Internationally recognized Canadian retail specialist Barbara Crowhurst will be the keynote speaker for Peterborough County's "The Resilient Retailer" conference on May 14, 2025 at the Cavan Monaghan Community Centre in Millbrook. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Crowhurst)
Peterborough County is aiming to equip business owners with skills and strategies for success with a full-day conference called “The Resilient Retailer,” including a keynote presentation by internationally recognized Canadian retail specialist Barbara Crowhurst.
While the event will shine a spotlight on the retail sector, business owners across all industries — from service and hospitality to manufacturing and beyond — are invited to attend the session on Wednesday, May 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the community hall of the Cavan Monaghan Community Centre at 986 Peterborough County Rd. 10 in Millbrook.
The county describes The Resilient Retailer as a “dynamic one-day event” designed to equip business leaders with the tools they need to remain profitable, adaptable, and competitive in today’s evolving economy.
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Sarah Budd, community development manager with Peterborough County’s economic development and tourism team, shared the purpose of the conference with kawarthaNOW.
“Retailers, who are often on our main streets and the heartbeat of our communities, can sometimes feel isolated and on their own without the means and ability to invest in this kind of specialized training offered at this event,” she said.
“By focusing on retail, we’re aiming to support those business owners who are essential to the vibrancy and character of our communities. That being said, all businesses are welcome to register and will benefit from the valuable insights shared by our keynote speaker Barbara Crowhurst.”
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The CEO of Retail Makeover, Crowhurst is an internationally recognized retail specialist, business coach, and speaker who has decades of experience working with some of North America’s largest retail corporations and thousands of independent business owners. Crowhurst will share some of her insights into best practices, customer engagement, merchandising, and sustainable growth.
Before Crowhurst’s keynote presentation, the day will begin with presentations on local economic development. Following the keynote presentation, the morning will conclude with information about local initiatives and upcoming business supports for the summer and fall.
After lunch, the day will continue with a panel discussion offering real-world experiences and ideas from business leaders in the region.
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“We hope that our main street businesses and retailers leave this event with the tools, resources, and confidence they need to grow their revenue and find long-term success within our communities,” Budd said. “The goal is to equip business owners with practical strategies they can apply to strengthen their operations and better adapt to change.”
Tickets are $30 for Peterborough County retailers and businesses or $45 for those from outside the county, with early-bird prices of $20 and $35 available until May 4. Visit www.ptbocounty.ca/retailevent to register.
Part of “The Local Advantage with Peterborough County” series, the conference is presented in partnership with Community Futures Peterborough.
Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating after a motorcyclist died in a collision with a vehicle that police were following on Highway 7 in Madoc in Hastings County on Sunday night (April 27).
Shortly before 8:30 p.m., Central Hastings Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received reports of a vehicle being driven erratically, westbound on Highway 7.
According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), an officer with the Central Hastings OPP then observed the suspect vehicle travelling on the highway at a high rate of speed.
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The officer proceeded to follow the vehicle and, a short time later, came across a collision between the suspect vehicle and a motorcycle in the area of Highway 7 and St. Lawrence Street West.
The motorcyclist, a 57-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the suspect vehicle, a 19-year-old man, did not suffer any serious injuries.
The OPP is continuing its investigation into the fatal collision. As the circumstances around the collision involved a police officer, the SIU has invoked its mandate and has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to the case.
Anyone who may have information about the investigation, including video or photos, is asked to contact the lead investigator for case number 15-PVD-169 at 1-800-787-8529 or online at siu.on.ca/en/appeals.php
In 2003, wife-and-husband team Sarah Quick and James Barrett founded Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon which, in 2006, became the company-in-residence at the Lakeview Arts Barn, a former cattle barn the couple transformed into contemporary 150-seat theatre with an attached restaurant. In celebration of having purchased the building and completed repairs and upgrades, Globus Theatre is hosting a disco dance trivia party fundraiser on May 10, 2025, with all proceeds supporting programming of new Canadian plays, accessible professional performances, arts education, and more. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
Having raised enough funds to purchase the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon and complete some repairs and upgrades, Globus Theatre is inviting community members to celebrate a new chapter in the charitable professional theatre company’s history with a night of trivia and disco dancing on Saturday, May 10.
The fundraising event — which takes place the evening after a performance of 10 short plays by participants in Globus Theatre’s Youth Winter Arts program — will also include a toonie auction and raffle prizes donated by sponsors, local businesses, and more.
Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, with all proceeds supporting programming of new Canadian plays, accessible professional performances, arts education, and more.
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“Our annual fundraiser is always fun, marking the shift to nicer weather and a new season here at the theatre,” says Globus Theatre co-founder and artistic director Sarah Quick in a media release.
“This year is extra special because it will be a celebration too. Our most recent fundraising endeavour, our huge capital campaign for Globus to purchase the building, resulted in enough funds being raised to do just that.”
Although the fundraising campaign raised over $1.7 million towards the building purchase and over $200,000 for improvements, it fell short of its ultimate goal of $2.5 million and Globus Theatre will still have a mortgage to pay.
Globus Theatre’s Saturday Night Disco Dance Trivia Party fundraiser takes place on May 10, 2025 at the professional theatre company’s home at 2300 Pigeon Lake Road in Bobcaygeon. (Graphic: Globus Theatre)
However, Quick adds, the sign on the building that the theatre company has been operating out of since 2006 should say “Globus Theatre” by May 10.
“We have a new roof, new curtains, new lights and a new lease on life,” she says “We can’t wait to celebrate this new chapter with everyone on May 10th.”
The fundraising celebration will feature tunes from the ’60s and ’70s until today, and attendees are encouraged to dress in their best disco attire to dance the night away. The event begins at 8 p.m. with trivia competitions and a toonie auction (and dance breaks) until 9:30 p.m., followed by “cheesy disco” and a country auction raffle until midnight. There will also be an online auction with bids opening on May 9.
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The auction and raffle prizes have been donated by Globus Theatre’s sponsors, local businesses, patrons, and students from the theatre company’s School Of Dramatic Art (SODA).
“There’s lots of exciting prizes to be won — gift cards to local gems like Just for the Halibut and Old Dog Brewing, tickets to the Stratford Festival, a photo session with a professional photographer, and so much more,” says Globus Theatre’s digital marketing intern Margaret Huntley.
In addition to staging high-quality professional theatre and concerts in the Kawartha Lakes, Globus Theatre also provides accessible dramatic arts programming to children, youth, adults, and seniors through SODA.
Representatives from the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation join with owners of local Tim Hortons in Lindsay to mark the launch of the Smile Cookie campaign that runs from April 28 to May 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)
From healthcare in Kawartha Lakes to palliative care in Northumberland County to children’s services in Peterborough, non-profit organizations in the Kawarthas are going to benefit from the Tim Hortons “Smile Cookie” campaign.
When customers buy Smile Cookies at participating restaurant locations from Monday (April 28) until May 4, 100 per cent of the proceeds will benefit partner charities.
In the City of Kawartha Lakes, one beneficiary is the Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) Foundation, with money raised supporting advancements in patient care at the Lindsay hospital.
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The RMH Foundation said in a media release that it appreciates Nick and Meaghan Chapman, owners of five Tim Hortons restaurants in Lindsay, for selecting RMH as a partner charity for the campaign.
“We’re very grateful to the Chapmans, and to all the business leaders in Kawartha Lakes who give back to their community with fundraising support for the Ross,” said RMH Foundation CEO Erin Coons. “They invite everyone to play a part in patient care, and they raise awareness of the important investments underway at the hospital.”
The purchase of Smile Cookies helps support some of the highest-priority projects at RMH, which include growing critical care capacity in the emergency department and intensive care unit, ensuring access to the best diagnostic imaging technology and leading-edge bedside equipment enabling life-saving care.
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“We are happy to be in a position to help the Ross, not just because it’s important to our family when we need care, but because it’s important to everybody,” said Nick Chapman in a statement. “We all need the hospital at some time. We look forward to this Smile Cookie campaign and appreciate our patrons’ support for important community causes.”
The Chapmans’ Tim Hortons restaurants include three locations on Kent Street West, one at the corner of County Road 36 and Mount Hope Street, and one on Highway 35 south of Highway 7. Other Lindsay-area stores are supporting Kawartha Lakes Food Source and the Humane Society of Kawartha Lakes.
Elsewhere in Kawartha Lakes, the Bobcaygeon store is supporting the Bobcaygeon Public School Breakfast Program and the Dunsford Public School Breakfast Program and the Fenelon Falls store is supporting Fenelon Falls Secondary School and Langton Public School Breakfast Program.
Tim Hortons locations in Cobourg and Colborne are supporting Community Care Northumberland’s Ed’s House and Hospice Services during the the Smile Cookie campaign that runs from April 28 to May 4, 2025. (Photo: Ed’s House / Facebook)
In Northumberland County, Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre Foundation is one recipient of the 2025 Smile Cookie fundraiser, with 100 per cent of the proceeds from every Smile Cookie sold at participating Tim Hortons locations in Cobourg and Colborne supporting the care and comfort provided by Community Care Northumberland’s Ed’s House and Hospice Services.
“We are incredibly grateful to be part of the Smile Cookie campaign this year,” said Trish Baird, CEO of Community Care Northumberland, in a media release. “Every cookie purchased helps ensure more individuals and families can receive the same compassionate, high-quality care when they need it most.”
This year’s Smile Cookies feature Tim Hortons’ new chocolate chunk cookie, hand-decorated with bright pink and blue icing smiles. Also new this year is the Smile Cookie reversible plushie — “a fun keepsake that helps support Ed’s House.” Smile cookies are $2 each plus tax.
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Community members can buy Smile Cookies for Ed’s House at Tim Hortons locations in Cobourg at 970 Division St., 1011 Division St., 432 King St. E., 125 Elgin St. W., and 749 William St., and in Colborne at 289 Big Apple Drive.
Also in Northumberland County, four Port Hope stores are supporting Navy League Cadets, with locations in Campbellford and Brighton supporting Inclusion Northumberland.
Representatives from BGC Kawarthas, Canadian Mental Health Association HKPR, and Five Counties Children’s Centre join with owners of local Tim Hortons in Peterborough, Bridgenorth, Lakefield, Curve Lake and Havelock to mark the launch of the Smile Cookie campaign that runs from April 28 to May 4. With every purchase of a Smile Cookie, people will be supporting the work of the three local charities. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties)
Meanwhile, in Peterborough, Lakefield, and Bridgenorth, most stores are supporting BGC Kawarthas Foundation, Five Counties Children’s Centre, and the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR).
“We are very grateful to Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough and the surrounding area for selecting BGC Kawarthas Foundation, CMHA HKPR, and Five Counties to be the beneficiaries of the annual Smile Cookie campaign,” said Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin in a statement. “Fundraising efforts like this will support all aspects of the health and wellness for children and youth in our communities.”
To support these organizations, residents can visit one of the 19 Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough and surrounding areas to purchase a Smile Cookie. Bulk orders are also available and can be ordered by downloading a form from the Five Counties website and dropping the completed form off at one of the locations.
During the campaign, volunteers from BGC Kawarthas, CMHA HKPR, and Five Counties will be on hand decorating cookies, collecting donations, and thanking visitors.
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There are also two Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough that are supporting other causes. The store inside the Peterborough Regional Health Centre is supporting Food Banks of Canada and the franchise inside Fleming College is supporting the Student Administrative Council Fund for Food Security.
Further north in the Kawarthas region, the two stores in Bancroft are supporting North Hastings District Hospital Auxiliary and the two stores in Haliburton and Minden are supporting Central Food Network.
Since 1996, the annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign has raised a total of more than $130 million for charities and community groups selected every year by restaurant owners. Last year alone, the campaign raised $19.8 million for more than 600 charities, hospitals, and community groups across Canada.
Dave Ball as the White Rabbit, Colleen Furlan as Alice, and Anika Venkatesh as the Cheshire Cat in Bad Hats Theatre's family musical "Alice in Wonderland" at the Sudbury Theatre Centre. The production comes to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope with 19 performances from May 16 to June 1, 2025. (Photo: Juan Echavarria)
Brave are those who mess with an already good thing. Since Lewis Carroll published his children’s novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865, it has been a very good thing indeed.
The story of the young girl who falls through a rabbit hole and subsequently encounters a bevy of fantasy world characters has never been out of print and has been translated into 174 languages. Countless adaptations of the story for radio broadcast, the big screen, and the stage have furthered its enduring appeal as one of the popular fantasy stories ever penned.
Any live theatre presenter would be wise to bring Alice et al to life as it was originally written. But since its founding in 2015, Toronto-based Bad Hats Theatre has pushed the boundaries, the result being the staging of exciting and thought-provoking new takes on classic stories. So it was that the temptation to inject new life into Carroll’s timeless tale proved too strong.
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Adapted by Bad Hats co-founder and artistic director Fiona Sauder, Alice In Wonderland opens on Friday, May 16 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, with 18 stagings to follow.
Billed as a “musical reimagining” of the popular story, with music by Landon Doak and Victor Pokinko, it was staged to terrific reviews and sold-out audiences at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre on its way to winning six coveted Dora Mavor Moore Awards in 2023, including Outstanding New Musical.
Now Alice In Wonderland is on the road, with the first performances in the Kawarthas at the Capitol Theatre from May 16 to June 1, followed by a July 9 to 20 run at the Bancroft Village Playhouse. The tour opened on April 25 at the Sudbury Theatre Centre, where Sauder took a break before opening night to chat with kawarthaNOW about the production.
Most of the cast of Bad Hats Theatre’s family musical “Alice in Wonderland” during a rehearsal for the play’s opening at the Sudbury Theatre Centre. The cast members also perform as the band for the production, which comes to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope with 19 performances from May 16 to June 1, 2025. (Photo: Sandro Pehar)
“One of the favourite parts of my job is the process of adaptation,” says Sauder.
“You can take these old stories that have lived on in our imaginations, and in our homes as we passed them onto our kids, and look and analyze them and ask yourself ‘What makes this a lasting story and what feels out of date?’ or ‘What isn’t as relevant to the creators or to the world we’re in right now?’ The reimagining was really an effort to contemporize the story and bring it in to today.”
“When you read the book, you follow a girl who basically arrives in many different places and is told there’s a certain set of rules in each place. She doesn’t fit in, or doesn’t understand (the rules), and then she leaves and goes somewhere else. This repetitive pattern, to us — the cornerstone of it — is about a person encountering the world and wondering why it is the way that it is. Why do we do out taxes at this time of year? Why do we have fitted sheets and also top sheets? Why is two plus two four?”
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Sauder explains how she modernized the story for contemporary audiences.
“We made Alice an adolescent young girl peeking into adulthood, and realizing there are right and wrong answers to everything Alice does. Whereas when we’re a bit younger, we’re welcome to imagine it, being curious about everything. Alice, in our version, is a girl who has been told that period of her life is over. It’s time to have the right answers to things and play by the rules, and take on the responsibility of becoming a person in the world.”
Sauder says her adaptation puts forward the notion that time “never really ends — we’re always emerging into a new stage of life, and therefore, a new stage of rule sets and ways of the world. Reimagining it meant drawing out the theme that we’re forever growing up, and that if we lose that curiosity we have when we’re young, we’ll be lost.”
Colleen Furlan, Landon Doak, and Fiona Sauder in the Manitoba Theatre for Young People’s production of “Alice in Wonderland” in 2022, with book by Sauder and music by Doak with Victor Pokinko. In Bad Hats Theatre’s 2025 touring production of the family musical, Furlan will play Alice. (Photo: Leif Norman)
Having adapted a number of books into musicals, Sauder says Carroll’s story proved to be “the hardest one.”
“It’s so non-linear,” she points out. “To create a heroine’s journey is really difficult when it’s a piece that’s built in little chapters, each of which is kind of its own little universe.”
“It’s inspired by elements of the book, but we had to create our own rule set. What Alice’s reason for going to Wonderland is, and how it grows, and how she sets a goal that she does, or doesn’t, achieve. We created structure from something that has a ton of whimsy. It’s a hybrid of invention and adaptation.”
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Speaking to the music, Sauder says the “whimsy” of Wonderland “really allowed them (Doak and Pokinko) to play with a lot of different styles.”
“The show is about growth through time; at what time we’re supposed to be what kind of person and have what kinds of answers. There’s lots of different time signatures and styles of music. Anything goes in Wonderland. We kind of tried everything first and then refined it.”
To anyone who sees Bad Hats Theatre’s alterations to the original story as a bad thing, Sauder makes it clear “We’re not trying to correct anything that’s wrong. We’re trying to pay homage to it.”
“I think of it as when you hear a song that you really, really love, and then you hear a cover of it and you go ‘Gosh, this is a great tune.’ You still know it’s a fantastic piece of writing. You hear it in a little bit of a different light. It’s honouring — it’s not undoing what the book got right.”
The cast of Bad Hats Theatre’s 2025 touring production of “Alice in Wonderland”. The family musical comes to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope with 19 performances from May 16 to June 1, 2025. (Graphic: Bad Hats Theatre)
Directed by Sue Miner, the touring cast features Colleen Furlan in the title role with the remaining cast of eight playing multiple roles: Dave Ball as Mr C. and the White Rabbit, Rosie Callaghan as Nicola and the Unicorn, Eden Chiam as Ruby and the Red Queen, Chris Fulton as Tod, Tweedle Dee, and the March Hare, Ben Kopp as Douggie and the Dodo, Chelsea Preston as Todd, Tweedle Dum, and the Mad Hatter, Emry Tupper as Buddy and the Caterpillar, and Anika Venkatesh as the Cheshire Cat.
Speaking to the cast, Sauder notes what’s “especially cool is the cast is also the band. Everybody plays not only multiple roles but also multiple instruments. There’s never a dull moment; the artists on stage are very, very busy, not least of all Colleen who plays Alice.”
“She’s a fantastic performer whom we encountered in Winnipeg when we were doing our premiere of the show. We brought her on to stand in for the girl who was playing Alice because there was some illness in the cast. The original Alice had to go home to Toronto. Colleen stepped in and we fell absolutely in love with her.”
“She’s a physical and emotional athlete, and that’s what this role requires. She never leaves the stage for about an hour-and-a-half (the production runs 80 minutes with no intermission). Colleen has built an incredibly beautiful nuanced performance of that feeling of being so excited about what’s next in the world for her, and also so terrified and confused — the feeling of being on the precipice of something.”
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The awards and critical acclaim that have come the production’s way, with The Toronto Star hailing it as “nothing short of a delight” and giving it four out of four stars, are a welcome byproduct of the many hours put in by all involved with the production, says Sauder.
“We were nominated for 13 (Dora Mavor Moore Awards),” she says. “The Hobbit had 15 (nominations) one year, so we were close to the record. It was incredibly validating. These shows take so long to get right.”
“It feels like it’s our job to bring stories to people. Those stories come with joy and catharsis. When I ask myself what I can give to the world, the thing that I can contribute right now is storytelling that asks people to sit together and feel together. Musicals are especially good at that.”
An exuberant Colleen Furlan as Alice in Bad Hats Theatre’s family musical “Alice in Wonderland” at the Sudbury Theatre Centre. The production comes to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope with 19 performances from May 16 to June 1, 2025. (Photo: Juan Echavarria)
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“In our adaptation of Alice, we start in a world that we know, a classroom, and then we flip it upside down,” Sauder explains. “Everything in Wonderland is a reflection of the world that we’re in. That’s a lot of what theatre’s superpower is: helping us understand parts of the world by putting them into story.”
“Sitting in the audience, you can decide which parts are about you, which are the parts you’re learning from, and which are the parts that challenge you. You get to have a really individualized experience. It asks people to be present; to think about themselves and their sense of self. A lot of people, of every age, come out of it feeling they’ve seen a play about them.”
Sauder is delighted to be returning to the Capitol Theatre, where she directed the Capitol’s production of the musical A Year with Frog and Toad last spring, to present Alice in Wonderland.
“It feels like this play really invites people to go to a magical place, and I think that’s a great way to start a series of invitations (to Capitol shows) — to go down the rabbit hole into a season of adventure and storytelling and music and togetherness. It’s cool to come back with my ragtag crew of hooligans.”
The cast and crew of Bad Hats Theatre’s 2025 touring production of “Alice in Wonderland” at the Sudbury Theatre Centre. The production comes to the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope with 19 performances from May 16 to June 1, 2025. (Photo: Juan Echavarria)
Given that Alice in Wonderland is a family musical, the Capitol Theatre is presenting multiple evening and matinee performances to give everyone a chance to experience it. The play runs at 7:30 p.m. on May 16 and 17, May 23 and 24, and May 29 to 31, at 10:30 a.m. from May 20 to 22 and May 27 to 29, and at 2 p.m. on May 18, 24, 25 (a relaxed performance), and 31, and June 1.
Following the evening performances on May 22 and 29, the Capitol is hosting “Talk Back Thursdays” featuring a free Q&A with the artists where you can find out more about the process of making live theatre.
Other than the pay-what-you-can preview on May 16, tickets are $48 for adults, $40 for ages 13 to 30, and $22 for ages 12 and under, and are available at the Capitol Theatre’s box office in person at 20 Queen Street (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday), by phone at 905-885-1071, or online at capitoltheatre.com.
As part of The Canadian Canoe Museum's new Builders in Residence Program, senior members of the Qajakkut Society in Iqaluit, Nunavut will be at the museum beginning in October 2025 to build south Baffin-style qajaak (two kayaks) and share their knowledge and paddling skills through lessons and programs. Pictured are society leaders Robert Comeau, Izaac Wilman, and Aasivak Arnaquq-Baril with historian and kayak builder Harvey Golden as a qajaq is under construction. (Photo courtesy of Qajakkut Society)
Visitors to The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough will soon be able to watch canoes, kayaks, and more being built before their eyes.
On Thursday (April 24), the museum announced its new Builders in Residence Program, which will see four contemporary builders and makers from across Canada set up shop throughout the year in the museum’s Dalglish Family Living Traditions Centre.
Since The Canadian Canoe Museum opened the doors of its new location on the shores of Little Lake last May, more than 50,000 people have visited the museum to connect with the world’s largest collection of watercraft through interactive exhibits, outdoor adventures, and experiential programming.
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Through demonstrations, clinics, and storytelling, visitors will now also have the opportunity to witness the construction of a wood and canvas canoe, an Algonquin-style birch bark canoe, birch bark baskets and moccasins, and qajaak (two kayaks) and to meet the builders and makers behind them. One of the canoes and the two kayaks will be used in the museum’s fleet of watercraft for on-water programming.
“We are so excited to offer visitors yet another valuable way to connect with the collection and canoe and kayak builders, ensuring these traditions and skills remain vibrant,” says the museum’s executive director Carolyn Hyslop in a media release.
“The Builders in Residence Program builds on our commitment to foster collaborative relationships with Indigenous peoples, amplify diverse and contemporary voices, and create new opportunities for these remarkable people to share and be recognized for their skills and knowledge.”
Along with the Qajakkut Society in October, other builders and makers participating in The Canadian Canoe Museum’s new Builders in Residence Program include Jamie Bartle of Headwaters Canoes in May, Pinock of Kitigan Zibi First Nation in June, and Helen Pelletier of Fort William First Nation in July. (kawarthaNOW collage of photos by Concor Mihell, Pinock, and Chondron Photography)
For those who are unable to visit in person, the museum will be producing an online series of mini-documentaries that will share each builder’s process, stories, and approach to their work.
“The Builders in Residence Program is a natural extension of the strong relationships we’ve built with canoe and kayak builders across the country,” says museum curator Jeremy Ward. “It offers a powerful way to honour the cultural histories and technical achievements held within the collection by bringing them to life through hands-on learning and storytelling.
The program kicks off in May with Jamie Bartle of Headwaters Canoes in Wakefield, Quebec, who will demonstrate the building of a wood and canvas canoe and provide clinics on the techniques of key construction stages. The completed canoe will be used in the museum’s on-water program fleet.
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In June, Pinock of Kitigan Zibi First Nation near Maniwaki, Quebec will construct an Algonquin-style birch bark canoe and assist with the development of a school program related to Algonquin bark canoe construction.
In July, artist Helen Pelletier of Fort William First Nation (located on the western shores of Lake Superior) will teach and demonstrate the art of birch bark basket-making, etching, and moccasin-making.
In October, senior members of the Qajakkut Society in Iqaluit, Nunavut will build south Baffin-style qajaak (two kayaks) and share their knowledge and paddling skills through lessons and programs. These qajaak will also be used in the museum’s on-water program fleet.
The Canadian Canoe Museum will host canoe and kayak builders and makers participating in the Builders in Residence Program in the Dalglish Family Living Traditions Centre. (Photo: Eden Photography)
The Qajakkut Society’s residency is supported by the Dalglish Family Foundation, which donated $1.2 million to the museum’s capital campaign and after whom the living traditions centre was named.
“Canadians can be proud of their country’s rich history of canoe building,” says Geordie Dalglish of the Dalglish Family Foundation. “Our family is delighted to support the Qajakkut Society as they bring these traditions to life. Their watercraft tell a story and help us understand where we come from and what their use means to our great nation.” said Geordie Dalglish, Dalglish Family Foundation.
The Keene Lions Club recently donated $30,000 to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation to support pediatric cancer care at the regional hospital. (Photo: Keen Lions Club)
The Keene Lions Club is striving to help kids who have cancer and their families access care close to home through a donation to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation.
The club recently presented the PRHC Foundation with a pledge of $30,000 in support of pediatric cancer care at the hospital.
“Our members were eager to support this project to give children in our community the life-saving treatment they deserve while sparing families the emotional and financial burden of seeking care far from home,” said Robin Creeden, a long-time member of the Keene Lions Club, during the presentation.
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“We were proud to support the building of PRHC twenty years ago with a donation of $30,000, and we are equally proud to support the $60 million campaign of the PRHC Foundation with a pledge of $30,000 as we choose to design our own healthcare future,” Creeden added.
Club president Marion Burton noted that, although the Keene Lions is a small club from a small rural community, residents have supported the group’s fundraising endeavours throughout the year.
Events such as the May long weekend Toll Road fundraiser, weekly community bingo, Delta Bingo, and the club’s food trailer of fried fish and chicken helped make the contribution to PRHC possible.
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“The Lions’ motto is ‘we serve,’ so to support families in our community by supporting our local regional hospital is a perfect fit,” Burton said.
When asked what her ultimate hope would be for the impact of the donation, Burton told kawarthaNOW, “The best possible outcome is that young children, under 18, and their families can receive treatment here in Peterborough, close to their home, instead of travelling to Toronto.”
“It is expensive to cover accommodation, meals, et cetera, along with the added stress of being in a strange city.”
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According to the PRHC Foundation, cancer care at the hospital — including the expansion of PRHC’s pediatric cancer care program — is one of the priority areas of the Campaign for PRHC. In 2023, there were 605 pediatric cancer patient visits to the hospital by an average of 22 patients, which is an increase of 35 per cent over the previous four years.
With the support of donors, the PRHC Foundation aims to fund a dedicated pediatric cancer care clinic space at the hospital that would include consultation, treatment, and meeting rooms.
“Without this additional space, children with cancer and their families will have to face the additional burden of travel for treatment and tests that can expertly and efficiently be delivered right here,” the PRHC Foundation states.
Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock MPP Laurie Scott cuts a ribbon to officially launch the Caboose Community Bike Hub in Haliburton on April 24, 2025. Also pictured (front row from left to right) are Irv Handler, Friends of the Rail Trail chair and project coordinator Pamela Marsales, Klara Oyler from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Angelica Ingram from Haliburton County Tourism, and (back row, left to right), community supporters Mark Roberts, Cheryl Bathe, Laurie Jones (hidden), and Xavier Massé, and Municipality of Dysart et al Dysart councillor Pat Casey. (Photo: Hugh Taylor)
A heritage railway caboose in Haliburton has a new lease on life as a community bike hub thanks to the efforts of a local organization and its partners and a $30,000 seed grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).
Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock MPP Laurie Scott visited the Municipality of Dysart et al on Thursday (April 24) to officially launch the Caboose Community Bike Hub, a six-month pilot project initiated by the non-profit organization Friends of the Rail Trail (FoRT) with the support of the municipality.
“This innovative pilot project is a great example of how local partnerships and provincial support can help build healthier, more connected communities,” Scott said in a media release.
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The caboose, which dates from 1922, was obtained from the Canadian National Railway by the Rotary Club of Haliburton in the late 1970s and was originally set up at the foot of Head Lake on its own tracks. It was moved to Head Lake Park in 1979 where the municipality maintained it with the assistance of the Rotary Club.
The municipality later used the caboose as a tourist information centre until the new Haliburton Welcome Centre on York Street opened in July 2021, whose construction was funded by $75,000 from the Rotary Club and $375,000 from the government.
In March 2024, FoRT partnered with the municipality on a seed grant application to OTF for a pilot project to use the caboose as a community bike hub, with the vision of encouraging residents to adopt cycling through free public programming, guided rides, bike mentorship, educational workshops, and events.
The interior of the heritage railway caboose in Haliburton that will serve as a community bike hub during a six-month pilot project. The non-profit organization Friends of the Rail Trail partnered with the Municipality of Dysart et al on on a seed grant application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation, with a $30,000 grant awarded last fall. (Photo: Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock MPP Laurie Scott / Facebook)
“FoRT is thrilled to partner with Dysart on this innovative experiment to develop an effective hub of public bike programming especially geared to small rural communities like Haliburton Village,” said FoRT chair and project coordinator Pamela Marsales. “This fills a gap in the municipality’s recreational programming and will benefit young and old.”
OTF awarded the grant last fall, and the funds have been used for a program manager, advertising, and program equipment including a portable bike repair stand, pylons, and children’s bike helmets.
FoRT will coordinate activities of the bike hub, with the support of other community partners including the Rotary Club.
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The use of the railway caboose as a community bike hub also aligns with the work of FoRT, which was founded in 2007 as part of the Haliburton County Community Co-operative to bring a sense of community to an abandoned railway line converted to a recreational trail.
The railway line was part of the Victoria Railway, which began at Lindsay in 1874 under the direction of railway entrepreneur George Laidlaw. The line was completed to Kinmount in 1877 and, a year later, reached the newly constructed station at Haliburton.
While the railway line never extended north of Haliburton, it became an important regional timber and mineral carrier with a link to other systems at Lindsay. In 1881, it was acquired by the Midland Railway of Canada and then later the Canadian National Railway system. By the early 1980s, the railway fell into disuse and sections were salvaged, with the line completely abandoned by the early 1990s.
United Way Peterborough & District CEO Jim Russell holds up a mock real estate listing of the organization's $1.5 campaign goal and campaign cabinet chair Shirley Turner, a real estate agent, holds up a "sold above asking" sign reflecting the $1,506,198 raised, during a celebratory event on April 25, 2025 at McDonnel Street Community Centre in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of United Way Peterborough & District)
For the first time in over 10 years, the United Way Peterborough & District has met its annual fundraising campaign goal for its partner agencies and other initiatives.
Supporters gathered at a celebratory event on Thursday evening (April 24) at the McDonnel Street Community Centre in Peterborough, where the organization revealed it has raised $1,506,198 for the 2024-25 campaign.
The United Way had set a $1.5 million goal for the campaign, which ran from April 1 last year (with the campaign goal announced in September) until March 31 this year, and attributes the success of the campaign to support from community members, local workplaces, and a number of new fundraising initiatives.
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It is the first time in over 10 years that the United Way has met its annual campaign goal.
“Reaching this goal is a powerful testament to what we can accomplish when we work together,” says United Way CEO Jim Russell in a media release. “I’m incredibly proud of our team and deeply grateful to everyone who contributed, whether through time, donations, or spreading the word. This campaign has shown the true heart of our community, and it’s an achievement we can all celebrate.”
Peterborough real estate agent Shirley Turner, who was the 2024-25 campaign cabinet chair, says she “couldn’t be more thrilled” by the “incredible achievement.”
“The energy, enthusiasm, and generosity we’ve seen from every corner of our community — friends, families, businesses, even complete strangers — has been nothing short of amazing,” Turner says. “We set out to make this campaign not just meaningful but fun, and it’s been such a rewarding journey to see that vision come to life.”
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New fundraising initiatives introduced during the campaign included Peterborough Pajama Day, where the community was encouraged to donate $5 and wear their pajamas to work. Over 100 people employed at dozens of local businesses participated in the event.
Another successful strategy was the Double Your Difference initiative, where an anonymous donor matched all new donations in full as well as all increases from existing donors of at least 10 per cent over their 2023 gift.
For Trent University, whose workplace campaign raised a total of $135,543 from faculty, staff, and retirees, the gift-matching drive helped inspire 36 Trent employees to become new donors and donate $19,000.
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Peterborough Performs V: Musicians United To End Homelessness, a benefit concert with 14 local music acts held on two stages at Showplace Performance Centre on March 26 accompanied by a virtual auction, raised $36,375 for the United Way.
The record amount, which was almost $4,000 more than last year’s fourth annual benefit, brings the five-year total raised for the United Way to $149,458.
Any further donations made to United Way Peterborough & District will contribute towards the 2025-26 campaign, which will be launched in September.
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