Local photographer Kirk Doughty captured this shot of the 2018 Canada Day fireworks over Little Lake in Peterborough. (Photo: Kirk Doughty)
The City of Peterborough has rescheduled the cancelled Canada Day fireworks display to the Civic Holiday long weekend.
On Thursday (July 23), the city announced the fireworks display will take place in Del Crary Park at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, following the Peterborough Musicfest concert featuring a tribute to country music stars Garth Brooks and Shania Twain.
The fireworks display over Little Lake was originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 1 after the Peterborough Musicfest concert featuring tribute band Neon Nostalgic. However, the threat of additional severe thunderstorms resulted in Musicfest organizers cancelling the concert, and the city cancelled the fireworks display soon after.
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The city has also announced temporary road closures will be in effect from noon to 10:30 p.m. on August 1 for the fireworks.
Perry Street will be closed from the east side of George Street to the west side of Crescent Street, Lake Street from the east side of George Street to the west side of Crescent Street, Crescent Street from the north side of Romaine Street to the south side of Perry Street, and Lock Street from the north side of Romaine Street to the south side of Crescent Street.
Local traffic will still be permitted to access the areas within the road closures.
Niagara Region brass-funk band My Son The Hurricane performs a free-admission concert at Peterborough Musicfest in Del Crary Park on July 25, 2026. (Photo: Colin Smith)
Peterborough Musicfest presents My Son The Hurricane
When:Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
The evening will also feature Alycia Hebert 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.
Over the several years that Porter Sound has overseen the sound and lighting requirements of visiting Peterborough Musicfest headliners, it’s a pretty safe bet that the technical skills and patience of Bill Porter et al have been put to the test.
From the outside looking in, that’s OK. It’s their job and they do it well.
However, just when it seemed every concert presentation challenge that could been met had been met, along comes a band with up to 14 members that will push those skills to the limit. All those required microphones, amps, and cords come on top of the fact that there’s only so much real estate available on the already cramped Del Crary Park stage.
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But the show does go on, and on it will go Saturday (July 25) when My Son The Hurricane kicks off the second half of the annual summer music festival. As always, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of multiple sponsors.
While the brass funk band’s website lays claim to having 14 members, the version coming to Peterborough may have a few less due to stage limitations. Still, this concert promises to be as much of a visual spectacle as it is a display of top-rate musicianship. Then there’s the choreography when all is set in motion.
Founded in 2010 and hailing from the Niagara region, My Son The Hurricane is billed as “a multi-horn, multi-drummer, multi-singer brass funk band” that dares its audience not to dance. Instrument-wise, there are trumpets, saxophones, trombones, drums, guitars, keyboards and percussion — everything but the kitchen sink, but don’t completely rule that out.
VIDEO: “Does Your Mama Know” – My Son The Hurricane (2025)
Fronting that formidable wall of sound is singer and rapper Sarah Faz, whose joining the band was rooted in misfortune that befell former lead singer Sylvie Kindree.
In late 2022, Kindree was struck by a car while jogging. Following a period of healing, she stepped away in fall 2024, but not before making the time to work with Faz to help her adapt to the band’s frenetic sound and over-the-top stage show, making the transition easier for all.
Musically, My Son The Hurricane has recorded three albums. The band’s debut album, Is This What You Want, was released in 2016, followed in 2019 by Ride the Bullet! and, just last year, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Prior to the latest album, the single “Mr. Holland’s Locust” introduced the band to a worldwide audience in 2023, when a video clip of band members dancing to the tune — notably pink-shirted and eccentric frontwoman Kindree — went viral as a social media meme.
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With Faz replacing Kindree as the focal point on a stage where there’s much to take in, My Son The Hurricane undertook a 2025 tour of Canada, the United States, and Europe that saw it play more than 70 dates. This year, the band is staying closer to home, with their show schedule including a September 10 gig at Lindsay’s Academy Theatre.
While it’s difficult to define My Son The Hurricane’s sound, co-founder and drummer Danno O’Shea did his level best during a 2024 interview with Louie Botko of CHCH News.
“I like to call it voltage-enhanced Lawrence Welk,” said O’Shea. “It’s a full-on show. It’s full of salt the whole show. There’s choreography, there’s dancing, there’s some rapping, there’s singing — there’s all sorts of everything. We’re all about creating the big circus show.”
In a 2024 YouTube video by musical website Dirty Sunbeams, O’Shea was asked whether he preferred “to laugh or to love.”
“If you got the chance to hang out with us after or before the show, you’d understand that they are the same thing for us,” he said. “This is a band that laughs a lot. We poke a lot of fun at each other, but it’s all in good fun. That’s how we show our love.”
As for the band’s unusual moniker, it comes from the name of an upbeat jazz-funk instrumental tune originally released by the Charlie Hunter Trio on their 2004 album Friends Seen and Unseen.
Prior to My Son The Hurricane taking the stage, the Cogeco-sponsored Future Sound Series will see Whitby country singer-songwriter Alycia Hebert perform from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., near the food trucks at the George Street entrance to Del Crary Park.
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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 naturalized playscape was the latest addition to The Children's Garden, installed in Ecology Park in 2023. GreenUP is looking for help from the community to extend the current play space and revive environmental learning opportunities for children and families. (Photo: GreenUP)
GreenUP will soon invite children to help shape the future of outdoor play at Ecology Park after receiving funding to reimagine the park’s Children’s Garden.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Ashley Burnie Seeds, Education & Active Transportation Program Manager, GreenUP.
The project, supported by the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough through the Community Foundations of Canada Free to Play initiative, promotes child-led outdoor play and aims to enhance opportunities for children to explore, build, and imagine in nature.
The enhancements will build on decades of outdoor education at Ecology Park, where generations of children have explored forests, ponds, gardens, and streams through camps and school programs.
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For many families in the region, Ecology Park has been a place where outdoor childhood memories are made.
Adults who attended a camp or school program at the park in younger years have begun to return with their children so they too can play in the willow tunnel, discover frogs in the pond, taste vegetables directly from the garden, explore the nature playscape, and experience the excitement of finding something unexpected under every log and leaf.
“The stations provided such an awesome opportunity for us to come together and play imaginary games,” says Maisie, former Earth Adventures camper and current counselor at Camp Kawartha. “They helped us grow our friendships and community.”
Elements of the old Ecology Park Children’s Garden, such as the bug buffet pictured here, taught children about the natural world in fun and tactile ways. With new funding support, GreenUP plans to reinvigorate Ecology Park as an environmental education destination with open-ended play elements, encouraging families to explore. (Photo: GreenUP)
GreenUP’s Earth Adventures camp operates over eight weeks each summer and welcomes children ages five to eight for a full week of discovery, creativity, and exploration.
Campers investigate the diversity of habitats found within Ecology Park including forest and meadow areas, demonstration gardens, the frog pond, a mature perennial flower garden, and Mead Creek, the picturesque stream that loops from Little Lake.
Each week at camp features a new nature-based theme encouraging children to explore everything from insects and wildlife to food gardens and trees through hands-on activities and unstructured play.
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These opportunities have never been more important. Researchers and educators are raising concerns about declining opportunities for outdoor play.
According to a recent ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth, only 22 per cent of children and youth five to 17 years of age accumulated more than two hours per day of total time engaged in any unstructured play.
In addition to summer camp, Ecology Park welcomes school groups throughout the spring and fall for curriculum-connected outdoor learning experiences. Within this program, students learn about nature by investigating it firsthand.
Ecology Park hosts GreenUP’s Earth Adventures camp in July and August, as well as classes from kindergarten to grade 7 during the spring and fall. Kids engage in short lessons with staff followed by hands-on activities that reaffirm their new knowledge. (Photo: Melanie Ellison / GreenUP)
Whether exploring concepts of soils and compost, insects and habitats, or fossils and rocks, children engage with the themes through observation and play. Programs can even be tailored to meet the unique learning goals of individual classrooms.
Ecology Park’s five-acre site has undergone many changes in recent years. Nearly a decade ago, GreenUP’s community came together to fund the construction of a children’s education shelter, which expanded opportunities to deliver high-quality outdoor programming.
In 2020, additional support enabled the creation of accessible pathways, a barrier-free washroom, and stronger connections to the Trans Canada Trail, while 2023 fundraising efforts resulted in the building of a natural playscape.
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Despite these additions, recent visitors have missed other engaging offerings that once made Ecology Park an even more exciting and educational place for families.
Many of the former Children’s Garden’s interactive activity centres, games, and animal costumes — which taught children how different insects eat, how compost builds soil, and how wildlife survives in the garden and the forest — have worn down due to use and exposure to the elements.
Thanks to the Free to Play funding, GreenUP has begun reimagining the Children’s Garden at Ecology Park to encourage self-guided play in the hope that new offerings will allow even more children to build, imagine, invent, and collaborate in new ways at the park.
Earth Adventure camper Maisie is pictured here in 2014. Imaginative, child-led, curiosity-driven, free-choice play in nature is an important part of child development. GreenUP intends to reinvigorate the interactive play stations in the Ecology Park Children’s Garden by engaging children in a co-design process. (Photo: Jackie Donaldson / GreenUP)
The next step will be to ask the community for donations to support project implementation, while children will be engaged to help co-design the space.
With approximately 6,000 visitors to Ecology Park every year, learning opportunities benefit children and families beyond GreenUP’s programming. Being a public space, the Children’s Garden is enjoyed by all, whether engaged in camp or a school trip or simply stopping by.
As children’s schedules become increasingly structured and screen time continues to rise, it is more important than ever to provide opportunities for children to experience the kind of self-guided exploration that builds confidence, creativity, resilience, physical literacy, and a lifelong connection to nature.
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Some of the most valuable learning happens outside of the classroom — while balancing across a log, building something unexpected with sticks and stones, or simply following curiosity, wherever it leads.
Help GreenUP enhance Ecology Park as a local environmental education destination. Visit greenup.on.ca/donate-now/ and direct your donation to “Climate Action and Education Programs.”
Save the date: GreenUP will host a Family Night at Ecology Park on Thursday, August 27. All are welcome.
Bellmere Winds Golf Resort is located on the north shore of Rice Lake in Keene. (Photo: Bellmere Winds Golf Resort / Facebook)
A 63-year-old Warkworth man has died after suffering severe injuries as a result of a propane explosion at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort in Keene.
At around 3 p.m. on Wednesday (July 22), Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and fire and emergency medical services responded to a report of a propane explosion at the golf course.
Police say the man was transported from the scene by ambulance before being airlifted to a Toronto-area hospital with life-threatening injuries.
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According to a statement from Great Blue Resorts, which owns Bellmere Winds Golf Resort, the man was an employee of the resort and the incident happened at one of the cottages.
“Our thoughts are with our team member and their loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement reads, adding that the company is “cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities as they investigate the incident.”
Police notified the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of the incident.
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On Thursday, Peterborough County OPP issued an update on the location of the explosion and the status of the victim.
According to the OPP, the explosion occurred in a residential trailer on property owned by Bellmere Winds Golf Resort. The OPP also reported that the victim succumbed to his injuries in the hospital and was pronounced dead on Thursday.
The investigation into the explosion is being conducted by the Peterborough County OPP major crime unit in conjunction with the Office of the Fire Marshal, Technical Standards and Safety Authority, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the Office of the Chief Coroner, and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.
The original version of this story has been updated with the latest information provided by the Peterborough County OPP.
Actor Lindsay Wilson talks to Jasper Chesser in a scene from "Wild Irish Geese" as (left to right) Padrick Wilson, Indigo Chesser, and Darragh O'Connell look on during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Megan Murphy's play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
While staging the same production in back-to-back summers isn’t all that rare for 4th Line Theatre, it is a reflection of the quality of the work chosen for another run.
That said, the fact that Wild Irish Geese saw each performance of its August 2025 world premiere sell out sure didn’t hurt its case for a return this August to the Winslow Farm near Millbrook.
Written by Peterborough playwright and actor Megan Murphy, Wild Irish Geese relates the story of 2,024 Peter Robinson emigrants in 1825 — their hopes and dreams, and their anguish over leaving behind in Ireland the only life they knew for the uncertainty and challenge of building a new life in a strange land.
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The brainchild of prominent Upper Canada politician Peter Robinson, the emigration “experiment” saw nine ships make the ocean crossing from Ireland, making landfall at Quebec City before their human cargo proceeded by river and land, via Kingston and Cobourg, to their new home in and around Scott’s Plains, later named Peterborough.
With last year seeing a number of events held to commemorate the bicentennial of the Robinson emigration, the timing was perfect for the premiere of Murphy’s play. Now, 4th Line Theatre is banking on the momentum of that year-long commemoration carrying over for the play’s August 4 to 29 run.
On Wednesday (July 22), 4th Line hosted a media day at the Winslow Farm for the remount of Wild Irish Geese, which saw some of the actors performing scenes from the play on the set of the current production, Leanna Brodie’s Schoolhouse, which closes on Saturday — including Murphy herself.
“Wild Irish Geese” playwright Megan Murphy in Irish storyteller mode during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Murphy will reprise her role as seanchaí for the return run of her play from August 4 to 29 at the Winslow Farm. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)“Wild Irish Geese” playwright Megan Murphy speaks with kawarthaNOW’s Paul Rellinger during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Murphy will reprise her role as seanchaí for the return run of her play from August 4 to 29 at the Winslow Farm. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
“This is my first big play, so I feel honoured,” says Murphy of the remount, adding “I owe a great debt of gratitude to all of the (Robinson emigration) descendants who came last year in droves. It was amazing how many came.”
“We had the front of house manager, when she gave her little speech off the top, ask how many people are descendants. Every single night, a minimum of 10 hands (went up). Some nights were like 50 hands. The night that the whole Hickey clan came was hilarious. I felt so much pressure.”
Tasked with writing the play some six years ago by 4th Line Theatre founder Robert Winslow, Murphy jumped into the creative process with both feet, not only meeting with several local Robinson descendants and going through bins of material provided by them, but also going to Ireland for a fuller understanding of the Robinson emigration story from a different perspective.
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As a bonus, with a few minor exceptions, the entire original cast is back for the second coming of Wild Irish Geese. That includes Murphy, who’s reprising her role as the play’s seanchaí — a traditional Irish storyteller.
“I come from a long line of Irish storytellers, so I was like ‘This kind of makes sense,'” says Murphy of her narrator role.
“I love that I get to break that fourth wall. I love talking to the audience. I feel like I’m the host and everyone has come to my big house and I’m like ‘Welcome to my farm.’ There’s something kinetic about this experience, and about theatre, and about being in a space with people. It’s a thing we missed during COVID.”
Murphy says the original script is being adhered to for the most part, but “there have been changes.”
“In fact, last night I made a few more, so we came in this morning a little early to work on a couple of scenes,” she says. “We’ve had time to go into the little details and the minutiae, and find more of the nuance.”
M. John Kennedy as Upper Canada politician Peter Robinson rapping during a media day event for “Wild Irish Geese” at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Kennedy is reprising his role in Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration, which returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)“Wild Irish Geese” actor M. John Kennedy speaks with kawarthaNOW’s Paul Rellinger during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Murphy will reprise her role as seanchaí for the return run of her play from August 4 to 29 at the Winslow Farm. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
Also among the returning cast members is veteran actor M. John Kennedy, who portrays Peter Robinson. This is his third 4th Line play, having previously appeared in The Great Shadow (2022) and The Tilco Strike (2023).
“I think he was genuinely interested in helping people and making the world better,” assesses Kennedy of his character.
“One of the things that’s mentioned at the end of the play that Meg wrote is he oversaw a bunch of further ways of emigration but also went well over budget. The government asked him to pay the money back out of his own personal account, which he did. He was very interested in trying to make this a more viable place to live. He really did want to give these people a chance at a better life.”
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Asked what drew him to the story, Kennedy says there were a few things, including his connection to one of the Robinson emigration families.
“My mother’s family came over on the boats in 1825,” he says, noting his father’s family followed suit later during the Irish Potato Famine.
“When Meg was working on the script, I was involved in the first read-through. The script is such an excellent combination of the emotional story of the characters but, like many other shows at 4th Line, there’s humour and fun. We need that as way in, even if it’s just to relieve the pressure of the stress of this story.”
“Wild Irish Geese” playwright Megan Murphy and actor M. John Kennedy, who have been friends since high school, during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. The play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)“Wild Irish Geese” actors M. John Kennedy and Paul Crough during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
“It’s a beautiful story,” Kennedy says. “It’s also the story of my people. There was no hesitation. I love being here at 4th Line. It’s a good time all around.”
And then there was the opportunity to rap. That’s right. Rap. Not once but, as part of this restaging, twice.
“I think one thing that theatre does better than anything else is go ‘Alright, we’re going to do this thing but also this thing’ … this sort of magic realism that we get to see.”
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Also returning to the Wild Irish Geese fold, as director, is 4th Line managing artistic director Kim Blackwell. She says this is the eighth time a play has been staged in back-to-back seasons.
“We just feel when a show sells out, there’s a real appetite for it,” she says.
“In a practical sense, the actors all know their lines, we have the costumes, and we have the sets. Almost 10,000 people saw Wild Irish Geese last summer. We’re hoping some will want to come back and see it, and that we tap into new audiences that have heard about it.”
kawarthaNOW’s Paul Rellinger speaks with 4th Line Theatre managing artistic director Kim Blackwell during a media day event for “Wild Irish Geese” at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook July 22, 2026. As she did for Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration during its sold-out world premiere last summer, Blackwell will be directing the play for its restaging from August 4 to 29. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
“Megan is such a beloved person and personality in our region,” Blackwell adds. “She’s such a gem. People really adore her. I think people will want to see her again.”
Blackwell notes that one principal actor in a secondary role and one volunteer actor weren’t able to join the production, “but everyone else is back. It’s like coming back to summer camp.”
She says the return rate speaks volumes.
“I think it says a lot about the play. I think it says a lot about the experience we had together last year. They all love Meg, and love the play.”
Young actor Jasper Chesser performs in a scene from “Wild Irish Geese” with (left to right) Lindsay Wilson, Indigo Chesser, and Darragh O’Connell during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)Actor Paul Crough lifts Jasper Chesser in a scene from “Wild Irish Geese” with (left to right) Lindsay Wilson, Indigo Chesser, Darragh O’Connell, and Padrick Wilson during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
“We only have two weeks to get the remount up,” Blackwell points out. “It’s a very fast process, but we’re digging a bit deeper. Fresh eyes and fresh people — we’re finding things inside of it, which I think will be beautiful for audiences.”
Sponsored by Pyle Wealth Advisory – CIBC Private Wealth Wood Gundy with support from The Hickey Family Bursary, Wild Irish Geese features a large cast, with Paul Crough, Sebastian Sage, Lindsay Wilson, Indigo Chesser, and Darragh O’Connell among those reprising their 2025 roles.
Behind the scenes, assistant direction is by Mandy Roveda, musical direction is by Justin Hiscox, costume design is by Bonnie Garland, choreography is by Monica Dottor, original set design is by Michelle Chesser, fight direction is by Edward Belanger, Indigenous story consultation is by Patti Shaughnessy, sound design is by Steáfán Hannigan, and intimacy direction is by Greg Carruthers.
“Wild Irish Geese” musical director and composer Justin Hiscox (left) and musician Jason Edmunds discuss the music in “Wild Irish Geese” during a media day event at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook on July 22, 2026. Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns to the Winslow Farm from August 4 to 29 after its sold-out world premiere last summer. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)A section of the wall at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook displays past plays staged at 4th Line Theatre, with the number of performances marked, include the world premiere production of “Wild Irish Geese” in 2025. Megan Murphy’s play about the Peter Robinson emigration returns from August 4 to 29 for its second run. (Photo: Jordan Lyall / kawarthaNOW)
Performances run at 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays from August 4 to 29, with preview performances on August 4 and 5 followed by opening night on August 6, and an added Monday performance on August 24.
Tickets are $55 for adults and $48 for children and youth ages 5 to 16, with a discounted price of $42 for both adults and youth on preview nights, plus fee.
Tickets and gift certificates 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.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of 4th Line Theatre’s 34th season.
Noel Bennett, who is currently executive vice-president of clinical services and chief nursing executive at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), has been appointed as the hospital's interim president and CEO effective September 25, 2026, succeeding outgoing president and CEO Dr. Lynn Mikula. (Photo: PRHC)
Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has appointed longtime hospital executive Noel Bennett as its interim president and CEO, effective September 25.
Bennett, who is currently PRHC’s executive vice-president of clinical services and chief nursing executive, will succeed Dr. Lynn Mikula when she leaves the regional hospital this fall to become president and CEO of Sinai Health in Toronto.
“The board of directors has every confidence in Noel’s leadership, and we look forward to seeing him make this move into PRHC’s top role,” said PRHC board chair Scott Milligan in a media release issued Wednesday (July 22).
“This hospital has made great strides on its strategic goals over the last two years, and we anticipate a smooth transition in the fall between two leaders who share a bold and ambitious vision for the future of this hospital.”
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A registered nurse with more than 20 years of clinical and leadership experience in Canada and abroad, Bennett joined PRHC as a nurse in 2008. He subsequently became manager and then director of emergency and critical care before joining the hospital’s senior leadership team in 2021.
Bennett became associate vice-president in April 2021 and was appointed vice-president the following year. He assumed the additional position of chief nursing executive in January 2023.
In his current role, Bennett oversees several inpatient and outpatient medical programs, along with patient flow and collaborative practice. He also represents PRHC in the regional partnership responsible for Epic, the digital health information system used by several hospitals across central Ontario.
Bennett helped lead the development of PRHC’s nursing strategy, which the hospital launched in 2025 as one of the first of its kind in Canada. That year, the hospital also hosted its inaugural nursing symposium and presented its first nursing innovation awards.
Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) vice president and chief nursing executive Noel Bennett (left) and president and CEO Dr. Lynn Mikula watch as occupational therapist Beth Morgan uses a digital communication board within the regional hospital’s Reactivation Care Centre in December 2024. (Photo courtesy of PRHC)
“It’s an honour and a privilege to take on leadership of PRHC at such an important time, and I want to thank the board of directors for this incredible opportunity,” Bennett said.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with our dedicated leadership team to maintain the momentum we’ve been building, to achieve the ambitious goals we’ve set out for ourselves, and to support the people of this organization as we fulfill our shared purpose as one team, here when you need us most.”
Bennett earned a bachelor of health sciences degree in nursing in 2008 and a master’s degree in health management in 2017. He has also completed the Canadian College of Health Leaders program and holds the organization’s Canadian Health Executive designation.
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The hospital’s board also recognized and thanked Dr. Mikula for her contributions as both a physician and senior leader.
Dr. Mikula, who has led PRHC as president and CEO since 2023, will begin her new role at Sinai Health in October. The Toronto health network includes Mount Sinai Hospital and Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, both affiliated with the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
She joined PRHC as a staff general surgeon in 2011 and subsequently served as chief of staff, chief medical executive, and executive vice-president. Mikula was also the hospital’s executive lead during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Under Dr. Mikula’s leadership, PRHC launched a five-year strategic plan, a workplace well-being framework, and its first equity and reconciliation strategy, which included introducing an Indigenous navigator position.
The hospital also opened its Reactivation Care Centre, added implantable cardioverter defibrillator procedures to its cardiac program, developed a custom data analytics platform, and established a formal research partnership with Trent University.
PRHC was named one of Canada’s best employers by Forbes in both 2025 and 2026 and received Accreditation with Exemplary Standing for the third consecutive time in a decade.
The City of Peterborough is piloting its new youth transit pass program, which provides complimentary access to Peterborough Transit for youth aged 13 to 18 after school, on weekends and holidays, and during school breaks. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Peterborough Transit has launched a pilot program providing free transit to residents ages 13 to 18 during specified times.
Under the Youth Transit Pass Pilot Program, eligible young people can ride Peterborough Transit free on weekdays after school, on weekends and statutory holidays, and during winter break, March Break, and summer vacation.
Peterborough city council unanimously approved the pilot program in September 2025 as part of the city’s Transportation Master Plan.
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“Although youth aged 13 to 18 currently represent a small share of total ridership, they hold significant potential to help shift travel behaviour, increase transit use, and build a culture of sustainable mobility within the community,” reads a city staff report presented to council.
The city says providing early and affordable access to public transit will help remove barriers for young people while improving access to employment, recreation, after-school programming, and other community activities.
“The Youth Transit Pass Program gives young people the opportunity to build confidence and independence while becoming more familiar with public transit,” said councillors Keith Riel and Don Vassiliadis, co-chairs of the city’s municipal operations portfolio, in a joint statement.
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“By providing free transit access during key times along with rider orientation, the program will help reduce cost and access barriers for youth across Peterborough,” Riel and Vassiliadis added.
Councillor Lesley Parnell, council’s appointee to the Peterborough Youth Commission, said free transit was strongly requested by local high school students and members of the commission and its youth council.
“Free transit for youth enables their independence, mobility to participate in after-school sports, jobs, recreational activities, plus they learn to be comfortable with public transit and are more likely to become lifelong transit users,” Parnell said.
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Eligible young people can register at peterborough.ca/youthtransitpass to receive a Peterborough Youth Transit Pass. Parental consent is required, and secondary school students must submit a copy of their school timetable or student card.
Passes issued during the pilot will expire in September 2027 and must be renewed at that time.
Students entering Grade 7 or 8 in September 2026 will receive transit orientation at selected schools in spring 2027.
Kevin McPhillips of McSweeney & Associates, the consulting firm retained by the City of Peterborough to facilitiate the creation of the city's new five-year economic development strategic plan, waits to make a presentation during a community open house at Miskin Law Community Complex on July 20, 2026. (Photo: Bethan Bates / kawarthaNOW)
The City of Peterborough hosted an open house on economic development on Monday evening (July 20) at Miskin Law Community Complex, looking for community feedback as it develops a five-year strategic plan to help shape the city’s economic future.
Attended by residents, business owners, councillors, mayoral and council candidates, and city staff, the session was led by Kevin McPhillips of McSweeney & Associates, the consulting firm retained by the city to facilitate the development of the plan.
“It’s really important that the core values of the community are reflected, so that as things change decision makers are still able to make decisions that reflect what’s been heard in the community,” said McPhillips.
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Strategic plan consultation comes 18 months after city assumed responsibility for economic development
The initial public consultation of the economic development strategic plan comes 18 months after the City of Peterborough began delivering economic development and tourism services in-house, following a decision by the city and Peterborough County in early 2024 not to renew their tri-party funding agreement with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED), a not-for-profit corporation that had been delivering economic development and tourism services on behalf of the city and county for more than 25 years.
As a result of the loss of $1.8 million in core funding from the city and county, PKED dissolved at the end of 2024, and the city and county assumed responsibility for delivering the services themselves. In early 2025, the city hired Darryl Julott as the city’s new director of economic development.
At Monday night’s open house, McPhillips began the presentation by detailing the new strategic planning process which no longer focuses on “chasing smokestacks” but rather is more proactive in its approach to investment attraction.
The traditional economic development approach taken by municipalities is to secure an anchor industry or employer that can attract residents who build a strong quality of life and place. On the other hand, McSweeney & Associates promote an approach that diversifies investment to create “economically sustainable communities.”
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Community development is economic development
“Community development has really moved into economic development,” said McPhillips. “If you build a community where people are interested in putting down their roots … then businesses will actually follow.”
McPhillips said that the economic development strategy produced will be a “foundational piece” of all decision-making processes related to economic development, noting it provides a baseline for reasoning to allow municipalities to react and adapt to emerging external changes.
The economic sustainability model promotes diversifying investment opportunities to allow municipalities to better manage downturn in specific sectors or the loss of anchor companies, McPhillips said.
He also highlighted the importance of retaining existing businesses and growing established organizations.
Ashburnham Ward councillor Keith Riel, who is running for mayor in October’s municipal election, spoke at the event about the loss of Lufthansa inTouch and Woodward Inc. as indicative of what may happen if work is not done to retain major employers such as Quaker Oats.
“You should be looking at what we can do for them, not what they can do for us,” said Riel.
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Housing and affordability pose challenges in attracting young professionals
McPhillips presented demographic data comparing Peterborough to the Ontario average in areas such as household income, age, employment, and housing.
In particular, he noted the low percentage of professional-age adults compared to students and seniors.
“It’s a question of, if folks aren’t coming home in their thirties at the same rate as other comparable municipalities, is there a reason why,” said McPhillips.
One challenge identified in retaining and reclaiming young professionals following post-secondary education was the lack of availability of entry-level homes. Peterborough has a high percentage of residences with three or more bedrooms and lacks an adequate one-room accommodation market.
Town Ward councillor Alex Bierk, who is also a professional artist, spoke at the event about the impact of corporate landlords on young families and business owners in the downtown core, saying that rental costs are not sustainable and that work should be done to enable businesses to purchase their buildings.
“With this consolidation of commercial landlords we’re all beholden to a system where they’re able to charge whatever they want for commercial rent and it makes it really impossible to have an opportunity to live here and build something,” Bierk said.
According to McPhillips, Peterborough’s top four industries, by number of employees, are healthcare and social assistance, retail trades, educational services, and accommodation and food services. He noted this as a strength due to the stability of healthcare services and providers; however, diversification of the labour force remains a priority of the McSweeney & Associates approach.
Throughout the presentation, McPhillips emphasized that data does not always tell the realities of residents’ lived experience, and that community feedback will take precedent in their analysis and planning process.
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Community feedback to inform draft economic development plan
As the city are currently in the second phase of the strategic planning process, its priority has been to gather information, feedback, and ideas from a wide cross-section of stakeholders.
Attendees at Monday’s event were asked seven questions:
What makes the City of Peterborough a great place to have a business?
What makes it challenging to do business in the City of Peterborough?
What are the top opportunities for attracting business and improving future economic growth in the City of Peterborough?
What are the top opportunities for retaining business and improving future economic growth in the City of Peterborough?
If you are a business, why did you locate in the City of Peterborough?
If the City of Peterborough could resolve only one issue/challenge to encourage sustained business growth and investment in the local economy, what would it be?
Describe your vision of the City of Peterborough over the next five to 10 years.
Residents who were unable to attend the event can provide answers to the questions by completing the survey at www.connectptbo.ca/ecdevstratplan/, which will be available until just before midnight on Monday (July 27).
One attendee said that bureaucratic processes put in place by the city are detrimental to attracting new business investment.
“They talk about welcoming business on the one side of the mouth, but they’re pretty hard on businesses on the other side,” she said.
Otonabee Ward councillor Kevin Duguay told kawarthaNOW that one role of city hall in promoting economic development is to ensure a “quality of place” through investing in community facilities, such as the Miskin Law Community Complex itself.
Some attendees, including Otonabee Ward councillor candidate Chris Potter, expressed concerns with the strategic planning process which starts afresh rather than directly evolving from existing documents.
“It just seems we are starting like we have never existed as a city before,” said Potter.
Following the open house, McSweeney & Associates will facilitate interviews and small in-person focus group sessions with selected representatives of key interest groups including local businesses, organizations, community groups, and city council.
According to the city’s website, a draft economic development strategic plan and implementation plan will be developed from August to September and shared with the public for feedback, with the final plan to be presented to city council in September or October.
This edition of kawarthaNOW's "Kawartha Localist" editorial series features our favourite craft breweries in the Kawarthas, including 100 Acre Brewing Co. and Bobcaygeon Brewing Company in Peterborough, Old Dog Brewing in Bobcaygeon, Bancroft Brewing Company, Haliburton Highlands Brewing, Northumberland Hills Brewery in Cobourg, and Belmont Lake Brewery near Havelock, along with Ashburnham Ale House craft beer cafe in Peterborough. (kawarthaNOW collage)
Kawartha Localist is a new editorial series from kawarthaNOW sharing trusted local recommendations, hidden gems, and favourite discoveries from people who know and love this region. It’s what we love about where we live.
Just as dinner is better when it’s made at home, so too is beer. Fortunately for us, there’s no shortage of craft breweries serving up quality sips right here in the Kawarthas.
Lagers, stouts, ambers, sours, wheat beers, pilsners, IPAs, and even non-alcoholic beers — you name it and someone in the Kawarthas is brewing it. These beers are being served up in taphouses that are pet-friendly, game day ready, lakeside, or otherwise make a perfect setting for lounging and sipping on homemade tastes.
Here are some of our favourite breweries across the region.
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Stick around awhile at 100 Acre Brewing Co. in Peterborough
The large property and dog-friendly covered patio at 100 Acre Brewing Co. in Peterborough makes a stunning natural space for family and friends to gather year-round and enjoy the creatively driven craft beer brewed and served on site. The brewery was developed with the goal of encouraging diners to not rush, but rather enjoy the 100-acre family property where brewer Bentley Vass grew up with his siblings. (Photo courtesy of 100 Acre Brewing Co.)
At 100 Acre Brewing Co. in Peterborough, you can bring the whole family, stick around as long as you want, and enjoy the pristine surroundings that make it entirely one-of-a-kind.
As you may have guessed from the name, the family-operated farmhouse brewery sits on a 100-acre property. It’s where brewer Bentley Vass, his father, and his four siblings grew up, exploring on four-wheelers and snowmobiles. They wanted to share their love of the land with the public so, after studying brewery operation management at Niagara College, Bentley returned home to do exactly that.
Today, the brewery offers a picturesque setting for customers to bring out their young children, families, and even pets to enjoy the property — and there’s never any reason to rush.
“Traditionally focused, creatively driven” is the slogan at 100 Acre Brewing Co. which is evident in Stag Tail, a pilsner poured on the European-style lukr tap. In summer 2025, Vass spent time in the Czech Republic to learn about authentic practices.
In addition to the approachable Minnow Lite Lager and the Snapper IPA, 100 Acre Brewing Co. has some innovative brews on the lineup, including the Perennial, a seasonal fruit ale made with local haskaps, and the Ivy terpene IPA — which mimics the aroma of cannabis without actually having it infused — brewed in collaboration with Old Flame in Northumberland County.
100 Acre Brewing Co. also crafts low-alcohol brews as well as a gluten-reduced hard seltzer. Though there are no flights on the menu, the beer can be sampled for free.
These can be enjoyed with wood-fired pizza, sandwiches, and sharables from Lowlands Fire Food on a year-round heated patio. 100 Acres Brewing Co. partners with a range of local businesses to deliver special events like yoga, live music, card tournaments, weekly cornhole leagues, as well as special events for local charities and non-profits.
100 Acre Brewing Co. is located at 390 Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough. To learn more, visit 100acrebrewingco.com.
Bring your pup to Old Dog Brewing in Bobcaygeon
Bruce is one of the furry, four-legged regulars you’ll find at Old Dog Brewing Company, a dog-friendly brewery in Bobcaygeon founded by Scott Nichol. Based on the idea of an “old dog learning new tricks,” the brewery serves up the popular Yellow Lab Lager and Chihuahua Mexican Light Lager, as well as other innovative and flavourful brews. (Photo courtesy of Old Dog Brewing Company)
Scott Nichol had never even heard of Bobcaygeon before he visited for the first time, but he’s been hooked ever since.
Now, right in the centre of town is where he operates Old Dog Brewing Company, easily recognizable by the logo of a dog sporting trendy framed glasses. After spending 10 years as an actor and another 14 in banking, Nichol discovered craft beer and realized he was an old dog constantly learning new tricks.
Today, that theme carries across the taproom where dogs are always welcomed and celebrated, and you might just see a few four-legged regulars. The beers are named for the theme as well, seen in popular brews like the award-winning Yellow Lab Lager and Chihuahua Mexican Light Lager. From a cherry sour to a cream ale, and a pomegranate wheat ale, there are some unique tastes on tap and Nichol is always on the hunt for new tastes and flavours.
Old Dog Brewing is very approachable for those who don’t typically enjoy beer, and the taproom also stocks wine and reserves one tap for cider from Kawartha Country Wines. Those wanting to ease into the beer are encouraged to try the dog bite (traditionally called a snake bite) — a British-style drink that blends cider with beer.
Old Dog Brewing Company is located at 30 King Street East in Bobcaygeon. To learn more, visit olddogbrewing.com.
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Watch the brews made on site at Bancroft Brewing Company in Hastings County
Since 2015, Bancroft Brewing Co. has been crafting beer “straight out of the Canadian Shield.” At the brewery’s new 12,000-square-foot location in Bancroft, guests can enjoy live music and other events while dining from the new Texas-style BBQ menu, and watching the brewing process as it happens on site. (Photo courtesy of Bancroft Brewing Co.)
The new and widely expanded brewpub may have only opened in 2025, but Bancroft Brewing Co. has been making a name for the community it serves and celebrates since 2015.
Then, Bancroft native Logan Krupa returned to his hometown to run a restaurant in the historic building of the Bancroft Hotel, which was purchased by his father. Krupa turned the basement into a brewery and Bancroft Brewing Company has been selling beer “straight out of the Canadian Shield” at craft festivals and in beer stores ever since.
After selling the restaurant five years ago, Krupa decided to expand operation of the brewery and has moved into a new 12,000-square-foot building just down the road on Hastings Street.
At the new location, you can watch the burning, brewing, and packaging of the beer all happening on site. Garage doors open up the restaurant space, allowing guests to sip their drinks streetside or sit inside with the sunshine and breeze while enjoying the lineup of live music and events held regularly in the brewpub.
Currently, Bancroft Brewing Company has a portfolio of about 20 beers, inclusive of English ales, German ales, IPAs, stouts, and a cranberry rattler. The newest addition to the line up is the Grasshopper Lager, with a lower ABV and hints of citrus flavour for a refreshing summer bite. Krupa says they’re always experimenting and exploring new flavours.
While the food menu only just launched this summer, it follows a Texas-style BBQ defined by ribs, smoked turkey brisket, pulled pork, and smash burgers. By the end of the summer, the brewpub will have the rest of the kitchen equipment in place to expand the menu even more and with appetizers like a Texas Twinkie — a bacon-wrapped jalapeno with pulled pork.
Bancroft Brewing Co. in located at 59 Hastings Street in Bancroft. To learn more, visit bancroftbrew.ca.
Non-alcoholic and Peterborough Petes beer at Bobcaygeon Brewing Company
Since fall 2025, Bobcaygeon Brewing Company’s taproom in Peterborough has been undergoing a facelift that has made it more welcoming with the taproom now offering foosball, pool tables, four TVs to screen sports, and other activities. The brewery also serves alcohol-free and low-alcohol beers. (Photo courtesy of Bobcaygeon Brewing Company)
From chocolate stouts to a pink lemonade or fuzzy peach sour, there are all kinds of innovative beers found on tap or in cans at Bobcaygeon Brewing Company in Peterborough.
For more than 10 years now, the brand founded by Richard Wood and Vincent Castronovo has been recognizable in cottage country and locally enjoyed dockside and by the campfire with family and friends. But recent upgrades to the taproom has made the brewery just as comfortable as a place to gather and connect over high-quality drinks.
Since last fall, the pet-friendly taproom has nearly tripled in size and capacity and has been decked out with activities that encourage guests to stick around a while. From sports games screening on the four TVs to puzzles, darts, shuffleboard, and foosball, it’s become a family-friendly space you will come back to time and time again.
To be even more inviting to all, Bobcaygeon Brewing Company meets the increasing demand for non-alcoholic and low-alcohol brews. The non-alcoholic Sunrise and 2.5 per cent Bobber are always on tap, while many of the popular lagers also offering lower percentage ABV.
Other favourites include the Northern Lights Hazy IPA as well as the refreshing Cottage Lager. Of course, watching a hockey game would be incomplete without sipping on a Petes Lager, brewed in partnership with the Peterborough Petes.
To bring Bobcaygeon Brewing Company home to its namesake Kawartha Lakes community, the brewery is still working on opening a location at 17 Bolton Street in Bobcaygeon.
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company is located at 4-649 The Parkway in Peterborough. To learn more, visit bobcaygeonbrewing.ca.
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Year-round patio drinks at Haliburton Highlands Brewing
Haliburton Highlands Brewing is expanding their new location on Highway 35 in Carnavan to operate at 15 barrels again as done at the old location. In addition to stocking flagship beers on tap, Haliburton Highlands Brewing offers a rotational selection of special releases and keeps select taps reserved for hard cider. To cater to the family crowds, during the long weekend, the brewery also keeps lemonade on tap. (Photo courtesy of Haliburton Highlands Brewing)
While nothing beats crossing the lake for a bevvie during a hot day, Haliburton Highlands Brewing doesn’t let snow get in the way of enjoying a brew. With a year-round patio and a fire to keep you warm, you can pull up by boat in summer or by snowmobile in winter for some locally crafted beer.
In operation since 2014, the brand moved to its new location on Highway 35 just north of Carnarvon in the spring of 2024. Since then, they’ve been operating a one-barrel brewhouse while getting help from neighbouring breweries to contract-brew their larger batches. But, with ongoing changes including restructuring and raising the roof to fit more barrels, and a facelift for the front of the brewery, they will be able to operate at 15 barrels again later this year, before the frost sets in.
Customer-favourite beers from Haliburton Highlands Brewing include the Northern Light light lager and the Honey Brown Ale, made with a honey from Lofthouse Beeswax Company. In the taproom, you’ll find 12 taps with seven for flagship beers, four for rotating special releases, and one reserved for hard cider.
These drinks can be paired with charcuterie boards, artisanal grilled cheese, chillies, soups, sausage on a bun, hummus and pita, large pretzels with house-made beer cheese dip, and other light lunch options.
Haliburton Highlands Brewing is not just a place for those who love a beer either, as the brewery hosts the weekly Canoe FM bingo nights with a specialty meal prepared for participants. On long weekends, one of the taps are reserved for lemonade to support the large family crowds, while the patio offers both space for on-leash pets, and seating reserved for diners with off-leash pets, as well.
And if you’re a fan of the small yet mighty ukulele, Haliburton Highlands Brewing also runs its own specialty ukulele store called HaliUkes, with the brewery offering twice-monthly open uke jams.
Haliburton Highlands Brewing is located at 15543 Highway 35 in Algonquin Highlands. To learn more, visit www.haliburtonhighlandsbrewing.ca.
New food menu coming soon to Northumberland Hills Brewery
Since 2014, Northumberland Hills Brewery in Cobourg has been serving small craft beer to residents and visitors. The laid-back tiki-style roadside brewery will soon be rolling out an all-new food menu with classic fare like pizza, chicken wings, pretzels, and more. (Photo courtesy of Northumberland Hills Brewery)
Even after 12 years in business, Northumberland Hills Brewery is still finding new ways to evolve.
Super Continental Ale, 6 Miles from Bangor Irish Red, and P.S. I Luv U blonde ale are just a few of the creative names you’ll find at the Cobourg brewery.
Founded by Rick Bailey, the brewery mimics a tiki roadside bar with straw umbrellas on the patio and story-filled memorabilia on the walls inside.
To continually adapt after more than a decade in business, Bailey says Northumberland Hills Brewery will soon be introducing a new food menu that will include classic pub-style fare including pizza, smoked chicken wings, pretzels, and other snack items.
With the food menu rollout, Bailey says he hopes to introduce more comedy nights and other on-site events.
Northumberland Hill Brewery is located at 1024 Division St. in Cobourg. To learn more, follow the brewery on Facebook.
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Find English beer down a dirt road at Belmont Lake Brewery
Down a dirt road in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, you’ll find Belmont Lake Brewery, a small craft brewery specializing in English beer. The dog-friendly brewery sports a partly covered patio and seating on the grass with views of Belmont Lake, which provides inspiration for many of the beers. (Photo courtesy of Belmont Lake Brewery)
When Julie and Norrie Bearcroft first moved to Belmont Lake from England in 2011, they intended to enjoy their retirement on the lake. Instead, a passion for crafting English beer led to the establishment of Belmont Lake Brewery, which celebrated 10 years this spring.
Off the beaten path down a fire route at the northeast end of the lake, Belmont Lake Brewery boasts a cottage feel because, instead of an indoor seating area, you’ll enjoy your brew on a partly covered patio or at the tables on the grass overlooking the lake.
Whether you come by boat, by snowmobile, or by car down the dirt road, you’ll be greeted by the Bearcrofts’ airedale terrier Eddie or their son’s boxer Frank.
Most of the time, you’ll find on tap the most popular brews including the standard English IPA Crowe River, the Mile of Memories amber ale, and the Brown Bear chocolate stout. Belmont Lake Brewery also stocks one-off beers on tap, often named for the couple’s grandchildren, pets, and nearby places they love most. This summer, there’s a limited-time English IPA called Just Julie!
Belmont Lake Brewery is currently open three days per week from 12 to 5 p.m. Thursdays to Saturday, switching to Fridays to Sundays beginning after the Labour Day weekend.
Belmont Lake Brewery is located at 54 Fire Route 17, around 12 minutes northeast of Havelock. To learn more, visit belmontlakebrewery.com.
Celebrate craft beer from the Kawarthas and beyond at Ashburnham Ale House
Though not a craft brewery, Peterborough’s Ashburnham Ale House has, over the course of 13 years, had more than 200 craft breweries on rotation on tap. Under new ownership of longtime employees Curtis Jackson and Mackenzie Kingston, the ale house has maintained its commitment to sourcing North American and Ontario craft beers. (Photo courtesy of Ashburnham Ale House)
Okay, so Ashburnham Ale House in Peterborough isn’t a brewery, but they certainly do celebrate craft beer like one.
Longtime employees Curtis Jackson and Mackenzie Kingston took over ownership last fall, with founder Scott Wood easing out of his role to offer support during the transition period. Still, the new owners remain committed to keeping the legacy the self-described craft beer cafe has built over the past 13 years in Peterborough.
That means remaining committed to stocking North American craft beer and primarily Ontario craft beer because, as Jackson says, “we don’t have to go very far to find good beer.”
From 100 Acre Brewing Co. in Peterborough to Boshkung Brewing Co. in Minden to brews from Toronto, Bowmanville, Hamilton, and beyond, over 200 breweries have been featured over the course of Ashburnham Ale House’s history.
For those whose preference leans away from beer, Ashburnham Ale House also stocks an extensive and global wine list featuring European, South American, and Australian wines that you often can’t find at bottle shops.
Along with craft wine and beer, Ashburnham Ale House is also known for serving high-quality coffee and freshly made food, with daily lunch and dinner features and a popular weekend brunch.
Ashburnham Ale House is located at 128 Hunter Street East in Peterborough’s East City. To learn more about available brews, visit ashburnhamalehouse.ca/beer/.
Kawartha Localist is a new editorial series from kawarthaNOW celebrating the places, experiences, businesses, and communities that make our region extraordinary. Written by people who live here, work here, and have spent nearly 30 years exploring the Kawarthas and surrounding region, each edition shares trusted local recommendations, hidden gems, and favourite discoveries from across Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.
Whether you’re looking for your next hiking trail, favourite patio, scenic drive, farmers’ market, or weekend adventure, Kawartha Localist is what we love about where we live.
Jenni Cathcart, one of four candidates vying for two Town Ward seats on Peterborough city council in the October municipal election, placing an election lawn sign. The first-time candidate tells kawarthaNOW that three of her election signs, including one on the lawn of her own Homewood Avenue home, were taken by someone in the middle of the day on July 20, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Jenni Cathcart campaign)
Jenni Carthcart has learned firsthand why an election campaign period is often referred to as “the silly season.”
One of four Town Ward candidates seeking election to city council this October, Cathcart has been left upset and disappointed following the theft on Monday (July 20) of three of her election lawn signs — including a sign on the lawn of her own Homewood Avenue home.
According to Carthcart, between 1 and 2 p.m., two neighbours, a woman and her daughter, witnessed a woman “who appeared to be between 65 and 75 (years old)” driving a silver Hyundai SUV “pick up my campaign signs, put them in her vehicle, and leave.”
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“They thought ‘That’s odd. Maybe Jenni knows her and she promised this person her sign or something’,” Cathcart says. “They mentioned it to me today (Tuesday) and I noticed all of the signs on my street had been taken … a row of three signs, including mine.”
“I kind of expect that teenagers might play a prank and move signs, or take them or whatever. That’s just part of the normal world. It’s odd to me that it was an older woman in a nice car who, in the middle of the day, drove to my house as well as some of my neighbours, and took my signs.”
“It’s very brazen and disrespectful to drive up to my house and take my sign. It’s pretty nervy, especially in the middle of the day.”
More than anything, Catchcart says sign theft undermines the integrity of the democratic process that’s at the heart of the elections, be they at the municipal, provincial or federal level.
“Part of campaign strategy is getting your name out there via signs,” says Cathcart, a first-time election candidate seeking election in Town Ward alongside the two incumbents, Joy Lachica and Alex Bierk, and Jessica Kuhlmorgen-Hille. Two ward seats will be up for grabs on October 26.
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“The removal of my signs feels, in a way, like my election is being tampered with that I’m being silenced,” Cathcart adds. “That comes in opposition to what the democratic process is about. It’s about a free exchange of ideas and voters making a choice on who they think will best represent their perspective.”
Cathcart says she has close to 30 election signs placed to date. Predominately white with blue and green lettering, her signs feature curved blue and green lines.
“I gave a lot of thought to the sign colours because I wanted to be centrist, and a candidate that is really focused on the Town Ward and all of its constituents as opposed to trying to represent a party,” she says.
Cathcart makes it clear she’s in no way associating the theft of her signs, which she has reported to the police, with any one of her election opponents or any one of their supporters.
“I’m not casting a bad light on anyone or tying it to anyone,” she says.
“I’m saying that this is clearly an adult who drove by very specifically and took campaign signs from a specific candidate from her yard, and that’s where it just feels yucky. This person doesn’t need to vote for me. At the same time, it’s not OK to take away my signs. It’s theft.”
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Cathcart isn’t buying the notion that the incident was to be expected in what is a generally more inflamed political climate that’s getting hotter with each passing day.
“My campaign signs were on a residential street in my own neighbourhood,” she says.
“The neighbours who reached out and asked for a sign did so to show their support of me and my campaign. When someone goes into a little neighbourhood and takes signs, and directly from a candidate’s home, it feels more personal and more targeted than if they had taken a sign from the corner of Lansdowne (Street) and Monaghan (Road). It makes we wonder ‘What’s next?'”
On that note, Catchart says “within hours” of launching her campaign, “the first attacks came on social media,” calling them “just disrespectful.”
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Her stolen lawns signs and online attacks aside, Cathcart says campaigning has been a positive experience that has seen her start canvassing door-to-door as well as meet with the One City team at Trinity.
“What I’ve heard most frequently is they (residents she’s met) have never seen the downtown this bad before,” she says.
“A number have said they used to go downtown frequently. They want to shop there, they want to go to restaurants, but they’re nervous to do so. They’re avoiding downtown, or going at very specific times of the day.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of neighbours who have experienced theft or vandalism, both homeowners and businesses downtown, and their frustration with that being an ongoing issue. Those are the things most on the minds of people I’ve spoken with.”
As noted on her election website, Cathcart’s priorities are “a downtown we’re proud to support, a safe and welcoming downtown and affordable housing steps from downtown.”
“I’m doing a lot of listening, a lot of learning and lot of reading,” she says, adding “I really want to understand the issues from a lot of different perspectives.”
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