A sold-out crowd of 200 people attended the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University's Champlain College on May 8, 2025, which saw awards in five categories that recognize women at all stages of their careers presented to Sheena Howard, Jenisha Sanjit Arora, Rachel Stark, Tiffany Arcari, and Jeannine Taylor. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
Five Peterborough-area women in business were honoured at the inaugural Luminary Awards celebration held on Thursday (May 8) at the Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College.
The Luminary Awards for Women in Business, created and hosted by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce and presented by Sullivan Law, are intended to shine a light on the valuable contributions that women in the local business community have made, continue to push for, and inspire others to emulate.
A sold-out crowd of 200 people attended the celebration, which saw awards presented in five categories that recognize women at all stages of their careers: Trailblazer – Entrepreneur, Barrier Buster – Employee, One to Watch – Employee, Emerging Entrepreneur, and Legacy.
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The five award recipients — Sheena Howard, Jenisha Sanjit Arora, Rachel Stark, Tiffany Arcari, and Jeannine Taylor — were selected from nominations for 56 women across all categories.
“Peterborough is full of women who are leading our community on all fronts,” says Susan Dunkley, chair of the chamber’s board and CEO of Suzi Homemaker. “We created the Luminary Awards to recognize and honour their successes.”
“Women in business, employees and entrepreneurs, entry level to seasoned veterans, add so much value to their companies. We’re grateful to all nominators, nominees and sponsors for helping us bring this idea to life.”
Sheena Howard of Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy and BizNurse Savvy reacts to winning the Trailblazer – Entrepreneur award during the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College on May 8, 2025. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
The 2025 Luminary Awards for Women in Business categories and recipients are listed below.
Trailblazer – Entrepreneur
Celebrating a business owner who has created innovation and success through her leadership, vision, courage and commitment.
Winner: Sheena Howard – Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy and BizNurse Savvy
Barrier Buster – Employee
Celebrating the achievements of a remarkable woman who has excelled in her field/place of employment, embraced new ideas, technologies or ways of working and demonstrating exceptional skill, dedication, and perseverance when faced with adversity.
Winner: Jenisha Sanjit Arora – Fleming College and Fleming Student Administrative Council
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One to Watch – Employee
Future leader known for their innovative, meaningful contributions to their workplace, proven professional success, and shows outstanding potential for the future. Nominee may hold entry- to mid-level management positions in their workplace.
Winner: Rachel Stark – Municipality of Trent Lakes
Emerging Entrepreneur
Owner engaged in a new successful, innovative and inspiring business venture that shows outstanding potential for the future. Nominee must have been in business for a minimum of two years and no more than five years.
Winner: Tiffany Arcari – The Tiffany Show
Legacy
kawarthaNOW founder, CEO, and publisher Jeannine Taylor speaks at the podium at the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College on May 8, 2025 after being announced as the winner of the Legacy award. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
She has spent her successful business career inspiring others and giving back to her community. She strives for business excellence and through realizing their vision, the nominee has provided a host of opportunities for others for employment, growth, philanthropy, etc.
Winner: Jeannine Taylor – kawarthaNOW
The Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is already planning for the second annual Luminary Awards for Women in Business, which will be held on May 7, 2026.
A mobile speed camera. (Photo: City of Peterborough staff report)
Peterborough city council will be asked to endorse a proposal from city staff to implement speed cameras in school zones and community safety zones.
The report from Blair Nelson, the city’s commissioner of infrastructure, planning and growth management will be presented to city council at its general committee meeting on Monday (May 12). It follows council’s 2022 approval of phase four of the city’s transportation master plan, which included a recommendation to undertake feasibility studies for the implementation of red light cameras or automated speed enforcement to improve road and community safety.
Nelson’s report notes that, while council approved a city-wide speed limit reduction in school areas and the implementation of community safety zones 30 elementary and secondary schools in June 2023, and while that the measures resulted in a reduction of vehicle speeds by an average of 6.5 km/h, the current average operating speed is 11.5 km/h above the 40km/h posted speed.
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According to the report, multiple municipalities in Ontario have implemented automated speed enforcement in school zones and community safety zones since the Ontario government passed the Safer School Zones Act in 2017, which amended the Highway Traffic Act to allow municipalities to use the measure, which “has proven to be an effective tool in reducing speeding and increasing compliance to the posted speed limit.”
“The Peterborough Police Service supports the implementation of automated speed enforcement in school and community safety zones,” the report states. “They currently conduct speed enforcement in these locations; however, resources do not allow for continual presence.”
The report adds that using speed cameras will allow police resources to be deployed elsewhere.
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Automated speed enforcement is a technology-enabled enforcement system consisting of a speed measurement device and a camera that photographs vehicles exceeding the maximum posted speed. Offences captured by the system are reviewed and certified by provincial offences officers and issued to the vehicle’s registered owner.
While fines issued under the system do not result in demerit points or affect vehicle insurance, the Ministry of Transportation can deny licence plate renewals if the driver has outstanding fines.
Automated speed enforcement can consist of permanent camera installations or mobile versions, where the camera system is rotated to different locations. The most common approach is to use mobile cameras and rotate them to different locations, which increases the coverage area as well as the revenue generated by the cameras since compliance with speed limits increases the longer a camera stays at a single location.
“This approach, however, leads to the most common complaint with (automated speed enforcement) in that it is perceived as a ‘cash grab’ that does nothing to improve traffic safety,” the report states. “In many cases the average speed returns to pre-enforcement levels following the removal of the camera from the location. However, this method allows staff to better evaluate individual sites before investing in a permanent camera system.”
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Along with the speed cameras, automated speed enforcement requires a data processing centre that can either be a contracted service, a centre operated jointly by municipalities, or an in-house centre. The report recommends that the City of Peterborough partner with the City of Toronto’s joint processing centre, which is currently used by 16 upper and lower-tier municipalities.
Offences can either be processed through the provincial court system or through a municipality’s administrative penalty system, with the report recommending that City of Peterborough use the City of Toronto’s administrative penalty system through its joint processing centre. The cost to the city of using Toronto’s system is around $20 per offence, along with a one-time startup cost of $55,000.
City staff are proposing a phased deployment of automated speed enforcement by initially securing four mobile cameras in 2025-26 for a two-year period. The city would acquire the cameras from RedFlex Traffic Systems (the City of Toronto’s selected camera vendor), which would install and maintain the cameras.
“This approach will allow staff to validate site selection, compliance rate, camera rotation logistics, cost/revenue, and provide the opportunity to evaluate the program to inform future program expansion,” the report states.
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The estimated total cost for implementing an automated speed enforcement program in school zones and community safety zones would be $489,000.00. That includes $350,000 to lease the cameras, plus $4,000 for camera setup and an additional $6,000 for relocating cameras.
As well as the $55,000 cost for using the City of Toronto’s joint processing centre, there would be a $24,000 cost for supplying, installing, and relocating the required signage to advise drivers of the presence of the cameras (both before and after they are installed), and a $50,000 cost for a communication and awareness campaign — intended to mitigate negative perception that the program amounts to a “cash grab” that is ineffective at changing driver behaviour.
In addition to these costs, the report is proposing a new senior project manager position for the first quarter of 2026 to support and administer the program, at a cost of $165,000.
“It is anticipated that all program costs will be recovered through the collection of penalties,” the report states, noting that any surplus penalty revenues should be reinvested in city road safety initiatives.
However, the report acknowledges that the amount of revenues from the program depends on the size of the program and driver compliance with the posted speed limits.
“The more effective the program is at reducing vehicle speed and increasing compliance, the fewer penalty notices are issued, and correspondingly revenue decreases,” the report states.
Two Brampton teens are facing multiple charges after a bank in Keene was robbed late Wednesday afternoon (May 7), with a third suspect still at large.
According to a media release from Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), police received a call from a “financial institute” in Keene just before 5 p.m. advising they had been robbed.
Although police did not identify the financial institution, the only bank in Keene is the Kawartha Credit Union branch on Heritage Line at County Road 2.
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According to the OPP, three people brandishing weapons entered the bank and demanded money. After they left with a quantity of Canadian currency, one of the employees contacted the OPP. No one was injured during the incident.
Police did not specify the weapons used during the robbery or the amount of cash that was stolen.
After officers arrived on the scene, witnesses provided them with descriptions of the three robbers and the vehicle they were driving.
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A short time later, officers located a vehicle matching the description and were able to safely bring it to a stop. Two of the suspects were found within the vehicle and were arrested.
The two male suspects, a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old who are both from Brampton, have been charged with armed robbery, three counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and disguise with intent. In addition, the 16-year-old has been charged with failure to comply with a probation order.
Both of the accused teens are being held in custody for a bail hearing.
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Police have not located the third suspect in the robbery and are continuing their investigation.
“We ask that anyone who was in the area at the time and who may have dashcam video or any sort of surveillance video, to please contact the Peterborough County OPP Crime Unit at 1-888-310-1122,” reads the media release.
To submit an anonymous tip, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at stopcrimehere.ca.
Darryl Breadner has sold 4 Aces Auto Centre, the auto repair company at 485 Parkhill Road East in Peterborough he founded over 20 years ago, to The Mufflerman Inc. According to a media release from The Mufflerman, Breadner and all existing employees will remain with the business, and 4 Aces will continue to operate as an independent auto mechanical garage within The Mufflerman Group. (Photo: 4 Aces Auto Centre)
4 Aces Auto Centre, an auto repair and service company at 485 Parkhill Road East in Peterborough, has been acquired by Canadian company The Mufflerman Inc.
According to a media release from The Mufflerman, the transaction closed last Wednesday (April 30).
Founded by Darryl Breadner over 20 years ago, 4 Aces has developed a reputation for a commitment to customer service and satisfaction.
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“When I was young, I had two dreams — auto repair or own a bar — and I thought it was a really cool name,” Breadner said in a 2017 Facebook video to explain why he named the business 4 Aces.
“If it was auto repair, I wanted to have four ace mechanics. I found out I wasn’t a great bartender, so here we are with auto repair.”
According to the release, Breadner and all existing employees will remain with the business, and 4 Aces will continue to operate as an independent auto mechanical garage within The Mufflerman Group.
Located at 485 Parkhill Road East in Peterborough between Armour Road and Television Road, 4 Aces Auto Centre has developed a reputation for a commitment to customer service and satisfaction. (Photo: 4 Aces Auto Centre)
“We are thrilled to welcome 4 Aces into our family of brands,” said The Mufflerman president Costa Haitas in the release.
“Darryl and his team have established an exceptional service centre in the Peterborough market, renowned for their commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. Their dedication to quality, service and trust perfectly aligns with our values, and we look forward to achieving great success together.”
The Mufflerman was founded in 1964 by John Brouwer Sr. and was subsequently operated by his four sons and nephew until it was acquired in 2021 by Argyle Capital Partners, a Toronto-based private equity firm that focuses on partnering with family-owned businesses in the lower middle market within the service, manufacturing, and distribution industries.
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Today, The Mufflerman is an auto repair shop network operating throughout the Greater Toronto Area and southwestern Ontario with 29 locations.
Of those locations, 21 operate as corporate-owned locations through five different brands — including The Mufflerman, EuroMechanic and Fleet Specialties, Sil’s, and now 4 Aces — and the other eight operate as franchised locations under the Superior Tire & Auto brand.
The Mufflerman’s acquisition of 4 Aces is its fifth tuck-in, a type of acquisition where a larger company absorbs and integrates a smaller company into its existing operations.
Madeleine Endicott and Steve McMurtry have reduced their total energy consumption by 43 per cent and their greenhouse gas emissions by 86 per cent by installing cellulose insulation in the interior walls of their century home near Bonnerworth Park in Peterborough, improving their attic insulation, and replacing their natural gas furnace with air source heat pump. The City of Peterborough's new Better Homes Peterborough program provides city homeowners with low-cost financing to complete similar energy efficiency retrofits that enhance residential building performance. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
Residential buildings account for 24 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Peterborough, with tens of thousands of homes generating an average of 118,000 metric tonnes per year alone.
Tackling emissions at the individual building level is the best way forward to achieve measurable success in decreasing climate-harming pollution.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s guest story is by James Byrne, Climate Change Project Manager, City of Peterborough.
Over the years, Peterborough residents have had the chance to enroll in several provincial or federal home efficiency loan and grant programs. Many of these programs were constrained in funding and available across Ontario or Canada, which resulted in limited uptake locally.
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To overcome these barriers and to reduce emissions from our local building stock, the City of Peterborough, with funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, created the Better Homes Peterborough program, which officially launched on Earth Day (April 22).
Better Homes Peterborough is a local program available to property owners in the city of Peterborough to access financing for energy efficiency retrofits that enhance residential building performance.
Peterborough homeowners can also take advantage of free guidance from the in-house energy coach, GreenUP home energy program manager Clara Blakelock, to learn which energy measures are best suited for their homes, such as adding new insulation, windows, doors, heat pumps, solar panels, and much more.
GreenUP energy advisors Bryn Magee and Clara Blakelock (who is also the Better Homes Peterborough program’s energy coach) attended the 2025 Peterborough Home, Garden & Cottage Show at Healthy Planet Arena on April 5 and 6, 2025 to provide attendees with a sneak peek of the new program. (Photo: Reuben Dobyns and Hector Benigno)
Cosmetic improvements can also be carried out to refurbish kitchens and bathrooms in conjunction with energy upgrades. The energy coach will assist homeowners to select the upgrades that will help them achieve at least a 30 per cent energy savings in their homes — or more!
Better Homes Peterborough offers two options for low-cost financing. Homeowners can choose to finance their improvements through Kawartha Credit Union, which has partnered with the city on this program. Alternatively, a homeowner can opt to finance their loan through repayments via their property taxes, at a fixed low interest rate over 15 years.
Participants can also stack any rebates they may receive from other home energy programs with financing from Better Homes Peterborough. Exclusive to the program, Peterborough homeowners that achieve 50 per cent greenhouse gas emission reduction will receive $1,000, while a 75 per cent decrease is eligible for $2,000, while funding is available.
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The program aligns with the goals set out in the Climate Change Action Plan 2.0 – Pathway to Net Zero 2050, adopted by Peterborough City Council in April. Greening buildings through enhancing efficiency and using heat pumps was identified as necessary to reduce an estimated 861,000 metric tonnes of emissions by 2050, if wide-scale implementation is successful.
Homeowners have much to gain from building upgrades that go beyond being a climate champion.
Significant financial benefits from lower utility bills make affordability a reality post-renovation. Home comfort levels generally improve once the building envelope is tightened to reduce drafts and outdoor noise. Heightened resiliency can be achieved if solar panels and a battery backup system are installed to provide the ability to withstand extreme weather events disrupting connectivity.
After Susan and Jim Blakelock moved to their bungalow in the south east of Peterborough in 2020, their registered energy advisor daughter Clara completed a home energy assessment and found many areas for improvement. Two years later, after completing a list of upgrades, the couple has reduced their EnerGuide rating from 135 to 60 gigajoules and their annual greenhouse gas emissions from 5.5 to 1.2 tonnes annually. As one of several upgrades to their Peterborough home over the past two years, the couple replaced their air conditioner with a cold climate air source heat pump. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
The local economy also stands to benefit from more activity and potential job creation in the trades and auxiliary services to carry out retrofits.
The Better Homes Peterborough program is a made-in-Peterborough solution that can help residents navigate the complexities of undertaking a renovation through a step-by-step approach. Accessing affordable financing can make a big difference in deciding to carry out a more ambitious retrofit.
Once retrofits are completed, homeowners will have a more efficient home that works for them — and the planet.
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To learn more about the Better Homes Peterborough program and to apply, visit betterhomesptbo.ca or call toll-free at 1-888-284-9417.
Meet the Better Homes Peterborough team and get your questions answered at an online information session from 12 to 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 22. Register for the free Zoom session at us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7cwsNQg-R3en3w2Rf9cLTg.
Better Homes Peterborough is delivered by the City of Peterborough in partnership with EnviroCentre, GreenUP, and Kawartha Credit Union, with funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund.
Lindsay Unterlander as Henrietta Leavitt, Lela Fox-Doran as Wiliamina Fleming, and Laura Lawson as Annie Cannon in the Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of "Silent Sky" by Lauren Gunderson, which ran from March 21 to April 5, 2025 at the Guild Hall in Peterborough's East City. The production won three awards and nine honourable mentions at the Eastern Ontario Drama League (EODL) Full-Length Festival awards brunch on April 27 at The StoneHouse Hall in Peterborough. (Photo: Julie Gagne)
When it comes to live theatre, the actors on stage are only the tip of the iceberg of the crew of artists who put their expertise, passion, and time into telling a story and entertaining an audience.
“It doesn’t just happen,” says Bea Quarrie, director of Silent Sky, the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s winning entry in the 2024-25 Eastern Ontario Drama League (EODL) Full-Length Festival.
“It’s a fairly long process, and what you see is like looking at the credits at the end of the movie — there might be 10 actors and there would be 350 people involved in the making of the film itself.”
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The extensive cast and crew who worked on stage and behind the scenes of Lauren Gunderson’s play, which ran from March 21 to April 5 at the Guild Hall in Peterborough’s East City, were honoured for their outstanding contributions with three awards and nine honourable mentions at the EODL awards brunch and ceremony, hosted by the Guild at Peterborough’s The StoneHouse Hall last Sunday (April 27).
At the brunch, more than 15 awards — many named after community theatre groups and supporters — were distributed between 11 productions that took place at community theatres across Ontario between November 2024 and March 2025 and were entered into the EODL Full-Length Festival.
For their work on Silent Sky, David Geene won the Peterborough Theatre Guild Award for Set Design, Kevin O’Neill (who played the character Peter Shaw) won the Arnold Connerty Adjudicator’s Award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role, and Esther Vincent (the production’s lighting and projection designer) won the Deep River Players Award for Best Visual Presentation.
David Geene at the Eastern Ontario Drama League (EODL) Full-Length Festival awards brunch at The StoneHouse Hall in Peterborough on April 27, 2025 holding the EODL’s set design award for the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson, which ran from March 21 to April 5 at the Guild Hall in Peterborough’s East City. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
Quarrie received an honourable mention for the Trentonian and Tri-County Best Director Award, as did Jayne Martin for the John L. Walley Best Costuming Award, Lyndele Gauci for the Peterborough Theatre Guild Award for Best Use of Speech, Laura Lawson (who played the character Annie Cannon) for the Margaret White Acting Excellence Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role, Kevin O’Neill for the Bancroft Theatre Guild Acting Excellence Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role, and Esther Vincent, Eryn Lidster, and Marilyn Robinson for the Armagh Sifton Price Adjucator’s Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement.
Also nominated from Peterborough Theatre Guild were Eryn Lidster for an Adjucator’s Award for Outstanding Contribution, Lindsay Unterlander (as Henrietta Leavitt) for the Leonard Beaulne Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Actress in a Major Role, and Silent Sky for the Leslie M. Frost Award for Outstanding Production.
“We talk about how it’s in the integration and the holistic idea of the presentation that’s important, so that no one aspect of it overwhelms everything else,” says Quarrie. “It’s not all about the projections (for example), it’s about the world that it represents and that they bring to mind. It was a good coming together and good rousing conversation, so to have the adjudicator of the festival see that and acknowledge it was really gratifying.”
As award-winning set designer David Geene adds, even before the awards ceremony, “we knew this was a strong show and didn’t need anybody to tell us that.”
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Silent Sky, one of the most widely produced plays in North America, tells the true story of 19th century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Working in the Harvard Observatory, Leavitt was not allowed near a telescope, yet that did not stop her from discovering how to measure the distance to stars in other galaxies — a breakthrough that provided a crucial tool for measuring vast cosmic distances, leading to the discovery of the expanding universe.
In the play, Leavitt finds herself attempting to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love.
“I was very impressed with the writing and this story is one about women who have never really received recognition for their work and particularly these scientists who worked at Harvard at the turn of the century,” says Quarrie. “They are so fundamental to how we see the cosmos today, so it was important to not only pay obeisance and respect to them for the work, but also to tell the story because it’s a rattling good yarn and a very interesting, dramatic story.”
The set for the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson, which ran from March 21 to April 5, 2025 at the Guild Hall in Peterborough’s East City, won a set design award for David Geene, as well as a best visual presentation award for Esther Vincent, the production’s lighting and projection designer. Actor Kevin O’Neill also won an award for his performance in the play. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
Ironically, during the run of Silent Sky, discoveries and all-new imagery from NASA’s James Webb Telescope were being published, which Geene says helped audiences connect with and understand Leavitt’s story.
“It’s the discoveries of Henrietta Leavitt that allowed people to measure those distances and understand that there was so much more beyond us,” he says. “I think for a lot of people that I spoke to there was that realization that the science we are now having unfold in front of us started 100 years ago with this woman.”
Beyond the scientific interest of the story, Geene identifies the “human stories” and relationships that interested audiences. From the Leavitt sisters having opposing dedications to science and religion, to the conflict of social and gendered expectations, Quarrie notes the play discusses “so many different topics that are very much at the surface at our thinking at the moment.”
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These dichotomies — science versus religion, male versus female roles, domestic versus professional life — were all at the surface of Geene’s inspiration as he designed the award-winning set.
With windows on either side of the stage to represent the opposing sides of the church and school, the repeated use of circles to represent the Earth, planets, and cosmos, and a disco ball-like light to display stars throughout the theatre, every detail of the set was intentionally thought out.
“Because I’ve been an actor a lot and know what an actor needs, it’s a combination of considering that and realizing that things have to happen according to the script, and then asking the director what they want to happen,” explains Geene. “I did a lot of research on other set designs for the same show because there are images all over and it is the most produced production in North America, so there are other ideas out there, and it’s about harvesting those.”
At the awards brunch for the Eastern Ontario Drama League’s 2024-25 Full-Length Festival, held in April 27, 2025 at The StoneHouse Hall in Peterborough, the Peterborough Theatre Guild won three awards and nine honourable mentions for its production of “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson, which ran from March 21 to April 5 at the Guild Hall in Peterborough’s East City. Esther Vincent won the Deep Rivers Players Award for Best Visual Presentation for her work on lighting and projection design and Kevin O’Neill won the Arnold Connerty Adjudicator’s Award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance as Peter Shaw. (Photos courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
Quarrie adds that, in addition to expertly crafting the set, Geene did so in enough time so the set could be using during rehearsals. This, she adds, made her job easier given that the play features eight different settings, with each scene feeding into the next without pause. It also allowed for innovation in Esther Vincent’s award-winning lighting and projections, displayed on hanging spheres behind the set, which represented the view from the telescope.
“Having worked through commercial theatre, professional theatre, and amateur theatre, this was the first time in my life that I had a set on day one of rehearsals, and that was thanks to David, who not only designed it but helped construct it,” Quarrie says. “We could experiment and explore almost choreographic work that had to happen because the play is so cinematic.”
This approach, Geene says, allowed them to make changes as they went through the production and catch issues ahead of time — like a squeaky deck that overpowered the actors’ voices.
“Usually if you don’t get (the set) until two weeks before the show, that’s what you get, but this was more iterative,” he says. “It’s a long process and it’s back and forth between the creative team and the requests of the actors, and then finding props and set pieces.”
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While Quarrie and Geene both acknowledge that it was an honour to have been acknowledged with the EODL awards, they agree the real reward comes in knowing their audience was entertained and enjoyed the story.
“For me, it’s putting on the best show that I can every night, and if it happens to be a festival entry and if it happens that the festival adjudicator is there for one of the nights, wonderful,” Quarrie says. “One of the ways I have of marking whether a production had an impact or not is if people go home talking about their lives as a consequence of having seen something that impacted them. That, to me, has value.”
“Going to the luncheon, the first benefit is meeting all these other theatre people from all over Eastern Ontario, and the second benefit is hearing the impressions of someone who saw all the shows,” adds Geene, noting he did not know the play was entered into the festival when he began designing the set.
All the award recipients at the awards brunch for the Eastern Ontario Drama League’s 2024-25 Full-Length Festival held on April 27, 2025 at The StoneHouse Hall in Peterborough. Award recipients for the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of of “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson were David Geene, Esther Vincent, and Kevin O’Neill. The production also received nine honourable mentions, including for director Bea Quarrie and Lindsay Unterlander in the lead role. (Photo: Grant Coward)
“It’s more about how we do the best job we can with the resources we have to make an impression on the audience, to attract actors, and to get people talking about it,” Geene says. “That’s what’s more important.”
Though he received the set design award and accepted it on behalf of the team, Geene assures that he will pass it around to different crew members during the year or display it in the Guild Hall to recognize there were a lot of individuals — from builders and painters to those who took down the set — who were essential to making the set and story come to life.
“It’s all collaborative,” he says. “What I envisioned in my head would be nothing unless they were there. This play had a lot going on and a lot of people did phenomenal work.”
This story has been updated with three additional honourable mentions the Peterborough Theatre Guild received during the EODL awards.
Having just finished performing in the extended run of Mirvish Productions' staging of "Come From Away" in Toronto, award-winning performer Lisa Horner will be leading a musical theatre masterclass on Sundays in June at Linda Kash's Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts. Open to adults and youth ages 12 and older of all skill levels, Horner will lead participants through learning to perform their favourite songs with a focus on finding confidence and having fun. (Publicity photo)
Who better to teach a masterclass in singing than someone who has just finished performing in the extended run of the award-winning global sensation Come From Away in Toronto?
Lisa Horner will be coming to Peterborough in June to lead a masterclass in musical theatre that will guide adults and youth aged 12 and up in singing their favourite songs while showing that theatre and song can be for everybody.
“I think performing, theatre, and entertainment of any kind is a really good connector where you can create a type of community that involves everyone,” Horner says. “In these classes, we really lean into it with laughter and fun and joy.”
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Running through Linda Kash’s Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts (PAPA) for $240, Horner’s masterclass will run in three-hour sessions on four Sundays throughout June. The location will be announced upon registration, which can be done by emailing Kash at lindakash11@gmail.com.
A Toronto-based performer, Horner has 35 years of stage and screen experience and has performed at theatres across the country, including multiple seasons with the Shaw Festival and the Stratford Festival.
Despite that, she is most recognizable to the general public as the woman who screams “Start the car!” in IKEA Canada’s 2004 “It’s Not a Mistake” commercial, which is recognized as one of the best Canadian ads of the 21st century and won Horner a Bessie award (IKEA resurrected the ad in 2024).
VIDEO: IKEA’s 2004 “Start the Car” commercial (2024 version)
After first connecting while performing in Delia and Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore in Toronto 15 years ago, Horner and Kash recently connected while both were filming recurring roles for season two of the Crave dark comedy SisterS and decided to team up to bring Horner’s expertise to PAPA.
During the masterclass, Horner will be inviting participants to bring a song they are most interested in performing. While it can be anything from a musical theatre number to Taylor Swift to Elvis Presley, Horner’s only recommendation is for the performer to bring a song that has elevated lyrics or tells a story, and is one they are passionate about.
“It’s really important that people sing something they like,” Horner says. “I want to start by taking a song right from the beginning and talking about why you like it, why you want to sing it, what about the words really touches you, and what about the music you like. Then I break it down as a monologue, because it really is a monologue to music.”
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From there, through group and one-on-one teaching, Horner will continue to break down elements of the song each week, with movements, activities, and games to help participants get to know each other and ultimately feel comfortable and confident on stage, and to create what Horner calls a “cheerleading section.”
“We’re in this together, so everybody gets up and sings,” she explains. “I’ll get up and sing and I’m going to make mistakes. I’m not going to sound the way I want to sound. But there’s nothing serious in this room.”
“You can achieve things without feeling the pressure. It can be a wonderful experience and really that’s all I want people to get out of it. It’s just three hours of feeling like they can express themselves and breathe easily and just have some fun.”
Lisa Horner and the cast of Mirvish Productions’ staging of “Come From Away” on opening night. The Toronto run began on September 22, 2024 and was extended twice until May 4, 2025 due to popular demand. (Photo: Wade Muir Photography)
Horner assures there is no professional experience required and the whole class offers “no pressure and no stress.”
“It’s about connecting to your inside when you’re feeling stressed about something that’s just not important in the larger scheme of things,” she says. “It’s about finding resilience through humour and laughter.”
Even though she has been on stages around the country and is even the first actor to have performed on all four Ed Mirvish Theatre stages, Horner maintains that directing and teaching, which she has been doing for 15 years, are her “favourite things in the world to do.”
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“I just get beautiful energy from working with people,” Horner says. “I just know that every time I’m in front of a classroom, I’m like a little kid again — full of energy — and really love and enjoy it. I just find it to be the happiest place to be.”
Horner is also available for one-hour private lessons on Saturdays throughout June for $75. To sign up for private lessons or for the masterclass, email Linda Kash at lindakash11@gmail.com.
By enrolling in the free Academic Upgrading program at Fleming College, students can develop the skills they need to enter post-secondary education or the job market. Largely delivered online, the courses can be flexible to a student's needs as they can start anytime, set their own deadlines, and work on their own schedules. Working with community resources, advisors in the Academic Upgrading program aim to reduce student barriers and encourage skill development. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
If you need to upgrade your skills to achieve your educational and career goals, Fleming College can help with its free Academic Upgrading program.
An Employment Ontario program funded in part by the provincial and federal governments, Academic Upgrading can help you refresh or acquire the essential skills you need for in-demand careers or help you move forward with your goals for entry into post-secondary programs, employment, or apprenticeship.
“This is a barrier-removing program that directly serves the community,” says Dr. Kate McIntosh, Vice President, Student Experience at Fleming College. “We exist to help students achieve their goals.”
Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading offices are located near each of Fleming College’s campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton, and Cobourg. To improve accessibility, some are located centrally in their respective communities rather than on campus. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
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Working in conjunction with other literacy and basic skills programs in the community including the Peterborough Native Learning Program, the Trent Valley Literacy Association, and the Adult Learning Network, Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program works to meet the needs of students in a flexible and accessible way.
“We believe that access to education should be as barrier-free as possible,” says McIntosh.
Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program offers courses in crucial subjects inclusive of math, computers, sciences, and communications. With a hybrid delivery model, learners can set their own pace, deadlines, and schedules, and start anytime. Learning modules include exercises or activities like presentations that mirror the classroom experience.
Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program offers courses in subjects crucial for the workplace and post-secondary education including math, computers, sciences, and communications. Students will work with a student advisor to develop a learning plan that meets their goals and needs. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
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“Through this delivery, we aim to meet all learners’ needs and are mindful of the competing priorities in their lives, which can have a profound impact on their availability to attend more traditional educational programming,” says McIntosh. “As such, our service model is responsive to that.”
There are faculty accessible online seven days a week to provide assistance and learning supports for students when needed. Students who prefer in-person guidance can drop in to the classroom sessions and get assistance from expert faculty members at rotating times throughout the week.
“All of the instructors are committed to supporting learners and excited about what they’re teaching, which helps students to feel comfortable reaching out for support,” McIntosh says.
Advisors in Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program will work with students to break down any barriers that may exist when it comes to enrolling in courses. To further break down those barriers, Fleming College can provide financial support if transportation and childcare expenses present a challenge for students. Laptops and other tools are also available for students to use on-site to support their learning. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
To improve accessibility, some of the Academic Upgrading offices are located centrally in their respective communities rather than on campus.
In Peterborough, the office is located in Peterborough Square (360 George Street North), while Haliburton’s is downtown above the SIRCH Bistro & Bakery (39 Maple Avenue). The Lindsay office is located at Fleming’s Frost Campus (200 Albert Street), while the Cobourg office is situated in the heart of the community (739 D’Arcy Street).
“It’s important for us to be centrally located to provide ease of access and a connection to other community supports,” says McIntosh.
Students who did not earn a high school diploma can catch up on their learning through the Academic and Career Entrance Courses offered through Fleming College. With a curriculum consistent across Ontario’s 24 public colleges, the courses can help a student develop the skills and knowledge necessary to write the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC), a high school equivalency exam. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
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Some of the course requirements include an in-person component, where students come into a classroom for an exam or evaluation in preparation for the post-secondary program structure.
“We incorporate experiential learning into our program to prepare learners for that next step, but we don’t want it to be a barrier,” says McIntosh, noting each of the Academic Upgrading locations is fully accessible. “We work in conjunction with our accessibility office at the college to ensure we are meeting the needs of all of our students.”
To further break down those barriers, Fleming College can provide financial support if transportation and childcare expenses present a challenge for students. Laptops and other tools are also available for students to use on-site to support their learning. Academic Upgrading staff are happy to meet with students to discuss these and other barriers to learning they may face and discuss solutions to help them reach their goals.
Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program also works in partnership with collaborators like Homeward Bound Peterborough, a four-year program that supports at-risk single mothers in reaching their learning goals.
With expert faculty advisors, Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program can develop tailored skills development courses for business owners who want their employees to develop a specialized skill. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
For students who did not receive their high school diploma but want the equivalent for post-secondary school admissions, Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) courses from Fleming College also offer flexible learning to meet such goals. Led by the College Sector Committee for Adult Upgrading, a not-for-profit support organization representing Academic Upgrading programs and staff in Ontario’s 24 public colleges, the ACE curriculum is consistent at all of the colleges.
For those seeking the equivalent of a secondary school diploma, students can take the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC), a high school equivalency exam that replaced the General Educational Development (GED) exam in 2024, and which Fleming College hosts in partnership with Humber College.
“The CAEC is for those who want the diploma or proof that they have a high school education,” says McIntosh, noting the CAEC is not required for college admissions.
Prospective students in Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program can begin their journey by booking an appointment with a student advisor, who will consider the student’s goals and learning experiences and complete a skills assessment that helps the advisor craft a learning plan based on the student’s needs. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
McIntosh adds that Academic Upgrading courses are also beneficial for employers who want to support their staff as they expand and develop skills in specific areas, such as computer or software training.
“If an employer has a certain need or they are looking for upskilling opportunities for their employees, we can tailor their learning,” says McIntosh. “In today’s market, employee retention can be challenging, so we’re thrilled to partner with employers to help demonstrate their commitment to and investment in their workforce through building these custom learning experiences.”
Prospective students can begin their Academic Upgrading journey by booking an appointment with a student advisor. They’ll consider the student’s goals and learning experiences and complete a skills assessment that helps the advisor craft a learning plan based on the student’s needs.
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Student advisors may also refer the student to other community organizations based on their individual needs and goals.
“If you’re interested in learning more, I encourage you to reach out to us,” McIntosh says. “We are ready to help you achieve your education and career goals, in a way that fits your life.”
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Fleming College. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Lucy Roda (right), owner and Roda's Kitchen in Cobourg, and her team recently baked and decorated hundreds of Easter cookies in support of Community Care Northumberland's Meals on Wheels program, raising $5,800. (Photo: Community Care Northumberland / Facebook)
The sale of cheerfully decorated Easter cookies have gone a long way towards putting more meals on the tables of residents in need in Northumberland County.
Community Care Northumberland (CCN) has announced its recent Easter cookie fundraiser, once again hosted in partnership with Roda’s Kitchen in Cobourg, generated $5,800 for CCN’s Meals on Wheels program.
Those funds directly translate into 828 meals for community members, CCN communications specialist Chelsea Rankin told kawarthaNOW.
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From March 10 to April 10, community members helped support CCN by purchasing hundreds of cookies that were handmade and by Roda’s Kitchen owner Lucy Roda and her team.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from our community, donors, volunteers, and especially Lucy and her team at Roda’s Kitchen,” said CCN CEO Trish Baird in a media release.
Meals on Wheels is a cornerstone program for CCN, providing affordable ready-to-eat meals to seniors living alone, adults with disabilities who are unable to shop for groceries or cook for themselves, and those recovering from illness or surgery who cannot cook for themselves.
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The money raised from the annual Easter cookie fundraiser will continue to support the program’s mission.
“We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and generosity of our community and to Lucy at Roda’s Kitchen for her ongoing partnership,” added Sheri Birney, manager of nutrition services at CCN.
“We also want to thank our staff and volunteers who continue to support this program. Their dedication is what makes this important work possible.”
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There are Meals on Wheels program options for residents of every community in Northumberland County. Clients can create an automatic meal delivery plan so they don’t have to remember to call in every order to their local CCN office.
“My mother has benefited from the Meals on Wheels program,” a family member of a client shared with CCN. “Each of the dedicated volunteers has very much added to her day. Each one is so cheerful and gives that little extra moment for a chat.”
CCN’s Meals on Wheels program offers both hot meal and frozen meal options. Program staff can accommodate several diet types and service options are flexible. Residents can receive Meals on Wheels on a short-term basis while recuperating from a surgery or illness, or they can access the program on a long-term basis so they can stay healthy by eating properly in their own home, CCN noted.
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“Due to today’s economy, more and more clients are in need of the Meals on Wheels program,” Birney recently told kawarthaNOW.
“We provide a well-balanced, nutritious meal to our clients in the community. Our volunteers who deliver the meals are very dedicated and provide a wellness check while delivering. We need the support of the community to be able to keep the meals at an affordable cost to the clients.”
To learn more about Community Care Northumberland’s Meals on Wheels program or to find out how you can get involved, visit commcare.ca/meals-on-wheels/.
Based in Selwyn Township in Peterborough County, Paluski Boats manufactures entirely Canadian-made canoes, kayaks, and paddles, as well as boating accessories, for the tourism industry both locally and across the country, including boat rentals for Alberta's iconic and internationally known Moraine Lake. The company exclusively works with Peterborough-based Merit Precision for the injection-moulded plastics needed for all parts of their products. (Photo courtesy of Paluski Boats)
There’s no better picture of summer in Canada than paddling on a picturesque lake. When that canoe or kayak comes from Paluski Boats, you can be assured that everything from its manufacturing to the ownership behind the company is supporting both the local and Canadian economy.
Based in Selwyn Township — one of eight townships in Peterborough County — Paluski Boats was founded in 1980 by Graham Wilkins, a former gold medallist with Canada’s National Rowing Team who spent a decade on both the Trent University and Peterborough rowing clubs. By 1984, fibreglass engineering expert and boat manufacturer Pat Smith had joined Wilkins in partnership at the company.
Today, Paluski Boats manufactures and sells durable canoes, kayaks, and paddles, as well as boating accessories, with all materials 100 per cent made in Canada. As a manufacturer that supplies recreational paddled watercraft and accessories for the tourism industry both locally and across the country, the company is anticipating a sharp increase in demand for its products this year as more Canadians decide to vacation at home instead of travelling to the U.S.
Increased sales of the company’s products will also be good news for the local economy, as Paluski Boats exclusively works with Peterborough-based Merit Precision for the injection-moulded plastics needed for all parts of their products. Sourcing close to home allows Paluski Boats to manufacture boats with the exact grade of plastic needed to offer a meaningful lifetime hull warranty.
The company also relies on two local businesses to keep its boat factory running. All the propane for their ovens and other machinery comes from Casey’s Propane in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, and the machinery is serviced by Battye Mechanical in Peterborough.
While Paluski Boats might be familiar to some as a supplier of boat rentals for Alberta’s iconic and internationally known Moraine Lake, the manufacturer is well known closer to home. Products can be found at rental outfitters Kawartha Adventures and Long Lake Lodge, both of which are in the Township of North Kawartha, as well as at retailers including the company’s factory store, Adventure Outfitters in Selwyn Township.
Founded by Graham Wilkins, a former gold medallist with Canada’s National Rowing Team, Paluski Boats began in 1980 by manufacturing recreational rowing shells. By 1984, with business partner Pat Smith, a fibreglass engineering expert, Paluski Boats had perfected a full line of recreational fibreglass rowing shells and expanded to include kayaks and canoes. Based in Selwyn Township in Peterborough County, the company supplies its high-quality products to the tourism industry both locally and nationally, as well as to the U.S. (Photo courtesy of Paluski Boats)
The company’s boats can also be rented at some of Ontario’s provincial parks — including locally at Bon Echo, Silent Lake, and Sharbot Lake — and through the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority at Beavermead Campground in Peterborough, Lakefield Campground, and Warsaw Caves Conservation Area.
Products from Paluski Boats can also be found at more than 20 other dealers across Ontario, many of which have already begun to increase orders or are choosing to exclusively stock Paluski Boats because the company’s products are entirely Canadian-made.
Though Wilkins helped establish the Kinsman Boat House at Trent University, coached local rowers at the high school and post-secondary level, and played a key role in establishing the Ontario Speed Skating Oval in Lakefield — which Paluski Boats continues to maintain — he suggests the most proactive way he supports the community today is through the company itself.
For 15 years, Paluski Boats has run a program through which local non-profits and organizations can get affordable boats to raise money for their causes. Organizations that have benefited from the program include the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame, Trent University Athletic Department, Kawartha Gymnastics, Lakefield Historical Society, and the Rotary Club of Peterborough, among others.
While some dealers of Paluski Boats are based in the U.S., which includes a large market for paddles from the rafting industry, Wilkins remains confident the company can weather the economic uncertainty from U.S. tariff threats — not only due to an increased demand for Canadian-made products and more Canadians vacationing at home this year, but because of the superior quality of the company’s products.
“There is not a U.S. supplier that sells exactly the same product that we provide,” Wilkins says. “Our advantage is a better quality product and quicker turnaround time.”
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
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