A grapple removes debris from the fire-devastated Kawartha Home Hardware building in downtown Lakefield on October 12, 2025 as a Priestly Demolition Inc. employee supervises from a boom truck. (Photo: Scott Norwood)
Demolition of the Kawartha Home Hardware building at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield began on Sunday (October 12), less than three days after a fire devastated the historic structure.
According to a media release from the Township of Selwyn issued on Sunday, the fire is believed to have begun in an upper-floor apartment unit on Thursday afternoon before spreading into the hardware store below. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
While all human occupants of the building got out safely, two pets reportedly perished in the fire.
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As the fire resulted in extensive structural damage and there are “urgent safety concerns,” the building is being immediately demolished.
Priestly Demolition Inc., which is conducting the demolition, brought equipment to the site by Friday evening. Applications for demolition permits were submitted to the Selwyn Township building department on Saturday and, due to the immediate need, were issued on the same day.
The demolition company has advised Selwyn Township that the work is being completed in a “controlled and strategic manner using equipment designed to minimize disruption,” with a grapple being used to grab debris and place it into bins.
VIDEO: Demolition of Kawartha Home Hardware (video by Allyson Rader)
“Vibration impacts are not expected, and dust will be minimal as the material remains saturated with water from firefighting activities,” states the media release. “The demolition is being directed by engineering professionals and supervised by Priestly staff from a boom truck stationed above the work site.”
The area has been fenced off to ensure public safety during demolition, and Queen Street from Albert Street to Reid Street and Burnham Street from Queen Street to Charlotte Street remain closed.
In addition to the Kawartha Home Hardware fire, there was a separate and unrelated fire earlier that day at Free Topping Pizza at 17 Queen Street. No injuries were reported, and the cause of that fire was related to a hood vent.
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“This has been an incredibly difficult few days for the community of Lakefield,” said Selwyn Township Mayor Sherry Senis. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these tragic events. We extend our deepest gratitude to the first responders, township staff, and community members who have shown such compassion and resilience during this challenging time.”
Community-based initiatives to support apartment residents displaced by the fire and affected business owners are being organized by Century 21 United Realty, Canoe & Paddle, The Nutty Bean Café, Village Pet Food Supply, The Loon Restaurant, and others.
Selwyn Township encourages residents who want to support the initiatives to contact the businesses directly.
Canadian tabla player Shawn Mativetsky will join the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra to perform on the Hindustani hand drums during Dinuk Wijeratne's "Concerto for Tabla and Orchestra" at the orchestra's 2025-26 season-opening "Bright Lights" concert on November 1, 2025. The Saturday night performance at Showplace Performance Centre will also feature works by Gioachino Rossini and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. (Photo: Caroline Tabah)
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is kicking off its 2025-26 season by featuring the tabla — a pair of hand drums central to Hindustani classical music — for the first time in its history during “Bright Lights” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 1 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Guest artist Shawn Mativetsky will perform on the tabla when the orchestra performs a concerto by Canadian composer Dinuk Wijeratne, with the PSO also performing classic works by the early 19th-century Italian composer Gioachino Rossini and the 18th-century German-Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
“To open a season, we want to have some familiar music and some unfamiliar music,” says PSO music director and conductor Michael Newnham. “It’s the texture that I think about when putting things together. It’s like putting together a meal: if you’re going to have fish as your main course, then you have to make sure the other things are going to fit with it.”
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The familiar music that will open the concert will take the shape of Rossini’s overture to The Barber of Seville, which Newnham says “95 per cent of people in the audience are going to automatically know.”
Labelled as “one of the funniest composers that existed” by Newnham, Rossini is known for his comic operas, with his most notable being 1815’s The Barber of Seville, based on a play by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais. However, like Mozart before him, Rossini usually composed overtures for operas at the last minute. He ran out of time before the premiere of The Barber of Seville, so he instead used the overture he had written in 1813 for his opera Aureliano in Palmira.
The music from the opera continues to be featured in contemporary pop culture, and many members of the audience may recognize the overture from the 1950 Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon short “Rabbit of Seville” featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, which has been voted number 12 of the 50 greatest cartoons of all time.
VIDEO: Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II: “Rabbit of Seville” Excerpt
Despite the overture being so well known and widely performed, the PSO has not performed the piece for as long as Newnham has been PSO music director, which dates back to 2001.
“You feel in Rossini’s music there’s the Italian light,” says Newnham. “You go to Italy and you get infused by this light. The sun looks different, the sky is super blue, and the buildings just reflect all of that. Rossini’s music reflects that in the same way — it’s welcoming and it’s got a huge smile to it. It’s funny, and he has great humour.”
Newnham adds Rossini was “very much under the spell of Mozart” which is why the piece pairs so well with the “Bright Lights” concert finale. Audiences will also recognize Mozart’s 1788 Symphony, no. 41 which was later labelled “Jupiter” — Mozart’s last symphony and the longest and most complex he ever composed.
“It’s Mozart at his absolute greatest, at his finest, but it has a great deal of grandeur about it, like the planet Jupiter would,” says Newnham. “I don’t know of any music that is more full of light and brilliance and classical beauty.”
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Though it’s unknown whether the work was performed during Mozart’s lifetime, the Jupiter symphony remains immortal like the Roman god after which it was nicknamed after his death by German violinist, composer, conductor and musical impresario Johann Peter Salomon.
“The piece itself is incredibly important in the history of music,” says Newnham.
Between the iconic compositions that will bookend the concert, the PSO will perform Concerto for Tabla and Orchestra, written in 2011 by Dinuk Wijeratne, a Juno award-winning conductor, composer, and pianist who was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in Dubai in UAE, studied in the UK and at Juilliard in New York City, and moved to Canada in 2005.
VIDEO: Suite from “The Life of Pi” featuring Michael Newnham and Shawn Mativetsky
Commissioned by the Symphony Nova Scotia, the concerto’s world premiere was recorded live by CBC in February 2012.
“When I heard it, I thought this is absolutely perfect because it centred in the classical way of writing music, which means that there are ideas of fugues and counterpoint like there is in the Mozart piece,” says Newnham. “There is clarity in the texture like there is in Mozart and Rossini, but there’s also this influence of strong Asian music from India and Sri Lanka. The tabla player has to go through a lot of different hoops and the orchestra keeps it grounded.”
Special guest artist Shawn Mativetsky has already performed the Wijeratne piece under the baton of the composer, but has also worked with Newnham to perform music from The Life of Pi with Orchestra Toronto in 2024. Based in Montréal, Mativetsky is considered one of Canada’s leading ambassadors of the tabla, a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent central to Hindustani classical music.
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Mativetsky has studied under the renowned Pandit Sharda Sahai, who is a direct descendent of the founder of the Benares style of tabla playing. Though he began playing drums when he was just seven years old, Mativetsky was captivated when he first heard tabla on a CD.
“I was immediately awed and amazed by the sound of the instrument, its unique tone, and intricate rhythms,” he said to PSO general manager Christie Goodwin in an interview featured in a recent PSO newsletter. “I just had to learn how to play this instrument. Learning tabla has completely changed the course of my life.”
Like perhaps much of PSO’s audience, Newnham’s own first experience with the tabla came from listening to songs from The Beatles, including “Love You To” and “Within You Without You.”
“George Harrison really loved the tabla and that particular culture and tried to integrate the tabla and the sitar into rock music, and then the tabla and sitar found its way into all kinds of other music,” Newnham says. “It’s something that’s just tons of fun, and that’s what I’ve been hearing from people that are looking at coming to the concert.”
VIDEO: “Concerto for Tabla and Orchestra’ by Dinuk Wijeratne featuring Sandeep Das on tabla
While the tabla might be new to the PSO repertoire, introducing audiences to new instruments is not, as evident from the 2022-23 season when the orchestra featured a Chinese erhu soloist.
“We’ve been trying to feature instruments, at least once a season, that are very unusual,” says Newnham. “We’ve been very aware that we want to make our concerts relevant to our audiences. Relevant in the sense that, when we’re playing music that comes from a hundred years ago in another country (from composers) like Mozart or Rossini, we want to feature something besides that that’s homegrown and from Canada.”
He adds that Canadian identity has been changing over the past few decades, and instruments like the Chinese erhu and the tabla are now ingrained in our culture.
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“I think the audiences enjoy this — we certainly enjoy it as musicians,” Newnham says. “We are trying to forge an identity for a Canadian orchestra that is different than an orchestra that might be in Austria or even Texas, because we are different.”
“That’s our goal and I think that’s what we have to be doing, and it’s what we should be doing. We have a responsibility to Canadian music, to Canadians, and to Peterborough to have programming that reflects us.”
The “Bright Lights” concert on November 1 will be preceded by a “Meet the Maestro” talk at 6:45 p.m., where Newnham takes to the Showplace stage for an intimate chat with the audience about the evening’s program.
Tickets are $36, $50, or $57, depending on the seat you choose, with student tickets costing $15 for all seats. Tickets are available at thepso.org/bright-lights.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s 2024-25 season.
Rose Wilton, founder and program manager of The Rose Quest, in October 2024 with a donation of personal hygiene products for Kinark Child and Family Services. As the next step of the personal care initiative she founded in 2014, which became a non-profit organization in 2020 and a registered charity in 2024, Wilton's organization is raising $200,000 to create Ontario's first community-focused hygiene centre for those in need. The organization expects to provide 25,000 essential hygiene items to more than 2,000 people annually. (Photo: The Rose Quest / Facebook)
By supplying soap, shampoo, and other hygiene products to those living in poverty, Rose Wilton is on a quest to continue making a difference for those in need in Northumberland County.
Wilton recently announced the launch of The Rose Quest Hygiene Centre in Port Hope. Considered the first facility of its kind in Ontario, the centre is dedicated to tackling hygiene poverty and restoring dignity for individuals and families across the county, a media release noted.
In 2014, Wilton founded The Rose Project as a personal project to collect new, unopened, and unused toiletry donations to provide to people living on the streets and in shelters. The volunteer-run organization was incorporated as a non-profit organization called The Rose Quest Personal Care Initiative in 2020 and became a registered charity in 2024.
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The Rose Quest Hygiene Centre will feature a centralized distribution warehouse, a community classroom, and expanded outreach programs. Once fully operational, The Rose Quest will provide more than 25,000 hygiene items annually to more than 2,000 people, reaching schools, shelters, food banks, and frontline agencies throughout the region.
“It is a long-time dream in the making,” Wilton told kawarthaNOW. “To see this come to fruition and know that we can assist more people means so much to me.”
“When I started this 11 years ago it was something small — to give back to the human race by giving soap, shampoo, period products, anything they needed, to people struggling with poverty — but in the last few years, the need has grown so much.”
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“The new hygiene centre means we can meet that need by more than doubling our distribution from 12,000 to over 25,000 essential hygiene products delivered across Northumberland County and beyond, helping kids, youth, families, (and) everyone in need to restore their dignity and mental health, so they can confidently attend school or go to work and find a better future,” Wilton said.
Hygiene poverty extends beyond access to soap or toothpaste, she added.
“It is a barrier to education, employment, and dignity. This centre is a bold step forward, ensuring no one has to choose between food and basic hygiene.”
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The project will unfold in phases. The first phase involves establishing a central warehouse space for receiving, sorting, and distributing hygiene products, expanding programs, and opening a community classroom, as well as launching new initiatives for seniors, Indigenous communities, and newcomers.
“After more than a decade of grassroots service, we are ready to scale our impact,” said The Rose Quest board chair Caleb Carisse in a statement. “The hygiene centre will allow us to serve more people, respond to community needs in real time, and create a lasting foundation for health and dignity.”
The Rose Quest has set a goal of raising $200,000 to fund facility costs, purchase hygiene products, staff programs, and provide outreach initiatives. The organization said while early commitments have already been secured, community members, businesses, and foundations are invited to join as founding supporters. Naming opportunities are available.
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When Wilton considers the best thing that could happen from opening the new centre, she said, “that we can branch out to even more communities to ensure that no one has to pick between food and basic hygiene.”
“I won’t have to say, ‘I’m sorry I can’t help,’ to anyone,” Wilton added.
For more information, to donate, and to subscribe for campaign updates, visit therosequest.ca.
As Thanksgiving is both a federal and provincial statutory holiday, all government offices and all liquor and beer stores are closed. Many municipal facilities and services are either closed or operating on reduced hours. Some grocery stores are open, except in Peterborough where all are closed. Most malls and big box stores are closed, while most drug stores are open.
For your convenience, we provide this list of holiday hours for 302 selected businesses, services, and organizations across the Kawarthas. This information comes from their websites and social media accounts, which may or may not be up to date, so please always call them first to confirm their hours (we’ve included phone numbers), especially where you see “call” or “call to confirm” (which means we couldn’t find or confirm holiday hours) or if you are travelling any distance.
If your business or organization is listed and the hours are incorrect, please let us know by using our content feedback form. We do not have the hours for restaurants in this list as there are far too many to include.
Bewdley Community Recycling Centre 7650 County Rd. 9, Hamilton 905-342-2514
CLOSED
Brighton Community Recycling Centre 1112 County Rd. 26, Brighton 613-475-1946
CLOSED
Canada Post Mail Delivery / Offices (Note: post offices operated by the private sector will be open according to the hours of service of the host business
No collection or delivery
City of Kawartha Lakes City Hall, Municipal Service Centres, and Administration Offices 26 Francis St., Lindsay 705-324-9411
CLOSED
City of Kawartha Lakes Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities, arenas, and pools Various locations, City of Kawartha Lakes 705-324-9411
CLOSED
City of Kawartha Lakes Public Library Branches Various locations, City of Kawartha Lakes 705-324-9411 x1291
CLOSED
City of Kawartha Lakes Waste and Recycling Collection 26 Francis St., Lindsay 1-888-822-2225
Mon Oct 13 collection moves to Tue Oct 14, Oct 14 to 15, 15 to 16, 16 to 17
City of Peterborough Day Cares Peterborough 705-748-8830
CLOSED
City of Peterborough Garbage Pickup Peterborough 705-745-1386
No change
City of Peterborough Green Bin Pickup Peterborough 705-745-1386
No change
City of Peterborough Recycling Pickup Peterborough 1-888-597-1541
No change
City of Peterborough Social Services (for emergency shelter services call 705-926-0096) Peterborough 705-748-8830
CLOSED
City of Peterborough Yard Waste Pickup Peterborough 705-742-7777
No change
Cobourg Public Library 200 Ontario St., Cobourg 905-372-9271
The building at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield on October 10, 2025, the day after a fire engulfed the upper level apartments as well as Kawartha Home Hardware on the main floor. (Photo courtesy of Selwyn Township)
The fire that destroyed Kawartha Home Hardware and several apartments at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield just before the Thanksgiving long weekend has been contained, although several road closures remain in effect.
According to a media release issued by Selwyn Township late Friday afternoon (October 10), Queen Street from Albert Street to Reid Street remains fully closed, as does Burnham Street from Queen Street to Charlotte Street. In addition, Queen Street from Regent Street to Reid Street and Charlotte Street from Reid Street to Burnham Street are open to local traffic only.
The township is asking residents and visitors to remain cautious when in the area as fire crews are still on the scene.
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“Businesses in Lakefield can open, except for Lakefield IDA which has experienced significant water and smoke damage,” the media release states. “Customers are encouraged to check business social media pages or call ahead to confirm available services. Please note that the only parking available in downtown Lakefield is in the municipal parking Lot located beside The Village Inn. Customers will need to walk to access open businesses.”
According to witness reports, the fire began on Thursday shortly after noon in the upper portion of the building, which contains several apartments, before spreading into the hardware store below. The cause was reportedly a kitchen fire in one of the apartments that got out of control, but this has not been confirmed by officials.
While everyone inside the building escaped safely, one witness reported that a long-time employee of Kawartha Home Hardware who lives in one of the apartments ran back into the building to save a pet. He suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital but has since been released. While a dog and cat were rescued, two other pets reportedly perished in the fire.
VIDEO: The aftermath of the fire at 24 Queen Street in Lakefield
From videos posted on social media, it appears that the entire building has been gutted by the fire.
In the media release, Selwyn Township expressed thanks to the first responders who contained the fire, including Selwyn Township firefighters and those from neighbouring municipal fire departments including the townships of Douro-Dummer, Cavan Monaghan, Otonabee-South Monaghan, the Municipality of Trent Lakes, and Peterborough Fire Services. The township also thanked the Peterborough Police Service, Peterborough County-City Paramedics, Enbridge, and Hydro One for their support on scene.
“On behalf of council and the entire community, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to the firefighters and emergency responders who worked tirelessly to contain this fire and keep our residents safe,” said Selwyn Mayor Sherry Senis in a statement. “The response from our local and neighbouring departments exemplifies the strength of collaboration and community spirit that defines Selwyn Township. Our hearts go out to the affected residents and business owners as we work together to support recovery in the days ahead.”
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Century 21 United Realty Ltd. in Lakefield is collecting donations for those who have been displaced by the fire and who have lost everything. Items needed include men’s L, XL, and XXL clothing and women’s L and XL clothing and size 10 shoes. Gift cards or cash donations are also welcome.
Items can be dropped off at the Century 21 office at 15 Queen Street in Lakefield until 7 p.m. on Friday or during the Thanksgiving long weekend, including Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Monday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you have donations but are unable to drop them off, you can call Century 21 at 705-313-4099 to arrange for a pick-up.
Smoke billows out of the historic building housing Kawartha Home Hardware at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield on October 9, 2025. (Photo: Mike Quigg)
In addition, Lakefield Animal Welfare Society has teamed up with Village Pet Food & Supply and Redfern Resort to provide support for families and their pets who have been displaced by the fire.
Free pet food and cat litter is available for displaced families and can be picked up during operating hours from Village Pet Food & Supply at 3305 Lakefield Road or from Lakefield Animal Welfare Society at 2887 Lakefield Road. Temporary boarding for dogs displaced by the fire is available through Redfern Resort at 2813 Lakefield Road by calling 705-760-2413.
“The township would also like to extend heartfelt appreciation to the many township staff across departments who supported first responders on scene, as well as to members of the Salvation Army, County City Peterborough Disaster Supports, local businesses, and residents who came together to provide food, refreshments, and encouragement to those working to contain the fire and those affected by the fire,” the release states. “Their generosity and community spirit are deeply valued.”
We are so saddened to share that the Kawartha Home Hardware was devastated by fire. Our thoughts and support are with…
Catherine McNeely accepts the "Bee a Hero" award from City of Kawartha Lakes councillor Pat Warren as the city's environmental advisory committee Deb Pearson (left) and Mayor Doug Elmslie look on during the committee of the whole meeting on October 7, 2025. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of City of Kawartha Lakes video)
From creating a bog garden to building a strawbale house, local citizens and businesses have been recognized by the City of Kawartha Lakes for their environmentally conscious efforts.
During a committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday (October 7), Kawartha Lakes councillor Pat Warren, along with the city’s environmental advisory committee chair Deb Pearson and Mayor Doug Elmslie, presented the “Bee a Hero” and Environmental Hero awards.
“This is always a special time of year to honour some of our environmental heroes,” councillor Warren said. “I know there are lots out there, but these are people who have been brought forward by their community as heroes.”
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First up was the Bee a Hero award, which recognizes residents who create pollinator-friendly gardens.
Winner Catherine McNeely bought a house in winter 2023 and saw an opportunity where the sump pump drains. She created a bog garden in 2024, planting keystone native species, which are pollinator friendly.
“It is an effective, positive environmental act which everyone can do to make a change from traditional gardening,” the slide in the slideshow presentation about McNeely noted.
Before-and-after photos of Catherine McNeely’s bog garden, where she planted pollinator friendly native species in the location of her yard where the sump pump drains. Her positive environmental act earned her the “Bee a Hero” award from the City of Kawartha Lakes during the committee of the whole meeting on October 7, 2025. (Photos: Catherine McNeely)
The environmental business hero award was bestowed to Zachary Steele of Kawartha Bird Control. Steele is involved in a variety of local environmental projects, centred around bird and wildlife conservation in City of Kawartha Lakes.
He is focused on falconry-based bird abatement, bird-window collision mitigation using feather-friendly window markers, and community conservation outreach.
Steele has been involved in more than 14 local projects and partnerships, including being a founding member of Bird Friendly Kawartha Lakes and the Fleming Bird Conservation Committee.
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Warren then presented the other environmental hero awards.
Diane and Glenn Hunt built a straw bale house on an angle to optimize solar radiation with “smart windows,” a fireplace with a warming oven, and solar panels. They also helped maintain the butterfly garden in the Rosedale Parkette and also managed and maintained garbage and recycling in the parkette.
Ashton Goble, LilyAnna Goble, Caprice Henwood, and Aiden Peel are young residents who “worked tirelessly” to clear trees and help out wherever needed after the spring ice storm.
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John Bush, grounds director of Port 32 Community in Bobcaygeon with a background in conservation management, has volunteered with Bobcaygeon Public School, Kawartha Settlers’ Village, Bobcaygeon Wilderness Park, Big Island, and Kawartha Land Trust’s Hammer Family Nature Preserve in Lakehurst, and also has encouraged others to volunteer.
Warren noted Bush is also co-president of Environmental Action Bobcaygeon and a proponent of active transportation.
Julia Taylor is a passionate environmentalist who has been instrumental in tree planting and runs a business called Country Cupboard that is focused on reducing, reusing, and recycling. At her business, she has implemented a discount program for customers who bring in a reusable jar for bulk food purchases.
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Kristie McCabe, interim director of planning and development services at Kawartha Conservation, has built a career in environmental protection and has worked for many environmental organizations. She is also a certified forest therapist who helps people reconnect with nature, and led clean-up efforts “with strength and resilience” after the ice storm damage at Ken Reid Conservation Area.
Bonita O’Neill has made significant contributions to the Lindsay Community Gardens, a showcase for environmentally responsible gardening hosted by Fleming College that include 88 individual plots as well as shared herb/pollinator gardens, an orchard of 15 trees, and a demonstration bed for native perennials.
As well as designing the garden layout, O’Neill tended the herb/pollinator garden, entry plantings, and other communal spaces, did weeding, kept the pathways topped with wood chips, and labelled plants for the convenience of gardeners and visitors.
After four years of curating collections of high-quality casual clothing for women in Apsley, DJC Casual Clothing will be shutting its doors for good after October 25, 2025. In thanks to the community, owner Nancy Wiskel is holding a store closing sale featuring savings on remaining styles. After the Apsley store closes, the collections featured at the store will be available at DJC Modern Apparel in Peterborough and also online. (Photo courtesy of DJC Modern Apparel)
After four years of providing women a cozy place to find curated and chic collections of high-quality clothing for cottage life, DJC Casual Clothing owner Nancy Wiskel is bidding a “bittersweet farewell” to her Apsley store this fall.
The final day to shop in person at DJC Casual Clothing at 126 Burleigh Street will be Saturday, October 25.
“We’ve loved every minute of being part of the Apsley community, from the friendly faces who stopped in each summer to the community events we were fortunate to have been a part of,” says Wiskel. “We’ve built so many wonderful friendships here and we are deeply grateful for the warmth and support shown to our store over these past four years.”
Wiskel opened the North Kawartha boutique in 2022 as a sister store to Peterborough’s DJC Modern Apparel (formerly “Dan Joyce Clothing”), which has been providing built-to-last and stylish apparel for women for more than 45 years. While the Peterborough location focused on stylish work and city wear for the modern woman, the Apsley store sported fashions that emphasize effortless and casual comforts that don’t sacrifice style.
DJC Casual Clothing offered a welcoming small-town atmosphere frequented by cottage-goers making a stop on their way north for the weekend and year-round residents who enjoy their rural lifestyle. The boutique built a reputation not only for its high-quality clothing but its convenient location, personable service, and vibrant community spirit reflected in events like the annual Holiday Hop.
Nancy Wiskel opened DJC Casual Clothing in Apsley in 2022 as a sister boutique to DJC Modern Apparel in Peterborough, offering casual, cottage-chic styles for the modern woman. Frequented both by cottage-goers and year-round residents, the boutique became known for its high-quality clothing, friendly service, and community spirit. After the Apsley store closes on October 25, 2025, the collections featured at the store will be available at DJC Modern Apparel in Peterborough and also online, and Wiskel is planning future pop-ups and special events. (Photo courtesy of DJC Modern Apparel)
According to Wiskel, that inviting atmosphere was fostered by the store’s two dedicated team members, Brenda and Viveca, who were both vital to the store’s success and who customers came to know and love.
“They were truly the heart of our Apsley location,” says Wiskel. “Their warmth, care, and connection with our customers helped make this store such a special place.”
To thank area residents for supporting DJC Casual Clothing over the past four years, Wiskel will be holding a store closing sale until October 25, featuring extra savings on all remaining styles. However, although the Apsley location is closing, the collections featured at the store will be available at the Peterborough location and also online.
While the closet is being cleared out in Apsley, it’s not goodbye forever. Operating just one storefront will allow Wiskel to introduce more fun initiatives and opportunities — and you never know where DJC Modern Apparel might host a pop-up.
“It’s been a joy to be part of Apsley’s small-town charm,” Wiskel says. “We’ll miss our summers here dearly, but we’re so grateful for the support, friendship, and memories this community has given us.”
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.
Smoke billows out of the historic building housing Kawartha Home Hardware at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield on October 9, 2025. (Photo: Mike Quigg)
A devastating fire broke out in downtown Lakefield on Thursday (October 9), engulfing the building housing Kawartha Home Hardware at 24 Queen Street.
As of 5:30 p.m., nearby residents reported the building — which has apartments on the upper levels — has been “mostly gutted” and has suffered extensive water damage.
Emergency crews remain on the scene Thursday afternoon as heavy smoke continues to pour from the historic structure, which sits at the heart of the village’s main commercial block.
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According to witness reports, the fire began in the upper portion of the building before spreading into the hardware store below.
“The danger is, of course, because it’s such an old building,” said one local resident. “It’s progressed down into the Home Hardware itself, which would be absolutely devastating for the community.”
Flames were seen engulfing the structure shortly after noon. Thick dark smoke blanketed much of the downtown, with residents as far away as nearby streets reporting that they had to close their windows due to air quality.
Firefighters battle a blaze at the historic building housing Kawartha Home Hardware at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield on October 9, 2025. (Photo: Mike Quigg)
According to witness reports, everyone inside the building was able to get out safely — including a dog and a cat.
Selwyn Township firefighters are leading suppression efforts, with support from fire crews from the townships of Douro-Dummer, Cavan Monaghan, and Otonabee-South Monaghan, the Municipality of Trent Lakes, and Peterborough Fire Services.
Police have closed all access to downtown Lakefield, and residents are being urged to stay clear of the area. Those who parked vehicles downtown will not be able to retrieve them until emergency crews reopen the area.
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Artist Emerance Baker, who owns the fine craft gallery Divine Craft at 15 Burnham Street with artist Christy Haldane, posted on Facebook about the fire.
“Christy and I are so deeply saddened about the fire that destroyed the Home Hardware building right across our gallery today,” Baker writes. “We saw our neighbours and friends lose their homes, business and jobs in this devastating fire today.”
“Our gallery suffered smoke damage and the power is turned off to our block for the near future. But it’s all so insignificant compared to the absolute destruction of our neighbouring business. I still can’t truly believe it. We had to leave knowing we have zero control over what’s going to happen next. We don’t know when we’ll be able to open again.”
Firefighters battle a blaze at the historic building housing Kawartha Home Hardware at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield on October 9, 2025. (Photos: Mike Quigg)
Kawartha Home Hardware is a longstanding local business and a cornerstone of Lakefield’s downtown. The timing of the fire — just before the Thanksgiving weekend — has left many residents shocked and saddened.
“This is really tragic for Lakefield,” one community member shared. “It’s one of those places everyone goes to — for supplies, advice, a chat. It’s hard to imagine downtown without it.”
Peterborough resident Neil Morton, whose father-in-law co-owns Kawartha Home Hardware, posted on Facebook that the store is the “epicenter” of Lakefield.
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“I have gotten to know the employees there over the years and they are great humans who care deeply about community and each other and customers,” Morton writes. “People go to that Home Hardware and others like it in small towns because of the exceptional customer service and smalltown stories (sunshine sketches) they get there. It’s an experience. If you know, you know.”
“A lot of tenants were displaced in the apartments above and the amazing (Home Hardware) employees, led by their manager/community guy/volunteer firefighter Garnet (Hinds), are in shock and wondering what’s next.”
“I hugged Garnet (standing there for hours on Main Street with his team) and first thing he says to me is deflecting to the care and empathy he has for his employees. That store is everything to him. It’s everything to that town, and the locals and cottagers who use it. It’s the lifeblood.”
Firefighters battle a blaze at the historic building housing Kawartha Home Hardware at 24 Queen Street in downtown Lakefield on October 9, 2025. (Photos: Mike Quigg)
On Thursday night, Selwyn Township issued a media release indicating that Queen Street from Albert Street to Reid Street is closed to all traffic. Water Street from Bridge Street to Concession Street is also closed to allow fire crews to draw water from the Otonabee River to right the fire.
“The Office of the Fire Marshall has been called, and it is expected that Queen Street may remain closed for several days,” reads the media release. “Until there is further information about the structural integrity of the building, there may be impacts to local businesses.”
Those businesses include the Lakefield IDA Pharmacy, which is attached to the north side of the building.
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Selwyn Township has advised residents that, due to the excessive amount of water being used to fight the fire, Lakefield residents may notice water discoloration and they should run their cold water for 15 to 20 minutes until the water runs clear.
As of Thursday night, firefighters remained on site, working to contain the blaze and prevent further spread to neighbouring buildings.
The full extent of the damage and the cause of the fire are not yet known.
This is a developing story and is being updated as more information becomes available.
Local musicians will perform a tribute to Toronto country-rock icons The Sadies on Friday night when Jethro's Bar + Stage in downtown Peterborough hosts the 3rd Annual Ptbo Salutes: The Sadies, with proceeds donated to charity in memory of founding member Dallas Good (front), who died from coronary illness in 2022 at the age of 48. (Photo: Ron Johnson)
Every Thursday, kawarthaNOW publishes live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that musicians provide directly or that venues post on their websites or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, October 9 to Wednesday, October 15.
If you’re a musician or venue owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
A scene from the 2019 documentary "Town of Widows" by Natasha Luckhardt and Rob Viscardis about the fight for justice by former General Electric workers and their widows in Peterborough who believe illnesses and cancer deaths in their community are linked to toxic exposure from the GE plant. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
Peterborough city council’s recent decision to allow the partial demolition of the General Electric complex contravenes the Ontario Heritage Act, according to city councillor Joy Lachica.
Lachica is also expressing concerns that the notice of demolition was only brought to council’s attention almost a month after the city received it, and that framing the demolition plan as a heritage assessment does not consider environmental and public health impacts given the use and storage of hazardous chemicals at the complex over the past 130 years.
Meeting as general committee on Monday night (October 6), council considered a staff report that recommended hiring a consultant to conduct a peer review of a 154-page heritage impact assessment (HIA) report prepared by ERA Architects Inc. on behalf of GEPR Energy Canada Inc., a subsidiary of GE Vernova — an energy equipment manufacturing and services company that was formed from the merger and subsequent spin-off of General Electric’s energy businesses in 2024.
The General Electric factory complex began operations in 1891 as the Canadian Works of the Thomas Edison Company and later continued under General Electric. The site includes a complex of 33 buildings built between 1891 and 1981 and used for industrial manufacturing and ancillary purposes.
The entire complex is listed on the city’s heritage register under the Ontario Heritage Act, although it has not been designated.
GE Vernova is proposing demolishing and removing 25 buildings in the complex’s centre block that haven’t been used since 2018, which represent around 84,500 square metres (910,000 square feet) of the 104,000 square metre (1.1 million square feet) site.
GE Vernova has maintained office space for 60 employees in the site’s east block and leases several buildings in the west block to BWXT, which was originally part of GE Vernova’s nuclear energy division but has since became an independent company, and the HIA report recommends retaining eight buildings that are currently in use or have heritage value.
After a discussion on Monday night that lasted almost two hours, with much of the discussion about the environmental impact of the proposed demolition, council ultimately decided against the staff recommendation to hire a consultant to conduct a peer review of the HIA report, and then for staff to consult with the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) when the peer review report is completed, and report back to council on the whether the property should be designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Instead, council decided to accept the recommendations made in the HIA report for which buildings should receive heritage designation and allow demolition to proceed, and to take that decision to PACAC for review.
Responding to councillors who expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the demolition, city staff said the demolition would fall under the purview of the Ontario government and that the municipality has no authority to require any kind of environmental assessment prior to demolition since no change in land use was being requested.
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On Wednesday (October 8), Lachica told kawarthaNOW she attended a PACAC meeting the previous night as an observer — councillors are no longer allowed to officially participate in citizen committees — and PACAC “expressed their indignation about what happened on Monday night.”
kawarthaNOW has obtained a copy of a letter dated October 6 sent by PACAC chair Stewart Hamilton to council in which he outlined the requirement under the Ontario Heritage Act that council consult with its municipal heritage committee prior to making a decision to remove a property from the heritage register — which council effectively did by voting to allow the partial demolition to proceed.
“As committee chair, I’m requesting the entire matter regarding the GE Properties be sent by City Council to PACAC for a review,” Hamilton wrote.
According to Lachica, council can’t make a decision to delist a property from the heritage register prior to consulting with PACAC, calling it a “breach” of the Ontario Heritage Act.
“Apparently, according to city staff at the PACAC meeting last night (Tuesday), it was the direction of legal counsel at the City of Peterborough that it come to council first,” Lachica said.
“Council didn’t have any of this information about the plans of GE. For 30 days, only the mayor knew (about the notice of demolition) and the mayor did not share any of that with the rest of council. We laid eyes on it when the agenda came out for that Monday meeting.”
According to the meeting agenda, GEPR Energy Canada Inc. gave the city a 60-day notice of its intent to demolish part of the GE complex on September 8 — 29 days before the item was brought forward to council.
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Lachica told kawarthaNOW that the city’s commissioner of infrastructure, planning, and growth management Blair Nelson said the notice was being reviewed by the city’s building department during that time, “but it’s not the building department’s jurisdiction to look at that package — it’s for council to have 60 days to assess the situation.”
Under the Ontario Heritage Act, property owners must give municipal council a minimum of 60 days’ written notice before demolishing or removing a building on a property listed on the heritage register. This interim protection allows the council to consider if the property should be designated as a heritage property and prevents a demolition permit from being issued until the notice period is complete.
“The mayor did not convene with council in any way,” Lachica said. “We had a whole cycle of council pass, none of this was on the agenda, and the clock’s been ticking all that time.”
“For something of a national heritage significance and a local significance in terms of the legacy of the workers … that’s to me tragic, because we need to make a very significant decision about the future of that property, and this is our window to have GE be responsible and accountable for 130 years of things. That’s part of the heritage legacy as well as the workers’ legacy. The fact that the mayor kept this to himself is not appropriate in my mind.”
Lachica said that council’s decision has come to the attention of the labour movement, including the Ontario Federation of Labour, which is planning to take action.
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On Thursday (October 9), Lachica issued a media release that reflected some of her earlier comments to kawarthaNOW.
“The details of this plan were concealed by the mayor,” the release states. “There was no public consultation, and because of this vote, there may be no accountability for GE — after the company contaminated that land, polluted our community, and allowed their workers to be poisoned on the job.”
“Demolition will release unknown levels of contamination into the surrounding neighbourhoods, lets GE paper over the harm it caused injured workers, and paves the way for taxpayers to absorb the risk and cost of a massive, un-remediated brownfield.”
“This whole process has been a violation of public trust — putting the wellbeing and history of our community in the hands of a $230 billion corporation, and a provincial government who’s shown they’re either unwilling, or unable to hold companies like these accountable.”
“Residents have a right to know when a project across the street might threaten their health. Councillors have a right to know the details of time sensitive plans that will affect their constituents. And the community has a right to real consultation – before decisions are made, not after.”
VIDEO: “Town of Widows” trailer
“Council now has less than 30 days to stop the demolition going forward, by applying a heritage designation to the property. We are calling on the Mayor and those who supported GE’s plan to do the following:
1. Change their votes at the next Council meeting on Tuesday, October 14th.
2. Advocate for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment.
3. Support an objective, independent heritage assessment of the whole GE property.
4. Work with us and the community to develop a real plan for cleaning up the property.”
The release also quotes Sue James, a former GE employee and injured workers activist.
“We’ve buried so many of our friends and co-workers, now this decision is threatening to bury our history,” James said.
Decisions made at general committee will be considered for approval at the next regular council meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday after the Thanksgiving long weekend.
To speak as a registered delegation at the meeting, people must register no later than 11 a.m. on the day of the meeting. To register, complete the online application at www.peterborough.ca/delegations, or call 705-742-7777 ext. 1820.
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Mayor Leal issued a statement on Friday (October 10) in response to Lachica’s media release, saying “The accusation that I have concealed anything to members of council is false and defamatory. To claim that I have concealed anything is ludicrous and patently, provably false.”
In his statement, he says he learned on September 5 that GE Vernova would be making an announcement the following week and “immediately notified all members of council.”
Leal states that, on September 8, GE Vernova announced their demolition plans by launching a website and mailing 4,500 letters to the neighbourhood on the same day.
He adds that he met with GE Vernova representatives at their request the following day, and spoke to the Peterborough Examiner about the meeting in an article published on September 15.
However, in his statement, the mayor does not address Lachica’s accusation that he was aware of the notice of demolition the city received from GE Vernova — on the same day the company announced their demolition plans and the day before the mayor met with company representatives — and chose not to bring it to council’s attention until the general committee meeting on October 6.
In a response to Leal’s statement, Lachica told kawarthaNOW that she has made it clear she became aware of the demolition plan by reading a copy of the neighborhood notice in tandem with a story in the Peterborough Examiner, and that her accusations about the mayor refer to subsequent events.
“The mayor did not communicate to council details of his meeting with GE, nor did he facilitate a provision of documents of intention or the ERA Heritage Impact Assessment,” she said.
This story has been updated to include details about Mayor Leal’s statement in response to councillor Lachica’s accusations, and Lachica’s response to the mayor’s statement.
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