Fallen leaves make for a beautiful sight in the Heritage Park neighbourhood in Peterborough. Leaves left on the ground over the winter are also beneficial for protecting plants and providing overwintering sites for insects and hibernating animals. (Photo: Karen Halley)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Dawn Pond, Depave Paradise and Downtown Vibrancy Project Coordinator, and Jenn McCallum, Coordinator of Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods.
Autumn is the season with the shorter days, colder nights, and beautiful colours, and is also the season for raking leaves.
But before you rake them up, consider that they can be put to good use on your property.
You can leave them on the ground until the spring, use them as mulch or compost, or create a new food or perennial garden on your property.
Leave the leaves
If you can, leave your leaves on the ground until the spring. Many species of bumblebees, butterflies, and moths overwinter in or just below the leaf litter.
Leaving your leaves on the ground not only creates a layer of protection for your plants, but it also provides a comfortable environment for overwintering insects and hibernating animals.
“I never remove leaves from my gardens until April, since many species of bumblebees, butterflies, and moths overwinter in or just below the leaf litter,” says local naturalist Drew Monkman.
“This can be as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult. The familiar woolly bear caterpillar, for example, curls up for the winter under leaves, taking advantage of the leaves’ insulating value and layer of protection from predators. Also, mated queen bumble bees, seek out leaf cover. They then burrow a few centimetres into the ground under the cosy blanket of insulation.”
Leaving at least some of the leaves in certain areas of your yard makes for a low-maintenance, eco-friendly fall season in the garden. This provides insulation for plants and animals until the spring.
Mulch the leaves
You can use leaf mulch to provide nutrients to your lawn and garden over the winter and support healthy soil for plants to grow. Mulch placed around trees can also help maintain soil moisture, inhibit weed growth, and keep soil warmer in the winter; however, don’t pile mulch up against the trunk as this can result in rot.
The easiest way to mulch your leaves is to let them gather and dry out on your property, then mow over them with a lawnmower.
This breaks up the leaves into smaller pieces, which allows them to break down faster. You can then rake up the shredded leaves and spread them to a depth of two to three nches over your garden, or around trees and shrubs to a depth of three to four inches.
You can also mix shredded leaves into the soil of your food garden beds, which will add nutrients to the soil for growing vegetables in the spring.
Compost the leaves
Place a bag of leaves beside your backyard composter. Over the winter months, you can add and mix leaves along with your kitchen waste to keep odours and pests away. (Photo: Karen Halley)
If you have a backyard composter, dried leaves can be used for composting.
Leaves are rich in carbon so mixing them into your composter with your nitrogen-rich kitchen waste will help keep the nutrients balanced, preventing unappealing odour and pests.
Shredding the leaves with a lawnmower will make them decompose faster, but isn’t necessary.
Rake up and bag the leaves (shredded or not) into paper yard waste bags. Keep these bags in a shed or near your composter, and add an equivalent volume of leaves for every load of kitchen waste that you add to your composter.
Use the leaves as food for a “no-dig” garden
No-dig gardening maintains the soil ecosystem by adding layers of leaves, cardboard, lawn clippings, and newspaper, rather than digging into pre-existing lawn, to create a garden. (Photo: Heather Ray)
You may have heard about a revolutionary gardening philosophy called ‘no-dig gardening’. Just as it sounds, this technique is based on maintaining the soil ecosystem by adding layers of leaves, cardboard, lawn clippings, and newspaper — rather than digging into pre-existing lawn — to create a garden.
No-dig gardening maintains soil health and it is easier than conventional methods because it relies on the soil microbes and worms to do the “digging” for you. This trend is catching on in the gardening world with landscapers and master gardeners in the Peterborough area, and it’s a great way to put your fall leaves to good use.
“No-till or no-dig gardening is an eco-landscaping practice that has a multitude of benefits, including ensuring that the soil retains carbon, helping to reduce soil erosion, and building up the underlying microorganisms,” says Carlotta James, co-founder of Three Sisters Natural Landscapes.
“Soil is a web of interconnected biological processes. If you follow a no-till gardening practice, you will ensure that the soil food web stays vibrant and resilient.”
How to make a no-dig garden
If you are planning to replace a section of your lawn, or to create a new garden in your yard, here is a quick step-by-step method to build a no-dig bed this fall:
First, mow the lawn to a short height,
Choose the area and shape of your new garden. This method does not limit you to square beds so be creative!
Mark out the outline of the bed with string,
Lay cardboard or five sheets of layered newspaper,
Water the cardboard or newspaper,
Lay an inch layer of chopped leaves, called a brown layer,
Next, sprinkle lawn clippings on top (maximum of 1/2 inch thick). This is a green layer, which should always be half as thick as the brown layers.
Lay a 1-1/2 to 2-inch layer of compost, also called a brown layer
Top with a 1/2-inch thick layer of chopped leaves as mulch, to seal in the compost layer.
Put the leaves out for green waste collection
If you want to dispose of your fallen leaves, most municipalities offer regular green waste collection. Green waste collected by the City of Peterborough is composted.
If you really can’t make use of the leaves on your property, rest assured that they will be put to good use once picked up from your curb.
“All the green yard waste that is collected at your curbside by our public works department goes to the city’s licensed facility to be composted,” says Janelle Carey, the Waste Diversion Coordinator for the City of Peterborough. “Green waste collection runs every week from April until the end of November.”
The City of Peterborough will pick up an unlimited number of brown yard waste bags with your weekly curbside pickup, but you must ensure that each bag weighs no more than 50 pounds (22 kg) and is no taller than 1 metre (3 feet).
Simply rake up the leaves, bag them, and put them out at the curb along with your garbage and recycling.
“Please use the city’s Green Waste program and do not rake leaves onto the street,” Carey cautions. “This is because leaves are problematic around storm sewers that can become blocked. This can cause flooding and icing.”
As the leaves continue to fall, remember that they create important for wildlife habitat, provide nutrients to the soil, and make a great ground cover in your gardens.
Now that you know how you can make use of your leaves, enjoy the fall gardening season before the snow flies!
The City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service has issued a warning to Lindsay retailers after an increase in distraction-style thefts taking place at cash registers.
According to police, several retailers have recently fallen victim to a suspect attempting to pay for multiple items, including lottery tickets, with a debit or credit card.
When the suspect’s card is declined, the suspect advises store clerks he will return with another method of payment. Leaving some items at the cash register, the suspect then departs the store with lottery tickets concealed in his clothing.
Police are advising retailers to be extra-vigilant when presented with a similar scenario, and to telephone police immediately if they believe their business has been the victim of a theft.
The City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service is asking that anyone with information about these incidents to contact Sergeant Dave Murtha at dmurtha@klps.ca or 705-324-5252.
You can also provide information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting www.khcs.ca.
Awards Of Excellence & Social Gala Tickets Are Now Ready For Pick Up
If you have purchased tickets for the Chamber’s Awards of Excellence & Social Gala this Thursday, November 8th, tickets are now available for pick-up at the Chamber office (12 Queen Street).
Tickets will be available for pickup until Thursday, November 8th at 12 p.m.
Upcoming Remembrance Day Ceremonies
The Chamber is participating in the following Remembrance Day Ceremonies this week. The Chamber thanks all those who have volunteered their time to represent the Chamber as a wreath layer.
Bridgenorth Remembrance Day Ceremony – Wednesday, November 7th
The Chamber will be represented by Chamber Board President Tonya Kraan, Strexer Harrop & Associates.
Ceremony begins at 10 a.m. at Heritage Park (804 Ward Street, Bridgenorth).
Refreshments and a light lunch following the service will be served at Bridgenorth United Church by the United Church Women.
Curve Lake Remembrance Day Ceremony – Sunday, November 11th
The Chamber will be represented by Chamber member Erin McLean, McLean & Buckhorn Berry Farms.
Ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Curve Lake First Nation Cenotaph at the Curve Lake Community Centre (20 Whetung St. E., Curve Lake).
A luncheon will take place following the ceremony at the Community Centre.
Warsaw Remembrance Day Ceremony – Sunday, November 11th
The Chamber will be represented by Chamber Board Secretary/Treasurer Kevan Herod, Herod Financial Services.
Ceremony beings at 11 a.m. at the Warsaw Cenotaph (adjacent to the Kawartha Buttertart Factory, 895 Water St, Warsaw).
A luncheon will take place at the Town Hall at the Municipal Building (894 South Street) after the ceremony.
Apsley Remembrance Day Ceremony – Sunday, November 11th
The Chamber will be represented by Chamber member Jessica Tucker, Shoreline Furniture Co.
Ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the Apsley Legion (109 Burleigh St, Apsley).
Lakefield Remembrance Day Ceremony – Sunday, November 11th
The Chamber will be represented by Chamber Board Director Penny Wilson, The Cozy Home.
Ceremony begins at 10:50 a.m. at Cenotaph Park (2 Queen Street, Lakefield).
Weed And The Workplace Information Session
The Chamber is partnering with the Kawartha Family Business Group on their Weed and the Workplace Information Session.
Join the Chamber on Monday, November 19th at Best Western Plus Otonabee Inn in Peterborough. The event will be taking place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m..
Attendance is limited, with only 20 spots available. Buy your tickets now! Tickets are $15 (please note: the $15 ticket price is only available to Kawartha Chamber members).
Chris Russell, Partner at LLF Lawyers & Matthew Savino, Managing Partner & Senior Consultant at Savino Human Resources Partners will discuss:
What employers should know & what employees should expect
Bill C-45 and its implications & challenges for the workplace
The challenge for employers to spot impairment and how to appropriately respond
The use of medical marijuana in the workplace
Updating workplace policies
A Q&A period will follow.
Live Auction Sneak Peek
The Chamber has five amazing packages up for grabs for the live auction at the Awards of Excellence and Social Gala this year! See them all.
If you are unable to attend the Gala, but would like to submit a bid for one of these packages, please email generalmanager@kawarthachamber.ca with your maximum bid, and include “Auction Bid” in the subject line. Please include a name and phone number. A proxy bidder will be assigned to bid on your behalf in increments no higher than your maximum bid.
Lace Up Your Skates
Enjoy an exclusive outdoor skate on Lakefield College School’s Bob Armstrong Shinny Rink.
Bring your friends for a game of pick-up hockey, enjoy a leisurely family skate, or plan a holiday party with your staff. This 1.5 hour session is valid from December 2018 to March 2019.
Finish your skate off with three large pizzas provided by Pizza Hut in Lakefield.
A 1-1/2 hour ice rink rental at Lakefield College School.
3 large pizzas donated by Pizza Hut in Lakefield.
The Chamber thanks donors Lakefield College School and Pizza Hut.
4000 Cuddles
Curl up with the 4000th Cuddles for Cancer blanket and enjoy cozy cuddles for years to come!
Hand tied by Cuddles for Cancer founder Faith Dickinson, this blanket is sure to warm your heart. Cuddles for Cancer was created six years ago. Since then, blankets have been sent to over 25 countries across the globe.
Half of the proceeds will be donated back to Cuddles for Cancer to support the creation of Cuddles blankets for those in need.
The Chamber thanks donor Cuddles for Cancer.
Airplane Toss For the Elmhirst’s Resort Package
If you’re attending the Awards of Excellence and Social Gala this Thursday, November 8th, get creative and make a paper airplane to bring and& toss at the event!
The Chamber is going to have a draw for this amazing prize at the Gala. The Chamber thanks donor Elmhirst’s Resort.
Sunday Brunch & Flight Package
Take in the scenic views of Rice Lake from the air! Enjoy a Sunday you won’t forget with a Sunday Brunch & Flight Package for two.
The package includes:
A sightseeing flight for two compliments of Elmhirst Vacation Air
Sunday brunch for two at Elmhirst’s Resort.
Women Entrepreneurship Fund Information Session
Community Futures Peterborough is hosting an Information Session on the new Women Entrepreneurship Fund this Wednesday, November 7th from 10 to 11 a.m..
The Information Session is taking place at 270 George Street North (Venture North building) in Peterborough in the Training Room (basement level).
This is a great funding opportunity for a women-owned or women-led business or organization. The fund is a $20 million investment and provides up to $100,000 in non-repayable contribution funding for 12 months, and is specifically for for-profit small-to-medium enterprises that have been in business for two or more years (excludes not-for-profits). The program is to support business expansion or pursuit of global markets.
Applications for the fund must be received by November 15th.
Grand Opening Of The Hallmark Crown Gift Store
Join Lakefield I.D.A. Pharmacy on November 14th at 1 p.m.m for the Grand Opening of their Gold Crown Gift Store.
Resume Writing Workshop
Agilec is hosting a Resume Writing Workshop at Lakefield Public Library in the Centennial Room at 6 p.m. this Thursday, November 8th.
Register in advance with the Lakefield Library at 705-652-8623. Registration is required.
Performing Arts Lakefield Concert Series: ViVA
The award-winning trio ViVA performs at the at Bryan Jones Theatre in Lakefield on November 9, 2018. (Photo: ViVA)
Join Performing Arts Lakefield on Friday, November 9th at 7:30 p.m. at Bryan Jones Theatre at Lakefield College School for their Concert Series featuring ViVA.
ViVA is an award-winmig all-female trio of classically trained opera singers with a long list of solo credits including numerous operatic roles, classical concerts, musical theatre, pop, and even jazz. They have serious vocal prowess, showcasing spectacular high notes, heroic crescendos and captivating three-part harmony.
Miskin Law Professional Corporation Office Relocation
Miskin Law Office has relocated their office to 100-351 Charlotte Street in Peterborough.
Their new office opened last Monday, October 29th.
Dinner Theatre At Buckhorn Community Centre
Buckhorn Community Centre is hosting their autumn dinner theatre from November 2nd to 4th and November 9th to 11th.
This year’s presentation is Bob’s Your Elf by Norm Foster, directed by Deb Crossen.
Find out more. If you have any questions, please call the BCC at 705-657-8833.
Lakefield Pantry 38th Anniversary Celebrations
Lakefield Pantry is celebrating its 38th anniversary.
Drop by this week and enjoy some of Jennie’s home baking, enter their daily draws, and take advantage of special savings — with 10 per cent off everything int he store until November 10th!
The Village Inn in Lakefield is looking to fill a Front Desk Night position (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.)
You can email your resume to info@villageinn.ca or drop it off in person.
Opioid Epidemic: Second Information Session Announced
A second Opioid Information Session is being held this week on Wednesday, November 7th at 7 p.m. at Selwyn Outreach Centre.
Speakers include: Tim Farquharson, Deputy Police Chief; Magdy Kamar and Dr. Samier Kamar, pharmacists; and Daryl Ralph, Clinical Counsellor for drug addiction.
The event is free, and may help save the life of someone you care about.
Upcoming Events
Business Fundamentals Workshop: Profitable Operations – Nov 14th
One Stop Christmas Shop – Nov 17th
Christmas at the Marshland – Nov 17th-18th
Lakefield Santa Clause Parade – Nov 18th
Annual Curve Lake Christmas Craft Sale – Nov 18th
Apsley Santa Clause Parade and Celebrations – Nov 24th
8th Annual Buckhorn Holiday Home Tour – Nov 25th
Lakefield Christmas in the Village Holiday Home Tour – Nov 30th-Dec 2nd
For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.
All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.
The Peterborough Regional Farmers' Market opened on Saturday, November 3rd at its new winter location in Peterborough Square in downtown Peterborough. The indoor market runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday from November to April and includes the same features as the summer outdoor market, including products from local primary producers (pictured is Brian Allin of Allin's Orchards), prepared food, artisan products, live music, and a children's area. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Steps from Market Hall, where the first historical farmers’ market operated in the city, the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market has found a new winter home — where a community of local food vendors, artists, farmers and shoppers can come together every Saturday until the end of April.
Even the marketing for the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market is local: local marketing company 79 Dev created the elevator wrap that reminds Peterborough Square patrons all week of the Saturday indoor market, and the market logo (seen in part on the floor) was designed by local agency Hatch Creative. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Pulling into the parking garage on the first morning of the indoor market, the curated experience begins immediately.
The free parking sign is out, welcoming visitors to the space, and bold and easy-to-follow signage leads a crowd of shoppers, gripping fistfuls of cloth bags, into the elevator.
Colourful images wrap the elevator space, setting the mood before the doors even open to the Peterborough Square Mall.
Caleb Pedosiuk and Sarah May, owners of a local marketing company called 79 Dev, completed all the branding work in the mall.
“No one had ever done an elevator wrap at the mall before,” Pedosiuk says.
“The images used in the wrap remind people to look forward to the market all week,” May adds.
People stream into the new space, relaxed, smiling, with children running around, playing and having fun. Large-scale photographs depicting food and family draw patrons in to the colourful, music-filled space.
Just like the summer Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market, 60 per cent of the vendors at the indoor market are primary producers like Circle Organic, who have gone through a third-party inspection process to verify they grow 100 per cent of what they sell. Pictured in the background is the kids’ play area at the family-friendly indoor market, featuring games and activities for children. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Michael Ketemer plays the hammered dulcimer as people stroll past. Money is dropped at his feet, a small token of gratitude and a nod to efforts each market member brings to the space to create a shopping experience that feeds the whole person.
The 20,000-square-foot space is brightly painted with eight different colours, with paint generously donated by Behr and Home Depot. The effect is joyfully mood-altering.
Everywhere you look — from the walls to the brightly coloured apples, carrots, and greens — the colours all work together to deliver a burst of energy, making it easy to forget that this is an underground space in a downtown mall.
Sherry Patterson and Laura Stephens love the new indoor location for the Saturday Market. The Chick-A-Biddy Acres team was busy selling fresh, local produce at the Saturday indoor market. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Sherry Patterson is having a busy Saturday. The owner of Chick-A-Biddy Acres is selling fresh produce and chatting with shoppers at a steady pace.
“It’s a magical feeling,” she says, looking around the market. “It’s an incredible amount of work that people have done to get this ready and it is lovely to be warm — wearing my t-shirt.”
Warmth was an important piece when looking for a winter location for the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market. While their outdoor space at the Citi Centre Courtyard allowed for new expansion and growth, cold and damp winters made it necessary to find a suitable indoor option from November through April.
Gary Fenton enjoys the winter location of the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market. He cooked his rotisserie chickens in the loading bay at Peterborough Square and enjoyed the crowds looking for fresh and frozen birds. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Gary Fenton also appreciates the warmth of the new space. The owner of G. Fenton Farms doesn’t need the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market hoodie that be bought a few weeks ago. The sweatshirt is tossed on a chair and he’s in shirtsleeves, thankful for the warm, bright space.
Fenton sells chickens, rotisserie roasted, frozen and fresh. They’re all raised outside where they eat grass and bugs — which makes the birds taste great, Fenton says.
“The flavour is better and these birds are healthy,” Fenton explains. “We use zero antibiotics.”
Cindy Leahy shows off the jams and jellies produced by McLean Berry Farm. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Fenton’s chickens are popular at the market and patrons keep checking in at his stall to see when the rotisserie birds will be ready. His food trailer is parked in the loading bay of Peterborough Square and he pops in and out to check the progress as shoppers gather.
Patrons don’t mind waiting for the chickens though. There’s so much to do and see while they wait. There’s the kids’ zone tucked neatly into a corner, offering space for active play while parents shop or lounge on burlap covered hay bales, sipping fair trade coffee.
There are food booths, a community dining area, and artisans, and everyone is sharing laughter and conversation — a far cry from a typical Saturday grocery store experience.
Peterborough Mayor-Elect Diane Therrien, Peterborough Regional Farmers Network board chair Neil Hannam and board member Josh Blank, and Caleb Pedosiuk and Sarah May share their excitement about the new indoor market location at the opening on November 3, 2018. Caleb and Sarah own local marketing company 79 Dev, which did all the branding work for the indoor market in the mall. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Josh Blank is a Peterborough Regional Farmers Network (PRFN) board member and he’s making introductions, sharing hugs and handshakes, and pointing out who has been featured in what photograph. He points out the family that holds the eggs in one photo: farmers and now models.
Blank has once again brought the vision of the PRFN board to life and the first indoor market day is going well, thanks to the tremendous efforts that have been made over the past months.
“We’ve got this space for six months and it’s permanent,” he enthuses. “So we can run events and classes and the vendors get to leave their stuff here, which means more permanent displays. This is where the Peterborough farmers’ market began and now, with these partners, we have fresh local food again in downtown Peterborough.”
Brian Allin hauls crates of apples from Allin’s Orchards to the winter location of the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market in Peterborough Square. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Blank also notes that the space was professionally designed for fun and — judging from the laughter, running kids, and smiling shoppers — the plan has worked.
The PRFN’s vision for the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market was to promote a festive and vibrant community experience by inviting local food vendors and artisans into the market, showcasing the value-added production of local food and local crafts within the region. That vision has been nurtured over the past months and now it grows again, thanks to the new partnership with the owners of Peterborough Square.
And with season-extending greenhouses, a root cellar, a stone house, and the successful launch of the winter market, Sherry Patterson from Chick-A-Biddy Acres is looking forward to busy Saturdays through the winter season.
“This market and access to this food will certainly keep everyone happy, healthy, and cooking,” she says.
The Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market runs at its winter location in Peterborough Square at 340 George Street North in downtown Peterborough from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday from November to April. The market is located in the lower south level by Prince Gardens.
You can easily access the market from the mall’s underground parking; simply take the Galaxy Cinema elevator or stairs and exit at the first level into the mall. You can also enter from lower Charlotte Street by Princess Gardens, or at the food court; take the escalator downstairs and head to the south end of the lower mall. The farmers’ market will be well marked from all of the mall entrances.
Tina Bromley from Tiny Green Plant Cafe juices at the new indoor market. Bromley loveed the warmth and the bright colours of the new winter location, as well as the enthusiasm of market patrons on the opening day. (Photo: Barb Shaw / kawarthaNOW.com)
Community Futures Peterborough is now located in the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough, bringing the economic development organization under the same roof as partner organizations including the Innovation Cluster, Community Futures Ontario East, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. This will help Community Futures connect its clients to to the business development services and programs offered at Venture North. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
It’s been a year of change for local economic development organization Community Futures Peterborough — which is good news for businesses in the City and County of Peterborough.
Not only did Gail Moorhouse take over the reins as Executive Director back in March, but the organization recently moved its offices from 351 Charlotte Street to the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough — home to the area’s other economic development organizations including Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Ontario East, and the Innovation Cluster.
The move was a strategic decision, according to Moorhouse, as it brings Community Futures under the same roof as many of their valued partners, increasing opportunities for collaboration with the area’s other economic development organizations and further strengthening Community Futures’ mandate.
Gail Moorhouse was appointed as executive director of Community Futures Peterborough in March 2018. She is also a member of the 2018-19 board of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Community Futures Peterborough)
“Our mandate is all about partnership,” Moorhouse says. “We aim to help local businesses overcome the unique challenges they face. It’s their vision and our support. Moving to the Venture North building brings us closer to our partners that help us to make our mandate possible.”
First established in 1985, Community Futures supports small business by providing flexible financing solutions and services. Over the past 35 years, Community Futures has invested $28 million in more than 700 small businesses, supporting the creation or maintenance of over 3,300 jobs in the City and County of Peterborough.
Community Futures Peterborough has joined the area’s economic development organizations at Venture North in downtown Peterborough, which include the Innovation Cluster, Community Futures Ontario East, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Moorhouse explains that, while many new businesses require financing, they also need more than money to be sustainable and successful.
She sees the move to Venture North as a chance for Community Futures to continue doing what it does well, while helping clients to connect with and benefit from business development services and programs offered by their partners at Venture North.
“Businesses require marketing plans, strong business plans, and an advisory team,” Moorhouse says. “Community Futures can connect you to the people who can do this for you — and now it’s all under one roof.”
One example of how businesses benefit from this collaboration is the recent announcement of funding for the expansion of Entomo Farms, a Norwood-based company that produces food protein products made from crickets.
The company is an early market leader in food sustainability that aspires to become the largest insect-as-food supplier in the world.
Darren Goldin, co-founder and V.P. of Operations at Entomo Farms. The Norwood-based company that produces food protein products made from crickets recently received expansion funding through Community Futures Peterborough and Community Futures Ontario East, which are both now located at the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough. (Supplied photo)
Entomo Farms received funding through Community Futures and the Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII), a program delivered through Community Futures Ontario East — also located at Venture North. With the funding, Entomo Farms plans to expand its workforce by 38 per cent within the next year.
Vince Killen, Executive Director of Community Futures Ontario East, says Entomo Farms is a great example of the type of client perfectly suited to the SOFII program and the mandate of Community Futures.
“Entomo is a company that is in the process of dynamic growth, has developed innovative technologies, has expanded into export markets, impacts regional economies, and create jobs,” Killen explains.
Both Community Futures Peterborough and Community Futures Ontario East, which delivers the Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII), are located at Venture North. Entomo Farms, a Norwood-based company that produces food protein products made from crickets, recently received expansion funding through SOFII. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Like Moorhouse, Killen stresses the importance of partnerships in supporting local businesses.
“Partnerships like this one with the Community Futures team are the cornerstone of building our innovation ecosystem here in Eastern Ontario,” he says.
Another example of the benefits of strategic collaboration is the Rural Business Summit, a conference organized by Community Futures and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development during Small Business Week this October.
Geared towards rural business owners, the summit took place at two locations — Baxter Creek Golf Club in Pontypool on October 16th and Burleigh Falls Inn in Burleigh Falls on October 17th. It featured a morning keynote address from Erin Bury, Managing Director at Toronto-based creative communications agency Eighty-Eight, as well as panel discussions about the unique challenges which rural businesses face.
Community Futures Peterborough recently partnered with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, which also operates at Venture North, to organize the Rural Business Summit during Small Business Week this past October. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
A highlight of the conference was the panel discussion on business succession planning.
“We had some great panelists who talked about a variety of ways that business owners could pass their businesses on to the next generation,” Moorhouse says.
“This is important for the sustainability part of our mandate, and it’s important to ensure that our local businesses are generational and provide opportunities for young people in the region.”
Despite the new strategic location in the City of Peterborough’s downtown core, Moorhouse is quick to point out the importance of business in the County of Peterborough and the willingness of Community Futures to support rural business. More than 85 people attended the Rural Business Summit, including municipal officials and local business owners.
The “Your Vision, Our Support” slogan of Community Futures Peterborough, pictured at the new Venture North offices, reflects the economic development organization’s mandate to help small businesses. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Moorhouse says her team also uses these events to assist Community Futures in strategic planning for the future. The organization is currently in its annual planning phase, and the information gathered from the Rural Business Summit will help to inform next year’s programming.
“It was great to offer this conference to county members and to work with Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development to make it happen,” says Moorhouse, emphasizing that everyone benefits from collaboration.
With Community Futures’ new location and Moorhouse’s leadership, more opportunities for collaboration will undoubtedly arise, ensuring the organization along with its partners continues to be a driving force in creating sustainable employment in the region.
“We are all striving to create jobs and develop a good economy in Peterborough and the Kawarthas,” Moorhouse says. “We want a vibrant community. It’s an honour to do this work for our clients and this amazing community.”
Venture North is a business hub located at 270 George Street North in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Canadian singer-songwriter Craig Cardiff performs an intimate show at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in Peterborough on November 11, 2018. (Publicity photo)
Market Hall presents Craig Cardiff
When: Sunday, November 11, 2018 at 7 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St. E, Peterborough) How much: $20 ($15 students) in advance, $25 ($20 students) at door
Tickets are available at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
After a 20-year career and with 18 albums under his belt, it was only a matter of time before Juno-nominated musician Craig Cardiff released a best-of collection.
This is Craig Cardiff: Collected Works is the latest record from the prolific contemporary folk singer-songwriter, who returns to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) on Sunday, November 11th.
Available later this month, the new album features a selection of songs from past records, along with two new songs, and will be available digitally, on CD, and on limited edition vinyl.
The 42-year-old Cardiff can be described as the people’s singer-songwriter, having built a devoted grassroots following over his career by performing at almost every venue imaginable, from living rooms to camps to prisons to churches to halls. He essentially performs wherever his fans want to see him.
“If there’s 50 people, or whatever, who are open to organizing something, you should go play there,” he says in an 2013 interview with Jason Schneider of Exclaim. “It’s about where the people are.”
Because of his preference for performing off the beaten track, usually in small and intimate venues, Cardiff has been called an “advocate of alternate venue touring”.
VIDEO: “To Be Safe, Loved & Home” – Craig Cardiff
“Does it make sense financially?” he wonders in a 2013 interview with Sarah Ladik of The Hub. “Not always. But it’s about the connections you form with different people, the friends of friends who help you out.”
Cardiff was born in Waterloo and began performing there as a teenager in high school bands and at local coffeehouses. He continued to perform while studying at the University of Waterloo, where he also worked as a booking agent at Federation Hall, the then student-run nighclub and hall. After graduating, he moved to the Ottawa area where he eventually bought an old farmhouse in Arnprior, which now also serves as his home recording studio.
In 1997, he released his debut studio album Judy Garland (You’re Never Home), followed by Great American White Trash Novel (1997), Happy (2001), Soda (2003), Fistful of Flowers (2005), Auberge Blacksheep (2006), Goodnight (Go Home) (2007), Kissing Songs (Mistletoe) (2009), Mothers and Daughters (2010), Floods & Fires (2011), Love Is Louder (Than All This Noise) Part 1 & 2 (2013), Novemberish (Songs From The Rain) (2017), and Upstream Fishing All The Words, He Is: Birthday Cards For Bob Dylan (2018).
VIDEO: “Desolation Row” – Bob Dylan, performed by Craig Cardiff
He’s also released five live albums: Live at the Boehmer Box Company (2000), Ginger’s on Barrington Street w/ Rose Cousins (2003), Bombshelter Livingroom w/ Les Cooper (2005), Easter Eggs (2007), and Songs for Lucy (2010).
It was 2011’s Floods & Fires that garnered Cardiff a Juno nomination in 2012 for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Solo, although he lost the award to folk icon Bruce Cockburn. The album also earned him a nomination for Contemporary Singer of the Year at the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Cardiff describes his music as “folk with a dash of sing-along and storytelling”. Blending the musical genres of folk, country, rock, and traditional, his lyrics always tell a story. He’s known his wide vocal range, with his voice often compared to that of early ’70s English singer-songwriter Nick Drake.
VIDEO: “Smallest Wingless” – Craig Cardiff
He often integrates live looping, beatboxing, and other techniques into his live performances, and he’s also known for creating cohesive and emotional performances through his humour and storytelling, and for engaging the audience during the show.
Since 2011, Cardiff has been passing around at his shows a notebook that he calls “The Book of Truths”, where he asks audience members to anonymously contribute a story, a confession, or a secret. The stories range from romance to depression and even a murder confession.
Some of Cardiff’s songs have been inspired by the stories in The Book of Truths, and the themes in his 2013 release Love Is Louder (Than All This Noise) Part 1 & 2 are largely based on the stories, which he says shows how much people have in common.
VIDEO: “Safe Here” – Craig Cardiff
“I feel like everybody’s a little bit broken,” he explains in a 2012 interview with Lindsay Chung of Roots Music Canada. “Everybody has the same capacity and range of terribleness and beautifulness and light.”
No stranger to Peterborough, Cardiff performed last November at the Market Hall in a double bill with Séan McCann, so this is an opportunity to see him all on his own.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 11th. Tickets are $20 in advance ($15 for students) or $25 at the door ($20 students) and are available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
Crayola Canada, headquartered in Lindsay, has donated $42,620.80 to the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes, representing the proceeds from this year's annual Crayola Sale. Pictured are (left to right, back to front) 2018-2019 United Way Campaign Chair Police Chief Mark Mitchell, Crayola Canada HR Mike Soehner, Crayola Canada Finance John DeBois, United Way CKL Community Investment Coordinator Shantal Ingram, United Way CKL Board President Duncan Gallacher, and Crayola Canada General Manager Paul Murphy. (Photo courtesy of United Way CKL)
Every week, our managing editor collects business 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.
This week’s round-up of business news features Crayola Canada in Lindsay raising more than $42,000 for the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes through the annual Crayola sale, Casey Ready retiring from the CCRC in Peterborough, Holiday Shopping Passports and Black Friday returning to downtown Peterborough in November, a film festival award for local filmmaker Adriano Ferreri, and a celebration of life planned for the late Dorothy Mead, first general manager of Peterborough DBIA.
Also featured is up to $100,000 in federal funding available to female entrepreneurs through the Women Entrepreneurship Fund, the announcement of John Yakabuski as the new Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry in Peterborough, and the closure of RONA home improvement stores in Peterborough and Lakefield.
New regional business events added this week include the Peterborough Chamber PBX at Trent University with Peterborough Distribution Inc. on November 6th, the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Funding Forum in Peterborough on November 20th, and the Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network with John Hucks on November 21st.
Crayola Canada raises more than $42,000 for United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes
Staff at Crayola Canada in Lindsay express thanks to the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes. (Photo courtesy of United Way CKL)
Last Friday (November 2), Crayola Canada presented the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) with a cheque for $42,620.80, representing the proceeds from the 30th annual Crayola Sale held on October 13, 2018.
The popular sale, which is held every year at the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds, attracts shoppers from all over Ontario and even some shoppers from the United States.
Crayola’s Canadian headquarters are located in Lindsay, and the team at Crayola Canada has donated more than $1,000,000 to the United Way from the past 30 years of the sale. Crayola employees also volunteer their time to help set up and run the sale.
“Leadership, dedication, and commitment by the Crayola Canada company and its employees has meant thousands of children, families, and individuals have been able to access critical programs that help them in real time,” says United Way CKL executive director Penny Barton Dyke. “Our campaign this year is about inspiring others to give and develop workplace campaigns. Crayola and its team of employees are leaders in the truest fashion.”
In 2019, Crayola Canada, along with Fleming College and the United Way CKL will partner to develop 30,000 square feet of unused land on the lot adjacent to the Crayola building into their largest community Garden. gome of the funds raised at the 30th annual Crayola Sale will go towards the community garden project, which will have the capacity to provide fresh produce to hundreds of people in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
“With its latest gift of land use, Crayola is once again leading the way by embarking on a new way of investing in people — a true community champion,” Barton Dyke says.
Casey Ready to retire as executive director of Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC) in Peterborough
Casey Ready is retiring in April 2019 after 17 years with CCRC in Peterborough. (Supplied photo)
Casey Ready, executive director of Community Counselling and Resource Centre (CCRC) in Peterborough, will be retiring in April 2019 after 17 years with the organization.
Ready joined CCRC in 2001, after leading the United Way from 1993 to 1999 and the Peterborough Social Planning Council from 1999 to 2001.
Known as a positive and motivating leader and for her ability to be strategic while managing the many details of a complex organization, Ready helped consolidate CCRC services into a central and more accessible location in downtown Peterborough. She also worked collaboratively with board, staff, and volunteers to bring leadership to CCRC and to advocate for social justice on issues affecting CCRC clients.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff and clients of CCRC, I want to say a huge thank you to Casey for her leadership and dedication to social justice”, says Beckie Evans, CCRC Board President. “We are immensely grateful for Casey’s vision and leadership in developing and enhancing CCRC and its services and connections throughout Peterborough City and County. The strong foundation of CCRC today is Casey’s legacy.”
CCRC’s Board is actively engaged in a search process for a new executive director. Ready will continue to serve as executive director until a successor is named and the leadership transition is complete.
CCRC is a charitable, non-profit agency that provides credit and debit counselling, housing resources, professional counselling, and more.
Holiday Shopping Passports and Black Friday return to downtown Peterborough in November
The Peterborough DBIA’s Holiday Shopping Passport program, which rewards people for supporting businesses indowntown Peterborough, returns on November 12, 2018. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is bringing back its popular Holiday Shopping Passports and Black Friday promotions in November.
The Holiday Shopping Passport program, which begins on Monday, November 12th, rewards people for supporting local businesses by shopping, dining, and enjoying downtown Peterborough. Shoppers get a stamp for every $10 spent downtown, with 20 stamps making a full passport which is then entered into draws for money that can be spent at downtown stores (early bird draws for $500 will be held on December 5th, 12th, and 19th with the grand prize of $1,500 on January 9th).
Black Friday, one of the biggest sales days of the year for many downtown businesses, takes place on Friday, November 23rd. Each year, the DBIA puts together a list of downtown businesses holidng some form of sales event and promotes downtown as a whole as a destination for Black Friday shopping.
If you own or operate a downtown business and want to be part of either promotion, contact DBIA Communications Manager Joel Wiebe at 705-748-4774 or joelwiebe@peterboroughbia.com.
Local filmmaker Adriano Ferreri wins award at Texas film festival
ocal filmmaker Adriano Ferreri’s debut feature film “E.M.P. 333 Days” has won the Best Fiction Feature Film award at the Rockport Film Festival in Texas.
Local filmmaker Adriano Ferreri’s debut feature film E.M.P. 333 Days won Best Fiction Feature Film at the Rockport Film Festival in Texas over the weekend.
A barber by day in Bridgenorth, Adriano spent three years making the film, which was shot entirely in the Kawarthas and features local actors, including his daughter Rosa in the lead role.
E.M.P. 333 Days is an 83-minute thriller about what happens to introverted 11-year-old Niamh (Rosa Ferreri) after an electromagnetic pulse (E.M.P.) weapon fries all electrical devices, returning North America to pre-industrial conditions and sending it into anarchy. Niamh must fend and fight for herself while trying to find her father John (Martin Saunders).
Celebration of life planned for the late Dorothy Mead, first general manager of Peterborough DBIA
Dorothy Helen (Williamson) Mead passed away on October 23, 2018. (Photo: Mead family)
A celebration of the life of Dorothy Mead, the first general manager of the Peterborough Downtown Peterborough Business Improvement Area (DBIA) will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 17th at the Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront (150 George St., Peterborough).
Mead, who passed away at her home on October 23rd at the age of 90, was the first general manager of the Peterborough DBIA from 1982 to 1992.
She continued to show her commitment to downtown Peterborough and was a regular attendee at DBIA breakfast meetings.
Federal Women Entrepreneurship Fund offers non-repayable funding of up to $100,000 to female entrepreneurs
The federal Women Entrepreneurship Fund will give funding priority to diverse women entrepreneurs, including women with disabilities, Indigenous women, women in rural or remote regions, recent immigrants, and more. (Graphic: Government of Canada)
If you are a woman who owns or leads a for-profit business, you may be eligible for up to $100,000 in non-repayable funding — but you only have until next week to apply.
Information Session on November 7
Community Futures Peterborough is hosting a Women Entrepreneurial Fund Information Session from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 7th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Note: Community Futures Peterborough recognizes that not all business will have the financial cash flow to pay for their project first and wait for reimbursement and thus will support any approved application with financial assistance.
Applications are now open under the federal government’s Women Entrepreneurship Fund, a $20 million program that offers up to $100,000 in non-repayable funding to women-owned or women-led for-profit businesses with fewer than 499 employees that have been operating for at least two years.
The deadline to submit an application is midnight on Thursday, November 15, 2018.
To apply, businesses must complete an application detailing the proposed project (including product and market overview, project objectives, key activities, risks and mitigations, expected outcomes, and project costs) and provide annual financial statements for the past two years and a one-year financial forecast.
Funding priority will be given to diverse women entrepreneurs (including women with disabilities, Indigenous women, women in rural or remote regions, recent immigrants, and more), businesses in advanced manufacturing, agri-food, health and bio-sciences, clean technology, and digital industries), and projects seeking to pursue market opportunities abroad.
Priority applicants must contribute at least 10 per cent of eligible project expenses, with non-priority applications contributing 20 per cent. Projects may be up to 12 months in length, and eligible project expenses include the cost of labour, capital costs, operating costs, and more.
If your application is approved, you will sign an agreement with the Government of Canada that outlines the conditions of funding. Financial reporting will be required with each request for reimbursement of expenditures, in addition to year-end accounting and other financial information as required. In addition, regular progress and performance reports will be required.
More details, including an application guide, frequently asked questions, and the application form, are available at www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/128.nsf/eng/home.
John Yakabuski is the new Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. (Photo: Government of Ontario)
John Yakabuski is the new Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ontario government ministry headquartered in Peterborough.
The announcement was made earlier today (November 5) after a Cabinet shuffle following the resignation of Jim Wilson as Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
Yakabuski, MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, was first elected in 2003.
The previous Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Jeff Yurek, switches roles with Yakabuski, becoming the new Minister of Transportation.
RONA to close stores in Peterborough and Lakefield
The RONA store at 157 Chemong Road in Peterborough is closing, along with the Lakefield store, as part of an announcement by parent company Lowe’s that 31 stores will be closed across Canada. The stores will be closed by February 2019. (Photo: Google Maps)
The RONA stores in Peterborough and Lakefield will be closed.
Lowe’s, the U.S. home improvement retailer that acquired RONA in 2016, announced today (November 5) that 31 RONA stores will be closed in Canada
Most of the 31 stores will be closed by February 2019.
Peterborough Chamber PBX at Trent University with Peterborough Distribution Inc. on November 6
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next Peterborough Business Exchange (PBX) event takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6th at Trent University (1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough).
The event, billed as “Celebrating Efficient Electric City Energy Management” with Peterborough Distribution Inc. (PDI), promises a “surprise announcement” at 4:15 p.m. followed by facility tours beginning at 4:30 p.m., and Chamber announcements at 5 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend the event.
Haliburton Chamber hosts breakfest meeting with Louie DiPalma in Minden on November 6
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting a breakfast meeting at 7:30 pm. on Tuesday, November 6th at Molly’s Bistro Bakery (170 Bobcaygeon Rd. Minden).
The guest speaker is Louie DiPalma, Vice President of Small Medium Enterprise Programs with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The topic is “Discover Ability” which reviews the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the advantages of developing an inclusive workforce, and promotes the business case for hiring persons with disabilities.
Kawartha Chamber Awards of Excellence and Social Gala in Lakefield on November 8
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting its 2018 Awards of Excellence and Social Gala at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8th at Lakefield College School (4391 County Rd. 29, Lakefield).
Unlike previous years, the format for this year’s presentation will be a social gala format, with a reception taking place at Upper Hadden Hall followed by the awards presentation in the Bryan Jones Theatre.
There will be both silent and live auction items, light hor d’oeuvres, cash bar, music from Rhythm & Grace, and time for socialization and networking before the awards.
Tickets are $40 per person, which includes the hor d’oeuvres and one drink ticket.
Northumberland Chamber hosts networking event in Cobourg on November 13
The Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce’s next “Meet and Greet” business networking event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13th at Mann McCracken & Associates (1 Queen St., Unit 103, Cobourg).
In addition to networking with other local business people, you’ll have an opportunity to check out Northumberland’s most accessible legal service provider.
Peterborough Business Hub hosts its official grand opening on November 15
Located at 398 McDonnel Street, Peterborough Business Hub offers office rentals and coworking space. (Photo: Peterborough Business Hub)
Peterborough Business Hub, which offers office rentals and coworking space, is hosting its official grand opening celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 15th at its location at 398 McDonnel Street in Peterborough.
While the business has been open for a few months, the official celebration provides a chance to see the offices, meet the staff, and get to know existing clients and their businesses.
Pitch It! competition at Fleming College in Peterborough on November 15
FastStart Peterborough’s annual “Pitch It!” entrepreneurial competition for Trent University and Fleming College students takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 15th in room B3250 at Fleming College (599 Brealey Dr., Peterborough).
Three contestants (from 10 finalists to be announced on November 8th) will pitch their business ideas before a panel of industry judges in a Dragons’ Den style competition in three categories: Clean & Agriculture Technology, Trades and Retail Business and Information Technology / Media & Gaming.
Participating students can win $500, meet other like-minded entrepreneurs, and receive help to bring their innovative idea to market.
The November 15th event is free and open to the public.
Application deadline for Win This Space 2019 entrepreneurial competition is November 16
The Win This Space entrepreneurial competition is returning for its third year in 2019. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
Entrepreneurs have until Friday, November 16th to put together a video application and submit it to the 2019 Win This Space competition, an initiative of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough, and Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs.
The top 10 finalists will take several workshops to fine-tune their business plans before a winner is chosen on March 5th by a panel of judges.
The winner will then have their choice of available participating downtown locations free for one year. To cover rent payments, several sponsors are adopting a month and contributing $2,000 toward each month’s lease.
Visit winthisspace.com for the rules and regulations and application instructions.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Funding Forum in Peterborough on November 20
Save the date for the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Funding Forum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Hosted by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development and the Innovation Cluster, the event offers a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs in a variety of sectors and stages of growth who are seeking funding.
Stay tuned to businessNOW for more details when they become available.
Peterborough DBIA Breakfast Network with John Hucks on November 21
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is hosting its monthly Breakfast Network from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 21st at Empress Gardens (131 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
This month’s guest speaker is John Hucks, founding member of the Peterborough Immigration Partnership, who will be speaking about the value and untapped potential of newcomers and international students in Peterborough.
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.
Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition final pitch in Peterborough on November 22
Young entrepreneurs in Peterborough and the Kawarthas will pitch their business to a panel of judges at the Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough on November 22, 2018 during the fourth annual Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition, with a prize package valued up to $10,000. (Photo courtesy of the Innovation Cluster)
The final pitch event for the 2018 Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 22nd at the Gordon Best Theatre (216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough).
An initiative of FastStart Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster, and the Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society, Cubs’ Lair gives entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 29 the chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes.
At the final pitch event, a panel of established business professionals will test the top five competitors’ knowledge of how they will grow the business and judge the best pitch.
The RONA store at 157 Chemong Road in Peterborough is closing, along with the Lakefield store, as part of an announcement by parent company Lowe's that 31 stores will be closed across Canada. The stores will be closed by February 2019. (Photo: Google Maps)
Canadian home improvement retailer RONA will be closing its stores in Peterborough and Lakefield.
The announcement was made today (November 5) by Lowe’s Companies, Inc., the U.S. retailer that acquired RONA in 2016.
The two RONA stores (157 Chemong Road in Peterborough and 178 Water Street in Lakefield) are two of 31 stores in Canada and 20 in the U.S. that Lowe’s says are “underperforming”.
“While decisions that impact our associates are never easy, the store closures are a necessary step in our strategic reassessment as we focus on building a stronger business,” says Lowe’s president and CEO Marvin Ellison.
“We believe our people are the foundation of our business and essential to our future growth, and we are making every effort to transition impacted associates to nearby Lowe’s stores.”
Other RONA stores are located in the Kawarthas in Lindsay, Port Hope, Cobourg, and Campbellford.
Lowe’s expects to close most of the stores by the end of its fiscal year, February 2019, with closing sales taking place at most locations.
Fairhaven resident Joe Sullivan, 98, displays a montage of medals related to his war service. Sullivan was one of the Canadian assault troops in the 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Army who landed on Juno Beach in Normandy during the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on D-Day, June 6, 1944, which led to the liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation on May 8, 1945. In 2015, Joseph Sullivan was awarded the French National Order of the Legion of Honour (bottom left) in recognition of his war service. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
In his 1998 book The Greatest Generation, American journalist Tom Brokaw introduced us to many who were raised during The Great Depression and later went to war, their only motivation being it was “the right thing to do.”
As the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month nears — with this year’s Remembrance Day commemoration marking the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War — Brokaw’s conclusion that we will never again see the likes of that generation reminds us that we should, we must, pay attention to the words of those who walked that perilous walk while they are still here to share them.
But their number is quickly dwindling. For example, of the some 3,500 members of the 1st Battalion of the 9th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Division that came ashore at Juno Beach in Normandy, France in June 1944 and proceeded to help liberate Nazi-occupied France and Holland, just two are still alive.
Don Fowler, a Peterborough native, lives in Brockville. Douro native Joseph Sullivan, 98, is much closer — a resident of Fairhaven whose fourth floor room, with its numerous wall-displayed certificates and commendations, speaks to the pride of the man who resides there.
A 22-year-old Joseph Sullivan in England in 1942. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Sullivan)
“It was a great experience, I don’t regret a day of it,” says Sullivan, his memory of names, places, and events associated with his war experience as a member of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders nothing short of remarkably precise.
“But we were always scared. We were quite naive. We had no idea of what we were going to get into. Yes, I consider myself lucky. I was in three bad explosions and each time somebody beside me was killed. I had scratches and bruises, but I survived. It wasn’t my time.”
A carpenter by trade, Sullivan enlisted in 1941, trained in Kingston, Peterborough, and at Camp Borden near Barrie, and shipped to England in 1942. A radio operator when he waded ashore at Juno Beach two years later, he was just 23 years old.
What followed for Sullivan and his comrades was 56 days on the front line as they advanced through France into Holland. Come the war’s end in early May 1945, Sullivan et al were in the German port city of Emden.
Upon returning home in late December 1945, he returned to work as a carpenter. However, back problems took their toll. In 1967, he began a new career selling real estate for Bowes and Cocks, retiring in 1978.
Radio operator Joseph Sullivan (rear row, right) with his signals platoon in Emden, Germany, on Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8, 1945. A signals platoon in an infantry battalion was responsible for maintaining communication between the companies of the battalion and battalion headquarters. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Sullivan)
While Sullivan has never returned to France, France has come to him.
In 2015, that country awarded him the rank of Knight of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour in recognition of his helping liberate the country from Nazi occupation.
This year, he has been invited to join the Consulate General of France in Toronto for a Remembrance event on November 14th, but he won’t be attending. More important to him is the Remembrance Day ceremony being held at Fairhaven.
In 2015, Joseph Sullivan received France’s highest honour: Knight of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour. (Photo: Grande chancellerie de la Légion d’honneur)
“It’s quite an honour to be recognized … it makes me feel good,” says Sullivan who, just this past February, was presented with the Sovereign’s Medal For Volunteers by Governor General Julie Payette — “She’s quite a girl,” he says.
The award was granted in recognition of his efforts to ensure veterans’ sacrifices are never forgotten.
“A lot of remembrance is gone,” says Sullivan. “I don’t whose fault that is. Part of it is maybe our (veterans’) fault. When we came back from the war, we were finished with it. We didn’t want to affiliate ourselves with it anymore. It was the past. It was time to move on.”
Sullivan did venture to Holland in 2005 for the 60th anniversary of that country’s liberation. Earlier, working with Dutch officials, he played a role in the renaming of 11 streets in the city of Zutphen. Those streets now bear the names of 11 members of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders who were killed in action there on April 4, 1945.
Joseph Sullivan (second row, second from right) with the Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry Highlanders in Leesten, The Netherlands, for the 60th anniversary of Holland’s liberation in May 2005. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Sullivan)
In Peterborough, Sullivan was also involved in the erecting of a memorial plaque in Confederation Park that honours the contributions of the Highlanders. And, of course, his own name is listed among the thousands of names on the Veterans Wall of Honour tucked in behind the Cenotaph.
“A lot of people don’t know why they’re wearing a poppy,” laments Sullivan. “It’s a decoration more than a remembrance. They don’t know the significance of it. Those that were killed beside me … I can see them. I see their faces every day, not just on Remembrance Day.”
While it would seem a man who has seen so much, and done more, would have no regrets, Sullivan has one.
“I never mastered public speaking. I’m okay talking, sitting here, but not in front of people. Over the years, I often wanted to go to schools to talk, but I didn’t because I felt I couldn’t. I wish I did that.”
Members of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders were greeted wildly by Dutch residents following their country’s liberation from Nazi rule in May 1945. (Supplied photo)
Instead, Mr. Sullivan holds court at Fairhaven for anyone who wants to take the time to listen. Up until February 14, 2015 when she died, his wife Ella was also a resident at the long-term care home. Today he enjoys visits from their five children, seven grandchildren. and six great-grandchildren.
And, as he has done for years now, he boards a city bus pretty much every day and makes the trek to the Lansdowne Place Food Court where he enjoys lunch with friends. Inevitably, that conversation centres on world events — a topic which Sullivan has no shortage of opinions on.
“The world is headed for another war,” he says.
“Why can’t people live together peacefully? The Middle Eastern countries, they’re rich countries. The people are starving and they guys holding all the money do nothing. They could be living a good life. It doesn’t make sense.
“Until people can sit down and iron out their differences it’s going to be that way. War is terrible. Nobody wins. It’s ugly. A lot of young people didn’t come home. They can talk about the war to end all wars, but we haven’t got there yet.”
Joseph Sullivan’s cap badge with tartan swatch, and medals: 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, and War Medal 1939-45. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Sullivan)
A lifelong reader, a copy of Mark Zuehlke’s Breakout From Juno: First Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign, July 4 – August 21, 1944 sits on a tray table beside Sullivan’s easy chair. He references it as being an accurate narrative of Canadians’ huge role in the days that followed the D-Day landings.
Still, words on a page — while a valuable resource for generations to come — pale in comparison to the first-hand accounts offered by the likes of those who were there and fortunate to come home to live a full life.
“I am very fortunate,” acknowledges Sullivan, grateful not only for the years he has been granted but also for his being able to remember those years, and his varied experiences, with such clarity.
And like Brokaw, he agrees the world will never again see the likes of his generation.
“We knew we had a job to do and we didn’t question that. There were hard times but we got it done.”
Fleshy Thud's Ryan Kerr performs in his new play "Unexploded Ordnance", co-created with and directed by Kate Story, which premieres from November 8 to 11, 2018 at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough. The play will also tour four area high schools as part of their Remembrance Day programming. (Photo: Andy Carroll for Public Energy)
Unexploded ordnance (UXO) – Explosive weapons (bombs, shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, cluster munition, etc.) that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, sometimes many decades after they were used or discarded. – Wikipedia
On the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended fighting between the Allies and Germany in World War I, Ryan Kerr is offering audiences a fresh, powerful, and original look at the Great War.
In “Unexploded Ordnance”, Ryan Kerr presents a personal take on the horrors of war, weaving stories of his great-grandfather’s war experiences along with his own accounts of visiting World War I battlefields in Europe. (Photo: Andy Carroll for Public Energy)
Unexploded Ordnance premieres from November 8th to 11th at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough and will also tour four area high schools.
In the play, co-created and directed by Kate Story, Kerr presents a personal take on the horrors of war, weaving stories of his great-grandfather’s war experiences along with his own accounts of visiting World War I battlefields in Europe.
Kerr — who has previously written plays on World War I for 4th Line Theatre and Arbor Theatre — evokes his connection as a teenager to the war and the radical Dada avant-garde art movement of the time.
The play incorporates theatre, live music, and dance, with Kerr’s performance supported by musicians Curtis Driedger and Matt Greco along with performer Eryn Lidster.
Presented by Kerr’s performance company Fleshy Thud and supported by Public Energy Performing Arts, Unexploded Ordnance is moving, funny, and thought-provoking.
In “Unexploded Ordnance”, Ryan Kerr (costumed) incorporates the radical Dada avant-garde art movement, which developed as a reaction to World War I. Musicians Matt Greco and Curtis Driedger and performer Eryn Lidster also appear in the play. (Photo: Andy Carroll for Public Energy)
The performances at The Theatre on King take place at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Remembrance Day. Arrive early for a pre-show audience participation “DADA Randomization Technique”, which the creative team promises will add a hilarious touch to an otherwise serious topic.
Tickets are $15 at the door or pay what you can. To reserve your tickets in advance, email contact@ttok.ca or text or phone 705-930-6194.
As well as the performances at The Theatre On King, the play will tour Kenner Collegiate, St. Peter’s, Holy Cross, and Lindsay Collegiate as part of the Remembrance Day programming at these high schools.
Stay tuned to kawarthaNOW.com on Thursday, November 8th for our review of the play by Sam Tweedle.
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