Store associate Tabetha Graham showcases many of the green stocking stuffers under $25 offered at the GreenUP Store, where all items are carefully sourced to meet high environmental standards.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Kristen LaRocque, GreenUP Store and Resource Centre Coordinator.
Are you looking for some small items to help you polish off your holiday gift giving? With Christmas only days away, the GreenUP Store has you covered with unique and environmentally friendly gifts and stocking stuffers ranging from $1.50 to $25.
Your stockings can hold all the best gifts, including what’s best for the planet!
All products at the GreenUP Store — located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough — have been specially selected to allow you (and Santa) the freedom to shop with confidence knowing that anything you choose has been carefully sourced and scrutinized to meet high environmental standards while respecting ethical trade, labour, and human rights practices — and supporting local whenever possible.
Under $25
To-Go Ware Reusable Bamboo Utensils.
To-Go Ware Reusable Bamboo Utensils Set includes a sturdy bamboo fork, knife, spoon, and chopsticks — all neatly held together in a convenient pouch made from recycled water bottles. This stocking stuffer or gift garnish provides a sustainable solution and a healthful alternative to single-use plastic cutlery.
Twoloom Alpacas insoles.
Twoloom Alpacas insoles are made from 100 per cent alpaca wool and are a must-have for winter in Ontario! They are a great addition to any boot for warm feet all season long. Twoloom Alpacas is a 12-acre farm in the beautiful rolling hills of Northumberland County, so you’ll also be supporting a local farmer when you purchase their products. We also carry their alpaca wool socks and mittens in a variety of colours and sizes.
Reusable stainless steel straws.
Reusable stainless steel straws are one of the best-selling items at the GreenUP Store; they have grown in popularity as the #refusethestraw movement has continued to gain momentum. We carry a variety of sizes of straws and their associated cleaning brushes, which can be purchased individually or in packs of two or four. This holiday season we have brought in new colours including bronze, iridescent blue, and rose gold. Brightly coloured reusable straws can make an excellent garnish on your gifts this year, and are a great replacement for a single-use plastic bow.
The Brain Injury Association Peterborough Region (BIAPR) is a local agency that provides a range of support services to individuals living with an acquired brain injury. They strive to engage members in meaningful activities and promote participation in our community as a way of enhancing overall well being and quality of life. Members of the BIAPR have created handmade folk-art festive decorations from reclaimed wood that are available at the GreenUP Store. Decorate your home beautifully this holiday season, with handmade items that also give back to the community.
Woodland finger puppets.
Do you have a little nature lover on your list this year? The GreenUP Store carries a number of woodland finger puppets that are available in a variety of local species including raccoon, skunk, bat, and turtle.
Also, this past summer, after many years of absence from Ecology Park, a red fox has returned! In celebration of its return, we have made the Red Fox our ambassador for the 2018 fundraising campaign. This means that when you purchase a red fox puppet, you’ll receive a charitable tax receipt for your contribution to Ecology Park. With the funds raised this holiday season, we plan to install features that will help make Ecology Park accessible for all visitors, and you’ll also ensure that our renowned environmental programs will continue for years to come.
Under $10
Free to be soap.
We have natural soap for all your stockings. The GreenUP Store carries many handmade soap options under $10. Sherrie LaMasurier of Simply Natural Canada is a master soap-maker and alchemist who uses organic, sustainable, and locally sourced ingredients to make her artisan soaps and cleaning products. LaMasurier also offers deodorants, bath salts, and felted products with minimal packaging, labels made from 100% recycled paper, and a refill option whenever possible.
Katie Legere of Free to be is another incredible soap-maker living right here in the community of Peterborough. Her beautiful textured soaps feature high-quality essential oils and natural ingredients such as green clay, cocoa butter, and sage.
Looking for something to help reduce reliance on single-use plastics? Credo Bags of Montreal makes organic cotton mesh produce bags that can be used as an alternative to the plastic ones offered for free at the grocery store. Flimsy single-use plastic bags take one second to make and are used for 20 to 30 minutes, but take over 600 years to decompose! Give the gift of green with this ever-popular reusable stocking stuffer option that everyone can appreciate.
Brush With Bamboo toothbrushes.
Everyone on your Christmas list likely brushes their teeth (at least some of the time). Plastic toothbrushes end up in the landfill at the end of their life cycle, whereas the bamboo version from Brush with Bamboo is an alternative that can be composted once the bristles are plucked out and recycled. This bamboo toothbrush also features a recyclable cardboard box with vegetable dye printing, and a compostable liner made of cellulose.
Colibri snack bags.
Colibri Snack Bags are reusable fabric zippered bags that can hold anything from grapes to makeup. Their interior nylon lining is water impermeable, which means that you can wipe out crumbs easily or toss it in the washing machine when it needs a deeper clean. There are so many fun and funky fabrics to choose from and they are, quite simply, universally useful. Made in Canada and available in a variety of sizes and prints, these bags make lunchtime fun and will reduce the amount of plastic in your life. They’re also great for holding toiletries or storage while travelling, and they tuck nicely into any stocking.
Wool dryer balls from Moss Creek Wool Works.
Looking for something cute and cuddly that’s as soft as a lamb? Look no further than wool dryer balls by Moss Creek Wool Works of Hamilton, made of 100 per cent merino wool. The GreenUP Store carries white, brown, and grey dryer balls, which are designed to replace dryer sheets. They reduce dryer time, static, and waste. We recommend using three or more dryer balls and leaving them in the dryer between loads to avoid them being used as cat toys!
OtonaBEE Apiary honey.
Naturally sweet OtonaBEE Apiary honey is the perfect treat for a loved one. At the GreenUP Store, we carry liquid and creamed clover and buckwheat honey in various sized jars to fit any stocking size. OtonaBEE honey is 100 per cent pure, just as the bees made it!
Under $5
Ecomum felted acorns.
Ecomum felted acorns are made locally by Jeaninne Crow and her daughter of Ecomum. The two go out and collect the acorn tops in the fall and attach them onto felted balls of wool to create the sweetest little tree ornaments! Ecomum also makes a variety of textiles, including baby bibs, blankets, and napkins with fun and contemporary prints.
Looking to help your friend or family member kick the plastic straw habit? Let them test the waters with a single package-free stainless steel straw sold all by itself, without any packaging. Pair it with a straw cleaning brush for $2 and then they are really set up for plastic-free sipping!
This Old Flame makes 100 per cent beeswax candles that are hand crafted in Peterborough. We carry various shapes, sizes, and patterns, starting at just $1.50 for tealights! These lovely hand-poured, hand-dipped and hand-rolled candles are made from beeswax from Ontario beekeepers with no scents or dyes added.
Golden Treasures maple syrup.
What’s more Canadian (and delicious) than a bottle of maple syrup? Golden Treasures maple syrup is from Trout Creek, Ontario and has been in operation since 1994, growing over the years to over 16,000 taps over 300 acres of maple bush in the heart of Northern Ontario. The GreenUP Store carries large litre-sized portions right down to teeny tiny stocking-sized portions in maple-leaf shaped glass bottles.
Lip balm is a Canadian staple for the stocking. Kiss Winter Away with Porcupine Creek Farms natural lip balm. Get your loved one’s lips ready for the mistletoe with this natural lip balm made with moisturizing beeswax, olive oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter, made close by in Stirling, Ontario.
Porcupine Creek Farms natural lip balm.
When you shop at the GreenUP Store you are directly supporting GreenUP and all proceeds go back into environmental programs in the Peterborough area — that’s a gift that gives twice! The GreenUP Store is located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough.
During the holiday season our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. In this spirit, we say simply and sincerely: thank you and best wishes for the holiday season and a Happy New Year from all of us at GreenUP.
17-year-old Anthony from Lindsay is now receiving cancer treatment closer to home at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), allowing him to stay home with his family and continue to hang out with his friends. Your donations to the PRHC Foundation this holiday season will help purchase additional specialized equipment and technology needed for PRHC's new pediatric oncology clinic. (Photo: Jeremy Kelly)
When he found out he had cancer, Anthony was a typical 16-year-old boy: playing hockey, learning to drive, working at a part-time job, and hanging out with his friends. In the blink of an eye, his life changed and he had to spend months in a hospital bed far from his family and friends. Now he’s receiving care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) — a close drive to home so he can do normal teen things like play video games with his friends and sleep in his own bed.
Through the PRHC Foundation’s 2018 Gift of Hope campaign, you can support pediatric cancer care at our hospital, so kids and youth like Anthony can receive the best quality care closer to home. That means they don’t have to spend as much time travelling to treatment and don’t have to be separated from their home and community, and reduces the financial burden on their families.
Your donations to the PRHC Foundation will help purchase additional specialized equipment and technology needed for PRHC’s new pediatric oncology clinic, which operates in collaboration with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. The multidisciplinary healthcare team at the clinic includes doctors, nurses, child life specialists, and social workers, and provides a range of high-quality pediatric cancer services, including chemotherapy.
Many people don’t realize government funding only covers a portion of what hospitals need to meet the best practices in patient care. It’s private donations from people like you that allow PRHC to purchase the technology and equipment to advance patient care — both for pediatric cancer care and throughout the hospital.
Please read Anthony’s story in his own words below and watch his video, and read a message from Shay Cannon, RN at PRHC’s Pediatric Outpatient Clinic. And then please consider giving more families the Gift of Hope by making a donation to the PRHC Foundation to fund the equipment and technology so the pediatric oncology clinic can continue to provide lifesaving patient care to even more children.
This is the fifth and last of a series from the PRHC Foundation to show how your donations to our hospital make a real difference in the lives of real people. kawarthaNOW is sharing these stories of hope from patients, doctors, and parents. This week’s story is how donations help advance pediatric cancer care at our hospital.
Anthony’s story
“Cancer sucks. But the staff here at PRHC make it a little easier.” Anthony is pictured with Shay Cannon, RN at PRHC’s Pediatric Outpatient Clinic. (Supplied photo)
Hi. I’m Anthony. Hockey player. Son. Friend. Cancer Patient.
There are three things I’ve learned recently: how to drive, it’s possible to miss doing homework … and how to live with cancer.
Just last year I was a typical 16-year-old kid from Lindsay. I played competitive hockey (go Muskies!), worked a part-time job in town, and hung out with my friends whenever I could. In the blink of an eye this was all taken away from me. One night I was at my friend’s cottage, the next day I learned I had Philadelphia-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
In other words … a kid with cancer.
I spent months in a hospital bed, being far away from friends and family. Well, not my mom. She was beside my bed every day and every night (love you mom). I missed the routine I was so used to: friends, school and hockey. I even missed going to class!
I am now 17 years old and receiving my cancer treatment at PRHC. I come in at least every two weeks for blood work. But I also have to get my blood counted before things like dentist appointments or if I’m not feeling well.
I am at PRHC a lot. I’m lucky it’s a close drive from home. Close enough to get home and play video games with my friends and sleep in my own bed. You know, normal stuff. And now that I can drive, sometimes I even get the car (love you dad) to make the trip to PRHC!
Cancer sucks. But the staff here at PRHC make it a little easier. I’m always happy to come in and see them. They brighten my day.
Life changes in the blink of an eye. And maybe I had to learn that a little too soon. But I know I’m not alone when I see other kids at PRHC like me. That’s why when the PRHC Foundation asked me to be champion for the Gift of Hope Campaign I said yes. I want to help make sure that when the next kid gets cancer, they have access to great care close to home … and a little bit more of the normal stuff.
Everyone has a reason to support the Gift of Hope campaign. This is mine.
I’m Shay Cannon and I’m an RN at PRHC’s Pediatric Outpatient Clinic.
In my job, I get to know my patients and their families quite well because they’re here a lot. I get to learn their stories, their favourite stuffed animal, things to say to make them laugh, how to make injections not hurt so much and how to make their visit with us a little more fun.
I can tell you that their care close to home makes the burden of disease a little easier. It means less travel and expenses, and less time away from loved ones. Today you can help make sure more patients like Anthony can continue to receive the best pediatric cancer care, close to home.
The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation works with donors to fund the equipment and technology that form the backbone of patient care at PRHC — bringing new lifesaving services to our region, and helping attract and retain expert doctors, nurses, and staff. For more information, visit www.prhcfoundation.ca or call 705-876-5000. You can also follow the PRHC Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, who is now the Minister for Women and Gender Equality, with Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, at a town hall meeting in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre hosted by the Women's Business Network of Peterborough on December 19, 2018. The two federal cabinet ministers met with female entrepreneurs and small business owners to discuss government supports available to women entrepreneurs across Canada. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
With this time of year seeing Canadians, coast to coast, counting their blessings and looking forward to the fresh start that a new year promises, one of their number is particularly excited to take her efforts on behalf of women to a new level.
With the federal government having recently elevated the agency known as Status of Women Canada to full department status — it’s now the Department for Women and Gender Equality — Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, as minister responsible for the department, is chomping at the bit to continue her work creating “a more equal playing field” that ensures women have “a fair and equal shot” at opportunities as they arise.
Over breakfast at the Speak Easy Café on Tuesday (December 18) — she’s in the riding for the duration of the Christmas break — Monsef, 34, touched on a wide range of issues, including how her new department’s major focus will be on closing the gender wage gap as well as addressing and ending gender-based violence.
“Progress has been made but we have a lot left to do,” Monsef says.
“Having a full department formalizes the role of the minister responsible for women and gender equality. It centralizes the role. Everything we’re doing to advance gender equality is actually happening across every government department. Having that coordinating role is important for me and for those who come after me.
“But without political will, without having a prime minister who cares about these issues, without the concern from Canadians that we need to address these issues, that department will just be another department. It’s really important that we have the people in the right places to continue to do the work and that Canadians ask us to continue to do more, which they are.
“I learned here (in Peterborough) that a strong women’s movement is the most effective way to advance gender equality in the long term. My number one priority as minister has been strengthening the organizations that support survivors of gender-based violence, who have solutions to close the gender wage gap, who are working to nurture the next generation of leaders.
“The best thing I can do to make a lasting difference is put the people of Peterborough at the centre of what I do. They’ve never steered me wrong.”
Minister for Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef and Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion Mary Ng with attendees at the December 19, 2018 town hall discussion on government supports available to women entrepreneurs across Canada. The meeting included representatives from the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough, the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures Peterborough, and the Workforce Development Board. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
That the formation of the department is historic isn’t lost on Monsef — she’s both the last federal Minister of Status of Women and the first federal Minister for Women and Gender Equality. On December 13th, she issued a statement that proclaimed the new department “will maintain and forge new connections to grassroots organizations advancing equality in Canada while acting as a coordinating body for gender equality issues within the Government of Canada.”
While the department’s creation and her role leading it towards its mandate has Monsef excited over what’s ahead, she points with equal enthusiasm at the accomplishments of the Liberal government over the past year, talking specifically on the new NAFTA agreement and the continued implementation of the National Housing Strategy, a 10-year, $40 billion initiative that was rolled in November 2017.
“This new trade agreement was fundamental to Canada’s economic success,” she says.
“Minister (Chrystia) Freeland stood up for Canadian values and negotiated a new NAFTA. That means greater stability for the Canadian economy and ensures that we have access to our largest trading partner. Beyond that, we’ve also been diversifying our trade markets. Canada is now the only G7 country that has a trade agreement with every other G7 country. The next chapter is about working with employers and entrepreneurs to help get their products and services to markets in the U.S., but also beyond the U.S.
“We’re set up to lead in this new economy. As long as we have leaders who continue to speak up for Canadian values, who advocate for human rights, and who lead by example in terms of a rules-based world order, Canada will continue to thrive. The way that we’ve been approaching the economy and international relations … Canadians, since we got elected, have created more than 800,000 jobs.
“We have the lowest unemployment rate since we started keeping track of the numbers, wages are up, there are more women working now than ever before, more young people, more Indigenous people, more newcomers. This approach is working. As long as we invest in Canadians and provide them with the tools that they need to succeed, Canada will continue to lead on the international stage.”
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef dropped by Carol’s Place in Peterborough Square on Tuesday morning (December 18), chatting with volunteers Susan Gontier and Dan Hennessey as well as a few clients of the drop-in centre. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
As for housing, Monsef notes that more than $7.4 million in federal funding has provided housing for 1,432 families in the riding. She’s continuing to work with local housing providers and advocates to ensure the riding gets its fair share of the pie when funding is doled out. That involves working through the application process with them and ensuring Peterborough’s voice is heard loud and clear.
On April 1, 2019, all bilateral agreements with the provinces/territories are expected to be signed (Ontario, BC and the Northwest Territories have already signed on). Those agreements are for the next iteration of the Investment In Affordable Housing envelopes that will see costs matched between the provinces/territories and Ottawa, and then flow through to municipalities.
“This (providing housing) is not easy work, and it is often thankless work, but they (local housing advocates) do it because they believe in it,” praises Monsef.
“They have achieved incredible things on meagre budgets. It’s leaders like those who advocated for a National Housing Strategy. Every time you see someone working in this field, give him or her a high five and thank them. Housing is the solution to a lot of the other challenges that we experience.
“We want to make sure that as Peterborough continues to grow and people have a place to live when they come here. I’m grateful for the people who do this work. I’m also keenly aware that we are at a pretty special moment in time where we are working together, seizing the opportunity that exists with creation of the National Housing Strategy. The community has given us a clear mandate.”
Looking ahead, Monsef, like most all of her Cabinet colleagues, will seek to be returned to Ottawa when Canadians head to the polls on October 21, 2019. Late in October of this year, the local Liberal riding association selected Monsef as its candidate, her having met ‘targets’ required to be considered for, and granted, nominee status.
“I have responsibilities that will continue until Election Day … they don’t stop,” she says.
“I can’t speak on behalf of Canadians and how they will be voting or what will drive their vote. I will say that at the end of this mandate, Canadians will judge us. Did we stand up for Canadians and Canadian values every single opportunity we got? Did we work to make sure our kids and grandkids have good air, good water, and a safe place to call home? That’s how we’ll be judged.
“We presented a plan and that plan is working. We are growing the economy and unemployment is lower. We are addressing inequality. We are working to protect our environment and our natural heritage for generations to come.”
Reflecting on the journey that brought her to Ottawa in October 2015 and has seen her not only represent the riding federally, but also fight on the frontlines for women’s rights as full Canadian citizens, Monsef is quick to acknowledge she hasn’t done it alone.
“Whatever success I’ve achieved, whatever positive service I’ve provided to this community and to Canadians, whatever hurdles I’ve been able to overcome, it is because I am surrounded by an incredible team of hard-working people who care about this community like I do and go above and beyond the call of duty every day.
Carol’s Place volunteer Dan Hennessey shows Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef the backpacks stocked with essential items that the agency is collecting this holiday season for marginalized people. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
“I had a pretty intense learning curve, especially in my first year. It was in many ways a baptism by fire. But thanks to the support of my team and this community, as well as the resilience I have learned from my mom and my mentors, I learned in my first year of politics what it normally takes years for people to learn. As long as I wake up every day thankful for the opportunity, and as long as I wake up every day with the community top of mind, I’m on the right track.”
And despite the pressures of the responsibilities of her job, Monsef says she doesn’t feel any extra heat.
“This community, again and again, asks me to just be myself. There’s no pressure. I enjoy being out and about at various events, raising my hand and asking questions, bringing people together for different events and engaging in dialogue. I love this. This is how I charge my batteries.
“Being at the mall Saturday to support the Salvation Army … I’m not doing that because it’s my job. I’m doing it because that’s where I get my motivation from. And when I need time to recharge and not be in the public, I get to spend time with my nieces.”
The original version story has been updated to correct some supplied information about the National Housing Strategy.
The City of Kawartha Lakes' Million Dollar Makeover offers up to 50 per cent in matching funding for properties that completed a Downtown Revitalization project, including Lindsay (pictured), Omemee, Coboconk, Norland, and Fenelon Falls. The initiative is also offering loans to property and business owners across the City of Kawartha Lakes at a low interest rate over a five-year term. (Photo courtesy of the City of Kawartha Lakes)
With over a million dollars in financial incentives, including grants and loans, the City of Kawartha Lakes is looking to kick-start a new wave of private investment across the municipality.
The Million Dollar Makeover is a funding program now available to support property and business owners who want to improve the visual and functional aspects of their commercial, mixed-use commercial/residential, or heritage-designated residential buildings.
“The city has never had such a large financial program in place,” says Mayor Andy Letham.
“We have the opportunity, together with our business and property owners, to make a visible difference in our downtowns. “We can make them more attractive, more accessible, and make best use of the spaces we have available.
“I hope we can also find ways to create more housing opportunities to increase our inventory of rental units.”
VIDEO: Kawartha Lakes’ Million Dollar Makeover
The Million Dollar Makeover will help implement the Kawartha Lakes Strategic Community Improvement Plan (CIP). Carlie Arbour, Economic Development Officer with the City of Kawartha Lakes, says this will help turn great dialogue and ideas into improvements across the city.
“With all of the downtown revitalization consultations with customers, businesses and residents, our CIP is ready to be brought to life,” Arbour says.
The CIP builds on numerous urban planning, urban design and economic development policies. With the plan in place, the city can now offer incentives to redevelop community structure and fuel economic growth.
The goal of the City of Kawartha Lakes’ Million Dollar Makeover is to make a visible difference in the downtown areas of Fenelon Falls (pictured), Lindsay, Omemee, Coboconk, and Norland, by providing financial assistance to local business and property owners to make their buildings more attractive and accessible. Another objective is to increase the inventory of affordable rental housing units. (Photo courtesy of the City of Kawartha Lakes)
Proposals that will act as downtown Main Street revitalization enhancements, provide restoration and improvement to heritage districts, see derelict buildings repaired, improve functionality of buildings, and retro-fit mixed-use buildings to accommodate affordable rental housing will all be welcomed.
Project proposals can also focus on updating signage and façades, building repairs and renovations, accessibility improvements, heritage conservation, installing outdoor art and patios, and covering costs to prepare high-quality design studies for large projects.
“These businesses are already making huge investments in their communities,” Arbour says. “And now we’re looking forward to kick-starting even more private investment with over one million dollars in loans at a low interest rate over a five-year term.”
Arbour notes that the loan program will be especially attractive to property owners who are looking to make significant improvements to one or more storeys of their building.
The Million Dollar Makeover offers matching fund grants of up to 50 per cent to business and property owners in the downtown areas of Coboconk (pictured), Lindsay, Omemee, Norland, and Fenelon Falls. The funds can cover costs of signage, façade work, and building repair and renovations. Low-interest loans are also available to property owners across the municipality. (Photo courtesy of the City of Kawartha Lakes)
Matching fund grants — covering up to 50 per cent of eligible costs — are also available to properties within the areas that completed a Downtown Revitalization project, including Lindsay, Omemee, Coboconk, Norland, and Fenelon Falls. These funds can cover costs of signage, façade work, and building repair and renovations.
“Our communities have worked tirelessly to develop strategic directions for their downtowns and this funding is a huge bonus to those communities,” Arbour says.
As a project partner, Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) is happy to support businesses ready to get involved with the Million Dollar Makeover Project.
“Our role as a Community Futures Corporation is to support small business and community economic development in Kawartha Lakes,” says Kawartha Lakes CFDC General Manager and CEO Andrew Wallen. “Assisting in efforts to rejuvenate our main streets and the commercial areas of our downtowns is an ongoing objective of our Board of Directors.
“The Million Dollar Makeover enables us to inject an investment directly into our small business community; we feel it’s a great way for us to be a contributing partner to this initiative.”
So, with project partners in place and funds available, it’s now up to business and property owners to jump in with proposals — and the schedule for the project is a tight one with the January deadline approaching.
How to get started on your makeover
1. Look for opportunities to improve your building and property. Determine which Million Dollar Makeover program(s) best fits your project.
3. The City’s Economic Development staff will connect with you to discuss your project and arrange a pre-application meeting to answer any of your application needs.
5. Submit your application no later than 4:30 p.m. on January 17, 2019.
“We’re looking for people who have been thinking about improvements and who have really thought about the work they’d like to get done on their properties,” Arbour says. “With an idea already framed in your mind, look at the guidelines, get your drawings ready, and get two quotes.”
Applications are now open for the Million Dollar Makeover and will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 17, 2019.
The funding for the Million Dollar Makeover is made possible by the Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation (KLCFDC), the Province of Ontario, and the City of Kawartha Lakes.
The City of Kawartha Lakes has over one million dollars in financial incentives available through loan and grant programs. Business and property owners who want to take advantage of the incentives have until January 17, 2019 to submit their applications. (Graphic courtesy of the City of Kawartha Lakes)
Sana Virji and Ribat Chowdhury, co-founders of Ribitt, which has recently raised $600,000 in seed round funding for an additional expansion of the company's free mobile rewards app to businesses across Canada. (Photo: Ribitt)
This week’s round of regional business news includes Peterborough tech startup Ribitt raising $600,000 in seed financing, Flying Colours Corp. breaking ground on its new hanger at Peterborough Airport, Mike’s Tattoo moving into the former Nutty Chocolatier location in downtown Peterborough, The Food Forest in downtown Peterborough under new ownership, Fenelon Falls residents and businesses one step closer to getting natural gas, local home builders raising $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity, and Kawartha Lakes Real Estate Association raising $3,180 for Community Care Kawartha Lakes.
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 passing of Bud Monahan, former owner of Bud’s Music Centre in Peterborough, the selling of Puck ‘N’ Pint in Peterborough, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development seeking a board member, the Haliburton Chamber seeking nominations for its 2019 Business & Community Achievement Awards, and the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce seeking nominations for its Board of Directors.
New regional business events added this week include a federal government discussion on support for women entrepreneurs on December 19th in Peterborough, the Peterborough Chamber hosting breakfast meeting featuring Heather Doughty on January 8th in Peterborough, FastStart Peterborough hosting its next E-Connect with Mike Judson and Mike Doherty on January 8th, the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough hosting its next member meeting on January 9th, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosting a New Venture Session in Peterborough on January 10th.
Other new events include Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosting a New Venture Session in Peterborough on January 10th, Community Futures Peterborough hosting a launch party for Ignite 100 launch party on January 10th, Haliburton Chamber hosting “Meet the Fire Chiefs!” in Minden on January 15th, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosting a business planning workshop in Peterborough on January 16th, and the Peterborough Chamber hosting “Lunch Box Learning: 3 Ways Risk Affects your Business” in Peterborough on January 16th.
Peterborough tech startup Ribitt raises $600,000 in seed financing
Ribitt is a free mobile rewards app currently partnering with more than 30 businesses in Peterborough and more than 100 in Toronto, Ribitt has raised $600,000 in seed round funding to expand in 2019. (Graphics: Ribitt)
Peterborough tech startup Ribitt, a free mobile rewards app that allows consumers to collect points on purchases at local shops, has raised $600,000 in seed round funding led by angel investors to expand to new neighbourhoods.
Ribitt was founded by Ribat Chowdhury, originally from Bangladesh, and Sana Virji, originally from Pakistan, who came to Canada to pursue their undergraduate degrees at Trent University. The two launched Ribitt in March 2018 and, to date, have partnered with more than 30 businesses in Peterborough and more than 100 in Toronto, most recently in the Roncesvalles and The Junction neighbourhoods.
The Ribitt app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices, allows consumers to collect points on purchases at local shops. Users can pay directly through the app and collect points on every purchase, then redeem them at any participating local shop for anything they want.
Lindsay Brock, owner of Amusé Coffee Co. in Peterborough, was one of Ribitt’s early partners.
“My café and the Ribitt app launched around the same time, so it was a great opportunity to cross-promote each other starting out,” she says. “Ribitt has been wonderful in terms of gaining awareness for my business and it is a great opportunity for any business that is starting out in a new community or is trying to grow.”
With neighbourhood revitalisation and preserving local commerce is a key focus for cities across North America, there is a significant potential for Ribbit to partner with more of the 27 million “mom and pop” businesses in Canada and the U.S.
“The future success of local shops lies in them coming together and leveraging their combined network,” says Virji. “Participating in a rewards program at a single coffee shop is more effort than the value for consumers, so when local merchants in a neighbourhood join Ribitt’s single rewards program, they create huge value for their customers, while giving them the competitive advantage of scale that bigger chains have.”
Ribitt plans to begin its expansion across Canada in 2019 and is attracting interest from venture capital firms for its next funding round.
For more information on Ribitt, visit www.ribitt.io.
Flying Colours Corp. breaks ground on new hanger at Peterborough Airport
A rendering of the Flying Colours’ new 100,000-square-foot hanger at the Peterborough Airport, which is slated to be open by mid-2019. (Illustration: Flying Colours Corp)
Aviation services company Flying Colours Corp. has broken ground on a new hanger at the company’s Peterborough Airport headquarters.
The 100,000-square-foot structure, which will cost more than $18 million, will be able to accommodate aircraft as large as an Airbus A220 and will include a climate-controlled paint shop, interiors workshops, customer meeting rooms, a boardroom, and offices. It is expected to open by mid-2019.
“Our business has grown significantly over the past twelve months, and we were running out of space to accommodate all our clients’ requests,” says company president John Gillespie. “Once the building is complete, we will be using it to provide additional capacity for completions, refurbishment, and heavy maintenance work scopes on large jet airplanes.”
The company is also adding a fifth hanger to its location at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport.
To keep up with the increases in capacity at both sites, Flying Colours expects to add another 100 workers with experience in maintenance, interiors, and painting.
Mike’s Tattoo moving into former Nutty Chocolatier location in downtown Peterborough
Art is Law. Mike's Tattoo & Piercing #tattooshoplife 3/5 @FILMkelly
Posted by Mike's Tattoo on Thursday, December 13, 2018
Mike Andrews, owner of Mike’s Tattoo & Piercings at 388 Water Street, is moving his business into the former location of The Nutty Chocolatier, at 345 George Street North.
Andrews, who has operated his shop on Water Street for more than 11 years, saw an opportunity when The Nutty Chocolatier closed at the end of September. He decided to lease and renovate the larger space. It will allow him to add two new tattoo artists, and also accommodate Mike Wacker of On Target Designs, a vinyl printing business, and also offer decals and custom made t-shirts.
Andrews says they are on target to open in the new location on Thursday, January 3rd.
The Food Forest in downtown Peterborough under new ownership
Lasair Wood is the new owner of The Food Forest Cafe in downtown Peterborough. (Photo via @marymaggiem / Instagram)
The Food Forest Cafe in downtown Peterborough has a new owner.
The business, which offers plant-based and gluten-free organic food, has been taken over by 19-year-old Lasair Wood. Wood has worked in the kitchen at the cafe for the past year, where she rediscovered her love of cooking.
The Food Forest Cafe was founded in 2013 by Katie Lynn and Adam Deck. In mid-2017, they sold the business to Laura Barker.
Fenelon Falls residents and businesses one step closer to getting natural gas
Enbridge crews preparing the powerful drill to bore holes through layers of rock to install the new natural gas pipeline beneath the Fenelon River. (Photo: Enbridge)
Fenelon Falls is one step closer to having natural gas service to more than 1,000 homes and businesses in the community.
Earlier this month, Enbridge Gas finished installing a 338-metre pipeline beneath the Fenelon River. The installation was completed using a specially designed drill for building pipelines that cross sensitive areas like roads or waterways, eliminating the need for equipment to enter the water and minimizing the impact on area wildlife.
“This is a significant milestone for the Fenelon Falls project,” says Jeff Mantej with Enbridge Gas Distribution. “The success of this pipe installation means that there’s virtually nothing stopping us from getting natural gas to the rest of this community.”
Enbridge anticipates that the entire project will be complete by the end of winter 2019. Fenelon Falls residents have until June 28, 2019 to connect to the natural gas service at no additional cost (other costs, including furnace conversion fees, are not included).
Local home builders raise $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity
The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association held its annual Christmas Charity Auction on December 6, 2018. (Supplied photo)
Members and friends of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA) enjoyed a festive dinner and live and silent auctions on December 6th and raised almost $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region.
“Partnering with Habitat for Humanity is a natural fit as our priorities closely align,” says PKHBA executive officer John Kintare. “PKHBA believes that all Canadians should have the right to a reasonable opportunity to own their own homes. Our membership believes strongly in housing affordability and supports the work Habitat does in the community to build affordable homes for low income families.”
The PKHBA Christmas Charity Auction helps support many of the programs that the local association runs each year, including education and training seminars, government and advocacy work, and dinner meetings and networking opportunities throughout the year.
Organized as a network of local professionals, PKHBA has represented the professional home building industry in Peterborough and The Kawarthas since 1956. Members include new home builders, renovators, financial institutions, manufacturers and suppliers of building products, new home warranty programs, and government agencies.
Kawartha Lakes Real Estate Association raises $3,180 for Community Care Kawartha Lakes
Community Care Kawartha Lakes CEO Barb Mildon at the offices of the Kawartha Lakes Real Estate Association. (Photo: Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes)
The Kawartha Lakes Real Estate Association, representing more than 200 real estate professionals in the City of Kawartha Lakes, has donated $3,180 to Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes
The funds will be used to support the hospice palliative care programs offered by Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes.
Bud Monahan, former owner of Bud’s Music Centre in Peterborough, has passed away
The late Bud Monahan (second from right) at the November 2015 grand opening of Long & McQuade, which purchased Bud’s Music Centre. Monahan operated the business for 23 years, until he sold it in 1991 to his son Robert and his son-in-law Rob Branscombe. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Also attending the grand opening was Bud Monahan, the original owner of Bud’s Music Centre at 296 Aylmer Street North. Monahan opened his music store in 1968 and ran it until he retired in 1991, when he sold the business to his son Robert and his son-in-law Rob Branscombe.
Bud Monahan, the former owner of Bud’s Music Centre in Peterborough, passed away on December 8th at Peterborough Regional Health Centre at the age of 88.
Monahan opened his music store in 1968 and ran it until he retired in 1991, when he sold the business to his son Robert and his son-in-law Rob Branscombe.
Located at 296 Aylmer Street North, the business was purchased in October 2014 by Long & McQuade in October 2014, which made plans to move into the building at 129 Aylmer Street, previously occupied solely by Twohey’s Furniture. Long & McQuade opened in the new location in November 2015.
Following a visitation and funeral mass, Monahan was interred at Highland Park Cemetery last Friday (December 14).
Puck ‘N’ Pint in Peterborough sold
The Puck ‘N’ Pint Sports Pub, located at 871 Chemong Rd. in Brookdale Plaza, has been sold to new owners.
The announcement of the sale was announced last Tuesday (December 11) on the Puck ‘N’ Pint’s Facebook page.
The business, previously owned by former NHLer Steve Gatzos, was listed in August 2018 by RE/MAX Commercial with an asking price of $149,900.
There are no details available at this time on the identity of the new owners or whether they plan to make changes to the existing business.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development seeking a board member
The board of directors of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is seeking to fill a vacancy on the board.
Applicants should have senior level board experience, senior leadership experience, legal experience, experience with government relations, and community involvement.
Interested candidates are encouraged to connect with the PKED Board Nominations Committee and send along their CVs and cover letters to board@peterboroughed.ca by Friday January 18, 2019.
Nominations open for Haliburton Chamber’s Business & Community Achievement Awards
Nominations are now open for the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce’s 13th Annual Business & Community Achievement Awards.
Nominations are being accepted for 11 awards: 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.
Nomination forms, which are available at www.haliburtonchamber.com, must be submitted by February 14, 2019.
Nominations open for Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
The Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce invites nominations from its membership for four full-terms (two years) on its Board of Directors.
Nominees must be a member in good standing, nominated by a member in good standing, and be an authorized representative of a business operating within the Town of Cobourg, the Township of Hamilton or Alnwick/Haldimand.
The nomination deadline is Wednesday, January 23rd. Directors will be elected or appointed by the membership at the Chamber’s annual general meeting on Tuesday, January 29th.
Federal government hosts discussion on support for women entrepreneurs on December 19 in Peterborough
Mary Ng, the federal Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, and Maryam Monsef, Minister of Status of Women and MP for Peterborough-Kawartha, are hosting a discussion at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 19th in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough).
If you plan to attend, you are asked to RSVP to eugene.sandhu@canada.ca by Tuesday, December 18th.
Peterborough Chamber hosts breakfast meeting featuring Heather Doughty on January 8 in Peterborough
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next breakfast meeting takes place from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 8th at Carousel Restaurant & Tavern (116 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough).
Heather Doughty of Inspire: The Women’s Portrait Project, will speak on the topic “A New Year of Inspiration”.
Networking takes place at 7 a.m., with breakfast served at 7:30 a.m. (where you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room), followed by the speaker at 8 a.m.
Admission is free; just pay for what you order.
Peterborough Chamber hosts PBX at Shorelines Casino Peterborough on January 8
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next PBX (Peterborough Business Exchange) takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8th at Shorelines Casino Peterborough (1400 Crawford Dr., Peterborough).
This is a free networking event.
FastStart Peterborough hosts E-Connect with Mike Judson and Mike Doherty on January 8
FastStart Peterborough’s next E-Connect seminar takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8th at The Twisted Wheel (377 Water St., Peterborough).
“Ringing in the New Year 2.0” features speakers Mike Judson of The Twisted Wheel and Mike Doherty of Dohjo Muay Thai & Fitness.
There will be appetizers and a cash bar will be available.
Women’s Business Network of Peterborough member meeting on January 9
Colleen Carruthers.
The next Women’s Business Network (WBN) of Peterborough member meeting takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9th at Holiday Inn – Waterfront (150 George St. N., Peterborough).
Registered psychotherapist Colleen Carruthers will speak on the topic “Becoming More Resilient through Self-Compassion”.
Networking begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the speaker at 7:30 p.m.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts New Venture Session in Peterborough on January 10
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre is hosting a New Venture Session from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 10th in the boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
The session will provide an overview of the foundations of starting and running a business, resources and programs available to entrepreneurs in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, working with the Business Advisory Centre and building a plan of action for your business, and completing the start-up checklist.
Community Futures Peterborough hosts Ignite 100 launch party on January 10
Community Futures Peterborough is hosting a launch party for Ignite 100 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 10th at The Venue (286 George St. N., Peterborough).
Ignite 100 is Community Futures Peterborough’s new annual open invitational competition for business expansion within the City and County of Peterborough. Applications will be available on January 10, 2019, with the application deadline March 15, 2019.
The guest speaker will be Dr. Rafik Loutfy, Director of the Center for Engineering, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, at Ryerson University. Dr. Loutfy is the owner of 47 patents, with nine in commercial use.
Food and beverages will be provided, along with a cash bar.
For more information about Ignite 100, visit ignite100.ca.
Haliburton Chamber hosts “Meet the Fire Chiefs!” in Minden on January 15
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting “Meet the Fire Chiefs!” from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 15th at the Minden Fire Hall (12418 Highway 35, Minden).
The breakfast and networking event will provide the opportunity to see the new fire hall in Minden and network with all of the fire chiefs in the county, as well as to learn about fire safety and why it matters for your business.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts business planning workshop in Peterborough on January 16
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre is hosting “Business Fundamentals: Business Planning” from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16th in the boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
The session is designed to give you a strong foundation in business planning, and the importance of a comprehensive business plan. The Business Advisory Centre will also share tools available for creating a business plan and top tips for creating a plan ready to share with banks and funding agencies to secure financing.
Peterborough Chamber hosts “Lunch Box Learning: 3 Ways Risk Affects your Business” in Peterborough on January 16
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is hosting “Lunch Box Learning: 3 Ways Risk Affects your Business” from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16th in the boardroom at the Chamber offices (175 George Street North, Peterborough).
Kelland Sewell of rPM3 Solutions Canada Inc. will share three ways risk affects your business and how you can harness this information to improve business performance through Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).
Bing your lunch along with you, and have the opportunity to listen to the short presentation followed by a Q&A.
The event is free to attend for members of the Chamber or members of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough.
Peterborough Petes' forward Liam Kirk (14), pictured at a game against the Hamilton Bulldogs, has been featured in The New York Times. (Photo: CHL Images)
The Peterborough Petes’ Liam Kirk has been featured in The New York Times.
The 18-year-old left winger, who was a seventh-round draft pick by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes in June, was signed to the Petes in July for his first season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
“I don’t know much about the team, but know they have a great history,” Kirk said at the time. “The ice size is different, but having played against men the last few years who have played professionally for a long time, I think I’ll be able to adjust to a faster game. The OHL is the best junior league in the world, and I can’t wait to get started.”
The 18-year-old native of Maltby, England was drafted by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes this past June and signed to the Petes in July. (Photo: Peterborough Petes)
Kirk is the first player born and fully trained in England to be chosen in the NHL draft. To date, the native of Maltby, England, has scored 11 goals with eight assists in 33 games.
The New York Times piece talks about Kirk adjusting to life in Canada and adapting to the smaller rink and faster style of North American hockey — critical to pursuing an NHL career.
The story also features photos by Chris Donovan, showing Kirk in Peterborough (which the Times mistakenly calls “a suburb 87 miles northeast of Toronto”), including with his fellow Petes and shopping at The UK Shoppe.
“The adjustments have been a little difficult,” Kirk says in the story. “Obviously, moving to a new country, away from your family and stuff like that. It’s the best junior league in the world, still got to adjust to that.”
While Kirk only had two goals in his first 23 games, he’s scored nine in the past 10 games — prompting the British Ice Hockey website at www.britishicehockey.co.uk to name him Player of the Week in late November after an online poll.
He has also been named to Great Britain’s Under-20 National Team, which will compete in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship Division II Group A (D2A) tournament in Estonia from January 13th to 19th.
Acclaimed musician Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen) is performing at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on Monday, March 25, 2019. (Publicity photo)
This March, the Peterborough Folk Festival is bringing acclaimed Toronto-based musician Bahamas back to Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) — the same venue he sold out when he kicked off the 2016 Peterborough Folk Festival there on August 29, 2016.
A few things have changed since Bahamas — the stage name for guitarist and songwriter Afie Jurvanen — last performed at Showplace. The 37-year-old musician and his wife have a second daughter, Bahamas has been showered with critical accolades for his latest release Earthtones, he performed the record’s tune “Way With Words” on Jimmy Kimmell Live!, and the record has been nominated for a Grammy.
So it’s a bit of a coup for the folk festival’s artistic director Ryan Kemp to bring Bahamas back to Showplace, where he will be performing on Monday, March 25, 2019. Tickets for the all-ages concert go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 19th at the Showplace box office, by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org, with a pre-sale by phone or online at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 18th (use the password PTBOFOLK). Ticket prices will range from $42.50 to $55 plus box office service fees.
VIDEO: “Way With Words” – Bahamas on Jimmy Kimmell
“Bahamas returning to Peterborough is special for the festival on so many levels,” says Kemp, adding the festival is celebrating its 30th year in 2019.
“It’s a reminder of how successful the organization has grown over the past four years. Before 2016, the largest crowd for an opening night of the festival was 350. That night when Bahamas took the stage at Showplace, it was a sold-out crowd of 647.”
Kemp points out that Bahamas just sold out five shows in four days at the 1,145-seat Danforth Music Hall in Toronto.
The Bahamas show in Peterborough is also special because the bassist for the band, Darcy Yates, is from the area (he’s also the brother of local musician Clayton Yates). The other members of the touring band are guitarist Christine Bougie, drummer Jason Tait, and backup singer Felicity Williams.
VIDEO: “No Depression” – Bahamas
Despite his stage name, Jurvanen isn’t from the Bahamas. Of Finnish descent, he was born in Toronto and grew up in Barrie. He taught himself to play guitar and dropped out of high school so he could focus on music (in 2016, he received an honorary high school diploma from Barrie Central Collegiate Institute).
He played with Feist, Howie Beck, Jason Collett, Jack Johnson, The Weather Station, and Zeus before launching a solo career, releasing his debut album Pink Strat under the name Bahamas in 2009.
“It conjures up imagery for people,” says Jurvanen of his stage name, in an interview with the Globe and Mail. “It makes you hear the music through a different filter. When you say Afie, it requires explanation ‘How do you spell that?’ ‘What nationality is that?’ I’ve had those types of questions posed to me my whole life. Having something that was easy to say and easy to understand was more desirable than focusing on my name.”
VIDEO: “Lost In The Light” – Bahamas
Pink Strat was nominated for a 2010 Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year – Solo. Bahamas then released the critically acclaimed Barchords in 2012, which was nominated for a 2013 Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year (Bahamas was also nominated as Songwriter of the Year for the tracks “Be My Witness”, “Caught Me Thinking”, and “Lost in the Light”).
He finally hit Juno gold with his third album, Bahamas is Afie, released in 2014. That earned him Adult Alternative Album of the Year At the Juno Awards of 2015, and Bahamas also received the Juno for Songwriter of the Year for “All the Time”, “Bitter Memories” and “Stronger Than That”.
Bahamas has toured internationally with Wilco and Robert Plant, and performed on Conan in 2014, bringing his music to an American audience.
VIDEO: “All The Time” – Bahamas
This past January, Bahamas released his fourth album, Earthtones, a collection of tunes with a 1970s R&B and country-soul groove featuring Jurvanen’s voice front and centre backed by his effects-driven guitar and talented musical guests.
“It’s easily Bahamas’ most accomplished album to date and could very well be the mainstream breakthrough of which the industry has long suspected Jurvanen is capable,” writes Ben Rayner, music critic for The Toronto Star.
Bahamas performed the tune “Way With Words” from Earthtones on Jimmy Kimmell Live! shortly after releasing the record, which has since been nominated as Best Engineered Album for the 2019 Grammy Awards (the winners will be announced on February 10th).
Ben Rogers will be opening for Bahamas at Showplace. The Vancouver musician and his band will be performing his country-tinged Americana.
Dave Wasyliw and Chris Thorsteinson of acclaimed country band Doc Walker, which has won multiple CCMAs as well as a Juno. The Manitoba-based band will be performing at the Market Hall in Peterborough on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. (Publicity photo)
Chad Hogan, general manager of Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough, is continuing his trend of bringing unique and exciting performers to the 350-seat venue in 2019.
In January and February alone, the Market Hall is presenting eight concerts that represent a wide range of genres, from Celtic to country to folk to rock and even musical comedy.
These eight shows aren’t the only ones at the Market Hall over the next two months; promoters are also renting the facility for other musical and theatrical performances. But these shows are the ones Market Hall itself is presenting and, as a non-profit organization, the venue relies on the support of audiences so it can continue to attract promoters and musicians.
Here are the eight shows Market Hall is presenting in January and February:
Always entertaining and definitely unique, Mudmen are a blast of rocking Celtic energy whose members are characters both on and off the stage. First formed in 1993 as The Campbell Brothers, the band signed a deal with EMI Records and changed their name to Mudmen in 1998 (they celebrated their 20th anniversary this year).
Featuring the duelling bagpipes of the Campbell brothers, Mudmen’s music has been featured on Xbox and PlayStation games, the NBC television show Black Donnellys, WWE Wrestling, many of Don Cherry’s hockey videos, The Mackenzie Brothers TWO-FOUR Special on CBC, HBO’s series Shameless TV show, and more.
VIDEO: “The Mason’s Apron – Mudmen
With over 2,500 shows to date and nine studio records, Mudmen (brothers and bagpipers Robby Campbell and Sandy Campbell along with Jeremy Burton, Mike Meacher, and Dan Westenenk) believe that nice guys can finish first.
Tickets are $20 general admission or $25 for assigned cabaret table seats, and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
The Arrogant Worms
Friday, January 18 at 8 p.m.
The Arrogant Worms. (Publicity photo)
Formed in 1991, The Arrogant Worms began as a comedy troupe performing songs and sketches on campus radio in Kingston. They soon dropped the sketches to focus on musical comedy, parodying many musical genres and entertaining audiences with their humorous on-stage banter.
Since 1992, the troupe has released 14 records, including their most recent album The First Farewell Album, released in November 2016. They have toured in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Their shows are fast, furious, and family friendly. In 2003, they were recognized as the Touring Act of the Year by the Canadian Arts Presenters Association.
VIDEO: “Canada’s Really Big” – The Arrogant Worms
The Arrogant Worms — whose current members are Mike McCormick, Chris Patterson, and Trevor Strong — have parodied everything from rock, folk, ballads, country, and children’s music. When not spoofing a particular style of music, they poke fun at various aspects of daily life in Canada with songs like “Canada’s Really Big”, “Me Like Hockey”, “We are the Beaver”, “I Am Not American”, and “Proud to Be Canadian”.
Tickets are $28 general admission or $33 for assigned cabaret table seats, and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Doc Walker
Wednesday, February 6 at 8 p.m.
In September 2018, Dave Wasyliw and Chris Thorsteinson of Doc Walker were inducted into the Broadcasters Association of Manitoba’s Music Hall of Fame, created to recognize successful artists who have roots in Manitoba. (Photo: Doc Walker)
Manitoba’s Doc Walker is one of the most recognized Canadian country acts of the past two decades.
With more than 20 Top 10 singles, the group has received multiple Canadian Country Music Awards, including Fans’ Choice, Group or Duo of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Single of the Year, and Country Music Program or Special of the Year. The band has also been nominated for several Juno awards for Country Album of the Year, winning in 2009 for the album Beautiful Life.
Since 1997, the group (Chris Thorsteinson on vocals and electric guitar, Dave Wasyliw on acoustic guitar and backing vocals, Stephen Broadhurst on drums, Brent Pearen on bass guitar, and David Caissy on electric guitar) has released eight studio records, including their latest, 2017’s Weathervane. That record’s first single, “Heart of the Heartland”, pays homage to small-town pride across the country.
VIDEO: “Get Back on My Horse – Doc Walker
Doc Walker’s Market Hall appearance is part of their cross-Canada “Acoustic Songs & Stories From The Heartland Tour”. According to the band, “We’ll be telling you stories and sharing songs the way we would in your kitchen or around the campfire.”
Tickets are $38 general admission in advance ($43 at the door) and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Tom Wilson’s Lee Harvey Osmond
Friday, February 8 at 8 p.m.
Tom Wilson of Lee Harvey Osmond. (Publicity photo)
Tom Wilson is certainly no stranger to Peterborough or the Market Hall, having performed here multiple times both as a member of roots super group Blackie & The Rodeo Kings (with Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing) and with his “acid folk” collective Lee Harvey Osmond.
As leader of Lee Harvey Osmond, the former Junkhouse frontman has released three studio records, including the band’s debut A Quiet Evil in 2009 (longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize), The Folk Sinner in 2013 (longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize and nominated for a Juno), and Beautiful Scars in 2015 (also longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize).
On January 25th, Lee Harvey Osmond will release its fourth record, Mohawk, featuring Ray Farrugia on percussion, Aaron Goldstein on steel guitar, Jesse Obrien on keyboards, and Anna Reddick on bass, with guests Darcy Hepner (brass and baritone sax), Paul Reddick (harmonica), Wilson’s son Thompson (guitar and vocals), and Suzanna Ungerleider of Oh Suzanna (backing vocals).
VIDEO: “Mohawk” – Lee Harvey Osmond
Mohawk is based on Wilson’s sudden discovery six years ago at the age of 53 of his Mohawk heritage. That discovery led to Wilson writing his acclaimed 2017 memoir Beautiful Scars – Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers and the Road Home. Wilson is also an artist, with his exhibition “Beautiful Scars: Mohawk Warriors, Hunter and Chiefs” currently showing at the Art Gallery of Burlington.
Lee Harvey Osmond’s Market Hall appearance is sponsored by kawarthaNOW.com. Tickets are $33 general admission or $38 for assigned cabaret table seats. For $48 ($53 table seat), you can also get a vinyl copy of Mohawk, autographed by Tom Wilson, with your ticket.
Tickets are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Matt Mays
Friday, February 15 at 8 p.m.
Matt Mays. (Publicity photo)
Canadian indie rock singer-songwriter Matt Mays is coming to the Market Hall for an intimate concert in support of his latest album Twice Upon a Hell of a Time.
The Juno award-winning musician, who was born in Hamilton but grew up in Nova Scotia, began his musical career as a member of the Halifax country rock band The Guthries and then became lead singer of Matt Mays & El Torpedo, which performed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 2006.
In 2012, Mays released his record Coyote, which went on to win the 2014 Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year. In 2017, he released Once Upon a Hell of a Time, inspired in part by the death of his bandmate Jay Smith in 2013 during the tour to support Coyote.
VIDEO: “Ola Volo” (Acoustic) – Matt Mays
This past October, Mays released an acoustic re-recording of Once Upon a Hell of a Time, entitled Twice Upon a Hell of a Time, and announced a 2019 tour to promote the acoustic record.
The tour will feature Mays, accompanied by his bandmates Adam Baldwin and Ryan Stanley (also known as The Dark Promises), performing tunes from the acoustic record as well as selections from his back catalogue. Baldwin will open the show with an acoustic set of his own songs.
Tickets are $35 general admission or $40 for assigned cabaret table seats, and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Whitehorse
Thursday, February 21 at 8 p.m.
Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland of Whitehorse. (Photo: Jen Squires)
If you missed Whitehorse at the Market Hall this past April, you have another chance to catch the husband-and-wife duo of Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland.
Since their debut in 2011, Whitehorse has evolved from a folk duo to a full-blown rock band, with a unique sound that includes elements of folk, country, and blues.
The group has released three full-length studio albums and three EPs on Six Shooter Records. Their 2015 record, Leave No Bridge Unburned, won the 2016 Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year, and they released their fourth studio album, Panther in the Dollhouse, in 2017.
VIDEO: “Who’s Been Talkin'” – Whitehorse
The duo just released a Christmas album, A Whitehorse Winter Classic, and a new EP, The Northern South Vol. 2, drops on January 18, 2019. The six-track EP features covers of traditional and classic blues tunes, including the first single, Howlin’ Wolf’s “Who’s Been Talkin'”, which is available now for streaming or download.
Tickets are $38 general admission or $43 for assigned cabaret table seats, and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Russell deCarle
Saturday, February 23 at 8 p.m.
Russell deCarle. (Publicity photo)
Best known as the lead singer, bassist, and one of the founding members of multi-platinum country-roots group Prairie Oyster, Russell deCarle has spent the last decade carving out his own solo career, concentrating on songwriting and rhythm guitar.
deCarle co-founded Prairie Oyster with Keith Glass in 1975. Over the next few decades, it became one of Canada’s most-loved, best-selling, and most-decorated country bands. The band played from 1974 to 1978 and, after a four-year hiatus, reunited in 1982. Between 1986 and 1996, Prairie Oyster garnered six Juno Awards and 11 Canadian Country Music Awards. In 2006, they released their final album, the self-produced One Kiss.
As a solo artist, deCarle released his debut record Under The Big Big Sky in 2010. He then formed the Russell deCarle Trio, with Steve Briggs on guitar and Denis Keldie on accordion, performing an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, country & western, Latin music, R&B, and western swing. Live at Loud Mouse Studios, released in 2014, is a professional recording of one of the trio’s concerts.
VIDEO: “Shooting Star” – Russell deCarle
deCarle’s most recent effort is 2017’s Alone In This Crowd, a collection of songs that mixes southern soul and restrained balladry, with obvious touches of jazz, blues, old-school country, and western swing. Steve Briggs and Denis Keldie again appear on this record, along with several other musicians including vocal support from Erin Costelo, Cindy Church, Karla Crawford, and Michelle Willis.
For his Market Hall show, deCarle will be joined by guitarist Steve Briggs (Bebop Cowboys, Sylvia Tyson, Murray McLauchlan, Carroll Baker, Leon Redbone), pianist John Sheard (Vinyl Cafe, Rita MacNeil, Ian & Sylvia Tyson, Rita Coolidge, Olivia Newton-John, Celine Dion), and bassist John Dymond (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn, Lindi Ortega, k.d. lang, Colin Linden).
Tickets are $30 general admission or $35 for assigned cabaret table seats, and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
The Outside Track
Wednesday, February 27 at 8 p.m.
The Outside Track. (Publicity photo)
One of the top Celtic acts in the world, The Outside Track features five musicians from Canada, Ireland, and Scotland who are united by a love of traditional music and a commitment to creating new music using this as a foundation.
Blending fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar, flute, whistle, step dance, and vocals with boundless energy and unmistakable joie de vivre, the group has won a large following around the globe. They’ve been named “Best Group” in both the Live Ireland awards and the Tradition In Review awards and were nominated as “Best Live Act” at the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards.
The band has released six records, with their self-titled debut in 2007, followed by Curious Things Given Wings in 2010, The Mountain Road in 2012, Flash Company in 2013 (which won the German Radio Critics Prize), Light up the Dark in 2015, and Rise Up in 2018.
VIDEO: “Dark Reels” – The Outside Track
The band — the current lineup is Ailie Robertson (harp, electro harp), Cillian O’Dalaigh (guitar, vocals), Fiona Black (accordian), Mairi Rankin (fiddle, vocals, step dance), and Teresa Horgan (vocals, flute) — is embarking on a 2019 tour of the UK, the U.S., Canada, and Germany in support of Rise Up, which Folk Radio UK calls “a magnificent album that puts The Outside Track firmly back in the spotlight, as one of the most accomplished bands on the international folk scene.”
Tickets are $25 general admission or $30 for assigned cabaret table seats, and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
Peterborough’s own singer-songwriter Melissa Payne will be opening the Market Hall show.
The PRHC Foundation Mombassadors celebrate at their sold-out “Girls Night Out” event on May 10, 2018 to raise funds for a new Electronic Fetal Monitor for the Labour & Delivery Unit at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). The Mombassadors, a group of women who all had their babies at PRHC, are encouraging you to donate to the PRHC Foundation this holiday season. (Supplied photo)
You may have already heard of the PRHC Foundation “Mombassadors”, a group of local women who all had their babies at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). But you might not know why these women have come together to encourage donations to our hospital.
Every day, PRHC’s Labour and Delivery Unit welcomes an average of four new babies to the world. Unfortunately, every year around 350 of these babies are born prematurely or suffer from health complications and need the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
While the most important thing is making these babies healthy, it’s also important to keep families together during this time of crisis. Providing neonatal care close to home means that mothers don’t have to be separated from their spouses or their other children. It means they don’t have to suffer the emotional and financial burdens of travelling to hospitals outside our region.
Your donations this holiday season will fund the equipment and technology that our hospital needs to deliver specialized care to its smallest patients close to home — keeping families together when they need each other the most.
Many people don’t realize government funding only covers a portion of what hospitals need to meet the best practices in patient care. It’s private donations from people like you that allow PRHC to purchase the technology and equipment to advance patient care — both for neonatal care and throughout the hospital.
Please read a message and watch a video from the 2018 PRHC Foundation Mombassadors below, along with the story of Jaspar — a premature baby born at PRHC this past October — and a message from Dr. Karolyn Hardy-Brown, PRHC’s Chief of Pediatrics. And then please consider giving more families the Gift of Hope by making a donation to the PRHC Foundation to fund the equipment and technology to make world-class neonatal care possible at your hospital.
This is the fourth of a series from the PRHC Foundation to show how your donations to our hospital make a real difference in the lives of real people. kawarthaNOW is sharing these stories of hope from patients, doctors, and parents. This week’s story is how donations help advance neonatal at our hospital.
A Message from the PRHC Foundation Mombassadors
Some of the members of the 2018 PRHC Foundation Mombassadors with staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). The cheque for $35,164.95 represents the proceeds raised during the group’s fundraiser for the PRHC Foundation to purchase a new Electronic Fetal Monitor for the Labour & Delivery Unit. (Supplied photo)
Hi. We are the PRHC Foundation Mombassadors.
We’re a group of local moms who all had our babies at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Last spring, we came together to form the PRHC Foundation Mombassadors because we’re passionate about making sure every woman and baby can get the same incredible care we did, when they need it most.
1,659 babies were born at PRHC last year. We’re told that an average of 350 babies a year need the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
That’s 350 babies that couldn’t go home right away. 350 sets of parents who spent sleepless nights worrying about the what ifs. 350 families who felt helpless as they waited for answers.
WATCH: PRHC Foundation Mombassadors and sisters Erin Marshall and Sarah McDougall Perrin share how incredibly important it was for both of their babies to have state-of-the-art, fully equipped Labour & Delivery and NICU right here in our community.
Ask anyone who’s needed the NICU (as some of us did), and they’ll tell you that having specialized care available close to home meant everything. It meant not being separated from our partners and children. It meant having family close by. It meant not having to struggle with the challenges that come with travelling for care.
Through partnering with the PRHC Foundation we have learned that donors were essential to bringing lifesaving neonatal care to our community. And for that we are forever thankful.
We want to make sure that outstanding care is available for moms and babies for years to come. So we are proud to be fundraising for Labour & Delivery and the NICU at PRHC as part of the Gift of Hope campaign.
Your 2018/2019 PRHC Foundation Mombassadors:
Marcy D’Alessandro, Erin Marshall, Sarah McDougall, Grace Reynolds, Kate Ahrens, Sarah Evans, Jennifer Moher, Jenni Bissell
Jasper’s Story
Dr. Melissa Fransky with Jasper and Andrew Taylor. (Supplied photo)
On October 26, 2018 Jasper Alexander Taylor was born prematurely at 34 weeks.
Leading up to Jasper’s birth, several visits to PRHC’s Labour & Delivery Unit were necessary. Over this time we were able to get to know the exceptional staff that work in this area.
The attentive, kind care that was provided was recognized and appreciated. We felt the Labour & Delivery nurses went above what is expected to help us feel comfortable.
After birth, Jasper required care on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for eleven days. This was an emotional and frightening time for our family. What made this experience tolerable were the nurses and doctors that cared for both our son and us as new parents.
As Jasper stabilized and grew stronger, the staff worked closely with us to give us the knowledge necessary to safely transition home. Jasper is now thriving and we are incredibly grateful.
It is difficult to know how to say thank you to those that made such an impact on our lives so we decided to honour the outstanding staff by making a donation to the PRHC Foundation in support of Labour & Delivery and the NICU.
Dr. Melissa Fransky + Andrew & Jasper Taylor
A message from Dr. Karolyn Hardy-Brown, Chief of Pediatrics at PRHC
Dr. Karolyn Hardy-Brown. (Supplied photo)
I think our community recognizes that our hospital not only provides care, but needs care from the community too.
It needs participation and engagement, and every time you give to the PRHC Foundation, you are contributing to the development of excellent care.
On behalf of all of us in the NICU, we thank you. Because of you, we are able to help our tiniest and most fragile patients go home sooner.
When you donate, the next time you see a tiny baby, know that you might have helped save that baby’s life.
Dr. Karolyn Hardy-Brown
Chief, Pediatrics, PRHC
The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation works with donors to fund the equipment and technology that form the backbone of patient care at PRHC — bringing new lifesaving services to our region, and helping attract and retain expert doctors, nurses, and staff. For more information, visit www.prhcfoundation.ca or call 705-876-5000. You can also follow the PRHC Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Kawartha Land Trust staff embrace a tree on the newly protected Pine Ridge property near Omemee. Planted in 1801, this is the second-oldest white pine on the property owned by Bob and Mary Hartley, who have entered into a conservation easement agreement with Kawartha Land Trust to protect the property for future generations. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Land Trust)
Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) has entered into a conservation easement agreement with the owners of a property near Omemee that contains some of the oldest trees in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
For the past 37 years, Bob and Mary Hartley have owned Pine Ridge, a 44-acre property that sits along the Hogsback Esker (Omemee Esker) just west of the Pigeon River. They entered into the agreement with KLT to ensure the property is protected in perpetuity.
Pine Ridge is unique in that the forest contains some trees that are estimated to be up to 215 years old. It also is home to musclewood trees, a species that does not usually live this far north. According to KLT, it is likely that the area’s sheltered valleys have created a microclimate in which these trees were able to survive.
Mary and Bob Hartley have owned the Pine Ridge property for the past 37 years, and decided to entered into a conservation easement agreement with Kawartha Land Trust to prevent the property from being developed in the future. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Land Trust)
There is a small man-made pond on the property, as well as a small abandoned agricultural pasture and a residence with a small barn. The land was used as a hobby cattle farm in the past and was also home to a small maple syrup business.
A special feature of the property is an eskar ridge of stratified sand and gravel, between 16 and 19 kilometres long. To prevent future development of gravel pits, the Hartleys decided to enter into the conservation easement agreement with KLT to provide long-term protection.
Conservation easements protect land for future generations by limiting certain types of uses or by preventing development, while allowing current and future owners to retain many private property rights and to live on and use their land.
Many species at risk are found in this area and benefit from the property’s connection to surrounding natural areas and a county-protected forest.
“This property is beautiful and has all kinds of unique features,” Mr. Hartley says. “I enjoy it every day when I walk it with my dog and when I jog through it three times a week.”
As part of the conservation easement agreement, Pine Ridge will not be open for public access. While KLT’s goal is to ensure public access, this is only done when such access is compatible with the long-term protection goals for the property and corresponds with the wishes of the land donor.
Property owner Bob Hartley examines an old-growth cedar tree at Pine Ridge. Some of the trees on the property are estimated to be up to 215 years old, the oldest in the Kawarthas Lakes. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Land Trust)
KLT is the only non-government charitable organization committed to protecting land in the Kawarthas. Since it was formed in 2001, KLT has protected 16 properties comprising 3,433 acres of land.
While KLT usually protects one new property per year on average, over the past year the organization has protected three environmentally significant properties — with more to come before the end of the year, according to KLT development manager Tara King, including a 34-acre property near Burleigh containing a portion of a Provincially Significant Wetland donated by Scott Wootton and Catherine Kirk.
“It’s an exciting time for conservation in this region,” King says. “With threats to the landscape continuing to increase, donors are seeing the importance to act now to protect nature before it’s gone.”
For more information about KLT, and to make a donation, visit kawarthalandtrust.org.
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