Peterborough police have arrested and charged a 28-year-old Havelock man with three counts of indecent acts following an incident on Wednesday afternoon (September 2) in Jackson Park in Peterborough.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, police were dispatched to Jackson Park responding to reports of a man had exposed himself to three separate victims walking along the trail.
Officers located the man, who was still in the park.
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As a result of the investigation, police have arrested and charged 28-year-old Ivan John Dawson of Havelock with three counts of an indecent act in a public place and three counts of failure to comply with probation.
Dawson was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court later on Thursday (September 3).
This is the second recent incident in Jackson Park. On August 17th, a woman was attacked by a man while she was walking along the trail.
As a result of that incident, police arrested and charged 29-year-old Corby Charles Dewitt of McDonnel Street in Peterborough with sexual assault, kidnapping, uttering threats to cause death, assault, and choking to overcome resistance.
Labour Day celebrates the collective accomplishments of the labour movement in improving working conditions and justice for workers, as symbolized by this memorial in Millennium Park erected by the Peterborough District Labour Council and dedicated to workers past, present, and future. A post-pandemic economic recovery plan that invests in environmentally sustainable industries could create millions of sustainable jobs for Canadians, vibrant and resilient communities, and improve the lives of marginalized workers. (Photo: Lester Balajadia)
This long weekend, let’s reflect upon the meaning of Labour Day. Where we have been and where we are going as labourers in Peterborough and Canada?
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Natalie Stephenson, Hub Coordinator, Green Economy Peterborough, a project of GreenUP.
Labour Day began in the 19th century as a celebration of improved labour conditions and labour unions in Canada. For many people, the labour movement and the word “labourer” may have strong associations with physical work and the trades. Whatever kind of work you are able to do, you are a meaningful part of the labour force, and this Monday is our national day to formally celebrate your contributions to our economy and society.
Looking back in local history, Peterborough workers have fought crucial battles in labour movements. Consider the 1919 lockout of moulders demanding a reduced work week and higher wages, the Auburn-Bonnerworth strike of 1937 for higher wages and better treatment for workers, and the unionization fight at General Electric in the 1940s and 1950s. Peterborough is a driving force in labour history.
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This Labour Day, take a moment to wonder how labour might fundamentally change in the post-COVID era. What might Labour Day celebrate in 2021 and beyond?
The pandemic has shown that healthy economies and decent work rely on a healthy environment. Our top political issues over the past five months have been crisis preparedness, economic resilience, and inequality, and these are also prevalent themes in the ongoing climate emergency.
Since the 1880s, Canadians have celebrated Labour Day on the first Monday in September. The origins of Labour Day can be traced to an 1872 march in support of the Toronto Typographical Union’s strike for a 58-hour work-week. Pictured is the Nine-Hour League parade in Hamilton on May 15, 1872, when hundreds of workers marched to demand shorter worker hours. The “Nine-Hour Movement” began in Hamilton and then spread to Toronto, where its demands were taken up by the Toronto Typographical Union. (Image: Canadian Illustrated News, available from the Library and Archives of Canada, C-58640)
The unemployment rate is hovering just under 10 per cent in Peterborough and above 10 per cent nationally. Pressure is mounting on the all levels of government to deliver an economic strategy that will launch our communities down the road to recovery. This strategy also needs to build more resilience and equity into Canadian communities as we anticipate more destabilizing events like COVID-19 in the future.
In the post-COVID era, traditional energy industries have seen major job and financial losses. Our best hope for economic recovery is to create green jobs as part of the essential transition to a decarbonized economy. Stimulus spending and recovery strategies could prioritize the creation of a resilient green economy with an eye to equity. We could create millions of sustainable jobs for Canadians, vibrant and resilient communities, and also improve the lives of marginalized workers.
What could an expansion of green jobs look like in the Peterborough region? There are a number of sectors that have potential for the creation of green jobs locally, including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and trades.
As part of a plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, large-scale projects in infrastructure, transportation, energy, and technology sectors will be major job creators. Green jobs, especially those in renewable energy, are often locally based, creating secure regional job markets less susceptible to relocation.
Adding quality jobs within the context of a green recovery could help build community resilience in Peterborough. Decent jobs are stable, have reliable hours, and pay a living wage.
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In the Peterborough region, precarious work has become a defining issue that, as of 2018, impacts as many as 64 per cent of local workers. Temporary work, unpredictable hours, no health benefits, and low pay have become status quo in our community, often requiring members of our community to have more than one job just to get by.
Before COVID-19, many people were ringing alarm bells about the increasingly precarious and unequal nature of employment. The pandemic has once again emphasized these issues.
“If you don’t have a car, if you can’t afford to stop working, or if your work is such that it can’t be done remotely, the pandemic has shown you that your safety is not a priority,” observes Dr. David Tough, historian and professor at Trent University.
Peterborough has been a driving force in the history of labour. The Canadian Woollens (Bonnerworth and Auburn Mills) 1937 strike in Peterborough led to confrontations with the police. An enduring result of this strike was the first minimum wage legislation in Ontario. (Photo: Trent Valley Archives,S F50 Electric City Collection.)
“(COVID-19) shows us who has access to safe and healthy options for their children, for their elderly parents and grandparents.” Tough adds. “And a lot of people who accepted these inequalities before COVID are now seeing them as inhumane.”
Statistics Canada reported in August the unemployment rate for racialized workers is 16.2 per cent, more than one-and-a-half times higher than the rate for white workers. This statistic quantifies the lived experience of systemic employment discrimination that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indigenous communities, too, have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 due to pre-existing inequities. The impacts of this crisis on women, migrant workers, and racialized groups must be considered in a just green recovery. A justice-centred, community-led green recovery would involve prioritizing decent work for vulnerable populations and supporting self-governance for Indigenous communities as they rebuild from this crisis.
In their 2019 production of “Carmel”, 4th Line Theatre explored the real-life plight of local workers at Peterborough’s Bonnerworth textile mill. In 1937, 650 workers at the mill went on a strike that eventually lead to Ontario’s first minimum wage legislation. (Photo: Wayne Eardley / Brookside Studio)
The business community in our region would have a rare opportunity to connect to green recovery funding that could lessen the impact of this crisis on vulnerable persons, and could also help businesses save money in the long-term. Improving indoor workplaces through high-efficiency ventilation, and enhanced heating and cooling would have a beneficial impact on worker health and safety.
Transitioning local business fleets away from combustion vehicles in could help improve air quality and health outcomes. Investing in transit and active transportation for workers is another way businesses can reduce the burden on our most vulnerable, while promoting a green recovery.
Programs that help grow the green economy could usher in a new wave of green jobs in our region. Green Economy Peterborough, set to officially launch services in the spring of 2021, will support small and medium businesses as they secure green recovery funding.
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Through participation in our local hub, businesses will create climate action plans, increasing their capacity to partake in the green recovery and potentially access funds that become available.
Green Economy Peterborough will be one of eight community-led business hubs supported by Green Economy Canada. One of the most prominent voices advocating for a green recovery, Green Economy Canada emphasizes that environmental sustainability, human well-being, and business success are synonymous. Our communities can build back better by investing in projects that protect both workers and the environment.
"When COVID-19 struck, I saw it as an opportunity to further develop my cake enterprise. I pivoted immediately. My dream is to have a cake-generated income, such that my ceramic pursuits can be more focused on exploration, and less on trying to make a living." - Bill Reddick, Ceramic Artist (Photo: Julie Gagne)
On August 31st, the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) in Peterborough launched “Essential”, a photography project that raises awareness of the precarious situation of local artists and arts organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part of EC3’s Peterborough Arts Alive initiative, the Essential project is a series of 17 photos by local photographer Julie Gagne that depicts 20 local artists during the pandemic. Each of the photos feature an artist or artists in their home or workplace and is accompanied by an artist statement about their experience of the pandemic.
Twice each week until the end of October, kawarthaNOW is publishing photos from the series. Today, we feature ceramic artist Bill Reddick.
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Bill Reddick, Ceramic Artist
Bill Reddick – The Essential Project. (Photo by Julie Gagne, design by Rob Wilkes)
A message from EC3 about The Essential Project
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on both individual artists and arts organizations in Peterborough. Performance venues and galleries have been closed, concerts cancelled, exhibitions postponed, entire seasons abandoned. Organizations and facilities are trying to grapple with the loss of revenue and an uncertain future. “Reopening” is not straightforward, to say the least.
Individual artists have lost their creative income and the opportunity to work together to create — something that is absolutely vital to them and to their audiences. Many have pivoted, and developed and presented some great virtual and digital projects. But nothing replaces live performance in front of a live audience and the catalytic energy that comes from being together to rehearse, discuss, and plan projects, to gather at an opening or artist talk.
Isolated at home, cut off from their communities and the lifeblood that is their artistic practice, local artists still found ways to keep our cultural life alive. Silenced and almost invisible, they kept working. But it hasn’t been easy.
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Local photographer Julie Gagne began photographing a number of Peterborough residents in their homes during the earlier stage of the pandemic and posted the photos on Facebook. The eloquent, haunting images of her “Within” portrait project included some artists, and those incredibly moving images caught the eye of EC3 executive director Su Ditta.
Julie’s photos made us think. We have all benefited from the work of artists during the pandemic: we’ve listened to music, read books, watched films, toured virtual exhibitions, tuned in to living room concerts. What has it been like for the artists? Will people remember how essential the arts were to getting through the pandemic when it comes to recovery funding and budget planning? Will arts organizations be supported in a robust recovery plan?
EC3 asked theatre artist Sarah McNeilly to curate and coordinate, and approached Julie Gagne to do a distinct series of photos that spoke to the experience of local artists and what art means to our lives, in good times and in bad. It’s essential.
This arts awareness project is both a witness to the struggles of, and a testament to the courage and contributions of this community during the COVID-19 lockdown. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Julie and everyone in the arts community who have kept us going.
The Cobourg Police Service released this photo of Victoria Beach in Cobourg showing only small gatherings on the beach on May 23, 2020, the same day when an estimated 10,000 people gathered at Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods Park. (Photo: Cobourg Police Service)
Now that summer is almost over, the Town of Cobourg will be reopening Victoria Beach after the Labour Day long weekend for recreational use during the week only.
In June, Cobourg town council voted unanimously to close the popular beach until Monday, August 31st because of concerns about overcrowding during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure both residents and visitors comply with emergency orders prohibiting social gatherings and health directives on physical distancing.
At the August 31st regular council meeting, council instructed town staff to reopen Victoria Beach effective Tuesday, September 8th for active recreational activities during the week, including swimming, walking, running, kitesurfing, and other similar activities.
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The beach will remain closed on weekends until October 14th, when the fencing will be removed and the beach will be fully reopened.
There will be no lifeguards on duty and the canteen and restroom facilities will stay closed. Porta-potties, which are located at the south end of Division Street and in Victoria Park, will remain in place and will be regularly disinfected.
The Town of Cobourg is asking all beach goers to abide by public health and safety protocols including physical distancing.
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.
Today, Ontario is reporting 133 new cases of COVID-19. However, with 137 more cases resolved, there is a net decrease today in the number of active cases. Most of the new cases are in Toronto (43), Peel (34), York (15), Ottawa (12), and Durham (6). The remaining 29 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 21 of them reporting no new cases at all.
Almost two-thirds of the new cases are among people 39 years old and younger, with 15% of cases under the age of 20. The province has now processed more than 3 million tests, and continues to lead the country in daily testing.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland, for a total of 5 active cases. There are no new cases to report in Peterborough, Prince Edward and Hastings counties, or Haliburton. There are currently 3 active cases in Peterborough and 4 active cases in Prince Edward and Hastings counties. There are no active cases in Haliburton.
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Since the pandemic began, there have been 105 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (100 resolved with 2 deaths), 180 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (158 resolved with 32 deaths), 34 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 (40 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported on May 7 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.
Province-wide, there have been 42,554 confirmed cases, an increase of 133 from yesterday’s report, with 38,506 (90.5% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 137 from yesterday. There have been 2,812 deaths, no change from yesterday, with 1,816 deaths reported in long-term care homes, a increase of 1. A total of 3,013,892 tests have been completed, an increase of 24,004 from yesterday, with 18,273 tests under investigation, an increase of 2,525.
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: 105 (no change) Active cases: 3 (no change) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 100 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 25,000 (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: 229, including 180 in Kawartha Lakes, 34 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 2, 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland) Probable cases: 0 (decrease of 1) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 32 (no change) Resolved: 204, including 158 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (no change) Active cases: 5, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland (increase of 2) Institutional outbreaks: Campbellford Memorial Multicare Lodge (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 (no change) Active cases: 4 (decrease of 1) 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: 40 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 23,411 (increase of 643) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 42,554 (increase of 133) Resolved: 38,506 (increase of 137, 90.5% of all cases) Hospitalized: 60 (decrease of 5) Hospitalized and in ICU: 13 (decrease of 4) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 9 (increase of 4) Deaths: 2,812 (no change) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,816 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 3,013,892 (increase of 24,004) Tests under investigation: 18,273 (increase of 2,525)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 2 – September 1, 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 August 2 – September 1, 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)
Peterborough-based singer-songwriter Evangeline Gentle, whose critically acclaimed self-titled debut album was released internationally in August, will be performing a livestreamed concert with a full band on September 5, 2020. (Photo: Mark L. Craighead)
If you’ve been missing live local music during the pandemic, you’ll have a chance to experience it again this Saturday night (September 5), when Peterborough-based singer-songwriter Evangeline Gentle performs at a special livestreamed event from Hamilton to celebrate the vinyl release of their debut full-length album.
After Gentle released their eponymous album in Canada last September on Rae Spoon’s label Coax Records, it immediately began to garner critical acclaim. Exclaim! called the full-length album “a triumph” and “highly listenable”, with CBC Music heralding Gentle as one of seven “exciting” break-out artists of 2019, with their voice communicating an “aching warmth that comes with knowing hardness and choosing softness instead.”
FYI Music described the “purity and expressiveness” of Gentle’s voice and said they are “a talent to be watched”.
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The accolades have continued after Sonic Unyon Records released the album internationally on August 21st. FATEA says Gentle’s voice is a “rich balance of strength and vulnerability” and calls the album a “rare delight in a crowded marketplace”. Great Dark Wonder calls the album “stunning”. Red Guitar Music says it’s “assured and mature, brimming with the kind of lyrical clarity and songwriting skill that many artists spend a career chasing” and a “significant achievement”.
Finnish music site One Chord to Another describes the album as “rich, beautiful and powerful in its vulnerability” and “a treasure”. A review by Folk Radio encourages you to listen to their voice and words “and have Gentle on your mind”.
Following the album’s international release, Gentle was also interviewed by Forbes and by NPR’s Scott Simon.
VIDEO: “So It Goes” by Evangeline Gentle
Written over three years, Gentle’s 10-track LP was produced by Jim Bryson (Oh Susanna, Kathleen Edwards, Kalle Mattson, The Skydiggers) at his Stittsvile studio Fixed Hinge and mastered by Grammy-nominated Philip Shaw Bova (Bahamas, Feist), with musical support by percussionists Pascal Delaquis and Matt Greco and vocalist Carleigh Aikins.
When the album was released internationally, Gentle also released a lyric video for the track “The Strongest People Have Tender Hearts”, directed and edited by Peterborough filmmaker Rob Viscardis. The video includes flashback footage from Gentle’s UK tour in early 2020, before the pandemic hit. Viscardis has also worked on Gentle’s other music videos (several more have since been released).
In celebration of the album’s international release and vinyl version, Gentle will be performing a special online concert on Saturday, September 5th with a full band featuring Peterborough musicians Nick Ferrio on guitar, Derek Bell on bass, and Matt Greco on drums.
VIDEO: “The Strongest People Have Tender Hearts” by Evangeline Gentle
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Produced by Sonic Unyon in conjunction with Dan Mangan’s Side Door Concert, the show begins at 6 p.m. at Mills Hardware in Hamilton, where Gentle and their band will perform live before a small and exclusive audience of friends and family.
UPDATE – Environment Canada ended the severe thunderstorm watch at 4:15 p.m. on September 2.
Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Wednesday (September 2) for the greater Kawarthas region, including the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough, Northumberland, and Hastings counties.
Conditions are favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms that may be capable of producing damaging wind gusts and heavy rain.
Severe thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon or early evening, with wind gusts near 90 kilometres per hour moving west to east through the region.
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Very strong wind gusts can damage buildings, down trees and blow large vehicles off the road.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.
The Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.
Peterborough illustrator Kathryn Durst at work on her mural in the alleyway of the Commerce Building in downtown Peterborough. The mural, commissioned by the First Friday Peterborough volunteer committee and Commerce Building owner Ashburnham Realty, will be celebrated from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2020. (Photo: First Friday Peterborough / Facebook)
These are challenging times for all of us, and the arts sector has been hard hit indeed by the necessary restrictions resulting from the pandemic and the slowing of the economy. Times have been tough given that many visual artists rely on crowded art openings and art fairs to gain exposure and sell their work. The social and community building function of these events is also sorely missed by those who would regularly participate.
This September, we see arts organizations such as Artspace and the Art Gallery of Peterborough carefully opening once more, with stringent safety measures in place. Many studio tours in the area gearing up for a COVID-safe art viewing experience, while community-oriented groups, such as the First Friday Peterborough volunteer arts committee and Electric City Culture Council are making things happen to liven up the scene.
We have a brand new mural about to be finished, funded by Ashburnham Realty and the Peterborough DBIA, and an artist-run arts channel creating a space for discussion and connection created and funded by the Electric City Arts Council.
First Friday Peterborough mural kick-off and COVID-careful art exhibits
A detail of illustrator Kathryn Durst’s mural in progress, to be officially unveiled during the upcoming first Friday on September 4th. (Photo courtesy of First Friday Peterborough)
Illustrator Kathryn Durst is putting the final touches on a mural of the alleyway of the Commerce Building, at the northwest corner of Water and Hunter streets in downtown Peterborough, which is home to the studios of many of the artists who participate in the First Friday Peterborough art crawl.
The mural has been made possible by the initiative of Paul Bennett of Ashburnham Realty (landlord of the Commerce Building) and the First Friday Peterborough volunteer committee. After Paul mentioned he would like to have a mural painted in the alleyway, the committee got together and put out a call to artists for a site-specific mural. Five local arts champions were selected to sift through proposals, looking for one that best reflected the vibe of the arts scene and that provided contrast to existing mural work.
Peterborough-based artist, muralist, and accomplished illustrator Kathryn Durst was selected to do the job. Her whimsical colourful style (she illustrated a children’s book written by Sir Paul McCartney) and fun design captures the spirit of the monthly art crawl, and illustrates the diversity, feeling of community, and art appreciation that is celebrated by participants in the downtown arts scene.
The project has been generously funded by Ashburnham Realty and the DBIA, and spearheaded by First Friday committee members Anna Eidt of Watson & Lou and Leslie Menagh of Madderhouse Textile Studios.
The official mural launch will happen on Friday, September 4th from 6 to 10 p.m. Come out and see the latest public art in Peterborough and meet the artist in the Commerce Building/Banker’s Common alleyway, between 383 and 385 Water Street.
Stick around to check out the nearby art shows while you’re in the neighbourhood. Physical distancing and masks are both encouraged and expected during all gatherings.
If murals interest any of you artists out there, then keep your eyes peeled for another call for mural proposals. There is another location pending and another mural may soon be in the works. The mural initiative comes at a time when the arts have been hard hit by COVID-related restrictions and is an encouraging development for the city and artists alike.
Atelier Ludmila presents ‘from inquisition to slapstick’, works on paper by James Matheson
Works on paper from the series ‘from inquisition to slapstick’ by James Matheson. (Photos courtesy of Atelier Ludmila)
The First Friday festivities are cautiously gearing back up! On Friday, September 4th from 6 to 11 p.m., Atelier Ludmila will be open to groups operating within social bubbles and individuals. People will be admitted for 15 minutes at a time on a first-come first-served basis, with names and contact information taken at the door. Masks are required inside the Commerce Building.
Joe Stable and the Copper Closet will also be setting up a display outside in the square.
On display at Atelier Ludmila until Sunday, September 27th, James Matheson’s ‘from inquisition to slapstick’ features a series of non-representational pieces on paper. Matheson’s post-modern philosophy and instinctual need to create drive him to create visceral and immediate pieces, a history of mark making for the viewer to peruse. They do not represent recognisable scenes, but moments of creation.
Operated by artistic director Laurel Paluck, the Atelier Ludmila gallery is located on the second floor of the Commerce Building (129 1/2 Hunter St. W., Peterborough). Gallery hours outside of First Friday are Saturday and Sundays from 11 a.m. tol 6 p.m. To make an appointment for viewing, email ludmilaprojects@gmail.com. For more information, visit atelierludmila.com.
Union Studio presents works by Tim Schins
A work by Toronto-based artist and designer Tim Schins. (Photo courtesy of Union Studio)
Tim Schins is a Toronto-based artist and designer who is gracing the walls of the Union Studio salon with his work.
Schins’ work is painted on a wide variety of surfaces, from skateboards, t-shirts, and walls to more traditional wood panel and canvas. Vibrant colour and expressive faces are hallmarks of his style.
Union Studio will be open for viewing during First Friday on September 4th.
Union Studio is located at 391 Water Street in downtown Peterborough. For more information, call 705-740-2682 or visit unionstudioptbo.com.
Art Gallery of Peterborough presents ‘Offering’, selections from the permanent collection
‘Offering’, on display now at the Art Gallery of Peterborough, is a selection of work from the gallery’s permanent collection. Pictured are pieces by Nobuo Kubota, Carl Beam, and Sanaz Minazi hanging in the main gallery. (Photo courtesy of the Art Gallery of Peterborough)
The newest show on display at the Art Gallery of Peterborough is ‘Offering’, a selection of work from the gallery’s permanent collection. This exhibit features pieces by Carl Beam, Michael Belmore, Ivan Eyre, Nobuo Kubota, Dyan Marie, Sanaz Mazinani, Shaan Syed, Oliver Tiura, Dennis Tourbin. and Bill Vazan. Some of them are on display for the first time in the gallery space.
The show reflects perspective, interconnection. and transformation and has been curated in response to the current times. It will be on display until Sunday, November 8th.
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Make an appointment to go and meditate upon the work of these 10 fascinating artists and, if you haven’t yet, see the other exhibits (‘locked in a way’ and ‘217) that will be on display until October 4th, and get a taste of what will be featured on the upcoming Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour.
The gallery will definitely be a place of quiet reflection as only 10 people are allowed in the gallery at one time. The Art Gallery of Peterborough is located at 250 Crescent Street in downtown Peterborough and is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday by appointment only. For more information, call 705-743-9179 or visit agp.on.ca.
Fall studio tour season during the pandemic
Some of the work on display at the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s “Selections” exhibition for the 36th annual Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour. (Photo courtesy of the Art Gallery of Peterborough)
It’s fall studio tour season, and many tours are going ahead this year with pandemic precautions in place.
The Art Gallery of Peterborough has taken a very careful approach to this year’s 36th annual Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour. All studio visits will be by appointment only, but the tour will run for a full month, from September 1st to 30th. Artists who opted out of physical visits will instead have links to their websites. ‘Selections’ the annual show featuring artists participating in the tour, is also now on display at the gallery until Sunday, November 8th.
Other area tours are also still going ahead, with mandatory masks and limited numbers of visitors at any one time. The 27th annual Apsley Studio Tour features 27 artists and artisans in 13 studio locations in North Kawartha and Wollaston townships from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th.
The 35th Victoria County Studio Tour takes place in the City of Kawartha Lakes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. over two weekends, September 26th and 27th and October 3rd and 4th. For more information, visit victoriacountystudiotour.com.
The Bancroft Studio Tour has been cancelled for 2020, and will return in 2021.
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The Electric City Culture Council hosts ‘Peterborough Arts Alive on Slack’ curated by Christy Haldane
Peterborough Arts Alive on the Slack group chat service offers multiple channels for different topics of interest to the arts community. (Screenshot)
Local artists and arts enthusiasts suffering from a lack of contact with peers may be interested in ‘Peterborough Arts Alive on Slack’, an initiative of the Electric City Culture Council.
Curated and moderated by artist Christy Haldane, the Peterborough Arts Alive on Slack workspace serves as a way to digitally engage with artists and create a dialogue around the ways the pandemic has affected the arts sector, individual artists, and cultural workers.
Slack is a free group chat service, and you can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play (a web-based version is also available).
Every week an artist is commissioned to write a mini essay in order to get the ball rolling. So far Esther Vincent, Victoria Ward, Anne Jaeger, Alice Olsen Williams, and Caroline Langill have been featured.
“Remodel” by Alexis Bulman is a series of sculptures made from drywall. (Photo courtesy of Artspace and the artist)
Artspace is opening back up this September, but with pandemic safety measures in place.
Alexis Bulman’s MAKE/SHIFT will be on display from Friday, September 11th until Saturday, October 24th. Her first solo show, MAKE/SHIFT has two parts: “Remodel”, a series of drywall sculptures, and “Tending To”, a video performance and installation. This exhibition deals with accessibility and care, thinking about the ways people with disabilities overcome challenges related to accessibility and the potential for change in a system that is not accessibility minded.
There will be no in-person reception, and people will be asked to sign in when entering the space for record-keeping purposes. Masks are required and only five visitors will be allowed entry at a time. The show will also be available online, including 360-degree photography of the work in situ, with comments by the artist.
In conjunction with the current exhibition, Artspace is presents a participatory workshop, ‘Archive of Sensation’, developed by Aislinn Thomas.
The project invites viewers to respond to the ‘Remodel’ series in whatever medium they choose (e.g., writing, video, audio, images, or movement). Responses will be collected through email and Google forms. Entries will then be shared on Artspace’s Instagram @artspaceptbo. This is a nice way of responding to Bulman’s work and sparking some dialogue in a time when we aren’t able to gather and discuss the work in person
Artspace is located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough and offers barrier-free access (to all but Gallery 2) and free admission during regular open hours: Tuesday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Hunter Street between Aylmer and George. For more information, including Artspace’s COVID-19 safety protocols, visit artspace-arc.org.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 112 new cases of COVID-19, the 12th straight day of increases over 100. The majority of the new cases are in Peel (28), Toronto (26), York (12), Windsor (11), Ottawa (8), Hamilton (6), and Halton (6). The remaining 27 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases, with 18 of them reporting no new cases.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there is one new case to report in Peterborough, for a total of 3 active cases. Reports are unavailable for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Prince Edward or Hastings counties.
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Since the pandemic began, there have been 105 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (100 resolved with 2 deaths), 179 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (158 resolved with 32 deaths), 32 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 42,421 confirmed cases, an increase of 112 from yesterday’s report, with 38,369 (90.4% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 92 from yesterday. There have been 2,812 deaths, an increase of 1 from yesterday, with 1,815 deaths reported in long-term care homes (no change from yesterday). A total of 2,989,888 tests have been completed, an increase of 23,545 from yesterday, with 15,748 tests under investigation, an increase of 2,206.
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: 105 (increase of 1) Active cases: 3 (increase of 1) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 100 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 24,900 (increase of 50) 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. These numbers are from August 31.
Confirmed positive: 226, including 179 in Kawartha Lakes, 32 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (increase of 2, in Kawartha Lakes) Probable cases: 1 (increase of 1) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (increase of 1) Deaths: 32 (no change) Resolved: 204, including 158 in Kawartha Lakes, 31 in Northumberland, 15 in Haliburton (no change) Active cases: 3, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland Institutional outbreaks: Campbellford Memorial Multicare Lodge (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. These numbers are from August 31.
Confirmed positive: 49 (no change) Active cases: 5 (no change) 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: 22,768 (increase of 623) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 42,421 (increase of 112) Resolved: 38,369 (increase of 92, 90.4% of all cases) Hospitalized: 65 (decrease of 16) Hospitalized and in ICU: 17 (decrease of 1) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 5 (decrease of 3) Deaths: 2,812 (increase of 1) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,815 (no change) Total tests completed: 2,989,888 (increase of 23,545) Tests under investigation: 15,748 (increase of 2,206)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from August 1 – 31, 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 August 1 – 31, 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)
A sneak peek at a portion of the large-scale collaborative art piece Port Hope artist Lee Higginson is creating for the Capitol Theatre's 90th anniversary celebration. The Capitol Project includes 90 "signatures" from Port Hope community members and notable artists with ties to the community -- but instead of writing their names, they wrote the name of the theatre. (Photo courtesy of Lee Higginson)
Port Hope artist Lee Higginson of Fluke Craft graciously took a break from putting the finishing touches on her latest large-scale collaborative art piece, “The Capitol Project”, to discuss her work, which will soon be unveiled to complete the month-long 90th anniversary celebrations for Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre.
Official unveiling
POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS – The official unveiling of The Capitol Project in the main window of the Capitol Theatre takes place at 12 p.m. on Sunday, September 20th during a mini red carpet celebration to include speeches, performances, and popcorn.
It’s safe to assume that, when 2020 began, none of the folks at the Capitol could’ve imagined they’d be celebrating the historic theatre’s 90th anniversary during a global pandemic. Alas, our year of the virus had different plans.
However, August was filled with innovative and safe anniversary celebrations — a testament to the creativity and resiliency of the theatre’s staff, board, artists, volunteers, and sponsors.
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Performances from the Capitol’s second floor Juliette windows were held for socially distanced audiences on the street, the Antique & Classic Car Club of Canada paraded vintage vehicles through downtown Port Hope, dancers performed on the sidewalks, and local businesses offered specialty items and prizes.
Amid the celebrations, under the umbrella of the Port Hope Arts Festival, Higginson was busy working on her latest creation. The Capitol Project is a massive collaborative art work with 90 unique pieces to celebrate the theatre’s anniversary.
“I was thrilled when the Capitol reached out to me about creating a work for their 90th anniversary,” said Higginson.
“As someone who lives here and goes to the theatre multiple times a year, I wanted to support the Capitol and to help show the public that they’re still here working to figure out how to make things work in this new reality.”
Built in 1930 by Famous Players, the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope is a national historic site and is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2020. Pictured is the theatre in 1945, showing the exterior and marquee, a view of the front of the auditorium, and a view of the rear of auditorium including a mural the on back wall. (Photos: Ontario Treasury Department, Motion Picture Censorship Theatre Inspection Branch / Archives of Ontario)
A national historic site, the Capitol was built at the dawn of the sound film era in 1930. Atypical for a depression-era building, the theatre was designed by the former president of the Ontario Association of Architects and constructed at a then-whopping cost of $80,000.
The building underwent museum-quality restorations in the ’90s, which also upgraded the movie theatre to a multi-purpose performing arts facility. It is one of the last remaining atmospheric theatres in North America.
Primarily a salvage artist, Higginson sourced materials for The Capitol Project from the historic theatre’s archives to honour the theatre’s 90 years in the community.
Originally from Peterborough, artist Lee Higginson has lived with her family in Port Hope since 2010. She is the owner of Fluke Craft. (Photo courtesy of Lee Higginson)
“I found curtains that used to hang in the theatre and a spool of film that had been damaged at one point; they were destined to be binned,” recalled Higginson.
“Feeling very Sound of Music-ish, I hauled these massive curtains and film remnants home and started to think about how I could use these pieces to create a big, visual representation that spoke to the Capitol’s anniversary in our current context.”
No stranger to large-scale collaborative works of art, Higginson knows the power of community-based works: “I believe that art is for everybody — that everybody can be engaged in the process of creation.”
Lee Higginson’s artistic work often involves driftwood and rocks salvaged from the beach, such as the piece pictured here. She put her salvaging skills to good use for The Capitol Project by digging into the Capitol Theatre’s archives, finding historical items such as old curtains and film remnants. (Photo courtesy of Lee Higginson)
In the case of The Capitol Project, Higginson reached out to Port Hope community members and notable artists with ties to the community, such as Andy Muschietti who directed the “It” movies filmed in Port Hope.
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“I started to collect signatures,” Higginson explained, “but not the signatures of their names; rather, the ways these individuals wrote the word ‘Capitol’. I have 90 Capitol signatures, some in different alphabets even, which will all be bound together in this piece and a didactic legend will hang in the window showing whose signature is whose.”
Much has been written about the concept of the signature. For philosopher Jacques Derrida, the act of writing implies the absence of both the reader (at the time of writing) and the writer (at the time of reading). Though the writing exists independently of both reader and writer, it remains paradoxically linked to a presence.
In early August, Port Hope artist Lee Higginson put a call out to the community to participate in The Capitol Project. (Photo courtesy of Lee Higginson)
Higginson’s incorporation of signatures brings presence to absence in these strange COVID times. From the salvaged curtains — which likely witnessed a first kiss or two — to the found-footage that binds the contemporary signatures, the piece whispers to the future: “we were here.”
The work, like Derrida’s, could be considered an investigation of the nature of iterability, repetition, absence, and context. The Capitol Project quite literally stitches together past, present, and future.
“I wanted this piece to show that, as a community, there are still ways for us to come together to create — to collaborate — and to build something together,” Higginson added. “I believe in my heart that part of the necessary healing from this collective trauma comes from the arts and the act of collaboration.”
Higginson is currently in the final stages of assembling the sepia-toned 10′ x 4.5′ piece of art. For updates on the official unveiling of the work, follow Lee Higginson on Instagram and Facebook and the Capitol Theatre on Instagram and Facebook.
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