Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 511 new cases today, with the 7-day average of daily cases decreasing by 15 to 582 since Friday (October 1).
Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 15 are reporting double-digit increases — Peel (88), Toronto (85), Ottawa (46), York (30), Windsor-Essex (29), Hamilton (26), Durham (25), Niagara (23), Middlesex-London (20), Eastern Ontario (19), Halton (15), Simcoe Muskoka (11), Southwestern (11), Waterloo (11), and Huron Perth (10) — and 6 are reporting no new cases at all.
Due to a technical issue, the vaccination status of new cases is unavailable.
Hospitalizations have decreased by 132 to 146 since Friday, but more than 10% of hospitals did not submit data for the daily bed census over the weekend, so the actual number of hospitalization is likely higher. Since Friday, ICU patients have decreased by 3 to 159 and ICU patients on ventilators have decreased by 13 to 104. Ontario is reporting 2 new COVID-related deaths today.
Due to a technical issue, today’s vaccination dosage information is unavailable. As of Sunday, over 21.8 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 23,884. Over 10.59 million people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 15,890, representing 71.67% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 3 – October 3, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from September 3 – October 3, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the blue line is the daily number of ICU patients on ventilators. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from September 3 – October 2, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 19 new cases to report over the weekend, including 9 in Peterborough, 9 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Haliburton. There have been no new cases in Kawartha Lakes or Northumberland.
An outbreak at Havelock-Belmont Public School in Peterborough County was declared on October 3.
An additional 33 cases have been resolved in the region over the weekend, including 19 in Hastings Prince Edward, 9 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Peterborough, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton. An outbreak at St. Mary Catholic School in Trenton was declared resolved on October 3.
The number of active cases has increased by 6 in Peterborough and has decreased by 11 in Hastings Prince Edward, by 9 in Kawarthas Lakes, by 1 in Northumberland, and by 1 in Haliburton.
There are currently 67 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 16 from October 1, including 29 in Peterborough, 28 in Hastings Prince Edward (11 in Quinte West, 11 in Belleville, 2 in Central Hastings, 2 in Tyendingaga Mohawk Territory, 1 in Prince Edward County, and 1 in North Hastings), 5 in Northumberland, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,840 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,788 resolved with 23 deaths), 1,293 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,244 resolved with 58 deaths), 1,000 in Northumberland County (978 resolved with 17 deaths), 148 in Haliburton County (146 resolved with 1 death), and 1,403 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,362 resolved with 13 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on September 20.
Highway 35 north of Lindsay was closed between Cambray Road and Long Beach Road on October 3, 2021 for a police investigation of a vehicle rollover that claimed the life of the driver and sent a passenger to hospital with minor injuries. (Photo: OPP / Facebook)
Police are investigating a fatal vehicle rollover on Highway 35 north of Lindsay, the second fatal rollover in the Kawarthas region in the past two days.
The latest vehicle rollover over occurred shortly after 8 a.m. on Sunday morning (October 3).
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and a passenger was transported to hospital with minor injuries.
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Police have identified the driver as Rose Titus, 59, of Lindsay.
Highway 35 was closed in both directions for several hours between Cambray Road and Long Beach Road while police investigated.
Police are asking any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police regarding this incident to contact the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
This is the second fatal vehicle rollover in the Kawarthas region in the past two days.
On Friday afternoon, a passenger vehicle was travelling westbound on Highway 7 east of Havelock when it left the roadway for unknown reasons and entered the ditch, causing the vehicle to roll over.
The driver was pronounced dead. The name of the deceased driver will not be released until next of kin has been notified.
Highway 7 was closed for several hours between Belmont Township 3rd Line and 4th Line while police investigated the collision.
Owned by Leslie Menagh, Madderhouse Textile Studios in downtown Peterborough has adjusted to the pandemic by moving into garnet design and production, launching a 'breezy garb' line of clothing. (Photo courtesy of Madderhouse Textile Studios)
Sometimes a crisis provides the motivation you need to try something you’ve always wanted to do. Such is the case for Leslie Menagh, owner of Madderhouse Textile Studios in downtown Peterborough, who recently launched a retail line of clothing.
Before the pandemic, Madderhouse was primarily a workshop and professional development space, where Leslie and other artists would teach clients screen printing and other textile arts. Since the workshops are hands-on and require person-to-person contact, Madderhouse has not resumed this offering since the onset of the pandemic.
While Leslie hopes to resume the workshop portion of her business in the future, she has repurposed her studio for garment design and production.
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Located at 383 Water Street, Madderhouse is a 500-square-foot studio space that features professional equipment for the textile arts. The studio has equipment such as a 20-by-5-foot felt-padded work table, a digital scanner, a darkroom, a washout booth, an industrial sink, laundry facilities, and more.
Leslie grew the idea for Madderhouse from her desire to replicate a screen printing studio space she used while obtaining her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
“My favourite studio space was the screen printing studio,” Leslie recalls. “It was a very comfortable place to be. I could mix colours and put patterns on cloth. My whole life, patterns on cloth have been something so compelling for me.”
Made in Peterborough, Madderhouse’s locally breezy summer tops are intended for all genders. The shirts are a light woven fabric that is 55 per cent hemp and 45 per cent cotton. Each top has a boat neck and casual side slits. (Photo courtesy of Madderhouse Textile Studios)
“I loved that space and, ever since graduating in 2008, have been looking for the opportunity to join someone’s studio that was like that,” she continues. “I finally got tired of waiting for it to appear and wanted to create it myself.”
Leslie’s passion for textile arts has been present ever since she was a child. She says she had always seen herself as a craftsperson and would make her outfits for school when she was in high school.
“I was always really interested in sewing and making in general,” Leslie says. “Throughout my adult life, I travelled and did lots of different jobs, but I always had some craft I was working on.”
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At 29, Leslie made her way to art school, where she began to view her passion and talent for art in more professional terms. She merged her love for art with her entrepreneurial spirit in 2018 when she founded Madderhouse Textile Studios.
At Madderhouse, Leslie and company have created other textile products in the past such as tea towels, dinner napkins, tote bags, and face masks, but their ‘breezy garb’ line is the first time they have branched into clothing. Releasing a Madderhouse clothing line is something Leslie has always wanted to do but never got around to, until the pandemic gave her an extra push.
“It’s totally exciting,” Leslie says. “I’ve always wanted to try to do this, so it’s been perfect.”
Madderhouse Textile Studios launched their ‘breezy garb’ line in August, starting with a breezy summer top in a variety of different colours and patterns. Madderhouse owner Leslie Menagh hopes that, with the support of the Newcomer Sewing Group, she’ll be able to expand the clothing line and eventually have a retail space. (Photo courtesy of Madderhouse Textile Studios)
Madderhouse launched their ‘breezy garb’ line in August, starting with a breezy summer top in a variety of different colours and patterns. The tops are a light woven fabric made of 55 per cent hemp and 45 per cent cotton and feature a boat neck. The tops, which are intended to have appeal across genders, are available for purchase on the Madderhouse website at www.madderhouse.com/shop.
The Madderhouse ‘breezy garb’ tops are constructed with support from the Newcomer Sewing Crew, a social enterprise of female artists and sewists who are recent immigrants to Canada.
The Newcomer Sewing Crew was formed in February 2020 after the women involved completed a program for creative entrepreneurship for newcomer women. Leslie was hired to help deliver the program, so she got involved when a group of participants decided to keep working together.
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The crew’s first project was a product launch of tea towels for Watson & Lou called “The Oatmeal Capitol of the World” — a reference to “our shared olfactory experience of living in a town with an oatmeal factory.”
When the pandemic hit, the group continued to work together to make face masks for corporate clients such as Watson & Lou, Fleming College, Pepsi Co., Quaker Oats, Peterborough Regional Farmers Market, and several other community partners.
The crew has since launched other products such as a pair of pants and a harvesting apron. The crew is not a registered business, but a group of people available for hire. When hired for a job, they are paid fairly for their contributions, either hourly or per piece.
Madderhouse Textile Studio’s ‘breezy garb’ tops are constructed with support from the Newcomer Sewing Crew, a social enterprise of female artists and sewists who are recent immigrants to Canada. Here Madderhouse owner Leslie Menagh poses with the Newcomer Sewing Group’s first project, “The Oatmeal Capitol of the World” tea towels that were sold at Watson & Lou, which owns the space where Madderhouse is located. (Photo courtesy of Madderhouse Textile Studios)
Leslie says the relationship she has with the Newcomer Sewing Crew is mutually beneficial.
“I’m acting like a mentor or support for them to be able to develop as a social enterprise,” Leslie explains. “They are always the workforce I draw upon for my production projects.”
She also notes that her connection with the women in the crew, especially throughout the last year of the pandemic, has been “fantastic”.
“That’s huge for me, to stay connected with them,” she says. “It’s really rewarding and a great source of social connection at a time where that is a challenge.”
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With support from the Newcomer Sewing Crew, Leslie hopes to expand the Madderhouse clothing line with more items very soon.
Although the studio space is not currently used for workshops, open studio time is available for individual artists by reservation. Leslie has also been using the space to have people come in and shop the shirts.
“I’m hoping what happens over the long term is this takes off, I’m able to sell the things that the team and I make, and we’re able to have a retail space,” says Leslie.
Under the umbrella of Madderhouse, the Newcomer Sewing Group is available for hire for businesses and organizations. The Newcomer Sewing Group is a social enterprise where the women involved receive fair compensation for their work while expanding their skills in creative entrepreneurship. (Photo courtesy of Madderhouse Textile Studios)
The Madderhouse studio space is owned by the creative hub Watson & Lou, who have been great supporters of the textile studio. For example, they recently invited Leslie to occupy a pop-up shop with them during the most recent First Friday Peterborough art crawl.
Leslie is grateful for all the community support she has received over the past year. She says organizing a volunteer campaign at the onset of the pandemic, and receiving a lot of positive support, was heartwarming. According to Leslie, that support has been a motivating force to keep going throughout what has been a challenging year.
“As soon as you do something and send it out in the world and you get a positive response, there’s something wonderful about that,” Leslie says.
To learn more about Madderhouse Textile Studio, and shop their ‘breezy garb’ clothing line, visit their website at www.madderhouse.com.
You can also support Madderhouse by following them on Facebook and Instagram. You can follow the Newcomer Sewing Crew on Facebook and Instagram.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 668 new cases today, with 647 reported yesterday. Over the past 2 days, the 7-day average of daily cases has decreased by 13 to 597.
Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 1 is reporting a triple-digit increase — Toronto (110) — and 16 are reporting double-digit increases — Peel (65), Ottawa (55), York (55), Windsor-Essex (43), Hamilton (42), Durham (40), Niagara (32), Eastern Ontario (31), Middlesex-London (26), Chatham-Kent (25), Lambton (20), Halton (17), Waterloo (15), Simcoe Muskoka (13), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (12), and Huron Perth (10) — with 2 (Thunder Bay and Timiskaming) reporting no new cases at all.
Of the new cases, 65% are people who have not been fully vaccinated (61% have not received any doses and 7% have received only one dose) and 25% are people who have been fully vaccinated with two doses, with the vaccination status unknown for 10% of the cases because of a missing or invalid health card number. The 7-day average case rate is 9.66 per 100,000 for unvaccinated people, 4.58 per 100,000 for partially vaccinated people, and 1.42 per 100,000 for fully vaccinated people.
Hospitalizations have decreaed by 14 to 278, ICU patients has decreased by 9 to 163, and ICU patients on ventilators has decreased by 6 to 117. Ontario is reporting 12 new COVID-related deaths over the past 2 days.
Over 21.8 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 29,704 from yesterday. Over 10.55 million people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 18,784 from yesterday, representing 71.39% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 31 – September 30, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from August 31 – September 30, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the blue line is the daily number of ICU patients on ventilators. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from August 31 – September 30, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 17 new cases to report over the past 2 days, including 11 in Peterborough, 3 in Hastings Prince Edward, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland. There have been no new cases in Haliburton.
An outbreak at an unidentified workplace in Peterborough County was declared on October 1. There has been 1 new ICU admission in Hastings Prince Edward,
An additional 22 cases have been resolved in the region over the past 2 days, including 8 in Hastings Prince Edward, 6 in Peterborough, 6 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton.
The number of active cases has increased by 5 in Peterborough and has decreased by 5 in Hastings Prince Edward, by 4 in Kawartha Lakes, by 1 in Northumberland, and by 1 in Haliburton.
There are currently 83 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 6 from September 29, including 39 in Hastings Prince Edward (21 in Quinte West, 12 in Belleville, 2 in Prince Edward County, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 1 in Central Hastings, and 1 in North Hastings), 23 in Peterborough, 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,831 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,785 resolved with 23 deaths), 1,293 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,235 resolved with 58 deaths), 1,000 in Northumberland County (977 resolved with 17 deaths), 148 in Haliburton County (145 resolved with 1 death), and 1,395 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,343 resolved with 13 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on September 20.
In "Sound of Mind and Body", which will be performed at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on October 7, 2021, dancer and choreographer Bill Coleman's brain waves will be transmitted to equipment and software operated by musician and sound artist Gordon Monahan (background), affecting music and lights in real time. Public Energy is also presenting Victoria Ward's "Kitten!", a re-imagining of her 1993 indie theatre hit, at The Theatre On King on October 15 and 16, 2021. (Photo supplied by Public Energy)
With its Pivot 2.0 series of outdoor performances wrapping up and colder weather arriving, Public Energy Performing Arts in Peterborough is returning to in-theatre performances for the first time since the pandemic began.
The new Pivot 2.0 Plus series will debut in October at two downtown Peterborough venues: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and The Theatre on King — the first performances held at the venues in 19 months.
Sound of Mind and Body, a collaboration between dancer and choreographer Bill Coleman and musician and sound artist Gordon Monahan, will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 7th at Market Hall at 140 Charlotte Street, and Kitten! by Victoria Ward will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, October 15th and Saturday, October 16th at The Theatre On King at 171 King Street.
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Both performance venues will only be accessible by fully vaccinated patrons, with seating limited to 50 per cent capacity. COVID-19 health and safety protocols will also be in place at both venues.
For those unable to attend, Public Energy will be capturing the performances with a multiple camera system to create high-quality recordings that will be available for later online streaming.
Bill Coleman and Gordon Monahan’s Sound of Mind and Body is an experiment in brainwave-sensing technology. During his dance performance, Coleman will be wearing an electroencephalogram device that will transmit data to Monahan’s equipment and software, producing various responses in musical instruments such as piano and percussion, controlling the fading of stage lights, and controlling sound spatialization and audio processing — all in real time.
VIDEO: “Sound of Mind and Body”
Kitten! is a collaborative re-imagining of Victoria Ward’s 1993 indie theatre hit Kitten With A Crucifix, with the show’s themes of indoctrination, sexuality during the AIDS pandemic, youth, and Catholicism revisited in the context of 21st-century culture. The show is being developed through a two-week artist residency for the Precarious3 Festival, during which social media will be used as a tool to integrate audiences into an ever-evolving performance text.
Kitten! is directed by Kate Story, with co-direction and technical direction by Ryan Kerr, videography by Eryn Lidster, technical design by Shannon McKenzie. Bradley Boye and Zach Tutt are collaborators.
Tickets for all Public Energy performances are pay what you can and are available through the Public Energy website at publicenergy.ca. As noted, seating for all performances is limited so audiences are advised to reserve their tickets in advance online.
Indigenous actor-singer Cheri Maracle performing “Paddle Song”, a one-woman musical about 1800s Mohawk poet Pauline Johnson written for the stage by Dinah Christie. (Photo supplied by Public Energy)
The final show in Public Energy’s Pivot 2.0 series of outdoor performances takes place on Friday, October 8th with veteran Indigenous actor-singer Cheri Maracle reading from Paddle Song, a one-woman musical written for the stage by Dinah Christie.
Paddle Song tells the story of Pauline Johnson, the celebrated late 1800s trailblazing Mohawk poet who toured North America on her own with her poetry at a time when such a thing was unheard of.
The performance takes place in Inverlea Park, at Parkhill Road and Dennistoun Avenue in Peterborough. Pay-what-you-can tickets are available at publicenergy.ca.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a long-time media sponsor of Public Energy Performing Arts.
Beverly Baxter of Lindsay, a retired registered nurse, is one of 15 recipients of the Ontario government's 2021 Senior Achievement Awards. Pictured is Baxter (left) in April 2016 with Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes hospice director Jill Sadler when Baxter was honoured for more than 25 years of volunteering with the organization. (Photo: Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes / Facebook)
A retired nurse from Lindsay is one of 15 recipients of the Ontario government’s Senior Achievement Awards.
The awards, which recognize people for significant contributions to their communities after the age of 65, were announced on Friday (October 1).
“Beverly Baxter of Lindsay, a retired registered nurse, known for her compassion and caring, continues to put her professional skills to good use in the community through her work to establish a local palliative care program and by volunteering at monthly blood pressure clinics,” reads the announcement. “Beverly received a 25-year service award from the City of Kawartha Lakes Community Care in 2016.”
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The other 14 recipients are Leo Blindenbach of Newcastle, Michele Boniface of Stratford, Joan M. Goldsmith of Oro-Medonte, Donald Hishon of Kitchener, Pat Kolb of Bolton, David A. Longstaff of Hamilton, George Lowes of Iron Bridge, Lawrence Martin of London, Darrel O’Shaughnessy of Arnprior, Dr. Sally Elizabeth Palmer of Dundas, Janice Preiss of Beeton, Thomas Shura of Kenora, Sonja Elizabeth Smith of Bracebridge, and Touran Vakilzadeh of North York.
“Seniors across the province have felt most directly the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is a delight to be able to celebrate the positive difference seniors make to our communities,” says Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell in a media release. “Today’s recipients are role models to Ontarians of all ages.”
The recipients are being recognized by Dowdeswell and seniors and accessibility minister Raymond Cho at a virtual recognition ceremony.
Since the Ontario Senior Achievement Award was created in 1987, 660 seniors have received an award.
Amy Simpson of MicroAge Peterborough–Whitby was one of eight business leaders (including two posthumously) who were inducted into Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario's Business Hall of Fame during a ceremony on September 29, 2021 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario)
Eight more business leaders from the Peterborough area, including two posthumously, were inducted into Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario’s 6th annual Business Hall of Fame on Wednesday night (September 29).
The annual event recognizes men and women who have strengthened the local economy and community through exemplary accomplishments of vision, leadership, and commitment to excellence.
Around 150 people attended Wednesday night’s ceremony, held at The Venue in downtown Peterborough, which was limited to the inductees and their family and friends because of the pandemic.
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Emceed by Monika Carmichael of Trent Valley Honda (the returning Business Hall of Fame chancellor and a 2018 inductee) along with Tiffany Arcari from the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, the event was livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.
This year’s inductees are:
Tony Ambler of Swish Maintenance Group of Companies and Yorkshire Valley Farms
Simone Dobson of Euphoria Wellness Spa
John Gillespie of Flying Colours Corp.
Allan Gillis of Milltronics (posthumously)
Allan Hill of Domino’s Pizza
Franz Roessl of Franz’s Butcher Shop & Catering
Joe Sabatino of Villa Auto Wash (posthumously)
Amy Simpson of MicroAge Peterborough–Whitby
The 2021 inductees into Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario’s Peterborough Business Hall of Fame. Top row: Tony Ambler, Simone Dobson, John Gillespie, and Allan Hill. Bottom row: Franz Roessl, Amy Simpson, and posthumous inductees Allan Gillis and Joe Sabatino. (kawarthaNOW collage using supplied photos)
“For entrepreneurs, all I can say is you just never know what’s going to happen, so do a good job and be unforgettable,” said Amy Simpson when accepting her award. “If you look after your staff, and your customers, and your community, that’s kind of it. The rest should fall into place.”
“To me, your goal should never be the money,” she added. “If you’re going for the money, forget the whole thing because you’re never going to be happy. That’s not what it’s about — it’s about the people.”
Before the induction ceremony, Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario also announced the first two members of the Founders Club: Brent Perry of Alf Curtis Home Improvements Inc. and Peterborough Truss & Floor Ltd. and Terry Windrem of Park Place Financial and Peak Benefit Solutions.
Perry, whose grandparents Alf and June Curtis were inducted in 2018, presented Junior Achievement’s Legacy Fund initiative with donations from both of his companies totalling $35,000. Over the past four years, Perry has donated $80,000 to the initiative, which supports skilled trades programs. Windrem also made a sizeable donation to the Legacy Fund.
VIDEO: JA 2021 Business Hall of Fame and Induction Ceremony
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Previous Business Hall of Fame Inductees
2020: Morris Cox; Lisa Dixon; Bill and Cora Edgar; Jim Glenn; Haig Kelly; Bill and Marion Morrison; and Sanjeev Sukumaran.
2019: John Gillis; Michael Konopaski; Dr. Ramesh Makhija; Janet McLeod; Dave Smith (of DNS Real Estate); Scott Stewart and Dana Empey; Glenn Stuart; Mike and Shelby Watt; Robert Winslow; and Scott Wood.
2018: Alf and June Curtis; Paul Bennett; John A. McColl and James H. Turner; John James (Jack) Stewart; Sally Harding; Monika Carmichael; Robert Gauvreau; Paschal McCloskey; and Carl Oake.
2017: Jack McGee; Robert Young; Joseph James (JJ) Duffus; Isadore Black; Darrell Drain; Rhonda Barnet; John Bowes; and Michael Skinner.
2016: Erica, Harry, and Meyer Cherney; Cameron Taylor; Charlotte and Robert Nicholls; Bill, Chester and Frank Fisher: Keith Brown; David Fife; James Stevenson; and Ross Smith.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario’s Business Hall of Fame.
Peterborough musician Calvin Bakelaar is the latest winner of the Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective songwriting contest, with a reocrding of his original song "November" headed to the Rocket Carousel Studio in Los Angeles where it will be mixed and mastered by Grammy Award-winning producer and musician Greg Wells, originally from Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Calvin Bakelaar)
As the calendar brings our collective attention to October, Calvin Bakelaar finds himself in a November state of mind.
He should be, with a recording of his original song “November” headed to the Rocket Carousel Studio in Los Angeles where it will be mixed and mastered by Grammy Award-winning producer and musician Greg Wells, originally from Peterborough.
Wells, with his friend and local musician John Crown, founded the Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective in late summer 2020 as a fitting way to honour the memory of the longtime owner of Ed’s Music Workshop. A beloved friend and supporter of numerous musicians and a talented guitar luthier, Skuce died in June 2018 at age 66 following a long battle with cancer.
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Since then, seven adjudicated original songs culled from more than 100 entries submitted by Peterborough-area songwriters have made their way to Wells’ studio where he has produced music for the likes of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Celine Dion and Elton John, to name but a few. At no charge, Wells has gifted his considerable talents to each recording, with the resulting tracks remaining the property of the artists.
For Bakelaar, a Listowel native living in Peterborough some six years now, securing a professionally produced track “is huge” but what really excites him is the potential networking opportunities that will result from his song’s win.
“I know a lot of musicians in the area but, when you’re trying to do your own thing, it gets even more difficult,” says the 23 year old, noting his plan is to focus more on performing live.
AUDIO: “November” by Calvin Bakelaar
As for his song, which features Caitlin Currie on backing vocals, he says it was a collaborative effort.
“I don’t think anybody writes music on their own. There’s a ton of people I look up to as musicians that I talked to during the process.”
That process saw him write the song in late 2020 and early 2021, drawing his inspiration from the work of Bahamas, Donovan Woods, and Passenger. More impressively, he only began writing songs two years ago and has been playing guitar for just four years, having played drums since age eight.
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“The lyrics came really quickly. The music was the hardest part. The gist of it is about lost relationships. There’s a whole story I could dive into on that, but I don’t know if I want to.”
As for the Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective, Bakelaar has nothing but admiration for its founding and mission.
“It’s probably one of the coolest things I’ve heard of since moving to Peterborough with regards to music. This is actually kind of a full circle moment for me. One of the first albums I really dove into when I was younger was Vessel by Twenty One Pilots. Greg (Wells) produced it.”
Don Skuce, pictured here at the now-closed Moondance Music in Peterborough in February 2018, was the longtime owner of Ed’s Music Workshop. A beloved friend and supporter of numerous musicians and a talented guitar luthier, Skuce died four months after this photo was taken at the age of 66 following a long battle with cancer. The Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective was founded to honour his memory and to support Peterborough-area musicians. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
According to Crown — one of five adjudicators who listened to 33 submissions this time around — Bakelaar submitted his song “Broken Mosaic” for round two of the contest. It didn’t win but it was highly regarded, putting Bakelaar “on our radar.”
“All of the qualities that were present in that song were present in November,” adds Crown.
“Underneath the feel of the song are all the ingredients of effective songwriting: arrangement economy, clearly defined sections, a variety of chord movements, and conversational lyric writing. The song unfolds naturally, not mechanically.”
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“This is someone who has paid attention to the craft of writing, using proven devices to make a great song even more powerful. I’ve never met Calvin but I’ve quickly become a fan of his music.”
The collective’s website at donskuce.com allows songwriters to submit MP3 recorded songs directly through the site.
Round four of the contest begins today (October 1) and continues until midnight on January 15, 2022, with the winning song (or songs) announced February 1.
The Don Skuce Memorial Musician’s Collective is the brainchild of music producer and Peterborough native Greg Wells (middle) who, along with fellow musician and long time friend John Crown (right), shaped shaped the concept into reality. Local producer James McKenty (left) records most of the winning songs free of charge before sending them to Wells for final mixing and mastering in his Los Angeles studio. (Photos by Wayne Eardley except Greg Wells which is from his Instagram @sirgregwells)
Crown notes the judging experience has left him “shocked” over not only the number of songwriters there are locally, but also the quality of their work.
“I have enormous respect for all those who have participated,” he adds. “It takes a lot of courage to write a song and then send it out for strangers to hear.”
“While the focus is on the writing, the songs that have been singled out — without fail — have had vocal performances that helped sell them. Common to the songs chosen has been intriguing, unique and dimensional lyric writing, smart and efficient musical arrangement, an engaging vocal performance, and some sort of intangible and unique vibe.”
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When he’s reviewing submissions, Crown says he’s looking for “one complete and seamless package.”
“The first listening session is detached and experiential. I try to hear it as a complete piece. Does it move me in some way? Does it have a vibe? The next session is technical. I read the lyric sheet as the music plays and ask myself what tools and devices are being used, both lyrically and musically.”
At donskuce.com/contest-winners/, you can listen to five of the seven winning songs mixed and mastered by Wells to date: “Eye Of The Storm” by The Marshas, “Make It” by The Colton Sisters, “I Didn’t Mean It” by Emily Burgess (co-written with Ryan Weber), “The Tundra Wind” by Jean Claude Pigeon, and “Phantom” by Mothboy.
Yet to be posted are finished recordings of “Piece Of Mind” by Dylan Ireland and, of course, Bakelaar’s song “November”. A short bio of each songwriter is also posted.
Most of the winning songs were first recorded free of charge by James McKenty at his Peterborough studio before being sent to Wells. Each winning songwriter also received a free publicity photo shot by John Gearin of Fotojoe Photography.
In an October 2020 interview with kawarthaNOW, Wells spoke to his motivation for co-founding the collective with Crown and offering his production talents free of charge in honour of Don Skuce.
“I just love the guy,” he said. “He was a huge supporter of myself and hundreds of other Peterborough musicians. He had a great sense of humour; he was humble but he was confident. It’s hard to find people like that. I’m starting to cry just talking about him.”
“I think about Don often. I have pictures of him hanging in my studio. One that he sent me was taken at the original location of Ed’s on Dublin Street. I’m about 15 years old and I’m playing a Telecaster. Don was the only person who would never tell me to stop playing. He’d let me play for hours until the shop closed.”
Rob Bersan and Virginia de Carle of the Wilno-Maynooth roots band The Salt Cellars are performing at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, October 2. (Photo: The Salt Cellars)
Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs, clubs, and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, September 30 to Wednesday, October 6.
If you’re a pub, club, or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
Unveiled at Trent University on the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021, the treaty rock is a new installation that recognizes the local treaty lands upon which the university is located. The installation is comprised of three limestone boulders, each bearing the symbols of the dodem (clan totem) carvings of the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig signatories. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
On the day now set aside for Canadians to acknowledge the intergenerational impact of Canada’s residential school system on Indigenous peoples, as well as recognize the process of reconciliation, Trent University continued its long practice of being a leader in Indigenous education and awareness of longstanding issues affecting first people across the country.
On Thursday (September 30), the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the university unveiled a ‘treaty rock’ — a new installation that recognizes the local treaty lands upon which the university is located — outside the Bata Library on Trent’s Symons Campus.
The installation is comprised of three limestone boulders, each bearing the symbols of the dodem (clan totem) carvings of the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig signatories.
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Its engraved inscription acknowledges that Trent University is located on Michi Saagiig Anishnaabeg traditional territory, reading “Treaty 20 was the first treaty in the region, signed in 1818 by the six Michi Saagiig clans. We offer gratitude for the First Peoples for sharing this land and their care for teachings about our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.”
For the unveiling, Trent University president Leo Groarke was joined by Curve Lake First Nation Chief Emily Whetung and Elder Doug Williams. All three spoke, with Chief Whetung referencing “the gold standard relationship” that Curve Lake First Nation and the university share.
“We are very pleased to see this installation, developed in a true partnership, come to life,” said Chief Whetung, adding “The meaningful acknowledgement of our ancestral lands, and the treaty in which the university is situated, will raise awareness in all who pass through.”
Curve Lake First Nation Elder Doug Williams, a Trent University alumnus, recounted the university’s Indigenous studies evolution at the unveiling of the treaty rock at Trent University on September 30, 2021. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Meanwhile, Elder Williams explained the significance of the dodem carvings that represent the clans that signed the 1818 treaty, symbolized by the clan symbols of an eagle, a caribou, a crane, a fish, and a snake.
“They made it possible for you to come into this territory and settle,” Elder Williams said. “I’m one of the rare Michi Saagiig left that speaks the language. There’s only about 50 of us. It’s good for me to see this.”
But the event’s most poignant remarks were made by Curve Lake First Nation member Lorenzo Whetung, who closed out the event with a prayer addressed to The Creator.
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“Thank you for the cold to remind us that life isn’t always comfortable and that it was never comfortable for the people at our residential schools,” he said.
“The chill that we feel now is nothing compared to the chill that was felt by the children at our residential schools. Thank you for bringing a little bit of that chill to us today so that we might use it to fuel the questions in our mind, to fuel the answers in our minds, and bring us together so that we can do something when we leave here.”
Julie Davis, Trent’s vice-president of external relations and development, also spoke to the day’s broader significance.
Dignitaries at the unveiling of the treaty rock at Trent University on the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, 2021, which is also Orange Shirt Day, included Curve Lake First Nation Chief Emily Whetung, Curve Lake First Nation Elder Doug Williams, Curve Lake First Nation member Lorenzo Whetung, Trent University president Leo Groarke, and Trent University vice-president of external relations and development Julie Davis. (Photo courtesy of Trent University)
“Perhaps, like me, you’re unsure of what emotions to bring with you today,” she said. “Sorrow for the lives, language, and land that has been lost. Maybe anger for the stripping away of culture and children from their families. Perhaps you feel determination to have this be the beginning of a path we’re all walking on together with a stronger understanding of the truth.”
“And perhaps you feel hope looking around here at the young people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, who have come here with a fierce determination to make this a country where all of the voices are heard.”
The unveiling drew a large crowd of students, most wearing orange t-shirt. September 30th is also Orange Shirt Day, a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission residential school commemoration event held in the May 2013 in Williams Lake, BC.
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Orange Shirt Day grew out of the experience of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad who, as a six-year-old child in 1973, had her new orange shirt — a gift from her grandmother — taken from her on her first day at the mission. The orange shirt, accompanied by the phrase “Every Child Matters”, has become a symbol of Canada’s efforts to strip Indigenous peoples of their language, culture, and heritage, largely through the residential school system.
Meanwhile, a similar ceremony was held Thursday at Trent University’s Durham campus in Oshawa that saw the unveiling of a treaty wall in the campus’ atrium. It features original signatory documents and pre-Confederation treaty map.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal statutory holiday on June 5 when legislative amendments made by Parliament received Royal Assent. It will be marked every September 30th moving forward as a day that “honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and their communities.”
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