first home in Grafton when they were supposed to be looking for cottages for her in-laws and instead stumbled upon a new home for themselves.
“I very much go with my heart, not my head, all the time — which only sometimes works out, and in this case, it did,” she says. “Everybody thought we were crazy as we were moving so far from our friends and family, but we loved it and haven’t looked back since.”
As for the animals, that all began with some chicks that had once been kindergarten classroom pets. While Marci was on maternity leave, Jonathan, a teacher, had the opportunity to take them home as the first animals to be introduced to the land. Though the couple began by only using the eggs for themselves, they eventually started selling them to friends and neighbours.
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Before long, Marci realized they should use the “big beautiful barn to its full potential” by introducing more animals. As she was raising four sons, she wanted to find animals whose care was not labour-intensive, which led her and her oldest son, Gavin, who was 10 years old at the time, to take a beekeeping course.
“By the end, we knew it was something we could do, so we ordered two nucs (nucleus colonies) and hives,” Marci says. “And after that first season of having bees, I was hooked. Bees, I would say, are my passion now. I just love them, which was surprising.”
Seven years later, Marci and her family now have almost 50 hives and, while it’s certainly not as easy managing so many, she is still in her “happy place” when she’s out working in the bees.
The apiary at Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley began after Marci Swift and her oldest son Gavin took a beekeeping course. Seven years later, they now have 50 hives and all of Marci’s sons have picked up her passion for bees and pollinators while working on the farm. (Photo courtesy of Marci Swift)
“They are just fascinating to watch and learn from, and I’m constantly learning more every year,” Marci says about her bees. “I always think I know exactly what I need to do, but every hive has their own personality and different things you have to figure out on your feet. The way they work together is really something I like to hold onto in my own life.”
Teamwork is something the whole family has learned from farm life, as Swift Acres has become a family affair. Marci’s mother — who had planned to “retire” on the property — is the delivery person and gatherer of supplies and Jonathan is the handyman, with Marci and Jonathan’s four sons doing much of the animal care and chores around the farm.
“I honestly couldn’t do all that we do without them,” Marci points out. “I cannot give them enough credit as they run 90 per cent of this farm. They’re pretty amazing and I’m very lucky to have their support.”
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Through the apiary and farm, the Swifts sell beeswax candles, honey, goat milk soaps, and other handmade products — all of which are sustainable and natural.
“It’s amazing that when you get connected with a part of nature and with honeybees, you just want to learn about and help all the other native pollinators that are here,” Marci says. “For me, it was just really important that we don’t contribute to the waste or pollution of our Earth.”
“I love creating different candles or honey and soaps, but a lot of those things come with unneeded packaging,” she adds. “I tried to source out different ways I could do it without having an impact and adding to landfills, and then I wondered if I can do this, why can’t these other big huge corporations do it? But I figure. small and mightily, I can do my part and feel good about what I put out there and know it’s not going to actually be on this Earth forever.”
All products at Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley, including beeswax candles and goat milk’s soap, are handmade with minimal packaging. (Photos: Michelle Bolton Photography)
Since first beginning to make and sell the products from the farm, Marci has wanted to open the farmstand and welcome people to actively enjoy the land.
“There’s just something about having that connection to where your food and products come from that feels good,” she says.
Alongside selling original Swift Acres products, the family is inviting other local makers and businesses to sell their homemade goods through the farmstand, including maple products from nearby farms and garden decorations from Rachel Charlebois’ Metal by Rachel.
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The Swift family also hopes to have their kunekune pigs and Nigerian dwarf goats available for viewing from an observation hide.
“We’re hoping to create a little community vibe here so people can just come and chat and look at the animals and grab a glass of lemonade and chill out,” Marci says. “It’s always great to get out and actually connect and talk to people and hear feedback, and I’m just hoping that this can become something that people look forward to on a Saturday morning.”
As well as their signature honey, Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley will always have fresh eggs available for purchase at the new farmstand, as well as seasonal products and handmade goods from other local businesses. The farmstand is open Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Photo: Michelle Bolton Photography)
This story has been updated with a correction. Swift Acres Apiary & Farm sells beeswax candles, not soy candles.
The Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service is recruiting firefighters to serve in areas of northern Kawartha Lakes, as well as in other communities in the southern region of the municipality such as Emily. (Photo: Kawartha Lakes Fire Service)
The Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service is seeking volunteer firefighters to serve in various communities within Kawartha Lakes this fall.
Mike Matthews, deputy chief of the Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service, said the fire department is recruiting people for several posts, most notably to cover the northern communities of Kinmount, Burnt River, Kirkfield, Carden, and Norland.
“Our hope for the fall 2024 recruitment is to encourage individuals for our fire stations in the northern communities of Kawartha Lakes to apply for the position of volunteer firefighter,” Matthews told kawarthaNOW.
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“There are other fire stations we are hiring for as well,” he said, noting those who are interested can check out the recruitment page on the municipality’s website at www.kawarthalakes.ca/vff. Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, July 3.
The deputy chief said firefighting provides a rewarding opportunity for community members who join the department.
“This is a valuable way to give back to your community by becoming part of the team that responds when an emergency arises.”
All new recruits are required to complete 40 hours of online training prior to participating in 66 hours of in-person training. Both these elements are mandatory and need to be completed before recruits are assigned to halls and allowed to respond to calls, the deputy chief noted.
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A volunteer firefighter is a paid position, with firefighters receiving $23.91 an hour once they begin in-person training.
In terms of the commitment the role involves, Matthews said, “the emergency calls could happen at any time, but we are also very aware of the importance of a good work-life balance.”
Aside from emergency calls, there are two firefighter training nights at the volunteers’ respective stations per month.
“Public education and fire prevention events are a big part of fire service, and there is the ability to be a part of these events in your community,” he noted.
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Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service relies on both full-time and volunteer firefighters to staff its fire department. Firefighters are committed to providing fire protection services in their local areas and for the community at large.
“Volunteer firefighters play an important role in keeping our communities safe from fire and other hazards,” Kawartha Lakes notes on its website. People who are dedicated and possess excellent teamwork skills, along with being in good health and having an adequate level of physical fitness, are encouraged to apply for the role.
“Volunteer firefighting is a great way to learn valuable skills, give back to your community and earn extra income,” the website states
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Other advantages of volunteer firefighting, according to Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service, include gaining transferrable life skills, becoming a member of a dedicated team, acquiring valuable knowledge and participating in a wide range of specialized training, and helping to promote a safe community by upholding the three lines of defence against fire: public fire safety education, fire safety standards, and enforcement and emergency response.
Applicants are asked to apply for the firehall that is the closest to where they live. Applying to more than one firehall could disqualify an applicant.
Kawartha Lakes Fire Service is not currently hiring volunteer firefighters for the following firehalls: Station 1 Lindsay, Station 2 Omemee, Station 3 Bobcaygeon, Station 4 Ops, Station 19 Coboconk, Station 21 Mariposa, and Station 22 Fenelon Falls.
More than 250 people attended a 'Save Bonnerworth Park' rally on May 18, 2024 at the park at McDonnel Street and Monaghan Road where the City of Peterborough plans to build 16 pickleball courts. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of Mark Wollard video)
While pickleball isn’t on the agenda for Peterborough City Council when it meets at 6 p.m. Monday (June 10), it will be for the Peterborough residents attending a rally outside of city hall a half hour before council meets.
The Save Bonnerworth Park group will be holding a so-called “Rally For Answers” as they continue to raise their voices against the planned $4.4 million redevelopment of the park at McDonnel Street and Monaghan Road, which includes the construction of 16 pickleball courts, an expanded skate park, a bike pump track, and an 80-vehicle parking lot.
Representing residents neighbouring the park, the group’s primary objections to the redevelopment plan include the noise impact that the 16 pickleball courts will have on their quality of life, the loss of their neighbourhood greenspace, and what they claim was a flawed process in terms of how the plan has been developed and communicated.
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The first phase of the Bonnerworth Park redevelopment plan would see construction begin this fall on the pickleball court complex, including any landscaping and sound attenuation. The second phase of the redevelopment plan would see the expansion of the skateboard park and construction of the new bike pump track in 2025.
A media release for “Rally For Answers” provided by neighbourhood resident D’Arcy Jenish on behalf of the Coalition for Bonnerworth Park asks 16 questions — one for each proposed pickleball court — “that city council needs to answer.”
Why does a city of 80,000 need the largest pickleball complex in Ontario?
Who decided 16 courts is what the city needs and on what basis?
Why pave a multi-use park and green space for an emerging sport that may be no more than passing fad?
What is the membership of the Peterborough Pickleball Association?
Do 6,700 signatures opposing the redevelopment matter to Council?
Will the (Peterborough Pickleball Association) pay capital and usage fees as do other sports organizations?
Why has the city not considered sites other than Bonnerworth?
Why the urgency to build this development?
Why not put kids first and build the bike track and skateboard park first?
Why build 16 courts when other cities are closing courts due to noise complaints?
Has the city a credible noise abatement plan?
Are there any proven noise abatement systems?
Has the city considered the potential for costly legal battles?
Has the city conducted a geotechnical study to determine if the Bonnerworth playing field is a suitable site for the proposed development?
Why does Councillor (Lesley) Parnell insist this is a “done deal” before light, noise and traffic studies have been completed?
Why do we need a pickleball complex that is larger than any in the cities of Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, London, Windsor and Ottawa?
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VIDEO: “Save Bonnerworth Park – The First Rally”
Monday’s rally will follow another held on May 18 at Bonnerworth Park that was organized by retired priest Father Leo Coughlin, a resident of the Marycrest at Inglewood seniors’ complex on Monaghan Road directly across from the park. That rally was attended by more than 250 people.
On April 8, Peterborough city council voted 8-3 against a motion from Town Ward councillor Joy Lachica to revisit the redevelopment plan in response to concerns of neighbouring residents primarily about the potential noise and traffic that would result from the large number of pickleball courts — clearing the way for the project to proceed in the hands of city staff with no further council oversight.
On May 13, Lachica put forward another motion that council be granted final approval authority for the redevelopment plan, including the recommended site plan and final technical studies such as traffic and parking, and noise. Committee chair Andrew Beamer ruled her motion out of order, a decision that was supported by a 6-5 vote.
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The City of Peterborough recently posted a statement about the Bonnerworth Park redevelopment on its public consultation website, recognizing that “there’s been a lot of discussion about the Bonnerworth Park project over the last several months.”
“The city has heard from residents and stakeholder groups, with two main concerns being noise associated with pickleball and the amount of parking that is being contemplated for the Bonnerworth project, as well as comments by some that the ball diamonds are viewed as general greenspace that should not be replaced with other active use outdoor recreation facilities,” the statement reads.
“The city is doing the detailed design work and the necessary studies, including noise and traffic studies, which will inform the final design. Noise attenuation — the need to manage potential noise impacts — is included as part of the project budget.”
Calling the baseball fields at Bonnerworth Park “low-quality fields that are underutilized,” the city says their removal from the park “will be offset as the city has already started to invest in maintaining and adding capacity of baseball fields in other parks, with the ball diamond at Stacey Green Park upgraded ahead of this season and two more ball diamonds slated for upgrades for next year.”
As for the 16 pickleball courts, the statement says the city doesn’t have enough facilities to meet the demand for pickleball and that, “similar to how the city invests in soccer fields, football fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, multi-use facilities, and ice pads — and charges user fees to offset costs — this investment begins to address the recreational needs of city residents.”
The new Peterborough Community Health Centre will operate at a temporary location at Peterborough Square, in the vacant space formerly occupied by TD Canada Trust on George Street just south of Simcoe Street, for 12 months while it seeks a permanent location. The centre aims to open its doors to clients as early as fall 2024. (Photo: Peterborough Square / Facebook)
The new Peterborough Community Health Centre (PCHC) is opening a temporary location at Peterborough Square and will be accommodating patients “as soon as possible” — which could be by this fall.
The PCHC has announced it will operate the new health care clinic at 360 George Street in downtown Peterborough, in the former space held by TD Canada Trust just south of Simcoe Street, for the first 12 months.
“We are very excited about the potential impact of the (PCHC) in its first year at Peterborough Square,” David Jeffery, interim co-executive director of the PCHC, told kawarthaNOW.
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“Our main objective is to establish a solid foundation for providing high-quality, accessible health care to the community,” Jeffrey said about the next 12 months. “Integrating successfully into the community and forming strong partnerships with local organizations are key priorities for us.”
“We aim to offer not only medical care but also mental health support, traditional healing, and community wellness programs. By doing so, we hope to foster a welcoming environment where every individual feels seen, heard, and cared for.”
Jeffrey said the priority right out of the gate is the hiring of a dedicated team of health care professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, traditional healers, and allied health professionals.
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“Our goal is to start seeing clients as early as this fall, and to demonstrate the positive support that integrated, interprofessional care can make in people’s lives,” Jeffery said. “Laying a solid foundation for the PCHC that will sustain its mission for years to come is ultimately our goal during this initial year.”
This development follows the provincial government’s announcement in February 2024 of about $4.8 million in annual funding for the PCHC. The PCHC will provide comprehensive primary care and allied health services.
Opening the clinic promptly to meet the needs of the community is a top priority, noted Jonathan Bennett, PCHC board chair, in a media release.
“We aim to open our doors as quickly as possible,” Bennett said. “Peterborough Square was chosen because it can be quickly converted into suitable clinic space, allowing us to see clients sooner.”
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With its slated fall opening, the PCHC aims to bring up to 30 new health care jobs to the area. This includes physicians, nurse practitioners, traditional healers, and dedicated allied health professionals such as a dietitian, a physiotherapist, mental health counsellors, and Indigenous knowledge keepers — “all collaborating to provide interprofessional team-based care under one roof.”
The PCHC will also offer community programs at no cost that support the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of residents, the release noted.
The organization is seeking an interim location for the health care clinic following the 12-month lease at Peterborough Square.
“We’re going to take our time to make sure we pick an interim space that’s really going to meet our needs for growth and scale over several years ahead,” Bennett said.
Plans for a permanent location for PCHC are still in the early stages.
Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar during a rehearsal of the Capitol Theatre's production of Mark Crawford's comedy "Bed & Breakfast," which runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30, 2024 at the historic venue in Port Hope. As well as playing the primary roles of the Brett and Drew, a gay couple who open a bed and breakfast in small-town Canada, the two actors portray all the play's other characters in the production directed by the Capitol's artistic director Rob Kempson. (Photo: Sam Moffatt
When queer playwright Mark Crawford’s Bed & Breakfast premiered in 2015 at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque, the theatre’s then associate artistic director promised himself that if the opportunity to direct the comedy ever arose, he’d jump on it.
To the great benefit of Capitol Theatre audiences, Rob Kempson wasn’t at all careful about what he wished for. Crawford’s play about a gay couple who open a bed and breakfast in a small town runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30 at the Port Hope performing arts space and Kempson — now the Capitol’s artistic director — is indeed in the director’s chair.
“I couldn’t believe, as a queer person, that I was allowed to see a play about me in my community,” recalls Kempson of his feelings at that time. “To see not only my childhood friends’ parents coming out (to see the play) and having a really authentic and connected experience, but also to see what I had understood to be a relatively invisible queer community coming out.”
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“A lot of things are different now about the world, not the least of which is a lot of these small towns are a lot queerer than they were 10 years ago, and certainly a lot more outwardly queer,” Kempson adds.
It’s no coincidence that the 19 performances of Bed & Breakfast run during Pride Month.
“By programming work like this, we’re actively inviting a population to come to the Capitol, and to theatre in general, who perhaps haven’t felt welcome in the past,” Kempson points out. “That active invitation is a really big piece of what I find inspiring about the play.”
Actors Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar listen to feedback from director Rob Kempson during a rehearsal of the Capitol Theatre’s production of Mark Crawford’s comedy “Bed & Breakfast,” which runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30, 2024 at the historic venue in Port Hope. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
Bed & Breakfast, which broke box office records in Gananoque when it premiered at the playhouse’s Firehall Theatre, brings us Brett and Drew, portrayed in the Capitol production by Amir Haidar — the lead in last year’s Little Shop of Horrors — and Shaw Festival regular Kyle Golemba.
Wanting to move out of their Toronto condo into a house, the couple is in the midst of a frustrating house bidding war when Brett’s aunt dies and he unexpectedly inherits her historic home in a quiet tourist town. They decide to make the move and start up a bed and breakfast, but face friction in their new community — discovering the simple life is more complicated than they thought.
Over the course of one year, through the real estate rat race, renovation hell, a farcical opening weekend at their B&B, and encounters with small-town prejudice, Brett and Drew are faced with a big decision: hang in or call it a day.
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Combined, Haidar and Golemba portray the play’s 22 characters — male and female, young and old. The very funny and moving result is billed as a heartfelt comedy about ‘being out’ in small-town Canada, skeletons in the closet, and finding a place to call home.
Playwright in Person with Mark Crawford
At 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 16th, Capitol Theatre artistic director Rob Kempson is hosting a conversation with playwright Mark Crawford about writing Bed & Breakfast, the play’s journey since its 2015 debut, his upbringing, and bringing the play to the Capitol Theatre. Admission is $5 (free for subscribers).
“Ultimately, it’s not a hugely complicated premise,” assesses Crawford (Stag & Doe, The Birds & the Bees, The New Canadian Curling Club) of his play’s storyline.
“The idea came from wanting to write a play that appealed to audiences in places like Port Hope. It has been done in lots of different places, including big cities, but I really wrote it thinking about an audience in a place like where the play takes place — a touristy town, a couple of hours from Toronto, on the water where they could potentially inherit a great big fancy wrap-around porch red brick house. It could very well be Port Hope.”
Canadian actor and playwright Mark Crawford’s plays include “Stag and Doe”, “Bed & Breakfast”, “The Birds and the Bees”, “Boys, Girls, and Other Mythological Creatures”, and “The New Canadian Curling Club”. He grew up on his family’s farm near Glencoe in Ontario, studied theatre at University of Toronto and Sheridan College, and now lives in Stratford. (Photo via Blyth Festival Theatre website)
“I wanted to start with a premise that was pretty accessible and had lots of room for comedy, but also put a gay couple — their relationship and their challenges and their search for a home together — at the centre of the story,” Crawford explains. “I felt, for a lot of theatres, it was a play they hadn’t seen before. I also felt in 2015 when it premiered, and still feel to this day, that audiences are totally ready for that and will embrace the play with open arms, which is really great.”
Both Kempson and Crawford say for Bed & Breakfast to work, it requires two especially talented and nimble actors to portray the multiple roles the script calls for. Enter Haidar and Golemba.
“We’re talking about two folks who came in with really big ideas for absolutely every character they have to play; who came in with all sorts of creative offers and suggestions,” says Kempson.
“The rehearsal room is very much an exchange of ideas and people bringing different things to the basic premise. When I direct anything, my approach is I put together a skeleton, so if I get hit by a bus someone else could put the people in the places on the set in a way I made the set to do. My hope is that everyone has better ideas than I do on how to use that set, and then we change things as we go.”
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“I’ve done a number of multi-character plays where a single actor or a small group of actors play multiple characters,” Kempson says. “It doesn’t feel like you’re directing two people. It feels like you’re directing 20 people, because in many ways you are. We’re thinking about where those people are physically on the set so the other actor knows where they should be looking or turn back to. There isn’t a science to any of that.”
“By hiring these two performers and making sure that their chemistry is right, and their willingness to play is right, my job really becomes more of a facilitator — creating a space where they feel safe to try new things and make mistakes and take big risks and try big choices and make silly faces and all the rest of it.”
Crawford, who has himself performed in the play alongside his partner Paul Dunn (also an actor and playwright), says his script calls for “thoroughbreds” of the calibre of Haidar and Golemba.
“With so many different characters, you have to differentiate them vocally and physically to make the storytelling clear. You meet people and they have wild ways that they speak or wild ways that they move their bodies or behave. What’s fun is you get to shine a light on how weird and wonderful people are.”
An actor as well as a playwright, Mark Crawford (left) appeared with his partner Paul Dunn (right) in a 2017 production of “Bed & Breakfast” at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre. (Photo: Andrée Lanthier)
Speaking to audiences’ acceptance of Brett and Drew’s relationship, Crawford acknowledges there are theatres that continue to pass on staging Bed & Breakfast.
“My agent and I have said ‘We think this would be a good fit for your theatre’ but they continue to not want to do it. When it’s a two-hander (a play with just two actors), it’s not the money. They can’t tell you that. It does have a pedigree, so it’s not because it’s not a proven success.”
“It’s the content (that’s an issue) for certain theatres, and potentially for certain audiences, although I don’t really buy that because I think audiences live in the world. They have different levels of comfort or understanding. Within any audience, if there are 200 people, there are going to be 200 different experiences related to the content, no matter what the play is.”
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To that notion, Kempson notes “Good theatre challenges its audience.”
“It’s about taking a stand and being an organization that wants to live true to its values. If this (the Capitol) is an organization that says it values equity, diversity, and inclusion, if this is an organization that says it values artistic excellence, if this is an organization that values community engagement — all of which are key directions in our strategic plan — then work like this isn’t even remotely provocative. Why? Because it does all those things beautifully.”
Bed & Breakfast will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on June 14 (preview night) and 15 (opening night), June 21 and 22, and June 27 to 29, and at 2 p.m. on June 16 to 20, June 22 and 23, June 25 to 27, and June 29 and 30. As well as the behind-the-scenes discussion between Crawford and Kempson on June 16, there will be a post-show talk with the cast after the June 20 and 27 performances.
Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar during a rehearsal of the Capitol Theatre’s production of Mark Crawford’s comedy “Bed & Breakfast,” which runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30, 2024 at the historic venue in Port Hope. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
Tickets are $48 or $40 for those under 30 (pay what you can for preview night on June 14) and are available at the Capitol Theatre’s box office in person at 20 Queen Street (open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday), by phone at 905-885-1071, or online at capitoltheatre.com, where you can also order tickets for the behind-the-scenes discussion between Crawford and Kempson on June 16.
The presenting sponsor of Bed & Breakfast is Atelier on john in Port Hope.
Meanwhile, in a first for the Capitol Theatre, its production of Bed & Breakfast will head to Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange this fall, being staged September 24 to October 6 as part of the theatre’s 2024-25 season.
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