A 13-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl are facing multiple charges after stealing a car in Kingston and driving it to Peterborough, where it was seen driving around a city park and later struck a fence and a wall at other locations in the city.
At around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Peterborough Police Service received a call about a vehicle being driven on a soccer field and the beach at Beavermead Park. Officers received two more calls about the vehicle, one as it left a parking lot in the Braidwood Avenue and Jane Street area striking a fence, and the other after it struck a concrete wall in the Morphet Avenue and Morrow Street area.
After the vehicle struck the concrete wall, two people were seen fleeing the vehicle. A short time later, officers spotted two people who matched the description given to police walking in the area and took them into custody.
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Police learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Kingston the previous day and was also wanted in connection with a traffic complaint in the north end of Oshawa earlier on Sunday evening.
As a result of the investigation, police arrested and charged a 13-year-old Oshawa boy who was driving the vehicle with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, failing to comply with a sentence, two counts of failing to remain, two counts of careless driving, and driving a motor vehicle without a licence.
Police also arrested and charged a 13-year-old Kingston girl who was a passenger in the vehicle with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
The accused boy is being held in police custody and will appears in court on Monday (June 10). The accused girl was released from custody on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on July 15.
Local non-profit organization Wildlife Rescue Nests will have a vendor booth at the Made By Me Market on June 22, 2024 outside the Silver Bean Café in Peterborough's Millennium Park. All proceeds from earrings, bags, stuffies, phone slings, and other crocheted items will be covering the shipping costs and materials associated with providing no-cost crocheted nests to animal rehabilitators across the world. (Photo courtesy of Cheryl Edwards)
Since 2012, Peterborough maker Cheryl Edwards has been building a network of local creatives by hosting regular maker markets. Though they have been held under many different titles over the years, the “Made By Me Market” is perhaps the most aptly named, as it features no shortage of locally made goods from accessories to artwork, home décor, baked goods, and more.
To support as many artists and artisans as possible, Edwards has invited a different lineup of vendors for each day of the weekend markets she has scheduled over the summer and fall.
The first summer Made by Me Market will be held on the waterfront outside Peterborough’s Silver Bean Café in Millennium Park (130 King Street) between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22nd and Sunday, June 23rd. That market will feature 12 vendors selling paintings, all-natural dog treats, plushies, crochet jewellery, skin care products, and more.
While some of the vendors are for-profit businesses, others are non-profit organizations. Hearts 4 Joy sells hand-painted goods made by adults with intellectual disabilities. Wildlife Rescue Nests sells earrings, pins, phone slings, shoulder bags, and other crocheted items to fund the shipping and material costs of crocheted nests that the organization donates to wildlife rehabilitators across the globe.
“Shadows” (24″ x 30″, oil on gallery canvas) by Fred Sutherland. Sutherland is one of the artists in 201 Studio, a Peterborough-based volunteer-run artist collective that will have a vendor booth at the Made By Me Market on July 20 and 21, 2024 outside the Silver Bean Café in Peterborough’s Millennium Park. (Photo courtesy of Cheryl Edwards)
At all Made by Me Markets, visitors can enter a draw to win prizes donated by the vendors, and every visitor will receive a unique bookmark that clips onto books and is handmade by Edwards herself.
Additional Made by Me Markets at the Silver Bean Café this summer run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the weekends of July 20 and 21 and August 24 and 25. Fall markets will have even more vendors, and will be held at the Lions Club Community Centre (347 Burnham Street) on Saturday, September 7th and Saturday, November 30th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Edwards is still seeking vendors for the August, September, and November markets. Interested vendors are invited to fill out an application online at madebymemarket.ca. To learn more about the vendors who will be participating in the first Made by Me Markets of the summer, visit the Facebook event pages for the June 22 and June 23 markets.
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.
Marci and Jonathan Swift and their sons Gavin, Dylan, Emmett, and Caleb run Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in North Kawartha Township along with Marci's mother. The Swift family is welcoming the public to their Apsley farm every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for their new farmstand featuring fresh eggs and honey, cut flowers, seasonal products, and handmade goods from local makers. (Photo: Katie Ellement Photography)
“We like to just jump in feet first and then figure it out as we go.”
Such is how “Queen Bee” Marci Swift became the owner of a 107-acre farm in Apsley, found a passion for beekeeping, learned to raise animals, and is now running a small business selling sustainable and handmade products alongside her husband Jonathan and their four sons.
Now Swift Acres Apiary & Farm is diving in once again by inviting the public to a new farmstand on the North Kawartha property every Saturday morning.
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From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, Swift Acres Apiary & Farm is inviting anyone to drop by and purchase delicious honey and fresh eggs, cut wildflowers, and a selection of handmade goods and products from other local makers.
“What we offer is going to be a little different every week as we go with the seasons,” says Marci. “My boys have different things planned — they have lemonade and have been working on little herb planters — and, in the summer, we’re going to have veggies that are locally grown.”
Hearing Marci’s love of farm life, you would never guess that she wasn’t a generational farmer. But, while growing up in Bowmanville, Marci “always dreamed” of one day living on a farm.
“I had a friend whose house was on a farm, and it was one of those memories that stuck with me because I loved the feeling when I was there,” she recalls. “I think I was drawn to the simplicity of farm life — not to say that it’s easy, because it’s far from easy — but there’s something about the rhythm of the simplicity of it, with the animals needing food and water. There’s a certain routine that just has to be done.”
Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley began with the decision to take in chicks that been kindergarten class pets. Now the farm is also home to kunekune pigs and Nigerian dwarf goats, with Marci and Jonathan Swift’s four sons ranging in age from 8 to 17 doing most of the farm chores and animal care at the farm. (Photos courtesy of Marci Swift)
Moving to their large North Kawartha property was not something Marci and Jonathan had set out to do. They were living in their first home in Grafton when they were supposed to be looking for cottages for her in-laws and instead stumbled upon a new home for themselves.
“I very much go with my heart, not my head, all the time — which only sometimes works out, and in this case, it did,” she says. “Everybody thought we were crazy as we were moving so far from our friends and family, but we loved it and haven’t looked back since.”
As for the animals, that all began with some chicks that had once been kindergarten classroom pets. While Marci was on maternity leave, Jonathan, a teacher, had the opportunity to take them home as the first animals to be introduced to the land. Though the couple began by only using the eggs for themselves, they eventually started selling them to friends and neighbours.
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Before long, Marci realized they should use the “big beautiful barn to its full potential” by introducing more animals. As she was raising four sons, she wanted to find animals whose care was not labour-intensive, which led her and her oldest son, Gavin, who was 10 years old at the time, to take a beekeeping course.
“By the end, we knew it was something we could do, so we ordered two nucs (nucleus colonies) and hives,” Marci says. “And after that first season of having bees, I was hooked. Bees, I would say, are my passion now. I just love them, which was surprising.”
Seven years later, Marci and her family now have almost 50 hives and, while it’s certainly not as easy managing so many, she is still in her “happy place” when she’s out working in the bees.
The apiary at Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley began after Marci Swift and her oldest son Gavin took a beekeeping course. Seven years later, they now have 50 hives and all of Marci’s sons have picked up her passion for bees and pollinators while working on the farm. (Photo courtesy of Marci Swift)
“They are just fascinating to watch and learn from, and I’m constantly learning more every year,” Marci says about her bees. “I always think I know exactly what I need to do, but every hive has their own personality and different things you have to figure out on your feet. The way they work together is really something I like to hold onto in my own life.”
Teamwork is something the whole family has learned from farm life, as Swift Acres has become a family affair. Marci’s mother — who had planned to “retire” on the property — is the delivery person and gatherer of supplies and Jonathan is the handyman, with Marci and Jonathan’s four sons doing much of the animal care and chores around the farm.
“I honestly couldn’t do all that we do without them,” Marci points out. “I cannot give them enough credit as they run 90 per cent of this farm. They’re pretty amazing and I’m very lucky to have their support.”
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Through the apiary and farm, the Swifts sell beeswax candles, honey, goat milk soaps, and other handmade products — all of which are sustainable and natural.
“It’s amazing that when you get connected with a part of nature and with honeybees, you just want to learn about and help all the other native pollinators that are here,” Marci says. “For me, it was just really important that we don’t contribute to the waste or pollution of our Earth.”
“I love creating different candles or honey and soaps, but a lot of those things come with unneeded packaging,” she adds. “I tried to source out different ways I could do it without having an impact and adding to landfills, and then I wondered if I can do this, why can’t these other big huge corporations do it? But I figure. small and mightily, I can do my part and feel good about what I put out there and know it’s not going to actually be on this Earth forever.”
All products at Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley, including beeswax candles and goat milk’s soap, are handmade with minimal packaging. (Photos: Michelle Bolton Photography)
Since first beginning to make and sell the products from the farm, Marci has wanted to open the farmstand and welcome people to actively enjoy the land.
“There’s just something about having that connection to where your food and products come from that feels good,” she says.
Alongside selling original Swift Acres products, the family is inviting other local makers and businesses to sell their homemade goods through the farmstand, including maple products from nearby farms and garden decorations from Rachel Charlebois’ Metal by Rachel.
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The Swift family also hopes to have their kunekune pigs and Nigerian dwarf goats available for viewing from an observation hide.
“We’re hoping to create a little community vibe here so people can just come and chat and look at the animals and grab a glass of lemonade and chill out,” Marci says. “It’s always great to get out and actually connect and talk to people and hear feedback, and I’m just hoping that this can become something that people look forward to on a Saturday morning.”
As well as their signature honey, Swift Acres Apiary & Farm in Apsley will always have fresh eggs available for purchase at the new farmstand, as well as seasonal products and handmade goods from other local businesses. The farmstand is open Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Photo: Michelle Bolton Photography)
This story has been updated with a correction. Swift Acres Apiary & Farm sells beeswax candles, not soy candles.
The Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service is recruiting firefighters to serve in areas of northern Kawartha Lakes, as well as in other communities in the southern region of the municipality such as Emily. (Photo: Kawartha Lakes Fire Service)
The Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service is seeking volunteer firefighters to serve in various communities within Kawartha Lakes this fall.
Mike Matthews, deputy chief of the Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service, said the fire department is recruiting people for several posts, most notably to cover the northern communities of Kinmount, Burnt River, Kirkfield, Carden, and Norland.
“Our hope for the fall 2024 recruitment is to encourage individuals for our fire stations in the northern communities of Kawartha Lakes to apply for the position of volunteer firefighter,” Matthews told kawarthaNOW.
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“There are other fire stations we are hiring for as well,” he said, noting those who are interested can check out the recruitment page on the municipality’s website at www.kawarthalakes.ca/vff. Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, July 3.
The deputy chief said firefighting provides a rewarding opportunity for community members who join the department.
“This is a valuable way to give back to your community by becoming part of the team that responds when an emergency arises.”
All new recruits are required to complete 40 hours of online training prior to participating in 66 hours of in-person training. Both these elements are mandatory and need to be completed before recruits are assigned to halls and allowed to respond to calls, the deputy chief noted.
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A volunteer firefighter is a paid position, with firefighters receiving $23.91 an hour once they begin in-person training.
In terms of the commitment the role involves, Matthews said, “the emergency calls could happen at any time, but we are also very aware of the importance of a good work-life balance.”
Aside from emergency calls, there are two firefighter training nights at the volunteers’ respective stations per month.
“Public education and fire prevention events are a big part of fire service, and there is the ability to be a part of these events in your community,” he noted.
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Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service relies on both full-time and volunteer firefighters to staff its fire department. Firefighters are committed to providing fire protection services in their local areas and for the community at large.
“Volunteer firefighters play an important role in keeping our communities safe from fire and other hazards,” Kawartha Lakes notes on its website. People who are dedicated and possess excellent teamwork skills, along with being in good health and having an adequate level of physical fitness, are encouraged to apply for the role.
“Volunteer firefighting is a great way to learn valuable skills, give back to your community and earn extra income,” the website states
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Other advantages of volunteer firefighting, according to Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service, include gaining transferrable life skills, becoming a member of a dedicated team, acquiring valuable knowledge and participating in a wide range of specialized training, and helping to promote a safe community by upholding the three lines of defence against fire: public fire safety education, fire safety standards, and enforcement and emergency response.
Applicants are asked to apply for the firehall that is the closest to where they live. Applying to more than one firehall could disqualify an applicant.
Kawartha Lakes Fire Service is not currently hiring volunteer firefighters for the following firehalls: Station 1 Lindsay, Station 2 Omemee, Station 3 Bobcaygeon, Station 4 Ops, Station 19 Coboconk, Station 21 Mariposa, and Station 22 Fenelon Falls.
More than 250 people attended a 'Save Bonnerworth Park' rally on May 18, 2024 at the park at McDonnel Street and Monaghan Road where the City of Peterborough plans to build 16 pickleball courts. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of Mark Wollard video)
While pickleball isn’t on the agenda for Peterborough City Council when it meets at 6 p.m. Monday (June 10), it will be for the Peterborough residents attending a rally outside of city hall a half hour before council meets.
The Save Bonnerworth Park group will be holding a so-called “Rally For Answers” as they continue to raise their voices against the planned $4.4 million redevelopment of the park at McDonnel Street and Monaghan Road, which includes the construction of 16 pickleball courts, an expanded skate park, a bike pump track, and an 80-vehicle parking lot.
Representing residents neighbouring the park, the group’s primary objections to the redevelopment plan include the noise impact that the 16 pickleball courts will have on their quality of life, the loss of their neighbourhood greenspace, and what they claim was a flawed process in terms of how the plan has been developed and communicated.
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The first phase of the Bonnerworth Park redevelopment plan would see construction begin this fall on the pickleball court complex, including any landscaping and sound attenuation. The second phase of the redevelopment plan would see the expansion of the skateboard park and construction of the new bike pump track in 2025.
A media release for “Rally For Answers” provided by neighbourhood resident D’Arcy Jenish on behalf of the Coalition for Bonnerworth Park asks 16 questions — one for each proposed pickleball court — “that city council needs to answer.”
Why does a city of 80,000 need the largest pickleball complex in Ontario?
Who decided 16 courts is what the city needs and on what basis?
Why pave a multi-use park and green space for an emerging sport that may be no more than passing fad?
What is the membership of the Peterborough Pickleball Association?
Do 6,700 signatures opposing the redevelopment matter to Council?
Will the (Peterborough Pickleball Association) pay capital and usage fees as do other sports organizations?
Why has the city not considered sites other than Bonnerworth?
Why the urgency to build this development?
Why not put kids first and build the bike track and skateboard park first?
Why build 16 courts when other cities are closing courts due to noise complaints?
Has the city a credible noise abatement plan?
Are there any proven noise abatement systems?
Has the city considered the potential for costly legal battles?
Has the city conducted a geotechnical study to determine if the Bonnerworth playing field is a suitable site for the proposed development?
Why does Councillor (Lesley) Parnell insist this is a “done deal” before light, noise and traffic studies have been completed?
Why do we need a pickleball complex that is larger than any in the cities of Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, London, Windsor and Ottawa?
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VIDEO: “Save Bonnerworth Park – The First Rally”
Monday’s rally will follow another held on May 18 at Bonnerworth Park that was organized by retired priest Father Leo Coughlin, a resident of the Marycrest at Inglewood seniors’ complex on Monaghan Road directly across from the park. That rally was attended by more than 250 people.
On April 8, Peterborough city council voted 8-3 against a motion from Town Ward councillor Joy Lachica to revisit the redevelopment plan in response to concerns of neighbouring residents primarily about the potential noise and traffic that would result from the large number of pickleball courts — clearing the way for the project to proceed in the hands of city staff with no further council oversight.
On May 13, Lachica put forward another motion that council be granted final approval authority for the redevelopment plan, including the recommended site plan and final technical studies such as traffic and parking, and noise. Committee chair Andrew Beamer ruled her motion out of order, a decision that was supported by a 6-5 vote.
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The City of Peterborough recently posted a statement about the Bonnerworth Park redevelopment on its public consultation website, recognizing that “there’s been a lot of discussion about the Bonnerworth Park project over the last several months.”
“The city has heard from residents and stakeholder groups, with two main concerns being noise associated with pickleball and the amount of parking that is being contemplated for the Bonnerworth project, as well as comments by some that the ball diamonds are viewed as general greenspace that should not be replaced with other active use outdoor recreation facilities,” the statement reads.
“The city is doing the detailed design work and the necessary studies, including noise and traffic studies, which will inform the final design. Noise attenuation — the need to manage potential noise impacts — is included as part of the project budget.”
Calling the baseball fields at Bonnerworth Park “low-quality fields that are underutilized,” the city says their removal from the park “will be offset as the city has already started to invest in maintaining and adding capacity of baseball fields in other parks, with the ball diamond at Stacey Green Park upgraded ahead of this season and two more ball diamonds slated for upgrades for next year.”
As for the 16 pickleball courts, the statement says the city doesn’t have enough facilities to meet the demand for pickleball and that, “similar to how the city invests in soccer fields, football fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, multi-use facilities, and ice pads — and charges user fees to offset costs — this investment begins to address the recreational needs of city residents.”
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.
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