Cobourg police service board chair Adam Bureau (left) and retired sergeant Don Missen, who led the Cobourg police's former canine unit from 1997 to 2003, presented Constable Amrit Gill and German shepherd Atos with the K-9 badge at a ceremony during the police service board's meeting in council chambers at Victoria Hall on July 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Cobourg Police Service)
For the first time in 23 years, the Cobourg Police Service has a canine unit.
Constable Amrit Gill and his canine partner Atos were formally introduced to the community during the Cobourg police service board’s meeting in city council chambers at Victoria Hall on Tuesday morning (July 28).
Atos is a one-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd from Poland who will assist police with locating vulnerable people, tracking suspects, recovering evidence, detecting drugs and firearms, and supporting officers in other situations.
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Gill and Atos graduated on July 24 from an intensive canine training program led by the Guelph Police Service.
The pair trained alongside canine teams from police services in Halton Region, Guelph, Belleville, Brantford, and Windsor, with support from Guelph police constable and canine trainer Jay Hall.
Hall, along with officers from the Halton and Belleville police services, attended Tuesday’s ceremony.
Constable Amrit Gill and Atos of the Cobourg Police Service’s resurrected canine unit. Atos is a one-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd from Poland who will assist police with locating vulnerable people, tracking suspects, recovering evidence, detecting drugs and firearms, and supporting officers in other situations. (Photo courtesy of Cobourg Police Service)
During the ceremony, police board chair Adam Bureau and retired Cobourg police sergeant Don Missen, the service’s former canine handler, presented the official canine unit badge to Gill and Atos.
“On behalf of the board, we are pleased to welcome the canine unit back to Cobourg and congratulate Constable Amrit Gill and Atos on successfully completing their training,” Bureau said.
“Today, Amrit and Atos are carrying that legacy forward, supported by strong community partnerships and a shared commitment to enhancing public safety and positive outcomes for the residents of Cobourg.”
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Cobourg police chief Chris Leather, an RCMP veteran who took over the reins of the police service in June from the now-retired Paul VandeGraaf, described the new unit as an investment in public safety and investigative capabilities.
“Police service dogs are a unique and invaluable policing resource,” Chief Leather said. “They assist in locating vulnerable persons, tracking suspects, recovering evidence, and in the detection of drugs and firearms, supporting frontline officers in dynamic situations.”
“We are extremely proud of the dedication and commitment shown by Constable Gill throughout this training process and look forward to the positive impact this team will have on our community.”
Attendees of a ceremony in council chambers at Victoria Hall on July 28, 2026 to introduce the Cobourg Police Service’s new canine team included (standing from left to right) police chief Chris Leather, Tammy Martell, Dr. Ronnie Moore, Hailey Button, and Caroline May of Port Hope Veterinary Emergency Clinic and Services, Justin McClenaghan of Justin’s Pet Store, police services board chair Adam Bureau, retired sergeant Don Missen who led Cobourg’s previous canine unit, constable Amrit Gill and K-9 Atos, Brandon Regeling and Tyson Chapman of Halton Police Service and (kneeling from left to right), police services board vice-chair Sean Graham, constable Erin Toth of Halton Police Service, constable and canine trainer Jay Hall of Guelph Police Service, and Jesse Mcinroy of Belleville Police Service. (Photo courtesy of Cobourg Police Service)
Gill said becoming the unit’s handler has special significance for him. As a child, he met Missen and his canine partner when they visited his classroom.
“Seeing that connection between the officer, the dog, and the community left a lasting impression on me and played a big role in inspiring my decision to become a police officer,” Gill said.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to now have the opportunity to help bring a canine unit back to Cobourg, enhance community safety, and hopefully inspire the next generation the same way I was inspired.”
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Cobourg police previously operated a canine unit from 1997 until Missen’s retirement in 2003.
Missen’s first canine partner was Wally Justice, a German shepherd who served as a patrol dog from 1997 to 2000. Trained in tracking, article searches, and criminal apprehension, Wally joined the service with financial support from the Rotary Club of Cobourg.
After Wally retired, Missen was partnered with Percy, an English springer spaniel acquired from the RCMP and trained to detect drugs. Percy served in Cobourg from 2000 to 2003 before continuing his career with the Toronto Police Service.
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The Cobourg Police Service’s canine unit was disbanded after Missen retired in 2003.
As with the original canine unit, the new program has been established with community support. Justin’s Pet Store and Port Hope Veterinary Emergency Clinic and Services are helping support Atos’s long-term care and well-being, while the Belleville Police Service assisted with the unit’s development and will continue to provide support.
Representatives from the pet store and veterinary clinic also attended Tuesday’s ceremony to welcome Gill and Atos to Cobourg.
Peterborough County Tourism has designed four traveller personas that highlight different ways to experience The Kawarthas based on what you enjoy, what inspires you, and how you like to spend your time while you're visiting this region. The Bee represents cultural travellers who go from place to place, seeking authentic experiences and eager to collect and share every story they find. (Graphic: Peterborough County Tourism)
Whether you are looking for a family-friendly experience, outdoor adventure, an exploratory road trip, or peaceful relaxation, there’s a version of The Kawarthas the fits your style.
To help you find it, Peterborough County Tourism has designed four traveller personas — The Otter, The Bear, The Fox, and The Bee — that highlight different ways to experience The Kawarthas based on what you enjoy, what inspires you, and how you like to spend your time while you’re visiting this region. To discover your traveller persona, complete the quiz at thekawarthas.ca/quiz/.
This story is for Bees — cultural travellers who go from place to place, eager to collect and share every story they find. Seeking authentic experiences, Bees enjoy local food and are drawn to culturally rich destinations such as museums and arts events, as well as destinations that reflect Indigenous voices and perspectives. Bees want to learn about the people and the stories that make The Kawarthas more than just a place to visit.
Here are some not-to-be-missed destinations to travel like a Bee in The Kawarthas.
EXPLORE
4th Line Theatre
Experience Canadian heritage like you never have before by taking in an outdoor play at 4th Line Theatre in the Township of Cavan Monaghan. The Millbrook theatre company develops and stages original Canadian stories about regional history on the rustic Winslow Barn stage, with performances in July and August. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studios)
Experience Canada’s cultural heritage like you never have before by taking in an outdoor play at 4th Line Theatre in the Township of Cavan Monaghan.
Founded in 1993 by Robert Winslow on his family’s rustic fifth-generation farm just outside Millbrook, the not-for-profit theatre company presents original plays about Canadians written by Canadians, sharing little-known small-town stories or national sagas that have a local connection.
Every summer, 4th Line Theatre brings regional rural history and culture to life on the barnyard stage at Winslow Farm with two plays that feature large casts of both professional actors and community volunteer actors of all ages.
Performances run throughout July and August every year, staged from Tuesdays through Saturdays at 6 p.m. To learn more and to order tickets, visit 4thlinetheatre.on.ca.
Rice Lake Arts
Participants join an art workshop held at Rice Lake Arts in the Township of Otonabee South Monaghan. The five-acre grounds host a range of regular workshops and events throughout the summer, during which the grounds are open to the public to explore the rolling hills and sculpture gardens. (Photo courtesy of Rice Lake Arts)
Discover the artist in you at Rice Lake Arts — “where art and nature meet.”
Located east of Bailieboro on a five-acre property in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, Rice Lake Arts is home to a dedicated creative space where expert-led workshops are held throughout the summer. From storytelling and improv to stone and wood carving to craft and design, there’s always something to learn whether you’re an experienced artist or just looking for a creative outlet.
When workshops are running, visitors are also invited to stroll through the grounds, rolling hills, and sculpture gardens for a tranquil experience.
Rice Lake Arts is only open to the public for workshops on specific dates. Check the workshop schedule at www.ricelakearts.ca for opening dates and times.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Lang Pioneer Village Museum is a living history museum in the Township of Otonabee South Monaghan with over 30 restored and furnished historic buildings constructed between the 1820 and 1910, as well as several replica buildings that immerse visitors into The Kawarthas of the 19th century, from the perspectives of both settlers and the region’s Indigenous peoples. The museum offers demonstrations, workshops, presentations, and annual special events. (Photo courtesy of Lang Pioneer Village Museum)
Learn about 19th-century settler life in The Kawarthas by visiting Lang Pioneer Village Museum in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan.
At the living history museum located on 25 acres on the banks of the historic Indian River in Keene, costumed interpreters will welcome you into over 30 restored and furnished historic buildings constructed between the 1820s and 1910, as well as several replica buildings.
You can visit a working grist mill from 1846, a weaver shop, a blacksmith shop, a carpenter shop, a tinsmith shop, a schoolhouse, a hotel and general store, and more, with costumed interpreters showing you how settlers lived with demonstrations of traditional chores, trades, and pastimes.
Find out how settlers interacted with the region’s Indigenous peoples by visiting the Aabnaabin Camp and the “Aabnaabin: Looking Back to Where We Come From” exhibit, a partnership with Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum also hosts workshops, presentations, and special events throughout the year, including the Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show, Transportation Day Car & Motorcycle Show, Applefest, Spooky All Hallows’ Eve, and Christmas by Candlelight
Located in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, High Springs Trading Post boasts an eclectic variety of Canadian-made leather products including wallets, jewellery, and moccasins. The photo-worthy exterior of the unique shopping destination will transport you to an original frontier town in the early 1800s. (Photo courtesy of High Springs Trading Post)
Step into a frontier town from the 1800s at High Spring Trading Post on Highway 7 in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen.
Located east of Havelock, this unique shopping destination offers an Instagram-worthy exterior — complete with a saloon, barbershop, mercantile, and jailhouse — that will have you pretending you’re in one of your favourite Western films.
Inside, you’ll find an eclectic variety of Canadian-made leather products including moccasins, wallets, belts, jackets, canteens, and more, as well as jewellery. You can even find custom-made saddles and chaps, and High Spring Trading Post can also repair your existing leather products.
At Wiigwaas Craft Supplies & Gifts in Hiawatha First Nation, you can shop a variety of authentic Indigenous products, moccasins, clothing, craft supplies, and more. The store occasionally hosts craft workshops. (Photo courtesy of Wiigwaas Craft Supplies & Gifts)
Pick up some authentic Indigenous craft supplies and traditional medicinal tea at Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies & Gifts.
The Indigenous-owned shop is located in Hiawatha First Nation, on the north shore of Rice Lake adjacent to the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan.
Open Tuesday through Sunday, Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies & Gifts is stocked with supplies used in Indigenous crafts, including beads, buckskin, drum kits, and more, as well as a wide range of gift items. The store also carries a large variety of traditional medicines/teas and salves that the Miississaugii people have used for many hundreds of years.
Plan your trip around a craft workshop at the store, where you can pick up a new skill while learning more about Hiawatha First Nation.
Find out more by visiting Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies and Gifts on Facebook.
Vintage Inspired
Located in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood, Vintage Inspired has been stocking an eclectic mix of sustainable and Canadian-made goods for more than 40 years, including décor, gifts, bath and body products, dishware, and more. The store also stocks a curated selection of vintage and antique pieces. (Photo courtesy of Vintage Inspired)
Whether you’re an antique hunter or looking for a one-of-a-kind Canadian-made souvenir during your travels, you’ll find it at Vintage Inspired in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood.
Located in the heart of Norwood, Vintage Inspired combines the past and the present by offering a curated collection of vintage and antique items along with modern-day home and cottage décor, gifts, textiles, dishware, and bath and body products.
Vintage Inspired has been supporting Canadian small businesses for more than 40 years, and you’ll discover a wide range of Canadian-made artisanal products including urban folk art, seed paper cards, hand-poured soy candles, all-natural handcraft soaps, and much more.
The Grape and Wedge is a gourmet food shop in the Township of North Kawartha that serves freshly made meals, artisan sandwiches, and other daily specials and charcuteries. The shop also sells specialty grocery products, home essentials, and gift baskets. (Photo: Kasandra Bateman)
Twin sisters and a love of The Kawarthas are behind The Grape and Wedge, a gourmet food shop and deli located in Apsley in the Township of North Kawartha.
Sit down and enjoy freshly made meals, artisan sandwiches and wraps, soups, salads, and other daily specials and charcuterie options, or fill your picnic basket for the road — and don’t forget to include some baked goods. Take a taste of The Kawarthas home with you by stocking up on gourmet groceries (including gluten-free and dairy-free products), home essentials, and gift baskets.
You can even book a private wine and cheese tasting event at your home or cottage, where you and your family and friends will learn how to pair artisan cheeses and charcuterie with wine and beer from Canada and around the world.
Visit thegrapeandwedge.ca for more details, including menus and upcoming special events.
Chemong Lodge
Chemong Lodge in Selwyn Township serves a chef-driven menu using seasonal, local ingredients, including many grown on site. With weekly pub nights, a famous Sunday brunch, and regular live music and annual special events, the restaurant is a favourite for local diners. (Photo: Bryan Reid, courtesy of Chemong Lodge)
Enjoy a gourmet meal during your travels in The Kawarthas while connecting with locals at Chemong Lodge in Selwyn Township.
Overlooking Chemong Lake, the historic family-owned restaurant in Bridgenorth is popular among residents and visitors alike. That’s because there’s always something happening at Chemong Lodge, from weekly Thursday pub nights and regular live music to the famous Sunday brunch buffet and special annual events, including the annual Oyster & BBQ Festival, Margaritaville, Lobsterfest, and more.
Regular visitors can join The Lodge Club, which offers members complimentary VIP access to special annual events and parties, free food on pub nights, discounts on catering, complimentary use of the meeting space at Chemong Lodge, and more.
As for the food, the menu by renowned Chef Gregory Couillard offers authentic smoked BBQ and a variety of dishes using locally sourced seasonal ingredients, with many grown on site.
Located in the Millbrook’s historic downtown in the Township of Cavan Monaghan, The Peddler is a popular community hub for locals and visitors alike, serving fresh parties, specialty coffees, and delectable breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. (Photo courtesy of The Peddler)
Experience a small-town bistro with a visit to The Peddler in historic downtown Millbrook, a charming and picturesque town in the Township of Cavan Monaghan that has served as the backdrop for many movies and television shows.
The Peddler is a community hub not only for Millbrook residents but for visitors as well, including cyclists on a popular cycling route who stop to refuel. In 2021, the Ontario By Bike network named The Peddler as one of the best bicycle-friendly businesses in The Kawarthas.
Best known for its pastries, coffees, soups, and breakfast and lunch menus, The Peddler recently expanded their hours to offer dinner as well.
Open seven days a week, The Peddler has an internationally trained chef who serves globally inspired meals made with local ingredients. With rotating specials and regular live music and other special events, a visit to The Peddler will give you plenty of stories to share when you get back home.
Located in the Township of Douro-Dummer, Lake Edge Cottages is an award-winning resort on Katchewanooka Lake committed to exceptional service and experiences for guests, sustainability and green living, and providing inclusive spaces for both guests and their pets. Along with accommodation, the resort offers a range of amenities including boat rentals, games, a hot tub, a library, a pool, and more. (Photo courtesy of Lake Edge Cottages)
A trip to The Kawarthas wouldn’t be complete without a stay at a cozy cottage on one of the region’s many stunning lakes, and that’s what you will find at Lake Edge Cottages in the Township of Douro-Dummer.
Nestled in a 12-acre forested property on the shores of Katchewanooka Lake, Lake Edge Cottages offers one-bedroom and two-bedroom cottages (some with private hot tubs) at competitive rates, along with boat rentals, a captained sunset cruise on the lake, a library, pool or lake swimming, hiking and biking trails, and more.
Lake Edge Cottages is not your typical cottage resort. The award-winning family-owned business is committed to sustainability and preserving the natural environment, including by using solar panels to generate green energy, offering guests free use of an electric vehicle charger, composting and collecting rain water for use on its gardens, naturalizing the shoreline to allow native plants to flourish and to provide a habitat for wildlife, and much more.
Lake Edge Cottages is also committed to ensuring memorable stays for all of its guests with exceptional service and experiences, as well as by creating inclusive spaces where both guests and their pets feel right at home. Pets are not only welcome, but celebrated — in fact, all the cottages boast pet-themed names like “Puppy Love” and “Cat Tails.”
The Trace on Oak Lake is a wellness-centred resort in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen. With five acres of forest and shoreline, the pet-friendly and child-free resort is designed for relaxation and rejuvenation, offering lakeside yoga classes, a sauna, and a cold plunge along with lots of opportunities to enjoy the lake by swimming, boating, and fishing. (Photo courtesy of The Trace on Oak Lake)
Rest and rejuvenate during your travels in The Kawarthas with a stay at The Trace on Oak Lake, a wellness-centred resort in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen.
Located 20 kilometres north of Havelock on a stunning five-acre property with 1,100 feet of waterfront on the shores of Oak Lake, The Trace on Oak Lake offers private cabins and spacious chalets ranging from rustic to luxurious.
With its focus on wellness, The Trace on Oak Lake offers lakeside yoga classes, as well as a sauna, a cold plunge, and an outdoor gym. Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards are available for guests to explore the lake, with boat rentals also available for those who want to spend the day fishing or just cruising the lake with friends.
The Trace on Oak Lake is an adults-only resort during the summer months, although children are welcome during the shoulder season. Dogs are welcome at all times, with a cleaning fee.
To learn more or book your stay, visit thetrace.ca.
Connect with Mobile Visitor Services during your travels in The Kawarthas
During the summer, Peterborough County Tourism’s Mobile Visitor Services team will be popping up at events and attractions throughout The Kawarthas. Share your traveller persona by email or through Facebook or Instagram and you can connect with the team when you’re on the road and pick up a free water bottle and UV-coated and water-resistant stickers branded with your traveller persona. (Photo: Peterborough County Tourism)
When you’re travelling in The Kawarthas, keep your eye out for Peterborough County’s Mobile Visitor Services. Their team will be popping up at events and attractions throughout the eight townships in Peterborough County.
Share your traveller persona by email with tourism@ptbocounty.ca or through Facebook or Instagram @TheKawarthas and you can connect with the Mobile Visitor Services team when you’re on the road and pick up a free water bottle and UV-coated and water-resistant stickers branded with your traveller persona.
Not only will your family get unique keepsakes, but you will also have the opportunity to learn from knowledgeable local ambassadors, receive personalized recommendations, and get insider tips for making the most of your experience in The Kawarthas.
To see where the Mobile Visitor Services team is popping up this summer, check the listings at thekawarthas.ca/findus/.
This story is one of a four-part series created in partnership with the Peterborough County Tourism and Communications Division.
Drawing on national research from the Canadian Tourism Data Collective’s Traveller Segmentation Program, Peterborough County Tourism has identified four visitor profiles that represent the typical travellers who come to The Kawarthas.
Known as traveller personas, each draws its name from wildlife that inhabit the natural landscape of The Kawarthas: The Otter, The Bear, The Fox, and The Bee. Which one are you? Find out by completing the quiz at thekawarthas.ca/quiz/.
The Otter – All Trails Lead Home
The Otter is a purposeful traveller, looking to find meaning in every place they pass by and every face they see on the journey. For the Otter, it is important to move as a unit, because experiences mean more when they’re shared, and memories are more vividly recalled when filled with ones to love.
The Bear – Rest While You Roam
The Bear is a wise, lumbering traveller, understanding that to really know a place, one needs to stop and breathe it in. Appreciating every berry and butterfly around them, they carve out joy from the simplicity of calm days, good food, and beautiful views. In a world of speed, a Bear sees the world for what it is — imperfect, but entirely incomparable.
The Fox – Brave the Unknown
The Fox is an adaptive traveller, ambitious in each new adventure. Their determined spirit means every problem has twice as many solutions. If there can be found a hill to climb, The Fox will climb it. If there exists a gorge to cross, The Fox will be there to leap it. For every great story, you can be sure. A Fox will be behind it.
The Bee – Sweet as Honeycomb
Like moving from flower to flower, Bees make certain to learn from every place and pollinate the next with stories they have collected. For a Bee, it is vital to share the most vast and wonderful parts of the world with every new person they may meet.
Some of the 25,714 pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and other plastic-based writing tools collected during the June 2026 Writing Instrument Challenge organized by Clean Up Peterborough. Plastic-based writing instruments are generally too small and complex to be processed through recycling systems and consequently often end up in landfills. TerraCycle accepts pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and other plastic-based writing tools through its free recycling program at Staples stores. (Photo courtesy of Clean Up Peterborough)
More than 25,000 used writing instruments were kept out of landfills as a result of the second annual Writing Instrument Challenge in June organized by Clean Up Peterborough.
The grassroots environmental group collected 25,714 pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and other plastic-based writing tools through 79 confirmed collection points across Peterborough County and neighbouring communities.
The items filled 22 boxes and weighed just over 200 kilograms. They will be recycled through the Staples-sponsored TerraCycle writing instrument recycling program, which separates the collected materials and processes the plastics for use in new products.
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Although Clean Up Peterborough founder Steve Paul said this year’s total was slightly lower than the 26,772 writing instruments collected during the inaugural challenge last June, he added that the continued growth of year-round collection partnerships — especially with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board — was one of the campaign’s biggest successes.
“The number that excites me most isn’t necessarily how many writing instruments we collected this June,” Paul said in a media release. “It’s the fact that schools, businesses, municipalities, libraries, and community organizations are continuing to collect year-round. That’s how real, lasting environmental change happens.”
Paul said that schools accounted for a large share of this year’s collections, including 38 schools with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, two schools with the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, and two independent schools.
The 25,714 pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and other plastic-based writing tools collected during the June 2026 Writing Instrument Challenge organized by Clean Up Peterborough filled 22 boxes and weighed just over 200 kilograms. They will be recycled through the Staples-sponsored TerraCycle writing instrument recycling program, which separates the collected materials and processes the plastics for use in new products. (Photo courtesy of Clean Up Peterborough)
Schools with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board alone collected 15,361 writing instruments during June, representing almost 60 per cent of the challenge’s total.
Through the school board’s year-round collection program, schools can collect writing instruments throughout the school year, with materials shipped directly to the school board office before being prepared for recycling through TerraCycle.
Paul credited two staff at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board — Marguerite Masterson, principal of program for Indigenous education, and Sean Burton of shipping and receiving — for helping establish the school board’s year-round program, along with participating administrators, teachers, office staff, custodians, and students.
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As well as schools, 37 businesses, municipalities, libraries, workplaces, and community organizations also participated in the June challenge. Collection points were established in six of Peterborough County’s eight townships as well as in the City of Peterborough.
According to Paul, several municipal partners have also expressed interest in continuing collections throughout the year at libraries and community facilities.
“One month creates awareness,” Paul said. “Year-round collection creates lasting habits. That’s where we believe the greatest environmental impact will come from.”
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Plastic-based writing instruments are generally too small and complex to be processed through recycling systems and consequently often end up in landfills. TerraCycle accepts pens, markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, and other plastic-based writing tools through its free recycling program at Staples stores.
Clean Up Peterborough first began collecting writing instruments in October 2024, when the volunteer group launched a drive during Circular Economy Month.
An Earth Month drive in April 2025 collected 1,010 items before the group expanded the initiative across Peterborough County for its first annual Writing Instrument Challenge.
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Since October 2024, Clean Up Peterborough has diverted a total of 73,044 used writing instruments from landfills.
Founded by Paul in April 2024 with the motto “Let’s make the world a better place,” Clean Up Peterborough began as a volunteer group organizing litter and cigarette butt clean-ups before expanding its focus to recycling, reuse, waste diversion, and other circular economy initiatives.
The group plans to continue strengthening its existing collection partnerships and to encourage more schools, libraries, workplaces, post-secondary institutions, child care providers, and community organizations to offer year-round writing instrument recycling.
With the dissolution of the City of Peterborough’s volunteer youth council, the newly formed Peterborough Leaders of Tomorrow group aims to give agency and power to young residents to have their voices heard on important local issues.
“If they (the city) are going to shut down our stuff because it’s adults running it, why don’t we have something that we run ourselves so no one else can shut us down?” said Avery Trenholm, lead organizer of Leaders of Tomorrow, in a recent interview with kawarthaNOW.
Trenholm was a member of the Peterborough Youth Council that worked in collaboration with city recreation and parks services staff to organize and become involved in community events.
But when the council was quietly dissolved in 2025, she felt disappointed there would no longer be an established forum for youth to have their opinions heard and have the opportunity to engage in community leadership.
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Aiming to give youth a voice at city hall
For Trenholm, her passion for community organizing and politics was spurred on through the opportunity to present research from her civics class to council. Her work included collecting data on the issues most important to school-aged youth in Peterborough.
She has continued to be active in the community by co-organizing the city-wide student walkout this past March to protest cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) and is on the Student Senate for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRSDB) for the 2026-27 school year.
“I would just like to give youth, especially people who are passionate about youth politics and youth inclusion, a space to be able to be heard,” Trenholm said.
From her research and experience working with students and youth, there are numerous local issues that students care about deeply. This included sidewalk maintenance, a lack of youth-centred spaces, and drug use among young people.
“There’s no safe spaces for youth to go and hang out and enjoy themselves, especially without a lot of money,” she said.
Further to this, Trenholm identified that recent recreation and third-space developments in the city have been largely directed away from young people. In particular she spoke about the recent construction of new pickleball courts.
She said this is in part the result of a lack of youth engagement on the part of council and city staff.
“They don’t share our experiences, but there’s no way for them to hear from us because they don’t reach out to us, and then when we try to communicate with them, they kind of cut that off.”
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Asking mayoral candidates whether they will work with youth
Leaders of Tomorrow wants to communicate and work with the city to ensure that the youth perspective is being considered. From hosting meetings at city hall to collaborating on events to giving delegations at council, the group will look for opportunities to have a direct impact on the city.
“My number one priority is that they hear us, and that we make ourselves heard,” Trenholm said.
In light of the upcoming municipal election, Leaders of Tomorrow also wants to encourage candidates to consider how their platform can support young people and how youth will be impacted in the long-term.
“You’re not trying to win our votes, but we have to grow up in the future that you guys are creating for us,” Trenholm said.
On its Instagram page, the group has put out a call to all mayoral candidates to answer three questions: what they are willing to do to create more youth leadership opportunities with the municipal government, whether they are willing to reinstate the youth council, and whether they are going to work with the youth of the city.
Trenholm said that a major challenge for youth wanting to engage with politics and community organizing is the fear of speaking up or facing retaliation or dismissal from adults and elected officials.
“I know a lot of people are afraid to speak out,” she said. “There’s a big fear and stigma almost.”
During the recent OSAP walkout, Trenholm said that many students were fearful about making a statement and speaking out about their concerns.
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Adults often dismiss the opinions of youth who aren’t voters
Further to this, Trenholm said that in her experience there is often a lack of respect from adults towards youth who are interested in politics and that she has been dismissed when trying to share her opinions.
“There’s been this stigma and mindset that people who are under 18 who aren’t voters are just kids, and they don’t have opinions or thoughts, or they can’t think properly, or they don’t have fully thought-out opinions,” she explained.
“They kind of look down on us. They think that they’re in a higher place than us, and they’re not really. We’re all the same,” she added.
Based on her research, Trenholm said that the vast majority of students have strong and thoughtful opinions about almost every issue she asked about.
“It’s more rare to see someone who doesn’t care about the issues than someone who does,” she said.
For Trenholm, the reason for these deeply held opinions is simply that young people live in the same world as adults and see the same challenges in their community.
“When you have to deal with things, you tend to form opinions on it, and have thoughts about it,” she said.
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Recruiting youth to help shape the group’s future
Leaders of Tomorrow is just beginning its work and has drafted a constitution and bylaws. The group is seeking members for its first executive board to help develop the direction and goals going forward. The only requirements are that members are aged 13 to 18 and live or attend school in the City of Peterborough.
Trenholm said she will use her leadership experience to empower young people to take on new roles and participate in community action. Despite the wariness of some of her peers, she is not afraid to speak out about the issues that are important to her.
“If no one else is going to do it, why shouldn’t I?” she said. “Right here in the city there are issues and problems that we can solve and make our tomorrow better.”
encoreNOW for July 27, 2026 features (from left to right, top and bottom) the Daniel Lanois Trio at Lindsay's FLATO Academy Theatre, "Wild Irish Geese" at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook, "Fly Me to the Moon" at Bobcaygeon's Globus Theatre, the Port Hope Arts Festival, 10 Minute Sunday at the Peterborough Theatre Guild, and Trans-Canada Highwaymen at Peterborough Musicfest. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights Daniel Lanois at Lindsay’s Academy Theatre, 4th Line Theatre’s re-staging of Wild Irish Geese, Fly Me to the Moon at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, the Port Hope Arts Festival, the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 10 Minute Sunday, and Trans-Canada Highwaymen headlining Peterborough Musicfest.
Daniel Lanois’ immersive soundscapes are bound for Lindsay
VIDEO: Daniel Lanois Trio
You may not think you’re familiar with Daniel Lanois’ work, but there’s a pretty good chance you are.
Besides his considerable success as a songwriter, musician, and recording artist, the Hull, Quebec native’s fingerprints are all over countless albums by a number of artists whose work you’re well familiar with.
Bob Dylan, U2, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, and Willie Nelson are among those who have enlisted Lanois’ talents as a producer. Three Lanois-produced albums — U2’s The Joshua Tree, Dylan’s Time Out of Mind, and Harris’ Wrecking Ball — have won Grammy Awards. Four others were in the running for the honour.
Interestingly, Lanois’ first foray as a producer, way back in 1981, was kind of a family affair. He produced This is the Ice Age by Martha and the Muffins, a band for which his sister played bass.
As mentioned, for all his fame as a producer — Rolling Stone magazine hailed him as “the most important record producer to emerge in the eighties” — Lanois has released nine albums of his own work, the latest being 2025’s Belladonna Nocturne.
On Sunday, August 2 at Lindsay’s FLATO Academy Theatre, Lanois will run through his sizable catalogue of songs, joined by Jim Wilson on bass and Jermaine Holmes on drums. As Lanois notes in the show promo, “The original instrument, that being the voice, is alive and well in this trio configuration.”
Who are we to argue with such an assessment from a man who clearly has an ear for what works?
Canadian music and media veteran Erica Ehm, who is an Academy Theatre board member, calls Lanois an “exceptional musician” and “one of those rare artists” who has influenced generations of performers.
“We are thrilled to have a rare intimate live performance with the Daniel Lanois Trio on our stage for an unforgettable evening of atmospheric, genre-defying music,” says Ehm in an email.
Securing a performance by the Order of Canada member and Governor General’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient marks quite a coup for the Academy. You’d be wise to take full advantage. Tickets to Lanois’ 7:30 p.m. concert cost $82.50 at www.flatoacademytheatre.com.
“Wild Irish Geese” returns to Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre
If she weren’t so damn nice, it would be easy to be jealous of Megan Murphy’s talent. As such, I find myself but one person in a crowd of her supporters, rooting her on every step of the way.
The brain trust behind 4th Line Theatre — aka founder Robert Winslow and managing artistic director Kim Blackwell — clearly share my admiration of Murphy’s work, bringing her play Wild Irish Geese back to the Winslow Farm near Millbrook for another run.
Murphy’s powerful story, which centres on the themes of migration and starting over, premiered at 4th Line last summer and was the hit that, deep down, most suspected it would be. Based on that response, Wild Irish Geese returns to the scenic outdoor venue from August 4 to 29.
Directed again by Blackwell, the story takes us back to the 1820s and the Peter Robinson-led emigration that brought hundreds of Irish families to Canada, each fleeing the famine and poverty of their homeland. More than 2,000 of the new arrivals settled in Scotts Plains — later to become Peterborough — and began the arduous process of building new lives in a strange land far from what they knew.
Murphy’s story, in which she plays the role of seanchaí (a traditional Irish storyteller) to narrate the play’s events, details the courage and spirit of the Robinson emigrants, and how they forged a new beginning in a complex colonial setting.
As cast member Paul Crough told kawarthaNOW last summer, Wild Irish Geese serves as “a reminder of the innate resiliency that the Irish are famous for.”
Murphy did her homework before putting pen to paper, and it shows, the result being proper homage paid those who are still proudly, and fondly, remembered by the thousands of descendants who call the Peterborough region home to his day.
Curtain is 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, with preview performances on August 4 and 5, opening night on August 6, and an added Monday performance on August 24. Tickets are $55 ($48 for children and youth ages 5 to 16), with a discounted price of $42 for both adults and youth on preview nights, and are available by phone at 705-932-4445 (toll-free at 1-800-814-0055), online at 4thlinetheatre.on.ca, and at 4th Line Theatre’s box Office location at 9 Tupper Street in Millbrook.
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Belfast-set comedy “Fly Me to the Moon” lands at Bobcaygeon’s Globus
Melee Hutton as Francis Shields and Sarah Evans as Loretta Mackie in Shillelagh Theatre Company’s 2025 production of “Fly Me to the Moon” at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Toronto. (Photo: Lisa Kannako)
The success of any theatrical production whose total cast is comprised of just two actors is heavily dependent on the skills of those two actors.
In Melee Hutton and Sarah Evans, Fly Me to the Moon features two veteran stage, film, and television actors whose talent makes the comedy exactly what it should be: witty, funny and endlessly entertaining.
Opening Wednesday, August 5 at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, Marie Jones’ story centres on overworked and underpaid Belfast community care providers Francis (Hutton) and Loretta (Evans) who are met with temptation when their 84-year-old client Davey, a fervent Frank Sinatra fan, passes away. Do they keep Davey’s death quiet and cash in his pension cheque?
If that’s not enough, things escalate when the scheming pair discover that Davey placed a winning bet on a horse just before he died, presenting them with a much more enticing temptation.
Born in Belfast, Hutton brings to the production numerous stage credits which have seen her awarded on both sides of the Atlantic, while Lee’s stage work has been taken in by audiences at numerous theatre festivals, including Stratford. Both have worked in film and television, sharing the experience of acting in Murdoch Mysteries.
Curtain is 8 p.m. from August 5 to 8 and 12 to 15, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on August 8 and 13. An optional dinner is available before evening performances. Tickets are $50 for the show only or $100 for dinner and the show, and are available at www.globustheatre.com.
Globus advises that the play features “a fair bit of colourful language — but in a lovely accent.”
Port Hope Arts Festival will see town’s downtown hopping
VIDEO: Port Hope Arts Festival (2024)
I don’t get to Port Hope often but when I do, I always enjoy walking the streets, especially those in the town’s downtown area. There is a welcoming and warm ambience that has clearly been encouraged and maintained over the years.
If you’ve yet to experience what I just described, the annual Port Hope Arts Festival provides all the incentive you need to make the trip to the lakeside community.
Set for Saturday, August 8 as the crown jewel of what is declared as Arts Month in Port Hope, there’s plenty on the menu, ranging from an outdoor artisan market, to Art Around Town (where work of local artists is prominently displayed in shop windows), to what’s billed as the Under The Marquee Street Party outside the historic Capitol Theatre featuring Peterborough rockabilly band Nicholas Campbell and The Metre Cheaters.
Then there’s the 10-Minute Play Series. Comedy, drama, satire … whatever your fancy, the series will see 15 plays — 10 minutes in length each, as advertised — staged in eight outdoor downtown locations. Performances start at 11 a.m. and continued on the half-hour and the hour until 4 p.m.
The best part is the cost, which is no cost at all, except for the Under The Marquee Street Party which requires a $25 ticket.
For more details, including Art Around Town locations, a list of the 10-Minute Play Series lineup and schedule and tickets for the Under The Marquee Street Party, visit www.porthope.ca/arts-festival.
Rain, shine, or heatwave, the festival will proceed, albeit some individual events may be moved indoors or cancelled outright in the event of severe weather.
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10 plays in 100 minutes for $10 at the Peterborough Theatre Guild
Director Jack van Roosmalen (standing) with actors Eddy Sweeney and Rebecca Birrell during a rehearsal for “Photographic Memory” written by Ron Davies. The 10-minute play, about a man who finds that photos can be as hard as memories to erase after his ex asks him to delete some photos she sent him, is one of 10 plays to be staged as part of the “10 Minute Sunday” short play festival hosted by the Peterborough Theatre Guild on August 9, 2026. (Photo courtesy of D’Arcy Jenish)
It was Port Hope’s 10-Minute Play Series that inspired author and playwright D’Arcy Jenish to mount a similar one-day short play festival at the Peterborough Theatre Guild on a summer Sunday in 2025.
That inaugural event was so successful that it’s back for another year, with “10 Minute Sunday” set for August 9 at the Guild Hall on Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City.
The festival will see the staging of 10 original plays, each 10 minutes long, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. followed by an evening performance at 7 p.m. In keeping with the everything 10 theme, tickets cost $10 at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35868/production/1279438.
This year’s festival features works by a number of playwrights, among them Passion in Peterborough by Peterborough native Dave Carley whose full-length play Midnight Madness was staged at the Guild Hall back in March.
The other nine plays include Jenish’s Ten Minute Jitters, A Fairy’s Request by Marcia Johnson, Leave Now! and Fifty-Sixer by Bea Quarrie, A Flicker by Guy Newsham, Blaze McSizzle: Man on Fire by Cooper Bilton, Photographic Memory by Ron Davies, Second First Date by Wyatt Lamoureux, and The Future Looks Bleak by Jean Parker.
Performed by a combination of amateur and professional actors, and staged in quick succession, the Guild assures “each (play) will surprise you in different ways.” There’s no reason whatsoever to doubt the truth in that.
Trans-Canada Highwaymen performs classic Canadian pop/rock hits at Peterborough Musicfest
Peterborough Musicfest executive director Tracey Randall tells anyone who’ll listen that she’s had, and still has, a number of acts on her festival-appearance wish list.
Now, with the upcoming performance by Trans-Canada Highwaymen on Wednesday, August 12, she has struck that act off her list after years of trying to lure the quartet to Del Crary Park.
Billed as a Canadian rock and pop supergroup, Trans-Canada Highwaymen is comprised of Chris Murphy of Sloan, Craig Northey of Odds, Moe Berg of The Pursuit of Happiness, and Barenaked Ladies’ co-founder Steven Page.
That’s a whole lot of big talent.
Formed in 2016, Trans-Canada Highwaymen was a touring-only affair initially but, when the pandemic put an end to going on the road, talk centred on recording an album. The result was 2023’s Explosive Hits Vol. 1, a compilation of Trans-Canada Highwaymen-performed classic Canadian pop and rock classics from the 1960s and 1970s by the likes of The Guess Who, Joni Mitchell, April Wine, Andy Kim and Lighthouse, to name a few.
The foursome’s Musicfest appearance will no doubt see some of those fun selections featured, but count on a few of the hits written and recorded by each members’ respective bands also being in the mix.
Prior to the free-admission concert at 8 p.m., check out the Future Sounds Series stage just inside the park’s George Street entrance where Vancamp will perform from 6:30 until 7:30 pm. The Calvin Bakelaar-led band was a big hit at Peterborough Performs VI back in February.
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Encore
Cobourg-based indie Celtic folk duo Lo & the High Road has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a vinyl and CD pressing of its sophomore album, Standing Stones. Targeted for release this fall, the campaign started as Lauren Halasz and Colin McMahon head out on a tour — a trek that brought them to Peterborough’s Sadleir House on July 25. The Kickstarter campaign serves both as a pre-order for copies of the new album as well as a way for fans of the duo to support the album’s completion.
Staying with new music, Peterborough’s Irish Millie is pushing the release of “Allison,” her newest single. The opening track on her EP Between Then and Now, the song is a tribute to Sally Pirie, a fiddle teacher who first placed that instrument in Irish Millie’s hands at the age of six. Pirie passed away in late 2024, but her pupil, now 19 years old, never forgot her encouragement over six years of instruction.
Two teenage Peterborough boys are facing charges following an armed robbery of a convenience store early Monday morning (July 27).
At around 3:20 a.m., Peterborough police were called to a convenience store at Sherbrooke Street and Denure Drive about a robbery involving two suspects, both wearing masks, with one brandishing a knife and taking money from the till.
After arriving at the scene, officers spotted two suspects fleeing on foot who matched the description given to police. An officer followed them and arrested them at gunpoint as they attempted to jump a fence between houses on a nearby street.
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During a search after the arrest, officers located and seized a knife from one of the suspects and found a knife on the ground. Officers also recovered cash, alcohol, and candy from the suspects. No one was injured in the incident.
As a result of the investigation, police arrested and charged a 14-year-old Peterborough boy with robbery with theft and a 16-year-old Peterborough boy with robbery with a weapon.
Both accused boys were released on an undertaking with conditions and are scheduled to appear in court on September 14.
Five Counties Children's Centre CEO Scott Pepin races client Hamish down the hall after he completed one of his recent treatment sessions at the Peterborough-based children's treatment centre. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children's Centre)
You may have heard reference to the rat race, but what do you make of scooter races? For me, it’s been one highlight of many in the past year in my role as CEO at Five Counties Children’s Centre.
Every month, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides a story about the work of the charitable organization. This month’s story is by Scott Pepin, CEO, Five Counties Children’s Centre.
The scooter race started innocently enough last summer when one of our clients, Hamish, came for his weekly treatment sessions at our Peterborough site. I got to know Hamish and his family well and, from there, evolved a friendly competition between us to see who was the king of speed.
After his treatment appointment was over, I’d race Hamish down the hall on a scooter to see who was fastest! While competitive, this was a friendly rivalry that always ended in a high-five or fist pump.
Gotta love working with kids!
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Hamish is one of thousands of children and youth with physical, developmental, or communication needs that Five Counties supported over the past year in Peterborough, Northumberland County, City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County. In fact, during 2025/26, the centre served 6,574 kids/clients — the highest number in our 50-plus history!
That number is out of this world, and brings to mind the Artemis II crew members who captivated us earlier this spring with their successful flyby of the Moon and their safe return to Earth. In looping around the far side of the Moon, the spacecraft crew went further from Earth than anyone in human history.
The Artemis II exploits bring to mind the words of Norman Vincent Peale, an author best known for popularizing the concept of positive thinking. Peale once said: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
One of the big accomplishments for Five Counties Children’s Centre in 2025-26 was the official opening of a new accessible backyard space at its Cobourg site. The new space allows the centre and its community partners to enhance treatment, recreation, cultural awareness and outdoor education programs in the Northumberland community. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)
At Five Counties, reaching for the stars happens every day. It’s evident in our kids (like Hamish) who work diligently with our staff and their own families to build their abilities for life.
In that way, Five Counties is a launch pad of sorts: working to help kids achieve maximum liftoff by supporting their independence, well-being, and quality of life, while helping and empowering families in our region.
As outlined in our latest annual report for 2025/26, it was a busy and banner year. In addition to a record number of clients served, the centre gained public recognition for its work, launched an innovative new campaign that asks families to Rethink Therapy, and celebrated its 50th anniversary.
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Consider that, in 2025/26, Five Counties Children’s Centre:
Provided a total of 56,687 client visits last year — another record count — and an increase of nearly 1,300 visits from 2024/25.
Kept wait times in check for kids’ treatment services, despite an 11.8 per cent increase in client referrals to the centre last year. Only 18 more kids were added to its wait list in 2025/26, even as the centre served 366 more clients year-over-year.
Supported 3,928 local students through the centre’s school-based rehabilitation services, even as we continued to implement tiered intervention in schools to ensure the right students get the right care at the right time.
Spent a total of 4,199 hours last year offering support and skill-building training to families, schools and child-care facilities. Put another way, the time works out to nearly 175 days, or more than six months, of capacity building with these groups.
Officially opened our new accessible backyard space at Five Counties in Cobourg to enhance treatment, recreation, cultural awareness and outdoor education programs in the community.
Created the new Purchased Services Abilities in Action program as a new treatment pathway for children with autism and their families who quality for funding through the Ontario Autism Program. This came as the centre also successfully recruited a new pediatrician and doctors over the past year to better support, and more quickly, screen kids for autism.
Five Counties Children’s Centre has released its annual report for 2025-26, detailing activities and accomplishments over what CEO Scott Pepin calls “a busy and banner year,” including serving the highest number of kids/clients in its 50-plus year history. (Graphics courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)
The credit for these activities and accomplishments rests with our staff members. While our buildings are made of bricks and mortar, Five Counties staff are the inner heart and soul that enable us to do what we do every day.
And it’s more than just numbers. Behind every statistic is a personal interaction and human connection made between our staff members, children and their families. We want to help our kids reach the stars and, through our staff’s dedication and work, Five Counties is doing that!
Zimbabwean-Canadian author, philosopher, and entrepreneur Matshona Dhliwayo once said, “Gravity is no match against one who is determined to reach the stars.”
Take a walk around our centre sites any day and you’ll see those words in action, no rockets required (just scooters, when Hamish and I renew our racing rivalry)!
KADEX Aero Supply recently renovated and expanded its warehouse at the Peterborough Airport to add 10,000 square feet of space, ensuring shipping, receiving, and inventory are all in the same hangar to increase efficiency and streamline communication between team members. The renovation and expansion comes as KADEX prepares for a new era of growth following its recent acquisition by Canadian holding company Chorus Aviation. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
With its recent warehouse renovation at the Peterborough Regional Airport, KADEX Aero Supply will be better positioned to soar to new heights.
Adding another 10,000 square feet of space, the strategic renovation will aid the global aviation parts supplier with improved efficiency and operations, further enhancing customer experience and supporting significant growth across North America and the globe.
“This has been in the making for a while,” says Jordan Lavery, Vice President of Business Development at KADEX. “I’m glad we expanded so we can have more product on the shelves to continue delivering the operational excellence and customer satisfaction we have been committed to for over 30 years.”
Growing from Peterborough to serve a global aviation market
KADEX Aero Supply employees Aaron Davidson, Jeff Lang, Larry Mann, Tyler Primeau, and Matt Wyatt stand in the company’s recently renovated and expanded warehouse at the Peterborough Airport. The upgrades include an additional 10,000 square feet of warehouse space, workspace adjustments that improve workflow, and the addition of tools and infrastructure that supports KADEX’s commitment to green initiatives. The upgrades will improve workplace efficiency and operations to enhance customer experience. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
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An aircraft parts and service distributor, KADEX was launched in Peterborough in 1994 by President and CEO John Lavery and Vice President Ken Blow.
Specializing in OEM and FAA-approved PMA parts, KADEX stocks over 200,000 products from over 70 manufacturers at its two main facilities in Peterborough and Calgary. The addition of 10,000 square feet at its Peterborough facility brings the company’s total space at both locations to around 50,000 square feet.
The Peterborough warehouse expansion comes as the company enters a new era following its recent acquisition by Chorus Aviation, a Canadian publicly traded holding company that also owns regional airlines Jazz Aviation and Voyageur Aviation, as well as professional flight training operation Cygnet Aviation Academy and Elisen & Associates, a provider of aerospace engineering and certification services.
The acquisition will allow KADEX, which will continue to be operated locally by existing teams, to access additional resources to support its long-term growth and further strengthen strategic relationships.
Reclaimed hangar space doubles storage capacity and streamlines operations
A global aviation parts supplier specializing in OEM and PMA parts, KADEX Aero Supply over 200,000 products from over 70 manufacturers at its two main facilities in Peterborough and Calgary. The renovation and expansion of its Peterborough warehouse means the company can maintain more inventory on site, minimizing delivery delays for customers. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
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The expansion of KADEX’s headquarters at the Peterborough Regional Airport began after the company reclaimed a hangar space it had leased to another company. Meeting KADEX’s need for growth, the additional space was updated with all-new flooring and metal-clad walls.
The expansion has doubled the KADEX’s storage capacity, and allowed the company to also move oil previously stored in sea-can shipping containers into the temperature-controlled warehouse.
“We have lots of customers worldwide, so we’ve wanted more space for all our stock and products to allow for more capabilities for shipping and receiving,” says Sydney Bainbridge, Rotables and Warranties Administrator at KADEX.
The additional storage space also helps KADEX streamline operations, allowing for faster order processing and helping the company fulfill same-day and overnight shipping.
This will increase existing business opportunities for KADEX at the airport, where fellow aviation and aerospace businesses and flight training schools will benefit from having more parts available on site, and could foster future opportunities as the airport continues to grow, as seen with the new Canadian Flight Academy landing at the airport in March.
Among the upgrades to its warehouse at the Peterborough Airport, KADEX Aero Supply has installed a spray foam system from Sealed Air that stabilizes parts so they cannot move when being shipped. For large and heavy parts like landing gear and brakes, this is crucial for preventing damage while in transit. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
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The expanded warehouse also means KADEX can maintain more inventory on site, minimizing delivery delays for customers.
“We’re one of the main distributors nationally for oil and tires,” Lavery says. “They take up a lot of space, so this gives us an advantage of stocking more parts in-country and not having to worry about bringing them across the border or about the factory’s shipping time. With production delays happening with many manufacturers, it’s good to have as many parts on the shelf as possible.”
On the shipping side of operations, the renovations included the installation of a spray foam system from Sealed Air, which stabilizes parts so they cannot move when being shipped. For large and heavy parts like landing gear and brakes, this is crucial for preventing damage while in transit.
In addition, KADEX has made adjustments for easily sorting and organizing consumables like boxes, tape, and shipping labels to maintain a more efficient packing process.
New space helps employee communication and morale as well as the environment
KADEX Aero Supply employee Tyler Primeau uses one of the new workspaces at the company’s recently expanded and renovated warehouse at the Peterborough Airport. The individualized workspaces improve workflow by ensuring staff members are not waiting on a station and computer to do their work. The close proximity additionally makes it easier to call out urgent orders and ensure streamlined communications between team members. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
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While KADEX’s receiving, shipping, and inventory operations were previously all located in different areas, the new warehouse consolidates them into a single space, enhancing efficiency and speed.
“Being within the same space has greatly increased communication between the team,” Bainbridge explains. “It allows us to call out urgent or critical orders so we can jump on them right away, advising one another when an urgent part arrives, and enabling quicker receiving and turnaround for outbound shipments.”
The warehouse expansion has also allowed KADEX to add workstations for all employees so they don’t have to wait for one to become available. Paired with additional locker space and more natural light with the installation of new windows on the hangar doors, these upgrades not only enhance workflow but also increase employee morale.
As one of several green initiatives, KADEX Aero Supply at the Peterborough Airport switched to an electric forklift to reduce emissions. As a result of its recent warehouse renovation and expansion, the company has also doubled insulation ratings and installed high-efficiency LED lighting and heating systems. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
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“We wanted more streamlined positions so that we’re all in a group and working together better,” Bainbridge says. “It expands our opportunity to ship more product, receive more product in, and be able to store it for customers that possibly might be AOG (Aircraft on Ground).”
The new facility also demonstrates KADEX’s green commitment through significant infrastructure investments, including doubling the insulation ratings, moving to high-efficiency LED lighting and heating systems, and switching to an electric forklift.
“We want to be as conscious as possible and try our best to reduce emissions to make an impact,” Bainbridge says. “Packaging for aircraft parts can contribute a lot to the landfill so, where we can, we try to compensate with initiatives like shredding boxes to use as packaging peanuts in place of styrofoam. We do try to do different things to reduce our footprint and see if it works for us and also for our customers.”
Expansion could create new jobs and benefit the community
KADEX Aero Supply employee Jeff Lang prepares a customer order at the company’s newly renovated and expanded warehouse at the Peterborough Airport. KADEX now has more space to stock parts in Canada rather than bringing them in from the U.S. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
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KADEX’s warehouse expansion and subsequent customer growth could result in local employment opportunities with an increased need for pickers, packers, and shippers, as well as the creation of new roles.
Bainbridge also hopes the business growth will allow KADEX to continue giving back to the community by making donations, participating in local events and celebrations, and investing in the growth of the community – just as KADEX has been doing for over 30 years.
“That’s a benefit to being a part of a medium-sized business,” says Bainbridge. “It’s important for us to show up in the community and give back where we can and this growth will allow us to do that. We’re excited to continue to work with more companies and give back to Peterborough even more.”
Located at the Peterborough Airport, KADEX Aero Supply is an aircraft parts and service distributor specializing in OEM and FAA-approved PMA parts founded in Peterborough in 1994 by John Lavery and Ken Blow. KADEX has been acquired by Chorus Aviation, though continues to be led by existing teams locally. The renovated and expanded warehouse at the Peterborough Airport could provide job opportunities and more profit that KADEX can invest in other businesses and organizations locally. (Photo courtesy of KADEX Aero Supply)
This branded editorial was created in partnership with KADEX Aero Supply. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Described as Canada's greatest party band, Toronto collective Dwayne Gretzky will perform for the sixth time at Peterborough Musicfest with a free-admission concert at Del Crary Park on July 29, 2026. (Photo: Geoff Fitzgerald)
When a group of Toronto friends who shared a love of the music that defined the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s got together for an impromptu jam in 2011, they couldn’t have imagined they’d still be doing it 15 years later.
Peterborough Musicfest presents Dwayne Gretzky
When:Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
The evening will also feature JJ Thompson at 6:30 p.m. as part of the Cogeco Future Sound Series. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
“Tyler (Kyte) and I were playing in a band call Sweet Things that was kind of winding down,” recalled Lindsay native Nick Rose in a 2018 chat with Bill Bodkin of The Pop Break.
“We were living in the same apartment building with a few other musician friends of ours. We befriended the superintendent, who gave us access to his top-secret jam space in the basement. We’d go down there and watch hockey and muck around, playing Tom Petty songs and such.”
“Once we had learned enough songs for a set, we booked a couple shows just for the fun of it.”
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A residency at Toronto’s famed Dakota Tavern really got the ball rolling, followed by a regular show at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern. Now here we are, with Rose et al returning to Del Crary Park with an extensive catalogue of more than 800 songs to choose from for its set.
On Wednesday (July 29), Dwayne Gretzky makes its sixth Peterborough Musicfest appearance, again breathing exhilarating new life into classic hit songs. Admission to the 8 p.m. concert as always is free, thanks to numerous sponsors including kawarthaNOW, which is co-presenting this show.
This will be Dwayne Gretzky’s fifth Musicfest gig since 2018. While that may prompt some to ask “Was there no else available?” there’s no denying the multi-member ensemble loves headlining Musicfest, and the festival loves having them. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
VIDEO: “You Can Call Me Al” by Paul Simon – Dwayne Gretzky
But more notably, the reception granted the band by Peterborough audiences has been consistently off-the-charts; a response rooted in the truth that Dwayne Gretzky’s fun stage presence, infectious high energy, and superb musicianship have allowed it to surpass cover band status.
In a September 2019 interview with BeatRoute, Kyte said what became Dwayne Gretzky “grew naturally.”
“We didn’t plan to start a band with 10-plus band members, but one thing led to another and I think we’re stronger because of it,” explained Kyte, who is Rose’s childhood friend from Lindsay.
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“The whole point of the band is just celebrating the best songs, or at least our favourite songs,” added Rose in the same interview, noting “We started covering songs we grew up listening to, sifting through albums that our parents had.”
As for the band’s unusual name, that was as spontaneous as the jam that started it all.
“When we began playing shows in Toronto, we didn’t have a band name,” recalled Rose.
“It didn’t really seem necessary somehow — we were just a bunch of friends playing covers for the fun of it. But then at one of our first shows, somebody inevitably yelled out ‘What’s your band called?’ and I replied ‘Dwayne Gretzky’ for a laugh. Honestly, it was the first thing that popped into my head.”
VIDEO: “Take On Me” by A-Ha – Dwayne Gretzky
“Then, a few days later somebody posted a video of us on YouTube and referred to us as Dwayne Gretzky and that was that,” Rose said. “Luckily, I think it kind of suits us. Thank God I didn’t shout out something stupid.”
Now, hundreds of shows later, including highly publicized and appreciated performances that were streamed on New Year’s Eve during the pandemic years, one truth remains: you can take in Dwayne Gretzky each night for a week, and no two of those shows will be the same.
Musically, it’s all there — from Janis Joplin’s “Piece Of My Heart” to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” to Queen’s “Radio Ga-Ga” to New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” and pretty much everything in between.
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Rose admitted the band has faced some questions about performing songs written and made famous by others, as opposed to performing original material.
“The archetypal cover band conjures up images of middle-aged men in fedoras and vests going through songs at a bar mitzvah, so it has an odour to it,” he said.
But those questions don’t bother him, because the joy he sees on the faces of audience members makes it all worthwhile.
“Besides, there are just so many good songs,” Rose added.
VIDEO: “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac – Dwayne Gretzky
Audiences obviously feel the same way, based on the growing cross-Canada fan base that has flocked to any one of hundreds of shows, including a 2025 gig before a crowd of 7,000 at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage.
Also last year, Dwayne Gretzky launched a YouTube series, titled Dwayne’s World. It has since gone viral, capturing the attention of music fans globally.
“This band is based on nostalgia,” said Kyte, adding “When we play a song that someone has forgotten about, it maybe brings them back to that place before they grew up. It’s a powerful thing when it works.”
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The quality of the music aside, there is another factor at play that is key to Dwayne Gretzky’s sustainability: each member of the band is given the opportunity to shine, depending on the song being performed. That musical democracy makes for one very happy band.
“You’ll see a lot of people on stage having fun celebrating the greatest songs,” said Rose as a primer for the uninitiated.
“We’re very fortunate that we get to do this as a full-time gig — play our favourite songs with our best buds. We’ve got a really great group of people in this band and I’m very grateful for that. They’re all a bunch of sweethearts and there’s never a shortage of dumb jokes to go around.’
Following its Musicfest appearance, Dwayne Gretzky will hit the road into November for multiple shows in Ontario, Quebec, BC, and Manitoba, with an August 23 date at the Iowa State Fair thrown in for good measure.
Then there’s the big one: an October 16 appearance at Toronto’s famed Massey Hall.
Not bad at all for a bunch of friends who came together on a lark all those years ago and haven’t taken themselves too seriously since.
VIDEO: “1999” by Prince – Dwayne Gretzky
Of note, Dwayne Gretzky’s appearance coincides with Musicfest’s annual Invest in Musicfest fundraising drive that supports the appearance of premier artists at Del Crary Park.
All donations will go the festival’s entertainment budget, helping ensure it remains what has been since day one back in 1987: free and accessible to all. Musicfest volunteers will be spread out throughout the park, accepting donations by cash, debit, or credit card.
Prior to Dwayne Gretzky taking the stage, the Cogeco-sponsored Future Sound Series will see JJ and the Pillars frontman JJ Thompson perform from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., near the food trucks at the George Street entrance to Del Crary Park.
VIDEO: “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin – Dwayne Gretzky
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 39th season, staged in Del Crary Park on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 19.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2026 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or call the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2026 season.
A 54-year-old motorcyclist is dead after a single-vehicle collision in North Kawartha Township late Saturday afternoon (July 25).
As around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), emergency medical services, and fire responded to a single-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on Northeys Bay Road, near Fire Route 19 on the north shore of Upper Stony Lake.
The motorcyclist, a 54-year-old resident of Oshawa, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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While police have not released any information about the nature of the collision, Northeys Bay Road is a winding road in the area.
A section of Northeys Bay Road was closed in both directions for several hours while police investigated and documented the scene.
Anyone with information or dashcam footage related to the collision is asked to contact the Peterborough OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
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