GreenUP's Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN) program is looking at ways to make the Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek neighbourhoods in Peterborough more sustainable. Here, students from James Strath Public School install a garden in the Kawartha Heights neighbourhood, as part of the planting phase of the SUN program. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
On January 23rd, municipal staff members, community partners, and 45 Peterborough residents braved the snow to attend an action plan gathering organized by GreenUP’s Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN) program.
Together, they imagined ways to make the Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek neighbourhoods in Peterborough more sustainable, all while having a little fun too.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Hayley Goodchild, Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods Program Coordinator.
Activities at the gathering included a speed-drawing icebreaker where participants sketched out their neighbourhood visions, followed by a community mapping exercise to brainstorm ideas across multiple themes like active transportation, urban forests, and stormwater management. Each group also discussed the resources and strengths that exist in their communities to support their plans.
Participants explored dozens of ideas that would make their neighbourhoods more resilient to climate change, from green roofs and rain gardens to neighbourhood walking corridors and local environmental education programs.
The input generated at the gathering, and also from future events, will form the basis of an action plan for each of the neighbourhoods. Action plans will be released in the fall of 2019, and will identify actions that residents and other stakeholders can take to reach their environmental goals.
Why does the SUN program focus on only two Peterborough neighbourhoods?
“Neighbourhood planning allows for urban renewal solutions that are customized to respond directly to residents’ interests and priorities and local environmental conditions,” explains Adriana Gomez, senior program manager with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP).
SUN is modelled on and delivered in association withw the conservation authority’s SNAP program. In other words, plans that are tailored to the specific needs of a neighbourhood are more likely to resonate with the community than a one-size-fits-all approach.
On January 23rd, municipal staff members, community partners, and 45 Peterborough residents attended an action plan gathering organized by GreenUP’s Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN) program. Here, participants share their ideas for the East City–Curtis Creek SUN Action Plan. (Photo: Karen Halley / GreenUP)
In Peterborough, the Kawartha Heights and East City-Curtis Creek neighbourhoods each have unique features, many of which have been identified by the residents who live there. For example, participants at the action plan gathering quickly identified Curtis Creek as an important neighbourhood asset and opportunity for transformation in East City. As a result, this waterway, which snakes through the area, is likely to feature prominently in the neighbourhood action plan.
Another benefit of planning at the neighbourhood level is that it brings people together to share ideas, resources, and energy. It is easier to get involved when your friends and neighbours are tackling a local issue together. As Gomez points out, “Residents feel pride in working for their own community.”
Laurie Riley, a Kawartha Heights resident who attended the gathering, agrees.
“I encourage others to embrace their knowledge and learn how, as residents, we can be more aware of our individual properties and the many ways we impact the Peterborough environment as a whole.”
A speed-drawing activity at the recent Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods gathering saw participants sketch out their vision for their neighbourhood. (Photo: Karen Halley / GreenUP)
Also, changes at the neighbourhood level can impact the wider urban environment, which helps the municipality, conservation authority, and other stakeholders reach their long-term targets efficiently. Neighbourhood planning is one piece of the puzzle when it comes to building a city that is more resilient to climate change.
Planning is just one part of the SUN program, which is a three-year initiative funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation until the end of 2019. In addition to planning, SUN has installed 740 square metres of gardens and tree-planting projects across both neighbourhoods, with more to come this year.
These projects demonstrate actions that residents can take to transform their own properties in the future. They also provide more opportunities to engage with residents about the action pans.
Do you have ideas to share? Join the conversation! SUN is organizing additional community planning events in both neighbourhoods this March.
NeighbourPLAN, another neighbourhood-based GreenUP initiative, supports residents in reimagining public spaces in three diverse Peterborough neighbourhoods (Jackson Park-Brookdale, Downtown Jackson Creek, and Talwood) using a collaborative process known as co-design. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
Don’t live in East City-Curtis Creek or Kawartha Heights? Check out NeighbourPLAN, another neighbourhood-based GreenUP initiative.
NeighbourPLAN supports residents in reimagining public spaces in three diverse Peterborough neighbourhoods, Jackson Park-Brookdale, Downtown Jackson Creek, and Talwood, using a collaborative process known as co-design. For more information on NeighbourPLAN, visit greenup.on.ca/program/neighbourplan/.
Residents in Downtown Jackson Creek are encouraged to attend NeighbourPLAN’s Resident Committee Meetings on the second Tuesday of every month from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Brooklawn Apartments. To learn more, contact Kortney Dunsby, NeighbourPLAN Coordinator, at kortney.dunsby@greenup.on.ca or 705-745-3238 ext. 206.
Lindsay actress Anwen O'Driscoll in a publicity photo for the CBC Television series "Burden of Truth", in which she plays the recurring character Taylor Matheson. Anwen will appear in six episodes of the upcoming original Netflix series "October Faction", and took a trip to Los Angeles in January 2019 to meet with studios, casting agents, and producers in the hopes of expanding her television acting career into the U.S. (Photo: CBC Television)
Lindsay actress Anwen O’Driscoll doesn’t give the easiest interview. While she’s polite and warm, she’s also guarded about the projects she’s working on.
And although she’s already gained some recognition due to her budding television career, she doesn’t see herself as a “star.” She still acts like a normal (if slightly quirky) young woman, but there’s little doubt she has a star quality. Even if you haven’t seen her perform on stage or on television, Anwen is very impressive.
One of Anwen O’Driscoll’s headshots. The 19-year-old performer began acting at the Lindsay Little Theatre when she was seven years old. (Photo courtesy of Anwen O’Driscoll)
On a cold Saturday evening, Anwen and her mother stopped by my place on their way back to their Lindsay home after a long day of preparation in Toronto for Anwen’s six-week business trip to Los Angeles. As I served the pair coffee and turned on my tape recorder, a thought came into my head: while I’ve interviewed a lot of TV stars over the years via the telephone, this was the first time I was actually interviewing one in person in my own living room.
One of the brightest young talents in the Kawarthas, 19-year-old Anwen has already successfully achieved what most local actors never do: she has managed to move beyond local community theatre to create a budding career in television. Currently a supporting character in the highly successful CBC Television legal drama Burden of Truth, Anwen has also just wrapped filming for the upcoming original Netflix series October Faction, set to debut in October 2019.
A gifted young woman who takes her craft extremely seriously, Anwen deserves the right to be called a TV star, but she’s still grounded enough to consider herself just another young actor from Lindsay.
“I started acting when I was seven year old at the Lindsay Little Theatre,” Anwen says. “My mom home-schooled my brother and sister and I, and she wanted to put us into something social. We started theatre and I fell in love with it.”
Growing up on a horse farm in Lindsay, Anwen comes from a family of artists and actors. Her mother is published playwright and director Altraire Gural. Her brother Tyrnan appeared at the Toronto Fringe last summer in the role of Shiny the Golden Boy in Planet 12’s Boy Wonders. Her younger sister Ilan is not only a talented artist, but is due to make her film debut next summer in the big-budget superhero film Shazam.
And Anwen’s Burden of Truth co-star Star Slade, who plays the key role of Luna Spence, came to live with Anwen’s family as a young teenager. She grew up with Anwen as her third sibling, and remains Anwen’s best friend.
Despite her television career, Anwen O’Driscoll continues to appear on the stage at Lindsay Little Theatre. Here she is pictured (on the couch) in the Lindsay Little Theatre production of Clare McIntyre’s feminist play “My Heart’s A Suitcase” in May 2018. Also pictured is Anwen’s sister, artist and actress Ilan O’Driscoll. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
Knowing at a young age that she wanted to pursue acting seriously, Anwen made her first television appearance on the YTV tween-comedy Life With Boys at the age of 11.
“I loved acting so much and I loved movies, and I would watch them and I wanted to be in them,” she recalls. “So I asked my Mom how we could do that and she looked online and started researching.”
“My mom knew to look at something that was associated with ACTRA, because most people make the mistake of going with agents that charge you,” she adds. “ACTRA has a list of agencies they recognize, and we went for agents that specialized at working with children on film.”
Anwen O’Driscoll with “Burden of Truth” star Kristin Kreuk. (Photo: Anwen O’Driscoll)
While working on her craft, making audition tapes and acting reels, and performing on the Lindsay stage, Anwen had a few small roles through her early teens, including a small one in the Emmy-nominated TV film Flint starring Queen Latifah and Betsy Brandt.
But it has been Burden of Truth that’s put her screen career into overdrive. One of CBC Television’s highest-rated programs, Burden of Truth stars actress Kristen Kruek as Joanna Handley, a Toronto-based lawyer who goes back to her small home town of Millwood to defend a pharmaceutical company being sued by a small group of teenage girls stricken with a mysterious disease that causes them to twitch uncontrollably.
Once in Millwood, Joanna begins to uncover a larger conspiracy and, teaming up with small-town lawyer Billy Crawford (Peter Mooney), switches sides to defend the girls — despite putting her career and her relationship with her father in jeopardy.
VIDEO: Anwen O’Driscoll in a scene from CBC TV’s “Burden of Truth”
Anwen plays Taylor Matheson, the first girl stricken with the mysterious twitching disease. Before auditioning for the role, she studied YouTube videos of people with similar ailments, which inspired an extreme experiment to ready herself for the audition.
“When I was going to the audition, I decided what better way to practice than to do the twitch in public on transit in Toronto,” Anwen says. “People were staring at me, and some people moved away from me, but I felt confident going into the audition after that.”
Anwen’s audition captured the attention of the casting directors in a big way and, as she later found out, they expanded the role of Taylor from what was initially supposed to be a two-episode part to a regular cast member and an intricate part of the plot.
“I was supposed to be in the first two episodes and the other characters weren’t supposed to be connected to me at all,” she says, “But after my audition they changed my character to be one of the other character’s daughters. I didn’t really know that until after they wrote me in. The writers saw my audition and loved it.”
The Taylor Matheson character has also proved popular with viewers. While other characters have been written out of the second season of Burden of Truth, which is currently airing on CBC on Wednesday nights, Taylor’s story is continuing into the current season.
Anwen’s profile gained even more traction when Burden of Truth was aired this past summer on the CW Network for the U.S. market, where it received moderate ratings but a second wave of fans.
Anwen O’Driscoll with her “Burden of Truth” co-star and best friend Star Slade at the Canadian Screen Awards. Anwen and Star grew up together in Lindsay, when Star came to live with Anwen’s family as a teenager. (Photo courtesy of Anwen O’Driscoll)
“I knew when Burden of Truth aired in the U.S. because Star and I were getting more attention on social media and a lot of new followers online,” Anwen explains.
“I got some really nice messages from people just saying that they connected to my character. They were from people I don’t know, saying that they appreciated what I represented, because they had gone through sicknesses themselves.”
Of course, being on television comes with a certain amount of fame, which Anwen is still getting used to.
However, she points out that the few times that she has been recognized are usually when she’s in the company of Star, who has a more prominent role on Burden of Truth. She shares an apartment with Star when filming in Winnipeg as well as when working in Toronto.
“I don’t get recognized too often because I’m not the main character, but Star and I have been recognized when we are out together and we’ve been asked to have our photos taken,” Anwen says.
“It’s a bit surreal. It’s definitely weird. I never thought I’d get to the point where that would be a thing, because that’s never what I wanted. I didn’t get into this for fame. I just did it because I love it. Acting makes me happy.”
After filming the second season of Burden of Truth last summer, Anwen returned to Toronto to film her second series, October Faction, throughout the fall.
Adapted from the IDW comic book series written by Steve Niles and starring J.C. MacKenzie, Tamara Taylor, and Megan Follows, everyone involved in October Faction is tight-lipped about the series. So getting Anwen to talk about the show is a bit of a challenge.
“I can tell you that it’s a story about a family of monster hunters,” she says. “It’s a horror supernatural teen drama and there are all the vampires and magic and fighting monsters and that sort of stuff. I play a supporting character named Cathy Macdonald. I’m the comedic relief, but my character is not in the comic book. She’s a bit of a goof ball. But that’s all I’m able to say.”
Netflix describes the series as “the adventures of a retired monster-hunter and his family, which includes a thrill-killer, a witch and a warlock” and, according to IMBD, Anwen’s character Cathy Macdonald appears in six of the 11 episodes of the series.
In “October Faction”, the upcoming Netflix series about the adventures of a retired monster-hunter and his family based on the comic book by Steve Niles, Anwen O’Driscoll will play the role of Cathy Macdonald (which doesn’t appear in the original comic) in six of the 11 episodes of the series. (Photo: IDW)
With a bit of encouragement, Anwen does reveal a little bit more about her character.
“I’m playing a much different role than in Burden of Truth,” she continues. “On Burden of Truth, Taylor is very reserved and has a lot of baggage, but with Cathy I could just totally have fun with. They let me go loose and do whatever I wanted. I was able to play around with the character a lot more.”
With two TV series now on her acting resume, this winter Anwen gained representation through the exclusive Los Angeles-based agency The Burstein Company, which has led to a six-week once-in-a-lifetime trip to Los Angeles for a series of meetings, auditions, and workshops, in the hopes that her career in television might grow into the U.S market.
While her management team has been setting up meetings with studios, casting agents, and producers, Anwen spent much of January getting new headshots done and putting together a new demo reel.
“The things that will be happening in Los Angeles are called generals, which are meetings with directors and producers,” Anwen explains. “They aren’t necessarily auditions where I act in the room. The people I am meeting with see my headshots and my demo reel, so they’ll already know what I do.”
I ask how she feels about the possibility of being in the common scenario where she’s auditioning in a sea of other actresses who look just like her.
“That doesn’t bother me so much anymore,” she answers with confidence. “When I was younger it’d bother me, and it’d be very stressful, but my view has changed. It’s competition, but every actress is completely unique.
“The casting directors are looking for a certain thing. You could have your hair slightly longer than another girl, and that’d be what would get you noticed. It’s not because of your skill or because you’re a bad actor. There are so many things that go into choosing who gets a role.”
Anwen O’Driscoll (right) appears as Lana with her best friend Star Slade as Simone in the 2017 STEM-related web series “Emerald Code”. (Photo: Shaftesbury Films)
I also ask Anwen if she is feeling any pressure about her trip, with so much anticipation and excitement amongst her family and friends and her colleagues at the Lindsay Little Theatre.
“Right now I don’t feel that there’s any pressure,” she says. “I hear that things in L.A. can get crazy and there will be two or three auditions in a day, but I know that my management team is really good at taking care of me. I’ll be well mentally and not just thrown around from meeting to meeting.”
Anwen left for L.A. in January after my interview with her, and over that time I’ve contacted her and her family a number of times. Anwen has been staying in West Hollywood, where the famous Hollywood sign looms over her neighbourhood. She has had little time for sightseeing or recreation, being kept busy meeting producers and directors.
Anwen is very protective about her business and is vague about what has been put together for her so far, but I did receive an encouraging message from her.
“I’ve been meeting with my agents/managers so far, and self-taping for Canada. Pilot season is just starting to begin, so we will see. Even if nothing comes of the trip, I’m just so happy to be down here and have this experience. I just love the energy.”
It’ll be another couple of weeks before Anwen returns home to Lindsay, and it might be a bit longer before she learns if anything emerges out of her Los Angeles trip. However, with one hit series currently on TV and another highly anticipated series in the wings, big things are already happening for this local actress.
What is refreshing is that, despite her success, Anwen still considers Lindsay Little Theatre her home base. In 2019, she performed there in two shows, My Heart is a Suitcase and Proof, and she is slated to appear in another Lindsay Little Theatre production in 2019.
Anwen has a unique quality that is rare in small-town actresses. She is dedicated to her craft, highly professional, and bleeds real emotion in every performance she gives. She is one of the most impressive young actresses I’ve ever met.
I’m already a big fan, and I hope one day I’ll be saying “I interviewed Anwen O’Driscoll in my living room before she hit it big in Hollywood.”
A jackknifed tractor trailer and four other vehicles were involved in a serious collision on Highway 401 near Brighton on the morning of February 13, 2019. One of the drivers was transported to hospital with serious injuries. (Photo: Northumberland OPP)
The westbound lanes of Highway 401 between County Road 40 and County Road 30 east of Brighton have been reopened following a serious collision involving a jackknifed tractor trailer and four other vehicles.
The accident happened at around 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday morning (February 13). One of the drivers was transported to hospital with serious injuries.
Highway 401 westbound was closed between Quinte West and Brighton for several hours while OPP members trained in collision reconstruction measured and documented the scene. Weather and road conditions may have been a contributing factor but the crash remains under investigation.
The westbound lanes of Highway 401 were closed between Quinte West and Brighton while OPP members trained in collision reconstruction measured and documented the scene. (Photo: Northumberland OPP)
There was no updated information on the status of the injured driver at the time of this report.
The OPP is reminding motorists to drive with caution and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination. Sudden storms and plunging temperatures can drastically change road conditions and reduce visibility.
Co-founder of the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies in Toronto, Ren Navarro is a champion of diversity in Ontario's craft beer industry. She will be speaking at "Beer Diversity", an event hosted by The Electric City Brigade of Beer Betches and sponsored by Publican House, on February 17, 2019 at Peterborough Square. (Photo courtesy of Ren Navarro)
This month, food writer Eva Fisher drinks to beer diversity, joins a Viking horde, starts a farm on her balcony, and enjoys healthy beverages and organic snacks from Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods.
Beer event on February 17th celebrates diversity in and out of the glass
Erin Broadfoot is co-owner and co-head brewer at Little Beasts Brewing Company. At “Beer Diversity” on February 17, 2019 at Peterborough Square, she will speak about her story and the challenges she faces as a woman in the beer industry. (Photo courtesy of Erin Broadfoot)
Craft beer is known for its diverse flavours and aromas: strong hops, chocolate stouts, and unique seasonals. The people behind the beer? Less so, with the bearded white brewer trope becoming so ubiquitous that the recently closed local brewery Beard Free Brewing named their brand to debunk it.
The Electric City Brigade of Beer Betches is a local champion of diversity in the beer industry, and their upcoming event Beer Diversity, sponsored by Publican House, is an opportunity for beer lovers to embrace diversity in and out of the glass.
The event takes place on Sunday, February 17th from 12 to 6 p.m. in the lower level of the Peterborough Square at the Peterborough Regional Farmer’s Market location.
Beer Diversity will feature presentations by Ren Navarro and Erin Broadfoot.
Ren is co-founder of The Society of Beer Drinking Ladies and calls herself “the craft beer unicorn.” She is an acclaimed and exciting speaker with extensive experience as a beer rep.
Beer Betches founder Sara George explains:
“She’s a woman, she’s black, and she’s queer, so if you hire her you’re checking off all of the boxes that you’re required to check off. It’s a very tongue-in-cheek way of saying that the craft beer industry is not as diverse as it should be.”
Erin is co-owner and co-head brewer at Little Beasts Brewing Company. After an original career as a naturopathic doctor focusing in gynecology and fertility, she decided to completely change careers and become a brewer. She will share her story and talk about some of the challenges of being a woman in the beer industry.
Sara George, the “Head Betch” of the Electric City Brigade of Beer Betches, a women’s beer group in Peterborough. (Photo: Sara George)
Sara says that diversity is the key to making more people feel comfortable in the growing craft beer industry, and that’s something that her events champion.
“It’s very important to me because I want to see a diverse audience, because why limit beer to one group of people?” she explains.
“It’s really nice to see how comfortable people are walking through the doors of a Betches event and seeing a group of women just like them who are really excited about beer and really enjoy it, and know that they’re not going to come across any condescension and they’re not going to come across someone who is going to make them feel uncomfortable.
“That’s what I strive for in every one of my events.”
In addition to the talks, there will be a tasting featuring brews from Publican House, Smithhavens, Bobcaygeon Brewing, Little Beasts, Cameron’s, Bancroft Brewing, Town Brewery, Second Wedge, Manantler, and Partake Brewing, as well as a range of food, craft, and drink vendors.
Tickets are $30 (including two drink tickets and a sample glass) and will be available at the door.
Dine as the Vikings did at Dalewood Golf Course in Cobourg
Sean Carthew of Ontario Street Theatre (right) is teaming up with Dalewood Golf Course to present a Viking-themed dinner theatre show, with a family-friendly event on March 8th and an adults-only event on March 9th. (Photo courtesy of Ontario Street Theatre)
Forget the cutlery and tear into a Viking-style feast!
“Game of Horns The Panto: A Viking Great Celebration” is a raucous dinner theatre experience taking place on Friday, March 8th and Saturday, March 9th at Dalewood Golf Club (7465 Dale Rd., Cobourg, 905-885-8409).
Entertainment will be provided by Ontario Street Theatre with plenty of audience interaction. At the end of the meal, a Viking king will be crowned.
The March 8th performance will be designed for families, and the March 9th event will be for adults.
Dalewood Chef Jennifer Robison has designed a special menu for an evening of Viking-themed debauchery. (Photo: Dalewood Golf Club)
Chef Jennifer Robison has designed a special menu for each evening. Dinner will be served family style, and will feature soup slurped straight from the bowl, chicken for the family night, individual cornish hens for the adult evening, roasted vegetables, and a dessert. On March 9th, there will be growlers of beer from William Street Beer Co. at each table.
Your finest Viking beards and armour are encouraged. For the family show, tickets are $45 for adults and $25 for children under 12. For the not-so-family show, tickets are $65 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.
Dig in with Nourish’s Urban Agriculture Series
Nourish’s Urban Agriculture Series will teach participants the basics of growing their own fruit and vegetables. The first workshop in the series will cover the basics of starting seeds, but Jillian Bishop of Nourish recommends that participants take all five classes to get the most from the series. (Poster: Nourish)
Are you interested in growing your own food but don’t know where to start? Nourish’s Urban Agriculture series offers a chance to learn the basics from Community Food Cultivator Jillian Bishop, a star in the Peterborough urban agriculture movement.
The class offers something for everyone, from balcony gardeners to those with a large plot of land.
The first class will teach the basics of starting seeds indoors, but there are also workshops on planning your garden, growing great soil, seed saving, and building community gardening projects with your neighbours.
Growing your own vegetables provides an inexpensive, healthy and environmentally sustainable food source. (Photo: Jillian Bishop / Nourish)
Jillian says that growing your own food is not only cheap and environmentally sustainable, it can help you to build community by connecting you with like-minded people in your neighbourhood, whether it be out in your community garden or at the workshop series itself.
“Not only do we want to provide people with the basic knowledge and skills they need, but maybe they are going to meet people in their community that are interested in similar things.”
The Urban Agriculture Series is free, but be sure to reserve your spot in advance at https://nourishproject.ca/urban-agriculture-series
Healthy options made even more convenient with Jo Anne’s Place’s new renovation
Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods will officially open their new beverage bar, ’76 Sips, on March 18th, 2019. (Photo: Julia Luymes / Jo Anne’s Place)
Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods (1260 Lansdowne St, Peterborough, 705-749-9474) has recently been renovated, with a grab-and-go cooler, an expanded selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a new beverage bar called ‘76 Sips.
The beverage bar, which officially opens on March 18th, features a variety of coffee, tea, and healthy smoothies.
The smoothies will include a chocolate smoothie, a green smoothie, and an immunity-boosting smoothie, with the option to mix in healthy add ons like protein, spirulina, and collagen.
When it comes to food, Jo Anne’s Place’s ethic is to choose organic, non-GMO, and local when possible. They also have lots of options for people with food allergies and sensitivities.
Operations manager Sharon Walker notes that their newly expanded fresh fruit and vegetable section offers one of the largest selections in the Kawarthas. She says Jo Anne’s Place chooses certified organic products from Ontario whenever possible.
Products from further afield are sourced from places with rigid organic requirements to make sure that the food they sell is healthy and safe.
The new grab-and-go section has healthy convenience foods including salads, desserts, drinks and more for a handy lunch or snack. Sharon says that Jo Anne’s Place ultimately plans to offer their own line of grab and go goodies.
“That is definitely our future goal for our grab-and-go, and for the beverage bar really — to expand that option to see what else we can offer.”
’76 Sips, named after the founding of Jo Anne’s Place in 1976, will feature a rotating selection of coffee and tea. Selections will be available to purchase and bring home. (Photo: Julia Luymes / Jo Anne’s Place)
Former Prairie Oyster frontman Russell deCarle performs with his band (Steve Briggs, John Dymond, John Sheard) at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on February 23, 2019. (Publicity photo)
It’s one thing to be comfortable with one’s past, but moving on with no regrets is a special place reserved for the truly content.
Russell deCarle
When: Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St. E, Peterborough) How much: $30 general admission, $35 assigned cabaret table seat
Russell deCarle will be accompanied by Steve Briggs (guitar), John Sheard (piano), and John Dymond (bass). Tickets are available at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
As a founding member and lead singer of Canadian country roots band Prairie Oyster, Russell deCarle has nothing but good memories when he reflects on the band’s initial run from 1974 to 1978 and its subsequent and more commercially successful second coming that spanned the period from 1982 to 1996.
It’s no surprise that deCarle has good memories about his time with Prairie Oyster.
Besides writing and recording a number of top 10 singles and issuing eight top-selling albums, the band took home six Juno Awards and 11 Canadian Country Music Awards.
“I’m really proud of what we accomplished, but it is in the rear-view mirror,” says deCarle, who has since fashioned a very productive and satisfying solo career for himself, manifesting itself in the form of three albums and sold-out shows across Canada.
“I really don’t live very far in the past and I don’t live very far in the future,” he adds. “I’m really trying to live in the present. I’m proud of the stuff I wrote for Prairie Oyster, but now I get to tell my own story with my material. I’m very proud of what we did but it had run its course.”
Russell deCarle (right) performed with Prairie Oyster for 35 years. The award-winning band was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008. (Publicity photo)
On Saturday, February 23rd, deCarle will headline at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, joined by guitarist Steve Briggs (Bebop Cowboys, Sylvia Tyson, Murray McLauchlan), bassist John Dymond (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn, k.d. lang) and pianist John Sheard (The Vinyl Café, Rita MacNeil, Rita Coolidge, Celine Dion).
General admission tickets to the 8 p.m. concert cost $30 — or $35 for assigned cabaret-style seating — and can be ordered at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
While deCarle has nothing but good memories of his time with Prairie Oyster, the rewards that his solo career has brought his way also number many.
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“One of the great things about doing my own show is I get to do my material and a lot of my favourite material,” he says.
“I don’t really do anything I’m not emotionally connected to. I have a huge repertoire. I rarely use a set list. Whatever I feel like doing, I kind of pull out of the hat and there’s usually a story to go with every song. I get to tell my own story. You can’t really do that with a band, even if you’re the singer. You have to take into account you’re representing five or six people up there on stage. It’s not just your own thing.”
Another big difference for deCarle is that he’s no longer playing bass as he did with Prairie Oyster.
“I’m in a situation now where I get to work with some of my favourite players who are also really great pals. I’m not playing bass; I play guitar so I get to work with some of my favourite bass players.
“One of the constants is I always play with Steve (Briggs). I hired Steve for a tour I did with Merle Haggard. It was a life-changing event for both of us. That was in 2004 and I’ve been playing with Steve ever since. We’re soul partners.”
The Russell deCarle Trio (Denis Keldie, Russell deCarle, and Steve Briggs) performing at the Lula Lounge in Toronto in 2014. (Photo: Jerry Abramowicz)
As a solo artist, deCarle released his debut album, Under The Big Big Sky, in 2010. He formed The Russell deCarle Trio in its aftermath, performing an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, country, Latin, R&B and Western swing with Briggs and accordionist Denis Keldie (The Extras, Denis Keldie Trio, Jeff Healey, Etta James, Doug Riley).
The trio released Live At Loud Mouse Studios in 2014, and performed at the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre in March 2015.
deCarle’s latest album, Alone In This Crowd, was released in 2017 and also features Briggs and Keldie. At his Market Hall concert, deCarle will be accompanied by Briggs along with bassist John Dymond and pianist John Sheard.
Russell deCarle will be joined by bassist John Dymond, pictured here performing with Lee Harvey Osmond at the Market Hall on February 8, 2019. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)Russell deCarle will also be joined by pianist John Sheard, pictured here with the late Stuart McLean. Sheard was the music director and pianist for McLean’s long-running CBC radio show The Vinyl Cafe. (Photo courtesy of John Sheard)
“These guys really dig the material,” deCarle says. “It isn’t like they’re just mercenary musicians that I’m hiring. There’s a real connection with everybody I tend to play with.”
While he admits the transition from bass to guitar was “a huge leap,” deCarle credits Briggs for much of his progress, terming him “one of the greatest teachers in the country.” And he while loves the songwriting side of the equation, he’s well aware of what he is at the end of the day.
“I’m a singer who writes songs,” he admits. “I’ve always thought of myself more as a singer that anything else. I’ve kept my range and I feel like I’m a better singer now than I’ve ever been. The voice is an instrument. You don’t just open your mouth and it’s there.
“With every experience in the studio you learn something. I get to do such a variety of material now. I really get to work my voice and I write stuff that’s melodically interesting to sing. Joan Besen of Prairie Oyster, who wrote a lot of our biggest hits, would write a lot of times for my voice. She would really push me. I now write stuff that’s fun for me to sing.”
VIDEO: “Feel like Hank Williams Tonight” – Russell deCarle with Steve Briggs
Despite the solo tag, it’s clear that the group dynamic still remains important to deCarle.
“A lot of the reason I got into playing music, what attracted me, was the camaraderie: playing with other musicians. I’m not really the guy who plays all the instruments on my records, nor do I want to do that. I love the experience of working with a great engineer, people who are really good at what they do, and other musicians.”
For the Peterborough show, deCarle says that along with doing some favourite cover tunes, he’ll perform material from his album releases as well as a few Prairie Oyster songs. The gig, he notes, marks a bit of a homecoming for deCarle, who lives a short drive away in the Janetville area.
“Prairie Oyster basically started in Peterborough. In the 1970s, the original band played once a month or so at the Trent Inn. Dennis Delorme lived in Peterborough and still does. I first played in Peterborough in a band called The King City Slickers. It’s a very special place.”
Peterborough in the 1970s was also where deCarle first met Willie P. Bennett, the legendary folk singer-songwriter who passed away in 2008. They went on to write songs together and became great friends.
Ahead for deCarle is the Folk Alliance International conference in Montreal from February 13th to 17th. He’s also writing new material, with the plan to get into the studio this spring and emerge with a new album.
VIDEO: “Shooting Star” – Russell deCarle with Steve Briggs and Denis Keldie
In the meantime, he remains over-the-top thankful that life post-Prairie Oyster has seen him remain on top of his game and relevant.
“That I get to still do this is fantastic,” he says. “It’s a real gift that I’ve been given. I’m so fortunate to get to do what I do. I never take it for granted.
“And I never take it for granted when people show up to see me play. The music business has changed so much. There’s a lot of competition out there for audiences, so when people show up I’m just so appreciative.”
In "Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka", Australian dance artist Victoria Hunt interweaves her experience of reconnecting with her Maori heritage with the story of Hinemihi, an ancestral Maori meeting house that was relocated from its New Zealand home to England in the 19th century. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
After bringing the acclaimed Australian indigenous dance company Djuki Mala to Showplace Performance Centre earlier this month, Public Energy Performing Arts is taking Peterborough audiences on another trip down under when Victoria Hunt performs her solo show Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday, February 19th.
Both Djuki Mala’s and Victoria Hunt’s performances in Peterborough have been organized by Public Energy’s guest curator Patti Shaughnessy, who has become an expert at programming international indigenous artists.
A dance artist based in Sydney, Australia, Hunt’s heritage is Maori, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. In 2003, Hunt went to Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) and met her relations for the first time. She was taken to Tarawera mountain and lake and introduced to tribal stories and ceremonial practices.
Maori meeting house Hinemihi after the eruption of Mount Tarawera in New Zealand in 1886. The building, which sheltered Victoria Hunt’s ancestors during the eruption, was dismantled and transported to England five years later. (Photo: A A Ryan/Hinemihi Collection)Hinemihi now resides in Clandon Park in Surrey, UK. Clandon Park has been the seat of the Earls of Onslow for over two centuries. In 1892, the Fourth Earl of Onslow William Hillier Onslow had Hinemihi dismantled and shipped from its ancestral home in New Zealand to Clandon Park, where she remains to this day under the care of the National Trust UK.
There, she heard the story of the 1886 volcanic eruption that displaced her ancestors from their land. Over 150 people died in the eruption of Mount Tarawera, but others were protected from the ash and mud by sheltering themselves in a meeting house built in 1880 from native totara wood by two local carvers.
The meeting house was named Hinemihi after a noted female ancestor, renowned in Maori legend for keeping the company of a giant lizard.
After the eruption, the survivors relocated to a nearby community and Hinemihi was left behind, almost buried in debris. In 1892, William Hillier Onslow — the Fourth Earl of Onslow and retiring Governor of New Zealand — purchased Hinemihi for 50 pounds as a memento of his time in New Zealand. He had Hinemihi dismantled and shipped to his home in Surrey, England, where she remains to this day under the care of the National Trust UK.
“Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka” uses sophisticated special effects and evocative sound, along with beautifully suggestive dancing and the Maori language. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka interweaves the journey of Hinemihi with Hunt’s own experience of finding family, of reconnecting with culture, and of learning from land, ancestors, and peers.
Using sophisticated special effects and evocative sound, with beautifully suggestive dancing and her native Maori language, Hunt and her collaborators have created a world of rupture and foreboding and of resilience and joy.
“I am the house and the house is me … I dance the history of the house and she reveals my history,” Hunt says. “There are multiple ways to tell the story of Hinemihi: it’s a story of origins, a story of traumatic events, and it’s a story of colonial violence. It’s also my story.”
VIDEO: “Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka” – Victoria Hunt
Hunt’s production of Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka will be performed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) and will be followed by an on-stage question-and-answer session with the artists.
Tickets are $25 ($15 for students and the underwaged and $10 for high school students) and are available in person at the Market Hall Box Office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Barb Overwijk from Rubidge Retirement Residence and Kawartha Rotary member Janet McLeod with a few of the 80 customized Valentine's Day cards Rotary members made for residents of Rubidge Retirement Residence in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
Members of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha are sending the residents of Rubidge Retirement Residence some love this Valentine’s Day.
Most people are familiar with the larger causes Kawartha Rotary takes on, including the Rotary Splash Pad at Nicholls Oval, the outdoor gym in Beavermead Park, and fundraising for the acquisition and subsequent training of police dog Isaac.
But Rotary members also regularly take on smaller projects that the club refers to as (no surprise) “small projects”.
Rotary member Janet McLeod (owner of East City Flower Shop in Peterborough) took the lead on one such project at Kawartha Rotary’s January 24th meeting.
She introduced Barb Overwijk from Rubidge Retirement Residence, an assisted living retirement residence in Peterborough for seniors, and Rotary members proceeded to make 80 unique Valentine’s Day cards for Rubidge residents.
Members customized each card using stickers, craft paper, ribbon, stamps, and craft tools. McLeod then stamped each card with the message “Hand-made with Love!” and placed them in envelopes to be distributed to residents at Rubidge Retirement Residence on Valentine’s Day.
It may be a “small project”, but it’s sure to have a big impact on the residents, reminding them they are loved.
Barb Overwijk from Rubidge Retirement Residence (second from left) with Janet McLeod and some other Kawartha Rotary members at their January 24th meeting. Rotary members made 80 customized Valentine’s Day cards for residents of Rubidge Retirement Residence. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
Peterborough mayor Diane Therrien (middle) cuts the ribbon for the official opening of the renovated Jo Anne's Place health food store at 1260 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough. Also pictured (left to right) are city councillors Kim Zippel and Lesley Parnell and Jo Anne's Place owners Margo and Paul Hudson. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
This week’s round-up of business news includes Jo Anne’s Place officially revealing its newly renovated store on Lansdowne Street in Peterborough, the federal government announcing $1.5 million in funding for Peterborough-based Charlotte Products Ltd. for technology to detect healthcare-associated infections, The Canadian Canoe Museum receiving a $1.25 million donation from an anonymous donor, Bobcaygeon Brewing Company acquiring Beard Free Brewing in Peterborough, and Peterborough online farmers’ market Locavorest shutting its virtual doors at the end of February.
Every week, our managing editor collects business-related news and events from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your business news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
Also featured is the City of Peterborough calling on contractors and tradespeople to participate in heritage trade show and seeking land for a new transit storage facility, regional tourism organization RTO8 seeking input on its Waterway Trail Town initiative, the Town of Cobourg winning a marketing award for its Armistice18 campaign, and the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) launching a redesigned website.
New regional business events added this week include the Workforce Development Board’s labour market workshops in Cobourg, Lindsay, and Peterborough on February 19th, 21st, and 22nd, the Peterborough DBIA breakfast network meeting with Peterborough police chief Scott Gilbert on February 20th, and the Peterborough Emergency Management and Safety Forum on April 4th and 5th.
Jo Anne’s Place reveals newly renovated store on Lansdowne Street in Peterborough
Jo Anne Fallaise (left) founded Jo Anne’s Place in the living room of her Lindsay home in 1976. Retired since 2003, her daughter Margo Hudson currently owns the business, with two locations in Peterborough and one in Lindsay, with her husband Murray. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Popular health food store Jo Anne’s Place held the official ribbon-cutting of its renovated headquarters at 1260 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough on Friday (February 8).
The event was attended by founder Jo Anne Fallaise and her husband Murray, current owners Margo and Paul Hudson, Peterborough Mayor Dianne Therrien (also a long-time customer), Otonabee Ward city councillors Kim Zippel and Lesley Parnell, new and returning customers, and more.
The newly renovated Jo Anne’s Place on Lansdowne Street in Peterborough now features a beverage bar called ’76 Sips. (Photo courtesy of Julia Luymes / Jo Anne’s Place)
As well as the newly renovated space, Jo Anne’s Place revealed its new beverage bar called ’76 Sips.
The beverage bar’s name refers to the founding of Jo Anne’s Place in 1976 by namesake Jo Anne Fallaise. Fallaise opened her first store in the living room of her Lindsay home, eventually moving the store to its current location at 84 Russell St. W. (Queen’s Square Plaza) in Lindsay.
In 1985, she opened her first store in Peterborough, which moved to its current location at 904 Water Street North in 1996.In 1998, Fallaise’s daughter and son-in-law Margo and Paul Hudson took over daily operations of the business, eventually purchasing it in 2003 when Fallaise retired.
Jo Anne’s Place offers a wide range of health supplements and vitamins, natural cosmetics and body care products, foods including organic fruit and vegetables and gluten-free products, and more. (Photo courtesy of Julia Luymes / Jo Anne’s Place)
In 2008, the Hudsons opened another Peterborough location at 1260 Lansdowne Street West, which became the head office and warehouse and distribution centre for the other two locations.
Federal government announces $1.5 million for Peterborough-based Charlotte Products Ltd. for technology to detect healthcare-associated infections
The left side of photo shows actual microbial contamination detected on a door handle by Charlotte Products Ltd.’s OptiSolve Pathfinder environmental monitoring system and optical sensor technology, with the right side of the photo showing how the door handle looks to the naked eye. (Photo: Charlotte Products Ltd.)
Last Thursday (February 7), Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef announced $1,485,816 in federal funding through Genome Canada to support Peterborough-based business Charlotte Products Ltd., along with Dr. Shana Kelley from the University of Toronto, to develop technology that will allow health care institutions to rapidly detect and identify infectious agents like C. difficile.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are the fourth leading cause of death in Canada. While attention to cleanliness and disinfection of surfaces plays a large role in the reducing infectious agents, it is difficult to measure cleaning effectiveness and improve practices.
Charlotte Products Ltd., a family-owned Peterborough company, has developed an environmental monitoring system and optical sensor technology called Optisolve Pathfinder to complement its cleaning products. Dr. Kelley is working with the company to further enhance Optisolve Pathfinder to allow for recognition and identification of specific pathogen species.
Dr. Kelley and her team will combine novel nano technology with a genomics-based approach to allow for precise identification of pathogens that cause HAIs. The resulting technology, Optisolve Insight, will allow hospitals, long-term care facilities, and more to rapidly detect and identify infectious agents, such as MRSA, C. difficile, and influenza, with the resultant benefits of proactive prevention and quick interventions.
Charlotte Products Ltd. is also investing more than $1.4 million into the project with Dr. Kelley. The total budget for the project is $4,493,000.
The Canadian Canoe Museum receives $1.25 million donation from anonymous donor
A conceptual rendering of the new Canadian Canoe Museum at the Peterborough Lift Lock National Historic Site. (Illustration: Heneghan Peng architects and Kearns Mancini Architects)
Last Thursday (February 7), The Canadian Canoe Museum announced it had received a donation of $1.25 million from an anonymous out-of-province donor.
With the world’s largest collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft, The Canadian Canoe Museum is moving from its 1960s-era former factory building to an 85,000-square-foot-facility to be built alongside the Peterborough Lift Lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway in Peterborough.
The $1.25 million gift is the first of its size to be received by the museum from a donor outside of Ontario. The new museum is supported by a $65 million capital campaign, and has received foundational financial support from municipal, provincial and federal governments. The W. Garfield Weston Foundation recently invested $7.5 million.
“We are grateful for this generous gift, and the donor’s appreciation for the national nature of the new museum project,” says Bill Morris, chair of the museum’s capital campaign. “This donor recognizes the canoe as a national icon, and sees its potential and power to connect Canadians.”
The new museum, which will make accessible all 600 watercraft, thousands of small artifacts and an archive, is designed by an award-winning team of Heneghan Peng Architects (Dublin, Ireland) with Kearns Mancini Architects (Toronto, Canada). The museum has partnered with world-class exhibition design firm GSM Project to create one-of-a-kind visitor experiences.
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company acquires Beard Free Brewing in Peterborough
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company has acquired Peterborough micobrewery Beard Free Brewing and will convert it into an “innovation lab” in spring 2019. (Photo: Bobcaygeon Brewing Company)
Bobcaygeon Brewing Company has acquired Peterborough microbrewery Beard Free Brewing.
This spring, the Beard Free Brewing location at 649 Unit 4 The Parkway in Peterborough will be rebranded and will become Bobcaygeon Brewing’s Innovation Lab, with a focus on small batch and unique brews. It will also feature a taproom and retail store.
Beard Free Brewing first opened in March 2018 and closed in January 2019.
Bobcaygeon Brewing also plans to open a full production facility, retail store, and taproom at the former post office on Bolton Street in Bobcaygeon by the end of 2019.
Peterborough online farmers’ market Locavorest shutting its virtual doors at the end of February
A customer picking up her order from Locavorest, an online farmers’ market carrying items from local producers. The founders announced on February 11 that the business would be closing its virtual doors as of February 28, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster)
Peterborough online farmers’ market Locavorest is shutting its virtual doors at the end of February.
Founded in 2016 by Megan Boyles, Mark Kirton, and Vinay Viswanathan, the online business has partnered with about local farms, bakeries, cheesemakers, and more, all sourced within 75 kilometres of Peterborough.
They originally delivered goods to community drop-off points and, in May 2018, began to offer home delivery by bicycle and car.
The three founders announced in an e-mail that they have been unable to make the business model sustainable and are ceasing operations as of February 28, 2019.
The last day to submit orders is Tuesday, February 19th, with the final delivery date on Friday, February 22nd. Any subscriptions will be automatically cancelled after the final February 22nd delivery.
City of Peterborough calling on heritage contractors and tradespeople to participate in trade show
The City of Peterborough is looking for contractors and tradespeople to participate in the second annual heritage trade show, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27th at St. James United Church (221 Romaine St., Peterborough).
The purpose of the trade show, hosted by the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee in conjunction with the city’s Heritage Preservation Office, is to connect contractors and tradespeople with experience working on heritage buildings with owners of heritage properties in the city.
Tradespeople with relevant experience are encouraged to fill out the application form available online at www.peterborough.ca or at the Heritage Preservation Office at 210 Wolfe Street.
Interested tradespeople must be able to demonstrate that they have experience working with heritage buildings and that their work complies with the standards and guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. A space at the event will cost $15.
Completed forms must be submitted by Friday, March 8th by email to heritage@peterborough.ca or in person at the Heritage Preservation Office.
City of Peterborough seeking land for new transit storage facility
The City of Peterborough is looking for options to partner with, or acquire land from, interested parties for the construction of a new transit storage facility to replace the existing facility on Townsend Street.
The project requires a property that is at least five acres of developable land, has enough street frontage for two access points (preferably on two different collector or arterial roads), is relatively flat and relatively square in shape, is close to municipal sewer and water services, and is within six kilometres of 182 Townsend Street.
Potential partners or property owners that want to be considered as part of this project can review the Expression of Interest at peterborough.ca/tenders. The Expression of Interest closes at 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 21st.
Regional tourism organization RTO8 seeking input on Waterway Trail Town initiative
Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8) is seeking input on its “Waterway Trail Town” initiative, a cross-regional effort to promote tourism in communities across the Kawarthas along the Trent-Severn Waterway.
RTO8 is developing a strategic communications plan to engage communities and to prepare for launch, and is looking for input on the plan through a survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/TrailTownComms. The survey, which takes five to seven minutes to complete, will be available until 5 p.m. on Friday, February 15th.
It’s open to anyone with an interest in the Waterway Trail Town initiative, including community residents, business owners, volunteers, and more.
RTO8 is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport to promote regional tourism activity in the area that is now branded as Kawarthas Northumberland. The agency works with the existing tourism offices in Peterborough & the Kawarthas, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
Town of Cobourg wins marketing award for Armistice18 campaign
The Town of Cobourg has won an AVA Digital Award. (Supplied photo)
The communications department and community services division of the Town of Cobourg has won an AVA Digital Gold Award for the town’s Armistice 18 digital marketing and communications campaign.
The AVA Digital Awards is an international competition recognizing outstanding work in digital marketing communications by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design and production of media contributing to the evolution of digital communications. There were 2,500 entries from throughout the United States, Canada and 23 other countries, with just under 500 organizations receiving the award.
Last fall, the Town of Cobourg launched Armistice 18, a two-month commemoration by the Town of Cobourg of the signing on November 11, 1918 of the armistice that ended fighting in World War I between the Allies and Germany. It was Canada’s largest commemorative WWI centennial event.
Cobourg’s Armistice 18 campaign won the award for its use of social media platforms, digital banner ads, promotional video, and online advertisements that resulted in national media coverage.
Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) launches redesigned website
DBIA executive director Terry Guiel and communications manager Joel Wiebe show off the DBIA’s new mobile-first website. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
The Peterborough DBIA has launched a redesigned website at downtownptbo.ca.
The redesigned mobile-first website has a new look and feel and new features, including an event submission form where community members can submit events directly into the website and help further promote what’s happening downtown.
“One of the things we really wanted to emphasize with the new site is people,” says DBIA Executive Director Terry Guiel. “It’s the people that make the downtown experience something we look forward to, whether we’re shopping, dining, or enjoying a night out with friends. You’ll see a lot of familiar faces on downtownptbo.ca.”
The website includes listings for downtown businesses, upcoming events, news, and information about downtown initiatives and projects.
Peterborough Chamber hosts breakfast meeting with Dr. Doug Lukinuk in Peterborough on February 12
The next Peterborough Chamber of Commerce “Chamber AM” breakfast meeting takes place from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 12th at Carousel Restaurant & Tavern (116 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough).
Winter storm warning
Please note that some events scheduled for February 12 and 13 may be cancelled or rescheduled due to a significant winter storm forecast for these dates. Please check with the event organizer or host.
Dr. Doug Lukinuk of Peterborough Max Living Chiropractic Centre will speak on the topic “Stress Overload and the Entrepreneur”.
Networking begins at 7 a.m., with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (when you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room), followed by the speaker at 8 a.m.
There is no cost for the event (order what you like and pay for what you order).
Peterborough Chamber presents Power Hour with local elected officials on February 12
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is presenting its annual “Power Hour” featuring Peterborough’s elected officials from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 12th at The StoneHouse Hall (2195 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough).
The Power Hour is a lively interactive dinner and question-and-answer session with Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, and City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien.
Peterborough City and County councillors, along with the Chief Administrative Officers of the City and County of Peterborough and First Nations leaders, will be invited to join individual tables.
The event will be recorded for broadcast on Cogeco’s YourTV Peterborough/Lindsay.
Tickets are $65 per person or $450 for a table of seven for Chamber members, and $75 per person or $525 for a table of seven for non-members.
Kawartha Chamber annual general meeting in Lakefield on February 13
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is holding its annual general meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 13th at The Village Inn (39 Queen St., Lakefield).
The meeting will feature highlights from 2018 and the election of the 2019 board of directors. The 2017-18 annual report will be circulated to members before the meeting.
Nomination deadline for Haliburton Chamber’s Business & Community Achievement Awards on February 14
Nominations are being accepted for the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce’s 13th Annual Business & Community Achievement Awards until Thursday, February 14th.
There are awards in 11 categories: Business Achievement, New Business, Customer First Business, Customer First Employee, Tourism & Hospitality, Innovation & Creativity, Skilled Trades & Industry, Young Professional of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Not-For-Profit of the Year, and Highlander of the Year.
The awards gala will be held on Saturday, March 30th at the Pinestone Resort & Conference Centre.
Workforce Development Board hosting labour market workshops in Cobourg, Lindsay, and Peterborough on February 19, 21, and 22
The Workforce Development Board / Local Employment Planning Council (WDB/LEPC) is hosting three upcoming labour market workshops entitled “Top Industries: Understanding Key Business Sectors.”
The Northumberland workshop takes place from 8 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 19th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg), the Kawartha Lakes workshop takes place from 8 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 21st at Days Inn & Suites Lindsay (134 Angeline St. S., Lindsay), and the Peterborough workshop takes place from 3 to 4 p.m. on Friday, February 22nd at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce (175 George St. N., Peterborough).
Bringing together employers and service, each workshop is intended for individuals and organizations looking to further understand the workforce respectively in Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Peterborough. Andrew Bell, WDB/LEPC’s Labour Market Information Analyst, will be on hand to walk attendees through the latest report.
Innovation Cluster hosts tax preparation workshop with Gauvreau & Associates in Peterborough on February 19
The Innovation Cluster is hosting “Hands-ON: Tax Prep with Gauvreau & Associates” from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19th in the large ground floor boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Tyler Powers CPA of Gauvreau & Associates will provide attendees with information on business structures (sole proprietor vs. corporation), structure of the tax return for sole proprietors, and the importance of bookkeeping in preparing the Statement of Business Activities for your tax return. The workshop will also cover accrual vs. cash, recording revenue, deductible business expenses, capital assets, and more.
Peterborough DBIA breakfast network meeting with Peterborough police chief Scott Gilbert on February 20
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)’s next breakfast network meeting takes place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 20th at Empress Gardens (131 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Chief Scott Gilbert of the Peterborough Police Service will be the guest speaker.
Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. with the guest speaker at 8 a.m.
Tickets are $5 at the door, and the meeting is open to everyone.
Port Hope Chamber holds its annual general meeting in Port Hope on February 26
Port Hope & District Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual general meeting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26th in the Sculthorpe Theatre at Cameco Capital Arts Centre (20 Queen St., Port Hope).
Trevor McPherson, vice president of member services at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, will be the guest speaker.
The meeting will also feature the election of new board members, review and approval of by-law revisions, new style guidelines and marketing materials, and more.
Agilec hosting spring hiring fair in Peterborough on February 26
Employment services company Agilec is hosting a multi-employer hiring fair from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26th at Northminster United Church (300 Sunset Blvd., Peterborough).
Numerous employers looking to hire part-time, full-time, and seasonal positions will be in attendance.
For more information, contact Arlayna Curtin at Agilec at 705-740-2577 ext. 5210 or acurtin@agilec.ca.
Trent University’s Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Centre presents Drew Dudley in Peterborough on February 28
The Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Centre (ESIC) at Trent University is presenting leadership guru Drew Dudley from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 29th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Dudley is the founder and chief catalyst of Day One Leadership, Inc., which helps organizations around the world increase their leadership capacity. His clients have included some of the world’s most dynamic companies and organizations, including McDonald’s, Dreamworks Animation, JP Morgan Chase, and over 75 colleges and universities.
This event is run in collaboration with the Royal Bank of Canada and the Innovation Cluster.
Harvest Haliburton hosts Food and Agriculture Economic Development Forum in Minden on March 5
Sustainable food association Harvest Haliburton is hosting the Food and Agriculture Economic Development Forum from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5th at the Minden Community Centre (55 Parkside St., Minden).
The forum is a chance for interested residents, food producers, farmers, retailers, restauranteurs, elected politicians, municipal staff, and others to learn about the exciting food and agriculture-related projects underway in Haliburton County. Participants can also discover how they can support and shape the future of the local food sector.
Staff from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will deliver a keynote address on the tools and strategies available to help the area’s local food sector thrive. There will also be discussion topics including selling and branding local food, culinary and food tourism, municipal food planning, and more.
The forum is free to attend and includes a lunch showcasing ingredients from many of the area’s primary food producers.
Lindsay Chamber hosts its annual general meeting in Lindsay on March 6
The Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual general meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6th at The Auk’s Lodge on Fleming College’s Frost Campus (200 Albert St. S., Lindsay)
You can view the Chamber’s activities and successes of the past year, learn about Chamber initiatives for the year ahead, and review the 2018 financial statement. A motion will be passed for member to accept the next slate of board members.
Refreshments will be provided by The Olympia Restaurant and a cash bar will be available.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts inaugural Business & Entrepreneurship Conference in Peterborough on March 28
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is bringing together business owners from across Peterborough & the Kawarthas for the inaugural Business & Entrepreneurship Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28th at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (1030 Armour Rd., Peterborough).
This is a must-attend event for entrepreneurs looking to learn from industry thought leaders, network with like-minded professionals to develop partnerships and collaboration, and grow and improve their business. Keynote speakers are Nikki Pett on the topic “Relationship Marketing” and Darrell Keezer on the topic “Digital Disruption”, wiht special guest speaker George Anastasopoulos.
There will be an afternoon panel on customer service in the digital age features local business people include Katie Dempsey of Blind Ambition, Bob Gauvreau of Gauvreau & Associates, Mike Watt of Providence/S.O.S./Flavour Fashion, Scott Murison of Wild Rock, and Nicole Truman of Fox Law.
Early bird tickets $40+HST until February 15th ($55 after February 15th) and include breakfast and lunch.
Peterborough Emergency Management and Safety Forum on April 4 and 5
The Peterborough Emergency Management and Safety Forum is taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4th and Friday, April 5th at Stonehouse Hall (2195 Lansdowne St. Peterborough).
This two-day event is an opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field of emergency management and safety planning and execution. The forum will cover incident management and mitigation, emergency planning and responses, public safety, business continuity planning, interoperability in times of crisis or serious event, and coordinated collaborative response.
There will be guest speakers from Orlando, Florida speaking on lessons learned from the Pulse Night Club shooting, Peterborough Police Chief Scott Gilbert speaking on the 2018 Toronto van incident, Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the O.P.P. speaking on communications and the media in a crisis, Tom McKay (President of the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners), and an expert panel on cyber security.
A customer picking up her order from Locavorest, an online farmers' market carrying items from local producers. The founders announced on February 11 that the business would be closing its virtual doors as of February 28, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster)
Peterborough online farmers’ market Locavorest is shutting down at the end of February.
Locavorest was founded in 2016 by Megan Boyles, Mark Kirton, and Vinay Viswanathan. The online business partnered with local farms, bakeries, cheesemakers, and more, all sourced within 75 kilometres of Peterborough.
They originally delivered goods to community drop-off points and, in May 2018, began to offer home delivery by bicycle and car.
“It is with great disappointment that we write to inform you today that the founders of Locavorest have decided to close our operations as of February 28th, 2019,” the founders write in an email announcement issued today (February 11).
“What a journey it has been! As you may know, over the past 3 years we’ve been working hard and adapting our business as we’ve learned more about the preferences of both our producers and customers. Despite our time, investments, and efforts over the past 3 years, we have been unable to make our model sustainable and have made the difficult decision to close our (virtual) doors.”
Locavorest founders Megan Boyles, Mark Kirton, and Vinay Viswanathan. (Photo: Locavorest)
“However, we do see our local food system is growing in a positive way,” the founders continue in the announcement. “We’ve seen the demand for, and appreciation of, locally-grown and produced food grow dramatically over the past three years, and we’re so thankful to have been a part of that. The options for buying local are many, and continue to grow!
“We’d like to extend our thanks to you, for joining us on this journey. We appreciate all of the support and encouragement you’ve provided us. If nothing else, we sincerely hope that our efforts have inspired the “locavore” in you – to think more about where your food comes from, buy local where you can, and demand it where its not yet available.”
The announcement also states that the last day to submit orders is Tuesday, February 19th, with the final delivery date on Friday, February 22nd. Any subscriptions will be automatically cancelled after the final February 22nd delivery.
Free Family Day activities in Cobourg include skating at the Rotary Harbourfront Outdoor Skating Rink with a live DJ from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are also other outdoor and indoor activities planned in Cobourg, with additional activities offered in Port Hope on February 18, 2019. (Photo courtesy of the Town of Cobourg)
Family Day 2019 is Monday, February 18th and it’s right around the corner. If you live in Northumberland County, you may be looking for activities to keep your children occupied during the holiday.
Both the municipalities of Cobourg and Port Hope have organized a few great (and some free) options to keep your family busy this year. There are also other special events taking place on or around Family Day, including a nature hike in Ganaraska Forest, a chance to cuddle the goats at Haute Goat Farm, and the first-ever Northumberland Fire & Frost Festival.
Unplug in Cobourg on Family Day with skating, a free movie, Junior A hockey, and more
This Family Day, the Town of Cobourg is offering free skating with a DJ, free hot chocolate, outdoor activities for the kids, a food truck, and a free movie at Rainbow Cinemas. (Poster: Town of Cobourg)
Cobourg has a fun-filled list of Family Day activities planned. From an indoor family movie screening to an outdoor skating party with a DJ on site, your Family Day won’t be boring if you partake in the day’s festivities.
“We have a lot of great and free activities taking place in Cobourg this year for Family Day,” says Cobourg councillor Adam Bureau, coordinator of arts, culture and tourism for the Town of Cobourg. “I encourage everyone to come out and experience your town, whether that be skating on our outdoor rink, taking in a movie, cheering on the Cobourg Cougar’s game, or swimming at the YMCA.”
The Town of Cobourg is sponsoring a free family movie on Family Day at Rainbow Cinemas in Northumberland Mall (1111 Elgin St. W., Cobourg). The free movie (Hotel Transylvania 3) will begin at 10 a.m. and admission is “first come, first served” so get there early.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a live DJ will entertain ice skaters at the Rotary Harbourfront Outdoor Skating Rink. Other outdoor activities include kids painting on the snow, a scavenger hunt, and a Frosty Zumba session. Free hot chocolate will be served and Smokes Poutinerie will be setting up a food truck on site. You can find the rink and other activities located at 35 Albert Street in Cobourg.
A couple skating at the Rotary Harbourfront Outdoor Skating Rink in Cobourg. (Photo courtesy of the Town of Cobourg)
If you’d rather be active indoors, the YMCA Northumberland (339 Elgin St. W., Cobourg) will be offering free use of the gym, swimming pool, and playground on Family Day, and the Art Gallery of Northumberland (Victoria Hall, 55 King St. W., Cobourg) will be hosting a pop-up workshop from 1 to 3 p.m.
Later in the evening at 7 p.m., you can cheer on the Cobourg Cougars as they face off against the Kingston Voyageurs at Cobourg Community Centre (750 D’Arcy St., Cobourg). The Family Day game is also the annual ‘Pink in the Rink’ game and a jersey raffle will be held. A special “Family Day Family Pack” is available for $25 (two adults and two children from 6 to 12 years of age).
The town has something in store for every member of the family and to appeal to all ages. So get out and enjoy winter in Cobourg together.
Enjoy quality family time on the ice, in the pool, and more in Port Hope
The Municipality of Port Hope is offering the “Family Day Fab 5” program on February 18, 2019, with five family-friendly activities available at Town Park Recreation Centre and the Jack Burger Sports Complex. (Photo courtesy of Municipality of Port Hope)
Port Hope is also promoting family-friendly activities for Northumberland residents on Family Day.
With the municipality’s “Family Day Fab 5” program, there will be five activities available at Town Park Recreation Centre (62 McCaul St., Port Hope) and at the Jack Burger Sports Complex (60 Highland Dr., Port Hope).
Open to all ages, activities at Town Park Recreation Centre from 1 to 5 p.m. include Floor Hockey, Parachute Games, Kitchen Marshmallow Buddy with Hot Chocolate, Family Handprint Crafting, and a Scavenger Hunt.
Along with a family swim at 1:30 p.m. on Family Day, the Jack Burger Sports Complex is offering skating and shinny for both children and youth. (Photo courtesy of Municipality of Port Hope)
Indoor activities at Port Hope’s Jack Burger Sports Complex include a public skate beginning at noon, a family swim at 1:30 p.m., and a public swim at 2:30 p.m. For your little hockey fans, Jack Burger Shinny for children will run from 10 to 10:50 a.m. and for youth from 1:30 to 2:20 p.m.
And if you complete the “Fab 5 Play Card”, you’ll receive a free swim or skate pass.
Get some nature therapy in Ganaraska Forest
Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority and Blue Bark and Co. are offering a nature walk in the Ganaraska Forest on Family Day. (Photo courtesy of GRCA)
The Ganaraska Forest is one of Northumberland’s favourite attractions, and the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) is bringing the nature hiking magic of Blue Bark and Co. to the Ganaraska Forest for a relaxing, therapeutic experience this Family Day.
If you’re looking for something to do that’s unique to the region this Family Day, look no further than the Ganaraska Forest Centre (10585 Cold Springs Camp Road, Campbellcroft). “Therapy Through Nature” is a “morning of cleansing the soul with nature” according to the GRCA. Follow forest guide Jessica as she leads you on a 1.5 kilometre walk in the wood from 9 a.m. to noon.
If you seek a deeper connection to nature, the walk includes activities along the way, guaranteed to facilitate a soulful experience. According to Blue Bark and Co., “Forest Therapy has been adapted from the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku and invites participants to step outside, slow down, and simply be.”
Space is limited and the fee to register is $45. To partake in this Family Day event, contact the GRCA by calling 905-885-8173 or emailing info@grca.on.ca.
Cozy up to the goats at Haute Goat Farm and then enjoy a delicious lunch
Visit Haute Goat Farm on Sunday, February 17th for a “mini-shmurgle”: a 30-minute opportunity to play and snuggle with the farm’s cuddly inhabitants. (Photo: Haute Goat Farm)
Haute Goat Farm is Northumberland’s go-to spot if you love animals — especially goats.
Get a jump on Family Day by visiting this gorgeous sprawling property overlooking the Northumberland Hills on Sunday, February 17th for a “mini-shmurgle” — a 30-minute opportunity to play and snuggle with the farm’s cuddly inhabitants.
Foodies take note: after the shmurgle you can enjoy a delicious lunch at the farm house compliments of Nosh+Nourish. The menu includes a vegan Autumn Harvest Lentil Soup (brown and green lentils, butternut squash, kale, rutabaga, and sage in tomato broth) and Heritage Pork and Cider Bean Soup (pork, apple cider, sweet potato, sage, red, and black beans). Soup will be served with a warm herbed roll and an apple crisp desert that includes, of course, a caramel sauce created by reducing goat’s milk.
While this event isn’t on February 18th, it could still be part of your Family Day Weekend plans. Get cozy at Haute Goat Farms, located at 1166 5th line in Newtonville just outside of Port Hope.
Enjoy winter family fun at the inaugural Northumberland Fire and Frost Festival
The Northumberland Fire and Frost Festival takes place February 16th and 17th at Dalewood Golf Club.
The first-ever Northumberland Fire & Frost Festival is coming to Dalewood Golf Club (7465 Dale Rd., Cobourg) on Saturday, February 16th and Sunday, February 17th of the Family Day weekend.
The family-friendly event of winter activities, food, drink and live music is a collaboration between William Street Beer Company, Dalewood Golf Club, and Green Canoe Outfitters.
You can explore a selection of free daytime activities at Dalewood Golf Course, including hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding. A $15 breakfast and/or buffet lunch, which include winter comfort foods such as hot chili and mac n’ cheese, can also be purchased on site.
Whether snowshoeing, cross country skiing, tobogganing, tubing or hiking on the property, you can bring your own equipment if you have it, but you can also rent items on site. For example, the cost is $5 for snowshoes and one pass around the trail with them. Indoor activities during the weekend include a movie, trivia and live local music entertainment.
Or you can purchase a $99 Family Day pass to experience everything the festival has to offer. If you opt for the Family Day pass for Saturday or Sunday or both, it includes admission to all activities for two adults and two children 12 and under, breakfast and lunch buffets, snowshoe rentals for each member of the family (good for one loop around the trail), and a drink for every member of the family.
The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
On Saturday night, there will four musical acts (Cale Crowe, Rory Taillon, The Vallhounds, and Cleopatrick) acts, an a la carte menu will be served starting at 5 p.m., and William Street Beer Co. will be on site serving local craft beer (cider and signature cocktails will also be available).
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