Peterborough-based Compass Early Learning & Care Centre (Compass ELC) is hoping to have a long-term impact in Kirkfield when it opens a new child care program in the Kawartha Lakes community in 2025. (Photo: Compass ELC)
With a recent announcement that Compass Early Learning & Care (Compass ELC) would be launching a new program in Kirkfield, the Peterborough-based not-for-profit organization said it’s hoping to to provide more than child care to the Kawartha Lakes community over the long term.
Compass ELC purchased a building at 1047 Portage Rd., which was previously owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peterborough, and intends to open a child care program with 45-plus spaces for area infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
With renovations beginning shortly, a request for proposals being tendered this fall, and an anticipated opening in 2025, Ashley Collins, Compass ELC’s co-CEO and corporate link, shared with kawarthaNOW her vision for the organization’s future in Kirkfield.
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“We are really hopeful to become a contributing member of the Kirkfield community by expanding access to early learning and care for families, and offering meaningful employment to educators in the area,” Collins said.
“As a not-for-profit, we re-invest any available surplus funds into the program by way of creating welcoming, joyful spaces, and compensating our team members in order to retain passionate, dedicated early learning educators.”
“We are also hopeful that, once the first phase of renovations is complete, we can work with children and families in the community to co-construct a vision for a beautiful outdoor play area that the community could also have access to in the evenings and weekends.”
Ashley Collins, co-CEO and corporate link of Compass Early Learning & Care Centre, spoke with kawarthaNOW about the Pterborough-based not-for-profit organization’s long-term vision for its new child care program in Kirkfield. (Photo: Compass ELC)
In addition, Compass ELC will be supporting a community that’s considered underserved when it comes to accessing child care.
The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System is intended to expand child care to areas and people that have historically been under-served, like Kirkfield. Compass ELC, in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, said the Kirkfield community was identified as the number-one priority area based on lack of access to licensed child care, and the needs in the surrounding area.
“We are grateful to work with the wonderful children services team at City of Kawartha Lakes to bring a child care program to the Kirkfield community,” Collins added.
Upon opening, Compass ELC will offer 10 spaces for infants (0 to 18 months), 15 spaces for toddlers (18 to 30 months), and 24 spaces for preschoolers (30 months to six years) for a total of 49 spots.
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For families, Compass ELC will release details about a waitlist and registration information in 2025 when a projected opening date is in sight.
Compass ELC is a network of more than 700 employees and 80 home child care providers who serve more than 5,000 families in Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Durham Region and Northumberland County.
“Our organization envisions a world where each of us feels we belong; children are respected as citizens of today; families feel valued and supported; early learning and care teams are recognized for their significant contributions; and all peoples and Mother Earth have what they need to thrive,” Collins said.
“Our new program in Kirkfield will honour this vision, offering child care to an area that is currently a child care desert.”
Art lovers and supporters of the Art Gallery of Peterborough at the 2023 "It's All About ART" fundraising auction at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. For 2024, the gallery is celebrating 50 years with a 1970s theme for its largest fundraiser of the year, which will see the return of both a live in-person auction on Saturday, October 26 and an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Photo: Zach Ward)
The Art Gallery of Peterborough is gearing up for its It’s All About ART, the gallery’s largest fundraising event of the year, and in honour of the gallery’s 50th anniversary, things are getting groovy.
That’s right — this year’s auction is transporting guests back to the 1970s when the gallery was just getting its start. Alongside stunning local artwork, the live event will see no shortage of disco balls, bell-bottoms, and the musical stylings of the decade’s greats like Elton John and Pink Floyd.
“It really is a fun opportunity to really bring people’s attention to 50 years of volunteer work, 50 years of local artists supporting and exhibiting, and 50 years of contributions that have been made by our community to help this organization thrive,” says Art Gallery of Peterborough director Celeste Scopelites. “It’s really quite amazing when we look back at the history.”
Peterborough fine artist Leanne Baird’s “Spruce in Maple Forest” (2018, acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 36″) is one of the many artworks that will be available for bidding during the annual It’s All About ART fundraising auction in support of programming at the Art Gallery of Peterborough on October 26, 2024. The painting is available for preview at an exhibition at the gallery from October 5 to 20. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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With a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres, this year’s live auction is taking place on Saturday, October 26th at The Venue (286 George St. N.) in downtown Peterborough, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and tickets priced at $75.
Following the success of last year’s hybrid fundraiser, there will also be an online silent auction running from 9 a.m. on Friday, October 11th until 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 26th. No tickets are needed to participate in the online auction; you just need to register for free as a bidder.
Funds raised from both auctions will go towards the gallery’s exhibitions and educational programming, like Family Sundays and artist talks.
“We are and always have been a free gallery, and we’re supported by generous donations and initiatives like the fundraiser,” says Scopelites. “The fundraiser is critically important to support the kind of programming that we do, which is positioned to be informative, engaging, and inclusive.”
Bidders gather around artworks during the 2023 It’s All About ART fundraising auction held by the Art Gallery of Peterborough at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. The 2024 fundraiser in support of the gallery’s programming returns with a live in-person auction on Saturday, October 26 and an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Photo: Zach Ward)
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The gallery’s fundraising auction has been a long-running and popular event for local art lovers, giving them the opportunity to purchase artworks by local artists. From early events running as a masquerade gala before gaining the “It’s All About ART” title in 2009 and moving offsite in 2015, the auction has evolved over the years.
That includes during the pandemic, when the auction was held entirely online. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise when the auction returned in 2023 as an in-person event but retained the online component.
“Having an online auction as well means you can have people who don’t want to go to the party, or who live far away, still bidding on the artwork,” says Scopelites. “The online component is also beneficial to spreading the word about supporting the Art Gallery of Peterborough and raising awareness about the art being made in this region. This double platform really helps us in a variety of ways.”
Megan Ward’s “Sauvignon” (2019, oil on panel, 40″ x 30″) is one of the many artworks that will be featured during the annual It’s All About ART fundraising auction in support of programming at the Art Gallery of Peterborough on October 26, 2024. All the work available for bidding during both the live and online auction can be previewed through the Auctria website and mobile app. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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Using the auction website or the mobile app Auctria (available for Android and iPhone), bidders can browse all the artwork that is available — including items that will only be available at the live auction for bidding — and get live updates for items on which they have placed a bid. All online auction winners can arrange to pick up their artworks or have them shipped.
According to Art Gallery of Peterborough curator Fynn Leitch, the combination of the live auction and online auction has proven to be both popular with participants and beneficial for fundraising.
“People really enjoyed having lots of different access points and lots of different ways of interacting with the auction,” Leitch says. “We had our most successful year on record ever last year, so we’re really excited and poised for success.”
Bidders enjoy drinks and hors d’oevres at the 2023 It’s All About ART fundraising auction held by the Art Gallery of Peterborough at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. In celebration of the art gallery’s 20th anniversary, this year’s fundraiser will have a “groovy” 1970s theme, with music from the decade, disco balls decorating The Venue, and guests strutting their best bell-bottoms. (Photo: Zach Ward)
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It’s All About ART will see a range of work both from artists in the Kawarthas as well as a few based outside the region. The auctions offer a vast selection of styles and mediums from ceramics and paintings to jewellery and photography.
“These are often artists that we’ve already connected with and are already working with in a number of different ways — through exhibitions, they have work in our shops, or they are artists who are on our Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour,” says Leitch.
“These artists really see the value in the Art Gallery of Peterborough. They’ve seen it for the past 50 years, and they want to see it for another 50 years.”
A detail from “Wildflower Woodland Fantasy” (2024, acrylic on panel, 16″ x 50″) by Peterborough artist Steven Vero, which will be one of the many works up for auction during the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s 2024 It’s All About ART fundraiser taking place both online from October 11 to 26 and in-person on Saturday, October 26. Vero recently won first prize in the Chianciano Biennale Award for Abstract Artwork in the prestigious Chianciano Biennale art competition in Tuscany, Italy. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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One of the 40 artists whose work will be available during It’s All About ART is Steven Vero, a Peterborough-based painter and former art teacher.
In August, he was selected to be featured in the prestigious Chianciano Biennale, a contemporary international art competition in Tuscany, Italy, where he won first prize in the Chianciano Biennale Award for Abstract Artwork for his oil-on-canvas work “Calculations.”
“He’s an incredible person, but also an incredible artist with incredible range,” says Leitch. “It’s so often that we spend our time talking about the incredible richness of the arts community here, and sometimes we forget that the incredible richness of our arts community is recognized far beyond our community.”
“Adelie Dance” (2024 print/2011 negative, 25″ x 37″, framed) by Peterborough photographer Arnold Zageris is one of the many pieces of artwork donated by local and visiting artists for the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s 2024 It’s All About ART auction on Saturday, October 26 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. The artist will also be hosting a solo exhibit at the gallery beginning November 9. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Another artist whose works will be available is Peterborough-based photographer Arnold Zageris.
“He’s somebody who takes photography as a technique and a medium to extraordinary lengths by positioning his body in really precarious ways to capture unforgettable moments,” says Leitch. “We are really excited to share his work for the upcoming auction.”
In addition to participating in It’s All About ART, Zageris will also have a solo exhibition opening on Saturday, November 9th in the main gallery at the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
“Flower Vase” (2024, blown and solid worked glass, sandblasted surface, 14″ x 8.5″ x 10″) by Apsley-based glass-blower Susan Rankin is one of the artworks that will be available during the 2024 It’s All About ART fundraising auction in support of programming at the Art Gallery of Peterborough. Both the online and live auctions will feature a range of mediums and art styles including ceramics, jewellery, photography, and paintings. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Scopelites adds that another artwork she thinks will do well at the auction is a functional glass piece from Apsley-based glassblower Susan Rankin.
“It’s an extraordinary fine art piece and I’m just so excited to have this work that really uses these beautiful, really complex techniques,” she says.
“She’s been practising glass for many years and is represented in a number of galleries so it’s great to have her work as a prime example of the extraordinary glass work that’s done in Canada,” adds Leitch.
Art lovers who enjoy the excitement of bidding during a live auction can purchase tickets for the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s 2024 It’s All About ART fundraiser on Saturday, October 26 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. For those unable to travel to Peterborough or who prefer to bid from home, the gallery is also hosting an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Photo: Zach Ward)
Until Sunday, October 20th, interested buyers, art collectors, and gallery supporters will have the opportunity to see the works to be included at both auctions through a limited time exhibition at the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
“It allows people to make a plan before coming to the auction,” says Leitch.
The It’s All About ART fundraiser benefits everyone, as the gallery gets much-needed funds to support programming, art lovers add to their collection, and participating artists reach a wider audience, with sale prices at auction potentially increasing the appraisal of their future works.
The Art Gallery of Peterborough is celebrating 50 years in 2024, and this year’s It’s All About ART live fundraising auction on Saturday, October 26 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough will feature a 1970s theme, with an online silent auction running from October 11 to 26. (Graphic courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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“Auctions are what define the value of artwork for the most part,” Leitch points out. “Give generously because, from an economic standpoint, artists are small business owners. We’re supporting the economy of Peterborough in addition to making sure that the Art Gallery of Peterborough gets to stay here and serve the community for another 50 years.”
And this year, as Scopelites says, “It’s going to be a real groovy night.”
For more about It’s All About ART or to purchase tickets for the live auction, visit www.agp.on.ca/its-all-about-art/. Tickets are also available by calling 705-743-9179 or visiting the gallery at 250 Crescent Street in downtown Peterborough.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Art Gallery of Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Peterborough native Steve Nicholls is the managing partner at Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough, helping residents across Ontario find home, auto, travel, and business insurance within their budget. In the past three years, the small team has garnered nothing but five-star reviews for their attention to customer service and community-oriented approach. (Photo courtesy of Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough)
Gaining 100 per cent customer satisfaction is not something most businesses can usually do, but Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough sure makes it look easy. Recently celebrating his three-year anniversary at the firm, managing partner Steve Nicholls has garnered nothing but five-star reviews on Google — and there are more than 50 of them so far.
Working with more than 10 insurance companies to find the best customized coverage, Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough helps clients across Ontario meet their home, commercial business, travel, and auto insurance needs by providing many competitive options within their budget.
The Peterborough location is one of more than 85 Billyard Insurance Group branches across Canada, with Nicholls adding a local touch to the company’s Peterborough location. Unlike other brokerages that might have clients speaking to a different representative on each call, his small team assures that someone familiar who you can trust is always on the other end of the line. Even if a claim arises after hours or on the weekend, the team is always easy to reach in the office, through email, and over the phone.
“For us, it’s all about accessibility and building a relationship with the client,” says Nicholls of the company’s approach to customer service.
This spring, Nicholls welcomed broker Rourke Stevenson to the team. Coming from a background in hospitality, Stevenson also values the same level of customer service and community-building that the independent brokerage has made a top priority for the past three years.
The Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough recently welcomed new broker Rourke Stevenson to the team. Coming from a background in hospitality, Stevenson also values the same level of customer service and community-building that the independent brokerage has made a top priority for the past three years. (Photo courtesy of Billyard Insurance Group Peterborough)
Nicholls, who is a Peterborough native himself (he grew up in the west end and attended St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School and later Trent University), is passionate about his community and always shows up to give back where he can.
In addition to regularly giving to local organizations, the brokerage took part in this spring’s CMHA Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge “Change the Cycle” fundraising event in support of mental health programming.
Nicholls also sponsors sports teams of all levels, from the city’s professional sports teams including the Peterborough Petes and Peterborough Lakers to community-level sports organizations including the Peterborough Pacers Track & Field Club and Trent University Athletics.
“We really take pride in where we come from,” says Nicholls. “We know it’s important to give back to the community that supports us, and that’s why we continue to work with local organizations.”
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.
A fire that claimed the life of a 43-year-old Peterborough woman was accidental, according to the Ontario Fire Marshal.
The ruling follows an investigation into the fire, which happened last Tuesday (October 1) in an apartment at a small three-storey residential building on the northwest corner of Rubidge and Townsend streets.
After responding to the fire, Peterborough Fire Services found the woman inside the apartment.
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Despite life-saving efforts from firefighters and emergency medical services, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The following day, Peterborough police and the Ontario Fire Marshal began an investigation into the fire.
“As a result of the Fire Marshal’s ruling, the police investigation is considered completed,” states a media release issued by Peterborough police on Tuesday (October 8).
Northumberland County announced on October 7, 2024 that the new Golden Plough Lodge (GPL) long-term care home and Northumberland County Archives and Museum project in Cobourg is 75 per complete and will open in 2025. (Photo: Northumberland County)
The endeavour to construct a new, combined 180-bed long-term care home and museum and archives site in Northumberland County has taken longer and cost more than expected, but the Golden Plough Lodge (GPL) and Northumberland County Archives and Museum (NCAM) project is 75 per cent finished.
The county announced on Monday (October 7) that GPL, the only municipally operated long-term care facility in Northumberland, and NCAM will open later in 2025. The 203,000-square-foot facility is being constructed on Courthouse Road in the town of Cobourg, adjacent to the existing GPL, on county-owned property.
“To ensure the successful delivery of this vital community project, the revised occupancy for staff is set for June 2025, at which time furnishing, set-up, and touch-ups will take place,” the county noted in an email newsletter.
Residents are expected to move into the new facility in the fall of 2025.
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The project is now moving into the final phase of construction, according to the county.
“We are entering an exciting phase of the project as finishing contractors begin work onsite,” said Denise Marshall, director of public works, in a media release. “Northumberland County and its construction partners are determined to deliver a facility that residents, staff, and the community will be proud of.”
The county said it’s “fully focused” on the desired final outcome: a facility that meets the evolving needs of long-term care residents, responds to increasing local demand for long-term care spaces, and — through new museum and archival amenities — supports the preservation and promotion of Northumberland’s cultural heritage.
Although the project was initially launched in December 2020 with a projected completion date of December 2022, the county said nationwide challenges in the construction sector that stem from the COVID-19 pandemic impacted original projections. Factors such as material cost increases, skilled labour shortages, high interest rates, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating oil and gas prices have required adjustments to the timeline and budget.
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Following negotiations, Northumberland County and contractor Matheson Constructors have reached an agreement on an updated budget and schedule, the media release noted.
There is also a revised project budget. The budget adjustment incorporates additional funds for contractor and subcontractor work, project administration and design changes, as well as elevated interest rates on financing, for a revised total project budget of $145 million — up from the original budget of $115 million, the county noted.
Northumberland said it will fund these increases through a financing arrangement with Infrastructure Ontario as well as a draw from reserves.
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County staff will provide a report on the breakdown of the costs at the December meeting of the public works committee, following a 60-day period requested by the contractor due to commercial sensitivity.
“This amended budget reflects current economic conditions,” the county said. “In 2022, the provincial government introduced a program specifically aimed at mitigating the widespread cost escalations for construction of long-term care facilities, so that cost would not become a barrier to the launch of these critically required capital development projects.”
“While the (GPL) redevelopment project, launched in December 2020, predates the eligibility period for this program — which is limited to projects starting on or after April 1, 2022 — the pressures created by the current economic environment are nevertheless clear.”
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Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander shared his thoughts on the project.
“While facing unforeseen challenges, Northumberland County has ensured diligent management of the project’s financial responsibilities, ensuring all invoices have been promptly addressed throughout the lifespan of the project,” said Ostrander.
“In the face of industry-wide cost escalations, council has authorized an updated agreement as necessary to ensure compensation for subcontractors and the delivery of this vital facility.”
The new GPL will include a combination of one-bed and two-bed rooms across six resident home areas. In addition to a sensory room, the new facility will include fireside lounges, a café and a hair salon, a greenhouse for agri-therapy, an auditorium for concerts and resident events, and outdoor courtyards and pathways.
The NCAM space has been designed with features that target preserving history. NCAM’s possessions include the land registry collection, which contains more than 100 bound ledgers and thousands of land instruments dating back to the 1700s.
Scotiabank small business advisor Kevin Miller speaks at Community Futures Peterborough's 2024 ScaleUP graduation celebration at Venture North in downtown Peterborough on September 17, 2024. The celebration was in honour of the third cohort of the program, and the second one held in partnership with Scotiabank. By supporting individual small businesses through programs like ScaleUP, Scotiabank is also supporting broader economic development by creating jobs, increasing local spending, and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
While the six local entrepreneurs who recently graduated from Community Futures Peterborough’s ScaleUP program are now equipped with the knowledge and confidence to grow their businesses sustainably, it’s the entire community that could benefit.
So says Nolan Frazer, Ontario Central East Small Business Development Manager at Scotiabank, which has partnered with Community Futures Peterborough to deliver the program.
“In Peterborough, the impact of the ScaleUP program extends beyond the participating entrepreneurs,” Frazer explains. “It strengthens the local economy, which in turn attracts talent and fosters a vibrant local business community.”
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This year’s ScaleUP program, which saw participants engaged in both in-class sessions and strategic one-on-one consultations, marked the second year of the partnership between Community Futures Peterborough and Scotiabank.
“The guidance provided in the ScaleUP program aligns with Scotiabank’s values of providing trusted advice to support business growth, financial literacy, and community engagement,” says Frazer. “The program reflects our commitment to clients, community development, and economic growth.”
This year, the businesses supported by the ScaleUP program ranged from a coffee shop to a design and marketing company and even a non-profit. The six graduates were Clint Clarke of Barking Pixel Design Co., Tracy Cosburn of Kyoto Coffee, Sean Flanagan of Flanagan and Sun, Debra Ragbar of Kawartha Spice Company, Alicia Doris of Living Local Marketplace, and Jacob Rodenburg of Camp Kawartha.
The graduates of Community Futures Peterborough’s 2024 ScaleUP program, presented in partnership with Scotiabank, were celebrated at Venture North in downtown Peterborough on September 17, 2024 at Venture North. Pictured from left to right, front and back: Clint Clarke of Barking Pixel Design Co., Tracy Cosburn of Kyoto Coffee, Alicia Doris of Living Local Marketplace, Jacob Rodenburg of Camp Kawartha, Braden Clark of Community Futures Peterborough, Peterborough city councillor Don Vassiliadis, Diane Richard of Diatom Consulting, Kevin Miller of Scotiabank, Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark, and Sean Flanagan of Flanagan and Sun. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
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“This year’s cohort was full of dedicated business owners who took the commitment to both the classroom sessions and the one-on-one individualized sessions really seriously,” says Devon Girard, executive director of Community Futures Peterborough. “They were able to see the value that can come out of having expert advice given to them.”
First piloted in 2022, the program arose when Community Futures Peterborough identified a lack of existing support and programming for established small businesses that were looking to expand.
“In our community, and arguably in most communities, a lot of resources and programming is geared around business startups,” Girard says, noting there were fewer resources dedicated to businesses that had already been operating for a few years.
“We really wanted to take a deeper dive into areas that traditionally economic development agencies don’t cover, and focus on growing and improving business operation skills past that startup phase.”
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Supporting the continued growth of small businesses is important to Scotiabank as well, according to Frazer.
“Scaling programs are crucial for economic development as they help businesses grow, create jobs, and stimulate local economies,” he says. “It fosters innovation and strengthens the economic fabric of the community.”
Frazer adds that investing in the communities that Scotiabank serves has been a “fundamental” part of the financial institution’s culture for over 190 years.
“It’s important that everyone has the ability to not only recover from times of uncertainty, but instead rise from them stronger than before,” he says. “Building economic resilience is about helping individuals, households, communities, and economies to thrive. Investing in programs like ScaleUP ensures that we are working together to remove barriers to advancement and increase access to opportunities, so we can create a more inclusive and resilient world.”
Diatom Consulting founder Diane Richard leading a session on key performance indicators (KPIs) with the six local entrepreneurs who participated in Community Futures Peterborough’s 2024 ScaleUP Program in partnership with Scotiabank. Now graduates, the entrepreneurs were given the support and one-on-one customized consultations required to develop business plans that will guide them as they sustainably grow their businesses. (Photo: Community Futures Peterborough)
Over the five months of the ScaleUP program, each of the participants received focused support, expert insights, and began developing a customized growth plan — whether by increasing their number of employees, establishing additional locations, or expanding market reach.
“The tools and knowledge gained in the ScaleUP program are versatile and can be applied across various sectors,” says Frazer. “They help entrepreneurs with strategic planning, financial management, marketing, and operational efficiency, which are essential for any business. The program’s one-on-one support ensures that advice is customized to each business’s specific needs, making it universally beneficial.”
For Clint Clarke, co-founder of Peterborough-based Barking Pixel Design Co. alongside Kerry Brennan, the accessibility of the ScaleUP program was particularly attractive, as many small business owners are so busy they often don’t have the time to think about the future of their business, despite the necessity of such planning.
“It’s also about taking a deeper dive at the KPIs (key performance indicators) of your business and looking back at yourself and how far you’ve come, while self-analyzing your business more than just in the day-to-day,” Clarke explains, noting how essential it is for all small businesses to look ahead. “That part is quite challenging.”
Clint Clarke and Kerry Brennan of Barking Pixel Design Co., one of the six small businesses that participated in Community Futures Peterborough’s 2024 ScaleUP Program in partnership with Scotiabank. The two business owners are hoping to expand their business by hiring a new employee. (Photo: Clint Clarke)
Not lost on Clarke is just how valuable the connections were that he made through participation in the ScaleUP program with the partners that launched the program and the other entrepreneurs taking part, including Diatom Consulting founder Diane Richard, who was lead advisor of the program.
“Diane has such a unique skillset and, with her background in manufacturing, localized chain management, and inventory, our local community is quite lucky to have her,” Girard says. “She’s different than the average business advisor and she’s able to help business owners in areas that are not traditionally taught when launching a business. It’s a great balance in how she can challenge business owners to think differently and bring in such a defined skill set to support them.”
As for Scotiabank’s involvement, the one-on-one external consulting offered through the ScaleUP program was made possible through the bank’s support.
“They have been a great partner to us,” Girard says. “Knowing the impact Scotiabank has been able to help provide to these entrepreneurs through one-on-one training is certainly something we don’t take for granted and that we’re really grateful for.”
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Frazer notes that Scotiabank recognizes the economic benefits that can result when entrepreneurs have the knowledge and skills that help grow their small businesses.
“Supporting local small businesses in their scaling efforts can lead to broader economic development by creating jobs, increasing local spending, and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship,” says Frazer. “Entrepreneurs often share their experience and support each other. By equipping a few business owners, the benefits can ripple throughout the local community, fostering a culture of mutual support and collaboration. This benefits the entire community by enhancing economic stability and growth.”
He adds that Scotiabank is eager to see how this year’s ScaleUP program graduates expand their businesses.
“We look forward to seeing the incredible impact it will have on the community when they leverage what they’ve learned, combined with their expertise and ambition, to expand their businesses,” Frazer says. “Their success will inspire others to join the program and foster a culture of entrepreneurship in the Peterborough community.”
Mega Experience CEO Catia Skinner leading a session on value proposition with the six local entrepreneurs who participated in Community Futures Peterborough’s 2024 ScaleUP Program in partnership with Scotiabank. The program provided the entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills they need to take their small businesses to the next level. (Photo: Community Futures Peterborough)
For Girard, that was what Community Futures Peterborough ultimately had in mind when it revamped the ScaleUP program.
“A growing economy is great for all of us,” she says. “It’s something we should all collectively be celebrating.”
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Community Futures Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
A detail from a painting by JoEllen Brydon illustrating a reader's letter to her late mother Jean Armstrong Brydon, who wrote an advice column under the pen name Elizabeth Thompson for Toronto's Globe and Mail from 1966 to 1978. The female letter writer talked about women in her bridge club being inspired to burn their bras in a barbeque pit, to which Thompson replied, "With winter just around the corner you had better stock up in vests or something to cut the stormy blasts." Brydon is one of 28 Peterborough-area artists who have received $57,143 in grants from Electric City Culture Council. (Photo courtesy of JoEllen Brydon)
Peterborough’s Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has announced 28 local artists have been awarded a total of $57,143 through the grants for individual artists program, which is jointly funded by the not-for-profit organization and the City of Peterborough and is designed and administered by EC3.
The program has two components: mini development grants of up to $1,500 and project creation, production, and presentation grants of up to $3,500.
The mini development grants support the research, development, and workshopping of original new works, as well as professional training and mentorship opportunities. The project creation, production, and presentation grants support specific projects for individual professional artists, including costs such as artist fees, production materials, venue rentals, technical equipment, costumes, printing, and more.
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Professional artists working in every discipline, genre, and medium were eligible, including those who work in multi-disciplinary or community-based arts practice, in both traditional or contemporary forms.
The program’s open call for applications in late June resulted in 66 eligible applications from artists by the August 20 deadline. A five-member peer assessment jury evaluated the applications and awarded grants to 28 artists, including $28,493 in grants for 19 artists in the first component and $28,650 in grants for nine artists in the second component.
“We are particularly grateful to the City of Peterborough for their $50,000 support of this vital program, and all of our funders for their ground-breaking contributions to the development of local talent and works of art,” said EC3 executive director Su Ditta in a media release.
“These investments in the efforts of our very talented and hardworking artists means more artists can realize their visions, contribute to our cultural, economic, community and social well-being, and make Peterborough a more vital and exciting place to live for all of us. New books, poetry, concerts, plays, exhibitions, albums, and performances of all kinds will touch our hearts, minds, and imaginations. The projects supported by these grants explore identity, the environment, grief, community connection, disability, forgotten histories, and more.”
Two of the artists who received grants are aerial dance artist Nicole Malbeuf and painter and mixed media installation artist JoEllen Brydon.
Malbeuf received a mini development grant to research and develop original movement techniques with an aerial prop — in tandem with hair suspension — to create a new, short environmentally focused performance.
“I am grateful for the opportunities, both past and present, that the individual arts grants offer me as an aerial dancer,” Malbeuf said. “Because some other councils don’t recognize circus arts as an art form, EC3’s funding has not only supported my growth but validated my artistic work. These grants have given me the privilege of honing my skills in the direction I feel is most useful in my current practice and stage of career.”
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Brydon received a creation, production, and presentation grant in support of “Elizabeth Thompson Advises,” a large-scale, immersive, multimedia installation for exhibition at the Art Gallery of Peterborough and the Grimsby Public Gallery. The installation is based on a compilation of work by her late mother Jean Armstrong Brydon when she wrote an advice column under the pen name Elizabeth Thompson for Toronto’s Globe and Mail from 1966 to 1978.
“I’m honoured to have been chosen as a recipient of funding from the EC3 Grants for Individual Artists program,” Brydon said. “Having the faith of my own community is of utmost importance to my career, as well as to my personal well-being. Warm thanks to the EC3 board of directors, to Su Ditta, and to all of my jury member/colleagues for trusting in me and my work.”
Below is a list of all the artists who received grants in each component of the program, along with a brief description of their projects.
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Mini Development Grants for Individual Professional Artists
Kelly Albin: Artist Residency Visual Arts. Contribution to artist residency in Portugal (studio space, exhibition), to develop and hone new artistic skills, and the creation of a new body of large-scale paintings reflecting the relationship between people and nature.
Samantha Chiusolo: Professional Development: Children’s Book Publication Mentorship. Two-month mentorship with award-winning children’s book illustrator Catia Chen to develop production and publication skills for a children’s picture book.
Naomi Duvall: Circus/Movement Training. Physical training in circus arts to support the artist’s role as emcee for the show “Cirquelesque” in February 2025. This project brings the artist’s theatre, puppetry, and other skills together in a unique performance project.
Jennifer Elchuk: Aerial Duo Professional Development. Along with Tegan Moss, enriching and enhancing their duo trapeze and contact improvisation dance practices through training with circus and dance professionals. This project expands their work from “Weathering and Waiting.”
Nick Ferrio: Writing for New Album. Artist fee (buying time and space) for the writing/crafting/nurturing of a series of new songs for an upcoming album. This work expresses an evolution in the artist’s creative voice exploring themes such as loss, grief, aging and parental relationships.
Charlie Glasspool: Safe Harbour. A quintet of musical collaborators from diverse backgrounds will co-compose original musical motifs and themes, loosely based on the Canterbury Tales, to be developed into a song-cycle about pilgrimage, human migration, and movement.
Casandra Lee: Zodiac. Professional development (ceramics), and artist fee to research, develop, and create clay animals representing the Chinese zodiac, to be used in a series of new paintings.
Nicole Malbeuf: Research in Hair Suspension Performance Techniques with Aerial Prop. Artist fees to research and develop original movement techniques with an aerial prop, in tandem with hair suspension, to create a new, short, environmentally focused performance.
Joshua Morley: Nitaawigi. Research and development in new materials and techniques to develop fresh approaches to creating artworks for solo and/or group exhibition. Experimentation with large-scale painting and sculptural shaping using aluminum panels.
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Jeremy Pastic: Research in Vertical Dance. Artist’s fees, consultation/private training/coaching fees, and rehearsal space costs to expand proficiency and develop a short ‘vertical dance’ piece to be presented in a theatre space.
Adelle Purdham: Celestial Bodies of Water. Artist fee for the drafting and revision of a literary short story collection about female desire.
Erica Richmond: Yelling at Dead People. Artist fee for the writing of a creative non-fiction manuscript about the artist’s experience with grief.
Elisha May Rubacha: Caprock Poems. Funding to allow the artist to complete a poetry manuscript (in progress), about the poet’s successful end-to-end hike of the Bruce Trail with her mother.
David Seymour: Iffy Alibis. Completion of a 50-page first draft collection of free verse and formally constrained poems addressing issues of identity and ideas of the “self,” as sometimes constructed through memory, nostalgia, forgetfulness, and recall.
Caylie Staples: Solo Voice and Electronics Live Set. Artist fee (time and space) for research, experimentation and the development of arrangements that combine electronic music with original acoustic songs, culminating in a live set for solo performance.
Kate Story: Strangeness on Earth. Artist fee (time and space) to write a genderqueer, young adult, historical fantasy novel set in 1817 Newfoundland and Orkney.
Rob Viscardis: Relative Documentary (working title). Artist fee for the writing and development of a documentary film about Peterborough photographer Wayne Eardley and his ongoing passion project “Relative.”
Ziysah von Bieberstein: Page to Publication. A six-month final refining, editing and manuscript submission preparation process with mentor Alessandra Naccarato, support in readiness to find a publisher for the artist’s current poetry manuscript.
Victoria Yeh: Winter in Canada. Composition and arrangement for full symphony orchestra of a chamber orchestra piece, to be premiered by the Parkdale Orchestra (Ottawa) and the Georgian Bay Symphony (Owen Sound). Funding will assist with research, consultation, and workshopping, allowing the artist to develop, advance and vary their skills.
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Project Production and Presentation Grants for Individual Artists
Calvin Bakelaar: Untitled VanCamp 5-Song EP and Performance. Artist, professional, and production fees to produce and release a folk-rock album in mid-2026, focusing on mental health and growth in a small city.
JoEllen Brydon: Elizabeth Thompson Advises. A large-scale, immersive, multimedia installation for exhibition at the Art Gallery of Peterborough and the Grimsby Public Gallery, based on the artist’s mother’s Globe and Mail newspaper advice column in the socially revolutionary times between 1966 to 1978.
Timothy Laurin: Steamroller Printmaking Collective. Artist fees, materials, venue costs, and promotional materials to support a community-based printmaking event using a steamroller.
Maxwell Matchim: Understanding Myself as an Amphibian. Production of a short documentary film about the relationship between the diversity of gender and sexuality in nature, and the artist’s own queer/trans identity.
Justin Million: Picture It. Artist fees and venue costs to exhibit text-based work in a manner traditionally reserved for visual art, to experiment with non-traditional ways of presenting poetry.
Leanne Simpson: No Line Could Make Sense of It. To mix and master the artist’s fifth album of music, to be released by You’ve Changed Records, in early 2025. Ten songs exploring Michi Saagiig Nishnaabe relationship to land and water. Indy rock/goth/punk/new wave vibe.
Irèni Stamou: Miroloi (lament). Artist fees and staging costs for a new interdisciplinary solo dance based on identity, grief, and a diaspora immigrant experience, as part of a performance residency at Theatre on King.
Thomas Vaccaro: Pride After Dark Circus Story. Animating Peterborough Pride (and beyond) with new original work that features a myriad of circus disciplines exploring the themes of being in love across genders and sexual orientations.
Sarah van den Berg: Babe Chorus Presents … Sarah van den Berg – Way Back Home EP. Artist fees and mentorship honorarium to record and share an EP of four original folk-pop songs exploring place and personal and collective experiences of grief.
Renowned Canadian dancer and choreographer Bill Coleman at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough during a rehearsal for "Is This Tap?", presented by Showplace in partnership with Public Energy Performing Arts on October 10, 2024. Coleman's performance will be animated by spectacular lighting effects and projections by Dutch multimedia artist Edwin van der Heide. (Photo courtesy of Public Energy)
There’s a reason why the title of renowned Canadian dancer and choreographer Bill Coleman’s most recent work Is This Tap? is punctuated with a question mark.
However, that reason will not be fully revealed to audiences until they are firmly settled into their seats for the one-night-only production at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday (October 10).
What we know for sure from Public Energy Performing Arts, which is presenting the show in partnership with Showplace, is that the performance will be an “immersive theatrical experience” where spectacular lighting effects and projections by Dutch multimedia artist Edwin van der Heide that will “interact, transform, and magnify” Coleman’s presence as he moves around the stage.
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We also know that, despite the show’s question mark, tap dance will be involved in some way. Coleman, who 40-year dance career has taken him from Dublin to London to New York to Peterborough, started out in tap dance and in the past few years began to relearn how to improvise it lyrically.
“Returning to his first love, he’s been tap dancing again,” reads a media release from Public Energy about Coleman. “Not just rhythms, but sound scores and special effects, on railroad tracks and sheet metal, down urban streets, and on stages with sound artists, neuroscientists, and Aboriginal storytellers.”
We also know that Coleman has called upon a cast of artists to support him as he works with van der Heide (who he only recently met), including Canadian contemporary dance icon Peggy Baker, musician Curtis Driedger, costumier Martha Cockshutt, prosthetist Andrew Litner, and puppeteer Brad Brackenridge.
Multimedia artist Edwin van der Heide during a rehearsal of “Is This Tap?” at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. Based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, van der Heide has presented his work at renowned museums, festivals, galleries and music venues internationally. His work will “interact, transform, and magnify” dancer Bill Coleman as he moves around the stage. (Photo courtesy of Public Energy)
Finally, we know that the performance will give audience members a welcome respite from their daily worries, with Public Energy noting “dance is a lifesaver in the face of hard and unsettled times.”
Beyond that, intriguing questions remain.
Why is the show being billed as “not a dance show” even though it promises a lot of dance? Why is it being called an immersive experience when it takes place in a theatre with a traditional stage? Last but far from least, who is the mysterious three-legged man appearing in the show’s promotional material and what is his role in the performance?
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Coleman himself provides only a few clues about the show.
“My love of vaudeville-era comedy/performance and my newly found expertise in tap dancing has — I believe — found the perfect home in this new work, one that comments on the human spirit through humour and invention,” he says in the release.
For those familiar with Coleman, including his lengthy relationship with his newly adopted home town of Peterborough which began in 1987 when he brought his satirical dance work Baryshnikov: The Other Story to the Artspace New Dance Series at Market Hall, they will know that — as Public Energy puts it — “any Bill Coleman show has the power to invoke joy and surprise. And confusion.”
Renowned Canadian dancer and choreographer Bill Coleman dancing on mousetraps in his 2016 work “Dollhouse.” According to Public Energy executive director Bill Kimball, the photo illustrates that Coleman “is always thinking outside the box when it comes to tap, or any kind of dance really.” You can see Coleman’s most recent work during “Is This Tap?” at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on October 10, 2024. (Photo: Daniel Paquet)
For those experiencing Coleman’s work for the first time at Showplace on October 10, joy, surprise, and even confusion may be the words of the day.
In fact, there may be a few audience members expecting to see a tap dance show who turn to the person beside them and whisper, “Is this tap?” — before becoming mesmerized by Coleman’s performance and van der Heide’s multimedia effects.
Tickets for Is This Tap? are $65 for friends, $55 for adults, $40 seniors and those under 30, and $35 for students and artists. Tickets are available in person at the Showplace Box Office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, one hour before the show, or online anytime at showplace.org.
“Is This Tap?” runs for one night only on October 10, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Graphic: Public Energy; Photo: Wayne Eardley)
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a long-time media sponsor of Public Energy Performing Arts.
Peterborough Public Health is advising the public of a recall of beef tongue jelly products following confirmed cases of food poisoning linked to the products, including one local case that originated from the sale of an affected product in Bridgenorth.
On Friday (October 4), Health Canada issued a recall of various brands of beef tongue jelly products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall was triggered by findings by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) during its investigation into a food-borne illness outbreak.
Listeria monocytogenes is a species of disease-causing bacteria that can survive and even grow under refrigeration and other food preservation measures. When people eat food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, they may develop a disease called listeriosis.
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The recalled products may have been sold by various retailers, either clerk-served, sliced, chunked, or in smaller packages, and with or without a label that may not bear the same brand, product name, or best before date.
A list of the affected products and where they have been sold is available on the Health Canada website.
According to a media release from Peterborough Public Health issued on Monday (October 7), one case of listeriosis has been confirmed following purchase of a beef tongue jelly product at the Bridgenorth Deli at 871 Ward Street in Bridgenorth.
The label of a recalled beef tongue jelly product sold at the Bridgenorth Deli. (Photo: Health Canada)
The deli, which sold the product before it was aware of the recall, is “cooperating well” with CFIA and the health unit regarding the recall of the product and the safety of their clients.
“Every effort is being made with the deli to contact the customers directly,” the health unit adds.
If you have purchased any of the recalled products, do not eat them. Throw them out or return them to the location of purchase. If you are ill and think you have consumed the product, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
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Health Canada estimates that there are about four million cases of food-borne illness in Canada every year. While listeriosis is a rare disease in Canada, some foods are more likely to carry the Listeria bacteria than others. Some higher-risk foods include refrigerated smoked fish, raw or unpasteurized milk, soft and unpasteurized cheeses, and ready-to-eat meats including pâté, deli meats, and hot dog wieners.
According to the Health Canada website, food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled, but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness.
Pregnant women, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases of illness, people may die.
Christian and Gabriel are two of the kids of families served by Five Counties Children's Centre who are looking forward to "All-o-ween" at the organization's locations in Peterborough, Cobourg, and Lindsay from October 28 to 30, 2024. The event is aimed at making the trick-or-treating experience more inclusive and accessible for kids of all ages and abilities by removing physical and sensory barriers for trick-or-treating. (Photo: Five Counties Children's Centre)
Without stairs to climb or noisy music and bright lights, Five Counties Children’s Centre will be striving to create accessible and inclusive experiences for kids this Halloween season.
The regional children’s centre, which serves children and youth with special needs living in Northumberland, Peterborough and Haliburton counties, and Kawartha Lakes, is hosting “All-o-ween” activities later this month.
It’s the inaugural Halloween-themed offering of its kind for Five Counties’ clients and children and youth on the waiting list.
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“All-o-ween is all about making Halloween festivities more accessible for kids in all sorts of ways,” Bill Eekhof, spokesperson for Five Counties, told kawarthaNOW.
“Each of the All-o-ween events in Peterborough, Cobourg, and Lindsay will be held indoors, meaning kids get to go around each (Five Counties) site and trick-or-treat at the doors of offices and treatment rooms that Five Counties staff have decorated for the occasion. By offering it indoors, we can make All-o-ween more accessible — no stairs to climb, for instance. For kids with sensory issues, there will be no loud music or bright lights, which we hope makes the event more inclusive for them too.”
There will also be food, kids’ crafts, and a storyteller sharing a fall festive tale. Kids who attend All-o-ween can dress up in costume, wear orange and black, or come as they are. Siblings of Five Counties kids are welcome to join the fun as well.
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Five Counties ultimately wants to make trick-or-treating more accessible and less scary for kids through these events.
“Ask any child, and they will tell you Halloween ranks right up there as one of the best days of the year,” noted Hayley Hodges, client and family experience lead at Five Counties, in a media release. “Unfortunately, for some children who are disabled or neurodiverse, getting into the fall festivities can be a challenge.”
That’s where All-o-ween is meant to break down barriers, Eekhof noted. All of the All-o-ween events include an accessible and sensory-friendly trick-or-treating experience.
According to Hodges, providing an inclusive opportunity like All-o-ween benefit kids of all ages and abilities.
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All-o-ween runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at Five Counties sites in Peterborough (872 Dutton Rd.) on Monday, October 28, in Cobourg (800 Division St., Unit 2) on Tuesday, October 29, and in Lindsay (9 Russell St. E.) on Wednesday, October 30. To attend, advance registration is required by calling 1-888-779-9916 ext. 215 or visiting www.fivecounties.on.ca/alloween.
According to Hodges, providing an inclusive opportunity like All-o-ween benefit kids of all ages and abilities.
“In our everyday work at Five Counties, we support children and youth with physical, developmental and communications needs with the aim of enriching their independence and quality of life every day,” Hodges said. “Halloween is one of those days or festivities that children of every ability should have the chance to experience and enjoy. And by organizing All-o-ween, we want to ensure everyone participates and no one gets left behind.”
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Meanwhile, at home on the big day, community members can also do their part to make Halloween a memorable and accessible experience for all kids and youth. Eekhof suggested the following:
For people planning for Halloween, there are many tricks to make the event a treat for kids of all ages and abilities too. For instance, you might think to set up a trick-or-treating station that is accessible and barrier free for every child to enjoy. For homes with stairs, consider setting up an accessible treat station on the front lawn, driveway, or garage.
While scary and spooky decorations are appealing, they can be frightening to some children with sensitivities. Bright flashing lights and loud or frightening noises can particularly cause problems for children with sensory processing issues, autism, or epilepsy. Be thoughtful and tactful in how you decorate so more trick-or-treaters can take part.
You can also dress for success with inclusive Halloween costumes. Show how crafty and creative you are by designing a costume that meets your child’s unique needs and situation. If a child has sensory issues or sensitivities to traditional Halloween costumes, create your own using simple and soft clothing that reflects a child’s preferences. Many party stores carry adaptive and accessible styles of costumes, including ones that cover wheelchairs. See what’s available or try making your own.
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