Actors Asha Hall-Smith and Danny Waugh (with Jonathan Shatzky in the background) during media day on July 24, 2019 for 4th Line Theatre's August production, the world premiere of "Carmel" by Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow. The play, is the third in the Barnardo children series of plays ("Doctor Barnadro's Children" and "Wounded Soldiers") written by McLachlan and Winslow, follows the struggles of a family to hold on to their Cavan Township farm during the Great Depression. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
Robert Winslow and Ian McLachlan have something pretty special, which is far from being a fluke if one considers the words of American industrialist Henry Ford.
4th Line Theatre presents Carmel
When: Performances at 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays (August 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-31, 2019) with additional performance at 6 p.m. on August 26 2019. Opening night Thursday, August 8, 2019. Where: The Winslow Farm (779 Zion Line, Millbrook) How much: $40 adults, $34 youth, $28 for preview nights (August 6 & 7)
Tickets available by calling 1-800-814-0055 or 705-932-4445, online www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca, emailing boxoffice@4thlinetheatre.on.ca, at in person at 4th Line Theatre’s box office (4 Tupper St., Millbrook) or at the Peterborough Museum and Archives (300 Hunter St. E., Peterborough).
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.”
In the late 1980s, Winslow and McLachlan first came together to co-write the play Pioneer Chainsaw Massacre, which detailed the closure of the Peterborough-based Pioneer chainsaw company.
After Winslow founded 4th Line Theatre in 1992, it didn’t take long for the spark that ignited that creative coupling to re-ignite as they co-wrote Crow Hill: The Telephone Play (1997), The Orchard (1998), Doctor Barnardo’s Children (2005), and Wounded Soldiers (2014).
Now, with their collaboration as co-writers of Carmel, 4th Line Theatre’s second production of the summer season, they are enjoying continued success.
“It’s always difficult to write with somebody else but, most of the time, it’s not for us because it’s a collaboration essentially based on trust,” notes McLachlan, sitting down for a chat Wednesday (July 24) at the Winslow farm near Millbrook, the scenic home of 4th Line Theatre.
Advertisement - content continues below
“We recognize that the other person has different kinds of approaches, has different talents,” McLachlan adds. “Rob knows this part of the world in a way in which I could never know it. What we have found over the years is a way of combining the different styles and the different capacities that we have.”
That dynamic aside, it makes plain sense that Winslow and McLachlan would again work together to write Carmel as it picks up the story they initiated with Doctor Barnardo’s Children and continued in Wounded Soldiers.
VIDEO: Carmel – Behind the scenes at 4th Line Theatre (video produced by 705 Creative)
Set on Carmel Line in Cavan Township circa 1937, Carmel follows the struggles of a family to keep its farm during the Great Depression.
In addition, the storyline touches on local labour history of the period, in the form of a strike at the Bonnerworth plant in Peterborough, and also features references to the Spanish Civil War.
“In the 1930s, in just about every country in the world, working people struggled to survive,” explains McLachlan.
“That struggle embodied two kinds of forces. One was a material need to actually work with what you’ve got. You’re not getting new equipment. You don’t have enough to eat, so you have to grow it somehow, or you have to find it, or you have to fish it. On the other hand, running through the 1930s in just about every culture you can think of was the drive of idealism to make a better world.”
“These two things come together in this play: making do with what you’ve got, but also idealism in the sense of dreaming of something different.”
4th Line Theatre founder and creative director Robert Winslow, who co-wrote “Carmel” with Ian McLachlan and directs the play, which runs from August 6 to 31, 2019 at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
For his part, Winslow — who is also directing Carmel — says continuing the story started by Doctor Barnardo’s Children is particularly appealing to him.
“I like following people’s lives,” he says, noting there are two more chapters to this story that will be written and staged in the future.
“I also like that it allows us to look at different periods of history. We looked at the pre First World War period and then we looked at the World War One period. Now we’re looking at the 1930s … the Great Depression. In the next one (tentatively titled Eleanor) we’ll be looking at the 1950s, and then the final one will probably be set in the 1980s.”
The storyline for Carmel emerged from the recording of an oral history as related by Winslow’s cousin Harold Lunn, a market gardener who was involved with the Peterborough market for 60 years.
“I sat down with him before he died. He told me the whole story of his life. I found it very compelling. It was a very moving story.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Winslow adds Carmel is basically a tale of family and the resulting dynamic that is common to families to this day.
“There’s a line in David Lynch’s movie The Straight Story where this old guy is helping a young girl, a runaway who’s pregnant and doesn’t want to go back to her family. He puts a bunch of sticks together. He can’t snap them and he says ‘That’s family.’ I grew up here on the farm with my mom and dad and all my cousins and all the people that worked here … people were coming here all the time and playing music.”
“I know family is still big in a different way, but if you look at the country people and how they go through tough times … well, it’s personal. It’s country people and the times they went through before I was born. I grew up hearing those stories.”
Among the cast members of Carmel is someone who’s much better known for her musical talent than her theatrical resumé, which to this point has been a blank page.
Ennismore musician Melissa Payne, being interviewed by kawarthaNOW’s Paul Rellinger, has her acting debut in the role of Audrey Barstow in “Carmel” at 4th Line Theatre in August. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
“I got a call from (4th Line managing artistic director) Kim (Blackwell) and Robert,” recounts Melissa Payne, a singer-songwriter and fiddle master from Ennismore. “They asked me to come out to the farm for a quick audition.”
Payne, who admits to being “pretty intimidated initially,” impressed with her audition and landed the role of Audrey Barstow — a role model to a niece who is “an advocate for her and a good woman to follow.”
“I’m dipping my toes in the water,” admits Payne, who was persuaded to go to that audition by her close friend and music collaborator Kate Suhr (who performs in 4th Line Theatre’s current production, Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable).
Even more appealing to Payne is that the role features her doing what she does best: singing as well as playing fiddle and guitar.
“I had never acted in my life but in this play I get to hold my instruments a lot. That’s my safety net. I’m putting myself out there and so far, so good. It’s a ton of work but it’s a nice consistent job. And I’m at this beautiful farm hanging out with great people.”
Payne makes particular mention of the benefit of working with 4th Line’s long-time musical director Justin Hiscox.
“He (Justin) has created beautiful music. It’s making me a better player. I’m going home and practising my fiddle. That’s something you don’t do after a shift at daycare.”
Asha Hall-Smith, Danny Waugh, Jonathan Shatzky and Melissa Payne perform a scene from Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow’s new play “Carmel”, the third in the Barnardo children series of plays. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
Also featured in the cast is a load of McQuarries: five kids and their mom who call Peterborough home.
“Twenty-five per cent of our cast is MacQuarries,” muses Winslow before returning to the dynamics of his relationship, both personal and professional, with McLachlan, who is also an award-winning novelist and a Professor Emeritus of cultural studies at Trent University.
“I’m very lucky to have him (McLachlan) as a collaborator. We can kick ideas back and forth and we accept each other’s ideas. We’re critical but we’re still supportive. All the years that we have worked together have been a real gift. It’s not easy to find someone to work with creatively. Even The Beatles broke up.”
Carmel also stars Kevin Bundy and Kristina Nicoll in their 4th Line debuts as Walter and Abigail White, the twin pillars of the White family around whom the story is related. Other cast members are Danny Waugh, Kelsey Powell, Andrew Pedersen, JD Nicholsen, Mark Hiscox along with his brother Justin, and — also making his Winslow Farm debut — Jonathan Shatzky.
Advertisement - content continues below
Featuring musical direction and original songs written by Justin Hiscox with original lyrics by Ian McLachlan, costume design by Meredith Hubbard, set and sound design by Esther Vincent, and fight direction by Edward Belanger, Carmel runs August 6th to 31st, Tuesday through Saturday, with curtain at 6 p.m. There will be an added performance Monday, August 26th, also at 6 p.m.
Advance tickets can be purchased by phone at 705-932-4445, online at www.4thlinetheatre.ca, at 4th Line Theatre’s box office in Millbrook at 4 Tupper Street and in Peterborough at the Peterborough Museum and Archives at 300 Hunter Street East (atop Armour Hill). Tickets can also be purchased from 4 to 6 p.m. on performance nights at the Winslow Farm (779 Zion Line, Millbrook) but are subject to availability.
Carmel is the second of two productions staged by 4th Line Theatre this summer. Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable, written by Beau Dixon and directed by Kim Blackwell, wraps up its run this Saturday (July 27).
Jonathan Shatzky, Melissa Payne, Asha Hall-Smith, and Danny Waugh at media day on July 24, 2019 for 4th Line Theatre’s August production, the world premiere of “Carmel” by Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
Since 1992, 4th Line Theatre has developed and presented 32 original plays based on regional history and culture, all presented at the Winslow farm. 4th Line Theatre’s mandate remains to “preserve and promote our Canadian cultural heritage through the development and presentation of regionally based, environmentally staged historical dramas.”
The new Netflix original series "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance" premieres on Netflix Canada on August 30th. Based on Jim Henson's fantasy world of Thra, when three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis' power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world. (Photo: Netflix)
Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada.
New and returning Netflix original series include: season two of Sacred Games (no date specified); volume three of Dear White People, season two of Derry Girls (August 2); volume four of Patriot Act with Hasan Minha (August 4); Dollar, Wu Assassins (August 8); season four of Cable Girls, The Family, season three of GLOW, and Sintonia (August 9).
Other Netflix originals coming in August include: 45 rpm, Better Than Us, season two of Mindhunter, season three of Beyond the Lights (August 16); Hyperdrive (August 21); season two of Million Pound Menu (August 27); and The A List, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and season two of Droppin’ Cash (August 30).
VIDEO: “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” Teaser
Non-Netflix returning series include season two of The Sinner (August 20) and season five of How to Get Away With Murder (August 22).
Netflix original films are light in August, but include Otherhood (August 2), The Little Switzerland and Sextuplets (August 16), and Falling Inn Love (August 29).
Newer and older theatrical films coming to Netflix in August include: Bad Teacher, Logan Lucky, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Smurfs, Training Day (all on August 1); The Lego Ninjago Movie (August 5); Apollo 13, Blue Crush, Marvel Studios Avengers: Age of Ultron, Friday Night Lights, Being John Malkovich (August 7); Dunkirk (August 12); Bridget Jones’s Diary, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (August 15); Instant Family (August 16); Blade Runner 2049 (August 26); and Flatliners (August 31).
VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in August
Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in August, along with what’s leaving.
Advertisement - content continues below
Coming in August (no release date specified)
Sacred Games: Season 2 (Netflix original) – As Mumbai’s fate hangs in the balance, Sartaj Singh chases a connection to Ganesh Gaitonde’s third father, an enigmatic guru with a catastrophic plan.
Thursday, August 1st
Bad Teacher
Battle: Los Angeles
Catch and Release
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Jungle
Kidnap
Logan Lucky
The Chef’s Line: Season 1
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Mummy
The Smurfs
Training Day
Friday, August 2nd
Ask the StoryBots: Season 3 (Netflix family) – The StoryBots are standing by to field more questions from curious kids — from “Why do people look different?” to “Where does chocolate come from?”
Basketball or Nothing (Netflix original) – Follow the Chinle High basketball team in Arizona’s Navajo Nation on a quest to win a state championship and bring pride to their isolated community.
Dear White People: Volume 3 (Netflix original) – As the students of Winchester embrace new creative challenges and romantic possibilities, a charismatic professor shakes up life on campus.
Derry Girls: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Change may finally be coming to Northern Ireland. But the high school hardships of Erin and her friends show no signs of letting up.
Otherhood (Netflix film) – Feeling forgotten on Mother’s Day, three best friends leave the suburbs and drive to New York City to surprise their adult sons.
Overlord
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Season 3 (Netflix family) – Catra and Adora journey to the Crimson Waste, looking for redemption and answers, while Hordak’s portal research puts Etheria’s very reality at risk.
Sunday, August 4th
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 4 (Netflix original) – In this weekly show, Hasan Minhaj brings his unique comedic voice and storytelling skill to explore the larger trends shaping our fragmented world.
Monday, August 5th
Enter the Anime (Netflix original) – Seeking to understand anime, Tania Nolan interviews filmmakers behind notable productions from “Castlevania” to “Aggretsuko,” “Kengan Ashura” and more.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie
No Good Nick: Part 2 (Netflix family) – Steps away from being exposed as an impostor, Nick works harder, faster and smarter to right the Thompsons’ wrongs and spring her father out of jail.
Wednesday, August 7th
About Time
Apollo 13
Marvel Studios Avengers: Age of Ultron
Being John Malkovich
Blue Crush
Friday Night Lights
In Good Company
Ray
Take Me Home Tonight
The Wizard
Thursday, August 8th
Dollar (Netflix original) – Beautiful executive assistant Zeina reluctantly teams up with self-assured Tarek to chase down an elusive dollar bill worth $1 million.
The Naked Director (Netflix original) – In 1980s Japan, one determined man turned every crushing setback into opportunity. His name was Toru Muranishi, and he revolutionized his industry.
Wu Assassins (Netflix original) – The last in a line of Chosen Ones, a wannabe chef teams up with a homicide detective to unravel an ancient mystery and take down supernatural assassins.
Friday, August 9th
Cable Girls: Season 4 (Netflix original) – Amid social changes in 1931, the friends get tangled in a murder mystery and must work together to solve it before one of them is sentenced to death.
The Family (Netflix original) – Investigative journalists expose The Fellowship, a Christian fundamentalist organization quietly operating in the corridors of power in Washington, D.C.
GLOW: Season 3 (Netflix original) – As the gang kicks off a run of shows in glamorous Las Vegas, power struggles, sexual tension and shifting priorities threaten their bond.
The InBESTigators (Netflix family) – Four very different kids start their own detective agency and vlog about their adventures, becoming fast friends in the process.
Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling (Netflix family) – After 20 years in space, Rocko returns to a technologically advanced O-Town and makes it his mission to get his favorite show back on the air.
Sintonia (Netflix original) – Three teens living in the same São Paulo favela pursue their dreams while maintaining their friendship, amid a world of music, drugs and religion.
Spirit Riding Free: Pony Tales (Netflix family) – Find the fun and adventure of “Spirit Riding Free” in this quick mix of music videos and bite-sized stories featuring Lucky and all of her friends!
Tiny House Nation: Volume 1
Advertisement - content continues below
Saturday, August 10th
Bon Cop Bad Cop 2
Monday, August 12th
Dunkirk
Tuesday, August 13th
Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready (Netflix original) – Comedian and Girl’s Trip breakout star Tiffany Haddish introduces the world to six of her favorite comedians in Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready – a bold new collection of hilarious half-hour stand-up comedy specials. Hosted and executive produced by Haddish and She Ready Productions, the special features a diverse group of comedians with whom she shares a personal history, including Chaunté Wayans (Wild n’ Out), April Macie (Last Comic Standing), Tracey Ashley (The Last O.G.), Aida Rodriguez (Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar), Flame Monroe (Def Comedy Jam), and Marlo Williams (BET’s Comicview). Legendary comic Wanda Sykes and veteran producer Page Hurwitz also serve as executive producers via their production company Push It Productions.
Thursday, August 15th
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Cannon Busters (Netflix anime) – A robot, a renegade and a sensational pink Cadillac join the infectiously upbeat friendship droid S.A.M. on her quest to find her missing best friend.
My Sister’s Keeper
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Friday, August 16th
45 rpm (Netflix original) – Forming an uneasy love triangle, three characters with ties to the music industry set out to create a new record label and live a rock-and-roll lifestyle in the conservative political environment of 1960s Spain.
Apache: La vida de Carlos Tevez (Netflix original) – Based on the life of Carlos Tevez, this series follows the Argentine soccer player, from his troubled childhood growing up in a low-income neighborhood riddled with crime, to his debut for Boca Juniors.
Better Than Us (Netflix original) – Set in Moscow in a not-so-distant future where human beings coexist with robots, a man finds himself entangled in the first murder committed by an experimental humanoid.
Diagnosis (Netflix original) – Based on Dr. Lisa Sanders’ hugely popular column in The New York Times Magazine, Diagnosis follows various patients on their respective journeys toward finding a diagnosis, and potentially a cure, for their mysterious illnesses. By combining the power of global crowdsourcing, social media, and established medical expertise, each case is untangled with illuminating new insights that had previously eluded doctors. From award-winning executive producers Scott Rudin, Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn, and in association with The New York Times, Diagnosis explores the life-changing impact of receiving a diagnosis for individuals who’ve been searching for answers, and the healing that comes with connecting with others who can empathize with their experiences.
Frontera verde (Netflix original) – When a young Bogotá-based detective gets drawn into the jungle to investigate four femicides, she uncovers magic, Nazis and her own true origins.
Instant Family
Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus (Netflix family) – When Zim suddenly reappears to begin Phase 2 of his evil alien plan to conquer Earth, his longtime nemesis Dib sets out to unmask him once and for all.
The Little Switzerland (Netflix film) – The discovery of the tomb of William Tell’s son in a town in the Basque Country spurs the village’s cantankerous citizens to lobby for Swiss annexation.
Mindhunter: Season 2 (Netflix original) – The Behavioral Science Unit’s killer instincts move from theory into action when the FBI joins in a high-profile hunt for a serial child murderer.
QB1: Beyond the Lights: Season 3 (Netflix original) – Three football phenoms set for stardom — Spencer Rattler, Lance LeGendre and Nik Scalzo — navigate the ultimate season of their high school careers.
Sextuplets (Netflix film) – Father-to-be Alan is shocked to learn that he was born a sextuplet (all played by Marlon Wayans). With his newfound brother Russell riding shotgun, the duo sets out on a hilarious journey to reunite with their remaining long-lost siblings.
Super Monsters Back to School (Netflix family) – Vida’s starting school in Pitchfork Pines, and the Super Monsters are helping their friend adjust to everything that’s new and different.
Victim Number 8 (Netflix original) – After a terrorist attack shakes downtown Bilbao leaving destruction in its wake, police launch an investigation to hunt down the attackers.
Tuesday, August 20th
Here Comes the Boom
Simon Amstell: Set Free (Netflix original) – Honest, introspective comic Simon Amstell opens up about his neuroses, coming out to his father, relationships and more in a new stand-up special.
The Sinner: Julian
Wednesday, August 21st
American Factory (Netflix original) – From Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy Award®-winners Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar (“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant,” “A Lion in the House,” “Seeing Red”) comes a Netflix Original Documentary presented by Higher Ground Productions and Participant Media. The acclaimed film takes a deep dive into a post-industrial Ohio, where a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant and hires two thousand blue-collar Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
Hyperdrive (Netflix original) – Elite street racers from around the world test their limits in supercharged custom cars on the biggest, baddest automotive obstacle course ever built.
Thursday, August 22nd
How to Get Away with Murder: Season 5
Love Alarm (Netflix original) – In a world where an app alerts people if someone in the vicinity likes them, Kim Jojo experiences young love while coping with personal adversities.
Friday, August 23rd
El Pepe: Una vida suprema (Netflix original) – This documentary follows José “Pepe” Mujica, former political prisoner turned Uruguayan president, as he talks about his life, ideals and the future.
The Girl with All the Gifts
HERO MASK: Part II (Netflix anime) – A former LIVE scientist’s daughter may hold the key to exposing its crimes, if James can keep her alive and the SSC can fend off their new director.
Advertisement - content continues below
Monday, August 26th
Blade Runner 2049
Tuesday, August 27th
Million Pound Menu: Season 2 (Netflix original) – A new slate of food entrepreneurs who are determined to open up their own restaurants pitch delicious concepts to a panel of choosy investors.
Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 7 (Netflix family) – The next chapter in the Trolls’ hair-raising adventures. Join Poppy, Branch and their friends as they explore a fantastical world with new creatures, bigger adventures, and more parties!
Thursday, August 29th
Falling Inn Love (Netflix film) – When city girl Gabriela (Christina Milian) spontaneously enters a contest and wins a rustic New Zealand inn, she teams up with bighearted contractor Jake Taylor (Adam Demos) to fix and flip it.
Kardec (Netflix film) – This biopic from director Wagner de Assis (“Nosso Lar,” 2010) tells the story of French influential author Allan Kardec, the founder of Spiritism.
Friday, August 30th
The A List (Netflix original) – Where pleasantries end, a chilling new normal begins. Welcome to the majestic — and mysterious — Peregrine Island.
CAROLE & TUESDAY (Netflix anime) – Part-timer Carole meets rich girl Tuesday, and each realizes they’ve found the musical partner they need. Together, they just might make it.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix original) – The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.
Droppin’ Cash: Season 2 (Netflix original) – This Complex series follows the paper trail of musicians and athletes in Los Angeles as they blow through stacks on the finer things in life.
The Glass Castle
La Grande Classe (Netflix film) – Two best friends return to their hometown for a middle school reunion, hoping to show up their former bullies and reconnect with teenage crushes.
Mighty Little Bheem: Season 2 (Netflix family) – Join Bheem for another season of playful antics and superpowered feats as he cheerfully dodges danger and makes friends in unlikely places.
Styling Hollywood (Netflix original) – Stylist and interior designer Jason Bolden and husband Adair Curtis of JSN Studio make the magic happen on the red carpet and at home for A-listers.
Un bandido honrado (Netflix original) – A mafia boss decides to reform and get away from his past crimes and sins. But he soon finds that the path to redemption is full of temptation.
Vis a Vis: Season 3 (Netflix original) – The core group of Cruz del Sur’s inmates are transferred to a new prison, where a merciless, insular gang is in charge and planning an ambitious escape.
A man who allegedly stole a car is dead following an incident involving police in Peterborough on Tuesday night (July 23).
At around 8:35 p.m., the Peterborough Police Service observed a stolen vehicle in Millbrook and followed the vehicle to the area of The Parkway and Sir Sandford Fleming Drive in Peterborough.
At that point, the suspect vehicle was involved in a serious collision with another vehicle.
According to a media release, during an interaction with police, the man driving the suspect vehicle suffered a serious injury, and was later pronounced deceased in hospital.
While the media release does not specify that the man was shot by police, reports on social media indicate police had drawn their weapons.
Still in complete shock by what I just friggin witnessed….driving home from Peterborough and this red Mustang comes…
The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has been called in to investigate. Any further information on the incident will be released by the SIU.
According to Global News Peterborough, SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon has confirmed the incident was a “fatal police-involved shooting”.
Peterborough Diane Therrien and Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef hosted a meeting at The Mount Community Centre in Peterborough on July 23, 2019 and subsequently released a 10-point plan for a rapid response to the homelessness and housing issue in Peterborough. Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones (left) and Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith also attended the meeting. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef hosted and spoke at a meeting on Tuesday (July 23) at The Mount Community Centre in Peterborough to discuss the homelessness and housing issue in Peterborough.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith and Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones also spoke at the meeting, whose attendees also included other elected officials, city staff, developers, and front-line workers.
The meeting at The Mount Community Centre in Peterborough included elected officials, city staff, developers, and front-line workers. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
Following the meeting, Mayor Therrien and MP Monsef issued the following joint statement.
As a result of today’s meeting at the Mount Community Centre, a 10-Point Plan for a Rapid Response to Homelessness and Housing has been established. The plan consists of the following:
Immediately implement recommendations arising from the Rapid Response to Homelessness and Housing Meeting on July 23 to provide more supports and services to encourage those living rough to move indoors.
Mayor will strike a Rapid Shelter Task Force to determine a Plan A and Plan B for more permanent, low-barrier shelter for the most vulnerable in our community, with a report due to Council in 60 days.
Willing government partners will help the Task Force by providing staff to form a Secretariat.
Willing government partners will help the Task Force by suggesting community experts to form the membership of the Task Force.
The voices of those living rough in our community, as well as community experts and advocates, will be heard through the development of the Task Force report and the future creation of low-barrier shelter through multiple avenues, including representation on the Task Force and consultations.
City of Peterborough will continue to develop its Official Plan to ensure that creative solutions for housing are available to the community, such as allowing for tiny homes through zoning and by-law amendments, and will look to create an inventory of land that could be made available for affordable housing development.
Willing government partners will continue to work together to support a community response to the opioid crisis and mental health needs, including by supporting a Consumption and Treatment Site.
A public summit will be held on August 13 to ensure the community can help inform the path forward.
Willing government partners will work with community and service providers, as well as willing local developers, over the next 60 days to create new applications to the National Housing Strategy that meet the housing needs of the City and County of Peterborough and that move to build 2,000 units over the next two years.
Regular information updates about progress on this plan will be delivered to internal partners and to the community at large.
In the short term, we will continue actively working with the County of Peterborough to identify immediate solutions. The Peterborough Public Library is providing a temporary space for emergency shelter from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day. Staff from the Brock Mission and City of Peterborough Social Services are stationed at the Library to help connect people with more permanent housing and shelter, as well as critical support services, and the Library continues to function as usual during the day. As well, 15 additional beds have also been opened at the YES Shelter, which are being made available to people of any age who are in need.
The City has been vigorous in its on-going efforts to find a low-barrier shelter location for some of Peterborough’s most vulnerable citizens. City outreach workers have been visiting locations where people are camping to reach out and help connect them with available services and shelter, and the Peterborough Police Service and first responders deserve to be commended for their work ensuring the public safety.
Construction of the new Brock Mission is imminent, more single mothers and their children are being housed through YWCA’s Homeward Bound program, and another 1,432 families in Peterborough-Kawartha have found affordable housing with the assistance of more than $7 million in federal government investments. Good work to build affordable housing in Peterborough has been done for many years by groups like the Mount Community Centre, and supported by the federal government.
However, we know that more housing is needed. We know that Peterborough needs 2,000 new units in the next two years as part of a longer-term plan for housing. Through the combined efforts of everyone in attendance at today’s meeting — elected officials, including MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones and City councillors, City staff, land developers, private investors, front-line workers – and with billions of funding available through the first-ever federal National Housing Strategy, which is already delivering early results to our community, we can make this ambitious goal happen — if we work together.
When Peterborough is presented with challenges, we always rise to the occasion to not only meet them, but exceed them. We make the impossible possible. Together, we will ensure everyone has a home they can be proud of and feel safe in.
Brian Kerr, CEO and general manager of Kawartha Dairy in Bobcaygeon, has been profiled by the Globe and Mail. A Bobcaygeon native who previously worked for Kraft Heinz Canada, Kerr has been working at Kawartha Dairy since September 2018. (Photo via strategyonline.ca)
businessNOW™ is the most comprehensive weekly round-up of business and organizational news and events from Peterborough and across the Kawarthas.
This week’s business and organizational news includes Kawartha Dairy CEO and general manager Brian Kerr being profiled in the Globe and Mail, federal funding announced to make Peterborough a ‘green economy hub’, the launch of the PedalBoro multi-passenger bike service in downtown Peterborough, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation making an $837,838 first-quarter payment to the City of Peterborough, the Peterborough Yoga Festival donating $3,500 to two local organizations, and the ‘Remembering Romeo’ pet photo event raising $700 for the Peterborough Humane Society.
Every week, our managing editor collects news and events related to businesses and organizations from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
Also featured this week are Kit Coffee Espresso Bar and Bake Shop opening in downtown Peterborough, The Cat and The Fiddle in Cobourg closing without warning, Peterborough video game studio Canuck Play’s upcoming release being mentioned in Sports Illustrated, the Peterborough Chamber seeking members for its 2020 board of directors, and the Town of Cobourg launching a redesigned and improved website.
New regional business events added this week include Fleming College’s Innovation and Technology Showcase in Peterborough on July 25th, the Lindsay Chamber’s breakfast networking meeting in Lindsay on July 31st, Rebound Child & Youth Services hosting the Northumberland Chamber’s next networking event in Cobourg on August 13th, and the Port Hope Young Professionals and Port Hope Chamber hosting a “house party” in Port Hope on August 16th.
The 46-year-old Bobcaygeon native began his role at the dairy in September 2018, a little more than a year after he left Kraft Heinz Canada where he was most recently chief marketing officer. He worked at Heinz for nearly 19 years.
The Globe and Mail story by Camilla Cornell notes that Kerr first worked for Kawartha Dairy when he was 11 years old, when he was hired to scooping ice into bags for fishermen’s coolers.
Kerr, who went to Fenelon Falls Secondary School, later began loading and driving delivery trucks and continued to work part-time with the company until he was 19.
Also a member of the board of directors of the Ontario Dairy Council, Kerr is hoping to expand Kawartha Dairy’s own retail outlets and also expand its distribution to other retailers in urban areas, according to the Globe story.
“I think urban expansion makes sense,” he tells Cornell. “And we’d be silly to not look at Toronto. It’s the biggest market in Canada.”
Kawartha Dairy was founded in 1937 in Bobcaygeon by Jack and Ila Crowe. Pictured is Jack Crowe with a Kawartha Dairy tanker. The dairy’s products, especially its ice cream, have become a staple of cottage country in central Ontario. (Photo: Kawartha Dairy)
Kawartha Dairy produces and distributes ice cream, milk, and butter, but only its ice cream products are available outside of central Ontario in limited locations. The company recently opened a new 54,000-foot distribution centre as well as two new retail outlets in Barrie and Newmarket.
The Globe story points out that Kawartha Dairy faces a potential risk in moving outside of its traditional stronghold in cottage country, where it has benefited from word of mouth advertising and customer loyalty. There is greater competition in urban areas and the relatively small independent dairy does not have the same economies of scale as its big dairy competitors.
Kawartha Dairy was founded in 1937 by Jack and Ila Crowe, who bought a small dairy in Bobcaygeon and later, in the mid-1950s, began to produce ice cream. Kawartha Dairy continues to be owned and operated by the Crowe family and has 150 employees, along with seasonal staff.
Federal funding announced to make Peterborough a ‘green economy hub’
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef announcing $256,250 in federal funding for three new green economy hubs, including in Peterborough. An initiative of the non-profit organization Green Economy Canada, green economy hubs have already been established in Hamilton and Burlington, Kingston, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, Waterloo Region, and York Region, with 250 businesses collectively reduced 200,000 tons of greenhouse gases to date. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef / Facebook)
Peterborough is about to join seven other Ontario communities to become a “green economy hub” that will help local businesses achieve their energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
On Thursday (July 18) at the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, on behalf of natural resources minister Amarjeet Sohi, announced $256,250 in federal funding for three new green economy hubs.
Green economy hubs support local networks of businesses to set and achieve sustainability targets, including carbon emission reductions. The hubs are an initiative of Green Economy Canada, a non-profit organization founded in Waterloo in 2014 as Sustainability CoLab.
PedalBoro multi-passenger bike service launches in downtown Peterborough
PedalBoro’s 15-passenger party bike received a fair share of attention on Tuesday (July 16) during the bike tour company’s inaugural downtown tour from The Olde Stone Brewing Company to the Publican House Brewery before heading to Millennium Park. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW.com)
Hillary Flood and Peter Rellinger have launched PedalBoro, a 15-passenger group pedalling experience that will take participants to downtown core pubs for pub crawl “brew stops” featuring samplings of their beer.
The service plans to expand offering later this summer to include “dish crawls” to four downtown Peterborough restaurants.
Current pub crawl partners are The Olde Stone Brewery Company, The Publican House Brewery, Next Door, and The Twisted Wheel.
With the launch of PedalBoro, Peterborough is just the fifth Canadian city offering the party bike experience, the others being Vancouver, Calgary, London, and Montreal.
For more information and to register as an individual or a group, visit www.pedalboro.com.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation makes an $837,838 first-quarter payment to the City of Peterborough
Shorelines Casino Peterborough is located at 1400 Crawford Drive. (Photo: Shorelines Casino Peterborough / Facebook)
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has issued a first-quarter non-tax gaming revenue payment of $837,838 to the City of Peterborough for hosting Shorelines Casino Peterborough (1400 Crawford Dr., Peterborough).
The payment for the period April 1 to June 30, 2019 brings the total non-tax gaming revenue payment to the city to more than $2 million since October 2018.
The funds municipalities receive from OLG for hosting a gaming facility are based on a graduated scale of gaming revenue that is consistent across all sites in Ontario. Municipalities will use the revenue for various projects, including investment in local infrastructure, community programs and services, roads, and public transit.
Peterborough Yoga Festival donates $3,500 to two local organizations
The Peterborough Yoga Festival has donated $2,500 to Alternatives Community Program Services Peterborough and $1,000 to the United Way Peterborough & District. (Photos: Peterborough Yoga Festival / Facebook)
The Peterborough Yoga Festival has donated $3,500 to two local organizations: $2,500 to Alternatives Community Program Services Peterborough and $1,000 to the United Way Peterborough & District.
The funds were raised during the fifth annual festival held on June 22nd. Every year, all proceeds of ticket sales from the festival are donated to charitable organizations.
In addition to the $3,500 to local organizations, the festival donated the remaining $1,500 to Nanhi Dunya, an organization in India that offers educational opportunities to underprivileged children.
‘Remembering Romeo’ raises $700 for Peterborough Humane Society
Tracey Ormond, organizer of the Remembering Romeo fundraiser, with husband Mike, their three cats, and border collie Finn. Local photographer Heather Doughty donated her time and equipment to take the portraits of people with their pets. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
‘Remembering Romeo’, a pet photo fundraiser held on July 14th, has raised $700 for the Peterborough Humane Society.
Organized by local businesswoman Tracey Ormond and photographer Heather Doughty, the fundraiser offered digital photos by Doughty of people with their pets.
While there was no cost for a portrait, people were encouraged to make a donation to support the Peterborough Humane Society’s Safe Nights for Pets program, which provides temporary shelter for pets when their owners are faced with hospitalization, domestic abuse, or temporary displacement.
The $700 raised by the event will cover 14 safe nights for pets.
Ormond was inspired to create the fundraiser after the passing of her cat Romeo in June. At the time, Ormond realized she didn’t have very many photos with Romeo and waned to ensure that other pet owners did, while supporting a good cause.
“I am humbled by the support of my friends and this community,” Ormond says. “It was amazing to back a great cause in the name of Romeo … we look forward to having this fundraiser again next year.”
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce donated space at its offices for the event.
Advertisement - content continues below
Kit Coffee Espresso Bar and Bake Shop opens in downtown Peterborough
Helen McCarthy has opened Kit Coffee Espresso Bar and Bake Shop at 144 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Kit Coffee / Facebook)
Kit Coffee Espresso Bar and Bake Shop has opened in downtown Peterborough.
Owned and operated by Helen McCarthy, the cafe features espresso, americano, machiatto, latte, cappuccino, and more, along with made-from-scratch baked goods — including gluten-free scones.
Gluten-free raspberry, blueberry, and orange-glazed scones at Kit Coffee Espresso Bar and Bake Shop. (Photo: Kit Coffee / Facebook)
Kit Coffee is located at 144 Hunter Street West, the former location of Caffeina.
The Cat and The Fiddle in Cobourg closes without warning
The Cat and The Fiddle in Cobourg. (Photo: Cat and Fiddle / Facebook)
Popular Cobourg pub The Cat and The Fiddle (38 Covert St., Cobourg) closed without warning or explanation last Friday (July 19).
Established in 1985, the business is owned by Barrie and Eira Jones and the building is owned by local property developer Phoenix Genesis.
Last Monday (July 15), the pub announced on its Facebook page that Barrie Jones would be retiring on July 31, 2019. On Friday, customers arrived at the pub to find its doors locked.
It is unknown if or when The Cat and The Fiddle will reopen.
According to a report by Northumberland Today, Phoenix Genesis representative John Lee said on Friday that he is unaware why the pub has closed.
Several reader comments on the pub’s official Facebook page, which was unavailable over the weekend but has now been restored, accuse Phoenix Genesis of locking the doors.
On Sunday (July 21), when the official Facebook page was unavailable, a second Facebook page called “Cat N Fiddle Cobourg” was created, levelling various accusations against the pub’s owners.
Peterborough video game studio Canuck Play’s upcoming release mentioned in Sports Illustrated
Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football 2019. (Graphic: Canuck Play)
Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football 2019, an upcoming video game created by Peterborough-based game studio Canuck Play with Spear Interactive, was mentioned in Sports Illustrated last Monday (July 15).
In the “Ten Takeaways” section of an article by Robert Klemko, he writes “I’m a few weeks late on this but if you’re like me and you don’t play video games often but you miss the hell out of the EA Sports’ NCAA football games, this may be welcome news to you. Doug Flutie has partnered with a video game developer to make Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football.”
“It’s being produced by a former online producer for all the EA Sports titles, and while it won’t have the budget of an EA game and the state of the art gameplay that comes with that, it will have a college football franchise mode, with an impressive-looking recruiting platform. Competing for recruits in dynasty mode was always the big draw for me growing up, so I’m pumped to give Flutie’s game a try when it comes out this fall.”
Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football 2019 is set for release in September 2019 on Xbox One and PS4.
Peterborough Chamber seeks members for its 2020 board of directors
The 2019 board of directors of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. (Photo: Peterborough Chamber)
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is seeking members who are interested in serving on its 2020 board of directors.
The board plays a significant role in the development of Chamber policies and focuses on governance of the organization through policy governance.
Volunteers must be willing to make the appropriate time commitment. Only members in good standing may apply.
Town of Cobourg launches redesigned and improved website
The Town of Cobourg has launched a redesigned and improved website at www.cobourg.ca.
The revision of the town’s website took five months of digital market research where hundreds of other municipal, tourism and private sector websites were reviewed for best practices. The site was improved to ensure a clean appearance, ease of navigation, and improved content and functionality driven by the needs of citizens, including feedback gathered from a citizen survey.
The website continues to be responsive and easily readable by any type of device including smartphones and tablets. In addition, the new website meets the accessibility standards required by the Province of Ontario and includes accessibility features such as a screen reader and the ability to change font size and contrast.
Advertisement - content continues below
Fleming College hosts Innovation and Technology Showcase in Peterborough on July 25
Fleming College is hosting an Innovation and Technology Showcase from 2 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 25th at the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre on the Sutherland Campus (599 Brealey Dr., Peterborough).
The free event will showcase applied projects developed by graduating Fleming technology students and will demonstrate experiential learning in action, where students take on real world challenges and find real world solutions.
Project sponsors and hosts include local community businesses, industries, and public and private sector organizations.
VentureNorth hosts “Celebration of Collaboration BBQ” in Peterborough on July 26
VentureNorth is hosting a “Celebration of Collaboration BBQ” from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, July 26th at the VentureNorth building (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
The business hub in downtown Peterborough is home to various local economic development organizations including the Innovation Cluster, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, and Community Futures Peterborough. Ashburnham Realty, Junior Achievement Peterborough, Lakeland, Muskoka, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, and the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce will also be participating in the event.
The open house event is an opportunity to learn more about these organizations and more, and will feature a BBQ catered by Franz’s Butcher Shop & Catering with samples from Publican House Brewery, live music from Paper Shakers, and prizes.
Lindsay Chamber hosts breakfast networking meeting in Lindsay on July 31
The Lindsay & District Chamber Chamber of Commerce is hosting its next M2M Breakfast Meet Up from 8 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31st at Smittys Family Restaurant (370 Kent St., Lindsay).
Bring your business cards and chat with other like-minded people while enjoying a breakfast you order from the Smitty’s menu.
No registration required and this is a free event (just pay for what you order).
Port Hope Chamber hosts Women in Business Breakfast Series in Port Hope on August 6
The Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce is hosting the next seminar in its Women in Business Breakfast Series from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Jack Burger Sports Complex (60 Highland Dr., Port Hope).
Local women in business are invited to attend the session, which will focus on the importance of self care and resources available locally.
The cost for the session is $5 per person, in advance or at the door.
Peterborough Chamber hosts Chamber AM breakfast meeting in Peterborough on August 13
The next Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Chamber AM breakfast meeting takes place from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 13th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Networking begins at 7 a.m., with breakfast orders taken at The Edison at 7:30 a.m. At 7:45 a.m., you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room), followed by a mystery guest speaker at 8 a.m.
There is no cost for the event (order what you like and pay for what you order).
Rebound Child & Youth Services hosts Northumberland Chamber’s next networking event in Cobourg on August 13
The Northumberland Central Chamber Of Commerce’s next Meet and Greet event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13th at Rebound Child & Youth Services Northumberland (700 D’Arcy St. N., Unit 20).
The monthly business networking events are hosted by Chamber members on the second Tuesday of every month. This is an opportunity both for networking and to learn more about the services provided by the host Chamber member.
FastStart Peterborough hosts “Goodbye Summer, Hello Entrepreneurship” seminar in Peterborough on August 13
The next FastStart E-Connect seminar, “Goodbye Summer, Hello Entrepreneurship!”, takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13th at the Silver Bean Cafe in Millennium Park (1130 King St., Peterborough).
Donna Floyd, founder and CEO of Cottage Toys, and Jillian Scates, sales and operations analyst with Central Smith Creamery, will discuss family business and working in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
FastStart Peterborough is a partnership between Trent University, Fleming College, and the Innovation Cluster.
Innovation Cluster hosts “Hands-ON: Maintaining Mindfulness as an Entrepreneur” workshops in Peterborough starting on August 14
On Wednesdays in August, the Innovation Cluster is hosting “Hands-ON: Maintaining Mindfulness as an Entrepreneur”, a three-part series emphasizing mindfulness for entrepreneurs.
“No Stress Zone: Pilates with the Healthy Sweet Potato” is a Pilates class at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough) on August 14th, followed by “Managing Stress and Burnout with Legendary Coaching” on August 21st, and “Pause for Paws – Therapy Dogs” on August 28th, when East Central Therapy Dogs will bring in volunteers to do an hour of de-stressing with their dogs.
All workshops will have a limited amount of space and registration is mandatory. Registration for the series will open in August, and businessNOW will have all the details when available.
Port Hope Young Professionals and Port Hope Chamber host a “house party” in Port Hope on August 16
Port Hope Young Professionals and the Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce are hosting a “house party” starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 16th at the Penryn Park at the Port Hope Golf & Country Club (82 Victoria St. S., Port Hope).
The event for the Port Hope business community will feature live music by the Brown Bag Tour Company, local food, a cash bar, and more.
More details will be available closer to the event date.
Venture13 hosts The Employer Event in Cobourg on August 20
The Community Employment Resource Partnership, Northumberland County, and the millennial team of Canada Summer Jobs students at the Community Training and Development Centre are presenting “The Employer Event” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20th in the lecture hall at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
The focus of the event is how to recruit, retain, and train millennials (employees aged 20 to 45) who, by 2025, will make up 75 per cent of the workforce. You will learn information from experts in recruitment, retention, and training, explore a variety of techniques and resource, and discover innovative ideas, insights, and strategies.
Bancroft Chamber hosting Mineral Collecting Tours now until August 31
The Bancroft & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting Mineral Collecting Tours now until Saturday, August 31st at various locations in Hastings County.
Registration is held at 9 a.m. at the Chamber office (51 Hastings St. N., Bancroft) on the day of each tour, with tours departing at 9:30 a.m. The tours take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with each tour lasting around five hours.
Participants are responsible for their own equipment (mandatory safety glasses and closed-in footwear and rockhounding equipment) and transportation. The cost is $17 for adults, $12 for youth aged 16 and under, or $50 for a family of up to five people. Additional fees are required for specific sites.
The Ontario Provincial Police and the Canadian Armed Forces are conducting a joint training exercise in the Bancroft area in the evening of July 23, 2019. Pictured is a military training exercise held at Camp Aldershot in Nova Scotia in June 2019. (Photo: Lieutenant (Navy) Sean Costello)
If you are in the Bancroft area on Tuesday night (July 23) and see police and military vehicles and personnel on local roads, don’t be concerned — it’s just a training exercise.
Officers with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Tactical Rescue Unit, the OPP Canine Unit, and other services within the OPP will be joining the Canadian Armed Forces in a joint training exercise.
Canadian Armed Forces and OPP vehicles, along with Canadian Armed Forces and OPP members, will be out on the roads conducting the training.
The OPP requests that the public refrain from interrupting the training or contacting the police if you happen to see any Canadian Armed Forces or OPP members.
Brock Grills, pictured here (under clock, holding banner) after winning the Peterborough-Kawartha federal Green Party nomination on February 25, 2019, has stepped down as the candidate for personal reasons. (Photo: Peterborough-Kawartha Federal Green Party Association )
The Peterborough-Kawartha Federal Green Party Association announced on Tuesday morning (July 23) that its candidate for the 2019 federal election, Brock Grills, has stepped down for personal reasons.
“Mr. Grills is proud of his contribution to the Green Party locally but needs to take time for personal matters,” a media release states.
Grills won the nomination on February 25, 2019, beating out rival Jane Davidson.
With fewer than three months left before the federal election, the association is now seeking a new candidate.
Anyone with interest is asked to contact association CEO Gianne Broughton at info@ptbogreens.org.
The Sheepdogs perform a free, sponsor-supported concert at Peterborough Musicfest in Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on July 24, 2019. Pictured are band members Sam Corbett (drums, backing vocals), Jimmy Bowskill (guitars, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, pedal steel), Ewan Currie (vocals, guitars, clarinet, drums), Shamus Currie (keyboards, trombone), and Ryan Gullen (bass, backing vocals). (Photo: Matt Dunlap)
Some things are simply well worth waiting for, if not long overdue.
Close to four years after he joined The Sheepdogs for the European leg of the rock band’s Future Nostalgia Tour, Bailieboro native and 2005 Juno Award nominee Jimmy Bowskill is right where he belongs and deserves to be — included, for the first time, in the band member listing for The Sheepdogs’ latest album.
Peterborough Musicfest presents The Sheepdogs
When: Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent for $4/chair). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
Those who saw and heard the unassuming kid (he really was a kid) cut his musical teeth in Peterborough live music venues still easily recall his huge talent and how the blues a la Robert Johnson oozed from every pore of his body.
It was that same talent and passion for the blues that impressed the late blues guitarist Jeff Healey, prompting him to invite the 11-year-old Bowskill off the street to perform on his club stage in Toronto.
And years later, it was Bowskill’s mastery of string instruments that led to The Sheepdogs inviting him along for the tour ride in November 2015.
On Wednesday, July 24th at Del Crary Park, The Sheepdogs — Bowskill alongside frontman Ewan Currie, Ryan Gullen, Sam Corbett, and Shamus Currie — will bring their three-time Juno awarded sound to Peterborough Musicfest. The band — including Bowskill — last performed at Musicfest in August 2017. Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free, thanks to the support of sponsors.
VIDEO: “I Don’t Know” – The Sheepdogs
In a promotional story by Nick Krewen for the band’s latest album Changing Colours, bass guitarist and co-founder Gullen credits Bowskill with giving The Sheepdogs “a new sensibility” with the addition of his prowess on pedal steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle.
Among Changing Colours‘ generous 17 tracks is “The Bailieboro Turnaround” — a folk-flavoured instrumental tribute to Bowskill’s hometown.
“We identify strongly with rock ‘n roll but there’s definitely some branching out,” Ewan Currie says in the same article. “There’s more keyboards featuring Shamus and more stringed instruments. It’s still rock ‘n roll, but there are more colours.”
VIDEO: “The Bailieboro Turnaround / Up in Canada” – The Sheepdogs
Long before inviting Bowskill into the fold, The Sheepdogs formed in Saskatoon in 2006. Originally a trio called The Breaks with Ewan Currie, Gullen, and Corbett, guitarist Leot Hanson soon joined the band and they changed their name to The Sheepdogs — a name inspired by an incident from Ewan Currie’s childhood.
“When I was a young boy my mother left me in the front yard of our house and I wandered off down the street,” Currie recalls in a 2015 interview with Jon Berrien of GroundSounds.
Advertisement - content continues below
“She went running looking for me and found me down at the park playing with a kindly sheepdog. I’ve always felt like those dogs were especially benevolent and sort of watched over me.”
The quartet independently released its first album Trying To Grow the following year. While that album, and 2008 follow-up The Sheepdogs’ Big Stand, failed to chart, 2010’s Learn & Burn was a game changer, peaking at #14 on the Canadian album chart and earning platinum status.
Not hurting matters at all was the band’s performance in “Battle of the Instant Bands” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in June 2011, which preceded their reader-selected appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone that August — the first unsigned act ever featured on the storied magazine’s cover — and a subsequent appearance the same month on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
VIDEO: “The Way It Is” – The Sheepdogs
VIDEO: “Feeling Good” – The Sheepdogs
That same month also saw the EP Five Easy Pieces spawn two top-charting hits, “I Don’t Know” and “Who?”
So it was no huge surprise when music industry recognition arrived in a big way via 2012 Juno Award wins for Rock Album of the Year for Learn & Burn, Single of the Year for “I Don’t Know”, and Best New Group.
Following the 2012 release of The Sheepdogs (the band’s fourth album also platinum certified and Juno Award nominated on the strength of #1 charted singles “The Way It Is” and “Feeling Good”), Hanson departed the band and Ewan Currie’s younger brother Shamus Currie joined the band.
Advertisement - content continues below
Hanson’s replacement, Winnipeg guitarist Rusty Matyas, was in the mix for Future Nostalgia, the band’s fifth album recorded in a cottage on the shores of Stoney Lake and released in 2015.
There things sat until Bowskill got the call for that tour of Europe and the subsequent February 2018 release of Changing Colours. Producing three singles to date — “I’ve Got A Whole Where My Heart Should Be”, “Nobody”, and “Saturday Night” — that album brought two 2019 Juno Award nominations The Sheepdogs’ way.
“Most of the records we’ve made have been under a short time constraint,” Corbett tells Nick Krewen. “This one was done over six months, with some songs sitting around for two months. Then we’d come back and try different things, so as a result some of the songs took a different shape. In some situations, there’s more of a ‘jamming’ feel because we could experiment.”
VIDEO: “Downtown” – The Sheepdogs
VIDEO: “I’ve Got A Hole Where My Heart Should Be” – The Sheepdogs
For Corbett, 2018 was particularly difficult. Diagnosed with cancer, he began treatment in October of that year. Come New Year’s Eve in Niagara Falls, he was again behind his drum kit, shortly after announcing the birth of his first child.
While The Sheepdogs have been blessed with recording success, touring has been, and remains, where it’s at for the quintet. Earlier this year, the band joined Rival Sons for a tour of Europe and North America — a jaunt which included The Sheepdogs’ first ever shows in Scandinavia.
VIDEO: “Nobody” – The Sheepdogs
“We could never sit back and rest on our laurels,” says Corbett, with Currie in full agreement.
“Do good work and the people will find you. Let the work speak for itself. That’s our big philosophy.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Win VIP passes to MusicFest!
As a returning sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest, kawarthaNOW.com will be giving away VIP seats to every one of this summer’s concerts again this year.
While the concerts are free to all, VIP seats are not available to the general public — only to festival sponsors. You are guaranteed a chair near to the stage for the best view.
The giveaways are exclusive to subscribers to our weekly e-news. For your chance to win, sign-up to our weekly e-news at k-n.ca/subscribe.
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission, sponsor-supported concerts featuring a total of 21 acts during its 33rd season — each concert staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Del Crary Park.
Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the entire 2019 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
"Birds of Prey", a two-hour demonstration by master falconer Matt Lieberknecht, takes place at Gamiing Nature Centre on Pigeon Lake on August 10, 2019. Lieberknecht will bring various owls, falcons, kestrels, and other raptors for an interactive show for the whole family, engaging both young and old with his fascinating stories about each bird. (Supplied photo)
This August, master falconer Matt “The Birdman” Lieberknecht is returning to Gamiing Nature Centre on Pigeon Lake for “Birds of Prey”, an interactive show on raptors for the entire family.
Gamiing Nature Centre presents Birds of Prey
When: Saturday, August 10, 2019 from 2 – 4 p.m. Where: Gamiing Nature Centre (1884 Pigeon Lake Rd., Kawartha Lakes) How much: $10 adults, $5 children and youth 16 and under, $25 early bird family pass (2 adults and up to 3 children)
Featuring master falconer Matt Lieberknecht and various owls, falcons, kestrels, and other raptors in an interactive show for the entire family. Proceeds to support Gamiing’s Nuturing Nature fundraising campaign.
The two-hour demonstration takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 10th on the centre’s 100-acre property between Emily Park and Bobcaygeon.
Raptors — which include hawks, eagles, falcons, kestrels, owls, and vultures — are birds of prey that hunt and feed on small animals like rodents and larger animals like squirrels and rabbits.
While many birds eat meat, raptors have three traits that distinguish them from other birds: they have curved beaks with sharp edges for tearing flash, they have sharp talons on their powerful feet for grasping and carrying off prey, and they have keen eyesight to detect prey at great distances.
Lieberknecht will bring owls, falcons, kestrels, and other raptors to the Gaming Nature Centre event. He will outline everything an aspiring falconer or birder might wish to learn about raptors, from the food he gives them (minced quail, bones and feathers included) to the equipment he uses.
Advertisement - content continues below
Among other things, he will explain the importance of using the forearm as a perch and selecting the correct glove, and the significance of the thin strap of leather (known as a jess) around a captive raptor’s leg.
“The audience is sure to be impressed with master falconer Matt Lieberknecht,” says Gamiing executive director Mieke Schipper. “We are excited to welcome Matt back once again. He is truly fascinating to watch.”
Master falconer Matt “The Birdman” Lieberknecht with a turkey vulture. (Supplied photo)
Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 children and youth 16 years of age and under. A family pass (including two adults and up to three children) is also available for $25 until July 31st and $30 thereafter. You can get your tickets online now at Eventbrite.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Gamiing Nature Centre’s Nurturing Nature fundraising campaign.
Gamiing, an Ojibwa word meaning “at the shore”, is a charitable organization that receives no government funding. The centre relies on donations to operate its outdoor youth education programs, Wild at Heart Forest School, and nature workshops, and to conduct maintenance of public access trails on the property
For more information on Gamming and to donate, visit www.gamiing.org.
Charlene "Charlie" Earle performing with her quartet Little Fire in April 2014 at the former Barbeside Salon, with Aaron Cavon on bass and Dave Tough on guitar (not shown: Brandon Root on drums). Earle passed away on July 19, 2019 at the age of 33. (Photo: Esther Vincent / evmustang.ca)
Peterborough musician and artist Charlene Earle passed away suddenly on Friday (July 19), kawarthaNOW has learned. She was 33 years old.
Celebration of Life
Ryan and Sam Weber of The Weber Brothers are planning celebration of life for Charlene Earle from 1 to 11 p.m.
on Sunday, July 28th at the Historic Red Dog (189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough). More details are coming soon.
Earle, who performed as Charlie Earle and Charlie Maine and was known as Chuck by her friends, had just played at the Historic Red Dog Tavern in downtown Peterborough the previous evening, as part of the Weber Brothers’ WE Thursdays concert series.
In 2012, Earle moved from Toronto to Peterborough, where she performed as a vocalist and well as working as a bartender at The Garnet.
Charlie Earle with Aaron Cavon, Brandon Root, and David Tough in Little Fire, which performed in 2013 and 2014. (Photo: Little Fire / bandcamp.com)
As a musician, Earle was known for her powerhouse vocals in the style of Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner.
She sang backup vocals with Beau Dixon’s band Slips & The High Fives and, from 2013 to 2014, was the lead vocalist in the band Little Fire along with Dave Tough on guitar, Aaron Cavon on bass, and Brandon Root on drums.
More recently, she performed with local musicians including the Weber Brothers, Rob Phillips, Pat Temple and the Hilo Players, and others.
VIDEO: “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James performed by Charlie Earle
Earle had recently formed a new “modwave” band called Nudge, with Erika Nininger, Will Dobbin, Rick Sloukji, and Brandon Root.
She was also an artist, who painted in acrylic.
Her work was featured publicly for the first time on March 1st this year during “Celebrating Black Arts Vol II”, a First Friday Art Crawl event at the Historic Red Dog for Black History Month.
A work in acrylic on canvas by Charlene “Charlie” Earle. Her work was featured in March during an event celebrating Black History Month. (Photo: Charlie Earle / Facebook)
As word spread on social media of Earle’s death, her friends and fellow musicians expressed their shock and sorrow.
Here are a few samples of public posts on Facebook, including this moving tribute by The Weber Brothers:
You ever look at a diamond? Seen it’s brilliance radiate within and rush outward, dazzling and hypnotizing the eye?…
My heart broke today. I don't have the right words but so, so much love. And too many conversations, plans and schemes. There was so much music left to make. Let people know you love them always. Always.
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
Submit your event for FREE!
Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.
To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.
