The "Home Again" benefit concert for Lindsay's Academy Theatre, taking place September 30 and October 1, 2020 at the Lindsay Drive-In, features live performances by James Barker, Darryl James, Jeremy Drury, and Jon Hembrey of The Strumbellas, Heaps Tyler Kyte and Nick Rose of Dwayne Gretzky, Tom Collver and Sophia Mackey, Luis Segura of Los Poetas, and more. (Graphic: Academy Theatre)
Tickets are now available for this fall’s two-night “Home Again” benefit concert for the Academy Theatre in Lindsay.
Country musician James Barker will headline both nights of the concert, which takes place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30th and Thursday, October 1st at the Lindsay Drive-In (229 Pigeon Lake Rd., Lindsay).
A native of Woodville west of Lindsay, Barker and his band won the 2018 Juno award for country album of the year and have been nominated for multiple Canadian Country Music Association awards.
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Other performers include Darryl James, Jeremy Drury, and Jon Hembrey of the Juno award-winning band The Strumbellas, Heaps (formerly The Kents), Tyler Kyte and Nick Rose of Dwayne Gretzky, Tom Collver and Sophia Mackey, Luis Segura of Los Poetas, and more.
The two-night concert is called “Home Again” because many of the performers are natives of the Kawartha Lakes who are coming “home again” to support the Academy Theatre which, like many performance venues, is in a financially tenuous position due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each night will feature the same performers. In addition to the live performances, there will also be video performances and messages from other special guests in support of the Academy Theatre.
VIDEO: “Slow Down Town” – James Barker Band
The concerts at the Lindsay Drive-In will feature both open-air seating and parking for cars. Tickets are $60 per person for VIP seating in front of the stage (bring your own lawn chair) and $150 per vehicle for general admission (with a maximum of seven people per vehicle).
In Port Hope, the Mary J. Benson branch at 31 Queen Street will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Library takeout service will continue to be available from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Library patrons are required to wear masks or face coverings, and maintain physical distancing from other patrons. Only a limited number of people will be allowed in the library at any one time, and visit times will be limited to 45 minutes. Computers will be available for library card holders to book for one 45-minute session per day. The local history room is available by appointment only, but the program room is not available. There is no in-person programming, although online programming will continue.
Before taking advantage of either takeout or in-branch service, all library materials should be returned to the outside drop box. All returned materials will be quarantined for 72 hours before being placed back into circulation.
The Hub Community Branch location in Canton will reopen at a later date. For more information and to reserve materials, visit www.porthopepubliclibrary.ca.
The Lindsay branch of the Kawartha Lakes Public Library at 190 Kent Street West in Lindsay. (Photo: Chris Harding / Picasa)
In Kawartha Lakes, both the Lindsay and Fenelon Falls branches will be open for in-branch service from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Saturday starting September 8th. Library patrons will also be able to pick up materials they have requested online or over the telephone.
At the two branches, patrons will be able to browse the shelves for new reading material, with any handled books to be placed on a provided cart for quarantine. Patrons will also have access to computers, printing, and photocopying. To use computers, patrons will need to book a 45-minute session in advance (branches will start taking bookings on September 4th for sessions on September 8th).
Both branches will have increased cleaning protocols in place. Due to physical distancing limitations, each branch will only permit limited numbers of people inside at any one time. Visitors may be required to wait before entering. Library patrons are asked to self-screen for symptoms and to wear masks or face coverings while inside the library.
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Also starting the week of September 8th, pickup service will be expanded to include the Coboconk and Dalton branches. When the Little Britain and Dunsford branches re-open for pickup service later in September, all 14 library branches will be open in a limited capacity.
While in-person programming is not available, online programming will continue into the fall.
Library patrons are asked to use book returns, now open 24/7, to return any library materials; staff are not able to accept items at the door or the desk. All returned material will be quarantined for 96 hours before it is checked in and processed.
People can request anything from all 14 branches, including books, DVDs, audiobooks, and magazines. For more information and to reserve materials, visit www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca.
THe PRHC Foundation Mombassadors safely celebrate their $42,041 donation to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation. From left to right: Erin Marshall, Sarah McDougall Perrin, Emily Kingdon, Mary Kingdon, Ashley Prentice, Laura Montague, Marcy D'Alessandro, Hayley Vogler, Grace Reynolds, and Kate Ahrens. (Photo courtesy of PRHC Foundation)
The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation Mombassadors, a group of local fundraisers, has raised $42,041 for the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The group was able to make the donation despite having to cancel Girls Night Out, their major fundraising event, in the spring. It had been rescheduled to September but was ultimately cancelled due to ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a heartbreaking decision for us to cancel Girls Night Out,” said Marcy D’Alessandro, chair of the 2020 Mombassadors, “especially since babies continue to be born every day at PRHC, and almost one in four of them will need critical care in the NICU during the first moments, days, weeks or even months of their lives.”
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D’Alessandro explained that most of the event’s sponsors, including title sponsor Full Tilt Cycle, decided to maintain their donations. Many people who had already purchased a ticket to Girls Night Out also decided to donate the cost of their ticket.
Others, including local businesses and families, also donated to the Mombassadors’ 2019-20 campaign. Additional funds were raised through the group’s annual 100 Kids Care event in December, and the launch of the Mombassadors’ clothing line.
“We were so touched by the generosity of our community,” D’Alessandro said.
The funds raised by the Mombassadors will be used to help purchase lifesaving equipment for the NICU — specifically a radiant heater/warmer for newborns who need extra support.
More than 1,600 babies are born each year at PRHC. An average of 368 babies need critical care in the NICU in their first moments of life, according to PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway.
“That requires specialized equipment,” Heighway explained. “We’re so grateful to the Mombassadors and the community for their support of vital equipment.”
If it's an option for your children, using active transportation methods to get to and from school is an excellent way for students to get some exercise and maintain physical distancing during the pandemic. (Photo: GreenUP)
It is normal to feel some anxiety about a new year at school, but this year is different. These emotions are heightened because of COVID-19 and the impact it is having on back-to-school planning. Parents, caretakers, children, and youth across the country face potentially stressful decisions and changes.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Jaime Akiyama, Transportation and Urban Design Coordinator at GreenUP.
If your children are returning this fall, you may be thinking about how they will get to and from school. Active School Travel Peterborough has always promoted walking and wheeling as some of the most beneficial school travel options for the health and safety of students, communities, and the environment. These benefits are even more precious during the ongoing pandemic.
Many recognize the benefits to including active transportation for the trip to and from school, but think that it will not work with their schedule. While dropping your kids off at school on the way to work may seem like the most convenient option, you may actually find that spending a little extra time and energy to include active transportation in your routine can have positive impacts on your whole family.
Active School Travel Peterborough has put together this list of five reasons active transportation is worth considering while you prepare to return to school, especially this year.
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1. Enjoy the benefits of physical activity
Regardless of age, self-care is crucial for us all and being active regularly is a key component of self-care.
“Physical activity needs to be part of your self-care routine,” as the folks at ParticipACTION point out. “You don’t have to be a gym rat to reap the benefits, as research consistently highlights that even small bouts of daily physical activity (in five to 10 minute intervals) can have immediate positive impacts on your mood. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use physical activity as a powerful tool to feel better.”
Children and youth require at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. For some, this is difficult to fit into a normal day. Walking, biking or scootering to and from school, even for short trips, can add much-needed activity and get kids moving. The World Health Organization says that even a bit of physical activity is good for our mental health and improves overall feelings.
Research from the City of Peterborough says that children who spend more time outdoors and in nature are happier and healthier. (Photo: GreenUP)
2. Get outdoors
Children who spend time in nature tend to be happier and healthier, according to 2019 report from the City of Peterborough on child development.
Being outside allows families to easily apply physical distancing measures while enjoying social interactions.
Being active outside also keeps you feeling connected to nature and turn the trip to and from school into a chance to relax and reconnect with family, friends, and the world around you.
Educators around the world are encouraging the use of outdoor environments as vibrant extensions of the classroom. These outdoor classes benefit learning, health, and wellness, according to Evergreen, a non-profit dedicated to creating sustainable urban environments.
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3. Kick-start your brain
Being active can help you feel more energetic, improve your confidence, reduce stress and even improve your sleep, according to Peterborough Public Health.
Teachers have even observed that students who walk or bike to school arrive more alert and ready to learn.
4. Make school zones safer by decreasing the number of vehicles
As well as reducing the number of vehicles in school zones, being active on the way to and from school can help both you and children feel more energetic during the day and even help you sleep better at night. (Photo: GreenUP)
Anyone who has experienced a school zone full of personal vehicles during arrival or departure time understands that these conditions are not ideal for safety, stress levels, and the environment of the whole school community. Clearing cars out of the school zone leaves safe space for the flow of school buses and pedestrians.
Fewer cars near schools means families can feel more confident in the safety of their children entering and exiting the school grounds or navigating the streets on the way to school. Reducing vehicle traffic can also improve the air quality around schools and reduce the time school staff would have to spend directing traffic.
For those who must drive, Park n’ Stride is an excellent option. Park a few blocks outside the school zone and walk the rest of the way to school. Park n’ Stride decreases congestion in the school zone and allows students to get a bit of physical activity.
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5. Create a routine and reduce stress
Even under normal circumstances morning routines and getting to school can be a source of anxiety or friction. Add a pandemic to the mix and even little things may feel overwhelming. In these times, we can all benefit from smooth morning routines that can improve our mood, health, and safety.
Planning for active school travel can help everyone enjoy the little things and reduce stress. Figure out which route to school works best for your family and practice it ahead of time. Get the kids involved with the planning and preparation as they are are likely feeling a little out of sorts with all the new guidelines, procedures, and rules. It goes a long way to allow them to have some control over certain aspects of their day.
Figuring out a way to work active transportation into the school commute is a great way of relieving some stress during the day. If you must drive your kids to school, consider parking a few blocks away and walking the rest of the way. (Photo: GreenUP)
Active School Travel Peterborough is continuing to work with schools and our community partners on fun and informative active school travel programs. We want all students and families to have a safe, wonderful school year, filled with learning and joy.
The Trillium Lakelands District School Board has made non-medical face masks mandatory for all its students, from kindergarden through Grade 12.
During the board’s regular meeting on Tuesday (August 25), the board’s director of education Wesley Hahn shared information with trustees about the board’s return to school planning.
As a result of the discussion, trustees passed a motion to make it mandatory for all kindergarten to Grade 12 students to wear masks while at school.
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Previously, the board was following the Ontario government’s directives making masks mandatory for Grade 4 to 12 students, and encouraged but not required for kindergarten to Grade 3 students.
The board’s return-to-school plan, available at www.tldsb.ca, currently states “Face-coverings/masks for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 are optional but strongly encouraged”. The plan will be updated to reflect the new mandatory requirement for all students to wear masks.
The Trillium Lakelands District School Board has 48 public elementary and secondary schools in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and the District Municipality of Muskoka.
Public health nurse Simone Jackson wearing personal protective equipment as she prepares to open a swab to test a patient for COVID-19 in Peterborough Public Health's clinic. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Health)
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
After eight straight days of increases of 100 or more, Ontario is reporting 88 new COVID-19 cases today. Most of the new cases are in Toronto (23), Peel (22), Ottawa (16), and York (7), with 7 cases reported by Southwestern Public Health. The remaining 29 of Ontario’s public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 20 reporting no new cases at all.
In the greater Kawarthas region, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health has reported three new cases, with two cases on August 24 and one on August 25. All three cases are related to travel. There are now five active cases in Hastings and Prince Edward counties
There are no new cases to report today in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, or Haliburton. An additional case Peterborough has been resolved, as well as one case in Kawartha Lakes and one case in Northumberland (all active cases in Northumberland are now resolved).
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Since the pandemic began, there have been 103 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (98 resolved with 2 deaths), 177 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (158 resolved with 32 deaths), 31 in Northumberland County (31 resolved with no deaths), 15 in Haliburton County (15 resolved with no deaths), and 49 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County (39 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported on May 7 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.
Province-wide, there have been 41,695 confirmed cases, an increase of 88 from yesterday’s report, with 37,863 (90.8% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 115 from yesterday. There have been 2,802 deaths, an increase of 2 from yesterday, with 1,805 deaths reported in long-term care homes (no change from yesterday). A total of 2,823,721 tests have been completed, an increase of 21,960 from yesterday, with 20,716 tests under investigation, a decrease of 3,457 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
Confirmed positive: 103 (no change) Active cases: 3 (decrease of 1) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 98 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: Over 24,200 (increase of 100) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 223, including 177 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 1, in Northumberland) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 14 (no change) Deaths: 32 (no change) Resolved: 202, including 158 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 2, 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides reports on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 49 (increase of 3) Active cases: 5 (increase of 3) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 39 (no change) Total tests completed: 22,145 (increase of 691) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 41,695 (increase of 88) Resolved: 37,863 (increase of 115, 90.8% of all cases) Hospitalized: 43 (decrease of 4) Hospitalized and in ICU: 15 (increase of 2) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 10 (no change) Deaths: 2,802 (increase of 2) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,805 (no change) Total tests completed: 2,823,721 (increase of 21,960) Tests under investigation: 20,716 (increase of 3,457)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from July 26 – August 25, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from July 26 – August 25, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Photographs of opioid overdose victims displayed at the Peterborough Opioid Summit on July 11, 2019 at Market Hall in downtown Peterborough. In the first six months of 2020, Peterborough police had reported 17 suspected overdose deaths, along with one confirmed overdose death in January. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
The Peterborough Police Service is receiving $1.9 million in federal funding over the next three years to redirect people who use drugs and experience mental health issues from the criminal justice system to newly created community-based outreach and support services.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef announced the funding on Wednesday (August 26) on behalf of federal health minister Patty Hajdu.
As part of the initiative, Peterborough police have created a community-based mobile outreach team to increase the capacity for front-line community services to help people, especially those at risk of experiencing opioid-related overdoses, who are referred by police.
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“The opioid crisis has touched all of us in one form or another,” Monsef said. “These are our neighbours, friends, parents, and children who are struggling with addiction. Programs like the one announced today show that we are working together as a community to support each other and bring an end to this crisis.”
The team includes a community-based paramedic, case managers for addictions, and peer outreach workers. With the help of the new team, people who use drugs or experience mental health issues will be redirected from the criminal justice system to harm reduction, peer support, health, and social services.
The funding will create seven positions to allow coordination among essential front-line workers.
Through partnerships with other organizations such as Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre and Peterborough AIDS Research Network, the initiative will also increase access to culturally appropriate services for indigenous people, LGBTQ2+ populations, youth, women, and those living with HIV.
This funding is provided through the Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program, which is intended to strengthen responses to drug and substance use issues in Canada.
The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation for many Canadians struggling with substance use.
“Mental health challenges, problematic substance use, and the added pressures of self isolation have increased the deaths and tragedies in our community,” Monsef said.
“Caring professionals in our community have asked for additional resources to help them with their important work. There is much more to be done. Today is a positive step forward.”
In June, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough received $1.2 million over four years from the Government of Canada for a peer-to-peer harm reduction and recovery program.
This story has been updated to correct a typo in the headline.
Ontario premier Doug Ford announced on August 26, 2020 at Queen's Park that the federal government is providing $381 million to support the safe reopening of Ontario's schools. Ford also announced that Dr. Dirk Huyer, the province's chief coroner and its lead on COVID-19 testing, will also lead the province's efforts on outbreak management in schools, child care centres, agriculture, and health care settings, including long-term care facilities. (CPAC screenshot)
The federal government is providing an immediate payment of $381 million to support the reopening of schools in Ontario, in addition to the $900 million in funding already announced by the Ontario government.
Ontario premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Wednesday (August 26) during a media conference at Queen’s Park, along with education minister Stephen Lecce, chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams, and Dr. Dirk Huyer, the province’s chief coroner and its lead on COVID-19 testing.
“This is good news because, because as I told Prime Minister during our meeting last Friday, when it comes to keeping our kids safe, we’re all in this together,” Ford said. “We will target that funding where the extra supports will be most effective, for ventilation, shoring up PPE supplies, additional remote learning supports, enhancing safety measures on school buses, and hiring more teachers — and hiring 125 more public health nurses, for a total of 625 public health nurses in our schools.”
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Ford also announced the Ontario government is releasing COVID-19 management plans for school boards.
“We have robust plans for schools and school boards, so that when a case or an outbreak occurs, everyone knows what to do — so we can quickly find, isolate, and contain the virus,” Ford said. “We are providing public health units with guidance on how to assist schools in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.”
“We’re also providing guidance documents to parents because, as parents, you deserve to see the same information I see. You deserve to know what I know and to know that when schools reopen, we will be prepared.”
The guidance documents were developed in consultation with Dr. David Williams and other health experts, Ford said.
The documents are available at ontario.ca/page/operational-guidance-covid-19-management-schools. Among other things, they outline recommended responses in various scenarios, including when a student becomes ill during the school day, if a school bus driver becomes ill during the work day or tests positive for COVID-19, if a parent tests positive for COVID-19, and if staff or a student has tested positive for COVID-19.
Ford also announced that Dr. Dirk Huyer would lead the province’s efforts on outbreak management in schools, child care centres, agriculture, and health care settings, including long-term care facilities.
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The province released further details on how the $381 million in federal funding will be spent:
Reopening Plan Implementation – $200 million
$100 million to complement the health and safety components of school reopening plans, in consultation with local public health units, including the hiring of custodians, HVAC, improvements, internet connectivity for students, and other local needs.
$30 million to support additional personal protective equipment (PPE) for schools.
$70 million for the temporary hiring of educators as required.
Student Transportation – $70 million
$44.5 million in support of the Driver Retention Program.
$25.5 million for route protection and to help reduce the number of students on buses.
Special Education and Mental Health Supports Enhancement – $12.5 million
Will allow boards to hire and train additional staff and provide more mental health supports for students.
Additional Public Health Nurses – $12.5 million
Supports up to 125 additional nursing positions in public health units across the province to help schools manage potential COVID-19 cases.
Remote Learning – $36 million
Ensures that every school board offering virtual learning has a dedicated principal and administrative support for both its secondary and elementary virtual schools.
The province is also setting aside $50 million of the federal government funding for any future needs related to learning during the pandemic.
While much of Ontario has re-opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, most performance venues continue to remain closed and performing arts organizations are unable to stage productions due to public health restrictions. The newly formed Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance, spearheaded by Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough and with participation from 13 local venues and organizations, is working collaboratively to figure out how to safely stage productions and bring audiences back. Pictured is the 647-seat Erica Cherney Theatre at Showplace. (Photo courtesy of Showplace Performance Centre)
Pat Hooper, chair of the board of directors for Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough, has spearheaded an initiative to bring local performance venues and performing arts organizations together to strategically collaborate their pandemic recovery plans.
For the first time in Peterborough’s history, Showplace hosted representatives from 13 venues and organizations on August 6th to form the Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance.
The new alliance is comprised of delegates from 4th Line Theatre, Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, New Stages Theatre, Peterborough Memorial Centre, Peterborough Musicfest, Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, Peterborough Theatre Guild, St. James Players, Public Energy, Showplace Performance Centre, The Theatre on King, and The Venue, as well as Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
“Our board felt it was important for Showplace to provide leadership by bringing the venues and our partners together in order for all of us to work together,” says Hooper.
A not-for-profit organization, Showplace is the largest performance venue in downtown Peterborough, with the 647-seat Erica Cherney Theatre and the 100-seat Nexicom Studio.
“We felt it was necessary to form this alliance in order to recognize that venues need to be heard from,” adds Wayne Bonner, vice-chair of Showplace’s board.
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Performance venues have been particularly vulnerable to the closures COVID has necessitated. When the pandemic hit and crowd restrictions were implemented, they were the first to close and, although most other businesses have been permitted to re-open in some capacity, performance venues have been, and continue to be, among the last to re-open.
“It’s critical,” Bonner continues. “Whether it’s Showplace or any other venue, we’re all in this together and the longer this goes on, the more difficult it becomes for all of us.”
“It has been a difficult time for the team at Market Hall,” adds Chad Hogan, general manager of Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. “We miss the shows, the audiences, the artists, and our community. We are not giving up though, we are committed to coming back strong and delivering high-quality shows and events again — but we can’t do it alone.”
The 350-seat theatre at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. While many people consider performance venues to be in direct competition, they each have their own niche in the performing arts community based on their capacity and the needs of the performing artist or production they are hosting. For example, an event that is too small for Showplace’s Erica Cherney Theatre yet too large for the Nexicom Studio may be a perfect fit for the Market Hall. (Photo: Bradley Boyle)
Also a not-for-profit organization, the Market Hall can seat up to 350 people depending on layout.
“This group shows us that we are not alone in this fight, and we are honoured to be working together with so many organizations to protect live performance in Peterborough and everything that we have built together,” Hogan says.
“This is the first time a normally disparate group of organizations have come together,” remarks Kate Story, director of communications for The Theatre on King, an intimate black box theatre in downtown Peterborough.
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“We realized we all have a crucial significance in the local performing arts ecology, despite the differences in scale of each venue and organization,” Story adds.
“Even though people may think we’re competitors, we all work together in this industry — we’re partners,” says Showplace general manager Emily Martin. “We all recognize that performance venues and organizations are a huge part of our local economy that bring so much other business to our community, especially in the downtown.”
Showplace general manager Emily Martin, Market Hall general manager Chad Hogan, and The Theatre on King associate artist Kate Story represent three of the 13 performance venues and performing arts organizations that are part of the newly formed Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance, an initiative to bring together Peterborough’s performance venues and organizations to collaborate on recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photos by Heather Doughty, Chad Hogan, and Jeannine Taylor)
The alliance has begun discussions to develop cohesive re-opening guidelines for local performance venues and organizations to ensure the safety and comfort of their patrons.
“Everybody who is a part of this alliance also belongs to other agencies and advocacy groups at every level — federally, provincially — so this is a really good opportunity to bring all of that shared knowledge together and share information with each other,” Martin explains.
Sharing information is paramount for the survival of local performance venues, particularly information pertaining to funding opportunities and fundraising initiatives.
“Though the feds pledged arts recovery funds, these grants have been really hard for venues to get as much of the emphasis has been on individual artists,” Martin says.
“Already, of that $192 million, there’s only $20 million left for all of the promoters, venues, and managers across Canada. It looks great on paper that we’re providing $192 million towards arts and culture but when we can’t access it, that’s a huge problem.”
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While arts recovery funds exist, these programs are highly competitive.
“We’re not typically awarded the same federal or provincial grants as higher profile venues like Stratford, for instance,” adds Greg Mior, treasurer of the Showplace board.
With access to the limited recovery funds available at the federal and provincial levels difficult to secure and with no arts recovery funds pledged at the municipal level so far, Peterborough’s venues appreciate the overwhelming community support they have received during these unprecedented times.
Performance venues in Peterborough range in size from the intimate black box theatre The Theatre on King (pictured) to the 4,329-seat Peterborough Memorial Centre, operated by the City of Peterborough. Other performance venues and performing arts organizations that are part of the Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance include Peterborough Musicfest, Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, Peterborough Theatre Guild, St. James Players, Public Energy, Showplace Performance Centre, The Theatre on King, and The Venue, as well as Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
“We are so grateful for our donors and sponsors who are still there for us and trust that we are going to come out of this,” Hooper states.
Despite the fact that performance venues are among the hardest hit in our economy, there is much hope for the future now that the Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance has formed.
“For nearly six months, we’ve all been facing the possible collapse of our entire industry and this was the first time that we’ve all been able to get together to discuss how we’re going to get out of this,” says Martin. “There’s so much positive forward momentum happening and it’s so amazing to be a part of it.”
“It was quite emotional,” Story recalls of the first meeting. “At the end of the meeting, we all started clapping and Michael (Newham) from the PSO reminded us that it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to hear applause.”
Soon enough, the sound of thunderous applause will echo in our beloved local venues once again.
Until then, we mustn’t forget the numerous cultural workers and volunteers who have been working tirelessly to ensure that, when the time comes, Peterborough will have a vibrant and thriving arts scene to return to.
This story has been updated to include St. James Players in the list of participating performing arts organizations.
On Tuesday (August 25), the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNC) announced a staggered start to the 2020-21 school year.
For the board’s elementary schools, the return to school will be staggered based on students’ surnames.
Students whose surnames begin with the letters A through K will attend school on Thursday, September 10th and Monday, September 14th. Students with surnames beginning with the letters L through Z will attend school on Friday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 15th.
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For secondary schools, the return to school will be staggered based on students’ grade levels.
Students in Grade 9 will attend school on Thursday, September 10th and Tuesday, September 15th, students in Grade 10 will attend on Friday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 15th, and students in Grades 11 and 12 will attend on Monday, September 14th and Tuesday, September 15th.
For first-year Kindergarten students, individual schools may determine a different staggered entry schedule. The board says individual schools will communicate these dates to affected families.
All students at PVNC schools will begin full attendance on Wednesday, September 16th.
The board says elementary schools will reopen to staff on Monday, August 31st. All schools will be open to staff only on Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th.
“This will give our administrators and educators more time to prepare the school for enhanced safety measures, our educators much needed time to organize their classrooms, and it will allow students to re-enter the classroom gradually to get adjusted to the new school routines,” the board states on its website. “As a Board, we also require more time to reorganize transportation services and to prepare and staff the new Virtual School for remote learners.”
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The board is also planning to implement virtual learning on the same staggered schedule, with more information to be communicated to parents soon. For more details, visit the PVNC website.
“We know that for some families, a staggered start creates challenges, but we do feel a gradual start to the year will benefit our staff and students greatly,” the board states.
PVNC has 36 Catholic elementary and secondary schools in Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Clarington.
The two public school boards in the Kawarthas — the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Trillium Lakelands District School Board — have also announced staggered starts for the school year.
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