Along with other local Rotary clubs, the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha is all about serving the community, such as helping to fund Peterborough's first outdoor adult gym in Beavermead Park in 2018. But it's not all hard work in Rotary: there's also a strong social component featuring a lot of camaraderie and a lot of fun. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Almost everybody has heard about a local Rotary Club in their community, but a lot of people still believe Rotary is just a business club — even an old boys’ club — and that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, for example, is a group of around 40 women and men who are passionate about making a lasting difference in the community.
It’s true that Rotary began as a social organization for business professionals. Way back in 1905. Chicago lawyer Paul Harris brought together a small group of businessmen in his nondescript office in the 17-storey Unity Building and they decided to rotate subsequent meetings between each other’s offices, eventually leading to the club being named Rotary. As it happened, membership grew so dramatically that a permanent meeting place was soon sought and acquired. But the name stuck.
Some of the many members of the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, including Tom Bennett (fourth from left), at the 2018 Rotary Convention in Toronto. (Photo courtesy of Donna Geary)
In a small office at Stoneguide Realty Limited on Stewart Street in Peterborough — a workspace in many ways not unlike the one which Harris et al gathered all those years ago — Tom Bennett speaks one undeniable truth: “I couldn’t fathom my life without Rotary.”
Bennett, who unabashedly wears his membership in the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha like a revered medal of honour, is not alone.
In all corners of the globe and everywhere in between, 1.2 million men and women come together weekly in 33,000 club settings with the goal of making their communities better places to live for all, while enjoying the fellowship that is an inevitable by-product of their efforts.
Some famous Rotarians include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Sir Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Neil Armstrong, Pope Francis, Prince Charles, Bill Gates, and Angela Merkel.
Kawartha Rotary Club’s Syrian Sponsorship Committee members met over a celebratory luncheon with the Yakan family of Syria, who first arrived in Peterborough in early 2016 and have since been raising their young family and becoming productive members of the community. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
Since 1922, the formal name of the service organization has been Rotary International but in terms of what Harris envisioned all those years ago, little if anything has changed. That’s perfect in Bennett’s world.
“It was just a couple of days before my 30th birthday when I joined and there were a fair amount of members in their 30s and 40s,” he recalls.
“It was a hands-on, let’s-get-at-it club. Our club was chartered in 1989. In 1995, it was only six years old. We didn’t have the funds in the war chest, so it was more about the service work, rolling up our sleeves and doing projects side by side — a lot of camaraderie, a lot of fellowship, a lot of fun. That’s held on throughout the years.”
The Peterborough area is home to three Rotary clubs. Besides the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, which meets early each Thursday morning at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club, there’s also the Peterborough Rotary Club, which meets Mondays for lunch at the Holiday Inn, and the Rotary Club of Bridgenorth-Ennismore-Lakefield, which convenes Monday evenings at Chemong Lodge in Bridgenorth.
The 2018 Kawartha Rotary Christmas Auction raised funds for the purchase and training of Isaac, the newest member of the Peterborough Police Service’s Canine Unit, pictured with his handler Constable Bob Cowie. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
For Bennett, a realtor and Broker of Record with Stoneguide, the breakfast club “was a better fit” for him based on his work schedule. Now in his 25th year as a Rotarian, he served as club president in 2000/01 and seven years later was district governor, responsible for the governance of 44 Rotary clubs.
Service work on behalf of Rotary has brought him to St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, and to every province across Canada.
“What drove my joining Rotary was my grandfather was a Rotarian for close to 50 years … I also had an uncle who was a Rotarian,” says Bennett, a native of Scarborough and a Trent University grad who lived in Kingston for three years prior to returning to Peterborough.
In 2015, Kawartha Rotary made a commitment to raise $100,000 for Hospice Peterborough’s new palliative care centre. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
“When I got started in business here in Peterborough, I was looking for some way to get involved. I thought a good place to check out would be Rotary because it was something that was in our family blood.”
What was true then is true now, notes Bennett.
“Rotary is a great place, whether at the club level or at the district level, to learn skills. Business skills, presentation skills … there are a lot training opportunities for those that want to get involved in leadership.
“We have leadership training sessions every April and a big district conference every fall. That training has always been something that has helped me professionally; getting used to speaking in front of people, learning different management skills.”
Roger Neilson Public School principal Denise Humphries (right) cuts the ribbon on the Rotary Buddy Bench as Nate Loch, Rotarian Donna Geary, and Kawartha Rotary Club president Brian Prentice look on. Geary and her son Nate initiated the Rotary Buddy Bench program in Peterborough in 2017, donating a bench to St. Catherine’s Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough. The bench is intended to to reduce loneliness and foster friendships on the playground. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
With a current roster of more than 40 members, the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha has seen membership numbers trend higher and lower over the years.
“There’s always room for more members,” says Bennett, noting Rotary isn’t all just fun and games.
While fellowship is at the centre of all club activities, there remains a grander purpose: the raising of funds to support community initiatives and hands-on projects that see members bring their particular expertise and skills to the mix.
“The neat thing is we’re not a single focus club,” says Bennett.
The Rotary splash pad at Nicholls Oval was constructed in June 2013, funded by Kawartha Rotary, community donations, the City of Peterborough, and more. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
“We don’t have just one thing that we’re all working on. We’ve got so many different facets,” he explains.
“For people that like doing international work, we have a group of people involved in international projects. If you like community work, there are community projects. If you like working with youth, we have those opportunities too. There are so many different projects on the go all the time. Members choose to be as involved as they want to be.”
The list of projects and causes undertaken by the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha is long and impressive, including:
A commitment of $100,000 — Kawartha Rotary’s largest donation ever — in support of Hospice Peterborough’s the new palliative care centre.
The Rotary Splash Pad at Nicholls Oval, for which the club raised funds.
The outdoor gym in Beavermead Park, which was funded and built in 2017 in partnership with the Peterborough Rotary Club and the City of Peterborough as a sesquicentennial gift to the city.
The recent funding of the acquisition and subsequent training of Isaac, a police dog who’s now a full-fledged member of the Peterborough Police Service.
The two buddy benches donated to local elementary schools, designed to reduce loneliness and foster friendships on the playground.
The 25 Little Free Library stations located throughout Peterborough, where users can leave a book for each one they take. Bennett has a station on his front lawn.
There’s also the Adventures in Understanding program, which Bennett points to as a great example of a member bringing an idea to the club, no matter how ambitious, and being encouraged to pursue it.
First proposed by Rotarian Don Watkins, it sees First Nations youth, together with local high school students and new Canadians, make a multi-day canoe trek from Beavermead Park to Curve Lake, learning about Indigenous culture as well as some pretty important life lessons.
VIDEO: “Adventures In Understanding” – a short film by Rodney Fuentes
“So many of the projects that we have done or things we have accomplished have come down to one person with a passion who got it started and built the support around it … Don did that,” says Bennett, admitting that attracting new members while maintaining the status quo is a challenge in a society where the demands on people’s time are greater than ever before.
“You have to look at ways to stay relevant and be interesting. One of the keys for Rotary is our projects are flexible so anybody can bring forward an idea and, if they build support, we can do it. But not every club member has to be involved in every project. There’s something for everybody … it’s pick and choose.”
In 2015, as part of its 25th anniversary, Kawartha Rotary installed 25 Little Free Library stations in neighbourhoods around Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
Besides those projects that are hands-on for members — Rotarians do a major clean-up of River Road twice a year as well as volunteer with the Warming Room and One Roof — Rotary has raised considerable for funds for a number of Peterborough infrastructure projects.
The Four-Way Test
In the early 1930s, Chicagoan Herbert J. Taylor, in a bid to save the Club Aluminum Products Distribution Company from bankruptcy, scripted a moral code as part of a recovery plan he hoped would change the ethical climate of the company.
The following decade, when he was a Rotary International director, he gave Rotary permission to use the 24 words he wrote as a four-way test “of the things we think, say or do.”
To this day, Rotarians worldwide recite The Four-Way Test to open every meeting:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
The Peterborough Regional Health Centre, the Balsillie Family YMCA ,and Hospice Peterborough are but a few of the benefactors of Rotarians’ support and efforts.
Still, for all that activity, Bennett says the Rotary experience comes down to one indisputable fact: “It’s fun … we have a lot of laughs.”
“Some of the closest friends I have are Rotarians, and not just here in Peterborough but throughout the district. You make friendships around the world and the experiences you have are incredible.”
To that point, Bennett points to a trip he took to New Zealand and a Rotary meeting he attended while there.
“The next morning I was shearing sheep because the club president was a sheep farmer. I had made some joking comment about it and the next morning he had us out to do that. You’re always meeting great people and accomplishing things you never thought you would — and making a difference.”
Professing to be “a lifer” in terms of his Rotary commitment, Bennett stresses new members are always welcome, their ability to give time to projects not held up as a measuring stick for which they will be judged.
“You can be involved as little or as much as you want — it’s really up to individual — but you will be welcomed with open arms. It’s always been that way and that will never change. Fellowship is still the focus.”
Those interested in learning more about Rotary are invited and encouraged to come out to the Peterborough Golf and Country Club off Armour Road any Thursday morning. Meetings start at 7:20 a.m. but members start gathering at 7 a.m.
“If you like what you see and hear, you can come back and we’ll get you involved as a member,” Bennett says.
For more information about the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha and current projects its members are involved in, visit portal.clubrunner.ca/220. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For membership inquiries, contact Paul Landau at 416-402-2461 or plandau2@yahoo.com.
Rebecca Thomas served as Halifax's first Indigenous poet laureate from 2016 to 2018. The Mi'kmaw activist and slam poet is one of two keynote speakers at the third annual International Women's Day Conference in Nogojiwanong / Peterborough on March 8, 2019. (Photo: Rebecca Thomas / Facebook)
Rebecca Thomas is creating social change, one poem at a time.
Thirteen Moons Wellness hosts International Women’s Day Conference
When: Friday, March 8, 2019 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Where: Ashburnham Reception Centre (840 Armour Rd., Peterborough) How much: $145
Featuring keynote speakers Rebecca Thomas and Deborah Kimmett and six 75-minute workshops. Ticket price includes two keynote speakers, your choice of one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop, and lunch and refreshments. For more information and to register, visit www.iwdptbo.ca.
When dabbling in writing as a teenager, Thomas had no notion that decades later her poetry would be used as a platform to explore identity, conflict, politics, and what it means to be young and Indigenous in Canada.
An award-winning spoken-word poet, Thomas draws on personal experience when composing her monologues to demand attention on charged social issues — like cultural appropriation, inequality, racial injustice, and healing historic wounds.
Her writing is a spark in the Indigenous struggle for equity and significantly influenced by history and her family, she says. Her dad is a survivor of addiction and the residential school system.
“Indigenous people have had their voices silenced for a long time,” says Thomas, a senior consultant for diversity and inclusion for the province of Nova Scotia. “You hear interpretations of our experiences, but you never hear directly from us.”
Inspired by hip hop culture and born in Chicago in the 1980s, slam poetry is a spoken performance of poems that is often emotive and emphatic.
“My poetry is very vulnerable and raw,” she says. “I don’t mince words. It’s not a performance — it’s me, my happiness, my frustration, my anger, and my sadness on full display.”
Slam poetry has much power in its lines to make people take note of issues it raises, says Thomas, who led the Halifax Slam Poetry team three years in a row, taking HaliSlam to the semi-finals in 2016.
VIDEO: “Matoax” – Rebecca Thomas
When she’s on stage speaking straight from the heart about her life experiences and Indigenous culture, it can be shocking and uncomfortable for many people, she notes, at times dredging up ignorant and racially fuelled hate. She hopes her poetry will draw her audience in to stand with and not against her.
“I write about Indigenous history and perspective,” Thomas says. “I often call on people to be better and become active in making our community a better place. I want people to think for a moment that their perspective as a non-Indigenous person isn’t the only perspective.”
Thomas, a Mi’kmaw, grew up in Riverview, New Brunswick, and is a member of the Lennox Island First Nation, P.E.I. She completed her masters of social anthropology at Dalhousie University. What shaped her sense of being a Mi’kmaw person didn’t come from growing up on reserve, she says, but through her experience with Indigenous communities while attending university in Halifax.
Rebecca Thomas completed her masters of social anthropology at Dalhousie University in Halifax. (Photo: Nick Pearce / Dalhousie University)
Working at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre and attending Dalhousie’s Native Education Counselling Unit brought Thomas together with other Indigenous people.
“It was at these urban indigenous hubs where I was meeting people like me,” she recalls. “It was wonderful and validated my experience. I also learned that the majority of Indigenous people live in urban centres which really helped me feel secure in saying who I was.
“A lot of my experiences came from understanding that my Indigenous background was just as valid had I grown up on a reserve. For a while, I saw myself as less than someone who didn’t grow up on a reserve because I don’t speak the language, drum, or dance.”
Thomas notes it was during her time at Dalhousie University that she learned her father’s story was her story, too. This fuelled her motivation to foster spoken word poetry as a way to give marginalized communities a voice, to inspire social change and positive action.
“The more I learned about my culture, the more I became enraged. What was taken from my dad was also taken from me. So I started getting involved with activism and working towards getting an Indigenous voice out there. As an Indigenous woman who speaks out, there is often backlash and something I’ve been navigating and trying to persevere.”
As Halifax’s poet laureate until last spring — the first Indigenous person to hold the role — Thomas used her time in that role to speak out about social issues and spur change, much like her predecessors El Jones and Tanya Davis.
She wrote a poem called “Not Perfect” about Halifax founder Edward Cornwallis and performed it at City Hall as part of her laureate duties. Her words prompted Halifax’s regional council to reopen debate over how the city commemorates its controversial founder, who had issued a bounty on the scalps of Mi’kmaw men, women, and children (his statue was later removed from a downtown park).
VIDEO: “Not Perfect” – Poet Laureate Rebecca Thomas at Halifax Regional Council in 2017
During a Canada 150 celebration last year, Thomas took to the stage to address colonial oppression in the poem, “What Good Canadians Do”.
Thomas will deliver her melodic and powerful spoken word poetry to women in Peterborough-area women as one of two keynote speakers at the third annual International Women’s Day Conference, hosted by Thirteen Moons Wellness, that takes place on Friday, March 8th at the Ashburnham Reception Centre in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough.
Propelled by her own experiences, Thomas will speak on how softness can be just as sharp as an edge. She says even though having a thick skin allows a person to have a secure enough sense of themselves so that they don’t feel constantly at risk, being soft is a different kind of heroism that is often overlooked — noting that we need to be kind and move from defensiveness and take a chance on being vulnerable.
“Softness is often seen as passive or ineffective, but I think it has a real power. It takes incredible strength to maintain softness; it’s not a weakness. If you want to be soft, then be soft. It’s okay. But, if you need to be hard to protect yourself, that’s okay, too.”
Don’t miss your chance to hear Thomas speak at International Women’s Day Conference Peterborough. For more information about the conference and to register, visit www.iwdptbo.ca.
2018 Maple Blues Award winner Emily Burgess with brothers Rico and Marcus Browne in their trio The Emburys. The Toronto Blues Society named Burgess as New Artist/Group of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards ceremony on February 4, 2019. (Photo: Karol Orzechowski)
Peterborough musician Emily Burgess has won the 2018 Maple Blues award for New Artist/Group of the Year.
The awards were presented by the Toronto Blues Society last night (February 4) at Koerner Hall in Toronto.
The singer-songwriter and guitarist, who is now on her way to the U.S. for a tour with her band The Emburys, posted about the win on her Facebook page. As a nominee, she said she was planning to attend the awards but then got a surprise call.
“I gotta say, yesterday was pretty nuts,” she writes. “I thought we were just going to go to the MBA’s and enjoy the show. Then at 1 pm, while still in Peterborough, got the call to fill in a performance spot at the awards and had to get to Toronto ASAP.”
She went on to thank her community.
“Thank you to the land of dreams called PETERBOROUGH and the incredible music community we have here.”
Damn this thing is heavy! Emily Burgess & The Emburys are so honoured to have received the New Artist/Group Maple Blues…
According to the Toronto Blues Society, “The New Artist or Group of the Year is awarded to any group or individual, new to the national blues scene, who has made considerable advances artistically and/or commercially during the eligibility period.”
Burgess’ fellow nominees in the category were Cootes Paradise, Dan Doiron, Deb Rhymer, and Elliott & The Audio Kings. The winner was selected through online voting.
Burgess is well known to Peterborough residents for her solo performances, as well as playing with The Weber Brothers since 2014 and more recently her own trio The Emburys (with brothers Rico and Marcus Browne on bass and drums respectively).
Emily Burgess performing with Ryan Weber in The Weber Brothers Band in 2015. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW)
She grew up in Mississauga and began taking piano lessons as a child but switched to guitar at the age of 14. Burgess majored in guitar at Humber College and graduated at 22 years old.
She then began touring with the 24th Street Wailers, writing two songs and playing guitar on the band’s 2015 Juno-nominated album Wicked. She started playing guitar and touring with The Weber Brothers in 2014 and then formed The Emburys.
In November 2017, she released her debut solo album Are We In Love?, produced by The Weber Brothers. The Emburys are currently touring in support of the album, heading to the U.S. for a string of dates in February.
VIDEO: “Til I Get To Call You My Own”
Here’s the complete list of winners of the 2018 Maple Blues Awards:
Male Vocalist of the Year – Colin James
Female Vocalist of the Year – Angel Forrest
Drummer of the Year – Lindsay Beaver
Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year – David Vest
Blues Booster Award – The Hornby Island Blues Society
Acoustic Act of the Year – Big Dave McLean
Electric Act of the Year – Colin James
Horn Player of the Year – Shirley Jackson
Harp Player of the Year – Steve Marriner
Guitarist of the Year – Sue Foley
Bassist of the Year – Laura Greenberg of the JW-Jones Band
The Cobalt Prize for Contemporary Blues Composition – Ann Vriend – “It’s Happening”
B.B. King International Artist of the Year – Buddy Guy
Recording Producer of the Year – Dave Meszeros for Colin James’ Miles to Go
Nominations are now open for the Women's Business Network of Peterborough's (WBN) Judy Heffernan Award for a female entrepreneur, mentor, or student. The award honours the memory of the late Judy Heffernan, a long-time member of WBN and former general manager of the Peterborough Community Futures Development Corporation. Nominations are also open for the WBN's Women In Business Award. Both awards will be presented on April 9, 2019. (Photo: Christina Robertson)
This week’s round-up of business news includes the opening of nominations now open for the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough’s Judy Heffernan Award and Women In Business Award, an investment of $12.3 million by the Ontario government to expand natural gas access in Kawartha Lakes, a donation by the City of Peterborough and HotSpot Parking of $16,256 in parking fees to Kawartha Food Share, the County of Peterborough seeking nominations for its 2019 Recognition Awards, and Robin Binèsi Cavanagh joining The Canadian Canoe Museum as the new Director of Indigenous Peoples’ Collaborative Relations.
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.
New regional business events added this week include the Innovation Cluster hosting a tax preparation workshop with Gauvreau & Associates in Peterborough on February 19th and Trent University’s Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Centre presenting Drew Dudley in Peterborough on February 28th.
Coming in March, Harvest Haliburton is hosting a Food and Agriculture Economic Development Forum in Minden on March 5th, the Lindsay Chamber is hosting its annual general meeting in Lindsay on March 6th, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosting the inaugural Business & Entrepreneurship Conference in Peterborough on March 28th
Nominations now open for Women’s Business Network of Peterborough’s Judy Heffernan Award and Women In Business Award
Louise Racine, owner of Thirteen Moons Wellness in Norwood, was the 2016 recipient of the Judy Heffernan Award. She used the proceeds from the award to launch the first International Women’s Day conference in Peterborough. (Photo: Ash Naylor Photography)
Nominations are now open for the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough’s annual Judy Heffernan Award and the Women In Business Award.
The Judy Heffernan Award is named in honour of the late Judy Heffernan, a long-time member of WBN and former general manager of the Peterborough Community Futures Development Corporation. She was a tireless promoter of the entrepreneurial dreams and passions of women and acted as a catalyst who empowered and motivated women to have the courage to pursue their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs.
The award will be given to an entrepreneur, mentor, or student who embodies Heffernan’s legacy of humbly helping others succeed. Previous recipients include Louise Racine (2016) and Sofie Andreou (2015).
The Women in Business award will recognize a woman who demonstrates leadership which has led to job creation, innovation, and increased business acumen. The award will also recognize the recipient’s impact on the community at large, including fundraising, volunteering, and other contributions.
Previous recipients include Gwyneth James of Cody & James Chartered Professional Accountants (2016), Amy Simpson of MicroAge (2015), Kerri Davies of Canadian Mental Health Association HKPR (2014), Kyla Gutsche of Cosmetic Transformations (2013), Sally Harding of Nightingale Nursing (2012), Sheridan Graham of The County of Peterborough (2011), Jean Grant of The Toy Shop (2010), Kathy Windrem of BDO Canada (2009), Mary LaRocque of Marlin Travel (2008), Tina Johnston of Fandango Spa (2007), Kim Paget of Paget Dental (2006), Jeannine Taylor of kawarthaNOW.com (2005), Helen Hamilton of Costume King (2004), and Gail Courneyea of Angels of Flight (2003).
Originally created by the Peterborough Examiner, the awards were not presented in 2017 or 2018. The two awards are now being organized and presented by the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. The deadline for nominations is 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16th. Nominees will be announced after March 17th, and the awards will be presented at a dinner on Tuesday, April 9th at the Parkway Place Banquet Hall.
Province of Ontario invests $12.3 million to expand natural gas access to Fenelon Falls, Cameron and Cambray
Ontario infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton speaks with Cornerstone Furnishings co-owner Diane McNamara in Fenelon Falls. (Photo: Office of Monte McNaughton)
The Ontario government is investing a total of $12.3 million to expand natural gas access to Fenelon Falls, Cameron, and Cambray.
Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton and Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock MPP Laurie Scott made the announcement in Fenelon Falls last Friday (February 1).
The expansion project is already underway, led by Enbridge Gas Inc. So far, 32 homes and one business have already been connected. When completed, the project will allow an estimated 1,370 households and 155 businesses access to natural gas in Fenelon Falls, Cameron and Cambray.
Depending on their current fuel source, households and businesses can save up to $1,050 per year on energy costs by switching to natural gas.
“Switching from oil to natural gas would bring the store’s annual heating bill down from about $9,000 to $3,500,” says Diane McNamara, co-owner of Cornerstone Furnishings in Fenelon Falls.
The project will allow an estimated 1,370 households and 155 businesses access to natural gas in Fenelon Falls, Cameron, and Cambray. So far, 32 homes and one business have already been connected.
After making the announcement in Fenelon Falls, McNaughton also visited Peterborough to tour the renovated Peterborough Public Library along with the waste water treatment plant.
City of Peterborough and HotSpot Parking donate $16,256 in parking fees to Kawartha Food Share
City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien (third from left) presents a cheque for $16,755.99 to Kawartha Food Share. The donation includes $16,256 in parking fees raised during the December two-hour free parking campaign in downtown Peterborough, along with a $500 donation from the campaign’s sponsor, HotSpot Parking. (Photo; City of Peterborough)
Last Monday (January 29), the City of Peterborough and HotSpot Parking announced a donation of $16,256 in parking fees to Kawartha Food Share.
The funds were raised in December by people who opted to pay for parking during the two-hour free downtown parking campaign during the holidays.
The donation will allow Kawartha Food Share to purchase $100,000 worth of food.
This year’s campaign was sponsored by HotSpot Parking, a service launched in Peterborough in December that allows people to pay for parking using an app on their phone. Since HotSpot launched, 1,602 drivers have registered to pay for parking using the HotSpot app.
HotSpot also announced an additional $500 donation to Kawartha Food Share.
County of Peterborough seeking nominations for its 2019 Recognition Awards
The County of Peterborough is seeking nominations for its 2019 Recognition Awards, which recognize residents or groups in the County of Peterborough who has raised the profile or made an extraordinary contribution to the community.
There are 10 award categories: Accessibility Recognition, Acts of Heroism, Agricultural Leadership, Business Leadership, Community Volunteer of the Year, Environmental/Sustainability Recognition, Heritage Preservation, Leadership in Arts and Culture, Sporting Excellence, and Youth.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 15th. Nomination forms are available online at ptbocounty.ca/awards, at the County of Peterborough offices located at 470 Water Street in Peterborough. and from any local municipal office, township fire chiefs, local police service boards, schools, libraries, area chambers of commerce, and community care organizations.
Award recipients will be announced in May and the awards ceremony will take place on Friday, May 24th at the Ennismore Community Centre.
Robin Binèsi Cavanagh joins The Canadian Canoe Museum as the new Director of Indigenous Peoples’ Collaborative Relations
Robin Binèsi Cavanagh. (Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum)
Last Wednesday (January 30), The Canadian Canoe Museum announced that Robin Binèsi Cavanagh in the new position of Director of Indigenous Peoples’ Collaborative Relations at the museum.
According to a media release, the new position reflects the museum’s commitment to build and foster relationships with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in the planning for the new 85,000-square-foot facility beside the Peterborough Lift Lock. Around one third of the museum’s collection is of indigenous origin, which includes birch bark and dugout canoes and skin-on-frame kayaks from communities across Canada.
Cavanagh, who resides in Young’s Pint, is a member of Sagamok First Nation. He will play a key role in facilitating collaborative relations at the museum.
“I am honoured to be a helper, and a facilitator, and to join the museum at this exciting time in its evolution,” Cavanagh says. “Guided by the artifacts in the collection and with the canoe as the connector, we will be building on the relationships the museum has in regions across Canada.”
Haliburton Highlands Chamber hosts breakfast meeting with MPP Laurie Scott in Haliburton on February 5 (Postponed)
Note: This event has been postponed due to expected poor weather.
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting its next “The Breakfast Club” event from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 5th at McKeck’s Tap and Grill (207 Highland St., Haliburton).
Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock MPP and Minister of Labour Laurie Scott is the guest speaker. She will talk about her role as Minister of Labour and what she is planning on for 2019.
The cost is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for non-members.
Peterborough Chamber PBX at Peterborough Business Hub on February 5
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next Peterborough Business Exchange (PBX) takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5th at Peterborough Business Hub (398 McDonnel St., Peterborough).
The PBX networking event is a great opportunity for the business community, employers, consumers, and community agencies to make valuable connections.
RBC Dominion Securities hosts workshop in Cobourg on February 7
RBC Dominion Securities is hosting a workshop from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 7th at Venture13 Innovation Centre (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
The workshop is intended for investors concerned about recent market volatility. The event will help you understand the options, risks, and opportunities that exist in today’s capital markets.
The workshop is free and refreshments will be served.
Peterborough Chamber hosts breakfast meeting with Dr. Doug Lukinuk in Peterborough on February 12
The next Peterborough Chamber of Commerce “Chamber AM” breakfast meeting takes place from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 12th at Carousel Restaurant & Tavern (116 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough).
Dr. Doug Lukinuk of Peterborough Max Living Chiropractic Centre will speak on the topic “Stress Overload and the Entrepreneur”.
Networking begins at 7 a.m., with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (when you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room), followed by the speaker at 8 a.m.
There is no cost for the event (order what you like and pay for what you order).
Peterborough Chamber presents Power Hour with local elected officials on February 12
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is presenting its annual “Power Hour” featuring Peterborough’s elected officials from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 12th at The StoneHouse Hall (2195 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough).
The Power Hour is a lively interactive dinner and question-and-answer session with Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, and City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien.
Peterborough City and County councillors, along with the Chief Administrative Officers of the City and County of Peterborough and First Nations leaders, will be invited to join individual tables.
The event will be recorded for broadcast on Cogeco’s YourTV Peterborough/Lindsay.
Tickets are $65 per person or $450 for a table of seven for Chamber members, and $75 per person or $525 for a table of seven for non-members.
Kawartha Chamber annual general meeting in Lakefield on February 13
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is holding its annual general meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 13th at The Village Inn (39 Queen St., Lakefield).
The meeting will feature highlights from 2018 and the election of the 2019 board of directors. The 2017-18 annual report will be circulated to members before the meeting.
Nomination deadline for Haliburton Chamber’s Business & Community Achievement Awards on February 14
Nominations are being accepted for the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce’s 13th Annual Business & Community Achievement Awards until Thursday, February 14th.
There are awards in 11 categories: Business Achievement, New Business, Customer First Business, Customer First Employee, Tourism & Hospitality, Innovation & Creativity, Skilled Trades & Industry, Young Professional of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Not-For-Profit of the Year, and Highlander of the Year.
The awards gala will be held on Saturday, March 30th at the Pinestone Resort & Conference Centre.
Innovation Cluster hosts tax preparation workshop with Gauvreau & Associates in Peterborough on February 19
The Innovation Cluster is hosting “Hands-ON: Tax Prep with Gauvreau & Associates” from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19th in the large ground floor boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Tyler Powers CPA of Gauvreau & Associates will provide attendees with information on business structures (sole proprietor vs. corporation), structure of the tax return for sole proprietors, and the importance of bookkeeping in preparing the Statement of Business Activities for your tax return. The workshop will also cover accrual vs. cash, recording revenue, deductible business expenses, capital assets, and more.
Port Hope Chamber holds its annual general meeting in Port Hope on February 26
Port Hope & District Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual general meeting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26th in the Sculthorpe Theatre at Cameco Capital Arts Centre (20 Queen St., Port Hope).
Trevor McPherson, vice president of member services at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, will be the guest speaker.
The meeting will also feature the election of new board members, review and approval of by-law revisions, new style guidelines and marketing materials, and more.
Agilec hosting spring hiring fair in Peterborough on February 26
Employment services company Agilec is hosting a multi-employer hiring fair from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26th at Northminster United Church (300 Sunset Blvd., Peterborough).
Numerous employers looking to hire part-time, full-time, and seasonal positions will be in attendance.
For more information, contact Arlayna Curtin at Agilec at 705-740-2577 ext. 5210 or acurtin@agilec.ca.
Trent University’s Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Centre presents Drew Dudley in Peterborough on February 28
The Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Centre (ESIC) at Trent University is presenting leadership guru Drew Dudley from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 29th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Dudley is the founder and chief catalyst of Day One Leadership, Inc., which helps organizations around the world increase their leadership capacity. His clients have included some of the world’s most dynamic companies and organizations, including McDonald’s, Dreamworks Animation, JP Morgan Chase, and over 75 colleges and universities.
This event is run in collaboration with the Royal Bank of Canada and the Innovation Cluster.
Harvest Haliburton hosts Food and Agriculture Economic Development Forum in Minden on March 5
Sustainable food association Harvest Haliburton is hosting the Food and Agriculture Economic Development Forum from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5th at the Minden Community Centre (55 Parkside St., Minden).
The forum is a chance for interested residents, food producers, farmers, retailers, restauranteurs, elected politicians, municipal staff, and others to learn about the exciting food and agriculture-related projects underway in Haliburton County. Participants can also discover how they can support and shape the future of the local food sector.
Staff from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will deliver a keynote address on the tools and strategies available to help the area’s local food sector thrive. There will also be discussion topics including selling and branding local food, culinary and food tourism, municipal food planning, and more.
The forum is free to attend and includes a lunch showcasing ingredients from many of the area’s primary food producers.
Lindsay Chamber hosts its annual general meeting in Lindsay on March 6
The Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual general meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6th at The Auk’s Lodge on Fleming College’s Frost Campus (200 Albert St. S., Lindsay)
You can view the Chamber’s activities and successes of the past year, learn about Chamber initiatives for the year ahead, and review the 2018 financial statement. A motion will be passed for member to accept the next slate of board members.
Refreshments will be provided by The Olympia Restaurant and a cash bar will be available.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts inaugural Business & Entrepreneurship Conference in Peterborough on March 28
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is bringing together business owners from across Peterborough & the Kawarthas for the inaugural Business & Entrepreneurship Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28th at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (1030 Armour Rd., Peterborough).
This is a must-attend event for entrepreneurs looking to learn from industry thought leaders, network with like-minded professionals to develop partnerships and collaboration, and grow and improve their business. Keynote speakers are Nikki Pett on the topic “Relationship Marketing” and Darrell Keezer on the topic “Digital Disruption”, wiht special guest speaker George Anastasopoulos.
There will be an afternoon panel on customer service in the digital age features local business people include Katie Dempsey of Blind Ambition, Bob Gauvreau of Gauvreau & Associates, Mike Watt of Providence/S.O.S./Flavour Fashion, Scott Murison of Wild Rock, and Nicole Truman of Fox Law.
Early bird tickets $40+HST until February 15th ($55 after February 15th) and include breakfast and lunch.
Otonabee Conservation has issued a water safety statement for the entire Otonabee watershed region.
A water safety statement is issued when conditions, such as high flows and unsafe banks, pose a serious safety risk.
Warm air temperatures and rain are expected throughout the Otonabee watershed region over the next two days. Rainfall is expected to begin Monday evening (February 4) and continue into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 millimetres are expected.
The mild air temperatures will reach a maximum of 10°C this afternoon and stabilize at 6°C overnight, before dropping below zero by Tuesday afternoon.
Otonabee Conservation is advising area residents to keep away from all water bodies and watercourses, as well as dams, culverts, bridges, and other water conveyance structures, and to also observe extreme caution anywhere water can be seen to be accumulating and ponding.
The water safety statement remains in effect until Wednesday, February 6.
The Otonabee Conservation watershed region. (Map: Otonabee Conservation)
A serious two-vehicle accident on February 3, 2019 on Highway 28 on the hill between Big Cedar Lake Road and Mt. Julian Viamede Road. (Photo courtesy of Geri-Lynn Cajindos)
Highway 28 north of Burleigh Falls was closed on Sunday (February 3) due to a serious head-on collision between two vehicles.
The accident occurred at around 2 p.m. on the hill between Big Cedar Lake Road and Mt. Julian Viamede Road south of Woodview.
Peterborough County OPP closed Highway 28 between Northey’s Bay Road and Big Cedar Lake Road until around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night, detouring traffic onto Northey’s Bay Road.
Police have closed Highway 28 between between Northey’s Bay Road and Big Cedar Lake Road, and are detouring southboad traffic onto Northey’s Bay Road. (Photo courtesy of Geri-Lynn Cajindos)
Geri-Lynn Cajindos, who was returning home with her family from Apsley, tells kawarthaNOW that emergency services had to partially dismantle one of the vehicles to extricate at least one person.
A media release issued by the OPP on Monday (February 4) states that a vehicle was travelling southbound when it crossed the centre line and collided with a northbound vehicle.
A female passenger in the northbound vehicle suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to a Toronto area hospital by Ornge Air Ambulance. The drivers were transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Highway 28 was closed so police could document the accident scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
As for Cajindos, the trip home for her and her family, normally a 45-minute drive, took two-and-a-half hours.
A vehicle also went off the road on County Road 6. (Photo courtesy of Geri-Lynn Cajindos)
While taking the Northey’s Bay Road detour, she also encountered another accident on County Road 6. She says the people appeared to walk away from the accident.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Environment Canada has issued a fog advisory for Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland.
Patchy dense fog will develop this evening (February 3) and will become more widespread near midnight, resulting in visibility near zero at times.
The dense fog will persist into Monday morning and is expected to become patchy Monday afternoon.
Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero. Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility. If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance.
Environment Canada issues fog advisories when near-zero visibility in fog is expected or occurring.
Public Energy is bringing two dance performances by Austrailian indigenous artists to Peterborough in February, including the dance troupe Djuki Mala from a remote island off the tip of northern Austrailia. The five dancers fuse their traditional Yolngu culture with pop culture, dance, clowning, and storytelling in a February 5, 2019 show at Showplace that appeals to audiences of all ages. On February 19, 2019, dance artist Victoria Hunt presents her solo dance work "Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka" at the Market Hall. (Supplied photo)
In February, Public Energy Performing Arts is taking Peterborough audiences on a trip down under with two dance presentations from Australian indigenous artists Djuki Mala and Victoria Hunt.
These dance artists, who bring fresh ideas and energy to the stage as well as insightful views to indigenous Australia and New Zealand, have been selected for Public Energy’s main stage season by curator Patti Shaughnessy.
Djuki Mala at Showplace Performance Centre on Tuesday, February 5th
First up is the acclaimed dance company Djuki Mala, who will be performing at Showplace Performance Centre on Tuesday, February 5th.
The five dancers come from Elcho Island, a remote community off the northern tip of Australia owned by the Yolngu, an indigenous people who have lived there for at least 50,000 years.
VIDEO: Zorba the Greek Yolngu style – The Chooky Dancers
Originally calling themselves the Chooky Dancers (“chook” is Australian slang for chicken), the group came to prominence in 2007 when they posted a YouTube video of 10 dancers performing a routine to the tune of “Zorba the Greek” on a basketball court in Ramingining in Australia’s northern territory.
Within 12 weeks, the YouTube video had 500,000 views (it now stands at almost 2.9 million views), and the dance troupe immediately found themselves in demand.
Since then, Djuki Mala — they changed their name in 2014, with “djuki” being an adopted word for chook and “mala” meaning people who share a common feature — has created a number of shows that fuse traditional Yolngu culture with pop culture, dance, clowning, and storytelling.
Djuki Mala fuses traditional Yolngu culture with pop culture, dance, clowning, and storytelling in a family-friendly performance. (Publicity photo)
Dressed in traditional costumes and ochre, with gaga (spears) and galpou (spear thrower), Djuki Mala creates an exciting spectacle that appeals to all ages.
They have performed to sold-out audiences around the world, including China, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
As much as the traditional dance, the comedic element that makes up a Djuki Mala performance has its origins in Yolngu culture; in fact, clowning has been part of Yolngu culture longer than many of the traditional dances themselves.
VIDEO: Djuki Mala in performance
The show tells the genesis of Djuki Mala, interspersed with multimedia, and gives audiences the opportunity to experience some of the more intimate moments and turning points that have shaped them.
The family-friendly performance takes place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5th at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) and will be followed by an on-stage question-and-answer session with the artists.
Tickets are $22 ($12 students and underwaged, $7 high school students) and are available in person at the Showplace Box Office, by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org. There is an additional $3 ticketing fee when buying online.
Victoria Hunt at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday, February 19th
In “Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka”, Australian dance artist Victoria Hunt interweaves her experience of reconnecting with her Maori heritage with the story of Hinemihi, an ancestral Maori meeting house that was relocated from its New Zealand home to England in the 19th century. (Supplied photo)
A completely different dance performance takes place two weeks later, when Victoria Hunt presents her solo show Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday, February 19th.
A dance artist based in Sydney, Australia, Hunt’s heritage is Maori, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. In 2003, Hunt went to Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) and met her relations for the first time. She was taken to Tarawera mountain and lake and introduced to tribal stories and ceremonial practices.
There, she heard the story of the 1886 volcanic eruption that displaced her ancestors from their land. Over 150 people died in the eruption of Mount Tarawera, but others were protected from the ash and mud by sheltering themselves in a meeting house built in 1880 from native totara wood by two local carvers. The meeting house was named Hinemihi after a noted female ancestor, renowned in Maori legend for keeping the company of a giant lizard.
Maori meeting house Hinemihi after the eruption of Mount Tarawera in New Zealand in 1886. The building, which sheltered Victoria Hunt’s ancestors during the eruption, was dismantled and transported to England five years later. (Photo: A A Ryan / Hinemihi Collection)
After the eruption, the survivors relocated to a nearby community and Hinemihi was left behind, almost buried in debris. In 1892, William Hillier Onslow — the Fourth Earl of Onslow and retiring Governor of New Zealand — purchased Hinemihi for 50 pounds as a memento of his time in New Zealand. He had Hinemihi dismantled and shipped to his home in Surrey, England, where she remains to this day under the care of the National Trust UK.
Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka interweaves the journey of Hinemihi with Hunt’s own experience of finding family, of reconnecting with culture, and of learning from land, ancestors, and peers.
Using sophisticated special effects and evocative sound, with beautifully suggestive dancing and her native Maori language, Hunt and her collaborators have created a world of rupture and foreboding and of resilience and joy.
“Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka” uses sophisticated special effects and evocative sound, along with beautifully suggestive dancing and the Maori language. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
Hunt’s production of Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka will be performed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough) and will be followed by an on-stage question-and-answer session with the artists.
Tickets are $25 ($15 for students and the underwaged and $10 for high school students) and are available in person at the Market Hall Box Office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
VIDEO: “Copper Promises: Hinemihi Haka” – Victoria Hunt
The annual Blue Valentine tribute to singer-songwriter Willie P. Bennett, who died of a heart attack in his Peterborough home on February 15, 2009, takes place at The Garnet in downtown Peterborough on Sunday, February 10, 2019. (Photo: Willie P. Legacy project)
As we crawl slowly towards the end of winter, we can rejoice in knowing that soon the cold weather will shift towards spring. Although the weather will remain mostly frigid for the month, there is a lot of excellent live music in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here are just a few of the shows happening this month.
TakeFive Ensemble at The Loft in Cobourg on February 3
Classical fans will love to take in the TakeFive Ensemble at The Loft (201 Division St., Cobourg, 905-372-2210) on Sunday, February 3rd.
Chamber classics by Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Handel-Halvorsen, and Dvorák will be performed by violinist Lynn Kuo (assistant concertmaster of the NBC Orchestra), violinist Csaba Koczó (assistant principal second violin of the COC Orchestra), violist Theresa Rudolph, assistant principal viola of the TSO), cellist Emmanuelle Beaulieu Bergeron (associate principal cellist of the TSO), and Shoshana Telner (the renowned pianist who made her solo orchestral début with the National Arts Centre Orchestra at the age of 16).
Tickets are $25 plus fees and HST and the show begins at 3 p.m. Advance tickets are available at the Victoria Hall Box Office at 905-372-2210 on online at concerthallatvictoriahall.com.
VIDEO: Shoshana Telner plays Liszt
The Watched Pots at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 7
The Watched Pots bring their tunes to The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Thursday, February 7th.
This relatively new local project is described as “a three-piece female band from Nogojiwanong who have reclaimed the sounds and experiences of the kitchen to combine feminist topics with humour. The band strives to make music more accessible for those who typically consider themselves to be non-musicians.”
The group is debuting some new songs off of their upcoming album. Tickets are available at the door with a sliding scale of $5 to $10. The show begins at 8 p.m.
Erin Clancy, Demi Mathias, and Melissa Hennig are The Watched Pots. (Photo: The Watched Pots)
Pine Box String Band at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 8
Let me paint a picture for you: it’s Friday, you just finished the work week, you’ve got tickets for the Lee Harvey Osmond show, but you want something to do before dinner as a buffer from the week. Well, head to The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) for a happy hour show from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring Peterborough’s own Pine Box String Band.
You’ll hear old-timey blues tunes played with soul and a whole lot of good vibes. Bring some cash, as the show is a pass-the-hat gig, and get ready for some Friday fun.
VIDEO: “Bring Another Half Pint” – Pine Box String Band
Tom Wilson as Lee Harvey Osmond at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 8
kawarthaNOW and Peterborough favourite Tom Wilson returns for an album release show of his new Lee Harvey Osmond record Mohawk on Friday, February 8th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146).
Wilson may be best known for his role in Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and also as the frontman in ’90s Hamilton rock band Junkhouse, but Lee Harvey Osmond may be among his finest work. The tunes are moody and truthful and full of musical layers that bring the listener into Wilson’s world one note at a time. Each show is seething with a depth rarely found in live performance.
The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $33 for general admission and $38 for cabaret table seats (for an extra $15, you can get an autographed copy of Mohawk on vinyl), available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
VIDEO: “Forty Light Years” – Lee Harvey Osmond
Blue Valentine tribute to Willie P. Bennett at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 10
Folk music legend and former Peterborough resident, the late great Willie P. Bennett, will be honoured on Sunday, February 10th at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107).
Blue Valentine is an annual show featuring some friends of Willie P. and other Peterborough musicians who love his music, paying tribute both with his songs and songs about the brilliant songwriter who passed away 11 years ago, on February 15, 2008.
Musical acts will include Pat Temple, Benj Rowland, Charlie Earle, David Berger, Sweet Muriel, Kim Doolittle, Dennis O’Toole, event host Washboard Hank, and many more.
This is always a very special event and admission first come, first served. Thee show runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and a musical appreciation bucket will be passed around.
VIDEO: “Blackie And The Rodeo King” – Willie P. Bennett (1977)
VIDEO: “Patience of a Working Man” – Willie P. Bennett (1993)
VIDEO: “Willie’s Diamond Joe” – Willie P. Bennett (2001)
Matt Mays at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 15
Nova Scotia rock and roller Matt Mays brings old favourites and songs from his new record Twice Upon a Hell of a Time to Peterborough for a stripped-down show on Friday, February 15th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146).
Mays is a Juno award-winning artist whose discography is acclaimed and numerous. For this show he will be touring with bandmates Adam Baldwin and Ryan Stanley. And the rumours are true: our vrey own Melissa Payne will be joining Mays onstage as part of his band for this concert.
The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 for general admission seats and $40 for a reserved spot at a cabaret table, available at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
VIDEO: “Station Our of Range” – Matt Mays
Whitehorse at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 21
It’s hard not to love husband-and wife-band Whitehorse. Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet have carved out a fabulous career together with numerous albums under their belt and a sound that is all their own.
On Thursday, February 21st, they return to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) to perform tunes from their latest record The Northern South Vol. 2, along with songs from their previous albums.
You can describe them many ways. Ethereal folk. Space cowboy twang. Intergalactic blues. There may not be enough adjectives to pull together a cohesive description of their chameleon-like musical vibes and brilliant on-stage chemistry. Oh, and the Juno Award winners were just nominated this month for another Juno: Adult Contemporary Album of the Year for their 2018 Christmas album A Whitehorse Winter Classic.
The show, which begins at 8 p.m., is almost sold out, with just a few general admission tickets remaining for $38. Get yours now at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
VIDEO: “Baby, Scratch My Back” – Whitehorse
Lunar Bloom, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, and Mary-Kate Edwards at The Garnet in Peterborough on February 22
There will be a triple bill of excellent acts at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Friday, February 22nd as Toronto group Lunar Bloom and their lovely harmonies take the stage along with Newfoundland’s Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, with local Mary-Kate Edwards opening the show.
A mix of folky vibes with deep lyrics and a whole lot of fun will be on tap for the evening. Tickets are $10 or pay what you can at the door. The show begins at 9 p.m. sharp.
VIDEO: “Monster” – Lunar Bloom
VIDEO: “Cleaning Up My Mess” – Jessica Pearson and the East Wind
Russell deCarle at the Market Hall in Peterborough on February 23
Russell deCarle, best known as the lead singer and founding member of country-roots group Prairie Oyster, performs at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough, 705-749-1146) on Saturday, February 23rd at 8 p.m.
deCarle is a talented singer-songwriter who’s latest album Alone in This Crowd has a certain vintage feel to it. It sits somewhere between country and soul, chock full of rich and compelling tunes all sung with his wonderful voice.
Joining deCarle for the evening will be 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 for general admission and $35 for cabaret-style seats. You can order tickets at the Market Hall Box Office or online at markethall.org.
VIDEO: “Shooting Star” – Russell deCarle with Steve Briggs and Denis Keldie
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