Downtown Millbrook has been transformed into small-town U.S.A. for the filming of the popular action-thriller series Reacher, based on the best-selling books by British author Lee Child.

Filming is underway for the third season of the series starring Alan Ritchson as the titular character Jack Reacher, a brawny yet astute former military policeman who becomes a drifter after leaving the army and uses his expertise and physical strength and combat skills to solve crimes and right wrongs.

King Street between Tupper and Union will be closed to vehicular traffic during the filming, which began on Tuesday (April 23) and will wrap on Thursday.

Millbrook is standing in for a town in Maine during an episode of the third season of the Amazon Prime Video series, which is based on Child’s 2003 novel Persuader.

The seventh book in the series, Persuader finds Reacher working covertly with Susan Duff of the Drug Enforcement Administration to bring down Zachary Beck, a businessman who lives on the coast of Maine and is suspected of smuggling drugs under the pretext of trading in rugs, and to safely retrieve an undercover DEA agent who appears to have been discovered and kidnapped by Beck’s henchmen.

But Reacher’s primary motivation is more personal. He wants to exact revenge on Beck’s boss, a former military intelligence agent named Francis Xavier Quinn who Reacher thought he had killed 10 years earlier after Quinn brutally mutilated and murdered Dominique Kohl, a rising star in the military police under Reacher’s command.

VIDEO: Filming of “Reacher” fight scene in Millbrook

It’s unknown how closely the third season will follow the plot of the book. While the first season of Reacher — which included a non-speaking role by Peterborough actor Wyatt Lamoureux — was a faithful adaptation of Child’s 1997 debut Killing Floor, the second season based on 2007’s Bad Luck and Trouble took some liberties with that book’s plot and characters.

However, casting has been announced for most of the major characters who appear in the book, including Anthony Michael Hall as Zachary Beck, Johnny Berchtold as Beck’s son Richard, Sonya Cassidy as Susan Duff, and Brian Tee as Quinn.

One significant character in the book whose casting has not yet been announced is Paul “Paulie” Masserella, one of Quinn’s henchman who is even taller and more muscular than Reacher. Casting may be a challenge as Ritchson has continued to bulk up to physically embody Child’s protagonist — the muscular 6’2″ actor reportedly broke 240 pounds for season two of Reacher. In the two movies based on Child’s books, Reacher was played by the relatively diminutive Tom Cruise, to the consternation of many fans of the books.

Update: on May 23, 2024, it was announced that Dutch bodybuilder and actor Olivier Richters has been cast as Paulie. Nicknamed “The Dutch Giant,” Richters is 7’2″ and weighs 350 pounds.

The filming of the Reacher episode in Millbrook is only the latest example of the picturesque town’s popularity as a location in the film and television industry.

Films shot in Millbrook include 2003’s The Music Man starring Matthew Broderick, David Cronenberg’s 2005 film A History of Violence, and 2009’s Let It Snow, among others. Along with Reacher on Amazon Prime Video, scenes have been shot in Millbrook for the Netflix series Jupiter’s Legacy (2020) and Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (2021), as well as for the Canadian TV series Murdoch Mysteries and Anne with an E.

While no release date has been set for season three of Reacher, speculation is the season may premiere on Amazon Prime Video as early as December or as late as February 2025.

Community leaders from the local economic development, business, and political realms were treated Tuesday morning (April 23) to the world according to Bonnie Clark.

More specifically, her world, that being Peterborough County and, by extension, the eight townships located within its close to 3,800 square kilometres.

The Warden’s Breakfast, held at the McCloskey International Great Hall in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum, saw Warden Clark share her insights and views on a number of regional issues and related challenges before a packed room.

Hosted by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, Warden Clark — who is also the vice-chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus — fielded questions posed by Chamber president and CEO Sarah Budd.

Their 45-minute sit-down covered a wide range of topics, including affordable housing, physician recruitment, and the dissolving of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) and what that means moving forward.

Speaking to the latter, Budd noted that the concern, from a Chamber perspective, is a possible duplication of services offered by the County and the City of Peterborough — services that have been provided for both municipalities by PKED for many years.

“When a door closes, there’s always another one that opens,” said Warden Clark, adding with the PKED contract expiring at the end of this year, there’s “time to get things in place.”

“We have two great staff who have their fingers in economic development and tourism. We’re going to work with our eight municipalities, many of which have economic development officers. It will be a collaboration.”

“And we will work together with the city. We’ve always said what’s good for the county, is good for the city, and vice versa. That doesn’t mean we’re going to have joint operations, but it does mean there are certain areas we can collaborate on.”

“We’re on the brink of looking at something new and different.”

Meanwhile, Warden Clark also touched on the years-long back-and-forth between the County and the City when it comes to the provision of serviceable employment lands — her response no doubt catching the attention of Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal who was in the audience.

“The county and the (township) municipalities are working together … our CAOs meet routinely around this issue,” she said. “There’s one common misunderstanding out there, and that is that we have huge amounts of employment land bordering the city. Municipalities do not own land. We don’t have huge acreages (of land).”

“However, in saying that, we’re looking at communal servicing. We’re certainly looking to work with the city. If there is an opportunity — employment land that is close to being serviced — that is not being turned down. I look at (Mayor Leal) here and say ‘Come on with an offer. We’re here and ready to go’.’

Prior to Warden Clark taking to the stage, Peterborough County’s physician recruiter Lori Richey provided an update on the formidable challenge of attracting new doctors to the region.

Richey said that, according to Ontario College of Family Physician estimates, more than 33,000 people in the city and county don’t have access to primary care, with that number expected to double in five to eight years.

While acknowledging that major challenge, and encouraging residents to let their MPs and MPPs hear loud and clear that help is needed from senior levels of government to reduce the shortfall in doctors, Warden Clark pointed to an equally pressing deficit of early childhood educators and a lack of licensed daycare spaces.

“Our early childhood educators are, in my opinion, not paid enough,” Warden Clark said. “It’s a fact if children go to an early childhood setting, the outcomes are better. The graduation from high school stats are better. It’s important for us to invest in and recognize those professionals.”

“There are two ends of it. We’d don’t have enough spaces and we don’t have the people in early childhood care to fill those spots to look after our children. If we have any municipal spots that we can think of, we should open them up.”

“I feel we should have it as part of our schools from the get-go. It’s an investment that pays off. But again, we’re not looking at the front end. We’re only looking at the back end.”

Meanwhile, on the new housing front, Warden Clark had a couple of points to make.

“When the municipality gives land (for housing), that is not considered a credit,” she said. “When you go out and apply for those mortgages, there’s a checklist and you get points for that. If we’re contributing land that the taxpayer has already paid for, we should get points for that. That’s one thing I think is going to be changing.”

“The other thing is the fact that, where there is a surplus of schools that the taxpayer has paid for, those should be given to municipalities to develop houses. We should not have to pay for them. They’ve already been paid for by taxpayers.”

Along with Richey, other speakers that preceded Warden Clark were Meredith Staveley-Watson, manager of government relations and policy for the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, and Tariq Qurashi of Enbridge, the event’s presenting sponsor.

While Bonnie Clark became Peterborough County Warden in December 2022 — just the third woman to hold that position — her career in public service began more than 20 years ago as a township councillor for the former Otonabee Township. She has served as deputy mayor of the amalgamated Otonabee-South Monaghan Township, and as a member of county council since 2018.

In 2023, Clark was acclaimed vice-chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus. She previously served as chair of the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority and the Peterborough Housing Corporation.

Away from politics, Warden Clark is part of a proud farming family where presently the sixth generation lives and works on the family poultry farm. Prior to entering politics, she had a career in the health care industry as a registered nurse for 28 years.

For a new employee, Hayley Hodges already feels at home coming through the doors at Five Counties Children’s Centre.

After all, Five Counties is very familiar as she grew up receiving treatment here.

“This place has inspired me so much to help me be the person I am today,” says Hayley, who started in March 2024 as the centre’s new client and family experience lead. “It’s because of this place, because of the resources and supports, that I am more independent, I am a working individual, I am a mom. I have all the skills required because of this place right here.”

As a two year old, Hayley first came to Five Counties to get support for her cerebral palsy and related challenges. At the centre, she received physiotherapy and occupational therapy, while also taking part in recreational therapy opportunities and benefiting from social work support.

Throughout school, Hayley continued to come to Five Counties for physiotherapy appointments.

“You really get to work with everyone in the building, working with all the clinicians to make for the best experience possible,” Hayley says. “All of the services I received here were connected. Five Counties staff really said, ‘What does Hayley need? And so how do we achieve that within our departments and our services?’.”

VIDEO: “Empowering Families in Their Child’s Care” featuring Hayley Hodges

Even as Hayley reflects on her past experiences at Five Counties, she also looks forward to her new role. In the newly created position of client and family experience lead, Hayley’s aim is to listen and engage with Five Counties kids and families to improve their experiences and strengthen the bonds with centre staff.

“Clients and families need to feel connected to their care,” Hayley notes. “They need to understand what they’re receiving from the centre, they need to feel empowered and involved, and they need to know they are being heard.”

These efforts dovetail perfectly with Five Counties’ family-centred approach to treatment, that sees parents and family members as central players in their child’s rehabilitation journey.

According to Hayley, improving the client and family experience also benefits Five Counties staff.

“We’re able to build a more trusting relationship with our clients and families, and then they’re more willing to participate in the treatment and supports they receive at Five Counties. It improves everyone.”

In her new role, Hayley can draw on more than her past experiences at Five Counties. As an advocate for inclusion and accessibility, she has served in previous roles as youth facilitator in the family engagement section at Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, program manager at the local Junior Achievement organization, program manager at Heads Up For Inclusion, and a volunteer with the Council for Persons with Disabilities in Peterborough.

“And now to work here and make a difference in a way that Five Counties can improve the client and family and experience is a really cool opportunity,” Hayley adds.

One astute observation is that, even with all the great work being done at Five Counties, the fact is that families are not here by choice — they’re here because they have no other choice.

Given this reality, making the Five Counties experience even better for our kids and clients (and their families) benefits everyone. And — in collaboration with Five Counties staff — Hayley is well-positioned to do just that.

The dream of having a place to call home sweet home came to fruition this weekend for a Kawartha Lakes family.

Lindsay residents Brittany, Jason, and their two children now have a safe, decent, and affordable place to live as a result of an effort led by Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR), along with local volunteers and community partners.

A housewarming celebration took place on Sunday (April 21) at the family’s new home in Lindsay, where they were joined by friends, family, and supporters.

Jenn MacDonald, Habitat PKR communications and donor services manager, said it’s very meaningful to see a family move into their new home.

“These celebrations are the heart of everything we do and always reignite our passion and motivation to help more families have a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home,” MacDonald told kawarthaNOW.

“There is nothing better than seeing the smiling and proud faces of our homeowner families after they worked hard to purchase their own home through our unique homeownership program. It is even better when they’re surrounded by the volunteers and community supporters who all had a helping hand in getting the family to this milestone, where we can collectively celebrate, and shed a few happy tears together.”

Like many families in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Brittany and Jason faced barriers to homeownership prior to partnering with Habitat PKR, the organization noted.

“It was hard to imagine how we could ever become homeowners due to the rising interest rates and the insane average cost of a house in Lindsay,” shared Brittany in a media release. “But we were still determined to make our dream of homeownership a reality, no matter how long it took.”

Families qualify for Habitat PKR’s homeownership program based on their need for affordable housing, a willingness to partner, and the ability to take on the responsibilities of homeownership. All partner families are required to contribute 500 volunteer hours, which Brittany and Jason completed working alongside staff and volunteers at the Habitat ReStore.

“We partner with families to help them buy their own home through a unique affordable homeownership solution,” said Susan Zambonin, CEO of Habitat PKR, in the release.

“With skyrocketing rental rates and the cost of housing at an all-time high, it is not surprising that many families are spending close to 50 per cent of their income on housing. The Habitat model works to empower partner families through a no-down-payment, geared-to-income mortgage model providing them with financial stability and the opportunity to make forward-looking choices.”

Habitat PKR was able to help Brittany and Jason through Habitat’s buy-back program. The program provides Habitat PKR with the option to repurchase a Habitat home from a family when they are ready to transition into market homeownership or move on otherwise. The home is then renovated, if necessary, and used to provide a hand-up for another family.

This Habitat home was built in 2019 with the support of volunteers, community partners, the Lindsay ReStore, and the City of Kawartha Lakes, which donated the parcel of land which now houses five Habitat homes.

With a grant from the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada, support from volunteers, and home-building partner Alf Curtis Home Improvements, the pre-existing home was able to be renovated and refreshed before Brittany and Jason took possession.

When asked how families can apply to be considered for a Habitat home, MacDonald said people who are interested in the affordable homeownership program can start by reviewing the eligibility criteria that is available on Habitat PKR’s website at habitatpeterborough.ca/homeownership.

After reviewing the criteria and believing they could be eligible, the next step is to complete an expression of interest form, which is also on the website at the bottom of the homeownership page.

“This is a pre-screener to verify that they are eligible for the program,” MacDonald said. “If they meet the eligibility, our housing program manager will reach out with an invitation to submit a full application, which includes things like a credit check.”

“If their full application meets all the requirements, a home interview is completed, their application is sent for review with our partner financial institution, and then Habitat PKR sits down with the family to provide them with the good news and reviews the partnership agreement.”

Habitat PKR hosts monthly information sessions through which community members can learn more about the program and ask questions.

The timeline from application to possession varies. There is no typical timing as it changes for every build based on the construction schedule, how quickly paperwork is sent in by the applicant family, when Habitat PKR hears back from the bank with a first mortgage approval, the family’s completion of its volunteer hours, and many other factors, MacDonald noted.

For Brittany and Jason, there’s joy in their new beginning.

“There is so much pride in becoming a homeowner — it is an investment goal we have always worked hard towards,” Brittany said. “A fresh start like this is exactly what our family needs — we can’t wait to begin this new chapter together.”

Habitat PKR is a not-for-profit organization that strives to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership. Since 2002, Habitat for Humanity PKR has helped 82 local families into affordable homeownership.

Peterborough city council has unanimously rejected a recommendation from staff that the Canada Day parade be cancelled in 2024.

At council’s general committee meeting on Monday night (April 22), councillor Matt Crowley put forward a motion that the report be received for information only and proposed an amendment that the Canada Day parade continue this year, and that staff report back to council with information about the success of this year’s parade so council can make a decision about continuing the parade in 2025.

In the report, staff had recommended the annual Canada Day parade be cancelled in 2024 due to the declining number of floats and the $20,000 budgeted for the parade instead be devoted to alternative celebratory events in Del Crary Park.

According to the report, the number of Canada Day parade float entries has declined since the pandemic. In 2019, there were 56 float entries, although only 16 participated due to heat and humidity. The parade was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and, when it resumed in 2022, saw only 21 float entries that year and only 25 in 2023. As a result of the fewer number of floats, the parade lasted around 16 minutes in 2022 and 20 minutes in 2023.

Councillor Crowley said the city should give the parade another year before making a decision, pointing out the potential impact of the pandemic of participation.

“I know that it’s a very quick parade at the moment because we have had a lack of submissions, but I think that — if moving forward — if it is a very well-attended event, it’s something that the community wants, and the community communicated to us that they really want it, and I think that if the community wants to participate and bring out floats this year and really make it a great celebration, I think that it would be beneficial to all of us to continue on and keep the parade going every year.”

Councillor Don Vassiliadis asked city staff whether the parade’s budget has always been $20,000 and city staff responded that the budget has been around that amount for the past five years.

Vassiliadis suggested that staff reach out to service clubs like Kinsmen or Rotary to see if they could support events like the parade, but staff said service clubs may not be able to take on events like this, pointing out they had already stepped away from organizing the Victoria Day fireworks display.

Mayor Jeff Leal said he heard from residents while he was at the farmers’ market that they were against the idea of cancelling the parade.

“Nine of out 10 people who spoke to me want the Canada Day parade,” the mayor said. “They see it as an iconic event here in the City of Peterborough, and I just want to lend my support to councillor Crowley.”

Councillor Joy Lachica read some comments sent to council in support of the parade, and added that the parade was especially significant for new Canadians.

“This clearly sounds like it’s something that’s still very important to our community, so I’m going to support the amendment,” she added.

While councillor Gary Baldwin defended the staff report to broaden the activities available on Canada Day beyond the parade, he said he supported Crowley’s motion to continue the parade.

He asked community services commissioner Sheldon Laidman if the cost of liability insurance was a factor in declining participation in the parade. Laidman said it was not a major factor as the city’s insurance covers the event, adding that the major cost for the parade is for policing.

Councillor Alex Bierk supported Crowley’s motion and expressed concern about city staff’s lack of consultation with the broader community and the fact that, as co-chair of the community services portfolio, he was unaware of the city staff recommendation to cancel the parade before receiving the report — a concern shared by councillor Keith Riel in his comments.

While supporting continuing the Canada Day parade, councillor Lesley Parnell also supported city staff’s recommendation to expand Canada Day events beyond the parade, pointing out that the New Canadians Centre is no longer hosting its Multicultural Canada Day Festival in Del Crary Park (an event which was not funded by the city) and that the city’s $20,000 budget is insufficient to host both the parade and other events.

“If you want a parade and you want the events in the park, we’re gonna have increase that budget, because we just cannot afford to do both,” Parnell said.

Parnell also suggested New Canadians Centre could resume their Multicultural Canada Day Festival at Millennium Park instead of Del Crary Park to avoid conflicts with Peterborough Musicfest.

Parnell noted that lots of people want to watch the Canada Day parade, but the issue is the lack of participants in the parade itself.

“Please sign up, if you want to make it a success and you want it back again (in 2025),” she said, addressing the general public. “We need more participants in the parade.”

As for fireworks over Little Lake on Canada Day, a second staff report presented to general committee recommended the fireworks platform in Little Lake be decommissioned and disposed of, with fireworks displays launched from the T wharf and other approved sites instead. Councillors voted to approve the recommendation, without discussion, among other consent items.

Other items endorsed by general committee at Monday night’s meeting included:

• Changing the zoning for 1113 Clonsilla Ave. to allow the property to be used for a four-storey stacked townhouse with 28 units.
• Changing the zoning for 1509, 1529 and 1533 Sherbrooke St. to allow part of the properties to be used for a three-storey, 93-unit residential apartment building.
• Supporting councillor Kevin Duguay to seek election to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors as a representative of the City of Peterborough, with up to $4,000 coming from the Mayor’s Office budget to support the activity.
• Amending the contract for consulting services for the Peterborough Organics Facility to increase the value to $1,667,812 plus tax from $1,238,460 plus tax to reflect changes required in the planning and regulatory approvals, design changes for value engineering, extended construction, and commissioning contract administration.
• Designating 140 King Street, known as the J.J. Turner Building, under the Ontario Heritage Act as being a property of cultural heritage value or interest to the City of Peterborough.
• That staff report back to council in 2024 on the need for an all-way stop or traffic signal at Bensfort Road and Otonabee Drive.

Items endorsed by general committee will be considered by city council for final approval at its regular meeting next Monday (April 29).