Environment Canada has issued a multi-day snow squall watch for the northern Kawarthas region beginning Thursday evening (November 28).
So far, the snow squall watch is only in effect for Haliburton County.
Lake effect snow off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay is forecast to strengthen Thursday evening into Friday morning, and will persist through the weekend and into early next week.
Locally heavy snowfall with peak snowfall rates of 5 to 10 cm per hour is expected, with accumulations possibly exceeding 30 cm by Friday night. There will be very poor visibility in bursts of heavy snow and local blowing snow.
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More locally heavy snowfall is expected through the weekend and into early next week.
As is common with lake effect snow, snowfall amounts will be highly variable. Some areas may receive well in excess of 50 cm by the end of the weekend.
Road closures are possible on the weekend, especially over areas that receive multiple lake effect bands. Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve.
Snow squalls cause weather conditions to vary considerably. Changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common. Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather.
The Lindsay Garden Club is gearing up for its second annual "Flower Power" Christmas initiative. The project is designed to deliver holiday cheer to seniors in long-term care homes in the City of Kawartha Lakes through flowers and personalized Christmas cards. (Photos: Lindsay Garden Club)
The Lindsay Garden Club is striving to make joy blossom again this holiday season for seniors living in long-term care homes in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Garden club members are prepping for their second annual “Flower Power” Christmas initiative, which is a project that delivers hundreds of flowering plants and personalized Christmas cards to older adults in the community.
The project celebrates the spirit of giving and aims to bring warmth and joy to residents who may not be able to spend the season with loved ones, said garden club member Jen Lopinski.
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“We hope that that the flowering plants and Christmas cards will bring joy to the seniors in long-term care homes in our community and that perhaps other clubs will also become inspired to do this in their community,” Lopinski told kawarthaNOW.
“Spread the love — one flower at a time.”
Lindsay Garden Club volunteers will roll up their sleeves on Wednesday (December 4) to pack and deliver more than 700 brightly coloured Kalanchoe plants, along with the Christmas cards prepared by area schoolchildren.
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A team of seven committee members worked together to make the project bloom. Their efforts included collaborating with schools, working with staff from long-term care and retirement homes, and consulting with Kawartha Classic Flowers, which helped the club get a good wholesale price on the flowers.
“This involved countless hours of brainstorming, organizing, and fundraising, and (securing) financial support from local businesses,” Lopinski said.
More than 30 volunteers from the Lindsay Garden Club will help finalize the project and spend two days packing and coordinating the deliveries.
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“We know that the holiday season can be a difficult time for many in long-term care, especially those who may not receive frequent visits,” said Lindsay Garden Club member Kim McGee in a media release.
“The Flower Power Christmas initiative is our way of letting these residents know they are not alone and that they’re remembered and cherished by their community.”
Students at the following schools prepared the specially crafted cards to accompany each flowering plant: Alexandra Public School, St. John Paul II Elementary School, St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary, School, Parkview Public School, King Albert Public School, Queen Victoria Public School, St. Dominic School Catholic Elementary School, and Heritage Christian School.
“By connecting the beauty of nature with the magic of the holiday season, the Flower Power Christmas initiative strives to brighten the lives of those who need it most, bringing comfort and companionship through the simple, thoughtful gesture of a beautiful plant,” the release noted.
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The Lindsay Garden Club is giving a shout-out to the schoolchildren, Kawartha Classic Flowers, sponsors, and volunteers who made the initiative flourish.
For more information on how to support the Flower Power Christmas initiative or to get involved, email Patty Carlson at patty.carlson123@gmail.com.
Peterborough's Jon Grant passed away at the age of 89 on November 27, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Grant family)
Jon Grant, one of Peterborough’s most eminent citizens who became a folk hero among environmentalists, has passed away.
The retired businessman, environmentalist, volunteer, and philanthropist died Wednesday (November 27) at the age of 89.
Grant was one of the first business leaders in Canada to embrace the concept of environmentally conscious decision-making and earned a reputation during his career for speaking out against workplace practices and environmental waste.
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After graduating from Western University’s Ivey Business School in 1970, Grant worked as a marketing official for a variety of food companies, including Weston Foods Ltd. and Nabisco Ltd. of Toronto.
According to a 2002 story in the Globe and Mail, Grant gave a speech to a group of marketing executives in 1970 in which he criticized businesses that had “near-sighted” and “timid” workplace practices, citing a company that forced a computer expert to work at night because officials were uncomfortable with his long hair, earrings, and unusual clothes.
In 1976, Grant was appointed CEO of Quaker Oats of Canada in Peterborough, a position he held until he retired in 1994. He was known for his commitment to improving the company’s environmental practices, including by reducing packaging waste by 75 per cent and by introducing office recycling programs.
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During and after his time at Quaker Oats, Grant served on a number of corporate and public boards, and remained active in environmental and conservation work. As chair of the Ontario Round Table on the Environment and Economy in the early 1990s, Grant helped to convince corporate Canada that sustainable development and environmental stewardship lead to more profitable business plans.
He also chaired the Nature Conservancy, the Ontario Biodiversity Council, and Canada Lands, was a founding supporter of the Georgian Bay Land Trust, was vice-chair of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), a director of Pollution Probe, a trustee of the World Wildlife Fund of Canada, and was a commissioner of the Canadian Polar Commission, working to ensure that the interests of Indigenous peoples remained at the forefront of efforts to protect the delicate Arctic ecosystem.
A lover of the outdoors, Grant was an avid mountain hiker and canoeist who paddled many of Canada’s northern rivers with his wife and “best friend” Shelagh Grant, an award-winning author and historian who was part of the original team involved in the founding of The Canadian Canoe Museum and a long-time volunteer.
Avid canoeists, Shelagh and Jon Grant paddled many of Canada’s northern rivers. The couple were both supporters of The Canadian Canoe Museum, with Shelagh part of the original team involved in the founding of the museum and a long-time volunteer and Jon serving on the museum’s board of directors. Shelagh passed away in 2022 at the age of 82. (Photo: David Goslin)
The couple continued to support the museum over the years, with Jon serving on the museum’s board of directors, until Shelagh died in 2020 at the age of 82. In 2022, the Grant family donated $250,000 towards the new museum in her honour.
In addition to his environmental and conservation work, Grant had a 17-year tenure as a director of CCL Industries (including 10 as chair) and was a member of several corporate boards, for many of which he held the position of chair, including Scott Paper, Laurentian Bank, Atlas Cold Storage, and Agricore United (as vice-chair).
He was chair of Trent University’s board of governors and governor emeritus, was a chair of the Bagnani Trust, was a founder and trustee of the T.H.B Symons Trust, and was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1991.
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In 2002, Grant was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and received the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals in 2002 and 2012. As fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, Jon and Shelagh were jointly awarded the Bernier Medal in 2017.
“Jon and Shelagh both travelled the world for business, Jon’s environmental activities, and Shelagh’s Arctic lectures, but they always came back home, whether in Peterborough, their Island retreat at Pointe au Baril in Georgian Bay, or their Tremblant log cabin nestled in the trees of the Rivière Diable,” reads an obituary from the Grant family.
“After Shelagh’s passing, Jon and his dear friend Beth McMaster [the founding chair of Showplace Performance Centre’s board of directors] thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company when attending the theatre, during frequent dinners out, and at special events.”
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Grant is survived by his three children, Susan Grant (Bob Fitzgerald), Debbie Aben (Mike), and David Grant (Cécile Gambin), and his six grandchildren, Chelsea and Alex, Michael and Sean, and Sébastien and Luc.
The family will be holding a private funeral and, in the new year, will be hosting a celebration of life at The Canadian Canoe Museum. Those interested in attending the celebration of life should email the Grant family at jongrantmemorial@gmail.com for more information.
In lieu of flowers, the Grant family encourages donations to Hospice Peterborough.
Northumberland County youth looking for a safe place to rest their head at night when home isn’t an option will soon be able to find that comfort in their community.
That’s the intent of Nightstop, a new upcoming program from Cobourg-based Rebound Child & Youth Services (Rebound).
Considered to be “a transformative” initiative, the Nightstop program is designed to provide safe short-term accommodations for youth in need of emergency housing, with the accommodation hosted by vetted and approved volunteers.
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Nightstop is aimed at addressing the urgent need for emergency housing in Northumberland and empowering community members “to offer meaningful support to those in crisis,” Rebound noted in a media release.
The program is slated to officially begin operating in February 2025.
“Nightstop is a program that goes beyond providing shelter — it’s about fostering hope, dignity, and opportunity for young people in need,” said Sam Rockbrune, Rebound’s executive director, in a statement. “This program is a testament to the power of community coming together to create change. Rebound is ecstatic to bring this project to Northumberland.”
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The Northumberland County Nightstop program, made possible through a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will be the third in Ontario and builds on more than 30 years of successful Nightstop programs in the United Kingdom.
The program addresses youth homelessness by offering emergency overnight shelter to young people at risk of spending the night on the streets or in unsafe conditions.
“We know that (the number of) youth experiencing unstable housing is growing in our community,” Rockbrune told kawarthaNOW in a previous interview. “Rebound is already working on prevention for youth homelessness with our current programs and rolling out exciting new programs in the new year.”
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With no youth shelter beds available in Northumberland County, the Nightstop initiative engages the local community to open their spare rooms and act as volunteer hosts for youth.
Hosts invite young people in need into their homes and provide a safe place for a short-term stay. Once the youth is safely in the host home, Nightstop staff will work to provide wrap-around support while the young person is working toward reintegration with their family — if it’s safe to do so — or exploring other longer-term housing options.
The program is for youth ages 16 and above who are considered low-to-medium risk, which means they have no high-dependency needs such as unmanaged physical or mental health conditions, no addictions, and no recent history of arson, sexual assault, violent behaviour, or other serious crimes.
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Nightstop hosts are thoroughly vetted and must be able to provide a clear police and vulnerable sector check. They receive extensive training and ongoing support from program staff.
Applications for volunteer hosts will open in January 2025. To learn more about Nightstop or get involved as a host or volunteer, visit www.rcys.ca/nightstop, call 905-372-0007, or email rebound@rcys.ca.
Rebound is a not-for-profit, incorporated, charitable organization that has been providing community-based programs and services to children, youth, and families in Northumberland County since 1997.
The agency works with many community partners and more than 70 dedicated volunteers to offer supportive and proactive programming to empower children, youth, and their families to work towards positive change. Services are provided through a private and confidential process that aim to help children, youth, and their families.
Canadian musician Cris Cuddy, who has many ties to Peterborough, is fighting a rare form of blood cancer. Peterborough singer-songwriter "dennis" O'Toole is organizing a benefit for Cuddy taking place at The Social in downtown Peterborough on December 7, 2024. Confirmed performers so far include Pat Temple and the HiLo Players, former Prairie Oyster frontman Russell deCarle and his longtime guitarist Steve Briggs, Washboard Hank and Sweet Muriel, O'Toole fronting his new band Old Soul, Al Black, Dave MacQuarrie, Andy Pryde, and Pineapple Frank Barth. (Photo: Stuart Blower)
If Cris Cuddy somehow doesn’t already know how deeply respected as a musician he is, and just how loved as a friend he remains, he’ll be provided full evidence on both counts December 7th at The Social in downtown Peterborough.
On that day, from 2 to 5 p.m., musical collaborators and longtime friends of the singer-songwriter will gather at the George Street North bar to not only celebrate Cuddy’s longstanding talent, but also to bolster his spirits as he battles a rare form of blood cancer.
Back in March, a GoFundMe appeal was created by Cuddy’s friend Marcus Waddington, a Vancouver-based singer-songwriter who, back in the day, played alongside him in the band Jeremy Dormouse.
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With a goal of $11,000, that appeal is close to that target, sitting now at just more than $10,000 with every dollar destined to help Cuddy overcome lost performance income as he undergoes treatment. However, something needed to be done in the city that Cuddy has so many ties to. Enter singer-songwriter “dennis” O’Toole, the driving force behind the benefit at The Social.
O’Toole has reached out to a number of musicians, the tie that binds being their having performed and/or recorded with Cuddy at some point in any one of a number of collaborations.
“We’ll be hard-pressed to get everything into three hours but we’ll keep it rolling,” assures O’Toole of the response to his call.
VIDEO: “Reggae Love” – Max Mouse and the Gorillas
Among those taking to the stage will be Pat Temple and the HiLo Players, including Rob Foreman, Nicholas Campbell and Brian Ferguson, and former Prairie Oyster frontman Russell deCarle and his longtime guitarist Steve Briggs, who performed November 23rd at a sold-out Gordon Best Theatre. Washboard Hank and Sweet Muriel, along with O’Toole fronting his band Old Soul, are also in the mix.
Bobby Watson “has threatened to come out and play with my outfit … I’m going to hold him to that,” says O’Toole, adding that Al Black, Dave MacQuarrie, Andy Pryde, and Pineapple Frank Barth will also take a turn or two on stage.
“And any and all former Gorillas will be welcome,” he says, referencing members of Max Mouse and the Gorillas, a Cuddy-led band in the ’70s and early ’80s band that garnered quite a following across Canada — its rollicking stage presence and danceable music highlighted by the Cuddy-penned “Reggae Love,” which was as close to commercial success as the band got.
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Among those local musicians who were members of the band, at various points and for varying lengths of time, were the late Buzz Thompson, Jim Leslie, J.P. Hovercraft, George Bertok, and Watson — the latter three having also performed with Cuddy as part of country rock fusion band Bacon Fat in the early 1970s.
“It was very grassroots sort of rock and roll odyssey,” says O’Toole of Max Mouse and the Gorillas, adding “The ethos was to make a million posters and wallpaper the world.”
“They did a dance hall tour back in the early days where they touched base in a lot of little communities, in a lot of the old wooden (floor) dance halls. They lifted the roof off of them.”
The members of Bacon Fat, a pioneer country rock fusion band from the early 1970s: Dennis Delorme, George Bertok, Cris Cuddy, Bobby Watson, JP Hovercraft, and Terry “Benny” Benstead. (Photographer unknown)
O’Toole says his helping Cuddy get to his medical appointments has afforded the pair “visiting time we wouldn’t have had otherwise.” While refusing to go into any detail regarding Cuddy’s illness, he acknowledges, voice lowered, “It’s common knowledge that the prognosis is not good.”
If there is a silver lining, O’Toole says he has had time to reflect on what Cuddy has meant to him as a musician, a mentor, and a friend.
“Cris exposed me to a whole lot of music that I never would have run across otherwise … some of the great obscure singers and songwriters,” he says. “He was writing and performing in a fashion that nobody I bumped into was. He turned me onto all sorts of wonderful stuff — stuff that was a little bit out of the mainstream.”
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“I was probably in Grade 11 when I met him,” O’Toole recalls. “He would have already graduated university. I was just starting to write songs and was playing a little bit. I was a church basement folkie, not really aware of everything that would be coming my way.”
“When I first met with Cris, he just tore my head off. One man and a guitar … I never felt that kind of musical power up close. He was very supportive of my early writing. On his (2018) recording Dream On, he covered a tune of mine that I wrote when I was 16 or 17 years old.”
While there’s no set admission cost for the benefit, O’Toole is hopeful attendees will be generous, noting there will also be a silent auction. He’ll also have at the event “several hundred” copies of a recording that Cuddy did with his Cris Cuddy Acoustic Unit that will be sold for a donation.
VIDEO: “Luck of the Draw” – Cris Cuddy
At this point, O’Toole is not sure if Cuddy will be up to attending the event, noting “He has been avoiding most social situations (because) he’s immunocompromised.”
“I’m not sure how much he knows about this. I’m sure he’s aware that something is in the works. He might seize upon the opportunity to see a whole lot of people, or he might shy away from the need to see a whole lot of people.”
One thing O’Toole does know is he himself has already said goodbye to too many musical friends over recent years.
“I just turned the corner on 71,” he says. “It seems to me any time after 70 is grace time. Pat Temple is fond of saying ‘We’re all just moving up in the line.'”
“I haven’t been able to guarantee for people whether this event is a benefit or a celebration of life. It’ll be one or the other but, yeah, things are winding down.”
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As for O’Toole, he debuted his new band Old Soul on November 23rd at the Pig’s Ear Tavern as part of a benefit for acclaimed Peterborough-based luthier David Fox. The Cuddy benefit will mark their second appearance.
“At this stage of the game, I’m only interested in playing original music,” says O’Toole.
“That paints you into a corner. We’re not a dance band. We’re not a country band. Not only has the scene changed enormously, so has the music. I don’t have time to play at the commercial aspects of music. I just want to play from the heart. If that means playing for free, I’m fine with that.”
And if it means performing a benefit to honour his longtime friend, well, even better.
The Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm is a tiny parasite that lives in the intestines of canids like coyotes, foxes, wolves, and dogs. Three of the adult tapeworms are shown in this photograph that includes a paper clip for scale. (Photo: Brent Wagner / Jenkins Lab, University of Saskatchewan)
A parasitic tapeworm that can cause a potentially fatal disease in humans has been reported in a dog in Peterborough for the first time.
Sherbrooke Heights Animal Hospital confirmed a canine patient has tested positive for Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis), a tiny tapeworm carried in the small intestines of canids like coyotes, foxes, wolves, and dogs.
In both domestic dogs and humans, the parasite can cause a potentially fatal disease called alveolar echinococcosis.
“There’s a specialized fecal test specifically for echinococcosis because that’s something we regularly keep an ear out for,” says Dr. Kristen Harton, a veterinarian at Sherbrooke Heights Animal Hospital. “There are lots of people that do routine fecal screening through their vet, but this wouldn’t be picked up on those.”
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The lifecycle of E. multilocularis begins when the tapeworm’s microscopic eggs are excreted in an infected canid’s feces and dispersed into the environment, where they can live for up to a year.
When rodents (primarily voles and field mice) and rabbits ingest the eggs either through canid feces or from the environment, the eggs hatch into larvae that invade the animal’s liver and sometimes other organs, multiplying and causing severe cysts that grow like metastatic cancers.
When a wild canid or domestic dog then eats an infected animal, the larvae contained in the consumed animal’s cysts latch onto the canid’s intestines and grow into adult tapeworms that produce eggs, and the parasite’s lifecycle continues.
Alveolar echinococcosis is a potentially fatal disease in humans caused by ingesting the eggs of Echinococcus multilocularis, a parasitic tapeworm that is carried by canids like coyotes, foxes, wolves, and dogs. (Graphic: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
While the adult tapeworms aren’t typically problematic in wild canids, in domestic dogs the parasite can sometimes cause alveolar echinococcosis where, similar to what happens to rodents or rabbits, the tapeworm larvae invade the dog’s liver or other organs. Because domestic dogs are canids like their wild relatives, usually the adult tapeworms will live in their intestines without causing alveolar echinococcosis.
However, even if a dog doesn’t develop the disease, they will continue to excrete the parasite’s eggs in their feces — and those eggs can cause the potentially fatal disease in humans if they accidentally ingest the eggs.
“Dogs can act like the coyote or other infected canid, and then humans can act like the rodent if we ingest the (egg-infested) feces of dogs, coyotes, or foxes without meaning to,” says Dr. Harton.
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Since a dog infected with the tapeworm may appear healthy, owners will not know the dog is shedding the parasite’s microscopic eggs in their feces. In fact, the dog confirmed to have been infected in Peterborough was not displaying any symptoms of having the tapeworm — it was brought to Sherbrooke Heights Animal Hospital for something unrelated.
However, when the hospital learned more about the pet’s lifestyle and its tendency to ingest rodents, they administered a specialized fecal test for enchinococcosis.
“The tricky thing with this tapeworm is that they don’t always show clinical signs, so it really a matter of doing the due diligence during our history taking and for owners to really keep an eye on their (dog’s) behaviours,” says Dr. Harton. “The risk factors for dogs truly is in eating rodents, and especially in an area where there are a lot of coyotes or foxes.”
Echinococcus multilocularis isolated from a fox in Hungary. Scale bar is half a millimetre. (Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
While the most common way for humans to get alveolar enchinococcosis is by eating wild foods like berries and herbs that have been contaminated with wild canid feces, they can also get the disease if their dog gets wild canid feces in its fur, or from an infected dog’s own feces.
“For people, as long as they’re practising good, thorough handwashing after handling dog feces, fox feces, or coyote feces, their risk is really well-managed,” Dr. Harton says. “It’s the best technique — as well as washing your fruits and vegetables before consumption, even if you grow it in your own backyard.”
E. multilocularis is only found in the northern hemisphere, in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. According to Public Health Ontario, E. multilocularis is now considered endemic in Ontario and was declared a disease of public health significance in 2018.
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Infectious diseases surveillance reports show there have been four confirmed human cases of alveolar echinococcosis in Ontario since 2017, with the latest in 2022. However, the actual number of human cases may be higher, since people infected with the parasite can remain asymptomatic for five to 15 years.
Eventually, those infected will show symptoms of abdominal pain, weakness, and weight loss, as the tapeworm causes damage to the liver and other organs. If left untreated, the disease is invariably fatal.
While E. multilocularis had never been found in wildlife or domestic animals in Ontario prior to 2012, a study conducted from 2015 to 2017 showed that 23 per cent of postmortem fecal samples collected from 460 wild canids in southern Ontario — 416 coyotes and 44 foxes — tested positive for E. multilocularis.
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Although none of the samples were collected from wild canids in the Peterborough area, Dr. Harton says there’s no reason to assume the situation is different in the region.
“We unfortunately just don’t even have information about the wild canids in Peterborough,” says Dr. Harton. “What we can do, though, is assume that our wild canids are just as infected as the other local areas around us where they did collect samples from, because wild canids don’t follow our public health (borders).”
Given that dogs infected with E. multilocularis often show no symptoms, Dr. Harton suggests the best action for dog owners to take is simply to be aware of the risk, maintain good hygiene for yourself and your pet, and know your dog’s behaviours and habits.
“I wish there was, but unfortunately there’s no quick and easy tell for this,” she says. “If your dog ingests rodents, then this should be a conversation to have with your veterinarian.”
Musician Ty Wilson hosting an open mic at Erben Eatery & Bar in downtown Peterborough. Owner Belinda Scollick has announced the restaurant and live music venue, which opened at 379 George Street North in downtown Peterborough in February 2023, will be closing at the end of December 2024. (Photo: Erben / Instagram)
The Erben Eatery & Bar in downtown Peterborough is closing at the end of the year.
Owner Belinda Scollick, who opened the restaurant and live music venue in February 2023, announced the closure in a post on Erben’s Facebook page on Monday (November 25).
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the closing of Erben at the end of December,” Scollick wrote. “This decision was not made lightly. This endeavor has taken a significant toll on my health and well-being, and I need to step back to focus on my mental health, my children, and my career. Running Erben has been an extraordinary journey, and I am excited to see what the next chapter holds.”
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Erben is located at 379 George Street North, which was the former location of The Splice, Cinema 379, and Titles bookstore. As well as being a restaurant, Erben regularly hosts live music as well as private events, with a back room featuring a large stage, sound system, and lighting.
In a post on her personal Facebook page, Scollick noted she feels “so much relief” after announcing the closure.
“It’s been taking a toll on me like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” she wrote. “I know it was the right decision at the right time. I need this more then most can even understand.”
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Scollick added that Erben will host its final scheduled show on New Year’s Eve, and that there are still a few openings available in December for events or parties.
On her post on Erben’s Facebook page, she thanked “our loyal patrons, talented entertainers, and incredible musicians who brought Erben to life. Your unwavering support, laughter, and love have made this dream possible. I could not have done any of this without you.”
“Let’s make this final month one to remember — share some laughs, enjoy great food, and join us for one last toast. Our final show on New Year’s Eve will be a celebration of everything we’ve built together. Let’s send Erben off with all the love and energy it deserves.”
Ed's House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre officially unveiled its new wind phone, an addition to the Hamilton Township hospice's therapy garden, on November 21, 2024. The original wind phone was created in Japan by Itaru Sasaki in 2010 while he was grieving his cousin who died of cancer. He purchased an old-fashioned phone booth and set it up in his garden with an obsolete rotary phone that was not connected to wires and called it "kaze no denwa" (Japanese for "phone of the wind"). (Photo: Ed's House / Facebook)
A unique tool for managing grief called a wind phone has travelled from its birthplace in Japan to Northumberland County to help people begin healing and find comfort following a loss.
Last Thursday (November 21), Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre held a dedication ceremony for the wind phone in the Cobourg hospice’s therapy garden.
Consisting of a wooden gazebo with two disconnected rotary-dial phones, the wind phone aims to provide visitors with a space to reflect, remember, and connect with their loved ones who have passed away, Community Care Northumberland noted in a media release.
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Sherry Gibson, the director of hospice services at Ed’s House, told kawarthaNOW about the origin of the wind phone and explained why it’s an important component of the garden.
“The idea of a wind phone originated in Japan, to deal with grief following loss suffered in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami,” Gibson said.
“The phone has gained popularity and is a comforting outlet for those dealing with a loss, as a way to connect symbolically with loved ones. Ed’s House grief and bereavement program has embraced the concept and will ensure the wind phone is accessible to all who need comfort.”
Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre in Cobourg officially unveiled its new wind phone on November 21, 2024. (Photo: Ed’s House / Facebook)
The wind phone is said to work by “connecting” people to those they can no longer see, offering solace during grief.
“It provides a space to express emotions, share cherished memories, and say goodbye,” according to Community Care Northumberland. “This profound concept allows our words to be carried on the wind, honouring the memories of those no longer with us and expressing our love for them.”
The project was made possible at the hospice as a result of RTOERO (formerly RTO – Retired Teachers of Ontario) District 30 Northumberland, which donated $4,000, enabling Ed’s House to bring the feature to its garden.
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“We are incredibly grateful to RTOERO District 30 Northumberland, local donors, and garden volunteers for their generosity and support in making the wind phone a reality,” said Community Care Northumberland CEO Trish Baird. “The wind phone is a powerful symbol of remembrance and healing, and we are so thankful for the community’s commitment to providing a space where individuals can process grief and feel a connection to their loved ones.”
Lori Groves, therapeutic garden coordinator at Ed’s House, took the lead in the vision and maintenance of the garden. Ed’s House also recognized volunteers who contributed their efforts and talents, along with the Northumberland Master Gardeners for offering its time and expertise.
The original wind phone was created in Japan by Itaru Sasaki in 2010 while he was grieving his cousin who died of cancer. He purchased an old-fashioned phone booth and set it up in his garden. He installed an obsolete rotary phone that was not connected to wires or any “earthly system” and called it kaze no denwa (Japanese for “phone of the wind”).
VIDEO: The phone booth that allows you to call lost relatives
After the Tohoku earthquake the following year caused a catastrophic tsunami that “obliterated the coast of Japan,” destroyed towns, and killed more than 15,500 people, Sasaki opened his wind phone to the public so visitors could speak with their loved ones who had died in the disaster.
Since then, more than 30,000 people have visited Sasaki’s wind phone. Other wind phones have been installed around the world, including in Europe, the U.S., and Canada. The wind phone has also inspired books and films.
As for Ed’s House, it strives to provide a comfortable setting to receive palliative support from early engagement through to bereavement support at no cost to hospice clients and their families.
An integral service of Community Care Northumberland, Ed’s House acts as a centralized hub for the interdisciplinary hospice services team by providing visiting hospice volunteers, health system navigation, supportive care, grief and bereavement counselling, and 24/7 end-of-life care in its residence.
Kingan Home Hardware, downtown Peterborough's only hardware store, is making it easy to get holiday ready by launching a clearance sale on all Christmas items. Beginning November 25, 2024, customers can get discounts on decorations, ornaments, holiday décor, gift wrap, and more. It's also a great destination for Christmas gift shopping. (Photo courtesy of Kingan Home Hardware)
If there’s one thing Peterborough excels at, it’s offering the charm of a small town with the services of a big city. That balance is exemplified at downtown’s Kingan Home Hardware, where you can find everything you need on sale this holiday season.
After more than 170 years, Kingan Home Hardware still offers the nostalgia of old-timey hardware stores, and long-time customers might still recall the squeaky wooden floors and former owners.
The Simcoe Street store dates back to 1850 when it was established as Kingan Hardware by Robert Kingan. After being passed down through the family, it was purchased by Kirk Merrett in 1974 and was eventually renamed to Kingan Home Hardware. Today, the store and its name continues to uphold the founder’s legacy, even as it becomes a new family affair with Kirk’s son Drew Merrett taking over ownership.
Downtown Peterborough’s only hardware store, Kingan Home Hardware is your one-stop shop for the holidays, with Christmas markdowns beginning on Monday (November 25). Why limit decking your halls to just boughs of holly, when the store offers discounts on ornaments, tree skirts, wreaths, lights, and all other holiday décor?
Deals on wrapping papers and gift bags will ensure each present invites a smile before it’s even unwrapped, while festive mugs, dishes, candles, and wine glasses will help you celebrate the holiday season with family and friends.
Kingan Home Hardware at 167 Simcoe Street in Peterborough in 1976, when it was still known as Kingan Hardware. The hardware store was originally founded in 1850 by Robert Kingan before being passed down in his family, and was purchased by Kirk Merrett in 1974. Today, shopping at Kingan Home Hardware in downtown Peterborough continues to offers the same charm and nostalgia of the original store, while services have grown to include paint matching, knife sharpening, laminating, and more. (Photo courtesy of Trent Valley Archives)
While you’re in store stocking up festive decor, you can find some affordable gifts for everyone on your shopping list. For the fixer-uppers, a variety of high-quality home tool kits are currently on sale, while comfort lovers will be excited by the store’s selection of heated blankets. These and other items that make for great gifts, including toys and games for the kids, can also be found in the Christmas clearance section.
While it’s certainly a great place do your shopping for Christmas decorations and gifts, Kingan Home Hardware is also the destination for treating yourself this holiday season. Looking a specific paint colour you found in a design book for your kitchen reno? Perhaps a festive holiday green? Bring it into the store, and Kingan Home Hardware will match it for you. Paint match is one of many services offered in store, along with key-cutting, knife and scissors sharpening, screen repair, and lamination.
Located at 167 Simcoe Street, Kingan Home Hardware is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. Customers can avoid the holiday crowds by shopping online at homehardware.ca and selecting Kingan Home Hardware as your store.
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encoreNOW for November 25, 2024 features (from left to right, top and bottom) Peterborough Theatre Guild's "Dorothy in Wonderland - The Musical" from November 29 to December 8, Peterborough Singers' "Yuletide Cheer" on November 30, The Barra MacNeils East Coast Christmas in Lindsay on December 3, In From The Cold in Peterborough on December 6 and 7, Globus Theatre's "Aladdin" from December 6 to 15, and New Stages Theatre's "A Christmas Carol Comedy" from December 11 to 14. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights the Peterborough Theatre Guild staging of Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical, “Yuletide Cheer” featuring the Peterborough Singers, The Barra MacNeil’s delivery of an East Coast Christmas gift to Lindsay, the 25th In From The Cold benefit concert for YES Shelter for Youth & Families, a new take on Aladdin from Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, and New Stages Theatre’s A Christmas Carol Comedy that sees Peterborough’s Linda Kash get all Scrooge-like.
Peterborough Theatre Guild’s holiday family musical presents a mish-mash of two classic stories
VIDEO: Pete Dalliday speaks with director Sarah Rogers
The recent Taylor Swift mayhem in Toronto reminds us that you can go one of two routes when it comes to treating the kids: you can go big or you can stay home.
Home, specifically, is The Guild Hall on Rogers Street in East City where, for a fraction of what Swifties shelled out, a wholly entertaining experience suitable all ages awaits in the form of Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical.
The Peterborough Theatre Guild is staging Brian Taylor’s bringing together of the worlds of Oz and Wonderland as its annual holiday season production and it really couldn’t have made a better choice. Ditto for the selection of Sarah Rogers as director, who also directed last year’s pre-Christmas staging of The Enchanted Bookshop. Having had a career in education, she loves working with children, and Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical checks that box with some 30-plus kids in the mix.
Those who love The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland, or both, will be delighted to again meet the beloved central characters of both stories — Dorothy, The Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Alice, The White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter and all the rest — as Dorothy and Alice team up to face a dangerous foe in the form of the Queen of Hearts, who stands in the way of their ever returning to their respective homes of Kansas and London.
This is a story that Taylor was born to write. Raised in rural Oklahoma, he spent his childhood running through fields and developing a healthy fear of cows. His active imagination saw him create and act out stories about the land and the animals. Years later, after less than a week of business classes at the University of Denver, he followed his heart and subsequently changed the course of his future by majoring in theatre. Taylor has since written 30-plus plays, many of them refreshing new takes on popular children’s stories.
Sponsored in part by kawarthaNOW, performance dates for Dorothy in Wonderland – The Musical are November 29 and December 3 to 6, 7:30 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees November 30 and December 1 and 8. Tickets cost $15 and can be ordered online at www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com or by calling 705-745-4211.
Yuletide Cheer as only the Peterborough Singers can deliver it
VIDEO: Peterborough Singers rehearse for “Yuletide Cheer”
Back in February of this year, I did something I should have done long ago: I finally attended a concert by the Peterborough Singers. Billed as “The Music of Elton John,” the sold-out show was spectacular, with the soaring presentation of Elton’s and lyricist Bernie Taupin’s classic songs nothing short of uplifting and a joy to experience.
Formed originally in 1990 as the Peterborough Symphony Singers, the choral ensemble — under the direction of Syd Birrell — became a stand-alone entity as the Peterborough Singers in 1993. With more than 100 members, it has presented a full fall-to-spring slate of concerts since then, its current home being stately Emmanuel United Church at George and McDonnel streets.
Under Birrell’s leadership, the Peterborough Singers have truly become a cultural staple in this city. Birrell brings decades of experience to the role, as an organist and choirmaster at several local churches. His unabashed passion for what he does has never waned; his awareness of choral music’s ability to move us at the heart of the Peterborough Singers’ success.
On Saturday, November 30th at Emmanuel United Church, a seasonal tradition will continue when the Peterborough Singers present “Yuletide Cheer.” The 7 p.m. concert will see Toronto brass ensemble quintet Venabrass in the mix as the special guest, with Birrell joining in on the church’s Casavant organ.
Tickets cost $40 ($10 for students) and are available online at www.peterboroughsingers.com or by phone at 705-745-1820. Tickets are also available in Peterborough at Pammett’s Flower Shop and Ashburnham Foot & Ankle and in Lakefield at Happenstance.
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The Barra MacNeils are bringing an East Coast Christmas to Lindsay
VIDEO: The Barra MacNeils Christmas Show (2019)
A good friend, whose judgment I trust completely, can’t say enough about The Barra MacNeils. Each time the five MacNeil siblings — Lucy, Boyd, Stewart, Kyle, and Sheumas — have come to these parts, she has lit up with anticipation and made sure, come hell or high water, she’s in the audience.
I imagine that will be the case once again on Tuesday, December 3rd when The Barra MacNeils present “An East Coast Christmas” at Lindsay’s Academy Theatre.
Hailing from Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, the MacNeil clan began performing in 1980 when teenagers and younger. The release of their third album Timeframe in 1990 brought a 1991 Juno Award for Album of the Year. Juno Award lightning struck again in 2001 in the form of Group of the Year honours. In total, The Barra MacNeils have released 15 albums, with 1993’s Closer to Paradise attaining gold record status.
For the Lindsay show, The Barra MacNeils will unleash their full arsenal of instruments, including accordion, guitar, piano, bodhran, mandolin, banjo, Celtic harp, tin whistles, bouzouki and flute, with bass accompaniment by Jamie Gatti. The result will be a potpourri of MacNeil family favourites “gleaned from Christmas ceilidhs, midnight masses, and the general festive frolic that accompanies each Christmas season.”
In the end, their audience will be no doubt be provided full evidence of why the Halifax Daily News praises The Barra MacNeils as “a treasure of the East Coast” — something my friend has been saying for years.
In From The Cold concert at Peterborough’s Market Hall has its audience saying “YES” for a 25th year
VIDEO: “In From the Cold” – A Film By Rodney Fuentes (2017)
The lead-up to Christmas brings us yet another beloved seasonal music tradition in the form of the 25th annual In From The Cold concert, with two performances on Friday, December 6th and Saturday, December 7th at Market Hall in downtown Peterborough.
A fundraiser for YES Shelter for Youth and Families since day one, with more than $200,000 has been raised since the inaugural concert in 2000, the big draw remains the performance of seasonal music rarely heard on radio or in the mall.
To that end, co-founder John Hoffman et al work year-round at finding relatively unknown music selections with origins beyond our borders to perform.
Featuring the talents of Hoffman and In From The Cold co-founders Susan Newman, Rob Fortin, and Curtis Driedger, the concert has also perennially featured guitarist Michael Ketemer, harpist Tanah Haney, and the Convivio Chorus under the direction of Newman.
As for the “feel” of the annual Christmas concert, Driedger recently told kawarthaNOW that In From The Cold harkens back “to the old days when you’d meet in a church or the community hall. You know everybody. It’s kind of a community thing.”
While the dollars raised have been huge for YES, the awareness raised around the plight of those who are homeless has proven equally vital in the collective empathy and movement to action of countless in the community.
With kawarthaNOW returning once again as a media sponsor of the concert, tickets for either 8 p.m. performance cost $29 ($34 for reserved cabaret seating) and are available at markethall.org.. If you can’t make it to the show during what is a busy time of year, Trent Radio will broadcast a recording of the concert throughout Christmas Day at 92.7 FM as well as online at trentradio.ca.
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Holiday panto fun abounds as Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre keeps the British tradition alive
Toronto-based actor Katherine Cappellacci as Snow White with Globus Theatre co-founder and artistic producer James Barrett as the Dame in Globus Theatre’s 2017 traditional British panto “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Barrett will take on the Dame role for the 17th time in Globus Theatre’s panto “Aladdin” from December 6 to 15, 2024 at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon. (Photo: Sarah Quick)
Originating in Britain, a panto (short for pantomime) is holiday theatrical entertainment for the entire family that involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale, nursery story, or other well-known tale.
Unlike pantos in North America that include both a “nice” version of the show for children and a “naughty” one for adults, traditional British pantos instead cleverly incorporate adult-oriented humour in a way that goes over the head of the children in the audience. Children enjoy the action, songs, and audience participation, with adults loving the local references and innuendos. British pantos also feature the “Dame” — a traditional female role that is often portrayed by a male actor in drag.
It’s no surprise then that Globus Theatre’s artistic director Sarah Quick, who is originally from England, pens her annual pantos in traditional British fashion, and this year’s is no exception. Aladdin runs from December 6 to 15 at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon.
Aladdin is a comic take on the classic Middle-Eastern folk tale “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp,” with the title character encountering many wonderful characters during his thrilling adventure. Besides Princess So Shi, the object of Aladdin’s affections, evil Abanazar, and clumsy Genie-of-the-Ring are also among the cast of adult actors that includes Kevin Sepaul, Rebecca Anne Bloom, Maya Doherty, and more than 40 local youths — with Globus Theatre artistic producer James Barrett once again taking on the Dame role as Aladdin’s mother, the Widow Twankey.
Quick assures her version of Aladdin is “funny, irreverent, topical, and so much fun.” With 17 pantos under her belt, I think we can believe her.
Performance dates are December 6, 7 p.m., and December 7, 13 and 14, 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinee stagings December 7 and 8 and 14 and 15. An optional Christmas dinner is available at 6 p.m. prior to the evening performances.
Tickets are $35 ($22.50 for children 12 and under) for the show only, or $85 ($42.50 for children 10 and under) for the show and dinner. For tickets, visit www.globustheatre.com or phone 705-738-2037.
Linda Kash is Scrooge reimagined in New Stages Theatre’s comedic take on another classic tale
After a successful holiday show last December, Peterborough’s New Stages Theatre is staging another twist on a favourite festive tale from December 11 to 15, 2024 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. Katie Leamen’s “A Christmas Carol Comedy” transforms the classic tale by Charles Dickens into a hilarious two-person production, with Linda Kash as the Christmas-hating Scrooge and Kerry Griffin as every other character. Directed by Mark Wallace, the actors are joined by local legend Beau Dixon as musical director, who will lead a holiday sing-along ahead of each performance and will also provide musical accompaniment for the play. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Peterborough’s New Stages Theatre is bringing us yet another new take on a classic tale in the form of A Christmas Carol Comedy from December 11 to 14 at the Market Hall.
Written by Canadian playwright Katie Leaman and based on Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella A Christmas Carol, it will see one actor play Ebenezer Scrooge and another actor perform all the other roles. That require two performers with considerable acting chops, and director Mark Wallace (New Stages’ artistic director) is leaning heavily on the huge talents of Linda Kash as Scrooge and Canadian Comedy Award winner Kerry Griffin as everyone else.
Suitable for all ages, the play combines shades of Monty Python humour with Dickens’ Ghosts of Past, Present and Future — the result being lots of improv, laughter, and a stocking full of holiday spirit.
No Porpoise Productions debuted A Christmas Carol Comedy in 2014 in Waterford, Ontario, and it has since been restaged across Ontario and south of the border. As for Dickens’ classic story, there have been more than 100 stage and screen adaptations since the early 1900s.
A huge bonus is the involvement of local musician, playwright, director and actor Beau Dixon as the production’s musical director. Prior to each staging, he’ll lead a holiday music sing-along before providing musical accompaniment for the stage antics of the very talented Kash and Griffin.
Performances are at 7 p.m. from December 11 to 14, with 2 p.m. matinees December 14 and 15. Tickets cost $40 ($20 for children, arts workers, students and the under waged) and are available at tickets.markethall.org.
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Encore
The artwork featured in ReFrame’s 2025 posters, tickets, website, and merchandise was produced through a commissioned collaboration between artists Alice Olsen Williams, an Indigenous quilt maker, and Gillian Turnham, a practitioner of traditional Islamic geometric art, with the resulting artwork digitally rendered by Michael Morritt. (Graphic: ReFrame Film Festival)
A huge shout-out to longtime Peterborough music superfan Les Manley who put together the Musicians’ Appreciation Party held November 14 at The Social in downtown Peterborough. A packed club was wholly entertained by a number of area musicians, each of whom were treated like royalty as a nod to their years of entertaining. I was on hand for the first bit of the party and it was a great time, enhanced by sharing a table with Rick and Gailie Young and their bandmate Paul Clark. Manley said his motivation for putting on the event, which saw donated admissions pay for a gift for each musician, was seeing too many near-empty musician tip jars at shows he has been to. As such, he stepped up to say two very simple but all too often left unsaid words: thank you.
Looking beyond the Christmas hubbub are local film buffs, whose sights are set on the 21st edition of Peterborough’s ReFrame Film Festival. It was recently announced it will be held January 23 to 26 with screenings at Market Hall and Showplace, while the festival’s virtual on-demand program will be available across Canada from January 27 to February 2. In total, more than 50 acclaimed films focused on social and environmental issues will be screened. Watch for more details early in the new year at reframefilmfestival.ca.
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