The new Peterborough Community Health Centre will operate at a temporary location at Peterborough Square, in the vacant space formerly occupied by TD Canada Trust on George Street just south of Simcoe Street, for 12 months while it seeks a permanent location. The centre aims to open its doors to clients as early as fall 2024. (Photo: Peterborough Square / Facebook)
The new Peterborough Community Health Centre (PCHC) is opening a temporary location at Peterborough Square and will be accommodating patients “as soon as possible” — which could be by this fall.
The PCHC has announced it will operate the new health care clinic at 360 George Street in downtown Peterborough, in the former space held by TD Canada Trust just south of Simcoe Street, for the first 12 months.
“We are very excited about the potential impact of the (PCHC) in its first year at Peterborough Square,” David Jeffery, interim co-executive director of the PCHC, told kawarthaNOW.
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“Our main objective is to establish a solid foundation for providing high-quality, accessible health care to the community,” Jeffrey said about the next 12 months. “Integrating successfully into the community and forming strong partnerships with local organizations are key priorities for us.”
“We aim to offer not only medical care but also mental health support, traditional healing, and community wellness programs. By doing so, we hope to foster a welcoming environment where every individual feels seen, heard, and cared for.”
Jeffrey said the priority right out of the gate is the hiring of a dedicated team of health care professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, traditional healers, and allied health professionals.
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“Our goal is to start seeing clients as early as this fall, and to demonstrate the positive support that integrated, interprofessional care can make in people’s lives,” Jeffery said. “Laying a solid foundation for the PCHC that will sustain its mission for years to come is ultimately our goal during this initial year.”
This development follows the provincial government’s announcement in February 2024 of about $4.8 million in annual funding for the PCHC. The PCHC will provide comprehensive primary care and allied health services.
Opening the clinic promptly to meet the needs of the community is a top priority, noted Jonathan Bennett, PCHC board chair, in a media release.
“We aim to open our doors as quickly as possible,” Bennett said. “Peterborough Square was chosen because it can be quickly converted into suitable clinic space, allowing us to see clients sooner.”
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With its slated fall opening, the PCHC aims to bring up to 30 new health care jobs to the area. This includes physicians, nurse practitioners, traditional healers, and dedicated allied health professionals such as a dietitian, a physiotherapist, mental health counsellors, and Indigenous knowledge keepers — “all collaborating to provide interprofessional team-based care under one roof.”
The PCHC will also offer community programs at no cost that support the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of residents, the release noted.
The organization is seeking an interim location for the health care clinic following the 12-month lease at Peterborough Square.
“We’re going to take our time to make sure we pick an interim space that’s really going to meet our needs for growth and scale over several years ahead,” Bennett said.
Plans for a permanent location for PCHC are still in the early stages.
Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar during a rehearsal of the Capitol Theatre's production of Mark Crawford's comedy "Bed & Breakfast," which runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30, 2024 at the historic venue in Port Hope. As well as playing the primary roles of the Brett and Drew, a gay couple who open a bed and breakfast in small-town Canada, the two actors portray all the play's other characters in the production directed by the Capitol's artistic director Rob Kempson. (Photo: Sam Moffatt
When queer playwright Mark Crawford’s Bed & Breakfast premiered in 2015 at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque, the theatre’s then associate artistic director promised himself that if the opportunity to direct the comedy ever arose, he’d jump on it.
To the great benefit of Capitol Theatre audiences, Rob Kempson wasn’t at all careful about what he wished for. Crawford’s play about a gay couple who open a bed and breakfast in a small town runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30 at the Port Hope performing arts space and Kempson — now the Capitol’s artistic director — is indeed in the director’s chair.
“I couldn’t believe, as a queer person, that I was allowed to see a play about me in my community,” recalls Kempson of his feelings at that time. “To see not only my childhood friends’ parents coming out (to see the play) and having a really authentic and connected experience, but also to see what I had understood to be a relatively invisible queer community coming out.”
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“A lot of things are different now about the world, not the least of which is a lot of these small towns are a lot queerer than they were 10 years ago, and certainly a lot more outwardly queer,” Kempson adds.
It’s no coincidence that the 19 performances of Bed & Breakfast run during Pride Month.
“By programming work like this, we’re actively inviting a population to come to the Capitol, and to theatre in general, who perhaps haven’t felt welcome in the past,” Kempson points out. “That active invitation is a really big piece of what I find inspiring about the play.”
Actors Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar listen to feedback from director Rob Kempson during a rehearsal of the Capitol Theatre’s production of Mark Crawford’s comedy “Bed & Breakfast,” which runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30, 2024 at the historic venue in Port Hope. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
Bed & Breakfast, which broke box office records in Gananoque when it premiered at the playhouse’s Firehall Theatre, brings us Brett and Drew, portrayed in the Capitol production by Amir Haidar — the lead in last year’s Little Shop of Horrors — and Shaw Festival regular Kyle Golemba.
Wanting to move out of their Toronto condo into a house, the couple is in the midst of a frustrating house bidding war when Brett’s aunt dies and he unexpectedly inherits her historic home in a quiet tourist town. They decide to make the move and start up a bed and breakfast, but face friction in their new community — discovering the simple life is more complicated than they thought.
Over the course of one year, through the real estate rat race, renovation hell, a farcical opening weekend at their B&B, and encounters with small-town prejudice, Brett and Drew are faced with a big decision: hang in or call it a day.
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Combined, Haidar and Golemba portray the play’s 22 characters — male and female, young and old. The very funny and moving result is billed as a heartfelt comedy about ‘being out’ in small-town Canada, skeletons in the closet, and finding a place to call home.
Playwright in Person with Mark Crawford
At 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 16th, Capitol Theatre artistic director Rob Kempson is hosting a conversation with playwright Mark Crawford about writing Bed & Breakfast, the play’s journey since its 2015 debut, his upbringing, and bringing the play to the Capitol Theatre. Admission is $5 (free for subscribers).
“Ultimately, it’s not a hugely complicated premise,” assesses Crawford (Stag & Doe, The Birds & the Bees, The New Canadian Curling Club) of his play’s storyline.
“The idea came from wanting to write a play that appealed to audiences in places like Port Hope. It has been done in lots of different places, including big cities, but I really wrote it thinking about an audience in a place like where the play takes place — a touristy town, a couple of hours from Toronto, on the water where they could potentially inherit a great big fancy wrap-around porch red brick house. It could very well be Port Hope.”
Canadian actor and playwright Mark Crawford’s plays include “Stag and Doe”, “Bed & Breakfast”, “The Birds and the Bees”, “Boys, Girls, and Other Mythological Creatures”, and “The New Canadian Curling Club”. He grew up on his family’s farm near Glencoe in Ontario, studied theatre at University of Toronto and Sheridan College, and now lives in Stratford. (Photo via Blyth Festival Theatre website)
“I wanted to start with a premise that was pretty accessible and had lots of room for comedy, but also put a gay couple — their relationship and their challenges and their search for a home together — at the centre of the story,” Crawford explains. “I felt, for a lot of theatres, it was a play they hadn’t seen before. I also felt in 2015 when it premiered, and still feel to this day, that audiences are totally ready for that and will embrace the play with open arms, which is really great.”
Both Kempson and Crawford say for Bed & Breakfast to work, it requires two especially talented and nimble actors to portray the multiple roles the script calls for. Enter Haidar and Golemba.
“We’re talking about two folks who came in with really big ideas for absolutely every character they have to play; who came in with all sorts of creative offers and suggestions,” says Kempson.
“The rehearsal room is very much an exchange of ideas and people bringing different things to the basic premise. When I direct anything, my approach is I put together a skeleton, so if I get hit by a bus someone else could put the people in the places on the set in a way I made the set to do. My hope is that everyone has better ideas than I do on how to use that set, and then we change things as we go.”
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“I’ve done a number of multi-character plays where a single actor or a small group of actors play multiple characters,” Kempson says. “It doesn’t feel like you’re directing two people. It feels like you’re directing 20 people, because in many ways you are. We’re thinking about where those people are physically on the set so the other actor knows where they should be looking or turn back to. There isn’t a science to any of that.”
“By hiring these two performers and making sure that their chemistry is right, and their willingness to play is right, my job really becomes more of a facilitator — creating a space where they feel safe to try new things and make mistakes and take big risks and try big choices and make silly faces and all the rest of it.”
Crawford, who has himself performed in the play alongside his partner Paul Dunn (also an actor and playwright), says his script calls for “thoroughbreds” of the calibre of Haidar and Golemba.
“With so many different characters, you have to differentiate them vocally and physically to make the storytelling clear. You meet people and they have wild ways that they speak or wild ways that they move their bodies or behave. What’s fun is you get to shine a light on how weird and wonderful people are.”
An actor as well as a playwright, Mark Crawford (left) appeared with his partner Paul Dunn (right) in a 2017 production of “Bed & Breakfast” at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre. (Photo: Andrée Lanthier)
Speaking to audiences’ acceptance of Brett and Drew’s relationship, Crawford acknowledges there are theatres that continue to pass on staging Bed & Breakfast.
“My agent and I have said ‘We think this would be a good fit for your theatre’ but they continue to not want to do it. When it’s a two-hander (a play with just two actors), it’s not the money. They can’t tell you that. It does have a pedigree, so it’s not because it’s not a proven success.”
“It’s the content (that’s an issue) for certain theatres, and potentially for certain audiences, although I don’t really buy that because I think audiences live in the world. They have different levels of comfort or understanding. Within any audience, if there are 200 people, there are going to be 200 different experiences related to the content, no matter what the play is.”
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To that notion, Kempson notes “Good theatre challenges its audience.”
“It’s about taking a stand and being an organization that wants to live true to its values. If this (the Capitol) is an organization that says it values equity, diversity, and inclusion, if this is an organization that says it values artistic excellence, if this is an organization that values community engagement — all of which are key directions in our strategic plan — then work like this isn’t even remotely provocative. Why? Because it does all those things beautifully.”
Bed & Breakfast will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on June 14 (preview night) and 15 (opening night), June 21 and 22, and June 27 to 29, and at 2 p.m. on June 16 to 20, June 22 and 23, June 25 to 27, and June 29 and 30. As well as the behind-the-scenes discussion between Crawford and Kempson on June 16, there will be a post-show talk with the cast after the June 20 and 27 performances.
Kyle Golemba and Amir Haidar during a rehearsal of the Capitol Theatre’s production of Mark Crawford’s comedy “Bed & Breakfast,” which runs for 19 performances from June 14 to 30, 2024 at the historic venue in Port Hope. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
Tickets are $48 or $40 for those under 30 (pay what you can for preview night on June 14) and are available at the Capitol Theatre’s box office in person at 20 Queen Street (open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday), by phone at 905-885-1071, or online at capitoltheatre.com, where you can also order tickets for the behind-the-scenes discussion between Crawford and Kempson on June 16.
The presenting sponsor of Bed & Breakfast is Atelier on john in Port Hope.
Meanwhile, in a first for the Capitol Theatre, its production of Bed & Breakfast will head to Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange this fall, being staged September 24 to October 6 as part of the theatre’s 2024-25 season.
Sichuan takins Yao Ming and Pugsly at Peterborough's Riverview Park and Zoo in 2019. Yao Ming passed away at the age of nine after suffering health issues over the past few months. (Photo: Riverview Park and Zoo)
Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo has announced the passing of Yao Ming, a male Sichuan takin.
“He had been experiencing a decline in his overall health and body condition over the last few months,” reads a media release from the Riverview Park and Zoo on Friday (June 7). “Extensive diagnostics, research, and testing had been done by our animal health team to help determine the cause and treatment.”
Despite these efforts, Yao Ming died suddenly overnight at the age of nine. To determine the cause of death, the zoo has sent his remains to the Guelph University Animal Health Laboratory in Kempsville.
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Native to Tibet and some provinces in China, Sichuan takins live in the same dense bamboo forests as giant panda. Although they are considered a national treasure of China along with the giant panda and have the highest legal protection, they are threatened by ongoing poaching and habitat destruction.
The Sichuan takins at the Riverview Park and Zoo are part of a species survival plan that ensure that healthy numbers of certain species of animals live in captivity to prevent their extinction.
Often referred to as a goat-antelope species, Sichuan takins are golden in colour and appear to have the horns of a wildebeest, the nose of a moose, and the body of a bison. They normally live between 16 to 18 years in the wild, and up to 20 years in captivity.
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“We would like to especially thank our consulting veterinarian Dr. John Sallaway and his team of health experts and specialist who offered their knowledge and support in the diagnosis and treatment of the beloved takin,” the zoo states.
“As well, we extend our gratitude and condolences to the caring zookeepers who had given extra attention to Yao Ming’s special needs and health over his lifetime at Riverview Park and Zoo.”
“His loss will be significantly felt in the community, and he will be sorely missed by his (Riverview Park and Zoo) team.”
Dylan Radcliffe accepts a Shifting Gears workplace award on behalf of Engage Engineering from Peterborough GreenUP's Ashley Burnie during a 20th anniversary celebration at Nicholls Oval Park on May 31, 2024, which saw six businesses or organizations receive the awards. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
Peterborough GreenUP has recognized local residents and businesses who are “shifting gears” by choosing healthy and planet-friendly transportation options.
GreenUP has announced this year’s winners of the Shifting Gears May challenge, which has been held annually for the past 20 years. The event encourages Peterborough residents to make the switch to active and sustainable transportation.
To mark the wind down of the challenge, GreenUP bestowed the top participants with awards during a celebration and bike-in movie last Friday (May 31) at Nicholls Oval Park on Armour Road in Peterborough.
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According to a media release from GreenUP, participants in this year’s challenge took 6,472 active and sustainable trips during May, which accounted for 46,627 kilometres of travel by walking, cycling, taking transit, carpooling, and telecommuting.
The May challenge resulted in a total greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 6,064 kilograms, highlighting participants’ contributions to reducing their local impact on the climate and environment.
“What struck me most about this year’s participation was how many participants were new to the challenge and also new to using active and sustainable travel for their daily trips,” GreenUP program coordinator Ashley Burnie told kawarthaNOW.
Participants at Peterborough GreenUP’s 20th anniversary Shifting Gears awards celebration at Nicholls Oval Park on May 31, 2024 watched the 2023 animated film “The Triplets of Belleville,” about an elderly woman who goes on a quest to rescue her kidnapped grandson, a Tour de France cyclist. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
“Twenty-seven per cent of participants report that before the Shifting Gears May Challenge, they either never used, or infrequently used, active and sustainable travel,” Burnie said. “An additional 22 per cent only used it for exercise, not travel. That means that nearly half of participants are deciding to make different transportation choices — for the betterment of themselves, their community, and the environment — and I think that is really inspiring,”
In addition, she was struck by how much fun the winners had with the challenge.
“We haven’t held in-person workplace awards since 2019, and I think some of them missed the camaraderie that comes along with rallying a team to take on the May challenge. Many were doing internal prizes for their workplace participants, planning group rides, meeting at our pop-ups, and otherwise doing a lot to engage in the campaign.”
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At the May 31 awards celebration, Shifting Gears workplace awards were presented to Three Sisters Natural Landscapes in the micro workplace category, Trent Health in Motion in the small workplace category, Engage Engineering in the medium workplace category, Peterborough Public Library in the large workplace category, and BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada in the extra-large workplace category. In addition, the Art Gallery of Peterborough received the “Get in Gear” workplace award as the closest runner-up in the micro workplace category.
The Shifting Gears Spirit Award was presented to Reanna Montopoli, co-owner of Trent Health in Motion.
Montopoli “has been a passionate advocate for benefits of participating in Shifting Gears; promoting it enthusiastically in-person and online,” GreenUP noted in the release. “By setting up displays, committing to daily bike commutes, sponsoring local bike events and presenting in educational webinars, Reanna has gone above and beyond in her embodiment of what it means to shift gears.”
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Shifting Gears began in 2004, with “Travel-Wise Employer” awards given to workplaces that recorded top numbers of participants and trips. Among the winners were Fisheries and Oceans Canada, HGC Management, the Peter Robinson Building (MNR), and Green Communities Canada. The program has grown over the years to include community members and schools, workshops, rides, special events and more.
“With help from community events, peer-to-peer support and encouragement, and useful incentives, hundreds of employees across Peterborough made the switch to active and sustainable transportation that first year,” GreenUP noted. “Since then, the annual program has moved new and returning participants to make the shift in pursuit of both personal and community benefits — added daily activity, savings of transportation costs, social time and/or ‘me’ time, decreased vehicle congestion, improved air quality, and reduced greenhouse gases.”
Hear more from Burnie in an upcoming article on kawarthaNOW about her hopes for Shifting Gears beyond the month of May.
Inspiration always strikes Erin Shannon-Hill while she's on the water on her paddleboard on Chemong Lake. After living day-by-day to navigate her MS diagnosis for the past 10 years, the Ennismore entrepreneur is now taking the future into her own hands with the launch of Kawartha Apparel, a quality clothing brand inspired by the place she has loved and appreciated since she was a teenager. (Photo: Linda Kassil / Kawartha Kaptures Photography)
Ennismore entrepreneur Erin Shannon-Hill has always harboured a love for the place she has lived, worked, and played in since she was a teenager. Her appreciation has only grown since the Kawarthas have helped her navigate her ongoing health battles, and now she is living out her dream and sharing her passion for the region through the launch of her new clothing brand, Kawartha Apparel.
At the age of 35, Shannon-Hill was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and, after being unable to work for more than a few years, she has spent the last 10 years focused only on the day–to-day management of her symptoms while raising her two sons. But now, Shannon-Hill has abandoned the disease-modifying drugs which caused a slew of side effects, only medicates with a healthy lifestyle and exercise, and is able to think ahead into her future.
“Living here for the last 10 years has been such a blessing.” she says, noting she’s out on the lake on her paddleboard every day with a camera in hand. “It’s really, really helped me heal.”
It’s there on Chemong Lake where Shannon-Hill has planned Kawartha Apparel — a long-time dream of hers. Finally able to take her future into her own hands with the flexibility required to maintain her health, Shannon-Hill is celebrating her 45th birthday with the launch of the lake-based quality apparel brand.
Lake-inspired brand Kawartha Apparel has launched with three products including the Founder’s Editions hoodie, which are now available in cottage white and black. Each product features the the brand’s lake-inspired logo designed by Peterborough illustrator Jason Wilkins. (Photo: Linda Kassil / Kawartha Kaptures Photography)
Everything about the small business is proudly from the Kawarthas, right down to the logo designed by Peterborough illustrator Jason Wilkins and the use of a local printing press. Even Shannon-Hill’s ideas come while she’s paddling along Chemong Lake — hence the Kawartha Apparel tagline “Designed on the Dock.”
While Shannon-Hill is already hard at work planning her next product drop, Kawartha Apparel is kicking off with three items, each showing off Wilkins’ water-inspired sharp and colourful logo. The Kawartha Caps come in black, caramel, and grey, while the Signature Tees are available in black, green, and eggplant. With the tagline also written along the sleeve, the Founder’s Edition hoodies are available in cottage white and black.
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.
Multiple award-winning Canadian blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Morgan Davis will be performing at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough on Friday evening and Moody's Bar & Grill in Millbrook on Saturday night. (Photo: Morgan Davis / Facebook)
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, June 6 to Wednesday, June 12.
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).
Friday, June 14 5-8pm - Erin Blackstock; 9pm - Between The Static
Saturday, June 15 5-8pm - Bread and Soul; 9pm - Vortexans
Sunday, June 16 4-7pm - Ivan Hartle
Wednesday, June 19 6-9pm - Rock Bass Derby
Boston Pizza Lindsay
435 Kent St. W., Lindsay
705-328-0008
Friday, June 7
8-11pm - Darren Bailey
Burleigh Falls Inn
4791 Highway 28, Burleigh Falls
(705) 654-3441
Friday, June 7
6-9pm - Jake Dudas (no cover)
Sunday, June 9
12-3pm - Mike Graham
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Coach & Horses Pub
16 York St. S., Lindsay
(705) 328-0006
Thursday, June 6
9:30pm - Open jam hosted by Gerald VanHalteren
Friday, June 7
10pm - Karaoke with DJ Ross
Saturday, June 8
10pm - Karaoke with DJ Ross
The Cow & Sow Eatery
38 Colborne St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-5111
Friday, June 7
8pm - Live On The Line
Coming Soon
Saturday, June 15 7-10pm - Open mic hosted by Shannon Roszell
Crook & Coffer
231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
705-876-0505
Thursday, June 6
7-9:30pm - Casey Bax
Friday, June 7
7:30-10:30pm - Shuga (Rob Darling and Steven Van Trans of Bootleg XXX)
Saturday, June 8
2:30-4:30pm - Hugh Beresford; 7:30-10:30pm - Johann Burkhardt
Dominion Hotel
113 Main St., Minden
(705) 286-6954
Friday, June 7
7:30pm - Open mic (no cover)
Coming Soon
Saturday, June 15 6-9pm - Van Hillert (no cover)
Sunday, June 16 11am & 1pm - Father's Day BBQ Buffett ft Bill Nadeau and the 21st Century Binary Backup Band ($44.99 adults, $10.99 children under 10)
Dr. J's BBQ & Brews
282 Aylmer St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5717
Coming Soon
Saturday, June 15 1-4pm - PMBA Deluxe Live presents Lindsay Barr w/ Denis Goggin on lead guitar, Jay Cockerill on bass, and Liam Archer on drums ($20 donation suggested)
Erben Eatery & Bar
189 Hunter St W,, Peterborough
705-304-1995
Saturday, June 8
1-5pm - Busking (email to book a spot or just show up)
Tuesday, June 11
8pm - Karaoke w/ Ian Clement
Wednesday, June 12
8-11pm - Open mic
Export Grill
31 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-6634
Sunday, June 9
6-9pm - Bruce Longman & Friends
Fenelon Falls Brewing Co.
4 May St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 215-9898
Friday, June 7
7-10pm - Open mic hosted by Boots of Hazard
Ganaraska Hotel
30 Ontario St., Port Hope
(905) 885-9254
Saturday, June 8
2-6pm - Marty and the Mojos
Coming Soon
Friday, June 14 8pm - Rockin' Relief benefit for Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre ft Wayward Saints w/ Joan Smith and the Jane Does and Queens & Kings ($20 in advance at https://www.revelree.ca/event/rockinrelief, $25 at door)
8pm - Morgan Davis (no cover, donations appreciated)
VIDEO: "Stagger Lee" - Morgan Davis
Tuesday, June 11
8-10pm - Tom Eastland
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Muddy's Pit BBQ
3247 County Rd. 2, Keene
(705) 295-1255
Sunday, June 9
3-6pm - Al Black & the Steady Band
Murphy's Lockside Pub & Patio
3 May St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-1100
Thursday, June 6
8pm - Open mic hosted by Michael Evans
Pattie House Smokin' Barbecue
6675 Highway 35, Coboconk
(705) 454-8100
Coming Soon
Saturday, June 29 8pm - Sodavine and Recovery Mode
Pig's Ear Tavern
144 Brock St., Peterborough
(705) 745-7255
Friday, June 7
6-8pm - ValleySpeak (no cover)
Saturday, June 8
8pm - Smoke and Mirrors, The Pangea Project, Cole LeBlanc ($5)
Tuesday, June 11
9pm - Open mic
Coming Soon
Saturday, June 15 8pm - Runaway Twain ($5)
Sunday, June 16 7pm - Seán Cullen and Chris Locke ($25 in advance at www.pigseartavern.com)
The Publican House
300 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5743
Thursday, June 6
7-9pm - SJ Riley
Friday, June 7
7-9pm - Doug Horner
Puck' N Pint Sports Pub
871 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
(705) 741-1078
Friday, June 7
8pm - Karaoke w/ Ian Clement
Saturday, June 8
8-11pm - KC Carter
Riverside Grill & Gazebo at Holiday Inn
150 George St, Peterborough
705-740-6564
Saturday, June 8
6-10pm - Donny Wood Band (no cover)
Sunday, June 9
1-5pm - Chad Driscoll (no cover)
Monday, June 10
7-10:30pm - Open mic
Tuesday, June 11
7-10:30pm - Karaoke
Rolling Grape Vineyard
260 County Rd 2, Keene
705-991-5876
Thursday, June 6
5:30-8:30pm - Kyler Tapscott
Sunday, June 9
2-5pm - Carling Stephen Trio
Royal Crown Pub & Grill
4 King St. E., Colborne
905-355-1900
Saturday, June 8
8pm - Dayz Gone
Scenery Drive Restaurant
6193 County Road 45, Baltimore
905-349-2217
Saturday, June 8
5-7:30pm - Greg Hannah
Sticks Sports Pub
500 George St. S., Peterborough
(705) 775-7845
Friday, June 7
6-9pm - High Waters Acoustic
Tap & Tonic Pub & Bistro
18-22 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
(705) 947-2333
Thursday, June 6
7-10pm - Mike Tremblett
The Thirsty Goose
63 Walton St., Port Hope
Friday, June 7
8pm-12am - Bruce Longman
Saturday, June 8
8pm-12am - Jordan Thomas
The Venue
286 George Street North, Peterborough
(705) 876-0008
Coming Soon
Friday, June 14 7pm - Saint Asonia w/ special guests ($35 general admission, $175 VIP, in advance at https://found.ee/SaintAsonia-PTBO)
White House Hotel
173 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 741-2444
Saturday, June 8
8pm - No Looking Back ($10 at door, no cover for students with ID)
Coming Soon
Friday, June 14 9pm - High Waters Band
Saturday, June 15 9pm - High Waters Band
Wild Blue Yonder Pub at Elmhirst's Resort
1045 Settlers Line, Keene
(705) 295-4591
Coming Soon
Tuesday, July 2 8pm - Tuned Up Tuesdays ft Boogie Time Ramblers ($10 cover show only, $49 for BBQ & show, $25 for children 3-12, reservations required)
The Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market series organized by The Neighbourhood Vintage is returning for a second year in 2024 to the Bankers Commons courtyard in downtown Peterborough. Held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month (June 8, July 13, August 10, and September 14), the markets will alternate between a vintage market and an artists and markers market. (Photo courtesy of The Neighbourhood Vintage)
The Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market is returning to downtown Peterborough, offering a one-stop location for buying both vintage and locally made items.
As its name suggests, the market will be popping up on the second Saturday of the month all summer long, rain or shine, beginning Saturday (June 8) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and continuing on July 13, August 10, and September 13.
Alternating between a vintage market and an artisan market, the monthly event will be held in the Bankers Common courtyard, behind the Commerce Building at Water Street and Hunter Street.
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“There was a really good response to running it for the first time last summer — both from people who attended the market and from vendors who are part of the market,” says Jacquelyn Craft, market organizer and owner of Peterborough’s The Neighbourhood Vintage. “I think people were really excited to have something brought to the downtown core and community.”
A family-friendly and accessible event, the market series was something Craft had been wanting to organize since before even opening her business in 2022, as she recognized a gap in the region.
“We do have a nice little tight-knit vintage community with several vintage shops in Peterborough which is wonderful, but we don’t have vintage-focused markets so I wanted to bring that to the community,” she says. “But to include more of the local art and handmade artist community, I wanted to open it up to make it more inclusive because we do have such a vibrant local art scene here in Peterborough.”
Each Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market takes place in the Bankers Common courtyard at Hunter and Water streets in downtown Peterborough, with access via the alleyway at 383 Water Street. (Graphic courtesy of The Neighbourhood Vintage)
Most of the more than 20 vendors (mostly from Peterborough and surrounding area) who will be in attendance on Saturday are individuals who are passionate about vintage and second-hand, and are doing markets and online stores as side-hustles or semi-professional businesses rather than as full-time jobs — which means there might be items you can’t find anywhere else.
For the vintage markets on June 8 and August 10, shoppers can find anything from vintage clothing to records, prints, housewares, and more, while the artisan and makers markets on July 13 and September 13 include pottery, embroidery, ceramics, crocheted pieces, and more handmade valuables.
Craft says the vintage markets have something for everyone, “whether you’re someone who buys vintage or wears vintage clothing, or if you just want to be out enjoying the market with family and friends, experiencing nostalgia with some of the clothes and the housewares that you’re checking out.”
“There’s certainly some incredibly unique pieces that I think anyone who comes is going to be able to enjoy,” she adds.
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New this year, Craft has expanded the food and beverage offerings that will be available at the market. Sam’s Wienery, Revelstoke Café, Black Honey Bakery, and Beau’s Sandwiches will all be on the menu, offering a vast range of lunchtime bites and snacks.
“People will be able to grab a snack, grab a drink, walk around, and enjoy with their families as they’re checking out all the amazing vintage vendors,” Craft says.
While last year’s markets received positive feedback and a good turnout, Craft is hopeful that, with the trend towards second-hand and repurposed clothing and goods, the markets will be even more popular this year and spark even more interest from the community.
“Collecting vintage items is something that has really exploded in popularity,” she says. “There’s certainly been an increase in folks sourcing and reselling vintage clothing and housewares online, and these types of sellers are increasing in popularity. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to run it — because I knew more and more people would continue to love it.”
Jacquelyn Craft is the owner of The Neighbourhood Vintage, a vintage clothing collective in downtown Peterborough. She began organizing the Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market in 2023 after noticing a lack of vintage-oriented markets, and then expanded it to include a market for artists and makers. (Photo: Bryan Reid)
Craft also hopes the markets will not only encourage people to connect and shop from the local vendors, but also to engage with the other downtown businesses throughout the Saturday afternoons.
“A lot of other businesses are taking this opportunity to make Second Saturdays more of an event, where maybe they have sidewalk sales or special events,” she says. “We’re really just trying to bring more people to downtown to the market and touring around to all the other amazing shops.”
For more information and updates on the Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market, follow The Neighbourhood Vintage on Instagram and Facebook.
The Second Saturday Neighbourhood Market series runs in 2024 on June 8, July 13, August 10, and September 14, alternating between a vintage market and an artists and markers market each month. (Graphic courtesy of The Neighbourhood Vintage)
Hydro One is holding three community consultations in June about its plans to build a new double-circuit 230-kilovolt transmission line between Clarington and Peterborough over the next five years.
Formerly known as the Greater Toronto Area East Line, the Durham Kawartha Power Line will run for around 50 kilometres between the Clarington Transformer Station in the Municipality of Clarington and the Dobbin Transformer Station in Selwyn Township just on the edge of the City of Peterborough.
The route for the proposed project will use existing Hydro One transmission corridors where possible. The transmission line would cross a small northwestern portion of Municipality of Clarington, a small southeastern portion of Scucog Township, a southern portion of the City of Kawartha Lakes, a northern portion of Cavan Monaghan Township, and a small southwestern portion of Selwyn Township. Alternative routes are being considered for a three-kilometre section of the project just north of the Clarington Transformer Station.
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Hydro One says that, once the new transmission line is completed, it will increase the power capacity in eastern Ontario by over 400 megawatts and increase “resiliency and capacity” for the Peterborough area.
“This new transmission line will not only enhance the reliability and resilience of our energy infrastructure but, by investing in clean energy transmission, we will be reducing our carbon footprint and contributing to a healthier, greener future for our city,” says Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal in a media release.
In addition to continuing to collaborate with the two First Nations in the areas where the transmission line will run (Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation), Hydro One will host three community open houses in June to share project updates, present route details, and gather local input.
The open houses take place at the Solina Community Hall (1964 Concession Rd. 6, Clarington) from 2 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25th, at the Peterborough Lions Centre (347 Burnham St., Peterborough) from 2 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26th, and at the Bethany United Church (3 George St., Bethany) from 2 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 27th.
“Integrating local feedback and knowledge from Indigenous partners and the community is vital for the planning and design of the Durham Kawartha Power Line project,” says Sonny Karunakaran, Hydro One’s vice president of strategic projects and partnerships.
“Electricity demand in eastern Ontario is expected to grow rapidly over the next 20 years and once built, this transmission line will increase reliability, advance First Nations equity partnerships, and promote economic prosperity in the region today and in the future.”
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As part of Hydro One’s “journey towards reconciliation with Indigenous people and communities,” the company says it will offer the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation a 50 per cent equity stake in the transmission line component of the project “and will work to advance the project together in true partnership.”
“Hydro One has set itself apart as a leader in the energy industry, and we are pleased that they have begun to recognize the value in a shared journey of prosperity with our First Nation,” says Hiawatha First Nation chief Laurie Carr. “Their renewed approach is the first step in a long journey of consensus building, environmental and rights protection, and economic empowerment with Hiawatha.”
The Durham Kawartha Power Line project is currently in the planning stages, with field studies and research to begin over the summer in support of a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) required under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.
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The selection of the route alternative in Clarington would be announced this fall, when Hydro One will hold another series of community open houses.
Assuming the successful completion of the Class EA process next summer and approval of the project by the Ontario Energy Board, construction on the transmission line would begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, if not sooner.
For more information about the Durham Kawartha Power Line project and updates, visit www.hydroone.com/dkpl.
The Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC), which oversees more than 350 rent-geared-to-income and affordable rental units throughout Northumberland County, is inviting community members to apply for a seat on its board of directors. Pictured is former NCHC board chair Gil Brocanier (right) shaking hands with Whitby MP Ryan Turnbull during a 2022 funding announcement for the Elgin Park redevelopment project in Cobourg. (Photo: Northumberland County)
The Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC) is inviting Northumberland County community members to help build “brighter futures for residents” by getting involved in the planning and provision of local affordable housing services.
People interested in making a contribution to address the current housing crisis can apply to join the NCHC board of directors.
The NCHC board of directors oversees all operations relating to the NCHC’s portfolio of more than 350 rent-geared-to-income and affordable rental units throughout Northumberland.
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“Board members are able to help shape the planning and delivery of affordable housing services in Northumberland by sharing their experience, knowledge, and professional expertise,” Rebecca Carman, associate director of housing and homelessness for Northumberland County, said in a statement provided to kawarthaNOW. “In doing so, they are building brighter futures for residents of our community.”
Board members are responsible for maintaining corporate by-laws, agreements and reports, appointing roles on the board, guiding long-term strategic planning for the corporation, and overseeing the board’s budget and finances.
The board includes county council representatives, the county’s CAO, and members of the public.
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The NCHC is currently hoping to fill two citizen positions, and is accepting applications from members of the public with interest, experience, or knowledge in any of the following areas:
Planning services, including legislation in the multi-residential sector
Development planning and asset management planning
Legal and financial expertise
Facilities management
Social services delivery
Lived experience of homelessness, poverty, and housing insecurity.
The county encourages residents who are interested in joining the board to submit an application online by Friday, June 14.
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The community housing provider has more than 366 owned and operated housing units in Northumberland County. Additional units are currently under development at the Elgin Park redevelopment and the Ontario Street housing development in Cobourg.
In March 2019, Northumberland County announced plans for the Elgin Park redevelopment in Cobourg to increase the number of subsidized and market rental housing units at this location from 18 to 40. In addition to 12 market rental units, there will be 28 subsidized units — an increase of 10 more than the current availability at the site.
The county calls the Elgin Park project “a major step forward in the collective commitment of Northumberland County and (NCHC) to tackle the pressing issue of affordable housing in Northumberland. redevelopment project.”
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Meanwhile, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS), Habitat for Humanity Northumberland, NCHC, and the county are partnering to jointly develop and manage an affordable housing complex at 473 Ontario St.
The development will introduce 62 new affordable housing units to the community, including units geared to Indigenous households (with direct access to Indigenous supports such as First Nation, Métis, and Inuit cultural teachings, traditional healers, and other programming), rent-geared-to-income housing, and affordable and attainable market rental units.
For information about the Northumberland County Housing Corporation, including how to apply for housing, visit northumberland.ca/nchc.
Jadyn Gay, Becky Waldman, and Mark Stewart of the Peterborough Public Library celebrate the library's new electric delivery van, the first fully electric vehicle in the City of Peterborough's fleet. The library will use the van for outreach events and to move materials between library kiosk locations and the new library branch opening at the Miskin Law Community Complex at Morrow Park. (Photo: City of Peterborough)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s guest column is by Mark Stewart, Library Services Manager at the Peterborough Public Library.
When the Peterborough Public Library launched our most recent public engagement campaign for our strategic plan, we asked our community “What are the most important things we should focus on?” We received a lot of responses to that question, but one of the most frequent answers was sustainability and climate change.
Now, strictly speaking, the library is not an environmental organization — we’re in the business of literacy, learning, and storytelling.
At this point in history, however, every organization needs to be an environmental organization and find a way to exist sustainably in the world. Sustainability and climate change are now a key pillar in our strategic plan.
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Library staff are looking at everything we do through a sustainability lens. We’ve committed to increasing programming and services that help our community adopt sustainable life practices and we’re working to demonstrate sustainability in our physical library spaces.
Climate change is a huge challenge, but we can learn our way through it together. The cumulative effects of small actions are what come together to make the story.
Library staff got together and formed a “green team,” which is a powerful way for any organization to start making positive changes. Our green team started by auditing and measuring all our current practices from paper usage to energy and even staff commutes. With that baseline data in place, we’ve begun making small changes to improve our sustainability. We’re not experts by any means, all it takes is a willingness to learn and change.
The Peterborough Public Library has partnered with the Peterborough and Area Master Gardeners to convert the garden beds at the Library Commons into a native plant and pollinator garden. Now in its third season, the garden has been designated as an official monarch butterfly waystation. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Library)
Since putting on our sustainability lenses, things have started to look differently. The native plant and pollinator garden in the Library Commons, started by library staff as a labour of love, is now entering its third season and we’re adding new species each year.
The library is now visited by monarch butterflies and other pollinators and has been designated as an official monarch waystation.
If you’re curious about the plants in the garden and would like to try growing them in your own space, the Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners have created an online plant guide to the species in the Library Commons.
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Thanks to our friends at Nogojiwanong Mutual Aid, there is a new community seed exchange located in the library.
Our plan for this year is to start harvesting seeds from the Library Commons garden and making them available through the program.
If you have extra seeds to share, feel free to drop them off at the exchange and take some new ones home with you.
There is a new community seed exchange located in the Peterborough Public Library, thanks to Nogojiwanong Mutual Aid, where you can pick up and drop off seeds. Some of the seeds are from the library’s native plant and pollinator garden. (Photo: Mark Stewart / Peterborough Public Library)
The library book bike will be back in Peterborough parks this summer and showing up at outdoor events all summer long. There’s nothing like reading a book under a tree in the summer, especially when it’s delivered by a zero-carbon, pedal-powered book mobile.
You’ll also see another addition to our fleet on the roads this year. We’ve invested in a new electric delivery van so we can move library materials between kiosk locations, the new branch opening at the Miskin Law Community Complex at Morrow Park, and outreach events without using any fossil fuels.
The library van is the City of Peterborough’s first fully electric fleet vehicle.
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Library staff have started prioritizing sustainability themes in our programming as well.
This year, the theme of our summer reading challenge is water, to honour this precious resource. Bring the kids to “Trail Tales” or join one of our “Discovery Walks” for adults for a little nature appreciation.
You can also take part in one of our community swap events, or attend a library wildlife program with the Kawartha Wildlife Centre.
Kate from the Peterborough Public Library beside the library’s book bike that will make a return to Peterborough parks and outdoor events this summer, offering children’s books and more. (Photo: Peterborough Public Library)
By putting sustainability front and centre in our strategic plan and by looking at all our actions through a sustainable lens, things are starting to add up into a story. The library may not be an environmental organization in the traditional sense, but we can rise to meet the climate crisis in our own way, using the tools and resources we have.
We’re lucky to be a part of this community full of people who are passionate about the environment. Here at the library, we’re just a group of characters among many in this story doing our part to nudge this plot along toward a happy ending.
If your organization or workplace doesn’t have a green team yet, it’s a great way to bring in some positive energy and new ideas.
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