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.”
United Way Peterborough & District CEO Jim Russell accepts a proclamation from Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien recognizing the organization's 80-year commitment to the community during the United Way's 2021-2022 campaign launch on September 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy of United Way Peterborough & District)
The United Way Peterborough & District launched the second leg of a three-year fundraising campaign at an event outside the organization’s office in downtown Peterborough on Wednesday (September 29).
The organization aims to raise $5 million by 2023. The 2021-2022 campaign also marks the 80th year the United Way has been working with donors to address the root causes of societal issues.
“I am so pleased to be here today to make this proclamation of United Way Peterborough and District’s commitment of 80 years working to support the most vulnerable in our community,” said Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, who delivered the proclamation to commemorate the organization’s contribution to the community.
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Dr. Marcus Harvey, a long-time member of the United Way’s cabinet and board, will once again lead this year’s campaign.
“This past year posed challenges that the United Way was ideally situated to address,” he said. “We ensured that our partner agencies got the resources they needed to manage the COVID-19 crisis and attracted $1.8 million in new federal grants to the community.”
Harvey added the United Way is “on track” to meet its $5 million goal by 2023, thanks to both individual and corporate donors.
“Many long-time donors increased their contributions, despite the pandemic,” Harvey said. “Or maybe they did it to spite the pandemic.”
During 2020-2021, the United Way provided more than $2.7 million in support to 51 local agencies and 103 programs. However, as that amount included one-time and emergency grants from the federal government and local foundations, so additional fundraising will be needed this year.
For Kathy Neill, executive director of John Howard Society of Peterborough, the United Way is more than just a source of funding.
“I am grateful for the strong voice that the United Way brings to our community, especially around the complex issue of local homelessness and housing,” she explained. “Through their research, such as Housing is Fundamental Report, Living Wage Report, and the Point in Time Enumeration, United Way leads and engages in capacity building initiatives that create meaningful impact across our social service sector.”
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Jim Russell, CEO of United Way Peterborough & District, drew a parallel between the pandemic and the origins of the United Way 80 years ago.
“The United Way started as the Community Chest, a response to the war effort, born out of crisis and reflecting the response recovery and resilience of that time,” Russell said.
“We look back with gratitude over 80 years of building community with you. We look forward to the coming 80 years, confident in this community’s resilience and certain of our ability together to respond and recover from any challenge. To our donors, workplaces, partner agencies, and volunteers — a humble and hearty thank you.”
To donate to the United Way Peterborough & District, and to say up to date on events during the 2021-2022 campaign, visit www.uwpeterborough.ca.
Many schools in Peterborough have front-wheel slot-style racks that are known to cause bike damage and are difficult to lock properly to. A bike rack should provide two points of contact for stability and proper locking. Ring-style bike racks allow two points of contact to properly lock a bike and allow for increased capacity. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
According to a 2012 poll from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, 78 per cent of Ontarians believe more people would cycle if there was more and better cycling infrastructure. This “better cycling infrastructure” includes end-of-trip infrastructure — such as ample, high quality, and convenient parking spots where you can lock your bike.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Jaime Akiyama, Program Coordinator at GreenUP.
At Active School Travel Peterborough (AST Ptbo), we encourage students who are able to bike to and from school because it is healthy, environmentally friendly, and a fun and efficient way to travel. We educate students, helping them develop cycling skills and learn the rules of the road. We also recommend that cycling be included in the design of road infrastructure.
Better end-of-trip infrastructure at schools is key to our goals. Regardless of a student’s desire to cycle to school, they won’t feel comfortable biking if they don’t have a safe and convenient place to lock their bikes.
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AST Ptbo has worked with various partnering schools to identify a lack of quality bike parking as a barrier to cycling. Students, parents, and guardians liked the idea of cycling to school, but were not confident in the security or convenience of bike parking. Addressing this barrier by providing ample quality parking infrastructure will support those who would like to cycle and increase the number of students who benefit from active school travel.
Bike parking is about both quantity and quality. Most schools have a bike rack, but often the quality is questionable and there are not enough parking spaces. At a recent secondary school Bike To School Day event, students mentioned that the existing bike rack is usually full. One student commented that they have to arrive extra early just to get a spot on the rack.
Many schools have front-wheel slot-style racks that are known to cause bike damage and are difficult to lock properly to. A bike rack should provide two points of contact for stability and proper locking. Such bike parking should ideally be sheltered from rain and snow, secure, and highly visible.
The Active School Travel Peterborough team likes to say that if you add racks, the bikes will fill them. Ideally, bike racks should be sheltered from rain and snow and located near pedestrian traffic areas. (Photo: Leif Einarson)
Thanks to our partners the City and County of Peterborough, AST Ptbo is providing a new bike rack to participating secondary schools. The ring-style racks will provide quality parking and increase the capacity.
School travel planning engagement also recognizes that scooter users have similar end-of-trip infrastructure barriers. AST Ptbo, with funding from an Ontario Active School Travel grant, is taking action to supply scooter parking racks to participating school travel planning schools. AST Ptbo hopes that this small increase in end-of-trip infrastructure will allow for more cyclists and scooterers to enjoy the benefits of active school travel.
AST Ptbo is working with schools to properly locate and install their bike racks to maximize use and security. We recommend locating racks near pedestrian traffic areas, where users can easily access the rack. Pedestrian traffic will add an additional element of security, as constant surveillance can deter theft.
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Getting your bike stolen sucks. Bikes are expensive, and we often rely on bikes as a primary travel mode. We are also often emotionally attached to our bikes — it can be deeply upsetting to lose a bike.
Even with sufficient end-of-trip infrastructure, properly locking a bike is important. Many bikes are inefficiently locked and therefore at greater risk of being stolen.
How should you lock your bike to better prevent theft? Here are three steps.
This bike may seem like it is locked, but look closely: the lock does not actually go through the frame. For the best security, a lock should secure the frame as well as both of the wheels. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
First, we recommend investing in a quality bike lock. While all locks can be defeated with the right tool, some are a lot harder to cut and require extreme tools. Check out bicycling.com or thebestbikelock.com for lock critiques and to find a quality lock that suits your needs.
Second, make sure your lock actually secures your bike. You want your lock to go through your frame and both wheels. Using a longer cable with a u-lock might be needed to reach the frame and both wheels. This is another reason why having two points of contact on a bike rack is ideal.
Keep in mind that a wheel can be removed relatively easily, especially if it has a quick release lever. We don’t want thieves to walk away with any part of your bike. The frame itself is the most important part of your bike, so make sure your lock goes through your frame.
VIDEO: How to lock your bike. The RIGHT way!
Third, test your locking technique. Lock up your bike and then challenge a friend to see if you have properly secured it. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we missed the frame.
The City of Peterborough is working with a program called 529 Garage to prevent theft and aid in bike recovery. They recommend registering your bike to become part of a social network keeping an eye out for each other’s bikes.
Here’s how 529 Garage works: you register your bike and receive a tamper-resistant shield (sticker) that acts as a deterrent to would-be thieves and aids in easier recovery if your bike is found. If your bike is stolen, there is an alert to let other bike owners know so they can keep an eye out for your bike.
Ideally, families would have access to the infrastructure to confidently cycle to school and throughout their community. Parents and guardians would drop their child off at school and continue on to work or other destinations knowing that both their child’s bike and their own bike are secure.
Ample, quality, accessible end-of-trip bike infrastructure would help eliminate barriers, allowing families to enjoy the benefits of active transportation.
Taso's Restaurant and Pizzeria, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a Chicago-style deep dish "Mac n Cheeza" with spicy chorizo sausage, porchetta, and jalapeno, topped with three cheeses and a garlic parm crusted panko. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Mac and cheese fans will love the variety of carb-loaded dishes coming to downtown Peterborough for the month of October during the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival — and they’ll also find comfort in their hearts knowing they are supporting locally owned restaurants while also helping to address food insecurity for those in need.
The brainchild of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), the Mac + Cheese Festival is the ultimate festival for lovers of the comfort food. Dishes range from classic macs to adventurous and fancy macs, created especially for the festival by 18 downtown restaurants including pubs, cafes, delis, burger joints, pizzerias, and fine dining and vegan restaurants.
“Peterborough’s downtown offers the best culinary experience in the region, including a diverse array of restaurant experiences that bring the flavours of the world together in one place,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel.
Peterborough’s first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival takes place during October 2021 at 18 participating downtown restaurants, one of which will be crowned Mac + Cheese Champion with a donation made to Kawartha Food Share in the restaurant’s name. Festival goers are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for Kawartha Food Share when visiting one of the participating restaurants to indulge in a mac and cheese dish. (Graphic: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
“To showcase this quality that our downtown restaurants possess, we decided to bring the king of comfort food — mac and cheese — to their kitchens and let them create cheesy masterpieces,” Terry explains. “Hopefully this initiative will introduce new customers to a restaurant they haven’t yet experienced. Mac and cheese will definitely get people’s hunger on and entice them with the temptations that only cheesy dishes can bring.”
Hillary Flood, the DBIA’s communications manager, says the participating restaurants have embraced the concept behind the festival. Some, like Real Thai PTBO, are adding an “international flair” to the dish, while The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge is taking fall-centric approach by serving their mac and cheese dish in a miniature pumpkin.
“Sam’s Place is also thinking very outside-the-mac with a mac and cheesewich,” she adds.
Sam’s Place, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a “Mac and Cheesewich” on sourdough bread with American cheddar, jalapeño, bacon, and cheddar mac and cheese with a potato chip crust. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
“It’s a competition, and of course some folks are in it for the glory,” Hillary says. “But our 18 restaurant partners are just happy to help bring a little comfort back into the community. I don’t think it gets any more comforting than mac and cheese.”
The festival will culminate with the crowning of a Mac + Cheese Champion who will win a “cheesy hand-crafted trophy”, according to Hillary, along with a “sizeable donation” made to Kawartha Food Share in their establishment’s name. The champion will be selected by festival goers, who will be able to vote for their favourite dishes online at www.ptbomacandcheesefest.com all month long.
“We are excited to see how our COVID-friendly festival will help keep local momentum going for our restaurants after patio season ends,” Hillary adds. “We couldn’t be prouder of the incredible dishes the Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival will have on offer this October.”
Battle of the pizzerias
Pizza Bodega, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a New York style thin crust “Mac n Cheeza” with a homemade mac and cheese sauce, double smoked spicy capicola ham, fior di latte, parmesan roasted garlic crema, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese topped with a Cheetos crumble. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Taso’s Restaurant and Pizzeria and Pizza Bodega are taking the festival’s carby shenanigans to unparalleled heights, with Taso’s offering a Chicago-style deep dish mac and cheese pizza and Pizza Bodega a thin crust New York-style version.
Pizza Bodega owners Sean Crooks and Jennifer Assally, who opened the doors to their popular restaurant around two months ago, were excited to get involved when they found out about the festival.
“We decided to join because we can get some exposure in Peterborough and get our restaurant’s name out there,” Sean says. “It just seems like a great opportunity for a new business like ours.”
“My girlfriend and I are very carb-heavy people,” Sean points out. “We like carbs — we’re not afraid of them. Mac and cheese is a classic dish and we’ve eaten it since we were kids. I’ve made different renditions at restaurants that I’ve worked in. It’s one of those dishes you just can’t pass up.”
Sean says that his goal was to load his dish with carbs and create a homemade masterpiece worthy of any dieter’s cheat day.
A brief history of mac and cheese
Pasta and cheese casseroles were recorded in 14th-century Italian and medieval English cookbooks. The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese was included in Elizabeth Raffald’s 1770 book The Experienced English Housekeeper. In the U.S., a macaroni and cheese recipe appeared in Mary Randolph’s 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife, considered by some as the most influential cookbook of the 19th century. Macaroni and cheese was brought to Canada by British immigrants with the most well-known form of mac and cheese, Kraft Dinner, first introduced in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937 during the Great Depression. It remains especially popular in Canada and is sometimes called the country’s de faco national dish.
“Pizza dough has a lot of flour of course, so we tried to make the sauce without flour,” he explains. “We decided on a straight-up cheese sauce. We added double-smoked ham, and our garlic parmesan sauce is part of the base to ensure it doesn’t dry out.”
“Fresh mozzarella, dry mozzarella, and parmesan make up the three staple cheeses in the dish. Noodles add more carbs and then we’ve topped it with chives and a crunchy Cheetos crumble to add a little bit of texture.”
“If you’re coming to a Mac + Cheese Festival, you’re probably not looking to cut back on your carbs,” Sean laughs. “You’re definitely not on the Keto diet.”
Sean says he is happy to be facing off against Taso’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, which he believes has included “even more carbs” with their Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.
“It should be very interesting,” Sean says. “A fun little challenge to encourage people to come downtown and try something new. Most festivals last just a few days — this is going to last for a month and people don’t have to gather in large groups to participate. A lot of mac and cheese will be consumed over the month of October in Peterborough.”
Taso Hatzianastasiou, owner and chef of Taso’s Restaurant and Pizzeria, shows off his Chicago-style deep dish “Mac n Cheeza” with spicy chorizo sausage, porchetta, and jalapeno, topped with three cheeses and a garlic parm crusted panko. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
For his part, Taso’s owner and chef Taso Hatzianastasiou says that he “loves a challenge” and sees the festival as his perfect opportunity to create a very “unique pie.”
“The festival is an exciting way to bring the community together and give everyone an opportunity to experience something or somewhere new,” he says. “I made a classic deep dish Chicago-style pizza with a mac and cheese twist. It’s layered with old cheddar and mozzarella, then my three-cheese mac with chorizo, pancetta, and diced jalapeños, and it’s finished with a garlic parmesan panko crust for a nice crunch. It’s creamy, ultra cheesy, and has a bit of a kick.”
Taso is happy to be part of the downtown Peterborough community and considers himself fortunate to call many customers and other business owners by name within his close-knit downtown community.
Mac and Cheese fusion
Real Thai PTBO, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering a “Spicy Curry Mac” with a spicy Thai red curry, thick and creamy coconut milk, gooey cheese, and a crispy wonton topping. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Like Pizza Bodega, Real Thai PTBO opened its doors during the pandemic. Co-owner Sathit Thanomphan (Chef Tom) says that, despite the challenges of opening during a pandemic, he and his wife Samantha are very happy to be operating their new restaurant in downtown Peterborough.
“It is an honour to bring authentic Thai food to this community,” Chef Tom says. “It’s important to us to participate in a community event. When we came here, I wanted to bring authentic Thai food to Peterborough, and I’ve done my best to do that. I hope that my kitchen will bring more newcomers here because they’ve heard that there is a Thai food restaurant they can’t miss in Peterborough.”
Chef Tom explains that creating a new Thai dish is always a challenge because of the delicate “architecture” of Thai food and flavours that are used. For the mac and cheese challenge, Tom says he opted to “keep it simple”, creating a fusion dish based on one of his most popular menu items.
“I based my dish on a very popular Thai dish called Khao Soi,” he says. “It’s a noodle dish traditionally made with egg noodles, spicy Thai red curry, and coconut milk.”
Real Thai PTBO’s “Spicy Curry Mac” also features gooey cheese and a crispy wonton topping.
Comfort food bringing comfort
The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, is offering “Too Gourd to be True”, a creamy mac and cheese with spiced pumpkin béchamel sauce, aged cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, crispy prosciutto, and fried sage, served in a baby pumpkin from McLean’s Berry Farm. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
Running in tandem with the Mac + Cheese Festival will be a month-long food drive for Kawartha Food Share. Participating diners are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to any of the 18 participating restaurants.
Kawartha Food Share general manager Ashlee Aitken says they are excited to partner with the DBIA for the premiere Mac + Cheese Festival, as the pandemic has resulted in higher demand among those dealing with food insecurity.
“This year has been particularly hard for our food bank clients as well as the wonderful community members running our 37 member agencies,” she explains. “Many people have been without work for long periods of time and have had to rely on our services more than ever. The winter months, especially around the holidays, bring a lot of added expenses for our clients.”
“Unfortunately, 16.5 per cent of household in Peterborough are food insecure. Every donation, no matter how small, will ensure we can provide safe and reliable access to emergency food for those who need it most.”
Lasair Wood, owner and operator of The Food Forest, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, digs into a bowl of Vegan Mac. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
During the festival, each participating restaurant will be set up to collect non-perishable food donations. Ashlee says that, while packaged mac and cheese is an item they are always in need of, they are currently short on their supply of pork and beans, canned vegetables, and individually wrapped school snacks (such as granola bars, apple sauce, and fruit chews).
While the fast-approaching Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many people traditionally donate food, Ashlee says donations are needed all year long — especially in the winter months.
“Donations can be dropped in any of our collection bins, at grocery stores, or at our warehouse,” adds Ashlee. “Monetary donations can be made on our website. Hunger doesn’t end when the holidays do, and we would like the public to know that we accept and appreciate donations all year long.”
Chef Simon Brown of Amandala’s, one of 18 downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the first-ever Mac + Cheese Festival during the month of October, with his “Sexy Mac” featuring a seven-cheese sauce tossed with crab and macaroni and served in a bacon collar, topped with tempura-fried peas and sugar snap peas, complemented by a fire-roasted poblano pepper and tomato compote. (Photo: Mac + Cheese Festival / Peterborough DBIA)
You can support Kawartha Food Share and locally owned restaurants by heading to downtown Peterborough for the Mac + Cheese Festival throughout the month of October. Whether you’re looking for a traditional dish, something more unusual, or a vegan or gluten-free option, there’s a mac and cheese for everyone’s taste.
For more information about the festival, including a description of all the dishes and a map of participating restaurants (which you can also find below), visit www.ptbomacandcheesefest.com, where you can vote for your favourite mac and cheese dishes. You can also follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram.
For more information about Kawartha Food Share and to make a monetary donation, visit www.kawarthafoodshare.com.
MAP: Downtown Peterborough restaurants participating in the Mac + Cheese Festival
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 495 new cases today, with the 7-day average of daily cases increasing by 4 to 610.
There will be no COVID-19 update on September 30 due to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Numbers for September 30 will be included in the October 1 update.
Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 1 is reporting a triple-digit increase — Toronto (107) — and 12 are reporting low double-digit increases — Ottawa (39), Hamilton (39), York (35), Peel (33), Windsor-Essex (33), Niagara (32), Halton (20), Middlesex-London (19), Lambton (18), Waterloo (15), Durham (10), and Brant (10) — with 3 reporting no new cases at all.
Of the new cases, 68% are people who have not been fully vaccinated (61% have not received any doses and 7% have received only one dose) and 23% are people who have been fully vaccinated with two doses, with the vaccination status unknown for 8% of the cases because of a missing or invalid health card number. The 7-day average case rate is 9.83 per 100,000 for unvaccinated people, 4.85 per 100,000 for partially vaccinated people, and 1.43 per 100,000 for fully vaccinated people.
Hospitalizations have dropped by 23 to 292, ICU patients has decreased by 8 to 172, and ICU patients on ventilators has decreased by 4 to 123. Ontario is reporting 8 new COVID-related deaths.
Over 21.74 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 38,297 from yesterday. Over 10.51 million people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 23,381 from yesterday, representing over 71.1% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 29 – September 28, 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 29 – September 28, 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 29 – September 28, 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 14 new cases to report, including 5 in Hastings Prince Edward, 3 in Peterborough, 3 in Northumberland, 2 in Haliburton, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.
An additional 15 cases have been resolved in the region, including 6 in Hastings Prince Edward, 5 in Kawartha Lakes, and 4 in Peterborough,.
The number of active cases has increased by 3 in Northumberland and by 2 in Haliburton, and has decreased by 4 in Kawarthas Lakes, by 2 in Hastings Prince Edward, and by 1 in Peterborough.
The numbers for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton are over the past 2 days.
There are currently 89 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 2 from yesterday, including 44 in Hastings Prince Edward (21 in Quinte West, 15 in Belleville, 3 in Prince Edward County, 3 in North Hastings, and 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto), 18 in Peterborough, 17 in Kawartha Lakes, 7 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,817 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,775 resolved with 23 deaths), 1,291 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,229 resolved with 58 deaths), 1,000 in Northumberland County (976 resolved with 17 deaths), 148 in Haliburton County (144 resolved with 1 death), and 1,392 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,335 resolved with 13 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on September 20.
An architectural rendering of the new Canadian Canoe Museum, to be built on the Johnson Property in Peterborough, beside the Parks Canada building and north of Beavermead Park. Now that the museum has completed the purchase of the property at 2077 Ashburnham Drive and signed a design and construction contact, construction will begin in October 2021. (Rendering: Lett Architects Inc.)
Construction on the new Canadian Canoe Museum on Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough will begin in October, with an expected completion date in 2023.
The museum announced on Wednesday (September 29) that it has signed a $27.4 million integrated project delivery contract with Chandos Construction Ltd. and Lett Architects Inc. for design and construction work for the new facility on the Johnson Property at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.
The museum completed the purchase of the Johnson Property from the City of Peterborough last Wednesday, paying $1.58 million for the five-acre parcel of land. The sale was subject to a number of conditions including rezoning, project validation, and confirmation of site appropriateness, all of which have been met to the satisfaction of both the museum and the city.
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“Canadian Canoe Museum is thrilled to have completed these critical milestones so that we may commence with construction as planned in October,” says the museum’s executive director Carolyn Hyslop in a media release. “Our project team is working at lightning speed to stay on schedule so that we may be ready to open the new museum in 2023.”
The total cost of the project is $40 million, of which the museum has raised just over 82 per cent, including contributions from all three levels of government as well as the Weston Family Foundation. The museum also intends to sell its current property at 910 Monaghan Road to help fund the project.
The museum is taking an integrated project delivery (IPD) approach to the design and building of the new museum. Unlike traditional design and construction delivery methods, IPD is a collaborative approach where all project stakeholders are brought on board at the very beginning of the project, sign a multi-party contract, and share the responsibility for the project — including the financial risk.
The Johnson Property is located north of Beavermead Park and south of the Parks Canada-Trent Severn Waterway head offices. The new museum will be built on a flat portion of the property, away from the floodplain, on the open land along Ashburnham Drive so as to preserve the existing trail, shoreline, and natural waterfront. (Graphic courtesy of Canadian Canoe Museum)
Along with Lett Architects Inc. of Peterborough as the architect and Chandos Construction Ltd. of Toronto as the general contractor, other project partners include LEA of Markham as structural engineer, Kelson Mechanical of Sharon as the mechanical trade partner, DG Biddle & Associates of Oshawa as mechanical and electrical engineer, Lancer Electric of Peterborough as electrical trade partner, and Engage Engineering of Peterborough as civil engineer.
The Johnson Property is located north of Beavermead Park and south of the Parks Canada-Trent Severn Waterway head offices. The new museum will be built on a flat portion of the property, away from the floodplain, on the open land along Ashburnham Drive so as to preserve the existing trail, shoreline, and natural waterfront.
The new facility will house the museum’s complete collection of canoes, kayaks, and watercraft in a building that meets Class A conservation standards. With its location on the water, the museum will be able to offer increased on-water and in-person programming.
New Canadians Centre's children's picture book 'Building A Home' was inspired by the stories and artwork by six children originally from Syria, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Pakistan of their first-time experiences in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough. (Text and illustrations by Casandra Lee)
New Canadians Centre in Peterborough has published a new children’s picture book that shares the experiences of immigrant children when they arrive in Canada.
Written and illustrated by Peterborough artist Casandra Lee (herself a recent immigrant), Building A Home was inspired by the stories and artwork of six children originally from Syria, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Pakistan who now call Nogojiwanong-Peterborough home.
New Canadians Centre commissioned Lee to create the book after Bhisham Ramoutar, the non-profit organization’s communications and community engagement specialist, had the idea of documenting the stories of newcomer children experiencing firsts in Canada — including learning English, going to school, visiting large supermarkets, experiencing winter and snow, eating pizza, and more.
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“We were inspired to put the spotlight on the voices of our youngest new residents,” Bhisham says in a media release. “Our hope is that this will pave the way for conversations in homes, classrooms, between friends, families, and neighbours to reflect on our own experiences and consider our role in helping those who are new to Canada to thrive and belong.”
Casandra Lee is an Asian-American children’s author who moved to Canada in 2019 and now lives in Peterborough where she teaches at a Montessori school.
She has already published a children’s book called The Sun Dance and is collaborating with Bangkok author C Y Gopinath on a book called The Bells of Casiopia.
Casandra Lee is an Asian-American children’s author who moved to Canada in 2019 and now lives in Peterborough. (Photo via casandralee.com)
“Finding a place to call home can be a long, difficult journey,” Lee says. “It is a privilege to have a safe place to live with joy. The real stars of this book are the children. They always inspired me with their strength, resilience, and joy. I am so honoured to help share their stories in this book.”
With the support of the United Way of Peterborough & District’s David Goyette and Victoria Pearce Arts Fund and donors, Building A Home is available to read for free online on the New Canadian Centre’s website at nccpeterborough.ca/buildingahome/.
The book is available in seven languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Korean, and Spanish. You can read the English version below.
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Orders for printed copies of the book in any language can also be submitted on the New Canadian Centre’s website at at nccpeterborough.ca/buildingahome/.
Up to 400 printed copies will be available for free, with a limit of one copy per family or organization in Peterborough and Northumberland counties. Printed copies can be picked up at the New Canadian Centre’s offices in Peterborough and Cobourg (shipping is not available).
New Canadians Centre is also offering live in-person or virtual readings of Building A Home at schools or events. Readings will be done by New Canadians Centre staff, Casandra, or other newcomers associated with the New Canadians Centre, depending on the timing of the reading. For more information or to book a reading, email Bhisham at bhisham@nccpeterborough.ca.
For more information about Casandra Lee, visit casandralee.com.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 466 new cases today, with the 7-day average of daily cases decreasing by 15 to 606.
Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 1 is reporting a triple-digit increase — Toronto (138) — and 12 are reporting double-digit increases — Peel (39), Ottawa (31), Windsor-Essex (31), Hamilton (25), Niagara (25), York (21), Durham (19), Halton (18), Chatham-Kent (15), Simcoe Muskoka (14), Middlesex-London (14), and Waterloo (13) — with 4 reporting no new cases at all.
Of the new cases, 65% are people who have not been fully vaccinated (59% have not received any doses and 6% have received only one dose) and 26% are people who have been fully vaccinated with two doses, with the vaccination status unknown for 9% of the cases because of a missing or invalid health card number. The 7-day average case rate is 9.67 per 100,000 for unvaccinated people, 4.57 per 100,000 for partially vaccinated people, and 1.45 per 100,000 for fully vaccinated people.
Hospitalizations have jumped by 117 to 315, but this increase is in part a result of underreporting by more than 10% of hospitals over the weekend. The number of ICU patients has decreased by 4 to 180 and the number of ICU patients on ventilators has decreased by 3 to 127. Ontario is reporting 9 new COVID-related deaths.
Over 21.7 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 31,855 from yesterday. Over 10.49 million people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 18,885 from yesterday, representing 70.95% of Ontario’s total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 28 – September 27, 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 28 – September 27, 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 28 – September 27, 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 18 new cases to report, including 14 in Hastings Prince Edward and 4 in Peterborough. An additional 15 cases have been resolved in the region, including 8 in Hastings Prince Edward and 7 in Peterborough.
The number of active cases has increased by 6 in Hastings Prince Edward and has decreased by 3 in Peterborough.
Numbers are unavailable for Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Northumberland as that health unit only issues reports on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Numbers for Tuesday will be included in Wednesday’s update.
There are currently 91 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 3 from yesterday, including 46 in Hastings Prince Edward (22 in Quinte West, 15 in Belleville, 4 in Prince Edward County, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, and 3 in North Hastings), 21 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Peterborough, 4 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,817 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,775 resolved with 23 deaths), 1,290 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,224 resolved with 58 deaths), 997 in Northumberland County (976 resolved with 17 deaths), 146 in Haliburton County (144 resolved with 1 death), and 1,388 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,329 resolved with 13 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Hastings Prince Edward on September 20.
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