Located at 290 George Street North in downtown Peterborough, Showplace Performance Centre has a 632-seat mainstage theatre including a large stage, orchestra pit, and green room as well as a lower-level multi-purpose room with a seating capacity of 100. (Photo: Showplace Performance Centre)
Showplace Performance Centre has hired Scott Lale as its new executive director, the not-for-profit organization announced on Wednesday (October 25).
Born in Brampton, the 55-year-old Lale has over two decades of experience in theatre operations and management, primarily in the City of Brampton where his roles included artistic director and executive producer, arts and culture manager, and supervisor of cultural and community engagement.
In his arts and culture manager role, Lale was responsible for Rose Theatre, Lester B. Pearson Theatre, Heritage Theatre, and Shakespeare in the Square, which he founded. He also has experience as a member of the board of directors for the Guelph Arts Council and the City of Guelph’s Cultural Advisory Committee.
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Lale became a professional actor at the age of 15 and has performed in and directed many shows. In 2002, he was accepted as a member of the Shakespeare’s Globe International Fellowship in London, England, where he received the Christopher Plummer International Fellowship from Shakespeare’s Globe Centre of Canada. In 2014, he was inducted into Brampton’s Arts Walk of Fame, alongside four others including actor Michael Cera, a Brampton native who credits Lale for helping him with his acting.
“Scott is just what Showplace needs right now to take it to the next level as a performing arts centre as we launch our audience development and strategic planning process,” says Showplace board chair Ken Doherty in a media release. “His experience as a classically trained performer, director, producer, and instructor is a bonus.”
As Lale transitions into the new role, which he began on Monday, he is working closely with Showplace’s interim general manager Wayne Bonner.
“I am honoured and incredibly excited to be working in this beautiful space with such an energized team and focused board,” Lale says. “I am feeling very lucky. Peterborough has such a vibrant and active arts community. Engaging with these folks is going to be so exciting.”
Lale replaces former general manager Emily Martin, who left Showplace in April after nine years to assume the position of artistic and administrative coordinator of Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre.
Superstar musician Taylor Swift is performing six concert dates in Toronto in November 2023 as part of her Eras Tour. (Promotional graphic)
Peterborough police are warning the public after several Peterborough residents have been scammed in a search for much-coveted tickets to Taylor Swift’s six concerts in November at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Police say they have received four reports in the past few weeks about fraudulent sales of tickets for the upcoming concerts. The frauds have occurred through Facebook groups or Facebook Marketplace and total almost $6,000.
In each case, the victim made a payment to the alleged seller who then either deleted their Facebook account or blocked the victim, leaving them with neither their money nor tickets.
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“Sadly, we see these types of frauds increase in relation to events such as high-profile concerts that are sold out,” says detective constable Ryan Black of the fraud unit. “We ask people to be extra cautious, especially if a sale or offer seems too good to be true.”
The fraud unit is also reminding people to be extra cautious about purchasing any items through online means including Facebook and Kijiji. Always try to exchange items and money in a public space and never meet anybody alone.
If you are the victim of a fraud, you can report it to Peterborough police through 9-1-1 in an emergency situation or at the non-emergency line 705-876-1122 or online at the Peterborough police website at www.peterboroughpolice.com.
Luther Ford as Prince Harry, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, and Ed McVey as Prince William in the sixth and final season of "The Crown," the only season to be produced following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The sixth season is expected to be set between 1997 and 2005 and will depict the premiership of Tony Blair, the death of Diana, the early relationship of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. The first four episodes of the final season will debut on Netflix on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Netflix)
Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada. Here are a few highlights of what’s coming to Netflix in November.
This first part of the sixth and final season of The Crown debuts on Netflix in November. Queen Elizabeth II reflects on her legacy and lineage as Diana dazzles the public in the final weeks of her life, and the monarchy faces a reckoning.
The first four episodes will be released on Thursday, November 16th, with the remaining sixth on Thursday, December 14th.
VIDEO: “The Crown” trailer
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The 2021 Korean survival drama series Squid Game, where 456 financially strapped contestants competed in a series of deadly children’s games to win a increasingly large prize, was a huge hit for Netflix during the pandemic.
Instead of a second season, Netflix is releasing the reality competition series Squid Game: The Challenge, where 456 real players compete in a series of games inspired by the original show for a prize of $4.56 million. Of course, the competitors eliminated in this series get to walk away from the game with their lives.
Squid Game: The Challenge premieres on Wednesday, November 22nd with new episodes released every week.
VIDEO: “Squid Game: The Challenge” trailer
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Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning 2014 war novel by Anthony Doerr, the Netflix series All the Light We Cannot See tells the story of Marie-Laure Leblanc (Aria Mia Loberti), a blind French girl taking refuge with her father and reclusive uncle in St. Malo, France and Werner (Louis Hofmann), a brilliant teenager enlisted by Hitler’s regime with an expertise in radio repair. Together they share a secret connection that will become a beacon of light that leads them through the harrowing backdrop of World War II. The series comes to Netflix on Thursday, November 2.
VIDEO: “All the Light We Cannot See” trailer
The Netflix coming-of-age animated musical comedy Leo stars actor and comedian Adam Sandler as the jaded 74-year-old lizard Leo who has has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle (Bill Burr). When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside but instead gets caught up in the problems of his anxious students, including an impossibly mean substitute teacher. The family-friendly film premieres on Netflix on Tuesday, November 21.
VIDEO: “Leo” trailer
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Nyad is a biographical drama film that tells the true story of athlete Diana Nyad who, at the age of 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach, commits to achieving her life-long dream to swim 110 miles across the open ocean from Cuba to Florida. It was released in selected theatre on October 20 and will stream on Netflix on Friday, November 3rd.
Rustin is another biographical drama film, telling the story of American social activist Bayard Rustin who faced racism and homophobia as he helped change the course of civil rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. The film will be released in selected theatres on November 3 before coming to Netflix on Friday, November 17th.
Netflix documentaries include Sly, which tells the story of Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone, who has entertained millions for nearly 50 years with iconic characters and blockbuster franchises from Rocky to Rambo to The Expendables. This retrospective documentary offers an intimate look at the Oscar-nominated actor-writer-director-producer, paralleling his inspirational underdog story with the indelible characters he has brought to life. Sly debuts on Netflix on Friday, November 3rd.
VIDEO: “Sly” trailer
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Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman’s documentary American Symphony follows celebrated musician Jon Batiste as he experiences his greatest professional success (he dominated the 2022 Grammys) at the same time his wife faces her greatest personal challenge (Suleika Jaouad is battling leukemia). The critically acclaimed film, which had its world premiere at the 48th Telluride Film Festival, debuts on Netflix on Thursday, November 29th.
Other Netflix films in November include Locked In (Nov. 1), The Killer (Nov. 10), The Netflix Cup: Swing to Survive (Nov. 14), Best. Christmas. Ever! (Nov. 16), and Family Switch (Nov. 30). Other Netflix series in November include season seven of Selling Sunset (Nov. 3) and Obliterated and part two of season five of Virgin River (both on Nov. 30).
Theatrically released films coming to Netflix include A Knight’s Tale, The Addams Family, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and The Perfect Storm (all on Nov. 1), Chasing Liberty and The Great Wall (both on Nov. 7), Don’t Breathe, National Security, and Smile (all on Nov. 15), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Nov. 16), What a Girl Wants (Nov. 21), Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (Nov. 24), The Silencing (Nov. 29), and No Country for Old Men and Reasonable Doubt (both on Nov. 30).
VIDEO: New on Netflix Canada in November 2023
Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in November by date, along with what’s leaving.
Coming in November (no release date specified)
Elena Knows (Netflix film) – As her Parkinson’s disease progresses, a woman leads a relentless investigation into finding those responsible for the sudden death of her daughter.
The Railway Men (Netflix series) – After a deadly gas leaks from a factory in Bhopal, brave railway workers risk their lives to save others in the face of an unspeakable disaster.
Replacing Chef Chico (Netflix series) – When a head chef falls into a coma, it’s up to his devoted sous-chef to keep their Filipino fine dining restaurant from closing down.
Wednesday, November 1
Hurricane Season (Netflix film) – When a group of kids finds a corpse floating in a canal, the brutal reality behind the perverse crime unravels a town’s hidden secrets.
Locked In (Netflix film) – A kindly nurse tries to unlock the secrets of a coma patient’s injuries — and discovers the bitter rivalry, infidelity, betrayal and murder behind them.
Mysteries of the Faith (Netflix documentary) – A sweeping docuseries exploring the secrets of Christianity’s most legendary artifacts. From the Veil of the Veronica to the Holy Nails, these cherished objects have mystified and inspired millions for centuries, but only a few have seen them up close and personal. Until now.
Nuovo Olimpo (Netflix film) – In 1970s Rome, a casual encounter between Enea and Pietro at a movie theatre turns into an unforgettable romance — until destiny pulls them apart.
Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom (Netflix documentary) – Did Jens Soering murder his girlfriend’s parents in 1985 — or was she the killer? This docuseries digs into questions that still swirl around the case.
Wingwomen (Netflix film) – Tired of life on the run, a pro thief decides to retire — but not before one easy last job with her partner in crime and a feisty new getaway driver.
A Knight’s Tale
The Addams Family
Chained
Dear Evan Hansen
Love in the Wild: Season 1
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
New Amsterdam: Seasons 1-5
Old
The Perfect Storm
Thursday, November 2
All the Light We Cannot See (Netflix series) – In the final days of WWII, the paths of a blind French girl and a German soldier collide in a story of the extraordinary power of human connection. Directed by Shawn Levy and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr.
Cigarette Girl (Netflix series) – A gifted artisan’s journey of love and self-discovery unfolds as she defies tradition within Indonesia’s clove cigarette industry in the 1960s.
Higuita: The Way of the Scorpion (Netflix documentary) – From poverty to soccer legend, this documentary captures the rise of Colombia’s René Higuita, his revolutionary career and the birth of “The Scorpion.”
Onimusha (Netflix anime) – With a demonic weapon in hand, a wandering swordsman-for-hire and a samurai brotherhood take on an uprising of the undead.
Unicorn Academy (Netflix family) – When a dark force threatens to destroy Unicorn Island, a brave teen and her five schoolmates must rise up to protect their beloved magical academy.
Friday, November 3
Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix anime) – Driven by a dream of revenge against the white father who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.
Daily Dose of Sunshine (Netflix series) – A kind-hearted nurse working in psychiatry goes above and beyond to be a ray of light for those under her care, despite the challenges coming her way.
Ferry: The Series (Netflix series) – Desperate for funds, Ferry Bouman stumbles upon a golden opportunity when a high-profile bust leaves a vacant position among Brabant’s top dealers.
Nyad (Netflix film) – The remarkable true story of athlete Diana Nyad who, at the age of 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach, commits to achieving her life-long dream: a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida.
Selling Sunset: Season 7 (Netflix series) – Set in the world of LA’s high-end real estate, Selling Sunset follows the city’s most successful female realtors who all work under the same roof at The Oppenheim Group, the #1 agency in the Hollywood Hills and the Sunset Strip. They work hard and play harder, as they compete with the cutthroat LA market … and each other.
Sly (Netflix documentary) – His love of film began as an escape from a rocky childhood. From underdog to Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone tells his story in this documentary.
The Tailor: Season 3 (Netflix series) – Peyami’s feelings for Esvet intensify, forcing him to make the difficult choice between their love and his lifelong friendship with Dimitri.
Vacaciones de verano (Netflix film) – When two friends lose their jobs and find gigs as children’s entertainers at a luxury hotel, they sneak in their kids to give them a summer vacation.
Tuesday, November 7
Chasing Liberty
Face Off: Seasons 4-5
The Great Wall
The Improv: 60 and Still Standing (Netflix comedy) – The Improv turns 60 with original performances from today’s most celebrated artists and biggest concert acts, along with exclusive and rarely seen moments from one of the largest comedy archives. It’s a one-night event to honour artists who defined comedy and culture for decades… all while standing in front of a simple brick wall.
Wednesday, November 8
The Billionaire, the Butler and the Boyfriend (Netflix documentary) – How did a conflict between the world’s wealthiest woman and her daughter spiral into national scandal? This riveting docuseries tells the whole story.
The Claus Family 3 (Netflix film) – When the delivery of presents goes wrong and Grandpa Noël gets in trouble, siblings Jules and Noor must work together to save Christmas. Can they do it?
Cyberbunker: The Criminal Underworld (Netflix documentary) – This documentary reveals how a group of hackers powered the darkest corners of the internet from a Cold War-era bunker in a quiet German tourist town.
Escaping Twin Flames (Netflix documentary) – In our digital era, why not turn to the internet to find your soulmate? Enter Jeff and Shaleia, the leaders of Twin Flames Universe who sell online classes that guarantee harmonious union with your destined partner. From the Emmy-nominated filmmaking team behind Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, comes Escaping Twin Flames, a three-part documentary series that pulls back the veil on Twin Flames Universe, a controversial online community that preys on people looking for love. With exclusive access to former members, the series reveals the horrifying stories of coercion and exploitation surrounding Twin Flames Universe – from encouraging stalking behaviour to manipulating gender identities. The series also documents the active efforts of family members to rescue their loved ones from Jeff and Shaleia’s web.
Robbie Williams (Netflix documentary) – After 25 years of his record-breaking solo career, Robbie looks back on his younger self and reflects on a lifetime spent in the spotlight.
Thursday, November 9
Akuma Kun (Netflix anime) – Akuma Kun, a boy raised by a demon, works with his half-human partner Mephisto III as paranormal investigators to solve various murder and mysteries.
Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre (Netflix documentary) – Guillermo del Toro, Rian Johnson and other film luminaries look back at LA’s historic Egyptian Theatre as it returns to its former movie palace glory.
Friday, November 10
At the Moment (Netflix series) – This anthology series set during the pandemic follows 10 unique love stories of passion and heartache.
The Killer (Netflix film) – After a fateful near miss, an assassin battles his employers — and himself — on an international hunt for retribution he insists isn’t personal.
Team Ninja Warrior: Season 2
Tuesday, November 14
Criminal Code (Netflix series) – To crack the code of an investigation into a larger-than-life robbery, federal agents need to get creative.
Dubai Bling: Season 2 (Netflix series) – New relationships, new love and plenty of new drama as Dubai’s favourite frenemies ball out and fall out in epic fashion.
How to Become a Mob Boss (Netflix documentary) – Narrator Peter Dinklage guides you through this darkly satirical how-to guide that explores the rise and fall of history’s most notorious mob bosses — from Al Capone to Pablo Escobar — and their tactics for success.
The Netflix Cup: Swing to Survive (Netflix film) – This fall, in a clash of wheels and irons, stars of two Netflix sports series will face off in The Netflix Cup, Netflix’s first-ever live sports event featuring athletes from Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Full Swing. The Formula 1® drivers and PGA TOUR professionals will pair up to compete in a match play tournament at Wynn Golf Club at Wynn Las Vegas, The Netflix Cup is set to stream live on Netflix beginning at 3p.m. PT / 6p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 14th.
Suburræterna (Netflix series) – While chaos rules over Rome, established alliances are at risk as tensions rise with emerging clans. The world of “Suburra” takes a new turn.
Wednesday, November 15
Don’t Breathe
Feedback (PL) (Netflix series) – A former rock star with a faulty memory and a family in shambles, all due to his addiction problem, sets off on a frantic search to find his missing son.
Matt Rife: Natural Selection (Netflix comedy) – A new stand-up special from comedian Matt Rife.
Million Dollar Decorators: Season 1
National Security
Saving Hope: Seasons 1-5
Smile
Thursday, November 16
Best. Christmas. Ever! (Netflix film) – After a twist of fate brings their families together for Christmas, Charlotte sets out to prove her old friend Jackie’s life is too good to be true.
The Crown: Season 6 Part 1 (Netflix series) – Queen Elizabeth II reflects on her legacy and lineage as Diana dazzles the public in the final weeks of her life and the monarchy faces a reckoning.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
In Love and Deep Water (Netflix film) – Romance, mystery and mayhem unfolds aboard a luxury liner heading for the Aegean Sea when a butler and a passenger try to solve a baffling murder.
Friday, November 17
All-Time High (Netflix film) – A con artist in dire need of cash and a woman with a crypto fortune hit it off. Is she the target of his dreams, or is the scammer about to get scammed?
Believer 2 (Netflix film) – A determined detective continues his search for the truth behind Asia’s largest drug organization and its elusive boss he has unfinished business with.
CoComelon Lane (Netflix family) – Join your favourite “CoComelon” characters on imaginative adventures as they explore feelings — and the world around them — in this story-driven series.
The Dads (Netflix documentary) – In this gentle meditation on fatherhood, brotherhood and manhood, five fathers of trans children join Dennis Shepard — the father of slain gay college student Matthew Shepard — for a weekend fishing trip in rural Oklahoma. As the men cast their lines into the river, they find common ground across racial, geographical and generational lines: their unconditional love for their children.
The Queenstown Kings (Netflix film) – After his father’s death, a washed-up soccer star returns to rural Queenstown and struggles to connect with his son, a promising player with big dreams.
Rustin (Netflix film) – Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.
Sagrada Familia: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Haunted by the past, Gloria will stop at nothing to carve out a future for her family while new schemes and mysteries bubble up in the neighbourhood.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix anime) – Scott Pilgrim meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, but learns he must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. Then things get even more complicated.
Stamped from the Beginning (Netflix documentary) – Using innovative animation and expert insights, this documentary based on Ibram X. Kendi’s bestseller explores the history of racist ideas in America.
Monday, November 20
Shahs of Sunset: Seasons 1-2
Tuesday, November 21
American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story
Leo (Netflix family) – Adam Sandler is a lizard named Leo in this coming-of-age musical comedy about the last year of elementary school as seen through the eyes of a class pet.
What a Girl Wants
Wednesday, November 22
Crime Diaries: The Celebrity Stylist (Netflix film) – When an up-and-coming stylist is found stabbed to death in his home, a young detective is given 20 days to solve the case. Inspired by true events.
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America: Season 2 (Netflix documentary) – In season two of the immersive award-winning docu-series High on the Hog, host Stephen Satterfield travels across the United States to uncover how African-American cuisine has fuelled social justice movements, transformed communities and awakened cultural creativity in America in powerful and lasting ways.
Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix series, new episodes released weekly through December 6) – 456 real players will enter the competition show in pursuit of a life-changing reward of USD $4.56 million. As they compete through a series of games inspired by the original show — plus surprising new additions — their strategies, alliances, and character will be put to the test while competitors are eliminated around them.
Thursday, November 23
My Daemon (Netflix anime) – To save his mother, a kind-hearted boy and his tiny daemon friend set out on a journey across post-apocalyptic Japan as dark forces close in.
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Chapter 6 (Netflix family) – Opaline has captured nearly all the power of Equestria, and time’s running out! Can the ponies team up with the dragons to save magic and restore peace?
Friday, November 24
A Nearly Normal Family (Netflix series) – The world of a seemingly perfect family shatters when a shocking murder proves that they’re willing to make desperate moves to protect each other.
Doi Boy (Netflix film) – A refugee builds a new identity as a sex worker in Thailand and gets caught up in a client’s risky scheme that might lead to a better life.
I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me (Netflix film) – A writer’s career — and entire life — suddenly goes off script when he falls prey to a dangerous web of criminals right before moving to Barcelona.
Last Call for Istanbul (Netflix film) – A chance meeting at the airport leads two married people to an unforgettable night full of excitement, desire, and temptation in New York City.
My Demon (Netflix series) – Chaebol heiress Do Do Hee is an adversary to many, and Jung Koo Won is a powerful entity superior to humans. However, one day, Jung Koo Won loses his powers. Forced to collaborate with Do Do Hee to regain them, sparks of romance begin to fly between them as they embark on this journey together.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Wedding Games (Netflix film) – When Alex and Eva choose to exchange vows at the very spot they first crossed paths, a series of hilarious missteps derails their journey to the altar.
Monday, November 27
Go Dog Go: Season 4 (Netflix family) – Tag and her best friend Scooch love lending a paw to their friends around Pawston, whether it’s delivering cookie boxes or hosting the Dogcathalon!
Tuesday, November 28
Comedy Royale (Netflix series) – Hand-picked by Korean comedy icons, five teams of rising comics battle for a chance to host in a Netflix show — delivering nonstop, zany laughter.
Love Like a K-Drama (Netflix series) – Four actresses from Japan go to South Korea to audition and act alongside Korean actors for roles in a series of love stories. Will true romance follow?
Onmyoji (Netflix anime) – In the gilded enclave of the imperial court, a gifted mystic befriends a brilliant musician, and together they solve cases rising from the demonic realm.
Verified Stand-Up (Netflix comedy) – 10 comics. 10 sets. 1 show. Introducing: Verified Stand-Up, a new stand-up comedy series Filmed at Webster Hall in New York City, the series features 10 of the best comedians in the game: Asif Ali, Dulcé Sloan, Gianmarco Soresi, Isiah Kelly, Leslie Liao, Nimesh Patel, Robby Hoffman, Rosebud Baker, Sabrina Wu, and Vanessa Gonzalez. Over the course of two-episodes, discover your new favourite comedian.
Wednesday, November 29
American Symphony (Netflix documentary) – Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman’s film follows celebrated musician Jon Batiste as he experiences his greatest professional success (he dominated the 2022 Grammys) at the same time his wife faces her greatest personal challenge (Suleika Jaouad is battling leukemia).
Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife (Netflix documentary) – This shocking docuseries about one of the biggest frauds in modern medical history exposes a thoracic surgeon famous for groundbreaking achievements in the field of regenerative medicine.
The Silencing
Thursday, November 30
The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday (Netflix family) – Mr. Wolf and his crew of animal outlaws realize they’ll need to restore the city’s Christmas spirit to keep their annual holiday heist afloat.
Family Switch (Netflix film) – Jess and Bill Walker are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout? Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers and Brady Noon star in this family comedy directed by McG and based on the book “Bedtime For Mommy” by Amy Krouse-Rosenthal.
Hard Days (Netflix film) – Already running from a mess of problems, a desperate cop thinks he’s gotten away with a hit-and-run. But there was a witness, and they’ve got his number.
No Country for Old Men
Obliterated (Netflix series) – An elite special forces team must thwart a deadly threat in Las Vegas in this high-octane action-comedy series from the creators of “Cobra Kai.”
Reasonable Doubt
Virgin River: Season 5 Part 2 (Netflix series) – Mel adjusts to a different pace of life, Jack works to grow his business, and the town faces new threats as secrets begin to surface in Virgin River.
The fall 'Porch Pirates for Good' porch food drive to help restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share takes place on October 28, 2023. (Photo: Kawartha Food Share / Facebook)
Peterborough’s ‘Porch Pirates for Good’ are back on Saturday (October 28) for their eighth semi-annual porch food drive to help restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share.
On Saturday morning, people are asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch. Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers will drive around the city, collect the donated items, and deliver them to the Kawartha Food Share warehouse.
In keeping with the ‘porch pirates for good’ theme, many of the volunteers will be dressed in pirate garb. Organizers ask people to mark their bag of donated items as being for Porch Pirates for Good so volunteers can easily spot it from the street (you can download and print the flyer below if you don’t have one).
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While any non-perishable food items are appreciated, items in the greatest demand include peanut butter, canned tuna, canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned soup and stew, pasta and pasta sauce, and macaroni and cheese.
Other needed items include breakfast cereal, gluten-free items including pasta, and individually packaged school snacks for children such as apple sauce, fruit cups, and chewy bars.
Needed non-food items includie toiletries, feminine hygiene products, and diapers.
Kawartha Food Share assists more than 7,600 people every month through 36 member agencies. Each month, the organization serves more than 4,500 children under the age of 18.
According to Food Banks Canada’s 2023 HunterCount report, there were a record-breaking 1.9 million visits to food banks in Canada in March, far surpassing last year’s then-record number of visits. Inflationary food costs, housing costs, low wages, and low provincial social assistance rates continue to be the main reasons people visit food banks, with an increasing number of newcomers to Canada also relying on them.
Instead of donating food, you can also help by making a monetary donation — for every $1 donated, Kawartha Food Share can purchase up to $3 worth of food. Volunteers will be able to collect cheques or cash during on October 28, or you can donate online at kawarthafoodshare.com.
New Stages Theatre Company's founding artistic director Randy Read (right) with Sergio Di Zio during a staged reading of Rick Chafe's "The Secret Mask" in May 2023. In Read's first return to the stage since suffering a serious injury the previous fall, he performed as a man recovering from a stroke. Read's 25 years at the helm of New Stages will be celebrated in the cabaret show "Let's Get Randy" at the Market Hall in downtown Peterborough on November 17, 2023. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
There’s nothing like a night out with friends to lift one’s spirits.
For 25 years, as artistic director of New Stages Peterborough, Randy Read facilitated an incredible night out for thousands of theatre lovers. On Friday, November 17th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough, the tables will be turned as many of his cherished stage friends come together to pay homage to his loving guidance of the theatre company that he founded in 1997.
Billed as ‘an outrageous and joyous cabaret tribute,’ Let’s Get Randy will feature top performers, both local and from afar, including multi Canadian Screen Award nominated actress Sharron Matthews (Frank Drake Mysteries), who will host what promises to be an over-the-top affair.
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Among those performing will be Peterborough’s own Kate Suhr and Stratford Festival mainstay Steve Ross, Read’s partner of 31 years. There are several others in the mix but who they are is being kept a surprise for the man they’re gathering to salute.
“They asked me if I want to know and I said ‘No, I would rather be surprised,'” says Read, who will sing the show’s second last song. “The (New Stages Peterborough) board and (artistic director) Mark (Wallace) decided to do this and asked me if it was OK. Who wouldn’t feel good about this? I’m very touched and honoured.”
“I sort of wish a few people would say some rotten things about me because God knows I’m not perfect. Will the audience learn something about me they don’t know? Well, I think they know I’m gay but, if not, maybe I’ll break the news to them that night.”
A dashing 26-year-old Randy “Randall” Read in 1979, after he graduated from Trent University in Peterborough and moved to Toronto to pursue a theatrical career. (Photo courtesy of Randy Read)
Since Read revealed he was stepping down as the company’s artistic director last year, he hasn’t had a whole lot of reason to smile.
In November, while riding his bicycle, he was struck by a truck and suffered a devastating pelvic fracture. After it was pieced backed together at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital, Read was bedridden for three months. He’ll return to Sunnybrook on November 29 for hip replacement surgery that was delayed due the seriousness of his pelvic injuries.
“I can’t walk without a cane,” he says. “Unless the part calls for a guy with a cane, I can’t audition for anything. For years, I started every single day singing and dancing for an hour, an hour and a half. I hate that I can’t do that now.”
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If that’s not enough to bring down his normally upbeat persona, Read has “lost three very close friends in the last three months.”
Clearly, a great night out with friends will prove to be the perfect medicine. In the meantime, Read finds comfort in reflecting on his journey to this point.
Raised in Mount Pleasant east of Peterborough, Read says he knew by age 12 that a life working in theatre was his destiny.
“My siblings have said ‘You’re so damn lucky. You always knew what you wanted to do,'” he recalls. “I had read a biography of Mozart and Beethoven. I would break into the Mount Pleasant Woman’s Institute Hall through a basement window and stand on the stage and give lectures about Mozart and Beethoven to an empty room. We rehearsed our school Christmas concert at the same hall. That was so thrilling for me.”
Randy Read in 2004, seven years after launching Peterborough New Stages as a summer theatre company. Following a single production that first season, the company went on to become a small regional theatre company that presented plays and staged readings year round. (Photo courtesy of Randy Read)
Later, as an English literature student at Trent University, Read immersed himself wholly in theatre circles, acting in a number of university productions and Peterborough Theatre Guild stagings.
“Dennis Sweeting, who ran the Academy Theatre in Lindsay, saw me in a play at Trent and hired me for a summer season there.”
Upon graduating in 1978, Read sought bigger stages in Toronto.
“The competition was so stiff,” he remembers. “You would go to an audition and you would look around and you would feel like there were 10 carbon copies of you in the room.”
With the help of an agent, Read subsequently went where the roles were — Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Edmonton were among the stops. Come 1992, after accepting an offer from Canadian Stage Company artistic director Bob Baker to be his assistant and casting director, Read was fully in his element.
“On the first day of rehearsal for a play, everybody would sit around a table for a reading, including the caretaker,” recalls Read.
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Wanting “to bring that same sense of camaraderie to a theatre company in my hometown,” he returned to his roots, another factor in that decision being a desire to be closer to his mom who was struggling with COPD and rheumatoid arthritis.
Noting “Peterborough was half redneck and half arts,” Read banked on the latter half supporting a new theatre company. In 1997, he debuted Peterborough New Stages as a summer theatre company, staging one production that first season.
“We were doing summer theatre for a couple of years and then the Peterborough Theatre Guild says ‘Oh, we should do summer theatre too,'” Read recalls. “They were charging $12 a ticket. With our actors being paid union rates, we couldn’t that.”
“But it was actually a good thing. We moved toward producing throughout the year and became sort of a small regional theatre. Doing it throughout the year allowed us go a bit deeper in what plays we chose to do.”
Randy Read performing in Morris Panych’s “Vigil.” (Photographer unknown, photo courtesy of Mark Wallace)
The ensuing years, says Read, saw “the odd clunker” staged but on reflection, he’s “very proud of the work we did. I was very careful when choosing the plays we would stage. I got better at it, I think.”
“One of the very worst scripts we took on was Menopositive, a musical about women going through menopause. Well, people came out in droves. It’s not always the best work that brings people out. Look at Stratford. Shakespeare is Shakespeare but they have to do musicals to survive because people want them. Musicals have sort of kept them going in a way.”
“I never took a salary over the first 20 years. Everybody got paid but me. I loved it, so it didn’t bother me. I was able to survive.”
Read asked Wallace to join New Stages’ board of directors, which he did. A Dora Mavor Moore Award recipient, Wallace moved to Peterborough more than 15 years ago and has since acted in New Stages productions and served as associate artistic director before being named artistic director last year.
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“Mark is a very different person than me,” notes Read of his successor. “It was time to for me step aside. I’m 70 years old. I’m fairly with it, but I’m not young. Mark has fresher ideas. He has two kids, a different life than mine, and thus he has a different perspective.”
Now, as his special night draws near, Read hopes it’s as much a celebration of New Stages as it is a tribute to the huge role he has played in its success and his promotion of the arts.
“God knows I didn’t do anything on my own,” he says. “I loved it for 25 years but I was really ready to hand the reins over to Mark. I had done most of the plays on my bucket list, if not all of them. I say it facetiously but I am old. It needs new and younger blood. I’m glad it has survived and I was able to hand it over to somebody.”
Randy Read performing as “The Stage Manager” in a full-cast production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in 2017. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
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Read clarifies Let’s Get Randy is a celebration, not an obituary.
“My life isn’t over — I have a lot of stuff I want to do,” he says. “During COVID, Mary Breen asked me if I wanted to take her memory writing class by Zoom. I started writing short stories about growing up in Mount Pleasant, some very funny and some very tragic. I want to continue on that path.”
“I always wanted to try writing short stories about growing up there. It has just sort of poured out of me. Maybe I’ll put it all together and create a one-man show out of it. Who knows how long we have? It’s important to keep learning and growing right up until they put you under.”
Away from the stage, his relationship with Ross remains solid, albeit Ross’ work in Stratford means considerable time apart.
“We’re apart so much, a lot of our friends say ‘That’s why you’re so happy together’,” laughs Read.
Di Latchford and Randy Read performing in Eugene Ionesco’s play “The Chairs” at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough in 2018. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
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Ahead, once he’s fully recovered from his injuries, Read wants to do something he planned to do late last year — host an open-to-all dance at Market Hall to mark his December birthday.
“I love to dance. I’m hoping to do that for my 72nd birthday (in 2024). It will be free admission, but you’re free to donate to New Stages on your way out.”
Tickets for Let’s Get Randy cost $40 — $20 for students, arts workers and the under waged — and are available online at tickets.markethall.org.
News Stages’ 2023-24 season is its biggest one yet, with eight productions from October 2023 to June 2024. For more information about the 2023-24 season, visit www.newstages.ca.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be media sponsor of New Stages Theatre Company’s 2023-24 season.
A 55-year-old Queensville man has been charged with impaired driving and driving causing death after the passenger in the off-road vehicle he was operating died following a collision in Minden on Saturday afternoon (October 21).
Shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday, Haliburton Highlands Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency services responded to a serious motor vehicle collision on Windover Drive involving a single side-by-side off road vehicle.
A 55-year-old Queensville woman who was a passenger in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver had non-life-threatening injuries.
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The roadway remained closed for several hours for a police investigation.
As a result of an investigation, police have arrested and charged the vehicle’s driver, 55-year-old Creig Tranmer of Queensville in East Gwillimbury, with operation while impaired (blood alcohol concentration of 80 plus) and operation causing death. Police did not release information about the driver’s relationship to the passenger.
The accused man, who had his driver’s licence suspended for 90 days and his vehicle impounded for seven days, is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Minden on December 6.
Anyone who may have witnessed or has video/dash camera footage of the collision and has not spoken with police is asked to contact Haliburton Highlands OPP at 705-286-1431 or toll-free at 1-888-310-1122.
Peterborough-based Living Local Marketplace has launched its holiday corporate gift guide for businesses and organizations considering special gifts for clients and colleagues that also support local artisans and small businesses. Owner Alicia Doris also works directly with corporate customers to curate gift packages based on their own ideas or specific preferences. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
With the holiday season fast approaching, Peterborough-based Living Local Marketplace is making it easy for businesses and organizations to give gifts to every colleague or client on their shopping list.
At her boutique at 1179 Chemong Road and on her online shop, owner Alicia Doris offers hundreds of unique products from artisans and small businesses in Kawarthas Northumberland and from across Ontario, specializing in locally made gourmet goods. She recently took home the Retail Award at the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Business Excellence Awards, just a year after she was honoured with the Chamber’s Local Focus Award.
The reason for both awards is clear when you browse through Living Local’s recently launched holiday corporate gift guide and when you see the store’s wide range of bath and body products, home and gourmet goods, delicious treats, and much more from over 150 Ontario-based businesses. Using the catalogue as inspiration, corporate customers can work directly with Living Local to develop unique customized gifts, curated by packaging, product, quantity, and price point.
Alicia Doris is the owner of Living Local Marketplace based in Peterborough, which offers hundreds of unique products from artisans and small businesses in Kawarthas Northumberland and from across Ontario. Her business recently won the Retail Award at the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Business Excellence Awards, after taking home the Local Focus Award the previous year. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
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“We create gifts that are very much in keeping with the business or organization, the recipients, and the intention of the gifting initiative,” Alicia explains. “The corporate gift guide is a jumping-off point.”
While Living Local has a brick-and-mortar retail store in Peterborough, Alicia originally began her business online during the early days of the pandemic as a seasonal subscription box service — a passion project designed to support local makers. During the pandemic, she also began creating custom boxes for corporate customers who wanted to send care packages to staff members who were adapting to working from home.
“Corporate gifting has really always been the foundation of Living Local,” Alicia recalls. “There is incredible power when businesses and organizations choose to recognize their staff, their colleagues, or their clients with locally made products or products from small businesses. These are powerful purchases.”
Living Local Marketplace offers unique products from local artisans, such as these Giizhic (cedar) candles from Indigenously Infused, owned and operated by Robyn Ivory Pierson in Curve Lake First Nation. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
As an advocate for choosing local, Alicia points out how important it is to support Ontario’s small businesses this holiday season. While many have been able to bounce back from the financial impact of the pandemic, they are now facing an economic slowdown.
“It’s a much more challenging time in some ways for small businesses than it was early on in the pandemic,” notes Alicia, who regularly works closely with many artisans and small businesses. “This Christmas season is going to be incredibly important and maybe even pivotal for some.”
By purchasing Living Local’s locally sourced collections for clients and colleagues, corporate gift buyers will also get the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting small businesses in a big way.
With products from more than 150 makers and small businesses, Living Local Marketplace has many options for products that can be curated into holiday gift packages fit for any corporate gift list. The “Seriously Sweet” and “A Little Hors D’Oeuvres” Santa Sacks are two gifting options that are featured in the catalogue. (Photos courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
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“Often these purchases mean strengthening the future sustainability of a small business in the community,” explains Alicia. “When I have an opportunity to order 25, 50, 100, or even more of a product from a small maker, the ripple effect of that is really significant and powerful.”
Lindsey Irwin, founder of Stoney Lake’s Old Jar Candle Co. and one of the makers featured in Living Local’s corporate gift guide, agrees.
“When someone buys in bulk from you the way that Alicia does, it increases cash flow that month,” she says. “If you need to buy supplies, which so many of us do, you’re comfortable doing that. Those big purchases are very important for makers.”
Lindsey Irwin is the founder of Stoney Lake’s Old Jar Candle Co. and one of the makers featured in Living Local’s corporate gift guide. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
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Having grown her business alongside Alicia’s, Lindsey’s sustainable candles were included in Living Local’s earliest subscription boxes. She knows first hand that another ripple effect is the exposure that comes from this type of gifting.
“I have so many people tell me they’ve seen my candles in different businesses, or they’ve been given my candles from their employer or from their colleagues, and I know it’s from Living Local’s catalogue,” Lindsey explains.
“Being on her website initially and then in her store has truly helped me grow my business.”
Living Local Marketplace’s “Forest Bathing” Santa Sack features bath products from The Willow’s Bark in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
Living Local’s catalogue already offers corporate customers plenty of themed gift ideas, whether they’re looking for packages that will be a delicious treat for their colleague — like the “Seriously Sweet” Santa Sack with Millbrook bourbon maple syrup, Buckhorn apple pie jam, and Oshawa salted caramel shortbread ($40) — or packages that will help them relax — like the “Forest Bathing” Santa Sack with bath products from Peterborough’s The Willow’s Bark ($22).
Corporate customers looking for a small package or something much larger can also work one-on-one with Alicia to develop their gifts exactly as they imagine them. Whether the client has an idea for a theme of the types of products they’d like to give or if they need suggestions, she is there to support and collaborate with them.
“Because the majority of this gifting is custom, they’re choosing the products they want to share,” Alicia says, pointing out that many corporate customers are interested in including products made in their own communities.
For example, in creating Christmas gifts for its staff for the last two years with Living Local, Peterborough County has featured and shared the work of makers in the city and county. In doing so, they recognized their employees while also supporting makers in their own community.
New this year, Living Local Marketplace is “Santa Sacks” as a sustainable packaging option, where selected collections will be packaged in a draw-string linen bag with a ribbon and matching gift tag. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
Along with customized packages, Living Local will also insert a hand-written card from the gift giver if requested. There is also an option to brand any or all of the gift giver’s Christmas tags, ribbons, and packaging. New this year, the “Santa Sack” is a sustainable packaging alternative to the various-sized gift boxes. The gifts will be packaged with a linen draw-string bag, ribbon, and matching gift tag.
One of Living Local’s longtime corporate customers is Peterborough’s Mortlock Construction Inc. The company’s vice president Craig Mortlock is a strong believer in the power of businesses working together, and has worked with Living Local for the last three years.
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“We believe that as a local business, it is our role and responsibility to support each other, and support our community — together, we are stronger,” Craig says. “But for us to pull together an arrangement of local gift items would be a challenge to source, and very time consuming as a business. Alicia does all that work for us so it’s a win, win, win.”
Adding another win to the equation, Living Local is donating $2 from the purchase of every gift box to Hospice Peterborough this holiday season.
A page from Living Local Marketplace’s 2023 holiday corporate gift guide, which owner Alicia Doris says is an “jumping-off point” to provide inspiration for businesses and organizations planning their holiday gift giving. Living Local Marketplace will donate $2 from the purchase of every gift box to Hospice Peterborough this holiday season. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
While the holidays are obviously a busy time for Alicia, Living Local supports corporate gift giving all year long, whether for an anniversary, Administrative Professionals Day, or other special occasion.
For example, last spring, Living Local created three gift collections for a parent-led faculty and staff appreciation event at Lakefield College School, which featured three different collections and offerings from seven makers.
“There are all sorts of opportunities to do this sort of gifting,” Alicia notes.
‘Quintessentially Kawarthas’ is one of Living Local’s gift boxes that shares the work of makers in our very own backyard. (Photo courtesy of Living Local Marketplace)
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As for holiday gifting, Alicia explains it’s important to start planning the gifts by early November so she can get the orders to her local makers and small businesses. This is especially important for those makers who have a time-consuming process for their creations.
“In starting early, we have an opportunity to potentially add handmade items like pottery,” Alicia points out. “That means we can include items that are really unique and personalized and quite extraordinary.”
For more holiday giving inspiration, follow Living Local Marketplace on Instagram and Facebook.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Living Local Marketplace. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
UPDATE – Northumberland OPP has advised Skye-Lynn has been located and is safe.
Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 13-year-old girl.
The missing girl, who police have identified as Skye-Lynn, was last seen on Monday (October 23) in Campbellford.
Skye-Lynn is described as 4’10” and around 95 lbs with a slim build, long red hair, and green eyes.
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She is possibly wearing a school uniform, with a blue sweater and a burgundy and yellow plaid kilt, and carrying a pink backpack.
Police are asking anyone who may have information on the whereabouts of Skye-Lynn since she was last seen to contact the Northumberland OPP detachment at 1-888-310-1122.
Peterborough resident Jane Bischoff is the organizer of the parent-led organization Girl Power, comprised of parents looking to provide a safe and supportive living environment for their adult daughters living with a development disability, including Jane's own daughter Jenny who lives with moderate autism. As an alternative option to in-home care or living in mixed group homes, which Jane believes poses a threat to the women's safety, Girl Power aims to provide a home in Peterborough for the seven women to live together with on-site care from staff and support assistants. (Photo courtesy of Jane Bischoff)
A group of local parents in the Peterborough area have banded together with a goal of providing an alternative living option for their adult daughters living with a development disability.
Update – December 2023
The organization has decided to rename their initiative “Our Daughters’ Home”.
While the ‘Girl Power’ project is in its earliest stages, the group’s vision is clear: to provide a permanent, safe, and supportive home where women with developmental disabilities can live with dignity and a high quality of life.
Currently, seven parents of adult daughters who are either living at home or in group homes have joined the project, each concerned about their daughter’s future and unimpressed by the limited options available.
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“We just want to make sure that when we’re gone, our kids have a facility that’s going to be safe for them to stay in,” explains Jane Bischoff, a Peterborough nutritionist who is the lead behind the project. “I want my daughter to be in a girls-only facility and apparently they don’t exist.”
So Jane, a single mother to 30-year-old Jenny who is diagnosed with moderate autism, is on a mission to create one. The Girl Power project will see the seven women living under one roof with support provided by trained staff members living on site.
“We’re looking to find something permanent for the girls,” Jane says. “But we want all the workers to be female and, if there is a man that enters the house, he has to have authorization. That doesn’t exist in Ontario right now.”
Allyson and Tony DeNoble have joined the Girl Power project in the hopes of providing a safe home for their daughter Brianna so she can live independently with other women with a developmental disability. Girl Power is in the process of developing a board of directors and registering as a charity to receive donations. (Photo courtesy of DeNpble family)
When she began thinking about housing options for her daughter Jenny, who is unable to live on her own, Jane connected with other parents from her daughter’s day program and found that many shared her concern for their own daughters’ safety.
“I’ve had instances where Jenny was groomed for sexual assault,” Jane points out. “I don’t want to put her in a group home where that’s prevalent.”
Jane quotes a recent media release from Inclusion Canada, a national federation supporting the inclusion and rights of people with an intellectual disability and their families, which states that people with intellectual disabilities are five times more likely than those without a disability to experience sexual assault. The release goes on to say that they are most often abused by people paid to support and care for them or people in relationships of trust.
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“Most of the group homes I’ve talked to, they say they encourage relationships between the residents,” Jane says. “As a mother of a daughter, that’s a big red flag. She can see guys during the day in her day program, but at night, no, I don’t want any men around.”
Even if Jane had trust in these homes, the wait times can be upwards of 10 years long — a particular concern for aging parents.
“The other option is to keep her at home isolated and just hire people to come in and help, but socially I don’t think that’s good for my daughter,” says Jane. “She’s very social so the more people I have around her, I think it’s going to be more stimulating to her brain.”
Helena Steers is one of the seven women who will reside in the all-female residence that Girl Power is aiming to create. The home would also have live-in support staff to create an enriching and safe independent living environment for the women. (Photo courtesy of Steers family)
Jane explains the goal of Girl Power is to appeal to “parents that want to protect their daughters from as much harm as they possibly can” by creating that alternate solution. To provide an inclusive space, Girl Power is currently seeking input from interested parents no matter their daughter’s disability or level of care required.
“We’re just looking at everybody and focusing on the dynamic of it,” says Jane. “Parents shouldn’t feel like we’re going to rule them out just because of their child’s diagnosis.”
Similarly, parents shouldn’t feel excluded based on location either, Jane says, noting one of the current members resides in Ajax.
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The parent-led organization is currently in the process of investigating real estate options in the Peterborough area, including potential opportunities with Habitat for Humanity or The Mount Community Centre.
The group has discussed if renting would allow them to secure a home much faster, though the parents are fearful that the landlord could have them removed at any moment. The aim, instead, is to find a five or six-bedroom house that would ideally be large enough for support staff to live on site as well.
“It’ll be a good opportunity for people in Peterborough that are in the field to come and work and have likely a base salary plus free room and board,” says Jane. “They would have their own separate washroom, and there would be a community room for everybody to get together if they want.”
Peterborough resident Jane Bischoff says she does not want her 30-year-old daughter Jenny, who lives with moderate autism, to reside in a mixed group home due to the prevalence of sexual assault. As Jenny cannot live on her own and in-home care would deprive her of opportunities for socialization, Jane has begun the process of developing an alternate residential solution with the help of other parents in the community. (Photo courtesy of Jane Bischoff)
As they search for real estate, the group is taking steps to ensure the process of developing the care home is efficient while still meeting the needs of the residents. Steps include forming a board of directors with financial and legal experts, creating more awareness and support through the development of a website, and exploring technologies for home and personal security.
To raise funds to pay the hired support staff, Girl Power is also in the process of applying for grants and funding through the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, and registering as a charitable organization to accept public donations.
With these steps in place, Jane hopes to have the home ready for the girls to move into within a year’s time.
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“Families that have done this in the past have taken 10 years to do it — every two weeks they met for 10 years,” Jane says. “We all decided, no, that’s not happening. We don’t have 10 years.”
A group in Peterborough called Shared Dreams for Independent Living was similarly formed by five families looking to find a home for their adult sons with an intellectual disability. Although the group first formed in 2013 and incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2015, the search for a home and the wait for government funding meant the five men were unable to move into their new home at the Mount Community Centre until 2021.
Girl Power is using the knowledge and experiences from Shared Dreams for Independent Living to speed up their own process, as well as knowledge from another similar group in Peterborough called Casa De Angelae, which provides a communal home for adult daughters living with Down syndrome.
The five residents of the all-male residence created by Peterborough non-profit organization Shared Dreams for Independent Living (back left to front right): Scott Kalbfleisch, Jason O’Donoghue, Sean Ellis, Christopher Cannon, and Matthew Elliot. The Girl Power project hopes to learn from the experience of the organization, a parent-led initiative that formed in 2013 to create a residential option for five adult men living with a disability. (Photo courtesy of Shared Dreams for Independent Living)
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This collaboration and support is exactly what Jane hopes will come out of Girl Power, which she imagines will become a guiding initiative for other cities and communities.
“We don’t necessarily want money — we just want connection.” says Jane. “What’s lacking right now is the communication between parents. That’s where the difficulty lies, because you feel isolated. You feel against the world, like there’s nothing safe for you to find for your daughter. We want to get rid of that hopeless feeling, so that’s what we’re trying to accomplish. Whatever we end up with can be a template for other families.”
Trent University student Maysie Roberts took home $1,000 as the winner of the 2023 Pitch It! entrepreneurial competition held on October 19 for her concept for a women's health app. Fleming College student Adithya Bala came in second place and won a $500 prize for his venture called EcoBites. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas)
Trent University student Maysie Roberts has won the 2023 Pitch It! entrepreneurial competition, hosted by the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
Six student finalists from Fleming College and Trent University pitched their business ideas to a panel of three judges on Thursday (October 19) at Trent Student Centre.
Roberts won first place and $1,000 for her concept for a women’s health app called Uniquely Blossom, which would specialize in reproductive anomalies and provide tailored guidance and doctor bookings.
Fleming College student Adithya Bala came in second place and won a $500 prize for his venture called EcoBites, and innovative product line offering edible flavoured straws and lids as eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics.
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The other finalists were Fleming College’s Whitney Stoner-Paget (First Five Club, focusing on innovative early childhood development), Fleming College’s Christina Bourgeois-Davis (Hand-In-Hand Childcare Solutions, aimed at streamlining child care services), Trent University’s Aruja Kulkarni (Atomation.AI, a platform for automating routine tasks), and Trent University’s John Samuel Joseph Premanand (FarmersCart, revolutionizing the way Toronto residents access farm-fresh produce through an online marketplace and pop-up stores).
The three judges for the competitions were Mega Experience Inc. CEO Catia Skinner, Adirondack Technologies Furniture Inc. founder Barry Payne, and Futurpreneur Canada business development manager Andrew Ko.
The Innovation Cluster also announced that its annual Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition, taking place on November 30, will be expanded to include not just students but also regional entrepreneurs from the Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes area. Top prizes include $3,000, $1,500, and $500 for the top three winners. Applications are open until November 3 at innovationcluster.ca/cubs-lair/.
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