The inductees of Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario's 10th annual Peterborough Business Hall of Fame, pictured in the lobby of the Venture North Building in downtown Peterborough on January 22, 2025, are (from left to right, bottom to top) Diane Richard, Nancy Wiskel, Matt Holmes, Michael Riseley, Kelly and Martin Carbajal, Darrell Junkin, Grant Seabrooke, Raj Patel, Micheal Eatson, Eric Eatson, Graeme Eatson, and Drew Merrett. Not pictured: Toni and Kelli Grady, Margo and Paul Hudson, and Donnell Leahy, Natalie McMaster, and Julia Leahy. (Photo courtesy of JA-NEO)
Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario (JA-NEO) has announced the inductees for the 10th annual Peterborough Business Hall of Fame, with the largest number of local business leaders ever inducted in a single year.
Business Hall of Fame chancellor Allan Hill of Domino’s Pizza announced the 22 inductees from the lobby of the Venture North Building in downtown Peterborough on Wednesday morning (January 22).
The 2025 inductees are:
Darrell Junkin of Craftworks at the Barn
Tony and Kelli Grady of Grady Feet Essentials
Grant Seabrooke of Machine Dynamics Ltd.
Matt Holmes and Michael Riseley of Holmes Riseley LLP
Donnell Leahy, Natalie McMaster, and Julia Leahy of Natalie Donnell Entertainment
Margo and Paul Hudson of Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods
Nancy Wiskel of Dan Joyce Clothing
Martin and Kelly Carbajal of La Mesita Restaurante
Drew Merrett of Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre
Diane Richard of Diatom Consulting
Raj Patel of Ennismore Foodland
Peter, Rita, Michael, Eric, and Graeme Eatson of Peterborough Volkswagen
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“JA-NEO is excited to unveil the 10th annual class of inductees to join our ever-growing Business Hall of Fame as we mark our 10th induction ceremony this May,” said JA-NEO president and CEO John McNutt in a media release.
“As we celebrate 10 years of our Business Hall of Fame, we are thrilled to welcome our biggest class yet who are helping to inspire and show local youth that starting their own business can be rewarding and last multiple generations much like the business leaders being honoured today.”
The inductees will be formally inducted at The Venue in downtown Peterborough on Thursday, May 29.
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Early bird tickets for $75 are available until April 13, with the regular price $125 thereafter. Tickets are available at ja-neo.org/ja-business-hall-of-fame/.
According to JA-NEO, the event helps the organization recruit volunteers, investors, and partners to help deliver their programs at no cost to students or schools.
“Proceeds from the event help JA-NEO meet the growing demand for financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programs, providing essential support to facilitate the future success of every JA student,” states the release.
Workforce Development Board (WDB) has released a new Planning Career Pathways Video Tutorial and updated Toolkit to make it easy for prospective employees to find the full range of resources available from WDB to support them in making informed decisions when it comes to planning their careers. (Photo: kawarthaNOW)
Projections in high-demand employment sectors, curated lists of job skills, career ladders, and a fulsome and detailed jobs hub are just a few of the many resources Workforce Development Board (WDB) has available for career planning or for job seekers to advance in their chosen career.
WDB’s new Planning Career Pathways Video Tutorial and updated Toolkit make it easy for prospective employees to find the full range of resources available from WDB to support them in making informed decisions when it comes to planning their careers.
“The video and toolkit provide helpful and essential information that will support somebody who’s looking for employment or for parents who are helping their children with career planning,” says Shara Bonds, WDB’s Business Support and Project Coordinator. “These tools will help them in the future to think about using one or more of the resources available, and they’ll have a better understanding of labour market information and how they could use it to their benefit.”
Founded in 1996, WDB is a not-for-profit research organization located in Peterborough and funded by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. WDB provides labour market information, coordinates employment and training services, and engages employer communities across Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton.
WDB’s Planning Career Pathways Toolkit includes an interactive visual graphic that outlines the resources available on the WDB website, along with a new video tutorial that provides step-by-step details on the various resources and how to use them.
“The visual can be downloaded and saved for future use and the links will take you exactly where you need to go to use that tool,” Bonds says. “But if you are more interested in navigating through the website, the video tutorial gives a more in-depth explanation of where to find the tools and how to use them.”
VIDEO: WDB Planning Career Pathways Video Tutorial
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Those tools include the WDB Labour Market Insights Report, an interactive monthly report highlighting which occupations are most in demand in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton as well as Muskoka District. The report provides the number of active job postings, the number of job postings made in the last month, the number of full-time and part-time jobs available, the top in-demand skills, the top hiring companies, and much more.
There’s also the Eye on the Labour Market interactive e-newsletter, which provides subscribers with monthly information on the top 10 most in-demand occupations and skills sought after by employers in the Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton areas.
“We’re aggregating information from current job postings to show what those in-demand skills and the in-demand occupations are currently,” Bonds says. “This will help job seekers understand the market they are entering.”
Workforce Development Board’s Eye on the Labour Market interactive e-newsletter provides subscribers with monthly information on the top 10 most in-demand occupations and skills sought after by employers in the Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton areas. (Photo: kawarthaNOW)
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The Labour Market Gateway, on the other hand, looks at occupational demand projections over the next five years by estimating the number of people working in each occupation. With this interactive online resource, users can also access the projections for top in-demand sectors for the selected region.
“If you’re just starting your career or maybe you’re in high school and thinking about post-secondary education or employment, it’s another source of labour market information that can help you plan ahead,” says Bonds. “It’s helpful if you’re not sure what you want to do, or if you do know and want to see whether there will be jobs in that chosen sector, or if those jobs will be in demand in the future.”
When job seekers know their career goals and the occupations they want to explore, WDB’s Skill Demand Report helps them to discover the skills needed to enter that career path. The report uses information from job postings to summarize more than 29,000 knowledge, occupational skills, and tools or technologies needed for a selected occupation.
Workforce Development Board’s Career Ladders describe the skills needed to advance in careers in the high-demand sectors of accommodation, agriculture, arts, entertainment and recreation, aviation, construction, construction – infrastructure planning, food service, manufacturing, retail, and transportation. (Photo: kawarthaNOW)
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Job seekers can also seek guidance from WDB’s interactive Career Ladders, which describe the skills needed to advance in careers in the high-demand sectors of accommodation, agriculture, arts, entertainment and recreation, aviation, construction, construction – infrastructure planning, food service, manufacturing, retail, and transportation. Each career ladder includes information about hourly wages, job descriptions, main job duties, examples of job titles, general skills, and links to educational courses and training opportunities.
“The career ladders show people how they can grow within their sector,” Bonds says. “When you first start out, you might be making minimum wage in a lower-level occupation, because you don’t have as much training or education or experience, and then it will show you how to move through a sector and grow within that career.”
Whether seeking their first job or looking to advance in their chosen career, people can access WDB’s Local Jobs Hub, which automatically aggregates active job opportunities in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Northumberland, and Muskoka from over 45 online job boards.
Workforce Development Board’s Local Jobs Hub automatically aggregates active job opportunities in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Northumberland, and Muskoka from over 45 online job boards. (Photo: kawarthaNOW)
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Job seekers can filter listings by key criteria, including skill level and type, part-time or full-time jobs, and whether a job is temporary, contract, or permanent. The Local Jobs Hub also includes enhanced features such as a regional map that cross-references job postings with nearby bus routes, cycle routes, schools, childcare centres, and more.
“It’s very helpful for job seekers because it’s all in one place and there are so many different filters they can apply,” says Bonds. “If you’re looking for part-time work and you need it on a specific bus route, for example, this makes it easy to visually see what the options are. It’s making it as seamless as possible for people so they do not have to sift through jobs by viewing every single job posting.”
VIDEO: Career Factor – Residential HVAC Technician
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“If a job seeker planning their career has a better understanding about what is required from different types of employment, then they’re a better fit when they’re applying,” Bonds says. “It makes it easier for job seekers to know what an employer is looking for and to know whether they are able to fill that need.”
By providing helpful resources like the Planning Career Pathways Video Tutorial and Toolkit, WDB aims to help bridge the labour shortage gap between in-demand occupations and those seeking employment.
The new Planning Career Pathways Video Tutorial is available on YouTube. WDB is asking those who watch the video to provide feedback on their experience by completing a brief survey.
For more information about WDB, including a complete list of career planning resources, visit www.wdb.ca.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Workforce Development Board. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
The Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes, along with the Peterborough and Area Fundraisers Network, are both encouraging Kawarthas-area residents to consider donating their $200 provincial government taxpayer rebate cheques to local charities. (Graphic: Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes)
Non-profit organizations in the Kawarthas region are hoping to “create a movement of generosity” by inspiring residents to donate their taxpayer rebates from the provincial government to local charities.
Laurie Dillon-Schalk, executive director of the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes, which represents 15 non-profit organizations, is encouraging people to consider giving the $200 cheque they receive from the Ford government to their local charity of choice.
The $200 taxpayer rebate is being sent to all eligible adults in Ontario who filed their 2023 income tax and benefit return by December 31, 2024. Families who qualify for the Canada Child Benefit payment will also receive a separate cheque totalling $200 for each eligible child under age 18.
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“We are very grateful that Ontario is offering families timely relief from the high cost of living,” Dillon-Schalk told kawarthaNOW.
She estimates “well over” $10 million will be injected into the City of Kawartha Lakes from the rebate cheques. That number is approximately $20 million when it includes the City of Peterborough.
“These funds will help many families,” Dillon-Schalk said. “At the same time, there are some families who are fortunate enough to want to make their $200 go further. As a collective of 15 major charities, we recognized that if we could encourage just five per cent of those who receive cheques to donate, we could create major support to non-profits at this critical time.”
“We are in this together. We need residents to recognize the impact of their dollars. We urge those who can donate, to donate, especially into the local charities that support the well-being of our community.”
She is hopeful to initiate “a movement of generosity.”
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When asked about what the sparked the idea, Dillon-Schalk said that, prior to the holidays, the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes, in partnership with Kawartha Works Community Co-op and the City of Kawartha Lakes municipality, consulted with more than 25 social service organizations or municipal service representatives as part of planning for a Vital Signs research project study measuring the well-being of the community.
In these discussions, they ended the sessions with the question: are you in crisis?
“While we knew demand would be high for social service, we were surprised. Our service organizations were experiencing extremely high levels of demand — unprecedented. For some non-profit veterans, even those with 25-plus years (in operation), the need was higher than ever before seen in people’s careers,” she noted.
“So, demand/need is high, capacity is thin, and funds are low, especially following the postal strike.”
The roughly month-long Canada Post strike between November and December 2024 prevented many organizations’ holiday donor letters from landing in people’s mailboxes.
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The postal strike had a similar impact on non-profit organizations in Peterborough, said the Peterborough and Area Fundraisers Network (PAFN). PAFN, along with local non-profit organizations in Peterborough, is urging residents “to seize this opportunity to give back.”
“Charities in Peterborough play a vital role in addressing urgent needs while also fostering a stronger, healthier, and more equitable community,” said Isabel Botha, chair of PAFN, in a media release.
“The need in our community is great and we encourage those who can do so to donate to a local charity close to their heart. Donating your rebate is a simple but impactful way to support these organizations’ efforts and make a difference.”
There are nearly 400 registered charities providing services across the City and County of Peterborough, according to the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough’s 2024 Vital Signs Report. These organizations are dedicated to a wide range of causes, including Indigenous education, environmental conservation, youth mentorship, and community care.
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“The overwhelming community response to the proposed funding cuts by the City of Peterborough late last year underscores how deeply valued the charitable sector is to all of us,” Botha told kawarthaNOW, referring to a proposed 25 per cent across-the-board funding cut to 75 arts and social services organizations in the city’s 2025 draft budget that city council ultimately rejected after intense community opposition.
“It was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we stand together to advocate for the resources and programs that sustain our collective well-being,” Botha added.
She said that, according to CanadaHelps’ 2024 Giving Report, the number of Canadians making charitable donations continues to decline, while service usage in the charitable sector is at an all-time high.
“Supporting a charity whose mission aligns with your personal priorities or passions is, therefore, an impactful way to drive tangible change and help build the kind of community we all want to live in.”
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit is reminding the public to be cautious around wild birds and adhere to recommended safety precautions after a Canada goose in Cobourg was confirmed to be infected with bird flu.
Between January 3 and 6, there were reports of a large die-off of geese and ducks in the Cobourg harbour area, and it is believed the die-off was a result of avian influenza. A Canada goose found in the harbour on January 3 was submitted for testing and was subsequently confirmed by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative to be infected with bird flu.
Although the risk of transmission to humans is very low since the birds were found in an open environment and there are no remaining dead birds at the site, the health unit is reminding people to be cautious and adhere to recommended safety precautions if interacting with wild birds.
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“As of now, there have been no confirmed human cases of avian influenza within our district area and we anticipate that this trend will continue,” says HKPR District Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Natalie Bocking in a media release.
“It’s important for everyone to understand the risks avian influenza poses, not only to wild and domestic bird populations but also to human health. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we urge residents to take all necessary precautions to protect both themselves and animals during this time.”
Avian influenza is a viral disease that affects mostly domestic poultry and wild birds such as geese, ducks, and shore birds. Each year, there is a bird flu season, and some forms of bird flu are worse than others.
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To date, the most common avian influenza virus in domestic birds in Canada has been the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), subtype H5N1, which is known to kill both wild birds and commercial poultry. It can also infect dairy cattle and other livestock. Although HPAI was confirmed in dairy cows in the U.S. for the first time in 2024, H5N1 virus has not been detected in cattle, other livestock animals, or dairy products in Canada.
This is not the first time H5N1 has been confirmed in the Kawarthas. In April 2022, H5N1 was confirmed in a backyard flock of chickens in Selwyn Township. In April 2023, a pet dog in Oshawa died after contracting bird flu from chewing on a dead goose — the first documented case of its kind in Canada.
Humans and other mammals can only become infected with bird flu after prolonged close contact with infected birds. There is no evidence that properly cooked poultry, eggs, or beef would transmit HPAI to humans. Pasteurized cow’s milk and milk products remain safe to consume.
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To minimize the risk of exposure to bird flu, the health unit encourages residents to follow the precautions listed below.
Avoid direct contact with ill or dead wild birds and animals. If handling is necessary, wear proper personal protective equipment (gloves, mask, and eye protection), place the animal in two sealed plastic bags, and wash hands thoroughly after contact.
Follow safe cooking guidelines when preparing poultry and eggs. Always cook poultry to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) to ensure safety from potential pathogens. Do not handle or eat any animals that appear to be sick or that have died from unknown causes.
Keep pets indoors or on leashes when outside to prevent them from coming into contact with wild birds, including waterfowl, to reduce the risk of exposure.
Hunters and trappers should also be careful when handling wild birds and some mammals, especially when field dressing, plucking and cleaning game. Following biosecurity measures and safe handling and cleaning guidelines such as wearing rubber gloves, using a well-ventilated area and washing your hands and surfaces, can drastically reduce your risk of exposure to avian influenza.
Residents should report sick or dead wildlife to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at 1-800-567-2033 or online at cwhc.wildlifesubmissions.org/.
Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for most of the Kawarthas region for Tuesday night (January 21) through Wednesday morning.
The extreme cold warning is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
An Arctic airmass will bring bitterly cold wind chills to the area Tuesday night. Wind chill values will be near minus 30 to as low as minus 35, before temperatures moderate Wednesday afternoon.
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Extreme cold puts everyone at risk. Watch for cold-related symptoms which include shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness, and colour change in fingers and toes.
Dress warmly in layers that you can remove if you get too warm (the outer layer should be wind resistant) and cover up exposed skin, as frostbite can develop within minutes, especially with wind chill.
Remember: if it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.
Home of the famous Mud Bugs, The Chocolate Rabbit in Lakefield will be serving up a rich and indulgent chocolate culinary treat as part of the Lakefield Village Lions Club's Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival from January 31 to February 18, 2025. What began as a hot chocolate festival has been expanded in its fifth year to include separate categories for food, drink, and "creative" chocolate creations. (Photo: The Chocolate Rabbit)
Lakefield’s sweet innovation and creative minds have inspired the Lakefield Village Lions Club to transform their annual hot chocolate festival into a celebration of chocolate in any form.
Now called the Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival, the fifth annual winter celebration is kicking off over the weekend of Selwyn’s PolarFest on Friday, January 31. Over the course of two and a half weeks until Tuesday, February 18, more than a dozen restaurants, cafés, and other businesses in the village will be putting their best chocolatey concoctions forward in support of the Lakefield Village Lions Club.
“We have such a beautiful town and it’s a way to get people out of their houses and into our businesses, restaurants, and cafes with friends and family,” says Sandra Wren, member of the Lakefield Village Lions Club and festival chair. “Since it’s traditionally a slow time of year for businesses, it’s a perfect time to encourage people to see what these businesses might be about.”
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Participating restaurants, bakeries, and cafés will design their own one-of-a-kind edible chocolate creations, in either the food or beverage category. Whether hot or cold, the drinks can be spirited, though each establishment must also offer a non-alcoholic beverage.
As the hot chocolate festival, previous years have seen businesses getting creative and over-the-top with their offerings of Smores, Skors, or strawberry-flavoured drinks, often topped with marshmallows, caramel, a decadence of whipped cream — and sometimes all of that and more. While only one item can be included in the competition, many businesses add specialty treats to their menu for customers to pair with the feature.
Other participating businesses will be included in the “Creativity” category, where they will come up with unique out-of-the-box chocolate creations that go beyond food and drink.
Gill and Nick Exton, owners of Stuff’d, received the award for Best Hot Chocolate from Lakefield Village Lions Club member Sandra Wren in the 2024 Hot Chocolate Festival. This year, the annual festival is now called the Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival and has been expanded to include separate categories for food, drink, and “creative” chocolate creations. The winners of each category will be honoured as Chocolate Champions. (Photo: Lakefield Village Lions Club / Facebook)
The new category was inspired by vendors who, in past years, did exactly that and found innovative ways to share their own versions of “hot chocolate” during the festival. For example, Sunshrine Day Spa and Salon offered a chocolate paraffin wax for hands and feet.
“It was such a cool idea and not everybody is going to drink hot chocolate anyway,” says Wren. “We wanted to expand the categories because it’s hard for a business that wants to participate but doesn’t have a kitchen. This gives them an opportunity to participate in a way that’s better suited for them.”
Proceeds from each purchase made during the festival will go back to the Lakefield Village Lions Club, to then be distributed to different local community organizations and families in need.
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Customers who visit a participating business and make at least one purchase of the specialty made chocolatey food or product can cast a vote for their favourite. Customers can vote for as many businesses as they want, but they can only vote once per business. The winners of each category will be honoured as Chocolate Champions.
Voting can be done at the ballot boxes located in each business or online through a voting form that will available via the Lakefield Village Lions Club’s Facebook page at the start of the festival.
“Customers are welcome to go to as many places they want to test the creations,” says Wren. “If you find there are two drinks you really like, you can vote for both of them.”
As a participant herself who uses the festival as an excuse to go out for breakfast or lunch with family, Wren suggests the fun comes in seeing people out and exploring what the local businesses have to offer.
“I test everything,” she says. “I know other people like doing the same thing, so it’s just a great way of getting out into the community and out of the house.”
Previously known as the Hot Chocolate Festival, the Lakefield Village Lions Club’s Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival runs from January 31 to February 18, 2025 in the Village of Lakefield. (Graphic: Lakefield Village Lions Club)
Considering the creative concoctions that businesses crafted when it was only a hot chocolate festival, Wren says it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with when the options are truly limitless.
“They all have really creative ideas, and some participants started planning as soon as last year’s festival ended,” she says. “We don’t necessarily know what they’re doing until the festival starts, so I’m quite curious to see what they’ll come up with.”
For more details on the Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival and to keep up to date on participating businesses as they are announced, visit the Lakefield Village Lions Club on Facebook Facebook.
The original version of this story has been updated to clarify how funds raised during the festival will be used.
Families enjoying a reading by Betty Baker and Butch during Peterborough Family Literacy Day at Peterborough Square in January 2024. They will be returning to the free annual event at Peterborough Square on January 25, 2025. (Photo: Peterborough Family Literacy Day / Facebook)
Families with children of all ages in tow will again gather at Peterborough Square for an annual celebration of reading and the benefits of doing so.
With the theme “Learn to be Green, Together”, Peterborough Family Literacy Day will be marked Saturday (January 25) at the downtown mall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free to the drop-in style event.
Organized for more than 25 years by a committee comprised of educators, literacy advocates, and family activity providers, the event will feature storytelling and live music as well as interactive literacy displays and activities. And as has been the case since day one, every child will enjoy healthy snacks before leaving for home with a free book in hand.
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The main stage at the foot of the mall escalators will be the focal point, starting with Readers’ Theatre, a shared reading by local dignitaries of The Giving Tree: A Retelling of a Tradition Métis Story.
Coming together for that is Peterborough-Kawartha MP Michelle Ferreri, Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal, Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark, Curve Lake First Nation Chief Keith Knott, Hiawatha First Nation Chief Laurie Carr, Peterborough Police Service Chief Stuart Betts, and Peterborough Fire Services Chief Chris Snetsinger.
That will be followed at 10:30 a.m. by local fiddle sensation Irish Millie, at 11:30 a.m. by an Indigenous story reading by Jonathan Taylor, and at noon by a Zumba dance session hosted by the City of Peterborough’s Recreation Division. Closing out the program is the return of Drag Queen Story Time creator and storyteller Betty Baker, joined by her pal Butch. Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark, Peterborough Fire Services Chief Chris Snetsinger, Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal, and Peterborough Police Service Chief Stuart Betts participating in the Readers’ Theatre during Peterborough Family Literacy Day at Peterborough Square in January 2024. They will return to participate in the annual event on January 25, 2025 along with Peterborough-Kawartha MP Michelle Ferreri, Curve Lake First Nation Chief Keith Knott, and Hiawatha First Nation Chief Laurie. (Photo: Peterborough Family Literacy Day / Facebook)
Peterborough Family Literacy Day is held in conjunction with National Family Literacy Day marked annually on January 27. Since 1999, schools, libraries, and literacy organizations across the country have held events to raise awareness of the lifelong benefits derived by those who are encouraged to read at a young age and do just that.
According to ABC Life Literacy Canada, children whose parents are involved with them in reading and literacy-related activities score 10 points on standardized reading tests. Further, the organization cites studies that show a mother’s reading frequency and skill is the biggest factor in the determination of her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors such as family income and social status.
Further cited on its website at abclifeliteracy.ca is the sobering fact that 48 per cent of adult Canadians have literacy skills below high school level, which negatively affects their ability to function at work and in their personal lives.
Add in the fact that 17 per cent of that number function at the lowest literacy level — unable to read dosage instructions on a medicine bottle or follow a simple recipe — and the need to encourage reading at a young age becomes even more apparent.
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Among the members of the event’s organizing committee is Carrie Wakeford, the executive director of Learning Ontario Central South (LOCS).
A committee member since 2020, Wakeford is joined by representatives of the Peterborough Public Library, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, Peterborough Child and Family Centres, and Trent Students for Literacy.
In her role leading an organization that supports and promotes the work of adult training programs in Peterborough, Haliburton, Northumberland, Hastings, and Kawartha Lakes, Wakeford is quite familiar with data around adult literacy challenges.
“We do see people coming for support because they want to help their kids,” she says. “We’re not talking about just learning to read — some of the things kids are doing are pretty advanced.”
Carrie Wakeford, executive director of Learning Ontario Central South (LOCS), is a member of the organizing committee for Peterborough Family Literacy Day, taking place at Peterborough Square on January 25, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Photo: Jeanne Pengelly / kawarthaNOW)
“That 48 per cent doesn’t mean that people don’t have their Grade 12,” Wakeford points out, referring to the number of Canadian adults with literacy skills below high school level. “They’ve been out of high school for a while doing one type of job and get really good at that, but all those other skills get a bit rusty.”
Peterborough Family Literacy Day, says Wakeford, checks some important boxes in a short time frame.
“Reading build empathy,” she assesses, adding “It allows you into a world that isn’t yours. For kids, that’s so critical.”
“For example, we have a number of Indigenous books and we have an Indigenous storyteller,” says Wakeford of Saturday’s event. “That might be, for some of the kids, their first introduction to Indigenous communities they wouldn’t have known about otherwise.”
Wakeford notes last year’s program included a reading of Building A Home, presented by the New Canadians’ Centre. She says that reading similarly fostered an understanding by kids of what it’s like to come here from another country.
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Wakeford adds that one of things that reading books does is “increase attention span.”
“A book is tangible. You’re holding something. And it’s generally not for just 30 seconds. Families can do it together and then talk about it, whereas if your kid is on their phone, there isn’t that shared experience.”
An event highlight for Wakeford is that each child can take home a free book of their own choosing.
“They’re excited — they like making the choice,” she says. “I see so many parents, standing at the table with their child, saying ‘Well, what about this? Have you seen this one? You get to pick one.'”
“You will see kids at the event sitting down and reading their book. They’re not waiting until they get home. For me, that’s what is really special about the event: that we’re creating that excitement around stories and books.”
Volunteers managing the book giveaway at Peterborough Family Literacy Day at Peterborough Square in January 2023. Every child who attends the annual event, which returns to Peterborough Square on January 25, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., can take home a free book of their own choosing. (Photo: Peterborough Family Literacy Day / Facebook)
For his part, longtime event honorary chair and emcee Paul Rellinger well remembers the excitement he experienced as a child when he got his first library card.
“I had a wallet and it was the only thing in it,” he says, noting he’d walk the few miles to the library nearest to his east end Toronto family home three or four times a month.
“I was amazed. I gave them my card and they let me home take any books I wanted to. The walk there was easy, but I was weighed down on the way home. When I did get home, mom would ask for a rundown on what books I checked out and I was so excited to share that with her.”
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A former longtime newspaper editor and currently a writer with kawarthaNOW, Rellinger maintains that early introduction to books, and his parents’ encouragement of his reading, later set him on his career path.
He still reads regularly, his bookshelf home to a well-worn copy of Treasure Island — the first book of any substantial length that he read.
“I love being involved with Family Literacy Day, for the simple reason that I see the same excitement over books that I experienced all those years ago,” says Rellinger.
National Family Literacy Day in 2025 has an environmental theme: “Learn to be Green, Together”. Peterborough Family Literacy Day returns to Peterborough Square on January 25, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with activities and performances for the entire family. (Poster: Peterborough Family Literacy Day)
“The day also reminds me that in a world where visual stimuli abound, where we’re all about our phones and iPads and tablets, there is still a place for books and their enduring ability of developing and fuelling the imaginations of kids like no other media,” adds Rellinger.
Peterborough Family Literacy Day sponsors, providing in-kind or financial support, are the Kinsmen Club of Peterborough, the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, Learning Ontario Central South, the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, the Peterborough Native Learning Program, Compass Early Learning and Care, Teachers for Kids, GoodMinds.com, the Peterborough Field Naturalists, Friends of the Library, the New Canadians’ Centres, BGC Kawarthas, Peterborough Square, the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Police Service.
For more information about Peterborough Family Literacy Day and updates, visit the event’s Facebook page at facebook.com/familyliteracyptbo.
With a steadfast demand for child care in Northumberland, the county has announced 50 children will move from waiting lists into care in January, with 82 more openings coming soon.
Northumberland County previously announced in 2024 there would be new child care spots available following the successful renovation and licensing of three facilities for child care services. That work has been completed, marking “a significant milestone” in the quest to provide more child care for Northumberland families, the county noted in a January 16 media release.
“This progress would not have been possible without the strong collaboration of our partners,” said Lesley Patterson, the county’s Early Years services manager, in a statement.
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“We thank our two child care providers for their dedication and support in managing services at these new facilities,” Patterson said. “The Municipality of Port Hope has also prioritized this initiative, playing an essential role by making municipal facility space available to expedite this expansion. Additionally, we would like to recognize our construction partners, for completing the renovations required to make these spaces available to the community.”
New spaces to be filled by January 20 include 30 spaces with Ganaraska Child Care at the former Ruth Clarke Activity Centre in Port Hope at 81 Mill St. S., 15 spaces with YMCA Northumberland at 161 Old Hastings Rd. in Warkworth, and five spaces with YMCA Northumberland at Northumberland Centre for Individual Studies at 780 D’Arcy St. in Cobourg.
Meanwhile, the county has initiated a hiring process for more than 10 new staff members across these facilities to help ensure the remaining 82 spaces open as soon as possible.
These spaces are part of a broader expansion initiative by Northumberland County, in partnership with the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, local municipalities, and community organizations.
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Through this expansion, the county said it plans to provide a total of 404 new “high-quality, affordable, and accessible” early learning and child care services to families in Northumberland by the end of 2026.
“This expansion is not just about meeting current needs,” said Patterson. “It is also about ensuring that future generations of children have access to the best start in life through high-quality, inclusive early childhood education.”
On that note, when kawarthaNOW asked about the current demand for child care services, the Early Years team said the most recent data from April 2024 showed there are 1,581 children aged 12 and under waiting for child care services in Northumberland, with youngsters spending approximately 14.6 months on the wait list.
This information was aggregated from the wait list information for each child care facility in the community, as there isn’t one single wait list.
“Each facility manages a wait list for services at that location,” the Early Years team noted.
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“Families in need of child care are encouraged to get their names on wait lists for any of the child care facilities in their area, as this will increase the chances of securing a placement,” the county added in its response to the query.
The current child care expansion efforts are a result of receiving nearly $1.7 million in funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. The funding has been allocated for construction, equipment, and supplies necessary for the facility upgrades and retrofits.
“The investment from our provincial and federal partners has been instrumental in helping us meet the growing demand for child care in our community,” said Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander.
“We are grateful for their continued support, which will ensure that more families in our community have access to affordable and high-quality early learning and child care services.”
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Northumberland County said it remains “committed to supporting families and ensuring that children have access to the resources they need to thrive.”
To track Northumberland’s progress related to child care expansion efforts, visit the performance dashboard at northumberland.ca/dashboard. Updates for the fourth quarter of 2024 will be available by early February, the county noted.
Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal chairing a city council meeting in 2023. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of City of Peterborough video)
It wasn’t listed on Peterborough city council’s budget meeting agenda as an item for consideration, but council has reversed its earlier decision to defund the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) in 2025, following a motion by Mayor Jeff Leal, ultimately approving $150,000 in funding for the arts council.
On Monday morning (January 20), city council met as general committee to review a report from finance and corporate support services commissioner Richard Freymond with proposed options to reduce the 2025 draft budget by almost $5.7 million, which would reduce the proposed 2025 tax increase to 6.6 per cent.
After council discussed and voted to support a proposal to remove stormwater protection funding from the municipal tax base and transfer it to a user fee, reducing the 2025 budget by $4.34 million, Mayor Leal introduced a motion under other business to partially restore funding for EC3 — with conditions attached to the funding.
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First established as as signature recommendation of the City of Peterborough’s 2012 Municipal Cultural Plan (MCP), EC3 is an independent, arm’s-length, not-for-profit corporation with a mandate to champion the development of the arts and culture community for the people of the city and county of Peterborough.
Some of the organization’s programs and activities include the Bierk Art Bursary Program for graduating high school students, the Peterborough Arts Awards and Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts, Artsweek, the Poet Laureate program, the Grants for Individual Artists program, and professional development workshops.
In 2024, the city provided EC3 with $177,000 in funding, including an operating grant of $100,000, $50,000 for the Grants for Individual Artists program, $25,000 for Artsweek, and $2,000 for the Poet Laureate program.
During city council’s budget deliberations on November 19, community services commissioner Sheldon Laidman presented a report to city council that included four options for funding EC3 in 2025.
Councillor Lesley Parnell moved acceptance of the final option in the report, that council “opt not to renew funding to EC3 at this time in anticipation of the completion of a renewed MCP, which would provide further direction for the future of a culture council.”
Councillor Parnell’s motion passed 8-3. Along with Parnell, Mayor Leal and councillors Dave Haacke, Andrew Beamer, Matt Crowley, Don Vassiliadis, Gary Baldwin, and Kevin Duguay voted in favour of the defunding option. Councillors Joy Lachica, Alex Bierk, and Keith Riel voted against it.
The decision to defund EC3 came only hours after council voted almost unanimously not to reduce funding for 75 community groups and arts organizations by a proposed 25 per cent.
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At Monday morning’s meeting, Mayor Leal moved a motion that would restore $110,000 in city funding to EC3 in 2025, including $25,000 coming from the city’s public art maintenance reserve for the “administration and execution” of Artsweek in May, and an $85,000 operating grant for EC3 in 2025, which would be funded by the municipal tax base.
According to the mayor’s motion, the funding would come with terms and conditions to be outlined in a service agreement that EC3 would need to sign within 30 days.
The terms of the service agreement would be that funding is subject to council budgetary approval, that EC3 would be required to work from a publicly accessible office at least three days per week while holding regular office hours, that EC3 would provide the city with a list of current board members, that EC3 would provide the city with required reported documents before the funding is released, that EC3 would be located within the city limits and conduct most of its activities there, and that EC3 would work with their city staff liaison person as their primary contact with the city.
In his comments on the motion, Mayor Leal noted that city staff will be reviewing the MCP in 2025, “and it’s anticipated that this work will lead to an updated and redefined cultural council for Peterborough.” He added that, with the city now responsible for economic development, “we can use this review to start to take advantage of all the ways that the arts are connected to economic development,” using the example of fostering the local film industry.
“An arts council in 2026 will certainly look different than an arts council in 2012,” the mayor said. “While we await the new MCP, it’s important the city continues to have an arts council in 2025.”
Mayor Leal noted the city would “pause” funding for the Grants for Individual Artists program and the Poet Laureate program in 2025.
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As for where EC3’s office could be located, the mayor said “I understand that the city has some space that may be suitable for this purpose.” He added that the Kingston arts council has a publicly accessible office that is located in a municipally owned building.
Before proceeding to a vote on whether to rescind the November 19 motion to defund EC3 and then a vote on whether to support the mayor’s motion, councillors discussed the latter.
Councillor Riel said he was “puzzled” by the reduction of EC3’s operating grant from $100,000 to $85,000, given the requirement that EC3 maintain an office space would result in additional costs.
Councillor Baldwin asked Mayor Leal whether the city would be offering office space to EC3, and whether the mayor had consulted with EC3 on the requirement of having someone in an office open to the public up to three days a week.
“We do have space available,” Mayor Leal said. “We own that house right beside the library and we could use that as office space. There is a process in place to look at a full-time manager and a full-time assistant position … all three of them could be located there.”
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Councillor Baldwin also expressed a concern that EC3 would be expected to deliver their current programs and activities with less funding, and questioned EC3’s ability to maintain its independence if it is closely associated with the city.
Councillor Bierk asked whether the city has the ability to revoke funding for the Grants for Individual Artists program given that the city has a contract with EC3 to deliver the program.
Commissioner Laidman replied that staff had reviewed the contract and, since it is a pilot program, there are provisions not to continue with funding for the third year of the program if council decides not to do so.
Councillor Lachica noted that the service agreement with EC3 “shouldn’t be done in a public forum like this.”
“A service agreement should be decided with management and with the staff, the employeees, that have runs the arts council,” she said, adding there should be no funding cuts to EC3 in 2025.
Responding to councillor Baldwin’s question about EC3’s independence, Mayor Leal referred to the city’s recently signed 10-year operating agreement with the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
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“The mayor of Peterborough doesn’t go to the director of the art gallery to tell her that ‘You should just be doing exhibits of the Group of Seven for all 12 months of the year’,” Mayor Leal said. “We all respect that independence. They (EC3) will continue to have that independence to make the appropriate decision, which is fundamental to how arts operate in that environment.”
With respect to reduced funding for EC3, the mayor said the organization would benefit from the presence of city staff to assist with administrative tasks.
Commenting on the Grants for Individual Artists program, Councillor Duguay compared grants for artists to municipal funding for physician recruitment.
“We are not, for one year, not supporting individual artists but, I need to emphasize, we don’t support, individually, our doctors,” he said.
Responding to councillor Duguay’s comment, councillor Lachica said “I’m curious if we are aware of any individual artists from the City of Peterborough that are on the sunshine list. I don’t know how we can compare the medical profession to artists.”
She later said that municipal support for artists is important for them to obtain support from the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Arts Council.
At the end of the discussion, council voted on a motion to support its original November 19 decision to defund EC3. The motion lost, allowing council to consider Mayor Leal’s motion.
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Councillor Bierk then proposed two amendments to Mayor Leal’s motion: to increase the funding for EC3 coming from the city’s public art maintenance reserve from $25,000 to $50,000, with the intent that the additional $25,000 would be used for the Grants for Individual Artists program, and to increase the operating grant for EC3 funded by the municipal tax base from $85,000 to $100,000.
Commissioner Laidman advised council that, should they approve the amendment for an additional $25,000 to be taken from the public art maintenance reserve, no funds would be available for new public art in 2025, only for maintenance of existing art. He noted that acquiring public art for the Miskin Law Community Centre cost $55,000.
Council then voted on councillor Bierk’s amendments, with each passing 6-5, before voting on Mayor Leal’s motion, which passed 10-1, with only councillor Beamer voting against it.
For the remaining three hours of the meeting, council considered and approved the recommendations of Commissioner Freymond’s report, as well as a motion from Councillor Crowley to hire a paralegal position at the cost of $141,692.
As a result of that decision, as well as the decision on EC3 funding, the property tax increase in the 2025 draft budget would increase from the 6.6 per cent in Commissioner Freymond’s report to 6.72 per cent — still well under the seven per cent target city council had set for the 2025 draft budget.
Items endorsed by general committee will be confirmed by city council at its meeting on Monday, February 3.
Directed by Jerry Allen (middle), the Peterborough Theatre Guild production of John Patrick Shanley's Irish romantic dramedy "Outside Mullingar" stars Steve Foote (left) as Anthony Reilly and Nancy Towns (right) as Rosemary Muldoon. The play will be staged for 10 performances from January 24 to February 8, 2025. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
During the same year that Peterborough’s deep Irish roots will be commemorated 200 years after Peter Robinson brought 2,204 emigrants to these parts, the Peterborough Theatre Guild will soon take audiences across the Atlantic Ocean to County Wesmeath.
Outside Mullingar, the fourth play of the Guild’s current season, opens Friday (January 24) at The Guild Hall on Rogers Street with nine performances to follow.
Directed by Guild veteran Jerry Allen and co-produced by Pat Hooper and Bob Campbell, Outside Mullingar stars Steve Foote as Anthony Reilly and Nancy Towns as Rosemary Muldoon.
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Written by Irish-American Oscar-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley and set in rural Ireland near the town of Mullingar, the storyline is centred around Anthony and Rosemary, two middle-aged farming neighbours.
While Rosemary has been romantically interested in Anthony for as long as she can remember, the painfully shy subject of her affection doesn’t have a clue. On top of that, he dislikes farming. When Anthony’s father threatens to disinherit Anthony and leave the family farm to a nephew, Rosemary becomes embroiled in the resulting feud and Reilly family eccentricities. What results is a fight against time and mortality in the hopes securing her long-held dream of love.
Allen says shortly after the play debuted on Broadway in January 2014, he read about it in The New York Times and was intrigued, noting the play’s storyline checked a lot of boxes for him.
“I’m kind of partial to Irish plays because they usually have lots of depth and character and complexities and humour,” said Allen during a recent sit-down at the Guild Hall.
“I’ve always been drawn to that kind of mix that will get an audience that wants to be entertained. Theatre suffers when people put things on stage that are experimental. Not that there isn’t a market for that, but for general audiences like those in Peterborough, you’re not going to get a lot of response to that.”
“At the end of the day, people want to be entertained. So, I look for substance, but also something that might make people laugh and might make them cry. This one has all of those buttons.”
VIDEO: “Outside Mullingar” promo
Not hurting matters is Shandley’s reputation as an acclaimed playwright. He also wrote the screenplay for the 987 film Moonstruck starring Cher and Nicholas Cage, winning an Oscar the following year for Best Original Screenplay. He also penned Doubt: A Parable which, in 2005, won both a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize, and was made into a 2008 film he wrote and directed, and starred Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
But Allen says the playwright’s resumé, as stellar as it is, ultimately wasn’t a factor in his presenting Outside Mullingar for the local stage.
“I don’t want to do musicals all the time,” laughed Allen who, just last February, directed Fiddler on the Roof and, in spring 2022, was at the directorial helm of Annie.
With its small cast, Outside Mullingar is light years removed from such large ensemble musicals, with the connection between the central actors under a microscope. Steve Foote, who plays Anthony, is convinced Nancy Towns was born to play the role of Rosemary.
“When you’re on stage with Nancy and you look into her eyes, you see this passion — she’s right there with you and she brings the energy,” says Foote, who has acted in three Guild productions starting with 2015’s Of The Fields, Lately.
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For her part, Towns — who marked her Guild debut in the Allen-directed Annie — acknowledges that while she doesn’t bring a lot of speaking stage roles experience to bear, working with Foote has given her the confidence to flex her acting muscles and put her own stamp on her role.
“It has been ever evolving as we’ve gotten more comfortable with each other as Steve and Nancy, and with our characters and with each other’s character,” assesses Towns of her working relationship with Foote.
Asked if there are any parallels between their real-life character traits and those of whom they’re portraying, both Foote and Towns say there indeed are.
“The shyness,” says Foote, adding “The wanting, and not being able to express it because of insecurities.”
Towns is less specific, saying there are both parallels and differences between her own traits and those of her character Rosemary.
“I’m not saying which are which, but she is perky and passionate. She can be hard on those she loves, but she knows what she wants and she’s going after it. She has a very sensitive interior as well.”
Steve Foote as Anthony Reilly and Nancy Towns as Rosemary Muldoon during an early rehearsal for “Outside Mullingar” by award-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley. The Peterborough Theatre Guild production runs for 10 performances from January 24 to February 8, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Theatre Guild)
Allen is confident audiences will connect to what they see and hear on stage.
“They’re going to see all their own idiosyncrasies and their own kind of uncertainties,” he predicts.
“Sometimes you’re successful in that and sometimes you’re not, and sometimes it’s the other person’s fault and sometimes it’s your own fault. All those things come into play at various times.”
Allen adds he’s delighted with his lead actors’ portrayal of their roles, noting, during auditions, Towns “brought a vulnerability” that made all the difference.
“She’s one of the most intuitive, natural actresses I’ve ever run into. When I send her home with something, she writes it all down and comes back with it and then, when she gets together with Steve, magic happens.”
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Noting a strong director-actor relationship is key to any stage success, Foote says that’s present in spades.
“The one thing I enjoy the most is working with the other actors, but also having that relationship (with the director). He’s moulding you and you’re taking it to ‘OK, let’s see what happens.’ I love that.”
Allen says he and the producers agreed from the outset that they want “to surround themselves with people that like being with other people.”
“We don’t need anybody who’s a grouch. We don’t need anybody who’s always negative. If you’re coming on to this team, don’t come in negative. We want to like you and we want everybody to like each other.”
John Patrick Shanley’s “Outside Mullingar” runs for 10 performances at the Peterborough Theatre Guild from January 24 to February 8, 2025. (Artwork: Colton DeKnock)
Asked what he hopes audiences will derive from the play, Foote is quick to answer.
“It’s sad. It’s funny. There’s drama. But the one thing I hope they take home is some type of joy. It’s a beautifully written play.”
Towns touches on “the opportunity to leave your worries aside for 90 minutes and get swept away into someone else’s world that is relatable — a world where you’re watching things happen with both humour and sadness, but also seeing redemption as experienced by the characters.”
All three agree, at the end of the day, that theatre is a form of entertainment and Outside Mullingar fits the bill perfectly.
“Our primary mandate is to entertain and to a certain extent educate, and I think we’ve hit those markers,” assesses Allen.
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Outside Mullingar also stars Luke Foster as Anthony’s widowed father Tony, and Mary Delaney as Rosemary’s recently widowed mother Aoife.
The play will be staged at the Guild Hall at 364 Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. on January 24 and 25, January 30 to February 1, and February 6 to 8, with Sunday matinee performances at 2 p.m. on January 26 and February 2.
Assigned seating tickets are priced at $30 for adults, $27 for seniors, and $20 for students and can be purchased by calling 705-745-4211 or online at www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2024-25 season.
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