Wild raspberry (Rubus idaeus), called Miskomin in Anishinaabemowan, produces berries similar to the cultivated ones you find in grocery stores. They are delicious fresh or in various jams or jellies. As well, a mild tea can be brewed from the plant's leaves. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Lili Paradi, Communications Manager, GreenUP.
As a settler in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, I’ve come to appreciate the diversity of vegetation that makes this area unique. I am reminded that traditionally, foraging wild or cultivated plants helped supplement the pantry, formed the base of our medicines, and connected people to their local environment.
In this article, I will reflect on and offer up an interpretation of the 10 principles of foraging from ‘The Honorable Harvest’ in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.
Before using these principles to guide your foraging practice, please remember that there are rules in place for foraging on properties that are not your own and to be familiar with laws or guidelines from local conservation authorities and your municipality.
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1. Ask permission of the ones whose lives you seek. Abide by the answer.
A key part of asking permission is to learn best practices. Research can help you better understand when, how, and where to forage.
Check out Ontario Nature’s Northern Forest Foraging Guide to learn about plants like cedar (Thuja occidentalisor) and common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
2. Never take the first. Never take the last.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), called Ajidamoowaanow in Anishinaabemowin, is a heat-tolerant plant that is good for cutting, fresh or dried. It was used as a traditional medicine by Indigenous peoples because of its astringent properties and its leaves can be added to salad or brewed as tea. (Photo: Hayley Goodchild / GreenUP)
In June, I picked a few leaves from a common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) plant growing close to home, realizing that there were only a few in the area. As I intended to brew it in a tea, I picked less than I thought I needed.
Wait until the middle of the prime season and you will allow the first plants that pop up to grow and ensure the last to grow are able to drop their seeds for the next generation.
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3. Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.
Minimizing harm may look like planting edible native plants in your own backyard instead of harvesting where others do. Plant edible native plants, like wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) and nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum), which can be found at gardening centres and nurseries like Ecology Park’s Native Plant & Tree Nursery.
For me, this principle is used when I forage for garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolate), an invasive species that when removed from the environment, creates space for native plants to grow. When processed, garlic mustard makes a great pesto!
4. Take only what you need and leave some for others.
Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), called Ode’imin in Anishinaabemowin, is a native plant to Ontario that produces tiny, edible berries with wonderful flavour. (Photo: Hayley Goodchild / GreenUP)
Resourcefulness and sustainability go hand in hand.
If we take what we need — for example, the leaves of the burdock (Arctium) for tea instead of the whole root — this minimizes harm to the plant and allows for the plant to regrow.
5. Use everything that you take.
Canadians produce 50 billion kilograms of food waste every year, with this waste contributing to overall global greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing waste and only taking what you will consume is important while foraging, too. The cattail (Typha) is one plant where you can use all of its parts for various purposes.
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6. Take only that which is given to you.
A staff member at GreenUP gifted me a few mulberries (Morus alba) from a tree that had been dropping ripe berries. The flavour was akin to vanilla, the interaction a memory ingrained in my mind.
Plants often cycle through years of plenty and years of scarcity. The staff member only brought over that which they could reach or that fell into their hand, leaving the rest for other species to eat.
7. Share it, as the Earth has shared with you.
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), is an edible herb native to Europe. Since its introduction to Ontario, it has spread throughout the province as an aggressive forest invader that threatens biodiversity. When processed, garlic mustard leaves make a great pesto. (Photo: GreenUP)
A Peterborough resident who picked fiddleheads (from an ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris) from their land intended to share this edible (when cooked!) fern and raise money for their education.
I purchased about two pounds from them this past spring, knowing that I wouldn’t finish them all, and shared them with friends and loved ones to pass on the love of foraged wild plants.
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8. Be grateful.
As David Suzuki said, “The way we see the world shapes the way we treat it. If other species are biological kin, not resources; or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity — then we will treat each other with greater respect. Thus is the challenge, to look at the world from a different perspective.”
Robin Wall Kimmerer explains in Braiding Sweetgrass thatm in her interpretation of Indigenous Knowledge, wild strawberries are a gift of nature rather than a commodity that you can find at the grocery store.
9. Reciprocate the gift.
A young Peterborough resident attends an Orchard Stewardship event led by GreenUP, Nourish, and supported by the City of Peterborough and points out an apple growing from a community tree. (Photo: Laura Keresztesi / GreenUP)
Planting edible infrastructure can be a way to give back to the environment while promoting forage and harvest. The Peterborough Orchard Stewards is a new volunteer-led project that will create opportunity for our community to forage.
Alongside community members, GreenUP, Nourish, and the City of Peterborough are tending to apple, pear, and cherry trees that will eventually grow fruit to be picked by stewards and community members in years to come.
10. Sustain the ones who sustain you, and the Earth will last forever.
Crab apple trees outside Trinity Centre in Peterborough. While crab apples are too tart to eat raw, they have an intense apple flavour when cooked. Because they have a high pectin content, they are also great for jam and jellies. Remember to ask for permission before foraging on private property. (Photo: Szilvia Paradi)
Foraging can be a way to re-acquaint ourselves with nature. Understanding the names and uses of local plants means we learn to appreciate and protect them.
Foraging can be an honourable thing that invites us to mindfully interact with the urban environment for years to come.
The 29-year-old driver of this vehicle was seriously injured in a single-vehicle collision on Highway 115 in Peterborough on August 9, 2023. (OPP-supplied photo)
One person was seriously injured in a single-vehicle collision on Highway 115 in Peterborough on Wednesday afternoon (August 9).
Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency crews responded to the collision, which happened near the Parkway when a northbound vehicle left the roadway, rolled over across the grass median separating the north and southbound lanes, and came to rest in the southbound lanes.
The 29-year-old driver of the vehicle was transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre and was later airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma centre.
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The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
Highway 115 southbound lanes are closed between The Parkway and County Road 28 while police document the scene.
The Highway 115 closure will remain in place into Wednesday evening while police continue the investigation.
Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency crews at the scene of a serious single-vehicle collision on Highway 115 in Peterborough on August 9, 2023. (OPP-supplied photo)
Burton Lee, executive director of business operations for the Peterborough Petes, is leaving the organization on August 15, 2023 for a position in North America's new professional women's hockey league, expected to begin play in January. (Photo: David Pickering)
Burton Lee is leaving the Peterborough Petes organization for a position in North America’s new professional women’s hockey league.
The Petes’ executive director of business operations for the past eight years, Lee first joined the Petes in 2013 as director of communications and game operations. He previously worked for the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League, where he set up the Sting’s ticket sales department. Prior to that, he worked for almost a year for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.
Lee has accepted a position as director of game operations and fan experience within the hockey operations department of the upcoming new professional women’s hockey league, which resulted from a recent merger of the Professional Hockey Federation and the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association. The as-yet-unnamed league is expected to launch with six teams, three in the U.S. and three in Canada, with play beginning in January.
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Financed by Mark and Kimbra Walter, the league’s board members include tennis icon Billie Jean King, sports executive Ilana Kloss, and Los Angeles Dodgers president Stan Kasten. Retired hockey player and four-time Olympic gold medallist Jayna Hefford, chairperson of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, is also involved in the league.
“I am looking forward to contributing to one of the most exciting projects in the sport industry, working alongside a renowned ownership and executive team to establish the new professional women’s ice hockey league,” says Lee in a media release.
“The Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean King Enterprises have initiated something truly special for the hockey world,” Lee adds. “I am excited to work alongside a team led by Jayna Hefford, and to use the knowledge and experience I’ve gained in Peterborough to help fans across North America and around the world experience elite hockey in a new way.”
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While Lee’s last day with the Petes will be on Tuesday (August 15), he will continue to reside in Douro-Dummer with his partner Heather (a teacher at Adam Scott Intermediate School) and their two children Louie and Lottie, and will remain actively involved in the community.
“His innovative and progressive ideas spawning some major changes in our business model have helped the Petes organization make huge strides, and Burton’s team is regarded as one of the best and most respected in junior hockey,” says Petes President Dave Pogue.
“Although we will greatly miss Burton’s talent, leadership, and — most of all — his second-to-none work ethic, we are very excited for him to be able to take on new challenges with his next career move,” Pogue adds.
The cast of "Little Shop of Horrors" in rehearsal at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre. The award-winning horror-comedy rock musical first staged off-Broadway in 1982 runs for 27 performances from August 11 to September 3, 2023. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre is closing its summer season with a reinvented production of the award-winning horror-comedy rock musical Little Shop of Horrors, running for 27 performances from August 11 to September 3.
Directed by the Capitol’s artistic director Rob Kempson, the production stars Amir Haidar as Seymour, Tahirih Vejdani as Audrey, Tyler Murree as Mr. Mushnik, Michael De Rose as Orin, Chris Tsujiuchi as Audrey II, Michelle Yu as Crystal, Taylor Lovelace as Ronnette, Sierra Holder as Chiffon, with Joel Cumber as puppeteer and musicians David Schotzko, Gabriela Laconsay, and Matt Ray performing live music.
“For me, Little Shop of Horrors is the ultimate in camp classic — which feels like the perfect tone for a mid-summer musical,” Kempson says in an August interview with Keith Tomasek for Stratford Festival Reviews. “Our approach to everything at the Capitol is the spirit of reinvention though, so this will be a Little Shop unlike any that you’ve seen or heard before. The goal is to honour the parts of the legacy that speak to us now, without feeling bound by those traditional approaches.”
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Original premiering off-Broadway in 1982, the musical is loosely based on the cult low-budget 1960 black comedy film of the same name directed by Roger Corman and notable for a young Jack Nicholson’s small role in the film as a masochistic dental patient (he was 23 years old at the time).
With music by Alan Menken and lyrics and a book by Howard Ashman, the musical follows a hapless florist shop worker named Seymour, secretly in love with his co-worker Audrey, who finds and raises a mysterious plant. After naming the plant Audrey II after his secret love, he discovers it feeds on human blood and flesh.
Menken composed the music for Little Shop of Horrors in the style of early 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop, and early Motown. The Grammy-nominated score includes several well-known tunes including the title song, “Skid Row (Downtown)”, “Somewhere That’s Green”, and “Suddenly, Seymour”.
The musical “Little Shop of Horrors” is loosely based on the cult low-budget 1960 black comedy film of the same name directed by Roger Corman and notable for a young Jack Nicholson’s small role in the film as a masochistic dental patient. (Screenshot)
The musical has since become popular with community theatre groups because of its relatively small cast. A theatrical version of Little Shop of Horrors was released in 1986, directed by Frank Oz starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Green, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, and the voice of Levi Stubbs as the flesh-eating plant. It received two Academy Award nominations, one for best original song and one for best visual effects.
“Most people know Little Shop from the 1980s movie or a community production,” director Kempson says in a media release. “I wanted to create a fresh, full-scale version for the Capitol, bringing in some of the country’s most talented actors, designers, and musicians to make our biggest show of the summer an unforgettable night at the theatre.”
Several of the cast and crew in the Capitol’s production have connections with the Stratford Festival. Tahirih Vejdani (Audrey) has appeared in Stratford Festival productions including HMS Pinafore and Treasure Island, costume designer Joshua Quinlan worked on this year’s drama Casey and Diana, and lighting designer Michelle Ramsay worked on Women of the Fur Trade. Choreographer Genny Sermonia has appeared in several Stratford Festival productions, including West Side Story, and choreographed Gypsy on now at the Shaw Festival.
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Along with Quinlan, Ramsay, and Sermonia, other creatives behind the scenes include Jeff Newberry (music direction), Haneul Yi (assistant music direction), Deanna H. Choi (sound design), and Brandon Kleiman (set design).
Kleiman, who previously designed the sets for the Capitol productions 9 to 5: The Musical and most recently The Ballad of Stompin’ Tom, is a multiple Dora Award nominee and two-time winner. This summer, his set design can also be seen in Rent at the Stratford Festival and The Sound of Music at Thousand Islands Playhouse.
“The set design for Little Shop embraces the world of the mid-century horror slash b-movies, from which the original film and musical took its inspiration as well,” Kleiman says. “From there, I’ve turned up the volume on the shapes and colours because our horror movie is also a campy musical comedy with a heart of gold. The story is outrageous and the design has to follow suit.”
Brandon Kleiman’s set design for “Little Shop of Horrors” at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre. The award-winning horror-comedy rock musical runs for 27 performances from August 11 to September 3, 2023. (Renderings: Brandon Kleiman)
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“Some highlights for Port Hope audiences will be the four puppets we use to Audrey II to life,” Kleiman adds. “As well, I hope seeing the live band above the shop will be a thrill — all the music is live.”
Little Shop of Horrors runs at the Capitol at 20 Queen Street in Port Hope from August 11 to September 3. Evening performances take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 11th (preview night) and Saturday, August 12th (opening night) as well as August 16 to 19, 23 to 26, and August 30 to September 2. Matinee performances take place at 2 p.m. on August 14, 15 and 16, 19 and 20, 22 and 23, 26 and 27, 29 and 30, and September 2 and 3.
Tickets are $48 ($40 for those under 30) plus fees and are available in person at the Capitol box office (open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday), by phone at 905-885-1071, or online at capitoltheatre.com.
Puppeteer Joel Cumber (who also is part of the ensemble cast) holds one of the four puppets used to bring flesh-eating plant Audrey II to life in the Capitol Theatre’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors” running for 27 performances in Port Hope from August 11 to September 3, 2023. (Photo: Sam Moffatt)
Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts updates the media on August 8, 2023 on a stabbing incident in downtown Peterborough late the previous night that resulted in the death in hospital of a man in his late 20s. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of YouTube video)
Peterborough police have released the name of the victim in a homicide that happened late Tuesday night (August 8) in the downtown core.
At around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, police received a call for service from the George and Charlotte Street area.
Officers arrived to find a man in his late 20s suffering from a stab wound. The man was transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre where he succumbed to his injury.
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On Friday (August 11), police identified the victim as 27-year-old Jacob Jansen of Peterborough. Police released his name with the permission of the family.
“We understand that this incident will lead to questions about safety in the area,” said Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts at a media conference on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Peterborough. “We absolutely understand those concerns and want to reassure residents that our officers are working diligently to determine what happened and to identify, find, and arrest the person responsible.”
Betts confirmed the incident was captured by closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras police recently installed in the downtown core. On Wednesday morning, officers also searched Fleming Park in the Brock Street and Aylmer street area as part of the investigation.
Police continue to search for a suspect. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Peterborough police crime line at 705-876-1122 x555. If you prefer to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca.
VIDEO: Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts
This story has been updated with the name of the victim.
Taking place on August 19 and 20, the 2023 Buckhorn Festival of the Arts features the works of more than 70 artists across 10 acres at the Buckhorn Community Centre and the Festival Park and includes a Special Exhibit called "Home & Away" as well as the Buckhorn Fine Art Award, an Amateur Art Competition, a family-friendly Art Activity Zone, live musical entertainment, and food and drink. (Photo courtesy of Buckhorn Festival of the Arts)
For nearly five decades the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts has been an award-winning and much-anticipated annual event, located amongst the pines in the beautiful Kawarthas landscape.
Now in its 46th year, the festival is returning to the Buckhorn Community Centre at 1782 Lakehurst Road from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 19th and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 20th for a full weekend of live music, food, connection, and — of course — lots of art. Admission to the event is by donation.
This year’s festival will include artwork from more than 70 artists spread across 10 acres both inside the Buckhorn Community Centre and outside in the Festival Park. The artwork on display and available for purchase represents a wide range of disciplines and mediums including painting (oil, acrylic, resin, encaustic, and watercolour), photography, ink and graphite, wood turning, mixed media, fused glass, textiles, jewellery, sculpture (stone, glass, metal, and soapstone), and more.
“Forest” is a display of fused glass artwork by returning artist Heather Salzman, one of more than 70 artists participating in this year’s Buckhorn Festival of the Arts on August 19 and 20, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Buckhorn Festival of the Arts)
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Since its founding as a wildlife art festival in 1978, the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts has grown into a world-class arts festival, with new artists juried into the festival each year to join the many alumni creatives who have been in the line-up for decades. Among the many new artists this year are landscape photographer John Yates and wildlife and landscape artist Harvey Bodach.
Making the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts a truly interactive experience for art enthusiasts, all the featured artists will be on-site throughout the entire weekend.
“Visitors have the opportunity to engage with the artists themselves, rather than just the artwork,” explains Meghan Arnott, the festival’s Signature Event Co-ordinator. “It provides guests with the chance to question the artists about where their inspiration originated from or how they got started, unlike when attending an art gallery where they just get to look and learn about the medium itself.”
Internationally renowned Buckhorn-based wildlife artist Michael Dumas in studio working on his 2017 oil painting “Looking Out” featuring an eastern phoebe in a flour mill. Dumas is one of 10 artists who will be featured in the Special Exhibit “Home & Away,” an exhibit that focuses on the important role of the nature artist in fostering a concern for and understanding of the natural world, especially in an increasingly urban and technological society that often disconnects people from nature. (Photo courtesy of Michael Dumas)
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For the first time in three years, the Special Exhibit feature is returning to the festival with “Home & Away,” an exhibit that celebrates Regionalism, an art movement with a focus on the natural world that began with Romanticism and continued to evolve both in the U.S. and Canada in the 20th century. Today, Regionalism focuses on the important role of the nature artist in fostering a concern for and understanding of the natural world, especially in an increasingly urban and technological society that often disconnects people from nature.
The “Home & Away” exhibit encompasses 10 artists with a range of works that record the natural world and our place in it, depicting the environment as landscape and the flora and fauna within it as a document for posterity. Those 10 artists include the internationally recognized and award-winning Buckhorn-based wildlife artist Michael Dumas, one of the founders of the festival, and fellow internationally known and award-winning artists W. David Ward, David Foyn, and George Raab — all four of whom first began work on the exhibit back in 2020 when the pandemic hit.
“This year, it is time to tell the story of what we’ve been doing all these years and why we’ve been doing it,” says Ward. “We look forward to the most memorable Buckhorn Festival of the Arts yet.”
“Escarpment Limestone Nook with Lynx Preparing for Winter Hunt” by Harvey Bodach, one of several new artists participating in the 2023 Buckhorn Festival of the Arts on August 19 and 20 at the Buckhorn Community Centre. (Photo courtesy of Buckhorn Festival of the Arts)
Also returning to the festival for the first time in four years is the Buckhorn Fine Art Award. Sponsored by long-term festival volunteers the Wagstaffe family, the $500 award is given to an adult artist, pursuing an education in visual arts at a recognized Canadian art institution, who demonstrates community involvement and is in need of nurturing and support.
Extending the recognition of emerging artists and those just starting out, there will also be an Amateur Art Competition on display throughout the weekend to encourage teens, adults, and seniors to develop their creativity.
Competition classes include teenage, novice, and hobby artist, with winners chosen by a judging panel of art and education representatives and chaired by the Buckhorn Fine Art Competition Committee. Winners will be awarded at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday in the Festival Park.
The Buckhorn Festival of the Arts also features an Amateur Art Competition on display throughout the weekend to encourage teens, adults, and seniors to develop their creativity. Competition classes include teenage, novice, and hobby artist. (Photo courtesy of Buckhorn Festival of the Arts)
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“The competition helps to recognize and support the further development of the amateur’s artistic ability and provides them with an opportunity to learn from the experience of being judged and critiqued, as well as by being given advice by a team of professional artists,” Arnott says. “It showcases each individual’s creative style, design, and techniques.”
If that’s not enough creativity for you throughout the weekend, talented musicians will also be performing all weekend long, setting a musical backdrop while visitors browse the impressive artworks.
Visitors will be greeted upon entry at the door by tsymbaly (hammer dulcimer) musician Vladimir Gorodkin. Performers on Saturday include Brooke Averill, Radio Flyer, and Bridget Foley, while Sunday’s lineup includes Mike Graham, Down the Rabbit Hole, and Justin Maki.
Along with browsing the work of professional artists, both children and adults can nurture their own artistic creativity by participating in a variety of interactive art activities at the family-friendly Art Activity Zone in this year’s Buckhorn Festival of the Arts on August 19 and 20, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Buckhorn Festival of the Arts)
The festival weekend also features a family-friendly Art Activity Zone with interactive art activities for both children and adults, along with fine food and beverages available for purchase.
There is ample parking including special needs parking, with a free shuttle from the upper parking lot, and accessible washrooms with change tables. Note that no pets are allowed, except for service animals.
For the full line-up of artists being featured in the 2023 Buckhorn Festival of the Arts, visit www.buckhornartfestival.ca. Preview some of the artwork that will be on display and for sale by following the festival on Instagram and Facebook.
The 46th Buckhorn Festival of the Arts on August 19 and 20, 2023 at the Buckhorn Community Centre is a weekend of the arts, live musical entertainment, food, a Special Exhibit, an Art Activity Zone, an Amateur Art Competition, and more. (Poster courtesy of Buckhorn Festival of the Arts)
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
The Black Horse Pub at 450 George Street North in downtown Peterborough is up for sale, with a selling price of $1.2 million. Current owner Desmond Vandenberg, with his wife Maria, purchased the property in May 2018 from then-owner Ray Kapoor. (Photo: REALTOR.ca)
A cultural staple in Peterborough’s downtown core is for sale — again.
The Black Horse Pub at 450 George Street North is listed at REALTOR.ca with a selling price of $1.2 million.
The 2,600-square-foot pub and restaurant, with seating for 126 patrons, a sidewalk patio, and three upper floor apartment units, opened in 2005 and has been home to regular live entertainment ever since.
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The broker for the sale is Trudy Wilson of RE/MAX Eastern Realty in Peterborough. She confirms she’s already received “a couple” of inquiries on the listing.
“We’re getting some non-disclosure agreements sent out so that we can share the nuts and bolts,” says Wilson. “I can’t share the length of time it (the property) will be listed for sale, but there’s time for people to get in and put in their bid.”
“Certainly it (the business) has been going well since 2005. Desmond (Vandenberg) has continued the live music, which I think some people were worried (would stop) when Ray (Kapoor) was selling it. I would hope the next owner will continue it (live music) as well.”
Desmond Vandenberg (left, pictured in 2015) purchased the Black Horse Pub in 2018 from then-owner Ray Kapoor, who was retiring with his wife Nancy Kerr. (Photos via Facebook)
Current owner Desmond Vandenberg, with his wife Maria, purchased the property in May 2018 for close to the $850,000 asking price from then-owner Ray Kapoor, who was retiring with his wife Nancy Kerr.
A graduate of Trent University, Vandenberg bought The Black Horse Pub after Parkview Home’s bid to purchase the property fell through.
“The idea that people were getting ready to demolish that building, that’s a heartbreak — it’s a beautiful building,” said Vandenberg at the time, making clear his intention to ensure that local musicians continued to have a venue for their talents.
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A major factor in Kapoor’s selling of The Black Horse Pub to Vandenberg was his plan to keep everything pretty much as was. That he has done, with live entertainment still a daily offering.
At the time, Kapoor noted Vandenberg’s status quo plan “is a relief to everybody, including myself and the staff here, and the customers, of course. It leaves me sort of my legacy. We started it and he’s going to continue it. He likes what’s here, he likes live music and he wants to continue supporting that.”
Contacted by kawarthaNOW, Vandenberg recalled his plan from five years ago.
Since purchasing the Black Horse Pub in 2018, owner Desmond Vandenberg has continued the pub’s tradition of hosting live music every night of the week. (Photo: REALTOR.ca)
“Our intention right from the get-go wasn’t to change anything or make it any different,” Vandenberg says, adding “We’ve put our stamp on it here and there without tearing away from anything that Ray had done, but build on it.”
“It has been five years. A couple of those years were COVID, which was a real challenge, but we have done some things. The way the music gets played, how people can hear it and enjoy it. So five years later, we’re thinking ‘Yup, we’ve done a lot.’ Now it feels like the right time for somebody else to come in and bring some fresh ideas to another level.”
Vandenberg is optimistic the property’s new owner will maintain the property as a pub.
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“When you look at a pub like this, you buy it because you like it,” he says.
“I think it would be a rare person that would come in here and say ‘What a great place. The price is right. Let’s tear it down and change everything.’ I don’t know that there are that many people with that frame of mind. We’re optimistic that there’s somebody out there that would like to do what we did, which is take it, enjoy it, and build on it.”
Noting that he and Maria weren’t looking for a live music venue as much as they were looking for “the pub thing,” Vandenberg says accommodating and getting to know local and touring performers turned out to be “one of the most enjoyable parts of the business.”
“That was kind of an unexpected bonus,” he says, noting booking acts wasn’t based on any performer’s following on social media. “We did it (bookings) the same way we choose wines for the wine list — ‘We like this, and if we like this, there’s a darn good chance the patrons are going to like it too.’ There have been a lot nights when we’re pulling our hair out crazy but there have been nights when we can actually sit down and enjoy the show.”
The 2,600-square-foot pub and restaurant, with seating for 126 patrons, a sidewalk patio, and three upper floor apartment units, opened in 2005 and has been home to regular live entertainment ever since. (Photo: REALTOR.ca)
Looking ahead post-sale, Vandenberg says “there are no firm plans.”
“We don’t intend to go out to pasture just yet. If the right person comes along and purchases the pub, we’ll take a few months. After a few months, we’ll probably get antsy and want to get back into doing something but, out of the respect to the person who purchases this place, we won’t open another pub in Peterborough. We wouldn’t want to sell this to someone and then start competing with them.”
While no one knows for certain if and when a serious offer will come in, Vandenberg is sure of one thing.
“We have absolutely no regrets. It has been wonderful.”
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The Black Horse Pub is located in the historic Morrow Building at George and Brock streets, which was built by local architect John Belcher in 1875 and designed in the French Second Empire style.
While the post office was an early tenant, subsequent tenants included the Peterborough Club, the YMCA, the Inland Revenue Service, George Mathews Meat Packers, and the Peterborough Light and Power Company. In 1995, the building was restored by Mark Porter.
Oddly enough, the listing for The Black Horse Pub comes as the nearby Pig’s Ear Tavern readies to re-open in the fall.
Located just around the corner on Brock Street, that historic property was purchased by Parkview Homes in 2017 but went back on the market in 2020. It was purchased in January of this year by Steve Roberston and Ashley Holmes with help from two investor friends. Like Vandenberg, both Robertson and Holmes are also Trent University alumni.
Naloxone, a lifesaving medication that temporarily reverses the deadly effects of opioid overdose, is available as an easy-to-administer, fixed-dose intranasal spray. (Photo: Narcan)
Peterborough Public Health has extended its drug poisoning alert originally issued on August 1 following an increase in suspected drug poisonings over the civic holiday long weekend.
Over the long weekend, the health unit detected 17 suspected drug poisonings in the city and county of Peterborough based on reports by 911 first responders, emergency department staff, and service providers in the community.
Peterborough Public Health says the suspected drug poisonings may be the result of a pink substance previously reported by the health unit, which is reminding the public that street drugs may be cut or mixed with toxic substances and that using even a small amount of such a drug can be fatal.
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“A drug poisoning may look different from one person to the next depending on the drugs involved,” states Peterborough Public Health in a media release. “A drug poisoning is a medical emergency. Always call 9-1-1.”
For anyone who uses drugs (or know someone who does), the health unit recommends:
Never use drugs alone. Ask someone to check on you or call the National Overdose Response Service at 1-888-688-6677. You can also visit the Consumption Treatment Services Site at 220 Simcoe Street in Peterborough, open daily between 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to use in a supervised environment.
Avoid mixing drugs.
Start low and go slow when using drugs, especially when buying from different or new suppliers.
Never share supplies.
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Signs of an overdose include very large or very small pupils, slow or no breathing, cold and clammy skin, blue or purple fingernails or lips, and deep snoring or gurgling sounds. Often in drug overdoses, the person’s body is very limp and it is difficult to wake them up.
If someone is showing signs of an overdose or if they cannot be resuscitated after naloxone is administered, call 9-1-1 immediately. Under Canada’s Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, anyone who seeks medical help for themselves or for someone else who has overdosed will not be charged for possessing or using drugs for personal use.
You can learn how the village tinsmith assisted 19th-century settler families with their nighttime preparations during "Village by Lantern Light" at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene on August 12, 2023. (Photo: Heather Doughty Photography).
If you’ve ever wondered what life after dark was like for 19th-century settler families, you’ll want to visit Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene for “Village by Lantern Light” from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday (August 12).
Reflecting an era before electricity, the historic village will be illuminated with the soft glow of lanterns and candles — providing visitors with a twilight-to-nightfall perspective of life for pioneer settlers.
This family-friendly event will explore how settler families spent their time after sunset, including the sleep arrangements for families in differently sized homes as well as their typical bedtime routine.
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You’ll also learn about the types of accommodation that were available if you were travelling overnight in the 19th century, and how the village tinsmith assisted with nighttime preparations and how their role affected other skilled trades workers.
You can also view an antique clock and timepiece collection at the General Store and participate in a community meeting at the Town Hall.
Take a horse-drawn wagon ride through the village under the evening sky, be entertained by traditional music performed by Rob Cory, listen to the melodic strains of the harp being played on the Village Green outside the Fitzpatrick House, or sit a while by the campfire and enjoy songs performed by Glen Caradus.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene will be illuminated with the soft glow of lanterns and candles during “Village by Lantern Light” on August 12, 2023. You can view an antique clock and timepiece collection at the General Store.(Photo: Heather Doughty Photography).
Did you know popcorn — which European settlers discovered from Indigenous peoples — was a beloved late-night snack of 19th-century families? You can enjoy popcorn popped over the open fire at the Fife Cabin, with sweet treats and refreshments available at the Keene Hotel for an additional fee.
Guests are encouraged to bring a flashlight for added visibility in the dark and to dress for the weather, as the event takes place mostly outdoors.
Admission costs $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors 60 and older, and $7 for children and youth ages five to 14, with free admission for children under five. Family admission is also available for $40 and includes two adults and up to four children and youth.
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Visitors may purchase admission at the gates or in advance online. To purchase advance admission or for more information, visit langpioneervillage.ca.
Other special events at Lang Pioneer Village Museum this summer include a Corn Roast on Sunday, August 27th.
Outside of special events, the museum’s summer hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays until September 3.
"Northland Harmony" (2022, textiles, painted cotton and batiks) by Lakefield-based artist Stephanie Ford Forrester, one of the 47 artists participating in the 39th annual Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour. The self-guided tour, organized by the Art Gallery of Peterborough, runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 23 and 24, 2023, and takes visitors to 36 studios across the Peterborough-Kawarthas region. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Just as the fall colours start to brighten up the Kawarthas, so too will the artworks on display during the upcoming Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour in September.
Organized by the Art Gallery of Peterborough, and now in its 39th year, the studio tour — one of the longest running in Canada — takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 23rd and 24th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
During the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour, visitors will be able to browse (and buy) the work of 47 artists in 36 studio locations across the Peterborough-Kawarthas region. Each studio will offer artwork available for purchase, and visitors will also have a rare chance to interact with the artists themselves.
VIDEO: 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour
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“It’s a really amazing opportunity for people to go and see what it’s like in an artist studio,” says Andrew Ihamaki, Education Programming Coordinator at the Art Gallery of Peterborough. “To have that chance to go in and see the working space of an artist studio really demystifies the process. It’s such an accessible way for people to get a chance to really engage with art, especially local art in our community.”
Ihamaki explains that, while some people enjoy viewing art in a formal gallery setting like the Art Gallery of Peterborough, others prefer the more casual environment of a studio tour. For the artists themselves, a studio tour gives them an opportunity to connect with art enthusiasts they would otherwise not meet in person.
“People come from all over the community and from all over the province, and sometimes internationally too,” he says. “They’re coming to see their work, so artists are gaining connections and building an audience.”
Artist Garrett Gilbart is sharing a studio location with artist Christy Haldane in Peterborough County (Tour Stop 29) for the 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour. A sculptor with a unique artistic approach using steel objects, Gilbart’s work is focused on cultural and personal significance of objects. Haldane creates sculptures, vases, and pendants by incorporating found materials such as recycled glass, stone, concrete, and wood. The 39th annual self-guided tour is running throughout the Peterborough-Kawarthas region on September 23 and 24. (Photo: Zach Ward / WeDesign)
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The tour is self-guided, meaning visitors get to decide for themselves which studios they want to visit and when, and which artists they want to interact with. With such a wide selection of professional artists covering a range of mediums, there’s no shortage of places to visit — and all participating artists work within the region.
“Every single artist you see here lives and works in this community,” explains Ihamaki, adding that some are sharing studio space to make the tour more accessible.
“That’s a unique factor for the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour. While other studio tours have guest artists that come from far away, this is an entirely one hundred per cent local tour.”
“Prairies in August” (2022, fluid acrylics on paper) by Lucie Lemieux-Wilson, one of 47 artists on the 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 23 and 24. Lemieux-Wilson’s studio at 2525 Settlers Line in Indian River is Tour Stop 33 on the self-guided tour. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
Not sure where to begin? Pop into the Art Gallery of Peterborough to see the preview exhibition and grab a brochure, or download the free Toureka! app to your smartphone (available for both iOS and Android).
The locally developed app allows you to browse through biographies and art pieces from each of the participating artists on the tour. From there, select the studios you want to visit and plan, track, and navigate your own art adventure.
Several new artists have been juried into this year’s Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour, including Megan Cole. As a self-taught portrait sculptor who is inspired by classic European work, Cole is offering a unique form of artwork that hasn’t been thoroughly explored through the tour in the past.
Christianna Ferguson working out of her studio at 16 Bishop Street in Lakefield. Ferguson is a textile artist who primarily makes handmade felt using colourful multi-layered surface design. Her studio is Tour Stop 20 on the 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour running September 23 and 24. (Photo: Zach Ward / WeDesign)
“Megan is bringing a new element to the tour, blending the traditional ceramics that we see with that more traditional portraiture,” Ihamaki says. “It’s really exciting stuff and a little bit different. It’s adding a new flavour to this year’s tour.”
Cole’s studio is Tour Stop 18, located at 25 Albert Street in Lakefield.
Other artists new to the tour include photographer Heather Doughty (Tour Stop 7), acrylic painter Sarah St. Pierre (Tour Stop 8), jeweller and printmaker Tim Laurin (Tour Stop 10), and many more artists who cover a range of mediums.
“Smoke Fired Pot #1” (2022, stoneware clay) by Gail West, one of the 47 artists participating in the 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour on September 23 and 24. West’s studio The English Potter, located at 15 Burnham Street in Lakefield, is Tour Stop 24 on the self-guided tour. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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Joining the artists who are new this year are artists who have been a part of the tour for years, with some working professionally for well over three decades such as oil painter Peer Christensen (Tour Stop 5).
“All of the artists that are on the tour are established in some way,” explains Ihamaki. “They have a studio where they’re producing and selling work. There’s a real mix of artists at various stages in their careers, but all of them are professional, practising artists.”
Providing visitors with even more opportunity to watch artists make their masterpieces and to learn about new forms and mediums, about half of the artists on the tour will be offering live demonstrations right out of their studios. Some of the artists who will be demonstrating their artmaking process include Lisa Martini-Dunk (Tour Stop 4, monotype printing and collage), Kira Robertson (Tour Stop 14, hand-fired glass), Corina Kiefert Chester (Tour Stop 26, print making), and Megan Ward (Tour Stop 17, oil painting).
Leanne Baird in her Peterborough studio, which is Tour Stop 2 on the 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 23 and 24. The visual artist is one of the 47 artists participating in the 39th annual self-guided tour. (Photo: Zach Ward / WeDesign)
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“You can actually see the finished polished product versus where it started and you can see the process all the way through, which is really exciting,” Ihamaki says. “For a lot of the artists, the studio tour is about making connections with visitors and sharing something they’re so passionate about.”
Can’t wait for the tour and want a sneak preview of some of the artwork that will be on display in the studios throughout the weekend? Check out the “Selections: 39th Annual Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour” exhibit available now at the Art Gallery of Peterborough (250 Crescent St., Peterborough) and running until Sunday, October 1st.
“You’ll get to see a sample of every single artist’s work,” Ihamaki points out. “The artists bring in work that represents more of what you might expect when you go to their studio. It’s really exciting to see them all together displayed in the gallery.”
“115/7 Bridge” (2021, oil on panel) by John climenhage, one of 47 artists on the 2023 Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour on September 23 and 24. Climenhage’s studio at 183 Atrim Street in Peterborough is Tour Stop 6 on the self-guided tour. (Photo courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
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With over 5,000 people visiting the preview exhibit and another 5,000 visiting studios during the tour, the Art Gallery of Peterborough estimates the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour generates more than $100,000 in combined sales for the participating artists, with more sales following the tour in a ripple effect from the connections made during the tour weekend. As the Art Gallery of Peterborough does not receive any commission from art sales as a result of the tour, all revenues go directly to the artists.
Along with the financial benefit for the artists themselves, economic impact surveys estimate the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour generates another $650,000 for the local economy as a result of increased tourism.
The Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour is made possible thanks to the support of sponsors, including Tour Sponsor Limestone Inn Marmora and Gold Sponsor Birchview Design. The tour’s Silver Sponsors are The Art School of Peterborough, Grady’s Feet Essentials, The Art Shop Lakefield, The Cheesy Fromage, Buckhorn Festival of the Arts, and Lynn Woodcroft – Royal LePage. The tour’s Bronze Sponsors are Curated and Watson & Lou.
Each year, the Art Gallery of Peterborough presents the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour as part of its commitment to art education, the local arts sector, and the economic prosperity of local artists. The Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour is one of the longest continually running studio tours in Canada, and offers the public a chance to explore the work of the talented artists from across the Peterborough-Kawartha region. (Graphic courtesy of Art Gallery of Peterborough)
As well as downloading the Toureka! app, visitors can begin planning their tours by picking up a map brochure from the Art Gallery of Peterborough or at sponsor locations including Watson & Lou (383 Water St., Peterborough), Grady’s Feet Essentials (231 King St., Peterborough), the Art School of Peterborough (174A Charlotte St., Peterborough), The Cheesy Fromage (25 Queen St., Lakefield), and The Art Shop Lakefield (33 Queen St., Lakefield).
For a full list of artists participating in the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour on September 23 and 24, visit agp.on.ca/kast/. For information about the supporting exhibition on now at the Art Gallery of Peterborough, visit agp.on.ca/exhibitions/39th-kast-selections/.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Art Gallery of Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
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